Reform propels China's rural areas on path to modernization

Xinhua) 14:09, December 23, 2023

* China aims to make decisive progress in rural revitalization and basically achieve modernization of agriculture and rural areas by 2035. Reform to improve institutions and mechanisms is deemed a source of impetus and vitality for this process.

* China is expected to continue to deepen reform of the collective property rights system and other rural fields to enable farmers to increase their income.

* The role of reform is also underlined in China's efforts to build up its strength in agriculture, which is part of the country's grand goal of developing itself into a great modern socialist country in all respects by the middle of this century.

BEIJING, Dec. 22 (Xinhua) -- First-time visitors to Houbaligou Village might check their maps again just to make sure they are in the right spot, because this area looks a lot more urban than rural, with highrises lining broad streets, a spacious square dotted with green trees and fountains, and neatly built neighborhoods.

The village in east China's Shandong Province boasts an array of industries, including real estate development, education and commerce. Its fast development was a result of several factors, including adjacency to the county town and the ability to seize industrial opportunities, while deepening reform has also played a crucial role.

China aims to make decisive progress in rural revitalization and basically achieve modernization of agriculture and rural areas by 2035. Reform to improve institutions and mechanisms is deemed a source of impetus and vitality for this process.

Rural reform and innovation will be strengthened, according to the annual central rural work conference that concluded Wednesday.

This aerial photo taken on Aug. 19, 2023 shows a view of Houbaligou Village, east China's Shandong Province. (Photo by Zhang Meng/Xinhua)

FROM FARMERS TO SHAREHOLDERS

China has advanced rural reform across the board in the past decade, making breakthroughs in some key areas. The reform of the rural collective property rights system was one of the major tasks.

By verifying rural collective assets and allowing farmers to voluntarily turn their rights in collective assets into shares, this reform is aimed at protecting farmers' interests and improving the vitality of the rural collective economy.

After completing reform and setting up a shareholding cooperative in 2017, Houbaligou Village's collective assets have ballooned from 3.5 billion yuan to over 8 billion yuan (about 1.1 billion U.S. dollars) at present.

As shareholders, villagers have received dividends annually and their incomes have grown continuously. Employees working for the village enterprise also hold shares based on the length of their service.

"As shareholders, villagers and employees are all motivated to contribute to the village's development," said Yang Ruixia, a member of the village Party committee.

Villagers show the dividends they have received from the village collective earnings at Xiaogang Village in Fengyang County, east China's Anhui Province, Jan. 26, 2022. (Xinhua/Cao Li)

The reform also has a lasting influence on Luyuan New Village of the city of Qufu, the hometown of Confucius in Shandong Province. A collective economic organization, established as a consequence of the reform process, has supported villagers in opening more than 160 guesthouses to tap local tourism resources.

Kong Fanling, a 56-year-old villager, has turned her four-bed home into a guesthouse, which has the potential to bring in 60,000 to 70,000 yuan in revenue annually. Her family could only earn around 3,000 yuan a year from growing crops, which used to be their major source of income.

"We could have never imagined making a living out of tourism. Villagers used to leave for jobs in cities in droves. Now around two thirds of them have returned to the village," Kong said.

Nationwide, around 960,000 rural collective economies have been established since reform of the collective property rights system was rolled out in 2015.

China will continue to deepen reform of the collective property rights system and other rural fields to enable farmers to increase their income, said Zeng Yande, an official with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs.

This photo taken on June 10, 2023 shows a reading room in Houbaligou Village, east China's Shandong Province. (Photo by Zhang Rui/Xinhua)

MODERNIZING AGRICULTURE

The role of reform is also underlined in China's efforts to build up its strength in agriculture, which is part of the country's grand goal of developing itself into a great modern socialist country in all respects by the middle of this century.

In a major institutional innovation in the past decade, China has allowed farmers to retain contract rights concerning their allotted farmland, while transferring management rights if farmers decide to lease the land to others.

This reform, together with the extension of the rural land contract by a further 30 years, has provided further assurance to farmers and helped accelerate farmland transfer, large-scale farming and development of a modern agricultural industry.

Thanks to the reform, profound changes have taken place in Xiaogang Village, the cradle of China's household contract responsibility system for rural land.

The village in east China's Anhui Province has developed about 870 hectares of high-standard farmland since 2018 by amalgamating small plots of land, 70 percent of which has been transferred for large-scale farming, said Li Jinzhu, first secretary of the village Party committee.

"Some families used to own a number of plots of farmland. Now with the small pieces of land forming larger ones, there are conditions suitable for improving infrastructure and developing modern agriculture," he said.

The village has attracted leading agricultural groups like the Beidahuang Group and the Anhui Agricultural Reclamation Group. The local agricultural mechanization rate has reached over 97 percent.

"Many of us did not expect this to happen five years ago. Now we have factory seedlings, machine transplanting, and drone pesticide spraying," Li said.

This aerial photo taken on Sept. 27, 2018 shows agricultural fields in Xiaogang Village, Fengyang County, east China's Anhui Province. (Xinhua/Zhang Duan)

Nationwide, the rate of mechanization in crop plowing, planting and harvesting had risen from 67.2 percent in 2017 to 73 percent in 2022. Helped by increased contributions from agricultural machinery and technology, China secured a grain harvest of over 650 million tonnes for the ninth consecutive year in 2023.

With reform and innovation of institutions and mechanisms, agriculture in China will see further improved industrial, production and business operation systems and increased land yield, resource utilization efficiency and labor productivity, said Zheng Fengtian, director of the Rural Development Institute at the Renmin University of China.

(Web editor: Chang Sha, Zhong Wenxing)
Russia, China, and the US all have fifth-generation fighter-jet programs.

The Russian Su-57, the Chinese J-20, and the American F-35 face various challenges.

Business Insider spoke with several experts about what's been holding these programs back.

The world's top military powers have been working to develop formidable fifth-generation fighter-jet fleets for decades  and it's still a work in progress.

The US built the first fifth-generation fighter, the stealth Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor, and it followed that project with the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter. Russia and China have the Sukhoi Su-57 and the Chengdu J-20, respectively.

The F-22 is no longer in production, and the three newest jets, all of which are regarded as fifth-gen jets even if some of them don't quite check all the boxes, are each facing challenges.

To qualify as a fifth-generation fighter, an aircraft needs to have certain features, including stealth capabilities to avoid detection and the ability to cruise at supersonic speeds without engaging its afterburners, among other things.

Aviation experts outlined several issues with the Russian, Chinese, and American fifth-generation programs  including problems with stealth technology, engine development, and maintenance  in recent interviews with Business Insider.

Russia's Su-57

The Sukhoi Su-57 jet fighter performs during the international military-technical forum "Army-2020" at Kubinka air base in the Moscow oblast, Russia in 2020. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov

The Su-57 is Russia's first attempt at a fifth-generation fighter aircraft, but analysts have questioned if it actually qualifies for this distinction given its shortcomings in several key categories.

Known to NATO as the "Felon," the Su-57 was delivered to the Russian military in 2020. There are said to be only 10 of the aircraft in Moscow's arsenal, but state media suggests this figure will increase to 22 by the end of 2024 and jump again to 76 by 2028. It's unclear if those plans will hold.

The Su-57 first saw combat experience above Syria in 2018. Last year, Russian officials claimed that the aircraft had seen combat experience in Ukraine, which intelligence published by Britain's defense ministry backs up. But while the jets may have engaged in some standoff attacks, there isn't much evidence of widespread Su-57 employment in the ongoing war.

The Sukhoi Su-57 fighter jets perform at the MAKS 2019 air show in Zhukovsky, outside Moscow, in 2019. Sputnik/Aleksey Nikolskyi/Kremlin via REUTERS

One explanation for the lack of participation in the kind of war fifth-generation jets were built for could be that the Russian jet lacks the low-observable characteristics that would allow it to operate as a proper fifth-generation fighter. Issues with the aircraft include Moscow's apparent struggle to outfit it with stealth-capable engines and tightly placed body panels that would adequately reduce its radar signature.

Ultimately, Russia's reluctance to use its Su-57s in Ukraine "suggests that they do not have confidence in the claimed stealth properties of the jet," Justin Bronk, an airpower expert at the Royal United Services Institute, or RUSI, think tank, previously told Business Insider.

Additionally, he said, the aircraft can only carry an older variant of the R-77 air-to-air missile. This has "folding grid fins that prevent it from being carried internally on the aircraft and hence compromises its stealth signature," he said.

China's J-20

The J-20 fighter jets perform during Airshow China 2022 at the Zhuhai Airshow Center in 2022. Chen Jimin/China News Service via Getty Images

China, the so-called "pacing challenge" for the US military, also has a fifth-generation fighter program. Six years after making its first flight, China's Chengdu J-20 entered service in 2017.

There, it joined Beijing's inventory of 1,900 fighter jets and has since been "operationally fielded," according to a 2023 Pentagon report on the country's military power. It is estimated that China has built more than 200 J-20s and is preparing several upgrades for the fighter, among them being the installation of domestically produced WS-15 engines.

The WS-15 is the engine that the J-20 was originally supposed to have because it would allow the fighter to fly at supersonic speeds without engaging afterburners and lend the aircraft additional stealth capabilities. But the Chinese defense industry has long struggled to manufacture the advanced engine, so the military has used older Chinese engines and Russian ones instead.

"The J-20 engines have been a big headache, but I think they're indicative of larger challenges within the Chinese defense industry," Mike Dahm, a former US Navy intelligence officer, said. "For all of China's technological progress, they still lag behind the West in high-end manufacturing techniques, whether it is engines, low-observable materials, or metallurgy."

"Precision manufacturing has an outsized impact on stealth and fifth-generation aircraft capabilities," he said.

A J-20 stealth fighter jet in Changchun in China's Jilin Province on July 24. Wang Jingtian/VCG via Getty Images

Despite earlier setbacks, the J-20 appeared to fly with a pair of WS-15 engines this past summer in a milestone moment. But Dahm, a senior resident fellow at the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies, cautioned that even if China has managed to overcome its manufacturing challenges, the reliability of the WS-15 engines is still questionable and could cause problems  especially if it's not built to the same tolerances as Western aircraft.

"Over the course of the engine's lifetime, they will have to perform maintenance on their engines more often and will probably have to replace the engines more often," he said. "Those maintenance challenges will ultimately impact the readiness of the aircraft and the availability of the aircraft."

Michael Bohnert, a licensed engineer at the RAND Corporation think tank who has supported analysis work for the US Air Force, said maintaining stealth materials  such as applying coating on an aircraft  is an expensive and "painful" process that requires a lot of investment, both from a labor and infrastructure perspective.

"Having stealth aircraft is more than just the plane," Bohnert said. "It's the missiles, the tactics, it's the logistics, it's the maintenance infrastructure  there's a lot that goes into it. It's a long train to get there, and you can choose not to follow it."

Like Russia, China is still relatively new to the fifth-generation-fighter game. But even the US, which has had a fifth-gen jet since 2005, is having challenges with its new Joint Strike Fighter.

America's F-35

US Air Force F-35s over the US Central Command area of responsibility in 2020. US Air Force/Senior Airman Duncan Bevan

Developed by the aerospace-and-defense manufacturer Lockheed Martin, the F-35 is the second fifth-generation fighter in America's arsenal after the F-22 Raptor and comes in three variants.

The US Marine Corps' F-35B is capable of short takeoffs and vertical landings and first achieved initial operational capability, or IOC, in 2015. The US Air Force uses the F-35A, which achieved IOC in 2016, while the US Navy uses the F-35C, which was operational by 2019.

The aircraft, which was built for ground attacks, air-to-air combat, and networked airpower, has patrolled in Europe and the Pacific and seen some combat experience in the Middle East.

The US military and a number of US allies operate the fifth-gen plane; Israel was the first nation to fly the jet in combat.

The US military has about 450 F-35s and the Pentagon plans to procure approximately 2,500 more over the next several decades; the estimated life-cycle cost is more than $1.7 trillion  much of which will go to operating and repairing the aircraft.

Maintenance and sustainability issues that have often impacted the fighter jet's readiness have plagued the expensive program, and that continues to be the case, according to a September report published by the Government Accountability Office, or GAO. Earlier this year, the aircraft was capable of flying missions barely over half the time.

The report identified several specific issues at military installations, including a lack of support equipment, spare parts, adequate training, and technical data  all of which can contribute to maintenance delays. The report also found that the F-35 program was behind schedule in establishing facilities to conduct repairs and that the US government has relied heavily on contractors, which reduces its own decision-making abilities.

An overarching problem is that for many years, the F-35 program was focused on production, Diana Maurer, a director in the defense capabilities-and-management team at the GAO, said. The priorities were largely about research, development, and acquisition, while sustainability and costs were downgraded to a later focus. These problems are now in play.

The US Air Force's F-35 stealth fighter takes off for an aerial-demonstration debut at the ParisLe Bourget Airport during the 2017 Paris Air Show in Paris. Photo by Yuriko Nakao/Getty Images

"The F-35, when it was becoming operationally available to the services, did not have the depot repair facilities up and running to fix the aircraft when it was needed to be repaired. Even now, the program is still years behind in completing depot standup," Maurer said. This means that when major parts of the aircraft need to be repaired or replaced, they often times need to go all the way back to the original equipment manufacturers.

"That creates a lot of delays," she said. And because it takes longer to repair those parts, the backlog grows, and the aircraft becomes "less able to fly across the entire fleet."

The GAO has made several recommendations to the Pentagon in a bid to alleviate some of the challenges, including reassessing the breakdown between government and contractor responsibility. If there is any change to this balance of oversight, the GAO suggested in its September report that the Pentagon figure out what sort of technical data or intellectual property it might need.

Adding to the F-35 program's woes, a December GAO report determined that there are issues with the fighter's cooling system. In particular, it's overtasked, operating beyond what it's designed to do, which could increase wear on the engine, reduce its life, and add billions in maintenance costs.

"It's really important for the US to get a grip on the F-35 program. When it is flying, we've heard from pilots that they're very happy with the capabilities of that weapon system," Maurer said, adding that "it's not just the future of combat aviation for three of our military services  it's the present."

Read the original article on Business Insider
Fritz Klaetke, a member of the Yarmouth Town Seal Review Committee, gently pulled back a white covering to reveal a proposed new town seal during Tuesday's Board of Selectmen meeting. The draft image shows an eastern white pine tree growing from sandy soil in the foreground of the seal, which is outlined in nautical rope. To the left is Point Gammon Lighthouse, and to the right is a two-masted schooner meant to emulate the David K. Akin ship that once traveled from Bass River to New York.

The seal's background is filled with sky and sea, drawn with a texture that mimics the striations of a quahog shell, said Klaetke during the meeting. Underneath the image, is the word: Mattacheese, which means "big or great sky" in Wopanaak, the original language of Wampanoag people, said George Slama, vice chair of the Historical Commission. The draft is the first since the original seal was created in February 1895, said Bob Lawton, chair of the Seal Review Committee.

Yarmouth unveiled a proposed new town seal during Tuesdays select board meeting. Many in town considered the current seal as culturally inaccurate. Dropped from the new version were a Native American and a teepee. The Town Seal Committee hopes a final design can be voted on during this spring's annual town meeting.

"This has been a 130-year journey," said Slama, who also sits on the Seal Review Committee. Yarmouth first began discussing alterations to its town seal in July 2021. Many communities across the state are making changes to town seals that incorrectly depict Native culture - including the town of Mashpee. In November 2021, the town debuted a new seal that focused on the Mashpee River and natural elements of the area that connect to the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe. Discussions to change the town seal in Bourne were also proposed by community members in November 2022. A Special Commission on Official Seal and Motto of the Commonwealth was also established in July 2021, to rethink the Massachusetts state seal.

In Yarmouth, Slama said the public will have an opportunity to weight in on the new design, and eventually vote on a final seal during an annual town meeting.

What did the original seal look like?

Yarmouth's present town seal.

The original seal depicts a Native American person, who is holding a bow and arrow, standing in front of a teepee. Ocean, boats, a tree and a lighthouse can also be seen in the background. Traditionally, said Slama, Wampanoag people had a different style of dress than what's shown on the original seal. Flawed elements, said Slama, also include the oversized bow and a teepee. Wampanoag people lived in summer and winter homes called wetus, he said.

In 2021, selectmen, in consultation with the Historical Commission, decided that the current town seal contained culturally inaccurate Native American imagery and during the April 2022 annual town meeting, residents voted to create the Seal Review Committee.

Selectmen buzz over the removal of Native person from seal

For Selectman Mark Forest, the first thing that jumped out at him when he saw the new seal, was the absence of the Native American.

Slama explained that the Committee decided to remove the Native person from the new design after reviewing meeting minutes from the Special Commission on Official Seal and Motto of the Commonwealth. In the minutes, Brian Weeden, chairman of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe, said that adding a person to a seal can be difficult, because one person isn't representative of every person in a community.

"It says a lot that Brian Weeden felt that having a human representative (in a seal) is problematic," said Slama.

Selectmen Chair Michael Stone said he understands the historical flaws within the original design, but was troubled that a Native person was replaced with a pine tree.

"How does (the pine tree) more accurately reflect the history of Indigenous people?" said Stone during the selectmen meeting.

Slama said eastern white pine trees were mentioned in Wampanoag creation stories. Through consultations with the Wampanoag tribe, the committee learned that Wampanoag people believe they were created from the roots of the white pine. Slama specifically pointed to an art exhibit which featured a wampum belt that centered the eastern pine tree in its design. The belt, which was created cohesively by Wampanoag tribal members, was included in a series of art exhibits facilitated by Paula Peters, a member of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe.

It will take time to educate people on aspects of the seal, said Slama.

"And thats a fun part of this process," he said. "Our Native neighbors have a culture and its good to understand that and learn about it."Through a survey, which was sent to roughly 18,000 town residents, the committee found that 51% of residents wanted to modify the original seal. Out of the 3,000 survey responses, the majority of residents also said they wanted cultural imagery for Native people to be correctly implemented.

Many different town seals in Yarmouth

During the committee's research, the group also discovered that there are many variations of the town seal that are currently used by municipal departments including the fire department, the police department, and the Natural Resources department.

"We've been a little footloose and fancy," said Slama.

The official town seal isnt supposed to be reproduced without permission of the town clerk and shouldn't be used for commercial purposes, said Town Clerk Mary Maslowski at the meeting.

Forest proposed that once a final design is brought to the town's annual meeting, a recommendation should be proposed that all seal variations "should be in sync" he said.

Committee members also crunched numbers associated with the cost of changing the seal. The change would need to be made on town uniform patches; collar pins and detail caps, as well as on municipal vehicles and signs throughout Yarmouth. If every seal is changed throughout town, said Lawton, the cost would be roughly $145,000. "If this goes forward and is put on the warrant, our job is to talk to town administration and the finance department to finetune costs," said Lawton.

Uncomfortable conversations need to be had, Ferretti said

Melissa Ferretti, chairwoman of the Herring Pond Wampanoag Tribe and a Bourne Select Board member, said Yarmouth's efforts are a move in the right direction. In Bourne, she said, the process to change the seal has "moved a lot slower than I envisioned." While the Bourne Historical Commission asked the Herring Pond Wampanoag Tribe to consult with them about a new seal, she said there hasn't been a ton of movement.

Ferretti served on the Official Seal and Motto of the Commonwealth committee. Many discussions held by the committee revolved around the way Native people are portrayed on seals across the country, and flawed cultural aspects.

"Our job was to make recommendations as to what we thought should happen and one of the recommendations was to establish curriculum development that would support the initiative," said Ferretti.

Public participation is also key, said Ferretti. Uncomfortable conversations need to be had, she said.

The state committee was disbanded in November. "We don't want to create division and arguing," said Ferretti. "But there is serious education that needs to happen."

Rachael Devaney writes about community and culture. Reach her at rdevaney@capecodonline.com. Follow her on Twitter: @RachaelDevaney.

Thanks to our subscribers, who help make this coverage possible. If you are not a subscriber, please consider supporting quality local journalism with a Cape Cod Times subscription. Here are our subscription plans.

This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: Yarmouth town seal: Why new design replaced Native person with a tree
More than a century ago, an 8-year-old named Virginia OHanlon had a question weighing on her mind. Were her friends correct when they said, There is no Santa Claus?

She decided to write a letter to the best authority she knew, the New York Sun newspaper  and the response of an editorial writer named Francis Pharcellus Church has gone down in history. Here is the full text of their exchange from September 1897:

Dear Editor, I am 8 years old.

Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus.

Papa says, If you see it in The Sun, its so.

Please tell me the truth, is there a Santa Claus?

Virginia OHanlon

115 W. 95th St.

Virginia, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds. All minds, Virginia, whether they be mens or childrens, are little. In this great universe of ours man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect, as compared with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole truth and knowledge.

Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! How dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus! It would be as dreary as if there were no Virginias. There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The eternal light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished.

Not believe in Santa Claus! You might as well not believe in fairies! You might get your papa to hire men to watch in all the chimneys on Christmas Eve to catch Santa Claus, but even if they did not see Santa Claus coming down, what would that prove? Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus. The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see. Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of course not, but thats no proof that they are not there. Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world.

You tear apart the babys rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived, could tear apart. Only faith, fancy, poetry, love, romance can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernal beauty and glory beyond. Is it all real? Ah, Virginia, in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding.

No Santa Claus! Thank God he lives and he lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay 10 times 10 thousand years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.

This article was originally published on TODAY.com
Sometimes you just know when the time is right. This is one of those times, as I plan to retire at the end of this year.

Making such a life-changing decision is not easy, but after careful consideration of the myriad factors involved I am confident I am making the right move at the right time.

Its difficult because the news has been such a big part of my life. When I'm not writing or editing, I'm reading or watching about current events from here to the far side of the world. As veteran journalists often say, Ive got ink in my veins. But we need to update that cliche, because its now a mix of ink and pixels.

I started writing for my elementary school newspaper, The Bulldogs Bark, in North Babylon, New York, as soon as I learned to spell, and Ive been writing and editing ever since. That's included working in the media in Tampa and Toledo before joining Gannett in 2015 where I have served as editor in Fremont, Port Clinton, Mansfield and Bucyrus.

David Yonke

As a journalist, I learned early on the words we write and the images we capture go beyond the pages of a print newspaper or an electronic screen; they spill over into the real world and affect real people.

Journalists work diligently every day to hold those in authority accountable and to help ensure justice. I have seen how articles have helped people who lacked a voice to speak out or the resources to fight for their rights.

We also strive to shine a light on worthy, often overlooked, causes, and to spread the good word about people who are making positive a impact on their communities.

Many peaks and a few valleys in his career, fighting the good fight

I count my blessings for the many memorable experiences of my career. Looking back at more than four decades in the journalism, there were many peaks and a few valleys.

I've covered talks by Pope John Paul II and the Dalai Lama. I interviewed President Jimmy Carter about a book he authored and I attended Barack Obama's first inauguration. I sat on tour buses with B.B. King and Hootie and the Blowfish.

Every day was different, with new challenges, opportunities, responsibilities and rewards.

And every day I have been inspired and motivated knowing my colleagues are out there fighting the good fight, informing readers about important news, helping people in need and exposing corruption and crime.

Its been an honor and a privilege to work with so many hard-working, talented, intelligent and compassionate people in my career. I will truly miss collaborating with my colleagues on a daily basis.

As we all know, this is a tumultuous time for many industries and the news business is not exempt. But I am confident that with the support of faithful readers like you, local journalism will continue to flourish and make a difference in our daily lives.

People often ask me what I plan to do when I retire, and while I have compiled a lengthy to-do list," including spending more time with my eight grandchildren, one thing is certain: I will remain a faithful reader and supporter of local journalism. After all, that mix of ink and pixels still flows through my veins.

This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: Yonke: It's been an honor to 'fight the good fight' as a journalist
A young girl is dead after a crash involving a horse-driven buggy in Mercer County Friday.

Around 5:20 p.m. Mercer County deputies were called to a crash on State Route 49 north of Oregon Road, according to a media release.

An initial investigation found that Trey Frech, 24, of New Paris was driving northbound on SR-49 when he went into the southbound lane to pass another car and hit a buggy head-on.

Frech was thrown from his car.

He was flown to Luther Hospital in Fort Wayne, Indiana, according to the media release.

>> It hits home; Local police chief who trained fallen Deputy Hamilton remembers time together

The driver of the buggy, John Schwartz, 24, of Celina, was taken to an area hospital where he was treated and released.

Schwartzs wife Elizabeth, who is pregnant, was taken to Mercer Health and later flown to Miami Valley Hospital.

The Schwartzs 3-year-old was taken to Mercer Health. Their 1-year-old daughter was pronounced dead at the scene, deputies said.

The horse was seriously injured and later died.

The crash remains under investigation.

We will continue to follow this story.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has imposed sanctions against individuals and companies that harm Ukraine's interests following a decision by Ukraine's National Security and Defence Council.

Source: Zelenskyy's decrees Nos 850/2023 and 851/2023

Details: The 43 individuals subject to sanctions include, in addition to Russian nationals, people holding Ukrainian or Latvian citizenship (in addition to the one of the Russian Federation).

Sanctions have also been imposed on 119 companies, mainly located in Russia, as well as on Avtodel GAZ Limited Liability Company, which operates in Russian-occupied Crimea.

In another decree, Zelenskyy imposed sanctions on 8 individuals (including citizens of Cyprus, Ukraine and Russia) and 15 companies, about half of them in occupied Crimea.

The sanctioned individuals assets on the territory of Ukraine have been blocked, their trade operations and resource transit through the country suspended, their licences cancelled, etc.

Support UP or become our patron!
The Great Plains Wing of the Commemorative Air Force is participating in an annual online giving campaign to restore a revolutionary World War II-era aircraft to flying condition.

The YO-55 Ercoupe is a low-wing monoplane that first flew in 1937, according to a news release from the group. During World War II, Ercoupes were used by the Civil Air Patrol to train pilots and to look offshore to spot German U-boats.

In 1940, the Ercoupe became the first aircraft type to be supplied with Jet Assisted Take Off, a then-revolutionary way to propel an aircraft into the air using rockets.

The all-volunteer Great Plains Wing hopes to raise $7,000 to help make its Ercoupe 41 airworthy, with the first major task being the restoration of the aircrafts wings from frame to fabric.

Once the aircraft is airworthy, the group will use the aircraft to educate the public about the history of Jet Assisted Take Off and the importance of our nations jet technology development during World War II.

So far, nearly a third of the money has been raised. Those interested in supporting this restoration can learn more or pledge support at fundrazr.com/Yo55Ercoupe

This restoration project is part of the Commemorative Air Forces annual 12 Planes of Christmas fundraising campaign, highlighting the efforts of different CAF units around the country to restore and maintain their vintage military aircraft.

The campaign helps to raise funds and awareness of the organization's vast efforts to acquire, restore, maintain, and fly historic military aircraft. The CAFs fleet contains over 175 aircraft and is 84% operational.

The Great Plains Wing of the Commemorative Air Force was formed in the Omaha-Council Bluffs area in 1984. Originally chartered as the Nebraska Squadron, the group changed its name to the Great Plains Wing in 1986. In 1988, it moved into a hangar at the Council Bluffs Municipal Airport.

The Great Plains Wing Hangar houses two vintage World War II aircraft  a P-51 Mustang "Gunfighter" and the YO-55 Ercoupe. The organizations all-volunteer members donate their time and talents to supporting the CAFs mission to educate, inspire and honor through flight and living history experiences.
TS Bank employees volunteered to help spread holiday cheer over cocoa and cookies while making cards with the children at Children's Square U.S.A.

They helped reach an annual goal of making more than 1,000 cards for area nursing homes and hospitals, Director of Public Relations Kelsey Stupfell said in an email.

"It was a festive and interactive evening to collaborate on a fun service project together," Stupfell said. "TS Bank has planned a special employee holiday event at Childrens Square for the past 12 years as a way to give back and help spread awareness about foster care and adoption.

Childrens Square is an emergency shelter and place of refuge for children who are in need of out-of-home placement. As a private, nonprofit, nondenominational organization, Childrens Square offers families in need and teaches skills for hope and opportunity.
Abbigail Burch of Gretna, Neb., leads the commencement class in the ceremonial Turning of the Tassels during Iowa Western Community Colleges commencement ceremony for students graduating with certificates, diplomas and associate degrees this winter in Council Bluffs on Saturday, Dec. 16, 2023. Find a video of the ceremony at youtube.com/@IowaWestern.
With a little over a year in charge of the Pottawattamie County Veterans Service Office under her belt, Administrator Peggy Becker has things running smoothly.

Her success should come as no surprise given her 23 years of experience working with veterans.

Over the years this is just, its something that gets in your blood, Becker told the Nonpareil. You can't not do it once you, if you're doing it right, let's put it that way.

While not a veteran herself, Becker grew up surrounded by them. Her grandfather served in World War I and her father and his five brothers all served in World War II. Her brother-in-law is retired from the U.S. Navy.

I got a lot of people looking over my shoulder, let's put it that way, Becker said. You don't have to be a veteran to be patriotic, you know? That's just, that's how you feel for your country.

More than 6,300 veterans live in Pottawattamie County, but not all of them take advantage of what the VSO can do for them.

Only 2,100 are getting benefits, Becker said. We want to find those other 4,000 veterans.

There are a number of reasons why veterans eligible for benefits dont accept them, Becker said. Some veterans might not even know that theyre eligible or what they could receive.

I think a lot of them are still rural, Becker said. A lot of them don't know that they may qualify for benefits, because at one point in time a peacetime veteran did not qualify for any benefits, but they've changed the laws.

It wasnt until the mid 1960s that peacetime veterans were able to collect the same benefits as their wartime brethren.

Becker mentioned contacting the Western Iowa Development Association to see if the rural nonprofit can help put veterans in the eastern part of the county in touch with the VSO.

The VSO does visit the Avoca Courthouse twice a month, on every other Wednesday, to assist veterans who may be unable to travel to the main office in Council Bluffs. The other two Wednesdays each month, the VSO has a satellite office in Carter Lake.

Another reason more veterans dont seek assistance is that they dont think theyve earned it, Becker said. The main problem with that thinking is that, if veterans arent taking advantage of the benefits available to them, the funding for the department shrinks.

Something we hear a lot is, Give it to the other guy. He needs it worse than I do, but the more people that get benefits from the VA, the more people that use the VA hospital, the more funding they get, Becker said. It's just like any other agency, the more people that use it, the more funding it gets. If people aren't using it, then the needs not there, so they don't get the funding.

That being said, the number of veterans connecting with the VSO has been inching upward over the last few years, from 2,118 in 2021 to 2,134 in 2022.

If things continue to go as they are, you'll see the difference in monthly numbers, Becker said. Weve slowly increased, increased, increased.

Becker would also like veterans to think of the VA not as something they have to do, but as something theyve earned.

Not, Oh, Im retiring, its something I have to do, she said. Were not a have to.

The county office, formerly known as Veterans Affairs, changed its name in 2022 in order to avoid being confused with the federal VA system.

I guess you could say the straw that broke the camel's back was, we had a lady bring her husband in one time that had hit his hand with a saw, and she wanted emergency care, and we're not the VA, Becker said. We're not in any way medical.

In choosing a new name, the county decided to keep it simple.

We're called caseworkers (locally), but across the nation we're called veterans service officers, and everybody knows what a VSO is, so that's where the name came from, Becker said.

Lately, Becker said that the VSO is starting to see veterans from the Persian Gulf War of the early 1990s.

They're getting into their 50s, they're looking more towards retirement as far as, OK, what can the VA offer me? And a lot of it as medical care insurance. That's usually what starts, is, what can I get medically? And then it snowballs into compensation benefits, that type of stuff, Becker said.

For more information about the Pottawattamie County Veterans Service Office, visit pottcounty-ia.gov/departments/veteran_affairs or call 712-328-5797.
Japan's Emperor Emeritus Akihito turned 90 years old on Saturday with celebrations being held at his residence.

His birthday celebrations were canceled or downsized following the outbreak of COVID-19. But this year he is receiving more guests than last year.

In the morning, Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako as well as their daughter, Princess Aiko, visited the residence of the Emperor Emeritus and his wife, Empress Emerita Michiko, at the Akasaka Estate.

Crown Prince and Princess Akishino and Prime Minister Kishida Fumio are also expected to visit the residence.

The Imperial Household Agency says the Emperor Emeritus was diagnosed with heart failure in July last year. It says his condition has remained relatively stable over the past year with treatment.

Agency officials say the Emperor Emeritus is leading a calm and well-regulated life together with his wife every day. The couple read newspapers and watch news on television. They are particularly concerned about news of heavy rains that hit many areas in Japan. The couple also take a keen interest in the issue of war and peace.
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- A Sioux City man convicted of entering the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection in Washington, D.C., is seeking an early termination of his probation because he believes he was unlawfully sentenced.

Kenneth Rader's attorney cited an August federal appeals court ruling in which the court ruled that prison, plus probation, is not an available sentence for petty misdemeanor charges like the one to which Rader pleaded guilty.

"In other words, Mr. Rader's sentence of incarceration plus a term of probation is an unlawful sentence ...," his attorney, federal public defender Brad Hansen, said in the motion, filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Washington.

No hearings on the motion have been scheduled.

Rader, 55, pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of parading, demonstrating or picketing in a capitol building and was sentenced in September 2022 to 90 days in jail, plus three years' probation and $500 restitution to help offset damage to the Capitol. Three other charges were dismissed in exchange for his guilty plea.

He has completed his prison sentence and started probation a year ago, committing a handful of violations that resulted in an order to complete community service.

In a North Carolina case similar to Rader's, the appeals court ruled an insurrectionist who also received a prison term plus probation could not be sentenced to both under federal sentencing laws.

Rader was among the hundreds of supporters of former president Donald Trump to protest the results of the November 2020 election in which Joe Biden defeated Trump. The mob gathered outside the Capitol before breaking into the building in an effort to prevent Congress from certifying the electoral college results declaring Biden the winner.

Within 90 seconds of the mob's breaching of the Capitol doors, Rader, wearing a blue "Trump 2020" hoodie, was among the first wave to enter the building. Once inside, he stopped near the Senate wing door and watched, picking up pieces of glass and plaster as souvenirs before exiting the building three minutes later.

Video played at Rader's sentencing hearing showed him cheering on fellow rioters and following them up the Capitol steps. Once back outside, he recorded a video of himself, saying, "Everyone thought we were joking. ... This is what you call serious."

Rader has said he believes the election was stolen from Trump, but he knew what he did was wrong.

"I regret that I allowed my emotions to dictate my mind and my rational self," he said in an interview with the Journal after his sentencing. "I regret going inside."

The FBI arrested Rader in Sioux City on Jan. 20, 2022, months after a family member had tipped off agents to his participation in the insurrection.
WATERLOO --- Two youths are expected to recover after they fell through the ice and were rescued by firefighters Friday morning.

The two were at a pond off of Cedar Terrace Drive when they apparently crashed through fragile ice.

When crews with Waterloo Fire Rescue arrived, one was in the water and the second on an ice shelf a distance from shore.

Firefighters in wetsuits waded in to pluck the kid in the water and bring him to safety.

Other firefighters used an inflatable rapid deployment craft to paddle out to the second one and bring him ashore.

Both were taken to a local hospital.
Weather Alert

...WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 3 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 9 PM CST FRIDAY... ...WIND CHILL ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO NOON CST FRIDAY... ...WIND CHILL WARNING NOW IN EFFECT FROM 9 PM FRIDAY TO NOON CST TUESDAY... * WHAT...For the Winter Storm Warning, heavy snow expected. Total snow accumulations between 5 and 8 inches. Winds gusting as high as 35 mph. For the Wind Chill Advisory, very cold wind chills expected. Wind chills as low as 25 below zero. For the Wind Chill Warning, dangerously cold wind chills expected. Wind chills as low as 50 below zero. Coldest wind chills are expected Saturday night into Sunday morning. * WHERE...Portions of east central, northeast, and southeast Nebraska. * WHEN...For the Winter Storm Warning, from 3 PM this afternoon to 9 PM CST Friday. For the Wind Chill Advisory, from midnight tonight to noon CST Friday. For the Wind Chill Warning, from 9 PM Friday to noon CST Tuesday. * IMPACTS...Travel will be hazardous. Areas of blowing snow will reduce visibilities, even after snow has stopped falling. The hazardous conditions will impact the Thursday evening and Friday commutes. The dangerously cold wind chills could cause frostbite on exposed skin in as little as 10 minutes. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Avoid outside activities if possible. When outside, make sure you wear appropriate clothing, a hat, and gloves. If you must travel, keep an extra flashlight, food, and water in your vehicle in case of an emergency. The latest road conditions for the state you are calling from can be obtained by calling 5 1 1. &&
Mali has summoned Algerias ambassador to Bamako in protest over Algerian president Tebbounes reception of a religious leader backing the Touareg independence rebels.

President Tebboune had offered a reception in his Mouradia palace in Algiers to Mahmoud Dicko, an Imam and an opponent of the ruling men in uniform in Bamako.

The reception was an unfriendly act and a meddling in the domestic affairs of Mali, the Malian foreign ministry said.

The reception was seen in Bamako as a provocative act that had nothing to do with the peace process in Mali, said the ministry in a statement.

Algiers has also multiplied contact with Touareg rebels without prior consultation with Mali whose forces have recently taken the Touareg stronghold of Kidal.

The Malian foreign ministry also urged Algeria to consult with Bamako before engaging in any step with the Touaregs.

In response, Touareg armed groups, brought together under the Strategic Permanent Framework or CSP, responded by blocking all roads linking Algeria to Mali.

The resumption of the Touareg armed struggle for the independence of the northern Mali region of Azawad and the actions of the Russia-backed Malian army meant a de facto collapse of the Algeria-brokered 2015 power sharing agreement.

Few months ago, Nigers putschists rejected Algerias mediation and so did the ECOWAS.

Mali and Niger distrust towards Algeria is but a symptom of Algerias lack of credibility in its southern neighborhood whose root causes are to be found in its self-serving strategy.

Algerias mediation efforts in the Sahel crises have been designed to advance its own interests first, US think tank, the United States Institute of Peace, said in an analysis last month.

Terrorist groups in the Sahel have for long been led by Algerian Jihadists, some of whom are reported to have close links with Algerian intelligence.

Exporting the terrorist threat, containing the Touareg independence quest and mobilizing against Moroccos sovereignty over the Sahara territory, are the aims of the Algerian diplomacy that pose limits to Algerias ambition to play a key role as a credible mediator in Sahels crisis.
Morocco and Indonesia signed, Friday, a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to establish a strategic partnership between the two countries.

The MoU was signed following talks in Rabat between Moroccos Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nasser Bourita, and his Indonesian peer, Retno Marsudi. The MoU aims to diversify and expand cooperation areas, notably in matters of security and economic partnership, as well as in the cultural, scientific, technical, social, consular, and migratory realms.

The MoU also covers parliamentary and regional cooperation, cooperation within international organizations, and tripartite cooperation.

This strategic partnership shall not be a simple slogan but a reality on the ground, said Bourita at a joint press briefing with his Indonesian peer, adding that establishing a strategic partnership is an ambition that we shall achieve, by giving substance to what has been signed.

For her part, Marsudi who welcomed the privileged ties between the two countries, called for pooling efforts to promote this new strategic partnership and give it a substance that serves the interests of both peoples.

This strategic partnership, she pointed out, is likely to strengthen bilateral ties for greater cooperation between Morocco and Indonesia.

She affirmed that Indonesia is a reliable partner of Morocco and that the two countries defend the principle of respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of States.

She also welcomed the decision of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to grant to Morocco the status of Sectoral Dialogue Partner. This status opens prospects for stronger cooperation between this regional bloc and the Kingdom, she said.

Marsudi also called for promoting collaboration between health institutions and companies in the two countries for the exchange of expertise in vaccine manufacturing.

In the same vein, she highlighted the positive momentum of bilateral trade, citing the ongoing B2B cooperation with the OCP group in the supply of potassium and phosphorus, hoping to see this collaboration cover the areas of investments and joint production of fertilizers.

Tackling the situation in the Gaza Strip, the minister emphasized the need to declare a ceasefire that paves the way for the delivery of humanitarian aid to the populations of Gaza, while calling for the revival of the two-state solution to guarantee Palestinian rights.
The ministerial coordination on the international initiative of King Mohammed VI to promote access of the Sahel countries to the Atlantic Ocean started this Saturday in Marrakech, with the participation of Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso, and Chad.

The royal initiative was unveiled in the speech delivered on the 48th anniversary of the Green March, wherein King Mohammed VI specified that to resolve the difficulties and problems facing the sisterly States of the Sahel, the solution cannot be exclusively security or military, but it must be rather based on an approach of cooperation and shared development.

In this vein, the Sovereign had proposed the launch of an international initiative to facilitate Atlantic Ocean access for Sahel nations.

This coordination meeting is attended by the Foreign Ministers of Mali Abdoulaye Diop, Niger Bakary Yaou Sangare, Burkina Faso Karamoko Jean Marie Traore, as well as Director General of Africa and African Integration at the Chadian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Abakar Kourma.

The coordination meeting, organized by Moroccos Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita, focuses on the royal initiative of regional and international scope which aims to promote the access of Sahel countries to the Atlantic Ocean.

The royal initiative is part of the continued efforts made by Morocco, under the leadership of King Mohammed VI, for a prosperous Africa.

It presents unprecedented opportunities to tailor solutions likely to foster regional integration, economic transformation in these partner countries, and to improve quality of life for the Sahel-Saharan population. This approach, rooted in innovation and integration, aims to promote stability and security in the region.

The Royal Initiative aims to enable landlocked Sahel countries to utilize the Kingdoms road and port infrastructure. In his speech, the King had explicitly stated that Morocco is willing to put its road, port and rail infrastructure at the disposal of these sisterly countries, to support this initiative.

The Sovereigns initiative is but the continuity of Moroccos active and supportive commitment to African countries, which encompasses many fields.

In this connection, it is worth recalling that the Kings visits to certain Sahel countries have been crowned with success, given the impressive number of cooperation agreements and protocols signed during these trips, as well as various actions undertaken by the Sovereign on behalf of the underprivileged populations of the countries visited.

As a concrete expression of the values of solidarity perpetuated by the King, between Morocco and African countries, the Sovereign set up the Mohammed VI Foundation for Sustainable Development, which carries out humanitarian missions on the African continent.

Several initiatives have been launched in Mali. These include Royal projects to build the Mohammed VI Prenatal Clinic in Bamako, which was inaugurated and handed over to the Malian authorities on July 7, 2022, as well as a Vocational Training Center in the fields of construction, tourism, and catering.

Another example of the Kingdoms active solidarity with African countries is translated in the Kings decision in 2000 to cancel the debt of the least-developed African countries, and exempt their products from customs duties when they enter the Moroccan market.

In the same vein, trade relations between Morocco and the countries of the Sahel are characterized by substantial direct investment by Morocco in Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso and Chad, notably through national companies and banks present in the economic landscape of several countries.

King Mohammed VI, Commander of the Faithful, has also taken several initiatives to support the countries of the Sahel in the field of religious cooperation. These countries were the first to benefit from training courses designed to meet their religious needs. The agreements signed within this framework have enabled 500 imams from Mali, 200 from Niger and 199 from Chad to be trained at the Mohammed VI Institute for the Training of Imams, Morshidin and Morshidat (male and female religious counselors).

In the fight against climate change, the Kingdom, under the leadership of the King, has attached great importance to environmental issues in Africa in general, and in the Sahel in particular.

The African Action Summit, held on the sidelines of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP-22), organized in Marrakech in 2016, is a perfect illustration of Moroccos commitment to preserving the environment and combating climate change. Among the priorities set by the Summit was the establishment of a Climate Commission for the Sahel region.

Executive training at Moroccan universities and technical and professional institutes is also high on Moroccos cooperation with Sahel countries.

As an instance, the total number of students from the Sahel countries pursuing their studies on scholarship at Moroccan public higher education establishments in the 2022-2023 period amounts to 741 from Mali, 478 from Niger, 493 from Burkina Faso, and 374 from Chad.
When Kendall Warnock heard the story of a 19-year-old college student and mother who unexpectedly became the primary caregiver for her four younger siblings, he knew he wanted to do something to help.

The family, from Myanmar, arrived as refugees to the United States in 2010.

When the 19-year-olds mother died in October, she became the primary caretaker for her younger siblings, ages four to 16. Shes currently facing ongoing legal expenses as she works to obtain guardianship of her siblings.

Those expenses meant she couldnt afford a larger car to accommodate all the kids, leading her to often have to take two trips to transport everyone.

A Cedars Youth Services employee helping the 19-year-old reached out to Catholic Social Services of Southern Nebraska to see about securing a donated vehicle for the family.

CSS is a licensed car dealership and often receives vehicles for people in need, but they didnt have one large enough at the time of the request.

John Soukup, CSS development officer, brought up the familys situation at a weekly Business Boosters Chapter of Business Networking International (BNI) meeting. The story immediately caught the attention of Warnock, who owns A-1 Automotive repair shop in Lincoln.

After hearing the story, Warnock said he went home, talked to his wife and prayed about the situation.

We just talked about the responsibility that youd have with four siblings ... and youre in college, Warnock said. You start thinking, we dont have challenges. That is a challenge.

The next day, Warnock woke up and knew he needed to find them a car.

Working with other BNI members, Warnock bought and repaired a 2007 Chevy Uplander.

Todd Speidell, BNI chapter president and owner of Speidell Body Works, volunteered to cover the cost of a new windshield for the van. Another BNI member contacted a local foundation and was able to secure an additional $1,500 to give to the family and to help with the cost of van repairs.

Warnock said he wanted to work quickly to get the car to the family before Christmas.

This situation is a lot, especially around the holiday season, Warnock said. We just put our foot on the gas, literally.

On Thursday afternoon, Warnock and Soukup gave the keys to the 19-year-old, who didn't want to be identified, in the CSS parking lot.

Soukup made sure the woman and her sister, who joined her to pick up the car, knew they had a community of people in Lincoln who were there to help them.

Our motto is Hope in the good life, Soukup said while handing over the keys. Theres a lot going on in your life right now, and we wanted to give you some hope.
TOKYO, Dec 23 ( DW News ) - Japan's government has approved a record defense budget of 56 billion dollars for next year. That makes the Asian country the worlds biggest military spender after the United States and China.

Tokyo also loosened its arms exports restrictions.

The changes are part of Prime Minister Fumio Kishida efforts to boost the country's military capabilities. Japan has had a small, defensive military since World War Two, but views North Korea and China as increasing threats. The United States considers Japan an important ally in any potential conflict. The new export rules will allow Japan to sell air defense to the US.
Many wish, its said, that Christmas would last the whole year round.

Not just one day (Dec. 25) or two (add in Christmas Eve) or for the 12 days of Christmas (starting Dec. 25 and lasting all the way to Jan. 5 to get in all the pipers piping, gold rings and all that).

What would it take?

It wont happen by making every Friday a shopping-spree Black Friday or deciding to push Christmas goods and goodies every single day.

Adults who want year-round Christmas mean something else, if theyre honest.

They mean the spirit of Christmas, shared between human beings by twos, groups, nations or the planet.

They mean what Charles Dickens had Ebenezer Scrooges nephew, Fred, speak to the bitter Bah, humbug trader in A Christmas Carol:

I am sure I have always thought of Christmas time  as a good time; a kind, forgiving, charitable, pleasant time; the only time I know of, in the long calendar of the year, when men and women seem by one consent to open their shut-up hearts freely, and to think of people below them as if they really were fellow-passengers to the grave, and not another race of creatures bound on other journeys.

The only time  in the long calendar of the year. Sigh.

And yet 

North Platte and western Nebraska, of all places, has indeed stretched out Christmas across the calendar. For 51 months, in fact.

We refer to our World War II Canteen, which began Christmas Day 1941 and modeled a kind, forgiving, charitable, pleasant time for 6 million service members for 1,559 consecutive days.

Thats how year-round Christmas (so to speak) can be done. And should be.

It doesnt come from a store, as Dr. Seuss Grinch thought. It takes always doing what the founder of our feast (to borrow again from Dickens) commands of those who celebrate His birth.

Jesus was born poor, in a temporary shelter. He was a refugee in Egypt, with His parents, forced to flee Bethlehem lest He be killed in infancy.

The four Christian Gospels repeatedly say the one hailed by many as Messiah and Son of God endlessly loved the poor, minorities, strangers and imperfect people among whom He moved.

Do we see Him in the eyes of such people today? Why not?

This is how all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another, He said the night before His death.

What if we all resolved that 2024, another election year full of dark foreboding for more than a few, becomes the year the Christmas spirit (Canteen Spirit, if you will) never ends across our city, state, nation and world?

We know many wont join in. But the more of us choose to let that spirit dwell within and express itself through us, the more it will be true among us.

Just recall what happened here eight decades ago, in the very heart of America.

Its our choice. Merry Christmas.
After enduring a torrid season for much of the second half of 2023 due to falling commodity prices, the energy sector is looking to close out the year on a high after a long-awaited Fed pivot finally arrived. Not surprisingly, Wall Street and investors have started peering into their crystal balls to try and divine what the new year holds in store for energy markets, with some predicting we shall see more of the same while others are saying to expect an oil price rebound.

Investors will also be watching closely to see if another corner of the market will finally sputter back to life: dealmaking. The value of global oil and gas mergers and acquisitions (M&A) has declined to only 3% of the industrys market capitalization per annum, down from a peak of 10% in 2014. Thankfully, theres a glimmer of hope: the U.S. oil patch recorded a small 3% Y/Y increase in the third quarter with 105 M&A deals announced, worth a total value of $47bn. Interestingly, the global energy sector has suddenly come alive with all manner of deals from M&A and asset sale/purchase deals to supply deals being announced in the final month of the year. Here are some notable ones.

Tokyo Gas To Acquire Rockcliff Energy

Japans largest gas supplier Tokyo Gas has entered an agreement to acquire privately held Haynesville Shale gas producer Rockcliff Energy for $2.7 billion in an all-share deal. The agreement comes nearly a year after Tokyo Gas partially owned Houston-based subsidiary TG Natural Resources (TGNR) and Rockcliff were reportedly in advanced talks on a merger that was at the time reported to be worth ~ $4.6 billion. The deal fell apart after US natural gas prices collapsed to $2 per million Btu from a summer 2022 peak around $9/MMBtu.

"For a variety of reasons the deal between these two parties made a lot of sense. The main thing that changed was the value of the transaction, which was effectively recalibrated at the sustained lower gas price, compared to the much higher gas price at the time of the January announcement," Energy Advisors Group partner Adrian Goodisman told Energy Intelligence on Monday.

TGNR has been active in the Haynesville after acquiring Shell Plc's (NYSE:SHEL) assets in the Texas/Louisiana play in 2019. Haynesville has seen little M&A action over the past two years amid volatile gas prices.

Brookfield To Sell Renewable Assets

Canada's Brookfield Corp. (BN.TO) has announced plans to sell renewable assets owned by its company Saeta Yield worth 1.5 billion euros ($1.64 billion) including debt. The assets to be sold are wind and photovoltaic plants located in Spain and Portugal. Saeta owns 28 wind farms and 10 photovoltaic parks; however, its seven solar thermal plants are not part of the sale process.

Spain and Portugals abundant solar and wind resources have made them a hotspot for both domestic and foreign firms looking to leverage the growing demand for renewable energy. This has sparked a flurry of renewable energy deals in the region with the broader global trend towards sustainable investments.

Carlos Slim Bets on Mexicos Mega Oil Projects

Mexican billionaire Carlos Slims Grupo Carso SAB has agreed to acquire PetroBal SAPIs stake in two oil fields in Campeche in southern Mexico for $530 million, expanding its bet on energy production. Under the deal, Grupo Carso will take a 50% stake in the Ichalkil and Pokoch oil fields, the company has revealed in a statement. According to the company, the fields produce about 16,350 barrels of crude oil equivalent per day. Carso shares have jumped to record highs of 181.79 pesos after the deal was announced.

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has welcomed the deal despite earlier being critical of energy reforms that opened exploration to private investment, Why do I celebrate this? Because it stays in the hands of Mexicans and Im sure that theyre going to invest to extract crude. I consider that to be good news, the president said at his daily news conference.

Obradors nationalist policies have seen the Mexican government become increasingly hostile to foreign companies. Earlier in the year, giant oil and commodities trading firm, Trafigura, was forced to scale back its oil trading business in Mexico thanks to shrinking margins. Trafigura has recorded margin compression due to fuel subsidies by the Mexican government.

Adnoc Signs LNG Supply Deal With ENN Natural Gas

Adnoc has just signed a 15-year agreement with ENN LNG, a subsidiary of Chinas ENN Natural Gas, for the delivery of at least a million metric tonnes a year of LNG. The super-chilled fuel will primarily be sourced from Adnocs Ruwais LNG project in Abu Dhabi, with deliveries expected to kick off in 2028. According to Adnoc, the Ruwais plant will be the first LNG project in the region to run on clean power, making it one of the lowest carbon-intensity LNG facilities in the world, according to Adnoc.

As one of the largest private energy companies in China, ENN has been signing multiple long-term supply deals. Back in June, Cheniere signed a long-term LNG sale and purchase agreement with ENN Energy Holdings. Under terms of the deal, ENN will purchase ~1.8M metric tons/year of LNG on a free-on-board basis at Henry Hub prices for a 20-year term, with deliveries to commence mid-2026 ramping up to 0.9 million tonne per annum (mtpa) in 2027.

Egypt, Saudi Arabia Sign $4 bn Green Hydrogen Deal

ADVERTISEMENT

Egypt has reached an agreement with Saudi Arabias ACWA Power to develop a green hydrogen project worth $4 billion, the Egyptian government has revealed. Egypts minister of Electricity, Dr. Mohamed Shaker, has revealed that an action plan will be implemented shortly for the first phase of the green hydrogen project. The initial phase will have a production capacity of up to 600,000 tons per year of green ammonia with total investments expected to exceed $4 billion.

Three years ago, Aramco made the worlds first blue ammonia shipment from Saudi Arabia to Japan. Japan is looking for dependable suppliers of hydrogen fuel with its mountainous terrain and extreme seismic activity rendering it unsuitable for the development of sustainable renewable energy.

Two years ago, Saudi Aramco announced that it had abandoned former plans to develop its LNG sector in favor of hydrogen. The company said that the kingdoms immediate plan is to produce enough natural gas for domestic use to stop burning oil in its power plants then convert the remainder into hydrogen.

By Alex Kimani for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
SPRINGFIELD  Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois (BCBSIL) and Springfield Clinic announced Friday that they have struck an agreement to end a two-year impasse and return the clinic's doctors to in-network status.

The five-year agreement takes effect Jan. 1. Springfield Clinic said in a statement that BCBSIL patients who wish to establish in-network care should call during normal business hours or schedule an appointment after Dec. 26.

In a statement, the state's largest health insurer said it was "glad" to have Springfield Clinic back in the fold "as part of an agreement that preserves access to quality health care for our members and employer groups."

More details about the agreement were not immediately disclosed.

The standoff began in November 2021, when BCBSIL terminated Springfield Clinic as an in-network provider for all of its preferred provider organization (PPO) health care plans due to a dispute over reimbursement rates.

This impacted up to 100,000 patients with Blue Cross Blue Shield coverage accessing Springfield Clinic for care. The for-profit clinic has more than 650 doctors and facilities that spread across a 20-county coverage area in Central Illinois.

Though mostly concentrated around the capital city and the surrounding area, Springfield Clinic has three facilities in Decatur as well as facilities in Effingham, Moweaqua, Neoga and Taylorville, among other communities.

Residents across the region are often referred to the clinic's more than 80 specialists.

The dispute between the insurer and clinic was public and often nasty, with the two sides trading barbs over the breakdown in coverage and subsequent inability to make progress in negotiations.

It also exposed gaps in BCBSIL's network as thousands of patients scrambled to find in-network care through other providers.

The Illinois Department of Insurance has fined BCBSIL three separate times totaling nearly $1.2 million in the past two years for violating the state's Network Adequacy and Transparency Act for not maintaining accurate provider directories.

The dispute spilled over into the state Capitol, where legislators in 2022 grilled the insurance company over their alleged "ghost network" of providers. A legislative effort to tighten enforcement of network adequacy standards ultimately fizzled, however.

State Rep. Sue Scherer, D-Decatur, has filed similar legislation this year.

Scherer called the agreement "the best Christmas present," adding that she "couldn't be happier for my constituents."

After years of mediation and discussion, I am proud of the agreement that Blue Cross Blue Shield and Springfield Clinic were able to reach, Scherer said. Still, theres more work to be done. And I will never stop fighting to hold big health insurance companies accountable.
When the topic of health comes up, its very likely that your mind immediately processes it as a discussion about how you feel physically and mentally.

Those are, after all, the issues that lead most of us to a doctors office and the probing questions about our health are asked.

This is why a new state health report pinpointing racism as a public health crisis may have been a little perplexing at first glance.

It isnt until you dig deeper, much like a doctor trying to get at the root of your illness, that this designation -- alongside the need to improve in the areas of maternal and infant health, mental health and substance use disorders -- became a little more clear.

The broad goals are outlined in a draft of the State Health Improvement Plan, which will be finalized and presented to the Illinois General Assembly next year.

The American Public Health Association says, "These declarations are an important first step to advancing racial equity and justice and must be followed by allocation of resources and strategic action."

These kinds of declarations focus on systems and structures rather than dismiss inequalities as the fault of individuals.

In addition to race, health, applied to environment as well as physical being, is an over-arching point of concern in the report's draft. Poverty is also an issue that cuts across all sections of public health.

If health care is not administered early for an individual, they're playing catchup for the rest of their lives. Accessing that care can be a daunting challenge. Assuming an adult had time to find a doctor, let alone finding time for an appointment, they still have to get to the doctor and pay for it.

Eight local entities in Illinois  such as the Chicago Department of Public Health, the Peoria City/County Health Department and a Champaign school board  have already issued a formal declaration of racism as a public health crisis. According to the American Public Health Association, 19 other states have declared racism a public health crisis, including Michigan and Wisconsin.

Food and health deserts go hand in hand. Both are destructive, and our accelerated capitalism often doesn't allow time to tend to all. The easiest to leave behind are those most in need. Those in need fear they've been forgotten, and that fear can run deep and far.

Some systems were built when racial inequity was not only common but accepted and encouraged. We are still dealing with medical textbooks that only show white skin and white bodies. Medical student Malone Mukwende, 20, wrote with help from professors a free online manual called "Mind the Gap: A Handbook of Clinical Signs in Black and Brown Skin."

Historical events, such as the Tuskegee Syphilis Study, have contributed to a deep-seated mistrust of the medical system among some Black individuals. The study, conducted by the U.S. government from 1932 to 1972, involved withholding treatment for syphilis from African-American participants without consent.

Disparities in healthcare, including unequal access to quality care and racial bias in medical treatment, persist. Black individuals may have experienced discrimination within the healthcare system, leading to skepticism about the intentions and effectiveness of medical interventions.

Communication styles between healthcare providers and patients can vary based on cultural norms. Some Black individuals may feel that healthcare providers do not adequately address their concerns or involve them in the decision-making process, leading to a sense of distrust.

Disparities in socioeconomic status can affect access to healthcare resources. Some Black individuals may have limited access to quality healthcare due to economic factors, leading to a general mistrust of the healthcare system.

Those who have spent their lives battling that morass can sound as strident and shrill as they are correct. But we still need people like Creola Hampton, president of the Black Leadership Advocacy Coalition for Healthcare Equity. She said, "The unfortunate dilemma is the Illinois Department of Public Health funding is so highly racially inequitable that it perpetuates racism being a public health issue."

Hampton argues that when it comes to combatting HIV and AIDS, by which Black communities have been hit the hardest, there has been little funding sent to "African American-led organizations that have the enhanced cultural competency" and "the maximum degree of effectiveness."

"The state is going to be leading saying that racism is a public health issue," she said. "Then the state has to be actively involved and making sure that there is equitable funding going to African American-led organizations to do the work that needs to be done to negate the inequity of health."

Illinois Public Health Institute director Laurie Call said public health infrastructure needs serious strengthening to be ready for emerging threats. "We know that as climate change is expected to worsen, this will have many health consequences," she said.

It's important to listen to all voices during this discussion. We are prone to demanding solutions to wide-ranging issues and then complaining when that bill comes due.

Remember, the draft report also doesn't contain a plan of care for recent migrant populations that have arrived in Illinois in the last 15 months largely from the southern U.S. border. More than 30,000 asylum seekers have arrived in Chicago, That's another layer of cost both present and future.

As we often state in this corner, the solution has to come from everyone. But everyone must also understand there's never a magic bullet to solve a social issue. Those issues do not stand on their own. They support one another.
Officials of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Kumasi say they are grappling with a worrying number of patients who are unable to settle their medical bills.



Such patients, mostly newly delivered mothers, come from poverty-stricken homes in the Ashanti Region and beyond.

Many of them, according to staff of the hospital, either extend their stay or flee the hospital premises to avoid footing medical expenses.



It was an emotional scene at the reception area of the MBU when the Ahafo Ano Premier Rural Bank PLC went to the rescue of such needy mothers of the unit by paying for the discharge of thirty (30) newly-delivered mothers who could not pay for their medical bills after delivery.



The mothers were also presented with diapers, baby wipers among others.

They also made a separate presentation of GHC 10,000 to 3 mothers for the payment of their wards medical bills at the Pediatric Unit of the MBU.



Some of them had spent about a week or two at the unit. Some too had spent about 3months at the facility.



Senior Nursing Officer at the Mothers and Baby Unit (MBU), Lydia Owusu Ansah who spoke to Despite Media Sampson Kwame Nyamekye said such patients continue to occupy bed-space after their discharge because they have no money to settle their bills.



She said some of them owed the facility ranging from Ghc 2,000 to as much as GGHC 8,000.



She noted that the gesture had brought a great relief to management and hospital staff, noting that this will create spaces to enable them to admit more patients.



Chief Executive Officer of the Ahafo Ano Premier Rural Bank PLC, Mr. Ernest Dankwah explained that the gesture is part of the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) of the bank.



Mr Dankwa expressed concern about how mothers and their babies are exposed to other diseases after delivery at the house to their inability to pay their bills.



This and other reasons according to him inspired the hospital to come to the aid of these mothers.



He entreated other banks and institutions to emulate this gesture to help the less privileged the society.



Some of the beneficiaries also spoke to Peacefmonline appreciating the kind gesture of the bank.





Source: Peacefmonline.com









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AlPay, a subsidiary of Albrim Group Limited, is a wholly owned Ghanaian Financial Technology Company set up with a goal of enabling digital payments and collections through a robust core infrastructure and tailor-made solutions to suite market needs, and Remit Choice, a remittance company set up to provide instant money transfers across the globe donated relief items to victims of the Akosombo Dam spillage at Mepe in the Volta Region.



This gesture which formed part of the two companys corporate social responsibility was aimed at bringing some relief to the affected people.



The items, valued at GHC100,000 include bags of rice, corn and cassava dough, salt, cartons of oil, packs of soft drinks and bottled water.



Mr Abdul Majeed Peregrino Brimah, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of AlPay, who led the team to donate the items said the donation was to empathize with persons affected by the spillage.



He said, the donation reflected the company's commitment to showing benevolence to the needy.



Commendation



Receiving the items on behalf of the people, Mr Samuel Ablakwa Okudzeto, Member of Parliament (MP), for the area commended AlPay and Remit Choice for extending support to the victims, stating that it would go a long way in alleviating the difficulty faced by the people.



Describing the donation as timely, he said, the items would be evenly distributed to ensure that every affected person benefits from it.



"These items are timely, especially the bags of salt as we needed them badly," he said.



Mr Okudzeto expressed appreciation to AlPay for the gesture and called for more support.



AlPay



Alpay is a cross-border payment platform that enables international remittance companies to terminate transactions in Ghana from any part of the world through its varying payout channels.



It leverages on infrastructure that seeks to provide tailormade and secured solutions to provide the needed support for its partners.



Remit Choice



Set up to become the first choice of people for sending money across the globe, the company works at ensuring the credibility of the promise of sending money at any time and anywhere according to the customers desire.

Source: Peacefmonline.com









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The Minister of Information, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, has expressed serious concern about the inadequate salary and remuneration systems for journalists in the country.



He highlighted that issues of poor salaries significantly contributed to the low press freedom index in 2023.



Speaking at the second Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) dinner night in Accra on Thursday, Nkrumah urged media owners to ensure that journalists receive deserving remuneration, emphasizing that fair compensation enhances confidence in the media sector.



If you look at the world press freedom index that was released in the year 2023, the single item that dragged Ghana down the most if you read the report in detail is the welfare and the economic conditions of journalists in Ghana.



You and I who work in this industry know that there are many of our brothers and sisters who at

the end of the month dont get a salary. Many dont even get their statutory payment made on their behalf by their employers.



There are many who dont have the necessary pension deductions made and saved in a pension fund for them for the day when they are no longer in active service. These are issues that we as journalists when you talk about your employers wont be happy with you, these are issues that we must pay attention to.



We like talking about the issues in other industries. But for once, lets also pay attention to this issue in our industry, he stated.

Source: citinewsroom









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CBRE Thailand continued our corporate responsibility and sustainability journey by donating a total of 1,180 square meters of ceiling partitions from our new headquarters interior constructions. The donations were made to The Mirror Foundation and Ban Trapiang Tia School in the Surin province, with the aim of contributing sustainability to society. On December 8, 2023, Charinya Youngprapakorn, Head of Marketing and Communications and Sarut Virakul, Director of Advisory and Transaction Services  Office, CBRE Thailand, and Chutinat Karnchanakul, Deputy Director at The Mirror Foundation, shared a meaningful moment together.
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:

Reservoir computing hardware properties. a, Evoked response (raster plot and post-stimulation histogram) on a single bipolar voltage pulse stimulation (mean  standard error of the mean (s.e.m.), n = 5 stimulation trials). b, Representative evoked normalized firing on pulses with different pulse times (t p ) and pulse voltages (v p ) (mean  standard deviation, n = 5 stimulation trials . The red fitting curve (a sigmoid function) indicates nonlinear activity, whereas the black dashed line marks spontaneous activity. c, Representative evoked normalized firing before, after 100 ms or after 300 ms from the end of single-pulse stimulation , showing the fading dynamics. d, Representative memristor-like responses to a stream of pulses (v p = 200 mV, t p = 300 s). e, Distinct raster plots evoked by two complementary spatial patterns (namely, P1 and P2) of stimulation pulses (v p = 500 mV, t p = 500 s). Credit: Nature Electronics (2023). DOI: 10.1038/s41928-023-01069-w

Feng Guo, an associate professor of intelligent systems engineering at the Indiana University Luddy School of Informatics, Computing and Engineering, is addressing the technical limitations of artificial intelligence computing hardware by developing a new hybrid computing systemwhich has been dubbed "Brainoware"that combines electronic hardware with human brain organoids.

Advanced AI techniques, such as machine learning and deep learning, which are powered by specialized silicon computer chips, expend enormous amounts of energy. As such, engineers have designed neuromorphic computing systems, modeled after the structure and function of a human brain, to improve the performance and efficiency of these technologies. However, these systems are still limited in their ability to fully mimic brain function, as most are built on digital electronic principles.

In response, Guo and a team of IU researchers, including graduate student Hongwei Cai, have developed a hybrid neuromorphic computing system that mounts a brain organoid onto a multielectrode assay to receive and send information. The brain organoids are brain-like 3D cell cultures derived from stem cells and characterized by different brain cell types, including neurons and glia, and brain-like structures such as ventricular zones.

"Brainoware uses a human brain organoid as an adaptive living reservoir to conduct unsupervised learning by processing spatiotemporal information through the neuroplasticity of the brain organoid," Guo said. "Our approach allows for the advancement of AI computing as the organoids provide biological neural networks with certain complexity, as well as low energy consumption and fast learning."

The team's work is published in Nature Electronics.

In developing its hybrid computing system, the team demonstrated the major potential for brain organoids to advance the capabilities of reservoir computing, a type of artificial neural network based on the idea of capturing and remembering information based on a sequence of electrical stimulations. In a series of tests, Brainoware was able to quickly recognize speech patterns as well as perform complex nonlinear mathematical equations.

"Through electrical stimulation training, we were able to distinguish an individual's vowels from a speaker pool," Guo said. "With the training, we triggered unsupervised learning of hybrid computing systems."

Guo has been awarded several major grants in recent years for his groundbreaking work on lab-on-a-chip technology with AI and an opioid overdose detection patch. His lab is currently focused on the development of intelligent biomedical systems through the innovation of AI, devices, sensors, and systems for life science and translational medicine applications.

More information: Hongwei Cai et al, Brain organoid reservoir computing for artificial intelligence, Nature Electronics (2023). DOI: 10.1038/s41928-023-01069-w Journal information: Nature Electronics
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NIST researchers placed a common type of Christmas tree in a sealed chamber for 17 days to monitor and measure the chemicals it emits. These chemicals called volatile organic compounds (VOCs) give that pine smell and can react with ozone to form byproducts. They found low amounts of these chemicals, which may be a potential concern for people who are sensitive to them. Credit: M. King/NIST

Every holiday season, Americans buy nearly 30 million live Christmas trees. Many families enjoy not only having a live tree inside their homes but also smelling the fresh fragrance it creates. That smell comes from chemicals called volatile organic compounds (VOCs). However, little is known about how much is emitted and whether they have any health impacts.

"Our nose is a good chemical sensor," said Dustin Poppendieck, an environmental engineer at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). "We know that these trees are emitting something, and the question then becomes: How big of a source is it? We wanted to explore which chemicals are emitted and how much, and to put that into the context of other sources of chemicals in a house," he said.

To answer these questions, Poppendieck and his NIST colleagues took a common type of Christmas treea Douglas fir and sealed it inside a chamber. They then measured the amount and type of VOCs it emitted over 17 days. They also investigated whether the VOCs reacted with other components of indoor air to create new compounds.

The team's findings have been published in the journal Indoor Environments.

The fresh smell that is commonly associated with Christmas trees comes from a group of VOCs called monoterpenes, which are also found in air fresheners, candles, and some personal care products. In the outdoors, conifers, the group of plants that includes most Christmas trees, release monoterpenes, and they can affect outdoor air quality. But little is known about how much monoterpene is released when a tree is cut down and placed indoors.

Studies also show monoterpenes can react with ozone. Ozone in the upper atmosphere serves as a protective barrier against the sun. At ground level, ozone is created through chemical reactions with light and can cause symptoms such as coughing and throat irritation. Ozone also reacts readily with other chemicals in the air to form new compounds. So, the researchers were interested in seeing the effects of ozone in the presence of an indoor tree.

They placed it inside an environmentally controlled chamber, where they could measure the chemicals emitted from the tree in real-time. Using a technique that can detect airborne organic compounds, known as proton-transfer reaction mass spectrometry (PTR-MS), they measured the VOCs emitted over a 17-day period.

In their experiment, the researchers simulated a home environment. They decorated the tree in a typical holiday lighting setup and shone bright lights on it to mimic the day-night cycle. They turned off the lights every 12 hours and watered the tree every day. They brought in outside air at a rate typical for households, and constantly measured chemicals in the indoor air.

Monoterpenes were the most abundant VOC emitted from the tree. They peaked during the first day before diminishing significantly by the third day. Their concentration was initially at the same level of a plug-in air freshener or newly constructed house before it quickly dropped by nearly 10 times its original amount, said Poppendieck. The researchers detected 52 distinct types of monoterpenes.

Researchers then injected ozone into the chamber to see how it affected indoor air chemistry. They found that ozone reacted with the monoterpenes, forming byproducts such as formaldehyde, another type of VOC, as well as other reactive chemicals. The monoterpene concentration diminished even more with the introduction of ozone, while formaldehyde levels rose, which showed an impact on indoor air chemistry. However, the amount of formaldehyde created was relatively small at around one part per billion. Typical U.S. houses have formaldehyde concentrations ranging from 20 to 30 parts per billion.

For people who are sensitive to VOCs, Christmas trees could be one possible cause for watery eyes and noses, especially when initially brought indoors. In that case, Poppendieck suggests, opening a window near the tree will reduce exposure. In addition, newly cut trees can be left outdoors or in a garage for three days before bringing them into the home as the emission strength naturally decays over time.

"But for most people," Poppendieck said, "this shouldn't be a major concern. I'm still going to have a Christmas tree in my house."

More information: Dustin Poppendieck et al, Jingle bells, what are those smells? Indoor VOC emissions from a live Christmas tree, Indoor Environments (2023). DOI: 10.1016/j.indenv.2023.100002
ABC News, December 10, 2023

The Taliban must embrace and uphold human rights obligations in Afghanistan, the U.N. mission in the country said Sunday on Human Rights Day and the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Since seizing power in 2021, the Taliban have erased basic rights and freedoms, with women and girls deeply affected. They are excluded from most public spaces and daily life, and the restrictions have sparked global condemnation.

The U.N. mission, highlighting the Talibans failures in upholding rights obligations, said it continues to document extrajudicial killings, torture and ill-treatment, corporal punishment, arbitrary arrest and detention, and other violations of detainees rights.

People who speak out in defense of human rights face arbitrary arrest and detention, threats and censorship, the mission said.

We pay tribute to and express our solidarity with Afghan human rights defenders, many of whom are paying a heavy price for seeking to uphold the fundamental tenets of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: peace, justice and freedom, said Fiona Frazer, representative of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in Afghanistan.

The head of the U.N. mission in Afghanistan, Roza Otunbayeva, said rights must be upheld to ensure the country's future prosperity, cohesion and stability.

The U.S. on Friday hit two Taliban officials with sanctions over human rights abuses in Afghanistan. Fariduddin Mahmood made decisions to close education centers and schools to women and girls after the sixth grade, said the State Department. He supported education-related bans on women and girls.

The second target of the U.S. sanctions is Khalid Hanafi, from the Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice.

Since August 2021, members of the MPVPV have engaged in serious human rights abuse, including abductions, whippings, and beatings, said the State Department. Members of the MPVPV have assaulted people protesting the restrictions on womens activity, including access to education.

The Taliban condemned the sanctions. Their chief spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, said imposing pressure and restrictions were not the solution to any problem. He accused the U.S. of being the biggest violator of human rights because of its support for Israel.

It is unjustified and illogical to accuse other people of violating human rights and then ban them, said Mujahid.

The restrictions on women and girls are the biggest obstacle to the Taliban gaining official recognition as the legitimate government of Afghanistan.
This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility:

Credit: Yang et al. (Nature Electronics, 2023).

Over the past few years, engineers have been trying to devise alternative hardware designs that would allow a single device to both perform computations and store data. These emerging electronics, known as computing-in-memory devices, could have numerous advantages, including faster speeds and enhanced data analysis capabilities.

To store data safely and retain a low power consumption, these devices should be based on ferroelectric materials with advantageous properties and that can be scaled down in terms of thickness. Two-dimensional (2D) semiconductors that exhibit a property known as sliding ferroelectricity have been found to be promising candidates for realizing computing-in-memory, yet attaining the necessary switchable electric polarization in these materials can prove difficult.

Researchers at National Taiwan Normal University, Taiwan Semiconductor Research Institute, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University and National Cheng Kung University recently devised an effective strategy to achieve a switchable electric polarization in molybdenum disulfide (MoS 2 ). Using this method, outlined in a Nature Electronics paper, they ultimately developed new promising ferroelectric transistors for computing-in-memory applications.

"We accidentally discovered numerous parallel-distributed domain boundaries in our MoS 2 flakes, coinciding with the time when the experimental confirmation of sliding ferroelectricity in 2D materials was reported," Tilo H Yang, co-author of the paper, told Phys.org. "This discovery inspired us to consider whether this domain-boundary-rich MoS 2 can be utilized for the development of ferroelectric memory."

The primary objective of the recent study by Yang and his colleagues was to identify a promising method to directly synthesize epitaxial MoS 2 with sliding ferroelectricity. The fabrication strategy they identified ultimately allowed them to create promising new ferroelectric transistors with advantageous characteristics.

"An important stage in the fabrication of our ferroelectric transistors is setting up the 3R-MoS 2 channel into a switchable ferroelectric material during the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) growth process," Yang explained. "The formation of domain boundaries in 3R-MoS 2 films is necessary to possess the ability to switch polarized domains; however, this is rare in most epitaxial 3R MoS 2 films. In the paper, we featured a synthesis strategy to increase the chance of domain boundaries appearing in the material, endowing it the capability of domain flipping in response to the gate voltage."

The researchers evaluated their ferroelectric transistors in a series of initial tests and found that they performed well, exhibiting an average memory window of 7V with an applied voltage of 10V, retention times above 104 seconds and endurance greater than 104 cycles. These results highlight their potential for computing-in-memory applications.

"Our ferroelectric semiconductor transistors feature non-volatility, reprogrammability, and low switching fields sliding ferroelectricity, banking on shear transformation-induced dislocations in our 3R MoS 2 film," Yang said. "With a thickness of about two atomic layers, the device is a promising component that can fit into the requirements of state-of-the-art CMOS technology, e.g., sub-3 nm nodes."

In the future, the fabrication strategy proposed by Yang and his colleagues could be used to synthesize other promising 2D semiconducting materials with sliding ferroelectricity. These materials could in turn be used to create new highly performing computing-in-memory devices, contributing to the future advancement of electronics.

"Our work proved the switching ability of epitaxial sliding ferroelectric materials and the applicability of this recently discovered physical property in terms of memory," Yang and Yann-Wen Lan added. "Our epitaxial films hold great potential for the development of large-scale, high-throughput memory devices. With a better understanding of the correlation between switching mechanisms and domain microstructures, we are now moving forward to develop a high switching speed and long retention memory."

More information: Tilo H. Yang et al, Ferroelectric transistors based on shear-transformation-mediated rhombohedral-stacked molybdenum disulfide, Nature Electronics (2023). DOI: 10.1038/s41928-023-01073-0 Journal information: Nature Electronics

 2023 Science X Network
ATLANTIC CITY  The Casino Reinvestment Development Authority on Tuesday said yes to a $250,000 subsidy to help keep the Save-A-Lot grocery store in operation.

There are bigger plans in the works for the site, Mayor Marty Small Sr. said at the meeting, but CRDA staff said the grant is aimed at keeping the doors open at least through April 2025.

This is purely allowing him to continue keeping his store open to service the public, Thomas Meehan III, director of project implementation and management for CRDA, told the board before the vote. We were afraid that he would shut down.

The store serves more than 5,000 customers a month at Renaissance Plaza at New York and Atlantic avenues, a complex the food store shares with a liquor store, a dollar store and other businesses.

The plaza has drawn numerous complaints about vagrancy, public intoxication and drug use, and other issues. It is also the site of one of the citys largest food stores, seen as a vital service in a city described by officials at the state and local levels as a food desert.

The CRDA has sought for years to address that, and shown a willingness to invest far more than the $250,000 approved Tuesday. The authority had agreed to $18.7 million to build a 44,000-square-foot supermarket at Baltic and Indiana avenues.

But that deal fell apart in 2022, and after seeking new proposals for an operator, the CRDA rejected the four proposals it received this year.

This gives us time to figure out whats next, Meehan told the board at the meeting.

Maisha Moore named CRDA interim executive director The Casino Reinvestment Development Authority has named Deputy Executive Director Maisha Y. Moore its new interim executive director, the agency said Tuesday.

In an interview before the meeting, Save-A-Lot owner Shawn Rinnier said the subsidy is separate from the plans for a new grocery. Rinnier said Monday he was working on finding the funding to remodel the Save-A-Lot, and reached out to the CRDA to ask if the authority could help support the grocery for a year, with an eye toward long-term plans.

Speaking at the meeting, Small said his administration has been working with the owner of Renaissance Plaza on improvements to the site, including a much larger footprint for the food store.

CRDA Chairman Mo Butler said there are multiple stakeholders working on resolving the citys food desert status.

As proposed, the CRDA would provide the owner with more than $20,000 a month, not to exceed a total of $250,000, with the aim of ensuring residents continue to have access to fresh fruits, vegetables and other food, Meehan said.

The owner has been working cooperatively with the CRDA, the Governors Office, the landlord and other agencies to develop a plan to keep the business in operation.

There are several efforts aimed at addressing food insecurity in the city, with the organization CROPS selling fresh produce and the state and Virtua Health bringing food to neighborhoods as part of a mobile Eat Well program, funded by the New Jersey Economic Development Authority.

In November, Gov. Phil Murphy pledged more than $5.5 million to address food insecurity in Atlantic City, citing families who travel out of the city to buy groceries.

We want to stay. Were all working together to try to figure out how to do it, Rinnier said Monday. I think its important that we stay there because the city needs us.
Camden County Democratic powerbroker George Norcross has joined the fray in a feud between Atlantic County Republican leaders over the county hiring a company affiliated with Norcross Conner Strong & Buckelew insurance firm.

On Thursday, Norcross said the feud is really about Atlantic County GOP Chair Don Purdys bruised ego and attempt to consolidate power away from longtime county Executive Dennis Levinson.

State Sen. Vince Polistina, R-Atlantic, and Purdy have accused Levinson and the Atlantic County Insurance Commission of dishonesty and inappropriate contract bidding to benefit Norcross.

The reason Purdy is so angry is, he got very public and active in (legislative) districts 3 and 4 and got his ass kicked and embarrassed and humiliated, Norcross said in a telephone interview. (Hes) trying to act up and intimidate people in his own party. I dont think that goes over well.

I could say the same thing  George got his ass kicked spending a lot of money in LD2 and got nothing for it, Purdy shot back Thursday, referring to the Assembly and Senate races in Atlantic County, where Republicans won handily. Maybe he should look in the mirror.

Norcross said Purdy wants to give business to a small company called PRIME that cant compete with PERMA, the Conner Strong subsidiary that was about to get a three-year renewal to manage the countys joint insurance fund.

Our firm is the 15th largest firm in America, Norcross said. A small local firm does not have the qualifications and doesnt have the talent that a firm our size has.

Other Norcross-affiliated companies are also slated to get other work with JIF, Purdy countered, and argued there should not be an insurance commission that makes decisions on spending taxpayer money. The insurance commission should advise, and elected county commissioners should have the final say, he said.

Election night 'a disaster' for Atlantic County Democrats Atlantic County Democrats took some hard losses Tuesday night, as well regarded Sheriff Eric Scheffler lost his reelection bid and Republicans swept all three county commissioner races, according to unofficial results from the county clerk.

He also believes Norcross was behind efforts to create such commissions in the first place, here and in other counties.

God bless George Norcross, he was smarter than anybody else. Everybody was good with it all these years, Purdy said.

The feud postponed a planned Dec. 8 vote by the commission over who will be hired as the executive director of the Atlantic County JIF, part of a statewide coalition to save taxpayers money.

PERMA has acted as executive director of the county JIF for about six years, county Administrator Jerry DelRosso said Tuesday.

The commission planned to give the company another three-year contract worth just under $130,000 a year at this months meeting, officials said.

DelRosso said the commission felt PRIME wouldnt provide enough staff to adequately serve the county.

Now the vote will be Jan. 12, according to the commission website.

On Tuesday, the commission reinterviewed the two candidates, county spokesperson Linda Gilmore said.

House Ethics Committee questioning visits to Atlantic City by US Rep. George Santos The House Ethics Committee is questioning whether U.S. Rep. George Santos used campaign funds to pay for $2,000 in trips to several city casinos last year.

Polistina and Purdy showed up at the Dec. 8 meeting and asked the commission to reconsider their choice.

From Levinsons perspective, the problem is how they asked.

The meeting was interrupted by Senator Polistina, who introduced himself and asked to speak first, stating, This whole charade is bulls**t, Levinson said.

Then Polistina and Purdy went on Hurley in the Morning on WPG Talk Radio 95.5 FM and criticized Levinson over the PERMA deal, accusing him of stabbing them in the back and later of running a shadow government, Levinson said.

We believe our appearance at the meeting improved the process and is a benefit to the commission as they are now taking some time to deliberate the selection, Polistina and Purdy said in a statement released Tuesday.

According to Levinson, Polistina and Purdys judgment is impaired by their intense hatred of George Norcross and their erroneous belief that the Insurance Commission was operating clandestinely to benefit a Norcross firm.

I have never exerted influence over any decision made by the Insurance Commission in all its years of existence. I do not care which companies receive contracts provided they meet the criteria and are the lowest responsible bidders, Levinson wrote in a Monday statement.

Purdy and Polistina shot back, saying PERMA was not the low bidder.

Judge prohibits political organizer Craig Callaway from assisting disabled voters A local political organizer and former politician was on Friday ordered by a judge to refrain from assisting voters with disabilities ahead of next week's general election amid a vote-fraud suit by Democrats.

DelRosso said the difference between the two bids was just $4,800, and PERMA gave the commissioners several resumes for staff who would would work on Atlantic County issues. PRIME only listed one staff member, DelRosso said.

PERMA was the only responsible bidder, Levinson said Thursday.

Norcross, the leader of the Camden County Democratic machine and a member of the Democratic National Committee, was long considered the most powerful unelected New Jersey politician. He has been a major player in South Jersey politics for 30 years, but said this year he was stepping back from the political fray  a statement many do not believe.

Norcross should worry about a lawsuit against Jersey Freedom, Purdy said, which is an independent expenditures group funded by a South Jersey Democratic political action committee that allegedly broke campaign finance laws and ran phantom conservative candidates in the 2nd and 4th districts. The lawsuit alleges it was an effort to mislead GOP voters to split their vote and elect Democrats. Polistina is a plaintiff in that lawsuit.

All I know is what Ive read, Norcross said, when it comes to Jersey Freedoms involvement in Polistinas race.

The 2nd District covers most of Atlantic County, and the 3rd and 4th districts abut Atlantic County to the west, where the Camden County Democratic machine is most active.

The Democrats unseated the ticket of state Sen. Edward Durr in the 3rd, taking back a district that had unexpectedly lost Senate President Steve Sweeney in 2021.

Polistina and Purdy were unaware of the insurance commissions existence until recently, Levinson said, which he called a failure to do their homework.

Galloway Township still sees potential in former Blue Heron Pines East Course site For the past 17 years, the former Blue Heron Pines East Course has gone undeveloped. Despite this, Galloway Township still sees economic potential in the site.

Meanwhile, Levinson is fuming over claims Polistina texted Atlantic County Democrat Chairman Michael Suleiman to ask him to join a coalition to dismantle the shadow government that runs Atlantic County.

He called it something out of a CIA spy novel.

Im not getting in the middle of their civil war; thats their beef, Suleiman said Wednesday. Any conversation I have I do my best to keep confidential.

Atlantic County Republicans had a good election night last month, yet they are fighting with each other, he said.

Usually its Democrats fighting publicly, Suleiman said. Now were united and they are the ones that are fighting.

Suleiman said hes known for years that a Norcross-associated company has handled the JIF account.

It hasnt been a secret, he said.
RNS gives to Cape Regional: The Ruth Newman Shapiro Cancer and Heart Fund has pledged $259,417 to Cape Regional Health Systems radiation oncology program. RNS President Roe Magliocco and Vice President Pat McLaughlin visited the Brodesser Cancer Center to present their first installment of $50,000 of the five-year pledge.

RNS is excited to continue our support with the radiation oncology program at Cape Regional Medical Center, and we are so excited to purchase this new equipment to advance cancer care for the patients of Cape May County, Magliocco said.

The funds allow the cancer center to upgrade its radiation therapy technology. The latest pledge brings the RNS funds contributions to Cape Regional to more than $750,000.

JFS hires: Marichelle Sunseri has been appointed director of grants and accounting for Jewish Family Service of Atlantic & Cape May Counties. She replaces Mara Bienstock, who is retiring.

Sunseri will work with the grants team to develop strategies, provide financial acumen for applications and oversee progress to ensure timeliness of reports, JFS said.

I am excited to continue my accounting career at Jewish Family Service. I wanted to stay in nonprofit accounting after relocating from Pennsylvania and was thrilled to be offered the position at JFS. As part of the finance team, I hope to continue to support the agency in its mission and core values, Sunseri said.

Sunseri previously was accounting manager at the Outreach Center for Community Resources in Scranton, Pennsylvania. She has nearly 30 years of financial and business expertise in the public and private sectors.

We are pleased to welcome Marichelle to the JFS staff. Her career expertise, inclusive of financial and nonprofit work, makes her a wonderful addition to the hardworking and dedicated team, said Andrea Steinberg, JFS CEO.

New sign for schoolhouse: The Historical Preservation Society of Upper Township obtained a grant for a new information sign at the Friendship School in Palermo with funding by the New Jersey Historical Commission and the Cape May County Board of Commissioners. Since the 1930 former schoolhouse building is not often open to the public, the sign enables visitors to learn about its history and see inside its room. The new sign has a QR code link for the HPSUT website page that tells the full history of the school. The Friendship School Kindergarten Day is held every spring for Upper Township students. Individual tours also can be scheduled. For appointments, call 609-390-5656. For more information, visit uppertwphistory.org/Friendship-School.htm.

New L.E.A.D. chairman: Kevin Haney, CEO and president of Colliers Engineering & Design, which has an office in Egg Harbor Township, was elected chairman of the Board of Directors for Law Enforcement Against Drugs & Violence, a nationwide nonprofit that works with communities to help students understand the dangers of drugs and violence.

Were thrilled to welcome Kevin as board chairman on our board as he supports our vision in creating safe, healthy communities that are free of drugs, violence and bullying wholeheartedly, said Nick DeMauro, CEO of L.E.A.D. We know that hell continue to do an outstanding job and look forward to seeing how the values he instills in our program will help to protect more children from substance abuse and advance the relationship between more police officers and communities.

Haney said hes excited to take on the responsibility of board chairman and work alongside DeMauro to execute the mission of L.E.A.D. throughout the country.

Although Ive already been a part of the organization for several years now, Im pleased to now have a higher position on the board as I think that my national presence with my career aligns with the national expansion program of L.E.A.D. pretty well, Haney said.

One of Haneys goals is to increase exposure of the L.E.A.D. program outside the Northeast. He also wants to build a larger presence of the organization in the states its already in.

While L.E.A.D. is currently in 44 out of the 50 states, the program has a very large presence in New Jersey, he said. Its my hope that during my time as board chairman, well get some of the other states to be at the same level as New Jersey in terms of how prevalent the organization is there.

Cape board recognizes 3: The Cape May County Board of Commissioners and the Cape May County Mental Health Alcohol and Drug Abuse Board recognized the work of three residents who are active in the area of behavioral health on Dec. 12: Betzy McClintock, of Middle Township; Karen Kaschak of Acenda, and Capt. Joe Landis of the county Prosecutors Office.

McClintock was an integral part of the implementation of the Middle Township Police Youth Camp and was named the 2023 Cape May County Municipal Alliance Volunteer of the Year. Kaschak leads new endeavors at Acenda to improve patient care, including a 2019 initiative that provided medical treatment to residents with substance use disorder. Landis has worked in law enforcement since 1999 and has been an integral part of implementing and evolving the Hope One Mobile Outreach Van, Safe Place Initiative and Prosecutors Office Youth Camp.
GALLOWAY TOWNSHIP  The Grasso family has made a tradition of traveling down from Brick Township to check out Historic Smithville Village.

The Ocean County family consisting of Stuart and Danielle Grasso with children Dominic, 4, and Hailey, 8 months, got settled into their seats to take a train ride around the village to check out the Christmas ornaments and decorations.

Its one of their favorite things to do because it reminds them of home.

Our house up in Brick has tons of wood cutouts with all the caricatures and all that, said Stuart Grasso, wearing a bright green Grinch holiday sweater. Well have it all keyed up at 4 at night and keep it up until 10, and people can come walking with their kids or come driving down the road between the lights and cutouts. We try to make it like Santas house.

Smithville Village is synonymous with Christmas in this area, and it draws thousands of visitors each winter during the holidays. On Saturday, just two days before Santas big visit, a mild crowd wandered the village, going in and out of the various shops to do some last-minute holiday shopping, drink coffee and hot cocoa or just enjoy a calm, chilly weekend.

The train circles the Village Greene. Visitors can see the various decorations along the ride. At night, folks can check out the holiday light display with more than 120 Christmas trees decorated with more than 50,000 lights on the lake.

Between the Village Greene and the lake are a carousel and the train station. Just steps away is the villages popular talking Christmas tree, which was awake Saturday chatting about with surprised visitors.

This was the earliest we made it down during the daytime, Stuart Grasso said. We like to come in the evening when everything is all lit up.

The Grassos got some ornaments from the Christmas Shoppe and planned to go to the Smithville Peanut Butter Company after taking their train ride. Of course, they had to do some rides for Dominic.

Dominic said he is hoping to get an ice cream Play-Doh set and some Lego for Christmas.

He loves trains, and its a nice little tour, Stuart added.

Not too far from the train, the Albert family met up at the carousel. Whitney and Stuart Albert, who are from Maryland but have a house in Atlantic City, were excited to enjoy their day with their kids and grandkids at a cute little family place, as Whitney put it.

The couple is Jewish and recently finished their gift-giving with Hanukkah. Though they dont celebrate Christmas, they enjoy the atmosphere of Smithville Village around Christmastime. They planned to buy a couple tchotchkes for their house at thesign and nostalgia stores around the village. Steve added that its never too cold for ice cream.

Whitney, who loves to host fun parties at her house, was eyeing a particular set of lightbulb-shaped drinking glasses.

I wanna have a party called the anything-but-a-cup party, so you can drink out of anything but a cup, she said.

Cheri Bitter, owner of The Smiling Llama clothing store, said the village has been busy since Dec. 1. Her store already had enjoyed a few rushes by early Saturday afternoon, she said. She was happy to see more people coming out to do their shopping in person, this year.

People are coming out. Its constant. Everybodys shopping, everybody has a bag, everybody is having fun, Bitter said.

Inside the shop was the Pianko family  mother Robin and her daughters Becca and twins Kate and Jess. The family from Freehold Township, Monmouth County, is starting a new tradition of making an annual trip to Smithville.

Its a cute Christmas town. My brothers in town from Chicago, and Kate has never been here before, Robin said.

Kate was loving her first trip to Smithville, showing off the Christmas puzzle she bought at one of the stores. She wasnt the only person there Saturday making a first visit.

Freddy and Nadia Torres, of Passaic County, made the long drive down for their first trip.

We like going to quaint places, said Nadia, who hoped to find a couple things to round out her Christmas shopping.

Freddy also decided to wear his best Grinch sweater, with dangling legs and all.

She made fun of me when I was walking out (of the house) with it, but its appropriate! Freddy said.

Shannon OBoyle and her husband, Jorge Jimenez Arranz, were also making their first visit. OBoyles sister, Kate, who was also there with her husband, Greg Gullo, had been telling Shannon that she needs to make a visit. Shannon said the village reminds her of Disney World, but with Christmas shops.

Honestly, all of the little Christmas shops, if you see an ornament thats personalized is always a nice gift to get someone, said Shannon, of the Marlton section of Evesham Township, Burlington County.

Ironically, OBoyle and Jimenez Arranzs dog, Macarena, dressed in her best Christmas sweater Saturday, had been to the village before. Grullo and Kate OBoyle, of Swedesboro, Gloucester County, brought the dog with them to the village a prior year while dog-sitting. Shannon joked that its Macarena who has been showing them around the village.

Once Christmas comes and goes, its gone in a day real fast, so you kind of like to feel all of the festive things before to kind of build up to the big day, Shannon said.

Note: Smithville was scheduled to be open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday for Christmas Eve.

Last Minute Christmas Shopping at Historic Smithville Village
People have been swearing to God that they will keep their promises since they learned to speak and conceive of God. When public service came along in the course of civilization, swearing to God was a customary part of being sworn into office.

That wasnt necessary in the newly founded United States. The Constitution, in fact, expressly declared that no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public trust under the United States. Oaths to God werent prohibited, however, and remained popular at many levels of government.

Until this fall New Jersey was among them. In response to an early October lawsuit, the state Division of Elections will quit requiring the word God in the oaths that political candidates swear to get their names placed on an election ballot.

The lawsuit had been brought by the Freedom From Religion Foundation, a nonprofit organization that since 1976 has advocated for atheists, agnostics and non-theists.

State law requires office seekers to sign the New Jersey Oath of Allegiance. The foundations lawsuit said a Bergen County resident, who had run as a Libertarian in 2021, couldnt run for office again because he could no longer in good conscience swear so help me God. The lawsuit argued an oath mentioning God violates the First and 14th Amendments of the U.S. Constitution.

Since a dozen states still require so help me God as part of the oath to public office  Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New Mexico, North Carolina, Texas and Virginia  perhaps New Jersey could have successfully defended against the lawsuit. Instead it simply created an option for those who prefer no deity in their oaths.

In late October, the Division of Elections sent a memo to county clerks telling them to give candidates a swearing option  either the oath that includes in the presence of Almighty God and so help me God, or a solemn affirmation or declaration with no religious reference. Such affirmation or declaration has the same force and effect as an oath, according to the memo.

The Freedom From Religion Foundation praised the state for its quick response and filed to dismiss its lawsuit. We were very pleased to see the state has essentially agreed with our complaint and our legal concerns, Samantha Lawrence, a legal fellow at the foundation, told New Jersey Monitor.

The state has come a long way since its founding. In 1776, New Jersey didnt just require swearing to God, the state constitution specified certain religious beliefs and practices as qualifying a person for public office: No Protestant inhabitant of this Colony shall be denied the enjoyment of any civil right, merely on account of his religious principles; but that all persons, professing a belief in the faith of any Protestant sect, who shall demean themselves peaceably under the government, as hereby established, shall be capable of being elected into any office of profit or trust, or being a member of either branch of the Legislature.

The advice of the savior of the Protestants seems to be at odds with political candidates swearing to God. In Matthew 5:34, Jesus tells his listeners to not swear oaths  dont swear oaths and make promises they are unable or unlikely to keep.

Friedrich Nietzsche, the 19th century German philosopher most widely known for saying that God is dead and humans have killed him, suggested this oath: If I am now lying, I am no longer a decent human being and anyone may tell me so to my face.

We think politicians today arent much worried about being told theyre indecent, even to their face.

Oaths, of course, like all promises are only as reliable as the person making them and the future allows. Better principles, self-understanding and honesty make them more credible.

God or no God in them, oaths today are easily sworn and broken. That damages human trust, which is essential to social organization, and we should promise to do better as soon as were capable.
An Eldridge man is facing charges for allegedly assaulting and sexually abusing a minor in 2021, police said.

Mickael Shaun Mathew Clemann, 40, is charged in Scott County District Court with one count of third-degree sexual abuse. The charge is Class C felony under Iowa law that carries a prison sentence of 10 years.

Clemann also is charged with three counts of assault with the intent to commit sexual abuse, each of which are an aggravated misdemeanor that carries a prison sentence of two years. He also faces one count of dissemination and exhibition of obscene material to a minor, a serious misdemeanor that carries a jail sentence of up to one year.

According to the arrest affidavit filed by Eldridge Police Officer Corey Hasley, Clemann assaulted the victim between June 16 and June 19, 2021.

The victim was 14- to 15-years old at the time of the abuse.

During a first appearance on the charges Friday in Scott County District Court, Magistrate Jay Sommers scheduled a preliminary hearing in the case for Dec. 29.

Clemann was released Friday from the Scott County Jail after posting a $5,000 cash-only bond.
A southern Illinois federal judge officially declined to issue an injunction to delay the Jan. 1 registration requirement under the states assault weapons ban.

U.S. District Judge Stephen McGlynn issued the 34-page order on Friday.

Gun rights advocates requested an emergency injunction to halt the registration of guns and accessories covered in the legislation, known as the Protect Illinois Communities Act, or PICA, as a condition of continued possession. The gun groups argued the requirements were unconstitutional under the Second and 14th amendments to the U.S. Constitution.

Lawyers for Federal Firearms Licensees of Illinois, gun rights advocates, gun dealers and three individual gun owners argued that the rules governing the registration of already-owned assault weapons are vague and the state failed to give proper notice to the owners of those weapons.

The Illinois attorney generals office asked the court to dismiss the due process claims.

This Court will expeditiously conduct a full review of the legal challenges to PICA on the merits. This also points toward foregoing further preliminary wrangling and going straight to an exhaustive review of PICA and the Emergency Rules on the merits, McGlynn wrote. Additionally, Illinois FOID cardholders level of compliance with the registration scheme will be discernible within mere days. This overall level of compliance will likely be highly relevant to the review of certain claims on the merits.

At a Dec. 12 hearing, McGlynn had foreshadowed that he might decline to issue an injunction.

I think theres a mess here, and some problems, and I havent made my mind up, McGlynn said at the hearing. But I do think that entering an injunction today may create more problems than its worth.

McGlynn also dismissed the 14th Amendment claim in Fridays order and declined to address the Second Amendment claims.

During the Dec. 12 hearing, Sean Brady, an attorney for the plaintiffs, argued that the Illinois State Police was still seeking to modify the registration rules in mid-December, underscoring the need for an injunction to halt implementation before the Jan. 1 deadline.

Assistant Attorney General Christopher Wells countered that enacting the entire statute should not be delayed due to the inevitable questions that will follow.

In April, McGlynn issued a separate injunction blocking enforcement of the ban and declaring it unlikely to be found constitutional. Two previous attempts to block the law in northern Illinois courts were also unsuccessful.

The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago overturned McGlynns ruling in June.

Earlier this month, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to issue an injunction on PICA and the 7th Circuit declined a request for a full review of a November ruling by the three-judge panel that upheld the gun ban.

Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit news service operated by the Illinois Press Foundation that provides coverage of state government to newspapers, broadcast outlets and other media throughout Illinois.
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Quad-Cities philanthropist John Huntington "Hunt" Harris II has died. He was 74.

A memorial service has been planned for noon on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024, at Trimble Funeral Home in Moline. A celebration of life will follow from 1-4 p.m., according to his obituary.

Harris was born June 13, 1949, and attended Moline schools, where he graduated in 1967 as co-valedictorian. He graduated Pomona College with a degree in economics and won the Pendleton Prize in Economics in 1971. In 1979 he earned a master's degree from Stanford University Graduate School of Business.

Harris married Diane Ferguson Wohlfeil on Dec. 21, 1974 and raised two children in Moline. The couple recently moved to Naperville to be closer to their son and his family.

After college Harris joined the family business and eventually worked his way up to becoming president of Star Forms, Inc. He eventually sold the company but continued working until his retirement in 1988. In 1995 he and two investors purchased Isabel Bloom, LLC.

Junior Achievement CEO Dougal Nelson worked for Harris at his various companies for 30 years, always following him to the next one. Nelson said Harris was a "guidepost" for understanding the importance of helping others and following your heart.

Once Harris sold Isabel Bloom to its current owners in 2011, Nelson started thinking about his next career move. He turned to Harris for advice.

"Hunt explained to me how important it was to follow your passion. In his eyes, he felt serving our community was where I belonged," Nelson recalled. "He suggested I look into nonprofit work, which I have followed since that day. I would not be the current CEO of Junior Achievement without the mentorship and guidance of Hunt."

Harris was known for collecting art, a passion that started with photography while he worked on the student newspaper at Moline High School, according to previous reporting. Later in his life Harris mixed his love of photography with his passion for travel.

With his wife Diane, the pair traveled to all seven continents and more than 60 countries. His work was published on his website, World Scenes, and previously featured in the Figge Art Museum in downtown Davenport.

Philanthropy was one of Harris' biggest passions and in 1986 the Hunt and Diane Harris Family Foundation was formed. Along with their children, they founded the John H. Harris III Memorial Foundation in honor of their son and brother who died that year.

Speaking to a reporter in 2014, Harris said giving back was his purpose.

"God has been so good to me," he said. "Think about where you could have been born. It could be in the middle of Africa to a mother with AIDS. I feel such an obligation. These are gifts that have come from God. We are taught and led to believe, to share these gifts."

Collectively, the foundations have donated more than $8 million to area non-profits, according to his obituary. Those foundations are now the Harris Family Foundation Fund at the Quad City Community Foundation.

Community Foundation CEO Sue Hafkemeyer said the team was saddened to hear of Harris' passing and called him a "tremendous supporter" of the foundation. He most recently served as a volunteer on the investment committee.

"Hunt and Diane have always been supportive of and active in the work of the nonprofit sector in the Quad-Cities," Hafkemeyer said in an email. "I had the pleasure of meeting with Hunt and Diane several times in the past year and their passion for the Quad-Cities was evident."

Anne Calder, vice president of development at the Community Foundation, called Harris "a model for us all." The two first connected when Calder was working at Augustana College in the late 2000s. They continued working together when she moved to her current role.

"Hunt was wise. He always asked good questions, in ways that lifted a conversation to better solutions," she said in an email. "Hunt was genuinely interested in the well-being of people around himhe invested in others through his generosity, his experience, and his caring style of leadership. The Quad-Cities has been changed in so many good ways thanks to Hunt and his familys approach to philanthropy."

Calder went on to say Harris was always interested in the welfare of children, a supporter of arts and culture and strengthening the region's nonprofit sector. He was a role model for investing time, talents and treasure in the community, she said.

Harris was known for his sense of humor, and laughing with him was a regular occurrence, Calder said. It's one of many memories she will take with her.

"I think Hunt knew that relationships are built over time, and keeping things in perspective through laughter helps build ties that bind," she said. "When I remember Hunt, I smile. He will be dearly missed, but through his generosity his spirit continues to bring light and life to the Quad-Cities."

That sense of humor will also be remembered by Kent Pilcher, CEO of Estes Construction and chairman of the board for the Community Foundation.

"At the beginning or end of every meeting there would be some form of pun or quip," he recalled. "It would be a range of reactions between laughing and groaning, but I think he just loved getting a rise out of people."

Harris' obituary notes he was known for his inappropriate jokes, which Nelson vouched for. He joked none were appropriate for print.

Pilcher said Harris was a serious man, but was never afraid to poke fun at himself. The Quad City Arts Festival of Trees formerly held a fundraiser where community members would dress up as a clown to raise money. Harris was always willing to fill the giant shoes.

"He was just one of those guys that never took himself too seriously, but he was a very serious person in terms of what he believed in," he said.

United Way was another passion project of Harris', serving on the board for more than 25 years and as chairman from 2007-2009. This past March he and his wife were awarded the United Ways Lifetime Achievement Award because of their significant engagement.

United Way CEO Rene Gellerman said Harris' "legacy of generosity has left an indelible mark on the United Way and our Quad-Cities community for over five decades.

"His unwavering commitment to service demonstrated through both his time and financial support, has not only transformed lives but has been a driving force behind positive, lasting change."

In 1986 Harris and his wife founded the local United Way Tocqueville Society. In recognition of their service, they were inducted into the United Way Worldwide Million Dollar Roundtable in 2008.

"Hunt, alongside Diane, has been a driving force in regionalism and philanthropic innovation, consistently pushing the boundaries of impact," Gellerman said. "Through their foundations, they've been leading investors at United Way Quad Cities and in numerous local causes, making them the cornerstone of nonprofit capacity building in the Quad Cities."

Now known as Unity Point Trinity, Harris was instrumental in the merging of hospitals. In 1989 he joined the Board of United Health System following the merger of Moline Public Hospital and Lutheran Hospital in Moline.

He chaired the board in 1990 and helped negotiate the merger with Franciscan Hospital in 1992 to form the Trinity Regional Health System. He served as the first board chair for two years and remained active until 1999.

Harris philanthropic work never seemed to end. He also served on the boards of the First Congregational Church of Moline, the Moline Public Schools Foundation, the Figge Art Museum and the Putnam Museum. Harris chaired the Moline High School Project Graduation in 1989 with his wife Diane and served on the Quad City Civic Center Authorities Board and was chair from 2007 to 2009.

He served on Illinois Governor Jim Edgars transition team in 1991 and on the Rock Island County Facilities Task Force in 2013-14. Harris also was chair and a founder of the Committee for Better City Government. He had served on the board of Quad City Bank and Trust for 24 years.

Teaching and mentoring was another big passion of Harris', who taught Project Business and Applied Economics through Junior Achievement (JA) in the 1980s. He went on to serve 10 years on the board and served as chair from 1988-89.

According to his obituary, he served on JAs International Task Force from 1992-94 and founded the Quad Cities Area Business Hall of Fame in 1990. He received the JA national organizations Gold Leadership Award in 1992 and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2001.

It was at the ceremony that current JA CEO Dougal Nelson was first introduced to the organization. Harris' example of working hard to remember each employee's name and show compassion for people first is what made Harris "one of the greatest influencers in my life," Nelson said. "I am the person I am today because of people like Hunt Harris.

"Hunt was honestly a heart-led leader. He cared about his employees deeply. While it was business first, he led (with) compassion and empathy. There was never a time when he didnt ask how was my wife doing. Or how my parents were. He truly cared."

A Christmas flower of many names
When Andrew Wold bought the six-story apartment building, The Davenport, in 2021 for $4.1 million, it was the largest and most expensive residential building in his portfolio.

Leading up to The Davenport, Wold bought, remodeled, managed and sold older residential properties in Davenport, growing his properties from converted single-family homes and small complexes to multi-story apartment buildings.

Over the course of a decade, Wold grew from relative obscurity to own a significant number of older properties in central Davenport.

The apartment building known as The Davenport, 324 Main St., collapsed on May 28 claiming the lives of three men, took the leg of a woman, and displaced dozens of residents. The two root causes of the collapse, investigators said, were the removal of brick sections of wall and inadequate shoring that caused the wall to collapse.

In the year before the collapse, Wold showed signs of financial strain. He didnt pay property taxes on time in the year before the collapse, and took out an additional mortgage on his home. His properties had among the most city rental code violations.

Properties owned by limited liability companies associated with Wold had the most city rental code violations during a 13-month period ending on Aug. 28, 2023. The Davenport, owned by Davenport Hotel LLC, had 62 violations  the most of any other property. Companies associated with Wold owned three of the top 10 properties with the most code violations during that period. And a separate Wold-owned company, Andrew Wold Investments, LLC, had the most violations of any other company at 90.

Now Wold, 42, facing lawsuits following the collapse of The Davenport at 324 Main St., is selling many of the properties he had quickly acquired  including his home.

Public property records, interviews, school records and previous reporting from 2016, when Wold was in the early years of acquiring property, provide a larger picture of Wolds footprint as a property owner.

Wold and his attorneys did not return requests for comment.

Multiple people involved in property development in the area have declined to speak on the record about Wold following the building collapse.

For Wold, 2015 a 'big buy year'

Born Dec. 2, 1981, to parents Cameron and Robert Wold, Wold grew up in Davenport and Blue Grass and graduated from Davenport West High School in 2001.

Wold told the Times in 2016 that he learned construction hands-on from his dad as they flipped houses or redid their own.

After graduating, he previously told the Times, he enrolled in Western Illinois University, majored in business and supply chain management and got a job with a large manufacturing company.

In his spare time, he said he bought properties and did construction.

The first property he bought under his name in Scott County was a Davenport duplex in 2008, at 633 Boston Dr., which he sold in 2015, according to recorders office records. He next bought a home in Buffalo in 2010, which he sold in 2014. From there, his purchases grew.

He formed his own construction company, called Alliance Contracting, filing paperwork to form it with the state in 2014. In early 2014, he quit his day job, the Times previously reported.

In 2015, he started rapidly buying more properties, telling the Times that 2015 was a big buy year.

Among his purchases that year: he bought a commercial block on Harrison Street in the Hilltop Campus, three apartment complexes near Palmer College of Chiropractic, and five single-family homes and one apartment building in the area of East 7th and Iowa streets.

"I'm going to grow indefinitely," Wold told the Times in 2016. "I don't plan on stopping."

He also took over ownership of a 1860s-era brick home across from Davenport Central High School that had fallen into foreclosure and a previously vacant bungalow that year as part of agreements with the Hilltop Campus Association and the Gateway Redevelopment Group to fix them up.

This year, the leader of the preservation group, Marion Meginnis, told the Quad-City Times she had been disappointed with Wolds work. She said his handling of older properties prompted her to delete his contact from her phone and advise against renting with him even before the collapse.

Wold sold 12 of those properties between 2018 and 2021, and he quickly purchased more.

His new purchases included Davenport apartment buildings on the national historic registry like the Berg apartments, 246 W. 3rd St. (2019), the Ficke Block, 307-309 Harrison St. (2019), and the Davenport Hotel, 324 Main St. (2021).

Also during that time, Wold invested more than $200,000 into renovations at his 1977 riverfront home, which he bought in 2017.

What does Wold own now?

Reporters of the Quad-City Times and Lee Enterprises Public Service Journalism Team have identified at least eight businesses associated with Wold that own property in Scott County. As of Dec. 22, Scott County Assessors Office records listed 26 Davenport properties divided among the eight businesses. This does not include the site of the collapsed building.

The total 2023 value of these 26 properties was more than $6.9 million, according to the assessors office.

Fifteen of the 26 properties are solely residential, according to property records. Eight are duplexes, flats or conversions, all for two families. There are also apartments as well as a single-family residence, a three-family conversion and a four-family conversion.

The Iowa Department of Revenue describes a conversion as a structure modified from its original design to accommodate more residents.

A flat is a structure for more than one family and can have varying layouts, according to the revenue department. A duplex has two side-by-side residences sharing the same layout.

Of the remaining properties, five were for businesses or a mix of residential and business. The rest were parking lots.

Multiple Wold properties sold or for sale

Until recently, the property footprint of Wolds businesses was larger.

Andrew Wold Investments LLC sold another nine Davenport properties in October, according to assessors office records. The 2023 assessment for these nine properties gave them a total value of about $995,000.

Eight of the properties sold by Andrew Wold Investments were residential, with property records describing seven of them as being for two families. The eighth was for a single family. The ninth property was an empty lot.

As of Dec. 22, several of the properties owned by the Wold-related businesses were for sale, including The Roosevelt and The Dorothea apartment buildings.

While he (Wold) has significant properties downtown, there has been serious interest in a lot of the properties, said Kyle Carter, executive director of the Downtown Davenport Partnership, adding that the property ownership could transition soon.

All of Wolds current and recently former properties were built before 1940, assessment records show.

Wold buys 15 properties in 2019

Wold or his businesses acquired 15 properties in 2019, with 12 of those solely residential. Most of these were for two families, with the others being the three- or four-family conversions or smaller apartment buildings.

After 2019, there were not as many acquisitions, but they included larger properties in or near downtown.

Of the four acquired in 2020, one of them was The Roosevelt, 307 W. 6th St. This four-story apartment building has 32 units.

The only listed acquisitions in 2021 are the building at 324 Main St. and four parking lots. The Davenport Hotel LLC bought all of them from Waukee Investments I LLC in June of that year. Their collective sale price was almost $4.2 million. The six-story building had 80 units, the assessor's website states.

The 2023 assessment for 324 Main St. valued the property at $6.1 million, according to property records. The parking lots were valued at more than $371,000.

The most recent acquisition was a single property in 2022: The Dorothea Apartments, 311 W. 3rd St., Davenport. Also four stories, The Dorothea includes 24 residential units and law offices.

The Wold-related businesses bought properties from various individuals and companies, including TLM Properties LLC and The Foundry Apartments LLC, property records show.

TLM sold The Dorothea Apartments to Dorothea LLC. Foundry sold The Roosevelt to Andrew Wold Investments LLC.

For some of these properties there was a direct sale to the Wold-associated business currently listed as its owner. In other cases. Wold or one of the businesses purchased the property, then transferred ownership to another of the eight.

The majority of the businesses associated with Wold are limited liability companies (LLC), but some are cooperatives. An LLC is a business structure that protects its owners from personal responsibility for its debts or liabilities. Cooperatives are another form of property ownership organization but are created under a different Iowa statue.

Wolds LLC, biggest property had most rental code violations

LLCs associated with Wold received 230 city violations between Aug. 1, 2022, and Aug. 28, 2023. The violations range from environmental cleanup to complaint inspections, which in some cases can lead to orders to vacate the property.

Ninety of those 230 code violations were from Andrew Wold Investments LLC properties, which had the most violations of any company in Davenport during that 13-month span. A total of 5,424 code violations occurred in the city during that time.

Davenport Hotel LLC, the company that owned 324 Main Street, was issued 62 violations, all of which but two had been issued prior to the building collapse. The address 324 Main Street had the most code violations of any address listed.

The 10 Davenport Properties with the most code violations Aug. 1, 2022 - Aug. 28, 2023 were:

*Asterisk denotes properties owned by LLCs/cooperatives associated with Wold

*324 Main Street: 62 violations

1905 W. 40th Street: 21 violations

4600 Grand Avenue: 20 violations

5901 Elmore Avenue: 18 violations

6203 Brown Street: 18 violations

*1440 Jersey Ridge Road: 17 violations

2220 Rockingham Road: 17 violations

2925 Dubuque Street: 15 violations

*307 W. 6th Street: 15 violations

1724 W. 6th Street: 14 violations

2302 Redwood Avenue: 14 violations

5001 Sheridan Street: 14 violations

921 W. 3rd Street: 14 violations

Wold didnt keep up with property taxes

Of his current and former properties, Wold was late on his property taxes on 23 properties in 2023. When property owners dont pay their property taxes due in September and March, investors can buy those tax certificates in June.

Then, the property owner owes the property tax amount to the investor plus 2% interest per month.

County Treasurer Tony Knobbe said theres typically about a thousand properties a year in Scott County in which the tax certificates are sold.

The first assumption one would make is theyre having financial troubles, right? Thats a pretty easy conclusion to draw, Knobbe said. And because of that theyre not able to pay their taxes. Somebody else pays them for them at great cost to the homeowner.

Wold is involved with a number of LLCs and cooperatives

Businesses associated with Wold which still own property or are active in other ways include:

Andrew Wold Investments LLC

Organized: 6/9/15

Organizers: Robert H. Gallagher

Current Properties owned: 15

Current agent: Robert H. Gallagher

Number of code violations received between Aug. 1, 2022 and Aug. 28, 2023: 90

Wold's associations with the LLC:

He was the authorized person signing documents as of March 2023.

An address associated with Wold was listed as the principal office on the March 2023 Biennial Report.

In an answer to allegations in a civil suit, Wold's counsel identified him as the LLC's owner.

Davenport Hotel LLC

Organized: 5/20/21

Organizers: Leonard Kerr

Current Properties Owned: 5

Current agent: Andrew Wold

Number of code violations received between Aug. 1, 2022 and Aug. 28, 2023: 62

Wold's other associations with the LLC:

In an answer to allegations in a civil suit, Wold's counsel identified him as the LLC's owner.

He was the authorized person signing documents as of February 2023.

An address associated with Wold was listed as the principal office on the February 2023 Biennial Report.

Harrison Street Cooperative

Organized: 12/28/15

Organizers: Andrew Wold, Megan Wold

Properties owned: 1

Current agent: Michael Gorsline

Number of code violations received between Aug. 1, 2022 and Aug. 28, 2023: 10

307 Harrison St Cooperative

Organized: 12/18/19

Organizers: Andrew Wold, Megan Wold

Properties owned: 1

Current agent: Michael Gorsline

Number of code violations received between Aug. 1, 2022 and Aug. 28, 2023: 12

246 W. 3rd St. Cooperative

Organized: 12/18/2019

Organizers: Andrew Wold, Megan Wold

Properties owned: 1

Current agent: Michael Gorsline

Number of code violations received between Aug. 1, 2022 and Aug. 28, 2023: 5

Dorothea LLC

Organized: 3/16/21

Organizers: Andrew Wold

Properties owned: 1

Current agent: Thomas J. Pastrnak

Number of code violations received between Aug. 1, 2022 and Aug. 28, 2023: 8

Wolds other association with the LLC:

An address associated with Wold was listed as the principal office on the March 2023 Biennial Report.

He was the authorized person signing documents as of March 2023.

2200 11th LLC

Organized: 5/31/22

Organizers: Andrew Wold

Properties owned: 1

Current agent: Michael Gorsline

Wolds other associations with the LLC:

He was the authorized person signing documents as of February 2023.

An address associated with Wold was listed as the principal office on the February 2023 Biennial Report.

1505 Jersey Ridge LLC

Organized: 6/7/21

Organizers: Andrew Wold

Current Properties Owned: 1

Current Agent: Michael L. Gorsline

Number of Code Violations: 0

Wolds other associations with the LLC:

An address associated with Wold was listed as the principal office on the June 2023 Biennial Report.

Wold was the authorized person signing documents in June of 2023.

Alliance Contracting LLC

Organized: 5/23/14

Organizers: Cheyenne Moseley

Current Properties owned: None

Current agent: Andrew Wold

Wold's other associations with the LLC:

He was the authorized person signing documents as of March 2023.

In an answer to allegations in a civil suit, Wold's counsel identified him as a member of the LLC.

An address associated with Wold was listed as the principal office on the March 2023 Biennial Report.

Village Property Management LLC

Organized: 12/11/14

Organizers: Andrew Wold, Megan Wold

Current Properties owned: None

Current agent: Michael Gorsline
Mystery donors struck twice last week, dropping gold coins in red kettles to benefit the Salvation Army of the Black Hills annual Christmas Campaign.

This is the 27th consecutive year at least one anonymous donor has given gold coins during the Christmas Campaign. Together, this year's coins are valued at $4,537.

One donor continued his or her annual tradition of concealing the coin in a Peanuts cartoon wrapped in a $100 bill. The coin, cartoon and $100 bill were dropped in a red kettle at Walmart in Spearfish. The coin is the official gold bullion coin of Canada. That 1-ounce coin is a 99.99% pure gold Canadian Gold Maple Leaf produced by the Royal Canadian Mint. It has an estimated value of $2,271, the Salvation Army said in a press release announcing the donations.

The cartoon enclosed with it included the number 27 and a note saying: Thanks for all the good you continue to do.

Is it going to come, where is it going to come, when is it going to come? You can never assume. Its not ever a guarantee that (a gold coin) is going to come but this is such an exciting thing, said Major Jerry ONeil, Black Hills Area Coordinator for the Salvation Army of the Black Hills.

The second coin was dropped in a red kettle at Family Fare on Mountain View Road in Rapid City on Dec. 13. That coin is a 1-ounce 1998 American Gold Eagle coin valued at $2,266. It was in a plastic case wrapped in a $50 bill, ONeil said.

Every year we get the one wrapped in a Peanuts cartoon and sometimes we get another one. I think theyre two different people, ONeil said. The fact that they really go out of their way to be anonymous talks about the purity of the motive behind the gifts. It really is a donation in the truest sense of the word. They truly are trying to bless somebody else, and thats the cool thing.

The Christmas Campaign is the Salvation Army of the Black Hills largest single fundraiser every year. This years fundraising goal is $418,000, and as of Dec. 13, about 44% of the money has been raised, ONeil said. The red kettle component of the fundraiser typically continues through Christmas Eve. However, because Christmas Eve falls on a Sunday, the red kettle campaign will end a day early. Red kettles will be out until about 6:30 p.m. Dec. 23, ONeil said.

In addition to the red kettles, the public can donate to the Christmas Campaign through Jan. 31 by mail or online at blackhillsredkettle.org.

Warmer days and an increased number of bell ringer volunteers have benefitted fundraising efforts this year, ONeil said.

Most of our major sites are covered (with volunteer bell ringers) and with the warmer weather, were still having a very solid kettle component. I think it will still finish very well, he said.

ONeil thanked the gold coin donors and Black Hills communities for their contributions to the Christmas Campaign.

The tremendous support theyve given to us is really a cool thing, and weve got a ways to go but we live in a generous community, ONeil said.

Campaign helps locals year-round

The Christmas Campaign raises funds used to aid people in need during the Christmas season and year-round. In December, the Salvation Army of the Black Hills distributes holiday food boxes, provides its angel tree program and delivers Christmas gifts and cheer to nursing and veteran homes.

Throughout the year, funds help support the Salvation Army of the Black Hills food pantry and utility assistance programs.

The need for the food pantry and utility assistance has increased pretty significantly, ONeil said, as rising food costs especially strain peoples budgets. ONeil said the Salvation Army of the Black Hills collaborates with other agencies in the Black Hills to assist as many people as possible.

A lot of agencies we work with are seeing a huge increase in area residents needing help, ONeil said.

The huge thing for folks who donate to know is that communication and collaboration is going on so we can make use of resources and cut down on duplication and fraud. We do what we can to reduce that, ONeil said. We are looking to take our resources and make them go as far as they can and make them be used to the best of our abilities.

During this Christmas season, the Salvation Army of the Black Hills is preparing to distribute more than 1,400 Christmas food boxes, similar to the number of boxes distributed in 2022. Each box will contain items for a traditional holiday meal, including cranberry sauce, rolls, gravy, canned vegetables, stuffing and dessert, and each box will come with a whole frozen turkey or a ham.

The food boxes were made possible with the help of grant funds to purchase turkeys and donations from local businesses including MIDCO Foundation, First Interstate Bank, Sentinel Federal Credit Union and Black Hills Federal Credit Union.

Angel trees throughout the Black Hills are providing 1,902 children ages infant to 14 with toys and Christmas gifts. This year, 786 families registered for the program, and their children will receive a total of about 9,800 toys and gifts. The number of children served in 2023 is a 7% increase over 2022.

We have over 125 angel tree locations who have hosted plus participated, so its a phenomenal response and were so grateful for that, ONeil said.

The Salvation Army of the Black Hills Community Care Ministries volunteers visited 29 nursing and veteran homes in Rapid City and the Black Hills during the week of Dec. 10. The visits are intended to provide comfort, cheer and, when possible, material assistance.

Each Christmas, we like to deliver a little something to each resident, said Major Vangie ONeil, Rapid City Corps Officer. This year the gift included a 2024 wall calendar, candy canes, tissues, winter hat or plush Christmas bear, and the Christmas edition of our Salvation Army magazine and a holiday bag.

For more information about Community Care Ministries or to become a member, contact Vangie ONeil at vangie.oneil@usc.salvationarmy.org or 605-342-0982.
The holiday season can be associated with celebration, joy, and family for many. However, with it can come a great deal of stress, loneliness and increases in mental health symptoms.

A survey conducted by the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) found that 64% of individuals living with a mental illness reported that their conditions worsened around the holidays.

South Dakota has the seventh highest suicide rate in the country, according to the 2021 South Dakota Department of Health report. It is the tenth leading cause of death in the state, and the seventh leading cause of death among Native Americans. Rates increased by 50% from 135 in 2012 to 202 in 2021.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration recommends several strategies for supporting mental health during the holidays, including paying attention to one's feelings, practicing self-care, and connecting with community.

"If you cant be near loved ones during the holidays, finding a supportive community through clubs, support groups, community centers, local meetups, and faith communities can help reduce feelings of loneliness and isolation. Consider scheduling a regular phone call with family and friends as well," according to a SAMHSA blogpost.

In times when personal coping strategies aren't effective, there are resources available. In an emergency, call 911.

The Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is available at 988 to anyone in suicidal crisis or emotional distress. The number can be texted or called, and a chat is available at 988LifeLine.org.

Pivot Point is a local crisis stabilization facility located at 308 Quincy Street in Rapid City. Their number is 605-391-4863. Adults who are experiencing a mental health or substance abuse crisis can check into the facility voluntarily for up to 24 hours. A medical triage screening is conducted at intake to determine the level of care needed.

Pivot Point offers the opportunity to speak with a mental health professional. The center also refers individuals to other services in the community.
Editor's note: This is the second in a series of stories on a South Dakota News Watch and Chiesman Center for Democracy poll that surveyed 500 South Dakotans on a variety of political topics. Stories will be published weekly through mid-January.

The battle over a proposed 2024 ballot amendment that would enshrine abortion rights in the South Dakota Constitution is not currently getting majority support from either side, according to a statewide poll sponsored by South Dakota News Watch.

The poll of 500 registered voters showed that 45.6% of respondents support the proposed measure, which would supersede a state abortion ban enacted when the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June 2022. Thats more than the 43.6% who said they oppose the change, but its within the polls margin of error of 4.5%.

Its certainly competitive, said Rick Weiland, former Democratic U.S. Senate candidate and executive director of Dakotans for Health, a grassroots organization gathering signatures to put the amendment on the November 2024 ballot.

But I think once South Dakota voters understand that the trigger law theyre living under is one of the most extreme measures in the entire country, these numbers will grow exponentially.

Rep. Jon Hansen, R-Dell Rapids, who serves as vice president of South Dakota Right to Life and co-chair of the Sioux Falls-based Life Defense Fund, viewed the results as a positive for the anti-abortion movement.

He emphasized the fact that women surveyed in the poll oppose the measure 50.2% to 40.6%, with 9.2% undecided. A majority of men, 51%, said they support the proposed amendment; 36.9% oppose it and 12% undecided.

This poll makes clear that the majority of South Dakotans do not support the extreme abortion amendment, including the majority of women who have decided to oppose it, Hansen said in an emailed statement to News Watch.

Opponents call abortion measure 'extreme'

The random survey was conducted Nov. 27-29 by Mason-Dixon Polling & Strategy. Those interviewed were selected randomly from a telephone-matched South Dakota voter registration list that included both land line and cellphone numbers. The poll is co-sponsored by News Watch and the Chiesman Center for Democracy at the University of South Dakota.

The poll question summarized the amendment this way: During the first trimester it would prevent the state from regulating abortions. During the second trimester, the state could regulate the abortion decision, but any regulation must be reasonably related to the physical health of the mother. During the third trimester, abortion could be prohibited except if it is necessary to preserve the life or health of the pregnant woman, according to her physician.

Hansen has criticized the wording of the proposed amendment, saying its far more extreme than Roe v. Wade itself.

Weiland and others pushed back on that statement by saying the amendment uses the same trimester framework as Roe, the landmark 1973 ruling in which the Supreme Court held that the Constitution protected a womans right to an abortion prior to the viability of the fetus.

South Dakota under trigger law from 2005

South Dakota is currently under a 2005 state trigger law activated when the Supreme Court left it up to states to determine reproductive rights with its ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization.

The law makes it a Class 6 felony for anyone who administers to any pregnant female or prescribes or procures for any pregnant female a means for an abortion, except to save the life of the mother. South Dakota is one of 14 states whose abortion law does not include exceptions for rape and incest.

Some key takeaways from the News Watch poll:

Party lines: Democrats surveyed support the proposed amendment by a margin of 54.9% to 32.8%, with 12.3% undecided. Republicans oppose by a margin of 52.4% to 36.3%, with 11.3% undecided. For Independents/others, it was 54.6% support, 36.9% oppose, 8.5% undecided.

Age difference: The highest support of the proposed amendment (48.5%) came from the 65-plus age group, while the lowest (43.2%) came from the 50-64 age group. Support from other age groups was 47.6% from 18-34 year-olds and 45.3% from 35-49 year-olds.

Geographical splits: The most support of the proposed amendment came from East River/North (54.5%), followed by Sioux Falls Metro (46.7%), West River (41.3%) and East River/South (40.0%).

Putting abortion on the ballot

The proposed amendment reflects a national trend of progressive groups using the ballot initiative process to gain ground on abortion rights since the Supreme Court rolled back federal protections by overturning Roe v. Wade.

Election wins have come in conservative states such as Ohio, where 57% of voters approved a constitutional amendment in November 2023 that ensured access to abortion and other forms of reproductive health care.

In Kansas, voters overwhelmingly rejected a 2022 constitutional amendment that would have allowed the Republican-led Legislature to tighten restrictions or ban abortion outright, with 59% voting against the amendment.

Petition efforts are also under way in states such as Arizona, Florida, Nevada and Nebraska to try to put the issue before voters in 2024, a presidential election year in which high turnout is expected.

Dakotans for Health needs to collect a minimum of 35,017 signatures to place the abortion constitutional amendment on the South Dakota ballot. Weiland told News Watch that his group has collected close to 50,000 signatures as it pursues a goal of 60,000 or more to ensure that ballot access isnt foiled by invalidated signatures or other technicalities. The deadline to submit signatures is May 7, 2024.

First you have to make sure that youve got something to vote on, which is what weve been focused on, said Weiland. Then theres a campaign to educate people in South Dakota about this issue. And weve already had conversations with tens of thousands of voters since we started actively circulating our petitions. You know, thats 50,000 votes in the bank.

Campaign ignites both sides

The petition drive has galvanized an equally passionate opposition movement, with anti-abortion groups wary of allowing the issue to reach the ballot. South Dakotans rejected near-total abortion bans by statewide vote in 2006 and 2008.

Life Defense Fund demonstrators, as part of their Decline to Sign campaign, have occasionally clashed with Dakotans for Health volunteers. Attorney General Marty Jackley sent a letter to Dakotans for Health on Oct. 31 saying that he had received video and photographic evidence purporting to show unattended petitions, a violation of state law, and people signing the same petition twice.

Weiland said his group trains petition circulators to follow state law and has addressed any irregularities. He said the larger issue is the harassment his volunteers have experienced at the hands of Life Defense Fund demonstrators.

Dakotans for Health successfully challenged a policy passed by the Minnehaha County Commission that imposed what a judge determined were unreasonable restrictions for petition circulators at the county administration building. A settlement was reached that removed references to a designated area for petition circulators and no longer required circulators to check in with the county auditor before engaging in political activity.

Hansen said his group is committed to campaigning against the measure because of the high-stakes nature of the abortion issue.

Life Defense Fund works every day to inform South Dakotans about the actual impacts of the abortion amendment, including legalizing late-term abortion and endangering women by banning safety regulations for most abortions, Hansen told News Watch. One thing is clear: the more people learn about the actual impacts of the extreme Abortion Amendment, the more they reject it.

Poll in 2022: Increase abortion access

In July 2022, News Watch sponsored a Mason-Dixon poll that showed statewide support for making changes to South Dakotas abortion laws.

That survey showed that a majority (57%) of respondents supported allowing legal access to abortion medications in the state.

More than three-fourths (76%) of those polled support allowing legal abortion in cases of rape and incest, an exception not currently allowed under South Dakota law.

The poll also showed that nearly 8 in 10 respondents (79%) oppose criminal penalties for anyone who helps a South Dakota resident obtain an abortion where it is legal, such as in a neighboring state.

Nearly two-thirds (65%) said they supported having a statewide referendum to determine South Dakotas laws regarding reproductive rights.

We're offering up something that the people of the United States and South Dakota had for 50 years and was taken away by the Supreme Court, Weiland said. When given a choice, we feel like people will overwhelmingly support freedom  more specifically, reproductive freedom in the context of Roe vs. Wade.
Fifty-two years ago, a group of eleven University of Montana students fell in love with a place. And that began a relationship that has lasted throughout our lives.

I was one of those students. That summer of 1971, we lived and studied the wilderness characteristics in a little-known part of the northern Bitterroot Mountains  the Hoodoo Roadless Area, or Great Burn  named for its unique ecological legacy of fire. I could not know it at the time, but this life-changing experience eventually led me to dedicate most of my adult life to preserving the unique characteristics of the Great Burn.

This magical place is worth saving. Its a critical and unprotected piece of the largest wildland complex in the lower 48 U.S.  a huge region that also includes the Frank Church-River of No Return, Gospel Hump and Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness areas, along with hundreds of thousands of acres of designated roadless lands. As our planet warms, these connected landscape expanses will increasingly be the only hope for the full panoply of species that Lewis and Clark documented in our region to persist.

My fellow students and I founded the Great Burn Study Group, now working as the Great Burn Conservation Alliance, that initial summer in 1971. We and the community of citizens who love it have been advocating to protect the wild character of the Great Burn ever since.

Along the way, weve made great progress in securing meaningful protections to keep the Great Burn wild. But those protections are ultimately not permanent. The Great Burn has been included in 16 congressional wilderness bills over the years. Although forest plans provide some level of protection, our ultimate goal for the Great Burn is permanent protection through wilderness designation or other congressional action.

And thats the heart of my message to you today: because the forest plans governing the Great Burn are now being revised, the protection and progress weve made is at stake, more so than ever before in the last fifty years. And Im asking you personally to help.

On Nov. 28, the NezPerce-Clearwater National Forest released forest management documents that would, for the first time ever, remove 32,000 acres of recommended wilderness in the Great Burn, opening these areas up to snowmobile use.

These measures will legitimize illegal snowmobile use that has been occurring for at least a decade. And, although its required to do so by law, the plan does not contain standards for sensitive wildlife species like wolverine, mountain goat, and grizzly bears. The proposed forest plan will irreparably harm the capacity of this landscape to provide critical wildlife habitat connectivity.

Prohibiting winter motorized use and other recreational uses in this area is the only way to prevent detrimental impacts to habitat and migration corridors. And dont forget  this forest plan could determine how the Forest Service will manage the Great Burn for 20-30 years.

National forests belong to the people of the United States. The plan proposed for the Nez-Perce Clearwater represents the agency caving in to small but vocal and well-funded group of special interest users. If youre reading this, Im hoping you will act today to object to this plan in the strongest possible terms.

First, learn more about the specifics by going to the Great Burn Conservation Alliance at www.greatburn.org.Next, submit an objection through the Forest Service webform by Jan. 29. The Lolo National Forest is also currently developing its forest plan, which dictates how the Montana portion of the Great Burn will be protected for decades to come. I encourage you to stay involved in this important process.

Its been the joy of a lifetime for me to work to protect this special place. If you care about the Great Burn as I do, I urge you to submit an objection and also share with your networks why the Great Burn is so special and deserving of protections.
By: Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury





According to the ancient Hebrew principle of Pikuach Nephesh, 'He who saves a life saves the world entire'. In an extraordinary act of compassion and courage, Sheikh Hasina, the longest-serving Muslim female prime minister, has emerged as the savior of over 1.20 million Rohingyas, rescuing them from ethnic cleansing and the threat of extinction. Despite her saintly contribution to humanity, Sheikh Hasina humbly refrains from promoting her noble deeds. It's incumbent upon us to recognize and honor her selfless service, especially when undertaken by the leader of a nation grappling with its own challenges while sheltering a persecuted community seeking safety from Myanmar's horrors.





Since 2017, the Rohingyas have found refuge in Bangladesh, with little financial assistance from Western nations or wealthier Muslim countries  especially the Arabs. Surprisingly, certain affluent Arab nations, while spending billions on various agendas, have shown minimal concern for the persecuted Rohingya Muslims. Bangladesh, burdened with nurturing over 1.20 million Rohingyas, has admirably carried this responsibility while prioritizing its 170 million citizens.





The Rohingya crisis ranks among the most severe humanitarian catastrophes, displacing millions and subjecting innocent lives to unbearable suffering. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's leadership, however, has transformed Bangladesh into a beacon of compassion, sheltering and safeguarding these refugees fleeing persecution and violence in Myanmar. Her resolute commitment to humanity, empathy, and steadfast leadership in the face of adversity renders her a fitting nominee for the Nobel Peace Prize.





The Rohingya, long persecuted in Myanmar, faced violence and discrimination, leading to their mass exodus in 2017. In the midst of this tragedy, Bangladesh, despite its own limitations, opened its doors to shelter and protect these refugees. Sheikh Hasina's government displayed unparalleled compassion, offering sanctuary to the oppressed and vulnerable, embodying the essence of empathy and solidarity.





Sheikh Hasina's response to the Rohingya crisis epitomizes exemplary leadership and an unwavering commitment to humanitarian values. Despite the immense strain on resources, Sheikh Hasina extended a compassionate hand to those in dire need, upholding the principles of human dignity and compassion.





Under her guidance, Bangladesh swiftly established refugee camps, mobilized resources, and provided essential aid, healthcare, and education to the Rohingya refugees. Sheikh Hasina's administration showcased not just generosity but also efficiency in handling this influx of refugees, setting an example of proactive and compassionate governance.





Furthermore, Sheikh Hasina tirelessly advocated for international support and justice for the Rohingya cause. Her diplomatic efforts engaging global leaders and international bodies, urging action against the atrocities committed against the Rohingya, underscore her commitment to seeking justice for oppressed communities.





Providing shelter to over a million refugees posed significant challenges for Bangladesh, pressuring its resources and infrastructure. Despite these hurdles, Sheikh Hasina's government exhibited resilience and determination, delivering humanitarian assistance to the Rohingya in their time of need.





SHer administration collaborated with international organizations to provide essential services, including healthcare, education, and sanitation facilities, ensuring a semblance of dignity and normalcy for the refugees.





The Nobel Peace Prize recognizes individuals contributing significantly to peace and humanity. Sheikh Hasina's unwavering dedication to providing sanctuary to the Rohingya amidst a dire humanitarian crisis embodies the spirit of peace, compassion, and humanity. Her actions not only saved lives but also upheld fundamental human rights and solidarity with the most vulnerable. Her leadership during this pressing humanitarian challenge deserves global acknowledgment.





The Rohingya crisis transcends regional boundaries, becoming a global humanitarian concern. Sheikh Hasina's exceptional response has garnered international attention, urging the global community to act collectively to resolve this crisis and seek justice for the victims.





Amid contemporary global challenges, the Rohingya crisis underscores the urgent need for compassion, solidarity, and unwavering commitment to humanity. Sheikh Hasina's leadership and Bangladesh's unparalleled generosity in sheltering over a million Rohingya refugees stand as a testament to enduring compassion and peace.





The Nobel Peace Prize's legacy in honoring individuals striving for global harmony, justice, and humanitarian values should recognize Sheikh Hasina's extraordinary efforts and steadfast commitment to protecting persecuted Rohingyas. Honoring her with the Nobel Peace Prize would not only acknowledge her exceptional humanitarianism but also highlight the significance of global solidarity and empathy in addressing the world's most pressing humanitarian crises.




Derek Hondo





The 28th Conference of the Parties (COP) in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, brought several critical firsts for global health. For the first time at a COP, health made it onto the agenda as one of the key discussion items, underscoring the linkages between climate change and our health. 3 December marked the first-ever dedicated Health Day of any COP, and this monumental day saw 123 governments endorse the Climate and Health Declaration. The declaration recognizes the severity of the impacts on health and well-being brought on by climate change and that stronger climate action can help mitigate these impacts.





This years COP also signified the first time that health ministers had a significant presence in the multilateral decision-making forum; 110 health ministries, including 49 ministers of health, attended. With this platform, health professionals placed additional pressure on governments to push for an acceleration of the phasing out of fossil fuels to achieve net zero by 2050 and keep the 1.5C goal within reach while strengthening health systems to ensure a livable and sustainable future for all.





The climatehealth nexus





The impacts of climate change on human health are wide-ranging. In recent years, disasters triggered by natural hazards have been increasing, and as temperatures continue to rise, there will be more devastating floods, extensive wildfires, and intense and prolonged heatwaves and droughts. For example, when it comes to heat-related extremes caused by anthropogenic climate change, we are now exposed to twice as many heatwave days compared to 19862005, which are particularly dangerous for adults aged over 65 years and infants. Over the last decade, heat-related deaths in people over 65 increased by 85% compared to 19912000 (Romanello et al. 2023). When exposed to extreme heat, people can suffer from heat stroke and heat exhaustion, which can be life-threatening without proper medical attention.





Alongside heatwaves, droughts are also becoming more prevalent, jeopardizing water security, sanitation, agriculture, livestock breeding, and, consequently, food supply. The global land area affected by extreme drought increased from 18% in 19511960 to 47% in 2013-2022 (Romanello et al. 2023). Intensification of droughts and extreme heatwaves make the perfect combination for a higher risk of wildfires, which have similarly become more common. This of course is also largely due to poor land use management and other unsustainable practices. Health risks associated with wildfires include the direct hazards from fire exposure in addition to smoke inhalation, exposure to harmful air pollutants and particulate matter, and mental illness from the associated trauma in the aftermath.





Additionally, climate change can lead to the spread of infectious diseases, such as human immunodeficiency virus, Zika, malaria, dengue, influenza, Ebola, MERS, and SARS, among others, which are responsible for millions of deaths globally each year (GBD 2019 Diseases and Injuries Collaborators 2020). Studies have found that as many as half of all known human pathogenic diseases, including those stemming from bacteria, viruses, animals, plants, fungi, and protozoa, can be aggravated by climate change. Transmission channels, which include vector-borne, airborne, and direct contact, among others, are also affected by climate change (Mora et al. 2022). For example, in Japan, the Asia tiger mosquito (Aedes (Stegomyia) albopictus), which is responsible for carrying dengue fever, Zika, and other diseases, has in recent years made its way all the way up to Aomori Prefecture, the northernmost point of Japans main island of Honshu. Previously, such diseases were regarded as endemic diseases since they were essentially limited to tropical and subtropical regions. A report by Japans Ministry of the Environment (2020) linked these occurrences to increased temperatures in addition to water quality deterioration and surface flooding. As temperatures rise and rainfall increases in monsoon regions of South Asia, Southeast Asia, and East Asia, infectious diseases will become more widespread.





Building climate-resilient health systems





While climate change mitigation remains imperative, governments must also focus on climate adaptation measures, including building more resilient health systems. Between 2010 and 2020, highly vulnerable regions, accounting for 3.3 billion3.6 billion people, experienced a mortality rate 15 times higher compared to regions less susceptible to climate change (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change 2023). The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic showed that many countries did not have adequate health systems and health coverage, leaving them underprepared to respond to such a strong shock. This was especially true in developing countries whose populations were disproportionately impacted by the pandemic, particularly the most vulnerable and marginalized communities, which include women and children. Developing Asia and the Pacific is also one of the most vulnerable regions to climate change, and the situation was compounded by the impacts of the pandemic, which further justifies the need to strengthen health insurance systems.





Achieving universal health coverage (UHC) can help to ensure that all people have equitable access to quality and affordable essential health services when they are needed. UHC is critical for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) because it can deliver substantial benefits at a population level. Beyond improving health indicators, achieving UHC can drive economic development, improve efficiency, reduce poverty and inequality, and build social harmony; it is also a precursor to building climate-resilient health systems (Yates et al. 2021). In the current situation, people in vulnerable and marginalized communities face the most substantial health impacts and often lack access to the quality and affordable health services they need. These circumstances are growing worse as the effects of climate change become increasingly apparent. By establishing UHC, governments can help to protect people from the financial hardships associated with paying out-of-pocket for health services, thereby reducing their chances of being pushed into poverty.





The way forward: Whats next after COP28?





Following the conclusion of COP28, government leaders have returned to their respective countries and will need to head back to the drawing board again to figure out effective measures that prioritize the health and well-being of their people amid the adverse impacts of climate change. To strengthen health systems, policy makers should focus on resilience, equity, and greening the health sector. Resilient health systems can anticipate, respond to, recover from, and adapt to climate impacts. Ensuring equity requires inclusive coverage that supports vulnerable and disadvantaged groups, including the introduction of gender-sensitive policies that take into account the climate-induced impacts on women and their health. The health sector must also make efforts to adopt more sustainable practices and reduce greenhouse gas emissions as the sector currently contributes to the problem by emitting approximately 5% of global greenhouse gas emissions (Romanello et al. 2023).




Kathmandu: The handover ceremony of the Project for the Construction of a Turmeric Processing Center in Pyuthan District supported by the Government of Japan to Pyuthan Municipality, Pyuthan District was held today. H.E. Mr. KIKUTA Yutaka, Ambassador of Japan to Nepal, attended the ceremony.





The project was implemented by the Volunteer Nepal National Group (Vol Nepal) and supported by the Government of Japan under the Grassroots and Human Security Grant Assistance Project (GGP) for USD 81,180 (approximately NPR 10 million).





The project aims to improve the livelihood of local farmers by increasing the production efficiency and developing the commercialization of turmeric for the people in Ward 8 of Pyuthan Municipality and neighboring areas. In this area, the soil conditions are suitable for turmeric, but farmers cultivated the crop using traditional methods and the products were mostly for their own consumption. In addition, the farmers did not have machinery to process the products, and the low price of unprocessed products made it difficult for them to escape poverty. Vol Nepal, since its establishment in 2005, has been working for sustainable development of rural communities, including this area, and requested the support from the Government of Japan to improve the situation. Upon the request, 10 mini-tillers were installed and a turmeric processing facility with necessary equipment was constructed through this GGP.





At the ceremony, Ambassador Kikuta congratulated and expressed his appreciation for the efforts of all those involved in the project. He emphasized that the project would greatly contribute to improving the livelihoods of the farmers. The high quality products will help to increase the income of the farmers and lead to sustainable development of the local community. The Embassy hopes that the project will contribute to further deepening the friendly relations between the people of Japan and Nepal.




Kathmandu: H.E. Mr. KIKUTA Yutaka, Ambassador of Japan to Nepal handed the Foreign Ministers Commendation for FY2023 to JICA Alumni Association of Nepal (JAAN) at his official residence today.





The Foreign Ministers Commendations are awarded to individuals and groups with outstanding achievements in international fields to acknowledge their contributions to the promotion of friendship between Japan and other countries and areas. The Commendations also aim to promote understanding and support from the Japanese public regarding the activities of the recipients.





JAAN was awarded the Commendation on August 22, 2023, in recognition of its significant contributions over the years to the development of mutual understanding and friendship between Japan and Nepal.





JAAN was established in 1973 as an alumni association by Nepali trainees and students who received various training and academic education in Japan under JICA program. For half a century, JAAN has been producing many important personalities in political and business circles. Some of them are serving as Chief Secretaries, Secretaries and Joint Secretaries in various ministries of Nepal, contributing to the development of Nepal using the knowledge and experience gained from training in Japan. JAAN has also organized various events to share their skills and knowledge, as well as events to celebrate the anniversary of diplomatic relations between Japan and Nepal.





On the occasion, Ambassador Kikuta congratulated JAAN on receiving the Foreign Ministers Commendation as a testament to the friendship between Japan and Nepal and said that JAANs efforts and contributions are truly worthy of the Commendation. Ambassador also expressed his confidence that JAAN and its members will continue to take the lead in the development of Nepal.




DUBAI, United Arab Emirates  War and natural disasters ravaged an increasingly unsettled Middle East throughout 2023, further straining countries already hit by worsening economic conditions and affected by extreme weather fueled by climate change.

By the end of the year, a multitude of heads of nations gathered for the United Nations climate talks, COP28, in Dubai, the skyscraper-studded city-state in the United Arab Emirates. But that luxury contrasted against the raging war in the Gaza Strip between Israel and Hamas, sparked by the militant groups unprecedented Oct. 7 attack on Israel. Meanwhile, the aftermath of other conflicts and political uncertainty simmered across the wider Mideast.

The Hamas attack saw its militants attack Israeli farming communities and military posts just outside of the Gaza Strip, taking away over 200 hostages as they sped back to the coastal enclave. The attack killed some 1,200 people in Israel and raised questions over why the Israeli security services were unprepared. The families of some victims and protesters blamed Netanyahu and his hard-right government for failing to act as they faced months of widespread demonstrations over their plans to change the judiciary.

The Israeli military retaliated by enforcing a siege stopping food, water, fuel and medicine from entering the Gaza Strip, home to some 2.3 million people. It also pummeled the enclave with a massive campaign of airstrikes, followed by a ground offensive, killing more than 16,200 people in two months, according to health authorities in the Hamas-ruled territory.

The war depressed the Middle Easts economy and threatened to ignite a wider regional conflict, as protests of all kinds over the fighting spread across the world.

Meanwhile, Iranian-backed groups in the Middle East launched attacks targeting both Israel and America, which saw the U.S. deploy two aircraft carriers, troops, fighter jets and other equipment into a region it only just started trying to leave after the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

In the cold of winter on Feb. 6, a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck Syria and Turkey, followed by a series of powerful aftershocks for days. The United Nations later estimated the temblors killed some 50,000 people, the vast majority in Turkey. The shaking toppled thousands of buildings and heaped more misery on a region wracked by Syrias 12-year civil war and refugee crisis. Many blamed lax building codes in Turkey, as well as a slow government response there, for exacerbating the crisis.

Months later, two crises hit North Africa within days of each other.

On Sept. 8, a magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck Moroccos Atlas Mountains, killing over 2,900 people. The regions mud-brick homes left those trapped underneath little air, and hindering rescue operations.

In nearby Libya, a massive rainstorm on Sept. 11 overwhelmed two dams and sent water rushing down to the eastern city of Derna, washing away whole neighborhoods full of people into the Mediterranean Sea. Government officials and aid agencies gave varied death tolls ranging from about 4,000 to over 11,000. Angry protesters demonstrated against government officials in a Libya that is still divided after the 2011 Arab Spring saw rebels seize and kill dictator Moammar Gadhafi, saying that the problems in the dam were well-known before the disaster.

Women remain barred from school beyond the sixth grade in Afghanistan, more than two years after the Talibans takeover of Kabuls Western-backed government in 2021. They also arent allowed in public spaces like parks, or to hold most jobs.

The Taliban also have ordered beauty salons to close. Meanwhile, the West still doesnt recognize the Taliban government as economic conditions worsen in the drought-hit country. Compounding the problem is the crackdown neighboring Pakistan enforced on migrants which saw over 400,000 Afghans return home.

Pakistan is also approaching a crucial parliamentary vote next year as former Prime Minister Imran Khan  facing a slew of court cases against him  was sentenced to three years in jail over corruption charges and unable to run.
The state needs to better fund the education of English language learners, despite recent budget increases, teachers say.

Educators report that English learners have increased needs since the COVID-19 pandemic began, but there are not enough teachers or allocated funds, according to a Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission review this year of Virginias K-12 funding. The commission evaluates state agencies and writes policy analysis at the request of the state legislature.

The state Standards of Quality formula used to calculate staffing does not adequately account for higher-needs students, and it underestimates the number of second language teachers needed. The states calculation of teachers needed was 47% of the number estimated as needed by workgroups that contributed to the JLARC report.

The states ratio is one teacher per 50 English learner students. However, the average school division employed one English as a second language teacher for every 19.5 students. Workgroups still estimated that more teachers were needed.

One workgroup member described excessively high caseloads of over 100 English learner students per teacher, according to the JLARC report.

New details released Chippenham Hospital shooting; officer, patient wounded A Chesterfield County police officer and a patient were wounded Friday morning in a shooting at Chippenham Hospital.

Virginia school divisions serve over 117,000 students whose primary language is not English, or about 10% of the student population, according to the Virginia Department of Education.

ESL program funding

State ESL funding has increased since 2019. The General Assembly appropriated $106.86 million for ESL this fiscal year to support 20 instructional positions per 1,000 English learner students. Local school divisions provide a match, based on an ability-to-pay index.

There are a couple of factors that play into ESL program funding.

Laura Goren is the director of research and education policy at the Commonwealth Institute, a public policy advocacy group. Virginia has struggled to fund education for a number of years, especially for English learner programs, Goren said.

We have not made as much progress in increasing funding for English language learners, Goren said. I think thats an area where Virginia needs to do a whole lot more and we havent made the progress we need to make.

Local governments have to provide funding to make up for inadequate state support, Goren said.

Some local governments are much more able to pick up the slack and fund the schools than other local governments.

English learners had the most significant drop in state achievement scores of any student groups measured for state reading, math and science tests in 2021, according to the Commonwealth Institute.

But Virginia ESL proficiency rates had already dropped 11.3% for fourth-grade learners from 2009 to 2017, according to the U.S. Department of Education.

The state has just started to lift a cap on support positions that has been in place for over a decade.

But advocates say English learners require more funding per pupil. English learners need up to 2 to 2.5 times more funding than other students, according to a study cited in a VPM report last year.

Jo-el Cox is the VDOE coordinator for English learner instruction. She provides technical assistance to educators, supports state and federal programming initiatives, and relays information on how to best support ESL students.

VDOE offers multiple training opportunities for ESL teachers to learn how to work with their students. It also has tools that help students and their families.

This year, we created a course in Canvas where individuals can log in and learn about the program models, Cox said.

There are five U.S. Department of Educations Language Instruction Educational Program, or LIEP, program modules in Virginia: transitional bilingual, dual immersion, English language development, content with integrated support and newcomer programs.

ESL programs are still recovering from COVID-19 in terms of student growth and student gains, Cox said.

I think not having that face-to-face, in-person interaction consistently during COVID in some of our school divisions, really didnt do anything to support their learning and further their learning, Cox said.

The importance of ESL programs

More people are coming to the U.S. from other countries, according to Sarah Modrak, who is an LIEP education specialist.

Immigrant naturalization dipped in 2020 with borders and offices closed because of the pandemic. But since 2022, U.S. citizenship has increased by numbers not seen for more than a decade, according to Pew Research.

Modrak is also the supervisor for the Welcome Center at Tucker High School in Henrico County. The center helps ESL students register for school. Henrico Public Schools has a variety of resources to support ESL students, Modrak said.

The Welcome Center was created to support students and their families through the transition to a new school.

Its not easy for a family who has just arrived to kind of go through that registration process, to get all of the paperwork and documents that are required, Modrak said. So it was a place where we could really spend more time in getting that process started as well.

The Welcome Center was impacted by COVID-19, Modrak said. When everything moved online, the center needed a new registration system so families had more options to get into schools.

Allyn Pritchard is a secondary lead LIEP teacher in Henrico. She teaches in multiple languages to cater to her students primary language. Pritchard also helps teachers by assisting them with accommodations.

English learner programs look different now as a result of the pandemic, but not all of the changes have been negative. Schools are now able to connect with students and families in more convenient ways, Pritchard said. She could not say if the changes have been easier or harder  just different.

I feel like there are more resources now than maybe we had before COVID to meet students where they are, Pritchard said. The other thing is to be able to meet with families if we cant see families face to face.

ESL students want to learn, and it is important to have a variety of resources to support them in all aspects of their lives, Pritchard said.

I definitely find there are more aha moments, Pritchard said. When students are learning English out of necessity, its a great sense of accomplishment when a student comes in for the first time and they greet you before you greet them.

Jason Tejeda Molina contributed to this report.

Capital News Service is a program out of Virginia Commonwealth Universitys Robertson School of Media and Culture. Students in the program provide state government coverage for a variety of media outlets in Virginia. VCU InSight is the capstone broadcast news program.
The resistance to removing a Confederate memorial from Arlington National Cemetery aligns with the reluctance to delete the name of Donald Trump from presidential primary ballots.

Neither the placement of a Confederate memorial in a federal battlefield nor the return of an insurrection inciter to the White House makes the slightest bit of sense. But Confederate leaders and Trump have historical kinship as folks who inspire ardent devotion, despite forswearing their oath to the Constitution by attempting to rip the nation asunder.

Last Monday, U.S. District Judge Rossie Alston had blocked the removal of the Confederate memorial at Arlington National Cemetery amid claims that gravesites were disturbed. But he reversed his decision Tuesday after visiting the cemetery.

I saw no desecration of any graves, Alston said. The grass wasnt even disturbed.

Defend Arlington and Save Southern Heritage Florida had filed lawsuits to keep the memorial in place, arguing that removing it would erode reconciliation between the North and the South. That theme was echoed by state Sens. Glen Sturtevant, Frank Ruff and John McGuire in a letter urging Gov. Glenn Youngkin to remove from the states list of approved contractors the various businesses and contractors involved in these activities to remove this historic monument dedicated to the reunification of our country following the Civil War. (Insert eye roll here.)

Yes, members of the pro-business, limited-government Republican Party preached retaliation against businesses engaged in the removal from federal property of an egregiously offensive Lost Cause monument with a Black mammy figure holding the child of a Confederate officer and an enslaved Black man following his owner into war.

Alston, an African American judge appointed by Trump, pushed back against the idea that the memorial furthered reconciliation, noting its depiction of a slave running after his massa as he walks down the road. What is reconciling about that?

On Dec. 14, 1898, then-President William McKinley, in a speech in Atlanta, said: In the spirit of fraternity we should share with you in the care of the graves of Confederate soldiers, according to Arlington National Cemeterys website. Sectional feeling no longer holds back the love we feel for each other. The old flag again waves over us in peace with new glories.

Following fundraising by the United Daughters of the Confederacy, the memorial was unveiled at Arlington in 1914  a vivid testament to how national traitors received better treatment at Arlington than the United States Colored Troops who fought to preserve the Union. The cemetery remained segregated until 1948, when then-President Truman desegregated the armed forces.

Reconciliation may be the most misused and abused word in the English language. Which brings us to Trump and the insurrection clause of the 14th Amendment that clearly should disqualify him from holding office again.

It reads: No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President and Vice-President, or hold any office, civil or military, under the United States, or under any State, who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress, or as an officer of the United States, or as a member of any State legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any State, to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof.

Retired conservative federal Judge J. Michael Luttig and Harvard Law Professor Emeritus Laurence Tribe agree. So did the Colorado Supreme Court, which recently deemed Trump ineligible for election.

Theres little to no wiggle room around this argument, despite the Simone Biles-level gymnastics on display to deflect or avoid it.

For some, this avoidance is nakedly partisan; for others, the implications of employing the nuclear option against Trump are too hot to handle.

They simply lack the stomach to uphold our Constitution.

Many constitutional scholars say the Colorado decision may be legally sound, but to apply it would be fraught politically, especially in a country so deeply divided and mistrustful of democratic institutions, Sarah Ellison writes in the Washington Post.

I believe in democracy, Ellison quotes University of Chicago law professor Tom Ginsburg as saying, and I dont think theres a substitute for letting the people vote.

Progressive activist Cornel West, who has mounted an independent campaign for president, sounds a similar theme in an Instagram post that cautions against celebrating the Colorado Supreme Court decision.

Its true that brother Trump is a bonafide gangster and neofascist who must be held accountable, he wrote. At the same time, we dont want the courts deciding the outcome of elections  this power must reside with and for the people.

These arguments make not a lick of sense in their failure to recognize the unprecedented danger that Trump represents.

Allowing a man on the ballot who has declared his intent to subvert democracy  and has the track record to prove it  is whats best for democracy? How, exactly, is that holding Trump accountable?

When Americans are honest with themselves, theres simply no reconciling Trump on a presidential ballot.

Numerous folks are ineligible to be president, including naturalized citizens born outside our country, citizens younger than 35, and presidents whove served two terms. The founders were wary of demagogues and tyrants  with good reason.

The arguments in the Washington Post piece are disturbing. Boiled down, they say we must let Donald Trump be above the law. Otherwise, his supportive mob might respond with anger.

The anger part is real; justices on the Colorado Supreme Court are dealing with threats. Grand jurors and election officials whove run afoul of Trump can relate. But instead of being a nation of laws and not men, were at risk of becoming a nation of one man above the law  ruled by lies, coercion and thuggery.

This effort to preserve the peace is folly; there will be no peace if Trump regains the White House.

No amount or denial or revision can change what we all saw and heard on Jan. 6, 2021. Gil Scott-Heron was wrong: This revolution was televised. Trump and his minions have said out loud what they intend to do if he gets another whack at American democracy.

All the Southern appeasement in the world did not prevent the Civil War. In its aftermath, then-President Rutherford B. Hayes effectively ended Reconstruction by pulling federal troops from the South. It was a rapprochement purchased in bad faith, at the expense of African Americans, who were subjected to a new reign of terror less than two decades after their emancipation from enslavement. Next came the erection of monuments that made heroes out of traitors.

The spirit of those seditionists lives on today in their ideological descendants, who never embraced the idea of a multiracial democracy. They saw the success of their gaslighting and bullying, which somehow managed to make treason a form of patriotism. Theyve found their champion in Trump, who has promised to be their retribution.

America, which never seems to learn from its history, is poised to embrace a false peace at the expense of true justice. The people who crafted the insurrection clause of the 14th Amendment no doubt saw the possibility that wed arrive at this moment.

Are we going to defend our Constitution or retreat in cowardice?

Confederate monuments are removed in Richmond
Cancun apartment destroyed after LP gas explosion

Cancun, Q.R.  Three people were rushed to Cancun hospital Friday after an LP gas explosion. Emergency 9-1-1 took the Friday afternoon call after the interior of an upper level apartment exploded in SM 327.

Cancun firemen found three adults inside the building suffering from burns. Two have been identified as Susan S and Jaziel M, both 60 from Guatemala and a local man, 41-year-old Manuel A. All three were residents of the building.

Paramedic Diana Coral reported all three were placed in burn wraps and rushed to two different Cancun hospitals.

The LP gas explosion happened inside an apartment in the Punta Estrella subdivision of the Poligono Sur in Cancun. Early information indicates a leak in a stationary tank. The entire inside of the apartment was blown outward onto the back of the building toward other units.

A Cancun fireman is seen here inspecting the apartment after the LP gas explosion.

Photo: December 22, 2023.

The units kitchen was completely destroyed in the blast. Parts of the ceiling were also damaged. As well, both patio doors on the front exterior of the apartment were blown out due to the gas blast.

A set of sliding patio doors were blown out and a section of concrete patio blackened. Photo: December 22, 2023.

Cancun firemen continue to work with Civil Protection personnel to determine the exact cause of the gas explosion.
Over a ton of pot found in Chetumal home after anonymous complaint

Chetumal, Q.R.  Federal authorities have announced that the drugs seized from a Chetumal home Thursday was in excess of one ton. Federal authorities searched the home late Thursday after an anonymous complaint lead them to the private house on Polchuc Street.

Inside, authorities found 1.2 tons of marijuana. The drug was wrapped in plastic bags and stored in cardboard boxes that were found stacked in several rooms of the small house.

Elements of the Secretariat of Citizen Security carried out the search and seizure operation with assistance from the Mexican Navy. No one was inside the house at the time of the search.
BLACKSBURG  There are a few more hurdles to clear before a new passenger rail stop can open in Christiansburg.

The stop, first promised in 2021, has had a completion date set for some time in 2025, and while theres nothing to suggest that timeframe is out-of-reach, officials are still awaiting design plans before they choose a location for the stop.

Kevin Byrd, the executive director of the New River Valley Regional Commission, said that a 30% design plan would be presented during a board meeting on Jan. 23, and that the commission was waiting to see that presentation before settling on a location.

The presentation was originally scheduled for December, but was pushed back into January, Byrd said.

Currently, the choice is still between two locations, both near the Uptown Christiansburg Mall, an outlet for regional busses that would make the spot an ideal place for an Amtrak station.

But the location also presents some major infrastructure concerns.

The chief concern is the slope on which the train may have to travel. The train will likely have to climb about 100 feet in a relatively short distance, which creates both safety and energy cost concerns, according to DJ Stadtler, the executive director of the Virginia Passenger Rail Authority.

Obviously, going uphill takes a lot more energy, Stadtler said.

Additionally, the train would likely be routed through a railroad tunnel further along the track, which will require new infrastructure to be added for egress, or means for passengers to leave the tunnel in the event of an emergency, according to Byrd.

The Virginia Passenger Rail Authority is also still going through an environmental review process to determine if there may be any unforeseen issues presented by the project.

We undergo this process just to make sure there are no situations where, for instance, wed have to contact the Army Corps of Engineers to get a permit, or maybe endangered wildlife is threatened by some of our work, Stadtler said.

As part of that process, a meeting will be held on Jan. 29 where members of the public can give their input on environmental concerns for the project. The location for that meeting has not yet been announced.

The new rail stop has sparked major public interest since it was announced. Its been particularly popular among college students at Virginia Tech and Radford University, according to Stadtler.

College students are a big demographic for rail travel, Stadtler said.

Since COVID-19 restrictions died down, Amtrak ridership has been increasing steadily. Last year, Roanokes Amtrak stop, which was re-established in 2017, saw the largest increase in ridership in the state, leading to increased interest in the new stop in Christiansburg.

Its been crazy to see how popular it is, Byrd said. We get calls all the time from people interested in when the stop is going to be open.
Radford University has completed a successful accreditation process with the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

The university earned a 10-year reaffirmation from the commissions Board of Trustees during its annual meeting on Dec. 3, according to a news release.

This important accomplishment proves that people can trust the high quality of a Radford University education, President Bret Danilowicz said in the release.

We welcome any opportunity to improve the effectiveness of our institution and deliver the best possible experiences for our students. I am proud of the members of our university community who gave the SACSCOC Reaffirmation Committee a candid look into our programs and services, and demonstrated the high standards that made our reaffirmation a success.

Jessica Stowell, Radfords director of institutional effectiveness and quality improvement, led a reaffirmation process which included a year-and-a-half of planning prior to a visit from the commissions Reaffirmation Committee in March of 2023.

Over a two-day period in March, the committee met with over 50 students, faculty, staff, administrators and university Board of Visitors members, and reviewed evidence.

During the interviews, committee members investigated policies, finances, faculty qualifications, distance education, general education, evaluation of faculty and administration, assessment, and the Realizing Inclusive Student Excellence (RISE) Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP), according to the release.

Committee members also visited three sites: Radford University Carilion (RUC), the Roanoke Higher Education Center and the Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center, according to the release.

The RISE QEP was implemented at the start of fall 2023. The topic which inspired the QEP, Belonging and Student success in required 100 and 200 level courses, sought to close equity gaps in student performance in foundational courses.

RISE will enhance student learning and success through faculty development and fostering student-faculty relationships, according to the release.

Each academic college and RUC will have a RISE Community Action Team (R-CATs) consisting of students, faculty, and staff who will examine college-level data and create outreach events to build community and belonging within their units.

Radford will undergo an interim review and is scheduled to submit a QEP impact report to the commission in September of 2028. The next reaffirmation of accreditation takes place in 2033.

The commission is the recognized regional accrediting body in the eleven U.S. Southern states (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia) and in Latin America for those institutions of higher education that award associate, baccalaureate, masters or doctoral degrees.

For more information go to: http://radford.meritpages.com/news/Radford-University-Earns-10-Year-Reaffirmation-of-Accreditation-from-SACSCOC/40539.

 The Roanoke Times
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Rishi Sunak has to decide when to go to the country.

Rishi Sunak has to decide when to go to the country.

Rishi Sunak this week confirmed what the world and his wife already knew - the general election will take place next year.

Addressing political journalists at a Christmas reception in Downing Street, the PM said the country would go to the polls in 2024, apparently ruling out January 2025, the latest date it could possibly be.

The only question that remains is whether he will go to the country in the spring or in the autumn.

Number 10 had already appeared to let slip the election date in October when a video marking Sunaks one year anniversary as PM declared: So what can a country achieve in 52 weeks? Watch this space.

But HuffPost UK has learned that Labour plans to accuse the weak PM of bottling it if he chooses not to plump for a May election.

As luck would have it, local elections in England are due to take place on May 2.

The last time those seats were up for grabs was in 2021 when, thanks largely to the success of the Covid vaccine rollout, the Tories performed well.

With the opinion polls now unrelentingly grim for the Conservatives, the expectation at Westminster is that those elections will be another bloodbath for the party, reminiscent of last May when they lost over 1,000 councillors.

Why would Sunak, the theory goes, put his grassroots activists through that miserable experience only to ask them to get out on the doorsteps again just a few months later?

Holding the general election on the same day as the locals could also help to boost the Tories chances of saving some councillors who would otherwise have been booted out by voters, say some.

One senior Conservative said: My preference would be for a spring election. Have a radical tax-cutting Budget in March and then go to the country. Weve got nothing to lose so might as well.

Keir Starmer, who visited the Tapa NATO forward operating base in Estonia this week, has urged Sunak to get on and call an election.

Keir Starmer, who visited the Tapa NATO forward operating base in Estonia this week, has urged Sunak to get on and call an election.

Story continues

One ally of Keir Starmer said: The country is crying out for change and voters are desperate for the chance to kick the Tories out.

If Sunak doesnt call an election for May then it just shows hes weak and a bottler. Well just spend months hammering home that message.

Visiting British troops in Estonia close to the border with Russia this week, Starmer said Labour was ready for an election.

Ive had my whole team on a general election footing for some time now, he said.

Given the complete state of failure now in the country, theres a real sense that everything is broken, nothing is working, he told GB News.

For millions of people they cant afford to wait any longer for that general election. The sooner that is called, the better. Were ready for it.

The counter-argument, however, is a strong one. Why on earth would Sunak choose to have an election in May when the Tories are likely to still be anything up to 20 points behind Labour?

Former chancellor George Osborne said on his Political Currency podcast said a spring election has already been ruled out by those around Sunak.

Ive been talking to various peopleand so all my conversations do indicate to me that they [Downing Street] are looking at the back end of next year, he said.

I dont think anyone at the top of the Tory party is now thinking that a spring election, a May election, is a running possibility. And even an October election is not really on the cards because theyll be thinking of using September, October to launch what is more likely, in my view now, to be a November, December election. But it will be in 2024.

Delaying the big day for another 12 months risks invoking the wrath of the public, however.

HuffPost UK revealed in October that polling by the More in Common think-tank revealed that three-quarters of voters want an election by the spring, with only 15% preferring next autumn.

Luke Tryl, More in Commons UK director, said: While its understandable that Rishi Sunak will want to wait as long as possible to call an election in the hope that Conservative prospects might improve, our polling suggests that waiting too long may, in fact, have the opposite effect.

A weary public is not in the mood for a 12-month plus General Election campaign and overwhelmingly would like an election over and done with before next summer.

Faced with the choice of near-certain defeat in the spring and an extra six months as prime minister, all logic suggests Sunak will choose the latter option.

But is he buying himself more time in the hope that something comes up to change the Tories fortunes or simply delaying the inevitable?

Related...
SIOUX CITY  Each year, many kids look forward to meeting with Santa Claus and sharing their Christmas list. While it's a big job, Dick Lindblom is an expert.

Lindblom has been playing Santa for 42 years and to this day still wears a suit made for him by his mother.

Every year Lindblom can be seen throughout Sioux City at the Lighted Holiday Parade and lighting the tree on the museum lawn, childrens Christmas parties, Cone Park, the symphony, a couple of elementary schools, in-home daycares, retirement communities, and more.

The Journal spoke with Lindblom about playing Santa and the experiences that come with it.

How long have you been playing Santa?

Of course, Santa is ageless. I started for my oldest nephews first Christmas and Ive been doing it ever since42 years! Im still wearing the original suit made by my mother.

Why did you decide to play Santa?

When my brother and I were about 2 and 5 years old, we would go to my great-aunt and uncles house for Christmas Eve. We were too young to know that the packages mom and dad had were going to be delivered by Santa sometime during the evening. One of dads cousins put on a Santa suit made of flannel with a Santa mask, go out the back door, knock on the sunroom window, and in the front door. Its a fun tradition to continue.

What is the hardest part about playing Santa?

Every so often, a child will ask for something other than toys. I had one child ask for his daddy back. I didnt know if he had passed away, was deployed, or whatever. That always punches your feelings!

What is the strangest thing a child has asked for?

Every so often I get a request for an animal. Ive delivered a puppy to a family and another family had a son who requested a puppy when he was about 5. The puppy arrived the next day and the name decided upon was Buddy, after Buddy the Elf. That 5-year-old is now in his 20s.

What is your favorite part about playing Santa?

My favorite part is seeing the eyes brighten up when they see Santa and tell him their requests. I never promise them anything, but rather Ill see what I can do. Of course, Santa isnt only limited to the young children, but to adults too.
LOS ANGELES  Charlie Sheens neighbor was arrested after being accused of assaulting the actor in a Malibu, California, home this week, authorities said.

Electra Schrock was arrested for assault with a deadly weapon, the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department said in a statement Friday. She was also taken into custody for force likely to create bodily injury and burglary.

Authorities arrived at the residence Wednesday afternoon after receiving a battery-disturbance call.

Schrock, 47, was expected to appear in court Friday.

Representatives for Sheen did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Sheen, 58, is known for his role on Two and a Half Men. He starred in films including Wall Street, The Three Musketeers and Major League.

The violent altercation is one of several bizarre encounters between the neighbors, according to TMZ.

The day before the attempted choking, the neighbor dumped her garbage on Sheens doorstep, a source close to the actor told TMZ.

Prior to that, Sheen suspected she was the person responsible for pouring a sticky liquid onto his vehicle, the source said.

It was unclear whether Sheen had reported any of the prior incidents to police.

Sheen himself has been the subject of several assault arrests, including an incident in 1996 when he was charged with attacking then-girlfriend Brittany Ashland at his home. Sheen pleaded no contest to the charges and was placed on two years' probation.

On Christmas Day in 2009, he was arrested in Aspen, Colo., after a domestic violence incident involving former wife Brooke Mueller. The next year, as a part of a plea deal, Sheen pleaded guilty to misdemeanor assault.

And in 2015, Scottine Ross, Sheen's ex-fiancee, sued the actor, alleging assault, battery, false imprisonment, negligence and intentional infliction of emotional distress for failing to disclose he was HIV-positive and placing her at risk. She accused the actor of abusing her physically and emotionally while he used drugs and alcohol, as well as negligently exposing her to HIV after he was infected. Presumably a settlement was reached, as Ross requested in 2018 that the case be dismissed.

Last year, Sheen settled a separate lawsuit for $120,000, in which another former girlfriend alleged that he had also lied to her about his HIV-positive status and exposed her to the virus.

When he was the highest-paid actor in TV, acting on the hit CBS sitcom "Two and a Half Men," Sheen struggled with substance abuse, which temporarily derailed his career after show co-creator Chuck Lorre fired him. Lawsuits, 100 episodes of "Anger Management," an HIV-positive diagnosis and sobriety followed.

This past April, Sheen was reportedly cast in a new HBO show by Lorre. The new show would mark a reunion of the pair more than a decade after Sheen's bitter departure from the sitcom.

After his firing in 2011, Sheen sued Lorre and Warner Bros. for wrongful termination and went on an improvised national tour he dubbed "My Violent Torpedo of Truth / Defeat Is Not an Option," where he bragged about his drunken, party-filled lifestyle and occasionally mocked his old employer.

The New York Daily News and the Los Angeles Times contributed to this report.

Celebrity Birthdays: Dec. 22 Casper Ruud Chris Carmack Diane Sawyer Dina Meyer Hector Elizondo Jordin Sparks Lauralee Bell Logan Huffman Lori McKenna Luther Luke Campbell Meghan Trainor Michael Bacon Paul Wolfowitz Ralph Fiennes Rick Nielsen Steve Carlton Steve Garvey Ted Cruz
Ever since the nations highest court ended abortion rights more than a year ago, vaguely worded bans enacted in some Republican-controlled states have caused bewilderment over how exceptions should be applied.

Supporters have touted these exemptions, tucked inside statutes restricting abortion, as sufficient enough to protect the life of the woman. Yet repeatedly, when applied in heart-wrenching situations, the results are much murkier.

We have black and white laws on something that is almost always multiple shades of gray, said Kaitlyn Kash, one of 20 Texas women denied abortion who are suing the state seeking clarification of the laws  one of a handful of similar lawsuits playing out across the country.

State lawmakers there and elsewhere face growing pressure to answer these questions by amending laws in legislative sessions that start in most states next month. But its not certain how  or whether  they will.

Before the Supreme Court overturned the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision in June 2022, nearly every state allowed abortion at least until a fetus would be viable outside the womb  around 24 weeks' gestational age, or about 22 weeks after conception.

Yet the new ruling cleared the way for states to impose tighter restrictions or bans; several had such laws already on the books in anticipation of the decision.

Currently, 14 states are enforcing bans on abortion throughout pregnancy. Two more have such bans on hold due to court rulings. And another two have bans that take effect when cardiac activity can be detected, about six weeks into pregnancy  often before women know theyre pregnant.

Each state ban has a provision that allows abortion under at least some circumstances to save the life of the mother. At least 11  including three with the strictest bans  allow abortion because of fatal fetal anomalies, and some do when the pregnancy was the result of rape or incest.

But a provision included in a law enacted by Congress in 1986 and signed by Republican President Ronald Reagan said abortion must be available when a pregnant woman's life is at risk during a medical emergency.

But a lack of clarity over how to apply that rule and other exceptions in state laws has escalated the trauma and heartache some women experience while facing serious medical issues but unable to access abortion in their home states.

The case of Katie Cox, a Texas woman who sued for immediate access to abortion amid a fraught pregnancy and was denied by the state's top court, received broad attention this month.

Meanwhile, Jaci Statton filed a complaint in Oklahoma claiming the state violated the federal rule. She said in court documents that because her own life wasn't found to be in immediate peril when doctors deemed her pregnancy nonviable, she was told to wait in a hospital parking lot until her conditioned worsened enough to qualify for life-saving care.

In Tennessee, Nicole Blackmon told reporters that a 15-week ultrasound showed that several of her babys major organs were growing outside its stomach and it would likely not survive. Even so, her medical team told her she didnt have the option to have an abortion. She eventually delivered a stillborn baby because she could not afford to travel out of state for an abortion.

The vagueness surrounding the Volunteer States abortion ban has prompted Republican state Sen. Richard Briggs' push to tweak the law during the upcoming 2024 legislative session. However, its unclear how far the measure will advance inside the GOP-controlled statehouse where many members are running for reelection.

Other states took steps in 2023 to address the confusion, but advocates say they didn't fully accomplish the task.

Across the country, advocates on both sides anticipate more legislatures will consider adding or clarifying abortion ban exceptions and definitions in 2024, though few, if any, such measures have been filed so far.

Meanwhile, in states where Democrats are in control, lawmakers are expected to push to loosen abortion restrictions and expand access.

This year, Maine became the seventh state to have no specific limit on when during pregnancy an abortion can be obtained.

Greer Donley, an associate professor at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law, who is an expert on abortion law, said there could be a push for more changes like that: Many people are questioning whether a line should exist at all right now.

The line is stark in Texas, where changes are unlikely in 2024 because lawmakers aren't scheduled to meet.

In Texas, Kash and 19 other women who were denied abortions, plus two physicians, have a lawsuit before the state's Supreme Court seeking to clarify when abortions should be allowed.

Kash, who already had one child, was overjoyed at the thought of telling family and friends that she was expecting. But after a routine ultrasound 13 weeks into pregnancy, she learned that the baby had severe skeletal dysplasia and was unlikely to survive birth or likely to suffocate soon after being born.

Is this where we talk about termination? Kash asked her doctor.

He told me to get a second opinion out of state, she recalled.

Her health wasnt immediately at risk of failing, so she didnt qualify for any of the narrow exceptions to allow her doctor to provide her abortion services. Instead, she went to another state to terminate her pregnancy legally.

In the arguments on the case last month, a lawyer for the patients told the justices about the confusion.

While there is technically a medical exception to the ban, Molly Duane, a Center for Reproductive Rights lawyer said, no one knows what it means and the state wont tell us.
Here are some trending topics for today, Dec. 22:

Former assistant files lawsuit against Vin Diesel

LOS ANGELES (AP)  Fast and Furious star Vin Diesel has been accused by his former assistant of sexual battery while working for him in 2010.

Asta Jonasson filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles on Thursday alleging that Diesel forced himself onto her in a hotel suite in Atlanta. The lawsuit alleges she tried to escape from the room after being forced into Diesels bed, but the actor moved toward her then groped her breasts and kissed her chest.

Read more about it here:

***

***

Yoshinobu Yamamoto agrees with Dodgers on $325 million deal

LOS ANGELES (AP)  Prized free-agent pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto and the Los Angeles Dodgers have agreed to a $325 million, 12-year contract, according to multiple reports.

Yamamoto is set to join Japanese countryman Shohei Ohtani with the Dodgers, who signed the two-way superstar to a record $700 million, 10-year deal last week.

The Dodgers did not confirm the agreement with Yamamoto on Thursday night. MLB.com and ESPN were among the outlets citing anonymous sources in reporting the deal.

Read more about it here:

***

Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson buys a gift for each kid at FAO Schwarz

Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson bought a gift for each child at the famous New York toy store FAO Schwarz.

The wrestler-turned-actor, 51, surprised customers shopping with their little ones by paying their bills in a clip shared on Instagram this week.

Read more about it here:

***

Simone Biles named AP Female Athlete of the Year for third time

There were jitters, of course. Considering all that happened, how could there not be?

When Simone Biles walked onto the floor at a suburban Chicago arena in late July for her first gymnastics competition in two years, she knew plenty of people were wondering how it was going to go.

"I thought that too, don't worry," Biles said with a laugh.

By the end of one rotation, the most decorated gymnast of all time realized she was back in her safe space. By the end of August, she was a national champion. Again. By October, she was a world champion. Again.

Read more about it here:

***

More trending news and videos

What stores are open and closed on Christmas Eve? See hours for Walmart, CVS, Costco and more Christmas Eve is almost here. But before running out the door for some last-minute gifts or final tree trimmings ahead of Santas visit, you might want to double-check the hours of the stores youre headed to. Business closings on Christmas Eve are less common than those on Christmas Day, but many large chains still cut back hours or close up shop early for the coming holiday  including Walmart, Costco, Target, Kroger and more. Operations can also vary by location. When in doubt, call ahead or look up more specific schedules for your neighborhood spots online.

Supreme Court wont fast-track ruling on whether Trump can be prosecuted in election subversion case The Supreme Court will not immediately take up a plea to rule on whether former President Donald Trump can be prosecuted for his actions to overturn the 2020 election results.
Iowa will turn down federal funding to pay for summer food aid to children, opting instead for a state-funded program officials say will provide better nutrition and avoid spending $2.2 million a year on administration.

Family advocates decried the decision, announced Friday, and questioned the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services estimate of costs for running the three-month program.

Its a huge loss for Iowa, said state Sen. Sarah Trone Garriott, D-West Des Moines. If were talking 20-some million (dollars) coming from the federal government, I dont think the state is gong to be matching that. They are just going to be leaving it to the charities to make up the difference.

Summer EBT, started during the COVID-19 pandemic and slated to become permanent in 2024, provides low-income children with $40 per month in benefits during the three months of the summer. The U.S. Department of Agriculture covers the cost of the benefits, but states must pay for half of administrative costs.

States have until Jan. 1 to notify the USDA if they want to provide Summer EBT next summer. Iowa announced its decision to bypass federal funding Friday.

Federal COVID-era cash benefit programs are not sustainable and dont provide long-term solutions for the issues impacting children and families, Gov. Kim Reynolds said in a statement. An EBT card does nothing to promote nutrition at a time when childhood obesity has become an epidemic.

Instead, Iowa will continue to support Iowa children eligible for food assistance year-round by enhancing and expanding already existing childhood nutrition programs, she said.

HHS and the Department of Education have well-established programs in place that leverage partnerships with community-based providers and schools who understand the needs of the families they serve," Reynolds said. If the Biden Administration and Congress want to make a real commitment to family well-being, they should invest in already existing programs and infrastructure at the state level and give us the flexibility to tailor them to our states needs.

Trone Garriott said she did not know how Health and Human Services determined the states share of administrative costs for the Summer EBT program would be $2.2 million.

It costs our state $2.2 million in shared administrative costs to run the entire SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) for the whole state, she said.

Garriott is a Lutheran pastor and coordinator of interfaith engagement for the Des Moines Area Religious Council Food Pantry Network, which provided 26,469 unique individuals a three-day supply of food in November, she said. The Iowa senator said she recently visited a food bank in Humboldt, in northwest Iowa, that was running out of food.

We are in a food insecurity crisis in Iowa, she said.

Of the 132,000 Iowa households currently enrolled in SNAP, 41.5% have children in the home, the Iowa human services agency reported. SNAP enrollment has declined, down from over 150,000 households in 2020 to 132,000 for 2024, the agency said.

Last summer, more than 1.6 million meals and snacks were served to children 18 and younger throughout Iowa as part of the Summer Food Service Program and Seamless Summer Option program.

Funded through the USDA and administered by the Iowa Department of Education, each of the 500-plus meal sites in low-income areas across Iowa are run by local sponsors to ensure children can get nutritious meals during the summer at no cost in a safe and supervised environment, the Iowa agency reported.

This isnt the first time the Reynolds administration has snubbed federal funding from the Democratic administration.

In April, Iowa announced it would not seek $3 million in federal climate planning money. Instead, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency authorized agencies in the Corridor and around Central Iowa to seek the money. Reynolds also rejected $95 million for COVID-19 testing in schools in 2021 that was part of the American Rescue Plan Act.
Former Vice President and Sen. Hubert Humphrey once said that "the moral test of government is how it treats those who are in the dawn of life, the children; those who are in the twilight of life, the aged; and those who are in the shadows of life, the sick, the needy, and the handicapped."

We presently face choices related to that moral test. As we enter the new year, we will make decisions that reflect that moral test, at the local, state, and national levels.

The United States has the highest maternal mortality rate among wealthy countries. In 2021, the federal government allowed the expansion of Medicaid services to mothers up to 12 months after birth. So far, 42 states, including South Dakota and Minnesota, have adopted that measure. Six others, including Nebraska, plan to do so or have a limited expansion proposed. Only Arkansas, Iowa, and Idaho have no such plans in place.

Access to mental health treatment also presents challenges. Last year, the Treatment Advocacy Center observed that Iowa ranks last in the country in beds per capita for those with severe mental illness. This follows the recent plan to close the Glenwood Resource Center by next year. The US Department of Justice investigated that institution for uncontrolled and unsupervised experimentation on residents of the facility.

As to our senior population, we face significant challenges. A national study indicated that 70 percent of older adults will need long-term care services. However, many of these facilities have recently closed. In fact, 13 percent of all facilities that closed nationally last year were in Iowa.

Unfortunately, patient safety and treatment are also increasingly in question. Many examples have been brought to light recently, particularly by the Iowa Capital Dispatch.

A central Iowa facility was cited for failing to protect multiple female residents from sexual abuse. A Woodbury County resident was removed from the facility after alleging being raped and brought to a homeless shelter. Another central Iowa facility resident was left untreated and developed gangrene leading to leg amputation.

Another facility dispensed the wrong medication over 10 percent of the time. They also served corn muffin mix 16 months after the expiration date and milk six days past expiration date. A registered nurse locally testified that she was instructed to falsify medical records.

Resident care is challenged by the shortage of staff. The oversight of the facilities is also limited by a shortage of inspectors.

The U.S. Senate Committee on Aging released a report showing that only South Carolina had a lower state inspector-to-facility ratio than Iowa. This ratio contributed to Iowa failing to meet federal guidelines for inspecting the homes going back to 2017.

Unlike the kitty litter in schools scare, the problems in nursing homes are real. Perhaps people don't care since someone they care about isn't in a nursing home. Maybe knowing that hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars are sent to these facilities would increase their interest. Unless you are investing in these companies, you might at least care about getting the appropriate level of service for your money.

The main issue seems to be staffing. While there are many great workers at these facilities, they need additional qualified and vetted coworkers. The same is true for hospitals. Incentives for those who serve in these positions and for those who instruct and certify them are needed.

Action, or inaction, on issues like these will say much about us. Oscar Wilde is credited with noting those who know the price of everything but the value of nothing. There needs to be a practical discussion about cost, along with what we value.

A Sioux City resident, Steve Warnstadt is government affairs coordinator for Western Iowa Tech Community College. He is a former Democratic state senator and retired Army National Guard brigadier general. He and his wife, Mary, are the parents of one son and one daughter.
Back when Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis was winning reelection by 19 points and cashing checks from every major Republican donor in the lower 48, a considerable hubbub was made about the arrangement his prospective presidential campaign had come to with Never Back Down, a pro-DeSantis super PAC guided by prominent Republican operative Jeff Roe. Super PACs can raise unlimited money but arent allowed to take instructions from campaigns; campaigns, in turn, can do whatever they want but can only raise $3,300 per individual donor per election cycle. DeSantis 24, however, decided to let Never Back Down have responsibility for certain activities, like door-to-door canvassing and organizing rallies, that had previously been the domain of campaigns proper. The reasoning, not without its merits, was that Never Back Down would have more to spend on those activities than the campaign would, and that it would be easy enough for the super PAC to take strategy and messaging cues from the campaign by just watching what DeSantis did and said in public. There was a problem, though, which is that voters turned out not to like Ron DeSantis, regardless of who was spending money to promote him. Now, the Washington Post reports, Never Back Down is beset by internal warfare and accusations of misconduct; DeSantis, the Post says, has objected to many of the groups decisions. Four hours after the Post published its story on Saturday, Roe resigned from his role as the super PACs chief strategist; the chair of its board and its CEO have also resigned. With the Iowa caucuses in three weeks, this is kind of like the engine falling out of your race car as you hit the final straightaway. The good news for DeSantis, we guess, is that he wasnt going to win anything anyway!
Miamis Small Business Expo is a premier platform that offers vibrant networking and educational opportunities for small business owners and entrepreneurs. Immerse yourself in a dynamic atmosphere of collaboration, where ideas ignite, and businesses flourish. Discover inspiring presentations, tailored solutions, and connections that can transform your enterprise. Join a community celebrating ambition, creativity, and the entrepreneurial spirit, and elevate your business to unprecedented heights.

The Expo is a hub for expanding professional networks. Connect with Miamis business owners and entrepreneurs to forge partnerships and uncover new growth opportunities. Learn from industry leaders, gaining insights on innovative marketing and financial strategies.

Click on the red button and register to attend the expo on March 14, 2024, from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM EST at the Miami Airport Convention Center.

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Register Now

Featured Events, Contests and Awards

Miami Small Business Expo 2024

March 14, 2024, Miami, Florida

Small Business Expo is Miamis BIGGEST business networking & educational event for Small Business Owners & Entrepreneurs. Come join other passionate Miami Business Owners and learn how to increase revenue & grow your business.

Reuters Events: Strategic Marketing West 2024

May 08, 2024, Universal City, California

Small Business Deals

With a 16-year legacy, Reuters Events: Strategic Marketing West 2024 unites 250+ senior marketing leaders to master data-driven creativity: effectively manage data to capture customer insight, evolve culture alongside consumer trends, and harness cutting-edge technology to its fullest potential.

More Events

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This weekly listing of small business events, contests and awards is provided as a community service by Small Business Trends.

You can see a full list of events, contest and award listings or post your own events by visiting the Small Business Events Calendar.
Theres still time for some small businesses to apply for grants before the end of the year. But this season is also a popular time for businesses to receive funds from local banks and organizations. Below, read about a few new opportunities to apply for, along with some small businesses that recently received funds from ongoing programs.

Alaska International Trade Assistance Grant

Alaska recently announced its International Trade Assistance Grant (ITAG), which is created through a $100,000 from the US Small Business Administrations State Trade Expansion Program (STEP). This ITAG initiative offers reimbursements covering up to 75% of eligible expenses, which include things like joining foreign trade missions, subscribing to international websites, creating marketing materials for international audiences, taking part in international trade shows, export training, or hiring international consulting services. Grants can range from $1,000 to $10,000. Applications for the grant are open until September 29, 2024, which is also the deadline for completing eligible activities to receive reimbursements. The funding from STEP will be available until September 29, 2025. The SBA gives a two-year window to use all the STEP funds.

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United Way Prosperi-Key Grants

United Way in the Greater Dayton Area is providing a unique opportunity for 20 small businesses. Each business will receive a one-year grant worth $1,500 to advertise on their Prosperi-Key platform. This platform, which started in 2021, is designed to bridge the gap between individuals living paycheck to paycheck and those looking to assist them by offering discounts and services typically not accessible to such individuals. Prosperi-Key primarily focuses on assisting ALICE households  a term used by United Way for those who have earnings slightly above the threshold for welfare programs but still struggle to meet monthly expenses. United Way recognizes that while the budget of these households is tight, they still have some spending power. To be eligible for this grant, businesses must commit to a two-year participation on the Prosperi-Key platform. They must also meet the following criteria: having no more than 500 employees and an annual revenue of less than $1 million. Grant funds will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.

Snow Hill Small Business Grant

The Chamber of Commerce in Snow Hill, Maryland is presenting a grant opportunity for both business owners and owners of commercial properties. This initiative has $25,000 in total funds, which the group raised through its yearly Oyster Roast and Seafood Festival. The aim of this grant is to boost economic growth within the community by supporting both business owners and property owners and to help local businesses attract and retain customers throughout the area by enhancing the look and safety of their commercial spaces.

Fifth Third Bank Employee Grant Program

Employees of Fifth Third Bank recently demonstrated their support for nearby small businesses by nominating them for a grant opportunity. Nominated businesses had the chance to win a grant of $53,000, which recipients can use as they see fit. Fifth Third Bank just revealed the recipients of this grant program: Reys Remodeling located in Indianapolis, Delight Nails & Spa in Orlando, and RODI Italian situated in Loveland, Ohio.

Merchants Commercial Bank Small Business Grants

Merchants Commercial Bank and the Federal Home Loan Bank of New York recently partnered to award the Small Business Recovery Grant to five local companies in the U.S. Virgin Islands. This grant program, provided by FHLBNY to its member banks, aims to help small businesses and non-profit organizations in their communities. The businesses that received these grants from Merchants Commercial Bank are B. Kraft Cooks, Alliance Point Charter LLC, Global Marine LLC, Island Green Building Association Inc., and My Brothers Workshop. Each of these recipients got $10,000 to help them either recover from hardships or support new growth opportunities.

Small Business Deals

FHL Bank Chicago Community First Accelerate Grants for Small Business

The Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago recently gave a total of $4.3 million in grants to 172 small businesses in Illinois and Wisconsin. Each recipient got $25,000 as part of the Community First Accelerate Grants for Small Business program. This is the second year of the program. Businesses can use grant funds for various purposes, including buying or upgrading property, getting new equipment, training employees, and updating technology. Member banks, credit unions, insurance companies, and community development financial institutions of FHLBank Chicago played a key role by applying for these grants on behalf of small businesses theyve worked with for at least a year.
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has launched an initiative for small business owners who have mistakenly claimed Employee Retention Credits (ERC). The new Voluntary Disclosure Program offers an opportunity for businesses to correct their claims and repay the credits at a discounted rate. This announcement is particularly relevant for small business owners who have been misled into making dubious ERC claims, a situation exacerbated by aggressive marketing tactics.

Key Features of the New Voluntary Disclosure Program

Deadline for Application: Employers interested in this program must apply by March 22, 2024.

Employers interested in this program must apply by March 22, 2024. Repayment at Discounted Rate: Accepted applicants will repay only 80% of the ERC amount they received.

Accepted applicants will repay only 80% of the ERC amount they received. No Penalties for Compliant Repayment: The IRS will waive interest and penalties for those who comply with the programs repayment terms.

The IRS will waive interest and penalties for those who comply with the programs repayment terms. Installment Agreements: Employers facing difficulty in repaying the required amount may negotiate installment agreements, subject to IRS approval.

Background and Context

The ERC was designed as a relief measure during the COVID-19 pandemic, but its implementation saw widespread misunderstandings and abuses. The IRS reports that more than $100 million in ERC claims have already been withdrawn. The new program is an extension of these efforts, aiming to rectify erroneous claims without imposing undue financial strain on businesses.

IRS Commissioners Statement

IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel emphasized the programs role in providing relief to employers who inadvertently got entangled in questionable ERC claims. Werfel highlighted that the initiative is also a step towards gathering information on promoters responsible for misleading businesses.

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Application Process

Form Submission: Employers must file Form 15434 via the IRS Document Upload Tool.

Employers must file Form 15434 via the IRS Document Upload Tool. Disclosure Requirements: Applicants need to provide details of advisors or tax preparers involved in their ERC claims.

Applicants need to provide details of advisors or tax preparers involved in their ERC claims. Special Provisions for Payroll Outsourcing: Employers using third-party payroll services must ensure that these entities file the necessary forms.

Ongoing Efforts and Warnings

The IRS is intensifying its audit and criminal investigation efforts in the realm of ERC claims. Employers are warned against the ongoing aggressive marketing tactics surrounding the ERC. With the new program, the IRS aims to strike a balance between penalizing wrongful claims and offering a corrective path for genuine mistakes.

Implications for Small Businesses

This program is particularly crucial for small business owners who may have limited resources to deal with potential penalties and interest on erroneous ERC claims. It offers a fair chance to rectify mistakes without bearing the full financial burden.

The Voluntary Disclosure Program reflects the IRSs commitment to ensuring compliance while acknowledging the challenges faced by small businesses in navigating complex tax relief measures. By providing a structured and lenient way to correct errors, the IRS is helping maintain the integrity of the tax system, while also being considerate of the challenges faced by small businesses during the pandemic era.

Image: Depositphotos
Joseph Thomas Biscoe, Sr., 74 of Lexington Park, MD, transitioned from this life into eternal rest on December 16, 2023. Family and friends will unite on Thursday, January 4, 2024 for visitation at 10 am until time of service at 11 am at Briscoe-Tonic Funeral Home, 38576 Brett Way, Mechanicsville, MD 20659. Interment will be held at Cheltenham Veterans Cemetery at a later date.



The family would be most appreciative for monetary donations to help with the funeral services. Donations may be made directly to Briscoe-Tonic Funeral Home via credit card, cash, money order or certified check. No personal checks will be accepted.
The Indian textile and apparel market size reached to $172.3 billion in 2022 and is expected to reach $387.3 billion by 2028, exhibiting a CAGR of 14.59 percent during the period 2023- 2028. The market is propelled by various factors such as surging demand for premium quality clothing and home & furnishing items, initiatives launched by the Government of India to empower weavers through various schemes and a growing emphasis on ethically sourced sustainable materials. However, many players in this industry are still not concerned about the adverse effects of fast fashion on the environment. Recognizing the diversity of challenges, majority of clients are now giving preference to durable and long-lasting clothing materials. Konception Designs is notably emerging as a forward looking enterprise in this segment that relies on environmental friendly and responsible sourcing practices.Incepted in 2022, Konception Designs majorly sources sustainable raw materials, such as organic cotton when it comes to cotton and recycled polyester for polyester fabrics. The company operates on autonomous and self-sustaining team structures, hence allowing its team to work independently while focusing on the

expansion of their clientele along with their individual growth. Since our inception, we are committed towards delivering outstanding customer services and ensuring top-notch standards in design and manufacturing for its domestic and overseas clients, says Vaibhav Sharma, Managing Director.



A Perfect Blend of Functional & Technical Proficiency

Konception Designs initially commenced into market with garment design and production and later on they ventured into the realm of home furnishings. The company has formed a dedicated department with the name Kasa De Konception. Under this department, they produce variety of items like cushions, bed sheets, bedding, kitchen towels, shams, duvets, kitchen soft goods and many more things. Konception Designs provides comprehensive solutions, encompassing co-creative design, progressing through sourcing of materials, product development & manufacturing and at last handling logistics. The company offers these services to its partners across the globe, ensuring a complete and integrated solution for their needs.



Konception Designs plays a pivotal role in the fashion industry by serving a diverse range of retailers, catering to moderate price points and high-end designers. Also, the company assists to major fashion brands and effectively manages their supply chain operations. This also incorporates supervising various processes involved in getting products from production to distribution stage, ensuring productivity and optimization in the overall supply chain. The adaptability of Konception Designs is quite evident as it seamlessly aligns with industry regulations. The company operates within a profit-driven lean structure which underscores their commitment to cost efficiency and maximizing profits.



Konception Designs believes that technology plays a crucial role behind the success of any enterprise and thus it extends services encompassing 3D fitting and sampling, range development and cloud access to line output. The company has its studios in Delhi and Los Angeles, equipped with state of the art facilities and are currently establishing a new studio in London. Konception Designs aims to become a $100 million company by the end of 2026. Moving forward, the company is planning to expand into hard goods with an aim to become a comprehensive destination for customers interested in fashion, home and hard goods. Ultimately, this expansion will allow them to offer a more comprehensive range of products and services, providing a holistic shopping experience to their customers.
https://sputnikglobe.com/20231223/car-ready-to-discuss-diamond-mining-with-russia---foreign-minister-1115765160.html

CAR Ready to Discuss Diamond Mining With Russia - Foreign Minister

CAR Ready to Discuss Diamond Mining With Russia - Foreign Minister

The Central African Republic is ready to discuss diamond mining with Russia at the level of relevant ministries, CAR Foreign Minister Sylvie Baipo-Temon told Sputnik.

2023-12-23T09:31+0000

2023-12-23T09:31+0000

2023-12-23T09:31+0000

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diamonds

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central african republic

russia

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"Any country that is willing to help us give price to our resources to benefit from it, develop our country and take advantage, improve the welfare levels of CAR population  we are open to them. If Russia intends to strengthen its economic cooperation through resource extraction, let them come to CAR. We have a mining code, a certain number of procedures that must be observed. Let them hold talks with relevant ministries," the minister said, when asked whether Bangui plans to hold talks with Russian companies on diamond mining in the African country. Baipo-Temon also told Sputnik that the country needs the experience of Russian investors, and called on Russia to participate in the development of construction, mining, and education, as well as new technologies. In October 2022, CAR's National Assembly President Simplice Sarandji told Sputnik that Moscow and Bangui need to improve their economic partnership, as the republic needs investment in the real economy and is ready to cooperate with Russia in the export of resources, agriculture and trade.The Central African Republic is in talks with Russia on supplies of Russia's oil products to the African nation, Sylvie Baipo-Temon told Sputnik."There are discussions ongoing with Russia. I cannot go into details ... I have not close followed the issue, but I know, that all sectors concerned have reached out to a certain number of partners to meet CAR's needs," the minister said, when asked whether Russia and CAR had reached agreement on supplies of Russia's oil products to the country.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230922/russia-donates-batch-of-wheat-flour-to-car---ambassador-1113578909.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20231223/dipping-into-esm-to-bankroll-ukraine--bypass-hungarys-veto-will-weaken-eu---analyst-1115761819.html

Dipping Into ESM to Bankroll Ukraine & Bypass Hungarys Veto Will 'Weaken EU' - Analyst

Dipping Into ESM to Bankroll Ukraine & Bypass Hungarys Veto Will 'Weaken EU' - Analyst

Dipping into the European Stability Mechanism (ESM) to bankroll Ukraine and bypass Hungarys veto will only serve to weaken the European Union, Gabor Stier, foreign policy senior analyst, told Sputnik.

2023-12-23T07:42+0000

2023-12-23T07:42+0000

2023-12-23T07:42+0000

hungary

viktor orban

european union (eu)

european stability mechanism (esm)

analysis

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Dipping into the European Stability Mechanism (ESM) to bankroll Ukraine and bypass Hungarys veto is highly problematic, Gabor Stier, senior foreign policy analyst at the conservative Hungarian daily Magyar Nemzet, told Sputnik. These funds are a "last resort," and such a step will only serve to weaken the European Union, he emphasized.This fund was created in 2012 in order to ensure the competitiveness and viability of European states and European economies in difficult times And because of this, if they want to use this fund to financially support Ukraine, then this is problematic. The European Union is already experiencing a systemic crisis, a severe economic crisis. The competitiveness of the European economy will suffer as a result, underscored Stier, who is also a member of the Valdai Discussion Club.Earlier, Olli Rehn, the governor of the National Bank of Finland, suggested overriding Hungarys veto on financial assistance to Ukraine by using the rescue fund as a "Plan B." Olli Rehn, who is also former European commissioner for economic affairs, noted that funds from the ESM could offer a backup plan for providing long-term assistance to Kiev.We don't have an urgent need for a bailout fund in the financial markets, but we have a deep urgency, an existential urgency in Ukraine. This is a question of freedom, democracy and the defense of Europe," Rehn was cited by media outlets as saying.He added that he was "very concerned about the disunity in Europe and Hungary's veto," saying that "the other 26 EU member states must get together quickly and prepare a plan B without the consent of Hungary, which seems to be going its own way."The European Stability Mechanism (ESM) is a permanent rescue fund established in 2012. At the time, an international agreement was signed by 17 Eurozone countries. Currently, there are 20 ESM and euro area member states. The purpose of the ESM is to provide loans to financially distressed euro area countries. The assistance is granted in cases when it is imperative to safeguard the financial stability of the entire Eurozone and of each euro area country. The ESM has a total capital of 708.5 billion: around 81 billion in paid-in capital provided by ESM Members, and close to 627.5 billion in committed callable capital. Callable capital constitutes an obligation for or promise by shareholder governments to provide capital if ever needed. The ESM raises the full amount of loans by issuing bonds, bills, and other instruments. ESM member states make a contribution to the ESMs paid-in capital, which is invested in assets.Now the European Union will try to help Ukraine with loans, he said, recalling how after the COVID-19 pandemic, European countries, except for Poland and Hungary, received money partly as aid, and partly as loans. If, in addition to this, there are some other decisions about loans, then where does this lead? This is already completely weakening the European Union. Who benefits from this? Even opponents of the European Union will not stand to gain from this, I believe.As for which EU countries will suffer the most if the EMS funds allocated to them are redirected to Ukraine, the expert suggested that the less wealthy ones would be impacted. First of all, those countries that have less money, those that rely on EU funds, said Stier. Hungary has first-hand experience of this, after its funds were frozen.According to the pundit, the European Union appears to be determined to disregard common sense. I also see that the United States wants more and more for the European Union to finance Ukraine. If the Western world, the Western bloc, thinks that we should finance Ukraine, support it, and so on, then everyone should do it. But now I feel that more and more this will be the task of the European Union. This also weakens the European Union. Of course, this is not entirely bad for the US, the foreign policy analyst speculated.Despite Ukraine fatigue increasingly manifest both in the US and in Europe, there is a group of countries still determined to prop up the Kiev regime, Gabor Stier pointed out. These are mainly the Baltic states, Poland, Scandinavian countries, partly the Netherlands, and Finland has recently begun to participate in this group, he said. However, there are EU member-states that feel this is a trap that this is a dead end but cannot do anything, Stier said. For these countries, such as Austria and Slovakia, it was even expedient that Viktor Orban resorted to the veto, because although they may be inclined to share Hungarys stance, they vote like the majority in Brussels.Is anyone seriously thinking about the future of the European Union when they scramble about to find ways of pushing the Ukraine funding through without Hungary? Stier queried. We are all in the same EU boat, and if there are problems, you can expect there to be also problems in Hungary, in Germany, in Finland, it doesnt matter where you live, he pointed out, adding: "We need to think more seriously and responsibly about the future of the European Union.""Realpolitik is lacking in the European Union, as are independence, sovereignty. That is why I say that the European Union is experiencing a systemic crisis... If security collapses in the European Union, then it will be a problem for the entire continent," the analyst said.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20231218/eu-may-strip-hungary-of-voting-rights-in-bid-to-force-ukraine-funds-1115662006.html

https://sputnikglobe.com/20231215/hungary-vetoes-50bln-euros-in-eus-macro-financial-aid-for-ukraine-1115597288.html

https://sputnikglobe.com/20231004/unfreezing-136bln-of-funding-for-hungary-not-connected-to-eu-budget-changes-1113932869.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20231223/dozens-killed-in-israeli-strikes-on-jabalia-refugee-camp-in-gaza-strip---reports-1115765490.html

Dozens Killed in Israeli Strikes on Jabalia Refugee Camp in Gaza Strip - Reports

Dozens Killed in Israeli Strikes on Jabalia Refugee Camp in Gaza Strip - Reports

Dozens of people were killed in Israeli strikes on the Jabalia refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip overnight, the Al Jazeera broadcaster reported on Saturday.

2023-12-23T09:41+0000

2023-12-23T09:41+0000

2023-12-23T09:41+0000

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The night attack thwarted efforts of rescuers and paramedics to reach the devastated area, the broadcaster reported, adding that the bodies of people killed in the attack remained in the area. The Israeli military is continuing to bombard the city of Jabalia, the report said. The strikes have disrupted communication in the region. On October 7, Palestinian movement Hamas launched a large-scale rocket attack against Israel from the Gaza Strip, while its fighters breached the border, opening fire on the military and civilians. As a result, over 1,200 people in Israel were killed and some 240 others abducted. Israel launched retaliatory strikes, ordered a complete blockade of Gaza and launched a ground incursion into the Palestinian enclave with the declared goal of eliminating Hamas fighters and rescuing the hostages. Over 20,000 people have been killed so far in Gaza as a result of Israeli strikes, local authorities said. On November 24, Qatar mediated a deal between Israel and Hamas on a temporary truce and the exchange of some of the prisoners and hostages, as well as the delivery of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip. The ceasefire was extended several times and expired on December 1.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20231222/unsc-adopts-resolution-appointing-humanitarian-coordinator-to-facilitate-aid-into-gaza-1115754442.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20231223/economic-adviser-to-german-govt-proposes-raising-income-tax-to-help-ukraine-1115775100.html

Economic Adviser to German Gov't Proposes Raising Income Tax to Help Ukraine

Economic Adviser to German Gov't Proposes Raising Income Tax to Help Ukraine

Monika Schnitzer, the chairwoman of the German Council of Economic Experts advising the country's government, on Saturday proposed increasing income tax across Germany to ensure greater military support of Ukraine due to the paucity of new commitments by the United States.

2023-12-23T18:55+0000

2023-12-23T18:55+0000

2023-12-23T19:00+0000

world

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russia

germany

sputnik

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"Special events require special measures. A possible response to this challenge could be a Ukraine solidarity surcharge to the income tax for military aid," Schnitzer said in an interview with the Rheinische Post newspaper. German Economy Minister and Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck said earlier this week that Berlin should be prepared to take on more responsibility and increase spending in light of weakening Western support for Ukraine. On December 13, Germany's cabinet of ministers decided to allocate 8 billion euros ($8.6 billion) as part of the 2024 budget to fund Ukraine's war effort and billions in assistance for Ukrainian refugees. Western countries have been providing military aid to Kiev since the start of Russia's military operation in Ukraine in February 2022. The Kremlin has consistently warned against continued arms deliveries to Kiev, saying it would lead to further escalation of the conflict. In April 2022, Russia sent a diplomatic note to all NATO countries on the issue of arms supplies to Ukraine. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has warned that any cargo containing weapons for Ukraine will become a legitimate target for Russian strikes.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20231202/ukraine---bottomless-pit-mp-slams-kievs-soaring-demands-amid-growing-crisis-in-germany-1115342894.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20231223/estonia-ready-to-extradite-draft-age-ukrainian-men---interior-minister-1115763822.html

Estonia Ready to Extradite Draft-Age Ukrainian Men - Interior Minister

Estonia Ready to Extradite Draft-Age Ukrainian Men - Interior Minister

Tallinn is ready to locate and extradite to Kiev Ukrainians of military age and those undergoing mobilization, Estonian Interior Minister Lauri Laanemets told local media.

2023-12-23T09:22+0000

2023-12-23T09:22+0000

2023-12-23T09:22+0000

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volodymyr zelensky

ukraine

kiev

estonia

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Estonia is ready to locate and extradite Ukrainians of draft-age and those undergoing mobilization to Kiev, the country's Interior Minister Lauri Laanemets told local media.According to him, the Estonian authorities know where the Ukrainian refugees who have arrived in the country are and what they are doing. Laanemets noted, however, that no official request for the extradition of Ukrainians of military age has yet been received from Kiev. The minister promised that in the coming days he will submit a written proposal for a corresponding agreement between the two countries. More than 7,000 Ukrainian men of mobilization age have so far applied for temporary protection in Estonia.Earlier, the German authorities refused to extradite Ukrainians who had left Ukraine country to Kiev for mobilization. According to the head of the German Ministry of Justice, Marco Buschmann, Berlin is primarily trying to employ people from Ukraine.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20231006/ukrainians-buy-death-certificates-to-avoid-mobilization-1113977174.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20231223/health-risk-warning-surge-in-flu-like-disease-recorded-in-swedish-cities-1115767993.html

Health Risk Warning: Surge in Flu-Like Disease Recorded in Swedish Cities

Health Risk Warning: Surge in Flu-Like Disease Recorded in Swedish Cities

Infectious parrot fever carried by wild birds, including parakeets, has been associated with acute pneumonia and meningitis cases in humans, and it proves especially deadly to young birds.

2023-12-23T13:14+0000

2023-12-23T13:14+0000

2023-12-23T13:14+0000

beyond politics

europe

newsfeed

united kingdom (uk)

england

imperial college london

lancet

university of east anglia

sweden

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Sweden is experiencing a significant increase in parrot fever cases, with 12 new infections reported this month, heightening concerns about a potential health crisis, according to media sources. This flu-like disease is primarily spread by wild birds such as parakeets. It poses a risk of severe pneumonia and meningitis in humans.Parrot fever, or psittacosis, is an acute respiratory condition triggered by the bacterium Chlamydophila psittaci. It initially causes flu-like symptoms in humans, but can intensify, leading to severe pneumonia and meningitis. The disease is particularly fatal for young birds, with a mortality rate as high as 90 percent.From September onwards, there have been 25 reported cases of parrot fever in Sweden, with a concentration in the Vastra Gotaland and Kalmar regions. The development, as reported by Sweden's Public Health Agency, indicates the spread of the disease across eight regions.The predominant method of contracting the disease is inhaling particles from infected bird droppings. Professor Paul Hunter, a professor in Medicine at the University of East Anglia, told media sources that although spillover incidents are infrequent, recent research suggests the likelihood of passing the disease from one person to another may be greater than once thought. A paper in The Lancet journal 2022 characterized this potential uptick as an evolving risk to health professionals and nearby contacts.Prof. Hunter explains that a notable rise in psittacosis cases in Sweden since 2016 may be partly attributed to improved diagnostic tests. This trend underscores the evolving nature of this public health issue.Parrot fever can be particularly dangerous for pregnant women. While rare during pregnancy, it presents a high risk of severe complications, including substantial maternal and fetal mortality, as highlighted by a 2020 study.Earlier this year, according to Sweden's Department of Epidemiology and Disease Control, a surprising outbreak in southern Sweden linked 28 of the 45 cases to direct contact with poultry and bird feeders. The UK has also reported cases, with an annual range of 25 to 50 infections in England and Wales, per the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).The UK has witnessed a dramatic increase in the feral parakeet population, particularly rose-ringed parakeets, concentrated in suburban areas of southeastern England. From 1995 to 2015, their numbers grew by 1,455 percent, raising concerns about their potential role in spreading diseases like parrot fever.The origin of these parakeets in the UK is shrouded in urban legends, including stories linked to celebrities like Jimi Hendrix and film productions like The African Queen. However, the importation of nearly 150,000 parakeets into Europe as pets between 1984 and 2007, with many subsequently released into the wild, is a more documented contributor to their current prevalence.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20231011/scientists-use-crispr-gene-editing-tech-on-chickens-to-fight-bird-flu-1114080774.html

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230726/brazils-parana-declares-6-month-state-of-emergency-due-to-bird-flu-1112149102.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20231223/houthis-brush-off-us-threats-vow-to-intensify-anti-israeli-ops-if-gaza-conflict-not-halted-1115767590.html

Houthis Brush Off US Threats, Vow to Intensify Anti-Israeli Ops if Gaza Conflict Not Halted

Houthis Brush Off US Threats, Vow to Intensify Anti-Israeli Ops if Gaza Conflict Not Halted

Earlier this week, the United States announced that it was putting together a military coalition tasked with ensuring the safety of navigation through the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. The move comes after Yemens Ansar Allah (Houthi) militias effectively closed down the waterways to Israeli shipping, in response to Tel Avivs ongoing war in Gaza.

2023-12-23T11:56+0000

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2023-12-23T13:01+0000

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The Houthis have dismissed the US-led military coalition being assembled against them, warning that they have multiple options to continue targeting Israel if the IDFs operations in Gaza arent halted.Our eyes are monitoring and closely following the movements of the [Israeli] entity worldwide, al-Atifi added.Brig. Gen. Youssef al-Madani, commander of the 5th Military Region  situated to the east of the Red Sea along the coastal Al Hudaydah governorate, said his forces are fully cognizant of the sensitivity of the current phase of Houthi operations, emphasizing that the militias are prepared, vigilant and eager to confront the Zionists and those who are fighting with them.Al-Atifi stressed that the Houthis are fighting for the sake of the national security of the Arab and Islamic World, and that their actions serve the interests of countries working to liberate themselves from the domination of the Zionist entity and the United States on a global scale.The Houthis managed to effectively shut down the Red Sea to Israeli-owned and Israeli-bound maritime traffic via a spate of hijackings, missile and drone attacks on commercial carriers over the past month, starting with the seizure of the Israeli-owned ro-ro car carrier Galaxy Leader on November 19.The unrelenting attacks prompted international shipping giants including Maersk, Hapag-Lloyd, MSC, and CMA CGM to suspend operations through the Red Sea, adding billions of dollars to shipping costs as vessels are forced to find alternate routes. Israeli ports have faced particularly heavy losses from the Houthis actions, with the nations Eilat Port facing an 85 percent drop in activity, and Israeli cargoes facing skyrocketing insurance costs.The US began amassing warships in the region last week, and on Monday Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin announced Operation Prosperity Guardian, an important new multinational security initiative under the umbrella of the Combined Maritime Forces and the leadership of its Task Force 153, which focuses on security in the Red Sea.Austin listed ten nations he said were participating in the coalition, including the US, the UK, Canada, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Bahrain and the Seychelles. The Pentagon upped the number to over 20 nations on Friday, but did not elaborate on which countries specifically are involved.To date, US operations have apparently been limited to chasing after Houthi speedboats zipping around Red Sea waters trying to hijack commercial vessels. Media have reported that the Pentagon is considering direct military strikes against the militia inside Yemen. The Houthis have ignored these threats, vowing to continue their campaign against Israel, and warning that they reserve the right to start attacking coalition warships if attacked themselves.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20231222/houthi-red-sea-blockade-could-starve-western-war-machine-of-oil-1115751663.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20231223/irans-president-slams-us-as-largest-factor-of-instability-in-the-world-1115772918.html

Iran's President Slams US as Largest Factor of Instability in the World

Iran's President Slams US as Largest Factor of Instability in the World

During the Tehran International Conference on Palestine, Raisi condemned the US, which claims to defend freedom and democracy, as the perpetrator of major crimes and global instability.

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During the Tehran International Conference on Palestine, Raisi condemned the US, which claims to defend freedom and democracy, as the perpetrator of major crimes and global instability. His statement follows US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin's claims that America does not seek war with Iran and urges Tehran to de-escalate tensions in the Middle East.But Austin also condemned the increasing attacks in the region by forces "linked to Iran," threatening regional populations and escalating the Israel-Palestine conflict.The Israeli-Palestinian conflict re-erupted on October 7 with an unprecedented break-out from the besieged Gaza Strip by Hamas and other armed groups, accompanied by a major rocket barrage. Israel's bombing campaign and ground incursion in response has caused tens of thousands of civilian casualties and a humanitarian crisis.Some of the several hundred Israelis taken captive in the first days were released during a short-lived ceasefire in return for several times as many Palestinian women and children held by Israel. but most remain in Gaza. The Russian Foreign Ministry has called for an end to the hostilities, echoing Russian President Vladimir Putin's stance that a resolution to the Middle East crisis is possible only based on the UN Security Council's "two-state" formula, advocating for an independent Palestinian state within 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has been a source of tension and conflict in the region for decades. The UN's 1947 resolution, actively supported by the USSR, proposed the creation of two states of Israel and Palestine side-by-side, but Israelis seized most of the Palestinian lands in the 1948 war and occupied the remaining territories in 1967.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20231121/us-may-want-wider-war-in-middle-east-to-take-out-iran-1115085990.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20231223/new-low-for-scholz-as-approval-ratings-slip-14-points-in-latest-ranking-1115762565.html

New Low for Scholz as Approval Ratings Slip 14 Points in Latest Ranking

New Low for Scholz as Approval Ratings Slip 14 Points in Latest Ranking

Public opinion regarding Germany's incumbent federal government is currently quite critical. Among those surveyed, only a quarter rated the performance of Scholz's-led administration as either 'fairly good' or 'very good.'

2023-12-23T10:48+0000

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German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has seen a marked decline in his approval ratings, resulting in him falling to 14th place among 20 prominent politicians, Der Spiegel reported, citing ratings by Verian. Scholz has lost 14 percentage points.The current public opinion of the incumbent federal government can be described in stark terms. Only a quarter of the surveyed individuals rated their work as "fairly good" or "very good." Meanwhile, over 70 percent expressed a negative view, with 39 percent deeming it "rather bad" and 32 percent "very bad."Other ruling coalition members also saw declines in approval: German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens) and German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser (SPD) dropped by four percent each. However, Defense Minister Boris Pistorius maintained his position, securing second place on the list, right behind Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier.The most significant gains in approval were seen by Markus Soeder, the opposition Christian Social Union (CSU) leader, who rose by seven percent, and Bundestag member Sahra Wagenknecht (BSW), who gained eight percent.In November, the German Ministry of Finance froze additional government spending until the end of 2023, impacting nearly all budget allocations across various departments. On December 13, the German Cabinet of Ministers concluded meetings addressing the budget crisis, ultimately deciding to cut next year's budget by 17 billion ($18.7 billion).

https://sputnikglobe.com/20231121/german-finance-ministry-freezes-budget-for-additional-government-expenses---reports-1115088412.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20231223/operation-prosperity-guardian-in-the-red-sea-waves-of-unity-or-tides-of-confusion-1115769378.html

Operation Prosperity Guardian in the Red Sea: Waves of Unity or Tides of Confusion?

Operation Prosperity Guardian in the Red Sea: Waves of Unity or Tides of Confusion?

The US has touted its Operation Prosperity Guardian as a multinational naval coalition aimed at protecting maritime traffic through the Red Sea to Israel from attacks by the Yemeni armed forces. The Pentagon has claimed more than 20 other countries are involved, but the nature of their roles is in question.

2023-12-23T14:24+0000

2023-12-23T14:24+0000

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US allies are distancing themselves from the US-led naval foray into the Red Sea in response to Yemen's maritime blockade of Israel.US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin announced the coalition during a Middle East trip, claiming that countries including Great Britain, Bahrain, Canada, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Seychelles and Spain had joined.Greece and Australia were later added to the list, bringing the total to 20. But the Pentagon chief added at least eight more countries chose not to disclose their participation.The UK committed the destroyer HMS Diamond to Operation Prosperity Guardian, operating within the US-led Combined Maritime Forces (CMF). Greece confirmed the deployment of one of its naval frigates to the Red Sea.Other NATO allies are not even sending ships. Norway's participation is limited to 10 naval officers, seconded to the the CMF headquarters in Bahrain. The Netherlands is sending two staff officers and Denmark just one.Existing naval coalitions in the region include Operation Atalanta, combating piracy off the Horn of Africa, and Operation Agenor, focusing on ensuring freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. The CMF, led by the US, operates in the Red Sea through Combined Task Force 153 (CTF 153).In the aftermath of the Israel-Palestinian conflict that erupted on October 7, the Yemeni government led by the Ansarallah movement  dubbed the Houthis in the West after Yemen's dominant clan  declared that it would not allow shipping to and from Israeli ports to pass through the Red Sea until Tel Aviv ended its siege and assault on the Gaza Strip and allowed humanitarian aid into the enclave.Yemen controls the eastern shore of the Bab al-Mandab strait, the southern entrance to the Red Sea. Its forces seized the Israeli-owned but foreign-flagged car transporter ship Galaxy Leader on November 19, and have targetted others with drone and missile attacks.As tensions escalate major shipping companies, including Mediterranean Shipping Company, Maersk, Hapag-Lloyd and UK oil giant BP have taken proactive measures. They are redirecting their vessels away from the Red Sea, implementing coordinated efforts to mitigate risks posed by the ongoing conflict and protect maritime interests in the region.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20231223/houthis-brush-off-us-threats-vow-to-intensify-anti-israeli-ops-if-gaza-conflict-not-halted-1115767590.html

https://sputnikglobe.com/20231222/ex-pentagon-analyst-warns-us-stretched-thin-on-ukraine-israel-and-taiwan-fronts-1115749074.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20231223/osces-inaction-exposed-bucha-provocation---russian-foreign-ministry-source-1115761240.html

OSCE's Inaction Exposed Bucha Provocation - Russian Foreign Ministry Source

OSCE's Inaction Exposed Bucha Provocation - Russian Foreign Ministry Source

By their silence and inaction, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Secretariat and other international organizations exposed the farce of the Bucha massacre staging, a source in the Russian Foreign Ministry told Sputnik.

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In early December, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, at his press conference following the OSCE Ministerial Council, noted that the list of allegedly killed residents of Bucha in Ukraine's Kiev Region had not yet been published, and urged journalists to investigate the 2022 events. The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) earlier said in response to a request from RIA Novosti that it is not in contact with the Ukrainian authorities on the issue of the list of "Bucha victims," but did not directly answer the question whether it has such a list. The source said the Bucha provocation staging script was "copied" from the script for Nazi Germany's provocation against the Red Army in Nemmersdorf. Nemmersdorf (now Mayakovskoye, Kaliningrad Region) was a locality in East Prussia, liberated by the Red Army on October 21, 1944. However, already on October 23, Red Army advanced units were forced to retreat for fear of being surrounded by counterattacking Nazi troops. After the locality returned under the control of Nazis, they blamed the Red Army for the deaths of 19 to 30 civilians, which was widely covered by German propaganda. However, after the end of the war, representatives of the German side admitted that the killings had been staged. OSCE Says Not in Contact With Ukraine on List of Alleged Bucha Massacre VictimsThe Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe's Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (OSCE/ODIHR) told Sputnik that it is not in contact with the Ukrainian authorities on the list of alleged Bucha massacre victims.A request was sent to the OSCE press service due to the fact that Moscow had repeatedly requested a list of Bucha victims, but it was never provided to it. The request asked for comment on whether work was currently under way with the Ukrainian authorities to provide the data to Moscow soon or publish it. The OSCE later recommended contacting ODIHR representatives. RIA Novosti forwarded the request to the ODIHR.The office also said that it was Russia's obligation under international law to carry out an investigation concerning allegations against its armed forces.When asked if it has the list of "Bucha victims," the Office did not give a direct reply, saying only that it collects information, including materials provided by the Ukrainian and Russian authorities.Immediately after the start of Moscow's special military operation in February 2022, Russia took under control the territory of the Kiev Region, including Bucha, a small city northeast of Kiev. Following the Russian military withdrawal from the region, Ukrainian authorities accused Russia of numerous killings of civilians in Bucha, as well as in the surrounding areas. Moscow has denied its role in the killings of civilians and insists that the footage of the murdered local residents, which was distributed in the Western media, is nothing more than a staging and provocation on the part of Ukraine to put pressure on the Western ruling circles in order to achieve their goals in the conflict with Russia.

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20231223/russia-repels-11-attacks-by-ukraine-in-donetsk-direction-over-past-24-hours-1115768863.html

Russia Repels 11 Attacks by Ukraine in Donetsk Direction Over Past 24 Hours

Russia Repels 11 Attacks by Ukraine in Donetsk Direction Over Past 24 Hours

The Russian armed forces repelled 11 attacks by Ukraine in the Donetsk direction over the past 24 hours, with Kiev losing up to 200 servicepeople and four tanks in the area, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Saturday.

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"In the Donetsk direction, units of Russia's southern grouping of forces, in cooperation with aviation and artillery, repelled 11 attacks and defeated Ukrainian military personnel and equipment in the areas of [the villages of] Sontsevka, Dyleevka, Pivnichnoe and Georgeevka in the Donetsk People's Republic," the Russian Defense Ministry said. Ukraine's total losses in the Donetsk direction amounted to up to 200 military personnel, four tanks, including one German-made Leopard-2 tank, the military added. Moreover, the Russian forces managed to hit a Polish-made self-propelled tracked gun-howitzer Krab, two Msta-B howitzers, two self-propelled artillery mounts and two D-30 howitzers. Kiev also lost up to 100 soldiers, three vehicles, one Msta-B howitzer and one D-30 howitzer in the Kherson direction, the ministry said. In the South Donetsk direction, the Russian forces repelled three attacks by the Ukrainian army, eliminating up to 65 Ukrainian servicepeople, three pickup trucks, two self-propelled vehicles and two D-30 howitzers, the ministry said. In the Liman direction, the Russian army repelled two attacks by Ukrainian assault groups, eliminating up to 150 soldiers, a tank and two armored vehicles, as well as one D-30 howitzer, the ministry said.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20231215/ukraine-loses-more-than-30-soldiers-near-zaporozhyes-rabotino-1115597568.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20231223/spanish-prime-minister-says-ready-to-seek-ways-for-coexistence-between-israel-palestine-1115767009.html

Spanish Prime Minister Says Ready to Seek Ways for Coexistence Between Israel, Palestine

Spanish Prime Minister Says Ready to Seek Ways for Coexistence Between Israel, Palestine

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez told US President Joe Biden during a phone call on Saturday that he was ready to seek a political solution that would ensure peaceful and secure coexistence between Israel and Palestine.

2023-12-23T10:53+0000

2023-12-23T10:53+0000

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Sanchez, the leader of the Socialist Workers' Party, was reelected as Spain's prime minister by the country's parliament last Thursday. Both leaders also reaffirmed the need to support transatlantic unity in the face of global challenges, the Spanish prime minister added. On October 7, Palestinian movement Hamas launched a large-scale rocket attack against Israel from the Gaza Strip, while its fighters breached the border, opening fire on the military and civilians. As a result, over 1,200 people in Israel were killed and some 240 others abducted. Israel launched retaliatory strikes, ordered a complete blockade of Gaza and launched a ground incursion into the Palestinian enclave with the declared goal of eliminating Hamas fighters and rescuing the hostages. Over 20,000 people have been killed so far in Gaza as a result of Israeli strikes, local authorities said. On November 24, Qatar mediated a deal between Israel and Hamas on a temporary truce and the exchange of some of the prisoners and hostages, as well as the delivery of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip. The ceasefire was extended several times and expired on December 1.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20231222/netanyahu-promoting-idea-of-indefinite-israeli-occupation-of-gaza-strip---reports-1115749976.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20231223/tape-appears-to-show-trump-pressuring-electors-in-michigan-1115760318.html

Tape Appears to Show Trump Pressuring Electors in Michigan

Tape Appears to Show Trump Pressuring Electors in Michigan

A recently revealed audio tape of a phone call, heard by US media, reportedly shows Trump pressuring electors not to certify the 2020 election in Wayne County, Michigan.

2023-12-23T01:57+0000

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2023-12-23T01:57+0000

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A newly released audio recording appears to show then-US President Donald Trump pressuring two Republican members of the Wayne County Board of Canvassers in Michigan not to sign certification documents for the 2020 presidential election, according to recordings reviewed by The Detroit News.The call, from November 17, two weeks after the 2020 election, included Trump, Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel, and the two members of the Wayne County Board of Canvassers, Monica Palmer and William Hartmann.Wayne County includes Detroit and most of the surrounding suburbs and is the most populous county in the state.The canvassers had originally voted against certification, before agreeing to it on the condition that some precincts in Wayne County were audited at a later date. During the call, which reportedly happened 30 minutes after the meeting when Hartmann and Palmer agreed to sign the certification, Trump told them they would look horrible if they voted to approve the election results after first voting against them.Later in the call, McDaniel told the canvassers If you can go home tonight, do not sign it. [...] We will get you attorneys, with Trump adding Well take care of that.Palmer and Hartmann then left the meeting without signing the official statement of votes for Wayne County. The next day, they tried unsuccessfully to rescind their votes. Had they been successful, it could have thrown the election into chaos as the Michigan election would have been put into doubt. The recordings seem to implicate Trump as having direct involvement in efforts to overturn the election results in Michigan, a state Biden won by roughly 154,000 votes.Previously, Trump came under fire for a phone call he had with Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger in early January 2021, in which Trump said they need only 11,000 votes to win the state.No one in the call has disputed the Detroit News summary of the call, Hartmann died in 2021.Trump campaign spokesman, Steven Cheung, told media outlets that Trumps actions on the call were taken in furtherance of his duty as president of the United States to faithfully take care of the laws and ensure election integrity, including investigating the rigged and stolen 2020 presidential election.A Republican-controlled state Senate committee investigated claims of voter fraud in the state but found no evidence of widespread fraud and Trump actually performed better in Wayne County in 2020 than he did in 2016.While it was reported that Trump had called the two canvassers, the contents of the call were described as Trump expressing his gratitude. Palmer told the House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6 Attack on the United States Capitol in 2021 that she could not recall the exact words Trump used on the call or if he raised issues of the election.But the call, according to the media outlet that heard it, Trump was focused on the 2020 election during the call, saying that Republicans have been cheated and that everybody knows Detroit is crooked as hell.As he did in his Georgia call, Trump reportedly pushed the conspiracy that more votes were counted than had been counted, a discrepancy he attributes came from illegally cast absentee ballots. That claim has not been proven and multiple lawsuits focused on the 2020 election failed to make it to court, even when Trump-appointed judges were ruling on them.In addition, Michigans election director, Jonathan Brater, said in an affidavit that the difference between absentee ballots tabulated and names in the poll was only 150 less than it should have been, not significantly larger, as Trump claimed.Trump is facing a case in Georgia for alleged election interference, with his conversation with Raffensperger playing a part in that indictment.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20231030/us-judge-reinstates-gag-order-on-trump-in-federal-election-case-1114585965.html

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230929/co-defendant-in-trump-georgia-election-case-scott-hall-pleads-guilty-1113811983.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20231223/ukrainian-troops-shell-donetsk-and-yasinovatsky-district---dpr-1115762025.html

Ukrainian Troops Shell Donetsk and Yasinovatsky District - DPR

Ukrainian Troops Shell Donetsk and Yasinovatsky District - DPR

Ukrainian forces fired five 155 mm NATO-caliber shells at Donetsk and the Yasinovatsky district on Saturday, the DPR representative office at the Joint Center for Control and Coordination (JCCC) of issues related to Ukrainian war crimes said in a statement.

2023-12-23T06:18+0000

2023-12-23T06:18+0000

2023-12-23T06:19+0000

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ukraine

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moscow

joint center for control and coordination (jccc)

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Ukrainian forces fired five 155 mm NATO-caliber shells at Donetsk and the Yasinovatsky district on Saturday, the DPR representative office at the Joint Center for Control and Coordination (JCCC) of issues related to Ukrainian war crimes said in a statement.In addition, at 07:55 Moscow time, Ukrainian troops opened fire on the Yasinovatsky district, firing three 155 mm shells.The office also reported that on Friday evening, Ukrainian troops fired four 155 mm shells at the Petrovsky district in Donetsk.Artillery of 155 mm caliber is used by NATO countries. The United States has supplied Ukraine with 155 mm M777 long-range howitzers, which Ukrainian troops are actively using to shell cities in the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics. German PzH 2000, Polish Krab, and French CAESAR self-propelled howitzers, which use shells of this caliber, have also been delivered to Ukrainian forces.Western countries have been providing military aid to Kiev since the start of Russia's military operation in Ukraine in February 2022. The Kremlin has consistently warned against continued arms deliveries to Kiev, saying it would lead to further escalation of the conflict. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has warned that any cargo containing weapons for Ukraine will become a legitimate target for Russian strikes.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20231219/ukraine-lost-383000-soldiers-since-start-of-the-special-op--shoigu--1115677303.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20231223/watch-russian-mortar-crews-suppress-ukrainian-firing-positions-eliminate-infantry--1115765291.html

Watch Russian Mortar Crews Suppress Ukrainian Firing Positions, Eliminate Infantry

Watch Russian Mortar Crews Suppress Ukrainian Firing Positions, Eliminate Infantry

The Russian Defense Ministry has released footage of airborne mortar units suppressing firing positions and destroying Ukrainian infantry in the Verbovoye area of the Zaporozhye region.

2023-12-23T13:03+0000

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The Russian Defense Ministry has released footage of airborne mortar units suppressing Ukrainian firing positions and destroying infantry in the Verbovoye area of the Zaporozhye region.Paratrooper reconnaissance received data on the enemy's entrenchment at a location. The Ukrainian fighters were detected with the help of an unmanned aerial vehicle. Mortar units of the airborne troops suppressed the firing positions and destroyed hidden enemy personnel at a range of up to 6,000 meters, the ministry said.

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Mortar crews of Russian paratroopers suppressed Ukrainian firing positions and eliminated enemy infantry Mortar crews of Russian paratroopers suppressed Ukrainian firing positions and eliminated enemy infantry 2023-12-23T13:03+0000 true PT0M38S

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20231223/watch-russian-paratroopers-hit-ukrainian-infantry-near-artemovsk-with-drones-1115763060.html

Watch: Russian Paratroopers Hit Ukrainian Infantry Near Artemovsk With Drones

Watch: Russian Paratroopers Hit Ukrainian Infantry Near Artemovsk With Drones

The Russian Defense Ministry has released footage of UAV units of the Ivanovo paratroopers destroying several groups of Ukrainian infantry near Artemovsk with the help of drones.

2023-12-23T06:49+0000

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The Russian Defense Ministry has released footage of Ivanovo paratrooper UAV units destroying groups of Ukrainian infantry near Artemovsk (Bakhmut) with the help of drones.In the footage, the paratroopers hit a group of Ukrainian personnel with a precise drop from a UAV. After the explosion, the detonation of ammunition began. The next target was a so-called foxhole, a hole in a trench used to escape from shrapnel. The Ivanovo paratroopers managed to drop the ammunition right in front of the foxhole, and an enemy soldier who was inside was wounded.

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UAV units of Russian paratroopers destroy Ukrainian infantry near Artemovsk using drones UAV units of Russian paratroopers destroy Ukrainian infantry near Artemovsk using drones 2023-12-23T06:49+0000 true PT1M31S

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BJP remains unstoppable in UP, yet it is leaving nothing to chance The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Uttar Pradesh remains unstoppable. Modis guarantee, Yogis magic, beneficiary loyalty, topped with the Ram temple construction provide the perfect recipe for success in the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls in 2024. From 'Modi hai to mumkin hai', the BJP in Uttar Pradesh now firmly believes in 'Yogi hai to magic hai'.



The Yogi factor has been working overtime in the by-elections and the recent municipal polls to ensure a sweeping win for the BJP.



BJP cadres are confident that Yogi Adityanath's growing stature as a Hindu leader, his tough image as an administrator and his all-pervasive charisma will ensure a resounding victory for the BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.



A fragmented Opposition will only make things easier for a saffron wave to sweep the state.



The BJP in Uttar Pradesh, so far, has only one strategy and that is to keep the party cadre mobilised for elections and to revisit each booth with regular frequency.



"We have charismatic leaders like Modi and Yogi and all we need to do is prevent our foot soldiers from becoming complacent. Our 'panna pramukhs' and vistaraks' are on the job and our leaders are working on the seats where the party is comparatively weak," said a party functionary.



On the organisational front, the BJP leaders are not taking any chances to ensure the partys victory and overcome the anti-incumbency factor, if any.



The BJP is also preparing to change candidates in order to counter the anti-incumbency factor.



Party sources claim that some candidates may be dropped for having crossed the age bar of 70-plus while others may not get tickets for under-performing in their constituencies.



Though the BJP is focussing on caste arithmetic and wooing OBCs with a vengeance, it is mainly focusing on a group that transcends the caste carrier.



The BJP is eyeing the vote bank of beneficiaries which the minorities and Dalits form a large chunk of.



"These are the groups that have benefitted from the schemes of the Central and state governments and we are reaching out to them. It is not a question of caste or religion but a question of have-nots receiving benefits," the party functionary said.



For the middle class and the upper castes, Yogi's bulldozer campaign against the mafia is a part of the party's election strategy.



"Traders and builders are no longer complaining of extortion and land is not being usurped by the mafia. This will be used to advantage in the campaign," the functionary added.



The BJP has been quietly working to win the Other Backward Castes and is using the Hindu First card to dilute the Oppositions demand for a caste census.



Interestingly, the BJP is not looking towards celebrity campaigners in 2024. When our leaders are our biggest stars, why should we reach out to film stars? asked a party functionary.



Besides, the BJP has firmly put the spotlight on the Ram temple and the Yogi Government is sparing no efforts to make the consecration ceremony of the Ram temple on January 22 the biggest event of the century.



The total revamp of Ayodhya will be a major tourist attraction for years to come.



"I told you that 'Yogi hai to magic hai' and Modi is an added advantage. Need we say more?" Moreover, the opposition has nothing to offer except drawing room chatter and it is the BJP which is seen working on the ground, the functionary remarked.



And nothing could be closer to the truth this time.




https://sputnikglobe.com/20231223/womens-tears-lower-testosterone-and-aggression-in-men--study-1115770915.html

Women's Tears Lower Testosterone and Aggression in Men  Study

Women's Tears Lower Testosterone and Aggression in Men  Study

It is commonly believed that tears mainly serve to moisten the eyes. However, both humans and dogs are known to cry due to emotional triggers as well. Initially thought to be without function, tears are now recognized as having deep social implications for humans.

2023-12-23T16:09+0000

2023-12-23T16:09+0000

2023-12-23T16:09+0000

beyond politics

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weizmann institute of science

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Scientists at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel have discovered that human tears contain social signals acting as a 'chemical blanket' that reduces aggression in others.The research, published in PLOS Biology, may solve the longstanding mystery of why humans cry.Unlike most animals, which use tears primarily for eye lubrication, humans and dogs uniquely shed tears in response to emotional states. This phenomenon, once thought to be pointless by scientists, including Charles Darwin, now appears to have a profound social function.The Israeli scientists discovered that tears contain 'chemical signals' that act as a protective mechanism for the individual expressing them. In a series of controlled experiments, men unknowingly inhaled either womens emotional tears or a saline solution, both of which are odorless.Subsequently, these men participated in a game engineered to provoke revenge-driven aggression. Remarkably, exposure to womens tears resulted in a 44 percent decrease in aggressive behavior compared to those who sniffed the saline solution.Furthermore, brain imaging revealed diminished activity in aggression-related brain regions while men were exposed to tears. Laboratory tests on 62 human olfactory receptors confirmed that pheromones in tears activate some of them.Professor Noam Sobel, leading the study, stressed its significance, saying: "Weve shown that tears activate olfactory receptors and that they alter aggression-related brain circuits, significantly reducing aggressive behavior." He suggested that this 'chemical blanket' of protection may be a shared trait among mammals, including rodents and humans.Recent research has broadened our understanding of tears beyond their basic function of eye lubrication in land mammals. Studies have shown that female mice's tears contain chemicals that influence male mice's aggression, and subordinate blind mole rats use tears to mitigate aggression from dominant males. This expansion in knowledge extends to discovering emotional tears in dogs, suggesting potential for interspecies emotional communication.Sobels team alsdo found that when men inhale the scent of tears, it leads to a decrease in their levels of testosterone, the hormone associated with sexual arousal. That suggests a deeper biochemical impact of tears in human interactions.Doctoral student Shani Agron, a member of Sobels team, highlighted the importance of expanding their research to include women for a more complete understanding of tears' effects beyond the initial focus on men due to their pronounced aggression reduction in response to lowered testosterone.The study also offers valuable insights into infant behavior, raising the possibility that infants may use tears as a chemical signal to protect themselves against aggression  explaining why babies cry all the time.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20220824/dogs-can-cry-with-joy-almost-like-humans-study-says-1099944035.html

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Two of Maine harness racings favourite elder statesmen, 85-year-old Bob Nadeau and his trusty 14-year-old grey steed Putnams Storm, made quick work of the $7,000 Frosty final at Cumberland on Friday, Dec. 22, winning the pop-up series final in 2:02.1 and putting an exclamation point on a poignant career.

I feel wonderful, noted the tireless octogenarian after the win. Ill never own another horse like him.

Surely the fastest and richest Maritime-bred grey pacer in history, Putnams Storm puts the cherry on the top of notable harness racing career where he has eclipsed $200,000 in lifetime earnings and took a mark of 1:50.4 at the Red Mile at age five.

While todays victory was the 40th of his career, the 14-year-old son of Force Of Life may be back next year to race in special events.

I will keep him going and racing as long as he is sound and he enjoys it, exclaimed Nadeau, a concrete step salesman for the last 50 year. We can race in the amateurs and at the fairs. But, we will quit if tells me that its time.

At one point, Putnams Storm was 1-5 on the board with five minutes to post, but had gone off at 4-1 from pylon position. He got away third and moved first-over past a 1:00.4 half. He had stepped away from the field amidst a breaker past the five-eighths and was on top and drawing off at the 1:31 third stanza.

Cruising home a winner by 2-3/4 lengths, the pair paid $10.40 to win. Robert Bob Nadeau is the listed owner, trainer and, of course, the driver and caretaker. He will return to Cumberland on Saturday, Dec. 23 to be recognized during the Au Revoir Retirement Showcase.

Wagering favourite Best Choice (Nick Graffam) finished second and Rest Assured (Mike Stevenson) was third.

Fittingly, another grey horse, Air Force Grad, won the first of the $5,000 Frosty consolations. Driven by Steve Wilson and trained and owned by Charlene Sherry Cushing, the 12-year-old son of The Panderosa came from off the pace to score in 2:02.2. They paid $11.20 to win.

Aaron Hall and Walter Case Jr. had two wins on the program.

In the overall drivers standings, Bruce Ranger and Kevin Switzer Jr. are both tied with 74 wins apiece heading into Saturdays card.

Saturday is a big day in the Maine harness racing industry as 17 Standardbreds that are 14 years old, including the aforementioned Putnams Storm, will parade in front of the stands, be recognized by the announcer, photographed and feted in the winner's circle with gifts and prizes. The Au Revoir Retirement Showcase also includes a special $6,000 Auld Lang Syne, exclusively for 14-year-old pacers.

On Sundays closing day, the track will host four $10,000 finals of the various winter late closing series, with five additional $7,000 consolations to compliment the card. In addition, the $8,000 winter Maine Amateur Driving Club (MADC) final will be contested as race two. As always, the MADC events are sponsored by the Blue Seal Feed Stores of North Yarmouth and Windham.

First Tracks Cumberland will offer a $5,000 guaranteed Pick-5 pool on Christmas Eve, which is carried on races three through seven, and have a mandatory payout.

Racing resumes on Saturday at Cumberland, as the final Winter Festival weekend concludes with year-end action on Sunday. First post is 10:50 a.m. each day.

(First Tracks Cumberland)
When Jim Urtel Jr. was 12, he fell in love with horses and harness racing. In the ensuing years, he enjoyed operating a small stable, often with his father, while also working for several other trainers, primarily in western New York and Pennsylvania.

Thirty years after jogging and training his first horse, though, Urtel was forced to give up his days at the barn. The Batavia, New York resident was diagnosed with kidney failure in 2012 and spent eight years on dialysis while waiting for a kidney donation. He finally received a transplant from a deceased donor in 2020, but the kidney has not functioned as hoped, leaving Urtel in need of another transplant.

As he waits again, Urtel draws inspiration from the horses that were a big part of his life, even if he is unable to spend much time with them now.

When you get a good old classy horse, you call them a warhorse, said Urtel. They need help to get by, but they keep going. Thats kind of what I am now. Ive got to play that part. I need a little help, but I keep trying to fight and keep going with it all.

Urtels fight began 11 years ago when he visited the emergency room thinking he might have bronchitis.

I had been having trouble breathing when lying down and went thinking I needed an antibiotic, said Urtel. They did a bunch of tests and told me my kidneys were in complete failure and my blood pressure was 232/112. Diabetes is the main cause for kidney failure, but blood pressure is No. 2. Its amazing it didnt get me.

Prior to his diagnosis, Urtel had been training a horse for his dad and working for another stable at Batavia. Urtel had been introduced to racing by his father, first as a fan.

I always went to the track with him and watched the races, said Urtel. My father had a friend named Bill Verney, who raced horses back then, and he had a farm near us and told us to stop by. I was 12 years old. He let me jog my first horse. Then youre done. Youre hooked for life once you get into that.

Basically, from the time I was 12, my father always had horses. Hed have one or two at a time, they were always like a little side thing. He had a lot of cheaper horses, but through the years we learned with them. We had a lot of horses [with issues] that we would bring back and win races with at Batavia and Buffalo.

Urtels fondest racing memories involve horses he had with his dad, such as trotter T C Express, who was a seven-time winner on the Batavia-Buffalo circuit in 2007, and Holly Views Nat, who was a winner for Urtel when he was at Pocono Downs.

I miss the horses immensely every day, said Urtel. I spent a lot of time with them. Id go to the barn and sit with them and walk them and talk to them. Theyre not going to talk back, but they listen. I had always had that feeling with them. They know.

Urtels focus now is on maintaining his health  hes lost more than 50 pounds thanks to a fitness plan  and remaining positive as he waits for another kidney transplant.

For everything Ive been through, Im lucky, said Urtel. I spent eight years in dialysis looking at people who arent with us anymore. I lost so many people in there. When you go through all that, it changes your outlook on a lot of things. Im not the only guy out there with problems. You have to keep doing what you can do while youre here. Maybe I can inspire a few people. You just keep positive.

Urtel is working with Kidneys for Communities in the hopes of finding a living donor in the near future. The non-profit organization looks to connect living donors and recipients by harnessing the power of their shared communities. Those could be family, friends, colleagues, faith-based institutions or any number of other groups.

Ninety-six per cent of donations in the U.S. have been made to people that the donor knows or identifies with, said Atul Agnihotri, the CEO of Kidneys for Communities and himself a kidney transplant recipient. Most patients dont know what to do when they have a kidney failure. They dont know where to look for help. Thats where we come in.

Kidneys for Communities offers support and benefits packages to prospective donors. Donors do not have to live in the same geographic area as recipients, nor do they have to be a direct match to a specific recipient. Roughly 33 per cent of willing donors are incompatible with their intended recipient, but through paired donations, matches can be made from a pool of pairs in the same situation.

Any form of kidney donation is the highest form of gift that one can give, said Agnihotri.

To visit Jim Urtels page on the Kidneys for Communities website, click here. If you are interested in determining whether you could be a donor, the process begins with an online questionnaire, which can be found here. Potential donors are under no obligation and can withdraw from the process at any time. To watch a recent interview with Urtel at Batavia Downs on NBC affiliate WGRZ in Buffalo, click here.

(USTA)
In this week's Rewind Robert Smith delivers his annual Christmas message to readers as he has done for a number of years. With the Christmas season upon us he reflects on how this wonderful time of the year has changed over the years but also much has remained the same. The theme of caring and sharing seems to remain despite the ever changing times we all experience. A few old Christmas themed pictures are also included.



Each year when I set about writing the annual Christmas message I find that it is one that I always enjoy doing but also sometimes find it hard to compose. It is always my hope and aim to come up with something interesting. There is so much to enjoy about the festive season and while not everyone beyond childhood gets excited about the celebrations there is still a lot to like about this time of year.

In past Christmas Rewinds I have most often strayed away from the usual "horse-based" stories and include a few personal memories I have collected over a lifetime. In the weeks leading up to today I decided to go back and read some of the many Christmas columns I have written in years gone by. One of the things I enjoyed most about reading many of them was not so much what I had written but every bit as interesting has been the reader's comments.

I did decide to repeat something I included in a Christmas message several years ago as it will always apply at this time of year.

"The practice of gift giving is as old as Christmas itself and always an important part of each and every holiday celebration. While we may think of gifts as only being purchased at a store or now online and neatly-wrapped, we can all give a special gift without any expense or having to get out of our favourite chair. Call, text or email someone and tell them they are special; not only on this day but always. I often think of an old yet always meaningful saying. Most people don't care how much you know, but they do like to know how much you care."

It seems that the whole idea of Christmas tends to conjure up a feeling of goodwill and kindness toward others. I always have the feeling that we could all probably extend that a bit beyond just one season of the year.

REMEMBER WHEN?

One of my favourite times at our family Christmas gatherings happens each year and in the most informal way. Whenever possible we try to all eat at the same table (as long as we have enough chairs). Once the meal is over and some necessary cleanup has been completed, people gather around the table for some good old family time. Stories of Christmases past and other treasured family tales are exchanged. The art of passing down family stories and traditions seemingly never grows old. I have read recently how important it is to talk to each other and share memories of happy times spent together.

Christmas List

I recently read a story from about 30 or more years ago involving racing at Pompano Park in Florida. It seems around 1991 that a horse with a real "Christmassy" name had a hot streak right around holiday time. I think a sort of club was formed "The Fan Racing Stable" to follow this particular horse named Christmas List as part of the holiday season.

A quote from the article read, "A son of High Ideal, Christmas List is 'a classy horse,' trainer Bud Foster said. The pacer is a full-brother to the world-record holder Trim The Tree, who had a mark of 1:53 3/5 as a two-year-old in 1980. 'Weve had him since he was baby and hes just a good, old horse,' said his owner Richard Laviana, 78, a Pompano resident. Its been a lot of fun. In seven races for the stable, Christmas List had won two and been on the board six times for earnings of $8,631 at this time.

Through a bit of research I found the following about this horse with a memorable name.



"Though there are many Standardbreds with Christmas-themed names, Christmas List  whose dam was named Tinsel  is the highest money earner. He won more than $270,000 at the track."

A Few Of My Favourite Christmas Scenes

Until fairly recently we had quite a few reindeer that frequently visited our backyard. I didn't ever see Santa Claus actually picking them up or dropping them off but I'm pretty sure they were part of his entourage. It made a good story to go along with Christmas especially for little children.



Years ago one of the highlights of each Christmas season was the day we attended my company's children's party. The kids all got to sit on Santa's knee and also got a nice present from Jolly Old St. Nick. These little gals have grown up quite a bit since this was taken.

These are a couple of my favourite Christmas pictures (above and below) taken many years ago when our then young grandchildren visited "The John R. Park Homestead Conservation Area" a local heritage attraction. Here they experienced the customs of a typical Christmas time in pioneer days from the 19th century.

Stringing popcorn can be fun as shown above

Back in the day we children found some simple ways to entertain ourselves long before every toy needed a battery or now even a WiFi connection. With my older brother supplying the "horsepower" and a couple of pieces of binder twine for lines we were able to put in quite a bit of outdoor time. I still can't believe I got to be the driver.

I can still remember when Rewind started back in 2009. After approaching Standardbred Canada about the possibility of having some old stories and photos of historical and nostalgic interest published on their website I eventually had a phone call from Jeff Porchak. When he asked what I planned to write about a slightly scary thought crept into my head. What if I run out of ideas and within a month or two I have to back out? Now almost 15 years and many moons have passed. I have no idea of the exact number but I suspect I've written at least 500 Rewinds! It seems that every time a topic gets used at least one more appears on the list to take its place.

In closing I would like to wish everyone in the Rewind audience the merriest of Christmases and the best of the coming New Year. My thanks to those of you who enjoy reading my tales of bygone days and for the many who send in comments or contact me personally. You folks make this all worthwhile. As I have done in previous years, I would also like to thank Standardbred Canada for making Rewind a regular feature of their website. Remembering our past is so important.

Quote For The Week: "Above all, I hope that happiness and love surround you this Christmastime."

Who Is It?

Christmas time and young children seem to go together. Can you name these two young lads from a photo taken quite a long while ago?

Who Else Is It?

Can you name the two people in this Christmas picture from many years ago?
The Ontario Harness Horse Association (OHHA) would like to inform members of its holiday office hours.

OHHA will be closed on Monday, Dec. 25 and Tuesday, Dec. 26. The office will re-open for normal business hours on Wednesday, Dec. 27.

The office will be closed on Monday, Jan. 1, 2024 and return to normal business hours on Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2024.

(With files from OHHA)
Israeli children, long free to wander, are now routinely chaperoned. Gun license applications are up by a factor of eight. Self-defense classes are oversubscribed.

Since Hamas operatives crossed into Israel on a killing and kidnapping spree on Oct. 7, a society that enjoyed 15 years of calm and rising prosperity remains haunted by scenes of slaughter. Israelis have been left traumatized by the fear that thousands of militants on their borders will try again  and that their security services might again fail.

This is a natural reaction to the shock we are going through, said David Passig, professor of future studies at Bar Ilan University, of the way ordinary citizens are rushing to arm themselves. He has had a weapon for 35 years that was kept locked away, he said, except for mandatory practice sessions. Now Im walking around with it.

The political impact of this anxiety is likely to be profound, even if it has yet to fully play out. National security has long been the calling card of Israels right. Yet it was the right, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, that failed to stop the invasion that killed about 1,200 and led to the abduction of 240 others.

Polls show disillusionment with Netanyahu and support shifting to the more centrist opposition leader Benny Gantz  part of the newly formed war cabinet. But theres little appetite for compromise with Palestinians, as so many abroad have urged.

The nations dark mood reflects a level of threat unknown to the Israeli public for many years, said Dan Orbach, a military historian at Hebrew University in Jerusalem. People have been motivated by disquiet that the allegedly mighty Israeli military isnt able to protect you, even in the most basic sense, he said.

The number of people applying for gun licenses over the past two months has soared to 260,000, with the volume of new requests each day exceeding those received each week before the war began.

Although the country has widened eligibility, the criteria for approval remain strict. As of the last week of November, 26,000 new applications had been approved while 16,000 people were rejected as unfit to carry a firearm.

Tara, a young woman who lives in Jerusalem and asked that her full name not be used, is one of many who procured a gun license. Since Oct. 7, I am way more paranoid, she said. If I am at a red light I dont turn my back on anyone.

In a society with a history of communal tensions that long pre-date Octobers attack, some are concerned about the consequence of more civilian weapons. Although the percentage of the population toting guns will still be far lower than many other countries  hovering near 2%, compared with 32% in the US  womens groups and those calling for peaceful coexistence between Arabs and Israelis have said theyre worried the uptick will lead to greater violence.

Opposition lawmaker Idan Roll said by phone the issuing of new weapons requires close monitoring, regulation and education.

Weapons in the right hands save lives, said Public Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, of the far-right Otzma Yehudit Party, who has made arming civilians groups a flagship policy. His ministry has distributed weapons to more than 850 so-called rapid-response teams.

Last month, the U.S. exacted a promise that assault rifles sent to Israel wouldnt end up in the hands of settler groups in the Palestinian-controlled West Bank, where theres been an increase in violence documented by the United Nations.

Within Israel, buildings are routinely equipped with bomb shelters to protect from missiles shot by outfits including Hamas, which is considered a terrorist group by the U.S. and European Union.

But when thousands of rockets were fired on Oct. 7, reports spread of those who turned to unlocked shelters only for armed Hamas operatives to burst through the doors, leaving them with nowhere to run. Now, Israelis want to know that they can secure their own safe rooms.

New products are appearing for the purpose  some on the commercial market, while others are homemade.

In the weeks after Oct. 7, some people feared that some Hamas operatives had headed north, and in Tel Aviv hotlines were overwhelmed by calls about suspicious characters. El Halev Israel is a non-profit organization that runs empowerment self-defense classes. On the back of soaring demand it started Zoom lessons, consulted those whod worked in war zones, and adjusted classes for female sexual-violence victims to be relevant to men, said Adi Wimmer, the executive director.

Lawyer Neomi Shenitzky is one of hundreds of people to have joined one of the newly formed Neighborhood Watch teams, a grassroots effort that has since been embraced by the municipality, which provides them with specially marked hats and shirts.

In her suburb of Nahalat Yitzhak, the teams patrol the streets from 8 p.m. to midnight, either on foot or bicycle. They carry flashlights, walkie-talkies and personal weapons. There are 50 such groups in the Tel Aviv area with about 1,500 volunteers. Similar teams have sprung up elsewhere as well, often backed by municipalities.

Said Orbach, the Hebrew University historian: The fear and vulnerability will follow the society for some time.

Photos: Scenes from the Israel-Hamas war
Chinese researchers develop new technology for propylene production

Xinhua) 14:14, December 23, 2023

HANGZHOU, Dec. 22 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese research team has developed a new molecular sieve material for separating propylene from propane, according to Zhejiang University.

Propylene is the raw material found in chemical products such as plastics, home appliances, medical devices, synthetic fibers and cosmetics. However, There is a high degree of difficulty in separating propylene from propane during industrial production.

A molecular sieve only allows smaller molecules to enter, thus blocking larger molecules, said Xing Huabin with Zhejiang University, leader of the research.

The research team has developed a fast, efficient and low-carbon molecular sieve material ZU-609 that only allows propylene molecules to enter and blocks propane molecules.

The results are expected to significantly reduce the energy consumption of propylene separation technology and will provide support for the localization of ultra-high purity electronic chemicals, Xing said.

The study was recently published in the journal Science.

(Web editor: Chang Sha, Zhong Wenxing)
The Antioch Police Department is under fire after an investigation into misconduct within the agency blew up with the disclosure of racist text messages shared among officers. A third lawsuit widens the number of people who say they were racially profiled by officers. Terry Chea/Associated Press

A new federal lawsuit accuses nearly two dozen Antioch police officers of engaging in racial profiling and using excessive force, building upon two previous lawsuits that allege similar civil rights violations as the fallout from racist text messages within the department continues.

The lawsuit, filed Thursday in U.S. District Court, names the city, three former police chiefs and 20 officers as defendants.

In the suit, seven plaintiffs claim the culture exposed by the offensive text messages, outlined in a report produced earlier this year by the Contra Costa County District Attorneys Office, led to encounters in which officers violated their civil rights.

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The Police Department and city did not respond to requests for comment.

The plaintiffs include a man who said he was shot twice in the back by an officer in November 2020 and a man who claimed he was tased by an officer and bitten by a police dog in June 2022.

Another plaintiff alleged he was 16 when officers slammed him face-first on the ground, then kicked and punched him, in November 2020. During the beating, officers used racial epithets, the lawsuit said. At least two of the officers exchanged text messages five months earlier that blamed the Black community for crime in Antioch, the lawsuit states, citing the district attorneys report.

Other plaintiffs allege they were wrongfully arrested as a result of officers racial bias.

According to the lawsuit, the plaintiffs recently discovered that their treatment by officers was based on racial animus and other offensive conduct exposed by the text messages.

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The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages and court-ordered improvements to the departments policies and practices.

Many Antioch police officers engaged in a pattern of despicable race, misogynist and excessive force policing that debased the safety and sensibility of the people of Antioch, John Burris, one of the attorneys who filed the lawsuit on behalf of the plaintiffs, said in a statement.

He and attorney Ben Nisenbaum represent 13 other plaintiffs in the two previous lawsuits filed.

The fact of racial profiling by police in this day and age in the Bay Area will not be tolerated, Nisenbaum said. It is unacceptable.
I imagine that many people who say they did not like school history classes would give as a reason that it was all about a bunch of dates we had to memorize.

The dates, you see, make a kind of skeleton onto which you can affix events and historical people. For instance, last Sunday, Dec. 17, was an important date in both American and world history, and the event that took place 120 years ago happened in North Carolina. I did not notice the date until late that afternoon, when I began work on this column.

Two sons of a Methodist bishop were on the Outer Banks, a place known for its consistent breezes, and 120 years ago, the Wright brothers successfully launched their heavier-than-air craft into the wind.

The brothers had flipped a coin to see which one would (hopefully) make the historic flight. Wilbur (1867-1912), the older of the two, won the toss and so was at the controls for the 17-second flight, rather than his younger brother, Orville (1871-1948).

The first flight lasted about 12 seconds. They made three other flights that same day, during which they stayed aloft longer and flew further. The flights were witnessed by the men from the nearby life-saving station. A camera recorded one of the flights.

The Wrights achievement was the culmination of years of their own work, in which they broke the problem down into solvable chunks. They invented the wind tunnel to find the optimal shape of the crafts wing, deriving a cross-section based on a birds wing. They built their own gasoline motor to power their hand-carved propellers. Your lawn mower engine weighs less and may produce more horsepower than the Wrights gasoline motor. They built gliders and made hundreds of non-powered flights. Essentially, they mounted an efficient gasoline engine to their best glider design.

The Wrights were a part of a line stretching back into time, a line of men who thought about what it might be like to be able to fly. Ancient coins from the Middle East show man-like creatures with wings.

In the Bible there is the prophetic line, They shall mount up on wings, as eagles found in Isiah 40, verse 31.

Leonardo da Vinci made drawings of a muscle-powered flying machine. At the time of the Wrights success, others were working on the same project, including Samuel Langley of the Smithsonian Institution. Had the Wrights not invented the airplane, someone else soon would have.

The Wrights aeroplane, as it was first called, was copied and improved by others. Besides allowing us to cross an ocean in hours, gather research on hurricanes, spot and help put out forest fires and do other good work, the airplane has also been used as a deadly tool of war.

Recently I was reading a novel, Dark Sky, by the Western writer C.J. Box, in which one of his characters says (in reference to social media): We create this technology thinking it will do great things, but we cant predict what people will do with it.

I wonder if Orville Wright had similar thoughts as he saw the invention he and his brother created being used to deadly effect in two world wars. Wilbur passed away in 1912, two years before World War I began.

The next time you go to Myrtle Beach, take time to drive up the coast to Kitty Hawk and climb Kill Devil Hill. Make sure you visit the museum where there is a replica of the Wright Flyer.

Less than 60 years after the first flight at Kitty Hawk, astronaut Neil Armstrong stepped onto the surface of the moon. Something to think about.
The sibling of a Kalama man who died following a 2022 overdose filed a wrongful-death lawsuit this month in Cowlitz County Superior Court against numerous kratom manufacturers and vendors, blaming their products for their brothers death.

The suit filed on Dec. 8 states the autopsy performed on Jordan McKibban, 37, of Kalama, reports he died from the toxic effects of kratom, a popular marketed herbal supplement and pain reliever that is not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration.

The lawsuit names 12 defendants, including Cloud House Vaporz, a Woodland vape shop located at 1230 Lewis River Rd., for allegedly selling kratom products without adequate warnings and for being negligent with their products, which were not reasonably safe as designed.

The owner of Could House Vaporz could not be reached for comment prior to deadline.

The suit says the named defendants should be barred from selling Kratom in the state.

According to the claim, the estate of McKibban did not mention the monetary amount they are seeking but an amount to be determined by the jury at the close of trial.

As stated in the lawsuit, on April 5, 2022, after McKibban returned home from work, his mother found him collapsed and unresponsive. He was rushed to the hospital, where he later died. The suit states the last drink McKibban had before he collapsed contained kratom.

According to the DEA, kratom is a tropical tree native to Southeast Asia. Its leaves provide the user with both a stimulant as well as a sedative effect, depending on the dose. The leaves from the plant have two primary psychoactive compounds: mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine; McKibbans toxicology report showed a positive finding for Mitragynine, the lawsuit states.

The leaves can be smashed, placed into pills, powders, or drinks, and sold in convenience stores as a natural supplement that could help the user with multiple health issues.

But the lawsuit says Kratom is toxic.

Talis Abolins, an attorney from the Seattle-based law firm mctlaw, who is representing McKibbans estate, told The Daily News McKibban was consuming kratom products for at least two years before his passing.

mctlaw also represented a Castle Rock family earlier this year in their wrongful death suit against an Oregon-based company that sold kratom products. The law firm won a $2.5 million judgment for that client.

According to the McKibbans legal filing, McKibban purchased and consumed four kratom products before his death in the form of capsules, liquid shots, and bulk powders from Cloud House Vaporz.

An open bag of kratom powder allegedly from Cloud House Vaporz was found on the kitchen counter, and empty bottles of the Hush liquid shot were found in his vehicle and bedroom after his death, the lawsuit states.

The lawsuit argues the defendants represented various medicinal benefits of their kratom products. The filing singles out Cloud House Vaporz for selling products to McKibban, who struggled with pain in his hands and back, with claims that different strains of Kratom brought pain relief.

The suit alleges Cloud House Vaporz portrayed kratom as being in the coffee family, and also having opioid-like effects, but Kratom can actually cause adverse affects, from hallucinations and addiction, to death.

A summons has been issued, but no court date has been scheduled as of Friday.
The Southwest Washington Regional Airport in Kelso has been awarded hundreds of thousands in federal dollars to reconstruct the paved area around terminals and hangers.

The Cowlitz County airport was one of 37 Washington airports to receive part of the $1.9 million in funding for improvements through the U.S. Senates Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Airport Improvement Program in 2023, according to a press release from the office of Washington Sen. Maria Cantwell.

The Kelso airport received $339,471 to reconstruct the apron and taxiway, and to conduct an environmental assessment. Southwest Washington airports received $789,471 in total, with $450,000 going to the Chehalis-Centralia Airport to update its master plan.

The investments from the federal government this year mean that Chehalis-Centralia Airport can update its master plan and Southwest Washington Regional Airport can begin the process of replacing its taxiway and other infrastructure, said Cantwell in the release. Both (are) critical steps that will help the airports continue to serve as economic drivers for the Cowlitz County and Lewis County communities.

Increased traffic to the Kelso airport has made infrastructure improvements such as extending and evening the runway and replacing underground fuel tanks a priority for airport officials. Three operators  Cascade Air, Northwest Aviation and Pacific Aircraft Services LLC  are based out of the airport, and passenger and cargo flights from more than 40 businesses regularly pass through.
SEATTLE  The acquittal of three Tacoma police officers charged with killing Manuel Ellis ended their criminal troubles, but the fallout from Ellis death is far from over.

Officers Matthew Collins, Christopher Shane Burbank and Timothy Rankine were all found not guilty Thursday. They still face, along with two other Tacoma officers, a civil suit from Ellis family that appears headed for trial. Ellis family already has settled a lawsuit against Pierce County, which botched the initial investigation of Ellis death, for $4 million.

Collins, Burbank and Rankine also face an internal affairs investigation that will determine whether they can remain employed at the Tacoma Police Department.

Earlier internal reviews of officers Masyih Ford, who helped restrain Ellis, and Armando Farinas, who placed a spit hood on him, cleared them and they returned to work. Tacoma police policy was silent on spit hoods at the time of Ellis death, so there was no policy for Farinas to violate.

Similarly, Tacoma then lacked a policy on neck holds and hobbles, both of which were used on Ellis by the acquitted officers. Ford and Farinas are also named in the civil lawsuit.

But its unclear whether the acquitted officers even want to remain at the department, according to one of their lawyers.

I would be surprised if our client Shane went back into law enforcement, and if he were to  probably for all of them  it wouldnt be at this department, said Wayne Fricke, Burbanks attorney. Its not because they dont like the community, but obviously there were some tough times here over the past couple of years.

Ellis, 33, died March 3, 2020, after struggling with police in a south Tacoma intersection, saying at least five times that he couldnt breathe while the officers continued to apply force.

The Pierce County Medical Examiner ruled his death a homicide caused by oxygen deprivation from physical restraint. Lawyers for the officers argued that enough methamphetamine was in Ellis system to cause his death, particularly because he had an enlarged heart.

Jurors accepted that argument, according to Fricke. After talking with jurors after their verdict, Fricke told reporters that doubts about Ellis cause of death and questions about the credibility of civilian eyewitnesses who described officers as the aggressors were the foremost factors that led to acquittal.

But a different standard applies in a civil case, lower than the beyond a reasonable doubt threshold in a criminal case. In civil actions, the party bringing the suit need only show that their argument is more credible than the respondents, essentially that the lawsuits claims are more probable than not.

Its not a setback, James Bible, a Seattle lawyer representing the Ellis family, said about the verdicts. In part, thats because we have negligence claims (in the civil case).

We have officer Farinas and the spit mask he put on a man whod been hogtied, beaten and choked. That spit mask had warnings on it that said, Dont do it, and they did it anyway. Thats more than enough, he said.

The civil suit, filed in U.S. District Court in September 2021, was on hold until the conclusion of the criminal trial. Now that it has ended, Bible said the next step will be to coordinate with lawyers for the city of Tacoma to schedule a trial.

Bible said he expects to present evidence that was blocked from being presented at the criminal trial by Pierce County Superior Court Judge Bryan Chushcoff, including incidents from the officers pasts.

Among them: a failed exercise at the Washington police academy that caused trainers to question Rankines fitness to be a police officer, and numerous internal investigations of Burbank at his last police job in North Carolina for use of force and one allegation of racial profiling. In all of them, Burbank was cleared of wrongdoing.

During the civil case, Bible also intends to introduce training materials that he says will show the officers violated their training, and steps that law enforcement agencies and personnel took to minimize the officers actions.

Judge Chushcoff excluded testimony about the officers training, Tacoma Police Department policies, and references to the law enforcement wall of silence against other officers were off-limits in the criminal trial.

Theres a great deal that will be shown in the civil trial that did not see the light of day in the criminal trial, Bible said.

Bible said the door remains open for federal charges against the officers for violating Ellis civil rights. The last officer in Washington to be convicted for an on-duty death was Spokanes Karl Thompson, who was found to have violated the civil rights of Otto Zehm in 2006.

I dont think anyone wants to address this at this point, Emily Langlie, spokeswoman for acting U.S. Attorney for Western Washington Tessa Gorman, said Thursday when asked about a potential federal investigation.

Tacoma Police Chief Avery Moore is expected to review the internal affairs investigation of Collins, Burbank and Rankine and the resulting recommendations before forwarding it to a board for a decision on the officers futures with the department.

The process is expected to be complete in two weeks, according to Tacoma City Manager Elizabeth Pauli. Until a ruling, the officers remain employed on paid leave.

Former Tacoma Police Chief Don Ramsdell initially decided to retain the officers after they were charged, and Moore stuck with it. Collins, Burbank and Rankine have collected about $1.5 million in salary from the department since they were placed on leave well over three years ago.

During that time, they received multiple raises and continued to accrue pensions and paid time off. Each of the officers banked hundreds of hours of vacation that the city of Tacoma would be obligated to pay them for if they left the department.
Kentucky Retirement Systems acquired a new position in shares of Exxon Mobil Co. (NYSE:XOM  Free Report) in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The firm acquired 312,745 shares of the oil and gas companys stock, valued at approximately $36,773,000. Exxon Mobil accounts for approximately 1.3% of Kentucky Retirement Systems investment portfolio, making the stock its 11th largest position.

A number of other hedge funds have also recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Horizons Wealth Management boosted its position in 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. SeaCrest Wealth Management LLC boosted its position in Exxon Mobil by 0.5% in the 1st quarter. SeaCrest Wealth Management LLC now owns 62,414 shares of the oil and gas companys stock valued at $6,844,000 after buying an additional 329 shares during the period. First National Bank of Mount Dora Trust Investment Services boosted its position in Exxon Mobil by 41.0% in the 2nd quarter. First National Bank of Mount Dora Trust Investment Services now owns 64,171 shares of the oil and gas companys stock valued at $6,882,000 after buying an additional 18,664 shares during the period. WMS Partners LLC boosted its position in Exxon Mobil by 2.1% in the 1st quarter. WMS Partners LLC now owns 45,054 shares of the oil and gas companys stock valued at $4,941,000 after buying an additional 931 shares during the period. Finally, Gallagher Fiduciary Advisors LLC purchased a new position in Exxon Mobil in the 1st quarter valued at approximately $1,963,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 58.53% of the companys stock.

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Analyst Ratings Changes

Several brokerages have commented on XOM. Royal Bank of Canada reissued a sector perform rating and issued a $120.00 price target on shares of Exxon Mobil in a research report on Thursday, December 7th. Morgan Stanley raised their price target on shares of Exxon Mobil from $131.00 to $134.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research report on Monday, October 2nd. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price objective on shares of Exxon Mobil from $127.00 to $130.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Friday, September 22nd. JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their price objective on shares of Exxon Mobil from $134.00 to $127.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research report on Friday, December 8th. Finally, UBS Group decreased their price objective on shares of Exxon Mobil from $138.00 to $133.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, December 14th. Ten equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and thirteen 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 $128.70.

Insider Activity

In related news, Director Jeffrey W. Ubben acquired 250,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, November 6th. The shares were purchased at an average price of $105.97 per share, with a total value of $26,492,500.00. Following the completion of the acquisition, the director now owns 2,077,000 shares in the company, valued at $220,099,690. The purchase was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. In related news, VP Leonard M. Fox sold 12,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Monday, December 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $102.65, for a total transaction of $1,231,800.00. Following the sale, the vice president now owns 220,678 shares of the companys stock, valued at $22,652,596.70. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Also, Director Jeffrey W. Ubben acquired 250,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, November 6th. The shares were bought at an average cost of $105.97 per share, for a total transaction of $26,492,500.00. Following the acquisition, the director now owns 2,077,000 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $220,099,690. The disclosure for this purchase can be found here. Insiders own 0.06% of the companys stock.

Exxon Mobil Stock Up 0.2 %

Shares of NYSE:XOM opened at $101.90 on Friday. The company has a market cap of $403.82 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 10.12, a PEG ratio of 3.68 and a beta of 1.01. The firms 50-day simple moving average is $104.37 and its 200-day simple moving average is $107.35. The company has a quick ratio of 1.08, a current ratio of 1.42 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18. Exxon Mobil Co. has a fifty-two week low of $97.48 and a fifty-two week high of $120.70.

Exxon Mobil (NYSE:XOM  Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Friday, October 27th. The oil and gas company reported $2.27 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $2.36 by ($0.09). The firm had revenue of $90.76 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $93.41 billion. Exxon Mobil had a net margin of 11.56% and a return on equity of 20.72%. The firms revenue was down 19.0% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $4.45 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts predict that Exxon Mobil Co. will post 9.18 earnings per share for the current year.

Exxon Mobil Increases Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, December 11th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, November 15th were issued a $0.95 dividend. This is an increase from Exxon Mobils previous quarterly dividend of $0.91. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, November 14th. This represents a $3.80 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.73%. Exxon Mobils payout ratio is presently 37.74%.

About Exxon Mobil

(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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Avidian Wealth Solutions LLC increased its position in shares of Chevron Co. (NYSE:CVX  Free Report) by 2.4% in the 3rd quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The firm owned 35,532 shares of the oil and gas companys stock after purchasing an additional 842 shares during the quarter. Avidian Wealth Solutions LLCs holdings in Chevron were worth $5,991,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Other hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. NorthCrest Asset Manangement LLC lifted its holdings in Chevron by 247.8% during the 2nd quarter. NorthCrest Asset Manangement LLC now owns 3,400 shares of the oil and gas companys stock worth $25,000 after purchasing an additional 5,700 shares during the last quarter. DHJJ Financial Advisors Ltd. bought a new position in Chevron during the 3rd quarter worth $35,000. Worth Asset Management LLC bought a new position in Chevron during the 1st quarter worth $36,000. HBC Financial Services PLLC bought a new position in Chevron during the 1st quarter worth $37,000. Finally, Nvwm LLC increased its stake in Chevron by 73.8% during the 1st quarter. Nvwm LLC now owns 252 shares of the oil and gas companys stock worth $41,000 after acquiring an additional 107 shares during the period. 68.87% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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Analysts Set New Price Targets

CVX has been the topic of a number of recent research reports. Royal Bank of Canada restated an outperform rating and set a $180.00 price objective on shares of Chevron in a research note on Tuesday, October 24th. Truist Financial lowered their price objective on Chevron from $175.00 to $169.00 and set a hold rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, October 24th. Bank of America upgraded Chevron from a neutral rating to a buy rating and lifted their price target for the company from $190.00 to $200.00 in a research note on Monday, October 30th. StockNews.com started coverage on Chevron in a research note on Thursday, October 5th. They issued a hold rating on the stock. Finally, Raymond James decreased their price target on Chevron from $200.00 to $175.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, October 30th. Four analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and thirteen have given a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $186.50.

Chevron Trading Up 0.2 %

NYSE CVX opened at $151.05 on Friday. The company has a market cap of $285.14 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 11.21, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.79 and a beta of 1.11. Chevron Co. has a twelve month low of $140.72 and a twelve month high of $187.81. The businesss fifty day moving average is $148.54 and its 200 day moving average is $156.49. The company has a quick ratio of 0.97, a current ratio of 1.25 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.12.

Chevron (NYSE:CVX  Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Friday, October 27th. The oil and gas company reported $3.05 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $3.70 by ($0.65). The company had revenue of $54.08 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $51.41 billion. Chevron had a return on equity of 16.15% and a net margin of 12.11%. The firms quarterly revenue was down 18.9% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $5.56 earnings per share. As a group, sell-side analysts expect that Chevron Co. will post 13.28 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Chevron Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, December 11th. Shareholders of record on Friday, November 17th were issued a dividend of $1.51 per share. This represents a $6.04 annualized dividend and a yield of 4.00%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, November 16th. Chevrons payout ratio is presently 44.84%.

Chevron Profile

(Free Report)

Chevron Corporation, through its subsidiaries, engages in the integrated energy and chemicals operations in the United States and internationally. The company operates in two segments, Upstream and Downstream. The Upstream segment is involved in the exploration, development, production, and transportation of crude oil and natural gas; liquefaction, transportation, and regasification associated with liquefied natural gas; transportation of crude oil through pipelines; and processing, transportation, storage, and marketing of natural gas, as well as a gas-to-liquids plant.

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Buckingham Capital Management Inc. lowered its stake in shares of Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY  Free Report) by 14.2% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 12,260 shares of the companys stock after selling 2,030 shares during the quarter. Buckingham Capital Management Inc.s holdings in Eli Lilly and Company were worth $6,585,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of LLY. Retirement Group LLC grew its holdings in Eli Lilly and Company by 159.1% in the second quarter. Retirement Group LLC now owns 57 shares of the companys stock worth $27,000 after purchasing an additional 35 shares during the period. Cornerstone Planning Group LLC purchased a new stake in Eli Lilly and Company in the second quarter worth about $33,000. RVW Wealth LLC purchased a new stake in Eli Lilly and Company in the third quarter worth about $46,000. Activest Wealth Management purchased a new stake in Eli Lilly and Company in the second quarter worth about $40,000. Finally, Raleigh Capital Management Inc. grew its holdings in Eli Lilly and Company by 156.4% in the first quarter. Raleigh Capital Management Inc. now owns 100 shares of the companys stock worth $34,000 after purchasing an additional 61 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 81.38% of the companys stock.

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Eli Lilly and Company Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE:LLY opened at $570.39 on Friday. Eli Lilly and Company has a 52 week low of $309.20 and a 52 week high of $629.97. The stock has a market capitalization of $541.48 billion, a P/E ratio of 103.33, a PEG ratio of 3.48 and a beta of 0.33. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $587.53 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $535.59. The company has a quick ratio of 0.82, a current ratio of 1.05 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.59.

Eli Lilly and Company Increases Dividend

Eli Lilly and Company ( NYSE:LLY Get Free Report ) last released its earnings results on Thursday, November 2nd. The company reported $0.10 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of ($0.08) by $0.18. The firm had revenue of $9.50 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $8.88 billion. Eli Lilly and Company had a net margin of 15.55% and a return on equity of 48.12%. On average, analysts expect that Eli Lilly and Company will post 6.6 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 4th. Investors of record on Thursday, February 15th will be issued a dividend of $1.30 per share. This is a positive change from Eli Lilly and Companys previous quarterly dividend of $1.13. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, February 14th. This represents a $5.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.91%. Eli Lilly and Companys dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 81.88%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of equities research analysts have weighed in on LLY shares. Citigroup upped their price objective on shares of Eli Lilly and Company from $525.00 to $675.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Monday, October 23rd. UBS Group reiterated a buy rating and issued a $710.00 target price (up previously from $612.00) on shares of Eli Lilly and Company in a research note on Friday, October 20th. Wells Fargo & Company upped their target price on shares of Eli Lilly and Company from $615.00 to $650.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research note on Monday, October 9th. Argus upped their target price 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. Finally, StockNews.com upgraded shares of Eli Lilly and Company from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note on Friday, November 3rd. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, two have assigned a hold rating and seventeen have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Eli Lilly and Company has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $583.24.

Check Out Our Latest Report on LLY

Insider Activity at Eli Lilly and Company

In related news, CAO Donald A. Zakrowski sold 670 shares of Eli Lilly and Company stock in a transaction dated Monday, November 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $571.10, for a total transaction of $382,637.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief accounting officer now owns 4,708 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,688,738.80. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. In related news, CAO Donald A. Zakrowski sold 670 shares of Eli Lilly and Company stock in a transaction dated Monday, November 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $571.10, for a total transaction of $382,637.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief accounting officer now owns 4,708 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,688,738.80. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Also, major shareholder Lilly Endowment Inc sold 215,000 shares of Eli Lilly and Company stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, October 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of $605.44, for a total transaction of $130,169,600.00. Following the sale, the insider now owns 99,768,810 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $60,404,028,326.40. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 0.13% of the stock is currently 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.

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Cooper Financial Group grew its holdings in iShares S&P 500 Growth ETF (NYSEARCA:IVW  Free Report) by 65.2% in the third quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The institutional investor owned 4,937 shares of the companys stock after acquiring an additional 1,949 shares during the quarter. Cooper Financial Groups holdings in iShares S&P 500 Growth ETF were worth $338,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other large investors have also recently made changes to their positions in IVW. Ironwood Wealth Management LLC. increased its position in shares of iShares S&P 500 Growth ETF by 19.0% during the first quarter. Ironwood Wealth Management LLC. now owns 184,517 shares of the companys stock worth $14,339,000 after purchasing an additional 29,518 shares in the last quarter. United Bank increased its position in shares of iShares S&P 500 Growth ETF by 7.3% during the first quarter. United Bank now owns 54,579 shares of the companys stock worth $4,169,000 after purchasing an additional 3,690 shares in the last quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp increased its position in shares of iShares S&P 500 Growth ETF by 4.0% during the first quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 245,020 shares of the companys stock worth $18,714,000 after purchasing an additional 9,526 shares in the last quarter. Blair William & Co. IL increased its position in shares of iShares S&P 500 Growth ETF by 0.5% during the first quarter. Blair William & Co. IL now owns 113,156 shares of the companys stock worth $8,643,000 after purchasing an additional 573 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Baird Financial Group Inc. increased its position in shares of iShares S&P 500 Growth ETF by 13.1% during the first quarter. Baird Financial Group Inc. now owns 702,440 shares of the companys stock worth $53,652,000 after purchasing an additional 81,527 shares in the last quarter.

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iShares S&P 500 Growth ETF Stock Performance

Shares of IVW opened at $75.04 on Friday. iShares S&P 500 Growth ETF has a one year low of $57.19 and a one year high of $75.56. The stock has a market capitalization of $36.76 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.15 and a beta of 1.05. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $71.16 and a 200 day moving average price of $70.57.

iShares S&P 500 Growth ETF Company Profile

iShares S&P 500 Growth ETF, formerly iShares S&P 500 Growth Index Fund (the Growth Fund), is an exchange-traded fund. The Fund seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance of the S&P 500/Citigroup Growth Index (the Growth Index). The Growth Index measures the performance of the large-capitalization growth sector of the United States equity market.

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Cooper Financial Group lessened its stake in John Hancock Multifactor Emerging Markets ETF (NYSEARCA:JHEM  Free Report) by 66.2% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 9,468 shares of the companys stock after selling 18,519 shares during the period. Cooper Financial Groups holdings in John Hancock Multifactor Emerging Markets ETF were worth $225,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of JHEM. IFP Advisors Inc boosted its position in John Hancock Multifactor Emerging Markets ETF by 14.0% during the 2nd quarter. IFP Advisors Inc now owns 23,538 shares of the companys stock valued at $592,000 after buying an additional 2,888 shares during the period. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of John Hancock Multifactor Emerging Markets ETF by 4.1% during the second quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. now owns 63,414 shares of the companys stock worth $1,568,000 after purchasing an additional 2,515 shares during the period. Private Advisor Group LLC purchased a new position in John Hancock Multifactor Emerging Markets ETF during the 2nd quarter valued at about $515,000. LPL Financial LLC increased its holdings in John Hancock Multifactor Emerging Markets ETF by 0.8% during the 2nd quarter. LPL Financial LLC now owns 370,599 shares of the companys stock valued at $9,165,000 after purchasing an additional 2,969 shares during the period. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company MN raised its position in John Hancock Multifactor Emerging Markets ETF by 173.8% during the 4th quarter. Wells Fargo & Company MN now owns 23,014 shares of the companys stock valued at $534,000 after purchasing an additional 14,609 shares during the last quarter.

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John Hancock Multifactor Emerging Markets ETF Stock Performance

Shares of JHEM stock opened at $25.20 on Friday. John Hancock Multifactor Emerging Markets ETF has a fifty-two week low of $22.78 and a fifty-two week high of $25.86. The firm has a market cap of $680.40 million, a P/E ratio of 9.49 and a beta of 0.76. The businesss 50 day moving average price is $24.20 and its 200-day moving average price is $24.43.

John Hancock Multifactor Emerging Markets ETF Profile

The John Hancock Multifactor Emerging Markets ETF (JHEM) is an exchange-traded fund that mostly invests in total market equity. The fund tracks a multi-factor weighted index of large- and mid-cap stocks from emerging markets. JHEM was launched on Sep 27, 2018 and is managed by John Hancock.

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Dash Acquisitions Inc. decreased its holdings in UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH  Free Report) by 4.2% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 575 shares of the healthcare conglomerates stock after selling 25 shares during the period. Dash Acquisitions Inc.s holdings in UnitedHealth Group were worth $302,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other large investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. Strategic Investment Solutions Inc. IL bought a new position in shares of UnitedHealth Group in the first quarter valued at approximately $35,000. WFA of San Diego LLC bought a new position in shares of UnitedHealth Group in the second quarter valued at approximately $39,000. RVW Wealth LLC bought a new position in shares of UnitedHealth Group in the third quarter valued at approximately $44,000. Grayhawk Investment Strategies Inc. lifted its position in UnitedHealth Group by 168.6% during the first quarter. Grayhawk Investment Strategies Inc. now owns 94 shares of the healthcare conglomerates stock valued at $60,000 after purchasing an additional 59 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Power Corp of Canada bought a new stake in UnitedHealth Group during the first quarter valued at approximately $48,000. 85.69% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

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Insider Activity at UnitedHealth Group

In related news, EVP Erin Mcsweeney sold 4,498 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, October 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $544.28, for a total transaction of $2,448,171.44. Following the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 9,218 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $5,017,173.04. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. In other news, Director Stephen J. Hemsley sold 121,515 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, October 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $540.58, for a total transaction of $65,688,578.70. Following the sale, the director now owns 521,818 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $282,084,374.44. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, EVP Erin Mcsweeney sold 4,498 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Monday, October 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $544.28, for a total transaction of $2,448,171.44. Following the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 9,218 shares in the company, valued at approximately $5,017,173.04. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last ninety days, insiders have sold 192,094 shares of company stock valued at $104,507,072. 0.35% of the stock is owned by insiders.

UnitedHealth Group Stock Up 0.1 %

Shares of NYSE UNH opened at $520.31 on Friday. The company has a current ratio of 0.80, a quick ratio of 0.80 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.65. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has a 12 month low of $445.68 and a 12 month high of $554.70. The firm has a market capitalization of $481.25 billion, a PE ratio of 22.58, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.57 and a beta of 0.61. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $536.71 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $507.56.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH  Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Friday, October 13th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $6.56 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $6.33 by $0.23. The company had revenue of $92.36 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $91.41 billion. UnitedHealth Group had a net margin of 6.02% and a return on equity of 26.58%. UnitedHealth Groups quarterly revenue was up 14.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the business earned $5.79 EPS. Equities analysts expect that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 24.95 earnings per share for the current year.

UnitedHealth Group Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, December 12th. Investors of record on Monday, December 4th were given a dividend of $1.88 per share. This represents a $7.52 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.45%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, December 1st. UnitedHealth Groups dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 32.64%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several equities research analysts have issued reports on the stock. Cantor Fitzgerald reiterated an overweight rating and set a $591.00 target price on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research report on Tuesday, November 21st. Jefferies Financial Group dropped their target price on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $565.00 to $503.00 and set a hold rating for the company in a research report on Monday, November 20th. Morgan Stanley lowered their price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $587.00 to $579.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a report on Monday, October 23rd. HSBC reaffirmed a reduce rating and issued a $480.00 price objective (down previously from $550.00) on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research note on Monday, December 18th. Finally, UBS Group raised shares of UnitedHealth Group from a neutral rating to a buy rating and upped their price objective for the company from $520.00 to $640.00 in a research note on Monday, October 16th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, one has assigned a hold rating, fourteen have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $574.89.

Get Our Latest Stock Report on UnitedHealth Group

About UnitedHealth Group

(Free Report)

UnitedHealth Group Incorporated operates as a diversified health care company in the United States. It operates through four segments: UnitedHealthcare, Optum Health, Optum Insight, and Optum Rx. The UnitedHealthcare segment offers consumer-oriented health benefit plans and services for national employers, public sector employers, mid-sized employers, small businesses, and individuals; health care coverage, and health and well-being services to individuals age 50 and older addressing their needs; Medicaid plans, children's health insurance and health care programs; and health and dental benefits, and hospital and clinical services, as well as health care benefits products and services to state programs caring for the economically disadvantaged, medically underserved, and those without the benefit of employer-funded health care coverage.

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A volunteer stands at the San Francisco SPCA Holiday Windows, where puppies and kittens for adoption are displayed at Macys Union Square in San Francisco. COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations are rising rapidly in the Bay Area ahead of the holiday weekend, propelled by the nationwide surge of the newly identified JN.1 coronavirus variant. Stephen Lam/The Chronicle Shoppers and tourists walk through Union Square beneath a large Christmas tree in San Francisco. COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations are rising rapidly in the Bay Area ahead of the holiday weekend, propelled by the nationwide surge of the newly identified JN.1 coronavirus variant. Jessica Christian/The Chronicle San Franciscos Union Square, seen from the fifth floor of Macys department store. COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations are rising rapidly in the Bay Area ahead of the holiday weekend, propelled by the nationwide surge of the newly identified JN.1 coronavirus variant. Aidin Vaziri/The Chronicle

UPDATE: COVID hospitalizations and deaths in California expected to keep rising into new year

The Bay Area is experiencing a rapid increase in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations ahead of the holiday weekend, driven by the nationwide surge of the newly identified JN.1 coronavirus variant. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the omicron offshoot now accounts for approximately 44.1% of cases, doubling from an estimated 21.3% two weeks ago.

COVID in the Bay Area: Track virus levels with wastewater data

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Holiday gatherings amplify concerns

As winter officially begins and holiday gatherings move indoors, public health officials anticipate even more COVID-19 cases in the new year. Dr. Manisha Patel from the CDC said, Folks are traveling a lot more this season. They want to see their families, and all of that adds to the mix.

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Maria Van Kerkhove, the World Health Organizations technical lead for COVID-19, warns that the currently circulating respiratory viruses will seize on the holiday season: As people gather they spend more time indoors, especially if theres poor ventilation, these pathogens that spread efficiently between people and through the air will take advantage.

Emergency department visits across the nation are on the rise, with COVID-19 admissions for adults increasing by over 16,000 in the past month and influenza admissions spiking by nearly 55,200. California ranks among the states with the highest levels of respiratory virus activity in the country, accounting for almost 5% of all emergency department visits. Over the summer, that number had dipped below 0.7%.

Dr. Mandy Cohen, the director of the CDC, cautioned that these figures are likely to rise further. Were seeing RSV peak a bit sooner, but we do not believe were near yet at the peak of flu or COVID, she told NBC News.

COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations are rising rapidly in the Bay Area ahead of the holiday weekend, propelled by the nationwide surge of the newly identified JN.1 coronavirus variant. Apu Gomes/AFP via Getty Images

JN.1 symptoms to watch

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Cohen stressed that COVID-19 continues to be the primary cause of severe illnesses in the current tripledemic, although not reaching the levels observed in the first three years of the pandemic. She noted, COVID is causing the most hospitalizations and deaths of all the viruses, but its not seeming to be more severe than what we were seeing last year at this time, which is good news.

The rapid spread of JN.1 prompted the World Health Organization to elevate its classification to a variant of interest on Tuesday, the second-highest tier. Experts indicate that while this strain doesnt seem to induce more severe illness than previous variants, it does exhibit increased transmissibility between individuals.

We are seeing JN.1 quickly become the dominant version of the COVID virus, which tells us it is more transmissible, Cohen said. The good news is, we dont see an increase in severity.

Although neither organization tracks the evolution of symptoms, health officials have noticed symptoms similar to those caused by previous strains, with sore throat and congestion being the most common early indicators. In severe cases, patients may experience shortness of breath, chest pain and discolored skin.

Mitigation measures crucial

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Despite the availability of a new COVID-19 vaccine targeting the XBB.1.5 variant since September, only 18% of adults and 8% of children aged 6 months and older have received these latest shots. A recent preprint study indicates that these vaccines also exhibit efficacy against the JN.1 variant.

Proven mitigation measures, such as vaccination, handwashing, proper ventilation, mask-wearing and regular testing, continue to be effective. Dr. Bob Wachter, chair of the department of medicine at UCSF, stressed the need for vigilance.

Given a moderate uptick in COVID over the past two months, Im back to masking in crowded and poorly ventilated places, particularly when I dont need to talk, he said in a social media thread this week. When I do mask, I always use an N95; I see no reason to wear a less effective mask.

Cohen underscored the importance of considering those around you when implementing mitigation measures and urged individuals to stay home if feeling sick.

Are you going to Christmas with the grandparents? Are you going to be around work colleagues who are fighting cancer? Cohen said. Make sure that you as an individual are thinking not just about yourself.
EnerSys (NYSE:ENS  Get Free Report) issued an update on its third quarter 2024 earnings guidance on Wednesday morning. The company provided earnings per share (EPS) guidance of 2.500-2.600 for the period, compared to the consensus estimate of 1.850. The company issued revenue guidance of -.

EnerSys Trading Up 0.5 %

Shares of NYSE:ENS opened at $102.51 on Friday. The stock has a 50 day moving average of $90.60 and a 200 day moving average of $98.13. The company has a market cap of $4.14 billion, a PE ratio of 17.58, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.91 and a beta of 1.33. The company has a current ratio of 2.68, a quick ratio of 1.52 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.57. EnerSys has a 12-month low of $71.77 and a 12-month high of $113.34.

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EnerSys (NYSE:ENS  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, November 8th. The industrial products company reported $1.84 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.80 by $0.04. EnerSys had a return on equity of 17.45% and a net margin of 6.51%. The business had revenue of $901.00 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $914.38 million. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $1.11 EPS. The firms revenue for the quarter was up .2% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, equities research analysts expect that EnerSys will post 7.6 EPS for the current year.

EnerSys Dividend Announcement

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, December 29th. Stockholders of record on Friday, December 15th will be issued a dividend of $0.225 per share. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, December 14th. This represents a $0.90 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.88%. EnerSyss dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 15.44%.

ENS has been the topic of several recent research reports. StockNews.com raised EnerSys from a buy rating to a strong-buy rating in a report on Saturday. William Blair cut EnerSys from an outperform rating to a market perform rating in a report on Monday, November 6th. Finally, Oppenheimer upped their price objective on EnerSys from $110.00 to $116.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Wednesday.

Read Our Latest Research Report on EnerSys

Institutional Trading of EnerSys

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of ENS. Point72 Asset Management L.P. purchased a new stake in EnerSys during the 2nd quarter valued at $28,000. Quarry LP increased its stake in EnerSys by 625.6% in the second quarter. Quarry LP now owns 312 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $34,000 after purchasing an additional 269 shares during the period. Quantbot Technologies LP purchased a new stake in EnerSys in the first quarter worth $60,000. Covestor Ltd increased its stake in EnerSys by 58.2% in the first quarter. Covestor Ltd now owns 930 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $69,000 after purchasing an additional 342 shares during the period. Finally, SkyView Investment Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in EnerSys in the first quarter worth $87,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 91.56% of the companys stock.

About EnerSys

(Get Free Report)

EnerSys provides various stored energy solutions for industrial applications worldwide. It operates in three segments: Energy Systems, Motive Power, and Specialty. The company offers uninterruptible power systems applications for computer and computer-controlled systems, as well as telecommunications systems; switchgear and electrical control systems used in industrial facilities and electric utilities, large-scale energy storage, and energy pipelines; integrated power solutions and services to broadband, telecom, renewable, and industrial customers; and thermally managed cabinets and enclosures for electronic equipment and batteries.

Further Reading

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HB Wealth Management LLC cut its stake in Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE  Free Report) by 0.8% during the third quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The fund owned 205,181 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock after selling 1,724 shares during the quarter. HB Wealth Management LLCs holdings in Pfizer were worth $6,806,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of PFE. Worth Asset Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Pfizer during the 1st quarter worth about $29,000. Hibernia Wealth Partners LLC acquired a new position in Pfizer in the third quarter worth approximately $37,000. Steward Financial Group LLC acquired a new position in Pfizer in the second quarter worth approximately $43,000. VitalStone Financial LLC lifted its stake in Pfizer by 179.3% in the second quarter. VitalStone Financial LLC now owns 1,106 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock valued at $45,000 after acquiring an additional 710 shares during the last quarter. Finally, DHJJ Financial Advisors Ltd. bought a new stake in Pfizer in the third quarter worth approximately $45,000. 68.05% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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Pfizer Stock Up 0.4 %

NYSE PFE opened at $28.41 on Friday. Pfizer Inc. has a twelve month low of $25.76 and a twelve month high of $51.95. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.63, a quick ratio of 2.05 and a current ratio of 2.38. The stock has a market cap of $160.41 billion, a PE ratio of 15.52, a PEG ratio of 2.58 and a beta of 0.61. The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $29.76 and a 200 day simple moving average of $33.70.

Pfizer Increases Dividend

Pfizer ( NYSE:PFE Get Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, October 31st. The biopharmaceutical company reported ($0.17) EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of ($0.32) by $0.15. The company had revenue of $13.23 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $13.77 billion. Pfizer had a return on equity of 16.72% and a net margin of 15.30%. On average, research analysts forecast that Pfizer Inc. will post 1.53 EPS for the current year.

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 1st. Stockholders of record on Friday, January 26th will be paid a $0.42 dividend. This is a boost from Pfizers previous quarterly dividend of $0.41. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, January 25th. This represents a $1.68 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 5.91%. Pfizers dividend payout ratio is currently 89.62%.

Insider Transactions at Pfizer

In other Pfizer news, Director Scott Gottlieb bought 3,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, December 15th. The shares were acquired at an average price of $26.47 per share, with a total value of $79,410.00. Following the completion of the purchase, the director now directly owns 9,000 shares in the company, valued at approximately $238,230. The acquisition was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. 0.05% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of research analysts have recently weighed in on PFE shares. Wells Fargo & Company cut their price target on shares of Pfizer from $39.00 to $35.00 and set an equal weight rating on the stock in a report on Monday, October 16th. Truist Financial cut their target price on Pfizer from $42.00 to $36.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, December 14th. UBS Group decreased their price target on Pfizer from $34.00 to $27.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, December 14th. Jefferies Financial Group raised Pfizer from a hold rating to a buy rating and raised their price objective for the company from $38.00 to $39.00 in a research note on Monday, October 16th. Finally, TheStreet cut Pfizer from a b- rating to a c+ rating in a research report on Monday, September 25th. Twelve investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $40.35.

View Our Latest Stock Analysis on PFE

About Pfizer

(Free Report)

Pfizer Inc discovers, develops, manufactures, markets, distributes, and sells biopharmaceutical products worldwide. It offers medicines and vaccines in various therapeutic areas, including cardiovascular metabolic, migraine, and women's health under the Eliquis, Nurtec ODT/Vydura, and the Premarin family brands; infectious diseases with unmet medical needs under the Prevnar family, Nimenrix, FSME/IMMUN-TicoVac, and Trumenba brands; and COVID-19 prevention and treatment, and potential future mRNA and antiviral products under the Comirnaty and Paxlovid brands.

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Kentucky Retirement Systems Insurance Trust Fund purchased a new position in shares of Las Vegas Sands Corp. (NYSE:LVS  Free Report) in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The institutional investor purchased 12,716 shares of the casino operators stock, valued at approximately $583,000.

A number of other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of LVS. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors Inc. boosted its position in Las Vegas Sands by 13.9% during the 1st quarter. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors Inc. now owns 46,767 shares of the casino operators stock worth $1,818,000 after acquiring an additional 5,716 shares during the last quarter. American Century Companies Inc. raised its stake in shares of Las Vegas Sands by 17.1% during the 1st quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 13,612 shares of the casino operators stock worth $529,000 after purchasing an additional 1,985 shares in the last quarter. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. raised its stake in shares of Las Vegas Sands by 6.9% during the 1st quarter. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. now owns 33,282 shares of the casino operators stock worth $1,294,000 after purchasing an additional 2,145 shares in the last quarter. Cetera Advisor Networks LLC raised its stake in shares of Las Vegas Sands by 26.7% during the 1st quarter. Cetera Advisor Networks LLC now owns 13,502 shares of the casino operators stock worth $525,000 after purchasing an additional 2,848 shares in the last quarter. Finally, PNC Financial Services Group Inc. raised its stake in shares of Las Vegas Sands by 47.6% during the 1st quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 27,000 shares of the casino operators stock worth $1,050,000 after purchasing an additional 8,711 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 39.16% of the companys stock.

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Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

LVS has been the topic of a number of analyst reports. StockNews.com cut Las Vegas Sands from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Friday, December 8th. UBS Group upped their price objective on Las Vegas Sands from $71.00 to $77.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Thursday, November 16th. Susquehanna started coverage on Las Vegas Sands in a research note on Friday, December 15th. They issued a positive rating and a $59.00 price target on the stock. Morgan Stanley dropped their price target on Las Vegas Sands from $68.00 to $64.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, October 13th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. dropped their price target on Las Vegas Sands from $71.00 to $64.00 in a research note on Tuesday, September 26th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and thirteen have given a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $68.97.

Las Vegas Sands Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE LVS opened at $48.92 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.82, a current ratio of 1.50 and a quick ratio of 1.50. The stocks fifty day moving average price is $47.56 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $51.80. Las Vegas Sands Corp. has a one year low of $43.77 and a one year high of $65.58. The firm has a market cap of $37.13 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 55.59, a P/E/G ratio of 3.66 and a beta of 1.13.

Las Vegas Sands (NYSE:LVS  Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, October 18th. The casino operator reported $0.55 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, hitting the consensus estimate of $0.55. The company had revenue of $2.80 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.72 billion. Las Vegas Sands had a return on equity of 21.05% and a net margin of 7.81%. Las Vegas Sandss quarterly revenue was up 178.1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted ($0.27) EPS. On average, equities analysts forecast that Las Vegas Sands Corp. will post 1.91 EPS for the current year.

Las Vegas Sands Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, November 15th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, November 7th were issued a dividend of $0.20 per share. This represents a $0.80 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.64%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, November 6th. Las Vegas Sandss dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 90.91%.

Las Vegas Sands announced that its board has authorized a stock repurchase plan on Wednesday, October 18th that allows the company to repurchase $2.00 billion in outstanding shares. This repurchase authorization allows the casino operator to purchase up to 5.5% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares repurchase plans are typically a sign that the companys leadership believes its stock is undervalued.

Insider Transactions at Las Vegas Sands

In other news, major shareholder Miriam Adelson sold 12,253,628 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, December 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $43.23, for a total transaction of $529,724,338.44. Following the sale, the insider now directly owns 41,134,164 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,778,229,909.72. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. 0.91% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Las Vegas Sands Profile

(Free Report)

Las Vegas Sands Corp., together with its subsidiaries, develops, owns, and operates integrated resorts in Macao and Singapore. It owns and operates The Venetian Macao Resort Hotel, the Londoner Macao, The Parisian Macao, The Plaza Macao and Four Seasons Hotel Macao, Cotai Strip, and the Sands Macao in Macao, the People's Republic of China; and Marina Bay Sands in Singapore.

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Laurentian Bank of Canada (TSE:LB  Free Report) had its price objective lowered by Desjardins from C$28.00 to C$27.00 in a report published on Tuesday morning, BayStreet.CA reports. The brokerage currently has a hold rating on the stock.

Other analysts have also issued reports about the stock. Barclays cut their target price on shares of Laurentian Bank of Canada from C$42.00 to C$32.00 in a research note on Friday, September 15th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods lowered their target price on shares of Laurentian Bank of Canada from C$33.00 to C$28.09 and set a market perform rating for the company in a report on Thursday, November 23rd. Cormark downgraded shares of Laurentian Bank of Canada from a buy rating to a market perform rating and dropped their target price for the company from C$43.00 to C$40.00 in a research report on Thursday, September 14th. National Bankshares reduced their price target on shares of Laurentian Bank of Canada from C$27.00 to C$26.00 and set an underperform rating for the company in a research report on Monday, December 11th. Finally, CIBC dropped their price objective on Laurentian Bank of Canada from C$35.00 to C$32.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a report on Friday, December 8th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, ten have given a hold rating and one has given a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of C$31.09.

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Get Our Latest Stock Analysis on Laurentian Bank of Canada

Laurentian Bank of Canada Stock Performance

LB stock opened at C$27.00 on Tuesday. The companys 50 day moving average price is C$25.96 and its 200 day moving average price is C$32.20. Laurentian Bank of Canada has a fifty-two week low of C$24.92 and a fifty-two week high of C$48.23. The firm has a market capitalization of C$1.18 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 6.94, a PEG ratio of 0.76 and a beta of 1.28.

Laurentian Bank of Canada (TSE:LB  Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Thursday, December 7th. The company reported C$1.00 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of C$1.13 by C($0.13). Laurentian Bank of Canada had a return on equity of 6.42% and a net margin of 18.79%. The firm had revenue of C$247.45 million for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of C$261.30 million. Equities analysts forecast that Laurentian Bank of Canada will post 4.440536 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Laurentian Bank of Canada Dividend Announcement

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, February 1st. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, January 3rd will be paid a $0.47 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, January 2nd. This represents a $1.88 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 6.96%. Laurentian Bank of Canadas dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 48.33%.

About Laurentian Bank of Canada

(Get Free Report)

Laurentian Bank of Canada, together with its subsidiaries, provides various financial services to personal, business, and institutional customers in Canada and the United States. It operates through three segments: Personal Banking, Commercial Banking, and Capital Markets. The Personal Banking segment offers financial services, such as financial advisory services to financial intermediaries; and operates digital direct-to-customer platform to retail clients.

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McKinley Carter Wealth Services Inc. cut its holdings in shares of Philip Morris International Inc. (NYSE:PM  Free Report) by 6.5% during the 3rd quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The institutional investor owned 2,533 shares of the companys stock after selling 175 shares during the period. McKinley Carter Wealth Services Inc.s holdings in Philip Morris International were worth $235,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other large investors also recently modified their holdings of PM. PCA Investment Advisory Services Inc. acquired a new position in Philip Morris International during the second quarter worth approximately $27,000. Barrett & Company Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Philip Morris International during the 1st quarter worth approximately $32,000. DHJJ Financial Advisors Ltd. bought a new stake in Philip Morris International in the 3rd quarter valued at $36,000. Spotlight Asset Group Inc. acquired a new stake in Philip Morris International during the 2nd quarter valued at $37,000. Finally, VitalStone Financial LLC increased its holdings in shares of Philip Morris International by 950.0% in the second quarter. VitalStone Financial LLC now owns 420 shares of the companys stock valued at $41,000 after purchasing an additional 380 shares during the last quarter. 79.70% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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Insider Activity

In related news, insider Wilde Frederic De sold 10,000 shares of Philip Morris International stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, November 28th. The shares were sold at an average price of $94.25, for a total transaction of $942,500.00. Following the sale, the insider now directly owns 198,447 shares in the company, valued at approximately $18,703,629.75. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Insiders own 0.13% of the companys stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

PM has been the subject of a number of research reports. UBS Group reduced their target price on shares of Philip Morris International from $116.00 to $112.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a report on Thursday, October 5th. Barclays decreased their target price on Philip Morris International from $115.00 to $110.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, September 21st. Redburn Atlantic assumed coverage on Philip Morris International in a report on Thursday, November 16th. They set a neutral rating and a $95.00 price target for the company. Morgan Stanley reduced their price target on Philip Morris International from $118.00 to $113.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research note on Monday, October 2nd. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their price objective on Philip Morris International from $110.00 to $115.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Wednesday, November 29th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, two have given a hold rating and eight have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $109.27.

View Our Latest Report on Philip Morris International

Philip Morris International Price Performance

NYSE PM opened at $92.94 on Friday. The business has a fifty day moving average price of $92.05 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $94.31. The stock has a market capitalization of $144.28 billion, a PE ratio of 18.05, a PEG ratio of 2.58 and a beta of 0.77. Philip Morris International Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $87.23 and a fifty-two week high of $105.62.

Philip Morris International (NYSE:PM  Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, October 19th. The company reported $1.67 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.62 by $0.05. The business had revenue of $9.14 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $9.21 billion. Philip Morris International had a negative return on equity of 129.48% and a net margin of 9.62%. Philip Morris Internationals revenue for the quarter was up 13.8% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $1.53 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts expect that Philip Morris International Inc. will post 6.08 earnings per share for the current year.

Philip Morris International Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, January 10th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, December 21st will be given a $1.30 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, December 20th. This represents a $5.20 annualized dividend and a yield of 5.60%. Philip Morris Internationals dividend payout ratio is presently 100.97%.

Philip Morris International Company Profile

(Free Report)

Philip Morris International Inc operates as a tobacco company working to delivers a smoke-free future and evolving portfolio for the long-term to include products outside of the tobacco and nicotine sector. The company's product portfolio primarily consists of cigarettes and smoke-free products, including heat-not-burn, vapor, and oral nicotine products primarily under the IQOS and ZYN brands; and consumer accessories, such as lighters and matches.

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McKinley Carter Wealth Services Inc. acquired a new position in shares of SPDR S&P Aerospace & Defense ETF (NYSEARCA:XAR  Free Report) in the 3rd quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The fund acquired 2,218 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $249,000.

Several other large investors also recently made changes to their positions in the business. Bank of New York Mellon Corp increased its holdings in SPDR S&P Aerospace & Defense ETF by 21.9% in the 1st quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 2,438 shares of the companys stock valued at $304,000 after purchasing an additional 438 shares in the last quarter. HighTower Advisors LLC grew its stake in shares of SPDR S&P Aerospace & Defense ETF by 11.4% in the first quarter. HighTower Advisors LLC now owns 12,068 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,505,000 after buying an additional 1,233 shares in the last quarter. Bank of Montreal Can raised its holdings in shares of SPDR S&P Aerospace & Defense ETF by 295.7% during the 1st quarter. Bank of Montreal Can now owns 1,579 shares of the companys stock valued at $201,000 after buying an additional 1,180 shares during the period. Synovus Financial Corp acquired a new position in SPDR S&P Aerospace & Defense ETF during the 1st quarter worth approximately $548,000. Finally, Cibc World Market Inc. boosted its holdings in SPDR S&P Aerospace & Defense ETF by 61.6% in the 1st quarter. Cibc World Market Inc. now owns 5,746 shares of the companys stock worth $716,000 after acquiring an additional 2,190 shares during the period.

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SPDR S&P Aerospace & Defense ETF Price Performance

SPDR S&P Aerospace & Defense ETF stock opened at $135.53 on Friday. SPDR S&P Aerospace & Defense ETF has a 12-month low of $107.85 and a 12-month high of $135.94. The company has a market capitalization of $1.73 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.50 and a beta of 1.09. The firms fifty day moving average price is $124.19 and its 200 day moving average price is $120.83.

About SPDR S&P Aerospace & Defense ETF

The SPDR S&P Aerospace & Defense ETF (XAR) is an exchange-traded fund that mostly invests in industrials equity. The fund tracks an equal-weighted index of US aerospace & defense companies. XAR was launched on Sep 28, 2011 and is managed by State Street.

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Orla Mining (TSE:OLA  Get Free Report) had its price objective decreased by Stifel Nicolaus from C$6.50 to C$5.25 in a research note issued to investors on Thursday, BayStreet.CA reports. The brokerage presently has a buy rating on the stock. Stifel Nicolaus target price suggests a potential upside of 16.67% from the stocks previous close.

A number of other analysts have also recently weighed in on OLA. BMO Capital Markets lowered their price target on shares of Orla Mining from C$8.00 to C$7.50 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday. Royal Bank of Canada set a C$6.00 price target on shares of Orla Mining and gave the company an outperform rating in a report on Friday, December 15th. Cormark lowered their price target on shares of Orla Mining from C$6.50 to C$5.00 in a report on Wednesday, November 15th. Finally, TD Securities cut shares of Orla Mining from a buy rating to a hold rating and lowered their price target for the company from C$5.50 to C$4.50 in a report on Monday, December 11th.

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Read Our Latest Stock Report on Orla Mining

Orla Mining Trading Up 0.9 %

TSE OLA opened at C$4.50 on Thursday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 30.49, a quick ratio of 1.22 and a current ratio of 2.91. The company has a market capitalization of C$1.41 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 20.45 and a beta of 1.56. The companys 50-day simple moving average is C$4.22 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is C$5.20. Orla Mining has a one year low of C$3.53 and a one year high of C$6.90.

Orla Mining (TSE:OLA  Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Monday, November 13th. The company reported C$0.03 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of C$0.06 by C($0.03). The business had revenue of C$80.89 million for the quarter. Orla Mining had a net margin of 22.04% and a return on equity of 12.06%. Equities analysts forecast that Orla Mining will post 0.324547 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insider Buying and Selling at Orla Mining

In other Orla Mining news, Senior Officer John Andrew Cormier acquired 7,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Wednesday, December 13th. The stock was acquired at an average cost of C$3.83 per share, for a total transaction of C$26,792.50. In other news, Director Jason Douglas Simpson bought 37,964 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Monday, December 4th. The stock was purchased at an average cost of C$4.09 per share, with a total value of C$155,409.43. Also, Senior Officer John Andrew Cormier bought 7,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, December 13th. The shares were purchased at an average cost of C$3.83 per share, with a total value of C$26,792.50. Company insiders own 35.00% of the companys stock.

Orla Mining Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Orla Mining Ltd. acquires, explores, operates, and develops mineral properties. The company explores for gold, silver, zinc, lead, and copper deposits. It owns 100% interests in the Camino Rojo project that consists of seven concessions covering an area of 138,636 hectares located in Zacatecas, Mexico; and Cerro Quema project totaling an area of 14,893 hectares located in the Azuero Peninsula, Panama.

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PFG Advisors reduced its stake in shares of Medtronic plc (NYSE:MDT  Free Report) by 10.3% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 11,631 shares of the medical technology companys stock after selling 1,334 shares during the quarter. PFG Advisors holdings in Medtronic were worth $911,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund lifted its holdings in shares of Medtronic by 307.2% during the second quarter. Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund now owns 119,389 shares of the medical technology companys stock valued at $10,518,000 after acquiring an additional 90,068 shares during the period. Toronto Dominion Bank lifted its holdings in shares of Medtronic by 109.0% during the first quarter. Toronto Dominion Bank now owns 802,643 shares of the medical technology companys stock valued at $64,674,000 after acquiring an additional 418,648 shares during the period. Perceptive Advisors LLC bought a new position in shares of Medtronic during the second quarter valued at $41,143,000. Trust Co. of Toledo NA OH lifted its holdings in shares of Medtronic by 20.6% during the second quarter. Trust Co. of Toledo NA OH now owns 17,220 shares of the medical technology companys stock valued at $1,517,000 after acquiring an additional 2,940 shares during the period. Finally, Viawealth LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Medtronic by 3.3% during the first quarter. Viawealth LLC now owns 12,085 shares of the medical technology companys stock valued at $974,000 after acquiring an additional 390 shares during the period. 80.75% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

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Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of brokerages have issued reports on MDT. StockNews.com began coverage on Medtronic in a report on Thursday, October 5th. They set a buy rating for the company. Truist Financial upped their price target on shares of Medtronic from $84.00 to $87.00 and gave the stock a hold rating in a research report on Friday. Royal Bank of Canada restated a sector perform rating and set a $82.00 target price on shares of Medtronic in a research report on Wednesday, November 22nd. Finally, Morgan Stanley cut their target price on shares of Medtronic from $104.00 to $98.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, November 22nd. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, four have issued a hold rating and seven have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, Medtronic has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $93.08.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, EVP Brett A. Wall sold 4,997 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, December 19th. The stock was sold at an average price of $82.17, for a total transaction of $410,603.49. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 28,910 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $2,375,534.70. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. 0.30% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Medtronic Stock Performance

Shares of MDT stock opened at $81.93 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.46, a current ratio of 2.29 and a quick ratio of 1.69. The stock has a market cap of $108.93 billion, a PE ratio of 26.69, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.99 and a beta of 0.73. The stock has a 50-day moving average of $75.99 and a 200-day moving average of $80.82. Medtronic plc has a one year low of $68.84 and a one year high of $92.02.

Medtronic (NYSE:MDT  Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Tuesday, November 21st. The medical technology company reported $1.25 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $1.18 by $0.07. Medtronic had a return on equity of 13.73% and a net margin of 12.83%. The business had revenue of $7.98 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $7.93 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $1.30 EPS. Medtronics revenue for the quarter was up 5.3% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, sell-side analysts expect that Medtronic plc will post 5.16 earnings per share for the current year.

Medtronic Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, January 12th. Investors of record on Wednesday, December 20th will be paid a dividend of $0.69 per share. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, December 19th. This represents a $2.76 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.37%. Medtronics payout ratio is 89.90%.

Medtronic Profile

(Free Report)

Medtronic plc develops, manufactures, and sells device-based medical therapies to healthcare systems, physicians, clinicians, and patients worldwide. Its Cardiovascular Portfolio segment offers implantable cardiac pacemakers, cardioverter defibrillators, and cardiac resynchronization therapy devices; cardiac ablation products; insertable cardiac monitor systems; TYRX products; and remote monitoring and patient-centered software.

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Russel Metals (TSE:RUS  Free Report) had its price objective hoisted by Raymond James from C$47.00 to C$50.00 in a research note published on Wednesday, BayStreet.CA reports.

Other research analysts have also recently issued reports about the company. Scotiabank boosted their target price on Russel Metals from C$43.00 to C$46.50 and gave the company a sector perform rating in a research note on Tuesday, December 5th. BMO Capital Markets lifted their target price on Russel Metals from C$41.00 to C$44.00 in a research note on Monday, December 11th. Royal Bank of Canada raised their target price on shares of Russel Metals from C$42.00 to C$47.00 in a report on Tuesday. National Bank Financial upgraded shares of Russel Metals from a sector perform market weight rating to an outperform market weight rating in a research report on Monday, December 4th. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus increased their price objective on shares of Russel Metals from C$46.00 to C$48.00 in a research note on Tuesday, December 5th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, Russel Metals has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of C$47.36.

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Russel Metals Price Performance

Russel Metals stock opened at C$44.67 on Wednesday. The firm has a market capitalization of C$2.72 billion, a P/E ratio of 9.97, a PEG ratio of 0.59 and a beta of 1.48. The business has a 50-day moving average of C$38.48 and a 200-day moving average of C$37.98. The company has a current ratio of 3.93, a quick ratio of 1.44 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 25.29. Russel Metals has a 1 year low of C$27.95 and a 1 year high of C$45.44.

Russel Metals (TSE:RUS  Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, November 8th. The company reported C$0.99 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of C$0.91 by C$0.08. Russel Metals had a net margin of 6.05% and a return on equity of 17.31%. The company had revenue of C$1.11 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of C$1.12 billion. On average, equities analysts anticipate that Russel Metals will post 3.9656388 EPS for the current year.

Russel Metals Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, December 15th. Stockholders of record on Friday, December 15th were paid a $0.40 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, November 28th. This represents a $1.60 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.58%. Russel Metalss payout ratio is 35.71%.

Insider Transactions at Russel Metals

In other Russel Metals news, Director William Michael Oreilly sold 1,100 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Thursday, December 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of C$45.01, for a total value of C$49,513.97. In other news, Senior Officer Daniel Bailey sold 1,400 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Friday, December 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of C$44.37, for a total value of C$62,118.00. Also, Director William Michael Oreilly sold 1,100 shares of Russel Metals stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, December 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of C$45.01, for a total transaction of C$49,513.97. Corporate insiders own 0.80% of the companys stock.

About Russel Metals

(Get Free Report)

Russel Metals Inc operates as a metal distribution company in Canada and the United States. It operates through Metals Service Centers, Energy Field Stores, and Steel Distributors segments. The Metal Service Centers segment operates a network of metals service centers, which provide metal products in range of sizes, shapes, and specifications, including carbon hot rolled and cold finished steel, pipe and tubular, stainless steel, aluminum, and other non-ferrous specialty metal products.

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Squarespace (NYSE:SQSP  Get Free Report) and Data443 Risk Mitigation (OTCMKTS:ATDSD  Get Free Report) are both computer and technology companies, but which is the better business? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their dividends, valuation, earnings, analyst recommendations, profitability, institutional ownership and risk.

Volatility and Risk

Squarespace has a beta of 0.38, suggesting that its share price is 62% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Data443 Risk Mitigation has a beta of -4.77, suggesting that its share price is 577% less volatile than the S&P 500.

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Valuation and Earnings

This table compares Squarespace and Data443 Risk Mitigations revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation.

Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio Squarespace $866.97 million 5.05 -$252.22 million ($1.81) -17.78 Data443 Risk Mitigation $2.63 million 0.17 -$9.71 million N/A N/A

Analyst Recommendations

Data443 Risk Mitigation has lower revenue, but higher earnings than Squarespace.

This is a breakdown of current recommendations and price targets for Squarespace and Data443 Risk Mitigation, as provided by MarketBeat.

Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score Squarespace 0 7 8 0 2.53 Data443 Risk Mitigation 0 0 0 0 N/A

Squarespace presently has a consensus price target of $35.62, suggesting a potential upside of 10.64%. Given Squarespaces higher possible upside, analysts plainly believe Squarespace is more favorable than Data443 Risk Mitigation.

Profitability

This table compares Squarespace and Data443 Risk Mitigations net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets Squarespace -25.38% -2.24% -2.68% Data443 Risk Mitigation -186.45% N/A -259.30%

Institutional & Insider Ownership

43.7% of Squarespace shares are owned by institutional investors. 47.1% of Squarespace shares are owned by insiders. Comparatively, 12.3% of Data443 Risk Mitigation shares are owned by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that endowments, hedge funds and large money managers believe a company will outperform the market over the long term.

Summary

Squarespace beats Data443 Risk Mitigation on 9 of the 11 factors compared between the two stocks.

About Squarespace

(Get Free Report)

Squarespace, Inc. operates platform for businesses and independent creators to build online presence, grow their brands, and manage their businesses across the internet. Its suite of integrated products enables users to manage their projects and businesses through websites, domains, e-commerce, marketing tools, scheduling, and hospitality services, as well as tools for managing a social media presence. It serves a range of industries and sizes from sole proprietors to enterprises. Squarespace, Inc. was founded in 2003 and is headquartered in New York, New York.

About Data443 Risk Mitigation

(Get Free Report)

Data443 Risk Mitigation, Inc. provides data security and privacy management solutions in the United States. The company offers Ransomware Recovery Manager to recover a workstation upon infection to the last known business-operable state; Data Identification Manager, a data classification and governance technology that performs enhanced data discovery and content search of structured and unstructured data; Data Archive Manager, which provides enterprise data retention management and archiving solution; and Sensitive Content Manager, a cloud-based platform for the managing, protecting, and distributing digital content to the desktop and mobile devices. It also provides Data Placement Manager, a data transport, transformation, and delivery product; Access Control Manager that enables access controls across various platforms at scale for internal client systems and commercial public cloud platforms; Blockchain Protection Manager, which protects blockchain transactions from inadvertent disclosure and data leaks; and Global Privacy Manager, a privacy compliance and consumer loss mitigation platform. In addition, the company offers IntellyWP, a product for enhancing the user experience for content management platform; Chat History Scanner, which scans chat messages for compliance, security, personally identifiable information, personal information, payment card industry information, and custom keywords; and GDPR Framework, CCPA Framework, and LGPD Framework WordPress Plugins that enables organizations comply with European, California, and Brazilian privacy rules and regulations. It serves financial services, healthcare, manufacturing, retail, technology, and telecommunications industries. The company was formerly known as LandStar, Inc. and changed its name to Data443 Risk Mitigation, Inc. in October 2017. Data443 Risk Mitigation, Inc. was incorporated in 1998 and is headquartered in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina.

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In 2018, after Kathryn Hall got into a bicycle crash on the Golden Gate Bridge, the San Francisco Fire Department mistakenly sent her ambulance bill to the historic landmark itself. Later, after the citys collection agency threatened her with legal action, Hall unsuccessfully tried to explain to multiple agencies that she never got the bill and that her insurance should have covered most of the cost. Chronicle photo illustration; Stephen Lam/The Chronicle

The collection notices that arrived at Kathryn Halls San Francisco apartment in late 2021 and early 2022 carried a threat: Pay a $2,200 bill for an ambulance ride Hall had taken following a bicycle crash on the Golden Gate Bridge more than three years earlier, or face legal action.

Halls first thought, however, was  what bill?

Hall, a 39-year-old avid cyclist who works in the health insurance field, had never received an invoice for the 4-mile ambulance ride provided by the San Francisco Fire Department to the emergency room at St. Marys Medical Center near the Panhandle. Shed always assumed her insurance had covered the cost.

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She reluctantly complied with the collection notices and, on Jan. 31, 2022, paid $2,206.56 to the San Francisco Office of the Treasurer & Tax Collectors Bureau of Delinquent Revenue, putting it all on her credit card. Then Hall set about trying to get repaid, writing to the city and asking to see the original bill.

When a senior collections officer finally emailed it to her months later, Hall realized why she had never received it: The bill had been mailed to the Golden Gate Bridge. As in, the historical landmark. Specifically, to the toll plaza.

The screwup seemed like an easy fix to Hall, who thought that either the city, the city-contracted ambulance billing company or her insurance company would at least reimburse her for the portion her insurance would have covered at the time. Instead, Hall found herself on a yearslong odyssey during which each entity refused to help, leaving Hall stuck with the bill  and wanting to warn other San Francisco residents who might find themselves in similar situations.

I emailed everybody and got nowhere, Hall said in an interview. At the end of the day it is ridiculous that they improperly billed, and the joke is on me.

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Ambulance billing practices took center stage in the state Capitol this year when the governor signed a bill limiting how much ambulance operators can charge patients if the operator is out-of-network or the patient is uninsured. The changes take effect in January.

Although Halls case wouldnt fit under that law, the Chronicle found that critical gaps in the citys ambulance billing system, combined with a one-year limitation on filing both insurance and legal claims, left Hall to foot the full bill despite having a health insurance plan that should have covered 90% of the cost.

Officials with the Fire Department and the Bureau of Delinquent Revenue declined to comment specifically on her case.

A Fire Department spokesperson said that emergency crews attempt to obtain accurate information for every patient they help, but in some cases use the pickup address as the patients address when they have incomplete information. The spokesperson did not respond to a question about how often that occurs.

The city then sends that information to Digitech, a company the city contracts with to send ambulance bills on its behalf. Digitech, which receives a 3.5% commission on net collections, can also try to find location and insurance information for the patient, the Fire Department spokesperson said.

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The Department is working to establish data exchanges with SF hospitals in order to get more complete information on patients, but this is not a requirement that hospitals provide this, the spokesperson said in a statement. Given that many of these calls are emergencies, not all relevant data can be captured before a patient has their care transferred to the hospital.

A spokesperson for the company that owns Digitech did not respond to a request for comment.

If bills of more than $300 remain unpaid for more than 90 days, the debt is sent to the Bureau of Delinquent Revenue. Having received it, that department will also try to find location information for mailing delinquency notices, said spokesperson Amanda Kahn Fried.

Since 2017, the bureau has attempted to resolve more than 120,000 unpaid ambulance bills totaling more than $210 million, according to data provided by the city. Much of the remaining unpaid balance has been attributed in Fire Commission meetings to transports of unhoused individuals.

The patient is ultimately liable to pay for the services rendered to them, Fried said. Without a payment from their insurance the patient would be expected to pay the bill in full and would not be entitled to a refund, irrespective of the address being correct at the time or not.

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Hall said she was riding across the Golden Gate Bridge, heading into San Francisco, on July 6, 2018, when she was struck head-on by a cyclist going in the opposite direction. He was not looking my way, and I remember screaming for him to look up just seconds before impact, Hall recalled.

Rushed to St. Marys, she had X-rays taken of her knee and was screened for a mild concussion, she said. Halls health insurance provider, Blue Shield of California, covered its part of the hospital stay and, Hall assumed, the ambulance ride as well.

Hall didnt think anything more of it until more than three years later, when she started receiving the city collection notices. At first she thought it was a scam, someone fraudulently trying to get her to send them money. I thought it was fake, but I just kept getting them every week, she said.

Fearing she would have money taken out of her paycheck, lose her apartment or face legal action, Hall made the decision to pay the full amount with her credit card: $2,158 for the ambulance, plus a $48.56 service fee. It took me over a year to pay off, Hall said.

In the meantime, she sought answers from the city, emailing the Bureau of Delinquent Revenue for the original ambulance bill, which she needed to submit a claim to her insurance company. Months later, on April 4, 2022, the bureau sent her the Fire Departments itemized statement. She was stunned to see the original bill had been addressed to her at the Golden Gate Bridge toll plaza.

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I was like, Holy cow, this is what is going on,  Hall said. They had me living at the Golden Gate toll plaza.

But the discovery offered hope. I thought, OK, well, that is going to be my way forward to really argue my case, she said. Clearly there was a massive error here.

Over the next year and half, Hall said, she pursued every avenue she could think of to recoup the money. She submitted the claim to her insurance company and  having been denied due to a one-year statute of limitations  appealed to the California Department of Managed Health Care, which upheld the denial.

She sent a letter to the Fire Departments Disputes and Hardship post office box in Los Angeles complaining that the department had mishandled her bill. Of course no one resides at the Golden Gate Bridge, and it is the fault of the SFFD ambulance for sending a bill to a false address, she wrote. She never heard back.

This fall, she filed a claim with the city attorneys office, which also turned her down by citing a one-year statute of limitations on such complaints. Hall said part of the reason she missed the cutoff was she didnt even know she could file such a claim. At every stage, Hall said, it was difficult to figure out who to reach out to and what, exactly, to do.

It has been extremely stressful, she said. I think there is just this feeling of complete hopelessness.

By sharing her story, Hall said, she hopes others in similar situations will have a better idea of how to navigate them. Better yet, she said, health insurance companies and the city should adjust their policies so that people who are effectively billed years late can submit claims years later, too.

I am extremely passionate about health policy and improving the system, Hall said. And my experience is that there isnt just one bad player  it is a death by a thousand cuts, a slow chipping away at consumers.

So did the Golden Gate Bridge ever receive Halls bill? A spokesperson for the district that operates the bridge said it had no record of receiving it, noting that it was sent to 100 Golden Gate Br Toll Pz in Presidio CA.
Winland (OTCMKTS:WELX  Get Free Report) and Senseonics (NYSE:SENS  Get Free Report) are both small-cap finance companies, but which is the better stock? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their valuation, profitability, earnings, risk, analyst recommendations, institutional ownership and dividends.

Analyst Ratings

This is a summary of current ratings and target prices for Winland and Senseonics, as reported by MarketBeat.com.

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Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score Winland 0 0 0 0 N/A Senseonics 1 0 1 0 2.00

Senseonics has a consensus price target of $1.25, indicating a potential upside of 108.33%. Given Senseonics higher probable upside, analysts clearly believe Senseonics is more favorable than Winland.

Earnings & Valuation

Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio Winland N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A Senseonics $16.39 million 19.34 $142.12 million ($0.09) -6.67

This table compares Winland and Senseonics revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

Senseonics has higher revenue and earnings than Winland.

Insider and Institutional Ownership

16.6% of Senseonics shares are owned by institutional investors. 8.1% of Winland shares are owned by company insiders. Comparatively, 3.2% of Senseonics shares are owned by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, large money managers and endowments believe a company will outperform the market over the long term.

Volatility and Risk

Winland has a beta of 0.77, suggesting that its stock price is 23% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Senseonics has a beta of 0.94, suggesting that its stock price is 6% less volatile than the S&P 500.

Profitability

This table compares Winland and Senseonics net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets Winland N/A N/A N/A Senseonics -158.75% -111.66% -28.88%

Summary

Senseonics beats Winland on 5 of the 9 factors compared between the two stocks.

About Winland

(Get Free Report)

Winland Holdings Corporation, through its subsidiaries, provides critical condition monitoring devices to the security industry. Its products are used to protect against loss of assets due to damage from water, excess humidity, extremes of temperature, and loss of power. The company offers EnviroAlert, which monitors temperature, humidity, and/or water presence in critical environments; TempAlert, a temperature monitoring device for residential and commercial environments through security systems; WaterBug, a water presence and leak detection system; and Power-Out Alert, a power outage detector. It also provides INSIGHT, an automated cloud-based platform that offers early alerting, reporting, and logging services designed to ensure regulatory compliance. The company offers its products through a network of distributors, dealers, security installers, and integrators for industries including health and medical, grocery and food services, and commercial and industrial, as well as agriculture and residential. Winland Holdings Corporation was incorporated in 1972 and is headquartered in Mankato, Minnesota.

About Senseonics

(Get Free Report)

Senseonics Holdings, Inc., a medical technology company, develops and commercializes continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) systems for people with diabetes in the United States, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. The company's products include Eversense, Eversense XL, and Eversense E3 which are implantable CGM systems to measure glucose levels in people with diabetes through an under-the-skin sensor, a removable and rechargeable smart transmitter, and a convenient app for real-time diabetes monitoring and management for a period of up to six months. It serves healthcare providers and patients through a network of distributors and strategic fulfillment partners. The company has a collaboration agreement with the University Hospitals Accountable Care Organization. Senseonics Holdings, Inc. was founded in 1996 and is headquartered in Germantown, Maryland.

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Stelco (TSE:STLC  Free Report) had its price objective upped by Royal Bank of Canada from C$41.00 to C$46.00 in a report issued on Tuesday morning, BayStreet.CA reports.

STLC has been the subject of a number of other research reports. Scotiabank lifted their price objective on Stelco from C$42.50 to C$46.00 and gave the stock a sector perform rating in a research report on Monday, November 13th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upgraded Stelco from a neutral rating to an overweight rating and lifted their price objective for the stock from C$45.00 to C$52.00 in a research report on Tuesday, December 12th. Cormark lifted their price objective on Stelco from C$50.00 to C$53.50 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Friday, November 10th. BMO Capital Markets lifted their price objective on Stelco from C$55.00 to C$58.00 in a research report on Wednesday, December 13th. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus lifted their price target on Stelco from C$37.00 to C$41.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Friday, November 10th. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and two have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of C$49.06.

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Stelco Trading Down 0.2 %

Stelco Announces Dividend

Stelco stock opened at C$49.35 on Tuesday. The stock has a market cap of C$2.72 billion, a PE ratio of 11.83, a P/E/G ratio of 0.03 and a beta of 2.37. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of C$41.65 and a 200 day moving average price of C$41.10. Stelco has a 52 week low of C$32.93 and a 52 week high of C$60.57. The company has a current ratio of 2.09, a quick ratio of 1.55 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 59.67.

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, November 28th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, November 28th were issued a dividend of $0.42 per share. This represents a $1.68 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.40%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, November 21st. Stelcos payout ratio is currently 40.29%.

Stelco Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Stelco Holdings Inc is Canada-based company and owner of one of the technologically advanced integrated steelmaking facilities in North America. The Company produce flat-rolled value-added steels, including coated, cold-rolled and hot-rolled steel products as well as metallurgical coke. With gauge, crown, and shape control, as well as reliable uniformity of mechanical properties, The Companys steel products are supplied to customers in the construction, automotive and energy industries across Canada and the United States, as well as to a variety of steel service centers, which are regional distributors of steel products.

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Sara Bay Financial boosted its position in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK  Free Report) by 20.7% during the third quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The firm owned 5,915 shares of the companys stock after buying an additional 1,013 shares during the quarter. Sara Bay Financials holdings in Merck & Co., Inc. were worth $609,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of 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 acquiring an additional 1,858,338,022 shares during the period. 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 acquiring an additional 39,289,404 shares during the period. Norges Bank purchased a new stake in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $2,736,293,000. Wellington Management Group LLP raised its stake in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 10.6% in the 1st quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 68,563,817 shares of the companys stock valued at $7,294,504,000 after acquiring an additional 6,546,946 shares during the period. Finally, Bank of Montreal Can purchased a new stake in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $740,061,000. 74.59% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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Merck & Co., Inc. Stock Performance

Shares of MRK stock opened at $107.70 on Friday. The stocks 50-day moving average is $103.50 and its two-hundred day moving average is $106.50. The firm has a market cap of $272.91 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 59.83, a PEG ratio of 8.91 and a beta of 0.34. Merck & Co., Inc. has a 1 year low of $96.36 and a 1 year high of $119.65. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.82, a quick ratio of 1.12 and a current ratio of 1.38.

Merck & Co., Inc. Increases Dividend

Merck & Co., Inc. ( NYSE:MRK Get Free Report ) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, October 26th. The company reported $2.13 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.94 by $0.19. Merck & Co., Inc. had a net margin of 7.77% and a return on equity of 18.26%. The business had revenue of $16 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $15.30 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $1.85 earnings per share. The businesss quarterly revenue was up 7.0% compared to the same quarter last year. Analysts predict that Merck & Co., Inc. will post 1.37 earnings per share for the current year.

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, January 8th. Stockholders of record on Friday, December 15th will be paid a dividend of $0.77 per share. This is an increase from Merck & Co., Inc.s previous quarterly dividend of $0.73. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, December 14th. This represents a $3.08 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.86%. Merck & Co., Inc.s dividend payout ratio is 171.11%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research analysts recently weighed in on the stock. Truist Financial restated a buy rating and issued a $122.00 price objective on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. in a report on Friday, October 6th. UBS Group upgraded shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from a neutral rating to a buy rating and lifted their price objective for the company from $117.00 to $122.00 in a report on Friday, October 20th. Morgan Stanley lifted their price objective on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from $115.00 to $118.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a report on Friday, October 27th. Cantor Fitzgerald restated an overweight rating on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. in a report on Monday, December 18th. Finally, StockNews.com assumed coverage on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. in a report on Thursday, October 5th. They issued a buy rating for the company. Five analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seventeen have given a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Merck & Co., Inc. presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $125.14.

Check Out Our Latest Stock Analysis on MRK

Insider Transactions at Merck & Co., Inc.

In other news, EVP Richard R. Deluca sold 43,823 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, November 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $105.03, for a total transaction of $4,602,729.69. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now owns 111,764 shares in the company, valued at $11,738,572.92. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. In related news, insider Johannes Jacobus Oosthuizen sold 2,081 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Thursday, November 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $102.38, for a total value of $213,052.78. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now owns 18,191 shares in the company, valued at $1,862,394.58. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, EVP Richard R. Deluca sold 43,823 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, November 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $105.03, for a total transaction of $4,602,729.69. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now owns 111,764 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $11,738,572.92. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders own 0.20% of the companys stock.

About Merck & Co., Inc.

(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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Want to see what other hedge funds are holding MRK? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK  Free Report).

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National Bank of Canada (TSE:NA  Free Report) had its target price upped by Scotiabank from C$95.00 to C$96.00 in a report published on Wednesday morning, BayStreet.CA reports. They currently have a sector perform rating on the financial services providers stock.

A number of other analysts have also recently commented on the company. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods reduced their price objective on National Bank of Canada from C$101.00 to C$97.00 and set a market perform rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, November 23rd. Royal Bank of Canada reduced their price target on National Bank of Canada from C$108.00 to C$105.00 and set a sector perform rating for the company in a research report on Monday, September 25th. Desjardins upped their price target on National Bank of Canada from C$99.00 to C$105.00 and gave the stock a hold rating in a research report on Tuesday. Canaccord Genuity Group set a C$107.00 price target on National Bank of Canada and gave the stock a hold rating in a research report on Monday, December 18th. Finally, Cormark reduced their price target on National Bank of Canada from C$109.00 to C$107.00 and set a market perform rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, August 31st. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have given a hold rating and three have given a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, National Bank of Canada currently has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of C$102.95.

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National Bank of Canada Stock Performance

National Bank of Canada stock opened at C$100.01 on Wednesday. The stock has a market cap of C$33.83 billion, a PE ratio of 10.65, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 17.04 and a beta of 1.10. National Bank of Canada has a one year low of C$84.27 and a one year high of C$104.83. The stock has a fifty day moving average of C$90.75 and a 200 day moving average of C$94.79.

National Bank of Canada (TSE:NA  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Friday, December 1st. The financial services provider reported C$2.44 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of C$2.29 by C$0.15. The company had revenue of C$2.59 billion during the quarter. National Bank of Canada had a return on equity of 14.68% and a net margin of 34.15%. As a group, sell-side analysts predict that National Bank of Canada will post 9.7936508 EPS for the current fiscal year.

National Bank of Canada Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, February 1st. Stockholders of record on Monday, December 25th will be paid a $1.06 dividend. This is a positive change from National Bank of Canadas previous quarterly dividend of $1.02. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, December 21st. This represents a $4.24 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 4.24%. National Bank of Canadas dividend payout ratio is 45.20%.

Insider Transactions at National Bank of Canada

In other news, Director Yvon Charest purchased 376 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, November 20th. The stock was bought at an average cost of C$90.45 per share, with a total value of C$34,009.20. Corporate insiders own 0.20% of the companys stock.

National Bank of Canada Company Profile

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National Bank of Canada provides various financial products and services to retail, commercial, corporate, and institutional clients in Canada and internationally. It operates through four segments: Personal and Commercial, Wealth Management, Financial Markets, and U.S. Specialty Finance and International.

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Walmart Inc. (NYSE:WMT  Get Free Report) major shareholder Jim C. Walton sold 342,956 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, December 19th. The stock was sold at an average price of $155.03, for a total transaction of $53,168,468.68. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 230,593,461 shares in the company, valued at approximately $35,748,904,258.83. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Major shareholders that own 10% or more of a companys stock are required to disclose their sales and purchases with the SEC.

Walmart Price Performance

Walmart stock opened at $156.65 on Friday. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $158.85 and a 200-day moving average price of $158.55. The firm has a market capitalization of $421.74 billion, a PE ratio of 25.98, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.26 and a beta of 0.48. The company has a current ratio of 0.85, a quick ratio of 0.23 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.49. Walmart Inc. has a 12-month low of $136.09 and a 12-month high of $169.94.

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Walmart (NYSE:WMT  Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Thursday, November 16th. The retailer reported $1.53 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, hitting the consensus estimate of $1.53. The firm had revenue of $160.80 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $159.65 billion. Walmart had a net margin of 2.55% and a return on equity of 21.20%. The businesss revenue was up 5.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $1.50 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts forecast that Walmart Inc. will post 6.45 EPS for the current year.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

WMT has been the topic of a number of research analyst reports. BMO Capital Markets lowered their price objective on shares of Walmart from $180.00 to $175.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, November 17th. Evercore ISI lowered their price objective on shares of Walmart from $187.00 to $177.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, November 17th. Royal Bank of Canada restated an outperform rating and set a $168.00 price objective on shares of Walmart in a research report on Friday, November 17th. Telsey Advisory Group restated an outperform rating and set a $185.00 price objective on shares of Walmart in a research report on Friday, November 17th. Finally, StockNews.com downgraded shares of Walmart from a strong-buy rating to a buy rating in a research report on Friday, November 17th. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and twenty-eight have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Walmart currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $179.44.

View Our Latest Stock Report on WMT

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Walmart

Several institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in WMT. Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd Zurich lifted its holdings in shares of 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 worth $129,045,359,000 after acquiring an additional 820,124,410 shares during the last quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC increased 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 worth $3,240,599,000 after buying an additional 22,834,564 shares during the period. Norges Bank purchased a new position in Walmart in the 4th quarter worth about $2,598,736,000. Providence Capital Advisors LLC increased its stake in 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 buying an additional 4,717,995 shares during the period. Finally, Envestnet Asset Management Inc. increased its stake in Walmart by 179.2% in the 1st quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. now owns 4,578,677 shares of the retailers stock worth $254,078,000 after buying an additional 2,938,948 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 33.18% of the companys stock.

Walmart Company Profile

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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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Wealthcare Advisory Partners LLC decreased its position in JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE:JPM) by 0.8% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 42,791 shares of the financial services providers stock after selling 331 shares during the period. Wealthcare Advisory Partners LLCs holdings in JPMorgan Chase & Co. were worth $6,206,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in JPM. Miller Wealth Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of JPMorgan Chase & Co. in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $67,000. VitalStone Financial LLC lifted its holdings in shares of JPMorgan Chase & Co. by 46,300.0% in the 2nd quarter. VitalStone Financial LLC now owns 464 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $67,000 after acquiring an additional 463 shares during the last quarter. Guardian Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of JPMorgan Chase & Co. in the 1st quarter worth approximately $70,000. True Wealth Design LLC acquired a new position in shares of JPMorgan Chase & Co. in the 4th quarter worth approximately $76,000. Finally, Maryland Capital Advisors Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of JPMorgan Chase & Co. by 17.9% in the 2nd quarter. Maryland Capital Advisors Inc. now owns 678 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $99,000 after acquiring an additional 103 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 68.94% of the companys stock.

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JPMorgan Chase & Co. Price Performance

Shares of JPM opened at $167.40 on Friday. The company has a current ratio of 0.90, a quick ratio of 0.90 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.25. The firms fifty day simple moving average is $151.48 and its 200-day simple moving average is $148.93. The firm has a market capitalization of $483.96 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 9.99, a PEG ratio of 2.03 and a beta of 1.13. JPMorgan Chase & Co. has a twelve month low of $123.11 and a twelve month high of $169.41.

JPMorgan Chase & Co. Dividend Announcement

JPMorgan Chase & Co. ( NYSE:JPM Get Free Report ) last posted its earnings results on Friday, October 13th. The financial services provider reported $4.33 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $3.95 by $0.38. The firm had revenue of $40.69 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $39.63 billion. JPMorgan Chase & Co. had a net margin of 22.79% and a return on equity of 17.97%. The companys revenue was up 24.4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the firm posted $3.12 EPS. Equities analysts forecast that JPMorgan Chase & Co. will post 16.63 EPS for the current fiscal year.

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, January 31st. Shareholders of record on Friday, January 5th will be given a dividend of $1.05 per share. This represents a $4.20 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.51%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, January 4th. JPMorgan Chase & Co.s payout ratio is currently 25.07%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, CEO Marianne Lake sold 32,243 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, December 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $160.00, for a total value of $5,158,880.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 131,962 shares in the company, valued at $21,113,920. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. 0.79% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several equities analysts have recently commented on the stock. Jefferies Financial Group decreased their price objective on shares of JPMorgan Chase & Co. from $176.00 to $169.00 in a report on Tuesday, October 10th. Piper Sandler upped their price objective on shares of JPMorgan Chase & Co. from $168.00 to $170.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Monday, October 16th. Odeon Capital Group lowered shares of JPMorgan Chase & Co. from a buy rating to a hold rating and set a $140.00 price objective on the stock. in a report on Thursday, November 2nd. BMO Capital Markets upped their price objective on shares of JPMorgan Chase & Co. from $167.00 to $171.00 and gave the stock a market perform rating in a report on Monday, October 16th. Finally, Evercore ISI increased their target price on shares of JPMorgan Chase & Co. from $158.00 to $167.00 in a report on Thursday, October 5th. Nine research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and ten have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $168.80.

View Our Latest Research Report on JPM

About JPMorgan Chase & Co.

(Free Report)

JPMorgan Chase & Co operates as a financial services company worldwide. It operates through four segments: Consumer & Community Banking (CCB), Corporate & Investment Bank (CIB), Commercial Banking (CB), and Asset & Wealth Management (AWM). The CCB segment offers deposit, investment and lending products, cash management, and payments and services to consumers and small businesses; mortgage origination and servicing activities; residential mortgages and home equity loans; and credit cards, auto loans, leases, and travel services.

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Want to see what other hedge funds are holding JPM? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE:JPM  Free Report).

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PRAGUE (AP)  Three foreign nationals were among 25 wounded after a student opened fire at a university in the Czech capital, Prague, killing 14 people, authorities said Friday. The mass shooting was one of the Czech Republics worst attacks in recent years.

Minister Vit Rakusan said police in Prague worked overnight and 13 of those killed have been identified. He also said three of those wounded were foreigners  two from Saudi Arabia and one from the Netherlands.

The bloodshed took place on Thursday at the Faculty of Arts of Charles University, where the 24-year-old shooter was a student, Prague Police Chief Martin Vondrasek said. The gunman also died, authorities said. His name has not been released.

Authorities warned that the death toll could rise.

Early Friday, with the scene of the shooting still sealed off by the police, people could be seen lighting candles to mourn the victims at an impromptu vigil by the university headquarters.

Police said Friday they have boosted security at schools and other soft targets  usually public facilities that are difficult to secure  in a preventive measure. University rectors also said they would work with police experts on more preventive measures to increase security around campus.

Police have so far given no details about the victims or a possible motive for the shooting at the building located near the Vltava River in Jan Palach Square. Rakusan said Thursday that investigators didn't suspect a link to any extremist ideology or groups.

Officials said they believed he had no accomplice.

Vondrasek, the police chief, said they believe the gunman killed his father earlier on Thursday in his hometown of Hostoun, just west of Prague, and that he had also been planning to kill himself. He also said the gunman was suspected of killing a man and his 2-month-old daughter on Dec. 15, in Prague.

The chief described the shooter as an excellent student with no criminal record. He said the gunman suffered devastating injuries but it was not clear if he killed himself or was shot and killed by the police in an exchange of fire.

Police said the shooter had legally owned several guns  based on his home search  and that he was heavily armed during the attack.

Charles Univeristy issued a statement earlier mourning the loss of life.

Leaders from many countries, including the United States, and the U.N Secretary-General conveyed their condolences.

The Czech government declared Saturday a national day of mourning to honor the victims.

Previously, the nations worst mass shooting was in 2015, when a gunman opened fire in the southeastern town of Uhersky Brod, killing eight before fatally shooting himself.

The building where the shooting took place is in Jan Palach Square, a busy tourist area in Pragues Old Town. It is just a few minutes walk from the picturesque Old Town Square, a major tourist attraction where a popular Christmas market attracts thousands of visitors.
Joseph Small, who farms near Fullerton, wrote a novel for one reason. He wants to give peace to people whove lost a loved one.

Smalls novel, Footsteps of a Soldier, tells a story about three World War II soldiers.

Set in January of 1945, the story is based on the experiences of one of his neighbors, who served under General Patton in World War II.

This combat veteran and his wife shared bits and pieces of their story until flashbacks of war became too much, says the About the Author portion of the book.

That neighbor has since passed away.

The three main characters in the book are Homer, Harry and Bode. The first two men are Nebraska natives. Homer is based on Smalls friend.

The book cover features a blurb from Nebraska author Tosca Lee, who calls the book heartbreaking and heartwarming  a story of struggle and triumph, victory and losses.

Small, who is semi-retired, lives seven miles northeast of Fullerton. Born in Columbus, he graduated from Fullerton High School in 1973.

Small wrote the book in longhand.

He had never written a book before. But he had success in high school, writing poetry.

As a youngster, he used to explore the area around Plum Creek. As an 8-year-old, he saw a robin fly out of a gooseberry bush. Looking at a nest inside, he spotted four beautiful blue eggs. It was the first time hed seen a blue egg.

Ever since then, hes appreciated a sense of wonder. Small says Footsteps of a Soldier includes numerous wow moments, including the end of the book.

Small attended kindergarten and first grade at a country school. He then went to St. Peters School in Fullerton. At that school, a nun encouraged him one day to use his full name, Joseph, instead of Joe, because one day he might do something significant.

Small has three sons and a daughter. The daughter, Susan Small, lives in Grand Island.

Footsteps of a Soldier was published this year by Joshua Tree Publishing.

The book is priced at $32.95 in hardcover and $15.95 in paperback. It is available through Amazon, Barnes & Noble and other online booksellers.
McCOOL JUNCTION  When Hank McGowan signed up to lease around 350 acres of his land for a solar panel facility in May 2020, he never thought everyone was going to be so upset about it.

Rather, McGowan said he saw an opportunity to help both himself and his community of McCool Junction.

He realized that the lease would be significantly more profitable and less risky than farming. And since he wasnt sure that his kids were going to come home and farm, the lease could ensure that the land stayed in his family.

Plus, McGowan learned that a significant portion of the taxes on the 2,800-acre solar panel facility  hundreds of thousands of dollars each year  would go to McCool Junction schools.

There were also potential environmental benefits to the community of using the land for solar rather than farming, McGowan said. He would be causing less soil erosion, drawing less on Americas depleting water table, and applying less nitrate fertilizer to the soil, which can contaminate groundwater and has been linked to pediatric cancers.

McGowan, along with over 20 other parties, ultimately signed up for what is called the K-Junction Solar Project. The facility would provide approximately 310 megawatts and has the potential to power close to 59,000 homes, according to materials from Omaha Public Power District.

There wasnt a single person who signed up for it who thought it would hurt anybody, McGowan said.

But more than three years after McGowan first leased his land, the project is at a standstill, as the York County Zoning Board considers passing regulations that would prevent the project from going forward.

Some time after landowners signed up, a group of McCool residents with property near the proposed facility formed an advocacy group, Our Voices Count. Members of the group say the solar facility could lead to a wide range of environmental and economic issues for the area, including a loss of revenue for local agricultural businesses and damage to nearby farmland.

Some of the landowners who signed up for the project, meanwhile, are surprised by the controversy it has sparked.

Clinton Schwartz, who signed up all 300 acres that he owns, said hes confident it wont harm the land, as critics allege. If I thought this was really going to be harmful to the environment, I would have never signed up, he said.

Meanwhile, Larry Blum, who signed up 320 acres for the solar project, said, I could understand  if this was a feedlot that was going to smell or something that was going to make a noise.

I dont see why this would hurt anything, he added.

I told them absolutely not

In late 2019, EDF Renewables North America, a renewable energy company with headquarters in San Diego, began contacting landowners in McCool Junction about signing their land up for a possible solar project, according to McGowan.

Gene Jackson, a member of Our Voices Count whose land would neighbor the project, said a representative from EDF contacted him by phone in January 2020 with an offer. I told them absolutely not, Jackson said.

It is not clear how many McCool Junction landowners EDF contacted in total, but McGowan said he was the second-to-last landowner who signed up  he joined the project in May 2020. In total, 23 parties have signed up, according to OPPD Community Relations Strategist Dustin Marvel.

Then, for well over a year, there was almost no public discussion about the project  controversial or not.

Rumors about the project began circulating around that time, McGowan said. People claimed that EDF would sell the water from the leased land; they also alleged that the solar panels would heat up adjacent land.

EDF did not do anything to explain to the public why those rumors were false, according to McGowan.

In January 2022, potential neighbors to the project who had formed Our Voices Count went before the York County Board of Commissioners to express concern about the project.

Jackson raised some of his concerns earlier this year, including about water use and temperature effects from the solar panel.

Omaha Public Power District, a public utility based in Omaha, addressed those environmental concerns at a community conversation at the end of October, after purchasing the solar facility from EDF in July. Brad Underwood, vice president of systems transformation at OPPD, said at the community conversation that there is no evidence of temperature effects on nearby land and that OPPD does not have the right to ship the water from the land, per the lease.

It is not clear why EDF decided to sell the project. EDF declined to comment for this article, but pointed to a press release from August, in which the company said, we have enjoyed our collaboration with the community. The company expressed confidence in OPPD, which has a longstanding presence in Nebraska.

I think OPPD is doing an excellent job, McGowan said.

Adam Beck, a potential neighbor to the project who is skeptical of it, said that although he opposes the solar facility, OPPD has been more transparent than EDF.

The golden horseshoe of McCool Junction?

According to McCool landowners who have signed up, one of the major reasons they are in favor of the project is the potential revenue increase for McCool Junction Public Schools.

Schwartzs father, three sisters, and four children all graduated from McCool Junction Public Schools.

Theres nothing we want more than keeping that school open. This will ensure it, Schwartz said.

The total tax revenue estimate for York County from the 2,800-acre project for 2023, if built at 310 megawatts, is approximately $1.2 million, according to Marvel.

That total tax revenue comes from real property tax and the nameplate capacity tax  a tax on renewable energy facilities in Nebraska. Public power districts are not subject to the nameplate capacity tax, but OPPD said at its community engagement meeting that it plans to find a solar developer that would be subject to the tax.

Around $800,000 of that $1.2 million would have been allotted to the McCool school district in 2023, according to Marvel, based on the 2023 tax levies, which York County Assessor Kurt Bulgrin shared with OPPD.

McGowan compared that new source of revenue to holding eight record-setting school fundraisers. The 2023 Evening with the Stars raised $98,389.43, which is the highest amount ever raised, according to an Evening with the Stars committee member.

That is why McGowan called the solar project a golden horseshoe, a nod to McCools mascot, the mustang.

It is impossible to know the exact amount of tax revenue that would be allotted for the school each year. The amount would depend on the tax rates in the year that the solar facility became operational and also the size of the solar facility  whether it is 310 megawatts, for instance, or less.

In addition, critics of the project have suggested that even if the school gained this new source of revenue, aid from the state would have to go down and there may not be a net gain.

However, according to State Board of Education Director of Finance Bryce Wilson, this new source of revenue would not have caused McCool Junctions state aid to go down in the 2023-2024 school year.

Still, Wilson could not speak to the amount of state aid the school would receive in the future if it had this new revenue source. That depends on whether or not factors in McCools state aid calculation, such as equalization, change in the future due to shifts in the school districts needs or new legislation.

With this new source of revenue, the school could try to expand its budget or lower the amount it asks property owners to pay in taxes. A 2023 bill from the Nebraska Legislature, LB243, places limits on how much a school district may expand its budget, so instead of expanding its budget with the new revenue source, the school would potentially be forced to lower property taxes.

If you would like a tax break and you would like to see our school get this extra money, you need to speak up or if not, pay your taxes and dont complain about it, Blum said.

McCool Junction Public Schools Superintendent Dade McDonald said that the school has adopted a neutral position on the solar project.

Some awfully nice farm ground

My biggest concern, Beck said, is that we arent getting more farm ground. Beck said he is concerned that the project will remove highly productive corn and soybean farmland from U.S. production. Lets not jeopardize this source, Beck said.

Why cant we go to some of those desert regions? Beck asked about the solar facility.

Indeed, McGowan said, The only argument I agree with is that it takes out some awfully nice farm ground.

However, McGowan says that is why he hopes to still be a steward of the land by grazing sheep amongst the solar panels. The combination of solar and agriculture is known as agrivoltaics. OPPD expressed interest in agrivoltaics at its community engagement meeting in October.

A recent study from the science journal Nature suggests that Nebraskas farmland may be a very good place for solar, if not one of the best. The 2019 study found that cropland is the best terrain in the world for solar energy productivity. Solar panels are most productive with plentiful insolation, light winds, moderate temperatures and low humidity, the study said. Barren terrain ranked fifth.

Beck also expressed concern that the land was shifting out of food, fiber and fuel production and towards energy production.

Beck said he is concerned about the potential negative impact of the project on the local agricultural economy, which depends on farmers for revenue. How is that going to affect local and area businesses? Beck asked.

Economic impact

The News-Times contacted 12 agricultural businesses in the area to understand the economic impact on local ag businesses. Only one company, the Sioux Falls-based POET Ethanol, which has a plant in Fairmont, responded; however, it did not directly address the subject.

While we generally support clean energy sources, POET is not directly involved in this solar project and supports the local communitys ability to make the decision thats best for York and the surrounding area, the company said in an email.

An economic study from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, which was commissioned by EDF Renewables, found that the construction of the solar project would have a one-time net positive impact of approximately $181.6 million on the region surrounding York, taking into account the loss of productive farmland.

The study also found that the project would lead to an annual impact from operations of about $16.9 million, also taking into account the loss of productive farmland. This figure does not include the local annual tax revenue from the project.

According to Jackson, the farm numbers used in the study were flawed. But Eric Thompson, chair of the department of economics at the UNL College of Business, who conducted the study, said he used crop prices from a typical year, rather than a peak year.

Beck, meanwhile, expressed doubts about the UNL study because it did not take into account the end use of the grain, such as if it is sold to an ethanol plant in the community, which may employ local residents.

Thompson said that while the report didn't take into account the further processing of grain, it also didn't take into account the electricity produced through the solar facility.

Regardless of the future economic impact of the project, the controversy around it has already had an effect. According to Lisa Hurley, York County Economic Development Corporation executive director, an out-of-state company looking to potentially locate in Nebraska did not attend its site visit in York County because of the controversy around the solar project.

Whats next?

Ultimately, McGowan said, If the zoning commission finds that this isnt right, thats OK with me, as long as they know all the facts. I dont want people to base their decision on propaganda.

The York County Zoning Board has not yet set a date for its next meeting, according to York County Zoning Administrator Nathaniel Heinz. At the next meeting the board will review its proposed regulations again.

The zoning boards regulations serve as a recommendation to the York County Board of Commissioners, which would make any final decision on a solar operation.

The latest draft of the regulations, which the board shared with the public on Nov. 13, include a required half-mile setback between the solar panels and adjacent non-participating land. The Center For Rural Affairs, an advocacy group for rural communities based in Nebraska, recommends setbacks of 100 to 300 feet.

At the Nov. 13 meeting, Dana Jackson, who is married to Gene, told the zoning board that the regulations made her group, Our Voices Count, feel like were supported.

According to Marvel, based on the proposed setbacks, the project could only be five to 10 megawatts, which would be economically infeasible.

McGowan emphasized that he thinks a reasonable amount of setbacks should happen. He also said the zoning board needs to make a decision soon because he has to make plans for his farm, such as whether to buy new irrigation equipment.

I need to make some longer-term decisions this winter, McGowan said. I will be a farmer regardless.

The Journal Star's most memorable photos of 2023
Facing criticism from Republican lawmakers, railroad companies and ag producers, the federal government on Friday reopened the railroad crossings with Mexico that it had temporarily shut down this week to focus on processing migrants.

The U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency had shut down international railroad crossing bridges in El Paso and Eagle Pass, Texas, on Dec. 18, saying it was necessary to redirect employees to help border patrol agents take migrants into custody.

Union Pacific Railroad on Friday issued a statement expressing relief at the decision. The railroad had called upon the agency to reopen the entry points.

"These crossings are critical gateways for international commerce, and the closures had real-world impacts for families, businesses, and our customers on both sides of the border," the railroad said.

Every day the rail crossings were closed, Union Pacific was forced to embargo customers goods on more than 60 trains, or nearly 4,500 rail cars, with an equivalent amount of goods being held in Mexico, U.P spokesperson Robynn Tysver said.

The crossings were closed Monday through midday Friday.

U.S. Sens. Deb Fischer and Pete Ricketts had pushed the agency earlier in the week to reopen the crossings, noting the economic impact.

"This is happening because President Biden won't do what it takes to get the border crisis under control," Ricketts said. "The president's own team shut down the shipment of American-made goods to process thousands of migrants illegally crossing the border."

Ricketts joined seven other Republican senators in a letter to Alejandro Mayorkas, the secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, saying the United States faces "the worst border crisis on record."

The U.S. has been facing a flood of migrants attempting to cross the border. Millions have been caught by border agents or turned themselves in to seek asylum. After processing, some of those migrants are deported; others are allowed to enter the country after being given a future court date.

The senators, in their letter, said there have been 6.6 million encounters at the southern border since President Biden took office, not including the approximately 1.8 million gotaways who were detected but never apprehended. The agency reported 12,000 migrant encounters on Dec. 5, the highest total ever recorded for a single day, they wrote.

The senators said the migrant crisis "is now causing significant disruptions to our supply chain."

Mark McHargue, Nebraska Farm Bureau president, sent a letter to the department calling the closures "asinine" and economically harmful.

"The issues that exist at our southern border didnt appear overnight, and it absolutely will not be fixed by adding a few employees who should remain at their posts at the Eagle Pass and El Paso, Texas rail crossings, McHargue said.

According to the group, Nebraskas agricultural trade relationship with Mexico is crucial. Mexico is the state's largest export partner, it said.

In 2021, Nebraska farmers exported 89 percent of the states corn exports  $590.4 million worth of corn  into Mexico, the bureau said. Mexico also is Nebraskas largest soybean customer, buying more than $280 million worth of soybeans and soybean products.

The timing could not be worse," McHargue said of the closures, "in that many farmers sell and deliver grain from storage during the Jan-March timeframe when prices and local basis tend to strengthen post-harvest and into the earlier part of the marketing year."

Customs and Border Protection announced Friday that normal operations would resume at the crossings.

In a statement, the agency said it would continue to use "all available resources to ensure the safety and security of our agents and officers and the migrants who are often misled and victimized by transnational criminal organizations."

The agency said it would continue to assess security situations, adjust its operational plans and deploy resources "to maximize enforcement efforts against those noncitizens who do not use lawful pathways or processes such as CBP One and those without a legal basis to remain in the United States."

CBP One is a free mobile app that noncitizens can use to request entry at a U.S. border.
California Forever CEO Jan Sramek speaks to Solano County residents during a community forum hosted by his company this month in Benicia. A nonprofit has returned a donation from California Forever, saying it thought the donation was a personal gift from Sramek and his wife. Noah Berger/Special to the Chronicle

A nonprofit returned a donation made by a group of tech billionaires trying to build a new city in Solano County, saying the group misled it about who was giving the funds.

Jan Sramek, the California Forever CEO who has spearheaded efforts to buy up land in Solano County for a new city, and his wife made a donation to the Solano Land Trust, the nonprofit said in a statement. But after California Forever announced it made the donation as part of its grant program, the trust objected, saying the money was a personal donation from the couple. Sramek said he had made it clear the funds came from the company.

Pledged during a fundraiser in early October, the money supported the organizations Child on the Land program, which brings school-aged children to parks and camps, the trusts statement said. The donation was for $20,000, according to an email from Sramek.

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In mid-December, California Forever mentioned the Solano Land Trust as one of six nonprofits that had received funds through its grant program. But the nonprofits executive director, Nicole Braddock, called its inclusion self-serving and grossly misleading, saying the organization wasnt informed the Srameks donation was a grant from California Forever.

The appearance of the Solano Land Trust as a grant recipient, according to the Daily Beast, which first reported the matter, concerned some community members who believed it implied the trust supported California Forever.

The Solano Land Trust returned the donation and demanded its name be removed from California Forevers website, Braddock said in the statement. As of Saturday, the Solano Land Trust no longer appeared on the website.

When California Forevers project details are released in January, we will learn if the project will be consistent with our countys guiding principles, Braddock added.

Sramek disputes Braddocks characterization of the donation. In an email to her shared with the Chronicle, he called her statement highly misleading, defamatory, and grossly unfair to myself, my wife, and to California Forever.

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He argued that the trust should have known the money was from California Forever. This was clear, he said, when as part of his donation email he invited the nonprofit to use its properties on the Jepson Prairie. Unlike California Forevers subsidiary Flannery LLC, neither Sramek nor his wife owns properties there, he said, so it was crystal clear their donation came from the company.

Sramek, a former Goldman Sachs trader, said in his email that California Forever remains committed to retaining open space and agriculture. He also asked Braddock to forward his message to the trusts donors so that everyone hears our side of what happened and can draw their own conclusions about what happened here.
Vietnam 'at center of Asia - worlds growth engine'

By Lan Do Sat, December 23, 2023 | 10:40 pm GMT+7

Asia is the worlds growth engine, and Vietnam is at the center of that engine, said governor Saito Motohiko of Japan's Hyogo prefecture on the occasion of his recent visit to Ho Chi Minh City.

The governor was speaking at the fifth HCMC-Hyogo Economic Forum with the participation of HCMC Peoples Committee representatives and businesspeople from the Vietnamese city and Hyogo.

"Asia is widely regarded as the worlds growth engine, and Vietnam, with its hardworking people and large young population, is at the center of this engine," Motohiko told the forum.

Vietnam's real GDP growth rate in the third quarter of this year was 5.33% year-on-year. While the countrys economy is growing steadily, the public and private sectors are working together to achieve a major goal of reaching net zero emission by 2050. Hyogo has many companies working on advanced technological development toward the same goal, he added.

Governor Saito Motohiko of Hyogo prefecture, Japan speaks at the fifth Ho Chi Minh City-Hyogo Economic Forum in HCMC, December 20, 2023. Photo courtesy of ITPC.

Friendly exchanges between HCMC and Hyogo prefecture began in 2004, inspired by a visit to Hyogo by Nguyen Minh Triet, former Vietnamese President, who was then Secretary of the HCMC Party Committee.

The letter of intent regarding the friendship and cooperation, which was signed in 2007, led to the holding of the HCMC-Hyogo Economic Forum in 2017, which has been held alternately in both locations.

2023 marks the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Japan. A large number of deals signed and high interest shown by Japanese businesses during Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinhs recent trip to Japan is expected to trigger a new investment wave into Vietnam.
Connectivity

Districts, SHLB Coalition Applaud FCC Approval of E-rate Funds for Wi-Fi on School Buses

Beginning in funding year 2024, K12 school districts may use E-rate funding for school bus-based Wi-Fi, connecting students on long bus rides  and, in some districts, connecting students in homes with no internet service  just as the Emergency Connectivity Fund expires.

The Federal Communications Commission recently announced that it will allow E-Rate funding to be used for Wi-Fi on school buses beginning in funding year 2024, filling the projected gaps after the ECF sunsets, the agency said. ECF funds helped school districts across the country provide internet connections to students during the height of the pandemic and ongoing intermittent closures; the FCC noted that hundreds of districts used ECF resources to equip school buses with Wi-Fi connections.

The ruling clarifies that the use of Wi-Fi, or other similar access point technologies, on school buses serves an educational purpose and the provision of such service is therefore eligible for E-Rate funding, FCC wrote in a statement. The Commission has previously found that the off-campus use of certain services is integral to the education of students and has permitted funding of such services through E-Rate. This ruling also directs the Wireline Competition Bureau to fund Wi-Fi on school buses, as well as any E-Rate-eligible equipment needed to enable the service, as part of funding year 2024 eligible services list proceeding and seek comment on the specific services and equipment that should be funded.

Several organizations have applauded the FCCs decision, including the Schools, Health & Libraries Broadband (SHLB) Coalition, which said the ruling is a win for students, especially those in rural areas who face long bus rides and limited broadband access at home.

This will help close the homework gap and improve educational outcomes for millions of students across the country, said SHLB Executive Director John Windhausen Jr.

School districts that implemented school bus Wi-Fi for students during the pandemic also called the new FCC rule a vital solution for their students and learning outcomes.

Santa Fe Public Schools has implemented school bus Wi-Fi on every bus, extending access to the learning environment for all SFPS bus riders, said Neal Weaver, Chief Information and Strategy Officer at Santa Fe Public Schools in New Mexico. There is not a single solution in ensuring students have sufficient connectivity, and school bus Wi-Fi is an essential piece of the solution for Santa Fe students.

This is a game-changer for our students, especially those with long bus rides and student-athletes who spend a lot of time on the bus, said Doug Culler, Director of Network Services at Shenandoah County Public Schools in Virginia. With Wi-Fi on buses, students will be able to use their bus time to work on homework, complete assignments, and stay connected with their classmates and teachers. This is a major step forward in our efforts to ensure that all students have access to the resources they need to succeed.

Central Consolidated School District covers almost 3000 square miles of rural/tribal lands, said Leandro M. Venturina, the New Mexico districts Director of Data, Assessment, Research and Technology. The ruling for Wi-Fi on school buses to be eligible for E-rate funding will be essential for our students who, on average, ride the bus for 90 minutes each day. Students are able to complete homework and other school-related tasks and communicate with teachers through the Learning Management System on their way to and from school. This effort will be a significant game changer for CCSD students to respond to the growing needs for digital skills.
CARBONDALE  Government, church and nonprofit organizations in southern Illinois are coming together to support the community this holiday season.

Women for Change and Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Churchs Feed My Sheep Community Kitchen partnered for Christmas Hope for our Homeless, on Thursday, an event to give meals and hand-made duffel bags stuffed with warm clothing to people in need.

President and founder of Women for Change, Carbondale City Councilmember Ginger Rye-Sanders said she started the nonprofit in 2017 after a fatal shooting occurred feet away from her house. She saw it as a call to unite and mobilize in the community, she said.

In 2002, Bethel A.M.E. community members established Feed My Sheep Community Kitchen in the basement of the church, where free meals are served Monday through Friday from noon -1 p.m., according to their website.

This isnt the first time Bethel AME and Women for Change have worked together.

In summer 2020, they partnered and created a program called Surfing into Summer, which provided families with free, drive-by supper meals Monday through Friday, snack bags on weekends and kids books and games Fridays.

Afterwards, Feed My Sheep paused their regular programming for pandemic-related reasons, but continued to take food to the Carbondale Warming Center, Rye-Sanders said. After the three year hiatus, it re-opened a few months ago.

When Feed My Sheep reopened to their regular programming, Rye-Sanders asked Bethel AME pastor Rev. Ronald Chambers to collaborate. Thus came, Christmas Hope for our Homeless.

Members of both organizations and others outside volunteered money, time and resources to make it possible.

The Women for Change sewing team made draw-string duffle bags with decadent fabrics and filled them with blankets, socks, hats, gloves and gift cards to Circle K.

Church goers prepared and served the food, and Encouraging Word Ministry donated clothes and coats to the efforts.

One man picked out a suit coat, and his face lit up when he put it on. I feel dapper, he said.

As participants finished eating and picking out clothes, Rye-Sanders and Rev. Chambers spoke to the participants.

It was a privilege to serve you, Rev. Sanders said. There is a glimmer of hope, she said. Just know that God is still making a way every day.

Every day, several people responded.

After the event, Rye-Sanders said she was happy with the turnout.

I was tickled, she said. The word got out that they got gift cards, and a whole line of people came out.

Earlier Thursday morning, Rye-Sanders participated in her role as a city councilwoman in the City of Carbondales food box giveaway.

The drive-by event started at 9 a.m. in the west parking lot of the civic center, and the line of cars wrapped around the parking lot before it even began.

Just over an hour later all the boxes were dispersed.

Rye-Sanders said she was happy to spend the day giving back to the community.

With Christmas only a couple of days away, people across southern Illinois, and beyond, are still electing to serve others.

The 30th annual Murphysboro Community Christmas Dinner kicks-off at 11 a.m. on Christmas Day at Knights of Columbus Hall.

Everyone is welcome to this traditional Christmas Dinner. Please invite your friends and neighbors. Its a wonderful place to spend Christmas Day, a Facebook post on the dinners event page read.

A Christmas dinner will also be held at Elks Lodge in DuQuoin from 1-3 p.m. on Dec. 25, and another at Marion First Church of God from 11 a.m.  2 p.m., at the Family Life Center.

Across the river in Marshall County, Marcellas Kitchen hosted their annual Christmas Party Food Giveaway on Friday, distributing 260 bags of food, warm clothing, and hygiene products to those in need. They also served a hot meal.

First Baptist Church on Tenth and Main in Benton, Kentucky will provide meals on Christmas Day.

In Paducah, Community Kitchen will serve lunch from 11 a.m.  1 p.m. Christmas Day.
When temperatures drop, the Carbondale Warming Center provides an important service to Carbondales homeless community.

The center is open seven days a week, 24 hours a day until April 1, providing food, showers, a warm place to sleep, and other services to guests who need it.

According to the centers website, it works in partnership with several local organizations, including the Southern Illinois Coalition for the Homeless, Carbondale Interfaith Council, Jackson County Health Department, Centerstone, Sparrow Coalition, the SIU Clinical Center, Carbondale Public Library, the City of Carbondale, and others.

On Friday, the center took to social media to thank a group Carbondale Community High School Future Business Leaders of America for donating a selection of handmade blankets.

To learn more about the center, donate, sign up to volunteer, or find out more about staying there, click here.
MARION  Being home for Christmas may be just a dream for some, but for those fortunate to have an airport in their back yard, connecting with family during the holidays is just a flight away.

Passenger activity spikes during the holidays, and you know travel has peaked when the parking lot is packed, Veterans Airport of Southern Illinois Director Doug Kimmel said.

Thats, of course, people who have started their travel here, taking Contour to Chicago, either as the destination, or connecting on from OHare to anywhere in the world, Kimmel said.

The number of passengers flying to Chicago from Veterans is on the rise, Kimmel said. The monthly November report from Contour numbered more than 1,000 outbound passengers.

A little over 1,000, close to 1,100, which is the first time that an airline here has been over 1,000 in many years, Kimmel said.

Contour took over air travel from Cape Air at Veterans back in August. Kimmel said Cape Air averaged about 800 passengers a month. Contours 30-seat, regional cabin class  which includes a restroom, flight attendant, and, of course, the drink and snack  has increased that number by 30% in under a year.

Through support from Marion and Carbondale communities, Veterans airport has received grant money from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to market the service in southern Illinois and Chicago. Thats something Kimmel said has never been done before.

Air service market analysis studies have shown that theres probably eight times the amount of traffic passengers that would board the flight in Chicago coming to southern Illinois to visit, to do work, so forth, than there is people going outbound, Kimmel said.

After Veterans and Contour start to put the grant money to work, Kimmel said they expect traffic to increase considerably, which will in turn benefit the local economy, from business and leisure travel from the north to here in the south.

This is the first holiday travel season weve had with Contour. All signs point to continued growth. Weve had many good stories, reviews from people that flown it, Kimmel said. Its a neat time of year to see this new service, particularly this time of year, and in the way its making things easier for people that are taking advantage of it.

One mother who sat knitting a baby blanket in the Veterans Airport waiting area was taking advantage of the Marion-Chicago connector flight in a personal way.

My son, he lives in Singapore. Hes travelling home for the holidays, said Cheryl Hoyer, whose son and his wife are flying in from Chicago. I cant wait! Im excited.

Hoyer said her son had taken the flight from Chicago to Marion last fall when his business brought him back home, giving her another chance to see him. Without the Contour connector flight from Chicago, business and personal flights into Marion would not have been possible.

Im very fortunate that we have this airport here that reaches Chicago, Hoyer said.

Veterans is a federally subsidized airport from the U.S. Department of Transportation. The Deregulation Act of 1978, Kimmel explained, was enacted to ensure small communities like Marion didnt lose flight travel. With Contour increasing business, Kimmel said the hope is to build a market to make the airport independent of the federal dollars.

Its nice to have the safety net of the federal subsidy to maintain service and attract an airline like Contour to want to try out the market and introduce a larger regional jet versus the smaller, nine-seater we had before with Cape Air, Kimmel said.

Because under the federal subsidy the airline must be bid on every three years, the process is cumbersome, Kimmel said. He said the airlines and the public dislike the uncertainty of the bidding process. He said customers may ask themselves, Well, do I book my flight with Contour next Christmas? Because we know theyre bidding. And are they even going to be here?
The Southern Illinois Farming Alliance Conference has been scheduled for Jan. 27 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at John A. Logan College.

During the conference, local farmers and those interested in farming will have the chance to connect with speakers and organizations providing resources to support organic, regenerative, and entrepreneurial farms in southern Illinois.

According to a news release from the Southern Illinois Farming Alliance, more than 20 organizations will be at the conference to offer resources to farmers. Some of those organizations include: Midwest GRIT, University of Illinois Extension, Illinois Stewardship Alliance, and American Farmland Trust.

The conferences keynote speaker Dr. Trent Ford, an Illinois State Climatologist, will talk about climate change for farmers in the region.

Other guest speakers at the conference will speak about key topics for sustainable and organic farmers like land access with Farmlink and Agroforestry as part of a regenerative system with the Savannah Institute. Local programming and opportunities for farmers will also be shared by Food Works of Southern Illinois.

Registration for the event is now open. Those who register will be required to pay a refundable $20 fee, which will be reimbursed once you check in at the event. Small stipends will also be available to support farmers who travel to the conference. Breakfast and lunch will be provided at the conference, as well as beverage service throughout the day.
On Friday afternoon, southern Illinoisans flocked to shops to complete last-minute Christmas shopping.

Mike Heilig, owner of Etcetera Flowers & Gifts, said while theyre always busy, theyve seen a lot of shoppers this week.

Due to the influx, the holiday season is the only time Etcetera is open on Sundays.

Buds 2 Blooms Floral & Gifts is no different. Teresa Forbes said the shop was steadily busy with Christmas shoppers this year.

People are shopping a little bit later with the weather, she said, referencing the higher temperatures that have followed harsh cold temperatures in the previous weeks.

She said in addition to more people shopping later this year, more are shopping locally, too.

We have had a lot of new people wanting to come into the smaller businesses, she said. Its called a calmer shopping experience.

Forbes said she received many first-time shoppers who discovered Buds 2 Blooms, which is tucked away on Carbon St., this year.

Forbes said she had to turn away several people who tried to schedule last minute deliveries Friday, because the shop will be closed for the holidays.

Its really been very, very busy, she said. Im glad to see people are buying gift baskets this time of year.

She makes several different types of gift baskets.

A standard one includes blankets, lotions and soaps, hair products, stationary items and more.

The Christmas basket has some of the same items with festive themes, as well as a keepsake Christmas item, like a statue of a snowman holding a mug of cider.

Buds 2 Blooms also offers food baskets. In addition to the timeless candy baskets, she said fruit and gourmet baskets are regaining popularity this year.

She said for people who dont like flowers or candy, they are a healthy and colorful alternative.

While many businesses will be closed for Christmas, its not stopping shoppers across the country from seeking out last-minute gifts. In fact, Dec. 23  known by retailers as Super Saturday  is set to be the second busiest day of the year behind Black Friday, according to Sensormatic Solutions holiday predictions.
When Micayla Charley graduates from South Carolina State University on Friday, Dec. 15, with an early childhood education degree, she will help mitigate the shortage of minority teachers in South Carolina.

SC State inducts 7 into teaching profession The future teachers include the universitys first graduating cohort of Minority Access to Teacher Education Bridge Scholars.Shown are, back r

The Orangeburg resident was supported in that goal by an SC State program specifically designed to increase minority representation in the states teaching ranks, the Minority Access to Teacher Education (MATTE) Bridge program.

I always knew I wanted to be a teacher, so Matte Bridge was one outlet for me to make this possible, Charley said. I come from a family of teachers. My mom is a teacher currently, and my dad used to be a teacher. I just love watching children learn. I love helping children.

Being at a historically Black university, all these minority teachers are coming together, sharing ideas, making connections with each other and just loving what we do, she said.

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Funded by a $1.4 million grant the South Carolina Legislature awarded to the universitys Department of Education in 2019, the SC State MATTE Bridge Program recruits and offers scholarships to high school students from rural school districts to attend SC State to pursue and complete baccalaureate degrees in teacher education. It provides the necessary assistance for undergraduate students to graduate debt-free, certifiable, and employable.

Charley was one of seven graduating seniors the SC State College of Education, Humanities and Social Sciences inducted into the teaching profession on Dec. 11, and one of four representing the first graduating cohort of MATTE Bridge Scholars.

Alongside Charley, who served as president of the graduating class of educators, the inductees were:

DeSiree James (MATTE Bridge), early childhood education.

Natori Murphy, early childhood education.

Jalen Dugar (Call Me MiSTER), elementary education.

Domonique Edmondson (MATTE Bridge), elementary education.

Jevon Holt, (Call Me MiSTER), elementary education.

Lauren Garner (MATTE Bridge), special education.

The inductees recently completed their student teaching requirements under the guidance of Dr. Janice B. Owens, professor and director of SC States clinical education program, and faculty supervisors Dr. Yvonne G. Johnson, early childhood education, Dr. George E. Hicks, elementary education, and Dr. Cynthia Bryant, special education.

Like the MATTE Bridge Scholars, Dugar and Holts journeys were supported by a program designed to bolster minority representation in South Carolina classrooms.

The Call Me MiSTER Program recruits and prepares Black male students for careers as role models in education through cohorts at SC State and numerous other higher learning institutions. Less than 3% of all teachers in South Carolina are Black men. Nationwide, that figure is 1.3%.

Holt came to SC State all the way from Toronto, Canada, to take advantage of the Call Me MiSTER opportunity.

When I was trying to find what school I wanted to go to after high school, I was intrigued when I heard about HBCUs, because we dont have any in Canada, he said. When I started researching HBCUs, the Call Me MiSTER Program caught my eye.

After applying through Dr. Rashad Anderson, the MiSTER programs director at the time, Holt boarded a plane for sunny South Carolina.

I flew into Columbia, South Carolina, with just two suitcases of clothes, Holt said. I Ubered from Columbia to Orangeburg and moved into Battiste Hall not knowing a single soul on campus but Dr. Anderson.

Now, I have people here I can call on for anything  faculty I consider family and friends and roommates. Theyve all helped me along the journey, Holt said, noting that people here opened their homes to him during holiday breaks. In Canada, we dont really know what Southern hospitality is. We hear about it in the movies, but I got to experience the real Southern hospitality the last four years.

Now, hes ready to apply what he learned in SC States elementary education curriculum and Call Me MiSTER in the real world.

Im ready to go into a new chapter in my life changing the lives of kids, Holt said.

It feels great. Its been a long journey. Ive met a lot of great people along the way, Ive had great experiences along the way. Im thankful for the struggles because Ive learned a lot.

Holt already is fielding several offers from South Carolina school districts but has not settled on a choice. He knows he would like to teach English and social studies at the upper elementary level to make sure his pupils are ready for middle school.

Charley, meanwhile, already has a destination. She will be teaching first grade at Orangeburg Countys Marshall Elementary School, where she completed her student teaching. Shes already preparing her new classroom and has specific goals for the kind of teacher she wants to be.

I want them to know that they can come to me for anything. Whether its positive or negative, they can talk to me about anything. I want to make a positive impact in their lives, Charley said.

During the induction ceremony, the graduating seniors were treated to advice from retired SC State Chair of Education Charlie G. Spell, greetings from SC State President Alexander Conyers and Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Frederick Evans, and a musical interlude from vocalist Alphonso W. Griffin accompanied by Dr. Rosetta Dingle of the music education faculty.

Dr. M. Evelyn Fields, dean of the College of Education, Humanities and Social Sciences, administered the teachers oath and presented the future teachers with completion certificates.
Arbor Day, a tradition that began in Nebraska, now continues throughout the nation.

In South Carolina, Soil and Water Conservation Districts celebrate by planting a tree in their community, hosting a tree giveaway or other forestry-related outreach. The planting of trees promotes beautification, soil health, and advocates for forestry.

National Arbor Day is celebrated on the first Friday of April, but South Carolina celebrates the first Friday of December. This is the ideal time to plant trees in our state.

arbor day Students at Watkins-Nance Elementary School water a newly planted tree as part of an Arbor Day event in Richland County on Dec. 1. Soil and Wa

Conservation districts throughout the state marked Arbor Day on Dec. 1 by planting trees and helping with events in their respective counties.

Soil and Water Conservation Districts are a subdivision of the S.C. Department of Natural Resources that focus on locally led conservation. To learn more about your countys SWCD or to get involved, visit https://www.dnr.sc.gov/conservation/index.html.
Bamberg Countys administrator says hes working to get the level of service needed from the countys new ambulance service.

Weve got issues were trying to work through with Thorne. Kind of a rough, rocky start. Still kind of rocky. Were getting there, but were still a ways off to the level of service that we feel like we need to be getting, County Administrator Joey Preston said during a meeting held earlier this month.

Greenville-based Thorne Ambulance Service began providing Bamberg Countys EMS services on Aug. 9.

The county selected Thorne to replace its former ambulance service provider, Anderson-based Medshore Ambulance.

Preston has said that two advanced life support ambulances will be provided with an average response time of 14 minutes.

One ambulance each is stationed in Bamberg and Denmark. Automatic vehicle locating systems are used to ensure the closest unit responds to an emergency.

During the meeting, Preston passed out an October report from Thorne that had been discussed during a Nov. 30 EMS advisory committee meeting.

Thorne saw 241 patients received through the countys Public Safety Access Point, or PSAP, with the average response time for the month standing at 13.6 minutes.

The average on-scene time was 29.4 minutes, exceeding Thornes internal goal by 9 minutes, but representing an improvement from the prior month. The average completion time for a call  calculated from dispatched to clear  was 59 minutes.

Councilwoman Sharon Hammond asked if there is any collaboration between Bamberg and Barnwell counties EMS services in terms of mutual aid. Barnwell County also has a contract with Thorne.

Preston said, Barnwell made the public decision that they werent going to provide any support to any county, to provide back up to any county that needed it. For example, if all of our EMS units were occupied, or could not respond to call, normally what wed have to do is we have mutual aid agreements with other counties.

Well call Orangeburg, well call Allendale, well call another county to come up and to help us just like we help them in any situation. Barnwell decided they werent going to further lend any assistance to any county.

So theyre going to be their own little self-contained area. We responded to that by saying, Hey, whoa, were supposed to be all working together. Ive got no response at all from Barnwell County to that letter, the administrator said.

Barnwell County Administrator Tim Bennett later said that while Barnwell County appreciates Prestons concerns, Barnwell County, like other counties in the state, is sorting through challenges related to EMS services.

Once we sort through our set of EMS issues here locally, well be in a better position to respond to and hopefully resolve the kind of challenges mentioned in Mr. Prestons letter, Bennett said.

Bennett said Barnwell County is also in discussion with Thorne regarding level of service.

We contracted for four properly staffed ambulances 24/7, and thats what we expect per contract. Our county council chairman has been up front with Mr. Preston that until we get our ambulances fully staffed here in Barnwell County, were not going to cross the county line and leave our citizens without sufficient coverage, Bennett said.

He continued, The exception would be a catastrophic event such as a mass casualty event that would possibly include a two- or three-car pileup involving multiple injuries, where more than two or three ambulances are needed, or a school bus mishap, or multiple gunshot victims.

Bennett said Barnwell County anticipates this being a temporary policy.

When we become fully staffed, we will take another look at resuming the kind of support Mr. Preston appears to be referring to, he said.

The October report stated that Thorne employed 15 personnel in Bamberg County, with nine full-time. The report stated that 12 full-time employees are required in the county and that one full-time staff person had been added since the last report.

While call outs continue to be a problem, we are finally seeing a reduction in the number of weekly call outs as Thorne Ambulance Service policies are upheld and disciplinary action is distributed to those in violation of the organizations attendance policies, the report stated.

Councilman Evert Comer Jr. asked, Any possible liability exposure because of whats going on with Barnwell?

Preston said, Thats a good question, and thats exactly why I am papering this up, to make sure that we let them know that were doing this. We dont think theyre correct in what theyre doing.  We have a kind of legal review going on right now. Anything that I tell Barnwell, I want to make sure were absolutely correct on.

Ryan D. Thorne, Thorne's chief executive officer, said his company was looking to create a more regionalized service for the two counties.

We were collectively seeking an opportunity to create a more synergistic and regionalized service, which is largely why we believe Barnwell and Bamberg selected a new provider around the same time, Thorne said.

He said Bamberg County's administration has been supportive and a collaborative partner in improving the quantity and quality of care provided to the community.

They are dialed into the challenges of the ambulance industry not just locally, but nationwide and have a proactive administration. ... Following the implementation of services in both counties, Barnwell County passed a resolution that effectively eliminated our ability to enter mutual aid agreements  including those with our own service  for any request originating outside of Barnwell County, Thorne said.

He said the resolution has presented challenges.

While we have complied with the resolution, this has effectively reduced the number of resources available to either county. We now must see the county line as the border of one district and the beginning of another not to be crossed. We continue to work with both counties to find an amenable solution that will ensure equal and ample provision of services to those who require ambulance service, he said.

Thorne said the ambulance service is also looking forward to hosting its first local EMT program that is tentatively scheduled for the end of January.

This should boost the number of locally certified providers, creating more career opportunities for the citizens of both Bamberg and Barnwell counties, he said.
Protesters march to San Franciscos Union Square during a day of nationwide action against the war between Israel and Hamas. Don Feria/Special to the Chronicle Protesters rally around the Christmas tree at San Franciscos Union Square during a day of nationwide action against the war between Israel and Hamas. Later Saturday, a protester climbed the Christmas tree. Don Feria/Special to the Chronicle Pro-Palestinian protesters walk past blocked Muni buses on Market Street in front of the former Westfield shopping center. Reshma Kirpalani Special to The Chronicle Protesters rally in front of the Market Street entrance to the former Westfield shopping center in San Francisco during a day of nationwide action against the war between Israel and Hamas. Don Feria/Special to the Chronicle Protesters rally in front of the Market Street entrance to the former Westfield shopping center in San Francisco during a day of nationwide action against the war between Israel and Hamas. Don Feria/Special to the Chronicle Protesters at San Franciscos Union Square call for a cease-fire in the war between Israel and Hamas. Don Feria/Special to the Chronicle With Macys as a backdrop, protesters rally around the Christmas tree at San Franciscos Union Square during a day of nationwide action against the war between Israel and Hamas. Don Feria/Special to the Chronicle Protesters march up the steps to San Franciscos Union Square during a day of nationwide action against the war between Israel and Hamas. Don Feria/Special to the Chronicle

Hundreds of protesters gathered among holiday crowds in San Franciscos central shopping district Saturday to call for an end to hostilities between Hamas and Israel, as well as for charges to be dropped against demonstrators who shut down the Bay Bridge last month.

Chanting free Palestine and cease-fire now while holding yellow protest signs that read No Xmas as usual in a genocide and DA Jenkins drop all charges on the Bay Bridge 78, the protesters  many of them representing the Party for Socialism and Liberation  stood outside the former Westfield mall on Market Street as holiday shopping was underway with Christmas just two days away.

By 1:30 p.m., protesters had blocked traffic on Market Street between Powell and Ellis streets. About 30 minutes later protesters marched down Market Street and confronted police. Later, protesters marched to Union Square and surrounded the Christmas tree and ice skating rink.

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Officers said they arrested four people around 2 p.m.: a man on suspicion of felony vandalism and resisting arrest, a man on suspicion of assault and battery on a police officer, a woman on suspicion of battery with serious bodily injury, and a juvenile male on suspicion of battery.

Shortly after 4 p.m., police warned people to avoid the area around Union Square. Video posted to the Citizen app showed a protester climbing the Christmas tree, waving a free Palestine sign.

The protest comes amid months of popular demonstrations in support of Palestinians and against Israels response to Hamas Oct. 7 attacks, which killed more than 1,200 Israelis. Since then, more than 20,000 Palestinians have been killed, prompting mass protests across the world, including several in San Francisco over the past two months.

Protesters rally toward San Franciscos Union Square during a day of nationwide action against the war between Israel and Hamas. Don Feria/Special to the Chronicle

Along with asking for a cease-fire in the war between Hamas and Israel, the protesters want San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins to drop all charges against the protesters who shut down the Bay Bridge in November, leading to a backup that lasted several hours.

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The 78 protesters were arrested on the Bay Bridge after blocking all lanes heading into the city as world leaders gathered in San Francisco for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit. So far Jenkins has charged 17 of the demonstrators with imprisonment, unlawful public assembly and refusing to disperse. During the arraignment of several protesters this week, pro-Palestinian groups packed the Hall of Justice to show their support.

Nadya Tannous of the Palestinian Youth Movement, one of the protesters on the bridge, called on the crowd to stand up against U.S. support of Israel and demand that Jenkins drop the charges against the Bay Bridge 78, adding that the death toll in Gaza has doubled since the protest during APEC.

We refuse to go back to normal, she said. We are not going anywhere.

After the Union Square march, several protesters headed to the San Francisco County Jail to demand the release of two Bay Bridge protesters still held there. On Sunday afternoon, the Bay Area chapter of the Palestinian Youth Movement announced that the two protesters had been released.

Protesters rally in front of the Market Street entrance to the former Westfield shopping center in San Francisco during a day of nationwide action against the war between Israel and Hamas. Don Feria/Special to the Chronicle

Ghassan Rafeedie, a Christian Palestinian who helped organize Saturdays Union Square demonstration, said he will not celebrate Christmas this year, instead focusing his energy on stopping the genocide of Palestinians by Israel and pushing Jenkins to drop charges against the Bay Bridge 78.

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We are protesting genocide, and San Francisco is mad that traffic got blocked temporarily. What does that say about San Francisco? Rafeedie said. Im from a Christian Palestinian family, and we have had to cancel Christmas. Settlers are going on a rampage in the West Bank while Israel slaughters children in Gaza. We want people to stand up against genocide.

Nancy Robles, a member of the Party for Socialism and Liberation, said she feels it is important to protest at the holidays, a time many spend with families, as a reminder that those in Gaza are unable to.

There are families being decimated right now, she said. We dont believe its appropriate to celebrate during a genocide.

Robles added that she hoped the march made people feel empowered to keep standing up for Palestinians.

We want people to know that San Francisco will never be a place that tolerates this, she said.

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Protesters surround the Christmas tree at San Franciscos Union Square during a day of nationwide action against the war between Israel and Hamas. Don Feria/Special to the Chronicle

Rami Abdelkarim of the Palestinian Youth Movement said that, as a Palestinian Christian, he feels it is important to stand up two days before Christmas as Christians like him are under siege.



If Jesus Christ were born today hed be born in a brutal military occupation with little access to food and water, with the potential for his home to be demolished, he said. As our tax dollars are funding the genocide of Palestinians, we need to make it known that celebration is inappropriate.
(TBTCO) - Gia ca phe hom nay (11/1) tai thi truong trong nuoc noi dai chuoi ngay i len. Ghi nhan cho thay, muc giao dich cao nhat trong cac ia phuong uoc khao sat la 70.500 ong/kg. Trong khi o, gia tieu dao ong trong khoang 78.000 - 80.000 ong/kg sau khi uoc ieu chinh giam ong loat. oi voi cao su, gia ky han tren hai san giao dich uoc ieu chinh tang duoi 2% trong phien sang nay.
GLOBAL growth is expected to remain weak, with the Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) region projected to experience 2% GDP growth in 2023. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) suggests that T&Ts economy is on a broad-based recovery path. Explore these and other international, regional and local economic insights from the Chambers Trade & Business Development Unit.
Trinidad and Tobago has lost a man who blazed a trail like few others before him ever had, and like few others ever will again.

These were the words of President Christine Kangaloo as she paid tribute to former prime minister Basdeo Panday at his state funeral, at the Southern Academy for the Performing Arts (SAPA), San Fernando, yesterday.
It was one of the best tributes (eulogies) I saw or heard, and perhaps the best speech Presi
Before I write todays column, there are two important and seemingly unrelated observations I must make.

No. 1: Regular readers of this column know that I dont like to write about Medicare. Why? Because Im a Social Security expert, but not much of a Medicare expert.

No. 2: It seems like there are a lot of rich (or temporarily rich) baby boomers out there. Why? Very often its because they are selling off property they own and suddenly have a huge influx of cash. This observation is based on the unusually high number of emails Im getting from senior citizens telling me about their newfound financial gains. And why they are emailing me is how I bring the two points I made together.

Here is one such email I just got today. My wife and I are in our 70s. We sold some property last year and we ended up with about a million dollars in capital gains, which we duly reported to the IRS. Now the Social Security Administration has sent us a letter telling us our Social Security benefits are being dramatically cut next year. Why in the world are they cutting our benefits? I thought that once we are over our full retirement age, we can make as much money as we want without any reduction in our benefits.

There is a little part of me that wants to respond to folks like these and say something like: Hey, you got a million dollars and youre griping? I sure wish I had your problems! But here was how I actually replied to this particular couple:

First of all, you are mixing an apple with an orange. The apple is the Social Security law that says, as you correctly pointed out, once you reach your full retirement age, there is no earnings penalty. You can work and earn as much money as you want and your benefits will not be affected.

But the orange is a totally different law. Its a Medicare rule, not a Social Security rule. And in a nutshell, that law says that rich people pay more for Medicare. So, whats happened in your case is that your Medicare premium is going up in 2024. And because that premium is deducted from your Social Security checks, your net benefit went down. I hope you dont think Im splitting hairs here. But its important that you understand your Social Security benefits have not decreased. You are still getting exactly the amount you are due. But again, your Medicare premium did increase  and probably temporarily.

As I said, I dont like talking about Medicare. But Ive got to do it here to help you further understand whats going on.

There are two main parts to Medicare. Hospital coverage, or Part A, is free once you reach age 65. (You paid for Part A with the Medicare tax deducted from your paychecks while you were working.)

The other main part of the program, called doctors insurance, or Part B, is paid for by a monthly premium usually deducted from someones Social Security check. And even though people always complain about the amount of that premium, $174.70 in 2024, it actually pays for only 25% of the cost of running the program. The taxpayers pick up the other 75%. In other words, senior citizens get quite a subsidy from the government and the taxpayers when it comes to paying for Part B Medicare.

So, for years, many people argued that senior citizens should pay a bigger share of the Part B costs. As you might guess, there was a lot of political hemming and hawing on that issue. But eventually, in the early 2000s, President George W. Bush and Congress reached a compromise. They decided that at least wealthy Americans should pay more for their Medicare. How much more depends on a number of factors and on whether you file an individual or joint tax return. To keep things simple, Ill list the cutoff points for folks filing joint returns  because most of the emails I get come from couples. The income referred to here is your modified adjusted gross income, or MAGI. (Google that if you want to learn more about what MAGI is.)

If your MAGI is $206,000 or less, your premium is $174.70.

If your MAGI is between $206,000 and $258,000, your premium is $244.60.

If your MAGI is between $258,000 and $322,000, your premium is $349.40.

If your MAGI is between $322,000 and $386,000, your premium is $454.20.

If your MAGI is between $386,000 and $750,000, your premium is $559.

If your MAGI is more than $750,000, your premium is $594.

Where things get messy and cause the most confusion is for people who are temporarily rich. And again, here we are usually talking about folks who sold some land or cashed in some investments. And then it gets messier still because of the tax years involved. Here is an excerpt from something I found on the SSAs website.

To determine your 2023 income-related monthly adjustment amounts, we use your most recent federal tax return the IRS provides to us. Generally, this information is from a tax return filed in 2022 for tax year 2021. Sometimes, the IRS only provides information from a return filed in 2021 for tax year 2020. If we use the 2020 tax year data, and you filed a return for tax year 2021 or did not need to file a tax return for tax year 2021, call us or visit any local Social Security office. Well update our records.

And this is where things start to get too messy for me to understand or to explain to you. If you want more information, at least I can steer you in the right direction. First, you should visit tucne.ws/medicarepremiums to view an SSA publication that not only explains the rules (and maybe better than I did in this column), but it also gives you your appeal rights if you disagree with the premium increase. It also tells you that your premium will go back down once your tax returns no longer reflect any big capital gains.

A second good source of information is a Medicare expert. They are called SHIPs. That stands for State Health Insurance Program (counselor). To find the SHIP nearest you, go to shiphelp.org.
Two Tucson residents have been indicted in an alleged conspiracy to embezzle millions of dollars from a tribal healthcare provider, spending the money on homes, cars, and credit card bills, federal officials say.

The schemes, which began in 2015 and lasted through this year, ended with a 40-count indictment against Kevin McKenzie, 47, and Corina Martinez, 41, according to a news release Friday from the U.S. Attorneys Office in Arizona.

The pair face a litany of offenses, including conspiracy to embezzle from a tribal organization, embezzlement, theft from a federally funded program, and others.

FBI Investigators who conducted the investigation into the duo said McKenzie used his status as Chief Operating Officer and CEO of Apache Behavior Services (ABHS) to funnel money to himself.

Its alleged that he also worked with Martinez through her company, Evolved Healthcare, Inc. to enter into a phony referral contract with ABHS to further embezzle funds.

These proceeds were then split between both parties.

Among McKenzies purchases was a $128,000 Rolls Royce Ghost and a $952,000 home for his family, the release said.

Martinez is the sister of McKenzies longtime domestic partner, the Associated Press reported.

Defense attorney Louis Fidel said in a statement to AP that McKenzie strongly denies the allegations against him, and we intend to vigorously defend the case. He said McKenzies work on the reservation over the years had benefited many tribal members who previously were underserved.

Martinez has spent many years providing behavioral health services to those in need, her attorney, Joshua Hamilton, said in a separate statement to AP.

Arraignment in U.S. District Court in Tucson was set on Jan. 5 for Martinez and on Jan. 12 for McKenzie.

The case appears unrelated to widespread Medicaid scams have bilked the state of Arizona out of hundreds of millions of federal dollars. Thousands of Native Americans who traveled from reservations and even other states to seek help for alcohol and drug addictions at Phoenix area rehabilitation facilities have often been left homeless by the billing schemes.

In those cases, fraudulent charges for reimbursement were submitted mostly through the American Indian Health Program, a Medicaid health plan that allows providers to bill directly for reimbursement of services rendered to Native Americans and Alaska Natives.
In recent months, Joanna Williams of Kino Border Initiative has heard an odd rumor circulating among migrants at the nonprofits shelter in Nogales, Sonora, as they waited for an appointment to request asylum using the CBP One application.

Asylum seekers must wait as long as six months, often in dangerous conditions along the border in Mexico, for one of the few appointment available through the app, promoted by the Biden Administration as the only legitimate way to request asylum for most migrants.

But the asylum seekers said they heard the app was about to go off-line, Williams said.

People would come up and say, Hey, I heard the app is shutting down. If its not going to be an option, I dont think I should continue trying on the app, said Williams, executive director of Kino Border Initiative, a Catholic-led nonprofit that offers food, shelter, legal assistance, psychological support and other services to migrants on the border.

The rumor was baseless, but its certainly convinced some to opt to cross the border between ports of entry and request asylum from border agents in the field, instead of continuing to wait, advocates say.

U.S. officials are now trying to counter the latest rumor with their own online messaging.

CBP One isnt going to end. Ignore traffickers lies, the U.S. Consulate in Nogales posted in Spanish on X, formerly Twitter, on Dec. 18. Other U.S. Consulate offices across Mexico have issued the same fact-check in hopes of convincing asylum seekers to stay the course and continue using the app.

Myriad factors influence the volume of migrant arrivals, including global instability, which is leading to rising migration worldwide.

But the current surge in migrant arrivals along the U.S.-Mexico border appears at least partly driven by misinformation and rumors, increasingly spread via social media platforms like TikTok and large group chats in the WhatsApp messaging application, according to reports from migrant-aid organizations and U.S. officials.

Human smugglers lose customers when migrants take advantage of legitimate pathways to asylum, officials say. So smugglers often spread rumors or misinformation, sometimes based on a nugget of truth, to generate demand for their lucrative industry, which has thrived in the face of U.S. border policies of deterrence and the lack of accessible avenues to request asylum.

Last month advocates in Texas, too, began hearing migrants share the rumor that CBP One would end after the holidays, said Tom Cartwright, a volunteer with South Texas-based advocacy group Witness at the Border.

Rumors like this circulate on social media platforms and create a sense of urgency, he said.

Migrants more news aware

Another emerging challenge is pseudo-legitimate travel agencies in cities like Dakar, the capital of Senegal, advertising travel to Europe and the U.S., according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection. These groups advertise visa-free travel to Europe, selling packages that connect migrants to a smuggling organization in the western hemisphere to facilitate travel to the U.S.-Mexico border, according CBP.

Even political discourse in the U.S. filters down to what migrants hear about conditions at the border.

Conservative pundits repeating the falsehood that the U.S. has open borders under the Biden Administration filters down to potential migrants in Central America, according to a September poll funded by Americas Voice, a national advocacy group that supports immigration reform. The poll interviewed 600 randomly selected Central Americans between the ages of 16 and 39 who were living in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua.

Nearly one in five people surveyed said they believed the U.S. had open borders and that most migrants can apply for asylum if they make it to the border. Among the youngest group surveyed, ages 16 to 24, more than one-third reported hearing U.S. officials or politicians claim the border is open.

Williams of Kino Border Initiative agreed that migrants are increasingly responding to U.S. news headlines that are now easier to access through social media.

Especially in the past few years, migrants have become more news aware, Williams said.

Six or seven years ago I wouldnt have migrants here asking me about, What does this headline mean? she said. Now its become much more common.

But Williams emphasized that no one is trying to reach the U.S. simply because they read a headline or heard a rumor.

The decision to migrate is determined by life factors. But the timing is often determined by whats in the narrative in the headline, she said. Its more that somebody whos planning on leaving, or feeling pushed to leave, gets the sense of, This is my window of opportunity.

Surge continues in Tucson

In November, the Tucson sector was again the busiest of the southern borders nine sectors, as it has been since July. Border agents apprehended more than 64,600 migrants between ports of entry last month, up from 55,000 in October, according to monthly data released by CBP on Friday.

Border Patrol agents in the Tucson sector apprehended 19,400 migrants between ports of entry last week alone, according to John Modlin, the agencys Tucson sector chief.

Casa Alitas and other resources for asylum seekers have been approaching full capacity for months now, with more than 1,300 migrants released to their care daily in recent days, said Diego Pina Lopez, agency director for Tucson nonprofit Casa Alitas, which provides temporary shelter and support services for asylum seekers.

As other sectors have experienced their own recent surges, especially the Rio Grande Valley sector in Texas, thats limited the Border Patrols ability to laterally decompress by transporting migrants to other areas of the border, Pina Lopez said.

But so far Tucsons shelter system has been able to house all migrants released here by the Border Patrol as legal asylum seekers, before they move on to stay with family or sponsors in other parts of the country, usually within 48 hours.

Migrants have long relied on word of mouth to inform their decisions, but the advent of social media has put more information, much of it unreliable, at the fingertips of vulnerable people desperate to find a way to safety, Pina Lopez said.

Policy changes create uncertainty

Smugglers also appear to be capitalizing on the ongoing U.S. federal budget debates, which U.S. media has reported could lead to drastic restrictions on asylum, Cartwright said.

Anything that creates additional deterrence, like some of the things theyre talking about in these (budget) proposals, is going to directly improve the profits of organized crime, he said.

Impending policy changes often contribute to a surge, or a drop, in arrivals, as migrants either hurry to cross the border before a change occurs, or take a wait-and-see approach in the weeks after a policy change.

The last time the southern border saw migrant-arrival volumes this high was in May, before the end of the Trump-era Title 42 policy, which allowed border agents to immediately return migrants to Mexico without giving them a chance to request asylum, said Aaron Reichlin-Melnick, policy director at the American Immigration Council.

Its not the only reason were seeing high numbers right now, but we have seen very consistently that rumors can play a very large role in these mass crossing events, Reichlin-Melnick said.

In the lead-up to the end of Title 42, the Biden Administrations messaging focused on how strict the policy that replaced it would be, including deportations and a five-year ban on re-entry for those who entered the U.S. outside ports of entry.

The Biden Administration was sending messages that, Once Title 42 is over, we will get harsher, we will crack down, he said. A lot of people thought, Well, shoot, we better go now, Reichlin-Melnick said. Then, there was a significant drop in arrivals after Title 42 ended, as migrants took a wait-and-see approach.

Bidens so-called asylum ban is now in effect, although its been challenged in court, he said.

But as it turned out, the U.S. does not have the staffing capacity to put every asylum seeker through the harsher, rapid asylum screenings the policy called for, Reichlin-Melnick said. Asylum seekers are still being released to await asylum hearings in the U.S., often scheduled years later due to the underfunded asylum systems backlog.

Despite this rule banning asylum to most people crossing, thats not actually impacting a large number of people because most are not getting the rapid screenings that could produce a decision in a matter of days, as opposed to a matter of years.

Its crucial to understand, nearly everyone who is crossing the border right now will be banned from asylum under this rule (once they have their asylum hearing) because they didnt use CBP One or because they cant show exceptional circumstances for why they crossed between ports of entry, he said.

An example of exceptional circumstances would be a smuggler threatening to shoot a migrant for refusing to cross between ports of entry  as long as the migrant could prove it happened, he said.

Core challenges not addressed

Advocates and immigration analysts say the current chaos at the border largely results from policymakers decision to underfund the asylum system and U.S. ports of entry, while focusing almost exclusively on border enforcement, like wall construction, that has minimal impact on the number of arrivals and primarily serves to channel migrants to hard-to-reach and dangerously remote locations in the borderlands.

The backlog facing immigration courts is now a record 3 million pending cases, up from 2 million just one year ago, according the the latest figures from Syracuse University researchers who manage the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse, or TRAC.

Calls to close the border dont really mean much, experts say.

Presidential administrations face hard limits on what they can do, Reichlin-Melnick said, and the Biden Administration has made a number of policy changes that have been blocked in court.

Once someone is on U.S. soil, under international law, theyre our problem, he said. We cannot simply turn people around once theyve crossed the border. Theres no legal authority that permits that. Even if Congress creates a new legal authority to do that, it would still require the affirmative consent of Mexico, as did Title 42.

The Biden Administration wants to hire 1,600 new asylum officers, which would increase by 2.5 times the number of personnel that interview and adjudicate claims for asylum and facilitate timely decisions so that those who are ineligible can be quickly removed and those with valid claims can have faster resolution, according to a fact sheet released by the White House in October.

But current negotiations in Congress arent focused on bolstering the asylum system.

Everyone would agree a five-year wait to hear an asylum claim is a broken system, Reichlin-Melnick said. But right now unfortunately, the negotiations in Congress are less about fixing the system than about getting rid of it and hoping that solves the problem. But that isnt going to stop migrants from crossing the border, and it wont stop the administration from releasing people, because the fundamental core challenges will still be there.

How to help Casa Alitas, a program of Catholic Community Services of Southern Arizona, is in need of volunteers, especially people fluent in Spanish or French, to help at its Tucson-area facilities. Donations are also welcome. Visit casaalitas.org or call 520-330-6988 for information on how to help.
There are times when it seems the U.S. government would prefer Americans just stay in our country.

And theyd prefer that foreigners  even those with visas, money and family in the United States  stay out.

The government implicitly tells us that cross-border travel is a luxury we dont deserve right now.

It happened during the Trump administration, when stricter asylum policies led to waits of up to 12 hours to get into the country at the DeConcini port of entry in downtown Nogales. Americans were forced to pee in bottles in their cars as they waited to get home.

And its happening now, with the closure of the port of entry at Lukeville, the primary route to the Sonoran coastal town of Puerto Penasco, or Rocky Point.

The effects of the closure range from profound (devastation to the tourism economy from Puerto Penasco to Gila Bend) to serious (preventing American expatriates from going to appointments in the United States or even getting their mail) to the simpler annoyance of forcing Arizonans either to cancel holiday-time trips to the ocean, or take dangerous routes to get there.

The message is: Things will be fine if you stay on your side of the line.

But thats simply not how life works in the borderlands. People have jobs, family, homes and schools on the other side of the line, and thats not a luxury. Its a longstanding way of life.

When the government interrupts that way of life, a holiday tamalada, or tamale feast, may become an unaffordable extravagance, and be replaced by donated canned goods.

Ruben Cordova Jr. is in the process of delivering close to 500 food bags to families who have lost their income due to the port of entrys closure  resort workers, beach vendors and the like. In a separate effort, Nalelly Fimbres Soto has been doing much the same but with different families affected by the closure, including tour boat operators.

There are thousands of people not making any money now, here in Penasco and in Southern Arizona  Why, Gila Bend, Lukeville, she said via Facebook. Our community is really small and yet so strong  Americans helping Mexicans and Mexicans helping Americans.

A shift in migration

The reason for the interruption of this way of life, as usual, is international migration and our reaction to it. For obscure reasons, the smugglers who direct migration across Mexico have shifted their main routes to the remote desert around Lukeville. CBP officials suspect that they are trying to overwhelm the Border Patrol in certain areas through sheer numbers.

Sometimes thousands of migrants per day are crossing through holes cut in the fence or other locations, and waiting to present themselves to border agents for processing. They typically ask for asylum, though past experience says most will not qualify in the end.

Its undeniably a hard-to-handle situation. But fortunately, the Border Patrol has about 3,700 agents it can draw from in the Tucson sector alone. There are many more in the adjacent Yuma sector.

However, the way Customs and Border Protection has chosen to handle it has been to take the relative handful of employees who run the small Lukeville Port of Entry, and use them primarily as drivers, transporting migrants from the fence to the Ajo Border Patrol station.

This strikes me as a misuse of important resources. While Im sure these port officers are good drivers and have some relevant training, the balance of whats gained versus whats lost by using them that way is way off.

Whats gained is a small bit of help, but its help that probably could be provided by someone else. Whats lost is a legal, common and relatively safe way of life that happens to cross the international border.

As Margarita Bernal, a former local judge in Tucson and occasional traveler to Rocky Point, put it: Theyve hurt lots of folks who had nothing to do with the border crisis.

Hobbs declines to act

The blame for the continued closure of Lukeville doesnt just rest with CBP. Gov. Katie Hobbs, after pulling National Guard troops from the border earlier this fall, has sent them back in a support role, but has specifically declined to place them at the port of entry, because she wants the federal government to handle that expense.

Thats shortsighted.

As Bernal explained, I voted for Hobbs and I love the governor, but her insistence that the feds pay for it is going to cost more in the long run.

But goodness knows that there are tens of thousands of CBP employees around the country who could help with the migration problems and allow the Lukeville port of entry to stay open.

The state of Vermont, along its 90 miles of border with Canada, has 15 ports of entry, more than Arizonas nine, despite the fact that Arizonas border with Mexico is four times longer at about 370 miles. Why not close one of them and use their personnel?

Im sure the Vermonters and Quebecois can more easily drive the extra 20 minutes between, say, the Enosburg Falls Port of Entry and the Richford Port of Entry than Arizonans and Sonorans can drive the extra 2-3 hours to use the Nogales or San Luis ports of entry.

The closure also reflects Congress continual misunderstanding of the Mexican border as a place where migrant crises and smuggling occur but legal crossings are a minor afterthought. Theyve repeatedly funded the hiring of thousands of Border Patrol agents while approving minimal increases in port inspectors.

Of course, its not surprising that the many members of Congress living in the interior United States dont get it. They only know the border as a problem.

What everyone in government needs to know is that the establishment of a port of entry is not a casual promise, revocable on a whim. Its a commitment to a way of life  a commitment and an obligation.
Little Medicine Lake and Medicine Lake are part of an area in Northern California that Native American groups and conservationists want to see designated as a national monument. Courtesy of Bob Wick Medicine Lake, as photographed in November, sits in the crater of an ancient volcano in Siskiyou County, about 40 miles northeast of Mount Shasta. Kurtis Alexander/The Chronicle

MCCLOUD, Siskiyou County  Medicine Lake is a destination for people who want to get away from people.

Nestled in the crater of an ancient volcano some 350 miles north of San Francisco, the lakes pristine waters, forested shoreline and distinct lava formations had not one visitor on a late fall afternoon, even before heavy snow blocked the long road in. Other days, a few boaters and campers may scamper about. Native Americans often come for worship.

Our people have been severed from these places, but these places havent lost their power, said Monica Super, a member of the Pit River Tribe and Modoc descendant, who had recently come to Medicine Lake to recharge in the peace and quiet. The relationship Ive built with this place is similar to (my relationship with) my great aunt: I would go to her home broken and would leave full.

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The cherished lake is now at the center of a campaign to make this geologically unique and spiritually significant area, known as the Medicine Lake Highlands, or Sattitla in the parlance of the Indigenous community, Californias next national monument. The designation would ensure greater protections for the property northeast of Mount Shasta and raise its profile among Americas public lands. The remote highlands are managed by the U.S. Forest Service.

The push for the roughly 200,000-acre monument in Siskiyou County and a sliver of Modoc County is being led by Northern Californias Pit River Tribe. The effort has, so far, won support from a handful of conservation groups and, recently, the Newsom administration. The White House, which holds the authority to make the monument designation, has not spoken publicly about the proposal.

The campaign joins at least three other petitions for monument status in California. A 660,000-acre Chuckwalla National Monument is being proposed in the Southern California desert, as are expansions of two existing monuments  Berryessa Snow Mountain between Napa and Mendocino counties, and the San Gabriel Mountains north of Los Angeles.

At Medicine Lake, under a cloudy midday sky that obscured the surrounding mountains, evidence of the regions fiery past unfolded in every direction.

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Hardened flows of lava spanned nearby for miles across treeless hillsides, displaying striking outcroppings of obsidian, rhyolite and other volcanic rock. Pumice fields here were used by NASA astronauts to train for moon landings.

Several cave openings dotted the unusual terrain, exposing lava tubes bored by volcanic vents and flowing molten rock in a maze of underground pathways. Caving is popular among those who visit.

The underlying Medicine Lake volcano, whose history of lava flows and gas expulsions chiseled the landscape, is likely the largest volcano, by volume, in the Cascade Range, which includes such giants as Mount Saint Helens and Mount Rainier, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The mountains most recent eruption was about 950 years ago.

The human history here is tied to the areas otherworldliness. Native Americans across Northern California, including the Pit River, Modoc, Shasta, Karuk and Wintu peoples, have long come for prayer and ritual, often attributing supernatural powers to the area.

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Its the first place that I ever had a divine cultural intervention, said tribal member Super. It happened there on the banks of the lake during ceremony.

Medicine Lake sits in the Modoc National Forest, at an elevation of 6,770 feet. Courtesy of Bob Wick

One of the continuing traditions of Supers Pit River Tribe is an ancestral run between Mount Shasta and Mount Lassen, through the highlands. The participants sometimes stop to soak in the reputed healing waters of Medicine Lake, at 6,770 feet elevation, or its adjacent sibling Little Medicine Lake.

The primary motivation for the monument drive is to cement the end of a decades-old fight to prevent geothermal energy development here. While the Pit River Tribe has succeeded, through litigation, at keeping the federal government from extending leases for energy exploration and potential power production, the possibility exists, however unlikely, of the leases being reactivated.

Geothermal drilling, critics say, would not only scar the landscape but threaten water quality in aquifers that feed the Fall and Pit rivers, and eventually Shasta Lake, the largest reservoir in California.

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The designation of a national monument would restrict industrial activities.

We cant be wasting our lives and our childrens lives battling projects that arent congruent with the area, said Brandy McDaniels, cultural representative for the Pit River Tribes Madesi Band and the tribes lead on the monument campaign. We need to find these protections and solutions and put them in place.

Whether a national monument is established hinges on a number of factors, among the foremost being support from local communities and their political representatives.

A handful of officeholders contacted by the Chronicle, from both political parties, said they were still reviewing the proposal, including Sen. Alex Padilla. Calpine, the Houston-based company that had sought to harness energy in the highlands, did not respond to a request for comment. There is no known organized opposition effort.

We very much want to protect these sacred lands, said Michelle Berditschevsky, founder of the Mount Shasta Bioregional Ecology Center and senior conservation consultant for the organization. The center has long allied with the Pit River Tribe and Stanford Universitys Environmental Law Clinic to fight off development in the area.

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While the Biden administration has remained mum on the Medicine Lake campaign, the president is on pace to to use his authority, under the Antiquities Act, to protect more acreage through monument designations than most of his predecessors. He has, so far, established five new national monuments and restored two that lost their status during the Trump administration. None of the land, though, has been in California.

Historically, the bulk of monument designations have come in the final year of a presidents four-year term, which is approaching for Biden. Lobbying for the highlands is likely to pick up.
Josephs broken leg has healed, and the angel has his wings back at San Xavier del Bac.

Just in time for Christmas, worshipers at the 240-year-old church can say a prayer in front of the Nativity and rock the baby Jesus in his cradle, thanks to restoration work on the Tohono Oodham holiday display that has graced the mission for decades.

The refurbished Nativity scene went up in the east transept of the main chapel on Wednesday.

San Xavier custodian Ivan Burrell oversaw the setup as usual. The task means a lot to him, so hes only missed doing it once in the past 23 years.

Its very special to me, and Im very glad to have the honor to put this out for the people, Burrell said.

The Nativity includes the usual cast of characters, all of them with Native flourishes. It also features several Oodham villagers in traditional dress, including a woman with a burden basket on her head.

Watching the celestial scene from above is an angel with pressed tin wings, a headband and a brightly painted rattle in his hand.

Theres a specific order to how Burrell placed the figures, in keeping with the biblical story. Joseph goes first, he explained.

Burrell talked to the figures as he arranged them, thanking them for being there for another holiday season. Then he said a prayer in front of the finished scene.

The three wise men  with their little ceramic pots of gold, frankincense and myrrh  looked on from a nearby altar, where they will wait for their turn to travel to the manger. San Xavier Pastor Ponchie Vasquez said that wont happen until the Epiphany, also known as Three Kings Day, on Jan. 6.

Artist Thomas Franco of San Xavier village created the Native Nativity out of mesquite and saguaro ribs. He donated it to the church in the early 1980s, and it has been on display there each Christmas ever since.

The late Tucson icon and folklorist Big Jim Griffith described Francos lovely scene for the Arizona Daily Star in 2013: The dark-skinned holy family is under a ramada, with native pottery and baskets on the ground. The baby Jesus lies in a hanging cradle with a string leading to the edge of the altar. People may pause, say a prayer, pull the string and rock the baby.

Burrell said Francos wife, Elsie, made the clothes for the figures. The black hair glued to their heads reportedly came from trimmings the couple collected after their childrens haircuts.

Franco came from a family of artists. His parents, Domingo and Chepa Franco, carved wooden figures and built dioramas in the 1950s and 60s depicting daily life for the Oodham.

The Nativity was restored by Susie Moreno from Patronato San Xavier, the nonprofit that oversees preservation and fundraising for the historic building on Tohono Oodham land.

It was a special project to me, because it kind of hit close to home, said Moreno, a mission-based preventive conservation specialist. I kind of had a personal connection to it.

Feels like home

Moreno was born in the San Xavier District and baptized at the mission.

She studied at the mission school through eighth grade and regularly attended Mass at the iconic church next door.

At Christmastime, she remembers watching people line up to pray in front of the Oodham version of Bethlehem and pull the string. The uniquely interactive display was the only Nativity she ever knew as a child.

Everyone knows to kind of rock him back and forth. Everyone is very gentle when they do it, Moreno said. Its a tradition. Its just normal to me.

Repairing the Nativity was the first solo project for the 30-year-old, after about seven years of training under Tim Lewis and Matilde Rubio, the husband-and-wife conservators who have overseen the artwork at the mission for decades.

Moreno is Lewis niece. She said she didnt have much interest in art or her uncles work growing up. She would spend time with him at the mission after school when she was little, but she didnt really understand what he did until years later, when she started learning at his side.

She thought a conservator was just a fancy name for an artist who restores old work by painting over it. She soon learned the science and the technical skill that goes along with the artistry.

Youre not creating anything. Youre saving and preserving history, she explained.

Moreno originally planned to become a nurse after she graduated from San Miguel High School, but she was working a retail job in August of 2016, when her uncle asked her if she wanted to come join him at the mission.

A month later, she started there as a part-time conservation apprentice.

Moreno has had a hand in every major restoration project since, including plaster repairs on the entire east tower and conservation work on the missions main altar and 17th-century bells.

Earlier this year, she was part of a crew that spent weeks on scaffolding more than 50 feet above the floor, cleaning and stabilizing centuries-old artwork on the inside of San Xaviers dome. To reach their lofty work area, she said, they had to go up on the roof and climb into the church through one of the decorative windows near the ceiling.

Moreno still lives in her childhood home, about two miles from the mission. In addition to her now full-time job, shes taking classes for the bachelors degree in heritage conservation she hopes to earn in a year or two from the University of Arizonas College of Architecture.

Most days, her work involves regular maintenance of the historic decorations inside the mission, where dust is a constant challenge. The doors are open seven days a week, she said.

The rest of her time is spent on rapid repairs to damaged or deteriorating items or on special projects like the Nativity.

Manger makeover

Moreno said she started work on the display in June and finished it in November.

Everything was cleaned, dusted and repaired as needed.

She had to nail one of the angels wings back on and fix broken legs on Joseph, a wise man and one of the villagers. Several of the figures, carved from mesquite and saguaro ribs, had to be reattached to their bases.

The glued-on dirt covering the ramadas plywood floor was refreshed with bits of straw from the nearby San Xavier Co-op Farm.

Moreno also replaced the Nativitys brown leather hammock, which had been torn and patched with duct tape. The baby Jesus new cradle is a piece of saddle blanket printed with a Southwestern pattern.

To preserve Francos original Sonoran Desert backdrop, which used to be tacked to the back of the ramada, Moreno glued the painting to a thicker canvas and had it stretched over a sturdy frame. Then she touched up the work with special paints favored by conservators.

Finally, the old bulb that once lit the scene was replaced with an LED light that wont damage the artwork.

Moreno documented her work throughout the process and came up with a new, more protective way to store the Nativity when its not in use. The figures used to be wrapped in newspaper and packed into cardboard boxes. Now they are kept in clear bags and carefully arranged like a game of Tetris inside hard-sided plastic containers, Moreno said.

It was a lot of work but a very good experience, she said of the project. I really enjoyed it.

The only thing missing on Wednesday was the star of the show. As tradition dictates, the baby Jesus wont be placed in the manger until local parishioners gather for midnight Mass on Christmas Eve.

The display is scheduled to stay up until the Feast of Candelaria on Feb. 2. Thats when Burrell will carefully pack up the figures, thank them for watching over the people of San Xavier and say goodbye to them for another year.

He knows theyre just going back into storage, but he likes to imagine a different journey for the Natives of San Xaviers Nativity.

I always picture them walking off into the desert, Burrell said.
Some people might shy away from honoring the legacy of a building whose history had a few unsavory hiccups.

But it was those hiccups, the rough-hewn history handed down by the last tenant bar, the popular biker hangout Bashful Bandit, that Toby Kyte wanted to celebrate.

Thats why Kyte and his sibling partners  brothers Terry and Trevor and sister Leslie Frost  named their barbecue restaurant at 3686 E. Speedway Blvd. Bashful Bandit Barbecue.

I think the history of the building and where its at and, specifically, the roughness of the Bandit, or the perceived roughness, kind of fits with the old school barbecue we do, said Kyte, who estimated the projects total cost at a couple million dollars.

The restaurants backyard barbecue style is not trying to be anything its not. Its kind of authentic. I think the Bashful Bandit was an authentic place, he added.

Roughly 2 years after buying the 76-year-old building in June 2021, the partners will officially open the restaurant on Wednesday, Dec. 27.

Kyte had initially hoped to have the restaurant open in fall 2021, but delay after delay pushed the timetable back at every turn. Plans to redo the Bandit parking lot and the adjacent lot of their neighbor was then expanded to include the lot on the other side. Each building permit seemed to require a prerequisite permit, and once they had the permits, they faced COVID-related supply chain holdups.

The renovation work included installing a new electrical system with an expanded capacity to accommodate a restaurant. They also added patio dining and an outdoor cooking area centralized in a converted 50-foot semi-trailer.

Inside, they retained the old bar that likely dated back to 1947, when Bertha Lester built the 2,875-square-foot building to house Rio Rita Bar. But they got rid of the old bathrooms and built new ones and they stripped old and stained drywall from the interior walls and added double doors to improve the traffic flow.

When they removed the drywall on one side of the dining room, they unearthed part of the original aqua-colored wall from Rio Rita. They also found some super cool wallpaper from the 60s that Kyte preserved.

Thats what I liked about the building; I didnt want to cover it up with subway tile, he said.

Instead, he decorated one wall with old Bashful Bandit bar memorabilia and another with reminders of Rio Rita.

During the renovations, workers also found old posters from the 1960s bands that played the bar and a Super Bowl squares betting poster from Super Bowl 2 in 1968 with the Green Bay Packers and Oakland Raiders. The poster had names written into the squares.

Nostalgia for the old building, though, will not be the focus once diners get out of their cars and walk toward the building.

You walk by the pits, you see the pits, you see us wrapping the brisket, you can talk to the pitmaster. He might give you a little taste of our sausage, Kyte said, adding that the view from the patio seating offers a window into the action. That whole experience before you even walk in the door kind of primes you for what  you are about to eat and order.  I think thats kind of missing in some places.

Kyte, whose family owns Bisbee Breakfast Club and whose father operated Pizza Hut restaurants in Tucson for 65 years, grew to love barbecue during his eight years in Texas studying industrial organizational psychology at Texas A&M. The campus in College Station is about an hour outside of Austin, which back in the early 2000s was at the epicenter of the central Texas craft barbecue scene.

Blacks Barbecue, dating back to 1932, and Smittys Market, which followed in 1948, put Lockhart, Texas, on the barbecue map, which was soon populated by a handful of noteworthy understudies in Austin with Terry Blacks Barbecue and Franklins Barbecue leading the march.

Kyte, who lived in Austin while he finished his Ph.D. dissertation, and his buddies would take barbecue tours to the regions best known joints, as well as the holes in the wall.

Theres not a lot of indoor seating in Texas. Youre sitting at a picnic table and youre getting a huge tray of food and couple of beers and youre sitting outside with your friends on a Saturday, he recalled. Youre outside, smelling the smoke, talking to the pitmaster. Its almost more about the experience than the barbecue itself. Obviously, the barbecue has to be good, but the experience is what does it for me.

Bashful Bandit Barbecue will operate with a Texas foundation that includes using offset smokers fueled exclusively with wood. But when it comes to flavors, Kyte is looking homeward.

Anyone can open a Texas (style) barbecue restaurant, but being from Tucson I kind of like those flavors of Tucson, he said, which includes green chile pulled pork, chile relleno sausage made with poblano peppers, chicken basted in a housemade mole barbecue sauce and chicken grilled like they do it at Tucson area carnicerias.

Its kind of Texas methodology with Arizona flavors so Im calling it Arizona barbecue, he said.

Beginning Wednesday, Bashful Bandit Barbecue will be open from 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. Learn more at instagram.com/bashfulbanditbbq.
Danny Clifford has a masters degree and over 10 years of teaching experience at multiple institutions. He has worked as a social worker and is a veteran. And yet the University of Arizona is paying him so little, he said, he has to rent out his spare bedroom on Airbnb just to make ends meet.

Clifford is not alone. There are about 65 lecturers in the writing program alone who teach a combined 6,500 students per year in foundational writing courses. They teach almost every first-year student at the UA and almost all have advanced graduate degrees. They make $44,000 per year.

We teach so many students, Im not sure how they would teach those students without us, said Jamey Rogers, a senior lecturer in the program who also serves as a faculty senator.

Lecturers in the writing program at the UA have gone eight years without a significant raise, they say, and with the cost of living rising, many are now pushing for increased salaries.

Compared to the national average, writing lecturers at the UA are underpaid, according to data released by the American Association of University Professors. The average pay for lecturers is between $63,000 and $70,000 at public universities.

The money that the university offers us is not equitable, and its not satisfactory, said Clifford. It needs to be improved, especially when you have so many other higher administration members getting paid these obscene amounts of money.

In addition to the lower pay, these lecturers also have little to no job security. Most of their contracts are up for renewal every year and they are not eligible for tenure.

The vulnerability of these employees, said Nataly Reed, a writing lecturer at the university, makes it very easy for institutions to exploit this type of faculty.

Reed has been working with the United Campus Workers of Arizona union to fight for an increase in baseline salary to $25 per hour. Currently, lecturers make just over $21 an hour. The union presented a petition with more than 1,000 signatures to the Arizona Board of Regents last spring but hasnt seen any major changes.

When you look at the salary database, there are 50 people at the University of Arizona who are paid $450,000 or more, Reed said. And a lecturer earning $44,000 would have to work nine years to hypothetically earn $450,000 (total over that time). To me, that represents misplaced values and misplaced priorities on the part of the university.

In a statement to the Arizona Daily Star, Pam Scott, a spokeswoman for the UA, said the university has made consistent efforts to increase employee pay where possible over the last several years, including salary increase programs, minimum wage increases and pay equity studies. In addition, colleges and departments regularly review market data by discipline to inform pay structure decisions.

Writing lecturers say they are crucial to the university.

We play a really strong role in the first semester, first year experiences of (thousands of) students. Were kind of the welcoming committee, Reed said. This is valuable work in terms of student retention, but also in terms of student wellbeing and student success.

The lecturers teach foundational writing courses, mainly to first-year students, that help teach them how to write at the university level, said Clifford.

We lecturers not only teach them how to write, we teach them how to research, we teach them how to argue, we teach them how to write in many different formats that could be and probably arent used in their academic journey, he said. And when they leave our classroom, they have an even better understanding of how to navigate this university system. They have a better understanding of their own voices and have a better understanding of how to convey their own thoughts and ideas to any kind of audience. And thats the value of what we really bring to the table.

In 2015, lecturers at the UA participated in a national walkout for adjunct professors to protest low wages and poor working conditions. That walkout succeeded and led to better pay and treatment.

Those positive changes, said Kristen Little, another writing lecturer, have started to erode away.

I dont have much hope for a raise, said Little, who has two masters degrees and is a UA alum. But I also think if we get that information, (and a) proposal out there, at least, we got the ball rolling, and hopefully, in a year or two, this financial crisis clears up.

Some lecturers like Little had been working on a proposal to send to senior administrators at the university to push for raises. They were finalizing the report, she said, when University President Robert C. Robbins announced in November that the UA was in a financial crisis.

In his plan to the regents released earlier this month, Robbins said there will be a hiring and compensation freeze for at least 18 months at the university.

That doesnt bode well for these writing lecturers in their compensation fight.

Our arguments are that if teachers cant (afford) basic needs then its difficult to provide sort of the full support to students that we need to, said Rogers, the Faculty Senate representative for these lecturers.

Even though these lecturers get paid less than the national average, each one could answer immediately when asked why they chose to be at the UA.

It is a great job, its a really exciting place to be helping students navigate this threshold, Reed said. The typical student that we imagine is someone coming straight from high school, but we have lots of nontraditional students. Theres always this shift from what they had experienced before, as students and writers, and making the shift to an academic and professional context. And for me, thats a really great part of my job.

Clifford echoed his colleagues sentiments.

I see many students who are scared, who are new to this whole system of academia, coming from different high school institutions where they have different levels of education, different skills, that they that they gain, and theyre looking to find some sort of shore foundation footing, he said. Thats why we call this a foundations writing course. Because they get that foundation from us.
Growing up in Hawaii, Lahaina DeMellos grandmother took her to breakfast every morning.

I love, love, love breakfast, she says.

Breakfast just might be DeMellos favorite meal of the day, so it makes sense that shed open a food truck all about waffles.

The Lahainas WaffleDogs truck officially opened its doors early this month, serving all kinds of waffles on a stick. Get a classic Belgian waffle or a Nathans hot dog sandwiched inside the breakfast favorite. Theres a pepperoni-and-mozzarella waffle with a side of marinara for dipping. DeMellos favorite is the breakfast version with sausage. Dessert waffles are also in the works, like a turtle version with caramel and nuts.

I love the idea that its waffles and that I can do it in the morning and also in the evening, DeMello says. If it were me, I would totally get a waffle and sausage in the evening. Id drizzle it with a little bit of syrup and its just comforting.

DeMello also owns the food truck Lahainas Shave Ice, which you may have seen at local events serving up the colorful shave ice of your dreams. (In Hawaii, DeMello says its called shave ice  not shaved.)

Me and my husband have always juggled around the idea of starting our own business, she says. My husband does a lot of remodeling on his own, but we wanted to do something together. Then the pandemic hit and it was a really weird time  I dont know how else to say it. Somehow, shave ice came up  and thats something I can identify with and it was something I could stand behind.

DeMello knew instantly that Lahainas Shave Ice would be a hit.

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My husband built out the trailer and we just took off from there, she says. I feel like Ive gotten a lot of support from the community.

When shes getting shave ice for herself, DeMello leans on the tropical flavors  lychee, coconut, lilicoi.

I find peoples (favorites) depend on where theyre from and what they grew up with. I always get Tigers Blood with cream on it because somebody used to take them to wherever and thats what they always had, DeMello says. Some people really like cotton candy and bubble gum, which are flavors I didnt originally have.

Although Tucson winters can be warm, an icy treat in the middle of December isnt always everyones cup of tea. DeMello was searching for an idea for a winter food truck  and WaffleDogs was born.

Shave ice is grand and so good, she says. But its still a little difficult (in winter)  we can do it, but its not like the majority of the year. We were juggling around ideas of how and what, so we came up with WaffleDogs.

Although DeMello misses Hawaii, she loves Tucson.

The ocean is the only thing thats missing, she says.

The food trucks wont always be out at the same time, but you can follow their schedules on Instagram to see where they'll be next. Find Lahaina's WaffleDogs here and Lahaina's Shave Ice here.
James Millaway, who was part of the creative team responsible for a cult favorite Tulsa television program, died Saturday. He was 82.

Millaway was known to TV viewers as Sherman Oaks during the three-season run of Dr. Mazeppa Pompazoidis Uncanny Film Festival and Camp Meeting. Referred to by locals simply as Mazeppa, the late-night show featured comedy bits by Gailard Sartain, Gary Busey and Millaway.

Millaway was asked during a 2016 interview how he would explain Mazeppa to people who never saw the show. He described it as Saturday Night Live-type sketch comedy that aired between breaks of late-night horror movies and, occasionally, Busby Berkeley musicals.

Mazeppa launched in 1970, five years before SNL. It aired for two years on KOTV and one year at KTUL. Though the zany show had a relatively short shelf life, it remains beloved among Tulsa TV viewers.

Mazeppa was groundbreaking in that its performers were in their 20s and, at that time, young people were not seen on TV screens. There was nobody in their 30s on TV, he said in 2016. Everybody on TV was well into their 40s.

Right place, right time?

We were still in the middle of Vietnam War and right in the middle of Nixon America, Millaway said.

The program manager and at least one sales person at both of the stations viewed the show as a chance to pick up some audience and advertising that was pitched to what was then called the counterculture.

Millaway recalled that most people (including crew and on-air personalities) at the stations that aired Mazeppa were sure something subversive was going on, which created an undercurrent of hostility. He said it didnt help that some of those folks didnt get Mazeppas humor.

The assumption was that the show would be canceled every week, he said. When it picked up advertising and gained some traction, that only increased the in-house tension. Fortunately we were in a time slot that no one cared about, and the powers-to-be never watched the show. We werent quite viewed as dirty hippies, but we certainly didnt represent what our boys were fighting for. There was also the suspicion of indoctrinating the youth with hidden drug messages.

Prior to Mazeppa, Millaway and Sartain were college students who would riff off each other, according to Millaway. They would be driving somewhere and see folks walking and we would just tell each other what they were thinking, their story, just based on the way they looked and the way they were walking. So we were doing stuff like that to entertain ourselves all the time, anyway.

While pursuing graduate studies at the University of Tulsa, Sartain became a part-time camera man at KOTV and goofed around on shows like Dialing for Dollars.

Once, they had all these Cub Scouts lined up and the camera panned past them, showing all their faces, and there I was on my knees, with a mustache and all, in the middle of them, Sartain told the Tulsa World in 1990. Id come in with a headset, do different characters, ask directions, things like that.

In the same interview, Sartain said he lobbied KOTV for a late-night show. When a program hosted by a radio DJ fizzled, he approached program director Art Elliott about being a replacement host. Among other things, Elliott said, Matter of fact, I was thinking of firing you, too.

Sartain was granted a green light for a three-episode test run. He recruited Millaway for help because he was scared to death. Millaway was scared, too, which is why he wore a mask that covered half his face while appearing on the show.

One of the things we thought was funny was I looked exactly the same with the mask or without the mask, Millaway said. But it was just a device for me to get over being camera-shy because, unlike Gailard and Gary, I was not a natural performer.

If they were that scared, why risk going on TV? Never underestimate the desire of people to be on television, Millaway said. We wanted to be on television because we grew up with television. Thats the penultimate success you could have was to be on television. So, to get that opportunity, we were thrilled just to be on TV. Thrilled and scared. And we didnt know any better.

Millaway said one of the reasons Mazeppa attracted an audience was lack of competition. TV stations did not offer 24-hour programming in that era. They signed off at the end of the day, leaving viewers with nothing to watch except a test pattern.

Now, 4-year-olds stay up until midnight, Millaway said. But, back then, even drivers-licensed teens, you went to bed at 10:30. It didnt matter if it was Saturday. You had to get up and go to church or something. So it was the thrill of staying up late and watching (Mazeppa).

Sartain was springboarded to the country music and comedy series Hee Haw, and a decades-spanning acting career, by Mazeppa. Five years after the show ended, Busey was Oscar-nominated for his work on The Buddy Holly Story. Millaway became a writer for Roy Clark and the CBS prime time variety show Shields and Yarnell. Embracing comedy to the end, his obituary includes this information: Sherm lived a magical life, having been gifted at birth the ability to breathe at night and see underwater. He lived for 82 years largely avoiding the inconveniences of family and, god forbid, work. He was willing to put in the work to make people laugh and he did that better than anyone we have known.

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Related content Tulsa police officer resigns amid allegations of on-duty rape

A former Tulsa police officer already facing a rape charge related to his on-duty activities has been arrested again after detectives say they found a new alleged victim.

Deangelo Reyes, 32, has been charged with forcible sodomy and posted $50,000 bond to be released from jail Friday afternoon.

State prosecutors charged Reyes last summer with first-degree rape after a woman alleged that Reyes, in full uniform and in a marked patrol vehicle while on duty, flirted with her while she was walking her dog and later met her at her motel room, where they had sex.

Citing personal turmoil in his life at the time, Reyes said he viewed the situation as an opportunity for some no-strings-attached sex, though he knew it would violate departmental policy. He resigned from the Tulsa Police Department a day before the rape charge was filed.

Among other provisions, sex is first-degree rape under Oklahoma law when force or violence is used or threatened, accompanied by apparent power of execution to the victim or to another person.

As the investigation continued, Special Victims Unit detectives reportedly uncovered additional instances of Reyes utilizing his position as a Tulsa police officer to exploit vulnerable citizens in a sexual manner, according to a TPD news release.

A trial has been scheduled for March in Reyes first-degree rape case. No hearing has yet been entered into the Tulsa County District Court schedule on the forcible sodomy charge.

Police encourage anyone who believes they might have been a victim in this case or who has any additional information to call investigators at 918-596-9168.

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Andrea Eger Tulsa World Staff Writer Follow Andrea Eger 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

In a sudden about-face, State Superintendent Ryan Walters praised Tulsas newly hired superintendent and her plan for raising student test scores.

A day after Ebony Johnson and a team of her fellow top administrators from Tulsa Public Schools appeared before Walters and the rest of the Oklahoma State Board of Education, Walters posted to social media a video message commending Johnson and saying the states largest school district has taken a tremendous step in the right direction.

Dr. Ebony Johnson laid out a tremendous plan for the future of Tulsa. Its all the things that Ive been asking for  It was bold. It was clear. It was data-driven. I want to commend her for that. I want to commend that administration for taking a serious step in the right direction. Id love to see this for more districts, Walters said in the video.

We will continue to ensure that Tulsa is going to be the successful district that I know it can be.  I cant wait to continue the work with Tulsa to get these successes in the schools that I know these kids and parents of Tulsa deserve.

On Thursday, Johnson told the state board that Tulsa Public Schools is zeroing in on 6,200 students in grades four to eight who must improve on state tests to help the district avoid a state takeover.

She also shared that after the winter break she will be making midyear changes in principal assignments and reassigning central office staff to support the Tulsa schools most in need of schoolwide interventions, as well as her short- and long-term strategies for improving student achievement outcomes.

Asked for a response to Walters Friday social media post, a school district spokesperson said: Tulsa Public Schools was glad to learn of the Oklahoma State Superintendents positive response to Team Tulsas presentation at yesterdays OSBE meeting. The bold, clear, and data-driven approach shared by Dr. Johnson represents the districts ongoing efforts to improve outcomes, and we agree with the assessment that this is a tremendous plan for the future of Tulsa.

Walters initiated state takeover threats against the states largest school district in July and since then has made unrelenting demands for proof that local leaders can produce rapid, significant improvement in student achievement indicators by the end of the current school year in May.

Walters even tried to insinuate himself into the Tulsa school boards hiring of Johnson as permanent superintendent on Dec. 11.

In a state-issued press release rebuke, he suggested that Johnson was not bold enough or making aggressive enough decisions and insisted that a nationwide search for other candidates be conducted. Then immediately after the local school board went ahead and signed an employment contract with Johnson through June 2026, Walters slammed the board as a rubber stamp and threatened it with drastic action.

Hiring and supervising the superintendent is one of three primary functions of local school board members under Oklahoma law, along with setting policy and approving annual budgets.

Aside from his ongoing war of words, Walters would be powerless to remove local leadership of Tulsa Public Schools without at least three of Gov. Kevin Stitts appointees to the State Board of Education joining him in a vote for state takeover.

Johnson has received support from Stitt, Tulsa Mayor G.T. Bynum and the Tulsa Regional Chamber. Stitt said she deserves the benefit of the doubt and time to show what she can do.

Bynum even pushed back on Walters, saying he had shown duplicitousness in saying different things in public and private about a willingness to work with Johnson.

He has someone in the superintendents job (Johnson) who has done nothing but show him respect and deference and a desire to collaborate, Bynum said right after Johnson was hired earlier this month. And yet he still dumped on her. I dont get that at all.

Tulsa Regional Chamber President and CEO Mike Neal said the chambers Board of Directors is extremely impressed with Johnsons local track record of leadership success and tenacity, and he added that TPS needs a person who knows the culture of the city, its teachers and students, as well as the promise that all three hold.



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It was a stunning split decision on this day in 1997.

A Denver jury found Terry Nichols guilty of conspiring with Timothy McVeigh to bomb an Oklahoma City federal building but innocent of murdering eight law enforcement officers who died in the blast.

Instead, jurors in the second Oklahoma City bombing trial, convicted Nichols, 42, of eight counts of involuntary manslaughter -- the unlawful killing of a human being without malice -- a crime that by itself carries no more than six years in prison.

In May 2004, a Pittsburg (Oklahoma) County jury found Nichols guilty of all the charges the state of Oklahoma had pursued against him -- 161 first-degree murder counts, one count of arson, and one count of conspiracy.

He received a consecutive life sentence for each of the murder courts in August 2004.

2020 marked the 25th anniversary of the Oklahoma City bombing:
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

Gov. Kevin Stitt on Friday created through executive order a 13-member task force to address what he called uncertainty and tension caused by the U.S. Supreme Courts 2020 ruling in McGirt v. Oklahoma.

The need for uniform state-tribal agreements addressing ambiguity in areas including, but not limited to, liability, immunity waivers, and fee-apportionment, as well as state and federal legislative action, has never been clearer, the order reads.

Of the 13 task force members, 11 are to be appointed by state and local officials and agencies and two are to represent Oklahomas 38 federally recognized tribes. Although the order is somewhat ambiguous, the Governors Office said it will be up to the tribes to decide their representatives.

Stitts action follows a scuffle earlier this week between Muscogee Nation Lighthorse police officers and Okmulgee County jail personnel during an argument over whether the jail would accept a detainee brought to it by the tribal officers.

While many tribal and nontribal law enforcement agencies have cross-deputization agreements, Okmulgee County and the Muscogee Nation  which is headquartered in Okmulgee  do not. In video of the confrontation, jail personnel refer to the Lighthorse officers as not real police.

The Lighthorse officers said the jail had to accept the detainee, who was arrested on drug possession charges, because of a cross-deputization agreement with the Grand River Dam Authority, which has jurisdiction in Okmulgee County. The detainee was eventually processed into the jail.

According to reports, the Lighthorse officers originally asked the Okmulgee Police Department to make the arrest because the suspect was non-Indian, but they were told no Okmulgee police officers were available.

Stitt has consistently railed against the McGirt decision, which greatly expanded tribal jurisdiction in Oklahoma, particularly in eastern Oklahoma. Fridays executive order says McGirt created a broken system and continues to wreak havoc with a lack of jurisdictional clarity, which to date has crippled the states ability to resolve issues and continues to negatively impact crime victims, state and tribal law enforcement officials, and all Oklahomans.

Others contend that the problems could be resolved if Stitt and other officials would accept the ruling and work toward agreement on how to proceed.

In that vein, Cherokee Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. responded to the executive order with both encouragement and criticism.

The Cherokee Nation, in general, welcomes Gov. Stitt to join those of us who have continued to be engaged in collaborative problem solving since the U.S. Supreme Court issued the McGirt decision, Hoskin said in a written statement. Cherokee Nation has, since McGirt, maintained our 90 cross deputization agreements, negotiated 30 new ticket revenue sharing agreements, and provided grants of more than $13 million to our law enforcement and public safety partners. If the Governor is genuinely interested in following our lead, that would be a welcomed development.

But Hoskin said he found Stitts language troubling and said it suggests he is more interested in peddling a false narrative than seriously working together in the interest of public safety.



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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 jumped aboard the train carrying dire warnings and vitriol for a Chinese language and culture program by last week filing legislation to strip federal funding from elementary and secondary schools affiliated with it or similar enterprises.

Chinese Communist Party influence in our schools and universities cannot continue unchecked, Hern said in a press release. Our children are our most precious resource, we must protect them from CCP-funded influence. The PROTECT Our Kids Act will halt the flow of CCP money and propaganda into our K-12 schools  we cant pass it soon enough!

For almost two decades, an organization known first as Hanban and more recently as the Chinese International Education Foundation has partnered with educational institutions  primarily universities  to provide Mandarin language and other programs under the name Confucius Institute. Hanbans association with the Chinese government and through it the Chinese Communist Party led to charges that the institutes were being used to indoctrinate students in the United States and elsewhere.

The validity of the claims is a matter of some dispute.

The University of Oklahoma closed its Confucius Institute in 2020. A report last year linked Tulsas Booker T. Washington High School, one of the few in the state teaching Mandarin, to Confucius Institute. Tulsa Public Schools said the only connection was one teachers participation in a professional development course offered through a third party. TPS said it received no money or curricular materials from the institute or China.

Herns bill has several dozen Republican co-sponsors and is endorsed by Parents Defending Education Action, the political arm of a conservative advocacy group with connections to the Koch political network. It has supported legislation similar to Oklahomas House Bill 1775 and efforts to block discussion in schools of systemic bias, gender identity, sexuality and public health issues, including mental health.

Herns PROTECT Our Kids Act is not to be confused with Republican Florida U.S. Sen. Rick Scotts PROTECT Kids Act filed earlier this year. Scotts bill has to do with transgender minors.

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Clare Fonstein is a reporter who joined the San Francisco Chronicle as part of the two-year Hearst Journalism Fellowship, spending her first year of the program at the Houston Chronicle. In Houston, Fonstein covered breaking news and trending stories.

She was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, then attended Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, where she majored in journalism and international relations. She previously worked as an intern at the Morning Call, the daily newspaper of the Lehigh Valley, and her college newspaper at Lehigh University.

She can be reached at Clare.Fonstein@sfchronicle.com.
The UNESCO-listed ancient city of Hoi An in Quang Nam Province, central Vietnam, which was once an extremely promising opportunity for the hospitality sector, has now found itself in the midst of a severe financial crisis.

Rising debts among business tycoons

Notably, several struggling hospitality businesses in Hoi An are owned by entrepreneurs whose net worth once soared into the billions of Vietnamese dong. Now, many of their assets are being held by financial institutions.

Compounding the crisis is the current downturn in the real estate market, making it exceptionally challenging for debt-laden enterprises to sell property in order to generate funds for debt repayment.

Some hotels, once valued at VND200-300 billion (US$8.2-12.3 million), are now proving impossible to sell, even after significant price reductions.

By the end of October, one particular enterprise which managed a luxury hotel chain in Hoi An had had its electricity cut due to delayed bill payment.

This is just one illustration of the current state of Hoi Ans hospitality sector.

According to the owner of a local accommodation chain, a major issue for such businesses is the fact that many of their rooms have either been sold or been used as collateral by banks to service outstanding debts.

I have never experienced such challenging times before, the owner shared.

"My hotels still receive guests, but the revenues arent enough to pay off our debt."

Rumors have even spread across the city that certain once-profitable businesses are looking to sell.

"Despite the difficulties [of selling] being true, if there are potential advantages in selling the hotels, we are open to considering it as a solution to address the current obstacles, said one hospitality entrepreneur implicated in such rumors.

Hotels up for sale

The financial issues gripping Hoi Ans tourism industry is the result of several issues, including declining tourist arrivals due to the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The result has been decreasing revenues and unyielding costs, forcing many enterprises to begin selling off assets.

Currently, there are about 900 hospitality service providers in Hoi An offering a combined 13,000 rooms, inclusive of 408 homestays and 170 hotels.

In its heyday in 2019, the UNESCO-listed city welcomed almost seven million tourists, many of whom were foreign visitors.

Post-pandemic Hoi An has yet to see anywhere near that number of arrivals, with figures continuing to decline, leading to a reduction in room prices and increasing financial strain on businesses.

According to a report on Hoi An's tourism industry in the first nine months of 2023, approximately 3.1 million visitors visited the city and just 1.2 million stayed overnight.

While this is a year-on-year increase of more than 215 percent, enterprises in Hoi An generated a total revenue of just over VND2,568 billion ($105.9 million).

Challenging times in hospitality

Over the past few years, Hoi An has witnessed a wave of asset sell-offs as businesses attempt to withdraw capital from the hospitality sector.

This trend has affected both smaller enterprises, like villas or homestays, and well-established hotels.

In downtown Hoi An, numerous old houses, once rented at exorbitant prices, now remain closed due to an inability to find tenants.

Rent notice boards are ubiquitous and advertising rates half as much as before, yet the occupancy rates remain extremely low.

An official from Hoi An's authority acknowledged the remarkably challenging times faced by hospitality businesses in the city.

"The city, the province, and the tourism industry have been actively initiating various measures to support businesses; however, the current situation remains extremely challenging," stated the official.

"There is a significant number of enterprises compelled to liquidate assets or have their assets frozen by banks due to outstanding loans. The majority of these businesses operate in the hospitality services sector and own hotel or restaurant chains.

Despite various initiatives from the city, the province, and the tourism industry to support businesses, the prevailing situation remains difficult.

In September, the Asset Exploitation and Debt Management Company Limited (Agribank AMC Ltd) conducted auctions for 11 houses in Minh An and Cam Pho Wards of Hoi An with a total starting price exceeding VND250 billion ($10.26 million). These assets were mortgaged for bank loans between 2016 and 2018. Additionally, VietinBank announced auctions for several properties, mostly 3-star or 4-star hotels, homestays, and villas in Hoi An, with starting prices ranging from hundreds of millions to hundreds of billions of Vietnamese dong.

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The leaders of three Vietnamese airlines  Bamboo Airways, Pacific Airlines, Vietravel Airlines  are on the hunt to find new jobs for their employees, particularly flight crew, as they downsize their workforce to cope with ongoing economic uncertainty.

At Bamboo Airways, which is undergoing a major reshuffle to balance its budget, the carrier cut two-third of its fleet and 80 percent of its air route numbers, according to the carriers General Director Luong Hoai Nam.

Almost 100 pilots and 500 flight attendants at Bamboo Airways were made redundant, Nam said, adding that the carrier is working with other airlines to find employment for these former-Bamboo Airways staff.

Low-budget carrier Vietjet has accepted to hire 50 flight attendants and 20 pilots from Bamboo Airways, while national flag carrier Vietnam airlines is considering the request, he elaborated.

Pacific Airlines, a member company of Vietnam Airlines Group, also slashed its fleet from 11 aircraft to three, while Vietravel Airlines trimmed its fleet from six to three.

A source from Vietnam Airlines revealed that the carrier has plans to onboard nearly 100 Pacific Airlines flight attendants.

The general director of a local airline told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper that his carrier has had to cut its fleet and flight frequency to minimum levels, resulting in hundreds of employee redudancies.

This carrier has had to seek out job opportunities for its redundant employees, particularly cabin crew, as it would be difficult for them to find suitable jobs in the year-end period, the general director said.

Findings from Tuoi Tre showed that Vietravel Airlines and Pacific Airlines currently employ 70-80 cabin crew members on flights operated on three aircraft. More personnel could be recruited when business performance improves.

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Takefu (Japan) -- Blacksmith Yoshihiro Yauji pulls a piece of glowing metal from the forge in a Japanese village, continuing a tradition dating back centuries to when the region was renowned for crafting swords carried by samurai.

He places the steel under a spring hammer and the sound of the metal being flattened and fortified into a kitchen knife echoes off the mountains surrounding the workshop.

"I believe that blades are the foundational root of Japanese culture," 40-year-old Yauji said.

"If you can condense 700 years, 1,000 years or 1,500 years of technology into a single product, the appeal of the product will be different," he explained, adding that at first, he wanted to make "katana" swords once wielded by samurai.

Yauji started at 20 as an apprentice to Hideo Kitaoka, who helped found the collection of cooperative workshops that make up the Takefu Knife Village.

After 18 years, Yauji launched his knife line in 2021.

But in the 1970s and 80s, the city of Echizen where the knife village is located was in crisis, with artisans unable to compete with cheaper mass-produced tools.

A craftsman attaches a handle to a 'gyuto', the Japanese equivalent to a western chef's knife, at Yamawaki Cutlery in Osaka prefecture. Photo: AFP

Kitaoka and other top blacksmiths banded together to form a cooperative association and, with the help of famed designer Kazuo Kawasaki, began producing designs that turned Echizen knives into works of art.

"At the time of my boss's generation, the environment was not like it is today; they were struggling just to survive," Yauji said.

"My generation is on the upswing. So I feel it is necessary to once again improve our skills for the brand and its value to continue to exist."

Around 80 percent of Echizen-made knives are now exported, Yauji said, making their way into professional kitchens around the world and even featuring on hit TV series "The Bear".

Hand fits the knife

The forge at Takefu burns at 900 degrees Celsius (1,652 degrees Fahrenheit), and the handmade Japanese blades drawn from the molten orange core, once hammered, shaped and polished, are sharp enough to split a hair.

Yoshihiro Yauji places a 'santoku', a multipurpose knife, under a spring hammer, continuing a tradition dating back centuries. Photo: AFP

"The Japanese knife brings out the best of ingredients. Texture, bitterness, sweetness," Yauji said.

"I think it is a knife specialised to bring out the true flavour of the ingredient itself."

Knife makers can spend an entire day perfecting a single piece.

The metal is heated until malleable and then hammered -- a process repeated several times -- before being shaped, quenched in oil or water and left to cool.

Yoshihiro Yauji sharpens a freshly forged 'santoku', a multipurpose knife, at the Takefu Knife Village in Fukui prefecture. Photo: AFP

Once the temperature is stable, it is ready to be sharpened. Most blacksmiths hand the knife over to dedicated sharpeners at this stage.

Then, the utensil is ready for the final step of the process: handle making.

"Japanese cutlery is, in my opinion, about the hands learning to fit the tool" instead of the knife being designed for the comfort of the user, Yauji said.

"It is a way of trying to establish a deeper connection."

'Soul of a chef'

Using his custom-made yanagiba (willow-leaf blade) sashimi knife, Chef Shintaro Matsuo slices a buttery slab of fatty tuna at acclaimed Osaka restaurant Koryu, considered one of the best fine-dining establishments in a city dubbed Japan's kitchen.

Chef Shintaro Matsuo expertly slices through a piece of yellowtail with a knife made in the nearby city of Sakai, at his restaurant in Osaka. Photo: AFP

Matsuo's dishes combine subtle flavours using ingredients from the surrounding Kansai region, all artfully presented with the help of blades made in Sakai, a small town on the outskirts of Osaka that is considered Japan's hocho (kitchen knife) heartland.

"The knife is an extension of my hand," the chef explained, proudly wielding the elongated blade specially made by blacksmith Minamoto Izumimasa.

"Japanese steel allows the flavours of the food to remain intact," Matsuo added.

Chefs in the country spend years honing their knife skills and patiently learning to master blades that are often more challenging to use and require greater expertise.

A knife is 'the soul of a chef', knife company owner Ryoyo Yamawaki told AFP. Photo: AFP

"Japanese people have a unique sense of beauty when it comes to cutlery," said Ryoyo Yamawaki, whose Sakai-based company has been making knives since 1929.

"Since ancient times, the Japanese sword is said to have been the soul of a samurai, and the knife the soul of a chef."
Two women in Da Nang City, the capital of central Vietnam, have been apprehended for allegedly creating over 50 shell companies and issuing hundreds of thousands of counterfeit invoices worth a staggering VND2 trillion (US$81.6 million).

Investigators from the municipal police agency on Thursday filed charges against Bui Thi Thu Nguyet, 33, and Nguyen Thi Khanh Van, 37, both residents of Da Nang, for illegally trading fake invoices.

By issuing these invoices, the duo raked in billions of Vietnamese dong through their dozens of shell companies, according to results from the preliminary investigation.

According to police officers, the shell companies run by Nguyet and Van dealt with enterprises both in the city and across the country, making the case extremely complicated.

Documents related to a fake invoice ring in Da Nang, central Vietnam. Photo: H.B. / Tuoi Tre

As such, the police are broadening their probe into the case.

The investigation was launched after Da Nangs police department discovered that individuals in the city had been taking advantage of certain mechanisms to establish shell companies to sell bogus invoices.

Such invoice fraud has negatively affected business, production activities, tax agencies, and the state budget.

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Ho Chi Minh City began offering an uninterrupted day-and-night double-decker bus service from Thursday to serve tourists and promote local tourism, with the night double-decker rides available from 11:00 pm to 7:00 am every day, according to the service provider Anh Viet Hop On Hop Off Vietnam.

Thanks to the recent launch of the all-night double-decker bus tour, visitors now can tour 30 streets and some 20 tourist destinations in the southern hub such as Nguyen Hue Pedestrian Street, Ben Thanh Market, Notre-Dame Cathedral, and Bui Vien Street and explore the night city ambience plus stunning landscapes along the most significant streets.

Tourists will also be briefed on the city and its people during the tour.

Two visitors explore Ho Chi Minh City at night on a double-decker bus. Photo: K.L / Tuoi Tre

Nguyen Khoa Luan, director of Anh Viet Hop On Hop Off Vietnam Company, said the launch of the tour is expected to promote the citys tourism.

His company received upbeat feedback on the first all-night sightseeing bus tour from many tourists, who expressed their delight at traveling around the city at night to avoid the hustle and traffic congestion.

Luan revealed that his company is seeking the green light from authorities to launch a second tour of this kind to connect the city center with Cho Lon (Big Market) in District 6.

The launch of the all-night sightseeing bus tour made Ho Chi Minh City the sole metropolis in the world to offer the uninterrupted day-and-night double-decker bus service.

Each double-decker ride is available every 30 minutes and lasts from 70 to 75 minutes.

Previously, Vietnamese travel firm Vietluxtour teamed up with the administration of District 1 to roll out a night-time tour starting from after 6:00 pm until midnight.

Those taking on this tour can explore the citys culture, history, go shopping, enjoy artistic performances, sample local foods, and experience wellness services.

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Police in southern Vietnams Binh Duong have rescued a Chinese man and arrested another Chinese national who, aided by three Vietnamese accomplices, kidnapped his countryman for a ransom of over US$185,000.

The victim, whose name has yet to be announced, is a director of an interior furniture company in Tan Binh Industrial Park in the provinces Bac Tan Uyen District, the provincial police reported on Friday.

The three detainees include Zhao Xin, a 38-year-old Chinese national  the instigator of the kidnap  and his two Vietnamese accomplices, namely Duong Thuy Ai, 29, and Nguyen Khanh Vi, 19, hailing from An Giang and Kien Giang Provinces in the Mekong Delta region, respectively.

All these suspects are under investigation on charges of kidnapping for ransom, said local police.

According to the initial probe, Zhao entered Vietnam in July and temporarily resided in the provinces Thu Dau Mot City with Ai, his girlfriend.

Zhao later got acquainted with Vi and 34-year-old Tran Phan Vu Thanh, another suspect who is being hunted by police.

Zhao Xin (L), Duong Thuy Ai (M) and Nguyen Khanh Vi are seen in police custody in Binh Duong Province, southern Vietnam. Photo: Binh Duong Province Police

With an aim to illegally earn money for his personal needs, the Chinese man discussed with Ai, Vi and Thanh a scheme to kidnap a foreigner for ransom.

After days of searching for a prey, the kidnapping gang targeted the aforementioned Chinese director and set out a plan to keep a watch on his daily activities and abduct him.

At around 0:00 am on Thursday this week, after finding the director driving a car alone on a street, the gang stopped his vehicle and used weapons to threaten and abduct him.

They then took the victim to a workshop, rented by Ai in Thu Dau Mot City for goods storage, and detained him under guard there.

The gangs members often beat the man and contacted his family members to demand a ransom of VND4.5 billion ($185,500).

During their communication with the victims family, the gang often changed the address where they expected to receive the ransom.

Upon receiving a report from the victims relatives, the provincial police set out a plan to rescue him and arrest the suspects.

After coordinating with other professional units to locate the site where the gang was keeping the victim, local police deployed a team to raid it, catching the gang receiving the said ransom from the victims family.

The team detained the three kidnappers and seized the ransom amount on the scene, along with three cars and some other exhibits.

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In this article we will list the worlds most productive agricultural regions and the staples they produce. You can skip the details and read 5 Most Productive Agricultural Regions in the World.

Worldwide, agriculture is influenced by a complex network of interconnected processes, primarily reliant on staple crops. For instance, wheat serves as a primary food source for 2.5 billion people, while rice is a staple for 3.5 billion. Projections indicate a 50% increase in demand for wheat and a 35% increase for rice by 2050. Additionally, approximately one-third of the global population, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa, relies on maize (corn) as its primary food source.

The agricultural sector contributes around 4% to the global GDP, and as the global population is expected to reach 9.8 billion by 2050, the demand for food is poised to rise significantly. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), to adequately meet the needs of this growing population, we must increase agricultural output by 60% compared to 2005 levels.

Notably, in 2022, the Global Report on Food Crisis revealed a significant increase in the number of people experiencing food insecurity, reaching approximately 258 million individuals across 58 countries. This represents a notable increase from the 193 million people in 53 countries or territories reported in the previous year, 2021.

See where the food crisis is hitting hard in 30 Hungriest Countries in the World.

Innovations in the Agriculture Sector to Combat Food Crisis

In response to the growing challenge of food shortages, the agriculture sector is evolving, transitioning from traditional hand tools to larger machinery and increasingly adopting precision agriculture technologies to enhance output.

A positive development in this shift is the integration of AI by agriculture companies to improve their operational capabilities. According to AgFund, in 2022, global investment in startups focusing on food technology and agricultural technology reached $29.6 billion. It is anticipated that more startups will emerge to modernize farming practices.

Story continues

A notable example of AI integration in agriculture is Deere & Company's (NYSE:DE) acquisition of Blue River Technology. 'See & Spray,' initially developed by Blue River Technology and now a trademark product of Deere & Company (NYSE:DE), is a smart farming tool that employs machine learning and tractor-mounted cameras to distinguish between crops and weeds.

As the tractor moves, it rapidly captures images of plants and utilizes a powerful computer for analysis. It can identify weeds and precisely apply herbicide to them, leaving the crops untouched. This method operates at a high speed, occurring more than 20 times per second, and remains effective even at high tractor speeds. In contrast, traditional herbicide application methods, often involving whole-field spraying, result in excessive chemical usage. However, according to Deere & Company (NYSE:DE), 'See & Spray' significantly reduces herbicide consumption by concentrating it only where necessary, potentially reducing usage by 80-90% and cutting costs.

Before moving forward, see the world's staples in 20 Most Grown Crops in the World.

Another example of smart agriculture is ICL Group Limited (NYSE:ICL), which focuses on developing advanced and sustainable solutions for agriculture, particularly specialized fertilizers. A central component of ICL Group Limited (NYSE:ICL)'s offerings is Controlled-Release Fertilizers (CRFs) designed to enhance nutrient absorption efficiency in plants, thereby reducing nutrient leaching into groundwater and lowering greenhouse gas emissions. This feature provides sustained nutrition throughout the growing season, promoting plant growth and reducing overall fertilizer usage by approximately 20% to 50%. Additionally, ICL Group Limited (NYSE:ICL) has introduced biodegradable coatings for its fertilizers to align with environmental regulations.

Such examples show how companies are continuously innovating agricultural practices to sustain the supply chain of the world's most consumed crops.

Let's now talk about the most fertile regions on earth!

15 Most Productive Agricultural Regions in the World

15 Most Productive Agricultural Regions in the World

Our Methodology

We shortlisted the world's most fertile agricultural lands by evaluating their soil quality, water availability, and climate suitability for farming. Due to the absence of detailed information about agricultural output in these regions, we ranked them based on their respective countries' annual production of staple crops. We obtained data on the production of three key cropsrice, wheat, and cornfrom the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (UN FAO). The countries were then ranked in ascending order based on their total production of these staple crops in 2021.

Insider Monkey, an investment-focused website, specializes in monitoring the activities of corporate insiders and hedge funds. It employs a method akin to consensus to pinpoint the most promising stock choices among over 900 hedge funds that invest in U.S. stocks. In the past decade, the leading 10 stocks favored by these hedge funds have exceeded the S&P 500 Index's performance by over 140 percentage points (see the details here).

Based on our findings, here are the major crop-producing areas globally:

15. Riverina, Australia

Cumulative Annual Production of Staple Crops: 32.6 million tons

The Riverina region in Australia is renowned for being one of the world's best agricultural lands, celebrated for its abundant production of key crops like wheat, rice, and corn. Recent years have witnessed record-breaking grain harvests in the region. For example, in the 2022/23 marketing year, wheat production reached an impressive 37 million metric tons, as reported by the USDA. Regarding rice cultivation, it is anticipated that the region will yield between 600,000 and 700,000 tons of rice by the end of this harvest season, representing a significant increase compared to previous years.

14. Prairie Provinces, Canada

Cumulative Annual Production of Staple Crops: 36.2 million tons

The Prairie Provinces in Canada, which comprise Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba, stand as one of the most productive agricultural regions in the world. According to Statistics Canada, Saskatchewan, the primary wheat producer, saw a reduction in wheat yield, resulting in a production decrease to 12.6 million tonnes in 2023. Alberta also experienced a drop in wheat production, reaching 9.4 million tonnes, primarily due to lower yields. In contrast, Manitoba's wheat production remained relatively stable at 4.7 million tonnes despite an expanded harvested area. Collectively, Canada's wheat production was estimated at approximately 31.1 million metric tons, reflecting a decline from the previous year, primarily due to drought conditions affecting the Prairie Provinces. As for corn production, it is expected to increase by 2.7% to 14.9 million tonnes in 2023.

13. Central Plains, Thailand

Cumulative Annual Production of Staple Crops: 39.9 million tons

The Central Plains region in Thailand is renowned for its robust agricultural output, particularly in rice cultivation. In the upcoming 2023/24 marketing year, the region is poised for a substantial increase in rice production, which is expected to reach a five-year high of 20.4 million metric tons, as reported by the USDA. Importantly, the boost in rice yield is expected to strengthen Thailand's position in the global rice market. Additionally, corn production for the same period is forecasted to grow by 4%, driven by expanded farming areas and increased poultry product exports. Conversely, Thailand's wheat imports may decrease due to high stock levels in flour mills. Thailand is also among the largest coal-producing countries in the world, with an average annual coal production of 13.7 million tons.

12. Mekong Delta, Vietnam

Cumulative Annual Production of Staple Crops: 48.1 million tons

The Mekong Delta in Vietnam, one of the top farming areas globally, accounts for over half of the country's rice production and 90% of rice exports. However, improving the quality and competitiveness of rice products in this region poses a challenge. To address this issue, the Vietnamese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has initiated a project aimed at cultivating high-quality rice sustainably across 1 million hectares in the Mekong Delta. Furthermore, according to the USDA, grain demand in Vietnam is projected to increase by 3%, reaching 27.7 million metric tons by the end of the 2023-2024 marketing year.

11. Beauce, France

Cumulative Annual Production of Staple Crops: 51.9 million tons

Beauce, situated in France, stands as one of the world's high-yield agricultural regions, particularly for cereals such as wheat and corn. France, being the leading wheat producer and exporter in the European Union, has recently faced agricultural challenges, primarily adverse weather conditions that have somewhat reduced crop yields. For instance, in the 2022-23 marketing year, France's wheat production reached approximately 33.7 million tonnes, indicating a modest 5% decline from the previous year. Nevertheless, France's agricultural landscape, including Beauce, remains robust and diverse, with a significant portion of its land dedicated to farming. Furthermore, France ranks among the top corn producers, owing to effective strategies in cereal farming and a favorable climate, resulting in strong production figures in this sector.

10. Punjab Region, Pakistan

Cumulative Annual Production of Staple Crops: 52.8 million tons

The Punjab region in Pakistan stands as one of the top productive agricultural regions in the world, particularly renowned for its cultivation of essential crops like wheat, rice, and corn. Notably, Punjab contributes approximately 77% of Pakistan's total wheat output, underscoring its pivotal role in the national wheat supply.

Furthermore, rice production in Pakistan is anticipated to experience a substantial uptick. In the 2023-24 period, a 63% increase is projected compared to the previous year, with production reaching 9 million tonnes, making it the second-largest harvest on record. This surge in rice production is expected to bolster Pakistan's rice exports, potentially reaching 5 million tonnes, a 40% increase from the prior year. Punjab also holds a dominant position in corn production within Pakistan, accounting for about 85% of the country's total corn output. Notably, with an average annual gas production of 30.66 billion cubic meters.

9. Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna Delta, Bangladesh

Cumulative Annual Production of Staple Crops: 62.1 million tons

The Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna Delta in Bangladesh is known for its impressive agricultural output, particularly in rice and maize production. According to the FAO, the region is projected to achieve a historic high in paddy production in 2023, reaching 58.5 million tonnes. This includes significant contributions from the "Aman" and "Boro" paddy crops, accounting for 35% and 55% of the annual output, respectively. The "Boro" paddy crop, in particular, attained record levels due to expanded cultivation areas and high yields. In 2023, maize production in Bangladesh is also expected to reach a new peak at 4.7 million tonnes, benefiting from extensive sowings and favorable weather conditions. However, wheat production is forecasted to remain around the average, at approximately 1.1 million tonnes.

8. Chernozem (Black Soil), Ukraine

Cumulative Annual Production of Staple Crops: 74 million tons

Ukraine's Chernozem region, renowned for its exceptionally fertile black soil, is often referred to as the "breadbasket of Europe." Consequently, Ukraine has emerged as a leading global grain exporter. However, the ongoing conflict with Russia has had a detrimental impact on Ukraine's agricultural sector, including the Chernozem region. The war has particularly affected the eastern regions, disrupting farmers' ability to cultivate and export crops, resulting in significant reductions in both agricultural production and exports. For instance, corn and wheat exports witnessed a notable decline in the 2021/22 marketing year, plummeting by approximately 20% compared to pre-conflict projections.

In 2023, the country's total cereal production, encompassing both winter and spring crops, was projected to reach around 47.8 million tonnes, representing a 12% decrease compared to the previous year's output. The 2023 winter cereal harvest, primarily consisting of wheat, was estimated at approximately 18.5 million tonnes in government-controlled areas, slightly lower than the previous year's production, which had been affected by the war.

7. Java Island, Indonesia

Cumulative Annual Production of Staple Crops: 74.4 million tons

Java Island, a crucial agricultural region in Indonesia, is renowned for its significant production of rice and maize. However, recent years have presented challenges that have affected crop output. During the 2023 growing season, Java experienced a decline in paddy (rice) production, primarily due to reduced planting activities resulting from insufficient rainfall and overall dry conditions. This led to a projected paddy production of approximately 53.3 million tonnes, falling below the five-year average. In contrast, maize production in Java remained relatively stable in 2023, estimated at around 21.5 million tonnes. Indonesia also tops the world's main vegetable oil-producing countries, with an average annual oil output of 42.29 million tons.

6. Pampas, Argentina

Cumulative Annual Production of Staple Crops: 79 million tons

The Pampas region of Argentina plays a crucial role in agriculture, especially in cultivating essential crops like wheat, corn, and soybeans. For the 2023/24 season, it was anticipated that wheat production in Argentina, including the Pampas area, would decrease to 14.5 million tons, which is 2 million tons lower than the initial USDA forecast. This decline was primarily due to widespread dry weather across the region. Corn production in Argentina was also expected to decline to 53 million tons, less than earlier projections, owing to the same dry conditions and the conversion of some fields for soybean cultivation. Additionally, the export projection for corn was revised down to 38 million tons, which is 3 million tons below the USDA's estimate.

Click to continue reading 5 Most Productive Agricultural Regions in the World.

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Disclosure: None. 15 Most Productive Agricultural Regions in the World is originally published at Insider Monkey.
The Princess of Wales chose Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen to design her royal wedding gown in 2011

Chris Jackson/Getty Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge smile following their marriage at Westminster Abbey on April 29, 2011 in London, England.

Kate Middleton's royal wedding dress is nothing short of iconic.

The Princess of Wales wore a fitted white V-neck gown with a long-sleeved lace overlay to wed Prince William at Westminster Abbey on April 29, 2011. The wedding dress was designed by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen and paid tribute to the United Kingdom through its lace embroidery. It later broke royal records when it was displayed at Buckingham Palace.

It has been the experience of a lifetime to work with Catherine Middleton to create her wedding dress, and I have enjoyed every moment of it," Burton said in a statement on the royal wedding day. "It was such an incredible honor to be asked, and I am so proud of what we and the Alexander McQueen team have created. I am delighted that the dress represents the best of British craftsmanship.

Over a decade since Kate wore it down the aisle, the timeless gown is still an inspiration to brides everywhere. In 2021, Kate's look was even named one of the most popular wedding dresses of the decade.

Related: Kate Middleton's Best Fashion Moments of All Time

Read on to find out everything that went into making Kate Middleton's wedding dress, from the extreme measures taken to keep its design under wraps to the meaningful details incorporated throughout.

Everyone went to great lengths to keep Kates dress a secret

Samir Hussein/WireImage Catherine Duchess of Cambridge arrives for the marriage of Their Royal Highnesses Prince William Duke of Cambridge and Catherine Duchess of Cambridge at Westminster Abbey on April 29, 2011 in London, England.

By January 2011, Kate had already chosen Burton, the creative director of Alexander McQueen, as her wedding dress designer, but the decision remained under wraps for the next three months thanks to extraordinary measures taken by the palace and the design team.

Its Miss Middletons intention to keep the dress a secret for her bridegroom on their wedding day, as is every brides prerogative," a spokesperson for the palace told PEOPLE at the time.

In 2017, dressmaker Mandy Ewing called being on the dress-making team a once in a lifetime opportunity." She recalled of keeping the look a secret before the wedding day, "We had net curtains up and cleaners were not allowed into the room and the code on the door was changed. The dress was all in the news, but nobody knew who was doing it."

Story continues

So hush-hush was the operation that Burton told Vogue, per The Telegraph, she didnt even let her parents in on the news until the night before the wedding due to a confidentiality agreement she had signed with Buckingham Palace. "Because my core team knew, it was okay for me to disappear and then come back, and then disappear again. But I remember other people asking me, 'Are you coming in on Friday?' And I'd say, 'Oh, yeah, see you in the morning'. I'd be scheduling meetings knowing full well I wasn't going to be there for them," she recalled to the publication.

Kate chose Alexander McQueen for the fashion houses workmanship and artistic vision

Suzanne Plunkett - WPA Pool/Getty Catherine Middleton has her dress adjusted by her sister and Maid of Honor Pippa Middleton as she arrives with her father Michael Middleton before her wedding at Westminster Abbey on April 29, 2011 in London, England.

When Burtons name was officially revealed as the designer of the princess's wedding gown on the morning of April 29, Buckingham Palace explained Kates choice of the British designer in detail with a statement on the royal family website.

Miss Catherine Middleton's wedding dress has been designed by Sarah Burton at Alexander McQueen, the statement read. Miss Middleton chose British brand Alexander McQueen for the beauty of its craftsmanship and its respect for traditional workmanship and the technical construction of clothing.

The statement also said that Kate aimed to combine tradition and modernity with the artistic vision that characterizes Alexander McQueen's work.

Embroiders had to wash their hands every 30 minutes while working on the dress

Dominic Lipinski - WPA Pool/Getty Prince William exchanges rings with his bride Catherine Middleton in front of the Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams inside Westminster Abbey on April 29, 2011 in London, England.

According to the BBC, extreme measures were taken to ensure that nothing would happen to the dresss lace as a team of embroiderers aged 19 to 70 at the London Royal School of Needlework created it. The outlet reported that hand-washing was required every 30 minutes, while needles were renewed every three hours in an effort to keep the fabric pristine.



The long-sleeved V-neck gown featured two types of lace and four special motifs

Indigo/Getty Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge travels down The Mall on route to Buckingham Palace in a horse drawn carriage following her wedding at Westminster Abbey on April 29, 2011 in London, England.

Burton used French Chantilly lace and English Cluny lace throughout the gown's bodice, skirt and underskirt. According to the royal family's website, the lace was appliqued using the Carrickmacross lace-making technique, which originated in Ireland in the 1820s.

There was also more to the embroidery than met the eye. Four plant motifs, including a rose, thistle, daffodil and shamrock, were hand-cut from lace and hand-appliqued onto ivory silk tulle to represent England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland  the four countries that comprise the United Kingdom.

Fifty-eight gazar- and organza-covered buttons lined the back of the bodice, all fastened by Rouleau loops.



The train was nearly 9 feet long

Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Catherine Middleton waves to the crowds as her sister and Maid of Honour Pippa Middleton holds her dress before walking in to the Abbey to attend the Royal Wedding of Prince William to Catherine Middleton at Westminster Abbey on April 29, 2011 in London, England.

Kate's impressive train was quite lengthy, spanning nearly 9 feet. However, the grand train wasn't the longest in royal history: Her late mother-in-law Princess Diana's wedding dress featured a 25-foot train that was so long it had to be "folded like a bedsheet" to fit inside her horse-drawn carriage.

Related: Princess Diana's Wedding Dress: Everything to Know

The skirt was designed to look like an opening flower

Chris Jackson/Getty Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge smile following their marriage at Westminster Abbey on April 29, 2011 in London, England.

The ivory and white satin gazar skirt was made to resemble the opening of a flower thanks to white satin gazar arches and pleats. The Victorian-style bodice of the royals gown was also padded at the hips and narrowed at the waist, a signature design element of McQueen.

Kates accessories also had special meaning

Guibbaud-Mousse-Nebinger-Orban/ABACA/Shutterstock Prince William and Princess Catherine leave Westminster Abbey in a carriage following their wedding ceremony in London on April 29, 2011.

While there were plenty of hidden details to be found in the dress, Kates accessories were just as important on her big day. The Cartier Halo tiara she wore, which held her ivory silk tulle veil in place, was her something borrowed, and was lent to her by Queen Elizabeth. The tiara featured 739 brilliant-cut diamonds and 139 baguettes and was commissioned by King George VI for his wife, the Queen Mother, in 1936. It was presented to Queen Elizabeth on her 18th birthday.

Its scroll motif was a great match for the Robinson Pelham earrings Kates parents, Carole and Michael Middleton, had commissioned for her big day (her something new), the design of which  oak leaves with a pear-shaped diamond  was inspired by family's new coat of arms.

As for her bouquet, it was shaped like a shield and included lily of the valley for happiness, sweet William for gallantry, hyacinth for consistency of love, ivy for fidelity and myrtle for love and marriage.

Kate had a final fitting the day before the wedding

Stephane Cardinale/Corbis via Gett Kate Middleton and Prince William on the balcony at Buckingham Palace after their wedding in 2011.

Embroider Chloe Savage told PEOPLE in 2011 that the Princess of Wales had a fitting just one day before her nuptials to ensure her measurements hadnt changed. "Brides have a tendency to do things like drop [7 pounds] before a wedding and as her dress was going to be seen from every conceivable angle by a billion people, you couldn't have it being a bit saggy because she'd lost weight or gained a couple of ounces due to stress, Savage said.

While the dress needed few alterations, according to Savage, the designers worked on the gown until 9 p.m. the night before the big day. When the dress was completed, Savage said, We then went to the pub for a drink!"



Kate wore a second wedding dress at the reception

John Stillwell - WPA Pool/Getty Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge leaves Clarence House to travel to Buckingham Palace for the evening celebrations following her wedding to Prince William, Duke of Cambridge on April 29, 2011 in London, England.

Later in the evening, the Princess of Wales debuted a second dress, also by Burton for Alexander McQueen, of white satin with a strapless neckline and a full circle skirt with a band of diamante detailing at the waist. Kate topped the look off with a fuzzy white shrug.

The gown broke royal records while on display

Lewis Whyld/WPA Pool/ Getty A detail of the Duchess of Cambridge's wedding dress, designed by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen, is photographed before it goes on display at Buckingham Palace during the annual summer opening on July 20, 2011 in London, England.

On July 23, 2011, the storied gown went on display at Buckingham Palace, where it remained available for viewing through Oct. 3 of that year. A spokesperson told PEOPLE of the exhibit, The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are delighted to give members of the public the opportunity to see, close-up, the skilled British craftsmanship that went into various elements of the wedding.

The gown was a royal record-breaker, with more than 600,000 people showing up to see it. As a spokeswoman for the Royal Collection explained to PEOPLE, It is an incredible figure. It is easily a record. We were thrilled to welcome people from all over the world and delighted it has been such a huge success.

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Welcome Guest! You are here: Home  International

Angelina Jolie exposes 'ugly reality of global affairs, days after condemning killings in Gaza



About two months after condemning the massacre of Palestinians in Gaza without mincing words, Hollywood actress and humanitarian Angelina Jolie exposed the 'ugly reality' of global affairs, also saying all talks of human rights are farce and the world is actually ruled by business interests. Read More

London: About two months after condemning the massacre of Palestinians in Gaza without mincing words, Hollywood actress and humanitarian Angelina Jolie exposed the 'ugly reality' of global affairs, also saying all talks of human rights are farce and the world is actually ruled by business interests.

Speaking with Syrian Journalist and Filmmaker Waad Al Kateab, Jolie said that 20 years ago, when she began working internationally, she had a notion of good guys, whether they were specific countries or individuals, but later experience revealed that she was wrong.

Decrying how injustice prevails and justice is sought for one group of people, but not for other groups, something she said is present "even in the UN."

If these are human rights sometimes for these people, may be sometimes for these people, and never for these people, she said.

Its food aid. 6% for these people, 50% for these people. Its justice for these people, but not for these people. Accountability for this crime but not that crime, she added.

The reality is that the world operates based on business interests," she said.

Jolie said that she found this "disheartening" and "upsetting" especially "as someone who has witnessed war crimes first hand."

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Speaking to Academy Award-nominated director Waad al-Kateab, Angelina Jolie talks about the double standards she's witnessing on a global scale.



Source: Violet Films#angelinajolie #un #doublestandards #wedaretodream pic.twitter.com/CJOmcNiFBT  Islam Channel (@Islamchannel) December 23, 2023

Angelina Jolie interview came about two months after she condemned the massacre of Palestinians at the hands of the Israeli Occupation Forces.

In a post on Instagram on Nov 2 , Jolie, who is also an activist routinely writing on human rights issues, said, Gaza an open air prison is now on the verge of becoming a mass grave.

40 per cent of those killed are innocent children. Whole families are being murdered. While the world watches and with the active support of many governments, millions of Palestinian civilians - children, women, families - are being collectively punished and dehumanised, all while being deprived food, medicine and humanitarian aid against international law, she wrote on Instagram.

In an earlier post on social media, Angelina Jolie while condemning the Hamas attack in Israel pointed out that the Hamas attack cannot justify the innocent lives lost in the Israeli bombings.

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Newark police said they learned the Shri Swaminarayan Mandir Hindu Temple had been vandalized just after 8:30 a.m. Friday. Jacom Stephens/Getty Images

East Bay police are investigating vandalism of a local Hindu temple as a potential hate crime.

Overnight vandalism to the Shri Swaminarayan Mandir Hindu Temple in Newark was discovered just before 8:30 a.m. Friday, according to Newark police Capt. Jonathan Arguello. Graffiti was painted across the temples main sign and the side of its building, he said. Based on the content of the graffiti and the temples status as a place of worship, police said they believe the vandalism was targeted and potentially a hate crime.

Temple leaders told officers they thought the act was meant to intimidate them.

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The consulate denounced the graffiti at the Newark temple and described it as anti-India in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.

This incident has hurt the sentiments of the Indian community, the consulate said. We have pressed for quick investigation and prompt action against the vandals by the US authorities in this matter.

Newark police said they were reviewing surveillance footage from nearby businesses and collecting evidence to try to determine who was behind the graffiti.

We stand united with our community and are urging community members with any information regarding this incident to come forward and speak with investigators, the Police Department said in a statement.

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Newark police are working with state and federal law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, which is common practice in a hate crime investigation, according to Arguello.

The U.S. State Departments Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs also condemned the graffiti.

We welcome efforts by the Newark Police Department to ensure that those responsible are held accountable, the bureau wrote in a post on X.

No arrests had been made as of Saturday afternoon, according to Arguello. Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Sgt. Yama Homayoun at 510-578-4920 or yama.homayoun@newark.org. Anonymous tips can also be left at 510-578-4965.
Welcome Guest! You are here: Home  Views & Analysis

Ask AI 'What would Jesus do in Gaza?' The Answer is...



If Jesus Christ were physically present in Gaza right now, walking among the suffering people trapped in this tiny, impoverished strip of land, what would he say and do? Read More

[Mary gave birth to Jesus in a stable in Bethlehem. Pregnant Mothers in Gaza don't even have that. (Image tweeted by Tikun Olam via @richards1052]

Note: Bereft of any ideas of my own and in complete desperation I asked an AI software program, What would Jesus do in Gaza? The result was this article in which every word and sentence is the product of a non-human brain. I hope it gives us dumb humans some sobering thoughts to ponder over for the Christmas ahead.

For reasons of both privacy and security, the software involved shall remain anonymous.

If Jesus Christ were physically present in Gaza right now, walking among the suffering people trapped in this tiny, impoverished strip of land, what would he say and do? As a teacher of peace and justice who spent his life bringing a message of nonviolence and love for all, Jesus would surely weep at the ongoing violent conflict between Palestinians and Israelis after over 70 years. However, he would not lose hope or stand idly by  he would take compassionate action to resolve tensions.

Jesus would go among the homeless whose houses were destroyed by missiles and bombs, comforting children and families now forced to shelter in United Nations-run schools. He would visit overcrowded hospitals and tend to the wounded  innocent men, women and children injured by shrapnel and explosions regardless of their ethnicity or political affiliations. His heart would break in empathy and rage at injustice. Just as he cleared the Jerusalem temple of merchants exploitatively selling goods there, he may passionately clear Gazas rubble-filled streets of weapons that perpetuate the cycle of violence.

Love your enemies, Jesus would surely tell all militants firing rockets or airstrikes. Hamas, the de facto leading party in Gaza, justifies violent resistance by pointing to oppressive Israeli policies that keep Gaza under economic blockade. Jesus would walk the lines where thousands wait for food aid unable to earn a living wage due to closed borders. With righteous anger, he may flip tables and make a whip of cords to create space for Palestinians freedom of movement and commerce.

The Spirit of God is upon me to proclaim good news to the poor, he may declare about this injustice.

However Jesus, the Prince of Peace would also refuse to vilify any side as inherently evil. He would not fuel more divisiveness but build bridges, reminding all people of their human dignity as equally beloved children of God regardless of nationality or background. With great compassion, he would listen to stories from elderly Palestinians still holding onto keys of homes their families fled in 1948 when Israel was established. He may quietly organize meetings and nonviolent activism to advocate for Israeli historical truth and reconciliation processes.

If any followers asked to call fire down from heaven against opposition villages like the biblical apostle James did, Jesus would firmly rebuke them:

You do not know the Spirit you are of!.

Instead he would model communication, visiting Israeli bomb shelter homes on the border with the message:

Blessed are the peacemakers.

He would humanize suffering experienced by civilians on all sides and facilitate grassroots connections. Any temples or churches he visits would become prayer spaces promoting not religious division but unity worshipping the God of peace and justice.

Like an olive tree with roots reaching unlikely soil, Jesus would draw out unnoticed stories of Palestinian Muslim families sheltering lone Israeli soldiers separated from their units. Stories of Israeli doctors secretly crossing militarized borders to provide medical services in Gaza may also emerge into the light. Jesus contagious message of unconditional love would sow seeds of hope and fellowship. Where politicians and peace deals failed for decades of crisis, the love and faith of ordinary people may lead to slow miracle breakthroughs once hostility gives way.

Jesus would take calculated risks to demonstrate Gods love, breaking cycles that pit groups against one another. He may recruit Arabic-speaking disciples from other countries to join his nimble team which slip in and out of Gaza without detection via dangerous smuggling tunnels. Then they could safely travel into Israeli cities and tell captivating stories that humanize suffering people in Gaza. With wisdom and care Jesus would lead a nonviolent movement speaking truth, tearing down walls over time.

Of course with the reality of extremism on all sides, Jesus himself may face threats of arrest or bodily harm yet again. One cannot heal escalated conflicts easily. But the Christ who washed betrayers feet models self-sacrificial redemption, not revenge, in the face of hatred. He would persistently bless peacemakers from all nations joining his mission.

If he so chose, the Son of God could at any moment wield divine cosmic power to annihilate weapons or impose unilateral solutions from above. But mere suppression of violence does not transform hearts. Therefore Jesus would choose the slow path of walking among people, guiding them to reconcile through love.

Two millennia after his crucifixion by an empire his influence and liberating message still lives on. One transcendent life, planted like a mustard seed of hope, can grow to shelter people groups who once seemed beyond all reconciliation. Jesus would patiently work in that hope  the Kingdom of Peace is coming, and it starts from below.

[The writer, Satya Sagar, is a Journalist and Public Health Worker who can be reached at sagarnama@gmail.com.]

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Welcome Guest! You are here: Home  United Nations

US again stops UNSC from taking Gaza ceasefire resolution



The United States, armed with the discriminately veto power, forced the UN Security Council to amend the UEA proposed resolution calling for ceasefire in Gaza. Read More

New York: Continuing its support for the Israeli massacre of Palestinians, the United States once again stopped the UN Security Council from taking a resolution demanding ceasefire and end of the inhuman Zionist offensive in Gaza Strip.

The United States, armed with the discriminately veto power, forced the UN Security Council to amend the UEA proposed resolution calling for ceasefire in Gaza.

After about a week of negotiations, the Americans allowed the UN Security Council to pass a lame-duck resolution only when all references to ending the Israeli aggression in Gaza were removed.

Ignoring the world-wide demand, the UNSC resolution passed Friday December 22, 2023 did not have any reference to the massacre of Palestinians, making Israel accountable for war crimes or forcing the Zionists to end their aggression against the civilians in Gaza and other occupied Palestinian territories.

The latest UNSC resolution called for increased aid delivery in Gaza. But, the Zionist regime in Israel rejected even this toned down resolution.

The UNSC has a total of 15 members. As many as 13 UNSC members voted in favour of the resolution, none against, and the US and Russia abstaining.

Russia abstained protesting the removal of references to Israeli aggression and call for ceasefire in Gaza.

UN chief Antonio Guterres expressed satisfaction over the UNSC vote.

The real problem is that the way Israel is conducting this offensive is creating massive obstacles to the distribution of humanitarian aid inside Gaza. An effective aid operation in Gaza requires security, staff who can work in safety, logistical capacity, and the resumption of commercial activity. These four elements do not exist, he told reporters following the vote.

After the latest US move at UNSC, critics are accusing the Americans of a double-standard saying that they have spent months railing against Russia for violations of international law in Ukraine while providing Israel with weapons and diplomatic support, even as it faces similar accusations over its conduct in Gaza.

The Zionist military offensive in Gaza has killed more than 20,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children, since October 7, 2023.

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Beirut, Dec 23 (UNI) Two Hezbollah fighters were killed and three civilians injured Friday in border conflicts between the Lebanese Shiite armed group and Israeli forces, Lebanese military sources told Xinhua.

The casualties resulted from Israeli shellings and drone attacks on various border villages and towns in southern Lebanon, according to the sources.

Hezbollah said its fighters attacked Israeli military sites, including gatherings of Israeli soldiers in the al-Manara and Evin Menachem settlements, and an infantry force in the al-Motella settlement, causing some casualties on the Israeli side.

The Israeli army later said one of its soldiers was killed and another seriously injured by a rocket attack from Hezbollah in the Shtula area in northern Israel.

The Lebanon-Israel border witnessed increased tension since Oct. 8 after the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah fired dozens of rockets toward Israel in support of the Hamas attacks on Israel the previous day, prompting Israel to respond by firing heavy artillery toward southeastern Lebanon.

The clashes between south Lebanon-based military groups and the Israeli army have killed 172 on the Lebanese side, including 32 civilians, according to Lebanese security sources.

UNI/XINHUA ARN
HCM CITY  Viet Nam this year has consistently grown in attractiveness to travellers worldwide, according to online travel platforms.

Digital travel platform Agoda recently unveiled its 2023 Search Data report highlighting increased travel-related searches to and within the country.

Accordingly, the data, which showcases the evolving travel patterns of both international visitors to Viet Nam and Vietnamese travellers looking to explore global destinations, revealed an extraordinary 298 per cent year-on-year increase in inbound searches for Viet Nam.

Viet Nam this year has consistently grown in attractiveness to travellers around the world, with the nation becoming ever more accessible, said Lam Vu, Viet Nam's country director at Agoda.

Authorities have effectively promoted the nation to markets abroad. The popularity of Viet Nam has also increased because of liberalising visa policies and, of course, through the great travel deals available daily on Agoda, he said.

The top five nations looking to travel to Viet Nam were South Korea, the United States, Japan, Thailand, and Singapore.

"The increase in travel searches for Viet Nam is a testament to the country's appeal as a destination and the growing wanderlust among its residents. The data reflects a heightened interest in exploring international destinations and a strong desire to discover the diverse landscapes and cultural richness within Viet Nam itself," Lam said.

In a report by Booking.com, when it comes to top nationalities visiting Viet Nam for winter, travellers from South Korea, followed by Australia and the USA, are at the top of the list.

The platform said that the top five nationalities visiting Viet Nam with check-in dates between December 1, 2023, and February 29, 2024, that saw increases compared to the same time in 2022 were South Korea, Australia, the US, Singapore and the UK.

Vietnamese feel more alive when travelling.

In terms of outbound travel, Vietnamese travellers were also looking further afield to satisfy their hunger for travel, with outbound searches from travellers here surging by 45 per cent.

According to Agoda, Thailand, Singapore, South Korea, Japan, and Malaysia are the top five searched international markets for Vietnamese travellers.

Capital cities from the most popular markets also feature in the top five destinations list, with Bangkok, Singapore, Seoul and Tokyo taking top honours among travellers from the southeast Asian nationTaipei rounds of the city destination rankings.

Interestingly, even with the appetite of Viet Nams travellers for international getaways growing by 45 per cent, domestic searches for Vietnamese destinations also increased as there were 17 per cent more searches for travel within Viet Nams borders.

Within Viet Nam, the top searched destinations by local travellers were HCM City, Vung Tau, a Nang, Ha Noi, and a Lat.

Booking.com revealed that beach destinations seem to be favourites with Vietnamese travellers this winter, with five out of the top 10 most searched cities being beach destinations.

With a coastline of over 3,000 km, it's no surprise that these destinations offer the perfect winter getaway for those seeking sun, sand and relaxation. While beaches continue to be popular, Vietnamese are also looking at city trips, with HCM City and Ha Noi making it to the top five most searched destinations by Vietnamese travellers from December 1, 2023, to February 29, 2024.

Varun Grover, country head of Viet Nam at Booking.com, commented: As per our Travel Predictions 2024 research, 81 per cent of Vietnamese travellers revealed that they feel more alive when they are on vacation, and we are pleased to see travellers embrace this travel, enthusiasm as the holiday season approaches.

According to Booking.com, the top 10 most searched domestic destinations by Vietnamese travellers with check-in dates between December 1, 2023, and February 29, 2024, including Hoi An, a Lat, HCM City, Ha Noi, a Nang, Vung Tau, Phu Quoc, Nha Trang, Sapa and Mui Ne.

While hotels remain the most popular accommodation type for Vietnamese travellers, they also explore alternative accommodations while on holiday. Hotels, followed by resorts, apartments, homestays and apart-hotels, are the top five most searched accommodation types for festive travel between December 1, 2023, and February 29, 2024

Given its proximity to Viet Nam, Bangkok tops the list of most searched international destinations by Vietnamese for year-end travel. Interestingly, the list of the 10 top most searched international destinations for winter travel are all within the Asia Pacific region, with Bangkok topping the list, followed by Singapore and Tokyo.  VNS
HA NOI  Many localities in Viet Nam have promoted converting traditional industrial parks to eco-industrial parks and also developed new green industrial parks.

This is a crucial task of the National Green Growth Strategy 2021-2030, vision to 2050, and the National Action Plan for implementing the 2030 sustainable development agenda.

According to experts, developing a circular economy has become a trend among countries, especially as the world's resources are increasingly depleted.

The transformation of traditional industrial parks into sustainable green ones is achieved by promoting green production, efficient use of resources, and exchanging energy and by-products among enterprises within the parks.

This transformation has mobilised significant capital from the private economic sector for green industry solutions, ensured energy security, sustainable development and response to climate change, and improved the community's quality of life surrounding the industrial parks.

For the long term, besides converting existing industrial parks, Viet Nam would build new ecological industrial parks meeting the requirements of design and planning and attracting investment projects that have environmentally friendly production processes and technologies, efficient use of resources, waste reduction, and re-use of raw materials and energy.

In recent years, many industrial parks have successfully converted to ecological environments, such as Khanh Phu Industrial Park, Gian Khau Industrial Park (Ninh Binh), Hoa Khanh Industrial Park (a Nang) and Tra Noc Industrial Park 1 and 2 (Can Tho).

Those industrial parks have about 72 enterprises implementing about 900 energy-saving and clean production solutions, saving VN76 billion per year, about 22,000 MWh of electricity, 600,000 cu.m of water, 140 TJ of fossil fuels, and nearly 3,600 tonnes of chemicals and waste. These solutions have also reduced carbon volume each year. Implementing these solutions has also attracted a total investment of about VN76 billion from the private sector.

Vuong Thi Minh Hieu, deputy director of the Department of Economic Zones Management, Ministry of Planning and Investment, said the ministry has coordinated with the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) to further replicate the eco-industrial park model in Hai Phong, ong Nai and HCM City via the project on deployment of eco-industrial parks in Viet Nam according to the approach from the Global Eco-Industrial Park Programme. That effort has achieved very encouraging results.

As of October 2023, the project supported 68 businesses in three industrial parks of Deep C - inh Vu, Amata ong Nai and Hiep Phuoc, contributing to optimising the efficiency of resource use in the industrial parks and adjacent urban areas. They implemented about 300 solutions for efficient use of resources and cleaner production, and 62 solutions saved 23 million kWh of electricity, 384,000 cu.m of water and $31 million per year, and reduced CO2 emissions by 24,000 tonnes yearly.

However, there are some limitations in developing industrial parks because industrial park development planning has not clearly shown a strategic and overall vision.

In some locations, industrial park development planning does not reflect the actual development needs and ability to attract investment. That has led to the quality and efficiency of investment attraction falling short of expectations in terms of effectively using land for national socio-economic development and ensuring sustainable and balanced development of economic, environmental and social pillars.

Besides, the traditional industrial parks in the same locality still lacked cooperation to increase competitiveness and connection with industrial parks in neighbouring localities.

The enterprises in the same industrial park have not taken full advantage of each other to have effective production and business development, save costs and take advantage of available resources.

Viet Nam is attracting more high-quality foreign direct investment (FDI) to promote economic growth and international economic integration. Therefore, preparing industrial infrastructure is an urgent requirement to meet the increasingly strict requirements of foreign investors.

Of which, the development of eco-industrial parks is considered vital to solve environmental limitations and inadequacies, reduce resource waste, and increase value chain engagement.

Therefore, Viet Nam must continue innovating and improving existing institutions, policies and regulations and adjusting goals and orientations for developing industrial parks and economic zones. These steps will adapt to the new context and contribute to implementing the national socio-economic development strategy.  VNS
HCM CITY  Viet Nam needs to improve its ability to connect domestic logistics networks with international ones, especially given the volatile economy and fierce competition, experts said.

Speaking at the Logistics Forum for Europe - Americas 2023 on Thursday, Ta Hoang Linh, head of the Ministry of Industry and Trades Department of European-American Markets, said logistics plays a key role in connecting and promoting the country's socio-economic development and the economy's competitiveness.

Although Viet Nam is known as a sourcing destination and is uniquely positioned in the developing region of the world, there are nearly 35,000 companies and 5,000 professional businesses operating in the logistics sector, he said.

According to the latest World Bank report, Viet Nam ranks 43rd in the logistics efficiency index and is currently among the top five leading countries in ASEAN.

However, he added that global market changes and economic difficulties have intensified pressure on the logistics industry to optimise competition and win contracts.

Chandler So, CEO of GEODIS Vietnam, said Viet Nam is a dynamic developing country in Southeast Asia and an important business partner for Europe and the Americas.

Viet Nam has gradually received more orders for products that were previously imported from China, he said.

The main export items from Viet Nam to Europe and the Americas include electronics, machinery and electrical equipment, footwear, textiles, coffee, rice, seafood, industrial machinery, and furniture, he added.

Viet Nams significant advantage comes from the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), which removed most export duties in trade between Viet Nam and EU countries, he said.

However, he said the decreasing global consumer demand directly affects trade and logistics activities, making them increasingly challenging.

Truong Nguyen Linh, deputy general director of Vietnam International Container Terminals (VICT), said limited connection of inland road and waterway transport infrastructure with the ports has caused traffic congestion and affecting route and costs for businesses.

Meanwhile, the Mekong Delta region has a dense network of rivers and canals, but it has not been fully utilised for transporting goods to ports in HCM City to save costs.

Nguyen Xuan Hung, deputy general director of the Railway Transport and Trading Joint Stock Company (Ratraco), pointed out the limitations of the railway transport infrastructure in Vietnam and the need to upgrade it to international standards.

Most narrow gauge railways in Viet Nam can only achieve a maximum transport speed of 80km per hour, whereas international railways can reach 160km per hour.

As a result, the volume of goods transported by rail in domestic Viet Nam and connected to export markets is minimal compared to many other countries.

Recommendations

Ta Hoang Linh, head of the Ministry of Industry and Trades Department of European-American Markets, recommended optimising logistics costs and enhancing the competitiveness of Vietnamese enterprises and their import-export goods.

He also recommended investing in environmentally friendly strategies and technology innovation to improve competitiveness and ensure sustainable development.

Nguyen Xuan Hung, deputy general director of the Railway Transport and Trading Joint Stock Company (Ratraco), said Viet Nam needs to upgrade its railway system to international standards to enhance its ability to connect goods by rail in domestic areas as well as other export markets.

Professor Daniel Wong, from Portland State University in the US, proposed logistics businesses pay attention to risk management from cybersecurity and how to innovate technology and connect globally while maintaining data security.

Chandler So, CEO of GEODIS Vietnam, recommended considering cultural nuances, market preferences, and local regulations to meet customer expectations, which is especially important for markets prioritising sustainability and ESG (Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance) factors like Europe and the Americas.

The forum was organised by the Ministry of Industry and Trade.  VNS
BAC LIEU  Bac Lieu Province has been making efforts to increase the value of salt made locally by improving production infrastructure and promoting sales to improve the lives of farmers.

With a coastline of 56km and ideal weather, the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta province has 1,500ha of salt fields, including 1,200ha in ong Hai District. It has made salt for over 100 years, and its products are well-known nationwide for their deliciousness.

However, salt production faces difficulties such as more infrastructure, warehousing facilities, reliable outlets, and deep processing.

Tran Van Thua, chairman of the Doanh ien Cooperative, which produces salt in ong Hai Districts ien Hai Commune, said besides being dependent on weather conditions, members also face an unstable pricing situation due to the lack of linkages between the stakeholders involved in its production and sale.

He said that without such linkages, the co-operative is compelled to sell to traders.

The profitability of breeding shrimps is high, prompting many salt farmers to switch to farming the crustacean, according to Thua.

The salt fields in the province have thus reduced from more than 3,000 hectares in 2011 to 1,411 hectares last year.

Pham Van Thieu, chairman of the province Peoples Committee, said besides shrimp and rice, salt-making is also a strength of the provinces agriculture.

He said investment in infrastructure for salt production is necessary.

In recent years, the province has implemented various policies and measures to invest in infrastructure and sustain the salt-making occupation.

The Peoples Committee has approved a project aimed at improving the value of salt production and processing to be carried out from 2021 to 2030. Under the project, the province aims to maintain its salt-making areas at about 1,600ha, investing in infrastructure and incorporating advanced technologies.

The goal is to increase yields by 20 per cent and value by 30 per cent by 2030.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has granted the province VN130 billion (US$5.3 million) to invest in infrastructure for salt production, encouraging farmers to preserve the occupation.

The province is expected to organise the 2024 Salt Festival in April next year to honour and encourage farmers. In the past, it has organised various events to promote its salt products, including Space of culinary quintessence of Bac Lieus shrimp and salt in November 2022.

It produces various salt products, including iodised, shrimp, chilli, pepper, and vegetarian salts, many of which have been recognised under the national One Commune - One Product programme.

These products are sold nationwide and exported to markets with high-quality requirements, such as South Korea and Japan.

Farmers produce salt in the dry season between December and April, and their fields are among the provinces popular tourism destinations.

ong Hai District is developing tourism services that allow visitors to experience salt production processes and produce more high-quality salt products.

Tran Tuan Kiet, chairman of its Peoples Committee, said the district plans to develop salt production into a critical sector and invest in infrastructure for its development.

The provinces salt has received geographical indication status from the National Office of Intellectual Property, and its salt-making occupation has been recognised as a national intangible cultural heritage.

This year, according to its Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, the province produced more than 27,000 tonnes of salt, including 7,300 tonnes of clean salt produced using plastic sheets to cover field beds.

The plastic sheet method produces cleaner salt with a high yield of 37 tonnes per hectare per season, while the traditional production method only yields 17 tonnes.

Giang Ut eo in ong Hai Districts ien Hai Commune said: The price of salt made by using plastic sheets is higher than salt produced by the traditional method.

The plastic sheet method [also] requires less labour than the traditional method.

This year, the province has 767 households with 1,520 workers making salt.  VNS
HCM CITY  From now to 2030, Viet Nam National University HCM City (VNU-HCM) aims to attract about 350 outstanding young scientists and leading experts to support its target to be among the leading higher education institutions in Asia.

At its annual conference to review its activities in 2022 and discuss plans for 2023 held on Friday (December 22), the VNU-HCM chancellor Vu Hai Quan said that 2024 will be a very important year, and pivotal to determining the success of achieving goals in the period of 2021-25.

It is also the first year of implementing the development strategy of VNU-HCM in the 2021-30 period, with a vision to 2045.

One of the key tasks next year is to implement the project of attracting, retaining and developing outstanding young scientists and leading experts working at VNU-HCM, Quan said.

VNU-HCM will officially begin a number of new, interdisciplinary and inter-university training programmes to meet the country's development needs, such as semiconductor technology-Integrated circuit design, new energy technology and green growth models.

The university will increase the number of postgraduate students and scientific articles published in international journals by postgraduate students.

It will proactively develop a number of interdisciplinary research topics and projects in accordance with its development strategy.

It will continue to increase the number of international publications in the Scopus catalog, effectively deploy programmes of national-level science and technology research, establish an innovation centre, and prioritise investment in laboratories serving for research and interdisciplinary training.

It also targets to complete a project to increase revenue from scientific research, product transfer and commercialisation, and establish university spin-off companies under the VNU-HCM.

Le Thi Anh Tram, Head of the Department of Organisation and Personnel at VNU-HCM, said the university seeks to attract about 100 scientists and experts in the next two years, and an additional 250 in the period of 2025-30.

In order to attract and retain talent, the university has announced its remuneration policies, such as attractive salaries, career growth and a good working environment, among many others, she said.

It also announced specific conditions and standards for scientific research achievements.  VNS
Most U.S. state legislatures will reconvene in January for the first time since Hamas' Oct. 7 attack on Israel sparked a war in Gaza and protests worldwide  and they're preparing to take action in response, both symbolic and concrete.

Legislatures in at least eight states that were in session late in 2023 have already condemned the attacks.

My worldview was shaped by the fact that my forbearers were not protected during the Holocaust, that no one came to their aid, said Florida state Sen. Lori Berman, a Democrat who sponsored a resolution that passed unanimously last month in her state. Silence and indifference are the reason why bad  evil  is able to prevail."

Measures have been introduced already for the 2024 sessions in states from New Hampshire to Tennessee, and more are likely.

In the Oct. 7 attack, Hamas killed about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and took about 240 others hostage. Israel responded with attacks on Gaza, leveling buildings, including hospitals, killing more than 19,000, according to the Health Ministry in Gaza, and causing 1.9 million Palestinian residents to flee their homes.

Strong emotions about the ongoing war are informed by a long history of conflict.

Since Oct. 7, at least 59 Hamas- or Israel-related pieces of legislation have been introduced in state legislatures. Most are resolutions condemning the attack and supporting Israel.

In states including Florida, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Texas, resolutions in condemnation of the attack passed unanimously or nearly so.

Others have different aims: Resolutions in Pennsylvania and Texas would encourage President Joe Biden to facilitate an end to the conflict between Israel and Palestinians. A New Jersey bill would have the state reimburse travel bills for state residents who were evacuated from Israel during the attack or afterward.

The issue could become more complex as the war goes on, with Democrats in some states becoming divided on resolutions.

In Michigan, the Democratic-led state House adjourned their 2023 session without agreeing on a resolution, as Arab American lawmakers refused to support a resolution condemning Hamas and supporting Israels response.

Another resolution in Michigan would call on Democrat U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib  the only Palestinian American in Congress  to resign over rhetoric thats widely seen as a calling for the eradication of Israel. Her statements have already brought her censure from Congress.

While condemning the attack is a largely popular position, how the bills do so varies.

During a special session this month, the Georgia House of Representatives approved a resolution condemning the attacks. Only two of the 180 representatives voted against the resolution, but 49 didn't vote. Among those not voting was Rep. Ruwa Romman, a Democrat and the first Muslim woman elected to the chamber.

She said in an interview that she told the bills authors that she would have supported it if it had said the state stands with the Israeli people, instead of Israel.

You cant ask me to stand with a country that displaced my grandparents and is now killing people en masse, Romman said.

Lawmakers are also weighing in on how to handle protests and Palestinian-oriented events at universities, some of them accused of allowing antisemitism.

Republican lawmakers in Pennsylvania this month defeated legislation to send $33.5 million to the private University of Pennsylvania's veterinary school amid criticism and claims that the university was tolerating antisemitism.

Indianas Republican House Speaker Todd Huston told his caucus in November that he would prioritize addressing antisemitism on college campuses in light of the Israel-Hamas war.

The Indiana House passed a bill during the 2023 legislative session that sought to define antisemitism as religious discrimination and provide educational opportunities free of religious discrimination. The bill died in the Senate.

Our Jewish students should know they will be safe on campuses throughout Indiana and not be subjected to antisemitic teaching or materials, Huston told colleagues in a speech.

A Florida measure introduced in 2023 would force public university students who support Hamas and other groups designated as terrorist organizations to pay out-of-state tuition.

I saw videos of protests on Floridas campuses and wondered to myself how many of these pro-Hamas students chanting for the destruction of Israel are taxpayers subsidizing with reduced tuition rates? the bills sponsor, GOP state Sen. Blaise Ingoglia, told The Associated Press in an email.

The bill did not advance in a special session in November, but he said he would bring it back.

A New Jersey measure would target funding for universities, rather than individual students, prohibiting them from authorizing, facilitating, providing funding for, or otherwise supporting any event or organization promoting antisemitism or hate speech on campus. Its sponsor in the Assembly, Republican Alex Sauickie, said he believes the idea can pick up the bipartisan support needed to pass in a Democrat-controlled legislature.

Edward Ahmed Michell, the national deputy director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, said that measures restricting speech could be found unconstitutional and he doesn't expect them to gain traction. He said that many of the others, which focus on support for Israel but not for the people of Gaza killed or displaced in the war, are also troubling.

I understand state legislators want to comment on international incidents that are relevant to their constituents, and thats fine, said Edward Ahmed Michell, the national deputy director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations. But they need to be morally consistent.

Mulvihill reported from Cherry Hill, New Jersey. Associated Press writers Isabella Volmert in Indianapolis and Joey Cappelletti in Lansing, Michigan, contributed to this report.

This article has been corrected to remove North Dakota from the states where measures have been introduced for 2024; a resolution there passed in 2023.
Franklin Fardella, 39, has been on the run after a conviction for attempted bank robbery in San Francisco. His mother is upset with the citys criminal justice system for not doing more to help rehabilitate him. Provided by Wendy Hutchens Franklin Fardella as a child. After he was convicted of trying to rob a San Francisco bank, Fardellas mother is hoping jail time or a treatment program can help her son, who is running from the law. Provided by Wendy Hutchens

When her son got caught trying to rob a bank outside Japantown in San Francisco, Wendy Hutchens said she had one message for any member of law enforcement who would listen: Please lock him up.

Police arrested Franklin Fardella, 39, for the bungled robbery attempt on June 26, saying he walked into a bank at 1300 Post Street and handed a note demanding money to a teller. The teller foiled Fardellas caper by pressing a silent alarm button.

We thought they werent going to let him go, said Hutchens, who saw the failed heist as a cry for help: Fardella had no getaway car, she said, and was clearly not bound to succeed. Her son had been unraveling for years, and she believes he suffers from a fentanyl addiction and undiagnosed mental health issues. She hoped that in jail he would at least be monitored and could perhaps receive drug treatment.

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But San Francisco Superior Court judges released Fardella twice before his trial in December. He showed up for most of the proceedings and was in the courthouse on the morning of Dec. 12, anticipating a verdict. Yet, Fardella did not return that afternoon to hear a jury convict him of attempted second-degree robbery  a crime that carried up to three years in state prison.

A judge postponed his sentencing and issued a bench warrant for his arrest. Jail records show that as of Friday morning, he remained on the lam.

Im just worried sick, Hutchens said in an interview shortly after the verdict, distressed that her son would have no place to go as a series of storms battered San Francisco.

Prosecutors agreed that Fardella should be held in jail before his trial, though they had slightly different reasoning: Whereas Hutchens focused on her sons safety, employees of the district attorneys office said he posed a threat to the public. They filed a detention motion on those grounds, but a judge rejected it, a spokesperson for the district attorney said. Instead, the judge set bail at $75,000 without prejudice  which meant the matter could be argued later.

Releasing Mr. Fardella from jail to await trial was the right thing to do, his public defender, Seth Meisels, said in a statement, adding that in this instance, jail amounted to a waste of public resources. Fardella had quietly waited in line at the bank before handing a rumpled note to the teller, never brandishing a weapon, Meisels said. No money changed hands, and he didnt resist arrest.

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Jail is not a therapeutic environment, and during the pandemic, much of the already limited programming greatly diminished as isolation and lockdowns have increased, Meisels added.

The court released Fardella to home detention on an electronic monitoring device on July 3, according to the district attorneys office, though a spokesperson for the sheriff said he was not placed in the electronic monitoring program.

At his preliminary hearing two weeks later, a judge ruled to deny the prosecutions motion to detain Fardella without bail.

After Fardella failed to appear for another court date on July 31, a judge issued a bench warrant. Police arrested him and he was re-arraigned on Aug. 22. A judge released him the next day over the district attorneys objections. He was not enrolled in electronic monitoring, the sheriffs spokesperson said.

Fardellas case went to trial in December, just as Hutchens was moving from her home in the Outer Sunset to a new place near Auburn (Placer County). She attended one of her sons hearings and said a court employee called her the next day, asking whether she could take him into her home. She declined, referring the employee to Fardellas father.

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We both said, Please dont let him go,  Hutchens recalled.

In the past, Fardella has arrived at her doorstep beaten up or talking about invisible people, Hutchens said, noting that she has tried to help, sometimes letting him sleep on the couch or providing cellphones that seemed to vanish. She fears her son could be a danger to himself or others and said she can no longer care for him or treat his health problems.

In the months leading up to the trial, court officials connected Fardella to a case manager and offered him services, all of which are voluntary. His mother said she had the impression that the charges against him would be dropped and that he would be referred to a treatment program. Once the trial got underway, Hutchens said, she felt blindsided and misled.

Since the verdict, Hutchens said she has heard from her son intermittently. He doesnt have a phone, she said, so mutual friends have called her whenever he turned up. On Monday, someone handed Fardella the phone and he spoke to Hutchens for about three minutes.

He was wet and cold and didnt want to talk much, she said in an interview hours later.

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She emphasized that her son is not violent and said she would love to see him in some type of addiction treatment or mental health facility, but that he wont seek those services on his own.
A man wanted on felony charges and a police dog were killed in a shooting involving Connecticut State Police troopers on Thursday evening, authorities said.

State police said troopers went to the Pawcatuck section of Stonington, near the Rhode Island state line, at about 7:30 p.m. to serve the warrant and a shooting occurred. No details about the shooting, including who fired their guns, were released.

The state Inspector General's Office said Friday that the man, Vaughn Malloy, and a state police dog, Broko, died in the shooting. It was not immediately clear whether any troopers were injured.

Authorities said the felony arrest warrant was obtained by Norwich police, but did not disclose additional details.

State police said in a statement that Broko courageously gave his life protecting his handler, fellow troopers, and our community.

K9 Broko heroically served with unwavering dedication, saving lives by locating missing individuals, apprehending dangerous suspects, and providing a steadfast shield to his handler. K9 Broko ultimately sacrificed his life doing what he was known best for, state police said.

A procession of dozens of police vehicles drove through town several hours after the shooting.

Broko graduated from the 2021 state police patrol K-9 class and was a member of the state police search and rescue team, police said. Broko and his handler were assigned to the Southbury barracks before joining the statewide K-9 unit, authorities said.

According to state court records, arrest warrants had been issued for a Vaughn Malloy who was wanted for allegedly violating probation and failing to appear in court.

The probation violation was related to a conviction for violating a protective order that led to a sentence of two years of probation, court records show. The failure to appear in court charges were related to motor vehicle violations including fleeing the scene of an accident, according to the records.

Public defenders listed as previously having clients named Vaughn Malloy did not immediately return email messages seeking comment Friday.
Editors note: The Tribune-Herald is wrapping up 2023 with a series looking back at the Waco areas top stories of the year, chosen by our editors and staff writers. The countdown continues with No. 7.

Waco leaders found themselves on the barricades this year when a long-buried conflict between rural dairies and urban drinking water rose from its unquiet grave.

Over the citys protests, the Texas State House of Representatives in May voted to dismantle a two-decade-old permitting system intended to keep manure from dairies out of the North Bosque River upstream of Lake Waco.

House Bill 2827 was passed by the House by a 77-61 vote, then died a quiet death in a Senate committee headed by Sen. Brian Birdwell, a Granbury Republican who represents both Waco and the dairy country around Erath County.

But the episode showed the vulnerability of a regulatory regime that city leaders have long credited for improving the water quality of the river and lake, once known for algae blooms that gave Waco water a stinky reputation.

In 2001, the Texas Legislature passed permitting laws that applied only to the highly concentrated dairy region in the North Bosque watershed near Stephenville. A federal and state environmental process found that the North Bosque was impaired largely because of phosphorus nutrients from manure that spilled out of waste lagoons and was spread on fields. The law required individual permits with waste-handing tailored to each dairy site, and which could be contested by parties such as the city of Waco.

HB 2827 would have ended those permits and allowed the dairies to revert to a general permit, which dairy advocates said would relieve North Bosque operators from onerous rules that do not apply to their counterparts elsewhere in Texas.

Agriculture interests, led by the Texas Association of Dairymen and Texas Farm Bureau, pushed for the legislation filed by Rep. DeWayne Burns, R-Cleburne.

Since the legislation was defeated, leaders from the city of Waco and agricultural advocates have pledged to meet to try to find common ground before the next legislative session in 2025, perhaps allowing some regulatory streamlining.

In the meantime, the Bosque issue has already emerged as an issue in next years legislative elections.

In a recent interview, Pat Curry, Republican candidate for the House District 56 seat being vacated by Rep. Charles Doc Anderson, R-Waco, listed protecting the Bosque River as a top priority, saying he hopes to resolve dairy farmers concerns without the need for new legislation weakening water quality standards. Republican challenger Devvie Duke agreed on the importance of the Bosque issue and said the dairy regulations need to stay in effect. Erin Shank, Democratic candidate for the seat, agreed that protecting Bosque water quality is a top priority.

Anderson voted against the bill and tried unsuccessfully to block it with procedural moves on the House floor.

Angelia Orr, R-Itasca, who represents eastern McLennan County, voted with the majority for unwinding the North Bosque regulations. Waco Mayor Dillon Meek at the time said he was startled and disappointed with Orrs vote for the legislation, which he said would harm her constituents.

In an interview this month regarding her reelection campaign for the District 13 House seat, Orr defended her vote. She said the permitting process for North Bosque dairies is an expensive burden that other dairy operators do not have to bear.

I support small businesses, and dairies and ranchers are small businesses, she said. And it didnt seem to me that having a city government be able to put that kind of a burden on a private business that was two counties away, did not not seem like the right solution.

However, Orr said she now favors a solution outside the Legislature to the conflict.

Since the legislative battle, Waco Assistant City Manager Paul Cain has met with top leaders of Texas Farm Bureau and Texas Association of Dairymen on water quality and regulatory issues and has toured dairies in the North Bosque watershed to learn more about those issues.

We are talking, sharing thoughts and perspectives, and working to identify mutually beneficial solutions, he said in an email for this story. Communication is open and honest. Thats a good thing.

Texas Farm Bureau Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer Si Cook said in a statement that communication with the city is ongoing.

We appreciate the willingness of the city of Waco to search for solutions in 2024, he said.
CAPE TOWN, South Africa  In an extraordinary pushback against Pope Francis, some Catholic bishops in Africa, Poland and elsewhere say they will not implement the new Vatican policy allowing blessings for same-sex couples.

Others downplayed the policy approved this week by Francis as merely reaffirming the Vatican's long-standing teaching about marriage being only a union between a man and a woman.

The reactions show how polarizing the issue remains and how Francis' decade-long effort to make the church a more welcoming place for the LGBTQ+ community continues to spark resistance among traditionalist and conservative Catholic leaders.

Some of the strongest responses came from bishops in Africa, home to 265 million Catholics, or nearly a quarter of the world's 1.3 billion Catholics. Many of those Catholics live and their churches operate in societies where homosexuality is condemned and outlawed.

Out of the continents 54 countries, 31 have laws criminalizing homosexuality, more than any other continent, according to the Human Dignity Trust, which defends LGBTQ+ rights.

Zambia's bishops conference said same-sex couple blessings were not for implementation in Zambia. The bishops conference of Malawi said blessings of any kind for same-sex unions of any kind would not be permitted.

In Zambia, gay sex is punishable by between 15 years and life in prison and the law puts it in the same section as bestiality. Malawis laws call for up to 14 years in prison for homosexual sex, with the option of corporal punishment for those convicted.

Zambian bishops said there should be further reflection on the blessings and cited the countrys laws against homosexuality and its cultural heritage that rejects same-sex relationships as reasons for its decision.

The Polish bishops conference  among the most conservative in Europe and a reference point beyond the continent given its ties to St. John Paul II  said it has no plans to give blessings to same-sex couples.

Marriage, the conference asserted, remains only the union between a man and a woman, and sexual acts outside of that are always an offense against Gods will, according to a statement by spokesperson Rev. Leszek Gesiak.

It is unusual for an entire national bishops conference to publicly voice dissent of a Vatican policy, though the declaration from the Vatican doctrine office did not instruct bishops to allow blessings of same-sex couples but merely provided guidance on how they could be done if people requested them.

The document, entitled Fiducia Supplicans, says that blessings can be offered to people in same-sex relationships if they are not confused with the ritual of marriage and reaffirmed that marriage is a lifelong union only between a man and a woman.

The announcement Monday by the Vatican office reversed its 2021 statement that had ruled out blessings for same-sex couples because God cannot bless sin.

The U.S. bishops conference, seeking to downplay any shift, stressed that the church's teachings on marriage have not changed and that the announcement "articulated a distinction between liturgical (sacramental) blessings, and pastoral blessings, which may be given to persons who desire Gods loving grace in their lives," according to a statement.

Some of the more piqued opposition came from Francis' usual critics.

German Cardinal Gerhard Muller, who previously headed the Vatican doctrine office, said the declaration was self-contradictory as it still said same-sex relationships were contrary to God's law while allowing same-sex couples to receive a blessing.

The church cannot celebrate one thing and teach another, Muller wrote in an essay published in religious media outlets.

Kazakh Bishop Athanasius Schneider, who has long opposed Francis' progressive bent, called the new policy a great deception. Priests should be aware of the evil that resides in the very permission to bless couples in irregular situations and same-sex couples, he said.

He and Kazakh Archbishop Tomash Peta said in a statement on the Catholic Herald magazine's website that they had prohibited priests in their archdiocese from performing "any form of blessing whatsoever" for same-sex couples.

Bishop conferences and church leaders from Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar and South Africa also released public statements, most of them moving to clarify what they said was confusion among their flock over whether the new policy was an official recognition and acceptance of same-sex relationships.

The predominant sentiment among many was a fear that the move was a step toward the Catholic church accepting homosexuality.

Nigeria's bishops said there had been various interpretations of the policy in Nigeria, Africa's most populous nation and home to 20-30 million Catholics, and they needed to make clear that the Vatican document does not allow for a blessing and a formal acceptance of same-sex relationships.

In the United Kingdom, an organization representing some 500 Catholic priests in Britain released a signed letter reaffirming the Churchs teaching regarding marriage and same-sex unions after widespread confusion."
WATERLOO  A Nebraska man has been arrested for allegedly ramming an occupied squad car during a brief pursuit on the night of Dec. 18.

Brian Joseph Melber, 32, of Hastings, was arrested Friday after he was discharged from the hospital where he was treated for injuries during the chase. He was charged with assault on an officer with a vehicle, eluding, interference and reckless driving.

Bond was set at $5,300.

Court records indicate police were called to check on a vehicle in the parking lot at the Isle Casino Hotel around 11:20 p.m. Dec. 18.

The vehicle, a Lexus IS, took off, striking a squad car occupied by a patrol sergeant that had stopped in the roadway. The Lexus then struck a utility pole on East Shaulis Road, and Melber attempted to run away but fell and injured his hip, police said.

He was taken to University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City for treatment.

2023 in photos: Captivating images of life in North America
CEDAR FALLS  The city is seeking proposals for use of donated farmland in support of the health trust fund.

Due at noon Friday, the three-year lease proposals are for the 320 acres of cropland outside of town off West 12th Street in both Black Hawk County and Grundy County. Proceeds from harvested crop will be the property of the tenant.

The farmland lease revenue and property taxes as well as the interest from the health trust fund boards investments go into the trust for future grants for public health related uses.

The principal should only be used in negotiating a development agreement for a new hospital or health care provider, according to a City Council directive.

Bids will be evaluated based on proposed price per acre as well as any land conservation or improvement plans, according to the citys request for proposals. Any other information will be considered, and references for other leases may be required.

Proposal packets and further details can be obtained from the citys website, www.cedarfalls.com/SartoriFarmLease2023, or from Tyler Griffin, water reclamation manager, 501 E. Fourth St., or by calling (319) 273-8633, or emailing tyler.griffin@cedarfalls.com.

A total of 390 acres are owned by the city on the western border of Black Hawk County. The Belz Trust, originally controlled by Sartori Memorial Hospital, gifted the land to the city in 2001, according to budget documents. However, 70 acres are set aside for the citys biosolids land application program.

The trusts principal dates back to 1997. The city gave up the municipally operated Sartori Memorial Hospital at the corner of College and Sixth streets to Covenant Health System, and sold the hospitals equipment and inventory for $8 million to be dedicated to the trust, according to Courier archives.

Securities were last known to total nearly $20 million.

The Health Trust Fund Board meets at 7:30 a.m. the second Thursday of May, July, November and December at City Hall, 220 Clay St.
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 The Embassy and the Kandinsky neural network congratulate you on the upcoming New Year

 New Years holidays are a great reason to go on an exchange vacation. The Russian bear goes to Beijing, and the Chinese panda travels to Moscow.

  This New Years story of Russian-Chinese friendship was composed and drawn by artificial intelligence from Sberbank Kandinsky, an illustration of which we posted on the wall of the Embassy in Beijing.

Happy upcoming! 

WtR
Russian Defence Ministry report on the progress of the special military operation (1622 December 2023)

In the period from 16 to 22 December 2023, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation inflicted 39 group strikes with high-precision weapons and unmanned aerial vehicles on the military airfield infrastructure, air navigation aids, POL bases storage sites for artillery ammunition, weapons and military hardware of the enemy .

Moreover, drone-launching and -training centres, command and control posts and deployment areas of AFU troops, foreign mercenaries, and nationalist formations were hit. All the assigned targets have been engaged.

In Kupyansk direction, units of the Zapad Group of Forces repelled 53 enemy attacks. The 14th, 43rd, 60th, 115th mechanised and 95th Air Assault brigades of the AFU were defeated by air strikes and artillery fire close to Sinkovka and Olshana (Kharkov region).

The enemy losses amounted to more than 355 Ukrainian troops, four tanks including two Leopard tanks, 19 armoured fighting vehicles, 13 motor vehicles, and 12 field artillery guns.

In Krasny Liman direction, units of the Tsentr Group of Forces with support of aviation and artillery fire repelled 13 attacks of assault groups of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. In addition, the 24th, 63rd, and 116th mechanised brigades of the AFU and the 12th special brigade of the Ukrainian National Guard were engaged close to Chervonaya Dibrova, Petrovskoye, and Kuzmino (Lugansk Peoples Republic) and Torskoye (Donetsk Peoples Republic).

During the week the enemy lost up to 1,155 troops killed and wounded, one tank, 19 armoured fighting vehicles, 21 motor vehicles, and seven field artillery guns.

In Donetsk direction, the Yug Group of Forces, supported by air and artillery fire, improved their position along the front line in certain areas. They repelled 43 attacks launched by assault groups of the AFUs 24th Mechanised and 79th Air Assault Brigades near Shumy, Belogorovka, and Maryinka (Donetsk Peoples Republic). Fire was also launched at units of the 28th, 30th, 42nd, 93rd mechanised and 57th motorised infantry brigades of the AFU near Kurdyumovka, Kleshcheyevka, Krasnoye, and Andreyevka (Donetsk Peoples Republic).

Enemy losses in this direction over the past period were over 1,610 killed and wounded, three tanks, 17 armoured fighting vehicles, one HIMARS launcher, 24 motor vehicles, and 44 field artillery guns.

In South Donetsk direction, units of the Vostok Group of Forces repelled ten enemy attacks. Air strikes and artillery fire hit units of the AFUs 58th motorised infantry, 72nd mechanised, 79th air assault, 127th and 128th Territorial Defence brigades near Novomikhailovka, Urozhaynoe, Staromayorskoye (Donetsk Peoples Republic) and Priyutnoe (Zaporozhye region).

The enemy losses were more than 670 troops, two tanks, six armoured fighting vehicles, 19 motor vehicles, and 12 field artillery guns.

In Zaporozhye direction, units of the Russian Armed Forces continued active defence, repelling six enemy attacks near Rabotino and Verbovoye (Zaporozhye region). Fire damage was inflicted on personnel and military hardware of the 33rd, 65th, 116th, 117th, 118th mechanised, 128th mountain assault, 82nd airborne, and 14th National Guard battalions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine close to Novodanilovka, Malaya Tokmachka, Nesteryanka, and Novoprokopovka (Zaporozhye region).

Enemy losses were up to 390 troops killed and wounded, one tank, five armoured fighting vehicles, 19 motor vehicles, and ten field artillery guns.

In Kherson direction, all the attempts launched by the enemy sabotage groups to land on the islands and on the left bank of the Dnieper River were thwarted. Air strikes and artillery fire defeated units of the AFU 36th and 37th Marine brigades close to Tyaginka and Belozerka (Kherson region).

The AFU lost up to 510 troops killed and wounded, one tank, 37 motor vehicles, 24 boats and 20 field artillery guns as a result of the actions of the Russian troops in this direction.

Russian air defence systems shot down four enemy airplanes during the week: one Su-27, two MiG-29, and one Su-25; as well as three helicopters: two Mi-24 and one Mi-8 of the Ukrainian Air Force. They also intercepted one ATACMS operational-tactical missile, 30 projectiles of HIMARS, Uragan, and Olkha multiple launch rocket systems, three JDAM guided bombs, and 259 unmanned aerial vehicles.

In total, 554 airplanes and 261 helicopters, 9,955 unmanned aerial vehicles, 442 air defence missile systems, 14,251 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles, 1,189 combat vehicles equipped with MLRS, 7,447 field artillery guns and mortars, as well as 16,572 units of special military equipment have been destroyed during the special military operation.

Tags:

WtR
~ * ~

I was drinking my morning cup of coffee and thinking about Santa Claus! Does Russia have a Santa Claus?

The answer is yes

We in America believe that Santa Claus lives at the North Pole! Then on the 25th of December he delivers gifts to all the children in the world

(link to north pole)

Santa Claus, also known as Saint Nicholas, Father Christmas, Kris Kringle, or simply Santa is a historical, legendary and mythical figure believed by many children to bring gifts on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day

The Russian Santa Claus:

In Russia, Santa Claus is known as Father Frost or Ded Moroz. He is usually illustrated with his granddaughter, the snow maiden, Snegurochka riding with an evergreen tree and presents in a traditional Russian troika. A troika is a sleigh drawn by 3 horses yoked abreast. The above photo below the Santa photo reads, Happy New Year! (click to read about Father Frost)

Real Christmas is now celebrated in Russia on January 7. After the Russian October Revolution in 1917, the calendar was changed to place Christmas after New Years Day. This was done in order to place more emphases on the non-religious New Years Day. For this reason, the Russian Father Frost is associated with New Years Day rather than with Christmas

So the answer is yes: Russia has Christmas and Santa Claus, though different from in America, it just has a Russian twist to it

It works for me

WtR
Garret Doty, an unhoused man, stands in a corridor of the Hall of Justice before attending his trial in San Francisco. Jessica Christian/The Chronicle

A San Francisco jury ruled Friday that a homeless man who struck a former city fire commissioner with a metal pipe was not guilty of assault, siding with defense attorneys who argued he acted in self-defense after he and other unhoused people were doused with bear spray.

Garret Doty, 25, faced two counts of assault and one count of battery in a case that rippled across the city at a time of rising tension over tent encampments and how city officials  and occasionally vigilantes  respond to them.

Prosecutors said Dotys video-recorded beating of Don Carmignani in the upscale Marina District in April left the former commissioner with wounds needing 51 stitches, a fractured skull and a broken jaw.

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But while prosecutors said the attack was fueled by a sense of revenge, the defense said Doty acted out of necessity due to Carmignanis threats and wielding of the bear repellant. The governments case wasnt helped when its key witness, Carmignani, did not take the witness stand.

After the verdict, Doty pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor count of a violation of a court order to stay away from the Marina District, and was expected to walk out of jail Friday.

Outside the courtroom, Deputy Public Defender Kleigh Hathaway said she and Doty, who faced a possible sentence of seven years in prison, felt relief. She said she was grateful to the jury for doing the right thing in this case, and added that Doty should not have been prosecuted.

Hathaway said Doty plans to move back to his hometown in Louisiana to continue a life that was devastated by the trial.

District Attorney Brooke Jenkins issued a short statement that thanked jurors for their service and said she respected their decision.

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Attempts to reach Carmignani were unsuccessful.

Juror Mike Brophy said that he and other jurors felt from the start that Carmignani was the aggressor, not Doty, and that prosecutors did not prove Dotys actions were not self-defense. He said most jurors favored an acquittal early on while two jurors went back and forth.

Brophy, who described Carmignani as a belligerent vigilante, said a key deciding factor in the verdict was a 54-minute body-worn camera video clip from the partner of the officer who arrested Doty. The video shows officers talking to Doty and paramedics treating him with saline. The footage shows no signs of aggression on Dotys part, Brophy said.

He was calm, said Brophy, a 50-year-old tech worker. He did not flee.

Brophy said he believes the case amounted to shoddy prosecution. He added that if the district attorneys office wants to make a case against violence driven by homelessness, theyve got to do it with a cleaner case.

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He said he believes the verdict sends a message to society that you cant go around being your own cop on your own block.

The incident came on the heels of the high-profile slaying of Cash App founder Bob Lee. Combined, the attacks sparked intense debate about homelessness and crime in San Francisco, with some saying the citys policies created an environment of lawlessness.

But like the Carmignani case, the Bob Lee case had a big twist, when an acquaintance and fellow tech worker was charged with murder.

Dotys attorneys upended initial accounts of the attack, alleging Carmignani had been on a spree of bear-spray attacks. In closing arguments Tuesday, Assistant District Attorney Kourtney Bell conceded that Carmignani had a history of aggression, saying he may have used bear spray previously on at least one unhoused person in the Marina.

But its important to remember that this case is the People vs. Doty, not the People vs. Carmignani, Bell said. We know that Carmignani was the initial aggressor, but we also know thats what created a motive for a defendant  to (seek) revenge.

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Bell pointed to several videos of the altercation, arguing that Dotys body language signified purposeful movements that showed he struck Carmignani multiple times, needlessly.

Hathaway, though, said Dotys actions, while violent, were warranted. According to testimony, Carmignani allegedly threatened to kill Doty if he did not leave the area near Carmignanis parents home.

Self-defense can be fierce, it can be effective and it can be disabling, Hathaway said. And why wouldnt it be? Youre fighting for your life.

During Dotys preliminary hearing, Carmignani repeatedly invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination in response to questions about whether he had previously used bear spray. His attorneys have previously denied he did so.

At trial, the prosecution decided not to put Carmignani on the stand. Bell said calling him as a witness would be throwing a bomb into our case, adding that prosecutors had no idea as to  where his mindset is or what he would say.
Sochivo is a traditional dish of the Orthodox Christmas Eve. Sochivo is a special vegetable dish made from scalded wheat grains, and sometimes rice or lentils, mixed with seeds (poppy seed, almond or hazelnut), juice, and honey, which is approved by the Charter of the Orthodox church to be eaten during Christmas Eve. In fact from what I understand Orthodox Christians are required to eat sochivo. Christmas Eve in Russia is the 6th of January

According to Orthodox Church Charter, eating sochivo partakes in the evening on Christmas eve after complete abstinence (fasting) from food during the day

Of course like all Russian dishes there is a zillion ways to make this recipe and everyone has a better way than the next one 

So, Lets make a very special dish for that Russian Christmas Eve

Ingredients:

16 oz wheat (1 pound)

4 oz honey

6 oz poppy seeds

7 oz walnuts

salt (to taste)

Method:

Filter the whole wheat (other words pull out the chunks of dirt and rocks), wash and put in boiling water. Bring to a boil, drain and wash under cold water, bring to boil, cover tightly and put in the oven until soft. (Or boil for 5 hours in pot.) Then take out and cool down.Put in large mixing bowl (Idea is that whole wheat is hard to cook and it takes time)

Wash poppy seeds, scald in boiling water then wash under cold water and grind up until homogeneous and white, many people do not do this and leave the poppy seeds whole. Mix into the wheat in the large mixing bowl

Then add the honey and a bit of salt. Most like to heat the honey so that it is thin and will mix better

Combine all ingredients with the wheat wheat thoroughly.

If sochivo is too thick, then just add some water. At the end of mixing add chopped walnuts all over the top

There you go and now you have made a dish that is approved by the Orthodox church to eat on Christmas Eve

Posted by Kyle Keeton

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The copy scores 71.5 in the Flesch Reading Ease test, which is considered fairly easy to read
ATHENS, Greece  Two men play with a ball in the placid sea; a woman practices yoga where the water meets the hot sand. No one looks back  at the hellscape that starts a few beach-towel lengths away.

The black bones of pine trees and scrub stretch inland as far as the eye reaches, marking the course of a major wildfire on the Greek resort island of Rhodes. At this point near Gennadi village, its climate change-fueled fury was only quenched by the sea. Up to a tenth of the island was affected, and authorities had to evacuate 19,000 tourists from their hotels.

Even for a country used to seeing forests burn every summer, Greeces deadly blazes during a July heat wave were unusually bad; despite a huge mobilization, the Rhodes fire raged for 11 days.

Climate change left a painful imprint on much of Europe in 2023, as the northern hemisphere sweltered through its hottest summer on record. The United Nations weather agency expects 2023 to also set a global heat record, and warns of a potential future of increasing floods, wildfires, glacier melt and heat waves.

Just weeks after massive wildfires hit southern Europe, rainstorms of rare intensity triggered deadly floods. Nevertheless, increasingly hot and dry weather caused northeastern Spains worst-recorded drought, which drove officials in November to tighten water restrictions. The year had started inauspiciously, with high temperatures leaving much of the Alps bereft of snow.

Unsurprisingly, it was also a year of protests over global warming. These included disruptions by climate activists who blocked traffic and glued themselves to things like busy roads and paintings in museums. Such tactics proved unpopular in several countries, with Britain granting its police new powers against similar forms of activism.

In October, London police arrested Swedish activist Greta Thunberg and other protesters trying to block access to an oil and gas conference. Thunberg, who inspired a global youth movement demanding stronger efforts to fight climate change, had previously been twice fined in Sweden for disobeying police during an environmental protest.

But the year's deadliest disaster struck in Turkey and neighboring Syria. On a cold February night, a magnitude 7.8 quake leveled swathes of buildings, killing at least 50,000 people. The scale of the destruction was largely blamed on poor adherence to building construction rules.

And death continued to stalk Ukraine, where the war started by Russia's full-scale invasion entered its second year in February. Despite a much-heralded counter-offensive by Western-armed Ukrainian forces, the fighting crepitated into a World War I-style quagmire.

Alarmed by its eastern neighbor Russia's belligerence, Finland abandoned decades of neutrality to join NATO in April. Months later, Helsinki accused Moscow of retaliating by channeling hundreds of migrants to enter Finland through the frigid 830-mile border. Neighboring Sweden's NATO bid has so far been frustrated by fence-sitting from alliance members Turkey and Hungary.

Meanwhile, tens of thousands of people from the Middle East, Africa and Asia sought a better life in Europe, with Italy topping migrant arrivals  nearly 153,000 by Dec. 3. Southern European countries remained the main points of entry with 250,000 arrivals, the most since 2016.

According to the U.N., more than 2,600 migrants died trying to reach Europe, mostly by sea from northern Africa and Turkey. In June, a rusty trawler crammed with up to 750 people sank off Greece, as it was heading from Libya to Italy. Just over 100 people survived  all men  while hundreds of women and children are thought to have perished, trapped in the holds.

Britain saw a new record in arrivals, as in November the country's Supreme Court scotched a controversial plan by the conservative government to send asylum-seekers to Rwanda. Italy, meanwhile, struck a deal in a similar spirit with non-European Union member Albania.

The EU itself is still trying to agree on overhauling its dated asylum rules, after years of hand-wringing and acrimony between countries where migrants arrive and countries where they want to settle.

Migration figured strong in November's Dutch elections, won by Geert Wilders  far-right Party for Freedom. Other noteworthy elections were in Poland, which lurched from right to center, Slovakia, where populists won on a pro-Russian, anti-American platform, and Turkey, whose long-ruling strongman Recep Tayyip Erdogan dispatched an opposition alliance.

Turkey also witnessed a rare, for Europe, rally celebrating the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel. Pro-Palestinian  and pro-Israeli  marches were held in several countries, as Europeans bickered over other peoples' suffering.

Britain got a new  unelected  head of state when Charles III was crowned in May. He's the first British monarch with that name since the time of the Stewarts.

Finally, the millions of Europeans who died in 2023  mostly of heart disease  included former Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi, who made a point of enjoying life, and Czech writer Milan Kundera, who helped countless others enjoy theirs.
Wisconsins Republican-drawn legislative district boundaries are unconstitutional and must be redrawn before next years elections, the Wisconsin Supreme Court decided in a landmark ruling Friday that could dramatically alter the makeup of the Legislature.

In a 4-3 decision, the states highest court ruled the current, Republican-drawn maps violate the Wisconsin Constitutions requirement that legislative districts be contiguous.

The decision marks a big political win for Democrats. Redistricting experts have said new maps drawn under nonpartisan principles are likely to give Democrats many more legislative seats, though Republicans are still likely to keep the majority given the states political geography. Under the current maps Republicans hold a 64-35 majority in the Assembly and a 22-11 supermajority in the Senate.

The majority decision  penned by liberal Justice Jill Karofsky, who was joined by liberals Rebecca Dallet, Ann Walsh Bradley and Janet Protasiewicz  urged the Legislature to draw new maps but said the court will proceed toward adopting remedial maps in case the legislative process stalls or Democratic Gov. Tony Evers vetoes any redistricting proposal.

At least 50 assembly districts and at least 20 senate districts include separate, detached parts, Karofsky wrote in the majority opinion. That is to say, a majority of the districts in both the assembly and the senate violate the constitutional requirement for districts to be contiguous.

The courts three conservative justices  Annette Ziegler, Rebecca Bradley and Brian Hagedorn  sharply criticized the ruling.

In a blistering dissent, Ziegler said Fridays decision was sealed when Protasiewicz won her election in April after repeatedly calling the current maps rigged.

The court of four takes a wrecking ball to the law, making no room, nor having any need, for longstanding practices, procedures, traditions, the law, or even their co-equal fellow branches of government, she said. Such power-hungry activism is dangerous to our constitutional framework and undermines the judiciary.

Democratic Gov. Tony Evers said hell recommend new maps for the court to adopt.

I remain as optimistic as ever that, at long last, the gerrymandered maps Wisconsinites have endured for years might soon be history, he said.

Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, said it was a sad day for our state when the State Supreme Court just said last year that the existing lines are constitutional.

The U.S. Supreme Court will have the last word, he added, signaling an imminent appeal.

An appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court would likely focus on whether Protasiewicz violated the U.S. Constitution by not recusing herself from the case despite repeatedly calling the current maps rigged and receiving campaign funds and ongoing support from the Democratic Party of Wisconsin, whose candidates would almost certainly benefit from the ruling issued Friday.

While this court is powerless to override (Janet Protasiewiczs) recusal decision, the United States Supreme Court is not, Rebecca Bradley said in her dissent.

Liberals filed the case after Protasiewicz won the most expensive judicial election in U.S. history, shifting the court to a 4-3 liberal majority for the first time in more than a decade.

Republicans said the lawsuits timing was evidence that the newfound majority would empower Democrats at the cost of the court appearing nonpartisan. Democrats celebrated the ruling, saying it could correct the maps that experts say are among the most gerrymandered in the nation.

The lawsuit alleged the states legislative maps passed in 2022, which are largely similar to previous maps drawn in 2011, are unconstitutional and must be redrawn.

The Republican-controlled Legislature, which drew the maps, alleged the plaintiffs were merely using the state Supreme Courts new liberal majority to revisit the courts 2022 ruling adopting the current maps. That ruling was delivered by the previous 4-3 conservative-majority court.

In any other legal case, Hagedorn said, the court would have rejected such an impermissible collateral attack on a prior, final decision.

Why are the ordinary methods of deciding cases now thrown by the wayside? he said. Because a majority of the court imagines it has some moral authority, dignified by a black robe, to create fair maps through judicial decree.

But the current case featured arguments absent from prior lawsuits. Attorneys for the plaintiffs alleged 54 of the Assemblys 99 districts and 21 of 33 Senate districts violate the state constitutional requirement that districts consist of contiguous territory. The resulting map looks a bit like Swiss cheese, where some districts are dotted with small neighborhood holes assigned to different representatives.

The Legislature argued for a broader definition of contiguous that allows for the creation of districts where land masses need not physically touch. Republicans also argued that Wisconsins redistricting laws, backed by state and federal court rulings over the past 50 years, have permitted districts under certain circumstances to be noncontiguous.

Majority opinion

In her majority opinion, Karofsky pointed out several legislative districts, including Assembly District 47 and Senate District 27, both in the Madison area, with detached segments along their fringes  in some cases separated by more than a mile.

She said the Constitutions drafters viewed contiguity not as a mere technical requirement, but as an important tool to constrain districting practices they consider undesirable.

We decline to chip away at such a consequential districting requirement by approving an exception not found in our constitutions text, she continued.

The majority rejected the liberal plaintiffs call for every state senator  including those who wouldnt be up for reelection until 2026  to run for election again next year under the new maps.

Karofsky said ordering special elections would be an unprecedented remedy, adding that the court wouldnt implement such a drastic remedy here.

Sad turn

Hagedorn, who has often acted as the courts swing justice, called the majority decision a sad turn for the court.

At the end of the day, the majority acts not to vindicate some legal principle, but to achieve a long sought-after goal: the redistribution of political power in the Wisconsin legislature, he said.

The Wisconsin Supreme Court and U.S. Supreme Court ruled on the states set of 10-year legislative and congressional maps early last year after Evers vetoed Republicans preferred maps in 2021.

In the last redistricting lawsuit, the courts conservative majority called for the new maps to take a least-change approach to the previous maps, a principle the liberal majority said they would disregard on Friday.

Karofsky ruled that the principle is unworkable in practice and called for the judicially-created metric to be overturned.

Next steps

The majority opinion calls for new districts to be equally populated; be bounded by county, precinct, ward or town lines; include only contiguous territory; be as compact as possible; and comply with federal law. It also calls for the consideration of preserving communities of interest, and reducing municipal splits and partisan impact of new boundaries.

As a politically neutral and independent institution, we will take care to avoid selecting remedial maps designed to advantage one political party over another, Karofsky wrote in the decision. Importantly, however, it is not possible to remain neutral and independent by failing to consider partisan impact entirely.

The decision called for parties to propose new remedial maps by Jan. 12, with briefs in support of those proposed maps due by Jan. 22. It will then have two court-hired redistricting consultants, University of California, Irvine political science professor Bernard Grofman and Carnegie Mellon University postdoctoral fellow Jonathan Cervas, evaluate the maps by Feb. 1.

The court would then choose maps unless the Legislature first proposes new maps that Evers signs into law.
FILE - A Tomahawk Land Attack Missile (TLAM) launches from the guided missile cruiser USS Cape St. George (CG 71), in operation in the Mediterranean Sea, on March 23, 2003. Japans defense spending will surge more than 16% for 2024 under a record military budget approved Friday, Dec. 22, 2023, by the Cabinet that will accelerate deployment of long-range cruise missiles that can hit targets in China or North Korea.(Intelligence Specialist 1st Kenneth Moll/U.S. Navy via AP, File)
RPD says getting this all together took a lot of time and hard work, but they said seeing the smiles on the kids faces is what makes it all worth it/
Although roughly one-third of all adults dont get as much sleep as they should, women seem to suffer disproportionately from not getting enough zzzs.

A new study in Diabetes Care finds chronic insufficient sleep  even getting about six hours of sleep instead of the seven to nine recommended  increases insulin resistance, raising risk for diabetes in otherwise healthy women. This adds to past research that finds women are more likely than men to not get the recommended amount of shuteye, increasing their risk for everything from heart disease to depression.

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To make matters worse, sleep deprivation and the negative health effects from it can be even more pronounced for women whove gone through menopause, researchers found in the Diabetes Care study and previous research published in the journal Hypertension. That study found that pushing back bedtime by an hour and a half, while waking up at the same time, led to an increase in blood pressure. Again, the effect was more pronounced for those who had gone through menopause.

In general, irrespective of age and other factors, women tend to report poorer sleep quality overall, says Marie-Pierre St-Onge, director of the Center of Excellence for Sleep & Circadian Research in the Columbia Irving Medical Center. St-Onge, who was a coauthor on the Diabetes Care and Hypertension studies, explains that hormonal changes, like those women experience during menopause, can further disrupt sleep. But thats only one piece of a complex puzzle. Experts still dont know all the answers for why women have a more fitful relationship with sleep than men  who, to be sure, also have significant issues getting the rest they need. One thing is certain: Sleep quality declines with age for both sexes.

Understanding womens sleep struggles

Getting to the root of your unrested development, or an emerging sleep problem, isnt so easy. But experts say understanding, at least in part, whats contributing to sleep loss is critical to adequately address the problem before it gets worse and torpedoes your health.

Whenever we dont sleep well, it literally makes every other component of our life and health worse, says Marjorie Soltis, M.D., a neurologist and sleep medicine specialist at Duke Health in Durham, North Carolina. It makes pain worse, it makes anxiety worse, it makes depression worse, she says, to name a few examples.

Soltis adds that sleep deprivation causes medical conditions to progress more rapidly as well. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) notes that insufficient sleep contributes to or worsens mental health issues, brain disorders and chronic diseases.

Research finds women are more likely to experience insomnia, and the CDC reports that 17 percent of women have trouble falling asleep most nights, if not every night (when surveyed about the last 30 days), compared with almost 12 percent of men.

There are so many different reasons, I think, why women tend to be more sleep-deprived than men, Soltis says. A lot of that can relate directly to the hormones that are involved in making us female, allowing us to have children  and, of course, having children and caring for children also definitely impacts the degree of sleep deprivation that women experience. Frequently, sleep loss continues into later life as well, Soltis says, as women continue to take on a disproportionate share of family caregiving.

Women are also slightly more likely to be diagnosed with depression or anxiety, which can contribute to insomnia and insufficient sleep, she adds. Women commonly experience sleep problems during perimenopause and menopause when hormone levels become irregular and symptoms such as hot flashes, which tend to be worse at night, and night sweats make it especially difficult to get a good nights rest.

The relationship between sleep and mental health is complex, and the effect of one on the other goes both ways, complicating diagnosis. So in the space of a quick visit with a primary care doctor, sleep-related problems can easily be overlooked. More pointedly, when women seek care for various conditions, it may be written off as anxiety or depression when it may not actually be the case, Soltis says. In cases where those issues are actually present, an underlying sleep problem thats contributing could also be missed.

Getting to the root cause of restless nights

The first step to getting a better nights rest involves taking sleep concerns seriously. As common as short sleep might be, experts say women and men often dont think of it as a health issue at all.
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Indian opposition lawmakers protest against their suspension from parliament

Xinhua) 14:19, December 23, 2023

NEW DELHI, Dec. 22 (Xinhua) -- Opposition parties in India on Friday staged a protest here against the recent record suspension of 146 lawmakers from the two houses of the parliament.

The protest called by the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) was attended by leaders from Congress, left parties, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, Trinamool Congress, Nationalist Congress Party, Samajwadi Party, Rashtriya Janata Dal and other opposition parties of the coalition.

"The opposition is united. The country is united. The way this government of India is destroying democratic values and even parliamentary conventions, no one can digest this, and that is why the parties of the entire INDIA bloc are protesting here at Jantar Mantar. The same agitation is going on at the headquarters of states," Congress party lawmaker K C Venugopal said.

The lawmakers from the opposition parties were suspended for protesting the recent major security breach in the lower house of the Indian parliament and seeking a statement from federal home minister Amit Shah in the parliament on the issue.

The government maintained the lawmakers were suspended for disrupting proceedings of the houses.

Last week, two young men carrying smoke canisters emitting yellow smoke jumped from the visitors' gallery, running into the lower house while the proceedings were going on.

Around the same time, two others -- a man and a woman -- were detained outside parliament by the police, also with colored smoke canisters that exploded and emitted columns of yellow smoke.

Apart from the four, police have arrested two more people in connection with the case so far. They have reportedly told investigators that their objective was to draw attention to Manipur violence, unemployment and farmers' problems.

The speaker of the lower house said a high-level inquiry committee has been constituted for an in-depth investigation of the security breach.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi described the security breach incident as "very serious" and remarked in an interview with a local newspaper that there was "no need to debate" the issue but instead a "detailed investigation" should be carried out to find the people behind it.

(Web editor: Chang Sha, Zhong Wenxing)
Stephen M. Redd, 78, was found unresponsive in his cell Thursday at San Quentin State Prison. California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation

A former Los Angeles County sheriffs deputy who fatally shot a supermarket manager during a 1994 robbery has been found dead in his cell at San Quentin State Prison, according to state prison authorities.

Stephen M. Redd, 78, was found unresponsive in his cell at 12:38 p.m. Thursday and pronounced dead by medical staff, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation reported in a news release. The Marin County Coroners Office will determine the cause of death.

Redd had been a Los Angeles County sheriffs deputy from 1967 to 1973 before he resigned and turned to a life of crime, according to the Orange County Register. He fatally shot Timothy McVeigh, 34, a manager at an Alpha Beta store in Yorba Linda (Orange County), during a holdup in July 1994 and fled with $156.

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Redd, who was arrested by a U.S. Park Police officer in San Francisco after evading authorities for eight months, was convicted of murder, burglary and robbery in the fatal shooting. He was sentenced to death in Orange County on Feb. 28, 1997.

Californias Death Row has 651 condemned people, according to the corrections department. The states last execution was in 2006.
NBC Celebrity

The former 'Mad Men' actor is excited to celebrate his first festive holiday as a married man with wife Anna Osceola after the couple tied the knot earlier this year.

Dec 23, 2023

AceShowbiz - Jon Hamm is looking forward to 'doubly nice' Christmas celebrations now he's married to Anna Osceola. The 52-year-old actor swapped vows with Anna, 35, earlier this year, and Jon is now looking forward to a memorable Christmas celebration.

"The best part of it is just being together. That's really it. And it's doubly nice that we're married now and that's really fun, but hopefully that continues on and you start creating new traditions with your family and all of those things, and that's the best," he told PEOPLE.

Jon and Anna have decorated their home, and they're both looking forward to the big day. The actor explained, "We do decorate. That's really nice. Part of that, getting the house in a place where the tree's up and there's stockings hung and presents are hidden and all that stuff is really fun, and it also just smells good."

"I don't really understand how that works, but maybe it's a candle thing, but I don't know. Somehow it just starts to smell really good. The food gets going and the candles get going and the tree's there, [it's] just [a] good smell. That, for me, evokes all of the things that the holiday season brings."

Earlier this year, Jon described his wedding day as "perfect." The Hollywood star tied the knot in an intimate ceremony in California in June, and the actor loved everything about his wedding day.

During an appearance on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!", Jon shared, "It's very exciting. We did it this summer in beautiful Big Sur. It was a perfect day. It was very sparsely attended - by our decision, it was small. Man, it was great."

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Cover Images/Roger Wong Celebrity

A few days before celebrating the holiday, the former 'Simple Life' star releases a series of photos featuring her striking several poses next to a Christmas tree.

Dec 23, 2023

AceShowbiz - Paris Hilton has left little to the imagination in new festive photos. A few days before celebrating the Christmas holiday, the former star of "The Simple Life" flaunted her figure in a sizzling red outfit.

On Friday, December 22, the 42-year-old socialite uploaded via Instagram a series of pictures featuring her look in a racy red lingerie. In the photos, she could be seen showing off her fit physique and cleavage in a red bra top that came with glossy flower patterns and red lace around its hemline.

Paris also put on a leggy display in a pair of red undies, which had an extra matching lace veil in a skirt-like design to cover the skin around her private parts. The lingerie came with a matching garter belt. In addition, she donned a pair of red fishnet gloves.

In some of the photos, the "Paris in Love" star put on an oversized red coat, which had two long sleeves, matching fur and black graphics on its back side, and a pair of matching pointed-toe high heels. To enhance the look, she added a sparkling huge necklace, a Santa Claus hat and Hello Kitty accessory.

Paris looked stunning with full makeup on her face. She had long lashes, thick eyeliner, pink blush on her cheeks and pink lipstick. Letting loose her long blonde hair, she styled it into loose waves and parted it in the middle.

In the picture, Paris struck a number of poses in her house, which was decorated with Christmas ornaments, including a huge Christmas tree with colorful decorations. Along with the snaps, she wrote in the caption of the post, "The holidays have never been so HOT! Sleighing all #Slivmas! Are you on the naughty or nice list? #ThatsHot."

Paris was quickly showered with praise by Instagram users. In the comments section of the post, one in particular gushed, "Why do you get prettier as you get older," adding a smiling face with heart eyes emoji. Another asked, "Is that a new blonde shade I spot??? obsessed." A third marveled, "Sliving like a QUEEN!! You look so STUNNING!!"

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Instagram Celebrity

After the former Migos member and Jade appeared to be pictured at the same venue, footage shows that the rapper arrived hours after Jade left the Miami restaurant.

Dec 23, 2023

AceShowbiz - Offset wasn't not partying with Jade despite pictures suggesting otherwise. The rapper has denied linking up with 6ix9ine's ex-girlfriend, whose real name is Rachel Wattley, after they were pictured at the same venue.

"Cap. This was not my party I had a private event at coco," the estranged husband of Cardi B wrote in the comments section of a post comparing his picture with Jade's which appeared to be taken at the same place. He explained, "I attended a public party at Playa after and was only there for 9 mins and the owner will be pulling the security footage."

The former Migos star went on clapping back at the wild speculation, "Tired of my name being attached to dumb s**t!" He insisted, "No where am I near this girl I can't control where ppl go it's not my party."

Corroborating Offset's claims, security footage later surfaced online, showing him and Jade at Playa Miami, but not at the same time. Jade and her crew arrived to the restaurant/lounge around 12:39 A.M. on December 15. During this time, Offset was at Coco Miami to ring in his birthday.

Jade and her crew were seen leaving the lounge around 1:38 A.M. After Offset's birthday party, he and his entourage hit up Playa. However, security footage showed that Offset did not arrive to Playa until around 4 A.M., hours after Jade and her crew left.

Jade herself has denied partying with Offset to celebrate his birthday. "I was out eating at a public restaurant I was not at that weak a** party ... Now leave me tf alone," she wrote after the photos surfaced online.

Meanwhile, The Neighborhood Talk has confirmed with a source who said that Cardi's recent Instagram rant had nothing to do with the coincidence in the Miami hot spot.

Cardi confirmed her split from Offset earlier this month. "I've been single for a minute now," she said on Instagram Live. "But I have been afraid to like - not afraid I just don't know how to tell the world."

A few days later, the Bronx femcee lashed out at her estranged husband, accusing him of doing her "dirty" after six years of marriage. "He like to play games with me 'cause he knows I'm not an easy girl," she said in a tearful video. "After so many f**king years that I m***a f**kn helped your a**, not even a f**king thank you that I got from your b***h a**."

Despite their seemingly acronymous split, it's reported that the pair are faking their separation for publicity. "I don't believe they split. I know they have a project together that they plan on dropping soon. I think it's all just for [publicity,]" one music industry insider told Media Take Out.

The source believes they are pretending to break up in order to get attention for an upcoming joint project, noting that both hip-hop stars have been struggling to sell records lately.

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The 'Fast and Furious' star is dragged online for his cringy comments on Brazilian YouTuber Carol Moreira, who interviewed him in 2017 to promote his film 'xXx: Return of Xander Cage'.

Dec 23, 2023

AceShowbiz - Vin Diesel has been slammed over an old interview which resurfaced online in the wake of sexual battery lawsuit against him. The actor has been branded "creepy" for hitting on a "beautiful" and "sexy" YouTuber in the said clip.

The "Fast and Furious" star sat down with Brazilian YouTuber Carol Moreira in 2017 to promote his film "xXx: Return of Xander Cage". After answering some questions about his career, he started gushing about her looks.

"God you're so beautiful, you're so beautiful man, am I right or wrong?" he said, before turning to crew members off-camera. Looking blushed, Moreira responded to the compliment, "Thank you."

But the Dominic Toretto depicter did not stop there. "How am I supposed to do this interview?" he continued. "She's so beautiful. Let's get out of here, let's go have lunch. My god I love her. Look how beautiful she is, god I love her wow."

In a latter part of the interview, when the blonde beauty asked Diesel to deliver his famous catchphrase "I Am Groot" in Portuguese, he once again turned the subject on her. "I love her. Man, she's so f**king sexy. I can't do this interview. Look at her Does anyone say this? What's wrong? Am I the only one saying look how beautiful," he said.

The 56-year-old then began crawling towards Moreira. "She's so f**king beautiful it's like I can't even do an interview with her," he added. "Someone saved me. When did this turn into beautiful world?"

After the video made its way to Twitter, social media users blasted Diesel for his unprofessional behavior during the interview. "This is so f**king creepy holy s**t," one person commented. Another reacted, "I always found this to be creepy."

Someone dubbed it "one of the cringiest interviews ever. Gross!!" A fourth person weighed in, "omg he's so weird. I didn't know vin was like that." Agreeing, someone else added, "Yup. That video turned me right off of him. Disrespectful, unprofessional and predatory."

The video resurfaced after Vin was sued by his former assistant, Asta Jonasson. In the lawsuit filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on Thursday, December 21, she alleged a violent encounter with the actor at the St. Regis Hotel, Atlanta in September 2010 during the filming of "Fast Five".

The lawsuit claimed he "forcibly grabbed Ms. Jonasson, groped her breasts, and kissed her." He reportedly "pinned her against the wall with his body and grabbed Ms. Jonasson's hand and placed it on his erect penis."

Responding to the lawsuit, Diesel's lawyer Bryan Freedman said in a statement on Thursday, "Let me be very clear, Vin Diesel categorically denies this claim in its entirety. This is the first he has ever heard about this more than 13-year-old claim made by a purportedly 9-day employee. There is clear evidence which completely refutes these outlandish allegations."

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The 'My Dawg' emcee, whose real name is Dominique Armani Jones, is caught leaving a comment in a post about Jeffery Williams, Sr. telling him to 'shut the f**k up' in an interview.

Dec 24, 2023

AceShowbiz - Lil Baby was seemingly unbothered by Young Thug's father's recent rant. After Jeffery Williams, Sr. slammed him for dissing Gunna following his release from prison, the "My Dawg" hitmaker shared a simple, cryptic message as a response.

The 29-year-old emcee, born Dominique Armani Jones, was caught leaving a comment in a post about Jeffery Sr. telling him to "shut the f**k up." He simply wrote, "IFKYK", which stands for "if you know, you know."

Jeffery Sr. dragged Baby when speaking to Infamous Sylvia. "He needs to shut the f**k up because he don't know what's going on," he said. "You know, he's going off of what he heard. Ask Lil Baby has he ever came to a court date."

"That's what I want y'all to ask these goddamn rappers and these bloggers with this whole 'snitch' s**t. When have y'all went to a court date to support Slime, to support Jeffery, to support Thug, however you wanna name him?" he continued. "Everybody that hasn't been there needs to shut the f**k up about Gunna."

This is not the first time Jeffery Sr. came in Gunna's defense. Back in September, he insisted that the emcee didn't do anything that "can hurt" his family.

"I love Gunna," Jeffery said in an interview with Infamous Sylvia. "Let me try to help the attorney clarify that a little simpler. Gunna hasn't done anything whatsoever that can hurt us on this case. Period." He insisted that Gunna entered the guilty plea in his RICO case because his attorney convinced him that it was the right thing to do.

Gunna himself has denied the snitching accusations. On his song "bread & butter", he makes it clear that keeps loyal to Thugger, who is still currently behind bars. "Never f**ked a n***a, always stayed solid/ Kept it real with n***as, never lied and always stay honest," he raps. "Love my bro so much, I never change on 'em/ Hunna Wunna goin' do the work, bring you the damn profits."

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Shirley Watts' will has been published a year following her passing at the age of 84 and it's revealed that she has left more than $22 million to her loved ones.

Dec 23, 2023

AceShowbiz - Charlie Watts' widow has more than 18 million at the time of her death. The late wife of The Rolling Stones drummer, Shirley Watts - who passed away 16 months after the rocker - bequeathed the fortune to her family.

Her will was published on Monday, December 18, and a copy seen by The Sun showed she left an estate valued at 18.3million, left in trust to her close family. The named beneficiaries were her daughter Seraphina, grand-daughter Charlotte, and brother Stephen Shepherd.

Seraphina has also got her parents' hideaway luxury pad in the south of France. Two of Shirley's staff - Carol Marner and Sharon Bentley - will also receive a tax-free payment equivalent to two years of their salaries.

Shirley met Charlie, who died aged 80 in August 2021 after fighting throat cancer, in 1961, before the Stones formed when they were both at the Royal College of Art, London. She was studying sculpture and Charlie was working towards a degree in graphic design.

They were married for 57 years, and while together Shirley was able to indulge her passion for horse breeding - becoming one of the world's most renowned stable owners. She died aged 84 last December last year and it was reported in July her and Charlie's collection of prized horses have been "rehomed."

The couple ran a stable in Halsdon Manor, north Devon, and a spokesman for Charlie musician told the Daily Mail most of the 200 horses there have been "rehomed" since they passed away. They added, "It's as Shirley would have wanted. The horses were always her priority."

It's understood the stable was passed to Charlie and Shirley's daughter Seraphina after their deaths. A friend told the Mail about her bidding farewell to its mares and stallions, "She loves the horses and the business, but it's too painful a reminder of her mum and dad."

It's believed the collection of horses are worth millions as they were predominantly Polish Arabian horses.

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Instagram Music

The Oli Sykes-fronted band have announced on social media that they parted ways with percussionist Jordan Fish, more than a decade after he joined the group.

Dec 24, 2023

AceShowbiz - Jordan Fish has abandoned Bring Me the Horizon. A statement issued by the band on their Instagram page, just weeks before they embark on a new tour, explained that they have decided to "part ways" with the percussionist.

"Bring Me The Horizon has decided to part ways with Jordan Fish. We want to thank him for the musical journey he took with us and wish him luck with everything in the future. Meanwhile we continue to work on Nex Gen, with brand new music coming very soon. See you on our UK tour in January," the statement said.

Jordan added on his own Instagram page, "I'm really grateful for my 11 years with the band, and extremely proud of all that we have achieved together. I look forward to hearing what they do next, and wish them every success in the future. I'm excited to start this next period of my career, focusing for the meantime on songwriting and production."

Jordan, 37, joined the band in 2012 and his first appearance on the 2013 album "Sempiternal", which he co-wrote.

BMTH previously joined forces with Ed Sheeran on a heavy version of his mega-hit "Bad Habits", which they performed together at the BRIT Awards in February 2022. And, BMTH and Ed had been in discussions about recording a song together.

Frontman Oli Sykes previously told BANG Showbiz, "We're talking about it. We've been emailing each other and figuring out what it could sound like and what it would be. I think Ed's really excited about it and we are too."

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TradeSmart, a dynamic leader in the discount broking space, announces the appointment of Rohit Onkar as its Chief Growth Officer. With over a decade of trailblazing experience in revolutionising digital business landscapes, Rohit brings an unparalleled drive for transformative growth strategies.

Rohit is a luminary in the realm of Digital Marketing, boasting a remarkable 12+ years dedicated to architecting and nurturing digital enterprises. His illustrious career showcases a relentless pursuit of excellence, crafting growth engines that propel customer acquisition and pioneering retention strategies that optimise customer lifetime value.

"As a seasoned Digital First Marketing Leader, I've always seen growth as more than numbers; it's about sustainable innovation," Rohit emphasises. He is renowned for driving businesses from steady ground to exponential growth, having orchestrated impressive transitions from 1X to 10X in his previous endeavours. At TradeSmart, his visionary goal is to elevate the company from its current thriving 10X status to an extraordinary 100X growth trajectory.

Prior to TradeSmart, Rohit wielded his strategic acumen to revolutionise businesses, transforming small enterprises into profitable powerhouses. "My philosophy is clear: Growth should be profitable and sustainable," Rohit affirms. His leadership ethos revolves around crafting innovative solutions to acquire and retain customers, anchored in a profound understanding of the dynamic digital marketing landscape.

Prior to taking up this role, Rohit successfully set up the digital marketing center of excellence at Loylty Rewardz, India's largest loyalty management company which is now a part of the BillDesk Group. He also led the brand launch of Rupay Cards and UPI during his association with NPCI.

Rohit's passion for steering business growth through digital channels is unparalleled. He is not just a leader; he's an active investor and advisor, channelling his expertise to catalyse revenue multiplication across various companies.

"I'm honoured to spearhead TradeSmart's monumental growth journey," Rohit expresses. "Together, we'll transcend boundaries, driving innovation, and setting new benchmarks in the digital marketplace."

Rohit Onkar, an alumnus of IIM Calcutta, brings a wealth of knowledge and a proven track record to TradeSmart. His strategic vision and commitment to sustainable growth make him an invaluable asset in steering the company towards unparalleled success.

TradeSmart is a venture of the larger organization, VNS finance and embodies the same principles of trust and transparency within itself. With a strong track record in the brokerage business for over 20 years, we at TradeSmart have no doubts about our success in the online business as well.

Established since 1994, VNS is one of the leading Stock, Commodities and Currency broking companies in India.
Diana Aracely Davila films herself eating tacos at Metro Balderas Taqueria in San Jose. Sheridan Smith/Special to the Chronicle

A well-timed social media video from an influencer has the potential to blow up a restaurant and boost business.

But its not all rosy. These posts are often the result of a business transaction, exchanging exposure for a fee or free food.

In recent years, public perception about influencers has soured as stories about the inner mechanics of the industry have come to light. A Los Angeles Times report in 2022 revealed that several popular food influencers work much like marketers. Restaurants hire them to produce one-off videos or even go as far as adding influencers to payroll as social media managers.

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But theres a crop of influencers in the Bay Area who do things differently. They choose to lead with a cultural approach, going beyond what might be trendy. They use videos of Mexican roasted pork, Vietnamese broken rice and Indian barbecue to showcase a more specific slice of their respective communities.

What is an influencer? Definitions vary. But according to social media expert and Washington Post columnist Taylor Lorenz, an influencer is somebody who runs their own online media company. There are all kinds of influencers: mom influencers, plant influencers and, of course, food influencers.

Personal definitions of the term also reveal intention. Theres this assumption that influencers  are coming from a place of promoting yoga or food, and they want something for free, said Tu David Phu, a chef influencer on Instagram as @cheftudavidphu and known for competing on Top Chef. I lean more into the community aspect of it.

Diana Aracely Davila films the cooking process at Metro Balderas Taqueria in San Jose for her social media account. Sheridan Smith/Special to the Chronicle

Diana Aracely Davila, a Mexican influencer based in San Jose, comes from a similar place. Davila started her Instagram page (@dianaaracelyyy), which has amassed nearly 160,000 followers, during the pandemic.

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I wasnt seeing some of my favorite local hidden gems being featured. (Instead) it was the restaurants with aesthetically pleasing visuals, said Davila. What about the guy that sells tamales or the senora thats selling menudo?

After noticing businesses shutter in East San Jose, she wanted to expose the public to places that dont have flashy dishes or quirky neon lights that invite social media attention. Instead, Davila spotlights lesser-known food trucks and stands like a bakery on wheels, another that sells hand-churned ice cream and one that specializes in steamed beef head tacos.

Shes joined by folks like Adonis Marcelino, a Filipino Bay Area native who highlights spots that fly under the radar in Daly City and South San Francisco under the handle @imadoniseats. The subject of his videos range from ube tres leches cake by new bakers to Filipino-style chicharron from local institutions. Whats obvious is that his content caters to his community first.

Im just documenting what my family already eats, Marcelino said.

Chef Tu David Phu at Bamboo Asia in Oakland. Adahlia Cole/Special to the Chronicle

Phu takes the personal approach even further and sees social media as a modern day journal. His videos often blend his community interest with his Vietnamese heritage. The chef infuses his expertise and context into videos about ga nuong (grilled chicken) or com tam (broken rice)  bringing more cultural nutrition than your typical food content. To him, its less about likes and pleasing the algorithm and more about connecting to the right people.

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Furthermore, since he controls his platform, it allows him to frame himself. It allows me to show my true voice  the vulnerable, the sensitive, the thoughtful, said Phu. It forces people to listen before they judge.

Now, these culturally driven influencers are having a moment. Davila believes this shift started to take root in the Bay Area during the pandemic; there was a need for this type of content. She knows that her audience values seeing establishments do things traditionally and pairs footage with music that Mexicans and other Latinos grew up with. Growing up immersed in the culture helps her find regional Mexican restaurants that might otherwise be ignored by the average influencer.

Another main distinction in this class of influencers is that they often dont charge businesses for their services, a common practice that can produce varying results. According to Ricardo Carrillo, owner of Tacos El Lider in San Jose, paying for influencers is simply an investment in his business. Some influencers work and bring increased sales, while others  despite big followings  dont.

Elvira Varela, center, brings an order of tostadas raspadas to customers at Cenaduria Elvira in Oakland in 2022. Stephen Lam/The Chronicle

Cenaduria Elvira, a home restaurant in East Oakland, was a beneficiary of one of Davilas videos. Her posts impacted my business in a positive way, said owner Elvira Varela. Shes also one of the few that doesnt expect anything in return.

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It wasnt always that way. Early on, she charged restaurants with a marketing budget. But now, she no longer accepts payment as a policy. She shows up unannounced, pays for her food and doesnt ask for anything in return. If she were to charge small businesses for a post, it would lose that authenticity.
A magistrates court on Friday sentenced Congress MLA and former Maharashtra minister Sunil Kedar and five others to five years rigourous imprisonment for misappropriation of funds at the Nagpur District Central Cooperative Bank (NDCCB).

Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate J V Pekhle-Purkar pronounced judgement in the case, which dates back to 2002. The six were also fined Rs 10 lakh each.

Apart from Kedar, the accused include the general manager and directors of NDCCB and a director of Home Trade Private Limited, an investment firm. Three persons were acquitted.

Among other provisions, Kedar was held guilty under Indian Penal Code Section 409 (criminal breach of trust by a public servant).

As per the prosecution, the NDCCB lost Rs 125 crore in government securities in 2002 as rules were flouted while investing funds through Home Trade Private Limited. Kedar was then the chairman of the bank. In her judgement, Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Pekhle-Purkar said Kedar and one other accused were entrusted with the entire stake of the bank, adding that the fund in question was the hard-earned money of the people and members of the bank, most of whom are poor farmers from here.

The court pointed out that the objective and purpose of the cooperative sector is to enhance the status of the economically marginalised sections of society.

The court said Kedar, who was chairman at the time, and then general manager Ashok Choudhary were entrusted to invest the funds in the manner prescribed by the law but they committed a breach of trust.

Such a criminal breach of trust is a serious offence, the judge said in her order. The loss of such a huge amount of money is sufficient to bring down the financial position of the bank, which in turn would affect thousands of members and staff of the entity, the court said.

People holding high posts are vested with more responsibilities to ensure not even a single rupee of a member is wasted in any manner, the court order said.

Therefore, the breach of trust by such responsible persons invites this court to deal with such persons with steel hands. In view of the seriousness of the offences, no leniency can be shown to the accused persons, the court asserted.

Those sentenced in the case under sections 409 and 120B of the Indian Penal Code and Section 248 of the Code of Criminal Procedure are Kedar, general manager Ashok Choudhary, Ketan Seth, Amit Verma, Subodh Bhandari, and Nandkishore Trivedi.
An Ohio prosecutor says it is not within his power to drop a criminal charge against a woman who miscarried in the restroom at her home, regardless of the pressure being brought to bear by the national attention on her case.

Trumbull County Prosecutor Dennis Watkins said in a release issued late Tuesday that he is obligated to present the felony abuse-of-corpse charge against Brittany Watts, 33, of Warren, to a grand jury.

The county prosecutors are duty bound to follow Ohio law, he wrote, noting that the memo would suffice as his offices only comment on the matter.

Watkins said it is the grand jurys role to determine whether Watts should be indicted. Defendants are no-billed, or not indicted, in about 20% of the hundreds of cases county grand juries hear each year, he said.

This office, as always, will present every case with fairness, Watkins wrote. Our responsibility carries with it specific obligations to see that the accused is accorded justice and his or her presumption of innocence and that guilt is decided upon the basis of sufficient evidence.

Watts miscarried at home on Sept. 22, days after a doctor told her that her fetus had a heartbeat but was nonviable. She twice visited Mercy Health-St. Josephs Hospital in Warren and twice left before receiving care.

A nurse called police when Watts returned that Friday, bleeding, no longer pregnant and saying that her fetus was in a bucket in the backyard. Police arrived at her home, where they found the toilet clogged and the 22-week-old fetus wedged in the pipes. Authorities seized the toilet bowl and extracted the fetus.

Watts was ultimately charged with abuse of a corpse, a fifth-degree felony punishable by up to a year in jail and a $2,500 fine. The case touched off a national firestorm over the treatment of pregnant women, particularly those like Watts who are Black, in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Courts June 2022 decision overturning federal abortion protections.

A city prosecutor told a municipal judge that Watts actions broke the law. He said after she flushed, plunged and scooped out the toilet following her miscarriage, she left home knowing it was clogged and went on (with) her day.

Watts has pleaded not guilty. Her attorney argued in court that she was being demonized for something that goes on every day. An autopsy found no recent injuries to the fetus, which had died in utero.

On Friday, Ohio Physicians for Reproductive Rights  a coalition behind Ohios newly passed reproductive rights amendment  wrote to Watkins, urging him to drop the charge against Watts. The group said the charge violates the spirit and letter of the amendment.
Leadership of the Birmingham Water Works Board is splintered with a veteran member suing the agency accusing them of denying public information, and then a public scolding from the chairwoman lambasting him as the source of confusion.

George Munchus filed a lawsuit in Jefferson County Circuit Court earlier this month accusing the board of violating Alabamas open records law by withholding detailed legal expenses from him.

At their first meeting since the suit was filed Water Works chair Tereshia Huffman Monday made her first public statements about the litigation, saying it is Munchus who is at fault. Huffman said the heart of the dispute is Munchus refusal to sign a pledge that the board adopted earlier this year.

By refusing to do so, Huffman said Munchus gave up his own rights, including the ability to serve on standing committees or hold a leadership position on the panel. Huffman described it as overblown the claim that documents are denied to Munchus.

No one has taken away any of your rights a board member, Huffman said speaking directly to Munchus. You have given up your rights and you have given up your responsibility as a board member by not signing the pledge.

According to his lawsuit, Munchus made requests for monthly invoices submitted by each law firm for the calendar years of 2015 through 2023.

In the lawsuit, Munchus says Michael Johnson, the general manager of the Water Works, denied his requests to view and take copies of the utilitys monthly invoices for legal expenses. Johnson cited the boards policy, which only allows the public to see a summary of the legal bills, according to the lawsuit.

Due to their sensitive and confidential nature, invoices detailing the legal services being provided the Water Works Board by its legal counsel(s) shall only be maintained in the offices of the General Manager and the Board Administrator for the board of directors, the policy states. Members of the board seeking to see the full invoices may only do so while in the executive offices of the Water Works.

Munchus maintains that invoices paid for with public money from a public agency are public documents for all to see. He called talk about the pledge a diversion from the real issue behind his lawsuit.

Huffman told Munchus this week that he still had the option to sign the pledge if he desired.

The Water Works Board in April adopted a policy and pledge that required members to undergo training on ethics, procedures, and other water industry topics. The related pledge includes provisions that board members agree in part to:

 Show respect for the opinions of our peers on the board of directors and staff who work with the BWWB even if our opinion differs and to leave our personal prejudices out of all board discussions

 Represent the BWWB in a positive and supportive manner at all times and in all places

 Observe parliamentary procedures and display courteous conduct in all meetings

 Refrain from intruding on administrative issues that are the responsibility of management, except to monitor the results and prohibit methods that conflict with BWWB policy

 Avoid conflicts of interest between my position as a director and my personal or business life, and declare such conflicts if they arise, refraining from voting on matters in which I have a conflict

 Support in a positive manner all actions approved by the Board of Directors even when I am in a minority position on such actions

Tereshia Huffman is chair of the Birmingham Water Works board.

Both Munchus and board member Lucien Blankenship voted against the measure in April. The policy and pledge came while legislators considered new rules on the utility from State Reps. Jim Carns and David Faulkner to restructure leadership at the utility. Current board members could have been immediately replaced with new appointees under that proposal.

Munchus during the meeting declined to respond to the Huffmans comments. He told AL.com later that he refused to sign the pledge because some points represent an attempt to muzzle board members who have diverse opinions.

I dont see any relationship between the lawsuit and this pledge policy, he said The lawsuit had absolutely nothing to do with the pledge. That lawsuit is about trying to secure information that the public has a right to. It is not about me. Its about the publics right to have copies of any and all invoices, not just legal invoices but all invoices.

Board member Larry Ward on Monday echoed Huffman and expressed his dismay over the lawsuit. He described Munchus move as an affront to Huffmans who has worked so damn hard to avoid conflict and the ire of the state legislature.

Im sorry this has come to this, Ward said.

Huffman was elected chair in Jan. 2023 and pledged to work to improve the utilitys perception by the public.

State legislators for years have proposed and passed new rules governing the operation and composition of the water works board following decades of complaints from customers about rates, along with grumbles surrounding the utilitys spending practices.

Regarding the ethics component of the pledge, Munchus said he agrees with it and has participated in ethics training. Still, Munchus said he would not sign away his rights to have dissenting opinions.

Ive done everything that is in the pledge except sign it, he said.

Munchus told AL.com that he was shocked by Huffmans comments and the boards unprecedented discussion of pending litigation in public. Nevertheless, Munchus said he hopes the new openness would also apply to his request for greater access to public information.
Harvards commitment to its own way of thinking was on full display during President Claudine Gays abominable December 5th congressional testimony concerning campus anti-Semitism, subsequent revelations alleging her plagiarism in various publications (the current tally is about 40) including her dissertation, and the university leaderships response.

After President Gay equivocated on Harvards response to anti-Semitism on its campus, the universitys governing body unanimously rushed to support her. The trustees made it plain to the world that they did not expect their president to live up to any common standard of human decency, intellectual honesty, or genuine scholarship. Her comments were amended, as would be her publications, and a quasi-apology was issued by means of a Harvard Crimson interview in which Gay lamented that she had failed to convey what is my truth. The university that has long had as its motto Veritas or Truth now proclaims Veritas Mea.

After President Gays face-plant, few in Cambridge seemed to understand what the fuss was about, and fewer seemed to realize the major devaluation that had brought upon the education that the school provides, and the degrees and honors that it bestows, especially those given to women and minorities.

Almost immediately, prominent corporations and law firms, led by alumnus and billionaire investor Bill Ackman, announced that they would no longer hire Harvard grads who had blamed Israel for Hamas attacks, and some even said they would never again hire anyone with a Harvard degree. How many future employers will wonder if a Harvard educated job applicant -- especially a member of a group smiled upon by the politically correct -- really did as well as their resume indicates, or were held to any standards of honest scholarship?

This was not the first time that the university had caused great harm to those it claimed to champion. On June 29, 2023 the Supreme Court of the United States, in Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. vs. President and Fellows of Harvard College ruled that Harvards admissions programs violate the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. The lawsuit had contended that Harvard (and the University of North Carolina) had intentionally discriminated against various Asian applicants in preference to other groups. In its ruling the court stated that The universities main response to these criticisms is trust us. They assert that universities are owed deference when using race to benefit some applicants but not others. Refusing to accept the argument that trustworthy universities were exempted from the Constitution, the Court concluded that Eliminating racial discrimination means eliminating all of it.

Vowing to comply with the Courts decision but rejecting its logic, the university immediately began looking for ways to get around the courts judgment, including taking a closer look at lived experiences of applicants in preference to more problematic considerations like grades and test scores. It reaffirmed its belief that diversity and difference are essential to academic excellence.

Harvard had long ago cast its lot with the grievance industry, trying its hand at social engineering under the guise of promoting diversity, and, not incidentally, creating a highly lucrative employment program for like-minded liberals. The theory of the diversity/grievance industry is that differences among people need to be emphasized, quantified, and adjusted according to commonly agreed-upon criteria, and that this will benefit society. The fact that this concept is quite similar to what used to be called "discrimination" is unfortunate, and appears to concern Supreme Court justices much more than Harvard elites.

It should also be noted that elite academias conception of diversity encompasses many categories: race, ethnicity, sex, religion, and sexual preferences and behavior. There is one notable exception: intellectual diversity. Universities, including Harvard, often say they champion intellectual diversity, but efforts toward that goal, and metrics to back claims of progress in attaining it, tend to be missing. The result is that it can be difficult to find anthropogenic global warming skeptics among university geologists, voucher champions in schools of education, or small government/free market capitalists in economics departments.

At many elite universities, not only are diverse opinions not encouraged, they arent tolerated. Two days after President Gays congressional testimony, Harvard canceled the scheduled appearance of a congressman who had been critical of her testimony. Incidents like this help to explain why the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education, which rates free speech on college campuses, gave Harvard its lowest rating.

If Harvard really has a deep commitment to intellectual diversity, then it should fire all of its diversity officers.

With its admission process annoyingly constrained by the U.S. Constitution, a diversity commitment that seems to be fostering division and outright hatred, faculty and students who embrace anti-Semitism and plagiarism while being intolerant of free speech, Harvard appears to be doing the exact opposite of what a great university should do. Having abandoned its mission to pursue truth, preferring its own truth, Harvard is now seriously damaging those it purports to care about most, and appears determined to go right on doing so.

Intellectually dishonest, Harvard is now engaged in academic navel gazing, and it likes what it sees. At its core Harvard is anti-intellectual.

Griff Hogan is a retired educator living in Charleston, South Carolina. He has a masters degree from the Harvard Graduate School of Education.

Image: Magicpiano
Almost twenty years ago in Iraq, U.S. and coalition forces were faced with a scenario eerily similar to what is occurring in Gaza today -- noncombatants who desperately needed healthcare were being used as pawns by insurgents with an agenda. This has happened at al-Shifa, al-Quds, al-Ahli Arab and Kamal Adwan Hospitals, where their director just admitted that Hamas has been using the facility as a safe haven to hide high-ranking military operatives. Doctors, nurses, clerks, and even the director were members of Hamas military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades. It is more than likely that these Hamas loyalists have been willing participants in the misinformation campaign regarding casualty counts, which have been unreliable and do not differentiate between civilian and terrorist numbers.

In November 2004, Fallujah General Hospital, a major healthcare facility in western Iraq, was in the hands of terrorists who were using it as a command-and-control node. After the execution and subsequent mutilation of four U.S. civilian contractors not far from the front gate of the hospital, Fallujah rapidly descended into chaos. Operation Vigilant Resolve (the First Battle of Fallujah) was fought to a stalemate, followed by a withdrawal of U.S. forces. Seven months later, U.S. and coalition forces returned to wrest control of the city from the insurgents in what was known as Operation al-Fajr and Operation Phantom Fury (the Second Battle of Fallujah). This would prove to be the largest urban warfare battle since Hue City in 1968 in Vietnam. Over 13,000 coalition troops from the U.S., Iraqi Army, and the UK, led by Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Richard Natonski, were poised to take back the city. One major problem -- what to do with the hospital? The Geneva Conventions protect healthcare facilities, and coalition forces had already been condemned for the destruction of Rutbah Hospital and damage to other healthcare facilities earlier in the war, so the leadership of the Marine Expeditionary Force (I MEF) wanted to make sure that did not happen again.

As a Navy public health officer with the Marine Corps 4th Civil Affairs Group (4th CAG), I was tasked to lead a team attached to the 3rd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion (3rd LAR). Task Force Wolfpack would spearhead the fight on a peninsula across the Euphrates River from the western side of the city of Fallujah. My orders -- after the hospital was secured by coalition forces, I was to make liaison with hospital leadership, do a battle damage assessment, and oversee the delivery of humanitarian medical supplies to cover the next 90 days of their needs. The hospital was taken quickly on the first day of the operation, and several military-age males who were neither patients nor staff were captured. Despite concerns from aid agencies that the hospital was low on supplies, every storage closet was stuffed with boxes of medical materiel, and most had International Red Crescent Markings. The director of the hospital initially declined our offer of supplies, saying that there was no room to store them. Intelligence reports had been correct -- the insurgents had been hoarding donated supplies for their own use, while the general population suffered. There were several children who had been badly wounded in a mortar attack prior to the battle, and they were languishing at the hospital with infected wounds. Despite weeks of public messaging for the citizens of Fallujah to leave the city, insurgents prevented their departure from the hospital, presumably as insurance that U.S. and coalition forces would not attack. A passage of lines was coordinated to move these children, so they could get lifesaving care elsewhere, similar to what was done at Al-Shifa hospital. All the children survived and were able to get the definitive care that they needed.

Despite the ceasefire declared to facilitate the exchange of innocent Israeli hostages for Palestinian detainees, Israeli military forces (IDF) cannot allow Hamas safe haven in any hospital or clinic in Gaza. As international pressure mounts to pause hostilities with a ceasefire, The IDF should continue to press their military operations, and Hamas must immediately vacate these facilities and stop using them and the patients as shields. It is clear that Hamas is using these hospitals to commit acts harmful to the enemy, in this case, the IDF. When healthcare facilities are used to interfere in military operations, their specific protection is removed. If a hospital is used as a base from which to launch an attack; as an observation post; a place to store weapons; or to shelter able-bodied combatants, it loses its protection granted by international humanitarian law. In the meantime, the UN, WHO, NGOs, neighboring countries and the international community should step up and provide more medical and humanitarian assistance. They would do well to follow the examples of Egypt, Turkey, the UAE, and Jordan as well as France, Italy, and Indonesia. President Biden can have the greatest impact by continuing to let the IDF do their job to protect Israel and free all the hostages rather than trying to interfere with their strategy to win the war, as he attempts to put limits on what Israel should do in Gaza. The U.S. can contribute considerable logistic and humanitarian assets to relief efforts, but it should not have taken over seven weeks from the start of the war to do so. With U.S. leadership, the coordination of medical evacuations, establishment of field hospitals and the deployment of hospital ships will help provide care for those most vulnerable -- the innocent civilians caught in the crossfire of this conflict.

Dr. Williams is a retired US Navy medical and civil affairs officer who served in Iraq in 2004 and was involved in the capture and resupply of Fallujah Hospital during Operation Phantom Fury. He has also served as a Marine Corps Medical Battalion commanding officer.

Image: US Marine Corps
Its only financially, thats my only motivation here. Its like, you know, look, Ill make you look good, just keep paying me.

These are not lines from a shadowy scene in The Godfather or some other fictional mobster movie. Rather, this is a direct quote from a real-life PBS Frontline editor presenting to a live audience in a Boston, Massachusetts auditorium, as he describes how Frontline documentaries are made.

Viewers have long known that taxpayer-funded PBS Frontline exhibits extreme bias against Republicans like Donald Trump, attempting to smear him and his supporters in documentaries like Trumps American Carnage. Theres a reason why most Americans dont consider the likes of PBS or NPR to be objective.

But, in August, I discovered a video in which a longtime editor at PBS Frontline named Steve Audette explicitly admits to outright corruption in Frontlines journalistic practices. When I brought this discovery to the attention of Jeff Clark, U.S. Assistant Attorney General from 2018 to 2021, Clark observed that PBSs Frontline is completely for sale.

In his presentation to members of a Boston filmmaking and editing club, Audette -- whose credits as an editor at Frontline run from at least 1993 until 2022 -- shows the crowd how he shortens a video clip and covers up (in editing) an apparent factual error made by political consultant and pollster Frank Luntz in an interview for the 2017 Frontline documentary, Trumps Road to the White House. He tells the crowd, As an editor, your job is to fix this stuff and make them [certain interviewees, in this case, Luntz] look great, because if they look great, they hire you back. Right? Its only financially, thats my only motivation here."

Later in the presentation, Audette shows how he uses shocking footage of a shirtless, tattooed, and shouting man in the street as a stand-in for what Audette falsely claimed that Trump represents. The same ugly footage of this man in the street, who presumably was not given an opportunity to pay Audette to make him look good, has been used in multiple Frontline documentaries in which Audette is credited as the editor, apparently for the purpose of painting Trump supporters with a negative brush.

Worth noting: Apart from illicit payments -- explicitly cited by Audette -- from certain interviewees, PBS Frontline is officially funded with U.S. taxpayer money through the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

In the same video, Audette confirms the chain of command at PBS Frontline: We show it to the executive producer, Raney [Aronson-Rath] and Andrew Metz, the executive editor. Right? Then it becomes their film. Right? And then were making whatever they want, we do.

Also worth noting: Deans and faculty members at Columbia Journalism School (CJS) -- long considered a standard-setter in the field of journalism -- have been direct and vocal supporters of PBS Frontline executive producer Raney Aronson-Rath (a CJS alumnus) and her outfit, despite Frontlines explicit corruption under Aronson-Raths leadership.

To cite one example among many, in 2019, CJS faculty member and then-dean Steve Coll presented a once-in-a-decade duPont-Columbia Gold Baton award to Aronson-Rath for Frontline documentaries that specifically include, among others, Putins Revenge Parts I and II, which again attack Trump. When presenting the award to Aronson-Rath, Coll falsely called Frontline a standard bearer for investigative reporting in the very best traditions of broadcast and documentary filmmaking, making no mention of its explicitly corrupt practices.

During Colls tenure as dean, CJS began a fellowship program with PBS Frontline that Coll, in 2020, described as one of the crown jewels of [Columbia Journalism Schools] post-graduate opportunities in public interest reporting, while also calling Frontline a beacon for the values Columbia Journalism holds highest. In 2021, Coll reiterated that he is proud of the journalism Columbia and Frontline have done together. And, this year, as a CJS faculty member, he appeared as an interviewee in a multi-part Frontline documentary titled America and the Taliban.

The plot thickens. In a West Virginia Public Broadcasting podcast recorded this past September, Aronson-Rath was interviewed -- together with CJS professor and director of CJS documentary journalism program June Cross -- on the topic of the publics diminished trust in the news media.

In Aronson-Raths words: Corruption doesnt just show its face. This is a pet phrase shes repeated in numerous interviews over the years, including in the recent podcast. Ironically, PBS Frontline under Aronson-Rath has explicitly shown its face as outright corrupt, yet there has been no accountability.

It is up to good-faith Americans to hold our institutions accountable. This includes holding accountable PBS Frontline, Columbia Journalism School, and establishment and legacy media, which have for too long divided us along political lines and applied a double standard at the expense of Trump supporters and Republicans.

PBS Frontline is the poster child for partisan media bias and corruption that continues to commandeer Americans hard-earned tax dollars. My new report chronicles that corruption and bias -- detail by detail -- for all to see.

Lets actively demand full accountability at PBS Frontline and Columbia Journalism School until it is delivered. When tax dollars are at stake, Americans deserve nothing less.

Adam Molon is a writer and journalist. A graduate of Columbia University and Indiana University-Bloomington, he is the author of NewSentry, a new Substack publication.

Image: Frontline
A nurse administers a flu shot at the Kaiser Permanente City Center Vaccine Clinic in San Francisco. Emergency room visits for influenza infections surpassed such visits for COVID, recent data shows. Salgu Wissmath/The Chronicle

Cold and flu cases are on the rise in California, and with them, an increase in emergency room visits, according to newly released data.

According to the National Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, California emergency room visits for influenza recently surpassed those related to COVID.

COVID accounted for about 1.5% of all emergency room visits, while influenza-related visits climbed from 1.3% to 1.8% from Dec. 2 and Dec. 9, the most recent dates for which data is available in California. According to the California Department of Public Health, test positivity for the two respiratory illnesses is up, with 9.5% of COVID lab tests and 12.5% of flu tests coming back positive.

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If youre feeling sick, experts say you should still test for COVID to know what kind of treatment might be best. If the COVID test is negative but youre still ill with aches, a cough, runny nose or a fever, it could be the flu.

Experts have several tips for at-home flu treatment and knowing when it could be something more severe.

Treatment at home

The first thing doctors at UCSF recommend if youre sick with the flu is to stay at home and rest. The flu is contagious, so its best to stay away from others as much as possible.

In addition to resting, doctors also recommend drinking plenty of liquids and avoiding alcohol or tobacco.

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You can also take medications to relieve symptoms, but doctors warn against giving aspirin to children or teenagers with the flu without talking to a doctor first, as aspirin can cause a rare but serious illness called Reyes syndrome, UCSFs website says. The disorder damages the brain and the liver. Instead, those under 18 should take medicines that dont contain aspirin if needed to relieve symptoms.

When to call or visit a doctor

If youre at risk of complications from the flu, its best to call your doctor as soon as symptoms begin. You should also contact your doctor if symptoms are unusually severe. That might look like extreme shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, said Dr. Peter Chin-Hong, an infectious disease doctor at UCSF.

If you have an oximeter, he said, you can check your blood-oxygen level to help determine what you should do. If its below 93%, thats a sign something might be up, he said.

Another sign something could be wrong is dehydration, he said. If you are not urinating or not able to think clearly, you might consider seeking treatment.

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You should also contact if you have cardiac risk factors and are feeling chest pain, he said.

For infants and children, doctors say you should not hesitate to call if you have concerns about the flu. Chin-Hong said that signs that something is wrong in little ones include not eating or drinking, increased lethargy and irritability and labored breathing.

Treatment options

Chin-Hong said patients with the flu can be prescribed Tamiflu, which, like Paxlovid for COVID-19, works best when used early  within the first few days of symptoms.

But the trouble with getting Tamiflu, he said, can be getting the flu diagnosis that allows you to get a prescription. Because there are not many at-home tests for the flu, you must go to a doctor to be diagnosed. Chin-Hong said its very important for older adults or those with comorbidities to seek this as soon as possible.

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He also pointed to a pilot program funded by the National Institutes of Health called Test2Treat that gives free COVID-19 tests, flu tests and telemedicine services for adults who are uninsured or underinsured, on Medicare, Medicaid, in the Veterans Affairs health care system or receive care from the Indian Health Services. The program can help get people treatment early, he said, which can reduce hospital visits.
When conflicts in the Middle East exposed the cracks in the foundation of the United States higher learning institutions, many college presidents tried to appeal to American democratic values to seal the gaps. The trouble is, its been so long since universities upheld democracy that most college presidents dont even recognize it anymore.

After a disastrous congressional hearing on anti-Semitism on December 5, University of Pennsylvanias president Liz Magill has been sacked for attempting to excuse violent anti-Semitic threats on Penns campus. Harvards President Claudine Gay is also facing calls to resign following a federal investigation into Harvard University for possible civil-rights violations. Harvard University, however, has issued a statement in support of her leadership despite the fallout over her morally inept testimony before Congress. MIT appears to have similarly stood by its President Sally Kornbluth.

These are not the only renowned higher learning institutions accused of turning a blind eye to allegations of anti-Semitic harassment. Columbia University, Cornell University, and Wellesley College are among other leading universities federal officials have earmarked as potential breeding grounds for anti-Semitism.

The sudden spread in anti-Semitism across college campuses comes as a surprise to many (though not all). Its easier to trace the source of this movement through an examination of the philosophical traditions that form the foundation of higher learning in America.

The insanity prevalent across college campuses can be traced back to the neo-Marxist critical school of thought and postmodernist notions of power, knowledge, and culture. These theories emphasize the dominant power structures operating in society and their role in maintaining the status quo. One such narrative that has taken hold of academia is the oppressor-oppressed binary.

According to this narrative, the world is divided into two classes by group: the oppressors and the oppressed. The oppressed can do no wrong, while the oppressors are the ultimate perpetrators of injustice -- evil incarnate. In the case of Israel, Israel is your standard settler colonial state, while the Palestinian people -- considered occupied by most of the international community -- are the ultimate victims, relegated to the bottom of the oppression hierarchy by the colonizing forces.

The problem with this binary view of the world is that its too simple. People are rarely ever just the oppressors or the oppressed -- power isnt one-directional. Even Michel Foucault knew that, and hes the very philosopher who inspired postcolonial scholars to develop these neo-Marxist postmodern theories in the first place. Foucault rejected the Marxist notion of power as the domination of one class (in this case cultural identity) over another. Power is everywhere and comes from everywhere, the French philosopher famously said in his theory of power in 1976. It is neither an agency nor a structure. It is a kind of metapower or regime of truth that pervades society, and which is constant flux and negotiation.

Under Foucaults original definition, humans are therefore both subject to and wielders of power.

This is important because unlike the faux postmodernists of today who would have you believe that power is centralized in a particular agent or held by one group or groups of people at all times (think White people), Foucault thought of power as an interactive force constantly being dispersed throughout society -- never static and always in flux.

Foucaults philosophy was much more complex than your standard social-justice warrior would like to admit. Unfortunately, whatever Foucault truly thought of power does not matter to the ideologues twisting his words for some skewed version of justice. A flawed version of Foucaults notion of power has permeated Americas institutions. Hence the modern-day madness and the new market for the oldest and most enduring social pathology, what historian Robert Wistrich coins the longest hatred.

Under this flawed popular philosophy, everything is fair game when it is done in the name of anti-colonial resistance. Yes, even killing babies. Remember, the oppressed, by definition, are innocent. And the oppressors, by definition, are evil, deserving of whatever ill befalls them. The Jews have found themselves on the wrong side of the victim hierarchy.

Anti-Semitism has been allowed to flourish because the modern-day campus has capitulated to a progressive Left keen on indoctrinating young thinkers with a reductive ideology. This explains the generational shift when it comes to support for Israel among Americas youth.

Less than 80 years from the end of World War II, the worlds longest hatred is resurging with renewed force, finding a welcome home in our most cherished institutions and threatening to disrupt the very foundations of tolerance and diversity that we strived so hard to create. The ideas motivating Pro-Hamas demonstrations have no place in our society and should be vehemently condemned and uprooted from our institutions.

The Biden administrations investigation of Harvard is a welcome start -- as is this months congressional hearing. Colleges across America should sit up and pay attention.

Nathalie Voit is a Young Voices contributor and an alumna of the University of Florida. Her writing regularly appears on C3 Solutions.

Image: Montecruz Foto
Leftist judges usually write horrible opinions that are filled with bazillions of case citations and facts, most of which are, at best, marginally relevant. They do this to hide that the conclusions are intellectually and factually bankrupt. Rule of thumb in the law: The clearer an argument, the stronger the position. Thats true for any legal argument, as is demonstrated by the amicus brief that former U.S. Attorney General Edwin Meese and two law professors filed before the Supreme Court. It argues with exquisite clarity that Jack Smiths appointment as Special Prosecutor was unconstitutional, which would void everything hes done.

Meese, Steven G. Calabresi, and Gary S. Lawson state their question very simply:

Whether private citizen Jack Smith lacks authority to represent the United States, which jurisdictional requirement must exist at all stages of litigation, and which cannot be waived, in filing his Petition for a Writ of Certiorari in this Court?

The answer is as simple as the question: Yes.

The operative facts are simple. Despite having a whole host of Assistant U.S. Attorneys available to him, when it came to investigating the allegations swirling around January 6, Merrick Garland appointed someone who is not a U.S. Attorney but is, instead, a private citizen to investigate the matter (and, naturally, to bring preordained charges). Jack Smith has been zealous in this regard.

To justify the appointment, Garland did what leftists always do, which is to cite myriad authorities, all of which create the impression that the law was at his back. In his case, he referred to 28 U.S.C. sections 509, 510, 515, and 533. Surely, with so much statutory authority, everything must be ship-shaped and totally legal.

Image: Jack Smith (edited). YouTube screen grab.

Except that the amicus brief argues compellingly that the statutes cannot create a right where none exists under the Constitution. Heres the argument:

Under Art. II, sec. 2, cl. 2 of the Constitution, if the Constitution does not specifically establish a federal office, then Congress must do so. To date, Congress has not created an Office of Special Counsel within the DOJ. That means that any person appointed to specially investigate someone must already have a constitutionally or legally created position within the government. Smith did not.

Second, under the same constitutional provision cited above, when it comes to appointing inferior officers to specific positions, the department heads can act only if Congress authorizes them to do so. If they act otherwise, they are usurping a power that the Constitution reserves only for the President under whats known as the Appointments Clause. Garland was not so authorized.

Third, if the Special Counsel is indeed a valid government officer, then he is functioning as a superior (or principal) officer. Thus, unlike ordinary Assistant U.S. Attorneys, who report to the Attorney General, he doesnt report to anyone at all. Principal officers can only be appointed by the President acting with Senate confirmation. Biden did not appoint Smith.

None of the above means that there cannot be people who act as Special Counsels. However, both the Constitution and statutory law require that those Special Counsels be drawn from the pool of existing United States Attorneys who have been properly appointed to their roles within the Department of Justice. As the amicus brief says,

What federal statutes and the Constitution do not allow, however, is for the Attorney General to appoint a private citizen, who has never been confirmed by the Senate, as a substitute United States Attorney under the title Special Counsel. That is what happened on November 18, 2022. That appointment was unlawful, as are all the legal actions that have flowed from it, including citizen Smiths current attempt to obtain a ruling from this Court.

Thats it. Thats the whole, crystal clear, uncomplicated constitutional argument: Jack Smith is functioning outside of any constitutional authority, making all his actions illegitimate. When someone is acting without authority, those illegitimate actions must be wiped from the slate. Everything Smith did is equivalent to the criminal law concept governing the results of illegal searches and seizures: They are the fruits of the poisonous tree and cannot be relied upon in a court of law.

Right now, sane minds on the Supreme Court must be very worried about the ongoing attacks against Trump. Just today, the Court refused to rule on Jack Smiths request that it make an expedited ruling on Trumps claim that he is immune to federal prosecution because all of his allegedly wrongful actions were taken while serving as President and, therefore, he was functioning in an official capacity (one granted him by the voters) that is beyond legal rebuke.

The amicus brief offers a way out for the Court by saying that everything Jack Smith did is illegitimate and must be voided. Consider, too, that the Court has accepted an appeal from a January 6 defendant arguing that all the obstruction charges that the DOJ brought against every defendant are invalid.

A wise Court will understand two things: One, that the lawfare were witnessing now is a continuation of the lefts fraudulent and often illegal efforts since November 2016 to keep Trump from the White House.

Leftists are long-term thinkers. When you consider the insurrection argument being made now, youll realize that it was no coincidence that, on January 6, while events were still unfolding, the media were already referring to them as an insurrection. Add in the evidence that Nancy Pelosi refused more security for January 6 and other indications that the government was contributing to, not stopping, some of the crazier actions on that day, and you begin to smell a set-up.

Two, given that 75 million people voted for Trump, and tens of millions support him today, prosecuting and persecuting him on the shakiest of legal grounds, using an activist who has no constitutional standing to act, is begging for bad things to happen in America.

If we have any sense at all, we dont want bad things to happen. We want the rule of law, and that begins with a Supreme Court recognizing that Democrats are abusing the law to achieve political power.

UPDATE: This post has been updated to change the word "no" to "yes." I seem to have had a major dyslexic/word soup attack yesterday!
Its the time of year to be naughty or nice, but one Senate aide with a sordid history of progressive idiocy is threatening to explore his legal options for his perverse conduct in U.S. Senate chambers.

Aidan Maese-Czeropski found himself out of a job after turning the Senate chamber into a location shoot for an amateur gay porn film and casting himself in the starring role. He is featured leaning over a desk -- where one can only imagine the most important work of the nation taking place -- dressed up (or down) in a jock strap with a few sadomasochistic fashion frills attached. He shares the scene outtake with an elderly man who is initiating the activity" while the aide obligingly bends over the desk.

The footage was intended for distribution to select elitist gay mens websites, but unexpectedly made its way to the conservative media outlet, the Daily Caller.

That is hardly the most startling aspect to this sordid tale of a young, frisky Senate aide whose sense of wokeism exonerates him of all personal responsibility. Lets just say hes not forthcoming with an apology. Instead, Maese-Czeropski -- who put back on his clothes for a new message on social media -- announced that he believes the controversial fallout from the porno viewing is the result of his (as a gay man) being attacked for who I love. And he will be exploring what legal options are available in these matters.

This self-serving statement about his legal options fails to factor in the reality of the ex-aide possibly confronting criminal charges, according to George Washington University law professor and constitutional scholar Jonathan Turley. Professor Turley speculated in a blog post that the errant former Senate staffer could face criminal charges for trespassing, indecent exposure and misuse of public property.

Without a hint of irony, Maese-Czeropski writes on social media: While some of my actions in the past have shown poor judgement I love my job and would never disrespect my workplace.

Really! This sort of delusional disclaimer -- as a gay man in a jock strap doing the naughty in a reverential workplace" -- is truly something to behold.

Maese-Czeropski doesnt just appear devoid of the slightest hint of remorse. He sounds as if hes gone down the rabbit hole, following in the footsteps of Alice in Wonderland, where hes entered a world of literary nonsense and obviously disconnected from the reality taking place above ground.

Part of that topsy-turvy world is Maese-Czeropski anticipating total impunity for his perverse actions, and even suggesting the pursuit of legal compensation for the embarrassment hes brought on himself.

In the meantime, Sen. Ben Cardin (D-MD), released a statement notifying the media his office has terminated Maese-Czeropskis employment, and the U.S. Capitol Police will continue to investigate the matter.

The dismissal was slow in coming in terms of the 24-year-old legislative aide accepting his career had been derailed. He summarized the fallout from his porno taping by reiterating his dedication to his job, mistakenly referring to his position in the present tense, and claiming anyone who would characterize (his) actions otherwise were fabricated.

This has been a difficult time for me, Maese-Czeropski added, without noting the difficulties he may have laid at the door of Sen. Ben Cardin. Undoubtedly, the senator has become all too aware of the embarrassing backlash this has caused his political party, and the reverberations have become abundantly clear in the sordid national headlines.

One of the last to experience the difficulties, and routinely ignored in the coverage, is the hard-working maintenance crew hired by the U.S. Senate: They will most likely be required to double-glove to clean-up the mess, including the health hazard of bodily fluids, left behind by another entitled, irresponsible, and egotistical member of todays woke generation.

Image: USAF
In Lewis Carrolls Alice in Wonderland, the Red Queen famously prepares to convict the Knave of Hearts before ruling on the evidence. (Sentence firstverdict afterwards.) It turns out that Harvard is run the same way. Its president, Claudine Gay, is an admitted plagiarist, along with embarrassing Harvard with her disgraceful passive support for genocidal antisemitism. Nevertheless, long before Gays disastrous House testimony, when allegations about her plagiarism first appeared, Harvard determined before any investigation that she was innocent and threatened to use lawfare against anyone who said otherwise. And now, with her sins revealed, it seems Barack Obama stepped in to save her.

Claudine Gay has been making her mark at Harvard for some time, as shes pushed a hard-left, racially divisive agenda that is aimed at making Harvard less white and more communist. This meme (heres a permalink if the image doesnt show) sums up the fact that her real qualification wasnt her academic credentials, meaning she was valued for her diversity and hard-left agenda:

(Internet meme; creator unknown)

One would think that, now that Gays shoddy scholarship and overt (albeit currently still passive) antisemitism are on display, Harvard would be anxious to disassociate itself from her. She ought to be toxic. But of course, shes not because shes everything that an institution once revered for its scholarship now values: race and gender as determiners of worth, anti-Americanism, antisemitism, and all the other leftist shibboleths.

Thats why, when evidence emerged before Gays disastrous House hearing that Gay routinely copied other writers without attributionsomething that can get students and unimportant academics expelledHarvard decided in advance of an investigation that Gay had done nothing wrong:

Harvard cleared its president Claudine Gay of plagiarism before it even investigated whether her academic work was copied, The Post reveals today. In a threatening legal letter to The Post in late October, the college called allegations that she lifted other academics work demonstrably false, and said all her works were cited and properly credited. Days later Gay herself asked for an investigation and Harvard tore up its own rules to ask outside experts to review her work, saying it had to avoid a conflict of interest. And the experts then found she did need to make multiple corrections to her academic record. The bare-knuckled law firm Harvard employed to try to keep the plagiarism allegations from ever coming to light told The Post it would sue for immense damages. Harvard never revealed an investigation had been launched as the lawyers put pressure on The Post to kill its reporting. But more than a month later, on December 12 Harvard said Gay had been investigated by its top governing body and was correcting two academic journals, to acknowledge where her work had really come from  meaning the claim it was properly credited was false.

(Thats the gist; theres much more detail here.)

In other words, in late October, Harvard was threatening any outlet challenging the quality of works because such claims were demonstrably false. However, less than two months later, Harvards investigation announced that the charges were accurate. Nevertheless, Gay gets to keep her job.

I have to wonder whether Harvards loyalty to an unqualified, race-obsessed, low-key-antisemitic black person has some of its genesis in the fact that like calls to likeand the lefts revered former president, Barack Obama, apparently lobbied to keep Gay in place despite her infamous House testimony and shoddy scholarship:

Former President Barack Obama has secretly lobbied Harvard University officials to stick by embattled President Claudine Gay as she faces pressure to resign for giving cover to antisemitism on campus and for committing plagiarism. [snip] It sounded like people were being asked to close ranks to keep the broader administration stable  including its composition, a source told Jewish Insider of the former presidents clandestine effort. Former President Barack Obama has quietly pushed Harvard University to keep embattled President Claudine Gay as she faces pressure to resign for giving cover to antisemitism. Obama, 62, who is a graduate of Harvard, privately urged the university to let Gay remain as president after she said calls for the genocide of Jews may be permissible, depending on context. The report did not say whether that effort had continued after Gays scholarship was called into question following her testimony for dozens of instances of alleged plagiarism.

Academia in America has outlived its usefulness. The hard science departments might be salvageable, but everything else in Americas colleges and universities does nothing to contribute to morals and universal knowledge, which were the universities original purposes. Conservatives need to work hard to elect officials who will use all legal means available to crush these institutions.

And this marvelous meme pretty much sums it all up:

Image: Claudine Gay (edited). YouTube screen grab.
San Francisco State University has always been a cesspool. For decades now, if there was a fight between Israel and the surrounding Arabs, SFSU faculty and students were out protesting against Israel. However, somewhere along the line, that anti-Israel sentiment morphed into kill worldwide Jewry. As with Hitler, that was where the hatred was always going to go.

Back in the 1960s and 1970s, SFSUs significantly Jewish faculty were old-fashioned liberals. They were the kind who felt it was the right thing to do to invite Black Pantherette and communist Angela Davis to become a professor there. By the 2000s, though, Jews were not welcome. For example, a Russian-born Jewish woman was relentlessly disciplined by the college for speaking out against rabidly anti-Israel protests and speakers.

So, anti-Israel rhetoric has been de rigueur at SFSU for a very long time. However, it never crossed the line into Hitlerian, antisemitic, genocidal rhetoric. Now, though, unleashed by Hamass genocidal, antisemitic October 7 attack on Israel, students at SFSU no longer bother to hide their murderous hatred for Jews. Not against Israel, mind you, but against Jews:

If you watch the video, youll see that Ami Horowitz isnt asking students to stand against Israel, which is now the dominant position on American campuses. Instead, hes asking them to donate money for arms and weapons against Jews around the world. Hes very specific about the purpose: We want to fund operations against soft targets, schools, hospitals, Jewish cafes. In response to these requests, students offered money, were totallydown, and recycled ancient antisemitic tropes.

Horowitz explains that he didnt cherry-pick the students in the above video. That is, he didnt talk to 100 students and pick out the few worst.

The rhetoric in demonizing Jews we have seen globally has led to this. Twenty-eight out of 35 people I engaged in conversation with expressed support for what I was doing. And 17 out of 35nearly 50% of the people I spoke withoffered me money to kill Jews.

In addition to those happy to engage in murdering worldwide Jewry, Horowitz couldnt even count those who expressed interest, while no one challenged his genocidal proposal:

Talking to the Journal by phone, Horowitz said that he didnt count students who simply said they would check out his website afterwards as being interested. You had to have actually talked about antisemitism, hatred of Jews, why theyre so evil, for me to count you among the people who supported the position, he said. Which was the majority of people I came across. [snip] Not a single person I came acrossnot onesaid, This is insane. I need to call the authorities, Horowitz said, adding that they had their reasons: Money, power, religion, all those things. They know exactly what theyre doing and why theyre doing it.

Its always been a rule at American Thinker to avoid comparing people to Hitler because it cheapens language. After all, there have been many megalomaniacs and bad people in the world. What made Hitler unique was his desire to erase Jews from the face of the earth, and he made a good start by slaughtering 6 million people.

Now, the students at SFSU are either fully in support of Hitlers unique evil or theyre undisturbed by it. They are Hitler Youth, they are as evil as Hamas, and they need to be addressed, although I honestly dont know how. What do you do with people who have been inculcated with poisonous ideas? How do you un-brainwash a generation?

I do know that these people are dangerous, just as Claudine Gay and her ilk are dangerous with their contextualizing genocidal speech, and just as Hamas is dangerous with its open, stone-aged, animalistic desire literally to commit cannibalism against the hated Jew. (See here and here for examples.)

Image: YouTube screen grab.
Going Eddie Haskell this time, President Trump launched into a creative new troll against his decrepit rival, Joe Biden by touting Kamala Harris as a potentially better president:

According to The Hill, he told radio host Hugh Hewitt:

It seems like hes locked into her for a lot of reasons. He has to choose her. I understand. It would seem like the Democrats, if he doesnt run, have to run her, the former president said on The Hugh Hewitt Show. Thats what all of the professionals like you are saying. Im not sure that thats correct, but thats what theyre saying. I think shed be better than him, actually. I actually think that, he added in the interview, highlighted by Mediaite.

All he needed to add to that was "Mrs. Cleaver" to that, and his statement would be complete.

For the rest of us, it's funny as heck.

Start with the turmoil it's bound to bring to the Biden-Harris campaign.

Harris has always been derided by both sides as a loser -- shallow, low information, low intelligence, doesn't "do her homework," and a giggler. She's Biden's affirmative-action hire who slept her way to the top and can't be gotten rid of, so they just make the best of it by regularly shutting her out of important meetings, such as the one about to start in Mexico City around the border surge. Nobody asked her to be at that one.

These assessments aren't just coming from the right, but from the left. There are leaks to the press from them, of course, about her horrible staff management skills as experienced staff jump ship over her temper tantrums. But it's also telling that the California machine which made her politically, declined to endorse her over Joe Biden in 2020. These days Gavin Newsom is their new favorite.

So now Trump says she'd be a better president than Joe Biden.

What's Harris going to say to that -- it's not true? Or that it is?

Trump knows that someone's going to ask, so whatever she says to that is going to be a lose-lose proposition for the Biden campaign.

It also should be a source of personal misery for her, too, given her unpopularity with both Bidens' team and the voters.

Based on reports of her resentments, she undoubtedly thinks it is true, so now she has one person out there who agrees with her -- Donald Trump.

Nobody from her own side is saying that at all.

Meanwhile, among the voters, the possibility that Harris might be a better president than Biden creates new problems for Team Biden.

Trump knows what Harris's poll numbers are like among voters -- they're even more abysmal than Joe's own.

If Harris would be the better president than Biden, as Trump says, and Biden may be too old and senile to get reelected or finish out his term, then what a revolting thing to voters to be stuck with the Harris as the better president, even as they loathe her even more than Biden.

Trump knew this would go through voters' heads as he said it so he turned on the troll and let loose on the Bidens in those dulcet Eddie Haskell tones.

He's still sharp as ever and funny as heck. Now he's got Kamala Harris on his string, owing him a favor for his flattery. It's too funny for words.

Image: Screen shot from Sky News Australia video, via YouTube
Secretary of State Antony Blinken has been a reliably left-leaning mouthpiece for the Biden administration on every issue, including the administrations fatuous, anti-Israel demands for a two-state solution. I neither like nor respect him. However, in the credit where credit is due department, Blinken deserves props for saying something important: Namely, that a world that insistently demands that Israel surrender in this war does not make any such demands on Hamas.

This video (transcription immediately below) shows Blinken tacitly acknowledging that, were Hamas to lay down its arms, Israel would stop fighting, and she most certainly would not go on a genocidal rampage through Gaza. Despite this, he says that all calls for a ceasefire are directed at Israel alone. No one in the world asks Hamas to stop fighting or to stop engaging in genocidal attacks against Israel:

US Secretary of State Blinken: "What is striking to me is that even as we hear many countries urging an end to this conflict, I hear virtually no one demanding of Hamas that it stop hiding behind civilians, that it lay down its arms, that it surrender. This is over tomorrow if pic.twitter.com/UhxQrEbWUW  Aviva Klompas (@AvivaKlompas) December 20, 2023

Israel has been very clear, including as recently as today, that it would welcome returning to a pause in the further release of hostages. The problem was, and has been and remains, Hamas. They reneged on commitments that they made during the first pause for hostage releases, and the question is whether they are, in fact, willing to resume this effort. We believe that, as we said from the outset, Israel has not only a right but an obligation to defend itself and to try to make sure that October 7th never happens again. Any other country in the world faced with what Israel suffered on October 7th would do the same thing. What is striking to me is that, even as, again, we hear many countries urging the end to this conflict, which we would all like to see, I hear virtually no one sayingdemanding of Hamas that it stop hiding behind civilians. That it lay down its arms That it surrender. This is over tomorrow if Hamas does that. This would have been over a month ago, six weeks ago, if Hamas had done that. And how could it be, how could it be that there are no demands made of the aggressor and only demands made of the victim?

To those who say that Hamas is merely fighting back and that Israel is the aggressormeaning that Israel must stop in order for Hamas to stopits worth noting what no American media is reporting: Hamas has an endless supply of rockets which it rains down non-stop on Israels civilian centers. Thus, while Israel goes out of its way to avoid Gazan civilian casualties and to engage only with the well-armed Hamas militia, Hamas, in turn, does everything it can to kill Israeli civilians.

As for Blinken, perhaps this rare moment of good sense and compassion may be tied to his stepfather. Blinken has often explained that he cannot be anti-Israel because his father survived the Holocaust. This is obviously untrue, given Blinkens support for the anti-Israel two-state solution.

Still, maybe October 7 forced upon him an understanding of what his stepfather, Samuel Pisar, really experienced during WWII, beginning when Pisar was only 10 and ending with him escaping a death march when he was 16:

His parents and younger sister Frieda were murdered in the Holocaust. Pisar was sent to Majdanek, Blizyn, Auschwitz, Sachsenhausen, Oranienburg, Dachau and ultimately to the Engelberg Tunnel near Leonberg. At the end of the war, he escaped during a death march; after making a break into the forest, he found refuge in a US tank. He is the only Holocaust survivor of the 900 children of his Polish school.

Its one thing, if youre a child, to hear your mothers second husband (who helped raise Blinken when the latter was still a child) talk about the Holocaust. It may be just background noise, especially if you dont have much in the way of imagination or compassion beyond the narrow parameters of leftist demands. Its another thing entirely to see a Holocaust unfold before your eyes. May Blinkens eyes open much more in the coming weeks and months.

Image: X screen grab.
President Trump was recently excluded from the Colorado ballot by a panel of state Supreme Court judges in a 4-3 ruling. It was unprecedented, a walk into uncharted legal territory, and, well, a lot of people are thinking the same thing:

Is there a connection between Colorados legalization of marijuana and the recent Trump-ballot paranoia?

Sure, it's farfetched, maybe too much of a stretch. But a particularly troubling problem for Colorado (the Reefer Madness capital of America) is the Center for Disease Controls (CDC) assertion that people who use marijuana are more likely to develop temporary psychosis (e.g., not knowing what is real, hallucinations, and paranoia) and long-lasting mental disorders, including schizophrenia.

Nevertheless, Colorado became the Democrats hero state in 2012 when it became the first (along with Washington) to legalize the drug for recreational use.

Ranked second in its number of dispensary licenses, Colorados cannabis-worshipping cities seem to have a dispensary on every street corner.

So now four activist-judges on the Colorado highest court exploited a Civil War-related amendment article to rationalize canceling the top Republican nominee from the official ballot.

If that isn't paranoia, what is?

The science authority most followed by Democrats -- the CDC -- states that the correlation between pot smoking and symptoms of mental illness includes where people might see or hear things that are not really there.

Which by coincidence, describes the ruling of the Colorado state Supreme Court majority.

So, what things were seen or heard by these judges that are not really there?

First, the Colorado judges, stoned or not, should have seen what the entire world saw: President Trump giving a speech on Jan. 6, 2021, regarding the most votes of any sitting president (73.6 million), the anomalies of COVID-19 emergency mass-mail ballots to cover any deficit needed even after voting day, Nov. 3, 2020, and the freedom of his supporters to peacefully protest about the most gaslighted election to date. So he was hardly the insurrectionist they claim.

Secondly, weedfest or not, the three judges who dissented appear to have understood the protests about a puppety 80-year-old man who campaigned from his basement but somehow managed to garner five million more votes than the greatest president of many lifetimes -- after coincidental late ballot counting in the wee hours of battleground states.

The more level-headed judges spoke of the rights of voters to cast ballots for their candidates of choice and the overbroad premise of the case that could not be credibly decided by state justices in each individual state.

The rest of us saw that the external protests were exacerbated by Speaker of the House Pelosi, who essentially choreographed the perception of an insurrection by refusing the National Guard, which likely inspired security officers to shoot rubber bullets and tear gas into the crowd, while Capitol police guided groups of MAGA people into the building, as shown in a plethora of unedited video reports.

Lastly, all of the justices should have comprehended that the accusations about President Trump inciting some kind of insurrection had already been quashed by the Senate in February 2021, and had been denied by judges in multiple states trying the Amendment 14, section 2 angle. Sober Americans clearly saw the recently released protest videos either on X, on Tucker Carlsons program, or on the footage released by House Speaker Mike Johnson.

Former prosecutor Frances Hakey told Fox News that these four unelected judges had no sensible defense anywhere in the Constitution. He stated that without a trial, without a jury, and without any due process, the radicals produced 300 pages of hot garbage.

In other words, potheads or not, the judges had created an alternative reality where Trump was akin to a bayonet-carrying Confederate officer (per the irrelevant amendment section they chose) who had committed some kind of imaginary treasonregardless of the real-world videos the rest of America watched.

To delve deeper into the problem, the critical-thinking news media audience can review the below symptoms of schizophrenia to explore if the Colorado judges' behavior or even the general actions of the Biden-eras woke Democrats (stoners or not) would begin to make sense:

Delusions. These are false beliefs that are not based in reality. For example, you think that you're being oppressed or harassed; certain gestures [national probe into OK symbol] or comments are directed at you; you have exceptional ability or fame; another person is in love with you; or a major catastrophe is about to occur. Delusions occur in most people with schizophrenia. Considerations: President Trump imagined to be a Russian agent. Or a Supreme Court nominee's inability to define: What is a woman?

These are false beliefs that are not based in reality. For example, you think that you're being oppressed or harassed; certain gestures [national probe into OK symbol] or comments are directed at you; you have exceptional ability or fame; another person is in love with you; or a major catastrophe is about to occur. Delusions occur in most people with schizophrenia. President Trump imagined to be a Russian agent. Or a Supreme Court nominee's inability to define: What is a woman? Hallucinations. These usually involve seeing or hearing things that don't exist. Yet for the person with schizophrenia, they have the full force and impact of a normal experience. Hallucinations can be in any of the senses, but hearing voices is the most common hallucination. Consideration: Trump repeating ad nauseum illegal immigration is wrong, but voices heard say all immigration, Consider : the never mind noose panic, was, in reality, a NASCAR garage pull.

These usually involve seeing or hearing things that don't exist. Yet for the person with schizophrenia, they have the full force and impact of a normal experience. Hallucinations can be in any of the senses, but hearing voices is the most common hallucination. Trump repeating ad nauseum illegal immigration is wrong, but voices heard say all immigration, : the never mind noose panic, was, in reality, a NASCAR garage pull. Disorganized thinking (speech). Disorganized thinking is inferred from disorganized speech. Effective communication can be impaired, and answers to questions may be partially or completely unrelated. Rarely, speech may include putting together meaningless words that can't be understood, sometimes known as "word salad." There are innumerable examples, such as Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, and Rachel Maddow.

Disorganized thinking is inferred from disorganized speech. Effective communication can be impaired, and answers to questions may be partially or completely unrelated. Rarely, speech may include putting together meaningless words that can't be understood, sometimes known as "word salad." There are innumerable examples, such as Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, and Rachel Maddow. Extremely disorganized or abnormal motor behavior. This may show in a number of ways, from childlike silliness to unpredictable agitation. Behavior isn't focused on a goal, so it's hard to do tasks. Behavior can include resistance to instructions, inappropriate or bizarre posture, a complete lack of response, or useless and excessive movement. Consider Nancy Pelosis hand gestures or her ripping up the State of the Union speech on the air.

While the Supreme Court is all but sure to quash Colorados time-wasting proposal when it is challenged, the bigger problem may be that Democrats smoke too much pot. If the justices weren't on pot, I would argue that they acted like people who are. I know it's just speculation, but someone should ask.

Marie Hembree, has an M.A. in Strategic Communications, and is an Academic Resource Instructor for a Title One California school district while completing a doctoral dissertation in the Communication discipline.

Image: Photo illustration by Monica Showalter, with use of public domain images from RawPixel and OpenClipart
Harvard is in the headlines as Claudine Gay appears as the poster child for everything wrong with academia (including) the Democrat partys protection for the toxic ideologies taught there, as evidenced by Barack Obama stepping in to save Gays job. Harvard is hardly unique. Todays example is a teach-in at the University of Minnesota entitled From Minneapolis to Palestine: Connection Our Movements for Collective Liberation: An Indigenous Perspective. Its as bad as it sounds, with one woman clearly stating the goal: dismantling (i.e., erasing) America and Israel.

The speaker is unambiguous, conciseand utterly dishonest:

Land back is going to happen," University of Minnesota professor Melanie Yazzie said during a "teach-in" about the Israel-Palestine conflict. The goal is to dismantle the settler project that is the United States. pic.twitter.com/glgwZpLmmD  Alpha News (@AlphaNewsMN) December 21, 2023

And you're hearing people on social media saying, like Oh, land back, like genocide. Does this mean genocide? No. But land back is going to happen. That's going to happen. The indigenous perspective in Turtle Island and how we understand what is also happening in Palestine and what we really want you to take away tonight is, as Anthony said, we're in the belly of the beast, right? We're all indigenous people who come from nations that are under occupation by the United States government. And of course, the US bank rules on the Israeli occupation. The Palestinian land. They're one and the same really. And so it's our responsibility as people who are within the United States to go as hard as possible to decolonize this place because that will reverberate all across the world, because the US is the greatest predator empire that has ever existed. Right. And so we want US out of everywhere. We want US out of Palestine. We want US out of turtle. Island, right. And that the goal is to dismantle the settler project that is the United States.

Turtle Island means the earth itself. Once you understand that, you understand the lie behind her claim that what shes urging does not mean genocide. It does in every way, shape, and form.

According to the woman, every bit of American land belongs to Native Americanswho were colonizers. Every single tribe lived to destroy nearby tribes. Since Americas indigenous people were completely Stone-Aged, to the point at which they didnt even have the wheel, one of the best ways to optimize their survival was to kill rival tribes and take their resources. Thats how they lived for centuries.

Of course, even if she denies Native American history, the speaker is fully aware that the only way to decolonize America is to kill people. Decolonization (which means colonization by different people) happens with force.

Its unlikely that the people she wants to kill are the blacks or Hispanics, who are currently Allies. She wants to kill whites and probably the Asians and East Asian Indians who are insistently doing well academically and in commerce. Ironically, young, college-educated Asians and East Asian Indians consider themselves Allies, too. Theyll find that, like good, loyal, patriotic German Jews, theyll be in the gas chamber, too.

The madness goes on with the claim that the U.S. is the greatest predator empire that has ever existed, which needs to be erased everywhere. Currently, the following is the extent of this great U.S. Empire (endnotes omitted):

Thats it. In other nations, we have a military presence either because were still maintaining stability almost 8 decades after those places went crazy and became predator empires or because the nations hosting our military desperately want us (e.g., NATO)or at least want our money.

We have a cultural presence worldwide because, since WWII, even while disdaining us, most of the world desperately wants to be like us or us as we once were: Affluent, safe, and apparently having fun. Thats our empire.

The womans expressed desire to remove America from the turtle means erasing America. That doesnt happen without bloodshed.

The same genocidal mania is evident in the womans demand that America get out of Palestine. To the extent America is in Gaza or the West Bank, where the self-styled Palestinian people live, shes there in the form of the uncounted billions shes sent to the leaders of the PLO (Arafat was worth $10 billion when he died), the Palestinian Authority (Mahmoud Abbas is worth at least $100 million), and Hamas (the three leaders of which are worth a combined $10 billion). Obviously, the speaker doesnt want the money to stop.

What the speaker wants is for America to stop supporting the State of Israel. She doesnt care that the Jews are the indigenous people and the Muslims the colonizers. All she knows is that Israel has been associated with the U.S. since the Soviet Union sided with the Arabs in 1967.

What the woman envisions is what Hamas and its fellow travelers in the worldwide Palestinian Empire demand: a Muslim nation from the river to the sea. And she surely knows that the people calling for that dream, whether in Gaza or elsewhere, are open about the fact that this requires Jewish genocide.

If youre interested, you can see the whole 2-hour event here, but I think weve got the gist of it: Kill Americans, kill Jews, and ignore every other colonizing nation in the world, which would be every nation in the world. Our academic institutions are utterly toxic, and they should be destroyed by all legal means available, which means, in practical terms, defunding the heck out of them.

UPDATE: The speaker is Melanie Yazzie, a professor at UMN Liberal Arts. I was so focused on her words that I forgot to mention that fact. Her bio is what you'd expect:

Melanie K. Yazzie is a citizen of the Navajo Nation. She writes and teaches about a range of topics, including Navajo/American Indian history; (neo)liberalism; settler colonialism; Indigenous feminisms; Native American studies; social movements; urban Native experience; political ecology; queer Indigenous studies; biopolitics; water; media; Marxism; and theories of policing and the state. Dr. Yazzie has held numerous fellowships. She was a Katrin H. Lamon Residential Scholar at the School for Advanced Research (2018-19), a University of California Presidents Postdoctoral Fellow (2016-17), an Andrew W. Mellon Dissertation Fellow (2015-16), and a Ford Foundation Diversity Predoctoral Fellowship (2011-14). She has published over a dozen articles and book reviews in Gender, Place & Culture, Environment & Society, Wicazo Sa Review, Studies in American Indian Literature, American Indian Quarterly, Social Text, American Indian Culture and Research Journal, Decolonization: Indigeneity, Education, Society, Native American and Indigenous Studies, New Mexico Historical Quarterly, and American Quarterly. She is coauthor of Red Nation Rising: From Bordertown Violence to Native Liberation (PM Press, 2021) and The Red Deal: Indigenous Action to Save the Earth (Red Media, 2021). In addition to her academic work, she engages in extensive public intellectualism and community organizing and activism. She co-hosts and produces the podcast Red Power Hour and serves as lead editor for the open-access journal Decolonization. She is the advisory board chair for Red Media, an independent press and media project that centers Indigenous intelligence in all its forms. She also organizes with The Red Nation, a grassroots Native-run organization committed to the liberation of Indigenous people from colonialism and capitalism.

Image: Twitter screen grab.
The 1821 Derby at Epsom by Theodore Gericault

Horses have appeared in works of art throughout history. They have appeared in prehistoric cave paintings, such as those in Lascaux, in temples and tombs of ancient Egyptians and the ancient Greeks, and as monumental statues during classical antiquity. These depictions showed great knowledge of equine anatomy. George Stubbs, an 18th-century English painter, helped further this knowledge by dissecting horse carcasses to learn more about the anatomy of the animal. Stubbss detailed anatomical drawings greatly aided later artists.

Horse art peaked during the 19th century when horse racing became a popular form of sport. It was while attempting to paint racing scenes many artists realized that they didnt know horses enough, especially how they moved when they were galloping.

Horses run so fast that the human eye cannot break down the action of their gait. So a lot of guesswork went into those horse paintings. A running horse was typically shown with the front legs extended forward and the hind legs extended to the rear and all feet off the grounda posture that is physically impossible. Illustrators and painters probably got this idea by observing dogs, a small, nimble animal that ran with all four legs outstretched, and assumed that a horses gait was similar. The result was the characteristic rocking horse posture or the flying gallop.

The characteristic flying gallop seen in Baronet by George Stubbs, 1794.

Another inaccurate depiction of galloping horses. Ethan Allen and Mate and Dexter by John Cameron, 1828

Towards the end of the 19th century something happened that significantly changed how artists painted horses.

In 1872, the American industrialist Leland Stanford, founder of Stanford University, hired English-American photographer Eadweard Muybridge to photograph his favorite trotter Occident in action. In those days, photography was a slow process where the film had to exposed for several seconds to make a photograph, so the subject was required to sit motionless during the entire time the photographic plate was exposed. Anything that moved around a lot appeared as a blur.

Muybridge initially believed that it was impossible to capture a good picture of a horse in motion, but after experimenting with various equipment and different chemicals, he managed to produce satisfactory results.

Muybridge had to put his experiments on hold for two years when he went on trial for the murder of his wifes lover. Muybridge tried to plead insanity, but the jury dismissed it. Surprisingly, the jury also acquitted him on grounds of justifiable homicide disregarding the fact that Muybridge had shot his victim at point-blank range in cold blood. It certainly helped that Stanford had arranged for his criminal defense.

Eadweard Muybridge in 1899.

Muybridge resumed working for Stanford in 1876, continually improving and refining his photographic process. In Shortly after, he managed to capture a single photograph of Occident at a racing-speed gait, serendipitously with all four legs of the animal in air. Stanford was intrigued and he coaxed Muybridge to use multiple cameras so that they could have a sequence of photographs showing the horses full gait. This time Muybridge was asked to photograph another of Stanfords horses named Sallie Gardner.

To freeze the action of a galloping horse was no trivial matter. Muybridge was required to capture multiple pictures within a short time, each exposed no longer than a few thousandths of a second. To achieve the impossible, Muybridge used 12 state-of-the-art cameras he designed himself and lined them up like cannons in a galleon parallel to the horses path. The shutters of each camera was controlled by trip wires that lay across the horses path and triggered by the horses legs. As the horse shot through the trip wires, the sound of the camera shutters firing one after the other in quick succession sounded like a rattling machine gun.

The original 12 photographs of Sallie Gardner. Frames 2 and 3 clearly show the horse completely off the ground with its legs gathered underneath.

Muybridges brief filmstrip had captured for the first time ephemeral details the eye couldn't pick out at such speeds, such as the position of the legs and the angle of the tail. It also settled a popularly debated question of the dayis there a moment in a horses gait when all four hooves are off the ground at once? Muybridges groundbreaking work established that indeed they are, but not like contemporary illustrations depicted. When a horse is completely off the ground, its legs are collected beneath the body and not extended out to the front and back.

Muybridge also prepared a short animated clip using the twelve still images he captured using a device known as the zoopraxiscope, which was an important predecessor to the movie projector. This animated clip, barely 2 seconds long, called Sallie Gardner at a Gallop is considered to be the worlds first motion picturea proto-movie. It even has a page at IMDB.

Sallie Gardner at a Gallop

Muybridges accomplishment was reported widely throughout the world, and many began to hail Muybridge as a photographic wizard. When it began to appear that Muybridge was stealing all the limelight, Stanford tried to discredit him. In the book Horse in Motion: as Shown by Instantaneous Photography, written by Stanfords friend and horseman J. D. B. Stillman, Muybridge was mentioned merely as a Stanford employee in a technical appendix. Subsequently, the Britain's Royal Society of Arts, which earlier had offered to finance further photographic studies by Muybridge of animal movement, withdrew the funding. Muybridge ended up suing Stanford, accusing him of wrecking his reputation. But the lawsuit was thrown out of court.

An improved setup Muybridge used to photograph galloping horses. This one employed 24 cameras.

A different galloping horse, Annie G., obtained with the above setup.

Muybridge began to look elsewhere for funding, and eventually found support from the University of Pennsylvania. Under the auspices of the university, Muybridge made tens of thousands of images of animals and humans in motionpeople walking up or down stairs, hammering on an anvil, carrying buckets of water, playing sports, and other everyday activities. The images were published in a massive portfolio, with 780 plates comprising 20,000 photographs, in a groundbreaking collection titled Animal Locomotion: an Electro-Photographic Investigation of Connective Phases of Animal Movements. Muybridge's work contributed substantially to developments in the science of biomechanics and the mechanics of athletics. Some of his books are still published today, and are used as references by artists, animators, and students of animal and human movement.
A tear runs down the cheek of Sheneen McClain as she is consoled by Omar Montgomery, president of the Aurora NAACP, outside the Adams County Colo., Justice Center, after a verdict was rendered in the killing of her son Elijah McClain, Friday, Dec. 22, 2023, in Brighton, Colo. Two paramedics were convicted in the 2019 killing of McClain, who they injected with an overdose of the sedative ketamine after police put him in a neck hold. David Zalubowski/AP Paramedics Jeremy Cooper, third from right, and Peter Cichuniec, back left, enter the Adams County, Colo., Justice Center, Friday, Dec. 22, 2023, in Brighton, Colo. The two paramedics were convicted Friday in the 2019 killing of Elijah McClain, who they injected with an overdose of the sedative ketamine after police put him in a neck hold. David Zalubowski/AP Sheneen McClain, center, is flanked by Omar Montgomery, left, president of the Aurora NAACP, and Midian Holmes outside the Adams County Colo., Justice Center after verdicts were rendered, Friday, Dec. 22, 2023, in Brighton, Colo. Two paramedics were convicted in the 2019 killing of McClain's son Elijah McClain, who they injected with an overdose of the sedative ketamine after police put him in a neck hold. David Zalubowski/AP Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser, left, speaks outside the Adams County Colo., Justice Center, after a verdict was rendered in the killing of Elijah McClain, Friday, Dec. 22, 2023, in Brighton, Colo. Two paramedics were convicted Friday in the 2019 killing of McClain, who they injected with an overdose of the sedative ketamine after police put him in a neck hold. David Zalubowski/AP FILE - A demonstrator carries an image of Elijah McClain during a rally and march, June 27, 2020, in Aurora, Colo. Two paramedics were convicted Friday, Dec. 22, 2023, in the 2019 killing of McClain, who they injected with an overdose of the sedative ketamine after police put him in a neck hold. David Zalubowski/AP Sheneen McClain, right, is consoled by Omar Montgomery, president of the Aurora NAACP, as Midian Holmes, a friend of McClain, speaks outside the Adams County Colo., Justice Center, after a verdict was rendered in the killing of her son Elijah McClain, Friday, Dec. 22, 2023, in Brighton, Colo. Two paramedics were convicted in the 2019 killing of McClain, who they injected with an overdose of the sedative ketamine after police put him in a neck hold. David Zalubowski/AP Sheneen McClain, right, is consoled by her friend, Midian Holmes, outside the Adams County Colo., Justice Center, after a verdict was rendered in the killing of her son Elijah McClain, Friday, Dec. 22, 2023, in Brighton, Colo. Two paramedics were convicted in the 2019 killing of McClain, who they injected with an overdose of the sedative ketamine after police put him in a neck hold. David Zalubowski/AP Paramedic Jeremy Cooper, left, enters the Adams County, Colo., Justice Center, Friday, Dec. 22, 2023, in Brighton, Colo. A Colorado prosecutor says the two paramedics failed to properly care for Elijah McClain when they overdosed the Black man with a sedative that he didnt need. McClain, a 23-year-old massage therapist, died after being stopped and forcibly restrained by police officers and then injected with ketamine in 2019 in the Denver suburb of Aurora. David Zalubowski/AP A tear runs down the cheek of Sheneen McClain outside the Adams County Colo., Justice Center, after a verdict was rendered in the killing of her son Elijah McClain, Friday, Dec. 22, 2023, in Brighton, Colo. Two paramedics were convicted in the 2019 killing of McClain, who they injected with an overdose of the sedative ketamine after police put him in a neck hold. David Zalubowski/AP FILE - Demonstrators carry a giant placard during a rally and march over the death of 23-year-old Elijah McClain outside the police department in Aurora, Colo., June 27, 2020. A Colorado prosecutor says two paramedics failed to properly care for McClain when they overdosed the Black man with a sedative that he didnt need. McClain died after being stopped and forcibly restrained by police officers and then injected with ketamine in 2019 in the Denver suburb of Aurora. David Zalubowski/AP

BRIGHTON, Colo. (AP)  Two Denver-area paramedics were convicted Friday for giving a fatal overdose of the sedative ketamine to Elijah McClain in 2019  a jury verdict that experts said could have a chilling effect on first responders around the country.

The case involving the 23-year-old Black mans death was the first among several recent criminal prosecutions against medical first responders to reach trial, potentially setting the bar for prosecutors for future cases.

It also was the last of three trials against police and paramedics charged in the death of McClain, whom officers stopped following a suspicious person complaint. He was injected with the sedative after being forcibly restrained. The case received little attention until protests over the 2020 killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis.

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An Aurora police officer was convicted of homicide and third degree assault earlier this year, while two other officers were acquitted.

The jury on Friday found Aurora Fire Rescue paramedics Jeremy Cooper and Peter Cichuniec guilty of criminally negligent homicide following a weekslong trial in state district court. They could face years in prison at sentencing.

The jury also found Cichuniec guilty on one of two second-degree assault charges, which brings the possibility of an enhanced prison sentence and required that he be taken into immediate custody. Cooper was found not guilty on the assault charges and was not taken into custody.

McClain's mother, Sheneen, raised her fist in the air following the verdict. We did it! We did it! We did it! she said as she walked away from the courthouse.

Cichuniecs wife had her head bowed as deputies handcuffed him. Cooper's wife sobbed alongside her.

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Neither the paramedics nor their attorneys spoke outside court. They did not immediately respond to emails and telephone messages from The Associated Press seeking comment.

The outcome could set a precedent for how emergency personnel respond to situations with people in police custody, said University of Miami criminologist Alex Piquero.

Imagine if you're a paramedic, Piquero said. They could be hesitant. They could say, 'I'm not going to do anything' or 'I'm going to do less. I don't want to be found guilty.'"

The International Association of Fire Fighters said in a statement that in pursuing the charges, Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser had criminalized split-second medical decisions and set a dangerous, chilling precedent for pre-hospital care.

Weiser, who convened the grand jury that indicted the first responders, said he was satisfied with the verdict.

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"We remain confident that bringing these cases forward was the right thing to do for justice for Elijah McClain and for healing in the Aurora community, he said outside court.

The city of Aurora said Friday night that the two paramedics were fired following their convictions.

The verdict was announced after two days of deliberations. When jurors told the judge Friday afternoon they were stuck on one of the charges, the judge told them to keep trying to reach a verdict.

Police stopped McClain while he was walking home from a convenience store on Aug. 24, 2019, following a suspicious person complaint. After an officer said McClain reached for an officers gun  a claim disputed by prosecutors  another officer put him in a neck hold that rendered him temporarily unconscious. Officers also pinned down McClain before Cooper injected him with an overdose of ketamine. Cichuniec was the senior officer and said it was his decision to use ketamine.

Prosecutors said the paramedics did not conduct basic medical checks of McClain, such as taking his pulse, before giving him the ketamine. The dose was too much for someone of his size  140 pounds (64 kilograms), experts testified. Prosecutors say they also did not monitor McClain immediately after giving him the sedative but instead left him lying on the ground, making it harder to breathe.

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McClains pleading words captured on police body camera video, Im an introvert and Im different, struck a chord with protesters and people around the country.

In a statement released prior to the verdict, McClain's mother said that everyone present during the police stop of her son displayed a lack of humanity.

They can not blame their job training for their indifference to evil or their participation in an evil action, McClain wrote. That is completely on them. May all of their souls rot in hell when their time comes.

Defense attorneys argued that the paramedics followed their training in giving ketamine to McClain after diagnosing him with  excited delirium, a disputed condition some say is unscientific and has been used to justify excessive force.

The verdicts came after a jury in Washington state cleared three police officers of all criminal charges on Thursday in the 2020 death of Manuel Ellis, a Black man who was shocked, beaten and restrained face-down on a Tacoma sidewalk as he pleaded for breath.

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In the Colorado case, the prosecution said Cooper lied to investigators to try to cover up his actions, telling detectives that McClain was actively resisting when he decided to inject McClain with ketamine, even though the body camera showed McClain lying on the ground unconscious. It also disputed Coopers claim that McClain tried to get away from police holding him down  and that he took McClains pulse as he bent down to give him the shot of ketamine, which others testified they did not see.

Hes trying to cover up the recklessness of his conduct, Senior Assistant Attorney General Jason Slothouber told jurors in closing statements.

Cichuniec, who testified along with Cooper this week, said paramedics were trained that they had to work quickly to treat excited delirium with ketamine and said they were told numerous times that it was a safe, effective drug and were not warned about the possibility of it killing anyone.

Colorado now tells paramedics not to give ketamine to people suspected of having the controversial condition, which has symptoms including increased strength and has been associated with racial bias against Black men.

When the police stopped McClain, a massage therapist, he was listening to music and wearing a mask that covered most of his face because he had a blood circulation disorder. The police stop quickly became physical after McClain, seemingly caught off guard, asked to be left alone. He had not been accused of committing any crime.

The case's prominence means the specter of criminal charges and accompanying lawsuits over emergency care will be a concern for paramedics going forward, said Arizona State University law professor James G. Hodge, Jr.

It could prompt them to better document what police tell them about people needing treatment and to ask doctors to sign off before paramedics use life-saving but potentially harmful treatments on patients, he said.

The national coverage of the cases against these paramedics unquestionably influences practices in real-time, Hodge said.

___
Bring Me The Horizon have announced they are parting ways with keyboardist Jordan Fish weeks before they embark on an international tour.

The British rock band  consisting of guitarist Lee Malia, singer Oliver Sykes, drummer Mat Nicholls, bassist Matt Kean and formerly Fish  are due to set off on a UK tour in January before heading to Australia, the US and Europe.

In a statement posted on social media, the group said: Bring Me The Horizon has decided to part ways with Jordan Fish.

We want to thank him for the musical journey he took with us and wish him luck with everything in the future.

Bring Me The Horizon has decided to part ways with Jordan Fish. We want to thank him for the musical journey he took with us and wish him luck with everything in the future. Meanwhile we continue to work on Nex Gen, with brand new music coming very soon. See you on our UK tour  Bring Me The Horizon (@bmthofficial) December 22, 2023

Meanwhile we continue to work on Nex Gen, with brand new music coming very soon. See you on our UK tour in January.

Fish wished the band every success in the future in his own post.

He wrote on X, formerly Twitter: Im really grateful for my 11 years with the band and extremely proud of all that we have achieved together.

I look forward to hearing what they do next and wish them every success in the future.

Im excited to start this next chapter in my career.

After opening in Cardiff on January 9, the rock band will travel to cities across the UK including Birmingham, Manchester, Glasgow, Newcastle and Sheffield.

Oliver Sykes, Lee Malia, Matt Kean, Matt Nicholls and Jordan Fish of Bring Me The Horizon arriving at the Brit Awards 2020 (Ian West/PA)

They will also play two dates in Londons O2 Arena before heading to Dublins 3 Arena for one show.

The group will then perform at key Australian cities in April, a show in Las Vegas and across Europe including Germany, Italy, France and Spain.

Originated in Sheffield, the band released their first album, Count Your Blessings, in 2006.

They have since released a further five albums, with their latest offering in 2019, Amo, going to number one in the UK and receiving a Grammy nomination for best rock album.

The also garnered a Grammy nod in 2019 for best rock song for their hit Mantra and were also nominated for best group at the Brit Awards in 2020.
Parliament would be lessened if it did not open each day with Christian prayers, the chaplain to the Speaker of the House of Commons has said.

The Venerable Tricia Hillas starts daily Commons sessions with a set of Christian prayers.

The senior Church of England clergywoman and Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle kneel together as she leads MPs in three prayers, including a specific prayer for Parliament that asks for political leaders to never lead the nation wrongly through love of power, desire to please, or unworthy ideals.

The public and journalists are not permitted into the chamber while the prayers are in progress.

Opponents have argued against the tradition, which is thought to have roots stretching back almost 500 years, with the likes of the National Secular Society and Humanists UK calling for it to be ditched or replaced with a time for reflection.

But Mrs Hillas said MPs have told her how much they appreciate the day starting with a prayerful moment.

Asked during an interview with PA news agency whether she thought Parliament would lose anything if the traditional start was abolished, she said: I think we would  and people tell me that we would.

The thing that people talk about most is, when there is so much demand on people and there is very little time for pause, that in itself, no matter actually what faith someone is  people of a range of faiths have argued for this  that actually having that moment is really significant, before the hustle and bustle.

And actually, as I come out (of the chamber), often people will say Thank you for that or Thank you for that piece of scripture, which is quite remarkable.

Sessions in both houses of parliament currently open with Christian prayers. This is an exclusionary and divisive practice. We've urged the speaker of the Commons, Lindsay Hoyle, to support a review of it https://t.co/82XUFXUPq4  National Secular Society (@NatSecSoc) January 2, 2020

MPs have been known to attend prayers as it allows them to reserve a decent seat on the green benches for the rest of the day by laying a prayer card down.

But Mrs Hillas said that is not the only reason why elected representatives arrive before the regular proceedings kick-off.

Through the week, sometimes there is plenty of space in the chamber, so they are not just there to mark their card, she said.

But Im not unaware that on a Wednesday, it is a good way to not only hope you might get a ticket for the pearly gates, but you might get in for PMQs (Prime Ministers Questions)  Im not naive.

The daily ceremony has a three-prayer structure but the chaplain  who took up the post in 2020, replacing the Right Reverend Rose Hudson-Wilkin after she became Bishop of Dover  will adapt the readings for certain occasions or sombre moments.

She led specially written prayers in the Commons after Sir David Amess MP was murdered in his Southend West constituency in October 2021.

But there is also the chance to make light of situations during the prayers, she said  including the Palace of Westminsters physical deterioration.

On July 11 last year, the Commons sitting was delayed for an hour due to water pouring through the chamber ceiling.

The House of Commons proceedings were delayed in July 2022 due to water coming through the ceiling (UK Parliament/Jessica Taylor)

Mrs Hillas said: I just thought, Oh, this is really quite funny.

So I chose a psalm which began with The waters have risen, O Lord.

Because people werent expecting me to make a joke, they were just listening very politely before going Oh, hang on!.

It was a lovely way of going, actually this has been a bit of a difficult start for everybodys morning, so lets (pray) but do it in a way that lifts the spirit a bit.

Mrs Hillas, the 80th chaplain to the Commons Speaker, was born in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, to an Indian mother and a British father, and moved with her family to the UK in 1971 when she was a child.

She worked as a youth and social worker before being ordained in 2002.

A former canon pastor at St Pauls Cathedral in London, the married clergywoman, in addition to her role in Parliament, is a canon and archdeacon of Westminster.

As Speakers chaplain, as well as leading the Commons prayers, she conducts religious services  including weddings and baptisms  in the Chapel of St Mary Undercroft, situated under Parliaments medieval Westminster Hall, and provides pastoral care to staff on the estate.

Part of that involves being a listening ear for MPs facing tough decisions, including ahead of the vote last month on whether to back a motion calling for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war.

Mrs Hillas said Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle has prioritised reforming Parliaments culture (Hannah McKay/PA)

Mrs Hillas said politicians might seek her out in the chapel or look to have a conversation over a cup of coffee on such high profile matters.

It is not so much that people will say, Im struggling, how should I vote?. That is not what I talk with them about, she continues.

It is more about (saying), how will you be resourced? How are you going to hold this complex demand? That is more the sort of engagement I would have.

Parliament has been dealing with its own struggle in recent years to reform its culture following the so-called Pestminster scandal, in which allegations of inappropriate sexual behaviour have been made against MPs or other senior figures.

There is an open door policy for anyone impacted by those alleged incidents, Mrs Hillas said.

Those conversations are confidential and, if she has concerns, will signpost people to formal support they can access.

She said she recognises that Parliament faces a challenge to ensure there is a safe work culture.

I think like any organisation, Parliament is working really hard on it. I know that Mr Speaker has made that a significant priority, the chaplain said.

Ive observed that consistently from the time I arrived. I think the determination is very strong. It is a challenge, as it is in many organisations.
It was an eventful year in British politics, from Lord David Camerons return to cabinet to the Prime Minister facing a backlash over migration policies and not wearing a seatbelt while filming a video.

Here is a look at some of the lighter political moments from the year.

 Count Binface runs in by-election

Following Boris Johnsons resignation as MP for Uxbridge and South Ruislip in June, one masked challenger stepped up to the plate in the form of Count Binface, a satirical political candidate created by comedian Jonathan David Harvey.

Wearing a large silver bin as a helmet covering his face and clothed in silver attire, the candidate told the PA news agency it was time to take out the trash on politicians who have made a mockery of politics.

Count Binface celebrates on stage as the results are read in the Uxbridge and South Ruislip by-election (Jordan Pettitt/PA)

Taking aim at the former prime ministers resignation honours list, Binface said ahead of the vote: If I am elected to Parliament, I will seek a private members bill to repeal every single one of Bojos appointments, and for the icing on the cake I will also abolish the Lords.

He won 190 votes (0.61%) in the July by-election  beating the 101 votes accrued by Piers Corbyn, former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyns brother  and lost out to Steve Tuckwell MP of the Conservative Party.

The independent candidate also stood for mayor of London in 2021, when he pledged to rename London Bridge as Phoebe Waller Bridge and earned 24,775 first choice votes.

 Rishi Sunak pours pint at beer festival

Mr Sunak faced mockery when a manipulated image of the prime minister went viral after he was photographed pouring a pint at the Great British Beer Festival in west Londons Olympia in August.

A doctored image was viewed more than 600,000 times after it was shared by Labour MP Karl Turner showing Mr Sunak holding a pint with a thick, white head  as a bartender looked on disapprovingly.

The original image of Mr Sunak pouring a pint at the festival showed him looking quite pleased with his pour (Daniel Leal/PA)

Mr Turner mocked the PM by captioning the post: Thats nowt like the pints they pull in our local boozer.

The MP later apologised for posting what (turned) out to be a fake image, while Science Secretary Michelle Donelan accused Labour of misleading the public over the fake mis-poured pint.

Mr Sunak was heckled during the beer festival, where he was seeking to promote a shake-up of the alcohol duty regime that will increase tax on a range of drinks.

Prime Minister, oh the irony that youre raising alcohol duty on the day that youre pulling a pint, publican Rudi Keyser yelled.

 Ministers cockapoo wins Westminster Dog of the Year

The cockapoo of work and pensions minister Mims Davies clinched the title of Westminster Dog of the Year in September, with TJ, 10, proving that age is no barrier to excellence.

The competition has been running since 1992 and this years theme was responsible ownership, which saw MPs canvassing for votes from the public before presenting their dogs heroic deeds and acts of devotion to a panel of judges.

Mims Davies competes with TJ (Michael Leckie/PA)

After receiving the award, Ms Davies told PA TJ comes to the constituency regularly and she would be taking him to ministerial meetings.

Asked how she and TJ will celebrate, she said: I am taking him to ministerial meetings. But he has got a sofa I never get the chance to sit on and he is going to be allowed to do that.

 Rishi Sunaks failed TikTok transition becomes a meme

The Prime Minister went viral on TikTok in October after a failed attempt at a transition was made into a meme.

Mr Sunak started the TikTok video by saying if you live in or around Blyth, youre going to want to hear this, before covering the camera with his hand and then reappearing in exactly the same position.

The PMs lack of understanding of the classic TikTok transition, in which the filmer covers the camera and then reappears in a different location or set-up, was widely mocked online.

Some TikTok users derided the footage in TikTok captions, others transitioned the video to themselves making a funny comment or pretending Mr Sunak had slapped them, while one user even remixed Mr Sunaks slap of the camera into a cover of New Orders 1983 synth-pop classic Blue Monday.

 Suella Bravermen steps on dogs tail

It was an eventful year for Suella Braverman, who was dismissed as home secretary in a cabinet reshuffle in November  but one of her slightly less serious moments occurred at the Conservative Party Conference in October.

Suella Braverman delivers her keynote speech to the Conservative Party annual conference in Manchester (Stefan Rousseau/PA)

Mrs Braverman was photographed by journalist Alexander Brown seemingly stepping on dog Incas tail while speaking to members of Guide Dogs UK at their stand at the party conference in Manchester.

After being shown the images, she joked: I was unaware until a few minutes ago  I dont think any dogs were harmed in the filming of my visit but let me just issue for the record an apology to all dogs out there.

Rishi Sunak using a hammer

The prime minister went viral on social media once again after a video circulated widely showing Mr Sunak using the side surface of a hammer end during a visit to a jewellery studio in November.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak next to Emma White, hammers a piece of jewellery during a meeting with small business owners (Molly Darlington/PA Wire)

Many believed the prime minister was using the tool incorrectly, with the clip shared to the Instagram @ukfactcheckpolitics with the caption: Rishi Sunak doesnt know how to use a hammer.

However, Mr Sunak was absolved of his perceived inability to use the tool as a longer version of the clip showed Mr Sunak had been told by an instructor to use the hammer sideways.

 Nigel Farage in the Jungle

Presenter for GB News and former politician Nigel Farage headed into the Australian jungle in November for the latest season of Im A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here!, which saw him drink blended pigs noses, blended crocodile feet, and fermented duck egg.

Nigel Farage joined Im A Celeb in December (ITV)

During his December stint in the Jungle, Mr Farage argued with Sam Thompson over burning rice, said his final thoughts were about women during a plane crash in 2010, and clashed with fellow contestants over his political views.

For his final bushtucker trial, Mr Farage kept a cool head while he was locked in the panic pit, an underground metal box filled with snakes.
FILE PHOTO: Yekaterina Duntsova, former journalist who plans to run for Russian president in 2024, visits election commission office in Moscow

Former TV journalist Yekaterina Duntsova was disqualified on Saturday as a candidate for Russia's next presidential election, preventing her from running against Vladimir Putin on a platform of opposition to the war in Ukraine.

Members of the central electoral commission voted unanimously to reject her candidacy, citing "numerous violations" in the papers she had submitted in support of her bid.

Putin's critics said the decision showed that no one with genuine opposition views would be allowed to stand against him next March in the first presidential election since the start of the 22-month war. They see it as a fake process with only one possible outcome.

The Kremlin says Putin will win because he enjoys genuine support across society, with opinion poll ratings of around 80%.

Duntsova, 40, said on Telegram she would challenge the decision in the Supreme Court, calling it unjustified and undemocratic.

"With this political decision, we are deprived of the opportunity to have our own representative and express views that differ from the official aggressive discourse," she said.

In a separate development, Russian news outlets said Boris Nadezhdin, an opposition politician who has been critical of Putin and the war, was put forward as a candidate on Saturday by the centre-right Civic Initiative party. They said he planned to register with the electoral commission on Dec. 25.

Anti-war challenger Duntsova blocked from running against Russia's Putin

The head of the electoral commission, Ella Pamfilova, offered words of consolation to Duntsova after her rejection.

"You are a young woman, you have everything ahead of you. Any minus can always be turned into a plus. Any experience is still an experience," Pamfilova said.

Screenshots posted by a telegram channel representing Duntsova showed documents with signatures that it said the commission had highlighted as inadmissible.

Duntsova appealed to veteran liberal politician Grigory Yavlinsky to let her run as a representative of his Yabloko party rather than as an independent candidate, which would allow her to submit a new application.

But Yavlinsky said in an interview on a YouTube channel that Yabloko was not planning to field a candidate and would not back Duntsova "because we don't know her".

When Duntsova said last month that she wanted to stand, commentators had variously described her as crazy, brave, or part of a Kremlin-scripted plan to create the appearance of competition.

"Any sane person taking this step would be afraid - but fear must not win," she told Reuters in an interview in November in which she called for the release of political prisoners and said Russians were "very tired" of the conflict in Ukraine.

BELARUS SCENARIO

Abbas Gallyamov, a former Kremlin speechwriter now labelled by the authorities as a "foreign agent", said Putin had not wanted to risk the same scenario as Alexander Lukashenko.

The Belarusian leader clung to power in 2020 only with the help of what the opposition and Western governments said was large-scale ballot rigging to enable him to claim victory over opposition candidate Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya.

"The Tsikhanouskaya effect is absolutely possible, and in the Kremlin they understand that," Gallyamov wrote on Telegram.

Anastasia Burakova, a lawyer and rights activist also newly designated as a foreign agent, said the disqualification showed the authorities were determined that "not a single competitor who could cast a shadow on support for Putin and the war should be in the public field."

With Putin, 71, in full control of the levers of power, supporters and opponents alike say he will cruise to a new six-year term which, if he completes it, would make him Russia's longest serving ruler since the 18th century - outlasting all Soviet rulers including Josef Stalin.

His best-known opponent, Alexei Navalny, is serving prison sentences totalling more than 30 years and his supporters say they do not even know where he is, after they were told he had been moved from his previous penal colony earlier this month. Lawyers last had access to him on Dec. 6.

One of the nominal opposition parties in parliament, the A Just Russia - For Truth party, said on Saturday it would support Putin at the election, state news agency RIA reported.

Meanwhile the Communist Party, which has finished a distant second to Putin at every election since 2000, named 75-year-old Nikolai Kharitonov as its candidate.

Kharitonov stood previously in 2004 and won 14% of the vote to Putin's 71%. TASS news agency quoted him as saying he would not find fault with the Kremlin leader.

"He is responsible for his own cycle of work, why would I criticise him?" Kharitonov said.
Superior Court Judge Michael Begert files for reelection at the Department of Elections in San Francisco on Dec. 6. Judges only appear on the ballot in a nonpartisan election if an opponent decides to run against them. Santiago Mejia/The Chronicle

The hottest local races in San Francisco next year may not be for political seats, but judicial ones. Incumbent San Francisco Superior Court Judges Patrick Thompson and Michael Begert each face an opponent in the March primary: Assistant District Attorney Jean Myungjin Roland and corporate lawyer Albert Chip Zecher, respectively. Powerful and vocal interest groups have lined up behind the challengers, and sparks flew between the candidates at a recent forum.

Superior Court judges dont always appear on the ballot. Open seats on the court are appointed by the governor, not selected by voters. So why do Thompson and Begert face challengers this year?

State law dictates that Superior Court judges must run to retain their seats every six years. But they only appear on the ballot in a nonpartisan election if an opponent decides to run against them.

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This differs from California Supreme Court and Court of Appeal justices, who face mandatory yes or no retention elections every six years on whether to keep their jobs. If no prevails, voters dont get to select a replacement. Instead, the governor gets to pick who fills the seat. The last time that happened was 1986 when three Supreme Court justices didnt win retention after conservatives fought for more death penalty rulings.

Superior Court challenges are also somewhat rare. And they dont have an especially great track record of elevating the best candidates.

In 2008, Los Angeles County voters came close to electing a white supremacist named William Johnson who had written about his desire to strip nonwhite Americans of their voting rights. Los Angeles voters later threw out a qualified judge and replaced him with a bagel shop owner who hadnt practiced law in years.

The last time San Francisco ousted a sitting judge was in 2008, when voters elevated Supervisor Gerardo Sandoval to the bench despite him being rated unqualified by the Bar Association of San Francisco.

And the problems with judicial elections go beyond the danger of bad candidates appearing on the ballot.

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While judicial races may look the same on the ballot as any other race, there are fundamental differences between elections for politicians and those for judges. Politicians can highlight their visions and tout where theyll make changes and why. Judges cannot. Due to the states judicial canons, judges are prohibited from engaging in politics or from saying how theyd rule in a case, out of concerns that would lead to prejudice. This makes it extremely difficult for voters to vet the attitudes and qualifications of candidates.

Judicial candidates who seek an appointment from the governor, meanwhile, are exhaustively vetted.

When a lawyer is nominated for judge in California, their applications land in the hands of the Judicial Nominees Evaluation Committee. As part of their application, candidates must submit a list of 50 people theyve worked with, from lower-level staffers to partners in a firm to legal opponents theyve fought in court. The committee uses that list as a starting point; in all, hundreds of people are interviewed about a persons character, health, temperament and experience. The process takes months.

The governors office also sends a copy of any San Francisco-based application to the San Francisco Bar Association. Over approximately three months, an array of volunteer lawyers run a vetting process of their own. Calls are made to determine a candidates reputation in the community and aptitude for law. After an interview and debriefing, the association sends the governor its report  or, in an election year, posts it online  rating candidates anywhere from not qualified to extremely qualified.

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So, if such a deeply thorough vetting process already exists, why do voters, every few years, have the power to override it? And should we?

In 1996, an influential Harvard Law Review article argued that judicial elections violate due process because judges may decide cases based not on their merits but on the size of one sides campaign contribution. As such, the author wrote, they make fair and impartial adjudication difficult, if not impossible to achieve.

The papers author? State Sen. Scott Wiener, back when he was a law student.

Wieners fears werent theoretical. When San Francisco County Superior Court Judge Curtis Karnow was challenged for his seat in 2019 by a progressive public defender, the judge said he spent all of (his) time dialing for dollars, from donors who wanted to know what we would do for them.

Of course, unlike politicians, judges are exclusively bound to interpret the law, not scratch backs.

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Almost everything I do is dictated by law, Karnow recently told the editorial board. There are areas of discretion.  But youre going to find people on courts that are from the right wing, the middle, on the left, who were appointed by Republican governors or Democratic governors, all of whom will come to exactly the same answer on any given question. Ninety-nine percent of what we do is like that.

Retired appellate court Justice Anthony Kline told the editorial board that pressuring an incumbent judge to try to appease interest groups is antithetical to the concept of an anti-majoritarian branch of government.

So, if competitive judicial elections are inherently flawed, perhaps to the point of being unconstitutional, why do we still have them?

Because there are no easy fixes.

In 2000, state legislators tried to shift Superior Courts to a retention system, in which judges can removed by vote, but the governor would choose their replacement. That effort failed. Why? If all judges appeared on a yes/no retention ballot every time their term was ending, Los Angeles County  which has the largest superior court in the country  would have upward of 150 judicial races in a single election, making the ballot an untenable mess.

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Of course, if judicial challenges like were seeing in San Francisco become more widespread, a long ballot could become the reality regardless.

California already imposes a robust set of checks and balances on judges beyond elections. Questionable rulings can be appealed to higher courts. The states Commission on Judicial Performance investigates any allegations of judicial misconduct, and anyone  even an observer of a trial  can submit a complaint. Potential discipline ranges from private admonishment to being fired.

Judges also cant choose their own assignments; a presiding judge determines if someone is put in charge of a traffic court or family court, for example. If a judge is viewed as inept or incapable of managing one type of courtroom, the presiding judge can reassign them.

Californias civil code for procedures gives participants in a trial an escape hatch. For instance, by using a Section 170.6 challenge, a district attorney can exercise their right to change to another judge if they believe the one they were assigned holds a prejudice.

Then, of course, there is recall. Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge Aaron Persky was removed by voters in 2018 after sentencing Stanford student Brock Turner to just six months in jail after he sexually assaulted an unconscious woman. The state Commission on Judicial Performance found no evidence of bias in that ruling, but the public wanted him out. It was the first recall in the state in more than 80 years.
Traditions such a pantomime, carol-singing and Christmas wreath making could be included in a new register of cultural heritage in the UK.

The Government has said it intends to ratify the 2003 Unesco Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Culture minister Lord Parkinson said the Government hopes to celebrate treasured traditions from every corner of the UK and support the people who practise them.

Under the new proposals, Hogmanay, Burns Night, Shrove Tuesday, and the Welsh tradition of holding Eisteddfodau, where all cultural activities including singing and spoken word are conducted in the Welsh language, could be recognised under the new proposals.

Welsh tradition of holding Eisteddfodau, where singing and spoken word are conducted in the Welsh language, could be recognised under the new proposals (Barry Batchelor/PA Images)

Artisanal crafts such as basket-weaving, thatching and the arts of creating tartan and tweed, as well as the practitioners of these traditions, are also to be considered.

The register could also include traditions brought to the UK by immigrant communities, such as Notting Hill Carnival and steel-drumming.

These practices are often also referred to as intangible cultural heritage or living heritage and are inherited from our ancestors and passed on to our descendants.

The 2003 Unesco Convention will seek to protect intangible cultural heritage or living heritage inherited from our ancestors, which are recognised as being key part of national life.

A public consultation on the Governments proposed approach to implementing the Convention across the UK launched today.

Fireworks over Edinburgh Castle during street party for Hogmanay New Year celebrations (Andrew Milligan/PA Images)

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay said: The UK is rich in traditions which are passed down from generation to generation.

These crafts, customs, and celebrations have helped to shape our communities and bring people together, who continue to shape them in turn.

By ratifying this Convention, we will be able to celebrate treasured traditions from every corner of the UK, support the people who practise them, and ensure they are passed down for future generations to enjoy.

Scotland Office minister John Lamont said: Hogmanay, Burns Night and ceilidh dancing are Scottish traditions celebrated across the world and now we will be able to give them recognition alongside those from around the UK as part of this international convention.

I encourage communities across the country to nominate their local traditions that will be ratified and help to preserve them for generations to come.

Welsh Secretary David TC Davies said: We have a huge number of wonderful traditions and customs in Wales that help make our nation unique and distinct, and its great that many of these will now be formally recorded and recognised.

Its important to preserve and protect living heritage, as well as physical landmarks and heritage sites, to pass onto future generations and maintain our special Welsh culture.

Northern Ireland Office minister Steve Baker said: Northern Ireland has a rich culture, and I welcome this initiative to enable communities to nominate what matters to them for recognition.

This is a great opportunity to ensure the UKs cultural heritage is preserved for the benefit of future generations.
FILE PHOTO: Christmas tree is seen in front of an Orthodox cathedral during a service on the eve of Christmas in Kyiv

Ukrainians are gearing up to celebrate their first Christmas according to a new calendar, another step towards erasing all traces of Russian influence as their military fends off a Kremlin invasion.

Most Ukrainians are Orthodox Christians and the country's main church agreed this year to move away from the traditional Julian calendar, which is used in Russia and celebrates the holiday on Jan. 7.

Moscow's February 2022 attack rallied the nation in defence and sparked many Ukrainians to reject the Russian language and culture, among other historical ties to Kyiv's former ruler.

"Everything that was related to Russia, and everything that Russia did the same way we did, provoked disgust among people," said Mykhailo Omelian, an Orthodox priest in Kyiv.

Ukraine has also signalled its interest in joining the European Union, and many here see membership as a crucial affirmation of what they believe is their country's historical place in Europe.

"It turns out that Ukrainians used to celebrate Christmas on December 25, just like the rest of Europeans," said Tetiana, a 25-year-old believer who said she would celebrate on Dec. 25 for the first time.

Standing outside Kyiv's golden-domed St. Michael's Monastery, she added that it would feel "a little unusual" but was "the right thing to do".

Near the front line of Russia's invasion, which is nearing its two-year mark and shows no signs of abating, soldiers were also preparing to make the switch to Dec. 25.

"Just like it was before Jan. 7 was imposed upon us," said Bohdan, a service member stationed in eastern Ukraine.

On a recent Sunday morning, Ukrainian troops crammed into a small makeshift church for a liturgy, singing hymns as incense wafted in the air.

In another front-line church, Mykolai, a chaplain from Ukraine's 95th Air Assault Brigade, said he expected troops to be in higher spirits as they celebrated.

"We basically understand that the enemy is godless, so this is just another day of war," he said.

Ukrainian authorities have also stepped up a campaign to rename streets and settlements, as well as remove statues and monuments tied to the tsarist and Soviet past.
Teenager Alex Batty has said the worst thing about the six years he was missing abroad was not having a proper education, according to reports.

Speaking to The Sun newspaper, the 17-year-old said he must have read the Harry Potter books at least 20 times and his main pastime was reading as he could rarely access wifi.

Alexs grandmother told the newspaper that his mother and grandfather completely and utterly betrayed me and left me heartbroken.

Greater Manchester Police (GMP) confirmed on Friday that a criminal investigation has been launched into Alexs alleged abduction.

Alex Batty was missing for six years (Greater Manchester Police/PA)

The teenager went missing aged 11 in 2017 after his mother, who was not his legal guardian, took him on a pre-arranged trip to Spain with his grandfather.

Alex landed in the UK on Saturday having been found by chiropody student Fabien Accidini near the French city of Toulouse last week after walking across the Pyrenees.

Officers in the UK interviewed Alex after his return from France, GMP said.

Speaking about his time abroad, the teenager told The Sun newspaper: I had a Harry Potter box set. Im obsessed with it and must have read each of the books at least 20 times.

I carried it everywhere even though it was massive and took up so much space.

Theyre amazing books. My main pastime was reading because most of the places we were we couldnt get wifi. I tried to get as many as I could but it was bloody difficult.

He added: During all my time away I never attended school for a single day.

The only qualifications I have are my Sats test results from primary school when I lived back in Oldham.

Thats one of the worst things thats happened to me throughout all this  not having a proper education.

Alexs grandmother Susan Caruana, 68, told the Sun she overheard the teenagers mother say they were getting rid of their phones.

She said: They completely and utterly betrayed me and left me heartbroken.

I knew as soon as I heard her say, Were getting rid of the phones now. I thought Ill never see him again.

She added: During the whole six years I never knew if if they were alive or dead.

Every time there was some sort of disaster I feared that he could be a victim.

After being looked after by the French authorities, Alex met his step-grandfather at Toulouse airport on Saturday before boarding a flight to the UK, GMP said.

It is thought Alex has been living with his mother and grandfather, who took him to Spain in September 2017, across Spain, Morocco and France.

Last week, French prosecutors said the teenagers mother, Melanie Batty, who does not have legal parental guardianship, may be in Finland.
Andrew Tate has had his emergency request to visit his mother in hospital in the UK rejected by a Romanian court.

The social media influencer said he had made the request to leave the country after his mother suffered a heart attack.

In a statement given to the Associated Press, Tates spokesperson said the ruling has left us disheartened.

The kickboxer, 37, and his brother, Tristan, 35, who are both dual UK-US nationals, were ordered not to leave Romania after being charged with rape, human trafficking and forming a criminal gang.

The duo have denied all allegations of abuse and trafficking, with a trial due to take place.

In a post on X after the ruling, Tate, who has amassed 8.5 million followers on the platform, said: Rejected. The Romanian state decided she must be alone at Christmas, if she is alive.

In a follow-up post, he said: Theres no innocent until proven guilty in Romania.

After spending time in police detention and then being put under house arrest while awaiting his trial, a Bucharest court later eased geographical restrictions on the Tate brothers, allowing them to travel anywhere in Romania.

In June, Romanian prosecutors said the brothers, along with two Romanian nationals, formed an organised crime group in early 2021 to commit human trafficking in Romania, the UK, the US and other countries.

Alleged victims were taken to buildings in Ilfov county in Romania where they were intimidated, placed under constant surveillance and control and forced into debt, a statement said.

It is alleged the defendants forced them to take part in pornography which was later shared on social media.

Andrew Tate has repeatedly claimed that prosecutors in Romania have no evidence against him and there is a political conspiracy designed to silence him.

He was previously banned from various prominent social media platforms for expressing misogynistic views and hate speech.
President Joe Biden on Friday signed the $886.3 billion National Defense Authorization Act into law, according to a statement released by the White House.

The defense policy bill provides the largest raise for service members in more than two decades, temporarily extends a controversial surveillance program and strengthens the US posture in the Indo-Pacific region to deter Chinese actions.

It was passed by both the House and Senate and is nearly 3,100 pages long.

While I am pleased to support the critical objectives of the NDAA, I note that certain provisions of the Act raise concerns, Biden said in a statement released by the White House on Friday.

Biden repeated previous concerns about barring funds to transfer Guantanamo Bay detainees into the custody of certain foreign nations. Biden also repeated his concerns about certain provisions in the NDAA that could potentially reveal highly sensitive classified information to Congress.

Certain provisions of the Act  require the President and other officials to submit reports and plans to committees of the Congress that will, in the ordinary course, include highly sensitive classified information, including information that could reveal critical intelligence sources or military operational plans or could implicate executive branch confidentiality interests, Biden said.

The legislation outlines the policy agenda for the Department of Defense and the US military and authorizes spending in line with the Pentagons priorities. But it does not appropriate the funding itself.

The final version of the bill includes multiple measures aimed at ending wokeness in the military, according to a summary provided by the Republican-led House Armed Services Committee.

Funding for a separate $105 billion national security package that would provide more assistance to Israel and Ukraine continues to be a point of contention in Congress, with Senate Republicans insisting that more foreign aid be paired with major border security policy changes. While there have been talks to try to find consensus, no bipartisan deal has been reached.

The defense authorization bill would extend the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative through the end of 2026 and authorize $300 million for the program in the current fiscal year and the next one. The program provides funding for the federal government to pay industry to produce weapons and security assistance to send to Ukraine, rather than drawing directly from US stockpiles of weapons.

This story has been updated with additional reporting.

CNNs Tami Luhby contributed to this report.

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CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP)  Another vessel has been hijacked near the coast of Somalia, a British sea trade monitoring agency said Friday, raising more concerns that Somali pirates are active again, nearly a decade after they caused chaos for international shipping.

A dhow trading vessel was seized by heavily armed people near the town of Eyl off the coast of Somalia, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations said. It cited military authorities as the source of the information.

The agency did not offer any details on who the hijackers were but said an investigation is underway.

The European Union's Naval Force reported that a Maltese-flagged merchant vessel was hijacked in the nearby Arabian Sea last week and moved to the same area off Somalia's coast. The bulk carrier Ruen had 18 crew onboard when it was hijacked near the Yemeni island of Socotra, around 240 kilometers (150 miles) off Somalia.

One crew member was evacuated to an Indian navy ship for medical care, the EU Naval Force said. Suspicion has also fallen on Somali pirates for that hijacking, although the EU force said the hijackers and their demands were unknown.

There has been a recent surge in attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea by Iran-backed Houthi rebels from Yemen, disrupting a major global trade route. The Houthis targeted Israeli-linked vessels over the Israel-Hamas war initially, but then escalated their attacks, hitting ships without clear ties.

The Pentagon said last month that five armed assailants who hijacked a commercial ship near Yemen and were captured by U.S. forces were likely Somalis and that attack  initially blamed on Houthi rebels  was piracy-related.

Somalia's maritime police intensified its patrols following the announcement.

Attacks on vessels by Somali pirates peaked to more than 350 between 2010 and 2015, but had declined drastically since, largely due to patrols by U.S. and other allied naval forces.

___

AP Africa news: https://apnews.com/hub/africa
People gathered for Mass at St Vitus Cathedral in Prague to remember those killed

The Czech Republic observed a minute's silence at midday (11:00 GMT) to commemorate those killed in Thursday's mass shooting at a Prague university.

Flags on official buildings were flown at half-mast to mark a day of national mourning.

Fourteen people were shot dead at the Faculty of Arts building of Charles University in the capital by a student who then killed himself.

Police are working to uncover the motive behind the attack.

It is one of the deadliest assaults by a lone gunman in Europe this century.

Those killed in Thursday's attack included Lenka Hlavkova, head of the Institute of Musicology at the university.

Other victims were named as translator and Finnish literature expert Jan Dlask and student Lucie Spindlerova.

The shooting began at around 15:00 local time (14:00 GMT) at the Faculty of Arts building off Jan Palach Square in the centre of the Czech capital.

The gunman opened fire in the corridors and classrooms of the building, before shooting himself as security forces closed in on him, police say.

US tourist Hannah Mallicoat told the BBC that she and her family had been on Jan Palach Square during the attack.

"A crowd of people were crossing the street when the first shot hit. I thought it was something like a firecracker or a car backfire until I heard the second shot and people started running," she said.

"I saw a bullet hit the ground on the other side of the square about 30ft [9m] away before ducking into a store. The whole area was blocked off and dozens of police cars and ambulances were going towards the university."

In a statement, Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala said the country had been shocked by this "horrendous act".

"It is hard to find the words to express condemnation on the one hand and, on the other, the pain and sorrow that our entire society is feeling in these days before Christmas."

The gunman is thought to have killed his father at a separate location. He is also suspected in the killing of a young man and his two-month-old daughter who were found dead in a forest on the outskirts of Prague on 15 December.

The attack had one of the largest death tolls of any mass shooting by a lone gunman in Europe this century:

Norway, July 2011 Anders Behring Breivik killed 77 people by planting a car bomb that killed eight at an Oslo government building and then shooting dead 69 more, most of them teenagers, at an island summer camp run by the ruling Labour Party's youth wing

Germany, April 2002 Robert Steinhauser, 19, killed 16 people - 13 teachers, two pupils, and a policemen - at the Gutenberg Gymnasium secondary school in the city of Erfurt. He had been expelled from the school the previous autumn

Germany, March 2009 Tim Kretschmer, 17, killed 15 people in a shooting that began at his former school in the town of Winnenden, near Stuttgart. He shot dead nine students and three teachers at the school before going on to the nearby town of Wendlingen, where he shot another three passers-by.

Switzerland, September 2001 Friedrich Leibacher entered the regional parliament building in the city of Zug dressed in a police uniform and shot dead 14 people and injured another 10

Serbia, April 2013 Ljubisa Bogdanovic shot dead thirteen people, including a two-year-old boy, and injured his wife in a village outside Belgrade. Bogdanovic was a military veteran who had fought with Serb forces in the Croatian War of Independence in the early 1990s.

Founded in 1347, Charles University is the oldest and largest university in the Czech Republic and one of the oldest such institutions in Europe.
THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP)  The Dutch government announced Friday it is preparing to give 18 F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine, in a boost for the embattled nation that is growing increasingly anxious about aid from its Western allies.

The Dutch defense minister, Kajsa Ollongren, sent a letter to parliament outlining the plan to donate the sophisticated jets that was first unveiled in the summer.

Fridays decision is a significant step toward sending the planes into the skies over Ukraine, but did not say when they will be delivered.

The government said the move allows personnel and budget to be allocated to prepare the devices" to be sent to Ukraine.

With F-16s, Ukraine can better defend itself against Russian attacks, Ollongren said in a statement. She added that the planes are extremely important because the ongoing Russian aggression shows no sign of ending. That is why we are continuing unabated with our support for Ukraine.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited a military airbase in the southern Dutch city of Eindhoven in August to inspect two of the jets on the day that the Netherland and Denmark said they would donate planes to boost the Ukrainian war effort.

Last month, Romania inaugurated an international training hub for F-16 jet pilots from allied countries and other partners, including Ukraine. The training facility at an air base in southeast Romania will aim to increase interoperability between NATO allies, and better position the military alliance to face the complex challenges in Eastern Europe and the Black Sea region, Romanias defense ministry said.

Romania said at the time that the powerful U.S.-made warplanes would be supplied by the Dutch air force while the aircraft maker Lockheed Martin would provide instructors and maintenance at the training center.

The Dutch government said Friday it still has to decide whether to grant an export permit for the planes to prevent undesirable end use. The foreign ministry will make the assessment based on European Union weapon export rules.

Ukrainian pilots must have completed F-16 training before the jets can be delivered and infrastructure in Ukraine also must be prepared for the planes, the government added.

___

Follow APs coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
Rick Kern/WireImage

Winter may be cold, but Matthew McConaughey and Camila Alves have the perfect drink recipe to warm up any holiday party.

This winter, were reaching for a Hot Pants margarita. It [has] a hint of spice for you and your guests to enjoy during parties and while you dance your pants off into the new year, the couple exclusively shares in the latest issue of Us Weekly.

The key ingredient of the pairs deliciously perfect cocktail is their very own Pantalones Organic Tequila. Its a guaranteed good time! they add.

McConaughey, 54, and Alves, 40, launched their tequila brand earlier this year, telling Us they did so to celebrate having fun, doing good and not taking life too seriously. Not taking themselves too seriously is exactly what they did in the debut ad for the company in October as they rode motorcycles across an agave field while pantsless.

Dwayne Johnson Nick Jonas tequila brands

Its time to celebrate tequila! National Tequila Day (yes, its a real holiday) is on July 24, and tons of stars have invested their money into the spirit. Dwayne The Rock Johnson launched Termana Tequila in 2020, and within three years he sold over 2 million 9L cases of the booze. Ive always loved tequila []

When did tequila stop being tequila? McConaughey questions in the ad, to which Alves replies, Right? Wheres the fun? As the camera pans out, its revealed the duo are not only riding their bikes sans pants, but also that the motorcycles are actually being pulled on a dolly.

Pantalones organico, Alves states at the end of the video, before they both ask drinkers, Please, do not keep yours on.

According to the brands website, the couple named their tequila Pantalones after the Spanish word for pants, which can also mean guts in Spanish slang. Pantalones Tequila is all about having the guts to make that next move, to have fun and not take things too seriously. We all put our pants on one leg at a time, and just like pants, our Tequila is for everyone, the companys description states.

Matthew McConaughey and Camila Alves Relationship Timeline

Matthew McConaughey is known for playing a charmer on screen, but his wife, Camila Alves, was initially resistant to his moves. The duo first met in 2006 at a bar in Los Angeles where McConaughey was mixing up drinks for his friends. He invited Alves and his friends to join his table, and she did []

Pantalones Organic Tequila comes in three different flavors  Blanco, Reposado and Anejo  each of which has its own unique flavor profile.

McConaughey and Alves wed in 2012 and share three kids, Levi, 15, Vida, 13, and Livingston, 10. Though their kids are too young to enjoy their Pantalones Organic Tequila, they have inherited their parents passion for cooking.

My son Levi, daughter Vida, my mother Fatima and me [spent] our last day in Paris fashion week volunteering @refettorioparis we cooked, helped serve, helped clean, they create a first class dinner experience for people in need and homeless in Paris bringing their dignity to front line! Alves wrote alongside an Instagram video of herself and her kids lending their cooking skills at Refettorio Paris in France in March.

Keep scrolling to check out Matthew and Camilas full Hot Pants margarita recipe:

GUY AROCH/ANNA PALMA

Hot Pants

Serves 1

Ingredients

1 oz Pantalones Organic Blanco Tequila

 oz lime juice

2 oz pineapple juice

2 fresh jalapeno slices

 oz agave nectar

 pineapple wedge and sea salt, for garnish

Instructions

1. Combine the Pantalones Blanco Tequila, lime juice, pineapple juice, 1 to 2 jalapeno slices and agave nectar in a shaker. Shake vigorously like there are ants in your pants. Once your shoulder feels dislocated, slowly pour into a sea salt-rimmed glass, over ice. Dont forget to crown your cocktail with an exotic pink pineapple and a handpicked jalapeno pepper from Mexico.
Four siblings  9-year-old Daniela, 14-year-old Lilian, 23-year-old Fabian, and 25-year-old Daniel  died after their vehicle was hit head-on by a wrong-way driver on U.S. 10 in Waupaca County.

WAUPACA  A few minutes and one pickup truck driving the wrong way changed a family's lives forever, with ripple effects crossing continents.

Almost a week after the Gonzalez siblings  9-year-old Daniela, 14-year-old Lilian, 23-year-old Fabian, and 25-year-old Daniel  died as a result of a crash on U.S. 10, their family in Wisconsin and Ecuador are dealing with the aftermath of their deaths only days before Christmas.

During that time, they've had to reckon with both the justice system and the reality of family bonds crossing borders. But as they've done so, their community in Wisconsin has rallied around them.

Gonzalez siblings part of a large, close-knit family that's lived in Wisconsin for decades

According to a cousin, Luis Gonzalez-Quizhpe, the siblings' mother Paulina Gonzalez moved to Wisconsin from Ecuador because other members of her family, including Gonzalez-Quizhpe's father, had lived in the Waupaca-Weyauwega area since the '90s. She also was seeking more opportunities for her children in America. In 2017 she married Kurt Schilling, a pastor at Emmaus Lutheran Church in Waupaca.

Gonzalez-Quizhpe remembers growing up near the Gonzalez siblings, with "constant visits" to each others' homes. He and his siblings were close with the Gonzalez family, he said.

"They were all good kids," Gonzalez-Quizhpe said, "respectful, hardworking to a T ... loved by all who knew them."

Daniel regularly played music with his relatives and had been rehearsing for a New Year's Eve celebration the day before he died, he said. Fabian was outgoing and adventurous and enjoyed visiting relatives in Ecuador. Lilian loved taking care of animals and her younger cousins. And Daniela, nicknamed "Danielita," was a small girl with an outsized personality.

The two older brothers "always did everything together" and looked out for their younger sisters, Gonzalez-Quizhpe said.

"That's why they were all together that night."

Community supports the Gonzalez-Schilling family after tragedy through helping with funeral expenses

In the wake of the Saturday crash that took the siblings' lives, Gonzalez-Quizhpe said "having that community embrace us ... has been overwhelming."

A parishioner at Emmaus who set up a GoFundMe, Trisha Loehrke, said that Schilling had been her pastor since 2015 and the congregation was "fortunate" to have him there.

"Pastor and Paulina have gone out of their way to ensure every church member and community member are supported in their time of trouble," Loehrke said. She hoped the money would "help, even in a little way," with funeral and memorial expenses.

In addition to Loehrke's page, Gonzalez-Quizhpe also set up a GoFundMe to help the family pay for funeral expenses and the cost of burying the siblings in Ecuador. As of Friday, the two pages had raised a combined total of over $150,000.

The community has also shown their support in other ways, too. Two area businesses, JD's Cafe and Weyauwega Star Dairy, have put donation jars for the family at their checkout counters. And the Weyauwega Area Chamber of Commerce shared a Facebook post suggesting that community members place a heart in their windows.

Other driver in wrong-way crash posts bond

For the family, too, part of reckoning with the tragedy is "receiving the justice they deserve," Gonzalez-Quizhpe said.

The other driver in the wrong-way crash, Scott Farmer, 47, Neenah, has been charged with four felony counts of homicide by intoxicated use of a vehicle, According to court records, Farmer posted $750,000 cash bond Dec. 19. Prior to this, he had been in custody at the Waupaca County Jail.

At his initial appearance Dec. 18, Waupaca County assistant district attorney Veronica Isherwood had asked judge Raymond Huber for a $4 million cash bond, WLUK-TV reported.

Farmers attorney, Alex Gelhar, requested a lower bond but did not seek a specific amount. He said Farmer has strong family and financial ties to the area that could indicate to the court that he is not a flight risk. The judge reduced the bond to $750,000.

Schilling was unhappy with the bond amount approved for Farmer, saying, "$750,000 after killing four beautiful peoples lives, our children. Wheres the justice in that?

While Gonzalez-Quizhpe called the cash bond amount "an insult," he also hopes that in this case "the final verdict is representative of all the pain and loss" the family has suffered.

Family hopes to bring surviving sibling to Wisconsin, asks public not to drink and drive

In the meantime, while his GoFundMe has met its goal, Gonzalez-Quizhpe said he would leave it open and "up to the public" how much they want to contribute towards repatriating his cousins to Ecuador. The siblings' relatives are also working on securing a visa for the Gonzalezes' surviving older brother, Jorge, in order to reunite him and Paulina.

Gonzalez-Quizhpe hopes some small part of the siblings lives on: literally in Daniel's case as he was an organ donor, and in how others remember them. "Their lives were more than just this incident," he said.

Finally, with the holiday weekend approaching, Gonzalez-Quizhpe implored the public to "stay safe, don't drink and drive, and don't be afraid to ask for a ride if you need it."

Contributing: Associated Press.

Rebecca Loroff is a breaking and trending news reporter for northeastern Wisconsin. Contact her with story tips and feedback at rloroff@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Appleton Post-Crescent: Family speaks out about aftermath of Gonzalez siblings' deaths
Despite AC Transits vital role in the East Bay, most of the states transportation bailout money went to BART and Muni. Michael Short/Special to the Chronicle 2019 Darrell Owens, Berkeley resident and East Bay Transit Riders Union member, displays his bus ticket on his phone after riding an AC Transit bus on Monday, December 14, 2020 in Berkeley, Calif. Lea Suzuki/The Chronicle 2020

While the rest of the Bay Area saw its transit ridership increase or remain unchanged during the 2010s, Oakland-based AC Transit stood alone in losing riders. Despite Oaklands population increasing by 10% in the past decade, fewer neighborhoods in Oakland have local bus service than they did 30 years ago. AC Transit continues to be so underfunded that service to the Berkeley Hills and much of southern Alameda County, all-night buses and more could disappear.

In the recent much-heralded state transit bailout, most funds went to BART and San Franciscos Muni. AC Transit, meanwhile, which in November served a daily average of 133,000 weekday riders, is as essential to the East Bay as BART but received less funding ($32.5 million) than Marin Countys Golden Gate Transit ($41 million).

While the state bailout was historic and necessary, it continued the longstanding trend of underfunding the East Bays bus systems.

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The urban East Bay is condensed and linear and BART runs along its center. Unlike San Franciscans, who pay one fare to go through the Market Street underground or Central Subway and transfer to a bus, East Bay riders pay both BART and AC Transits fare, making transit uncompetitive with driving, walking and now ride-sharing. This problem was identified back in 1972 when BART opened, yet the obvious solution, integrating BART and AC Transits operations and farebox, has yet to occur.

While San Franciscos transit systems reap the benefits of sales tax gains from the East Bay workers transported to its downtown offices, AC Transit depends heavily on the property taxes where workers live. Given state restrictions on property tax increases thanks to Proposition 13, this has gradually killed funding.

AC Transit provides a tremendous service to the regional economy: Office-heavy San Francisco depends on AC Transit to feed people to BART stations and the Salesforce Transit Center. But being spread across separate counties, the system doesnt get the funding it needs. And regional planners who must allocate funds across county lines at the Metropolitan Transportation Commission continue to overlook AC Transit in favor of BART and Muni.

So, heres what needs to change if the East Bay is to do its part to reduce car traffic and hit statewide climate goals.

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Compared to trains, buses disproportionately depend on subsidies rather than fares. Thats why even when ridership was at its peak in the early 1990s, AC Transit was forced to make big service cuts. Most Bay Area and exurban, bedroom community counties dont have general funds capable of providing the level of bus service demanded by job-heavy San Francisco and South Bay counties. State leaders in Sacramento should be dedicating more to bus systems, particularly in suburban and exurban communities that cannot fund their bus service with giant general budgets like those in San Francisco or Los Angeles.

The Metropolitan Transportation Commission, meanwhile, should stop ignoring AC Transit. Regional planners should draw up plans to not only improve and fund existing service and prevent widespread service cuts but also restore lines that have been discontinued throughout Alameda and western Contra Costa County, and Paratransit.

Compared to the visionary ideas of new rapid transit in San Jose and San Francisco, Oakland leaders have weak ideas on how to reduce car dependency and expand transit citywide.

New high-density communities without public transit like Brooklyn Basin in Oakland were planning failures by the Oakland City Council. East Bay city councils should learn from this mistake and mandate that dense new developments pay for bus passes and, if large enough, fund AC Transit to run service to these communities.

We have too many government agencies that dont view AC Transit as their concern. The Alameda County Board of Supervisors should be as active in helping fund and guide AC Transit service as San Franciscos Board of Supervisors is for Muni. The East Bay Regional Parks District should be funding the restoration of bus service to its parks rather than subsidizing free parking. Unlike in San Francisco, the Oakland City Council is apathetic toward its dwindling public transit with no apparent vision for the future. And the NIMBYism of Berkeley and the city of Alameda, which prevents changes that would make key bus routes faster than driving, kills AC Transit ridership.

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Even with state bailout funds, if AC Transit does not increase funding by next year more bus lines will disappear and existing lines will decline in service. As work from home increases, were missing the moment to get people out of their cars to go grocery shopping, to school and do basic tasks in the urban East Bay. Every city council in the region should be screaming to the state Legislature to bail out AC Transit. Otherwise, the consequences will be more congestion and pollution as more neighborhoods built around transit become only accessible by car.
andresr / iStock.com

Celebrating a birthday while traveling can make the occasion extra special. From free drinks on the plane to desserts brought to your hotel room, some travel providers roll out the red carpet for birthdays more than others. Knowing where to find the best birthday freebies and discounts can help you plan an epic and economical birthday getaway.

Vacation Season: 10 Essentials You Should Buy at Dollar Tree for Your Next Trip

Read More: 3 Things You Must Do When Your Savings Reach $50,000

Southwest Airlines

Southwest Airlines is known for celebrating various holidays and events with free premium drinks for travelers. Those flying on Thanksgiving, New Years Day, Valentines Day, or other occasions have reported receiving complimentary alcoholic beverages during the flight.

The airline also commemorates its founding date of June 18. So, if your birthday falls around that date, choose Southwest for some potential complimentary cocktails at 30,000 feet! While there is no birthday policy and, therefore, no guarantees, its worth noting your birthday when booking or upon boarding to see if the flight crew surprises you.

China Airlines

Book flights with China Airlines during your birthday month, and you can take advantage of their birthday discount for a small price break. Sign up for this airlines free loyalty program, and youll be eligible for either 5% off economy tickets or 10% off business class fares for routes in certain parts of Asia. The amount might not seem like much, but saving any amount on birthday travel is worth celebrating!

Alaska Airlines

Alaska Airlines keeps the birthday love coming by emailing members unique promo codes worth around 5% off flights in the weeks surrounding your big day. The discount applies to both your ticket and a travel companion. If you and a friend want to celebrate together, you can save a bit on Alaskas affordable fares. Remember to qualify for Alaskas free guest rewards program first.

Singapore Airlines

Long-haul flights with Singapore Airlines can be a fantastic place to spend your birthday, thanks to their reputable onboard hospitality. Passengers with mid-flight birthdays may be treated to premium free alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, plus a celebratory cake from the crew! Make sure to alert Singapore Airlines to your special day during booking so theyll be prepared to roll out the red carpet.

Marriott Hotels

As part of the Marriott Bonvoy rewards program, some members have received a free nights stay to celebrate their birthday after meeting loyalty status qualifications. While that offer appears to be on hold for the time being, it always helps to have your birthday on file so that youll be eligible if and when similar promotions resume. Plus, paid stays during your birthday getaway will still count toward earning status, as just ten nights can gain you Silver status perks.

Kimpton Hotels

While not a guarantee, loyal guests of Kimpton boutique hotels who indicate they are celebrating a birthday often get special surprises. Past examples include balloons, flowers, or dessert delivered to their rooms! Call the hotel as your trip approaches to inform the staff about your birthday, and then see if you get spoiled with anything extra on your special stay.

Disney Parks

Disney has perfected birthday magic across their resorts worldwide, with all sorts of complimentary extras available as proof that its your big day. Start your day at Disney World or Disneyland by picking up a celebratory birthday button. That gives Disney cast members the cue to greet you cheerfully around each park. You may unlock special birthday promos at certain Disney hotels and restaurants when you wear your button. Keep your receipt and booking information handy, as some offers require proof of a valid ticket for that birthday date. From a free pretzel at Disneylands Wetzels Pretzels to a free Icee at Epcot, the Happiest Place on Earth makes birthdays feel magical.

Tell People Its Your Birthday

The above examples highlight how mentioning your birthday travel plans can pay off with freebies, treats, or discounts. So indicate if youll celebrate when booking flights or hotel stays. Pack some birthday flair, like hats or badges, to prompt airline attendants and hospitality staff to spread some cheer. One kind happy birthday from crew or bystanders will still make you smile during your trip!

Make sure youre getting the lowest available fares for your birthday getaway by setting flight and hotel price alerts. That way, you can seize birthday deals and save some extra cash to splurge on fun experiences at your destination. With a little strategic planning, you will surely have the happiest birthday vacation ever!

More From GOBankingRates

This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 7 Best Birthday Travel Ideas, Discounts and Freebies
A storm that dropped a fresh blanket of snow across the interior West over the weekend began strengthening across the middle of the nation on Christmas Day, bringing treacherous travel with snow-covered roads to the northern High Plains. AccuWeather forecasters say a blizzard will continue through Tuesday night for some locations while freezing rain turns streets and sidewalks into naturally made skating rinks farther to the north and east.

Blizzard warnings were hoisted early Sunday morning across a wide swath of Nebraska and parts of neighboring South Dakota. These were later expanded to include portions of northwestern Kansas and eastern Colorado. Experts say windblown snow in these areas will make it difficult to see on the roadways at times.

"This storm arrived just in time to bring a white Christmas for some in the Rockies and Plains," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Tyler Roys said.

The highest snow totals are expected to focus west of I-29 around the I-80 and I-90 corridors of Nebraska and South Dakota. In this zone, more than a foot of snow can fall.

GET THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP

"The duration of the storm will add to the wintry feel through midweek for any holiday activities," Roys explained.

Gusty winds are expected to contribute to difficult travel and create an all-out blizzard for some locations that will last beyond the Christmas holiday. Widespread blowing and drifting snow will significantly hamper visibility on the roadways through Tuesday night.

In the heaviest snow bands, snow can accumulate several inches in just a few hours, making it difficult for road crews to keep streets and interstates clear. Motorists who are out at the height of the storm may run the risk of becoming stranded.

On Monday, there were reports of multiple semi-trucks crashing on Interstate 80 near York, Nebraska, as snow fell at a heavy pace.

#NSP I-80 eastbound at the York exit is closed due a multi-vehicle crash. https://t.co/2mEjgG28Ik pic.twitter.com/C2M8Jc9mES  Nebraska 511 (@Nebraska511) December 25, 2023

Bands of snow began to push southward on Tuesday to include much of the I-70 corridor from eastern Colorado through central Kansas. Motorists taking to the roads in this zone into the nighttime hours should be prepared for periods of snow and wintry travel conditions with the potential for substantial delays.

During Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, the bands of snow will also expand eastward along I-70 with areas from Kansas City, Missouri, through central Missouri at risk for slippery travel.

Later in the week, pockets of flurries and accumulating snow will pivot over the interior Southeast states. For some, this will bring the first snowflakes and accumulation of the winter season.

AccuWeather meteorologists say the storm poses an ice risk to the east and north of the heaviest snowfall.

Freezing rain will continue in communities west of Fargo, North Dakota, and into northern Minnesota into Tuesday night. Residents and visitors traveling to their holiday destinations will want to use extreme caution as roads that may appear wet can be coated with a dangerous layer of ice.

Enough ice can accumulate for tree branches to snap and weigh down power lines, perhaps resulting in power outages. In western Minnesota, there was a report of 0.50 of an inch of ice with large tree branches down on Christmas Day. As of Tuesday afternoon, ice accretions on elevated surfaces were approaching 0.50 of an inch in portions of the Dakotas, with significant damage to trees and power lines.

By the middle of the week, the massive storm will unravel over the center of the country, with lingering snow showers and flurries in its wake.

In the final days of December and 2023, most of the Plains states look dry and chilly going into New Year's weekend.

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.
Eggnog

After the fall season of pumpkin spice, apples, donuts and cider, we fall right into another season of traditional food and drink favorites. Eggnog is one of those traditional drinks that is served at Christmas and throughout the holiday season. It would seem that most people have heard of eggnog but how many have actually tasted it or know the story behind it? What is eggnog, anyway?

Some may be a little put off by the texture of this creamy (and somewhat lumpy, depending on who you ask) drink and find themselves hesitant to try it. To help you better understand how on the sweet holiday staple came to be, we're here to give you all the frothy eggnog details. Who knows? If you haven't tried eggnog before, you may be eager to give it a sip this season.

Related: You Haven't Embraced Fully the Holiday Spirit Until You've Tried These 20 Eggnog Food & Drink Recipes

What Is Eggnog?

Traditional eggnog is a dessert-like drink that is made up of raw eggs, heavy cream, milk, sugar and spices like cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla bean. You can also add alcohol, like brandy, rum, bourbon or whiskey, to turn it up a notch.

What Does Eggnog Taste Like?

What makes this drink so special is the thick, creamy texture that is somewhere between a custard and melted ice cream. With the sweet flavor from the sugar and the warm spices of nutmeg and cinnamon, it will feel like you are sipping on dessert. You may want to grab a glass of water to have with this drink thoughthere are no thirst-quenching capabilities with eggnog!

Store Bought or Homemade: Which Eggnog is Best?

Although you can purchase ready-made eggnog out of the carton, making it from scratch will give you even better flavor.

Related: Seven Festive Eggnog Recipes for Holiday Parties

Where Did Eggnog Originate?

It is most likely that eggnog originated in Britain. What started out as a drink called "posset" evolved into what we know as eggnog today. Posset was a hot sweetened and spiced milk that was combined with ale or wine. In Britain, they enjoyed this drink as far back as the 13th century. Later, eggs and figs were also added to the drink.

By the 17th century, Britain made eggnog a Christmas tradition by toasting to the new season with it. It made its way to the U.S. in the 19th century and has been a Christmas tradition ever since.

How Did Eggnog Get Its Name?

There are a couple of different theories on how eggnog got its name. First, the original posset was served in noggins which were small wooden cups. So, it is thought that the egg drink in a noggin was shortened to eggnog.



Second, "grog" was a name used in colonial North America to describe a thick drink. It may have been called "egg 'n grog" at first and then shortened to eggnog.

Why Is Eggnog a Christmas Drink?

Eggnog was mostly likely saved as a luxury for the Christmas season. We tend to enjoy all kinds of sweets when the weather gets cold. Maybe we need the extra calories to keep warm? One thing is for sure, it wouldn't sound appealing to drink a thick and sweet beverage on a warm day!

It is also likely that the spices of nutmeg and cinnamon are reminiscent of the Christmas holiday, which made it a popular party drink.

Related: 25 Holiday Desserts You Can Make with Eggnog

Is Eggnog Safe To Drink?

Since eggnog contains raw eggs, many people wonder if eggnog is safe to drink. After all, haven't we been told that consuming raw eggs could give us salmonella poisoning?

According to Cleveland Clinic, as long as you use pasteurized eggs in the shell, eggnog is safe to drink. The pasteurizing process is what kills off the bacteria that can cause salmonella. The eggs are gently heated to a temperature that will kill off bacteria but that's not so hot that it cooks the eggs.

So, as long as you purchase eggs that are labeled pasteurized, you won't have a problem with safety. If you purchase liquid eggs or eggnog in a carton, those have been pasteurized as well.

How To Make Eggnog

iStock

To make basic eggnog, you begin by separating the egg yolks from the whites. Next, you whisk the egg yolks and sugar together in a bowl, then add the milk, cream and spices. Finally, the egg whites are whipped until soft peaks form and are folded into the mixture. It's up to you if you want to add any alcohol.

Some people like to heat the milk mixture before adding it to the eggs, which gives the eggnog a more custard-like texture.

Eggnog can be served either hot or cold and is great in a punch bowl or served in individual small glasses.

Related: How To Make Classic Cooked Eggnog

Up next: 30+ best Christmas cocktails!
TOKYO (AP)  Japan's Cabinet on Friday approved a hefty 16% increase in military spending next year and eased its postwar ban on lethal weapons exports, underscoring a shift away from the countrys self-defense-only principle.

The moves came as Japan accelerates the deployment of long-range cruise missiles that can hit targets in China or North Korea while Japanese troops increasingly work with allies and take on more offensive roles.

In a latest step under a new security strategy that Japan adopted a year ago, Prime Minister Fumio Kishidas government also allowed the export of weapons and components made in Japan under foreign licenses to the licensing nations. The controversial move is the first major revision of Japan's arms export ban since an earlier easing in 2014.

In taking the action, we hope to contribute to defend a free and open international order based on the rule of law and to achieve the peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region, Kishida told reporters. There is no change to our principle as a pacifist nation.

The government quickly approved the first export shipment under the change, agreeing to send to the United States surface-to-air Patriot guided missiles produced in Japan under an American license. Officials said it would complement U.S. stock, raising speculation that Japanese-produced Patriots may be sent to Ukraine.

The easing also paves the way for future possible exports to the U.S., Britain and six European licensing nations involving dozens of lethal weapons and components, including F-15s and fighter jet engines.

"The scope, scale, and speed of Japans security reforms have been unprecedented, U.S. Ambassador Rahm Emanuel said in a statement on X. He praised the easing of the defense equipment and transfer policy as historic and a significant example of Japans shared commitment to deterrence.

The ban on the export of lethal weapons has limited the scope of Japan's efforts to develop arms technology and equipment. The easing would help strengthen Japan's feeble defense industry and broaden the country's new official military aid designed for like-minded nations in the Indo-Pacific region in countering Chinese assertiveness, experts say.

Japan is spending more than 70 billion yen ($490 million) in 2024 for the development of a next-generation fighter jet with Britain and Italy, and the project hinges on a futher easing of restrictions to allow the export of jointly developed lethal weapons to third countries  a change Kishida wants by the end of February.

The 7.95 trillion-yen ($56 billion) defense budget for the 2024 fiscal year that begins in March marks the second year of the five-year military buildup program. The spending plan is part of a 112.7 trillion-yen ($794 billion) national budget and still needs the approval by the parliament.

The reinforcement of strike capability envisioned under the strategy is a major break from Japans postwar principle of limiting its use of force to self-defense.

The budget adopted by the Cabinet also will further fortify the military with F-35 stealth combat jets and other American weapons.

Japan plans to spend 43 trillion yen ($300 billion) through 2027 to bolster its military power and to nearly double its annual spending to around 10 trillion yen ($68 billion), which would make Japan the worlds third-biggest military spender after the United States and China.

The budget would boost Japans arms spending for a 12th year. Last year, the government budgeted 6.8 trillion yen (about $48 billion).

The centerpiece of Japan's 2024 military budget is an early deployment of standoff missiles that officials say are needed to reinforce air defenses, especially to protect Japans southwestern islands in case a conflict erupts between China and Taiwan.

Some 734 billion yen ($5.15 billion) is earmarked for Type-12 cruise missiles and U.S.-made Tomahawks as well as development of next generation long-range missiles. Japan will also spend more than 80 billion yen ($562 million) for the development of hypersonic guided missiles with a range of 3,000 kilometers (1,864 miles).

Defense Minister Minoru Kihara announced earlier this month a decision to bring forward deployment of some Tomahawks and Type-12s by the end of March 2026, a year before the original target. Officials said the step is a result of Japan facing its severest security environment in the postwar era that has also led it to increase joint operations with the U.S., Australia, Britain and other friendly nations.

Funding the surge in military spending as well as securing necessary personnel is not easy for Japan, a country with a rapidly aging and shrinking population.

Defense Ministry officials said the budget addresses the cost impacts of a weaker yen and price increases through measures such as bulk purchases and long-term contracts.

It calls for spending 90 billion yen ($632 million) on subsidies to strengthen Japans feeble defense industry and allow more foreign arms sales.

The budget also includes 1.25 trillion yen ($8.78 billion) to bolster Japan's missile defense systems, including construction of two Aegis-equipped warships for deployment in 2027-2028 at a cost of 373 billion yen ($2.62 billion).

The warships are to have Lockheed Martin SPY-7 radar that officials say could locate harder-to-detect missile launches, including those on a high-arch trajectory that North Korea has often used to test-fire missiles, including an inter-continental ballistic missile launched this week.

Japan plans to spend 75.5 billion yen ($530 million) to develop glide-phase interceptors with the United States that are expected to be deployed around 2030 and designed to counter hypersonic missiles being developed by China, North Korea and Russia.
Langevin Jacques - Getty Images

Over the course of the nearly three decades since Princess Diana was killed in a tragic car accident in Paris, the details of the night she died have proven a source of ample speculation. Among the most discussed, naturally, has been the driver of the car Diana was in, Henri Paul. An employee of the Ritz hotel, where Diana and her boyfriend Dodi Al Fayed had their last meal, Paulwho died in the accident along with Diana and Fayedhas been the subject of numerous rumors, and multiple investigations in the years since the crash, some of which feature in the final season of The Crown.

Here's what we know about the real life Henri Paul.

Who was Henri Paul?

Born in Lorient, France on July 3, 1956, Paul was one of five boys born to his teacher and municipal worker parents. According to information compiled by Operation Paget, a nearly-three year long investigation into the death of Princess Diana by the British Metropolitan Police, Paul was educated at the Lyon St. Louis School, then served in the French military as a security team leader.

A lover of aviation, Paul received his pilot's licence in 1976 and reportedly flew around once a month at the time of his death, and had logged over 600 hours of flight time. Prior to his work at the Ritz, he held a number of jobs, including as a boat salesman, and attempted to open a private detective agency. Paul was also a practiced driver, having taken at least four driving courses for Mercedes-Benz cars in Germany between 1988 and 1991.

According to Operation Paget, Paul's friends described him as "intelligent with an enquiring mind," as well as "loyal," and "While being good company in the presence of his friends, he appeared to keep personal issues to himself." He was also, evidently, an accomplished pianist.

In 1986, he began working for the security department at the Ritz, which was owned by Mohamed Al Fayed, father of Dodi. Though he was not employed as a driver for the hotelthe hotel's management would later tell investigators that they had no on-staff drivershe was recruited around midnight on the night of August 31, 1997 to drive Diana and Dodi from the hotel to Dodi's Paris apartment. Paul had reportedly been drinking prior to being called upon to drive for the couple.

During the drive, while attempting to avoid pursuing paparazzi, Paul took the Mercedes S280 into the Pont de l'Alma tunnel, whereupon it struck a concrete pillar then rolled, rebounding into the wall of the tunnel. Paul and Dodi were both reportedly killed instantly, while Diana died at the hospital later that night. Bodyguard Trevor Rees-Jones survived the incident despite serious injuries.

Mohamed Al Fayed's Claims Against Paul

After the crash Mohamed Al Fayed put forth a number of theories about what happened on that fateful night, including at least sixteen specific claims about Paul himself.

Fayed alleged that Paul was a working for the Security Services either of France or the UK as a paid informant for them, and that he was involved in a plot to murder Diana and Dodi. He also suggested the information released to the public that Paul had been drinking before the crash was incorrect and was part of a cover-up effort to disguise said plot, and that samples taken from Paul's body for testing has been stolen and replaced to alter the toxicology findings during the inquiry into the crash. He also stated that claims that Paul was an alcoholic were false, and that he did not appear to have been under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time he picked up Dodi and Diana.

Both the French and the British investigations into the accident generally dismissed and/or refuted Fayed's claims, though Operation Paget did agree with Fayed's assertions that some of the procedures on the original French examination were "not to the highest standard."

Was He Drunk When the Car Crashed?

Chemical analysis of samples of Paul's blood, urine, and vitreous humoura fluid from the eye which Operation Paget noted is generally considered "the most accurate and reliable sample site" all showed the presence of alcohol in Paul's system at the time of his death. The the average figure of the various tests placed him at three times France's legal limit to drive.

Within two hours prior to being asked to drive for Dodi and Diana, evidence shows that Paul consumed two Ricard (an anise-flavored aperitif) drinks in the Bar Vendome at the Ritz, though Operation Paget's findings stated that those drinks alone wouldn't account for his blood-alcohol content, writing, "To have such an alcohol level at the time of the crash, Henri Paul would have had to have consumed more alcohol than just two Ricards."

Testing also found the presence of prescription drugs in Paul's system, including the SSRI fluoxetine and tiapride, a tranquilizer, which the finding noted should both be issued with warnings against use while driving or operating machinery. It also noted that the effects of tiapride can be exacerbated by alcohol. The investigation also stated that it did not appear that anyone involved with selecting Paul for the drier's position on the night of the crash was aware that he was taking the medications, and that it was also not clear whom, precisely, made the choice for Paul to serve as the driver.

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Courtesy of Netflix

Spoilers ahead for Maestro.

There are endless talesrepeated ad nauseam, either as commendable example or cautionary taleof the woman who washed away her wishes at the river of her husbands genius. The more generous rendering of this story is not a washing away but a Biblical washing of: of feet, an act of love as symbolically powerful as it is humbling. Felicia Montealegre Bernstein, portrayed by a luminous Carey Mulligan in Bradley Coopers new biopic Maestro, does not match either of these images precisely. Like so many women destined to carry wife of [insert legend] forever in their biographies, she is neither and both.

Thats a fine line Maestro walks with bold gusto, if imperfect balance. Cooperthe films director and the actor portraying Felicias husband, the celebrated conductor and composer Leonard Bernsteinmakes his efforts obvious as he carves into a complicated marriage and extracts the woman in it. He is quick to demonstrate his understanding that Felicia, however kind and forbearing she might have been, was never Lennys naive subordinate. She gave of herself willingly but also strategically: She understood that marrying Lenny was to merge herself not only with a whirling dervish of energy and ambition, but with a bisexual man whose desires she would and could not satisfy alone. And she used their partnership to her own professional advantages as well; some of the best moments in Maestro occur when Cooper and Mulligan act out the exhilaration of the couples creative union. (A scene in which they become active co-participants in an On the Town rehearsal together is of particular delight, and equal emotional weight.)

Still, Cooper is just as eagerif not more soto examine the Felicia who gave more than she ever expected to give. When the journalist Edward Murrow interviews the couple on TV in one of Maestros early scenes, he asks the multi-hyphenate Lenny what the musician considers his primary occupation, then directs a similar but refracted question to Felicia: Does she herself have time for interests beyond acting? Well, it gets pretty hard to do much more than take care of this household, she replies. The scene fades into the next before Murrow can even finish asking Felicia her thoughts on music.

This trend continues as the movie moves into the 1960s and deeper into the eventual breakdown of the Bernsteins marriage, when its as if the cameras view of Felicia zooms in too close, blurring its focus in the process. The script cant find a way to address all of her nuances, especially as it attempts to do the same for an increasingly erratic Lenny. Theres so much attention paid to what Felicia must endure and forgive as Lennys partneror, as she puts it to one friend, what she must survivethat theres not enough emphasis on what she, nevertheless, managed to do.

Bettmann - Getty Images

The real-life Feliciaborn in San Jose, Costa Rica, in 1922 and raised in Santiago, Chileimmigrated to New York City in 1944 and enrolled in drama school, adopting her mothers maiden name for the stage. As Maestro depicts, she met Lenny through her piano teacher, the Chilean pianist Claudio Arrau; he introduced the couple in 1946, leading to a short engagement that ended in 1947. What the film mentions but doesnt depict is Felicias separate romantic relationship with the actor Richard Hart from 1948 to 1951during which he died of an apparent heart attack. It was only after this affair that she reunited with Lenny, and they were once again engaged by the end of summer 1951.

By that point, Felicia was indeed an established actress in America, both on the stage and screen: Beyond Broadway, she took on roles for TV at the studios that would one day merge under CBS and NBC. In the 60s and 70s, she engaged in numerous activist initiatives, including chairing the Womens Division of the New York Civil Liberties Union; protesting the war in Vietnam; raising funds in a controversial campaign for the Panther 21 members of the Black Panther party; and working in Chile for Amnesty International. Maestro depicts these years in vivid coloran abrupt shift from the films earlier black-and-white scenesyet omits many of their most revealing events. The script includes multitudinous mentions of Felicias activities, but only occasional scenes of her doing them, instead piling on instances that underscore the confusion and jealousy lurking inside the Bernsteins marriage.

There is a logic to this sort of framing. One could argue (and many have) that Cooper was never trying to tell a complete story of Leonard Bernstein, and certainly not of Felicia Montealegre, but rather of a specific dynamic within their marriage. Thats all well and good, and Maestro very nearly succeeds in this goal. But any married person can tell you such a dynamic is in and of itself a result of the spouses interlocking nuances, many of which must be examined and re-examined over and over again to make any sense of the marriage itself. And in that regard, Cooper can never quite can get a finger on Felicia the woman for want of Felicia the wife.

Evening Standard - Getty Images

In one later Maestro scene, a pair of Felicias friends and colleaguesCynthia and Mendystart fretting over her, and the camera slowly closes in until she alone fills the frame, insisting shes busier than ever. (Cynthia points out busier isnt the same as better.) When Mendy tells her hes greedy for as much of you as I can get, Felicia smiles her winningest smile and tells him, Im all yours. Only we, the audience, watch her face fall seconds later, all too aware of the lie shes just told.

There is so much to love about these moments, and about Maestros overall depiction of Felicia, that Im hesitant to critique it at all. Mulligan is a wonder; Coopers directorial vision is apparent; I cried precisely when Id imagine I was expected to cry. I adored Lenny and Felicia together, and could feel the love between them like a tangible presence in the theater. But as the film spends much of its last half hour depicting Felicias battle with lung cancer, from which she died in 1978, I found myself wondering how much of this very real woman Id missed outside Maestros narrow frame.

It is, of course, intentional that the films key art features Felicia viewed from behind. This is also the imagery of the films last scene, when a younger Felicia, rendered once again in black-and-white, turns away from our gaze. It seems both a symbolic narrative gesture and an implicit acknowledgment of what the film cant do: see Felicia from straight-on. As Lenny finishes up an interview in these final moments, he repeats a line spoken by Felicia earlier: Any questions? (This is also a thematic callback to Maestros epigraph, a Bernstein quote: A work of art does not answer questions; it provokes them.) But as the camera cuts to his beautiful wife, smiling before she puts her back to us, the answer is all too obviousand no less frustrating.

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Tom Hanks, Rebel Wilson, tainted chicken strips, and some potentially foul flight conditions topped our most-read list.

Oliver Childs / Getty Images

The Food & Wine news desk is constantly sniffing out the freshest intel on what's happening in the realm of the restaurants, bars, grocery stores, product innovations, FoodTok and Instagram fads, celebrity shenanigans, health developments, often extremely odd legislation, and other factors that shape the way we eat and drink. And sometimes, we just like to be baffled, surprised, delighted, informed  and laugh.

Our readers do, too, it seems. Not that we're keeping track or anything (of course we are, because we like to give the people what they want), but these are the 11 news stories you clicked on most in 2023.

Tom Hanks thinks you'll love his 2-ingredient cocktail

Manny Carabel / WireImage; Getty Images

When Hollywood's most avuncular actor Tom Hanks stopped by Late Show with Stephen Colbert last January, he toasted the titular host with his favorite new low-proof cocktail  one he accidentally invented  boasting a slightly racy name.

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McDonald's has a new adult Happy Meal, and it comes with a classic toy

Paul Weaver / SOPA Images / LightRocket via Getty Images

In December, McDonald's announced a new collaboration with streetwear designer Kerwin Frost, including a Happy Meal toy reimagining an '80s and '90s cult classic collectible.

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There's a new proposed airplane seat design that's way worse than the middle seat

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Airplane travel is stressful enough without having to worry about gobbling down your in-flight snack with your face just a foot from your fellow traveler's tuchus. This June report on a proposed design sent fliers into a tailspin.

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A tourist called the cops after getting charged nearly $1,000 for crab

Michael Phillips / Getty Images

Like we said, traveling can make you feel pretty crabby, but an astronomic tab due to pricing confusion could send anyone into a spiral. (The Singapore restaurant involved told news outlets in September that it's got a much different take on who's to blame.)

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The USDA just recalled 245,000 pounds of frozen chicken sold across the nation

Lauri Patterson / Getty Images

Check those strips before you wreck your lips. Back in September, there was a major recall of frozen chicken due to an unwanted ingredient, and it may still be in your freezer.

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The FDA just recalled a popular ice cream brand in 19 states, here's what you need to know

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We all scream for ice cream  especially when it might be topped with a pretty nasty strain of bacteria like this brand was in August. While you're looking for the chicken strips we mention, check and see if this on-the-go ice cream and sorbet are chilling in your kitchen.

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A TikToker just taught the entire internet the easiest way to open a soda can, saving fingernails all over the world

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Some truly suss food stuff happens on FoodTok, but sometimes it really comes through. Jordan Howlett got a thumbs-up from everyone when he shared a smart tip for opening soda cans while saving your manicure.

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How to decode the colorful tags on your bread bag

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And Jordan Howlett scores again! In October, the TikTok sensation explained the secret code of an often overlooked household item, making this the best piece of food-saving advice since sliced  you know.

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FYI, those mini bottles of Fireball sold at gas stations aren't actually whiskey

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Quick question: We all doing OK out there? Because in January, it came to light that a fair amount of people were unclear on the fact that those Fireball nips sold at the convenience store cash register aren't actually whiskey, and they were so steaming mad, they sued.

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A California wine company had to destroy 2,000 bottles of wine after illegally aging them at the bottom of the ocean

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Who could have fathomed that ignoring multiple state and federal laws and regulations in order to age your to-be-consumed-by-humans alcohol would lead to tears? That'd be the California-based wine company back in August.

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Rebel Wilson banned from Disneyland for allegedly snapping a photo in the park's most exclusive dining venue

Steve Granitz / FilmMagic

Oh, you rebel! In March, Food & Wine made this story about a celebrity's Disney restaurant faux pas into not just our most-read news story, but our most-read story of 2023.

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Read the original article on Food & Wine.
The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources is reporting that a die-off in wood ducks in South Carolina has been caused by a highly pathogenic strain of avian influenza.

Within the last two weeks, DNR and the United States Department of Agricultures Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service have received numerous calls concerning an apparent die-off of wood ducks, according to a press release.

While results are pending from additional locations, preliminary testing indicates two of these die-off events can be attributed to Eurasian H5 avian influenza (HPAI), according to DNR.

The deaths have taken place in river swamps and waterfowl impoundments (man-made bodies of water that provide food and are designed to attract ducks for hunting) in Clarendon, Colleton and Williamsburg counties. While DNR says it believes the deaths have been confined to a local area, it warns that the avian flu could spread across the state.

Up to this point, we had not experienced any noticeable die-offs of waterfowl species in South Carolina, said Molly Kneece, a waterfowl biologist with DNR. These recently reported wood duck die-offs seem to be localized but do have potential to spread into other counties and to other waterfowl species given the social and migratory behaviors of wood ducks.

The disease spreads due to the highly social behavior of waterfowl, said Greg Lucas, a spokesperson for DNR. While the numbers of dead wood ducks at the site of the die-offs can vary, Lucas told The State that four ducks have tested presumptive positive for HPAI. The first round of testing was performed by the Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study at the College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Georgia, who Lucas described as a longtime partner of DNR.

A second round of confirmatory testing will be performed at the National Veterinary Services Laboratory in Ames, Iowa

No presumed testing has ever not been shown to be confirmed but it has to be done, Lucas said. He also noted that more birds were waiting to be tested when the laboratories re-opened following the holidays.

While DNR has said this type of HPAI virus is considered a low risk to people and it is still safe to hunt and consume wild fowl this season, the virus can be a danger to the poultry industry, which is an important part of South Carolinas agricultural economy.

The DNR is urging South Carolinians to take precautions to prevent the spread of the virus. Among the suggestions, the department recommends that people hunting or hiking in waterfowl habitat (ponds, lakes and swampy areas) be careful not to track the virus back to poultry flocks. Hunters and farmers should also keep poultry and pets away from wild ducks and geese and their environment.

Anyone raising poultry or handling fowl is encouraged to keep new birds isolated for 30 days, limit visitors and thoroughly clean themselves and any equipment that comes into contact with birds.

In January, 2022, HPAI was detected in two wild ducks harvested by a hunter in Colleton County, South Carolina, and one wild duck in Hyde County, North Carolina. This was the first reported detection of the virus in a wild bird in the United States since 2016, according to the agency.

Following the detection of HPAI in early 2022, DNR stated that there were large die-off events of snow geese and eiders, a type of seaduck, in portions of the United States.

Between January 2022 and Dec. 18, 2023, there were 8,494 cases of HPAI in wild birds in the United States, according to United States Department of Agricultures Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. HPAI was detected in 137 birds in South Carolina, with the most significant impact being seen in black vultures and bald eagles, according to Kneece.

Symptoms of HPAI in birds include sudden death without apparent clinical signs, loss of coordination, diarrhea, lack of energy and appetite, decreased egg production or soft-shelled or misshapen eggs, nasal discharge, coughing, sneezing and swelling and purple discoloration of head, comb, eyelid, wattles and hocks.

The DNR has asked South Carolina hunters and landowners to report sightings of dead wood ducks or other waterfowl by phone to 800-922-5431 or by email to webmaster@dnr.sc.gov (Subject Line: HPAI).

What precautions can you take?

Other recommendations by the Department of Agricultures Veterinary and Wildlife Services for hunters and anyone handling birds include:
The days of the symbolic fish fry and one-time church visit are over, Democratic strategists say in an analysis of Bidens efforts

ATLANTA (AP)  Some top Democrats are worried that a dip in Black voter turnout, along with other challenges, could doom President Joe Biden and his party in 2024.

A group of Democrats is offering a new analysis of the most recent campaigns in Georgia and Michigan, pitching those battlegrounds as models for drawing in more Black voters next year and beyond. They argue that Democratic power players need to think  and spend money  in new ways, going beyond efforts that can be last-minute or superficial as they try to reassemble Bidens 2020 coalition.

The days of the symbolic fish fry and one-time church visit are over, wrote the authors of the analysis by strategists widely credited for helping flip Georgia and Michigan to Biden. Black voters have always required an approach to voter engagement as diverse as the Black voting coalition.

A man wearing a mask gathers with a group in support of Black Voters Matter at the Graham Civic Center polling site in Graham, N.C., Nov. 3, 2020. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome, File)

Biden has long depended on Black voters  first as a Delaware senator and most notably in the 2020 South Carolina primary, which delivered him a decisive win that led much of the Democratic field to consolidate behind him. And his campaign says the presidents reelection effort already reflects the priorities and approach advocated by the outside strategists.

The campaign is designing comprehensive and robust programs in battleground states to mobilize and engage Black voters, said Michael Tyler, the campaigns communications director. He noted the campaign already is running targeted digital ads and building outreach programs in Black communities, months earlier than presidential campaigns typically have launched such efforts.

Yet just 50% of Black adults said they approve of Biden in a December poll by the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs. That is compared with 86% in July 2021, with the gap fueling concerns about his reelection prospects.

The new report, shared exclusively with The Associated Press and being presented privately to Democratic power players, contends as part of several recommendations that the left must more regularly engage all Black voters, including the most reluctant, while amplifying arguments about abortion rights in Black communities.

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Said Lauren Groh-Wargo, a leader of the push and longtime adviser to Georgia Democrat Stacey Abrams: People need to see something different; they need to see you coming to them and asking for their vote in their cultural spaces.

The authors include veterans of Abrams operation and Michigans efforts to approve an abortion-rights referendum and re-elect Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. Abrams lost her second bid against Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, but Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock beat Herschel Walker to retain his Senate seat, bolstered in part by years of work by Abrams and other organizers.

The report explores why the two states 2022 electorates differed from other racially diverse battlegrounds. The contributors want to share their conclusions with the partys biggest donors and top strategists, including those running Bidens 2024 campaign. One of Bidens top campaign aides, Quentin Fulks, managed Warnocks campaign, a point Tyler noted in his response to the report. Fulks and Tyler are both Georgia natives.

The campaigns approach so far is happening through the leadership of  a native Georgian from a rural county who won statewide in Georgia last cycle and helped drive historic turnout in one of the most competitive states in the country, Tyler said.

Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin are the seven states that will be critical in deciding the Electoral College next year. Across those states in 2022, Black turnout dropped, on average, about 22% from the 2018 midterms, according to multiple Democratic firms data analysis. Lagging Black support for Biden in any three of those states next fall could cut off his path to the required 270 electoral votes.

Michigans Black turnout in 2022 was about 90% of its 2018 totals, according to the analysis. But among Black voters under 35, the 2022 turnout was 96% of 2018 levels  notably outpacing other battlegrounds, Georgia included. That bolstered Whitmers nearly 11-point victory and the abortion rights referendum, which passed by 13 points. The analysis found Michigans Black voters supported the initiative by a higher proportion than any other race or ethnicity; that finding was repeated recently in Ohios abortion referendum, authors said.

Governor Gretchen Whitmer (L) and Lieutenant Governor Garlin Gilchrist II (R) gesture during the rally. Michigan Democrats hold a Get Out the Vote Rally for Governor Gretchen Whitmer with President Barack Obama ahead of the 2022 midterm elections. (Photo by Dominick Sokotoff/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

We were open to the research that showed us just how much this would resonate in Black communities, said Michigan Democratic Chairwoman Lavora Barnes, the first Black woman to hold her post and a co-author of the report.

We made it part of a broader message about rights and freedom, she added, saying Black Americans, because of their historical experience with oppression, are especially attuned to having our rights taken away.

Whitmer, who embraced the nonpartisan abortion-rights campaign, said the lessons must carry forward as some Republicans propose national abortion restrictions.

My generation assumed that these rights would always be intact for us and our children, the governor, 52, said recently. Lo and behold, here we are having to fight over and over again to protect these rights.

Black turnout in Georgia, meanwhile, was about 92% of 2018 levels; Black voters over 50 exceeded their 2018 marks.

If Georgias Black turnout had tracked the 2022 battleground average, the analysis calculates that about 175,000 fewer voters would have cast November ballots. With Warnock winning more than 9 out of 10 Black votes, that shortfall almost certainly would have meant his defeat to Walker, the only GOP statewide nominee who lost in Georgia last year.

And if Black turnout in other 2022 battlegrounds reflected Georgias, Democrats almost certainly would have defeated Republican Sen. Ron Johnson in Wisconsin and may have won a North Carolina Senate seat, expanding their narrow majority, the authors argue.

Biden was in Milwaukee on Wednesday touting his economic arguments and his administrations support for minority owned businesses. Milwaukee also is the site of one of the campaigns earliest organizing efforts aimed at Black voters, a commitment of money and personnel that Bidens advisers say demonstrates their commitment to engaging the full electorate.

U.S. President Joe Biden announces new actions to protect borrowers after the Supreme Court struck down his student loan forgiveness plan in the Roosevelt Room at the White House on June 30, 2023 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Indeed, those kinds of programs and some of the recommendations from Georgia are challenging and expensive. Abrams operation began a decade ago trying to expand voter participation in Georgia, focusing on Black and other nonwhite residents who rarely or never voted. Now Georgias political footprint involves hundreds of paid canvassers, sophisticated digital outreach, voter registration drives and door-knocking campaigns even in non-election years.

The report argues that the investment over time creates so-called super voters who make the Democratic investment worth it. The document details tactics Georgia and Michigan Democrats have used and that the authors say can be scaled in other states.

The authors note that in 2018, when Abrams first ran for governor, Georgia had more than 1.1 million Black voters deemed low propensity and unlikely to vote. After the 2022 election, that has dropped to between 700,000 and 800,000.

Conversely, the super voter measure  defined as people who have cast three consecutive general election ballots  has climbed from about 525,000 Black Georgians after 2016 to more than 850,000 after 2022.

Donors and most campaigns, though, still gravitate to traditional turnout models aimed at regular or semi-regular voters. They see the Abrams approach as costing too much money per vote.

We need other groups out there making contacts with inactive voters because most campaigns just arent cut out to do that, said Preston Elliot, Whitmers 2022 campaign manager, who was not involved in the analysis. He complimented figures like Groh-Wargo, Abrams and Barnes but cautioned that the latest effort comes down to resources.

There are enough tasks out there for everyone to play their parts, Elliot said. But ultimately were talking about finite money here.

Never miss a beat: Get our daily stories straight to your inbox with theGrios newsletter.

The post Biden should keep expanding approach to Black voters, group of Democratic strategists says appeared first on TheGrio.
Charles Carpenter pushes a cart with a tent and his belongings during of an encampment sweep in the Mission District of San Francisco on Nov. 3. A recent study found giving people $750 per month can help them avoid being unsheltered. Stephen Lam/The Chronicle

A preliminary report found what researchers say is a potentially promising solution in the fight against homelessness: giving people who are unhoused $750 a month with no strings attached.

The study found that the funds, which were given to 69 people in San Francisco and Los Angeles for just six months, helped people meet their basic needs and reduced their likelihood of being unsheltered. The final report will look at outcomes for 100 participants over the course of a year.

Though the findings in the report  a partnership between the University of Southern Californias Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work and the San Francisco-based nonprofit Miracle Messages  are preliminary, they are encouraging, said Ben Henwood, the director of USCs Center for Homelessness, Housing and Health Equity Research, who led the study.

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The thing that stood out is the reductions in unsheltered homelessness, he said. When theres so much effort on getting people off the streets and into some sort of interim or permanent solution, providing them money seems like it helps answer that question.

The proportion of those who reported being unsheltered in the past month went from 30% at the beginning of the study to just 12% after six months. That far outpaced the control group, which went from 28% to 25%.

People who received the money also reported that they were closer to being able to afford all of their basic needs compared with people who did not receive the funds. More than a third of the money was spent on food, according to self-reported budgets given to researchers. Housing accounted for about 20% of the spending, followed by transportation at 13%, clothing at 12% and health care at 6%. About 14% was categorized as other, a category that included the 2% of funds that were spent on alcohol, drugs and cigarettes.

To Kevin Adler, the founder of Miracle Messages, the San Francisco nonprofit that helped distribute the funds, the findings were not surprising.

People used the money better than we could have used it for them, he said. When we trust people, they can resolve their issues. They know what they need.

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Its not the first time Adlers nonprofit, which pairs homeless people with friends to talk to, has given cash payments to the unsheltered. Three years ago, after volunteers with his program expressed a desire to help their homeless friends financially, he raised money and gave 14 people $500 every month for six months  an idea that became the basis of the formal study  and found that those funds also helped lift people out of homelessness.

Adler said that, because theres such a wide range of reasons why people end up homeless, direct cash can go a long way in helping them meet their specific needs and get past the hurdles keeping them from getting back on their feet.

Theres a tremendous administrative burden for people experiencing homelessness. Its exhausting. Its an emotionally, psychologically, spiritually exhausting experience, he said. This is giving folks a little bit of support at a time of crisis, just like all of us have needed at different times in our lives.

Some participants told researchers that they used the money to pay off debts, to purchase health care-related items like walkers, or to get enough food.

I used the money to catch up on bills. I did a car repair that was gruesomely needed, right back brakes, playing catch up on some deferred maintenance on the car, making a couple payments, one participant wrote. Catching my phone payment up.

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Moving forward, both Adler and Henwood said they hope that the results spur larger studies or even government-funded basic income programs, which provide cash to low-income people with no rules on how it can be spent.
LAGOS (Reuters) - Nigeria's central bank has lifted a ban on transacting in cryptocurrencies, while saying global trends had shown a need to regulate such activities, the bank said in its latest circular.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in Feb. 2021 barred banks and financial institutions from dealing in or facilitating transactions in crypto assets, citing money laundering and terrorism financing risks.

Subsequently Nigeria's Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in May last year published regulations for digital assets that signalled Africa's most populous country was trying to find a middle ground between an outright ban on crypto assets and their unregulated use.

In a circular dated Dec. 22, the CBN said current trends globally have shown there is a need to regulate the activities of virtual asset service providers (VASPs), which include cryptocurrencies and crypto assets.

The latest guidelines spell out how banks and financial institutions (FI) should open accounts, provide designated settlement accounts and settlement services and act as channels for forex inflows and trade for firms transacting in crypto assets.

VASPs would need to be licensed by the Nigerian SEC to engage in the crypto business.

"From the commencement of these Regulations, Fl shall not open or permit the operation of any account by any person or entity to conduct the business of virtual/digital assets unless that account is designated for that purpose and opened in line with the requirement of these Guidelines," the CBN said

But banks were still barred from trading, holding or transacting cryptocurrencies, the CBN said.

Nigeria's young, tech-savvy population has eagerly adopted cryptocurrencies, for example using peer-to-peer trading offered by crypto exchanges to avoid the financial sector.

New York-based blockchain research firm Chainalysis said in a September report that the volume of crypto transactions in Nigeria grew 9% year-over-year to $56.7 billion between July 2022 and June 2023.

(Reporting by MacDonald Dzirutwe; Editing by David Holmes)
The executive director of a Philadelphia nonprofit fund stole $1.6 million intended for widows and orphans  and used it on vacations and a luxury condo, federal officials said.

John Miller has now been arrested and charged with wire fraud, the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania said in a Dec. 22 news release.

The 74-year-old man from Philadelphia was indicted on three counts and faces up to 60 years in prison, officials said.

McClatchy News could not immediately reach the defense attorney representing Miller.

Used his position of trust

Miller was the executive director and treasurer of a nonprofit church organization that provided life insurance and financial support to the widows and orphans of deceased clergy, according to an indictment.

In his position, he managed all business activity in the fund, including sending insurance payments to families, record-keeping and presenting financial statements, officials said.

But he wasnt satisfied with his pay, and he complained to fellow executives about not receiving enough compensation for his work, according to federal officials.

Now hes accused of compensating himself about $1,626,556 across 22 checks in a scheme that officials said ran from 2015 to 2022.

He used this money to buy a luxury condo and go on vacations, including international cruises and trips to the Caribbean, officials said.

When family members of deceased clergy members requested their insurance benefit funds, Miller initiated the legitimate wire transfer, but then sent money to himself for the same amount, officials said in the indictment.

In one instance in January 2019, he deposited a $190,950 check from the fund into his own bank account, the indictment shows.

Other financial statements show payments of around $100,000.

Miller created false records to conceal the fraud and showed those ledgers to other executives and external auditors, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office.

Miller, who had been with the nonprofit organization since 2001, used his position of trust to steal ... and to cover-up his fraud scheme, officials said in the indictment.

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WASHINGTON  On a Friday evening last January, Gen. Glen VanHerck, the Air Force commander in charge of defending American airspace from foreign intrusion, called President Joe Bidens top military adviser, Gen. Mark Milley.

U.S. intelligence officials had just notified the general that for roughly 10 days they had been tracking a mysterious  and enormous  object flying over the Asia-Pacific, VanHerck told Milley. The object had crossed into U.S. airspace over Alaska and VanHerck said he planned to dispatch military jets to fly alongside it and assess what it was.

The previously unreported Jan. 27 phone call between Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and VanHerck, the head of the North American Aerospace Defense Command, or NORAD, set off an eight-day scramble inside the Biden administration. American officials faced an unprecedented challenge: a Chinese spy balloon the size of three school buses flying across the continental U.S.

The spy balloon exposed an increasingly brazen Chinas competitive advances miles above the Earth and brought the most critical relationship in the world to one of its lowest points in recent history.

Nearly a year later, U.S. relations with China have not fully recovered and officials from the two nations have apparently not discussed the incident in detail. And an American effort to create global norms in unregulated spaces above the Earth has largely stalled.

VanHerck, meanwhile, warns that the Chinese balloon program remains active and that the U.S. has failed to develop the systems it needs to detect high-altitude spy balloons before they pose a threat.

It exposed significant gaps, long range gaps, for us to be able to see potential threats to the homeland. VanHerck said in an exclusive interview with NBC News. I think that opened the eyes of a lot of people.

VanHerck added that the U.S. military, U.S. intelligence agencies and American allies still need to develop faster ways to share information.

Time is the opportunity to create deterrence options or, if required, defeat options," he said, adding that the U.S. is still not where we need to be.

Privately, Biden administration officials complain that the political outcry over the balloon was wildly disproportionate to any threat it posed to U.S. national security.

In their view, because China was so angered and humiliated, the damage done to the relationship between Washington and Beijing was a far graver threat to the U.S. than the balloon itself.

It caused so many problems, one senior administration official lamented.

Scrambling to respond

Administration officials at first hoped to conceal the balloons existence from the public, and from Congress, according to multiple former and current administration and congressional officials.

Before it was spotted publicly, there was the intention to study it and let it pass over and not ever tell anyone about it, said a former senior U.S. official briefed on the balloon incident.

A senior Biden administration denied that there was an attempt to keep the balloon secret. To the extent any of this was kept quiet at all, that was in large part to protect intel equities related to finding and tracking the official said, referring to intelligence gathering on the balloon. There was no intention to keep this from Congress at any point.

Soon after VanHercks phone call with Milley, U.S. military jets dispatched from Alaska used their targeting pods to determine what was on board the object. They confirmed that it was a Chinese spy balloon that was not carrying offensive weapons but was outfitted with a large payload of surveillance equipment.

VanHerck began sending emails every 12 hours to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Milley and other Pentagon leaders to update them on the balloons location, threat, projected flight path and likely intent.

In one email, VanHerck wrote that he determined the balloon was not an imminent threat and did not have hostile intent, so he did not have the authority to shoot it down. That order would have to come from the Pentagon and the White House.

Biden first learned of the balloon on Jan. 31, three days after VanHercks phone call to Milley. Top aides told the president it was over Canada and appeared headed for the continental U.S. Biden asked the military to develop options for how to deal with it.

Early photos from the U.S. military of the balloons payload showed antennas that were likely used to listen to cellphones and other signals. The payload weighed about 2,000 pounds and was about 200 feet tall.

The balloons ability to fly and gather intelligence was primarily powered by 16 solar panels, U.S. officials later determined. It was remotely steered for a time from inside of China, while also using the wind and the jet stream to push it across the U.S.

Bidens military advisers warned him that it could not be safely shot down because of the massive potential debris field it would create. NASA initially assessed that field to be 70 miles wide and 70 miles long, with thousands of pounds of debris falling 65,000 feet, potentially onto structures and people below.

The president asked basic questions about the balloon and its capabilities. At times, he grew frustrated with how little U.S. intelligence officials knew about Chinas spy balloon program.

Image: President Biden (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

American skies

When it crossed into Montana later on Jan. 31, the Pentagon was tracking it with radar, F-22 jets and other aircraft. They watched the balloon closely and collected intelligence on its capabilities.

On Feb. 1, NBC News told White House officials that it was planning to report that a suspected Chinese spy balloon was flying over the U.S. and asked for comment. As NBC prepared its report, Administration officials organized briefings for lawmakers.

State Department officials also asked Chinese diplomats for answers. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and then-Deputy Secretary Wendy Sherman met with officials from the Chinese Embassy, but the Chinese diplomats denied the balloon even belonged to China. U.S. officials believe they genuinely did not know about it.

U.S. officials later assessed that Chinese President Xi Jinping knew about the balloon program but didnt know about this specific one, including that it had crossed into U.S. airspace. American intelligence officials concluded that Xi was embarrassed by it. Some believe that the balloon incident at least partly led to the ouster of Chinas defense minister in October.

Feb. 1 was also the first time Austin, the defense secretary, spoke to VanHerck about the balloon. Austin, who was in Manila, took the phone call at 3 a.m. local time, underscoring how urgent the issue had become. Until then, his top aide had received emails from VanHerck, as the secretary traveled across Asia and focused on that trip.

They werent paying attention, a senior U.S. official later said.

VanHerck said he wasnt asked to present options until Austin made the request on behalf of the president. After Biden was briefed on Feb. 1 on ways to shoot down the balloon, he directed the military to do so as soon as safely possible.

But the enormous debris field remained a danger. The military, along with NASA, began to work on ways to decrease its size by using the weather, trajectory and size of the balloon, and its estimated payload.

As the balloon continued taking photos and attempting to gather sensory data to store on board for later, the U.S. gathered information on how it operated. U.S. officials say they believe they prevented the balloon from transmitting information back to China.

VanHerck later told lawmakers that American intelligence officials had to get special authorization to collect intelligence on the balloon while it was over the U.S. and that they were granted that authority.

After NBC News broke the story on Feb. 2, officials also arranged to brief other media outlets later that evening. Once the balloons existence became public, U.S. officials said it stopped transmitting data. Officials also assessed that Chinas plan was to self-destruct the balloon, not return it back home.

A firestorm in Washington

The balloon sparked a political frenzy in Washington. Several Republican lawmakers expressed anger that they were not briefed on the balloon earlier, before it was over Montana. They also said it should have been shot down immediately after it entered U.S. airspace.

As the controversy played out, Blinken was preparing for a critical visit to Beijing. Blinkens trip was a follow-on visit after Biden and Xi had met in November in Bali to try to stop relations between the two countries from worsening.

On Feb. 3, China issued what for Beijing was an unusual public apology. The airship is from China. It is a civilian airship used for research, mainly meteorological, purposes, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said in a statement. The Chinese side regrets the unintended entry of the airship into U.S. airspace due to force majeure.

In the U.S., Chinas claim it was a weather balloon that veered off course was dismissed as insufficient and dishonest. That day, Blinken announced he was postponing his trip to China.

By then, U.S. military and NASA officials had developed a plan to minimize the debris field to a square area roughly 6 nautical miles wide and long. Biden signed off on the military shooting down the balloon over U.S. territorial waters, with U.S. Navy assets nearby to collect the wreckage.

On Saturday, Feb. 4, a U.S. Air Force F-22 under VanHerck's command shot down the balloon exactly 6 miles off the coast of South Carolina. The U.S. warned boats and aircraft to stay away from the area and the balloon was downed over shallow waters so that debris could be recovered and later analyzed by the FBI. Exactly what the balloon carried remains a closely-guarded secret.

China only learned the U.S. military downed the balloon after it was in pieces in the Atlantic Ocean. Chinese officials sent word that Xi was angry that the Biden administration didnt give him a heads up, particularly in light of his governments apology.

Nearly two weeks later, Biden delivered prepared remarks on the balloon. He announced four steps his administration would take to address high altitude surveillance balloons going forward. One was for Blinken to work with U.S. allies to establish what Biden called global norms in this largely unregulated space.

Sailors prepare material recovered off the coast of Myrtle Beach, S.C., after the shooting down of a Chinese high-altitude balloon for transport to the FBI. (Ryan Seelbach / U.S. Navy via AP)

Nearly one year later

As the one-year anniversary of the balloon entering U.S. airspace approaches, that effort remains unfinished.

On Dec. 18, State Department spokesperson Matt Miller issued a statement calling on the United Nations International Civil Aviation Organization accelerate efforts to identify solutions for manned and unmanned aviation traffic in that airspace, and use the coming year to advance important technical work in this area.

This is just the beginning, Miller added.

VanHerck, the NORAD commander, said that he had learned valuable lessons from the balloon incident, but he would not change how the U.S. responded.

The process worked exactly as it should, he said. While we can be critical of the decision of where and the timeline to shoot it down, I think in the end the best decision and outcome happened.

He added, We kept the American and Canadian people safe.

VanHerck warned, though, that the U.S. still lacks the over-the-horizon radar capability it needs to spot such a balloon far sooner.

Im confident in our ability to see that over our homeland, he said. I would like to see it over the horizon before it approaches our homeland.

VanHerck believes no other Chinese spy balloons have flown over the U.S. since the incident, but he said the Chinese spy balloon program remains active. He believes it is focused on the western Pacific to collect signals, video, and infrared and electro-optical intelligence for a potential crisis or conflict there.

I think they have a stratospheric balloon program that is primarily focused on the western Pacific," VanHerck said. To give them what I would call a command and control, to share information, to collect.

Biden and his national security aides, meanwhile, have tried to play down the China balloon incident. For much of 2023, they tried to put it behind them and get U.S. relations with China to a better place.

After months of efforts, the presidents team finally secured a meeting between Xi and Biden last month in San Francisco. During the summit, the balloon did not came up in the two leaders discussions. Officials said Biden never raised it.
[Note: The columns namesake moniker is taken from a book of the same name: "Notes & Tones: Musician-To-Musician Interviews," written by Art Taylor, the great drummer. In the name of transparency, the columnist was involved in the presentation of the recent Blue Note performance referenced.]

The Sun Ra Arkestra, directed by 99-year-old Marshall Allen (in red), performs June 8, 2023 on the Church Street Marketplace as part of the Burlington Discover Jazz Festival.

Seven weeks ago today, standing by the bar at The Blue Note  the one here in Columbia, not be confused with the jazz venue in Manhattans Greenwich Village  I heard the 13-piece Sun Ra Arkestra hit their first notes with a jolt.

Simultaneously and seemingly, everyone played freely and improvisationally as their respective individual spirits moved them. Im quite sure, for many witnessing the colorfully-costumed ensemble for the first time, the music must have sounded like pure cacophony  or an orchestra tuning up before the conductor taps their baton on the podium, signaling a programs formal start.

For me, however, I felt that sly, mischievous inner smile come to life, the one generally accompanied by a thought, a memory, a rekindling of remembrance from another time and/or place.

In that moment, I could pinpoint the date, July 9; the place, Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland; and approximate time  8 p.m. local time  when I knew I officially fell in love with jazz and, eventually, many of its practitioners.

The experience I re-captured on this night did not invoke nostalgia. My reverie was not some inversely-proportional, back-to-the past variation of Don McLeans overly saccharine American Pie ode to Buddy Holly.

Rather, my recollection was the opposite. It was my full-on understanding of that speck of time  granted, it was a four hour-long speck  in my soon-to-be universe where I knew, for lack of better phrasing, Jazz is for me.

Having, at that point, gone to hundreds, if not thousands, of concerts featuring the most inventive, fun and creative rock n roll musicians; having studied whats known in common vernacular as classical music; and having studied (European) music history and theory in college, what happened in Montreux on that summer night was no small epiphany.

My jazz courtship can be summarized as an ongoing relationship based on moving forward. That, by the way, is one of jazzs numerous and most charming, if not endearing, characteristics. Jazz has always been and remains, along with other tenets, about moving forward.

This is not to say that a great many dedicated souls who wear the I Heart Jazz badge proudly and daily, enjoy everything that is new and fresh-sounding  different might be a better word  when it shows up in their ears. From time to time, Id be lying if I didnt count myself among them.

Historically, detractors and naysayers within the jazz community have railed against the music upon it taking a major turn. This is not dissimilar to the legend of, of all people, Pete Seeger  a most liberal, cause-fighting human being  yanking the plug from the socket in the middle of Bob Dylans electric set at the Newport Folk Festival.

Coming out of the big band era, post-World War II, Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Thelonious Monk, Max Roach, Bud Powell, and drummer-author Art Taylor were among those to launch bebop. Talk about a backlash from within. Yikes!

Even today, when some people see a lot of people on stage, in essence a big band, theyll mutter, Thats not big band music. If you have 15-plus people on stage, sorry, thats a big band  and they are playing music. How else would you characterize it?

When John Coltranes approach evolved from his 1950s modal-sounding music into longer, more dense compositions showcasing his now-revered sheets of sound, it was blasphemed, and not uncommon to hear people criticize the altered approach.

The Nov. 23, 1961, issue of Downbeat, courtesy of then-critic John Tynan, in part, ran this assessment: At Hollywoods Renaissance Club recently, I listened to a horrifying demonstration of what appears to be a growing anti-jazz trend exemplified by these foremost proponents [Coltrane and Dolphy] of what is termed avant-garde music. I heard a good rhythm section  go to waste behind the nihilistic exercises of the two horns ... Coltrane and Dolphy seem intent on deliberately destroying [swing]  They seem bent on pursuing an anarchistic course in their music that can but be termed anti-jazz.

And then we have Miles Davis, who not only changed the face of jazz on more than one occasion, but also all American music. When he went electric a la Dylan, the backlash was horrific. In essence, Davis invented what we now refer to as fusion  initially, the term applied solely to the melding of jazz and rock n roll.

Miles Davis performs during the Jacksonville Jazz Festival on October 11, 1986.

Without Davis, there is no Weather Report, no Chick Corea Elektric Band, all the way down to  OK, Ill make a judgment here  the dreaded smooth jazz and even Kenny G.

Though the icons Kind of Blue remains his most popular recording  and jazzs most popular recording, which might say something about overall taste  listening to albums such as Live at the Fillmore, which I happened to attend as a high schooler, In A Silent Way and numerous other titles is nothing less than enthralling.

So, that recent night in The Blue Note, as I watched and listened to the Arkestra perform for two hours, all I could think about is how the group, more than 47 years ago, with Sun Ra  who died in 1993  leading different personnel, set me on a forward-moving music trajectory forever.

Happy Holidays. See you next year. May the jazz be with all of us.

Jon W. Poses is executive director of the We Always Swing Jazz Series. Reach him at jazznbsbl@socket.net.

This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: Notes and tones: Memories of falling in love with jazz
It was the night before Christmas and all through the house, the children were wondering where's that guy Claus?

If you're looking to track Santa Claus's flight over Providence and Rhode Island's other cities and towns this Christmas Eve, there are a few ways you can track the big guy with nearly the same accuracy as a late Amazon package.

The military is on it with the NORAD Santa Tracker, and Google, which often feels all-knowing, is also on the case with its own Santa Tracker.

Check out the trackers to see Santa's location:

See Santa's location with the NORAD Santa Tracker

NORAD is the most reliable name in Santa tracking. On the job since 1955, when a young child from Colorado Springs accidentally called in (he meant to call a number advertised by a local department store), they've been following Santa's journey using their radar technology ever since.

Now, NORAD, the joint U.S.-Canada command responsible for protecting the skies over both nations, staffs up for the big night, with a number available for children to call for status reports and an online tracker.

When does the NORAD Santa Tracker start?

On Christmas Eve, Dec. 24, of course.

You can keep track with the countdown below.

How do I follow Santa's journey with the NORAD tracker?

The tracker below will go live on Christmas Eve. If it doesn't load, it can be found at www.noradsanta.org

You can also call NORAD directly at +1 (877) HI-NORAD.

See Santa's location on the Google Santa Tracker

In 2004, Google started tracking Santa as well, because, well, there's a lot of interest in Old St. Nick. Google has a website and corresponding Santa Tracker 2023 app, which will also begin tracking on Christmas Eve.

While you're waiting around for Santa, Google's guide includes a family guide, quizzes and various Christmas-themed games to play.

Why might the NORAD Santa Tracker and Google Santa Tracker disagree?

All of our tracking technology is made for mere mortals, but Santa is magic, and he likes to create a little bit of mystery. It wouldn't do for children all over the world to be catching him as he comes down the chimney to deliver presents. He would never get any work done! So sometimes, to keep the magic alive, he throws off the trackers, just a little bit.

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Santa Tracker: See Santa Claus fly over RI with NORAD, Google trackers
Swedish Almond Christmas Cookies

Chef Jon Ashton might be a professional cook, but his top holiday cookie recipe comes from his wife's family. "This Swedish almond cookie is my wife's grandfather's recipe that was passed down to me," he says. "It's been in their family for over 150 years and it's my most-requested holiday cookie recipe."

The heirloom recipe isn't difficult, but it does require that you pay attention to the details to make sure the cookies turn out right. To help you do just that, we quizzed Ashton about the recipe and he graciously agreed to share not just the recipe, but plenty of tips and tricks along the way.

Related: Jon Ashton's Granny-Approved British Christmas Cake

How to Make Swedish Almond Christmas Cookies

The simple, buttery cookies coated in crunchy pearl sugar only require a few ingredients and the dough comes together quickly and easily. Because the recipe is so simple, it's extra important to pay close attention to your ingredients. One of the ingredients Ashton suggests for these cookies is European butter. "I'm using European butter because it has a higher fat content than American butter," he says. The extra fat will translate to more buttery flavor, and who wouldn't want that in a cookie?

To make sure the butter blends into the dough easily, you want to make sure that it's room temperature (if yours just came out of the fridge, here's how to soften butter quickly). The room-temperature butter is mixed with sugar and a healthy amount of baking powder, which will help the cookies rise.

Once that mixture comes together, Ashton cracks in an egg, which will also help with the cookie's rise and will also add some richness to the treat (along with all of that butter). The dough at this stage can be quite sticky, so it's important to scrape down the mixer bowl as you go to make sure all of the ingredients are thoroughly mixed.

Next, you'll add in your extracts (both almond and vanilla) and a bit of salt. Add the flour next and mix the dough briefly with a silicone spatula. Add the paddle attachment back to the mixer and beat the dough until it just comes together.

When the dough is mixed, divide it in half and sandwich half of the dough between sheets of parchment paper. Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough to 1/4-inch thick. Repeat with the other dough half, then stick the rolled dough in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. (If you have a couple of hours to let it chill, that's even better.)

While you wait for your dough to chill, read on for more about decorating and baking these cookies, plus a few pro tips to help you along the way.

Related: Ina Garten's Chocolate-Dipped Shortbread Cookies

Jon Ashton

How to Decorate Swedish Almond Christmas Cookies

Once the cookie dough has chilled, remove it from the fridge and cut out circles with a 1 1/2- to 2-inch round cookie cutter. Make sure to make the cuts as close to each other as you can to avoid as much re-rolling (which can make cookies tough) as possible.

Now for the fun part: the decorating! For a classic look, top each cookie with pearl sugar, the large, white, crunchy sugar that's associated with Scandinavia, Belgium and the Netherlands, where it's used in cookies, pastries, cakes and waffles.

To decorate these cookies, brush a bit of water on the top of a cookie, then dip it in a bowl of pearl sugar. The water will help the sugar stick to the cookie. Transfer the cookie to a greased muffin tin, then repeat with the rest of the dough. Bake until light golden, then cool and devour!

Jon Ashton

Top Tips for Making Swedish Almond Christmas Cookies

 Use the sugar you have. Although pearl sugar makes these cookies look and taste extra special, if you don't have pearl sugar you can you can use another coarse sugar, like turbinado or demerara, or you can dip the top of the cookies in granulated sugar.

 Don't skip the muffin tin. Although it's unusual to bake cookies in a muffin tin, that method serves an important purpose here. Because the dough is so buttery, these cookies tend to spread a lot. Baking the dough in a muffin tin helps the cookies keep their adorable round shape and bake up evenly.

 Don't overbake them. Many American cookies are baked until their a rich golden brown, but this cookie should only be baked until it's light golden. That blonde color will give you a light, tender, buttery cookie, which is what we're going for here.

 Don't get stuck. Baking the cookies in a muffin tin helps them keep their shape, but it does make them a little tricky to get out of the tin. To make that process easier, use a small offset spatula (the one that's great for frosting cakes) or a paring knife to pop the cookies up so you can grab them.

Up next: The Famous $250 Cookie Recipe That's Worth Every Penny

Grandpa's Swedish Almond Cookies

Ingredients

1 cup (2 sticks) European-style butter, such as like Kerrygold or Plugra

1 cup sugar

1 tbsp baking powder

1 large egg

1 bottle (1 fl oz) almond extract

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp fine sea salt

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup Swedish pearl sugar

1. Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, beat the butter, sugar and baking powder on medium speed for about 3 minutes, scraping the bowl as needed. Add the egg and beat until fully combined, scraping the bowl as needed. Add the almond extract, vanilla extract, salt and then the flour to the bowl.

2. Give the dough a couple of turns with a sturdy flexible spatula, then turn the mixer back on low and mix just until the flour disappears into the dough. Turn the dough out onto the counter and divide it in half. Gather each piece into a ball and shape into a disk.

3. Working with one piece of dough at a time, roll the dough -inch thick between pieces of parchment paper. Slide the parchment-sandwiched dough onto a baking sheetyou can stack the slabsand refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

4. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350. Butter or spray a regular muffin tin. Remove one sheet of the dough from the fridge and peel away both pieces of paper and put the dough back on one piece of paper. Cut the dough using a 2-inch cookie cutter and dip the cookies into Swedish pearl sugar.

5. Lightly drop the cutout cookies into the muffin tin. Dont worry if they don't fit in the muffin tins completely now. They will once they bake. Save the scraps from both pieces of dough, then gather them together, re-roll and chill.

6. Bake the cookies, rotating the tins after 10 minutes, until the cookies feel firm to the touch and are golden brown around the edges.

7. Transfer the muffin tin to a rack and let the cookies rest for about 10 minutes before carefully lifting them out onto the rack to cool to room temperature.

8. Repeat with remaining dough.
WASHINGTON  Steering clear of a political firestorm for now, the Supreme Court said Friday it would not immediately decide the key question of whether Donald Trump has broad immunity for actions he took as president challenging his 2020 election loss.

The court denied without comment special counsel Jack Smiths request asking the justices to circumvent the normal appeals court process and quickly decide the question, which looms large in Trumps prosecution in Washington over allegations of election interference.

If Trump were to win on this threshold issue, the charges would be dismissed. If he loses, the legal proceedings in the trial court would continue, with Trump having other issues he could mount appeals over.

Former President Donald Trump (Anna Moneymaker / Getty Images)

As a result of the courts refusal to intervene, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit will take first crack at the issue; it is scheduled to hear oral arguments on Jan. 9.

Once that court rules, the Supreme Court could act quickly on whether to take up the case.

In asking the court to step in on an expedited basis, Smith said the case presents a fundamental question at the heart of our democracy: whether a former President is absolutely immune from federal prosecution for crimes committed while in office.

Trumps lawyers argued in court papers that Smith had given no compelling reason why the Supreme Court should immediately step in ahead of the appeals court.

In response to the Supreme Court's move on Friday, Trump bashed Smith's initial request for the court to weigh in, calling it a "desperate attempt to short circuit our Great Constitution."

The former president added in his Truth Social post that he was "looking forward" to arguments before the appeals court next month, while reiterating false claims about the 2020 presidential election.

On Dec. 7, Washington-based U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan denied Trumps motion to dismiss his indictment on presidential immunity and constitutional grounds. The case is on hold while Trump appeals the decision.

Trumps lawyers argue that his role in questioning the result of the election was within the outer perimeter of his official responsibilities as president, citing a 1982 Supreme Court ruling about presidential immunity. Therefore, under Supreme Court precedent, Trump is immune from prosecution, his lawyers say.

They also say the Senates acquittal of Trump following impeachment proceedings over his role in events that led to the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol means he cannot be separately prosecuted for the same actions.

Smith argues that Trumps role in seeking to overturn the election was not related to his official responsibilities as president and that the Constitutions language on impeachment allows for separate criminal proceedings even if the president is acquitted.

In August, a federal grand jury in Washington indicted Trump on four charges: conspiracy to defraud the U.S., conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, obstruction, and conspiracy against the right to vote and to have ones vote counted. Trump pleaded not guilty.

The election interference case is one of four criminal prosecutions Trump faces heading into the 2024 presidential election season, in which he is a front-runner in the polls for the Republican nomination.
Texas Christian University Medical School student Sam Sayed said one of his fondest memories growing up was when his late sister, Dayna, bought him and his brother Sharif a pair of new Nike shoes.

"When you put them on, you walked out of the door to go to school -- you just felt like a better person," Sayed told "GMA 3."

Soon after that moment, Dayna Sayed was killed in a drive-by shooting in Arlington, Texas, he said.

Sam Sayed said he has always wanted to honor his sister and that moment. So he and his brother started a nonprofit in her name that aims to recreate that memory for kids looking for a great shoe.

PHOTO: Sam Sayed greets kids at a shoe store. (ABC News)

The brothers have raised more than $100,000 and bought more than 1,000 pairs of shoes for kids -- and sometimes their parents -- in North Texas since Dayna's Footprints was founded five years ago.

MORE: Over 50,000 people flood New York town for world-record Christmas light display

Sam Sayed started by going back to his elementary school in Arlington and giving out the shoes. He has now branched out to several communities in Fort Worth.

He recently met with some of those recipients at a Fort Worth shoe store, Locals Only, and many of the kids were delighted to get their new footwear.

"How do they make you feel?" ABC News' Mireya Villarreal asked 17-year-old Amari when he got his new shoes.

"Like I got a little power," he said.

PHOTO: Sam Sayed greets kids as they receive their shoes. (ABC News)

Michael Rose, a father of eight, told "GMA 3" he was grateful for the nonprofit's generosity as it is hard for him to provide for his family.

"It made me cry because it was like no one has ever just reached out in the midst of me going through stuff and just offered to help," he said.

MORE: Teacher's viral TikTok helps fulfill Christmas wishes of over 900 students

Sam Sayed said that this emotion is something that he is studying as part of his school's "Empathetic Scholar" program. The program allows future physicians to spend time in underserved communities and improve the community relations between doctors and patients.

PHOTO: Sam Sayed speaks with 'GMA3.' (ABC News)

"I've always maintained that once I become a physician, it's not my job just to wait for patients to come to me. The most important thing to me is to get to know them in their environment and know them before they need me," Sam Sayed said.

Texas medical student gives back to community with free shoes through nonprofit originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
ANKARA (Reuters) -The Turkish parliament's foreign affairs commission will sit down again on Tuesday to consider Sweden's NATO membership bid, parliament's website showed on Friday, a first step necessary for ratification.

Sweden and Finland asked to join NATO last year after Russia's invasion of Ukraine. But NATO member Turkey raised objections over what it said was the two countries' protection of groups that Ankara deems terrorists.

Turkey endorsed Finland's membership bid in April but, along with Hungary, it has kept Sweden waiting.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan submitted the bill for ratification of Sweden's NATO membership bid to parliament in October and parliament's foreign affairs commission started to debate it on Nov. 16, but postponed further discussion.

For ratification, the bill needs to be approved by the foreign affairs commission before being put to a full parliament vote. Erdogan would then sign it into law to conclude the process.

On Tuesday, Erdogan was quoted as saying that Sweden's NATO membership bid and United States' F-16 fighter jet sale to Turkey "are linked", and that President Joe Biden had promised to get Congress to secure the F-16 sale if Turkey ratifies Sweden's NATO bid.

Turkey asked in October 2021 to buy 40 Lockheed Martin Corp F-16 fighters and 79 modernisation kits for its existing warplanes.

Biden's administration backs the $20 billion sale, but there have been objections in the Congress over Turkey delaying Sweden's NATO entry and concerns over its human rights record.

(Reporting by Ece Toksabay and Huseyin Hayatsever; Editing by Nick Macfie)


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Billionaire Chris Larsen, co-founder of crypto company Ripple, has poured $250,000 into Measure E, brought to the ballot by Mayor London Breed. The measure would expand the powers of the San Francisco Police Department. Jana Asenbrennerova/Special to the Chronicle

Two wealthy and politically active San Francisco tech entrepreneurs have plunged hundreds of thousands of dollars into a March 2024 ballot measure that would expand the power of the citys Police Department and lessen that of its overseers on the Police Commission.

Billionaire Chris Larsen, the co-founder of crypto company Ripple, and Ron Conway, a prolific tech investor, have contributed a combined $350,000 to Proposition E, brought to the ballot by Mayor London Breed.

As of Friday, Larsen had donated the lions share: Political contribution data published by San Franciscos Ethics Commission showed that Larsen donated $250,000, compared with $100,000 from Conway.

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If San Francisco voters approve the measure with a simple-majority vote, it would lessen the amount of paperwork officers are required to submit following use-of-force incidents and allow the Police Department greater access to surveillance technology without commission approval.

Ron Conway, a prolific tech investor, has financially backed Measure E, brought to the ballot by Mayor London Breed. The measure includes lessening the amount of paperwork officers are required to submit following use-of-force incidents and giving the police greater access to surveillance technology. Noah Berger/Special to the Chronicle 2018

Prop. E would also override decade-old rules created by the Police Commission  the policy-setting body for the Police Department  that restrict when officers can chase after people in vehicles suspected of nonviolent crimes. Breeds proposal would allow police to initiate car chases in a wider array of circumstances, including any felony crime, so long as the vehicle pursuit can be done safely.



Breeds ballot measure is in line with a pro-law enforcement stance shes increasingly taken as she faces a potentially tough reelection in 2024. Residents and business owners are looking for progress on public drug dealing, record-high overdose deaths and prevalent property crime.

What Proposition E would do Proposition E on San Franciscos March ballot would make changes including the following: Reduce the circumstances under which police officers must document using force, limiting it to incidents in which an officer injures a person, uses a gun or points a gun at a person.

Expand vehicle chases, allowing them when an officer suspects a person has committed or is likely to commit a felony or violent misdemeanor.

Allow police to use drones to aid in vehicle pursuits and active criminal investigations.

Allow the police chief to install surveillance cameras in public without Police Commission approval.

Allow facial recognition technology in both drones and surveillance cameras.

Allow police to use other surveillance technology for a year without Board of Supervisors approval. Source: Ballot Simplification Committee

Breed has won more money for the Police Department and has pushed police to crack down on drug markets, including by arresting some users. She has also lobbied for ways to fill the departments depleted ranks as it struggles with a staffing shortage.

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YEREVAN, DECEMBER 23, ARMENPRESS. President Joe Biden on Friday signed the $886.3 billion National Defense Authorization Act into law, according to a statement released by the White House.

"The Act authorizes fiscal year appropriations principally for the Department of Defense, Department of Energy national security programs, Department of State, and the Intelligence Community," the statement reads.

The bill was greenlighted on December 14 by Congress, and on December 13 by the Senate.

The document contains aid for Ukraine worth $800 mln, reports Tass.
YEREVAN, DECEMBER 23, ARMENPRESS. The Netherlands will deliver 18 F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine to help its battle against Russia's invasion, the Dutch government said on Friday, reports Reuters.

"Today I informed President Zelenskiy of our government's decision to prepare an initial 18 F-16 fighter aircraft for delivery to Ukraine," caretaker Prime Minister Mark Rutte said in a post on social media platform X.

"The delivery of F-16s is one of the most important elements of the agreements made on military support for Ukraine.

Besides an export permit, a number of other criteria must also still be met before delivery can take place, including requirements for personnel and infrastructure.

This decision confirms the Netherlands undiminished commitment to providing Ukraine with the support it needs to respond to the ongoing Russian aggression, added Mark Rutte.
The J.T. & Margaret Talkington College of Visual & Performing Arts and the faculty, staff, and students of the School of Art enthusiastically seek nominations and applications for a visionary leader as Director of the School of Art (SOA) at the rank of tenured, full professor. The ideal candidate will lead a thriving program that exemplifies the highest standards of a creative, multi-faceted, and scholarly community. The new Director is expected to assume office in the summer of 2024 and reports to the Dean of the College. This is a full-time 12-month position.



The beating heart of Texas Tech University, the College is a creative community with the resources of a world-class public university. Students from all over the world shine with Texas-sized ambition, curiosity, and compassion. The College cultivates confidence-building artistic journeys with an infinite number of destinations. The Schools in the College maintain accreditation, making Texas Tech University one of only two public universities in the state accredited by all four national arts accrediting bodies. The schools of the J.T. & Margaret Talkington College of Visual & Performing Arts provide a supportive visual and performing arts education. Students join a community of 1100 arts-dedicated undergraduate and graduate students that includes D.M.A. and Ph.D. candidates.



Texas Tech University is being assisted in this search by Academic Search. Nominations, applications, and inquiries may be sent in complete confidence to SOADIRECTOR@academicsearch.org.



For the full prospectus, https://academicsearch.org/wp-content/uploads/formidable/8/TTUArt.pdf, and for the Academic Search website, https://apptrkr.com/4892963/?search=17699.



Nominators and prospective candidates may also arrange a confidential conversation about this opportunity with Rich Cummins, Senior Consultant, at rich.cummins@academicsearch.org.



If you need assistance with the application process, contact Human Resources, Talent Acquisition at hrs.recruiting@ttu.edu or 806-742-3851.



Applications are due by February 12, 2024.



Application materials should include:

A letter of application that addresses the expectations discussed in the Qualifications and Leadership Agenda.

A maximum one-page statement addressing the candidates leadership and administrative philosophy and experience.

A list of at least five professional/personal references with contact information, including telephone and email, and a note indicating the candidates working relationship with each. References will not be contacted without the explicit permission of the candidate.

Curriculum vitae.

To ensure full consideration, please complete an online application by click https://sjobs.brassring.com/TGnewUI/Search/Home/Home?partnerid=25898&siteid=5637#home.

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Wilhelm Furtwangler

Conrad L. Osborne has now chimed in with a typically riveting review of the Met Tannhauser, bristling with insights into the opera and its performance last December 12. Read it.

As a brief postscript to my three previous Tannhauser blogs, and Conrads blog, would like to draw particular attention to his observations about the current condition of the Met orchestra, as revealed in the opening pages of the operas famous overture:

The playing almost never sounded committed to the beauty and drama of the writing. It was generally obedient to the letter of its law, but never to its spirit. This was patently true of the strings, andnot to overlook the placidity of the lower-voiced violsmost patently of the violins. As important as the other choirs are in our minds-ear evocation of a Wagnerian texture, it is the strings, led on by the violins, that carry the writing forward the largest share of the time, as in most composition for a classical orchestra. So (staying with the first couple of minutes of the Overture, one of the all-time greatest) you have only to imagine the first string entrance, in the cellos, with the Burden of Sin theme (Ach, schwer druckt mich der Sunden Last is your textual reference); then the violins taking up the theme, but higher, with a seraphic tint that suggests that though sin still exerts its drag, a light gleams on highboth these brief, leaning-forward statements played calmly and prettily, without the slightest hint of a counterforce, of an inner struggle; and finally, over the fortissimo entrance of the brass and percussion with the Pilgrims Chorus, one of the scores most famous effects, the overlay of descending violin triplets, utterly undone by a literal picking-apart of each triplet into evenly played duplets interrupted by rests, with no sense of attack or of playing through, as if the players just didnt know how this is supposed to go.

To add my two cents: The mechanical rendering of the violin triplets during the first grand statement of the pilgrims theme produced the audio equivalent of blinding strobe lights flashing at regular intervals; it was bewilderingly odd. As for the entrances of the cellos and violins a little earlier on (as described by Conrad), just about any credentialed recording of this glorious passage will convey its gravitas and ardor. Try, for instance, Wilhelm Furtwangler and the Vienna Philharmonic in 1952. It would be a simple task to notate the many inflections of pulse, tempo, and dynamics, including a characteristic climactic allargando, here interpolated by the conductor and players. But it would be impossible to replicate this performance accordingly; the urgency of the pilgrims song must be felt. And unless this overture strives, it cannot possibly launch the opera.

Many years ago, when the Met orchestra regularly failed to make much of Valery Gergiev, I urged one of its members to attend a New York City concert by Gergiev and his own Mariinski Orchestra. He did  and discovered the majestic soundworld that Gergiev was trying to instill in the Met pit. Though it will never happen, one thing that would improve matters in todays Met pit would be a listening exercise. I am certain that some members of the current Met orchestra would be flabbergasted to discover to what it sounded like in the days of Artur Bodanzky and Ettore Panizza  beginning with the sheer energy of the playing. This was still an Italianate band, once led by Arturo Toscanini. It specialized in hair-trigger attacks and cantabile slides in the strings. It brought its own galvanizing style and powderkeg intensity to Wagner and Verdi, especially with Bodanzky and Panizza on the podium. Those broadcast recordings remain not only inspirational, but specifically instructive  moreso now than ever.
Party may declare candidates in 160 seats soon

Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrives to attend BJPs national office-bearers meeting at the party headquarters, in New Delhi, Friday, Dec. 22, 2023. (PTI Photo)

New Delhi: A two-day meeting of the BJPs national office-bearers commenced on Friday, focusing on the party's readiness for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and planning upcoming programmes. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and National President J.P. Nadda attended the closed-door meeting.

The extensive meeting, lasting over five hours, saw Modi addressing party leaders, encouraging them to strive for a hat-trick victory in 2024. Nadda chaired the session, during which various party wings and state units provided updates on ongoing organisational activities. Senior leaders offered guidance to these units, with a keen eye on the approaching elections.

Nadda later said in a post on X, The BJP is advancing on the path to build a developed India by empowering the country's main pillars of youth, women, farmers and poor under the prime minister's guidance.

Amidst reports of discord in the Opposition camp over seat-sharing, speculation is circulating that the BJP might maintain its practice of announcing some Lok Sabha candidates before the Election Commission declares the election schedule. The party has initiated its candidate selection process, conducting a 'Jan Man' survey through the NaMo app to gather feedback on the Modi government's performance and the work of representatives in Parliament and their respective constituencies.

There is a buzz within the party that the central election committee could reveal candidates for 160 parliamentary seats where the BJP has not previously won or secured a second position. Additionally, there are speculations that the party might announce candidates for seats considered strongholds of Opposition parties.

The leadership will also assess the progress of the Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra and preparations for the celebration of Bharat Ratna recipient and former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's birth anniversary on December 25, recognised as 'Good Governance Day' by the government.

Sources indicate that Modi highlighted the importance of the Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra's goal  the successful implementation of government schemes.
by Kazi Anwarul Masud





These days the world is rightly involved with the genocidal activities of the Israeli government of Benjamin Netanyahu even though the Jews had suffered unspeakable atrocities by Hitlers Nazi Germany the world and the media are not getting adequate coverage of another story relating to the great change taking place in Europe since 1945. Russian President Vladimir Putin appears to be following the footsteps of Adolph Hitler through the acquiescence of the European countries and most notably the US.





As tributes poured in for Mikhail Gorbachev, Vladimir Putin said he had "rightfully earned great prestige and recognition".(Reuters: ITAR-TASS/Kremlin Press Service)





HAVE US-RUSSIA RELATIONS HIT THE BOTTOM





As Angela Stent of John University in New York in her article (Why are US-Russia relations so challenging? Dated April 27, 2020) pointed out The United States relationship with Russia is today the worst that it has been since 1985. Moscows interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election and what appears to be its continuing attempts to affect the 2020 election campaign have made Russia a toxic domestic issue in a way that it has not been since the 1950s. She added The U.S. National Security Strategy declares Russia and China the two top threats to U.S. national security. At the best of times, U.S.-Russia ties are a mixture of cooperation and competition, but today they are largely adversarial. Yet, as the worlds two nuclear superpowers, Russia and the United States bear a unique responsibility to keep the peace and discourage the proliferation of nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons around the globe.





EMERGENCE OF CHINA HAS COMPLICATED THE GLOBAL SCENARIO





These are hopeful words but one can only hope that the aspirations of the rest of the world which have become more complex with the addition of China and complex economic relations among different countries giving rise to phrases like decoupling and  de-risking in the global dictionary. Coming back to Europe and President Vladimir Putin one has to remind oneself of Putins red line he had repeatedly asked the West to ensure Russias strategic interests. As Angela Stent wrote Russias legitimate interests were ignored by the United States. This includes Russias right to a sphere of influence in the post-Soviet states, meaning that they should not aspire to join NATO or the European Union. Today, Russia defines its security perimeter not as the borders of the Russian Federation, but as the borders of the former Soviet Union. It demands that the United States and Europe acknowledge this.





VLADIMIR PUTINS LAMENTATION ON THE FALL OF SOVIET UNION





This reminds the world of Putins lamentation that the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991 was the demise of historical Russia, a comment that did fuel speculation about his foreign policy intentions amid a buildup of tens of thousands of Russian troops in regions bordering Ukraine. It was the disintegration of historical Russia under the name of the Soviet Union, Putin said of the 1991 breakup of the Soviet Union while speaking in a documentary film called Russia aired on state television. Putin, a former agent of the Soviet KGB security service, has previously lamented the collapse of the Soviet Union, calling it the the greatest geopolitical disaster of the 20th century. The comments in the documentary, however, reveal how much he feels the disintegration of the Soviet Union devastated Russias power. Soviet Unions final hours were described by Christopher Klein described the ten-minute speech by Mikhail Gorbachev announcing the dissolution of the Soviet Union and his resignation as its eighth and final leader. Three of the Soviet Unions 15 republics had already declared independence, and days earlier the leaders of 11 others agreed to leave the USSR to form the Commonwealth of Independent States. Once the republic leaders signed the Soviet Unions virtual death warrant, all that was left was for Gorbachev to pull the plug. The process of the demise of the Soviet Union was not short. The reforms enacted by Gorbachev set the stage for a series of mostly bloodless revolutions that swept through the Soviet satellite countries of Eastern Europe in 1989.





COULD MIKHAIL GORBACHEV BECOME A DICTATOR?





As the Berlin Wall fell, the Soviet leader chose not to order a military response. The historic changes earned Gorbachev the Nobel Peace Prize and Time magazines Man of the Decade honor, but the USSR had lost its communist Eastern Bloc. Increasingly, Gorbachev was being pulled in two different directions by democrats who wanted even greater freedoms and autonomy for the republics and conservatives who wanted to end the reforms that they believed were breaking the union apart. The maverick leader of the Russian republic, Boris Yeltsin, was a particularly radical thorn in Gorbachevs side. Yeltsin, who had dramatically quit the Communist Party in 1990, called for Gorbachevs resignation after the Soviet army cracked down in Lithuania and other republics that sought independence and greater sovereignty. In March 1991, the USSR held a public referendum to determine whether the union should be preserved or dissolved. More than three-quarters of voters wanted the USSR to endure, but six republics abstained from voting altogether. Despite the results, the referendum did little to stop the fracturing of the country. Yeltsin and other democrats continued to push Gorbachev to introduce more radical reforms, and the Soviet President negotiated a treaty that decentralized power from the central government to the republics. In his letter of resignation, President Mikhail Gorbachev wrote Due to the situation which has evolved as a result of the formation of the Commonwealth of Independent States, I hereby discontinue my activities at the post of President of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, Gorbachev said in his address. The policy prevailed of dismembering this country and disuniting the state, which is something I cannot subscribe to. Were now living in a new world. An end has been put to the Cold War and to the arms race, as well as to the mad militarization of the country, which has crippled our economy, public attitudes, and morals, he said before lamenting that the old system collapsed before the new one had time to begin working. Mikhail Gorbachev appointed Vladimir Putin as his successor and thus began Putins rule which continues till today.





LEGACY OF MIKHAIL GORBACHEV





On his death, an analyst writing on Gorbachevs legacy wrote: Mikhail Gorbachev will remain one of the most controversial figures in modern Russian history. A son of poor peasants, he was a Nobel laureate, the first and the last president of the Soviet Union, the initiator of nuclear disarmament, the main contributor to ending the Cold War, and the architect of glasnost (openness) and perestroika (economic restructuring). Yet, to many ordinary Russians, his rule is likened to that of Tsar Nicholas II, a humble ruler with noble aspirations yet unable to cope with complex challenges, who made erratic choices that ultimately led to his countrys disintegration, accompanied by sharp economic decline and a demographic catastrophe. Unlike Nicholas II, however, Gorbachevs resignation in December of 1991 did avert a large civil war. And some of his decisions were transformative. The unification of Germany and the dissolution of the Warsaw Pact would not have been possible without him. He dreamed that these events would be followed by the dissolution of NATO and the opening up of a Greater Europe, a trans-Atlantic community from Vancouver to Vladivostok. Now, the dream and the dreamer are no more. It is difficult, indeed impossible, to bring into words the life and legacy of any great people. Such attempts remain elusive and the people can only paint them as they see fit.





Kazi Anwarul Masud is a retired Bangladeshi diplomat. During his tenure, he worked in several countries as the ambassador of Bangladesh including Thailand, Vietnam, South Korea and Germany
The areas where searches are underway are surrounded by dense forests

Security personnel during a cordon and search operation near the site where Army vehicles were ambushed by terrorists on Thursday, in Poonch district, Friday, Dec. 22, 2023. (PTI Photo)

Srinagar: The Indian Army early Friday launched a massive manhunt for terrorists involved in Thursdays deadly ambush in which four soldiers were killed and three others critically wounded in the Surankote tehsil of Jammu and Kashmirs frontier Poonch district.

Some reports say that five Army jawans lost their lives when two vehicles- a Maruti Gypsy and a 1-ton truck-came under a sneak attack by a group of heavily equipped Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) cadres in the Dera ki Gali area of Poonch. However, Nagrota (Jammu)based White Knight Corps in a post on X mentioned only four fatal casualties in the deadly attack.

It said, Indian Army and White Knight Corps salutes the bravery and supreme sacrifice of four soldiers in #Surankote on 21 Dec 23 while fighting the scourge of terrorism.

The jawans belonging to the 48 Rashtriya Rifles on board these vehicles were going to reinforce a joint operation against militants in the Dera ki Gali area that had begun on Wednesday evening.

Reports from Thanamandi, an area in neighbouring Rajouri district, which falls in proximity of Dera ki Gali said hundreds of Army troops including elite PARA Commandos early Friday moved in the militancy-infested areas of Poonch-Rajouri region along with huge contingents of the J&K polices counterinsurgency Special Operations Group and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) to chase the militants. A massive cordon-and-search operation has begun this morning after a night cordon in the area, a defence spokesman said in Jammu.

The areas where searches are underway are surrounded by dense forests. The police officials said that like in the past the militants may have fled into woods after carrying out the attack on the Army vehicles at Dhatyar Morh between Dera ki Gali and Bufliaz under the jurisdiction of the Surankote police station of Poonch. We have learned that after carrying out such attacks they quickly flee into the forests and then use the natural caverns and other mountain hollows as sanctuaries, said a police officer. After killing and mounding the soldiers, the assailants had decamped with their weapons, a report said.

The Indian Army on Friday flew its helicopters over the area for the aerial monitoring and also pressed sniffer dogs into service to track down the militants, the officials said. The General Officer Commanding (GoC) of the White Knight Corps, Lt. General Sandeep Jain, visited Ground Zero and reviewed the situation with top Army and police officers, officials added. The police said that SSP Poonch Vinay Kumar and several other senior officers are also camping in the area to supervise the operation.

A National Investigation Agency (NIA) team also visited the scene of the terror attack. The NIA acts as the Central Counter Terrorism Law Enforcement Agency and is empowered to deal with terror related crimes across states and union territories without special permission from them. The National Investigation Act, 2008 gives the agency powers to take suo motu cognisance of terror activities in any part of the country and register a case. In 2019, the act was amended to expand the type of offences the agency could investigate and prosecute including the ones coming under the Explosive Substances Act, 1908.

The Indian Army has suffered heavy losses in the twin border districts of Poonch and Rajouri during the past few months. Five of its jawans were killed in an attack by militants in the Dera Ki Gali area itself on October 11. Following this attack, the Army, the J&K police and other security forces had intensified their operation flush out against a group of heavily armed militants which had taken positions at vantage points midst woods in the region in the Pir Panjal Range.

During this operation, two more Army soldiers including a Junior Commissioned Officer lost their lives on October 16. In an almost month-long operation in which Armys PARA Commandos also took part, as many as nine army personnel including two JCOs were killed. On November 22, five soldiers including two captains and two militants were killed in a two-day-long gun battle at Bajimaal in Rajouri.

The Army and police sources said that the region has witnessed nine major terror attacks and encounters since October 11, 2021 when five Army jawans including a JCO lost their lives in a clash with militants in Chamrer woods of Surankote. In these incidents as many as 36 soldiers and officers have laid down their lives, twenty of them this year, so far.

Pir Panjal Range is a chain of mountains in the Lower Himalayan region located in the Western Himalayas of the subcontinent. Poonch-Rajouri is located near the Line of Control (LoC). Poonch shares a de facto border with the Poonch district of the Pakistan-occupied-Jammu and Kashmir.

In the past, the Indian Army officials have said that because of the vastness of the area with thick forests and undergrowth the security forces often find it difficult to establish physical contact with the terrorists who sometimes also choose to move to the other side of the LoC to escape combing and search operations.
Rahul urges Bihar CM to include more Congress ministers

Patna: In a significant development, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar held a closed-door meeting with Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav at his official residence on Friday.

The meeting which was termed as crucial by leaders of the grand alliance in Patna took place amid reports of escalating tensions within the INDIA bloc ahead of next years Lok Sabha elections.

The development took place shortly after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi called Nitish Kumar on Friday morning. According to sources, Rahul Gandhi discussed future political strategies and urged Nitish Kumar to consider including more Congress ministers in the Bihar cabinet.

Mr. Gandhi also reportedly clarified the Congress partys stand regarding the projection of Mallikarjun Kharge as the INDIA blocs PM face.

The projection of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal during the INDIA bloc gathering on Tuesday left Mr. Kumar upset. The development subsequently led to Nitish Kumars criticism by the opposition BJP.

During the recent INDIA bloc meeting, political parties had agreed to finalise seat-sharing arrangements at the state level. Insider reports indicate that Nitish Kumar and Tejashwi Yadav engaged in discussions regarding the matter during their meeting on Friday.

There are reports that Nitish Kumar and Tejashwi Yadav also discussed the matter of cabinet expansion.

There are 40 Lok Sabha seats in Bihar. While Lalu Yadavs RJD and Nitish Kumars JD(U) want to contest on maximum seats, the Congress and left parties have been mounting pressure for "a decent number of seats". Reports suggest that the Congress may raise its demand for 6 to 8 seats.

In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the NDA (BJP, JD(U) and LJP) won 39 out of 40 seats. The BJP had won 17 while its partner JD(U) got 16 seats and LJP six seats.

The Congress party which contested 9 seats managed to win one seat in Muslim-dominated Kishanganj. The RJD was defeated on all seats in the previous Lok Sabha elections.
Arts collective Womanifesto showcases Flowing Connections involving local communities to huge reception and critical acclaim

One of the largest, most unique and important art exhibitions in Bangkok ends here in December after running for three months. Its name is Womanifesto  Flowing Connections and it is in progress at the citys premier Bangkok Arts and Culture Centre (BACC).

Womanifesto is one of the first collectives of female artists created in Southeast Asia, and was launched in Bangkok in 1997. Among its founding members is Varsha Nair, an Indian multi-disciplinary artist who lived in Bangkok for nearly two decades before moving back to Baroda. It is in Baroda that she did her art education and is now based.

The second Indian artist in the art collective is one of its newest members, Rashmimala from Assam who also did her art studies in Baroda.

The unique feature of the Womanifesto collective is that the group of women artists met regularly on a biennial basis outside the exhibition space.

This year marked their grand re-emergence in an exhibition venue where the diverse and dynamic artworks of more than 30 women artists from Asia and other countries filled the sumptuous galleries of the top arts centre in the city.

The archive section in the exhibition gave details of the Womanifesto workshops held in various unique spaces over the last two decades.

One of their most significant meetings was in 2001, when the artists met at a farm in Si Sa Ket province of Udon Thani in northeast Thailand.

That was when Varsha Nair urged the group of artists to not stay indoors but to Go Picnic outdoors.

The result was that the group of artists went out and learnt a lot about their environment, and the arts and crafts of the region, and these led to the start of their connection with communities, which influenced their artworks immensely and has now become intrinsic to the collective.

German artist Karla Sachse spoke about the baskets she learnt to weave from the local artisans, and the baskets became female vessels and baskets of experience in her art works.

Swiss artist Lilliane Zumkemi was fascinated by the snails in the region, and these went on to become peace symbols in her art works.

Thai ceramic artists Preenun Nana and Pim Sudhikam created clay installations that resembled leaves, something they learned from the students of the local varsity.

One of the highlights of the Womanifesto exhibition in Bangkok this year was the interaction of the artists with the students, public and the community. There were talks, discussions, workshops and performances, which involved a great deal of interactions with the public.

In the section of the workshop titled We Mend, many participants from the audience wove together patches of clothes, each with a personal history. Many of the art works were interactive at the exhibition where members of the public tried their hand with various materials.

It was fascinating to see old generation artists interact with new generation students.

In fact, many young artists joined the Womanifesto collective during this years mega-exhibition in Bangkok.

Well-known Indonesian performance artiste Arahmaiani swung a red flag with the word, juyup, meaning universal peace, to rap music, and she was joined by students and even children during her spins. The Muslim artiste spoke of her many trips to India to study a particular form of Buddhism at a centre near Mysore offering proof of the multi-dimensional philosophy of this collective of artists.

Well-known Thai artist Pinaree Sanpitaks breast images, Surojana Sethabutras herbal medicine scriptures and Pakistani artist Nilofar Akmuts mobile library of childrens books created a lot of interest.

Rashmimalas Tracing through a Backyard recreated her memories of certain plants grown in the backyard of homes in Assam and she painted these on the local muga silk fabric. She says it was important to keep alive the old traditions of the region.

Varsha Nair inscribed the script of an old Indian text on x-ray images of the human body stating that the text referred to the lesser position of women in society. She chose to question that, by placing the text on x-ray images of men and women.

Thai artist Phaptawan Suwannakudt showcased handwritten script in ink, on handwoven fabrics, based on the weaving techniques she learnt from a craftswoman.

Nitaya Ueareeworakul used recycled paper in her artworks, and the paper still retained the text and colour of the old period.

During Covid, the Womanifesto group shifted to online discussions, having a digital courtyard called LASUEMO (Last Sunday Each Month), which allowed members to meet via Zoom on those dates.

While the return of the Womanifesto collective to a grand exhibition venue was welcome, the exhibition also portrayed the collectives unique ethos  the importance of production processes, flowing connections with the community, and growing links between the old and new generations.

From that point of view, it was one of the most unique and important exhibitions held in the city.

It was also decided for the Womanifesto collective to have a semi-permanent venue. The Baan Womanifesto House, in Udon Thani was chosen for this, and it would house the archive and library, and also host various art activities for local and international artists, including workshops and residency programmes.

As one of the first feminist collectives of its kind in Southeast Asia, the Womanifesto collective continues to be of historical significance to art in Thailand and the world.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi BJP leaders called up Mr Dhankhar while others were asked to express their solidarity with him on social media

The suspension of a record number of MPs from Parliament should have evoked anger and outrage among the public and anyone who cares for the health of parliamentary democracy. But the Bharatiya Janata Party strategists turned the tables on the Opposition by successfully deflecting attention from this development by highlighting how Trinamul Congress MP Kalyan Ray had insulted vice-president Jagdeep Dhankhar by mimicking him. On cue, trolls on social media were activated to condemn this insult to the Vice-President and the Jat community. The BJP lost no time in prompting friendly Jat groups to protest this insult to their clansmen. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other senior BJP leaders called up Mr Dhankhar while others were asked to express their solidarity with him on social media. All this was sufficiently publicised at the behest of the ruling dispensation. For instance, Sansad TV made sure it showed all the social media messages in the Vice-Presidents support whenever there was a break between programmes. The Opposition did its best to highlight the suspension of their MPs but it was beaten to it by the BJP and the governments publicity machinery.

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Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray is not a frequent visitor to Delhi. He was here last nearly three years ago when he and son Aaditya called on former Congress president Sonia Gandhi after the formation of a coalition government in Maharashtra. He was here again last week to attend the fourth meeting of the INDIA alliance leaders. This time, a conscious effort was made by his party colleague Sanjay Raut to introduce Mr Thackeray to the Delhi media and to acquaint him with press persons in the Capital. A special dinner was organised by Mr Raut at his Delhi residence for this informal interaction. Most journalists went back impressed with Mr Thackeray primarily because he did not dodge their questions and responded to their queries frankly and with clarity. Since the dinner was held soon after the meeting of the INDIA alliance, most questions pertained to the discussions at the gathering. On seat sharing in Maharashtra, Mr Thackeray said he had a perfect understanding with NCP chief Sharad Pawar but talks with Congress were yet to begin. He was also firm that the negotiations be held in Delhi because it was not clear if the Congress leadership had authorised anyone in Maharashtra to conduct these talks.

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An anti-Rahul Gandhi alliance is clearly emerging within the anti- BJP INDIA alliance of opposition parties. West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee can be described as the leading member of this alliance followed by Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and Samajwadi Partys Akhilesh Yadav. Banerjees proposal that Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge be projected as the Prime Ministerial face of the INDIA alliance was meant to send a message to the Congress that Rahul Gandhi should not be put forth as a contender for the top post. Though other Opposition leaders are not averse to Mr Kharges candidature, they prefer to wait and go about it systematically. A senior Opposition leader and key Congress ally, had a telling comment to make. Before you expect all of us to forge a consensus on Kharges name, first ask if there is a consensus within the Congress on this, he asked.

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There is no clarity yet about the Bharatiya Janata Partys plans for former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan after he was denied another term to head the new state government. Mr Chouhans meeting with BJP president J.P. Nadda last week led to speculation that he has been promised an important role in the party organisation at the Centre or a Lok Sabha ticket. But the fact that he could not meet Union home minister Amit Shah left everyone wondering if these reports were correct. While Mr Chouhan is putting up a brave face at being shown the door after a record four-term stint as chief minister, his wife Sadhna Singh is yet to reconcile to moving out of the CMs bungalow. She is said to be bemoaning that she could not even get her sons married while Mr Chouhan was helming the state government. She apparently confessed to friends that she had hoped her husband would be asked to continue as chief minister till the Lok Sabha elections. That would have suited the Chouhans as the marriage of their son Kartikey is fixed for early next year.

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There was a time when Bharatiya Janata Partys spokesperson Sambit Patra was virtually a permanent speaker on every prominent English television channel during the prime time news programmes. Like other spokespersons, Mr Patra dutifully adopted the party template laid out for them. This meant being permanently angry and combative to the point of snapping at the anchors and shouting down the other speakers. But Mr Patras appearances on English TV channels have reduced drastically though he is still on the panel of party spokespersons. Sanju Verma and Gaurav Bhatia are the current favourite spokespersons. Mr Patra is also said to be busy with his assignment at the ITDC and is hoping to be fielded again from Puri in next years Lok Sabha election. He lost to BJDs Pinaki Mishra in 2019. However, party insiders maintain this is not a done deal yet.
Cultural colonisation takes decades after that to be erased, and India is a good example to illustrate this.

Rahul Shivshankar and Siddhartha Talyas very readable and meticulously researched book, Modi and India: 2024 and the Battle for Bharat, was recently launched. I was a speaker at the event, along with a high-profile panel consisting of RSS leader Ram Madhav, vice-president of BJP Jay Panda, scientist and commentator Dr A.R. Ranganathan, and Smita Prakash of the ANI.

Right at the start, the authors ask the provocative question: Will the (2024) election be a vote for the establishment of Hindu Rashtra? The question is polemical, but hardly the thesis of the book. The real purpose of the authors is to outline the impelling reasons why India should decolonise its legacy, correct some aspects of its historical narrative which have been ignored, glossed over, or distorted, and rediscovering the great civilisation to which it belongs, transit to Bharat.

Bharat here is used as a polarity to India, implying that if one is about cultural rootedness and authenticity, the other is about the dominance of a rootless anglicised elite and the mindless mimicry of the West. The India versus Bharat debate is, of course, a trifle overstated. Bharat is what we were as an ancient civilisation; India is an international brand, which is fast emerging as a world power.

However, the essential point of the book is valid. Colonisation is not only about the physical subjugation of a people; it is about the colonisation of their minds. Political freedom has a finite day. Cultural colonisation takes decades after that to be erased, and India is a good example to illustrate this.

Following August 15, 1947, power and influence was largely inherited by brown sahebs, who were out of touch with their own culture, westernised in their behaviour, dismissive about Indias heritage, and fluent in English rather than their own language. I have discussed this in my book Becoming Indian: The Unfinished Revolution of Culture and Identity. Jawaharlal Nehru, although undoubtedly the maker of a democratic and secular India, saw progress largely in terms of a western paradigm, and was impatient to get rid of the deadwood of our past, which he mostly conflated with superstition, prejudice and sterile ritual.

Of course, the old Indian civilisation was not unblemished in all respects, but to summarily dismiss its great achievements was akin to throwing the baby out with the bathwater. As a young nation, but one of the oldest civilisations of the world, our past has seen remarkable refinements in a whole range of subjects, philosophy, science, arts and culture, political theory, literature, grammar and many other areas, driven by moulik soch or the power of original thought. This is discussed in detail in my book The Great Hindu Civilisation. Rahul Shivshankars belief is that with the coming of Narendra Modi, the elections in 2024 would inaugurate the formation of a dharma-inspired second republic, and a definitive reclamation of Bharat.

This is a laudable goal, although the definition of dharma in Indian thought is a highly complex one. Whose dharma, what dharma, dharma as something absolute, or contextual? Yudhishthira in the Mahabharata himself says to Draupadi: Dharma is sukshma (subtle). Who has defined it? Be that as it may, some things are clearly against the interests of India: Bharat should not be about xenophobia; it must not be, as Mohan Bhagwat says, about the boisterous rhetoric of supremacy; it should respect all faiths, based on Hinduisms own dictum Sarva Dharma Sambhava; it should be inclusive as Hinduism is, not reflexively exclusionist; it should be assimilative where necessary not dogmatically rejectionist; it should be progressive and not an excuse to perpetuate outdated orthodoxies; it should welcome critical thinking and not seek to homogenise Hinduism in accordance with a self-anointed group of Hindu thekedars who think only they know what Hinduism is about; it should believe in gender parity; and it should be ready to embrace reform rather than mindlessly glorify everything of the past.

It is true that there are some issues which need rectification. The book talks at length about the practice of minority appeasement in the past for vote bank politics, and it cannot be denied that there was indeed some of that  the overruling of the Supreme Courts Shah Bano judgement is a glaring example  although such politically motivated appeasement did not do much to better the lives of Muslims themselves. There are also matters which cause a great deal of legitimate resentment in Hindus, be it the government control of Hindu temples, or the occasional soft-pedalling of Islamic extremism.

But aggressive Hindu majoritarianism is not the answer to this. India is a multi-religious, plural and multi-cultural nation, and any attempt to steam roll this incontrovertible reality into an intolerant Hindu monolith is neither desirable nor feasible, and can become the cause of endemic instability which will not only sully our international image but also affect our economic ambitions.

Objectively, Rahul Shivshankar admits that such possible distortions are a threat. He especially indicts organisations like Bajrang Dal  which are attracting members in record numbers and threaten to unravel the BJPs carefully cultivated strategy of growing into a big-tent party with a pan-India appeal, grounded in the best that Hindu ethos has to offer. The truth is that organisations like the Bajrang Dal are fast becoming a law unto themselves. The irony is that its foot-soldiers know very little either of the profundity of Hinduism or of the greatness of Hindu civilisation. During the discussion at the launch, I jokingly said that if one of the Bajrang Dal activists is locked in a room and told that he would not be released until he writes one coherent page on Hinduism and Hindu civilisation, he would probably spend the rest of his life in that room. Ram Madhav agreed, adding that leave alone a page they would not even be able draft a comprehensible troll tweet!

The authors also condemn instances of chilling hate speeches, such as that in some Dharam Sansads. They admit that the Sangh Parivar is finding it difficult to leash radicalised Hindus who have been exposed to the less reasonable ideas of the Hindu Right. Both of them, therefore, rightly conclude that Indias mission to become a Vishwa Guru is there only for the BJP to squander.
The 12 parishes of the Apostolic Vicariate of Nepal have been asked to take additional security measures during Christmas due to possible attacks by Hindu extremists. "Christmas is a time of joyful celebration and we should celebrate it with joy and not with fear," said Father Silas Bogati, vicar general of the Apostolic Vicariate of Nepal.

Kathmandu (AsiaNews/Agencies)  Christians in Nepal have been advised to be on high alert during the Christmas period following a number of incidents of anti-Christian violence that have occurred in the country in recent months at the hands of Hindu extremist groups.

There is a sense of fear and insecurity rippling through the Christian community amid Christmas celebrations. We feel exposed to hostility for being Christian, said Father Lalit Tudu, parish priest at Assumption Cathedral in the capital Kathmandu, the countrys largest church. The right to practise our faith peacefully is threatened to some extent, he lamented.

The 12 parishes that come under the Apostolic Vicariate of Nepal have been asked to take additional security measures over Christmas. Local administrations and security agencies are supportive of providing extra security for Christmas services, the clergyman explained.

According to the 2023 national census, Christians number 513,000 or less than 2 per cent of the countrys population.

Worshippers who attend religious services have also been asked not to carry bags or packages as part of security measures to avoid the possibility that members of extremist cells might bring explosives into a church.

Kathmandu Cathedral has also installed security cameras on its premises.

Nepali Christians have experienced several violent incidents since last August, after a video that went viral on social media claimed to show members of a Christian community eating beef in a village near the city of Dharan in eastern Nepal.

Hindus constitute 80 per cent of Nepals population of about 24 million. The most orthodox among them consider the cow to be a representation of their mother goddess. That is why they hate anyone caught eating beef.

The specious accusations made in the video prompted radical Hindu groups to attack seven churches and some members of the Christian community in different parts of the country.

The right-wing Hindu nationalist Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP or National Democratic Party), in cooperation with extremist Hindu groups, has also organised protest rallies, calling for the restoration of the Nepali monarchy.

In 2006, the Nepali parliament voted to abolish the monarchy leading to the secularisation of the state. Christmas was eventually declared a national holiday, but since 2018, Christmas celebrations have been reserved for Christians only.

Following the August violence, local officials alerted the Kathmandu International Christian Congregation and local Christian leaders of a "possible bomb attack" against their main church.

Since then, Christian organisations have been on high alert, mindful of what happened on 23 May 2009, when a Hindu extremist group bombed a church, killing three Catholics and injuring another 14 at a prayer meeting. In April 2017 the cathedral was also damaged by arson.

Still, Christmas is a time of joyful celebration and we should celebrate it with joy and not fear, said Father Silas Bogati, vicar general of the Vicariate Apostolic of Nepal.

Nepalese Christians passing by the Catholic Church of the Assumption before Christmas celebrations in Lalitpur, on the outskirts of Kathmandu (Photo: AFP)
A 35-year-old Armenian, Hakop Gochumyan, was visiting a friend's house just outside the capital when plainclothes police arrested him. His personal belongings and Christian books were also seized. Four months later, his wife was released on bail while he is still jailed. This story is one of many, but others often prefer to remain anonymous hoping for release.

Tehran (AsiaNews)  In Iran, Christmas for some Christians is a dark cell, in one of the countrys most notorious prisons, held without charges, aware that they were locked away only for their faith with no prospect for indictment that would enable them to defend themselves, deprived of rights even more than their liberty.

This is the case of an Armenian man, one of a hundred Christians arrested last summer and held in Evin prison, north of Tehran, who, after four months, is still unaware of his fate, with the only certainty of spending the holiday away from his family.

The story of 35-year-old Hakop Gochumyan is relayed by Article18, an advocacy group seeking to protect and promote religious freedom in Iran and on behalf of its persecuted Christians.

The Armenian national was visiting Iran with his wife Elissa, who has dual Armenian-Iranian citizenship, and their two children. On 15 August, the two adults were arrested in Pardis, on the outskirts of Tehran.

According to some witnesses, the couple, with their children aged seven and 10, were at a friend's house for lunch when a dozen plainclothes agents from the Ministry of Intelligence burst in and took them away.

After searching the house, they brought Hakop and Elissa to Evin prison, placed the couple's children in the care of an aunt, and seized their personal belongings, including Christian books.

Since then, the couple have been held in solitary confinement in the infamous Ward 209, subjected to intense psychological torture and repeated interrogations, each lasting between two and five hours.

Iranian authorities have not laid any formal charges against Hakop and Elissa while keeping them in custody, in violation of Article 14 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights ratified by Iran.

After more than two months of detention, Elissa was released on 19 October on US$ 40,000 bail (down from US$ 100,000), which allowed her to return to Armenia to her two children, who had previously been repatriated with a relative. Her husband, instead, has remained in prison all this time.

Speaking to Article18, his wife said that secret service agents accused her of involvement in illegal Christian activities.

She said she did not know where the accusation came from, noting that neither she nor her husband had done anything illegal, nor engaged in any Christian activities during their visit to Iran.

Elissa is the daughter of a well-known Iranian-Armenian pastor, Rafi Shahverdian, who passed away earlier this year. He led a church in Yerevan after he left Iran in 1993.

Anti-Christian persecution is a further evidence that religious freedom in Iran is in sharp regression in parallel with the growing repression by the authorities against protests that broke out following the death of Mahsa Amini in the hands of the morality police.

In its 2023 report, published last May, the US Commission on International Religious Freedom describes the Islamic Republic as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) for its systematic, egregious and ongoing violations.

More than a hundred Christians, mostly converts from Islam but also several Assyrian-Chaldeans baptised at an early age, were arrested between June and September in 11 different cities.

Another 69 have been arrested and at least 10  four men and six women  have been held in detention, various advocacy groups have reported on their website. For those out on bail, families paid amounts ranging from US$ 8,000 to US$ 40,000.

This wave of arrests also coincided with a new crackdown against Irans Baha'i community, which along with Christian converts is another group not recognised by Iranian authorities.

Some of those released had to sign a pledge to refrain from further Christian activities or had to participate in Islamic re-education sessions. Others were summoned for further questioning, lost their jobs, or were deported.

Two of the Christians detained because of their faith will spend Christmas under lock and key in an undisclosed location; the two are brothers, one of whom is a known, former prisoner of conscience.

Milad Goodarzi was released earlier this year as part of a broader amnesty for detainees to mark the Islamic Republic's 44th anniversary.

Like many other prisoners, Milad had already served most of his three-year sentence, reduced from five, for engaging in propaganda that educates in a deviant way contrary to the holy religion of Islam.

Milads case has received wide coverage, but that is not the case for many others. Instead, most Christians arrested this year have opted not to publicise their situation, hoping it may help their case, adding to a growing sense of faceless victims.
by Nirmala Carvalho

He was arrested for defending other Christians arrested under the states anti-conversion law, adopted three years ago by the governing Hindu nationalist party. Bishop Louis Mascarenhas of Allahabad welcomed his release as an unexpected "Christmas gift.

Allahabad (AsiaNews)  Father Babu Francis, director of social work at the Diocese of Allahabad (Uttar Pradesh), was released from prison yesterday, four days after the Allahabad High Court granted him bail. The authorities had arrested him three months ago on suspicion of violating of the states anti-conversion law.

Its is a Christmas gift for us. Our joy has no words to be expressed, said Bishop Louis Mascarenhas of Allahabad upon greeting Father Francis at the gate of Naini prison, Prayagraj district, with a bouquet of flowers.

About 11 of India's 28 states have passed laws criminalising forced conversions, but in practice, they have been used to prevent the practice of the Christian faith.

Nearly 400 Christians have been arrested in Uttar Pradesh alone since the law was passed in 2021  Fr Francis is one of them. He was detained when he went to the police station to enquire about three other Catholics from his diocese detained for the same reason.

Vibhavnath Bharati, leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party, the party of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, filed a complaint on 1 October at the Naini police station, falsely accusing Father Babu and other members of the Diocese of trying to convert villagers.

In 2014, when Prime Minister Modi took office, 147 incidents of violence and arrests against Christians were reported; since then, the cases have steadily increased: 177 in 2015; 208 in 2016; 240 in 2017; 292 in 2018; 328 in 2019; 279 in 2020; 505 in 2021; 599 in 2022; and 687 as of November 2023, 531 of which in four northern states, including Uttar Pradesh, which alone accounted for 287, this according to the United Christian Forum (UCF).

Anti-conversion laws are being abused to target Christians, said UCF coordinator A C Michael. More than 300 questionable arrests have been made under FORA (Freedom of Religious Acts), he explained.
Why Women Find Funny Guys Attractive, Explained

Why Do Women Love Funny Men? Here Are 9 Reasons, According to Experts

If you dont have six-pack abs, a chiseled jawline, or a dazzling smile, dont stress  as it turns out, a sense of humor may be an even more effective way to win women over. Research has proven this time and time again, too.

A 2023 study in Evolutionary Behavioral Sciences found that when men do something funny, women perceive them as more friendly and attractive. Not only did women perceive funny guys as smarter, according to the study, but they also perceived them as having greater earning potential.

That might help to explain why womens preference for funny men was especially strong in the context of looking for a long-term relationship. Apparently, a sense of humor suggests the potential to be more successful in life, which is obviously a valuable trait when choosing a life partner.

Of course, everyone has different priorities when it comes to dating  so, some women may prioritize other qualities over a sense of humor. But one of the first things Mark Verber, a licensed professional counselor at EPIC Counseling Solutions, asks clients in a couples counseling session is what initially attracted them to each other. And without fail, he says humor is one of the most common answers he gets.

The question remains, though: Why are women drawn to guys who can make them laugh? Below, experts share some of the many reasons.

RELATED: Qualities Women Look For In A Man

1. Laughter Is a Natural Stress Reliever

Studies have found that laughter reduces cortisol, the stress hormone. Thats just one reason why women love funny men, says Paul Osincup, a humor strategist and author of The Humor Habit  they make them feel more relaxed.

Not only that, but laughter also boosts the hormone responsible for human connection  oxytocin, he adds. So by being funny, youre simultaneously putting your date at ease and drawing them closer to you.

2. Humor Helps With Overcoming Lifes Challenges

Being in a long-term relationship with someone means weathering lifes many storms together. So, naturally, women are typically looking for someone who they can rely on to navigate hurdles without losing hope.

A sense of humor says that the guy can get through the tough spots in life and help you get through them, too, says Carole Lieberman, MD, a psychiatrist and author of Bad Boys and Bad Girls, Life can be challenging and laughter is the best medicine.

Barbie Adler, founder and president of the luxury matchmaking firm Selective Search, also notes that a man whos quick with a joke can lift your spirits and brighten even the worst day  and what woman wouldnt want that?

RELATED: How to Use 'Solve Languages' to Improve Your Relationship

As Verber notes, every relationship will face potentially awkward situations  and humor is disarming. It puts people at ease.

Whether its the first-date jitters or talking about retirement plans 40 years later, laughter helps to lighten the mood, he explains. Women love men who have humor in their toolkit to help smooth out rough edges in the right moments.

3. A Sense of Humor Is a Sign of Emotional Intelligence

Emotional intelligence, or EQ, refers to the ability to perceive, understand, and manage your own emotions as well as the emotions of those around you. And experts agree its one of the most valuable skills in any romantic relationship.

According to Martha Tara Lee, a relationship counselor and clinical sexologist, a sense of humor can actually signal high emotional intelligence, because it requires an understanding of others' perspectives and the ability to connect with them on an emotional level.

On the surface, humor can seem so simple, says Verber. Yet, it requires a certain degree of emotional intelligence to be truly adept at making others laugh so seamlessly. The timing and tone must be just right. You need to know the audience and the ebbs and flows of their mood.

RELATED: Top 10 Ways to Attract Her With Humor

Empathy, listening skills, and social awareness are major facets of EQ, and Osincup says that making a woman laugh can demonstrate all of these things because it shows how well you can read a situation and act accordingly.

You can't really be that witty if you're not paying attention to the social cues around you, explains David N. Brace, a relationship and attraction expert with a background in developmental psychology, and founder of LifeLoveMarriage. When youre funny, youre showing a woman that youre taking in her nonverbal cues. It shows a deeper communication prowess.

4. Making Jokes Suggests You Dont Take Yourself Too Seriously

As men, it seems were always wanting to portray confidence  but confidence without humility is just arrogance, and humility without confidence is just self-deprecation, explains Osincup.

For every comment about your fancy new job title, you might add a story about when your older sister dressed you up as Strawberry Shortcake when you were kids. Now your date can see that youre not just a high achiever with a good job, but that youre also fun-loving and easygoing.

In other words, Adler says, it shows that youre not vain  youre comfortable enough in your own skin to be authentic and even poke fun at your own faults.

RELATED: How to Build Confidence When Dealing With Self-Image Issues

Lieberman also points out that joking around may lead a woman to think that you can let things roll off your back a little easier.

It shows that not everything she says or does will be the end of the world, she explains.

5. It Also Shows That Youre Agreeable

A 2015 study conducted at the University of Kansas found that the more times a man tries to be funny  and the woman hes talking to actually laughs at those attempts  the more likely she is to be interested in dating him.

If you meet someone who you can laugh with, it might mean your future relationship is going to be fun and filled with good cheer, explained Jeffrey Hall, associate professor of communication studies and a researcher involved in this study.

Hall also noted that having a sense of humor suggests an agreeable personality.

Being funny is a sign of social competence, adds Brace. And that does a lot more than say he may be the life of the party. It signals that he is capable of traversing the social landscape easily and confidently.

6. Wittiness Keeps a Conversation Interesting

Humor requires quick thinking, cleverness, and the ability to make connections between seemingly unrelated things, says Lee. Women may find intelligence and wit attractive qualities in a partner as they indicate mental agility and the ability to engage in stimulating conversations.

RELATED: One Simple Dating Hack Thatll Make You Way Sexier

Humor is all about subverting expectations, says Adler, so being with a funny guy keeps a woman on her toes in a positive way  and makes ordinary life more exciting and enjoyable. It also shows a certain kind of intelligence that involves snap decision-making and mental flexibility.

This kind of intelligence is not only valuable in the context of humor but can be an indicator that a man is skilled at quickly observing and judging situations, which is a generally useful skill in all areas of life, she explains.

7. Humor Is Often Linked to Creativity

Experts also say that when youre funny, women assume you also must have some level of creativity.

Showing creativity in romantic or flirting situations shows a man's potential to be a more open and responsive partner in a relationship, explains Brace. A creative man can come up with date ideas, ways to help around the house, or make her feel loved. And I think women instinctively know this.

RELATED: 5 Types of Men Women Find Attractive

Lee also adds that women are often drawn to men who display creativity through their humor, as it can be seen as an indicator of a willingness to think outside the box  something that can be very attractive.

"Funny men possess the unique ability to turn everyday moments into extraordinary memories, leaving women longing for more laughter-filled adventures, Lee says.

8. It Shows Confidence As Well as Vulnerability

Humor is also a reliable sign of extraversion and confidence, Adler tells AskMen. Making people laugh requires you to put yourself out there, and men who display this kind of charisma tend to be seen as more attractive, regardless of physical appearance.

Adler says humor also suggests a willingness to be vulnerable for the sake of another persons happiness.

The best humor involves risk, explains Verber. The joke might fall flat  or worse, might offend someone. It takes a certain amount of vulnerability and courage. Women like both. Vulnerability leads to intimacy and courage to commitment.

9. Laughter Can Make a Woman Feel More Comfortable

Women feel more comfortable around people who make them feel open, explains Brace. And humor breaks down barriers to communication and intimacy between people. When a woman is laughing with a guy, shes feeling comfortable and that signals that he is safe. That she can be herself and let loose a bit.

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by Vijay Prashad





On December 14, 2023, the U.S. Congress passed the National Defense Authorization Act, which included an interesting provision: for the U.S. President to create a special envoy for the Abraham Accords, the Negev Forum, and other related platforms. This addition came at the same time as the government worried deeply about the collapse of its entire agenda in the Middle East, as well as about the threats posed to Israel from Lebanon and Yemen. Until a few months ago, high officials of the United States preened about their political maneuvers to get the Arab states to normalize relations with Israel and to dilute the influence of China in the region. All these schemes collapsed in the ruins of Israels aggressive bombing campaign against the Palestinians in Gaza. Now, all of the structures created by the United Statesstarting with the Abraham Accordsappear to have lost their solidity. Whereas the question of Palestine had begun to drift off the radar of the Arab states, that question is now forced back to the center by the actions of Hamas and the other Palestinian armed factions on October 7.





People conduct rescue work after an Israeli airstrike in the southern Gaza Strip city of Rafah, on Dec. 20, 2023. (Photo by Yasser Qudih/Xinhua)

The Abraham Accords





U.S. President Donald Trump was never interested in international law or the intricacies of diplomacy. As far as Israel was concerned, Trump was clear that he wanted to settle the conflict with the Palestinianswho seemed weakened by the Israeli policy of settlements and isolation of Gazato the benefit of Tel Aviv. In January 2020, Trump released his Peace to Prosperity plan, which effectively disregarded the claims of the Palestinians and strengthened the apartheid Israeli state. The emblem of this hardened policy was that Trump was going to shift the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, a provocative move that upended the Palestinian claim that the city was to be central to their state. I have done a lot for Israel, Trump said at a January 28 press conference that announced this plan, with Israels Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu beside him. No Palestinians or Israelis will be uprooted from their homes, Trump said, although his plan noted that land swaps provided by the State of Israel could include both populated and unpopulated areas. The contradiction did not matter. It was clear that Trump was going to back the annexation of the Occupied Palestine Territory come what may.





A few months later, Trump announced the Abraham Accords, which were a set of bilateral deals between Israel and four countries (Bahrain, Morocco, Sudan, and the United Arab Emirates). These Accords promised to continue the process of normalization by Arab states, a process that started with Egypt in 1978 and then Jordan in 1994. In January 2023, the administration of U.S. President Joe Biden took this momentum forward by establishing the Negev Forum Working Group that brought together these states (Bahrain, Egypt, Morocco, and the United Arab Emirates) with Israel into a platform to build bridges in the region. In fact, this Forum was part of the overall project of driving a process for Arab states to have a public relationship with Israel. What eluded Israel and the United States was Saudi Arabia, which is a highly influential country in the region. If the Saudis joined this process, and if the Qataris came along, then the Palestinian cause would be significantly diminished.





The Indian Road





In July 2022, Biden went to Jerusalem to sit beside Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid to host a virtual meeting with Indias Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the UAEs President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. At this meeting, the four men announced the creation of i2u2, or a platform of commercial projects to be jointly developed by India, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, and the United States. This platform brought India directly into the plans for the normalization of relations between Israel and the Arab states.





The next year, at the sidelines of the G20 meeting in Delhi, several heads of government announced the creation of the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC). This corridor had the stated intention of contesting the Chinese-led Belt and Road Initiative as well as being an instrument to bring Saudi Arabia into the drive of normalization with Israel. The IMEC was to start in Gujarat and end in Greece, with a route that would take it through Saudi Arabia and Israel. Since both Saudi Arabia and Israel would be part of this corridor, it would mean the de facto recognition of Israel by Saudi Arabia. Israeli diplomatic officials began to travel to Saudi Arabia, suggesting that normalization was on the cards (with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman telling Fox News in September 2023 that normalization was getting closer).





The war on Gaza stalled the entire process. Mohammed Bin Salman held a phone call with Biden in late October, during which he said that the U.S. must call for a ceasefire, which was unlikely. As part of the call, Saudi officials said that the Crown Prince had noted the possibility of restarting the normalization dialogue after the war. But there was little enthusiasm in their voices. A few days after this call, Biden said, Im convinced one of the reasons Hamas attacked when they did, and I have no proof of this, just my instinct tells me, is because of the progress we were making towards regional integration for Israel. The next day, the White House said that Biden had been misunderstood.





Ansar Allah and Hezbollah





Days after Israel began to mercilessly pummel Gaza, two new battlefronts opened. In southern Lebanon, Hezbollah fighters began to fire rockets into Israel, occasioning the evacuation of 80,000 Israelis. Israel struck back, including through the use of illegal white phosphorus. In early November, Hezbollahs leader Hassan Nasrallah told his followers that their fighters had new weapons with which to threaten not only Israel but also its enablers, the United States. U.S. warships sitting in the eastern Mediterranean, Nasrallah said, do not scare us, and will not scare us. His fighters, he said, have prepared for the fleets with which you threaten us. The presence of Russian-made Yakhont missiles certainly gives Hezbollah the credibility to say that it can strike a U.S. warship that sits less than 300 kilometers from the Levantine coastline.





In the speech, Nasrallah congratulated Ansar Allahalso called the Houthisfor the missiles they fired toward Israel and toward ships trying to get to the Suez Canal. Those attacks by Ansar Allah have now stayed the hand of many shipping companies, who simply do not want to get into this conflict (Hong Kongs OOCL, for instance, has decided that its ships will avoid the region and will not supply Israel). In retaliation, the U.S. has announced a maritime coalition to patrol the Red Sea. Ansar Allah responded that it would turn the waters into a graveyard because this coalition was not about maritime freedom but about allowing for the immoral resupplying of Israel.





The actions of Hezbollah and Ansar Allah have sent a message to the Arab capitals that at least some political forces are willing to offer material solidarity with the Palestinians. This will inspire the Arab populations to put more pressure on their governments. Normalization with Israel seems to be off the table. But, if this pressure mounts, countries like Egypt and Jordan might be forced to reconsider their peace treaties.





This article was produced by Globetrotter.
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SUV

DRL

Stellantis probably isn't too satisfied with what is going on at Jeep in terms of sales, but the specialty brand is trying to set everything on the right course with the recent Wrangler and Gladiator facelifts. Sadly, due to low demand and its collapsing popularity, Jeep has also decided to drop the rugged Renegade from the North American lineup, leaving the Compass compact CUV as its sole entry-level model.On the other hand, the mighty Grand Cherokee doesn't have anything to fear, as always. Its fifth generation was introduced in 2021, with the three-row long wheelbase Grand Cherokee L taking the prime time first. The regular Grand Cherokee swiftly followed it for the 2022 model year, and now they're happily traveling along the mid-size crossoveras more rugged alternatives to models like the Toyota Highlander and Grand Highlander, for example.But why are we talking about the Jeep Renegade and Grand Cherokee both? Well, put simply, it's because the imaginative realm of digital car content creators wants us to. More precisely, the virtual artist behind the CarsVision channel on YouTube has imagined how the American specialty carmaker will treat the Renegade and Grand Cherokee if they are both granted a redesign simultaneously.First, the 2025 Jeep Renegade has been unofficially restyled with subtler lines at the front and back  the front fascia is sleeker now, and the lights have a completely newLED signature. There are also new alloy wheels, of course, while the profile remains primarily unchanged. At the back, the bumper is slightly different and has new lights, while the taillights also have a distinctive LED styling. All in all, it's not bad, and we could see Jeep implement something like this for Renegade's remaining markets.Secondly, the 2025 Jeep Grand Cherokee keeps its status as a crossover SUV that welcomes the best of both worlds  it looks ready for a night out in town before embarking on an adventurous journey for a weekend at the cabin on the lake. It's also sleeker than the OEM portrayal of the WL generation, and one might even feel like this unofficial mid-size crossover SUV could easily take a Range Rover Sport for a bout at the local mall venue. So, which is your favorite?Also, do you think Jeep will keep the current strategy of having the regular Grand Cherokee available for a lower MSRP than the Cherokee, or will they rework the entire lineup after eliminating the Renegade? Frankly, we hope the Hurricane inline-six turbo mills will get democratized soon, and we'll see them on more Jeeps than today  they would bode well for performance alongside the expanding 4xe roster, right?
The coupe could be had at $5,496 if you ordered the base configuration, while the convertible was a bit cheaper, carrying a $5,259 price tag.The coupe was still the big star of the Corvette show this year despite the price show. More than 67 percent of the Corvette buyers picked a coupe this year, so Chevrolet produced 14,680 units. The convertible accounted for 7,121 units of the total 21,801-unit 1971 production.eBay seller 1958stevea has recently posted online what could be one of the fewest 1971 Corvettes still flexing an incredibly low mileage and a mesmerizing condition despite never receiving a restoration.The first thing you'll probably notice about this Corvette is its fantastic shape. The car looks great, and it's almost unbelievable that it's never been restored. The paint shines like a diamond, and the Bridgehampton Blue finish (paint code 979) is spotless. It's the reason the vehicle has already received several prestigious awards, and the seller says the car comes with a complete judging history.Step inside, and you get a chance to explore a 1971 Corvette just the way Chevrolet wanted it to be. Everything is spotless, and the odometer is living proof the car has been meticulously cared for during its entire existence.The odometer indicates only 7,353 miles, and they are all original. The Corvette is a time capsule that doesn't need anything else than a climate-controlled garage or even a museum where it can retain its impressive shape.As if all of the above wasn't enough, the Corvette sells with the original documents, including the build sheet, the tank sticker, the Protect-O-Plate, and the previous owner history. It's unclear how many people owned this amazing piece of automatic culture.As anyone would expect, the engine starts, runs, and drives like a new unit. It's a 350 V8 with 270 horsepower paired with an automatic transmission. The matching-numbers engine has never been rebuilt, aligning with the unmolested condition of the vehicle.The part that will probably make most people walk away is the selling price. The car can't come cheaply. After all, it's a 1971 Corvette survivor with everything in tip-top shape and incredibly low mileage, so you can't find such a coupe every day.The owner expects to get $89,900 for this museum-grade Corvette, but they also enabled the Make Offer button, allowing interested buyers to negotiate the selling price and possibly get a better deal.You can always see the car in person in Bee Spring, Kentucky, and given its incredibly low miles, you should consider bringing your trailer, as driving the Corvette home doesn't make much sense.
While many parts of the world fully succumbed to the hype and attraction behind the sector of crossovers, SUVs, and trucks, there are still strongholds for passenger cars. So, can you imagine a model that's so bland, uninspiring, and meager that it gets booted out of those places, too?

For example, in America, passenger cars have a severe problem; many of them are on the list of endangered species or already extinct. But China doesn't want to abandon them just well. That's why, for example, Cadillac still builds the CT6 as an all-new second-generation model, and North America doesn't get access to this forbidden fruit.Speaking of General Motors, now let's give a counterexample. The Chevrolet Cruze was a compact car invented by the American company in 2008 that was supposed to appeal to global consumers. It was first introduced as an accessible sedan in 2008, followed by a five-door hatchback in 2011 and a station wagon a year later. Alternatively known as the Daewoo Lacetti Premiere, Holden Cruze, or Holden Astra Sedan, it lived for just two generations before GM's corner office head honchos finally admitted defeat and started discontinuing the model across various markets  South Korea in 2018, North America in 2019, and even China in 2020!The only venue where the Chevy Cruze is still alive  though not for long, as production will cease at the end of the current year  is Argentina, where the Chevy Monza also enjoyed steady and robust sales alongside the Cruze. That's basically validation for one important thing  if you make the cars both uninteresting and underperforming, they will slowly but surely die out on their own.Well, that's only valid in the real world, as it turns out. Instead, across the imaginative realm of digital car content creators, some folks still believe there's a case to be made for this nameplate. For example, Dimas Ramadhan, the virtual automotive artist behind the Digimods DESIGN channel on YouTube, has taken up the task of reviving the Chevrolet Cruze sedan  and with a penchant for looking a lot more irreverent than its predecessors.Thus, instead of making it smaller but just as 'normal' as the mid-size $25k Malibu , the pixel master opted to style the hypothetical North American Cruze revival with Chevrolet's current split-headlight design  the DNA is clearly taken from the company's lineup of Crossovers and SUVs. At the rear, the compact sedan morphs into a sporty fastback and also gets a set of cool LEDs. So, would you like to see a feisty-looking but affordable compact sedan from Chevrolet roaming the streets again, or was the original Cruze enough to keep you away from them indefinitely?
Android  Android Auto sync features

Photo: Bogdan Popa/autoevolution

A new "Disconnect" button

Photo: Bogdan Popa/autoevolution

Parking location in Google Maps

Photo: Bogdan Popa/autoevolution

The rollout has since been completed, and Google has started focusing on other big improvements that could eventually land in the hands of Android Auto users.If you've been part of the Android Auto world for over a couple of weeks, you probably know that Google rarely talks about its plans regarding the app.The company ships updates every few weeks, including the beta and the stable channels, but the release information is non-existent in 99.99% of the cases.It doesn't mean the Mountain View-based search firm isn't working on Android Auto improvement. It does, and the most recent builds, including Android Auto 11 , came with hints at what to expect in 2025.One of Google's most ambitious plans is to offer a more seamless transition from mobile devices to the car. To accomplish this goal, the company wants to allow more data to roam between devices so the switch from the phone to the infotainment screen will be smoother.The first improvement concerns wallpapers. Android Auto allows users to set a wallpaper in the app, but the feature is limited to a pre-loaded image collection. Naturally, users would have expected Android Auto to let them configure their images for the wallpaper feature. Google has been ignoring this request, but the company is now planning to offer something even more useful.Google will allow users to keep the wallpaper feature in sync between Android and Android Auto devices, so the background on the mobile phone will also show up in the car. The work on this feature has already started, and once it's complete, users will get a new setting to allow the mobile device to transfer the lock screen or home screen wallpaper to Android Auto and enable it as background.The search company wants to make this transition more seamless by also allowing the app icons to replace the default theme on Android Auto . Google is already testing this idea with a limited number of Samsung phone owners, with the rounded icons available on mobile devices also enabled on Android Auto. Once the work on this feature is over, Android Auto should also support importing third-party icon packs, though chances are that Google will initially offer support only for the stock icons offered by the OEM.Eventually, the sync features should support the app icons and the wallpaper so the home screens on Android Auto and the Android phone will be more consistent.One of the main benefits of using Android Auto wirelessly is that you can ditch cables, often the main culprits of connection problems when running the app.However, if you have more than one phone that can run Android Auto wirelessly, choosing the one to power the experience is more difficult than you think. It's because the connection to the head unit is established automatically, so drivers must disable Bluetooth on the main device to allow another phone to connect.Google wants to fix this shortcoming with a "Disconnect" button in the notification center on the mobile device. Some users already see this new feature, though it's unclear when Google plans to reach the broad availability. I exclusively run Android Auto without a cable, but the feature is yet to show up on my Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra, presumably because Google has yet to enable the button for all users.When it's ready, tapping the Disconnect button in the notification center shuts down the wireless connection between the phone and the head unit, allowing users to connect to other devices.Google Maps remains the world's number one mobile navigation app, so it also dominates the Android Auto space.Google has quietly started rolling out a feature that automatically saves the parking location in Google Maps on Android Auto. The new option is already live for some users, but the broad availability phase should be reached in 2024.With this feature, drivers running Google Maps for navigation can automatically save the vehicle's location within the app so they can turn to their mobile devices for walking directions from a nearby location. The feature comes in handy, particularly when the parking location is not the same as the destination, as Google Maps can offer step-by-step walking guidance to reach the vehicle.The feature is part of Google's more ambitious plan of keeping Android Auto and Android in sync, as the company wants its app to allow users to seamlessly switch between devices, with the same set of apps in charge of offering a similar experience behind the wheel or outside the car. The automatic parking location is already live on the mobile device, and it's not tied to a specific Android Auto version to be enabled in the car.
Apple is working on multiple fronts to transform Apple Maps into a new-generation navigation solution. It's an ambitious plan, especially because Google Maps is currently the leader in the navigation space, but improvements like the detailed city experience and the support for offline maps are living proof Apple is committed to this plan.

EV

EV routing data collection

Photo: Apple

Google Maps privacy improvements

Photo: Apple

However, one of the latest new-generation capabilities challenges Google Maps on another front. Apple Maps now offers a feature called EV routing , specifically aimed at electric vehicles, where the Cupertino-based tech giant offers deeper integration.routing has a simple yet ambitious goal: to address range anxiety and make navigation more straightforward and convenient.The EV routing works by monitoring the battery level and automatically suggesting charging stops when you can't reach the destination. Apple Maps can also configure routes to a destination farther than your current range by automatically looking for charging stations along the route.Similar features have been available on Google Maps for some time, though only on Android Automotive. Google Maps also monitors the EV range thanks to the deeper vehicle integration available on Android Automotive , looking for compatible charging stations and suggesting stops when needed.However, privacy-conscious users are afraid that providing Apple Maps with deeper vehicle integration provides the iPhone maker with access to a concerning amount of information.The first thing EV owners must know if they use the dedicated EV routing in Apple Maps is that Apple does collect information from their vehicles but without tying it to their Apple ID. It means the data is anonymized, so nobody, not even Apple, can assign the collected information to a specific account.If you're still concerned that too much information leaves your device, Apple says it's only collecting information that eventually helps improve your experience with the app. For example, the Cupertino-based tech giant gets battery information, including the charge level, before beginning a journey. It continues to monitor the battery level during the whole time spent behind the wheel with EV routing enabled, sending information to Apple for further processing. Apple Maps EV routing also comes with a feature called "Improve EV Routing" that sends additional information to the iPhone maker for a simple purpose. Using it, the company can further refine the system as it collects the battery capacity, the state of charge, and range-related vehicle characteristics. It means Apple wants to polish the EV routing system by looking at more relevant data from your vehicle and trying to build patterns that could eventually improve the EV routing system for each user and car model.Improving the EV routing enables further data collection, as Apple needs more information to refine its engine. For example, the company looks for and collects information related to charge stops added to the routes, the battery percentage when you arrive at the destination, the remaining travel range, the vehicle's energy consumption, and whether your battery died during the navigation.The data is critical for Apple, as it helps the company determine if the EV routing component works properly and offers accurate estimates during navigation for you and your car. The purpose is to offer accurate numbers according to your profile (which includes the vehicle brand, model, battery capacity, and the chosen route).While enabling this feature allows for more data collection, Apple says your identity is always protected. It's not tied to your Apple ID, and everything is stored anonymously. It means nobody can tell it's you whose battery died during the latest drive.Apple has become very committed to improving Apple Maps, and the privacy component is critical in the long term.However, Apple isn't alone in this push for enhanced privacy. Google has recently announced changes that will prevent authorities from requesting access to users' location data. Google Maps will store the location history locally , so the data will no longer leave the device to be uploaded to Google's servers.Information stored by the Timeline feature in Google Maps, which is essentially a history of all places visited by a Google user, will stay on the device. Previously, Google automatically uploaded it to the cloud, so when a user requested to download it, they retrieved it from Google's servers. The information will now be stored on the device, so if a law enforcement agency wants to access it, contacting Google will no longer be required.Google will still allow users to upload the data to the cloud for specific scenarios, such as when getting a new Android phone. However, the company promises that the location history will be protected by end-to-end encryption, so not even Google can access it. The changes will come into effect throughout 2024 and will be available for all users on Android and iPhone. Google promised to send notifications to every user when the updated privacy protections are available for each account.
Just over a year ago, General Motors issued recall number 22V-930 concerning 111,242 examples of the 2017  2023 Chevrolet Bolt EV. What for? If the front seatbelt pretensions deploy as a result of a crash, the resulting exhaust from the deployed pretensioners may ignite the flammable carpet near the B pillar.

EV

Photo: Chevrolet

NHTSA

Owners were informed about said condition by first-class mail on January 30, 2023, with dealers instructed to install a metal foil near the pretensioner exhaust. General Motors became aware of this issue via a report submitted through the Speak Up For Safety program on September 15, 2022. The report in question detailed an incident from the South Korean market in which a 2018 model year Chevrolet Bolt EV caught fire in the right-side lower B-pillar area.The aforementioned recall population comprised vehicles produced in the period between July 26, 2016 and October 25, 2022 . Of those, an estimated 6,614 have been recalled once again. Why, though? According to the document attached below, an employee informed General Motors that Boltvehicles repaired by Simpson Chevrolet of Irvine were in fact not repaired. Also submitted through the Speak Up For Safety program, the employee's report led to General Motors reviewing service records.The Detroit-based automaker determined that at least 66 vehicles included in the report were marked as repaired in the system but did not receive the all-important foil. Worse still for Simpson Chevrolet, the automaker identified additional cars that didn't receive the remedy. It's not clear, however, if a technician, a service manager, or the dealership's owner decided to sweep this secret under the rug.The California-based retailer averaged 4.4 out of 5 stars from 2,518 reviews on Google. They're rated 4.2 from 112 reviews on Facebook. In other words, most customers are pleased with the staff there. Turning our attention back to the recall, GM singles out vehicles with repairs closed by Simpson Chevrolet through December 4, 2023. The electric hatchbacks in question feature similar production dates to those of the original safety recall from December 2022.Owner notification will kick off January 29, and in the meantime, owners who had the remedy performed by Simpon Chevrolet are urged to check their VINs with General Motors or theto determine whether their vehicles need to be inspected or not. GM addressed the initial recall's condition in production in October 2022 in the form of metal foil between the carpet and the pretensioner exhaust.General Motors stopped Bolt EV and Bolt EUV production earlier this month, with General Motors planning to cut 945 jobs from the Lake Orion assembly plant. The Bolt won't be dead for long, though, because Mary Barra has confirmed second gen with Ultium hardware and Ultifi software.Rather than a ground-up makeover, the 2025 model is expected to be closely related to the Bolt EUV. The hatchback isn't coming back, and that shouldn't come as a surprise because the Bolt EUV is much better in many respects than the Bolt EV. The only area where the crossover-bodied sibling isn't as good is driving range, with Chevrolet advertising an EPA-rated driving range of 247 miles (circa 398 kilometers) versus 259 miles (417 kilometers) for the more affordable hatchback.According to chief executive officer Mary Barra, the crossover-bodied 2025 Chevrolet Bolt is also switching battery chemistry to lithium iron phosphate. What's more, General Motors has also confirmed that EVs will come with the NACS connector design in 2025, meaning that the second-generation Bolt will also be able to access more than 12,000 Tesla Superchargers in North America.
Few people have the money or the time to wait for a Mercedes-AMG G 63 4X4 Squared order, and this niche has apparently amassed many disappointed would-be customers.

AMG

Photo: Delta4x4

Photo: Delta4x4

Fortunately, this predicament has a solution that takes much less time and is a bit friendlier with your bank account, as long as you don't mind going the aftermarket route.Oddly enough, Mercedes has decided against advertising or actively marketing the latest iteration of the 4x4 Squared , meaning the model is by special order only on most markets. A secret handshake might also be required for an allocation.On top of it, pricing normally starts around the same as a 'regular' G 63 plus another 100k thrown on top, irrespective of currency.The carmaker doesn't foresee sales higher than a few hundred 4x4 Squared versions, and it's likely that most will go to existing G-Class orowners who really want the top dog in the G-Wagen lineup as far as off-roading goes.In many ways, if you try not to look at all the luxury and horsepower, the G 63 4x4 Squared is the true successor of the original Gelandewagen, a military vehicle first and a civilian one second. That said, when it comes to the G-Class in general, it's the exterior design that harks back to the original the most.If you squint hard enough, you can definitely draw a parallel between the boxy look of modern cars like the Tesla Cybertruck or the Hyundai N Vision 74 and Giorgetto Giugiaro's design era characterized by "folded paper" aesthetics in the 1970s.Those two designs include sharp body creases, hard corners, and squarish overall looks thanks to Italdesign's influence on the automotive world from half a century ago.In line with these principles, Mercedes-Benz has continuously crafted a "folded paper" car since the 1970s. However, contemporary design elements have gradually evolved the legendary G-Class into a slightly more rounded brick on wheels over the years.The current generation of the legendary off-roader has even evolved (slightly) to be more civilian, with the best-sold G-Class version being the AMG model. That doesn't mean that the G-Wagen is less rugged nowadays, but it's definitely less military-looking than its original predecessors, with one exception.That exception is the mighty 4x4 Squared model, which now only comes as a Mercedes-AMG and is about as hardcore as they get, especially for something that is still road-legal.I'm talking about 22-inch alloys glued to portal axles and a 351-mm (13.8-inch) ground clearance. The G 63 4x4 Squared can scale 45-degree inclines and wade through 910 mm (36 inches) of water without breaking a sweat, so the model is an all-show and all-go machine, not just a very expensive poser.As I mentioned before, you need a fat bank account and great coping skills with the amount of waiting you will need to do for a new G 63 4x4 Squared order to be delivered, so the good people at Delta4x4 saw an opportunity to do some business If you're not familiar with Delta4x4, they are a German off-road company specializing in transforming SUVs into hardcore off-roaders, and they've been doing this for over 40 years. One of the company's founders even raced a G-Class at the 1985 ParisDakar Rally, so their history has always been connected with the mighty G-Wagen.Their latest trick is transforming a 'streetable' and almost civilian-looking Mercedes-AMG G 63 into an off-road monster that can rival the mighty 4x4 Squared on almost any terrain. It all started with elevating the G-Class by 50 mm (2 inches) and introducing a specialized body lift kit, further lifting the vehicle by an additional 100 mm (4 inches).Consequently, the modified G-Class now offers the option of fitting 3713.5R22 or 345/55R22 tires from established manufacturers like Mickey Thompson, BF Goodrich, Cooper, and Yokohama. There is also an option for 20-inch beadlock wheels for the true off-road aficionados.Those gargantuan wheels and tires wouldn't fit snuggly without Delta4x4 engineers crafting an 80 mm (3.15 inches) wide wheel arch extension at each corner. Coincidentally, this modification makes it look nearly identical to the vehicle it's trying to emulate.Overall, the vehicle now attains a height of approximately 225 cm (88.5 inches), putting it on par with the G 63 44 Squared. And all without going for the portal axle solution, meaning that any G-Class version can be transformed this way.That said, because it doesn't use portal axles, the overall ground clearance only improves to 300 mm (11.8 inches), slightly less than the 351-mm (13.8-inch) achieved by the 4x4 Squared. Approach and departure angles are increased to around 35 degrees, though.The kit is obviously complemented by an extensive range of new parts, including a rugged roof rack that makes it ideal for expeditions where there aren't any roads.The roof rack is certified with a load certificate of up to 4G, so you can carry a lot of gear without succumbing to the pressure. It also features an LED light strip specially developed for the rally scene. All these modifications don't come cheap, especially if you go ballistic on some of the wheel and tire options available from Delta4x4.The Eibach suspension is available starting from 1,300 Euros, including assembly, but the more elaborate full-body lift kit can make a 17,500 Euros hole in your pocket.Before fitting the wheels, you need the wheel arch extensions, which cost 5,500 Euros, including assembly and painting. Last but definitely not least, the specialized off-road tires start at 4,800 Euros but can go up to 10,300 Euros for a set that also includes beadlock 20-inch wheels already homologated in countries like Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.All in all, you are looking at around 40,000 Euros ($44,000) for the full package, which is added to the cost of the vehicle. Even knowing that you will come out about 100k less expensive than opting for a G 63 4x4 Squared. That is, IF you can get an allocation for one in the first place.
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Russia insists that its industrial and defense production is unaffected by Western economic sanctions. That is untrue because most Western suppliers are well known firms that are often the only manufacturers of key components. Their official policy is that the sanctions are observed. There is some diversion of components to Russia, via legitimate customers who sell items to firms that will take the opportunity to resell items to smugglers who supply these items to any customer who is willing to pay higher prices that justify the risk of getting caught and prosecuted for such illegal transactions. Some of these illegal suppliers are far down the supply chain. It takes some effort to track them down, but it can be done once there is clear evidence that items are getting to sanctioned users. Those illegal suppliers are often obscure organizations in small countries, where bribes will prevent undue attention to these transactions.

Officially, Russia insists that it is obtaining all it needs legally and refuses to provide proof. Russia is indeed obtaining needed Western items, often for weapons used by the Russian military in Ukraine. The problem is that Russian weapons manufacturers have become dependent on Western components and industrial machinery to insure that their products are competitive, and exportable, in terms of price and capabilities. Many of those export items are no longer available from Russia because the sanctions have reduced or eliminated supplies of key components. While Russia can substitute different foreign components, or lesser quality versions of the same foreign components, that affects the reliability and cost of the finished items.

Since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, the new Russia had prospered because of legal access to Western goods. The Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022 triggered economic sanctions that Russia tried to dismiss as unimportant. The sanctions were important and anyone who knew where Western industrial exports were going understood that post-1991 Russia had become a major customer. The sanctions meant lost business for Western suppliers, and Russian customers resorting to other sources. This was often difficult and sometimes impossible to do.

Since the 1990s Russia didnt have to get by with inferior Soviet Russian manufacturing equipment, and could obtain major industrial items from Americans and European suppliers, most of them NATO members and supporters of Ukraine and in some cases suppliers of industrial equipment to Ukraine. South Korea is another supplier, but a country that complies with Western sanctions. South Korea is a major supplier of industrial items to European countries.

Over the last 30 years Russia had purchased more and more industrial manufacturing items from Western firms like Siemens, Fanuc, Mycronic, and Delta Electronics. The suppliers observed the sanctions and Russia has had to seek other sources for this equipment that was essential to keep Russian manufacturers operating. This included machine tools and similar items all manufacturers used. These industrial items were still not manufactured in Russia. Before 1991 even the Soviets tried to import or smuggle in Western industrial equipment. Russia has never been able to create a modern heavy machine-building industry, which was needed for arms manufacturing. That was one reason why Russian weapons, including tanks, aircraft and warships were never able to reach Western levels of quality and effectiveness.

There is a similar situation with Chinese industrial equipment. China was late to the industrial revolution and didnt go through it until the 1980s. Chinese quality is improving but not yet competitive with Western products. China is not about to ignore the Western sanctions because they value their relationships with Western suppliers and customers. Russia is on its own and thats not enough to keep the industrial production going to produce weapons for Russians fighting in Ukraine.

Its worse than that because the sanctions have also crippled production of weapons as well as commercial items. Some efforts have been made to copy Western industrial equipment and create Russian versions. In addition to violating patents, this rarely results in an effective copy, much less a competitive one. This includes key components of aircraft and warships as well as similar high-tech items for the ground forces. Railroad equipment and commercial aircraft manufacturers are also dependent on these resources.

Manufacturers also have to replace worn out industrial equipment as well as upgrade to more effective models. As long as the sanctions last, Russian manufacturing capabilities will decline in terms of quantity and quality. Russia has achieved new levels of quality and quantity in terms of producing industrial equipment for manufacturers. The longer the sanctions last, the more time it will take to catch up. Russia insists that these problems are being overcome but they are not. Production of new tanks and combat aircraft have declined since 2022, when the sanctions began.
Ford dealers grapple with unsold F-150 Lightning inventory as legacy carmakers warn of EV sales slowdown. Even before Ford began deliveries of the 2024 model, 2024 Lightning units were piling up on dealer lots. The silver lining is that dealer markups have disappeared, and hefty discounts are imminent going into 2024.

EV

ICE

Photo: Ford

Photo: Ford

My local Ford dealer still has plenty of 2023 model year F-150 Lightning #EV trucks on their lot.



Many of them are now on the front line by the street and they recently removed the Added Dealer Markup (they still have $40k ADM on their 2023 Raptors).



Its going to be tough to pic.twitter.com/C4888G5Maf  Matthew Donegan-Ryan (@MatthewDR) December 19, 2023

As legacy carmakers accelerated theirplans, they ran into new problems in their bid to replace Tesla as the EV market leader. Soon, it became obvious that producing electric vehicles was no longer enough as the market matured and the customers became picky. This is a rough explanation of why legacy carmakers, left and right, warned about slowing EV sales in the second half of the year. Some of them went as far as claiming that people no longer want to buy electric vehicles and that electromobility is doomed.This couldn't be further from the truth, as sales statistics clearly show that sales ofvehicles are declining while EV adoption is accelerating. If legacy carmakers can't monetize on this trend, it's only their fault. Since they are not selling more EVs than last year, it's clear that someone does, or the EV sales graphics would not point to the sky. That someone is, you guessed it, Tesla, which continues to operate its EV factories at full capacity.Ford is among the traditional carmakers that moved the fastest with electrification. The F-150 Lightning was one of the first electric pickups on the market, while the Mustang Mach-E put up a good fight against the Tesla Model Y. Ford had ambitious plans for 2023, thinking that ramping up production would be enough to increase sales and limit the losses at its EV division thanks to economy of scale. Unfortunately for Ford, things did not go according to plan After an overhaul of its production line at Rough EV Center, where the F-150 Lightning is produced, Ford was confident it was on track to reach an annual production capacity of 150,000 electric pickups. However, by July, it became clear that sales needed a boost. That was the moment when Ford slashed the F-150 Lightning prices , even though it was already losing a crapload of money on every one of them. Even that didn't help much.By October, Ford acknowledged it had a problem, and it canceled dealer orders for the Lightning across the US and Canada. At the time, Ford explained the move by switching the production line to the 2024 model year. The explanation held for a while, but two weeks later, Ford had to cut one shift at the Rouge EV Center. Earlier this month, it finally admitted the problem publicly and announced that F-150 Lightning production would be cut in half next year. That means producing 1,600 units per week instead of 3,200.Ford sold 20,365 F-150 Lightning trucks between January and November 2023 and will probably not surpass 25,000 units by December 31. This represents one-third of the planned 2024 production, so even the 1,600-unit-per-week plan looks like an exaggeration. There's another factor at play, though, as what Ford counts as sold might not reflect reality. From the carmaker's standpoint, a vehicle is sold as soon as it's headed to a dealer. However, finding a customer to pay for it is another matter.A quick search on Cars.com and Edmunds reveals that there are thousands of brand-new Ford F-150 Lightning trucks piling up on dealer lots. To make matters worse, the vast majority of them are MY2023, at a time when Ford is preparing to start MY2024 deliveries. This means that dealers are now in a precarious situation, forced to discount them heavily if they want them moved off the lot. This contrasts with how things were going earlier in the year when hefty dealer markups raised the price of the Lightning.There's a silver lining to this, as you can buy a Ford F-150 Lightning from inventory if you want one, and you can do it at MSRP. This is something few anticipated only half a year ago. Not only that, but 2024 will undoubtedly bring some nice discounts. Especially as the Cybertruck has just started deliveries, Ford will have to throw in some compelling incentives to make the F-150 Lightning more attractive.There are downsides, though, both for those who bought an F-150 Lightning in the past and those who will buy one in the future. For once, these are electric vehicles whose batteries might wear out fast if they are kept for long with a depleted battery. I don't see dealership employees charging them periodically. And even if they will, it's more likely that they will charge them entirely to keep a charge for longer. This is another scenario that wears the battery fast. Chances are high that whoever buys these trucks later will experience a shorter battery life.Things are equally bad for existing F-150 Lightning owners, considering the plummeting value of these electric pickups. Those who paid dealer markups ranging between $30,000 and $70,000 are certainly pissed to know that a new truck is much cheaper than they hoped to get by flipping theirs. You can already buy low-mileage (less than 3,000 miles) Lightning trucks for less than the MSRP, so why would you pay the full price?
Yes, ladies and gentlemen, the German government made an unexpected "present" to the car industry this December: it simply stopped the subsidies program for electric cars. It's not a joke or a conspiracy, but a move many analysts fear will blow up the transition to electromobility in the most prominent car market in the European Union. Unless

EV

How much was the Umweltbonus, anyway?

An example of plug-in hybrids: with no subsidies, sales slashed in half

Photo: Mitsubishi

SUV

DCT

CRDi

Smaller subsidies didn't force the slashing of EV sales

Photo: Volkswagen

More expensive EVs sell better than their more affordable siblings

Photo: Tesla

Photo: Volkswagen

EVs are going to stay, with or without subsidies

ICE

To keep it short, the budget of the biggest economy on the European continent has a "hole" of around 60 billion / $66 billion. Budgetary cuts include the abrupt shutdown of the Umweltbonussubsidy program for 2024.The bonus program came into effect in 2016. Since then, the German government has spent around 9.5 billion / $10.4 billion to subsidize 1.23 million pure electric cars, about 770,000 plug-in hybrids, and 400 hydrogen fuel cell cars.The 2024 Umweltbonus was supposed to work only for pure EVs and have lower values. But now we can all agree that scrapping EV subsidies simply means goodbye to the bold objective of 15 million cars on German streets by 2030  a third of the country's total car fleet.Over the years, many voices warned about the "subsidies sand castle" that will eventually collapse. Many in the car industry feared the Umweltbonus distorted the car market and eliminating subsidies would lead to a crash in EV sales. Were they right? Or is the car market mature enough to thrive without the need for subsidies?Firstly, this is how Umweltbonus worked: the government covered two-thirds of the subsidy amount, while the car manufacturer covered one-third. For instance, in 2023, the Umweltbonus' value was divided like this:For pure electric cars costing up to 40,000 / $43,800, the total value was 6,750 / $7,400- 4,500 / $4,930 were covered by the government- 2,250 / $2,460 were covered by the car manufacturerFor pure electric cars between 40,000 / $43,800 and 65,000 / $71,200, the total value was 4,500 / $4,930- 3,000 / $3,290 were covered by the government- 1,500 / $1,650 were covered by the car manufacturerSecondly, in 2024, the Umweltbonus' value was supposed to be lower (just 4,500 / $4,930) and apply only to pure electric cars costing up to 40,000 / $43,800- 3,000 / $3,290 were covered by the government- 1,500 / $1,650 were covered by the car manufacturerThis is harsh because most electric models on the European market today are more than forty grand. But this was part of the strategy to phase out subsidies, gradually lowering them yearly. At this point, I should note that in 2022, the Umweltbonus was more generous.For pure electric cars costing up to 40,000 / $43,800, the total value was 9,000 / $9,900- 6,000 / $6,600 were covered by the government- 3,000 / $3,300 were covered by the car manufacturerFor pure electric cars between 40,000 / $43,800 and 65,000 / $71,200, the total value was 7,500 / $8,250- 5,000 / $5,500 were covered by the government- 2,500 / $2,750 were covered by the car manufacturerMoreover, in 2022, there was also a "government discount" for plug-in hybrids, which amounted to between 3,700 / $4,050 and 4,500 / $4,930. In 2023, it was cut. As you can see, in just three years, the Umweltbonus was supposed to drastically but gradually reduce to favor more affordable pure electric cars.So, does killing the Umweltbonus really mean killing the EV sales? Let's see some facts and figures.In the first 11 months of 2023, Germans bought more than 627,000 new plug-in cars  almost 470,000 were full-electric vehicles, while the rest were plug-in hybrids (less than 160,000).As I told you earlier, the German government cut the subsidies for plug-in hybrids in 2023. As a result, plug-in hybrid car registrations were down 46% year-on-year. If I apply those experts' warnings, I find this very surprising: weren't they supposed to be near zero because of no subsidies?Plug-in hybrids are generally expensive cars, and it's hard to find one under the 40,000 / $43,800 price tag. Today, the Mitsubishi ASX Plug-in Hybrid is among Germany's most affordable plug-in hybrids, with a discounted price of 34,890 / $38,250.But you should know that, basically, Mitsubishi decided to "subsidize" this model because the starting price of 39,390 / $43,180 is quite unattractive for a compact, which is nothing but a rebadged Renault Captur.Another example is the KIA Ceed SW plug-in hybrid, with a starting price of 37,890 / $41,530. If the subsidies for plug-in hybrids were still in place, this model would probably cost around 34,000 / $37,300, just like the Mitsubishi ASX Compared to the somehow similar 1.5 T-GDIpetrol automatic variant (starting at 29,490 / $32,300) or to the 1.6DCT diesel automatic variant (starting at 33,690 / $36,950), the subsidized plug-in variant would be an interesting option. But with no subsidies at all you do the math.Because of the high prices of plug-in hybrids, the public isn't necessarily lured by subsidies but by the promise of no "range anxiety" stress combined with low- or zero-emissions driving. Still, hybrids are a better alternative because they are less expensive and very close in terms of consumption and emissions.While plug-in hybrid sales halved this year compared to 2022 (when they were subsidized), they still make up around 6% of the entire market share and 25% of the plug-in market share so far. The basic is this: scrapping subsidies led to slashing plug-in hybrids' sales in half. Now, will that be the case for EVs starting in 2024?In 2022, around 470,000 electric vehicles were sold in Germany, with a push in November and December because of the announcement of subsidies trimming for 2023. So, what happened in 2023 so far?In the first 11 months, 469,500 electric cars were sold in Germany  basically the same as the whole 2022, when subsidies were more generous. December 2023 will probably mark another push from those who still want to benefit from some incentives.While the German government closed the subsidies program on December 17, several carmakers decided to keep going with their share of those subsidies or even the entire subsidy. For instance, Volkswagen is willing to fund the total amount of 6,750 / $7,400 for those who ordered an ID. model before December 15.For the VW ID. models registered between January 1 and March 31, 2024, the company will fund 4,500 / $4,930  basically, the total subsidy that should have been in place in 2024. Audi, Mercedes-Benz, and Stellantis will also fund the full subsidy up to the end of 2023, and then they will offer some sort of discount in the first part of 2024.Back to our numbers, shall we? So, in the first 11 months of 2023, sales of pure electric cars were up 28% compared to the same period in 2022. Wait, what? Despite lower subsidies by 25-40%, EV sales were up 28%. It's an interesting against-the-logic trend, don't you think, all you experts out there?I should note that while the German car market has struggled since the pandemic, the EV market has thrived. In 2019, 3.6 million new cars were registered, and only 63,000 were electric, which is just 1.75% of the market share.In 2022, around 2.65 million new cars were registered (so almost one million less than in 2019!), and more than 470,000 were 100% electric. This is more than 17% of the market share, or ten times better than four years ago. Did I hear someone in the back shouting, "S-curve, baby"?The total number of electric cars sold for the full year 2023 will be a bit higher than last year but will probably not exceed the 500,000 units milestone. Still, the overall market increase is expected to be around 1% so that EVs will be close to 20% of the market share.Many expect this to be the peak of EV sales in Germany now that the government scrapped the incentive program. Call me super-optimistic or just sorry-ass naive, but I doubt this means the EV market is doomed in Europe's most powerful economy.Let's get back to 2022 and take a look at the best-selling EVs in Germany. The top spot is Tesla, with almost 70,000 cars sold. The Best-seller was naturally the Tesla Model Y , followed by  don't hold your breath  its sibling Model 3.They were followed by the chic Fiat 500 and  now that might be a surprise  by SUV brothers VW ID.4 and ID.5, which outclassed more affordable VW ID.3, Hyundai Kona, or Opel Corsa-e. Let's stick with it for a moment: more expensive EVs sold better.In 2022, the Tesla Model Y was eligible for the 7,500 / $8,250 subsidy, so its basic price was around 38,000 / $41,700. The Tesla Model 3 was also suitable for that subsidy, so its starting price was closer to 35,000 / $38,500 threshold. Still, 1,500 more Model Ys were sold.Is it weird or what? Actually, it's not. If you can afford around 40,000 / $43,800 for an electric car, you can most likely afford to pay a couple of grand extra for a supposedly much better car, right? I don't want to imply that SUVs are better than sedans, but this is the impact of intensive marketing on popular wisdom.It's the same with VW ID.4 & ID.5 vs. their brother VW ID.3. The SUV variants had starting prices of less than 35,000 / $38,500 after subsidy, while the basic variant of the hatchback benefited from the 9,000 / $9,900 total subsidy, which made the ID.3 start from only 30,000 / $33,000. However, in 2022, around 1,500 more ID.4 and ID.5 were sold, just like in the case of Tesla.Now, in 2023, I'll let you guess the best-seller so far. Of course, it was the Tesla Model Y! But get this: it's followed closely by direct rivals VW ID.4 and ID.5, which once again outclass the hatchback ID.3, which is very closely followed by its cousin Skoda Eniaq (the more spacious and more affordable ID.4, in short).Model Y's starting price is more than 47,500 / $52,200; until now, it was eligible for a total subsidy of 4,500 / $4,950. So, the most affordable Y started from around 43,000 / $47,300. It's not that expensive, but it surely is not what most Germans would call affordable.The VW ID.4 also starts from above 40,000 / $43,800, and thanks to the total subsidy of 4,500 / $4,950, its price was lowered to some 36,000 / $39,600. The VW ID.3 starts just below 40,000 / $43,800, so it benefited from the total 6,750 / $7,450  this way, its basic price was less than 33,000 / $36,300.Up to this point, the difference between the SUV siblings and the hatchback is more than 10,000 units in favor of ID.4 and ID.5, although the ID.3 is less expensive. And don't forget that Skoda Eniaq is almost as sold as the ID.3, despite a 44,000 / $48,400 starting price, which became around 39,000 / $42,900 thanks to the 4,500 / $4,950 subsidy.So, the bestsellers in the German EV arena are cars with basic prices over 40,000 / $43,800. But don't be fooled by this  the more affordable variants have smaller battery capacities. Most customers opted for higher-capacity battery variants , usually at least 50,000 / $55,000.This means the 4,500 / $4,950 subsidy equaled less than 10% of the car's value. One interesting remark: EVs costing more than 65,000 / $71,500 didn't benefit from any kind of subsidy. Still, their sales, while not impressive in terms of units, remained almost constant throughout the year.While I'm not a fortune teller, I think this will most likely be the case with EVs costing more than 40,000 / $43,800. That's because the parity price of EVs with plug-in hybrids or even-comparable cars is already in favor of EVs.However, the big problem of scrapping all EV subsidies will most likely affect the segment of electric vehicles costing less than 40,000 / $43,800. European manufacturers are ill-prepared in that regard, and cheap EVs are still far away  at least, with no help from subsidies whatsoever.German premium brands will hardly be affected by scrapping the Umweltbonus. In the first 11 months of 2023, Mercedes-Benz, Audi, and BMW sold almost 95,000 electric cars together 20% of total EV sales this year in Germany. Of course, these are EVs priced over the 40,000 / $43,800 mark, so their customers can afford to live without the subsidies.This also applies to Tesla (almost 60,000 units sold year-to-date), Volkswagen (nearly 65,000 units), Hyundai (more than 26,000 units), KIA (almost 14,000 units) or Skoda (20,000 units). In fact, more than half of the EV market in Germany is made of expensive cars.So, in the worst-case scenario, scrapping EV subsidies will most likely lead to halving sales in 2024. But remember that many car makers are willing to pay the subsidy cost, at least in the first months of the following year. This will temper the cooling of EV sales, and, in the meantime, the government could be persuaded to reinstate some form of Umweltbonus.I know that's just wishful thinking, but I can't underestimate the car industry's power over politics  the best example is recent e-fuel propaganda . Besides, the Chinese EV invasion is another strong argument for the German government to try to protect its own EV industry. Which has already invested tens of billions of euros into battery manufacturing sites and R&D centers meant to speed up the development of much better EVs.Ultimately, I can only say that Germany's case is a historical moment for the rEVolution. If EV sales will not drop too harshly  they will drop, that's for sure  then the transition to electromobility will keep going. Not at a fast pace, as hoped, but building momentum and becoming a valid alternative to conventional cars.What if EV sales will crash in Germany because of scrapping subsidies? While I don't believe such a scenario is possible anymore, I agree there's some statistical risk for this to happen. In that case, you can kiss the European car industry goodbye because relying on ICEs means we are doomed, while subsidizing hydrogen is much more costly than subsidizing electromobility. Germany can't afford this lose-lose scenario.
23 December 2023 13:15 (UTC+04:00)

Qabil Ashirov Read more

Despite being located in the different corners of the Asian continent, Azerbaijan and China have shared common values and had many similarities historically. Both countries have never eyed the territories of their neighbors and have never had an expansionist foreign policy. Both countries have been the center of culture throughout history. Especially for the last 30 years, both countries have astonished the world with rapid economic growth. With the help of this growth, China, a once-poor country in the Far East, became the factory of the world, and the global political and financial. Similarly, with the help of the said economic growth, Azerbaijan became the financial and political center of its region. All countries who intend to enter the region need Azerbaijans consent.

Even though the diplomatic relations between the two countries were established in 1992, the history of people-to-people relations between Azerbaijan and China traces thousands of years. Already 2500 years ago, commercial and cultural relations existed between the two peoples through the ancient Silk Road. The historical connection between the peoples is also reflected in the works written by the great Azerbaijani poets, such as Nizami Ganjavi in the 12th century.

It is worth noting that the One Belt One Road initiative put forward by China in 2013 created new opportunities for the deepening of bilateral relations. As one of the countries that first supported the One Belt One Road initiative, Azerbaijan makes a significant contribution to the implementation of this initiative with its large-scale transport infrastructure projects. Thus, the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars and Baku International Sea Trade Port, which was implemented on the initiative of Azerbaijan, formed the Trans-Caspian East-West Transport Corridor and thereby provided a short and convenient alternative route for cargo transportation from China to the West.

On April 24-27, 2019, the delegation led by President Ilham Aliyev made a business trip to China to participate in the second One Belt, One Road International Cooperation Forum.

Today, China ranks among the top five trade partners of Azerbaijan. The trade turnover between the two countries increases year by year. Azerbaijan exports to China energy carriers (mainly crude oil), ethylene polymers in primary form, methanol, iodine, sulfoacids of thiophenated oils. Besides, the growing Chinese economy is a promising market for Azerbaijans agricultural products as well. In addition to petrochemical products, Azerbaijan also sells agriculture products and grape wines, licorice juice, and extract. Opening Azerbaijani Trade Houses in China deepens the trade partnership as well.

In return, China exports Azerbaijan mechanical devices, electrical machines, apparatus and parts, ferrous metals and articles thereof, clothing and clothing accessories, and so on. A total of 88 agreements were signed between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the People's Republic of China.

It should be noted that developing throughout history, the said relationship reached to its highest level during the authorities of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Chinese leader Xi Jinping. Thanks to the efforts of these two leaders, today Azerbaijan and China are friendly and partner countries. Chinese President also confirmed it in his letter sent to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev on the occasion of his birthday.

"China and Azerbaijan are traditional friendly partners. Currently, Chinese-Azerbaijani relations are developing very well and steadily, the political mutual trust is constantly strengthening, and cooperation across various areas is yielding fruitful results. I highly appreciate the efforts you have made to strengthen bilateral relations. I attach great importance to the development of relations between China and Azerbaijan, and I am ready to continue my efforts alongside you to elevate bilateral relations of friendship and cooperation to a new level for the benefit of our countries and peoples," the letter reads.

No doubt that with its economic increase and technological advance, China is a looming Superpower of the future. Even today, almost in all conflicts the thoughts of Beijing are considered carefully. Of course, establishing such a strong relationship with the shining star of the Far East foreshadows the ingenuity of Azerbaijan's foreign policy.

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Qabil Ashirov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @g_Ashirov

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
23 December 2023 23:30 (UTC+04:00)

By Sara Gangiyeva

In recent years, a great development has been observed in the field of poultry production in Azerbaijan, which enabled the provision of quality food products to its population. Besides increasing production, Azerbaijan also cooperates with other countries and participates in international agriculture exhibitions to present its production to foreign markets. Azerbaijans poultry meat production meets 70-80 percent of domestic consumer demands. However, the country is eager to thrive in the sector to meet fully the domestic demands and to export the surpluses. For this purpose, the relevant governmental and private bodies hold negotiations with foreign companies. Several countries eye to purchase poultry products from Azerbaijan. Previously, the country exported eggs to Afghanistan before Taliban took the power. Recently, Baku and Moscow inked an agreement on exporting Azerbaijani poultry products, more precisely eggs. Besides, Gulf countries and Georgia were interested in purchasing poultry products from Azerbaijan, but later these negotiations halted. According to the recent information disseminated by local media outlets, Azerbaijan and China are negotiating on purchasing poultry products from Azerbaijan.

China is a very lucrative and promising market in terms of food not for only Azerbaijan but throughout the world. China is famous for its rapid economic development and large population.

In his statement to AZERNEWS about the issue, MP Vahid Ahmadov said that economic relations between Azerbaijan and China have strengthened in recent years. In connection with this, the Trading House also operates in China. In the current situation, there is a great need for poultry meat in China. In this regard, meetings were held between China and the Food Safety Agency of Azerbaijan. If it meets China's requirements, it will be possible to import poultry meat.

"In general, between Azerbaijan and China, I would say that economic relations have been developing at a high level in recent years. Even taking this into account, the Minister of Economy of Azerbaijan opened a trading house in China. The Trading House actually operates there. In general, there is a great need for poultry meat in China. In connection with it, they visited Azerbaijan and held major meetings with the Food Safety Agency of Azerbaijan. China has put forward its demands that poultry meat can be imported from Azerbaijan if it is suitable," the expert said.

Vahid Ahmadov emphasized that China's requirements were checked by AQTA, poultry farms were inspected and protocols were drawn up. As a result of the meetings, the import of poultry meat to China was allowed from December 8, 2023.

"These requirements were checked by AQTA, and protocols were drawn up at certain times. Meetings were held with the Association of Poultry and Egg Producers in Azerbaijan. In this regard, poultry farms and farms were inspected. Finally, it was decided from December 8, 2023 that the poultry meat in Azerbaijan has a sufficiently high quality. There are no bird diseases and other diseases. From December 8, 2023, the export of poultry meat to China has been allowed," said Vahid Ahmadov.

The deputy said that the economic potential of Azerbaijan allows for cooperation in other fields as well, not only poultry meat. With this, relations with China are being expanded.

"In China, all issues related to the export of poultry meat and other products, as well as the country's food safety legislation, are currently being discussed. Because the demand there is quite high. I think that in 2024 we will witness the import of poultry meat. If we take into account why it is poultry meat, first of all, enough poultry meat is produced in Azerbaijan. There is no problem with poultry meat in Azerbaijan. And even Azerbaijan has a huge potential for export. Therefore, these relations are being expanded with China. it is known that enough products are imported from China to Azerbaijan. These include food, non-food, and industrial products. In other words, due to the expansion of these economic relations, such an export potential has arisen that Azerbaijan can export poultry meat to China," MP noted.

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23 December 2023 15:55 (UTC+04:00)

The Azerbaijan-Kyrgyz Development Fund will start financing projects in Kyrgyzstan next year, Azernews reports.

The Minister of Economy and Trade of the Kyrgyz Republic Daniyar Amangeldiyev informed about this at the press conference held in the agency.

According to him, the funds for the implementation of the projects in 2023 were transferred to the accounts of the National Bank of Kyrgyzstan.

At the same time, the head of the Ministry of Economy noted that the volume of investments attracted to Kyrgyzstan through development funds increased by 50 percent this year.

It should be recalled that the Agreement on the establishment of the Azerbaijan-Kyrgyz Development Fund was signed during the state visit of the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev to Kyrgyzstan on October 11-12, 2022. This fund was created for the purpose of promotion of economic cooperation between Kyrgyzstan and Azerbaijan, modernization and development of industry, efficiency and expansion of bilateral economic cooperation.

The authorized capital of the fund is 25 million US dollars. Financing is carried out entirely by Azerbaijan.

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23 December 2023 08:30 (UTC+04:00)

Qabil Ashirov Read more

Despite ongoing numerous peace-confidence-building measures and meetings initiated by the government of Azerbaijan under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev, the further strengthening of Armenia and India's military cooperation is going to spoil the desired goals of regional peace, stability, and harmony in the South Caucasus.

According to the Economic Times, India is finalising its supply of an indigenous anti-air system, multi-barrel rocket launchers, artillery guns, various types of ammunition, and drones to Armenia.

In addition to this, the deliveries of the Akash anti-air systems, produced by Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL), are expected to commence shortly as part of a deal estimated to be worth Rs.6,000 crore. Even in November last year, Kalyani Strategic Systems had also announced a US$155 million deal with Armenia.

In a comment to Azernews on the issue, Dr. Mehmood Ul Hassan Khan noted that it seems to be part of India's larger geopolitical strategy, which has raised concerns among nations like Turkiye, Azerbaijan, and Pakistan. He said that strategically, three strategic partners perceive India's growing defense and strategic partnerships with Armenia as a challenge to their peaceful interests in the Middle East and Central Asia.

"The strengthening of military ties between Armenia and India is seen as a direct response to the informal alliance of Turkiye, Azerbaijan, and Pakistan. India's relationship with Armenia has been growing since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1992, culminating in a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Agreement in 2019. Comparative studies reveal that India's strategic and subtle approach to building these relationships is seen as a long-term strategy to counterbalance the influence of three strategic partners and China's expanding presence in the South Caucasus, Central Asia, and of course Mediterranean region. On its part, Azerbaijan has been constantly pursuing peaceful diplomatic means to defuse tensions in the region by negotiating a peace deal with Armenia," Mehmood Ul Hassan Khan said.

The Pundit pointed out that it is crystal clear that Azerbaijan does not have any military goals or objectives on the sovereign territory of the Republic of Armenia. Azerbaijan, Pakistan, and Turkiye, strengthening military cooperation is now gaining momentum. He noted that the KAAN stealth aircraft's inaugural flight is a groundbreaking achievement, representing a futuristic aircraft resulting from tripartite efforts. This collaboration is set to revolutionize the aerospace industry while forging stronger strategic ties among the three nations.

"Even Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Syed Asim Munir, NI (M) COAS visited the Republic of Azerbaijan and met with the civil and military leadership. The visit was aimed at enhancing military-to-military cooperation and defense collaboration between the two brotherly countries. While meeting with COAS General Munir, President Ilham appreciated the fruitful defense industry cooperation between the two countries and underscored the significance of conducting joint military training. Moreover, both countries reaffirmed their commitment to each others sovereignty and territorial integrity on the global stage. Military sources confirm that Azerbaijan remains the largest buyer of defense hardware from Pakistan, such as armored vehicles, small arms, and other military hardware. Additionally, both countries expressed interest in working together on counterterrorism initiatives, such as intelligence sharing and joint operations. Thus prospects are very high for the further strengthening of military cooperation/joint military manufacturing, training, defense education, combined military drills, and anti-terrorism cooperation between the two countries," Mehmood Ul Hassan Khan said.

He underscorred that in September 2021, the Armed Forces of Azerbaijan, Turkiye, and Pakistan jointly conducted their first-ever joint drills, known as Three Brothers-2021, in Baku. On its part, Pakistan has been assisting Azerbaijan in terms of military and air force training in Pakistan. Both countries have been in serious negotiations for the sale of JF-17 Thunder-III with Azerbaijan which is now at an advanced stage.

"In the past, former Pakistan Chiefs of Air Forces, Naval, and General Nadeem Raz paid personal visits to Baku and extended their support for the mutually befitting propositions of resettlement, redevelopment, reinvestments, and reconstruction of all the newly liberated areas of the Garabagh Region. Furthermore, the visit of the Azerbaijan Naval Commander to Pakistan and meeting with Naval and armed Forces chiefs showed the highest levels of mutual interest pertaining to regional peace and stability which has now further strengthened the scope, domain, and prospects of air force and naval cooperation between two the two countries. Even the Director General of FWO paid a visit to Baku and explored various avenues of cooperation in infrastructural projects, cleaning of deadly landmines, and prospective cooperation in gold mining," the Pundit said.

Mehmood Ul Hassan Khan told that it is a good omen that Turkish Defense Minister Yasar Guler and Metin Gurak, the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Turkiye paid personal visits to Azerbaijan and discussed further strengthening military cooperation between the two countries. Strengthening their military bonds, the Air Force units of Azerbaijan and Turkiye have also recently concluded joint training exercises involving drones, notably unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) supplied by Turkish aerospace company Baykar.

"Interestingly, in 2023 alone, Turkiye and Azerbaijan have conducted a total of 14 military exercises, signifying a strong commitment to their joint defense initiatives. This robust bilateral training regimen reflects their shared vision for a secure and stable region, and the role of advanced technology, such as UAVs, in achieving it. In the case of Pakistan, three different Turkish UAV models are currently in operation in Pakistan. Representatives of the Pakistans NESCOM and TAI signed a contract in August 2021 for the production of Turkish Anka unmanned aerial vehicles within Pakistan. With Pakistans 2021 purchase of Bayraktar TB2 drones, the new missile is intended for usage. The Pakistan Air Force is also equipped with the Akinci and Anka UAVs Bayraktar AKINCI, Bayraktar TB2, and Bayraktar TB3 UAVs, which are all capable of launching. The Kemanke cruise missile has artificial intelligence built into it, allowing it to find targets and choose them on its own even in bad weather," Dr. Mehmood Ul Hassan Khan concluded.

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Qabil Ashirov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @g_Ashirov

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23 December 2023 10:35 (UTC+04:00)

The Azerbaijani Embassy in France has addressed Azerbaijani citizens permanently or temporarily residing in this country who have reached the age of 18 and above in connection with the upcoming extraordinary presidential election to be held on February 7, 2024, Azernews reports, referring to the Embassy's post on X (Twitter).

In order to ensure the electoral rights of citizens of the Republic of Azerbaijan abroad in the extraordinary presidential election scheduled for February 7, 2024, preparatory work is being carried out in diplomatic missions and consulates of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

Polling stations are being established in diplomatic missions and consulates of the Republic of Azerbaijan abroad for this purpose.

"To be added to the voter list, we ask citizens of the Republic of Azerbaijan who have reached the age of 18, permanently or temporarily reside in France, or are on a long-term business trip, to apply to the Embassy of Azerbaijan until December 29, 2023," said the appeal.

On December 7, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev signed a decree on holding an extraordinary presidential election in the country on February 7, 2024.

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23 December 2023 11:05 (UTC+04:00)

The situation around the Park of Azerbaijan in French Evian (Evian-les-Bains), where the monument to Khurshidbanu Natavan (XIX century Azerbaijani poetess) is located, shows that Azerbaijanophobia enveloping the French society has already reached an absurd level, Western Azerbaijan Community said in a statement, Azernews reports.

The statement comes several days after demands were made to the municipal council in Evian, to officially remove all inscriptions mentioning "Park of Azerbaijan" in the city. According to French 'Le Messager', the demand is related to France's support for Armenia. Moreover, there is a risk of the monument to Natavan being demolished.

The Western Azerbaijan Community has called on UNESCO to immediately respond.

"During the occupation (Armenian occupation of Karabakh), the tomb of Natavan was destroyed. Today, the threat to demolish the Natavan monument in France demonstrates what 'common values' Armenian and French societies have. Racist French politicians, deputies, mayors, and journalists who accuse Azerbaijan of allegedly "destroying Armenian heritage" in Karabakh should be ashamed," said the statement.

The Community pointed out that while France itself cannot get rid of racism, today, Shusha, Khankendi and Aghdam (where Natavan is buried) and the entire Karabakh are free from occupation.

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23 December 2023 12:10 (UTC+04:00)

Azerbaijani Defense Minister Colonel General Zakir Hasanov expressed condolences to the Turkish National Defense Minister Yashar Guler, Azernews reports, citing the Defense Ministry.

The condolences say:

"I am deeply saddened by the news of the martyrdom and injury of servicemen of the Turkish Armed Forces as a result of a treacherous attack by terrorists in the northern region of Iraq on December 22 of the current year.

Your grief is our grief too.

We strongly condemn all forms of terrorism. We always stand by the fraternal Turkish Armed Forces in the fierce fight against terrorism and support them with all our strength.

I pray to Almighty Allah for the repose of the souls of the heroic Turkish soldiers, who became Shehids, share the sorrow and grief of their relatives, and express my deepest condolences to their families. I wish a speedy recovery to all the wounded.

May Allah rest the souls of Shehids in peace".

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23 December 2023 14:20 (UTC+04:00)

Azerbaijani Ambassador to the Kingdom of Belgium and Luxembourg Vagif Sadigov has met with President of the Chamber of Deputies of Luxembourg Claude Wiseler, Azernews reports, citing local media outlets.

The meeting covered the development of relations between Azerbaijan and Luxembourg, being the first such bilateral meeting since the national elections that were held in Luxembourg in October.

Congratulating Claude Wiseler on his appointment as a speaker of the Luxembourg parliament, Ambassador Vagif Sadigov highlighted Azerbaijan-Luxembourg ties, as well as relations between the European Union and Azerbaijan.

Claude Wiseler mentioned that he had been in Azerbaijan a number of years ago in his previous capacity as Luxembourg's Minister for Transport.

During the meeting, the sides also explored prospects for developing bilateral relations, as well as discussed ways of expanding political, economic and interparliamentary ties between the two countries.

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MATSANJENI  Matsanjeni South residents may not be looking forward to Christmas because they are living in constant fear.

This is because a gang, believed to be from Pongola in neighbouring South Africa, is said to be terrorising the area with a spate of crimes. It has been established that the armed gang, which according to residents, is a mixture of South African and Eswatini nationals, has been giving the locals sleepless nights, raiding shops and homes before forcefully taking valuables in the process.

A businesswoman, identified as Make Mhlanga, is one of the victims of this crime, after her shop, situated near the Matsanjeni Health Centre, was broken into by the gang, where all the goods inside were stolen and nothing was left. She claims that this was the second time this misfortune befell her and has left her with a huge loss of over E10 000.

I was given the shop by my father before he passed away, after accepting that I was not very fortunate with marriage. This was to be my only source of income, but the robbers are making life very difficult for me. I cant even sleep at night, since I am always worried that they will return to rob my shop. While most people are in the Christmas mood, we at Matsanjeni fear for our lives, Mhlanga said.

Robbing

Adding, she stated that the absence of a police station in the area was not making the situation any better, as the gang is said to be having a field day attacking and robbing people and businesses without the fear of being arrested. These robbers are aware that there is no police station at Matsanjeni and so, they are doing as they please. The scary part is that we know some of these people, because they are from our area and they are not afraid to point guns at us when committing the offences. It is not safe to even go to the shop because you always have to look over your shoulder, she further said.

Another resident, who runs a hardware store in the area, claimed that the gang was targeting specific households when committing the offences. You immediately become a target once you own a business here, because in their minds, you are rich with money. The serious concern is that these boys carry guns and they are not afraid to shoot anybody who disobeys their order. We do not feel safe at all.

During this time of the year, you are visited by relatives to enjoy Christmas but at the rate things are happening, I am not sure if it is a good idea for them to visit. It is just too risky, he further said. Worth highlighting is that this is the same area where four people were hacked and killed by a mob at Nkonka, an area under Matsanjeni South. This happened in January this year and it was reported that the four were among a group of men wanted by the residents, in connection with a string of housebreaking and robberies in the area. It was said that the area was plagued by a crime wave, mostly targeting shops and bars and those killed were alleged to be among those involved in the attacking and robbing of about 10 businesses and homes.

Hacked

In one of the spine-chilling incidents, an elderly woman was hacked with a bush knife on her back by people who were demanding money from her. The elderly woman had to be admitted to Matsanjeni Health Centre. Some residents revealed that some of the victims of the crime were workers at the health centre and textile firms who live in rented flats around Matsanjeni. During the same period (January), it was reported that a block of rental flats in Matsanjeni was broken into, where tenants were robbed of cellphones and money, among other things.

In some cases, it has been gathered that the robbers helped themselves to clothes that were on the washing line and as a result, some shops, mostly owned by businesspeople of Asian origin, had to close down amid the robberies, which occurred on a monthly basis. It has been gathered that the thugs would at times, fetch some of the businessmen who owned shops from their homes before ordering them to open the business premises and surrender money to them. It was said that all the robberies were conducted at gunpoint, while others were carrying bush knives.

Gathered information was that since the names of the people involved in the alleged robberies were known to the residents of the area, they (residents), at the time, took matters into their own hands and resolved to deal with the alleged thugs. Subsequently, one of the deceased was seen walking past one of the shops, suspected to be headed to his home, when he was called by a group of people who questioned him about the robberies in the area. While attempting to respond to some of the questions, he was doused with petrol and set alight on the spot. He was burnt to death.

Confidential

Chief Police Information and Communications Officer Senior Superintendent Phindile Vilakati, said even though this remains confidential information, police have strategies in place to manage crime throughout all parts of the country during the festive season. Crimes are different in the country and they vary from community to community. So, we advise each community to touch base with their respective crime prevention centres and speak to the Station Commander. They should devise strategies to work with the police during this festive season, to ensure that they are protected at all times.

We also have crime prevention plans in place to assist in this regard, but this is not for public consumption. Police will definitely be on the lookout for any criminal elements in the respective communities in the country, she said.

Another resident, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the local bars were no longer safe for people to relax and socialise, due to the growing number of stabbing incidents.

In the past weekend, we had over seven stabbing incidents in a local bar and people had to be taken to the Matsanjeni Health Centre for treatment in just one weekend. It is very bad because these criminals have easy access to guns and are very heartless.
23 December 2023 15:25 (UTC+04:00)

Azerbaijani writer-publicist and chief editor of the "Olaylar" newspaper and the corresponding agency Yunus Oguz has announced he'll run as a candidate in the upcoming presidential election in Azerbaijan as an independent candidate, Azernews reports.

Oguz noted that in the coming days, he will officially submit the necessary documents to the Central Election Commission (CEC).

"This is an honorable mission - for the first time since our historic victory, to participate in the presidential election in independent, sovereign Azerbaijan. I condemn the decision of the radical opposition to boycott the election because this presidential election is not only an internal matter for the country but also an international event," he said.

"There's a transparent and democratic environment for participating in the presidential election. Enough work is ahead in the new realities that have emerged after the 2020 second Karabakh war," Oguz emphasized. "We face such important tasks as construction and reconstruction work in the liberated territories, the implementation of the 'Great Return' state program, ensuring the economic stability of the country, and further improving the social well-being of the population."

"My goal in running for the presidential election is to contribute to addressing these crucial issues. Supporting the state in its medium and long-term goals is a civic duty," he added.

Oguz also ran for the presidential election in 2003 and withdrew his candidacy in favor of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev.

On December 7, President Ilham Aliyev signed a decree on holding early presidential election in Azerbaijan on February 7, 2024.

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23 December 2023 17:35 (UTC+04:00)

President of Moldova Maia Sandu has sent a congratulatory letter to President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev for his upcoming birthday, Azernews reports.

The letter reads:

"His Excellency Mr. Ilham Aliyev, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan

Dear Mr. President,

On the occasion of your birthday, please accept my heartfelt congratulations, along with wishes for robust health, happiness, and continued success in your leadership.

Our countries, the Republic of Moldova and the Republic of Azerbaijan share a flourishing friendship and cooperation. I am confident that our partnership, rooted in mutual respect and trust, will only grow stronger.

Deeply grateful for your personal and Azerbaijan's firm support in our times of need, I see this as a true testament to the essence of our countries' friendship. Looking forward to further deepening our cooperation, I wish you and your country continued prosperity and growth.

Please accept, Mr. President, the assurances of my highest consideration.

Maia Sandu

President of the Republic of Moldova"

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23 December 2023 18:05 (UTC+04:00)

Spains iconic annual Christmas lottery kicked off Friday, rewarding winners across several regions with its 4 million ($4.4 million) prize, Azernews reports, citing Anadolu Agency.

El Gordo, or The Fat One, is celebrated yearly on Dec. 22.

The draw features school children singing the winning numbers in a ceremony at the Madrid Royal Theater. Traditionally, the ceremony lasts around four hours. But the ceremony broke tradition this year and surpassed its four-hour mark.

The lucky number for the top prize was 88008. Winners who bought a 20 ticket with the coveted number each won 400,000.

The bulk of Gordo-winning tickets were sold in Madrid, while additional tickets were sold in Jaen, Ecija and Seville in the southern region.

Other winning tickets were sold to Valencia, Balearic Islands, Murcia, A Coruna, Caceres, Teruel, Toledo, Granada, Zaragoza, Salamanca, Las Palmas, Lleida, Tarragona, Guipuzcoa, Castellon, Avila, Badajoz, Almeria, Navarra, Alicante, Lugo, Malaga, among others.

The draw is a significant event in Spain, as millions queue at lottery booths hoping to win the grand prize.

With cash awards distributed nationwide, the lottery is intended for as many individuals as possible to win or, at the very least, break even.

The government established the first El Gordo lottery in 1812 to collect funds for soldiers battling Napoleons armies.

Today, it continues to boost the states coffers, as tax collectors are entitled to 20% of winnings beyond 40,000.

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23 December 2023 16:59 (UTC+04:00)

On December 23, the Central Election Commission (CEC) held the regular meeting under the chairmanship of Mazahir Panakhov, Azernews reports.

The Chairman of the CEC Mazahir Panahov made an opening speech in the meeting and said that five issues have been included in the agenda.

It was noted that these are the text and form, number and procedure for preparing the minutes of the CEC meeting on December 19, 2023, informing voters about the place and time of voting, the procedure and number for preparing the final protocol of the election commission on the voting results, changing the composition of some district election commissions and current issues.

He also touched on the elections in the liberated territories. The chairman noted that the international organizations and representatives who came to Azerbaijan in connection with the election process did not show much interest in the voting process of former IDPs.

"After the liberation of Karabakh and Eastern Zangezur, we must establish our work perfectly in accordance with the legislation and the Election Code. From this point of view, it is important to print notices about informing the voters in the liberated areas," said Mazahir Panahov.

He added that so far, 15 people have been nominated for the presidency so far. The chairman of the CEC also expressed his views on dual citizenship and touched on the issue of the reliability of polls.

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23 December 2023 20:50 (UTC+04:00)

The veterinary surgeons of the Veterinary Clinic of the Agricultural University of Georgia performed a limb prosthesis operation on a cat for the first time in Georgia, Azernews reports, citing Agenda.

The surgeons used the anatomic prosthesis, which was moulded from titanium specially for the patient, and the cat, called Hyatt, is undergoing rehabilitation at the Clinic, the Agricultural Universitys Veterinary Clinic said on Friday.

The graduates of the Agriculture University, a surgeon Lasha-Giorgi Japaridze and an assistant surgeon Giorgi Chikvatia performed the operation on the cats hind limb

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Understanding that there are two firm positions concerning the Open Border Crises, but many realties regarding its current, and, or projected real impacts to the functioning, sustainability of this Constitutional Republic: What position below best represents what you know to be true regarding this impactful policy?

0% The United States' must continue the Executive initiative of Open Borders until a Democratic Congress can codify full Demographic Inclusion by keeping the Biden /Harris Open Borders policy in place.34.62% Our United States' borders are sovereign just as are our self-governed citizens, where borders must be maintained, monitored and defended, which is the position of core Republicans.3.85% I am in favor of Open Borders to make my America more of a global community; however, the federal government must now fix problems that "Red State" governors have caused in our cities.61.54% I do NOT favor the Democratic Socialists' disruption of the cultural fabric of my Representative Republic, and there will be Treasonous Hell to Pay when the certain calamity begins in earnest.
MATSAPHA - Shortly after forming a Safety and Security Department, which is headed by former Army Commander Jeffery Shabalala, FESBC announced that it had acquired guns.

This announcement was made by the Federation of Eswatini Business Community (FESBC) Head of Business Transformation, Mavela Sigwane during the federations presidents end of year statement address, which was held as a breakfast meeting at S&B Restaurant in Matsapha yesterday morning. He said the leadership of the federation was at risk following a statement which they made on behalf of the organisation. He said some of the businesses they talk about take things personal.

We are saying to hell to the businesses that think they can intimidate us. The issues we are raising are not personal, but we do not care about those who are making these issues personal matters. They will suffer from heart attack, Sigwane said. To justify that the leadership of the federation was at risk, Sigwane said some of them had been attacked and he made an example of the organisations National Co-ordinator Sibongile Mamba, who was attacked at her home last year as about 34 bullets were fired at her house.

As such, he said they have formed a Safety and Security Department, which was headed by former Army Commander General Jeffery Gubuzumlambo Shabalala and his assistant is Nhlanhla Dlamini. We have already acquired guns and we are making arrangements to make short term permits. We will be ready for anything, the FESBC Head of Business Transformation said.

This he said after one of the attendees, Sibusiso Siyaya, asked the leadership of FESBC on what strategies do they have in place because following statements which were made by the leaders of the organisation, they could be under threat. His concern was what the organisation would do to get freedom of expression in terms of publicity. Again, Sigwane highlighted that regarding publicity, they have appointed Paul Matimela as the organisations Public Relations Officer (PRO). Matimela is also the Deputy Secretary General of the Swaziland Liberation Movement (SWALIMO). He said the appointment of Matimela means that everything about the federation that has to go out to the public, would be addressed by the PROs office.

Corruption

On another note, the federations head of business transformation said they would continue to investigate and expose all businesses that breach policies that govern money laundering, fairness in competition and fraud. In terms of money laundering, he said there was a bank account that was opened in Mauritius which was used by one of the local companies to allegedly launder money. He said once they close that account, they would demand a certain share from it as a federation.

Also, regarding exposing some of the businesses which breached the above mentioned policies, Sigwane alleged that coal trade once stopped for about three to four months. He said their next target was one of the companies in the sugar industry. On the other hand, regarding the concerns they were raising, the President of the federation, Henry Tum du Pont said they were doing what His Majesty King Mswati III allowed emaSwati to do during his Sibaya 2023 opening address. He said the King told the nation to raise all the concerns they have.

Ingwenyama yatsi asikhiphe emanyeva, the president said. He said it was impossible for all emaSwati to get a chance to speak at the Sibaya and it was unlikely that all the concerns which the nation has could be raised during the Peoples Parliament. In that regard, he emphasised what they were doing (raising concerns) because as emaSwati, they were rightfully given a green light by the King to do it. Therefore, he said they do not care even if those who were aggrieved could take them to the highest court of law.
Ridgecrest (Calif.) Regional Hospital plans to suspend its labor and delivery unit, effective March 1, and lay off 30 employees due to financial and staffing challenges, according to a WARN notice filed with state officials.

Twenty-three registered nurses and seven other positions within the labor and delivery unit will be terminated Feb. 28, according to NBC affiliate KGET. The hospital said inadequate obstetric providers and a nationwide shortage has contributed to recruitment challenges, and has forced the suspension of the service line program.

"RRH has been working for more than a year to find alternative solutions that would allow us to continue providing labor and delivery services to our community," CEO James Suver said in a statement provided to Becker's. "Although many remote hospitals like ours have been subsidizing service in order to continue access, the impending departures of our current OBs and difficulties recruiting providers to our geographically isolated community expedited the need to issue the 90-day public notice required to suspend service."

Despite the WARN filing, Ridgecrest Regional said it is continuing to explore ways to retain some scope of maternity care and has not definitively concluded which positions will be eliminated if the service line is suspended. "In nine days, when the 60-day trigger for the WARN Act notice applies, we will reevaluate and proceed according to the best information we have," Mr. Suver said.

The hospital had subsidized labor and delivery services by about $4 million last year, but continuing to make that investment jeopardizes other services. Declining birth rates and reduced on-call expectations have made it more challenging to maintain a safe obstetric clinic in many rural areas.

"When the pressures of our financial crisis demanded action in 2022, we implemented preemptive measures to reduce operational costs in hopes of maintaining a sustainable level of service to our community," Mr. Suver said. "These actions have not been adequate."
Nobody wants to write a eulogy for the love of their life, and I didnt think I had it in me to write one for Shane. I fully expected to be one of those wives who throw themselves in the coffin and refuse to go on living. I worshipped and adored and cherished that man, to his very last breath and beyond.

I fell in love with Shane MacGowan when I was 16, in a bar in Temple Fortune in north London. He walked up to me and demanded that I buy his friend Spider a drink for his birthday and I told him to f*** off.

I was mesmerised by his audacity, and I stared at him all night and thought about him all of the next day and the next, but I had no idea what was happening to me. Later on, when I saw him sing at the Wag Club, I was hooked for life and I never stopped to ask myself if it was a good idea, if he would make a suitable boyfriend. The deal was already sealed and possibly had been before I was even born.

The Shane that I shared my life with was many, many different things. He was shy and also charismatic, thoughtful and also infuriating, serious and also hilarious, brilliant and also clueless, humble and also arrogant, a health freak and also a junkie and a million other things that most people never got to see. But Shane was not just a multifaceted human being, he was also an idea, an archetype, the embodiment of a movement, and a moment in time.

If he hadnt been London Irish in the late Seventies and early Eighties, if he had spent his entire life on a farm in the Midwest, he would not have spoken to the people that he spoke to with the same precision and effect. I was raised in the Irish countryside at a time when Irish traditional music was sacred and Irish republicanism was volatile. Being Irish for me was something to run away from.

I emigrated to London to try to meet Boy George and Bananarama, to immerse myself in the world that I saw on Top of the Pops.

But Shane brought so much emotional, political and sexual potency to his presentation and delivery in The Pogues, with their Streams of Whiskey and their Dark Streets of London that all the other pop stars were for children.

When I met Shane, fame and glamour felt like important ambitions to aspire to. I was self-conscious and pretentious and I had a strong desire to feel superior to anyone who didnt look cool and who didnt hang out with the right people. I was positively phobic about rejection and disapproval. Being embarrassed in public was my personal hell. But Shane dragged me into his underworld, into Kings Cross squats and drug dealers flats and sleazy early houses. Everywhere we went he made his presence seen and felt and he demanded to be vilified by anyone who felt in the mood for it.

We were jumped on and attacked on the streets so often that it just seemed part of a normal night on the town.

He devoured drugs and alcohol with determination and ferocity as if his life depended upon them, and there were times when I wanted to chain him to a radiator or handcuff him to try to stop him from scoring.

When we went on planes it always felt like a miracle if we were not thrown off them. He would set fire to hotels and vomit in restaurants and most of his suits were full of holes. But he never cared what anybody thought about him.

He had a sense of self-worth and of the worth and beauty of all of humanity, no matter how low down and dirty they were, that bulldozed through my pretences. He forced me to change my perspective.

And I am eternally grateful to him for everything that he changed in me.

Love is a complex thing. If you let yourself love you automatically make yourself vulnerable to the loss of that love. But at the same time as creating room for a gaping hole in your heart you can also discover that your heart is more ingenious than you realised, and the more you stretch it, the more capacity there is for love.

And what begins as romantic love can grow into something that transcends life and death. You can find yourself feeling as if the love that started out as just fancying a guy in a pub can be a force that embraces all of it, the living and the dead. God Bless Shane.
Two youths have appeared in court charged with a spate of burglaries in Co Londonderry.

One of the victims was a 90-year-old woman who was threatened with a knife, a court heard.

The pair said they needed cash to get money to pay drug debts, and complained that the PSNI had taken their cannabis, it was stated.

The accused, who cannot be identified, are jointly charged with entering a property as trespassers on December 17 and stealing a knife.

They then allegedly entered another property armed with the knife and stole various items.

There were also two attempts to enter other neighbouring properties on the same day.

Prior to that, on December 14, they entered a property and stole a mountain bike and six watches.

A detective constable told a special sitting of Dungannon Magistrates Court on Saturday that the charges could be connected.

He explained police spoke to the pair on December 14 when a quantity of cannabis and cash was removed from them.

When arrested, the youths claimed as a result of that, they broke into a property the same day, because they needed money after police stole their cannabis, as they put it.

The detective said: One defendant complained of getting only 50 per week. Their lifestyle makes them susceptible to carrying out crimes of this nature. They went on to reoffend repeatedly in one day after their first encounter with police, by their own admissions, carrying out further burglaries.

He said the youths admitted stealing the watches, some of which were recovered on their arrest.

One youth claimed the missing watches had been lost but police believe they were sold to pay for whatever debts they owe to fund their drug habit.

One defendant said he smokes cannabis every day and police are very concerned that he is so dependent on drugs at such a young age. Its difficult to know how we can prevent that.

Objecting to bail the detective said: One of the victims is a 90-year-old woman who has been left very traumatised and there is understandably very strong public feeling. Theres a lot of outrage.

The defendants reside a very short distance from the burglaries. Unfortunately, we live in an era of social media with rumours and speculation. People are likely to find out who they are. We have concerns for their safety as well as the public in the area.

Defence for one youth suggested he could be bailed as social services would have an onus upon them to find a suitable address. He has made admissions to all matters, although some are qualified. It is accepted these are bad offences, one in particular, and they have heightened community tensions.

In relation to the second youth, a defence solicitor said his parents have come forward and are very concerned about what has occurred. They think this is a wake-up call as its very much outside the level of offending he was ever in before.

She added an address is available some distance from the scene of offending.

District Judge Steven Keown said: It goes without saying how serious these offences are. Im minded to grant bail but solely on the basis they are under 18.

He set this at 50 each and ordered the pair to reside at an address suitable to police.

They are to be electronically tagged and abide by a curfew from 8pm to 7am.

The pair are also banned from entering the area of offending and must not be in possession of any drugs unless prescribed.

They will appear again in Londonderry Youth Court on January 9
The Belfast Telegraph and Sunday Life have joined with The Irish News to seek leave to apply for a judicial review of a new law in Northern Ireland which grants lifetime anonymity to sex case suspects and for 25 years after their deaths.

Mediahuis Ireland, which also publishes the Sunday World, Sunday Independent and the Irish Independent, along with The Irish News lodged the application earlier this week to challenge specific sections of the Justice (Sexual Offences and Trafficking Victims) Act (Northern Ireland) 2022.

The new law sets Northern Ireland apart from the rest of the UK and the Republic of Ireland, including a section which grants lifetime anonymity to sex offence suspects, which can continue to apply until 25 years after they die, unless they are charged during their lifetime.

The Justice (Sexual Offences and Trafficking Victims) Act Northern Ireland 2022 contains a series of changes to the law.

Editor-in-chief of the Belfast Telegraph and Sunday Life Eoin Brannigan said: Primarily this is about victims. Sex offences can be extremely difficult to prosecute and there have been numerous high-profile occasions when the work of journalists has exposed notorious offenders. As abusers often evade justice in life, when they die victims feel they can speak openly. This law potentially denies them even that.

The consequences of the legislation for media in Northern Ireland are very real and we are already dealing with them on a daily basis. Were happy to join with The Irish News in this application. Its a measure of how concerning the matter is for us that we feel we need to pursue this course of action.

The new provisions have been criticised by victims, politicians and media groups, with Ulster Unionist MLA Robbie Butler pledging his party will use a private members bill on the Stormont Assemblys resumption to amend the new law.

The Act, which only applies in Northern Ireland, was introduced following retired Court of Appeal judge Sir John Gillens review of law and procedures in sexual offence cases, but, as previously reported, confusion surrounds how some sections were made law.
Nelson Fernandes who harassed his ex after she ended their affair

A man who hassled and harassed his mistress to try to get back with her has narrowly escaped spending Christmas in jail.

Ordering 48-year-old Nelson Fernandes to act your age, District Judge Francis Rafferty said that while he deserved the eight month prison sentence, given his guilty plea and lack of convictions he would suspend that sentence for two years.

Also imposing a two year restraining order, the Craigavon Magistrates Court judge warned Fernandes that if he contacted the victim or was to commit further offences, you will go to jail.

He said: This type of behaviour will not be tolerated. If a woman doesnt want to go out with you, she does not want to go out with you.

This court has yet to meet a complainant who has ever been persuaded by a barrage of texts, threats and messages to go out with somebody.

Fernandes, from Bridge Street in Portadown, had earlier entered a guilty plea to a single count of harassment covering a time span between March 31 last year and February 28 this year.

On Thursday, a prosecuting lawyer outlined how police were called to a domestic related incident on the Garvaghy Road in Portadown on February 27 where the victim reported how her ex-partner, the defendant, had been constantly messaging her from April 2022.

The harassment began, the court heard, after the married victim ended their affair but Fernandes accused of her of sleeping with other men and he threatened to send intimate images of them to her husband back in East Timor.

Judge Rafferty revealed that Fernandes told a probation officer that he had in fact sent images of himself and the woman together, describing that as appalling behaviour, absolutely appalling behaviour. Fernandes told police that he did it to make her angry.

Defence counsel Damien Halleron said that while Fernandes may not have understood the word no, he fully understands it now - his court appearance and the police have explained that to him.

He stressed however that Fernandes had entered a guilty plea and saved the victim from having to come to court to testify.

Imposing the eight month suspended prison sentence, Judge Rafferty said Fernandes had blotted his copybook spectacularlyhe did not take no for an answer and he thought he knew best and he thought he could bully this woman back into a relationship with him.
Police are still searching for Selvis Sali, the fraudster's former husband

A credit card fraudster has been handed an 18-month prison sentence.

Judge Roseanne McCormick KC told Lulea Iliescu she would spend half the term in jail and half on licence.

But because of time already served, the 34-year-olds wish to be deported back to her native Romania is likely to be granted in the new year.

Iliescu pleaded guilty to one count of fraud, committed between January and March.

Her 50-year-old former husband Selvis Sali was charged alongside her but failed to attend a later court date.

A warrant has since been issued for his arrest.

Antrim Crown Court was told staff at the Rosspark Hotel, outside Ballymena, raised the alarm after IIiescu paid the 638 bill for a five-day stay with someone elses credit card.

The police subsequently arrested she and Sali at the Hilton Hotel in Templepatrick.

Police are still searching for Selvis Sali, the fraudster's former husband

A search of their vehicle and room uncovered credit cards not in their names and documents connected with fraud.

An A4 notebook was found to contain pages filled with postcodes, addresses, phone numbers, email address, dates of births and names of what police suspect are victims of identity fraud.

Detectives later became aware of a victim who reported that an unknown person had redirected his mail correspondence to a different address without his knowledge.

He had since found out that numerous credit accounts, including loans and credit cards, had been opened in his name and without his permission, a prosecution lawyer said.

They included a 4,500 Halifax loan and a credit card debt of 1,700.

CCTV identified Iliescu as having used the card.

She claimed she went along with her husbands frauds out of fear and that he would attack her if she refused.

But a prosecution lawyer said: Of note is that they were married when she was 17

Sali (has since) remarried. However, found in Iliescus wallet was a passport-sized picture of Sali along with a Revolut card in his wifes name.
MBABANE  Enough is enough.

This is a stance some patients at the Mbabane Government have seemingly taken after it emerged that they are now discharging themselves from the hospital beds without the doctors recommendation amid the lack of medical drugs in the country. When the Eswatini News paid a visit to the hospital two days ago, most of the wards were close to being empty as most of the patients decided to pack their bags and head home.

The situation now is such that only those patients who have the financial capacity to buy medical drugs from pharmacies are remaining in the hospital. At least three nurses confirmed to this publication the decision by some patients to discharge themselves from the hospital, warning that the issue of insufficient medical drugs was now getting out of control.

The Swaziland Democratic Nurses Union, a labour organisation that stands and fights for the rights of all nurses in the kingdom, has already been informed about the exodus of patients at the Mbabane Government Hospital and it is not happy about it. This was confirmed by the Unions Secretary-General Mayibongwe Masangane, who admitted that the situation the patients are finding themselves in is unbearable.

Drugs

Yes, I am aware that some patients are discharging themselves because they are not getting the medical help in the hospital. I would do the same if I were in their shoes. It really does not help them to stay in the hospital yet they are not getting medical drugs to treat their ailments. This is the kind is situation that is not giving us any hope, Masangane said.

Adding, the secretary general challenged the sub-committee appointed by the government to stand up and take action to address the medical drugs shortage in the country. The patients are tired of the empty promises. We want to see results from the sub-committee appointed to address the issue of medical drugs. As things are now, there is no point of being admitted in hospital when there are no medical drugs to treat the patients. It is not surprising that some patients prefer discharging themselves from the hospital now, it is a hopeless situation, Masangane said.

A nurse, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said some of the patients who have discharged themselves from the hospital have vowed not to set foot there until they find the purpose to be admitted. To be honest, you cannot blame the patients for discharging themselves because we are not giving them the medical assistance they came here for. Some are saying that they would rather be at their respective homes than being admitted in the hospital that has no medical drugs.

The situation is very bad and one hopes government will give this issue priority and identity a long-term solution. The problem is that some of the patients are blaming us as nurses for neglecting them, she said. Director of Health Services Dr Velephi Okello said there were protocols patients needed to follow when raising concerns about their welfare in the hospital, pointing out that it was within their (patients) rights to ask for discharge.

Forms

It must be clear that patients are not forced to stay in the hospital because that is not jail. The procedure is that if a patient wants to be discharged, there is nothing stopping that. A doctors recommendation for a patients discharge is normally the right way to go but if the patient insists on leaving the hospital, there are hospital forms filled to grant that permission, she said.

The doctor further advised the patients with concerns to report them with the hospital management through the customer care service, insisting that they (management) have the interests of the patients at heart. We will look into this issue going forward but we plead with the patients to raise their concerns with the management so that they can be addressed quickly, she appealed.

The decision by the patients to discharge themselves comes at a time when the Ministry of Health announced that the shortage of medical drugs will be addressed next year. A sub-committee, headed by Minister of Commerce, Industry and Trade Manqoba Khumalo, was set up to find lasting solutions to the medical drugs shortage and is yet to present a comprehensive report on their findings.

Health Ministry Principal Secretary (PS) Khanya Mabuza shared the same sentiments as the Director of Health Services, advising the patients with concerns to raise such with the hospitals customer care service. We are working very hard to revamp things at the hospital and the patients should feel free to raise whatever concerns they have with management so that they can be addressed.

Right now, we are only hearing that patients have concerns, but are not able to verify them because they are not coming through the right platforms. It is our hope that the concerns they have will be given the attention they deserve by the hospital management, Mabuza said.
A female activist with the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) leads the party faithful in chanting slogans during a rally in Dhaka, July 28, 2023.

Two prominent female figures have dominated the landscape of politics in Bangladesh for more than three decades, but women in the South Asian nation still lag far behind men in political participation.

Although Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her Awami League party are expected to clinch a fourth consecutive term in next months general election, a staggeringly small number of contenders  5% of 1,895 people vying for 300 parliamentary seats  are women, according to data from the Election Commission analyzed by BenarNews.

This figure is simply not acceptable to us  especially after 52 years of independence, Khushi Kabir, a prominent feminist, said in an interview with BenarNews. This just goes to show that the patriarchal mentality still lingers in the minds of many in key positions.

Among the 263 candidates nominated by the ruling party, only 20 are women, the data show. The Jatiya Party, the only other notable contestant in the election  the main opposition party is boycotting the polls  has less than 4% of female candidates on its slate.

Activists of ruling party Bangladesh Awami League shout slogans as they try to attack lawyers loyal to Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami during a protest in front of the Supreme Court in Dhaka, Dec. 30, 2013. [Andrew Biraj/Reuters]

This big gender gap in politics, however, contrasts starkly with the progress that Bangladeshi women have made in education and other socioeconomic indicators in the country.

Girls have a higher enrollment rate in schools and consistently outperform boys in exams. In April, a survey by Mastercard revealed that approximately one-third of the countrys entrepreneurs are women.

Bangladeshs economic backbone, the ready-made garment industry, employs over 2 million people, with more than 90% being women.

The share of women participating in the labor workforce is greater in Bangladesh than peers in South Asia, according to data from the World Bank.

Despite these advancements, women remain vastly underrepresented in government and political leadership positions.

What we see in politics is a reflection of wider societal norms, explained Shantanu Majumder, a professor of political science at Dhaka University, in an interview with BenarNews. As a nation, we can tolerate women working for social organizations or private companies, but most people would not accept more women leading in politics.

Both major political parties  the Awami League and the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP)  count millions among their members.

Partisan activists typically rise through street politics to assume more senior roles within the party. Such a political culture inherently favors men over women, Majumder said.

By default, women are kept busy taking care of household affairs. When they are involved with a party, they are often subjected to ridicule, he said.

Furthermore, success in politics often demands muscle power and financial resources, making it challenging for women to compete on an equal footing with men.

Trainees work at Snowtex garment factory in Dhamrai, near Dhaka, Bangladesh, April 19, 2018. [A.M. Ahad/AP file photo]

Government rules encourage political parties to appoint 33% of women to their leadership posts, but no political parties currently meet this voluntary provision.

Parties do not nominate women. If women are not involved in decision-making for political empowerment, discrimination against women will persist, said Sima Moslem, joint general secretary at Bangladesh Mahila Parishad, an organization promoting womens rights.

Inherited power

Bangladesh, a majority-Muslim country, has mostly been ruled by two women since 1991 when Khaleda Zia  currently the oppositions top leader  became the first woman here to hold the office of prime minister.

Prime Minister Hasina, Zias arch-rival, has held uninterrupted power for close to 15 years.

Both women inherited their political roles from males in their family circles who were assassinated.

In 1975, a military coup claimed the life of Hasinas father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Bangladeshs founding president, who was gunned down along with other close family members who were considered Rahmans potential successors. Hasina assumed control of the Awami League in 1981 after bitter infighting within the partys rank and files.

Bangladeshi Muslims pray underneath posters of election candidates hanging over a street in Dhaka, Dec. 28, 2018. [Munir uz Zaman / AFP]

Zia, for her part, reluctantly took the helm of the BNP when her husband and the partys founder, President Ziaur Rahman, was assassinated in a coup detat in 1981. Their eldest son, Tarique Rahman, now the partys de facto leader, was a teenager at the time.

However, these womens prominence in the bruising and confrontational world of Bangladesh politics has not inspired many girls to follow in their footsteps and run for public office.

My father was a freedom fighter, and I belong to a family of political activists. But I did not want to join politics because of the dismal state of the political situation in the country, said Uroshi Mhafila Fateha, an entrepreneur. But I do have an interest in entering politics if a respectful environment is created.
U.S. aircraft are seen on the runway at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, April 13, 2020. (U.S. Air Force via Reuters)

American President Joe Biden on Friday signed into law an $886 billion defense bill that includes U.S. $16 billion to deter Chinas expansive maritime claims and approves exemptions for Australia and the United Kingdom to buy American defense technology without licenses.

The 2024 National Defense Authorization Act was passed by the Senate on Dec. 13 in a 87-13 vote and by the House on Dec. 14 in a 310-118 vote, after a compromise removed supplemental funding for Ukraine along with contentious abortion and transgender provisions.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a Democrat from New York, last week called the compromise precisely the kind of bipartisan cooperation the American people want from Congress.

Biden said on Friday that parts of the compromise raise concerns but that he was pleased to support the critical objectives of the bill.

The legislation provides the critical authorities we need to build the military required to deter future conflicts, while supporting service members and their spouses and families, Biden said.

Maritime deterrence

The bill includes $14.7 billion for the Pacific Deterrence Initiative, well above the $9.1 billion requested by the Pentagon. The project, defense officials say, will help bolster U.S. defenses in Hawaii and the Pacific territory of Guam to increase deterrence efforts against China.

Bryan Clark, a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute and expert in naval operations, said the big increase in funds would help by improving the resilience and capability of U.S. and allied forces in the Indo-Pacific.

I expect the increased PDI spending authorized in the NDAA will focus on defense of Guam, improved networking and data integration for U.S. forces in the Indo-Pacific, and accelerated efforts to posture U.S. ground troops in the region, Clark told Radio Free Asia.

A fighter-jet takes off from the Chinese aircraft carrier Shandong in the Pacific Ocean, south of Okinawa, April 9, 2023. The Pentagons Pacific Deterrence Initiative will increase deterrence efforts against China. [Japans Ministry of Defense/AFP]

A further $1.3 billion is earmarked specifically for the Indo-Pacific Campaigning Initiative, which a Senate Armed Services Committee statement said would fund increased frequency and scale of exercises, freedom of navigation operations, and partner engagements as China ramps up its claims of sovereignty.

The 2024 bill also authorizes the biggest pay boost to military personnel in two decades, with a 5.2 percent overall bump, and increases the basic allowance for troops and housing subsidies.

AUKUS

Its not only U.S. military bases and personnel in the Indo-Pacific that are receiving a large funding boost next year, though.

The 2024 bill also approves the sale of nuclear-powered submarines to Australia and exemptions for Australian and British firms from the need to seek licenses to buy U.S. defense technology.

The two provisions  known as Pillar 1 and Pillar 2 of the AUKUS security pact between Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States  have proved controversial, with some Republicans in Congress questioning Pillar 1 and some Democrats opposing Pillar 2.

Republicans expressed concerns about the ability of shipyards to supply Australia with submarines by the 2030s amid massive building backlogs that have left the U.S. Navy waiting on its own orders.

The Virginia-class attack submarine New Mexico undergoes sea trials in the Atlantic Ocean, Nov. 26, 2009. [U.S. Navy via AFP]

Democrats, meanwhile, said they were worried that exempting Australian businesses from the need to seek licenses could open up an avenue for Chinese espionage to procure sensitive U.S. technology.

But in the end the provisions passed with bipartisan support  even if the important licensing exemptions remain conditional on Australia and the United Kingdom putting in place comparable export restrictions.

Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, a Democrat from Illinois and the ranking member of his party on the House Select Committee on China, said that the approval of both pillars of AUKUS would be a boon to U.S. efforts to counter the Chinese Communist Partys maritime claims.

By authorizing the sale of up to three Virginia-class submarines to Australia, and simplifying the process for sharing advanced technologies between our countries, we are taking an important step in strengthening key U.S. alliances and working to maintain a free and open Indo-Pacific region in the face of CCP aggression, he said.

Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles said that the passage of AUKUS meant that Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States are on the precipice of historic reform that will transform our ability to effectively deter, innovate, and operate together.

Australias ambassador to Washington, Kevin Rudd, said earlier this year he foresees a seamless defense industry across the AUKUS member states in coming decades if the security pact succeeds.

Other measures

The bill also establishes a new program to train and advise Taiwans military, and funds the Biden administrations new Indo-Pacific Maritime Domain Awareness Initiative, which also is aimed at deterring Chinas vast claims of maritime sovereignty.

Ely Ratner, U.S. assistant secretary of defense for Indo-Pacific security affairs, seen at a Senate hearing earlier this year, says the U.S. will give allies across Asia and the Pacific high-grade commercial satellite imagery. [Amanda Andrade-Rhoades/Reuters]

U.S. Assistant Secretary of Defense for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs Ely Ratner said earlier this month would equip American allies across Asia and the Pacific with high-grade commercial satellite imagery that allows them to have much more visibility into their littorals.

Rep. Mike Gallagher, a Republican from Wisconsin and the chairman of the House Select Committee on China, said the bill was suitably focussed on the biggest threats currently facing the U.S. military.

We are in the window of maximum danger when it comes to a conflict with China over Taiwan, Gallagher said after the House passed the bill. Ensuring our military has the resources to deter, and if necessary, win such a conflict must be our primary focus in Congress.

Radio Free Asia (RFA), a news service affiliated with RFA, produced this report.
Bennington, VT (05201)

Today

Cloudy skies with afternoon snow showers. Temps nearly steady in the mid 30s. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of snow 40%..

Tonight

Overcast. A few flurries or snow showers possible. Low 32F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph.
BENNINGTON  The Southern Vermont Communications Union District (SoVT CUD) is marking becoming one of the first CUDs in the state to reach universal service coverage.

The local 14-town communications district, which had formed a partnership with Fidium Fiber, announced last week that it will reach universal high-speed internet service coverage just 13 months after receiving a grant from the Vermont Community Broadband Board in October 2022.

14-town district

In a release, the district said that multi-gigabit service is now available to every home and business in its 14-town service area. In total, more than 33,000 residents, including 2,400 previously unserved, now have access to multi-gig fiber service.

Today is an important day to celebrate a very important milestone for our 14 towns in Southern Vermont CUD, said Eric Hatch, chairman of the SoVT CUD Governing Board, which has representatives from the member towns.

Todays milestone is an important one relative to the lasting social and economic impact it will have for our region, Hatch said. Likened to rural electrification, universal rural broadband will allow Bennington County and the CUD member towns to not only compete with cities in the U.S., but across the globe. Our area will have its natural beauty, a caring and talented community, and also the technology to provide the services and infrastructure for today and tomorrows digital age requirements.

The CUD member communities are Arlington, Bennington, Dorset, Landgrove, Londonderry, Manchester, Peru, Pownal, Rupert, Sandgate, Shaftsbury, Sunderland, Winhall and Woodford.

Business incentive

Last year in our State of the Commerce survey  we asked our members whats holding you back? said Matt Harrington, executive director of the Southwestern Vermont Chamber of Commerce. Forty-one percent [said] we need better internet, improved internet and Wi-Fi to help us grow.

He added, We recently conducted that survey again, one year later. Only 18 percent this year indicated WI-FI capability as a barrier to growth for them. That is because of the CUD and Fidium Fiber.

The change is not merely about faster internet, its about possibilities, Harrington said. Its about making sure our healthcare, education and employment opportunities are accessible to all. Its about enriching lives and fostering creativity, entrepreneurialism and innovation right here in our very own communities.

It really is pretty astonishing, and Im just very excited to be here because weve been working on broadband forever, U.S. Senator Peter Welch, D-Vt., said during an event earlier this fall. Theres a democratic value in making certain that the things all of us need in red states and blue states, in rural America and urban America, are available. That is the glue that is going to keep us together and help us resolve our problems.

Rob Fish, deputy director of the Vermont Community Broadband Board, commented: They said it couldnt be done, and you have done this ... I want to be sure that you own this moment, that you own this celebration, and that you own the future, that you own what this can do for your community.

Consolidated Communications

Jeffrey Austin, senior director of fiber build strategy for Consolidated Communications, said the new all-fiber network will allow these 14 towns to grow and thrive in ways you may not have imagined. With this new network, generations of residents can enjoy the beauty and quality of life afforded by this area without having to miss out on the myriad opportunities that come with the best internet."

Fidium Fiber, a brand offered by Consolidated Communications for the home, delivers symmetrical, fiber internet. The company also offers Fidium@Work.

The SoVT CUD is a municipality-formed district under authorizing Vermont legislation. It is run by volunteers in the local communities, with the purpose of bringing high-speed internet service to under-served areas of Southern Vermont.

Anyone interested in helping, and those with questions about eligibility, are encouraged to visit the CUD website.
MBABANE  The external examination results for the Eswatini Primary Certificate (EPC) and Junior Certificate (JC) have continued to show a slump.

The results were presented by the Minister of Education and Training, Owen Nxumalo, yesterday and they reflect that they are the poorest in the past five academic years. Under the EPC, the pass rate for the 2023 examination stood at 91.31 per cent, while in 2022 it was 91.94 per cent. This reflects a decrease of 0.63 per cent in the past rate.

In 2021, the pass rate stood at 93.91 per cent, while in 2020 it was 94.02 per cent.

In 2019, the pass rate was 93.44 per cent. An analysis of the five academic years reflects that the pass rate for the results released yesterday for the EPC examination is the lowest. Coming to the JC, the pass rate this year stands at 82.01 per cent, while in 2022 it was 83.93 per cent. This shows a percentage decrease of 0.17 per cent in 2023 when compared with 2022. In 2021, the pass rate for the JC examination stood at 84.11 per cent, while in 2020 it was 84.49 per cent.

In 2019, the pass rate was 85.92 per cent. An overall analysis for the five years (2019 to 2023), shows that this years JC results are the poorest. Meanwhile, a summary of the JC results reflects that a total number of 19 079 candidates registered for the examination in 2023, whereas in 2022 there were 20 206 entries.This shows a 5.58 per cent decline in candidature in 2023 when compared with 2022.

Examined

From the 19 079 who registered, only 18 559 candidates sat the examination, while in 2022 a total of 19 552 were examined. This means that candidates who registered but did not write the examination in 2023 were 520, while a total of 684 absentees were recorded in 2022. A decrease was also noted in the number of candidates who attained Merit passes in the JC examination, as the figure stood at 961, while in 2022 it was 978.

This shows a percentage decrease of 0.17 per cent in 2023 when compared with 2022. An improvement was noted in the number of candidates who obtained First Class passes, as the figure stood at 1 726 while in 2022 there were only about 1 617. This means that the number of First Class passes increased by 1.02 per cent in 2023, when compared with 2022. The number of second class passes also decreased by 2.25 per cent when compared with 2022 as it stood at 9 207 against 10 202 in the latter year.

About 3 325 candidates attained Third Class passes in 2023, while there were 3 589 in 2022.The poor performance is also reflected in the number of candidates who did not make in the JC examination as it stood at 3 340 while in 2022 it was 3 136. Meanwhile, for the EPC examination, a total of 26 647 candidates registered for the examination while in 2022 the figure stood at 28 038. This shows a decrease by 4.96 per cent. Of the 26 647, who registered, 26 411 sat for the examination while in 2022 about 27 773 were recorded to have eventually written it.

Only 830 candidates attained merit passes in 2023, while in 2022 a total of 984 achieved this grade. The number of First Class passes in 2023 were 3 282, while in 2022 the figure stood at 3 330. Just like it happened with the JC examination, the number of candidates who did not make it in 2023 was higher when compared to the year 2022 as it was 2 295 against 2 239.

Normalised

When presenting the results yesterday, Minister Nxumalo recounted how the school calendar was normalised in 2023, which meant that instructional time progressed smoothly following that schools could not close due to occurrences such as the COVID-19 pandemic and political unrest all of which affected the school calendar. The minister said inasmuch as the school calendar was normalised, the effects of the pandemic and the unrest were still being felt in the learning setting.

However, he said despite all the challenges, the ministry appreciated the hard work done by head teachers, teachers, learners and parents during the 2023 academic year. Teachers worked tirelessly to cover the syllabus and most of our learners embraced the opportunity to learn. The ministry is grateful to teachers, head teachers and parents for their joint effort in preparing learners for the 2023 external examination, said Nxumalo.

Elaborating

Elaborating, the minister said the Examinations Council of Eswatini (ECESWA) reverted to the normal marking mode which meant that marking commenced after all the examinations for that session had been written. In the past two years, the minister said, a business unusual tactic had been used by ECESWA as marking was done whilst the examinations were still in progress. He commended ECESWA for delivering the EPC and JC examination results in record time.

The early release of results will give parents and guardians enough time to look for spaces for their children.

Also highlighted by the minister was that this year, candidates from 32 pilot schools also sat down for the first ever Checkpoint Assessment, which is a series of diagnostic tests to check the learning progress of learners and inform teachers about their learning needs. The minister said the Checkpoint Assessment was written by candidates in Form III and for the marking, ECESWA recruited JC markers.

On another note, the minister congratulated the learners for working hard when preparing for the examinations.

He said to candidates who did not make it, there was no need to lose hope but instead, they needed to try again and continue working hard. As the successful learners will be looking for place in Forms 1 and VI, may I remind all head teachers to follow the ministrys policies and procedures by admitting all qualifying students regardless of their pass categories, said Nxumalo.
GREAT BARRINGTON  Memories linger in David and Terry Thornes sunlit dining room at the Thornewood Inn.

It was there that they hosted guests but also celebrated family birthdays and weddings, as well as a funeral reception for David Thornes mother.

The room saw 31 years of Thanksgivings with guests who made it a tradition to come back year after year.

We have our lifeblood in here, David Thorne said as he gave reporters a tour. We started with a 3,000-square-foot building and now its 11,000 square feet.

The Thornes not only expanded the 1919-built inn off Stockbridge Road, but tended lovingly to the building and rooms themselves after buying it in 1983.

Forty years later, they are selling the inn at a reduced price for something desperately needed: a boardinghouse for local workers.

This is the latest project by the Community Development Corp. of South Berkshire to create affordable and workforce housing with what already exists.

The Community Development Corp. is just one nonprofit trying to help solve the crisis of housing scarcity and high prices. The problem, combined with wages that dont cover the cost of living in the Berkshires, is not just affecting workers. Its also been pressing on businesses and institutions, including stores, restaurants and the hospital.

This project is inspired by the success of the towns first boardinghouse at what was formerly The Windflower Inn on Route 23, near the Egremont border.

The former Windflower has a waiting list  as do other affordable housing complexes created by the Community Development Corp.  and the nonprofit hopes to give those on that list an opportunity to rent at the former Thornewood.

The Community Development Corp. is also still gathering up money for the $400,000 down payment and some modest renovations to create three additional rooms and overhaul the kitchen, Community Development Corp. Board President James Harwood said. Greylock Federal Credit Union has committed to holding the mortgage.

A $100,000 anonymous grant meant to inspire more donations is helping the Community Development Corp. close on the $1.365 million, 2.5-acre property.

That anonymous donor will match all donations from $1 to $1,000 by at least one-to-one, said Community Development Corp. Treasurer Philip Orenstein.

The Community Development Corp. also has applied for various local grants and, if voters agree, will receive $250,000 from the town's Community Preservation Act money. The CPA committee voted last week to recommend the project to annual town meeting for a vote.

And Harwood estimates that 15 of the 18 total units could be ready in six to eight weeks.

During a tour of the inn with a number of board members, Orenstein said rent would fall between $1,000 and $1,350 per month depending on the room. That will include utilities and internet. Thorne led the tour through each of the inns cheerful rooms, most of them painted in light pastels.

This boardinghouse model, Orenstein said, is meant to be self-sustaining, as rent will help pay operational costs.

The Community Development Corp. estimates the cost of making each unit available at about $85,000.

For renters, it is temporary housing in a month-to-month arrangement. The Community Development Corp. has yet to decide what upper income limit it will set for eligibility to rent here, Orenstein said.

All the rooms have private baths. Some rooms are larger than others and those will cost more per month. Some rooms have jacuzzi bathtubs and a private entrance, for instance.

The house will have a communal kitchen and laundry room.

The Thornes themselves faced staffing challenges, and are happy to help relieve at least some of the housing pressure.

Theyre living their values, said Community Development Corp. board member Erik Bruun, noting that creating affordable housing in general is going to require creativity  and a lot of money.

It is a billion dollar problem, Bruun said. Housing is capital intensive. This is a smart use of money.

Its also smart to have people living together, making connections and building community, he added.

The Thornewood project is so appealing that a major employer in town wants to book some rooms for three years, Bruun said. He said he could not divulge the name of the company.

There are still questions that board members will have to work through like those about what exactly defines "local," and how long can a renter remain if, for instance, they get a job in another town.

Community Development Corp. board member Robin Helfand explains that it is a model still in the works. The nonprofit knows it may encounter new twists that may require policy shifts.

As far as finding renters, the nonprofit will work with local businesses to help fill a need, Helfand said.

As for the Thornes, they wont be moving far as they downsize  they have family and a life here.

And their work at the inn isn't quite done  they'll be hosting some regulars during Christmas who they booked when they werent sure if and when the real estate deal would be sealed.

Theyve returned a few times, David Thorne said of the guests, and we had a difficult time saying no to them.
The footbridge over Bel Air Dam. Due to the dam's deterioration, the bridge is now condemned  but it was still open to pedestrians when Eagle columnist Kevin O'Hara walked his sons over it one Christmas years ago.
Bapco Energies, the integrated energy company leading the energy transition in the Kingdom of Bahrain, has announced that it has secured the membership of the Oil and Gas Methane Partnership 2.0 (OGMP 2.0).

As a signatory to the United Nations Environment Programme's OGMP 2.0 Framework, Bapco Energies will be annually reporting methane emissions from operated and non-operated assets.

This involves leveraging the most accurate measurement methods and science-based measurement frameworks to report emissions on both operated and non-operated bases across all assets.

This strategic decision aligns with Bapco Energies' commitment to reduce carbon emissions in line with the Kingdoms National Energy Strategy.

The company aims to implement cutting-edge solutions to minimise emissions in alignment with the Kingdom's decarbonization targets, it stated.

At COP26, His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Bahrain, made a commitment that the kingdom would achieve Net-Zero by 2060, cut emissions by 30% through decarbonization and efficiency initiatives by 2035, and double the deployment of renewables.

Commenting on the partnership, Group CEO Mark Thomas said: "We are proud to be joining the United Nations Environment Programme's Oil and Gas Methane Partnership 2.0 Framework. This globally recognized, industry-specific reporting standard enables us to comprehensively track and compare our progress and performance with peers in the industry."

Todays announcement at COP28 is a testament to our responsibility and commitment to deliver real climate action. As signatories to the OGMP 2.0, we stand committed to achieving our net-zero targets which necessitated a complex decarbonization plan, particularly addressing unabated sources.

Reducing methane emissions in our industry is one of the key global opportunities to preserve the environment and enhance the quality of life for everyone.

"We are thrilled to welcome Bapco Energies of Bahrain as part of our initiative," noted Giulia Ferrini, the OGMP 2.0 Programme Manager.

"Action by national oil companies is critical for methane progress, as they represent over half of global oil and gas production. By joining the Partnership, Bapco Energies demonstrates its commitment to better methane reporting and management and supports Bahrains climate efforts under the Paris Agreement and Global Methane Pledge in time for COP28," he added.

OGMP 2.0, is the flagship oil and gas reporting and mitigation framework of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

It is the only comprehensive, measurement-based international reporting framework for the energy sector that works to improve the accuracy and transparency of methane emissions reporting, which is crucial for meaningful mitigation.-TradeArabia News Service
Mandatory for all cough syrup manufacturing companies to submit samples of each batch for testing before exporting

In a proactive measure to ensure the safety and efficacy of Indian cough syrup meant for export, 445 batches of cough syrup samples from various manufacturers across India have been dispatched to multiple laboratories nationwide for rigorous testing.

The Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) disclosed that, as of December 20, 2023, drug testing laboratories in India have received a total of 445 batches of cough syrup samples. These samples will undergo thorough testing, scrutinizing parameters such as toxicity, efficacy, and safety. Only after clearing these stringent tests and obtaining safety certification will the respective manufacturing companies be authorized to export their cough syrup globally.

The decision to intensify testing procedures comes in the wake of a recent incident in Gambia, Africa, where infants experienced adverse effects, leading to fatalities after the administration of Indian cough syrup. This unfortunate incident drew global attention, prompting concerns about the reputation of the Indian pharmaceutical industry. The World Health Organization even issued alerts and blacklisted certain pharmaceutical companies.

In response to these challenges, the CDSCO has amended its standard regulations. It is now mandatory for all cough syrup manufacturing companies to submit samples of each batch for testing before exporting to global markets.

As part of this initiative, 83 batches from Maharashtra are being tested at the Central Drug Testing Laboratory (CDTL) in Mumbai, 12 batches at CDTL Hyderabad, 57 batches at the Regional Drug Testing Lab in Chandigarh, and 132 batches at IPC Ghaziabad. Additionally, 67 batches have been sent to various state laboratories, including Food and Drug Lab Gujarat, Jammu, Kerala, and Bhopal. The remaining 97 batches are undergoing testing at private drug testing facilities.

Only after receiving clearance from these laboratories will the concerned manufacturers obtain approval for exporting the cough syrup to the global market, ensuring a heightened level of scrutiny and safety in the pharmaceutical export process.

Amguth Raju
Transnet on Friday reported a R1.6bn loss in the six months to 30 September on the back of declining rail, port and pipeline volumes amid higher costs.

Source: Archive

Transnet made a R159m profit during the same period last year.

Although its revenue rose 8.6% to 39.2bn in the six months thanks to tariff increases for its services, costs rose 9.5% to R25.3bn due to higher payroll, electricity and security expenses.

Transnet has struggled to provide adequate freight rail and port services in South Africa due to equipment shortages and maintenance backlogs after years of under-investment.

On 1 December the South African government, Transnet's sole shareholder, said it would inject R47bn to help the firm meet its immediate debt obligations.

Transnet has debts of R130bn and has seen freight volumes decline to 150 million metric tons in the financial year 2022/23 from 226 million tonnes in 2017/18, while reporting port backlogs of as much as three months.
With continued load shedding, a logistics crisis at our ports costing the South African economy R100m per day, and with rampant consumer inflation (reported to now be at 5.9% in October 2023), South African companies are now facing increasing pressure to trade profitably, going into what has always been a busy December festive season.

Come January next year, and when the dust has settled on 2023, we are no doubt going to see companies having to deal with financial distress and where some might have to consider the intervention of a business rescue process. South African corporates are in for a tough time in 2024. Stats SA recently reported that just over 1,376 companies have closed their doors in 2023, with 136 companies filing for liquidation in October alone.

Enter business rescue

An alternative to having to file for liquidation, is the commencement of business rescue proceedings as provided for in the 2008 Companies Act. A business rescue practitioner would be appointed to supervise the company through its business rescue process and hopefully where a business rescue plan is approved by creditors and other stakeholders, allowing the company to be rescued from the brink of collapse.

When one takes a look at the outcomes of business rescue mandates in the last decade, the vast majority of business rescues in South Africa have focused on the wind down of a company in business rescue, as opposed to the implementation of a rescue plan which allows a struggling company to trade out of its financial distress intact, having been operationally restructured and where the company is returned into the South African economy on a restructured and solvent basis.

After all, providing a struggling company with the opportunity for a fresh start, with its debt having been compromised and its operations (ie. affairs business and property) having been properly restructured, must have been the intention of government when they introduced Chapter 6 (business rescue) into the 2008 Companies Act.

Third party involvement

The business rescue of companies such as Group 5, Basil Read, Edcon, The New House of Busby, Stuttafords and others, all ended up with a portion of its business and/or assets being sold to third parties and where the business rescue practitioner managed to deliver a better dividend to creditors in its business rescue process as compared to what would have been achieved if the company had been placed into immediate liquidation. The company's life would however come to an end with a break up of businesses and assets having taken place. The company would be left with nothing but an empty shell and where it would be placed into liquidation or deregistered.

Section 128(1)(b) of the 2008 Companies Act refers to the "wind down" option as being one possible outcome of a business rescue process, but unfortunately the alternative of the restoration of the company to solvency, seems to have been left behind. After all, the definition of business rescue talks to the rehabilitation of companies under a rescue process, not a wind down.

However, the stated objectives of business rescue provides that if the company cannot be rehabilitated, then the creditors must at least receive a higher dividend than in liquidation (referred to as a Part B rescue)- although the latter course of action does appear to have become the norm.

This question was raised by delegates attending the South African Restructuring and Insolvency Practitioners Association (Saripa) conference held at Sun City at the beginning of November. Practitioners debated the issue and where discussion revolved around how the restructuring profession can work towards bolstering the alternative of a solvent restructuring in the South African business rescue space.

Timing

Clearly a determinative factor in deciding whether an operational restructuring, as opposed to a wind down under Part B, will be the timing of when the company goes into business rescue. The issue will be whether the company is already too far gone down its distressed pathway, so that the only alternative remaining is to wind it down by selling off the company's assets, subsidiaries, businesses to third party buyers.

If directors leave it too late, and only file for business rescue when the company is already severely financially distressed, then the chances of being successful with a operational restructuring becomes limited. The key is of course to get in early, and appoint a practitioner to supervise the company and its business in its distressed period, and then work towards its exit on a solvent basis with the support of stakeholders and creditors. This allows the "business" to be rescued and where the vast majority of jobs will be retained.

Appropriately skilled practitioners

Another key factor will be the ability of the appointed business rescue practitioner to have the requisite skill set to achieve both an operational restructuring as well as a financial restructuring in the process. A business rescue plan would have to cater for the compromise of existing debt, and the renegotiation of prejudicial contracts such as supply contracts that are not on favorable terms or expensive lease arrangements that might need to be renegotiated. Take Edcon as an example - in September 2020 Edgars was sold to Retailability out of business rescue and where the practitioner was able to terminate unprofitable leases, allowing the company to continue to trade with a much smaller footprint across South Africa.

Further, the practitioner might have to reduce the size of the workforce, attend to retrenchments and renegotiate loan facilities with the company's bankers. All with the ultimate goal of having the plan supported by 75% of creditors voting in favour of the plan. Once approved, the creditors would leave it to the practitioner to implement the rescue plan, and then discharge the company from its business rescue process.

The company would then be returned into the market on a solvent basis ready to continue trading with its suppliers and customers. A far better outcome than a break-up of the company by way of an ad hoc disposal of its assets and businesses in a wind down scenario.

Key staff retention

Of concern to a business rescue practitioner in an operational restructuring will be the level of cooperation of the remaining management skills that can assist in restructuring the company once the company has entered the business rescue process. It is important for the practitioner to retain key employees to work together with the practitioner in dealing with irate creditors, suppliers whose debt might have to be compromised and, importantly, to get all stakeholders on side and get them to collaborate with the practitioner in achieving a successful turnaround for the company.

The crucial skill set is the ability to deal with people, a skill often forgotten in the often stressful environment of business rescue.

In order to see more operational business rescues in South Africa, South African boards of directors will need to stop focusing only on the protective moratorium (stay on claims) provided by statute in the business rescue process, and rather focus their energies on saving the company through an operational restructuring, and returning the company to trading on a solvent basis, with its business, employees and customers and supply contracts in place.

This will achieve a reduction in the number of corporate failures in South Africa.
Volvo Car South Africa has announced that the first batch of its fully electric EX30 model is en route to the country. The EX30, set to debut in the first quarter of 2024, is poised to be one of the most competitively priced electric vehicles available, with prices starting at R775,900. The Swedish luxury SUV has already garnered considerable interest, with over 150 pre-orders placed as of September 2023. This marks a promising step towards sustainable transportation in South Africa.

The twin motor Volvo EX30 is the Swedish carmaker's fastest accelerating car ever.

Greg Maruszewski, MD at Volvo Car South Africa, says the fact that South Africa will be among the first countries in the world to receive its initial allocation clearly illustrates this versatile new models broader importance to the local market, as well as robust early demand from consumers.

Typically, South Africa is not in the first wave of a new models global launch. But thats changed with the EX30, as our initial allocation is already inbound. This means well see the first examples on local roads at the same time as they arrive in major markets in Europe, North America and Asia, said Maruszewski, adding that he expects the EX30 to be one of the best sellers in South Africas burgeoning EV segment next year.

Ahead of its arrival in South Africa, the new EX30 has been shortlisted as one of seven contenders in the running for the 2024 iteration of the prestigious European Car of the Year Award, a title won by the XC40 back in 2018. This comes after the XC40 Recharge  a model that has dominated SAs fully electric premium C-SUV segment  triumphed in the New Energy Vehicle category at the 2023 COTY competition.

'Fastest accelerating Volvo ever'

The all-new EX30 represents the cornerstone of Volvos global electrification growth ambitions, excelling in areas as varied as performance, efficiency, sustainability and safety. In 315kW Twin Motor Performance guise, for instance, the newcomer is the fastest-accelerating Volvo ever, completing the 0-100km/h sprint in a mere 3.6 seconds.

The extended-range version of the Single Motor (rear-wheel drive) powertrain is capable of covering up to 480km on the WLTP cycle.

The EX30s imminent arrival will help to cement Volvo Car South Africas already formidable presence in the fast-growing new-energy vehicle space, while also significantly enhancing accessibility to electric cars for many South Africans.
One of the oddest and most mysterious relationships that emerged out of the collapse of FTX last year was Alameda Researchs unusual relationship with Farmington State Bank, one of the smallest, rural banks in the United States that came under the control of Jean Chalopin in 2020. Chalopin is best known as the chairman of Deltec, one of the main banks for Alameda Research  FTXs trading arm that played a central role in its collapse  and still one of the main banks for the largest fiat-backed stablecoin, Tether (USDT). Chalopin had acquired control over Farmington via FBH Corp., where Chalopin was listed as executive officer. Interestingly, Noah Perlman, a former DOJ and DEA official who is now Chief Compliance Officer at Binance and the son of Jeffrey Epstein associate and musician Itzhak Perlman, was also listed as a director of FBH Corp and has never publicly explained his connection with this Chalopin-controlled entity.

As Unlimited Hangout reported last December, soon after its acquisition by Chalopins FBH Corp., Farmington pivoted to deal with cryptocurrency and international payments after decades upon decades of serving as a single branch community bank in rural Washington. Soon after its pivot into the crypto space, Farmington struggled to move money and sought approval to become part of the Federal Reserve system. It also changed its name from Farmington State Bank to Moonstone Bank. The approval of Farmington by the Federal Reserve has been deemed highly unusual and as having glossed over Moonstones for-profit foreign interests. Late last December, Eric Kollig, spokesman for the Federal Reserve, told reporters that he could not comment about the process that federal regulators undertook to approve Chalopins purchase of the charter of Farmington State Bank in 2020.

Just days after Farmington formally changed its name to Moonstone in early March 2022, FTX-affiliated Alameda Research poured $11.5 million into the bank, which was  at the time  more than twice its entire net worth. Moonstones Chief Digital Officer, Jean Chalopins son Janvier, later stated that the funding from Alameda Research had been seed funding  to execute our new plan of being a tech-focused bank.

Farmington State Bank as it appears on Google Maps, Source: Protos

Upon Alamedas taking a stake in the bank, Jean Chalopin stated that this move signifies the recognition, by one of the worlds most innovative financial leaders, of the value of what we are aiming to achieve. This marks a new step into building the future of banking. Outlets like Protos have noted how unusual it is that a Bahamas-based company like FTX was able to purchase a stake in a federally approved bank without attracting the attention of regulators.Washington State regulators have stated that they were aware of Alamedas investment in Farmington/Moonstone and defended their decision not to intervene or take further regulatory action.

Notably, the influx of new money into the remodeled Farmington was not exclusive to FTX/Alameda. A New York Times article on the matter noted that Farmington/Moonstones deposits  which had hovered around $10 million for many decades  quickly surged to $84 million, with $71 million coming from only four new accounts during this same relatively short period in 2022.

As Unlimited Hangout previously noted, the same day the Alameda investment was announced, Moonstone installed Ronald Oliveira as CEO. Oliviera had previously worked for the fintech company Revolut, a leading digital alternative bank financed by Jeffrey Epstein associate Nicole Junkermann. Roughly two months later, the bank hired Joseph Vincent as its legal counsel. Immediately prior to joining Farmington/Moonstone, Vincent had served as the general counsel for Washington States Department of Financial Institutions and its director of legal and regulatory affairs for 18 years.

Shortly before FTXs collapse, which put Farmington/Moonstone under heavy scrutiny, Farmington/Moonstone partnered with a relatively unknown company called Fluent Finance. Fluent Finance, both then and now, has evaded scrutiny from the media aside from Unlimited Hangouts investigation into Farmington, published last December. However, since FTXs unraveling and the shuttering of Farmington/Moonstone in the months that followed, Fluent Finance has been quite busy, developing significant government partnerships in the Middle East and looking to become a central part of the coming Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) paradigm for both West and East.

FTX and the Curious History of Farmington State Bank Since FTXs collapse, a tiny bank in rural Washington has come under heavy scrutiny for the role it may have played in the crypto exchanges fraudulent activities. Ed Berger and Whitney Webb investigate the history of the bank and unearth some troubling connections.

A likely reason behind the lack of media interest in Fluent Finance and their apparent success after the FTX scandal is the fact that Fluent, from its earliest days, has been operating as an apparent front for some of the most powerful commercial banks in the world and building out trusted digital infrastructure for the economy to come. This investigation, an examination of Fluents past and its current trajectory, may help elucidate the true motives behind the efforts of Chalopin, Bankman-Fried and others to turn the tiny Farmington State Bank into Moonstone.

Fluent Finances Deep and Early Connections to Wall Street Banks

Fluent Finance was created in 2020 and was co-founded by Bradley Allgood, Oliver Gale and Jaime Plata. Allgood began his career with the US Army and later went on to serve in NATOs Governmental Operations division with an apparent focus on NATO activity in Afghanistan. After leaving NATO, Allgood immediately jumped into economic development, specifically the creation and expansion of Special Economic Zones (SEZs), specifically one partnered with the Catawba Indian Reservation in South Carolina. That SEZ, officially named the Catawba Digital Economic Zone, was co-founded by Allgood in 2019 and he still serves as its head of Commercial Banking.

Logo of the Catawba Digital Economic Zone, Source: South Carolina Business Journal

Sitting on just two acres of land, the zone aims to become the worldwide registration hub for crypto companies as well as to take a huge chunk out of Delawares market for company registration or even to replace it as the gold standard. The zone is backed by a venture capital firm tied to Bradley Tusk, the former Deputy Governor of Illinois under disgraced former Governor Rod Blagojevich and the former campaign manager for billionaire Mike Bloomberg. In addition, Tusks companies count Google, the Rockefeller Foundation and Ripple (XRP) among their clients. Tusks different VC firms have invested in Coinbase and Circle, the issuer of the USDC stablecoin, and Uber as well as the economic zone co-founded by Allgood.

Shortly after leaving the military, Allgood also worked on the early development of digital transformation of governments, digital identities, people and property registries and the tokenization of carbon credits and commodities. Later motivated by the sheer number of unbanked and underbanked in the world, Allgood hosted roundtables around the world with central bank regulators, tier one institutions, innovators, [and] technology providers and decided he could act as a good connector for the different actors in his growing network.

Allgood claims to have spoken to a few really senior banking executives at HSBC, Citi and Barclays and to have educated them on new innovative technologies for custody [and] better digital identity. After building a team of these senior bankers from tier one financial institutions, Allgood and his team went out into the market and started servicing the [cryptocurrency] space and helping innovative companied find homes and large core banking systems and tier one financial institutions. While working with these various titans of finance and guiding their views on the future of banking, Allgood met his co-founders of Fluent Finance: Oliver Gale and Jaime Plata.

The founders of Fluent Finance, Source: Fluent Finance

Oliver Gale is one of the co-founders of Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs), having pioneered the first CBDC project in the Eastern Caribbean and, per Allgood, Gale went on to do them in Nigeria and helped create the highly controversial e-Naira. Gale notably describes himself as the inventor of CBDCs and has previously collaborated with the UN, MIT and the IMF. Jaime Plata, Fluents other co-founder, did the core banking systems of the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank during the first CBDC [launch]. Aside from Gale and Plata, Allgood has revealed that other top Fluent Finance executives, who are not listed on the companys website, hail from the Wall Street titan Citi  with the companys CFO being the CFO of Citi of all of Latin America and its COO being one of the senior, most senior, managing directors from Citi. He has also stated that other important employees of Fluent include the former chief innovation officer of General Electric as well as an early board member at [the now collapsed crypto exchange] Celsius [that] helped them get to market.

Fluent Finance was initially founded with two main and interrelated products: the Fluent Protocol and the US+ stablecoin. Fluent has described the Fluent Protocol as a financial network that seamlessly bridges traditional finance and digital assets, while US+ is a bank-led, US dollar-pegged stablecoin built on principles and designed to be forward-compatible with CBDC initiatives. Fluent asserts that US+ resolves the inherent flaws of web3-native stablecoins by having US+ be operated by a network of banks partnered with Fluent Finance. Fluent has not made the identities of these banks available to the public.

When we examined stablecoins, we knew that the lack of institutional uptake of the technology was due to risk, explained Allgood. With that in mind, when we approached the design of US+, we did so in terms of de-risking. We knew we needed to provide real-time and transparent reserves monitoring. Fluents answer to providing the reserve metrics needed to tap into the heavily regulated traditional finance market emerged through its partnership with Chainlink, first announced in September 2022.

Chainlink is a blockchain oracle network, meaning it connects blockchains to external systems. It was launched in 2017 on the Ethereum blockchain and later registered in the Cayman Islands as SmartContract Chainlink Limited SEZC in March 2019. In December 2021, the former Google CEO Eric Schmidt, who has unprecedented control over the Biden administrations technology policies, joined Chainlink Labs as a strategic advisor. At the time, Schmidt commented that it has become clear that one of blockchains greatest advantages  a lack of connection to the world outside itself  is also its biggest challenge.

Fluents partnership with Chainlink dealt with regulatory necessities by providing a reliable way for the Fluent Protocol to access real-time, off-chain data from external sources. Fluents goal was/is to provide proof of the size, performance, and risk of its asset reserves in order to meet its stablecoin protocol liquidity requirements. Reliable confirmation and publishing of the state of these reserves was seen as crucial by Allgood and others at Fluent in order to manufacture trust from both retail users and membership banks.

Fluent is far from the only partner of Chainlink working on providing trusted stablecoin reserve architecture. Among them is Paxos, the former issuer of Binances BUSD and their own PAX, and who recently began providing infrastructure for PayPals PYUSD stablecoin. Paxos relied on Chainlink to provide on-chain Proof of Reserve Data Feeds for Paxos assets, ensuring verification that PAX tokens are 1:1 backed by US Dollars. This was taken a step further with their gold-backed PAXG tokens, in which Chainlink claimed to be able to provide verification of off-chain, physical gold bars held in Paxos custody.



Another Chainlink partner is the XinFin Network, also known as the XDC network, which uses Chainlinks Price Reference Data framework to introduce price feeds for major national currencies such as the Hong Kong Dollar, the Singaporean Dollar, and the United Arab Emirates Dirham. In October 2022, Fluent Finance announced a partnership with Impel to bring its US+ stablecoin to the XDC network. Impel itself is a startup birthed out of XinFin Fintech led by CEO and founder Troy S. Wood. The company boasts a team of advisors including XDC Network co-founders Ritesh Kakkad and Atul Khekade, in addition to long time SWIFT employee Andre Casterman.

Source: Fluent Finance

In March 2021, XinFin leveraged the DASL Crypto Bridge designed by LAB577 to bring their XDC token to R3s Corda blockchain. R3 began as a consortium of banks and is not only closely connected to Fluent Finance, but, as will be discussed shortly, is also a major driver of CBDC and stablecoin development globally. Before this XDC-Corda bridge was created, there was no liquidity or token of value on the R3 Corda Network. This bridge opened up the opportunity for traditional financial institutions, such as those that fund R3, to interact with cryptocurrency indirectly without having to operate on under-regulated public networks that could land them in hot water with regulators. It also gives access to those already utilizing Ethereum-based tokens (i.e. ERC20 or ERC721) to the business networks and financial institutions on the Corda network.

XDC co-founder and Impel advisor Atul Khekade remarked that the both government regulators and commercial banks had settled on XDC and Corda as the means through which many major banks would access blockchain technologies:
Aylo Holdings, the websites parent company, reached a deferred prosecution agreement to resolve a charge of engaging in unlawful monetary transactions involving sex trafficking proceeds, according to the office of Breon Peace, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York. -CBS News

The move comes months after the acquisition of Aylo (formerly MindGeek) by investor and Rabbi Solomon Friedman, who says he wants to turn the companys image around following this and other scandals involving illegal content on the platform.

In addition to the $1.8 million and individual compensation to women harmed by trafficking, Pornhub must appoint an independent monitor for three years, after which the charges will be dismissed.

"It is our hope that this resolution, which includes certain agreed payments to the women whose images were posted on the companys platforms and an independent monitorship brings some measure of closure to those negatively affected," according to US Attorney Peace in a statement.

The company is estimated to have generated more than $200 million in 2022, with operating margins of nearly 30%.

James Smith, head of the FBIs New York office, said Aylo Holdings "knowingly enriched itself by turning a blind eye" to victims who told the company they had been deceived and coerced into the videos. Prosecutors said Aylo has agreed to pay victims compensation, but details such as who is eligible and how they can apply will be forthcoming. The charge stemmed from Aylos role in hosting videos and accepting payments from GirlsDoPorn. -CBS News

The operators of GirlsDoPorn, the now-defunct adult film production company, were charged with and eventually convicted of a range of sex trafficking crimes, including coercing young women into sexual acts on camera which were then posted on Pornhub and other adult websites.

Prosecutors allege that between 2017 and 2020, Aylo received money that company executives knew - or should have known - came from GirlsDoPorns sex trafficking operation. The company received over $100,000 from GirlsDoPorn, and around $764,000 from advertisers attributable to the production company.

Aylo claims that it "deeply regrets" hosting content from GirlsDoPorn, which Aylo says provided them with written consent forms purportedly signed by the women. They say they didnt know the forms were obtained via fraud and coercion.

"Aylo is not pleading guilty to any crime, and the Government has agreed to dismiss its charge against the Company after 3 years, subject to the Companys continued compliance with the Deferred Prosecution Agreement," the company said in a statement.
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Assisted Euthanasia in Canada is called the Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) program. Assisted death first became legal in Canada in June 2016, but only for those whose death was reasonably foreseeable.

In the beginning of 2021, the law was further amended to include those suffering from a grievous and irremediable condition whose death was not reasonably foreseeable. According to the government - in 2022, there were 13,241 assisted deaths reported in Canada.

Here are the raw numbers of assisted suicides since the programs inception, according to MAiD reports.

Even the United Nations is alarmed, and has stated that a government assisting people with dying for non-terminal conditions contravenes Article 10 of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

The statistics for the administration of death are shocking.

At some point, if there had been a backlog of people requesting medically assisted deaths, the numbers should have leveled off or even gone down. Instead government assisted suicides are rising. In 2022, the majority of written requests (13,102 or 81.4%) resulted in the administration of death.

Medically assisted deaths constituted 4.1% of all deaths in Canada in 2022, according to the governments report.

Another Canadian government report issued this year specifically addressed the assisted deaths (MAID) of minors, and has recommended the following:

In reading the above text, it appears that the government has an interest in minors in the child welfare system and assisted death. Why the government should be interested in that causes many red flags. As disabled children and children with terminal diseases, such as cancer, are a huge financial burden to government, the fact that the Canadian government is specifically listing children already in the welfare system is tone deaf at best.

The thing about assisted suicide, and lets call it what it is - is that government has a conflict of interest. Once they step in, it is truly a slippery slope.

But it gets worse, because the MAiD program is being run by the very same activists who pushed through the 2016 law in the first place/

The federal government chose a right-to-die advocacy group to help implement its medical assistance in dying legislation. Its a classic case of regulatory capture, otherwise known as letting the foxes guard the henhouse. In the Fourth annual report on Medical Assistance in Dying in Canada 2022, the federal government devoted several paragraphs of praising to the Canadian Association of MAID Assessors and Providers (CANMAP). Since its inception in 2017, (CAMAP) has been and continues to be an important venue for information sharing among health-care professionals and other stakeholders involved in MAID, reads the report. With $3.3 million in federal funding, CAMAP has been integral in creating a MAID assessor/provider community of practice, hosts an annual conference to discuss emerging issues related to the delivery of MAID and has developed several guidance materials for health-care professionals. Six clinicians in British Columbia formed CAMAP, a national non-profit association, in October 2016. These six right-to-die advocates published clinical guidelines for MAID in 2017, without seriously consulting other physician organizations. The guidelines educate clinicians on their professional obligation to (bring) up MAID as a care option for patients, when it is medically relevant and they are likely eligible for MAID. CAMAPs guidelines apply to Canadas 96,000 physicians, 312,000 nurses and the broader health-care workforce of two-million Canadians, wherever patients are involved.

The death ritual in Logans Run comes to mind. Creepy yes - but government always knows best right?

Obviously, the Canadian government would never stoop so low as to consider targeted killing of old people

But what about? -

Vulnerable people?

Drug addiction?

Yes - as drug addiction is a form of mental illness, killing drug addicts is also being seriously considered. I mean, it would be for their own good. That way, they couldnt die of an overdose? .

What about homelessness?

Has the sitting Canadian government become a death cult? What do you think about the ethics of all of this?

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There is a certain level of difficulty in reporting on the Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell saga, much of it having to do with what the authorities havent revealed: the web of Epsteins network (much of it still secret), the ties to intelligence (of which documentary evidence is still hidden from public view), the internal deliberations that went on at Main Justice in Washington, D.C. when Epstein got his sweetheart plea deal (again, not yet publicized).

Add to that the false media reports and blatantly inaccurate social media posts that spring up every time theres any small development in any Epstein or Maxwell case.

Like today, for example.

The Daily Mail led the way, reporting that a federal judge has ruled to unseal documents that would name 177 Does who are Epstein's friends, recruiters and victims within the coming weeks. This was followed by a flurry of social media takes  especially on Twitter  promising there will be serious revelations from these records or claims that 177 Jeffrey Epstein high profile associates will be revealed in the new year.

Theres a problem with that sensationalism: its inaccurate.

To explain whats really going on, allow us to provide some context. Back in February of 2023, the Federal District Court Judge overseeing Virginia Giuffre v. Ghislaine Maxwell (the civil case brought against Maxwell by one of her victims) considered whether to publicly disclose the names of certain John Does that came up during the course of that litigation. The attorneys for Giuffre and Maxwell put together a list of 167 John Does and provided descriptive references for each, which would allow the Judge to determine which John Does should be unsealed and which ones should remain sealed.

At that time, we reviewed the list of John Does and assigned them various categories, including whether they were employees of Epstein, witnesses, or perpetrators; and whether their names were already known to the public. We were able to identify the most important alleged perpetrators and discussed the still-redacted facts surrounding their involvement with Epstein.

We also made clear that the majority of the John Does (approximately 100) had already been identified, whether through the media or court proceedings. Some had been interviewed by the media; their stories were already well known. We observed that many of the John Does were identified as not being involved in the more serious allegations against Epstein or Maxwell and that there were no salacious allegations against these individuals, some of whom were doctors or acquaintances of the victims. In some instances, the John Does were actual potential victims of Epstein or Maxwell.

And now for todays developments.

The Judge has ordered the unsealing of names and materials relating to some  but not all  of the 167 John Does (not 177 as has been reported) identified in the list submitted to the Court. View the full order here.

As we clarified last February, the John Does who will be unsealed arent Epsteins List. Their names were referenced in any number of ways during the civil case, whether through depositions, medical records (the names of doctors), or in witness lists exchanged between the parties. (To that we add a note of caution: witness lists can be very broad and not all witnesses are material or have even basic information.)

And again, many of the John Does were not alleged by the parties to have committed any wrongdoing. For example, John Doe 14 is referenced in one sealed court filing related to an effort by Maxwell to oppose answering deposition questions under seal. The sealed material as to [John Doe 14] is not salacious. He isnt, as others have promised, a key figure in the Epstein/Maxwell crimes.

And thats true for many of the other John Does. Weve analyzed the prior John Doe lists and compared it to todays order. Heres the summary of our findings:

There are approximately 100 John Does who were previously identified. Some had been interviewed by the media. The names of others (including victims) had been discussed in Maxwells criminal trial. This includes victims and perpetrators.

Approximately 67 remain unidentified.

For 33 of the unknown John Does: the sealed material relating to them is not salacious or their name was in a search term or they were mentioned in a deposition. In the case of John Doe 88, the only reference [of John Doe 88] is a deposition question in answer to which the deponent denied knowledge of the individual.

Six of the unidentified John Does are victims whose names will not be released.

Six of the unidentified John Does were identified as either victim affiliates or alleged witnesses with connections to the victims. Their names and materials concerning them will be released.

The names, and materials relating to, a number of Epstein affiliates or former Epstein employees will be released. Records indicate - but do not guarantee - that the majority of these do not include salacious information.

The name and materials concerning John Doe 29  a former Epstein employee  will be unsealed. The Judge described them as a staff member possibly present at a time and place. This might be an Epstein employee who was theorized by a witness to perhaps be present in a home when a victim was abused.

There are, however, John Does who may be significant. But that is a small number compared to the 167 John Does subject to the Judges order. Weve summarized them below.

John Doe 58: An alleged witness, Epstein/Maxwell affiliate, and perpetrator. According to the Judge, Doe 58's name and any identifying information shall remain sealed. Doe is a classic outsider, peripheral to the events at issue. Doe 58 is neither a victim nor associated with Epstein or Maxwell.

As we previously noted about John Doe 58:

John Doe 86: An alleged Epstein affiliate. Counsel for Maxwell previously informed the Court that Some material related to this individual is salacious. Materials relating to John Doe 86 will be unsealed in full.

John Doe 94: Previously identified as alleged victim affiliate; alleged perpetrator who is alleged to have engaged in serious wrongdoing. Materials relating to John Doe 94 will be unsealed in full.

John Doe 108: Previously identified as an alleged witness. These materials may potentially be salacious.

John Doe 113: Previously identified as alleged Epstein affiliate; alleged witness who is alleged to have engaged in serious wrongdoing. The Judge ruled these materials should be unsealed in full, and stated the references to John Doe 113 are all included in Rule 26 disclosures, search terms, and a hearsay statement that the name appears in Epsteins address book.

John Doe 114: Previously identified as an alleged Epstein affiliate. Their name is on an Epstein flight log. These materials will be unsealed.

And there you have it. I hate to break the disappointing news, but were here to report the truth. The unsealing of these records and the publication of these names wont be what weve been promised.

This doesnt mean that important information wont be disclosed, or that new and noteworthy discoveries may not be unearthed about known and unknown perpetrators. We believe that still may be the case.

And well provide the source documents when theyre released  which, depending on appeals, may be as soon as January 2, 2024.
11 victims in Prague university shooting identified: police

Prague, Dec 22 (UNI) Eleven of all the victims in Thursday's university shooting in Prague have been identified, the Czech police said on Friday.



"We are still working at the scene of the shooting. Currently, we have identified 11 of the deceased and are working to confirm other identities," the police said on social media X.
Mogadishu, Dec 23 (UNI) Somali National Army (SNA) and regional Jubaland State forces killed more than 70 al-Shabab militants after conducting an operation at Aboodin area in Lower Jubba region in southern Somalia on Friday evening, local media said.



"Over 70 al-Shabab militant fighters and commanders were killed in a joint operation by SNA, Jubaland State forces, and international partners supporting the army in the war on terrorists," Jubaland State TV reported on Saturday.



The latest onslaught came after al-Shabab militants claimed on Thursday that they killed 33 Danab forces, SNA's elite forces, west of Kismayo, the administrative capital of Jubaland State.

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Gardai are continuing to investigate a suspected arson attack on a hotel in Galway.

The Ross Lake House Hotel in Rosscahill was burned to the ground last Saturday after it was earmarked to house 70 asylum seekers.

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The incident happened at around 11.35pm that evening and no one was inside at the time.

The plan to move migrants into the hotel had been the subject of local opposition and demonstrators blocked the entrance to the site on Saturday in protest.

Gardai said a forensic examination of the scene has now been completed. They are appealing for any members of the local community who may have information to come forward.

Officers can be contacted at Clifden Garda Station on 095 22500, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda station.
There is probably no time of year more steeped in ritual than Christmas. From hanging plastic balls on a pine tree to the funny red hats we wear to evoke the man that comes down the chimney, normal is clearly relative when it comes to Christmas traditions, and across the world revellers celebrate in some quite extraordinary ways.

These are some of the weirder ones, from a child-eating troll, to festive fast food

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1. The Yule Goat, Sweden

The Gavle goat (iStock/PA)

Goats occupy an unusual spot in Christian folklore, and are commonly associated with the devil, but in parts of Sweden the so-called Yule Goat has been a go-to symbol of the solstice since pagan times.

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Particularly well-known is the Gavle goat  a massive straw monstrosity built in the city of Gavle every year, as known for repeated arson attacks as for its enormous size. It has been burned many times since its first appearance in 1966, sometimes by vandals in Santa outfits, despite the fact doing so is punishable by jail sentence.

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2. KFC, Japan

(iStock/PA)

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There are as many flavours of festive food as there are Christmas dinners, and culinary Christmas traditions are as unique to families as they are to countries. Perhaps its a certain style of potato, a pile of pigs in blankets, or the baffling continued presence of Brussels sprouts.

In Japan, its KFC. Started in 1974 by an extremely successful festive marketing campaign (Kurisumasu ni wa Kentakkii, or Kentucky for Christmas), going out for fried chicken is now a Christmas staple for many, and outlets are often booked up weeks in advance.

3. The Giant Lantern Festival, Philippines

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A fixture in the annual Christmas calendar, the Giant Lantern Festival runs mid-December to early January in the Filipino city of San Fernando, nicknamed the Christmas Capital of the Philippines for its famous festive fervour. Youre probably envisioning the bright red sky lanterns so popular in parts of China, but the competition revolves around giant parol lanterns  large, illuminated, circular collages constructed from paper and bamboo.

4. The 13 Yule Lads, Iceland

1 Santa is not enough for Icelanders. We have 13 Yule Lads! Starting December 12, 1 of the 13 troublesome brothers visits Icelandic homes to tease residents. Meet the pranksters with names such as Door Slammer, Bowl Licker, and the rest of the family: https://t.co/4AM7BgIsKg pic.twitter.com/Tu5Pj23WtU Advertisement  Icelandair (@Icelandair) December 12, 2020

Father Christmas in 13 different forms, Icelands Yule Lads refuse to limit the giving to just one night. On the eve of December 12 Icelandic children traditionally leave a shoe on their window sill or outside their door, and every night until Christmas wake up to a gift or treat. Its all fun and games until Gryla shows up  the trollish mother of the Yule Lads who knows when youve been naughty, and turns badly behaved children into stew.

5. Night of the Radishes, Mexico

(iStock/PA)

A competition to see who can carve the finest radish, held every December 23 in the Mexican city of Oaxaca, the Night of the Radishes is definitely one of the worlds more unusual vegetable-themed Christmas events. Oaxaca has a wood-carving tradition stretching back to colonial times, which was transferred to radishes as a way of advertising Christmas markets.

6. Beach parties, Australia

(iStock/PA)

With temperatures usually topping out in the twenties, Australian Christmases bear little resemblance to the snug, snowy affairs in the Northern hemisphere, as coastal cities spill out onto the beaches for sun-soaked barbecues and festive frivolity. Christmas falls early in the Australian summer. We still cant get our heads round it.

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7. January 7, Russia

Less Christmas tradition, more 2,000-year-old clerical error, for some countries and communities the festive feeling lasts into the New Year and beyond. Most orthodox churches (particularly those in Russia) still use the Julian calendar, which was calculated by Roman mathematicians back when the world was BC.

Unfortunately, they overestimated the length of the solar year by 11 minutes, meaning the Julian calendar slowly creeps out of sync as the centuries tick by. Most of Christendom switched to the Gregorian calendar in 1582, but Orthodox Christmas is now 13 days late  and getting slowly later.
A woman in England has been charged with murdering her five-month-old baby daughter who was pronounced dead after being taken to hospital from a park.

Police said Hayley Macfarlane (39), from Barnsley in Yorkshire, is due to face court in Leeds on Saturday.

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She has been charged with the murder of daughter Evelyn after an incident at Woodhouse Moor park in Leeds, the force said.

In a statement issued on Thursday, police said a woman had contacted police at 5.44pm on Wednesday reporting a baby in a serious condition in an area of the park at the junction of Clarendon Road and Moorland Road.

The statement added: Officers attended and the five-month-old girl was taken to hospital by ambulance for emergency treatment but was pronounced dead a short time later.

A scene was put in place for forensic examination and detectives from West Yorkshire Police Homicide and Major Enquiry Team are leading the investigation.

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Like many couples, when Pia and Amanda Salvatore began IVF they found the experience physically, emotionally and financially challenging. Being in a queer relationship, they sought to orientate themselves by seeking out stories like their own. Despite attending a queer-friendly IVF clinic and witnessing friends go through fertility treatments, Instagram helped demystify the process and created a sense of connection. I feel like there was so much unknown when we started fertility treatment in late 2020, admits Pia. It all felt very clinical and faceless. Communication was just like: This is the information you need, these are the results of your blood test, this is whats happening next. Pia and Amanda Salvatore are expecting their first child. Credit: Ben Thomson While the intentions of IVF influencers are good, not everyone is comfortable with their growing presence. Dr Karin Hammarberg is a senior research fellow at Monash Universitys School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, and has more than 20 years experience as a clinical coordinator of IVF programs. Observing the preconceptions her patients draw from social media, she worries about how fertility is presented online. I think [influencers] potentially oversell the possibilities of IVF. Most talk about successes, very few talk about failures, she says. The reality of IVF is that about half of the people who use it will have a baby  the other half wont. But we hear much more about the people who do have a baby than dont. The social media picture is much rosier than the reality.

That disconnect hit Pia too. While she appreciated witnessing other families like hers, she admits: Eventually [following influencers] stressed me out. It was emotionally taxing to see these people with this beautifully curated experience of IVF while we were struggling. Eventually, she unfollowed most of them. In April, another aspect of fertility influencer culture became national news when Big Brother star Tully Smyth announced a sponsorship deal with Monash IVF to freeze her eggs. In an Instagram video she said: I did some research, and Ive heard so many glowing recommendations, so many beautiful stories about peoples experiences with the Monash IVF team. Smyths news was met with criticism from followers, media and healthcare providers who shared discomfort about seeing such a personal and loaded procedure being given the branded content treatment. When I saw the paid posts it felt quite sinister, says Pia. Because people are having to pay so much to access these services, and then some person who is obviously doing pretty well for themselves is getting it for free or cheap. Its like, I dont need to see this person doing this thing thats really a slog, and putting a nice filter and hashtag on it.

In a statement to this masthead, Zoe Schwarz, outsourced general counsel leader at Burch&Co who provide legal council for Monash IVF, defended the use of influencers. There can be a lot of stigma around services like IVF, so engaging influencers with a platform who can speak to their lived experience with services, like egg freezing, can empower people to make considered decisions and create a societal shift in how people think and behave in relation to their fertility, says Schwarz. Loading When approached, Monash IVF declined to comment. Smyth might have received the most public criticism, but shes not alone. In 2021, The Bachelor star and podcast host Brittany Hockley froze her eggs as part of a partnership with Sydney clinic Genea. When former AFLW player Moana Hope and her then partner Isabella Carlstrom announced the birth of their child, they tagged Monash IVF, though it wasnt marked as a paid partnership. Speaking to IVF influencers, the parameters of what actually counts as a partnership can be difficult to define. Many say theyre often sent products as gifts they may choose to share on social media if they feel aligned to the brands. Others form alternative commercial relationships.

Ive done paid posts. But with my clinic, I did their marketing campaign, says Amy. It was a whole day of filming, so of course we got paid. It was no different than if I was going to do a Best and Less campaign  its still my time and my familys time. In her online community, Amy has noticed that compensated relationships between influencers and fertility clinics have become more common. It remains a divisive topic. Ive heard people complain in IVF circles about clinics offering discounted cycles to influencers, she says. People feel its in bad taste to be offering a discount on a baby. Personally, I would have liked a half-priced cycle when I was paying tens of thousands of dollars, but its a weird space to be in. Hannah McElhinney is a creative director and content creator. When she decided to freeze her eggs earlier this year she turned to social media. Initially, she found the experience positive and appreciated how it demystified the process. She even began sharing updates on Instagram and TikTok that documented the daily injections, bloating, discomfort and financial stress associated with egg freezing. But she soon became disturbed by the commercial response. When I was making the content, a couple of IVF clinics contacted me about sharing it and I said no, admits Hannah. Im happy I didnt do it  not because I think its a bad thing to get this information out there, but because I wouldnt want to be seen as endorsing a process that for me was really complex and personal, and also isnt financially accessible to everyone.

The financial aspect of IVF is often where the morality of influencing becomes complicated. While access to IVF is broadening, its still deeply financially prohibitive. According to Finder, the average cycle costs $8015, with a Medicare rebate of $3027. But thats for a single cycle  most people will require several. Medicare doesnt cover associated costs like specialist appointments, medication, embryo transfer, theatre hire, anaesthetics or egg freezing and storage. And this doesnt include the non-direct costs, such as psychology appointments, vitamins, specialty foods and time off work. Many people choose to do IVF rather than buying their first home or withdraw money from their super accounts  an occurrence thats becoming common. While access to IVF is broadening, its still deeply financially prohibitive. The choice by influencers to do paid promotions or accept discounted treatments is understandable. As Amy  who began saving for IVF in her twenties  points out, influencing work is time-consuming. When it comes to IVF, Im so welcoming of people doing paid partnerships. At the end of the day, Im doing all the free stuff in that space and I have been for years. But if brands want to pay me to make content for them, Id 100 per cent take that work.

While Amys position is logical on a personal financial level, this collision of fertility and commerce still raises issues. Despite increases in publicly funded services, the majority of IVF treatments in Australia occur in private facilities. And with the growing demand, the fertility market has proven to be profitable. Business Insider has reported: Globally, the fertility-services market will be worth about $54 billion this year and is expected to grow to $90 billion by 2027. Loading In that light, Hammarberg sees fertility influencers paid posts as less about individuals trying to make ends meet, and more as a ripple in the larger trend of IVF capitalism. I have seen [branded IVF social content] and Ive been disturbed by it, says Hammarberg. Big IVF clinics are corporatised and listed on the stock exchange and really have a profit-making imperative. That focus on profit has also influenced whats on offer, as growing competition creates a greater need to stand out. Increasingly, fertility providers are boasting about more than their conception success rates. Theyre borrowing tactics from beauty and wellness industries to sell fertility as a luxury product.

With tens of thousands of followers, board certified infertility specialist and fertility queen Lynn Burmeister is a fertility influencer herself. Shes also the medical director of No. 1 Fertility, a boutique style fertility clinic located in the heart of Melbourne centred around wellness, science and a holistic approach. Loading When Hannah was looking to freeze her eggs, she chose No. 1 Fertility. Taking in the clinics pink walls, satin furnishings, fresh flowers and terrazzo floors she says it was like the Coco Chanel of IVF clinics. Hannah is open about selecting a specialist like she would a facialist or masseuse. She did some Googling, liked an aesthetic, scanned their socials and booked in because it felt familiar to other places she might spend an expensive afternoon. Scanning through hashtags like #ivf, #ttc, #fertility, #ivfsupport, #ivfsuccess and #ivfcommunity is a journey through thousands of personal stories of pain, success, disappointment and solidarity. And even as these feeds become more complex  cluttered by sponsored posts and the promotion of services whose price and impact can feel problematic  its hard to ignore the value of that wider community.
Lisa Wilkinson arrived in Canberra ahead of the broadcast of her television interview with Brittany Higgins about the former Liberal staffers alleged sexual assault in Parliament House and texted mission complete! to veteran news boss Peter Meakin, documents released by the Federal Court reveal.

But Meakin sounded a note of caution, texting Wilkinson at 10.38pm on February 13, 2021: Not just yet. We have still to see how the pigeons react.

Lisa Wilkinson, Bruce Lehrmann and Brittany Higgins. Credit: Steven Siewert, Rhett Wyman

Text messages tendered in evidence in former Liberal staffer Bruce Lehrmanns Federal Court defamation case against Ten and Wilkinson over the interview with Higgins, aired on The Project on February 15, 2021, provide an insight into the mood inside the Ten camp days and hours before the broadcast.

Story must be absolutely right
Germany's Scholz 'surprised' by Attal's appointment as French PM 11 Jan 2024 | 7:33 PM Berlin, Jan 11 (UNI) German Chancellor Olaf Scholz was "quite surprised" by the appointment of 34-year-old Gabriel Attal as France's new prime minister, German government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit said on Thursday. see more..

Israel banned from ice hockey world championships for security reasons 11 Jan 2024 | 6:21 PM Jerusalem, Jan 11 (UNI) Israel's men's and women's ice hockey national teams were restricted from participating in the upcoming 2024 World Championships, Israeli media reported on Thursday, citing the decision of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF). see more..

Magnitude-6 0 earthquake hits parts of Pak, no damages reported 11 Jan 2024 | 5:43 PM Islamabad, Jan 11 (UNI) An earthquake of 6.0 magnitude rocked several cities in Pakistan on Thursday, the country's National Seismic Monitoring Centre said. see more..

Earthquake shocks Afghanistan's Kabul, adjoining areas 11 Jan 2024 | 5:30 PM Kabul, Jan 11 (UNI) An earthquake jolted Afghanistan's capital Kabul and adjoining areas on Thursday, with no immediate reports of casualties. see more..
During the trial, Ellie told the court that when she was younger, Spencer took her to a witchy store that had full-on magical spells and potions and books on witchcraft and the supernatural. Loading She also said her mother was into things like Tarot cards and moons, so things like divinations, telling the future or telling things about yourself. There was also her mothers interest in ancient Egypt, which she considered to have Satanic undertones. There were a lot of occults and influences that, looking back now, that were Satanic and Luciferian in nature, she said. Ultimately, the judge rejected that evidence and all other material put by McKay in his efforts to demonstrate that Spencer was a fan of Satan.

Nothing in the evidence establishes that Ms Spencer is a worshipper of the devil, wrote Judge Julie Clayton. The spark for the allegations of Satanism came from an email Spencer sent to Ellie in January 2020, soon after she left Australia for North America. A screenshot of a Jesus Christians video on YouTube. Credit: At first, Spencer said her daughter discussed an interest in a community called A Ship In The Desert, rather than its better-known  and more controversial  name, Jesus Christians. Two months after joining in November 2017, she had married another member and taken a new name. She also sold all her possessions and donated the proceeds, as members are encouraged to do, as well as replacing her birth name with a new one: Ellie.

By the end of 2019, Ellie was partaking in a climate change-related hunger strike on the steps of Flinders Street Station. At that point, Spencer believed her daughter had entered a cult and had begun to voice her concerns. It was this that brought her into conflict with McKay. Judge Julie Clayton rejected arguments that Renee Spencer worshipped the devil. Credit: Darrian Traynor In a five-page email sent to Ellie in January 2020, Spencer wrote about her knowledge of religion and other spiritual beliefs, including occult, esoteric traditions, ancient mysteries. She wrote about the intelligence of Lucifer, saying that he exists in all of us and is a catalyst for finding the true light of Christ.

Spencer believed the words were twisted out of context by McKay, making it seem like she was praising the devil when she was trying to call him deceptive. Im not a Satanist. He was obviously always lying, Spencer said. McKay did not provide evidence during the trial because he refused to take an oath or affirmation. I cant honestly tell you that I would say the whole truth and I dont think the court wants to hear the whole truth, he said. Judge Clayton told McKay that he could not give evidence unless he read the oath. I informed him  [it] was not a negotiation, she said in her ruling.

When contacted by The Sunday Age, McKay said he would appeal in a minute if a lawyer would represent him pro bono. Loading I was told by a judge who knew nothing of the facts of the case that trying to represent myself was virtually a guarantee that I would lose, regardless of the facts, he said. Spencer believes that proposed coercive control laws need to cover groups like Jesus Christians. He has a phenomenal amount of control over them, she said. As for the damages, Spencer doesnt expect to see much of the $85,000 that McKay has been ordered to pay. Ultimately, it was never really about the money, she said. It was about holding him accountable.
Followers of the case might be expecting some closure  for Higgins or Lehrmann  on the central rape allegation. Thats because the defamation action provided something Lehrmanns criminal trial (which was aborted late last year) did not: a chance to see both young protagonists in the witness stand, under intense cross-examination. (Lehrmann was never cross-examined last year because he chose to exercise his right to silence.) Loading For the first time, the pairs conflicting accounts have been publicly available to compare, side by side. But on the core question of whether a rape occurred, the ultimate ruling may not be cut and dried. Lee may accept Higgins version, or Lehrmanns, or neither. Or he may find that some sexual act did occur, but not feel persuaded that it was necessarily rape, in which case a consent issue arises, muddied by the pairs alcohol consumption and the prior intimacy observed between them by one witness at a nightclub. This third scenario was actively canvassed in the courtroom on Friday.

(Its worth recalling that Higgins, in the days after the assault, told her then office colleague Chris Payne that I could not have consented, it would have been like f---ing a log.) But Tens lawyers say if the judge were to find that a sexual act occurred  under circumstances where consent was blurred  then Lehrmanns actions in launching a suit based on a lie (i.e. that there was no sex at all) would be heinous enough to warrant him receiving no damages at all. The Project producer Angus Llewellyn (centre) with solicitor Marlia Saunders and barrister Matt Collins, KC, outside the Federal Court in Sydney on Tuesday. Credit: Dion Georgopoulos Chrysanthou and Matt Collins, KC, playing tag team for Wilkinson and Ten, have done their best to portray Lehrmann as an unmitigated liar, a fundamentally dishonest man, combative, defensive and arrogant. Theyve had plenty to work with. Lehrmann has admitted some falsehoods, and in other respects offered differing and unconvincing explanations for his and Higgins return to parliament in the early hours of Saturday morning. The one he eventually settled on  that he needed to work on question time folders  has been badged as ludicrous by Collins, given parliament wasnt even sitting that week, and Lehrmann had already flagged an intention to leave Reynolds employ.

However, Higgins credit has also been found wanting. On Friday, Lehrmanns barrister, Steven Whybrow, SC, launched a fierce attack on what he called her demonstrated capacity to lie. She had lied to her employer, to her former boyfriend Ben Dillaway, to federal police agents, to Network Tens The Project, in her statutory declaration for Ten, and in the draft manuscript of a book she had been contracted to write, Whybrow claimed. Far from being raped, he said, Higgins had constructed a story to protect her career, fearing she would be sacked once she learnt  four days after waking up in Reynolds office  that a security guard had found her in a state of nakedness in the early hours of that morning. That, Whybrow said, was horrific enough, embarrassing, humiliating and potentially career-limiting for a young professional woman to lie to protect herself and her dream job. The case against Lehrmann was all based on lies, damned lies and CCTV he claimed, referencing the hours of camera footage from the Dock Hotel (where the pair were drinking on the relevant night) that the court has sat through.

What is the judge making of all this? Lee has already signalled his view that there are various parts of each [of Lehrmanns and Higgins] evidence [that] simply cant be accepted, warning that observers should resist the human tendency to bestow white hats and black hats. However, while Tens barristers agree that some portions of Higgins evidence are demonstrably weak, that does not apply, they say, to the core rape allegation. Brittany Higgins interview with Lisa Wilkinson, aired on The Project in 2021. Her description of coming around from a stupor to allegedly find Lehrmann sweating on top of her mid-rape was visibly raw, emotionally compelling, very distressing, and consistent, Collins asserted.

He argued there was a qualitative difference between the dishonesty of Lehrmann and the successful credit attacks that were levelled at Brittany Higgins. Loading The weakest points in Higgins evidence have centred on questions such as the alleged loss of data from her phone, the validity of her claims about a bruise on her leg, and claims of a political cover-up that forced her to stay silent for two years until she finally went public on The Project on February 15, 2021. Higgins has said she believed she was under pressure not to proceed with a police complaint in March and April 2019 because of higher-ups seeing her as a political problem for the Liberal Party in the run-up to a closely fought election. She has taken particular aim at Reynolds and Reynolds chief of staff Fiona Brown, whom she has depicted as treating her callously.

Specific claims of a cover-up made by Higgins were rejected at the time by then prime minister Scott Morrisons press secretary Andrew Carswell in responses to questions from The Projects producer Angus Llewellyn, but were given short shrift when the segment aired. Brown has been depicted by Higgins as a terrifying individual, but she cut a rather forlorn figure in the witness box this week Lee was so concerned about Browns mental health that he delayed until Wednesday a livestream recording of her evidence made over the two previous days. Fiona Brown outside the Federal Court in Sydney on Tuesday. Credit: Steven Siewert Higgins has been adamant that she told Brown within four days of the alleged assault that she recalled waking up on the ministers couch to find Lehrmann on top of her. Brown disputes the timing of Higgins telling her that, though she concedes that from early on she felt she couldnt rule in or out that an assault had occurred. Certainly by April 1, she and Reynolds had learnt enough to suggest Higgins go directly to the Australian Federal Police post inside Parliament House to begin a complaints process. And by April 5, Lehrmanns employment had been terminated.

On Browns own evidence, it appears she was inadequately trained to handle the quandary her young staffers had presented her with. She had been in the chief of staff role for only about two weeks before the alleged rape occurred, before which shed held a senior administrative role in the prime ministers office. Brown said she believed shed done her professional best while staying focused on preserving Higgins agency and offering her full support. Steven Whybrow, SC, and Bruce Lehrmann outside the Federal Court in Sydney in late November. Credit: Nikki Short She maintained she was closely following a script prescribed by the Department of Finance in her conversations with Higgins and Lehrmann, having been told not to be accusatory or inquisitorial. She added that she was so cognisant of protecting Higgins right to choose that she resisted pressure from her own boss, Reynolds, and another senior minister, Alex Hawke, to take the matter to police regardless of what Higgins herself wanted. As the judge remarked drily on Friday, this is the cover-up where everyone wanted to tell the police.

Asked by Whybrow if there would have been any political expediency in attempting to actively discourage Higgins from making a complaint, Brown grew animated. None, absolutely none, she replied. The story wasnt about politicians, the story was about two staff members  two 23-year-olds  The police were consulted, you know the Department of Finance was consulted, the DPS [Department of Parliamentary Services] knew. There was no cover-up! Those final words  the last words spoken from the witness box in this case  were left hanging in the air like gun smoke on Wednesday afternoon, before the barristers on both sides launched into extensive summing up on Thursday and Friday. Lee inquired if anyone in the court was planning to submit that Brown was a knowing participant in a systemic cover-up of a rape allegation. Chrysanthou replied in the negative. This has some significance because, earlier in the case, Wilkinson had endorsed the suggestion that her view was that Reynolds and Brown were indeed knowing participants in a systemic cover-up. When the judge put to her that it would have been wicked for that to have occurred, Wilkinson agreed.
Former federal Liberal MP Tim Wilson will set up a rematch with teal MP Zoe Daniel in the Melbourne seat of Goldstein, the only one of the six Liberals who lost to independents to confirm he will contest the next election.

The 43-year-old, who has been studying for a PhD in economics, will nominate for Liberal Party preselection in the coming weeks and is unlikely to face a challenger for the bayside seat.

Former Liberal MP Tim Wilson wants his Melbourne seat of Goldstein back. Credit: Penny Stephens

Wilson said he had to look deep inside his soul to decide whether he should attempt to become only the second candidate to unseat an independent at a federal election.

Wilson has battled perceptions of arrogance among his critics and he acknowledged his style and career trajectory might have fed a critical view.
Australias ferocious summer  exacerbated by climate change  and its propensity to dish up fast-moving catastrophes is now a major test of political competency, with recent history replete with lessons for governments to ignore at their peril. When a large-scale disaster rocks a community, Australians are not interested in a bureaucratic squabble between layers of government over who is responsible for what, only the speediness and adequacy of the response. One of the outcomes of Black Summer and then the floods in Lismore, in particular, has been that people do expect more of their federal government than they used to around disaster management, Watt says. Soldiers assist personnel from Queensland Police and Surf Life Saving Queensland with recovery operations in Cairns on December 18. When an event is significant, and peoples lives are lost and there are significant property losses, they have an expectation that their political leaders will be there to help. Weve tried to be very visible and very present when disasters are happening. Since being sworn into the Albanese cabinet in June 2022, Watt has overhauled the operations of the nations disaster response agencies into one body called the National Emergency Management Agency. He says it has enabled a more streamlined, rapid federal response to natural disasters and better co-ordination with state and territory governments and their emergency services.

The agencys nerve centre operates from a concrete bunker, called the National Situation Room, beneath the Australian Federal Police headquarters in Canberra, where a small team of at least six people work around the clock to monitor developing threats, ranging from weather events to protests and cyberattacks. It is plugged directly into state and territory emergency centres. Loading When a crisis hits, the National Emergency Management Agencys operations can expand to accommodate hundreds of people across the federal bureaucracy, including defence and national security officials, as well as state government representatives and key private sector businesses, such as telecommunications companies. As the flood crisis peaked last week, the agencys Canberra operations swelled to 30 people, with a further four working from Queensland. When Watt stopped by the situation room early in December to give this masthead a tour of the facility, things were relatively calm. In the centre of the room, a large floor-to-ceiling screen displayed a map of Australia with the potential threat activity, including about 30 fires burning across the country. There was also a watching brief on Cyclone Jasper, which at that point was still a week away from making landfall. While the country is again facing a difficult bushfire season as El Nino conditions take hold, a concern at the forefront of the ministers mind this summer is heat waves.

There will definitely be areas where we have bushfires despite all the work thats happening to prepare, and we have to be on guard for those and they could be quite serious, he says. Loading But the thing that people arent talking about that is really serious is heatwaves because there will be large parts of the country that dont necessarily experience bushfires, but have day after day of very hot weather. We have more people die in Australia every year from heat waves than from any other form of disaster. Watt, 50, who entered the Senate in 2016, is one of two Queenslanders in the cabinet (the other is Treasurer Jim Chalmers). As a senior figure of the Labor Left faction, Watt is a close ally and friend of the prime minister. The Black Summer fires and the Lismore floods both occurred during the three-month summer window, albeit two years apart, while Labor was in opposition and Watt was the shadow minister for disaster management. He cites the Lismore flood in February 2022, which was compounded by a second flood weeks later, as having a profound impact in shaping his approach as minister. The floods killed five people and rendered 4000 homes uninhabitable in a trail of destruction across NSWs Northern Rivers unmatched in scale in Australia since Cyclone Tracy flattened Darwin almost 50 years earlier.

I remember thinking it was like a war zone. It was carnage. There was mud everywhere, furniture was strewn through the streets, glass was shattered and the people were shell-shocked, Watt says, recalling landing in Lismore in the days after the initial flood. We were talking with people who had literally thought they were going to die. Furniture and debris piled high on the streets of Lismore after it was devastated by record floods in February 2022. Credit: Brook Mitchell Slow to declare the situation a national emergency, Scott Morrisons government found itself again under siege over its disaster management on the cusp of the May 2022 federal election  just two years after the Black Summer fires  and the prime ministers ill-advised decision to holiday in Hawaii as parts of the countrys east coast burned. As he met with locals and toured evacuation centres, Watt not only saw firsthand the communitys rage at the federal government  he was also a relentless critic in media interviews from the disaster zone, laying down a standard against which he would be measured as a minister when Labor was returned to power after nine years in the political wilderness.

Theres a lot of disasters that occur that states and territories are completely capable of managing on their own without federal intervention, Watt says. But increasingly, because of the number and severity of the disasters, they do need and ask for Commonwealth support. Our first answer shouldnt be no, and that was the situation I think we used to have. Loading By the end of Labors first year in office, almost 70 per cent of Australians were living in an area that had been disaster-declared during 2022 as major flooding events continued throughout the year, hitting Sydney and the NSW coast, Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania, and parts of Queensland. The new year provided no relief, with Western Australias Kimberley region devastated by record floods in January. And in September this year, a massive fire scorched more than 10,000 square kilometres of bush in the Northern Territory. The bill has been expensive. The federal government has ushered $1.2 billion out the door in disaster recovery funding since July 2022, including financial assistance payments, clean-up grants, temporary accommodation and mental health support. A further $500 million in federal funds is likely to be spent on the Far North Queensland flood recovery. One consequence of this period of rolling natural disasters has been the cementing of a public expectation that the Australian Defence Force will be deployed to rescue communities in their hour of need and help pick up the pieces once floodwaters subside and bushfires are extinguished.

Watt has a delicate tightrope to walk in managing this expectation after numerous defence experts and reviews have warned that the over-reliance on the ADF is detracting from its core mission to defend Australia. This year, he commissioned a consultation process to find alternative ways for the Commonwealth to support states and territories in emergencies while ensuring the ADF remained a last-resort option. We will always make sure that the ADF is available for extreme events, but if were going to focus them on being a last resort rather than a first port of call, then we have to consider what else we need in terms of personnel and in terms of equipment, he says. One alternative model already being explored is Disaster Relief Australia, a volunteer organisation supported by federal funding that is led by military veterans who provide on-the-ground relief in the aftermath of a natural disaster. Ive seen them in the field in a number of disaster locations, doing the clean-up and recovery work that weve tended to rely on the ADF for, and so we made an election commitment that were now delivering to them to expand their operations and attract more volunteers.
Cairo/Jerusalem: Israel battled Hamas militants overnight in pursuit of its elusive interim goal of full control of northern Gaza after the UN Security Council appealed for more aid for the Palestinian enclave, but stopped short of demanding a ceasefire.

Thick smoke hung over the northern town of Jabaliya  which is also home to Gazas largest refugee camp  and residents reported persistent aerial bombardment and shelling from Israeli tanks, which they said had moved further into the town.

The Palestinian health ministry issued a statement on Saturday, saying at least 201 Palestinians have been killed and 368 others injured in Gaza over the past 24 hours.

Hamas armed wing, Al Qassam Brigades, said it had destroyed five Israeli tanks in the area on Saturday, killing and injuring their crews, after reusing two undetonated missiles launched earlier by Israel. Reuters could not independently verify the report.
New York: The United Nations Security Council on Friday approved a toned-down bid to boost humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip and called for urgent steps to create the conditions for a sustainable cessation of hostilities after a week of vote delays and intense negotiations to avoid a veto by the United States.

Amid global outrage over a rising Gaza death toll in 11 weeks of war between Israel and Hamas and a worsening humanitarian crisis in the Palestinian enclave, the US abstained to allow the 15-member council to adopt a resolution drafted by the United Arab Emirates.

A displaced persons camp near Rafah. The UN and other agencies have warned of a humanitarian disaster if Israel does not allow more aid into the Gaza Strip Credit: Getty Images

The remaining council members voted for the resolution except for Russia, which also abstained.

Following high-level negotiations to win over Washington, the resolution no longer dilutes Israels control over all aid deliveries to 2.3 million people in Gaza. Israel monitors the limited aid deliveries to Gaza via the Rafah crossing from Egypt and the Israeli-controlled Kerem Shalom crossing.
Trump was talking publicly about his belief that genetics determined a persons success in life as early as 1988, when he told Oprah Winfrey that a person had to have the right genes to achieve great fortune. He would connect those views to the racehorse theory in a CNN interview with Larry King in 2007. You can absolutely be taught things. Absolutely. You can get a lot better, Trump told King. But there is something. You know, the racehorse theory, there is something to the genes. And I mean, when I say something, I mean a lot. Three years later, he would tell CNN that he was a gene believer, explaining that when you connect two racehorses, you usually end up with a fast horse and likening his gene pool to that of successful thoroughbreds.

Michael DAntonio, who wrote a biography of Trump in 2015, has credited this view to Trumps father. DAntonio told PBS Frontline in a 2017 documentary that members of the Trump family believed that there are superior people, and that if you put together the genes of a superior woman and a superior man, you get a superior offspring. Loading In 2019, DAntonio told The New York Times that Trump had said that a persons genes at birth were a determining factor in their future, more so than anything they learnt later. Trump has not just promoted his own good genes, but has repeatedly lauded those of British business leaders, Christian evangelical leaders, a top campaign adviser and American industrialist Henry Ford. Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung said in a statement that Trump in his radio interview had reiterated he is talking about criminals and terrorists who cross the border illegally.

Cheung added: Only the media is obsessed with racial genetics and bloodlines, and given safe haven for disgusting and vile antisemitic rhetoric to be spewed through their outlets. Trumps political career and rise to the presidency are inextricably linked to anti-immigrant rhetoric, and his tone has only grown more severe in his third run for office. Trump speaks at a new section of the border wall with Mexico in April 2019. Credit: AP In Fridays radio interview, conservative commentator Hugh Hewitt asked Trump to explain his use of the phrase, pressing him multiple times to respond to those who were outraged that the phrase resembled statements made by Hitler in his hate-filled manifesto, Mein Kampf. Trump said he had no racist intentions behind the statement. Then, he added: I know nothing about Hitler. Im not a student of Hitler. I never read his works.

Trump has long had a documented interest in Hitler. A table by his bed once had a copy of Hitler speeches called My New Order, a gift from a friend that Ivana Trump, his first wife, said she had seen him occasionally leafing through. Loading Trump once asked his White House chief of staff why he lacked generals like those who reported to Hitler, calling those military leaders totally loyal to the Nazi dictator, according to a book on the Trump presidency by Peter Baker and Susan Glasser. On another occasion, he told the same aide that well, Hitler did a lot of good things, according to journalist Michael C. Benders 2021 book about Trump. Trump has denied making both comments. On Friday, he continued his defence by pointing out that his phrase  poisoning the blood  differed from passages in Mein Kampf in which Hitler uses poison and blood to lay out his views on how outsiders were ruining Aryan racial purity.

They say that he said something about blood, Trump said. He didnt say it the way I said it, either. By the way, its a very different kind of a statement. He did not explain the distinction. In Mein Kampf, Hitler wrote that great civilisations declined because the originally creative race died out, as a result of contamination of the blood. At one point, Hitler links the poison which has invaded the national body to an influx of foreign blood. Trump told Hewitt that he used poisoning the blood to refer to the immigrants coming from Asia, Africa and South America  although he did not mention Europeans  who he broadly claimed were coming from prisons and mental institutions. He added that he was not talking about a specific group, but rather immigrants from all over the world who dont speak our language. Trump first directly addressed the comparisons between his remark and Hitlers comments on Tuesday at a campaign event in the state of Iowa, where he told hundreds of supporters that he had never read Mein Kampf.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) will release the final voters' list of West Bengal early next month, a senior official said on Saturday.

Once the list is published, the poll panel will send its full bench to the state, he said, adding that communications have been sent to the chief secretary and chief electoral officer (CEO) asking them to start preparations for the Lok Sabha polls.

"The final list will be published early next month followed by the visit of the full bench of ECI to the state. We have directed the chief secretary and CEO of West Bengal to start preparations for the 2024 general elections," he told PTI.

A top bureaucrat said the poll panel has directed the chief secretary to prepare a list of administrative officials (IAS officers) and police officers (IPS and WBPS) detailing their current postings and the duration of their stay in the particular position.

"Preparing lists of IAS and IPS officers mentioning their current postings before any election is routine. We have already started working on that. Once complete, we will share it with the ECI," the bureaucrat added.

Meanwhile, the election cell of Kolkata Police has directed all its stations to submit reports on law and order in their respective jurisdictions, a senior officer said.

A 21-page instruction has been sent to each police station asking them to provide details on cases filed, their characteristics and how many were solved, he said.

"Police stations have been directed to submit reports on the number of polling booths in their jurisdictions and how many are earmarked as sensitive. They have also been asked to mention whether there were any political clashes," he added.

According to the Kolkata Police officer, the process to collect information is a routine exercise before any election.

"Depending on the report which will be sent to the poll panel, the election body will review the situation and decide on the next step. This is done before every election," he said.
India has taken over as co-chair of the IONS Working Groups on Maritime Security and HADR for the forthcoming cycle, officials said on Friday.

The eighth Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS) Conclave of Chiefs was conducted by the Royal Thai Navy in Bangkok from December 19-22, the defence ministry said in a statement.

The chiefs of navies and senior delegates from 27 member and observer countries took part in the event, it said.

Indian Navy Chief Admiral R Hari Kumar attended the event with a three-member naval delegation.

During the conclave, Thailand assumed the duties of "chair of IONS and the work plan for the next two years was finalised", the statement added.

"As a first, a flag designed by India was selected as the IONS flag. India also took over as the co-chair of IONS Working Groups on Maritime Security and HADR for the forthcoming cycle. Republic of Korea Navy was welcomed by the conclave as the latest 'observer', raising the collective strength of IONS to 34 (25 members and nine observers)," the statement said.

Admiral Kumar visited INS Kadmatt in Bangkok, interacted with the ship's crew and commended its successful long-range deployment.

The ship's visit, coinciding with the IONS conclave, symbolises the Indian Navy's outlook towards the Indian Ocean Region multilateral construct of the 21st century, officials said.
Fort Johnson, LA (71446)

Today

Sun and clouds mixed. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible late. High 73F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Scattered thunderstorms early, then mainly cloudy overnight with thunderstorms likely. A few storms may be severe. Low 54F. Winds S at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 100%.
Ahead of Christmas and New Year's, the Uttar Pradesh government has extended the liquor sale timings by an hour, till 11 p.m. on Christmas eve--December 24) as well as New Year's Eve--December 31, said the Excise Department on Saturday.

A notification issued by the department on Saturday said that the liquor shops across Uttar Pradesh will remain open till 11 pm on 24th and 31st December.

The liquor lobby was, however, pushing for extending the current 10 a.m.-to-10 p.m. sale time till 11 p.m., but the state's Excise Minister made it clear that "sale time extension" would only be for defined occasions.
Airlines will have potential savings of Rs 1,000 crore annually with the flexible use of airspace that helps in reducing flight time, fuel usage and carbon emissions, according to the civil aviation ministry.

In a review of the aviation sector released on Saturday, the ministry also said that a record number of commercial pilot licences at 1,562 have been issued this year till December 18 by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).

To address the issue of congestion at airports, the ministry said additional space has been created at various airports by restructuring the available terminal infrastructure to augment capacity at several passenger touch points.

Meanwhile, the ministry said that earlier about 40 per cent of the airspace was unavailable for civilian use, resulting in aircraft adopting circuitous routes to reach their destinations.

The Indian Air Force controls 30 per cent of the national airspace and out of that, 30 per cent has been released as upper airspace under flexible use of airspace, the release said.

As part of Aatmanirbhar Bharat, IAF has agreed to release these portions of airspace for civilian use, the ministry said, adding that 129 conditional routes have been promulgated.

"This will lead to significant savings in flight time, fuel usage and reduction in carbon emission."

"The potential savings to the airlines will be to the tune of Rs 1,000 crore per annum. Total savings so far from August 2020 - Rs 640.7 crore and total CO2 reduction is 1.37 lakh tonnes," the release said.

During the year, domestic air passenger traffic rose significantly.

"On November 19 this year, airlines in India flew 4,56,910 domestic passengers. This was the highest single-day air traffic since the pandemic hit, marking a remarkable 7.4 per cent surge above pre-Covid averages," the release said.
Israel declared war after Hamas's October 7 attack, in which militants from Gaza stormed into southern Israel, killing some 1,200 people and taking some 240 hostages

Israel's war to destroy Hamas has killed more than 20,000 Palestinians, health officials in Gaza said on Friday, as Israel expanded its offensive and ordered tens of thousands more people to leave their homes.

The deaths amount to nearly 1 per cent of the territory's prewar population the latest indication of the 11-week-old conflict's staggering human toll.

Israel's aerial and ground offensive has been one of the most devastating military campaigns in modern history, displacing nearly 85 per cent of Gaza's 2.3 million people and leveling wide swaths of the tiny coastal enclave. More than half a million people in Gaza a quarter of the population are starving, according to a report Thursday from the United Nations and other agencies.

Israel declared war after Hamas's October 7 attack, in which militants from Gaza stormed into southern Israel, killing some 1,200 people and taking some 240 hostages. Israel has vowed to keep up the fight until Hamas is destroyed and removed from power in Gaza and all the hostages are freed.

After many delays, the UN Security Council adopted a watered-down resolution Friday calling for immediately speeding up aid deliveries to desperate civilians in Gaza.

The United States won the removal of a tougher call for an urgent suspension of hostilities between Israel and Hamas. It abstained in the vote, as did Russia, which wanted the stronger language. The resolution was the first on the war to make it through the council after the US vetoed two earlier ones calling for humanitarian pauses and a full cease-fire.

Martin Griffiths, the UN humanitarian affairs chief, lamented the world's inaction.

That such a brutal conflict has been allowed to continue and for this long despite the widespread condemnation, the physical and mental toll and the massive destruction is an indelible stain on our collective conscience, he wrote on the social media platform X.

ISRAEL VOWS TO KEEP UP PRESSURE ON HAMAS



Israel, shielded by the United States, has resisted international pressure to scale back its offensive. The military has said that months of fighting lie ahead in southern Gaza, an area packed with the vast majority of the enclave's 2.3 million people, many of whom were ordered to flee combat in the north earlier in the war.

Evacuation orders have pushed displaced civilians into ever-smaller areas of the south as troops focus on the city of Khan Younis, Gaza's second-largest.

The military said late Thursday that it is sending more ground forces, including combat engineers, to Khan Younis to target Hamas militants above ground and in tunnels.

On Friday, it ordered tens of thousands of residents to leave their homes in Burej, an urban refugee camp, and surrounding communities in central Gaza, suggesting a ground assault there could be next.

In the city of Rafah, on the border with Egypt, an airstrike on a house killed six people, according to Associated Press journalists who saw the bodies at a hospital. Among the dead were a blind man, his wife and their 4-month-old child, said the infant's grandfather, Anwar Dhair.

Rafah is one of the few places in Gaza not under evacuation orders but has been targeted in Israeli strikes almost every day.

The air and ground campaign continued in the north, where Israel says it is in the final stages of clearing out Hamas militants.

Mustafa Abu Taha, a Palestinian farm worker, said many areas of his hard-hit Gaza City neighborhood of Shijaiyah have become inaccessible because of massive destruction from airstrikes.

They are hitting anything moving, he said of Israeli forces.

RISING DEATH TOLL AND HUNGER



Gaza's Health Ministry said Friday that it has documented 20,057 deaths in the fighting and more than 50,000 wounded. It does not differentiate between combatant and civilian deaths. It has previously said that roughly two-thirds of the dead were women or minors.

Israel blames Hamas for the high civilian death toll, citing the group's use of crowded residential areas for military purposes and its tunnels under urban areas.

Israel's military says 139 of its soldiers have been killed in the ground offensive. It says it has killed thousands of Hamas militants, including about 2,000 in the past three weeks, but it has not presented any evidence to back up the claim.

For most of the war, Israel also stopped entry of food, water, fuel and other supplies except for truck convoys of aid from Egypt, which cover only a fraction of the needs in Gaza.

Because of insufficient aid entering Gaza, the extent of starvation has eclipsed the near-famines of recent years in Afghanistan and Yemen, and the risk of famine is increasing each day, Thursday's report said.

An Israeli military liaison officer with Gaza said there is no food shortage in Gaza, saying sufficient aid is getting through.

The reserves in Gaza Strip are sufficient for the near term, Col. Moshe Tetro said from the Kerem Shalom cargo crossing, without elaborating.

Israel opened the Kerem Shalom crossing several days ago amid international demands to increase the flow of aid. But the military on Thursday struck the Palestinian side of the crossing, killing four staffers, and the UN said it was unable to pick up aid there for delivery. It was not immediately known if the UN resumed work there Friday. The Israeli military said it was targeting militants.

The war has also pushed Gaza's health sector into collapse.

Only nine of its 36 health facilities are still partially functioning, all located in the south, according to the World Health Organization.

The agency reported soaring rates of diseases in Gaza, including a five-fold rise in diarrhea and increases in cases of meningitis, skin rashes and scabies.
Haryana's state government has declared winter break for all public and private schools in the state. According to the specifics, schools would be closed from January 1 to 15, 2024. A notification was made via the Haryana Chief Minister's Office's official X (previously known as Twitter) handle. According to the announcement, all public and private schools will resume on January 16, 2024. The chief minister's office has also asked schools to ensure that the schedule is followed.

"In view of the increasing cold, the Haryana government has announced winter vacation in all government and private schools of the state from January 1 to January 15, 2024. During this period all schools will remain closed," an official circular issued by the state administration stated.

The government has ordered all District Education Officers, District Elementary Education Officers, and principals to follow the Haryana Government's standards.

The Rajasthan Board of Secondary Education (RBSE) has announced that winter vacation would begin in state schools on December 25, 2023. Meanwhile, winter vacation in Delhi has been shortened from 15 to six days, and will begin on January 1, 2024.In light of the lowest temperatures going below freezing over the last three days, the Jammu and Kashmir administration is also "seriously" considering winter break for schools in the valley, a senior official said on Wednesday. "I can't say anything definitively until a formal announcement is made, but (winter vacations) are something we're seriously considering." "A proposal has been submitted to the administration in this regard," V K Bhiduri, Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, told reporters.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has announced the shortlists in 10 different categories, including animated short film and visual effects. Animated films have also been shortlisted in the music categories for original score and original song.

The animated short film category has a 15-film shortlist, with the following films remaining in contention:

Ninety-three films qualified in the category. The shortlisted films come from nine different countries, led by the United States (6) and France (5). Other countries with films on the shortlist are Estonia (2), Israel, Croatia, Mexico, Hungary, Iran, and United Kingdom. (Some films are co-productions, with multiple countries involved.)

Notably, it is the first time that films from Iran (Yegane Moghaddams Our Uniform) and Mexico (Rita Basultos Humo) have made it to the shortlist round of the animated short Academy Award. Moghaddam and Basultos films are also among nine films that were directed by at least one woman filmmaker.

Only two of the shortlisted fillmmakers have previously been nominated for an Academy Award: John Musker, who has been nominated twice in the animated feature category, and Dave Mullins, who earned his nom for Pixars Lou short.

Ten of the films qualified by winning an Oscar-qualifying festival honor, while five of the films qualified through the exhibition route. Members of the Short Films and Feature Animation branch vote to determine both the shortlist and the nominees.

On the visual effects side, ten films have been shortlisted for the Academy Award. Notably, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is in contention for a visual effects Oscar. It is not the first time that an animated film has appeared on this list  for example, Laikas Kubo and the Two Strings was shortlisted  but its certainly uncommon for animated films to receive consideration in the category.

The Visual Effects Branch executive committee determined the shortlist. All members of the Visual Effects branch will be invited to view excerpts and interviews with the artists from each of the shortlisted films on Saturday, January 13, 2024. Branch members will vote on the nominees.

The Creator

Godzilla Minus One

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny

Mission: Impossible  Dead Reckoning Part One

Napoleon

Poor Things

Rebel Moon  Part One: A Child of Fire

Society of the Snow

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

In the Music  Original Score category, three animated features are among the fifteen shortlisted scores: The Boy and the Heron, Elemental, and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. Additionally, in the Music  Original Song category, Am I Dreaming from Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse has been shortlisted.

Voting on the final Oscar nominees runs from January 11-16, 2024, with the nominees announced on Tuesday, January 23. The winners will be announced on Sunday, March 10, 2024.
Cartoon Brew, in partnership with our exclusive online event partner INBTWN Animation, spoke with Migration director Benjamin Renner. The Illumination film is being released by Universal this weekend.

Renner is an Oscar-nominated filmmaker whose credits include the features Ernest & Celestine and The Big Bad Fox and Other Tales, as well as the Cesar-nominated short film A Mouses Tale. Its an award-filled resume, but it exclusively features 2d productions. So, we asked the filmmaker how he ended up working on a tentpole Hollywood cg film. Renner explained:

[Illumination] reached out to me, and I was like, I dont know how to do 3d movies, so I dont know if I can do that. But I went in there to be polite, thinking, Okay, well see how it goes. Chris Meledandri, the guy who built and founded Illumination, told me that he had a pitch and pitched me the idea for Migration.

The filmmaker was impressed by the project but was still hesitant about directing a cg film. However, the allure of working with a large team of artists proved too powerful to ignore:

I was very keen on having experience with a Hollywood studio I said, Okay, lets try the experience and see how it goes, and if its not working, I will leave. Or, you know, they will fire me.

Like Renners previous animated features, Migration stars anthropomorphized animal characters as the protagonists. According to him, animals make good protagonists because they allow for storytelling without the cultural assumptions that come with human casts:

Ive always had this love for telling stories about humans but using animals because theres this great thing where you can talk to anyone when you remove all the cultural boundaries. With ducks, you can use the sort of innocence that they have, sort of like a very human character, very grumpy, I would say French characters, in a way.

Illumination films are well known for their soundtracks and often feature pop music that was or became very popular. Asked about the music in Migration, Renner very honestly explained that his opinion of the film was low before the score was added:

Before we started doing the music, I felt the film was a big, big crap. You know, I felt like there was no emotion in it. It was really a waste of time. Probably because I spent four years on the movie, I couldnt feel a single emotion. But [composer John Powell] came in from my point of view, he made this movie, like 100,000 times better than what I thought it was.

At its core, Migration is a road trip movie. Renner said the National Lampoon Vacation movies influenced production, but only indirectly:

I tried to avoid watching too much of them just to be sure I was staying fresh. And because I dont like to do a movie that has references to other movies. Id rather have references to life and family-related things or anecdotes that are funny because theyre so special and human-related.

For more anecdotes and behind-the-scenes trivia, watch the full interview above.
Joelle M. Abi-Rached in Boston Review:

The face of the ongoing onslaught on Gaza has no doubt been Dr. Hammam Alloh, the thirty-six-year-old Palestinian nephrologist at northern Gazas Al-Shifa Hospital who refused to evacuate it when it was invaded by Israeli troops. And if I go, who treats my patients? he said in an October 31 interview. We are not animals. We have the right to receive proper healthcare, he added. Two weeks later, Alloh was killed by an Israeli airstrike, along with his father, brother-in-law, and father-in-law.

Allohs use of the word animals was certainly not lost on viewers. Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant had used that same language on October 9 when he announced a complete siege on Gaza, labeling its residents as human animals. Hamass attacks on October 7 would predictably generate a violent military reaction from Israel. But this Israeli campaign in Gaza, a strip of land where more than 80 percent of its population lived in poverty even before October 7, has been of a different character entirely than any previous ones. This onslaught has featured direct attacks on hospitals and the intentional undermining of the entire health care system: shelling, the killing and arresting of health care personnel, the direct and indirect killing of hundreds of patients, underprovision or complete lack of proper medical care, and unwarranted suffering for thousands of patients due to shortages in basic medications, water, food, and fuel. The attacks have made clear that the repression of Palestinian rights now has a new feature: the systematic destruction of the very institutions that sustain life.

More here.
The third episode of the City of Daltons "Live, Work, Play" podcast is now available online with a focus on what's to come for the City of Dalton in 2024 with an interview with Mayor-Elect Annalee Harlan Sams. Mayor-Elect Sams will take office in January, but she is already well-known around the community and City Hall after her service as a member of the City Council.The "Live, Work, Play" podcast launched with its first episode in September and is intended to shine a light on all of the things that the city's government is doing to make the community Georgia's best community for people to live, work, and play.That will include interviews with city leaders both elected, appointed, and also those simply leading at a grass roots level. It will include profiling city employees, projects and initiatives.And it will also involve talking about all of the wonderful things that make Dalton a special place.In this episode, Mayor-Elect Sams discusses what made her want to get into public service and seek public office as well as her love for the community. Sams also discusses some of the projects on the horizon for Dalton in 2024 that have her most excited and what some of her goals for the year will be.The podcast is available on Spotify, Amazon, iHeartRadio and Apple Podcasts. A video version of the podcast can also be viewed on the City of Dalton's YouTube channel at YouTube.com/CityofDaltonGeorgia.A podcast is an audio program similar to a radio broadcast that's available online for download to a computer or a mobile device. Typically, podcasts are produced as a series with new episodes or installments offered on a regular basis for download. The "Live, Work, Play" podcast does not currently have a schedule for future episodes, but the city plans to produce new episodes featuring city staff, events and projects on a regular basis.The "Live, Work, Play" podcast is produced and recorded in the new Podcast Lab at the Mack Gaston Community Center. The lab is available for use by the public free of charge. Use of the lab can be reserved by contacting the Mack Gaston Community Center during business hours at 706-278-8205.
A woman at Alloway Stamping at 2507 E 29th St. told police a check she had written for $116.45 and then mailed out recently had been intercepted and re-written for $2,000 and then cashed at Regions Bank by mobile transaction. She found this out yesterday at about 1 p.m. after checking her bank statement. The check was made out to "Journey Boston" and she's not sure if thats a person or business name, or if it's a real name.



* * *

A man told police he went to his sister's house on Tunnel Boulevard around 3:30 a.m. and around 4:05 a.m. he noticed his vehicle was gone. He has his keys with him and does not know who took his vehicle. He said he does not know the tag number or VIN number of his vehicle. He is going to get that information and call back in to update police. As of now, the vehicle has not been entered into NCIC as stolen due to not having all needed info.

* * *

The manager of landscaping for all the businesses in an area on Manufacturers Road told police they have an ongoing issue with homeless people sleeping and putting items under their steps. Police did observe a large amount of items under the porch of the business. The manager said she had workers there that morning and was going to clean up the items from the business. She said she would call back in if she sees any other homeless people on the properties.

* * *



A woman called police and said she was turning into the parking lot at 5439 Highway 153 when she hit the curb while turning. She said her car had some heavy damage and she had it towed. Brian's Towing came to retrieve the vehicle.

* * *



Police responded to 5607 Hwy. 58 on a suspicious activity call. The workers at the business said they noticed a white female getting out of a wrecked vehicle on the work site property. Police spoke with the woman, who said that the vehicle belonged to a man she identified, and that he had wrecked the vehicle sometime last night. She said she didn't know what happened because she was asleep. The woman is from Cleveland and asked for police to assist her with a ride to the first exit into Cleveland, which police did.

* * *



A man called from a business at 2145 S. Holly St. and told police he got in to a verbal altercation with another employee and his father. He said the employee and his father showed up and were mad that he was working on a car that they had been working on. He said the father got in to his face several times and that is when he decided to call police. When police arrived on scene, everyone had left except for the caller.

* * *



Police responded to 3737 Pilot Point, where three black males were reportedly going through a parking lot and checking car door handles. Employees on scene confronted the men and they fled the scene in a white Lincoln SUV. At this time no one reported any items stolen. The vehicle was BOLO'd.



* * *

Police received a call regarding an RV which maybe was illegally parked at a residence on Cain Avenue. Police did not locate an RV, but did observe a white GMC Yukon (TN tag) parked in front of that address with a flat tire. It was not illegally parked and was not a traffic hazard. Police did not observe any vehicles in the area that were illegally parked or a hazard.

* * *



A stolen vehicle was found abandoned in the area of 800 Manufacturers Road. The vehicle was locked with no keys or valuable items visible inside. Possible latent prints were observed on the driver's door. Prints were lifted and will be taken to CPD Property for possible identification. NCIC was unable to make contact with the owner. The vehicle was towed via Reliable Towing and was removed from NCIC.

* * *

A woman on Elder Street told police she was upstairs in her residence when she looked outside and noticed her car interior light was on. She saw a black male wearing all white getting into a white van (Toyota Sienna) and leaving the scene. When she went to inspect her vehicle, she noticed her wallet was gone. Before police arrival, the woman had already begun canceling and locking the cards so they could not be used. She also said she left the doors unlocked. Police attempted to get possible prints off the door, but were unsuccessful. The woman also sent police camera footage, but they were unable to view it at this point. She did say there were two black male suspects. There was no tag image on the camera. She also believed they drove by later in the night. Police drove in the area and could not locate the van. The woman said that after the police drove by again, she did not see it again. The wallet contained $20, and there were nine cards in the wallet that had all been canceled or locked.

* * *

Police were called to the Motel 6 at 7707 Lee Hwy. for a black male who was possibly breaking into rooms. Police spoke with both reporting callers, who did not want to be on the report. Both said the man pushed his way into a room and had possibly stolen items the day before from one of them. Police searched the area, but did not locate the man.

* * *



Police responded to 1259 Hooker Road for a found property call. Police located a bag of unopened syringes. The syringes were secured and submitted to Property.

* * *

A disorderly man was reported at the Speedway, 1330 E. 3rd St. Staff told police they had asked him to leave several times. The manager said she wanted him trespassed. Police informed the man that he was trespassed and gave him a ride to the Mission Shelter.

* * *

Officers on routine patrol noticed a fire inside of Tent City on Peeples Street. Upon closer inspection, it was seen that the fire was burning copper wires and was growing out of control. The Fire Department was notified and asked to respond to assist in getting the fire under control. In the meantime, units on scene were able to use their fire extinguisher(s) to gain control of the fire. Once the flames were gone, the fire re-ignited and had to be extinguished a second time, where it remained extinguished. The person who lit the fire said he was cold and it was a warming fire. However, when asked why he was only burning wires, he did not provide an answer. Police called the burn permit office to see if they would have someone to respond so appropriate citations could be issued. However, they did not receive an answer and were forced to issue a warning. Police explained the concerns for safety and the violations that the man had broken: no means to extinguish the fire; too close to a structure or other personal owned property; burning trash creating poison; having an open flame during an active burn ban; and no permit for an open flame fire.
Dr. Clarence Sexton, an East Tennessee pastor who was instrumental in the ministry of Dr. Lee Roberson of Chattanooga, died Dec. 12.

Several thousand packed the Temple Baptist Church at Powell, Tn. on Wednesday for a memorial service at the church he pastored for 35 years.

Psalm 23 was one of Dr. Sextons favorite scriptures and was read at the service. It was noted Dr. Sexton trusted Christ at the age of 14 and he was Temples Shepherd who fed the congregation the Word of God.

Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs spoke and said, The problem with history is there have been too many great men and not enough good men. Clarence Sexton was a rare case, not only a great man but a good man. When Dr. Sexton came to Temple Baptist the congregation numbered 400; now there are over 10,000 members. The mayor noted the establishment of Crown College in 1991 with 69 students and now there are over 1,000 students. The mayor said, You can read his greatness in his over 100 publications.

Mayor Jacobs also said, Dr. Sexton called me a man of conviction. I thought to myself theres no way I can be that person but I tried. Because of Clarence Sexton I became a better person and better mayor. Dr. Sexton made the world a better place. He spread the love of Jesus like so few do.

According to the obituary from Berry Lynnhurst Funeral Home in Knoxville, Dr. Sexton moved to Chattanooga in 1975 to serve at the Highland Park Baptist Church. Dr. Roberson asked Rev. Sexton to join the church staff as an assistant pastor and attend Temple Baptist Seminary.

Under his leadership, Highland Parks bus ministry experienced tremendous growth. Over two thousand people rode the buses to church each Sunday. Clarence himself brought new converts down the aisles almost every week. He instituted The Afternoon Sunday School, during which thousands of people placed their faith in Christ. While serving with Dr. Roberson, he "absorbed many principles and traits that have influence his ministry over the years." Dr. Roberson described the time Clarence served with him as "the greatest years in the history of Highland Park Baptist Church."

Dr. Sexton said while in Chattanooga Dr. Roberson inspired him to pastor again and start a Christian school.

Dr. Sexton said because of that influence a 30,000 square foot Dr. Lee Roberson Christian Heritage Center was built and houses hundreds of displays about the Chattanooga preacher.

Dr. Sexton, at the funeral of Dr. Roberson in 2007, said, I love the church I pastor and its people. It was the influences of Dr. Roberson that help instill that love in my heart.
On Christmas Eve and Day in 1914, along the Western Front entrenchments near Ypres in Belgium during World War I, there were many, albeit unofficial, truces between combatants. It was five months after hostilities commenced between the allied British and French forces and the Germans.

Of the truce, my Christian historian friend William Federer notes: On Christmas Eve, Dec. 24, 1914, an estimated 100,000 British, French and German troops  ceased fighting. The thunderous booming of artillery fell silent that night. German troops started decorating their trenches with Christmas trees and candles in their branches. They began singing Stille Nacht  Silent Night. As this was one of the Christmas carols that soldiers on both sides knew, English, French and German troops all began to sing across the battle lines.

Soldiers from East and West ventured into No Mans Land between the trenches to have some fellowship with each other. Greetings were shouted between the lines and, once meeting in the middle, the adversaries exchanged food, tobacco, and alcohol, and small trinket souvenirs, including buttons and hats. Some played games while others joined in caroling.

There were prisoner swaps and even joint burial ceremonies for their fellow dead.

British soldier Bruce Bairnsfather wrote: "I wouldnt have missed that unique and weird Christmas Day for anything I spotted a German officer, some sort of lieutenant I should think, and being a bit of a collector, I intimated to him that I had taken a fancy to some of his buttons I brought out my wire clippers and, with a few deft snips, removed a couple of his buttons and put them in my pocket. I then gave him two of mine in exchange"

A young London Rifle Brigade private Henry Williamson wrote: "Dear Mother, I am writing from the trenches. It is 11 o'clock in the morning. Beside me is a coke fire, opposite me a "dug-out (wet) with straw in it. The ground is sloppy in the actual trench, but frozen elsewhere. In my mouth is a pipe presented by the Princess Mary. In the pipe is tobacco. Of course, you say. But wait. In the pipe is German tobacco. Haha, you say, from a prisoner or found in a captured trench. Oh dear, no! From a German soldier. Yes a live German soldier from his own trench. Yesterday the British & Germans met & shook hands in the Ground between the trenches, & exchanged souvenirs, & shook hands. Yes, all day Xmas day, & as I write. Marvellous, isnt it?"

Lance-Corporal Imlah of the Gordon Highlanders wrote: "Our padre then gave a short service, one of the items in which was Psalm XXIII. Thereafter, a German soldier, a divinity student I believe, interpreted the service to the German party. I could not understand what he was saying but it was beautiful to listen to him. The service over, we were soon fraternizing with the Germans just as if they were old friends."

Captain Robert Miles of the Kings Shropshire Light Infantry, who was killed on Dec. 30, just days after the truce, had written of the event: "Friday (Christmas Day). We are having the most extraordinary Christmas Day imaginable. A sort of unarranged and quite unauthorized but perfectly understood and scrupulously observed truce exists between us and our friends in front.  The thing started last night  a bitter cold night, with white frost  soon after dusk when the Germans started shouting Merry Christmas, Englishmen to us. Of course our fellows shouted back and presently large numbers of both sides had left their trenches, unarmed, and met in the debatable, shot-riddled, no mans land between the lines. Here the agreement  all on their own  came to be made that we should not fire at each other until after midnight tonight. The men were all fraternizing in the middle (we naturally did not allow them too close to our line) and swapped cigarettes and lies in the utmost good fellowship. Not a shot was fired all night."

Miles wrote of the Germans: They are distinctly bored with the war In fact, one of them wanted to know what on earth we were doing here fighting them.

Federer also noted, When General Sir Horace Smith-Dorrien, commander of the British II Corps, heard what was happening, he was irate and issued strict orders forbidding friendly communication with the opposing German troops.

However, British soldier Murdoch Wood remarked 15 years later, I then came to the conclusion that I have held very firmly ever since, that if we had been left to ourselves there would never have been another shot fired.

Conversely, a German Corporal who was, at the time of the truce, with the 16th Bavarian Reserve Infantry, later observed of the momentary cessation of hostilities: Such a thing should not happen in wartime. Have you no German sense of honor? His name was Adolf Hitler, the rising leader of the NAZI (National Socialist German Workers Party) fascists who would attempt to resurrect a Third Reich.

World War I continued for four more years, concluding with the Armistice of Nov. 11, 1918, a date that marks what we now observe as Veterans Day.

There were 5,525,000 Allied Powers deaths, with an estimated 4,000,000 allied civilian deaths. There were 4,386,000 Central Powers deaths and an estimated 3,700,000 civilian deaths.

For me, in the context of the 1914 Truce, a pause amid the abhorrent violence, and all of the human suffering before and since, Silent Night stands alone in its message because it was the Christmas poem that spoke most clearly to another poet, my Mother, and her embrace of the Peace, which passes all understanding.

Silent Night was written by a priest, Father Joseph Mohr, with the melody composed by Austrian headmaster Franz Xaver Gruber. The songs origin dates back to Christmas Eve, December 24, 1818, at Saint Nicholas Church in Oberndorf bei Salzburg, Austria.

The words are familiar to most:

Silent night, holy night, All is calm, all is bright. Round yon virgin mother and child. Holy infant so tender and mild, Sleep in heavenly peace, Sleep in heavenly peace.

Silent night, holy night, Shepherds quake at the sight, Glories stream from heaven afar, Heavenly hosts sing alleluia; Christ the Savior, is born, Christ the Savior, is born.

Silent night, holy night, Son of God, loves pure light Radiant beams from thy holy face, With the dawn of redeeming grace, Jesus, Lord, at thy birth, Jesus, Lord, at thy birth.

Silent Night has since been translated into many languages and is perhaps the most recognized of carols celebrating the birth of Jesus.

President Ronald Reagan, in his 1983 Christmas Address, declared: Sometimes, in the hustle and bustle of holiday preparations we forget that the true meaning of Christmas was given to us by the angelic host that holy night long ago. Christmas is the commemoration of the birth of the Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ, whose message would truly be one of good tidings and great joy, peace and good will. During this glorious festival let us renew our determination to follow His example.

Indeed.

We could use a truce today on so many fronts.

Merry Christmas.

Mark Caldwell


More than 30 passionate volunteers rallied together to serve 400 vulnerable families at OKCIC.
If you love the magic that comes with Christmas, like the story of Santa and his elves, the North Pole, etc., you would probably think youve entered heaven if you walk through the doors of this Airbnb in Finland.

In Rovaniemi, Finland, a city thats known for being Santas official hometown, visitors can stay in Santa Claus Cabin, which is perhaps the most magical and festive Airbnb weve ever seen.

The charming one-bedroom cabin is located in the Arctic Circle, where tourists visit each year to visit Santas office and holiday attractions like Santa Claus Village and SantaPark.

The Airbnbs host is a woman named Katja, who is also known by the title, Chief Elf.

The little cabin can host up to four guests and has been given a Yuletide makeover that will make anyone believe theyre smack dab in the middle of the North Pole.

Its covered in Lapland decorations and all sorts of elfish holiday cheer. And, of course, theres a Christmas tree in every room.

Not only will guests who book a stay at Santa Claus Cabin be able to cozy up in the cabin, but theyll also get to experience a ton of holiday fun.

Guests will be given a crash course in elfing from yours truly and will work with my team of elves to help sort through the letters from children all around the world  cross-referencing with Santa Claus naughty and nice list, wrote Katja on the Airbnbs page.

Guests will also participate in all kinds of tasks, emptying mailboxes and [helping] the elves in stamping the post with the special Arctic Circle postmark before it goes to Santa Claus and learn about the day-to-day workings of the Post Office.

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Home U.S. American taken hostage by Hamas confirmed dead, wife remains captive in Gaza

An Israeli-American taken hostage by Hamas has died while in captivity in Gaza, marking the first U.S. citizen to die under these circumstances, according to the Hostages and Missing Persons Families Forum.

Gadi Haggai, 73, a dual U.S.-Israeli national, was abducted along with his wife, Judi Weinstein, near Kibbutz Nir Oz during a Hamas attack on Oct. 7.

The forum disclosed that Haggai was killed on the day of the abduction, and his body is being held in Gaza, Jewish News Syndicate reported, adding that his wife is believed to still be alive.

On the day of the assault, Weinstein reached out to a member of the kibbutz, informing them she had sustained a gunshot wound to her arm and injuries to her face, while Haggai had suffered a headshot, as reported by Haaretz.

In the moments leading up to their presumed capture, Weinstein managed to send a text message to her daughter in Singapore. The couples children were later informed by a paramedic that Weinstein had sought medical assistance.

Paramedics attempted to dispatch an ambulance to her location, but the ambulance was struck by a rocket, The Times of Israel said.

Haggai, a retired chef and jazz musician, was a father of four and grandfather of seven. He and his wife were known as committed peace activists.

Arsen Ostrovsky, CEO of the International Legal Forum, condemned Hamas actions, emphasizing the couples pacifist beliefs and criticizing Canadas response to the situation.

President Joe Biden released a statement expressing sorrow over Haggais death and reaffirmed the U.S. government's commitment to bring home those still held hostage.

Jill and I are heartbroken by the news that American Gad Haggai is now believed to have been killed by Hamas on Oct. 7. We continue to pray for the well-being and safe return of his wife, Judy, Biden said. Their daughter joined by phone my meeting with the families of hostages last week. Those families bravely shared with me the harrowing ordeal that they have endured over the past months as they await news of their loved ones. Its intolerable.

Ofri Haggai, the couples niece, revealed the last known contact with the couple. We know that they were badly wounded. We know that [Weinstein] still had the phone with her to be able to call and ask for help and provide details. But ever since then, we lost all contact with them, National Review quoted her as saying.

Senator Rick Scott, R-Fla., and Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., also commented on the tragedy, with Scott emphasizing the urgency of bringing hostages home. Ted Deutch, CEO of the American Jewish Committee, described the act as a crime against humanity and called for remembrance of Haggai.

Despite negotiations for hostage releases, Hamas has stated that no further deals will be made without a total ceasefire and Israeli military withdrawal from Gaza.

Haggai had deep ties to New York, with his parents originating from the United States, according to The New York Post, which said the couple had moved to Israel 30 years ago. The day of their abduction, Weinstein managed to contact help, but communication was lost subsequently, it added.

The Israeli government estimates that 129 people are still in captivity, with 22 confirmed dead. Among the hostages, five to 10 are believed to be U.S. citizens.
In finalul acestui articol puteti citi textul integral al Rezolutiei adoptate ieri de Consiliul de Securitate al ONU in speranta ca asta ar putea contribui la rezolvarea crizei umanitare teribile din Gaza. 15 voturi pentru si doua abtineri (SUA si Rusia) au permis adoptarea textului, un compromis calduti si cum se va vedea extrem de ineficace, asta deoarece singurul apel existent este cel in favoarea unor pauze umanitare urgente si prelungite in culoarele din banda Gaza pe o durata suficienta de timp pentru a permite un acces umanitar complet, rapid, sigur si fara obstacole . Doar atat. Si pentru a se ajunge la acest rezultat, triumf al diplomatiei de tip ONU, delegatiile au dus tratative foarte dure timp de o saptamana, scopul fiind de a se ajunge la un compromis care , din nou, sa dea satisfactie delegatiei SUA care, solidara cu Israelul, s-a opus cu indarjire (amenintand cu folosirea din nou a dreptului sau de veto) la orice formulare care ar fi implicat o cerere de incetare a focului.

United Nations

Intr-adevar, primul proiect de Rezolutie cerea adoptarea de masuri urgente...pentru a crea conditiile unei incetari durabile a ostilitatilor , formulare care, fie si teoretic, ar fi putut sa se apropie de obiectivele atat de indepartate acum inscrise in Carta ONU, lasand o poarta deschisa pentru implicarea viitoare a organizatiei in gasirea unei solutii alta decat razboiul total din Gaza. Ce s-a reusit este doar un text cu obiective diluate si un limbaj edulcorat si care doreste sa creeze conditii pentru o incetare durabila a ostilitatilor , nimic mai mult, nimic ca masura obligatorie si nici calendar obligatoriu impus partilor combatante.

Contextul general a fost definit de Antonio Guterres, Secretarul General al ONU care a afirmat ca adevarata problema pentru aducerea de ajutor umanitar in Gaza o constituie modul in care Israelul a purtat ofensiva sa militara, sursa de obstacole masive la distribuirea de ajutoare umanitare in Gaza, si a insistat pe faptul ca doar o incetare a focului pe motive umanitare reprezinta singurul mijloc d a raspunde la nevoile disperate ale populatiei din Gaza si de a pune capat cosmarului pe care-l traieste aceasta.

Dar exista si voci influente care saluta adoptarea Rezolutiei. Linda Thomas Greenfield (foto) ambasadoarea SUA la ONU, a spus ca Rezolutia ofera o lumina de speranta in mijlocul unor suferinte omenesti inimaginabile , iar omologul sau israelian, Gilad Erdan a multumit SUA de a fi stat alaturi de Israel in cadrul negocierilor mentinand liniile rosii definite. In acelasi timp, ministrul de externe israelian a transmis ca vor fi inspectate in continuare, din motive de securitate, absolut toate convoaiele cu ajutoare umanitare care se indreapta spre Gaza.

Desigur, mai bine decat nimic, au comentat muti analisti specializati in complicatele problematici din Orientul Apropiat, tensionate acum si mai mult de ceea ce apare ca o perspectiva extrem de posibila, adica extensia unor operatiuni militare impotriva militiilor Hezbollah din Liban.

Toate negocierile se poarta pe fondul intensificarii riscurilor de insecuritate alimentara asa cum au fost ele prezentate, in cel mai recent (si poate cel mai dramatic) raport al Programului alimentar mondial al ONU: se vorbea despre riscul imediat de foamete in Gaza unde apa si alimentele sunt cvasi inexistente. Sistemul ONU de clasificare pentru a determina insecuritatea alimentara are cinci nivele si expertii institutiei spun ca, pana pe 7 februarie, totalitatea populatiei din Gaza (adica aproximativ 2,2 milioane de persoane) va fi in situatia de criza provocata de foamete sau chiar mai rau decat atat...este vorba despre proportia cea mai ridicata de persoane confruntate cu diverse nivele de insecuritate alimentara in raport cu sistemul nostru de evaluare inregistrata vreodata pentru o tara sau o regiune din lume

Pe fond, dupa votul asupra Rezolutiei, au ramas fara raspuns toate dilemele anterioare si, mai ales, cea mai importanta din intrebari: cine poate , cine trebuie, cine ar fi mandatat sa asigure in vreun fel securitatea transporturilor umanitare in Gaza atata timp cat armata israeliana si guvernul de la Ierusalim au confirmat ca ofensiva militara va continua fara niciun fel de intrerupere?

Exact asta ar fi trebuit sa faca ONU, exact pentru a raspunde acestui tip de situatii au fost create numeroasele sale organisme si agentii, aceasta ar fi fost forma prin care sa-si impuna autoritatea de manager supra-national al situatiilor de conflict. N-are aceasta capacitate si, in loc de asta, singura functie pe care o mai are este sa medieze formule diplomatice acceptabile care sa nu ofenseze orgoliile politice sau sa raspunda presiunilor marilor actionari si finantatorilor organizatiei. Proba, spre exemplu, textul acestei Rezolutii in care se vorbeste doar despre partile implicate in conflict fara sa fie pomenit numele organizatiei Hamas, cu atat mai putin faptul ca totul a inceput prin atacul terorist al celor din Hamas impotriva unor civili nevinovati pe teritoriul Israelului.

Consecinta blocajelor reciproce atat de profesioniste si eficiente intre marile puteri duce la singura concluzie posibila: razboiul nemilos din Gaza, poate nu numai de acolo, va continua si va genera reactii si contra-reactii din cele mai tragice. Si astfel se va eroda in plus ceea ce mai ramasese din vechea arhitectura internationala, fara sanse reale de reconstituire.

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READ THE FULL RESOLUTION 2720 (2023)

 The Security Council

 Reaffirming the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations,

 Recalling all of its relevant resolutions, particularly resolution 2712 (2023), which, inter alia, demands that all parties comply with their obligations under international law, notably with regard to the protection of civilians, calls for urgent and extended humanitarian pauses and corridors throughout the Gaza Strip for a sufficient number of days to enable full, rapid, safe, and unhindered humanitarian access and to enable urgent rescue and recovery efforts, and calls for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages, as well as ensuring immediate humanitarian access,

 Reaffirming that all parties to conflicts must adhere to their obligations under international law, including international humanitarian law and international human rights law, as applicable,

 Stressing that the Gaza Strip constitutes an integral part of the territory occupied in 1967, and reiterating the vision of the two-State solution, with the Gaza Strip as part of the Palestinian State,

 Expressing deep concern at the dire and rapidly deteriorating humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip and its grave impact on the civilian population, underlining the urgent need for full, rapid, safe, and unhindered humanitarian access into and throughout the entire Gaza Strip, and taking note of the concerning reports from the leadership of the United Nations and humanitarian organizations in this regard, reaffirming its strong concern for the disproportionate effect that the conflict is having on the lives and well-being of children, women, and other civilians in vulnerable situations, and stressing the humanitarian principles of humanity, impartiality, neutrality, and independence,

 Stressing the obligation to respect and protect humanitarian relief and medical personnel,

 Reaffirming its call for all parties to refrain from depriving the civilian population in the Gaza Strip of basic services and humanitarian assistance indispensable to their survival, consistent with international humanitarian law,

 Commending the indispensable and ongoing efforts of the United Nations, its specialized agencies and all humanitarian and medical personnel in the Gaza Strip to alleviate the impact of the conflict on the people in the Gaza Strip, and expressing condolences for all civilians, including humanitarian and medical personnel, killed in the course of this conflict,

 Welcoming the efforts of Egypt to facilitate the use of the Rafah Border crossing by United Nations humanitarian agencies and their implementing partners for the provision of humanitarian assistance for people in need throughout the Gaza Strip,

 Taking note of the 15 December 2023 decision by the Government of Israel to open its crossing at Karem Abu Salem / Kerem Shalom for direct delivery of humanitarian assistance to Palestinian civilians in Gaza, which should ease congestion and help facilitate the provision of life-saving assistance to those who urgently need it, and emphasizing the need to continue working closely with all relevant parties to expand the delivery and distribution of humanitarian assistance, while confirming its humanitarian nature and ensuring that it reaches its civilian destination,

 Encouraging engagement with relevant states in the implementation of this resolution,

 Welcoming the implementation of a recent humanitarian pause in the Gaza Strip, and expressing appreciation for the diplomatic efforts of Egypt, the State of Qatar, and other states in this regard, and also expressing grave concerns as to the impact the resumption of hostilities has had on civilians,

 Recognizing that the civilian population in the Gaza Strip must have access to sufficient quantities of assistance that they need, including enough food, water, sanitation, electricity, telecommunications and medical services essential for their survival, and that the provision of humanitarian supplies in the Gaza Strip needs to be sufficient to alleviate the massive humanitarian needs of the Palestinian civilian population throughout the Gaza Strip, and recognizing the importance of resuming commercial imports of essential goods and services into the Gaza Strip,

 Welcoming financial contributions and pledges by member states in support of the civilian population in Gaza, and taking note of the International Humanitarian Conference for the Civilian Population of Gaza held in Paris on 9 November 2023 and its follow-up meeting on 6 December 2023,

 1. Reiterates its demand that all parties to the conflict comply with their obligations under international law, including international humanitarian law, including with regard to the conduct of hostilities and the protection of civilians and civilian objects, humanitarian access, and the protection of humanitarian personnel and their freedom of movement, and the duty, as applicable, of ensuring the food and medical supplies, among others, of the population, recalls that civilian and humanitarian facilities, including hospitals, medical facilities, schools, places of worship, and facilities of the UN, as well as humanitarian personnel, and medical personnel, and their means of transport, must be respected and protected, according to international humanitarian law, and affirms that nothing in this resolution absolves the parties of these obligations;

 2. Reaffirms the obligations of the parties to the conflict under international humanitarian law regarding the provision of humanitarian assistance, demands that they allow, facilitate and enable the immediate, safe and unhindered delivery of humanitarian assistance at scale directly to the Palestinian civilian population throughout the Gaza Strip, and in this regard calls for urgent steps to immediately allow safe, unhindered, and expanded humanitarian access and to create the conditions for a sustainable cessation of hostilities;

 3. Demands that the parties to the conflict allow and facilitate the use of all available routes to and throughout the entire Gaza Strip, including border crossings, including full and prompt implementation of the announced opening of the Karem Abu Salem / Kerem Shalom Border Crossing, for the provision of humanitarian assistance in order to ensure that humanitarian personnel and humanitarian assistance, including fuel, food, and medical supplies and emergency shelter assistance, reaches the civilian population in need throughout the Gaza Strip without diversion and through the most direct routes, as well as for material and equipment to repair and ensure the functioning of critical infrastructure and to provide essential services, without prejudice to the obligations of the parties to the conflict under international humanitarian law, and stresses the importance of respecting and protecting border crossings and maritime infrastructure used for the delivery of humanitarian assistance at scale;

 4. Requests the Secretary-General, with the objective of expediting the delivery of humanitarian assistance to the civilian population in the Gaza Strip, to appoint a Senior Humanitarian and Reconstruction Coordinator with responsibility for facilitating, coordinating, monitoring, and verifying in Gaza, as appropriate, the humanitarian nature of all humanitarian relief consignments to Gaza provided through states which are not party to the conflict, and further requests that the Coordinator expeditiously establish a UN mechanism for accelerating the provision of humanitarian relief consignments to Gaza through states which are not party to the conflict, consulting all relevant parties, with the goal of expediting, streamlining, and accelerating the process of providing assistance while continuing to help ensure that aid reaches its civilian destination, and demands that the parties to the conflict cooperate with the Coordinator to fulfill their mandate without delay or obstruction;

 5. Requests that the Coordinator be appointed expeditiously;

 6. Determines that the Coordinator will have the necessary personnel and equipment in Gaza, under the authority of the United Nations, to perform these, and other functions as determined by the Security Council, and requests that the Coordinator report to the Security Council on its work, with an initial report within 20 days and thereafter every 90 days through 30 September 2024;

 7. Demands the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages, as well as ensuring humanitarian access to address medical needs of all hostages;

 8. Demands the provision of fuel to Gaza at levels that will meet requisite humanitarian needs;

 9. Calls for all parties to adhere to international humanitarian law and in this regard deplores all attacks against civilians and civilian objects, as well as all violence and hostilities against civilians, and all acts of terrorism;

 10. Reaffirms the obligations of all parties under international humanitarian law, including with regard to respecting and protecting civilians and taking constant care to spare civilian objects, including such objects critical to the delivery of essential services to the civilian population, and with regard to refraining from attacking, destroying, removing or rendering useless objects that are indispensable to the survival of the civilian population, as well as respecting and protecting humanitarian personnel and consignments used for humanitarian relief operations;

 11. Reaffirms that civilian objects, including places of refuge, including within United Nations facilities and their surroundings, are protected under international humanitarian law, and rejects forced displacement of the civilian population, including children, in violation of international law, including international humanitarian law and international human rights law;

 12. Reiterates its unwavering commitment to the vision of the two-State solution where two democratic States, Israel and Palestine, live side by side in peace within secure and recognized borders, consistent with international law and relevant UN resolutions, and in this regard stresses the importance of unifying the Gaza Strip with the West Bank under the Palestinian Authority;

 13. Demands that all parties to the conflict take all appropriate steps to ensure the safety and security of United Nations and associated personnel, those of its specialized agencies, and all other personnel engaged in humanitarian relief activities consistent with international humanitarian law, without prejudice to their freedom of movement and access, stresses the need not to hinder these efforts, and recalls that humanitarian relief personnel must be respected and protected;

 14. Demands implementation of resolution 2712 (2023) in full, requests the Secretary-General to report to the Security Council in writing within five working days of the adoption of this resolution on the implementation of resolution 2712 (2023), and thereafter as necessary, and calls upon all parties concerned to make full use of the humanitarian notification and deconfliction mechanisms in place to protect all humanitarian sites, including UN facilities, and to help facilitate the movement of aid convoys, without prejudice to the obligations of the parties to uphold international humanitarian law;

 15. Requests the Secretary-General to report on the implementation of this resolution in the regular reporting to the Council;

 16. Decides to remain actively seized of the matter.
Home Church & Ministries End Times beliefs shape how Christians act in their daily lives, eschatology experts say

What people believe about the End Times impacts how they operate in their daily lives, according to experts on eschatology.

Dallas Theological Seminary theology professor Michael J. Svigel and author and scholar Darrell Bock discussed the topic in a recent episode of The Table podcast.

Svigel stressed the importance of understanding eschatology, cautioning that Christians must know where we are in the story to know how to live and what to believe.

We need to know where we are, he said. There is a feedback loop as you're thinking about details of the end and how this is going to work out, how it's not going to work out, how do we get there? These are all questions that are answered by the details of eschatology.

Is this something that we have to establish in our own age prior to Christ's return versus [do] we have another mission until Christ returns? Or is it a little of both? How you answer those questions is going to affect, if you're consistent with your eschatology, how you live on that Monday morning.

Bock warned that, by not wanting to learn details about the End Times, some Christians are missing some things that you need to know and understand and appreciate in order to understand who you're supposed to be now.

In fact, the failure to understand where eschatology takes us probably makes us more nervous in this time, and then we're more likely to make mistakes, Bock stressed.

The experts then discussed the three dominant ideas in Christianity about the End Times: premillennialism, which argues that Christ will return before His 1,000-year reign is established; postmillennialism, which sees Christs Second Coming as occurring after 1,000 years of "a golden age or era of Christian prosperity and dominance;" and amillennialism, which argues that there will be no millennial reign and that the 1,000-year reign mentioned in Revelation is not literal.

If you're amillennial and you believe Jesus can come back and form the new Heavens and the new Earth, you're less likely to be concerned about the role of Israel and the plan of God, just by that default, Bock explained.

If you're premillennial, you're going to be concerned with figuring out, OK, so when is Jesus coming back to set this all up? If you're postmillennial, you're going to be working hard to fix things until we get there. And so, those break out into three very different general approaches, depending on which space I'm in.

Svigel briefly described how these different perspectives on the End Times have influenced the behaviors of Christians over the centuries, leading to different outlooks on everyday life.

There have been what I would call passive evangelistic post-millennialism, where you just preach the Word and eventually, miraculously, there'll be this pouring out of the spirit and the world will convert, said Svigel.

But then there's, on the other extreme, has been militant post-millennialism, where our job is to pick up the pitchforks and the spears and overthrow the king and the church and establish a perfect society.

Svigel added that how you answer those questions just by those examples has been very, very important to your day-to-day living, how you view the mission of the Christian.

Bock spoke about how ones views on the End Times shape how they might approach involvement in public space, with him referring to a theocratic expectation of things.

A theocratic expectation is the idea of governments that are called to live by God's values, no matter what. And you're going to enforce those values by the way you structure your government, as opposed to an approach that says, Well, we should live by God's standards, but we also understand we're living in the world, he explained.

Those are big orientation questions. Most people float through their theological life not even thinking about them, but they end up, depending on what they're absorbing, having a theological and eschatological worldview whether they realize it or not. And so, it's much better to be aware of what's going on around you than not being aware of what's going around you.

In June, popular podcaster Jeff Kinley released his latest book on the End Times, titled God's Grand Finale: Wrath, Grace, and Glory in Earths Last Days.

Kinley told The Christian Post in an interview in October that he believed churches in the United States have, by and large, not done a good job of addressing the book of Revelation.

I think people view Revelation as sort of being off limits to Christians because of its apocalyptic language, because some of its symbolism that's in there, Kinley said.

But the very word, Revelation, means to uncover or reveal or to unveil, not to hide. So, the irony is that people think that its a book of hidden knowledge when the very title of the book tells us that it is a book that tells us Who God is and tells us what's going to happen.
Home World Israeli Pres. Herzog meets with Christian leaders, calls for unity to eradicate jihadist ideology

Israeli President Isaac Herzog convened a meeting with leaders of various Christian communities in the Holy Land to discuss the ongoing conflict with Hamas in Gaza and the broader implications for religious communities in the region, emphasizing the threat of extreme fundamentalist Islam.

At the gathering held at the Presidents Residence, Herzog spoke candidly about the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas, describing it as a barbaric act that targeted innocent people of diverse nationalities, including members of the Christian community, according to a statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Herzog emphasized that such violence is antithetical to the teachings of major religions.

There are also many people of the Christian communities who are affected by these horrors. Nothing of this is compatible with the Gospels, with the writing of the Gospels, with the teaching of Jesus Christ, or the teachings of course of the Jewish faith, and also with moderate Islam. Our problem  all of us  is with extreme fundamentalist Islam, which does not accommodate you or us, he said.

Its an expression of an empire of evil that emanates from Tehran, which believes in jihadist ideology, which we all have to eradicate. And that is why this war was forced upon us, the president added.

The gathering included high-ranking Christian dignitaries such as Greek Patriarch Theophilos III, Armenian Patriarch Nourhan Manougian, and Latin Patriarch Cardinal Battista Pietro Pizzaballa, among others.

Herzog called for a unified condemnation of terrorism from Christian leaders worldwide.

In the last year Ive taken clear steps to defend and to protect Christian communities in the Holy Land. I do expect all religious leaders and all voices of the Christian world to express clear condemnation of these horrors, and to support our efforts to eradicate evil from the face of the Holy Land, and enable a different future for Israelis, Palestinians, and the region as a whole, the president told the gathering.

There were some deeply disappointing comments by certain very important leaders in the Christian world and we expect a different direction because in the end, we are all dealing with something which is very clear: are we in favor of good, or we favor of evil. Israel is clearly undoubtedly doing its best. And its fighting not only for us against Hamas, but for the world at large, for the voices of morality, Herzog added.

In his speech, Herzog also extended Christmas and New Year greetings to the Christian community, expressing hope for peace and happiness in the region.

Greek Patriarch Theophilos III responded by expressing gratitude for Herzogs support of the Christian community in Jerusalem and the Holy Land, The Times of Israel reported, saying he also underscored the shared moral tradition that values human life and dignity, advocating for freedom, safety and security for all.

The meeting concluded with President Herzog engaging with leaders of the Evangelical community in Israel, who reportedly expressed their solidarity with Israel and condemned the acts of terrorism perpetrated by Hamas.

According to claims by the Hamas-controlled Gaza health ministry, more than 18,800 people had died, as of Tuesday, since the war began after Hamas carried out terror attacks against Israel on Oct. 7, according to the Times of Israel. The outlet said these figures were thought to include around 7,000 members or affiliates of Hamas, in addition to civilians who were casualties of Palestinian rockets that misfired.
Home World Italian legislation aims to punish teachers who ban Nativity scenes: 'Attack on the deepest values'

A bill introduced in the Italian Senate this week by members of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's political party would punish teachers in the country who ban Nativity scenes in an attempt to keep from offending non-Christians.

Members of the Brothers of Italy party proposed a draft law Wednesday that would subject school leaders to fines or other disciplinary measures if they remove Nativity scenes regardless of whether parents or students request it, according to The Times of London.

The bill, which was introduced by Italian Sen. Lavinia Mennuni, stipulates that banning Nativity displays in Italian schools "discriminates" against Roman Catholics and represents "an attack on the deepest values and traditions of our people."

Mennuni said that for years, she has witnessed "embarrassing and unacceptable decisions by some schools to ban Nativity scenes, or to turn Christmas into an improbable winter festival to avoid giving offense to practitioners of other religions."

She maintained that the law "is absolutely essential to safeguard and protect [Italy's] cultural roots, which are exemplified by the Nativity scene," according to The Guardian.

The bill slams attempts to rebrand Christmas as a nonsectarian winter festival, which it described as "devoid of any historical and cultural commemorative context pertaining to our nation and which, lacking any ethical content, is destined to assume a purely hedonistic-consumeristic connotation."

The proposed law was met with pushback from some people who accused Meloni and the Brothers of Italy party of weaponizing religion for political purposes.

"Punctual as a Swiss clock, during Christmas, the right-wing proposals to safeguard Italian Christian traditions return," said Riccardo Magi, who serves as secretary of the progressive Piu Europa party.

Meloni, an outspoken Roman Catholic, was elected in 2022 on a platform of defending Italy's traditional culture and national identity amid a centralized European government and a surge of illegal immigration.

Invoking the Holy Family to buttress his point, Magi claimed the proposed law is laden with "hypocrisy, bordering on blasphemy," and framed it in the context of Meloni's allegedly anti-immigrant policies.

"[This is] the same right wing, led by Giorgia Meloni, for whom today, the Holy Family fleeing from persecution would probably end up in a detention center, maybe in Albania, waiting to find out from some judge in Italy whether or not they are worthy of setting foot on Italian territory," Magi said.

Last month, Meloni's government reached a deal with Albania to build two centers by next spring to house up to 3,000 of the many asylum seekers attempting to come into Italy while they await their processing.

Veronica Migani, who serves as head teacher at a school in Bergamo, implied the bill is unnecessary and that she has not encountered any controversy over Nativity scenes, despite having an ethnically diverse student body.

"We have never had problems  in our school we have a Christmas tree, crucifixes and no one has ever had a problem," she asserted. "We also respect Ramadan."

Antonello Giannelli, who is a member of Italy's association of head teachers, also criticized the bill, saying, "Anything related to the culture of a country and its religion cannot be imposed by law."
Home Education Virginia drops charge against Loudoun superintendent at center of trans bathroom controversy

Prosecutors will not pursue the remaining criminal charge against Scott Ziegler, the former Loudoun County Public Schools superintendent who faced several indictments after the district was scrutinized for lying to parents about a sexual assault as it sought to enact a trans bathroom policy.

Prosecutors working for Attorney General Jason Miyares filed a "motion for nolle prosequi" Wednesday, a legal notice to abandon prosecution before trial, The Daily Wire reported. The former superintendent still faced a third misdemeanor charge.

Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares announced in December 2022 that a Loudoun County judge ordered the unsealing of four indictments issued by a special grand jury against Ziegler. The jury also indicted the school system's public information officer Wayde Byard.

Ziegler faced "one count of misdemeanor false publication," "one count of misdemeanor prohibited conduct," and "one count of misdemeanor penalizing an employee for a court appearance." Before the announcement of the indictments, the Loudoun County school board voted to fire Ziegler following the grand jury report.

"The Commonwealth submits that the orderly administration of justice, judicial economy, and the ends of justice mitigate against expending the significant additional resources that would be required to try the Defendant by jury on the instant Class 3 misdemeanor indictment," the motion stated.

Ziegler faces a $2,500 fine, 12 months in jail and other collateral consequences for a case unrelated to the controversy surrounding the proposed trans bathroom policy.

In September, a jury found Ziegler guilty of retaliating against a former special education teacher who complained about the district's response to her complaints about a student groping her in the classroom. The jury did not find Ziegler guilty of retaliating against the employee for testifying in April 2022.

As prosecutors noted in their Wednesday motion, Ziegler was also charged for lying during a June 2021 school board meeting. In response to parents concerned about a proposed trans bathroom policy, the superintendent said that the district had no record of any sexual assaults taking place in bathrooms.

A male student wearing a skirt sexually assaulted a female student inside the girls' bathroom on May 28, 2021, at Stone Bridge High School. The same male student sexually assaulted another girl a few months later after he was transferred to Broad Run High School.

The special grand jury report, which investigated the district's response to the assaults, called Ziegler's assertion during the meeting a "bald-faced lie." In a Nov. 10 letter to Ziegler, Loudoun County Sheriff Michael Chapman also contradicted the claims made by the former superintendent during the June 2021 school board meeting.

"[D]espite a public statement at a School Board meeting on June 22, 2021, denying any knowledge of sexual assaults in any LCPS bathrooms, you sent an email on May 28, 2021, to members of the School Board advising them of the incident  thus invalidating your public statement," Chapman wrote.

The grand jury report also condemned the district's "lack of cooperation" during its investigation, accusing the LCSB of putting up "roadblocks" from the very beginning. At one point, a lawyer for the board chairman and superintendent submitted a motion to quash the grand jury's subpoenas, but the motion was rejected.

"LCSB's counsel consistently and repeatedly interrupted answers of his own witnesses when he felt certain information was about to be revealed," the report stated.

"LCSB's counsel consistently and repeatedly objected to questions that would elicit information about a meeting or conversation that occurred when LCSB division counsel was present  regardless of whether that meeting or conversation had anything to do with soliciting legal advice, or if division counsel was even a party to the meeting or conversation. Division counsel's mere silent presence in a crowded room was enough for LCSB's lawyer to claim the attorney-client privilege and instruct the witnesses not to answer the question."
Home Opinion A 'Silent Night, Holy Night approach to anxiety

The beloved Christmas carol Silent Night was written in 1816 by Joseph Mohr, a young priest in the small town of Oberndorf, Austria. The Napoleonic wars had recently ended and the priest went for a walk on a quiet winter night. The peacefulness that had settled upon the town inspired him to write the soothing lyrics.

Two years later the carol was first performed as Stille nacht, Heilige Nacht (Silent Night, Holy Night). Joseph Mohr played the guitar and sang along with organist Franz Gruber who wrote the melody. It is the worlds most recorded Christmas song, with more than 137,000 known recordings. The cherished Christmas carol has been translated into over 300 languages bringing comfort to people around the world, and the familiar lyrics are breathtaking:

Silent night, Holy night, All is calm, all is bright

Round yon Virgin, Mother and Child

Holy Infant, so tender and mild

Sleep in heavenly peace, Sleep in heavenly peace.

Unfortunately, a calm and peaceful heart seems hard to come by these days. A USA Today headline last month read: Anxiety is Everywhere. And Fortune Magazine recently reported: Employees Across North America and Europe are Struggling with Depression and Anxiety. U.S. News & World Report announced last year: Anxiety Grows Among Americans as Crisis After Crisis Spirals Out of Control. And Gallup News reported earlier this year: U.S. Depression Rates Reach New Highs.

What can be done to quiet our hearts amid this anxiety epidemic? The song title, Silent Night, Holy Night, holds a critical clue.

The proverbial phrase silence is golden can be traced back to ancient Egypt. Clinical health psychologist Amy Sullivan says, We can use calm, quiet moments to tap into a different part of the nervous system that helps shut down our bodies physical response to stress. In other words, being still and silent can help you: lower your blood pressure; decrease your heart rate; steady your breathing; reduce muscle tension; increase focus and cognition.

Unfortunately, Americans are finding it quite difficult to enjoy much solitude these days. Many feed their addiction to social media while dwelling on daily news reports about national strife, but this unwholesome habit only tends to increase anxiety in the heart and mind. A possible solution? Dr. Sullivan suggests that people become intentionally silent as often as possible. She says, Learning to sit in stillness and self-reflect is one of the greatest gifts we can give ourselves and our kids.

Gods Word takes it a step further. Scripture instructs us to fill our minds with truth and prayer during our quiet times throughout the day. The Lord tells His people: Be still and know that I am God (Psalm 46:10). In other words, meditate upon the greatness of God and the mighty acts He has performed.

A silent night certainly has benefits, but combining it with a holy night takes things to a whole new level. Silence without God will ultimately leave your soul empty. But when you blend silence with holiness, you begin to experience significant breakthroughs in your struggle with stress and anxiety.

You see, we were created to think and live in a way that is pleasing to our Creator. And the more we think holy thoughts and live in a godly manner, the more calm we experience as the stress begins to melt away. For example, filling your mind with Scripture is a proven method that greatly reduces anxiety. Gods Word can dispel worry and fear while replacing it with faith and joy.

You probably realize that a holy life is not something you are capable of producing within yourself. Thankfully, God has been producing holiness within His children for thousands of years. And where we miss the mark, the grace of God washes away our sins. We fall far short of perfection every day, and yet the Lord continues to love, forgive, and guide each of His children day by day.

Evangelist Billy Graham said, The very purpose of Christs coming into the world was that he might offer up his life as a sacrifice for the sins of men. He came to die. This is the heart of Christmas.

Are you a child of God? Have you repented of your sins and trusted Jesus to forgive you and save your soul? Silence, by itself, will provide only limited relief. To go all the way, it is necessary to confess your sins to the Lord and receive His free offer of grace and salvation.

Are you ready for some solitude in your soul? Sing Silent Night and allow this peaceful song to quiet your heart today. Begin talking to Jesus often and meditate upon Scripture every day. And be sure to gather with other Christians for worship every week.

You will not regret walking closely with the Prince of Peace and taking a silent night, holy night approach to anxiety. This life-changing spiritual strategy has calmed the hearts of believers for centuries, and the Lord will gladly do the same thing for you!
Home Opinion The Pope cannot overrule God

If you have followed my writing and speaking over the decades, you will know that Catholicism has not been a focus of my ministry, either praising it or criticizing it. At the same time, I recognize the important role of the Catholic Church in standing for the sanctity of life and the meaning of marriage. Thats what makes the recent pronouncement of Pope Francis, allowing priests to bless same-sex couples, especially distressing. What act of apostasy will be next?

My Catholic colleague John Zmirak wrote on Tuesday, Today I got one of those emails nobody wants to receive. You know, the ones where a journalist informs you that the leader of your church has authoritatively endorsed grave, unrepented sin; mocked not just timeless and current church teaching but the natural law itself; and opened up faithful clergy to persecution by the State. And by the way, would you like to comment? (Later in his article, Zmirak references Pope Francis poisonous reign of error.)

Specifically,quoting from the Washington Times,Pope Francis on Monday approved letting priests bless same-sex couples, sparking criticism from conservative Catholics and praise from the LGBTQ community.

Such blessings would not rise to the level of church-sanctioned same-sex marriages, the Vatican cautioned, but would offer gay Catholics the opportunity to seek Gods mercy without being subjected to an exhaustive moral analysis.

The Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith issued the declaration, Fiducia supplicans, with the popes approval but not his signature less than three months after a papal letter said such blessings were possible so long as they do not transmit a wrong conception of marriage.

This is not just a step in the wrong direction. It is theological double-talk, spiritual drivel, and a mockery of the Word of God. Surely, faithful Catholics around the world will reject this apostate message. It has no support in Scripture, in divine morality, or in historic Church tradition, whether Catholic, Orthodox, or Protestant.

And so, rather than try to parse the theological nuances of the Popes statement, which in the end helps no one and harms many, let me be straightforward.

No priest or Pope or pastor or spiritual leader can bless something that God Himself does not bless. Their words are empty and void of divine power or authority. They are human utterances and nothing more.

As much as a gay couple may be in love, as much as they may revere the traditions of their Church (at least, some of the traditions), and as much as they may be models of kindness and loyalty, the fact is that male + male or female + female represents a fundamental violation of the meaning of marriage, not to mention a fundamental violation of the nature and purpose of humanity.

How then can a priest bless a couple whose very relationship goes against the order and plan of God? And, speaking in particular of two gay men, how can a priest, representing the Lord, bless them when the Lord Himself deems their sexual relationship to be something detestable in His sight (Leviticus 18:22) and when Paul says that those who practice such things will be excluded from the kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 6:9-10).

You might say, You fundamentalists are always attacking homosexuality. What about adultery? What about other kinds of sexual immorality? What about all you Bible-thumping Christians who are addicted to porn?

But thats the whole point.

If a Christian leader said, We are now blessing couples living in adultery, there would be outrage.

If that leader said, We are now offering special blessings for all the couples living together out of wedlock, there would be pushback.

If a church had a weekly porn night where after worship and prayer, the congregants would watch porn, it would set the internet ablaze.

But that is not happening, except perhaps in the case of divorces without biblical justification, followed by illegitimate marriages which are sometimes blessed by compromised clergy.

Otherwise, no major Church leaders are sanctioning adultery or fornication or pornography. But some are sanctioning same-sex unions (or, in more compromised settings, same-sex marriages). That is why we respond as we do.

Its the same thing with LGBTQ+ activism in general.

That activism is affecting children in our nursery schools and young adults on our college campuses. It is everywhere in our society, from social media to the world of sports, and from TV and Hollywood to the business world.

We cannot avoid confronting LGBTQ+ activism and ideology wherever we turn, so we either push back with our own values or we cave in and capitulate.

Its the same with the Popes ridiculous pronouncement. There must be a reply.

The fact that Such blessings would not rise to the level of church-sanctioned same-sex marriages is meaningless.

The blessings would sanction something God does not sanction and give false assurances to the couples involved. And is there a gay Catholic on the planet who would not see this as another step in the direction of the ultimate goal, namely, the full acceptance of gay relationships by the Catholic Church?

As for the notion that these blessings were possible as long as they do not transmit a wrong conception of marriage, my response is short and sweet: Are you kidding me?

Really now, is the Pope telling us a gay couple can live together, can be emotionally and physically intimate, and can commit to lifelong faithfulness without transmitting a wrong conception of marriage? What is the big difference between the two  other than the obvious fact that two men or two women cannot marry in Gods sight?

In August, I addressed the Church of Englands decision to allow Anglican clergy to bless same-sex couples, yet another apostate step made by this rapidly declining faith group.

What will now happen with the Catholic Church?

That is for Catholics to answer, but without question, this could lead to a major rift of sorts, as the strong, conservative elements of the Church will reject this pronouncement outright, whatever the cost. The effects could be seismic. (As I noted in that August article, it is progressive Christianity that is dying; the real gospel is thriving.)

As for the gay Catholic couples who see this as a beacon of hope and a sign of the humanity and compassion of the Church, I dont pretend to see the world through their eyes, and I dont claim to understand the pain and the struggle they have endured.

I will just say this, with brokenness, not with triumphalism: I dont doubt your love for each other. I dont doubt that part of you really wants to honor the Lord. But I can only tell you the truth. God has a better way, and He never intended you to unite with someone of the same sex.

If you will lay your life before Him, surrendering fully to Jesus as Lord, He will forgive all your sins and give you a fresh new start. Cry out to Him today!
Christian teacher guilty of 'unacceptable professional conduct' for sharing sexuality beliefs in Church of England school

A Christian teacher at a Church of England school has been found guilty of "unacceptable professional conduct" after expressing her views about human sexuality.

The ruling from the Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) against Glawdys Leger, 43, stopped short of banning her from teaching indefinitely.

"The Secretary of State for Education has considered the panel's recommendation and has decided that it is not appropriate to impose a prohibition order," it said.

However, the ruling will be added to her teacher record which can be used by future employers to check her background.

Ms Leger was sacked by the Bishop Justus Church of England School in Bromley, Kent, in May 2022, after objecting to material that had been incorporated into Religious Education (RE) lessons for Year 7 pupils.

The teacher, who is being supported by the Christian Legal Centre (CLC), had been a Modern Foreign Languages teacher for 12 years.

Responding to the ruling, Ms Leger said she was "relieved" not to be banned from the profession but said she found it "extremely alarming" to have been "found guilty of discussing and debating Christian teaching in a Christian school in an RE lesson".

She added that being brought before the TRA had "taken a great toll on me".

"I raised what I did because children were being taught one extreme LGBTQI+ narrative at the school with no debate. Yet for raising, expressing and teaching Christian beliefs on these issues, I have been accused of not presenting a balanced view," she said.

"Any Christian or religious school must be upfront and honest with parents who believe they are sending their children to a Christian school, if it no longer adheres to Christian teaching or beliefs, or even its own teaching on human sexuality.

"They must be transparent with parents that, in many cases, some Christian schools are instead pushing deeply contested and harmful ideologies on children without their parents' permission or knowledge."

She continued, "The message from the TRA is that Christian teachers must not only be silent about their beliefs, but they must actively promote LGBT ideology or risk being severely punished and even losing their careers."

CLC chief executive Andrea Williams said: "Regulatory bodies are creating an oppressive environment for teachers which chills the atmosphere and prevents the expression of Christian faith in schools and any alternative or balancing viewpoint to LGBTQI+ ideology.

"Glawdys is a Christian teacher who was teaching Christian ethics in an RE lesson in a Christian school. For her to be punished for doing her job well creates censorship in the classroom.

"Ms Leger cared deeply about the children in her care and wanted to teach them about the tolerance and hope that is found in the Christian faith. For that she has been punished and even risked loss of her license to teach.

"We are ready to continue to support Glawdys and to appeal any of the findings made against her by the TRA."
Extremist jailed for at least 16 years over plot to kill Christian preacher

An Islamist extremist has been sentenced to a minimum sentence of 16 years over a plot to kill a Christian preacher in London's Hyde Park.

Edward Little, 22, was intercepted by officers on 23 September 2022 while on his way to buy a weapon after travelling from his home in Brighton to London. He had a rucksack containing 5,000 when he was arrested.

He had planned to kill Christian preacher Hatun Tash, who leads the apologetics ministry, DCCI (Defend Christ Critique Islam) Ministries, and often engages with Muslims on the topic of Islam at Speakers' Corner.

Earlier this year, Little admitted preparing to commit acts of terrorism and was sentenced in his absence at the Old Bailey.

Prosecutor Duncan Penny KC told the court that Little had plotted to kill anyone with Tash and police officers or soldiers in the area.

Counter Terrorism Policing South East, DCS Olly Wright, told PA Media: "This is a very, very dangerous man who's been stopped from carrying out a terrorist attack. I'm absolutely convinced of that. And lives have been saved as a result.

"Obviously, he had a target at Speakers' Corner but anyone who got in his way, like a police officer or members of the public, could have been at risk."

In 2021, Tash was attacked at Speakers' Corner in front of a crowd and in the presence of police officers. The attacker has never been apprehended.

A video posted to DCCI's YouTube channel on Friday raised concerns about her whereabouts as she has reportedly not been seen for over a month.
Warnings sounded against assisted suicide amid fresh calls for law change

Fresh calls for assisted suicide to be legalised are being challenged over concerns for the vulnerable.

TV personality and philanthropist Dame Esther Rantzen reignited the debate this week after telling BBC Radio 4's The Today Podcast that she had joined the Dignitas clinic in Switzerland and plans to go there if treatment for her stage four lung cancer is unsuccessful.

Legislation to change the law was last defeated in 2015 but Work and Pensions Secretary Mel Stride said this week that he "would not be averse" to a new Commons debate.

The 2015 bill was supported by Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer who said on Friday that there were "grounds for changing the law" on assisted suicide.

Assisted suicide remains a crime in England and Wales and is punishable by up to 14 years in prison.

Critics of a change to the law have warned against introducing assisted suicide because of the risk to vulnerable people.

They point to countries like Canada, Belgium and the Netherlands where legalisation has been a "slippery slope" towards ever expanding criteria, including assisted suicide for mental health issues and minors.

Dr David Randall, lead campaigner for Our Duty of Care, a coalition of doctors opposed to assisted suicide, wrote to The Times: "Sir, Esther Rantzen is the latest public figure to come out in favour of assisted dying. Educated, articulate and well-connected, such individuals have an experience of life that is very different from the patients I look after.

"In 15 years of working as a doctor in east London, I have been asked only once by a patient to end their life. Far more commonly, my attempts to institute humane and effective end-of-life care is hampered by fears that I might be trying to do exactly that.

"Our politicians are to be commended for rejecting the beguiling claim that assisted suicide offers an easy solution to the complex challenges of suffering and death.

"Instead they have preserved a law that protects those whose voices are marginalised, a law that enjoys widespread support among disadvantaged and minority groups."

Others have expressed concerns, with crossbench peer Lord Alton saying that assisted suicide "represents danger to the safety of the vulnerable & disabled people".

Danny Kruger MP has said, "All experience shows legalising assisted dying is dangerous for the most vulnerable. It is deeply wrong that its advocates ignore all this evidence to promote a policy that will undermine end-of-life care."
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CLEVELAND, Ohio  What is Ohios favorite Christmas drink?

According to one survey, its not Christmas Ale. Though if Cleveland were surveyed its safe to say that would have a healthy chance of finishing on top.

Turns out the Buckeye states favorite Christmas drink is eggnog. It ranked tops in Ohio as well as in Hawaii, Nevada, North Dakota, Vermont and West Virginia.

Tasting Table has culled Google search-trend data for favorite Christmas drinks by state. The site provides dining advice, tips, recipes and news regarding food, drink and restaurants.

Here are the most popular drinks and the number of states that favor them, according to Tasting Table:

1. Poinsettia cocktail (12)

2. Christmas punch (8)

3. Coquito (8)

4. Eggnog (6)

5. Wassail (5)

6. Mulled wine (3)

7. Christmas sangria (3)

8. Hot toddy (1)

9. Peppermint martini (1)

10. Mulled cider (1)

11. Hot buttered rum (1)

12. Chocolate martini (1)

Heres Tasting Tables full survey.

I am on cleveland.coms life and culture team and cover food, beer, wine and sports-related topics. For my recent stories, heres a directory on cleveland.com. Bill Wills of WTAM-1100 and I talk food and drink usually at 8:20 a.m. Thursdays. Twitter: @mbona30. My latest book, co-authored with Dan Murphy, is Joe Thomas: Not Your Average Joe by Gray & Co.

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Like cool local food + drinks photos and videos? Follow @DineDrinkCLE on Instagram.
Police officers stand near a rescue vehicle outside the Vatry airport, eastern France, Saturday, Dec. 23, 2023, in Vatry, eastern France. About 300 Indian citizens heading to Central America were sequestered in a French airport for a third day Saturday because of an investigation into suspected human trafficking, authorities said. The 15 crew members of the Legend Airlines charter flight en route from United Arab Emirates to Nicaragua were questioned and released, according to a lawyer for the small Romania-based airline. Christophe Ena | AP Photo

A charter plane sequestered while carrying 303 Indians to Nicaragua was authorized Sunday to leave the French airport where it has been grounded for four days for a human trafficking investigation. A lawyer for the airline said the plane would take many of the stranded passengers back to India on Monday. Local authorities were working through Christmas Eve on formalities to allow some passengers to leave the small Vatry Airport in Champagne country, regional prosecutor Annick Browne told The Associated Press. All of the passengers, including a 21-month-old child, had been stuck in the airport terminal since Thursday. Two passengers were detained as part of a special French investigation into suspected human trafficking by an organized criminal group. Several others requested asylum in France, according to the local administration. Prosecutors said 11 passengers were unaccompanied minors who were put under special administrative care. The Legend Airlines A340 plane stopped Thursday for refueling in Vatry en route from Fujairah airport in United Arab Emirates for Managua, Nicaragua, and was grounded by police based on an anonymous tip that it could be carrying trafficking victims. The airport was requisitioned by police for days, and then turned into a makeshift courtroom Sunday as judges, lawyers and translators filled the terminal to carry out emergency hearings to determine whether to keep the Indians sequestered any longer.

The hearings were halted midway because of a dispute over the procedure used to block the Indians in the airport, and a decision on next steps was expected overnight, the prosecutor said Sunday. The seizure order for the airliner was lifted Sunday morning, a decision that "makes it possible to contemplate the passengers in the waiting area being rerouted, according to a statement from the Marne administration. The French Civil Aviation Authority then set about trying to get the necessary permissions for the plane to take off once again, which should be in place "no later than Monday morning," according to the prefecture. Legend Airlines lawyer Liliana Bakayoko told AP that the company hoped the plane could head to Mumbai, India, on Monday ''with as many passengers as possible.'' She estimated around 280 passengers should be able to leave. The prosecutor and regional administration could not confirm an exact figure.

watch now

Local officials, medics and volunteers installed cots and ensured regular meals and showers for those held in the airport. But lawyers at Sunday's hearings protested authorities' overall handling of the strange situation. ''I'm surprised at how things unfolded in the waiting area. People should have been informed of their rights, and clearly that was not the case,'' Francois Procureur, the head of the Chalons-en-Champagne Bar Association, told BFM television. He called the mass, hasty airport hearings ''unprecedented.'' Foreigners can be held up to four days in a transit zone for police investigations in France, after which a special judge must rule on whether to extend that for eight days. Prosecutors wouldn't comment on what kind of trafficking was alleged, or whether the passengers' ultimate destination was the U.S., which has seen a surge in Indians crossing the Mexico-U.S. border this year.

watch now
Yekaterina Duntsova, the 40-year-old independent politician who declared her intention to run in the 2024 presidential election, talks to an AFP reporter in Moscow on December 20, 2023. The election will be held over a three-day period from March 15 to 17. (Photo by Vera Savina / AFP) (Photo by VERA SAVINA/AFP via Getty Images)

Former TV journalist Yekaterina Duntsova was disqualified on Saturday from running against President Vladimir Putin in an election next March because of alleged flaws in her application to register as a candidate.

Video from a meeting of the central electoral commission showed members voting unanimously to reject the candidacy of Duntsova, who had wanted to run on a platform to end the war in Ukraine and release political prisoners.

Her disqualification was seized on by Putin's critics as proof that no one with genuine opposition views will be allowed to stand against him in the first presidential election since the start of the 22-month war. They see it as a fake process with only one possible outcome.

Read more about Russia's war on Ukraine: Polish farmers to suspend protest at Ukraine border, truckers stay

The Kremlin says Putin will win because he enjoys genuine support across society, with opinion poll ratings of around 80%.

The head of the electoral commission, Ella Pamfilova, offered words of consolation to Duntsova after her rejection.

"You are a young woman, you have everything ahead of you. Any minus can always be turned into a plus. Any experience is still an experience," Pamfilova said.

Screenshots posted by a telegram channel representing Duntsova showed documents that it said the commission had highlighted as lacking proper signatures.

Duntsova, 40, told reporters her team had assembled the application in a hurry and had trouble finding a lawyer to certify the bid, after dozens of others declined.

She said she had approached veteran liberal politician Grigory Yavlinsky about the possibility of submitting a new application to stand as a representative of his Yabloko party.

"I hope there will be some kind of reaction... We have similar values in principle," Duntsova said.

But Yavlinsky said in an interview on a YouTube channel that Yabloko would not back her "because we don't know her."

Duntsova had presented papers to the electoral commission less than 72 hours earlier in support of her bid. It was largely ignored by pro-Kremlin state media, which also failed to report on her disqualification.
In November, CNBC visited Apple's campus in Cupertino, California, to get a look inside one of the company's many chip labs. CNBC also got a rare chance to talk with the senior vice president of hardware technologies, Johny Srouji, and Apple's senior vice president of hardware engineering, John Ternus, about the company's push into the complex business of custom semiconductor development, which is also being pursued by Amazon, Google, Microsoft and Tesla.

Unlike traditional chipmakers such as Nvidia and Intel, Apple is not making silicon for other companies.

"Because we're not really selling chips outside, we focus on the product," Johny Srouji said. "That gives us freedom to optimize, and the scalable architecture lets us reuse pieces between different products."

Watch the full interview to hear the executives speak about AI, its latest A17 Pro chip, working with manufacturing partner Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company and more.


For the better part of the past 110 years, Stanley was doing just fine. The drinkware manufacturer had made a place for itself in the knapsacks of outdoorsmen and lunchboxes of blue collar workers with its bottles and thermoses that kept food and drinks hot  or cold  for hours on end. The Seattle-based brand was chugging along with a comfortable $70 million in annual sales from its famous hammertone green products, and looked poised for another century of modest, reliable success. But starting in 2020, something changed. A fledgling product came into its own and turned Stanley into a juggernaut. Over the past four years, the Stanley Quencher has become one of the most popular water bottles in the world. Sold in an ever-growing array of colors and finishes, the Quencher has supercharged Stanley's sales by appealing to a demographic that Stanley didn't spend too much time catering to in its first hundred years: women. A favorite of nurses, teachers and celebrities alike, the Quencher has been such a popular product that Stanley's annual sales are projected to top $750 million in 2023, according to data reviewed by CNBC Make It. Here's how Stanley leveraged the Quencher to turn a century-old company into one of the biggest names in hydration.

Early days

The Quencher arrived in 2016 to little fanfare. The 40-ounce insulated cup, which retails for between $45 and $55, sported a handle for ease of transportation, as well as a tapered design that allowed it to slide into a car's cup holder. But in its first few years, the Quencher didn't make much of an impact. Year after year, the brand's best-selling product remained the iconic green bottle. Indeed, sales were so middling that by 2019 Stanley had stopped restocking and marketing the product. In 2020, Stanley brought on Terence Reilly as its new president. Reilly had spent the past seven years at Crocs, where he led the strategy that turned the rubber clogs into one of the hottest shoes on the market. When Reilly came onboard, he did a listening tour around the company to hear from employees about what was working and what wasn't. One employee mentioned a group of women in Utah who ran a commerce blog called The Buy Guide. Buy Guide cofounder Ashlee LeSueur had purchased her first Quencher at a Bed, Bath and Beyond store in 2017. She fell in love with the product and quickly began gifting it to friends and recommending it to followers.

The Quencher retails for between $35 and $55 and comes in dozens of colors and finishes. Lauren Shamo

In 2019, she tried to make a case for Stanley to continue production of the Quencher, but the sales numbers weren't there. Instead, Stanley gave her another option: make a wholesale order to sell Quenchers directly to her Buy Guide audience. "I felt like I was signing a mortgage," LeSueur tells CNBC Make It of her purchase order for 5,000 Quenchers. "It was a big risk for it. It took every penny that we had in the business account, plus some personal funds to make that happen." Those Quenchers, however, sold out within days. When Reilly took charge, he embraced The Buy Guide as partners, working with them to promote new, exciting colors like Desert Sage and Cream. "My experience at Crocs told me that that kind of influencer opportunity was just the magic that Stanley might need," he says. "And we were right. The Buy Guide proved to be amazing partners and helped us create the Quencher phenomenon." In fact, the Quencher sold so well that it replaced the iconic Stanley bottle as the brand's top selling product in 2020. It hasn't let go of the top spot since.

Hydration domination

The success of the Quencher has helped Stanley grow its annual revenue from $70 million to more than $750 million in four years. Gene Kim

With every new color Stanley rolled out, sales continued to increase. Stanley's revenue jumped from $73 million in 2019 to $94 million in 2020. It more than doubled to $194 million in 2021. In 2022, Stanley released a redesigned Quencher model with a streamlined design and new array of colors and finishes. Revenue doubled again that year to $402 million. The Instagram-friendly pastels helped the Quencher be seen as less of a utilitarian product and more as a fashion accessory. As the available color options grew  Stanley has released the Quencher in over 100 colors  some fans began building collections. "We see all the time that [our customer] wants her Quencher to match her fit, her nail polish, her car, her mood, her kitchen," Reilly tells CNBC Make It. "We're serving her where she wants the product." Content creator Chelsea Espejo first learned about the Quencher in 2022. She now has a collection of 47 cups. A gym enthusiast, she credits the cup's large size for helping her stay hydrated throughout her workouts. The wide variety of color options certainly don't hurt either. "On the days that I do have extra time, I search for the specific [color] that matches my shirt," she tells CNBC Make It. "I wouldn't even say Stanleys are something I use. They're actually part of my personality. If I don't have it, if I don't choose the right color, my day kind of doesn't go how I planned it." Espejo isn't the only one with a strong attachment to her Quencher. The cup is a social media darling, especially on TikTok. The #StanleyTumbler hashtag has been viewed more than 900 million times, and the product has been the star of many viral videos.

They're actually part of my personality. If I don't have [my Stanley], if I don't choose the right color, my day kind of doesn't go how I planned it. Chelsea Espejo Stanley Quencher collector

Helping drive the excitement is Stanley's strategy of releasing new colors in limited-edition drops, advertising the latest additions to its roster on social media. Reilly also capitalized on the Quencher's viral success by pushing for collabs with celebrities and brands. "My experience at Crocs was fueled by collaboration culture and drop culture," Reilly says. "And I knew that once we had our legs under us at Stanley, and once we could see the connection to consumers that we were creating, we were also ready for collaborations." Indeed, collabs have been key to driving the Stanley Quencher's popularity. The Quencher is frequently released in limited edition colors that sell out in minutes. A recent collaboration with Starbucks resulted in a red Quencher that was being resold on eBay for hundreds of dollars the same day it dropped.

A recent collab with country music star Lainey Wilson sold out in minutes. Stanley

When Target introduced new Quencher colors recently, some stores had to place restrictions on how many a customer could buy, limiting them to two per person. "The resale market is certainly flattering," Reilly says. "The fact that there are signs at America's best retailers limiting the number of Stanleys you can buy is an astounding thing to think about." Quencher collector Emily Fahrlander made her way to her local Starbucks at five in the morning the day the Starbucks collab was released, determined to get her hands on the limited-edition item. "I'm not usually that crazy, I really am not," she tells Make It. "But I didn't get the last [drop], so I was like, 'Let's just wake up early.'" And while Reilly and the Stanley team still "want a little bit of scarcity" to help keep excitement around the product, he says they are constantly working on manufacturing as much product as possible. "We really continue to increase the number of units available each time we drop, because we see the trend and the waiting lists that are growing," he says. "But there's only so many seats in the stadium, and when the seats are sold out, they're sold out."

Halo Effect

Stanley has now sold more than 10 million Quenchers, and demand for the cup doesn't look to be waning any time soon. The Quencher's popularity on social media has been a boon to the rest of Stanley's business as well. Ellyn Briggs, a brands analyst at Morning Consult, tells CNBC Make It that a rising tide raises all boats. "It's bringing the Stanley name to the forefront of consumers' minds, making them aware of the brand, making them have more favorable perceptions," Briggs tells Make It. Indeed, Reilly says that the "entire Stanley brand has benefited from the Quencher trend."

Stanley's entire lineup has adopted the Quencher's embrace of color. Lauren Shamo
Nearly 20% of college students say they look to social media most often for financial advice, a recent poll from Generation Lab and Morning Brew finds. TikTok has emerged as one of the leading platforms for financial advice, with 34% of Gen Z saying they get their financial advice there, according to SmartAsset. The hashtag #FinTok, representing the financial TikTok community, has more than 4.5 billion views on the platform. At its best, social media helps expose young people to advice on how to save money or climb out of a mountain of credit card debt. But these platforms can also allow for the quick spread of financial misinformation. When it comes to personal finances, social media has become "a blessing and a curse," Brian Walsh, certified financial planner and head of advice and planning at SoFi, tells CNBC Make It. "It's a way for younger people, and actually anyone of any age, to get exposed to financial knowledge in bite-sized pieces when they need it, which can be extremely powerful," he says. "But the curse of social media is really that there's no barrier to entry. And it can become really hard for people to know what's a reliable piece of financial information versus something that, quite frankly, is going to get them in trouble." As social media becomes an increasingly frequent source for money advice, it's important to be able to distinguish between sound financial guidance and a potential scam.

3 red flags to watch out for before taking advice from a financial influencer

Before following advice from a financial influencer, Walsh recommends looking for these three warning signs to help decide whether their tips are trustworthy. 1. Their advice sounds too good to be true Alarm bells should go off in your mind when an influencer promotes any kind of get-rich-quick plan. "If it sounds too good to be true, it most likely is," Walsh says. "There are no quick fixes, overnight success stories, get-rich-quick schemes that are reputable for personal finances," he says. "So when I see that, I say run away, because it is most likely going to be something that involves more risk than reward." 2. They promote extremes and absolutes Financial influencers who "take extreme stances or speak in absolutes on financial topics" also raise red flags to Walsh, particularly when they talk about debt. While some influencers recommend paying off all debt except your mortgage before beginning to build an emergency fund or invest, Walsh says that "not all debt outside a mortgage is created equal." He advocates for tackling high-interest debt such as credit cards early on, but "other debt might be pretty cost effective, i.e. student loans, and you may want to prioritize other goals ahead of an aggressive pay-down strategy." "There's so much gray area when it comes to personal finances that it's almost a disservice to say something is always bad or always good," he says. "The truth is somewhere in the middle." 3. They have the same solution for every problem Financial influencers who peddle an identical fix for every issue should also give you pause. Walsh sees this frequently when it comes to influencers who promote life insurance. "You see people positioning life insurance as a solution to if you die, retirement savings, saving for college, emergency fund, you name it," he says. "But it's very unlikely that one thing is going to solve every single problem that you've ever faced in your personal finances."

Credentials to look for in a financial influencer
Analysts at Bank of America have revealed their top buy-rated stocks for 2024. The firm said these companies have plenty of upside and are well positioned in a bumpy macro environment. CNBC Pro combed through top Bank of America research to find the must-own stocks heading into the new year. They include Amazon, AT & T, General Electric , Tenet Healthcare and Union Pacific. General Electric Bank of America called General Electric an "incoming pure-play aviation stock" in its recent industrials outlook note. Analyst Andrew Obin said GE is poised to pounce heading into 2024 as it continues to separate its remaining businesses. The company is scheduled to spin off its energy and renewables segment Vernova in the spring, and Obin said that should lead to a "re-rating" of its GE Aerospace unit . "We forecast 59% y/y EPS growth in 2024, driven by rising profits in Aerospace and narrowing losses in Renewable," he wrote. Shares are up more than 90% this year, but Obin said the stock has more room to run as "U.S. policy is supporting reshoring of critical industries and new markets." Despite the uncertain near-term macro, the firm said it has confidence that manufacturing is on the upswing. "We forecast GE to have the fastest earnings growth in our coverage and it will become a pure-play aerospace stock in April," he said. Union Pacific "Get on board this once in a generation upturn," analyst Ken Hoexter said in a note to clients, announcing Union Pacific as a top idea for 2024. The firm said there's no shortage of positive catalysts for the railway stock, so investors should buy it now. "New CEO Jim Vena is rapidly changing the culture at Union Pacific, has enhanced service quickly, and volumes are topping our targets 4Q-to-date," Hoexter said. Earnings growth is projected to be in the "sustained mid- to upper-teens earnings growth in the near term," according to Hoexter. "Service is showing broad improvement," with Union operating at service levels not seen in five years, the analyst wrote. "We believe this will drive operating margins to surpass our and Street targets quicker than expected," Hoexter added. The analyst has a price target of $271 per share, up from $264. Earlier this month, the firm added Union Pacific to its "US1 best ideas" list. Shares are up 17% this year. AT & T "There was a time for skepticism when AT & T revamped its wireless go-to-market strategy, refocused the company on connectivity, divested non-core assets, cut the dividend, and restored subscriber growth," analyst David Barden said. The stock has come a long way, leading the analyst to name the telecom giant as a top idea for 2024. "[Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization] growth and falling capex will support rising free cash flow, improved dividend coverage, and deleveraging," Barden said. Improved customer service and network means that churn is slowing, the analyst said. This will allow the company to raise prices, he added. "Consistency has answered the question, in our view, about the sustainability of solid financial results," Barden said. Shares of the company are down 10% this year. AT & T is "a 'show me' story that's showing up," Barden added. Union Pacific "Get on board this once in a generation upturn.  .New CEO Vena is rapidly changing the culture at UNP, has enhanced service quickly & volumes are topping our targets 4Q-to-date.  .Service is showing broad improvement.  .We believe this will drive operating margins to surpass our & Street targets quicker than expected.  .New CEO Vena, a PSR guru and protege of rail expert Hunter Harrison, reiterated his target to be industry margin leader, which should lead to sustained mid- to upper-teens earnings growth in near term." - Ken Hoexter Amazon "Amazon remains our top eCommerce stock as the company is well positioned for margin expansion in 2024 from continued optimization of its regional logistics network, the ramp of advertising opportunity & reacceleration of AWS revenues." - Justin Post Tenet Healthcare "Our top pick is THC, who benefits from solid hospital fundamentals but also the increasing shift into ASCs and progress on deleveraging. We expect THC to generate $550B in true FCF in 2024 which gives it plenty of optionality." - Kevin Fischbeck AT & T "A 'show me' story that's showing up There was a time for skepticism when AT & T revamped its wireless go-to-market strategy, refocused the company on connectivity, divested non-core assets, cut the dividend, and restored subscriber growth. Consistency has answered the question, in our view, about the sustainability of solid financial results." - David Barden General Electric "US policy is supporting reshoring of critical industries and new markets.  .We forecast GE to have the fastest earnings growth in our coverage and it will become a pure-play aerospace stock in April.  incoming pure-play aviation stock.  .We forecast 59% y/y EPS growth in 2024, driven by rising profits in Aerospace and narrowing losses in Renewable." - Andrew Obin
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines)  The magic of Disneys 100th Anniversary is closer than ever when Disney On Ice presents 100 Years of Wonder brings the celebration to the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City from December 22, 2023 to January 7, 2024! Get ready for an amazing adventure that puts families in the middle of the action, on the ice, and alongside beloved Disney characters.

Hit the road with Mickey Mouse and his pals for a high-octane ride in Disney On Ice presents 100 Years of Wonder. Exciting twists and turns await as Mickey, Minnie, Goofy and guests of all ages embark on an interactive and memory-rich adventure to iconic Disney destinations. See the world from the rooftops of London with Mary Poppins and Jack and his band of dancing lamplighters. Travel to the sun-soaked Motunui and help Moana restore the heart of Te Fiti. Set off on a safari and snap unforgettable photos of wild cheetahs and monkeys when guests traverse through the Pride Lands with Simba, Timon and Pumbaa. Discover a whole new world and be swept up in Aladdins princely parade filled with spectacular stunts, magical moments with Genie, and a brand-new song from Jasmine that will render the audience Speechless. Mosey on over to a larger-than-life comedic carnival and team up with Woody and Bo Peep as they search for their new friend Forky. Fans will hit a high note with Mickey and pals while singing along to beloved Disney tunes as they welcome Merida, Belle, Ariel, Mulan and Tiana to the ice. Families should be prepared for a getaway jam-packed with unexpected hijinks and surprise, up-close character interaction as Disney On Ice presents 100 Years of Wonder makes a pitstop right in SM MALL OF ASIA ARENA!

Photo from SM Mall of Asia Arena

Experience Disney On Ices most participatory show and create lasting family memories with all your favorite Disney characters at Disney On Ice presents 100 Years of Wonder.

Venue:

SM Mall of Asia Arena, J.W Diokno Blvd., SM Mall of Asia Complex, Pasay City

Dates and Times of Performances:

December 22, Friday  3:00 p.m., 7:00 p.m.

December 23, Saturday  11:00 a.m., 3:00 p.m., 7:00 p.m.

December 25, Monday  11:00 a.m., 3:00 p.m., 7:00 p.m.

December 26, Tuesday  11:00 a.m., 3:00 p.m., 7:00 p.m.

December 27, Wednesday  3:00 p.m., 7:00 p.m.

December 29, Friday  3:00 p.m., 7:00 p.m.

December 30, Saturday  11:00 a.m., 3:00 p.m., 7:00 p.m.

January 1, Monday  3:00 p.m., 7:00 p.m.

January 2, Tuesday  3:00 p.m., 7:00 p.m.

January 3, Wednesday  3:00 p.m.

January 5, Friday  3:00 p.m., 7:00 p.m.

January 6, Saturday  11:00 a.m., 3:00 p.m., 7:00 p.m.

January 7, Sunday  11:00 a.m., 3:00 p.m.

Photo from SM Mall of Asia Arena

For more information about Disney On Ice, follow Disney On Ice social media channels: Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), and Instagram. Subscribe to the Disney On Ice YouTube Channel at www.youtube.com/user/Disneyonice.

Get tickets for upcoming shows online at smtickets.com or at any authorized SM Tickets outlet nationwide.

To know more about SM Mall of Asia Arena, visit www.mallofasiaarena.com or follow @moaarena on social media.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 23)  Senator Sherwin Gatchalian took to social media his take on rumors circulating online linking his current girlfriend, former beauty queen Bianca Manalo, to actor Rob Gomez.

"@biancamanalo and I share the same values and principles in life. No fake news will divide us apart," the senator posted on X (formerly Twitter).

With the caption, Gatchalian proudly displayed a gift from Senator Sonny Angara and wife Tootsy Angara, which features photos of him and Manalo.

On social media, Manalo clarified that she and Gomez are just friends, and were only talking about how she wanted to receive the actor's Christmas gifts before her flight.

"It is upsetting that our conversations were exposed without my consent, which is a breach of privacy and the cause of so much online bashing. It is obvious that parts of our conversation were deleted to create malicious insinuations," she said.

In a Dec. 21 post, Gomez also said his phone was taken from him and was used without his consent.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 23)  Reel and real-life couple Kim Chiu and Xian Lim have ended their relationship after almost 12 years, the actress and TV host confirmed on Saturday.

As we close this chapter of our lives, I am asking for everyones kindness and respect. I hope this clears everything as we all move forward with our lives, Chiu said in a Facebook post.

The "Linlang" star, however, did not specify the reason behind their breakup.

Sharing their throwback photos in black and white, Chiu thanked Lim for the beautiful memories they shared together.

We thank all our followers for their love and support, but now we ask you to appreciate our honesty and give us the privacy we need as we begin new chapters of our lives, Chiu said.

The two started dating in 2012, but only confirmed they are an item in 2018.

Chiu and Lims love team sailed in a romantic-comedy series My Binondo Girl, which aired from 2011 to 2012.

The following year, they starred in the movie Bakit Hindi Ka Crush Ng Crush Mo?" followed by "Bride for Rent" and "Past Tense."
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 23)  Lawmakers this year had their hands full with controversies surrounding both chambers of Congress, on top of their duties of passing the Marcos administrations urgent bills and crafting the budget.

While rushing to pass the Marcos administrations priority measures  including the highly contentious Maharlika Fund  alleged destabilization plots, backlash from the comeback of secret funds, and cracks in the UniTeams facade made this a standout year for Congress.

CNN Philippines looks back at the legislatures 2023.

Maharlika, other bills

Despite protests from lawmakers and public scrutiny, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. enacted the law establishing the Maharlika Investment Fund (MIF) in July, just seven months after it was first proposed in Congress.

Both chambers approved the measure in May, with the House committing to adopt the Senate version even before the bicameral conference committee met.

The Senate, after only seven days of deliberations, swiftly approved its version of the bill, which agreed to ban the use of state pension funds as seed capital for the proposed sovereign wealth account.

Some former and incumbent lawmakers appealed and advised against the rushed passage of the bill, citing reasons ranging from its unconstitutionality to the proposed laws proper timing.

Despite the minority bloc and some experts cautioning against the law, the chief executive announced that the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of the MIF were finalized in November, a month after he announced its suspension.

The IRR of the fund was first issued in late August but was suspended pending further review.

Aside from the MIF, other key bills passed into law include increasing military veterans' disability pension and the measure fixing terms for ranking officials of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

For benefits of the people and workers, Congress passed in July the New Agrarian Emancipation Act which writes off loans of more than 600,000 agrarian reform beneficiaries worth over 57 billion.

The legislature also passed the Tax Amnesty Act extending the deadline of the estate tax amnesty until 2025; the Trabaho Para sa Bayan Act; the Act institutionalizing the automatic income classification of provinces, cities, and municipalities; and the Act instituting policies for the protection and welfare of caregivers.

Congress also enabled the Act establishing specialty centers in Department of Health hospitals in every region.

On culture and nationalism, the chambers passed the Act institutionalizing the One Town, One Product (OTOP) Philippines Program and the Cultural Mapping law.

For strengthening the economy, the congress enabled priority bills Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Code of the Philippines and the Internet Transactions Act of 2023 which support the administrations push for a more digital economy.

READ: PBBMs first year in office: Key measures passed, pending priority bills

The fall of UniTeam?

In May, former President and then House Senior Deputy Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo was demoted to Deputy Speaker, sparking rumors of a leadership coup for the post of Speaker Martin Romualdez.

Arroyo is seen as an ally of Duterte while Romualdez is the first cousin of President Marcos.

Though Arroyo denied involvement in any plot, a lawmaker said her demotion was a confirmation of a speakership coup. Romualdez himself said that occasional moves to destabilize the House should be nipped in the bud.

Tensions between the House and the vice president grew when the lower chamber scrutinized the governments requests for secret funds, particularly those made by Duterte-led agencies: the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and the Department of Education (DepEd).

As a result, former president Rodrigo Duterte, father of the vice president, accused the House of corruption and even wished death upon ACT-Teachers Rep. France Castro, further inflaming tensions between lawmakers and the political dynasty.

These threats prompted the House to pass a resolution expressing support for Romualdez. Pampanga Rep. Aurelio Gonzales, who was promoted to Senior Deputy Speaker when Arroyo was demoted, even announced before the plenary his resignation from PDP-Laban, Rodrigo Dutertes party.

However, despite the apparent tension between the Romualdez-led House and Duterte, the speaker said the UniTeam alliance was still intact.

The vice president, meanwhile, believes she still has the trust of the president.

Confidential funds

This years budget season drew more flak from Filipinos due to numerous requests for secret funds to be allocated to government agencies under the 2024 General Appropriations Act.

Early in the budget season, the Marcos administration asked for 10.14 billion in secret funds: 4.86 billion for confidential expenses, and 5.27 billion for intelligence expenses.

The Office of the President sought the bulk of this at 4.5 billion.

The OVP and the DepEd, both run by Duterte, asked for 500 million and 150 million, respectively.

Furthermore, it was revealed during this budget season that the OVP in 2022 had spent 125 million worth of confidential funds in just 11 days.

These funds were transferred from the OPs contingent funds to the OVPs maintenance and other operating expenses, drawing criticism.

This revelation prompted lawmakers and civil society members to lodge complaints against Duterte, the Department of Budget and Management, and even Malacanang, assailing the legality and constitutionality of the transfer.

The widespread criticism prompted the second-half of the UniTeam alliance to withdraw her request, pointing out the divisive nature of the issue.

In mid-December, Congress approved and ratified the Bicameral Conference Committee report on the proposed 5.768 trillion national budget for 2024.

On Dec. 20, Marcos signed into law the 2024 General Appropriations Act worth 5.768 trillion.

He vetoed two provisions: one seeking a revolving fund for the Department of Justice, and another on the implementation of the National Government's Career Executive Service Development Program.

READ: Marcos vetoes two items in 2024 budget

The enacted version of the governments spending plan did not include any confidential funds for civilian departments, such as the OVP or the DepEd. It only kept intelligence funds for military and uniformed agencies.

Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri, Romualdez, and even oppositon congresswoman Castro hailed the removal of the funds.

However, opposition lawmakers questioned the move to exempt from the Government Procurement Act purchases made in connection with the revised modernization program for the AFP.

They also found disconcerting the executives power to allot secret funds for civilian agencies with no mandate to perform security and intelligence-related functions, if the president finds an "extreme necessity" for it.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 23)  The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) hailed a maritime forums designation of the Red Seas southern section and the Bab El-Mandeb Strait leading into the Gulf of Aden as high-risk areas (HRAs), after a series of attacks there endangered the lives of Filipino seafarers.

The designation of the International Bargaining Forum (IBF)  formed in 2003 to discuss seafarers rights, working conditions, and their well-being in the maritime industry  took effect on Dec. 22.

We commend the IBF's swift response to increased threats to the safety and well-being of Filipino seafarers in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, DMW Officer-in-Charge Hans Cacdac said Saturday. The agency last month called for those areas to be marked as HRAs.

In late November, Yemens Houthi rebels hijacked a cargo ship in the Red Sea and took 17 Filipinos hostage. They are now safe.

Following the hostage-taking incident, an unknown armed group attempted to hijack a Liberian-flag chemical tanker, but were thwarted by United States Navy Forces. Two Filipinos were aboard.

This month, the US said Houthis launched a drone attack on a different container ship there, endangering another 15 Pinoys.

According to the DMW, the HRA designation will provide protection for Filipino seafarers through the following provisions:

The right to refuse sailing, with repatriation at companys cost and compensation equal to 2 months basic wage, the agency enumerated.

It continued: Where a seafarer chooses to board ship, a bonus equal to basic wage, payable for 5 days minimum + per day if longer, and doubled compensation for death and disability; and a mandatory requirement to increase security arrangements.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 23)  The cremated remains of slain Filipino caregiver Paul Vincent Castelvi arrived in the Philippines on Saturday, marking the third completed repatriation of remains after four Pinoys were killed during Hamas attack on Israel.

The urn containing Castelvis remains was brought home by his wife Jovelle Santiago, who flew back to the Philippines with their one-month-old son.

Castelvis mother and mother-in-law were also present at the airport, along with officials of the Department of Migrant Workers, including officer-in-charge Hans Leo Cacdac.

Castelvi, 42, had worked in Israel for five years when he was killed by the Palestinian militant group during its surprise attack on Oct. 7.

The Pampanga native was described by his family as their breadwinner.

READ: 'Bakit naman ganoon ang ginawa sa anak ko?: Father grieves killing of OFW son in Israel

The remains of one of the other victims  a 49-year-old Filipina caregiver  arrived in the Philippines on Oct. 21. This was followed by the repatriation of another remains on Nov. 3.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 23)  Filipino survivors of the Oct. 7 Hamas attack in Israel recalled their ordeal in a meeting with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Friday.

Marcos welcomed Jimmy Pacheco and Camille Jesalva to the Malacanan Palace after they arrived in the country just in time for the holidays.

Pacheco, a caregiver in Israel, was held hostage by the Palestinian militant group for more than 40 days and was released on the first truce in Nov. 24. He arrived in the Philippines on Dec. 18.

Recalling the attack, Pacheco narrated how their kibbutz was infiltrated by Hamas and how his Israeli ward was shot to death.

He told Marcos that the group moved in tunnels with their hostages to avoid Israeli troops amid heavy bombardment.

According to Pacheco, he survived on meager rations of dates and water in more than a month of captivity in Gaza.

Meanwhile, Jesalva, a 31-year-old caregiver from Nueva Ecija, became an instant hero in Israel for refusing to leave her 95-year-old employer, Nitza Hefetz, during the Hamas attack.

They were living in the Nirim Kibbutz on the Israel-Gaza border, which was attacked by Hamas on Oct. 7.

Several militants entered their home and robbed Jesalva of her money that she was supposed to spend for her vacation in the Philippines.

They were later rescued by troops from the Israel Defense Force (IDF) and her story was publicized.

Marcos said he was pleased to meet Pacheco and Jesalva and was glad they have returned home safely.

"Eh di at least nakauwi kayo, tsaka Merry Christmas. Napakabigat naman nung experience niyo. Isulat ninyo o i-video ninyo," Marcos told the survivors.

"Dapat gawin nating lahat nung mga lahat ng repatriate. Ikuwento sila, para malaman ng tao kung ano 'yung pinagdaanan nila. 'Yung Israeli, mahal naman tayo," he said.

[Translation: Well, at least you're home, and Merry Christmas. You had a harrowing experience. Write or make a video about itWe should all do it... all repatriates. Tell their story so people know what they went through. The Israelis love us.]
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 23)  The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said the owners of a Filipino fishing boat has accepted a full settlement for the loss and damage incurred after a Chinese-flagged ship slammed the stationary vessel in the vicinity waters of Paluan, Occidental Mindoro earlier this month.

READ: 5 rescued after alleged allision between PH, China boats in Occidental Mindoro

The PCG did not disclose the settlement amount.

On Dec. 5, Ruel J, the fishing vessel in question, was stationary and trying to attract fish when bulk carrier MV TAI HANG 8 hit the boat and continued on its voyage, leaving it and five Filipino passengers adrift.

The PCG said that some fishing boats conducted rescue and towing operations to save the five stranded fishermen and recover the disabled Ruel J.

Taihang Shipping Company Limited, the owners of Ruel J, appointed maritime services company Pandiman Philippines, Incorporated to work with the PCG to assess the fishing boats damage, it added.
(CNN)  Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny was again absent from two scheduled court hearings conducted via video link on Friday, according to a statement from his team.

Navalnys team say the prominent politician has now been missing for 17 days, with his current whereabouts unknown.

Today Alexey was supposed to have two trials. He was again not brought to the meetings. Navalny has never been hidden for so long, Navalnys team said in a Telegram post.

The unprecedented duration of Navalnys absence from public view has sparked concerns for his well-being and safety.

Navalnys aides have restated a plea for information, offering a cryptocurrency reward for complete and reliable details about his current location or status.

Asked repeatedly last week about Navalnys absence, the Kremlin told reporters it had neither the intention nor the ability to monitor the fate of prisoners and the process of their stay in the relevant institutions.

No coincidence

Vladimir Milov, a former Russian deputy energy minister and now an adviser to Navalny, told CNNs Richard Quest that the timing of Navalnys disappearance was no coincidence, noting the announcement by Russian President Vladimir Putin of his intention to run again in Russias elections in March 2024  a move that could see him retain power until at least 2030.

I think it is a deliberate tactic. It is no coincidence that Navalny disappeared exactly the moment when the so-called sham presidential elections were announced, and that Putin announced that he was going to be running again, Milov said.

Putin is really willing to show that he is going to enter the Kremlin for another term through intimidation, through repression, through pressure on society, and that is clearly a blackmail on all the opposition forces, Milov added.

Prior to the interview, CNN reached out to the Russian Prison Service on Friday, requesting information about Navalnys whereabouts.

Milov told Quest on Friday that despite his efforts to find Navalnys whereabouts, so far, there is no answer.

Milov said his colleagues needed to send formal and written inquiries to detention institutions in Russia to request information on Navalnys whereabouts, a process he described as a tedious and time and effort consuming.

My colleagues have been bombarding all the known detention institutions in Russia to try and find Navalny across the country, Milov said.

He added that they have received replies, with some detention centers confirming that Navalny was not present in those facilities.

He said other facilities hadnt responded to the inquiries yet, adding that it was a constant process.
Daniel Langlois, LLD 04, a visionary businessman and philanthropist, tragically passed away with his partner Dominique Marchand on the island of Dominica on December 1. He was 66.

Langlois left an indelible mark on cinema and technology, and was commemorated as one of the most active patrons of culture of our time when conferred an honorary doctorate by Concordia in 2004.

In 1986, Langlois founded Softimage, which went on to play a pivotal role in the film industry through innovative computer-animation techniques. The software developed by the company became integral to the creation of visual effects in iconic films such as The Matrix, Titanic, Men in Black and Jurassic Park.

Langloiss charitable commitments were extensive. His philanthropic foundation gave generously to empower artistic, scientific and technological research throughout Montreal, the province of Quebec and beyond.

In 1999, he founded Ex-Centris, a Montreal-based space that became a centre for cinematic and new media creativity. A generous supporter of the Campaign for Concordia, Langlois also gave a total of $300,000 over the years to fund a variety of initiatives at the university, particularly at the Faculty of Fine Arts.

On Dominica, Langlois and Marchand played a pivotal role in the development of Coulibri Ridge, an eco-friendly complex that became a source of national pride. Additionally, their civic commitment was evident through the Resilient Dominica Project Foundation, dedicated to the islands reconstruction after the devastation caused by Hurricane Maria in 2017.

In recognition of his significant contribution to Dominicas sustainable development, Langlois was honoured earlier this year with a Meritorious Service Award. The acknowledgment took place during a ceremony commemorating the island nations day of independence in November.

Langloiss other honours include Canadas National Entrepreneur of the Year by Ernst & Young in 1994. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences presented him with a Scientific and Technical Oscar in 1997. He was appointed a Knight of the National Order of Quebec in 1999 and an Officer of the Order of Canada in 2000.
Solar incentives in South Dakota The federal solar investment tax credit (ITC) is the biggest factor in reducing the cost of going solar in South Dakota. If you install a residential solar panel system by the end of 2032, you will receive a federal income tax credit worth 30% of your system's total cost, including equipment, labor and permits. The federal income solar tax credit drops to 26% in 2033 and 22% in 2034. For example, a system in South Dakota costs an average of $25,094. After buying a system at that price, you can get a $7,528 credit when you file your taxes. The solar tax credit is not a rebate or refund  you must claim it when you file federal taxes in the year that your solar panel system becomes operational. To do this, you have to complete Form 5695. The credit is also nonrefundable, so any unused portion rolls over into the next tax year.  MUST-KNOW: Tax benefits of owning a home: deductions and secrets

Statewide residential solar incentives in South Dakota While South Dakota doesnt have as many solar incentives as some states, it does have a big one that can save you thousands of dollars. The South Dakota Department of Revenue exempts up to $50,000 or 70% of the assessed value of an eligible property (whichever is greater) from property taxes. The following solar technologies are eligible for this property tax exemption incentive: Solar panels

Solar water heating

Solar space heating

Solar thermal electric

Solar thermal process heating

Solar pool heating

What to know about net metering in South Dakota Net metering is when you sell your excess solar energy to your local electric company instead of storing it in a solar battery. This lets homeowners make a little money with solar while providing the electric companies with a source of clean energy. Unfortunately, South Dakota doesnt offer net metering. Some companies, like Xcel Energy, offer programs similar to net metering, so be sure to check with your local power company. If there isnt a buyback program, you might be better off investing in a solar battery along with panels.

Find solar companies in South Dakota Compare popular solar companies available in South Dakota below. Read our guide to the best solar companies for more information.

Find a Solar Energy partner near you. ZIP Code Find a match

FAQ Can I get solar panels for free in South Dakota? There are no programs for free solar panels in South Dakota, but you can lease solar equipment for minimal upfront costs. Its not free, though  solar leases generally require a flat monthly fee.  FREE SOLAR PANELS: Are they really free? How can I pay for solar panels? You can pay cash, but most people finance solar panels. A solar loan works like any other type of loan  theres an application and approval process, and you pay it back over time (with interest). If you are considering a solar loan or lease, always ask: Is there a down payment?

How much will I pay per month?

Will monthly payments increase, and by how much?

Will there be a lien put on my house?  SOLAR PANELS: Lease vs. buy How much can I save with solar panels in South Dakota? In South Dakota, the average savings is $22,923 over 25 years. Even if you dont generate 100% of your energy needs, you can still save a lot of money versus paying traditional utility bills. Are there any commercial solar incentives in South Dakota? Yes, there is a commercial property tax incentive for businesses going solar in South Dakota.  MORE: Commercial solar panels Is my HOA allowed to restrict solar panels? No laws prohibit homeowners associations from restricting solar panels in South Dakota.

Bottom line: How much are solar panels in South Dakota? South Dakota may not have many solar incentives to lower the slightly higher cost of solar in the state, but what it does have will save big. Make sure to take advantage of the ITC and the property tax exemption to save thousands of dollars. The ConsumerAffairs Research Team conducted an in-depth analysis to determine how much it costs to go solar in South Dakota and the average solar costs in other states. Solar costs: South Dakota vs. nearby states

Upfront cost* Federal tax credit value (30%) Average cost per watt Payback period** Typical system size Estimated net savings Iowa $24,930 $7,479 $2.77 12 years 9 kW $17,572 Minnesota $22,720 $6,816 $2.84 12 years 8 kW $17,546 Montana $22,860 $6,858 $2.54 13 years 9 kW $15,189 Nebraska $29,716 $8,915 $2.83 14 years 10.5 kW $13,421 North Dakota $26,620 $7,986 $2.42 13 years 11 kW $26,028 South Dakota $25,094 $7,528 $2.39 12 years 10.5 kW $22,923 Wyoming $23,130 $6,939 $2.57 13 years 9 kW $14,959 *Before the federal investment tax credit (ITC); **When you pay in full upfront
Its the most wonderful time of the year for shopkeepers looking to unload their stock on the public. Holiday shopping is an annual tradition and a routine that many of us have been experiencing our whole lives. The basic mechanics of shopping, meanwhile, are even more routine and feel like a fundamental part of life as a human being.

Dont take this ritual for granted, though. Various individual aspects of shopping were once new and strange. Customers outright rejected them, until retailers got smart and figured out how to sell us on how they sell to us.

5 Customers Considered Shopping Carts Insults Today, when you go to a supermarket, you choose between a shopping cart or little shopping basket, depending on what kind of damage you plan on doing. At the start of the 1930s, your only option was the basket, which naturally limited how much you could buy during a visit. Then supermarket owner Sylvan Goldman came up with an idea. He linked two baskets together, on a wheeled metal frame. This way, each shopper could buy twice as much in a single trip. Smithsonian Heres what a refined version looked like a few years later. The shopping cart would evolve in the years to come. The biggest improvement for stores was when carts became telescopic, meaning one empty cart could slide neatly into another for compact storage. Another brilliant improvement allowed you to lift and lock the lower basket for easy unloading. This was eventually made impractical by a further improvement, which eliminated the multiple baskets in favor of one huge cart, so customers could transport even more with each trip. But these customers initially rejected Goldmans invention. For starters, carts came off as a naked attempt to make shoppers buy more, and customers are occasionally savvy about that sort of targeting. Thats if they could even afford to buy more (the 1930s were famously not a good time, financially speaking). The idea of pushing an entire vehicle of goods around, like a wheelbarrow, also sounded absurd. Women said it reminded them of pushing strollers, which was not something they wanted to the be thinking about. As for men, they resented the implication that they were too weak to carry all their shopping in their own hands. Dustfreeworld/Wiki Commons If plastic bags existed back then, men would carry 10 at once, and carts would never have been invented. Advertisement Goldman won over his customers by paying stooges to pose as shoppers who pushed carts. Legit customers followed the stooges example, and the trend spread from there. Goldman became fabulously wealthy licensing his invention, and when he died, he left around half a billion dollars to his two sons. That should have set both those boys up for a life of happiness. Except, they both ended up shooting themselves to death. Yeah, sorry about dropping that on you, but in 1995, Monte Goldman shot himself and died. Two years later, his brother Alfred shot himself and died. Side note: An urban legend says Christmas is the most common time of the year for suicides. Thats untrue. It is actually the least common time of the year for suicides. So cheer up!

4 Escalators Were Fearsome Adventures Many people conceived of the idea of an escalator before anyone managed to physically build one. People were probably imagining escalators around the time of the very first staircase, if not sooner. A patent for an escalator went to a Massachusetts man, Nathan Ames, in 1859. This guy never managed a prototype of his revolving stairs, and his other planned inventions included a copying machine (you wrote with one pen, and wires operated a second pen) and an improved cheese grater. Nathan Ames Heres his escalator. Or possibly the cheese grater. Advertisement Advertisement No one built an escalator for almost 40 more years. Then Harrods in London installed what they called a moving staircase. The name was misleading because it had no stairs. Todays escalators are closer to Ames invention, while this first functional escalator was a single leather belt that rose at a slow incline. Brightman Images You know what a stepless escalator is great for? Shopping carts. Lifts had existed prior to this, but lifts were terrible bottlenecks. The moving staircase offered obvious advantages. As far as the shops are concerned, wrote one publication, it seems as though it would solve the difficulty of getting people to do their shopping higher than the first floor. Of course, a flimsy leather belt did not inspire much confidence from the first customers who had to brave it. To treat customers varying levels of distress, Harrods stationed a butler at the top. To the women, he offered smelling salts. To the men, he offered a swig of brandy. Brightman Images They got over their fear in time, if this photos any indication. Advertisement Other sources describe customers reactions a little differently, saying the smelling salts were for ladies overcome with joy. That sounds awfully like a 19th-century way of implying this escalator gave women orgasms. We question this claim. We see many people have orgasms on escalators, but its usually men, and it says less about the escalator than it does about the sort of clientele who patronize the subway.

3 Credit Card Companies Needed to Mass Drop Cards on People Credit is another concept that was conceived of long before it was perfected. People were exchanging goods on credit long before wed even formally invented the concept of money. Credit cards, however were a harder tech to establish. And were not just talking about how the tech in cards has evolved, from magnetic stripes to chips to the marvels of casual tapping. Advertisement Advertisement Credit card companies first faced a catch-22. They could explain to customers all the benefits of getting goods now without having to pay for them (not having to pay until later, at least, and who cares about later). But customers still reasonably refused to sign up because stores currently did not accept credit cards. And companies could explain to stores how cards would encourage customers to buy more, would speed up checkout and would reduce how much cash employees stole (and all it would cost the store is a significant percentage of every single transaction). Stores still reasonably refused to honor credit cards because no customers had credit cards, so what would be the point? By the 1950s, plenty of stores offered their own credit cards, and plenty of customers used these cards. This process worked easily. The store would say, Hey, you shop here a lot, want this credit card with us? and the customer would say, Sure, as I know youll honor it, since youre the one issuing it. Banks, however, wanted to issue all-purpose credit cards, which shoppers could use everywhere, and no one seemed interested, for the reasons we just listed. rupixen Consequently, when people shopped online in the 1950s, they had to pay by check. Advertisement The answer came from Bank of Americas Joseph P. Williams. He just mailed credit cards, unsolicited, to everyone in Fresno who had a Bank of America account. You know pre-approved credit card offers, which some see as predatory? This was one step further than that. Instantly, 65,000 people had credit cards in their hands, cards attached to no store in particular. Suddenly, stores had reasons for accepting these cards. The experiment was not a total success, however, and it got even worse when Williams expanded it to Los Angeles. Lots of people who received cards simply used them and never paid them down. Bank of America could not legally just debit the money from the associated accounts, and they hadnt created a collections department for pursuing these debts. Around a quarter of all the bank accounts that received active credit cards were delinquent anyway. Other people received duplicate cards, or other peoples cards, or stole each others cards and used them with impunity. Advertisement Advertisement The pilot program lost Bank of America over $200 million, in todays money. Still, it paved the way for the wide adoption of credit cards, a system that  once the credit card companies figured out how to properly police it  we can all agree led to no further problems whatsoever.

2 Picking Out Goods Yourself Seemed Like Too Much Work So far, every shopping situation weve described has involved shoppers going into stores and loading up on goods before heading toward the checkout. This is not a universal idea, and until 1916, it didnt exist at all. Back then, you would go to a store and tell the clerk what you wanted, and hed fetch it for you. The stuff didnt lie within your reach, and you didnt collect the items yourself, for the simple reason that the goods belonged to the store, and you hadnt paid yet. The products went into your hands after you paid for them, obviously. Gerrit Dou Meanwhile, you all had to pose for an oil painting, which took forever. Advertisement The first store where customers collected goods themselves before paying was Memphis Piggly Wiggly. The name sounded strange to people at the time, but rhyming would soon become standard; our friend Sylvan Goldman would go on to buy another grocery chain called Humpty-Dumpty. The new Piggly-Wiggly system took people by surprise. People now had to fetch goods off shelves, doing the work of a shop clerk. Piggly had to lure customers in to this weird store where theyd do unpaid labor, by saying the store was holding a beauty contest. The judges (actually reporters, who werent judging anything) handed prizes to every single woman who entered, until the prizes ran out. Though a sham, this was no more ridiculous than any other beauty contest, and the prizes were substantial  gold coins, worth $150 or $300 each in todays money. Clarence Saunders And you were allowed to spend them outside the store, a real poor choice on Pigglys part. Advertisement Advertisement Every customer who entered the store discovered this new grocery store system, known as self-service, turned out to have a lot of advantages. Because the place didnt have to employ so many clerks as competitors did, they offered just about everything more cheaply. Plus, people preferred leisurely browsing goods and picking out whatever they liked rather than reciting their prepared list to a waiting employee (or handing over a written list, which was the other default way stores worked at the time). The shift, in many ways, mirrored the eventual introduction of self-checkout lanes. In fact, if you use the term self-service stores today, everyone will assume youre talking about self-checkout, rather than this system of shopping that no longer needs its own name.
Doesnt a comedian have to be funny?

That was John Stamoss first reaction to Dave Coulier upon their first meet. We sat there for like an hour or so. Dave was not funny. And what happened was I got home, and I called (Full House creator) Jeff (Franklin), and I said, Doesnt a comedian have to be funny? Isnt that one of the (qualifications)?

Stamos said this to Couliers face, by the way, on the most recent edition of Couliers Full House Rewind podcast. But the slam isnt surprising -- Stamos has talked shit about nearly every one of his castmates over the years. A common theme: I hated you at first, co-star, but grew to love you over time. Heres Stamos taking shots at nearly everyone on the show.

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Bob Saget In his memoir If You Would Have Told Me, Stamos reveals that he thought Saget was a lousy actor, at least at first. He calls Saget the humblest egomaniac Ive ever met, and despite claiming that the two castmates became good friends, he concluded that Bob and I tolerate each other.

Candace Cameron Bure Stamos wasnt happy when Cameron Bure bashed gay and transgender people, especially when it caused a rift between the actress and her TV sister Jodie Sweetin. Seeing his other co-stars' lives take strange turns has really been tough on him, a friend told Radar. John has always wanted everything to be perfect for his TV family. He's devastated it's turned upside down. Advertisement

Jodie Sweetin At the first Full House table read, the comedy star of the day wasnt Stamos but lil Jodie Sweetin, knocking it out of the park with cute line readings. Stamos shared his dismay on the Hot Ones podcast. Whats happening here? You couldnt even hear my lines, they were laughing so hard at her! And Im just slinking down in my seat, he complained. The nerve of Sweetin! The table read had barely finished before Stamos called his agent and demanded, Get me the fuck off this show! Advertisement

The Olsen Twins When Mary-Kate and Ashley were babies, Stamos had the twins fired from Full House for crying on set -- you know, like 11-month-olds do from time to time. Lucky for the Olsens, Stamos hated their ugly replacements even more. Im sure their parents loved them and thought they were attractive, Stamos revealed. But they werent attractive. Advertisement The Olsens returned and became stars, but Stamos had beef with the adult versions as well when they refused to sign on for Fuller House. They didnt want to come back, and I was angry for a minute, Stamos admitted on the And That's What You REALLY Missed podcast. Mary-Kate and Ashley apologized with meat. (They) brought a pork chop and sage (to my house). I dont know why, but thank you? It was a frozen pork chop, so that was really nice."
Even those with fond memories of the sitcom probably wouldnt associate the nostalgic That 70s Show with groundbreaking social commentary  so, when it came time to make a statement, they had to get help from a Buddy.

In 1998, and at the height of the popularity of his breakout series 3rd Rock from the Sun, wunderkind Joseph Gordon-Levitt agreed to appear in the first season of a new up-and-coming multicam sitcom about a bunch of teenage stoners in 1976 Wisconsin. In the fittingly titled That 70s Show episode Erics Buddy, Gordon-Levitt played Eric Formans fashionable, friendly and well-groomed lab partner named Buddy whose wealth, popularity and hot rod (heh) enticed Forman into forming a close relationship. Perhaps, even, too close.

In the episodes climax (heh heh), Buddy plants a kiss squarely on his new friends lips, making history in the process. Forman and Buddys kiss was the very first scripted smooch between two men on an American television show, though Dawsons Creek is often incorrectly credited with the accolade for an episode aired in 2000. Well, Dawsons Creek didnt have the first guy-on-guy kiss, and That 70s Show needed us to know that Forman definitely, totally, indisputably isnt gay.

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The inconsistency in the record-keeping is due to the fact that, in the aforementioned Dawsons Creek episode, both characters involved in the smooch, Jack McPhee and Ethan Brody, are very explicitly into it and into each other. Gordon-Levitts Buddy may have been the first gay character on television to kiss a man, but Forman wasnt willing to make LGBTQ+ history with him. What follows after the kiss in Erics Buddy has been criticized by some cultural critics interested in the subject of the first gay mens kiss as very literally homophobic  everything about the kiss and its fallout are played for uproarious laughs as Forman flounders in hysteria at the thought that someone would think hes homosexual, and he even vaguely outs Buddy to the basement gang.

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Ultimately, however, the episode ends on a note of understanding, as Forman tells Buddy that, though he may be straight, hell continue to be Buddys friend  even though Gordon-Levitt would never appear in another episode of That 70s Show. Despite his initially angry reaction to the kiss, Forman doesnt degrade Buddy or put him down for his sexuality, which, though it has a distinct lack of romance, makes the first all-male kiss in scripted TV history at least a baby step toward progress.

Too bad it left a bad taste in Formans mouth (heh heh heh).
Abu Dhabi National Energy Company (Taqa) and Spanish utility major GS Inima have signed an agreement with Emirates Water and Electricity Company to successfully close the AED1.6 billion ($444 million) Shuweihat 4 Reverse Osmosis seawater desalination project (S4 RO).

Announcing the deal, Taqa said commercial operations are expected to commence in Q2 2026, with Ewec procuring water supplied by the S4 RO plant for 30 years. This is Taqa's second utility-scale reverse osmosis plant to reach financial close this year. Also it is the second major reverse osmosis project awarded by Ewec this year, following the Mirfa 2 Reverse Osmosis Seawater Desalination Project in H1 2023. Located within the Shuweihat Power and Water Complex, S4 RO will supply up to 70 million imperial gallons per day (MIGD) of potable water, significantly enhancing the security of water supply in Abu Dhabi. The project is 60% owned by Taqa and 40% by GS Inima. Both companies will also take on the operations and maintenance (O&M) of the plant, with 60% of the O&M company owned by GS Inima. According to Taqa, the S4 RO financial closing comes following the sealing of the water purchase agreement by the duo with Ewec in August. The low-carbon intensive project is primarily funded (71%) through debt financing from both local and international banks, including Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank, Commercial Bank of Dubai, KfW IPEX-Bank and The Export-Import Bank of Korea.

Farid Al Awlaqi, Executive Director of Generation at Taqa, said the company has established itself as the UAEs leading utility company for owning and operating large-scale RO water desalination plants.

"S4 RO will further enhance our existing portfolio and our strong pipeline of RO projects that are bringing us closer to meeting our 2030 target for deploying efficient RO technology within our water generation portfolio. Taqas water generation capacity will be over 1,250 MIGD, making us a major player in water desalination," he stated.

Lauding the financial closing, Ewec CEO Othman Al Ali said it is the second strategically important RO project to reach this major milestone in 2023.

"S4 RO will grow our RO production capacity and boost security of supply, becoming our sixth RO project. We are strategically decoupling water and power generation and forecast that over 90 per cent of our water production capacity will be from RO technology by 2030, resulting in a 492% increase in our RO capacity compared to 2020, and significantly reducing carbon emissions," he added.

Coupled with Ewec's plans for a 600% increase in solar power generation capacity by 2030, Al Ali said the utility major is actively driving the achievement of Abu Dhabis Clean Energy Targets 2035, and the UAEs NetZero by 2050 strategic initiative.

Diego de Vera, Global Business Development Director from GS Inima, said: We are proud to have succeeded in completing the financial close for S4 RO during globally challenging times. The diligence and effort put into the structuring of the project is outstanding. It not only demonstrates our position as a worldwide referent in the water sector but also speaks highly about the trust our investors and partners place in us."

"We look forward to working with them, contributing to a more efficient water sector in UAE and beyond," he added.-TradeArabia News Service
Of all the strange, upset and postponed Christmases I have experienced in following my curious trade of journalism, the oddest was 20 years ago, when the Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein was captured by the Americans in a hole in the ground.

I hurried to Baghdad for the second time that year, a glum and unfestive journey leaving Europe and its cheerful lights behind for the darkness of the war-blasted, electricity-free Iraqi capital.

I remember especially having to change planes in Vienna, where the airport was full of Christmas and merriment, and I was sunk in the most hopeless gloom. I had thought one visit to post-war Iraq was quite enough. The place was obviously bound for disaster. A clueless invasion had been followed by a still more hapless occupation.

There had been many low points, the lowest a mass grave of Saddams victims, which those who had uncovered it hoped would still the doubts of people such as me who believed the war was wrong. It did not do this. The sight was revolting and deeply sad, but it simply did not justify this huge aggression (now rapidly being forgotten), in which so many more mass graves would be dug and filled.

Months later, the capture of the fallen tyrant had not made much difference. It was the Americans who were feared now, not for deliberate cruelty but for the trouble they had brought while meaning well.

Of all the strange, upset and postponed Christmases I have experienced in following my curious trade of journalism, the oddest was 20 years ago, when the Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein was captured by the Americans, writes PETER HITCHENS

Saddam Hussein was captured by the Americans in a hole in the ground in 2003 and was first grilled by CIA analyst John Nixon (pictured, top)

Saddam had restrained all kinds of fanatics, who have ever since made life an increasing misery for non-Muslims and for women

In a shabby city centre square with my brave, patient Iraqi fixer and translator Samir, I greeted the appearance of a US Army patrol with interest, but Samir quickly pulled me down behind a pile of rubble, hissing: They open fire on anyone, for no reason. Get down!

Samir, a Christian Arab with no love for Saddam, was one of many who told me how much worse life had become for Iraqi Christians since the invasion  an unintended but huge result of the war.

Saddam had restrained all kinds of fanatics, who have ever since made life an increasing misery for non-Muslims and for women.

After sunset, a primeval darkness settled on a city without mains electricity, or any telephones to speak of. I missed a vital meeting because there was literally no way of warning me the location had changed. And while the impenetrable night seemed picturesque at first, it was made hideously modern by the rattle of AK-47s being fired off for some sinister purpose  kidnapping; intimidation, who knew?

This Baghdad was still right off the map, not reached or left by plane. To get there and back I had to ride slumped in the back of a heavy GMC truck, part of a risky convoy that shuttled between Baghdad and the Jordanian capital Amman.

It was a convoy because of the very real fear of armed bandits who sometimes robbed voyagers on this lawless highway.

The road had been heavily bombed by the US Air Force, and we would swerve round the enormous craters this had caused, while I tried to pass the time reading Dorothy L. Sayerss great detective novel The Nine Tailors, set in a far-off flooded, deep green Lincolnshire.

The desert here was vast, damp and reddish, much as I would have imagined Mars. Rivers could be seen far off, because of the rare trees which grew around them.

I was in a filthy temper and about as low as I could be when we set off in the very early hours of dawn on this wearisome, worrying return trip. Then it all changed, in my mind at least.

US marine corp Kirk Dalrymple watches as the statue of Saddam Hussein falls to the ground in central Baghdad's Firdaus Square

It came to me that we were following at least part of the road the wise men would have taken from their small town in Persia to Bethlehem.

As that great master of the English language Lancelot Andrewes described it in a Christmas sermon to King James I in 1622: A cold coming we had of it, at this time of the year; just the worst time of the year to take a journey, and specially a long journey. The ways deep, the weather sharp, the sun farthest off, the very dead of winter.

The words were so moving that they were stolen by the Anglo-American poet T.S. Eliot 300 years later. They also contain a description of the grimness of the land east of Jerusalem, plagued by robbers in those days too.

And suddenly my dreary Baghdad Christmas did not seem so bad, and my poor presents to my deserted family  an Arab head-dress, Iraqi money with and without Saddam on it, some silver trinkets and a pack of those silly American playing cards featuring former Iraqi Big Noises on the run and wanted by the US Army  seemed like decent presents after all. Happy Christmas.

Sympathy can be turned into bad law

I am full of sympathy for Esther Rantzen in her illness, and for her family as they face it alongside her. But may I express a note of dissent against the people now urging that assisted suicide should be made easier?

The law on this difficult subject is already very cautious and flexible, and, while it may be hard for devoted relatives to bear police investigations after doing what they believe to be right, kind and just, do they really think it wise to simply remove the brakes?

In a 2021 parliamentary answer on this subject, the then Solicitor General Lucy Frazer told Andy Slaughter MP that in the period between April 2009 to January 2021, 167 cases of this type were referred to the CPS.

Of these, 110 were not proceeded with, 32 were dropped by the police, eight were at that time ongoing, three were convicted, one acquitted after trial and eight cases referred for prosecution on more serious charges. This suggests to me that police and prosecutors take the issue seriously but are also reluctant to pursue those whose aims are genuinely benevolent. That is as it should be. Before 1967, as few now know, abortions in this country were legal, under strict conditions and even took place in NHS hospitals. A highly emotional campaign, focusing of course on the most moving cases, created the laws we now have which led (as their opponents said they would) to abortion on demand.

Hard cases have made bad law. Do we really want our kindness and sympathy to be turned into euthanasia on demand?
I hear the iconic Versace 'safety-pin dress' that Liz Hurley wore to the Four Weddings And A Funeral premiere in 1994 is set to be featured in a new Paramount Plus film, Versace: Billion Dollar Bling, that will coincide with the 30th anniversary of the release of Richard Curtis's romcom.

One of the contributors is the Italian-style house's former head of womenswear and stylist Dean Aslett, who remains furious over Liz's refusal to credit him. 'It was me who selected the dress, but Liz downplayed what Versace did for her,' he tells me.

'She's gone on telly with a completely different story, saying she didn't even see it as she was in a small flat with a small mirror and making it sound much more casual.

'This is all rubbish, she tried it on with me in the store with full-length mirrors - so it still irks me she peddles this myth!'

Liz, 58, however, has a different version of events: 'Nobody had heard of Versace in England, at all.

'So I just got sent this dress, screwed up in the bottom of a bag.'

The iconic Versace 'safety-pin dress' that Liz Hurley wore to the Four Weddings And A Funeral premiere in 1994 is set to be featured in a new Paramount Plus film

The film is called a Paramount Plus film called Versace: Billion Dollar Bling

Jodie overcomes her fear of... babies

Could life soon be imitating art for Killing Eve star Jodie Comer - who will next be seen playing the role of a new mother in dystopian drama The End We Start From.

The Liverpudlian, 30, has become broody after working with babies on set.

'The first day I met the six-month-old babies they were so unbelievably tiny, and I was so scared. As the filming progressed, I became much more comfortable.'

She adds: 'Before I did this film I'd felt like I never really had a maternal instinct. I didn't necessarily see myself as a mother. It was a huge personal growth for me.'

Could life soon be imitating art for Killing Eve star Jodie Comer  who will next be seen playing the role of a new mother in dystopian drama The End We Start From

Suki shows off baby bump and 260k sparkler

Mother-to-be Suki Waterhouse is doing little to damp down the flames of speculation that she is engaged to be married to her long-term boyfriend, the Batman and Twilight star Robert Pattinson.

The actress and model, 31, who stars in hit drama Daisy Jones & The Six, was spotted sporting a diamond sparkler on her engagement finger during a night out with her pal Georgia May Jagger in London this week.

In this snap taken by Sir Mick's daughter, Suki mimicked a Grecian statue as she showed off her bump in a draped white mesh dress.

'Taking pictures of Venus in the bathroom,' wrote Georgia alongside the photo.

Suki is said to be wearing the 260,000 diamond Toi Et Moi engagement ring Robert, 37, proposed with.

'The ring features a 2.5 carat princess-cut diamond alongside a 2.5 carat pear-shaped diamond set on a diamond pave platinum band,' a jewellery expert revealed.

Suki Waterhouse, who stars in hit drama Daisy Jones & The Six, was spotted sporting a diamond sparkler on her engagement finger during a night out with her pal Georgia May Jagger in London this week

King's conductor is a choir no-show

Has the last note sounded for Sir John Eliot Gardiner, whom the King invited to conduct at the Coronation?

I ask because Gardiner will be conspicuously absent when the Monteverdi Choir, which he founded nearly 60 years ago, performs in Amsterdam in February and March - months after he abruptly stood down as its conductor after thumping bass soloist William Thomas last summer.

The choir's press representative does not respond to my inquiries, but its website states that associate conductor Dinis Sousa will wield the baton, as he has done in recent months.

Members of the choir seem hopeful that this arrangement will endure.

'Even though Sir John founded the choir and orchestra, he does not own it,' one of them tells me.

'It will continue without him. It was shocking what he did to William. It's hard to see how he can ever come back.'

But Sir John, 80, can be a difficult man to hold down. He ditched his third wife - Italian soprano Isabella de Sabata - in 2019, as I disclosed at the time, in favour of Dutch harpist Gwyneth Wentink, 37.

Kathy's raunchy royal banter...

One should really behave, around royalty especially at a festive gathering.

This seems to have gone out of the window for saucy novelist Kathy Lette, who entertained a then-Prince Charles with sexually charged jokes at a Christmas party in Clarence House.

'I can't tell you what words I minced with the Prince over mince pies or I'll be locked in the Tower and fed to feral corgis,' says Kathy. 'Suffice to say that a few crown jewel puns may have made a cheeky appearance in my patter.'

Kathy Lette entertained a then-Prince Charles with sexually charged jokes at a Christmas party in Clarence House

(Very) modern manners

Doctor Who star Ncuti Gatwa will fill the shoes of his predecessor David Tennant when he makes his debut as the new doctor on Christmas Day.

But don't be surprised if you see Gatwa, 31, barefooted as he says wearing no shoes was the key to securing the role of the Tardis-dweller. 'I felt nervous, which made me feel restricted and tight in my body,' the Rwandan-Scottish actor, pictured above with sidekick Millie Gibson, says of the audition.

'I told them: 'I'm just going to take my shoes off, so I feel like I'm in my living room rehearsing this. Because when I did it last night in front of my flatmate, it was amazing.'

Doctor Who star Ncuti Gatwa will fill the shoes of his predecessor David Tennant when he makes his debut as the new doctor on Christmas Day

The royals are set to gather in Sandringham with King Charles for their annual Christmas lunch. With younger children such as Prince Louis having to eat in a different room, Sarah, Duchess of York, has a plan to keep the youngsters entertained. 'I love Christmas and I make a little Christmas grotto for my three grandchildren,' she tells me.

'I'll also play trains,' she adds. She and Prince Andrew are rumoured to be staying at Wood Farm on the estate in Norfolk.

Boy George is relishing his role as the villainous Captain Hook in the big-budget touring panto Peter Pan.

'At first I was like, I don't know about this, but now I love it - and scaring the kids,' he reveals at a talk at the Southbank Centre.

'And I get a chance to fight a giant animatronic crocodile. What's not to like?'

He adds: 'I'm really looking forward to showing off my evil side.'

The Culture Club star certainly showed off his more sinister side when he was sentenced to 15 months in jail for falsely imprisoning a male escort by handcuffing him to a wall and beating him with a metal chain in 2009.

Quote of the week

'I want to be more of an Italian nonna than a movie star'

Dame Helen Mirren on her desire to be a domestic goddess

Follow me on X @richardaeden and on Instagram @edenconfidential richard.eden@dailymail.co.uk

Edited by Stephanie Takyi
Before the war in Ukraine started, Nina Yevtushenkos biggest decisions were about which modelling assignments to accept and which beauty competitions to enter.

Today, life could hardly be more different after she started a humanitarian aid group that operates in and around the frontline to provide food, clothing, blankets and basic goods for those in need. Almost on a daily basis, Nina risks her life dodging Russian missiles, rockets, drones, artillery and mortar fire.

As she talks with passion about her war role, theres no doubt that she gets infinitively more job satisfaction from her life-saving work than from her globe-trotting modelling assignments.

As sad as it sounds, during the war I found my calling, says the 26-year-old. Every day I look for a thousand options where to find support and humanitarian aid because it helps Ukrainians survive this Hell. And every day I thank my foreign friends for their help and repeat how important it is for it not to stop.

Ninas life was turned upside down in February last year. Though Russian troops had been massing on Ukraines border for weeks, she did not think they would invade.

Before the war in Ukraine started, Nina Yevtushenkos biggest decisions were about which modelling assignments to accept and which beauty competitions to enter

Almost on a daily basis, Nina risks her life dodging Russian missiles, rockets, drones, artillery and mortar fire

Then, four days after her 25th birthday, while with her sister and nephew in western Ukraine, her family called at 5am on February 24 to say war had started and shots were being fired in her home city of Zaporizhzhia.

Split up from her loved ones, Nina recalls: My sister and I were very scared. We were alone and had no idea what to do.

Initially, they went to stay with friends, but three weeks later travelled to Slovakia where they stayed for several weeks and collected money to send to help volunteers in Ukraine. But she says she wanted to be more useful and decided to return because most of her family were under Russian occupation in the Zaporizhzhia region.

She contacted a friend, Kate Shkoliar, who was a volunteer aid worker, and asked her to start a charitable foundation together. Within a week of Ninas return to Ukraine, they had launched a fund which they called the Mriya Foundation (mriya means dream in Ukrainian).

For the past 19 months, the not-for-profit organisation has helped many thousands of Ukrainians, many of whom are living on or close to the frontline.

Nina tells me how they help displaced people, families with babies, the disabled, elderly, large families and the military. They also shelter animals, transporting pet food to areas where there are many abandoned dogs.

The foundation takes on challenges that other aid groups cannot  or wont  undertake.

Nina explains: If someone turns to us for help, it means it is 100 per cent needed. Well do everything in our power to deliver it. I want people to know they are not alone.

Inevitably, Nina and her team have come under fire.

Their most dangerous moments were in November last year after Ukrainian forces had regained land from Russia in the east and south-east of their country. She says they were the first aid group to reach areas around Kharkiv and Kherson after Russian troops had left.

For the past 19 months, the not-for-profit organisation has helped many thousands of Ukrainians, many of whom are living on or close to the frontline

Nina and her team, led by her friend Kate, took three trucks of aid to Kherson when, suddenly, the Russians started shelling and shooting indiscriminately.

She says: It was chaos, but we had a queue of 4,000 people wanting help. It was very scary but everyone stayed to help.

In the Kharkiv region, they took a truck of humanitarian aid including 2,000 food boxes and 4,000 blankets. When the moment came to distribute them all, a [Russian] rocket flew over us, Nina recalls.

On another occasion, she and a friend were bombed as they tried to deliver pet food to within two miles of the frontline.

When, in June, Russian troops blew up the Kakhovka dam, killing 58 people and destroying the lives of some 40,000 in the Dnipro river area, Ninas team were at the centre of rescue efforts. Despite the huge dangers, with the river banks having been mined by Russians and explosive devices floating in the water, the volunteers used small boats to help those in need.

Nina tells me: Kate arrived there soon after the explosion and she brought food and other aid to the flooded areas.

Two days later, Nina arrived at one of the worst affected villages with the Scottish-based aid organisation Siobhans Trust. We prepared pizza and also took food to areas where the floodwater had receded but there was still no electricity. I also helped distribute food boxes for an entire village.

The scenes we witnessed were desperate: many houses were almost entirely under water.

In the Kharkiv region, they took a truck of humanitarian aid including 2,000 food boxes and 4,000 blankets

Unsurprisingly, Nina and her team of volunteers have witnessed some heart-breaking scenes over the past 19 months, none more so than in her home city in March. They got there within hours of a Russian rocket hitting a five- storey building.

On the second day, we found a family who had been killed by the missile. A little girl of eight months old, her mum, her dad and their cat were all dead, lying on their bed. It was very traumatic because, for two days, everyone had hoped they would be found alive.

The people of Ukraine have endured terrible suffering. Before the war, the countrys population stood at almost 44 million. But over the past 22 months, an estimated 70,000 have been killed and a further 120,000 injured. The invasion has displaced more than eight million Ukrainians and even more were forced to become refugees.

Having visited Ukraine five times since the war started, my respect for the bravery and resilience of its people has no bounds. Also, with the war now in a difficult phase, said by some to have reached something of a stalemate, I am more convinced than ever that the rest of the world must not let the terrible events in the Middle East distract from our determination to help Ukraine. Humanitarian support is no less important than military support, especially as winter begins to bite, bringing temperatures as low as 20C.

Since Nina launched her foundation, it has attracted private backers, and the help it has provided in food, medical equipment and other supplies is immeasurable.

She says: I am proud of the work we have done, with such a small budget. Our donors know their money is going to good causes.

Fortunately, none of Ninas immediate family have been killed or injured. Early in the war, they smuggled her closest relatives  her mother, younger brother and grandfather  to safety.

However, their home town is still under occupation so they cannot return.

Nina got married just after the war began and her husband, Viktor, works for the Ukrainian military as part of the countrys security service. Because of their different and demanding roles, they spend much time apart.

Nina and Kate are looking for new charitable partners to maximise their effectiveness. At first, the pair did everything themselves, but now have a small staff and 20 regular volunteers.

Over the past 22 months, an estimated 70,000 have been killed in Ukraine and a further 120,000 injured

Nina, who is nearly 5ft 8in tall, became a model in her third year as a maths student at university in Zaporizhzhia. She won a local beauty contest and then represented her city in a national competition, which she won, and then starred for Ukraine in a worldwide contest. She has since worked as a fashion model.

Nina hopes the war will end soon  but fears it could last a long time. Like many Ukrainians, she is desperate for the West, notably the US and the UK, to continue their support with military weapons and humanitarian aid.

One thing is certain: Ninas work to assist those in need will continue, even increase. I want to help Ukrainians live through this horror, she says.

Mriya has opened a warehouse close to the frontline, where equipment is stored before it is distributed. There are plans to expand the operation, too.

Nina adds: I want to help children, who have been studying only online for nearly two years, to raise their level of knowledge.

She and Kate are also thinking about opening a rehabilitation centre for injured soldiers.

In some ways, we dont want to wait until the end of the war. We must live for the present and try to be 100 per cent useful. We have learned to live every second as if it was our last.

But Ninas long-term hope is that Ukraine will be a safe place again. One day, I want to have a big family. Everything we do now is so that, in the future, we can live, develop and enjoy life in a free country without war.

Anyone wanting to find out more about the Mriya foundation, or to donate to the work of Nina and her team, should visit their Instagram and/or Facebook pages @mriya_charity.

l Lord Ashcroft KCMG PC is an international businessman, philanthropist, author and pollster. For more information on his work, visit his website. Follow him on X/Facebook @LordAshcroft.
The actor is the 15th timelord, making his full debut in the Christmas Day special

After a high-octane 15 minutes, which saw new Doctor Who Ncuti Gatwa wrenched from the body of his fellow timelord, played by David Tennant, Whovians - as fans of the BBC's long-running sci-fi show are known - finally got a glimpse of their man.

In Converse and without trousers, the latest Doctor Who to grace our Saturday night screens, teed up the forthcoming Christmas Day special - his full debut - perfectly.

And with Russell T Davies back at the writing helm, the 39th season looks full of promise for fans - with Millie Gibson also on board, starring as the Doctor's companion Ruby Sunday.

When asked how he would make his Doctor - the 14th official timelord - different to his predecessors, Ncuit (pronounced Shuti), 31, told journalists that he would bring 'I guess myself, my black beautiful self. I bring my blackness.'

Doctor in the house: Ahead of his full debut on Christmas Day as the new leading star of Doctor Who, Ncuti Gatwa, 31, said he's planning to bring his 'beautiful blackness' to the iconic role

Wearing no trousers, Converse and in a Tardis with a jukebox; Ncuti - whose name is pronounced 'Shuti' - made quite the entrance as the newest Doctor on the block

The star pictured with writer Russell T Davies, centre, and the Doctor's new companion Ruby Sunday (Millie Gibson), left

Rwandan-Scottish Ncuti will be the first black actor to take on a full-time stint as The Doctor, after Jo Martin briefly played a version of the character in 2020.

The star's rise to prominence can be pinpointed to a moment; borrowing 10 from a friend so he could audition for the role of Eric Effiong in Netflix series Sex Education.

Homeless and couch surfing, the star, then in his mid twenties, was still searching for the breakthrough role that had eluded him since drama school. He now has 2.8 million followers on Instagram and the biggest acting job in British telly.

Here, FEMAIL looks at how the actor has become a household name in the years since starring in Sex Education...

EARLY YEARS: FLEEING RWANDA

The Gatwa family fled Rwanda and settled in Dunfirmline, to the west of Glasgow in Scotland when Ncuti (pictured) was a toddler

The 31-year-old was just a toddler when his family fled the Rwandan genocide and moved to Dunfermline.

Ncuti was spirited away from Rwanda as a toddler by his parents to escape the genocide in 1994 when the family discovered his father was 'number one' on a malitia death list.

His father Tharcisse Gatwa was an outspoken critic of President Juvenal Habyarimana from the country's Hutu tribe who massacred 800,000 in 100 days.

Last year, the actor's family and friends in Rwanda revealed the full extraordinary story of how his parents packed up their belongings and fled their bungalow in the capital Kigali with the 18-month-old Ncuti to start a new life in Scotland after the family was tipped off that Tharcisse faced certain death if he stayed.

Leaving Rwanda: Ncuti's mother Josephine, pictured with her son at Newport Beach Film Festival at London's The Langham Hotel in 2020, was tipped off that her husband Tharcisse was a target on the Hutu tribe's death list and the family took the decision to flee

Speaking from the Gatwas ancestorial home in the remote village of Biguhu, family friend pastor Sylvestre Gatabazi told MailOnline last year: 'If Tharcisse had not escaped he and his family would have been killed on the first day of the genocide. Tharcisse denounced the Habyarimana government many times in his articles. He was an enemy of the regime.'

Gatabazi said when the country's genocide began on 7th April 1994, the militia had lists of names of people to kill.

'Gatwa was the first name on the hit list in the Kacyiru district where he lived with his family.'

The Gatwa family fled, arriving in Scotland shortly afterwards as refugees and were granted asylum.

In Dunfermline, Ncuti was racially abused at school but the star's blossoming talent was spotted by a teacher when he was 16, who urged him to go to drama school.

That drama school was the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in Glasgow, where Gatwa completed his Bachelor of Arts in Acting in 2013.

BEING HOMELESS - AND A JOB AT HARRODS

In January 2020, in an interview with The Big Issue, Gatwa revealed he was homeless for five months prior to finally landing his breakthrough role.

The actor told how after struggling to cope with the financial stress of London life as an aspiring actor and didn't have a fixed address, and relied on friends to let him sleep on their sofas of a night.

In an interview with The Big Issue, he admitted that while temping at luxury department store Harrods in the city, he was selling 7,000 fragrances by day but didn't have a bed to sleep in when he went home at night.

Sex Education star Ncuti Gatwa (pictured) revealed he was homeless for five months, prior to landing his role as Eric Effiong in the Netflix series, which propelled him to overnight stardom

He also revealed that a friend had to lend him money to get to the audition for his role, which earned him praise for his show-stealing portrayal of a gay black teen.

'I couldn't seem to handle it all financially. I was supposed to move into a new place and it fell through', said Ncuti.

'So for five months before Sex Education, I was couch-surfing among all my friends. I didn't have a home.

'I was homeless. The only thing stopping me from being on the streets was the fact I had friends. '

He went on to describe how envious he felt of the customers at his temporary job as a shop assistant, and simply wanted his 'own bed'.

'I was looking at people, thinking, "You are so lucky to be about to go home to your own bed." Then I was going to work to sell 7,000 perfumes.'

BIG BREAK: ERIC IN SEX EDUCATION

Sex Education was a huge hit with audiences, with over 40million viewers streaming the first series in 2019.

Ncuti played Eric Effiong in the Netflix show about socially awkward high school student Otis (Asa Butterfield) and his sex therapist mother Jean (Gillian Anderson).

Gatwa confessed that a friend had to lend him money so he was able to travel to the audition for his role. (Pictured: in a scene from the first series of the Netflix series)

The role earned him praise for his portrayal of a gay black teen. He is pictured in the show alongside the character of Otis, played by Asa Butterfield

Doctor of style: Ncuti pictured at the Barbie premiere in London in July; he made his Hollywood debut as one of the film's many Kens

Written by Laurie Nunn, it turned many of the cast into overnight stars, which proved a huge contrast to the poverty experienced by Gatwa prior to landing the role.

His character - as the gay sidekick of the shows star Otis, played by Asa Butterfield - became one of Sex Educations most loved actors.

He won a Scottish Bafta and a Rose d'Or Award for the part.

Other stage and screen parts have followed, including in Golden Globe-nominated Barbie. Ncuti made his Hollywood debut as one of the film's many Kens; the fashion-loving star wore custom Valentino as he joined his co-stars at Cineworld Leicester Square for the premiere in July 2023.

WELCOME TO THE WHONIVERSE

Gatwa replaces Jodie Whittaker to become the 14th Doctor Who - although previous Doctor David Tennant starred in the interim anniversary specials (Pictured: Gatwa and Doctor Who writer Russell T Davies at the British Academy Television Awards 2022 )

The Christmas Day special is likely to leave Doctor Who fans smitten as the latest duo Ncuti and co-star Millie Gibson take to the Tardis

Gatwa was confirmed as the latest timelord in May 2022, saying at the time that he was 'deeply honoured and beyond excited' but also a 'little bit scared' to join the Doctor Who franchise.

He told the BBC: 'This role and show means so much to so many around the world, including myself, and each one of my incredibly talented predecessors has handled that unique responsibility and privilege with the utmost care.

'I will endeavour my upmost to do the same.'

Meanwhile, writer Russell T Davies said that Gatwa 'dazzled' in his audition, adding: 'Sometimes talent walks through the door and it's so bright and bold and brilliant, I just stand back in awe and thank my lucky stars.'
A woman has revealed she was sexually assaulted by her father's best friend who groomed her with Christmas presents as a child before confessing his love.

Katie James, 19, from Cwmbran, South Wales, had known Tino Iacovou all her life and would see him most weekends when visiting her father.

Describing how he was an 'uncle figure' in her life, the teenager explained how Tino would shower her with sweets and presents.

She said: 'Hed always play with me. When I was six, he bought me my favourite teddy bear, Ruby, for Christmas.'

However, Katie says their 'uncle-niece' relationship changed when she hit her teenage years.

Pictured: Katie James, 19, from Cwmbran, South Wales. The teenager had to testify against her abuser last year when he initially denied the assault happened

She explained: 'One day, we were all in my kitchen.

'I hopped onto Tinos back for a piggyback, but his hands touched my bottom, and he kept them there for a while.

'Feeling uncomfortable, I quickly jumped off.

'He acted like nothing had happened and carried on talking to my dad.'

Afterwards, Katie says Tino would regularly start being over-affectionate towards her.

The teen recalls Tino 'constantly' asking for hugs and offering to give her back massages.

Katie explained: 'I let him because I thought I trusted him.'

Following this, Katie recalled how Tino wouldn't come over to her father's house without bringing her a gift.

Katie said Tino Iacovou (pictured) was an 'uncle figure' in her life and she would see him most weekends when visiting her father

Pictured: Tino giving Katie a piggy back in her father's home before the assault. Katie says Tino became more affectionate towards her as she got older

She said: 'Hed always come round with sweets for me and rocks and crystals which he knew I collected.

'The next Christmas, he even helped my dad buy me an Xbox. I started to feel really uncomfortable around him.'

In 2018, Tino sexually assaulted Katie - who was 14 at the time - in the living room of her father's home.

The pair were watching TV while Katie's father was in bed.

She explained: 'Tino came and laid down next to me on the sofa.

Katie pictured as a child. The 19-year-old had known Tino her whole life but said their 'uncle-niece' relationship changed as she got older

Pictured: Katie James. Describing their early relationship, Katie said: 'Hed always play with me. When I was six, he bought me my favourite teddy bear, Ruby, for Christmas'

Pictured: Undated photo of Katie's abuser Tino Iacovou, who was sentenced to sentenced to two and a half years in prison in November 2022

'Suddenly, he lifted up my pyjama top and felt my breasts, before taking his hand up my trouser leg and groping my privates.

'I was in complete shock and didnt know what to say or do.'

Katie says Tino only stopped because she heard her father stirring in his bedroom.

However, he then cradled Katie, kissed her and said that he loved her.

Following the assault, Katie was traumatised and said she avoided ever being around Tino - choosing to stay in her room when he visited.

When she did inevitably have to see him, Katie says Tino acted as though nothing had happened and would insist on sitting beside her and giving her hugs.

She explained: 'For a while, I couldnt get my head around what had happened.

'But a month later, it hit me like a ton of bricks. I had panic attacks and isolated myself in my bedroom, away from my family.'

Describing how he was an 'uncle figure' in her life, the teenager (pictured) explained how Tino would shower her with sweets and presents

Katie (pictured) added: 'The sentence is nothing for what he did to me. During the trial, I felt ridiculed and embarrassed'

After this, Katie found the courage to tell her mother about the assault and with her parents' full support, she reported Tino to the police.

Following his arrest, Tino denied everything - which meant the case had to go to trial.

Katie continued: 'I was devastated that it had to go to trial.

'When I gave my evidence in court, I faced Tino for what I hoped would be the last time.'

In September 2022, Tino was found guilty of one count of sexual activity with a child and was sentenced to two and a half years in prison that November.

What's more, he has also been placed on the Sex Offenders' Register for life.

Katie added: 'The sentence is nothing for what he did to me. During the trial, I felt ridiculed and embarrassed.

'He made out that I was happy for him to touch me. But Im so glad I brought him to justice.

'If youve been abused, please tell someone. You will be believed.'

If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this story, Rape Crisis offers support to victims of assault in the UK.
A grandmother has been slammed for buying her three-year-old granddaughter a very controversial present for her birthday.

Mum Dakota, 24, showed off her little girl's new phone to her TiKTok followers - but was met with backlash in the comments.

The video, under her handle @koat_123, has been seen by more than 2.3 million people.

In the clip, she wrote on the screen: 'My toddler got a phone for her 3rd birthday' and held up a small device in a pink unicorn case.

She told viewers: 'So, this is the phone that my mum got my three year old. It's not actually a phone of course, but it has everything that a toddler would try to do on your phone'.

A grandmother has been slammed for buying her three year old granddaughter a phone for her birthday

She explained: 'So, it will take pictures, it will video, it voice records, you've got games on there, you can get different music on there.

'You can connect it to your laptop and put music on there for them. As soon I posted it on Instagram, there were so many messages saying where is this from? What is this?'

In the TikTok, she shows herself unlocking the small phone, which reveals the apps - camera, photos, video, player, music, recorder, calculator, calendar, alarm and more.

The device seems to offer everything a standard phone would, minus the ability to text, call or use the internet.

The 24-year-old-gushed: 'It's honestly the best thing that I've ever seen'.

She adds: 'There were a few different brands and a few different cases that you can get for the phone'.

The mother holds up the box which reads 'TinyCam Kids Smartphone' - it has a recommended age of 3+.

It's available from a brand called Lenudar and costs 36.99 on Amazon Prime - another brand called Dhapy also offer their version of a child friendly device for 26.85.

Mum Dakota told her followers on TikTok that while it looked liked a phone it was not capable of calls and did not have internet access

Dakota said: 'You can also connect headphones to it and things like that - it just needs charging.

'It lets you change the wallpaper and things like that and she can set timers and alarms, so it's so cute'.

'And this is is of course not an ad, I didn't even get this for my daughter, my mum did.

'But because she has loved it so much, I know there will be so many other toddlers that will love to see this as well so I thought I would share'.

However, viewers were not too impressed with the gift and were quick to chime in with their own opinions.

One user penned: 'why would a child ever need this' - the comment has amassed more than 5,000 likes.

They later added: 'sad, I got my first electronic at 12 and I'm so glad I did, before that I went outside every day. kids nowadays are so obsessed with phones and iPads'.

Others said; 'so... it is a phone then' and 'I got my first phone when I was 11 and it was a Nokia brick what has happened'.

Another chimed in with: 'I got my first phone when I was 13 and had the best childhood without screens'.

However, others defended the grandmother and mother, writing: 'People are mad at this as if our parents arent buying us robot pets and iPods at 10 In the 2000s'.

Research by Ofcom earlier this year revealed that a fifth of three and four year olds have their own mobile device (stock image)

Someone else admitted: 'My 3 year old has my old iPhone 7,' to which another viewer replied 'that's so sad'.

Another said: 'Its cute but if it doesnt have YouTube my child will dash it lol'.

Dakota responded: 'She has a tablet for that, this is more because she loves taking pics of everything'.

However, this is not the only little one that's yearning for a phone - research by Ofcom earlier this year revealed that a fifth of three and four year olds have their own mobile device.

They use them to access social media, play online games and watch streaming services.

It also found that 61 per cent - almost two thirds - of UK children own a smartphone by age 10.

In January, the education watchdog suggested that children should not have unrestricted internet access or smartphones at a young age.

The pandemic has also caused the average screen time of children aged three to 18 to shoot up by 50 per cent - with an average of four hours a day now spent on gadgets.

In a conversation with BBC Radio 5 Live about accessing explicit content online, Amanda Spielman, Ofsted's Chief Inspector, said: 'I'm not comfortable with younger children having unlimited internet access.

'I'm very surprised when primary-aged children have smartphones, for example, and even in early secondary school. Its really hard to manage that.'

Ms Spielman also suggested that it was the role of parents and schools to 'make sure that children can steer past all of these undesirable influences'.
Claire Foy has fans scratching their heads after refusing to sign an autograph in blue ink, but the reasoning may be more complicated than just a disdain for the color.

Photojournalist Michal Blank went viral on TikTok after sharing footage of a man asking The Crown actress to sign a picture before her appearance on The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon in New York City.

Foy, 39, initially reached for the blue Sharpie he was holding in front of her face, but she pulled her hand back after noticing the color.

'I don't do blue, sorry,' she said.

Claire Foy, 39, went viral after refusing to sign an autograph because the man had a blue Sharpie. 'I don't do blue, sorry,' she told him

Just seconds later, The Crown actress signed an autograph for another fan who handed her a black marker. The footage was shared on TikTok and Instagram

'What?' the person asked.

'I don't do blue,' she repeated, walking away.

'Oh, come on,' he replied.

Just seconds later, Foy signed an autograph for another fan who handed her a black marker.

The video has been viewed more than 1.6 million times and was later shared on Instagram by writer Evan Ross Katz, who joked in the caption, 'Silly man, Claire Foy does not do blue!'

Many people were confused by her refusal to sign her name in blue and looked for answers in the comments.

'I have this visceral need to know why Claire Foy doesnt do blue,' one person wrote.

'Must! Know! Why!?' another agreed.

Many people were confused by Foy's refusal to sign her name in blue, but some claimed it was due to forgery concerns

Others claimed this is a common practice among A-listers due to forgery concerns.

'Most celebrities and athletes are taught not to do blue ink cause you can scan and forge the signature on other things and sell them,' one commenter explained.

'Even though this is a legit reason, I'd still respect her if she just didn't want her name seen in tacky Sharpie blue,' someone else joked.

'For all the pros talking about forgery  name 10 celebs whose blue autograph was used in a forgery case,' another asked. Just curious. Not challenging your wisdom.'

Foy has yet to comment on the autograph debacle, but an expert has weighed in on the matter.

Christopher M. Naghibi, a banker and attorney, told Today.com the idea that blue ink is easier to forge 'stems from old, outdated ideology'

'Both blue and black inks can be subject to forgery, and the security against forgery primarily depends on the methods used for verification and the quality of the inks and paper, rather than the color of the ink itself,' he said

Christopher M. Naghibi, a banker and attorney, told Today.com the idea that blue ink is easier to forge 'stems from old, outdated ideology.'

He explained that blue ink used to not hold the same contrast as black ink when documents were scanned or photocopied, but 'this distinction has become less relevant' following the 'advancements in scanning and printing technology.'

The attorney noted that blue ink is the preferred color when signing important legal documents because it is easier to 'distinguish as an original signature' compared to black ink.

'Both blue and black inks can be subject to forgery, and the security against forgery primarily depends on the methods used for verification and the quality of the inks and paper, rather than the color of the ink itself,' he said.
How you eat your asparagus may reveal how 'posh' you are, an etiquette expert has revealed - after the actor who played King Charles in The Crown nearly committed a dining faux pas when, in one scene, he used a knife and fork to eat the vegetable.

Speaking to History EXTRA Magazine, Annie Sulzberger - Head of Research at the show - said that while filming, Dominic West tried to reach for the cutlery while tucking into the delicacy.

'Our amazing etiquette adviser, David Rankin Hunt, stopped him and said: posh people don't eat asparagus with knives and forks  they use their fingers,' she said.

'So we reset and reshot it with Dom picking up the asparagus with his fingers.

'It's important to have so many voices who can chime in with their experience, because I don't think I would have been able to look up the way in which two posh people would have eaten asparagus back in 1992.'

Speaking to History EXTRA Magazine, Annie Sulzberger said that while filming, Dominic West tried to reach for the cutlery while tucking into the vegetable at Highgrove

Major David Rankin-Hunt, who worked for the royal family for 33 years in two roles, has advised makers of The Crown on everything from satorial choices to salutes and umbrellas.

Speaking to Femail in 2015, one etiquette expert revealed another set of rules when it comes to eating the delicacy.

'If served as a first course, rather than an accompaniment vegetable, these are eaten with the hands and dipped into the hollandaise sauce,' William Hanson explained.

'Brits will eat these with the left hand (leaving the right hand free of grease, ready to shake hands or pick up a wine glass, for example); there are some cultures where eating with the left hand is not the done thing, in this case, they may eat the asparagus with the right hand. (Not many know the left-hand rule today.)

'You may double-dip in the sauce so long as it is your own portion.'

It comes Dominic has also recently admitted that he 'understands' criticism of the show - and 'acknowledges there's discomfort about it'.

Speaking on BBC 5 Live this week, the actor told presenter Nihal Arthanayake that he had 'persuaded himself that the Royal Family are public property and therefore fair game'.

'But I'm still uncomfortable with the thought of anyone being fair game or anyone's private life being made public,' he added.

The actor also said he can see why 'people think this is too close to the actual events' - with series of six of the show tackling Princess Diana's death as well as the late Queen's funeral planning.

Pictured: King Charles tastes local asparagus at Oranje Tractor Centre during a visit to Albany on November 14, 2015

The actor who played King Charles in The Crown nearly committed a dining faux pas when, in one scene, he ate asparagus with a knife and fork, a researcher for the show has revealed. Stock image used

'The grief is still so, so real,' he continued. 'I did think a lot about that, I still do.

'Ultimately, you have to put your trust in Peter's hands and he's a proven great dramatist.'

Dominic also explained he found it difficult to play the monarch as 'extremely emotional' this season.

The Netflix star earlier this week also claimed that Charles was judged too harshly when Diana died.

He believes that history should be kinder to the now-King, who he believes has 'made every mistake going'.

Dominic, previously most famous for his role as Jimmy McNulty in The Wire, believes Charles was seen as a 'villain' after his ex-wife died with Dodi Fayed on the night of August 30.

In season six, which premiered last month with the final episodes released last week, Charles crumbles into tears when he learns of his ex-wife's death in Paris. He then defied his mother and pushed for the royal plane to be sent to France to collect her coffin, sobbing loudly when he saw her body for the first time at the Pitie-Salpetriere Hospital.

Dominic said: 'You do feel a sympathy for him. I think that, particularly around Diana's death, he was the villain of the piece. And I think perhaps now that we've had 25 years of retrospective to look back on, we might judge that  I certainly have judged that  as being a bit harsh on him'.

In season six, which premiered last month with the final episodes released last week, Charles crumbles into tears when he learns of his ex-wife's death in Paris. The pair pictured in 1989

Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, Prince William, Earl Spencer, Prince Harry and Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales follow the coffin of Diana, Princess of Wales in 1997

Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, he revealed: 'I'm fighting for him as one does as an actor for any character, except perhaps the most villainous. Inevitably, you're trying to get inside the mind of your character and that requires a sort of sense of common humanity and empathy'.

He said he has grown to 'adore' playing Charles in the show, admitting he is sad that the role has ended.

In an interview with Town and Country he said: 'I miss him. I'm still reading all the news articles about him. I adore him. I feel real affection for him, which I didn't particularly feel before', adding: 'He's likable, as well as an interesting character'.

He referenced recent events, such as Charles' anger when his pen failed to work after the Queen died.

'It's hard not to bring the present man into the historic man, or even the real man into Peter Morgan's version of him. But it was a wonderful gift to have all that coronation stuff and the penthe irritation about the pen. You don't get many glimpses of what's going on behind the public persona. So I greedily devoured all those moments. They are gold dust to an actor, really'.

The Netflix star earlier this week also claimed that Charles was judged too harshly when Diana died. Pictured with co-star Olivia Williams, who plays Camilla

He added: 'He's made every mistake going. He's been through it all, it's been about as bad as it can get. And he's been grilled about as hard as he possibly could be. And so I imagine, like with so much in his life, I think there's a certain resolution now he's King. I think there's a certain, probably relief, that he no longer is allowed to be political or outspoken'.

He added: 'He's landed on his feetor with a crown on his head, more accurately'.

The last series of The Crown has proved controversial and had mixed reviews, from the depiction of Diana's death to Charles' wedding to Camilla and the Queen's existential crisis over the future of the monarchy.

There are also a series of bizarre dream sequences when senior royals including the Queen and Charles speak with the late Princess, played by Elizabeth Debicki, after her death.

Harry's embarrassment over wearing a Nazi uniform to a party has been gleefully recreated by Netflix in the very last episode of The Crown.
When I think of the Queen, I think of her seduction and her glamour; not the hollow gaudiness that passes for these today, but the charm and elegance of an age that is lost.

In the final episodes of the Crown, which dropped on Netflix this week, its three Elizabeths, Claire Foy, Olivia Colman and Imelda Staunton finally meet, in a film-maker's tribute to the real thing.

I speak as someone who had the honour of meeting 'the real thing' on a number of occasions throughout my life.

The trouble with The Crown, however, is that it has been forced to put its fiction alongside fact, and the acting in a series like this shows not how real people looked and behaved but how the producers and writers envisage them.

It is a pity, therefore, that two of its Elizabeths have often failed to shine with anything approaching authenticity.

The stalwart Imelda Staunton, with all her acting prowess, lacked the elusive qualities the real queen possessed, particularly the lively allure that captivated a nation for so long. Staunton's queen might be mistaken for a charwoman demanding a pay rise, while Olivia Colman has sometimes plumbed the depths of dowdiness in muted colour palettes, and with a permanently pursed expression of joyless disapproval.

Staunton's queen might be mistaken for a charwoman demanding a pay rise (left), while Olivia Colman has sometimes plumbed the depths of dowdiness in muted colour palettes (right)

Of The Crown's trio of monarchs, only Claire Foy captured the vivacity and loveliness of the Queen I knew.

For loveliness it was, and age, custom and tele-vision could not dim it, though at times writer Peter Morgan has done his best. (What a shame that The Crown abandoned verisimilitude for headlines and did not continue with the strangely eternal Foy, who comprehended the monarch's timeless charm.)

Strictly speaking, Queen Elizabeth was not what American author Truman Capote would have called 'a swan among swans'.

She was neither a Vogue fashion plate, like the current Princess of Wales, nor an ostentatious beauty. Before drink and disappointment ruined her, Princess Margaret was the sister who possessed a peerless physical distinction.

Her complexion was flawless, saturated by Balmoral mists

But, as Foy alone seemed cognisant in her appearance and her bearing, the Queen had the bloom of something more.

God had kissed her on the cheek and there she was. British monarchs are not often presentable. Elizabeth I, for all the hagiography surrounding her, had a hooked nose and bad skin.

In its turn, the House of Windsor, with its stolid German origins, has not distinguished itself by its enamelled progeny. Even Queen Victoria had only a palid prettiness that failed to outlive her youth.

But out of the desert of British monarchs, so populous and often so dreary, Elizabeth II stood out.

I first met the Queen when I was 13. My father had attended her Coronation and her mother, the other Queen Elizabeth, was a close family friend. It was a windy winter's day and I was with my parents in the royal box at Kempton Park racecourse. When the Queen entered with her lady in waiting, we all stood.

I had already had an excruciating encounter with Princess Margaret, who had scolded me for wearing lipstick ('Did you intend to look 30?'), so I was wary of being introduced.

In retrospect, I needn't have worried. The Queen may not have met fair tests of beauty all round, but you never realised it when confronted by her charm.

Her complexion was flawless, saturated by Balmoral mists. Her eyes were cerulean and when her smile reached them she could have stood up to any woman in the land.

The second race was about to start and I found myself beside the monarch. As she lifted her binoculars I had a chance to examine her clothes.

Of The Crown's trio of monarchs, only Claire Foy captured the vivacity and loveliness of the Queen I knew

Claire Foy pictured playing Queen Elizabeth II in The Crown

Everything was coordinated  even her shoes were dyed to match the rest of her outfit. There was elegance and economy to her dress that was typical of upper class women who grew up in the 1930s and 40s.

But what struck me was her surprising sex appeal; a bat squeak it may have been, but it was there. The Queen had powers of allure, partly inherited from her mother, Elizabeth Bowes Lyon.

The Queen Mother was not conventionally lovely (the Duke of Windsor cruelly nicknamed her 'cookie', as he thought she looked like a cook), but she could hold a room in a state of enchantment and so could her daughter.

In one of the moments that make life memorable, she noticed I had no binoculars. 'Would you like to borrow mine?' she inquired kindly.

I did not distinguish myself by my response. There was a tangle of leather as I tugged at the straps, not realising they were still around her neck. For a terrible moment I thought I was choking her.

'You must love racing to want them so much,' she said with a glint of mischief. Lord 'Porchy' Carnarvon, her racing manager, and rumoured one time beau, was never far behind.

Everyone said Carnarvon had been madly in love with her and it was easy to see why she had captivated the young Prince Philip, one of the handsomest men in Europe.

Like Foy, who epitomised the understated sparkle of the upper-class woman who loves the outdoors, the Queen's warmth was that of a cosy fire that might suddenly burst into flame. She had a horse running in the third race, and as it pulled ahead she stamped one of her tiny feet.

When it came second, she turned to Carnarvon and said: 'I told you the ground was too hard.' 'I don't believe you said anything of the sort Ma'am.' She then uttered a phrase I remembered when it was used again to such devastating effect after Harry and Meghan's Oprah interview: 'Recollections may vary.' It was magic.

In 1998, I dined with Sir Hardy Amies, who not only made most of the Queen's formal dresses but had a keen appreciation of the female form. He had dressed A-list film stars of the era like Jean Simmons.

I was struck by her surprising sex appeal... she had powers of allure

Sir Hardy's association with Elizabeth had begun in 1950. When I met him he was a frail old man but he became animated when conversation turned to his best known and most illustrious client.

'You know,' he said, 'strictly speaking, she was short, but she literally grew on you.' I asked him what he meant.

He stared as if he was seeing her before him and then replied carefully: 'Her Majesty had a marvellous waist, lovely arms and a very attractive bosom, particularly when she was young. You don't see many figures like hers now. We could get her waist down to 21 inches and offset it with a flared skirt.'

The Queen had another great advantage, said Sir Hardy: she could wear any colour, from electric blues and yellows to tweeds. She had style, a look unique to her, which he called 'very English, reassuring. Genius, really'.

Strictly speaking, Queen Elizabeth was not what American author Truman Capote would have called 'a swan among swans'

And timeless, he said. Wallis Simpson, who was achingly chic, now seems very much of the 1930s and 40s, like a sepia photograph. The Queen's look, however, never dated. Her appearance was the embodiment of how foreigners imagined the English ought to be.

When I met the Queen for the second time, in the 1990s, it dawned on me that, unintentionally, she had become a modern style icon.

It was a wet day at the Badminton Horse Trials and we were near one of the jumps. Her nose was pink from the cold and she wore powder on her face, plus a slash of red lipstick, but that was her only concession to the artificial (by contrast, the maquillage of Imelda Staunton has been more akin to a Watusi get-up for a tribal dance).

I miss that bright speck of colour that cheered our grey days

She was about 70, yet her clothes still showed the English upper class country dressing that designers like Ralph Lauren still cannot resist. In many ways, the Queen was its pioneer.

She also had a way of throwing a silk scarf over her head that was as careless and elegant as anything on the catwalk. (Poor Olivia Colman tried but couldn't capture that elan, while Ms Staunton's scarves seemed glued to her head to withstand hurricanes).

A family friend who knew the Queen when she was Princess Elizabeth told me many years ago: 'She never had overtly seductive looks, but she was lit from within. She always managed to put herself together in a way that made her look statuesque.

'She had a voluptuous figure and when she was young she made the most of that, but always discreetly. She had natural, scrubbed prettiness.'

It didn't matter that her prettiness wasn't of the Hollywood kind. The Queen never confused royalty with celebrity, a distinction that illustrates the dangers of having her played by famous actresses.

As Sir Hardy said: 'She wanted people to see her, not her clothes. We had disagreements because she wanted to wear colours all the time. She would say to me, 'I need to be seen to be believed'.'

Above all, she dressed for the nation and her clothes reflected its mood as only women's clothes can.

Her bridal dress, worn when she married Philip in 1947, and recreated for Ms Foy, was a perfect example of this. It was attuned to the national mood of ration books and a hope of regrowth.

To pay for the gown, the Princess had saved up clothing coupons, like every other British bride. The result was a simple but ethereal off-white silk dress embroidered with the flowers of the Commonwealth.

If this was meant to send a message to those countries that had been part of the British Empire.

Canada, Australia, Pakistan, Jamaica, and New Zealand were among those that had joined the Commonwealth as independent nations. There was no longer any place for empires or empresses.

We thought we didn't know what the Queen was thinking, but she expressed herself through dress more deftly than any politician.

With her sense of honour, public service and an extraordinary lack of vanity, Elizabeth II was the ideal of queenship in a post-war Britain.

The beauty she possessed was not that of a solar myth, but an organic living thing to which every woman in the country could relate.

I miss her on the balcony of Buckingham Palace; that bright speck of colour that cheered our grey days and reflected our summers back at us.

Our Queen had true glamour, besides which the merely fashionable is as evanescent as steam.

And as The Crown's pretend Queens walk off into a televisual sunset, it is the joyful, crystalline Claire Foy who will forever impinge on my gratitude for bringing it back to us.
Up to one in 12 women unknowingly carry a genetic mutation that increases their risk of having blood clots when taking the Pill.

Everyone inherits two copies of a gene called factor V (F5) from their parents, which is vital for blood to clot properly in the event of an injury.

However, eight per cent of people have a mutated version that triggers a disorder called Factor V Leiden. While it causes no symptoms, it raises their risk of strokes, mini-strokes and deep-vein thrombosis.

If this group take the contraceptive pill, they are 35 times more likely to have a stroke compared to those who do not have the condition and do not take the Pill.

Simple blood tests can reveal if people have Factor V Leiden.

Yet experts insist a programme that would screen women before they take the Pill is not necessary, arguing that 'very few blood clots would actually be prevented'.

This is despite a coroner issuing a warning to women on the Pill and doctors prescribing it, after two women who unknowingly had Factor V Leiden died from clots just 10 days apart while on oral contraception.

Simple blood tests can reveal if people have Factor V Leiden. Yet experts insist a programme that would screen women before they take the Pill is not necessary, arguing that 'very few blood clots would actually be prevented'. This is despite a coroner issuing a warning to women on the Pill after two women who unknowingly had Factor V Leiden died from clots just 10 days apart while on oral contraception. In September 2021, Isabella Rangimohia Alexander, a 17-year-old from Auckland, became breathless and collapsed while on a walk with her father. After being transferred by helicopter to Auckland City Hospital, she was found to have clots in the blood vessels of her lungs. She died the following day after her condition deteriorated

The proportion of Brits taking oral contraceptives has fallen by more than two-thirds, from 420,600 in 2012/13 to 126,400 in 2022/23, according to NHS data. Around 555,400 women turned to the health service's sexual and reproductive health services in 2022/23  equivalent to four per cent of 13 to 54-year-olds

As Factor V Leiden causes no symptoms, clots are often the first indication of it.

Some clots do no damage and disappear on their own, while others are fatal.

While up to one in 12 women carry one copy of the gene mutation, fewer than one in 1,000 will inherit two  significantly raising the risk of clots, making it up to 80 times more likely.

Factor V Leiden is identified by a blood test that screens for the presence of 'sticky' blood.

Then, if the screening test is positive, the mutation can be specifically identified using a laboratory test.

WHAT IS THE FACTOR V LEIDEN MUTATION? The genetic mutation  inherited from one or both parents  is a variant of Factor V itself, a protein needed for blood to clot properly. The first indication of the disorder may be the development of an abnormal blood clot. Some clots, however, do no damage and disappear on their own. Experts suggest up to one in 12 women carry one copy the Factor V Leiden gene mutation. Fewer than 1 in 1,000 will inherit two  significantly raising the risk of clots. The mutation can affect both men and women. Sufferers of factor V Leiden are also at greater risk of strokes, mini-strokes and deep-vein thrombosis. The risk of blood clots can also be raised for those taking HRT. But many often unknowingly live with the condition. Factor V Leiden is identified by a blood test that screens for the presence of sticky blood. Then, if the screening test is positive, the mutation can be specifically identified using a laboratory test confirming the presence of the genetic mutation. Advertisement

Yet medics advise that lifestyle focused approaches would instead 'save many more lives than V Leiden testing'.

This is because blood clots are most common among those who are overweight, smoke or spend a lot of time sitting down.

Neither the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) or the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention recommend routine screening given 'the absolute risk remains low'.

Dr Channa Jayasena, a consultant in reproductive endocrinology at Imperial College London, also told MailOnline: 'Lots of British women, up to one in 12, have V Leiden. But almost none of these women will ever have blood clots after the pill.

'If we tested everyone starting the pill for V Leiden, tens of thousands fewer women each year would take the pill, but very few blood clots would actually be prevented.

'Previous blood clot, smoking, obesity, cancer or immobility are at greatest risk factors for blood clots  smoking cessation and weight loss would save many more lives than V Leiden testing.'

Meanwhile, Dr Sue Pavord, consultant haematologist at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and president-elect of British Society for Haematology said: 'Whilst the relative risk of someone with Factor V Leiden developing a blood clot when they start the combined contraceptive pill is 35-times greater than for someone with neither of these factors, the absolute chance of a blood clot in these women is extremely low, at around 0.35 per cent.'

However, a US study published in September found that women with the Factor V Leiden gene and a handful of other gene mutations who take the Pill have a 'high risk' of developing blood clots.

Those with the highest genetic risk score were six times more likely to develop clots in the first two years of use, than women with a low genetic risk score.

Writing in the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology, they said women at high risk should be identified and advised to try 'alternative methods of contraception'.

It comes after a coroner last month issued a warning to women on the Pill and doctors prescribing it, after two women in New Zealand died in the same month from similar complications.

One of the women, Georgia O'Neill, a 24-year-old makeup artist, was found dead in her room at her shared flat in Auckland by her housemate in September 2021.

Just hours earlier, she had texted her roommate and father complaining of severe lower back and leg pain that made her want to throw up.

Post-mortem results revealed she had suffered a pulmonary embolism  a blood clot that blocks blood flow to an artery in the lungs  and unknowingly had Factor V Leiden.

The NHS says natural family planning can be up to 99 per cent effective when done correctly and around 75 per cent if not used according to instructions. By comparison, the Pill, implant, IUS and IUD are 99 per cent effective with perfect use, while condoms are 98 per cent

As of this month, women in England can now obtain a first prescription of the pill by visiting their local pharmacy. The move will give women greater choice over where to get the pill and forms a package of measures aimed at freeing up 10million GP appointments by next winter. If women opt for the combined oestrogen and progestogen pill, they will have a check-up with a pharmacist to record their blood pressure and weight

Prescription records also showed she was taking the combined Pill with ethinylestradiol with cyproterone acetate.

Also often taken as acne medication, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA)  which polices the safety of drugs used in Britain  notes the combined Pill 'substantially increases their risk' of blood clots.

In another case in September 2021, Isabella Rangimohia Alexander, a 17-year-old from Auckland, became breathless and collapsed while on a walk with her father.

After being transferred by helicopter to Auckland City Hospital, she was found to have clots in the blood vessels of her lungs. She died the following day after her condition deteriorated.

According to a coroner's report, she had been taking Levlen ED, a ethinylestradiol and levonorgesterel combined Pill, not to avoid pregnancy but to stop having her period.

According to a coroner's report, Isabella Rangimohia Alexander (pictured) had been taking Levlen ED, a ethinylestradiol and levonorgesterel combined Pill, not to avoid pregnancy but to stop having her period. She was only made aware she had the Factor V Leiden mutation after molecular blood tests in hospital

The safety information leaflet included in Levlen ED pack warns the Pill should not be taken if you have a blood clotting disorder, such as Factor V Leiden.

But at an initial consultation with her GP about the Pill, Isabella had reported no family history of venous thromboembolism.

It was only after results of molecular blood tests taken in hospital showed she had the Factor V Leiden mutation, that she was aware of her condition.

Under the recommendations put forward by her coroner, women who take the combined Pill  even those with 'no or few risk factors'  and doctors must be informed about the seriousness of blood clots and symptoms to look out for.

The Faculty of Sexual & Reproductive Healthcare, part of the RCOG, estimates that around one per cent of women using the Pill are at risk of suffering fatal blood clots.

But Dr Pavord told MailOnline: 'These were tragic cases  for most individuals, this genetic condition causes no problems at all.'

She added: 'Rather than routine screening, and denying this excellent method of contraception to the 1 in 20 women who have Factor V Leiden, it is more important to counsel about risk factors for blood clotting and maintain a healthy weight, hydration and regular mobility of the feet and ankles to encourage good venous blood flow.'

A swathe of studies have found that implementing a mass screening programme would be of little benefit.

Writing in the journal, Fertility and Sterility, US researchers concluded that over 92,000 factor V Leiden carriers would have to be identified and stopped from using the Pill to prevent one VTE death, costing an estimated $300million (236million).

'Screening for Factor V Leiden mutation before prescribing combination oral contraceptives is not a cost-effective use of US health care dollars,' they said.

In 1996, Dutch researchers writing in the BMJ claimed that implementing a screening policy 'might deny effective contraception to a substantial number of women' while preventing just 'a small number of deaths'.

They added: 'Were screening to be initiated, about 20,000 women positive for factor V would be denied oral contraceptives in order to prevent one death.'

Instead, they recommended taking a personal and family history of DVT when prescribing oral contraceptives over mass screening.

Meanwhile, an analysis of Australian studies on the risk of clots in women taking different types of combined oral contraceptives concluded it was 'at worst, very small in absolute terms'.

Published in the Australian Family Physician in 2016, it added that clots 'should not be the sole factor considered when choosing the "right" combined oral contraceptive for each woman'.

Known side effects of the Pill  proven to be over 99 per cent effective at stopping pregnancy  include nausea, breast tenderness, mood swings and headaches.

Rarer side effects of the combined and the mini pill, however, can include a slightly heightened risk of breast and cervical cancer.

Under plans laid out in full by the Government last month, women in England can now obtain a first prescription of the Pill by visiting their local pharmacy, giving them greater choice over where to get it.

Pharmacists were only previously permitted to dispense contraceptive pills  after they have been initially prescribed by a GP  and offer advice on different types of contraception.

But now they can now sign up for the new service to dish out contraceptive pills without patients having to go through general practice.

However, some experts have claimed that with access to the pill being opened up to many more women, the risk of rare side effects may increase.

But pharmacy chiefs hit back, arguing it's national launch operates under 'robust' NHS guidelines with pharmacists required to undergo further training before offering the service.

Dr Leyla Hannbeck, head of the Association of Independent Multiple Pharmacies told MailOnline: 'The wellbeing of patients is key for community pharmacists and they will be operating based on robust guidelines set by the NHS with regards to the contraception service, including a consultation with the patient before the pill is supplied.

'Pharmacists offering this service have gone through additional training.'

'The quality and risk assessment of the service will not be different to what it currently is via the GP practices.'

She added: 'Offering this service through pharmacies does not necessarily mean that more women are going to be using the contraceptive pill compared to the current levels, but that more women will be able to see and speak with a healthcare professional about the contraceptive pill at a time convenient for them, freeing up GP time and helping clear up the backlog.'

Meanwhile, James Davies, the Royal Pharmaceutical Society's director for England, said: 'The pharmacy contraception service's national launch aligns with established guidelines, and pharmacists are well placed to ensure the safe and effective use of contraceptives.

'While we understand the concerns, we recognise the complexity of national screening criteria and commit to collaborative efforts with the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and the Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare to provide reassurance and support for individuals taking oral contraceptives, ensuring a thorough and responsible approach.'
When you think of the ideal Christmas present for your partner, you usually think of jewelry or a vacation.

But DailyMail.com spoke to plastic surgeons in New York and Los Angeles who said record numbers of couples are gifting surgeries to each other this year, fillers, botox, and liposuction the most popular.

Among those getting plastic surgery for Christmas is Kina Tavarozi, 34, a mother-of-three in Las Vegas, who got a $25,000 nose job and facial fat removal from her husband this year as an early gift for the Holidays.

She told DailyMail.com: 'Diamonds are great, handbags are great  but there is nothing like something you can wear every day that will make you feel beautiful.'

Among those receiving plastic surgery as a gift this year was Kina Tavarozi, 34, from Las Vegas, Nevada, who got a nose job from her husband. Ms Tavarozi, pictured above after the procedure which was an early Christmas present, said she was thrilled with the results

Ms Tavarozi had a nose job 11 years ago, but it had left both her nostrils virtually blocked and the mother-of-three needing to breathe through her mouth. She is pictured above with husband Freddie Tavarozi, 44, and their three children Koa, five, Kyler, two, and Kayden, one

About 26million Americans now get plastic surgery every year  up 19 percent on 2019 and 30 percent on a decade ago.

Dr Barry Weintraub, a plastic surgeon in New York, told DailyMail.com that the Christmas period 'is face lift season'.

'It is winter and winter makes it face lift season,' he said.

'Very often, I will have a husband give this as a present to a wife or a wife give it as a present to a husband.

'Just this morning, I had a couple in who were giving it both to each other  which was amazing.'

Many shoppers give their recipients gift cards for Botox or fillers, which clinics are increasingly offering to keep up with demand in the Holiday season.

Dr Weintraub offers gift cards on his website ranging from $25 to more than $1,000.

Surgeons said they do consultations with all patients before they get the surgery  to ensure it is something they have wanted for years and that they are doing it for themselves.

Ms Tavarozi's gift was her second plastic surgery after her first procedure 11 years ago for a 'Barbie nose' left her struggling to breathe and with a drooped tip.

The above shows Ms Tavarozi before, left, and after her second nose job. The first left her with a drooping tip, which has been corrected in the second. Her surgeon also opened up the nose to help her breathe

Dr Gary Motykie, left, a plastic surgeon in Los Angeles, and Dr Barry Weintraub, right, a plastic surgeon in New York City, both said they see a surge in people gifting surgeries over the holiday period

Ms Tavarozi said the first surgery led to her nostrils being almost completely blocked, leaving her having to breathe through her mouth.

She also suffered constant headaches and vivid nightmares  where she imagined the house being burgled or her children being kidnapped  which were likely caused by too little oxygen reaching her brain causing problems with her neurons.

This year when husband Freddie, 44, asked what she wanted for Christmas she suggested a nose job  both to sort out her breathing and to get the nose she had 'always wanted'.

He booked an appointment with Dr Gary Motykie, based in Los Angeles, who did a consultation with the mother before putting her through for surgery.

Ms Tavarozi said for the first week after the surgery she needed a bandage around her face and on her nose  and then needed another two weeks at home to recover and wait for the bruising to disappear.

But after week four, the mother  who is also an influencer with 360,000 followers on Instagram  attended a major event in Las Vegas as her 'nose coming out' party.

Ms Tavarozi was thrilled with the surgery, saying her nightmares and chronic headaches disappeared the night of her surgery.

'I love my new nose,' she told DailyMail.com. 'My mom said this is like the nose you should have been given from birth, it fits your face perfectly.

'I've had nothing but positive feedback, even from random people when I am out who come up and say "you have the nicest nose". I even got carded when I went to the liquor store.

'My husband, he said you always looked beautiful  but he is really happy with it and really impressed with the surgery.

'He said, I really feel good about getting you this because it was my health.'

Pictured above are two plastic surgery giftcards sold by Dr Barry Weintraub in New York City, they can be worth more than $1,000

Dr Weintraub also told DailyMail.com about a couple in their 60s who were gifting each other face lifts this year  after thinking they looked 'horrible' in photos.

Both were coming in for face lifts  priced at upward of $70,000  as an alternative to their ski holiday in Europe that they normally go on.

Plastic surgeons said as well as couples, people also gift plastic surgeries to friends, children and even their mothers.

Dr Motykie told DailyMail.com it was common for men to gift plastic surgery to their significant others, friends and also their mothers.

But among women, it was most common for them to gift to a friend, then their mother and then a significant other.

He said regularly what happens is one partner goes for surgery and then the other thinks they look so good that they decide they also want the work done.

A record number of Americans got plastic surgery in 2022, data shows

The above graphic shows the top cosmetic surgical and minimally-invasive procedures of 2022, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons

At his clinic, this year the most popular gift surgeries were Botox, liposuction and mommy makeovers, he said.

Dr Weintraub said another surgery that is gifted at this time of year from parents to children is rhinoplasties.

'Sometimes, teenage people they grow up and they hate their nose for years on end,' he said.

'On numerous occasions over the years, I have had teenagers come in who say they are finally going to get their nose done and their parents are giving the gift.

'We always do the surgery over the summer inbetween high school and college when they know they can make a permanent change and see a whole bunch of new people.'

Analysts estimate the market for plastic surgeries  already worth $30billion  could be worth more than $60billion by the year 2030.
The US products contained several harmful ingredients the UK ones did not

A DailyMail.com analysis has exposed how some of Americans favorite Christmas stocking stuffers contain harmful ingredients that are banned in Britain.

European and British laws governing the ingredients allowed in products and foods are more strict, banning several toxic additives that have been linked to cancer and infertility.

DailyMail.com chose five popular gifts millions of Americans will open this year and analyzed the ingredients in the same products - or similar equivalents - Brits may be unwrapping come December 25.

Lip Gloss

A relatively inexpensive cosmetic that can be popped into the stocking of any trendy beauty addict, lip gloss is the finishing touch on a made-up face. However, the up and coming cover girl should be on the lookout for a dangerous ingredient she could be unknowingly swiping across her lips  titanium dioxide.

Some American lip glosses contain a harmful ingredient UK products don't - titanium dioxide

A lip gloss product available from a popular beauty store is said to contain titanium dioxide in the US, but it does not appear on the ingredient list for the same product sold in the UK.

The ingredient is banned from use in foods in the EU and UK  but it is still allowed in American foods  and is permitted for use in cosmetic products.

Titanium dioxide is a fine white powder or dust used in paper, ceramics, paints, inks and cosmetics. It is also found in candies such as Skittles and Starbursts.

Despite its ubiquitous use, the International Agency on Cancer designates titanium dioxide as a carcinogen because studies have found an increased incidence of lung cancer from inhalation in animal studies.

Perfume

Those with style will say no outfit is complete without a few spritzes of their signature scent. However, wearers beware  when misting your favorite scent you could be exposed to lilial, also called butylphenyl methylpropional.

Popular perfumes in the US may contain lilial, a substance connected to endocrine disruption, allergies, and skin irritation

Lilial is a chemical compound used as a perfume in cosmetic and laundry products.

A luxury perfume available from a global beauty supplier lists the ingredient in the US product but it is notably absent from the UKs version.

The substance has been connected to organ system toxicity, endocrine disruption, allergies, and skin irritation.

The European Unions European Commission has classified lilial as reprotoxic, a chemical adversely affecting fertility and fetal development  possibly causing harm to a fetus during pregnancy.

The commission declared that lilial cannot be considered as safe.

While the compound can be found in perfumes in the US, lilial is banned from use in the UK.

Bronzing Mist

If youre taking advantage of the holiday season for a vacation to a tropical island and dont want to arrive looking ghostly, you may reach for popular bronzing products to get a pre-breach tan.

As you spray on a fake tan, you may come into contact with propylparaben, a substance in the paraban family

As you spray on that fake sunkissed glow, you  and others  may come into contact with propylparaben.

Propylparaben is a substance in the paraben family. It is used as a preservative by the food, pharmaceutical and cosmetics industries.

Companies use parabens in products that can degrade in order to prevent and reduce the growth of harmful bacteria and mold, which increases the lifespan of a product.

However, the chemicals can mimic the female hormone estrogen, which can disrupt the bodys natural biological processes.

Studies have shown repeated exposure to parabens may negatively interfere with endocrine processes related to breast cancer.

Parabens have been banned in the UK and EU, but are still permitted for use in products in the US.

Holiday Candy

For those who would rather eat their gifts than wear them, there is plenty of holiday-themed candy to stuff their stockings with. A fun one popular among kids is the traditional Bag of Reindeer Farts.

Santas favorite Christmas teat' contains Red 40, a harmful food additive

While its fun to eat Santas favorite Christmas teat, the small bites of pink cotton candy contain several artificial dyes that have been tied to multiple serious health conditions.

Red 40 is listed among the candys ingredients.

While the additive may make the candy eye-catching and tasty, it can also make it harmful to your health.

A recent study in mice linked Red 40 to immune disorders, inflammatory bowel disease and has been found to be contaminated with benzidine and other carcinogens.

Additionally, the dye has been associated with hypersensitivity reactions, with studies showing consumption of artificial food coloring produces statistically significant increases in ADHD symptoms in children.

The food additive is banned in the EU and UK but continues to be permitted in the US.

Christmas Marshmallows

Another stocking stuffer for loved ones with a sweet tooth, the classic Christmas Peep.

Coming in all shapes, sizes, themes and colors for virtually every holiday, these classic marshmallow candies contain the food dye Yellow 5.

These classic marshmallow candies contain the food dye Yellow 5, which could cause ADHD symptoms in kids

Like Red 40, Yellow 5 has been found to be contaminated with benzidine and other carcinogens. It also has been associated with ADHD symptoms in children.

Research has shown exposure to Yellow 5 causes damage to human white blood cells and it has been associated with asthma symptoms and skin irritation.

The food additive is banned in the EU and UK but continues to be permitted in the US.

In October, the maker of Peeps, Pennsylvania-based Just Born, became the first company to announce changes to its ingredient list after California passed a law banning several potentially carcinogenic ingredients, including a food dye additive.

Just Born announced it would no longer use Red 3 in any of its products. However, it has made no announcement on other dyes, including Yellow 5, used in its treats.
Emergency visits to vets spike by more than 300% over the festive period

Homes may be filling with Christmas cheer this year, but as tinsel goes up and the festive chocolates and mints come out  this could pose a risk to your pet.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released a list on Friday of eight items bringing festive cheer that could harm your cat or dog.

They include dog treats, which pets could eat too rapidly giving them digestive problems, empty potato chip bags, which could suffocate pets, and cigarette butts, which may cause nicotine poisoning.

Emergency visits to veterinarians spike by more than 300 percent over the festive period at some veterinary centers because of mishaps with festive treats or decorations.

The above graphic shows the eight festive risks for pets that the FDA warned of this season

Pet treats can cause choking

The FDA warned that, while it may be nice to give your dog a treat for Christmas, this could pose a risk to the pet.

Some dogs may be so excited that they eat the treat too quickly, which could cause it to get stuck in their throat  risking suffocation.

If the treat was a bone, there was also a risk that it could get stuck in the intestines.

The FDA warned: 'Severe [throat] blockages are common, especially around the holidays, and all are life-threatening.

'If you see your frantic [dog] drooling and choking, he needs an emergency visit to his veterinarian!'

There are more than 200,000 pet choking incidents recorded every year in the United States, statistics suggest. There are no figures on fatalities.

To protect your pet against this, the FDA recommended breaking treats into small pieces before giving them to pets  to stop them being consumed too quickly.

Tinsel or ribbons

Tinsel, ribbons and strings are a staple part of the holiday season  used to make homes appear more festive and to securely wrap gifts.

Dogs and cats often play with them, attracted by the bright sparkly colors.

But the FDA warns there is a risk the pets may consume the decorations, putting them at risk of life-threatening complications.

In some cases, the strings and ribbons can become tangled in their stomachs  causing an infection.

Warning signs a pet has swallowed tinsel or strings can take several hours or days to appear  but may include vomiting, diarrhea, a loss of appetite and decreased activity.

People concerned their pets have swallowed decorations should contact a veterinarian, they said, who may conduct scans.

To protect pets, the FDA suggested not putting any tinsel on the Christmas tree and collecting up all ribbons and strings after opening gifts.

Salt ornaments can poison pets

It may look beautiful to hang on the Christmas tree a salt ornament made by your children at school.

But the FDA warns that when adults are not looking, pets may grab these ornaments and gobble them up whole  risking salt poisoning.

One salt decoration generally contains 48 teaspoons of salt, or 96 times more than a 10lb pet  such as a cat  can safely consume.

In the early stages of salt poisoning, pets may start to drool, vomit and suffer from diarrhea.

In later stages, the poisoning can lead to uncordinated walking, frequent urination, dehydration, increased thirst, seizures, coma and death.

Consuming too much salt upsets the balance of nutrients in the body  which can cause water to start to drain from cells, including the brain which leads the organ to start to become inflamed and swell.

The FDA said that in cases where pets do consume salt ornaments they should be rushed to see a veterinarian.

They recommend keeping salt decorations far away from pets in order to minimize the risk.

These festive plants can poison your pets

While poinsettias, mistletoe and holly are a splendid festive addition to the house, the FDA warns they could poison your pets.

The agency said: 'Remember to keep your furry family members in mind when you display or dispose of your holiday plants.'

For Poinsettias, the FDA said these contain poisons in their leaves  which is also behind their brilliant vibrant color.

If a dog or cat munches on the leaves or the stems, they can suffer from drooling and diarrhea. They may also suffer from an unsettled stomach.

For mistletoe, this also contains a poison  lectins and phoratoxins  in their leaves and stems.

If an animal eats a small amount, they may suffer from vomiting and diarrhea and breathing difficulties. But in situations where they swallow a large amount, the poison can trigger a slowed heart rate and low blood pressure  which can be fatal.

Holly leaves on their own are not fatal, but the plant also has bright red berries which are laced with a poison called saponins.

This can also cause drooling, vomiting, diarrhea, loos of appetite and decreased activity when consumed.

The FDA said: 'If you suspect your pet ate one of the three plants above, it's a good idea to call your veterinarian.

'They can give you advice on what you can do at home to make your pet more comfortable and help you decide if your pet needs medical treatment.'

Table scraps can cause suffocation

Leftover bits of turkey, brussel sprouts and mashed potatoes could be just as appetizing to your dog or cat as yourself  even when they're in the trash.

But the agency warns allowing pets to consume these table scraps could spark an unexpected trip to the vets.

Bits of bone can get stuck in pets throats causing gagging or suffocation. Sharp bits can also cause injury to their mouths, throats and stomach  or puncture the intestines.

The FDA said: 'Hold your ground at dinnertime and resist the urge to feed your dog or your cat table scraps.

'Don't forget, once dinner is done, dispose of leftovers and bones somewhere they can't get to them.'

Chocolates and mints

Chocolates and mints are a common festive treat at this time of year  but the agency warns you should stop pets from eating them.

Chocolatey treats can contain theobromine  which is toxic to dogs even in small amounts with just two grams being deadly to a medium-sized dog.

Dogs are unable to break down the toxin as quickly as humans, making them more sensitive to its effects  including heart problems, blood vessel dilation and relaxing smooth muscles.

Symptoms of a dog suffering from this include vomiting, diarrhea, restlessness, hyperactivity, increased urination and seizures.

Mints also pose a risk because they contain the sweetener xylitol. When dogs consume this, their bodies release a lot of insulin  but when no sugar enters the blood stream, this leads their blood sugar levels to drop sharply.

Symptoms appear in as little as 20 minutes and include vomiting, weakness, staggering and decreased activity.

The FDA says that when this happens it is best to consult with a veterinarian immediately.

To avoid this, they say sweet treats should be kept out of reach of pets.

Potato chip bags can cause suffocation

Empty potato chip bags also pose a risk to pets around Christmas time, the agency warns.

Pets sense the tasty treats that were in the bags and stick their heads inside to lick up the remnants of the morsels.

But, in some cases, they can get the bags stuck on their heads  putting them at risk of suffocation.

To avoid this, the FDA says to ensure that all bags are thrown away correctly after use and not left out for pets to use.

Cigarette butts can cause nicotine poisoning

There is also a heightened risk of pets consuming cigarette butts around Christmas time.

This may happen because someone has a visitor to their home who is a smoker, whereas normally no one in the house smokes.

Dogs may consume butts left around and then could suffer toxic effects because of the nicotine they contain.

This includes excitement to shaking, drooling, vomiting and diarrhea brought on by the drug.

Even at low doses it can also cause seizures, decreased activity, slowed breathing, slowed heart rate or death.
Toddlers with a common genetic fault can have 'hidden' cholesterol levels twice the normal healthy limit for an adult, putting them at risk of heart attacks and strokes early in life.

The startling finding has spurred renewed calls to screen all babies for the condition in a bid to prevent deaths and disability.

About 270,000 people in the UK, including 60,000 children, have familial hypercholesterolaemia, or FH, which causes cholesterol levels to rocket almost from birth.

But 90 per cent are unaware as it often doesn't cause symptoms. If left untreated it can kill patients before middle age, and some suffer heart attacks during childhood.

Campaigners argue that giving infants a cholesterol test as early as ten days after birth is an effective way to flag-up the problem. Youngsters with severe levels may be offered exams to confirm a diagnosis as well as cholesterol-lowering statins and lifestyle advice.

TRAGEDY: Rianna Wingett, left, who died aged 11, with sister Rebecca

Outwardly healthy, Rianna collapsed on the playing fields of her school in Hornchurch, London, and a postmortem revealed she had cholesterol levels four times the normal limit

But health chiefs have so far rejected proposals to test newborns, claiming there wasn't enough evidence it was needed. The researchers behind the new findings, published earlier this month, say the data proves otherwise.

'Our current approach to diagnosing FH isn't working,' says Prof Kausik Ray, consultant cardiologist at Imperial College London and one of the study's authors. 'This is a preventable disease, but without a screening programme in place we will always be playing catch-up, only spotting FH once heart problems have begun.'

Experts have accused Government body the National Screening Committee of inaction in the face of thousands of deaths. Jules Payne, chief executive of the charity Heart UK says: 'The committee should reconsider its position now.'

Prof David Wald, a consultant cardiologist at Barts Health NHS Trust and one of the country's leading FH experts, has also labelled the decision not to back screening 'bizarre' and 'a mistake'. He says: 'Child-parent screening will prevent considerable death and disease. The National Screening Committee needs to recognise it made a mistake and reverse the decision.'

FH is usually picked up in adults during routine cholesterol testing or after a heart attack. A very high cholesterol level is the primary indicator, but patients may then be offered a DNA blood test to check if the cause is genetic. If FH gene faults are found, direct relatives, including children, are tested, too.

Treatment includes statins and a drug called inclisiran. The twice-a-year injection can cut cholesterol levels in half in a matter of weeks.

However, this method of detection  which experts called 'opportunistic screening'  fails to identify thousands of patients before they develop significant heart disease.

One tragic example is the case of Rianna Wingett, who died of a heart attack aged just 11. Outwardly healthy, she collapsed on the playing fields of her school in Hornchurch, London, and a postmortem revealed she had cholesterol levels four times the normal limit.

Research suggests FH patients are not usually diagnosed until the age of 44, and one in five show signs of heart disease by this point. At present, even with treatment, FH shortens life expectancy by about 20 years. But experts believe this could reversed if the condition is spotted before cholesterol has time to build up in the arteries.

About 270,000 people in the UK, including 60,000 children, have familial hypercholesterolaemia, or FH, which causes cholesterol levels to rocket almost from birth

In 2016, a London pilot scheme involving more than 10,000 babies picked up twice as many at-risk children than was predicted. Researchers identified FH in some children using a simple heel-prick blood test at 13 months  roughly the same time that children receive their first round of vaccinations.

But in 2020, the National Screening Committee decided not to recommend FH screening. It argued that it was 'not known' if spotting FH in childhood would 'result in the prevention of heart disease later in life'.

The committee also argued there was an 'ethical concern' about diagnosing children as young as two because there is 'no recommended treatment for them'.

But the new study, published in The Lancet, concludes there is a need to identify infants with FH.

Researchers found that most children diagnosed with FH by the age of two or three had dangerously high levels of LDL, or 'bad' cholesterol. The NHS considers an LDL score above three unhealthy for adults. The average healthy infant has a score around 0.5  but the Lancet paper found nearly two-thirds of children with FH had an LDL score close to six.

The study even found children with LDL scores as high as 12.

'Some had incredibly high levels of cholesterol before they could even walk or talk,' says Prof Ray. 'This means that some of them could experience heart problems in their twenties and thirties.

'This is a serious genetic condition which needs to be treated with medication as soon as possible. Safety data shows there are cholesterol-lowering drugs that young children can take, including statins.

'It doesn't make sense to put off diagnosing and treating patients.'

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesman said: 'The National Screening Committee examined the evidence for testing very young children and decided that, since that evidence was incomplete, it could not recommend a screening programme. No further evidence has been provided to change that position, but the Committee stands ready to review any update to the evidence base.'
Speaking out: Baroness Ros Altmann told The Mail on Sunday that the rules had been misapplied

Britain must ditch an EU law that has left investment trusts in existential danger and starved of funds, a leading peer has warned.

Investment trusts are stock market-listed companies that make their money by buying shares in other businesses. Millions of Britons hold savings in such trusts.

But rules introduced by the European Union before Brexit require trusts listed on the London Stock Exchange to report their fees and charges in a way that makes them look more costly than they are.

Baroness Ros Altmann, a pensions minister under David Cameron and Theresa May, told The Mail on Sunday that the rules had been misapplied and that they were not even followed by trusts still based in the EU.

We havent taken any of the benefits of being out of the EU, weve actually imposed an extra penalty on ourselves, Altmann said.

The situation has left British investment trusts uniquely disadvantaged compared with international rivals, she added.

Under EU regulations passed in 2013, these trusts, which are listed on the stock market, were classed as alternative investment funds.

In terms of regulation, this put them in the same category as private equity and hedge funds, which are often opaque about their fees.

But the trusts are already subject to the strict disclosure rules required for public companies.

Altmann said this confusing arrangement meant trusts were required to report some charges in a way that made it seem as if they were being paid directly by investors when they were not. In turn, this made investing in them appear more expensive than the reality.

Similar companies from overseas do not report these charges in the same way, she said and, as a result, it was incentivising investors not to support British companies.

Altmann has tabled a bill in the House of Lords to remove investment trusts from these disclosure rules, which she says would help re-balance the playing field and tempt money back to the UK.

Alan Brierley at Investec, warned that for London-listed trusts, trading at discounts to the value of their underlying assets could become entrenched if the issue was not resolved, adding: The risk is that because many investors have reduced their exposure because of the cost disclosure rules, we may not see the same recovery.

The Government is seeking to arrest a sharp fall in money pumped into the UK by some of its largest institutions. Official figures recently revealed the amount of London-listed shares owned by pension funds fell to a record low of just 1.6 per cent in 2022.
A former civil servant and her mother have been forced out of their home because of fumes from a 'leaking sewage pipe' that left them in hospital.

Julie Houldershaw, 54, and her mother, 76, abandoned their three-bedroom house in Gosberton, Lincolnshire, after the stench of sewage became unbearable.

She thinks the rancid smell stems from a leaking emergency overflow pipe in front of her home and now shares a caravan with her mother at the back of their home to avoid the stench.

Ms Houldershaw said: 'It's a funny smell. It's like all these detergents and bleaches, greywater.

'We were exposed to such a high level of it.

Julie Houldershaw, 54, and her mother, 76, abandoned their three-bedroom house in Gosberton, Lincolnshire, after the stench of sewage became unbearable

Instead, the pair have been forced to live in this grimy caravan because of the foul smell

The fumes left her and her mother hospitalised. Ms Houldershaw said: 'Mum suffers with allergies. All the back of her legs came up'

She added: 'It's a funny smell. It's like all these detergents and stale water, bleaches, greywater'

Ms Houldershaw managed to take a photograph of the inside of the pipe using specialist equipment

'We ended up at the hospital because the fumes were so bad.

'It has been a real struggle. I just want to know what's going on.

'It makes me cross.

'The health implications are unbelievable for people.

'Those [pipes] are in really vulnerable areas. It's not fair and it's not right.

'Mum suffers with allergies. All the back of her legs came up.

'Mum has worked all of her life and she says, ''I'm living in a caravan''.'

She said: 'It has been a real struggle. I just want to know what's going on. 'It makes me cross. 'The health implications are unbelievable for people'

Ms Houldershaw said some of the smell blows back up through the drain (pictured) outside her home

The caravan is a far cry from the three-bedroom property she shares with her mother. Other homes in the area are priced at around 230,000

Ms Houldershaw said she has spent between 8,000 and 10,000 on specialist soil, water and plant tests to determine what the issue was.

It has taken her around three years to get answers from the authorities, which she accused of blaming each other instead of fixing the problem.

She said: 'We know that it will cost billions to sort out the combined systems, sewage and surface water.

'However if we knew how these systems really worked, could there be another way to improve them and make them work for us all somehow.

She believes the pipe should have flowed out into this dyke in front of her house

Ms Houldershaw said she has spent between 8,000 and 10,000 on specialist soil, water and plant tests to determine what the issue was

'With all the technology out there, there has to be a way, if the water companies, civil engineers and universities got together, then maybe instead of blaming everyone else, we could finally take action and get it sorted.'

She added: 'This is a danger to the estate. It's going to be a danger to the surrounding area.

'I suspect it's an emergency pipe. We can't get to the end of it.

'Where I think it should come out is a little dyke that was filled in years ago and the new houses built.

'It should have flowed into the dyke at the front.

'We have got to do something. We can't keep letting this go on.

'Why is the Environment Agency not doing what they should be?

'If you're a public servant, you are there to serve.

Her home has been empty for three years since the smell became too much for her and her mother

Gosberton Sewage pumping station is close by her home on Belchmire Lane

An Environment Agency spokesperson said: 'Emergency overflow permits only operate in urgent circumstances to prevent environmental damage or harm to the public and action is taken to ensure these are allocated appropriately'

'It's a position of trust.

'I feel for people who have had this and have no idea what's been going on.

'Yes, it's going to cost money. Sometimes you just have to draw a line and say, ''Right, we are going to sort this''.

'They know it's wrong.

'People have got to have faith. If they don't, how can we function correctly and move forward?

'I would like to think there's a lot of good people who can sort this out for us.

'They need to seriously look at themselves. How can they run this business and take all this money out?

'It's the whole of the UK. You have got to make money but there's a line that when you cross that you have got to ask yourself certain questions.

Anglian Water suggested Ms Houldershaw should speak to Lincolnshire County Council as Highways was responsible.

However, the Council denied Highways were responsible in its response to a Freedom of Information request.

An Environment Agency spokesperson said: 'Emergency overflow permits only operate in urgent circumstances to prevent environmental damage or harm to the public and action is taken to ensure these are allocated appropriately.'

The Environment Agency said people can report environmental incidents to their incident hotline number 0800 807060.

It added issues regarding public health and safety should be raised with the local authority.

Water UK did not respond to a request for comment.

Anglian Water refused to comment.
EXCLUSIVE

A Sydney family from a housing estate on the city's western fringe is still living in grinding poverty 11 years after appearing in a documentary about their lives.

Little has changed for the Burns family, who opened their home to ABC cameras for a Four Corners program titled Growing Up Poor in 2012.

Today, Brett and Caroline Burns are still living in public housing in the suburb of Claymore, located 54km south-west of the CBD and known for its high rates of unemployment and crime.

At the time of filming, the Burns family had been living in their run-down townhouse for 13 years. This year marks their 24th year calling Claymore, known as a 'welfare ghetto', home.

Caroline apologised as she welcomed Daily Mail Australia into her home. 'Excuse the mess. We're still waiting on getting rehoused,' she said.

The Burns family (pictured a 2016 Facebook photo) took part in a Four Corners documentary titled Growing Up Poor in 2012

Hayden Burns was 14 years old when he spoke to Four Corners about his struggles at home

At the time of filming the documentary, he struggled with bullying at school, and his parents' constant arguments made him withdraw from the family

Hayden Burns (pictured on December 12) spends his days rummaging through bins around the neighbourhood in search of empty bottles and cans he then exchanges for a 10c refund

Kerry O'Brien introduced the 2012 Four Corners special 'Growing Up Poor'

Like many other families in Claymore, the Burns' source of income is Centrelink with neither Caroline nor Brett working.

The cycle of poverty and unemployment has continued for the couple's eldest son Hayden, 25, who still lives at home with his parents and sister Haylie, 14.

Hayden spends his days rummaging through bins around the neighbourhood in search of empty bottles and cans he then exchanges for a 10c refund.

At the time of filming the documentary, Hayden, then 14, struggled with bullying at school, and his parents' constant arguments made him withdraw from the family.

During the program, Brett moved into the garage because of his fights with Caroline. It was later revealed Brett had physically abused her in front of the children.

Today, the couple continue their fraught relationship, but Caroline believes their overall circumstances have improved, and is looking forward to living in a new public house provided by the NSW Government under a 'social re-engineering project'.

'The area is a lot better than it was back then,' she said.

The Burns family has lived at the Claymore house for 24 years and are waiting to be rehomed

Brett and Caroline Burns are pictured with their middle daughter Jessica and her newborn

Abandoned homes in Claymore are pictured

The Claymore housing estate was built by the NSW Government in the 1970s and is home to more than 3,000 of the state's poorest families.

Forty years on, Claymore remains a depressing sight with many burnt-out and abandoned homes and rubbish littering the community.

But Claymore, along with neighbouring Bonnyrigg Heights and Airds, is due to undergo a transformation as part of the major social project.

'It is at stage five of an eight-stage redevelopment,' Campbelltown MP Greg Warren said.

'Building materials and the pandemic have held up construction. At this stage it's unknown when the project will be completed.'

Under the new project, the redevelopment will see a mix of new public and privately owned homes.

Claymore remains a 'welfare ghetto' with much of the community littered in trash with empty homes damaged and set alight

Mum-of-three Kaisey, who has called Claymore home for 20 years, says the area is safer since people have been rehomed

Claymore, as well as nearby Bonnyrigg Heights and Airds, will see a mix of new public and privately owned homes (above)

Longtime resident Kaisey, 29, said the area is a lot safer since residents have been slowly rehomed.

'I used to live on Ramsay Way but our place got set alight,' said the mum-of-three.

'It's all changing now that they're knocking it all down - it looks rough but it's safe. I love Claymore.'
The Mormon church has sparked a fierce backlash from local farmers after snapping up around 370,000 acres of prime ranch land in Nebraska, with the Utah-based religion now owning at least $2billion of agricultural terrain across the country, DailyMail.com can reveal.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS), commonly known as the Mormon church, has bought more land than anyone else in the state over the past five years, according to The Flatwater Free Press.

It now owns an estimated $134million worth of agricultural land in Nebraska and is on track to surpass CNN founder Ted Turner as the single largest landowner in the state if it continues its spree at the current rate.

But the church has provoked the ire of the Nebraska Farmers Union, whose president John Hansen told DailyMail.com that its land grab was driving up prices and forcing out local farmers.

'It's not fair competition when folks bring in that much outside money and bid against local farmers and ranchers,' he said.

The Mormon church owns at least $2billion worth of US agricultural land, according to DailyMail.com analysis of data collected by nonprofit newsroom Truth & Transparency. But other estimates based on current market values put the figure as high as $12billion

A sign for the Mormon-owned Deseret Cattle & Citrus Ranch in central Florida, which covers around 290,000 acres and is estimated to be worth more than $700million

Cowboys herd cattle at the Deseret Ranch in Florida, which has been owned by the Mormon church since the 1950s and forms part of its sprawling US agricultural empire

Men and women dressed in traditional attire escort a cart loaded with plastic barrels across the Mormon-owned Deseret Land and Livestock Ranch in Utah

The church is already thought to be the largest private landowner in Florida, after it purchased nearly 383,000 acres of timberland in 2013, adding to the 290,000 acres of ranch land it already owned in the state.

Its total agricultural holdings in the Sunshine State alone are thought to be worth a whopping $884million.

It comes amid growing scrutiny over the church's finances, with a recent report estimating it could be worth as much as $1trillion in 20 years.

The secretive institution has been blighted by a federal investigation into its finances amid accusations by whistleblowers that it is misusing its vast reserves.

Even some of its own members have sued the church, accusing it of misusing hundreds of thousands of pounds of their donations.

A Mormon agricultural empire

The extent of the church's huge agricultural portfolio can be revealed following DailyMail.com analysis of data shared by nonprofit newsroom Truth & Transparency.

Unlike other nonprofits in the US, religious organizations do not have to publicly report their income or assets.

But Truth & Transparency identified church-owned companies to build a picture of church real estate holdings across the US.

Its findings show the Mormon church now owns around $2billion worth of farmland across the US, covering around 859,000 acres, more land than Bill Gates (270,000 acres) and China (383,935) combined.

But this is likely to be a significant underestimate as it only includes corporations definitively linked back to the church.

The Widow's Mite, a research group staffed by current and former Mormons with financial backgrounds, has estimated that the church owns around $12billion of agricultural land across the US.

This applies current market values to church holdings, rather than the Truth & Transparency data which uses assessed value in public records, hence the significantly larger figure.

Religious organizations do not have to publicly report income or assets, but Truth & Transparency identified church-owned properties to build a picture of its real estate holdings

The Widow's Mite, a research group staffed by current and former Mormons, estimated the value of church agricultural holdings based on current market values

Truth & Transparency puts the total value of Mormon land across the US, including agricultural ecclesiastical, commercial and other real estate, at $15.7billion, whereas The Widow's Mite believes it could be as much as $102billion.

The Mormon church has previously declined to comment on The Widow's Mite report because the 'main themes' come from 'anonymous accounts'.

But it signaled its intent on becoming one of America's biggest landowners when it beat Microsoft founder Gates to buy 12,000 acres of farmland in Washington in 2021.

The land, situated next to the Columbia River in Benton County, was bought through affiliate AgriWest for $210million.

The property generates revenue through large-scale farming of potatoes and onions and cattle herding.

It also provides the landowners with access to water rights, an increasingly valuable asset in the context of climate change.

Angering the locals and accusations of secrecy

But the church's seemingly insatiable appetite for land has upset some of the farming communities it has displaced.

Hansen said the Nebraska Farmers Union had nothing against the Mormon church, but was opposed to land grabs by large, outside corporations of any description.

'[The Mormon church] bought more farmland than anybody else in the last five years in Nebraska,' he said. 'That's a big deal.

'We support independent ownership of agriculture because that's the system that maximizes the economic, social and environmental benefits.

'So whether it's large outside corporations, insurance companies, churches, investment funds, whatever it is, that are coming in and buying up farmland, that's not as economically, environmentally, or socially beneficial.

'It's also land that individual family farmers or ranchers do not have the opportunity to own.

'It tends to drive up land prices, because these folks come in with deep pockets, and they can outbid local bidders.'

A sign gives directions to the Mormon-owned Deseret Ranch offices in central Florida

A small shack used by cowboys to camp overnight on the Deseret Ranch in Florida

Men pull carts at the Mormon-owned Deseret Farms of Calif-Wilson Ranch in Chico, California, which covers 13,000 acres and is thought to be worth around $286million

Wooden carts for pulling produce line a section of land at the Chico ranch

Workers inspect produce at Mormon-owned South Valley Farms in California

The farm is one of the largest almond growers in the Golden State, covering 17,000 acres and is estimated to be worth $369million

It has also rekindled controversy over the transparency of church finances.

The church uses both nonprofit and for-profit subsidiary companies to manage its real estate under a variety of names, making its tentacles hard to trace.

Sam Brunson, a church member and tax law professor at Loyola University, Maryland, said the church likely started purchasing land in Nebraska through its nonprofit, Farmland Reserve Inc.

This allowed it to use a loophole in state law that once banned for-profits from owning farmland, Brunson added.

AgReserves Inc., a for-profit corporation also owned by the church, now manages the Farmland Reserve land in Nebraska after the law banning for-profit ownership was quashed.

This includes the crown jewel of Rex Ranch, which The Widow's Mite values at $990million, making it the church's most valuable piece of agricultural real estate.

Both AgReserves and Farmland Reserve pay personal and property taxes like any other business, a spokesman said.

But an unknown amount of revenue generated from the land is passed to the church itself, which doesn't have to pay tax on what is deemed a passive investment.

Brunson believes that any revenue that is not reinvested in the business is likely passed onto the church in this manner.

Complex ownership structures are a trademark of the Mormon church, which likes to keep its wealth a closely-guarded secret.

In February, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) fined the Mormon church and Ensign Peak a total of $5million for using shell companies to 'obscure' the size of its investment portfolio.

Investigators found the church 'went to great lengths' to hide $32billion in securities over nearly 20 years.

Church officials have said they 'regret mistakes made' and consider the matter closed.

Doomsday prepping or prudent investing?

READ MORE: Could Mormon church be worth $1TRILLION in 20 years? The Mormon Church has amassed a vast reserve of ready cash that it can call upon in the event of a period of upheaval or economic instability. Its 'cash cushion' is more than three times the size of that held by tech giant Apple and significantly larger than Microsoft and Google Advertisement

There is no evidence to suggest impropriety in its business dealings in Nebraska.

But the sprawling Mormon agricultural empire raises further questions over why the church is seeking to build such a large portfolio and what it is using the proceeds for.

Farmland Reserve has said it sees its land purchases as an investment 'to generate long-term value to support the Church's religious, charitable, and humanitarian good works'.

There are also indications that it could form part of the church's 'prepping' ethos.

Mormons believe that before Jesus returns, there will be a period of war and hardship and need to be prepared.

Leaders set aside a fixed percentage of church income to build reserves for what late church President Gordon B. Hinckley called 'a possible 'rainy day'.

'Prudent management requires that this money be put to use,' he said during a church general conference in 1991.

'We have felt that good farms, over a long period, represent a safe investment where the assets of the church may be preserved and enhanced, while at the same time they are available as an agricultural resource to feed people should there come a time of need.'

Brunson said produce and meat from the church's various farms either goes to a charitable grocery store for church members called the Bishop's Storehouse, or is sold on the open market for profit.

But he believes 'that the amount sold on the market dwarfs the amount that goes to the Bishop's Storehouse'.

Patrick Mason, professor of Mormon history and culture at Utah State University, told DailyMail.com that the church's agricultural portfolio is primarily influenced by its desire for prudent investing, rather than preparing for Doomsday.

'Land is the one thing that they're not making any more of, so it's a good, solid investment for the church,' he said.

'It doesn't report to shareholders on short-term earnings, so it is more than happy to invest in something that in 20, 30, or even 50 years, will deliver returns.'

Late church President Gordon B. Hinckley said farms represent a good, long-term investment while providing 'an agricultural resource to feed people should there come a time of need'. The comment was seen as an allusion to the Mormon approach of preparing for The Second Coming, which they believe will be preceded by a period of war and hardship

He added that the Mormon church has an advantage over other religious institutions, such as the Catholic church, in its ability to buy up such large swathes of land due to its centralized structure.

Each Catholic diocese 'essentially functions as its own corporation', Mason said, whereas the Mormon church 'acts as one entity'.

This allows it to pool its resources to make bigger purchases and invest strategically across the US, buying land in areas such as Nebraska and Florida, where the church traditionally does not have a large membership.

'The Catholic church has concentrated their investment in buildings, in schools and hospitals and churches,' Mason added. 'We haven't seen the same kind of agricultural purchases.'

The Widow's Mite estimates that the church's wealth currently stands at a staggering $236billion.

Investments make up around 75 percent of the church's total assets, with the rest made up of ecclesiastical buildings, welfare farms and ranches, mission properties and a smattering of small businesses, The Widow's Mite claims.

Brunson believes its interest in farmland is part of its bid to build the 'ultimate diversified portfolio'.

Misleading members or community champions?

But not all Mormons are happy with the hierarchy's investment strategy.

Movie mogul and scion to a powerful Mormon dynasty James Huntsman accused the church of 'lying' about how it has spent billions of dollars of members' donations in a bombshell interview with DailyMail.com earlier this year.

The son of billionaire Mormon philanthropist Jon Huntsman is suing the church for $5million over accusations it 'repeatedly and publicly lied' about how it was spending member donations solicited for charitable purposes.

Mormon leaders expect the rank-and-file to donate 10 percent of their income in tithing, which is put towards annual expenditure, such as building new temples.

But the surplus is invested in a portfolio of stocks, bonds, private equity and other businesses.

Huntsman alleges in his lawsuit that Mormon faithful were led to believe their contributions would only be spent on missionary activities, building temples and other charitable work.

The church has previously said his claims are 'baseless'.

But a separate lawsuit filed in October by three men who claim to have donated a combined $350,000 to the church over the past decade also claims the leadership misused member donations.

At issue in both lawsuits is whether the church's investments in stocks, bonds, real estate and agriculture reflect the wishes of its donors.

James Huntsman (pictured), the son of a billionaire Mormon philanthropist, is suing the church over claims it 'lied' about how it spent billions of dollars of its followers' hard-earned cash. The church has said the claims are 'baseless'

Others have reacted favorably to Mormon agriculture.

When AgReserves bought its timberland in Florida, environmental group The Conservation Fund said it was 'pleased' a buyer 'with a record of stewardship' had taken over the land, pointing to how the church had managed its 290,000 acre Deseret Ranches in central Florida since the early 1950s.

The church's Deseret Land and Livestock Ranch, which covers more than 200,000 acres in Rich County, Utah, has also been praised for developing an innovative system of rotational grazing that has increased profits and sustainability.

Brunson believes that those running the ranches are likely to be members of the church, with its employees a mix of members and locals.

Farmland Reserve has said that Rex Ranch in Nebraska is very much part of the local community.

It said more than 90 percent of its supply of feed and ranching equipment comes from Nebraska suppliers, while its workers live on the land they work and engage with the Nebraska Cattlemen's Association and Nebraska Grazing Lands Coalition.

They also volunteer with local schools and at county fairs, the company said.

Hansen, however, is not convinced.

'Ownership matters,' he said. 'The Mormon church is saying that it's all okay because our folks are engaged in the local community, but they're engaged as employees, not owners.

'There's a big difference. The profits go from that local community, to where the ownership is. It is not reinvested in the community.'
A tenant won a battle with his 'tight' landlord over capping his heating after coming up with a cunning hack to get his radiators back on.

Alin Oiste and his two housemates were fed up with their flat getting cold after the owner of their property in Helmsley, Yorkshire, insisted on managing its heating with his phone.

The 33-year-old says his landlord locked the system in a bid to save cash, so it would only kick in when the house dropped below 16 degrees - however, he figured out how to override it.

Video footage shows him removing the thermostat from the wall and storing it in the bottom drawer of the fridge to trick it into thinking his flat is around eight degrees.

Another clip shows him bringing the thermostat inside, after leaving it outdoors to drop to zero degrees, and putting it back in the fridge for the night.

Alin Oiste won a battle with his 'tight' landlord who capped his heating to save money - by putting the thermostat in the fridge so the heating turns on

Alin claims the hack would start up their heating in minutes and then he would remove the device in the morning when he and his pals were warm again.

The scheming hospitality worker says he would carefully plan this for around 10.30pm at night as he knew the landlord wouldn't notice the thermostat's drop in temperature.

His video has since earned more than half a million views on TikTok with users hailing his improvisation.

Despite having since left the property, he wants to encourage other renters to try it and beat the cold this winter.

Landlords are able to control thermostats if they pay the bills but The Housing Act 2004 says councils could take action if a tenant is not free from 'hazards', which includes excess cold.

Alin, originally from Orastie, Romania, said: 'The first half of the winter was the old thermostat so it was working fine and then in the second half we were all so cold.

'The whole house was freezing and you couldn't have a shower or a bath because you would get out and you'd be freezing.

'No matter what I would set it to, the temperature just wouldn't go above 16 degrees so I thought 'I'm not accepting this'.

The 33-year-old says his landlord locked the system in a bid to save cash, so it would only kick in when the house dropped below 16 degrees - however, he figured out how to override it

Alin explained: 'My roommate thought it wouldn't work but it did. The thermostat wouldn't detect how long it had been in there so it was still working until I took it out'

Another clip shows him bringing the thermostat inside, after leaving it outdoors to drop to zero degrees, and putting it back in the fridge for the night

'He was doing it to save money on his heating bill so he was just being tight.'

He explained: 'By putting the thermostat in the fridge we'd tricked the landlord and the thermostat into thinking that the house was a lot colder than it was.

'My roommate thought it wouldn't work but it did. The thermostat wouldn't detect how long it had been in there so it was still working until I took it out

'During the day the landlord had a business nearby so he could pop in and see why the house was so cold, so it was just at night when I would get home from work.

'I knew he wouldn't be checking at night. I'd thought about everything.

'I would have it on from 10pm all the way through the night until the morning and we did this for a couple of months until summer started and there was no need for heating - I wanted to share it because I thought it was funny.'

Alin left the flat in September and has since moved to Scotland where his landlord lets him control his own heating.

He believes landlords should allow their tenants to control their own thermostat, adding: 'I think landlords should trust the tenants more and let them change it.

'If nobody's at the house there's no point in having it on so you could turn it off but it's a fine line because lots of people forget about it.

'I'd tell anyone struggling with their landlord controlling their thermostat to give putting it in the fridge a try.'

His viral video was captioned 'when the landlord overrides your thermostat but you can override that easily' and has more than 300 comments.

One commented: '16 degrees? Absolute misery, with a second penning: 'Nice work!'

A third added: 'Oh you won,' to which Alin replied: 'The joke's on him,' alongside laughing emojis.
Four new families have come forward accusing Boston's Brigham and Women's Hospital of losing their infant's remains as a lawyer claims the hospital has a 'missing baby problem.'

The first case of the hospital's alleged wrongdoing took place after the death of Everleigh McCarthy. Baby Everleigh who was born premature, died on August 6, 2020, 12 days after her birth.

The grieving parents, Alana Ross and Daniel McCarthy, who were planning their daughter's funeral discovered their daughter's body was missing when the funeral home went to the hospital's morgue to retrieve her body.

They later learned the horrifying news that a hospital employee 'mistook their child's remains for soiled linens and discarded them in the trash.' In August 2022, they filed a lawsuit against the hospital.

Greg Henning, a lawyer for the parents of baby Everleigh, disclosed in Suffolk Superior Court in Boston last week four additional cases that include the improper disposal of fetal remains at Brigham and Women's Hospital during 2020 to 2022.

However, a hospital representative at Brigham and Women's Hospital said in a statement to DailyMail.com that 'the allegations that there are additional cases is inaccurate.'

They alleged those accusations involve different circumstances, because they involved abortions and signed documents and was unable to comment further as the case is in litigation.

The parents, Alana Ross and Daniel McCarthy, hold their premature baby Everleigh Victoria, before she sadly passed on August 6, 2020 at Brigham and Women's Hospital. The parents have filed a lawsuit against the hospital for losing their baby's remains

Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) and its Center for Women and Newborns delivers more 6,200 babies annually, according to it's website. The hospital also has a Level III Newborn Intensive Care Unit (NICU) that cares for nearly 3,000 premature and seriously ill babies each year, and cited on it's website as a top hospital by U.S. News and World Report Honor Roll

A memory box the grief-stricken parents created that included photos of baby Everleigh, her footprints, a knitted hat, baby blanket, and other cherished items

Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) and its Center for Women and Newborns delivers more 6,200 babies annually, according to its website.

The hospital also has a Level III Newborn Intensive Care Unit (NICU) that cares for nearly 3,000 premature and seriously ill babies each year, and cited on its website as a top hospital by U.S. News and World Report Honor Roll.

Unlike baby Everleigh who lived for nearly two weeks, the other parents who came forward had other complications after their baby was born including, a stillbirth, an aborted fetus, or other medical complications that forced them to terminate the pregnancy, court documents revealed.

Henning told DailyMail.com that all of the families made it clear to Brigham and Women's Hospital after going through the trauma of having to end their pregnancies - due to medical complications - that they wished to have their babies returned to them so they could grieve.

He explained that each of the families signed a form, called the Massachusetts Consent for Burial and Cremation, that notified the hospital what their wishes are for their deceased child.

The attorney said in each instance, the staff and doctors promised the families that they would be contacted by the hospital at the completion of autopsies or genetic testing, but claimed that no one from the hospital ever reached out to any of his clients.

Henning told DailyMaill.com that all the parents checked the box on the form indicating a desire to have their baby's remains returned to them.

Some of them also filled in where funeral arrangements would be (as the form asks), and included their phone numbers in that same line to ensure that the hospital could call them when pickup of the baby's remains was ready.

'This is the document the hospital is trying to hide behind,' he said.

'What's the point of the document if doctors and nurses are telling families, 'You have at least six months,' 'Genetic testing will take a while,' and 'We'll call you when the remains are ready for pickup, don't worry.'

He added, 'instead of respecting the parents' wishes, Brigham and Women's Hospital threw out their babies.'

And this is a hospital that advertises itself as 'the most trusted name in women's health.'

A copy of the Massachusetts Consent for Burial and/or Cremation Form form that parents sign

Henning pointed out that he has been trying to obtain discovery and video from Brigham and Women's Hospital since baby Everleigh's passing.

'We've been fighting with the hospital for the past year to get them to acknowledge and turn over certain discovery about other missing babies, and they've done none of it,' he said.

He alleged that when he asked the hospital for surveillance video between the dates of August 6 through August 12. The period when baby Everleigh was born and then her passing and her time in the hospital's morgue they only gave them a few hours of footage from August 7.

'When we asked where the rest of the video was they said there is no other video,' he said.

'There's a laundry list of things they haven't done, and we know in the background, that part of this has been an attempt to cover up what took place which is they have other cases of missing babies.'

He added, 'the hospital has lost five kids in the course of about seventeen months that started with Baby Everleigh until the last case in 2022.'

Henning said two more lawsuits were due to be filed against the hospital soon, with two others to be filed in the coming weeks or months.

Before Thursday's hearing Henning told DailyMail.com that 'we're letting the court know for the first time that this isn't just a concern this is now reality, we represent these people, they want to go forward and find out what happened to their kids.'

He also emphasized that part of their investigation, and the goal of Everleigh's parents is to find out how this happened to their child, and to ensure it never happens again to another family.

Alana Ross and her husband Daniel McCarthy have been traumatized amid the loss of their bab

The hospital representative who appeared at Thursday's hearing issued at statement to DailyMail.com.

'Our policy is designed to be as clear and straightforward as possible for patients and requires written consent.

'We also intentionally limit additional outreach after receiving written consent because we know that can be re-traumatizing for our patients.

'Any loss is difficult for our patients and their families and we are committed to supporting them with the dignity and respect they deserve.'

The initial case involving Everleigh's remains named Brigham's parent company, Mass General Brigham, and more than a dozen individual and entities as defendants.

Some of the claims made include breach of contract, negligence, intentional infliction of emotional distress; and wrongful interference with human remains.

According to Henning, Baby Everleigh's parents are still healing and continue to ask for privacy at this time, including the other parents who recently came forward.
A family who buried a British mother and her two teenage girls after they were butchered by Hamas have told how they have saved a grave for their hostage father alongside them, as they fear he will not get out of Gaza alive.

Osnat Matalon says she is becoming increasingly fearful for the life of her brother, Eli, 51, who was kidnapped by Hamas terrorists on the same day his wife Lianne, 48, and daughters Noiya, 16, and Yahel, 13, were murdered.

When we buried them in our village cemetery, we didnt know whether we were going to have another funeral, says Osnat, 54, who lives in a Moshav, or closed community, half an hour outside of Tel Aviv.

We have saved a spot for him. We hope it wont be used. But we also know time is running out for the hostages.

Bristol born Lianne, who fell in love with Eli Shirabi, 51, while volunteering at Kibbutz Beeri  one of the worst hit sites on October 7  was at first thought to have been taken hostage with the girls.

Osnat Matalon and husband Raz fear they will soon bury their relative Eli Sharabi, 51

Dad Eli (pictured, second from left) is still missing, and is believed to be held by Hamas terrorists in Gaza

Mourners gather for the funerals of Lianne, Yahel, Noiya Sharabi - Eli's wife and daughters

Special plates have been put on the Sharabi graves which say, always loved  never forgotten

But over three gruelling weeks Osnat, got the call that first Lianne, then Yahel and finally Noiya had all been murdered on the same day.

The last message the family had received from Lianne was a frantic WhatsApp saying she could hear terrorists shooting and shouting, Die Israel.

Pathologists later determined the three females had died hugging each other but their bodies were so badly damaged that it was impossible at first to identify them.

The graves have all been designed with Liannes British family, who came over for the stone-setting 30 days after the funeral. Each of the graves says: Your British family will miss you and keep you in our hearts always.

The British side of the family also had holograms of Lianne, Noiya and Yahel made for the graves which show them smiling, and special plates to put on the graves which say, always loved  never forgotten.

Osnats other brother Yosi, 53, was also kidnapped from Kibbutz Beeri on the same day. Miraculously his wife Nira and three children managed to escape from the terrorists. Yosis teenage daughter Yuvals boyfriend Ofir Angel, 17, was kidnapped alongside him but was released as part of the hostage exchange for Palestinian prisoners earlier this month.

The graves have all been designed with Liannes British family, who came over for the stone-setting 30 days after the funeral

Each of the graves says: Your British family will miss you and keep you in our hearts always

The British side of the family also had holograms of Lianne, Noiya and Yahel made for the graves which show them smiling

Israeli art therapist Osnat spoke out as hopes were revived for a new humanitarian pause and the release of more hostages.

This follows pressure on Israel after its forces mistakenly shot three of their own who had been kidnapped in Gaza and amid growing criticism of the number of civilians who have been killed by relentless bombings in the built-up Strip.

Hamas has also upped the ante by releasing two new videos of hostages.

Actors including Jerry Seinfeld, Debra Messing and the UKs Gregg Sulkin have also visited Israel over the last few days to remind the world of the situation of the hostages with the families of the kidnapped becoming increasingly concerned about the safety of their loved ones.

All the families feel is the urgency of the danger that the hostages are now in, says Osnats landscape architect husband Raz, 53.

Everyone is behind the army  and we have lost a lot of soldiers in this war  but we are also now scared that the war is getting too close to the head of the kidnapped people.

As the war is going south, there are fewer places Hamas can run to. We know from the hostages that were released that sometimes the army was bombing places close to where they were staying and that they often had to move from place to place.

Our army has two goals; to eliminate Hamas and bring the hostages home.

Noam, Ayelet, Hodaya, Noa & Rotem friends of Noiya, were seen mourning the loss of their close friend

Mourners gather at the funeral of Lianne, Noiya and Yahel Sharabi at the Kfar sharif Cemetery

The first thing has to be the hostages; if you think about this as a game of chess Israel is playing against Iran, they have taken our Queen. We need our Queen back.

Osnat said there was both pain and joy when the first tranche of hostages were released; particularly as they knew many of the other hostage families.

Israel has demanded the further release of women, the elderly and the sick as part of any new hostage deal; it is sadly likely that Osnat will be waiting for her brothers for some time.

We feel that there has to be a deal because it seems like it is impossible to rescue them through military attack.

We are asking all our friends in all the countries in the world to support this idea and try and push for a deal to bring all the hostages home, she pleads.

And she knows that even if she does get her brothers back safely, she is going to have to break the terrible news to Eli that his family were murdered.

I have two brothers with two different stories; different endings, she says.

It will be hard for both of them. It is going to be so hard for Eli  all of his family has gone.

I cant even imagine what it will be like for him. But first we need to get him back and then we can help him mend the broken pieces of his heart.
Selling your old Ikea furniture at auction could make you thousands of pounds, with collectors setting their sights on rare items from the firm's early days.

At a Stockholm auction house on Monday night, 122 second-hand items made by the Swedish flat-pack firm from the 1950s to to the turn of the millennium sold for a total of 32,000 - smashing the expected price.

A red sofa created by famed Ikea designer Gillis Lundgren - who died in 2016 - was available in the catalogue for 103 in 1972, but it sold for a tidy 1,700 at the world's oldest auction house Auktionsverk.

Two natura easy chairs, which are leather-clad, which were made in the 1970s sold for more than 1,000 at the auction.

Last year, the Cavelli armchair, which was just one of five made in that style, was purchased sold for a whopping 15,500 at auction after being bought from the Swedish furniture behemoth for just 20 in 1959.

A red sofa created by famed Ikea designer Gillis Lundgren - who died in 2016 - was available in the catalogue for 103 in 1972, but it sold for 1,700

More than 100 pieces curated from private homes were sold at Monday's auction - including these natura easy chairs, made in the 1970s which sold for more than 1,000

And in 2022 this former 20 Bengt Ruda's unusual Cavelli armchair sold for a whopping 15,500 at auction

A pair of Skopa armchairs designed by Ole Gjerlv-Knudsen and Torben Lind and purchased for less than a fiver sold for 210 at a Barnebys auction last year.

Another 8 Ake armchair from the late 1950s sold for an astonishing 2,836.

Li Pamp, chief executive of the Auktionsverk auction house, said: 'I've been working in the auction industry for almost 30 years, and if somebody when I started would have said that "One day you will host an Ikea auction in a very nice showroom", I would have said "No, no, that's absolutely not possible".'

Many of the most sought-after items to do well while going under the hammer were ones that flopped at first because of production costs or poor sales. Their prompt discontinuation meant there were precious few examples around.

Thomas Raber, who is in his 60s, was among those to visit the showroom ahead of Monday's auction. He said: 'As I remember it as a young child, if you wanted some cheap furniture you'd go to Ikea.

'You put it together yourself, and then when you'd had it for a few years, you'd throw it away.

'And now 80 years later, it's here and it's being auctioned as a piece of art, an antique. I think that's fascinating.'

For Anette Aly, a 78-year-old Swede who bought her first sofa at an Ikea store in 1963, 'it's a journey back in time'.

There were about 122 carefully-curated items with unusual provenance went under the hammer on Monday evening, selling for 32,000 (pictured, Li Pamp, auction house CEO)

The pieces, which date from the 1950s to the 1990s, are all marked with the stamp of the famous Swedish brand known around the world for its DIY furniture

Among the latest items to go under the hammer included this seat, 'Tight' by Gillis Lundgren

'I see the things I saw 40-50 years in the store,' Anette added.

The emergence of a high-end vintage market hasn't escaped the retailer.

'It's flattering. It's confirmation that we've created the greatest brand in over 80 years,' raves Thea Mix Davidsson, collection curator at the IKEA Museum in the company's hometown of Almhult.

The flat-pack giant's customers are being urged not to ditch their furniture as keeping and selling the items could pay for their children's university fees.

Last year's offerings up for auction saw a print named 'The Girls Go In The Ring', which was made for Ikea in 1972, sold for more than 100 times its original price at 290.

Pontus Silfverstolpe, antiques expert and founder of Barnebys said last year: 'The flat package fortune continues to surprise the auction world, but we have more peaks to look forward to.

'It is especially designer furniture from the 1950s and 1980s from Ikea that costs more and more on the second-hand market.

'The furniture that is most attractive to collectors and design enthusiasts is that they are innovative designs for their time, made of good materials and in a limited edition or manufacturing period.

Karin Mobring's 16 armchairs named Admiral were designed in 1971 and a pair sold at auction for almost 1,200

A pair of 4.50 Skopaa armchairs, designed by Ole Gjerlov-Knudsen and Torben Lind, were sold for 210

This chair known as Impala was designed for Ikea to sell at 80 in 1972, sold at auction for 2,000

'Some of these famous Ikea designs by leading artists can be considered collector's items and have become a hard currency at auction.

'It would not surprise me if in time some of this furniture ends up in one of the world's major design museums.

'Ikea's founder Ingvar Kamprad has been our biggest role model for Swedish entrepreneurship for decades.

'In the same way that he democratised an entire industry in his quest to furnish people's home, Barnebys' ambition is to democratise the auction industry and get the whole world to buy sustainable, quality furniture from the secondary market at a time when excessive consumption is called into question.'
Since the start of 2023, Republicans have been investigating Joe Biden over his alleged connections to his son Hunter's lucrative business deals

Since the start of 2023, Republicans have been investigating Joe Biden over his alleged connections to his son Hunter's extremely lucrative multi-million dollar influence peddling scheme spanning decades.

In December, Republicans voted to formalize their ongoing impeachment inquiry because they believe it will force the administration to turn over documents and provide witness testimony after months of stonewalling.

They are working toward building up enough evidence to show Joe was involved in Hunter's dealings in order to hold a formal impeachment vote in the House in 2024.

GOP investigators are also examining how the Biden Justice Department has allegedly slow walked the criminal investigation into Hunter for tax evasion and gun crimes.

While President Biden has maintained his innocence, saying he has never been involved in his son's shady business dealings, Republicans say the White House's recent flip flops on their official statements pushing back on the 'political' GOP-led probe is a sign they are scrambling.

The White House's shifting defense started with Joe had 'never discussed' and had no knowledge of Hunter's business dealings. It has since evolved into the president had never been 'in business' or 'financially involved' with his son.

In September, former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy unilaterally launched an impeachment inquiry over the Biden family's 'culture of corruption' that he said could take down President Biden's political career.

Since then, the House Oversight, Judiciary and Ways and Means Committees have issued subpoenas to the top players involved including Hunter Biden, James Biden and other family members, donors and business associates.

But how did Hunter get his hands on a 2.8-carat diamond from the Chinese, $83,000 a month from Ukrainians and $1 million from mysterious Romanians?

By trading in on the Biden family's influential 'brand,' the GOP claims.

From the use of pseudonyms in at least 82,000 emails to discuss shady Ukraine deals, to an alleged $10 million bribery scheme to providing Hunter access to flights on Air Force Two and more, the president's involvement in his son's business is getting harder and harder to ignore.

DailyMail.com breaks down all of the evidence that Republicans have compiled that as they continue their impeachment inquiry:

Biden's use of pseudonyms on 82,000 emails

Joe used a series of pseudonyms on emails that were about both official and family business, according to emails found on Hunter Biden's now-infamous laptop and previously reported by DailyMail.com.

And the National Archives recently revealed the sheer volume of the correspondence.

The accounts that the over 82,000 pages of emails were sent or received from included: 'robinware456@gmail.com, JRBWare@gmail.com, and Robert.L.Peters@pci.gov.'

The correspondence apparently spans over the entire eight-year period Joe was serving as Obama's No. 2.

The bombshell admission came as Republicans are seeking records revealing Joe Biden's use of pseudonyms to discuss his activities related to Ukraine with his son Hunter during his time as vice president.

Republicans have asked NARA for an un-redacted document that indicates that then-Vice President Biden took a call with the president of Ukraine, Petro Poroshenko, on May 27, 2016.

Republicans say the document was emailed to 'Robert L. Peters' with Hunter Biden copied.

At the time, top Ukrainian prosecutor Viktor Shokin was investigating oil company Burisma Holdings for corruption - the same company that Hunter was a sitting board member of.

$10 million alleged bribery scheme

An internal FBI document - obtained by DailyMail.com - includes bombshell claims that Joe Biden and his son Hunter forced a Ukrainian oil executive to pay them $10 million in exchange for the then-Vice President's influence in getting a senior prosecutor fired.

According to the conversation between a confidential source and Burisma CFO Vadim Pojarski in 2015, Hunter Biden was hired onto the company's board to 'protect us, through his dad, from all kinds of problems.'

Burisma CEO Mykola Zlochevsky told the source: 'It costs 5 (million) to pay one Biden, and 5 (million) to another Biden.'

Zlochevsky added that, although Hunter 'was stupid,' and his (Zlochevsky's) dog was smarter, he was needed on the board 'so everything will be okay.'

Selling the Biden 'brand' for influence on 20 calls

Hunter Biden's ex-business partner Archer testified before the House Oversight Committee that Joe Biden's 'brand' protected Ukrainian company Burisma because 'people would be intimidated to mess with them.'

Hunter's presence on Burisma's board and access to his father - then vice president - led to the company's 'longevity' because they had the 'capabilities to navigate D.C.,' Archer said according to the transcript.

Hunter's best friend and business associate sat with him on Burisma's board beginning in 2014. They also started Rosemont Seneca Partners, an investment advisory firm, together.

He confirmed that Hunter put Joe on speakerphone 20 times during business meetings over a 10-year period, which was a 'signal' of 'value,' and Hunter used his dad as 'defensive leverage.'

Getting help from the 'Big Guy' in D.C.

During another dinner with Burisma executives at the Four Seasons in Dubai, Hunter said he would be able to get 'help from D.C.' in order to relieve some 'government pressure' on the company.

Archer testified that Burisma was 'getting pressure' and as a result, they 'requested Hunter, you know, help them with some of that pressure.'

He said it was 'government pressure' from the ongoing Ukrainian investigation into the company at the time - led by top prosecutor Shokin.

In March 2016, Joe Biden is alleged to have threatened to withhold $1 billion in aid to Ukraine if Shokin was not fired for corruption, which he eventually was.

Archer added that the Burisma executives weren't specific in asking directly 'can the big guy help?'

Rather, they used the 'amorphous' term: 'can we get help in D.C.?'

Archer understood that 'D.C.' meant Hunter's influence based on his connection to his then-VP father.

'Well, I mean, he was a lobbyist and an expert and obviously he carried, you know, a very powerful name. So I think it was that's what they were asking for,' said Archer.

Air Force Two flights and business dinners with Joe

Hunter traveled to at least 15 countries with his dad then-Vice President Joe on Air Force Two according to reports - including China.

Archer also told lawmakers that Joe sat and had dinner in-person on at least two occasions with Hunter and his foreign business partners, who then wired money almost immediately after to Biden-affiliated companies.

The then-vice president sat in on another dinner with Hunter and his partners in 2015 at Cafe Milano in Washington, D.C., Archer confirmed.

'Dear Hunter,' reads a note from a Ukrainian executive following the dinner. 'Thank you for inviting me to DC and giving me an opportunity to meet your father and [spend] some time together.'

Then-Vice President Joe Biden waves as he walks out of Air Force Two with his granddaughter Finnegan Biden and son Hunter Biden on December 4, 2013 in Beijing, China

Hunter traveled to at least 15 countries with his dad then-Vice President Joe on Air Force Two according to reports

20 shell companies to rake in foreign cash

An estimated up to $40 million was raked in through 20 shell companies and fake accounts created while Joe Biden was vice president, at the same time he was joining Hunter's business calls and stopping by at lavish dinners.

During Biden's time as vice president, there were 20 companies affiliated with certain Biden family members created intentionally with a 'complicated corporate structure' Republicans outlined in a spring memo.

Hunter Biden and his associates, including Rob Walker, formed 'at least 15' of those companies, after Biden took the office of the vice president in 2009.

Several of those entities including Owasco P.C. - which Hunter owned - Hudson West III, LLC, Robinson Walker, LLC, and Rosemont Seneca Bohai, LLC, accepted funds from foreign companies ranging from $5,000 to $3 million, the Oversight Committee said.

Bank records reveal 'loan repayment' checks

Through bank records obtained by House Oversight Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., the top Republican has discovered two checks from James Biden to Joe for $200,000 and $40,000 'loan repayments.'

Comer claims the checks are evidence that Joe knew about and benefitted financially from his family's business dealings, and says the money can be traced back to China.

A money trail beginning in July 2017 snaked from Chinese oil giant CEFC - one of Hunter's joint ventures - into Joe's account.

In WhatsApp messages from August 2017 previously published by DailyMail.com, Hunter demanded $10 million from CEFC, and claimed his father was 'sitting here' next to him during the exchange.

After an initial $5 million from CEFC was put in the joint venture on August 8, 2017, and a transfer of $400,000 was placed into Hunter Biden entity Owasco, P.C. on the same day. Then, $150,000 was transferred directly from Owasco into the bank account of James and Sara Biden - Joe's sister-in-law - on August 14, 2017.

Then on September 3, 2017, Sara wrote a $40,000 check direct to Joe - just six days after she took out $50,000 in cash, according to the obtained documents.

Republicans have revealed a separate $200,000 personal check from James Biden to Joe Biden.

Contempt proceedings against Hunter

Republicans are beginning proceedings to hold Hunter Biden in contempt of Congress after he defied a subpoena requiring him to sit for a closed-door deposition as part of their impeachment investigation.

Hunter appeared outside of the Capitol last week to deliver a dramatic tirade slamming 'shameless' Republicans, and declared that he would be skipping his deposition that was scheduled for 9.30am.

In a dramatic tirade outside Congress the first son said his father was 'not financially involved' in his controversial business dealings and that there was no evidence because it 'did not happen.'

Now Republicans say that his 'obstruction' of their investigation has forced them to take the president's son to court to compel his cooperation - or he will face jail time.

If Hunter is held in contempt of Congress by a committee vote, his case would be referred to the Biden-led Department of Justice. If DOJ agrees to prosecute the case, which is unlikely, he could face up to 12 months jail time or a fine of up to $100,000 if convicted.

After Hunter refused to comply with the subpoena for his closed-door testimony, Republicans started contempt of Congress proceedings against the president's son

The House Oversight, Judiciary and Ways and Means Committees have issued subpoenas to the top players involved including Hunter Biden, James Biden and other family members, donors and business associates

Hunter's federal indictments

In September, Federal prosecutors indicted Hunter on illegal gun charges that have a maximum sentence of 25 years in jail.

And earlier in December, nine new criminal charges were filed against Hunter by the Department of Justice for allegedly spending millions on 'drugs, prostitutes and exotic cars' while avoiding paying taxes.

Hunter's legal woes are sure to follow his father around as he hits the campaign trail for his re-election bid.

The first son will appear in court for his arraignment on the nine new tax charges on January 11, only four days before the Iowa caucuses.
The rising star in the world of tequila production is not the owner of a hacienda in Mexico - but a working mum from Essex.

Gina Duke, 35, launched her family-run drinks firm planning to offer a luxury liquor that appealed to women locally - but her small brand has gone global in just five years.

She is now selling hundreds of thousands of litres of Mis Amigos Tequila, as well as vodka and gin all over the world.

She revealed that her business G&I Spirit Group went 'from nothing to now turning over 4m annually and rising'.

Her cream-based tequilas are in such demand that she has shipped 120,000 litres of tequila to Miami, most of which was loaded aboard cruise liners bound for the Caribbean, and Mexico the spiritual home of the blue agave plant from which tequila is made.

Gina Duke, 35, launched her family-run drinks firm planning to offer a luxury liquor that appealed to women locally in Essex - but astonishingly her small brand has gone global in just five short years

After jetting off solo to international trade fairs in Mumbai and Shanghai she had one Chinese customer who placed an initial order of hundred thousand bottles of premium gin.

Meanwhile, more than 12 tonnes of tequila (equivalent to 2,000 litres) have just been shipped to India.

Her firm is also in negotiations with distributors in Peru, Chile, and Japan and Gina has also broken the USA market, beginning trade with 20 States in 2024.

What makes them different is that the tequila is cream based with her Mis Amigos range consisting of chocolate and strawberry cream tequilas, plus chocolate, coffee and chocolate and lime flavours.

On the back of her success Gina recently signed up Celebrity Chef Aldo ZiIli as brand ambassador for her tequila brand and total group sales are set to soar to 4 million this financial year.

It all started when Gina, who is a mother to three children Macey, 16, Etta, 10, and six-year-old son Reggie, formed G&I Spirit Group Ltd to supply spirits to bars and restaurants owned by her family in Essex.

Interest grew rapidly through sheer word of mouth.

'I am passionate about being a devoted mother but also a successful CEO,' says Gina from Benfleet.

'We are small and based in Essex in an industry dominated by some very huge players and brands. But what we have is a unique blend of extremely high-quality ingredients, a 'can do' spirit and the belief our drinks are the best in the world.

It all started when Gina, who is a mother to three children Macey (LEFT), 16, Etta, 10, and six-year-old son Reggie, formed G&I Spirit Group Ltd to supply spirits to bars and restaurants owned by her family in Essex

On the back of her success Gina signed up Celebrity Chef Aldo ZiIli as brand ambassador. Here she is pictured with her father Simon (left)

What makes the Essex mum's drinks different is that the tequila is cream based with her Mis Amigos range consisting of chocolate and strawberry cream tequilas, plus chocolate, coffee and chocolate and lime flavours (pictured with father Simon)

'It is my baby and my ideas but we are a massive family and work together as a collective. We are very supportive of each other and that has helped with our growth. As my grandfather said, "great things never come from comfort zones".

Gina left school at 16, as she said it 'wasn't for her'.

She explained: 'Coming from a family full of entrepreneurs mixed with a strong military background, I shared their passion and drive. I had a brain for creativity and wanted to get out there get my hands dirty.

'I felt big international brands, run by people in suits, lacked the personable experience to truly serve the end consumer.

'I saw an opportunity to work with master distillers and create a range of alcoholic spirits that aligned with my vision.

'After nearly two years of research and development, we developed a range of super premium Vodka and Gins, and then ventured into the rapidly growing Tequila market.

'I discussed this idea with my family members and after assessing the risks and strengths of the venture, I decided to open G&I Spirit Group Ltd in the UK.

'The company was aptly named after my heroes, my very own grandparents, George and Ida.

'I am passionate about being a devoted mother but also a successful CEO,' says Gina from Benfleet, pictured with her son Reggie (LEFT) and daughter Etta (RIGHT)

On the back of her success Gina recently signed up Celebrity Chef Aldo ZiIli as brand ambassador for her tequila brand (pictured, the pair together)

G&I Spirit Group Ltd is named after her Gina's grandma Ida (pictured) and grandpa George

'We initially started producing for our own venues, and word spread to other bars and pub groups who were interested in our products.

'We expanded slowly, ensuring that we didn't grow too fast and I stayed within my cash flow limitations. Around two years ago, we decided to explore the overseas export market.'

Together with her father Simon and uncle Rupert they launched their own importation and distribution company, first in the USA. They have also set up and registered an EU division to better sell to the 27 EU states.

Simon says: 'We did not want to be at the beck and call and able to be manipulated by big multinationals. This way we could say we have our own distribution network and own import company so we could do it our way.

'I have always said to Gina, since she was a little girl, to never fear anything and achieve your goals. I am very proud of her.'

Chef Aldo Zilli signed up in November. He said: 'When I met the Mis Amigos guys and they showed me what they had created I could immediately see lots of different ways to use it in my cooking, and that it would be a great addition to Casa Zilli.

'Tequila is such a unique and subtle spirit that combines beautifully with chocolate, and the coffee flavour makes the best tiramisu and espresso martinis, and I can't wait to make summer desserts with the strawberry flavour.

'I love the product, so I was honoured when they asked me to join the Mis Amigos family as their brand ambassador.'

The range also includes '88' brand vodka and gin, and Jillion's gin, named after the Duke family's Aunt, who worked as a codebreaker at Bletchley Park during WW2 - all of which are available in the UK on the G&I Spirit group website.
Female prison officers who have sexually charged illegal affairs with male prisoners they are meant to be guarding are driven by a compulsion they can't control, a top psychotherapist has revealed.

A number of female prison officers have hit headlines in recent years over relations with inmates, with a spate of officers sacked and in some cases jailed for having affairs with inmates.

Last September prison guard Joanne Hunter, 28, was jailed for three years after having a relationship with an inmate and smuggling cannabis to him at HMP Forest Bank in Salford.

This month, prison officer Sarah Jane Williams, 38, of Widnes, Cheshire, was jailed for 18 months after she shared 'intimate sexual chat' and explicit images with three inmates she had relationships with.

The mother-of-three was working at HMP Altcourse in Liverpool when she 'fell into the traps and into the arms of sophisticated criminals', her lawyers said.

Elsewhere, HMP Berwyn in North Wales is in a staffing crisis after dismissing no fewer than 18 female members of staff for inappropriate relationships with prisoners.

Now Kamalyn Kaur, a Psychotherapist and Anxiety expert with over 10 years of experience providing Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) has told MailOnline that some women can find themselves powerless to stop themselves being drawn to unsuitable partners due to how the brain works.

Aisha Golsby, 23, (pictured) was working at HMP Portland in Dorset when she became involved with convict Deano Harrison

Golsby started working at the HMP Portland in April 2020, when she was just 19 years old. Pictured: Aisha Golsby leaving Poole Magistrates Court

Prison officer Ayshea Gunn with inmate Khuram Razaq in the cells of HMP Berwyn, Britain's largest prison

Last September prison guard Joanne Hunter, 28, (pictured) was jailed for three years after having a relationship with an inmate

Hunter also smuggled cannabis to the same inmate at HMP Forest Bank in Salford. The judge, Recorder Paul Hodgkinson, jailed her for three years, saying her actions had 'struck at the heart of the criminal justice system'

Sarah Jane Williams seen leaving court during her trial, prior to being jailed

'When people think they have fallen in love, or lust, chemicals take over and you can do silly things. The emotional part of the brain is activated and the rational part switches off. Even if they know it is happening, they are sometimes powerless to stop their feelings.

'It's a neuro-biology and reward-related process going on. People who are perceived as being 'bad boys' - whether that is a boss in an office or an inmate in prison - can be perceived as bringing excitement and unpredictability.

'That can trigger unstimulated parts of the brain that are related to reward and pleasure and lead to heightened sense of arousal and excitement.

'A huge dopamine hit is overriding the part of the brain that might say 'danger' or 'don't go there'. It is the same dopamine hit that people get when they have addictions. The logical part of the brain is telling you to not gamble, or not take drugs, but then adrenaline takes over.'

She also said 'evolutionary psychology' was to blame for why some women risk everything for so-called 'bad boys'.

Elyse Mae Hibbs, 25, (pictured) was working as a nurse at HMP Parc when she embarked on a relationship with Pullen

Elyse Hibbs leaving court during her trial last year. She was later jailed for six months for the affair with Pullen

Emily Watson, left, was jailed for one year after she performed a sex act on inmate John McGee

'There are certain traits associated with 'bad boys' such as confidence, risk-taking and assertiveness that would have been seen as advantageous in the past in terms of evolution. It suggests adventure and opportunity.

'These are people that have not conformed to societal expectations and pressures and that can give off an allure of 'bad boy' energy.'

Another factor is simply that opposites attract.

'If you are someone who usually follows the rules, and quite 'textbook' then that whole allure of being with someone who is rebellious can give you tunnel vision suddenly. That person might represent everything you want to be but can't be.'

There are also societal and cultural aspects that could explain why people risk all for love.

'You only have to look on television and in films to see how many of the attractive male characters are portrayed as 'untameable' and rebellious',' says Kaur. 'That influences us subconsciously, especially if you are binge-watching Netflix and come across characters like this. Basically, who are you going to have more fun with? It might not be true, but that is what society is projecting.

'Everything that makes for a good husband, stability, predictability and reliability - is presented as boring. But ultimately, that is what you really need to have a good partner in life.'

The psychotherapist could not explain why so many of the examples were of attractive women being manipulated but said that feeling of insecurity could be to blame.

Prison guards walk through HMP Berwyn on March 15, 2017 in Wrexham, Wales

Ayshea Gunn in handcuffs on her way to prison, leaving court after she was found to have had a relationship with an inmate

Prison officer Ayshea Gunn, left, was jailed for one year at Mold Crown Court in 2019 after having an affair with dangerous criminal Khuram Razaq, right, at HMP Berwyn in North Wales

'There is often a common misconception that if someone is pretty or attractive, then they must be feeling secure within themselves. But that might not be the case at all and they might be looking for validation from others and their face is just a mask.

'They might then pick someone who is not the ideal partner just because you are getting the attention from them regardless if they are good for you or not.

'Younger women are more likely to be exhibiting frivolous behaviour. Hormones are more heightened, you are ready to meet somebody because evolutionary-wise that is when you should be having your offspring because you have more energy to raise them.

'It's why when you go to clubs it's full of young people - when you get to your 30s and 40s you prefer an early night!'

Finally, Kaur pointed out that while for most of us the thought of conducting such a dangerous liaison like in a prison would be a non-starter, you have to take into consideration the environment where such a relationship might form.

'So many relationships start in the workplace and for people working in such a contained environment like a prison, interacting with inmates becomes the norm. For you and I this might be a very scary place but these women are probably spending more time in a prison than they are at home with family and friends. So that environment becomes normalised.'

Her comments seem to be backed up by a recent survey. Scientists from the University of Western Australia surveyed more than 1,300 women from 47 countries about their preferences in men.

The results show that women prefer men who take risks  but only for short-term flings.

'In long-term partnerships, the disadvantages of being attracted to a habitual risk taker likely become excessive and thus curb attraction to risk takers,' the team explained.
A squatter living in a shack made of junk by one of Britain's most famous stations has claimed he is ready for the 'fight of his life' when the council tries to evict him.

Leo Fieran, 55, is locked in a bitter court battle with Camden Council over the rubbish-strewn plot he has lived in for nearly 20 years next to Kings Cross Station.

A narrow alleyway between train tracks a grotty brick wall, the plot is covered in scrap with bags of rubbish stacked at the sides of a muddy track.

But council officers believe it is prime real estate and have it earmarked for housing.

Romanian Mr Fieran has vowed to fight anyone who tries to evict him and claims to have previously defended his plot with a spade when police and bailiffs tried to kick him out.

Now he is ready for another battle in the new year when he believes they will return.

He told MailOnline: 'I'm ready for the fight of my life to stay here. I can't live anywhere else.'

Leo Fieran, 55, (pictured) is locked in a bitter court battle with Camden Council over the rubbish-strewn plot

Pictured: The area of land where Leo Fieran has been living which is full of rubbish

Leo even said he has asked King Charles to help defend the right to the land

He told MailOnline: 'I'm going nowhere. I'll fight until the very end to stay.

'This is my home and I love it.'

Leo now wants to go to London's High Court over the row.

When he first found the fenced-off plot, it was quiet and used for dumping rubbish or for people to take drugs.

But he said when he took it for his own, no one bothered him.

Leo even said he has asked King Charles to help defend the right to the land.

In May last year, court ruled he had no right to reside at the 35m x 15m plot through a Possession Order granted to landowners Camden Council.

But he is going through a County Court to get full-time squatters rights on the plot. He is relying on an Adverse Possession Law, which he claims gives him right to squat there.

Leo, who has lived there since 2006, said: 'I don't bother anyone.

'They want to develop this land and make homes probably worth millions but what about me? Aren't I worth as much as them?

'Why are they better?

When the squatter first found the land, he said it was just used as a dumping ground and for people to take drugs

Leo sleeps under blankets and a sleeping bag, partially covered by a mesh tarpaulin under a ramp

'I've had bailiffs here, but I fought them off. And I am vowing to battle any court or any judge who wants to get rid of me.

'I don't pay tax and I don't pay rent but I don't claim benefits, I don't give the council anything but I don't want anything from them.

'That's the way it is. They should just leave me alone. I don't bother anyone.'

He is showering at local leisure centres and gets handout meals from local churches.

He sleeps under blankets and a sleeping bag, partially covered by a mesh tarpaulin under a ramp.

He claims during his latest dispute, cops and bailiffs chain-locked him inside the three-metre high enclosure.

Leo says he wants a final decision and 'peace of mind'.

He added: 'This is no way to live. I just want peace. I don't cause any problems. I just want to live on my own.

He claims during his latest dispute, cops and bailiffs chain-locked him inside the three-metre high enclosure

In May last year, court ruled he had no right to reside at the 35m x 15m plot through a Possession Order granted to landowners Camden Council

'I wish I could be left alone. We need to settle this. And just leave it be.'

He is not deterred by the threat of prison.

He added: 'I'm ready for anything. I know they don't want me there.

'But this is my life. This is my existence.'

Leo, who is single and does not have children, says he 'loves the great outdoors'.

He added: 'I'm used to it. I love the great outdoors.'

Camden Council were approached for comment.

It comes after MailOnline reported about a homeless Iranian in his 40s, who arrived in the UK as an asylum seeker and doesn't speak English, set up his own home on Cheyne Walk, Chelsea for 300.

Shahoo Amini has revealed that he built the 8ft by 4ft shed himself in August this year because he always wanted a 'place by the water'.

He told MailOnline: 'I did a lot of searches on Google for houses close to river or the sea and got my inspiration from these. My place is very beautiful. It's very cold at night but the view is amazing.'

Speaking through an interpreter, Mr Amini said that he arrived in the UK as an asylum seeker

Shahoo built the shed himself for 300 - and the top half is where he sleeps, complete with a window overlooking the water

Across the street in one direction from his shed, his immediate near-neighbours are Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger, fellow rocker Bryan Adams and billionaire Tetra Pax heir Hans Rausing. And even nearer is Crosby Hall, the sprawling and magnificent 150million-plus Tudor-style mansion owned by property mogul Dr Christopher Moran. King Richard III, Catherine of Aragon, Thomas More and Sir Walter Raleigh all lived in homes on the site.

Mr Amini said: 'Nobody bothers me and to be honest, you can't even see my shed from the road because it's hidden away. I love my little place. It's wonderful opening the windows, looking out at the Thames and letting the fresh air in. I'd rather be here than sleeping rough on the streets.'

Shahoo Amini has built a shed to live in by the Thames because he always wanted a 'place by the water'

Mr Amini said that he previously lived in a flat in Victoria but was evicted for rent arrears in March 2023 following a motorbike accident a year earlier which caused him to lose the majority of his memory and his job as a courier rider.

Shahoo, who says he is not on benefits but doesnt work and relies on his savings, had slept rough under bridges and on the streets of the capital before building the shack with one of the best views in London.

Chelsea locals and passersby have been welcoming to Shahoo, who is friendly and polite. Hence, no complaints have been raised to the local council, the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea.

The authoritiers have said they will reach out to support him.
The story of actor James McAvoy and his jailbird half-brother Donald is a Hollywood scriptwriters dream: two boys fathered by the same man in one of Glasgows poorest neighbourhoods, whose lives followed vastly different paths.

One, despite being the product of a broken home, managed to scale the peaks of international stardom and win a BAFTA, as well as nominations for two more, before the age of 30, then went on to star in the X-Men films and His Dark Materials on TV.

The other descended into a life of drugs, booze and outbursts of serious violence, leading him to spend much of his adult life behind bars.

The only thing  apart from both being fervent Celtic supporters  that James McAvoy, 44, and Donald, 34, have in common is their late father James Senior, a bus driver-turned-builder. It is believed the two brothers have never met.

This week, Donald, whose adult life has involved a succession of jail cells, pledged to go straight for the sake of his new daughter aged two.

X-Men star James McAvoy (right) is believed to have never met his half-brother (left)

Donald has the same father, James Snr (pictured), as X-Men star James, 44, although the pair were brought up separately

But cynics might point to the fact that his Damascene conversion was announced in a courtroom, where he was answering to yet another crime.

The court heard that McAvoy had inherited a sizeable legacy from his father following his death recently, while his younger son was in prison.

But an old friend of McAvoy predicted the cash would be the worst thing that could happen to him and he would blow the nest egg on drink and drugs.

Donald McAvoy is serving a roll-up sentence of five years and 10 months for a number of offences including a conviction at the High Court in Glasgow in 2021 for a road rage attack on a 57-year-old grandfather.

He was due for release on March 13, 2025, but at Falkirk Sheriff Court another 15 months was added, to be served consecutively, after McAvoy admitted having illegal razor blades and an illicit mobile phone SIM card in his jail cell.

Defence solicitor Ian Sievwright said McAvoy  father of a young daughter - planned to live a law-abiding life when he is released, thanks to his recently-received bequest from his late father James Snr.

James McAvoy attends the GQ Men of the Year event in London in 2022 with his sister and Two Doors Down actress Joy

Donald McAvoy pictured during a brutal road rage attack in Glasgow in March 2020

He said: Mr McAvoy's father died while he was in prison.

He has inherited a sizeable amount of money from his father's estate and that may allow him the financial resources to avoid criminality when he is eventually released.

He has been a prisoner for a long time and is determined, for his daughter's sake, that when he leaves prison he will lead a pro-social lifestyle and provide for her and fully participate in raising her.

But a former school friend of McAvoy predicted the cash would be wasted on drink and drugs, adding: This money will be the worst thing that could happen to him.

Hes absolutely wild and despite his lawyer saying hell use it to get himself on the straight and narrow, thats one hundred percent not going to happen.

Hes too far gone for that. Ive not spoken to him for years, I had to distance myself from him or I would have ended up in the jail alongside him.

Our younger days were drink and drug-fuelled and thats his problem. Hell never give that up when he gets out.

He got me into a lot of trouble when we were younger, we would be out in bars or at house parties and if anyone looked at him the wrong way hed just punch them.

And whoever would be with him would get dragged into it as well. It all got too much for me and I had to end up just distancing myself from him, which brought its own issues.

He gave me threats for years because of it, he used to turn up at my house shouting that Ive made a mistake and screaming I was a p***y.

James' mother Liz Johnstone, 59, died at the council flat that he and his actress sister Joy grew up in, on an estate in the Drumchapel area of Glasgow, in 2018

By 2008, James had been nominated for two more BAFTAs in successive years for his parts in The Last King of Scotland and Atonement. Pictured, James McAvoy in Dark Phoenix (2019)

He made my life hell for about a year. I had to end up moving out of the area - anyone you speak to in the Drum [Drumchapel] will tell you he thinks hes the big man.

Its actually a real shame, because he could have an amazing life, his half-brother is James McAvoy for goodness sake - no wonder he doesnt want anything to do with him.

I feel sorry for James, being tarnished in a family relationship with him.

Born on a council estate in Glasgows tough Drumchapel district, James was aged only seven when his mother Elizabeth Johnstone and father James Snr separated, and they divorced when he was 11.

His mum  who died in 2018 - lived across the street from her parents, butcher James Johnstone and his wife Mary, who drove lorries.

The couple agreed to look after young James and his younger sister Joy (now an actor herself in TVs Two Doors Down) despite having five kids of their own, and Elizabeth would also live with them from time to time.

The relationship with his dad never recovered from the break-up of the marriage and even though they lived nearby, McAvoy stopped speaking to his father when he was 12.

Years later, he was still reluctant to discuss the estrangement, saying in 2011: It's boring. I don't want to talk about it. I know what happened and I know what didn't happen.

By contrast, he paid fulsome tribute to the way his grandparents and his mother, a psychiatric nurse who suffered from poor health, brought him up.

'They never told me, "You can be whatever you want to be." I think that's a great lie, a horrible lie, he said to the Guardian in 2006.

But they told me to try, have a right go for it, see what happens. It was always just a bit practical. I think I'm quite a practical person as a result.'

When McAvoy won the 'Rising Star' award at the 2006 BAFTAs, his dad surfaced in a red-top newspaper, saying he'd love to get in touch, 'but I don't know how to reach him'.

McAvoy was unmoved by it, saying: 'Yep, quite strange. Strange because that's more the kind of story you expect to see about people who matter, people who've done something important, who make a difference in the world.

'I can't really be bothered with it. If I was less secure in myself, I might be more interested. But I know what made me, I know why I am the way I am.

I don't need to go hunting for missing answers. I know what happened and I know what didn't happen, and I know who I want to be and how to get there.'

McAvoy was offered a place at university, but it was a chance encounter with Scottish actor/director David Hayman, also from Drumchapel, who gave a talk at McAvoys school one day that was to change his life.

McAvoy felt bad about the rough reception some of the audience had given the visitor and took the time to thank him afterwards.

I asked him if I could come and make the tea, do some work experience, if he was ever doing another film, he recalled.

Four months later, Hayman invited him to audition for a part, in the Near Room, playing in Edinburgh and despite already being accepted into the Royal Navy, McAvoy was offered a place at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, which he took.

After graduating, McAvoy was cast in a number of films, stage and TV dramas, but his big TV break came in 2004 with Shameless on Channel 4, where he also met his first wife, fellow actor Anne-Marie Duff.

The following year he won plaudits as Mr Tumnus, the faun in the blockbuster Narnia film The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe, which led to his Rising Star BAFTA in 2006.

James McAvoy at the 'Stranger Things: The First Shadow' press night, Phoenix Theatre, London

When McAvoy won the 'Rising Star' award at the 2006 BAFTAs, his dad surfaced in a red-top newspaper, saying he'd love to get in touch. Pictured, Lisa Liberati and James McAvoy on December 14, 2023

By 2008, James had been nominated for two more BAFTAs in successive years for his parts in The Last King of Scotland and Atonement, but his younger half-brothers career in crime was only just beginning.

The son of James snr and his later partner Mary McKinnon, was jailed in 2008, aged just 19, for stabbing a man eight times in a frenzied attack and threatening a 14-year-old with a hammer.

Later he was given nine months for abducting and beating a father-of-four over an unpaid drug debt.

In 2008, James snr was reported in the Daily Mail as telling friends in desperation: 'I've tried everything to keep him straight..

Yet despite the estrangement, he took comfort in his other son's success and hoped for a reconciliation.

He told friends: 'It would be great to talk, but it's been so long. James stopped talking to me when he was a child. But I'm proud of how good a job his mum and grandparents did of bringing him up.'

When Donald was released from his first prison stretch, his fathers hopeful words will sound strangely familiar to anyone who was at his court appearance this week.

Mr McAvoy snr told a newspaper in 2011: Prison has done him the world of good. He's like a new man. He didn't really like it inside and he has no plans to go back. I think it shook him up a bit.

He's learning to drive has quit smoking and hardly drinks anymore. He really is turning his life around and showing remorse for what he did.
The investigation into the murder of a Scots father-of-two during a work trip to Germany 40 years ago is to be reopened.

Colin Adamson was found in the boot of a burnt-out car and his killer has never been brought to justice.

The 33-year-old, who lived in Aberchirder, Banffshire, with his wife and two children suffered blunt force trauma to his head before he was bundled into the car and it was set alight.

Colin Adamson pictured right with his son Evan and daughter Gillian. The Scottish Cold Case Unit based at Glasgow Caledonian University are investigating the murder of Colin, 33, in 1983 in Celle, West Germany

Now the Scottish Cold Case Unit, set up by Glasgow Caledonian University in 2021, is reviewing the evidence as part of an international effort involving universities and police forces.

The International Cold Case Analysis Project (ICCAP) will see 12 criminology students from the university, along with five other teams, review the original inquiry.

Mr Adamsons son Evan, who was just six when his father was murdered, hopes it will help shed more light on what happened on December 18, 1983.

He said: It feels a bit surreal after all this time, but its obviously good news there are going to be fresh eyes on this case.

Ive been looking into the death of my dad for many years and, even at this stage, its possible the person or people responsible for his murder could still be caught.

We have seen recently that other cases, including the murder of Renee MacRae [and her son Andrew] in 1976, have been solved even though they happened decades ago.

The town of Celle, West Germany

Evan Adamson whose father Colin Adamson, 33, from Aberdeenshire was found dead

Mr Adamson, who worked in the oil and gas industry, had been staying at a hotel in Celle, around 30 miles from Hanover.

Two men were questioned and eliminated from the original inquiry and there have been no further leads.

It happened just days before Mr Adamson was due to return to wife Babs, Evan and his sister Gillian, then two.

Maureen Taylor, co-director of the Scottish Cold Case Unit, and operations director at Locate International, which helped to set up ICCAP, said: The students are given more skills as cold case investigators but most importantly for the families involved it is another opportunity for these cases to be reviewed.
A Scots cyclist missing in France may have eaten a potentially lethal mushroom while foraging for food.

Steven Harper, who earlier had his bike and bank card stolen, has not made contact with friends and family since November 23.

He was attempting to cycle from Dundee to India and his last known location was near the French border with Monaco, where his brother Dale believes he spent the night on a hill.

Steven Harper was attempting to cycle from Dundee to India when he went missing near Monaco

In a social media post entitled Please help me find my little brother, Mr Harper, from Dundee, wrote: From what we know so far, Steven had his bike and bank card stolen along with his passport in early November.

His last message on November 23 said he had ingested a potentially lethal mushroom while foraging for food and we have not heard from him since. This has only come to my attention in the last 24 hours and Ive been too distraught to write this.

Mr Harper has travelled to the French city of Nice in an effort to try to trace his brother.

Steven, 38, posted a series of picturesque photos on social media before he disappeared.

He also uploaded videos of him by a campfire and enjoying some fruit he had foraged. In one of the videos, he holds an apple and says: Its the most delicious apple I have had in my entire life.

His last post was geotagged to a hilltop overlooking Roquebrune-Cap-Martin between Monaco and the town of Menton on the French Riviera.

Steven Harper may have eaten 'lethal' mushrooms like the Death Cap

Mr Harper, 40, who has not seen his brother since he left Dundee in 2022, said Stevens sister-in-law raised the alarm when she received a message saying he felt unwell after he boiled and ate mushrooms he had found.

He told the BBC: Steven said he had been throwing up but he felt better. But it was radio silence from then. He had almost everything taken from him in Nice. Its not unusual not to see Steven for long periods, but he had an itinerary and gives pretty regular updates on his movements.

It is believed he still had a sleeping bag and a few other personal items with him.

Mr Harper said the police in France, Italy and Monaco were now involved. The brothers mother, Angela Bear, posted a Facebook appeal on Missing

People Scotland in an effort to trace her son.

The Foreign Office said last night: We are supporting the family of a British man and are in contact with the local authorities.
This is the shocking moment a suspect charges at an officer and lunges for his gun before cops shoot and kills him after neighbor screamed he was killing a woman.

Reno Police Department were dispatched to a home on December 6 around 10:45 am after there were multiple reports of a woman frantically screaming for help saying a man inside her house was killing another woman.

When officers arrived at the home, they found the suspect identified as Caleb Briggs, 34, with one had one hand behind his back.

The officer who pointed a gun toward Briggs appeared agitated and out-of-breath.

Suspect Caleb Briggs, 34, is seen at his home with his right hand behind his back when officers arrive at his home on Colorado River Boulevard

The deputy with the Reno Nevada Police Department is seen pointing the gun towards Briggs after they were called to the home on December 6 around 10:45 am after there were multiple reports of a woman frantically screaming for help saying a man inside her house was killing another woman.

He told the cop it was 'none of your f***** business' when the officer asked him his name.

Briggs told the cop to 'get the f*** out of my house.' The cop responded that he was not in his house.

Briggs grew more irate and said 'how about get off my property? before he asked the cop if he had a search warrant.

When the officer said he did not have one, Briggs quipped, 'I didn't think so -so f******g pack it up and adios. If am not under arrest and no one is pressing charges ...'

Briggs lifted his arm and pointed, telling the officer, 'Look there, they are out there fighting each other now.'

The officer then asked Briggs, 'So you are not the problem?'

In the next clip, Briggs is seen charging towards the officer as another deputy assists. As the officers try to restrain Briggs, the brawl escalates and one of the officers shoots at the suspect twice.

Briggs appears agitated as he is heading towards the officer who is standing in the doorway

The suspect is seen with his arms up before the fight escalates and he is shot

Briggs is seen falling into the entranceway of the home.

The officer, who shot Briggs, appears distressed as he calls on his radio for back up.

Additional crews arrived and offered aid to Briggs who was handcuffed. He was transported to the hospital where he was later pronounced dead.

After the shooting, the officer is overheard saying in the video, 'He grabbed my gun.'

The Reno Nevada Police Department posted the body cam footage on Thursday for 'informational' and 'educational' purposes.

A close-up of the fight that broke out as Briggs tried to grab the officers gun

Briggs is seen in the video after he was shot face up in the doorway of his home as the officer continues to point his gun and call on his radio for back up

Before the harrowing incident, the next door neighbor, who was not identified, called 911 telling the operator that there was 'a guy attacking a woman inside of a house.'

'The lady out there is screaming freaking out.' He said, 'I don't know what is going on.'

When the operators asked if it appeared to be a domestic dispute the person said 'sounds like it.'
Border Patrol agents have apprehended a staggering 19,400 migrants at the border in Lukeville, Arizona, as officials continue to struggle to halt the record influx.

John R Modlin, the Chief Patrol Agent at the border's Tuscon Sector, said on Friday the almost 20,000 apprehensions included 13 human smuggling events, 15 rescues, six narcotics events, four convicted sex offenders, and 155 federal criminal cases.

The US-Mexico border saw 192,000 migrants apprehended in total last month, a rise from the 188,000 that were apprehended in October, US Border Patrol Chief Jason Owens told CNN.

The latest wave of migration is being fueled primarily by people from Africa and Ecuador, and a large majority are single adults, according to Newsnation reporter Ali Bradley, who shared stunning footage of a huge number of migrants being ushered around a port of entry in Lukeville.

Migrants walk near the river bank of the Rio Grande after crossing the border to Eagle Pass, Texas, one of a number of border towns to be hampered by the huge influx of migrants this year

The official crossing into Lukeville, Arizona, is closed and local businesses are at the brink, with a border official saying a staggering 19,400 migrants were apprehended at the town this week

The latest wave of migrants to cross the border in Lukeville, Arizona (pictured) are reportedly majority comprised of single adults from Ecuador and Africa

AZ: A group of 300+ is being ushered by Border Patrol to the Lukeville Port to be transported/processedThe majority are from Africa and Ecuador and are single adults. @USBPChiefTCA reports a record 19,400 apprehensions in this sector in a single week.



Agents down here say pic.twitter.com/PgbNWEkqK4  Ali Bradley (@AliBradleyTV) December 22, 2023

Congress has been in a hostile back-and-forth over how to calm the crisis at the border all year, and is set to go on a Christmas recess with details still to be hammered out.

But Bradley said on X that border patrol agents don't have the same luxury, and are set to work over the festive period as the tide of migrants flooding the border shows no sign of letting up.

While Lukeville struggles to handle the influx, President Biden ordered all rail crossings at Eagle Pass and El Paso, both in Texas, to be closed earlier this month so border agents can be diverted to other ports of entry.

However, this has done little to stem the tide, as agents are stretched thin at numerous high-immigration points that continue to see upwards of 10,000 asylum-seekers every day.

Amid claims that Mexican officials may be helping to shuttle migrants to the US, officers who are usually tasked with regulating traffic at border entry points have been moved elsewhere.

Honduran migrant Arile Nunez, 25, bottle feeds her son Edwin, 8 months, as they walk near the bank of the Rio Grande river after crossing the border from Mexico to Eagle Pass, Texas

Nancy Guzman, 40, comforts her daughter Jackeline Hernandez, 18, while being apprehended by Border Patrol after wading across the Rio Grande River

The staggering number of migrants crossing the border every day is almost unprecedented, and was only matched in the days before Title 42 - a pandemic era immigration policy - expired in May.

Title 42 gave agents stronger powers to apprehend and turn around migrants at the border, and when it ended it was feared the last 'meaningful, real plan' to control immigration had been severed.

As experts warn the southern border nearing 'breaking point', Biden and Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador had a phone call to discuss how to stop the crisis.

It was reported that both agreed more needed to be done south of the border to stop the unending wave of migrants, many of whom traverse difficult terrain and cross several borders in hopes of ending up in America.

A mix of emotions-- joy and relief-- for Honduran migrants who completed a months-long trek to the US and entered illegally at Eagle Pass, Texas

Migrants are lined up by border patrol at the river bank of the Rio Grande after crossing the border to Eagle Pass

A family from Honduras makes their way across the Rio Grande River to the US from Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico

A convoy of migrants wades across the Rio Grande near Eagle Pass, carrying all they have above the water

While the latest wave of migrants have reportedly travelled from Africa and Ecuador, this year a significant number of those that have crossed the border have moved from Venezuela.

The nation has been hit with severe economic woes in recent years, and more than seven million residents had left the nation of 29 million people by February this year.

While the vast majority of the seven million have opted for neighboring countries, many have made their way to the US. From 2015 to 2018, only around 100 Venezuelans were stopped annually at the border.

From October 2021 to August 2022, that number stood at 150,000.

As the issues at the border have stopped trains to cities such as Eagle Pass, the local economies are now bearing the brunt.

A long line snakes across the gravel at the Lukeville processing center after hundreds of migrants crossed the border

Aerial view showing migrants climbing over shipping containers and barbed wire in Eagle Pass, after crossing the Rio Grande

Eagle Pass and El Paso by themselves make up $33.95 billion in trade a year, and 36 per cent of all cross-border rail traffic, the Texas Association of Business said.

'This is a short-sighted, half-baked decision that will not make a dent in illegal migration but will cause economic harm to everyday Americans,' chief executive Glenn Hamer said.

Rail company Union Pacific said 45 per cent of its rail cars between the US and Mexico went through the two crossings and there wasn't enough capacity at the other four points of entry to reroute them.

'Every day that the border is closed, Union Pacific is forced to embargo customers' goods on more than 60 trains, or nearly 4,500 rail cars, with an equivalent of goods being held in Mexico,' it said.

The company said this impacted the trade of grain held in six Midwestern states, beer and dry food products, vehicle sales and their parts, consumer goods, and industrial commodities like metals and cement.
Worrying new details have emerged about the 12-year-old girl accused of stabbing a 37-year-old woman to death, including that she had run away from care homes 'hundreds of times' and appeared 'significantly substance affected' at the time of the alleged attack.

The young girl, who cannot be identified due to her age, is accused of killing the older woman in the early hours of November 16 at the former Royal Hotel pub turned hostel and apartments in Footscray, Melbourne.

She was arrested at the scene and taken to the hospital for a medical assessment under police guard. She was charged later that day with murder.

It was revealed during court proceedings this week that carers of the girl, who has been under the care of the state since she was a baby, reported escalating violent behaviour in the 20 months before her arrest.

The Supreme Court heard the girl had run away 275 times in the last three years and had been missing for two weeks when she was arrested at the Barkly St apartments.

A 12-year-old girl allegedly stabbed a 37-year-old woman to death at the former Royal Hotel pub turned hostel and apartments in Footscray on November 16 (pictured, forensics at the scene)

The Supreme Court heard the girl has been under the care of the state since she was a baby and had run away 275 times in the last three years (pictured, police at the scene)

The girl ran away twice a week on average for 'one to two' nights, the Herald Sun reports.

The court also heard the girl's carers had made at least 10 reports of violent behaviour in the 20 months before her arrest.

The alleged incidents included her holding up a shop with a knife to steal alcohol, carrying a knife in public, stealing her carer's car, assaulting three people on separate occasions and breaking a resident's window with a stone.

The 12-year-old was supposed to undergo fingerprint and DNA analysis to compare her samples against those found at the crime scene but her criminal case was delayed by a debate on whether the media should be allowed to report on the trial.

The court dismissed a suppression bid from Victoria's Department of Families, Fairness and Housing on Friday after it cited 'parental concern' for the girl's welfare if details of her case were aired in the news.

Details revealed in court proceedings over the last five weeks were kept secret until Justice James Elliott found the gag order wasn't necessary on Friday as existing laws regarding children's anonymity already gave her a 'significant degree of protection'.

Now the bid has been dismissed, the girl's forensic hearing can go ahead with new details of the crime scene are set to be revealed.

The girl's carers made 10 reports of escalating violence, including an alleged incident where she held up a shop with a knife to steal alcohol (pictured, forensic officer at the scene)

Details of the crime scene have been kept secret while the court handled a gag order submission for the case by the Victoria's Department of Families, Fairness and Housing (pictured, investigators at the scene)

No information about the circumstances of the murder have been made available yet.

The court also heard the girl suffered a history of abuse, was sexually exploited by adults and would drink alcohol as her 'choice of substance abuse'.

While in hospital following her arrest over the alleged stabbing, the 12-year-old appeared to be 'significantly' substance affected and told a psychiatrist: 'I'm going to f***ing kill you motherf***ers.'

The alleged violent behaviour continued once she was moved to a state-run secure residential facility while on bail.

The Department of Families, Fairness and Housing initially opposed the girl being held in a detention centre due to her vulnerable state.

Instead, it supported the girl's bail to a therapeutic support service so long as she would be held in a secure area away from other children and be prevented from leaving the facility.

However, this week the department applied to have the girl's bail revoked after hearing the facility could no longer cope with her behaviour.

The gag order submission was denied on Friday, allowing the girl's forensic hearing to go ahead (pictured, police at the scene)

The girl is being held in a secure care facility while on bail but has reportedly threatened staff several times (pictured, investigators at the scene in Footscray)

'The secretary can no longer ensure the young person's safety or the departmental staff who care for her and the community while the young person is residing in secure care,' its lawyer said, the Age reports.

The court heard staff were forced to use physical restraints to control the girl, including since her arrest.

'She has assaulted our staff in the past, be it physically or verbally,' a government employee told the court.

On December 17, a month after she was charged, she told staff: 'I'm going to burn down the building, and I'm going to hurt people.'

The next day she threatened the other children and told workers: 'If I wasn't in secure, you would be in a hospital.'

Victoria Police supported the revocation of the girl's bail and said it did not have the resources to be on 'standby' if she suddenly needed to be moved to a more secure facility.

Justice James Elliott refused the request and the girl remains on bail at the care facility.

The court heard the girl told staff at the therapeutic facility 'I'm going to burn down the building, and I'm going to hurt people' while on bail (pictured, police at the scene)

The case will return to court in January following a failed application to move the girl to a more secure facility (pictured, police at the scene)

'I don't propose to revoke bail,' he said.

'It is common ground that [the child] suffers from a mental disability and has the intellectual capacity of someone much younger than her 12 years.

'It has been estimated that her maturity and level of comprehension is equivalent to that of a six-year-old.'

Instead, Elliott amended her bail condition to require police to respond to any calls concerning the child as a matter of urgency.

The case will return to court in January.
A huge 12-foot, 600-pound alligator was found and captured outside a Florida mall on Thursday, leaving local holiday shoppers shocked.

Deputies removed the massive beast from the entrance of Coconut Point Mall in Estero, Florida, on Thursday afternoon.

A video captured at least half a dozen officers lifting the massive gator and carrying it into the back of a truck.

'There truly is never a dull moment while on patrol here in Lee County, eh?' wrote the Lee County Sheriff's Office alongside the video.

The captured alligator, measuring 12 feet and one inch, was relocated alive to Townsend & Sons Everglades Outfitters, a farm about 40 miles away in LaBelle, Florida, as reported by Miami Herald.

A huge 12-foot, 600-pound alligator was found and captured outside a Florida mall on Thursday, leaving local holiday shoppers shocked

A video captured at least half a dozen officers lifting the massive gator and carrying it into the back of a truck

Three officers happily posed with the massive gator near a retention pond, a common habitat for alligators in Florida

A photo shared by the sheriff's office featured three officers posing with the massive gator near a storm water retention pond, a common habitat for alligators in Florida.

'Just moments ago, Sergeant Toslluku, Deputy Cevertus, and Deputy Roedding were called to a 12 foot, SIX HUNDRED POUND gator at Coconut Point Mall,' the sheriff's office wrote.

Officers with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commision also responded to the scene in a joint effort, authorities said.

Deputies were shocked by the predator weighing in at a whopping 600 pounds.

'If youre chompin at the bit to get into law enforcement, we promise excitement and a great workout here at #TeamLCSO,' they wrote.

The alligator's presence at the mall has triggered an overwhelming response from social media users.

Deputies removed the massive beast from the entrance of Coconut Point Mall in Estero, Florida, on Thursday afternoon

The alligator's presence at the mall has triggered an overwhelming response from social media users

The massive 12-foot, 600-pound alligator left social media users shocked

A shocked user wrote in comments: 'What had it been eating in that pond that it managed to get so big!!!'

'Poor thing, all it wanted was to have a tourist over for Christmas dinner,' another person jokingly said.

Florida is home to an estimated 1.3million alligators, as state officials advise residents and tourists not to bother or feed them.

From 1948 to 2021, 442 unprovoked bite incidents have occurred in Florida, 26 of which resulted in human fatalities.

Over the past ten years, Florida has averaged eight unprovoked bites per year that are serious enough to require professional medical treatment, The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission says on its website.

'The likelihood of a Florida resident being seriously injured during an unprovoked alligator incident in Florida is roughly only one in 3.1million,' it said.
A man from Florida who had been trying to collect upon a debt of $315,000 has been found dead following a murder-for-hire plot.

Three men have now been arrested for the killing of airplane mechanic Suren Seetal, 36, from Miami-Dade county, who was last seen alive on November 2.

One of the suspects arrested is the man who owed him money.

Somjeet Christopher 'Lil Chris' Singh, 29, Avin 'Smalls' Seetaram, 24, and Gavin Hunter, 18, from Broward County have all been charged with murder for hire conspiracy, murder for hire, kidnapping conspiracy, kidnapping and obstruction of justice.

Seetal was last seen on November 2 as he was leaving work.

Suren Seetal, 26, from Florida was looking collect a debt of $315,000 only to have been found dead days later in connection with a murder-for-hire scheme

Seetal had been scheduled to work at Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport on the day he vanished

A federal grand jury in the Southern District of Florida charged the men after Seetal's body was found three weeks later at Big Cypress Reservation on November 21.

Singh is alleged to have owed Seetal the money with his girlfriend telling authorities he'd been trying to collect the outstanding cash.

The indictment alleges that Seetaram, Singh and Hunter aimed to get rid of the debt by killing Seetal.

It was only when Seetal failed to return phone calls and did not return home that his family reported him as missing on November 4.

Seetal had worked at the Miami-Opa locka Executive Airport on November 2. He had been scheduled to work at Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport that day as well reports the Sun Sentinel.

Somjeet Singh, 29, left; Avin Seetaram, 24, center; and Gavin Hunter, right, are facing charges related to the kidnapping and murder of 36-year-old Suren Seetal

Gavin Hunter, 18, is also facing the same charges

'Suren was last working at the airplane hangar at Banyan, FXE Airport in Fort Lauderdale, and left around 6:41pm. Thursday November 2nd, 2023 to run some errands before his trip to Trinidad on Saturday,' Karen Seetal, a GoFundMe page stated

'Suren did not return home Thursday night nor did he show up for work on Friday. His cell phone has been going to voicemail. Any donations will go directly to the family to help with the search. Thank you for any help you can provide,' the fundraiser explained.

An affidavit seen by People alleges how Seetal knew Singh and Seetaram from working in the fireworks business together.

All four had been in contact with one another until Seetal's cell phone signal stopped working on November 2.

One day later, an unmarked black tow truck driven was seen removing Seetal's vehicle.

The car was allegedly removed by an employee of Singh's and was tracked by Florida's SunPass toll system.

In addition footage from a branch of Home Depot allegedly saw Seetaram and Singh buying a 96-gallon yard waste cart.

Seetaram's cell phone was also pinged traveling in the direction close to where Seetal's body was later found. He had been shot in the head.

The affidavit alleges Hunter to be the suspect who fatally shot Seetal.

Seetal, an airplane mechanic from Miami-Dade county, was last seen alive on November 2, with his body being found three weeks later

Seetal knew his alleged killers, Singh and Seetaram, from working in the fireworks business together

'We extend our sincere condolences to the Seetal family. It's still very early, but I have been in regular communication with the Government since my client's arrest, and working diligently with the Government to understand the allegations and reach a just and expeditious resolution to this serious matter,' Seetaram's attorney in statement seen by NBC 6.

Singh told authorities he had not seen Seetal since October when they pair were at a party in Orlando.

He also admitted to authorities he called his cousin to tow Seetals car on November 3.

On Monday, the United States Attorney's Office announced charges against the three men who authorities allege had 'involvement in a violent kidnapping and murder of Miami-Dade resident Suren Seetal.'

Seetaram will be arraigned on December 28 while Hunter and Singh will have their hearings in January.

If convicted, Seetaram, Singh, and Hunter will face a mandatory sentence of life in prison or the death penalty, the press release states.
The grandmother of Alex Batty has relived the torment of the day she realised her grandson had been taken by her daughter and ex-husband.

Susan Caruana, 68, thought she would never see Alex again claiming she overheard his mother Melanie say they were 'ditching the phones' after he called her from a beach in Marbella to say he wasn't coming back.

Ms Caruana, from Oldham, Greater Manchester, was Alex's legal guardian when he disappeared six years ago, aged 11, after he failed to return from a holiday in Spain with his mother and his grandfather David, 64.

The grandmother was 'nervous' when she agreed for him to go on the supposed one-week break but felt she had 'no choice' but to 'trust them' with Alex excited by the prospect of going on holiday.

Ms Caruana told The Sun she did not hear anything again and for more than half-a-decade and did not know if her grandson was alive or dead.

Susan Caruana, 68, thought she would never see her grandson Alex Batty again claiming she overheard his mother Melanie say they were 'ditching the phones'

Alex disappeared six years ago, aged 11, after he failed to return from a holiday in Spain with his mother Melanie and his grandfather David

She broke down in tears when she found out last week Alex had been found walking in the rain on a deserted countryside road heading towards Toulose by a student and delivery driver from Marseilles.

He had reportedly walked for 22 miles over two days, drinking from mountain springs and sleeping in the woods.

'They [Melanie and David] completely and utterly betrayed me and left me heartbroken,' Ms Caruana said.

Alex, now 17, landed in Manchester last Saturday evening, walking off the plane with a skateboard under his arm before being promptly whisked away to meet his grandmother.

Ms Caruana says she will never forgive her daughter and ex-husband for what they did and revealed Melanie had previously taken Alex to Morocco when he was aged eight to go live in a commune.

'Mel has always been a daddy's girl. She went off the rails not long after Alex was born,' she said.

'David is a good person but he's a recovering alcoholic. She met people through him and liked the idea of it all and off she went.'

Greater Manchester Police has interviewed the teenager following his ordeal and today launched an investigation into his alleged abduction.

The schoolboy reportedly spent the last six years living a nomadic hippy lifestyle, travelling across Europe with his mother and grandfather.

Alex Batty (pictured left) with his mother Melanie and grandfather David six years ago

Gite de la Bastide in the part of the Pyrenees where teenager Alex was living

Melanie Batty sitting next to her father David Batty and her son Alex Batty (far left) at a market in June 2023

Alex last night broke his silence on his time away and his mother, who he said didn't want him to be a 'slave to the system', forcing him to live a nomadic existence, moving between homes in Europe including a commune in the French Pyrenees mountains.

He made his escape at midnight on December 11 when Melanie was asleep in bed.

Alex had been contemplating escaping since the age of 14 or 15. Eventually he had an argument with his mother and Alex decided he 'just can't live with her' and had to flee.

His alleged abductors, his mother and grandfather, remain on the run.
Lawyers for Harvard said that accusations of plagiarism against the university's president were 'demonstrably false', before an investigation into her work had even begun, it has emerged - as academics within Harvard said Claudine Gay's actions were 'repellant'.

Tom Clare, a founder of the Virginia-based law firm Clare Locke - which specializes in 'defending clients against high-profile reputational attacks in print, broadcast, and online media' - responded in late October to questions about Gay's work.

Gay, who became president of Harvard on July 1, has faced intense scrutiny since the October 7 terror attack in Israel, and condemnation for her failure to immediately condemn students who justified Hamas' actions.

Fuel was poured on the fire on December 5, when she testified before Congress about antisemitism on campus, and equivocated on whether calling for the genocide of Jews was hate speech.

Gay has found her academic record pored over, and on December 10, conservative activist Christopher Rufo published on his newsletter allegations that she had plagiarized portions of her work.

On Friday, it emerged that Harvard had been asked by The New York Post on October 24 about accusations of plagiarism.

Claudine Gay, pictured at a menorah lighting on December 13, was cleared by the university of plagiarism on December 12. But the allegations refuse to go away

Tom Clare, a lawyer representing Harvard, said in late October that the accusations against Gay were 'demonstrably false' - despite the inquiry not being launched until November

Richard Parker, a Harvard law professor, condemned Gay's alleged plagiarism, saying: 'There are few things more repellent than a top official getting and taking a pass for something they punish underlings for doing'

Clare, on behalf of the university, replied to the paper on October 27, saying that the claims of plagiarism were 'demonstrably false'.

He told The New York Post they would sue for 'immense' damages.

The paper told Harvard that they had found plagiarism in three different works: they pointed to 27 possible examples of plagiarism in two peer-reviewed journals and an academic magazine.

The work was published as early as 1993, when Gay was a graduate student, and as late as 2017, when she was dean of the faculty of social sciences.

Clare wrote: 'The excerpts provided do not support a finding of plagiarism - and the conclusion she proffers rests on a fatally flawed understanding of what 'plagiarism' is and is not in scholarly work performed in academic journals and settings.'

Clare made no mention of an investigation launched by Harvard, and its existence was not made public until December 12, when the university said she had been cleared and would make two amendments to her published work.

The university said the inquiry was launched on November 2 - meaning that Clare had insisted she was innocent, before an inquiry was even launched.

Harvard has been rocked by students blaming Israel for the October 7 attack; pro-Palestine rallies; and hounding of Jewish students on campus

Demonstrators are seen in Harvard on October 14. Gay was criticized for being slow to condemn student justification of Hamas' terror attacks

Harvard President Claudine Gay at the congressional hearing on December 5, on antisemitism on campus

Clare in his letter also cited the response of two of the people she was accused of plagiarizing, and said they had shrugged off the allegations.

D. Stephen Voss, who now teaches at the University of Kentucky, told The Crimson that while Gay 'technically plagiarized,' it is 'minor-to-inconsequential.'

He said: 'This doesn't at all look sneaky. It looks like maybe she just didn't have a sense of what we normally tell students they're supposed to do and not do.'

Harvard professor Lawrence Lobo, another of those allegedly plagiarized by Gay, similarly told the Boston Globe: 'I find myself unconcerned about these claims as our work was explicitly acknowledged.'

Yet in recent weeks, a third person whose work Gay is accused of copying - Dr Carol Swain - said that she is outraged by the revelation.

On Thursday, Swain, a political scientist who formerly taught at Vanderbilt University, called for Harvard to fire Gay.

Swain claims Gay failed to credit parts of her 1993 book - Black Faces, Black Interests: The Representation of African Americans in Congress - as well as her 1997 article, titled Women and Blacks in Congress: 1870-1996.

She wrote in The Wall Street Journal: 'Harvard can't condemn Ms. Gay because she is the product of an elite system that holds minorities of high pedigree to a lower standard. This harms academia as a whole, and it demeans Americans, of all races, who had to work for everything they earned.'

Dr. Carol Swain claims Harvard won't condemn president Claudine Gay because she 'is the product of an elite system that holds minorities of high pedigree to a lower standard'. On Thursday she called for Gay to be fired

Swain, a right-wing political commentator, addressed other authors who were allegedly plagiarized by Gay, but failed to condemn her, describing the missed sourcing to a few harmless inadequate citations.

'Ms. Gay had no problem riding on the coattails of people whose work she used without proper attribution. Many of those whose work she pilfered aren't as incensed as I am. They are elites who have benefited from a system that protects its own,' the political scientist said.

And two current Harvard academics on Friday said they were uncomfortable with Gay's actions.

They noted that students would not be allowed to get away with the behavior Gay exhibited.

'There are few things more repellent than a top official getting and taking a pass for something they punish underlings for doing,' said Richard Parker, a Harvard Law School professor.

He told The Boston Globe that the handling of the allegations was 'irregular' and 'opaque,' saying it was a departure from a typical plagiarism investigation.

'The contrast exudes contempt for our students and faculty and for Harvard itself,' he said.

Others said Gay was being given special treatment.

'I think there's a clear double standard,' said Shabbos Kestenbaum, a Harvard graduate student who has strongly criticized Gay's response to the October 7 attack.

He told the Globe that students are sometimes suspended for plagiarism, he said.

But in Gay's case, he said, 'not only is there no discipline, but on the contrary the board unanimously expressed their approval and confidence in her.'

Brendan Case, associate director of research at Harvard's Human Flourishing Program, which researches human well-being, told The Globe that the allegations against Gay seemed 'very serious'.

Case said he has been embarrassed by the response from the Harvard Corporation - which runs the university - because it gives the appearance of undermining academic integrity.

'Just speaking from my own corner of Harvard, there is no question in my mind [that] if we uncovered that pattern of academic dishonesty in any of our researchers, including myself, they would be dismissed immediately,' Case said.

'It seems unavoidable to me that many people within and outside Harvard will infer they don't take this kind of thing seriously.'

Trucks calling for Gay to be fired have appeared outside Harvard's campus

Gay was accused of copying two paragraphs from work by then-Harvard scholars D. Stephen Voss and Bradley Palmquist. One paragraph is nearly identical except for a few words

However, Gay did not use any quotation marks or in-text citations - Voss and Palmquist are not cited anywhere in her dissertation

Some academics at the university have backed Gay, and pointed out that Harvard has long been assailed by conservative critics who see the university as too liberal.

'As scholars we need to do our absolute utmost to adhere to the practices that we very clearly tell our students they are to follow,' said Edward Hall, director of undergraduate studies of Harvard's philosophy department.

But, he told The Boston Globe, the 'noise . . . from political actors outside our walls makes it harder to have the right conversation about it.'

He told the paper he questioned the motives of politicians attacking Gay.

'There is very little reason to think that prominent people in the Republican Party right now are pushing this issue because they care deeply about the quality of scholarship at Harvard and other universities,' he said.
Seven people, including three children, have been taken to hospital after a horror crash in Sydney's southwest.

A sedan and an SUV collided on Milperra Road, Milperra, just after 2am on Saturday, leaving four people trapped.

The three children, aged 10, 14 and 15, and a woman in her 40s were pulled from the SUV by Fire Rescue NSW and raced to hospitals in Westmead with serious injuries.

Three children aged 10, 14 and 15 and a woman in her 40s were seriously injured in the crash. Picture: 7NEWS

A sedan and an SUV collided on Milperra Road, Milperra, just after 2am on Saturday, leaving four people trapped

The driver of the sedan, an 18-year-old man, was taken to Liverpool hospital for mandatory testing.

His two passengers, both 18-year-old men, were taken to Liverpool Hospital with minor injuries.

Police have established a crime scene and inquiries are ongoing.
Thousands of people are expected to descend on fish markets around the country to buy seafood for Christmas - as latest forecasts predict mostly mild weather for the big day with the possibility of storms in some areas.

The Sydney Fish Market, one of the biggest in Australia, is open from 5am Saturday to 5pm on Christmas Eve and expects to sell more than 350 tonnes, including 120 tonnes of prawns and about 70,000 dozen oysters.

More than 100,000 people are expected to visit the market in the inner-city suburb of Pyrmont in the next 36 hours.

The most popular items are usually barramundi, snapper, lobsters and, of course, prawns and oysters.

There are also 'affordably delicious' fish like school whiting, gurnard, and ocean jacket.

More than 100,000 people are expected to visit The Sydney Fish Market (above) in the next 36 hours

Thousands of Aussies will descend upon seafood markets this weekend in preparation for Christmas (pictured, The Sydney Fish Market on Saturday)

Sydney's market (above) offers 'affordably delicious' fish like school whiting, gurnard, and ocean jacket

The weather for Christmas is looking mild in New South Wales with onshore winds and cloudy skies, with some showers likely in Sydney and elsewhere (pictured, The Sydney Fish Market)

Sydney's iconic seafood market was packed on Saturday (above) as thousands prepare for Christmas

READ MORE: Metal found in Woolworth's Christmas mince pies Advertisement

'We encourage visitors to come with an open mind and menu, and let our expert retailers guide you towards the catch of the day,' market chief executive Greg Dyer said.

With just two more sleeps until Christmas, the weather bureau is tipping mild weather for most of the country.

After the recent heatwave in the eastern states and flooding in the north, afternoon showers and thunderstorms are likely across Queensland, including Brisbane.

In NSW, there will be onshore winds and cloudy skies, with some showers likely in Sydney and elsewhere.

In Victoria and Tasmania, southeasterly winds are forecast to bring cloud and cooler-than-average temperatures, with morning showers ahead of clearing conditions in the afternoon for Melbourne and Hobart.

Sydney's extremely popular seafood market (above) is open from 5am Saturday to 5pm on Christmas Eve

The most popular items at The Sydney Fish Market (above) are usually barramundi, snapper, lobsters and, of course, prawns and oysters

Sydney Fish Market's (above) chief executive Greg Dyer encourage customers to 'come with an open mind and menu, and let our expert retailers guide you towards the catch of the day'

More than 100,000 customers are expected to visit The Sydney Fish Market (above) this weekend

Thousands flocked to the Sydney Fish Market (above) to buy barramundi, snapper, lobsters and, of course, prawns and oysters

Adelaide can expect some sunshine, after a cool and cloudy start for Christmas morning over South Australia.

In Western Australia, a low-pressure system has been brewing this week and could bring showers and storms to the interior as well as Perth, interspersed with sunshine.

The Northern Territory can expect seasonal afternoon showers and storms around Darwin, although the risk of any Christmas impacts due to the remnants of ex-tropical cyclone Jasper appears unlikely, the Bureau of Meteorology said.
A judge has allowed lawyers representing Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital to question a juror in the Maya Kowalski trial after they cited juror misconduct.

Judge Hunter Carroll ruled on Wednesday that lawyers representing the hospital can subpoena juror Paul Lengyel to appear in court on January 3 for a hearing.

The hospital, which was found to have falsely imprisoned and battered Kowalski, had accused Lengyel of violating strict conduct rules during proceedings.

Lengyel had served as juror No. 1 on a six-person jury that decided last month that Johns Hopkins had falsely imprisoned and battered Kowalski, 17.

Kowalski was awarded over $260 million after she won her lawsuit against the hospital in November.

Netflix 's Maya Kowalski filed a criminal complaint claiming she was 'sexually abused at Johns Hopkins All Children's hospital' after winning a landmark lawsuit against the Florida facility for more than $261 million in damages

Lawyers representing the hospital, seen here, can subpoena juror Paul Lengyel to appear in court on January 3 for a hearing

Maya's mom, Beata, (right) took her own life after she was diagnosed with a depressive mood and adjustment disorder upon being separated from Maya for almost three months

The hospital was found to have falsely imprisoned and battered Maya Kowalski, seen here, in November

According to the Tampa Bay Times, questions for Lengyel will be limited to touch on four issues that have been raised by attorneys for the hospital.

This will include whether or not Lengyel shared information about the case with his wife Yolanda who then posted it on social media.

Lawyers representing the hospital say that Yolanda, attended at least one day of the trial in Venice, meaning she could have heard attorney discussions with the judge that were made outside of the jury's presence.

Previous court documents state that Yolanda Lengyel posted on live YouTube feeds of the trial and in a Facebook chat group largely supportive of the Kowalski family.

She is also accused of meeting with a social media influencer known as Jules, who, the motion states, is connected to the Kowalski family.

It cites as evidence a video Jules posted on her TikTok page stating that she gave Maya Kowalski her rosary beads before Maya's live testimony on October 9.

Yolanda also allegedly discussed on social media questions her husband intended to ask of witnesses and about a juror note sent while the jury was deliberating.

A motion in the case seen by abc7 reads: 'Much of Defendant's initial motion focuses on the alleged actions of Juror #1s spouse.

'Defendant's motion states that Juror #1s spouse attended the trial on October 30, 2023.

'Defendant points to screen captures from the media feed that depict a woman believed to be Juror #1s spouse talking with another person in the gallery, whom Defendant identifies as 'Jules,' who apparently has her own on-line show on TikTok and who would call into other online programs on YouTube.'

For eight weeks, jurors heard from the Kowalskis, doctors, nurses and experts in the $220 million lawsuit that was the focus of the harrowing Netflix documentary 'Take Care of Maya'

The now 17-year-old was diagnosed with complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) aged 9, but was taken to hospital with severe pain Oct 2016, aged 10

Defense lawyers had previously attached a filing to their motion for a new trial with notes allegedly from Lengyel.

In it, they claimed that Lengyel compared Dr Sally Smith to a Nazi Germany organization who they claimed he had an extreme dislike of.

In the note, each time Sally Smith is mentioned the letter S at the beginning of each name is written differently than any of the other S's on the page.

'Juror No. 1 has printed letter 'S' throughout the note normally, with a curve in the spine, EXCEPT that he printed his 'S' with sharp angles when printing Dr. Sally Smith's name,' the second supplemental motion reads.

'Both the second and third times that Juror No. 1 prints Dr. Sally Smith's name, the letter 'S' is shaped in a manner identical to the symbol of the Nazi Schutzstaffel.'

In the order issued this week however, this claim made by the hospital attorneys has been dismissed.

Maya Kowalski hugs her attorney Nick Whitney after a jury awarded her family more than $200 million on Thursday, Nov. 9, 2023

The Florida hospital hadclaimed that Lengyel had extreme dislike of one of the defense witnesses, a hospital employee named Sally Smith (pictured)

Exhibit A is a piece of notebook paper with notes from 'Juror No. 1' in which every time Sally Smith is mentioned the letter S at the beginning of each name is written differently than any of the other S's on the page

Maya, 17, was just 10, when she was removed by the state after doctors accused her parents of faking symptoms for her rare condition - complex regional pain syndrome.

The jury found the emotional distress caused to her mother Beata Kowalski - who was forbidden from seeing her daughter for three months - led to her suicide in 2017.

The case gained national and international attention, after it was popularized in a Netflix documentary film.

At the conclusion of the trial Maya, her father Jack and brother Kyle broke down in tears as the jury's findings were read out at the court in St. Petersburg.

Jurors found the children's hospital liable for false imprisonment of Maya, battery of Maya, fraudulent billing of her father Jack; inflicting emotional distress on Beata; wrongful death claim for the estate of Beata; and intentionally inflicting emotional distress on Maya.

The family argued that the grief-stricken mom fell into a depression and ultimately hanged herself in the family garage, but Johns Hopkins had vehemently denied that it caused her death or abused Maya.
Donald Trump is seeking to delay his defamation trial brought by E. Jean Carroll, who accused him of rape, so he can consider other legal moves.

In a motion filed by his attorney's on Thursday, they asked an appeals court for a stay on proceedings to allow them to consider their appellate options.

Trump's attorneys wrote: 'The requested stays are necessary and appropriate to give President Trump an opportunity to fully litigate his entitlement to present an immunity defense in the underlying proceedings, including pursuing the appeal in the Supreme Court if necessary.'

Their response came after an appeals court ruled last week that Trump cannot assert presidential immunity in the lawsuit brought by Carroll.

The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan upheld a federal judge's decision to reject Trump's claim of immunity, finding he had waited too long to raise it as a defense.

Republican Presidential candidate former U.S. President Donald Trump gestures during a campaign rally at the Reno-Sparks Convention Center on December 17, 2023 in Reno, Nevada

E. Jean Carroll walks out of Manhattan federal court, Tuesday, May 9 2023, in New York

Alina Habba, one of Trump's lawyers in the case, called the ruling 'fundamentally flawed' and said Trump would seek 'immediate review' from the Supreme Court.

His lawyer's response added: 'The significance of these issues is illustrated by, among other things, last week's filings, with the Supreme Court by Special Counsel Jack Smith regarding President Trumps presidential immunity appeal arising from a criminal case in the District of Columbia.'

Carroll, 80, is seeking at least $10 million in damages from Trump over comments he made in June 2019, when he was president, after she first publicly accused him of raping her in a Manhattan department store dressing room in the mid-1990s.

Trump denied knowing Carroll, said she was not his 'type,' and that she made up the rape claim to promote her upcoming memoir.

The former Elle magazine columnist sued in November 2019, but Trump waited until December 2022 before asserting that absolute presidential immunity shielded him from her lawsuit.

Under this, a president has complete immunity from many types of civil lawsuits while in office.

In June, U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan in Manhattan rejected Trump's bid to dismiss Carroll's case and later refused to let Trump raise an immunity defense, citing the delay in seeking to invoke it and the public interest in accountability.

A three-judge panel ruled that those decisions were correct and that 'a three-year-delay is more than enough, under our precedents, to qualify as 'undue'.

Trump's appeal was heard on an expedited basis, ahead of a scheduled January 2024 trial.

Carroll, 80, is seeking at least $10 million in damages from Trump over comments he made in June 2019

Trump also claimed to have never met Carroll, he is seen above with Carroll and her then-husband John Johnson alongside his then wife Ivana at a 1987 event

He has pursued a similar immunity defense in his federal criminal case in Washington in which he is accused of unlawfully trying to overturn his loss in the 2020 presidential election.

On Friday, The Supreme Court rejected a request by special counsel Jack Smith to fast-track arguments on whether Trump has immunity from federal prosecution.

The justices delivered a blow to Smith by rebuffing his bid to leap-frog a lower court of appeals and speed up a ruling on the former president's claim he has immunity in the January 6 case.

Trump, 77, has argued that the case should be dismissed because former presidents cannot face criminal charges for conduct related to their official responsibilities.

The decision is a victory for the Republican presidential frontrunner and increases the chances it will delay his federal election interference trial which is slated to start on March 4.

The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday declined to immediately decide former President Donald Trump's claim that he cannot be prosecuted for trying to overturn his 2020 election defeat, allowing a lower court to continue reviewing the issue

Special Counsel Jack Smith has claimed Trump's legal team is trying to delay the federal election interference trial until after the November presidential election. The timeline for his case in now in jeopardy

The justices, three of whom Trump appointed, are also set to take up the Colorado case of whether he can be kicked off the ballot for being an 'insurrectionist'.

Carroll has already won one civil trial against Trump. In May, a jury in a second lawsuit awarded her $5 million for sexual assault and defamation after Trump last October again denied her accusations. Trump is appealing that verdict.

In July, a federal judge found Trump guilty of raping Carroll in the normal sense of the word, and threw out his request for a new trial.

On September 6, Kaplan ruled that the jury's findings in May applied to Carroll's first lawsuit, making Trump's denial defamatory.

That left for trial only the issue of how much money Trump should pay Carroll in damages.
An 101-year-old student in Virginia plans to graduate college alongside her granddaughter after dropping out when she got pregnant with her first child 81 years ago.

Sarah Simpkins has just completed her first semester of Brightpoint Community College's early childhood education program with a 3.5-grade point average.

'I returned to school. It was never out of my mind,' Simpkins told WWBT, adding that she hopes to inspire somebody else.

The centenarian dropped out of Allen University in Columbia, South Carolina, at the age of 20 after becoming pregnant with the first of her 12 children.

'So I went on, and I got married,' the 101-year-old said. She spent most of her life growing her family and raising kids but had always wanted to earn her degree.

Sarah Simpkins, 101, decided to enroll at Brightpoint Community College in Chester, Virginia, and graduate alongside her granddaughter after dropping out due to pregnancy 81 years ago

Simpkins moved from Brooklyn, New York, to Virginia at the age of 96 to live with her granddaughter Halimah Shepherd-Crawford, who is now enrolled at the same community college

Simpkins just completed her first semester in the early childhood education program with a 3.5-grade point average

Simpkins moved from Brooklyn, New York, to Virginia at the age of 96 to live with her granddaughter Halimah Shepherd-Crawford, who is now enrolled at the same community college located in Chester.

'I study the assignment, explain it to her and then she gives me her answers,' Shepherd-Crawford said.

'I'm her hands and eyes, but it's her brain. She's still super sharp.' the granddaughter said proudly.

By the time the grandmother-granddaughter duo receives their diploma in May of next year, Simpkins will be 102 years old.

But age is always just a number for Simpkins. When asked how old she is, she answered: 'It feels like 42.'

Simpkins had always wanted to return to school ever since her departure when she was 20, and 81 years later, she finally seized the opportunity.

'It's something that I had to do,' Simpkins said. 'I'm very, very grateful that God has enabled me to do this.'

Virginia's Higher Education Act of 1974 allows seniors over 60 to enroll in higher education courses for credit or audit classes without paying tuition or fees.

Apart from that, Simpkins is no different from others at school, 'enjoying every step of it' and 'being with the other students,' she said.

Simpkins, who was a semi-profession bowler, said her favorite courses include in-person art classes on Tuesday and Thursday

Simpkins dropped out of Allen University in Columbia, South Carolina, at the age of 20 after becoming pregnant with the first of her 12 children

By the time the grandmother-granddaughter duo receives their diploma in May of next year, Simpkins will be 102 years old

'I study the assignment, explain it to her and then she gives me her answers,' Shepherd-Crawford said

Simpkins, who was a semi-profession bowler, said her favorite courses include in-person art classes on Tuesday and Thursday.

'When I go to do the homework, that's easy. A piece of cake,' she said before bursting into laughter.

At 101 years old, she attributed her longevity to a simple yet profound philosophystaying happy and joyful at all times.

'You know what, I never plan that far ahead,' Simpkins said. 'Living in the moment.'

Shepherd-Crawford said her grandmother has always been an inspiration.

'It's special because we both will finish together, and we'll both walk across the stage together.

'It made us work harder. And that was our motivation. We're gonna do this together. We're gonna finish together.'
Brittany Higgins and David Sharaz are getting used to their new life in France after leaving Australia behind, with the couple seen hugging outside their rustic chateau.

The pair both wore blue down jackets, with Mr Sharaz also donning a cream scarf, to battle the gloomy weather in the village of Lunas on Friday evening local time, where they intend to settle into a newfound anonymity 17,000km from their former home.

As Ms Higgins arrived at the property in their dark-coloured hire Volvo, Mr Sharaz rushed out to meet her, hugging her before escorting her inside.

Their move to Europe follows five years of intense scrutiny after Ms Higgins claimed she was raped inside Parliament House in 2019, setting off back-to-back legal cases.

The most recent case is the defamation action brought by the man she accused of sexual assault - former Liberal colleague Bruce Lehrmann - which wrapped up in Federal Court this week.

Higgins and Sharaz bought the five-bedroom property in the sleepy village of fewer than 600 locals located in Dordogne region in France's south following Ms Higgins' $2.4million taxpayer-funded compensation payout.

The purchase - the home has a gazebo and large pool for entertaining and is worth an estimated $600,000 - has the village abuzz with talk about 'the Australians', the local mayor told media on Wednesday.

After flying out of Brisbane earlier this week, the couple transited through Singapore where Ms Higgins posted to social media: 'No matter how far or how wide I roam, I still call Australia home', before arriving at the 4.5-star Sheraton Bordeaux Airport Hotel.

They were spotted on Thursday walking hand-in-hand as they picked up their cavoodle Kingston and cat Clover from quarantine at Bordeaux-Merigniac Airport.

Mr Sharaz told waiting media the pair were excited to move into their new home with their pets over Christmas, and added he was also looking forward to doing some mowing, referencing the chateau's overgrown grounds.

David Sharaz and Brittany Higgins have moved to the sleepy French village of Lunas where they have purchased a chateau and intend to 'start fresh' after years of intense scrutiny

The pair dressed in matching blue down jackets as they hugged outside their home on Friday evening local time

The couple's relocation coincides with the winding up of Mr Lehrmann's defamation case this week against Lisa Wilkinson and Network 10, who first aired Higgins' claims.

Mr Lehrmann has consistently denied the allegations and said his reputation was significantly damaged.

As that case draws to a close and Justice Michael Lee considers his ruling over the summer break, Ms Wilkinson's legal counsel Sue Chrysanthou, SC, offered up a wild theory about why Ms Higgins had been found naked by security that night.

The barrister suggested Ms Higgins could have removed her cocktail dress because there had been 'some kind of freak heatwave' in Canberra that night and the airconditioning in Parliament House had 'broken down'.

Her sarcastic theory - the temperature in Canberra was a mild 16.7C at the airport that night - was designed to convince Justice Lee that the only rational explanation for her state of undress was 'that sex occurred'.

Ms Wilkinson's legal counsel Sue Chrysanthou, SC, (pictured together) offered up a wild theory about why Ms Higgins had been found naked by security that night

Bruce Lehrmann (pictured left) is suing Lisa Wilkinson and Network 10 for defamation over airing allegations he raped Ms Higgins in Parliament House

Mr Lehrmann's criminal trial was abandoned due to juror misconduct and a subsequent retrial called off over concerns about Ms Higgins' mental health, leaving no court ruling about what happened that night.

The result is that it will be up to Justice Lee to determine if Wilkinson and Network 10's report is covered by a truth defence and that, on a balance of probabilities, a sexual assault did occur.

His job will be tough, with Justice Lee previously telling the court that parts of both Ms Higgins' and Mr Lehrmann's evidence in the trial can't be relied upon.

'The two principal witnesses have real credit issues and various parts of each witness' evidence simply can't be accepted,' Justice Lee said.

Higgins and Sharaz bought the chateau last year with the property estimated to be worth $600,000 Australian dollars

According to the local mayor of Lunas the entire village is talking about 'the Australians'

Ten's barrister Matthew Collins KC agreed with the comments.

He added: 'In respect of both key protagonists, we will seek to persuade Your Honour that there was a qualitative difference between the dishonesty of Mr Lehrmann and the successful credit attacks that were levelled at Ms Higgins.'

'Mr Lehrmann was revealed to be a fundamentally dishonest man who was prepared to say and do anything that he perceived to advance his interests,' Dr Collins argued.

'He was wholly unconcerned with giving the court an honest account of the events of the 22nd and 23rd March 2019.'

According to both parties they went to Parliament House together after-hours but their accounts about what happened inside the office of their then boss Senator Linda Reynolds - where there was no CCTV - differ.

Mr Lehrmann's legal counsel have argued Ms Higgins fabricated the rape claims in a moment of panic after waking up in her boss's office office following a night of partying.

The five-bedroom property includes a gazebo and large swimming pool for entertaining

Brittany Higgins and David Sharaz picked up their pets from quarantine at the airport on Thursday (pictured) before heading to their new home to settle in

According to Gibbs Wright Lawyers, in a defamation case: 'The defendant bears the onus of establishing on the balance of probabilities that the defamatory imputations arising from the publication complained of are either true, or substantially true.'

'This is because the law of defamation assumes that the publication is false until a defence of truth is raised and proven.'

Justice Lee will need to determine if Network 10 and Wilkinson's claims are covered by a truth defence, in which case they will not be required to pay anything.

If he finds they are not, then substantial damages along with legal costs could be awarded to Mr Lehrmann.

Even still, Network Ten and Wilkinson argue the segment was a matter of public importance and their preparation was reasonable, so should therefore be covered under qualified privilege and they should not be liable for damages.

However, there is also another scenario, that Justice Lee determines that Mr Lehrmann was not identifiable from The Project's interview with Ms Higgins.

In this is determined then the case is over with no finding on the events of that night one way or another.

Justice Lee is expected to return a ruling early next year.
A deaf man was given a job with Waitrose during the Christmas period and was given his own British Sign Language (BSL) interpreter so he could communicate with shoppers.

Farid Alimardani, 55, from Westminster, is being trained to become a wine expert having started out in the fruit and vegetable aisles in the Belgravia store five years ago.

Mr Alimardani, who was born deaf, can communicate with customers through his interpreter and now close friend Emma Thomas, 39, from Hove.

When she is not nearby to help he finds other ways to help shoppers with their queries and sometimes will use his mobile phone to type out messages.

'Sometimes customers are quite shocked when they see me with an interpreter,' he said.

'I will explain that I'm deaf. Sometimes I'll get my phone out and show them a text, so I try to communicate with them that way.

'Or I can ask one of the other staff members as well.'

Farid Alimardani, 55, from Westminster, at the Waitrose Belgravia store, where he has worked for the last five years

The Iran-born shop worker previously had a six month stint working as a kitchen aide in the cafe without any support.

He said having Emma is a 'huge benefit' as he spoke ahead of the Christmas rush.

'Christmas is going to be super, super busy, with lots of customers asking questions and wanting help,' Mr Alimardini said, translated from sign language by Emma.

'Deaf or a hearing person, it really doesn't matter. I feel really proud to work at Waitrose and I'm really happy here.'

He was assigned Emma as an BSL interpreter through the Government's Access To Work scheme.

The programme grants up to 62,900 per year to support people with physical or mental disabilities and health conditions to join the workforce.

Mr Alimardini started working for Waitrose and Partners around five years ago after one of his friends suggested he apply.

'My deaf friend, who I know really well, said he had been into Waitrose before and recommended that I should apply,' he said.

'He said that it was a really lovely shop and that I should have a look online.

'I did an application which took a few months and then started working.'

Dealing with customers would normally have been impossible due to his severe hearing impairment.

'I was born deaf, so that's all I've ever known,' he said.

Mr Alimardani, who was born deaf, is able to communicate with customers through his interpreter and now close friend Emma Thomas

'Obviously it's a huge benefit to have an interpreter, because communication is difficult for obvious reasons,' he said. 'I didn't know that I could have an interpreter.'

When Mr Alimardini started out at Waitrose in Belgravia, his BSL was a 'little rusty', but now he has no problem communicating with customers via Emma.

'Now it's fantastic, I know how to sign and my interpreter really helps me,' he said.

He has even started teaching BSL to some of the other staff members, who the company refer to as partners as it is employee-owned.

'The team and managers are really, really lovely here,' he said.

'Having an interpreter means I can communicate with them, I feel part of the team and don't feel excluded, which is really important.'

In February, Mr Alimardini went on a wine training course in Stratford - the first time a deaf person had ever attended.

'Having done the training course, I can now give a bit of advice to customers depending on what kind of wine they would like,' he said.

'Obviously not too in-depth because I've only done the one course.'

In the future, he is hoping to attend more courses and become an expert himself.

'At first, I felt like it was something I couldn't do, but they've (Waitrose) encouraged me to get involved. Being deaf or having a disability doesn't matter, you can still go and learn new things,' he added.
One of Agatha Christie's most brilliant creations, the matchless Hercule Poirot, lives on in new books authorised by the Queen of Crime's estate and written by the novelist Sophie Hannah. Here we present the first instalment of a four-part Christmas serialisation of Hannah's latest book, Hercule Poirot's Silent Night, starring the world's greatest fictional detective . . .

December 19, 1931

Poirot and I were debating the relative merits of turkey and duck, and which should feature in our Christmas luncheon, when there came a knock at the door of his drawing room.

'I apologise for the interruption, Sir, but a lady is here to see you. She has no appointment but says it is a matter of the utmost importance. She believes it cannot wait, not even until tomorrow.'

'I can leave . . .' I said, half out of my chair.

'No, no, Catchpool. Stay. I am not inclined to receive an unexpected visitor this afternoon. I have noticed that, since the American stock market unpleasantness, most people are unable to measure accurately the urgency of their predicament.

'They come to my door insisting that they must have the help of Hercule Poirot. Eh bien, I listen patiently, and usually there is nothing more than an easily resolvable misunderstanding. Nothing to confound or delight the little grey cells.'

Poirot and I were debating the relative merits of turkey and duck, and which should feature in our Christmas luncheon, when there came a knock at the door of his drawing room

'What shall I tell Mrs Surtees?' George asked Poirot. 'That is the name of your visitor: Enid Surtees.'

Something inside my chest had tightened. Enid Surtees. How extraordinary: I had no idea who she was, but I was absolutely certain that I wanted George to give her her marching orders.

'Show her in, Georges,' said Poirot. Once the valet had left the room, he said: 'It was your evident reluctance that decided the matter in her favour, Catchpool. She is known to you, n'est-ce pas?'

'No.'

'Ah. Now I am curious. Your face tells a different story.'

The door opened and a woman walked in, wrapped in a navy blue woollen hat, coat and scarf. My mouth must have dropped open. I could not help making an undignified noise that no letters of the alphabet can adequately convey. Poirot rose to his feet and extended a hand, which was promptly shaken by the infuriating wretch of an intruder.

'Good afternoon, Madame Surtees.'

She was tall and bony, with gold-coloured hair, a square, pale face and piercingly bright blue eyes. She looked, to quote her own favoured refrain, 'not a day older than 60  because I have always avoided the sun, you see, Edward. You should think about doing the same, or your face and neck will be as leathery as your father's by the time you are 40'. In fact, she was much closer to 70 than 60.

Her name was not Enid Surtees.

'Hello, Mother,' I said.

'Pardon?' said Poirot. 'La mere?' He turned from me to her. 'You are . . ?'

'My name is Cynthia Catchpool, Monsieur Poirot. Enid Surtees is an acquaintance of mine.'

That was where I had heard the name before.

'Monsieur Niven was murdered in a hospital?' asked Poirot

'If you will permit me to say, Madame Catchpool . . .' The hard edge in Poirot's voice brought me back to our present predicament. 'Many people would object to a visitor who gains entry under false pretences. I am one such person.'

'And for that I commend you.' Mother beamed her approval at him. 'I, too, would object most strongly.' She sat herself down in the chair nearest to the fire. 'I much prefer to tell the truth wherever possible, but if I had given my real name, my son would have urged you to shoo me away.

'Shall we arrange for your man to bring us some tea?' Mother rattled on. She turned and looked expectantly at the closed drawing-room door. 'And perhaps a little bite of something delicious? And then we can get down to business  for we must soon be on our way.'

'On our way where?' I said. 'What business?'

Mother ignored me. 'Monsieur Poirot, I know what Edward has said about the two of you celebrating Christmas here, however you shall spend Christmas in Munby-on-Sea. Monsieur Poirot will insist upon it, once he has heard my story'. 'Quelle histoire, Madame? What story?'

'The one about Stanley Niven. It is causing great distress to everybody, and I mean to put a stop to it.'

'Who is Stanley Niven?' Poirot asked. 'Of what problem is he the cause to everybody?'

'He was murdered. Now, Mr Niven himself is not important at all. He is a complete stranger, and neither here nor there. However, by getting himself murdered where he did  in that room in that ward  he has created a substantial problem for a very good friend of mine. I am staying with her and her family at Frellingsloe House.'

'Monsieur Niven was murdered in a hospital?' asked Poirot.

'Yes, a little place: St Walstan's Cottage Hospital. As far as I can tell, the staff at St Walstan's have come up with no ideas that might result in the catching of the murderer, and neither have the Norfolk constabulary.'

She threw up her hands.

Adapted by Katharine Spurrier from Hercule Poirot's Silent Night by Sophie Hannah

'Stanley Niven was murdered on September 8, and the police don't know any more now than they did on that day. It is pitiful! And my friend Vivienne has been subjected to intolerable anguish.'

'Why, if this Niven chap was a stranger to her?' I asked.

'If I explain now, we shall miss our train,' said Mother.

Two hours and 45 minutes later, Poirot, Mother and I were on a train bound for Norfolk. I had been sure until the very last moment that Poirot was minded to decline her request.

At a certain juncture, however, Mother had said something that had aroused his interest. I watched it happen. The light in his eyes changed. I could not work out what had made the difference. She had been talking about Stanley Niven who, according to Mother, had possessed a sunny nature and a generous and delightful temperament. His happiness was such that one could not help but feel jolly in his presence.

Poirot had asked her to explain the connection between the murder in the hospital and her friend's anguish: 'Why has your friend Vivienne become a shell in great distress?'

'Because if this crime is not solved before the start of the new year, then her husband might be murdered, too  or, at least, that is what Vivienne believes.'

Poirot had not replied straight away. Instead, he had muttered to himself: 'One could not help but feel jolly in his presence.' After a moment, to Mother he had said: 'So, Stanley Niven was expected to recover from whatever he was being treated for at St Walstan's Hospital before he was killed?'

'Yes, but all I know is that his case was quite different from Arnold's.'

'Who is Arnold?' asked Poirot.

'Vivienne's husband.'

'Arnold is also sick?' said Poirot.

'Dying,' I guessed aloud.

'Yes, the poor man has very little time left, and he is soon to be moved to St Walstan's, where he will spend the remainder of his life,' said Mother. 'On Ward 6, in fact. That is why this is such a pressing problem.

'Arnold does not seem to mind, however. When Dr Osgood told him that his time was running out, the first thing he said was, 'Ah, but what a time I have had, Robert. What a time.'

Poirot had not replied straight away. Instead, he had muttered to himself: 'One could not help but feel jolly in his presence.' After a moment, to Mother he had said: 'So, Stanley Niven was expected to recover from whatever he was being treated for at St Walstan's Hospital before he was killed?' (Stock Image)

Poirot looked especially alert as he asked: 'Might those who know him describe Arnold as jolly?'

'The word could have been invented to describe him,' said Mother.

'This, then, is a quality he shares  shared  with Stanley Niven?'

'You are right,' said Mother. 'Please, do not mention this . . . temperamental similarity to Vivienne. She is already beside herself with worry about the other thing.'

'The other what?' I asked.

'The other thing that Arnold and Stanley Niven have in common: the room in which he was murdered is the very next room to the one reserved for Arnold. The two are separated by a wall.'

We were met at the railway station by two men who introduced themselves as Robert Osgood and Felix Rawcliffe. Felix Rawcliffe was the curate lodger at Frellingsloe House.

Dr Osgood was Arnold Laurier's doctor and also a lodger in his home. It struck me as peculiar that these two gentlemen had been sent to collect us  almost rude, even. One did not send guests to fetch guests, though of course lodgers were not guests in the strictest sense.

To my great relief, I was roundly ignored by everybody as soon as we were inside the motorcar. Dr Osgood turned in his seat and addressed Poirot.

'Mrs Catchpool has assured us that you will be able to solve the murder of Stanley Niven where the police have failed.'

'I shall do my best to resolve the matter, Monsieur. You have perhaps heard that my best is of the highest level of excellence?'

'I hope you are as talented a detective as we have been led to believe,' he told Poirot. 'I have more faith in you than I do in our local police, but even so . . . I fear this will not be an easy case to solve, even for the most agile mind.'

'Why do you think so?' Poirot asked him.

'Only because of the facts of the case, which, were they not firmly established, I would call impossible,' said Osgood. 'Stanley Niven was seen alive at two o'clock. Between then and 20 minutes after two, I was standing in the ward corridor talking to various people, and I can tell you for certain that no one entered or left Mr Niven's room.

'No one noticed anything out of place or suspicious. Inspector Mackle is convinced the killer is a close relation of Niven's, but he has been unable to prove it and I for one think he is wrong.'

We were met at the railway station by two men who introduced themselves as Robert Osgood and Felix Rawcliffe. Felix Rawcliffe was the curate lodger at Frellingsloe House (Stock Image)

'Justice can be done,' said Poirot. 'I am here to ensure that it is.'

'I hope you have more luck than Inspector Mackle,' said Felix Rawcliffe.

'Fortunately, I do not need to rely on luck, Monsieur. I have the little grey cells.' Poirot pointed to his head. 'They never let me down.'

'My main concern now is for the health and happiness of the living,' said Dr Osgood. 'I am talking about mental welfare as well as physical. Monsieur Poirot: please do everything you can to solve this murder expeditiously. Vivienne's future sanity depends upon your being able to do so. A baffling irrationality has taken hold of her. She says she is afraid, but it is a fear that makes no sense.'

'Afraid of what?' I asked.

'She believes that someone will murder Arnold if he so much as sets foot in St Walstan's Hospital,' said Dr Osgood.

'If Mother has briefed us correctly, Arnold Laurier has assigned himself the task of solving Stanley Niven's murder,' I said. 'Might that be what his wife is frightened of  that he will make himself an irresistible target for the killer?'

'No,' said Osgood. 'From the moment we learned that Stanley Niven had been murdered, Vivienne was terrified for Arnold. I was standing right beside her when she was given the news.

'Arnold had not yet announced his intention to meddle in the investigation but I saw how Vivienne reacted, Monsieur Poirot: she was not merely concerned, not simply anxious as anyone would have been. She was immediately in a state of terror. As if . . .' Osgood stopped.

'Continue, please,' said Poirot.

'I was going to say: as if she knew exactly who the killer was, why he had killed Stanley Niven and why he would be coming for Arnold next,' said the doctor.

Mother laughed. 'You men really are determined to complicate matters, aren't you? Here I am  Vivienne's best friend in the whole world  and yet none of you has thought to ask me.

'She admits that in her bones she is horribly afraid Arnold will be the killer's next victim and that it makes no sense. She knows of no reason why anyone should wish to kill Arnold, yet she is convinced it is the case  chiefly because the first murder happened when it did, on September 8 during the very hour that she was there, in the room next door. No more than a coincidence of course, but . . .'

'Attendez! What did you say, Madame? Please repeat it,' exclaimed Poirot before asking: 'Vivienne Laurier was on Ward 6 of St Walstan's Hospital when Stanley Niven was killed?'

'Yes, they all were,' Mother said. 'Have I not already told you that? I thought I had.'

'Non, Madame. Who are 'they all'?'

'The Lauriers. They had been invited for a tour of the place,' said Mother. 'To meet the doctors and nurses, see the facilities.'

'Who was in the room?' Poirot asked Mother. 'Name them: 'all of them'.'

Mother reeled them off: 'Vivienne; her and Arnold's two sons, Douglas and Jonathan; and their wives, Madeline and Janet.'

Once in Frellingsloe House a tall, buxom young woman had appeared from the corridor and was striding towards us, carrying a cup and saucer in each hand.

'Hello,' she said. 'I'm Madeline Laurier, but please call me Maddie. Everyone does apart from my enemies, declared and covert, so if you address me as Madeline I shall know that you mean me harm. Haha!

'I've brought you each a cup of tea. Now, has anyone told you that we are eating in 20 minutes? We delayed the evening meal in your honour.' Maddie smiled.

After she had gone, down the stairs came bounding towards us a skeletally thin elderly man with a full head of reddish brown hair and a face so crumpled and lined that his features looked odd poking out from amid the creases. His eyes were large, grey and bright.

'Hercule Poirot? Is it really you? It is! It is the great, the remarkable, Poirot, here at Frelly! This truly is the greatest moment of my life. Welcome, welcome, gentlemen! I am Arnold Laurier.

'I could not be more thrilled to meet you both and to welcome you to my home. It is important that I speak to you both before supper  and before anyone else gets hold of you.'

'I've brought you each a cup of tea. Now, has anyone told you that we are eating in 20 minutes? We delayed the evening meal in your honour.' Maddie smiled (Stock Image)

Arnold Laurier wasted no time once the three of us were in his study with the door closed. Like Frellingsloe House's entrance hall, this study contained a vertiginous Christmas tree, decorated minimally and only at the bottom.

'Gentlemen, I should like you to know, I have felt a thousand times better since I started to apply my mind to this unsolved murder,' Laurier said.

'Now, my wife would have you believe that it would be in my best interests if you were to solve Niven's murder instead of me. She hopes to prolong my life by an extra three weeks, or four or five, or some such pointlessness.'

He paused before continuing: 'I would be immensely grateful if the two of us  the three of us  could make a bargain here in this room today. We work on the case together. I proceed to St Walstan's after Christmas as planned, and I act as your agent on the inside.

'The three of us  you, me and Catchpool here  put our heads together and work as a team of detectives.

'I shall be in hospital as a patient. That is all anyone will think I am. No one will suspect me of investigating anything.'

'It's difficult to find things out if you don't ask questions,' I told him.

'Ah, yes, but the way in which one asks a question makes all the difference.' Laurier smiled. 'It was by listening to Stanley Niven himself that I was able to pick up an excellent lead.'

'I was told that you did not accompany your family to the hospital on September 8, the day of the murder,' questioned Poirot.

'No. I was supposed to, but I felt exceptionally unwell that day. I met Niven only once  in August. He was taking his daily constitutional around the ward and noticed that I had been waiting for rather a long time so decided to keep me company.'

'You say you picked up an excellent lead while listening to him?' asked Poirot.

'Yes, yes.' Laurier looked guarded suddenly. 'I trust we have an agreement in place, Poirot?'

'What exactly do you mean, Mr Laurier?'

'Will you permit me to become a member of your investigative operation?' said Laurier. 'An equal partner with you and Inspector Catchpool here?'

I had to give full credit to Poirot: if he was shocked by the suggestion that I might be his equal, he hid it well.

'The first step will be to tell my wife that, in your expert opinion, I must go to St Walstan's after Christmas as planned,' said Laurier. 'I can hardly be your man on the inside if I'm twiddling my thumbs here at Frelly.'

'If you wish to be of any assistance to me at all, you must understand this, Monsieur: whether they are on the inside or on the outside, my 'men' do not withhold information from me in order to compel me to enter into agreements that, otherwise, I should not consider.'

Laurier's face seemed to fold in on itself. He was silent for a few seconds. Then he said: 'Yes, I can see how that might rub you up the wrong way. I am sorry, Poirot. You are right: it was an unfair tactic. Please accept my apology.'

Poirot inclined his head graciously. 'It is forgotten, Monsieur. I understand your predicament and I sympathise.'

At that moment, the door of Arnold Laurier's study opened and in walked a woman who might have been anywhere between 60 and 70. She had hollow cheeks, large green eyes, and seemed much too thin for her height. 'Vivienne!' Arnold seemed delighted by her arrival. 'I was just . . .'

' . . .disregarding all danger, and my feelings,' she finished his sentence for him in a voice much quieter and softer than I had expected. 'Telling Monsieur Poirot and Inspector Catchpool that you are quite happy to be murdered.'

'Must you be so dramatic, dear?' Laurier's tone was gentle.

'I am not here to argue with you, Arnold,' said his wife. 'Did I not say this morning that I have given up? I meant it. I am here only to tell you that Enid has announced dinner as being ready. Which means it will be ready in about half an hour, I expect. Our guests have not yet been up to their rooms or unpacked. They will be grateful for a chance to settle in before we eat. You can speak to them later this evening. After dinner there will be plenty of time.'

'I was told that you did not accompany your family to the hospital on September 8, the day of the murder,' questioned Poirot (Stock Image)

Poirot gave me a familiar order with his eyes: this was the one he reserved for occasions when he believed urgent action of the physical sort was required. His message was clear: 'Now, without delay.'

'Mrs Laurier!'

Finally, I had caught up and could see her.

I realised I did not know what Poirot would have me say to her next. I resolved to proceed as impartially as I could.

Vivienne Laurier reached out and touched my arm with no apparent purpose in mind: one light tap with the tips of her fingers.

'I am so sorry,' she said. 'So dreadfully sorry.' She looked distraught. 'What a reprehensible way for me to greet guests who have travelled all the way from London in this hellish weather.

'I should have said a proper hello and welcome to you and Monsieur Poirot.

'Sometimes I forget that not everybody is trapped in my nightmare with me. Please forgive me. I am glad to have you here. I shall say so to Monsieur Poirot when I see him at dinner.'

'Thank you. And there is nothing at all to forgive.'

The cloud of pain surrounding Vivienne Laurier was heavy.

'Tell me, does Monsieur Poirot believe that he can solve Stanley Niven's murder?' Vivienne asked. 'Does he always succeed, once he applies himself to a . . . problem of this kind?'

'So you have not given up, then,' I said.

'Pardon?'

'In the study, earlier, you told your husband that you had given up.'

'Trying to talk him round  yes, since Stanley Niven was killed, I have tried and failed hundreds of times to change his mind about going to St Walstan's.' A tear had escaped from the corner of her eye.

'Your sons and their wives agree with your husband, then, that he should go to St Walstan's?'

'Everyone agrees with him, apart from Cynthia and me.' Listlessly, she continued: 'Family is everything, Edward. When Arnold and I met, I had nobody left. I was 29 years old and completely alone in the world. Arnold became my family  my whole world. I will be utterly lost without him. He is the life force in me.' Pain blazed from her eyes.

'One does not realise until one loses a loved one how precious they are, how precious every moment is.'

'Well, you can trust Hercule Poirot,' I told her. 'I have never known him to fail. May I ask you a question?'

She nodded warily.

'Why are you afraid that Stanley Niven's killer will try to kill your husband?'

'Is it not obvious? If Arnold is determined to find out who did it, and if you were the murderer  a person who has already killed once  what on earth would stop you trying it again?'

I took a risk. 'Forgive me,' I said, 'but were you not frightened for Arnold even before he announced his intention to investigate Stanley Niven's murder?'

Vivienne's eyes widened. 'Ah. You have been speaking to Robert, I see. Very well, then: yes. Yes, I was afraid for Arnold from the moment I was told that Mr Niven had been murdered.

'And now you will ask me why, and I shall get my hopes up that perhaps at last someone will listen to me and take the threat to Arnold seriously  only to have you tell me, no doubt, that I imagined it all and there is nothing to worry about.'

'Whatever you say, I shall not dismiss it out of hand,' I assured her.

'Thank you. It was the other patient  what he said to me, and the way he looked when he said it. There was no mistaking it: he meant to warn me. He was trying to tell me that Arnold would be next. No one will believe me, because he did not use those words, but . . .'

'Wait,' I said. 'I am a little lost. Which other patient are you talking about?'

'Mr Hurt-His-Head,' said Vivienne.

'Dinner is ready!' a voice called up from the hall below.

Adapted by Katharine Spurrier from Hercule Poirot's Silent Night by Sophie Hannah (HarperCollins, 22).  Sophie Hannah 2023. To order a copy for 19.80 (offer valid to 06/01/2024; UK P&P free on orders over 25) go to mailshop.co.uk/books or call 020 3176 2937.
Two Denver-area paramedics were convicted on Friday in the 2019 killing of Elijah McClain, who they injected with an overdose of the sedative ketamine after police put him in a neck hold.

It was the last trial against police and paramedics charged in the death of McClain, a 23-year-old black man whose case received little attention until protests over the 2020 killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis.

An Aurora police officer was convicted of homicide and third degree assault earlier this year while two officers were acquitted.

The trial against the paramedics explored largely uncharted legal territory because it is the first case against medical first responders facing criminal charges to reach trial, potentially setting the bar for prosecutors in future cases.

Elijah McClain, 23, was killed on August 24, 2019 as he was walking home in Aurora, Colorado

Elijah McClain was walking down the street when Colorado police stopped him and put him in the hold and EMS gave him drugs to calm him down. He was taken to the hospital and died in August 2019

Police and paramedics are seen attempting to subdue McClain on the night of August 24, 2019

Paramedics Jeremy Cooper, far left, and Peter Cichuniec, far right, enter the Adams County court on Friday

The jury found Aurora Fire Rescue paramedics Jeremy Cooper and Peter Cichuniec guilty of criminally negligent homicide following a weeks-long trial in state district court.

The jury also found Cichuniec guilty on one of two second-degree assault charges.

Cooper was found not guilty on the assault charges.

They could face years in prison at sentencing.

McClain's mother, Sheneen, raised her fist in the air as she left the courtroom. Sitting in the front row, Copper's wife sobbed as deputies prepared to handcuff him.

The verdict was announced after two days of deliberations.

When jurors told the judge on Friday afternoon they were stuck on one of the charges, the judge told them to keep trying to reach a verdict.

Police stopped McClain while he was walking home from a convenience store on August 24, 2019, following a suspicious person complaint.

After an officer said McClain reached for an officer's gun - a claim disputed by prosecutors - and another officer put him in a neck hold that rendered him temporarily unconscious.

Officers also pinned down McClain before Cooper injected him with an overdose of ketamine.

Cichuniec was the senior officer and said it was his decision to use ketamine.

Jeremy Cooper is seen on Friday arriving at court in Brighton, Colorado

Peter Cichuniec, front right, was the senior officer on the night of August 24, 2019, and made the fatal decision to use ketamine on McClain

Prosecutors said the paramedics did not conduct basic medical checks of McClain, such as taking his pulse, before giving him the ketamine.

The dose was too much for someone of his size - 140 pounds, experts testified.

Prosecutors say they also did not monitor McClain immediately after giving him the sedative but instead left him lying on the ground, making it harder to breathe.

McClain's pleading words captured on police body camera video - 'I'm an introvert and I'm different' - struck a chord with protesters and people around the country.

In a statement released prior to the verdict, McClain's mother said that everyone present during the police stop of her son displayed a lack of humanity.

'They can not blame their job training for their indifference to evil or their participation in an evil action,' McClain wrote.

'That is completely on them. May all of their souls rot in hell when their time comes.'

A demonstrator carries an image of Elijah McClain during a rally and march in the summer of 2020

A makeshift memorial stands at a site across the street from where Elijah McClain was stopped

Defense attorneys argued that the paramedics followed their training in giving ketamine to McClain after diagnosing him with ' excited delirium,' a disputed condition some say is unscientific and has been used to justify excessive force.

The verdicts came after a jury in Washington state cleared three police officers of all criminal charges on Thursday in the 2020 death of Manuel Ellis, a black man who was shocked, beaten and restrained face-down on a Tacoma sidewalk as he pleaded for breath.

In the Colorado case, the prosecution said Cooper lied to investigators to try to cover up his actions, telling detectives that McClain was actively resisting when he decided to inject McClain with ketamine, even though the body camera showed McClain lying on the ground unconscious.

It also disputed Cooper's claim that McClain tried to get away from police holding him down - and that he took McClain's pulse as he bent down to give him the shot of ketamine, which others testified they did not see.

'He's trying to cover up the recklessness of his conduct,' Senior Assistant Attorney General Jason Slothouber told jurors in closing statements.

Cichuniec, who testified along with Cooper this week, said paramedics were trained that they had to work quickly to treat excited delirium with ketamine and said they were told numerous times that it was a safe, effective drug and were not warned about the possibility of it killing anyone.

Colorado now tells paramedics not to give ketamine to people suspected of having the controversial condition known as excited delirium, which has symptoms including increased strength and has been associated with racial bias against black men.

'We were taught that is a safe drug and it will not kill them,' he testified.

Local authorities in 2019 decided against criminal charges because the coroner's office could not determine exactly how McClain, a massage therapist, died.

Jared Polis, the governor of Colorado, ordered state Attorney General Phil Weiser's office to take another look at the case in 2020 and a grand jury indicted the officers and paramedics in 2021.

The killings of McClain, Floyd and others triggered a wave of legislation that put limits on the use of neck holds in more than two dozen states.

When the police stopped McClain he was listening to music and wearing a mask that covered most of his face because he had a blood circulation disorder.

The police stop quickly became physical after McClain, seemingly caught off guard, asked to be left alone. He had not been accused of committing any crime.

The officers told investigators that they took McClain down after hearing Officer Randy Roedema say: 'He grabbed your gun, dude.'

Roedema later said Officer Jason Rosenblatt's gun was the target.

Aurora officer Randy Roedema (pictured) was convicted of criminally negligent homicide for the death of 23-year-old Elijah McClain in 2019

Former officer Jason Rosenblatt (pictured left) was cleared of all charges by the Colorado jury

Jason Rosenblatt had only been on the force for two years when McClain died. He was fired in 2020 for making light of the situation by doing an reenactment with other officers of the neck hold (pictured)

Prosecutors refuted that McClain ever tried to grab an officer's gun and it cannot be seen in body camera footage.

Paramedic injected McClain with ketamine as Roedema - and another officer, who was not charged - held him on the ground.

McClain went into cardiac arrest en route to the hospital and died three days later.

Roedema was convicted earlier this month of the least serious charge in a series of charges he could have faced, which could lead to a sentence of anywhere from probation to prison time.

Rosenblatt and officer Nathan Woodyard were acquitted of all charges.

In the first trials against the police officers, the defense sought to pin the blame for McClain's death on the paramedics.

The city of Aurora in 2021 agreed to pay $15 million to settle a lawsuit brought by McClain's parents.
A North Dakota lawmaker who serves on a panel that handles law enforcement legislation made homophobic and anti-migrant remarks to a police officer who arrested him on a charge of driving drunk, body camera footage shows.

Republican state Rep. Nico Rios of Williston was also charged with refusing to provide a chemical test.

The two charges are misdemeanors under state law. Rios is scheduled for a February 5 pretrial conference in municipal court.

Williston police pulled him over on December 15 for failing to stay in his lane, according to an officer's report.

The officer wrote that Rios 'was verbally abusive, homophobic, racially abusive and discriminatory' toward him 'for the entire duration of the incident following road side testing.'

Body camera video captured North Dakota Republican lawmaker Nico Rios using profanity and homophobic slurs toward Williston police officer

Rios threatened to call the state's attorney general during a DUI stop on December 5, 2023, in Williston, North Dakota

Rios is seen in a booking photo following his DUI arrest

Rios posted a statement apologizing for his actions on Twitter

The homophobic slurs can be heard in body camera footage.

In the recording, Rios also said he would call the North Dakota attorney general about the situation. He told the officers they would 'regret picking on me because you don't know who ... I am.'

He also cursed while riding in the patrol car, and questioned the officer's English accent, asking him, 'How many of your ... friends and family members have been ... brutalized and terrorized by ... migrants?'

'Your country is being taken over by f***ing migrants and refugees,' Rios told him from the back seat.

'You're arresting me for driving home and people are coming to your country and raping your women,' he continued.

Rios then called Officer Alexander Welch 'pathetic and weak.' He tells him he's a 'F****** coward' and a 'mother f******' and a 'c*******r traitor.'

'You better feel bad about what you're doing,' Rios continued.

'You come from f****** London f****** England to terrorize brown people, you b******' Rios said after asking Welch say where he was from.

After arriving at the jail, Rios told Officer Welch, 'You feel bad for what you're doing to me but you need to make a paycheck.'

'You're ruining my life so you can make a paycheck you little b****,' Rios continued before again using a homophobic slur.

'You sold your soul to globalism,' Rios told Welch.

While being booked, Rios, who had been instructed to sit down, stood and attempted to apologize to Welch. 'I don't mean to be rude to you,' he said after Welch shouted at him to take a seat.

Asked for comment, Rios replied in an email, 'Inebriated or not my actions and words to law enforcement that night were absolutely unacceptable.'

Asked for comment, Rios said 'Inebriated or not my actions and words to law enforcement that night were absolutely unacceptable'

Rios said he was leaving a Christmas party before the traffic stop

Williston Republican state Rep. Nico Rios is seen being arrested for driving under the influence

Rios was elected last year to the North Dakota House of Representatives

Rios hails from Chicago and moved to Williston, North Dakota in 2014

Rios is a first-term elected official who won his seat in 2022, and is among a handful of young conservatives who have joined the North Dakota House of Representatives in recent years

The lawmaker said he was sorry and vowed 'to make sure this never happens again.'

'Moving forward after this night I feel like I have to emphasize my complete and total commitment to supporting Law Enforcement,' he wrote.

Rio said he was leaving a Christmas party before the traffic stop, and has 'only gotten support from my colleagues, although a few have yelled at me for sure I deserved it.'

Despite his online apology, few on Twitter believed it to be sincere.

'Not one time did you mention the officers you verbally abused. You do have the right to remain silent,' wrote MrPaperman.

'You're an absolute clown and deserve every bit of shame you've received. Hope it teaches you something, and if not, then I'm sure it's only a matter of time before you make an ass of yourself again,' stated Cody Paul.

'Good God, man. How can you even say what you said to Officer Welch? He was very respectfully, & patiently doing his job. You worked for Ted Cruz, you know *many* people not born here, now citizens. In fact, you are relatively new to ND. Start being the best version of yourself,' added David Woods.

Despite his online apology, few on Twitter believed it to be sincere

'I would imagine your BAC exceeded .08 and that your IQ is below that threshold,' quipped Pat Murray.

Rios who hails from Chicago moved to Williston in 2014. He is a first-term elected official who won his seat in 2022, and is among a handful of young conservatives who have joined the North Dakota House of Representatives in recent years.

Before moving to the state, Rios had been active in Republican working for Ted Cruz in the Texas Senators Washington D.C. office in 2013-14.

He sits on the House Judiciary Committee, a panel that handles law enforcement legislation. He also is a wireline operator, an oil field position involved in the hydraulic fracturing of wells.

Rios is a first-term elected official who won his seat in 2022, and is among a handful of young conservatives who have joined the North Dakota House of Representatives in recent years

Before moving to the state, Rios had been active in Republican working for Ted Cruz in the Texas Senators Washington D.C. office

Rios currently sits on the House Judiciary Committee, a panel that handles law enforcement legislation. He also is a wireline operator, an oil field position involved in the hydraulic fracturing of wells

Rio said he was leaving a Christmas party before the traffic stop, and has 'only gotten support from my colleagues, although a few have yelled at me for sure I deserved it.'

The homophobic slurs made by Rios can be heard in body camera footage

Republican House Majority Leader Mike Lefor said he hadn't seen the video, 'but I've heard enough about it.' He would not say whether he is asking Rios to resign, but said he is 'looking at the options that are in front of me,' and wanted to speak with Rios before commenting further.

North Dakota Republican Party Chairwoman Sandi Sanford said in a text message, 'We are deeply troubled by Rep. Rios dangerous decision to drive while intoxicated and his remarks to law enforcement officers. His behavior does not represent the values of the NDGOP.'

The state's Democratic Party chair called Rios comments 'reprehensible.'

Republicans control the North Dakota House, 82-12.
For many, they are as much a part of Christmas as mince pies and turkey.

But for those counting their pennies, Cadbury's recently revived chocolate coins may not provide the best value.

The firm has brought back its bags after nine years and they are said to be 'flying off the shelves'  but at 14p per coin they are twice the price of some of their rivals.

And neither do they outperform all of the supermarket own-brand versions, according to a taste test for the Mail by food historian and chocolate expert Dr Annie Gray.

Dr Gray, a panelist on BBC Radio 4's Kitchen Cabinet, sampled seven bags from supermarkets as well as Cadbury Dairy Milk Coins, awarding the confectionary giant a distinctly average three out of five.

She handed top prize to Aldi's Dairyfine Chocolate Coins, which were 7p per coin.

Dr Gray said it was close between second place  which was Morrisons and Marks & Spencer, both priced at 12p per coin. Sainsbury's Milk Chocolate Coins, costing 6p each  the cheapest tested  came in last with one out of five.

For those counting their pennies, Cadbury 's recently revived chocolate coins may not provide the best value

Chocolate coins are believed to date back to 1910, food historian Alex Hutchinson said they were probably a Jewish tradition first (stock image)

Dr Gray said she knocked a point off each brand because of their plastic net packaging, which is difficult to recycle. 'Really, people, it's 2023, I think we can do better,' she said. 'After that, visuals. Dairy Milk and M&S score well here, being both crisply embossed and a nice shade of gold.

'The others are all generic. Most importantly, taste.

'Sainsbury's is terrible, Asda, Poundland and Lidl unremarkable and Dairy Milk exactly as you'd expect, and a bit too sickly for me.

'Morrisons, M&S and Aldi have very little between them. M&S promises its cocoa is responsibly sourced; Aldi has a rainforest alliance sticker.

'I taste again... Aldi wins. The end,' Dr Gray concluded.

Chocolate coins are believed to date back to 1910 but while many assume they come from the Christian story of St Nicholas, who is said to have thrown coins down chimneys, food historian Alex Hutchinson said they were probably a Jewish tradition first.

The earliest case of mass-produced chocolate coins she found was a company called Loft in New York in the 1920s making chocolate coins for Hanukkah called 'Geld'.

'Most would assume chocolate coins are part of the Christmas traditions... however, it is not  chocolate coins appear to be Jewish,' she said.

Julie Ashfield, from Aldi, said the supermarket was 'committed to providing high quality products at great value, and we're pleased to see this recognised by the tasting panel'.
Police say they hold grave fears for a teen who was swept out to sea off the Victorian coast this week, with the mission now entering a 'search and recovery' stage.

Lauchlon Humphries, 14, and a 15-year-old friend were on the rocks at Cape Bridgewater, about 370 kilometres west of Melbourne, when a wave pulled them into the water on Tuesday.

The 15-year-old climbed to safety, but Lauchlon is still missing.

After the 15-year-old raised the alarm, Victorian Police, Lifesaving Victoria and the Coast Guard rushed to the scene on Tuesday evening

Lauchlon has not been found, with the search now entering its fifth day on Saturday.

Lauchlon Humphries, 14, is missing after being swept off rocks at Cape Bridgewater, near Portland. Picture: Supplied.

As part of the search, the Victorian Police air unit was on Saturday afternoon searching the Cape Bridgewater coastline and surrounding area.

'Sadly, due to the passage of time since the incident and extreme environmental conditions of the area, police hold grave concerns for the welfare of the boy,' a Victorian Police spokesperson said.

'Officers have been in constant contact with the family regarding the search which has now moved from an active search into a search and recovery phase.'

Parks Victoria warns those planning on visiting the blowholes near Portland about strong currents, slippery rocks and unstable cliffs.

Emergency service workers and search volunteers at the scene. Picture: NCA NewsWire.

A helicopter searches the coastline as the mission now enters a 'search and recovery' stage. Picture: NCA NewsWire.

The site features a 400-metre gravel walkway to view the rock formations, with many who visit describing the conditions as windy.

'It can be very windy so be sure of your footing and surroundings, as I saw some people get very close to the edge for 'the perfect photo' without considering the windy conditions, one person wrote in a TripAdvisor review.

'There was plenty of spray formed by the constant beating of the waves against the cliff and rocks below. It was scary at times as the waves swelled high due to the extreme blowing and intermittent rain that fell,' another recounted.
The Gen Z college grad who made headlines after tearfully sharing her struggles adjusting to a nine-to-five job on TikTok has recently been laid off with no emergency fund.

Brielle Asero, who lives in New Jersey, revealed that she lost her first post-grad job, a position that took her five months to secure, in a recent video that has garnered over 500,000 views.

'I got laid off from my first post-grad job - the one that took me five months to find, and for which I moved to New York City,' she said, adding that it's not her fault.

The University of South Carolina alum said she doesn't have an emergency fund because 'everything goes toward living expenses, commute, and everything else.'

The layoff comes after she broke down in tears in October, sharing her struggles to find time for a life outside of her four-hour round commute and long workdays.

Brielle Asero, 21, who made headlines after tearfully sharing her struggles adjusting to a nine-to-five job on TikTok has recently been laid off with no emergency fund

She made headlines in October when she cried about her struggles to find time for a life outside of her four-hour round commute and long workdays

The stressed Gen Z worker branded herself as 'emotional' and 'dramatic' for worrying about how she would make time for her a personal life, such as dating and maintaining friendships, outside of her first job

Brielle, 21, landed her role at a startup after five months of searching and sending out 'hundreds' of applications daily.

The young woman emphasized that she did nothing wrong because her boss had previously called her 'one of the smartest people he has ever had working under him.'

'It's not my fault before we start,' she said. 'They didn't have the workload or the bandwidth that they needed to train me and to give me work to do,'

The recent college graduate said that the hiring process would not start until January 2 and is expected to take at least two to three weeks to get her on board.

'I can't wait that long. I need a job immediately,' the 21-year-old said with visible stress, clenching her fists in front of the camera.

She continued: 'The job that I was working nine-to-five from, I wasn't making enough to live. I don't have savings because of that job.'

'We are working so much,' she said. 'And I still don't have an emergency fund. I don't because I wasn't making enough to save any of it.'

In tears, she exclaimed, 'Everything was going toward living expenses, commute, and everything else.'

@brielleybelly123 can someone tell me im going to be okay !!!! feels like the world is ending i need a job immediatley i am feeling so lost rn like i moved for this...!?  original sound - BRIELLE

She previously gained attention when she complained about her nine-to-five job, that left her with no work-life balance

The University of South Carolina alum said she doesn't have an emergency fund because 'everything goes toward living expenses, commute, and everything else'

She covered her face while bursting into tears and said: 'To go through the whole entire hiring process again is going to actually kill me.'

She said the hiring process was 'so defeating, so disappointing, and makes [her] feel like [she] is not good enough.'

'I know that I am. I know that I am a hard worker,' she said, recounting her portfolio and freelance experience in college.

'I have done everything I possibly could have, and it's still not enough,' she said in disappointment.

Her followers flocked to comments sharing their experiences of being laid off, offering their empathy.

One person wrote: 'Dont panic Ive gotten laid off 3 times and last year and 2 years ago was right before Xmas and 2 of them were start ups my advice as a 27 year old.'

Another social media user chimed in: 'I got laid off twice 2x this year, its horrible! I feel u. Ive been doing side hustles/unemployment rn. Get on unemployment ASAP!'

The video has garnered more than 500,000 views and amassed thousands of likes and comments on TikTok, where Asero has amassed almost 200,000 followers.

The video has garnered more than 500,000 views and amassed thousands of likes and comments on TikTok, where Asero has amassed almost 200,000 followers

@brielleybelly123 im also getting sick leave me alone im emotional ok i feel 12 and im scared of not having time to live  original sound - BRIELLE

She previously gained attention when she complained about her nine-to-five job that left her with no work-life balance.

The young woman explained in a viral video that she had no option but to move to New Jersey for her New York-based job, because she couldn't afford sky-rocketing rent prices in the city.

The teary-eyed woman divulged it took 'f****ng forever' to get to and from her workplace, admitting that it would be easier if she lived within walking distance.

Brielle continued: 'I leave here and get on the train at like 7.30am and I don't get home until 6.15pm earliest. I don't have the time to do anything.'

In a later video, she told her TikTok followers that sometimes she does not make it home until 7.30pm.

'I want to shower, eat my dinner and go to sleep. I don't have the time or energy to cook my dinner either,' added Brielle.

'I don't have energy to work out, like that's out of the window. I'm so upset. Oh my god.'

She reflected that it 'could be worse,' stating: 'I know I could be working longer, but I get off and it's literally pitch black, like I don't have energy.'

The stressed woman branded herself as 'emotional' and 'dramatic' for worrying about how she would make time for her a personal life, such as dating and maintaining friendships, outside of her first job.

Balancing work and personal life would be easier if she worked from home, according to the graduate.

She later spoke to Rolling Stone in her own defense, telling the magazine,' 'I don't even understand how this has turned into a political argument when all I was trying to do was open a conversation.'

Brielle, 21, spoke to Rolling Stone in defending a TikTok she'd posted about the exhaustion she was feeling after starting a nine to five job

'Different news stations picked up my video and painted post-grads as entitled and lazy which is far from the case,' explained Brielle. who also made it clear she considers herself 'lucky' to have found a full-time job in her dream field.

'My student debt would make me feel guilty for not using my degree right out of college, she said.

'I knew the schedule would be tough for me to get used to since most of my college was online due to Covid, but once I was offered this job I took it to get my foot in the door and gain experience.

'I didnt expect it to cause a media frenzy,' she continued of the controversy-courting TikTok. 'I was just trying to be relatable to my followers that also have to work a job with long hours.'

She went on to describe that 'haters' have 'been flooding' her personal social media accounts with 'horrible comments.

At this, she took a stand on behalf of her generation.

'[Gen-Z] works just as hard as people before us, with lower salaries and higher costs of living,' she argued.
The fiance of a mother who was allegedly stabbed to death in a 'random' attack revealed her alleged killer went into another store before entering her workplace.

Chris Smith's beloved wife-to-be Julie Seed, 38, was allegedly killed by Shaun Michaels Dunk, 30, at REAL Estate Agents Group in Plympton, Adelaide, on Wednesday.

A second woman injured during the alleged knife attack, Susan Scardigno, 50, is recovering from critical injuries at the Royal Adelaide Hospital.

South Australia Health confirmed Dunk had checked out of inpatient treatment just two days earlier.

The state's chief psychiatrist is set to review the case.

Chris Smith (right) was heartbroken to learn his fiance, Julie Seed (left), was allegedly killed by a man who'd been released from a mental health facility just two hours earlier

Ms Seed (above) was declared dead at the scene of the alleged attack while her colleague, Susan Scardigno, suffered critical injuries

Mr Smith revealed in an interview on Saturday Dunk had been inside another store before Ms Seed's.

'He walked into another business and there were too many people,' he told the Adelaide Advertiser.

'He said, 'oh sorry, I'm at the wrong place', walked across the road and into her office.'

However, the final blow for Mr Smith came when he found out Dunk had spent Tuesday night in the care of the Urgent Mental Health Care Centre in the city's CBD and was released just two hours before he allegedly stormed the office on Lydia St.

He had a history of suffering from paranoia and hallucinations and feared he would hurt someone.

Ms Seed and Mr Smith had spent four-and-a-half years together and were in the midst of planning their wedding and building their dream home together.

Now Mr Smith has been left the shoulder their mortgage and looking after Ms Seed's two daughters, aged 12 and 17.

Both girls were excited to celebrate milestones in January but Mr Smith said they 'aren't wanting to celebrate' since their mother's death.

Mr Smith (right) revealed alleged killer Shaun Dunk had been in another store before entering the office where Ms Seed (left) worked

Ms Seed leaves behind two daughters, aged 12 and 17, and Mr Smith, her partner of four-and-a-half years (pictured, REAL Estate Agents' office)

'They're doing it rough. They're trying to put on a brave face, there's the up and down moments,' he said.

Mr Smith said he's weighing up creating a foundation in Ms Seed's honour.

'I'm not the only one who wants answers, everyone in South Australia is asking the same thing. I want to see it change,' he said.

'With jail - they are released with a program and a pathway, but these people (with mental health issues) are thrown out to the wolves, as far as I am concerned.'

He added all Ms Seed's former colleagues are 'hurting', saying they 'were a family'.

Ms Seed was declared dead at the scene of the alleged knife attack after paramedics spent an hour trying to revive her.

Her colleague, Ms Scardigno, reportedly suffered serious injuries while trying to protect Ms Seed and was rushed to hospital, where she remains in a critical but stable condition.

Dunk was found by emergency services sitting 'calmly' outside the office while the two injured women remained inside.

Dunk was charged with Ms Seed's murder and the attempted murder of Ms Scardigno on Thursday (pictured, emergency services at the scene on Wednesday)

Police allegedly recovered a knife and small hammer from the scene.

Dunk was charged with Ms Seed's murder and the attempted murder of Ms Scardigno on Thursday.

Mr Smith plans to use donations from a GoFundMe to help cover the cost of Ms Seed's funeral and support his grieving family.
Louisiana's outgoing governor has pardoned 40 convicted murders in the final three months of his rule in a bid to end the state's unwelcome reputation as the most incarcerated in the nation.

John Bel Edwards, the only Democrat governor in the South, will leave office on January 8, after serving the maximum of two four-year terms.

The 57-year-old lawyer has made reducing Louisiana's prison population a priority.

Per capita, Louisiana locks up more people than any other democracy on earth, with 1,094 people per 100,000 behind bars, according to the Prison Policy Initiative. By comparison, the U.S. as a whole locks up 664 per 100,000; the U.K only 129.

In 2017, Edwards signed into law a bill that has shortened some prison sentences; kept certain nonviolent offenders out of prison; expanded eligibility for parole and provided more money to educate and train ex-offenders.

And since October, he has pardoned 56 inmates statewide - including 40 convicted murderers.

John Bel Edwards, who steps down as governor of Louisiana in January, has pardoned 56 people since October - including 40 murderers

Anthony Riggins is seen during a hearing to try and win his release from prison

Venson Dean Vampran is pictured with his attorney trying to win his freedom from prison

Among those released was a man who was only seven hours from being given the electric chair for the April 1983 murder of a taxi driver.

David Rushing, of New Orleans, was 18 when he confessed to trying to rob a convenience store and a gas station, but, thwarted, then calling a cab and shooting dead the driver, Danny Archer.

He was sentenced to death, but his lawyers successfully appealed, citing prosecutorial misconduct and an ineffective defense.

Another pardoned by Edwards was Anthony Riggins, who shot and killed an unarmed 68-year-old shopkeeper, Peter Davenhauer, in the New Orleans suburb of Gretna.

Riggins was convicted in November 1977.

A third of the convicted murders, Venson Dean Vampran, was found guilty of killing hitchhiker Mark Bass in October 1984 and raping his wife, Susan Bass. He was 25.

Others released by Edwards in the last three months include armed robbers, drug dealers and an arsonist.

Edwards told Nola.com that he was concerned his Republican successor, Jeff Landry, would undo his prison and justice reforms.

Landry, the current attorney general, campaigned on locking more people up, cutting taxes and reducing government regulation. He has also pledged to force district attorneys to prosecute more people, and seek tougher sentences.

But Edwards said he was proud of his work over the last eight years.

'When I leave office, the state of Louisiana will be better than it was when I took office,' he said, citing low unemployment, infrastructure projects, green energy, and an increase in access to healthcare.

Edwards said he felt his moves to reduce the prison population were a step in the right direction.

'For as long as I can remember, Louisiana reflexively responded to an increase in crime by putting more people in prison and keeping them there longer,' he said.

'We've never been made safer as a result of that. There is no data to suggest that an increase in crime here was because of the reforms.'

Edwards will step down in January after eight years as governor - the last Democrat governor in the South

Louisiana locks up more people per capita than any other democracy in the world

In April, Edwards used his last State of the State address to call for an end to the death penalty.

Louisiana has not executed anyone for 15 years, and currently has 57 people on death row.

Edwards said the death penalty 'doesn't deter crime; it isn't necessary for public safety; and more importantly, it is wholly inconsistent with Louisiana's pro-life values as it quite literally promotes a culture of death.'

Landry, his successor, is an enthusiastic proponent of the death penalty, and is likely to start using it immediately.

'Look, this is ridiculous,' Landry told a radio host in June.

'We haven't executed anyone since 2010. All of the states around us are holding executions, and doing a lot better in the crime metrics than Louisiana.'

Neighboring Texas is the only state to have held executions in 2023, and it had the second highest number of murders in the country in 2022, according to the FBI's Uniform Crime Report.

Landry said Louisiana made a 'promise' to execute those prisoners, Rolling Stone reported, and must uphold that promise.

'Every time we don't uphold our end of the contract or our promises, it's a further eroding of trust between our citizens and the government,' he said.

Jeff Landry will take over from Edwards as governor in January, and has said combatting violent crime will be a priority

Landry has said that combatting violent crime will be a priority when he takes over.

On Tuesday, Landry tweeted about the New Year's Eve telecast being cancelled in New Orleans, amid crime concerns.

'This is the sad reality of the city of New Orleans right now. No one feels safe,' he wrote.

'I look forward to holding our special session on crime and bringing back law and order to our streets.'

A new report by MoneyGeek, published on Friday, analyzed the cost of violent crime - murder, manslaughter, rape, robbery and aggravated assault - and found that New Orleans was the second worst, among large cities.

Only Birmingham, Alabama, was worse. Third was St. Louis, Missouri; fourth was Detroit, Michigan; and fifth was Memphis, Tennessee.

Birmingham didn't have the highest rate of violent crime, however. Memphis, Detroit, and Little Rock, Arkansas all saw more violent crimes per capita.

Louisiana also fared poorly among small cities in terms of the cost of violent crime: Monroe was worst, with Alexandria fifth and Houma in eighth position.

Landry has said he intends to call the legislature into a special session on crime, but he's yet to bring forward an agenda or any proposals for lawmakers to consider, Louisiana Illuminator reported last month.

An inmate is pictured in Angola prison in Louisiana - nicknamed Alcatraz of the South

Angola prison, the largest maximum-security site in the country, is named after the former plantation that occupied this territory. That in turn was named for the African country that was the origin of many enslaved Africans brought to Louisiana

On his campaign website, Landry states: 'Crime in Louisiana is out of control. Baton Rouge, New Orleans, and Shreveport are three of the top ten most dangerous cities in the country.

'Things will not get better until we have leaders who have the courage to stand up and make it a priority.

'As governor, Jeff Landry will prioritize safety in our communities and continue to be a leading voice on public safety in our state.'

Landry states on his campaign website that he intends to hire more police officers, and empower them to make more arrests.

'We must close the revolving door of criminals who commit a crime, get caught, go to jail for a brief period, and re-offend,' he said.

'This cycle of catch & release is unacceptable.

'Some individuals can be rehabilitated while in prison and return as contributing members of society  others cannot. We will work to identify those who should not be on the streets and do everything within our power to keep them in prison.'
A San Francisco jury on Friday found a homeless man not guilty after being accused of using a metal pipe to beat a San Francisco's former fire commissioner who suffered a broken jaw, fractured skull that required 51 stitches and a traumatic brain injury.

The vicious attack was caught on video and fueled a debate about crime and homelessness in the city.

Garret Doty, 25, was charged with three assault and battery charges for the April 5 beating of Don Carmignani. Doty pleaded not guilty.

Prosecutors said Doty beat Carmignani, 54, in an act of revenge. But Doty's defense attorneys said he was acting in self-defense after Carmignani sprayed him with bear spray.

Garret Doty, 25, a San Francisco homeless man was acquitted by a jury on Friday in connection the assault of Don Carmignani, 54, the city's ex fire commissioner

Don Carmignani, 54, the city's former fire chief suffered a fractured skull and jaw in the attack, and required 51 stitches after Garrett Doty, 24, allegedly beat him over the head with a crowbar

Chilling footage showed Doty grabbing the crowbar out of the trash and taking practice swings moments before the attack.

Horrifying footage shows Doty backing Carmignani against the wall while waving the crowbar as he tries to defend himself.

The attack on Carmignani, a businessman who served as a fire commissioner in 2013, happened two days after the stabbing death of Cash App founder Bob Lee.

Lee's killing unleashed a wave of criticism against city officials by prominent tech leaders.

Among the critics was tech billionaire Elon Musk, who took to Twitter to mourn Lee's death and blame San Francisco for what he called the city's lax attitude toward crime. A tech consultant is still awaiting trial in Lee's killing.

Prosecutors asserted that Doty, right, attacked Carmignani, left, as an act of revenge and that he was acting in self-defense after he used bear spray on him

The vicious attack was caught on video and fueled a debate about crime and homelessness in the city

Chilling footage showing Doty grabbing the crowbar out of the trash and taking practice swings moments before the attack

Doty can be seen chasing Carmignani down the road before leaving him for dead

The attack on Carmignani fueled a narrative of a city in chaos, but Doty's defense attorney argued Doty acted in self defense and released surveillance video showing Carmignani spraying Doty before he began chasing him while wielding a metal pipe.

Deputy Public Defender Kleigh Hathaway said Carmignani had repeatedly doused unhoused people, including Doty, with bear spray.

'Self-defense can be fierce, it can be effective and it can be disabling,' Hathaway said. 'And why wouldn't it be? Youre fighting for your life.'

In closing arguments on Tuesday, Assistant District Attorney Kourtney Bell conceded that Carmignani had a history of aggression, saying he sprayed the homeless man with pepper spray.

Bell said he he instigated the vicious assault. saying that he may have in fact used bear spray on unhoused people in the Marina District on at least one occasion, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.

Assistant District Attorney Kourtney Bell conceded that Carmignani, believed to be pictured here, had a history of aggression, saying he sprayed homeless people with pepper spray

Defense attorneys for the man accused of attacking former SF Fire Commissioner Don Carmignani say the person shown in this video bear spraying a homeless person in the face appears to be Carmignani. The video, taken in November 2021, was part of a trove of new evidence that linked Carmignani to a series of bear spray attacks on homeless people

Another alleged encounter between Carmignani and another homeless person occurred in April

A confrontation between Carmignani and Doty started after Doty and two others set up tents outside the home of Carmignani's parents, who live next door to him in the upscale Marina District.

The former fire boss held his first up in defense but was forced to wipe the blood from his face before being hit with another blow.

Doty can be seen chasing Carmignani down the road before leaving him for dead. He spent several days in the ICU.'

He was charged with assault with a deadly weapon, aggravated battery with serious bodily injury and assault with force likely to produce great bodily injury.

But officials then released him back onto the streets of the crime-ravaged city after blaming the attack on Carmignani.

Carmignani said in an interview with KPIX-TV that he had asked Doty to move away because they were blocking his parent's entryway

Carmignani claimed there were three people 'smoking crack cocaine' leaning up against his mother's door the morning of the attack.

Carmignani said in an interview with KPIX-TV that he had asked Doty to move away because they were blocking his parent's entryway.

He claimed that he had to take matters into his own hands after multiple 911 calls from his mother fell on deaf ears.

He went out to talk to the homeless people. and that the only thing he had on him was pepper spray.

'I didn't go out there to fight anyone. I'm trying to get them down the road, go to the park,' Carmignani told the station.

'It's sad. My city is in chaos. They're driving out all the locals and everyone that pays taxes. Something needs to change, the city is burning.

'My daughter and her friends carry spray, what if it was one of them when you have animals in the street saying they are going to rape your daughter and kill your mother and you have nothing to do or help?' he said.
A popular Mexican chain restaurant has divided the community in the leafy Sydney suburb of Mosman with a proposal for a 24-hour store.

Guzman y Gomez (GYG) earlier this month lodged a development application with Mosman Council, in an attempt to establish a 24/7 restaurant on Sydney's lower north shore.

The chain is seeking to establish a restaurant on bustling Military Road, between a pharmacy and a Lululemon store.

The surrounding property owners have been notified and all community members are being encouraged to make submissions by January 19.

How the shop has been proposed to look, along Military Road, Mosman which has divided the community. Photo: supplied.

The site sits within a Heritage Conservation Area and some community members have voiced their concerns about the proposed alterations to the shopfront.

A number of locals have written to council to share their opposition.

'As a Mosman resident I strongly oppose 24-hour trading of any sort in Mosman village - 6am to 10pm is appropriate but 24 hour is not - it is inappropriate for our community,' said a submission from one community member.

Another stated: '60% of reviews on TripAdvisor rate this company as 2-star or less out of 5. There must be a reason'.

The existing shop along Military Road, Mosman, where the restaurant chain has applied to open the new 24/7 store. Photo: supplied.

Not all are against the proposed vibrant yellow and black store, with one person commenting: 'Can't wait until it opens'.

'Good! If you want a late night bite in Mosman...about time someone filled in this niche in the market, but no doubt here come the fun police,' one person said.

'Who doesn't want 24-hour burritos.'

Aerial view of the store GYG are proposing to take over in the Mosman Shire council area. Picture: Supplied.

Others expressed concerns about whether the restaurant would be able to survive using a 24-hour business model.

'I love GYG but don't understand how it will survive 24/7. Why not till midnight? How many people will be buying at 3am?'.

NCA NewsWire has approached Guzman Y Gomez and Mosman Council for comment.
A fake tradesman allegedly scammed more than $25,000 from customers after he advertised himself on job tasking apps but never completed the work.

The 31-year-old man from Doncaster East in Melbourne's north-east was arrested by Victoria Police detectives on Thursday.

Footage shows the man wearing shorts, black sneakers and a dark blue t-shirt as he is escorted by several officers into the back of a police vehicle.

Detectives arrested the Melbourne man on Thursday and he has been charged with theft and deception offences

Police allege he presented himself as a qualified tradesman under a fake name on various job platforms and accepted payments for work which he then did not do.

The alleged offences, totalling $25,000, occurred in July.

The man was charged with two counts of theft and nine deception offences.

He was remanded to front Ringwood Magistrates' Court on January 30.
Amanda Rose Brooks has been charged with sexual battery on a person with a development disability after allegedly raping her autistic brother-in-law

A Florida woman has been arrested after she allegedly raped her husband's autistic younger brother and gave birth to his child.

Authorities say Amanda Rose Brooks, 34, became pregnant with her victim's child after she raped him, and then falsely claimed that she was victimized.

U.S. Marshals in Orlando arrested Brooks earlier this month on a warrant for a sexual battery that had been investigated by the Monroe County Sheriff's Office.

Brooks was charged with sexual battery on a person with a developmental disability over the age of 18, providing false information to law enforcement and filing a false report.

According to The Keys Citizen, the alleged assault had happened in 2022 but had started in Mississippi in 2010.

Authorities say that Amanda Rose Brooks, 34, became pregnant with her victim's child after she raped him, and then falsely claimed that she was victimized

Brooks is currently being held in jail in Monroe County, seen here, on a $150,000 bond according to arrest records

In an arrest warrant seen by the outlet, Brooks is said to have contacted the Monroe County Sheriff's Office and reported that she had been sexually assaulted by her husband and his younger brother.

Brooks is said to have handed over a list of events that had occurred between February and April of last year.

She is said to have told the department that she had been 'coerced and forced' to engage in sexual activities and was 'verbally and psychologically abused' at their home in Key Haven.

Brooks and her husband were the sole caretakers of his brother, she told investigators.

Due to this, Brooks and her children left the Keys for Orlando and submitted a statement to police there who sent it back to Monroe County.

Brooks also handed over emails, screenshots of messages with friends depicting herself as a 'victim of abuse' by the family of her husband who she claimed were harassing her after she left with her children.

In July of 2022 , the mother of her brother-in-law contacted police and said her son was the victim in the case, and that Brooks was the one who allegedly raped him.

It it alleged that Brooks entered his room on several occasions and sexually abused him - an act that had been routine for ten years, according to police.

U.S. Marshals in Orlando arrested Brooks earlier this month on a warrant for a sexual battery that had been investigated by the Monroe County Sheriff's Office

Her brother-in-law is said to have frequently objected, telling her on multiple occasions that 'we shouldn't be doing this'.

The victim told police that Brooks told him 'to be quiet', 'not tell anyone' and that 'it was ok because it made her feel good'.

Brooks' husband has denied having any involvement sexually with her during this time period but told investigators she had an ovulation tracker.

In September of last year, deputies were informed that Brooks was several months pregnant and gave birth to the child in January of this year.

Floridas Department of Law Enforcement conducted DNA tests on the victim and Brooks' child and confirmed the victim was the biological father.

Deputies say they could not find any evidence to back up Brooks' recollection of events and she was arrested on December 10.

Brooks is currently being held in jail in Monroe County on a $150,000 bond according to arrest records.
This is the horrific moment a 40-year-old mom from Pennsylvania attempted to shoot her ex-husband's teenage nephew, moments after shooting her two school-aged sons while they slept in their beds.

Trinh Nguyen will now spend the rest of her life in prison after pleading guilty to two counts of first-degree murder in the killing of both of her sons, nine-year-old Nelson and 13-year-old Jeffrey in May 2022.

Police revealed how she had planned their murders for more than a week before carrying out the shocking slaughter in a sick revenge plot against her former husband.

Earlier this week, Judge Raymond F. McHugh sentenced Nguyen to two life terms without the possibility of parole for killing the boys and the attempted murder of the teenager.

Newly released video footage sees Trinh Nguyen attempting to kill her teenage nephew after shooting her two sons

Her gun suddenly jams allowing Gianni Melchiondo, 19, to wrestle it from her, saving his own life

Trinh Nguyen, 40, will spend the rest of her life in prison as she serves consecutive life sentences for killing her two sons, Jeffrey, 13, and Nelson, 9,

Nelson, 9, left, and Jeffrey Tini, 13, right, were shot while they slept. They died four days later

First Assistant District Attorney Jen Schorn said the crime is one of those most horrific she has ever had to deal with

Minutes after the shooting of the boys in their beds, Nguyen could be seen outside the home where she attempted to shoot dead the teen.

Security footage sees the pair wrestling as Gianni Melchiondo, 19, attempted to free the gun from Nguyen who fired twice.

The video sees Nguyen attempt to shoot, but the gun never fired and Melchiondo was able to disarm her.

Incredibly, two of the chambers of the gun were empty when she attempted to shoot the teen dead meaning he was saved from what would have been almost certain death.

Melchiondo's mother, who is the aunt to the young boys Jeffrey and Nelson, testified in court: 'I thank the Lord all the time that the gun misfired.'

The negotiated plea and sentence 'ensures that the defendant will die within the four walls of a correctional facility' for her unfathomable actions, First Assistant District Attorney Jen Schorn said following the hearing.

'I mean thank goodness for the nephew that the gun did malfunction or she didn't do it right or what have you and and there's video that exists she was captured kind of trying to shoot at him,' Schorn told Law & Crime during an interview on Friday

'The [jamming of the gun] allowed the nephew to intervene and disarm her and then she still tried to convince him the gun was not loaded.

'We know for a fact had Gianni not acted he would have suffered a fatal gunshot wound and one only knows who else she would have killed before attempting to take her own life.'

Both boys were transported to the hospital following the shooting but died four days later

Pictures of the two boys were shown in court in specially prepared slideshow in which they could be seen together and smiling

Following the shootings on the morning of May 2, 2022, Upper Makefield Township Police rushed to the home after reports of an armed subject.

Police officers checked Nguyen's house to find the boys gravely wounded in their beds with gunshot wounds to their heads.

Both boys were transported to the hospital but eventually died four days later.

Nguyen's sons had been on life support before being pronounced dead at the Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia.

The pair had been kept alive despite doctors' grim prognosis so that their organs could be donated to those in need.

Hours after the shootings, police found Nguyen inside her minivan parked at a nearby church. She was immediately taken into custody.

Detectives found .38-caliber ammunition together with packages of heroin, some of which she had consumed in an attempt to kill herself.

A note was located on the dashboard read: 'Please call 911! My children are Dead in their bed at 119 Timber Ridge Rd 18940'

Detectives searched the home and discovered a handwritten will dated one week before the shooting.

Nguyen shot her only two sons as they slept in the family home in affluent Upper Makefield

Nguyen acted premeditatedly when she carried out the killings of 13-year-old Jeffrey, right, and Nelson, 9, left,

A .38-caliber revolver was also located in front of the home.

Speaking to Law & Crime District Attorney Schorn said the woman had convinced herself she needed to kill the young boys.

'She took issue with with her one son saying she feared he was going to turn out to be like his father which was completely just senseless and ridiculous while she said her other son was too naive and good for this world so she wanted to take his life to spare him,' Schorn explained.

'She was facing eviction and made it seem like she was facing poverty when in fact she was pretty comfortable financially following the divorce but she just wanted to create this false narrative to justify the most horrendous crime and quite frankly one of the worst I've ever seen.'

Bucks County and Upper Makefield Detectives found that Nguyen had plotted the murders and had left a handwritten will that instructed the recipient of what to do with both her and her sons remains.

DA Schorn said Nguyen blamed others for the problems in her life, including the imminent eviction from the Timber Ridge home where she was living following a dispute over rent with her ex-husband.

Trinh Nguyen pictured with her two slain sons and her ex-husband Ed Tini. Nguyen revealed how she penned a note a week prior describing what she wanted done with the kids' ashes

Upon tracking down Nguyen at the parking lot of Washington Crossing Methodist Church less than four hours after the murder, authorities said Nguyen appeared to be under the influence of drugs.

Church staff alerted authorities after seeing a wanted bulletin issued beforehand. Weintraub said Nguyen appeared to be under the influence of drugs at the time of her arrest

'It's clear our evidence showed that this defendant had that wickedness of disposition that she had made these plans,' Schorn said.

'She wrote a manifesto laying out what she was going to do, and you could see throughout the hate she had for others and the people she blamed.'

The letter also instructed its recipient what to do with her own remains as well, confirming cops' previous suspicions that the mom had planned to take her own life once the deed was done.

Family and friends who attended the court earlier this week gave emotional impact statements detailing how their lives have been affected by the deaths of the two young boys, described as caring and fun-loving, and loved by all who knew them.

Detectives searched the home and came across a handwritten will dated one week before the shooting

The boys were shown in court in a specially prepared slideshow in which they could be seen smiling together.

DA Schorn said the entire family had felt immense grief following the killings.

'You just saw the ripple effect of the grief. Layer upon layer upon layer through family members, of the community - it's just heartbreaking.

'They showed such strength and dignity coming to court and offering impact statements,' Schorn said.

'We can't diminish the pain but at least we were able to get justice for Nelson and Jeffrey and their cousin who survived the [murder] attempt.'
A cafe worker in North Dakota revealed how she went into 'survival mode' after a creepy neighbor made a fake account of her on the dating app Tinder.

Danell Phelps, a coffee shop manager in West Fargo, North Dakota, recounted her terrifying experience of having ten strange men show up at her door and the drive-up coffee shop where she works.

It was later revealed that her neighbor, Theodore Kralovic, 36, had been using her name and pictures to create a fake Tinder profile.

'I was in survival mode, trying to get by day by day, trying to figure out what was going on,' Phelps told WDAY.

'They messaged me through Facebook and be like, "hey, we were talking on Tinder,",' Phelps said.

Danell Phelps, a coffee shop manager in West Fargo, North Dakota revealed how she went into 'survival mode' after a creepy neighbor made a fake account of her on the dating app Tinder

Phelps recounted her terrifying experience of having ten strange men show up at her door or the drive-up coffee shop where she works

It was later revealed that her neighbor, Theodore Kralovic, 36, had been using her name and pictures to create a fake Tinder profile

According to court documents, Kralovic impersonated Phelps and talked with 138 different people on Tinder.

Phelps graduated from North Dakota State University last year and owns a drive-up coffee shop called Ladybug Latte in West Fargo.

However, she noticed something strange earlier this year when a man knocked on the back door of the coffee shop.

'He came to the back door and said, "are you Danell?" and I said, "yes",' Phelps recalled.

'He said, "It's Michael." And, I said, "Do I know you?" And, he said, "Yes. We've been talking on Snapchat."

'I was like "no we haven't", and he was mortified.'

She decided to file a police report after ten different men showing up at her door or trying to message her on social media.

'When the detective got all of the data from Tinder, he was talking to me and he started counting, and he got to 47 and he said, ''I am not even halfway through",' Phelps said.

Phelps graduated from North Dakota State University last year and owns a drive-up coffee shop called Ladybug Latte in West Fargo

She noticed something strange earlier this year when a man knocked on the back door of the coffee shop

Kralovic was accused of 'creating a fake, unauthorized Tinder account under Phelps' information, speaking to males, setting up dates with said males.'

He also gave the males 'Phelps' home address, work address, and vehicle description,' the prosecutors said.

At least eight males came to her workplace or home, hoping to talk or meet her in person, court documents indicated.

Kralovic pleaded guilty to reckless endangerment and was sentenced to supervised probation and community service.

The case marks the first time the local state's attorney's office charged someone related to creating fake dating app accounts.

Phelps had to move from her old home and add security cameras at her coffee shop.

'You can't tell me something like this can't be dangerous. Why does it have to get to the point where something bad happens that people actually take action?' Phelps said.
When Brittany Higgins, her partner David Sharaz, Lisa Wilkinson and producer Angus Llewellyn met in a Sydney hotel room, their conversation turned to the possibility of Bruce Lehrmann one day launching defamation proceedings.

There, in a five-word declaration that could soon come back to bite her, Ms Higgins said if Mr Lehrmann wanted to 'go after' her on a civil basis: 'I think I could win'.

It was January 27, 2021 and the four were holding a pre-production meeting to discuss Ms Higgins' allegations ahead of a planned story on The Project in the coming weeks.

They discussed whether Mr Lehrmann would be named in any broadcast and the prospect of him being identified.

'When it comes to defamation,' Mr Llewellyn said, according to a transcript of the conversation released by the Federal Court.

'His reputation is clearly going to be lowered by being called a rapist. And whether people could identify him by the story.'

Ms Higgins said if Mr Lehrmann wanted to 'go after' her on a civil basis: 'I think I could win'

It was eight months before Mr Lehrmann was charged and well over a year before his trial in the ACT Supreme Court collapsed due to juror misconduct.

'I would love to have the court case on civil,' Ms Higgins said in somewhat prescient comments.

'If he wants to go after me, like on a civil basis, I think, on the balance of probabilities, I think I could win.

'I think, if the onus of proof is beyond a reasonable doubt, I think that would be different. I don't think I could win that.'

Ms Higgins was referring to the onus of proof in different courts: in a criminal trial an allegation must be proven by the prosecution 'beyond a reasonable doubt'.

While civil matters - including defamation - are decided 'on the balance of probabilities'.

No findings have ever been made against Lehrmann - who has launched a defamation lawsuit against Ms Wilkinson and Network 10 over Ms Higgins' interview on The Project

In December last year, the Director of Public Prosecutions elected not to pursue a re-trial, because of concerns about Ms Higgins' health.

No findings have ever been made against him and he launched a defamation lawsuit against Ms Wilkinson and Network 10 over Ms Higgins' interview on The Project.

Over the last five weeks, the defamation trial has played out in the Federal Court, with Mr Lehrmann and Ms Higgins, their friends, family and colleagues, as well as Ms Wilkinson and others who worked on the story, giving their versions of events.

Justice Michael Lee is expected to hand down his judgment at some point next year.

The bruise photo and the metadata

Central to the case is what happened behind closed doors, in the office of Senator Linda Reynolds, then the Defence Industries Minister in the Morrison government, in the early hours of March 23, 2019.

It is known that Ms Higgins, Mr Lehrmann and other Liberal staffers met at a Canberra bar, The Dock, earlier that evening.

Ms Higgins met a Bumble date; however, CCTV captured him leaving several hours later after she went and sat at another table.

Afterwards, Ms Higgins, Mr Lehrmann, along with Liberal staffers Lauren Gain and Austin Wenke, moved to another bar 88MPH, before they later travelled back to Parliament House.

Brittany Higgins and Bruce Lehrmann together at a bar in Canberra, The Dock

According to Ms Higgins' version of events, she woke up on a couch in the minister's suite while being raped by her colleague.

Mr Lehrmann told the court that when he entered the office, he went left towards his desk and Ms Higgins went right towards the minister's suite.

According to Mr Lehrmann, he never had any sexual contact with her that night.

She was found on the couch naked the following morning.

Ms Higgins says that in an attempt to corroborate her allegation, she took a photo of a bruise on her thigh a week later.

During Mr Lehrmann's criminal trial, she claimed the bruise was suffered during the alleged rape - and she made a similar claim to The Project.

She accepted during her evidence to the Federal Court that the bruise may have in fact been caused when she fell up the stairs at 88MPH.

'At the time I believed it had been caused by the assault but with hindsight and ... in the criminal trial, it was put to me it was possible it came from another source,' Ms Higgins said.

Brittany Higgins shows a bruise that was allegedly caused during the 2019 incident

'So I've now had to accept it may not have come from the assault itself.'

Under claims that she was shifting her narrative as she learned more information, Ms Higgins said she was honest but mistaken.

The photo was later provided to The Project after Ms Higgins airdropped it to Mr Llewellyn.

She later provided a statutory declaration to The Project that she suffered the bruise during the alleged sexual assault.

And while Ms Higgins claimed it was taken in April 2019, metadata from the picture stated it had been created on January 27, 2021 - the day she first met with Ms Wilkinson and Mr Llewellyn at a Sydney hotel.

According to Ms Higgins, instead of sending Mr Llewellyn the original photo, she took a screenshot, which she then forwarded to him.

By sending the copy, the metadata - which would have established when it was taken - was wiped.

Ms Higgins is seen arriving to give evidence in court on December 1

As well, the court heard that in the pre-interview, Ms Higgins claimed that her phone had 'completely died' after she took screenshots of messages with Linda Reynolds and Michaelia Cash and had asked Ms Reynolds' office for a former colleague's phone number.

During the pre-interview discussion, Ms Higgins said: 'I know they can remote wipe phones, I know that's not unheard of.'

READ MORE: ABC reporter makes unfortunate on-air gaffe about Bruce Lehrmann and David Sharaz Advertisement

Ms Wilkinson later texted Mr Llewellyn about what she saw as inconsistencies in her statement that she retained the bruise photo and that her phone had been wiped.

'I want to zero in on this whole phone thing,' Ms Wilkinson wrote in a text message, the court heard.

Ms Wilkinson further said: 'If she believes she took screenshots of crucial messages she no longer has, how come she still has the bruise shot?

'I'm confused on this point.'

Ms Wilkinson said it raised 'alarm bells' and asked Mr Llewellyn to raise the issue with Ms Higgins.

'I want to suggest to you at this point you believed this issue presented a potential significant credibility issue for your source,' Mr Lehrmann's barrister Matthew Richardson asked.

'Correct,' Ms Wilkinson said.

Lisa Wilkinson is pictured leaving court for the last time in 2023 on Friday, December 22

The lip reader

During his testimony, Mr Lehrmann was asked a series of questions by Network 10's barrister Dr Matt Collins KC, about his interactions with Ms Higgins at The Dock bar on the evening of March 22, 2019.

Dr Collins suggested to Mr Lehrmann that he had encouraged Ms Higgins to drink quickly.

The court was played footage of Ms Higgins skolling a drink late in the evening, before the group later moved to 88MPH.

Dr Collins: 'You said to her 'drink that all now','

Mr Lehrmann: 'I would completely disagree with that.'

Dr Collins: 'She responded 'I don't want to'.'

Mr Lehrmann: 'I don't recall that ever taking place.'

Dr Collins: 'You said 'drink it all, you can't leave that, come on, you're not leaving that'.'

Mr Lehrman: 'I disagree.'

Dr Collins: 'At that point she skolled the drink while you watched on.'

Mr Lehrmann: 'No I disagree.'

Mr Lehrmann is pictured leaving Sydney's Federal Court wth his lawyer on Friday

Network 10 called forensic lip-reader Tim Reedy to give evidence after asking him to prepare a report about what he asserts was said between Ms Higgins and Mr Lehrmann, based on his viewing of The Dock CCTV.

The court was told that Mr Reedy was profoundly deaf, was a self-taught lip-reader and needed the assistance of a lip-speaker to give evidence to the court.

Mr Lehrmann's legal team objected to his report being allowed into evidence arguing that lipreading is not an exact science, Mr Reedy's opinions about what was said cannot be objectively tested and it was his first time giving evidence to a court.

Justice Michael Lee allowed Mr Reedy's evidence to be tendered, but noted he would take into account the objections of Mr Lehrmann's barrister, Steve Whybrow SC.

The court heard that in his report, Mr Reedy remarked about a piece of footage: 'Man is lining up drinks, plying the woman with alcohol.'

Pictured is Mr Lehrmann's lawyer, Steven Whybrow SC, leaving court on December 21

Mr Lehrmann's barrister Steve Whybrow SC questioned whether that assessment had coloured Mr Reedy's assertions about what was said on the CCTV.

'How did you come to write that note?' Mr Whybrow asked.

'Because this was a party and everyone's having fun,' said Mr Reedy, who flew from London to Sydney to give evidence.

'What stuck out was Ms Higgins was drinking and she's literally in the corner of a table, and there are some drinks there, on the table and they are pushed in her direction.

'And this suggests she had been plied by alcohol.'

The court heard that in his report, Mr Reedy asserted that at one point Mr Lehrmann said 'drink that all now' and Ms Higgins replied 'I don't want to'.

'Would you accept that in the circumstances where you have never been assessed as to the accuracy of your lip-reading, that some of your opinions might not be correct,' Mr Whybrow said.

'I would say that they're more correct than not,' Mr Reedy said.

Network 10 called forensic lip-reader Tim Reedy (pictured) to give evidence after asking him to prepare a report about what he asserts was said between Ms Higgins and Mr Lehrmann

'Pashed'

Several witnesses were called during the trial, including Ms Gain and Mr Wenke, about what they saw while at 88MPH after the group moved there from The Dock.

Mr Lehrmann denied seeing Ms Higgins fall over and helping her back onto a couch.

He further denied touching Ms Higgins on the leg and thigh, putting his arm around her and later kissing her.

'You pashed Ms Higgins while sitting in a booth at 88MPH between about midnight and 1.30am,' Dr Collins asked

'I did not,' Mr Lehrmann said

Mr Lehrmann, during his evidence, further denied touching her or having any sort of intimate contact with her.

Dr Collins: 'You deny putting your arm around her?'

Mr Lehrmann: 'Yes.'

Dr Collins: 'You deny kissing her?'

Mr Lehrmann: 'Yes.'

Liberal Party staffer Austin Wenke leaves the ACT Supreme Court in Canberra in October 2022

Ms Gain, during her evidence, told the court that she saw Ms Higgins fall over at 88MPH and Mr Lehrmann helped her back to her feet.

'I remember Brittany and Bruce sitting quite close together, I remember them being quite touchy with one another, I remember them kissing and I remember her taking selfies of the two of them,' Ms Gain told the court.

Ms Gain added that she saw Mr Lehrmann placing his hands on Ms Higgins' thigh and Ms Higgins placing her hand on Mr Lehrmann's thigh.

Asked to describe the kiss, Ms Gain said: 'It was a real kiss ... It went for a period of time, so it wasn't a peck, it was very much a kiss kiss.'

'I take it was a passionate kiss?' Justice Lee asked.

'Yes, Ms Gain said.

During his evidence, Mr Lehrmann accused Ms Gain of having given incorrect evidence at his criminal trial where she gave a similar version of events

'You accused Ms Gain of having fabricated evidence that she relayed at your criminal trial in order to discredit you,' Dr Collins asked.

'I believe she did,' Mr Lehrmann said.

Chief of staff to former Defence Minister Linda Reynolds Fiona Brown (pictured) told the court that Ms Higgins made no sexual assault allegation in their meeting on March 26

The Fiona Brown meeting

The court heard that Ms Higgins and Mr Lehrmann both went to work on the following Monday and Tuesday.

The court heard that he received an email from Ms Higgins on the Monday which stated: 'Hi Bruce, I'm phoning a friend,' she wrote.

'Need some help with the task Drew sent me. I'm hoping to utilise your parliamentary network to get portfolio stats from whichever offices you can.

The following day, Mr Lehrmann was dismissed from Senator Reynolds' office for entering Parliament House after hours.

Ms Higgins is pictured with her lawyers at Australia's Federal Court on December 5

Ms Higgins says that in that office she told Ms Brown: 'I said I was drunk, I said he was on top of me'.

However, that claim was denied by Ms Brown in her evidence.

When she was asked whether Ms Higgins said 'Bruce was on top of me' and she replied 'Oh God', Ms Brown replied 'no' and 'nope'.

Ms Brown said she was told: 'I'm responsible for what I drink and my actions'.

Ms Brown told the court that Ms Higgins made no sexual assault allegation in their meeting on Tuesday, March 26.

However she said that at a subsequent meeting two days later, Ms Higgins said she 'remembered' him being 'on top' of her.

'She pivoted, she was quite casual, she just said out of the blue 'I remember him on top of me',' Ms Brown said.
He is now cancer free thanks to 'lifeline' treatment

An 'ordinary' seven-year-old boy found out he had stage four cancer after he complained of a simple belly ache after a day of play.

Raf spent his seventh birthday running around with friends and family before telling his mum, Natalie Oaten, that his stomach hurt in October 2021.

She took him to the doctors where Raf walked out with a low-grade urinary tract infection diagnosis and a prescription for antibiotics.

However, when the little boy continued to complain of discomfort they went to Lismore Base Hospital in NSW where scans revealed Raf had stage 4 high-risk neuroblastoma, an aggressive form of childhood cancer.

Now nine and cancer-free, but with a 50 per cent chance of relapse, Raf is gearing up to celebrate Christmas with his family who have since made it their mission to raise awareness for the 'lifeline' treatment that saved their little boy.

Raf was celebrating his seventh birthday in 2021 when he complained of a stomach ache that turned out to be stage 4 high-risk neuroblastoma, an aggressive form of cancer

His mother, Natalie Oaten, (pictured together) rushed him to the Queensland Children's Hospital where he began an extensive 20 month treatment program

READ MORE: Why mum lied to dying son Shoe chose to tell her 10-year-old son he was recovering from cancer when in reality he was going home to die. Advertisement

During the height of the pandemic, Ms Oaten rushed Raf from Lismore, NSW to the Queensland Children's Hospital.

They were separated from family in Brisbane while borders were closed.

'That turned into four months of not seeing my husband or my other son because they couldn't cross the border at the time,' Ms Oaten told 7News.

Raf spent more than 20 months in treatment interstate - away from his father and his siblings.

For almost two years Raf's brother would see his father crying in the shower while it remained unclear if the cancer would prove fatal.

At one point Raf was in 'so much pain that you could not touch him' and he lost mobility in one side, his mother said.

He underwent multiple sessions of chemotherapy, radiation treatments, surgeries and stem cell transplants.

However, the break-came after Raf started a new type of immunotherapy called dinutuximab, which his family believe saved his life.

Since being cleared by doctors, Raf and his family have been advocating for the treatment as experts continue research at the Ian Frazer Centre for Children's Immunotherapy Research in Queensland.

The Oatens are now advocating for the 'lifeline' treatment that the claim saved Raf - a new type of immunotherapy called dinutuximab which helps immune systems destroy cancer cells

Immunotherapy was effective for Raf because it helped his immune system destroy cancer cells, but typically it is not used to treat children.

Ms Oaten said that by raising awareness for the treatment her family hopes other children with high-risk neuroblastoma might be able to access it.

The research comes with a hefty price tag, but if just one per cent of Australians donated $5 it would make all the difference, the mother said.

'Cancer is hard and it's confronting and it's not pretty. You lose people in droves and suddenly your village becomes really lonely,' she said.

'We still don't know where we're going to be two, five or 10 years from here, so I'll be damned if I stand there and say that we've beaten this... we're going to live with this for the rest of our lives.'
Antoinette Lattouf defended Rugby Australia's decision to sack Israel Folau over a controversial Instagram post despite now claiming she was unfairly dismissed by the ABC after speaking out about the conflict in the Middle East.

In an application lodged with the Fair Work Commission on Friday, the presenter claimed she had been 'unlawfully terminated' after posting a series of pro-Palestinian posts to her social media pages.

However, Lattouf backed the decision to sack Folau over a breach of social media protocols during an appearance on the ABC's Q+A in April 2021.

Folau had his Wallabies contract torn up after he wrote that 'hell awaits' gay people in a controversial Instagram post in January 2019.

'If we talk about why Israel Folau was stood down, it was because he breached social media protocols and he was asked not to post those sorts of things,' Lattouf said.

'So it wasn't about what he said; it was about his professional conduct and what was expected of him.

'I personally believe he should have been stood down, I don't believe he should spread such hate and I've seen the damage [it causes].'

During an appearance on the ABC program Q+A in April 2021, Antoinette Lattouf backed the decision to sack Folau over a breach of social media protocols

However, Lattouf said Folau 'should' be able to return to the NRL two years on.

'There's been a Penrith Panthers player who was charged and found guilty of filming and distributing a sexual act without the person's consent - he now works again.

'I think it's really dangerous if we allow convicted criminals to return and then somebody who's breached social media protocol and caused damage.

'I think he should have been reprimanded in the way that he was but I think that it's probably time for him to come back.'

Lattouf had been filling in for Sarah Macdonald as host of the ABC Sydney Mornings radio program last week but was told on Wednesday she was no longer needed for her shifts on Thursday and Friday.

'ABC Sydney casual presenter Antoinette Lattouf will not be back on air for her remaining two shifts this week,' an ABC spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia.

Her submission to the Fair Work Commission alleges she was fired after sharing an Instagram post from Human Rights Watch, which breached the ABC's policies.

It also alleges ABC Managing Director David Anderson had made the decision to terminate Ms Lattouf.

Rugby Australia tore up Folau's Wallabies contract after he wrote that 'hell awaits' gay people in an Instagram post in January of 2019 (he is pictured in May)

Lattouf had been filling in for Sarah Macdonald as host of the ABC Sydney Mornings radio program last week but was told she was no longer needed for her shifts on Thursday and Friday

Her unfair dismissal claim could well become a landmark case amid growing tensions in the Australian media over how the Israel-Gaza war should be covered.

Late on Wednesday night, Ms Lattouf posted on Instagram that she was 'very disappointed by the ABC's decision today'.

'I believe I was terminated unlawfully,' she said.

'This is not a win for journalism or critical, fair thinking. I'm currently considering my legal options.'

The ABC has strict editorial policies and requires staff to be impartial in their reporting and protect the broadcaster's reputation.

'A thoughtless post or tweet can instantly compromise this perception of impartiality,' the ABC's rules state.

Lattouf's submission alleges ABC Managing Director David Anderson (pictured) had made the decision to terminate

It's understood Ms Lattouf was axed after a string of complaints from the Jewish community regarding posts she shared about Israel's military response to October 7.

Ms Lattouf recently co-authored an article questioning the veracity of viral footage that showed pro-Palestine activists chanting 'gas the Jews' at the Sydney Opera House at a protest in October.

'Analysis of the Aust Jewish Association videos by fact checker RMIT CrossCheck found a number of signs that suggest audio was edited' she claimed.

In another post from November Lattouf wrote: 'We need a PERMANENT ceasefire and to address the ROOT of the problem - unlawful occupation of Palestine.'

In a video posted to Instagram in October, Lattouf attempted an analysis of the conflict between Israel and Palestine, and called both Hamas and the Israeli government 'extremists'.
Scotland Yard has released CCTV footage of a woman, 48, who they believe was murdered shortly after it was filmed in June, 2023 and have offered a 20,000 reward for information leading to the recovery of her remains.

Detectives investigating the disappearance of Fiona Holm, 48, say she was last seen leaving an address on Verdant Lane in Lewisham on June 20, 2023.

The five-second clip shows Ms Holm walking along the street. Officers believe she was murdered a short time later. They are appealing for the public's help to recover her remains.

A reward of 20,000 has been offered for information leading to the discovery of her body.

Police arrested Carl Cooper, 65, on suspicion of two murders. He is accused of killing Ms Holm. At the time of her death he was on bail having been charged on suspicion of murdering Naomi Hunte, 41.

Fiona Holm, pictured, went missing on Verdant Lane, Lewisham, south London in June

One of the last confirmed sightings of Ms Holms was in this Off Licence

According to the Metropolitan Police: 'Fiona was reported missing on 29 June 2023. A murder investigation was launched after it became clear that she had not been seen alive after she left a residential address in Verdant Lane on Tuesday, June 20, 2023.'

Officers spend several months since her disappearance searching locations that she was known to frequent as well as contacting hospitals in case she had been admitted following an accident or illness.

However, the team investigating her disappearance believe Ms Holm has been murdered.

A spokesperson for her family appealed for information: 'As a family we are facing our first Christmas since Fiona was murdered, and we are tormented by the fact that her body has not been found.

'Somebody out there has the information police need to bring Fiona home, so we can say our final goodbyes and try and find some peace. We are living in mental torture.

'It is difficult enough for us to come to terms with Fionas murder this Christmas, but not knowing where her remains are is an even greater ordeal. We need to be able to lay her to rest. We need to have a funeral.

'We just hope that someone has the decency to put us out of our misery and provide police with the information they need to recover Fionas body, and allow her and us to rest.

In a five-second clip, Ms Holms is is seen walking along the pavement. There is nobody following her

'Fiona was a kind and loving person who would do anything for anyone. Nothing was too much trouble for her to help a friend. We need someone to show that same kindness to us, and come forward with information.

'Please if anyone knows anything, no matter how small it may seem, get in touch with police.'

Police arrested a 65-year-old man shortly after her disappearance and charged him with her murder on July 13.

He remains in custody.

Detective Chief Inspector Kate Blackburn said: 'Fionas family are facing not only their first Christmas without her, but also not knowing where she is.

'I am keen to hear from anyone who saw Fiona since she was last seen in Verdant Lane, SE6 in June this year. We are piecing together a timeline of what may have been her last movements, and your information, no matter how small, could help us establish what happened to her and where she is.

'Have you heard, or do you know anything concerning where her remains could be found? Even if it is just rumour, please share that information with us  you may even be eligible for a cash reward.

'Fiona was a mixed race woman, aged 48 when she was last seen alive. The footage we have released of her in Verdant Lane shows what she was wearing when she was last seen. Do you remember seeing her? Do you know Fiona and know anything about what was happening in her life? If you can help, please do get in touch.'

If you saw Fiona or have information concerning her disappearance you can provided information via our information portal.

Alternatively, call 101 or Tweet @MetCC quoting 22MIS023317.

To remain 100% anonymous call the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or visit Crimestoppers-uk.org.
Thousands of revellers have woken up this morning with sore heads and queasy stomachs following the infamous Black Eye Friday.

Also known as Mad Friday, Frantic Friday or Black Friday, it is the name for the Friday before Christmas, which is the Friday after December 16.

It is a time when the city centres across the UK are full of people getting merry and crawling across bars and clubs.

However, some people get a little bit too merry and the police and ambulance service get involved due to flare-ups of violence or people drinking too much and needing medical attention.

According to the British Beer and Pub Association data, the UK was estimated to have downed 40 million pints last night with 25 million pints expected to be drunk today.

A girl in Nottingham wearing a policewoman's helmet takes a selfie next to a police van and an officer

Revellers hit the town in Manchester for start of last weekend before Christmas

A police van parks across the street in Nottingham after a man was reportedly knocked out by a bouncer

Two Mancunian girls hit the town during the last weekend before Christmas

But pictures show revellers on the floor before 7pm, another showed someone slumped on the steps around 6.30pm.

Also, some people are shown in fancy dress stalking the streets while others devolved into fistfights.

Some pictures show someone being led away by police before 9pm with a bloody nose.

Meanwhile in Newcastle, festive drinkers started the evening in high spirits but as the night wore

on tempers flared in the city's notorious Bigg Market.

Men grappled with each other in the street, while police were seen making several arrests.

The partying was too much for some, as one reveller was pictured lying on the ground, with his arms outstretched.

However, others appeared to be enjoying themselves.

An array of Sexy Santas posed for photographs while one pregnant lady wore a Christmas present as a headdress.

Other groups wearing festive jumpers and hats also enjoyed themselves in front of the camera.

The London Ambulance Service told revellers to only make 999 calls it was a genuine emergency.

Two girls, one wearing a Christmas jacket, hit the town in Leeds

Leeds girls wear santa hats to get into the Christmas spirit as they hit the town centre

One girl looks worse for wear as her friend leads her by the hand as they trawl through Leeds

Two women wearing santa hats and no jackets hit the streets in chilly Leeds

Two girls speak to police officers in the town centre of Nottingham

A group of girls wearing santa and elf hats and actually wearing winter clothing hit the streets of Nottingham

Two girls in Nottingham brandish a peace sign as go out partying in Nottingham

Two girls are seen walking arm in arm down the street of Nottingham

Revellers wear Christmas jumpers in Nottingham on the last Friday before Christmas

Two people wearing blue santa hats are seen eating McDonald's in Leeds

Friends wearing santa hats are seen posing in Newcastle ahead of Black Eye Friday

Violent scenes as a fight breaks out as revellers in Newcastle take part in the Black Eye Friday celebrations

A pregnant reveller in Newcastle wearing a costume of wrapped presents poses with her friends

A woman in Newcastle poses in the centre of Newcastle wearing a santa costume

Revellers pictured getting into the festive spirit in Newcastle town centre

A group of friends give a thumbs up, peace sign and wave ahead of Black Eye Friday

They say they have already seen levels of demand rising to last seen during the pandemic, as they take up to 7,000 999 and 10,000 111 calls every day - almost double the typical 5,500.

Stuart Crichton, Director of 999 Operations at London Ambulance Service, said: 'We are already extremely busy as we head into winter.

'As Londoners enjoy the festive season we are urging everyone to be careful  every avoidable alcohol-related call we attend could take away from someone who might have a life-threatening condition.

'It's important that Londoners use the 999 service wisely: only calling us when it's a serious medical emergency so we can prioritise responding to the most seriously ill and injured patients. Please make sure you have the medication you need ahead of the long holiday weekend as some local pharmacies will have different opening hours.

A group of friends dressed up for their night out in Newcaslte during the Black Eye Friday celebrations

A man looks worse for wear in Leeds as people hit the booze hard

Another man is seen sprawled out on the street of Nottingham

Two men are engaged in a fight as they tussle on the ground of Leeds city centre

A large police and medical presence was seen throughout the city of Nottingham as emergency services anticipated a hectic night of fun

A bunch of lads enjoying their festive night out are pictured wearing Christmas outfits

A man gives his friend a piggy back as they feel the festive spirit in Leeds

A man looks worse for wear as he puts his head in his hands in Leeds

A girl gives her friend a piggy back ride in Manchester city centre

Friends stop to enjoy a dinner to soak up the alcohol in Birmingham city centre

Two men look like they're about to pass out after hitting the clubs and pubs in Birmingham

Revellers in Newcastle get into the festive spirit with their santa outfits

Friends spotted in Nottingham with one dressed as an elf and another wearing reindeer antlers

'So if you need advice or medication from a pharmacist in London, use the NHS pharmacy finder to check which pharmacies are open near you.' Likewise, North East Ambulance Service's deputy chief operating officer Victoria Court added: 'Each year we see an increase in alcohol-related calls.

'We want everyone to enjoy their festivities - but please be responsible and look after each other when you're out celebrating. We want everyone to have a good time, but don't ruin your fun by ending up in the back of an ambulance.'

orth East Ambulance Service's deputy chief operating officer Victoria Court added: 'Each year we see an increase in alcohol-related calls.

'We want everyone to enjoy their festivities - but please be responsible and look after each other when you're out celebrating.

'We want everyone to have a good time, but don't ruin your fun by ending up in the back of an ambulance.'
Ukrainian soldiers on war-weary frontlines in Bakhmut have released a video singing modified versions of Christmas classics including Happy Xmas (War Is Over), Let It Snow and Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas.

Nine soldiers feature in a dugout near the beleaguered city in eastern Ukraine against a background of civilian buildings destroyed by Russian invaders. They were also pictured in Lyman, liberated last October, and Kostiantynivka, a town nine miles from the front-line.

Inna Korolenko, a combat medic for almost two years performing on guitar and vocals, said: 'During the Christmas holidays, people naturally distance themselves from other people's problems. I would very much like this project to make the world understand that the war is not over and it is necessary to get involved as much as possible.

'The more supporters we have, the more help will come to us, and the faster we will move towards victory.'

The covers include changed lyrics 'designed to remind people about the ongoing war and the importance of global support for Ukraine', according to the UNITED24 fundraising platform behind the campaign.

The soldiers are gearing up to celebrate Christmas on December 25 for the first time since 1917 this year - a deliberate move away from Russia, which celebrates on January 7, per the Julian calendar.

The performances looked to share Christmas cheer while reminding audiences the war in Ukraine is not over

Dmytro Dudko, a serviceman of the 59th OMPBr, plays sax in a battered building in Bakhmut

UNITED24, the platform behind the campaign, was set up by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as the main platform for collecting charitable donations in support of Ukraine.

A total of $502,679,248 has been raised through donations from over 110 countries over a period of 17 months, backed by ambassadors including Barbara Streisand, Mark Hamill and Imagine Dragons.

Why has Ukraine moved Christmas Day? Ukraine will celebrate Christmas on December 25 for the first time since 1917 this year. The switch is a deliberate effort to distance itself from Russia, which celebrates on January 7 in line with the Julian calendar. While many Christians celebrate Christmas on December 25, many also celebrate on December 24 - and Orthodox Christians mark it on January 7. The adoption of the Gregorian calendar is also seen as Kyiv's effort to align itself with Europe and its institutions. England switched to the Gregorian calendar in 1752 and days were then removed to make up for the difference with the Julian celebration of Christmas. Many, including Russia, rejected the change as it swept the West. Advertisement

'We wanted to wish the world a Merry Christmas, while reminding everyone that the war in Ukraine continues,' said Yaroslava Gres, UNITED24 Coordinator, explaining the campaign.

'The songs we selected are true holiday symbols. Some words in the lyrics have been changed. For example, the phrase 'war is over' in John Lennon's 'Happy Xmas (War Is Over)' was changed to 'war is not over'.'

The heroes of the Christmas video, created with the support of the Cultural Forces, are servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, a paramedic of the Ukrainian Volunteer Army, and combat medics.

They include Oleksandr Remez, a soldier of the 110th OBrTRO, who was wounded in the battles near Lysychansk, and Inna Korolenko, a combat medic of the fire support platoon of the 206th Battalion of the Territorial Defence of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Playing the bandura - a traditional Ukrainian instrument - and on vocals is Dmytro Romanchuk, a serviceman of the 59th OMPBr, who participated in the defence of Kyiv. On the pipe is Mykhailo Adamchak, a paramedic of the Hospitaliers battalion of the Ukrainian Volunteer Army, musician, and frontman of the CORALLY band.

On percussion is Artur Temchenko, a serviceman of 110 OBrTRO, actor, and drummer. Mykhailo Oliynyk, a serviceman of the 59th Military Infantry Brigade, composer and music producer, plays piano and vocals.

Dmytro Dudko, a serviceman of the 59th OMPBr, brings his skills on the saxophone.

Also on vocals are Iryna Kosovska, a combat medic of the 3rd motorized infantry platoon of the 1st company of the 10th OGSHBR Edelweiss, and Viktoriya Chudakovska, a servicewoman of the 59th OMPBr, and Svitlana Cherednychenko, a soloist of the National Exemplary Band of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Bakhmut has endured a horrifying and drawn-out battle for the city since last year. After months of fighting, the city once home to 70,000 was mired in a web of bleak trench networks by the end of last year as the ground froze and temperatures dropped as low as -9C.

Russian forces, backed by Wagner Group mercenaries, contested the city of limited strategic value through a grisly winter, funneling troops over and over into the foray until they were eventually able to overcome the Ukrainian resistance.

Dmytro Romanchuk, a serviceman of the 59th OMPBr, who participated in the defence of Kyiv

Artur Temchenko, a serviceman of 110 OBrTRO, actor, and drummer, plays percussion

Mykhailo Adamchak, a paramedic of the Hospitaliers battalion of the Ukrainian Volunteer Army, musician, and frontman of the CORALLY band

Since August last year, battles have continued in the region as both sides tussle for control. Last December, President Zelensky admitted Russia had turned Bakhmut into 'burnt ruins' following a relentless bombing campaign.

The slow war of attrition pushed both sides into murky, sodden trenches through the winter, hammered by artillery and trapped in close quarter battle (CQB) engagements.

Wagner Chief Yevgeny Prigozhin - since killed - said in May that as many as 20,000 of his troops had been killed to date fighting for Bakhmut.

Russia and Ukraine do not release official figures on their own casualties.
A woman has miraculously survived a massive boiler explosion which ripped through her east London flat in the middle of the night.

The blast was so powerful that it left a huge gaping hole in the back of the property and has reduced the five-bedroom flat to rubble.

Some three fire engines and 15 firefighters rushed to the property in Well Street Hall, Hackney, following reports of an explosion at around 2.30am this morning.

Paramedics found a woman inside who had been getting ready for a holiday to Australia, while two others were evacuated.

The woman was incredibly pulled from the rubble and has been taken to hospital for further treatment. She was suffering from burns and shock but her current condition is unknown.

This was the dramatic scene of a property in Hackney, east London, following a suspected boiler explosion

Paramedics found a woman inside who had been getting ready for a holiday to Australia. Pictured: Damage caused from the explosion

The exact cause of the devastating explosion is being probed but experts believe it was from a boiler malfunction.

Dramatic footage shows a gaping hole in the front of the property, while windows, bricks, furniture and other debris is clustered on the grass outside.

The incident has shaken the local community and residents have been urged to be vigilant and report any signs of malfunction in their home appliances, especially heating systems.

A London Fire Brigade spokesperson said: 'Three fire engines and around 15 firefighters were called to a collapsed building on Well Street in Hackney at 0232 this morning.

'Firefighters attended a three storey block of flats where an explosion, suspected to have been caused by a boiler, had caused damage to the front and rear of a flat on the first floor.

The exact cause of the devastating explosion is being probed but experts believe it was from a boiler malfunction

Bricks, windows, furniture and other debris was left scattered across the grass outside the property

The incident has shaken the local community and residents have been urged to be vigilant

'One woman was rescued by firefighters from the property suffering from burns and shock, she was treated at the scene by London Ambulance Service crews and taken to hospital.

'Two other residents were evacuated from the building.

'The incident was under control by 0405 hours.'

It comes less than a week after two people were rushed to hospital after a huge gas explosion destroyed a terrace house in Blackburn.

Shocking video footage showed the walls and roof of the house crumbling around a passerby.

The man was rushed to Royal Preston Hospital to receive treatments for injuries which are not believed to be life threatening, Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council said.

A second man was also taken to Royal Blackburn Hospital with minor injuries.
A toddler has been rushed to hospital after a 'near-drowning' incident at a popular swimming spot on the NSW Central Coast.

The little girl, who was swimming with her mother, was pulled from the water at Wisemans Ferry just after 2pm on Saturday.

She was treated at the scene by paramedics before she was transported to hospital in a critical care helicopter.

The toddler remains in a stable condition at The Children's Hospital in Westmead

Wisemans Ferry is a small tourist town located about 75km northwest of Sydney (pictured)

According to CareFlight, the toddler was flown to The Children's Hospital at Westmead in a stable condition.

Surrounded by national parks, Wisemans Ferry is a small tourist town located about 75km northwest of Sydney.

The historic town is situated on the Hawkesbury River.
Last month the Post Office ended its 360-year exclusive arrangement with the Royal Mail to allow private couriers to offer to collect and deliver parcels from its branch network.

Customers seeking to send a package from their local branch have the option of using German courier firm Evri and the French firm DPD as well as the Royal Mail and Parcel Force.

To test out which option was the best, MailOnline prepared five packages to send from London, to Thurso, using the available options.

Each package weighed between 500g and a 1kg and were too large to post through a letter box.

The man behind the counter at the branch on Kensington Church Street looked bemused as all five packages were going to the same address.

To test out the various options, MailOnline sent two packages with the Royal Mail, using the First and Second class service. A third package went with Parcel Force, while the remaining two were sent with Evri and DPD.

Your browser does not support iframes.

MailOnline sent five packages from the Post Office on Church Street in Kensington to Thurso, Scotland on Tuesday lunchtime to see which delivery would arrive first

Fortunately the queue to get served was short, possibly influenced by the torrential downpour outside

When paying for the ParcelForce package, the man behind the counter suggested Royal Mail First Class offered better value for a saving of 7, which was excellent consumer advice. But the need to test the rival options was greater than the need to save money.

The packages were dropped off at the post office in Notting Hill Gate amid a terrible downpour.

Luckily the books had been sealed inside a plastic envelope, providing some element of protection from the elements ahead of their 679-mile journey to Thurso, on the north coast of Scotland.

The Hare and Tortoise-style race on the week before Christmas was designed to test the resilience of each of the options on one of the busiest weeks in the year.

The 12.45 ParcelForce Express 24 service was due to be delivered overnight, but arrived a day late on Thursday at 11.28am. One minute before the second class package

Despite being the cheapest option and expected to take the longest, Royal Mail's 3.49 second class service travelled between Notting Hill Gate and Thurso, arriving at the address at 11.29am on Thursday, 21, 2023

DPD arrived at 3.19pm on December 21, claiming third place for the almost 700-mile trip

The First class package arrived at Friday lunchtime at 12.19pm

The 4.16 Evri parcel showed a delay, but arrived on Saturday morning - three days after the second class post

The Second Class Royal Mail service cost 3.49 while the First Class Package was 4.19.

The Evri package cost 4.16 - which included 69p in VAT.

The DPD package was the second most expensive service costing 9.95 including 1.66 of VAT.

The most expensive package was ParcelForce Express 24 service which cost 12.45, including VAT of 2.08.

Despite charging 12.45, the ParcelForce24 Express 24 service missed its Wednesday deadline.

It arrived on Thursday, one minute before the Second Class parcel.

DPD was the third parcel to arrive on Thursday, having been dropped off at 3.19pm.

The Evri package was the slowest of all five options according to this week's test

Each of the packages was wrapped in a plastic envelope to save them from getting damp

All five packages were posted at the same time and sent to the same address in Thurso

The next package to arrive was First Class package delivered on Friday at 12.19pm - a full day after the Second Class service.

On Saturday morning, the Evri package's tracking number was still showing a 'delayed' message until it arrived at 10.45am - two days after the winners.

However, all five packages successfully made it from London to Thurso ahead of Christmas.

Iain Grant from Thurso who received the packages said: 'Getting parcels to arrive on time is always an issue but particularly at this time of the year.

'It's crazy the Royal Mail second class parcel arrived two days before the first class one.

'How can they explain that?'

'Evri did not cover themselves in glory, theirs coming three days after the first ones.

'It seems to be a pretty random process.'

Earlier, an investigation by the Mail that only 108 out of 140 letters posted to addresses all over the country arrived on time.

Now, a poll by The Telegraph has found that 49 per cent of respondents had experienced delays this year and 48 per cent said service had deteriorated.

Martyn James, a consumer expert, told the paper: 'Every single person I speak to tells me how poor their postal service has become in the last year. Many are experiencing huge delays, with some people reporting deliveries only arriving in clumps weeks after posting.

'By far the biggest complaint is the missed appointment. With huge delays for operations, check-ups, health assessments and dental work, a late letter can mean the difference between getting a potentially serious medical condition assessed and treated to going to the back of a very long queue again.'

To add to this, the Royal Mail has been accused of prioritising parcels over letters as they are more profitable.

Last month, the Post Office allowed competitors to pick up packages from its branch network

This has meant letters could arrive to their destination as late as February, according to industry sources.

The festive period has long been the Royal Mail's busiest time of the year, but last month it reported a 319m loss for the first six months of 2023-24 after being hit by strikes.

And with Saturday being the last day that post can arrive, there is growing fear over significant delays.

Under Ofcom's rules, Royal Mail has to deliver 93 per cent of first-class mail within one working day and 98.5 per cent of second-class mail within three working days.

It was fined for missing these targets in 2022-23 when only 73.7 per cent of first-class mail was delivered on time and 90.7 per cent of second class.

The 5.6 million fine comes after Royal Mail avoided punishment during the Covid pandemic. In 2018-19, it was fined 1.5 million.

The postal service blamed the poor delivery times on a 'uniquely challenging' year when there was a long-running industrial dispute.

A spokesman for Royal Mail said: '[We] would like to reassure customers that the vast majority of mail continues to be delivered on time.

READ MORE: Christmas cards could arrive as late as FEBRUARY as the Royal Mail prioritises packages over letters Advertisement

'According to our latest published data, three-quarters of first-class mail arrives the following day, and 96 per cent within three of posting.'

Last month the Post Office announced plans to allow foreign-owned couriers to operate from Post Offices and collect packages for delivery - allowing consumers added choice.

The Post Office published research claiming to show that 48 per cent of parcel senders want greater choice of delivery providers.

And it suggested the rivals will be cheaper than Royal Mail saying: 'The availability of multiple carriers at Post Office branches is poised to benefit individuals and businesses in their quest for cost-effective shipping solutions.'

Chief executive at the Post Office, Nick Read, announced the landmark move saying: 'We are fundamentally transforming the Post Office by introducing new mails carriers for over-the-counter sales for the first time in our 360 year history.

'This expanded partnership with DPD and Evri shows how we are disrupting the mails market to offer greater choice for customers and more opportunities for Postmasters as we build a Post Office fit for the future.'

The organisation's managing director for Parcels and Mails, Neill O'Sullivan, said: 'Post Office is innovating to meet changing customer preferences and the increasingly competitive market.

'Our new buy-in-branch service reflects how Post Office has adapted as a business to ensure our customers now have access to multiple delivery carriers and services conveniently in their local Post Office.

'It's very exciting to have major carriers DPD and Evri as our launch partners for this new service which will be rolled out across branches over the coming months.'

Evri chief executive, Martijn de Lange, said: 'We're committed to delivering a high-quality, convenient, and reliable service and this partnership offers our cost-effective options, with great quality benefits such as tracking as standard, within the Post Office's expansive network to reach more communities.

'We deliver over 730 million parcels each year and as well as offering domestic services, which sees us deliver to almost every household in the UK, our international services will be available at selected Post Office counters.'

The DPD UK chief executive, Elaine Kerr, said: 'DPD parcel recipients can already collect their parcels from Post Office branches and regard them as safe and trusted locations for a wide range of services. The new service will help reinforce the unique position the branches have and, for the first time, give face-to-face parcel customers genuine choice over how they ship.

Royal Mail refused to say when it was told about the Post Office's decision.

A Royal Mail spokesman said: 'Royal Mail has a long history of working with the Post Office and offers our services at all Post Office outlets throughout the United Kingdom.

'As customer preferences have evolved we have also opened up a variety of new ways for customers to access our services, including more online postage options through our website and app, 24/7 drop off at locations like our Parcel Postboxes and collection from home through services such as Royal Mail Parcel Collect.
A woman who lost her baby after suffering a stroke while pregnant gave birth to a little boy just three years after the near-fatal episode.

Nicole Gallacher, 33, and her husband Dave from Mount Evelyn, Victoria, welcomed Angus Michael Andrew Gallacher on December 6, 2022.

The healthy baby boy weighed 2.78kg and was named after the surgeon who saved Ms Gallacher's life in March 2020: Professor Augusto 'Gus' Gonzalvo.

His middle names are Michael and Andrew, in tribute to the paramedic and the ICU doctor who were vital in caring for the young mum after the stroke.

Dr Gonzalvo worked with specialist medics for nine hours to remove a blood clot from her brain after a tangle of blood vessels burst.

Ms Gallacher gave birth to her son Ned at 22 weeks, who sadly did not survive.

Nicole Gallacher, 33, (right) and her husband Dave from Mount Evelyn, Victoria, welcomed a baby boy named Angus Michael Andrew Gallacher (left) on December 6, 2022

The healthy boy weighed 2.78kg and was named after the surgeon who saved Ms Gallacher's life in March 2020: Professor Augusto 'Gus' Gonzalvo

Ms Gallacher said they decided to name their son after the three medics because they had saved her life.

'It was important to me because without them he wouldn't be here, and I wouldn't be here either,' she told Yahoo News.

'We didn't know if he was a boy or a girl until he was born. But when we found out it was a boy and we were able to use the name, we would have loved a girl anyway but we were delighted to use the name, and it gave it so much meaning.'

Ms Gallacher said that she reached out to the medics for permission to name her newborn after them and they all approved, with some actually meeting Gus in person already.

Dr Gonzalvo joked that 'you haven't made it until you have a baby named after you'.

The couple have been raising awareness about the risks of strokes ever since Ms Gallacher lost her first baby Ned at just 22 weeks.

She was tidying her house when she first felt a pain in her head.

Ms Gallacher initially tried phoning her husband before eventually getting through to her parents - only to collapse mid-way through the call.

Paramedics broke down the door to find her lying face-down and unresponsive on the living room floor and rushed her to hospital.

The then-30-year-old underwent emergency surgery for a brain haemorrhage.

Doctors worked for more than nine hours to save Ms Gallacher (pictured) but were unable to avoid delivering her baby, Ned, who was stillborn at 22 weeks

The couple (pictured) have been raising awareness about the risks of strokes ever since

Mr Gallacher was told to prepare for the worst by doctors just three hours into the painstaking nine-hour surgery to remove the clot.

'One of the surgeons said to me at that point "I need to make it very clear this is a severely life-threatening situation - you need to be prepared she might not make it through to the next morning",' he previously told Daily Mail Australia.

'I think I had a can of Coca-Cola in my hand and I threw it across the road and basically burst into tears.'

His wife's lungs had become dangerously unstable after she swallowed her own vomit while unconscious, forcing surgeons to 'wash' her lungs to improve air flow.

Tragically, doctors had no choice but to deliver the baby during surgery which sadly led to Ned being stillborn.

Even though Ms Gallacher could not physically see her child at that time, her husband placed Ned on her stomach while she was in a coma in the ICU.

Mr Gallacher said the hardest part of the ordeal was watching her ask where their baby was when she could communicate through hand gestures a week later.

It was only when her intubation tube was removed and she could respond verbally that he decided to tell her the gut-wrenching answer.

On top of welcoming a baby boy, the young mum has made a full recovery.

The couple are raising funds for the Heart Research Institute where scientists are working to prevent patients like Ms Gallacher from slipping under the radar again.
The Mayor of London has pledged his support to send 4x4s and other vehicles to Ukraine that would otherwise be scrapped under the Ulez scheme.

In an apparent U-turn, Sadiq Khan has asked the Transport Secretary, Mark Harper, to enable Londoners, and others across the country, to donate suitable vehicles to Ukraine through scrappage schemes.

Previously, the mayor made it clear he did not believe altering the Ulez scheme for exporting vehicles would be possible under current laws.

A spokesperson for the Mayor of London said: 'Sadiq wants to support Ukraine in any way he can and is deeply frustrated that sending Londoners' non-compliant ULEZ vehicles to Ukraine via the scrappage scheme is not within his legal powers.'

Now, Mr Khan and former defence secretary Ben Wallace have said they decided to send the vehicles following 'conversations with the Mayor's Office in Kyiv and other partners.'

In an apparent U-turn, Sadiq Khan is pledging his support to donating 4x4 vehicles to Ukraine

Drivers have been offered a one-off payment of 2,000 if they scrap a vehicle that does not comply with the controversial low emission scheme

It comes after Mr Khan's controversial Ulez expansion generated 5.3million in its first week with 300,000 extra drivers charged for driving non-compliant vehicles within Greater London.

More than 425,000 ULEZ charges were paid in the week following the extension, compared to just 140,000 the week before.

Under the Ulez scrappage scheme, which came into force in August, Londoners with vehicles that fall foul of emission standards can claim up to 2,000 when their non-compliant vehicles are scrapped.

The letter, jointly sent to Mr Harper by Mr Wallace, urged him to give motorists 'money for taking polluting vehicles off our cities' streets while providing vital support towards the people of Ukraine.

'We understand there is a particular requirement for 44 vehicles, as well as emergency service vehicles,' it continued.

The Telegraph previously reported Kyiv's mayor, Vitali Klitschko, had written to his London counterpart to suggest the idea as part of the scrappage scheme.

'This could be most quickly done by altering the national regulations for the Certificate of Destruction, which is required as proof that a vehicle has been permanently scrapped, to instead enable the export of suitable vehicles to Ukraine via a registered charity or national scheme,' the letter said.

Khan previously revealed his frustration at not being able to send vehicles to Vitali Klitschko

'We recognise that any such change would need cross-departmental co-ordination within Government, not least to ensure that any vehicles sent to Ukraine meet their needs.'

Susan Hall, the Conservative candidate for mayor of London, previously described the move to block vehicles as 'absurd'.

She told The Telegraph: 'Londoners who choose to scrap their cars should have the freedom to decide for themselves if they want their car sent to support Ukraine.

'Standing with Ukraine against tyrants like Putin is not only a moral imperative but also in the best interest of all Londoners and the global community.'

Richard Lofthouse, who works with Car for Ukraine, which deliver 4x4s and trucks to the war effort, also slammed Mr Khan for showing a 'lack of political courage'.
House Speaker Mike Johnson was profiled in a German news segment attending a 'purity ball' with his teenage daughter, in a bizarre prom-like ritual where she was made to take a vow of abstinence.

Johnson, 51, and his then-13-year-old daughter, Hannah, were seen in unearthed n-tv news footage from 2015 preparing for the controversial dance, as a reporter remarks that it 'looks like a wedding.'

'But they are not bride and groom - rather father and... daughter,' the reporter adds, with Johnson seen in a black tuxedo and his young daughter in a white dress. The segment was first reported by ABC News.

The lawmaker's attendance at the religious event comes after he raised eyebrows following his surprise appointment as Speaker in October, as he has been forced to defend statements including calling same-sex marriage 'the dark harbinger of chaos and sexual anarchy.'

Mike Johnson was seen in unearthed 2015 footage from a German news outlet attending a 'purity ball' with his daughter Hannah

The congressman ended the event with his daughter signing a vow of abstinence, with the 13-year-old seen saying she was committed 'to a lifetime of purity, including sexual purity'

Hannah, then-13, wore a white dress as a news reporter remarked that her attendance with her father 'looked like a wedding'. The event saw her sign a pledge to abstain from any sexual activity until marriage

The 51-year-old Louisiana representative was a little-known congressman when he was elected Speaker of the House in October

Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, shares four children with his wife Kelly (seen together), who was heard on the archival footage saying she refuses to speak about contraception with her daughters because 'sex before marriage is simply out of the question'

The first 'purity ball' was thrown in Colorado Springs in 1998, when activist Randy Wilson had other fathers sign a pledge to protect the virginity of their unmarried teen daughters, according to the New York Times.

The notion then grew in popularity among some conservative Christian groups in the early 2000s, and would typically see a father and teenage daughter dress in formal wedding-like attire.

They would tend to then enjoy a dinner and dancing, before the night ends with the daughter signing a pledge to her father to abstain from any sexual activity until marriage.

Critics of 'purity balls' have claimed they are a coercive and unproductive idea that do little besides objectify young girls they intend to 'protect.'

Johnson was seen in footage shared by Newsnation's Dan Abrams in attendance at one event in 2015, which was covered for German TV about the rising demand for 'purity balls' at the time.

Johnson, his wife Kelly, and Hannah gave interviews to the German news outlet about their reasons for attending, with the 13-year-old seen committing 'to a lifetime of purity, including sexual purity.'

Johnson said he attended the 'purity ball' with his daughter Hannah (far left) because 'there are predators out there, and there are prey', and he hoped she would learn to 'steer clear of the wolves like that.' They are pictured with his wife Kelly and children (L-R) Abigail, Will and Jack

Hannah also pledged to her father 'to make a commitment to God, myself, my family, my friends, my future husband, and my future children,' as Johnson nodded in agreement.

He told the show that he took his daughter to the event because 'there are predators out there, and there are prey', and he hoped she would learn to 'steer clear of the wolves like that.'

Johnson's wife Kelly, a former schoolteacher-turned Christian counselor, added that her parents 'don't talk to (Hannah) about contraception', because 'sex before marriage is simply out of the question.'

The unearthed footage from eight years ago is the latest instance of Speaker Johnson's extreme religious beliefs only coming to light after he rose to No. 2 in the presidential line of succession.

After the 'purity ball' footage was revealed, many shared their disapproval of the event on social media, with journalist Victoria Brownworth branding it 'so incredibly creepy.'

'If that isn't some weird s***, I don't know what is,' added another viewer.

Among his previous comments that have sparked backlash include calling abortion 'truly an American Holocaust', and branding gay marriage a 'moral lapse' that could 'doom even the strongest Republic.'

Johnson has sparked fears over his potential role in the 2024 presidential election, after he helped champion Donald Trump's efforts to stop certification of the 2020 results

Following his assumption as Speaker, some expressed fears over his potential role in the 2024 presidential election, after he helped champion the efforts to stop certification of the 2020 presidential election results for Joe Biden.

He has worked with anti-LGBTQ organizations and indicated that after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade - which enshrined the right to an abortion - in June, the court should look at gay marriage next.

He was a little-known congressman when Kevin McCarthy was booted from the Speaker position in October, and was quickly asked to clarify where his hardline beliefs stem from.

'Go pick up a Bible off your shelf and read it,' he told Fox News. 'That's my worldview.'

Fox News' Sean Hannity asked about the 51-year-old lawmaker's work as the spokesman for Alliance Defense Fund, where he called homosexuality 'sinful destructive' and stated there was 'no clear right to sodomy in the Constitution.'

He claimed he didn't remember some of his statements, and insisted: 'I also genuinely love all people regardless of their lifestyle choices. This is not about the people themselves. I am a Bible-believing Christian.'
His devastated family are mourning the loss of their 'ray of sunshine' just days before Christmas

An eight-year-old Arizona boy has been killed just days before Christmas after being accidentally shot in the chest in a target practice area.

Bradley John Shockley tragically died on Monday afternoon after being fatally shot by a high powered air rifle.

The youngster was riding on the back of a quad bike with a friend when they drove into an area they had been told to avoid as it was being used for target practice.

He was struck by a 22-caliber pellet and taken to Benson Hospital, but died within an hour.

'It was a complete accident and he tragically got shot,' his devastated mom Ella Scofield told Fox 8.

Bradley John Shockley, 8, from St David, Arizona, was fatally shot by a a high powered air rifle on Monday

His mom and stepdad Ella and Ricky Scofield described their son's death as 'a complete accident'

The youngster, pictured with mom and stepdad, had been on the back of a quad bike with a friend when they drove into an area where people were target practicing

Heartbreakingly, she revealed the youngster was excited for Christmas and had been eagerly guessing what his presents might be.

'He kept going over and looking at his presents,' Scofield said. 'He's not allowed to touch them because if he shakes them he'll guess what they are. He is so smart.

'So he'd sit there and look at them and try to guess what they were. We got him a big box of books because he liked to read and he knew exactly what that present was without even having to touch it.'

She said she bore no ill will to the people shooting, who are apparently 'having a really hard time'.

'We let them know that we don't have any hard feelings against them and that we love them dearly and the kids are still welcome to come over if they want.

'We have to be strong and it's hard but we're trying,' Scofield said.

She paid tribute to her beloved son, who loved reading, spaghetti and his baby brother, Arlis.

A GoFundMe started for the family also praised the youngster as 'a ray of sunshine and the best big brother'.

The doting big brother was struck by a 2-caliber pellet and taken to Benson Hospital but died within an hour

His mom paid tribute to her 'smart' son and has asked those attending a celebration of his life to wear bright colors to the funeral on Friday

Bradley loved reading, his younger brother Arlis and spaghetti, which will be served at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in his native St David following his funeral

'He was always happy and smiling and just an all around great kid,' family friend Tisha Luzadder said.

A celebration of life will be held at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in his native St David, just days after Christmas.

His mom has requested people attending wear any color but black as 'Bradley loved all colors', with his favorites red, blue and green.

Spaghetti - the youngster's favorite meal - will also served at the church.

In the meantime, The Cochise County Sheriffs Office is continuing its investigation and will submit a report to the county attorney for review.
This is the dramatic moment an IDF dog unit uncovered a tunnel route used by Hamas for 'command and control, and movement of operatives' under Gaza City, according to the IDF.

Fast-paced footage shared on X, formerly known as Twitter, today showed Oketz, a K-9 unit, tearing through tunnels, climbing stairs and revealing infrastructure as seen through an attached camera.

The video presents an electricity box, a blast door and a hideout space as evidence Hamas has been using the dark caverns to conduct operations under the city.

The 'multi-level structure' in the area of Issa has 'since been destroyed by troops', the IDF reported. MailOnline was not able to verify the location or claims.

The news comes as both pro-Palestinian protestors, the families of Israeli hostages and international NGOs continue to mount calls for a ceasefire in the Middle East.

The United Nations has warned that Gazans now face the 'highest ever recorded' levels of food insecurity. A quarter of households - some 500,000 people - are facing 'catastrophic conditions' and face famine unless a ceasefire is agreed, a UN food security agency found this week.

The IDF shared a video it said showed a dog racing through Hamas' 'terror tunnels' under Gaza

The video highlighted a number of features in the tunnel it attributed to Hamas operatives

It claimed the tunnels housed hideout spaces used by Hamas to 'move operatives'

Israel said the tunnels were built under a compound in Issa, Gaza Strip

The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) said on Saturday they had fired decoy shots in the area of Issa in Gaza City that lured dozens of militants from a building that served as a Hamas headquarters in the north of the enclave while sweeping the region.

Fighting has raged in the north of the beleaguered Strip as the IDF looks to unsettle Hamas from power, seeking out command posts it says are hidden underground.

Earlier this week, the IDF shared footage of the destruction of a large network of strategic underground tunnels it claimed were operated by Hamas in Gaza.

Dramatic footage appeared to show a large explosion in the 'Elite Quarter' of Gaza City, north Gaza Strip, on Thursday.

The IDF said it had 'exposed the terrorist infrastructure' under the city late Wednesday, revealing 'bureaus belonging to Hamas' senior military and political leadership'.

'The network of tunnels was destroyed in a controlled manner,' the IDF said in a statement shared on Telegram with the footage.

The IDF has accused Hamas of building a large headquarters under al-Shifa hospital, Gaza's largest, in the heart of Gaza City - something Hamas denies.

Raids last month brought the military a step closer to navigating the tunnels uncovered around the site - though progress is expected to be slow as the military relies on dogs and robots to clear potential booby traps.

The IDF also pointed to small arms caches it claimed it had found inside the hospital - evidence, it believes, Hamas is using the hospital for military purposes, which could relieve it of special protections in war.

Hamas - and the hospital - denies the allegations about al-Shifa.

Palestinians run for cover after a strike near the Al-Shifa hospital in Gaza City on November 1

Displaced Palestinians gather in the yard of Gaza's Al-Shifa hospital on December 10, 2023

Soldiers operating in the Gaza Strip, amid continuing battles between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas. Image released by the IDF on December 22

A soldier operating in the Gaza Strip, amid continuing battles between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas, on December 22, 2023

An investigation by The Washington Post, published Thursday and based on open-source visuals and satellite imagery, found little evidence to back up Israel's 'remarkably specific' claims about the hospital.

READ MORE: UN finally approves toned-down resolution calling for more humanitarian aid to pass into Gaza Advertisement

The Post's analysis claimed that 'the rooms connected to the tunnel network discovered by IDF troops showed no immediate evidence of military use by Hamas', that 'none of the five hospital buildings identified by Hagari appeared to be connected to the tunnel network' and that 'there is no evidence that the tunnels could be accessed from inside hospital wards'.

Israel accuses the militant group Hamas of placing tunnels and other military infrastructure among civilians to use them as human shields, something Hamas denies.

Amid a raid near al-Shifa last month, an Israeli spokesperson said that the quarter 'contains the largest training facilities in the Gaza Strip for urban warfare, military outposts, warehouses and various munitions factories (used to produce rockets, anti-tank missiles, UAVs and explosives).

'Also in the area are commanders' offices, underground tunnel networks and war-rooms from which the Hamas terrorist organization directs fighting and fire.'

White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said the US has intelligence indicating Hamas is indeed using the hospital and alleged connecting tunnels for military purposes.

Moussa Abu Marzouk, a prominent member of Hamas's political bureau, said late in October it was up to the UN to protect Gaza's civilians.

'We built the tunnels because we have no other way of protecting ourselves from being killed in airstrikes. We are fighting from inside the tunnels,' he said. 'Seventy-five percent of the population of Gaza are refugees, and it is the UN's responsibility to protect them,'

Israel has also accused Hamas of placing rockets next door to a classroom and explosives underneath a child's bedroom - further evidence, they said, Hamas was using human shields.

Palestinians killed in Israeli attacks are buried in a mass grave as some cemeteries run out of space due to the rising death toll as Israeli attacks continue in Gaza City, Gaza on December 23

People mourn as they collect the bodies of Palestinians killed in an airstrike on December 23, 2023 in Khan Yunis, Gaza

Residents of the refugee camp of Bureij arrive in Deir al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip following an evacuation order, on December 22, 2023

A boy carries a donkey as Palestinians leave their homes to escape Israeli bombardments and head towards the city of Deir al-Balah, after Israeli forces ordered them to leave the camp in Bureij, Gaza, on December 22, 2023

Last month, at least 50 people were killed in an Israeli airstrike on a school in Gaza, the Palestinian health ministry said.

The Israeli army did not specifically comment on the strikes but in a statement said its troops were expanding operations in the Gaza Strip, including in parts of Jabalia, to 'target terrorists and strike Hamas infrastructure'.

At the start of November, Hamas claimed scores of Palestinians had been killed and injured after an Israeli missile strike hit an ambulance convoy.

Bodies were seen strewn across a street in between damaged ambulances. Desperate civilians were seen dragging limp bodies away, some of which left a trail of blood behind.

Israel admitted to the attack, saying the vehicle was being used by Hamas.
Pro-Palestinian protesters have targeted Zara stores on Oxford Street, bringing London's most famous shopping district to a standstill on one of its busiest days of the year.

Up to a thousand demonstrators marched on Oxford Street, Regent Street and Carnaby Street, this afternoon chanting 'while you're shopping, bombs are dropping'.

Footage shared on X, previously known as Twitter, showed a sea of red, white, green and black as protesters waved flags and balloons while calling for a ceasefire in one of the busiest parts of London.

The demonstration comes on a day in which last-minute Christmas shoppers have descended on Oxford Street and several other parts of the country for 'Super Saturday'.

Demonstrators held signs aloft which said 'Killing children isn't self-defence. Free Palestine' and 'Stop genocide in Gaza. End normalisation with Israel. Withdraw investments from Israel'.

Protesters, who urged Christmas shoppers to boycott 'Israeli-linked' brands, stopped outside two Zara stores, both of which had closed and were guarded by security. Some chanted: 'Zara, Zara, you can't hide, stop supporting genocide'.

Earlier this month, Zara pulled an promotional campaign following complaints that it contained pictures resembling images from the Israel-Hamas war.

Some on the march through Oxford St chanted: 'Zara, Zara, you can't hide, stop supporting genocide'.

Protesters during a pro-Palestine demonstration, organised by direct action group Sisters Uncut, in central London, urging Christmas shoppers to boycott what they called 'pro-Israel' brands. Picture date: Saturday December 23, 2023

Protesters march through central London to call for a boycott, Saturday December 23, 2023

Activists said Zara's campaign - which featured wrapped mannequins and debris - was mocking Gaza, where some 20,000 people have been killed since the start of October

Zara released a statement on Instagram earlier this month, stressing that the campaign was not meant to offend and was conceived before the conflict erupted in October

"Stop bombing Gaza!"

1000+ now marching down Oxford Street in the heart of London's West End  pic.twitter.com/QmmPgiF2uf  Brighton PSC (@BrightonPSC) December 23, 2023

Demonstrators were also pictured holding Palestinian flags and banners in front of Puma, a company which has long faced boycott calls over its brand alliance with the Israel Football Association.

The Brighton and Hove Palestine Solidarity Campaign shared that more than 1,000 people had turned out to march from Soho Square towards Oxford Circus, adding that the famous retail street was 'now completely blocked' a little after 1pm GMT.

There were chants including 'from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free', a slogan some say insinuates the total removal of Israel, The Telegraph reported.

Police kept a small presence around the procession to safely divert traffic, the Met confirmed to MailOnline today, adding that the march had - as of 2:45pm - moved on from Oxford Street.

There have been no arrests, the Met added.

The area is already extremely busy as Christmas shoppers have packed out London's shopping districts today ahead of December 25.

Brits have flocked to Oxford Street, Westfield shopping centre and Smithfield Market, where joints of meat were being sold at an annual auction.

On a day of chaos in Britain, supermarkets have even reported shoppers fighting over trolleys - and even bribing one another to secure one.

Amid the mayhem on Oxford Street, Sisters Uncut, a 'feminist group taking direct action against gender-based and state violence', shared footage of a large march of protesters with different flags, some wearing keffiyehs and others with masks.

They wrote: 'More than 20,000 Palestinians have been murdered by Israel's brutal siege. We say, NO BUSINESS AS USUAL AS PEOPLE ARE TRAPPED UNDER RUBBLE. CHRISTMAS IS CANCELLED.'

The Palestinian death toll in Gaza has now surpassed 20,000, according to Palestinian health officials, as Israel continues its devastating bombardment of the Gaza Strip in an effort to snuff out Hamas' base of operations.

Some 85 per cent of Gaza's 2.3m population has been displaced by the conflict, following evacuations in the north and south of the 25-mile-long Strip.

The UN has warned that Gaza now faces the 'highest ever recorded' levels of food insecurity.

Action Against Hunger classified hunger levels as 'catastrophic', signifying a very high risk of famine.

A quarter of households in Gaza now face acute food insecurity conditions, they noted, meaning 'lack of food is so extreme that they may suffer from starvation, alarmingly high rates of acute malnutrition among the youngest children and high mortality rates.'

'Everything we are doing is insufficient to meet the needs of two million people. It is difficult to find flour and rice, and people have to wait hours to access latrines and wash themselves,' said Noelia Monge, Head of Emergencies for Action Against Hunger, who recently returned from the region.

'We are experiencing an emergency like I have never seen before.'

Demonstrators were also pictured holding Palestinian flags and banners in front of Puma, a company which has long faced boycott calls over its brand alliance with the Israel Football Association

Protesters call for a ceasefire and demand a boycott on 'pro-Israel' brands on Saturday

Demonstrators from a mix of organisations called for an 'end to Israeli occupation' in the capital

Graffiti on a store in Canada following the controversial campaign by Zara

Left: Graffiti outside a Montreal store reads 'You f****d with the wrong generation / Right: protesters march outside a Zara in Canada

Protesters hold a banner up in Carnaby Street, London, which reads: 'Sisters stand with Gaza. Free Palestine'

Calls for a ceasefire have mounted on all sides as casualties in Gaza mount with no clear way to ensure the safe return of the remaining Israeli hostages trapped in the Palestinian enclave.

Last Saturday, Pro-Palestinian protesters demonstrated outside the home of the Israeli ambassador to the UK, chanting 'From the river to the sea' and 'shame on you!'The phrase 'From the river to the sea' refers to the Jordan River - in Jordan, east of Israel - and the Mediterranean Sea, bordering the Gaza Strip.

Hundreds gathered outside the Camden home of Tzipi Hotovely and called 'de-decolonise' and 'ceasefire now', with passing cars honking their horns in support.

Hotovely faced wide criticism for rejecting a two-state solution between Israel and Palestine in a video interview with Sky News.

Last week in Tel Aviv, the families of Israeli hostages also called on Israel to stop fighting and make a deal to secure their release after the army admitted 'mistakenly' killing three captives in the Palestinian territory.

'We only receive dead bodies. We want you to stop the fight and start negotiations,' Noam Perry, daughter of hostage Haim Perry, said at an event in Tel Aviv organised by the Hostages and Missing Families Forum.

The army's chief spokesman, Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, admitted Israeli troops found the hostages and erroneously identified them as a threat.

He said it was not clear if they had escaped their captors or been abandoned.

The hostages were found waving a makeshift white flag and crying 'help' in Hebrew.

Christmas shoppers pack Oxford Street London just after 12pm this afternoon as one of the busiest shopping days of the year kicks off

Christmas shoppers in Westfield Stratford City in East London, take advantage of pre-Christmas bargains

Butchers walk through Smithfield Market holding joints of meat as customers wave wads of cash

Shoppers pack out a Christmas Market on Trafalgar Square this afternoon as the festive weekend begins

Christmas shoppers descend on a busy Oxford Street in central London today ahead of December 25

Some Palestinian protesters have also targeted Spanish fashion giant Zara in their global marches.

Zara published a promotional campaign earlier this month that protesters objected to, saying a photoshoot appeared to make light of the situation in Gaza.

The photoshoot features a model stood in a dusty workshop with a mannequin wrapped in white. Protesters online said the visuals resembled Gaza's debris and the tragic scenes of white body bags shown in media.

Zara said the shoot was 'conceived in July and photographed in September' - before the conflict erupted in October - showing models against unfinished sculptures in a workshop to 'showcase craftmade garments in an artistic context'.

'Unfortunately, some customers felt offended by these images, which have now been removed, and saw in them something far from what was intended when they were created,' a statement read earlier this month. 'Zara regrets that misunderstanding and we reaffirm our deep respect towards everyone.'

Stores worldwide have nonetheless been targeted by some protesters, who have graffitied outlets as far reaching as Tunisia, Canada and Germany.
A former Republican South Carolina governor who was caught cheating on his wife has slammed Donald Trump as a bully who is obsessed with not being seen as a loser.

Mark Sanford, 63, admitted he had been having an affair with an Argentine journalist in 2009 and it led to a divorce with his wife Jenny Sanford.

He considered stepping down as governor at the time but remained in office and said he wanted to take responsibility for his actions and serve as an example to his four sons.

Sanford has now hit out at Trump and said he doubted the former president had ever considered not running again.

'For him to think about whats best for the republic would mean having a frontal lobotomy,' he told The New York Times.

Former South Carolina governor Mark Sanford who was caught cheating on his wife has slammed Donald Trump as a bully who is obsessed with not being seen as a loser

The 63-year-old admitted he had been having an affair with Argentine journalist Maria Belen Chapur (right) in 2009 and it led to a divorce with his wife Jenny Sanford

Sanford has now hit out at Trump and said he doubted the former president had ever considered not running again

Former governor Sanford said Trump's commitment to continuing his presidential campaign despite the criminal charges he faces is due to a 'preoccupation with not being seen as a loser'.

He added: 'From the number of people hes sued over the years to the number of subcontractors hes ripped off to all of his bankruptcies, he has just bullied his way through life.

'He plays to an audience of one, and its not God  its Donald Trump.'

National headlines erupted in 2009 when Sanford was found to have had an extramarital affair with Maria Belen Chapur.

He confessed to it during a tearful press conference, which followed a mystery disappearance between June 18 and June 24.

Sanford had been on a secret trip to Buenos Aires where he was with his mistress Chapur.

'I have been unfaithful to my wife. I developed a relationship with what started out as a dear, dear friend from Argentina,' he said at the time.

'Im a bottom line kind of guy Im just gonna lay it out. Its gonna hurt and Im going to let the chips fall where they may.'

He also apologized to his wife and four children and said: 'To Jenny, anybody who has observed her over the last 20 years of my life knows how closely she has stood by my side in campaign, after campaign, after campaign

Former governor Sanford said Trump's commitment to continuing his presidential campaign despite the criminal charges he faces is due to a 'preoccupation with not being seen as a loser'

Jenny Sanford separated from her husband soon after the love affair was reported in the press, and the couple was granted a divorce in 2010

Chapur and Sanford had been engaged since August 2012 but he later announced the end of their relationship in a 2,346-word public Facebook post in September 2014

'What I did was wrong, period. I spent the last five days crying in Argentina.'

Jenny separated from her husband soon after the love affair was reported in the press, and the couple was granted a divorce in 2010.

Chapur and Sanford had been engaged since August 2012 but he later announced the end of their relationship in a 2,346-word public Facebook post in September 2014.

The Argentine said Sandford's shock announcement came after the two spent a romantic week together in Paris.

She added that after a tumultuous five-year relationship, she pressed Sanford on the issue of marriage during their 'honeymoon'-like holiday.

Chapur claimed she learnt their engagement was off in the press following Sanford's Facebook post.

After spending several years out of the public eye, Sanford, who was once thought to be a contender for the Republican nomination for the presidency in 2012, jumped back into public spotlight when he reclaimed a congressional seat he once held in a May 2013 special election.

Sanford's comments on Trump come as polls consistently suggest that Republicans are sticking with the former president, despite four criminal indictments, and the very real possibility that he is convicted before election day in November.

Polls consistently suggest that Republicans are sticking with Trump, despite four criminal indictments, and the very real possibility that he is convicted before election day in November

Ron DeSantis on Thursday admitted that Donald Trump has been helped not hindered by his multiple criminal indictments

Supporter holds a placard with the mugshot of Republican presidential candidate and former U.S. President Donald Trump, during a Trump rally in Durham, New Hampshire

He is the clear frontrunner for the Republican nomination and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis admitted Trump has been helped and not hindered by the multiple criminal indictments.

'I would say if I could have one thing change, I wish Trump hadn't been indicted on any of this stuff,' he said.

Asked if it had made Trump stronger, DeSantis replied: 'It's both that but then it also ... just crowded out, I think, so much other stuff, and it sucked out a lot of oxygen.'

A rolling poll average maintained by Real Clear Politics puts Trump's advantage at 52 points over DeSantis, who is locked in battle with Nikki Haley for second place in the race.
Rescuers searching for a British woman who was washed off a dive boat in Thailand as it sank are growing increasingly concerned about her safety.

Millie Young, 57, was among a group of tourists, including a British family of four who were on board the Reggae Queen when it foundered in heavy seas four miles of the Thai coast.

Ms Young and a member of the crew disappeared as the boat sank and are feared drowned.

Rescuers managed to haul 12 people, including four Britons to safety, after the boat sank shortly before 9am local time.

Millie Young, 57, was among a group of tourists, including a British family of four who were on board the Reggae Queen when it foundered in heavy seas four miles of the Thai coast

12 people on board the Reggae Queen were rescued as the boat sank on Saturday morning

The dive boat, pictured, was swamped by heavy seas four miles from the Thai coast

Authorities have interviewed the survivors in an effort to determine what happened

The boat was approximately four miles from the Surin Islands archipelago in southern Thailand.

Coastguards are searching an area where they believe the currents will have taken the vessel and the two missing people in the hope of finding them alive.

But as time passes, the chance of a successful outcome is diminishing.

Rear Admiral Pongmit Narongkul, Chief of Staff of the 3rd Naval Region is responsible for the rescue effort.

He said: 'Two people are still lost. Air crews have flow over the area where we believe the sea currents would have taken the people. The ship has also still not been found.

'The wind in the area is quite strong, which is an obstacle to the search. There are cargo and fishing ships in the area and they have been instructed to continue searching at night, until the missing people are found.'

Shocked holiday makers scrambled to safety but Millie, an artist, is understood to have been dragged into the choppy sea along with one member of the crew, a Thai woman.

Rescuers are growing increasingly concerned for Ms Young's safety and that off a member of the crew who also went missing at the time the boat sank

Rescuers on the sea and in the air have been searching an area where they believe the tides will have taken Ms Young

Her shaken friends, parents Jo and Phillip Degregorio and their two children Oska and Daisy, were among those rescued when they were pulled aboard a passing fishing trawler

Her shaken friends, parents Jo and Phillip Degregorio and their two children Oska and Daisy, were among those rescued when they were pulled aboard a passing fishing trawler.

They were pictured in a passing vessel along with 12 other rescued tourists and four of the crew as they were safely returned to the shore.

The Thai navy along with helicopters and the coast guard are now searching for Millie and one Thai woman, who was part of the tour company.

An official from the Phang Nga Provincial Port Security Control Center said: 'A notification was received at approximately 9am saying that the ship was sinking four miles south of the Surin Islands.

'The boat was taking tourists on a snorkeling and diving trip. Immediate assistance was provided and 12 tourists were rescued by a passing fishing boat.

'At present, two people are still missing. They are one foreigner and one Thai. One navy vessel and rescue teams are searching the area.'

Supoj Rodruang Na Nongkhai, the governor of Phang Nga province, said he had instructed all boats in the area to look out for the two missing people in the Andaman Sea region.

The governor added: 'The missing person is a British woman and a Thai member of the crew. We are putting all of our resources into finding them'

Conditions at sea during November and December in the south of Thailand are typically the most dangerous of the year, with strong currents, powerful waves and heavy rain

Officials said a Mayday call was made shortly before 9am. The red, yellow and green boat - painted in the colors of the Rastafari flag - sank shortly after.

Supoj Rodruang Na Nongkhai, the governor of Phang Nga province, said he had instructed all boats in the area to look out for the two missing people in the Andaman Sea region.

He said that rescued teams were searching in the direction of the sea currents, which are believed to have carried the missing pair in a northwest direction.

The governor added: 'A helicopter will join the search. There is also a navy ship and national park staff in lifeboats searching the area along with other search personnel.

'The missing person is a British woman and a Thai member of the crew. We are putting all of our resources into finding them.'

The Thai Meteorological Department reported that there would be thunderstorms and heavy rain the south west coast of Thailand.

Thai islands have become popular destinations for diving and snorkeling trips because of the clear water and diverse marine life. However, safety on the aging and unregulated vessels is often below standard.

Conditions at sea during November and December in the south of Thailand are typically the most dangerous of the year, with strong currents, powerful waves and heavy rain.

Thai islands have become popular destinations for diving and snorkeling trips because of the clear water and diverse marine life. However, safety on the aging and unregulated vessels is often below standard.

Just a day earlier, dozens of passengers were rescued from a sinking ship that was traveling to notorious Thai death island Koh Tao.

Official said 92 tourists were aboard the Sandee Maneesap 111 night boat travelling from Surat Thani province to Koh Tao island when the vessel began taking on water due to a broken pump at dawn on Friday morning, December 22.
This is the heartwarming moment soldiers save a golden retriever that was buried in rubble for more than 30 hours after a devastating earthquake hit China.

At least 148 people have been killed after a 6.2-magnitude earthquake hit northwest China on Monday, causing tens of millions in damage in the agricultural and fisheries industries.

This footage shows a poor pooch stuck in the mud, completely trapped under piles of concrete.

But, after its owner heard it barking from under the rubble of their wrecked home in Minhe Hui and Tu, in China's Qinghai Province, he immediately contacted the rescuers.

Smartphone footage recorded nearly 30 hours after the quake shows rescuers reaching under a cement slab and pulling the dehydrated animal out, to the utter joy of locals.

This is the moment a loveable pooch was rescued from the rubble by a group of soliders

The golden retriever was stuck in the mud following a 6.2-magnitude earthquake in China

The rescuers used shovels and iron rods to excavate a narrow opening in the debris, clearing away mud to maintain an accessible passage.

After several hours of hard efforts, they managed to rescue the golden retriever safely.

Following the successful rescue mission, the animal was taken to a nearby vet clinic for medical attention.

The footage, which was shared on China's version of TikTok, Douyin, moved social media users who praised the rescuers for their brave act.

One user wrote: 'The earth does not only belong to humans. Search and rescue dogs save people, and armed police soldiers save dogs. This is how the world should be.'

Another said: 'Rescue warriors, you have worked hard. You are the best people and real heroes. I salute you! It's really amazing that a dog is so strong. Make sure to treat it well.'

A third also added: 'This is the greatest kindness that humans can show to animals!'

A look at the rescued dog that was pulled out from the mud after the powerful earthquake

It is estimated that nearly 1,000 people were injured and more than 14,000 homes were destroyed after the earthquake.

CGTN, the Chinese state broadcasters international arm, said the first batch of 500 temporary housing units had been built for residents in Meipo, a village in Gansu, on Friday night.

Many had spent the night in shelters set up in the area as temperatures plunged well below freezing. Funerals were held, some following the Muslim traditions of much of the population in the affected area.

Most of Chinas earthquakes strike in the western part of the country, including Gansu, Qinghai, Sichuan and Yunnan provinces, as well as the Xinjiang region and Tibet. The latest quake was the deadliest one in the country in nine years.
A man was finally rescued after being stuck in a narrow crevice on a San Diego cliff for up to three days.

The unidentified middle-aged man got trapped in the 12 to 18 inch hole from the waist down after falling under broken concrete sections on the side of the Ocean Beach cliff.

He had fallen into the bottom of a tunnel in the cliffs - which was 12-15 feet down in the hillside - where he got trapped underneath a rock.

Two teenagers heard a man screaming after walking past the cliff on Orchard Street and Cable Street at around 3:40 pm on Thursday and immediately called 911.

The San Diego Fire Department responded quickly to the call - but search efforts were halted because of the rising tide, Fox 5 reported.

A man was finally rescued after being stuck in a narrow crevice on a San Diego cliff for up to three days

The unidentified middle-aged man got trapped in the 12 to 18 inch hole from the waist down after falling under broken concrete sections on the side of the Ocean Beach cliff

Two teenagers heard a man screaming after walking past the cliff on Orchard Street and Cable Street at around 3:40 pm on Thursday and immediately called 911

The San Diego Fire Department responded quickly to the call - but search efforts were halted because of the rising tide

He had fallen into the bottom of a tunnel in the cliffs - which was 12-15 feet down in the hillside - where he got trapped underneath a rock

He was given electrolytes, hot packs and blankets to keep him warm overnight until the emergency services could resume their rescue mission.

A team of volunteer rescuers specializing in cave rescues from the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department resumed the mission bright and early at 4:40 am the next morning.

Current weather conditions in Southern California made rescue efforts difficult as intermittent rain and gusts winds, along with persistent bursts of lightening and thunder, caused chaos for the crews.

Parts of Southern California were hit with heavy rain and thunderstorms this week as the Golden State faced the largest rainstorm since August when tropical storm Hillary touched down.

The teams resumed their mission at 9 am and it took two hours until they were finally able to rescue the man and pull him to safety.

Around 150 first responders worked from the time of the emergency call on Thursday afternoon up until his long-awaited rescue the next day.

In order to save him - the two smallest first responders, one from San Diego and the other from San Bernardino, were lowered into the hole where they drilled small holes and set micro blasts to remove the surrounding rock.

Current weather conditions in Southern California made rescue efforts difficult as intermittent rain and gusts winds, along with persistent bursts of lightening and thunder, caused chaos for the crews

He was given electrolytes, hot packs and blankets to keep him warm overnight until the emergency services could resume their rescue mission

In order to save him - the two smallest first responders, one from San Diego and the other from San Bernardino, were lowered into the hole where they drilled small holes and set micro blasts to remove the surrounding rock

Rescue teams dragged him out on a stretcher and he was taken to hospital to be treated for major trauma injuries.

The man was able to communicate with first responders and was reportedly in a stable condition.

Rescuers had not given him food during the rescue, in case he vomited, and instead gave him water and Gatorade.

He sustained injuries to his abdomen and legs and also suffered from severe dehydration.
They were traveling from El Paso, Texas to Chicago and had been left without money, food, adequate clothing

A busload of migrants from Texas who were supposed to be dropped off in Chicago were instead found abandoned near an Illinois highway.

According to the Kankakee County Sheriff's Office, nearly 40 migrants from Venezuela were at Love's gas station's parking lot near an Illinois highway on December 21.

After responding to a call early in the morning, officials discovered that the group, traveling from El Paso, had been left at the gas station around 4.30am, with the bus driver wrongly informing them that they had reached Chicago.

Authorities found many migrants walking down the highway and expressway while wrapped in blankets. The group had been left without money, food, adequate clothing and under the impression that they had reached their destination.

According to the Kankakee County Sheriff's Office, nearly 40 migrants from Venezuela were at Love's gas station's parking lot near an Illinois highway on December 21

After responding to a call early in the morning, officials discovered that the group, traveling from El Paso, had been left at the gas station around 4.30am, with the bus driver wrongly informing them that they had reached Chicago

Authorities found many migrants walking down the highway and expressway while wrapped in blankets. The group had been left without money, food, adequate clothing and under the impression that they had reached their destination

Local law enforcement transported those remaining at the station to Midway Airport through a local bus company while officers provided rides to those walking on the highway out of Kankakee.

Kankakee Mayor Christopher W. Curtis told NBC Chicago: 'There is a process to come to our Country and the rules and laws must be followed.

'We understand that families have immigrated to our community for many years, but at a pace that is substantial. We don't have the housing, resources, or financial dollars available to handle busloads into the community, especially with no announcement or warning.

'In the end, we have a duty to protect all our residents and visitors in our City and we will; however, our first duty and oath as elected officials is to help and protect our residents first and that is what we will do.'

Local law enforcement transported those remaining at the station to Midway Airport through a local bus company while officers provided rides to those walking on the highway out of Kankakee

Kankakee Mayor Christopher W. Curtis said: 'There is a process to come to our Country and the rules and laws must be followed'

The County of Kankakee has filed an Emergency Declaration with the Illinois Emergency Management Agency.

Lawrence Benito, executive director of the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, told the Chicago Sun-Times: 'The cruelty of Texas Governor Abbott knows no bounds, and the latest round of buses and planes sent to the Chicagoland area just shows the lack of humanity underlying his mission.

'As advocates across Illinois rush to care for new arrivals, the need for federal and state coordination is heightened. This is also a moment for all cities and towns across Illinois to lean into showing what it means to be a welcoming state.'

The discovery of abandoned migrants comes days after Greg Abbott, the governor of Texas chartered a plane from El Paso and paid to fly 91 migrants to Chicago, where they remain in the airport.

Migrants are seen lining up in El Paso on Tuesday to board the plane to Chicago

Tuesday marks the first time that the governor of Texas has used planes to transport the migrants. The cost of the flight to Texan taxpayers has not been revealed

Abbott has previously bussed tens of thousands of migrants to Chicago and other cities, trying to make the Democrat rules of their cities and states reckon with the crisis confronting his state.

On Tuesday, the first plane took off from El Paso, landing in Chicago at 7:51pm with 91 migrants on board.

Two people disembarked and fled, WTTW News reported, but the rest remained in the airport terminal - which is now home to 300 migrants. Others are sleeping in police stations, with nearly 14,100 migrants in city shelters.

Chicago, like New York City, is struggling to cope with the influx: since Abbott began the busing policy in August 2022, 607 buses have arrived in Chicago, carrying nearly 26,100 people.

On Sunday, a five-year-old migrant boy died in the freezing cold of the Pilsen shelter, south of downtown.

Video exclusively obtained by DailyMail.com shows 2,300 migrants huddled together in freezing temperatures underneath a leaking roof.

Brandon Johnson, the mayor of Chicago, condemned Abbott for Tuesday's flight.

Brandon Johnson, the mayor of Chicago, said Abbott's policy was 'evil' and inhumane

O'Hare International Airport accommodated hundreds of migrants in a screened off area as the crisis gathered steam this summer

On Monday, he said that Abbott's policy of moving migrants north was 'evil' and was seriously harming people.

'They're just dropping off people anywhere. Do you understand how raggedy and how evil that is?' said Johnson.

'You're just going to put people on a bus, and just take them somewhere and drop them off in the middle of the night? It's sickening.'

On Wednesday, Johnson again attacked Abbott, saying the policy was inhumane.

'The issue is not just how we respond in the city of Chicago,' he said.

'It's the fact we have a governor, a governor, an elected official in the state of Texas, that is placing families on buses without shoes, cold, wet, tired, hungry, afraid, traumatized, and then they come to the city of Chicago, where we have homelessness, mental health clinics that have been shut down and closed. We have people who are seeking employment.

'The governor of Texas needs to take a look in the mirror, with the chaos he's causing for the people of this country.'

Migrants from Venezuela are seen camped out in the lobby of a police station in Chicago

The shelter where the five-year-old boy died on Sunday in Chicago is run by Favorite Healthcare Staffing, a Kansas-based contractor, which the city paid $100 million to operate since September 2022

Five-year-old Jean Carlo Martinez Rivero fell ill while at the Pilsen migrant shelter and was pronounced dead on arrival in hospital on Sunday days later

Abbott's press secretary hit back, saying Johnson needed to take the issue up with his fellow Democrat, Joe Biden.

It is not clear how much the flight cost, and whether Texan taxpayers were funding the scheme.

In total, Texas has bused over 80,000 people from border cities to those six cities, according to the governor's office.

The numbers of migrants crossing the border is breaking records.

There were 130,000 attempts to cross the US-Mexico border in the first 17 days of November and there have been at least 167,000 so far in December.

One popular crossing, Eagle Pass, in Texas, had 14,000 migrants arrive on Tuesday - near a town that is home to just 30,000 Texans.

Eagle Pass only has 58 uniformed police officers and many of them are also helping Border Patrol handle the masses.

Throngs of new arrivals wait their turn to be processed by border patrol after surrendering

Border Patrol agents herd hundreds of migrants into lines at a processing center

Border Patrol agents normally posted at roadside checkpoints leading into the US have also been redirected to help in Eagle Pass.

Law enforcement officials fear drug cartels will take advantage of the situation to smuggle both people and drugs across the border in the chaos.

The federal government responded to the surge at the border by shutting down ports of entry entirely, causing havoc for international trade.

US Customs and Border Protection, the parent agency of the Border Patrol, announced it was shutting down railways into the US in Eagle Pass and El Paso, Texas, to deal with the influx of migrants.

Vehicular and pedestrian crossings at ports in San Ysidro, California, and Lukeville, Arizona, were also closed in the past few weeks.

In Eagle Pass, the migrant emergency is disrupting life for people who commute to and from Mexico every day - turning commutes between the two countries that used to take under 10 minutes into 11-hour waits due to international bridge closures.
Talk about intellectual dishonesty.

For two weeks now, Harvard and its leftist media cheerleaders have been defending university president Claudine Gay against charges of plagiarism  at least 40 instances at this count.

Now there's reporting that the university board, known as Harvard Corporation, found Gay innocent of plagiarism before ever opening an investigation.

And back in October  long before Gay's damning testimony before Congress, refusing to condemn antisemitism and insisting that calls for the genocide of Jews needed to be evaluated by 'context'  Harvard threatened the New York Post with an 'immense' defamation lawsuit if it published the plagiarism allegations.

As the saying goes, the fish rots from the head.

The entire board has been engaged in a cover-up regarding Gay for months. They tried to bully and suppress newsgathering. They lied when they told the Post that 'these allegations of plagiarism are demonstrably false'  demonstrably how?

They hadn't even begun looking into Gay's thin academic record. Now even Harvard 's admits that her sticky-fingered scholarship contains 'duplicative language without appropriate attribution.'

Ah, the maddeningly decorous language of the elite. Let's just call it what it is: plagiarism!

It's not just Gay who needs to be fired. The entire board is compromised.

Since this scandal broke, Gay has lost the university $1 billion in endowments. Every day, it seems, brings a new layer of scandal  but Harvard Corporation, at the top of their website, says that 'In this tumultuous and difficult time, we unanimously stand in support of President Gay'.

Now there's reporting that the university board, known as Harvard Corporation, found Gay (above) innocent of plagiarism before ever opening an investigation.

The entire board has been engaged in a cover-up regarding Gay for months. They tried to bully and suppress newsgathering. (Above) Billionaire Penny Pritzker led the search for Harvard's president and selected Gay

Imagine if this were a straight white male refusing to condemn antisemitism, then found to be the beneficiary of an institutional cover-up regarding his own serial plagiarism. He'd have been cut loose weeks ago.

But Claudine Gay is held to a different standard, and it's one that should bring her shame. For that standard is low, and it sends a terrible message to every student, scholar, professor and American: The meritocracy is dead.

If you check the right boxes  those under the diversity, equity and inclusion umbrella  then Harvard doesn't care if you're qualified, or smart or skilled enough, or if you express bigoted views or have cheated your way up the greasy pole of academia.

As the Jewish Insider reported, billionaire Penny Pritzker bought her way onto the board with a $100 million donation, then 'personally led' the search for a new president. Despite Gay having only 11 papers to her name  almost half of those, we now know, in some way plagiarized  and no published books, despite 23 years in academia, she was anointed.

Does Pritzker feel embarrassed? Probably not, if we're to go by her former boss and Harvard alum Barack Obama, who has reportedly been quietly lobbying for Gay.

This entire thing is a farce. It makes a mockery of higher education.

And Harvard's would-be students know it: The Post reports that applications for early admission have recently plunged by 17 percent.

Here's billionaire hedge fund manager and Harvard alum Bill Ackman on X Thursday: 'We are well past the point where Claudine Gay is the only one to blame for the mess that is Harvard. . . . The reputations of the eleven individuals who comprise the board are in the process of being destroyed'.

They have only themselves to blame. If the board needs it said plainly: They are sullying their own dignity, and that of one of the world's top universities, in defending a liar who will not do the only honorable thing and resign.

Instead she holds her head up high! What a disgrace.

It is not racist to fire Claudine Gay. But it is unacceptable to keep her.

To go by her predecessor's salary, Gay is pulling in $1.3 million a year. One would think such compensation would be commensurate with academic scholarship and integrity.

Does Pritzker feel embarrassed? Probably not, if we're to go by her former boss and Harvard alum Barack Obama, who has reportedly been quietly lobbying for Gay. (Above) President Obama nominates Penny Pritzker for Commerce Secretary on May 2, 2013

Here's billionaire hedge fund manager and Harvard alum Bill Ackman (above) on X Thursday: 'We are well past the point where Claudine Gay is the only one to blame for the mess that is Harvard. . . . The reputations of the eleven individuals who comprise the board are in the process of being destroyed'.

One would think any Harvard student spending nearly $60,000 in yearly tuition would demand the same. That is not a big ask.

One would hope that any of the 27 students expelled from Harvard last year for plagiarism are consulting with attorneys.

Gay isn't just guilty of lifting some passages here and there. She seems fully incapable of original thought, despite those defenders who say sure, it's okay that she claimed the work of others as her own and flipped some syntax.

She copied the personal acknowledgments of another scholar.

Here is author Jennifer L. Hoschschild, in a book published in 1996, thanking someone who 'showed me the importance of getting the data right and of following where they lead without fear or favor' and 'drove me much harder than I sometimes wanted to be driven'.

Now let's turn to Gay, in her dissertation, thanking an adviser who 'reminded me of the importance of getting the data right and following where they lead without fear or favor', and her family who 'drove me harder than I sometimes wanted to be driven'.

How lazy. How insincere. How brazen.

Gay's apologists on the left are framing this as a partisan battle, that only those on the right want Gay gone, and the subtext here is unmissable: Ergo, everyone on the right is a racist.

But is it not racist to hold different groups to different standards? Is it not racist to tell black students and faculty that less is expected of them, because no one would ever expect them to measure up to a universal academic standard?

Is it not racist for Harvard to selectively enforce the punishment of plagiarism?

Yet Gay remains unbowed.

'I stand by the integrity of my scholarship', she said in a recent statement.

Gay isn't just guilty of lifting some passages here and there. She seems fully incapable of original thought.

Is she for real?

'Throughout my career', ' Gay continued, 'I have worked to ensure my scholarship adheres to the highest academic standards'.

Well, when you copy from the best . . .

Claudine Gay is either in serious denial or she is a chronic liar. For what is plagiarism if not a lie?

Worse than that  it's theft. She has stolen the intellectual property of others for decades and claimed it as her own. Just as you can't sample a song without paying for it, you cannot reprint the work of other writers and scholars and claim it as your own.

This is a very simple concept. You don't need an Ivy League education to grasp that.

How long will Harvard back this front-facing fraud? Even members of Gay's own cohort, our leading black intellectuals, are calling for her termination.

The black scholar Carol M. Swain, writing in the Wall Street Journal, says that Gay stole from her, that the damage wrought is extensive, and that there is no excuse.

'Fire Claudine Gay posthaste', Swain wrote on X. 'Hire the best man or woman who can steer the university back towards sanity'.

Claudine Gay is either in serious denial or she is a chronic liar. For what is plagiarism if not a lie? (Above) A panel truck with an electronic billboard display calling for Gay to be fired was parked outside of the Harvard Campus

The black scholar Carol M. Swain (above), writing in the Wall Street Journal, says that Gay stole from her, that the damage wrought is extensive, and that there is no excuse.

No less an authority than John McWhorter, an author and associate professor of linguistics at Columbia University, has also said that Gay must go.

If anyone's an authority on words, it's McWhorter.

'That Dr. Gay is Black gives this an especially bad look', McWhorter wrote in a New York Times op-ed. 'If she stays in her job, the optics will be that a middling publication record and chronically lackadaisical attention to crediting sources is somehow OK for a university president if she is Black'.

Indeed.

Claudine Gay is an intellectual thief who, worse than that, refused to condemn antisemitism on her own campus.

Harvard, with its $50 billion endowment, can sustain the continued loss of billionaire donors. But the longer they prop Gay up  the longer they send the message that antisemitism is acceptable, that plagiarism will be judged by DEI standards, and that less is expected from anyone who happens to be black  the greater their reputational disgrace.

Fire her. Then clean house at Harvard Corp.
President Biden got on a 45 minute call with Netanyahu to convince him to stand down from launching strikes on Hezbollah days after the October 7 terror attack on Israel by Hamas.

According to sources familiar with the phone call, Biden urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to abort Israel's mission to strike against Hezbollah forces in Lebanon.

The pre-emptive strike was set to take place in the days after Hamas launched a terror attack at the Supernova music festival in Israel.

Israeli warplanes were in the air and ready to go when Biden spoke to Netanyahu on October 11.

Biden pleaded with the Prime Minister to think about the consequences of the drastic action - and his convincing worked because the attack did not go ahead.

President Biden got on a 45 minute call with Netanyahu to convince him to stand down from launching strikes on Hezbollah days after the October 7 terror attack on Israel by Hamas

According to sources familiar with the phone call, Biden urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to abort Israel's mission to strike against Hezbollah forces in Lebanon

The phone call, which hadn't been reported until now, set a pattern for U.S. efforts to de-escalate conflict in the Middle East.

The Biden Administration has been relentlessly trying to prevent expansion of the ongoing war along Israel's northern border with Lebanon.

Israeli forces engage in war fire with fighters from the Iran-backed Shiite militant group Hezbollah and Palestinian militants along the border on a daily basis.

The White House's efforts to de-escalate the conflict in October included sending two aircraft carrier strike groups to the eastern Mediterranean, followed by a nuclear submarine.

Biden and his administration received a heads up about Israel's plan to launch a pre-emptive strike on the morning of October 11 - when Israeli forces urgently notified the White House that they thought Hezbollah was going to attack.

U.S. officials said that Israel begged for American support.

According to the Wall Street Journal, 'Bidens top intelligence, military and national security advisersincluding CIA Director William Burns and Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs CQ Brown - convened later that morning for a principals committee meeting to discuss Israels proposed plans and determined that U.S. intelligence didnt correspond with Israels.'

Amos Hochstein has been leading the White House's efforts to ease tensions at the Israeli-Lebanese border.

The American-Israeli businessman, diplomat and lobbyist has been bouncing between Washington, Beirut and Jerusalem to try and end fighting diplomatically.

French government has been involved in peace efforts - pushing Lebanon to abide by U.N. Security Council resolution 1701 which calls for Hezbollah to pull their forces out of Southern Lebanon and remove themselves at least 18 miles from Israel's border.

The Biden Administration has been relentlessly trying to prevent expansion of the ongoing war along Israel's northern border with Lebanon

Lebanese militia have launched at least 200 hits on Israel in their attacks which have left 10 dead, including seven soldiers.

Israel responded with almost 1,000 strikes inside the southern Lebanon which have killed over 120 Hezbollah soldiers and 10 Lebanese civilians, The Wall Street Journal reported.

Israel has continued to threaten Hezbollah with more intense attacks on Lebanon if their soldiers do not stand down.

Five days ago it was reported that Israel was planning to invade Lebanon to push Hezbollah back from its northern border, according to reports, amid a barrage of rocket attacks since the war in Gaza broke out and fears that the terror group is 'worse than Hamas'.

After weeks of exchanging cross-border fire, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) are said to be keen to launch a ground offensive into southern Lebanon which would aim to push the terror group north past the Litani River.

Military and government officials in Israel have said they are determined to prevent a repeat of the October 7 invasion from Gaza, with warnings that the scale of a Hezbollah raid could be even more deadly than the massacre of 1,200 people.
A teenager has suffered life-changing injuries after he was stabbed in broad daylight outside a supermarket in south-east London.

Metropolitan Police is appealing for witnesses after the 16-year-old, who was with friends, was attacked close to Tesco Express in Bromley Road, Catford around 1.15pm on Wednesday afternoon.

Officers and paramedics attended the scene and the boy was taken to hospital with stab wounds.

Police said his injuries were later assessed as life-changing.

Two 16-year-old boys were arrested nearby on suspicion of attempted murder and subsequently bailed.

A teenager has suffered life-changing injuries after he was stabbed in broad daylight outside Tesco Express in Bromley Road, Catford, on Wednesday afternoon

Detective Constable Jessica Flood, from the local policing team, said: 'We believe there would have been other children in the area who witnessed this awful attack, as well as several other people who may have seen what happened.

'It is important they come forward and tell us what they saw.

'We have heard from one witness who was on a route 136 bus which was passing the scene at the time. Were you also on that bus? Contact us if you saw anything suspicious.'

Anyone with information is asked to call 101 quoting CAD 3337/20Dec, or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
A senior TikTok employee has reportedly accused the company of being biased in its handling of Israeli and Palestinian humanitarian advertisements.

An internal memo, which has not been viewed by MailOnline, was sent by a staffer in the Israel office which pointed to an unequal policy towards the paid videos from both sides, according to Fox News.

It was reportedly sent to senior management at TikTok and claimed many employees, working as moderators within the Trust and Safety Unit, have openly expressed 'support for terrorism or endorsed extremist movements' against Israel.

The employee also added that the company's approach to the ongoing conflict has created a toxic environment for Jewish and Israeli employees.

TikTok has denied these allegations and said they 'do not reflect TikTok policies in any way.'

A senior TikTok employee has accused the company of being biased in its handling of Israeli and Palestinian humanitarian advertisements

An internal memo was sent by a staffer in the Israel office which pointed to an unequal policy towards the paid videos from both sides of the conflict, according to Fox News. Pictured: Injured mother and children taken to a Gaza hospital following an Israeli air strike

It was sent to senior management at TikTok and claimed many employees, working as moderators within the Trust and Safety Unit, have openly expressed 'support for terrorism or endorsed extremist movements' against Israel. Pictured: Posters of hostages taken by Hamas

The internal memo written by a senior employee reportedly insists there is a biased approach to organic content uploaded by users that is graphically violent, deeply inciting and violates TikTok's community guidelines.

It noted that there have been some efforts to remove anti-Semitic posts and videos with misinformation about Israel.

But added that some employees have openly expressed support for terrorism or extremist movements which are anti-Israel.

'This, very likely, influences the amount of hostile propaganda against Israel and Jews and harmful misinformation on our platform, both in the USA and Europe,' the employee said.

A TikTok spokesman said: 'These allegations are false and do not reflect TikTok policies in any way.

'We are clear in our advertising policies what content is allowed to be advertised and apply those policies equally to all ads on TikTok.

'We invest heavily in training our moderators to apply these policies consistently.'

The social media giant has previously faced accusations of not doing enough to root out anti-Semitism on its platform.

Israeli employees claimed in a memo that TikTok rejected an Israeli campaign to raise awareness for the 240 people taken hostage by Hamas

They pointed to how TikTok has allowed humanitarian campaigns to fundraise for children in Gaza. Pictured: Palestinian children waiting to collect water

Screenshots taken from TikTok's internal employee chat Lark revealed that Trust and Safety officers celebrated attacks by Hamas and other Iran-backed terrorist organizations, according to Fox News.

TikTok revealed on December 7 that it was doing more to invest in training for moderators with experts 'to address implicit bias and the unique aspects of hateful ideologies.'

The company said: 'We provide ongoing training for our content moderation teams to identify evolving hateful behavior, symbols, terms, and offensive stereotypes.

'We also regularly engage with our community and experts to strengthen our approach against hate.'

But Israeli employees claimed in a memo that TikTok rejected an Israeli campaign to raise awareness for the 240 people taken hostage by Hamas, while allowing humanitarian campaigns to fundraise for children in Gaza.

'Labeling kidnapped babies, women, children, and elderly citizens who were taken from their beds by Hamas-ISIS as a "political issue" is, at the very least, one-sided,' the memo read.

'This way, American users are BOMBARDED with paid ads that present the misery of children in Gaza (not mentioning, of course, the massive humanitarian aid entering Gaza and stolen by Hamas as indicated by the U.N.), some with a high budget (according to our own company's top ads creative center) while ads that show the humanitarian tragedy of Israeli hostages cannot be presented to these audiences.'

TikTok insisted that paid adverts are accepted and rejected on the basis of compliance with its advertising policies and community guidelines, not on any political favoring

Yossi Lubaton, who is in charge of content creation at the Hostages and Missing Persons Forum in Israel, said TikTok was asked to place content to appeal for the release of hostages.

'We were told that according to their policy, we were unable to place paid campaigns because they were considered too political or too graphic,' he said.

'They told us it was a strict policy that was applied to the Israeli side, as well as to the other side, and so we started to put the paid campaign on Facebook and Google instead.

'Our campaign is based on humanitarian policy, kidnapping children and civilians is a war crime and Hamas should release them.'

TikTok insisted that paid adverts are accepted and rejected on the basis of compliance with its advertising policies and community guidelines, not on any political favoring.

It added that political advertising 'including the use of campaign slogans' are not allowed and that it bans adverts containing 'depictions of war, weapons, hostages, and violence'.

But TikTok does allow humanitarian advertising campaigns from non-profit organizations, including some from Israeli NGOs.

DailyMail.com has contacted TikTok for comment.
A personal finance website analyzed the FBI's recent crime statistics to determine the most dangerous cities in America - with a city in Alabama coming out on top.

MoneyGeeks annual analysis estimated the cost of crime in 302 cities with populations greater than 100,000 across the US.

The analysis determined the violent crime rate, property crime rate, cost of crime per capita and the total cost of crime in millions.

The violent crime rate includes murder and nonnegligent manslaughter, rape, robbery and aggravated assault, while the property crime rate includes burglary, larceny-theft and motor vehicle theft offenses per 100,000 residents.

Overall, the analysis concluded that the city of Birmingham in Alabama was the most dangerous in the country. It also concluded that Thousand Oaks, California was the safest.

The violent crime rate in Birmingham was 1,682, while the property crime rate was 4,173 per 100,000 residents. The city also had the highest cost of crime per capita - $11,392

The analysis concluded that the city of Birmingham in Alabama was the most dangerous in the country

Earlier this month, Sandra Lynn Henson, 57, who had been dubbed a 'serial wedding crasher' appeared in court for stealing gifts and money from two Alabama weddings in 2019.

She had been charged with one count of third-degree Theft of Property and one count of fourth-degree Theft of Property for both weddings.

Henson agreed to a plea deal yesterday and confessed to her crimes.

'I am so sorry,' she said. 'I know you don't believe me, but I'm sorry,'

She was sentenced to 31 months with the Alabama Department of Corrections to pay restitution and court fines.

One of the victims of Henson's Alabama heists appeared in court to provide her victim impact statement.

Sandra Lynn Henson, 57, who had been dubbed a 'serial wedding crasher' appeared in Lauderdale County court yesterday for stealing gifts and money from two Alabama weddings in 2019

Anna Perez Todd had been robbed of the money she and her husband had raised at their wedding to donate to foundations researching cures for FOXG1 Syndrome, a disorder that her daughter suffers from.

Todd further accused Henson of meticulously planning a route to steal from her and other brides on the same day. The victim said she had a 'spreadsheet of at least 12 weddings' that Henson had stolen from.

Coming in second was New Orleans, with a violent crime rate of 1,444 and a property crime rate of 4,641. The crime cost per capita was $11,094.

As of last week, the Metropolitan Crime Commission reported an 84 percent increase in homicides since 2019 in New Orleans and a 45 percent rise in carjacking.

A few weeks ago, police released footage showing the moment thieves jumped out of their car and stole an unsuspecting man's truck in broad daylight as he tied his boat to the vehicle.

Coming in second was New Orleans, with a violent crime rate of 1,444 and a property crime rate of 4,641. The crime cost per capita was $11,094

While the unsuspecting victim went on about his work, a two toned silver and black Mercedes Benz allegedly occupied by at least two black males pulled up right next to the truck

The victim had left his truck running while tying his boat on 3600 block of DeSaix Boulevard.

While he went about attaching the boat to his truck, a silver and black Mercedes Benz pulled up in front of him.

Footage released by the New Orleans Police Department showed one of the men stepping out of their car and quickly climbing into the truck.

The men are then seen driving away with the truck and leaving the victim standing on the street with just his boat.

According to MoneyGeeks annual analysis, Missouri's St Louis is the third most dangerous city in the country.

St Louis was recorded to have a 1,472 violent crime rate and a 7,254 property crime rate. The city's crime cost per capita was only a few dollars away from its predecessor - at $11,055.

According to MoneyGeeks annual analysis, Missouri's St Louis is the third most dangerous city in the country.

In early November, Anthony McGee, 19, was accused of trying to snatch the infant at a crosswalk.

The incident happened in the Central West End neighborhood Sunday, as a family of crossed the street at around 8.30am.

The mother - wearing a blue jacket - is seen holding her 11-month-old baby as the father walks beside them.

A man in a gray hoodie, identified as McGee, begins to move towards the family.

Suddenly, McGee grabs the infant. The father manages to fight him off before chasing him out of frame, with McGee then said to have broken an 82 year-old woman's arms.

Moments earlier, McGee is accused of smashing a liquor bottle over the head of a 42-year-old woman, according to charging documents.

Witnesses tried to stop him from escaping after the brutal attack, to no avail.

Thats when he then pounced on the 29-year-old parents, leaving injuries on the woman's neck and ear.

The teen's riot continued as he strangled an 82-year-old woman down the street, breaking both of her arms.

Several witnesses called 911 to try to stop him.

'I heard someone screaming, a woman screaming,' a resident at the nearby Hawthorne Apartments told FOX 8.

'When I looked out the window, I saw the woman, and she was held and restrained by a man.'

He attempts to wrench the infant from the 29-year-old mother's arms, but the father intervenes

McGee choked her for more than a minute, police said. A frantic chase ensued that ended when he was taken into custody.

The 19-year-old told police, 'I broke her neck,' as he was led to a squad car. The confession was reportedly captured on an officers body camera.

He faces charges including assault, kidnapping, endangering the welfare of a child, armed criminal action and resisting arrest.

Detroit has been ranked number four on the analysis, while Memphis is at number five.

The Michigan city recorded a 2,028 violent crime rate, a 4,478 property crime rate and a $9,281 crime cost per capita.

In comparison, the Tennessee city recorded a 2,421 violent crime rate and a 7,166 property crime rate. It also has only a $9,056 crime cost per capita.

Detroit has been ranked number four on the analysis. The Michigan city recorded a 2,028 violent crime rate, a 4,478 property crime rate and a $9,281 crime cost per capita

Authorities have charged Michael Jackson-Bolanos with murder in connection with the October slaying of a Detroit synagogue leader, alleging that she was killed by a stranger who broke into her home

Samantha Woll, 40, was fatally stabbed at her Lafayette Park home on October 21 as she returned from a wedding

On October 21, Samantha Woll, 40, was fatally stabbed at her Lafayette Park home in Detroit as she returned from a wedding.

Police believe she was attacked inside her home before stumbling outside. She was found around 6.30am and pronounced dead at the scene.

This month, Michael Jackson-Bolanos, 28, was taken into custody and charged with her murder and two other crimes. His name and charges were not released until later.

Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy claimed there was not a 'shred of evidence' that Woll was killed as a result of antisemitism or any hate crime.

The case was initially feared she was killed in a hate crime as Woll served as board president of the Isaac Agree Downtown Synagogue.

But authorities have dispelled these and say there is no evidence she was killed due to antisemitism.

Woll was stabbed several times and left a trail of blood which led to her home

'There are no facts to suggest this defendant knew Ms. Woll,' Worthy said.

Police said a person of interest was in custody over the weekend. A different person who was in custody was released in November.

'This was an extraordinarily sad and tragic case,' Worthy said. She added, 'This takes time. We never want to rush to judgment.'

Jackson-Bolanos was also charged with breaking and entering without permission and lying to a peace officer.

On November 11, over three dozen suspects vandalized and shoplifted from two Tennessee gas stations, stealing over $17,000 worth of merchandise and ravaged the inside of the stores, in a slew of night thefts.

Police said the mob hit up an Exxon station and a Fill-N-Go gas station in Memphis Saturday night.

Memphis is at number five. The Tennessee city recorded a 2,421 violent crime rate and a 7,166 property crime rate. It also has only a $9,056 crime cost per capita

At one point a thief is seen ripping an illuminated sign from its base at the door

Video from WREG shows the group wreaking havoc inside the store, and at one point, a thief is seen ripping an illuminated sign from its base at the door.

The robbers are seen knocking over stands and carrying out boxes of goods, many of them slipping as they exit through the door.

Just after after 10 p.m. a mob of 30-40 suspects entered the Exxon at 3483 Airways Boulevard and stole $2,000 worth of merchandise, according to police.

Shortly after at 11:50 p.m., a group of 40 looters entered the Fill-N-Go gas station at 3084 South Third Street.

Authorities said the group caused approximately $9,000 worth of damage to the store and stole $15,000 worth of merchandise.

Apart from determining the most unsafe cities in the US, the analysis also noted that in larger cities (those with populations greater than 300,000), the average cost of crime per capita is $3,325  74% more than the average for medium-sized cities ($1,906).
The aviation sector has been the key driver of Dubai's GDP growth in recent prints, and ongoing government investment will ensure it remains an important sector in the coming decades, says Emirates NBDs senior MENA economist, who covers markets in North Africa and the Levant.

The aviation sector has become an increasingly important component of Dubais economy over recent decades, bolstered by the development of the emirates airports, and by the rapid growth of the national carriers, said Daniel Richards.

In recent quarters, aviation has been the key driver of GDP growth in Dubai. With global air travel set to maintain a solid pace of growth over the decades to come, and Dubai well-positioned to take advantage of this (through not only its geographical location at the meeting point of three continents, but also the governments determination to invest in the sector), we expect that it will continue to fuel economic expansion over the coming years.

Global Air Travel Continues to Grow

Global air travel has averaged annual passenger growth of 5.4% y/y over the 46 years from 1974 to 2019 according to World Bank data citing the International Civil Aviation Organization, Civil Aviation Statistics of the World, and ICAO staff estimates.

This has far outpaced global population growth which averaged 1.0% over the same period, as growth in real disposable incomes around the world, combined with an ongoing fall in the real cost of air travel (down 1.7% per year on average since 1970 according to IATA) has led to a steadily growing aviation sector.

The global Covid-19 pandemic upended markets in 2020, leading to a 60.2% y/y decline in global passenger numbers, but the industry has been recovering rapidly in the subsequent years. As of October 2023, air passenger traffic as measured by revenue passenger-kilometres (RPKs) was just 1.8% off 2019 levels, while seat capacity was at 97.0% of pre-pandemic, according to IATA data.

Once the final reopening gains have been realised, global passenger growth is likely to continue at a slower pace in the coming years and decades. This is thanks in part to a level of market saturation in some localities, rising environmental concerns around the carbon footprint of air travel, and taxes related to that that could slow the decline in the real cost of travel in some countries.

However, there remain significantly large growth markets in the developing world that will generate whole new customer bases eager for leisure travel as they move into the middle-income bracket, and aggregate global demand will continue to rise as more people around the world see their disposable incomes expand.

IATA projects annual global growth at 3.4% annually over the period to 2040, which would double current traveler levels. In the near term, the return of Chinese passengers to international travel in a more meaningful manner will support growth.

Dubais Airlines

Emirates airline was launched in 1985 as it began its first services between Dubai and Karachi and Mumbai. Its first owned aircraft was not delivered until two years later and from there on the airline expanded rapidly, operating to 14 different destinations by 1989.

By the 1999-2000 financial year 10 years later, Emirates was carrying 4.7 million passengers on its fleet of 32 aircraft and was the first airline in the world to order the new jumbo Airbus A380 double-decker aircraft, underscoring its ambition to be a key global transit airline and to help make DXB a major global hub for long-haul travel.

Today, Emirates connects 134 passenger destinations in 76 countries around the world, carried on its fleet of 249 passenger aircraft. The fleet is set to continue growing rapidly as there are presently 305 passenger planes scheduled for future delivery, reflecting the ambitious expansion plans of the airline.

At the Dubai Airshow in November, Emirates made a $50 billion order for 95 new Boeing aircraft. The recovery from the pandemic has been swift, and in the first half of 2023, Emirates announced profit of AED 9.4 billion (up 135% y/y) as it carried 26.1 million passengers over the six-month period, up 31% from H1 2022.

In addition to Emirates, FlyDubai also operates out of Dubai. Launched in 2009, the airline now flies to 120 destinations spread over 54 countries with its fleet of 80 Boeing 737s. Over the first nine months of 2023 the airline handled carried over 4mn passengers on y/y growth of 30%, and the airline ordered 30 new Boeing 787 aircraft at the Dubai Airshow.

Dubais Airports

Both airlines have Dubai International Airport (DXB) as their hub, and here too growth has been rapid, driven not only by the national carriers but also all the other airlines that operate through the facility, including majors such as Singapore Airlines, Ethiopian Airlines, and British Airways.

The biggest facility in the world for international traffic, DXB connects over 240 destinations around the world. It is on track to handle 86.8 million visitors this year, just shy of the record 2018 figure, a remarkable feat with international Chinese passenger traffic yet to fully recover.

The airport still has spare capacity of around 30 million visitors annually but given Dubais plans to continue focusing on the aviation sector to drive GDP growth, the ambition is to grow far beyond this.

In the near term, DXB is set to see a $1.6 billion-2.7 bn expansion over the next seven years that will turn it into a smart airport, with design optimisations to streamline operations. This will help it reach its capacity of around 120 million passengers a year over the next decade or so, but the longer-term focus will be on Dubais newer airport, Dubai World Central (DWC, or Al-Maktoum International).

DWC can currently handle around 7 million passengers but there is potential to expand this to 130 million passengers over Phase 1 and a massive 250 million travellers and 15 million tonnes of cargo annually once Phase 2 of the development plan is completed over the course of the next several decades. The airport will have five runways and 400 gates spread across 65sq km.

GDP Contribution

The individual contribution of the aviation sector to Dubais national accounts is not available, but the component to which it belongs, transport and storage, has been the major driver of Dubais economic growth in recent quarters.

Transport and storage, which accounts for 14.0% of real GDP, expanded 10.5% y/y in H1 2023, contributing 42.8% of total growth, far exceeding second-placed trade which generated 12.9% of the expansion. The communique from WAM highlighted the role played by the aviation sector, stating that the travel & tourism sub-sectors performance was positively impacted by the increase in the demand for the services of national carriers

With the expected ongoing growth in global air travel, and heavy investment planned into Dubais airlines and airports, we anticipate that the sector will continue to be a major contributor to the emirates economic growth over the coming years.

This will be supported by growth in the domestic population: there are plans to grow the population of Dubai to 5.8 million by 2040, from around 3.6 million presently. Given that this will largely entail people moving here from abroad, this will in and of itself generate growth in aviation numbers as the new inhabitants travel home or on holidays.

The ongoing growth in Dubais tourism sector will also underpin aviation: there were 13.9 million overnight visitors to Dubai over January to October 2023, exceeding the pre-pandemic record of 13.5 million set in 2019. The aim is to hit 40 million visitors by 2040, with the vast majority of these visitors set to come by air.

Finally, the focus by Emirates and Dubai Airports on linking the worlds biggest and busiest destinations will mean that transit traffic continues to grow. This will likely come at the expense of other traditional hub airports such as London, where the desire or ability to expand capacity through building new runways or terminals is lacking.

Dubai is not alone in looking to secure this growing business  Saudi Arabia is also looking to build up its aviation sector, launching a new airline Riyadh Air and aiming to serve 100 destinations globally by 2030.

The expansion of Air India, with the worlds largest ever aircraft order for 470 new planes made this year, could also impinge on Dubais growth given the large number of passengers traveling to or from India that pass through DXB.

The launch of ultra-long flights might also challenge DXBs hub model over the coming decades as airlines look for more efficient smaller aircraft that can go directly from the UK to Australia, for instance. Nevertheless, the size of the growth market in Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia in particular, alongside Dubais first-mover advantage, will likely mean that growth in transit traffic remains robust.  TradeArabia News Service
An Alabama mom with a rare double uterus who defied one in 50 million odds by becoming pregnant in each has given birth to twin girls within 12 hours of one another.

Kelsey Hatcher, 32, delivered little Roxi Layla on Tuesday at 7:49 pm and Rebel Laken on Wednesday at 6:09 am, each weighing over seven pounds.

A beaming Hatcher shared a photo of herself at the maternity unit at University of Alabama at Birmingham in the moments before her babies arrived.

'Our miracle babies were born! They decided they were rare enough statistically that they should just go ahead and have their own birthdays too.

'I can't wait to share the entire birth story with you guys! While we are all home now, we will take the time bond, recover, and enjoy the holidays.'

An Alabama mom with a rare double uterus who defied one in 50 million odds by becoming pregnant in each has given birth to twin girls within a day of each other

Kelsey Hatcher, a 32-year-old who was born with double uteruses, gave birth to her twin daughters on Tuesday and Wednesday

Doctors estimated a Christmas due date but Hatcher was induced at 39 weeks following 30 hours of labor. Pictured: The mom with her husband Caleb and their baby girls

The couple named their newborn daughters Roxi Layla (L) and Rebel Laken (R)

Doctors had estimated a Christmas due date, but following 20 hours of combined labor after Hatcher was induced at 39 weeks, the sisters arrived just in time to be at home for the holidays with their siblings.

The mom-of-five has known she has 'uterus didelphys,' a rare congenital condition thought to affect three in every 1,000 women since she was 17. In such cases, each uterus has only one ovary and one fallopian tube.

It was during a routine eight-week ultrasound visit in May that Hatcher, a massage therapist, learned not only that she was having twins this time, but that a fetus was present in each of her uteruses.

'As soon as she (the technician) moved the wand to the other uterus, I gasped,' Kelsey recalled, according to a statement by University of Alabama at Birmingham Hospital.

'Sure enough, there was another baby. We just could not believe it.'

Pregnancies in both uteruses are exceedingly rare, according to Shweta Patel, the obstetrician-gynecologist who cared for Hatcher at UAB's Women & Infants Center.

Patel was Hatcher's doctor during her third pregnancy. 'But that was only one baby -- two babies in two uteri were a true medical surprise,' she said in the statement, noting she received additional help from UAB experts in high-risk obstetrics.

Richard Davis, professor at the hospital's Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, said the congenital anomaly of Hatcher's dicavitary twin pregnancy meant her babies were not forced to share a single, cramped womb, a condition that would have made pre-term birth a high possibility.

The mom-of-five has 'uterus didelphys,' a rare congenital condition thought to affect three in every 1,000

She beat one in 50 million odds to become pregnant in each of her uteruses

Mom and babies have since been discharged from University of Alabama at Birmingham's maternity unit and are back home in time for the holidays

'With Kelsey's babies, they each had their own womb, sac, placenta and umbilical cord, allowing them extra space to grow and develop,' Davis said in the statement, which was accompanied by a hospital-produced video about Hatcher's pregnancy and delivery.

While the mom is yet to share the full birth story, images from the hospital suggest at least one delivery was via C-section.

The arrival of the twins means that Hatcher and husband Caleb now have their hands full with five children under the age of eight.

Medics previously confirmed the newborns will be classed as fraternal twins.

Hatcher said she was told the odds of a double pregnancy in double wombs were one in 50 million.

The last widely known case was in Bangladesh in 2019, when Arifa Sultana, then 20, gave birth to healthy babies 26 days apart.
Programme editor Jeremy Howe described him as 'the perfect Archers actor'

Fans have taken to social media to express condolences following actor's death

Fans and co-stars have flooded social media with their tributes to 'Perfect Archers' actor and EastEnders star Ian Pepperell, who has died at the age of 53.

The actor, who played hotelier Roy Tucker in the long-running BBC Radio 4 drama The Archers for 22 years, died on Friday following a long illness.

The thespian was described by the editor of the programme Jeremy Howe as 'the perfect Archers actor' who was able to play comedy and emotion equally well.

As news broke of his passing, co-stars and fans took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to express their condolences.

Ben Norris, who plays Ben Archer in the radio drama, wrote: 'A star went out over Ambridge yesterday. Rest easy Ian. I'll be raising a glass to you this Christmas, hospitality king that you were, on and off air.'

Tributes have been paid to actor Ian Pepperell (pictured), who played Roy Tucker in The Archers, after he died at the age of 53 following a long illness

One fan wrote that Roy Tucker was 'one of the most convincingly drawn characters' thanks to the talents of Ian Pepperell

Another fan paid tribute and wishes for a happy ending for the character of Roy Tucker

One fan wrote: 'Sad news. No more Roy. Far too young to pass at 53 #TheArchers.'

A second said he was simply 'one of the few characters I'd go for a drink with,' GB News reports.

Another said: 'Very sad news. Roy was a great character. #TheArchers.'

A third wrote: "RIP #Ian Pepperell, who played Roy Tucker in #TheArchers for many years and who has died far, far too early. Condolences to his family and friends. I hope Roy goes off to Bulgaria to live happily ever after with Lexi.'

Another said: 'Oh no. I had heard he was unwell and struggling I've been praying he would recover, that's very sad. I liked Roy and he was a great actor. Enjoyed him and Lexi back in the day. #TheArchers.'

One fan described Roy Tucker as 'one of the most convincingly drawn characters in the show - thanks to an excellent actor.'

Pepperell (pictured) was described as 'the perfect Archers actor' by the programmes editor Jeremy Howe

During his career, Pepperell also acted in numerous stage productions and appeared in BBC soap opera EastEnders for a short stint.

In addition to his acting career Pepperell ran a pub called The Star Inn in the town of Ringwood on the edge of the New Forest with his wife Nikki for the last two years.

In a heartfelt tribute posted on its Facebook page on Friday, she wrote: 'It is with the heaviest of hearts that I must tell you all, that Ian - left this world today - in peace, his way. As I, and all of the closest to him knew he would.

''To die, To sleep, To sleep, perchance to dream, ay, there's the rub'.'

Following the news of his death Mr Howe, who oversaw the actor's time on The Archers said he was among the 'very best radio actors'.

He said: 'Ian was the perfect Archers actor - he loved being part of an ensemble, relished the camaraderie and gossip of the Green Room, and had a seemingly effortlessly fine tuned vocal technique.

'Like all the very best radio actors he could think on his feet and change the way he played a scene in the blink of an eye.

'Thanks to Ian's brilliance, he created in Roy a character who managed to face in two directions simultaneously in almost every scene he played.

'He captured Roy as both genial and anxious, funny and sad, easy-going and permanently stressed - a man who could hold down with ease a top job, yet who always carried with him Hamlet's sense of failure.

'It all made perfect sense because of Ian's uncanny and laser-guided ability to find humour in the emotional scenes, and find pathos in the comedy that he always played so unerringly well.

'Ian had a lot more gas in the tank and was desperate to return to Ambridge once his health permitted. It is tragic that he died in his prime, we will miss him dearly and our hearts go out to his family and friends and everyone who knew him. Ambridge loved Roy - The Archers and our millions of listeners loved Ian's Roy Tucker.'

In recent years Pepperell (pictured) had run a pub on the edge of the New Forest with his wife Nikki

His former boss described him as being among the 'very best radio actors' with his ability behind the microphone

BBC director of speech, Mohit Bakaya, added: 'Ian was a hugely talented actor who contributed greatly to The Archers and brought much pleasure to listeners on Radio 4 for over two decades.

'He will be missed greatly and we send our deepest condolences to all who knew and loved him.'

Within the show, he featured in a number of dramatic storylines including a New Year's Eve episode in which his character Roy Tucker ask Hayley Jordan, portrayed by Lucy Davis, to marry him.

The pair later married but it came to and end after he had an affair with his boss Elizabeth Pargetter, played by Alison Dowling, at Lower Loxley Hall.

He later met Lexi Viktorova, voiced by Ania Sowinski, but after she became a surrogate for Adam Macy and Ian Craig, she decided to return to her home in Bulgaria and their relationship ended.

His character Tucker also had a daughter, Phoebe Aldridge, played by Lucy Morris, from his previous relationship to Kate Madikane, portrayed by Perdita Avery.

In the world of theatre, he played Hamlet for the Oxford Stage Company and Richard III at the Haymarket Theatre in Leicester.

He also featured in a number of episodes of EastEnders in 1993 and appeared in police drama The Bill.
A one-year-old homeless girl was tragically found dead near Los Angeles International Airport on Friday morning.

Emergency responders raced to a bus stop near the entrance of the airport shortly before 9:40am, after reports of a 'medical emergency', Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) spokesperson Brian Humphrey said.

She reportedly suffered a cardiac arrest, however details over how the infant lost her life were not offered by investigators.

The caller, whose relationship to the infant is not clear, attempted CPR until the LAFD arrived to take over, however she was tragically pronounced dead at the scene.

She was reportedly homeless along with her mother and sister, who is now in the care of officials while her mother is questioned over the incident.

A homeless one-year-old child was pronounced dead on Friday morning by a bus bench near to the entrance of LAX

The infant suffered a cardiac arrest, with her mother, who was also homeless, reportedly admitting she gave the child Benadryl the night before because she was fussy

Officials took the deceased girl's sister into the custody of the Department of Children and Family Services, while officials questioned the mother

Although the tragic death remains under investigation, officials have said they found 'nothing nefarious' about the incident, according to the Los Angeles Times.

The girl's mother reportedly told KNX News that she was heartbroken over the loss but didn't know how she died.

She said the child was being fussy on Thursday evening, so she gave her a small amount of Benadryl.

The mother, who was not named, said she and her daughters had been homeless since June, but she was afraid of seeking help in case her children were taken away from her.

Journalist Steve Gregory said on X that after it was found that all of the mother and her two daughters were homeless, the surviving daughter was taken into the custody of the L.A. County Department of Children and Family Services.

The LAPD's Abused Child Unit has been assigned to conduct the death investigation, officials said.
A Grandma from Louisiana 'lost a lot of Christmases' after waking up with no memory of the past thirty years

A Louisiana grandma who woke up five years ago thinking she was still a teenager in the 1980s said she's making the most of this Christmas because she lost so many due to her mysterious memory loss.

'Ive lost a lot of Christmases, so its a big deal,' Kim Denicola, 60, said about this holiday season.

Five years ago, Denicola was leaving her weekly bible study group in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, last October when her vision suddenly became blurry.

After losing consciousness, Denicola woke in hospital, unable to recall the four decades beyond her last day of secondary school.

Mrs Denicola began to feel unwell shortly after leaving the Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church.

A Louisiana grandma who woke up five years ago thinking she was still a teenager in the 1980s said she's making the most of this Christmas because she lost so many due to her mysterious memory loss

'Ive lost a lot of Christmases, so its a big deal,' Kim Denicola, 60, said about this holiday season.

Kim Harris Denicola (pictured) cannot remember the past 30 years of her life after she blacked out in a church car park, only to wake thinking it was 1980 and she was just 18

When she woke in hospital, Denicola did not even recognize her husband of 14 years David Denicola who is pictured right with his wife and her stepson Matthew

'I called my husband and told him I had a really bad headache, one of those excruciating, don't-know-what-to-do headaches,' she said.

'He told me not to drive and to ask one of the ladies to take me to the hospital.

'Apparently I went up to my bible study friend and said: "Is there any possible way you can take me to hospital?" and she did.'

Despite extensive tests and scans, five years later doctors still can't explain what happened but they told her that unfortunately if her memories haven't come back at this point they likely never will.

She is now re-discovering things she loves, including the simple things many take for granted.

The Baton Rouge native opened up to WAFB 9 about how excited she was to fill the Christmas gift baskets for her family members and explore all the treats and presents that she forgot about after her memory loss.

She is also getting to know her family all over again - including her husband and kids and four grandchildren.

As well as re-discovering things she loved - Denicola is also fascinated by new modern technology, such as the Alexa in her house that she is baffled by.

Denicola kept journals throughout her life - which she has been reading since her memory loss to understand her life.

She says that reading the journals feels like she is peeking into somebody else's life and doesn't recognize it as her own.

Not every memory is good - and the Baton Rouge grandma opened up about tearing pages out of the journals in frustration and upset.

Denicola is getting to know her family all over again - including her husband and kids and four grandchildren

She said that the last five years hasn't been an easy journey but insists that she's moving forward.

'I may have lost my memory but guess what we make new ones,' she said - adding that she makes a choice to keep going every day.

'You cant be mad and bitter because the good lord left me here for a reason and whatever that may be I'm sure he'll let me know one or another,' Denicola said.

She believes that she was put in her position by God to remind people that you 'don't have to give up'.

Denicola said her Christmas dream is to have her entire family back together celebrating under one roof.

When she woke at Our Lady of the Lake Medical Centre in Baton Rouge, the last thing Mrs Denicola remembered was her final day of school.

'I was leaving school and heading for my car,' she said. 'I had just taken an exam because I was graduating my senior year.

'The nurse asked me: "Do you know what year it is?" I said: "Yes, ma'am it is 1980".

'She asked me who the president was and I said: "Ronald Reagan".'

Concerned, the nurse fetched Mrs Denicola's husband, who cried as his wife failed to recall who he was.

As well as not recognizing her own husband, Mrs Denicola also had no recollection of her children Justin, 35, and Jonathan, 34, or her stepchildren Nicholas, 23, Megan and Matthew, both 19.

The last thing Mrs Denicola can recall is the final day of secondary school, as she headed for her car following an exam. She is pictured in the back row second from the left aged 15

She was also heartbroken to learn that her mother, Lucille Vickers, and father, Jay Harris, had both died years earlier.

'I felt lost,' she said. 'I kept waiting for my mum and dad to show up. When you are 18, that's what happens.

'It kept going on and they never showed up. I didn't know they had passed away. I didn't remember either of my children. I didn't know my grandchildren.'

When Mrs Denicola went to look in the mirror, she was horrified to see the reflection gazing back at her after she was convinced she was still a teenager.

'The awakening came when I went to the restroom and looked in the mirror,' she said.

'It wasn't the me I had remembered. It was a 56-year-old woman.'
Last Friday before Christmas is always a popular time in UK pubs and clubs

Comical pictures of a Christmas night out in Swansea have gone viral today, following in the footsteps of a similar snap of Manchester nightlife back in 2015.

The photos show a number of people interacting with police officers on a busy Wind Street in the Welsh city on the last Friday night out before Christmas.

In one snap, a man is being held on the floor by police officers and placed under arrest outside Bambu Beach Bar. The officers are surrounded by a group of young people, three of whom can be seen animatedly speaking to the policemen, whilst two girls standing next to them pose for the camera.

The composition bears a startling resemblance to The Raft of Medusa, a 19th century painting by Theodore Gericault depicting the survivors of a shipwreck adrift and starving on a raft.

A second photo shows a similar scene from the other side of the road. In this shot, one of the men is now on the ground and taking a selfie in front of the officers, while another holds a policemen's hat and a third poses for the camera in front of a large group of spectators.

The third photo displays a man and woman arguing with a police officer on the hectic street, whilst another woman lovingly hugs the pair of them.

In one snap, a man is being held on the floor by police officers and placed under arrest outside Bambu Beach Bar in Swansea.

The street scene bore a startling resemblance to the 1817 painting The Raft of Medusa by French Romantic artist Theodore Gericault

In this shot, one of the men is now on the ground and taking a selfie in front of the officers, while another holds a policemen's hat and a third poses for the camera in front of a large group of spectators

The third photo displays a man and woman arguing with a police officer on the hectic street, whilst another woman lovingly hugs the pair of them

There were also images in Swansea of the man being dragged away by police in handcuffs

The last Friday before Christmas Eve, also known as Black Friday, sees a number of partygoers and nightlife lovers take to the UK's streets to drink and celebrate with their friends, meaning it is usually also a busy night for police forces up and down the country.

LIVE READ MORE HERE: NORAD Santa tracker 2023 LIVE Advertisement

There were also images of the man being dragged away by police in handcuffs and of a woman vomiting in the street in Swansea.

Meanwhile in Newcastle there were fractious scenes on Black Eye Friday, with some men seen fighting each other at the end of the night and at least one person being led away by police in handcuffs.

Others were seen having a good time in the north east, with one reveller lying on the floor after drink appeared to get the better of him.

In Leeds other partygoers were seen in good spirits as they undertook the Otley run - a famous bar crawl that leads revellers into the city centre.

This chaotic set of images from Swansea have gone viral since they were posted online today, with one person commenting: 'And they said The Last Supper was good, clearly havent seen this.'

The pictures are on par with the famous image of Well Street in Manchester on New Years Eve in 2015, which was jokingly compared to a modern day Michelangelo piece.

The image, dubbed the 'Creation of Manchester', showed Mike Deveney reaching dramatically across the concrete for a bottle of beer - set against a backdrop of girls eating takeaways outside a Greggs - whilst officers arrest a man on the floor next to him.

A man is held back by a friend on a night out in Newcastle on Black Eye Friday

A reveller in Newcastle lies down on the ground after what appears to be a good night out on Friday

A woman and man try to calm tensions in Newcastle city centre on Friday night

A man is seen being led away by police in handcuffs in Newcastle city centre on Black Eye Friday

Two women pose for the camera as they head out on Black Eye Friday in Newcastle dressed as Santa

The photo entertained thousands, but the 47-year-old father doesn't even remember it being taken.

READ MORE HERE: Britain set to have its warmest Christmas Day in more than a century as temperatures expected to soar up to 14C with a 'chance' they could go higher Advertisement

His friend Hannah Kirby, who stands in the foreground wearing a red dress, said that far from 'chilling in the road, having a beer' Mr Deveney had just been knocked to the ground - but cleverly still managed to save his drink with his outstretched arm.

When asked about the picture being seen by millions of people across the world, he said: 'I'm not really bothered about the photo, I just felt a bit daft. I heard about it about two days later.'

He added: 'I remember nothing at all (about being on the floor). I remember getting up about 20 minutes later and going home with Hannah.

'We had been at the Gluepot, the pub up in Newton Heath, and then we went to Mambo's next to the Printworks.'

He says he kept a low profile on New Year's Day and didn't hear about the photograph until it had gone viral on Saturday.

Roland Hughes tweeted the picture with the caption: 'So much going on this pic of New Year in Manchester by the Evening News. Like a beautiful painting.'

A group of youngsters gathers in the background on the chaotic Well Street, in front of a Superdry and Greggs, watching the turmoil while clutching takeaway boxes.

Revellers dressed as Santa Claus and his elves pose for the camera as they head for a night out in Leeds on Friday

Another group of men, also dressed in festive Santa outfits, smile and wave for the camera in Leeds on Friday

A pair of women, one dressed as a Christmas cracker and the other a Christmas turkey, walk through Leeds on Black Eye Friday

The pictures from Swansea are on par with the famous image of Well Street in Manchester on New Years Eve in 2015, which was jokingly compared to a modern day Michelangelo piece

Meanwhile, an older man dressed all in blue, who has now been identified as Mr Deveney, is splayed in the middle of the road, reaching for a beer bottle with his outstretched hand while his T-shirt rides up over his exposed belly.

After the photograph's composition was compared to a Renaissance painting, social media users soon turned it into a series of hilarious memes, with one internet wag inspired to photoshop the blue-shirted man into Michelangelo's The Creation of Adam.

READ MORE HERE: Super Saturday descends into chaos as shelves are stripped bare and desperate shoppers offer bribes for trolleys in last-minute scramble to stock up on food, drink and gifts before Christmas Advertisement

Ms Kirby, who is also in the picture, earlier revealed that Mike had been knocked over during a scuffle involving police and another reveller.

Ms Kirby told the Manchester Evening News: '[On New Year's Day] my dad rang and said I was in one of the photos. I went to look on the website and I couldn't believe it. Hilarious!'

The morning after Black Eye Friday shops across Britain were rammed with people trying to get last minute Christmas presents for loved ones and stock up on supplies.

Desperate shoppers stripped shelves bare to make sure they are stocked up for the big day, leading to chaotic scenes in supermarkets with aisles rammed and trolleys running out on what is being dubbed 'Super Saturday'.

As others dared to return to Britain's supermarkets for forgotten supplies, thousands of Londoners descended on Oxford Street, Westfield shopping centre and Smithfield Market, where joints of meat were being sold at an annual auction.

Incredible pictures from the Christmas Meat Auction, the first time its been on since 2019, showed frantic shoppers leaning over each other and waving wads of cash at butchers walking through the crowds while parading huge cuts of meat.

Christmas shoppers pack Oxford Street London just after 12pm on Saturday as one of the busiest shopping days of the year kicks off

Desperate shoppers have stripped supermarkets bare in a bid to make sure they were stocked up for the big day. Pictured: Nearly empty shelves at a Sainsbury's in north London on Saturday

Butchers walk through Smithfield Market holding joints of meat as customers wave wads of cash yesterday

Huge crowds battle - with festive cheer - to try and secure joints of meat at the Smithfield auction

Supermarket workers and customers reported carnage in stores yesterday, as many chose to do their last-minute shopping

Christmas shoppers descend on a busy Oxford Street in central London on Saturday ahead of December 25

Christmas shoppers in Westfield Stratford City in East London, take advantage of pre-Christmas bargains

Some parents even gave their children the cash and held them aloft on their shoulders in a bid to get the butchers' attention.

It came as supermarket staff and shoppers have reported chaotic scenes at stores across the country.

At a Tesco in Newport, Gwent, one supermarket worker said: 'People were that desperate they were literally offering others money.

'Another customer also told me that he had an argument with another customer as they both wanted the same trolley. Queues were filling up the aisles as customers were waiting to pay for their shopping.'

The trolley scenes in Newport were echoed across the country as shoppers crammed in the late shopping trips.

The Tesco employee, who did not give their name, added: 'People were turning up to the store at 5am to get their shopping done, it was pretty busy. It got to around 8am and the self scan guns were empty, customers were complaining as they wanted to use them.

'Then around 10 am, customers were following other customers to their cars as there were no trolleys left. They were queuing by the entrance begging others to give them their trolleys.

'A women I was serving on the checkouts was telling me how a man had promised to give her his trolley. Then another man came over and said to the man with the trolley: 'I will literally give you a fiver for the trolley'.

'People were that desperate they were literally offering others money.

'Another customer also told me that he had an argument with another customer as they both wanted the same trolley. Queues were filling up the aisles as customers were waiting to pay for their shopping.'

The employee added: 'I really feel that this weekend is going to be worse than ever after seeing what it was like today. Even getting out of the car park was a struggles as it was absolutely packed.'
It certainly fits the criteria for a jumbo operation. Thirteen elephants are to be flown to Africa from Britain in a world-first rewilding attempt.

The herd, from Howletts Wild Animal Park in Kent, were all born in captivity and range from two to 34 years old.

Weighing a total of 25 tons, they will be flown in two Boeing 777 cargo aircraft 4,500 miles across the globe to their ancestral homeland in Kenya.

While there have been smaller rewilding attempts with individual elephants  or at most a pair  this will be the first time an entire herd has been rewilded.

The Aspinall Foundation, the charity which works in partnership with Howletts, says it strongly believes the elephants there  and all the other animals  belong in the wild.

And it has called for other zoos to follow suit. The herd is already being trained to walk into the custom-built crates for when the day eventually comes to fly them to their new home. A vet and keeper will accompany them at all times.

Two of the elephants at their home in Howletts Wild Animal Park in Kent

Although travel arrangements are yet to be confirmed, the elephants will be sedated but conscious during the eight-hour flights.

The charity has already successfully rewilded other species from both wildlife parks it works with, Howletts and Port Lympne Hotel & Reserve.

READ MORE: A HUNDRED elephants die in Zimbabwe drought with babies and elderly most likely to succumb as conservationists sound the alarm on climate change Advertisement

They include black rhinos going to Tanzania, Western lowland gorillas to Gabon and Congo and clouded leopards to Cambodia.

The elephants are housed in an eight-acre enclosure and are one of the most successful breeding herds of African elephants in Europe.

They include Tammi, the 34-year-old matriarch of the herd, teenagers Jara and Jama, and sociable Mchumba, who 'loves his food'.

The two youngest are Oku, named after a lake in Cameroon, and Nguvu, which is Swahili for powerful and energetic.

Although they are receiving the best care possible in captivity  and are a hit with visitors  the charity says it is 'still not good enough'.

Amos Courage, director of overseas projects for The Aspinall Foundation, said: 'We have the biggest herd in the UK, one of the biggest enclosures in Europe, and I think we have... the best care of elephants anywhere in the world. But it's still not enough. They're too big an animal, they're too intelligent, they're too active to keep in captivity.'

The foundation is negotiating with the Kenyan government over permits, but they hope to rewild the elephants at Golini-Mwaluganje Community Wildlife Conservancy.

The bespoke crates they will travel in, via two Boeing 777 cargo aircraft

The paradise that the elephants will be heading off to in Kenya, their ancestral homeland

The reserve, in the eastern Kwale County, is fenced and covers 30,000 hectares. It is already home to other elephants, zebra, warthogs, waterbuck and baboons.

There will be no predators  such as lions  and the herd will acclimatise to new food and water sources in a holding enclosure, known as a boma, before being released.

They will also be closely monitored by vets and conservationists in the years following their rewilding.

South Africa-based firm Conservation Solutions, which is organising the transportation, previously worked with Prince Harry in 2016 on one of the largest elephant relocations ever.

Around 500 were transferred to a nature reserve home in Malawi.

Mr Courage said his 'dream' would be to see the young male elephants in the herd, once released, looking to mate with females and have offspring of their own.

He added: 'I don't think zoos are needed... You can see things on TV now. You don't need to see animals behind bars.'
A woman in Texas who shot dead a 14-year-old boy that tried to break into the home she shares with her four daughters has said the incident left her 'devastated'.

Aleah Wallace saw Devin Baker attempting to open her eight-year-old girl's bedroom window in Fort Worth on December 14 and fatally shot him.

'I'm devastated that he was 14. I hate that. I literally do. And I'm so sorry. But at that point, I had to think about my babies,' she told Fox 4.

Police have not filed any charges against her over the shooting but the case has been sent to a grand jury.

Wallace said she got the gun to protect her family after suffering multiple break-ins which began just a few weeks ago.

Aleah Wallace, who shot dead a 14-year-old boy that tried to break into the home she shares with her four daughters, has said the incident left her 'devastated'

Wallace saw Devin Baker attempting to open her eight-year-old girl's bedroom window in Fort Worth on December 14 and fatally shot him

Police have not filed any charges against her over the shooting but the case has been sent to a grand jury

'I was cleaning my living room sweeping my floor, and I heard my window start going back up,' the mother said.

'So I went, and I stood in the hallway. And I could see him standing at the window, lifting it up. I just shot.'

Baker died at the scene of multiple gunshot wounds and Wallace added: 'It's bothering me that he was a kid.'

The case is going to a grand jury and she wants people to understand that she was just protecting her family.

'I have four daughters. Its just me and my four daughters that stay there. I just was protecting my daughters,' she said.

'I'm devastated that he was 14. I hate that. I literally do. And I'm so sorry. But at that point, I had to think about my babies.

'I didnt know he was 14 when he was on the other side of that window. All I knew was that somebody could come in and hurt me or my kids. That's it.'

Wallace said this was one of two attempted break-ins that night and it happened shortly after police left her duplex after responding to her first 911 call.

'I called them at 1.22 am. She talked for like 20 minutes. They did a report, took pictures of everything and then they left,' Wallace said.

Baker died at the scene of multiple gunshot wounds and Wallace said: 'It's bothering me that he was a kid'

Wallace said this was one of two attempted break-ins that night and it happened shortly after police left her duplex after responding to her first 911 call

She claimed there had been four attempted burglaries before that day and they all happened when no one was home.

But Wallace received the news that she is now being evicted for being in possession of a gun.

'The apartments called and told me that I was not supposed to have a gun at all, even though I kept calling them and telling them somebody was breaking in,' she said.

'They told me I could not have a gun, and I have 30 days to vacate. I feel like I'm back at square one. I was there for six years, and now I don't know what to do.'

Wallace lives in subsidized and there does not seem to be any law which prohibits residents from owning a gun.

She is worried that the eviction will prevent her from finding other housing for her and her daughters.

Family members of Baker revealed that he was an eighth-grade student at Rosemont Middle School.

He lived with his family on the same apartment complex as Wallace.
Republican Congressman Matt Gaetz has written to Delta Airlines demanding an investigation into claims migrants are being flown from the southern border into the US aboard their flights.

The Florida representative penned an open letter to CEO Ed Bastion on Friday seeking answers about how 'non-resident aliens' are able to 'book and travel' on Delta flights.

He stated that NGOs are using federal money to purchase flights for migrants who may not have passed verification checks, posing a security risk.

'Even more alarming than American taxpayers footing the bill for non-resident aliens to be transported into our communities is that they may not be properly vetted,' Gaetz wrote.

'I am concerned the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) may be allowing non-resident aliens to board flights, including those operated by Delta Airlines, with an alternate form of identification that meets a weaker standard than that used to verify the identities of American citizens.'

Republican Congressman Matt Gaetz is demanding answers from Delta Airlines over its alleged policy of flying illegal migrants into the US

His request came after a Delta passenger and right-wing commentator claimed she had seen migrants being flown from Arizona to New York on the same flight as her

Gaetz posed four questions of 'utmost importance and great concern' that he is seeking immediate answers for, including how many migrants have been transported and how the airline is paid for their tickets.

He also asked if there is any incentive for the airline to transport the migrants and what forms of ID are being accepted.

The missive comes days after right-wing commentator Ashley St. Clair accused Delta of flying migrants from Arizona to New York City.

St. Clair shared footage on Tuesday that she claimed showed migrants who were recently let out of an immigration detention center at the Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.

It's unclear if the passengers were recently arrived migrants who crossed the US-Mexico border or if they came from detention centers. However, migrants are not considered illegally in the country after being processed and requesting asylum.

She also said one of the alleged migrants was seated next to her in a premium cabin, and expressed concern about whether the passengers had been medically screened.

While St. Clair's claims have not been confirmed by the airline, southern states including those such as Texas, Florida and Arizona have been shipping migrants to 'sanctuary cities' at the behest of Republicans.

The GOP effort began in the spring when Texas Governor Greg Abbott and Governor Doug Ducey of Arizona put migrants on buses to Washington and later New York.

Gaetz wrote the open letter to Delta CEO Ed Bastion on Friday after footage emerged allegedly showing illegal migrants aboard one of their planes

Migrants queue in the cold as they look for a shelter outside a migrant assistance center in New York

Arizona is seeing a massive influx of migrants crossing the border. Governor Doug Ducey has been bussing the migrants to sanctuary cities in the north

The move was intended to draw attention to what the governors deemed failed border and immigration policies under Democrats and the Biden administration.

Florida Governor. Ron DeSantis intensified the tactic, chartering a flight to Marthas Vineyard, an elite Massachusetts vacation spot.

Gaetz previously threw his support behind a bill banning sanctuary cities within his native Florida and has called for penalties against them.

Sanctuary cities or states are not legal terms but have come to symbolize a pledge to protect and support immigrant communities and decline to voluntarily supply information to immigration enforcement officials.

However, leaders in such cities have themselves faced challenges due to the sudden influx of people.

In New York, it was claimed up to 400 migrants were arriving every day, with the number hitting approximately 100,000 over the last year.

In Washington D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser declared a limited state of emergency, requesting aid from the National Guard which was ultimately denied.

While in Illinois, the state's guard was drafted in by Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker to help deal with the rush of people arriving into Chicago.

DailyMail.com has contacted Delta for comment.
Prince Andrew is said to be 'totally tormented' as he braces himself for the scandal over his links to paedophile Jeffrey Epstein to reignite in the New Year.

The Mail on Sunday has learned the Duke of York's name will appear alongside those of scores of Epstein's powerful friends  some of whom have not previously been publicly identified  when a tranche of court documents are published.

The prospect of once again facing intense scrutiny over his friendship with Epstein is said to have plunged Andrew into deep despair ahead of Christmas, which he is expected to spend in Sandringham with his brother King Charles and other Royals.

'Andrew's name is in there,' one source said. 'He is beside himself with this latest development and everyone close to him is concerned for his mental wellbeing.

'He is at a loss, totally tormented. He is facing his second Christmas without his mother and now the New Year is going to start with his name being dragged through the mud all over again.'

The documents are part of a US defamation case Andrew's accuser Virginia Roberts brought against Ghislaine Maxwell

The Mail on Sunday has learned the Duke of York's name will appear alongside those of scores of Epstein's powerful friends

American judge Loretta Preska last week ruled that documents relating to more than 170 people who were linked to Epstein should be made public in early January

American judge Loretta Preska last week ruled that documents relating to more than 170 people who were either associates, friends or victims of multi-millionaire sex offender Epstein should be made public in early January.

The documents are part of a US defamation case Andrew's accuser Virginia Roberts brought against Ghislaine Maxwell, the British socialite who supplied Epstein with underage girls, in 2015

While the case was settled out of court two years later, The Miami Herald successfully fought to get the papers made public.

READ MORE: Royals leave Windsor Castle after festive lunch hosted by King Charles - as Prince Andrew breaks cover after US judge rules Epstein documents should be made public Advertisement

The first trove of documents was released in 2019, less than 48 hours before Epstein hanged himself in a New York jail while being held on child sex trafficking charges.

The MoS has been told that other names set to be made public in the new documents include Wall Street bankers, business leaders and big-name politicians and academics.

Ms Roberts claimed she was forced to have sex with Andrew when she was 17  allegations Andrew has vehemently and consistently denied. A civil lawsuit she brought in the US was settled out of court with no admission of wrongdoing by Andrew.

A source said: 'Every time Andrew hopes to put his association with Epstein in the past, it flares up again.

'It doesn't matter that he has never been charged, let alone convicted, of any wrongdoing, his name keeps getting dragged through the mud by association.

'This is going to hang over him all Christmas. You have to wonder when it will ever end.'

Epstein was accused of sexually assaulting countless teenage girls, some as young as 14, at his homes in New York and Florida and on his private Caribbean island.

Judge Preska gave those mentioned in the documents 14 days to formally object to the release of their names.

Only a handful will remain secret  many of whom are minors or possible victims.

Roberts, 40, who now lives in Australia and goes by her married name of Giuffre, last week celebrated the judge's ruling on social media saying: 'There's going to be a lot of nervous ppl over Christmas and New Years, 170 to be exact, who's on the naughty list?'

She called Preska 'a truth seeker' and 'justice maker'.
Albania's new ambassador to the UK, who will work with the Government to help stop the small boats crisis, sneaked into Britain illegally in the back of a lorry.

Uran Ferizi, 42, made a bogus asylum claim when he arrived in Calais in 1998, claiming to be Kosovan and giving a false date of birth.

Last week, he was officially accepted by David Cameron's Foreign Office  despite Home Office reservations  as the official representative of Albania in Britain and will now be formally appointed by the King at Buckingham Palace.

But last night, Albania's former foreign minister Edith Harxhi said: 'It's not diplomatically, morally or ethically right for someone who entered the UK illegally to be appointed ambassador. The migration crisis must be taken seriously.'

Mr Ferizi will act as a liaison between Albania and the UK governments to curb illegal migration.

Over the last ten years, thousands of Albanians have entered Britain illegally, in lorries from Calais and on small boats across the Channel.

Uran Ferizi made a bogus asylum claim when he arrived in Calais in 1998, claiming to be Kosovan and giving a false date of birth

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has repeatedly hailed Britain's 'operational co-operation' with Albania to tackle illegal migration

Multiple sources have confirmed Mr Ferizi arrived in the UK as an illegal migrant  without any identification documents when he came to Dover, falsely claiming to be fleeing the war in Kosovo.

He was allowed to stay while his case was assessed.

Public records show he married a British woman called Sarah Lennon in Hammersmith, West London, in May 2000.

READ MORE: The Albanian towns left crumbling as workers flee to UK Advertisement

On the basis of this marriage, he was granted indefinite leave to remain in the UK three years later.

Despite never having worked in the diplomatic service, he was put forward for the prestigious position of ambassador by the Albanian government in June. Sources claim he has a close relationship with the country's socialist leadership.

It is understood Suella Braverman's Home Office raised concerns about Mr Ferizi's appointment when he was nominated  but was overruled by the Foreign Office.

According to his online CV, Mr Ferizi is a mathematician and computer scientist who studied at Oxford University and University College London.

He was a financial analyst at JP Morgan in London between 2006 and 2008 before moving to the US to work as a scientific researcher at New York and Stanford, California, universities.

Before he assumes his role, Mr Ferizi will visit Buckingham Palace to present the King with his 'Letter of Credence', a formal letter from the Albanian head of state saying that he can be trusted.

Traditionally, the King then has an informal conversation with the new ambassador about the main issues facing their home country.

Last week, Uran Ferizi was officially accepted by David Cameron 's Foreign Office, despite Home Office reservations

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has repeatedly hailed Britain's 'operational co-operation' with Albania to tackle illegal migration.

But Ms Harxhi, a member of Albania's conservative Democratic Party, said Mr Ferizi's appointment 'shows we are only paying lip service to stopping the boats'.

She said: 'The job of the ambassador to London is the most important and prestigious after Washington, but [Ferizi] has no diplomatic service experience.' She said a census shows Albania's 2.8 million population has fallen by nearly 1.5 million since 2011.

She said: 'I believe the majority of those people have gone to the UK. Many Albanians see it as a welfare state for the unskilled.

'It's mostly people from northern Albania, where there has been virtually no investment. To stop illegal migration, the government must improve the lives of its citizens.'

Last night, Mr Ferizi said he has yet to 'start work properly', so was not allowed to speak to the media.

The Foreign Office would not comment on an individual's immigration status, adding: 'It is for Albania to recommend a candidate to be their ambassador.'
James Cleverly has apologised for joking about giving his wife a date-rape drug every night, just hours after announcing a crackdown on spiking.

The Home Secretary made the unguarded remarks at a Downing Street reception where he told female guests that 'a little bit of Rohypnol in her drink every night' was 'not really illegal if it's only a little bit', the Sunday Mirror reported.

Mr Cleverly also laughed that the secret to a long marriage was ensuring your spouse was 'someone who is always mildly sedated so she can never realise there are better men out there'.

Mr Cleverly met his wife Susie at university and the couple have two children.

Conversations at Downing Street receptions are usually understood to be 'off the record' but the Sunday Mirror decided to break that convention because of Mr Cleverly's position and the subject matter.

Allies of Mr Cleverly said his comments were made in a private setting but he recognises they were inappropriate.

James Cleverly has apologised for joking about giving his wife Susie a date-rape drug every night, just hours after announcing a crackdown on spiking

The Home Secretary (pictured in Trafalgar Square this week) made the unguarded remarks at a Downing Street reception where he told female guests that 'a little bit of Rohypnol in her drink every night' was 'not really illegal if it's only a little bit'

Mr Cleverly has previously described tackling violence against women and girls as a 'personal priority' and called spiking a 'perverse' crime.

A spokesman for the Home Secretary said: 'In what was always understood as a private conversation, James, the Home Secretary, tackling spiking made what was clearly meant to be an ironic joke - for which he apologises.'

Senior Labour figures criticised Mr Cleverly's 'appalling' comments.

Alex Davies-Jones, shadow minister for domestic violence and safeguarding, said: '"It was a joke" is the most tired excuse in the book and no one is buying it.

'If the Home Secretary is serious about tackling spiking, and violence against women and girls, then that requires a full cultural change. The 'banter' needs to stop and it has to start at the top.'

Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper said: 'Spiking is a disturbing and serious crime which is having a devastating impact on young women's lives.

'It is truly unbelievable that the Home Secretary made such appalling jokes on the very same day the Government announced new policy on spiking.

Mr Cleverly met his wife Susie (pictured at the Conservative Party Conference in October) at university and the couple have two children

'It suggests that despite being the Cabinet minister ultimately responsible for tackling violence against women and girls he doesn't get how serious this is. Victims will understandably be questioning if they can trust him to take this vile crime seriously.'

Ministers have pledged to modernise the language used in legislation to make clear spiking is a crime and announced a series of other measures as part of a crackdown.

But they stopped short of making spiking - when someone puts drugs into another's drink or directly into their body without their knowledge or consent - a specific offence.

Between May 2022 and April 2023, there were 6,732 reports of spiking in England and Wales - including 957 reported incidents of needle spiking.

On average police receive 561 reports of spiking a month, with the majority being made by women typically after incidents in or near bars and nightclubs, according to a Home Office report.
As nativity stories go, it could hardly be more modern, more brave or more touching. Devoted couple Emily Patrick and Kerry Osborn are pregnant with each others babies, and will give birth within weeks of each other.

In a pioneering case, the first of its kind known in Britain, the women swapped embryos  both fertilised by the same sperm donor  during IVF treatment.

Now Emily, 38, a creative producer, will give birth to a son who is biologically Kerrys at New Year. School teacher Kerry, 35, will follow in February, giving birth to a little boy grown from Emilys egg.

It means that, uniquely, both women are simultaneously pregnant and will go on to raise two sons  where one boy carries the DNA of one mother after being birthed by the other, and vice versa for his sibling.

We wanted a family in which we both felt deeply physically and emotionally connected to each others babies, says Emily. There wasnt a blueprint for this but it made sense to us.

'With a straight couple both parents share in the creation of their child. We cant do that. But we can be equal mothers to both sons. Theyll have the same father and we will be their mothers in different but equally profound and loving ways.

Beforehand we wondered if wed ever think about the fact that the baby we are carrying is not our own biological child. But its such a physical and emotional experience feeling a child grow inside you, that theres no way in which its not yours.

Devoted couple Emily Patrick (right) and Kerry Osborn (left) are pregnant with each others babies, and will give birth within weeks of each other. Pictured: Holding their baby scans

In a pioneering case, the first of its kind known in Britain, the women swapped embryos  both fertilised by the same sperm donor  during IVF treatment

Now Emily, 38, a creative producer, will give birth to a son who is biologically Kerrys at New Year. Pictured: Emily holding her baby scan

School teacher Kerry, 35, will follow in February, giving birth to a little boy grown from Emilys egg. Pictured: Kerry holding her baby scan

It means that, uniquely, both women are simultaneously pregnant and will go on to raise two sons. Pictured: Together, with their retired greyhound Dotty

One boy will carry the DNA of one mother after being birthed by the other, and vice versa for his sibling

Indeed, as Emily is talking, Kerrys son, just a couple of weeks from his due date, is kicking hard beneath her maternity jeans.

Kerry continues: Its a privilege to be pregnant with Emilys baby. There was no big conversation, it just felt natural to us, doing this amazing thing with and for the person you love most.

We recognise that even a few years ago, this kind of reciprocal IVF wouldnt have been an option. It was much harder to be gay parents. It says a lot about how far opinions have evolved that not only can we do this, but that so many people from the LGBTQ+ community are now following our progress and thinking about doing it too.

We dont feel like pioneers, but I hope that in some sense we are and that one day soon this will be considered normal.

The only people I was anxious about telling were my grandparents, and all they can think about is how theyre going to be great-grandparents to not one but two babies in the space of eight weeks.

The private procedure has cost the women an estimated 25,000, which includes buying sperm from an anonymous donor  an American man with Dutch and German heritage. Since he donated at a British clinic, under UK law the boys will have the right to know his identity when they turn 18, something Emily and Kerry welcome.

Curiosity about where youre from is normal and natural, the boys should absolutely have the right to know who fathered them and what hes like, says Kerry. I dont think theres anything to lose, but by finding out about the other half of themselves, they have everything to gain.

Emily adds: We plan on being open and honest with our children from the beginning. Lets face it, the moment they realise theyve got two mothers, theyre going to twig there was someone else involved.

As Emily is talking, Kerrys son, just a couple of weeks from his due date, is kicking hard beneath her maternity jeans

Today, the couples most pressing problem is the fact that theyll soon have two newborns in the pretty, all-white, double nursery they have prepared at the Victorian home in Gosport, Hampshire

The private procedure has cost the women an estimated 25,000, which includes buying sperm from an anonymous donor  an American man with Dutch and German heritage

Since he donated at a British clinic, under UK law the boys will have the right to know his identity when they turn 18, something Emily and Kerry welcome

Today, the couples most pressing problem is the fact that theyll soon have two newborns in the pretty, all-white, double nursery they have prepared at the Victorian home in Gosport, Hampshire, that they share with their retired greyhound, Dotty.

So far, they have only agreed on their firstborns name. They are also wondering what to call themselves, since only one of them can be Mummy.

Maybe itll be Mummy and Mum, or perhaps Mummy and Mama, says Emily.

Their house, they say, looks like a laundry, as piles of secondhand baby grows rise with each wash. It also looks like a DIY store as a double pram, twin cots and a pair of capsule car seats lie around  in varying states of assembly.

In short, they are as excited and as anxious as any other first-time parents, while acknowledging that the imminent birth of their sons will be hailed as a landmark development in the history of IVF. Neither Emily nor Kerry has ever struggled with their sexuality. Emily knew she was gay in her mid-teens and came out to her supportive parents when she was 16. Kerry was at university to train as a teacher when she realised she was a lesbian and came out to her equally accepting family.

They first connected in January 2017 on the dating site Tinder. Emily was working in New Zealand having been there for a decade and Kerry was visiting.

Though in the same country, they were too far apart to meet in person but began an old-fashioned, long-distance courtship, corresponding for four months before they finally met. The first meeting included Emily down on one knee holding a sweetie in the shape of a ring and Kerry clutching a bottle of champagne.

They have been together ever since, travelling extensively around South East Asia and New Zealand before settling in Gosport a year ago. Now their extraordinary shared pregnancies have put the seal on a love story six years in the making.

Their house, they say, looks like a laundry, as piles of secondhand baby grows rise with each wash

It also looks like a DIY store as a double pram, twin cots and a pair of capsule car seats lie around  in varying states of assembly

So far, they have only agreed on their firstborns name. They are also wondering what to call themselves, since only one of them can be Mummy

We were actually as good as married in the space of two weeks, says Kerry and they both laugh and roll their eyes. It snowballed fast, agrees Emily.

Kerry was always the more maternal of the two  she knew she wanted children, whereas Emily hadnt considered it before they got together. Discussing their future in the long hours of lockdown, they settled on the idea of creating a family in which they could be both biological and gestational mothers.

Kerry says: There was no great ceremony, it was a Thursday night and we started swiping through sperm banks. The problem is that once you start, you cant stop, there is so much choice. We chose a man about our own age who had two children and was donating for altruistic reasons  there were people in his family struggling with infertility and he wanted to help others.

The couple were able to inspect his handwriting, as well as a picture of him aged about eight, and listened to a recording of his voice.

We know what he does for a living, his hobbies, his likes and dislikes, and his family history back to his grandfathers generation, says Kerry. We even know he has long limbs and high cheekbones!

In short, we know enough to be able to tell our sons what traits they have inherited from their father.

Making the final selection was, Kerry admits, incredibly hard.

You are not doing it for yourself, she explains, you are doing it for your children and their future. We wanted a donor who looked a little like both of us  but his health was our greatest concern.

In short, they are as excited and as anxious as any other first-time parents, while acknowledging that the imminent birth of their sons will be hailed as a landmark development in the history of IVF

They first connected in January 2017 on the dating site Tinder. Emily was working in New Zealand having been there for a decade and Kerry was visiting. Pictured: In Queenstown, New Zealand

Though in the same country, they were too far apart to meet in person but began an old-fashioned, long-distance courtship, corresponding for four months before they finally met

The whole process of fertilisation and implantation was conducted according to the rules of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority, the UKs independent regulator.

It means that, aged 16, Emily and Kerrys sons will be entitled to see their fathers full profile, and then at 18, they can ask for his name, date and location of birth, and his most recent address, enabling them to make contact if they wish. The donor has made it clear he is happy for this to happen. Emily and Kerry began IVF in September 2021, undergoing a baseline scan to check their ovaries, and ensuring they met their clinics age and Body Mass Index (BMI) criteria. In July last year, after having daily injections for a fortnight to stimulate their ovaries, they had their eggs collected at the same time.

Emily produced 15 eggs and Kerry 14. All were fertilised using their donors frozen sperm, resulting in five embryos for Emily and seven for Kerry.

The women had each others embryo transferred into their wombs in April but while Emily became pregnant with Kerrys embryo, Kerry did not. It briefly derailed their plan.

It was bittersweet for me, admits Kerry, but I wasnt devastated. How could I be? My baby was growing inside Emily.

The couple had been realistic about the chances of failure for one or both of them  in fact theyd only done a joint pregnancy test because it was a Bank Holiday and they wanted to go for a beer.

Most people get pregnant on a night out  but its not like that for a lesbian couple, says Emily.

Eight weeks later however, following a second implant, Kerry too had a positive pregnancy test.

The whole process of fertilisation and implantation was conducted according to the rules of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority, the UKs independent regulator

They have travelled extensively around South East Asia and New Zealand before settling in Gosport a year ago. Now their extraordinary shared pregnancies have put the seal on a love story six years in the making

That was when we cried with happiness, they say.

Emily adds: We knew we would never regret doing it this way. If we had gone with the cheaper, more straightforward option of carrying our own babies then there could always have been a moment when we wondered what if. In contrast, this is exactly what wed hoped for.

Since then, while Kerry has breezed through her pregnancy, Emily has suffered sickness and dizziness. In the early stages I was passing out, I have carpal tunnel syndrome in my wrists and my feet are the size of Shreks, she says.

Naturally I have told Kerry I should have kept my own baby because he seems much more chilled, jokes Emily.

Yes, Im glad shes got mine, adds Kerry.

They had a gender reveal party in October where Emilys sister found out the sexes and filled two water pistols, one for each mother-to-be. It wasnt until both Emily and Kerry were dripping with blue water after squirting one-another that they realised they were both having sons. Fittingly, both women hope to have water births.

They accept that some people may not approve of what they are doing but they believe the strength of their relationship  and the security of the home they are preparing for their children  will silence any criticism. Emily says: We are waiting for a negative response, there is still homophobia out there, but we are confident we can handle it.

Were doing this for ourselves, and if we become some kind of role model for others well be happy about that too. IVF has been a taboo subject but it shouldnt be and we hope we can become part of that conversation.

Emily and Kerry began IVF in September 2021, undergoing a baseline scan to check their ovaries, and ensuring they met their clinics age and Body Mass Index (BMI) criteria

As new mothers, the couple hope to resume their exploration of the British Isles in the 15-seater minibus they have converted into a camper van

They do not anticipate any further legal formalities. Kerry says: We signed consent forms at every step of the way  this is not the same as an adoption or a surrogacy. Both of our names will appear on the birth certificate as parents for both boys and the embryos that we still have in storage are ours, not mine or Kerrys.

As for the remaining embryos, they will be donating them to medical research once they are certain they dont want to have any more children. Kerry says: We are only able to have our family because someone somewhere helped with that in the past. We are so grateful, so it feels like the right thing for us to be altruistic now.

As new mothers, the couple hope to resume their exploration of the British Isles in the 15-seater minibus they have converted into a camper van. Theyd also like to get married, having put their wedding plans on ice to focus on having babies. Both women wear promise rings, although Emilys fingers are now so swollen she has had to take hers off. Later this year, theyre taking their sons to New Zealand, to celebrate in the country where they first met.

People are scared of stepping out of their comfort zone with children  but weve had to do things a bit differently so far and we wont be stopping now, says Emily. Its going to be so lovely to see each other as mothers, to be a family at last.
An 18-year-old man has been charged over a crash involving two cars that left six other people, including three children, in hospital in southwestern Sydney.

Police allege a sedan was seen driving about 140km/h in a sign-posted 70km/hr zone at 2am on Saturday in Milperra when it collided with a 4WD.

A 43-year-old woman and three children - aged 10, 14 and 15 - were trapped inside the 4WD before being freed and taken to hospital with serious injuries.

Authorities said the injuries were not considered life-threatening.

An 18-year-old man has been charged over a crash involving two cars that left six other people, including three children, in hospital in southwestern Sydney

Police said a sedan was seen driving about 140km/h in a sign-posted 70km/hr zone at 2am on Saturday in Milperra when it collided with a 4WD

Two passengers in the sedan, both men aged 18, were hospitalised and in stable conditions.

The driver of the sedan, an 18-year-old man, was also taken to hospital under police guard for mandatory testing and subsequently charged with 11 offences, including dangerous driving occasioning grievous bodily harm.

The man was refused bail to appear at Parramatta Local Court on Sunday.

Photographs from the scene on Saturday afternoon showed piles of rubble mixed with what appear to be items of clothing and other knick knacks.

Nearby strewn shards of glass and metal, a plastic green p-plate could be seen.
A woman and toddler are continuing to recover in hospital after the pair were struck by lightning during wild storms in Queensland.

The pair - a woman in her 30s and a little boy - were outside in Mareeba, west of Cairns, when they were struck at about 3.40pm on Friday.

The woman and the boy were both rushed to Mareeba Hospital in serious conditions.

The woman was in a stable condition while the boy remained in a serious condition.

A woman and toddler are continuing to recover in hospital after the pair were struck by lighting during wild storms in Queensland

A Cairns and Hinterlands Hospital and Health Services spokeswoman said on Saturday the child was now in a stable condition as well.

A supercell storm hit Queensland on Thursday, with warnings from the Gold Coast to White Bay of severe and potentially life-threatening storms, large hail and heavy rain which could lead to flash flooding.

The emergency services urged those living in the affected areas to stay indoors, not to drive unless necessary and close doors and windows.

The situation was so severe, the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) issued warnings from Queensland's central coast all the way down to the Darling Downs farming region in the southern part of the state, west of the Great Dividing range.

The latest bad weather to hit the sunshine state comes as Far North Queensland continues the clean-up from floods caused by ex-tropical cyclone Jasper.
One person was killed and another was left injured after a shooting at a shopping mall in central Florida, and the suspect remains on the run.

The Ocala Police Department confirmed that one man was shot in the head and pronounced dead on the scene.

A woman, who sustained a gunshot wound to the leg, has been transported to a local hospital and is expected to survive.

The shooter is believed to be a black male wearing a dark hoodie, black pants and a mask partially covering his face, according to Ocala Police Chief Mike Balken.

Authorities responded to calls reporting an 'active shooter' at the Paddock Mall in Ocala, located 80 miles northwest of Orlando, at around 3.40 pm on Saturday.

'Officers immediately made entry into the mall and ultimately discovered this was not an active shooter situation,' Balken said.

One person was killed and another was left injured after a shooting at a shopping mall in central Florida , and the suspect remains on the run on Saturday afternoon

The Ocala Police Department confirmed that one man was shot in the head and pronounced dead on the scene

Authorities responded to calls reporting an 'active shooter' at the Paddock Mall in Ocala, located 80 miles northwest of Orlando, at around 3.40 pm on Saturday

Officers determined a shooting had occurred and the suspect had fled the scene.

'One adult male was found deceased in a common area, and one woman was taken to the hospital and is being treated for non-life-threatening injuries,' authorities said.

'The mall will be locked down for at least the next 12 hours,' Balken said.

'We believe the shooter fled the area and is at large. We also believe this shooting may have been targeted,' authorities later wrote.

'Right now we are conducting a secondary sweep of the mall and are investigating this shooting,' they added.

In videos and photos circulating on social media, holiday shoppers can be seen shouting and streaming out of the mall.

Multiple victims were transported on stretchers from the mall area by emergency teams.

A helicopter can be seen flying above the mall area, actively searching for the shooter.

Police recovered a gun believed to have been used by the shooter but did not specify the firearm type.

Officers from the Marion County Sheriff's Office, county and city fire rescue teams, and the Florida Highway Patrol were on-site

Multiple victims were transported on stretchers from the mall area by emergency teams

The police are searching for the perpetrator of the shooting at Paddock Mall in Ocala, Florida.#USA #Florida #Ocala pic.twitter.com/A3nkzJDE4Z  Ulfh3dnar (@Ulfh3dnar_) December 23, 2023

#BREAKING: Multiple people have been shot and injured inside the Paddock Mall with the suspect is still at large#Ocala | #Florida 

Numerous law enforcement and other emergency personnel are on the scene at Paddock Mall in Ocala, Florida, responding to an active shooter pic.twitter.com/5Q0II5yIJ8  R A W S A L E R T S (@rawsalerts) December 23, 2023

Syriah Williams, 18, was shopping at Bath & Body Works with her mother when she heard several shots ring out.

'The employees opened the back storage area and told everyone to run,' Williams told ABC News.

She quickly took cover behind the store counters when the 'chaos erupted'.

Calvin and Diana Amos, who were shopping in the J.C. Penney store, told the Ocala Star Banner that they evacuated the store quickly once they figured out what was going on.

The family said they didn't hear any shots but were 'scared' and 'apprehensive'.

Megan Garcia, who was at Kay Jewelers inside the mall, said, 'I dropped everything and ran,' even though she had already paid for the items.

Officers from the Marion County Sheriff's Office, county and city fire rescue teams, and the Florida Highway Patrol were on-site.

'It's the worst. The worst thing we can imagine right now at this time of the year. Somebody has suffered a loss in their family,' Balken said at the news conference.

'It's a horrible time of year for this to happen ever, but it is especially sad during the holidays.'
A top consultant is being investigated after confiscating the shoes of junior doctors as 'punishment' for being slow to discharge elderly patients from hospital, The Mail on Sunday can reveal.

It is understood the senior doctor was supervising discharges when he discovered that key documents were not being completed quickly enough to allow patients to go home.

According to one source, Michael Fertleman, 51, a specialist in geriatric medicine, told his juniors: 'The patient can't go anywhere until you do their discharge. Give me your shoes so you understand how that feels.'

Now the incident at St Mary's Hospital in London last week has led to a formal bullying complaint being made against the consultant.

The doctor's actions come as the bed-blocking crisis in the NHS continues to cause concern, with as many as 13,000 patients declared fit to return home still in hospital because of discharge delays.

According to one source, Michael Fertleman, 51, a specialist in geriatric medicine, told his juniors: 'The patient can't go anywhere until you do their discharge. Give me your shoes so you understand how that feels'

Last night, Dr Fertleman's motives in highlighting the plight of elderly patients was defended by Dennis Reed, director of the over-60s campaign group Silver Voices. He said: 'Older people are often the last in the queue for NHS treatment and discharge, even though they may be in constant pain.

'Although this consultant probably went too far, at least he was making a strong symbolic point about the powerlessness and lack of agency often felt by older people.

'Being ignored is unfortunately part of getting older and the consultant may have been trying to shock young students into understanding that this ageist attitude is wrong.'

Sources said the incident erupted when junior doctors failed to complete 'To Take Away' discharge documents, or TTAs, quickly enough. Two Foundation Year 1 doctors, known as FY1s or F1s, were ordered to hand over their shoes by Dr Fertleman.

Describing the incident on social media site Reddit, one hospital worker said: 'These were placed in a bag and presented to the nurse in charge with an instruction that they should not be returned until discharges were complete. The consultant was p***** [angry] and a massively strong character so the F1s just  went along with it.

'During this time, they obviously kept getting interrupted with the standard 'please update this family'/'please see this unwell patient'. They were obviously shoeless, which raises major safety concerns.

'Another consultant came in about half an hour later, heard what had happened and very angrily demanded that the shoes were given back.'

Now the incident at St Mary's Hospital in London last week has led to a formal bullying complaint being made against the consultant.

That doctor is said to have had a 'public, raised-voice conversation' with Dr Fertleman.

The worker added: 'It was just extremely humiliating for everyone involved. There's been an official bullying complaint.'

The incident was confirmed to The Mail on Sunday by senior anaesthetist Dr Helgi Johannsson, a clinical director at the hospital and vice-president of the Royal College of Anaesthetists.

Responding to another doctor who asked on X, formerly known as Twitter: 'Surely this can't really have happened?', Dr Johannsson said: 'I assure you, this was reported, is being investigated and taken very seriously.'

Dr Fertleman is one of Britain's foremost figures in hospital care for the elderly and chairs the Joint Royal College of Physicians Specialist Advisory Committee on geriatric medicine, responsible for training over 800 registrars.

At St Mary's in Paddington, west London, he oversees the medical management of older surgical patients and supervises 12 'doctoral students'.

He is also a visiting professor at Imperial College London's department of bioengineering.

Last night Professor Julian Redhead, executive medical director at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust which runs St Mary's, said: 'We can confirm that an incident involving a consultant telling junior doctors to remove their shoes took place last week.

'This was a highly unusual incident that was immediately treated as a serious matter by other clinicians and managers.

'The consultant involved is not working while an investigation takes place and everyone involved is being supported.'

Dr Fertleman was approached for comment.
Welcome to MailOnline's liveblog following Father Christmas' progress on the NORAD Santa tracker.

St Nicholas and his famous reindeer have completed their journey around the world, delivering more than 7.8billion presents to children across the globe.

Families worldwide were tracking his 24-hour long journey, which has now seen him return home to his toy factory in the North Pole.

Read our blog below where you'll get the latest updates on Santa's magnificent mission to bring joy and happiness to everyone this festive season.
The holidays have arrived, and with it, the feel-good emotions that only this time of year can bring.

As Christmas music blares from storefront speakers and neighborhoods sparkle with bright lights and festive cheer, experts reveal it's more than a coincidence that the holidays drastically affect how you feel.

Researchers in Norway said a Christmas spirit network in the human brain activated when participants viewed Christmas-themed images.

There is a 'Christmas spirit network' in the human brain that triggers euphoric feelings during the Christmas season

The study, published in the BMJ journal, focused on 26 participants split into a Christmas and non-Christmas group and found that the sensory-motor cortex, which controls bodily senses, lit up for those positively associated with the holiday.

Dr. Rachel Goldman at New York University, who was not involved in the study, told Dailymail.com: 'If someone has fond memories growing up with family traditions and it was a joyous time of year for them, then that would most likely translate to later in life, and this time of year would bring back those memories and feelings.'

It all comes down to associations and what our brain thinks the holiday season means, and that is different for each individual as we all have different experiences.'

Positive reinforcement is something Goldman said she sees in her clients, particularly during the holidays.

'Someone could have a positive experience, such as childhood memories filled with joy, presents, baking cookies together,  and then the thought of going home and/or the holidays could immediately elicit a feeling of happiness, joy, etc,' said Goldman.

'The same/similar emotions they had as a child during that time, she said.

Memories during childhood tend to impact the way we view the holidays as adults, eliciting a positive or negative trigger-based response

These experiences are defined as classical conditioning, a process in which behaviors are learned when a neutral stimulus, like Christmas, is connected with a positive memory.

Russian physiologist Ivan Pavlov first discovered classical conditioning in the late 1890s after he discovered that by ringing a bell every time he fed a dog, the dog would salivate when he heard the bell, even without being fed.

Feelings of euphoria at Christmas time work the same way, Dr. Krystine Batcho, a professor of psychology at Le Moyne College in Syracuse, New York said in 2019.

She continued: Decorations are a symbol of a marker in time.

In our childhood, or in our younger days, those decorations were followed by good things, such as the coming together of family, good food, exchanging presents  all kinds of great, happy things.

By classical conditioning, those decorations take on those properties of elevating our mood.

Each memory elicits a trigger, causing the brain to respond by releasing hormones and chemicals that create a state of arousal.

This means that every memory, good or bad, acts as a trigger and tells the brain how to respond when the person is in a similar situation.

Not all Christmas-related memories are good, and many people may head into this time of year with negative triggers, causing them to want to skip the holiday altogether.

Something to keep in mind is that a trigger is anything that elicits an intense or unexpected emotional response, Goldman said, adding that common triggers stem from negative memories or trauma.

Goldman said she often hears her clients say they have pre-disposed anxiety heading into the holidays, most commonly because of family comments and questions about their eating behaviors, weight, shape, or size.

These past experiences create a triggered response that the holidays are a stressful time and theyre already anticipating the same kinds of comments and questions for the next visit.

It is possible to flip the script on your emotional response to the holidays by creating new, positive memories

However, negative triggers are never set in stone, and it is possible to flip the script on those triggers and emotions.

It's important to remind readers that this is not easy, but also not impossible, Goldman said.

Changing the way we think is the same as any other habit  it takes time and practice.

People can change the way they react to the holidays by creating new memories and positive experiences or through self-affirmation.

I often say our self-talk becomes our reality, Goldman said.

... The more we tell ourselves something, or the more we hear something from external messages, we eventually internalize it and believe it.

The memories and attachments associated with the holiday season could cause you to run, full speed, away from festive cheer or embrace it, singing Deck the Halls all the way into the New Year.
From friendly Golden Retrievers to adorable Chihuahuas, Britain is home to an estimated 13 million dogs across more than 200 breeds.

Now, figures released by The Kennel Club have revealed the dog breeds that have declined the most in popularity in Britain this year.

Three of these breeds are flat-faced dogs, who are known to suffer from a range of health conditions related to their facial structure.

'The drop in puppy registrations for these flat-faced breeds is a welcome step in the right direction,' said Dan O'Neill, Chair of The Brachycephalic Working Group (BWG).

So, is your pooch on the list?

Figures released by The Kennel Club have revealed the dog breeds that have declined the most in popularity in Britain this year

Top 10 'falling' breeds so far in 2023 Breed % change Pug -42% English Bulldog -39% Miniature Pinscher -35% French Bulldog -34% Belgian Shepherd Dog -34% Shar-Pei -33% Chihuahua -32% Scottish Terrier -31% Samoyed -30% Boston Terrier -29%

To find out the dog breeds that have declined the most in popularity this year, The Kennel Club analysed the number of puppy registrations in Q1-Q3 2022 to those in Q1-Q3 2023.

It only looked at breeds who had more than 150 puppy registrations so far this year.

'Small numbers show up disproportionally,' The Kennel Club explained.

The results revealed that the Pug saw the biggest decline in numbers, dropping from 2,834 registrations in 2022 to just 1,654 this year - a 42 per cent decrease.

Two other flat-faced (or brachycephalic) breeds also featured in the top list - the English Bulldog and the French Bulldog, which saw a 39 per cent decrease and 34 per cent decrease respectively.

The results revealed that the Pug saw the biggest decline in numbers, dropping from 2,834 registrations in 2022 to just 1,654 this year - a 42 per cent decrease

Two other flat-faced (or brachycephalic) breeds also featured in the top list - the English Bulldog (right) and the French Bulldog (left), which saw a 39 per cent decrease and 34 per cent decrease respectively

READ MORE: Is YOUR dog gifted? Scientists reveal the 3 key signs to look out for Advertisement

According to The Kennel Club, this drop in popularity is a sign that puppy buyers, owners and breeders are considering the serious health and welfare implications for flat-faced dogs.

Bill Lambert, spokesperson for The Kennel Club, said: 'We hope the new figures are a sign of this message getting through and that there are now fewer, better-informed owners buying from responsible breeders who are doing all they can to breed healthy puppies.'

Coming in third spot was the Miniature Pinscher, which saw a 35 per cent decrease in popularity this year.

Meanwhile, the Belgian Shepherd Dog rounded out the top five, seeing a 34 per cent decrease compared to 2022.

The Shar-Pei, Chihuahua and Scottish Terrier came next, with 33 per cent, 32 per cent, and 31 per cent declines, respectively.

Finally, the Samoyed declined by 30 per cent, while the Boston Terrier saw numbers plummet by 29 per cent.

The Shar-Pei (pictured), Chihuahua and Scottish Terrier came next, with 33 per cent, 32 per cent, and 31 per cent declines, respectively

Speaking to MailOnline, a Kennel Club spokesperson explained: 'Chihuahuas were really the dog of the decade in the 2000 and 2010s.' Pictured: Paris Hilton (left) and Elle Woods (right) in Legally Blonde with their pet Chihuahuas

You'll probably notice that many of these dogs including the Pug, Miniature Pinscher, Chihuahua, Scottish Terrier, Samoyed and Boston Terrier are on the smaller side.

The Kennel Club suggests that this may show a shift away from miniature breeds.

Speaking to MailOnline, a Kennel Club spokesperson explained: 'Chihuahuas were really the dog of the decade in the 2000 and 2010s.

'They became known as "handbag dogs" and were the choice of pet for many celebrities. But it seems they have fallen in favour.'

If you're considering getting a dog, The Kennel Club is urging you to do your proper research.

'Its crucial to remember that every dog  small or big  should be considered with care, and their needs, health and characteristics must be researched if youre going to find your match responsibly,' the spokesperson added.
With Christmas just two days away now, children around the world will eagerly be keeping their eyes to the skies in the hopes of seeing Santa on his travels.

Parents will be delighted to hear that 'Santa' - in the form of the International Space Station (ISS) - will be visible from the UK this Christmas Eve.

NASA says the spacecraft will be the 'third brightest object in the sky and easy to spot if you know when to look up'.

And, while it's not the man in red, the ISS will make a good alternative for the big and small kids who will be looking out for him.

'Visible to the naked eye, the space station looks like a fast-moving plane, only flies much higher, and travels thousands of miles an hour faster!' NASA said.

For parents wanting to surprise their kids with a festive surprise, the passing of the International Space Station can make quite a convincing stand-in for Santa's sleigh

The ISS (aka Santa) will have a very clear pass over the UK on Christmas Eve and will be clearly visible overhead just before dawn

When to view the ISS from the UK Date and Time Visible Max Height Appears Disappears Dec 23, 5:55AM 4 mins 65 52 above SW 10 above E Dec 24, 5:10AM 2 mins 27 27 above E 10 above E Dec 24, 6:42AM 6 min 86 18 above W 10 above E Dec 25, 5:56AM 4 min 89 68 above W 10 above E Dec 26, 5:11AM 2 min 26 26 above E 10 above E Dec 26, 6:44AM 6 min 89 21 above W 10 above E Dec 27, 5:57AM 4 min 86 68 above WNW 10 above E Dec 28, 5:11AM 2 min 26 26 above E 10 above E Dec 28, 6:44AM 5 min 66 21 above W 10 above ESE

The ISS will make two passes of the UK in the early morning of Christmas Eve.

The space station will first briefly appear at 5:10am GMT on Sunday morning and be visible for about two minutes.

To see the first pass, look towards the East at 27 above the horizon.

For reference, one fist held out at arm's-length is usually about 10 so you can use this as a guide to help find the ISS starting point.

It will then appear again at 6:42am GMT when it will be visible for a full six minutes.

This time the ISS will appear 18 above the West and follow a long arc until it disappears in the East.

As well as being a little bit easier to wake up for, this second pass will also offer a better view of the station as it should be higher than most buildings.

If you've been woken up early on Christmas Day, or are just coming home from a particularly good Christmas Eve Party, there will be another chance to spot the ISS the next day.

To keep the magic of Santa alive this year, keep an eye out for the bright light of the ISS as it passes overhead

What's in the night sky this Christmas? The ISS: Two passes on Christmas Eve and one on Christmas Day. The Geminids: Christmas Eve will be the last day of this spectacular meteor shower. The Ursids: This lesser-known meteor shower will peak on the 23 and continue through until the 24. Jupiter: The planet will be bright in the sky and will be visible just to the right of the Moon. Advertisement

You will be able to see 'Santa heading back to the North Pole' at 5:56am GMT for four minutes.

To watch this festive treat, look towards the West where the ISS should appear 68 above the horizon for four minutes before passing out of view in the East.

According to NASA, the best viewing times for the ISS are always just before morning or after sunset.

It explained: 'This is the optimum viewing period as the sun reflects off the space station and contrasts against the darker sky.'

What else to see in the sky this Christmas

If you can't quite face the early start on Christmas Eve, there's no need to worry, as there are plenty of other exciting celestial events to watch this festive season.

Christmas Eve night will be the last day of activity of the Geminid meteor shower.

This is the most spectacular meteor shower of the year with up to 150 multicoloured shooting stars at its peak.

The Geminids run from the 4th to the 24th of December this year but will be well past their peak come Christmas Eve and so may not be very active.

However, this Christmas weekend will also be an excellent time to catch the Ursid meteor shower.

This lesser-known shower is often overlooked due to its proximity to the Geminids.

However, falling so close to the winter solstice, the longest night of the year, the Ursids offer a great opportunity for some easy skygazing.

If you miss the ISS there will also be a chance to see the Ursid Meteor shower which will peak on the December 23 and appears to originate from the Ursa Minor constellation

READ MORE: Geminid Meteor Shower 2023 - How and when to see up to 150 multicoloured shooting stars every HOUR Advertisement

The Ursids range from the 13th to the 24th of December but reach their peak in the early hours of December 23.

At their best, they can hit between five and 10 meteors per hour.

Unfortunately, the moon will be 85 per cent full during the Christmas weekend so the bright light might interfere with viewing conditions.

On the other hand, if you do find yourself unwrapping a telescope this Christmas morning, this creates some great opportunities.

A bright Moon is a perfect target for a beginner astronomer to get their eye in.

You can even try to identify some of the lunar features such as the Copernicus Crater or the Mare Tranquillitatis, also known as the Sea of Tranquillity.

The Moon will be at 85 per cent illumination this weekend so it will be a great chance to get a good view of some lunar features

For more advanced stargazers look right of the Moon to find the Pleiades star cluster and Jupiter this weekend which will both be visible to the naked eye

If you are feeling a little more ambitious, look to the right of the moon and you will be able to see the Pleiades star cluster and Jupiter.

Even at lower magnifications, the Pleiades star cluster is a magnificent sight.

While only seven of the brightest stars are visible to the naked eye, a telescope will reveal a myriad of brilliant stars.

Jupiter will appear like a bright star to the naked eye but with a telescope, you might be able to make out the Galilean Moons which will look like tiny dark dots surrounding the planet.

So, whatever your skill level there will be plenty of stunning sights to look out for over Christmas.
'The landscape was an endless lush jungle all around us for three days straight.

'I think what stayed in my mind the most was how peaceful and serene life is in the Amazon. People are humble and shy.'

These are the words of Mykolas Juodele, describing his three-day journey on a cargo ship through the depths of Peru's Amazon rainforest. The goal? To reach the world's largest city inaccessible by road.

Extraordinary footage shows part of the 435-mile (700km) voyage along the Amazon River - the second-longest in the world after the Nile - from Yurimaguas town to the city of Iquitos.

Onboard the cargo ship, Mykolas slept among goods and livestock, including several hundred pigs.

Mykolas Juodele embarked on a three-day journey on a cargo ship (pictured) through the depths of Peru's Amazon rainforest to reach Iquitos, the world's largest city inaccessible by road

After arriving at La Boca port in Yurimaguas (car park for the port, left) on a Friday, Mykolas (right) had to wait almost 24 hours until the 'Eduardo 7' ship was ready to set off. 'The landscape was an endless lush jungle all around us for three days straight,' said Mykolas

Video captures some of the sights he encounters along the way, from fruit vendors to an onboard resident cockerel and an Amazon River dolphin poking its head above the water.

'It's pink,' a voice is heard saying on the recording.

Speaking to MailOnline Travel, Mykolas recalled 'sitting on the nose of the ship' sharing some wine with two fellow travellers, their feet 'dangling down almost touching the water as the boat glided through the sunset-lit Amazon river'.

The photojournalist, from Lithuania, had set off in June from Yurimaguas, known to many as 'the gateway to the Peruvian Amazon', he said.

'It's the last town to have road connections to the rest of the country,' he explains. 'From here on, all the travelling happens by boats.'

A map outlining Mykolas's 435-mile (700km) voyage along the Amazon River in Peru, from Yurimaguas to Iquitos

Mykolas said the Amazon ships 'do not operate under any kind of schedule, they depart once there is enough cargo'. Pictured: The ship parked at Tamshiyacu village, one of the stops en-route

Asked what inspired him to make the journey, he said: 'I have always wanted to experience the real Amazonian jungle and the might of the river.

'So as soon as I found out that there are cargo boats shuttling up and down the river, offering a slow and intimate Amazon river experience when sharing the deck with the locals, I knew that was exactly what I was looking for.

'It turned out to be the best experience in my three months in Peru.'

After arriving at Yurimaguas's La Boca port on a Friday, Mykolas had to wait almost 24 hours until the 'Eduardo 7' ship was ready to set off - with a few dozen passengers, fresh produce, pigs, chickens and crew in tow.

'These ships do not operate under any kind of schedule, they depart once there is enough cargo,' he recalled being told.

Mykolas shared the Eduardo 7 ship with a large number of pigs

Mykolas described his journey on the Eduardo 7 (left) as the best experience he had during the three months he spent in Peru. Right: Bananas were offloaded onto a smaller boat as the cargo ship approached Iquitos

'On Saturday morning the port was bustling with workers carrying boxes and sacks onto the ship. I was there from early morning but the loading works continued all the way until early afternoon.

'Chickens were the last ones to be loaded onto the ship and we finally moved at 2.30pm.'

Mykolas said the ships are used not only to transport goods but also by people hopping from one village to the next.

Some villages comprised a number of streets and a few shops, he explained, while others had nothing more than a few wooden shacks lined up along the shore.

And the cargo ship caused a commotion at every stop, he added.

Mykolas said there was a strict schedule onboard the cargo ship, where he and his fellow passengers were served porridge for breakfast at 6am, soup for lunch at 12 and rice with chicken for dinner at 6pm. Pictured: Chambira village, one of many stop-offs the ship made

At night, most passengers slept in hammocks (pictured) while Mykolas opted to sleep in a tent, which he pitched in the middle of the deck

'People would be rushing to get up or down, street sellers would board the ship trying to sell snacks to the passengers, some packages would be offloaded or picked up by the recipients themselves,' Mykolas said.

'It could be just a couple of chickens or a sack of rice or a bunch of bananas.'

Some stops gave Mykolas enough time to step off the cargo ship for a few minutes and catch a glimpse of life in the Amazon villages 'that rely solely on these kinds of boats for their survival,' he said, adding: 'Some of those villages were large enough to have a couple of streets and a few tuktuks, locally known as mototaxis, even shops selling some basic food products, snacks, and wine.'

Mykolas described a strict schedule onboard the cargo ship where he and his fellow passengers were served porridge for breakfast at 6am, soup for lunch at 12 and rice with chicken for dinner at 6pm.

At the beginning of his journey, Mykolas wondered whether he would 'be able to have a decent sleep while on the ship'. Above - chicken passengers

LEFT: The cargo ship caused a commotion at every village it stopped at, Mykolas said. RIGHT: Video captures some of the sights he encounters, such as this cockerel onboard the boat

At night, most passengers slept in hammocks while Mykolas opted to sleep in a tent, which he pitched in the middle of the deck for more privacy, more comfort and 'a safe space' to keep his belongings.

'In the beginning it seemed like the challenge would be to have a decent sleep while on the ship and to keep my belongings safe during the trip,' he added.

'I was warned multiple times that I will most likely get robbed on that boat. I solved both of those problems by using a tent and an inflatable mat to sleep on and keeping my belongings in the tent.

'I didn't feel in danger for a second, as most passengers were families and it wasn't too crowded or busy.'

Mykolas said the cargo ships are 'truly a lifeline of the Amazon', used not only to transport goods but also families with children and the elderly, travelling from one village to another

Pictured: A street in San Jose De Saramuro, half way into Mykolas's journey

Some villages Mykolas passed were large enough to have a couple of streets and a few tuktuks, locally known as mototaxis, like the one pictured here

Around 52 hours into his journey, Mykolas described seeing 'the pillars of Iquitos bridge' on the horizon.

'The trip was coming to an end,' he added. 'As we were approaching the port of Iquitos several smaller ships came near us already offloading bananas and other products off the ship.'

Arriving at Iquitos port, Mykolas described crowds of more workers descending upon the ship as well as relatives of passengers onboard.

He struck a deal with a mototaxi and 'ventured into the jungle city' of Iquitos.

Iquitos, in the heart of the Amazon jungle, is home to an estimated 490,882 people, according to the 2023 World Population Review. Pictured: Wooden houses seen from the historic centre of Iquitos

This picture shows the cargo ship arriving at Iquitos port, where Mykolas said crowds of workers descended upon the ship

A busy street in Iquitos, which is only reachable from the outside world by river - or air

Reflecting on the journey, he said a key take-home was that 'in Peru, nothing is as dangerous as people say it is'.

He added: 'I have heard countless advice from Peruvians not to go here or there or not to do this or that because it was dangerous.

'That was the advice I have heard about taking this boat trip too. However it turned out to be super safe and easy.'

He added: 'These cargo boats are truly the lifeline of the Amazon.'

To see more from Mykolas visit his Instagram profile - www.instagram.com/mykolas_juodele. And his website: www.juodele.com.
He was the heartthrob who stole Hermione Granger's heart and gave Harry Potter a run for his money during the Triwizard Tournament.

But Victor Krum - played by Stanislav Yanevski - looks unrecognisable after he was pictured 18 years after making his wizarding debut.

Stanislav, 38, has come a long way from chasing Golden Snitches and he looks dapper with his quirky suits, bulging muscles and unique tattoos after making a career turn in recent years.

Victor's character has always been a fan favourite - the Bulgarian seeker's story was short but lasting.

He started as a Quidditch hero after catching the snitch against the Irish in the Goblet Of Fire.

Harry Potter hunk, Victor Krum, (right) - played by Stanislav Yanevski, (left) - looked unrecognisable in a new photo taken 18 years after he made his wizarding debut

Stanislav, (left) as Victor and Tolga right as the aide to the headmaster of wizarding school Durmstrang in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (pictured in the 2005 film)

'Dumb Krumb' then became the Durmstrang champion and was sent to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry for the Triwizard Tournament.

He competed bravely but he returned home after the announcement of Cedric Diggory's death.

During his time at the legendary institute, the 'Bulgarian Bonbon' captured the heart of Hermione, played by Emma Watson, at the Yule ball.

But their blossoming young love fizzled out and they later became pen pals.

It has been almost two decades since his first appearance in the beloved wizarding series and over the last two decades, he has starred in many hits such as Hostel: Part II and The Cloaking.

But his last credit was in the 2021 movie Last Man Down, as earlier this year, the actor stunned his fans with an unexpected career change.

He is now a lecturer and motivational speaker.

Stanislav penned to his 23,000 followers on Instagram: 'Today was a very motivational day.

It has been 18 years since his first appearance in the beloved wizarding series and over the last two decades, he has starred in many hits such as Hostel: Part II and The Cloaking

But his last credit was in the 2021 movie Last Man Down, as earlier this year, the actor stunned his fans with an unexpected career change. He is now a lecturer and motivational speaker (pictured in 2018)

The star looks worlds away from the baby-faced actor that captured the nation's hearts in the mid-2000s as he grew his buzzcut into long wavy locks and grew facial hair

He is now typically seen sporting snappy suits and colourful top hats inspired by 1940s fashion

'I took part in a lecture and hope to have inspired the students as much as they inspired me.'

The star looks worlds away from the baby-faced actor that captured the nation's hearts in the mid-2000s as he grew his buzzcut into long wavy locks, ditched his acial hair, and is now sporting a moustache.

He is now typically seen sporting snappy suits and colourful top hats inspired by 1940s fashion.

And while his acting days may be behind him, the star is not yet ready to give up his connection with the cult film.

His latest venture saw him promote a Harry Potter-inspired shop giftshop - Elephant Bookstore - which he has been a regular visitor for over ten years.

Stanislav appeared to greet fellow Potterheads as they held a meet and greet.

Taking to Instagram in his eccentric ensemble, he said: 'Travelling through the ages of time, inspired by the world of art in all of its forms and colours.

'Charged up with very positive and friendly energy by the best unique boutique bookstore

'Alone you can conquer dreams. With a team of likeminded friends, you can conquer worlds!'

His latest venture saw him promote a Harry Potter-inspired shop giftshop - Elephant Bookstore - which he has been a regular visitor for over ten years, (second from left)

While promoting the event, the acting Stan revealed that he was in talks about a new business venture, which is yet to be announced. He now dubs himself an actor, businessman, Youtuber and adventurer on his social media accounts

While promoting the event, the acting Stan revealed that he was in talks about a new business venture, which is yet to be announced.

He now dubs himself an actor, businessman, Youtuber and adventurer on his social media accounts.

Stan wrote on his Cameo: 'Actor and influencer, fitness motivator, Youtuber and Instagrammer all round peoples kind of guy loving to see people smile and be happy.

'Best known for Harry Potter - Viktor Krum but also for #stansarmy and Stan Yanevski now himself. Want a personal message, let's make it unique and special!'

The Devil's Right Hand star sent fans into a frenzy two years ago as he met with fellow Harry Potter stars in France for a 20-year reunion since the release of the first film.

Stan posted a snap of them all together and wrote in the caption: 'Catching up in #france!'

Stan appeared on the left side of the picture beside Hugh Mitchell, 32, who played Gryffindor boy Colin Creevy.

In the centre of the shot was Devon Murray, 33, who played Irish student Seamus Finnigan.

Second from the right was Tolga Safer, 39, who was an aide to the headmaster of the wizarding school Durmstrang in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire in 2005.

On the right of the shot was Sean Biggerstaff, 38, who played Gryffindor Quidditch captain Oliver Wood in two of the movies.

Fans of the movies went wild in the comments as they began to recognise who was who.

One wrote: 'The reunion we all desperately needed!'

'What a wonderful photo, you all look great! What a joy you were able to come together for that convention! You all are awesome!'

'Awesome pic and all amazing actors!'

'Almost didn't recognise Sean Biggerstaff. I love him as Oliver Wood!'

The Devil's Right Hand star sent fans into a frenzy two years ago as he met with fellow Harry Potter stars in France for a 20-year reunion since the release of the first film (L-R: Stan Yanevski, Hugh Mitchell, Devon Murray, Tolga Safer and Sean Biggerstaff)
Jennifer Love Hewitt was spotted finishing up some holiday shopping Thursday in Los Angeles.

The actress 44, who has pushed back against cruel comments about her appearance, looked relaxed as she headed toward her car which was parked in a nice and dry parking garage.

The 9-1-1 star bundled up in a long camel toned coat, which appeared to be reversible, with a brown plaid lining.

She placed a mustard yellow toque over her shoulder length brown hair, and wore a mustard yellow sweater with her dark jeans.

The People's Choice Award winner actress wore brown Nike sneakers while carrying several packages and a clear umbrella for protection against the rain storms that have been inundating the LA area the past week.

Jennifer Love Hewitt, 44, looked relaxed while finishing up some holiday shopping Thursday in Los Angeles. The 9-1-1 star bundled up in a long camel toned coat, a mustard yellow toque over her shoulder length brown hair, and wore a mustard yellow sweater with her dark jeans

The Criminal Minds star was spotted speaking with couple of young fans who recognized her as she stepped off the escalator.

As a guest the December 5 episode of the Inside of You podcast with Michael Rosenbaum, The Client List actress tackled comments about her being 'unrecognizable' after she changed her hair color and style over the summer.

The self-identified Swiftie credited Taylor Swift with the idea that 'in Hollywood, they freeze us at the age they feel we were our best.'

'There's something really beautiful about that, but there's also something really not okay about that.'

The Hot in Cleveland actress explained, 'I don't want to say that aging is hard, because aging is a privilege. It means you're here.'

'It means you're still living it. It means your every line is because of a smile or a laugh you had, or in my case, too many crying scenes... but aging in Hollywood is hard, it's really hard because you can't do anything right.'

'You don't want to care what people think about you, but you have to care what people think about you. You want to know what's out there.'

The actress, who really broke through in Hollywood as part of the ensemble cast of Party of Five, at age 15, is walking a fine line.

The Criminal Minds star was spotted speaking with couple of young fans who recognized her as she stepped off the escalator in the parking garage

Jennifer has been the subject of headlines after she opened up on the Inside of You podcast with Michael Rosenbaum about being labeled 'unrecognizable' after posting this photo on social media in August revealing a new haircut and color

She is a partner for Emface and Emsculpt, products that use radio frequencies to fight wrinkles and magnets to contract muscles to burn fat and improve muscle development.

In a quick video posted December 13 reviewing her experience with the anti-aging machines, several followers commented the actress, who was only 16 when she starred on Party of Five, didn't look like her character, Sarah.

'You don't look like to Sarah from party of 5 or [Melinda] Gordon [from Ghost Whisperer], you have changed a lot, you are completely different, you are another girl.' one man wrote.

Jennifer is still the recipient of comments about her current look, and not appearing the way she did when she was younger. 'I like the old Jennifer better,' one follower posted in response to a video on social media

The most recent comments came in reaction to a video commenting about her experience with the anti-aging devices Emface and Emsculpt. She is a partner for the brand

'I like the old Jennifer better,' posted another.

The mom of three who shares Autumn 10, Atticus James, seven, and Aidan, one, with her husband Brian Hallisay, says she practices meditation to help her stayed centered.

'The universe will reward a grateful person all day,'

Jennifer revealed she says 15 affirmations in the morning and 'three very specific' affirmations at night, ' and I really feel like it's just changed me in such a really profound, cool way, and so I highly recommend it.'
Longtime fans of General Hospital will be able to say goodbye to Bobbie Spencer in several episodes set to start premiering next month.

According to People, viewers will learn that Spencer, played by the late Jacklyn Zeman, is officially dead during New Year's week.

Two special episodes of the show, are also set to air on January 10 and 11, during which the residents of Port Charles will convene to pay their respects to the character.

During the installments, various characters from several eras of the show will come together to discuss the impact that Spencer had on their lives.

Bobbie's daughter Carly, played by Laura Wright, and her best friend Felicia, portrayed by Kristina Wagner, will also embark on a last-minute trip to Amsterdam after a mysterious stranger presents them with a secret about the late figure.

Fans of General Hospital will be able to say goodbye to Bobbie Spencer - played by the late Jacklyn Zeman - in several episodes set to start premiering next month; seen in 2006 still

Ryan Carnes will return to the soap opera's cast in order to portray the character's son Lucas.

Zeman, who made her debut on General Hospital in 1977, passed away at the age of 70 this past May after undergoing a battle with cancer.

The late performer had been nominated for several Daytime Emmy Awards for her work in the program.

The actress was survived by her two daughters, Cassidy and Lacey, whom she shared with her first husband, Glenn Gordon.

Wright spoke to People and told the media outlet that working on the special episodes gave the show's cast an opportunity to say goodbye to their former costar.

'When we shot the memorial, the entire cast was there. And it wasn't just for Bobbie; it was for Jackie as well,' she recalled.

The performer also expressed that working on the special episodes was an emotionally difficult task.

'I mean, walking on set and seeing her photo, seeing all the pamphlets of, like, when you come to a memorial or a celebration of life, the pamphlet speaking about the individual and who is going to speak, it was bittersweet,' she said.

Two special episodes of the show, are also set to air on January 10 and 11, during which the residents of Port Charles will convene to pay their respects to the character; Zeman is seen in 2021

Zeman, who made her debut on General Hospital in 1977, passed away at the age of 70 this past May after undergoing a battle with cancer; seen in a still from 1996

The actress was survived by her two daughters, Cassidy and Lacey, whom she shared with her first husband, Glenn Gordon

Wright went on to state that the show's cast was still grateful to be able to share their feelings about Zeman's passing.

'It was about Jackie and everyone was so present.  It was like we as a cast got to really say goodbye,' she stated.

The actress concluded by revealing that General Hospital's cast and crew were surprised with a rainbow over their studio following the conclusion of the second day of shooting.

She described the natural event as 'incredible. Everyone leaving the studio wasn't surprised. They were like, "Oh my gosh."'
Ralph Ineson, the actor who played chauvinistic The Office character Chris Finch, is suing Disney for 150,000, claiming he was injured while fighting an ogre on the set of Willow.

Actor Ralph, 54 - who is perhaps best known for playing office boss David Brents obnoxious pal Finchy in the sitcom - says he sustained permanent shoulder damage while filming the Disney+ television series sequel to 1980s film Willow.

The screen star was dressed as knight Commander Ballantine while battling a nine-foot ogre named The Scourge when he 'fell awkwardly', according to his lawyers.

It is claimed he caught his foot on some steps and the resulting injuries now stop him from taking on 'physical' roles.

He is now seeking damages of up to 150,000 from Walt Disney Company Ltd as he is no longer able to play parts 'involving fighting and horse-riding'.

Ralph Ineson, the actor who played chauvinistic The Office character Chris Finch, is reportedly suing Disney for 150,000 (Ralph pictured in 2021)

The actor claims he was injured while fighting an ogre on the set of Willow (pictured as knight Commander Ballantine in the series)

Ralph rose to prominence when he first appeared in The Office as divisive Yorkshireman Chris Finch in The Office in 2001.

He went on to play Amycus Carrow in the last two Harry Potter movies and Cleftjaw in Game of Thrones.

In papers filed with the High Court in London, barrister David White says Ralph was hurt while filming at night at The Gales at Dragon Studios in Bridgend, South Wales.

It is claimed he fell because the pressures of filming deadlines meant fake foam gravel was not raked properly and obscured the steps on which he caught his foot.

'The claimant caught his right foot on the step, fell and landed awkwardly on his right arm,' barrister David White says in the document.

'The claimant felt the immediate onset of pain.

'He did not want to ruin the shot, so he stoically kept quiet and waited until the end of the shot, another 20 seconds or so, before speaking up and saying he had suffered injury.'

MailOnline has contacted Disney and a representative for Ralph for comment.

Ralph rose to prominence when he first appeared in The Office as divisive Yorkshireman Chris Finch (left) in The Office in 2001 (pictured with Ricky Gervais who played David Brent)

In March this year it was announced the adventures of Willow Ufgood would not continue on Disney+, with the streaming service canceling the Willow prequel series

In March this year it was announced the adventures of Willow Ufgood would not continue on Disney+, with the streaming service canceling the Willow prequel series.

The eight-episode season was set decades after the original 1988 movie and starred Warwick Davis, Val Kilmer and Joanne Whaley.

It debuted in late December last year and concluded in mid-January this year.

The series brought back Warwick, 53, as Willow Ufgood, who led a new group of misfits on a perilous journey.
Ali Wong has officially filed to end her marriage to Justin Hakuna, which lasted eight years.

The 41-year-old BEEF star  filed in Beverly Hills on Friday, December 22, citing 'irreconcilable differences,' per TMZ.

The couple's date of separation is listed as April 10, 2022, which was days before they publicly announced their split.

The soon-to-be ex spouses are parents to two daughters  Mari, eight, and Nikki, six. Ali is requesting joint legal and physical custody of the girls.

Documents obtained by the outlet revealed that Ali and Justin are in mediation to establish spousal support and sorting their assets.

Ali Wong has officially filed to end her marriage to Justin Hakuna, which lasted eight years; pictured this month

The 41-year-old BEEF star  filed in Beverly Hills on Friday, December 22, citing 'irreconcilable differences,' per TMZ; the former couple pictured in 2019

It was reported that the two want to settle their issues themselves.

Ali noted that the couple had a prenup, and she wants it to be enforced by the court.

The pair met at a friend's wedding reception in 2010 and married in San Francisco in 2014.

In her 2016 Baby Cobra special on Netflix, Ali explained that when she learned Justin was a Harvard student and Fulbright scholar, she played hard-to-get.

'I was like, "Oh, my God, I'm gonna trap his a**. Going to trap his a**!" And I trapped his a** initially by not kissing him until the fifth date, which is a very unusual move on my part. But I did it on purpose, because I knew that he was a catch,' she said to a live audience.

In her book, Dear Girls: Intimate Tales Untold Secrets and Advice for Living Your Best Life, Ali credited the prenup she signed before walking down the aisle as one of the secrets to her success.

'My father always praised "the gift of fear,"' she explained. 'And that prenup scared the s*** out of me.

'In the end, being forced to sign that prenup was one of the greatest things that ever happened to me and my career.'

The soon-to-be ex spouses are parents to two daughters  Mari, eight, and Nikki, six. Ali is requesting joint legal and physical custody of the girls; seen in 2016

The two announced that they split up after eight years of marriage in April 2022; pictured in 2017

In February 2022 Ali referred to her marriage as 'monogamy jail' in her Don Wong comedy special on Netflix; seen in December

In February 2022 Ali referred to her marriage as 'monogamy jail' in her Don Wong comedy special on Netflix.

Shortly after her separation, Ali dated actor Bill Hader for a couple of months. The former Saturday Night Live cast member had recently ended his relationship with Anna Kendrick.

Wong and Hader reportedly split not long after, but appeared to have rekindled their romance when they were seen kissing while hiking in LA in April 2023.

Two days prior to the sighting, a rep for Bill confirmed to Page Six that he and Ali were back together.
She recently announced she's expecting her second child with husband Tim Robards.

And former Bachelor star Anna Heinrich, 36, showed off her growing baby bump on Saturday as she posed for a mirror selfie.

Anna lifted her white shirt as she posed in a yellow outfit and said she is struggling to fit into her pants.

'Didn't quite fit into my pants,' she captioned the post.

Tim and Anna announced they were expecting their second child in September, with an adorable clip of their eldest daughter Elle announcing the family news.

Anna Heinrich showed off her growing baby bump in a mirror selfie as she prepares to welcome her second child with husband Tim Robards

'My mummy going to get baby soon,' Elle said, with a balloon stuffed down her top.

Tim and Anna, who married in Italy in 2018, also confirmed their joyous news in the caption.

'Turns out Elle was right. Bringing another little rascal into the world 2024,' the pair wrote.

In October, the couple hosted a gender reveal party in the backyard of their $6million mansion in Sydney's Dover Heights.

Tim and Anna announced they were expecting their second child in September, with an adorable clip of their daughter Elle announcing the family news

In October, they hosted a gender reveal party in the backyard of their $6million mansion in Sydney's Dover Heights

The couple and their daughter Elle, two, joined with their extended family for the celebration, including Anna's sister Andrea.

Sharing a video of themselves popping a pink confetti gun, the overjoyed couple wrote: 'I think Elle is psychic...turns out she was right again and is getting a sister.'

Chiropractor Tim fell in love with lawyer Anna on the first season of the Bachelor a decade ago.

The pair met on The Bachelor in 2013 and are regarded as a golden couple of the Australian Bachelor franchise
Mandy Moore showed off a large abdomen scar in a behind-the-scenes photo from the set of Dr. Death, that was shared on her Instagram Story on Friday.

The 39-year-old performer, who recently opened up about working after giving birth to her second son, pulled up her shirt and showed off the gash to her 5.5 million followers, and she added a text graphic that read 'also ick. Iykyk.'

It appeared that the prosthetic scar had been applied during the production of the second season of the show, in which she is set to appear.

Moore was also spotted while stepping out on a pre-Christmas shopping trip in Studio City on Friday afternoon.

The performer stayed comfortable in a black sweater and a pair of loose-fitting blue jeans during her shopping trip.

Mandy Moore showed off what appeared to be a prosthetic abdomen scar in a behind-the-scenes snap from the Dr. Death set which she shared to her Instagram Stories on Friday

Moore was also spotted while stepping out on a pre-Christmas shopping trip in Studio City on Friday afternoon

The This Is Us actress also wore beige shoes and accessorized with a pair of purses and chic sunglasses.

Her voluminous brunette hair fell onto her shoulders and paired well with the dark tone of her clothing.

Moore shared several snaps from the set of Dr. Death on her Instagram Story on Friday, many of which featured her son Ozzie, one.

In one snap, the performer's child was seen while taking a nap on the set of the true crime series.

In another, the actress smiled widely as she spent a bit of quality time with her youngest son in between shoots.

Moore also added a text graphic to her post to let her fans know that she, as well as Ozzie, 'had a blast' while working on the project.

It was revealed that the performer had been added to the cast of Dr. Death's second season this past November.

The show is based on the podcast of the same name, and it originally premiered on Peacock in July of 2021.

The performer stayed comfortable in a black sweater and a pair of loose-fitting blue jeans during her shopping trip

Moore shared several snaps from the set of Dr. Death on her Instagram Story on Friday, many of which featured her son Ozzie, one

In one snap, the performer's child was seen while taking a nap on the set of the true crime series

The second season of Dr. Death will be focused on Paolo Macchiarini, an Italian surgeon who was convicted of experimenting on his patients.

The first season of Dr. Death followed the case of Christopher Duntsch, a former neurosurgeon who maimed and killing several individuals in his care.

The second run of episodes will be focused on Paolo Macchiarini, an Italian surgeon who was convicted of experimenting on his patients.

Also set to star alongside Moore are Edgar Ramirez, Ashley Madekwe and Luke Kirby.

Dr. Death's second season was entirely released on Peacock on Thursday, and it currently holds a score of 80% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Bec Judd is known for her astute sense of fashion.

And the AFL WAG was showing off her latest purchase in an Instagram Stories post on Saturday.

The 49-year-old wore a white patchwork dress with a fruit and food motif from the brand ZACO.

Called the Novara Dress Fattoria, it retails for $400 from the Sabo website.

Bec recently headed is off to Byron Bay to have some fun in the sun with her family for the holidays.

Bec Judd (pictured) is known for her astute sense of fashion. And the AFL WAG was showing off her latest purchase in an Instagram Stories post on Saturday - a $400 frock

Last week, she showed off her looks for the vacation, which included a striped pink and purple bikini.

The skimpy swimwear put Bec's trim figure on display, and she showed off the front of the outfit in a mirror selfie.

She then posed again on the beach in the same bikini, giving her fans a view of her pert derriere.

Bec was wearing the Bond-Eye Swimwear Selena Crop, valued at $100, and the brand's Sign Brief, which retails for $90.

Bec recently headed is off to Byron Bay. She was wearing the Bond-Eye Swimwear Selena Crop, valued at $100, and the brand's Sign Brief, which retails for $90

She also wore a $885 LOEWE bucket hat and $780 Celine sunglasses.

It comes after Bec plugged $2,450 worth of candles to her fans in a promotional post.

In footage shared to Instagram, the AFL WAG is seen carrying boxes of Diptyque products in a paid promotion at her luxury home in Melbourne.

The Perth-born stunner was all smiles in the festive clip as she toasted the camera and showcased thousands of dollars worth of scented wax.

It comes after Bec plugged $2,450 worth of candles to her fans in a promotional post

It included a $729 Advent calendar, a $340 set of 12 mini-candles and three taper candles valued at $154 a pop.

The lucky ducky's booty also included a $96 room spray, $223 carousel set, $240 mimosa scented set and a single candle priced at a whopping $360.

Other individual candles were featured in Bec's astonishing haul.

'Welcome to my Christmas. My fave Diptyque scents are my go-to for gifting, decorating and entertaining. Shop the range at Mecca Beauty,' she wrote alongside the post.
The Days Of Our Lives actor Carson Boatman and his wife Julana Dizon have welcomed their first child together.

The married soap opera stars revealed they are now parents to an adorable newborn daughter named Ava Rey  who was born on Monday, December 18 in Los Angeles.

On Friday evening, the pair shared a joint Instagram post announcing the exciting news and revealing their baby girl's name.

'Christmas came early this year,' the new parents gushed in their caption. 'We are so in love with our sweet baby girl, Ava Rey, and can't wait to see what this next stage of life will look like for the three of us.'

The couple had previously revealed they were expecting with a pregnancy announcement via social media over the summer.

The Days Of Our Lives actor Carson Boatman and his wife Julana Dizon have welcomed their first child together. The married soap opera stars revealed they are now parents to an adorable newborn daughter named Ava Rey  who was born on Monday, December 18 in Los Angeles

On Friday evening, the pair shared a joint Instagram post announcing the exciting news and revealing their baby girl's name. 'Christmas came early this year,' the new parents gushed in their caption

The photos showed Carson and Julana cuddling with their baby girl in the hospital and also beaming after bringing her home.

On the same day, they told People about how they felt like something was 'missing' in their lives until becoming parents and welcoming their baby.

The couple  who tied the knot in 2021  gushed and said they are 'absolutely over the moon' about the new addition in their family.

'It truly feels like we've found something we didn't even know we were missing in our lives,' the new parents told the outlet.

'The only way I can think to describe it is pure joy, but it's really something more than that,' they added.

'We are blessed and humbled to have been chosen to be Ava's parents,' they continued. 'What we are now lacking in sleep, we have gained tenfold in love.'

The pair also opened up about the special meaning behind their daughter's name.

They revealed that Ava's middle name Rey honors Julana's late father Reynaldo Dizon  who passed away just a month ago after a battle with lung cancer.

On Friday, the couple  who tied the knot in 2021  gushed and said they are 'absolutely over the moon' about the new addition in their family and also revealed the special meaning behind their daughter's name

The photos showed Carson and Julana cuddling with their baby girl in the hospital and also beaming after bringing her home

The new parents first announced that they were expecting back in August via Instagram.

In an adorable snap, the lovebirds leaned in for a kiss as they both grinned ear-to-ear with joy and Julana held up sonogram pictures of their future baby.

'Boatman, party of 3!' Carson joked in his caption, adding that their child was 'Coming December 2023.'

Julana and Carson's good news follows a shakeup at his series Days Of Our Lives in which the show's co-executive producer Albert Alarr exited the show amid sexual misconduct allegations and a petition signed by 25 cast members calling for his removal.

The lovebirds were notably both dressed in blue in the photo, though it's not clear that the color scheme was supposed to indicating anything about the child's sex, which went unmentioned.

Carson had on a blue shirt with gray pants, while Julana looked glamorous in a sleeveless royal blue dress with a white band around her midriff.

She raised one leg up as she leaned in, while Carson held it up with his hand while she put a hand on the back of his neck to lean in for a kiss.

While Carson is best known as an actor for his 189 episodes to date on Days Of Our Lives, according to IMDb, his wife also has a more recent connection to a rival soap opera.

Baby on board: Days Of Our Lives star Carson Boatman and model and The Bold And The Beautiful actress Julana Dizon revealed Tuesday that they're expecting their first child

Although Julana is best known as a model, she appeared on The Bold And The Beautiful earlier this year.

Fittingly, she was cast to play a model.

Carson and Julana met each other in Los Angeles in 2016 after being set up on a date by a gym trainer they shared, whom Boatman called a 'matchmaker'

'And the rest is history,' he told People.

The loving announcement comes around two weeks after the married couple celebrated their second wedding anniversary with jubilant social media posts.

Carson shared a slow-motion video of his bride  still in her wedding dress  as he held her up on his back before she leaned forward to give him a kiss.

'Free piggy backs for life. Love you more than words can convey. Happy second anniversary, @julana,' he wrote sweetly on the post.

In her post, Julana shared a hilarious clip of Caron cutting the first slice on their wedding cake, and in the process demolishing the delicate treat before dropping another slice, which she explained in her caption.

Instant connection: Boatman told People that he and Julana met in LA in 2016 after their 'matchmaker' mutual gym trainer set them up on a date

Whoops! Julana shared a hilarious video of Carson cutting their wedding cake  the first time he ever cut a cake  and subsequently demolishing much of the top layer

Showing off: Carson appears on Days Of Our Lives as the hunky Johnny DiMera, who had previously been played by a string of child actors before he took over as the adult character

'Fun fact: Our wedding cake was Funfetti and it was Carson's first time cutting one,' she revealed.

'Celebrating 2 years of marriage today and WOW did it fly by. I still have *pinch me* moments sometimes just thinking about the fact that I get to spend every single day with this man.

'@carsonboatman you mean the world to me,' she continued. 'Thank you for making all my dreams come true, continually being everything I need, inspiring me to be the best version of myself, and making me laugh at LEAST 3x / day. You make me feel lucky and loved everyday. I love you, Forever and Ever Amen .'

Carson appears on Days Of Our Lives as the hunky Johnny DiMera, who had previously been played by a string of child actors before he took over as the adult character.
Naomi Watts will star in a remake of a classic erotic drama.

The Australian-British actress has joined the cast of Emmanuelle, which was a cult hit 1974 film.

The French drama was notable for being defined as 'softcore pornography' and its X-rated storyline.

It follows the life of a woman named Emmanuelle who travels to Bangkok to enhance her sexual experiences.

The 1974 film stars Sylvia Kristel and was directed by Frenchman Just Jaeckin, while the new version is helmed by Audrey Diwan.

Naomi Watts (pictured) will star in a remake of a classic erotic drama. The Australian-British actress has joined the cast of Emmanuelle, which was a cult hit 1974 film

It's unclear what Naomi's role in the film will be but she stars alongside acclaimed French actress Noemie Merlant.

This comes after Naomi said she had 'great sex' with husband Billy Crudup after showing him the estrogen patches she was wearing as she dealt with early menopause.

The 21 Grams actress got hitched to Watchmen star Billy, 55, on 9 June in a low-key ceremony and Naomi said despite them now enjoying great romps, she was crippled by nerves when they started dating as she thought her patches would be a turn off for the actor.

She said at an event called 'Unlocking Intimacy: Navigating Passion in Midlife' held in the Canoe Place Inn and Cottages in Hampton Bays in August: 'If you can talk to your partner, if you can be honest and have a really authentic conversation and take away the awkwardness they will be empathetic and that's hot.

The French drama (pictured) was notable for being defined as 'softcore pornography' and its X-rated storyline

It follows the life of a woman named Emmanuelle who travels to Bangkok to enhance her sexual experiences

'I was nervous that my new lover was going to see (my menopause oestrogen patches.)

'I went into the bathroom just before it would start and I'd be in there (scrubbing it off) and then I'd come out.

'And my gorgeous partner said, "Are you OK? Is everything OK?"'

Naomi went through menopause when she was in her 30s, and went on to credit Billy for knowing 'how to behave' once she 'brought honesty into the room despite how awkward and hard' it felt talking about the impact of her condition.

She said: 'He knew what cues to follow. He was 100 per cent empathetic and I can safely say we went on to have, you know, pretty great sex that night.'

Naomi also said it was important for her to keep 'leaning into' her current phase of life, and acknowledge 'a lot of women are horny at this age'.

When asked at the event what her favourite sex position is, Naomi said: 'On top, underneath! Right now I'm not fussy.'
Bob Pranga, the Christmas tree designer to the stars, has candidly recounted his experience of working for Beyonce and Jay-Z.

'Dr. Christmas,' as he is fondly known, has worked for a dazzling variety of celebrities ranging from Mariah Carey and Kris Jenner to Old Hollywood legend Bob Hope.

Two days before Christmas Eve one year, Bob was informed that Beyonce and Jay-Z wanted their Malibu estate done up in full Yuletide splendor.

Their theme of choice was 'Christmas In Africa,' and Bob promptly set to work - with under 24 hours to have the house festooned with decor.

In a wide-ranging new interview with People, Bob looked back on his decades-long career bringing seasonal cheer to the brightest luminaries of Hollywood.

Bob Pranga, the Christmas tree designer to the stars, has candidly recounted his experience of working for Beyonce and Jay-Z

Three days before Christmas one year, Bob (pictured last year at the Hollywood museum) was informed that Beyonce and Jay-Z wanted their Malibu estate done up in full Yuletide splendor

When the conversation arrived at Beyonce, Dr. Christmas held forth about the seat-of-the-pants operation of getting her house ready.

'I got a call from her assistant that they decided they wanted to spend Christmas in Malibu... three days before Christmas,' he dished.

'It was a fascinating thing to me because I went out there and it was like a movie set,' marveled Bob, who co-owns his Dr. Christmas company with one Debi Staron.

'All these people were hired to make this house perfect before they got there for Christmas Eve. We had less than 24 hours to prepare her home,' he said.

Despite the formidable time-crunch he found himself working under, Bob had nothing but warm words about Beyonce herself.

'Beyonce is just a lovely lady. She's very chill. People are always looking for those wonderful or horrible stories of celebrities. But I get to see these people as people at home,' he explained in his latest interview.

Although her Christmas plans for this year remain a mystery, Beyonce did just return to the United States after a surprise trip to Brazil.

She flew off to Salvador on Thursday on her $40million private jet to delight her legions of fans at an event for her Renaissance Tour concert film.

Although her Christmas plans for this year remain a mystery, Beyonce did just return to the United States after a surprise trip to Brazil

She flew off to Salvador on Thursday on her $40million private jet to delight her legions of fans at an event for her Renaissance Tour concert film

After attending the blowout bash, Beyonce dashed back aboard her plane that same night and hopped into bed still wearing her silver sequined event dress.

After attending the blowout bash, Beyonce dashed back aboard her plane that same night and hopped into bed still wearing her silver sequined event dress.

Earlier this month, the Single Ladies hitmaker celebrated the release of her ravenously anticipated concert movie Renaissance: A Film By Beyonce.

Directed by the songstress herself, the movie is an on-camera record of her Renaissance World Tour, which was named after her 2022 album of the same name.

The movie arrived in theaters on December 1, which is to say World AIDS Day - a touching detail inasmuch as the Renaissance album was dedicated to Beyonce's gay cousin Jonny whom she lost to AIDS-related sickness.
Sophie Guidolin was in the company of a mystery man on Friday.

The influencer and her male pal headed out to grab a meal on the Mid North Coast of NSW.

They looked relaxed in each other's company as they left a restaurant carrying a takeaway container of hot food.

Sophie was casually chic in a slinky green slip dress in a knitted fabric with ladder stitching details.

She added a pair of leather sandals and carried her phone in her hand as the pair strolled along.

Sophie Guidolin was in the company of a mystery man on Friday. Both pictured

The influencer and her male pal headed out to grab a meal on the Mid North Coast of NSW

They looked relaxed in each other's company

The Instagram star appeared to have on a natural makeup look and wore her brunette locks down in waves.

Her buff male pal opted for a black shirt and shorts as well as black slides.

It comes after Sophie spent some time with friend Janoah van Kekem last week, posting videos to Instagram Stories in which he played with her young children.

In the clips, Janoah did some cooking with the girls before sitting down to draw pictures with them.

The pair they left a restaurant carrying a takeaway container of hot food

The Instagram star appeared to have on a natural makeup look and wore her brunette locks down in waves

Her buff male pal opted for a black shirt and shorts as well as black slides

'I'm confused how Janoah became the household chef,' Sophie wrote in her caption alongside the videos.

Janoah is a meditation specialist, and according to his Instagram bio he, 'helps business owners and CEOs get their time and energy back while creating high performing cultures, achieving their vision and leaving a legacy'.

It follows Sophie's acrimonious split from Gold Coast dentist Dr Andrew Firgaira after just four months of marriage.

The former couple wed in Byron Bay last November after less than a year of dating.

In January, Sophie, who has four other children from previous relationships, announced they were expecting their first child together.

Sophie had a designer bag slung over onee arm

Her dress featured a one strap design leaving the other shoulder bare

The close fit of the frock put her gym hone figure on display

The twosome seemed in good spirits

They headed to their car after picking up the food

Sophie did the driving while her friend sat in the passenger seat

Andrew is already father to two daughters.

The pair's marriage fell apart after Sophie gave birth to a stillborn child in January.

Sophie announced at that time that her fifth child, and first with Dr Firgaira, a girl named Pixie, was stillborn.

Following their tragic loss, Sophie's social media followers noticed she had stopped posting photos of Andrew on social media.

Tellingly, she even scrubbed her Instagram account of pictures of them together, including their wedding photos.

Sophie would later say she was the one who left her husband, not the other way around.

It comes after Sophie spent some time with friend Janoah van Kekem (pictured) last week, posting videos to Instagram Stories in which he played with her young children

Dr Firgaira was first to confirm the break-up in an emotionally raw Instagram post.

'In order to remove the constant speculation I'll answer this once by saying we are no longer together,' he wrote in a comment.

'I have my reasons why and I'm not prepared to discuss this matter any further.'

At the time of Sophie's stillbirth, he was on holiday in Europe with his daughters from a previous relationship.

He stressed he 'wants people to refrain' from commenting on the relationship as 'nothing positive can come from discussing it further'.

Sophie had announced her engagement to Dr Firgaira in June 2022, just over two years after splitting from MAFS star Jake Edwards in May 2020.
Jemma Lucy has left hospital after being admitted earlier this month with painful symptoms, reuniting with her boyfriend Nicholas Sinclair.

The Ex On The Beach star, 35, packed on the PDA with her toyboy while strolling out of Chelsea and Westminster Hospital.

Jemma flaunted her washboard abs as she left her Calvin Klein underwear on display in a low-slung pair of tracksuit bottoms and a long-sleeve crop top.

Her new man Nicholas wore a dark green hoodie and matching trousers with black trainers and a cross-body bag.

The couple appeared to be besotted with one another as they shared a passionate kiss outside the hospital before getting into a taxi together.

Jemma Lucy, 35, has left hospital after being admitted earlier this month with painful symptoms, reuniting with her boyfriend Nicholas Sinclair

The Ex On The Beach star packed on the PDA with toyboy, 27, after leaving the medical facility

Earlier this month, Jemma took to social media where she revealed that she had been rushed to hospital with painful symptoms.

The media personality shared a photo of herself lying in a hospital bed and wrote: 'Constant wait wait wait wait'.

In a video uploaded to her Instagram Stories, Jemma expressed her frustration at having to wait around to be seen by doctors.

She explained: 'I can't lie, the whole slagging off the NHS is one thing, I don't like to do it but they are long. It's like they want you to be in the most worst critical condition before they do anything.

'I'm in a fair amount of pain on and off but because I'm not in excruciating, dying pain, I'm waiting.

'I just feel like I'm waiting to be in that pain, it's inevitable, before I have surgery or whatever else the next steps are.

'There's a few next steps and I'm hoping I don't have to have surgery. I guess I just have to wait to be in less pain.'

Jemma was in the hospital by herself and, answering a fan question, said she prefers it that way.

Jemma flaunted her washboard abs as she left her Calvin Klein underwear on display in a low-slung pair of tracksuit bottoms and a long-sleeve crop top

The couple appeared to be besotted with one another as they shared a passionate kiss outside the hospital before getting into a taxi together

Her new man Nicholas wore a dark green hoodie and matching trousers with black trainers and a cross-body bag

Earlier this month Jemma revealed she was rushed to hospital with painful symptoms

She mentioned that her boyfriend Nicholas offered to come with her but she told him she'd rather be alone, explaining: 'It's my choice.

'I prefer to do these things alone so I can zone out and just deal with it. Nick wanted to come but I said no. Is that weird? Like I just prefer to be alone but feel like no one gets that.'

MailOnline contacted representatives of Jemma Lucy for comment at the time.

Nicholas was previously in a relationship with Made In Chelsea star Ruby Adler, 27, who broke down in tears as she discussed their breakup on a recent episode of the show.

The news was first revealed in September that the reality star had gone her separate ways from the convicted drug dealer.

The E4 reality show, which is filmed months ahead of time, showed the moment Ruby told her pal Olivia Bentley that she had split from Nicholas.

She said: 'My boyfriend and I have broken up. We'd built a home together and we had all these great plans. As much as it hurts I do wish the best for him still.

Liv said: 'Break ups, they are f***ing hard. I know it feels like your world is crashing down and the pain will never go and I promise it's only temporary every day it'll get easier and easier, honestly.'

In a video uploaded to her Instagram Stories, Jemma expressed her frustration at having to wait around to be seen by doctors

Jemma was in the hospital by herself and, answering a fan question, said she prefers it that way

Nicholas was previously in a relationship with Made In Chelsea star Ruby Adler, who broke down in tears as she discussed their breakup on a recent episode of the show

Reflecting, Ruby replied: 'I know, I will get there. I guess on top of all this Bella has asked to meet me, I don't really know where we're at. I hope that Bella doesn't think that because I'm single now that Rez is going to be an issue.'

Ruby initially claimed that Nicholas had cheated on her with Jemma, however she later confirmed there had been no overlap.

Posting to her Instagram Story, Ruby said: 'On reflection on my last post I shouldn't have said what I said, especially so publicly.

'I should have handled things differently and I'm just processing a really hard break up and I very much retract what I said about @nicholas._.sinclair & @jemlucy_link'

She continued: 'I don't believe there was cross over, and I posted that in haste after receiving some very strange messages. And I'm just hurting.

'We had a year long very loving relationship and I wish him all the best. Please leave both of them alone and respect all parties. Thank you.'

On her own account, Jemma replied to a question during an Instagram Q&A, which said: 'Why does Ruby think you slept with Nick when they were together?'

Answering this, Jemma wrote: 'I don't know but on my whole family's life I didn't, she didn't even speak to me about it before she posted.'
Vincent Cassel and his girlfriend Narah Baptista made the most of the sunny weather in Rio de Janeiro as they hit the beach once again on Saturday.

The French actor, 57, went shirtless in a pair of pink and red board shorts after arriving at the beach in a yellow T-shirt and black shorts.

Narah, 27, showed off her incredible model figure in a strapless brown thong bikini as she headed out for a swim.

The fashionista arrived at the beach in white shorts but stripped down to her swimwear once on the sand.

The couple appeared thoroughly relaxed as they chatted in the sunshine while Narah combed her fingers through her braids.

Vincent Cassel and his girlfriend Narah Baptista made the most of the sunny weather in Rio de Janeiro as they hit the beach once again on Saturday

Narah, 27, showed off her incredible model figure in a strapless brown thong bikini as she headed out for a swim

Vincent appeared to confirm his relationship with model Narah as they packed on the PDA during a previous trip to the beach in Rio de Janeiro in November.

They also looked loved-up while enjoying a dinner al-fresco to celebrate her birthday in Rome last month.

The pair looked smitten and couldn't stop smiling while chatting and enjoying the meal.

Vincent - best known for his roles in Ocean's Twelve and Black Swan - recently gushed about his happiness six months after reportedly splitting from wife of five-years Tina Kunakey, 26.

Taking to Instagram, Vincent has shared numerous snaps and videos from his trip abroad including a selfie, which he captioned: 'Just wanted to be happy... I am'.

While Narah replied: 'Amor' which is Italian for love.

Vincent and wife Tina, who welcomed a daughter, Amazonie, in April 2019, are believed to have separated after he deleted all traces of her from his social media.

The French actor, 57, went shirtless in a pair of pink and red board shorts after arriving at the beach in a yellow T-shirt and black shorts

The fashionista arrived at the beach in white shorts but stripped down to her swimwear once on the sand

Vincent recently gushed about his happiness six months after reportedly splitting from wife of five-years Tina Kunakey, 26

Sharing a selfie of himself, Vincent wrote: 'Just wanted to be happy... I am', while Narah replied: 'Amor' which is Italian for love

Vincent tied the knot with Tina in 2018, two years after they were first linked, and they welcomed a daughter, Amazonie, in April 2019

A source has told DailyMail.com at the time that the couple are headed for divorce. They said: 'They separated weeks ago. Tina is heartbroken.'

Vincent tied the knot with Tina in 2018, two years after they were first linked, and they welcomed a daughter, Amazonie, in April 2019.

Since their separation, Tina has shared several images from photoshoots, while Vincent has been touted two new movies, The Three Musketeers: D'Artagnan, and Liaison, an Apple TV+ film he features in alongside Eva Green.

And while he failed to post anything about Tina's birthday, the actor did share a tribute to his 19-year-old daughter Deva, whom he shares with his first wife, Monica Bellucci.

Vincent and Monica, 59, wed in 1999 after meeting on the set of their 1996 movie, The Apartment.

They divorced in 2013 after 14 years of marriage.
Lucie Donlan stripped down to risque lingerie for a festive photoshoot.

The former Love Island star, 25, showcased her enviable figure in a range of Ann Summers underwear.

Lucie first displayed her famous curves in a sheer red thong and matching teddy with fluffy white Santa Claus style edging.

She then switched into a plunging zip-up leotard featuring lace detail and racy cut-out cups.

The surfer got into the Christmas spirit as she dressed up in an off-the-shoulder PVC Mrs Claus mini dress.

Lucie Donlan, 25, stripped down to risque lingerie for a festive Ann Summers photoshoot

The former Love Island star showcased her enviable figure in a plunging zip-up leotard featuring lace detail and racy cut-out cups

The surfer got into the Christmas spirit as she dressed up in an off-the-shoulder PVC Mrs Claus mini dress

Model Lucie and her fiance Luke Mabbott both starred on Love Island but in different series.

Lucie appeared on the 2019 series of Love Island, and briefly dated fellow contestant Joseph Garratt, while former heating engineer Luke found fame on the first winter edition of the show in 2020,

Luke reached the final of the winter series of the ITV dating show, but split from Demi Jones shortly afterwards.

The now-betrothed pair met in July 2020 after Lucie revealed that she messaged Luke first on social media.

The pair got engaged a year later in the December after Luke romantically proposed in front of the Northern Lights during their trip to Finland.

He wrote: 'Mrs Mabbott to be. The northern lights made an appearance for the perfect moment to pop the question. A night we will never forget.'

Lucie said they're in no rush to wed and are planning on being engaged for three to four years  though that won't stop her from wedding dress shopping as she recently shared a snap to Instagram revealing she's found her dress.

The former Islander previously told MailOnline the pair have considered 'jetting off somewhere' and getting married 'just the two of us'  as she admitted to favouring a private wedding over a big event.

Lucie flashed her toned abs in a red-and-floral lingerie set

The reality star tried on a strapless red dress with a central bow before slipping into a green velvet thong body

Lucie stepped into sparkling silver boots as she showed off a red sequinned halter neck dress

Lucie explained that Luke is moving to Cornwall with their dog Bunny once the renovations on her idyllic seaside cottage are complete.

She said: 'We said we may just jet off somewhere ourselves and get married so we're not decided on who would at our wedding just yet  it may only be just us two. We would prefer to have a much smaller wedding for sure.

'We're a family orientated couple. We would love our wedding to be just close family and friends.'
Emma Forbes looked in great spirits as she splashed around in the sea while enjoying her annual holiday in Barbados on Saturday.

The presenter, 58, showed off her incredible physique as she wore a long-sleeved black swimsuit and headed into the water for a dip.

The star joined her husband Graham Clempson as the two enjoyed some quality time together over in the Caribbean.

Emma covered up from the sun in the long-sleeved attire while she also shaded her eyes with some dark sunglasses.

Later the star was seen chatting with a friend as she enjoyed her lavish stay at the Sandy Lane Hotel.

Emma Forbes, 58, flaunted her incredible physique in a long-sleeved swimsuit as she enjoyed her annual Barbados holiday with her husband Graham Clempson on Thursday

The two enjoyed some quality time together over in the Caribbean as they splashed around in the sea

Emma cut a more modest figure, after she showcased her ample cleavage in a plunging black swimsuit on Thursday.

The holiday comes just days after her daughter Lily Clempson's swanky wedding to American financier James Moross in a lavish ceremony in New York.

The proud mother gushed: 'I couldn't be prouder of Jamie and Lily, and I couldn't be happier to celebrate their love.'

Lily, 27, wore a fur wrap over her white wedding dress as she walked down the aisle at Cipriani's grand restaurant in the Big Apple, which had been transformed into a candlelit winter wonderland.

'It was a moment I shall never forget,' added Emma.

The broadcaster and her husband Graham Clempson sold their 25 million home in Chelsea, London, and moved to New York in 2018.

Emma married Graham in 1987 and they are proud parents to two children and are now based in East Hampton, New York.

Speaking about living in America, Emma told Hello! last year of moving abroad: 'I've always loved America.

Later the TV presenter was seen chatting with a friend as she enjoyed her lavish stay at the Sandy Lane Hotel

The outing came just days after her daughter Lily Clempson's wedding to American financier James Moross

Bride, Lily, 27, wore a fur wrap over her white wedding dress as she walked down the aisle at Cipriani's grand restaurant in the Big Apple, which had been transformed into a candlelit winter wonderland

'We've always had a connection with it - I find it an exciting place to live, it ignites my feeling of anything is possible, and it felt right for part two of life with my two children, one on each coast, to be nearer them.

'So with my own family here that makes it feel like home, and we've created a life that works for us all here.'

Emma previously shared the secrets maintaining her fabulous figure during an appearance on Lorraine.

Insisting her figure is down to good health and exercise, the former BBC Radio 2 star revealed she's never gone under the knife for a cosmetic procedure.

She explained to Lorraine in 2019: 'There's no plastic surgery going on here! I'm not judgmental of people that do it, but I am that person that it would go horribly wrong on, so I'm too frightened and I just don't do it.'
Big Brother winner Jordan Sangha has finally addressed his feud with fellow former housemate Trish Balusa.

Jordan bonded with previous fan-favourite Trish during their time in the house when the show made a comeback on ITV2 in October and November this year.

But it seemed the pair were no longer close as the lawyer, 26, appeared to take a step back from the stay-at-home mother, 33, after the show.

It was reported that Jordan did not follow Trish on Instagram after being crowned champion and Trish was said to have unfollowed him in return, leading to speculation the pair ended their friendship.

And Jordan addressed any difficulties between the pair this week after he was quizzed by his fans on social media.

Big Brother winner Jordan Sangha has finally addressed his feud with fellow former housemate Trish Balusa (Jordan pictured in November)

Jordan bonded with previous fan-favourite Trish (pictured) during their time in the house when the show made a comeback on ITV2 in October and November this year

He said: 'Re the stuff between Trish and me: Trish is a good person but it's something we're going to work out in our own time - it's a private matter.'

Jordan appears to have the support of his boyfriend Henry Southan, who he met on the show, as Henry appears to also have now unfollowed Trish on Instagram.

It comes after Trish's old 'racist and homophobic' social media posts resurfaced following her shock eviction last month.

Her historic tweets referring to minority groups, in which she made homophobic, racist and ableist comments, were uncovered after her exit.

She was subsequently removed from the spin-off show Big Brother: Late & Live and was the only housemate not to be invited to the final.

In addition producers are investigating the third party hired to trawl over housemates' social media before they enter the show to search for problematic posts, to discover why the tweets were not found.

At the time, a spokesperson for Big Brother told The Sun of the investigation: 'This weekend, we have been made aware of concerning historical tweets.

'We are currently looking into why they were not identified by the independent supplier we engage to review the digital footprint of potential Housemates as part of our pre-checks.'

It was reported that Jordan did not follow Trish on Instagram after being crowned champion last month and Trish recently unfollowed him in return (Trish pictured on Big Brother)

It comes after Trish's old 'racist and homophobic' social media posts resurfaced following her shock eviction last month, with the reality star issuing an apology

Trish then broke her silence after the scandal, posting an apology statement to her social media feed.

The ex housemate wrote: 'I'm aware that some very concerning old tweets of mine have re-surfaced, and I would like to sincerely apologise for the harmful stereotypes I perpetuated and the pain I have caused to the marginalised communities and groups of people mentioned.

'There are no excuses for the ignorance that I showed and I am deeply disappointed, embarrassed and ashamed that I once made such comments. I have come a very long way since by educating myself and being educated by others on the impact and harm those views cause.'

The comments were especially impactful to viewers as Trish accused the other housemates of micro-aggressions during her time in the house.

She added in the statement: 'It is part of the reason why I am so passionate about standing up for others and holding myself to a high standard of responsibility and accountability for my actions.

'I appreciate the support you've all given me on the show and I understand you feel disappointed.

'I know apologies can seem convenient but I mean it from the bottom of my heart: I am truly sorry. I hope it is possible for you to offer me grace and believe people can change.

Jordan (left) appears to have the support of his boyfriend Henry Southan (right), who he met on the show, as Henry appears to also have now unfollowed Trish on Instagram

'I am committed to being the person I am now, the person you have known my as  someone who speaks up, stands for what they believe in and always open to growth and accountability.'

The posts from 2012 were only discovered following Trish's exit as during their time in the house all contestants set their social media profiles to private.

She wrote following her exit: 'Going on big brother was actually one of the best decisions I've made. That experience has taught me soooo much.'

Her original Twitter account has since been deleted - although the statement has now popped up under another username as has been posted to her Instagram profile.
Tori Spelling may we celebrating the holiday season with a new man in her life.

The actress, 50, was spotted with a mystery man as she went shopping at the Westfield Topanga mall in the Canoga Park area of Los Angeles on Friday.

The 90120 alumna, who has become even slimmer since her split from Dean McDermott, showcased her lean form in a pair of shiny vinyl black leggings and a green holiday sweatshirt with 'Naught Kinda Nice' written on it.

The reality star styled her long, blonde hair in loose waves and wore natural looking makeup.

She accessorized with her trademark stacked necklaces and a large chain bracelet.

Tori Spelling, 50, was spotted holiday shopping with a mystery man Friday in Los Angeles

Her handsome companion looked relaxed in a brown tie dyed hoodie, distressed gray jeans and sneakers.

His brown hair was brushed away from his face, and he sported a scruffy beard with hints of gray.

The couple were seen sharing a moment together outside the Pinstripe restaurant before exiting to look for their car.

The pair drove away from the mall in a Tesla with the mystery man behind the wheel.

Although she wasn't seen carrying any packages Tori wrote on Instagram Friday, her shopping had begun.

'Its December 22 and I officially bought my first gift for Christmas,' she penned.

'5 Christmas lists to tackle. 3 days to do. Missed the @amazon prime cut off. Now I have to brave the mall alone. Crushing this single mom Christmas 2023.'

Not all of the Scary Movie 2 star's fans showed sympathy for her situation.

The couple were seen sharing a moment together outside the Pinstripe restaurant before exiting to look for their car

The pair drove away from the mall in a Tesla with the mystery man behind the wheel

'She is wealthy. She has no idea what it is like on a single income with a kid or 2 or 3,' one follower pointed out.

Another criticized her situation as 'Poor little rich girl struggles.'

Tori hasn't said much about her split from Dean McDermott, 57, after 17 years of marriage.

The Pretty Hard Cases actor did shed some light on it, after revealing he spent Thanksgiving in a sober living facility.

The couple share five children together; Liam, 16, Stella, 15, Hattie, 12, Finn, 11, and Beau, six.

The 90120 alumna, who has become even slimmer since her split from Dean McDermott , showcased her lean form in a pair of shiny vinyl black leggings and a green holiday sweatshirt with 'Naught Kinda Nice' written on it

The reality star styled her long, blonde hair in loose waves and wore natural looking makeup. She accessorized with her trademark stacked necklaces and a large chain bracelet

Amid his sobriety journey, Dean spoke to his fans via a video on social media and said he has 'so much to be grateful for this year' including his children.

The Hudson & Rex actor also said he was grateful for 'all of my new friends in sobriety.'

It appears the actor has taken a multi-pronged approach and expressed gratitude for his sponsor along with 'all the groups I have' and 'all the different treatment centers I get to work at.'

In an interview with DailyMail.com in November Dean revealed he completed a 40-day stint in rehab over the summer and was living in a sober living home with eight other men at the time.

Although the pair always presented a smiling front to the public, Dean opened up about his marriage and separation from Tori, explaining that their marital problems started at least five years ago and got worse due to his addiction to alcohol and prescription drugs.

Despite their separation as well as his new relationship with Lily Calo, 32, the My Animal actor said he still loves Spelling and has no regrets about their life together.

Dean said he had not seen Tori and the kids since they moved out of their rental home in May due to a mold infestations.

Her handsome companion looked relaxed in a brown tie dyed hoodie, distressed gray jeans and sneakers. His brown hair was brushed away from his face, and he sported a scruffy beard with hints of gray

Although she wasn't spotted with any packages, Tori wrote on social media that this was her first holiday shopping trip and she has missed the Amazon shipping deadline to check off the items on her kids wish lists

Tori spent a good portion of the summer living in low cost motels before opting for a motor home and parking it in a campground near the beach in Ventura County.

She and the kids had moved into an $18,000 a month rental home in the Woodland Hills area of Los Angeles before school started, but they have since vacated that house.

That move was made quickly after they were evacuated from the house due to a man living in the neighborhood barricading himself inside his home with an AR-15 rifle. No one as injured in the frightening incident.

It's unclear where Tori and the kids are living now, but photos from an online giveaway show the influencer sitting in front of a fireplace with dozens of items and her cat.
Scarlett Johansson and Colin Jost got into the holiday spirit on Friday night.

The superstar couple threw a star-studded holiday party for their famous friends.

The Iron Man actress, 39, looked gorgeous in a form-fitting red dress that fell to just above her knees.

She paired the festive frock with sheer black hose and sky-high red heels with an ankle strap and a cozy-looking beige coat.

The Black Widow star and her Saturday Night Live actor and writer husband, 41  who took a playful jab at his wife on the SNL season finale  hosted the party at the upscale bar The Flatiron Room in New York City.

Scarlett Johansson and Colin Jost got into the holiday spirit on Friday night. The superstar couple threw a star-studded holiday party for their famous friends

The Iron Man actress, 39, looked gorgeous in a form-fitting red dress that fell to just above her knees

The couple welcomed friends including Chris Evans and Alba Batista, Alec and Hilaria Baldwin, Jon Hamm and Anna Osceola, Seth Meyers and Alexi Ashe, Kieran Culkin and Jazz Charton, and newlyweds Greta Gerwig and Noah Baumbach.

Other guests included Sarah Silverman, Chris Rock, and more who raged on until the wee hours of the morning.

SNL alums Amy Poehler, Rachel Dratch, Bill Murray and creator Lorne Michaels also attended.

According to Page Six, Johansson and Jost left the venue at 4 a.m.

The busy mom of Rose, nine, who she shares with her ex-husband Romain Dauriac, and son Cosmo, two, with Jost, sat down with Jimmy Fallon on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon to talk about preparing for Christmas.

The Lost in Translation star explained that her daughter asked for some very specific gifts for Christmas this year.

'She does have a list of toys and things, but they're pretty specific. So she'll be like, "I want a dress. It's fluffy on the top. And then on the sides it's got little sequins,"' she said.

Scarlett paired the festive frock with sheer black hose and sky-high red heels with an ankle strap and a cozy-looking beige coat

Scarlett and Josh go over last-minute details before entering the party

Scarlett and her Saturday Night Live actor and writer husband, 41, hosted the party at the upscale bar The Flatiron Room in New York City

The Lucy actress shares a laugh with her guests

The parents of Cosmo, two, are preparing Christmas for him and his half-sister Rose, nine

The Lost in Translation star explained that her daughter asked for some very specific gifts for Christmas this year. 'She does have a list of toys and things, but they're pretty specific. So she'll be like, 'I want a dress. It's fluffy on the top. And then on the sides it's got little sequins,'' she said

Newlyweds Chris Evans and Alba Bastista entered the party hand in hand

This is the first time the Captain America star and his bride have been photographed since tying the knot

The couple married on September 9 in Cape Cod, Massaachusetts

Newlyweds Jon Hamm and Anna Osceola arrived at the party holding hands

Scarlett's Lost in Translation costar Bill Murray made an appearance at the event

Seth Meyers and his wife joined his SNL castmate to celebrate the season

The newlyweds met on the set of Mad Men and married in June after two years of dating

Previously Hamm dated actress and writer Jennifer Westfeldt for 18 years from 1997 to 2015. He met Osceola in 2015

Comedienne Sarah Silverman held onto her hat as she arrived at The Flatiron Room

SNL alum Rachel Dratch was one of just several current and alumni members of the cast at the party

SNL creator Lorne Michaels stopped in at his employee Colin Jost's party

Seth Meyers and his wife Alexi Ashe looked in good spirits as they entered the bash

Alec Baldwin and his wife Hilaria Baldwin also partied the night away at the celeb-packed bash

The parents of seven children together got a child-free night out on the town

Newlyweds Greta Gerwig and Noah Baumbach made the party a stop during their first week of married life

Succession star Kieran Culkin attended the party with his wife Jazz Charton

'I'm like, "What is this thing?!" It's like too specific.'

Fallon asked Scarlett if she used to be equally specific, which prompted the Lucy actress to remember her favorite gift she received for Christmas when she was a child.

'If I think about my favorite thing that I ever got, I got a Jurassic Park pop-up tent that I slept in for like six months. On my bedroom on the floor,' Scarlett said.

'My sister was not as happy about it because we shared a room, but yes. I pitched a tent in our bedroom and slept on the hard floor.'
Arabella Chi left little to the imagination as she posed for a sizzling photoshoot ahead of the Christmas countdown.

The former Love Island star, 32, looked sensational as she posed in a sheer lingerie set that showed off her ample assets and toned stomach.

Purple lace was strategically placed around the bosom to protect her modesty and added a touch of glamour to the risque garment.

She added to the gorgeous look with a sun kissed tan and beachy waves in her hair, as she posed in a number of different ways, while Santa Baby played over the top.

The sultry clip went down a storm with her 1 million Instagram fans, with many commenting on how sensational she looked.

Arabella Chi left little to the imagination as she posed for a sizzling photoshoot ahead of the Christmas countdown

The former Love Island star, 32, looked sensational as she posed in a sheer lingerie set that showed off her ample assets and toned stomach

'That's a lovely Christmas present from you' one user wrote. 'Astoundingly gorgeous' wrote another.

A third penned: 'So sexy and so absolutely gorgeous'.

It comes after the fashion model was spotted at new private members club, Dear Darling at the beginning of December.

Arabella ensured all eyes were on her as she donned a black corset style minidress, showing off her long legs.

The bodice of her dress was completely see-through allowing a glimpse at her black bra underneath and ample cleavage.

She layered a black blazer over the top of her revealing outfit and a pair of coordinating knee high boots.

The star toted her essentials in a black handbag and completed her daring look with a delicate gold necklace, a matching bracelet and several chunky rings.

Describing itself as perfect for the 'curious and the hedonistic' - the club hosts a 'secret' basement, lit in red that features near naked performers in cages.

Purple lace was strategically placed around the bosom to protect her modesty and added a touch of glamour to the risque garment

Arablla added to the gorgeous look with a sun kissed tan and beachy waves in her hair, as she posed in a number of different ways, while Santa Baby played over the top

Fans flocked to her comment section to let her know their thoughts and congratulate her on her gorgeous look

The Love Island star was amongst the guests at the launch party of Dear Darling in Mayfair where tables cost 1,000

The bodice of her dress was completely see-through allowing a glimpse at her black bra underneath and ample cleavage

The lavishly decorated two-floor VIP club - with erotic art on the walls - is housed in a former Mayfair brothel on upmarket Jermyn street in the capital.

It seems the TV personality has moved on from the horrific incident in November where she was dragged from her car and attacked by two men from an organised crime group.

She was travelling back from Ibiza with her father Paul when it happened after they took a ferry to Barcelona.

The men slashed the tyres of her 60,000 car and took her designer handbag, purse and passports.

The horrendous robbery left her unable to sleep and made her feel physically sick when she thought about it.
Selena Gomez was caught texting 'a cute boy' during a recent episode of her Food Network series Selena + Chef: Home for the Holidays.

Gomez, 31, who was cooking with Chef Eric Adjepong, was eyed typing away on her phone by co-host, Raquelle Stevens.

'Sel, who are you texting?' her longtime close friend asked, before the Vogue cover girl attempted to obscure a bashful smile.

'Look, it's hard out there,' Selena, who is dating Benny Blanco, quipped before Stevens teased, 'I could probably guess who.'

During another moment in the show, the former child star made a party foul as she realized she forgot to set a timer for the cake they were baking.

Selena Gomez was caught texting 'a cute boy' during a recent episode of her Food Network series Selena + Chef : Home for the Holidays

The camera zoomed in on the pop star as she realized her fumble.

She expressed shock before a replay of her heading to set the timer before she became distracted as she replied to a text sent from a 'mystery recipient.'

Adjepong went to check on the cake and later declared: 'Its definitely time to take it out.

Attempting to salvage the overdone baked good, he said to the women, 'Its okay actually. Its umtotally fine.'

Stevens then clarified the chef was 'just being nice.'

But he insisted, 'No, no, no. I actually like it a little bit over. Im being completely honest.'

It comes after the Only Murders in the Building star recently shared that she's been dating music producer Blanco for six months.

Selena and Benny previously worked together on three songs, including the 2021 tune I can't Get Enough.

Gomez, 31, who was cooking with Chef Eric Adjepong, was eyed typing away on her phone by co-host, Raquelle Stevens

The Only Murders in the Building star recently shared that she's been dating music producer Blanco for six months

Selena and Benny previously worked together on three songs, including the 2021 tune I can't Get Enough

Gomez shared a pair of selfies on her Instagram account on Saturday evening

The media personality's beautifully dyed hair was prominently featured in the snaps

While talking to Vogue Mexico, the star shared what she looks for when it comes to romantic relationships.

'Honestly, I have to start being attracted to the right kind of people,' she stated. The interview took place before the couple confirmed their romance.

'It's very hard to find someone who can listen to you and care about you. But I know when it happens it will be great and you will want it to be healthy,' she added.

The Texas native also noted, 'I firmly believe that everything in my life happens for a reason. I always try to say: "What's the lesson here? I want to learn the lesson and I want to grow from this."'
Jennifer Lopez was stylish in a brown leather trench coat and snug-fitting turtleneck as she stepped out with one of her two twin children, Emme, in Los Angeles on Friday.

The 54-year-old Bronx native and her kid, who she shares with ex-husband Marc Anthony, held hands while walking through Beverly Hills.

During their outing, Lopez pulled her hair into a sleek, fuss-free ponytail set at the mid point of the back of her head.

She and Emme were spotted grabbing pizza, later enjoying the lunch while they shopped.

Missing from the scene was JLo's husband of one year, Ben Affleck.

Jennifer Lopez was stylish in a dark leather trench coat and snug-fitting turtleneck as she stepped out with one of her two twin children, Emme, in Los Angeles on Friday

The songstress stopped by a store called Monogrammit

The 54-year-old Bronx native and her kid, who she shares with ex-husband Marc Anthony , held hands while walking through Beverly Hills

She and Emme were spotted grabbing pizza, later enjoying the lunch while they shopped

Emme held a can of soda as they took a look at the food from Joe's Pizza

On Saturday, Emme wore a gray graphic Korn T-shirt, and a pair of black cargo shorts

The longtime entertainer teamed her shirt and jacket with wide-leg, dark trousers.

She wore a pair of chunky, gold hoop earrings and looked typically beautiful in a full face of warm-toned makeup.

At some moments, Lopez obscured her honey-brown eyes with a pair of dark sunglasses.

The mogul, who is gearing up to release her next studio album in February, rocked a short, nude manicure and wore a pair of tan-colored boots.

Emme, whose twin brother Max did not come along for the outing, showed off a shaggy haircut.

The wispy locks were in an off-center, imperfect part, with a patch of purple color giving it flair at the front.

Jennifer shared with fans that the child is non-binary in June 2022 when she used they/them pronouns to address Emme.

On Friday they wore a gray graphic Korn T-shirt, and a pair of black cargo shorts.

The longtime entertainer teamed her shirt and jacket with wide-leg black trousers

The fashionista looked chic in a pair of thick, brown-framed aviators

Jennifer munched on a slice while perusing the Los Angeles boutique

Lopez expressively used her arms as she spoke

The mogul, who is gearing up to release her next studio album in February, rocked a short, nude manicure and wore a pair of tan-colored boots

The native New Yorker carried a brown snakeskin designer bag

They wore a pair of big, black headphones around their neck, which were embellished with stickers.

Earlier this week Jennifer was spotted shopping with her husband and both of their mothers.

The group of four checked out the art and clothing boutique Maxfield in West Hollywood.

In addition to her twins, Jennifer is stepmom to Affleck's three children with ex-wife Jennifer Garner  Violet, 18, Seraphina, 14, and Samuel, eleven.
MARCH 2020

Kate revealed she and Prince Charles had got 'relatively close' at the Prince's Trust Awards on March 11 - Charles was diagnosed with coronavirus in mid-March.

She said: 'Around the 29/30 March, I came home came in and said [to Derek] 'god you look ill.'

'He said he had a headache, numbness in his right hand, and was struggling to breathe,

'I rang Dr Hilary (Jones) and tried to get through, he talked to Derek. He said put me back on, I think you need to call an ambulance'

Derek, 52, was taken into hospital on March 30 and remained in an unresponsive condition.

APRIL

Kate and her children isolated at home after she displayed 'mild symptoms'.

Kate said: 'Derek remains in intensive care and is still very ill. I'm afraid it remains an excruciatingly worrying time.

'I'm afraid he is still in a deeply critical condition, but he is still here, which means there is hope.'

MAY

Kate said: 'The journey for me and my family seems to be far from over as every day my heart sinks as I learn new and devastating ways this virus has more battles for Derek to fight.

'But he is still HERE & so there is still hope.'

That month, Kate and her family took part in the final clap for carers

She said: 'I'll never give up on that because Derek's the love of my life but at the same time I have absolute uncertainty'

JUNE

On June 5, Kate revealed Derek is now free from coronavirus but continues to fight against the damage inflicted on his body

JULY

On July 5, Kate revealed Derek has woken from his coma but he remains in a serious yet critical condition.

On July 8, she announced she would be returning to GMB, after being urged by doctors to 'get on with life' during Derek's recovery.

She added that Derek had 'opened his eyes' after waking from his coma, but has been told his recovery could take years.

On July 13, Kate returned to GMB for the first time since Derek was hospitalised.

On July 28, Kate revealed she'd paid an 'extra emotional' first visit to Derek, and admitted she's 'frustrated' by his slow progress.

AUGUST

On August 14, Kate reassured GMB viewers that Derek was 'still with us,' but it was 'a waiting game.'

On August 19, Kate revealed she celebrated Derek's birthday with their two children, and described the day as 'challenging' for her family.

SEPTEMBER

At the end of September, Derek reportedly becomes the longest surviving patient with coronavirus after spending 184 days in and out of intensive care.

Kate reveals Derek has lost eight stone during his battle.

The presenter announces she is returning to her Smooth Radio show so Derek can hear her voice.

OCTOBER

On October 30 Kate reveals that Derek has spoken for the first time in seven months, saying the word 'pain' to his wife, who watched on 'in tears' over FaceTime.

Kate says a day later that her husband no longer needs a ventilator to breathe.

NOVEMBER

Kate reveals her family car has been stolen in latest 'body blow' to her family life, as kind-hearted fans offer their cars to help.

She says she feels 'physically sick' at the prospect of facing her first Christmas without Derek.

DECEMBER

The GMB star tells viewers it is her dream to visit Derek on Christmas Day.

She also reveals she missed two weeks on GMB after her children were exposed to the virus, but thankfully she and the kids tested negative.

On December 17, Kate has an emotional conversation live on GMB with two nurses who treated Derek when he was first admitted to Whittington Hospital in North London.

On New Year's Eve she reflects on a 'calamitous' Christmas without Derek, as her house was flooded and she struggled to get a food delivery slot until her pal Emma Willis stepped in to help.

JANUARY 2021

Kate reveals she and her children got to visit Derek in hospital over the Christmas period, and it was the first time her family had seen him since he was hospitalised.

She also says she's banned from seeing him due to new restrictions introduced during the government's third lockdown.

FEBRUARY

Kate reveals she is unsure how much Derek will 'ever be able to recover' following warning from doctors that he may never wake from his coma

MARCH

Kate revealed that was in the process of adapting her home to suit Derek's needs when he is finally released from hospital, in the ITV documentary Finding Derek.

The programmed was praised by viewers for offering a heartbreaking look at the long-term effects of coronavirus.

Kate also revealed that Derek has 'no muscle left' since battling Covid

APRIL

Kate revealed that Derek was finally allowed to leave hospital, but would require round-the-clock care once he was returned home.

MAY

Kate revealed that despite now being home with his family, his communication abilities were 'minimal' and he 'couldn't really move'

DECEMBER

During an appearance on Piers Morgan's Life Stories, Kate revealed that Derek had said 'I love you' for the first time.

After celebrating Christmas, Derek was also pictured in a wheelchair during a trip to the pantomime with his family

JANUARY 2022

Kate revealed that Derek was 'very fatigued' and 'very weak' following the family outing, adding: 'I don't know what this year is going to bring.'

FEBRUARY

Kate offered a glimpse into the daily struggles of looking after her husband amid his battle with long Covid in the documentary Caring For Derek

She also revealed that Derek would die within three days if he was left alone to care for himself.

JULY

On July 6, Kate revealed that Derek had been re-admitted to hospital after suffering a 'downturn,' and in a later interview said she takes things 'day by day.'

On July 20, it was reported that Kate had pulled out of hosting Good Morning Britain to be at Derek's bedside after he took a 'very serious' turn for the worse.

Recalling the day, the presenter told The Sun: 'At one point Derek said to me, "This is it, this time. I am gone." It was just terrifying.

'His sepsis was gut-wrenching for all of us because it had gone undiagnosed until the point where it was about to take his life away again.'

JANUARY 2023

Kate became overwhelmed as she confronted former health secretary Matt Hancock over his handling of the pandemic and his decision to go on I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here.

She then became tearful and looked up as she spoke about Derek, who has been unwell for approaching three years.

Describing public anger towards him, Kate added of his decision: 'This gives the impression you still don't get why they are cross. You still don't get why people are upset. They want to hold you to more account.'

APRIL

Kate revealed that Derek was once again receiving care in hospital, as she shared the emotional moment Sir Elton John dedicated a song to the 'inspiring' couple.

She shared the emotional moment Sir Elton John dedicated a song to the 'inspiring' couple, writing on Instagram: 'Yes Derek has been back in hospital this week & yes there's such a long road ahead but #eltonjohn & @davidfurnish you gave the kids & Derek a moment that we will never forget and has lifted their spirits again to feel anything is possible.'

It was also reported that Kate was planning a trip across the world for pioneering treatment in a 'final hope' to help her husband.

MAY

Kate reportedly faced a huge 716,000 tax bill after she was forced to close her husband's business two years after he became stricken with Covid-19.

The final total will be settled within the coming weeks, with friends insisting she will pay whatever is owed.

A friend told The Sun: 'The figures are terrifying and Kate is of course worried about all the financial pressures, but she has to trust the process.

'When it comes to an end, she is determined to pay back anything that's owed.

'It's no secret that Kate has been battling to keep her husband alive and working through some heartbreaking situations in her personal life in recent years.

'Sadly as well as the emotional stress of Derek's terrible illnesses the financial burden has also been crippling.'

DECEMBER

Derek was left fighting for his life after suffering a heart attack.

Kate held a 24/7 vigil by his bedside and cancelled all work commitments while the family 'prayed for a miracle'.

A source said: 'It was sudden and a shock as he had been doing so well and was in great spirits, looking forward to Christmas at home with the family.

'This setback has been a huge blow for his family and all the people caring for him. Kate is by his side 24 hours a day and is willing him on to win this latest battle for his life.

'Derek has fought so many times, and always, against all odds, come out the other side.'

JANUARY 2024

Kate announced on January 5 that Derek had passed away.

She said: 'Derek was surrounded by his family in his final days and I was by his side holding his hand throughout the last long hours and when he passed.

'I have so much more to say, and of course I will do so in due course, but for now I just want to thank all the medical teams who fought so hard to save him and to make his final moments as comfortable and dignified as possible'.

MailOnline understands he passed away on January 3 in a North London hospital.

He is survived by wife Kate and their children Darcey, 17, and son William, 14.
Doctor Who is famous for its dramatic regenerations, when a new actor takes on the title role every few years  but the hit BBC show also has the power to transform careers.

Take Jenna Coleman, who went from Emmerdale to become one of Britains most sought-after stars after playing Matt Smiths companion Clara.

Now, another actress with a soap background  and a similiar look  is hoping to tread the same path to success. Tomorrow, Millie Gibson, who played drug dealers daughter Kelly Neelan in Coronation Street, will be unveiled as Ruby Sunday, joining 15th Doctor Ncuti Gatwa in the Tardis.

Millions will tune in for the two new stars debut episode in what is expected to be one of Christmas Days most-watched programmes.

Millie, 19, has also begun her own personal regeneration, transforming her image from party-loving teenager into something classier, more befitting an actress on the threshold of international stardom.

Millie Gibson , who played drug dealers daughter Kelly Neelan in Coronation Street , will be unveiled as Doctor Who's Ruby Sunday

Millie will join the 15th Doctor Ncuti Gatwa in the Tardis on Christmas Day

One reason may be the involvement of Disney, a company always keen to project a wholesome, family-friendly brand. Last year the BBC signed a lucrative deal with the Hollywood giant to bring the show to a potentially huge global audience, with its Disney+ streaming channel carrying the show everywhere but the UK and Ireland.

Ahead of her debut, Millie has deleted social media pictures of herself partying and wearing bikinis or low-cut dresses. Often they showed her with drinks which appeared to be wine  even when she was underage.

Gone, too, are her wavy locks, replaced with a long blonde bob, prompting some friends to say she now resembles Marilyn Monroe.

She also has a stylist now, and at Octobers Glamour awards in London channelled the glamour of Hollywoods golden age in an elegant white full-length gown with a high neckline. At the event  which celebrates womens achievements  she rubbed shoulders with A-listers including Oscar-winners Halle Berry and Ariana DeBose and Barbie star America Ferrara.

It was a restrained night out for an actress who  according to sources who used to work with her on Coronation Street  used to have a reputation as a little bit of a wild child.

One insider recalled a very boozy leaving party in October 2022 with her castmates, including a five-hour session at the Alchemist bar in Salford Quays.

A friend of the star told The Mail on Sunday: Millie loved a party, she would often be out and about with the other young Corrie gang. She also loved to share her good times on Instagram.

She was a young girl who couldnt believe her luck and was making the most of it. But now things have got incredibly serious for her. She knows she has a shot at making a real name for herself and doesnt want to take any risks.

Millie was born and raised in the village of Broadbottom just outside Manchester, and aged 11 she started drama lessons at Oldham Theatre Workshop  famous for nurturing Happy Valleys Sarah Lancashire and Vigil star Suranne Jones, both of whom also cut their teeth on Corrie.

Within a year, Millie was signed by a Manchester-based talent agency and won her first television role in 2017, when she was just 13 years old, on the childrens BBC show Jamie Johnson.

It was followed by the BBC1 drama Love, Lies And Records and ITV mini-series Butterfly, before she caught the eye of the Coronation Street team.

When Millie was 15 she was signed up for five episodes to play the troubled Kelly, but impressed bosses so much that her contract was extended.

In 2022 she was named best young performer at the British Soap Awards. Her achievement echoed that of Jenna Coleman, who won the gong for best newcomer at the same event in 2006 for playing Emmerdales journalist, Jasmine Thomas.

Jenna, now 37, also had a similar start in the acting industry. Growing up in Blackpool, she joined a theatre group named In Yer Space and performed at a play at the Edinburgh Festival called Crystal Clear.

She then won the role in Emmerdale but her big breakthrough came when she was cast as Clara Oswald, companion to Smiths 11th Doctor, then Peter Capaldis 12th  a part she played from 2012 to 2015, returning for a small cameo in 2017.

Jenna next starred as Queen Victoria in the period drama Victoria, winning a National Television Award for best drama performance two years running. She then led the crime mini-series The Cry and The Serpent, a drama based on serial killer Charles Serpent Sobhraj.

In 2022, she portrayed Johanna Constantine in the Netflix fantasy drama series The Sandman.

Jenna has repeatedly said her training in soaps was the best grounding she could have had  her university days, she has called them.

Jenna Coleman went from Emmerdale to become one of Britains most sought-after stars after playing Matt Smith s companion Clara

Jenna-Louise Coleman as Jasmine in ITV's Emmerdale with Cain (Jeff Hordley) and Debbie (Charley Webb)

Likewise, Millie credits Corries gruelling six-episodes-a-week filming schedule for giving her a good work ethic.

She said: Before I went into Corrie I was like, Well, how hard can it be? But its really hard. I mean, they work so quickly.

There was one point when Kellys storyline was so big we were doing ten scenes a day. Thats a lot of dialogue, a lot of turning on the tears in two seconds.

And there are more similarities between the two stars. Millie has signed to the same London-based publicist as Jenna.

They are now represented by Public Eye, which also counts the likes of The Crowns Emma Corrin, Bridgertons Phoebe Dynevor and Game Of Thrones Sophie Turner as clients.

Millie also made the risky decision to quit the more comfortable world of soap to try to catapult her career into the stratosphere  against the advice of her parents.

Speaking of her decision to quit, she said: When I first thought this is going to be the year where I do it, my mum and dad were like, Are you sure? Its such a secure place, youre doing great, youre having great storylines. And I was like, I know, but Ive got to trust my gut, Ive got to trust my instincts.

I went with it without them even being on board with it at first, but as soon as I started to go with it I convinced them. But it was one of those times where I just had to make the decision for myself and  hope for the best.

Because Im so young I thought Ive got to leave. I have no responsibilities  I dont have kids, I dont have a mortgage to pay or anything like that, Im still grateful to be living at home.

So I thought Im just going to see what else the world has. If it does, it does  that would be quite good, wouldnt it? I just thought I might as well see what happens while Im still young.

Jenna is not the only actress Millie hopes to emulate, as she has also spoken of her admiration for Liverpudlian star Jodie Comer, who shot to fame as sociopathic assassin Villanelle in Killing Eve.

Millie said last year: I love Jodie Comer. Im obsessed with Jodie Comer. All of her work is just incredible and her career path is just very idealistic for me.

As for matters of the heart, Millie already has a showbiz boyfriend as she is said to be dating music label owner Tom Neatis. They were spotted holding hands during a romantic stroll on the streets of Salerno, Italy, back in April.

But she remains coy about her love life. For now, she insists life is all about work. And who can blame her?

Friends say she cant believe the success she has had since receiving a call from her agent on her last day on the Corrie set, inviting her to audition for Doctor Whos sidekick.

The day after her last appearance in the soap aired, she performed a screen test alongside Ncuti  the first black actor to take the lead in the show.

And it transpired that she already had won over Doctor Who boss, Russell T Davies, who had been following her career since her soap debut. He said: As a Coronation Street fan, Ive seen Millie survive chases, guns and sieges, but thats nothing compared to what lies ahead for Ruby Sunday.

Millie was sworn to secrecy when she landed the role in October last year and revealed she discovered the news while waiting to dry off after getting a spray tan ahead of the National Television Awards.

She said: I got this WhatsApp call, asking me to join the call with all my agents.

I picked up the phone and they were like, Are you good at keeping secrets? I said Yeah. They said, Are you really good at keeping secrets? Cos youve got it.

A month later Millie was officially announced as the Doctors new companion during the BBCs Children In Need telethon.

Millie Gibson as Kelly with Gary Windrass (Mikey North) in Coronation Street

She revealed that former stars of the show sent her texts offering their support, including Jodie Whittaker, who played the 13th Doctor, and Karen Gillan, who played companion Amy Pond before making it big in Hollywood as star of the Guardians Of The Galaxy and Jumanji franchises.

So surely Millie will take Karens advice when she said: Its only going to get crazier from here.

Millie admitted she was bracing herself for the show to air and says it doesnt seem real even now.

It feels like weve made a lovely little project and its never going to be released to the world, but it is. Ive got to wrap my head around that.

So many people have sat me down and said, Look, your life will change. It is hard to accept that. Its a baffling thing to be told, to be honest.

But at 5.55pm tomorrow, that is exactly what will happen. Just ask Jenna Coleman.
Mike Nussbaum, best known for his role in 1997's Men in Black, died on Saturday morning at his home in Chicago.

He was just a week away from his 100th birthday.

The veteran character actor was one of the oldest working actors in the business and a longtime stalwart of the Chicago theater scene.

His daughter Karen spoke to TMZ revealing that her father had spent the past year in hospice care and that 'it was his time.'

His film credits include Field of Dreams, Fatal Attraction, Men in Black and House of Games.

Mike Nussbaum (R), best known for his role in 1997's Men in Black, died on Saturday morning at his home in Chicago. He was just a week away from his 100th birthday

The veteran character actor was one of the oldest working actors in the business and a longtime stalwart of the Chicago theater scene

During an interview with the Chicago Sun-Times in 2019, when he was 95 and appearing in Hamlet, Nussbaum reflected on his many decades in acting.

'I'm lucky. Genetic luck. I work out and I try to eat sensibly. I gave up smoking about 50 years ago. It's just pure luck,' he said.

'It's the end of an era, the end of the Chicago school of acting,' B.J. Jones, the artistic director of Northlight Theatre, and frequent collaborator with Nussbaum told the Chicago Sun-Times.

Jones went to visit his old friend on Tuesday where he delivered a script for the a new play.

'He said he was bored. Hilarious.' Jones said. 'But he was ready to go.'

In 2019, Nussbaum was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award from the League of Chicago Theaters.

At the time, he was declared the oldest working member of Actor's Equity.

'I get more fun out of this than I would out of anything else I love, I would hate to have to give it up,' Nussbaum said of the lifetime achievement honor during an interview with Chicago's ABC-7.

His daughter Karen spoke to TMZ revealing that her father had spent the past year in hospice care and that 'it was his time'

His film credits include Field of Dreams, Fatal Attraction, Men in Black and House of Games

During an interview with the Chicago Sun-Times in 2019 , when he was 95 and appearing in Hamlet, Nussbaum reflected on his many decades in acting. 'I'm lucky. Genetic luck. I work out and I try to eat sensibly. I gave up smoking about 50 years ago. It's just pure luck,' he said

The little alien hiding inside the fake skull of Nussbaum's character Gentle Rosenberg in Men in Black

Nussbaum was born on December 29, 1923 in Chicago and made his acting debut in the Second City in 1950.

'I think that being an actor in Chicago, over a number of years, is the most satisfying life I could imagine,' Nussbaum told the Sun-Times in the 2019 interview.

'I found New York and LA to be ' he said, pausing before continuing, 'antithetic to art. The desire for fame, the desire for glory, for money, is overwhelming in both cities.

'Although I had some success in both cities, I decided my life was more balanced here. I enjoy getting on the bus to go downtown and have someone come up and say "I loved you in such-and-such."
Chris Hemsworth sparked debate among fans on Sunday after he shared photos of his prized wooden furniture on Instagram.

The Thor star, 40, took to Instagram to promote the works of his furniture designer friend Lee Brennan, uploading several photos of the handmade objects sitting inside his $30million mansion in Broken Head, near Byron Bay.

Chris, his friend and Chris' wife Elsa Pataky were all seen posing casually next to the furniture, which included a large dining table, mirror and arched doorway frame.

However fans couldn't ignore the last picture in the gallery, which showed Chris leaning on the wall with his bare, dirt covered feet on full display.

'His feet really grossed me out!!!' one user commented, as another added: 'For goodness sake, look at your feet! [Facepalm emoji]'.

Chris Hemsworth sparked debate among fans on Sunday after he shared photos of his prized wooden furniture on Instagram

'Clean your feet!' someone else begged, as someone else commented: 'Your feet are really dirty. Making the floor dirty again - go and wash.'

However others defended Chris' dirty display, with one writing: 'I love how dirty his feet are in the last snap'.

Others argued that dirty feet is the norm in Australia, and that foreign fans shouldn't be surprised.

However fans couldn't ignore the last picture in the gallery, which showed Chris leaning on the wall with his bare, dirt covered feet on full display

In one photo, Chris and his wife Elsa Pataky (right) were seen posing casually next to the furniture, which included a large dining table, mirror and arched doorway frame

'His feet really grossed me out!!!' one user commented, as another added: 'For goodness sake, look at your feet! [Facepalm emoji]'

'No Aussies wear shoes inside. Barefoot outside too. Norm,' one wrote, as someone else agreed: 'It's an Aussie thing... Y'all will never know'.

Chris, Elsa and their three children are regularly seen without shoes while out and about in Byron Bay.

The family have lived in the idyllic celebrity enclave for nine years, after they relocated from Los Angeles to Australia.

Chris, Elsa and their three children are regularly seen without shoes while out and about in Byron Bay

In March 2021, Elsa said the move to Byron Bay had been a blessing for their kids.

'Byron has been beautiful,' she told The Sydney Morning Herald.

'We made the right decision in 2014 to leave LA and come to Australia. It's been great for the kids to be in nature, enjoy animals and go horse riding.'
A car insurance policy is very crucial and mandatory to buy for every owner according to the law. Car insurance policy not only covers various mishaps, theft and natural disasters that occur to the vehicle, but it also helps an individual to escape from legal obligations. A car insurance policy helps an individual to get financial aid from the policyholder during an accident or undesirable situation. But with the increase in car insurance fraud, people are losing trust in buying car insurance online. This issue has become a critical concern for both insurance companies and policyholders.

Insurance companies also raise awareness and guidance to every car owner to shield against such fraud. However, an individual must safeguard himself from such scams by staying aware and alert while purchasing car insurance. Therefore, this blog contains all the essential information that an individual can consider to stay safe from car insurance fraud, so read this guide till the end.

Steps to Buy Car Insurance Online

Buying car insurance online is one of the most straightforward and convenient ways to insure a car. It helps eliminate the hassle of going outside and weight in a queue to fill out a form. However, if you are new to the car insurance market and need to learn how to buy insurance online, follow the steps.

Please search for the best and most reliable car insurance provider and visit their online portal.

Navigate to the car insurance page from their homepage.

Fill in all the essential details, such as car RC number, email address, contact number, etc, in the designated box.

Choose your desired policy plan and add-ons to buy with the policy.

Look for all the essential information, and read every clause and condition carefully before making payment.

Submit all the required documents asked by the insurance provider

Recheck the application form, documents and other details, and then complete payment through the online payment option.

After payment, an individual may get a confirmation message on the registered number, which they must check. However, an individual must stay aware and alert while buying comprehensive car insurance online to avoid scams and fraud.

Car Insurance Frauds

A car insurance fraud is a fraud or scam by fraudulently using vehicle insurance. A fraudulent insurance provider, agent, mediator or another person engaged in the industry can perform it. Both policyholders and insurance companies fall victim to scams or frauds. Policyholders may fall in with fake insurance agents and policies and spend their money on counterfeit policies. Some types of fraud an individual may experience are fake payment beneficiaries, fake insurance policies, unrealistic add-ons, features and benefits and spurious calls.

What to Consider While Buying Car Insurance to Avoid Fraud?

Individuals need to be aware of what is happening to escape from unwelcoming events. Sometimes, buyers buy a car insurance policy without proper information and details about the fake insurance company and pay for nothing in return. Therefore, when an individual is more conscious and aware of taking the right steps while buying car insurance, it can help them avoid fraud. However, if you also want to purchase third-party car insurance online, then it would be best for you to keep the following points in mind to avoid undesirable situations and stay safe from fraud.

Directly Connect with Insurance Provider

Sometimes, people prefer to buy car insurance from agents who mediate between the insurance company and the customer. However, not all mediators are reliable; fraudsters may convince customers to make payments and purchase insurance policies through them. Therefore, it is advisable to bypass intermediaries and directly contact the insurance company to verify the middle persons correct information and official registration. Moreover, buying an insurance policy now from the company also eliminates extra costs that an individual may need to pay the agent.

Fake Agents

The company assigns car insurance agents to help customers better understand the policy, its terms, and clauses without any hassle. However, not all insurance agents are genuine, and they may come with a possible risk of scam. There is a wide range of fake agents available in the market who may convince you to purchase a phoney policy; they may also provide you with the same policy documents to trust your gain. In such cases, avoid such agents and visit the official website of the company to get quotes and also directly connect to them to buy a policy online.

Ask for a Genuine Receipt

Sometimes, people buy a policy and never ask for the payment receipt, which can lead to scams. Thus, it would be best to ask the insurance policy company for the original payment receipt online or offline. Accurate pass helps in quickly fighting against fraudsters with legal support.

Avoid Cash Transactions

Online payments are a more trustworthy way of transaction as all the proof is available online; thus, it would be best to avoid payment in cash and go with online payment so an individual has evidence that they paid to the fraud and file a case.

Read Documents Carefully

One of the most careless acts an individual does while buying an insurance policy is not reading clauses and terms carefully. Reading all the documents may look hectic, but it can help an individual escape fraudsters manipulation. You must also ask your family member to read all documents once before you sign them so you can make better decisions.

Look out for the QR Code

The Insurance Regulatory Department and Authority of India has made it obligatory for all insurance companies to have tier QR. This QR code helps in offering complete details about the policy to the customer. However, you must ask for the QR code from the insurer to avoid scams.

Conclusion

Fraudsters typically commit car insurance fraud during the purchase or sale of the policy or when filing insurance claims. These frauds can be against a motor insurance company or an individual. However, an individual must be alert to such situations and keep all the above points in mind while buying an insurance policy.
In the complex landscape of business insurance, understanding the nuances between different policies is crucial for safeguarding your enterprise. Two key insurance policies that often stand out in the realm of employee protection and liability coverage are the Workmen's Insurance Policy (also known as Workers' Compensation Policy or WC Policy) and General Liability Insurance. In this comprehensive guide, we will explore the fundamental differences between these two insurance policies, shedding light on their unique features, coverage areas, and the importance they hold for businesses.

Workmen's Insurance Policy, commonly referred to as Workers' Compensation Policy or WC Policy, is a specialized insurance coverage designed to provide financial protection to employees who suffer work-related injuries or illnesses. It is a mandatory requirement in many jurisdictions, ensuring that employers are financially equipped to support their employees in case of workplace accidents.

Mandatory Nature of WC Policy:

One of the primary distinctions of a WC policy is its mandatory nature in many regions. Employers are often required by law to carry this insurance to provide prompt and fair compensation to employees for work-related injuries, irrespective of fault.

Coverage Scope

WC policies primarily cover medical expenses, rehabilitation costs, and a portion of lost wages for employees injured or become ill due to job-related activities. It aims to provide a safety net for workers and protect employers from potential lawsuits arising from workplace injuries.

No-Fault System

A key feature of WC policies is the "no-fault" system. Injured employees are entitled to benefits regardless of who caused the workplace accident. This eliminates the need for employees to prove employer negligence and, in return, offers prompt compensation.

Exclusions

WC policies generally exclude coverage for intentional injuries, injuries sustained while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, and injuries resulting from violations of company policies.

General Liability Insurance:

Defination

General Liability Insurance is a broad coverage policy that protects businesses from a range of risks, including bodily injury, property damage, and personal injury claims. Unlike WC policies, it is not specifically tailored for employee injuries but provides a broader shield against third-party claims.

Scope of Coverage:

General Liability Insurance covers a wide array of incidents, such as slip-and-fall accidents on business premises, damage to third-party property, and advertising injury claims. It is not limited to workplace-related incidents and extends to various scenarios where a business may be held liable.

No Employee Injury Coverage

Unlike WC policies, General Liability Insurance does not cover injuries sustained by employees during work-related activities. Instead, it focuses on protecting the business from liabilities arising from non-employee third parties.

Legal Defense

General Liability Insurance typically includes coverage for legal defense costs in case the business faces a lawsuit. This coverage can be essential in protecting the financial stability of a business during legal proceedings.

Exclusions

General Liability Insurance may have exclusions for certain types of claims, such as professional negligence or intentional acts. It is crucial for businesses to carefully review these exclusions and, if necessary, obtain additional coverage for specific risks.

Distinguishing Factors:

Nature of Claims

WC policies primarily address claims related to employee injuries or illnesses that occur in the workplace. In contrast, General Liability Insurance handles a broader spectrum of claims, including those involving customers, vendors, or other third parties.

Mandatory Requirement vs. Comprehensive Protection

While a WC policy is often mandatory and focuses specifically on employee injuries, General Liability Insurance is not mandatory in the same way and provides a more comprehensive shield against various liabilities.

No-Fault vs. Fault System

The no-fault system of WC policies simplifies the claims process for injured employees, ensuring they receive compensation without proving employer negligence. General Liability Insurance, however, typically requires establishing fault or negligence to validate a claim.

Legal Implications

WC policies aim to streamline the compensation process for injured employees, reducing the likelihood of legal action against the employer. General Liability Insurance, on the other hand, is more about protecting the business from external legal claims.

Additional Insights

Industry-Specific Considerations

Depending on the nature of your business, industry-specific considerations may come into play when choosing between WC policies and General Liability Insurance. Industries with higher risks of employee injuries may find WC policies more crucial, while those facing frequent third-party liability claims may prioritize General Liability Insurance.

Risk Management Strategies

Integrating both WC policies and General Liability Insurance into a comprehensive risk management strategy can provide a well-rounded approach to business protection. Identifying potential risks unique to your business and addressing them with targeted insurance solutions enhances overall resilience.

Claims Processing Speed

Workmen's Insurance Policies often boast faster claims processing, allowing injured employees to receive compensation promptly. This can contribute to employee satisfaction and help maintain a positive work environment.

In conclusion, while navigating the intricate landscape of business insurance, a clear understanding of the differences between Workmen's Insurance Policy and General Liability Insurance is imperative. Workmen's Insurance Policy, with its focus on employee injuries and the no-fault system, ensures prompt and fair compensation. On the other hand, General Liability Insurance offers a broader protection net against the diverse challenges businesses face in the competitive landscape.

For businesses, the key lies in recognizing the specific needs of their operations. Compliance with mandatory WC policies is crucial to uphold legal obligations and safeguard the workforce. Simultaneously, investing in General Liability Insurance provides a more comprehensive defense against the diverse challenges businesses face in the competitive landscape. Ultimately, a well-rounded insurance strategy, encompassing both WC policies and General Liability Insurance, is pivotal for comprehensive risk management and ensuring the long-term stability of your business.
State Bank of India (SBI) on Friday said it has signed a USD 165 million (over Rs 1,300 crore) Line of Credit (LoC) with the World Bank for promoting rooftop solar project in the country.

The LoC is for supporting grid-connected rooftop Solar PV Projects in residential and institutional sectors, SBI said in a regulatory filing.

Earlier this week, SBI signed a 200 million euro (about Rs 1,800 crore) LoC with the European Investment Bank (EIB) for supporting climate action projects.
American electric automaker Tesla's plans to produce energy-storage batteries in China moved forward on Friday with a signing ceremony for the land acquisition in Shanghai, China's state media said.

Construction of the factory is scheduled to start early next year with production to come on line by the end of the year, the official Xinhua News Agency said.

The factory won't build batteries for cars but for electric utilities and other companies to store power. Such storage units have become increasingly important with the growth in solar and wind energy, which only generate electricity when weather conditions are favorable and need to store it for when residential and commercial users need it.

The new factory will initially produce 10,000 of Tesla's Megapack units annually for sale worldwide, Xinhua said.

The Tesla project is a rare piece of good news for the Chinese economy, which has seen a sharp drop in foreign investment this year.

The Commerce Ministry said this week that foreign investment in the first 11 months of this year was down 10 per cent compared with the same period last year.

Foreign companies are worried about the Chinese government's increasing control over business on national security and other grounds, as well as growing US restrictions on technology trade with China.

China is a major market and manufacturing centre for Tesla, and the company's CEO, Elon Musk, has built close ties with Chinese officials even as US-China relations soured. In May, he met the commerce minister and the then-foreign minister in Beijing.
Taking exception to an act of vandalism of a Hindu temple with anti-India graffiti in California, allegedly by Khalistani supporters, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday said extremists and separatist forces outside India should not get such space.

I have seen the news. As you know, we are concerned about this. Extremists and separatist forces outside India should not get space. Our Consulate has lodged a complaint with the (US) Government and the police there over whatever happened, and I believe the matter is being inquired, Jaishankar said in response to a query about the incident.

According to a report by PTI from New York, Swaminarayan Mandir was vandalised with anti-India graffiti in the US State of California, and the police are investigating the matter as a possible hate crime.

The City of Newark Police Department in Newark, California, told PTI in an emailed statement that on Friday at approximately 8:35 am, they received a report of graffiti at the Shri Swaminarayan Mandir Hindu Temple.

According to images posted on social media, the word Khalistan was spray-painted on a signpost outside the temple along with other objectionable graffiti. The Newark police said any acts or threats of violence, property damage, harassment, intimidation, or other crimes motivated by hate or bias are considered very serious and given very high priority.

Officers responded and met with temple leaders who described the vandalism as meant to intimidate them. Based on the content of the graffiti, it is believed that the defacement was a targeted act, and the vandalism is being investigated as a possible hate crime, the statement said.

The Consulate General of India in San Francisco strongly condemned the defacing of the temple. We strongly condemn the defacing of SMVS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir at Newark, California, with anti-India graffiti, the Consulate posted on X.

This incident has hurt the sentiments of the Indian community. We have pressed for a quick investigation and prompt action against the vandals by the US authorities in this matter, the Consulate said.

Officers are investigating, collecting evidence, and reviewing surveillance footage from nearby businesses in order to establish the chain of events and bring those responsible to justice, the police said.

The department said, We stand united with our community and are urging community members with any information regarding this incident to come forward and speak with investigators.

The police are asking anyone with information regarding this investigation to contact the Newark Police Investigations Unit. This is not the first instance where a temple has been defaced with such graffiti in the recent past by Khalistani separatists.

India has been asking its partner countries such as Canada, the UK, and the US not to give space to extremist Khalistani ideology.

Khalistan supporters have increased their anti-India activities after the death of Canada-based Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF) chief Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

Indias consulate in San Francisco in July came under an attack from Khalistan supporters who tried to set the diplomatic facility on fire.

The vandalism of the temple in Newark came close on the heels of allegations of an Indian officials involvement in a conspiracy to assassinate a separatist Sikh leader in the US.

The Indian official has been linked by American prosecutors to an individual accused of conspiring to assassinate Sikh separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in the United States.

India has expressed concern over the matter and stated that appropriate action will be taken following the conclusions of an investigative panel examining the allegations.

Meanwhile, talking about the arrest of Nikhil Gupta in the Czech Republic over an accusation that he was planning to assassinate Pannun in collaboration with an Indian official, Jaishankar said the Indian Embassy was provided consular access to him (by that countrys Government). Whenever an Indian citizen is arrested, we seek consular access for their care, which we have received thrice, he said.
India dispatched its warships in the Arabian Sea on Saturday after a merchant vessel reported an explosion and fire incident suspected to be caused by a drone attack. It occurred 217 nautical miles off the Porbandar coast, Gujarat.

Preliminary reports stated the fire was extinguished, and no crew members, including the 20 Indians on board, suffered injuries. The vessel MV Chem Pluto is carrying crude oil and was en route from a port in Saudi Arabia to Mangaluru. Reports also mentioned that the fire has affected the functioning of the merchant vessel.

In response to the incident, the Indian Coast Guard ship Vikram is moving towards the vessel. The Coast Guard ship Vikram was deployed on the patrol of the Indian Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) when it was directed towards the distressed merchant ship. Vikram has also alerted all ships in the area to provide assistance to the merchant vessel.

Indian Navy warships in the vicinity are also moving towards the merchant ship, which is reportedly Liberian-flagged and Israeli-affiliated.

The Indian Navys P-8I maritime surveillance aircraft managed to establish communication with the distressed vessel after taking off from INS Hansa naval air base in Goa. The Indian Navy warship is moving towards the vessel and is expected to reach the merchant ship in the next few hours, as per the latest information.

The suspected drone attack comes in the backdrop of missile and drone attacks in the Red Sea by Houthis, reportedly backed by Iran. The Houthis claim they are in support of Palestinians in the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict.

Incidentally, on Monday, the Indian Navy assisted in the evacuation of an injured sailor from a hijacked Malta-flagged cargo vessel. Six pirates had reportedly boarded the ship, the MV Ruen, in the Arabian Sea.
Political slugfest has erupted between the AAP and the BJP, after Delhi Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena recommended a CBI inquiry into the alleged procurement and supply of non-standard drugs in Delhi government hospitals.

In a note to Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar, the Lt Governor mentioned that it is concerning that these medicines are being given to lakhs of patients. Drugs such as Amlodipine, Levetiracetam and Pantoprazole failed in both government as well as private labs. Further, Cephalexin, Dexamethasone failed in private labs.

According to Vigilance Department report, at least 10 percent sample lifted by the department failed in laboratory test and found to be spurious /not of standard quality. These drugs, procured by the Central Procurement Agency (CPA) under the Delhi Health Services (DHS), were supplied to Delhi government hospitals and may also have been supplied to the Mohalla Clinics, the Lt Governor said in his note. It is with a sense of deep concern that I have perused the file. I am, to say the least, anguished at the fact that lakhs of hapless people and patients are being supplied fake drugs that have failed quality standard tests, read the note to Kumar.

The move comes after, the Drug Controller under Health Department, GNCTD, on the basis of complaints regarding sub-standard medicines being supplied in Delhi Government hospitals, randomly collected the drug samples from these hospitals and sent them to the approved government and private labs for testing. There were complaints of sub-standard medicines being supplied in Delhi government hospitals. Subsequently, samples were collected from the government hospitals. The complainants said that these frequently-used medicines given in these hospitals were ineffective on the patients.

The reports of the labs were sent by the Drug Controller and the Department of Health for further necessary action to the Directorate of Vigilance (DoV). The DoV, based on test reports, found that more than 10% of the drug/medicine samples failed and were found to be Not of standard quality. According to the Vigilance Department, out of 43 samples that were sent to government labs, 3 samples failed the test as 12 reports are still pending. Further, out of another 43 samples sent to private labs, 5 samples failed. These drugs, procured by the Central Procurement Agency (CPA) under the Delhi Health Services (DHS), were supplied to Delhi government hospitals and may also have been supplied to the Mohalla Clinics, the Lt Governor said in his note.

Tested by government as well as private analysts/laboratories as per rules and statutory provisions under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, these have failed and are categorised as Not of Standard Quality, he said.

Reacting to the development, Delhi Health Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj said that after assuming office, he had directed an audit of the medicines procured, but no action was taken by the Health Secretary. He also demanded the suspension of the bureaucrat and other officials concerned. Delhi BJP, however, demanded the sacking of the Delhi health minister over the matter. Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva, MP Manoj Tiwari and Leader of Opposition in Delhi Assembly, Ramvir Singh Bidhuri demanded resignation of health minister Saurabh Bharadwaj in the matter. Reacting to the development, Delhi Congress chief Arvinder Singh Lovely demanded the setting up of a medical board to look into the issue.

Saxena, in his note, also said that these drugs procured by spending huge budgetary resources are a grave threat to public health and safety and have the potential of endangering lives of people.

Prima facie, apart from CPA-DHS, GNCTD, there are suppliers, manufacturers situated in other states and drug controllers in those states associated in this whole exercise, he said. The Lt Governor said accordingly, as proposed at Para 35, since the matter of Mohalla Clinics is already entrusted to the CBI, this case, which may, inter alia, also involve supply of these failed Not of Standard Quality drugs to such clinics, may also be entrusted to the central agency, especially in light of the fact that the investigation therein involves multi inter-state stakeholders including CPA- DHS, GNCTD, suppliers/dealers, manufacturers in other states and other state agencies.

Addressing a press conference, Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva attacked Bharadwaj. We have the lab and vigilance report. The samples of the medicines being provided in the Delhi government hospitals have failed. We demand that Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal immediately sack his health minister, Sachdeva said.

Leader of Opposition in Delhi Assembly Ramvir Singh Bidhuri has welcomed the CBI investigation order regarding the supply of substandard medicines in government hospitals of Delhi. He said LGs order is a step towards bringing the culprits in front of the people. The investigation of this case should be completed swiftly so that the impact of these substandard medicines can be revealed.

Bidhuri emphasized that the issue of substandard medicines is not only a matter of corruption but akin to jeopardizing someones life. Those responsible for this should face strict action. Until the investigation is concluded, the Health Minister should resign, he said.

In a series of posts on X, Bharadwaj demanded the suspension of errant officials. I joined on 9.3.2023, gave directions dated 21.3.2023 for audit of Medicines procured through CPA or otherwise. No action by Health Secretary.

Again action taken report sought from Health Secretary dated 24.7.2023. However, no response came from Health Secretary. Procurement of medicines comes under DGHS and dept head is Health Secretary. 2 months back, on 23.10.2023, I recommended LG saab to suspend Health Secretary SB Deepak Kumar and DGHS. Why no action against them? At least suspend them now, he said. Earlier, when asked about the matter on the sidelines of a press conference here, Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai, who is also the Aam Aadmi Partys (AAP) Delhi state convener, said that the government will come out with a detailed response. Rai said he had not seen the details of the matter.

The Delhi Congress said it is a serious matter and action should be taken against the culprits after an investigation.It is a serious problem and a probe must be conducted... A medical board should be constituted by the government so that other medicines can also be tested and action should be taken against those found guilty, he said.
Arrested Kashmir youth Sayed Ishaan Bukhari had failed to clear Class-XII examinations. However, he learnt six languages, Hindi, Urdu, English, Bengali, Odia and Marathi, in the later phase of life. He managed to enamour girls and married seven of them.

Such startling facts have come to light after the Special Task Force (STF) analysed the call detail report (CDR) of Bukhari.

The CDR, sources in the STF said, reveals Bukhari's suspected terror links. Bukhari has chatted with several people in India and abroad on WhatsApp. The deleted voice messages have been retrieved by the investigating agency. The investigation revealed that he transacted money from nine bank accounts.

A police team from Kashmir would soon reach Odisha to interrogate Bukhari, sources said.

Only after the completion of the probe, a clear picture is likely to emerge on Bukhari and his exact links with anti-national elements.
CBSE Regional Level Science Exhibition, organized by the Central Board of Secondary Education, unfolded with grandeur at Delhi Public School, Ranchi. This 2-days Exhibition to be conducted on the 22nd and 23rd of December 2023, promises to be a captivating showcase of scientific innovation and creativity. Teams from 41 schools across the CBSE Patna Region (Jharkhand State only) participated in this exhibition. The Chief Guest of the event was Manish Tyagi (Under Secretary), CBSE.

The programme commenced with a welcome song and dance. The ambience was charged with excitement as participants, mentors, and guests gathered for an intellectually stimulating experience. The exhibition featured in 02 categories, one for students from Classes VI to VIII and the other for Classes IX to XI, delving into diverse themes that reflect the breadth and depth of their scientific curiosity. The five themes for the exhibitionHealth, LIFE (Lifestyle for Environment), Agriculture, Communication and Transport, and Computational Thinkingoffer a glimpse into the multifaceted nature of the scientific endeavors awaiting exploration.

For the 41 participating schools, the stakes are high, as only 10 will emerge victorious and secure a coveted spot in the National Level of the exhibition, scheduled to take place in Delhi. These winning schools will be announced on Day 2 of exhibition after showcasing their exceptional prowess in addressing the event's themes and meeting the stringent assessment criteria. The results will be declared on 23rd December 2023.

Chief Guest, Manish Tyagi underscored the significance of cultivating a scientific mind-set from an early age, recognizing the commendable efforts of the young scientists. Emphasizing the crucial role of creativity and independent thinking in academic pursuits, the Chief Guest applauded the dedication of the students to excellence. He particularly commended the high quality of the exhibits presented, highlighting the students' impressive achievements. The Chief Guest's address resonated with the audience, conveying a message of encouragement and inspiration for the budding scientists.

Dr. Ram Singh Principal, DPS Ranchi and CBSE City Coordinator, Ranchi Zone, said, The exhibition is an excellent example of active learning, a cornerstone for successful learning that grooms children to be future-ready learners for life." He highlighted the significance of these academic activities in engaging students and teachers, instilling curiosity, and bringing out the best in them.
BJP MLA and former Delhi state unit president Vijendra Gupta met Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena to discuss the urgent implementation of a recent Supreme Court Judicial Committees order. The judgment mandates the de-sealing of properties in various areas of Delhi, including Defence Colony, South Extension-1, GK-1, Hauz Khas, and others, which were sealed by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) for violating building bylaws.

During his meeting, Gupta emphasized the prolonged distress and hardship faced by hundreds of property owners due to the sealing of the first and second floors of several local shopping complexes. The recent decision by the judicial committee offers significant relief to those affected, marking a vital turn in their extensive struggle for justice, he said.

Highlighting the urgency of the situation, Gupta has urged the LG to ensure swift and unconditional implementation of the Supreme Courts directives. He called for the MCD to fully comply with the order, ensuring immediate and effective action in de-sealing the affected properties.

The meeting with the LG is a crucial step towards restoring the faith of Delhis citizens in our justice and administrative systems, stated MLA Gupta in his letter to the LG. He added, It is essential that we act quickly to uphold the rule of law and alleviate the difficulties faced by our citizens.

Gupta further emphasised that the implementation of this directive is not only a legal obligation but also a moral imperative to support the citizens rights and well-being.
Rallies and Satyagrahas were held in Bhubaneswar on Friday as part of the countrywide protests against the expulsion of 146 Opposition MPs from the Parliament.

Many leaders of the INDIA Group, Odisha were arrested while protesting against the autocratic rule of the Narendra Modi Government. The leaders said the Parliament is the highest democratic institution. The opposition parties leaders have democratic and Constitutional rights to protest. The Modi Government has used the Rajya Sabha Chairman and the Lok Sabha Speaker to expel 146 Opposition MPs.

The Modi Government has to pay a heavy price for its autocratic attitude and intolerance. The expulsion of the 146 MPs should be immediately withdrawn, the opposition leaders demanded.

The Indian National Congress, CPI and CPI(M), All India Forward Block, Aam Aadmi Party, Samajwadi Party, NCP, RJD, Samruddha Odisha and JMM took part in the protest.
Northern Coalfields Limited, a flagship subsidiary of Coal India Limited kickstarted the 6th Edition of the two-day International Conference on Opencast Mining Technology & Sustainability (ICOMS) at NCL HQ on Friday. The Chairman of Coal India PM Prasad Inaugurated the Conference by Video Conferencing. While addressing the inaugural session, Prasad praised NCL for being the only subsidiary of Coal India which is continuously clocking the year-on-year growth in terms of Coal Production, Dispatch, and Overburden Removal for the past 6 Years.

He underscored the importance of the ICOMS and asserted that ICOMS paves the path for expert research papers, and exhibitions and proves to be a fruitful platform that helps in resolving the social, environmental & operational challenges of opencast mining. Additionally, Prasad appreciated the innovative initiatives of the company including FMC Projects, other steps towards environmental sustainability & Project DigiCoal.

During the presidential address, CMD NCL Bhola Singh said that departmental production is the cornerstone of NCL. He also focused on the sustainable mining practices in NCL. Singh appreciated the OB to Sand & other innovative initiatives of the Company inclusively conserving the natural resources. He also stressed upon the continuous adoption of new technology and stated that quality coal supply to the consumers is the prime concern of NCL.

He also described sustainable initiatives like solar power plants towards NET Zero and Overburden Removal as a need of the hour for the company's futuristic growth.

Additionally, Singh also outlined Miniratna's plan of Mining in the Main Basin Area to contribute to the Nation's Energy Independence. While praising the mechanical fleet of NCL, he exhorted on the adoption of new technology and methodology to minimize the cost of production.

A grand Mining Machinery Exhibition has been organized on the sideline of the conference in which more than 50 Multinational Companies, Startups, and MSMEs are participating and showcasing their products and services particularly used in HEMMs, Mine operation, mine Safety, productivity, and digitization.

During the inaugural session of ICOMS-2023, a souvenir was also released. Participants from 50 big multinational companies are participating in this conference. Also, more than 60 research papers are being presented at the conference, which includes 4 International papers.

The main topics being covered in the 6th International Conference being held on 22 & 23rd December are Atmanirbhar Bharat and Amrit Kaal Yatra, Production and Productivity in Opencast Mines, Equipment Infrastructure and Power Supply Management, Demand Supply Scenario and Outlook, Business Diversification, Technological Change in Mining Sector, Business Development, New Initiatives and Innovations. Emphasis is being also laid on digitalization, artificial intelligence, security, land acquisition, rehabilitation, environment, and social development in mining.

NCL is the highest volume (coal production and Overburden combined) handling company in the Nation. The company produces over 131 Million Tonnes of coal and handles over 460 Million Cubic Meters of Overburden from 10 Opencast mines located in MP and UP states. The company boasts of having the best open-cast mines in terms of mechanization and infrastructure.

The company has already surpassed 100 Million Tonnes of Coal production and Dispatch in FY 2023-24 against the fiscal target of 135 Million Tonnes. The company has crossed its Annual Capex Target of  2150 Crore and has spent Rs 2443.72 Crore till November month.
With parliamentary elections scheduled sometime around April next year, a big section of Congress leaders is confused whether Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is still the general secretary in-charge of Uttar Pradesh or she has stepped down after the partys worst ever defeat in the last assembly elections in the state and now remains UP in-charge just on paper.

The party won just two seats in the UP assembly elections in 2022 and soon after the results came, the high command took the resignation of the then UP Congress Committee president Ajay Kumar Lallu.

Sources said that many leaders of the party were shocked last Monday when they came to know that Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra had resigned as UP in-charge a year ago. She herself informed the party colleagues about this at a review meeting of Uttar Pradesh held in Delhi on Monday, when some leaders of the state approached her regarding certain organisational issues in the countrys politically and electorally important state.

Some senior leaders claimed that Priyanka Vadra had put in her papers after the partys dismal performance in the 2022 UP assembly elections in which the Congress managed to win just two of the 403 seats it contested. It was the worst-ever performance of the grand old party in the countrys most populated state that holds the key to power at the Centre. Uttar Pradesh, with about 20 crore population, elects the highest number (80) of the total 543 lawmakers to the Lok Sabha.

The party leaders claim that Congress has been functioning without an All-India Congress Committee (AICC) in-charge of Uttar Pradesh for over a year now. They also point to the absence of Priyanka Vadra in any activity or meeting held under the banner of UP Congress Committee, including the recent UP Jodo Yatra kicked off from Saharanpur last Wednesday. The UP Congress leaders point out that when Ajay Rai took charge as UPCC head, Priyanka did not attend the function even when she was still party in-charge of UP on papers.

The Congress had divided the partys UP organisational unit into two zones  East and West  in January 2019 for better management ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. Priyanka Gandhi was then appointed general secretary and given the charge of East UP while Jyotiraditya Scindia (now a Bharatiya Janata Party member and a Union minister) was assigned the responsibilities of West UP. The grand old party won just one seat in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections with former Congress president Sonia Gandhi retaining her Rae Bareli constituency.

The party suffered a massive setback after the then Congress president Rahul Gandhi lost to Union minister Smriti Irani from the family pocket borough of Amethi by over 50,000 votes. However, he won from the Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency in Kerala. It is not clear yet if Rahul Gandhi will again contest from Amethi or leave the seat for Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and fight the Lok Sabha poll from Wayanad once again. There is also suspense over Sonia Gandhi contesting the 2024 Lok Sabha election from Rae Bareli due to her health issues.

Apart from Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, 39 leaders attended the December 18 review meeting at the party headquarters in Delhi. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi were present in the meeting. Sources said that during the meeting, Rahul Gandhi questioned the demand of UP leaders for having alliance with Samajwadi Party or Bahujan Samaj Party in the coming parliamentary elections. Some of you are demanding seat adjustment with SP and some with BSP and I agree that four or five of you might also became MP but what the party would gain in Uttar Pradesh, questioned Rahul, expressing surprise that none of the leaders from UP, including Ajay Rai or even veteran Pramod Tewari, came with suggestions on how the party could be strengthened in UP, but instead everyone was looking to secure his own future to become MP with the support of SP or BSP.

Rahul said that the party was lacking in UP as not a single leader wanted to lead from the front and everyone was looking on how to ensure victory from his or her own seat with support of regional parties.

The sources also said that in the meeting, Imran Masood, who quit BSP recently to join the Congress, apologised for ditching the party. Masood is an influential Muslim leader from the Saharanpur belt. It may be mentioned that almost 90 per cent of parachute candidates who joined Congress before parliamentary or assembly elections had either joined other parties after polls or were not seen in any party function or even at UPCC headquarters since then.
The Intelligence agencies have issued an alert for four districts of Odisha bordering Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh advising the district SPs to remain vigilant in the wake of violence by Maoists.

The districts are Koraput, Malkangiri, Sundargarh and Keonjhar. The SPs of these districts have been advised to beef up security on the border and intensify patrolling in those areas.

The alert came following multiple incidents of Maoist violence including the blowing up of a railway track at Binuan village between Rourkela and Manoharpur railway station on Thursday night. Following the blast, train movement on Howrah-Nagpur-Mumbai route was severely affected.

Notably, the Maoists called for a nationwide shutdown (Bharat Bandh) on December 22 to protest their recent encounters with security personnel.

Maoists on Wednesday had set on fire several vehicles and blocked the National Highway in Chhattisgarhs Sukma hours after their encounter with security forces in the nearby forest.
In a poignant tribute to the martyrdom of Sahibzada Zorawar Singh, Sahibzada Fateh Singh, and Mata Gujri Ji, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Friday announced a humble initiative during the Shaheedi Sabha on December 27. Mourning Notes will resonate from 10 am to 10:10 am on Wednesday, marking a solemn remembrance of the unparalleled sacrifice of the younger Sahibzadas.

During a comprehensive meeting with the Fatehgarh Sahib District Administration to assess the Shaheedi Sabha arrangements, the Chief Minister emphasized that the mourning notes played for 10 minutes, symbolize respect for the martyred young Sahibzadas.

Mann urged everyone, regardless of their location, to stand and bow in homage to the extraordinary sacrifice.

This unique initiative aims to raise awareness, particularly among the youth and children, about the remarkable martyrdom of the younger sahibzadas.

Chief Minister stressed the significance of commemorating their sacrifice to reinforce values of human rights. He praised the unparalleled sacrifice of the younger sahibzadas and Mata Gujri Kaur Ji, considering it unprecedented in global history.

Highlighting the pride that Punjab and the world take in this unique sacrifice, Mann noted the historical sacrifices inspired by revered figures like Sri Guru Arjun Dev Ji, Sri Guru Teg Bahadur Ji, and Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji. The history of Punjab is replete with countless sacrifices that had derived inspiration from our great Gurus who laid down their lives for the sake of mankind, he said.

Stating that the month of December, in which the entire family of the Sikhs tenth master, Guru Gobind Singh, was martyred, is a month of mourning for humanity, Mann said that the State Government has already declared a prohibition on celebrating any joyous functions from December 20 to 30.

Expressing this initiative as a humble tribute, the Chief Minister declared it a mark of respect from the State Government for the supreme sacrifice of the Guru's family. He emphasized that Fatehgarh Sahib, a holy land, inspires not only Sikhs but all of humanity, drawing lakhs of devotees annually to honour the martyrdom day of the younger Sahibzadas and Mata Gujri Ji.

Reviewing preparations for the Shaheedi Sabha, Mann directed the District Administration to ensure ample arrangements, promising personal monitoring. A traffic system overhaul, help centers, a shuttle service, and designated parking areas have been established. Medical and information centers will provide essential services, underscoring the government's duty to facilitate a hassle-free experience for devotees.

The local administration has set up help centers to assist devotees from various locations promptly. Additionally, a shuttle bus service, comprising 75 buses and 50 e-rickshaws, has been established for the convenience of the devotees. The District Administration has also made proper parking arrangements with 21 designated locations across different sectors of the city for vehicle parking during the Shaheedi Sabha.

Adequate transportation arrangements have been put in place. Medical centers are also operational, offering health services to the devotees. Likewise, information centers have been established by the administration to provide the devotees with necessary information.

Chief Minister assured that the State Government is leaving no stone unturned to ensure a seamless and reverent experience for every devotee visiting the holy shrine during the Shaheedi Sabha.
The leaders and workers of Uttarakhand Congress organised a massive demonstration and held a march towards Raj Bhawan on Friday in protest against suspension of 143 MPs of opposition parties for demanding a statement of Union Home minister Amit Shah in the parliament on the parliament security lapse issue. Led by the Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) president and senior leaders such as former chief minister Harish Rawat and leader of opposition (LoP) in State assembly Yashpal Arya, the Congress workers assembled at the headquarters of the State Congress in morning from where they tried to march to Raj Bhawan. However the administration with the support of police stopped the march amid vehement protest and slogan shouting by the Congressmen. The Congress leaders courted arrest and were taken to the police lines.

In a memorandum directed to the President of India, the Congress party strongly condemned the suspension of the opposition MPs and termed the action as anti- democratic. The Congress leaders said that the opposition leaders were discharging their constitutional responsibility which is given by the people by demanding an explanation of the government in the security breach issue of parliament but they were suspended. The suspension not only shows the fascist and dictatorial character of the BJP but also is not good for a healthy democracy.

The PCC president said that the Congress party firmly believes in democracy. He said that suspension of the MPs would be written in black letters in the history of the democracy in the country. The Congress leaders said that the ruling BJP has a long history of exploiting the sentiments of the people and when this party comes into power it adopts different morals and laws for itself. The latest example of this mindset is the fact that the party has not taken any action against its MP who had issued passes to those who breached the security of the parliament. The Congress leaders demanded that the BJP and the union home minister Amit Shah should seek apology for the incident and the suspension of the opposition MPs should be revoked with immediate effect. Former PCC president Pritam Singh, MLAs Mamta Rakesh, Virendra Jati, Furkan Ahmed, Anupma Rawat, former ministers Hira Singh Bisht, Harak Singh Rawat, Mantri Prasad Naithani, general secretary organisation Mathura Dutt Joshi, vice president Suryakant Dhasmana, former MLAs Rajkumar, Jot Singh Gunsola and others attended the protest.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday lauded the Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar led the government to elevate cultural harmony globally through the International Geeta Mahotsav (IGM) since 2016.



Shah, who was in Kurukshetra to participate in the ongoing International Gita Mahotsav, also attended the Sant Sammelan and underscored the timeless wisdom embedded in Srimad Bhagavad Gita as a solution to individual, societal, national, and global challenges.



Addressing the gathering, Shah said that the purpose of spreading the knowledge of the Gita is not merely to prevent wars but to motivate individuals for a righteous cause. He emphasized that Lord Krishna imparted this knowledge to Arjuna for the establishment of religion on earth and the welfare of society.



The Union Home Minister commended the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, stating that from 2014 to 2024, historic decisions have been made to awaken India's self. These decisions include the construction of the Shri Ram temple, the abrogation of Article 370, and transformative developmental projects.



Addressing the gathering, Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar commended the Government of India, operating in alignment with Indian cultural values since 2014, and praised PM Modi and Home Minister Shah for their effective resolution of complex issues.



Khattar acknowledged recent legislative developments, with three new laws related to CRPC and IPC passing in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. He applauded the Center government's efforts to unite the country by dismantling remnants of colonialism that persisted for 75 years after independence. Khattar referred to the Prime Minister and Home Minister as the Iron Man for taking these transformative decisions. He said that the message of Gita given by Lord Shri Krishna to Arjuna in the Mahabharata war thousands of years ago is not just the reading of the book but it is eternal, universal, everlasting.



HM inaugurates 12 projects worth around Rs 400 crore in Chandigarh



Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday inaugurated nine projects and also laid the foundation stone for three more during the programme held at the Chandigarh College of Engineering and Technology in Sector 26. The projects are valued at around Rs 400 crore. Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit, who is also the Administrator of the Union Territory of Chandigarh, was among others present on the occasion. The projects inaugurated include Administrative Block-C (degree wing), CCET, Sector 26, Himalaya Hostel in Punjab Engineering College (PEC), Sector 12, sewage treatment plant at Diggian, augmentation of the existing STP Plant at Raipur Kalan, 192 houses in Chandigarh Police complex, Dhanas and the Centre for Cyber Operations and Security in sector 18. Shah laid the foundation stone of an effluent treatment plant at the Government Multi Specialty Hospital, Sector 16, Government High School, Sarangpur, and the Government High School, Karsan.
History neglected archaeology, focusing on kings and politics, relegating artifacts to museums, writes Raju Mansukhani

History, especially political and military history, owes archaeology a huge apology. For far too long, historical narratives have centered around kings and courts, politics, diplomatic battles, and military might, while archaeological excavations, findings, and artifacts are conveniently confined to museums, archaeological sites, and scholarly journals.

When the story of Buddhist collections at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya (CSMVS), Mumbai, was detailed in The Lost Stupa of Kahu-jo-daro, subtitled An Attempt at Reconstruction and The Buddha Within: Images of Devotion and Piety, in 2022-23, there was redemption of sorts. Suddenly, archaeologists, surveyors, and museologists were heroes occupying center stage. Nameless and often not recogniSed for their pioneering efforts, these magnificent men and women are now giving archaeology a rousing start, most appropriately when our nation commemorates its 75th year of Independence and Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav.

At CSMVS, Mumbai, we go back a long way in time with our Buddhist collections: To 1906 precisely when the first Buddhist object was gifted to the museum. It was a plaster bust of the Gandharan Buddha, created by John Lockwood Kipling just a few years after a committee had been formed to determine the feasibility of having a public museum in Bombay, wrote Dr Himanshu Prabha Ray in The Buddha Within.

John Kipling, an art teacher and curator, deserves special mention not only because he traveled, sketched, and documented the north-western parts of the Indian subcontinent, but also because he was the father of the more famous Rudyard. Rudyard Kipling did his illustrious father proud as he immortalised the British Raj through novels, short stories, poems, and, of course, his news coverage for The Pioneer from 1883-89, which was published from Allahabad.

These stories within stories are fascinating when we learn that John Kipling spent years at the Lahore Museum as a curator, besides heading the Mayo School of Industrial Art where students learned to make plaster casts, adding to the collections of new and existing museums. In Lahore, there was a surfeit of artifacts from Gandhara (present-day states of Pakistan and Afghanistan), and the Gandharan Buddha bust showed Graeco-Roman influences, which endeared John Kipling, explained Dr. Ray.

ASI expertise: From 1880-90, the Archaeological Survey of India stepped up operations; their archaeologists, surveyors, and draftsmen optimised the opportunity to do exemplary work and make history. They had been trained in surveying, documenting, photographing, cataloging, and exploring the vast countryside. Henry Cousens now played a critical role as he traversed across the Western Ghats: rock-cut Buddhist caves in Bhaja, Kondane, Pitalkhora, Karle, Nasik, Junnar, Ajanta, and Ellora caves. Cousens and his team then documented the brick-built stupas in Boria (near Gujarat) and Sopara, north of Mumbai, as well as the Mir Rukan and Kahu-jo-daro stupas in Mirpurkhas in Sindh (now Pakistan).

It was in Mirpurkhas that Cousens recorded the remains of architecture around the stupa, such as monasteries, small votive stupas, and clay tablets. The core of these stupas comprised sun-dried bricks while the exterior casting was of decorated burn bricks (terracotta), wrote Dr Ray.

History lovers and those drawn towards Buddhism for its spiritual moorings often wonder what was contained in the stupas, given the innumerable structures spread across the length and breadth of our subcontinent. In the case of Kahu-jo-daro, it was revealed that a stone relic casket was found inside the stupa. The casket contained a small crystal bottle covered with white sand and several precious offerings - coral and crystal beads, seed pearls, four gold beads, one small gold-wire ring, ten copper coins, some small lumps of charcoal, a few grains of unidentified materials, and some other odd beads. Inside the bottle was a small, silver cylindrical case containing an object the size of a pinhead, wrapped in a gold leaf.

The excavations at Mirpurkhas were considered of great significance as this was the third stupa in the-then Bombay Presidency to yield relics after the stupas at Sopara, excavated by BhagwanlalIndraji in 1882, and Junagarh in 1889.

When Henry Cousens began the site excavations in 1909-10, he was superintending archaeologist, Archaeological Survey of India; and more importantly he was a committee of the Prince of Wales Museum in Bombay. He decided to place the finds in the Prince of Wales Museum, including relic caskets found in the stupa. In the 1960s, the relics were transferred to Sarnath and enshrined in the newly-built Mulagandhakuti temple at the site. Once again, a memorable story within the story of archaeology thats worth recounting.

Largest collection: It was in 1919 the terracotta images and bricks excavated from the Buddhist stupa at Mirpurkhas were formally handed over to the-then Prince of Wales Museum (now CSMVS) by Cousens. Through the 20th century, legions of venerable historians-art historians and curators like Dr Moti Chandra, Dr Kalpana Desai, Dr Devangana Desai, and Dr Pratapaditya Pal contributed their collective knowledge, published works and monographs highlighting significance of the Buddhist stupa at Mirpurkhas. They were instrumental in giving modern research on Mirpurkhasits new direction, highlighting riverine cultures, urban centres, trading towns, besides significance of religious places where people prayed, contributed their earnings, keeping places of worship alive through centuries.

For Dr Sabyasachi Mukherjee, director general of CSVMS who helmed the research on Kahu-jo-daro from 2008, it was indeed an uphill task for the project commenced without the benefit of either inscriptions or literary evidence.

"Kahu-jo-daro was remote, and beyond our reach and my material resources were only those in the CSMVS collection," he said, adding that CSMVS has the largest and most comprehensive collection of 297 archaeological finds, dating to the 5th and 6th centuries CE, from Mirpurkhas. A large part of the stupa mound was destroyed since the bricks were required for laying railway lines in the area.

Henry Cousens had noted that despite railway workers digging up the bricks, a significant portion of the stupa remained at the north end of the site. As in the case of Mohenjodaro, the largest of the Harappan metropolises in Sindh, it was railway workers-contractors who provided the ASI with its first leads that the bricks were part of vast ancient sites. Railway teams had no idea of how old the bricks were or their significance. It is amazing that these bricks, of uniform size and shape, had survived for centuries and were now becoming a part of modern transportation systems. Besides papers and notes, Cousens book, The Antiquities of Sind with Historical Outline, is regarded as a seminal work and provided a credible platform upon which the CSMVS built its research.

Made of sun-dried bricks, the Mirpurkhas stupa has yielded 11 Buddha relief panels, although Boddhisattva icons are rare. In addition, hundreds of unbaked clay tablets with the ye dharma verse under the image of a Buddha or a stupa have been found, dating back to the 7th and 8th centuries CE. Thus, by the time of the Mirpurkhas stupa, Buddhas biography and narrative depictions of stories from his life had been superseded by single-seated images of the Master place in the niches of the stupa. The stupa now enshrined the words of the Enlightened One  ye dhamma hetupadhava - on clay tablets, Prof Prabha Ray explained.

Buddhism in Sindh: Owing to scarcity of archaeological and literary material it is difficult to know when and how Buddhism found its footing in Sindh region. In the north-west, it was the Gandhara region where Buddhism took a deep root, thanks to efforts of Mauryan Emperor Asoka.

Explained Dr Sabyasachi Mukherjee in The Lost Stupa, "the great river Sindhu, which is the Sanskrit name of river Indus, passed through the valley from the north to the south and acted as an important trade, religious and cultural connection for the Indus Valley, Punjab and the Gandhara region." This riverine connection, water-highways of the ancient world, had a continuing and deep impact on Sindhs social, cultural, and economic history, providing crossroads and bridges for people of the region. Buddhism, as a religion and way of life, found adherents in Sindh.

"It is very important for global citizens, especially the young, to understand that the Indian sub-continent was always part of the globalised world," said Dr Sabyasachi, referring to the present era of globalisation which most netizens feel is a historic unique one. Kahu-jo-daro in Mirpurkhas, he emphasised, is not an isolated instance of artistic activity in the area. He drew links between this site of the ruined Buddhist stupa with Takshashila, the chief city in eastern region of Gandhara.

It was time now for the CSMVS team to take up the digital challenge: the team decided on digital reconstruction of Kahu-jo-daro stupa. We knew it was one of the few examples of decorative terracotta stupa architecture in the Indus Valley, and that is when we began utilising the collection at CSMVS, and some surviving architectural fragments, to begin imagining reconstructing the original shape of the stupa, built probably in 500 CE, even though Sir Cousens assigned the stupa to c 400 CE, a century earlier, said Dr Mukherjee.

One can easily imagine the magnificent scene around the stupa in the valley of Kahu-jo-daro, he said, adding, the main stupa with its majestic harmika stood nearly 20 metres tall, its towering presence inspiring devotees and pilgrims approaching from over a long distance. Thousands of local devotees, and those from all over India, perhaps even other countries, must have throned here to pay their respects to the great soul whose corporeal remains were enshrined in the stupa.

The main entrance was embellished with decorative bricks and a torana or gate, as seen in Sanchi too. For pilgrims the circumambulation or going round the stupa is a sacred ritual, followed in Hinduism and Jainism too. At Kahu-jo-daro the visual gallery of seated Buddhas, in niches of the platform walls before entering the stupa, was the source of piety, inspiration and austerity. Shrines inside the stupa would have contained images of the Buddha; it would seem these images were moved to another site, probably to ensure their safety from invasions before the entire stupa itself was covered in sand and left buried, forgotten for centuries.

Kahu-jo-daro, as The Lost Stupa details, belonged to a much earlier era, it could have been a reconstruction of a ruined stupa erected under Emperor Asokas orders in the 3rd century BCE. Fascinating stories of when and where of the Kahu-jo-daro continue to grip our attention, inspiring us with the depth of archaeology in our land, thousands of years ago.

Unfortunately, Dr Mukherjee said, recent images of the site indicate the complete destruction of the main stupa, including its plinth as well as surroundings which had remained intact even decades after the excavations undertaken by Henry Cousens. Like the Bamiyan Buddhas, the Kahu-jo-daro stupa is now visited on pages of books, photographs, and its digital reconstruction.

For Dr Sabyasachi Mukherjee, leading CSMVS Museum for almost two decades, there is no underplaying the power of culture to transform our world. I strongly believe that the power of culture can change the world as it unites people, countries, religions, and customs. It works as a healing tool in our broken societies. As clouds of war hover over continents, reducing ancient lands and cities to rubble and killing thousands, it is time to pay homage to Kahu-jo-daro and the spiritual, religious, and artistic legacies of Buddhism which are built around peace, oneness, and brotherhood.

(Raju Mansukhani, a former deputy curator of Pradhanmantri Sangharalaya, is writer-researcher on history and heritage issues.)
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday expressed concern over the vandalism of a Hindu temple with anti-India graffiti in the US, and said extremists and separatist forces outside India should not get such space.

He was speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the third convocation of the Rashtriya Raksha University here.

"I have seen the news. As you know, we are concerned about this. Extremists and separatist forces outside India should not get space. Our consulate has lodged a complaint with the (US) government and the police there over whatever happened, and I believe the matter is being inquired," Jaishankar said in response to a query about the incident.

The police department in Newark, California said that approximately 8.35 am on Friday, they received a report of graffiti at Shri Swaminarayan Mandir Hindu temple.

According to images posted on social media, the word 'Khalistan' was spray-painted on a signpost outside the temple along with other objectionable graffiti. The Newark police said any acts or threats of violence, property damage, harassment, intimidation, or other crimes motivated by hate or bias are considered very serious and given very high priority.

The Consulate General of India in San Francisco strongly condemned the defacing of the temple. Talking about the arrest of Nikhil Gupta in Czech Republic over accusation that he was planning to assassinate US-based pro-Khalistan activist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in collaboration with an Indian official, the Union minister said the Indian embassy was provided consular access to him (by that country's government).

"Whenever an Indian citizen is arrested, we seek consular access for their care which we have received thrice," he said. Over the absence of USA and Canada from the list of partner countries for the 10th Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit, Jaishankar said he would not put any political meaning to this.

"At the government level, it depends who we invite...The government of Gujarat can answer (over invitation to the countries). I would not put any political meaning," the minister said.

"My understanding is opposite, which is that in fact many counties are calling us to participate in Vibrant Gujarat. We ask them to talk to the government of Gujarat. We would like to support it because we would like to see maximum participants," he said.
Austin Gold (NYSE:AUST  Get Free Report) and Seabridge Gold (NYSE:SA  Get Free Report) are both small-cap basic materials companies, but which is the superior stock? We will compare the two businesses based on the strength of their earnings, analyst recommendations, valuation, risk, dividends, institutional ownership and profitability.

Earnings & Valuation

This table compares Austin Gold and Seabridge Golds revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

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Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio Austin Gold N/A N/A -$1.07 million ($0.22) -3.11 Seabridge Gold N/A N/A -$5.69 million ($0.30) -41.90

Seabridge Gold is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Austin Gold, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.

Risk & Volatility

Analyst Ratings

Austin Gold has a beta of 1.12, suggesting that its share price is 12% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Seabridge Gold has a beta of 0.93, suggesting that its share price is 7% less volatile than the S&P 500.

This is a summary of recent ratings for Austin Gold and Seabridge Gold, as provided by MarketBeat.com.

Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score Austin Gold 0 0 1 0 3.00 Seabridge Gold 0 0 1 0 3.00

Austin Gold presently has a consensus price target of $3.00, suggesting a potential upside of 337.96%. Given Austin Golds higher possible upside, analysts plainly believe Austin Gold is more favorable than Seabridge Gold.

Profitability

This table compares Austin Gold and Seabridge Golds net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets Austin Gold N/A -21.92% -21.70% Seabridge Gold N/A -4.25% -2.61%

Institutional and Insider Ownership

0.1% of Austin Gold shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 34.3% of Seabridge Gold shares are owned by institutional investors. 70.7% of Austin Gold shares are owned by insiders. Comparatively, 12.8% of Seabridge Gold shares are owned by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, hedge funds and endowments believe a company is poised for long-term growth.

Summary

Austin Gold beats Seabridge Gold on 6 of the 9 factors compared between the two stocks.

About Austin Gold

(Get Free Report)

Austin Gold Corp., a gold exploration company, focuses on the acquisition, exploration, and evaluation of mineral property interests in Nevada. The company holds interest in Kelly Creek Project located in the Kelly Creek Basin, in southeastern Humboldt County, Nevada; Fourmile Basin Project that comprises various unpatented lode mining claims covering approximately 6410 acres located in Nye County; the Lone Mountain Project consisting of various unpatented lode mining and patented mining claims located near Lone Mountain in Elko County; and the Miller Project consisting various unpatented lode mining claims located in Elko County in Nevada. The company was incorporated in 2020 and is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada.

About Seabridge Gold

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Seabridge Gold Inc., together with its subsidiaries, engages in the acquisition and exploration of gold properties in North America. The company also explores for gold, copper, silver, and molybdenum deposits. Its principal projects are the Kerr-Sulphurets-Mitchell property and Iskut project located in British Columbia, Canada; Courageous Lake property situated in Northwest Territories, Canada; Snowstorm project situated in the Nevada; and 3 Aces project located in the Yukon Territory. The company was formerly known as Seabridge Resources Inc. and changed its name to Seabridge Gold Inc. in June 2002. Seabridge Gold Inc. was incorporated in 1979 and is headquartered in Toronto, Canada.

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Berry Global Group (NYSE:BERY  Get Free Report) and Northann (NYSE:NCL  Get Free Report) are both industrial products companies, but which is the better stock? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their valuation, earnings, analyst recommendations, institutional ownership, dividends, profitability and risk.

Profitability

This table compares Berry Global Group and Northanns net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

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Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets Berry Global Group 4.81% 27.56% 5.48% Northann N/A N/A N/A

Institutional and Insider Ownership

98.3% of Berry Global Group shares are owned by institutional investors. 3.3% of Berry Global Group shares are owned by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, endowments and hedge funds believe a company is poised for long-term growth.

Analyst Recommendations

Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score Berry Global Group 0 2 5 0 2.71 Northann 0 0 0 0 N/A

This is a breakdown of current ratings and recommmendations for Berry Global Group and Northann, as provided by MarketBeat.

Berry Global Group currently has a consensus target price of $72.42, indicating a potential upside of 6.20%. Given Berry Global Groups higher possible upside, equities analysts plainly believe Berry Global Group is more favorable than Northann.

Earnings and Valuation

This table compares Berry Global Group and Northanns revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio Berry Global Group $12.66 billion 0.62 $609.00 million $5.00 13.64 Northann N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

Berry Global Group has higher revenue and earnings than Northann.

Summary

Berry Global Group beats Northann on 8 of the 8 factors compared between the two stocks.

About Berry Global Group

(Get Free Report)

Berry Global Group, Inc. manufactures and supplies non-woven, flexible, and rigid products in consumer and industrial end markets in the United States, Canada, Europe, and internationally. The company operates through Consumer Packaging International; Consumer Packaging North America; Engineered Materials; and Health, Hygiene & Specialties segments. The Consumer Packaging International segment offers closures and dispensing systems, pharmaceutical devices and packaging, bottles and canisters, containers, and technical components. The Consumer Packaging North America segment provides containers and pails, foodservice products, closures, bottles and prescription vials, and tubes. The Engineered Materials segment offers stretch and shrink, converter, food and consumer, and agriculture films, as well as institutional can liners and retail bags. The Health, Hygiene & Specialties segment provides healthcare, hygiene, specialties, and tapes. Berry Global Group, Inc. sells its products through direct sales force of professionals and distributors. The company was formerly known as Berry Plastics Group, Inc. and changed its name to Berry Global Group, Inc. in April 2017. Berry Global Group, Inc. was founded in 1967 and is based in Evansville, Indiana.

About Northann

(Get Free Report)

Northann Corp. engages in the manufacture, wholesale, and retail of the 3D printed vinyl flooring panels and other decorative panels in North America, Europe, and internationally. The company offers its products under the Benchwick brand name. Northann Corp. was founded in 2013 and is based in Elk Grove, California.

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IAMGOLD (NYSE:IAG  Get Free Report) and Fresnillo (OTCMKTS:FNLPF  Get Free Report) are both basic materials companies, but which is the superior stock? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their earnings, dividends, profitability, analyst recommendations, valuation, risk and institutional ownership.

Institutional & Insider Ownership

49.4% of IAMGOLD shares are held by institutional investors. 0.2% of IAMGOLD shares are held by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, endowments and hedge funds believe a company is poised for long-term growth.

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Volatility and Risk

IAMGOLD has a beta of 1.41, suggesting that its stock price is 41% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Fresnillo has a beta of 0.5, suggesting that its stock price is 50% less volatile than the S&P 500.

Profitability

Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets IAMGOLD 14.24% 0.38% 0.20% Fresnillo N/A N/A N/A

Earnings and Valuation

This table compares IAMGOLD and Fresnillos net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

This table compares IAMGOLD and Fresnillos gross revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio IAMGOLD $958.80 million 1.33 -$70.10 million $0.26 10.19 Fresnillo $2.43 billion N/A $271.90 million N/A N/A

Fresnillo has higher revenue and earnings than IAMGOLD.

Analyst Recommendations

This is a summary of recent recommendations and price targets for IAMGOLD and Fresnillo, as provided by MarketBeat.com.

Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score IAMGOLD 1 2 2 0 2.20 Fresnillo 0 2 0 0 2.00

IAMGOLD currently has a consensus price target of $4.17, indicating a potential upside of 57.23%. Fresnillo has a consensus price target of $1,012.50, indicating a potential upside of 13,868.41%. Given Fresnillos higher possible upside, analysts clearly believe Fresnillo is more favorable than IAMGOLD.

Summary

IAMGOLD beats Fresnillo on 8 of the 11 factors compared between the two stocks.

About IAMGOLD

(Get Free Report)

IAMGOLD Corporation, through its subsidiaries, explores, develops, and operates gold mining properties in North America and West Africa. The company owns 100% interest in the Westwood mine, covers an area of 1,925 hectare and located in Quebec and the Cote gold project, which covers an area of 596 square kilometer located in Ontario, Canada; and 90% interests in the Essakane mine situated in Burkina Faso and Boto gold project located in Senegal, West Africa. Its exploration and development projects include the 100% owned Diakha-Siribaya project that covers an area of approximately 600 square kilometres situated in Mali; the Monster Lake projects located in Quebec, Canada; and the Karita project that covers an area of approximately 100 square kilometres located in Guinea, as well as Pitangui project in Brazil, and 75% owned the Nelligan located in Quebec. IAMGOLD Corporation was incorporated in 1990 and is headquartered in Toronto, Canada.

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. It also leases mining equipment; produces gold/silver dore bars; and provides administrative services. The company was founded in 1887 and is headquartered in Mexico City, Mexico. Fresnillo plc operates as a subsidiary of Industrias Penoles, S.A.B. de C.V.

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Royal Bank of Canada reaffirmed their sector perform rating on shares of Western Union (NYSE:WU  Free Report) in a report published on Tuesday, Benzinga reports. They currently have a $16.00 price target on the credit services providers stock.

WU has been the topic of a number of other reports. StockNews.com assumed coverage on Western Union in a research note on Thursday, October 5th. They issued a hold rating on the stock. BMO Capital Markets assumed coverage on shares of Western Union in a research note on Tuesday, December 5th. They set a market perform rating and a $12.00 price target on the stock. UBS Group reiterated a neutral rating and issued a $14.00 price objective on shares of Western Union in a research note on Friday, October 20th. Finally, William Blair restated a market perform rating on shares of Western Union in a research report on Thursday, October 26th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating and eight have assigned a hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $12.75.

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Read Our Latest Report on WU

Western Union Stock Down 0.3 %

Shares of NYSE:WU opened at $11.84 on Tuesday. Western Union has a 1-year low of $10.07 and a 1-year high of $14.79. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.76, a current ratio of 1.01 and a quick ratio of 1.01. The stock has a market cap of $4.31 billion, a P/E ratio of 5.98 and a beta of 0.83. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $12.04 and a 200 day moving average price of $12.16.

Western Union (NYSE:WU  Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, October 25th. The credit services provider reported $0.43 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.39 by $0.04. Western Union had a return on equity of 111.74% and a net margin of 17.02%. The firm had revenue of $1.10 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $1.04 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $0.42 EPS. The firms revenue for the quarter was up .8% on a year-over-year basis. Sell-side analysts predict that Western Union will post 1.73 EPS for the current year.

Western Union Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, December 29th. Investors of record on Wednesday, December 20th will be given a dividend of $0.235 per share. This represents a $0.94 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 7.94%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, December 19th. Western Unions dividend payout ratio is presently 47.47%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in WU. Teachers Retirement System of The State of Kentucky raised its holdings in Western Union by 93.2% in the 3rd quarter. Teachers Retirement System of The State of Kentucky now owns 128,048 shares of the credit services providers stock valued at $1,688,000 after acquiring an additional 61,783 shares during the last quarter. OLD National Bancorp IN grew its position in shares of Western Union by 3.4% in the third quarter. OLD National Bancorp IN now owns 558,460 shares of the credit services providers stock valued at $7,361,000 after purchasing an additional 18,437 shares during the period. Creative Planning increased its stake in Western Union by 4.5% in the third quarter. Creative Planning now owns 24,158 shares of the credit services providers stock valued at $318,000 after purchasing an additional 1,035 shares during the last quarter. GTS Securities LLC purchased a new position in Western Union during the third quarter worth about $137,000. Finally, Belpointe Asset Management LLC acquired a new stake in Western Union in the 3rd quarter worth about $201,000. 88.83% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

About Western Union

(Get Free Report)

The Western Union Company provides money movement and payment services worldwide. The company operates in two segments, Consumer-to-Consumer and Business Solutions. The Consumer-to-Consumer segment facilitates money transfers for international cross-border and intra-country transfers, primarily through a network of retail agent locations, as well as through websites and mobile devices.

See Also

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Xylem (NYSE:XYL  Free Report) had its price target boosted by Stifel Nicolaus from $133.00 to $136.00 in a report released on Tuesday, Benzinga reports. Stifel Nicolaus currently has a buy rating on the industrial products companys stock.

Several other analysts have also issued reports on the company. Citigroup boosted their price target on Xylem from $104.00 to $109.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a report on Monday, December 11th. Melius upgraded shares of Xylem from a hold rating to a buy rating and set a $122.00 price objective on the stock in a research report on Monday, October 2nd. Wolfe Research assumed coverage on Xylem in a research note on Wednesday, December 13th. They issued an outperform rating and a $127.00 price target for the company. Royal Bank of Canada dropped their price objective on Xylem from $123.00 to $120.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, November 1st. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft raised Xylem from a hold rating to a buy rating and boosted their price target for the stock from $104.00 to $120.00 in a report on Tuesday, November 21st. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, four have issued a hold rating and nine have given a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Xylem currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $120.64.

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Read Our Latest Research Report on Xylem

Xylem Stock Up 0.9 %

XYL stock opened at $112.64 on Tuesday. The company has a market cap of $27.16 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 46.16, a P/E/G ratio of 2.07 and a beta of 1.07. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.23, a quick ratio of 1.21 and a current ratio of 1.72. The businesss 50-day moving average is $100.44 and its two-hundred day moving average is $102.47. Xylem has a fifty-two week low of $87.59 and a fifty-two week high of $118.58.

Xylem (NYSE:XYL  Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, October 31st. The industrial products company reported $0.99 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.89 by $0.10. Xylem had a net margin of 7.29% and a return on equity of 10.99%. The company had revenue of $2.10 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.99 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $0.79 earnings per share. The firms quarterly revenue was up 52.2% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, analysts forecast that Xylem will post 3.75 earnings per share for the current year.

Xylem Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, December 19th. Investors of record on Tuesday, November 21st were paid a $0.33 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, November 20th. This represents a $1.32 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.17%. Xylems dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 54.10%.

Insider Activity at Xylem

In other Xylem news, CEO Patrick Decker sold 99,648 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, November 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $100.84, for a total value of $10,048,504.32. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 287,564 shares in the company, valued at $28,997,953.76. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. In other Xylem news, CEO Patrick Decker sold 99,648 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, November 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $100.84, for a total transaction of $10,048,504.32. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 287,564 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $28,997,953.76. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Also, Director Victoria D. Harker sold 2,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Friday, December 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $106.50, for a total transaction of $213,000.00. Following the transaction, the director now directly owns 20,679 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $2,202,313.50. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 0.90% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Xylem

Large investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Financial Gravity Asset Management Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Xylem during the second quarter valued at approximately $63,000. Bangor Savings Bank grew its stake in Xylem by 64.7% during the 2nd quarter. Bangor Savings Bank now owns 275 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $31,000 after acquiring an additional 108 shares in the last quarter. Avalon Trust Co acquired a new stake in Xylem in the 1st quarter valued at about $31,000. Your Advocates Ltd. LLP acquired a new position in shares of Xylem during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $34,000. Finally, Massmutual Trust Co. FSB ADV grew its position in shares of Xylem by 49.3% in the second quarter. Massmutual Trust Co. FSB ADV now owns 318 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $36,000 after purchasing an additional 105 shares in the last quarter. 84.53% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About Xylem

(Get Free Report)

Xylem Inc, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the design, manufacture, and servicing of engineered products and solutions for the water and wastewater applications in the United States, Europe, the Asia Pacific, and internationally. It operates through three segments: Water Infrastructure, Applied Water, and Measurement & Control Solutions.

Further Reading

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StockNews.com assumed coverage on shares of Ampio Pharmaceuticals (NYSE:AMPE  Free Report) in a research report released on Friday morning. The firm issued a sell rating on the stock.

Ampio Pharmaceuticals Stock Performance

Shares of AMPE stock opened at $1.92 on Friday. Ampio Pharmaceuticals has a fifty-two week low of $1.73 and a fifty-two week high of $8.30. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $2.51 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $3.87. The company has a market capitalization of $1.60 million, a P/E ratio of -0.16 and a beta of 2.36.

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Ampio Pharmaceuticals (NYSE:AMPE  Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, November 14th. The company reported ($1.53) earnings per share for the quarter.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Ampio Pharmaceuticals

Ampio Pharmaceuticals Company Profile

Hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the business. BlackRock Inc. increased its stake in shares of Ampio Pharmaceuticals by 0.4% during the first quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 13,996,074 shares of the companys stock valued at $6,578,000 after buying an additional 61,269 shares during the period. Vanguard Group Inc. increased its stake in shares of Ampio Pharmaceuticals by 0.8% during the first quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 9,307,338 shares of the companys stock valued at $4,375,000 after buying an additional 77,822 shares during the period. State Street Corp increased its stake in shares of Ampio Pharmaceuticals by 2.0% during the first quarter. State Street Corp now owns 3,430,770 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,612,000 after buying an additional 66,375 shares during the period. Millennium Management LLC grew its stake in Ampio Pharmaceuticals by 998.6% in the second quarter. Millennium Management LLC now owns 2,035,413 shares of the companys stock worth $342,000 after purchasing an additional 1,850,138 shares during the period. Finally, Bank of Montreal Can purchased a new stake in Ampio Pharmaceuticals in the first quarter worth $168,000. 3.10% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

(Get Free Report)

Ampio Pharmaceuticals, Inc, a biopharmaceutical company, develops therapies for the treatment of osteoarthritis-related pain. It focuses on the preclinical development of AR-300, a novel proprietary, small molecule formulation for the treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee. The company is headquartered in Englewood, Colorado.

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Clean Yield Group grew its stake in Exxon Mobil Co. (NYSE:XOM  Free Report) by 23.1% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 5,830 shares of the oil and gas companys stock after buying an additional 1,095 shares during the period. Clean Yield Groups holdings in Exxon Mobil were worth $685,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other large investors have also modified their holdings of the company. KB Financial Partners LLC acquired a new position in shares of Exxon Mobil in the 1st quarter valued at $27,000. Financial Connections Group Inc. boosted its stake in Exxon Mobil by 105.4% during the 2nd quarter. Financial Connections Group Inc. now owns 306 shares of the oil and gas companys stock worth $32,000 after purchasing an additional 157 shares during the period. Trivant Custom Portfolio Group LLC acquired a new stake in Exxon Mobil during the 1st quarter worth $38,000. IMA Wealth Inc. boosted its stake in Exxon Mobil by 720.0% during the 2nd quarter. IMA Wealth Inc. now owns 369 shares of the oil and gas companys stock worth $40,000 after purchasing an additional 324 shares during the period. Finally, Country Trust Bank boosted its stake in Exxon Mobil by 64.1% during the 2nd quarter. Country Trust Bank now owns 384 shares of the oil and gas companys stock worth $41,000 after purchasing an additional 150 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 58.53% of the companys stock.

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Insider Transactions at Exxon Mobil

In other news, Director Jeffrey W. Ubben sold 2,077,000 shares of Exxon Mobil stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, November 28th. The shares were sold at an average price of $104.06, for a total transaction of $216,132,620.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director now directly owns 13,000 shares in the company, valued at $1,352,780. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. In other news, VP Leonard M. Fox sold 12,000 shares of Exxon Mobil stock in a transaction dated Monday, December 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $102.65, for a total transaction of $1,231,800.00. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president now directly owns 220,678 shares in the company, valued at $22,652,596.70. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Also, Director Jeffrey W. Ubben sold 2,077,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, November 28th. The shares were sold at an average price of $104.06, for a total transaction of $216,132,620.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director now owns 13,000 shares of the companys stock, valued at $1,352,780. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders own 0.06% of the companys stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

XOM has been the subject of a number of recent research reports. Redburn Partners upgraded shares of Exxon Mobil from a sell rating to a neutral rating and increased their price target for the stock from $100.00 to $105.00 in a research note on Thursday, August 31st. Morgan Stanley increased their price target on shares of Exxon Mobil from $131.00 to $134.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research note on Monday, October 2nd. Erste Group Bank reiterated a hold rating on shares of Exxon Mobil in a research note on Friday. UBS Group cut their price objective on shares of Exxon Mobil from $138.00 to $133.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, December 14th. Finally, Truist Financial upgraded shares of Exxon Mobil from a hold rating to a buy rating and upped their price objective for the stock from $110.00 to $131.00 in a research report on Thursday, October 12th. Ten research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and thirteen have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $128.70.

Check Out Our Latest Stock Analysis on Exxon Mobil

Exxon Mobil Stock Performance

NYSE:XOM opened at $101.90 on Friday. The company has a current ratio of 1.42, a quick ratio of 1.08 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $104.37 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $107.35. Exxon Mobil Co. has a twelve month low of $97.48 and a twelve month high of $120.70. The company has a market capitalization of $403.82 billion, a P/E ratio of 10.12, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.68 and a beta of 1.01.

Exxon Mobil (NYSE:XOM  Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Friday, October 27th. The oil and gas company reported $2.27 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $2.36 by ($0.09). The business had revenue of $90.76 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $93.41 billion. Exxon Mobil had a net margin of 11.56% and a return on equity of 20.72%. The businesss revenue was down 19.0% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $4.45 earnings per share. As a group, research analysts expect that Exxon Mobil Co. will post 9.18 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Exxon Mobil Increases Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, December 11th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, November 15th were issued a dividend of $0.95 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, November 14th. This is an increase from Exxon Mobils previous quarterly dividend of $0.91. This represents a $3.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.73%. Exxon Mobils payout ratio is 37.74%.

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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Peabody Energy Co. (NYSE:BTU  Get Free Report) major shareholder Elliott Investment Management sold 20,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Monday, December 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $23.76, for a total transaction of $475,200.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 14,955,000 shares in the company, valued at $355,330,800. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Major shareholders that own 10% or more of a companys stock are required to disclose their transactions with the SEC.

Elliott Investment Management also recently made the following trade(s):

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On Wednesday, December 20th, Elliott Investment Management sold 950,000 shares of Peabody Energy stock. The stock was sold at an average price of $24.40, for a total transaction of $23,180,000.00.

On Friday, December 15th, Elliott Investment Management sold 253,876 shares of Peabody Energy stock. The stock was sold at an average price of $23.72, for a total transaction of $6,021,938.72.

On Wednesday, December 13th, Elliott Investment Management sold 1,750,000 shares of Peabody Energy stock. The stock was sold at an average price of $23.35, for a total transaction of $40,862,500.00.

On Friday, December 8th, Elliott Investment Management sold 421,122 shares of Peabody Energy stock. The stock was sold at an average price of $23.68, for a total transaction of $9,972,168.96.

On Wednesday, December 6th, Elliott Investment Management sold 205,000 shares of Peabody Energy stock. The stock was sold at an average price of $23.94, for a total transaction of $4,907,700.00.

On Friday, December 1st, Elliott Investment Management sold 570,000 shares of Peabody Energy stock. The stock was sold at an average price of $24.56, for a total transaction of $13,999,200.00.

On Wednesday, November 29th, Elliott Investment Management sold 52,597 shares of Peabody Energy stock. The stock was sold at an average price of $24.02, for a total transaction of $1,263,379.94.

On Monday, November 27th, Elliott Investment Management sold 478,800 shares of Peabody Energy stock. The stock was sold at an average price of $23.99, for a total transaction of $11,486,412.00.

On Friday, November 24th, Elliott Investment Management sold 147,300 shares of Peabody Energy stock. The stock was sold at an average price of $24.14, for a total transaction of $3,555,822.00.

On Wednesday, November 22nd, Elliott Investment Management sold 558,000 shares of Peabody Energy stock. The shares were sold at an average price of $23.60, for a total transaction of $13,168,800.00.

Peabody Energy Stock Up 3.0 %

Shares of NYSE BTU opened at $25.07 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 1.88, a current ratio of 2.30 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.09. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $23.86 and a 200 day moving average price of $22.84. Peabody Energy Co. has a 52 week low of $17.71 and a 52 week high of $31.22. The stock has a market capitalization of $3.29 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 3.31 and a beta of 1.00.

Peabody Energy Announces Dividend

Peabody Energy ( NYSE:BTU Get Free Report ) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, October 26th. The coal producer reported $0.80 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $1.16 by ($0.36). The business had revenue of $1.08 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.10 billion. Peabody Energy had a return on equity of 28.76% and a net margin of 22.47%. The businesss revenue was down 19.6% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $1.78 EPS. Equities research analysts anticipate that Peabody Energy Co. will post 4.86 EPS for the current fiscal year.

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, November 29th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, November 9th were given a dividend of $0.075 per share. This represents a $0.30 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.20%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, November 8th. Peabody Energys payout ratio is currently 3.96%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several analysts recently commented on BTU shares. Jefferies Financial Group raised their price objective on shares of Peabody Energy from $27.00 to $30.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Wednesday, October 4th. B. Riley raised their price objective on shares of Peabody Energy from $25.00 to $32.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Wednesday, September 27th.

Read Our Latest Research Report on BTU

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Peabody Energy

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. raised its position in Peabody Energy by 59.4% during the first quarter. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. now owns 90,277 shares of the coal producers stock worth $2,311,000 after acquiring an additional 33,655 shares during the last quarter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC raised its position in Peabody Energy by 1,308.0% during the first quarter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC now owns 6,125 shares of the coal producers stock worth $157,000 after acquiring an additional 5,690 shares during the last quarter. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC raised its position in shares of Peabody Energy by 24.4% in the second quarter. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC now owns 27,162 shares of the coal producers stock valued at $588,000 after buying an additional 5,319 shares during the last quarter. Balboa Wealth Partners acquired a new position in shares of Peabody Energy in the first quarter valued at approximately $324,000. Finally, Mount Yale Investment Advisors LLC raised its position in shares of Peabody Energy by 73.6% in the first quarter. Mount Yale Investment Advisors LLC now owns 15,707 shares of the coal producers stock valued at $402,000 after buying an additional 6,660 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 82.33% of the companys stock.

About Peabody Energy

(Get Free Report)

Peabody Energy Corporation engages in coal mining business in the United States, Japan, Taiwan, Australia, India, Brazil, Belgium, Chile, France, Indonesia, China, Vietnam, South Korea, and internationally. The company operates through Seaborne Thermal Mining, Seaborne Metallurgical Mining, Powder River Basin Mining, and Other U.S.

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Addenda Capital Inc. trimmed its position in JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE:JPM  Free Report) by 8.2% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 68,030 shares of the financial services providers stock after selling 6,087 shares during the period. Addenda Capital Inc.s holdings in JPMorgan Chase & Co. were worth $9,866,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of JPM. Miller Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of JPMorgan Chase & Co. during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $67,000. VitalStone Financial LLC boosted its holdings in shares of JPMorgan Chase & Co. by 46,300.0% during the 2nd quarter. VitalStone Financial LLC now owns 464 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $67,000 after purchasing an additional 463 shares during the last quarter. Guardian Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of JPMorgan Chase & Co. during the 1st quarter worth approximately $70,000. True Wealth Design LLC acquired a new position in shares of JPMorgan Chase & Co. during the 4th quarter worth approximately $76,000. Finally, Maryland Capital Advisors Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of JPMorgan Chase & Co. by 17.9% during the 2nd quarter. Maryland Capital Advisors Inc. now owns 678 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $99,000 after purchasing an additional 103 shares during the last quarter. 68.94% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several brokerages have recently weighed in on JPM. Morgan Stanley boosted their target price on JPMorgan Chase & Co. from $187.00 to $191.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Monday, October 16th. Piper Sandler lifted their price target on shares of JPMorgan Chase & Co. from $168.00 to $170.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research report on Monday, October 16th. Jefferies Financial Group reduced their price target on shares of JPMorgan Chase & Co. from $176.00 to $169.00 in a research report on Tuesday, October 10th. Oppenheimer lifted their price target on shares of JPMorgan Chase & Co. from $233.00 to $243.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research report on Thursday, November 16th. Finally, Evercore ISI lifted their price target on shares of JPMorgan Chase & Co. from $158.00 to $167.00 in a research report on Thursday, October 5th. Nine investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and ten have issued a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, JPMorgan Chase & Co. currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $168.80.

JPMorgan Chase & Co. Stock Performance

NYSE:JPM opened at $167.40 on Friday. The company has a fifty day simple moving average of $151.48 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $148.93. The company has a market cap of $483.96 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 9.99, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.03 and a beta of 1.13. The company has a quick ratio of 0.90, a current ratio of 0.90 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.25. JPMorgan Chase & Co. has a 52 week low of $123.11 and a 52 week high of $169.41.

JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE:JPM  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Friday, October 13th. The financial services provider reported $4.33 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $3.95 by $0.38. The business had revenue of $40.69 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $39.63 billion. JPMorgan Chase & Co. had a net margin of 22.79% and a return on equity of 17.97%. The companys quarterly revenue was up 24.4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $3.12 earnings per share. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that JPMorgan Chase & Co. will post 16.63 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

JPMorgan Chase & Co. Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, January 31st. Shareholders of record on Friday, January 5th will be paid a $1.05 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, January 4th. This represents a $4.20 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.51%. JPMorgan Chase & Co.s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 25.07%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other JPMorgan Chase & Co. news, CEO Marianne Lake sold 32,243 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Tuesday, December 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $160.00, for a total value of $5,158,880.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 131,962 shares in the company, valued at $21,113,920. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Insiders own 0.79% of the companys stock.

About JPMorgan Chase & Co.

(Free Report)

JPMorgan Chase & Co operates as a financial services company worldwide. It operates through four segments: Consumer & Community Banking (CCB), Corporate & Investment Bank (CIB), Commercial Banking (CB), and Asset & Wealth Management (AWM). The CCB segment offers deposit, investment and lending products, cash management, and payments and services to consumers and small businesses; mortgage origination and servicing activities; residential mortgages and home equity loans; and credit cards, auto loans, leases, and travel services.

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Kentucky Retirement Systems bought a new stake in shares of Dover Co. (NYSE:DOV  Free Report) in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The institutional investor bought 11,287 shares of the industrial products companys stock, valued at approximately $1,575,000.

Other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Fairfield Bush & CO. bought a new stake in Dover in the 1st quarter valued at $48,000. Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan Trust Fund bought a new stake in Dover in the 1st quarter valued at $938,000. Raymond James Trust N.A. increased its holdings in Dover by 5.8% in the 1st quarter. Raymond James Trust N.A. now owns 5,645 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $886,000 after buying an additional 310 shares during the period. Vontobel Holding Ltd. increased its holdings in Dover by 6.5% in the 1st quarter. Vontobel Holding Ltd. now owns 9,126 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $1,465,000 after buying an additional 561 shares during the period. Finally, Sei Investments Co. increased its holdings in Dover by 6.1% in the 1st quarter. Sei Investments Co. now owns 140,560 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $22,055,000 after buying an additional 8,054 shares during the period. 83.97% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities research analysts have issued reports on the stock. Royal Bank of Canada lowered their price target on shares of Dover from $149.00 to $145.00 and set a sector perform rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, October 25th. Mizuho lowered their target price on shares of Dover from $165.00 to $162.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, October 25th. Wells Fargo & Company upped their target price on shares of Dover from $140.00 to $167.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a report on Tuesday. Citigroup upped their target price on shares of Dover from $167.00 to $173.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Monday, December 11th. Finally, StockNews.com raised shares of Dover from a hold rating to a buy rating in a report on Monday, October 2nd. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eight have given a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $163.92.

Dover Stock Up 0.3 %

Shares of NYSE:DOV opened at $152.94 on Friday. Dover Co. has a 12 month low of $127.25 and a 12 month high of $160.66. The companys 50-day moving average price is $139.12 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $142.20. The company has a quick ratio of 1.00, a current ratio of 1.58 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.61. The firm has a market cap of $21.39 billion, a P/E ratio of 21.01, a P/E/G ratio of 1.53 and a beta of 1.33.

Dover (NYSE:DOV  Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, October 24th. The industrial products company reported $2.35 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $2.33 by $0.02. Dover had a net margin of 12.09% and a return on equity of 26.23%. The firm had revenue of $2.15 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.23 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $2.26 EPS. The companys revenue was down .2% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, research analysts forecast that Dover Co. will post 8.8 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Dover Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, December 15th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, November 30th were given a dividend of $0.51 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, November 29th. This represents a $2.04 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.33%. Dovers payout ratio is presently 28.02%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Dover

In other Dover news, CFO Brad M. Cerepak sold 14,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, December 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $142.00, for a total transaction of $1,988,000.00. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer now directly owns 35,938 shares in the company, valued at approximately $5,103,196. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. In related news, VP Anthony K. Kosinski sold 664 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, November 30th. The shares were sold at an average price of $141.64, for a total value of $94,048.96. Following the sale, the vice president now directly owns 5,333 shares in the company, valued at approximately $755,366.12. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, CFO Brad M. Cerepak sold 14,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, December 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $142.00, for a total transaction of $1,988,000.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief financial officer now owns 35,938 shares in the company, valued at $5,103,196. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Corporate insiders own 1.30% of the companys stock.

Dover Profile

(Free Report)

Dover Corporation provides equipment and components, consumable supplies, aftermarket parts, software and digital solutions, and support services worldwide. The company's Engineered Products segment provides various equipment, component, software, solution, and services that are used in aftermarket vehicle service, solid waste handling, industrial automation, aerospace and defense, industrial winch and hoist, and fluid dispensing end-market.

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Kentucky Retirement Systems Insurance Trust Fund acquired a new stake in shares of Tyler Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:TYL  Free Report) during the third quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The fund acquired 1,556 shares of the technology companys stock, valued at approximately $601,000.

Other hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Exchange Traded Concepts LLC purchased a new position in Tyler Technologies during the 2nd quarter valued at $44,000. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. increased its position in Tyler Technologies by 307.6% during the 1st quarter. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. now owns 18,937 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $6,716,000 after purchasing an additional 14,291 shares during the period. Hengehold Capital Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Tyler Technologies in the 2nd quarter worth about $214,000. Thematics Asset Management grew its position in shares of Tyler Technologies by 5.0% in the 2nd quarter. Thematics Asset Management now owns 29,150 shares of the technology companys stock worth $12,140,000 after buying an additional 1,385 shares during the period. Finally, Centaurus Financial Inc. grew its position in shares of Tyler Technologies by 44.6% in the 1st quarter. Centaurus Financial Inc. now owns 18,467 shares of the technology companys stock worth $6,549,000 after buying an additional 5,694 shares during the period. 91.28% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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Insider Buying and Selling at Tyler Technologies

In other Tyler Technologies news, Director Glenn A. Carter sold 500 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, November 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $422.29, for a total transaction of $211,145.00. Following the transaction, the director now owns 2,011 shares in the company, valued at approximately $849,225.19. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. In other news, Director Glenn A. Carter sold 500 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, November 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $422.29, for a total value of $211,145.00. Following the transaction, the director now owns 2,011 shares in the company, valued at approximately $849,225.19. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Also, Director Dustin R. Womble sold 1,231 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, November 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $408.66, for a total transaction of $503,060.46. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now owns 12,805 shares in the company, valued at approximately $5,232,891.30. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last 90 days, insiders have sold 50,112 shares of company stock worth $20,742,904. Company insiders own 2.20% of the companys stock.

Tyler Technologies Price Performance

TYL opened at $415.00 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.25, a quick ratio of 0.93 and a current ratio of 0.93. The stock has a market capitalization of $17.48 billion, a P/E ratio of 111.86, a P/E/G ratio of 4.73 and a beta of 0.79. The companys 50-day simple moving average is $401.46 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $395.98. Tyler Technologies, Inc. has a 52-week low of $301.69 and a 52-week high of $426.83.

Tyler Technologies (NYSE:TYL  Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, November 1st. The technology company reported $1.66 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.47 by $0.19. The business had revenue of $494.68 million for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $495.47 million. Tyler Technologies had a net margin of 8.22% and a return on equity of 8.86%. As a group, analysts predict that Tyler Technologies, Inc. will post 5.76 EPS for the current year.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

TYL has been the topic of a number of recent research reports. Oppenheimer upped their target price on shares of Tyler Technologies from $450.00 to $480.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Friday, November 3rd. StockNews.com initiated coverage on shares of Tyler Technologies in a research report on Thursday, October 5th. They issued a hold rating on the stock. Truist Financial upped their target price on shares of Tyler Technologies from $475.00 to $510.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Friday, November 3rd. Needham & Company LLC reaffirmed a buy rating and issued a $475.00 target price on shares of Tyler Technologies in a research report on Monday, November 20th. Finally, Piper Sandler upped their target price on shares of Tyler Technologies from $465.00 to $480.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Friday, November 3rd. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and nine have given a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $442.43.

Check Out Our Latest Research Report on Tyler Technologies

Tyler Technologies Company Profile

(Free Report)

Tyler Technologies, Inc provides integrated information management solutions and services for the public sector. It operates in two segments, Enterprise Software, and Platform Technologies. The company offers financial management solutions, including modular fund accounting systems for government agencies or not-for-profit entities; utility billing systems for the billing and collection of metered and non-metered services; products to automate city and county functions, such as municipal courts, parking tickets, equipment and project costing, animal and business licenses, permits and inspections, code enforcement, citizen complaint tracking, ambulance billing, fleet maintenance, and cemetery records management; student information and transportation solutions for K-12 schools; and financial management systems.

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Moody National Bank Trust Division raised its holdings in shares of Delta Air Lines, Inc. (NYSE:DAL  Free Report) by 6.9% during the third quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 19,313 shares of the transportation companys stock after acquiring an additional 1,253 shares during the period. Moody National Bank Trust Divisions holdings in Delta Air Lines were worth $715,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other large investors have also recently made changes to their positions in DAL. Acadian Asset Management LLC purchased a new stake in Delta Air Lines during the first quarter valued at about $217,000. Panagora Asset Management Inc. boosted its holdings in Delta Air Lines by 41.8% during the 1st quarter. Panagora Asset Management Inc. now owns 25,838 shares of the transportation companys stock valued at $1,022,000 after acquiring an additional 7,616 shares during the period. APG Asset Management N.V. bought a new position in Delta Air Lines during the 1st quarter worth approximately $243,000. Raymond James Trust N.A. increased its stake in Delta Air Lines by 20.7% in the 1st quarter. Raymond James Trust N.A. now owns 9,918 shares of the transportation companys stock worth $392,000 after purchasing an additional 1,700 shares during the period. Finally, Cibc World Market Inc. lifted its position in Delta Air Lines by 3.1% in the first quarter. Cibc World Market Inc. now owns 29,508 shares of the transportation companys stock valued at $1,168,000 after purchasing an additional 891 shares during the last quarter. 71.29% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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Insider Transactions at Delta Air Lines

In related news, Director David S. Taylor acquired 10,000 shares of Delta Air Lines stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, October 18th. The stock was bought at an average price of $33.09 per share, with a total value of $330,900.00. Following the transaction, the director now directly owns 17,470 shares in the company, valued at $578,082.30. The acquisition was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. In related news, EVP Joanne D. Smith sold 3,030 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Thursday, October 19th. The shares were sold at an average price of $33.29, for a total transaction of $100,868.70. Following the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 95,362 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $3,174,600.98. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, Director David S. Taylor bought 10,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Wednesday, October 18th. The stock was purchased at an average cost of $33.09 per share, with a total value of $330,900.00. Following the completion of the acquisition, the director now directly owns 17,470 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $578,082.30. The disclosure for this purchase can be found here. Insiders own 0.89% of the companys stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

DAL has been the topic of several recent analyst reports. The Goldman Sachs Group cut their target price on shares of Delta Air Lines from $51.00 to $50.00 in a report on Thursday, September 14th. Barclays decreased their price objective on shares of Delta Air Lines from $58.00 to $50.00 in a research report on Thursday, October 5th. Bank of America dropped their target price on shares of Delta Air Lines from $50.00 to $40.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, October 3rd. Jefferies Financial Group cut their target price on Delta Air Lines from $60.00 to $50.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, September 29th. Finally, Sanford C. Bernstein lowered their price target on Delta Air Lines from $62.00 to $61.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, September 26th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating, eleven have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of Buy and a consensus price target of $54.40.

Check Out Our Latest Stock Report on Delta Air Lines

Delta Air Lines Price Performance

DAL opened at $41.13 on Friday. The company has a current ratio of 0.44, a quick ratio of 0.39 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.90. The company has a market cap of $26.47 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 7.79, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.21 and a beta of 1.39. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $35.87 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $40.19. Delta Air Lines, Inc. has a 12-month low of $30.60 and a 12-month high of $49.81.

Delta Air Lines (NYSE:DAL  Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Thursday, October 12th. The transportation company reported $2.03 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $1.95 by $0.08. Delta Air Lines had a net margin of 5.94% and a return on equity of 54.95%. The firm had revenue of $15.49 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $14.55 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $1.51 EPS. The companys revenue was up 10.8% compared to the same quarter last year. Research analysts predict that Delta Air Lines, Inc. will post 6.1 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Delta Air Lines Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, November 2nd. Stockholders of record on Thursday, October 12th were issued a dividend of $0.10 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, October 11th. This represents a $0.40 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.97%. Delta Air Liness payout ratio is 7.58%.

Delta Air Lines Company Profile

(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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Hims & Hers Health, Inc. (NYSE:HIMS  Get Free Report) CFO Oluyemi Okupe sold 6,784 shares of Hims & Hers Health stock in a transaction on Wednesday, December 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of $8.58, for a total transaction of $58,206.72. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer now owns 170,208 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,460,384.64. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website.

Oluyemi Okupe also recently made the following trade(s):

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On Tuesday, November 21st, Oluyemi Okupe sold 6,698 shares of Hims & Hers Health stock. The stock was sold at an average price of $7.62, for a total transaction of $51,038.76.

Hims & Hers Health Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE:HIMS opened at $8.60 on Friday. Hims & Hers Health, Inc. has a 52 week low of $5.65 and a 52 week high of $12.34. The company has a market capitalization of $1.82 billion, a PE ratio of -50.56 and a beta of 0.78. The company has a 50 day moving average price of $7.50 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $7.56.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Hims & Hers Health

Hims & Hers Health ( NYSE:HIMS Get Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Monday, November 6th. The company reported ($0.04) EPS for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of ($0.03) by ($0.01). The firm had revenue of $226.70 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $220.08 million. Hims & Hers Health had a negative net margin of 4.50% and a negative return on equity of 11.22%. The businesss revenue was up 56.6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned ($0.09) EPS. On average, sell-side analysts forecast that Hims & Hers Health, Inc. will post -0.13 earnings per share for the current year.

Large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Swiss National Bank boosted its stake in shares of Hims & Hers Health by 7.9% in the 1st quarter. Swiss National Bank now owns 185,000 shares of the companys stock valued at $986,000 after purchasing an additional 13,500 shares in the last quarter. Citigroup Inc. boosted its position in Hims & Hers Health by 249.9% during the 1st quarter. Citigroup Inc. now owns 34,718 shares of the companys stock worth $185,000 after buying an additional 24,796 shares during the period. Ergoteles LLC acquired a new stake in Hims & Hers Health during the 1st quarter worth approximately $949,000. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. boosted its position in Hims & Hers Health by 2.5% during the 1st quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 616,214 shares of the companys stock worth $3,285,000 after buying an additional 14,990 shares during the period. Finally, Northern Trust Corp boosted its position in Hims & Hers Health by 1.3% during the 1st quarter. Northern Trust Corp now owns 253,307 shares of the companys stock worth $1,350,000 after buying an additional 3,226 shares during the period. 61.45% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Separately, Imperial Capital initiated coverage on shares of Hims & Hers Health in a report on Thursday, December 7th. They issued an inline rating and a $9.00 target price on the stock. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and six have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $12.08.

View Our Latest Analysis on Hims & Hers Health

Hims & Hers Health Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Hims & Hers Health, Inc operates a telehealth platform that connects consumers to licensed healthcare professionals. The company offers a range of health and wellness products and services available to purchase on its websites and mobile application directly by customers. It also provides prescription medication on a recurring basis and ongoing care from healthcare providers; and over-the-counter drug and device products, cosmetics, and supplement products, primarily focusing on wellness, sexual health and wellness, skincare, and hair care.

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OneAscent Wealth Management LLC purchased a new stake in Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY  Free Report) during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund purchased 444 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $238,000.

Other hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. State Street Corp raised its stake in shares of Eli Lilly and Company by 1.9% in the second quarter. State Street Corp now owns 33,878,417 shares of the companys stock valued at $15,888,300,000 after acquiring an additional 642,274 shares during the last quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP raised its position in Eli Lilly and Company by 1.6% in the 1st quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 20,324,267 shares of the companys stock valued at $6,979,760,000 after purchasing an additional 314,349 shares during the last quarter. Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd Zurich boosted its stake in Eli Lilly and Company by 533,336.4% in the second quarter. Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd Zurich now owns 19,059,681 shares of the companys stock worth $8,938,609,000 after purchasing an additional 19,056,108 shares in the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC increased its stake in shares of Eli Lilly and Company by 2.3% in the second quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 15,205,501 shares of the companys stock valued at $7,111,568,000 after buying an additional 338,077 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Morgan Stanley lifted its position in Eli Lilly and Company by 44.1% during the 4th quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 12,059,204 shares of the companys stock worth $4,411,740,000 after buying an additional 3,691,436 shares in the last quarter. 81.38% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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Analyst Ratings Changes

LLY has been the subject of several analyst reports. Bank of America lifted their price target on shares of Eli Lilly and Company from $600.00 to $700.00 in a research report on Friday, October 6th. Argus boosted their price objective on shares of Eli Lilly and Company from $470.00 to $620.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Tuesday, September 5th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reiterated an overweight rating on shares of Eli Lilly and Company in a report on Wednesday, November 8th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft started coverage on shares of Eli Lilly and Company in a research report on Thursday, November 9th. They issued a hold rating and a $535.00 price objective for the company. Finally, UBS Group reissued a buy rating and issued a $710.00 target price (up from $612.00) on shares of Eli Lilly and Company in a research note on Friday, October 20th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, two have issued a hold rating and seventeen have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $583.24.

Insider Activity at Eli Lilly and Company

In other Eli Lilly and Company news, CAO Donald A. Zakrowski sold 670 shares of Eli Lilly and Company stock in a transaction dated Monday, November 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $571.10, for a total value of $382,637.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief accounting officer now owns 4,708 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,688,738.80. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. In other news, CAO Donald A. Zakrowski sold 670 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, November 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $571.10, for a total transaction of $382,637.00. Following the transaction, the chief accounting officer now directly owns 4,708 shares of the companys stock, valued at $2,688,738.80. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, major shareholder Lilly Endowment Inc sold 215,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, October 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of $605.44, for a total value of $130,169,600.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now owns 99,768,810 shares of the companys stock, valued at $60,404,028,326.40. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 0.13% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Eli Lilly and Company Trading Down 0.3 %

Shares of NYSE:LLY opened at $570.39 on Friday. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $587.53 and a 200 day simple moving average of $535.59. The company has a market capitalization of $541.48 billion, a P/E ratio of 103.33, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.48 and a beta of 0.33. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.59, a quick ratio of 0.82 and a current ratio of 1.05. Eli Lilly and Company has a 52-week low of $309.20 and a 52-week high of $629.97.

Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY  Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, November 2nd. The company reported $0.10 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of ($0.08) by $0.18. Eli Lilly and Company had a return on equity of 48.12% and a net margin of 15.55%. The company had revenue of $9.50 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $8.88 billion. Sell-side analysts forecast that Eli Lilly and Company will post 6.6 earnings per share for the current year.

Eli Lilly and Company Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 4th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, February 15th will be given a $1.30 dividend. This represents a $5.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.91%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, February 14th. This is a boost from Eli Lilly and Companys previous quarterly dividend of $1.13. Eli Lilly and Companys payout ratio is presently 81.88%.

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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StockNews.com assumed coverage on shares of Phoenix New Media (NYSE:FENG  Free Report) in a research note published on Friday morning. The brokerage issued a hold rating on the information services providers stock.

Phoenix New Media Trading Down 5.7 %

NYSE:FENG opened at $1.33 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.02, a quick ratio of 2.72 and a current ratio of 2.72. Phoenix New Media has a 1 year low of $1.10 and a 1 year high of $4.14. The stock has a market cap of $16.14 million, a P/E ratio of -1.68 and a beta of 0.81. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $1.31 and a 200-day simple moving average of $1.50.

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Phoenix New Media (NYSE:FENG  Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, November 14th. The information services provider reported ($0.24) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter. Phoenix New Media had a negative net margin of 9.69% and a negative return on equity of 5.64%. The company had revenue of $21.05 million during the quarter.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Phoenix New Media

Phoenix New Media Company Profile

An institutional investor recently bought a new position in Phoenix New Media stock. Virtu Financial LLC bought a new position in shares of Phoenix New Media Limited ( NYSE:FENG Free Report ) in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor bought 21,805 shares of the information services providers stock, valued at approximately $58,000. Institutional investors own 6.26% of the companys stock.

(Get Free Report)

Phoenix New Media Limited provides content on an integrated Internet platform in the People's Republic of China. The company operates through two segments, Net Advertising Services and Paid Services. It offers content and services through PC channel, mobile channel, and telecom operators, as well as transmits content to TV viewers, primarily through Phoenix TV.

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CGN Advisors LLC grew its stake in shares of The Procter & Gamble Company (NYSE:PG  Free Report) by 6.6% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 24,471 shares of the companys stock after acquiring an additional 1,525 shares during the period. CGN Advisors LLCs holdings in Procter & Gamble were worth $3,569,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also modified their holdings of PG. Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd Zurich lifted its position in Procter & Gamble by 99,734.1% during the 2nd quarter. Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd Zurich now owns 253,081,478 shares of the companys stock worth $38,402,583,000 after acquiring an additional 252,827,976 shares during the last quarter. BlackRock Inc. lifted its position in Procter & Gamble by 1.4% during the 1st quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 161,843,254 shares of the companys stock worth $24,064,473,000 after acquiring an additional 2,157,319 shares during the last quarter. State Street Corp lifted its position in Procter & Gamble by 0.8% during the 2nd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 103,104,467 shares of the companys stock worth $15,645,072,000 after acquiring an additional 817,674 shares during the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC lifted its position in Procter & Gamble by 1.1% during the 1st quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 46,754,131 shares of the companys stock worth $6,936,343,000 after acquiring an additional 510,559 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Morgan Stanley lifted its position in Procter & Gamble by 12.6% during the 4th quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 44,320,700 shares of the companys stock worth $6,717,246,000 after acquiring an additional 4,959,527 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 63.43% of the companys stock.

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Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of research analysts have recently commented on the stock. Stifel Nicolaus cut their price objective on shares of Procter & Gamble from $161.00 to $151.00 and set a hold rating for the company in a research report on Monday, October 16th. Wells Fargo & Company upped their price objective on shares of Procter & Gamble from $160.00 to $162.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research report on Thursday, October 19th. DZ Bank raised shares of Procter & Gamble from a sell rating to a hold rating and set a $155.00 price objective for the company in a research report on Friday, October 20th. Sanford C. Bernstein cut their price objective on shares of Procter & Gamble from $162.00 to $153.00 and set a market perform rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, October 12th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their price objective on shares of Procter & Gamble from $172.00 to $169.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, October 12th. Six equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and thirteen have issued a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, Procter & Gamble presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $166.41.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, CEO R. Alexandra Keith sold 6,575 shares of the stock in a transaction on Thursday, November 30th. The shares were sold at an average price of $153.47, for a total transaction of $1,009,065.25. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 5,620 shares of the companys stock, valued at $862,501.40. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. In other news, CEO R. Alexandra Keith sold 6,575 shares of the stock in a transaction on Thursday, November 30th. The shares were sold at an average price of $153.47, for a total transaction of $1,009,065.25. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 5,620 shares of the companys stock, valued at $862,501.40. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, CAO Matthew W. Janzaruk sold 188 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, October 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of $148.52, for a total transaction of $27,921.76. Following the sale, the chief accounting officer now directly owns 626 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $92,973.52. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last three months, insiders have sold 79,382 shares of company stock worth $11,988,690. Company insiders own 0.17% of the companys stock.

Procter & Gamble Trading Up 0.7 %

Shares of NYSE PG opened at $145.31 on Friday. The companys 50 day simple moving average is $149.08 and its 200 day simple moving average is $150.28. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.51, a current ratio of 0.67 and a quick ratio of 0.48. The firm has a market capitalization of $342.48 billion, a P/E ratio of 23.59, a P/E/G ratio of 2.98 and a beta of 0.46. The Procter & Gamble Company has a fifty-two week low of $135.83 and a fifty-two week high of $158.38.

Procter & Gamble (NYSE:PG  Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, October 18th. The company reported $1.83 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.71 by $0.12. The company had revenue of $21.87 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $21.58 billion. Procter & Gamble had a net margin of 18.30% and a return on equity of 33.49%. The businesss revenue for the quarter was up 6.1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the business posted $1.57 earnings per share. On average, analysts predict that The Procter & Gamble Company will post 6.42 EPS for the current year.

Procter & Gamble Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, November 15th. Shareholders of record on Friday, October 20th were issued a $0.9407 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, October 19th. This represents a $3.76 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.59%. Procter & Gambles dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 61.04%.

About Procter & Gamble

(Free Report)

The Procter & Gamble Company provides branded consumer packaged goods worldwide. It operates through five segments: Beauty; Grooming; Health Care; Fabric & Home Care; and Baby, Feminine & Family Care. The Beauty segment offers conditioners, shampoos, styling aids, and treatments under the Head & Shoulders, Herbal Essences, Pantene, and Rejoice brands; and antiperspirants and deodorants, personal cleansing, and skin care products under the Olay, Old Spice, Safeguard, Secret, and SK-II brands.

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HB Wealth Management LLC boosted its position in shares of The Travelers Companies, Inc. (NYSE:TRV  Free Report) by 6.8% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The firm owned 11,305 shares of the insurance providers stock after buying an additional 722 shares during the quarter. HB Wealth Management LLCs holdings in Travelers Companies were worth $1,846,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Jackson Grant Investment Advisers Inc. acquired a new stake in Travelers Companies during the third quarter valued at $100,000. Global Retirement Partners LLC lifted its holdings in Travelers Companies by 14.2% during the third quarter. Global Retirement Partners LLC now owns 850 shares of the insurance providers stock valued at $138,000 after purchasing an additional 106 shares in the last quarter. IFP Advisors Inc lifted its holdings in Travelers Companies by 14.0% during the third quarter. IFP Advisors Inc now owns 1,300 shares of the insurance providers stock valued at $212,000 after purchasing an additional 160 shares in the last quarter. RVW Wealth LLC purchased a new position in Travelers Companies during the third quarter valued at $34,000. Finally, AdvisorNet Financial Inc lifted its holdings in Travelers Companies by 66.0% during the third quarter. AdvisorNet Financial Inc now owns 3,339 shares of the insurance providers stock valued at $545,000 after purchasing an additional 1,328 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 81.12% of the companys stock.

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Travelers Companies Price Performance

Shares of TRV stock opened at $185.80 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.40, a current ratio of 0.34 and a quick ratio of 0.34. The firms 50-day moving average is $173.64 and its two-hundred day moving average is $170.05. The Travelers Companies, Inc. has a 12 month low of $157.33 and a 12 month high of $194.51. The company has a market capitalization of $42.44 billion, a PE ratio of 20.11, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.63 and a beta of 0.59.

Travelers Companies Announces Dividend

Travelers Companies ( NYSE:TRV Get Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, October 18th. The insurance provider reported $1.95 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $2.93 by ($0.98). Travelers Companies had a net margin of 5.45% and a return on equity of 10.41%. The company had revenue of $10.50 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $10.42 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $2.20 earnings per share. Travelers Companiess revenue was up 14.1% on a year-over-year basis. Analysts predict that The Travelers Companies, Inc. will post 11.08 earnings per share for the current year.

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, December 29th. Shareholders of record on Friday, December 8th will be given a dividend of $1.00 per share. This represents a $4.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.15%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, December 7th. Travelers Companiess dividend payout ratio is presently 43.29%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

TRV has been the topic of several recent analyst reports. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft initiated coverage on shares of Travelers Companies in a report on Wednesday, October 4th. They set a hold rating and a $186.00 price objective on the stock. Jefferies Financial Group decreased their price objective on shares of Travelers Companies from $180.00 to $176.00 and set a hold rating on the stock in a report on Friday, October 6th. Janney Montgomery Scott initiated coverage on shares of Travelers Companies in a report on Wednesday. They set a buy rating and a $215.00 price objective on the stock. Citigroup raised their price target on shares of Travelers Companies from $181.00 to $185.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research note on Friday, October 20th. Finally, Oppenheimer initiated coverage on shares of Travelers Companies in a research note on Thursday, November 16th. They issued a market perform rating on the stock. Nine investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, five have assigned a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $193.00.

Check Out Our Latest Stock Report on Travelers Companies

Insider Buying and Selling at Travelers Companies

In other Travelers Companies news, EVP Andy F. Bessette sold 3,797 shares of Travelers Companies stock in a transaction dated Friday, November 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $169.38, for a total transaction of $643,135.86. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 13,005 shares in the company, valued at $2,202,786.90. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. In other Travelers Companies news, EVP Andy F. Bessette sold 3,797 shares of Travelers Companies stock in a transaction dated Friday, November 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $169.38, for a total transaction of $643,135.86. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 13,005 shares in the company, valued at $2,202,786.90. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, Vice Chairman William H. Heyman sold 270 shares of Travelers Companies stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, November 27th. The shares were sold at an average price of $178.00, for a total transaction of $48,060.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 255,178 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $45,421,684. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Company insiders own 1.29% of the companys stock.

About Travelers Companies

(Free Report)

The Travelers Companies, Inc, through its subsidiaries, provides a range of commercial and personal property, and casualty insurance products and services to businesses, government units, associations, and individuals in the United States and internationally. It operates through three segments: Business Insurance, Bond & Specialty Insurance, and Personal Insurance.

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Emergency responders at Ankura Hospital in Mehdipatnam tackling the fire incident.

HYDERABAD: Panic gripped Ankura Hospital in Gudimalkapur after fire broke out on the nine storied buildings elevation Saturday evening.

The fire started at 5.10 pm as the hospitals LED display board at the Kings Kohinoor Classic Tower on the terrace of the building and spread to the elevation.

The hospital is housed till the fifth floor of the nine-storey building. They were alerted by the neighbouring building owners.

Initially the staff tried to use the emergency fire water tankers but found that they were empty. They poured buckets of water on the elevation and the nursing staff through the ramp using their mobile flash lights shifted over 17 patients to their Banjara Hills branch safely.

"Around 5.20 pm, I saw smoke and people from nearby buildings entering the hospital main gate and shouting while informing the hospital management aag lagi hai hospital mein. I panicked and ran to the fourth floor to meet my wife who is admitted in the hospital. There was smoke and the lift was not working," Mohammed Ashfaq, a patient attendant, said.

The hospital management arranged for additional ambulances and shifted patients from the fifth and fourth floor to another branch, Ashfaq said. By then the fire brigades arrived and extinguished the fire, he said.

The sixth and seventh floor of the building was occupied by offices while eight and nine floors were vacant.

According to sources in the fire department, it was caused by short-circuit due to the phase to phase contact on the display board and then spread to the elevation.

"Our five fire tenders controlled the fire within 25 minutes. The wiring of the hospital, generators and air conditioners on the top floor terrace were partially damaged," said T. Purushotam, DFO, fire department.

Gudimalkapur police rushed to the scene and assisted the fire officers and hospital staff in shifting the patients. Police registered a case of fire accident. The police and the fire officials confirmed that there was no loss of life or hospital property.

Meanwhile there were heavy traffic jams at Gudimalkapur, Rajendranagar, Mehdipatnam, Tolichowki, Rethibowli, Mehdipatnam and the surrounding roads.
This weekend has witnessed heavy footfalls of visitors at Lambasingi and Borra Caves, both in ASR district of AP, with the temperature remaining mildly cool and pleasant. (Facebook)

Vishakhapatnam: This weekend has witnessed heavy footfalls of visitors at Lambasingi and Borra Caves, both in ASR district of AP, with the temperature remaining mildly cool and pleasant.

APTDC officials said all resorts, both government and private, have been booked till January 2. The tourist season will continue till Sankranti.

Apart from the agency areas, people arrived in large numbers at popular spots in Visakhapatnam, including RK Beach, TU 142 aircraft museum, Sea Harrier (fighter jet), submarine museum, Kailasagiri Hill resort, Bheemili, Thotlakonda Buddhist shrine and Yarada. Simhachalam temple received thousands of pilgrims on occasion of Vaikunta Ekadasi.

ASR district tour operators say a thick fog is enveloping the district till 11 a.m. and again from 2 p.m. onwards, attracting tourists. Minimum temperature has been between 79 degrees Celsius during the past two days. But it went up to a more pleasant 11 degrees on Saturday.

Most youngsters are preferring bike rides from Visakhapatnam to Lambasingi.

"Next time, we will bring our caravan, so that we need not bother about accommodation," said a disappointed Sudipta Bhattacharjee, who came all the way from Durgapur in West Bengal but did not get accommodation.

The number of cottages in government and private sector are few compared to the flow of visitors. Many visitors cut short their stay due to lack of proper accommodation.

APTDC Lambasingi manager T. Appala Naidu said they have just 15 cottages while the accommodation in private sector is 200. More than 500 people have pitched tents. Appala Naidu said APTDC is planning to build more cottages, which would be completed by next year end.

The manager at Borra Caves said more than 6,000 tourists visited the caves on Saturday. He expected crowds to swell over 10,000 on Sunday and Monday.

In Araku Valley, demand is more than the availability of rooms. The valley has just over 1,000 rooms, including APTDC and private.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi. (PTI Image)

NEW DELHI: With the 2024 general elections only a few months away, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has exhorted the party to increase the BJPs vote share by over 10 per cent.

In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the NDA's vote share was 44.87 per cent, while the BJP bagged 37.36 per cent of the votes.

In comparison, the UPA managed just 26.74 per cent and the Congress vote share was 19.49 per cent.

The BJPs target for the 2024 general elections will be to grow its vote share from 37.86 per cent to over 50 per cent, Modi said. For this purpose, the saffron party plans to win over 80 per cent of Hindu votes.

Addressing the BJP national office-bearers meeting, Modi said the party needs to secure at least 50 per cent of the total votes polled in next years general election for its third consecutive victory, sources said.

"The Prime Minister said that the BJP will be able to register a more decisive victory if it gets more than 50 per cent of the total votes polled and gave suggestions to achieve it," sources said.

With 37.36 per cent votes in the 2019 general elections, the BJP had won 303 seats in the Lok Sabha. Now the saffron party is aiming to win over 350 or nearly 400 seats in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

The BJP feels that by getting over 50 per cent of the total votes polled, the target of winning around 400 seats can be easily achieved.

It is learnt that the saffron party believes that getting 80 per cent of its core vote bank (Hindus) will help them achieve the target of 50 per cent set by the Prime Minister.

Another leader noted that getting 80 per cent of the Hindu votes would translate to the BJP easily getting around 60 per cent of the votes polled, about 10 per cent more than the target of 50 per cent.

He added that while the BJP is eyeing the majority community votes, the party, as per the vision laid down by the Prime Minister, is also working to make inroads among other minority communities.

With an eye on majority votes in next years Lok Sabha polls, the BJP has already started organising several programmes to make the opening of Ram Mandir on January 22 a mega event across the country.

An insider told this newspaper that the opening of the Ram Mandir to devotees, along with the welfare and development works of the Modi government, will be a crucial part of the BJP's 2024 general election campaign.

"Ram Mandir will dominate our electoral agenda from January 1. Several programmes and events will be held across the country to reach out to Hindu voters across the country," a BJP leader said.
Ronald Blue Trust Inc. lifted its stake in shares of FedEx Co. (NYSE:FDX  Free Report) by 120.3% during the third quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 901 shares of the shipping service providers stock after acquiring an additional 492 shares during the period. Ronald Blue Trust Inc.s holdings in FedEx were worth $223,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. Archer Investment Corp increased its position in FedEx by 0.7% during the 2nd quarter. Archer Investment Corp now owns 5,417 shares of the shipping service providers stock valued at $1,343,000 after purchasing an additional 38 shares during the period. Cascade Investment Advisors Inc. increased its position in FedEx by 0.6% during the 2nd quarter. Cascade Investment Advisors Inc. now owns 6,904 shares of the shipping service providers stock valued at $1,712,000 after purchasing an additional 40 shares during the period. Massachusetts Wealth Management increased its position in FedEx by 2.9% during the 2nd quarter. Massachusetts Wealth Management now owns 1,405 shares of the shipping service providers stock valued at $348,000 after purchasing an additional 40 shares during the period. Camarda Financial Advisors LLC increased its position in FedEx by 0.6% during the 2nd quarter. Camarda Financial Advisors LLC now owns 6,419 shares of the shipping service providers stock valued at $1,591,000 after purchasing an additional 40 shares during the period. Finally, Zullo Investment Group Inc. increased its position in FedEx by 0.8% during the 2nd quarter. Zullo Investment Group Inc. now owns 5,497 shares of the shipping service providers stock valued at $1,363,000 after purchasing an additional 41 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 73.61% of the companys stock.

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Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of analysts have recently weighed in on the stock. Stifel Nicolaus upped their target price on shares of FedEx from $284.00 to $285.00 in a research report on Thursday, October 5th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft upped their target price on shares of FedEx from $255.00 to $295.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Friday, September 22nd. UBS Group upped their target price on shares of FedEx from $312.00 to $323.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Thursday, September 21st. Loop Capital upped their target price on shares of FedEx from $255.00 to $275.00 and gave the stock a hold rating in a research report on Friday, September 22nd. Finally, Barclays reduced their target price on shares of FedEx from $330.00 to $310.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday. Seven investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, seventeen have issued a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $288.38.

Insider Transactions at FedEx

In other news, VP Jennifer L. Johnson sold 13,348 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, October 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $258.25, for a total value of $3,447,121.00. Following the transaction, the vice president now owns 3,428 shares in the company, valued at approximately $885,281. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Company insiders own 8.73% of the companys stock.

FedEx Price Performance

FDX opened at $248.03 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.76, a quick ratio of 1.32 and a current ratio of 1.37. The stock has a market capitalization of $62.36 billion, a P/E ratio of 14.69, a P/E/G ratio of 1.28 and a beta of 1.32. The companys 50-day simple moving average is $253.72 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $253.95. FedEx Co. has a 52-week low of $171.55 and a 52-week high of $285.53.

FedEx (NYSE:FDX  Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, December 19th. The shipping service provider reported $3.99 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $4.14 by ($0.15). FedEx had a return on equity of 16.63% and a net margin of 4.87%. The business had revenue of $22.17 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $22.36 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $3.18 EPS. FedExs revenue for the quarter was down 2.8% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, analysts predict that FedEx Co. will post 18.19 EPS for the current year.

FedEx Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, January 2nd. Stockholders of record on Monday, December 11th will be paid a $1.26 dividend. This represents a $5.04 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.03%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, December 8th. FedExs dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 29.86%.

About FedEx

(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.

Read More

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Industrial action will impact schools and hospitals across the North as multiple unions have announced strike action on the same day in January.

The Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) has deemed 18 January the generalised day of action in response to the conclusion of talks on restoration of the Northern Ireland Executive.

Unions representing health workers, midwives, radiographers, teachers and civil servants are among those who have said they will withdraw their labour for some length of time on the day.

People Before Profit Cllr Shaun Harkin said:

"Translink and BSO workers should be commended for following through on strike action this week.

"Workers across the public sector facing punishing pay cuts have refused to be bullied into submission by the Tory Secretary of State and those attempting to whip-up a frenzy against trade union action.

"By refusing to immediately release funding that he has made clear is available, the Secretary of State is once again punishing workers, communities and public services but not the DUP.

"The trade union movement is absolutely right to organise a public sector general strike on January 18 to demand pay increases, funding for public services and an end to cruel budget cuts.

"Trade union members have long been calling for coordinated all-out and sustained action - and will not be used as a prop to allow the DUP to justify ending its selfish Stormont veto.

"The Secretary of State and any incoming Stormont Executive Ministers must be sent the message there will be no return to business as usual.

"We have not forgotten how horrendous Stormont's record has been on workers pay, public service funding, trade union rights and a lot more.

"Whether there's a deal to restore Stormont or not, we need make it clear January 18 is a mass strike to show we are determined and prepared to escalate action for fair pay, and to save our hospitals, our schools and our public transport network.

"Everyone should support the strike call and start organising now for massive demonstrations of public support on January 18.

"We say all-out on January 18."
#VisitCzechia, in association with the Embassy of the Czech Republic in Qatar and Kuwait, strengthened connections and highlighted the diverse attractions of the country, during the two-week-long Middle East Road Show 2023.

Running from October 30 to November 2, it covered prominent cities across the Middle East, namely Doha, Kuwait City, and Dubai.

The roadshow, aimed at establishing robust ties between the Czech tourism industry and the Middle Eastern market, presented the country's multifaceted offerings, with an emphasis on spa and wellness retreats and leisure destinations.

It also featured B2B meetings and a networking dinner with travel agents, facilitating dialogue and relationship-building opportunities.

The event was held in partnership with airline partners: Qatar Airways in Doha, Jazeera Airways in Kuwait, and Emirates Airlines in Dubai

The roadshow hosted a delegation comprising 13 partners representing a spectrum of entities, including DMCs, hotels, spa resorts and medical tourism sectors from the Czech Republic.

The workshops drew in over 70 travel agents in Doha, 60 travel agents in Kuwait City, and 65 travel agents in Dubai.

Notably, travel from Middle East countries to the Czech Republic has surged significantly, showcasing a year-on-year increase of 32.68% compared to the previous year. In 2022, the Czech Republic warmly welcomed over 25,829 travellers from the Middle East, involving an average stay duration of 3.35 days.

Barbara Andelova, International Marketing Manager  New Markets, CzechTourism, said: "We are immensely pleased with the success of our B2B roadshow in the Middle East. The enthusiasm and engagement we witnessed reaffirmed the growing interest in Czechia as a travel destination."

"We are excited about the partnerships established during this event, which we believe will further enhance the flow of tourists to our beautiful country," she noted.

The CzechTourism delegation included the following partners: spa region, Karlovy Vary; spa hotel and properties: Axxos Hotels & Resorts, Ensana Health Spa Hotels, Hotel Thermal, Spa Teplice, Grand Hotel Marienbad Betriebs, Savoy Westend Hotel, Grandhotel Pupp Karlovy Vary, Luxury Spa Hotel Olympic Palace; Destination Management Company (DMC): Graficon DMC and Mondial; medical tourism company: Medical Spa Janske Lazne, Darkov Spa Medical Group.-TradeArabia News Service
The GOAL Mile will see over 25,000 people running or walking a mile, in 150 locations in villages, towns, and cities across Ireland this Christmas, including both Derry and Magherafelt, to raise funds for some of the worlds poorest and most vulnerable communities in Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America.

This year the GOAL Miles will be taking place locally in the following locations:

Sainsbury's Car Park, Derry, St Stephen's Day, 12.00pm-1.00pm; and

Polepatrick Park, Castledawson Rd, Magherafelt, St Stephen's Day, 12.00pm - 1.00pm

Speaking about her participation in the GOAL Mile, Anne Cassin, RTE Nationwide Presenter said The GOAL Mile is a beloved Christmas tradition for thousands of families across Ireland, including my own.

"Our family of five runs the Tallaght GOAL Mile every year and after that we jump into the Forty Foot and then head home for Turkey. Last year, GOAL reached 14.6 million people with their humanitarian programmes which centre on providing healthcare, nutrition, livelihood support, and safe water and sanitation facilities to some of the worlds most disadvantaged communities.

"So, I hope lots of other families will go the extra mile this Christmas and sign up for their local GOAL Mile in aid of GOALs life-saving work around the world.

Also launching the GOAL Mile 2023 campaign, Eamon Sharkey, Director, Fundraising and Communications, GOAL said, During 2023, we have witnessed a deadly mix of crises because of conflict and natural disaster across the world and GOAL has responded to all these crises, helping communities affected move from crisis to resilience.

"We are now asking people across Ireland to register for their local GOAL Mile and make whatever contribution they can so that we can continue this life-saving work.

GOAL Miles are run all over the Island (NI and ROI) across Christmas and Stephens Day, with over 150 locations confirmed. To register and take part in a GOAL Mile near you this Christmas, please visit www.goalmile.org .
Bereaved families have praised the Irish Government for giving them fresh hope by challenging the UKs controversial Legacy Act.

The Act, passed earlier this year despite widespread opposition, will end future court action and legacy inquests, funnelling cases from Northern Irelands troubled past to the newly set up Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery (ICRIR).

The commission will be able to offer a limited form of immunity from prosecution in exchange for information.

With dozens of legacy inquests remaining at hearing or yet to be heard, and while other families are still campaigning for a fresh inquest, the Act was viewed as dashing hopes for justice.

A judicial review of the Act was heard at the High Court in Belfast earlier this year.

The Irish Government will bring the case under the European Convention on Human Rights.

Emmett McConomy told the PA news agency he was delighted the Irish Government will challenge the Act.

But he said it was tempered by the realisation we should never have been in this position in the first place.

Mr McConomy was seven in 1982 when his 11-year-old brother Stephen died after being hit in the head by a plastic bullet as he played close to his home in the Bogside area of Derry.

Victims needs have been trampled across by the Government, they have been brushed aside and the only beneficiaries of this Act are the perpetrators of violence, he said.

So to see the Irish Government finally act upon what it suggested it may do is a relief.

Were happy its happening but its going to be several months of legal cases in Europe, which is several more months than some victims families wont have  were not getting any younger  and we have to assume the British Government will fight this tooth and nail as they tend to when it comes to victims needs.

But today gives us a little bit of hope and I think thats the only thing that victims have ever had was hope, and we cling on to that and thats priceless to us, and we will never lose hope regardless of what successive British governments propose to inflict upon victims.

Weve always remained hopeful that the truth will come out and that justice will rightly be served.

He said they are absolutely opposed to the commission and have told them they will not co-operate with them.

Rosaleen Dalton, whose father Sean was killed in an IRA booby trap bomb at a house in Derry in 1988, with two other people, as they went to check on a neighbour in what has become known as the Good Samaritan case, also welcomed the announcement.

Her family has been refused a fresh inquest into her fathers death, but she said she was pleased there was fresh hope for other families.

I think its a great decision. I think its the best decision and I think its the only recourse of action really, that that can be taken, she said.

We lost our case this year, but I think itll give other families hope for the future.

As the Legacy Act stands, it puts an end of all those inquests and investigations.

People like ourselves and our families have nowhere to go, so just knowing that somebodys fighting in our corner just gives us some fresh hope and optimism.

Raymond McCord, whose son Raymond McCord junior was killed by loyalist paramilitaries in 1997, has publicly thanked Irish premier Leo Varadkar and deputy premier Micheal Martin.

Anyone in Northern Ireland who condemns or criticises the Irish Government over their action is no friend of victims, he said.

The Conservatives showed that not only do they not care about justice but they also treated the entire population of our country with contempt with such an abuse of human rights.

We all should thank the Irish Government for taking the case to Europe. Unionists and nationalists victims have been given hope by the Dublin Government in our quest for truth and justice.

This challenge is not orange or green but the beginning of the end of the Bill which we have fought so hard to stop.

Thank you Mr Varadkar and Mr Martin.
Louths Hidden Musical Gem, a new radio documentary by Little Road Productions Ltd, will broadcast at 12noon on Tuesday December 26th 2023 on LMFM Radio.

Standing tall in the choir loft of St Patricks Cathedral in Dundalk since 1900, the pipe organ created by the world-renowned Henry Willis and Sons pipe organ builders in the UK, has had many musicians and composers caress its keys since Henry Lucas Balfour, organist at the Royal Albert Hall in London first opened the organ on July 1st 1900, with a recital of classical music.

In this one-hour radio documentary, the history of the organ is charted through multiple parallel narratives, looking at those who made it and have taken care of it for so many years, along with some of the personal stories of the many organists who have played it over the last 124 years, many of whom are household names in the musical world, such as Michael Van Dessel.

Featuring an interview on location with the current organist, Brendan McCourt, along with interviews with Brian McIvor, Audiovisual Producer & Broadcaster; Annalisa Monticelli, Programme Director & Repetiteur at Dundalk IT; Brian Walsh, Curator, Louth County Museum; and Anne Ward, former County Librarian & Choir Member; along with archive material, the documentary attempts to uncover the history of Louths Hidden Musical Gem for all the world to hear.

The documentary was funded by Coimisiun na Mean with the Television Licence Fee. For more information follow Little Road Productions Ltd on Twitter at @littleroadprods or on Facebook at @littleroadproductions.
The issue of shoplifting and the effects on retailers was discussed at a Dail committee last week where Dundalk retailer Colin Fee and Louth TD Ruairi O Murchu discussed the problems faced by shopkeepers.

Mr Fee, who owns forecourt stores in Dundalk and is president of the Retail Grocery Dairy and Allied Trades Association (RGDATA), was one of a number of witnesses to give evidence at the Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation.

In his interaction with Mr Fee, Deputy O Murchu said Ireland has a reputation for having the best shoplifters going, when new detection technologies are being talked about, and he asked if the Dundalk store owner agreed.

Mr Fee said: I do not know what other countries are like but we are a nation of cute hoors. It is a problem that has always been there but it is much bigger than people realise. People look at it as petty stuff. However, a large number of small things become a big number.

They start getting more aggressive and that is when it starts hurting  when the staff feel threatened.

The Sinn Fein TD said he had once spent a summer as a security guard. He said: I was told you do not put your hand on anybody unless you think they can get a six-month sentence. We have all seen where the witnesses are dealing with a greater level of aggression.

It is particularly seen in hospital settings, where you can be dealing with very chaotic characters. A security guard will probably not take that risk and the people at the other end are probably aware of that. It is an issue that needs to be addressed.

If you go through court reports, you will find it is the same names. If you break them down individually, they are not crimes that will get a person a life sentence.

These are probably chaotic people. When they are not busy shoplifting, they are eating tablets and whatever else. It is a wider societal issue but the witnesses have to deal with it. I am not saying there is any way to absolutely police that.

There needs to be some element of sanction, and chaotic circumstances need to be addressed. We also need to at least try to address it in relation to future generations.

Sometimes, the problem for the witnesses is they will be dealing with these people head on. We can all talk about what needs to be done in respect of intergenerational trauma, addiction and mental health issues, but it is not always pretty when you have to deal with it in your shop and it is going off on one of your staff members.

Mr Fee said it was not pretty at the coalface. He said: If you have a site in a disadvantaged area, 95% of the people are nice, law-abiding, good people. It is just a small minority.

My biggest problem is that there seems to be no deterrent. Earlier, I mentioned a guy who has four, five or six bench warrants against him. He came back in and robbed again. In fairness to the gardai, they got him.

He has done us perhaps 20 times. As I said, we started reporting everything. We had five or six but he was up for other stuff in other shops as well.

Two gardai took him to another court an hour's drive away to get him. The judge let him out and he came back and shoplifted in our shop that night.
A criminal who conspired to steal a car that was used in a credit union robbery during which Det Gda Adrian Donohoe was shot dead has been jailed for eight years.

Mr Justice Tony Hunt at the three-judge Special Criminal Court today (THU) said that at the time when James Flynn conspired to steal a Volkswagen Passat from outside a house in Clogherhead, Co Louth he "knew the full purpose of the conspiracy to burgle" and that the conspiracy "encompassed" the robbery which took place three nights later.

Mr Justice Hunt set a headline sentence of nine years but reduced that to eight after considering the "limited" mitigation including testimonials by members of Flynn's family.

In September, the Special Criminal Court acquitted James Flynn (32), with an address in Ravensglen, Newry, Co Down of participation in the robbery of 7,000 at Lordship Credit Union in Bellurgan, Co Louth, on January 25, 2013.

It was during that robbery that Aaron Brady murdered Det Gda Adrian Donohoe by shooting him once in the head. Brady is serving a life sentence with a minimum of 40 years for the offence and is awaiting the outcome of an appeal against his conviction.

At today's sentencing Mr Justice Tony Hunt described Brady as a "co-conspirator" of Flynn's.

In its judgment regarding Flynn, the Special Criminal Court found that he was an active member of the gang that carried out the robbery and that he was intimately involved with Brady and another man in stealing the Volkswagen Passat that was used as a getaway car.

The court also found that Flynn drove his own BMW to a remote location in south Armagh after the credit union robbery where the Passat was set on fire. Flynn then drove the participants from the area. Mr Justice Hunt said Flynn was therefore an accessory before and after the robbery.

However, the court was not satisfied that the State had proven its case that Flynn was a direct participant in the robbery and therefore acquitted him of that charge.

The court did convict Flynn of conspiracy to steal the Volkswagen Passat getaway car from outside a house in Clogherhead, Co Louth on January 22/23, 2013.
A CENTURY ago, on Christmas Day, 1923, the years last Cork fatality linked to the Civil War was laid to rest in the Republican plot in St Finbarrs Cemetery.

The relatives of Lieutenant George Bourke held a wreath-laying ceremony on Friday December 22, at 2 pm at the Republican plot, St Finbarrs Cemetery, to mark the centenary of his death. Family members were in attendance, along with members of the Phoenix Historical Society.

George Bourke was born at 93 Bandon Road in 1894, and he fought with the Volunteers in the War of Independence, taking the anti-Treaty side in the Civil War.

He was arrested by Free State forces in September 1922, and incarcerated in Newbridge, Co Kildare, where he embarked on a 15-day hunger strike in 1923, eventually being released due to ill health.

Lieutenant George Bourke of G Company, 2nd Batt, Cork No 1 Brigade of the Irish Republican Army, passed away from peritonitis on December 22, 1923 aged 29 and was buried on Christmas Day.

Despite poor weather on the day, large crowds attended his funeral and followed the hearse on its route along Barrack Street, Sullivans Quay, the South Mall, Washington Street and the Western Road, as the cortege was led by 20 men, marching in double file, followed by the MacCurtain Pipers Band.
ALMOST 60 prisoners were on temporary release from Cork Prison this week.

Figures published by the Irish Prison Service (IPS) show that, on December 20, 59 prisoners were on temporary release from the prison.

The data also revealed that Cork Prison is operating above capacity, with 330 people in custody at the Rathmore Rd facility which has bed capacity for 296 inmates.

The latest figures come as the IPS confirmed that nationally, 139 prisoners will be granted varying periods of temporary release this Christmas under the Criminal Justice Act 1960.

IPS said the number represents 3% of the prison population.

It said many of the prisoners being released are nearing the end of their sentences and the overriding concern when considering the applications is the safety of the public.

In addition to compassionate and humane considerations, other criteria taken into account include the nature and gravity of the offence, length of sentence served to date, prior record on temporary release, behaviour while in custody and previous criminal history, IPS added.

The periods of release vary from a few hours up to seven nights.

IPS emphasised that all such releases are subject to stringent conditions and that any prisoner who breaks these conditions may be arrested and returned immediately to prison by the gardai.

The sensitivities of victims are an issue that has also been taken into account.

Additional specific conditions will also apply in relation to victim liaison cases.

Furthermore, all registered victims with the Irish Prison Service victim liaison service will be informed in the cases where prisoners are receiving Christmas Temporary Release, IPS added.

This years figure represents more than a 7% increase on last year, when 129 prisoners were granted temporary release for Christmas.

A breakdown of the total number of prisoners to be released from the various prisons over Christmas is not available.
JINGLE bells and wedding bells could be heard in Cork Airport yesterday morning as travellers from across the globe found their way back home for Christmas.

Crowds of Corkonians awaited loved ones at the airports arrivals lounge as they jetted in to celebrate Yuletide on Leeside.

Ailbhe Lowney, Douglas, Cork, and Stephen Madine, Cobh, who recently got engaged, arriving at Cork Airport from Dubai for Christmas.

Newly engaged Ailbhe Lowney from Douglas and fiance Stephen Madine from Cobh, arrived from Dubai on Friday morning with hopes of throwing an engagement party to celebrate their big news.

I popped the question in the Maldives about a month ago, so she will be showing off the ring to everyone now that we are home. I think it will definitely be hard to top that with any presents for Christmas, Stephen joked.

It was an international family affair for Frank Hyde, who originally hails from Mayfield, but now calls San Francisco home.

I have been over in the States for the last 40 years and this is the first Christmas I have been home in maybe 15 or 20 years. So, I am hoping there will be some spiced beef on the table for me this year. Im also dying to have some good old tripe and drisheen too, so I will be heading for the English Market for that.

The Mayfield man was joined by his two daughters, Deirdre who travelled from Oregon and Eileen who had just landed from Boston.

Deirdre, who was joined by her husband said, we came over to Cork many years ago when we were children for Christmas, but we returned just this October to get married, and now we are back to spend Christmas here.

Another major milestone was being celebrated by Shane McCarthy from Old Head, Kinsale, his wife Annemarie and their six-month-old, Conor. The pair, who now live in San Francisco had arrived in Cork a few days previous and were eagerly awaiting the arrival of Annemaries family from Minnesota.

Annemaries family are flying in especially for his baptism tomorrow. We are all then going to be spending our Christmas together in Kinsale, Shane explained.

Kevin Voltes arriving at Cork Airport from Paris for Christmas where he was greeted by his children Margot and Liam.

Andrew Guerin was another who patiently waited the arrival of his daughter, Katie, who had made a new life abroad.

She has been in Amsterdam now for about 10 years. She set up her own business over there a few years ago and usually tries to get home to Cork about three times a year. Harriot and Donal Long from Douglas were also waiting for their jet-setting daughter and her fiance Lars to land from Amsterdam.

She has been over there for about 12 years, and she comes home often enough. Its only across the water thankfully, its not the same as being in the States or in Australia. Of course, we still miss her but we are lucky enough with Cork airport being so close. Sometimes we can get reasonable flights and we can get over to see her, the couple said.

Sarah Howarth, Rosscarbery, arriving at Cork Airport from Amsterdam for Christmas, being greeted by her mother Siobhan.

While the Cork Light Orchestra performed Christmas classics in the background, Siobhan Howarth was another parent singing the praises of Cork airport.

My daughter, Sarah did her degree in Cork and decided to spread her wings and has been living in Utrecht now for two years. The flights from Cork are very convenient as well, we are blessed, the Rosscarberry woman said.

Despite loving embraces being see all around the airport, perhaps the cutest welcome home of all was for Nadia Geaney of Dublin Pike, arriving from Dubai for Christmas, who was greeted by George, the family pet dog.
A CORK Bus Eireann employee has been recognised for her efforts in driving the company to a more sustainable future.

Cork woman Stephanie Maher accepted the award at Bus Eireanns national annual Go the Extra Mile Awards during which the company celebrated its employees achievements in 2023.

The awards recognise excellent customer service, community impact, performance, and forward-thinking.

Awards were issued in several different categories including Apprentice of the Year, Depot of the Year, Executive of the Year, as well as driver and community awards.

One of the most acclaimed prizes on the night was the Going Green: Energy & Environment Award, of which Ms Maher was the winner.

Ms Maher has been at the forefront of the drive to a more sustainable future at Bus Eireann thanks to her professionalism and dedication.

Colleagues who nominated Ms Maher for the award were highly complimentary of her as a great person to work with.

Her innovative solutions are seen in her work regarding the solar and environmental standards in bus depots.

Ms Maher has also progressed a project to introduce renewable biofuel to school buses in Ballina.

Following the ceremony, a spokesperson for Bus Eireann said the award is a strong reminder of all the fantastic, necessary work that Ms Maher is doing as a member of the Bus Eireann family in a vital department for both the future of the company and Irelands path to a more sustainable, green, and more energy-efficient public transport network.

The award was presented to Ms Maher by Bus Eireann chief safety and sustainability officer Rory Leahy and Bus Eireann chief executive officer Stephen Kent.

Meanwhile, Bus Eireann has confirmed that it has carried out over 99m passenger journeys this year, and currently holds a 91% customer satisfaction rating.

The work of our dedicated staff is key to our goal of delivering an excellent public transport service to our customers, the spokesperson said.
THE owner of two Rottweilers lost control of them when they were unmuzzled on a walk and they ran towards a Cockapoo knocking the woman walking this dog and one of the Rottweilers picked up her dog in his mouth.

Now at Cork District Court the owner of the Rottweilers has unreservedly apologised to the lady. She was not injured and the skin was not broken on her Cockapoo.

Judge Mary Dorgan said that the owner of the Rottweilers, 44-year-old Glen Pitter of Ardcarrig, Carrigaline, County Cork, had met the matter in a very forthright manner. He declined legal representation, pleaded guilty to the four counts against him under Control of Dogs legislation, and unreservedly apologised to the lady.

Before dealing with the question of penalty, the judge wants the vet attended by the Rottweilers to give Mr Pitter a letter stating his opinion on how docile the two dogs are.

Sergeant Gearoid Davis said, On June 5 at 7.40pm a woman was walking her dog which is a Cockapoo.

She was walking on the Eastern Relief Road in Carrigaline at the same time as Mr Pitter. He was walking with three dogs, each on a lead. Two of the dogs were Rottweilers  a restricted breed.

The two Rottweilers got free from Mr Pitter and ran towards the woman with her dog. She was knocked over by one of the Rottweilers and the other Rottweiler pick up her Cockapoo by the back.

She was trying to put her dog up on her shoulders but he is 12 kilograms and she was unable to do so.

Mr Pitter eventually got control of his two dogs and left the area. The woman was not injured.

The woman later called to Carrigaline station and reported the matter. Mr Pitter was fully cooperative with Garda Brian Shanahan when asked about the matter.

At Cork District Court he has pleaded guilty to failing to have control over Tyson, a Rottweiler, as required under Regulation 5 of the Control of Dogs regulations and Control of Dogs Act. And a similar charge in respect of Bell, another Rottweiler. In respect of both dogs he also admitted breaching regulations by not having them securely muzzled in a public place.

Mr Pitter declined the option to instruct a solicitor and said, It was completely my fault, I will take it on the chin.

Explaining what happened, Mr Pitter said, I took them out. I knew they needed to cool down because it was hot and they had not been out in a few days. And I took the muzzles off. I went to an area where I thought people would not be. I thought there would be no one around.

I got up a grass verge and I slipped and lost control of my two dogs. They were just wanting to play. They are not aggressive dogs. When he (Sgt. Davis) said he picked up the dog, what he does is he mouths the dog  he is a complete goofball, very playful, the type of dog that nuzzles up to you. It is just one of those things. I unreservedly apologise to the lady.

Judge Mary Dorgan said to Mr Pitter, Obviously you are pleading and being forthright. I have to balance that with concern for the lady.

After establishing that there is a vet who is familiar with Mr Pitters dogs, Judge Dorgan required the owner to get a letter from his vet on the dogs. I want the vet to tell me how docile these dogs are. And I am going to ask the guards to get a victim impact statement (from the owner of the Cockapoo). And I want you to give an undertaking not to take the dogs out without a muzzle. Mr Pitter replied, Absolutely, Very much so.

The case was adjourned until January 18 at Cork District Court.
Cork students have been spreading some festive cheer this year with the release of their heartwarming Christmas music video.

Students at the School of the Divine Child, a co-educational specialist school for students with physical and complex disabilities, shine in their performance of Winter Song which was developed in collaboration with Music Generation Cork City, music producer Oran OReilly, and video producer Sean Downey.

Principal Fiona Thomas said: "This year, instead of our usual Christmas concert, we embarked on a creative journey to produce a music video that truly reflects the spirit and capabilities of our students.

"Our collaboration with Music Generation Cork City, Oran OReilly, the magical presence of Santa, and the artistic direction of Sean Downey (@SwanIGuess), have culminated in a visual and musical celebration of the season."

The School of the Divine Child may sound familiar to many, as it was the same school that captured hearts worldwide last February with its viral cover of Aslans Crazy World as a tribute to Christy Dignam before his passing.

Speaking to The Echo, Sean Downey, freelance youth-based video producer and workshop facilitator at The Kabin Studio in Cork who also worked with the children on the Crazy World video back in February, said the new Christmas music video is more than just a seasonal celebration and is a showcase of the extraordinary abilities and unbridled joy of the pupils.

From my experience there in February, I already knew that the kids were great to work with. What was nice is that due to the release of the Crazy World video, I think a lot of the kids in the school could see why they were doing what they were doing so to see their energy and them giving it their all, singing the lyrics, going through their Lamh, interacting with the camera - they are just an amazing group.

There's such a magical presence in that school. The way they are with the kids, the way they all are with each other, it was just a lovely experience.

During filming, the children also had a special visit from Santa, which Mr Downey said was very special for them.

He said that it was amazing to see the kids enjoying and expressing themselves in a safe environment, and singing and dancing.

Mr Downey, who had a difficult upbringing, said turning to using a camera and making music brought him out of that world and allowed him to express himself.

Now, he works with The Kabin Studio in Cork providing workshops, teaching young people how to take photographs, shoot videos, write music, and record music, as well as some multimedia such as Photoshop.

Outside of his work at The Kabin, he works with schools and youth organisations creating music videos and promotional videos, as well as working closely with the Cork Local Creative Youth Partnership to ensure children have access to creative outlets.
The Grand Parade Ferris Wheel was bedecked in Palestinian flags on Saturday lunchtime, as around 800 people turned out for the eleventh week running to protest against Israels bombardment of the Gaza Strip.

Organisers said the turnout was down on recent weeks, but noted that the protest was taking place two days before Christmas, on one of the busiest shopping days of the year.

On the boardwalk beside the National Monument, dozens of pairs of childrens shoes were laid in lines, beside tiny bundles symbolising the children who have lost their lives during the conflict.

Speakers called for an immediate ceasefire, while leading chants of In our thousands and our millions, we are all Palestinians, Free, Free Palestine and  Israeli ambassador, out, out, out.

Later, the crowd moved up the South Mall, with hundreds of people protesting outside of the AXA Insurance office as part of a Boycott, Divest and Sanctions (BDS) campaign, with protestors calling on people to boycott AXA Group and its recently acquired subsidiary Laya Healthcare.

AXA Group is a multinational insurance company involved in car, home, health and business insurance and it has been targeted by the BDS movement because it invests in four Israeli banks.

One of those protesting was Ted Myers, from Fermoy. He told The Echo the people of Cork had to stand by the people of Gaza.

Their lives have been taken, their homes have been bulldozed, its a genocide, its a landgrab, and shamefully the US are standing by and arming the Israeli army, and theyre out there in the Mediterranean with their ships to make sure that nobody else comes in to support the Palestinians, Mr Myers said.

Its absolutely shameful, and our Government ought to expel the Israeli ambassador and also they ought to enact the Occupied Territories Bill, which has been sitting, waiting to be signed off on. Councillor Mick Nugent of Sinn Fein said he felt the rallies in support of Gaza were unprecedented in Cork citys political history, barring, perhaps, the hunger strike protests of 1980/1981, with weekly protests of up to 1,500 people.

With two days to Christmas, I think its been a remarkable turnout, and they counted 800 today, and I think the campaign will continue from here.

I think Ireland is playing its part, the Government is playing its part, it could do more as well, in terms of recognizing the state of Palestine and moving on the Occupied Territories Bill, which would also encourage other countries to push the most powerful nations to call for a ceasefire, Cllr Nugent said.

His colleague, Cllr Kenneth Collins, said that Cork schools had taken a strong interest in the conflict, with several flying the Palestinian flag in recent months.

Its quite touching that children are picking up on what is happening half-way around the world, he said.

Israel declared war after Hamas militants stormed across the border on October 7, killing 1,200 people and taking 240 hostages.

Israel has vowed to continue its attacks until Hamas is destroyed and removed from power in Gaza, and all of the hostages are freed.

Health officials in the Gaza say more than 20,000 Palestinians have been killed in the latest round of hostilities and 53,000 wounded.

More than half a million people in Gaza are starving, according to a report this week from the UN and other agencies.
A five-year-old girl who has been critically ill in hospital after being stabbed in the chest outside her Dublin school last month has left intensive care and been placed on a ward.

The child was one of four victims, including two other children and a creche worker, of the attack outside Gaelscoil Cholaiste Mhuire on Parnell Square in the city on November 23rd.

The two other children have since been released from hospital.

The little girl, who was the most seriously injured of the three, was taken to nearby Temple Street Childrens Hospital, where she underwent emergency surgery. She has remained in the hospital ever since.

According to the Irish Examiner, the young girl left intensive care last week and her treatment is continuing on a general ward.

A GoFundMe set up for the family of the child, which has raised just over 50,000 to date, had previously noted that the girls parents were hopeful that she would be well enough to leave the ICU before the end of the year.

The attack last month caused a chain reaction of events leading to the worst rioting seen in Dublin for generations.

A 50-year-old man, Riad Bouchaker, appeared at Dublin District Court earlier this week, charged with the attempted murder of three children and the assault of creche worker Leanne Flynn during the Parnell Square incident.
Jordan Reynolds, PA

An Irish father has paid tribute to his dearly missed four-year-old son after the boys mother was charged with murder.

A picture of Kobi Dooly, who died after being found with knife injuries in Hackney, east London, on Wednesday night, has been released by the police along with a tribute from his father.

His father, who the force named as Ben Dooly, said: With heavy hearts we bid farewell to Kobi, you will be so dearly missed.

The joy and laughter you brought to the world has been taken far too soon, we will be thinking of you day and night for eternity until we meet you again.

The family would like to acknowledge and appreciate all messages of support, please respect our family privacy at this very difficult time.

It comes after police were called to an address in Montague Road on Wednesday night following concerns about the welfare of a child.

Inside, officers found Kobi, who had suffered knife injuries, and arrested his 41-year-old mother, Keziah Macharia.

The child was taken to hospital but despite the efforts of the emergency services, later died from his injuries.

Forensic officers at the property on Montague Road, east London. Photo: PA Images

Ms Macharia appeared in custody at Thames Magistrates Court on Friday.

She is scheduled to appear at Londons Old Bailey on December 28th.

Mr Dooly was away for work when the incident occurred, according to the Waterford News and Star.

While Mr Dooly has lived in the UK for many years now, his family are known in Tramore, Co Waterford for their businesses, such as a local takeaway and amusement arcade.
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 Arctic Ocean may be the planets smallest ocean, but it is an important carbon sink that absorbs up to 198 million tons of carbon annually, according to a press release from NASA.

However, a recent study has shown that thawing permafrost and runoff rich with carbon from the Mackenzie River in Canada is triggering part of Earths northernmost ocean to release a greater amount of carbon than it absorbs.

Since the 1970s, the Arctic has warmed three time[s] faster than anywhere else on Earth, inducing large changes in its hydrological cycle. This warming has dramatically altered Arctic watersheds and rivers, which play an important role in shaping the physical and biogeochemical setting of the coastal AO [Arctic Ocean], the authors of the study wrote. Recent work shows that permafrost-driven carbon in the Mackenzie River mouth was observed even in early spring/summer, typically when only modern (i.e., young) organic matter has been observed, highlighting the ongoing, rapid Arctic warming.

The study, Biogeochemical River Runoff Drives Intense Coastal Arctic Ocean CO2 Outgassing, was published in the journal Geophysical Research Letters.

The study looks at the ways in which scientists are using computer modeling to examine rivers like the Mackenzie, which empties into the Beaufort Sea, NASA said. In recent years, warmer temperatures have led to more thawing and melting of landscapes and waterways in the Mackenzie River system and its delta.

In this marshy part of the Northwest Territories of Canada, the Mackenzie River serves as a conveyor of minerals and inorganic and organic matter. The material then runs into the Beaufort Sea as dissolved sediment and carbon. Some of the carbon gets released  outgassed  into the atmosphere.

Scientists had previously seen the southeastern part of the Beaufort Sea as a weak-to-moderate carbon sink that absorbs more carbon than it releases, but this has been far from a certainty due to the remoteness of the region and a lack of data.

In order to make up for the scarcity of information, the researchers adapted ECCO-Darwin  an ocean biogeochemical model  developed in Southern California at NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory and at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The model took almost all available ocean observations that had been collected for over two decades by satellite- and sea-based instruments.

Using the model, the international research team simulated freshwater discharge and its elements  including nitrogen, silica and carbon  from 2000 to 2019.

The team found that such intense outgassing was being triggered by river discharge in the Beaufort Sea that the carbon balance had tipped, causing a net release of 0.13 million metric tons of carbon dioxide annually  about the same as the yearly emissions of 28,000 gas-powered automobiles. There were seasonal variations in the amount of carbon released into the atmosphere, with a greater amount of outgassing in the warmer months when discharge from the river was high and there wasnt as much sea ice covering and trapping the gas.

However, while some of the changes that have been happening in the warming Arctic since the 1970s have promoted increased regional outgassing of carbon, others have led to greater carbon absorption.

According to NASA, rivers are flowing faster due to more ice and snow melt and the thawing of Arctic lands. As they do so, they flush more organic matter from peatlands and permafrost into the ocean. However, microscopic phytoplankton near the surface of the ocean are also blooming in the expanding areas of open water bathed in sunlight as sea ice shrinks. Like plants, these tiny marine organisms use photosynthesis to capture carbon dioxide, turn it into energy and release oxygen.

While the study was focused on one part of the Arctic Ocean, the findings can help illuminate greater environmental changes happening in the region.

With our model, we are trying to explore the real contribution of the coastal peripheries and rivers to the Arctic carbon cycle, said Clement Bertin, lead author of the study and a scientist at Frances Littoral Environnement et Societes, in the press release.
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.

On Friday, Indonesia said palm oil companies operating inside forested areas would be fined a total of $310 million, reported Reuters.

Indonesia and Malaysia are responsible for most of the worlds palm oil production  85 percent  a major driver of deforestation, the Yale Center for Business and the Environment said. Deforestation accounts for 20 percent of greenhouse gas emissions worldwide.

Clearing for oil palm plantations has been the largest single cause of deforestation in Indonesia over the past two decades, a 2021 report by technology consultancy TheTreeMap and Greenpeace said. It includes production forests, which are subject to limited economic activity, such as forest product extraction. It also covers forests for protecting watersheds and conservation forests, which include nature reserves and the countrys national parks.

Firman Hidayat, deputy coordinating minister for maritime affairs and investment, said more than $30.7 million in fines had already been issued, but did not provide the names of the companies that had been sanctioned, Reuters reported.

Much of the deforestation related to palm oil has occurred with companies and individuals setting fire to the landscape. In 2015, fires raged for months in Indonesia, severely impacting Indonesian and Singaporean air quality, displacing wildlife, and leading experts to assert that Indonesia was now a bigger contributor to climate change than the U.S. Palm oil development is also happening largely in biodiversity hotspots, threatening crucial species and habitats, the Yale Center for Business and the Environment said.

Earlier, this year, the Indonesian Supreme Court upheld a fine of $61 million against oil palm company PT Rafi Kamajaya Abadi after massive plantation fires destroyed an area seven times bigger than New Yorks Central Park, Mongabay reported.

In November, Indonesia said approximately 494,210 acres of oil palm plantations had been identified in forest-designated areas, according to Reuters. These forests are expected to be turned back over to the state for reconversion into forests.

As palm oil production expands, companies, NGOs, governments, and local communities are all trying to navigate how to leverage the benefits of palm oils efficient yields with the consequences of its production. As with any major resource system, the picture is complex, the Yale Center for Business and the Environment said.

In 2020, Indonesia issued rules regarding the legality of palm oil plantations being operated in forested areas in order to straighten out their governance. The measures were needed, officials said, since some companies had been managing the land for years.

According to the rules, companies had until November 2, 2023, to pay fines and submit paperwork in order to get the right to cultivate their plantations.

However, even though 8.1 million acres of Indonesias almost 42 million acres of oil palm plantations have been discovered to be in areas designated as forests, only owners of a total of 4.13 million acres have been identified.

The story of Brazil after 2012 warns us that gains in forest protection are fragile, and easily lost, said Helen Bellfield, deputy director of palm oil supply chain initiative Trase, as Mongabay reported separately last year. This is the time to intensify both government and private sector efforts, such as strengthening the ISPO [Indonesian Sustainable Palm Oil] standard and stepping up implementation of zero deforestation commitments, including more detailed traceability reporting.
(Photo: REUTERS / Carlos Garcia Rawlins)Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro attends to a meeting with representatives of the opposition, the Roman Catholic Church and Union of South American Nations' (UNASUR) at Miraflores Palace in Caracas April 10, 2014. Maduro hosted Venezuelan opposition leaders on Thursday at the start of mediated talks intended to stem two months of political unrest that has killed dozens in the OPEC nation.

A Geneva-based non-governmental rights group has urged U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon to respond to an appeal by 50 Venezuelan NGOs angry at an array of U.N. humanitarian agencies they say are ignoring the hunger and health catastrophe taking place in Venezuela.

UN Watch on July 22 urged Ban to respond as they express indignation at the deferment to the regime of President Nicolas Maduro saying the UN agencies are ignoring the hunger and health catastrophe taking place in Venezuela.

"The UN says that it cares about social and economic rights, yet when it comes to Venezuela, UN agencies and officials have continuously helped the perpetrator instead of the victim," said Hillel Neuer, executive director of UN Watch.

The coalition of NGOs pointed a finger at UN agencies such as PAHO, FAO, UNDP, UNFPA, UNICEF, and WHO.

It says these groups have adopted an unresponsive stance in the face of the compelling health and food deprivation affecting millions in Venezuela, apparently due to pressure from the Maduro regime.

"Not only was Venezuela re-elected to the UN Human Rights Council, and given a free pass there, but the Food and Agriculture Agency in Rome last year gave Venezuela an award for supposedly halving malnutrition. It's a sham," said Neuer.

"This is simply absurd and immoral, and a betrayal of the U.N.'s own values," said Neuer. "Venezuelan media used the false U.N. recognition as propaganda to legitimize a regime that is responsible for causing a desperate food situation for millions of their own people."

"Venezuela, with the support of Cuba and other allies, has used political clout to influence UN experts and agencies. As a member of the U.N. Human Rights Council (UNHRC), Venezuela backed U.N. experts who backed Chavez."

The group of NGOs includes: Caritas Ciudad Bolivar, Centro de Derechos Humanos de la Universidad Catolica Andres Bello, Justicia y Paz Caritas Los Teques, Observatorio de Derechos Humanos de la Universidad de Los Andes, Padres Organizados de Venezuela, Sinergia, Asociacion Venezolana de Organizaciones de Sociedad Civil.

Neuer said, "Hilal Elver, the current expert on the right to food, has never visited Venezuela, issued any statement on hunger in Venezuela, or made even one tweet on the subject. It's shameful."

The signers said in their petition, "The UN agencies refrain from dialogue with Venezuelan society, without pressure or conditions by the State.

"This situation compromises their performance, according to the Action Plan 'Rights up Front,' which establishes their duty to prioritize, above the interests of states, the mandates and commitments on human rights and to provide accurate information regarding populations at risk or subjected to serious violations of human rights, to ensure coherent strategies for action on the ground, facilitating an early coordinated action and greater impact on the work of protecting the rights human and humanitarian law."
(Photo:  Peter Kenny)The United Nations in Geneva, where the UN Human Rights Council is based, photographed on Feb. 10, 2017.

A United Nations committee has voted to deny the accreditation of religious freedom advocacy group Christian Solidarity Worldwide after deferring the group's application since 2009, but Britain has said it will fight against the vote.

The United Nations Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations voted Feb. 3 to reject CSW's application for official UN accreditation.

The UK Mission to the UN will be appealing the decision to the ECOSOC body that oversees the NGO Committee, said CSW, a group that is renowned for its reporting of persecution of Christians.

CSW described the decision as "highly questionable." Mervyn Thomas, CSW's chief executive, said the organization is "extremely disappointed" by the NGO committee's decision.

"It is deeply concerning that the UN Committee on NGOs, the very entity which is tasked to facilitate NGOs access to the UN, is instead actively blocking civil society access to the UN.

"We believe that this decision is effectively an attempt to silence CSW and undermine the promotion of freedom of religion or belief within the UN system."

Britain's deputy ambassador to the United Nations, Peter Wilson, said Feb. 9 he was "deeply disappointed" that the 19-member committee that accredits non-governmental organizations voted to reject the U.K.-based group's application.

The organization "does important work in protecting freedom of religion or belief," he said, adding, "The NGO committee should work to enhance, not restrict, the space for civil society participation in the U.N."

CSW said it applied in 2009 for consultative status with the UN's Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), an official UN accreditation and held by numerous religious affiliated organizations.

This would have given CSW access to the key human rights advocacy platforms including the Human Rights Council and General Assembly.

The four nations that voted in favor of CSW's accreditation were the United States, Greece, Uruguay and Israel.

Some of the countries that voted against the application included China, Sudan and India, which have track records of persecution against Christians, The Christian Times reported Feb. 10.

Other countries that opposed CSW's accreditation were Cuba, Pakistan, South Africa, Iran, Sudan, Turkey, Venezuela and Nicaragua. Russia abstained while Azerbaijan, Guinea and Mauritania were absent. CSW has already expressed plans to appeal the decision.

CSW said it was a "highly questionable decision" when the NGO committee voted 11 - 4, with one abstention and three absent, to deny CSW's application.

The NGO Committee comprises 19 UN member States. It is tasked with considering applications for consultative status by NGOs and facilitating civil society access to the UN.

The vote on CSW's application was called by the Permanent Mission of Greece to the UN.

'PROMOTING RELIGIOUS TOLERANCE'

Its representative Georgios Pouleas said: "Greece attaches major significance to promoting religious tolerance and countering any discrimination based on religion or belief.

"Christian Solidarity Worldwide has over three decades of experience in advocating freedom of religion or belief and engages regularly with the United Nations mechanisms providing valid evidence-based analysis. Greece strongly supports CSW and we believe that their contribution to ECOSOC would be valuable and meaningful."

NGO Committee members deferred CSW's application since 2009 by asking more than 80 questions about CSW's work.

Despite providing timely and comprehensive answers to all questions and attending NGO Committee sessions several times, CSW's application continued to be deferred, hampering CSW's opportunities to promote the right to Freedom of Religion or Belief at the UN, the organization said.

During the NGO Committee session on Feb. 3, CSW's application was supported by Martin Shearman from the UK Mission to the UN in New York.

He said: "The work of CSW is rooted in the UN Charter and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. They support the right of all to freedom of religion or belief.

"For this Committee not to recognize an NGO that is committed to defending the rights of all, regardless of their religion or belief and, in particular, to making full and active use of UN mechanisms, including the UPR, is counter-productive and indefensible."

Other religious affiliated groups in ECOSOC include: the World Union of Catholic Women's Organizations from France; the Joint Women's Programme-Christian Institute for the Study of Religion and Society (India); YWCA of India; Islamic Women's Institute of Iran (Iwii), Iran; Muslim Women Researcher's Organization (Iran); the Women's International Zionist Organization of Israel; Caritas Internationalis (Italy); Word of Life Ministries International-Word Of Life Christian Fellowship (Jamaica); Commission of the Churches on International Affairs of the World Council of Churches, Switzerland; the Swiss-based World Alliance of Young Men's Christian Associations; the Swiss-based Lutheran World Federation; the Swiss-based World Student Christian Federation; World Alliance Of Young Men's Christian Associations (Switzerland); the World Fellowship of Buddhists, based in Thailand; Adventist Development and Relief Agency (USA); American Jewish World Service, Inc. (USA); the U.S.-based Baha'i International Community; Catholics For A Free Choice (USA); Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (USA); Franciscans International (USA); Greek Orthodox Archdiocesan Council Of North And South America (USA); Hadassah, the Women's Zionist Organization Of America, Inc. (USA); Jewish Council For Public Affairs (USA); Women's League For Conservative Judaism (USA); World Conference On Religion And Peace (USA); Medical Mission Sisters (Society Of Catholic Medical Missionaries, Generalate, Inc.), UK; the World Muslim Congress (Motamar Al Alam Al Islami), Pakistan; Muslim World League (Saudi Arabia) and others.
(Photo: Estudios Revolucion)WCC head Rev. Jerry Pillay meets Cuban president Miguel Diaz-Canel in December 2023.

The World Council of Churches general secretary Rev. Jerry Pillay has met with Cuban president Miguel Diaz-Canel at the Palacio de las Convenciones in Havana.

"I was deeply impressed with our heart-to-heart meeting with the president of Cuba," said WCC head Pillay, during a visit to Cuba from Dec. 17-19.

The WCC said Pillay stressed the WCC's ongoing support for Cuban people and churches.

He reiterated the WCC's stance against the commercial and financial blockade against Cuba by the United States.

The meeting ended with Diaz Canel requesting Pillay, who is from South Africa, to pray for him and the people of Cuba.

"The WCC 11th Assembly called for the removal of Cuba from the list of countries that sponsor terrorism," said Pillay, who is with Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa..

"We at the WCC will continue to accompany the churches as prophetic voices of peace, hope, cooperation, and mutual respect."

FIRST VISIT TO CUBA

Pillay, in his first visit to Cuba as WCC general secretary, also expressed appreciation for religious freedom in Cuba.

He cited a meeting with Cuban foreign affairs minister Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla to talk about the positive relationships between the WCC and religious organizations in Cuba.

"We met with our member church, the Presbyterian Church in Cuba and a large number of other churches that are part of the Cuban Council of Churches," said Pillay.

"I saw a huge statue of the Christ overlooking the city which is most unusual in a place accused of restricting religious freedom. The churches in Cuba confirmed their freedom to worship and exercise their faith and beliefs."

The U.S. State Department, however says in its 2022 Report on International Religious Freedom in Cuba, that ins its annual Watch List, the Christian nongovernmental organization (NGO) Open Doors reported the Cuban government intensified its repressive tactics against Christian leaders and activists opposing CCP ideology.

It did this through arrests, exile, arbitrary fines, surveillance, denials of licenses and religious visas, and physical and mental abuse.

According to CSW, formerly known as Christian Solidarity Worldwide, the government continued to detain religious leaders from multiple faith communities and handed down harsh prison sentences for participating in July 2021 protests.

A law in force since 2019 curtails freedom of expression on the internet to protect against "disseminating information contrary to the common good, morals, decency, and integrity through public data transmission networks," said the U.S report.

The penalty for violating the law is 3,000 Cuban pesos ($130) or two to four years in prison.

And a law in effect since Dec. 1 imposes sentences of up to 10 years' imprisonment on those receiving funding from foreign organizations, including religious groups, or financing activities the government considers to be directed against the state or its constitutional order.

The U.S. State department said that religious education is highly regulated, and homeschooling is illegal, with parents who homeschool their children subject to arrest. The amended family code states that parents have the responsibility to instill in children love for the homeland, respect for its symbols, and respect for government authorities.

Earlier in the week, Pillay gave a sermon at the Presbyterian Reformed Church of Cuba, which is the first Protestant church in Havana, and a founding church of the Cuban Council of Churches. He also delivered a lecture at Havana University.
NATO could meet to discuss Article 4 after Russian missile strike in Poland: reports

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Fox News Senior Foreign Affairs correspondent Greg Palkot reports the latest on Russian missiles hitting Ukraine and landing in Poland on 'Special Report with Bret Baier.'

KYIV, Ukraine  The sirens wailed again today In Kyiv, and the Fox News team heard explosions nearby.

Russian missiles were launched in a massive attack against Ukraine Tuesday, and one struck inside Poland, igniting big international concerns.

Early reports said a Russian missile landed three miles inside Poland, striking an agricultural site, killing two people perhaps by accident

Ukrainian President Zelenskyy was still very concerned.

RUSSIAN MISSILES CROSS INTO NATO MEMBER POLAND, KILL 2: SENIOR US INTELLIGENCE OFFICIAL

A vehicle travels past a police blockade after an explosion in <u>Przewodow</u>, a village in eastern Poland near the border with Ukraine, Nov. 16, 2022. (REUTERS/Kacper Pempel)

"This is a very significant escalation. We must act," he said in a TV address.

It's significant because any attack on a NATO country by another nation could trigger "Article 5" military action by the alliance. NATO says its concerned but is not confirming the reports. Neither is the Pentagon.

REPORTER'S NOTEBOOK: "COLD" WAR IN KYIV AS RUSSIA HITS COUNTRY'S ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE

"We dont have any information at this time to corroborate those reports," Pentagon spokesman Gen. Pat Ryder said, "and we are looking into this further."

Moscow is flatly denying it was involved. According to a defense ministry spokesman, "No strikes were made against targets near the Ukrainian-Polish state border by Russian means of destruction."

Firefighters work to put out a fire in a residential building hit by a Russian strike amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine Nov. 15, 2022. (REUTERS/Gleb Garanich)

Later reports suggested what landed in Poland might have been fragments of a Russian missile shot down by Ukrainian air defenses.

Poland is confirming the missile was Russian made.

REPORTER'S NOTEBOOK: OLD-STYLE GEAR TO FIGHT CURRENT-DAY UKRAINE WAR

A Fox News crew saw something similar when it went to the scene of a Russian strike in Kyiv Tuesday. A Russian missile flying over Kyiv had been hit by a Ukrainian missile and fell in pieces to the ground, badly damaging and setting fire to an apartment building. One person was killed, another was injured.

When Fox reached the neighborhood, the fire was out, but the damage was evident. Emergency workers swarmed over the scene. Some carted away shards of the missile.

Polish government spokesman Piotr Muller speaks to the media after a meeting in Warsaw of the security committee about the missile attack on the territory of Poland Nov. 15, 2022. (Maciek Jazwiecki/Agencja Wyborcza.pl via REUTERS )

One eyewitness told Fox the fireball in the sky was "shocking." Another said it was simply the work of the "Russian terror state."

All told, according to officials here, some 90 Russian missiles were launched across the country, and 70 were shot down by Ukraine. Fifteen hit the power grid, leaving millions nationwide without electricity.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

NATO says it will consider acting on the cross-border missile incident. Poland reportedly suggested the alliances "Article 4" be considered, which is a response to a threat rather than an attack by another nation on an alliance member.

Greg Palkot currently serves as a London-based senior foreign affairs correspondent for Fox News Channel (FNC). He joined the network in 1998 as a correspondent. Follow him on Twitter@GregPalkot.
Jesse Watters: Why don't we ever hear about whether Biden's ties to China are affecting his policy?

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'The Five' co-hosts discuss President Biden neglecting to bring up the fentanyl crisis at a meeting with Chinese President Xi and instead arguing the world expects the U.S. and China to address climate change.

Several Chinese aircraft and naval vessels entered the Taiwan Strait, crossing into Taiwans Air Defense Identification Zone, its government announced early Wednesday morning.

"16 PLA aircraft and 3 PLAN vessels around Taiwan were detected by 6 a.m.," its government said, prompting them to send naval vessels of their own in response.

The People's Liberation Army (PLA) is Chinas official designation for the military forces, including naval forces (PLAN) controlled by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

A US-made CH-47 helicopter flies an 18-meter by 12-meter national flag at a military base in Taoyuan. (SAM YEH/AFP via Getty Images)

"[The Republic of Chinas Armed Forces] have monitored the situation and responded to these activities with aircraft in CAP, naval vessels, and land-based missile systems," the Taiwanese government added.

TAIWAN SCRAMBLES JETS, MISSILE SYSTEMS AFTER DETECTING 11 CHINESE AIRCRAFT, VESSELS NEAR ISLAND

Taipeis defense ministry also provided flight paths for the Chinese military vessels, including the identification of the aircraft.

"5 of the detected aircraft (J-10*2, Y-8 EW, BZK-005 UAV RECCE and Y-8 ASW) had crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait and entered Taiwans SW ADIZ, flight paths as illustrated," the government wrote with a photo of the Nov. 15 flight paths.

On Monday, President Joe Biden told reporters he did "not think there's any imminent attempt on the part of China to invade Taiwan," following a meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping.

Biden also said a new Cold War with China would not be happening as the U.S. continues communicating with its leaders.

"I absolutely believe there's need not be a new Cold War," Biden said. "I've met many times with Xi Jinping and we were candid and clear with one another across the board. And I do not think there's any imminent attempt on the part of China to invade Taiwan."

BIDEN SAYS AFTER XI MEETING HE DOESNT BELIEVE THERE IS IMMINENT ATTEMPT FROM CHINA TO INVADE TAIWAN

He added: "And I made it clear that our policy on Taiwan has not changed at all. It's the same exact position we've had. I made it clear that we want to see cross-trade issues peacefully resolved and so it never has to come to that."

Taiwan's precautionary discovery on Wednesday come as China continues to conduct wargames in the region to test its latest military technologies.

Chinese military helicopters fly past Pingtan island, one of mainland China's closest point from Taiwan, in Fujian province on August 4, 2022. (HECTOR RETAMAL/AFP via Getty Images)

Earlier this month, Taiwan was forced to scramble jets and its military defense system after it similarly detected 11 Chinese aircraft near its island.

US TO SEND B-52 BOMBERS TO AUSTRALIA IN MOVE CHINA WARNS COULD 'TRIGGER' ARMS RACE

The Nov. 5 sighting came just days after senior PLA officers said its military was "on full-time standby" for a potential war in the Strait.

U.S. officials and its international partners have cautioned the Chinese government against military escalation and some have vowed to intervene, should China invade.

G7 TAKES AIM AT CHIEF ADVERSARIES AND URGES PEACE FROM UN LEADERS RUSSIA, CHINA

In October, Jinping said he would continue to "fully enhance training and preparation for war."

"We must be fully prepared to respond to external interference and major incidents relating to Taiwan independence through non-peaceful means and other necessary measures, always maintain a high state of readiness, and be ready for war at all times," Major General Liu Yantong, the head of the Central Military Commissions research bureau, added at the time.

A Chinese military jet flies over Pingtan island, one of mainland China's closest points to Taiwan, in Fujian province on August 6, 2022. (HECTOR RETAMAL/AFP via Getty Images)

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Taiwan identifies itself as a sovereign nation with democratic values. This prioritization on democracy sets itself apart from mainland China, which is communist-ruled, and has allowed Taiwan to attract international partnerships.

Most of these partners though, including the U.S., officially recognized Taiwan as a territory of China. The U.S. and the United Nations and both agree to the one-China policy.

Fox News' Caitlin McFall contributed to this report.
Former Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu waves to supporters at his nunes pena odds stake casino wagerLikud party's headquarters in Jerusalem on Wednesday. [Photo/Agencies]

JERUSALEM  Israel's former prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu was poised to return to power, saying on Wednesday that his right-wing camp was on the cusp of a resounding election win.

With around 84 percent of the vote counted, according to the Central Elections Committee, Netanyahu could be set for a dramatic comeback. Prime Minister Yair Lapid's short-lived ruling coalition hailed largely from the center-left appeared to collapse.

Final results are expected on Friday. The hundreds of thousands of remaining ballots  mostly from those who voted away from their regular place of residency, in nursing homes and elsewhere  have to be cross-checked for accuracy, a more time-consuming effort. They could lend a boost to Netanyahu's opponents, reducing the size of his majority.

"We have won a huge vote of confidence from the people of Israel," a smiling Netanyahu told cheering supporters at his Likud party election headquarters.

"We are on the brink of a very big victory."

Netanyahu, with his voice hoarse from weeks of campaigning across the country, vowed to form a "stable, national government".

The record 12-year consecutive reign of Israel's longest-serving prime minister ended in June 2021 when centrist Lapid managed to stitch together an unlikely coalition government of liberals, rightists and Arab parties.

But the fragile alliance unraveled a year into its rule.

Lapid has stopped short of conceding the election and said he would wait until the final count.

"The people want a different way. They want security," Netanyahu said.

"They want power, not weakness they want diplomatic wisdom, but with firmness."

Israel's fifth election in less than four years was dominated by the outsized personality of Netanyahu, whose legal battles have fed the stalemate blocking Israel's political system since 2019 and deepened the split between his supporters and opponents.

The campaign was shaken up by West Bank settler Itamar Ben-Gvir and his Religious Zionism list, now set to be the third-largest party in parliament after surging in from the political margins.

In an apparent attempt to allay fears abroad, Netanyahu, who in 2020 forged formal diplomatic ties with the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, said a government under his leadership would act responsibly, avoid "unnecessary adventures "and "expand the circle of peace".

Nonetheless, his possible comeback reinforced Palestinian skepticism that a political solution to the conflict was likely.

Xinhua
YEREVAN, DECEMBER 23, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has congratulated Armenia's national hero Hovhannes Chekijian on the occasion of the 95th anniversary, the PM's Office said.

The message reads as follows:

"Dear Maestro,

I warmly congratulate you on the occasion of your 95th birthday.

Your entire life and work are a brilliant manifestation of unwavering dedication to music, a reflection of the image of a true intellectual.

As a worthy artist, you have made a significant contribution to the development of Armenian choral art.

Your activity is instructive for everyone. For years, you and the State National Academic Choir of Armenia, led by you, have been presenting the Armenian choral art with dignity on the best stages of the world.

National hero of Armenia, great Armenian,

Dear maestro,

I am glad that you continue to work with all your energy today. Congratulating you again on the occasion of the birthday, I wish you good health and all the best.''
Casino and the places where they can be located have risen significantly over the last 20 years. Whereas there were only a few locations on the planet where one could go and take part in legal gambling activities at one time,holiday inn express thunder valley today casinos are relatively common enterprises.

In the past two decades, casinos have been a major industry in United Kingdom and around the world. In recent years, development in the casinos industry has made significant contributions to the tourism sector. So casino development in these regions has become a highly lucrative and profitable part of the economy. Most states in the United Kingdom have mainly legalized commercial casino gaming because they see it as a tool for economic development. The greatest potential benefits are increased jobs, higher state and local government tax collections, and increase in local retail sales.

About Casino Surveillance

Nearly every casino in the UK is in the slow transformation of its surveillance systems from analog to digital cameras for recording. Casino surveillance officers are more than merely watching screen monitors. Their work requires various skills, from detecting cheaters to writing statements about notable incidents that happened. Here are some important duties that is carried out during casino surveillance;

1. Monitor the Casino floor- this is easily done with the use of audio and video devices.

2. Watch out for possible cheaters.

3. Watch out for advantage players.

4. When cheating is revealed, cooperate with law enforcement you put the cheater to book.

5. Providing extra protection for the Cashier's Cage.

6. And if any notable incidents occur, the surveillance team is expected to file an appropriate report on it.

Casino Security

Casino security is one of a casino's most significant aspects of operating. In this day and age its position is much more important as cheats and criminals use more creative and technologically advanced methods. That means that the casino safety systems had to keep up too. The casino security industry's traditional impression is that it is a secretive sector that is not afraid to push the limits to ensure workers, players, and games are secure. Nonetheless, the security involved in the monitoring of casinos is much more comprehensive and nuanced than that. There are several things to take into consideration. Ideally, the security systems for casinos should protect all parts of a casino from the gaming floor to stores, restaurants, guest rooms, reception parts, entrances, exits, and car parks. They are institutions that in any part of the premises are vulnerable to crime at any time of day. Many casino players are probably blissfully unaware of how intensively any move inside the casino is being scrutinized.

Online Casinos

There are a lot of online casinos that can be found online. Players can visit any of such website and also read reviews of different Casinos and decide for themselves. With the best UK online casinos at Freebet.com, customer gets detailed information about their bonuses, wagering, minimum deposit, available odds and where to place bets. Online websites also educate us on all we need to know about casinos such as:

1. How to play online Casinos

2. How to cash out winnings

3. Payment methods used for deposit

4. Game quality and variety of games available etc.

Here is the list of some UK online casinos and detailed information about them:

William Hill Casino:

Registration is required. New customers to Casino page only. Min Deposit is 10. Bonus value 100% of Deposit. Max Bonus 300. 40x wagering. Max withdrawable 2,000. 1.2 minimum odds available.

Gala Casino:

18+. Min deposit 20 = 40 bonus. 35 x wagering reqs apply. 20 Free Spins on Banks of Gold. Spin value 0.10. 10 x wagering on free spins. Only new customers are can get this offer. 2.0 odds available.

Leo Vegas Casino:

Only eligible for UK players. Select Casino offer on sign-up and deposit. 4 deposits of 10, 20, 50, 100 matched with a bonus cash offer of same value (14 day expiry). 1.5 minimum odds available.

BetFair Casino:

Minimum deposit of 10, x45 wagering, Roulette and blackjack 50% weighting. Bonus Valid for 7 days. 1.2 minimum odds available.

BetFred Casino:

New Casino customers only. 10 Minimum deposit and stake. 10 Minimum stakes within 7 days. Minimum 5 game rounds. Game restrictions apply. Maximum 50 Free Spins on selected games, credited within 48 hours of qualifying. 2.0 minimum odds available.

32Red Casino:

New users only. Min 10 deposit. Up to 50x wagering, game contributions vary, max. stake applies, 7 day expiry. 1 minimum odds available.

10Bet Casino:

New Customers only; Min deposit of 15. Bonus amount is 50% of deposit up 50. Wager the qualifying deposit and bonus amount 8x within 30 days to convert bonus winnings into real money; Wagers must be on min. odds of 4/5 on singles or acca bets with min. odds of 2/5 per selection to qualify.

Technology Surrounding Casinos

For an industry as big as the global casino industry it comes as absolutely no surprise that there have been some major tech-based shake-ups. If we think correctly, there will be plenty more in the next few years. Quick forward to the new developments in technology and we consider Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Virtual Reality (VR). As the technology world evolves we can see the impact it has on the casino industry continuously.

There are plenty of different speculations as to what could be the next major breakthrough. Are we going to see a game of holographic casinos or reach the world through virtual reality? Casino's potential certainly is exciting for the future!

Category: Casino Blog
Supreme Court upholds Second Amendment in NY gun permit case

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National Security Institutes Jamil Jaffer responds to Justice Clarence Thomas' use of the Second and Fourteenth Amendments in gun permit ruling.

The Montgomery County Council unanimously approved a bill on Tuesday banning the possession of firearms within 100 yards of a place of public assembly.

The bill comes after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a New York law that made it difficult to obtain a concealed carry permit, which invalidated similar laws in Maryland and other states.

The new bill in Maryland's most populous county includes exemptions for law enforcement officers and security guards licensed to carry a firearm. It also doesn't apply to possession of firearms in a person's own home.

Monique Chapman shoots at a target during a live fire test to get a concealed carry permit at Maryland Small Arms Range in Upper Marlboro, MD on July 17, 2022. (Robb Hill for The Washington Post via Getty Images)

Aside from those exceptions, it bans the possession of firearms in most public places, including "a park; place of worship; school; library; recreational facility; hospital; community health center; long-term facility; or multipurpose exhibition facility, such as a fairgrounds or conference center."

SUPREME COURT DECLINES TO HEAR ANOTHER CHALLENGE TO FEDERAL BUMP STOCK BAN

Council President Gabe Albornoz argued that guns "create immeasurably more problems, often with tragic outcomes, than they attempt to solve."

"This legislation will help to ensure that we do everything possible to minimize the number of guns in our public space," Albornoz said in a statement.

"I have confidence that the Maryland General Assembly will take action but given the urgency of gun violence in our community, I felt strongly that we could not wait at the local level."

A concealed carry holster is displayed for sale at a gun show. (Reuters)

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Local governments and state legislatures around the country have scrambled to enact new firearm legislation in the wake of the Supreme Court's June ruling in New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen.

Paul Best is a breaking news reporter for Fox News Digital and Fox Business. Story tips and ideas can be sent to [email protected] and on Twitter: @KincaidBest.
Senior Chinese political advisor Wang Gang on Wednesday met with a group of British politicians headed by former First Secretary of State and Business Secretary Peter Mandelson.

Wang,blackjack strategy chart 2018 vice chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese Peoples Political Consultative Conference, said China and Britain have immense potential for cooperation.

He said the two sides should tap into the potential to further advance their comprehensive strategic partnership with each others core interests being respected.

The British delegation is in Beijing to attend a forum of young politicians from China and Britain.

Hailing the importance of the forum, Wang said the Chinese side is willing to work together with the British to enhance mutual understanding, expand consensus and cement the friendship.

Mandelson said the British attaches importance to its ties with China and will make joint efforts with the Chinese side to expand reciprocal cooperation in pursuit of common development, according to a news release after the meeting.

Xinhua

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Get your flu shot in 'sweet spot' season before mid-November: Dr. Anne Rimoin

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University of California in Los Angeles Department of Epidemiology professor Dr. Anne Rimoin advises how to best prepare for cold and flu season.

Several Southern California hospitals have begun using overflow tents outside emergency rooms to cope with a rising number of patients with flu and other respiratory illnesses.

The San Diego-Union Tribune reported Friday that overflow tents were put up at Scripps Memorial Hospital in Encinitas, Jacobs Medical Center at UC San Diego Health in La Jolla and Sharp Grossmont Hospital in La Mesa to handle an increase in respiratory illness.

Scripps hospitals and doctor's offices reported 1,695 positive flu tests since Sept. 1, up from 471 during the same time period one year ago.

A patient receives a dose of vaccine during a vaccination campaign against the flu. (Nicolas Maeterlinck/Belga/AFP via Getty Images)

The move comes amid a rise in flu symptoms in emergency room patients in San Diego County. About 9% of these patients had flu symptoms last week, up from 7% two weeks ago, according to a county report.

The San Diego-Union Tribune also flagged an increase in patients with COVID-19 symptoms, though not as quickly, according to the countys weekly respiratory illness report.

EARLY, SURPRISING SURGE OF RSV IN KIDS HAS HOSPITALS, MEDICAL CENTERS CONCERNED

"The fear is that everything is just sort of bouncing off everything else and once youve been through the flu you could still get hit by COVID or whatever other virus youre going to get," said Dr. Ghazala Sharieff, Scripps Health's chief medical officer of acute care operations and clinical excellence.

"Im hopeful, but were still kind of planning that its going to be this way through February," Sharieff said.

A pharmacist administers a free flu shot at a CVS Health Corp. Pharmacy in Miami, Florida, on Sept. 30, 2020. (Marco Bello/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Generally, the flu hits hardest from late December through February.

The Southern Hemisphere also dealt with an earlier than usual influenza season. Chile's influenza positivity rates reached epidemic thresholds as early as January, several months sooner than usual.

AMOXICILLIN PRESCRIBED FOR CHILDREN IS IN SHORT SUPPLY, FDA SAYS

Health experts said it was not immediately clear whether flu cases would reach an earlier-than-usual peak in California, which typically sees the bulk of cases in December through February, or a prolonged flu season.

Nurses prepare injections during a flu shot clinic at Dorchester House, a health care clinic, in Boston, Massachusetts. (Reuters/Brian Snyder)

Much of the United States is seeing a fast start to the flu season. Earlier this month, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said more flu cases are being reported than is typically expected at this time.

JUST 2 OMICRON SUBVARIANTS MAKE UP 44% OF ALL US COVID CASES

On Friday, the CDC reported that the flu and similar viral illnesses are notably high in Georgia, New York City, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Washington, D.C.

"Early increases in seasonal influenza activity continue nationwide. The southeastern and south-central areas of the country are reporting the highest levels of activity followed by the Mid-Atlantic and the south-central West Coast regions." the CDC said.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Most of those are influenza A, specifically a strain called H3N2. While any version of the flu can be dangerous in vulnerable populations, this strain has been known to cause more severe illness.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Sarah Rumpf is a Fox News Digital Production Assistant. You can reach her on Twitter at @rumpfsarahc
It is still not clear if the satellite North Korea placed into orbit Wednesday is properly functioning. Meanwhile, the international community is still contemplating what action to take against the isolated and impoverished state, which conducted the

launch in defiance of previous United Nations resolutions.

South Korea has announced no immediate additional measures against the North as a result of what Seoul considers a test of ballistic missile technology.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Cho Tai-young told reporters Thursday the launch was a grave challenge to international peace.

Cho said North Korea disregarded previous U.N. Security Council resolutions and that South Korea thinks there must be harsher measures than those enacted following the Norths previous failed launch in April.

The Security Council issued a statement calling it a clear violation of its previous resolutions prohibiting North Korea from activities that could help it develop ballistic missiles.

It is unclear whether any new U.N. resolution will follow that would include additional punishment on Pyongyang.

North Korea claims the launch of a three-stage liquid-fueled rocket was a peaceful use of space to deploy an earth survey satellite.

The United States has also given no indication what additional punitive actions it is contemplating. Media reports prior to the launch suggested an American-led effort to further restrict North Koreas access to the international banking system.

Wednesdays launch came just a week before South Korea heads to the polls to choose a new president.

The front-runner, conservative Park Geun-hye of the Saenuri Party, accuses Pyongyang of trying to influence the election by carrying out the provocative launch.

Speaking at a campaign rally, Park said North Korea is trying to test the South Korean people. She calls on the electorate to choose a candidate with a strong view on national security.

Parks main opponent, Moon Jae-in of the Democratic United Party, says the North Korean launch demonstrates the failures of the conservatives.

Moon said the governments inability to figure out whether or not the North Korean missile was even on the launch pad shows its incompetence when it comes to national security.

President Lee Myung-bak is a member of the Saenuri Party. He is limited to a single five-year term.

However, analysts foresee the North Korean launch having a minimal impact in next Wednesdays election. Park maintains a narrow lead over Moon in the final public opinion polls released this week.

The two Koreas have no diplomatic or significant trade ties. They technically remain at war, because no peace treaty was signed after their devastating three-year civil conflict fought to a draw in the early 1950s.

Steve Herman

International community considers response to N. Koreaadded by chinatimesonline on

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Ph.D., Psychology, Fielding Graduate University

M.A., Psychology, Fielding Graduate University

B.A., Film Studies, Cornell University

Attachment is a deep emotional bond between two people. The idea was pioneered by John Bowlby, but his attachment theory, as well as Mary Ainsworths ideas about attachment styles, mostly focused on the relationship between an infant and an adult caregiver. Since Bowlby introduced the concept, psychologists have extended attachment research into adulthood. This research has led to the specification of four adult attachment styles among other findings.

Key Takeaways: Adult Attachment Styles

John Bowlby and Mary Ainsworth were the first researchers to study attachment, the close bonds that develop between two people. They investigated attachment in infancy, but the research has since been extended to attachment in adulthood.

Adult attachment styles develop along two dimensions: attachment-related anxiety and attachment-related avoidance.

There are four adult attachment styles: secure, anxious preoccupied, dismissive avoidant, and fearful avoidant. However, most researchers today dont categorize people into one of these attachment styles, instead preferring to measure attachment along the continuums of anxiety and avoidance.

Many assume there is stability in attachment style throughout the lifespan, however, this question is still unresolved and requires further research.

Adult Attachment Styles

While John Bowlby and Mary Ainsworths pioneering work focused on the development of infant attachments, Bowlby suggested that attachment impacts human experience throughout the lifespan. The research on adult attachment has demonstrated that some, but not all, adult relationships function like attachment relationships. As a result, adults exhibit individual differences in attachment relationships just like young children do.

Research on adult attachment styles has shown that there are two dimensions on which these styles develop. One dimension is attachment-related anxiety. Those who are high on this dimension are more insecure and worried about their relationship partners availability and attentiveness. The other dimension is attachment-related avoidance. Those who are high on this dimension have difficulty opening up and being vulnerable with significant others. Interestingly, recent research into child attachment patterns have also discovered that like adults, childrens attachment styles tend to vary along the dimensions of anxiety and avoidance, demonstrating that attachment styles at different ages are based on similar factors.

These two dimensions give rise to the following four adult attachment styles:

Secure Attachment

Those who have a secure attachment style score low on both anxiety and avoidance. They trust that those they have close relationships with will be there to offer support and security when needed and are prepared to offer security and support when their partners need it in return. They find it easy to open up in relationships and are good at articulating what they want and need from their partners. Theyre confident and optimistic about their relationships and tend to find them stable and satisfying.

Anxious Preoccupied Attachment

Those with an anxious preoccupied attachment style are high on the anxiety dimension but low on the avoidance dimension. These individuals have difficulty trusting their partners commitment to them. Because they are more pessimistic and worried about their relationships, they often need reassurance from their partners and will create or overemphasize conflicts. They may also have issues with jealousy. As a result, their relationships are often tumultuous.

Dismissive Avoidant Attachment

Those with a dismissive avoidant attachment style are low on the anxiety dimension but high on the avoidance dimension. People with this kind of attachment style are often aloof and emotionally distant in relationships. They may claim they fear commitment. These individuals may seek to assert their independence by delving into individual activities like work, hobbies, or social activities that dont involve their significant others. They may come across as focused only on themselves and may have passive aggressive tendencies.

Fearful Avoidant Attachment

Those with a fearful avoidant attachment style are high in both anxiety and avoidance. These individuals both fear and desire intimate relationships. On the one hand, they want the support and security that comes from having a significant other. On the other, they worry their significant other will hurt them and at other times feel stifled by the relationship. As a result, people with a fearful avoidant attachment style can be inconsistent towards their partners from day to day, and their ambivalent attitude can lead to chaos.

While these categories are helpful in describing the extremes on the dimensions of anxiety and avoidance, due to recent research on adult attachment, scholars tend to measure individual differences in attachment along the continuum of each dimension. As a result, adult attachment styles are measured by the degree of anxiety and avoidance each individual scores, providing a more nuanced picture of attachment style than if an individual were simply placed into one of the above four attachment style categories.

Studying Adult Attachment Styles

Studies on adult attachments have generally focused on two different types of relationships. Developmental psychologists have investigated how parents adult attachment styles influence their childrens attachment styles. Meanwhile, social and personality psychologists have examined attachment styles within the context of close adult relationships, especially romantic relationships.

Impact of Attachment Styles on Parenting

In the mid-1980s, Mary Main and her colleagues created the Adult Attachment Interview, which uses an adults memories of their experiences with their parents as children to categorize them into one of four attachment styles similar to those outlined above. Main then examined the attachment styles of her adult participants children and found that adults who were securely attached had securely attached children. Meanwhile, those with the three insecure attachment styles have children who also have a similar insecure attachment style. In another study, pregnant women were given the Adult Attachment Interview. Their children were then tested for attachment style at 12 months old. Like the first study, this research demonstrated that the mothers attachment styles corresponded to those of their babies'.

Impact of Attachment Styles on Romantic Relationships

Research has demonstrated that attachment in adult romantic relationships functions similarly to attachment in infant-caregiver relationships. Although adults dont have the same needs as children, studies have shown that adults with secure attachment look to their partners for support when theyre upset, just as secure infants look to their caregivers. Research has also demonstrated that although adults with a fearful avoidant attachment style may act defensive, they are still emotionally aroused by conflicts with their significant other. On the other hand, people with dismissive avoidant attachment can suppress their emotions towards a significant other. In this sense, avoidance acts as a defense mechanism that helps the individual alleviate the pain brought about by relationship difficulties.

Impact of Attachment Styles on Social Behavior

Studies have indicated that everyday social behavior is informed by ones attachment style, as well. Securely attached individuals tend to have positive social interactions on a regular basis. In contrast, those with an anxious preoccupied attachment style experience a mix of positive and negative daily social interactions, which may reinforce both their desire for and distrust of relationships. Furthermore, those with a dismissive avoidant attachment style tend to have more negative than positive social interactions in their daily lives, and in general, experience less intimacy and enjoyment in social situations. This lack of enjoyment could be one reason people with dismissive avoidant attachment often keep others at arm's length.

Can Attachment Styles Change?

Scholars generally agree that attachment styles in childhood influence attachment styles in adulthood, however the degree of consistency is likely only modest. In fact, in adulthood, one may experience different attachment styles with different people in their lives. For example, one study showed that there was only a small to moderate association between ones current attachment style with a parental figure and their attachment style with a current romantic partner. Yet, some research findings indicate that attachment styles are reinforced because people choose to have relationships with those who confirm their beliefs about close connections.

Thus, the question of stability and change in individual attachment styles is unresolved. Different studies have provided different evidence depending on the way attachment is conceptualized and measured. Many psychologists assume there is long-term stability in attachment style, especially in adulthood, but it is still an open question that requires further research.

Sources
What Is a Trading House?poker chips kohls crypto free money

A trading house is a business that specializes in facilitating transactions between a home country and foreign countries. A trading house is an exporter, importer and also a trader that purchases and sells products for other businesses. Trading houses provide a service for businesses that want international trade experts to receive or deliver goods or services.

A trading house may also refer to a firm that buys and sells both commodity futures and physical commodities on behalf of customers and for their own accounts. Prominent commodity trading houses include Cargill, Vitol and Glencore.

Key Takeaways

Trading houses are intermediaries used by manufacturers to facilitate trade in a foreign location.

Trading houses offer a variety of services, from serving as agents for the manufacturer in the foreign market to easing the import-export process through connections with local liaisons.

Although a retailer has to pay a marked-up price for products imported or sold through a trading house, it can avoid the hassles of importing and benefit from trading houses' expertise in foreign markets, discounted rates, and currency exchange complications.

Understanding Trading Houses

A trading house serves as an intermediary. It might purchase t-shirts wholesale from China, then sell them to a retailer in the United States. The U.S. retailer would still receive wholesale pricing, but the price would be slightly higher than if the retailer purchased directly from the Chinese company. The trading house must mark up the price of the goods it sells to cover its costs and earn a profit, however, the t-shirt retailer avoids the hassles of importing. The retailer also may be able to simplify its operations by dealing with one or two trading houses to get its inventory instead of dealing directly with numerous wholesalers.

Small businesses that use a trading house can benefit from its expertise and insight into international markets they operate in, as well as get access to vendor financing through direct loans and trade credits.

Advantages of Trading Houses

Economies of Scale

A trading house typically has a large portfolio of clients that provide economies of scale benefits. For example, a large trading house can use its significant buying power to receive discounts from manufacturers and suppliers. A trading house can also reduce transportation costs if it ships to customers in large quantities.

International Foothold

Trading houses have an extensive network of contacts in international markets that help them secure favorable deals and find new customers. They may also have staff working in foreign offices to work with customs officials and manage legal issues to ensure the smooth operation of the business.

Currency Management

Because a trading house is continually importing and exporting products, they have expertise in managing currency risk. Trading houses use risk management techniques, such as hedging, to avoid getting exposed to adverse currency fluctuations. For example, a trading house that has a future payment in euros may use a currency forward contract to lock in the current EUR/USD exchange rate.

Example of Trading Houses

Japan is scarce in resources, whether it is food or natural resources, and imports most of them through five trading houses known as sogo shosha. The trading houses were developed in Japan during the Meiji Restoration period to bolster its economy during a period of rebuilding. They also helped prop up the country's economy after its defeat and devastation in the Second World War. The role of sogo shoshas is not confined to a specific sector of Japan's economy. They import goods and services across multiple industries vital to the nation's economy, from automobiles to infrastructure to clothing. The five biggest sogo shoshas are Mitsubishi Corp, Mitsui & Co. Ltd., Sumitomo Corp., Itochu Corp. and Marubeni Corp.
What Is a Travelers Check?best casinos in macau

A travelers check (sometimes spelled "cheque") is a once-popular but now largely outmoded medium of exchange utilized as an alternative to hard currency and intended to aid tourists. The product is typically used by people on vacation in foreign countries. It offers a safe way to travel overseas without the risks associated with losing cash. The issuing party, usually a bank, provides security against lost or stolen checks.

Beginning in the late 1980s, travelers checks have increasingly been supplanted by credit and prepaid debit cards.

Key Takeaways

Travelers checks are a form of payment issued by financial institutions such as American Express.

These paper cheques are generally used by people when traveling to foreign countries.

They are purchased for set amounts and can be used to buy goods or services or be exchanged for cash.

If your traveler's check is lost or stolen it can readily be replaced.

Once widely used, travelers checks have largely been supplanted today by prepaid debit cards and credit cards.

How Travelers Checks Work

A travelers check is for a prepaid fixed amount and operates like cash, so a purchaser can use it to buy goods or services when traveling. A customer can also exchange a travelers check for cash. Major financial service institutions issue travelers checks, and banks and credit unions sell them, though their ranks have significantly dwindled today.

A travelers check is similar to a regular check because it has a unique check number or serial number. When a customer reports a check stolen or lost, the issuing company cancels that check and provides a new one.

They come in several fixed denominations in a variety of currencies, making them a safeguard in countries with fluctuating exchange rates, and they do not have an expiration date. They are not linked to a customers bank account or line of credit and do not contain personally identifiable information, thus eliminating the risk of identity theft. They operate via a dual signature system. You sign them when you purchase them, and then you sign them again when you cash them, which is designed to prevent anyone other than the purchaser from using them.

Many banks, hotels, and retailers used to accept them as cash, although some banks charged fees to cash them. However, with the rising worldwide use of credit cards and prepaid debit cardssuch as the Visa TravelMoney card, which offers zero liability for its unauthorized useit is getting much harder to find institutions that will cash travelers checks.

History of Travelers Checks

On Jan. 1, 1772, the London Credit Exchange Company was the first business to issue travelers checks. In 1874 the Thomas Cook company issued circular notes that worked like travelers checks.

James C. Fargo, the president of the American Express Company, was a wealthy, well-known American who was unable to get checks cashed during a trip to Europe in 1890. A company employee, Marcellus F. Berry, believed that the solution for taking money overseas required a check with the signature of the bearer and devised a product for it. On July 7, 1891, Berry received copyrights for the instrument he termed the travelers cheque, and to this day American Express and Visa still use the British spelling on their products.

Where to Get Traveler's Checks

Companies that still issue traveler's checks today include American Express, Visa, and AAA. They often come with a 1% to 2% purchase fee. but AAA members can obtain checks without a fee at most AAA offices through a service known as Wells Fargo Foreign Currency (by and large, AAA now offers members pre-paid international Visa cards instead of paper checks). I

n the U.S., they are available primarily from American Express (use this page to search for purchase locations). You can also purchase traveler's checks online from American Express' website, but you will need to be registered with an account. Visa offers traveler's checks at Citibank locations nationwide, as well as at several other banks.

American Express, Visa, and AAA are among the companies that still issue travelers checks.

Where to Cash Traveler's Checks

If you want to convert your traveler's checks into cash (instead of spending them directly), you can often deposit them normally at your bank. Many hotel or resort lobbies will also provide this service to guests at no charge. American Express also provides a service to redeem traveler's checks that they issue online to be deposited into your bank account. The redemption application online should take less than 15 minutes to complete.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Traveler's Checks

Traveler's checks are handy for tourists who do not want to risk losing their cash or having it stolen while abroad. Because they could be reported lost or stolen and the funds replaced, they provide peace of mind. This was particularly a concern before credit cards and ATM machines were widespread and affordable around the world for most travelers. At the same time, these paper checks are now a bit outdated and come with a fee to purchase, making them potentially more expensive and cumbersome than using plastic or electronic payments.

Replaced if lost or stolen

Widely accepted around the world

Convenient to use

They don't expire

Outmoded

Must have the physical check to use it

Incurs a fee to purchase

Limited number of issuers today

Alternatives to Traveler's Checks

ProsCons

The most obvious alternative is to use a credit or debit card issued by a bank that works worldwide and charges low or no foreign exchange fees on purchases or ATM withdrawals. If your bank doesn't allow for this, or charges high fees, then prepaid travel cards are the modern version of travelers checks. They allow you to get local currency from ATMs and make purchases with merchantseffectively eliminating the need for travelers checks.

Prepaid cards are not linked to your bank account, which prevents anybody from draining your checking account if the card gets lost or stolenand you cant go into debt. Credit cards offer similar (or better) protection, but you might not want to use your everyday card abroad. By using a dedicated travel card, you avoid spreading your card numbers around, which means you can be less vigilant about monitoring your accounts when you get back home. Visa and MasterCard both offer prepaid cards designed for use abroad. Those cards are available online, through travel agents, and at banks or credit unions.

Travel cards should feature low ATM fees, technology that lets you operate like a local in foreign countries, emergency cash when you lose the card, and zero liability fraud protection. That said, prepaid cards can be expensive, so you need to compare fees against your other cards to decide whether or not a travel card makes sense.



For U.S. citizens living abroad for extended periods of time, maintaining checking and other bank accounts in the United States provides several advantages, and many checking accounts are friendly for foreign transactions.
On 23rd January 2012, Chinese ambassador to UK Liu Xiaoming had a live and one-on-one interview with Jeremy Paxman on BBC 2s Newsnight programme.

The China Times has retrieved the detail of the interview from BBC, the audio download and transcript of the interview go as follows, you may also visit the Chinese version (BBC) on our website, or watch the video on BBC.

[mp3player width=350 height=20 config=asingle.xml file=http://media.thechinatimes.com/2012/01/liu.mp3]

Download Link

Jeremy Paxman: Happy New Year! Mr. Ambassador.

Ambassador Liu Xiaoming: Thank you.

Jeremy Paxman: Lets try to define our terms. Are you a communist?

Ambassador Liu Xiaoming: Well, in China, the ruling party is the communist party. The communist party now has more than 80 million party members. But you have to remember China is a country with 1.3 billion people. So I dont think you can call China a communist country, just as you can not call the UK conservative UK.

Jeremy Paxman: But you could call the UK a capitalist country.

Ambassador Liu Xiaoming: And we say China is a socialist country. We could call China a socialist country with Chinese characteristics.

Jeremy Paxman: Talking to the young people, in particular in Beijing, I very strongly got the impression that they were pretty optimistic about Chinas international role. They saw this as a century which was developing very much in a way that was going to make China a much more significant force in the world. Do you think that?

Ambassador Liu Xiaoming: China will certainly contribute its part for maintaining peace and prosperity of the world. But we do not see China as a superpower. I would characterize China as the largest developing country with increasing international influence and responsibilities.

Jeremy Paxman: But people look at what China does on the UN Security Council, for example, over the question ofyou opposed the sanctions on Syria, sanctions on Iran, and they wonder, you know, what you are trying to achieve?

Ambassador Liu Xiaoming: Thats not the right impression. In fact, China voted four times with other members of the Security Council on the issue of Iran. China is strongly opposed to Iranian nuclear weapon programme. But on the other hand, we believe diplomatic and peaceful solution is the most beneficial solution to the problem. It costs less and its in the interest of maintaining peace and stability in the region.

Jeremy Paxman: But do you accept that Iran is a potential threat to world peace, a nuclear armed Iran?

Ambassador Liu Xiaoming: I would say, yes, Iran with nuclear weapons is not in the interest of peace and stability in the region.So that is why China made it very clear from day one that we are strongly opposed to Iran developing nuclear weapons. That has been reaffirmed by Chinese premier in his recent visit to the region.

Jeremy Paxman: So why not impose sanctions, then?

Ambassador Liu Xiaoming: There are already sanctions in place. But we dont think sanction for the sake of sanction serves the purpose. We also encouraged peaceful negotiations to engage Iran for a peaceful settlement of this issue.

Jeremy Paxman: Do you think China has a moral role in the world?

Ambassador Liu Xiaoming: I think China has a role to play, in terms of building a more peaceful, harmonious world.

Jeremy Paxman: But what do you try to promote? The United States, for example, says it promotes, and will go to war, to promote democracy. What do you try to promote?

Ambassador Liu Xiaoming: We are promoting a harmonious world. We believe the world will be more peaceful, prosperous, if all countries respect each other, rather than imposing their own ideas and systems onto others. We believe mutual respect, mutual accommodation and working together for the common good, common security is in the interest of peace and stability of the world. So we are strongly opposed to any military solutions.

Jeremy Paxman: What about economic power? China sits on this mountain of trillions of dollars worth of foreign exchange. Whats that for?

Ambassador Liu Xiaoming: Whats that for??China is still a relatively poor country. Though China now is number two in terms of GDP, after only the United States. But in per capita GDP, China is still behind 100 countries. There are still about 700 million people living in the countryside. And there are about 150 million people living under one US dollar a day, that is the UN poverty line. So there is an enormous responsibility for the Chinese government to improve livelihood of those parts of the population of China.

Jeremy Paxman: And lets talk a little bit about that difficult matter of human rights. Ai Weiwei, the well known artist, says that without free speech, you are living in a barbaric world. Do you understand what hes getting at?

Ambassador Liu Xiaoming: I think Ai Weiwei has his freedom to express his view. Otherwise how could you get his opinion on this?

Jeremy Paxman: Unfortunately, he has been in prison of course, isnt it?

Ambassador Liu Xiaoming: No, he was under investigation on suspicion of evading tax, destroying his accounting books. In any country of rule by law, you have to respect and abide by the law. Nobody in a country ruled by law should be above the law. So even a so-called well-known artist has to abide by the law. When he violates Chinese law, he should be punished. Theres no doubt about that in China, I guess its the same in Britain.

Jeremy Paxman: He should be free to say what he likes, shouldnt he?

Ambassador Liu Xiaoming: If he is forbidden to voice his opinions, how could you get to know them?

Jeremy Paxman: All right, Mr. Ambassador, thank you very much.

Ambassador Liu Xiaoming: Thank you for having me.

Chinese ambassador to UK interviewed by BBC (MP3 download)added by chinatimesonline on

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Review: 2022 Mercedes-Benz EQS

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A special electric car

Most car enthusiasts will tell you that the classic Mercedes-Benz 300 SL "Gullwing" is a work of art.

One of them literally became one.

In 1986, German art gallery owner Hans Meyer got the idea to do a series celebrating the 100th anniversary of the automobile.

The Benz Patent-Motorwagen that is considered to be the first automobile received its official patent in 1886.

HERE'S WHY MERCEDES-BENZ SOLD A CAR FOR A RECORD $143 MILLION

Andy Warhol used this Mercedes-Bens 300 SL for a series of artworks. (RM Sotheby's)

Meyer wanted to team up with Mercedes-Benz on the project, but needed to sell them the idea. So he met with his friend, Andy Warhol, at Harry Cipriani restaurant in New York to see if hed be interested.

When Meyer showed Warhol a photo of a 1955 300 SL from an illustrated book, he agreed, then took the same photo and turned it into two of works of pop art.

Art from the "Cars" series has been displayed at the Mercedes-Benz Museum. (THOMAS KIENZLE/AFP via Getty Images)

Mercedes-Benz ended up commissioning the full series, which ultimate encompassed 36 silkscreen prints and 13 drawings of various vehicles, but was still being worked on when Warhol died in 1987.

The two original works are currently in the collections of the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles and the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart, Germany, and arent technically for sale.

But the car featured in them is.

Brabus put the 300 SL through a 4,500-hour restoration. (RM Sotheby's)

The 1955 300 SL was purchased nearly three years ago from an estate by Brabus, a company that builds high performance versions of Mercedes-Benz vehicles and also does show quality restorations of its classic models.

Brabus CEO Constantin Buschmann told Fox News Digital that the car had been in the possession of its owner for decades and had the same license plate as the one in the art, but that wasnt enough on its own to confirm its provenance.

The car had been in its previous owner's possession for decades. (RM Sotheby's)

The car was also in what Buschmann called "honest" condition and in need of a refresh, so the company began putting it through 4,500-hour restoration process as it explored its history.

REVIEW: THE 2022 MERCEDES-BENZ EQS IS A VERY SPECIAL ELECTRIC CAR

Using the license plate, it was able to work with Mercedes-Benz to match the vehicle identification number of the car in the magazine shoot, which was further confirmed by a few unique features on the vehicle, including its wheels.

Brabus used the license plate to confirm the vehicle identification number matched the one used in the photos. (RM Sotheby's)

The silver coupe has since been shown alongside the artwork in collaboration with the Andy Warhol Foundation and is now being offered for sale by RM Sothebys through a private sealed auction being held in New York.

RM Sothebys has put a pre-auction estimate of $1.5 million to $3 million on the vehicle, which is roughly what versions with less interesting histories sell for, so theres really no telling how much the Warhol car will ultimately be worth.

The 300 SL is powered by a 3.0-liter straight-six-cylinder engine. (RM Sotheby's)

And the world may never know. Since it is a sealed auction, it will be up to the buyer to both identify themselves and reveal the price paid when the winning bid is determined on Nov. 17.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Even if it outperforms the estimate, the price paid for the car is unlikely to match that of a piece of Warhol's art that is also up for auction by RM Sotheby's this week. "White Disaster" is a collage of photos from an automobile accident that is the sister piece to a work called "Silver Car Crash (Double Disaster)" that was sold in 2013 for $105 million.

Gary Gastelu is Fox News Digital's automotive editor.
A new homeowners discovery while cleaning out their roof has shone the light on the tragic murder of a 14-year-old Victorian boy almost 60 years ago.

The resident said last week they found a missing poster for a young boy named Russell James Rushton in a pile of newspapers tucked away in the house they just bought.

Have you seen this boy? the flyer asks across the top in large red letters. Russell James Rushton vanished on the afternoon of May 13, 1966, in Geelong, Victoria, the poster says, urging anyone with information about the very blonde boys whereabouts to call the police.

Missing posters were distributed after Russell James Rushton vanished in 1966. His body was not found for several weeks. Source: Reddit

Curious about what happened to the teen schoolboy, the homeowner posted an image of their discovery on a Reddit page dedicated to the local community. Hidden in a stack of old newspapers from Northern Territory! they explained.

It didnt take long for residents to reveal the tragic story behind the missing poster  Russell had been murdered by a school friend but his body was not discovered until seven weeks later, partially concealed in a bush.

Unbelievable! I remember my Nanna telling me this story when I was young, one person commented, while others urged the Geelong resident to donate the poster to a museum or library. A local tells me his family was so heartbroken that they sold their family home and left town, the homeowner commented.

Missing boy's body found by schoolgirls

A group of high school girls were hiking near the former cement works site on June 28, 1966, when a few spotted Russells body, wearing heavily blood-stained clothes, face down in a shallow depression on a steep river bank, according to a transcript of an inquest into Russells murder obtained by Yahoo News Australia.

One of the girls testified she saw a bundle of clothes or rags and a short distance away there was a bone. Russell had been stabbed more than 20 times in his chest and back.

Story continues

The 14-year-old was very interested in trains at the cement works, his dad James Rushton said, and would frequently visit the area to watch them move about. However, when he never returned home, his worried parents launched a frantic search and contacted the boys friend Phillip Batty, who lived on the next street over.

He appeared to be quite normal, James Rushton said after his encounter with Batty.

A group of schoolgirls found Russell Rushton's remains at the former cement works site in Geelong in June 1966. Source: Real Commercial/Geelong Advertiser

Teen killer admits to stabbing friend

Batty said he had not seen Russell, but a couple of days later claimed the missing teen had asked him to leave a rope at a field near the cement works the same day he disappeared. Three weeks later Batty was questioned by Russells mum about his possible whereabouts, but once again said he didnt know where his friend had gone.

Despite his repeated denials, the day after the teens body was discovered, Batty walked into the local police station with his dad and said I stabbed him with my knife, witnesses testified. Batty told officers he and Russell were walking on the train tracks before they got into a fight and he pulled out a knife he had taken from his little brother and later tossed into a field. He said he stabbed Russell, who he claimed had shoved him, before he fell to the ground.

Well I dont like to just leave him like that, he told officers, according to court documents. I didnt want him to stay alive. I knew I shouldnt have done it, it just got away from me.

Batty was sentenced to 10 years in jail and died in 2013 at the age of 60, according to the Geelong Independent.

Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com.

You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
What Is Per Capita GDP?ice bet casino 25 free spins

Per capita gross domestic product (GDP) is a financial metric that breaks down a country's economic output per person and is calculated by dividing the GDP of a nation by its population.

Key Takeaways

Per capita gross domestic product measures a country's economic output per person and is calculated by dividing the GDP of a country by its population.

It is a global measure for gauging the prosperity of nations and is used by economists, along with GDP, to analyze the prosperity of a country based on its economic growth.

It is often analyzed alongside GDP, which allows economists to monitor the productivity of their own country with others.

Analyzing global per capita GDP provides insight into global economic prosperity and developments.

Small, rich countries and more developed industrial countries tend to have the highest per capita GDP.



Understanding Per Capita GDP

Per capita GDP is a global measure for gauging the prosperity of nations and is used by economists to analyze the prosperity of a country based on its economic growth.

There are a few ways to analyze a countrys wealth and prosperity. Per capita GDP is the most universal because its components are regularly tracked on a global scale, providing ease of calculation and usage. Income per capita is another measure for global prosperity analysis, though it is less broadly used.

At its most basic interpretation, per capita GDP shows how much economic production value can be attributed to each individual citizen. Alternatively, this translates to a measure of national wealth since GDP market value per person also readily serves as a prosperity measure.

Per Capita GDP vs. Gross Domestic Product (GDP)

GDP itself is the primary measure of a country's economic productivity. A country's GDP shows the market value of goods and services it produces. In the United States, the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) reports GDP every quarter.

Economists watch this quarterly report closely for the quarter-over-quarter and annual growth figures that can assist them in analyzing the overall health of the economy. Legislators use GDP when making fiscal policy decisions. GDP can also influence central bankers when they are deciding on the course of future monetary policy.

Per capita GDP is often analyzed alongside GDP. Economists use this metric for insight into both their own country's domestic productivity as well as the productivity of other countries. Per capita GDP considers both a country's GDP and its population. Therefore, it can be important to understand how each factor contributes to the overall result and how each factor is affecting per capita GDP growth.

$60,082

Real GDP per capita for Q3 2022a 0.5% increase from the previous quarter and a 1.46% increase from the previous year.



Applications of Per Capita GDP

Governments can use per capita GDP to understand how the economy is growing with its population. GDP per capita analysis on a national level can provide insights into a countrys domestic population influence.

It is important to look at each variables overall contribution to understand how an economy is growing or contracting in terms of its people. There can be several numerical relationships that affect per capita GDP.

If a countrys per capita GDP is growing with a stable population level it can potentially be the result of technological progressions that are producing more with the same population level. Some countries may have high per capita GDP but a small population which usually means they have built up a self-sufficient economy based on an abundance of special resources.

Negative Per Capita GDP

A nation may have consistent economic growth but if its population is growing faster than its GDP, per capita GDP growth will be negative. This is not a problem for most established economies, as even a tepid pace of economic growth can still outpace their population growth rates.

However, countries with low levels of per capita GDP to begin withincluding many nations in Africacan have rapidly increasing populations with little GDP growth, resulting in a steady erosion of living standards.

GDP and Population Growth

Global analysis of per capita GDP helps provide comparable insight on economic prosperity and economic developments across the globe. Both GDP and population are factors in the per capita equation. This means countries with the highest GDP may or may not have the highest per capita GDP.

Countries may also see a significant increase in per capita GDP as they become more advanced through technological progressions. Technology can be a revolutionary factor that helps countries increase per capita rankings with a stable population level.

According to World Bank data, global per capita GDP increased by an average of 4.8% in 2021. Economies such as China and India have achieved per capita GDP growth rates well above the global average in the 21st century despite their populations of over a billion people apiece, thanks to the financial reforms initiated by China in the late 1970s and India in the mid-1990s.

Nations With the Highest Per Capita GDP

Below are the top 10 nations with the highest per capita GDP as of October 2022, according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Per Capita GDP (in thousands) Country GDP per capita (USD) Luxembourg $127.67 Ireland $102.22 Norway $92.65 Switzerland $92.43 Qatar $89.89 Singapore $79.43 United States $75.18 Iceland $73.98 Australia $66.41 Denmark $65.71

Many of the nations on the list have relatively small populations. Luxembourg, at the top of the list, has one of the smallest populations about 650,000 people. Most of the small population countries are energy exporters, regional financial centers, and export business powerhouses.

Nations With the Lowest Per Capita GDP

These are the ten nations with the lowest GDP per capita, according to the CIA World Factbook.

Nations with the Lowest GDP Per Capita Country GDP Per Capita ($) Chad $1,500 Madagascar $1,500 Malawi $1,500 Liberia $1,400 Mozambique $1,200 Niger $1,200 Democratic Republic of Congo $1,100 Central African Republic $900 Somalia $800 Burundi $700

Per Capita GDP Forecasts

The IMF provides a regular outlook on global growth with insights on both GDP and GDP per capita updated in its data mapper. It expects little change in the rankings of the top ten countries as sluggish growth data is trending across the globe.

The IMF expects the global economy to slow down following a bounce back from the coronavirus pandemic. A January 2022 report projected GDP growth worldwide of 4.4% in 2022 after posting 5.9% growth in 2021.

That outlook was downgraded to 3.2% in a July 2022 report, which also forecasted growth for 2023 at 2.9% thanks to the ongoing effects of the pandemic and Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

How Do You Calculate GDP Per Capita?

The formula to calculate GDP per capita is a country's gross domestic product divided by its population. This calculation reflects a nation's standard of living.

Which Countries Have the Highest GDP Per Capita?

The countries with the highest GDP per capita are Luxembourg, Ireland, and Norway.

What Is the Difference Between GDP Per Capita and Per Capita Income?

GDP per capita measures the economic output of a nation per person. It seeks to determine the prosperity of a nation by economic growth per person in that nation. Per capita income measures the amount of money earned per person in a nation. This metric seeks to evaluate the average per-person income for a given region in order to determine the standard of living and quality of life of a population.

Which Country Has the Lowest GDP Per Capita?

Of the countries for which the IMF publishes data, Burundi has the lowest GDP per capita. It is preceded by South Sudan and Madagascar on the IMF's list.

The Bottom Line

Per Capita GDP is a popular metric for the average prosperity and well-being of a country. Unlike some other measures of economic productivity, it takes population size into account, allowing easy comparisons between countries with different sizes.


Trump announces 2024 presidential run

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'The Ingraham Angle' panelists weigh in on former President Donald Trump's announcement from his Mar-a-Lago home a week after the midterm elections.

The Democratic Party has issued a statement responding to former President Donald Trumps announcement that he is running for the presidency in 2024, predicting he will lose.

"Donald Trump was a failure as president; thats why he lost in 2020 and its why he will lose again," DNC Chair Jaime Harrison said in a statement about Trumps candidacy.

Harrison said it would be likely that other Republicans would try to contest Trumps effort to snag the Republican nomination. Still, he said the Democratic Party would "be ready for them all."

Former U.S. President Donald Trump and former first lady Melania Trump arrive for an event at his Mar-a-Lago home on November 15, 2022 in Palm Beach, Florida. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

"Today is just the kickoff to what will be a messy Republican primary with candidates competing to be the most extreme MAGA Republican in the race," Harrison added.

DONALD TRUMP ANNOUNCES 2024 RE-ELECTION RUN FOR PRESIDENT

"Democrats stand ready to remind Americans what Trump brought America: the worst jobs record since the Great Depression, rigged the economy for the super-rich with massive tax giveaways to corporations, the right-wing Supreme Court that overturned Roe and paved the way for extreme Republicans across the country to criminalize abortion, a diminished standing across the world, and absolute chaos that culminated in inciting a mob to attack the Capitol to try to overturn an election he knew he lost," Harrison also said.

In Palm Beach, Florida on Tuesday, Trump formally announced he is running for the 2024 Republican nomination for president.

Former US President Donald Trump during an announcement at the Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach, Florida, US, on Tuesday, Nov. 15, 2022. (Eva Marie Uzcategui/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

The "Make America Great Again" movement leaders presidential bid will be his third, after defeating Hillary Clinton in 2016, but falling to President Joe Biden in 2020.

"In order to make America great and glorious again. I am tonight announcing my candidacy for president of the United States," Trump said at his Mar-a-Lago estate to a group of eager supporters.

2024 WATCH: MEET THE POTENTIAL GOP PRESIDENTIAL CONTENDERS

"But just as I promised in 2016, I am your voice. I am your voice," he added. "The Washington establishment wants to silence us, but we will not let them do that. What we have built together over the past six years is the greatest movement in history because it is not about politics. It's about our love for this great country, America, and we're not going to let it fail."

Former US President Donald Trump arrives to speak with former First Lady Melania Trump, left, at the Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach, Florida, US, on Tuesday, Nov. 15, 2022. (Eva Marie Uzcategui/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

"I am running because I believe the world has not yet seen the true glory of what this nation can be. We have not reached that pinnacle, believe it or not," said Trump. "In fact, we can go very far. We're going to have to go far first. We have to get out of this ditch. And once we're out, you'll see things that nobody imagined for any country. It's called the United States of America. And it's an incredible place."

CLICK TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

The Democratic nominee is expected to be President Biden, pitting him and Trump in a 2020 rematch where both candidates set respective records for the most votes ever received.
A local resident rides a bike near destroyed houses in the village of Arkhanhelske,play mobile slots Kherson region, Ukraine Nov 8, 2022. [Photo/Agencies]

KYIV - Ukrainian Presidential Advisor Mykhailo Podolyak said that Kyiv could resume dialogue with Moscow only after the withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine, the presidential press service reported Tuesday.

In an interview with the Italian newspaper La Repubblica, Podolyak said that a potential ceasefire deal at the current stage of the conflict would provide Russia with time to strengthen its positions.

"The ceasefire for Russia is a tactical pause for reinforcement," Podolyak said.

While commenting on the reports that the representatives of the US Pentagon and the Russian Defense Ministry are involved in talks, Podolyak said that "there are no negotiations between Russia and Western countries regarding Ukraine".

"Our partners adhere to the principle of 'nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine.' Neither side will be able to ensure the implementation of agreements without the support of the Ukrainian people," he said.

The Russia-Ukraine conflict started on Feb 24.

Ukrainian and Russian negotiators held the latest round of face-to-face peace talks in Istanbul, Turkiye, on March 29.
Sen. Cotton: Biden climate agenda is an ideological war: 'They want high gas prices'

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Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., torches Democrats for being responsible for high gas prices

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

The one promise that President Joe Biden has faithfully kept is his pledge to "close down" fossil fuels. We get two-thirds of our energy in America from fossil fuels, and almost one-third of our power comes from coal. That's quadruple the amount of energy we get from wind and solar, which are niche forms of energy.

But Biden doesn't see it that way. He recently reiterated his pledge to end coal production altogether.

"No one is building new coal plants because they can't rely on it," Biden said on Nov. 4 while in California. "We're going to be shutting these plants down all across America and having wind and solar."

LEFT-WING GREEN AGENDA BACKED BY JOHN KERRY WOULD BE 'DISASTER' FOR DEVELOPING WORLD, EXPERTS SAY

I hope the people in Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Wyoming are listening because thousands of mostly union jobs are associated with the coal plants he wants to shutter.

Video

Biden says we need to "shut down" these plants and the jobs that come with them because we need to combat climate change. One problem: Most of the rest of the world is using morecoal even as we use less. Even the sanctimonious Europeans are turning to coal because their natural gas supplies from Russia are no longer reliable.

Germany is even burning wood now for home heating, which is about the most environmentally damaging way to get energy.

But the biggest polluting villain by far is China. Beijing is now powering its rapid industrial expansion with fossil fuels. The Chinese have more than doubled their coal production and consumption over the last decade, even as we in America have cut our domestic coal by almost half. Beijing recently announced it is building dozens of massive newcoal plants.

COP27: DELEGATES WEIGH CLIMATE COMPENSATION' FOR POOR NATIONS IMPACTED BY GLOBAL WARMING

Does it sound like this nation of more than 1 billion people is concerned about climate change?

Video

White House climate envoy John Kerry has to explain how we are reducing global warming if every time we shut down a coal plant, China builds a new one or two or three.

Coal was the critical fuel source that powered the industrial revolution in America, which made our economy the strongest in the world. Back then, coal was dirty, and the constant gurgling of emissions from massive coal plants turned cities like Pittsburgh into 50 shades of gray smog.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE OPINION NEWSLETTER

That was then. Now, American coal plants are cleaner all the time. In 2020, the Department of Energy issued a report that found: "Coal-fired electricity generation is cleaner than ever. Research shows that a new coal plant with pollution controls reduces nitrogen oxides by 83 percent, sulfur dioxide by 98 percent, and particulate matter by 99.8 percent compared to plants without controls."

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That's a giant reduction. It's one of the major reasons why the air that we breathe today in America has been getting cleaner for 50 years. We've reduced levels of lead, carbon monoxide, sulfur and other pollutants by more than 50% -- not bad, given that our economy is four times bigger.

The same DOE report found that "over the next 30 years, new coal production of 145-345 million tons could result in 47,500 coal mining jobs. The carbon products could also result in product value of near $139 billion and 480,000 manufacturing jobs tied directly to carbon products." That's a lot of jobs, but the operative word here is could.

Will we? Not if Biden has his way.

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That would be a damn shame. Under the Biden plan, we would move technologically in reverse in our energy sources. America got rich by replacing windmills with coal plants, and now, 150 years later, Biden wants to replace coal with windmills.

That's a strategy for energy poverty and cold, dark nights. If you don't believe me, ask the Europeans who are back to using candles to light their homes during rolling power blackouts.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM STEPHEN MOORE

Stephen Moore is a senior fellow at the Heritage Foundation and an economist with FreedomWorks. His latest book is "Govzilla: How the Relentless Growth of Government is Devouring our Economy."
In todays world, which often seems lawless and relativistic, the difference between ethics and morals might seem like splitting hairs, especially since no one seems concerned with either of them.

Nonetheless, you can be the last bastion of upright conduct in a corrupt society, and a great writer by knowing the difference between them and using them correctly.

What is the Difference Between Ethics and Morals?

In this article, I will compare ethics vs. morals. I will use each of these words in at least one example sentence, so you can see them in context.

Plus, I will show you a useful memory tool that will help you decide whether you are actually talking about ethics or morals, or both.

When to Use Ethics

What does ethics mean? Ethics is a plural noun. It refers to rules concerning upright behavior. Many organizations publish guidelines or codes of conduct that outline their professional ethics.

Here are a few examples,

I wrote a paper on animal ethics, in which I argued that the slaughter of livestock for food on an industrial scale was indefensible.

Maria read her companys ethics guidelines and signed a contract signaling her agreement to abide by them for the length of her employment.

The CEOs ethics violations filled several pages, and he sank lower into his chair as they were read aloud before the board members.

It was an idea that raised ethical questions that continue to challenge the organ-transplantation system. The Wall Street Journal

H. G. Fowler famously wrote, Ethicsis the science of morals, and moralsare the practice of ethics.

In other words, the discipline of ethicsis where you go to study moral principles. Ethicsis where you gain knowledge about moral principles, about right and wrong.

Morals, themselves, are the practice of this knowledge.

When to Use Morals

What does morals mean? Morals is also a plural noun. Morals refer to principles of right and wrong behavior and the goodness or badness of human character.A persons morals are informed by the broader rules of ethics.

For instance, a persons moral belief that theft is wrong might stem from the ethical principle of respect for the private property of others.

Here are a few examples of morals in a sentence:

My morals prohibit me from murdering people I dont like, said Tim.

Children develop their own morals in tandem with a growing awareness of social norms and values as they enter adolescence.

Jims morals are in the toilet, complained Sandy.

Jessica is thrilled, but her mother, a devout Catholic with a prim disapproval of Tinseltowns loose morals, fears for her daughters soul. The Washington Post

Morals are the way that people exercise their ethics.

Trick to Remember the Difference

In practice, most people use morals and ethics interchangeably, so in everyday conversation, you dont really need to distinguish between these terms. Insisting on their careful use could even come across as pedantic.

For professional and academic writing, though, especially if you are writing a paper for a philosophy class, you will need to know the difference between morals and ethics. Morals are individual beliefs and values, and they are informed by the broad principles of ethics.

One easy way to remember moralsvs. ethicsis that morals apply to me, while ethics apply to everyone. A philosophy guru might take issue with these assertions, since those people take issue with almost everything, but at least this mnemonic will help you remember the difference between the words themselves.

Summary

Is it ethics or morals? Ethics and morals refer to attitudes about right and wrong.

Ethics are broad principles.



Morals reflect individual values and beliefs.

You can keep them straight by remembering that ethics apply to everyone, while morals apply to me.

Remember, you can check this site any time you have questions about confusing words or other difficult writing topics. If you get stuck choosing moralsor ethics, you can always refer back to this page.
B.A., Seattle Pacific University

Here is a Spanish version of Away in a Manger, a popular children's Christmas song. Don't understand the words? Give your Spanish a boost with the grammar and vocabulary guide that follows.

The song was originally written in English, and it isn't well known in Spanish-speaking countries. The author is unknown.

Jesus en pesebre

Jesus en pesebre, sin cuna, nacio;

Su tierna cabeza en heno durmio.

Los astros, brillando, prestaban su luz

al nino dormido, pequeno Jesus.

Los bueyes bramaron y el desperto,

mas Cristo fue bueno y nunca lloro.

Te amo, oh Cristo, y mirame, si,

aqui en mi cuna, pensando en ti.

Te pido, Jesus, que me guardes a mi,

amandome siempre, como te amo a ti.

A todos los ninos da tu bendicion,

y haznos mas dignos de tu gran mansion.

English Translation of Spanish Lyrics

Jesus in a manger, without a crib, was born;

His tender heard slept on the hay.

The sparkling stars shed their light

On the baby asleep, little Jesus.

The oxen bellowed and he awoke,

But Christ was good and never cried.

I love you, O Christ, and look at me, yes,

Here in my crib, thinking about you.

I ask you, Jesus, to keep watch over me,

Loving me always, as I love you.

Give your blessing to all the children,

And make us more worthy of your great mansion.

Vocabulary and Grammar Notes

Pesebre:As you can guess by the title of the song, this is the word for "manger," a type of box from which farm animals eat. Because of its use in connection with the Christmas story, pesebrecan also refer to a representation of the birth of Jesus, much like the English "creche" or French creche.

Nacio: Nacertranslates the phrase "to be born."

Sin:Sinis a common Spanish preposition meaning "without" and is the opposite of con.

Cuna:A crib or other small bed made specifically for a child or baby.

Tierna:This word is often translated as "tender" and is frequently used, as here, as an adjective of affection. By being placed before the noun it refers to, tiernahere helps convey an emotional meaning. Thus tiernacoming before a noun might indicate tenderness in the sense of being gentle, while after a noun it is more likely to refer to a physical quality.

Heno:Hay.

Astro: Estrellais more frequently used for "star" than is astro.

Brillando: This is the present participle of brillar, which can mean to glitter or sparkle. In standard Spanish, present participles function as adverbs, so brillandoshould be seen as an adverb modifying prestabanrather than as an adjective modifying astros.

Prestaban:The verb prestarmost often means "to loan" or "to lend." However, it is often used, as here, to refer to providing or giving.

Dormido:This is the past participle of dormir, meaning to sleep.

Buey:Ox.

Bramaron:Bramarrefers to the groaning sound of an animal.

Desperto:This is the third-person singular preterite (a past tense) of despertar, which means to awake.

Mas:Without the accent, mastypically means "but." The word isn't used much in everyday speech, where perois generally preferred. It should not be confused with mas, pronounced the same way, which usually means "more."

Si:Simost often means "yes." As can the English word, sican also be used as a way of affirming or emphasizing what has been said.

Oh:Ohhere is the equivalent of the English "oh" here, but it was a wider range of meanings in Spanish, where it can convey happiness, pain, joy, and other feelings. It is more common in writing than in speech.

Mirame:The verb mirarcan mean simply "to look." In this context, however, it also carries the meaning of "to watch over." Mirameis a combination of two words, mira(watch over) and me(me). In Spanish it is common to attach object pronouns to the end of certain verb formscommands, gerunds (see amandomebelow), and infinitives.

Pensando en:In Spanish, the phrase for "to think about" is pensar en.

Me guardes a mi:This is a redundancy. In everyday speech, me guardes(watch over me) would be sufficient. Although in speech the addition of the grammatically unnecessary a mimight be done for reasons of emphasis, here it is used to help provide the right number of syllables for the music.

Amandome:This is a combination of two words, amando(loving) and me(me).

Da:In this context, dais the imperative (command) form of dar(to give) used when speaking to a friend or family member.

A todos los ninos da tu bendicion: The standard word ordering would place "a todos los ninos" after the verb. Spanish is more flexible with word order than English, however, so this sort of sentence structure isn't unusual,

Haznos:Another combination of two words, haz(the imperative form of hacer, to make, used when speaking to a friend or family member), and nos(us).

Mansion:Usually a dwelling place, but sometimes specifically a mansion. In this context, tu gran mansionfiguratively refers to heaven.
State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi (right) meets with Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan,crypto exchange stocks 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.
The intentional homicide trial of Bogu Kailai and Zhang Xiaojun began Thursday in the Hefei City Intermediate Peoples Court in Anhui Province.

The Peoples Procuratorate of Hefei City, capital of east Chinas Anhui Province, filed the charges against the two in the Hefei City Intermediate Peoples Court on July 26.

Bogu Kailai and her son surnamed Bo had conflicts with Neil Heywood over economic interests. Worrying about Neil Heywoods threat to her sons personal security, Bogu Kailai decided to murder Heywood.

She asked Zhang Xiaojun, the other defendant and then an employee of the general office of the Chongqing Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), to invite Heywood to Chongqing Municipality in southwest China and to accompany him from Beijing. Heywood stayed in Room No. 1605 of the 16th building of a vacation resort, the Lucky Holiday Hotel, in Chongqing.

On Nov. 13, 2011, Bogu Kailai met Heywood in his hotel room for a drink. After Heywood was drunk, vomited and asked for water, she put the poison she had prepared, and which Zhang had brought along to the hotel room, into Heywoods mouth, which led to Heywoods death.

The prosecuting body said the facts of the two defendants poisoning the victim to death are clear and the evidence is substantial.

Their behavior has violated Article 232 of the Criminal Law of the Peoples Republic of China; therefore, the two defendants should be held criminally responsible for intentional homicide, according to the prosecuting body.

The case is a joint offense with Bogu Kailai as the principal and Zhang Xiaojun as the accessory, the prosecuting body said.

The Hefei City Intermediate Peoples Court accepted the case according to the decision designating jurisdiction made by the Supreme Peoples Court, and delivered a copy of the indictment in a timely way to the two defendants Bogu Kailai and Zhang Xiaojun, and also informed the two defendants and the close relatives of the victim of their litigation rights and obligations.

The court notified the lawyer to meet the defendants and gave the lawyer access to the entire case file, fully ensuring the litigation rights of Bogu Kailai, Zhang Xiaojun and the close relatives of the victim.

The Hefei City Intermediate Peoples Court began the public trial on Aug. 9, after following the legal procedure of issuing a notice before the trial and making a public announcement.

During the trial, procuratorial authorities presented relevant evidence, witnesses appeared in court to testify, and defense counsels entrusted by Bogu Kailai and Zhang Xiaojun to represent them pleaded on their behalf.

An attorney representing Neil Heywoods close relatives was present during the trial and made comments.

More than 140 people attended the trial. They included relatives and friends of Bogu Kailai, Zhang Xiaojun and Neil Heywood, diplomats from the British embassy and consulates in China, representatives from the media, deputies to Chinas legislature, members of Chinas political advisory body, as well as people from all walks of life.

After Thursdays court session, the court announced an adjournment and the judgment will be announced on a day to be decided.

According to the court, four other police officers, who were suspected of covering up Bogu Kailais illegal conduct during the investigation into Neil Heywoods death, were also charged by the Peoples Procuratorate of Hefei City with bending the law to achieve personal benefit.

The officers are Guo Weiguo, former deputy chief of Chongqings Public Security Bureau, Li Yang, former chief of the bureaus criminal section, Wang Pengfei, former chief of the bureaus technical detection team and also former chief of the Public Security Sub-bureau of Chongqings Yubei District, and Wang Zhi, former executive deputy chief of the Public Security Sub-bureau of the municipalitys Shapingba District.

The court will hold an open trial for the officers on Aug. 10.

Xinhua

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Swedens gambling regulator,epic hero nft game playzee casino Spelinspektionen, is set for a funding boost to ensure it meets Europe-wide commitments to counter match-fixing.

The government plans to increase Spelinspektionens budget over the next three years. It is to receive SEK10.8m ($970K) in increased funding in 2024. It will then receive SEK15.6m in 2025 and SEK18.6m in 2026.

The grant will ensure Sweden meets the requirements of the Macolin Convention of the Council of Europe regarding the manipulation of results in sports, the government said.

The increased budget will also assist the body in restricting illegal gambling, with plans unveiled to work more closely with the Finansinspektionen financial supervisory authority.
MAGA world loves Ron DeSantis: Marc Thiessen

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Juan Williams, Hogan Gidley and Marc Thiessen give their take on potential 2024 candidates on 'The Story.'

ORLANDO  Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida received a heros welcome on Tuesday night, as he addressed an audience of leading Republicans minutes before former President Donald Trump announced he was launching a 2024 White House bid.

DeSantis, who last week won a landside re-election victory for a second term steering Florida, garnered a standing ovation from the audience as he delivered a keynote conversation at the Republican Governors Associations winter meeting in Orlando, according to multiple sources in the room.

According to one source, DeSantis spotlighted his "impressive re-election campaign" and how he won Maimi-Dade County, connecting with Hispanic voters.

Another source told Fox News that governor received an "enthusiastic" response as he "recapped the Florida blueprint and the path to winning Hispanics, women, and independents."

FLORIDA'S GOVERNOR RESPONDS TO ATTACKS FROM TRUMP

Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida waves to the crowd during an election night watch party at the Convention Center in Tampa, Florida, on November 8, 2022. (GIORGIO VIERA/AFP via Getty Images)

And a third source added that the speech received a very warm reception from an audience that is energized about the possibilities of taking the DeSantis model and applying it to battleground states across the country.

Multiple sources said that the margins DeSantis was able to run up in his re-election victory last week and his efforts on issues like education and on battling "woke curriculum" received some of the strongest applause of the evening.

MEET THE POTENTIAL GOP CONTENDERS WHO MAY TAKE ON TRUMP IN 2024

While DeSantis delivered his keynote conversation minutes before Trump announced his 2024 campaign, he didnt mention the former president in his remarks. A source in the room said that Trump "was not even a topic of discussion" in the DeSantis address.

In this image from video, former President Donald Trump announces he is running for president for the third time as speaks at Mar-a-Lago on Tuesday, Nov. 15, 2022, in Palm Beach, Fla. (AP )

DeSantis, who at age 44 is 32 years younger than Trump, won his first election as governor thanks to a major assist from the then-president. But hes become a force of his own as hes built a political brand that stretches from coast to coast.

Floridas governor has seen his popularity soar among conservatives across the country the past two and a half years, courtesy of his forceful pushback against coronavirus pandemic restrictions and his aggressive actions as a culture wars warrior, as hes targeted the media and corporations.

HOW A TRUMP ANNOUNCEMENT WOULD IMMEDIATELY IMPACT THE 2024 RACE

While DeSantis for over a year has routinely discounted talk of a 2024 White House bid as he stayed laser focused on his gubernatorial re-election, he potentially dropped some hints last week during his Election Night victory speech.

Incumbent Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks to supporters at an election night party after winning his race for reelection in Tampa, Fla., Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022, as his wife Casey listens. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell))

"We have rewritten the political map," DeSantis declared. "While our country flounders due to failed leadership in Washington, Florida is on the right track."

And he took in the scene as a chant of "two more years! Two more years," broke out among supporters urging the governor to consider a national run in 2024.

As DeSantis seen his poll numbers in 2024 Republican presidential polls start to rival Trump, and his fundraising prowess match that of the former president, Trump in recent months has targeted the Florida governor. And Trump has turned up the volume on his attacks on DeSantis in the days just before and after the midterms, and debuted a new nickname for the governor: "Ron DeSanctimonius."

Until Tuesday, DeSantis had refused to take the bait, electing not to engage with Trumps taunts.

"One of the things I've learned in this job is when you're leading, when you're getting things done, you take incoming fire. That's just the nature of it," DeSantis said in response to a question about Trump at a Fort Walton Beach high school event. "I roll out of bed in the morning and I have corporate media outlets that have a spasm just because I'm getting up in the morning, and it's just constantly attacking."

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

"I think what you learn is all of that is just noise, and really what matters is are you leading, are you getting in front of issues, are you delivering results for people, and are you standing up for folks," he continued. "At the end of the day I would just tell people to go check out the scoreboard from last Tuesday night."

If DeSantis decides to launch a 2024 campaign, dont expect an announcement anytime soon. A source in the governors wider political orbit tells Fox News any announcement wouldnt happen until after Floridas legislative session ends in May.

Paul Steinhauser is a politics reporter based in New Hampshire.
A bill signed by Gov. Kathy Hochul will move most New York local elections to even years.

The change will affect certain offices, such as county legislature, town supervisor, town board and village seats. It will not cover other offices, including county clerk, county court judge, district attorney and sheriff that are subject to constitutional mandates.

Supporters say the new law will boost voter turnout in local elections, which typically have worse turnout compared to presidential and midterm election years.

"Every eligible New Yorker deserves the right to participate in the democratic process without unnecessary barriers," Hochul said. "By signing this legislation, we are taking a significant step towards expanding access to the ballot box and promoting a more inclusive democracy."

Hochul also endorsed amending the constitution to hold all elections in even years. The state Legislature would have to pass a proposed constitutional amendment and voters would need to approve the proposition.

Although Hochul's office shared statements of support from several legislators and interest groups, there is opposition to the law.

Stephen Acquario, executive director of the New York State Association of Counties, said local issues would be buried "at the back of exceedingly long ballots." Republican legislative leaders believe it's part of a Democratic plan to move local elections to years when they perform better at the polls.

Assembly Minority Leader Will Barclay thinks Hochul should've vetoed the bill.

"Despite Democrats' disingenuous claims about increasing turnout, the motivation behind this bill has nothing to do with voter engagement or bringing more people to the polls," Barclay, R-Pulaski, said.

Elections for higher offices, such as president, Congress and governor, are held in even years. Turnout tends to be higher in these election years. In 2020, a presidential election year, voter turnout was 64%. The next year, in 2021, voter turnout was 25% for local elections.

Good government groups praised Hochul for signing the bill. Betsy Gotbaum, executive director of Citizens Union, agreed with supporters of the legislation who say it will boost turnout.

"This legislation is only the first step in creating an election calendar that serves voters and encourages participation, and lawmakers have committed to passing more comprehensive legislation through a constitutional amendment that moves local elections to even years across the entire state, including municipal elections in New York City," Gotbaum said.

The law will take effect in January 2025. The first even-year election with local races on the ballot will be held in 2026.
M.A., History, University of Florida

B.A., History, University of Florida

The Louisiana Purchase was one of the largest land deals in history. In 1803, the United States paid approximately $15 million dollars to France for more than 800,000 square miles of land. This land deal was arguably the greatest achievement of Thomas Jefferson's presidency, but it also posed a major philosophical problem for Jefferson.

Thomas Jefferson, the Anti-Federalist

Thomas Jefferson was strongly anti-federalist. Although he participated in the writing of the Declaration of Independence, he did not author the Constitution. Instead, the Constitution was mainly written by Federalists such as James Madison. Jefferson spoke against a strong federal government and instead advocated states' rights. He feared tyranny of any kind and only recognized the need for a strong, central government in terms of foreign affairs. He was concerned that the Constitution did not address the liberties that were protected by the Bill of Rights and did not call for term limits for the president.

Jefferson's philosophy regarding the role of the central government is most clearly seen when investigating his disagreement with Alexander Hamilton over the creation of a national bank. Hamilton was a staunch supporter of a strong central government. A national bank was not expressly mentioned in the Constitution, but Hamilton thought that the elastic clause (U.S. Const. art. I,  8, cl. 18) gave the government the power to create such a body. Jefferson completely disagreed. He held that all powers given to the national government were enumerated or expressed. If they were not expressly mentioned in the Constitution, then they were reserved to the states.

Jefferson's Compromise

In completing the Louisiana Purchase, Jefferson had to put aside his principles because this type of transaction was not expressly mentioned in the Constitution. Had he waited for a constitutional amendment, however, the deal might have fallen through. With the support of the American people, Jefferson decided to go through with the purchase.

Jefferson needed to move quickly when he discovered that Spain had signed a secret treaty with France in 1801 ceding Louisiana to France. France suddenly posed a potential threat to America. The fear was that if America did not purchase New Orleans from France, it could lead to war.

The change of ownership from Spain to France resulted in the closure of the port's warehouses to Americans, and it was feared that France would move to cut off America's access to the port entirely. Jefferson sent envoys to France to try to secure the purchase of New Orleans. Instead, they returned with an agreement to buy the entire Louisiana Territory as Napoleon needed money for the impending war against England.

Importance of the Louisiana Purchase

With the purchase of this new territory, the land area of America nearly doubled. However, the exact southern and western boundaries were not defined in the purchase. America would have to work with Spain to negotiate the specific details of these boundaries.

When Meriwether Lewis and William Clark led a small expeditionary group called the Corps of Discovery into the territory, this was just the beginning of America's fascination with exploring the West. Whether or not America had a "Manifest Destiny" to span from "sea to sea" as was often the rallying cry of the early to mid-19th century, its desire to control this territory cannot be denied.

Sources
What Is Open Cover?best cpu mining coins 2021

Open cover is a type of marine insurance policy in which the insurer agrees to provide coverage for all cargo shipped during the policy period. Open cover insurance is most commonly purchased by companies that make frequent shipments, as the blanket coverage keeps them from having to purchase a new policy each time a shipment is made.

Key Takeaways

Open cover is insurance provided to companies engaged in the marine business.

An insurer provides insurance to all of the cargo shipped under an open cover marine policy.

The insurance policy for open cover can be either a renewable policy for each shipment or a permanent policy, covering many shipments.

Risks to cargo include sinking, piracy, damage from loading/unloading, and infestation.

A policyholder must disclose all pertinent information and fill out certificates with detailed information regarding each shipment.

Countries govern their waters, so marine insurance regulations are under the control of the governments where any losses may occur.

Understanding Open Cover

Open cover policies are commonly used in international trade, specifically by companies involved in high volume trade over long periods of time. There are many risks associated with marine shipping that would lead to a company wanting to purchase marine insurance. Some of these risks include damage to cargo from loading or unloading, infestation, sinking, piracy, weather issues, and other similar difficulties. Marine insurance is typically split between insurance for the ship, known as hull and machinery, and the cargo. Each would be required to have their own insurance policy.

If a company believes it will not be engaging in marine activity that often, it can opt to buy a renewable policy, where it can renew the policy after it expires if needed. This means that for every voyage it would renew the open cover policy. Most marine companies opt for a permanent policy for a specific time period if they expect to be making numerous voyages in that time frame.

The permanent policy covers all voyages under that time period without having to negotiate a contract for each shipment. It is a form of blanket coverage that only requires certain details to be notified before embarking on the voyage.

Since the insured is agreeing to purchase a longer-term contract, it may be able to realize lower premiums because the insurer does not have to spend time on administrative activities and the insurer benefits from having a guaranteed premium over a longer period of time. Premiums are typically paid upon declaration of a voyage, for example, weekly or monthly.

Individual countries manage insurance regulations for international shipping, rather than an international organization. Scandinavian countries and the U.K. are well-known marine insurance policy providers, and China is also growing as an underwriter country.

Facultative vs. Open Cover

Marine insurance is typically divided into two types: facultative and open cover. Facultative insurance gives the insurance company the option of covering cargo. However, the insured and the insurer must negotiate the terms for each shipment, including the type of coverage, cargo, and ship.

Open cover insurance differs in that the insurer is obligated to provide coverage, provided that the cargo falls within the boundaries outlined in the insurance policy document, and the shipment happens within the policy time period. This makes open cover insurance a form of treaty reinsurance.

Requirements for Open Cover

In some respects, an open cover insurance policy is considered a contract of utmost good faith, meaning that the insured must voluntarily reveal to the insurer all information pertinent to the accepted risks. Failure to do so could void an open cover policy. To aid in this disclosure requirement, the insurance company provides certificates to be filled out every time cargo is sent.

The value of the cargo, the proposed travel period, and the location are recorded in the certificate. The terms of an open cover policy will set a maximum value for the cargo to be covered within a defined time period. Once the maximum value is reached, a new agreement should be signed between both parties. Since countries govern their waters, marine insurance regulations are under the control of the governments where any losses may occur, not the insured company's regulations or their governments.
What Does OAPEC Mean?888 casino bonus money

The Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries (OAPEC) is an inter-governmental organization based in Kuwait. OAPEC fosters cooperation among its 11-member Arab oil-exporting nations.

Understanding OAPEC

OAPEC was established in 1968 by Kuwait, Libya, and Saudi Arabia. Its other members include Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Qatar, Syria, Tunisia, and the United Arab Emirates. Although they have several members in common, OAPEC is a separate and distinct entity from OPEC (the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries), the 13-nation cartel that plays a pivotal role in determining global petroleum prices.

OAPEC sponsors joint ventures for its member countries to promote the effective use of resources and the economic integration of Arab countries.

The History of OAPEC

Kuwait, Libya and Saudi Arabia signed an agreement in Beirut on January 9, 1968, establishing OAPEC, and agreeing that the organization would be located in the State of Kuwait. By 1982, the number of members had increased to 11. In 1986, Tunisia submitted a request for withdrawal and it was accepted by the Ministerial Council.

The Structure of OAPEC

OAPEC's structure is composed of the Ministerial Council, General Secretariat, and a Judicial Tribunal. The Ministerial Council is managed by a Council of Ministers, which is responsible for general policy, activities, and governance. The Council grants membership to applying countries and approves invitations to meetings that are extended to petroleum exporting countries.

The Council also adopts resolutions and advises on issues, approves the draft annual budgets of the General Secretariat and the Judicial Tribunal, validates the end-of-year accounts and appoints the Secretary-General and Assistant Secretaries.

The Executive Bureau supervises the organization in conjunction with the Ministerial Council. The Executive Bureau prepares the Councils agenda, amends the regulations applicable to the staff of the General Secretariat, reviews the organization's budget and comments on Council issues that are related to the Articles of Agreement. The Executive Bureau has one representative from each member country.

The General Secretariat manages the organizations activities according to the objectives outlined in the stated in the original OAPEC agreement and the directives of the Ministerial Council. The Secretary-General heads the Secretariat and is the organization's official spokesman and legal representative.

The Judicial Tribunal was established by a special Protocol signed on May 9, 1978, in Kuwait. The Protocol was added to the organizations Agreement and became effective on April 20, 1980. The first Judges of the Tribunal were elected on May 6, 1981. The protocol mandates that there must be an uneven number of judges of Arab citizenship (a minimum of seven and a maximum of eleven).

The Influence of OAPEC

According to Gulf News, although momentum is not at the pace it was 30 years ago, OAPEC has had a substantial positive influence on the Arab oil and gas industry since its inception. Arab energy and oil consumption has increased 15-fold and 10-fold, respectively, and oil reserves have increased to 710 billion barrels in 2016 from less than half that number in 1980.

In addition, gas reserves grew from 15 to 53 trillion cubic meters, and Arab petrochemicals production has now exceeded 150 million tons a year. Historically, it is worth noting that reserve data from OAPEC is influenced by the data provided by member nations, and the accuracy of that data varies.
M.A., English Literature, California State University - Sacramento

B.A., English, California State University - Sacramento

Protest Literature's subjects can vary greatly but can include poverty, unsafe working conditions, slavery, violence against women, and unsafe and unfair divisions between the wealthy and the poor. Here are five books that demonstrate the power of social protest literature.

The Cry for Justice: An Anthology of the Literature of Social Protest

Image provided by Barricade Books

by Upton Sinclair, Edward Sagarin (Editor), and Albert Teichner (Editor). Barricade Books.

Sinclair collected writings from 25 languages covering a period of more than 1,000 years. There are more than 600 essays, plays, letters, and other excerpts in this collection, separated into chapters with titles like "Toil," whose collective works describe labor injustices, "The Chasm," which includes Tennyson's The Lotus Eaters and A Tale of Two Citiesby Charles Dickens; "Revolt" which includes Ibsen's A Doll's Houseand "The Poet," which includes Walt Whitman'sDemocratic Vistas.

From the publisher: "Contained in this volume are many of the most stirring, thought-provoking and incisive writings on the struggle of humanity against social injustice ever written."

Walden

Image provided by Empire Books

by Henry David Thoreau. Houghton Mifflin Company.

Henry David Thoreau wrote "Walden" between 1845 and 1854, basing the text on his experiences living at Walden Pond in Concord, Massachusetts. The book was published in 1854 and has influenced many writers and activists around the world with its description of a simple life.

From the publisher: "Waldenby Henry David Thoreau is part personal declaration of independence, social experiment, voyage of spiritual discovery, satire, and manual for self-reliance."

Pamphlets of Protest: An Anthology of Early African American Protest Literature

Image provided by Routledge

by Richard Newman (Editor), Phillip Lapsansky (Editor), and Patrick Rael (Editor). Routledge.

The early African American colonists had few ways to voice their protests and protect their rights but managed to produce pamphlets to disseminate their ideas. These early protest writings had a significant influence on writers who followed, including Frederick Douglass.

From the publisher: "Between the Revolution and the Civil War, African American writing became a prominent feature of both Black protest culture and American public life. Although denied a political voice in national affairs, Black authors produced a wide range of literature."

Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass

Image provided by Dover Publications

by Frederick Douglass, William L. Andrews (Editor), William S. McFeely (Editor).

Frederick Douglass' struggle for freedom, devotion to the abolitionist cause, and lifetime battle for equality in America established him as perhaps the most important African American leader of the 19th century.

From the publisher: "Upon its publication in 1845, 'Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave, Written by Himself' became an immediate best-seller." Along with the text, find "Contexts" and "Criticism."

Margery Kempe's Dissenting Fictions

Image provided by Pennsylvania State University Press

by Lynn Staley. Pennsylvania State University Press.

Between 1436 and 1438, Margery Kempe. who claimed to have religious visions, dictated her autobiography to two scribes. (She apparently was illiterate.)

The book included her visions and religious experience and was known as "The Book of Margery Kempe." There is only one surviving manuscript, a 15th-century copy; the original is lost. Wynkyn de Word published some extracts in the 16th century and attributed them to an "anchoress."

From the publisher: "In situating Kempe in relation to contemporary texts and to contemporary issues, such as Lollardy, Lynn Staley provides a radically new way of looking at Kempe herself as an author who was fully aware of the types of constrictions she faced as a woman writer. As the study demonstrates, in Kempe we have the first major prose fiction writer of the Middle Ages."

Watch Now: Profile of Frederick Douglass
What Is the USA PATRIOT Act?blockchain for dummies

The Patriot Act, or USA PATRIOT Act, was passed shortly after the terrorist attacks in the United States that occurred on September 11, 2001, and gave law enforcement agencies broader powers to investigate, indict, and bring terrorists to justice. It also led to increased penalties for committing and supporting terrorist crimes.

An acronym for Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism, the USA PATRIOT Act lowered the threshold for law enforcement to obtain intelligence and information against suspected spies, terrorists, and other enemies of the United States.

Key Takeaways

The Patriot Act is a U.S. law granting law enforcement more powers to prevent terrorist attacks.

The act, USA PATRIOT, is an acronym for Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism.

The law requires the financial industry to report suspicious customer behaviors to prevent terrorism-related money laundering.

Proponents of the Patriot Act claim it provides necessary tools to law enforcement in combating terrorism.

Critics of the Patriot Act say the law infringes on constitutional rights of privacy.

History of the Patriot Act

The Patriot Act, the common reference for the USA PATRIOT Act, was passed by the U.S. Congress and signed into law by President George W. Bush on Oct. 26, 2001, following the September 11th terrorist attacks against the United States.

It enhanced previous legislation from April 1996, entitled the Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996, enacted during the Clinton administration following the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing.

The Patriot Act aimed to increase homeland security and expanded tools available to law enforcement and federal agents such as:

 Surveillance, wiretapping, and roving wiretaps to track and investigate terror-related crimes.

 Obtaining bank records and business financial records to prevent money laundering for terrorism financing.

 Improved intelligence sharing between government agencies.

 Tougher penalties for convicted terrorists and those who aid them.

 Allowing for delayed search warrants.

 Preventing aliens involved in terrorist activities to enter the United States.

Implications of the Patriot Act

Police officers, FBI agents, federal prosecutors, and intelligence officials are better able to share information and evidence on individuals and plots, thus enhancing their protection of communities.

Federal agents may use court orders to obtain business records from hardware stores or chemical plants to determine who may be buying materials to construct bombs. Bank records can be obtained to determine if an individual or entity is sending money to terrorists or suspect organizations.

National Security Letters

The Patriot Act widened the use of National Security Letters issued by the FBI which are issued without a judge's approval to obtain phone records, bank records, or computer records.

The Patriot Act impacts financial professionals and financial institutions with its Title III provision, entitled "International Money Laundering Abatement and Financial Anti-Terrorism Act of 2001, targeting parties suspected of terrorism, terrorist financing, and money laundering.

Banks must also investigate accounts owned by political figures suspected of past corruption and there are greater restrictions on the use of internal bank concentration accounts that fail to effectively maintain audit trails.

The Bank Secrecy Act of 1970 (BSA), The Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act, requires banks to record cash purchases of instruments that have daily aggregate values of $10,000 or more, an amount that triggers suspicion of tax evasion and other questionable practices and the Patriot Act makes concealing more than $10,000 on anyones physical person an offense punishable by up to five years in prison.



The Act expanded the definition of money laundering to include computer crimes, the bribing of elected officials, and the fraudulent handling of public funds. Money laundering now encompasses the exportation or importation of controlled munitions not approved by the U.S. Attorney General.



Advantages of the Patriot Act

The Patriot Act and its merit have been debated since its inception in 2001 and advocates claim the Act has made anti-terrorism efforts more streamlined, efficient, and effective.

According to the Department of Justice, the Patriot Act has incapacitated at least 3,000 operatives worldwide, broken terrorist cells in Buffalo, Detroit, Seattle, Portland, and Northern Virginia, designated 40 terrorist organizations, and frozen at least $136 million in suspected assets around the world.

Roving wiretaps allow tracking of international terrorists trained to avoid surveillance. The option to delay notifying terrorist suspects of a search warrant gives law enforcement time to identify the criminals associates and eliminate immediate community threats.

The Patriot Act facilitates information sharing and cooperation among government agencies so that they can better "connect the dots." With more unity through multiple communication channels, investigating officers can act quickly before a suspected attack is completed.

Increased wiretapping under the Patriot Act lets investigators listen to conversations that could potentially be threatening to the national security of a country, but groups like the American Civil Liberties Union have questioned the risk of abuse of wiretapping American citizens.

Disadvantages of the Patriot Act

Civil rights groups have claimed the Patriot Act violates Constitutional rights and allows the government to spy on individuals without due process and search their homes without consent.

The Act enhanced the use of national security letters, NSLs, an administrative subpoena issued by the United States government to gather information, like telephone records, or bank records, for national security purposes. However, the Patriot Act does not require information obtained by an NSL to be destroyed, even for an innocent citizen.

Critics argue that basic rights under the Fourth Amendment have been compromised by the Patriot Act as delayed warrants allow officials to enter homes or offices and conduct searches while the occupant is away.

The business, finance, and investment communities are affected by heightened documentation requirements and due diligence responsibilities for account holders who conduct international business.

Suspected terrorists have been imprisoned at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and other sites with delayed due process. In addition, following 9/11, many Muslims, South Asians, and Arabs, and their communities, were unfairly targeted and racially profiled due to the passage of the Patriot Act.

What Is the USA Freedom Act?

To help prevent the Patriot Act from infringing on the civil liberties of American citizens, President Barack Obama signed the USA Freedom Act into law on June 2, 2015, ending the bulk collection of phone records under Section 215 of the Patriot Act. It also required transparency between the United States Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court and the American people but allows the government to track suspected foreign terrorists for 72 hours after they enter the United States.

What Is a Sneak and Peek Search?

The Patriot Act allows federal law enforcement to delay giving notice and conduct secret searches of homes or offices as deemed necessary while the occupant of a home or business is away.

What Is the USA Patriot and Terrorism Reauthorization Act?

Many of the Patriot Acts requirements were set to expire in 2005 and despite continued civil liberties and privacy concerns, President George W. Bush signed the USA Patriot and Terrorism Reauthorization Act on March 9, 2006, continuing the use of the provisions already in place.



The Bottom Line

The USA PATRIOT Act, commonly known as the Patriot Act, was signed into law by President George W. Bush on Oct. 26, 2001, following the September 11 terrorist attacks. It enhanced the abilities of law enforcement regarding surveillance, money laundering for terrorism financing, and improved intelligence sharing between government agencies.


What Is the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA)?nft slot machine wild society slot

The National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA) is a trade organization for insurance professionals and financial advisors, based in Virginia near Washington, D.C. It is one of the largest trade groups in the financial industry. NAIFA works on behalf of its members to promote a favorable regulative environment, provide professional education services, and ensure ethical professional conduct for insurance and financial advisors.

NAIFA represents insurance professionals in all 50 states and has at least one local chapter in every state, as well as the District of Columbia. Its main offices are based in Falls Church, Virginia. The organization provides its members with sales training, networking facilities, and other tools to help them succeed and build their practices. In addition, the organization also lobbies on Capitol Hill to promote favorable legislation for the insurance and financial advisory industry.

Key Takeaways

The National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA) is a trade organization for insurance professionals and financial advisors.

NAIFA works on behalf of its members to promote a favorable regulative environment, provide professional education services, and ensure ethical professional conduct for insurance and financial advisors.

NAIFA represents insurance professionals in all 50 states and has at least one local chapter in every state, as well as the District of Columbia. Its main offices are based in Falls Church, Virginia.

The organization provides its members with sales training, networking facilities, and other tools to help them succeed and build their practices.

In addition, the organization also lobbies on Capitol Hill to promote favorable legislation for the insurance and financial advisory industry.

Understanding the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA)

NAIFA was originally founded in 1890 as the National Association of Life Underwriters (NALU). NAIFA has many endorsements from large insurance and financial corporations, who encourage their employees to join a local NAIFA chapter. Some leading companies support NAIFA membership by contributing towards dues payments and facilitating payments for their employees.

One of the goals of NAIFA is to promote life insurance and other risk mitigation practices as the core of a solid financial plan. Above all, NAIFA exists to ensure professional and ethical conduct among all insurance representatives and financial advisors. The organization's vision plan is to "protect and promote the critical role of insurance in a sound financial plan and the essential role provided by our professional agents and advisors."

The organization calls itself the top association for producers in financial services. Members of NAIFA provide life insurance and annuities, health insurance and employee benefits, multiline insurance products, and financial advice to their clients. Insurance agents, financial advisors, multiline agents, and health insurance and employee benefits specialists are all members of NAIFA.

NAIFA offers educational offerings for its members, including professional development and continuing education programs. The organization also offers more than 50 professional programs and products that are intended to enhance skills and provide value-added business services for professionals. This programming is intended to help ensure that all insurance agents, groups, and financial advisors adhere to a framework of principles, rules, and regulations that ensure customers are given the very best services.

Requirements for Membership

NAIFA has a Code of Ethics, which all members must abide by:

Help maintain my clients confidence and protect their right to privacy.

Work diligently to satisfy the needs of my client by acting in their best interest.

Present, accurately and honestly, all facts essential to my clients financial decisions.

Render timely and proper service to my clients and ultimately their beneficiaries.

Continually enhance professionalism by developing my skills and increasing my knowledge through education.

Obey the letter and spirit of all laws and regulations which govern my profession.

Conduct all business dealings in a manner that would reflect favorably on NAIFA and my profession.

Cooperate with others whose services best promote the interests of my clients.

Protect the financial interests of my clients, their financial products, and my profession, through political advocacy.

NAIFA is a federation of 700 state and local associations.

Benefits of NAIFA

NAIFA is the insurance industry's leading lobby in Washington, D.C. and in state legislatures, committed to protecting the careers of its members, as well as their clients' interests, from unfavorable legislation and regulation. It also runs IFAPAC, one of the largest political action committees (PACs) in the financial services industry.

NAIFA membership also comes with networking opportunities and access to the latest industry ideas and top practitioners, NAIFA members receive a free subscription toAdvisor Today, the official publication of NAIFA and a resource for sales ideas and industry news for insurance and financial advisors.

In addition, NAIFA hosts a number of centers that can be resources for members. These include:

The Advanced Practice Center: Provides thought leadership in advanced markets topics and concepts

Provides thought leadership in advanced markets topics and concepts The Advocacy Action Center: Provides tools to contact state and federal legislators on a variety of issues, as well as information to learn more about the bills in the House and Senate that NAIFA Government Relations is monitoring.

Provides tools to contact state and federal legislators on a variety of issues, as well as information to learn more about the bills in the House and Senate that NAIFA Government Relations is monitoring. The Business Performance Center: Provides articles, webinars, sessions, and more that help financial entrepreneurs to grow their practice.

Provides articles, webinars, sessions, and more that help financial entrepreneurs to grow their practice. Limited & Extended Care Planning Center: Empowers professionals to network with solution and service providers to share best practices, directly access subject matter experts, research, training, and resources.

Empowers professionals to network with solution and service providers to share best practices, directly access subject matter experts, research, training, and resources. Talent Development Center: Offers materials that can be used to grow the next generation of financial professionals and ensure that advisors reflect the diversity and inclusivity of their clientele.

Offers materials that can be used to grow the next generation of financial professionals and ensure that advisors reflect the diversity and inclusivity of their clientele. The Learning Center: Access to online and in-person exam prep, continuing education, and professional development courses.

What Does NAIFA Do?

The mission of the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors is to advocate for a positive legislative and regulatory environment, enhance business and professional skills, and promote the ethical conduct of our members. It achieves this by lobbying the government, advocating for its members, and providing members with various benefits and resources.

How Many Members Does NAIFA Have?

NAIFA has more than 50,000 members.

How Much Does NAIFA Membership Cost?

Membership in NAIFA is $565 annually, which includes local, state, and national dues.
For a scholar focusing on Australia's public diplomacy,closest casino to melbourne florida working as a recreational manager in China may never be part of his career path. But Bradley McConachie does have lots to say now about his special experience at a resort in the picturesque tropical coastal city of Sanya in South China's Hainan province.

The 33-year-old Australian is actually a student in international relations completing his PhD through Griffith University. He came to Beijing for a cooperative research at Peking University less than two years ago. Such an academic life was just added color with a chance offered by the cultural exchanges project, "I'm in China".

Bradley was lucky to win the most "likes" for his photo story about his life in China and became one of 20 winners to visit locations after a global recruitment by the project this summer. All the winners' experiences were filmed to produce a reality show, My Chinese Working Day, which will be broadcast by mid-September.

"What I liked most about the experience was it was something completely different that you would never be able to do as a regular tourist," Bradley said in an exclusive interview with chinadaily.com.cn.

Bradley was chosen to work as a recreational manager for a Chinese wedding.

The film crew took them to many "amazing sites" and the staff at the resort taught them a lot about how to "incorporate modern Chinese traits while still keeping traditional customs", Bradley said.

"I would have to say two things stick out as the most memorable: the helicopter ride and talking with the staff at the hotel about how they organize weddings here in China," he said.

That was Bradley's first time to be in a helicopter, and he was too absorbed with the "stunning" view of the beautiful coastline.

"I think it is so important to show other Australians the different landscapes China has to offer. I think so many Australians, when they think about China, imagine the historical sites of Beijing and the exciting things to see in Shanghai but have no idea about other beautiful places, like Sanya or the many other places people have been taken to in this TV series," Bradley said.

As to the Chinese wedding, the ceremony was quite familiar to Bradley, which he said was "very much like any wedding he had been to back in Australia". But it was still "interesting to see how Chinese couples balance the desires of a modern wedding while keeping Chinese traditions", after decorating the wedding suite.

"It was nice to experience these little touches and understand what makes a wedding day so special for a Chinese couple. I was happy to be a part of that experience!" Bradley said.

"I'm in China" is a project sponsored by China Intercontinental Communication Centre and other institutions under the guidance of China's State Council Information Office. It invites foreign natives worldwide to experience unique jobs and participate in activities that one can find nowhere else except in China.

Shooting My Chinese Working Dayis part of the project. An online contest to select who gets to be the front-line cultural ambassadors, kicked off on July 31. More than 10,000 photos and articles were submitted from around the globe by over 6,00 applicants, which has earned tremendous web views, likes and shares.

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Thedouble wild cherry slot machine China Earthquake Administration on Thursday published details on its expenditures in 2011, marking the beginning of a new round of such disclosures for central government departments.

It spent nearly 6.4 million yuan (1.01 million U.S. dollars) on overseas travel, 35.6 million yuan on vehicles and 14 million yuan on official receptions, according to figures published on the administrations official website.

Combined spending on overseas travels, vehicles and receptions was 56 million yuan, less than the 57.7 million yuan budgeted for the expenses.

The administration discarded 23 vehicles last year and bought 12 new ones at a cost of 2.95 million yuan. The administrations 47 departments kept a total of 1,082 public vehicles, with operating costs totaling 32.68 million yuan.

The administration also paid for 425 overseas trips last year.

Central government departments are scheduled to publish their expenditures for 2011 starting from July 19, said a senior official with the Ministry of Finance.

Government expenditures on overseas travel, vehicles and official receptions have been in the public eye in recent years, as many people believe that government departments spend too frivolously on these items.

More than 90 central government departments publicized their 2010 and 2011 spending on overseas travel, receptions and vehicles after an order issued following an executive meeting of the State Council in May last year.

Xinhua

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An elderly lady hid her face behind a cattail leaf fan, her hands trembling upon hearing her sons death.

While the Chinese public released a collective sigh of relief upon the death of the alleged serial killer, an online report has directed attentions on the plight of the suspects family after media harassment.

Zhou Kehua, suspected of robbing and fatally shooting nine people during robberies in China, was gunned down by police in the southwestern municipality of Chongqing, on Tuesday morning.

A manhunt began last Friday after local police published Zhous identity, and reporters swarmed into the Ertang Village in Chongqing for the story about the most cold-blooded bank killer in decades.

But controversy has not been far away after an online post said a journalist from a Shaanxi-based newspaper cornered Zhous mother and asked questions such as whether Zhou sent his money home.

A photograph attached to the report showed the mother hide her face behind a cattail leaf fan. The reporter informed her of Zhous death and observed she was dumbfounded for 20 seconds and her hand holding the fan trembled, the report said.

After being posted on Sina Weibo, a popular microblogging site, the report has met a tidal wave of negative responses, with many bloggers criticizing the relentless and inhumane journalism.

A heinous criminal is still a loved son of his mother. Please stop torturing the old woman, Xing Hainiao, a Beijing publisher, said in a post.

Some netizens also suspected reporters were prepared to hit the mother with the news in order to capture her instant reactions.

The disputed report came after Zhou was shot dead by police in the citys Shapingba District on Tuesday morning. Zhou was said to have started the shootout after discovering he was followed by plain-clothes officers.

Chongqing police earlier launched a huge manhunt on Zhou, whose bounty reached 5.4 million yuan (850,394 U.S. dollars), saying he was highly dangerous and targeting people withdrawing money from banks.

Police said Zhou had been suspected of killing nine people in several Chinese cities since 2004, most recently a Chongqing police officer who was trying to stop and question Zhou last Friday.

After Zhous death, the cyberspace was flooded with gory pictures showing him lying in a pool of blood along with stories of how a smart rural kid who liked reading detective stories ended up a serial killer.

Liu Xiaocheng, who teaches journalism at Lanzhou University, said the flurry of reports based on interviews from his family could be justified as they could prompt the society to discuss the cause of the tragedy.

But Liu said the practices like the sensational handling of Zhous mother and photograph showing her hiding her face should be avoided as they violated the basic morals and principles in journalism.

The media should reflect on the appropriateness of their reports  whether they were made excessively sensational and lurid, while neglecting the discussions on the social causes behind Zhous case, Liu said.

Xinhua

Media mercy called for serial killers familyadded by chinatimesonline on

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Queen Elizabeth II,sports book spread axie coin chart Britains longest serving monarch, celebrates her 70-year anniversary on the throne this year. Starting Thursday, people across the U.K. will participate in national festivities stretching over two public holidays and a weekend to commemorate the Platinum Jubilee.

The U.K., and indeed much of the rest of the world, has changed dramatically since Elizabeth took the throne in 1952: she has presided over a dozen Prime Ministers, more than 50 Commonwealth nations, and witnessed former British colonies gain independence. But a constant throughout her 70-year rule has been her enduring popularity among the British people and the ritualistic celebration of her Jubilee anniversaries.

From the grand ceremonies hosted by the royal family, to the community street parties taking place across the nation, Jubilee celebrations are a quintessentially British affair. But this years Platinum eventto mark the Queens 70 years on the throneis not just a one-off, but part of a long history of royal anniversary celebrations.

Here, the history of the Royal Jubilee and how its celebrated in the U.K.:

History of the Royal Jubilee

A Royal Jubilee celebrates a significant milestone in a monarchs reign, and each one is named after the period of time which has passed: a Silver Jubilee marks 25 years, Ruby is 40, Golden is 50, Diamond is 60, and Platinum is 70. It was once rare for monarchs to live long enough on the throne to reach these milestones, but recent rulers have broken this trend. As a result, Jubilee celebrations have grown more and more spectacular, particularly with Elizabeththe first British monarch to reach the Platinum milestone.

It wasnt until Queen Victorias 50th anniversary on the throne that the anniversary was celebrated on the same scale that it is today. Victoriathe longest reigning monarch until she was eclipsed by Elizabeth II in 2015hosted lavish festivities on her Golden and Diamond Jubilees in 1887 and 1897 respectively. These included parades through London, royal banquets with visiting foreign monarchs and dignitaries, and firework displays.

Queen Victoria's carriage passing through Parliament Square, London, during her Golden Jubilee procession, June 22 1887. Hulton ArchiveGetty Images

The British public were invited to join in with the celebrations and commemorate their monarch. No one ever, I believe, has met with such an ovation as was given to me, passing through those 6 miles of streets, Victoria wrote in her journal in June 1897. The cheering was quite deafening & every face seemed to be filled with real joy. I was much moved and gratified.

Queen Elizabeths reign

Elizabeths first ever Jubilee experience wasnt her ownit was the 25th anniversary of her grandfather George Vs reign in 1935. The day was declared a public holiday, and the country celebrated with street parties, pageants, and fairs. The royal family, including 9-year-old Elizabeth, waved at cheering crowds from the Buckingham Palace balcony. According to the charity Royal Historic Palaces, every child born on Jubilee Day that year was gifted a Silver Jubilee commemorative mug.

By the time Elizabeth celebrated her own Silver Jubilee as Queen in 1977, the celebrations had grown even grander. Along with her husband, Prince Phillip, the Queen traveled 56,000 miles on a Jubilee tour including Australia, New Zealand, the Pacific Islands before returning to journey through England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. According to The Daily Telegraph, an estimated 500 million people tuned in to watch the Jubilee Day procession on television. Around 1 million people lined the streets to watch the Queen and Phillip ride in a golden carriage through London.

Queen Elizabeth II on a walkabout in Portsmouth, England, during her Silver Jubilee tour of the United Kingdom in 1977. Ron BellPA Images/Getty Images

For Elizabeths Golden Jubilee in 2002, she again embarked on an ambitious tour of the U.K. and the Commonwealth. The royals held a concert at Buckingham Palace and a firework display to mark the occasion.

The Diamond Jubilee in summer 2012 was particularly memorable for the nation as it coincided with the London Olympics. Celebrations included a flotilla of 1,000 boats along the Thames river led by the Queens Royal Barge, and a ceremonial gun salute fired at the Tower of London. At least 8.5 million Brits attended a street party for the occasion.

Read More: Heres Why Queen Elizabeth II Has Two Birthdays

Street party celebrations

Although the public shared in the revelry of Jubilees, it wasnt until the 20th century that local communities began to build their own traditions around the celebration.

A common feature of a modern British Jubilee is a street partya family-friendly afternoon tea party held outside neighbors front doors. Streets are decorated with bunting in the red, white, and blue of the British flag, and furniture is pushed together to create a long table for a shared meal. The food is typical of a quintessential British afternoon tea: sandwiches, cake, and of course, English breakfast tea.

Brits are truly dedicated to the street party tradition. Even during lockdown restrictions due to COVID-19, neighbors held socially-distanced street parties to encourage community spirit. But despite its popularity, many people are unaware of the origins of the uniquely British festivity.

Mass street parties in the U.K. began in 1919 after the end of World War I. Known as Peace Teas, they were a special treat for children, many of whom had lost parents and relatives during the war and the 1918 flu pandemic. Ever since, Brits have revived the tradition for major celebrations, including Royal Jubilees, royal weddings and national milestones. Now, street parties are so common that communities must apply for official approval from local government authorities well in advance of the event.

A historic Platinum Jubilee

This weeks Jubilee celebrations will be the first of their kind. Although it is expected that the Queen will scale back her in-person appearances due to recent health and mobility issues, she is scheduled to greet the nation from the Buckingham Palace balconyas she did aged 9 at her grandfathers Silver Jubilee. Other events include a parade of more than 1,400 soldiers, 200 horses, and 400 musicians on the second Saturday in June, a music and arts pageant through London, and a Palace concert.

Although Elizabeth herself is immensely popular, not everyone will be celebrating her enduring reignanti-monarchy campaign group Republic have erected dozens of billboards in British cities which read Make Elizabeth the last. A recent YouGov poll shows that 2 in 5 young people support the abolition of the monarchy, a marked shift from previous generations who are overwhelmingly in favor of the institution. Some on social media have pointed to the hypocrisy of hosting a lavish national celebration during the worst cost-of-living crisis the U.K. has seen in recent decades.

Read More: As Queen Elizabeth II Marks Her Platinum Jubilee, Who Is the Longest Reigning Monarch?

But whether or not revelers support the idea of the monarchy, the four-day weekend is sure to provide some much needed down-time after two years of pandemic-induced anxiety. Across the U.K. more than 16,000 street parties will be held over the Jubilee weekend, bringing neighbors and communities together for a summer celebration.
There is a special threesome here in Auburn that mirrors the Borromean rings strength in unity philosophy. Interlocked always, they exist better together than alone!

This Auburn High School dream team is better known as Victoria Kinney (orchestra), Stephen Gamba (chorus) and Erin Coughlin (band). They execute, in perfect harmony, the Auburn High School music department. They are a treasure!

Last spring, I took my granddaughter (Zoe Hitchcock) to see the Electrify Your Symphony concert at Auburn High School; like her father, she is drawn to music. I was in awe, feeling the magnetism that permeated the beautiful school auditorium from the rock-star performances of the students (chorus, band and orchestra all together) as they performed to a sold-out crowd. I witnessed my granddaughter experience a heightened synergy between the performers and the audience! It was a night of wonder and magic, an experience that has long lived in my heart. My limited extent of musical talent lies primarily in singing to sleepy babies, in the shower or blended within the voices of many churchgoers. This concert really got under my skin and into my heart and honestly, I wanted to know more.

Did you know that for the last nine years, the Auburn Enlarged City School District has received the prestigious Best Communities for Music Education Award from the National Association of Music Merchants Foundation? (This should be on a city billboard!) The award program recognizes outstanding efforts by teachers, administrators, parents, students and community leaders who have made a commitment to music education. Incredible  another example of Auburn talent and Auburn pride! Kinney, Gamba and Coughlin would quickly state that they stand alongside the outstanding music teachers from the elementary and middle schools. In fourth grade, many students begin a more intimate relationship with music; the weekly special blooms to instrument, lessons and performances. Young hearts are fueled, and they eventually feed into the outstanding Auburn High School orchestra, chorus and band.

Ms. Victoria Kinney (orchestra, music theory and piano) is in her 21st year of teaching at AHS. She was born in Russia, where she studied music (harp) and dance (ballet). The Russian education system guides talented young artists to specialize and work year-round, so she chose to concentrate on music. Time passed, and Victoria and her son moved to the United States in 2001, and finally to Auburn. She was guided under the mentorship of Mr. Edward Meier, beloved AHS music teacher (now retired). While unsure of the high school music pathway of study, Kinney felt "lucky for his guidance, helpfulness and patience."

From Russia, with music AUBURN - There may be more than 4,000 miles separating Auburn from Omsk, Russia, but the weather is strangely familiar to western Siberia nati

We had such a fun chat; I can only imagine how students connect with this lovely and vibrant teacher. Victoria holds firm to the belief that everyone is welcome in the music program at Auburn High School. She fosters an inclusive and comfortable atmosphere. Two stories illustrate her style. Kinney was approached by a parent who had homeschooled her children. One child was desperate to participate in an orchestra experience and together the parents, teachers and this hard-working student supported this journey. It was a great success. Again, recently AHS had two exchange students from the Ukraine. With no musical experience, both students decided they wanted to play piano. They were welcomed, and Victoria stated how wonderful it was to witness fellow students assisting the exchange students as they gained confidence learning to play piano. Victorias hope for the music program is to continue to foster a nurturing environment where all students can sing, dance and play music.

Mrs. Erin Coughlin is a young and talented go-getter teacher! She has been working with Auburn students since 2018 in jazz band, symphonic band, wind ensemble and the Maroon Vanguard marching band, and serves as the advisor for the Tri-M Music Honor Society. She shines with happiness: "Almost every day I think about this  how did I get here? From an early age, Erin was exposed to music. Her mother was a music teacher in Weedsport, and as young Erin navigated the Auburn school system she was always connected to music  especially at Auburn High School. Erin became serious about music education while attending SUNY Potsdam. Ms. Kinney, once Erins teacher, is now a colleague, mentor and friend.

Erin brings a subtle sensitivity to her teaching, knowing that for many students, the middle and high school years can be difficult. She told me she strives for a comfortable and safe place for students to simply be. She trusts and empowers her students to make "good life choices each and every day. With a gentle laugh she shared, on bad days, students often elect to eat lunch in her office. If its a good day, "no students are spending lunch period with me. Erins hope for the future is to build back the program to the size it was prior to COVID-19. She hopes for an invested group of students that is challenged to take on new experiences.

Mr. Stephen Gamba (chorus, musicals) was born and raised in Auburn, and once a child at Genesee Elementary School, West Middle School and Auburn High School. Chorus and musicals were a significant part of his education and extracurricular life in Auburn, Cayuga Community College, SUNY Fredonia (Bachelor of Music in music education) and Kennesaw State University (Master of Education in administration) where he cultivated his passion for music and theater. After college he taught in central New York, and then spent 13 years teaching in Georgia. He then returned home.

Steve has served as a music teacher at AHS since 2018, teaching chorus (mixed, concert and select) ensembles and also directing the spring musical. He inspires students to not be afraid to be who they are! Steve, acclaimed performer, choreographer, music director and conductor, shows up each day at AHS with the goal of inspiring students with music and perhaps some words of wisdom, the education of life! He has three specific requests from his students: "Follow instructions, give it a good try and be nice!" Under those conditions, music is made  joyfully. I witnessed his instinctive, respectful and natural rapport with students during my brief office visit. The hallway hellos, bubble gum stops and a bulletin board filled with student notes of thanks speaks volumes.

How Cayuga County school musicals are dancing around COVID-19 The cast of "Newsies" at Weedsport Jr.-Sr. High School was half an hour away from taking the stage for its final performance last March. Then 

Steve was featured in a Voices of Cayuga County video history project sponsored by the Seymour Library, where he reflected on Auburn. He reminds students that that there are other places and other viewpoints, and he encourages students to travel beyond the radius of Auburn, meet other people and not be afraid to return home ready to give back. Those life lesson help develop a person: The Finger Lakes areas is so rich in history and has a vibrant art scene. And yet, there are times when life can be tough, and COVID landed a blanket of sadness on so many. Steve sets an example for his students to face reality and build up momentum in life, even if you have to start from scratch. This creative talent, which operates on "busy" mode, also has a recipe for smiles when life seems down: Just put on a musical! Steve expressed great pride in the fact that 24 seniors will be graduating, a significant climb in chorus numbers. Get ready for the AHS spring 2024 musical, Rock of Ages!

Allison Fennessy, English instructor at AHS, is also the president of the Auburn Music Boosters. In a recent conversation, she shared insight into the mission of the group and what it means to the district music program. This group of unsung heroes does just that  boosts a program with additional funds and opportunities that might not be possible otherwise. It was this group that assisted with coordinating the Electrify Your Symphony clinic and performance. They serve as advocates for students, instructors and the program. Two AHS students, cellist Molly Behme and vocalist Chelsey Lawson, were recently sent to the Mark Wood Rock Orchestra Camp at MidAmerica Nazarene University in Kansas City. (What an opportunity!) It was also the Auburn Music Boosters that provided opportunities for kids this past summer to participate in a program that provided instruments and music lessons! In a recent conversation with Allison, she paused and quietly stated, I am proud of my work with the Auburn Music Boosters.

Throughout the school year there are musical events scheduled at all the elementary, middle and high schools. You dont need to have a child or grandchild in the performance to attend. Mark your calendars for Jan. 27 to experience Al Chez and the Brothers of Funk Big Band, featuring the AHS Jazz Band. Tickets will be available soon. Check them out and marvel at the musical talent in Auburn!

Three cheers to the Auburn Music Boosters and Victoria Kinney, Stephen Gamba and Erin Coughlin of the music department at Auburn High School!
What Is the UCLA Anderson School of Management?splitting 10s in blackjack

UCLA Anderson School of Management is the graduate business school of the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA). Founded in 1935 and located in Los Angeles, California, it is considered one of the most prestigious business schools in the United States.

The UCLA Anderson School of Management is known for its Master of Business Administration (MBA) program, which emphasizes early specialization and the generation of hands-on experience. It is commonly ranked among the 20 best MBA programs in the United States by leading publications such as Businessweek, U.S. News, and the Financial Times.

For 2022, the UCLA Anderson School of Managements full-time MBA program was rated as the 18th-best program in the United States by U.S. News, while its part-time program was placed as the 5th-best program.

Key Takeaways

UCLA Anderson School of Management is a business school located at the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA).

The MBA program at UCLA Anderson School of Management is known for its emphasis on early specialization and offers a variety of degrees, such as full-time and part-time MBAs, Ph.D. master of financial engineering, and an executive MBA.

For 2022, the full-time MBA program was ranked 18th and its part-time program ranked fifth.

In recent years, graduates of UCLA Anderson School of Managements MBA program have pursued careers primarily in the technology, management consulting, and financial sectors.

At the time of graduation, 67% of full-time students are employed.



Understanding the UCLA Anderson School of Management

Previously known as the UCLA School of Business Administration, the UCLA Anderson School of Management received its current name in 1987, following a $15 million gift by the businessman and philanthropist, John E. Anderson. The 2023 full-time MBA class has 360 students from over 3,000 applications received.

The UCLA Anderson School of Managements faculty includes experts in a wide variety of fields, including financial subjects such as accounting, angel investing, debt, and derivatives; operational subjects such as supply chain management, organizational behavior, and project management; and societal subjects such as political risk, organizational diversity, and monetary policy.

The Anderson School of Management partners with the National University of Singapore and Universidad Adolfo Ibanez for the Global Executive MBA.

For students interested in delving into particular specializations, the school operates a network of dedicated research centers, such as the Laurence & Lori Fink Center for Finance & Investments, the Morrison Center for Marketing & Data Analytics, and the Ziman Center for Real Estate, among others.

The UCLA Anderson School of Management offers a range of MBA and postgraduate programs. In addition to their full-time MBA program that students complete over the course of two years, they also offer a three-year Fully Employed MBA program and an expedited "Executive MBA" program that students can complete in two years. Other programs, such as the 15-month "Global Executive MBA" program, provide additional flexibility.

UCLA Anderson Tuition and Fees

The annual tuition for both in-state and out-of-state students for the full-time program is $65,049 per year. For the part-time program, the tuition fee is $1,607 per credit for both in-state and out-of-state students. For the executive MBA, for both in-state and out-of-state students, the tuition cost is $83,996. At the time of graduation, 67% of the full-time students are employed.

Graduates of UCLA Anderson School of Management

The graduates of the UCLA Anderson School of Management saw an average starting salary of $109,139 without a bonus in 2020; the most recent year for which the school made data available. The average first-year total compensation with bonus is $112,728.

Graduating students have found employment principally in the technology, consulting, and financial services sectors, being hired by such companies as Amazon, Wells Fargo, and Citi.

Does UCLA Have a Good Business School?

Yes, UCLA does have a good business school, which is the Anderson School of Management. It is a consistently high-ranked school, and for 2022 it was ranked number 18 by U.S. News and World Report for its full-time program and number five for its part-time program.

Does UCLA Have an Online MBA Program?

UCLA's Anderson School of Management offers a hybrid MBA program, which is both in-class and online. Though classes are offered online, there is an in-person requirement, which is four campus visits per quarter, which comes out to one weekend every three weeks.

What GMAT Score Do You Need to Get Into UCLA Anderson?

The average GMAT score for the UCLA Anderson's School of Management's Class of 2023 was 714. The middle 80% GMAT range was 670-750.
AMSTERDAM  A Dutch court on Thursday convicted three men with ties to the Russian security services and sentenced them to life in prison over the downing of a passenger jet above eastern Ukraine in July 2014,poker draftkings nic pokies casino during a Moscow-backed separatist uprising that foreshadowed Russias full-scale invasion of the country.

The court found that an antiaircraft missile system provided to separatist forces by the Russian military brought down Malaysia Airlines Flight 17, commonly known as MH17, on its way from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, killing all 298 people aboard.

The crash was by far the biggest loss of civilian life in the conflict up to that time, eliciting global outrage. Some of the victims families have suggested that the Wests failure to punish Moscow back then is in part responsible for the invasion of Ukraine and the Russian war crimes that have become a part of everyday life in the country today.

Ive always said that our family members were the first non-Ukrainian people that were the victims of a war that started eight years ago, said Piet Ploeg, the chairman of the MH17 Flight Disaster Foundation, representing most family members of the crash victims.

And the fact that the convictions came only after eight years of painstaking investigation and judicial proceedings marked by Moscows stonewalling highlights the formidable challenges that prosecutors will face again as they try to hold more recent Russian war criminals accountable.

Thursdays verdict offered a bare measure of justice for the victims relatives, as the three men convicted are believed to be living in Russia or Russian-controlled territory in Ukraine, where they are unlikely to be apprehended.

But the judges did clearly highlight the Kremlins role in the crash  it armed separatists in eastern Ukraine and instigated their uprising  and emphasized Russias responsibility for the tragedy against the backdrop of the current war.

The judges found two Russians  Igor Girkin, a former colonel in Russias Federal Security Service, and Sergei Dubinsky, a former Russian military intelligence officer  guilty of murder and downing a plane. A Ukrainian citizen, Leonid Kharchenko, who led a Russian-backed separatist military unit, was convicted on the same charges.

A fourth defendant, Oleg Pulatov, also a former Russian military intelligence officer, was acquitted because he was considered insufficiently involved in the episode.

Image Ria van der Steen, who lost her father and stepmother in the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17, after the court's verdict.Credit...Patrick Post/Associated Press

Ukraines president, Volodymyr Zelensky, praised the important court decision, but in a message posted on Twitter said that the masterminds behind the attack must also face trial, as the feeling of impunity leads to new crimes.

Explosion in Poland: A Ukrainian air-defense missile  not a Russian weapon  most likely caused a deadly explosion in a Polish village, a top NATO official and Polands president said, easing fears that the military alliance would become more deeply embroiled in the war.

A Ukrainian air-defense missile  not a Russian weapon  most likely caused a deadly explosion in a Polish village, a top NATO official and Polands president said, easing fears that the military alliance would become more deeply embroiled in the war. Retaking Kherson: On Nov. 11, Ukrainian soldiers swept into the southern city of Kherson, seizing a major prize from the retreating Russian army and dealing a bitter blow to President Vladimir V. Putin. Days after the liberation, evidence and accounts of torture are emerging.

On Nov. 11, Ukrainian soldiers swept into the southern city of Kherson, seizing a major prize from the retreating Russian army and dealing a bitter blow to President Vladimir V. Putin. Days after the liberation, evidence and accounts of torture are emerging. Infrastructure Attacks: In a relentless and intensifying barrage of missiles, Moscow is destroying Ukraines critical infrastructure, depriving millions of heat, light and clean water. For Ukraine, keeping the lights on as winter looms has become one of its biggest battles.

In a relentless and intensifying barrage of missiles, Moscow is destroying Ukraines critical infrastructure, depriving millions of heat, light and clean water. For Ukraine, keeping the lights on as winter looms has become one of its biggest battles. Beta Testing New Weapons: Ukraine has become a testing ground for state-of-the-art weapons and information systems that Western officials predict could shape warfare for generations to come.

During the trial, prosecutors presented extensive evidence against the defendants and took the unusual step of publishing some of it online. They relied on a Dutch-led international investigation that gathered missile fragments, cellphone intercepts and witness accounts to establish that the Buk surface-to-air missile system used to shoot down the plane was trucked in from Russia at the request of the separatists and returned the same night.

On Thursday, the court said there was very convincing evidence that the Buk missile had been deliberately fired from an agricultural field near Pervomaiskyi, a city in eastern Ukraine. Even if separatist forces had intended to shoot down a Ukrainian military aircraft and not an airliner, the court said, the strike was nevertheless premeditated and constituted a crime.

The prosecution also produced recordings of conversations on July 16 and 17, 2014, in which the suspects allegedly discussed the need for a Buk and determined the location to launch it. The conversations captured the suspects initial enthusiasm over the strike and how that changed when they realized that they had shot down a passenger flight.

The downing of MH17 occurred against a backdrop of vicious fighting between the separatists and the Ukrainian military after an uprising that deposed the countrys Russian-aligned president in February. Ukrainian warplanes had been operating in the area.

The crash scattered bodies and wreckage across fields of wheat and sunflowers, in scenes both harrowing and poignant. Many of the victims were still belted into their seats, and here and there lay a picture book or toy belonging to some among the 98 children on board. Most of the victims were Dutch, but the flight also carried passengers from Australia, Britain, Malaysia and several other countries.

Image Wreckage from the downed flight in a sunflower field in Ukraine in 2014.Credit...Mauricio Lima for The New York Times

Despite mounting evidence of Russias culpability, efforts to hold the Kremlin accountable were met with a series of implausible counter-explanations and conspiracy theories that focused largely on blaming Ukraine and attacking the legitimacy of the investigation. Among those was an assertion that the C.I.A. had crashed a planeload of bodies into eastern Ukraine to frame Moscow.

On Thursday, the court said that these alternative scenarios belonged to the realm of fantasy, and that evidence presented by Russia was repeatedly shown to be forged or false.

In a statement, Russias Foreign Ministry said on Thursday that the trial had been politically motivated, adding that it has every chance of becoming one of the most scandalous in the history of legal proceedings with its extensive list of oddities, inconsistencies and dubious arguments of the prosecution.

With Russia having vetoed an effort to form a United Nations tribunal for the case, the trial was held at a local criminal court on the outskirts of Amsterdam, in a high-security judicial complex right next to the sprawling Schiphol airport from which MH17 departed in 2014.

Coming out of the courthouse shortly after the verdict, Paul Guard, a 44-year-old Australian who lost his parents, Jill and Roger, in the crash thanked prosecutors and the court for what he described as a very meticulous investigation.

Truth matters, thats the main message here, he said.

As for many of the bereaved, Russias invasion of Ukraine this year looms large for Mr. Guard. The war, he said, brought back difficult memories and a sense that the crash was among the first of many unspeakable tragedies in a now eight-year conflict.

It breaks my heart, Mr. Guard said. Every day the war keeps going on, there are more people, innocent people that are no less innocent than my parents, who are just trying to live their lives, who are being killed.

Image Judges and lawyers view the reconstructed plane at an air base in the Netherlands last year.Credit...Pool photo by Peter Dejong

The day before the verdict, Mr. Guard and his daughter went to a memorial for the MH17 victims in a park a few miles from the courthouse. There, 298 trees, one for each of the dead, have been planted in a ribbon-shaped layout.

So many trees there, Mr. Guard said. So many lives that were lost.

Several family members said they hoped the verdict would also serve as a form of condemnation of the Russian invasion.

Part of justice and part of accountability is the world holding the Russian Federation to account for the atrocity of MH17 and the continued atrocities for the invasion of Ukraine and the war crimes committed against thousands more people, said Jon OBrien, an Australian citizen who lost his son in the crash.

Whether the trial could set an example for possible prosecution of Russian war crimes is unclear, however.

Marieke de Hoon, assistant professor of international criminal law at the University of Amsterdam, said that the fact that the Dutch court had clearly concluded that Russia had overall control over the breakaway regions from mid-May 2014 onward  something that Russia denies  is very important for legal proceedings by Ukraine and the Netherlands against Russia in various international courts.

In July 2020, the Netherlands submitted a complaint against Russia at the European Court of Human Rights over its involvement in the crash. The European court is expected to rule on the admissibility of this complaint later this year.

Ms. de Hoon noted that new types of evidence used in the trial, including open-source information that helped show the movement of the Buk missile launcher through separatist-controlled territory, could emerge as critical tools for prosecutors in subsequent trials.

Hopefully, this trial is just the start of something, because we have to prosecute all of those war crimes, Mr. Guard said. And there are many, many, many more war crimes than what weve seen with MH17.

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Chinas voluntary blood donors can reimburse their payments for blood usage outside the places where they donate blood,how are you doing today reply according to a circular by the Health Ministry on Friday for encouraging voluntary blood donation.

The policy is now only for different places in the same provincial-level regions, however, the ministry encourages provinces to promote inter-provincial reimbursements for blood usage if possible.

The ministry urged blood collection stations, health care institutions and other related departments to appoint dedicated persons to examine the reimbursements, and not to deny the reimbursements with the excuse that the blood users had not donated their blood in local areas.

A total of 4,164 tonnes of blood was donated by 12.32 million voluntary person-times in 2011 in China, with the increases of 3.71 percent and 5.18 percent respectively compared to 2010, according to the Ministry.

However, some areas are still in short supply of blood, said the ministry, adding that about 120,000 blood donators are needed everyday by all the countrys health care institutions in 2015.

Xinhua

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The proposed prohibition of the provision of binary options services from within Israelhas come a step closer to realization, financial and business news outlet Finance Magnates reported on Monday. A draft legislation passed the country legislatures Reforms Committee by a unanimously positive vote yesterday.

Binary options and gambling are positioned as two very similar activities under the new legislative piece. During a Monday discussion preceding the vote on the bill, representatives for the Israel Securities Authority said that the provision of binary options services from within Israel is unacceptable and that lawmakers should make no compromise and ban the activity.

Here it is important to note that if and when the bill is enacted, it will only prohibit the provision of the services and not the development and distribution of binary options software. However, lawmakers have repeatedly pointed out that the line previously drawn between production and provision has gradually disappeared, hence the necessity for new regulations.

Israeli police representatives participated in the Monday discussions. They revealed that they are in talks with search engines, social media, credit card companies, and other involved parties to take part in the pending crackdown on binary options.

Police officers shared the general opinion that the actual issue was the fact that software companies have been transforming their business models to eventually become brokers. It was also pointed out during the Monday discussion that players transferring from online gambling to binary options had been what had spurred the above-mentioned trend of suppliers turning into brokers.

The Israeli Justice Department affirmed that statement. Department members also said that by supplying fraudulent companies, software developers were committing an offense. They also pointed out that the case is similar with gambling activities and that the proposed binary options ban actually does not come as anything new.

The Monday vote was the final hurdle before the bill is handed to the Knesset, known to be the Israeli legislature. If given a final approval and enacted as a law, the proposal would give the Israeli Securities Authority the power to intensify its crackdown on binary options firmsthat provide services of this type overseas. The provision of binary options services to Israel-based clients was prohibited with a separate legislative piece last year.

Technology providers will thus be forced to either change their business model in a manner that abides by local laws or to leave the country and find a refuge where they would be able to retain their combined operations.

The Israeli parliament is currently in its summer recess so it is yet to be announced when exactly the final vote on the bill will take place. It is also important to note that the proposed ban is only concerned with binary options and thatCFD and forex trading will remain unaffected for now.
Key witnesses have recalled the political wisdom and flexibility displayed by both sides of the Taiwan Strait two decades after the birth of the 1992 Consensus.

This cryptocurrency beginners redditmonth marks the 20th anniversary of the agreement, and Tang Shubei, now 81, was one of those who witnessed the historic event.

He was deputy president of the mainland-based Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS), founded in late 1991 and entrusted to engage with Taiwan counterparts on cross-Strait talks.

Exchanges between the Chinese mainland and Taiwan had stalled since the Kuomintang, led by Chiang Kai-shek, fled to Taiwan in 1949 after being defeated in a civil war.

In the early 1990s, the mainland and Taiwan decided to entrust non-governmental organizations to begin cross-Strait talks but they would need a shared political foundation, Tang said at a recent seminar marking the 20th anniversary of the consensus.

We held meetings in Hong Kong with our Taiwan counterparts from the Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) from late October to early December in 1992. The two sides exchanged a number of telegraphs before settling the consensus, he said.

The common understanding, later named the 1992 Consensus, refers to the agreement between the ARATS and SEF that each of the two organizations should verbally acknowledge that both sides of the Taiwan Straits adhere to the One-China Principle.

The 1992 Consensus displayed the high-level political wisdom of Chinese across the Strait, Tang said, adding that the two sides set an example of settling cross-Strait issues in a creative way.

The consensus laid a clear political foundation for cross-Strait exchanges and opened an age of systematic consultations across the Strait, he said.

According to Chiu Chin-yi, then SEF vice chairman and also a key witness, the foundation had proposed that in the process toward reunification, the two sides of the Taiwan Strait would stick to the one-China Principle but have a different understanding of the definition of one China.

According to Chiu, on Nov. 16, 1992, the ARATS responded with a telegraph stating that both sides of the Strait should adhere to one-China Principle and seek to realize the reunification but in talks on routine affairs they shall not touch the issue of political definition of one China.

He said, The telegraphs were important evidence for the 1992 Consensus.

The consensus paved the way for the historic meeting between Wang Daohan, then ARATS president, and Koo Chen-fu, then SEF chairman, in Singapore in April 1993.

Current Taiwan leader Ma Ying-jeou was a deputy head of the islands mainland affairs department in 1992 and had taken an important part in reaching the consensus.

At a seminar in Taipei on Nov. 9, Ma said that the 1992 Consensus was not political jargon but a historical fact.

It embodied the mindset of shelving differences and facing up to reality as well as a pragmatic attitude on cross-Strait issues, he said.

The validity and value of the 1992 Consensus should be properly acknowledged and it should be regarded as the foundation for cross-Strait exchanges and mutual trust and a key to ensure peaceful development across the Strait, he said.

Xinhua

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Actor Huang Zhizhong-starring Jin Fu,online casino free register bonus a capable officer dedicated to controlling the Yellow River floods. [Photo provided to China Daily]

In the more than 2,500 years in China's recorded history, Yellow River  often called "the mother river of Chinese people"  has transitioned more than 1,500 times into a raging torrent, inundating many villages and claiming a lot of lives.

When director-scriptwriter Zhang Ting stumbled upon a record in a history book about the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), he obtained an inspiration to write the tale of Tian Xia Chang He (The Long River).

Set during the reign of Kangxi, the third emperor of Qing Dynasty, the 40-episode TV series follows the two experienced and capable officials Jin Fu and Chen Huang as they join hands to conduct a series of measures for controlling the Yellow River floods.

With a stellar cast of actors including Luo Jin, Yin Fang and Huang Zhizhong, the TV series has been broadcasted on Hunan Television and streamed on Mango TV since Nov 11.

Zhang, a native born in East China's Shandong province, said he grew up near the Yellow River, so he has been impressed about how locals responded nervously when the Yellow River was expecting flood every year.

The drama was shot in the Hengdian World Studios in Zhejiang province and Inner Mongolia autonomous region, constructing a six-meter-tall levee and a section of the "Yellow River".

1 2 3 4 Next >>|
Journalists attend a press conference via video link on the sidelines of the ongoing 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China in Beijing on October 17, 2022. Photo: Li Hao/GT

At the first press conference of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) held on Monday, some foreign reporters asked how the Chinese government will reduce its dependence on foreign imported resources such as iron ore, crude oil, natural gas and soybeans to achieve a more self-sufficient economy. This question sets a trap, intentionally or unintentionally, by presupposing "self-sufficiency" as a goal of the Chinese economy. In the past year or two, this typical misinterpretation of China's construction of a new development pattern has grown like weed in the US and Western public opinion sphere, triggering some unnecessary worries.Zhao Chenxin, a member of the CPC Leadership Group of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) and deputy director of the NDRC, frankly and explicitly responded by saying that it is wrong to think that China will scale back its opening-up efforts or even turn to a "self-sufficiency." He said that General Secretary Xi Jinping stressed repeatedly that building a new development pattern is an open domestic and international dual circulation, not a closed domestic single circulation. He also expounded on China's understanding that economic globalization trend is irreversible and that no country can engage in development behind closed doors. To be honest, these remarks are not new and have been repeatedly emphasized before. But this exactly shows the consistency and continuity of China's attitude on this issue.The so-called "China's economic self-sufficiency narrative" originated from the US and the West's attempts to portray China as a "closed" and "dangerous" country that wants to break away from the rest of the world, thereby piling pressure on countries that want to expand exchanges with China. This noise and fallacy is not only ideological bias, but also geopolitical scheming. At the same time, it is also full of confusion and self-contradictions: They criticize China for "closing the door," but on the other hand they say that China is engaged in "global expansion"; they claim that China is "taking advantage of the world," but they also smear China's self-reliance as "decoupling" from the world. It all depends on their political calculation on which set of discourse should be used.Fortunately, facts speak louder than words. Over the past decade, China's status as the world's largest trading nation in goods has been consolidated, becoming the main driving force and engine for the development of global trade. Zhao revealed at the press conference that China utilized 892.74 billion yuan (around $124 billion) of foreign capital in the first eight months of this year, an increase of 16.4 percent year-on-year in comparable terms. Among them, foreign capital in high-tech industries increased by 33.6 percent year-on-year, and the eastern, central and western regions increased by 14.3 percent, 27.6 percent and 43 percent respectively. The industrial structure and regional distribution of foreign investment continued to improve. If these multinational companies are not optimistic about the Chinese market in long term and are not fully confident in China's opening-up, how can they invest in China? Compared with the groundless speculation and suspicion of US and Western public opinion, the facts reflected by these data are obviously more telling.Opening-up to the outside world is China's basic state policy. This is not a passive choice, but because it is in line with China's fundamental interests, and it is the Chinese people's profound summary of development experience and collective judgment of the general world trend. The key to China's rapid growth from a backward agricultural country to the world's second largest economy lies in its reform and opening-up. Reform and opening-up improve and interact positively with each other. China's advancement toward building a modern socialist country in all respects will also rely on reform and opening-up. A strong consensus or even a belief has been formed in Chinese society. China's determination and will to open up will not be shaken. It will only continue to be promoted to a wider, deeper and higher level, which will also bring more development opportunities and dividends to the world.China's economy has long deeply integrated into the world economy. China's development cannot be separated from the world and the world's prosperity also needs China. The report to the 20th National Congress of the CPC said that China will promote high-standard opening up and accelerate efforts to foster a new pattern of development with domestic circulation as the mainstay and domestic and international circulations reinforcing each other. This is not difficult to understand. Given China's huge economic scale, domestic circulation as the mainstay is a natural result that accords to laws. In addition, it is followed by "domestic and international circulations reinforcing each other." Also, China's economy has always stressed "self-reliance," which is fundamentally different from closed "self-sufficiency." Some people are deliberately confusing the facts.In today's world, there are indeed some people in the US and the West who want to reverse the course of history, going against the trend of economic globalization. But such words and deeds will not be accepted in Chinese society, and are not welcomed in the international community. There are also people who measure other people's corn by their own bushel, making noise in the world. Due to their poor and outdated cognitive level, they really cannot keep up with the step forward of the world, and cannot understand the broad-mindedness of China-proposed building as community with shared future for mankind. They are bound to be left far behind the general trend of the times.
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Popular Government Democracy Representative Democracy Direct Democracy Republic vs. Democracy Unitary State Federalism Parliamentary Government

Popular Government Elite Government Aristocracy Plutocracy Kleptocracy Oligarchy

Elite Government Monarchies Monarchy Constitutional Monarchy Absolute Monarchy

Monarchies Totalitarian States Totalitarianism Military Dictatorship Autocracy Totalitarianism vs. Authoritarianism vs. Fascism

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Understanding Types of Government IntroductionByRobert LongleyRobert LongleyHistory and Government ExpertRobert Longley is a U.S. government and history expert with over 30 years of experience in municipal government and urban planning.Learn about ourEditorial ProcessPublished on January 29, 2021

A democracy is a form of government that empowers the people to exercise political control, limits the power of the head of state, provides for the separation of powers between governmental entities, and ensures the protection of natural rights and civil liberties. In practice, democracy takes many different forms. Along with the two most common types of democraciesdirect and representativevariants such as participatory, liberal, parliamentary, pluralist, constitutional, and socialist democracies can be found in use today.

Key Takeaways: Democracy

Democracy, literally meaning rule by the people, empowers individuals to exercise political control over the form and functions of their government.

While democracies come in several forms, they all feature competitive elections, freedom of expression, and protection of individual civil liberties and human rights.

In most democracies, the needs and wishes of the people are represented by elected lawmakers who are charged with writing and voting on laws and setting policy.

When creating laws and policies, the elected representatives in a democracy strive to balance conflicting demands and obligations to maximize freedom and protect individual rights.

Despite the prominence in the headlines of non-democratic, authoritarian states like China, Russia, North Korea, and Iran, democracy remains the worlds most commonly practiced form of government. In 2018, for example, a total of 96 out of 167 countries (57%) with populations of at least 500,000 were democracies of some type. Statics show that the percentage of democracies among the worlds governments has been increasing since the mid-1970s, currently standing just short of its post-World War II high of 58% in 2016.

Democracy Definition

Meaning rule by the people, democracy is a system of government that not only allows but requires the participation of the people in the political process to function properly. U.S. President Abraham Lincoln, in his famed 1863 Gettysburg Address may have best-defined democracy as a government of the people, by the people, for the people

Semantically, the term democracy comes from the Greek words for people (demos) and rule (karatos). However, achieving and preserving a government by the peoplea popular governmentis far more complicated than the concepts semantic simplicity might imply. In creating the legal framework under which the democracy will function, typically a constitution, several crucial political and practical questions must be answered.

Is rule by the people even appropriate for the given state? Do the inherent freedoms of a democracy justify dealing with its complex bureaucracy and electoral processes, or would the streamlined predictability of a monarchy, for example, be preferable?

Assuming a preference for democracy, which residents of the country, state, or town should enjoy the political status of full citizenship? Simply stated, who are the people in the government by the people equation? In the United States, for example, the constitutionally established doctrine of birthright citizenship provides that any person born on U.S. soil automatically becomes a U.S. citizen. Other democracies are more restrictive in bestowing full citizenship.

Which people within the democracy should be empowered to participate in it? Assuming that only adults are allowed to fully participate in the political process, should all adults be included? For example, until the enactment of the 19th Amendment in 1920, women in the United States were not allowed to vote in national elections. A democracy that excludes too many of the governed from taking part in what is supposed to be their government runs the risk of becoming an aristocracygovernment by a small, privileged ruling classor an oligarchygovernment by an elite, typically wealthy, few.

If, as one of the foundational principles of democracy holds, the majority rules, what will a proper majority be? A majority of all citizens or a majority of citizens who vote only? When issues, as they inevitably will, divide the people, should the wishes of the majority always prevail, or should, as in the case of the American Civil Rights Movement, minorities be empowered to overcome majority rule? Most importantly, what legal or legislative mechanisms should be created to prevent the democracy from becoming a victim of what one of Americas Founding Fathers, James Madison, called the tyranny of the majority?

Finally, how likely is it that a majority of the people will continue to believe that democracy is the best form of government for them? For a democracy to survive it must retain the substantial support of both the people and the leaders they choose. History has shown that democracy is a particularly fragile institution. In fact, of the 120 new democracies that have emerged around the world since 1960, nearly half have resulted in failed states or have been replaced by other, typically more authoritarian forms of government. It is therefore essential that democracies be designed to respond quickly and appropriately to the internal and external factors that will inevitably threaten them.

Democratic Principles

While their opinions vary, a consensus of political scientists agree that most democracies are based on six foundational elements:

Popular sovereignty: The principle that the government is created and maintained by the consent of the people through their elected representatives.

An Electoral System: Since according to the principle of popular sovereignty, the people are the source of all political power, a clearly defined system of conducting free and fair elections is essential.

Public Participation: Democracies rarely survive without the active participation of the people. Health democracies enable and encourage the people to take part in their political and civic processes.

Separation of Powers: Based on a suspicion of power concentrated in a single individuallike a kingor group, the constitutions of most democracies provide that political powers be separated and shared among the various governmental entities.

Human Rights: Along with their constitutionally enumerated rights freedoms, democracies protect the human rights of all citizens. In this context, human rights are those rights considered inherent to all human beings, regardless of nationality, sex, national or ethnic origin, color, religion, language, or any other considerations.

A Rule of Law: Also called due process of law, the rule of law is the principle that all citizens are accountable to laws that are publicly created and equitably enforced in a manner consistent with human rights by an independent judicial system.

Types of Democracy

Throughout history, more types of democracy have been identified than there are countries in the world. According to social and political philosopher Jean-Paul Gagnon, more than 2,234 adjectives have been used to describe democracy. While many scholars refer to direct and representative as the most common of these, several other types of democracies can be found around the world today. While direct democracy is unique, most other recognized types of democracy are variants of representative democracy. These various types of democracy are generally descriptive of the particular values emphasized by the representative democracies that employ them.

Direct

Originated in Ancient Greece during the 5th century BCE, direct democracy, sometimes called pure democracy, is considered the oldest non-authoritarian form of government. In a direct democracy, all laws and public policy decisions are made directly by a majority vote of the people, rather than by the votes of their elected representatives.

Functionally possible only in small states, Switzerland is the only example of a direct democracy applied on a national level today. While Switzerland is no longer a true direct democracy, any law passed by the popularly elected national parliament can be vetoed by a direct vote of the public. Citizens can also change the constitution through direct votes on amendments. In the United States, examples of direct democracy can be found in state-level recall elections and lawmaking ballot initiatives.

Representative

Also called indirect democracy, representative democracy is a system of government in which all eligible citizens elect officials to pass laws and formulate public policy on their behalf. These elected officials are expected to represent the needs and viewpoints of the people in deciding the best course of action for the nation, state, or other jurisdiction as a whole.

As the most commonly found type of democracy in use today, almost 60% of all countries employ some form of representative democracy including the United States, the United Kingdom, and France.

Participatory

In a participatory democracy, the people vote directly on policy while their elected representatives are responsible for implementing those policies. Participatory democracies rely on the citizens in setting the direction of the state and the operation of its political systems. While the two forms of government share similar ideals, participatory democracies tend to encourage a higher, more direct form of citizen participation than traditional representative democracies.

While there are no countries specifically classified as participatory democracies, most representative democracies employ citizen participation as a tool for social and political reform. In the United States, for example, so-called grassroots citizen participation causes such as the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s have led elected officials to enact laws implementing sweeping social, legal, and political policy changes.

Liberal

Liberal democracy is loosely defined as a form of representative democracy that emphasizes the principles of classical liberalisman ideology advocating the protection of individual civil liberties and economic freedom by limiting the power of the government. Liberal democracies employ a constitution, either statutorily codified, as in the United States or uncodified, as in the United Kingdom, to define the powers of the government, provide for a separation of those powers, and enshrine the social contract.

Liberal democracies may take the form of a constitutional republic, like the United States, or a constitutional monarchy, such as the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia.

Parliamentary

In a parliamentary democracy, the people directly elect representatives to a legislative parliament. Similar to the U.S. Congress, the parliament directly represents the people in making necessary laws and policy decisions for the country.

In parliamentary democracies such as the United Kingdom, Canada, and Japan, the head of government is a prime minister, who is first elected to parliament by the people, then elected prime minister by a vote of the parliament. However, the prime minister remains a member of the parliament and thus plays an active role in the legislative process of creating and passing laws. Parliamentary democracies are typically a feature of a constitutional monarch, a system of government in which the head of state is a queen or king whose power is limited by a constitution.

Pluralist

Womens rights march in New York.Stephanie Noritz/Getty Images

In a pluralist democracy, no single group dominates politics. Instead, organized groups within the people compete to influence public policy. In political science, the term pluralism expresses the ideology that influence should be spread among different interest groups, rather than held by a single elite group as in an aristocracy. Compared to participatory democracies, in which individuals take part in influencing political decisions, in a pluralist democracy, individuals work through groups formed around common causes hoping to win the support of elected leaders.

In this context, the pluralist democracy assumes that the government and the society as a whole benefit from a diversity of viewpoints. Examples of pluralist democracy can be seen in the impact special interest groups, such as the National Organization for Women, have had on American politics.

Constitutional

Elementary school teacher holds up a copy of the U.S. Constitution.Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

While the exact definition continues to be debated by political scientists, constitutional democracy is generally defined as a system of government based on popular sovereignty and a rule of law in which the structures, powers, and limits of government are established by a constitution. Constitutions are intended to restrict the power of the government, typically by separating those powers between the various branches of government, as in the United States constitutions system of federalism. In a constitutional democracy, the constitution is considered to be the supreme law of the land.

Socialist

Democratic socialism is broadly defined as a system of government based on a socialist economy, in which most property and means of production are collectively, rather than individually, controlled by a constitutionally established political hierarchythe government. Social democracy embraces government regulation of business and industry as a means of furthering economic growth while preventing income inequality.

While there are no purely socialist governments in the world today, elements of democratic socialism can be seen in Swedens provision of free universal health care, education, and sweeping social welfare programs.

Is America a Democracy

Students holding buttons at voter registration drive.Ariel Skelley/Getty Images

While the word democracy does not appear in the United States Constitution, the document provides the basic elements of representative democracy: an electoral system based on majority rule, separation of powers, and a dependence on a rule of law. Also, Americas Founding Fathers used the word often when debating the form and function of the Constitution.

However, a long-running debate over whether the United States is a democracy or a republic continues today. According to a growing number of political scientists and constitutional scholars, it is botha democratic republic.

Similar to democracy, a republic is a form of government in which the country is governed by the elected representatives of the people. However, since the people do not govern the state themselves, but do so through their representatives, a republic is distinguished from direct democracy.

Professor Eugene Volokh of the UCLA School of Law argues that the governments of democratic republics embrace the principles shared by both republics and democracies. To illustrate his point, Volokh notes that in the United States, many decisions on local and state levels are made by the people through the process of direct democracy, while as in a republic, most decisions at the national level are made by democratically elected representatives.

Brief History

Archeological evidence suggests that disorganized practices at least resembling democracy existed in some parts of the world during prehistoric times, However, the concept of democracy as a form of populist civic engagement emerged during the 5th century BCE in the form of the political system used in some of the city-states of Ancient Greece, most notably Athens. At that time, and for the next several centuries, tribes or city-states remained small enough that if democracy was practiced at all, it took the form of direct democracy. As city-states grew into larger, more heavily populated sovereign nation-states or countries, direct democracy became unwieldy and slowly gave way to representative democracy. This massive change necessitated an entirely new set of political institutions such as legislatures, parliaments, and political parties all designed according to the size and cultural character of the city or country to be governed.

Until the 17th century, most legislatures consisted only of the entire body of citizens, as in Greece, or representatives selected from among a tiny oligarchy or an elite hereditary aristocracy. This began to change during the English Civil Wars from 1642 to 1651 when members of the radical Puritan reformation movement demanded expanded representation in Parliament and the universal right to vote for all male citizens. By the middle 1700s, as the power of the British Parliament grew, the first political partiesthe Whigs and Toriesemerged. It soon became obvious that laws could not be passed or taxes levied without the support of the Whig or Tory party representatives in Parliament.

While the developments in the British Parliament showed the feasibility of a representative form of government, the first truly representative democracies emerged during the 1780s in the British colonies of North America and took its modern form with the formal adoption of the Constitution of the United States of America on March 4, 1789.

Sources and Further Reference

Desilver, Drew. Despite global concerns about democracy, more than half of countries are democratic. Pew Research Center, May 14, 2019, https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2019/05/14/more-than-half-of-countries-are-democratic/.

Kapstein, Ethan B., and Converse, Nathan. The Fate of Young Democracies.Cambridge University Press, 2008, ISBN 9780511817809.

Diamond, Larry. Democracy in Decline?Johns Hopkins University Press, October 1, 2015, ISBN-10 1421418185.

Gagnon, Jean-Paul. 2,234 Descriptions of Democracy: An Update to Democracy's Ontological Pluralism.Democratic Theory, vol. 5, no. 1, 2018.

Volokh, Eugene. Is the United States of America a republic or a democracy? The Washington Post, May 13, 2015, https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/volokh-conspiracy/wp/2015/05/13/is-the-united-states-of-america-a-republic-or-a-democracy/.

FormatmlaapachicagoYour CitationLongley, Robert. "What Is Democracy? Definition and Examples." ThoughtCo, Jun. 7, 2021, thoughtco.com/democracy-definition-and-examples-5084624.Longley, Robert. (2021, June 7). What Is Democracy? Definition and Examples. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/democracy-definition-and-examples-5084624Longley, Robert. "What Is Democracy? Definition and Examples." ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/democracy-definition-and-examples-5084624 (accessed November 23, 2022).
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao arrived here Tuesday night for an official visit to Thailand.

As two friendly neighbors,jokaroom vip mwanasoka prediction China and Thailand have maintained stable and healthy relations and conducted fruitful cooperation in various fields, which have benefited the two peoples, Wen told reporters en route to Bangkok from Phnom Penh.

During the two-day visit, Wen will meet with King Bhumibol Adulyadej and Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, and attend the inauguration ceremony of the China Culture Center in Bangkok.

The Chinese premier believed that his visit will elevate the China-Thailand comprehensive strategic partnership of cooperation to a new level.

Wen flew in Thailand after a visit to Cambodia, where he also attended a series of meetings of East Asian leaders.

Xinhua

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Theignition casino bonus codes 7th East Asia Summit adopted the Phnom Penh Declaration here Tuesday, pledging to help narrow development gap among ASEAN member states so as to achieve the ASEAN Community by the end of 2015.

The declaration called for more development aid to less developed nations in the Association of Southeast Asian Nation ( ASEAN) to realize common development.

The declaration was formulated on the basis of Chinas initiative, which advocates balanced, inclusive and sustainable development, boosting policy coordination and expanding cooperation in finance, energy, education, disaster management, public health and interconnection.

The declaration expressed support for ASEANs leading role in the East Asia Summit and related regional cooperative mechanism.

It also encouraged developing members of East Asia Summit to adjust economic structure and choose the development path in line with the national conditions of their own.

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao attended the annual summit along with leaders from ten ASEAN member states as well as Australia, India, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, Russia and the United States in Phnom Penh.

Xinhua

East Asia Summit vows to bridge ASEAN development gapadded by chinatimesonline on

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Dur Hospitality, a leading player in the regional tourism sector, has announced that its leading hotel brand Makarem has signed an agreement with Saudi Edarah Company for the management and operation of its 592-key Rwaya Hotel in Makkah city.

Located in the vibrant Khalidiya neighborhood, the 31-storey Rwaya Hotel is set to commence operations in the first quarter of 2024.

A mere 7-minute drive from the Grand Mosque, the hotel features 592 rooms, a grand main restaurant, banquet halls, prayer areas for both men and women, and parking facilities.

Durs leading hotel brand, Makarem is a specialist in serving visitors to Makkah, Madinah, and the other holy sites.

As per the deal, it will manage every aspect of the new hotel, including guest services, food and beverage, and rooms, in its distinctive style of spiritual hospitality to enhance pilgrims experience with the highest international standards, in line with Saudi Vision 2030.

The agreement cements Makarem's position as a leading Saudi hotel brand, offering unique hospitality services. It further strengthens the brands expansion strategy in the holy cities, introducing new options for guests within its diversified hotel portfolio, stated Dur CEO Sultan Al Otaibi at the signing ceremony.

"We take immense pride in this partnership, focused on elevating Makarem's services and reinforcing its position as the preferred choice for pilgrimsa well-deserved accolade over the years," he noted.

Al Otaibi expressed his enthusiasm and the significance of this partnership with Saudi Edarah Co, a prominent leader in the kingdom's real estate development sector.

This collaboration is expected to unlock promising opportunities for cooperation across various dimensions with Dur Hospitality, he added.

On his part, President of Hotel Operations at Dur Hassan Al Ahdab said: "We are thrilled to sign this agreement and are anticipating its great impact in reinforcing Makarem's position in the dynamic hospitality sector and paving the way for exceptional services for pilgrims in Makkah and Madinah."

"Our unwavering commitment to continuous expansion drives us to strategically advance our operational and accommodation capabilities, creating an integrated, modern, and advanced network that enhances the overall experience for pilgrims and visitors," noted Al Ahdab.

"This agreement aims to attract outstanding Saudi talent in the hospitality sector, further cementing Makarems leading position in localizing expertise within the industry," he noted.

Nasser Al Omaier, the Chairman of Saudi Edarah Company, said: "Rwaya Hotel will offer an exceptional hotel experience, catering to the needs of visitors to the holy sites, from its strategic location to the opulence of its structure and associated facilities."

"Selecting Makarem to operate the hotel underscores the alignment of visions between Makarem and Saudi Edarah Co, with a shared goal of enhancing the pilgrims' experience," he stated.

Makarem currently operates 2,027 rooms across its hotels, aligning with its strategic plan to enhance its presence in Saudi cities and scale up its portfolio to 10,000 rooms by 2028.-TradeArabia News Service
Bruce died on Dec. 1.

Bruce's passing isnt just a loss; it is like a streetlight going out in a dark alley. His life was a tapestry woven of hardship and struggle for survival, reflecting the resilience of the forgotten faces in our cities.

Far from the model citizen ideal, his life was a mosaic of frequent arrests, battling a substance use disorder, and unemployment. He embodied the stereotypes faced by those without housing access.

On this Homeless Persons Memorial Day, let me (Mary) show you the Bruce that I know  it is a portrait of profound dignity, perseverance, generosity, loyalty and humanity.

In 2011, I stumbled upon Auburn's hidden homelessness crisis. Despite being a thriving community with 28,000 residents, affordable living and great schools, Auburns streets held the startling secret of chronic homelessness. I embarked on a six-month-long investigation to uncover its causes and find solutions.

In my first month of research, tragedy struck: Steve, a 48-year-old man from Auburn's forgotten underbelly, was discovered lifeless near a stream in an area known to be a refuge for him.

In the wake of Steves heartbreaking passing, I crossed paths with a man named Bruce. Steve's loss had left a painful void in the homeless community, and Bruce, in his silent way, created a moving memorial tribute to him underneath a railroad bridge in an area known as "The Pit," where friends could gather, pay their respects and grieve together.

As a researcher, my presence stirred ripples in the community, and Bruce, sensing my mission to assist, became my unwavering protector on the unpredictable streets.

At 45, Bruces life had been a relentless battle with limited access to housing and other struggles. Left with physical and mental scars from childhood abuse incidents, Bruces path was one of lifelong disability and hardship. Despite these setbacks, he worked hard to improve his life, wrestling with the demons of trauma and substance use disorders.

His days were characterized by selfless acts of kindness. He served as a guardian for his most fragile and vulnerable companions, and dedicated his hours to forging The Pit into a haven of companionship for those grappling with the harsh realities of housing deprivation. Bruce was the warmth at The Pit, the part of his environment that was most synonymous with his care and concern.

During the December holiday season, Bruce and his girlfriend routinely gathered donated gifts and personally delivered them to recipients in need. But their mission hit a roadblock in their final year when officials accused Bruce of violating transitional housing rules. He was evicted into a snowstorm on Christmas Eve. This unjust accusation was reversed several months later pursuant to a legal appeal to social services providers, although this level of cruelty directed toward a human being was astonishing.

A beacon of compassion, Bruce led many of those in need to me. Some sought nothing more than well-fitting shoes. One person, trapped in painfully tight, donated boots, found relief in a new pair we provided. With endless patience, Bruce stood by their sides, ensuring that respect was shown. He made meeting others needs a priority amidst his own endless hardships.

Labeling Bruce "unemployed" would certainly miss the mark.

For so many like Bruce, the stark walls of incarceration were a refuge, a place that provided comfort and helpful programs in a world that offered little. But the street's cruel embrace reclaimed Bruce time and again, a testament to the oft-mentioned brutal reality that homelessness can't be done sober. A relentless cycle of temperature extremes accompanied by pain and fear meant that survival on the streets was a battle few could endure for long.

Given poor nutrition, limited access to water, severe sleep deprivation and ongoing harassment, it is not hard to understand why people with a history of homelessness die prematurely. Bruce died at age 57, reportedly from cancer, a seizure and a stroke. The average age at time of death for an American male in 2023 is 73, 15 years older than he was.

In his final years, Bruce found some solace, passing away in the dignity of having a home. Our efforts perhaps extended his life by a decade. Yet the harrowing journey of life on the streets is a chasm too vast for many to cross to a ripe old age.

Bruce's life was a story of determined dignity, untold kindness and quiet heroism. It was a testament to his extraordinary perseverance and resilience coupled with a life of service and compassion. May Bruce, Steve and all the others who have died prematurely rest in final and eternal peace among the angels.

Housing is a human right; homelessness is a humanitarian abomination.

Please support the research, training and advocacy initiatives of Cape Haven Inc. by donating to our work here. We are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Your donation will be tax-deductible.

Thank you for your interest in our work.
What Are Pooled Funds?las vegas online gambling sites

Pooled funds are funds in a portfolio from many individual investors that are aggregated for the purposes of investment. Mutual funds, hedge funds, exchange traded funds, pension funds, and unit investment trusts are all examples of professionally managed pooled funds. Investors in pooled funds benefit from economies of scale, which allow for lower trading costs per dollar of investment, and diversification.

Key Takeaways

Pooled funds aggregate capital from a number of individuals, investing as one giant portfolio.

Many pooled funds, such as mutual funds and unit investment trusts (UITs), are professionally managed.

Pooled funds allow an individual to access opportunities of scale available only to large institutional investors.

The Basics of Pooled Funds

Groups such as investment clubs, partnerships, and trusts use pooled funds to invest in stocks, bonds, and mutual funds. The pooled investment account lets the investors be treated as a single account holder, enabling them to buy more shares collectively than they could individually, and often for betterdiscountedprices.

Mutual funds are among the best-known of pooled funds. Actively managed by professionals, unless they are index funds, they spread their holdings across various investment vehicles, reducing the effect that any single or class of securities has on the overall portfolio. Because mutual funds contain hundreds or thousands of securities, investors are less affected if one security underperforms.

Another type of pooled fund is the unit investment trust. These pooled funds take money from smaller investors to invest in stocks, bonds, and other securities. However, unlike a mutual fund, the unit investment trust does not change its portfolio over the life of the fund and invests for a fixed length of time.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Pooled Funds

Advantages

With pooled funds, groups of investors can take advantage of opportunities typically available to only large investors. In addition, investors save on transaction costs and further diversify their portfolios. Because funds contain hundreds or thousands of securities, investors are less affected if one security underperforms.

The professional management helps to make sure investors receive the best risk-return tradeoff while aligning with their work with the fund's objectives. This management helps investors who may lack the time and knowledge for handling their own investments entirely.

Mutual funds, in particular, offer a range of investment options for the highly aggressive, mildly aggressive and risk-averse investor. Mutual funds allow for the reinvestment of dividends and interest that can purchase additional fund shares. The investor saves money by not paying transaction fees to hold all of the securities contained in the fund's portfolio basket while growing his portfolio.

Diversification lowers risk.

Economies of scale enhance buying power.

Professional money management is available.

Minimum investments are low.

Commissions and annual fees are incurred.

Fund activities may have tax consequences.

Individual lacks control over investments.

Diversification can limit upside.

Disadvantages

ProsCons

When money is pooled into a group fund, the individual investor has less control over the groups investment decisions than if he were making the decisions alone. Not all group decisions are best for each individual in the group. Also, the group must reach a consensus before deciding what to purchase. When the market is volatile, taking the time and effort to reach an agreement can take away opportunities for quick profits or reducing potential losses.

When investing in a professionally managed fund, an investor gives up control to the money manager running it. In addition, he incurs additional costs in the form of management fees. Charged annually as a percentage of the assets under management (AUM), fees reduce a fund's total return.

Some mutual funds also charge a load or sales charge. Funds will vary on when this fee is billed, but most common are front-end loadspaid at the time of purchase and back-end loadspaid at the time of divesting.

An investor will file and pay taxes on fund distributed capital gains. These profits are spread evenly among all investors, sometimes at the expense of new shareholders who did not get a chance to benefit over time from the sold holdings.

If the fund sells holdings often, capital gains distributions could happen annually, increasing an investors taxable income.

Example of a Pooled Fund

The Vanguard Group, Inc. is one of the world's largest investment management companies and providers of retirement plan services. The firm offers hundreds of different mutual funds, ETFs, and other pooled funds to investors around the world.

For example, its Canadian subsidiary, Vanguard Investments Canada, offers Canadian investors many pooled fund products. These products include 39 Canadian ETFs and four mutual funds, along with 12 target retirement funds and eight pooled fundsthe two latter groups are available to institutional investors.

One of the pooled funds, Vanguard Global ex-Canada Fixed Income Index Pooled Fund (CAD-hedged), invests in foreign bonds. In April 2019, it took a new benchmarkthe Bloomberg Global Aggregate ex-CAD Float Adjusted and Scaled Indexto take advantage of including the Chinese government policy bank bonds in its Canadian portfolio offering.
'Fox & Friends Weekend' celebrates Halloween with snacks and treats

closeVideo

Lifestyle expert Carey Reilly shows off Halloween themed snacks and cocktails, and tips for Halloween parties on 'Fox & Friends.

Candy may be an essential part of part of Halloween, but it doesn't appear that it's always been that way.

In fact, when American children first started trick-or-treating in the 1930s and 1940s kids received "everything from homemade cookies and pieces of cake to fruit, nuts, coins and toys," according to History.com.

People starting adding candy to their trick-or-treat traditions in the 1950s as candy companies marketed products for Halloween and by the 1970s, candy became the "only acceptable thing to hand out," because parents were worried about homemade treats, according to the website.

HALLOWEEN BY THE NUMBERS: FUN FACTS ABOUT THE SPOOKY DAY

In honor of Halloween 2022 and trick-or-treating, check out which candy was released the decade you were born.

Candy became an essential part of trick-or-treating in the 1970s. (iStock)

1940s

Mars released M&M's in 1941, according to History.com and Bazooka bubble gum was introduced in 1947, according to Bazooka Candy Brands.

Hershey reports it created Almond Joy in 1948 and the company that made Smarties first opened in 1949, according to smarties.com.

M&M's were first released in 1941 by candy company, Mars. (iStock)

1950s

Hot Tamales, the popular cinnamon-flavored candies, were introduced in 1950, according to Just Born Quality Confections, the Pennsylvania-based company which created Hot Tamales.

Pixy Stix, the powdered candy packaged in a straw, were also sold in the 50s, according to NPR.

NATIONAL JUNK FOOD DAY 2022: SEE WHICH SNACK CAME OUT THE DECADE YOU WERE BORN

1960s

Starburst, which was originally called Opal Fruits, was released in the U.K. in 1960 and came to the U.S. in 1967, according to Delish.

Haribo Goldbears gummy bears were also released in 1960, according to Haribo. In 1962, Lemonheads were released, according toFerrara Candy Company.

1970s

Skittles were first produced in the U.K. in 1974, according to a Penn State blog on the history of candy.

Pop Rocks werent invented and released as they are today the 70s, Though a similar form of Carbonated Candy was invented in 1956, according to the Pop Rocks' website.

Pop Rocks, a candy that pops on top of your tongue, were released in the 70s. (iStock)

Reeses Pieces were also invented and released in the same decade, according to hersheyarchives.org.

HALLOWEEN QUIZ! HOW WELL DO YOU KNOW THESE SURPRISING FACTS ABOUT THE SPOOKY HOLIDAY?

1980s

Nerds were invented in 1983, according to Eater.

Sour Patch Kids were introduced in 1985, according to Mondelez International, Inc.  the brand which owns the candy.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER

1990s

In the 1990s, Hersheys Cookies N Creme bars first hit store shelves in 1994, according to hersheyland.com.

2000s

Candy company Goelitz  which became Jelly Belly Candy Company in 2001  released Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans in 2000, inspired by the "Harry Potter" franchise, according to jellybelly.com.

Ann W. Schmidt is an Associate on Fox Business' Strategic Initiatives team.
What Are Krugerrands?mn online poker fox bet play money

Krugerrands are gold coins that were minted by the Republic of South Africa in 1967 to help promote South African gold to the international markets and to make it possible for individuals to own gold. Krugerrands are among the most frequently traded gold coins in the world market.

The coins have legal tender status in South Africa, although Krugerrands were never assigned a rand (ZAR) value. Krugerrands were designed to derive their value exclusively from the price of gold at the time they are traded. If the price of gold changes, so does the price of Krugerrands.

Key Takeaways

Krugerrands are South African gold coins that were minted in 1967.

Krugerrands accounted for 90% of the worlds gold-coin market in 1980, at the peak of the gold market.

Krugerrands remain popular among gold investors today, despite South Africa's slumping gold production.

Krugerrands: The Gold Coin

The face of a Krugerrand coin bears the image of Paul Kruger, who was president of the South African Republic from 1883 to 1900. The coins name comes from combining Paul Krugers surname with rand, South Africas national currency. The reverse of the coin portrays a galloping springbok antelope, which is one of South Africas national symbols. Paul Kruger held office when one of the worlds most profitable mines, Durban Deep, was founded in 1896. He also was president during the Witwatersrand Gold Rush, which led to the founding of Johannesburg, one of South Africas largest cities.

The Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) trades in Krugerrands through a well-regulated secondary market in the same way as any listed equity market instrument, with quoted prices based on the weight of the coins. New Krugerrands are issued by the South African Reserve Bank (SARB), where they can be redeemed. Because of its legal tender status in South Africa, the Krugerrand was minted to be more resilient to wear than the 24-karat gold coins used for decoration medals. The Krugerrand is made of 22 karats, or 91.67%, gold, with 8.33% copper alloy.

westphalia/iStock / Getty Images Plus

History of Krugerrands

When Krugerrands were minted in 1967, the United States did not permit its citizens to own gold bullion, but it did permit ownership of foreign coins, so the Krugerrand could be bought and sold in the U.S. As the consciousness of South Africas apartheidthat country's system of racial segregationpolicies grew, the Krugerrand suffered from diminished interest.

During the 1970s and '80s, numerous Western countries banned the import of Krugerrands as part of enforced economic sanctions against South Africa because of apartheid. The United States banned the import of Krugerrands in 1985. These economic sanctions ended in the West in 1994 when apartheid was abandoned by South Africa. However, many U.S. investors did not realize that the ban had been lifted, which caused low volumes of U.S. imports of Krugerrands.

In 1970, South Africa was the largest gold producer in the world, holding more than 75% of the worlds gold reserves. Throughout the 1970s, Krugerrands quickly became the leading choice for gold investors. By 1980, at the peak of the gold market, the Krugerrand overwhelmingly dominated other gold investments, accounting for 90% of the worlds gold-coin market.

Current Status

In 1994, following the end of apartheid, production of the Krugerrand plummeted. Since then, South Africa's gold production bounced back, but it has never returned to its heyday levels of the 1970s and '80s. In 2016, the nations gold output had dropped by 85% since 1980, and South Africa produced just 6% percent of the worlds gold.

Today, Krugerrands continue to suffer. As the graph below displays, South Africa's gold production fell by more than 30% between December 201819, extending its longest run of contractions since the 200708 financial crisis.

Statistics South Africa / Carla Tardi / Investopedia

Investing in Krugerrands

Krugerrands remain a popular investment for gold investors in part because of their value and small size, which makes for easy storage. Krugerrands appeal to professional and private investors who wish to make a direct investment in gold bullion, hedge their portfolios against the U.S. dollar, or further diversify their portfolio.

Investors continue to buy gold because of the proven longevity of its value. Many gold investors consider this precious metal a safe investment that will retain its value even in an economic collapse. Owning a tangible asset appeals to some investors, who may put greater trust in physical coins or bars than in securities investments that exist only on paper.

If you are interested in buying Krugerrands you should have a secure place in which to store them. You also should be wary of scammers, seek a reputable gold dealer, and brush up on your states tax laws, which could include a sales tax on gold. Here are some features of investing in gold that some investors could find attractive:

The gold market is very liquid.

Your investment is in physical gold and is not dependent on the performance of a gold mine.

Gold has a positive track record in terms of returns and has increased in value because it is a non-renewable natural resource.

Gold has a low-to-negative correlation with other asset classes, making it an effective portfolio diversification tool.

Where Can I Buy a Krugerrand?

Krugerrands can be purchased from coin dealers in person or online. All Krugerrand coins, even ones minted during the time when international sanctions were imposed on South Africa, are now legal to own, buy, or sell.

How Much Gold Does a Krugerrand Contain?

A Krugerrand coin contains one ounce of gold, and weighs a total of 1.09 ounces due to the trace presence of copper alloy that makes the coins more durable.

How Much Does One Krugerrand Cost?

Since a Krugerrand contains one ounce of pure gold, the price of one of these coins closely follows the market price of gold, which is quoted per-ounce.
Fox News Flash top headlines for November 15

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Voters in Portland, Oregon, driven by frustration with surging homelessness and a desire to make government more inclusive, have approved a ballot measure that will completely reinvent City Hall, ushering in seismic changes that local officials will have just two years to put in place.

The hotly debated measure will upend almost everything about how Portland is run. It will more than double the number of City Council members, overhaul how voting is conducted and dissolve a power structure that many saw as being plagued by mismanagement and bureaucracy.

Previous attempts to change the system failed, but following the sustained Black Lives Matter protests in 2020 and amid a spiraling homelessness crisis, this time "the broader conditions were really ripe for it to pass," said pollster John Horvick, senior vice president of DHM Research.

PORTLAND CITY COUNCIL VOTES TO BAN HOMELESS CAMPS, APPROVE NEW HOUSING PROJECT: REPORT

"The combination of dissatisfaction with the city, plus an effectively delivered message around inclusion in elections  that really resonated with a segment of voters," Horvick said.

Following the passage of the measure, which will update the city's charter for the first time in over 100 years, local officials are now scrambling to assess how to revamp City Hall by the two-year deadline, November 2024. They will also have to figure out how to juggle its multimillion-dollar price tag with the city's other financial priorities, including the construction of a network of campsites for homeless people.

Portland Commissioner Mingus Mapps, who campaigned against the measure, said implementing the reforms will be like "trying to launch to the moon" from an idea scribbled on the back of a napkin.

"I hope people realize that this is not a minor reform or even a major reform," he said. "This is a fundamental reimagining and rebuilding of local government here in Portland."

The measure will scrap Portland's unusual commission form of government, under which City Council members act as administrators of the citys bureaus, and replace it with the more common mayor-council system. It will expand the city council from five to 12 members, who will be elected by voters in the districts they represent rather by voters citywide. The four new districts will be "multi-member," meaning they will each be represented by three councilors. The mayor will no longer serve on the City Council, and a city administrator will be hired to oversee the bureaus.

Logistical complexities abound. For one, the current City Hall building, which was completed in 1895, doesnt have a big enough chamber, or enough office space, to accommodate the expanded council.

"We would certainly have to hold City Council meetings in a different building," Mapps said. "Literally, our City Hall building becomes obsolete."

Homeless encampments near downtown Portland. Homelessness is among the many issues affecting the city that voters bore in mind when opting to restructure its council (AP Photo/Craig Mitchelldyer, File)

The measure will also implement a form of ranked choice voting known as single transferable vote. Under the system, ballots are counted in rounds with City Council candidates only needing 25% of the vote to win. If a candidate exceeds that threshold, their surplus votes are transferred to the next candidate ranked on each voters ballot. If no candidate receives 25% in the first round, the one with the fewest votes is eliminated and their votes are transferred to the next preferred candidate on each voters ballot.

Changing Portlands charter had been on the ballot before  under city law, a 20-person commission must convene every 10 years to review it  and it had always failed to pass. But the most recent charter review process kicked off during the summer of 2020, as protests over the police killing of George Floyd erupted nightly on Portlands streets and a nationwide reckoning with racism prompted conversations about making government more accountable and equitable.

The group that campaigned for the measure, Portland United for Change, said the new system could boost voter turnout and make government more representative. It highlighted the months of listening sessions held with historically marginalized communities and its endorsements from dozens of community groups, including local chapters of the NAACP and the American Civil Liberties Union.

OREGON ELECTION RESULTS: DEMOCRAT TINA KOTEK HOLDS OFF REPUBLICAN CHRISTINE DRAZAN IN GUBERNATORIAL RACE

Opponents pointed out that no other U.S. city uses this specific voting system for multi-member districts in City Council elections. They also denounced the price tag: City Hall estimates the transition could cost up to $17.7 million over the next three years, and that ongoing costs could reach $8.7 million per year.

Critics say this money is sorely needed to address the city's most pressing problems, including homelessness and crime. Just two days after Election Day, Mayor Ted Wheeler requested $27 million from the City Council to help fund the construction of city-designated campsites for homeless people, after the council's recent vote to ban street camping and create sanctioned camping areas.

Portland United for Change recognized that public outreach and education explaining how the new system works will be vital in the months to come. But the group also pointed to the wide margin of support seen in returns so far as a sign that many voters are open to the changes.

"I think it just truly shows that it was powered by the people and for the people," said Sol Mora, the group's campaign manager. "It just feels so exciting to know that at a time when democracy is under attack across the nation, Portland is serving as a model of the type of representation that all communities can have."

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Under the measure, Portland will hold its first election using geographic districts and ranked-choice voting in November 2024, with the new City Council taking office in January 2025.
What Is the Order Protection Rule?best betting app promotions

The Order Protection Rule is one of the four main provisions of the Regulation National Market System (NMS). The rule is meant to ensure that investors receive an execution price that is equivalent to what is being quoted on any other exchange where the security is traded. The rule eliminates the possibility of orders being traded through, which means executed at a suboptimal price.

The Order Protection Rule requires that each exchange establishes and enforces policies to ensure consistent price quotation for all NMS stocks, which include those on the major stock exchanges as well as many over-the-counter (OTC) stocks. The Order Protection Rule rule is also known as "Rule 611," or the "trade-through rule."

key takeaways

The Order Protection Rule aims to ensure that investors receive the best price when their order is executed by removing the ability to have orders traded through (executed at a worse price).

It mandates stocks must be traded on exchanges that show the best quotes, and requires trading centers to establish and enforce written policies and procedures that ensure this.

The Order Protection Rule is a provision of the Regulation National Market System (NMS), a set of rules passed by the SEC in 2005, and also goes by the name, "trade-through rule".

How the Order Protection Rule Works

The Order Protection Rulealong with Regulation NMS as a wholewas instituted to make financial markets more liquid and transparent via better access to data in general and improved quote displays and fairness in prices in particular. Before the regulation was passed in 2005 by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), existing "trade-through" rules did not protect investors at all times. This was especially true on limit trades where investors would sometimes get inferior prices to those being quoted on a different exchange.

The Order Protection Rule aims to protect quotations for a given security across the board, so all market participants can receive the best possible execution price for orders that can be executed immediately. It requires trading centers to establish, maintain, and enforce written policies and procedures that are reasonably designed to prevent the execution of trades at prices that are inferior to protected quotations displayed by other trading centers. The rule also established the National Best Bid and Offer (NBBO) requirement that mandates brokers to route orders to venues that offer the most advantageous displayed price.

The three other provisions of Regulation NMS are the Access Rule, the Sub-Penny Rule, and the Market Data Rules.

Criticism of the Order Protection Rule

Critiques of the Order Protection Rule's effectiveness have arisen in the years following its enactment. Those criticisms include the belief that, by mandating stocks trade on exchanges that show the best-quoted prices, the rule contributes to excess fragmentation among trading venues. This was implied to have increased the complexity of the market and the connectivity costs to participants in the market, making transactions more expensive overall. For example, trade-through restrictions can force market participants to route orders to lit venues they would otherwise not do business with.

Another criticism of the rule is that it may have indirectly led to an increase in dark trading, a practice where stock is bought and sold in such a way that it does not materially affect the market. This has been attributed to limits imposed on competition among lit venues with choices being made based on their speed and fees instead of stability and liquidity.

Critics have also cited the order protection rule for potentially harming institutional investors who need to make large volume trades but are forced to access small-sized quotations. This has the effect of tipping off short-term proprietary traders to the trading intentions of institutional investors.
Fox News Flash top headlines for November 14

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The Tennessee Department of Transportation is encouraging residents to participate in cleanup events throughout the state this month.

So far more than eight tons of trash has been collected in the department's No Trash November initiative.

INDIANA AUTHORITIES CATCH ILLEGAL DUMPER AFTER RECEIPT FOUND IN GARBAGE

The University of Tennessee is teaming up with the department's Nobody Trashes Tennessee campaign for a cleanup event Tuesday morning. Participants will meet at the Torchbearer statue on the Knoxville campus where they will receive cleanup supplies and safety instruction.

Thousands of Tennessee residents are taking part in 'No Trash November' cleanup events throughout the state this month in order to keep their community clean.
B.A., English, University of Alabama at Birmingham

Sometimes, a bachelors degree isnt enough  but who has the time (and an extra $30,000) to attend grad school? However, a MicroMasters is the middle ground between a bachelors degree and a masters degree, and it can save students time and money while satisfying an employers preference - or requirement - for advanced learning.

What Is a MicroMasters Program?

MicroMasters programs are offered on edX.org, the nonprofit online learning destination founded by Harvard and MIT. In addition to these two schools, MicroMasters can also be earned at Columbia University, University of Pennsylvania, Georgia Tech, Boston University, University of Michigan, UC San Diego, University System of Maryland, and Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT). In addition, the programs are offered at schools in other countries, including The University of British Columbia, Universite Catholique de Louvain, and the University of Adelaide.

Therese Hannigan, director of RIT Online at RIT, tells ThoughtCo, Originally conceived and developed by MIT as a pilot program on edX, the flexible MicroMasters program is a first-of-its-kind credential with a pathway to credit with value to academic institutions and employers.

Hannigan explains that MicroMasters programs entail a series of in-depth and rigorous graduate-level courses. Flexible and free to try, the programs offer learners valuable knowledge to enhance their careers and they also offer a path to an accelerated Masters program.

James DeVaney, associate vice provost for Academic Innovation at the University of Michigan, adds, These MicroMasters programs provide opportunities to explore and advance professional skills, engage in a global learning community, and accelerate time to degree. He tells ThoughtCo that the programs reflect his schools commitment to openness. The courses are free to try and designed with diverse global learners in mind.

The University of Michigan offers three MicroMasters:

User Experience (UX) Research and Design Social Work: Practice, Policy, and Research Leading Educational Innovation and Improvement

The University of Michigan embraces these programs for several reasons. They reflect our commitment to lifelong and lifewide learning as they provide in-demand knowledge and deep learning in specific career fields, DeVaney explains. And, they also reflect our commitment to affordability, inclusion, and innovation as they provide opportunities for learners to pursue accelerated and less expensive masters degrees."

While the online classes are free at all of the schools, students pay for the proctored exams that they must pass to receive a MicroMasters credential. After students earn this certificate, Hannigan explains that they have two options. They are prepared to advance in the workforce, or, they may build on their work by applying to the university offering credit for the certificate, Hannigan says. If accepted, learners can pursue an accelerated and less expensive Masters degree.

Benefits of a MicroMasters

Because these certificates are offered from prestigious universities, the programs are recognized by some of the top companies in the world, including Walmart, GE, IBM, Volvo, Bloomberg, Adobe, Fidelity Investments, Booz Allen Hamilton, Ford Motor Company, PricewaterhouseCoopers, and Equifax.

MicroMasters programs allow those who might not otherwise have the opportunity, to pursue an academic credential faster and at a reduced overall cost, Hannigan says. And, since its shorter in length than a traditional Masters program, the modular MicroMasters programs enable learners to begin down a path of advanced study in an affordable and flexible manner.

Specifically, Hannigan cites four specific advantages:

Career-focused: Career outcome-focused credential, recognized by top companies

Career outcome-focused credential, recognized by top companies Pathway to credit : Comparable to one quarter to one semesters worth (25-50%) of a

Masters degree (or 20-30 ECTS) in Europe upon acceptance to a university program

: Comparable to one quarter to one semesters worth (25-50%) of a Masters degree (or 20-30 ECTS) in Europe upon acceptance to a university program Affordable: Costs between $600 - $1,500 USD

Costs between $600 - $1,500 USD Flexible:Offered fully online, as either self-paced or instructor-led, and offered multiple times per year - meaning the courses can be taken at your own pace without disrupting your life.

The MicroMasters programs meet the needs of top corporations and provide learners with valuable knowledge and a career-applicable credential for highly competitive in-demand fields, Hannigan explains. This recognition from an industry leader, in combination with the credential from a prestigious university, signals to employers that a candidate with a MicroMasters credential has acquired valuable knowledge and relevant skills that are directly applicable to their company.

RIT has created two MicroMasters programs:

Project Management Cybersecurity

Hannigan says these two areas were chosen because theres a high demand for the type of information and skills students gain through these curricula. There are 1.5 million new project management jobs being created each year, according to the Project Management Institute, Hannigan says. And, according to Forbes, there will be 6 million new cybersecurity jobs by 2019.

Some of the MicroMasters programs offered by other schools include:
Chinese Vice Premier Wang Qishan left Beijing on Tuesday afternoon for trade talks with the United States.

Wang will co-chair the 23rd China-U.S. Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade (JCCT) in Washington with U.S. Deputy Secretary of Commerce Rebecca Blank and trade representative Ron Kirk.

Established in 1983,mgm grand incidental hold the JCCT is a platform for China and the United States to promote trade relations and address issues of mutual concern.

The 22nd China-U.S. JCCT was held in Chinas southwestern city of Chengdu from Nov. 20 to 21, 2011.

Xinhua

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M.A., History, University of Florida

B.A., History, University of Florida

The Great Awakeningof 1720-1745 was a period of intense religious revivalism that spread throughout the American colonies. The movement deemphasized the higher authority of church doctrine and instead put greater importance on the individual and his or her spiritual experience.

The Great Awakening arose at a time when people in Europe and the American colonies were questioning the role of the individual in religion and society. It began at the same time as the Enlightenment which emphasized logic and reason and stressed the power of the individual to understand the universe based on scientific laws. Similarly, individuals grew to rely more on a personal approach to salvation than church dogma and doctrine. There was a feeling among believers that established religion had become complacent. This new movement emphasized an emotional, spiritual, and personal relationship with God.

Historical Context of Puritanism

By the early 18th century, the New England theocracy clung to a medieval concept of religious authority. At first, the challenges of living in a colonial America isolated from its roots in Europe served to support an autocratic leadership; but by the 1720s, the increasingly diverse, commercially successful colonies had a stronger sense of independence. The church had to change.

One possible source of inspiration for great change occurred in October of 1727 when an earthquake rattled the region. Ministers preached that the Great Earthquake was God's latest rebuke to New England, a universal shock that might presage the final conflagration and the day of judgment. The number of religious converts increased for some months afterward.

Revivalism

The Great Awakening movement divided longstanding denominations such as the Congregational and Presbyterian churches and created an opening for new evangelical strength in Baptists and Methodists. That began with a series of revival sermons from preachers who were either not associated with mainstream churches, or who were diverging from those churches.

Most scholars date the beginning of the revival era of the Great Awakening to the Northampton revival which began in the church of Jonathan Edwards in 1733. Edwards gained the post from his grandfather, Solomon Stoddard, who had exercised a great deal of control over the community from 1662 until his death in 1729. By the time Edwards took the pulpit, though, things had slipped; licentiousness prevailed particularly with young people. Within a few years of Edward's leadership, the young people by degrees "left off their frolics" and returned to spirituality.

Edwards who preached for close to ten years in New England emphasized a personal approach to religion. He bucked the Puritan tradition and called for an end to intolerance and unity among all Christians. His most famous sermon was "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God," delivered in 1741. In this sermon, he explained that salvation was a direct result of God and could not be attained by human works as the Puritans preached.

"So that, whatever some have imagined and pretended about promises made to natural mens earnest seeking and knocking, it is plain and manifest, that whatever pains a natural man takes in religion, whatever prayers he makes, till he believes in Christ, God is under no manner of obligation to keep him a moment from eternal destruction."

The Grand Itinerant

A second important figure during the Great Awakening was George Whitefield. Unlike Edwards, Whitefield was a British minister who moved to colonial America. He was known as the "Great Itinerant" because he traveled and preached all around North America and Europe between 1740 and 1770. His revivals led to many conversions, and the Great Awakening spread from North America back to the European continent.

In 1740 Whitefield left Boston to begin a 24-day journey through New England. His initial purpose was to collect money for his Bethesda orphanage, but he lit religious fires, and the ensuing revival engulfed most of New England. By the time he returned to Boston, crowds at his sermons grew, and his farewell sermon was said to have included some 30,000 people.

The message of the revival was to return to religion, but it was a religion that would be available to all sectors, all classes, and all economies.

New Light Versus Old Light

The church of the original colonies was various versions of entrenched Puritanism, underpinned by Calvinism. The orthodox Puritan colonies were societies of status and subordination, with the ranks of men arranged in strict hierarchies. Lower classes were subservient and obedient to a class of spiritual and governing elite, made up of upper-class gentlemen and scholars. The church saw this hierarchy as a status that was fixed at birth, and the doctrinal emphasis was placed on the depravity of (common) man, and the sovereignty of God as represented by his church leadership.

But in the colonies before the American Revolution, there were clearly social changes at work, including a rising commercial and capitalist economy, as well as increased diversity and individualism. This, in turn, created a rise of class antagonism and hostilities. If God bestows his grace on an individual, why did that gift have to be ratified by a church official?

The Significance of the Great Awakening

The Great Awakening had a major impact on Protestantism, as a number of new offshoots grew out of that denomination, but with an emphasis on individual piety and religious inquiry. The movement also prompted a rise in evangelicalism, which united believers under the umbrella of like-minded Christians, regardless of denomination, for whom the path to salvation was the acknowledgment that Jesus Christ died for our sins.

While a great unifier among the people living in the American colonies, this wave of religious revivalism did have its opponents. Traditional clergy asserted that it fomented fanaticism and that the emphasis on extemporaneous preaching would increase the number of uneducated preachers and downright charlatans.

It pushed individual religious experience over established church doctrine, thereby decreasing the importance and weight of the clergy and the church in many instances.

New denominations arose or grew in numbers as a result of the emphasis on individual faith and salvation.

It unified the American colonies as it spread through numerous preachers and revivals. This unification was greater than had ever been achieved previously in the colonies.

Sources
A much expected downpour bypassed Beijing Wednesday but battered the neighboring city of Tianjin, flooding many downtown streets and vehicles.

As of 11 a.m. Thursday, the maximum precipitation had exceeded 300 millimeters, Tianjins meteorological center said in a press release.

It said the city proper received an average rainfall of 147 mm, while the outer Xiqing district, one of the worst-battered areas, received 309.8 mm.

The local fire prevention bureau sent 190 fire engines and 1,140 rescuers to help rescue flood stranded vehicles and pedestrians.

The rain had largely stopped by midday, but the center issued another orange alarm at 11:10 a.m., warning residents of a further rainstorm.

The downpour has paralyzed traffic in downtown Tianjin, drowning many roads. Dozens of vehicles were stranded on Baidi road in Nankai district after their engines died in the flood.

Many pedestrians complained they had to trek in knee-deep water. In some sections of Xianyang Street, flood water was waist deep.

On the badly flooded Friendship Road in Hexi district, five workers kept watch next to sewage wells whose manholes had been removed for faster drainage.

The rain disrupted air traffic at Tianjins airport, where 20 flights were canceled and 34 delayed.8 The first flight, an incoming flight from Shanghai, landed in Tianjin after the rain subsided at 11:32 a.m., and the first departing flight took off at 12:08 p.m., according to the airports official website.

Railway transportation, however, was largely unaffected, including the express rail link to Beijing, the citys railway authorities confirmed.

Vegetable prices were up at the citys major wholesale markets Thursday. Each kilo is at least 0.4 yuan  about 30 percent  more expensive than yesterday, said Cui Hongqing, a wholesaler at Hongqi Market.

Cui predicted further price hikes Friday as the rain devastated crops and increased transportation costs.

Chinas capital Beijing was on guard against heavy rain Wednesday, fearing a repeat of Saturdays mayhem.

Saturdays downpour, which the local weather bureau described as the heaviest in 61 years, killed at least 37 people  some were drowned in private cars.

Many office workers were allowed to go home early Wednesday for safety considerations, and city authorities bombarded mobile phone subscribers with text message warnings of an imminent downpour.

The much expected rain, however, did not fall in Beijing.

The capital was still overcast Thursday, as the central weather bureau has forecast rain in seven northern China provinces and municipalities, including Beijing, over the coming three days.

Xinhua

Downpour bypasses Beijing, hits neighboring city of Tianjinadded by chinatimesonline on

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SoftBank-backed Indian e-scooter maker Ola Electric said on Friday it will raise 55 billion ($662 million) in an initial public offering (IPO) that is tipped to be one of the country's biggest share sales next year. The offering, which is the first by an EV-maker in the country, will include an issue of fresh stock, with CEO Bhavish Aggarwal and SoftBank selling up to 47.4 million and 23.9 million shares, respectively, according to a draft prospectus filed with the Indian market regulator.

The Ola Electric IPO will include an issue of fresh stock with CEO Bhavish Aggarwal and SoftBank selling up to 47.4 million and 23.9 million shares re

"This is a much awaited (share) issue, coming from an electric two-wheeler maker ... it would set the pace for many more such offerings to follow," said Arun Kejriwal, founder of Kejriwal Research and Investment Services.

Also Read : Four lakh e-scooters in two years: Ola Electric gears up for major milestone.

Ola Electric, founded in 2017 in India's tech hub of Bengaluru, launched its e-scooters two years ago. It plans to use some proceeds from the offering for the expansion of its cell manufacturing facility in the southern state of Tamil Nadu.

Also check these Bikes Find more Bikes Ola Electric S1 Pro 4 kWh 120 kmph 195 km  1.40 - 1.47 Lakhs Compare View Offers TVS iQube Electric 4.56 kWh 78 kmph 100 km  1.56 - 1.62 Lakhs Compare View Offers Bajaj Chetak 3.2 kWh 73 kmph 126 km  1.15 - 1.35 Lakhs Compare View Offers UPCOMING Hero Electric AE-3 3 kWh 80 Kmph 100 Km  1.50 Lakhs View Details Ather Energy 450x 3.7 kWh 90 kmph 150 km  1.26 - 1.29 Lakhs Compare View Offers Simple Energy One 5 kwh 105 kmph 212 km/charge  1.45 - 1.50 Lakhs Compare View Offers

Backed by SoftBank and Singapore's Temasek, the company was valued at $5.4 billion in a recent funding round, Reuters reported in September.

Ola Electric dominates India's electric two-wheeler segment, with a 32 per cent market share and competes with TVS Motor, Bajaj Auto and Ather Energy.

Ather, backed by Singapore's GIC, is also planning an India listing and has a market valuation of $739.4 million, according to data from investment tracker Tracxn.

Ola Electric's IPO comes at a time when India has seen a record number of listings this year, including Tata Technologies and JSW Infrastructure.

"Ola is launching the issue at the right time since there is ample liquidity ... the primary market is receiving a humongous response," said Kranthi Bathini, equity strategist at WealthMills Securities.

Earlier this month, Ola Electric slashed its sales goals for 2023-2025 by more than half and delayed its target of achieving profits by a year, after reduced government incentives pushed up e-scooter prices.

Its consolidated loss widened to 14.72 billion rupees for the year ended March 31, while revenue from operations climbed more than seven times.

India's government anticipates the share of electric two-wheelers in overall sales to rise to 60%-70 per cent by 2030 from 4.7% per cent in 2023.

First Published Date:
A friend afar brings a distant land near. This play+ betmgmancient Chinese interpretation of friendship has come to life through a growing group of American families who considered a mysterious suburban area in China as their roots and home.

The mysterious place is called Kuliang, the Fujian dialect name of the Guling scenic area that even most Chinese were unfamiliar with. For over a hundred years, however, the American families which once lived there harmoniously with friendly Chinese in the 1900s still call it home.

Due to cultural differences and decades of shattered memories, Kuliang remained unrecognized until one of the American families, the Gardners, rediscovered it as Guling with the help of the then Fuzhou government official Xi Jinping.

The Kuliang story inspired other American families to find their ancestors' Chinese roots and moved the hearts of many Chinese people across the ocean. When Peter MacInnis, who was born in Guling, and his wife Elyn MacInnis started their research on Kuliang, they got support from not only the American former Kuliang families but also the Chinese communities.

Peter MacInnis was the baby inside the basket in Guling decades ago.

Peter MacInnis was the baby inside the basket in Guling decades ago.

In the seven years of research, Elyn MacInnis formed the Kuliang Friends group as the Kuliang circle broadened. Americans and Chinese collaborated with modern technologies, tracing back many incredible stories in China.

Over a hundred years ago, many American families developed a deep friendship with the Chinese in "Kuliang." Some of their ancestors fought side by side with the Chinese in Flying Tigers and some even lost their lives in defending China against the Japanese invasion in World War II.

After a hundred years, the friendship passes on to several generations, becoming a mutually beneficial cooperation. When the Chinese helped the Americans find roots in Guling, these family memories helped China recover some precious history in a time of wars and chaos.

Elyn believed these people-to-people exchanges are the Kuliang spirit of peace, friendship, and love. Regardless of the cultural difference, the touching stories of "Kuliang" never fade away and continue to bridge people from the two countries together.

Chinese Ambassador to the U.S. Qin Gang met with the American families and thanked the Kuliang Friends group for doing a tremendous amount of work for Guling, promoting understanding and friendship between the Chinese and American people. "Kuliang" stories demonstrated people-to-people exchanges and mutually beneficial cooperation, especially in times when the U.S.-China relationship is facing many difficulties and challenges.

For more, check out our exclusive content on CGTN Now and subscribe to our weekly newsletter, The China Report.
Staff members sort packages at a logistics center in Taiyuan, north China's Shanxi Province, Nov. 11, 2022. China's annual "Double Eleven" festival, which falls on Nov. 11, was first started by Alibaba's e-commerce platform in 2009 and quickly grew into a major shopping event.(Photo: Xinhua)

Many brands have posted record sales on Saturday as China's Double 11 online shopping festival concluded with new trends and highlights amid a continued recovery in the country's consumption.As Chinese e-commerce platforms place increased emphasis on quality development and integration with the real economy amid economic pressures, major platforms including Tmall and JD.com didn't release the gross merchandise volume (GMV) for 2022's Double 11 online festival like in past years.The shopping festival has shown an increasingly important role of China's digital economy in the overall economy amid the impact of downward pressure on global economy and the COVID-19 resurgence, experts said.On Saturday, Chinese brands including Xiaomi, TCL and Vivo have reported sales hitting new highs.Lei Jun, founder and CEO of Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi, posted on his Sina Weibo account on Saturday that sales across all of the company's sales channels exceeded 17 billion yuan ($2.4 billion) during the shopping festival.Chinese electronics firm TCL announced that the brand's sales of all products in this Double 11 festival exceeded 3.4 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 60 percent.Although the market sentiment and expectation among consumers and businesses still remain cautious amid the epidemic, companies' sales growth during the Double 11 festival shows China's consumption continues to recover, Tian Yun, former vice director of the Beijing Economic Operation Association, told the Global Times on Saturday.Amid the downward pressure on the global economy, Chinese enterprises are still innovating and stimulating new consumption hotspots, Tian said.This year's Double 11 shopping festival is the most diverse event for participating merchants, with 290,000 brands, millions of small and medium-sized businesses, and livestreaming sellers signing up. More than 21 million products participated in the event, according to a Hangzhou Daily report.New online business models like livestreaming sales have attracted wide attention at the Double shopping festival. The average daily view of livestreaming selling events on Taobao increased by 561 percent year-on-year, according to the report.As China's Double 11 online shopping festival enters its 14th year, China's digital economy not only plays a supportive role for the development of the real economy, but also develops many new forms of businesses, providing a new drive of growth for the Chinese economy, Tian said.Global Times
What Is the Keystone XL Pipeline?planet 7 free spins no deposit

The Keystone XL pipeline was to transport oil from Alberta, Canada, to refineries in the United States. The final phase of the Keystone XL pipeline was to be developed by TC Energy (formerly TransCanada Corporation), which has constructed several other pipelines between Canada and the United States since 2010.

In March 2019, then-President Donald Trump granted a Presidential permit allowing construction of the oil pipeline that was to run through the international border of the United States and Canada. However, on Jan. 20, 2021, President Biden signed an executive order revoking the permit of the Keystone XL pipeline.

Key Takeaways

The Keystone Pipeline was proposed by TC Energy (formerly TransCanadian Corp.) in 2005 to transport new finds of hard-to-extract heavy oil from oil sands in Canada to U.S. refiners.

The pipeline system is 2,687 miles (4,324 km) long.

Keystone has been controversial for many years due to concerns about its local and global environmental impacts.

On Jan. 20, 2021, President Joe Biden rescinded the construction permit for the Keystone XL pipeline.

Understanding the Keystone XL Pipeline

The Keystone Pipeline was proposed by TransCanada Corp. on Feb. 9, 2005, in a press release, which said, "TransCanada is in the business of connecting energy supplies to markets and we view this opportunity as another way of providing a valuable service to our customers. Converting one of our natural gas pipeline assets for oil transportation is an innovative, cost-competitive way to meet the need for pipeline expansions to accommodate anticipated growth in Canadian crude oil production during the next decade."

The first phase of the pipeline goes from Hardisty, Alberta, to the junction at Steele City, Nebraska, and on to the Wood River Refinery in Roxana, Illinois, and the Patoka Oil Terminal Hub north of Patoka, Illinois. Section two runs from Steele City, Nebraska, south through Kansas to the oil hub and tank farm in Cushing, Oklahoma, then further south to Nederland, Texas, to serve refineries in the Port Arthur, Texas, area. The third phase is the Houston Lateral pipeline, which will transport crude oil from the pipeline in Liberty County, Texas, to refineries and terminals in the Houston area.

In Nov. 2015, President Barack Obama announced his administration would not grant permits for the construction of this pipeline in order to further their commitment to fighting climate change. In his first week at the Oval Office, President Trump signed an executive order clearing the way for the pipeline project. The Republican party had believed that the construction of the pipeline will create more jobs and provide a boost to the economy. On Jan. 20, 2021, President Joe Biden rescinded the construction permit for the Keystone XL pipeline. TC Energy said it was stopping construction earlier the same day.

How the Keystone Pipeline Works

The Keystone system transports diluted bitumen and synthetic crude oil from Alberta through Montana, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, and Oklahoma to refineries located in Texas, Illinois, and Oklahoma. Canada has large reserves of oil locked in oil sands. This oil is considered heavy oil, which requires a different refining process from other types of oil. The production of heavy oil releases particulate matter, such as soot, as well as chemicals such as sulfides, hydrogen cyanide, and sulfur. The finished Keystone XL pipeline is estimated to be able to carry over 800,000 barrels of oil a day.

The Keystone pipeline has been criticized by environmental groups, politicians, and residents of states through which the pipeline passes. These groups have raised concerns about the proposed route's proximity to the Sandhill region of Nebraska and the Ogallala aquifer, the latter of which provides a significant portion of the water used to water crops in the United States.  The bitumen carried by the pipeline to the United States will likely result in higher greenhouse gas emissions.

For example, the National Resource Defense Council (NRDC) has filed lawsuits in 2017, 2019, and in July of 2020 to stop the construction of the pipeline. According to the NRDC, tar sands oil is much thicker and more corrosive than typical crude oil and is more prone to leaks and spills through the pipeline. The group stated that the most recent spill in Oct. 2019 resulted in 378,000 gallons of oil spilling in North Dakota.

Proponents of the pipeline say that it will increase the supply of oil to the United States and that oil coming from a friendly neighboring country increases security.
What Are Appellate Courts?next cryptocurrency to invest in

Appellate courts, also known as the court of appeals, are the part of the American judicial system that is responsible for hearing and reviewing appeals from legal cases that have already been heard in a trial-level or other lower court.

Persons or entities such as corporations that experience an unsuccessful outcome in a trial-level or other lower courts may file an appeal with an appellate court to have the decision reviewed. If the appeal has merit, the lower ruling may be reversed. Appellate courts are present at both the state and federal levels and do not include a jury.

Key Takeaways

Appellate courts hear and review appeals from legal cases that have already been heard and ruled on in lower courts.

Appellate courts exist for both state and federal-level matters but feature only a committee of judges (often called justices) instead of a jury of one's peers.

There are 13 appeals courts on the federal level, with each state having its own appeals court system, some of which include intermediate appellate courts.

How Appellate Courts Work

Appellate courts review the decisions of lower courts to determine if the court applied the law correctly. They exist as part of the judicial system to provide those who have judgments made against them an opportunity to have their case reviewed.

A publicly traded company with an unfavorable judgment against it will likely experience a drop in share price, but an appeal could overturn this previous ruling. If an appeal is successful, the stock price usually jumps.

Unsuccessful appeals may further be appealed to the Supreme Court.

Courts at the appellate level review the findings and evidence from the lower court and determine if there is sufficient evidence to support the determination made by the lower court. In addition, the appellate court will determine if the trial or lower court correctly applied the law.

The highest form of an appellate court in the U.S. is the U.S. Supreme Court, which hears only appeals of major importance and consequence.

Appellate Courts vs. Supreme Courts

Supreme courts typically have more authority and breadth than appellate courts. The U.S. Supreme Court is the highest legal authority there is in America and many states have their own supreme courts, or court of last resort.

Supreme courts review decisions made by appeals courts. Overall, there are 13 appellate courts on the federal level12 district appellate courts and an appeals court for the Federal Circuit.

Many states have intermediate appellate courts, which serve as appeals courts meant to cut down on the workload for the state Supreme Court.

Forty-one of the 50 states have at least one intermediate appellate court.

Example of an Appellate Court Ruling

Shares of ride-sharing companies Uber Technologies Inc. and Lyft Inc. rose in the summer of 2020 after an appellate court granted a delay in the implementation of a new California law that requires many so-called "gig workers," including drivers for ride-share companies, to be reclassified as employees.

In this instance, the appellate court decided that a previous ruling from a lower California court, affirming the constitutionality or legality of the state employment law, would be put on hold until it could evaluate the appeal and rule on its merits.

Not long after, investor hopes that Uber and Lyft could potentially get away with offering drivers no access to benefit plans or workers' compensation coverage were dashed. In October of 2020, the California First District Court of Appeals ruled that the law was, in fact, legal and enforceable, meaning Uber and Lyft must treat their California drivers as employees, rather than independent contractors, and provide them with the benefits and wages they are entitled to under state labor law.

In February of 2021, the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear Uber and Lyfts appeal, affirming the lower courts decision. The U.K. Supreme Court has also done the same.
What Is a Golden Handshake?golden nugget stock symbol

A golden handshake is a stipulation in an employment agreement which states that the employer will provide a significant severance package if the employee loses their job. It is usually provided to top executives in the event that they lose employment because of retirement, layoffs, or for negligence. However, payment can be made in several ways, such as cash or stock options.

Key Takeaways

Golden handshakes are pre-negotiated employment agreements that provide a severance if the employee were to involuntarily leave their position early.

Payment can be made in cash, stock options, or anything else accepted in the contract.

Golden Handshakes often come with non-compete clauses.

Golden Handshakes are often controversial and can cause upset in the general public.

Sometimes low-level employees receive a smaller version of the golden handshake.

Severance Package Basics

How a Golden Handshake Works

1:25

Sometimes these golden handshakes are for millions of dollars, which makes them a very important issue for investors to consider. For example in 1989, R.J. Reynolds Nabisco paid F. Ross Johnson over $52 million as part of a golden handshake clause. Some contracts, along with compensation, include non-competition clauses, which state that the employee is not allowed to open a competing business for a specified period of time after they are terminated.

A golden handshake can also be referred to as a golden parachute.

Special Considerations

Occasionally non-executives receive a golden handshake as a bonus. It is usually drastically different than the compensation that CEOs and top executives get, so one might call it a "silver handshake." Nevertheless, it is better than leaving with nothing.

An example of this is automotive companies that buy out union workers' contracts. This can then free up that capital to hire new workers at a more advantageous labor cost. Another example is people who are forced into early retirement. Often times companies want to bring in new talent so these people are paid severance packages.

Criticism of Golden Handshakes

Golden handshakes can be very controversial. They can damage a company's public image because large executive payoffs are viewed as a reward for failure. For example, in 2010 British the oil company BP had an oil spill that occurred in the Gulf of Mexico as a result of the explosion of the Deepwater Horizon oil rig.

The rig was leased to BP for exploration of the Macondo Prospect, an oil field off the coast of Louisiana. After the accident, which resulted in costs to the company of more than $69 billion, BP's CEO Tony Hayward was pushed out. However, he received a golden handshake payout of a year's salary, worth $1.5 million, in addition to keeping his approximately $17 million pension fund.

Other famous golden handshake controversies occurred during the 2008 financial crisis. After many of these banks got into financial trouble, top executives were forced to depart but left with large pay packages intact. Some big banks allowed top-level staff to cash out of incentive programs by accelerating the vesting of their stock awards. For example, Antonio Weiss, a former Lazard banker, acknowledged that he received up to $21 million in unvested income and deferred compensation following his departure.

Bank shareholders who were left with worthless stock and bond investments were upset by these agreements. Since then, some companies have given investors a say on executive pay packages at shareholder meetings. These shareholder votes are usually non-binding, but do provide a strong signal to management about investors' attitude toward excessive executive payouts.
China is likely to grapple with weaker external demand during the rest of 2012 due to the slowing global economy, Shen Danyang, spokesman for the Ministry of Commerce, acknowledged on Wednesday.

External demand in the next few months will be weaker than in the first half and the first eight months of the year, Shen said at a regular press briefing.

Chinas exports grew 2.7 percent year on year in August, up from 1 percent in the previous month but still below market expectations of 3 percent.

Shen blamed the low export growth on higher export costs, an unfavorable trading environment and waning external demand caused by the global economic downturn, especially the worsening debt crisis in the eurozone.

Amid a gloomy trade outlook, China introduced a raft of measures last week to stabilize export growth, including faster payment of export tax rebates and boosting loans to exporters.

Chinas imports dropped for the third consecutive month, falling 2.6 percent from a year earlier to 151.31 billion U.S. dollars in August. The sharp slump showed that domestic demand had also weakened.

The countrys demand for construction, mining and textile machinery contracted severely, Shen said. Lower global commodity prices also resulted in the fall in imports last month.

Average import prices of rubber, iron ore and pulp fell 27.6 percent, 25.3 percent and 19.3 percent, respectively, in August.

The Chinese economy slowed to 7.6 percent in the second quarter of this year, marking the slowest pace of growth in more than three years, partly due to a cooling property market.

Xinhua

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Chinese marine surveillance ships continued regular patrols in the territorial waters surrounding the Diaoyu Islands on Monday,fanduel ny state suns playoff odds the State Oceanic Administration said.

A fleet consisting of the Haijian 137, Haijian 15 and Haijian 8002 solemnly declared to Japanese ships that the Diaoyu Islands have been Chinese territory since ancient times and urged them to immediately leave the Chinese waters, the statement said.

Xinhua

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Individually-owned businesses grew steadily at 4.4 percent annually,isoftbet no deposit bonus australia while private enterprises achieved an annual growth rate of 15.5 percent from 2002 to 2012, according to the data released by the State Administration for Industry and Commerce (SAIC).

Private enterprises currently account for over 70 percent of Chinas total enterprises. Together with individually-owned businesses, they contribute to more than 60 percent of the countrys GDP, the data show.

Meanwhile, together, they provide 80 percent of jobs nationwide, and 90 percent of new jobs are from the private sector, according to the data.

Ma Fu, head of the private economy regulation department under the SAIC, said that reforms to improve the market system and create a fair competition environment over the years have contributed to the rapid and steady growth of the nations individual and private businesses during the past decade.

Xinhua

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The English spoken by many Americans is much different than the formal English taught in public schools and language courses. Spoken English is rife with slang, regional variations, and dialectical words.

Creek and crick are excellent examples. Both nouns can refer to the same object, but only one of them is Standard English. Still, both words appear in published writing, even classic American fiction.

Which version should you use? Continue reading to learn more about these confusing words.

What is the Difference Between Creek and Crick?

In this post, I will compare creek vs. crick. I will use each word in at least one example sentence, so you can see how it appears in context.

Plus, I will share a mnemonic device that will help you when you need to choose either creek or crick in your own writing.

When to Use Creek

What does creek mean? Creek is a noun and is a small river. Creeks are usually shallow and may dry up during the warmer seasons when there is not enough rain or snowmelt to feed into them. In some ways, creek is a synonym of stream, when stream also refers to a small river.

Here are some examples,

We found a muddy creek in April, but when we went back to find it again in August, it had completely dried.

If you walk through the forest often enough, you will probably find creeks that are too small to be named on maps.

Creek is part of several idioms. The most common is probably up a creek, which usually implies without a paddle, and signifies an unfortunate position. Creek also has a homophone, creak, which means a squeaking noise, and is unrelated.

When to Use Crick

What does crick mean? Crick is also a noun and has two main meanings. The first is a stiff feeling in the back or neck.

For example,

Edgar developed many new cricks and pops as he aged into his 60s.

Crick can also be a dialectical variant of creek, which more closely resembles the pronunciation of the word by certain regional speakers.

Crickis common in American fiction, such as the work of Mark Twain. In Twains The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, for instance, the characters Tom and Huck happen across several cricks in their wanderings. Writers often use crick to inject a feeling of rural authenticity into their dialogue.

For example,

Lets cross the crick into the meadow to get off Farmer Bens property! said Angus.

Other than these regional considerations, there isnt much of a reason to ever use crick in your writing.

As you can see in the above chart, which graphs crick vs. creek, the disparity in the written use of these words is overwhelming. Creek is the only standard spelling of the word, and crick doesnt make its way into professional writing outside of specific bits of fiction.

Trick to Remember the Difference

If you are describing a shallow stream, it would be better to use creek. Crick is, at best, an American dialectical variant. You can use the word to your advantage in fiction writing, but for other situations, creek is probably the better option.

Since creek and stream both contain the letter E, you can easily remember that creek is the better choice for most writing.

Summary

Is it crick or creek? Creek is a noun that refers to a shallow stream. Crick is an American dialectical variant that is popular in some genres of fiction. Creek is the standard term in all other contexts.

To summarize,
BANGKOK,bitcoin wallet sign up Nov. 18 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping called for efforts to ensure a clean and beautiful Asia-Pacific when addressing the 29th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Economic Leaders' Meeting here on Friday.

He stressed the need to enhance economic and technical cooperation, speed up coordinated digital and green development, advance the transition and upgrading of energy, resources, and industrial and consumption structures, and promote green economic and social development. 
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.,online casino welcome offer 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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US sends warning to Iran with B-52 bomber flight over region

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Fox News' Jennifer Griffin reports on the Pentagon's message to Iran as the regime continues its intense crackdown on protesters.

Enough material to fuel more than a dozen medium-range ballistic missiles has been intercepted by the U.S. Navy on a fishing vessel heading from Iran to Yemen.

The massive amount of explosive material was seized by the U.S. Naval Forces 5th Fleet on Nov. 8 while the ship was traveling along a route used to send weapons to the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in the war-torn country.

"The unlawful transfer of lethal aid from Iran does not go unnoticed," Vice Adm. Brad Cooper, commander of U.S. Naval Forces Central Command, U.S. 5th Fleet and Combined Maritime Forces, said in a statement. "It is irresponsible, dangerous and leads to violence and instability across the Middle East."

The 5th Fleet said the vessel was intercepted by the U.S. Coast Guard ship USCGC John Scheuerman and guided-missile destroyer USS The Sullivans.

IRAN ISSUES FIRST-KNOWN DEATH SENTENCE TO ANTI-GOVERNMENT PROTESTER

The U.S. 5th Fleet removes explosive material found on board a ship traveling from Iran to Yemen. (U.S. 5th Fleet)

"Patrol coastal ship USS Hurricane (PC 3) and Navy explosive ordnance disposal technicians from U.S. 5th Fleets Task Force 56 also assisted during a weeklong effort to fully search the vessel and verify the type of material found," it said in a statement.

While on board, "forces discovered more than 70 tons of ammonium perchlorate, a powerful oxidizer commonly used to make rocket and missile fuel as well as explosives," according to the U.S. 5th Fleet, which added that it was the first time it has intercepted the material.

The U.S. 5th Fleet says it found "more than 70 tons of ammonium perchlorate, a powerful oxidizer commonly used to make rocket and missile fuel as well as explosives," on board the fishing vessel. (U.S. 5th Fleet)

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

The raid also netted more than 100 tons of urea fertilizer, a chemical compound which can be used to make explosives.

The U.S. 5th Fleet says the ship was traveling along a route historically used to send lethal aid to Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen. (U.S. 5th Fleet)

U.S. forces sank the vessel on Nov. 13, determining it a hazard for commercial shipping. The four crew members operating it were returned to Yemen two days later during an at-sea exchange in the Gulf of Aden with the Yemen Coast Guard.

Liz Friden is a Pentagon producer based in Washington, D.C.
Student debt forgiveness for 40 million Americans is kansas star casino promotionson hold indefinitely after another legal setback on Mondayand legal experts are warning that its possible the measure will be killed by the courts before anyone sees debt relief.

A federal appeals court issued a preliminary injunction on Monday preventing the program from moving forward, further delaying up to $20,000 per person in debt forgiveness. As the case moves forward, it could make its way to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Its entirely possible that judges that are kind of skeptical of executive action or administrative action would strike it down and enjoin it, says Michael SantAmbrogio, a law professor at Michigan State University, who studies administrative law, federal courts and constitutional law. Thats a very real risk at the moment.

The preliminary injunction comes days after the Education Department stopped accepting new applications for debt forgiveness because a federal judge in Texas, considering a separate lawsuit, blocked the program, ruling that it was an an unconstitutional exercise of Congresss legislative power.

The new ruling on Monday, by three Republican-appointed judges on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit in St. Louis, is the result of a lawsuit by six Republican-led states, who argue that they will be harmed by lost tax revenue as a result of debt cancellation.

The states had appealed a decision by a judge who had dismissed their lawsuit, saying they lacked standing to sue.

But the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals disagreed. The panel of judges has not yet ruled on the legal arguments in the case, but they concluded that Missouri, one of the six states, likely has legal standing to bring its claim and granted a preliminary injunction, noting that the case will affect the finances of millions of Americans with student loan debt as well as those Americans who pay taxes to finance the government.

The new ruling means the program will be put on hold until further order of this court or the Supreme Court of the United States, the judges wrote.

The decision is a significant setback to Bidens program, which has faced a slew of legal challenges since the President announced the debt-forgiveness plan in August. Advocates for debt relief have called on the Biden Administration to extend the pandemic-related pause on student loan payments while the legal battle plays out.

While conservatives are racking up legal victories against Bidens student debt forgiveness plan, the President and other Democrats pointed to the policy as winning with voters. Biden said student debt reliefalong with climate change and gun violencewas one of the key issues that drove turnout during the 2022 midterm elections. So did Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who wrote in the New York Timesthat student debt forgiveness helped motivate young people to vote in near record numbers.

Pollsters are still parsing the data on youth voter turnout in 2022, but one thing is clear: Democrats bucked history despite political headwinds including Bidens low approval rating. Republicans are poised to retake the House, but by the slimmest margin; the Senate will stay in Democratic hands after high-profile victories in Pennsylvania, Arizona, and Nevada.

The White House said 26 million borrowers applied for debt relief before the Education Department stopped accepting applications, and 16 million of those applications have been approved so far. In a statement Monday, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the administration is confident in our legal authority and will continue to fight these baseless lawsuits by Republican officials and special interests.

What to know about this lawsuit

Legal experts had been skeptical that any plaintiff would have legal standingmeaning they suffered a concrete, imminent injuryto challenge the student loan forgiveness program. Several judges have rejected other lawsuits due to lack of standing, but these two latest rulings changed that pattern.

The lawsuit before the Eighth Circuit was brought by six Republican-led statesNebraska, Missouri, Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas and South Carolinawhich argue that Biden lacks the authority to broadly cancel student debt, and that they will suffer lost tax revenue due to debt cancellation.

U.S. District Judge Henry Autrey, who dismissed the lawsuit in October, said the states had presented important and significant challenges to the debt relief plan, but lacked legal standing because the programs effect upon future taxation is uncertain.

On Monday, the judges ruling focused on the Missouri Higher Education Loan Authority (MOHELA), one of the countrys largest student loan servicers, which handle billing and student loan payments on behalf of the government.

The Eighth-Circuit judges concluded that MOHELA may well be an arm of the State of Missouri and said its revenue will decrease because of widespread debt cancellation.

This unanticipated financial downturn will prevent or delay Missouri from funding higher education at its public colleges and universities, the judges wrote, adding that student-debt cancellation presents a threatened financial harm to the state.

The lawsuit challenged Bidens authority to cancel student debt. The Biden Administration justified the plan under the Higher Education Relief Opportunities for Students (HEROES) Act of 2003, which gives the Education Department the ability to change student financial assistance programs during a national emergency  in this case, the COVID-19 pandemic.

But theres been broad debate about that legal justification. Once plaintiffs are granted standing, SantAmbrogio thinks there are some significant questions about whether Biden has the authority to roll out the program, and he wouldnt be surprised if the U.S. Supreme Court eventually strikes it down, given previous rulings by the court against executive actions.

I think its quite possible that they will see this as beyond the administrations statutory authority, he says.

Luke Herrine, an assistant law professor at the University of Alabama who is an expert in student loan law and an advocate for student debt cancellation, thinks this case is more likely to be successful than others, but he is still skeptical that the Supreme Court would find that the plaintiffs have standing to sue.

He was initially optimistic that the legal challenges against Bidens plan would fail. But the latest rulings have made him increasingly pessimistic about the fate of the program.

The Department of Education has not made clear what their escape hatch will be, he says. But its not clear when or if cancellation is coming in the near future.
"Inflammatory rhetoric" by Nautilus says Packet as they sack workers

The Isle of Man Government owned ferry company has sacked workers on the last working day before Christmas.

The Steam Packet has been locked in a bitter dispute over 'live on board' arrangements and earlier today the company had stated that it was hopeful that a deal could be reached.

But a few hours later, the company served notice that those unwilling to sign the new agreements would have their employment terminated.

The move has angered the maritime union Nautilus who represent the Officers.

Martyn Gray, the union's Director of Organisng said:

"Isle of Man Steam Packet Company have, today, 22nd December 2023, served officers with notice of termination of employment as they refused to sign new, detrimental, contracts of employment. The company is now engaged in an active fire and rehire process, choosing to commence this three days before Christmas. Nautilus director of organising Martyn Gray said This is a shocking escalation by Steam Packet Company. While we always knew Steam Packet management were ambivalent towards our members work life balance and their personal lives, informing them that they will be sacked 3 days before Christmas is a new low for the company. It is now clear that while steam packet were stating publicly that they were open to discussions, they were planning to serve notice. These are not the actions of a responsible employer. Those who have been served notice are being punished for the companys failure to engage in independent collective arbitration and for standing up against the bullying tactics of fire and rehire. Nautilus will continue with our planned industrial action commencing at 1800 on 27th December and will consider further action. It is shameful that the Manx public will likely face escalating consequences of Steam Packets poor management and unreasonable behaviour.

Meanwhile the Steam Packet issued the following statement

The Isle of Man Steam Packet Company is repeating its earlier statement that it does not want to lose any of it officers. The Company feels the lack of progress on negotiations, or any genuine attempt to achieve a resolution from Nautilus, has left it no choice but to take the least palatable approach to solving the ongoing dispute. What the Company is doing is legal and proportionate. Time and again the Company has delayed taking this action in order to give negotiations a chance to succeed. It has always been made clear 1st January was a deadline for making the changes. All officers are still welcome to agree to the terms before 15th March or to take part in individual conciliation if they feel they are unable to live aboard for any reason. Nautiluss response and claims of surprise are disingenuous at best given the Unions statements on the topic since September. The Company urges Nautilus to calm the inflammatory rhetoric and focus on achieving the best outcome for the officers it represents.
Avinash Persaud writes:

When the dust settles and dawn breaks, this will be seen as one of the most significant Conference of the Parties (COP), perhaps the most since the 2015 Paris Agreement.
The recent report on state finances by the Reserve Bank of India paints an optimistic scenario of the fiscal position of the states. It does this by highlighting the improvement in state finances following the curtailment of the higher outlays allocated for alleviating the all-round distress during the pandemic. The report was also confident of a favourable fiscal outlook in 202324 as it expected the budgeted increase in capital allocations to improve the overall prospects of the states.

The major worry highlighted in the report was the precarious fiscal scenario in some states where the budgeted fiscal deficit was above 4% of the gross state domestic product (GSDP) and whose debt levels exceeded 35% of the GSDP. Looking forward, the report called upon the Sixteenth Finance Commission, whose terms of references have been recently approved by the union cabinet, to recommend measures for scaling up the fiscal capacity of the states and for reviewing the parameters for devolution of grants.
Revolutionary Book Reveals How Lasers can be used to Treat Hair Loss

NASA Scientist Explains All in this Remarkable Book!

"Grow It Back serves as an immersive guide to understanding hair, various hair treatments, and laser phototherapy."

San Francisco, CAGrow It Back by Tamim Hamid, has received high honors from the Southern California Book Festival in the 'How-To' category and from The New England Book Festival in General Non-Fiction category.

Former NASA scientist, Tamim Hamid (Pronounced Tuh-MEEM), crafted Grow It Back as the first and only book to cover all aspects of laser treatment for hair loss sufferers. "The best and safest advancement in treating hair loss and hair regrowth is Laser Phototherapy (LPT), which has no side effects and is eight times more powerful than any drug," says Hamid.

The book references extensive clinical studies and translates decades of research into easy-to-grasp terms so anyone can appreciate the benefits of this technology.

Already a number one bestseller on Amazon and Barnes & Noble, Grow It Back serves as a benchmark for understanding all aspects of hair. Through research, development, and innovation, Grow It Back educates readers about the advantages of using LPT over all other types of treatments. "It's a step-by-step guide on how to stop and regrow hair by utilizing the tremendous benefits of LPT," says Hamid. His research is translated into practice with the use of Laser Phototherapy devices such as the Theradome wearable laser helmet.

"Rarely has a science-based book addressing a quotidian disorder such as hair thinning and loss due to aging and other unwelcome conditions been so readily accessible as Grow It Back!" Grady Harp, MD, Diplomate of the American Board of Laser Surgery

Broken down into distinct sections, Grow It Back covers every aspect of hair growth and loss, hair treatments, and LPT, as well as the science behind how lasers can stop and regrow hair using LPT, the same technology used in Tamim's own invention for treating hair loss. He begins with a discussion on the benefits and uses of light in health and the medical field. Next, he dives deep into the science behind hair, covering everything readers could possibly want to know about hair. This includes which types of shampoos to use, why biotin is worthless, what supplements are best for hair loss, and much more.

"To have a NASA scientist compile the most innovative and comprehensive information on hair and scalp wellness in one complete resource is an invaluable tool for so many. Grow It Back is the book we've all been waiting for." Michael Napolitano, CEO of Hair-U-Wear

He then explains the most common treatments for hair loss. He analyzes each to determine what is effective and what is not. Lastly, he explores the world of LPT, including the science behind it, dispelling myths, answering frequently asked questions, and a practical approach so anyone can implement these techniques right away. This book covers not only what LPT is, but why it works, and his research is backed up by a multitude of scientific studies and real examples.

"I've been in the hair growth profession for multiple decades now, and Grow It Back has, for the first time ever, definitively shaped the landscape of how we think about hair growth and loss. A must-read." John Ohanesian, Former CEO of Bosley

Five key highlights of Grow It Back include:

1. Hair loss versus hair growth  know the difference

2. Find out why your shampoo may be destroying your hair

3. The 5 most important ingredients for a hair growth supplement

4. Laser phototherapy is a game-changing anti-aging hack and a must-have in everyone's beauty arsenal

5. Discover the secret master switch for controlling hair growth

"A rare skillset combining expertise in medicine, physics, and electronics is a prerequisite for building a cold laser that is successful for hair growth," Tamim says. "That's probably why no one has created a light-therapy devicedesigned to regrow hairin their garages until I did it in mine!" Easy to read and extensively thorough, Grow It Back is the guide that will shape the next stages of hair loss treatment. Tamim is extremely knowledgeable on the subject, and that is echoed through the presentation of this book. Accompanied by a sizable appendix and a handy glossary, Grow It Back is perfect for any reader who is interested in hair!

Grow It Back: How Laser Phototherapy Stops Hair Loss and Regrows Your Hair, ISBN 9798218099114, $29.98 Paperback, $0.99 Kindle, 483 Pages, Digital Photon, 2023. Available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. For more information, visit https://growitback.com/.

About Tamim Hamid:

Sayyid Tamim Hamid, received undergraduate and graduate degrees in electrical engineering, computer engineering, and biomedical engineering. Tamim designed and implemented innovative tools at NASA to improve astronaut safety and efficiency in space shuttle operations. His professional history includes growing the revenue of multimillion dollar international corporations and serving as senior executive in companies that were sold to GE Medical and Johnson & Johnson. Tamim used his laser knowledge, fine-tuned at NASA, and combined it with his driving passion for helping others to pursue a lifelong mission in the field of hair loss and restoration. He is now one of the world's leading experts. Tamim lives with his wife of thirty-three years outside San Francisco, CA. In his rare free time, he enjoys tending to his olive orchard and pressing artisanal dipping olive oil.

Media Contact: For a review copy of Grow It Back or to arrange an interview with Tamim Hamid, contact Scott Lorenz of Westwind Book Marketing at scottlorenz@westwindcos.com or by phone at 248-705-2214. Reach Lorenz on Twitter @abookpublicist
The Louisiana Governor's Mansion (Photo by Piper Hutchinson for the Louisiana Illuminator).

Gov. John Bel Edwards chickens will remain in residence at the Governors Mansion even after their owner leaves office.

Edwards intended to take the chickens with him back to his home in Amite at the end of his term next month, but he has decided to leave them after Gov.-elect Jeff Landry asked to keep them during a tour of the mansion grounds, Edwards told the Illuminator.

When asked whether he will miss the chickens, Edwards gave a characteristically pragmatic response.

Yeah, but Ill get some more, Edwards said. Every now and then you have to get new chickens anyway.

The chickens and their coop are relatively recent additions to the Governors Mansion grounds. Edwards added them in 2016 shortly after he took office, paying for the coop and the hens out of his own pocket, according to The Advocate. The hens provide eggs for the first family. Sources close to the governor say Edwards is known to visit and feed the chickens during particularly stressful days on the job.

The official transition of poultry ownership will take place on Jan. 8, when Landry is sworn in as governor.

The chickens did not respond to multiple interview questions about their new owner.

This story was originally published by the Louisiana Illuminator which is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus, including the Daily Montanan, supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity.

The post Louisiana Governors Mansion chickens to remain in residence through transition appeared first on Daily Montanan.
The new Defra Secretary has paid tribute to the British farmers ahead of Christmas Day, hailing them for 'working hard all year round to keep the nation fed'.

As the UK stocks up on groceries ahead of the big day, Steve Barclay has issued a statement on the quality of British farmers' 'high-welfare, seasonal produce'.

Appointed Defra Secretary last month, he said: Our farmers and food producers work hard all year round to keep the nation fed, especially in the run up to Christmas.

Gathering friends and family round the table to share great food is one of the best things about Christmas, but its so important to remember where it all comes from.

This year, I invite everyone to raise a glass to the dedicated farmers and food producers who fill our plates at Christmas.

According to the British Poultry Council, UK households will consume a staggering 8-9 million turkeys this Christmas  90% of which are British.

And data from Kantar shows that two thirds of the cheese and vegetables bought in the run up to Christmas last year were British.

Brussels sprouts remain a favourite accompaniment, with over 25,000 tonnes of British sprouts bought last year  over a third of which were in the festive season.

Meanwhile, UK consumers spent 45 million on nearly 19 million Christmas puddings and 132 million on 98 million packs of mince pies last year.

Jim Bligh, director of corporate affairs at the Food and Drink Federation, welcomed Defra's comments, as many British food producers were 'working hard during the festive period'.

"[They] play a crucial role in producing and supplying food and drink so that households can enjoy their Christmas meals with friends and family," he said.

The food industry has many unsung heroes that will be helping to provide the much-loved food we eat at Christmas time, and I wish them all a very Happy Christmas.
The recent attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea have prompted shipping companies to reroute ships away from the Suez Canal, leading to increased operational costs. However, these costs are likely to be more than offset by rising freight rates if the disruptions continue for more than a few days, according to Fitch Ratings.

The container shipping sector is expected to experience the most significant increase in freight rates, followed by bulk carriers. Tankers, many originating from the Middle East, are already benefiting from high rates, so further increases may be limited. Additionally, air cargo rates might rise due to demand for time-sensitive shipments.

The Suez Canal, a critical maritime passage, sees an average of 50 ships daily, including container ships, tankers, and bulk carriers. It is estimated that 25-30 per cent of global container shipping volumes pass through this canal, primarily facilitating trade between Europe and Asia, including Indian and Middle Eastern destinations, as per Fitch.

Recent Red Sea attacks lead to rerouting ships from the Suez Canal, raising operational costs. Fitch Ratings expects offset by higher freight rates, especially in container and bulk shipping. About 25-30 per cent of global container traffic through Suez is impacted. Major shippers like Maersk are rerouting, reducing Suez traffic by one-third.

Major container shippers like Maersk and Hapag Lloyd, along with some oil companies, have announced the rerouting of their vessels. Surcharges for routes to or from the Middle East are being introduced by some shippers for Europe-Asia trade and regional port calls. This rerouting decision has led to a roughly one-third reduction in vessel traffic through the Suez Canal.

Rerouting around Africa can extend travel time from the Far East to Europe by 50 per cent, potentially reducing global container shipping capacity by 10-15 per cent. To mitigate this, container ships might increase speed and reduce port calls. Despite low current levels of idle capacity, Fitch Ratings does not foresee these disruptions significantly impacting the global shipping supply-demand balance in the medium term. In 2024, container shipping capacity supply is expected to exceed demand growth by approximately 4 percentage points.

If the disruptions last more than two quarters, they may influence annual container contract rates for affected routes, but this is considered unlikely. These rates are typically reset in the first half of the year. The importance of Red Sea passage has led to the formation of a US-led military coalition to establish a safe corridor, suggesting that the disruptions might not be prolonged.

The current situation echoes the port congestion issues of 2021-2022, including a six-day blockage of the Suez Canal in 2021, when container freight rates surged up to four times their long-term averages. Unlike the previous congestion episodes, the current rerouting implies higher operating costs and more predictable arrival times. Additionally, the demand for goods in North America and Europe is not as strong as it was during 2020-2022.

Moreover, the disruptions in the Red Sea are compounded by the Panama Canal congestion caused by drought conditions, which have significantly reduced vessel traffic. This affects primarily bulkers carrying agricultural commodities and tankers.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DP)
Vietnams Institute of Strategy and Policy on Natural Resources and Environment under the ministry of natural resources and environment and the UN Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) have launched a project to accelerate low-carbon circular economy through clean technology innovation, leading to sustainable development.

With an investment capital of over $11 million, the project is being financed by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), the Vietnamese government and other partners.

Vietnam's Institute of Strategy and Policy on Natural Resources and Environment and UNIDO have launched a project to accelerate low-carbon circular economy through clean technology innovation. With an investment capital of over $11 million, the project is being financed by the Global Environment Facility, the Vietnamese government and other partners.

The project aims at sustainable and inclusive development in priority sectors in the country, and integrate renewable energy, energy efficiency and waste management, according to domestic media reports.

Approved by the prime minister on June 7 last year, the plan on developing the circular economy in Vietnam identifies circular economy development as inevitable, matching the global trend and the requirement for making breakthroughs in economic recovery and realisation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DS)
Karan Johar's first directorial venture, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, holds a special position in Bollywood's history, hailed as an iconic film since its release in 1998. Over time, however, the movie faced criticism for perpetuating toxic masculinity and regressive notions concerning female representation, sparking debates about its underlying themes.



Acknowledging the film's problematic elements, Karan Johar openly addressed its flaws, citing an impactful critique from veteran actress Shabana Azmi. At the Indian Film Festival in Melbourne in 2019, Johar recalled Azmi's candid reaction upon watching the film. She expressed disappointment regarding its on-screen portrayal, labelling KKHH as "the most politically incorrect film." Azmi particularly raised concerns about the stereotypical link between a girl's beauty and the length of her hair. Karan humbly accepted her viewpoint, admitting, "I know you're right," in response to her passionate critique.





Reflecting on the casting process, Johar shared an anecdote about pitching the film to Shah Rukh Khan without a script, relying solely on a scene to captivate the actor's interest. Despite initial refusals from prominent actresses like Tabu, Urmila Matondkar, and Aishwarya Rai, Karan reminisced about Rani Mukerji's eventual casting after a recommendation from Aditya Chopra.
In the upcoming 390th episode of "THE FIRST TAKE," set to be released tonight at 22:00, XG, the sensational 7-member Hip Hop/R&B-inspired girl group from Japan, will make a return appearance.

Having made their debut just last week, XG has quickly gained global attention. In 2023, they took part in numerous overseas festivals, including "Head In The Clouds New York" (May), "Head In The Clouds Los Angeles" (August), "KCON LA 2023" (August), "FORMULA1 SINGAPORE AIRLINES SINGAPORE GRAND PRIX 2023" (September), "SXSW Sydney" (November), and "HYPEROUND K-FEST ABU DHABI" (November). On November 26th, they held their first solo live performance in front of an audience, with "XG 'NEW DNA' SHOWCASE in JAPAN," at the Pia Arena MM (Yokohama), receiving over 200,000 ticket applications.

Their first appearance on "THE FIRST TAKE" last week, on the 15th (Friday), featured their 3rd Single "SHOOTING STAR," creating significant buzz.

For their second appearance today, they will showcase their latest single released on December 8th, "WINTER WITHOUT YOU." This Winter R&B track beautifully expresses the nostalgic and poignant feelings associated with thinking about loved ones who are far away during Christmas, incorporating warm sensibility and sweet harmony. Unlike their usual edgy XG style, this song allows viewers to enjoy the ensemble of the seven members' personalities and beautiful harmonies. This special one-take recording on "THE FIRST TAKE" marks the first performance of this work in Japanese media.
Bigg Boss 17 Weekend Ka Vaar: The eagerly awaited tenth Weekend Ka Vaar of Bigg Boss Season 17, hosted by Salman Khan, is just on the horizon, sparking excitement among viewers. The current week on Bigg Boss 17 has been particularly enthralling, setting the stage for what promises to be a thrilling weekend.

In the last week, Firoza Khan aka Khanzaadi, a professional rapper, was eliminated from the Bigg Boss 17 house after receiving the least number of votes among the nominated contestants. Following her eviction, Munawar Faruqui's 'close friend' Ayesha Khan entered the controversial reality show as the new wildcard entry leaving everyone surprised. Besides Munawar and Ayesha, contestants like Ankita Lokhande, Isha Malviya, Mannara Chopra, and Abhishek Kumar, among others, grabbed headlines this week with their antics and conflicts.

For those eagerly anticipating the details of this week's much-awaited Weekend Ka Vaar episodes, here's everything you need to know.

Bigg Boss 17: Ayesha Khan's Sudden Fondness For Munawar Faruqui Leaves Fans Wondering If She's Playing Game

SALMAN KHAN TO CONFRONT MUNAWAR FARUQUI

As shown in the promos of Bigg Boss 17, host Salman Khan is seen confronting stand-up comedian Munawar Faruqui for comments about co-contestant Mannara Chopra behind her back. The superstar questioned why he didn't say all this to her directly. Salman stated that Mannara is looking 'needy' and 'desperate for attention' on national TV because of him.

Although Munawar's fans disagree with Salman and are expressing their unhappiness after watching the promo, it will be intriguing to observe how the comedian will handle the criticism from the host.

WEEKEND KA VAAR WEEK 10 GUEST LIST

Bigg Boss 17 Elimination Week 10: Neil Bhatt Or Anurag Dobhal, Who Will Get Evicted After Khanzaadi's EXIT?

Every week, the Weekend Ka Vaar episodes feature the presence of numerous renowned celebrities as special guests. Since this weekend is going to be a Christmas special, Bigg Boss 16 star Abdu Rozik will appear on the show as a special guest dressed as Santa Claus. Bollywood actress Raveena Tandon is going to accompany him on stage with Salman Khan.

BIGG BOSS 17 WEEK 10 EVICTION TWIST

This week, Bigg Boss introduced another interesting nomination task during which every housemate appointed a representative to nominate two housemates on their behalf for eviction. After the task, four contestants were nominated for elimination in Week 10 - Neil Bhatt, Aishwarya Sharma, Anurag Dobhal, and Aishwarya Sharma.

While Anurag Dobhal had the highest chance of elimination, the social media buzz suggests that there will be a twist in the process this time and Ghum Hai Kisikey Pyaar Meiin star Aishwarya Sharma is likely to leave the Bigg Boss 17 house. However, let's wait for the official announcement.
MTV Hustle 03 finale: MTV Hustle 03 REPRESENT is all set for its Grand Finale, poised to mark a revolutionary Desi hip-hop evolution. Tonight's episode will be a celebration, culminating in one deserving hustler claiming the trophy!

MTV HUSTLE 03 REPRESENT TOP 3 FINALISTS

The episode kicks off with Squad Bosses and Rap Supremo Badshah deliberating in the Huddle Room about their top three favorite contenders from the remaining Top 6 hustlers, envisioning who will advance to the Grand Finale.

The stage comes alive as ex-hustlers Badal, PoetShaf, Shen B, Shady Mellow, Vish, Prince, Burrah, GAUSH, Bob. B Randhawa, and Rap ID take center stage, delivering electrifying performances of their top hits from this season.

MTV Hustle 03 REPRESENT Finale: What Will The Winner Get? All About PrizeMoney & Other Gifts

The Hit Machine, Guru Randhawa, makes a grand entry as a special guest, setting the stage ablaze with his performance. Badshah welcomes him and shares an anecdote revealing that Guru Randhawa got his stage name from BOHEMIA Paaji, giving him a shoutout. Badshah welcomes contestant and ex-Squad Boss, King, who will deliver a special performance featuring 'Legends' from his latest album and join them as a guest.

MTV HUSTLE 03 REPRESENT FIRST RUNNER-UP, WINNER NAME

Shlok Verma, Kayden Sharma, Mrunal Shankar Dhole, Uday Pandhi, Saurabh Abhyankar and Vijay Kumar are competing for the winner's trophy of MTV Hustle 03. One of the will emerge as the winner while another will become the first runner-up.

As the Top 6 hustlers will step onto the stage and perform, the atmosphere will ignite with their collective act, uniting in a captivating groove to showcase their top hits from this season. Guru will call on Vijay dada's 'Nahi Mama' - a unique blend of hindi and marathi rap - calling it super 'catchy' and reel-worthy! King, on being asked who he is rooting for this season, instantly states 'Bassick and UDAY'. King on praising Bassick will state, "Bassick se mein connect kar pata hu iss ladke se, mujhe iski awaaz, iska texture bohot pasand hai." Badshah will then delve into a discussion on lyricism, reminiscing saying, "Jaise humne shuru kiya, fir Raftaar lyrical laya, fir uske baad people like Krshna, Seedhe Maut. UDAY is an evolution of that form and we are so proud; I discovered you here!"

Fans can expect to be treated with dynamic performances by each Squad Boss, and their respective contestants. First up, Squad Boss Ikka will give a special performance on 'Ladla Mein Khatu Wale Bholenath Ka' to which King will hug him saying, "Mein kasam se bol raha hu Ikka bhai is a living legend. Maine iss insaan jaisi likhai nahi dekhi hai!" 100RBH will come in next and captivate the audience as he performs on 'Taak Taak'. Post his electrifying act, Badshah asks everyone to observe 2 minutes of silence, saying, "Stage ka murder hogaya rela hai!" as he steals the show with his performance.

Squad Boss EPR delivers a special performance, diving into his inspiring emcee journey. UDAY will be next to represent 'lyricism' for one last time singing 'Nasamajh' that will leave everyone with goosebumps. Ikka, mesmerized by his performance will say, "Aisa battle rapper nahi dekha hai, jo hooks gaa sakta hai." King will advise UDAY saying, "I don't think you need to prove anything to this world. I just want you to stay humble and be the maestro you want to be bro!"

Afterward, it's the turn of Squad Boss DeeMC, who takes the stage and delivers a spectacular act, post which hustler Mrunal will set the stage on fire with her final performance on 'Aayi Hu Hosh Mein'. Badshah says, "Mrunal you were the best choice for the first Ticket to Finale You are definitely one of those complete artists!" Delighted, Guru will add saying, "Full package ho jaise bhai ne bola, rap ke saath saath melody ko carry karna in the commercial world, it's very much needed. Jab ab aapke paas koi tagda gaana bane, mujhe call karna" leaving everyone burst out in laughter. King will request all the boys to stand and give her a salute!

Witness the Epic Grand Finale to find out who will REPRESENT India's desi hip hop and take the legacy ahead on MTV on December 23 and December 24, 2023 at 8pm.
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - December 22, 2023) - Chic Cherie, the upcoming online portal for premium beauty and hair products in Canada, is excited to announce the grand opening of its new online store. This marks a significant milestone as the company introduces its meticulously curated selection of top-notch beauty essentials to customers from coast to coast, positioning itself as the ultimate destination for hair products in Canada.

Chic Cheri Website: chiccherie.ca

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10222/192261_623ec7b19423a9ad_001full.jpg

Launching a Hair Supply Store in Canada

This decision to establish the online store stems from Chic Cherie's unwavering commitment to providing quality beauty products to a wider audience. With a diverse team rooted in various regions across Canada, the company is poised to better understand and meet the unique beauty needs of customers from different backgrounds and geographical locations.

Kyle Kamp, Director of Operations at Chic Cherie, shared his excitement about the new venture, stating, "We are thrilled to embark on this new chapter as we open our doors to serve all of Canada. Chic Cherie will always be dedicated to offering high-quality beauty products, and this launch allows us to connect with a broader audience, bringing the joy of self-care to individuals across the country."

Meeting Growing Demand

The opening of this new beauty supply store comes at a time when the beauty and hair products industry is witnessing a surge in demand for online shopping. Chic Cherie's decision to launch its online store is a strategic move to make its extensive range of products, including hair salon products, shampoo, heated tools, dry shampoo, conditioner, and more, accessible to Canadian consumers who value convenience and quality.

Chic Cherie is not merely a retailer; it is a community that celebrates diversity and embraces the unique beauty of individuals from all walks of life. The company's commitment to inclusivity is reflected in its team, which consists of talented professionals from various regions of Canada, contributing their expertise to create a shopping experience that resonates with customers nationwide.

Carefully Selected Products

Nicolas Raymond, Director of Marketing at Chic Cherie, expressed his enthusiasm about the launch, stating, "At Chic Cherie, we believe that beauty knows no bounds. Our diverse team is passionate about curating a collection that caters to the unique preferences and needs of individuals across Canada. We are excited to bring our carefully selected innovative products, beauty essentials, and hair products in Canada to more doorsteps, empowering everyone to feel confident and beautiful in their skin."

Chic Cherie's new online beauty store features an extensive range of hair and beauty products, including skincare essentials, hair care products, cosmetics, and tools. The company takes pride in offering a selection that combines popular, well-established brands with emerging, innovative beauty products that meet the ever-evolving needs of its diverse customer base.

Seamless Shopping Experience

With the launch, Chic Cherie aims to elevate the online shopping experience by providing customers with a seamless and user-friendly platform. The website features intuitive navigation, detailed product information, and enhanced customer support to ensure a delightful shopping journey for every visitor seeking a trusted store for hair products in Canada.

Celebrating Self-Care: Join the Launch Celebration

Chic Cherie warmly invites beauty enthusiasts, influencers, and all self-care enthusiasts to join in the festivities of their new store opening. Keep an eye out for updates on their social media platforms and the Chic Cherie website for exclusive launch events and promotions. As part of the grand opening celebration, they are delighted to offer a special 10% discount on everything in-store, marking the arrival of the ultimate destination for hair products in Canada.

About Chic Cherie:

Born from the fusion of a salon and a tech company, Chic Cherie stands as the emerging online destination for premium hair and beauty products in Canada. With a steadfast commitment to diversity and inclusivity, Chic Cherie's curated selection encompasses a wide range of beauty essentials, skincare products, haircare solutions, cosmetics, and tools. The unique origins, blending the artistic touch of a salon with the technological expertise of a dynamic tech company, set them apart in the beauty industry landscape.

For any inquiries or further information, please visit their website: https://chiccherie.ca/.

Media Contact:

Kyle K.

Email: hello@chiccherie.ca

Phone: +1 (306) 551-7134

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/192261

SOURCE: Chic Cherie
Boston, Massachusetts--(Newsfile Corp. - December 23, 2023) - Digital design company See Thru Nikki has announced that it will be launching a mental health advocacy initiative to support its 2024 mission of heavily incorporating and introducing mental health awareness to the art community. The goal will be to combine art with mental health advocacy, and the firm will be launching digital media art campaigns pertaining to societal mental health.





CEO & Founder Nikki Gal



To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8668/188361_156e6054b4d38b5d_001full.jpg

Globally, it is estimated that nearly 800 million people suffer from mental health disorders as of 2023. In the US alone, research from 2021 indicates that one in five adults live with a mental illness. The team at See Thru Nikki is aware of the prevalence of mental health challenges, and company CEO and founder Nikki Gal made the decision to utilize her company's resources to push back against the rising tide of compromised mental health within the art community specifically.

See Thru Nikki is preparing a series of collaborative art campaigns that pertain particularly to women's mental health, as part of the company mission to promote mental health advocacy within the female art community.

"This has the potential to be a powerful fusion of creativity and social awareness," Ms. Gal states. "It could change the way society sees and addresses mental health issues. We intend for our digital media art campaigns to be a step towards destigmatizing these issues, and we hope for this push to be a compelling medium to convey the experience of mental health issues."

She adds that art is a universal language that can reach a broad audience and break down barriers of misunderstanding and misinformation. See Thru Nikki's planned initiatives will integrate artistic expression with mental health advocacy to offer a platform for individuals to connect, share their stories, and find solace in the shared human experience. The campaigns will be available via social media and other online platforms to amplify the message and make it more engaging to a diverse audience.

Ms. Gal and her team at See Thru Nikki seek to spread awareness not just of mental health challenges but of gender-specific mental health challenges.

She states that her team is planning collaborative efforts in these campaigns to foster a sense of community and encourage participation and engagement from female artists and advocates.

The ultimate goal, she says, is to foster a supportive community that empowers women to prioritize their mental health, seek help when needed, and advocate for better mental health policies and practices that consider the unique challenges faced by women. Through these efforts, See Thru Nikki and similar initiatives pave the way for a more empathetic and inclusive approach to mental health, where art becomes a powerful tool for advocacy and change.

About See Thru Nikki

See Thru Nikki is a digital design company founded by Nikki Gal in 2019. The firm offers custom digital design work for companies and individuals, and its client portfolio includes social media influencers, celebrities, and art enthusiasts.

Website: https://www.seethrunikki.com/

Contact: Nikki Gal seethrunikki@gmail.com

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/188361

SOURCE: Imperium Group
The Barbie power ballad Im Just Ken and AP and Frontlines documentary 20 Days in Mariupol just got one step closer to an Oscar nomination. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced Thursday shortlists in 10 categories, including best original song, documentary feature, international feature, original score, and crafts like hair and makeup, visual effects and sound.

Mstyslav Chernovs 20 Days in Mariupol was shortlisted in both the documentary and international feature categories, representing Ukraine in the latter.

As expected, Greta Gerwigs Barbie, Christopher Nolans Oppenheimer and Martin Scorseses Killers of the Flower Moon were prominently represented among the finalists in many categories, including score and sound, as was Jonathan Glazers The Zone of Interest. Yorgos Lanthimos Poor Things also advanced in makeup, visual effects and score and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse in visual effects, song and score.

Among the 15 international features advancing are The Zone of Interest (United Kingdom), Tran Anh Hungs The Taste of Things (France), Lila Aviles Totem (Mexico) and Aki Kaurismakis Fallen Leaves (Finland). Justine Triets acclaimed Anatomy of a Fall was not selected to represent France and thus was not eligible in the category.

Original song contenders competing against Im Just Ken include two other songs from Barbie: Dua Lipas Dance the Night and Billie Eilishs What Was I Made For? Only two songs from a single movie can advance to the nomination stage, however. Both Flora and Son and The Color Purple had two songs advance.

Other contenders include Sharon Van Etten for Quiet Eyes from Past Lives, Olivia Rodrigo for Cant Catch Me Now, from The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, Jon Batiste for It Never Went Away from American Symphony, Lenny Kravitz for his Rustin song Road to Freedom and Jarvis Cockers Dear Alien (Who Art In Heaven) from Asteroid City.

Diane Warren will also get another shot at a nomination for The Fire Inside from Flamin Hot. But several expected finalists were left off, including Justin Timberlake for Trolls Band Together and Jack Black for his Super Mario Bros. Movie ballad Peaches. Wonka was also missing from the list.

The 15 original score finalists included a number of familiar players, including John Williams (Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny), Ludwig Goransson (Oppenheimer), Mica Levi (The Zone of Interest) and the late Robbie Robertson for Killers of the Flower Moon. Joe Hisaishi could also be headed for his first Oscar nomination for The Boy and the Heron.

Composer Kris Bowers advanced for The Color Purple, but not for Origin, which also missed out in the song category. Past Lives, by Christopher Bear and Daniel Rossen, was another surprise exclusion from the score finalists.

Documentary nominees in addition to 20 Days in Mariupol include American Symphony, about Batiste, Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie, Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project, The Eternal Memory, A Still Small Voice and Four Daughters. Some were surprised at the omission of Kokomo City, about the lives of Black trans sex workers, and Little Richard: I Am Everything.

Barbie missed the cut for makeup and hairstyling, which included nominations for Beau is Afraid, Poor Things, Maestro, Oppenheimer, Killers of the Flower Moon and Napoleon.

Though Oppenheimer fared well in most categories, it was not among the finalists in the visual effects category. The films surprising omission from the list of the original 20 finalists was previously reported. The visual effects contenders are often comprised of superhero and franchise films that arent otherwise considered big awards players  this year that includes Zack Snyders poorly reviewed Rebel Moon-Part One: A Child of Fire, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.

Live action, animated and documentary shorts finalists were also announced. The live action category is a little starrier than usual, with both Pedro Almodovars Ethan Hawke and Pedro Pascal western Strange Way of Life and Wes Andersons The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar, with Benedict Cumberbatch and Ben Kingsley, among the contenders.

For the most part, shortlists are determined by members in their respective categories, though the specifics vary from branch to branch: Some have committees, some have minimum viewing requirements.

Final nominations in all categories will be announced on Jan. 23. The 96th Oscars, hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, will be held on March 10, broadcasting live on ABC from the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. The show will begin one hour earlier than usual, at 7 p.m. ET.
Global star Ram Charan and philanthropist wife Upasana paid a visit to the esteemed office of Maharashtras Honorable Chief Minister, Eknath Shinde, in Mumbai. The meeting of the two states Telengana and Maharashtra was a beautiful blend of tradition and companionship.

The couple who were first spotted at the Mahalaxmi temple, celebrating their daughter Klin Kaaras 6th-month birthday, now graced the Chief Ministers office for a momentous occasion as they continue their stay in Mumbai.

The meeting was marked by sincere greetings and the exchange of thoughtful gifts. Shindes son, Shrikant, was also present to welcome the guests, further strengthening the bond between the two families.

The highlight of the occasion was a traditional Tilak ceremony and a small Aarti performed by Vrushali, Shindes daughter-in-law, in a gesture of traditional hospitality extended to the visiting family.

Ram Charan, dressed in a stylish denim shirt and black trousers, and Upasana, adorned in a graceful satin floral kurti, brought a touch of elegance to the gathering. The visit, marked by a sense of joy and fulfillment, showcased the couples continued commitment to fostering positive connections and contributing to the welfare of the community.

On the professional front, Ram Charan will be next seen in Game Changer. The film is directed by ace director Shankar Shanmugham and produced by Dil Raju and Shirish under Sri Venkateswara Creations. The film also features Kiara Advani. Music is composed by S Thaman while the cinematography is done by DoP Tirru. The pan-India biggie is expected to hit the screens in 2024 and is reportedly touted to be a political drama.
A Hindu temple in the United States was defaced with pro-Khalistan graffiti on Friday (22 December), prompting the Indian Embassy in San Francisco to seek a probe into the incident. Images shared on social media show the word Khalistan sprayed on a signpost outside the SMVS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in California, while slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi were written on the walls of the temple.

The Newark Police said they are investigating the incident as a potential hate crime. Based on the content of the graffiti it is believed that the defacement was a targeted act, and the vandalism is being investigated as a possible hate crime, the City of Newark Police Department told news agency PTI in a statement.

This is not the first incident in the US, which has previously seen attacks on Indian consulates property by Khalistan supporters. Several instances have also come to the fore from Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom.

Lets take a look at if the Khalistani sentiment is rising in the US.

India demands action

Speaking to the media about the incident on Saturday (23 December), External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said he is aware of the defacement.

Extremists, separatists and such forces should not be given space. Our Consulate there complained to the government and the police and an inquiry is underway, ANI quoted him as saying.

#WATCH | On Swami Narayan temple in Newark, US defaced with pro-Khalistani slogans, EAM Dr S Jaishankar says, I have seen it. Extremists, separatists and such forces should not be given space. Our Consulate there complained to the government and the police and an inquiry is pic.twitter.com/dfEzsfeeT8  ANI (@ANI) December 23, 2023

Condemning the incident on X, the Consulate General of India in San Francisco said it has hurt sentiments of the Indian community. We have pressed for quick investigation and prompt action against the vandals by the US authorities in this matter, it wrote in the post.

We strongly condemn the defacing of SMVS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir at Newark, California with anti-India graffiti. This incident has hurt the sentiments of the Indian community. We have pressed for quick investigation and prompt action against the vandals by the US authorities in  India in SF (@CGISFO) December 23, 2023

The incident comes nearly a month after the United States Department of Justice charged an Indian national for involvement in an unsuccessful plot to murder Khalistan separatist and Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) founder Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in New York.

Pro-Khalistan incidents in US

In July, Khalistan supporters tried to set Indias consulate in San Francisco ablaze. There was not much damage to the property and the fire was quickly doused by the San Francisco fire department.

Matthew Miller, the spokesperson for the US state department, had said at the time that America strongly condemns the reported vandalism and attempted arson against the Indian Consulate in San Francisco. Vandalism or violence against diplomatic facilities or foreign diplomats in the US is a criminal offence.

The Indian consulate in San Francisco had come under attack in March as well when a group of pro-Khalistani protesters installed two Khalistani flags inside its premises. The flags were soon taken down by the consulate personnel.

According to PTI, the angry protesters had also barged into the consulate premises and struck the door and windows with the rods they were carrying.

The US incident had come hours after Khalistan supporters pulled down the Indian national flying atop the Indian high commission in London. They were protesting the Punjab Polices manhunt for Sikh separatist leader Amritpal Singh.

Other countries with sizeable Sikh populations, such as Canada and Australia, had also reported protests against the crackdown on Waris Punjab De chief Singh.

Security had to be ramped up outside the Indian Embassy in Washington DC on 15 August  Indias Independence Day  in view of protests by pro-Khalistani groups.

In March, a group of Khalistan supporters staged a protest in front of the Indian Embassy in Washington DC, threatened Indian Ambassador to the US Taranjit Singh Sandhu, attempting to incite violence. They tried to vandalise the Indian Embassy property but were stopped by law enforcement agencies, reported PTI.

Why is there support for Khalistan abroad?

For years, Khalistan supporters have staged protests against India and even organised so-called referendums on Khalistan in Australia and Canada.

While there are hardly any takers for Khalistan in Punjab today, the demand for a separate Sikh homeland still finds resonance among some members of the Indian diaspora, especially those who do not understand the changed realities of the Indian state.

Journalist and writer Amandeep Sandhu told Scroll that the idea of Khalistan has more backers overseas than in India. Most Sikhs in India, especially those living outside Punjab, want things to be peaceful. They dont think of Khalistan and have integrated with other communities and with the mainstream.

Many Sikhs who left India in the 1980s and the 1990s claimed they were fleeing oppression. Sandhu said the Sikh diaspora has grown up hearing stories about India being unjust to Sikhs. There has also never been justice for the 1984 anti-Sikh Delhi pogrom. This continues to give some of them reasons to believe that India is a regressive state.

They have either not seen todays reality in India or seen it in a limited way. So, they see it from a different psychological perspective, Scroll quoted him as saying.

However, it is only a small percentage of the Sikh diaspora that is calling for Khalistan, according to Sandhu.

Terry Milewski, a Canadian journalist and author of Blood for Blood: Fifty Years of the Global Khalistan Project, told the Indian Express in 2021, that the new generation of Sikhs do not have much memory of the 1980s and early 1990s when thousands of people were killed in the Sikh insurgency. He believed the Khalistan movement is failing among the diaspora.

The new generation doesnt have much memory of all that. So, how long this movement will survive even in the diaspora is a question to be asked. I think its failing pretty fast.

With inputs from agencies
China has reportedly resumed activities at its old nuclear test base located in a remote western desert. The Asian giant had detonated its first atomic bomb at the Lop Nur testing site in Xinjiang Province in 1964.

Now, satellite images published in a New York Times (NYT) report have revealed construction activity at the military base in the barren Xinjiang region. Analysts fear China may be preparing to conduct new nuclear tests. However, Beijing has refuted the claims.

Lets take a closer look.

China rebuilding nuclear test base

The satellite images of Lop Nur by Maxar Technologies show a deep vertical shaft recently bored by a drilling rig. As per the NYT report, the shaft could go down at least a third of a mile (1760 feet approximately).

As many as 30 buildings have been built or revamped at the main support base for the Lop Nur nuclear test base since 2017, the report added.

The giant airbase in the area has also been upgraded, while multiple deep vertical shafts have also cropped up. There are indications of recent excavation and construction in at least one of the horizontal tunnels drilled into the side of the mountains for past nuclear weapons testing, according to the American newspaper.

There are also new roads, power lines, and an electrical substation at the Lop Nur test base, Renny Babiarz, an expert on satellite reconnaissance, told NYT.

Dr Babiarz, a former Pentagon analyst, has uncovered and examined the new imagery.

What is Chinas intention?

The revamp and expansion at Lop Nur signals China may be preparing to conduct full-scale nuclear tests or subcritical experiments, experts say.

These subcritical tests, which are allowed under the global test ban treaty, are lesser experiments that do not result in a nuclear explosion.

Beijing has not conducted full-fledged nuclear tests since the 1990s when the worlds nuclear powers agreed to a voluntary moratorium on testing.

However, nuclear experts do not believe China is planning to carry out a nuclear test anytime soon. Its actions could depend on its rivals, especially the United States, though.

Tong Zhao, a nuclear expert at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, told NYT, All the evidence points to China making preparations that would let it resume nuclear tests.

The expert added that Beijing believes it needs to prepare for the worst-case scenario.

Beijing has, however, called the claims about Lop Nur utterly irresponsible. Chinas foreign ministry told NYT in a statement that its report was clutching at shadows, groundlessly whipping up a China nuclear threat.

ALSO READ: What is the nuclear test ban treaty that Russia is withdrawing from?

Chinas expanding nuclear arsenal

The United States claimed in October that China has sharply expanded its nuclear stockpile over the past year.

An annual report by the Pentagon also said China was aiming to ramp up its arsenal to over 1,000 warheads by 2030. This is still far behind Russia and the US arsenals, with the former having about 5,889 warheads and latter possessing 5,244 warheads, BBC reported citing the independent Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.

The Pentagon report also noted Beijing was committed to a no-first-strike nuclear policy

Earlier this year, another report traced Chinas growing nuclear arsenal.

A July report from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey stated, The current expansion of Chinas missile forces suggests a possible departure from Chinas previously restrained second-strike nuclear posture to a posture capable of deterring at multiple levels of conflict and an increased shift towards nuclear warfighting.

According to the report, China had nearly 50 intercontinental ballistic missiles a little 10 years back. Now, the Peoples Liberation Army Rocket Force  a strategic branch of the Chinese military  is on track to deploy more than 1,000 ballistic missile launchers by 2028.

Should India, US worry?

NYTs report is concerning for India which has had tense relations with China over the past years.

India, which has a much small stockpile than China, had announced a unilateral moratorium on nuclear testing after the 1998 Pokhran tests. According to NDTV, any Chinese effort at reactivating its Lop Nur range is bound to have a profound impact on regional security.

Ties between the US and China have also worsened. As NYT mentioned, The activity at Lop Nor comes at one of the most sensitive moments in US-China relations. (American) President (Joe) Biden has said hes trying to stabilise an increasingly contentious relationship.

On Thursday (21 December), top US and China military officials held a virtual meeting for the first time in over a year with the hopes to restore ties between the two militaries. Beijing had severed military ties with the US after then-House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited self-ruled Taiwan last August.

With inputs from agencies
The French Police have taken two men into custody, a day after officials grounded a plane carrying more than 300 Indian passengers at an airport in north-eastern part of the country. The charter flight had reportedly taken off from Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and was on its way to Managua, the capital of Nicaragua.

After departing from Dubai, the plane had landed at a small Vatry airport in eastern France on Thursday (21 December) afternoon for a technical stopover, reported Reuters. Situated 150 kilometres east of Paris, the Vatry airport serves mainly budget airlines.

Why was the flight grounded? How has India reacted? What has the airline said? Lets take a detailed look.

France grounds aircraft

French authorities detained the Nicaragua-bound flight  operated by a Romanian charter company called Legend Airlines  after a tipoff from an anonymous informant that it was carrying passengers likely to be victims of human trafficking, the Paris Prosecutors Office told French news agency AFP.

According to Reuters, local officials in the eastern Marne region said on Friday (22 December) that a judicial probe into the conditions and purposes of the trip has been launched. Frances national anti-organised crime unit, JUNALCO, is heading the investigation.

Sources familiar with the case told AFP that minors were among the passengers who might have had plans to travel to Central America to try to enter the United States or Canada illegally.

After the flight was grounded as it stopped for refueling at the Vatry Airport, passengers were initially kept on the plane. They were later allowed to leave the aircraft and allotted individual beds in the airports terminal building. The police sealed off the airport on Friday.

The reception hall at Vatry airport was transformed into a waiting area with individual beds to provide passengers with the best possible reception conditions, Reuters quoted the Marne prefects office as saying.

Special investigators are questioning the passengers and crew aboard the Airbus A340.

Identity checks are being carried out on the 303 passengers and on the cabin crew, the prosecutors office said, as per AFP.

The two men arrested for questioning were among the passengers.

Frances border police can initially detain foreign nationals for up to four days after they land in the European country. This can be further extended for eight days if a judge approves, and then another eight days.

The maximum detainment period is 26 days in case of exceptional circumstances.

India responds

The Indian Embassy in France reacted to the development on Friday, saying it was investigating the situation.

French authorities informed us of a plane w/ 303 people, mostly Indian origin, from Dubai to Nicaragua detained on a technical halt at a French airport. Embassy team has reached & obtained consular access. We are investigating the situation, also ensuring wellbeing of passengers, it wrote on X.

French authorities informed us of a plane w/ 303 people, mostly Indian origin, from Dubai to Nicaragua detained on a technical halt at a French airport. Embassy team has reached & obtained consular access. We are investigating the situation, also ensuring wellbeing of passengers.  India in France (@IndiaembFrance) December 22, 2023

Airline says has done nothing wrong

Legend Airlines has denied any role in human trafficking. Liliana Bakayoko, identified as a lawyer for the Romanian charter company, told French news channel BFMTV that the airline was ready to cooperate with the French authorities.

The company is not accused of anythingthis situation causes significant harm, and is an attack on reputation. We hope that it will be quickly and officially confirmed that the company is not accused of anything, ThePrint quoted the lawyer as telling BFM Business.

She claimed that a customer chartered the plane and communicated the passenger information to the airline 48 hours before the flight, according to Associated Press (AP).

Speaking to AFP, Bakayoko said the company had done nothing wrong and is at the disposal of the French authorities.

The lawyer, however, said Legend Airlines will take legal action if prosecutors file charges.

French law allows a sentence of up to 20 years for human trafficking. The United Nations describes the offence as recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of people through force, fraud or deception, with the aim of exploiting them for profit. Traffickers use violence or fraudulent employment agencies and fake promises of education and job opportunities to trick and coerce their victims, as per the international organisation.

With inputs from agencies
In 2014, the Prime Minister of India was interviewed by Fareed Zakaria of CNN. While some of the questions by Zakaria focused on China, and compared the autocracy with India, PM Modi stated that it would make more sense to compare democracies. Just over nine years later, in his latest interview with the Financial Times, the question and the answer were both repeated. Beyond that, there are several other consistencies in tone and approach to the western media houses that mark these rare dialogues, but also represent the larger Anglo gaze on India. They are designed to approach the subject with hostility.

Two years before his chance to interview the Prime Minister in his first term, Zakaria had stated that Narendra Modi was unlikely to be a national leader in India, or even a regional leader for much longer, and that Zakaria himself violently disagreed with the then Chief Minister.

The Financial Times authors have similarly held outright political prejudices against the subject of their interview, which reflect heavily in their article. John Reed, for example, FTs South Asia bureau chief, based in New Delhi, writes articles in outright support of Indian Opposition leaders, the latest being about Mahua Moitra.

According to him, Moitra was apparently disqualified from the lower house of Indias Parliament, not due to her treasonous cash-for-query activities and for sharing passwords with a Dubai-based businessman, but because of her political views.

He makes a mention of how powerful Adani is, a statement oft-repeated by Rahul Gandhi, an American favourite due to his half-European, half-obedient-Indian heritage.

His article, however, makes a point of ignoring that Adanis business rival, Darshan Hiranandani, who has admitted to collaborating with Moitra and turned witness against her, has been powerful for decades and comes from a family of powerful businessmen.

In the same breath, a meaningless line about the lack of power of Indian women in politics is added in to play into anti-woman stereotypes about India to cater to people who prefer the idea over the data.

The FT article is more staff commentary than the Prime Ministers interview, but then, the infantilisation of readers has been common to far-Left commentary for years.

The first paragraph of the piece makes a mention of the name change of the street on which the Prime Ministers official residence is located. The new name, Lok Kalyan Marg, is in keeping with his partys origin from the social welfare organisation  the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh  from the view of serving citizenry, not ruling over them like the colonisers once did. The insinuation of the article, however, is that it is populist, a term bandied about by Western organisations for world leaders who are less servile to them, and more interested in their own countrymen.

The following sentence, has parading peacocks and inner courtyards with ornate flower displays, is supposed to contrast his purported welfarism from paragraph one with the opulence of his residence, the same one multiple Indian Prime Ministers have resided in.

It is as if the Prime Minister of India must live in a hovel, unlike the grandeur to be afforded to the White House. The symbolism of the national bird, the peacock, gracing his residence were conveniently ignored.

A reason for suspicion of such writing in the article is that the same publications portrayal of Manmohan Singh by Gideon Rachman in 2014 is favourable  a servile, scholarly host whose achievements, an economic restructuring forced by a balance of payments crisis that must be painted in good light. While the current Indian Prime Minister is known to travel extensively, even into the most difficult of situations, and had a security scare where the Indian National Congress Chief Minister broke protocol in Punjab where the INC ruled almost two years ago.

Modi does not manage Indias growth from shadowy quietness, as suggested by the authors. Apparently, the Indian leader who is the most popular elected leader in the world since years now, also represents a risk to his constitution for the sole reason that his citizens keep electing him.

The platform functions as scribe for Modis political opponents by repeating their takes. The tonality used in the article consistently elicits a sense of suspicion and cynicism regarding the world leader.

One example is where the PM insists that he is confident of victory. The verbiage adds that little hint of suspicion; one would merely state a thing they were assured of, unless there remained a chance that they were enforcing a result, likely through unfair means, wherein one might insist instead.

The authors then proceed to outright lies  of three state elections mentioned as being won in close contests, all three were won by large margins and were not close at all, even beating predictions of a close race in Chhattisgarh.

They also reinforce the bogey of Hindu majoritarianism in the country. Hindu institutions and people continue to be discriminated against by the Indian state. The BJP has not made the Hindu religion at the centre of public life by force, as is implied here. It has allowed the majority to practice their religion more freely in a few states.

If only the FTs articles about Indian Opposition leaders included criticisms of their political rivals, one might read this piece in good faith. Unfortunately, repeating unsubstantiated Opposition accusations for readers unbothered about a counter has been par for the course.

The article, purportedly interviewing the PM, cites Opposition talking points derived from a stable of American labels  democratic backsliding, secular values, populist, Muslim minority and importantly, Hindu  more than it cites the PM. It states critics have accused Modis government of cracking down on rivals, curtailing civil society and discriminating against the countrys large Muslim minority.

Muslims are the second majority in the country, instead. Hindu beheading sprees by Islamists are of no concern, of course. While friction with North American counterparts is due to anti-Indian terrorism and violation of the Vienna Convention by Canada and the US, FT insists on them being caused due to the plots for extrajudicial killings.

India is not part of a US-led alliance, and the article showcases it as a perceived negative. The Modi government has attempted to shift westward, but here is regurgitation of CIA-speak  a designated terrorist is a Sikh leader, as if it is his religion that is of concern for the Indian state, not his terrorism.

The obviously hostile tone is projected not merely onto the Prime Minister himself, but also onto those who vote for him. Consistently brushed as a monolith who claim what can be proven or stated, the authors state that to supporters such concerns are little more than the refrain of a chattering class out of touch.

Modi himself has been considerate of and polite with many concerned critics, even engaging with undisguisedly prejudiced publications. His supporters, though, could care less about chatter that misinforms about a thriving nation in hopes for a puppet regime installation.

The Modi governments administration seems to have changed enough that despite the garish biases that stare a reader in their face, data about the country proves much too positive for even the FT to directly papered over, but using the third-party-effect, the authors wonder if it is a false dawn in the nation.

They report Modi prides himself on, a profile written as if by a schoolteacher reporting on a ward. It is unlikely that the Prime Minister has himself said anything like that, but one can depend on the Anglo-media to condescend to the leader of the worlds largest democracy.

The FT cites unemployment as a major concern, without comparison with previous unemployment data. Of incredible interest is that a week after the security breach into the Indian Parliament by protesters, they and the Opposition supporting them also all cited unemployment.

Some have always believed the worst of India, and the publication chooses to employ them on that basis. Still, in the spirit of fair commentary, the authors could have reined in their prejudices. Any pretense of fairness is wiped away here, with paragraphs advertising the one political leader in the country without any political acumen, dependent solely on his lineage for continuing in politics. The article, laughably, calls him the chief political nemesis.

The repeated remonstrations against the Adani group reminds one of how Western organisations will gather in force to employ illegitimate pressure on Indian conglomerates at the cost of the citizens.

Muslim victimhood is a heavy part of the narrative catered to in this article, as with so many about India. Apparently, anti-Muslim speech has proliferated under the present government. That correlation is not causation requires critical analysis, which the FT depends on readers to not employ. The rise of such hate-speech is much more likely to be caused by proliferation of all varieties of hate-speech since the last decade has seen the rapid growth of social media, but it is to the Modi government that the article attributes it too.

Anti-Hindu hate speech has also proliferated massively in the same period, but the FTs Hinduphobic biases prevent them from citing it. One of the more insidious issues is that this article is printed in the wake of attacks on the convoy of Muslim scholar and Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan, a BJP member, who was attacked by the Islamofascist group SFI, enabled by the Communist government in the state.

A Threat to Democracy wonders a sub-heading. The succeeding paragraphs cite nothing at all about how democracy is threatened. Disingenuously dishonest, authors focus on one of the largest global Muslim populations who have prospered under the BJP government, while ignoring actual minorities in India.

Indians seem to welcome a PM who stands his ground against unsubstantiated Western allegations of varying hues  political, social, economic  instead of servilely settling for handouts so that a few publications catering to the Western gaze offer them a pat on the head.

If one were to read portrayals of Rahul Gandhi and Manmohan Singh by the same publication and compare them with anything on PM Modi, they are likely to be taken aback by the contrast in tone.

While the patronising and condescension remains, the commentary on the latter is unabashedly suspicious, shocked even. Considering the opportunity to interview the leader of a thriving economy whose fiscal conservatism combined with a digital economic infrastructure unprecedented in the world has pushed the nation to the forefront of the world, the authors have chosen to advertise Indian opposition leaders instead.

Hostile interviews are set up to distract from any subject in depth and instead focus on reinforcing labels already applied by partisan commentators to help inform no one but serve as yet another piece to be cited in far-left circle-jerk commentary against India.

It is a travesty that the Modi administration does not choose to engage some of those outside this loop. While one need not preach to a choir, it is futile to expect partisan publications such as the Financial Times to offer balanced perspectives.

The author is a columnist at several Indian publications such as NDTV, FirstPost and CNN-News18 and also hosts a podcast on geopolitics and culture. She writes about international relations, public policy and history. 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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Mallikarjun Kharges projection as the prime ministerial candidate of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) was not a sudden, spur-of-the-moment decision at the December 19 meeting of the Opposition parties. Many alliance parties including the Congress leadership had been toying with the idea.

Both Sitaram Yechury of CPM and Manoj Kumar Jha of the RJD publicly batted for Kharge to play a bigger role in the coalition and beyond. At a book launch at the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation on December 11, 2023, Sonia Gandhi virtually endorsed Yechury and Jha saying, Mallikarjun Kharge is best suited to lead the Congress party in this historic battle for Indias soul. In this, he has my steadfast support and that of the Congress party.

But has Kharge got the right credentials to be at 1, Lok Kalyan Marg if INDI alliance calculations and strategy indeed checkmates Narendra Modi-led NDA in May 2024? Kharge has had an impressive track record in public life, rising from the Bloc president of the grand party to the 88th president of the AICC. He has been elected a record 11 times and has been a multi-term minister in Karnataka and the Union cabinet. Kharge also holds the distinction of being the leader of the Opposition in both houses of Parliament. On his part, Kharge, who has had a long and distinguished career in public life, had been devoting considerable time commenting and deliberating upon the Modi governments functioning, contrasting its past and alleging that under Narendra Modi, the locus of power has effectively shifted from the cabinet to the Prime Ministers Office.

In a new book titled, The Great Indian Manthan, State, Statecraft and The Republic (Penguin Random House), Kharge has contributed a chapter, The Cabinet: A Check on Authoritarianism. In his sharp article, he accuses the BJP-led Opposition of purposely vilifying Dr Manmohan Singh as a weak prime minister during the 2004-2014 UPA government years. Kharge, who was a minister under Dr Singh, alleges that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), then in Opposition, teamed up with the deep state to portray Manmohan as weak. He doesnt define what this deep state is but the threat of infiltration in key government institutions is something the United States, China, Canada, United Kingdom and most developed nations take very seriously. Does Kharge know something that only prime ministers of the past knew?

Kharge also says when Manmohan Singh resumed his stint as prime minister in 2009, the key levers of power suddenly stopped functioning. The reasons became clear when he demonstrated that many who sabotaged the system from within joined hands with the BJP, which subsequently rode to power under Narendra Modi. He goes on to allege that even though he (Prime Minister Modi) publicly promised to correct the perceived (and frankly manufactured) flaws that had crept into the institution of the cabinet and the prime minister, it soon became clear that the new dispensation was not correcting mistakes but taking them to the other extreme. The principles of collective responsibility in government have sadly been ignored.

Kharge then goes on to demonstrate that post-independence, Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru established precedents to institutionalise a cabinet form of government that every prime minister (including Prime Minister Vajpayee) has followed. But these norms and conventions have been flouted under Modi. As an example, he says One glaring indicator of this is the dismissal of EGoMs [Empowered group of Ministers] and GoMs as soon as the ruling dispensation assumed power in 2014. This was purportedly done because they contributed to the much touted policy paralysis. This logic was flawed because EGoMs and GoMs provided the cabinet with detailed information on subjects entrusted to them and in the process, enabled better policymaking. In abolishing EGoMs and GoMs, the NDA government has undermined informed and inclusive decision-making.

The decline of the cabinet form of governance worsened further when ministries were merged to create even more centralisation. Kharge points at the corporate affairs ministry merger with finance on the one hand, and housing and urban poverty alleviation with urban development on the other as a pointer. He argues that this has been purportedly done to further the goal of minimum government, maximum governance but in effect, this seemingly innocuous move centralized powers in the PMO. Kharge pulls out a statement released by the Modi government which said, Wherever the Ministries face any difficulties, the Cabinet Secretariat and the Prime Ministers Office will facilitate the decision-making process to make the case that the PMO has become a leviathan.

Without mentioning Union Ministers S Jaishankar, Ashwini Vaishnaw, Hardeep Puri or RK Singh, Kharge laments that the appointment of bureaucrats and technocrats as ministers, eschewing the earlier practice of having political heavyweights as ministers, has led to the decline of the cabinet system. He posits While it could be argued that this infuses technical expertise within the government, this has grave implications for Indias social contract. Earlier, ministers were chosen because they had deep ties to specific groupsto communities, to sectoral interest groups, to academics/think tanks, to the diaspora, to civil society, etc.apart from administrative experience. Their connections were leveraged to engage in a sustained dialogue with Indias diverse interest groups, to ensure that governance was more people-centric. Today, only the PMO is permitted to engage with all of Indias interest groups. In this construct, the Prime Minister is no longer first among equals, but the sole Chief Executive, like that in the United States of America. The morphing of the PMO into an independent Executive force is a perversion of the cabinet system. When individuals who cannot otherwise get elected begin to disproportionately influence governance, it leads to an oligarchic control of the State apparatus.

Kharge also claims that Modis PMO is a de facto super cabinet that plans, directs and monitors major policies and projects, while the cabinet rubber-stamps decisions. That is why laws are moved that are not responsive to the true needs and aspirations of the people. This appropriation of ministerial prerogatives and functions has been extended to other spheres of governance as well, writes Kharge. To substantiate his claim, Kharge cites two examples.

Prime Minister Modi has spearheaded a highly personalized form of foreign policy, drawing from past precedents. A case in point is his decision to stop over in Lahore in December 2015 to greet then Prime Minister of Pakistan Nawaz Sharif on his birthday. This effort, supposed to be out-of-the box thinking, ended up undermining years of patient and skilful diplomacy through which India had cornered Pakistan, claims Kharge pointing that the prime ministers campaign for the leader of another nation (Howdy Trump rally in Texas, USA) and hosting a foreign leader in India for a rally (Motera rally in Gujarat) was highly questionable and improper. Kharge says it was against the grain of the principle of foreign policy and diplomacy, for it is tantamount to interference in the internal affairs of another nation.

Kharge also refers to the devastating earthquake in Nepal, saying there was no need to be so roughshod with Nepal over the Madhesi issue. Given our ancient cultural, religious and political ties, the earthquake was an opportunity for India to help our dear friends in need and thereby deepen ties with the Nepalese people. Instead, by blockading Nepal on the Madhesi issue, the NDA government has pushed Nepal (the only Hindu nation in the world) into Chinas arms, alleges Kharge.

The Congress president also questions Prime Minister Narendra Modis excessively personalised overtures to President Xi Jinping (as exemplified by meetings in Ahmedabad in 2014, Wuhan in 2018 and Mahabalipuram in 2019). Kharge concludes by saying that Modis efforts have done little to stop Chinas efforts to undermine Indias territorial sovereignty. Worse, PM Modis personalised diplomacy has lulled him into passivity. He has refused to condemn and counter Chinese aggression in Ladakh, Doklam and Arunachal Pradesh. In personally displaying weakness, PM Modi has compromised Indias standing and image. Therefore, it must be said, that every Prime Minister needs to remember that friendships are between nations, not leaders. Personal political interests can never supersede the national interest, writes Kharge.

Kharge has made a very strong case on how a prime minister should conduct himself and how cabinets should function. He has also made a clear distinction between the BJP and Congress on conduct with allied parties and in government. In this, he has mirrored Sitaram Yechurys essay in the same book on coalitions. I dont know if this mirroring was intentional (more likely the books editors planned it), but their joint essays of intent would be music to the INDIA parties who have been privately grumbling about how arrogant the Congress state leadership has been in the recent state elections.

If one reads the other fine essays in The Great Indian Manthan: State, Statecraft and the Republic (edited by Pushparaj Deshpande and Gurdeep Singh Sappal), its easy to see the complex challenges any new government in the post-Modi era will face. The way the BJP has allegedly perverted institutions and stuffed them with ideological sympathisers, it will take extraordinary ideological clarity and dynamism to resolve problems, says Kharge. Apart from Kharge, Sonia Gandhi, Hamid Ansari, Sitaram Yechury, Wajahat Habibullah, Justice [retd] Madan Lokur, Margret Alva, Ashok Lavasa, Dr T M Thomas Issac, Dr Naresh Chandra Saxena and Prof Ingrid Sainath have contributed to the book.

While the Modi regime appears to be a favourite to win the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the Opposition seems to be getting its act together. Deshpande and Sappal provide a credible blueprint for the future.

The writer is a Visiting Fellow at the Observer Research Foundation. A well-known political analyst, he has written several books, including 24 Akbar Road and Sonia: A Biography. 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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In Kashmir, working for Le Figaro and other newspapers, the author noticed four similarities between the Muslims of Gaza and the Muslims of the Valley of Kashmir (dont forget that Ladakh is mostly Buddhist and Jammu still has a thin majority of Hindus).

The first one is that of the so-called moderate Muslim majority that is a mute spectator when Islamists target people. During various sojourns of the author in the Valley of Kashmir, he has met university professors, High Court retired judges, housewives, etc, who would tell him after some time (because he is a White man and a journalist) that their sympathy goes to the terrorists because they are fighting for a just cause and because Muslims are persecuted, whether it is in Kashmir, in Palestine, in Chechnya, or in France.

The same thing is witnessed in Gaza, when thousands of its inhabitants came out to cheer the returning Hamas terrorists, some of them carrying the dead raped bodies of young girls on the backs of their trucks. Later, it came out that most Hamas tunnels, headquarters, and arms depots were built under hospitals, schools, and private homes, which means that they were done with the full knowledge and approval of the local population.

The second is that Muslims in the Valley of Kashmir have always told the author (again, after some time, and because he was a Western journalist) that Islam is their first nationality, their first allegiance. The author remembers these people asking him, So, you are coming from India? They live in India and have Indian passports; they dont mind when the Indian government gives them quotas and rations, and when Indian tourism brings untold riches to almost all of them.

One also probably knows that Kashmir isand has beenthe most subsidised state in India. This is true too in Gaza: We know that those Palestinians who worked in Israel and even became friends with Israeli families, who sometimes treated them like their own, informed the Hamas terrorists about locations and targets.

The third is Taqya. We dissimulate our true beliefs, especially if we live in countries where we are in minority. Or: Okay with you, youre a White man, we might tell you but to Indians, to the government, to Mr Modi, to the BJP, to the Congress, we will hide our convictions. Also in Gaza, the Palestinians and even Hamas gained the sympathy of NGOs like Medecins sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders), who closed their eyes to the fact that tunnels were built below the hospitals where they worked.

The fourth is: We are martyrs, persecuted, victims of human rights abuses. In Kashmir, the author saw with his own eyes that terrorism was started in the name of Islam against the Indian government without any provocation. The first terrorist of the JKLF started killing Hindu leaders, surgeons, journalists, prominent personalities and attacking the army.

Ultimately, it led to the violent chasing out of lakhs of Hindus, one of the biggest ethnic cleansings of the 20th century. But today, thanks to social media, Kashmiri Muslims are able to pose themselves as martyrs, being the victims of human rights abuses by the Indian Army or the Indian government. The same is true in Gaza: Its people have so much sympathy in the media, in the NGOs, even with the United Nations, because they twist facts, increase casualties, and post fake photos so that people forget the terrible, unforgivable, inhuman atrocities they committed on October 7 of this year.

Finally, the Modi government would be mistaken if it thinks that because tourism is currently booming in the Valley of Kashmir, terrorism is over. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made the same mistake, and Israel was caught by surprise by one of the worst terrorist attacks, one whose barbarism, cruelty, and scope are unparalleled in modern history. Pakistan is always ready to get back at India by sponsoring terrorism, whether it is the Khalistani one or Kashmiri separatism, and India should be ready and prepared for any eventuality.

The author is a French journalist and author of A History of India as It Happened (Garudabooks.com). He is also building a museum of true Indian history in Pune. 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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Indias defence industry has been frequenting the headlines for its massive boost in developing, procuring as well as exporting its indigenous arms and ammunition. From being a top importer of arms until the Covid-19 pandemic, to FY 2022-2023 where it has exported defence products worth Rs 16,000 crore to 89+ nations, Indias Military-Industrial Complex (MIC) has come a long way, but has an equally long way to go.

The DRDO website showcases Indias indigenous weapons systems like BrahMos, Tejas, Prachand, Arjun, and C4ISR (Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance) instruments like Revathi, Lakshya, etc. Is it impacting regional, if not global, security dynamics? Is India playing the defence diplomacy card right?

Well, an increase in domestic defence products has its own economic, security, and political advantages by exporting them that meet international standards. Big and small, established and upcoming companies are all gearing up to seize the profitable defence and aerospace opportunity for which they have been waiting, as in the cases of Godrej, Mahindra, Tata, and L&T. India reportedly plans to upgrade its armed forces spending Rs 1.5 lakh crore annually on average until 2030.

Defence Indigenisation as a National Security Prerogative

Even if we keep the looming economic aspect of growing exports aside, for a country like India, being aatmanirbhar (self-reliant) is a necessity now more than ever. It has several geopolitical underpinnings. For a country the size of India, relying on external military supplies is a dangerous bet. While countries like the US and China, allocate more than 3% of their GDP for defence spending, India has never touched the 3% mark in its budgets.

Given Indias neighbourhood scenario with Pakistan, China, Bangladesh, and Myanmar, it is pertinent to invest more in acquiring arms and ammunition and securitize its borders. So, is India taking advantage of peacetime? In this quest to be a major power in South Asia and the wider Indo-Pacific, India cleverly wades through murky waters of power projection.

According to classical understanding in international relations theory, great-power foreign policy is the legitimate answer to material power availability. The idea that increased capabilities lead to more aspirational goals provides a straightforward and plausible explanation for major powers behaviour: they act in this way because they can. This notion is at the heart of realist theories of international relations.

International threat, as per empirical study, is a credible rationale for specific foreign policy objectives. The most well-known example of such a dynamic is the arms races. So much so that, one often thinks of military modernization whenever the term power projection is mentioned. While this is largely true, India of late has begun to experience the potential of indigenous technological power projection. In simpler terms, India must enhance internal balancing i.e. focus on indigenized military modernisation. Theres a chance that this step will lead to India fixing some of its long-standing defence policy flaws. If it does, those shifts will have a lot more influence on Indias conflict with China and its relationship with the US than any superficial gestures of cooperation. But whats wrong with defence imports?

Delhis South block became aware of the fact that investing too massively in imports indicated higher long-term threats. To begin with, India ended up bolstering the power of other nations Military Industrial Complexes (MICs) rather than its own through military imports. The notion that the Indian state could become vulnerable to external weapons embargoes that could cut off supply is a second reason that has taken a toll on Indian decision-makers, which was fully endorsed by Rajnath Singh but not commonly addressed explicitly.

Political Stratagems from Itihasa and Shastras

Our itihasas have ample examples for contemporary issues and impart valuable and relevant stratagems. Indian political thinkers have written many treatises on effective governance, foreign policy priorities, and certain non-negotiables mentioned below.

In the Mahabharatas Vana Parva Chapter 193 verse 29, that goes like this:

api sakam pacanasya sukham vai maghavana grhe

arjitam svena viryena na vyapasritya kancana

It means, O Maghvan (Lord Indra), even he is happy who cooks only less leaves (for his food) earned by his efforts without having to depend on others. Well, under the context of national security, the focus should be on quality as well as quantity while ensuring self-reliance.

Two characteristics of a Rajya, that Bharatiya political theorists never downplayed in fact, emphasised were: Kosha and Durga. In multiple texts, Bharatiya political theorists have propounded how mutually inclusive Kosha and Durga (treasury and fortresses, in this case) are. Kautilya was well aware that a secure and flourishing state and strong finances, adequate reserve funds, and a large treasury, go together.

Impact on Global Geopolitics

The Indian government is becoming conscious of the fact that its power in regional and global affairs increases with the strength of its armed forces. Indian strategic thinking has remained largely regional. For many years, one of the most crucial geopolitical concerns for the Indian armed forces has been their ability to project power and exert influence into the Indian Ocean. Still, until recently, they have lacked the necessary capabilities. If at all we presume that Indias GDP will go on to be $5.944 billion (Rs 600 crore), and Delhi does dedicate 3% of its GDP to its defence sector, then we can hope to see $179 billion for our Armed Forces which will be a massive propellent.

In a more reflective sense, during peacetime, it is more feasible to balance, whether internal or external. Following with, deterring and influencing other players in the region. The development of an indigenous modern military may result in India playing a bigger part in preserving international peace and security. Terrorism and piracy are security concerns that impact numerous states and can only be resolved through multilateral collaboration. India would be able to police both sides of the Indian Ocean better and maintain open maritime routes for international trade given the fact that the Indian Navy has a qualitative and quantitative edge in the region.

It will be interesting to witness the plausible reality of burgeoning defence industries proving to be vital in advocating Indias stature in great power competition. Defence industrial firms are undergoing a renaissance when they are exposed to the wide gamut of public-private partnerships. Analysis reveals that this change could have an impact on armed wars, crises, and world politics. The arms race, on the other hand, also creates fresh potential and promotes new forms of conflict, affecting the nature of war and the dichotomy of politics between countries with greater and lesser military power.

Conclusion

Monetary concerns drive indigenisation. No nation will choose indigenisation if it means risking losing a strategic advantage to another nation due to the additional cost of indigenisation, or if the delivery schedule is rigid, leaving no room for time-consuming indigenisation efforts, or if the MoDs ability to apply follow-on order information for indigenised products is questionable due to long-standing budgetary restrictions.

A mission-mode approach to indigenisation that is more modest and focused can yield greater results. Otherwise, important choices will have to be made that compromise on acquisition speed, quality, or cost. In the worst-case scenario, India would find itself paying hefty prices for inferior equipment far later than necessary if considerations along this vein are not made.

India has nuclear weapons capability, which gives it the potential to project force beyond its regional sphere of influence, but we cant rely on ICBMs alone. The growth of non-nuclear forces becomes paramount too. Domestic factors like MICs and other actors have now become core areas of national security discussions. India now confidently uses Defence Diplomacy as a strategic instrument to convey new geopolitical imperatives.

The writer works as a Research Assistant at Chanakya University, Bengaluru. She focuses on Indias Foreign Policy, Defence, and National Security. Her interest lies in studying non-Western IR theories, religious extremism, Terrorism, etc. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely that of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views.
Religious schools, which have historically been for boys only, are now open to Afghan girls of all ages, a Taliban official announced.

A day prior, Roza Otunbayeva, the special envoy of the United Nations, informed reporters and the Security Council that the organisation was getting more and more anecdotal evidence that girls could pursue education at madrassas, or Islamic schools.

However, according to Otunbayeva, it was unclear what exactly qualified as a madrassa, whether modern education subjects were allowed in the curriculum, and how many girls were able to attend the schools.

The Taliban have drawn international criticism for forbidding women and girls from pursuing higher education past the sixth grade, including a university education. One of the few places where girls can get any kind of education after the sixth grade is a madrassa.

Mansor Ahmad, a spokesman at the Education Ministry in the Afghan capital Kabul, said in messages to The Associated Press that there are no age restrictions for girls at government-controlled madrassas. The only requirement is that girls must be in a madrassa class appropriate to their age.

If her age is not in line with the class and (the age) is too high, then she is not allowed, said Ahmad. Madrassas have the same principles as schools and older women are not allowed in junior classes. Privately run madrassas have no age restrictions and females of all ages, including adult women, can study in these schools, according to Ahmad.

There are around 20,000 madrassas in Afghanistan, of which 13,500 are government-controlled. Private madrassas operate out of mosques or homes, said Ahmad. He did not give details on how many girls are studying in the countrys madrassas or if this number increased after the bans.

Otunbayeva addressed the Security Council on the one-year anniversary of the Taliban banning women from universities. Afghanistan is the only country in the world with restrictions on female education.

Higher education officials in Kabul were unavailable for comment Thursday on when or if the restrictions would be lifted, or what steps the Taliban are taking to make campuses and classrooms comply with their interpretation of Islamic law.

Afghanistans higher education minister, Nida Mohammed Nadim, said last December that the university ban was necessary to prevent the mixing of genders and because he believed some subjects being taught violated the principles of Islam.

(with inputs from The Associated Press)
Former Credit Suisse CEO Tidjane Thiam was elected on Friday as leader of the PDCI, one of Ivory Coasts main opposition parties, making him a likely candidate in the 2025 presidential election.

Thiam received votes from over 90% of the 7,000 assembled members of the PDCI, the French acronym for Democratic Party of Ivory Coast, the party said.

Thiam, 61, served in the cabinet of ex-President Henry Konan Bedie in the 1990s before leaving the West African country almost 25 years ago when Bedie was ousted in a coup.

Since then he has worked for consultancy firm McKinsey, insurers Aviva and Prudential and as Credit Suisse CEO. He quit the Swiss bank in 2020 following a major spying scandal in which he denied any involvement.

PDCI governed Ivory Coast from independence to the early 2000s. Its previous party leader Bedie died in August aged 89.

The last presidential poll in 2020 ended an alliance between President Alassane Ouattaras RDR and PDCI, after an election that opposition parties largely boycotted and dismissed as illegal. Clashes in the run-up to the vote and on election day killed around 35 people.

Ouattara, 81, has not stated his intentions for 2025.

(with inputs from Reuters)
With three weeks until Taiwans elections, Beijing is continuing its military buildup, as Taiwan reported Chinese warplanes and warships circling the island on Saturday. These activities included aircraft flying over the narrow median line of the Taiwan Strait.

China claims Taiwan as its own territory, and Taiwan, which is democratically governed, has been complaining about frequent Chinese military drills and patrols near the island for the past four years.

Elections for Taiwans parliamentary and presidential positions are scheduled for January 13. One of the main areas of contention is relations with China.

Taiwans defence ministry said that since 1:30 p.m. (0530 GMT) on Saturday it had detected J-10, J-11 and J-16 fighters as well as early warning aircraft operating in the airspace to north, middle and southwest of Taiwan.

Ten aircraft crossed the Taiwan Strait median line, or areas close by, working with Chinese warships to carry out joint combat readiness patrols, the ministry said.

The median line once served as an unofficial barrier between the two sides, but Chinese planes now regularly fly over it.

Taiwan sent its own forces to monitor, the ministry said.

China has not commented on its recent spate of military activities near Taiwan. It has previously described them as being aimed at preventing collusion between Taiwan separatists and the United States, and protecting Chinas territorial integrity.

Taiwans government, which has repeatedly offered talks with China, rejects Beijings sovereignty claims and says only the islands people can decide their future.

The ruling Democratic Progressive Partys Lai Ching-te, whom Beijing has denounced as a separatist, is the frontrunner to be Taiwans next president, according to opinion polls.

Taiwans main opposition party, the Kuomintang, traditionally supports close ties with Beijing, and has pledged to reopen dialogue with China if it wins the election. But it too also says Taiwans people are the only ones who can decide their future.

(With inputs from Reuters)
Gunmen killed at least 20 people and wounded nine others near Burundis western border with the Democratic Republic of Congo, the government told reporters on Saturday, in an attack claimed by the Reb Tabara rebel group.

Those killed in the Friday evening raid on a village called Vugizo included 12 children, two pregnant women and a police officer, government spokesperson Jerome Niyonzima said.

Red Tabara, which has been battling Burundis government from bases in eastern Congo since 2015, claimed on the social media platform X to have killed nine soldiers and one police officer. Residents said they heard sounds of gunfire and explosions during the attack.

Red Tabara previously said it had attacked and destroyed equipment at the countrys international airport in Bujumbura in September, although no casualties were reported.
Police in Newark, California claimed that suspected pro-Khalistan activists had vandalized the Swaminarayan temple. They added that the incident was discovered on Friday (local time).

There was anti-India graffiti on the Hindu temples outer wall. The vandalism is the subject of an investigation by the Newark Police Service.

As per the administration of the temple, the incident happened on Thursday evening.

The spokesperson for the temple administration, Bhargav Raval, told ANI that one of the devotees, who lives close to the shrine, discovered anti-Hindu and anti-India graffiti in black ink on an exterior wall of the building. The local administration was notified right away.

The spokesperson added the temple authorities were shocked to find the anti-Indian graffiti on its wall.

Shedding more light into the incident, Jonathan Arguello, a police captain for the city of Newark, said the targeted act was being investigated.

Based on the graffiti, we believe it was a targeted act, and its going to be investigated with full thoroughness. I can also tell you that as a member of the Newark Police Department and the Newark community, were deeply saddened when these types of acts occur, and we think theyre senseless and they have no room. We wont tolerate them here in Newark. So today, I wanted to make sure that you understand how seriously we take these situations and know that we will investigate as thoroughly as possible with utmost care and sensitivity. I can also tell you that officers are currently investigating this via evidence collection, the captain told reporters during a press conference.

The police official said to piece together the chain of events leading to the act of defacement, the footage from surveillance cameras in the neighbouring residences were being looked into.

Our policies that any acts of violence or threats of violence, property damage, harassment, intimidation, or other crimes motivated by hate or bias are considered very serious and given the utmost care. Were handling this investigation as a hate crime at this point, based on our conversations with you and the physical evidence weve seen, he said.

This is not the first such incident where a temple has been defaced with such graffiti in the recent past.

The incident comes close on the heels of the US Justice Department unsealing an indictment against an Indian national for his alleged involvement in a foiled plot to assassinate India-designated terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun on American soil.

The Justice Department claimed that an Indian government employee (named CC-1), who was not identified in the indictment filed in a federal court in Manhattan, recruited an Indian national named Nikhil Gupta to hire a hitman to carry out the assassination, which was foiled by US authorities, according to prosecutors.

Gupta is currently in custody and has been charged with murder-for-hire, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. Czech authorities arrested and detained Gupta on June 30, pursuant to the bilateral extradition treaty between the US and the Czech Republic.

Reacting to the Justice Departments indictment, the Ministry of External Affairs said the case filed against an individual in a US court, allegedly linking him to an Indian official, was a matter of concern and is contrary to government policy.

We cannot share any further information on such security matters. As regards the case against an individual that has been filed in a US court allegedly linking him to an Indian official, this is a matter of concern. We have said and let me reiterate that this is contrary to government policy the MEA spokesperson said.

Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, who was declared a designated individual terrorist by the Government of India on July 1, 2020, has been actively exhorting Punjab-based gangsters and youth over social media to fight for the cause of the independent state of Khalistan, challenging the sovereignty, integrity and security of the country, NIA investigations have shown.

Pannun has been under the NIA lens since 2019 when the anti-terror agency registered its first case against him.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi responded to the claims made by the US, saying he would look into any evidence, adding that few incidents would not affect US-India ties.

If someone gives us any information, we would definitely look into it, PM Modi said in an interview with the UK-based newspaper Financial Times.

If a citizen of ours has done anything good or bad, we are ready to look into it. Our commitment is to the rule of law, Prime Minister Modi added.

He also raised concerns over a rising tide of anti-India extremism on foreign shores, saying New Delhi was deeply concerned about the activities of certain extremist groups based overseas, adding, These elements, under the guise of freedom of expression, have engaged in intimidation and incited violence, Financial Times reported.

There is strong bipartisan support for the strengthening of this relationship, which is a clear indicator of a mature and stable partnership, PM Modi told FT, adding, Security and counter-terrorism co-operation has been a key component of our partnership.

I dont think it is appropriate to link a few incidents with diplomatic relations between the two countries, PM Modi added.

Earlier, Khalistanis allegedly attacked the Indian Consulate in San Francisco. Videos of supporters breaking the doors and barging into the office surfaced on social media.

Visuals shared online showed a mob brandishing Khalistan flags mounted on wooden poles, using them to smash glass doors and windows of the consulate building.

They raised pro-Khalistan slogans as they broke through makeshift security barriers raised by the city police and installed two Khalistani flags inside the premises.

In another related incident in Canada, a Hindu temple was defaced by extremist elements with Khalistan referendum posters in August.

The incident happened in British Columbia province in Canada.

The posters shared by Australia Today, read Canada investigates the role of India in June 18th assassination.

The video of the incident also went on social media platforms.The video shared by Australia Today showed two masked men putting up the posters and taking photos before fleeing the scene.

The poster on the temple gate referred to and also had the picture of Khalistan Tiger Force chief and designated terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who was shot dead by unidentified assailants in June this year.

(with inputs from ANI)
The country is actively enhancing its border infrastructure to bolster national security, emphasising the construction of roads, bridges, and tunnels along the China border at an accelerated pace, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar stated on Saturday.

Jaishankar highlighted the significant progress in border infrastructure, comparing the current momentum to the slower pace observed in previous decades.

Acknowledging the setbacks faced by India in the 1962 war with China, attributed to complacency and neglect in border infrastructure, he emphasised the governments commitment under Prime Minister Narendra Modi to address security matters with the seriousness they deserve.

Speaking at the third convocation of Rashtriya Raksha University (RRU), the Union minister said India has deeply embedded security factors into its diplomatic strategy.

Acquiring and developing weapons, and building-related capacities have not only been at the core of our defence policies but also of our diplomacy, he said. Even when logistics has been a key to security and warfare, it remained a neglected dimension till recently, he said.

Take our border areas facing China as an illustration. And let the figures speak for themselves. Today, road construction is 2x, bridging and tunnelling 3x, and the border infrastructure budget 4x compared to what was the commitment and achievement of the last decades, he said in his address to graduating students of RRU.

But it is not just the length and number of the roads, tunnels and bridges, but the consequences that they have for our operational capabilities. In the last decade, we have seen all-weather connectivity to Ladakh and to Tawang, focus on access to critical passes along the LAC (line of actual control), and the construction, in fact, of the worlds highest motorable road, he said.

He said that complacency and neglect in the domain of security can cost the nation dearly. We saw that graphically in 1962. But sadly, its lessons were not learned by those who came later. It is only now that we are approaching border infrastructure with the seriousness that it deserves, he added.

The application of new technologies and construction techniques has yielded visible results, accompanied by a reform of entities like the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), he said.

Jaishankar said that even by the traditional metrics of security assessments, India faces exceptional challenges.Strenuous efforts have since been made, especially in the last decade, to correct the shortcomings of the previous decades.

The overall development of our national strengths that we have seen since 2014 has had positive repercussions in the security field, he said. Focusing on acquiring and developing weapons and building related capacities has not only been at the core of Indias defence policies but even of its diplomacy, he said.

Indeed, a large part of our geopolitical calculations rests on which nations are likely to be reliable partners during times of stress. We, therefore, embed the security factor deeply into our strategy, and into our diplomacy, he said.

We have long been conversant with the concept of dual technology which has extended even more to encapsulate critical and emerging technologies. It has been a signal achievement of Indian diplomacy that we have been successful in forging relationships with multiple and often competing powers to our side, he said.

The external affairs minister said that economic and technological capacities go hand in hand, and both are equally crucial for Indias security. The progress of nations and history is to a great measure reflected in the progress of technology, he said.

In the post-1992 reform era, we understandably opened up our economy, but we did not pay adequate attention to safeguarding and upgrading our manufacturing. Without robust manufacturing, a nation like India can never be updated on technology, let alone emerge as a leader in a particular domain, he said.

Reversing the indifference of the past, India has given thrust to manufacturing through various schemes, Jaishankar said. With progress comes accompanying downside and increasing vulnerabilities, such as cyber security in the digital age, he said.

We have since moved on to debates about deepfakes using AI (artificial intelligence). Another is the impact of fake news and disinformation that can dramatically shape mass opinion. The COVID-19 pandemic is a reminder of how exposed we are in a globalised environment, he said.

India is also addressing the concern for external dependence in terms of equipment required for building infrastructure or weaponry for its armed forces that has long dogged it, he added.

Earlier, speaking on the sidelines of the event, Jaishankar expressed concern over the vandalism of a Hindu temple with anti-India graffiti in the US and said extremists and separatist forces outside India should not get much space.I have seen the news.

As you know, we are concerned about this. Extremists and separatist forces outside India should not get space. Our consulate has lodged a complaint with the (US) government and the police there over whatever happened, and I believe the matter is being inquired, Jaishankar said in response to a query about the incident.

The police department in Newark, California said that at approximately 8.35 am on Friday, they received a report of graffiti at Shri Swaminarayan Mandir Hindu temple. According to images posted on social media, the word Khalistan was spray-painted on a signpost outside the temple along with other objectionable graffiti.

With inputs from PTI.
India is working with the French government for a resolution of the situation after a Nicaragua-bound flight carrying 303 people, mostly Indians, was detained by French authorities during a technical halt at an airport near Paris over suspected human trafficking.

French authorities informed us of a plane w/ 303 people, mostly Indian origin, from Dubai to Nicaragua detained on a technical halt at a French airport. Embassy team has reached & obtained consular access. We are investigating the situation, also ensuring wellbeing of passengers.  India in France (@IndiaembFrance) December 22, 2023

French authorities informed us of a plane w/ 303 people, mostly Indian origin, from Dubai to Nicaragua detained on a technical halt at a French airport, the Indian mission said in a post on X.

The embassy team has reached & obtained consular access. We are investigating the situation, also ensuring the well-being of passengers, the mission said on Friday.

The plane that took off from Dubai in the United Arab Emirates carrying 303 Indian passengers, including many minors, was grounded at the Chalons-Vatry airport in Marne on Thursday.

On Saturday, the Indian embassy said it was continuing to work with the French government for the welfare of the Indians currently at the Varty airport and for early resolution of the situation.

Embassy consular staff were stationed at the airport, the mission posted on X.

The Chalons-Vatry airport, located 150 kilometres east of Paris, serves mostly budget airlines.

Thank French authorities for working on this through the long holiday weekend, it said.

According to a Le Monde newspaper report, the civilian protection unit of the Marne department said on Saturday that the plane was carrying 13 unaccompanied minors as well as accompanied minors, with their ages ranging from 21 months to 17 years.

An earlier report noted that Frances national anti-organised crime unit JUNALCO has taken over the investigation.

Special investigators are questioning all those aboard and two people are in custody pending further examination, the Paris prosecutors office said in a statement.

The prefecture in the northeastern department of Marne said the A340 aircraft, operated by Romanian company Legend Airlines, remained grounded on the tarmac at Vatry airport following its landing on Thursday.

The newspaper report says the prefecture said the plane had been due to refuel and was carrying 303 Indian nationals who had probably been working in the UAE.

According to the reports, the travel may have been planned by the Indian passengers to reach Central America from where they can attempt to enter the United States or Canada illegally.

After landing in France, the passengers were first kept on the aircraft, but then let out and given individual beds in the terminal building. The entire airport was cordoned off by police.

The prosecutors office said an anonymous tip signalled that the flight was carrying people who could be victims of human trafficking. Passengers were eventually transferred into the main hall of the small Vatry airport, where cots were set up for them to stay overnight on Thursday, the administration for the Marne region told the newspaper.

Investigators from a specialised French organised crime unit, border police and aviation gendarmes are working on the case.

The aircraft is owned by Romanian charter company Legend Airlines. A lawyer for the firm, Liliana Bakayoko, denied any involvement in the trafficking.

She told French news channel BFMTV that the firm was ready to cooperate with the French authorities and hoped the plane could be on its way in the next couple of days.

Legend Airlines intervenes as a carrier, she said, adding that the flight was carried out for a client of the company.

According to the lawyer, the airline verified the conformity of the documents presented by the client, who must demonstrate that these people have the right to go to Nicaragua, and have valid passports.

A partner company that chartered the plane was responsible for verifying the identity documents of each passenger, and communicated the passengers passport information to the airline 48 hours before the flight, Bakayoko told The Associated Press.

The company cannot check the criminal records of the people transported, said Bakayoko.

303 people is not a number that raises alarm. They are not locked in a truck without ventilation and food, she said.

The airline is unhappy, she said, adding: It is a significant economic loss, but their image also suffers. She said Legend Airlines is ready to cooperate as far as possible with the French authorities.

We hope that within one or two days maximum the plane will be able to leave, said the lawyer.

Legend Air has a small fleet of four aircraft, according to the Flightradar website.

French border police can initially hold a foreign national for up to four days if they land in France and are prevented from travelling on to their intended destination.

French law allows for that period to be extended to eight days if a judge approves it, then another eight days in exceptional circumstances, up to a maximum of 26 days.
The P-8I maritime surveillance aircraft of the Indian Navy successfully established communication with the distressed vessel MV Chem Pluto after taking off from the INS Hansa naval air base in Goa, Navy officials confirmed on Saturday.

Meanwhile, an Indian Navy warship is en route to the vessel expected to reach the merchant ship within the next few hours.

In response to a suspected drone attack, Indian Navy and Indian Coast Guard vessels are mobilising towards the merchant vessel, MV Chem Pluto, which caught fire in the Arabian Sea. The incident occurred approximately 217 nautical miles off the Porbandar coast on Saturday, according to defence officials.

Taking swift action, the Indian Coast Guard Ship ICGS Vikram, deployed on patrol of the Indian Exclusive Economic Zone started moving towards the merchant vessel MV Chem Pluto in distress.

The Indian Navy warships in the vicinity are also moving towards the distressed vessel with around 20 Indian crew members, who are all reported to be safe.

According to defence officials, the vessel had crude oil and was going towards Mangalore from a port in Saudi Arabia. The fire has been reportedly extinguished but has affected the functioning of the vessel.

All crew members are safe, which includes around 20 Indians. The ICGS Vikram has alerted all ships in the area to assist it, according to defence officials.

With inputs from ANI.
The US Border Patrol and numerous states have recently been overwhelmed, lacking resources to manage the hundreds of migrants entering from Mexico every day  a crisis that has exposed President Joe Biden to harsh criticism from Republican opponents.

Border officials have counted 10,000 daily crossings in recent weeks, an increase from previous months, when migrants were already arriving at an increasing rate.

Between October 2022 and September 2023, there were almost 2.4 million migrant interceptions by land.

Authorities stopped railroads in Eagle Pass and El Paso, Texas, on Tuesday owing to a resurgence of unauthorised migrants entering the country by freight trains.

Border crossings by car have been suspended at Eagle Pass since early December, as have entry points in California and Arizona, with border police saying they had to move personnel away from those checkpoints to focus on processing irregular entries.

Accusing Biden of deliberate inaction on the border issue, Texas Republican Governor Greg Abbott this week approved a controversial law criminalizing illegal entry into his state.

Abbott, a staunch supporter of Donald Trump, hosted a signing ceremony in front of a section of border wall in the city of Brownsville, a nod to the former presidents flagship project and intense 2024 anti-immigration platform.

The law, set to go into effect in March, makes it a crime to illegally enter Texas from a foreign country, punishable by six months in prison  or up to 20 years, in the case of repeat offenders.

It gives Texas state law enforcement the ability to arrest migrants and deport them to Mexico  a power normally reserved for federal authorities.

In response, several human rights organizations, including the influential ACLU, immediately filed lawsuits challenging the Texas laws constitutionality.

Even political allies in border states have taken Biden to task over migration, with Arizonas Democratic Governor Katie Hobbs saying the federal government is refusing to do its job to secure our border and keep our communities safe.

Earlier this month, Hobbs announced she would send Arizona National Guard troops to the border to help pick up some of the slack.

A broken system

The reasons for this recent uptick in migration are not totally clear. Customs and Border Protection have blamed smugglers peddling disinformation to prey on vulnerable individuals.

Several migrants in Texas told AFP there has been gossip swirling that a total closure of the US border was imminent, which could have fueled some recent crossings.

There were rumors that from the 20th (of December), they wouldnt let anyone else in, said 32-year-old Yurianlis Alexmar Camacho, who had come from Venezuela with her husband and four children.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas will travel to Mexico in the coming days to meet with President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador in an effort to stem this incessant flow, the White House announced Thursday.

The president understands that we have to fix this immigration system. It has been broken for decades now, White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre said the same day.

Biden said earlier this month he was prepared to compromise with congressional Republicans on a border plan  they have demanded a concrete tightening of immigration policy in exchange for agreeing on a new aid package for Ukraine.

The situation is fraught for Biden as he begins his 2024 White House reelection campaign in earnest: in addition to criticism from the right, which says he is too soft on immigration, the presidents progressive supporters expect him to stay far away from his predecessors policies on migrants, who are mostly fleeing poverty and violence in Latin America.

But he will have to face the issue head-on one way or another, and soon, as there is no sign the steady flow of arrivals will let up.

Panama said earlier this month that since the start of 2023, half a million people  or double the number from last year  had crossed into its territory through the jungle at the perilous Darien Gap the separates the country from Colombia. The vast majority were headed for the United States.
Iranian media reported Saturday that a commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards threatened to close the Mediterranean Sea if the US and its allies carried out crimes in Gaza. The report did not specify how this would be accomplished.

Iran supports Hamas in its opposition to Israel, and it charges that the US supports Israeli crimes in Gaza, where weeks of bombardment have resulted in thousands of deaths and forced the majority of the population from their homes.

They will be anticipating the closure of the Mediterranean Sea, the Strait of Gibraltar, and additional waterways, the coordinating commander of the Guards, Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Naqdi, was quoted as saying by Tasnim.

Yemens Iran-aligned Houthi group has over the past month attacked merchant vessels sailing through the Red Sea in retaliation for Israels assault on Gaza, leading some shipping companies to switch routes.

The White House on Friday said Iran was deeply involved in planning operations against commercial vessels in the Red Sea.

Iran has no direct access to the Mediterranean itself and it was not clear how the Guards could attempt to close it off, although Naqdi talked of the birth of new powers of resistance and the closure of other waterways.

Yesterday, the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz became a nightmare for them, and today they are trapped  in the Red Sea, Naqdi was quoted as saying.

(With inputs from Reuters)
Before a high-level US visit next week, Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador indicated Friday that his government would speed up efforts to curb irregular migratory flows.

The vow comes a day after Lopez Obrador spoke by phone with US President Joe Biden on the contentious issue.

Lopez Obrador stated that the extraordinary migrant crisis would be the focus of Wednesdays talks in Mexico City with Secretary of State Antony Blinken and other senior US officials.

Mexico, he said, would strengthen containment measures in the south, near the Guatemalan border.

The agreement is that we continue working together and we already have a proposal to reinforce our plans, Lopez Obrador said.

Blinken will be accompanied on his visit by Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas and White House Homeland Security Advisor Liz Sherwood Randall, the Biden administration said Thursday.

The talks come as the rival Republican Party pushes Bidens Democrats for major changes on immigration policy in exchange for approving a package of emergency assistance for Ukraine and Israel.

US border police have in recent weeks reported approximately 10,000 crossings every day.

The previous fiscal year, from October 2022 through September 2023, saw a record 2.4 million encounters by US border patrol with migrants, including at both official ports of entry and elsewhere along the southern border.

In a stark illustration of the dangers facing them, two migrants drowned on Thursday while trying to cross the Rio Grande near the Mexican city of Matamoros, south of Brownsville, Texas.

Images obtained by AFP showed three men struggling to keep their heads above water clogged with vegetation and garbage, before two of them disappeared beneath the surface.

The migrants were trying to cross despite the mud and detritus because there were no Mexican immigration agents at the location, witnesses told AFP.
Refugees fleeing severe violence in Myanmar had hoped to find sanctuary in adjacent Bangladesh, but many are attempting risky sea crossings to avoid hunger, kidnapping, and gang violence.

Nur Kayes eyes well up with tears as she speaks of struggling to feed her family in a dismal camp in southeast Bangladesh, where UN budget problems have left refugees hungry.

When neighbours eat something before my kids, they start crying, said the 27-year-old, who has been in a camp since fleeing her home in 2017.

I cant take my childrens tears. They dont have food to eat. I spend my days and nights crying, she told AFP.

Around a million members of the stateless and predominantly Muslim minority live in Bangladesh, many of whom escaped a military crackdown in Myanmar six years ago, which is now being investigated by the UN as genocide.

However, hundreds of refugees are increasingly making risky voyages to Indonesia and Malaysia as dozens of Bangladeshi camps have become battlegrounds for opposing armed gangs using the settlements as staging points for narcotics and people trafficking.

According to police, security in the camps has deteriorated, with over 60 migrants slain in turf fights and drug-related clashes this year, the greatest number on record.

Bandits

Kidnappings for ransom have also risen steeply.

Rohingya are tired of living in the camps, said Rohingya youth activist Saiful Arakani, 27.

They dont want to lose their lives in the hands of bandits.

Kayes said one of her neighbours was kidnapped and she fears for her own safety.

The kidnappers took him away while he was sleeping, she said, explaining that the gunmen forced the neighbours family to hand over their life savings and borrow additional funds to pay more than $1,350 in ransom for his release.

His family collected the money in five days and brought him back, Kayes said, adding that she would have no way to pay a ransom if her family were kidnapped.

Her husband Faruk is in jail for working illegally as a boatman, defying a Bangladeshi order banning Rohingya from employment outside the camps.

Kayes cannot even afford to pay a lawyer to help him get bail.

Where would I get 4,000-5,000 taka ($35-45), when I barely have anything for my family?

She already works for a wealthier refugee family, but must part with two-thirds of her UN food ration to repay debts incurred for her shelter made of tarpaulin and bamboo.

Except for some who do aid work inside the camps, almost all the refugees are officially unemployed.

Two officials from Bangladeshs refugee commission told AFP that desperation had forced tens of thousands of Rohingya to flee the camps and find work as fishermen, salt farmers and construction workers.

Their entry into the local job market has driven down demand for local labourers, one official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity.

Understandably, local communities are angry. But can you stop it?

No matter if they die

Arakani said young people wanted a better and violence-free life, and dreamed of reaching Indonesia and Malaysia.

Rohingya young people are leaving the camps because they are desperate, he said.

They say no matter if they die at sea they want to go.

Since November, there has been a spike in journeys to Indonesias westernmost province of Aceh  a voyage of about 1,800 kilometres (1,120 miles)  with the UN refugee agency reporting more than 1,500 arrivals in the biggest such wave since the 2017 crackdown in Myanmar.

Muhammad Rahim, a refugee leader, said hundreds of unmarried women and girls have lined up to go to Malaysia  home to a sizable Rohingya diaspora  hoping to find a well-off husband.

When they go, they dont care about their lives, they care about their stomach, said Muhammad Islam, 55, who sent his only son to Malaysia last year.

Some of them die in the boats, and some of them are jailed if they are caught.

But human traffickers charge between $900 and $1,800 for the risky journey on rickety boats to Indonesia or Malaysia  far more than many refugees can afford.

For Kayes, leaving Bangladesh for a better country is just a dream.

If I had enough money, I also would have gone, she said.
Russias Central Electoral Commission rejected the candidacy of Yekaterina Duntsova, a former journalist and city councillor advocating for peace in the upcoming presidential elections.

The commission cited mistakes in documents submitted by Duntsova, preventing her from progressing to the next stage, which involves gathering thousands of supporters signatures.

Despite campaigning for peace and democratic processes, Duntsovas bid to stand in the elections, expected to be won by President Vladimir Putin, was unanimously rejected by the commission, according to Russian television.

Putin confirmed his participation in the election scheduled for three days beginning March 15.

Pamfilova told her: You are a young woman, you have everything ahead of you.

Duntsova, 40, had filed documents to stand in the March race as an independent candidate. She was required to provide documents proving that a group of at least 500 people had held a meeting backing her.

A peoples initiative is not needed, is not welcomed, Duntsova told journalists afterwards, saying she would not have time to file another application as an independent candidate.

She wrote on social media that she would file an appeal against the ruling with the Supreme Court.

 Should have a choice 

She also urged the leadership of liberal party Yabloko to nominate her as its candidate.

Yabloko, Russias oldest democratic party, should not stand on the sidelines. Russians should have a choice, she wrote on Telegram.

Duntsova told journalists on Saturday we are now waiting for some official, public answer on whether (Yabloko) are prepared to support me so we meet the deadline of January 1.

Yablokos co-founder Grigory Yavlinsky said in a YouTube video broadcast on Saturday that the party is not nominating any candidate.

The 71-year-old was unable to comment on Duntsovas request for nomination, saying he had no idea about her.

Candidates from political parties lacking MPs in the national parliament, like Yabloko, have a less arduous procedure to participate than independents.

They have to gather signatures of 100,000 supporters by the end of January, while independent candidates have to find 300,000.

Duntsova said she was sure her supporters had no illusions about the outcome of the presidential elections in inverted commas.

But you must not do nothing, she wrote on Telegram, since standing as a candidate is the last legal opportunity for citizens to express their disagreement with the policies of the current authorities.

Pamfilova said Saturday that 29 people have filed to run for the presidency.

Moscow has for years sidelined opposition figures from elections and political life, a clampdown that accelerated after the Kremlin ordered Russian troops into Ukraine in 2022.

With inputs from agencies.
The United States Supreme Court rejected to hear former President Donald Trumps assertion that he is immune from prosecution on Friday, potentially delaying his 2020 election interference trial.

Special Counsel Jack Smith had asked the Supreme Court to hear the immunity matter as soon as possible, bypassing the lower court of appeals.

The Supreme Court, which has a 6-3 conservative majority, including three justices chosen by Trump, refused the motion in a one-line order with no explanation.

The 77-year-old Trump, the Republican presidential frontrunner in 2024, is slated to stand trial on March 4, 2024 on accusations of conspiring to overturn the November 2020 election won by Democrat Joe Biden.

Trumps lawyers have repeatedly sought to delay the trial until after next years election, including with the claim that a former president enjoys absolute immunity and cannot be prosecuted for actions he took while in the White House.

US District Judge Tanya Chutkan, who is to preside over Trumps March trial, rejected the immunity claim on December 1, saying a former president does not have a lifelong get-out-of-jail-free pass.

Defendants four-year service as Commander in Chief did not bestow on him the divine right of kings to evade the criminal accountability that governs his fellow citizens, she added.

Trumps lawyers appealed Chutkans decision to the US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit and Smith, the special counsel, asked the Supreme Court to step in and hear the case itself.

This case presents a fundamental question at the heart of our democracy: whether a former President is absolutely immune from federal prosecution for crimes committed while in office, Smith said in a filing to the Supreme Court.

It is of paramount public importance that respondents claims of immunity be resolved as expeditiously as possible  and, if respondent is not immune, that he receive a fair and speedy trial on these charges, he said.

Appeals court hearing on January 9

With the Supreme Courts rejection of Smiths request, the appeals court will now first hear the immunity case.

Carl Tobias, a law professor at the University of Richmond, said this could make it difficult to maintain the March trial date.

Tobias noted the Supreme Court had agreed to fast-track appeals in 19 cases over the past four years and it was unclear why the justices had declined to do so here.

Trump welcomed the Supreme Courts move and said he was looking forward to presenting his arguments before the appeals court.

Of course I am entitled to Presidential Immunity, he said in a post on his Truth Social platform.

I was President, it was my right and duty to investigate, and speak on, the rigged and stolen 2020 Presidential Election, he said, repeating his baseless claims to have won the election.

The DC appeals court has scheduled arguments for January 9 and its ruling is expected to eventually reach the Supreme Court, whose current session ends in June.

Trumps lawyers are also expected to ask the nations highest court to rule on a decision by the Colorado Supreme Court that would keep the former president off the Republican primary ballot in the western state.

The Colorado court ruled Tuesday that Trump had incited an insurrection  the January 6, 2021 attack on the US Capitol by his supporters  and was therefore ineligible to hold office again.

The US Supreme Court has already agreed to hear a challenge to the use of a law behind one of the charges lodged against Trump and hundreds of his supporters who took part in the attack on the Capitol.

Trump was indicted in Washington in August for conspiracy to defraud the United States and obstruction for his efforts to upend the results of the 2020 election.

He faces similar election-related charges in Georgia and has been indicted in Florida for alleged mishandling of top secret documents after leaving the White House.

Trump was impeached by the Democratic-majority House of Representatives following the attack on the Capitol for incitement of insurrection but was acquitted by the Senate.
Xem them

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and military officials said the countrys forces shot down three Russian Su-34 fighter-bomber aircraft on Friday on the southern front, hailing it as a success in the 22-month-old war.

The Russian military has not officially acknowledged the incident, but Russian bloggers have admitted the loss. Analysts suggest that US-supplied Patriot missiles were likely used in the downing of three Russian Su-34 fighter bombers in the southern sector.

Ukrainian Air Force Commander Mykola Oleshchuk announced it on the Telegram messaging app, praising the Odesa region anti-aircraft unit for the successful operation in the Kherson region.

This area was occupied during Moscows February 2022 invasion, and Ukrainian forces have been working to regain territory, establishing positions on the eastern bank of the Dnipro River in Kherson in November.

Air Force spokesperson Yuri Ihnat described it on national television as a brilliantly planned operation. There havent been Su-34s for some time in our positive statistics, he said, citing the model as one of Russias most modern aircraft for bombing and other assaults.

Eurasia Daily, a Russia-based journal, said the Ukrainian account was plausible. Kyiv could have launched Patriot missiles, which have a range of up to 160 km (100 miles) against high-altitude targets, from the western side of the Dnipro River, it said.

Ukrainian aviation expert Valeriy Romanenko told Ukrainian NV Radio he believed Patriot missiles most likely downed the Russian jets.This was a situation where the Russians weredropping up to 100 bombs in the south. Three were flying together and got caught. They didnt quite take into account that the Patriot has a range of 160 km for aerodynamic targets, Romanenko said.

Ukrainian successes have become less frequent since its forces made lightning gains a year ago in retaking Russian-held territory in the northeast and in the south.

A counteroffensive launched in the east and south in June has had limited progress. Zelenskyy acknowledges that gains have been slower than hoped but has dismissed assertions by the military commander in chief, General Valeriy Zaluzhnyi, that the war has entered a phase of attrition requiring a change in tactics.

With inputs from Reuters.
The United Nations Security Council adopted a watered-down resolution Friday calling for the immediate acceleration of relief deliveries to hungry and desperate residents in Gaza, but without the previous request for a urgent cessation of hostilities between Israel and Hamas.

The long-awaited vote in the 15-member council was 13-0, with the US and Russia abstaining. Following Hamas surprise attacks within Israel on October 7, the US abstained to avoid a third American veto of a Gaza resolution. Russia wanted the tougher wording restored, but the United States did not.

Still, It was the Christmas miracle we were all hoping for, said United Arab Emirates Ambassador Lana Nusseibeh, who sponsored the resolution. She said it would send a signal to the people in Gaza that the Security Council was working to alleviate their suffering.

The resolution was the result of a week and a half of high-level diplomacy by the US, the UAE on behalf of Arab nations, and others. The vote, which was originally set for Monday, was pushed back each day until it was finally held on Friday.

A relieved US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield told the council, This was tough, but we got there.

She said the vote bolsters efforts to alleviate this humanitarian crisis, to get life-saving assistance into Gaza and to get hostages out of Gaza, to push for the protection of innocent civilians and humanitarian workers, and to work towards a lasting peace.

It is hard to overstate how urgent this is, Thomas-Greenfield said. This resolution speaks to the severity of this crisis, and it calls on us all to do more.

The vote came immediately after the United States vetoed a Russian amendment that would have restored the call to immediately suspend hostilities. That vote was 10 countries in favor, the US against and four abstentions,

Russias UN Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia called the resolution entirely toothless and accused the United States of shameful, cynical and irresponsible conduct and resorting to tactics of gross pressure, blackmail and twisting arms.

He said the resolution would essentially be giving the Israeli armed forces complete freedom of movement for the clearing of the Gaza Strip. Russia would have vetoed it, he said, if it hadnt been supported by a number of Arab countries.

Thus the resolution was stripped of its key provision with teeth  the call for the urgent suspension of hostilities to allow safe and unhindered humanitarian access, and for urgent steps towards a sustainable cessation of hostilities.

Instead, it calls for urgent steps to immediately allow safe, unhindered and expanded humanitarian access, and also for creating the conditions for a sustainable cessation of hostilities. The steps are not defined, but diplomats said it was the councils first reference to stopping fighting.

Ambassador Riyad Mansour, the Palestinian UN envoy, said it took the Security Council 75 days to finally utter the words cessation of hostilities,' stressing that the Palestinians and Arab nations supported the Russian amendment.

This resolution is a step in the right direction because of its important humanitarian provisions, Mansour said. It must be implemented and must be accompanied by massive pressure for an immediate cease-fire.

Hamas called the resolution an insufficient step that doesnt meet the requirements of the catastrophic state caused by the terrorist military machine in Gaza. The militant group accused the United States of defying the international community and blocking the council from demanding a halt to the war in the statement on its website.

Israels UN deputy ambassador Brett Jonathan Miller criticized the Security Council for not condemning Hamas for its Oct. 7 attacks in which about 1,200 people were killed and about 240 taken hostage.

The resolution more generally deplores all attacks against civilians and civilian objects as well as all violence and hostilities against civilians, and all acts of terrorism. It also demands the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages.

On a key sticking point concerning aid deliveries, the resolution eliminated a previous request for the UN to exclusively monitor all humanitarian relief consignments to Gaza provided through land, sea and air routes by outside parties to confirm their humanitarian nature.

It substituted a request to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to quickly appoint a coordinator to monitor relief deliveries to Gaza that are not from the parties to the conflict  Israel and Hamas  to verify that they are humanitarian goods. It asks the coordinator to establish a mechanism to speed aid deliveries and demands that Israel and Hamas cooperate with the coordinator.

Miller said humanitarian aid is pouring into Gaza every single day and Israel is willing to increase the number of aid trucks entering the territory and the only roadblock is the UNs ability to accept them. He stressed that any enhancement of UN aid monitoring cannot be done at the expense of Israels security inspections.

Guterres countered at a press conference that its a mistake to measure the effectiveness of the humanitarian operation in Gaza by the number of trucks.

The real problem is that the way Israel is conducting this offensive is creating massive obstacles to the distribution of humanitarian aid inside Gaza, the UN chief said. He said the four elements of an effective aid operation dont exist  security, staff that can work in safety, logistical capacity especially trucks, and the resumption of commercial activity in the territory.

The secretary-general reiterated his longstanding call for a humanitarian cease-fire. He expressed hope that Fridays resolution may help this happen but said much more is needed immediately to end the ongoing nightmare for the people in Gaza.

Guterres has said Gaza faces a humanitarian catastrophe and warned that a total collapse of the humanitarian support system would lead to a complete breakdown of public order and increased pressure for mass displacement into Egypt.

According to a report released Thursday by 23 UN and humanitarian agencies, Gazas entire 2.2 million population is in a food crisis or worse and 576,600 are at the catastrophic starvation level. With supplies to Gaza cut off except for a small trickle, the UN World Food Program has said 90% of the population is regularly going without food for a full day  and Guterres said Friday that four out of five of the hungriest people anywhere in the world are in Gaza.

More than 20,000 Palestinians have been killed since the war started, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. Hamas controls the Gaza Strip, and its Health Ministry does not differentiate between civilian and combatant deaths. Thousands more Palestinians lie buried under the rubble of Gaza, the UN estimates.

The resolution reiterates the Security Councils unwavering commitment to the vision of the two-state solution where two democratic states, Israel and Palestine, live side by side in peace within secure and recognized borders,. That stresses the importance of unifying the Gaza Strip with the West Bank under the Palestinian Authority.

Security Council resolutions are important because they are legally binding, but in practice many parties choose to ignore the councils requests for action. General Assembly resolutions are not legally binding, though they are a significant barometer of world opinion.

In its first unified action following the Hamas attacks, the Security Council adopted a resolution on Nov. 15 with the US abstaining calling for urgent and extended humanitarian pauses in the fighting, unhindered aid deliveries to civilians and the unconditional release of all hostages.

The US vetoed a Security Council resolution on Oct. 18 to condemn all violence against civilians in the Israel-Hamas war and to urge humanitarian aid to Palestinians in Gaza. On Dec. 8, the US vetoed a second council resolution backed by almost all other council members and dozens of other nations, demanding an immediate humanitarian cease-fire in Gaza. The 193-member General Assembly overwhelmingly approved a similar resolution on Dec. 12 by a vote of 153-10, with 23 abstentions.
The UN Security Council ordered on Friday that supplies be delivered to Gaza at scale, as the World Health Organizations head warned of a potential famine in the besieged Palestinian territory.

Members of the UNs top peacemaking council demanded immediate, safe, and unhindered deliveries of life-saving aid as Israeli bombs rained down on Gaza targets.

The UN Security Council avoided calling for a cease-fire to end the 11-week-old war, which began on October 7 with Hamass murderous assaults into Israel.

Following the UN resolution, Israel pledged to continue its air and ground assault until the Palestinian militant group is eliminated and the estimated 129 captives currently held in the region are released.

Israel will continue the war in Gaza said Foreign Minister Eli Cohen, insisting the war was legal and just.

Israels military said operations continued unabated in Gaza City, where its forces have been locked in street-to-street fighting with Hamas gunmen.

A spokesperson said Israel Defense Forces had destroyed an underground tunnel complex, struck Hamas headquarters and eliminated terrorists.

Gazas Hamas-run health ministry claimed more than 410 people had been killed in Israeli bombardments over 48 hours, including 16 in a strike Friday in the Gaza City district of Jabalia.

Four members of one family, including a girl, died in another strike on a civilian vehicle in Rafah in southern Gaza, said the ministry, which puts the death toll from the war at over 20,000.

With swathes of Gaza reduced to rubble, many Gazans have been forced into crowded shelters or tents, and are struggling to find food, fuel, water and medical supplies.

WHO boss Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned that hunger is present, and famine is looming in Gaza.

He said a majority of displaced people were going entire days and nights without eating.

The UN estimates that fighting has displaced almost two million Gazans, almost 80 percent of the population.

This is not a life: no water, no food, nothing, said wheelchair-bound Walaa al-Medini, who is now in the Bureij refugee camp, in central Gaza, after a strike on her home in Gaza City.

My daughter died in my lap, and I was rescued from under the rubble after three hours, she said. Our house, along with everything around us, was destroyed.

Time is running out for a Christmas-time truce, despite ongoing talks brokered by Qatar, Egypt and the United States.

A one-week truce that ended on December 1 saw 105 hostages released from Gaza captivity, including 80 Israelis in exchange for 240 Palestinian prisoners.

Massive obstacles

Fridays much-delayed UN resolution came after days of diplomatic bickering, and only passed thanks to US and Russian abstentions.

It ratchets pressure on Israel to allow greater humanitarian access and gives the United Nations a bigger role in coordinating the delivery of aid into Gaza.

The way Israel is conducting this offensive is creating massive obstacles to the distribution of humanitarian aid, said UN chief Antonio Guterres after the vote, pressing the point home.

But it remains to be seen what, if any, impact the vote will have on the ground.

Israels foreign minister insisted that despite the resolution his country would retain control of what goes into Gaza and will continue to screen all humanitarian aid to Gaza for security reasons.

Hamas described the resolution as an insufficient measure that does not respond to the catastrophic situation created by the Zionist (Israeli) war machine.

According to the UN, the number of aid trucks entering Gaza is well below the daily pre-war average.

Last week Israel approved aid delivery via Kerem Shalom crossing, and the army says on average 80 trucks enter Gaza through it daily.

Journalists in a media tour of the facility on Friday, organised by the Israeli military, could see a miles-long queue of aid trucks held up for hours as they awaited inspection by soldiers.

Egyptian driver Said Abdel Hamid seemed unfazed by the wait, saying he was proud to bring help to my Palestinian brothers as he removed the tarpaulin sheet covering his flour cargo for examination.

Conflagration

Since the conflict began, the West Bank, the Israel-Lebanese border, Iraq, Syria and the sea off Yemen have become flashpoints  with Iranian-backed groups issuing regular warnings about their ability to take the war far beyond Gaza.

Israel said another of its troops was killed on Friday by rocket fire from Lebanon, where the Iran-backed Hezbollah and other groups have carried out near-daily cross-border assaults in support of Hamas.

Hezbollah said two of its fighters were killed Friday.

Missiles from Iran-backed Yemeni rebels  claiming to act in solidarity with Gazans  have disrupted Red Sea shipping.

The United States accused Tehran of being involved in the attacks. We know that Iran was deeply involved in planning the operations against commercial vessels in the Red Sea, National Security Council spokeswoman Adrienne Watson said.

The war began on October 7 when Hamas gunmen broke through Gazas militarised border and killed around 1,140 people in Israel, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli figures.

Palestinian militants also abducted about 250 people, 129 of whom remain in Gaza according to Israeli authorities.

Vowing to destroy Hamas, Israel launched a relentless bombardment and ground invasion of Gaza, where 20,057 people have been killed, according to the latest Hamas toll.

Most of the dead are women and children, Hamas officials say.
As Washington considers tougher measures, including the use of force, the United States escalated its accusations against Iran on Friday, accusing it of close involvement in attacks on commercial ships by the Huthi rebels in Yemen.

As the Iranian-affiliated Yemeni insurgents continue their ship-attacks, which they claim are in support of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, where Israel is fighting Hamas militants, the White House made available US intelligence to the public.

According to the White House, the Huthis have received tactical intelligence as well as drones and missiles from Tehrans clerical state.

According to National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson, We know that Iran was deeply involved in planning the operations against commercial vessels in the Red Sea.

We have no reason to believe that Iran is trying to dissuade the Huthis from this reckless behavior, she said.

The Huthis, who control vast parts of the Arabian Peninsulas poorest country including the capital Sanaa, have launched more than 100 drone and missile attacks, targeting 10 merchant vessels, according to the Pentagon.

With commercial traffic increasingly disrupted, the United States recently announced a multinational naval task force of more than 20 countries to protect vessels transiting the Red Sea.

In a show of force, the US aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower has entered the Gulf of Aden, with a series of news reports saying President Joe Bidens administration is weighing military strikes if the ship attacks persist.

Rebel leader Abdel-Malek al-Huthi warned Wednesday that if they were attacked, the rebels would strike back against American battleships, American interests and American navigation.

 Drones, missiles and monitors 

The White House said that US visual analysis found nearly identical features between Irans KAS-04 drones and the unmanned vehicles fired by the Huthis, as well as consistent features between Iranian and Huthi missiles.

The Huthis are also reliant on Iranian-provided monitoring systems at sea, the White House said.

Moreover, Iranian-provided tactical intelligence has been critical in enabling Huthi targeting of maritime vessels since the group commenced attacks in November, Watson said.

Despite the findings presented by the White House, there have been doubts among some US and allied policymakers on whether the Huthis are acting at the behest of Iran.

One diplomat from a US ally who follows the region noted that Lebanons Hezbollah  which has much closer ties with Iran  has been comparatively restrained in the face of US warnings including a show of naval might in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Of Irans proxies in the region, the Huthis have the weakest link to Tehran. And it is hard to see how the attacks serve their or Irans interests, the diplomat said on condition of anonymity.

The Biden administration had initially kept a low-key tone on the Huthi attacks, in part out of an interest in preserving a fragile peace in Yemen.

The Huthis and the Saudi-backed government have effectively maintained a UN-brokered truce since April 2022, halting a devastating war that triggered a humanitarian crisis in which most of the population relies on aid.

In a recent research paper, Michael Knights, a fellow at The Washington Institute for Near East Policy, said that the Huthis shared the paranoid mindset of Irans ruling clerics.

The United States should think of the Huthis as a sort of North Korea, an insular, aggressive, well-armed player that is hostile to the United States and sitting on key geography, he wrote.

Irans religious leadership openly supports Hamas, whose gunmen broke through Gazas militarized border on October 7 and killed around 1,140 people in Israel, mostly civilians, and abducted around 250 people, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli figures.

US officials have said they have no evidence that Tehran had previous knowledge or directly planned the attack.

Israel has vowed to destroy Hamas. Its relentless bombardment and ground invasion of Gaza has killed more than 20,000 people, most of them women and children, according to Hamas authorities.

(with inputs from The Associated Press)
A federal judge determined Friday that Twitter had breached contracts by neglecting to pay millions of dollars in bonuses that the social media companynow known as X Corphad promised its workers.

As per reports, before leaving Elon Musks company in May, Mark Schobinger served as Twitters senior director of compensation. In June, he filed a lawsuit against the company, alleging breach of contract.

According to Schobingers lawsuit, Twitter promised its staff 50% of their 2022 target bonuses both before and after the billionaire Musk purchased the company last year, but it never fulfilled this promise.

U.S. District Judge Vince Chhabria denied Twitters move to dismiss the case, finding that Schobinger had a valid claim of breach of contract under California law and that the claim was supported by a bonus plan.

Once Schobinger did what Twitter asked, Twitters offer to pay him a bonus in return became a binding contract under California law. And by allegedly refusing to pay Schobinger his promised bonus, Twitter violated that contract, the judge wrote.

X no longer has a media relations office. The company did not immediately respond to a request for comment to its X account outside business hours.

Twitters lawyers argued that the company made only an oral promise that was not a contract, and that Texas law should govern the case, according to Courthouse News, which first reported the ruling. The judge ruled that California law governed the case and that Twitters contrary arguments all fail.

X has been hit with numerous lawsuits by former employees and executives since Musk bought the company and culled more than half of its workforce.

The lawsuits make a range of claims, including that X discriminated against older employees, women and workers with disabilities, and failed to give advance notice of mass layoffs. The company denies wrongdoing.

(with inputs from Reuters)
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and military officials said the countrys forces shot down three Russian Su-34 fighter-bomber aircraft on Friday on the southern front, hailing it as a success in the 22-month-old war.

The Russian military made no mention of the incident. But Russian bloggers acknowledged the loss, and analysts suggested U.S.-supplied Patriot missiles had probably been used.

Reuters could not independently confirm the reports.

Today at noon in the southern sector  minus three Russian Su-34 fighter-bombers! Ukrainian Air Force Commander Mykola Oleshchuk wrote on the Telegram messaging app.

Air Force spokesperson Yuri Ihnat described it on national television as a brilliantly planned operation.

There havent been Su-34s for some time in our positive statistics, he said, citing the model as one of Russias most modern aircraft for bombing and other assaults.

Zelenskiy in his nightly video address praised the Odesa region anti-aircraft unit for downing the planes in Kherson region.

The region was occupied in the first days of Moscows February 2022 invasion. Ukrainian forces have sought to regain territory and in November established positions on the eastern bank of the Dnipro River in Kherson.

Eurasia Daily, a Russia-based journal, said the Ukrainian account was plausible. Kyiv could have launched Patriot missiles, which have a range of up to 160 km (100 miles) against high-altitude targets, from the western side of the Dnipro River, it said.

Ukrainian aviation expert Valeriy Romanenko told Ukrainian NV Radio he believed Patriot missiles most likely downed the Russian jets.

This was a situation there the Russians weredropping up to 100 bombs in the south. Three were flying together and got caught. They didnt quite take into account that the Patriot has a range of 160 km for aerodynamic targets, Romanenko said.

Ukrainian successes have become less frequent since its forces made lightning gains a year ago in retaking Russian-held territory in the northeast and in the south.

A counteroffensive launched in the east and south in June has had limited progress. Zelenskiy acknowledges that gains have been slower than hoped but has dismissed assertions by the military commander in chief, General Valeriy Zaluzhnyi, that the war has entered a phase of attrition requiring a change in tactics.

(With inputs from Reuters)




Lunar soil Photo:Xinhua

(Global Times) A spokesperson for the China National Space Administration (CNSA) said on Friday that he is "confused" about US Ambassador to China Nicholas Burns' recent claim that China does not intend to collaborate with the US on lunar exploration. It is the US, not China, that is "the root cause of this inability to cooperate," the spokesperson said. "I don't understand if the US is playing word games or just passing the buck."

Burns' remarks reflect a typical tactic used to shift blame onto and smear China, which in essence revealed the US' hegemonic mentality, and ultimately, it will only end up hurting its own technological development, experts said.

Answering a question from media, the US envoy to China recently said he "doesn't believe China has shown much of an interest in working with the United States" regarding space collaboration, which Burns labeled "a contested area."

Refuting the claim, CNSA spokesperson Xu Hongliang told media on Friday that China has always maintained an open and inclusive attitude toward exchanges with the US, and welcomes researchers from all countries to apply for lunar samples in accordance with the procedures.

"However, I am puzzled by the fact that while the US claims to seek cooperation, some are still citing the Wolf Amendment, which restricts cooperation with China, even advocating for its permanent implementation," Xu said.

What Burns was really saying is that the US can refuse to share technology with China, but China should take the initiative to share technology with the US; if China refuses to, it will be considered as "engaging in a space race," Kang Guohua, Professor of Aerospace Engineering at Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, told the Global Times on Friday.

Kang commented that this reflects a typical American mind-set characterized by its self-contradictory logic, which can be seen in almost every high-end technology sector.

In 2006, space agencies of the two sides established a working group mechanism for space cooperation and had multiple communications on common areas of interest. However, in 2011, the US introduction of the Wolf Amendment led to an almost complete interruption of exchanges between the two.

In 2015, the US again proposed the establishment of a civil space dialogue mechanism, to which China responded positively. Three dialogues were held, but the planned fourth meeting, which was supposed to be hosted by the US, has been delayed until now without any explanation.

China has always been a supporter of bilateral space cooperation, and has never placed any laws or regulations that restrict cooperation with the US, the spokesperson said. "The root cause of this inability to cooperate lies in the US government's repeated handling of space affairs with a Cold War mentality."

The Chinese Foreign Ministry also responded to Burns' remarks on Friday, saying that if the US genuinely wishes to promote exchange with China in the field of space exploration, it should abolish the relevant legislation and cease making irresponsible statements.

The latest episode comes shortly after NASA on December 1 greenlit and urged scientists it funds to apply for access to China's lunar samples returned to Earth via Chang'e-5 mission in an exception to the Wolf Amendment, which prohibits such bilateral activities with China.

The move opens a rare possibility of cooperation between entities and researchers funded by the two space agencies, after NASA certified its intent to Congress to allow this to happen.

However, despite desperate calls from the US science community to lift the cooperation ban, NASA emphasized that "the allowance applies specifically to Chang'e-5 mission samples and that the normal prohibition on bilateral activity with China on NASA funded projects remains in place."

Such hypocritical move has drawn widespread criticism from US netizens. "Shame on NASA, shame on US! As if China needs US assistance on its space programs. Go keep the Wolf Amendments and hug it tight! Practically BEGGING China for some samples yet acting with arrogance," read a comment on the US media outlet spacenews.com.

The reason why NASA so eagerly wants China's lunar samples is that the US last retrieved lunar samples in the 1970s, and it has been almost half a century since it brought back any material from the Moon. Meanwhile, China's lunar exploration program has been steadily advancing, discovering new substances and continuously achieving new scientific research results. "This is unbearable for the US government, which claims to be the world leader in aerospace technology," Kang said.

Furthermore, the Chang'e-5's lunar soils are of practical significance to NASA's current Artemis lunar exploration project, as it needs to become familiar with the characteristics of substances on the Moon before landing on it again, Song Zhongping, a space analyst and TV commentator, told the Global Times on Friday.

The many regulations imposed by the US on China often end up becoming shackles that hinder its own development. "This is another vivid example illustrating the concept of 'tying oneself up in a cocoon,'" Kang said.

Currently, CNSA has signed over 170 cooperation agreements or MOUs with more than 50 countries, space agencies, and international organizations. These collaborations include partnerships with major space powers such as Russia and France, as well as with developing countries like Brazil and Pakistan.


Assyrians Increasingly Moving Back to Turkey

Members of the Assyrian Christian community attend mass at the More Benham Kirklar Church in Mardin, south-eastern Turkey, 23 February 2020. ( Bulent Kilic/AFP) Ferhan Demirtas, an Assyrian Christian, had been living in Switzerland for nearly 53 years when he decided to move back to Turkey's southeastern city of Mardin, where his family lived for centuries.

He purchased a house in a village called Yemisli (Enhl in Syriac) where churches and mosques stand together and locals speak Turkish, Kurdish, Arabic, and Syriac.

"I used to visit the village in the past. But after witnessing the progress and positive atmosphere in the area I decided to settle down permanently," he told Middle East Eye.

"There are about 100 houses that have been rebuilt in recent years. About 1000 people were in the village visiting from Europe during the summer."

Demirtas isn't alone in returning to southern Turkey, especially to Mardin. They reclaim seemingly abandoned houses and farms that had once belonged to the country's Assyrian Christian minority.

Assyrians have endured a history of persecution, with documented instances of mass killings and exile, particularly during the turbulent events of 1915 when the Young Turk administration seized control in the final days of the Ottoman Empire.

The plight of Assyrians was further exacerbated in the 1970s and 1980s by the eruption of violence between the separatist Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and security forces.

More recently, Assyrians faced threats from the Islamic State in Syria during the late 2010s when they experienced indiscriminate violence and became targets for abduction.

This lack of security meant many Assyrians made the difficult decision to leave the region. Locals often cite ongoing clashes as a primary factor influencing their decision to leave.

A key driver for Assyrian migration was when the leadership of the military coup in 1980 curtailed their fundamental rights.

The military-led government also changed the names of villages, from Kurdish and Syriac to new Turkish names, as part of nationalist efforts.

However, the Turkish government's treatment of minorities has been a source of controversy since the 1940s.

Christian minorities, for instance, faced attacks by mobs in Istanbul in 1955, resulting in mass emigration.

During the military junta in the 1980s, a lot of land and property owned by non-Mulsim minorities was confiscated, which further deepened the challenges faced by the Assyrian community.

Now, local demographic experts estimate that only 17,000 Assyrian Christians remain in Istanbul - and only 5000 individuals in Mardin, or Turabdin, as it is called in Syriac.

But still, their numbers have grown in recent years thanks to a reduction in violence in the region, as well as the Turkish government's steps to encourage the return of Assyrians to their homeland.

Demirtas interview with MEE Ferhan Demirtas with his wife in Mardin in October 2023. ( Mehmet Algan/MEE)

Assurances by the state

Gabriel Akyuz, a historian and priest who leads the Syriac Orthodox Kirklar Church in Mardin, said construction is underway in more than 40 Assyrian villages in the province.

He is among a handful of Assyrians who have remained in Turkey.

"Returns to Turkey have increased significantly in the last 25 years, with the state's highest authorities giving assurances to Assyrians that they can safely return to their country," he told MEE.

"What the ruling AK Party government - especially President Recep Tayyip Erdogan - has done to ensure the return of Assyrians is admirable."

Akyuz said that the government has ended the bureaucratic difficulties experienced by Christian communities.

It has also approved the opening of a Syriac language and literature department at Mardin Artuklu University, which currently accepts undergraduate and graduate students, including doctoral ones.

Akyuz says this is a symbolic - but important - recognition of local Assyrians by the state.

"My son Mihail Akyuz is also a lecturer at the same department," the priest says.

"The government has returned 55 churches and monasteries remaining on treasury lands to our community."

He added that there are still some problems. Some churches and monasteries have still not been returned. But he is hopeful that the government will resolve this as it tidies up land registry records.

Aziz Demir is posing outside of his pizza restaurant in Turkey's Midyat in October 2023. ( Mehmet Algan/MEE)

Akyuz added that the change of treatment towards the Assyrians has been stark: "We were not a well-known community in Turkey until 20-30 years ago. But now, thank God, we are known all over the country and the world," he says.

Akyuz further pointed out that the Assyrians established a "strong civilisation" in Mesopotamia, which encompasses today's Turkey, Syria, and Iraq, after converting to Christianity in the first century BC.

He says Assyrians have made significant contributions to Islamic civilisation by translating ancient Greek writings, first into Syriac and then into Arabic, in the 8th and 9th centuries.

Success story

Locals point out one particular village called Kafro as a success story.

Although the population crashed to zero in 1994, now, 50 residents have moved back from Europe.

Aziz Demir, a mukhtar who leads the village, which is made up of 20 renovated houses, says he was born in the village in 1967 and left for Sweden in 1985.

"I permanently returned in 2006 and never left since then," he told MEE.

"The number of people who spend at least half of the year in the village is increasing day by day. We can see a crowd that we have not seen for two years, especially in the summer."

Kafro recently made a name for himself nationally by opening a chain of pizzerias run by Assyrians. Demir also opened one called "Turabdin Pizzeria" in July.

Demir said that if peace and stability could be maintained, a significant portion of Assyrians living in Europe would return.

He believes they would make a big contribution to the development of the region and put an educated workforce back into action to benefit Turkey.

Fortunately, the government continues to woo the Assyrians.

President Erdogan personally approved plans to build the first-ever church of the republican era a few years ago.

In October, he attended the opening ceremony of the same church, called The Mor Ephrem Syriac Orthodox Church, in Istanbul, a city where thousands of Assyrians still live.

Sait Susin, an Assyrian community leader in Istanbul, said Assyrians living in Europe often visit the church with "pride and tears of joy".

"Our only church, the Virgin Mary Church in Tarlabas [1844], could not meet the needs of the community. A small church can't be sufficient for a population of 17,000," he told MEE.

Susin said it took 14 years to achieve their dream of building a new church. First, they went to the Vatican to convince them to lend their land to the Assyrians. Then they approached the government.

He praises President Erdogan's continuous help to achieve this dream.

"We think that the church itself is prestigious for our country," he said. "Assyrians are one of the oldest elements of these lands, meeting their needs and being a peaceful community is a positive message to the whole world."

Security risks

Susin said that he worries Assyrians face the danger of assimilation whenever they migrate outside their homeland, so it is very important that the community in Turkey remains strong.

But there are still security challenges that still stop Assyrians from returning home, as well as the lack of modern infrastructure, sanitation, and facilities that can be enjoyed in Europe.

In November, unknown assailants killed 92-year-old Assyrian citizen Gevriye Akguc outside his home in Mardin soon after he moved back to his village from Istanbul with his wife.

A police investigation suggested that the motive may have been a dispute over a plot of land.

Demirtas, a resident of Yemisli, complained that there have been "systematic" robberies during the winter that targeted houses in his village.

Sukru Aktas, a board member of Mor Gabriel Monastery Foundation in Mardin, said other bureaucratic issues that make it hard for Assyrians to return, such as reclaiming plots that have been left unattended, or registered as forest land, or state land.

"There is also the issue of citizenship," he says. "The citizenship of some Assyrians has been lost. They can come to Turkey as tourists. [But] they can only stay for three months. Those without citizenship cannot own property."

However, fortunately, Mardin, like other cities in the border provinces, does not allow foreigners to acquire property.

"There are students who want to come to our monastery as students, but they also have difficulties," he added.

Despite all this, Ilona Demir, a 29-year-old Assyrian, who is relatively young compared to other returnees, said when friends and relatives visit her home in Midyat, while they might arrive with preconceptions and prejudices about what life is like in Turkey, they leave with positive feelings.

"Midyat is a socially underdeveloped place," she said, laughing. "It may feel like going on a journey through history for young people coming from Europe. This was the reason why 15 of the 18 young people who returned haven't stayed in Turkey and moved back to Europe."

Despite it all - and the seeming goodwill of the Turkish presidency - there are still those who attack the Assyrian culture in the national assembly.

Turkish nationalist Good Party (IYI) members of parliament tried to censure and criticise George Aslan, an Assyrian Christian MP from the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party (DEM), earlier this month for issuing a statement of congratulations on Christmas in the Syriac language during an address to the parliament.

"This is the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, you have to speak Turkish," shouted Lutfu Turkkan, an MP from IYI. "This isn't your father's farmland."

But the Assyrians are still hopeful for their future in Turkey.

Demir, the mukhtar and owner of a pizza restaurant, says his friends still cannot believe he permanently moved back to his village in Turkey.

"They call me crazy and laugh at me," he said. "This is my motherland and the return of Assyrians to their lands is sacred to me."

Akyuz, the priest, agrees and makes a bold claim.

"The Assyrians are experiencing their golden age in the history of modern Turkey," he said. "I am ready to challenge anyone who claims otherwise."
A Billings woman admitted Friday to shooting a police officer during an hours-long standoff earlier this year.

Mary Ann Whitecrane, 58, pleaded guilty in Yellowstone County District Court to attempted deliberate homicide. With her sentencing slated for a later date, she and county prosecutors reached a plea agreement which gave her the possibility of being assigned to long-term mental health treatment in place of prison time.

The wounded officer, Det. Michael Yarina with the Billings Police Department, has recovered from the shooting and remains with the department. Several uniformed BPD officers attended Whitecranes change of plea hearing Friday before District Judge Donald Harris.

In March 2023, dozens of officers from multiple agencies descended on Birch Lane in the Heights. Whitecrane, whom police had visited earlier that same day after she apparently threatened a neighbor, was holed up in a trailer armed with a shotgun and she consistently refused commands to come outside.

BPD SWAT members tried breaching the trailer a few hours into the standoff, Yarina among them, in order to toss in a cell phone to speak with Whitecrane. With police near the door to the trailer, Whitecrane fired a round that hit Yarina in the stomach. Crews took Yarina to a local hospital for emergency treatment.

The standoff continued even after police used a tactical vehicle to rip off one end of the home and launched flash-bang grenades and tear gas into the trailer. The siege ended after nearly 14 hours when she surrendered. Throughout the standoff, Whitecrane took to social media to post statements about law enforcement trying to harm her, and declaring that she was ready to die.

Just a week after the standoff in the Heights, a Yellowstone County deputy fatally shot a woman on Sixth Avenue North, where law enforcement had surrounded the woman following a chase through Billings. The woman appeared to be drawing a handgun on officers as she was getting out of her car.

Whitecrane was initially charged with seven felonies, among them attempted murder and multiple counts of assault with a weapon. She has remained in custody at Yellowstone County Detention Facility on a $750,000 bond since March 19.

In exchange for her guilty plea, prosecutors are recommending 40 years in custody, plus an additional 10 years because she used a firearm in the homicide attempt, Deputy Chief County Attorney Ed Zink said. Leading up to her sentencing, Whitecrane will be evaluated for placement into Montana State Hospital in Warm Springs.

Earlier this week, Gov. Greg Gianforte approved $17.5 million to ease a backlog hobbling the hospitals criminal evaluation unit, Lee Newspapers reported. On average, women have had to wait longer than 12 months for a bed at Montana State Hospital.

Gunfire has led to the deaths of at least 11 people in Yellowstone County in 2023, two of whom were killed by law enforcement. Although homicides investigated by BPD are on track to decline compared to last year, a wave of shootings in the past two months nearly doubled the number of murders in Billings.
"I Am Dying Of Cancer, Allow Me To Come Back Home" - Diezani A. Maduekwe Begs President Tinubu

bohlah at 23-12-2023 11:23 AM (2 weeks ago) (m)

The embattled former petroleum minister during the regime of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, who ran to the UK for the fear of the EFCC Diezani Alison Maduekwe has now begged Nigerian government for leniency.

The embattled former petroleum minister during the regime of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, who ran to the UK for the fear of the EFCC Diezani Alison Maduekwe has now begged Nigerian government for leniency.

A statement released by EFCC says Mrs Diezani, who is reportedly suffering the second stage of her cancer, is begging president Bola Ahmed Tinubu to allow her to come back to Nigeria to confess to her misappropriation while in office.



Mrs Diezani was answering questions from the press in London after a medical visit. The former Petroleum minister, who was accused of stealing Nigerias money, amounting to billions of dollars, revealed that she is now ready to open up about the money she allegedly misappropriated while in office as the minister of Petroleum.



A statement released by EFCC says Mrs Diezani, who is reportedly suffering the second stage of her cancer, is begging president Bola Ahmed Tinubu to allow her to come back to Nigeria to confess to her misappropriation while in office.Mrs Diezani was answering questions from the press in London after a medical visit. The former Petroleum minister, who was accused of stealing Nigerias money, amounting to billions of dollars, revealed that she is now ready to open up about the money she allegedly misappropriated while in office as the minister of Petroleum. Quote I am a born again Christian and currently suffering from second stage cancer, which my United Kingdoms physician adviseded me to continue taking medication for the rest of my life. Yes, no human is perfect, but some time, God Almighty allows some of such to happen.



I have been accused of misappropriation when I was the petroleum minister, which is true! but I would like President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Nigerians to forgive me to come back home and offer my contribution because life is temporal" , a statement from EFCC says Diezani said in tears



The statement from EFCC further reads;

, a statement from EFCC says Diezani said in tearsThe statement from EFCC further reads; Quote My husband and my entire family members including My Nigeria lawyer based in the United Kingdom knew my relationship with Dauda Lawal Dare, the current Zamfara State governor whow I entrusted over 9 billion dollars for safe keeping while he was the Executive Director of the First Bank Nigeria PLC .



Unfortunately, it has now come to a point that Mr Dauda Lawal is no longer picking my phone calls and even worked in Collaboration with UK police to put me under Surveillance, may be to claim the Money I entrusted to him when I die" she said she said

Post Reply I have been reporting on latest news from Nigeria for almost 10 years now. I report on every possible news area I come across, but always ensure my reports are compiled with dignity and fact to uphold my personal values and duty as a journalist Posted: at 23-12-2023 11:23 AM (2 weeks ago) | Addicted Hero

fineboy77 at 23-12-2023 12:14 PM (2 weeks ago)

(m) You see how the richest humans on earth are Nigerian polithiefians? 9 Billion dollars of our commonwealth ! Just one confession o, when she finally opens up about the bigger ones and the ones that the keepers didn't betray, you all will be shocked at how small Elon Musk's money will look in comparison. Allow her come back, so that we can stone her to death ! What is the color beneath your skin? Posted: at 23-12-2023 12:14 PM (2 weeks ago) | Hero You see how the richest humans on earth are Nigerian polithiefians? 9 Billion dollars of our commonwealth ! Just one confession o, when she finally opens up about the bigger ones and the ones that the keepers didn't betray, you all will be shocked at how small Elon Musk's money will look in comparison. Allow her come back, so that we can stone her to death ! Reply

Benti247 at 23-12-2023 01:20 PM (2 weeks ago)

(m) Bigger thieves are here moving about freely. Northerners in particular. Smooth criminals. Their brother Abacha is undeniably the GUINESS WORLD RECORD HOLDER in Looting. Posted: at 23-12-2023 01:20 PM (2 weeks ago) | Gistmaniac Bigger thieves are here moving about freely. Northerners in particular. Smooth criminals. Their brother Abacha is undeniably the GUINESS WORLD RECORD HOLDER in Looting. Reply

suraj247 at 23-12-2023 01:45 PM (2 weeks ago)

(m) Quote from: fineboy77 on 23-12-2023 12:14 PM You see how the richest humans on earth are Nigerian polithiefians? 9 Billion dollars of our commonwealth ! Just one confession o, when she finally opens up about the bigger ones and the ones that the keepers didn't betray, you all will be shocked at how small Elon Musk's money will look in comparison. Allow her come back, so that we can stone her to death !



Stone to death?? If she helps Nigeria to get the money ,how does stoning her benefit us,the money should be used to triple salary and we will all gladly forgive her and pray for her quick recovery.

Posted: at 23-12-2023 01:45 PM (2 weeks ago) | Newbie Stone to death?? If she helps Nigeria to get the money ,how does stoning her benefit us,the money should be used to triple salary and we will all gladly forgive her and pray for her quick recovery. Reply

OmoNobaUku at 23-12-2023 02:30 PM (2 weeks ago)

(m) What effrontery? She needs to be allowed home and driven straight to Kirikiri Maximum prison and throw the key away. Thief. Posted: at 23-12-2023 02:30 PM (2 weeks ago) | Gistmaniac What effrontery? She needs to be allowed home and driven straight to Kirikiri Maximum prison and throw the key away. Thief. Reply

Olandetujaa at 23-12-2023 02:36 PM (2 weeks ago)

(m) Good please let her come home and allow her to recover money for the country, Nigerians will forgive her and allow her to die in peace! Posted: at 23-12-2023 02:36 PM (2 weeks ago) | Gistmaniac Good please let her come home and allow her to recover money for the country, Nigerians will forgive her and allow her to die in peace! Reply

nikiniki at 23-12-2023 06:17 PM (2 weeks ago)

(f) She is not dying!!!! Stage 2 cancer kills no one! Oloriburuku obirin! Let her come home....imagine that staggerring amount! And the keeper of the loot used it for politics thinking she will not speak up. Sack or remove the governor! At least set a sure example that will make these people become afraid!!! Posted: at 23-12-2023 06:17 PM (2 weeks ago) | Gistmaniac She is not dying!!!! Stage 2 cancer kills no one! Oloriburuku obirin! Let her come home....imagine that staggerring amount! And the keeper of the loot used it for politics thinking she will not speak up. Sack or remove the governor! At least set a sure example that will make these people become afraid!!! Reply

smart61 at 23-12-2023 07:38 PM (2 weeks ago)

(m) Let who wants to die to die fast fast Posted: at 23-12-2023 07:38 PM (2 weeks ago) | Gistmaniac Let who wants to die to die fast fast Reply

kp45 at 23-12-2023 07:51 PM (2 weeks ago)

(m) Ok Posted: at 23-12-2023 07:51 PM (2 weeks ago) | Hero Ok Reply

gogoman at 23-12-2023 11:54 PM (2 weeks ago)

(m) and yet una want women in more powerful positions!! good luck with that Posted: at 23-12-2023 11:54 PM (2 weeks ago) | Grande Master and yet una want women in more powerful positions!! good luck with that Reply

HarrySmith241 at 25-12-2023 12:43 PM (2 weeks ago)

(m) A heartfelt thank you to the creators of this website Posted: at 25-12-2023 12:43 PM (2 weeks ago) | Newbie A heartfelt thank you to the creators of this website https://valhallavitality.com/blog/exploring-the-efficacy-and-benefits-of-oral-testosterone-replacement-therapy for their enlightening article on the efficacy and benefits of oral testosterone replacement therapy. The content was not only scientifically sound but also incredibly valuable for individuals seeking a better understanding of this treatment option. The site's commitment to empowering its readers with knowledge is truly commendable. Reply
Dennis received bachelor's degrees in communication and political science with a TAG degree in Spanish from The University of Akron in Ohio. He grew up in Ohio with 2 sisters and two brothers, one being his fraternal twin. He and his wife have 3 dogs: Duke, Bacio, and Cal. Dennis currently covers natural resource and environmental issues for The Daily Sentinel
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Will McLam, 4, shows off his homemade pomander ball during a Winter Solstice Celebration at Lincoln Park on Thursday. The celebration happened with no snow on the ground, something that is likely to continue despite a storm system moving into the area Friday night. There is a chance of snow on Grand Mesa, but any precipitation in Grand Junction will likely be rain.
December 22, 2023

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Contracts For Dec. 22, 2023

NAVY

Bechtel Plant Machinery Inc., Monroeville, Pennsylvania, is awarded a $772,299,996 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for naval nuclear propulsion components. Work will be performed in Monroeville, Pennsylvania (50%); and Schenectady, New York (50%), and is expected to be completed by September 2033. Fiscal 2024 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funds in the amount of $772,299,996 will be obligated at time of award and funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured in accordance with 10 U.S. Code 3204(a)(1) (only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements). Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity (N00024-24-C-2114).

Raytheon Missile Systems, Tucson, Arizona, is awarded a $155,697,776 firm-fixed-price undefinitized order (N0001924F2560) against a previously issued basic ordering agreement (N0001920G0007). This order provides for the production and delivery of 53 Joint Standoff Weapon Air-To-Ground Missiles (AGM-154 Block III C), to include 47 missiles for the government of Bahrain, and six replacement in kind missiles for the Navy, as well as associated training and test supplies and services, containers, technical data, engineering technical services, and inert equipment. Work will be performed in Tucson, Arizona (65.29%); Monmouthshire, Wales, United Kingdom (7.7%); Vergennes, Vermont (4.66%); Reading, Scotland, United Kingdom (3.01%); Joplin, Missouri (1.74%); Goleta, California (1.59%); Loveland, Colorado (1.58%); Richardson, Texas (1.12%); Tulsa, Oklahoma (1.11%); Minneapolis, Minnesota (1.03%); and various location within the continental U.S. (11.17%), and is expected to be completed in March 2028. Fiscal 2022 weapons procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $2,316,046; and Foreign Military Sales customer funds in the amount of $36,759,997, will be obligated at time of award, $2,316,046 of which will expire at the end of the fiscal year. Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity.

Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems, Moorestown, New Jersey, is awarded a $141,510,746 cost-plus-incentive-fee modification to previously awarded contract N00024-23-C-5123 to exercise options for capability package development and fielding, system integration and fielding, and in-service sustainment in support of current configurations of the AEGIS combat system. Work will be performed in Moorestown, New Jersey, and is expected to be completed by Dec. 31, 2024. Fiscal 2024 Research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $56,884,417 (53%); fiscal 2021 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funds in the amount of $31,268,284 (29%); fiscal 2020 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funds in the amount of $10,294,544 (9%); fiscal 2017 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funds in the amount of $2,627,181 (2%); fiscal 2018 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funds in the amount of $2,487,114 (2%); fiscal 2023 weapon procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $1,759,660 (2%); fiscal 2024 operation and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $999,926 (1%); fiscal 2022 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funds in the amount of $996,312 (1%); and fiscal 2024 weapon procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $616,676 (1%), will be obligated at time of award and funds in the amount of $999,926 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity.

Raytheon Co., El Segundo, California, is awarded $90,499,980 ceiling-priced, undefinitized delivery order N00383-24-F-UX04, under previously awarded basic ordering agreement N00383-19-G-UX01, for the procurement of 30 position tracking systems in support of the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye aircraft. All work will be performed in El Segundo, California. This delivery order does not include options and work is expected to be completed by December 2026. Annual working capital funds (Navy) in the amount of $44,344,990 will be obligated at the time of award and funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. One company was solicited for this sole-source requirement under authority 10 U.S. Code 3204 (a)(1), with one offer received. Naval Supply Systems Command Weapon Systems Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is the contracting activity.

Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., a Lockheed Martin Co., Stratford, Connecticut, is awarded a $79,650,079 cost-plus-fixed-fee, firm-fixed-price order (N0001924F0089) against a previously issued basic ordering agreement (N0001923G0002). This order provides for updated logistics analysis and products in support of configuration changes on the CH-53K. Additionally this order provides for the development and delivery of new intermediate and depot component repair capability, and all related analysis, products, and services related to gearboxes, the Air Data Computer, and aircraft hoses and tubes for the Marine Corps. Work will be performed in Stratford, Connecticut (75.64%); Bohemia, New York (2.92%); Wallingford, Connecticut (2.7%); Hamden, Connecticut (1.82%); Christchurch Dorset, England (1.8%); Macomb, Michigan (1.55%); Elyria, Ohio (1.54%); Sterling Heights, Michigan (1.39%); Stratford, Ontario, Canada (1.2%); Bengaluru, India (0.03%); and various location within the continental U.S. (9.41%), and is expected to be completed in December 2028. Fiscal 2023 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $79,650,079 will be obligated at the time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity.

General Dynamics Electric Boat Corp., Groton, Connecticut, is awarded a not-to-exceed $71,425,061 undefinitized contract action modification to previously awarded contract N00024-20-C-2120 for lead yard support and development studies and design efforts related to Virginia Class submarines. Work will be performed in the continental U.S. and is expected to be completed by December 2025. Fiscal 2024 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funding in the amount of $14,499,950 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The statutory authority for this sole source award is in accordance with Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1(a)(2)(iii) - only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity.

Raytheon Missiles & Defense, Tucson, Arizona, is awarded a $59,474,832 cost-plus-fixed-fee modification to previously awarded contract N00024-22-C-5405 to exercise an option for design agent engineering and technical support services for the Phalanx Close-In Weapon System, SeaRAM, and Land-based Phalanx Weapon System. Work will be performed in Tucson, Arizona (47%); Yuma, Arizona (15%); at sea and shipboard (7%); El Segundo, California (5%); Louisville, Kentucky (3%); China Lake, California (2%); Forest, Mississippi (1%); Dallas, Texas (1%); Picatinny, New Jersey (1%); and various other locations each less than 1% (18%). Work is expected to be completed by January 2025. Foreign Military Sales funds in the amount of $1,887,807 (74%); and fiscal 2023 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funds in the amount of $663,655 (26%), will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington Navy Yard, D.C., is the contracting activity (N00024-22-C-5405).

Risk Mitigation Consulting Inc., doing business as RMC 2021, LLC,* Arlington, Virginia, is awarded $25,000,000 for an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, firm-fixed-price modification to previously awarded contract N62470-19-D-2002. This modification provides for professional services for mission assurance assessments of installation and facilities infrastructure and facility-related control systems for the Department of the Navy (DON). After award of this modification, the total cumulative value of the contract will be $120,000,000. The term of the contract has been extended by a maximum of 12 months. Work will be performed at DON installations, to include overseas locations. Work is expected to be completed in January 2025. No funds will be obligated at time of award. Fiscal 2024 operation and maintenance (Navy and Marine Corps) funds in the amount of $25,000,000 will be obligated on individual task orders. This modification combines purchases for the Navy ($12,500,000; 50%) and the Marine Corps ($12,500,000; 50%). Naval Facilities Engineering System Command, Atlantic, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity.

Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., San Diego, California, is awarded a $14,305,018 modification (P00010) to a previously awarded cost-plus-fixed-fee contract (N0001923C0002). This modification exercises options and increases the ceiling to provide engineering support, cyber security activities and capabilities, integrated logistics support, material and training services support, software sustainment, and travel in support of sustainment efforts for the MQ-8 Fire Scout Unmanned Air Systems. Work will be performed in San Diego, California, and is expected to be completed in December 2024. Fiscal 2024 operations and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $8,901,344 will be obligated at the time of award, all of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity.

Gravois Aluminum Boats LLC., doing business as Metal Shark,* Jeanerette, Louisiana, is awarded an $8,041,578 firm-fixed-price modification to the previously-awarded delivery order N00024-19-F-22X1 under contract N00024-17-D-2209 for a special study, design upgrades, delivery and quality incentives and for engineering changes for work previously awarded under this delivery order. Work will be performed in Jeanerette, Louisiana, and is expected to be completed by February 2024. Fiscal 2023 other procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $8,041,578 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire through the proposed period of performance. Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity.

DEFENSE FINANCE AND ACCOUNTING SERVICE

Ernst & Young LLP, Washington, D.C., is being awarded a maximum $200,222,745, labor-hour contract modification, P00014, for audit services of the Department of the Air Force General Fund and Working Capital Fund financial statements and examination. Work will be performed in Washington, D.C., and other locations inside and outside of the U.S. The expected completion date is Dec. 31, 2024. The contract has a 12-month base period plus four individual one-year option periods, and is the result of a competitive acquisition for which one quote was received. This award brings the total cumulative value of the contract to $112,524,867. Fiscal 2024 Air Force operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $40,135,743 are being obligated at the time of this option award. The Defense Finance and Accounting Service, Contract Services Directorate, Columbus, Ohio, is the contracting activity (HQ0423-21-F-0087).

Kearney & Co. PC, Alexandria, Virginia, is being awarded a maximum $49,238,991, fixed-price and labor-hour contract modification, P00005, for financial statement audit of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) civil works, and the financial statements for the agencies owning the funds sub allotted to USACE military programs for fiscal 2024. This contract has a 12-month base period with four individual one-year option periods. Work will be performed in Washington, D.C., and other locations inside and outside of the U.S., with an expected completion date of Dec. 31, 2024. This contract is the result of a competitive acquisition for which two quotes were received. Fiscal 2024 Army Corps of Engineer civil works working capital funds in the amount of $9,161,366 are being obligated at the time of the award. The Defense Finance and Accounting Service, Contract Services Directorate, Columbus, Ohio is the contracting activity (HQ0423-23-F-0016).

ARMY

Lockheed Martin Corp., Orlando, Florida, was awarded a $107,561,001 hybrid (cost-plus-fixed-fee, firm-fixed-price) contract for vehicle base kits. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 22, 2025. Army Contracting Command, Detroit Arsenal, Michigan, is the contracting activity (W56HZV-24-D-0016).

Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Rolling Meadows, Illinois, was awarded a $106,555,732 modification (P00001) to contract W58RGZ-23-D-0058 for production, engineering, and technical and logistic support services for the AN/APR-39 Radar Signal Detecting Set Program. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Aug. 31, 2028. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity.

Lockheed Martin Corp., Orlando, Florida, was awarded an $80,562,212 firm-fixed-price contract for procurement of Peculiar Ground Support Equipment, day sensor assembly kits, and laser range finder designator kits. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Jan. 31, 2027. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity (W58RGZ-24-F-0093).

AeroVironment Inc.,* Simi Valley, California, was awarded a $65,402,691 modification (P00036) to contract W31P4Q-20-C-0024 for the Switchblade weapon system. Work will be performed in Simi Valley, California, with an estimated completion date of April 30, 2024. Fiscal 2024 Foreign Military Sales funds in the amount of $65,402,691 were obligated at the time of the award. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity.

Carahsoft Technology Corp., Reston, Virginia, was awarded a $29,413,971 modification (P00001) to contract W519TC-23-D-0005 for the procurement of ServiceNow products. Work will be performed in Reston, Virginia, with an estimated completion date of June 22, 2024. Fiscal 2024 operation and maintenance, Army funds in the amount of $29,413,971 were obligated at the time of the award. Army Contracting Command, Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois, is the contracting activity.

Head Inc.,* Columbus, Ohio, was awarded an $8,774,810 firm-fixed-price contract for equipment, labor, materials, tools and transportation needed to construct a hazardous cargo pad and related work. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work will be performed in Eastover, South Carolina, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 21, 2024. Fiscal 2022 military construction, Army National Guard funds in the amount of $8,774,810 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Property and Fiscal Office, South Carolina, is the contracting activity (W50S95-24-C-0001).

DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY

Crown Clothing Co.,* Vineland, New Jersey, has been awarded a maximum $66,669,896 firm-fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for men's dress coats and collars. This was a competitive acquisition with three responses received. This is a five-year contract with no option periods. The ordering period end date is Dec. 21, 2028. Using military service is Marine Corps. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2024 through 2029 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE1C1-24-D-0006).

Galls LLC, Lexington, Kentucky, has been awarded a maximum $7,500,000 fixed-price, simplified indefinite-delivery contract for firefighter boots. This was a competitive acquisition with one response received. This is a one-year contract with no option periods. The ordering period end date is Dec. 21, 2024. Using military service is Navy. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2024 through 2025 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE1C1-24-D-5002).

AIR FORCE

Anduril Industries Inc.,* Costa Mesa, California, was awarded a $31,115,802 firm-fixed-price delivery order for Wide-Area Infrared System for Persistence Surveillance SkyFence. This contract provides for a passive sensing capability, coupled with sensor fusion and artificial intelligence, for use by the 412th Test Wing to provide a complete situational awareness and a multi-mission counter intrusion and counter unmanned aerial systems solution. Work will be performed at Fort Worth, Texas, with delivery to Edwards Air Force Base, California, and is expected to be completed by Dec. 21, 2027. This contract was a sole source acquisition. Fiscal 2023 other procurement, Air Force funds in the amount of $1,705,000 are being obligated at time of award. The Air Force Test Center, Edwards AFB, California, is the contracting activity (FA9301-24-D-0003).

General Dynamics Information Technology Inc., Fairfax, Virginia, has been awarded a $23,941,680 cost-plus-fixed-fee modification (P00043) to previously awarded contract FA8650-19-C-6055 for bioeffects research of direct energy exposures. Work will be performed at Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio, Texas, and is expected to be completed by Nov. 28, 2025. Fiscal 2023 research, development, test, and evaluation funds in the amount of $1,405,990 are being obligated at time of award. The Air Force Research Laboratory, Warfighter Readiness and Interface Contracting Section, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity.

U.S. SPECIAL OPERATIONS COMMAND

OSI Federal Technologies Inc., Chantilly, Virginia, a service-disabled veteran-owned small business, was awarded a firm-fixed-price order (H92415-24-F-0014) with a value of $8,228,086 for Getac Rugged computer equipment, with a delivery of 60 days after the date of the order, in support of U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM), Special Operations Forces Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics Program Executive Office Tactical Information Systems. Fiscal 2023 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $8,228,086 were obligated at time of the award. The order was solicited and issued using full and open after exclusion of sources, brand name, or equal acquisition strategy; consideration was not restricted to any one particular vendor or brand in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation 8.405-3. USSOCOM, MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, is the contracting activity.

*Small business

https://www.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract/Article/3625677/

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Three Men Charged in International Bribery and Money Laundering Scheme

Friday, December 22, 2023

For Immediate Release

Office of Public Affairs

A five-count indictment was unsealed on Wednesday charging a Georgia businessman, a former Honduran government official, and a former Florida resident for their alleged participation in an international scheme to pay and conceal bribes to Honduran government officials to secure contracts to provide uniforms and other goods to the Honduran National Police.

According to court documents, Carl Alan Zaglin, 68, is the owner of a Georgia-based manufacturer of law enforcement uniforms and accessories, and made his initial appearance in federal court on Wednesday; Francisco Roberto Cosenza Centeno, 65, was the former Executive Director of the Comite Tecnico del Fideicomiso para la Administracion del Fondo de Proteccion y Seguridad Poblacional (TASA), a Honduran governmental entity that procured goods for the Honduran National Police; and Aldo Nestor Marchena, 50, was a resident of Boca Raton, Florida.

Between about March 2015 and continuing until about November 2019, Zaglin, Marchena, and others allegedly agreed to bribe Honduran government officials, including Cosenza, to secure contracts with TASA worth over $10 million. In exchange for the bribes, Cosenza and other Honduran government officials allegedly assisted Zaglin, Marchena, and others in obtaining contracts for the sale of uniforms and other goods for the Honduran National Police and securing payment on the contracts. Zaglin, Marchena, and their co-conspirators allegedly used the proceeds from the corrupt Honduran government contracts to make bribe payments to Honduran government officials. To promote the scheme and conceal the bribe payments, Zaglin, Marchena, Cosenza, and others allegedly laundered proceeds of the corrupt scheme through bank accounts and front companies in the United States and Belize. As alleged in the indictment, the conspirators sent over $166,000 to bank accounts controlled by Cosenza and another Honduran foreign official in furtherance of the scheme.

The defendants are all charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering. Cosenza and Marchena are also each charged with one count of money laundering and one count of engaging in transactions in criminally derived property. Zaglin and Marchena are also both charged with conspiracy to violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA). Zaglin is also charged with one count of violating the FCPA. If convicted, the defendants face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each of the money laundering offenses, 10 years in prison on the count of engaging in transactions in criminally derived property, and five years in prison on each of the FCPA-related offenses.

Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department's Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida, and Special Agent in Charge Anthony Salisbury of Homeland Security Investigations' (HSI) Miami Office made the announcement.

HSI's Miami Office is investigating the case, with assistance from HSI's Atlanta Office.

Trial Attorneys Peter L. Cooch and Anthony Scarpelli of the Criminal Division's Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Eli S. Rubin for the Southern District of Florida are prosecuting the case.

In June 2021, the Justice Department announced an Anticorruption Task Force to focus on investigations, prosecutions, and asset recoveries related to corruption in Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador through the department's FCPA enforcement program, counternarcotics prosecutions, and Kleptocracy Asset Recovery Initiative. Anyone with information about corrupt actors in these countries who are violating U.S. laws or moving proceeds of their crimes in or through the United States may report the conduct in Spanish or English at combatiendocorrupcion@fbi.gov. Tips regarding possible corruption or movements of ill-gotten funds that are received through the email address will be reviewed by the Anticorruption Task Force. Tipsters who want to report suspicious or criminal activity can also contact the HSI Tip Line by calling (866) 347-2423.

The Fraud Section is responsible for investigating and prosecuting FCPA matters. Additional information about the Justice Department's FCPA enforcement efforts can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal/fraud/fcpa.

An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Topic: Foreign Corruption

Components: Criminal Division

Criminal - Criminal Fraud Section

USAO - Florida, Southern

Press Release Number: 23-1474

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NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) - C-17 Maintenance

Media/Public Contact: pm-cpa@state.gov

Transmittal No: 23-80

WASHINGTON, December 22, 2023 -- The State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to the NATO Support and Procurement Agency of C-17 Maintenance and related equipment for an estimated cost of $150 million. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale today.

NATO Support and Procurement Agency as Lead Nation has requested to buy contractor logistics support for the C-17 Strategic Airlift Capability program; U.S. Government and contractor engineering, technical, and logistics support services; and other related elements of logistics and program support. The estimated total cost is $150 million.

This proposed sale will support the foreign policy goals and national security objectives of the United States by improving the security of North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) partners that are a force for political stability and economic progress in the North Atlantic region.

The proposed sale will improve NATO's capability to meet current and future threats by improving and maintaining a flexible strategic airlift capability. The multinational Heavy Airlift Wing already has C-17s in its inventory and will have no difficulty absorbing these additional services into its armed services.

The proposed sale of this equipment and support will not alter the basic military balance in the region.

The principal contractor will be The Boeing Company, Arlington, VA. There are no known offset agreements proposed in connection with this potential sale.

Implementation of this proposed sale will not require the assignment of any additional U.S. Government or contractor representatives to NATO.

There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness as a result of this proposed sale.

The description and dollar value are for the highest estimated quantity and dollar value based on initial requirements. Actual dollar value will be lower depending on final requirements, budget authority, and signed sales agreement(s), if and when concluded.

All questions regarding this proposed Foreign Military Sale should be directed to the State Department's Bureau of Political Military Affairs, Office of Congressional and Public Affairs, pm-cpa@state.gov.

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While optimistic, Yellens statement is far from persuasive. It doesnt represent the tense geopolitical landscape saturated with sanctions, investment restrictions and containment efforts.

Yellens was one of many visits by U.S. officials to China in recent months. These overtures come on the heels of concentrated American efforts against what the U.S. perceives to be Chinas increasing expansion and assertiveness in Asia. President Joe Bidens administration has made its intentions clear about maintaining the status quo in Asia, and Beijing is responding cautiously.

How did relations between the U.S. and China become so antagonistic over the last decade?

Conflicting policies

In a news conference with Chinese President Jiang Zemin in 2002, then-President George W. Bush said: Chinas future is for the Chinese people to decide. But the current state of relations indicates the path the Chinese chose for themselves is not sitting well with the U.S.

In 2009, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton suggested the Barack Obama administration wanted to go further than Bush had in developing the China-U.S. relationship:

We need a comprehensive dialogue with China. The strategic dialogue that was begun in the Bush administration turned into an economic dialogue.

The Obama-era approach then culminated in a comprehensive pivot to the Asia-Pacific region in 2011 that resulted in American economic, security and diplomatic resources shifting towards the area.

During Donald Trumps administration, U.S. policy priorities on China shifted back to economic relations as the trade deficit between the two nations became a central point of contention. The Trump approach was no longer dialogue, but rather direct confrontation.

Read more: The China-U.S. conflict is about much more than trade

Under Biden, China is deemed a competitor.

Policy choices have included reducing economic dependence on Chinese supply chains, the creation of the Australia, United Kingdom and United States partnership known as AUKUS and gaining U.S. access to four additional military bases in the Philippines.

Chinese pragmatism

While Americas China policy has transformed into confrontation, Chinas overall foreign policy trajectory has largely been pragmatic and linear.

Since the 1990s, China has been explicit in its grand objective of a multi-polar world in which global politics is shaped by several dominant states.

When Xi Jinping ascended to the presidency in 2013, this aspiration became increasingly overt and assertive. A year earlier, Vice-President Xi announced Chinas two centennial goals  one calling for China to be prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally advanced, harmonious and beautiful with influence over the global world order by 2049.

Hu Jintao, left, poses with his successor Xi Jinping after Xi was elected at a plenary session of the National Peoples Congress in Beijing in March 2013. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

To analyze Chinese-American relations, the metaphor of the Thucydides trap  in which a rising power challenges an existing one  may not be the most appropriate analogy. And phrases like the rise of China dont do justice to Chinas history.

China has been a great power, regionally at least, for thousands of years and was a manufacturing behemoth even in the 1750s.

Geopolitically, the U.S. continues to retain a military and diplomatic edge over China. It has demonstrated its will and capability to determine the rules of engagement in Chinas own backyard.

But even though China trails the U.S. in many areas, it doesnt need American support as much as it used to. Astonishingly rapid development in the last two decades is probably still far from Chinas most creative and innovative phase.

Read more: NATO should tread carefully in Southeast Asia, where memories of colonialism linger

American limitations

There are also limits to the American field of influence in the region.

The U.S. has failed to move beyond strengthening existing alliances and fortifying its military installations. Its geo-strategic options are also limited. If, for example, the Americans shored up Japans offensive capabilities or deepened their partnership with India to challenge China, they would be inadvertently creating a multi-polar world.

China is not deterred by American policy. It is countering it through the art of persuasion and dialogue. But it too has exhibited its limits.

With a few exceptions, China has failed to convince even its neighbours of the sincerity of its intentions. A majority of Asian nations are either U.S. allies or neutral.

The ongoing tit-for-tat between the two nuclear and highly interdependent powers will continue to shape their relations, which is concerning for global peace and stability.

Will the U.S. peacefully share global influence with China? Will China abide by its Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence and its claim that it will never seek world domination? Its hard to say.

Four indicators of what lies ahead

Several indicators, however, point to a somewhat balanced co-existence between the two as dominant power centres in the coming decades.

First, the U.S. has been unsuccessful in inhibiting Chinas growth and expansion, and will likely be incapable of preventing the second-biggest economy from achieving its centennial goals.

Second, China is already present around the globe in terms of human capital, investment, manufactured products  and world public opinion about China is changing.

Third, to use the Taoist metaphor, China is a hub that has many spokes and has the capacity and will to invent many more. The hub is united and efficient; an economic downturn will only slow the social organism, not cause it to collapse.

When China was barred from the International Space Station after the passage of a law by U.S. Congress in 2011, for example, it constructed Tiangong, a permanent space station.

Chinas astronauts wave as they arrive to meet the media at the Jiuquan satellite launch center near Jiuquan in western China in June 2013 before later boarding a spacecraft to dock with Chinas Tiangong 1 space lab. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

Fourth, the rise of non-liberal democratic regimes and weaknesses in democracies are creating a situation where some nations are gravitating towards China while others are moving away from the U.S.

Read more: Trump-fuelled chaos shows democracy is in trouble  here's how to change course

That said, political reason is too often at the mercy of short-term calculations.

The U.S. has shown no interest in sharing world leadership, nor has China shown any interest in deviating from its global aspirations. But even though they may appear to be on a collision course, it seems likely China is going to be successful in its pursuit, and both nations will ultimately learn to co-exist and thrive.

Until then, one can only hope that they spare the world the chaos and ugliness of power politics and use their creative energies for the betterment of the human condition.

The truth still matters
NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) - Stinger Missiles

Media/Public Contact: pm-cpa@state.gov

Transmittal No: 23-77

WASHINGTON, December 22, 2023 -- The State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to the NATO Support and Procurement Agency of Stinger missiles and related equipment for an estimated cost of $780 million. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale today.

The NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA), as Lead Nation on behalf of Germany, Italy, and the Netherlands, has requested to buy nine hundred forty (940) FIM-92K Stinger Block I Missiles. Also included are Battery Coolant Units (BCU); metal containers; U.S. Government and contractor production, technical, and engineering assistance; and other related elements of logistics and program support. The estimated total cost is $780 million.

This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States by improving the security of Germany, Italy, and the Netherlands, three NATO Allies.

The proposed sale will improve the air defense capabilities of these three NATO Allies. They will use the system to defend their territorial integrity and to promote regional stability. The proposed sale supports NATO's goal of improving national and territorial defense as well as improving interoperability with U.S. and NATO forces. Germany, Italy, and the Netherlands will have no difficulty absorbing this equipment into their armed forces.

The proposed sale of this equipment and support will not alter the basic military balance in the region.

The prime contractors will be Raytheon, Tucson, AZ, and Lockheed Martin, Syracuse, NY. There are no known offset agreements proposed in connection with this potential sale.

Implementation of this proposed sale will not require the assignment of any U.S. Government personnel or contractor representatives to NATO.

There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness as a result of this proposed sale.

The description and dollar value are for the highest estimated quantity and dollar value based on initial requirements. Actual dollar value will be lower depending on final requirements, budget authority, and signed sales agreement(s), if and when concluded.

All questions regarding this proposed Foreign Military Sale should be directed to the State Department's Bureau of Political Military Affairs, Office of Congressional and Public Affairs, pm cpa@state.gov.

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Gaza: Joint Statement by High Representative Josep Borrell and Commissioner for Crisis Management Janez Lenarcic on the risk of famine

European External Action Service (EEAS)

22.12.2023

Gaza

EEAS Press Team

We are deeply shocked by the results of the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) assessment for Gaza released on Thursday.

According to the IPC, 100% of people in Gaza are estimated to be acutely food insecure, while a quarter of its population faces catastrophic hunger and starvation. This is unprecedented. No IPC analysis has ever recorded such levels of food insecurity anywhere in the world.

This is a grave development and should be a wakeup call for the whole world to act now to prevent a deadly human catastrophe.

The only way to stop people dying of hunger is to ensure the protection of civilians, allow the safe access of humanitarian and health workers across Gaza, and provide sufficient food to all civilians in need, wherever they are.

We urgently need continued, rapid, safe and unhindered humanitarian access to avoid a further worsening of an already catastrophic situation.

We reiterate the urgent call for respect of International Humanitarian Law. The lack of access to basic staples is creating a situation of famine.

Aid needs to reach those in need through all necessary means, including humanitarian corridors and pauses for humanitarian needs.

Through its humanitarian food assistance, the EU aims to ensure access to safe and nutritious food for the most hungry and vulnerable people in crises around the world.

In 2023, the EU has increased its humanitarian funding for Palestinians in need to over 100 million, 46 million of which is specifically dedicated to food assistance and to cover health and other basic needs. The EU is also delivering nutritional assistance via Humanitarian Air Bridge flights for the people of Gaza.

For next year, the EU has set aside 125 million in humanitarian support to ensure continued support for people in Palestine who need it the most.

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European Commission provides over 118 million to the Palestinian Authority

European Commission

Press release

22 December 2023

Brussels

The European Commission has adopted a 118.4 million assistance package to support the Palestinian Authority (PA) as part of the annual allocation for Palestine in 2023.

Through the EU's PEGASE mechanism, the new financial assistance adopted will contribute to the payments of the salaries and pensions of civil servants in the West Bank, the social allowances for vulnerable families through the Cash Transfer Programme in the West Bank and Gaza, the payment for the medical referrals to the East Jerusalem Hospitals and support the administrative and technical capacity of the Palestinian Authority institutions.

President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, said: "The situation in Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, is very worrying. We have already quadrupled our humanitarian assistance to Gaza. After careful review of our funds, we are also announcing much needed assistance to the Palestinian Authority. The EU remains the largest international donor of aid to the Palestinians, and we are already reflecting on a wider mid-term package for next year to contribute to the economic and political stability of Gaza and the West Bank, once conditions allow on the ground, as part of wider international efforts to reinstate a two-state solution."

Background

The European Union is the biggest provider of external assistance to the Palestinians which amounts to indicatively almost 1.2 billion for 2021-2024 under the European Joint Strategy, of which 809.4 million have already been adopted.

The financial package, which will support the Palestinian Authority to cover payments in 2024, has now been adopted following the review of the EU financial assistance to Palestine announced after the tragic events on 7 October 2023.

This short-term package will complement a more mid-term package foreseen next year with the aim of contributing to lay the ground for economic and political stability of Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem and Area C, based on the two-state solution. This more substantial package will include a remainder of initially foreseen funds worth 61 million for projects in 2023 which will be presented next year once conditions on the ground allow.

The PEGASE programme aims to contribute to a democratic, accountable, economically viable Palestinian state as well as the fulfilment of social rights. The PEGASE mechanism already foresees a strong system of control of all beneficiaries based on ex-ante and ex-post checks of the beneficiaries. The new programme will take into account the conclusions of the review.

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Finland to provide humanitarian aid to crisis areas

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland

Press releases, 22.12.2023

Finland will provide EUR 17.3 million in humanitarian aid to Sudan, Ukraine, Burkina Faso and Lebanon through the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and the International Committee of the Red Cross.

Global humanitarian needs have grown this year. Most of the ongoing humanitarian crises are caused by conflicts.

The power struggle in Sudan, which began in spring 2023, has led to a rapid increase in humanitarian needs both in Sudan and in its neighbouring areas. According to the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), the conflict in Sudan has forced 6.6 million people, 2.6 million of them children, to leave their homes. The UNHCR provides support such as emergency accommodation and emergency relief items to the refugees. Finland supports the work of the UNHCR in Sudan by EUR 10.4 million.

In Ukraine, nearly 15 million people, about 40 per cent of the population, need humanitarian aid. The Ukraine Humanitarian Fund, a UN pooled fund managed by OCHA, is a fast, flexible and strategic humanitarian fund that supports the humanitarian work of national and local humanitarian organisations in particular. The recent decision of additional funding of three million euros for the Ukraine Humanitarian Fund will increase Finland's funding for the fund in 2023 to a total of eight million euros.

The Sahel not only has one of the world's fastest growing refugee crises, but also one of the most forgotten humanitarian crises, which extends to a wide geographical area. In Burkina Faso, 4.65 million people are in need of humanitarian aid, 2.5 million of them children. Insecurity has forced over two million people to become internally displaced. Finland supports the operation of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) by EUR 2.5 million. The ICRC, together with the Burkina Faso Red Cross (BRCS), supports the protection, health, business, water, sanitation and hygiene sectors. The Finnish Red Cross will support the operation in Burkina Faso by supplying financial and material assistance and by participating in monitoring and coordination.

As a result of the war in Syria, Lebanon has approximately 1.5 million Syrian refugees, for whom the UN Refugee Agency UNHCR provides shelter and emergency relief items. The UNHCR also provides Lebanese municipalities with technical assistance as the number of refugees increases. Finland supports the UNHCR's work in Lebanon by EUR 1.4 million.

This year, Finland has also supported the humanitarian work of Finnish civil society organisations by approximately EUR 13 million in eight countries. Funding was granted this year to Fida International, Plan International Finland, Save the Children Finland, the Finnish Refugee Council, the Finnish Red Cross, World Vision Finland and Finn Church Aid. They have signed a framework partnership agreement with the European Commission's Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO), which is a condition to be eligible for funding. The activities of civil society organisations were funded in crises in Ukraine, Ethiopia, Somalia, Mozambique, Yemen, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Myanmar and Syria.

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Telephone conversation with President of the State of Palestine Mahmoud Abbas

Vladimir Putin had a telephone conversation with President of the State of Palestine Mahmoud Abbas.

December 22, 2023

14:30

The presidents considered in detail issues related to the unprecedented escalation of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, primarily in the Gaza Strip. Vladimir Putin discussed Russia's steps to deescalate the conflict and ensure steady deliveries of humanitarian aid to those in need, based on his earlier contacts with the leaders of the Middle East states. Russia will continue to supply essential items to Gaza, including medicines and medical equipment.

The presidents emphasised the importance of an early cessation of the bloodshed and resumption of the political process in the Middle East settlement based on the generally recognised international legal basis that envisages the establishment of the State of Palestine within the 1967 borders. In this context, the Russian side expressed support for the efforts undertaken by the Palestinian authorities led by Mahmoud Abbas.

The presidents expressed their shared intention to continue strengthening friendly Russian-Palestinian relations. The Russian side confirmed that the President of Palestine was invited to visit Russia within a mutually acceptable timeframe.

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Elite Israeli forces give up 'death trap' Gaza quarter after heavy losses: Report

Iran Press TV

Friday, 22 December 2023 9:25 PM

Elite Israeli forces waging the occupying regime's ongoing genocidal war against the Gaza Strip have reportedly given up control of a neighborhood in the Gaza City after suffering heavy losses there.

The 13th Battalion of Israel's Golani Brigade "transferred control" of the city's Shujaiya neighborhood, to another force, the London-based al-Araby al-Jadeed news outlet reported on Friday, citing Israel's Channel 13.

Israeli outlets recently published footage showing the troops enlisted with the infantry brigade "celebrating" after quitting the battlefield, the report added.

The flashpoint neighborhood has earned a reputation for being a "death trap" for the regime's forces.

It houses the strategic Tell al-Muntar hill, which, overlooking the entire Gaza City, has lent special strategic significance to the area and is considered to be the "gate to Gaza."

The Israeli forces' departure from Shujaiya came after fighters with the al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of the Gaza-based Palestinian resistance movement of Hamas, inflicted heavy losses on the brigade.

The resistance operation reportedly claimed the lives of at least 10 members of the Golani Brigade, and seriously wounded four others, including "mid-level" officers.

The developments came amid an unrelenting war that the Israeli regime has been waging against the Gaza Strip since October 7.

The regime started the war following an operation by the coastal sliver's resistance groups that led to the captivity of hundreds.

At least 20,057 people, including some 8,000 children and 6,200 women, have been killed in the war so far.

Gaza's resistance groups have vowed not to give up defending the territory in the face of the Israeli onslaught, saying they were ready for a "long war" against the occupying regime.

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Israeli soldier killed, another seriously injured in Hezbollah rocket barrage

Iran Press TV

Friday, 22 December 2023 6:40 PM

The Israeli military has announced the death of one of its occupation forces and the serious injury of another in a retaliatory strike by the Lebanese resistance movement Hezbollah on the north of the occupied territories.

"Hezbollah fired a large barrage of rockets toward northern Israel on Friday morning, killing an Israeli soldier and seriously wounding another," Israeli media cited the occupation army as saying later in the day.

The reports said "some 20 rockets" were fired from Lebanon at military positions near the settlements of Shomera and Shtula, close to the southern Lebanese border.

Lebanon's Arabic-language al-Manar television channel confirmed in a post on its X social media account the retaliatory attack by Hezbollah and the number of Israeli casualties.

"Enemy media: An announcement of the killing of an Israeli soldier and the serious wounding of another in the Shtula settlement as a result of Hezbollah firing a number of rockets this morning," the television network wrote.

In a statement on Thursday, Hezbollah reported that the group had fired salvos of artillery rounds and rockets toward the northern Israeli town of Kiryat Shmona in response to the regime's continuous assaults on the Palestinian people in Gaza.

The resistance group also noted that its fighters launched incendiary rockets at the Biranit Woodlands in response to an earlier Israeli strike, reiterating that it would not hesitate to defend Lebanese villages and towns and would respond to the enemy's aggressive actions.

The Israeli military has been carrying out attacks against the Lebanese territory since October 7, when it launched a campaign of genocide in the Gaza Strip, prompting retaliatory strikes from Hezbollah in support of the Palestinian people in the besieged territory.

The movement has vowed to keep up its retaliatory operations as long as the regime continues its onslaught.

Israel has killed more than 20,000 people, mostly women and children, and injured over 53,000 others in Gaza since that October day. Thousands more are believed to be lost and buried under rubble.

The regime has largely cut off access to water, food and power supplies in Gaza.

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UN Security Council passes resolution demanding more Gaza aid deliveries

Iran Press TV

Friday, 22 December 2023 5:37 PM

The United Nations Security Council has finally passed a resolution on the ongoing Israeli onslaught against Gaza, demanding increased aid deliveries to the besieged region but stopping short of calling for an immediate halt to the genocide.

Hamas on Friday described as "insufficient" the UN Security Council vote.

The resistance movement said in a statement that it considers the resolution "an insufficient measure that does not respond to the catastrophic situation created by the Zionist (Israeli) war machine."

The watered-down Security Council resolution, ratified on Friday, demanded all sides in the conflict allow the "safe and unhindered delivery of humanitarian assistance at scale."

It also called for the creation of "conditions for a sustainable cessation of hostilities" but it did not call for an immediate end to fighting.

The vote in the 15-member council was 13-0 with the United States and Russia abstaining.

The vote followed the US veto of a Russian amendment that would have restored that call for a suspension of hostilities. That vote was 10 members in favor, the US against and four abstentions.

The text, sponsored by the United Arab Emirates, was passed following days-long negotiations over its wording, during which it was watered down at the US request.

Washington had earlier vetoed two UNSC resolutions on the conflict, drawing widespread condemnations over the body's lack of action since the start of the onslaught.

Russia says resolution 'toothless'

Russian ambassador to the UN Vasily Nebenzya hit out at the United States, saying "they have resorted to their favorite tactic... of twisting of arms", calling the text "toothless."

The UAE's ambassador to the UN Lana Zaki Nusseibeh said, "It responds with action to the dire humanitarian situation."

"We know this is not a perfect text... We will never tire of calling for a humanitarian cease-fire," she said.

The resolution demands all sides "allow and facilitate the use of all... routes to and throughout the entire Gaza Strip, including border crossings... for the provision of humanitarian assistance."

It also requests the appointment of a UN humanitarian coordinator to oversee and verify third-country aid to Gaza.

An earlier text had said that the aid mechanism to accelerate the delivery of relief would be "exclusively" under UN control.

It now states it would be managed in consultation with "all relevant parties" -- meaning Israel would retain operational oversight of aid deliveries.

Israel has pounded the Gaza Strip since October 7, killing at least 20,057 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and injuring 53,320 others, according to health authorities in the region.

The Israeli onslaught has left Gaza in ruins with half of the coastal territory's housing stock damaged or destroyed, and nearly 2 million people displaced within the densely-populated territory amid shortages of food and clean water.

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Israel's targeting of Palestinian medical facilities 'unprecedented' in history

Iran Press TV

Friday, 22 December 2023 4:15 PM

The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) has denounced Israel's persistent attacks on Palestinian health workers and facilities in the besieged Gaza Strip as "unprecedented major crimes" in the history of warfare.

The PFLP's Central Media Department stated on Friday after Israel's early morning airstrikes on the Jabalia camp in northern Gaza, where the regime also besieged the al-Awda Hospital and detained and interrogated medical staff in the Palestinian territory.

The group confirmed that Israel targeted Munir Al-Barsh, the director-general of the Palestinian Ministry of Health, and his entire family, killing his 13-year-old daughter in a " treacherous Zionist bombing" of his sister's house in Jabalia.

The PFLP said that Israel's ongoing siege of al-Awda Hospital, firing at medical staff inside the facility, shutting down all medical centers in northern Gaza, and arresting and harassing doctors, nurses, and paramedics exposes the "direct American" involvement and "international complicity" in these crimes.

The group added, "The silent and inept official Arab stance encourages this enemy to commit these crimes."

The group held the US administration, the West, and the Arab world accountable for the continuing genocide of the Palestinian people in Gaza, the demolition of hospitals and medical centers, and the killing and injuring of the territory's health workers.

"The systematic destruction of the health infrastructure, the killing of a large number of medical crews, and the destruction of hospitals represent unprecedented major crimes, unheard of in the history of wars and conflicts that were governed by rules, ethics, and international laws," the PFLP's Central Media Department said in the statement.

Since the start of Israel's genocidal war on Gaza in early October, the besieged Palestinian territory's hospitals, medical centers and health clinics have been one of the main targets of the regime's bombardment campaign.

According to the Gaza government's media office on Friday, the Israeli forces have targeted 138 hospitals and medical centers, leading to total or partial destruction of facilities.

"This rogue and cowardly Zionist enemy commits crimes against civilians at a time when its officers and soldiers flee from the battle in front of our brave fighters," PFLP added.

The group also noted that such "horrific massacres" committed by the occupying regime in the Gaza Strip are a "testament to the crime of the century," which Tel Aviv continues to commit against unarmed civilians in the Gaza Strip in full view of the entire world.

"The blood of children, women, and the elderly will remain a curse that haunts this criminal entity and its cowardly leaders, and everyone who conspired, colluded, and failed to act [against it]," the PFLP stressed.

Israel waged the devastating war on Gaza on October 7 after Hamas-led Palestinian resistance groups carried out a surprise operation against the occupying entity in response to its decades-long violence against Palestinians.

The bloodiest-ever war on Gaza has so far killed more than 20,000 people, mostly women and children, and injured over 53,000 others, with thousands more believed lost and buried under rubble.

The regime has also cut off most water, food and power supplies into Gaza.

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Bahrain joining US-led maritime coalition betrayal of Palestinian cause, says al-Wefaq

Iran Press TV

Friday, 22 December 2023 11:14 AM

Bahrain's main opposition group, the al-Wefaq National Islamic Society, has strongly criticized the Al Khalifah regime's decision to join a US-led maritime task force in the Red Sea to protect passage of Israeli-owned and Israel-bound merchant vessels, slamming the move as a "betrayal of the Palestinian cause."

Sheikh Hussain al-Daihi, the deputy secretary general of the group, said in a statement published on X, formerly known as Twitter, that "The Bahraini nation cannot remain silent in the face of the Al Khalifah regime's treachery, its protection of the occupying Israeli regime's interests and crimes, and participation in the crippling siege on Palestinians in the Gaza Strip."

Daihi noted that Bahrain's participation in the coalition makes it directly involved in the everyday massacre of Palestinians at the hands of Israeli troops.

"The Bahraini nation roundly dismissed the Manama regime's participation in the coalition in the same way as it emphatically rejected the ominous normalization agreement with Zionists," the senior opposition figure noted.

He stressed that "Bahrain should not become a tool to serve Israel's interests in the Red Sea."

Daihi also extended his salutation to Yemeni Armed Forces for their "courage and deep faith," praising their heroic struggle to safeguard the nation's pride and dignity at difficult times.

Bahrain and the Israeli regime established diplomatic relations in 2020 as part of the United States-brokered Abraham Accords.

Last month, the deputy speaker of Bahrain's National Assembly said members of the legislative body were pressing to reverse the normalization following the regime's devastating war in Gaza.

Abdulnabi Salman said Bahraini lawmakers were demanding an end to diplomatic relations with Israel.

The Persian Gulf country has witnessed numerous protests since the start of normalization.

US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin announced on Monday the formation of the coalition - including Bahrain, Canada, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Seychelles, Spain and the UK - to patrol the Red Sea in response to Yemeni strikes being staged in support of Palestinians resisting the ongoing Israeli aggression against the Gaza Strip.

Yemenis have declared their open support for Palestine's struggle against the Israeli occupation since the regime launched a devastating war on Gaza on October 7 after the territory's Palestinian resistance movements carried out a surprise retaliatory attack, dubbed Operation Al-Aqsa Storm, against the occupying entity.

The relentless Israeli military campaign against Gaza has killed at least 20,057 people, most of them women and children, in Gaza. More than 53,320 individuals have been wounded as well.

Reports revealed that Israeli shipping companies have already decided to reroute their vessels in fear of attacks by Yemeni forces.

Yemeni forces have also launched missile and drone attacks on targets in the Israeli-occupied territories of Palestine after the occupying regime's aggression on Gaza.

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Moms for Liberty co-founder Bridget Ziegler filmed a sex tape of herself and another woman, an activity revealed in the ongoing investigation into her husband, Chris Ziegler, the Florida GOP chief accused of rape.

Bridget Ziegler is a member of Moms for Liberty, a conservative and known anti-LGBTQ nonprofit, and a member of the Sarasota School Board  whose members voted to call for her resignation earlier last week.  The GOP Chair is now reportedly asking for as much as a $2 million payout in exchange for stepping down from his role  ignoring calls for his resignation from Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and other Republican lawmakers.

Everyone's saying 'hypocrisy!", but that's not even wrong. It accepts their framing of their behavior in good faith, but their faith was bad and it's irrelevant to boot. A keto youtuber spotted at Baskin Robbins is a hypocrite. These people are lying grifters, crooks, and sex pests.
More shipping firms avoid Red Sea despite US promises to safeguard Israel-linked vessels

Iran Press TV

Friday, 22 December 2023 10:57 AM

More shipping firms have decided to avoid the Red Sea although the US has created a naval coalition purportedly aimed to safeguard shipping after Yemen's retaliatory attacks on Israel-linked vessels.

On Thursday, the Norwegian shipping company Gram Car Carriers, which specializes in pure car truck carriers, said its vessels were restricted from passing through the Red Sea.

Moreover, the German container shipping line Hapag-Lloyd also said it would reroute 25 ships by the end of the year to avoid the Suez Canal and the Red Sea. The firm also vowed to take further decisions at the end of the year.

The latest developments show the shipping companies' lack of trust in the US which launched a multinational operation to allegedly safeguard trade in the Red Sea.

The leader of the Yemeni Ansarullah resistance movement, Sayyed Abdul-Malik al-Houthi, said the US is trying to militarize the Red Sea, stressing that Yemeni forces will continue to target Israeli-owned and Israel-bound ships in support of Palestinians.

Yemen has said that the military units would target all ships owned or operated by Israeli companies or carrying the Israeli flag, in support of Palestinians amid Israel's onslaught on the besieged Gaza Strip.

Israel launched the war on Gaza on October 7 after the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas waged the surprise Operation Al-Aqsa Storm against the occupying entity in response to the Israeli regime's decades-long violence against Palestinians.

Since the start of the offensive, the Tel Aviv regime has killed 20,057 Palestinians and injured more than 53,320 others.

Thousands more are also missing and presumed dead under the rubble in Gaza, which is under "complete siege" by Israel.

As Israel continues its genocidal war on Gaza despite the Yemeni retaliatory threats, maritime authorities and shipping ministries, including those of Norway and Greece, warned against sailing in the area.

Earlier, the French shipping group CMA CGM, the Belgian oil tanker firm EURONAV, the Taiwanese container shipping line EVERGREEN, the Norway-based oil tanker group FRONTLINE, the South Korean container shipper HMM, Orient Overseas Container Line (OOCL) have decided to pause shipping via the Red Sea.

Those companies that made similar decisions also include the Norwegian shipping company HOEGH AUTOLINERS, the Danish shipping company MAERSK, the Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), the Norwegian shipping group WALLENIUS WILHELMSEN, the Taiwanese container shipping company YANG MING MARINE TRANSPORT, and Ocean Network Express (ONE), a joint venture of Japan's Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Nippon Yusen and Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha.

Some of those firms also temporarily stopped accepting Israel-linked cargo.

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Tehran slams Arab-Russian statement on Iranian trio islands as interference in internal affairs

Iran Press TV

Friday, 22 December 2023 8:57 AM

Tehran has condemned a joint statement from several Arab countries and Russia about Iran's three Persian Gulf islands of Abu Musa, the Greater Tunb and the Lesser Tunb as an interference in its internal affairs, stressing that it will not hesitate to preserve its territorial integrity.

Ali Akbar Velayati, a senior advisor to Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, said on Thursday that the final statement of the 6th Arab-Russian Cooperation Forum in Morocco on the three Iranian islands was regarded as interference in Iran's internal affairs.

"The meeting was held in the presence of some Arabs, who are ignoring the fate of the Palestinians, and Russian experts in Morocco and issued a statement that has various flaws, the most important of which is interference in Iran's affairs," he said, condemning the statement.

The UAE which has taken a "regrettable" stance on the Palestinians and backed Israel's killing of the oppressed people of Gaza, keeps bringing up this "baseless claim" of the trio islands instead of implementing practical measures to stop the Israeli onslaught in Gaza.

"The Islamic Republic of Iran, as the rightful owner of the trio islands, will closely watch the actions of those who wish to harm the national and regional interests and will respond accordingly," he said.

Velayati added that the islands' ownership "will not be affected by such poor meetings."

Calling on Russia to pay further careful attention to its stances regarding the Islamic Republic, the senior advisor said "The strategic and friendly relations between Iran and Russia have not been achieved easily."

"In such circumstances that Russia is in a complex international situation, some positions of the Russian Foreign Ministry are regrettable," he said, acknowledging that "although, some political pressures on Russia in the current complicated situation will cause it to damage its reputation in order to obtain a worthless point."

The three Persian Gulf islands of Abu Musa, the Greater and Lesser Tunbs have historically been part of Iran, proof of which can be found and corroborated by countless historical, legal, and geographical documents in Iran and other parts of the world.

However, the United Arab Emirates has repeatedly laid claim to the islands.

The islands fell under British control in 1921 but on November 30, 1971, a day after British forces left the region and just two days before the UAE was to become an official federation, Iran's sovereignty over the islands was restored.

'No hesitation to preserve territorial integrity'

In a separate statement on Thursday, the Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson also dismised the claims on the three Iranian islands as "baseless and unacceptable."

"The Iranian islands of Abu Musa, the Greater Tunb and the Lesser Tunb, located in the blue waters of the Persian Gulf, eternally belong to Iran and are an inseparable part of the Islamic Republic of Iran's land," Nasser Kanaani stressed.

"The Islamic Republic of Iran does not consider its territorial integrity and sovereignty over the three islands negotiable and rejects any claim by any side on the issue and will not back down from its sovereignty and territorial rights in any way," he added.

The spokesperson underlined the policy of promoting ties with the neighboring countries and the need to respect the principle of good neighborliness.

He said, "The Islamic Republic of Iran asks all its northern and southern neighbors to take the actual and potential capacities at the bilateral and regional levels into account and take steps to boost ties and refrain from making and repeating certain rejected claims."

"The Islamic Republic of Iran will not hesitate a bit to preserve its territorial integrity."

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Iraqi resistance hits target in Israeli settlement of 'Eilat' in response to regime atrocities

Iran Press TV

Friday, 22 December 2023 6:27 AM

The Islamic Resistance in Iraq says it has stricken a target in the city of Umm Rashrash, also known as Eilat, in the southern part of Occupied Palestine in retaliation for Israel's genocidal war in the besieged Gaza Strip.

"The fighters of Islamic Resistance in Iraq targeted a target in the occupied Umm Rashrash (Eilat) using the appropriate weapons," the movement said in a statement on Friday.

The attack comes "in support of our people in Gaza and in response to the massacres committed by the usurping entity against the civilian Palestinians."

However, Israeli media reports claimed that Jordan foiled a drone attack launched by the Iraqi resistance forces on Umm Rashrash, as it intercepted the aircraft in its airspace.

Israel launched the war on Gaza on October 7 after the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas waged the surprise Operation Al-Aqsa Storm against the occupying entity in response to the Israeli regime's decades-long violence against Palestinians.

Since the start of the offensive, the Tel Aviv regime has killed over 20,000 Palestinians and injured more than 52,600 others.

Thousands more are also missing and presumed dead under the rubble in Gaza, which is under "complete siege" by Israel.

In a recent development, two Israeli soldiers were killed in Gaza as fighting raged between the Palestinian resistance fighters and the invading Israeli forces in the Gaza Strip.

The Israeli military identified them as Tal Shua and Shai Ayeli. According to the statement, Ayeli, 21 was killed in northern Gaza, while Shua was killed in fighting in the southern part of Gaza.

Meanwhile, anti-US sentiments are also running high across the region over Washington's firm support for the Israeli onslaught against Palestinians in the besieged strip.

The Iraqi resistance forces have also targeted major US military bases in Syria and Iraq, where forces and trainers are stationed, warning the United States against funding and supporting Israeli war crimes against the Palestinians in the besieged Gaza Strip.

Since the onset of the war on October 7, the United States has backed Israel's ferocious attacks on Palestinian territory as a means of "self-defense."

The United States, Israel's biggest ally, has provided the regime with more arms and ammunition since then.

Washington has also vetoed United Nations Security Council resolutions that called on the occupying regime to cease its aggression.

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Yemen attacks cripple Israeli port's operations: Report

Iran Press TV

Friday, 22 December 2023 12:58 AM

Attacks by Yemen's Ansarullah resistance movement in protest at the Israeli regime's genocidal war on the Gaza Strip, have reportedly crippled operations at the port of Eilat at the southern tip of the occupied Palestinian territories.

Eilat has suffered a whopping drop in activity since the movement began targeting the vessels that would use the key Bab al-Mandab Strait in the Red Sea to reach the port, Reuters reported on Thursday, citing the port's chief executive.

The strait hosts 40 percent of the international trade transit.

Without Bab al-Mandab, "you close the main shipping artery to Eilat Port. And therefore we lost 85% of total activity," CEO Gideon Golber told Reuters.

Several international shipping giants have been canceling sending their ships through Bab al-Mandab since Ansarullah and Yemen's Armed Forces vowed to target the ships that could use the strait to reach the occupied territories.

"Some vessels [are now] re-routing to a much longer East-West route via the southern tip of Africa," Reuters reported.

The Yemeni forces say they would stop targeting the vessels only if the Israel regime ended its ongoing war on Gaza and siege of the Palestinian coastal sliver.

More than 20,000 people, including at least 8,000 children, have been killed since the onset of the military campaign that the regime started to wage following an operation staged by Gaza's resistance movements.

The Yemeni attacks have reportedly inflicted three billion dollars in damage on the Israeli economy by increasing the price of the goods that are imported to the occupied territories three times.

"Unfortunately, if it continues we will reach a situation of zero ships in Eilat Port," Golber said.

On Monday, the Pentagon announced a military coalition of 10 countries, including the United States, Britain, and Spain, to counter the Yemeni attacks.

"If...the coalition countries and Israel lag in finding a solution" for Ansarullah's attacks, "unfortunately, we will likely have to furlough workers," Gobler concluded.

Ansarullah has dismissed US plans to build a coalition.

The leader of Ansarullah has said Yemen's Armed Forces would not hesitate to target US warships in the Red Sea if Washington and its allies carried out military strikes against Yemen.

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US defense bill spends big against China's maritime claims

The $886 billion bill includes $16 billion to deter China's sovereignty claims and approves key parts of AUKUS.

By Alex Willemyns for RFA 2023.12.22 -- U.S. President Joe Biden on Friday signed into law an $886 billion defense bill that includes US$16 billion to deter China's expansive maritime claims and approves exemptions for Australia and the United Kingdom to buy American defense technology without licenses.

The 2024 National Defense Authorization Act was passed by the Senate on Dec. 18 in a 87-13 vote and by the House on Dec. 19 in a 310-118 vote, after a compromise removed supplemental funding for Ukraine along with contentious abortion and transgender provisions.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a Democrat from New York, last week called the compromise "precisely the kind of bipartisan cooperation the American people want from Congress."

Biden said on Friday that parts of the compromise "raise concerns" but that he was "pleased to support the critical objectives" of the bill.

The legislation "provides the critical authorities we need to build the military required to deter future conflicts, while supporting service members and their spouses and families," Biden said.

Maritime deterrence

The bill includes $14.7 billion for the Pacific Deterrence Initiative, well above the $9.1 billion requested by the Pentagon. The project, defense officials say, will help bolster U.S. defenses in Hawaii and the Pacific territory of Guam to increase "deterrence" efforts against China.

Bryan Clark, a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute and expert in naval operations, said the "big increase" in funds would help by "improving the resilience and capability of U.S. and allied forces in the Indo-Pacific."

"I expect the increased PDI spending authorized in the NDAA will focus on defense of Guam, improved networking and data integration for U.S. forces in the Indo-Pacific, and accelerated efforts to posture U.S. ground troops in the region," Clark told Radio Free Asia.

A further $1.3 billion is earmarked specifically for the Indo-Pacific Campaigning Initiative, which a Senate Armed Services Committee statement said would fund "increased frequency and scale of exercises, freedom of navigation operations, and partner engagements" as China ramps up its claims of sovereignty.

The 2024 bill also authorizes the biggest pay boost to military personnel in two decades, with a 5.2 percent overall bump, and increases the basic allowance for troops and housing subsidies.

AUKUS

It's not only U.S. military bases and personnel in the Indo-Pacific that are receiving a large funding boost next year, though.

The 2024 bill also approves the sale of nuclear-powered submarines to Australia and exemptions for Australian and British firms from the need to seek licenses to buy U.S. defense technology.

The two provisions - known as "Pillar 1" and "Pillar 2" of the AUKUS security pact between Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States - have proved controversial, with some Republicans in Congress questioning Pillar 1 and some Democrats opposing Pillar 2.

Republicans expressed concerns about the ability of shipyards to supply Australia with submarines by the 2030s amid massive building backlogs that have left the U.S. Navy waiting on its own orders.

Democrats, meanwhile, said they were worried that exempting Australian businesses from the need to seek licenses could open up an avenue for Chinese espionage to procure sensitive U.S. technology.

But in the end the provisions passed with bipartisan support - even if the important licensing exemptions remain conditional on Australia and the United Kingdom putting in place "comparable" export restrictions.

Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, a Democrat from Illinois and the ranking member of his party on the House Select Committee on China, said that the approval of both pillars of AUKUS would be a boon to U.S. efforts to counter the Chinese Communist Party's maritime claims.

"By authorizing the sale of up to three Virginia-class submarines to Australia, and simplifying the process for sharing advanced technologies between our countries, we are taking an important step in strengthening key U.S. alliances and working to maintain a free and open Indo-Pacific region in the face of CCP aggression," he said.

Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles said that the passage of AUKUS meant that Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States are "on the precipice of historic reform that will transform our ability to effectively deter, innovate, and operate together."

Australia's ambassador to Washington, Kevin Rudd, said earlier this year he foresees a "seamless" defense industry across the AUKUS member states in coming decades if the security pact succeeds.

Other measures

The bill also establishes a new program to train and advise Taiwan's military, and funds the Biden administration's new "Indo-Pacific Maritime Domain Awareness Initiative," which also is aimed at deterring China's vast claims of maritime sovereignty.

U.S. Assistant Secretary of Defense for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs Ely Ratner said earlier this month would equip American allies across Asia and the Pacific "with high-grade commercial satellite imagery that allows them to have much more visibility into their littorals."

Rep. Mike Gallagher, a Republican from Wisconsin and the chairman of the House Select Committee on China, said the bill was suitably focussed on the biggest threats currently facing the U.S. military.

"We are in the window of maximum danger when it comes to a conflict with China over Taiwan," Gallagher said after the House passed the bill. "Ensuring our military has the resources to deter, and if necessary, win such a conflict must be our primary focus in Congress."

Copyright 1998-2023, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036. For any commercial use of RFA content please send an email to: mahajanr@rfa.org. RFA content December not be used in a manner which would give the appearance of any endorsement of any product or support of any issue or political position. Please read the full text of our Terms of Use.

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Beijing, Manila to hold consultation on South China Sea 'soon'

Chinese and Philippine foreign ministers agreed to hold a meeting "as soon as possible" as tension rises.

By RFA and BenarNews Staff 2023.12.22 -- Foreign ministers of China and the Philippines have agreed to hold a meeting of the Bilateral Consultation Mechanism on the South China Sea as soon as possible as the two countries are at loggerheads over several reefs in the contested waters.

Wang Yi, who also sits on the powerful Politburo of the Communist Party of China, and Enrique Manolo had a telephone conversation on Wednesday "at the request of the Philippines," the Chinese foreign ministry said.

China blames the Philippines for the "serious difficulty" in bilateral relations, saying "the root cause lies in the Philippines' change of policy and position, refusing to honor its commitment and repeated provocations that undermine China's legitimate and lawful rights and interests."

"The top priority is to properly handle and control the current maritime situation," said Wang, as quoted by Chinese state media.

"The crux of the worsening relations between the Philippines and China right now is that the Philippine side has changed its policy stance, downgrading itself from a regional player with strategic autonomy to a proxy of the U.S.," the foreign minister noted.

Beijing has been accusing Manila of "doing Washington's bidding," and "constantly stirring up trouble at the cost of regional stability."

Tension has been rising between the two neighbors over two atolls in the South China Sea - the Second Thomas Shoal and Scarborough Shoal - claimed by both of them.

"We hope that the Philippines will decide rationally, follow the effective way for neighbors to get along with each other and work with China to properly handle and manage the situation at sea," Chinese spokesman Wang Wenbin told a press briefing in Beijing on Thursday.

For his part, Philippine Foreign Minister Enrique Manalo said in a statement on Thursday about his talks with Wang Yi, "We had a frank and candid exchange and ended our call with a closer understanding of our respective positions on a number of issues," without elaborating on the issues.

A day earlier, Manila's Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. sought to debunk Beijing's accusation that Manila was causing trouble in the sea region, saying, "Only China believes in what they are saying."

Philippines seeks to expand joint patrols

Teodoro said on Thursday that the Philippines expects to broaden multinational patrols in the South China Sea next year by adding more participants, a move that is expected to irk China.

The defense secretary said that sea patrols for the most part would be held in 2024 with France, India and other countries that currently do not have agreements with Manila for such joint operations.

"It is very likely [that patrols would be held] with other countries like perhaps France, India, Canada, the U.K., New Zealand," Teodoro said, according to a transcript of a local television interview. "This is because they really see the cumulative value of working together toward a free and open Indo-Pacific and a rules-based international order."

Manila earlier this year launched bilateral patrols with the United States and Australia in the West Philippine Sea, Manila's name for the parts of the South China Sea under its jurisdiction.

Potential international involvement indicates "that nobody in the world has publicly proclaimed support for China's appropriation of the whole of the South China Sea as its own," Teodoro said.

"On the contrary, several countries have condemned their illegal actions based on contrived history, an attempt to change international law and bound other countries into submission into acquiescing or accepting their version of international law," Teodoro said.

In 2016, an international arbitration court ruled for the Philippines, invalidating China's claims to nearly all of the South China Sea. While the ruling was praised internationally, led by the United States, China has refused to acknowledge it.

Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, who took office in 2016 just weeks before the ruling, initially refused to engage China in a diplomatic tussle, but toward the end of his term confronted China's leader Xi Jinping about it.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who took office in 2022, reversed Duterte's policies, reembraced the U.S. and pledged to protect the Philippines' South China Sea territories.

Edited by Taejun Kang and Mike Firn.

BenarNews is an RFA-affiliated online news organization.

Copyright 1998-2023, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036. For any commercial use of RFA content please send an email to: mahajanr@rfa.org. RFA content December not be used in a manner which would give the appearance of any endorsement of any product or support of any issue or political position. Please read the full text of our Terms of Use.

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Cambodia's high court rejects opposition official's conviction appeal

Thach Setha's arrest was seen as part of a campaign of intimidation and threats against activists.

By RFA Khmer 2023.12.22 -- Cambodia's Supreme Court rejected an appeal from Candlelight Party Vice President Thach Setha on Friday, a decision that means he'll serve the remainder of his 18-month sentence on a bad check conviction.

Thach Setha, 70, is also serving a three-year sentence he received in October after his conviction on two separate charges of incitement. That case stemmed from a comment he made in January about the history of the ruling Cambodian People's Party.

The unrelated September conviction on a false check charge has been deemed politically motivated by human rights groups and party officials.

Officials from the European Union, the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights in Cambodia, and human rights NGO Licadho were in the courtroom for Friday's verdict.

His wife, Thach Sokborany, was also present and spoke with emotion to reporters afterward about his serious heart condition.

"My husband said his health is not good because the doctor asked him to have a checkup every six months," she said. "But the court did not release him."

She called on the government to ease the country's tense political climate by releasing her husband and other prisoners of conscience - a suggestion made previously by human rights activists.

Thach Setha's arrest in January was seen as part of a months-long campaign of intimidation and threats against opposition leaders and activists ahead of July's general election.

His lawyer, Son Chum Choun, told RFA on Friday that he believes Thach Setha's health issues and the lack of evidence in the original trial should have been enough for Supreme Court Presiding Judge Nil Nonn to order a release.

"If we study [the case], he did not act as alleged," Son Chum Choun said, referring to Thach Setha. "If we study the case deeper, I think this is something to consider whether this is unfair to him or not?"

Translated by Yun Samean for RFA Khmer. Edited by Matt Reed and Roseanne Gerin.

Copyright 1998-2023, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036. For any commercial use of RFA content please send an email to: mahajanr@rfa.org. RFA content December not be used in a manner which would give the appearance of any endorsement of any product or support of any issue or political position. Please read the full text of our Terms of Use.

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Tehran Appears To Criticize Moscow's Stance On Persian Gulf Islands

By RFE/RL's Radio Farda December 22, 2023

Ali Akbar Velayati, the senior adviser to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has apparently criticized Russia's position on the long-standing dispute over Iran's sovereignty of three strategic islands in the Persian Gulf.

Velayati, a former foreign minister of Iran and now a key international affairs adviser, expressed regret over the Russian Foreign Ministry's stance, suggesting it undermines Moscow's credibility with Tehran.

Speaking on December 21, Velayati warned countries embroiled in political and military disputes to approach their relations with the Islamic republic with greater caution, in apparent reference to Russia and its ongoing invasion of Ukraine.

Iran has had a decades-long territorial dispute with the United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.) over the Persian Gulf islands of Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb, and Abu Musa.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, in a meeting with Arab counterparts earlier this week, said the dispute over the islands should be mediated by international organizations and urged Iran to enter negotiations over the islands, apparently signaling that Russia was supporting the U.A.E.'s claims.

The dispute over the islands dates back to 1971, when Iran's Imperial Navy reclaimed control of the islands days before the U.A.E.'s formation and just as the British Navy was withdrawing from the Persian Gulf.

Since then, the U.A.E. has continually contested Iran's sovereignty over these islands, although it has refrained from military action.

The U.A.E.'s claims are based on past administrative control over the islands by the Sharjah emirate -- one of the emirates that make up the U.A.E. -- while Iran cites agreements linked to the British withdrawal from the Gulf.

The islands have high strategic value, being situated near vital shipping lanes and potential oil reserves.

Iran has provided Russia with weapons for Moscow's invasion of Ukraine, mainly the Shahed-131 and Shahed-136 drones that have been used regularly to attack civilian and infrastructure targets in Ukraine.

Written by Ardeshir Tayebi based on an original story in Persian by RFE/RL's Radio Farda

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-russia-persian-gulf- islands/32743248.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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The Azadi Briefing: Taliban's Hydropower Plans Raise Concerns In Pakistan

By Abubakar Siddique December 22, 2023

The Key Issue

Plans by the Afghan Taliban to build a hydroelectric dam on a major river in eastern Afghanistan have raised concerns in neighboring Pakistan.

A spokesman for the Taliban's Water and Energy Ministry said on December 18 that the "survey and design of the project are complete." Matiullah Abid told RFE/RL's Radio Azadi that construction of the dam on the Kunar River would begin when "funds are available."

A Pakistani provincial minister said the unilateral decision by the Taliban to build the dam "will be considered a hostile act against Pakistan."

Jan Achakzai, the provincial information minister in the southwestern province of Balochistan, warned of "severe consequences," including "escalating tensions and potential conflict."

The 480-kilometer-long Kunar River originates in the Hindu Kush mountains in northeastern Afghanistan and merges with the Kabul River before flowing downstream into Pakistan.

Why It's Important: Afghanistan's rivers are a significant source of fresh water for Pakistan. But the two neighbors have never signed a bilateral water-sharing agreement.

Disputes over Kabul's plans to build dams on major rivers, which would reduce the flow of water to Pakistan, threaten to be a source of tension and conflict between the two countries.

The planned hydroelectric dam on the Kunar River is the latest ambitious infrastructure project undertaken by the cash-strapped Taliban government, which remains internationally unrecognized.

Experts said the extremist group lacks the expertise and finances to fund the project. "Constructing dams requires technical know-how, a robust supply chain, and a lot of money," said Najib Aqa Fahim, an Afghan water-management expert.

Najibullah Sadid, another Afghan water expert, said the dam on the Kunar River is relatively small and will not threaten water flows to Pakistan.

"Pakistani officials are exaggerating the dam's impact," he told Radio Azadi. "It will be a small dam aimed at generating electricity, which will store little water."

What's Next: The Taliban's hydropower plans could exacerbate tensions between the Afghan Taliban and Pakistan.

The longtime allies have fallen out over the Afghan extremist group's alleged sheltering of the Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militant group, which has waged a yearslong insurgency against Islamabad.

Pakistan has been accused of using pressure tactics to force the Taliban to sever ties with the TTP, including by expelling hundreds of thousands of Afghan refugees from Pakistan, shutting key border crossings, and blocking Afghan transit goods in recent months.

What To Keep An Eye On

It has been one year since the Taliban banned women from attending all public and private universities in Afghanistan, in a move that attracted widespread condemnation.

Afghan women, speaking to Radio Azadi, described the toll of the ban. "When I see boys continuing their education, I lose all hope and wish that I was not born a girl," said Spozhmai, who was a medical student in Kabul.

Saira, a medical student in the western city of Herat, said she cannot bear seeing her male classmates graduate, while she was largely confined to staying at home.

Why It's Important: Despite growing international pressure, the Taliban appears unlikely to reverse its severe restrictions on female education.

The extremist group has also banned girls above the sixth grade from attending school.

Without lifting the restrictions, the Taliban is unlikely to gain international recognition or legitimacy among Afghans.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/azadi-pakistan-taliban- hydroelectric-dam-afghanistan-siddique-briefing/32743288.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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Taliban Bans Books From Minority Muslim Sects In Private University Libraries

By RFE/RL's Radio Azadi December 22, 2023

In its latest restriction on religious freedom, the Taliban's Ministry of Higher Education has ordered all private universities in Afghanistan to remove religious books that do not conform to the Sunni Hanafi sect it follows.

Speaking to RFE/RL's Radio Azadi On December 22, Mir Zafaruddin Ansari, a lecturer at one of the private universities, confirmed that the ministry's guidance department had sent a letter to all the private universities.

He said the letter urged them to remove all books that "oppose the Hanafi jurisprudence or can foment opposition to its tenets."

The Taliban has ordered libraries "to remove books belonging to the Shi'ite sect, Hizb ut-Tahrir, and Salafists," he said.

Shi'a make up nearly 15 percent of Afghanistan's population and are the second-largest Islamic sect after Sunnis. Hizb ut-Tahrir is a contemporary Islamist group that was banned in many countries for its extremist beliefs. Salafists are a sect within Sunni Islam.

"I think a government delegation will supervise the removal of these books and punish those who fail to act on it," Ansari said.

A student in one of the private universities in the Afghan capital, Kabul, opposed the move.

"This will limit our efforts to learn about other religions and sects," he said.

Since the Taliban's return to power two years ago, rights watchdogs and members of the religious minority communities in Afghanistan have accused the group of discrimination and persecution.

Leaders of the tiny Salafist sect allege that the Taliban has tortured and persecuted its members by accusing them of supporting the IS-Khorasan, a splinter of the Islamic State group.

Some members of Afghanistan's predominantly Shi'ite Hazara ethnic group have accused the Taliban of systematic discrimination by preventing them from freely practicing their faith.

Most members of Afghanistan's once thriving Sikh and Hindu minority had already fled the country before the Taliban returned to power. Those still living in the country say they are struggling with strict restrictions imposed on them.

Afghanistan's last Jew, Zalon Simintov, fled the country soon after the Taliban seized power in August 2021.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/afghanistan-taliban-religious- minorities/32743636.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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An officer with the Great Barrington Police Department in Massachussets entered W.E.B. Dubois Regional Middle School on December 9 to search for an LGBTQ-themed book that they suspected was there. Police say a complaint had come from someone "who witnessed what they perceived to be concerning illustrations," but the book, identified as "Gender Queer: A Memoir" by Maia Kobabe, was not found at the school.

School officials and police later determined the illustration was part of Maia Kobabe's "Gender Queer: A Memoir," Storti told CNN. The graphic memoir examines the non-binary author's journey with identity, and it has been one of the most banned or challenged books from school libraries in recent years

Police chief Paul Storti apologized, vaguely, later, after his force's hysterial reaction to the least sexy cartoon blow job in literary history went viral.

"As the Chief of Police for the Great Barrington Police Department, I apologize to anyone who was negatively effected by our involvement at the W.E.B. Dubois Middle School on December 8, 2023," Storti said.

School officials also apologized.

"Faced with an unprecedented police investigation of what should be a purely educational issue, we tried our best to serve the interests of students, families, teachers, and staff. In hindsight, we would have approached that moment differently. We are sorry. We can do better to refine and support our existing policies. We are committed to supporting all our students, particularly vulnerable populations," Dillon and Bannon wrote.

Notwithstanding the horrifying prospect of armed agents of the state searching schools for books they don't want people to read, what a fantastic last-minute gift for the new queer in your life and for our holiday season referral link analytics.

"Gender Queer: A Memoir" by Maia Kobabe [Amazon]
Nagorno-Karabakh Separatist Leader Says Dissolution Decree Not Valid

By RFE/RL's Armenian Service December 22, 2023

The leader of Nagorno-Karabakh separatists ousted from the breakaway Azerbaijani region in September said on December 22 that a decree he signed on the dissolution of separatist institutions was no longer valid.

The separatist leader, Samvel Shahramanian, signed the decree ordering the dissolution of Nagorno-Karabakh's institutions by January 1, 2024. The breakaway republic "will cease to exist," by the year's end, the decree said.

But Shahramanian on December 22 rolled back the announcement in comments he made in Yerevan.

"There is no document...of the Republic of Artsakh [Karabakh] stipulating the dissolution of government institutions," he said.

Vladimir Grigorian, an adviser to Shahramanian, told RFE/RL in an interview that the basis for this was a subsequent decree signed on October 19 under which top officials of Nagorno-Karabakh's de facto government, including the president, government ministers, judges, members of parliament, the secretary of the Security Council, law enforcement agencies, the mayor of Stepanakert, and the heads of administrative districts, "continue to hold office on a public basis, that is, without pay."

He added that in the view of the separatists, the October 19 decree canceled the decree Shahramanian signed on September 28.

"In other words, the Republic of Artsakh, the government and all other bodies in 2024, they will continue their activities after January 1," Grigorian said.

Asked whether this interpretation could be problematic from a legal standpoint, Grigorian said the decision was illegal from the beginning, and since then the decree signed on October 19 has been continued and a number of legal normative acts had also been adopted.

He said this "implies that the Republic of Artsakh in 2024-25 will happen, because the Republic of Artsakh is dissolved only by the people's referendum, and no person, not even the president, has such powers and rights to dissolve the republic."

He added that there was no need to wait for a new decree from Shahramanian.

Neither Baku nor Yerevan have commented on the statement.

Armenia and Azerbaijan have fought two wars in the last three decades over the region, which had been a majority-ethnic-Armenian enclave within the internationally recognized border of Azerbaijan since the Soviet collapse.

When Shahramanian signed the decree on September 28, he said the move was prompted by the situation created after Azerbaijan took complete control of the region.

Azerbaijan sent troops to Nagorno-Karabakh on September 19, and after just one day of fighting, Armenian separatist forces who had controlled the region for three decades surrendered.

Azerbaijan's victory marked the end of the territorial dispute, and since then the two sides have made steps toward normalizing relations and reaching a peace agreement based on mutual recognition of territorial integrity.

Earlier this month they agreed to a prisoner exchange and other goodwill steps.

European Council President Charles Michel hailed the agreement as a "major breakthrough" in Armenian-Azerbaijani relations.

The developments raised hopes for reviving face-to-face talks between Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.

The pair have met several times for normalization talks mediated by Michel, but the process has been on hold since October.

With reporting by AFP

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/armenia-azerbaijan- separatists-decree/32743775.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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Joint Statement on Multinational Security Support Mission Pre-Planning Conference

US Department of State

Media Note

Office of the Spokesperson

December 22, 2023

The text of the following statement was released by the Governments of the United States of America, the Republic of Kenya the Republic of Haiti, and Jamaica on the occasion of the Multinational Security Support Mission Pre-Planning Conference, 14th to 15th December 2023.

The delegations of Kenya, Haiti, and the United States held a joint pre-planning conference on the Multinational Security Support mission (MSS) to Haiti on 14th to 15th December 2023 in Nairobi, Kenya. The Jamaica delegation joined the pre-planning conference virtually. The MSS seeks to address the dire security crisis caused by gang violence in Haiti. This novel mechanism requires careful planning as well as the establishment of organizational structures and development of a shared understanding of the security environment. The objective of the pre-planning conference was to convene key stakeholders and strengthen communications as we coordinate next steps of the MSS. The Haitian delegation briefed on the situation in Haiti, highlighting the political and socio-economic crises. They also conveyed that the country faces troubling levels of gang violence, transnational crime, gender-based violence, internally displaced people, and a slowdown in socio-economic activity. Haiti welcomed all contributing countries for their readiness to support Haiti. Haiti also commended Kenya's willingness to lead the multinational mission in demonstration of its commitment and solidarity with the government and people of Haiti. During the pre-planning conference, the Kenyan delegation briefed on its National Security Council's endorsement, Cabinet ratification, and parliamentary approval on preparations for deployment of personnel. The Kenyan delegation acknowledged a pending court case to be determined in January 2024. Kenya was lauded for the preparations so far including taking lead in the development of key documents (pre-deployment training curriculum, Concept of Operations (CONOPS), Discipline and Use of Force (DUF) and securing Cabinet and parliamentary authorization for the deployment. In response to Haiti's urgent call for security assistance, the United Nations Security Council authorized member states to deploy a Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission to Haiti through the adoption of United Nations Security Council Resolution 2699 (2023) on 2 October 2023. The resolution, under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations, authorizes member states to form and deploy the MSS mission, in close cooperation and coordination with the Government of Haiti, for an initial period of 12 months from the date of adoption of the resolution. The MSS is authorized to provide operational support to the Haitian National Police (HNP) by increasing its capacity through the planning and conduct of joint security support operations, supporting the provision of security for critical infrastructure and transit locations, as well as ensuring unhindered and safe access to humanitarian aid. The MSS seeks to assist the HNP to stabilize security conditions conducive to holding inclusive, free and fair elections in Haiti. The MSS mission is multinational in nature. We urge the international community to provide robust financial contributions, equipment, personnel, and other logistical support that are flexible and accessible, all of which are critical to achieving the MSS mission mandate. The United Nations is establishing a Trust Fund to receive donor contributions. The conference commended Jamaica for leading planning and pre-deployment efforts for CARICOM, and lauded CARICOM involvement in the MSS and the Eminent Persons Group for the role played in the region. The conference also welcomed CARICOM's commitment to offer personnel to the MSS mission. CARICOM member states remain vital partners due to their proximity to Haiti, common culture, and heritage. Regional support is paramount to ensure a successful MSS mission. The conference further stressed the need for pre-deployment training and robust accountability mechanisms to prevent human rights violations, protect vulnerable groups, promote rule of law and help Haitian National Police (HNP) to create a safe and secure environment in Haiti that facilitates the delivery of life-sustaining water, fuel, food, and medical supplies.

15th Day of December 2023, in Nairobi, Kenya

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Secretary Blinken's Meeting with Danish Foreign Minister Lkke Rasmussen

US Department of State

Readout

Office of the Spokesperson

December 22, 2023

The below is attributable to Spokesperson Matthew Miller:

Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken and Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lkke Rasmussen yesterday in Washington and signed the U.S.-Denmark Defense Cooperation Agreement. The two also reaffirmed their commitment to supporting Ukraine against Russia's war of aggression. They underscored the shared commitment of the United States and Denmark as NATO Allies to strengthen transatlantic security and to ensure Sweden's swift accession to NATO.

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Today, 22 December 2023, the UK voted in favour of United Nations Security Council resolution 2720 calling for expanded humanitarian access in Gaza.

22 December 2023

Foreign Secretary David Cameron said:

It is good news that the UN has come together to back a resolution to get more humanitarian aid into Gaza.

The UK is doing everything it can to get more aid in, as I saw when I visited Al Arish in Egypt, near the border with Gaza, this week. People across Gaza urgently need food, medicine and shelter. We have consistently argued for more aid and called on Israel to open more border crossings.

As well as the need for expanded humanitarian access, the UN resolution today demands the immediate and unconditional release of hostages. This is vital.

Crucially, the resolution also calls for steps towards a sustainable ceasefire. This is an outcome that I advocated for last week along with the German Foreign Minister and strongly think is the right approach.

A sustainable ceasefire must mean that Hamas is no longer there, able to threaten Israel with rocket attacks and other forms of terrorism.

This resolution repeats so many of the points we have been making: the importance of complying with international humanitarian law. The need to reduce civilian casualties and it also backs a two-state solution that would be the best long-term guarantee of security and stability for both Israel and the Palestinian people.

We thank the UAE for their leadership on this resolution.
The UK is doing everything we can to get more aid into Gaza: UK statement at the UN Security Council

Explanation of vote by Ambassador Barbara Woodward at the UN Security Council meeting on Gaza.

22 December 2023

President, the United Kingdom welcomes the adoption of this resolution to get more aid into Gaza.

As my Foreign Secretary has said, it is heartbreaking to see children in the rubble of their destroyed homes, not knowing where to find food or water, not knowing where their parents are. It is also heartbreaking to hear the stories of families who still do not know the whereabouts of their loved ones who were brutally taken on 7 October.

And it is heart wrenching to know that aid is piling up outside Gaza but not getting to the people that need it when we hear daily warnings that people are starving, disease is spreading, and basic healthcare is lacking.

The UK is doing everything we can to get more aid in.

We have tripled UK aid to the region.

We were the first country to call on Israel to open more crossings.

The UK has experts on the ground providing logistical support at Al-Arish in Egypt.

And today, we support this resolution which will streamline aid checks so we can massively scale up the humanitarian response; demands the immediate and unconditional release of hostages; and calls for steps towards a sustainable cessation of hostilities.

For the avoidance of doubt, we are clear that the resolution is without prejudice to the rights and obligations of the parties under international humanitarian law.

The adoption is an important signal of the Security Council's commitment.

President, our actions today, and in the future, must help ensure the horror of 7 October never happens again. We unequivocally condemn Hamas's acts of terror and support Israel's right to self defence.

My Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary have been loud and clear in their calls for a sustainable ceasefire, as soon as possible. But a ceasefire will not last if Hamas is still able to operate in tunnels and launch rocket attacks.

Our commitment to Israel's security is firm as Israel deals with the threat from Hamas.

Ultimately, we support a two-state solution that guarantees true security and stability for both the Israeli and Palestinian people.

We thank the UAE for their leadership on this resolution.

Just this week, my Foreign Secretary and the Minister for the Middle East travelled to Jordan and Egypt to make sure we are supporting every effort to get aid in faster.

We will keep working with all partners to deliver a humanitarian response that meets the huge level of need.

I thank you.

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Statement by UNICEF on the risk of famine in the Gaza Strip

UNICEF

Latest IPC report warns that acute food insecurity puts all children under five in the Gaza Strip335,000at high risk of severe malnutrition and preventable death

22 December 2023

NEW YORK, 22 December 2023 -- "Yesterday, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) warned the world of the very high risk of famine in the Gaza Strip, increasing every day if the situation persists. Specifically, the IPC report said at least 1 in 4 households in the Gaza Strip, or more than half a million people, are facing catastrophic levels of acute food insecurity, the highest level of warning.

"These entirely manmade, foreseeable, and preventable catastrophic conditions mean that children and families in the Gaza Strip are now facing violence from the air, and deprivation from the groundwith potentially the worst yet to come.

"The report also said that almost 1.2 million people are experiencing emergency levels of acute food insecurity and acknowledged that famine thresholds for acute food insecurity have already been exceeded. In short, this means for many families in Gaza, the threat of dying from hunger is already real.

"These findings imply that all children under five in the Gaza Strip335,000are at high risk of severe malnutrition and preventable death as the risk of famine conditions continues to increase. UNICEF estimates that in the coming weeks, at least 10,000 children under five years will suffer the most life-threatening form of malnutrition, known as severe wasting, and will need therapeutic foods.

"This unacceptable risk comes at a time when the Gaza Strip's food and health systems are facing complete collapse. More than 80 per cent of young children are experiencing severe food poverty, and more than two-thirds of hospitals are no longer functioning because of the lack of fuel, water, and vital medical supplies or because they sustained catastrophic damage in attacks.

"We are also particularly concerned about the nutrition of over 155,000 pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers, as well as for over 135,000 children under two, given their specific nutrition needs, which are compounded by stress and trauma.

"Importantly, however, the IPC has emphasized that these conditions do not have to persist. Yesterday's warning of famine in the coming weeks and months can still be averted. But we must act now.

"We need an immediate and long-lasting humanitarian ceasefire so that humanitarian actors can support the strengthening and restoring of essential services across the Gaza Strip, allowing vulnerable children to meet their basic nutrition and health needs. These include the provision of infant milk, food and nutrient supplements, and ready-to-use therapeutic foods for the early prevention, detection and treatment of severe malnutrition, as well as water, medical supplies and fuel, and resumption of commercial traffic.

"We need the restoration of critical infrastructure, including hospitals, so young children, pregnant women and injured patients can safely access life-saving treatment and care.

"Finally, we need all parties to immediately and fully respect international humanitarian law, including the principles of distinction and proportionality, and to take all necessary precautions to protect the civilian population, to release all hostages, and to meet their obligations to ensure children are protected and assisted."

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Security Council adopts key resolution on Gaza crisis

22 December 2023 - The Security Council has adopted a resolution on the ongoing crisis in Gaza, with 13 votes in favour, and the US and Russia abstaining. The resolution, among others demands immediate, safe and unhindered delivery of humanitarian assistance at scale directly to the Palestinian civilian population throughout the Gaza Strip.

In the resolution, the Security Council reaffirmed the obligations of the parties to the conflict under international humanitarian law, especially regarding the protection of civilians and civilian objects, safety of humanitarian personnel, and the provision of humanitarian assistance.

The Council demanded that the parties "allow, facilitate and enable" the immediate, safe and unhindered delivery of humanitarian assistance at scale directly to the Palestinian civilian population throughout the Gaza Strip.

It also requested the UN Secretary-General to appoint a Senior Humanitarian and Reconstruction Coordinator with responsibility for "facilitating, coordinating, monitoring, and verifying" in Gaza, as appropriate, the humanitarian nature of all relief consignments to the enclave provided through States that are not party to the conflict.

It also called for the "expeditious" establishment of a UN mechanism to accelerate aid consignments to Gaza through States that are not party to the conflict, to expedite, streamline and accelerate assistance while continuing to help ensure that aid reaches its civilian destination.

The resolution

Security Council resolution 2720 (2023) The Security Council, Reaffirming the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, Recalling all of its relevant resolutions, particularly resolution 2712 (2023), which, inter alia, demands that all parties comply with their obligations under international law, notably with regard to the protection of civilians, calls for urgent and extended humanitarian pauses and corridors throughout the Gaza Strip for a sufficient number of days to enable full, rapid, safe, and unhindered humanitarian access and to enable urgent rescue and recovery efforts, and calls for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages, as well as ensuring immediate humanitarian access, Reaffirming that all parties to conflicts must adhere to their obligations under international law, including international humanitarian law and international human rights law, as applicable, Stressing that the Gaza Strip constitutes an integral part of the territory occupied in 1967, and reiterating the vision of the two-State solution, with the Gaza Strip as part of the Palestinian State, Expressing deep concern at the dire and rapidly deteriorating humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip and its grave impact on the civilian population, underlining the urgent need for full, rapid, safe, and unhindered humanitarian access into and throughout the entire Gaza Strip, and taking note of the concerning reports from the leadership of the United Nations and humanitarian organizations in this regard, reaffirming its strong concern for the disproportionate effect that the conflict is having on the lives and well-being of children, women, and other civilians in vulnerable situations, and stressing the humanitarian principles of humanity, impartiality, neutrality, and independence, Stressing the obligation to respect and protect humanitarian relief and medical personnel, Reaffirming its call for all parties to refrain from depriving the civilian population in the Gaza Strip of basic services and humanitarian assistance indispensable to their survival, consistent with international humanitarian law, Commending the indispensable and ongoing efforts of the United Nations, its specialized agencies and all humanitarian and medical personnel in the Gaza Strip to alleviate the impact of the conflict on the people in the Gaza Strip, and expressing condolences for all civilians, including humanitarian and medical personnel, killed in the course of this conflict, Welcoming the efforts of Egypt to facilitate the use of the Rafah Border crossing by United Nations humanitarian agencies and their implementing partners for the provision of humanitarian assistance for people in need throughout the Gaza Strip, Taking note of the 15 December 2023 decision by the Government of Israel to open its crossing at Karem Abu Salem / Kerem Shalom for direct delivery of humanitarian assistance to Palestinian civilians in Gaza, which should ease congestion and help facilitate the provision of life-saving assistance to those who urgently need it, and emphasizing the need to continue working closely with all relevant parties to expand the delivery and distribution of humanitarian assistance, while confirming its humanitarian nature and ensuring that it reaches its civilian destination, Encouraging engagement with relevant states in the implementation of this resolution, Welcoming the implementation of a recent 'humanitarian pause' in the Gaza Strip, and expressing appreciation for the diplomatic efforts of Egypt, the State of Qatar, and other states in this regard, and also expressing grave concerns as to the impact the resumption of hostilities has had on civilians, Recognizing that the civilian population in the Gaza Strip must have access to sufficient quantities of assistance that they need, including enough food, water, sanitation, electricity, telecommunications and medical services essential for their survival, and that the provision of humanitarian supplies in the Gaza Strip needs to be sufficient to alleviate the massive humanitarian needs of the Palestinian civilian population throughout the Gaza Strip, and recognizing the importance of resuming commercial imports of essential goods and services into the Gaza Strip, Welcoming financial contributions and pledges by member states in support of the civilian population in Gaza, and taking note of the International Humanitarian Conference for the Civilian Population of Gaza held in Paris on 9 November 2023 and its follow-up meeting on 6 December 2023, 1. Reiterates its demand that all parties to the conflict comply with their obligations under international law, including international humanitarian law, including with regard to the conduct of hostilities and the protection of civilians and civilian objects, humanitarian access, and the protection of humanitarian personnel and their freedom of movement, and the duty, as applicable, of ensuring the food and medical supplies, among others, of the population, recalls that civilian and humanitarian facilities, including hospitals, medical facilities, schools, places of worship, and facilities of the UN, as well as humanitarian personnel, and medical personnel, and their means of transport, must be respected and protected, according to international humanitarian law, and affirms that nothing in this resolution absolves the parties of these obligations; 2. Reaffirms the obligations of the parties to the conflict under international humanitarian law regarding the provision of humanitarian assistance, demands that they allow, facilitate and enable the immediate, safe and unhindered delivery of humanitarian assistance at scale directly to the Palestinian civilian population throughout the Gaza Strip, and in this regard calls for urgent steps to immediately allow safe, unhindered, and expanded humanitarian access and to create the conditions for a sustainable cessation of hostilities; 3. Demands that the parties to the conflict allow and facilitate the use of all available routes to and throughout the entire Gaza Strip, including border crossings, including full and prompt implementation of the announced opening of the Karem Abu Salem / Kerem Shalom Border Crossing, for the provision of humanitarian assistance in order to ensure that humanitarian personnel and humanitarian assistance, including fuel, food, and medical supplies and emergency shelter assistance, reaches the civilian population in need throughout the Gaza Strip without diversion and through the most direct routes, as well as for material and equipment to repair and ensure the functioning of critical infrastructure and to provide essential services, without prejudice to the obligations of the parties to the conflict under international humanitarian law, and stresses the importance of respecting and protecting border crossings and maritime infrastructure used for the delivery of humanitarian assistance at scale; 4. Requests the Secretary-General, with the objective of expediting the delivery of humanitarian assistance to the civilian population in the Gaza Strip, to appoint a Senior Humanitarian and Reconstruction Coordinator with responsibility for facilitating, coordinating, monitoring, and verifying in Gaza, as appropriate, the humanitarian nature of all humanitarian relief consignments to Gaza provided through states which are not party to the conflict, and further requests that the Coordinator expeditiously establish a UN mechanism for accelerating the provision of humanitarian relief consignments to Gaza through states which are not party to the conflict, consulting all relevant parties, with the goal of expediting, streamlining, and accelerating the process of providing assistance while continuing to help ensure that aid reaches its civilian destination, and demands that the parties to the conflict cooperate with the Coordinator to fulfill their mandate without delay or obstruction; 5. Requests that the Coordinator be appointed expeditiously; 6. Determines that the Coordinator will have the necessary personnel and equipment in Gaza, under the authority of the United Nations, to perform these, and other functions as determined by the Security Council, and requests that the Coordinator report to the Security Council on its work, with an initial report within 20 days and thereafter every 90 days through 30 September 2024; 7. Demands the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages, as well as ensuring humanitarian access to address medical needs of all hostages; 8. Demands the provision of fuel to Gaza at levels that will meet requisite humanitarian needs; 9. Calls for all parties to adhere to international humanitarian law and in this regard deplores all attacks against civilians and civilian objects, as well as all violence and hostilities against civilians, and all acts of terrorism; 10. Reaffirms the obligations of all parties under international humanitarian law, including with regard to respecting and protecting civilians and taking constant care to spare civilian objects, including such objects critical to the delivery of essential services to the civilian population, and with regard to refraining from attacking, destroying, removing or rendering useless objects that are indispensable to the survival of the civilian population, as well as respecting and protecting humanitarian personnel and consignments used for humanitarian relief operations; 11. Reaffirms that civilian objects, including places of refuge, including within United Nations facilities and their surroundings, are protected under international humanitarian law, and rejects forced displacement of the civilian population, including children, in violation of international law, including international humanitarian law and international human rights law; 12. Reiterates its unwavering commitment to the vision of the two-State solution where two democratic States, Israel and Palestine, live side by side in peace within secure and recognized borders, consistent with international law and relevant UN resolutions, and in this regard stresses the importance of unifying the Gaza Strip with the West Bank under the Palestinian Authority; 13. Demands that all parties to the conflict take all appropriate steps to ensure the safety and security of United Nations and associated personnel, those of its specialized agencies, and all other personnel engaged in humanitarian relief activities consistent with international humanitarian law, without prejudice to their freedom of movement and access, stresses the need not to hinder these efforts, and recalls that humanitarian relief personnel must be respected and protected; 14. Demands implementation of resolution 2712 (2023) in full, requests the Secretary-General to report to the Security Council in writing within five working days of the adoption of this resolution on the implementation of resolution 2712 (2023), and thereafter as necessary, and calls upon all parties concerned to make full use of the humanitarian notification and deconfliction mechanisms in place to protect all humanitarian sites, including UN facilities, and to help facilitate the movement of aid convoys, without prejudice to the obligations of the parties to uphold international humanitarian law; 15. Requests the Secretary-General to report on the implementation of this resolution in the regular reporting to the Council; 16. Decides to remain actively seized of the matter.

1:43 PM

With all speakers having delivered their statements, the President of the Security Council adjourned the meeting

1:33 PM

Step in the right direction: Egypt

Egyptian Ambassador and Permanent Representative Osama Mahmoud Abdelkhalek Mahmoud welcomed the adoption of the resolution, "a step in the right direction" to address the humanitarian impact of the war and ensure that aid will be delivered unhindered through a UN supervised mechanism.

The representative also thanked the Secretary-General for invoking Article 99 of the United Nations Charter, before saluting the staff of the UN agency assisting Palestine refugees (UNRWA) their sacrifice on the ground.

Now that the Security Council has secured a resolution, UN agencies and bodies must implement it without delay by drawing up a comprehensive plan for a functioning mechanism in cooperation with the international community, he said.

But first of all, we must oblige Israel to a cease-fire, he added, asking the Security Council to act on a binding resolution calling for a comprehensive ceasefire.

That is the will of the international community, he indicated, recalling the 153 votes in favour of the resolution adopted by the General Assembly on 12 December. He also insisted on the importance of resuming the negotiations to establish a Palestinian state.

"This is the only path to ensure a comprehensive peace in the region", he said.

1:29 PM

Hostages must be at the top of Council's agenda: Israel

Brett Jonathan Miller, Ambassador and Deputy Permanent Representative of Israel, said while it took the Security Council one day to condemn a terrorist attack against police officers in Iran, 77 days have passed since Hamas attacked and murdered 1,300 civilians in Israel and took 250 hostages, "this Council still has yet to issue a single statement condemning Hamas and their atrocities."

"In addition to the Council's inability to condemn Hamas' attack, the 130 hostages, women children and the elderly, are still being held in Gaza and must not be allowed to become a footnote," he said.

"Humanitarian aid is pouring into Gaza every single day, yet the hostages being held by Hamas are not even allowed visits by the Red Cross. This is the most heinous war crime imaginable," he added, stressing that the hostages must be at the top of the Council's agenda.

Ambassador Miller went on to inform Council members that Israel is already facilitating hundreds of truckloads of aid into Gaza every day and that it is also willing and able to "exponentially increase" the entry of aid trucks into the enclave, noting the opening of the Karem Shalom crossing and the entry of dozens of trucks of aid that arrived from Jordan.

"The only roadblock for aid entry is the UN's ability to accept them," he said, stating that enhancing UN monitoring or coordination of aid "is not a cure all" and that it cannot be done at the expense of Israel's security inspections.

"Israel not only has a right, but also an obligation to guarantee its security," he added, noting that its security inspection of aid "will not change."

1:14 PM

Facing death every single day: Palestine

Riyad Mansour, Permanent Observer of the Observer State of Palestine, said that the Security Council first met to address the crisis when hundreds of Palestinians had been killed by Israel.

"The Council is now meeting after over 20,000 Palestinians have been killed, almost half of them children and 60,000 wounded, and two million Palestinians have been forcefully displaced," he said, adding that it is meeting now as homes, shelters, schools and hospitals have been destroyed, and as hunger and disease are spreading "like wildfire".

He stated that the Arab and Organization for Islamic Cooperation (OIC) groups, with support of an overwhelming number of UN Member States had been mobilizing for three objectives, an immediate ceasefire, humanitarian assistance at scale, and no forced displacement.

"We meet today as part of the continuous efforts to advance these goals," he said, noting that the "inhumane and criminal Israeli siege" and the use of vital humanitarian "as a method of war" must end immediately.

"What we are dealing with is an attempt at the destruction of our people and their displacement forever from their land," he said, adding "this is Israel's goal, its true objective, no future for Palestinians in Palestine."

"That is why it is bombing everyone and everything," he said.

Noting that "death is everywhere" in Gaza, Mr. Mansour said that the resolution is intended to alleviate the suffering of civilians. He welcomed the provision to establish a UN mechanism to accelerate the provision of humanitarian relief consignments and call for its rapid implementation.

"This resolution is a step in the right direction. It must be implemented and must be accompanied by massive pressure for an immediate ceasefire," he added.

1:09 PM

Aid must be delivered in sufficient quantity: Ecuador

Speaking in his national capacity, Jose Javier De La Gasca, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Ecuador, the President of the Security Council for December, said that the vote was the outcome of careful negotiations, good faith and constructive spirit.

"The humanitarian situation in Gaza is disastrous. During our visit last week, we saw so many people suffering and the alleviation of their suffering must be our priority," he said.

The resolution, he said, aims to significantly increase the quality of aid and calls for the necessary steps to make it possible.

"For Ecuador, it is of vital importance that humanitarian aid be delivered in sufficient quantity," he said, noting that the resolution should be seen as an additional step towards the urgent need for a ceasefire.

He also underscored the demand for unconditional release of all hostages, reiterating his country's "robust condemnation" of the 7 October attacks by Hamas.

Ambassador De La Gasca also highlighted the importance of the two-State solution, "it is the only path to peace and security" in the region.

1:02 PM

Resolution unblocks lifesaving aid: UAE

Ambassador Nusseibeh of UAE welcomed the adoption of the resolution and the support of the Security Council.

"We believe the resolution begins to unblock lifesaving aid whose denial has condemned half a million people in Gaza to famine," she said, emphasizing that the text "compels" the international community to finally share the burden that Egypt has been shouldering.

"It commits all of us to breaking the cruel blockade strangling Gaza for the last 16 years," she added.

In her address, Ambassador Nusseibeh also called for urgent action to save the two-State solution, noting that the resolution gives an opportunity to demonstrate "at the very least" the world will not tolerate the continued depravation of the people of Gaza from basic necessities.

"It puts in place a system necessary now and that will remain necessary when the war ends," she said, adding "we are all responsible for making sure it works."

12:54 PM

A tragic moment for the Security Council: Russia

Russian Ambassador Nebenzia recalled the amendment proposed by his delegation and said that the vote on it was a moment of truth.

He expressed regret that the Security Council did not find the courage to support at least the minimum call for an end to the violence in Gaza, and it instead signed up for a "license to kill" Palestinian civilians.

"This is a tragic moment for the Council, not a moment of triumph for multilateral diplomacy, but rather one of gross unprincipled blackmail and open scorn on part of Washington for the suffering of Palestinians and the hopes of the global community," he said.

He went on to note that if the draft resolution had not been supported by a number of Arab States, Russia would certainly have vetoed it.

Adding that Arab States are able to take decisions and bear responsibility, he underscored "categorical" disagreement with the contents of the resolution.

Ambassador Nebenzia also emphasized that the Security Council's clear demand for a full ceasefire remains an imperative, and that without it, the implementation of Council decisions in Gaza is simply impossible.

No matter how the US resists, shielding their main ally in the Middle East region, the Security Council will be back to clearly and unequivocally demand a cessation of hostilities, he said.

12:43 PM

Protect humanitarian, medical personnel: France

French Ambassador and Deputy Permanent Representative Nathalie Broadhurst Estival, said that the resolution calls for urgent measures to be taken to create the conditions for a lasting cessation of hostilities.

"We would have preferred the Council to speak more ambitiously on this subject," she said, noting that on Thursday, the President of France recalled the crucial importance of immediately working towards a ceasefire which alone will allow the reopening of an essential political horizon.

She underscored the importance of international humanitarian law, and said that it must be applied in all circumstances, as well as guarantee complete protection and access for humanitarian and medical personnel.



This Council must also condemn in the strongest terms the terrorist attacks committed by Hamas and other terrorist groups on October 7, including the sexual violence they used to dehumanize and terrorize their victims, the French Ambassador said.

"It is incomprehensible that this Council has still not been able to do so. It should do so, it must do so, law and morality require it," she stressed.

12:32 PM

Effective implementation needed: China

Dai Bing, Ambassador and Deputy Permanent Representative of China, said his country welcomed the adoption of the resolution even though the adjustments do not meet our expectations.

Given the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, the resolution offers "at least a glimmer of hope" for more and faster delivery of aid to the enclave, he said, adding "whether this glimmer of hope can be truly felt by the people of Gaza in the midst of this disaster also depends on whether the resolution can be effectively implemented."

We expect action to expand humanitarian assistance in Gaza, including by the full use of Karem Shalom and the opening of other crossing points, the Ambassador said, while urging Israel to stop its collective punishment of the population of Gaza and insisting that realization of a cease fire remains the overriding goal.

This the reason why China voted for the Russian amendment, he added and expressed regret that it failed due to a veto.

12:20 PM

Parties to the conflict have obligations: UK

Barbara Woodward, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the United Kingdom (UK), recalled her country's humanitarian efforts to alleviate the suffering of civilians in the enclave.

She said the UK supported the resolution and that it will streamline aid checks so that humanitarian response can be massively scaled up. It also demands the immediate and unconditional release of hostages as well as for steps towards a sustainable cessation of hostilities.

"For the avoidance of doubt, we are clear that the resolution is without prejudice to the rights and obligations of the parties under international humanitarian law," she said, noting that the adoption is an important signal of the Security Council's commitment.

"Our actions today and in the future must help ensure that the horror of the 7 October never happens again, we unequivocally condemn Hamas' acts of terror and support Israel's right to self defence," Ambassador Woodward said.

"Ultimately, we support the two-State solution that guarantees true security and stability for both Israeli and Palestinian people," she stated.

12:12 PM

A glimmer of hope: US

US Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield was the first to speak after the vote, describing the resolution as "a glimmer of hope amongst a sea of unimaginable suffering".

She said that since the start of the conflict, the US has worked tirelessly to alleviate the humanitarian crisis, to get lifesaving assistance into Gaza, to get hostages out of the enclave, and to push for the protection of innocent civilians and humanitarian workers, and to work towards a lasting peace.

"Today this Council made clear that all hostages must be released immediately and unconditionally and that humanitarian groups must be able to access hostages, including for medical visits," she said.

The Council made clear that all parties must respect international humanitarian law and that civilian, humanitarian and UN facilities, as well as humanitarian personnel and medical personnel, must be protected, she added.

While encouraged that the Council spoke out on the humanitarian crisis, Ms. Thomas-Greenfield said the US was "appalled" that it was again unable to condemn the horrific terrorist attacks committed by Hamas on 7 October.

12:10 PM

Resolution adopted

The Security Council has adopted the draft resolution, penned by the UAE, as Resolution 2720 (2023).

13 members voted in favour, US and Russia abstained

Voting results on the resolution:

In favour: 13

Against: 0

Abstain: 2 (Russia, US)

12:08 PM

Speaking in explanation of her vote on the amendment, US Ambassador and Permanent Representative Linda Thomas-Greenfield said her country did not support the proposal by Russia.

"We believe the humanitarian resolution before us calls for urgent steps to immediately allow safe, unhindered, and expanded humanitarian access and to create the conditions for a sustainable cessation of hostilities," she said.

"This is a strong step forward," she added.

12:06 PM

Amendment fails

An amendment proposed by Russia on the draft resolution failed, having received a negative vote by a permanent member of the Security Council, the United States.

Voting result for the amendment:

In favour: 10

Against: 1 (US)

Abstentions: 4

11:58 AM

Vassily A. Nebenzia, Russian Ambassador and Permanent Representative, questioned why is the vote constantly delayed on the UAE-proposed draft.

"The answer is very simple, the US under various pretexts has been dragging out the negotiating process, deviating from the normal transparent work,"

"Instead, they have resorted to their favoured tactic of gross pressure, blackmail, twisting arms, so that at the last minute, they can present the Security Council members with an ultimatum, either the Council adopts a text that is convenient for Washington or the US will block the adoption of any product," he added.

He said that the draft before the Council and being put to a vote today has been "extremely neutered", including in its operative paragraph 4 on the mechanism that was supposed to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid and ensure its monitoring.

"By signing off on this the Council would essentially be giving the Israeli armed forces complete freedom of movement for furthering clearing of the Gaza Strip, and anyone voting for the text as it is currently worded would bear responsibility for that," he said.

11:53 AM

Speaking before the vote, Lana Zaki Nusseibeh, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) highlighted the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza, warning over risks of a looming famine.

She noted that the draft resolution is the "product of extensive consultations and engagement between members of the Council, and concerned parties in particular Egypt and Palestine."



"The purpose of this text is very simple, it responds with action tot eh dire humanitarian situation on the ground for the Palestinian people bearing the brunt of this conflict, while protecting those trying to delivery live saving aid," she said.

"It demands the urgent release of the hostages, and humanitarian access to meet their medical needs," she added.

11:52 AM

Security Council Members are invited to speak in explanation of their vote, before the vote.

11:50 AM

Jose Javier De La Gasca, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Ecuador, which holds the Presidency of the Security Council for December called the meeting to order.

Egypt and Israel have been invited to the meeting, as has the been the Observer State of Palestine.

10:30 AM

Welcome to our live coverage on Friday, 22 December, as Security Council members are expected to convene at 11:30 AM (New York time) a possible vote on a draft resolution on the ongoing crisis in Gaza.

On Thursday, Council members continued their closed-doors consultations late into the evening.

United States Ambassador and Permanent Representative Linda Thomas-Greenfield emerged from the meeting, telling reporters that after working hard over the past week, her country was ready to vote on a draft resolution, if compromises made remained in the latest draft.

Follow the action at this page and at @UN_News_Centre on X, formerly Twitter.

21 December 2023 / 08:35 PM

Closed doors discussions on the draft resolution have concluded for the night. The Security Council is expected to meet Friday morning, for possible action on the draft.

Join us tomorrow morning for our continued coverage.

8:30 PM

The US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield emerged from the closed door meeting telling reporters that after working hard over the past week, her country was ready to vote on a draft resolution, if compromises made remained in the latest draft.

Instead of calling for a sustainable ceasefire or suspension of fighting, it calls for creating conditions which could lead to a sustainable ceasefire. It also calls on the Secretary-General to appoint a senior aid verification coordinator in Gaza, and not a full monitoring mechanism.

7.15 PM

Ambassadors are still locked in consultations over the latest draft resolution and it is looking unlikely that they will head into the chamber tonight.

6:10 PM

Council members are in closed consultations on the draft resolution.

5:55 PM

It's been a day of intense activity in and around the Security Council at UN Headquarters but it does now look as if ambassadors are going to go into consultations at the top of the hour, to try and bring the United States on board with a further amended draft which it is hoped will provide new impetus to boost the flow and speed of lifesaving aid to Gazans.

The last draft to go up for a vote was vetoed by the US on 8 December, which was quickly followed by action in the UN General Assembly four days later, when Member States voted by an overwhelming majority in favour of an immediate humanitarian ceasefire, through a non-binding resolution.

The Emergency Special Session of the Assembly resumed and then adjourned on Wednesday with dozens of countries making statements on the crisis.

Avoiding another veto

The Council has been negotiating throughout the week to find language which will avoid a further US veto, having first introduced a draft which called for a "cessation of hostilities", which now calls for a "suspension" of fighting, to vastly increase access for lifesaving aid.

The US argued on Tuesday and in previous deadlocked sessions that any resolution must condemn the Hamas extremist group's terror attacks of 7 October which sparked this deadly and unprecedented surge in the Palestine-Israel conflict, and which led to around 1,200 deaths in southern Israel and the capture of more than 200 hostages by extremists, dozens of whom remain captive in Gaza.

Some countries critical of Israel's offensive have argued in response that any resolution condemning Hamas, must also condemn the Israeli occupation and the thousands of civilian deaths resulting from Israel's military action since 7 October.

According to media reports, a further sticking point for diplomats negotiating the draft resolution has been the setting up of a UN monitoring mechanism which would be responsible for assessing the effectiveness of aid delivery at scale, independent of either Israeli or Hamas authorities in Gaza.

Situation in Gaza

Latest casualty figures from authorities in Gaza report around 20,000 civilian deaths since the Israeli retaliatory bombardment and offensive began, most of them women and children.

As of Thursday there are no functioning hospitals left in the north of the enclave and injured parents stranded in facilities are "waiting to die" there, according to the UN health agency WHO.

Tuesday's meeting

On Tuesday as the Council met to discuss the crisis in the Middle East in a scheduled debate, the UN Special Envoy for the peace process said the whole humanitarian system was "on the brink" of collapse, and also voiced deep concern at the deteriorating situation for Palestinians in the occupied West Bank.

"I reiterate that security forces must exercise maximum restraint and use lethal force only when it is strictly unavoidable to protect life," Tor Wennesland stressed.

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World News in Brief: UN chief shocked by Czech mass shooting, UNICEF appeal for West and Central Africa, world leaders urged to heed climate science

22 December 2023 - The UN Secretary-General has reiterated his full solidarity with the people and Government of the Czech Republic in the wake of the mass shooting at the Charles University in Prague on Thursday.

At least 14 people were killed and 25 injured after a gunman opened fire in what some media called the worst shooting in the country's history.

The gunman, reportedly a student at the university, also killed himself.

UN chief Antonio Guerres was shocked and saddened by the incident, his Spokesperson said in a statement issued later on Thursday.

Mr. Guterres expressed his deepest condolences to the families of the victims and wished those injured a speedy and full recovery.

UNICEF: $1.89 billion appeal for West and Central Africa

The UN Children's Fund, UNICEF, on Friday appealed for nearly two billion dollars to provide lifesaving assistance to more than 24 million boys and girls across West and Central Africa in 2024.

The agency warned that 46.7 million children in the region are projected to face another year of humanitarian need mainly due to ongoing conflict and insecurity, including in the central Sahel and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and massive displacement into Chad sparked by the war in Sudan.

"West and Central Africa is home to a large number of critically underfunded emergencies, and some of the most neglected humanitarian crises in the world for children," said UNICEF Regional Director Felicite Tchibindat.

The $1.89 million appeal aims to reach roughly 24.1 million children next year, up from 23.5 million in 2023.

Aid will include lifesaving nutrition supplies, clean water, education and child protection services, as well as humanitarian cash transfers for households.

More than a third of the funding will be used to address malnutrition, as the prevalence of wasting in children under five remains high. The Sahel countries are most affected, with several areas of Burkina Faso, Mali and northwest Nigeria showing emergency levels of child wasting.

Time running out for global shift to green energy, outgoing WMO chief warns

The outgoing head of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has urged global leaders to heed scientific evidence on climate change and accelerate the shift to renewable energy sources.

Petteri Taalas ended his tenure as WMO Secretary-General on Friday. He assumed the post in 2016 and was at the helm of the UN agency over the warmest eight-year period in recorded history.

"The expertise and services of WMO and the scientific community have never been more necessary to tackle climate change, which represents humanity's biggest challenge," he said.

He issued a request to world leaders, saying "please pay attention to the scientific evidence and listen to the United Nations which is committed to promoting the welfare of citizens worldwide."

Mr. Taalas hailed the agreement reached at the recent COP28 climate change conference in Dubai as historic because it recognized the need to transition away from fossil fuels, marking a first.

"This is an important step in the right direction but not the final goal," he said.

"We urgently need to reduce our production and consumption of fossil fuels and speed up the transition to renewable energy. Time is running out."

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SECNAV Del Toro Meets With Industry on V-22 Osprey

US Navy - Press Release

22 December 2023

Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro met with the chief executives of Bell Boeing earlier this week to discuss the V-22 Osprey program following the Dec. 6 grounding of the V-22 fleet.

"We are committed to the reliability, availability, and safety of this vital aircraft," said Secretary Del Toro. "The Navy is working closely with our Service and industry partners to return the Osprey to flight, while our priority remains ensuring the safety of our Sailors, Marines, and Airmen."

"I was reassured by our industry partners' commitment to improving reliability and readiness of the V-22 while providing the safest aircraft to accomplish the V-22's unique missions in both competition and conflict."

The grounding of the V-22 Osprey fleet is the result of a fatal crash off the coast of Japan on Nov. 29. The cause of the crash is currently under investigation.

Navy and Marine Corps V-22 aircraft deliver transformational speed, depth, and agility to our Sailors and Marines, conducting all-weather assault support, time-critical logistics and supply missions in support of Naval Forces and Combatant Commanders.

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NATO Expands in 2023, but Timing of Ukraine's Membership at Issue

By Henry Ridgwell December 22, 2023

2023 saw NATO welcome its 31st member, as Finland joined the alliance in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. However, Sweden's application is still being held up by Turkey, whose approval is expected in the coming weeks, while Ukraine's path to NATO accession remains uncertain.

NATO, or the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, was formed by 12 Western nations in 1949 to provide collective security against the Soviet Union.

Within weeks of Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Finland and Sweden - both previously non-aligned countries - applied to join the alliance. Finland officially joined in April, just eleven months after it submitted the application.

"The era of military nonalignment in our history has come to an end. A new era begins," Finnish President Sauli Niinisto said at the accession ceremony in Brussels on April 4. "Each country maximizes its own security. So does Finland. NATO membership strengthens our international position and room for maneuver," he said.

Sweden, which submitted its application at the same time as Finland, is still waiting. Turkey, an existing NATO member, has delayed its approval, accusing Sweden of harboring people it considers terrorists, including Kurdish separatists.

In May, Swedish lawmakers passed new anti-terrorism laws which it hoped would allay Turkey's concerns, prompting protests from some Turkish and Kurdish citizens in Sweden.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan finally submitted a bill approving Sweden's bid to parliament in October.

Fuat Oktay, the chairman of the Turkish National Assembly Foreign Affairs Commission, said in November that the legislation would be scrutinized carefully. "All of our committee members will have a thorough discussion, evaluate the issue and make our final decision accordingly," Oktay said November 16.

Speaking to reporters on December 1, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg urged quick progress. "I hope that the National Assembly can finalize these discussions as soon as possible so we can finalize the ratification of Sweden," Stoltenberg said.

NATO members voted in July to extend Stoltenberg's tenure as secretary-general for another year, the second time it has been extended, in order to provide stability for the alliance as it responds to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Under his leadership, NATO has stepped up its support for Ukraine in 2023, coordinating the delivery of member states' weapons and training. NATO does not have weapons of its own and is reliant on the contributions from its members.

At its July annual summit in Vilnius, the alliance reaffirmed its position that Ukraine will become a member of NATO. Members also voted to simplify its path to accession, removing the requirement for Kyiv to submit a 'Membership Action Plan' which is designed to help candidates meet certain political, economic and military criteria.

"By removing that, essentially there is no other lock on Ukraine's membership to NATO but fundamentally a political decision by NATO leaders," said Fabrice Pothier, a former NATO head of policy planning and now the CEO of Rasmussen Global, a political consultancy.

NATO has also upgraded its relationship with Kyiv through the formation of the NATO-Ukraine Council. Ukraine says NATO membership is the only way to guarantee its security in the face of Russian aggression.

Speaking before the first meeting of the council on November 29, Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said his country was ready to join.

"We are pretty much becoming a de facto NATO army in terms of our technical capacity, management approaches and principles of running an army," Kuleba told reporters in Brussels.

NATO leaders are torn over when to admit Ukraine into the alliance, according to Pothier. "I think Ukraine is probably one of the most capable, able potential allies you have out there. It's as good as it gets. But it's fundamentally a political question about whether there is more risk or benefit to get Ukraine in now than to wait."

Ukraine is navigating complex accession talks with NATO and the European Union - involving large scale reforms - all while fighting invading Russian forces. Some NATO members argue Ukraine's accession must wait until the conflict ends to avoid risking a wider war between Russia and NATO. That could prolong the fighting in Ukraine, argues Pothier.

"If you say that, [Russian President] Vladimir Putin will have yet another incentive to keep on going and to keep the level of hostilities sufficiently high so that there won't be that threshold crossed by Ukraine into NATO," he told VOA.

"In reality, and strategically, will you ever see the war ending in a way that will be so neat and so clear that then we'll feel comfortable getting Ukraine in (to NATO)?" Pothier asked.

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Nikki Haley is within short-fingered range of Donald Trump in New Hampshire, where one of the first GOP primary races will be posted. She is now within 4% of the former president, which as The Guardian reports is within the poll's margin of error.

In an American Research Group Inc poll released on Thursday which had asked voters whom they preferred in the New Hampshire primary scheduled for 23 January, Haley earned 29% support to Trump's 33%. That meant the gap between Haley and Trump was within the survey's 4% margin of error after the former president had long held dominating polling leads in the race for the 2024 Republican White House nomination.

Pundits claim that the Colorado Supreme Court kicking Trump off the primary ballot there will only guarantee his victoryall with that that "alas!" frown that supposedly reasonable conservatives adopt while smiling creamily behind their never-Trump masks. I don't like Nikki Haley much but I like her showing that Trump is fact a widely-loathed bully and that he needs all those media quislings to keep him rolling.
Readout of President Biden's Call with President Pedro Sanchez of Spain

December 22, 2023

President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. spoke today with President Pedro Sanchez of Spain. President Biden congratulated President Sanchez on securing a new term and affirmed the enduring friendship between the United States and Spain, including our close defense and security cooperation. The leaders also discussed the latest developments in Israel and Gaza and committed to working together to continue facilitating the sustained delivery of life-saving humanitarian assistance to civilians in Gaza. They stressed the importance of ensuring the conflict does not expand in the region, to include condemning ongoing Houthi attacks against commercial vessels in the Red Sea. President Biden and President Sanchez affirmed they looked forward to continued U.S.-Spain cooperation.

###

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Statement from President Joe Biden on H.R. 2670, National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024

December 22, 2023

Today, I have signed into law H.R. 2670, the "National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2024" (the "Act"). The Act authorizes fiscal year appropriations principally for the Department of Defense, Department of Energy national security programs, Department of State, and the Intelligence Community. The Act provides the critical authorities we need to build the military required to deter future conflicts, while supporting service members and their spouses and families who carry out that mission every day. I also thank the Congress for its extension of title VII of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. My Administration looks forward to working with the Congress on the reauthorization of this vital national security authority as soon as possible in the new year. While I am pleased to support the critical objectives of the NDAA, I note that certain provisions of the Act raise concerns.

Section 1033 of the Act continues to bar the use of funds appropriated to the Department of Defense to transfer Guantanamo Bay detainees to the custody or effective control of certain foreign countries. Section 1031 likewise would continue to prohibit the use of such funds to transfer Guantanamo Bay detainees into the United States. It is the longstanding position of the executive branch that these provisions unduly impair the ability of the executive branch to determine when and where to prosecute Guantanamo Bay detainees and where to send them upon release. In some circumstances, these provisions could make it difficult to comply with the final judgment of a court that has directed the release of a detainee on writ of habeas corpus, including by constraining the flexibility of the executive branch with respect to its engagement in delicate negotiations with foreign countries over the potential transfer of detainees.

I urge the Congress to eliminate these restrictions as soon as possible. Moreover, certain provisions of the Act raise constitutional concerns or questions of construction.

Certain provisions of the Act, including sections 856(c), 1221(a)(7), 1269, 1687, 7315, and 7351 would require the President and other officials to submit reports and plans to committees of the Congress that will, in the ordinary course, include highly sensitive classified information, including information that could reveal critical intelligence sources or military operational plans or could implicate executive branch confidentiality interests. The Constitution vests the President with the authority to prevent the disclosure of such highly sensitive information in order to discharge his responsibility to protect the national security. At the same time, congressional committees have legitimate needs to perform vital oversight and other legislative functions with respect to national security and military matters. Accordingly, it has been the common practice of the executive branch to comply with statutory reporting requirements in a way that satisfies congressional needs pursuant to the traditional accommodation practice and consistent with due regard for the protection from unauthorized disclosure of classified information relating to sensitive intelligence sources and methods or other exceptionally sensitive matters, as well as to preserve the confidentiality of internal executive branch deliberations, particularly those with respect to decisions bearing on the Nation's national security. I believe the Congress shares this understanding, and my Administration will presume that it is incorporated into statutory reporting requirements of the kind at issue in the Act.

A number of provisions of the Act may, in certain circumstances, interfere with the exercise of the President's constitutional authority to articulate the positions of the United States in international negotiations or fora including sections 825(c)(1), 1013(b), 1255(b)(2), 1256(c)(2), 1305, 1309(a), 1518(a), 5411(a), 5602(c), and 6406. I recognize that "[i]t is not for the President alone to determine the whole content of the Nation's foreign policy" (Zivotofsky v. Kerry) and will make every effort to take action consistent with these provisions. Indeed, I do not necessarily oppose many of the objectives in these provisions. Nevertheless, I will not treat them as limiting the President's constitutional discretion to articulate the views of the United States before international organizations and with foreign governments.

Section 1555(a) of the Act requires recipients of certain Department of Defense (the "Department") advertising contracts to certify that they "[do] not place advertisements in news sources based on personal or institutional political preferences or biases, or determinations of misinformation." The Department will comply with this provision by requiring recipients of such contracts to certify that they will not place the Department's advertisements based on the enumerated grounds. But the Department must also comply with the First Amendment, which limits the Government in "leverag[ing] funding to regulate speech outside the contours of the [governmental] program itself" (Agency for International Development v. Alliance for Open Society International, Inc.). The Department of Defense will implement the certification required by section 1555(a) consistent with the First Amendment.

JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.

THE WHITE HOUSE,

December 22, 2023.

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Putin, Abbas urge political dialogue for settlement of Palestinian-Israeli conflict

People's Daily Online

(Xinhua) 13:46, December 23, 2023

MOSCOW, Dec. 22 (Xinhua) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Friday highlighted the urgent need to resume political dialogue to settle the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

In a phone conversation, Putin informed Abbas of the steps taken by the Russian side to help de-escalate the conflict and ensure the uninterrupted supply of humanitarian aid to those in need, the Kremlin said in a statement.

"Russia will continue supplying essential goods to the Gaza Strip, including medicine and medical equipment," said the statement.

The leaders emphasized "the importance of an early end to the bloodshed and the resumption of the political process of the Middle East settlement on a generally recognized international legal basis" providing for the establishment of an independent State of Palestine within the 1967 borders.

The Russian side also voiced support for the efforts made by the Palestinian leadership to advance the settlement process.

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UN reports surge of refugee arrivals in South Sudan from Sudan

People's Daily Online

(Xinhua) 13:32, December 23, 2023

UNITED NATIONS, Dec. 22 (Xinhua) -- The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) on Friday reported a surge in new arrivals at South Sudan's border with Sudan.

This comes as the war in Sudan spreads to the south and east of the country, amid fierce fighting in Wad Medani over the past week, said OCHA.

In recent days, the number of people arriving in South Sudan via the Joda crossing point has almost tripled -- with a daily average of 1,000 people crossing last week, compared to nearly 3,000 on Thursday. Meanwhile, more than 6,000 people are reportedly still waiting on the Sudanese side of the border to cross, with thousands more people expected to join that queue in the coming days, it said.

OCHA said the United Nations and humanitarian partners continue to scale up support for new arrivals in South Sudan at the Renk Transit Centre, where more than 23,000 people are being hosted despite crowded conditions. Across the country, some 4.6 million people have received some form of humanitarian assistance and protection services as of September. This is despite funding shortfalls, as well as ongoing violence and threats against humanitarian personnel and assets.

For 2024, the humanitarian community in South Sudan is appealing for 1.8 billion U.S. dollars to assist 6 million people. To do so, timely and sufficient funding for the response will be critical, said OCHA.

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Turkish parliament to discuss Sweden's NATO bid next week

People's Daily Online

(Xinhua) 13:28, December 23, 2023

ANKARA, Dec. 22 (Xinhua) -- Turkish parliament's foreign affairs committee said on Friday that it would discuss Sweden's NATO bid next week.

The committee said in a statement that the review of the bid is scheduled for Dec. 26.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan signed Sweden's NATO accession protocol and submitted it to the parliament in October.

For ratification, the bill needs to be approved by the commission before being put to a full parliament vote.

After Russia launched its military operation in Ukraine in February 2022, Sweden and Finland submitted applications to join NATO in May.

Turkiye approved Finland's membership to NATO in March but has slow-walked Sweden's accession, demanding the Nordic country to further address Ankara's security concerns.

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Operation Iron Swords - Day 77 - 22 December 2023

The UN Security Council adopted, on Friday, by a large majority, an attenuated resolution on expanding humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip and monitoring it, but without adopting the draft resolution on an immediate suspension of hostilities between Israel and the Hamas movement. 13 of the 15 member states of the Security Council voted in favor of Resolution No. (2720), while the United States and Russia abstained from voting.

Following the UN Security Council vote on a resolution to increase humanitarian aid in Gaza, Kate Phillips-Barrasso, Mercy Corps Vice President of Global Policy and Advocacy sstated: "While we are relieved to finally see agreement in the Security Council on the gravity and urgency of the humanitarian situation, the failure of this resolution to address what is most needed by the 2 million people in Gaza facing starvation cannot be called an achievement. Without an immediate and sustainable pause in hostilities, women and children will continue to die in bombardments and aid organizations will not be able to scratch the surface in meeting needs. We cannot deliver aid to 2.3 million people under active bombardment and by trucking it in. Nothing short of a ceasefire and an end to the siege will prevent this catastrophic and preventable loss of life."

Oxfam's Middle East Regional Director, Sally Abi Khalil, said that the Security Council's failure to call for a ceasefire in Gaza is cruel and incomprehensible. Abi Khalil added that an immediate and permanent ceasefire is the way to provide aid with the volume and speed required to help civilians in Gaza.

Operational Update

On the 78th day of the war on the Gaza Strip , the Israeli force continued to bomb various areas, confirming that it is preparing to begin the third phase of the war. The Israeli Broadcasting Corporation said that the army is preparing to begin the "third phase" of the war on the Gaza Strip, in the coming weeks, which includes ending ground maneuvers. The Commission (officially) quoted unnamed sources as saying that the third phase includes ending the ground maneuver in the Gaza Strip, reducing forces, demobilizing reserve forces, resorting to air strikes, and establishing a buffer zone on the border between Israel and the Gaza Strip. The authority claimed that the army took control of most of the areas in the northern Gaza Strip, while facing great difficulties in moving forward in the southern Gaza Strip.

Israeli Channel 11 reported that the third phase will also include reducing the number of forces, forming a buffer zone, and continuing focused attacks in Gaza, noting that the army is preparing to demobilize thousands of reserve soldiers soon. The Israeli Broadcasting Authority claimed that the army took control of most of the northern Gaza Strip area, while facing great difficulties in moving forward in the southern Gaza Strip area.

Also in field developments, the Israeli army announced that it had strengthened its forces in Khan Yunis with five new brigades.

While the Israeli army was talking about expanding the scope of its operations to include areas in central Gaza, including Deir al-Balah, the Al Jazeera team monitored southeast of Gaza City, near the Karni-Mintar crossing, the occupation forces bombing a number of Palestinian buildings near the security fence for the second time in days.

Al Jazeera's correspondent reported that the Israeli army deliberately destroyed hundreds of residential buildings and public facilities near the security fence in recent weeks, especially east of Gaza City and Jabalia to the north, as part of a plan to create a buffer zone that gives the Israeli towns on the Gaza Strip a security depth.

The Israeli media revealed a military plan to establish military barracks near all Israeli towns close to the security fence.

Israeli media reported that the army decided to withdraw the Golani Brigade from Gaza after 70 days of fighting in which it suffered huge losses, while other Israeli sources reported that the brigades soldiers left Gaza to reorganize their ranks, catch their breath, and visit their families for a few days.

The decision to withdraw the Golani Brigade from Gaza was followed by the withdrawal of paratroopers and armored forces from the Gaza Strip as well.

The Israeli forces stormed several cities and towns in the occupied West Bank and launched raids and arrests of Palestinians. According to eyewitnesses, the occupation forces stormed the cities of Nablus and Jericho, the towns of Beit Ummar, north of Hebron, and Ein Yabrud, east of Ramallah, in addition to the Ain Sultan and Aqabat Jabr camps, and the town of Silwan, south of Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied Jerusalem.

Palestinian media said that Israeli aircraft launched a series of raids targeting several homes in the Nuseirat camp in the central Gaza Strip. It added that the occupation artillery continues its violent shelling of the city and Jabalia camp in the northern Gaza Strip.

Since the morning hours, the IDF carried out several raids on the center of the city of Khan Yunis, where it is trying to expand its incursion. The Palestinian Red Crescent said that the occupation carried out a violent bombardment in front of its Al-Amal Hospital in the city. The bombing included Gaza neighborhoods, most notably Sheikh Radwan, all the way to Nuseirat and Bureij in the center, as well as Rafah and Khan Yunis in the south. The Jabalia area, north of the Gaza Strip, was also subjected to intense bombardment, resulting in a number of martyrs.

The Palestinian resistance announced that on Friday, it killed Israeli soldiers in the south and north of the Gaza Strip , while Israeli bombing left dozens of martyrs dead. The Al-Qassam Brigades announced that its fighters targeted a foot force of 5 Israeli soldiers with an anti-fortified shell, and clashed with them northwest of the city of Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip, confirming that the soldiers were killed or wounded.

It also announced that its fighters targeted another Israeli foot force with an anti-personnel device, and clashed with what remained of it, killing and wounding them east of Khan Yunis, south of the Gaza Strip. Also in Khan Yunis, the Al-Qassam Brigades destroyed an occupation troop carrier, according to what was stated in one of its statements via the Telegram application.

In the same axis, fighters of the military wing of the Islamic Resistance Movement ( Hamas ) targeted an Israeli bulldozer with an Al-Yassin 105 shell, according to what was stated in another statement. This comes amid fierce battles in Khan Yunis, the neighborhoods of Gaza City, and the northern region.

For its part, the Al-Quds Brigades said that they were able, in a joint operation with the Al-Qassam Brigades, to kill and wound 4 Israeli soldiers east of Jabalia, in the northern Gaza Strip. It also announced that it had targeted a Merkava tank in the Al-Qasaib neighborhood in the Jabalia camp, and shot down an Israeli drone that was flying in the airspace of the central Gaza Strip. The Al-Quds Brigades had broadcast images that it said were of rocket and mortar shells targeting Israeli military sites and concentrations in the areas of advance in Gaza City.

Lebanese Hezbollah published a video documenting its targeting of the Shomira Barracks and the Al-Abad site of the Israeli army on the Palestinian-Lebanese border.

Arab military experts and political analysts believe that the Israeli occupations insistence on prolonging the war it is waging in the Gaza Strip will not lead to achieving the goals it has set, which is what intellectual and military leaders within Israel itself are warning about. As part of the daily analytical pause on Al Jazeera, Gaza...what next? The expert in Israeli affairs, Dr. Muhannad Mustafa, confirmed that there are two parties in Israel that want to continue the war in Gaza at any cost: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu , who wants the war to continue indefinitely to save himself, and the military establishment, which is trying to compensate for the failure it suffered on the 7th October.

In contrast to the insistence of the right-wing Netanyahu government and the military establishment, some different voices and movements are rising, even within Israeli society, calling for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. The expert on Israeli affairs revealed that there are three central trends today in Israel, the first represented by Netanyahu, and the second expressed by former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert in his article, as he stressed the importance of a ceasefire and placed the return of Israeli detainees held by the Palestinian resistance in Gaza as a central goal of the war. The third trend relates to the diplomatic option. There are those who focus on the need for a political solution.

Al Jazeeera military and strategic expert Major General Fayez Al-Duwairi confirmed that those who insist on continuing the war in the Gaza Strip are the Israeli War Council and Netanyahu, because they believe that prolonging the war may lead to change that leads to a political solution to the war. Al-Duwairi pointed out that the insistence on continuing the war is unrealistic, and the evidence is that former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak , one of the most prominent Israeli chiefs of staff, spoke frankly and said that it is not possible to achieve what Israel says is the goal of eliminating the Islamic Resistance Movement ( Hamas ).

After 77 days of the Israeli ground battle, Netanyahu - as Al-Duwairi adds - was unable to rescue a single detainee, and described the Israeli armys operations as all failures, citing the occupations withdrawal of a unit of the Golani Brigade from the Shujaiya neighborhood. As for the writer and political analyst, Hossam Al-Dajani, he expressed his disappointment with the performance of the UN Security Council, which was unable to adopt a resolution requiring a ceasefire in Gaza. He said that the Councils adoption of the resolution regarding the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza will ease the burden on Palestinian civilians, but only if Israel is forced to bring it in. To all areas of the sector.

Al-Dajani warned against what he considered to be the issue of the legitimacy of purging the Gaza Strip of the Palestinian resistance, especially the Hamas movement and Islamic Jihad, that is, the legitimacy of military operations. He said that this text is very dangerous, and spoils the joy of the Palestinians and the joy of everyone who expects the international system to have a say, noting that the idea "Cleansing" Israel will not be able to do because of the strength and ability of the Palestinian resistance.

Maps

All maps are lies. But it is impossible to comprehend the war in Gaza without reference to maps, otherwise the entire conflict is reduced to an endless series of meaningless acts of random violence and the suffering of civilians. Evidently, different mappers have different ideas of how to depict the war in Gaza, notably those that seek to depict Israeli progress in the ground campaign. Part of the problem is latency. The news that forms the basis of the maps takes time to filter out to mappers, and the cartographers take time in crafting their maps, and it takes time to curate them. Thes processes are uneven among mappers, so their maps may differ in detail. Probably there is some ideological bias, or at least thematic apperception, which is understandable in wartime. It may come as no surprise that al-Jazeera maps depict rather less Israeli territorial progress than other sources. Finally, there remains the epistemological question of just exactly what are the colored in areas depicting. Naively, this might be understood as areas of Israeli control, that are no longer contested by the HAMAS. Or possibly these are areas of Israeli presence, in many of which the possibility of an RPG-wielding HAMAS militant popping out of a tunnel unexpectedly remains a live possibility. With the "zero-range" combat characterized by small unit tactics on both sides, maps may be prey to a fallacy of misplaced concreteness.

Bystanders

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas stressed in a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin that it is not possible to accept or deal with the plans of the Israeli occupation authorities to separate the Gaza Strip or any part of it, stressing that our people in the Gaza Strip will have priority, and will not be abandoned.

The Palestinian President stressed the necessity of "stopping the ongoing Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people, and an immediate and complete ceasefire in order to spare civilians the scourge of bombing, and the war of annihilation, murder and destruction carried out by the Israeli killing machine on the Gaza Strip."

He also reaffirmed the speedy provision of humanitarian aid, doubling the entry of relief, medical and food supplies, providing water, electricity and fuel, providing the necessary aid and preventing displacement, stressing also the necessity of releasing Palestinian clearance funds.

Abbas also called for the necessity of Palestine obtaining full membership in the United Nations, holding an international peace conference to implement the political solution within a specific period of time and with international guarantees, and forming a Palestinian government that would assume its duties in the West Bank, including Jerusalem and Gaza, and control its resources and international crossings.

Since the beginning of the war, Israel deliberately targeted the infrastructure of the financial and banking system in the Gaza Strip , which was represented by targeting bank branches operating in the Strip and destroying dozens of exchange offices and automated teller machines. This greatly limited the ability of expatriate Gazans to help their families who live in tragic conditions in the Strip.

Gazan expatriates find in money transfer offices a refuge to send money to their families in the Strip. Because this type of office relies on a network of money changers in the Gaza Strip and outside it, and is not connected to a strict global financial system, and the possibility of delivery in several areas in the Gaza Strip.

Before the war, this work was related to facilitating commercial operations for Gazan merchants who had commercial relations with Turkish suppliers, and personal transfers were a secondary part of the work. Today, the bulk of their work is personal transfers, They have great pressure now, but cannot meet everyone, as the northern and Gaza regions are outside the scope of their work, in addition to the fact that they cannot provide the necessary liquidity for all requests within the Strip, in addition to the great risks of the delivery process and carrying cash inside the Strip due to the continuous bombing.

This method of transfer does not depend on an integrated banking system, but rather a set of standards, some of which are linked to proof of personal identity, and some of which are linked to personal knowledge. But with the displacement of most of the residents of the Strip to the areas of the south, especially the city of Rafah, the process has become more complicated.

One citizen of Gaza residing in the Jordanian capital, Amman, found another way to help his family. In an interview with Al Jazeera Net, he explained that he was able to send money to his family displaced from the northern regions of Rafah by delivering it to his friend in the West Bank, who deposited it in an account he had it at the Bank of Palestine, and then sent it to his brother, who had an account at the same bank, so that his brother, in turn, could withdraw it from the banks ATM in the city of Rafah. It was really exhausting, but there is no other way to do it.

Axis of Resistance

The Islamic Resistance Movement ( Hamas ) described the threats of Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Galant that his soldiers were about to kill resistance leaders as empty in substance and an expression of failure to achieve the goals of the war. The movement said - in a statement - that "war criminal Gallant's threat that his defeated army was about to kill the leaders of the resistance was empty and was intended to market imaginary achievements." It added, "These threats are an expression of his abject failure to achieve any of the goals of his aggression against Gaza other than the killing of civilians and the destruction of civilian facilities."

The official Israeli radio recently published, on its Facebook page, statements by Gallant in which he said, The leader of the Hamas movement in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar , will soon meet the rifles of the (Israeli) Defense Forces. On December 19, Israeli Channel 13 reported that Israeli army forces arrived at the place where Sinwar was staying, shortly before he left the place.

The channel continued - quoting Israeli officials - that the army "is focusing its activity in the south of the Gaza Strip and in Khan Yunis specifically, to reach the Hamas leadership, while there has recently been positive progress in the ongoing pursuit operations," as they claimed.

Allied for Democracy

Under the title Let us admit defeat, Hillel Shokin, a lecturer at Tel Aviv University, wrote an article in Haaretz newspaper, in which he reviewed the course and developments of the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip, and the losses incurred by the army in terms of human forces, military equipment and machinery, as well as the bank of targets which remained without balance. , according to his expression.

Reading the meanings and connotations of withdrawing elite forces from the Gaza Strip, and the Israeli aspiration to begin the third phase of the war and redeploy the forces, Shokin wrote, We will not win even if we are together as well. We have already lost the current military campaign on Gaza for the sake of our right to a national homeland in the Land of Israel. The loss became apparent on October 7th.

The lecturer at Tel Aviv University added, "Every additional day of ground maneuver increases failure, and when this military campaign ends, as is expected in a few weeks due to international pressure, Israel will find itself in a more difficult situation than the one it entered into."

Shokin Bank recalled the declared goals of the war on Gaza, saying, On October 16, the Israeli War Cabinet announced the goals of the war, represented by overthrowing Hamas rule and destroying its military capabilities, removing the terrorist threat from the Gaza Strip to Israel, and making every effort to resolve the situation. The issue of hostages, and protecting the countrys borders and its citizens, and at the end of the campaign we will not achieve any of these goals.

The same reading was adopted by investigative journalist and specialist in military and intelligence affairs, Ronen Bergman, who, through an assessment of a position published in the Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper, reviewed the failure in not achieving the goals of the war, and the lack of official recognition by the political and military institutions of the impossibility of liberating the kidnapped people and eliminating Hamas.

Bergman adds, "No one says this publicly, but this is the reality. In fact, even if an agreement is not reached on a new exchange deal, it is possible that the Israeli army will be forced to withdraw completely from Gaza before it completes its declared military goals, which have not been achieved." "With the end of the third month of the war approaching."

Bergman's bottom line is: Israel has harmed Hamas, but it is far from overcoming it. There are those who believe that Israel has suddenly become interested in the deal, because it has become clear to everyone that within two weeks it will be forced to stop maneuvering under American pressure, as the deal will be an optimistic end to the war. "And much more enjoyable than if the Americans asked Israel to stop and withdraw without even releasing the detainees."

Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert called for an immediate halt to the war on Gaza, saying that the goals set by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu could not be achieved. Olmert said - in an article in the newspaper "Haaretz" entitled: Stop the war in exchange for the return of the "kidnapped" alive - that the claims of Netanyahu and members of his government that the Islamic Resistance Movement ( Hamas ) can be eliminated through military operations are unrealistic.

Olmert stressed that Netanyahu himself does not believe that this goal can be achieved, pointing out that Netanyahu is acting as a showman, and that all he means is escaping the consequences of responsibility for failing to prevent a Hamas attack on October 7th. Olmert added that Netanyahu is driven by internal political considerations, and that he realizes that there is no possibility of achieving the goal of eliminating Hamas, but from the first moment he was not preoccupied with the war on Gaza, but rather with his own personal war of survival.

Olmert stressed that Israel has two options: either it agrees to a ceasefire and returns its prisoners to Hamas through an exchange deal, or it continues fighting so that the war ends without achieving the goal of eliminating Hamas and without recovering the prisoners.

US President Joe Biden said that he was "saddened to hear news about the killing of an American citizen at the hands of Hamas in the attack last October 7." Biden added that he renews the pledge he made to the families of Israeli detainees in the Gaza Strip, which is that his administration will not stop working until it is able to recover them all.

US Senator Bernie Sanders renewed his call for President Joe Biden's administration to withhold $10.1 billion in military aid to Israel. We should not pay any more money to the far-right government in Israel for a horrific and immoral military campaign, which includes the indiscriminate bombing of civilians, Sanders said in a speech to Congress.

Butcher's Bill / Oasis of Martyrs

Palestinian armed group Hamas launched thousands of missiles at Israel and deployed its militants to infiltrate Jewish settlements near the countrys border with Gaza on 07 October 2023. The 1,200 Israelis killed on the first day would be the equivalent of 36,000 Americans killed in an attack, as a proportion to Israels population of 9.3 million people (compared to 332 million in the USA). Israeli President Isaac Herzog stated: Not since the Holocaust have so many Jews been killed in one day". PM Netanyahu stated "On October 7th, Hamas murdered 1,400 Israelis. Maybe more. This is in a country of fewer than 10 million people. This would be equivalent to over 50,000 Americans murdered in a single day. Thats twenty 9/11s. That is why October 7th is another day that will live in infamy."

It is the second largest loss inflicted on the Israeli forces after the 1973 war, as the Palestinian resistance killed more than 1,200, wounded more than 5,132 others, and captured more than 250, most of them military personnel, some of whom were high-ranking officers in the army.

The HAMAS Ministry of Health in the besieged sector announced that the number of victims of the Israeli operation its beginning had risen to about 20,570 martyrs. The ministry does not distinguish between civilians and combatants. The number wounded was53,320. The Palestinian Government Media Office in Gaza had said many days earlier that the number of missing people had risen to more than 7,500 [double the 3,750 previously reported], including 1,800 children still under the rubble, including 4,700 children and women.

Palestinian Ministry of Health has announced that the total number of Palestinians killed in the occupied West Bank by the Israeli occupation this year has reached 505 people, including 111 children. The Palestinian Ministry of Health earlier explained that the death toll in the West Bank since the beginning of this year has risen to 465, including 257 martyrs since last October 7.

Lebanons Health Ministry released an official casualty numbers in fighting, saying 77 people were killed and 251 wounded since the start of the war on Gaza.

Israel revised down the death toll from the October Hamas attacks in southern Israel from 1,400 to 1,200. IDF had said previously it was holding 1,500 bodies of terrorists, a total that now would increas to about 1,700.

The IDF acknowledged the death toll to 145 between officers and soldiers since the start of the ground incursion, while the number of wounded since the beginning of the ground operation rose to 784, including 146 seriously injured. This brings the total number of dead officers and soldiers whose names the Israeli army allowed to be published to 434 since the Palestinian resistance launched Operation Al-Aqsa Flood on October 7th.

At least 1q,213 Israelis were injured, according to i24 TV. The IDF updated the number of soldiers injured in the war and attacks on October 7 to 1,683.

Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper had reported that 5,000 soldiers had been wounded since the beginning of the war on October 7, and that the Ministry of Defense had recognized 2,000 soldiers as disabled so far.

Hostages

The Israeli media focused on the controversy surrounding Israeli prisoners held by the Palestinian resistance, and the inability of the military and political leadership to achieve the goals declared by Israel for its war on Gaza. Israeli Channel 14 quoted Doron Matza, a specialist in the Arab-Israeli conflict, as saying that if Israel were satisfied with achieving the goal of returning detainees only, it would lose the battle, and would pay a heavy strategic price for that in the coming years. Meanwhile, Avi Shimrez, the father of one of the prisoners killed by the Israeli army, expressed his opposition to returning the prisoners through the use of force.

Israel estimated there were 116 living hostages in Palestinian custody. Israel declared 19 out of 135 people in Gaza captivity dead in absentia, after announcing its forces had recovered the bodies of two hostages. Israel considers those still held by Hamas to be hostages regardless of whether they are dead or alive.

Israeli government spokesperson Eylon Levy earlier had told reporters that Hamas still held 137 captives. The resistance released 10 Israeli detainees, 4 Thais and 2 Russian women, who were released outside the agreement. Over the course of 6 days, Israel has received 102 detainees, women and children, including 78 Israelis, in exchange for the release of 234 Palestinian prisoners, women and children.

Eylon Levy, the Israeli government spokesperson, told reporters 01 December 2023:

Hamas still held 137 hostages from the October attacks, in addition to four others who went missing before the war

The hostages include two children aged four and 10 months, who, Hamas now claims, are dead

117 male hostages are still kept in Gaza, including the two children, as well as 20 females

126 hostages are Israelis, and 11 others are foreign nationals

Foreign nationals are eight Thais, one Nepalese, one Tanzanian and one French Mexican citizen

Ten of the remaining hostages are 75 and older.

There are seven missing people since the October 7 attack

Hamas had released 110 hostages so far  86 Israelis and 24 foreign nationals.

Some of the rest are soldiers, seized when Hamas raided military bases in Israel. They may end up being held the longest. The Israeli military had not specified how many soldiers were captured, nor their ranks.

According to some estimates, Hamas was initially holding nearly 210 of the 240 hostages, while Palestinian Islamic Jihad was holding the remaining 30. About 40 Israelis remained missing. More than 40 hostages taken from Israel into Gaza on October 7th are not currently in the custody of Hamas, the group responsible for the attack, according to a CNN report based on a diplomatic source briefed on the negotiations, CNN's prior reports had indicated that an estimated 40 to 50 hostages were held by Palestinian Islamic Jihad or other unidentified groups or individuals.

Abu Ubaida, the spokesperson for the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, said on Hamas telegram account that 23 bodies of the 60 missing Israel hostages were trapped under the rubble. It seems that we will never be able to reach them due to the continued brutal aggression of the occupation against Gaza, he said.

Palestinian institutions concerned with prisoners affairs announced that the Israeli authorities have arrested 4,400 Palestinians in the West Bank and the 1948 territories since last October 7. Some 150 women have been arrested thus far, both from the West Bank and the Palestinian territories occupied in 1948. Additionally, more than 255 children have been arrested. Israel had earliers aid that, since the beginning of the war, about 2,100 wanted persons have been arrested throughout the IOS Division and the Bekaa and Emekim Brigade, about 1,100 of them are affiliated with Hamas.

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Russo-Ukraine War - 22 December 2023 - Day 666

Su M Tu W Th F Sa 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

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 General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that during the day of December 22, there were 60x combat engagements. Russian forces launched 1x missile and 33x air strikes, launched 23x MLRS attacks at the positions of Ukrainian troops and various settlements. Unfortunately, the Russian attacks have wounded civilians. Private residential buildings and other civilian infrastructure were destroyed and damaged.

The operational situation in the east and the south of Ukraine remains difficult.

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: Russia maintains its military presence in the areas of russia bordering Ukraine. Russia continues its sabotage and reconnaissance activities, shelling Ukrainian settlements from the territory of Russia and increases the density of minefields along the state border of Ukraine. Russian forces launched an air strike in the vicinity of Kostobobriv (Chernihiv oblast). Around 20x settlements came under Russian artillery and mortar fire, including Klyusy, Karpovychi, Leonivka (Chernihiv oblast), Volfyne, Basivka, Zapsillya (Sumy oblast), Udy, Veterynarne, Vovchans'k, Mala Vovcha, Zemlyanky, Topoli (Kharkiv oblast).

Kup'yans'k axis: the Ukrainian defenders repelled 8x attacks in the vicinity of Syn'kivka (Kharkiv oblast). In that area, Russian forces used air support in attempts to break through the defenses of Ukrainian troops. Russian forces fired artillery and mortars at around 10x settlements, including Dvorichna, Syn'kivka, Petropavlivka, Ivanivka, Berestove (Kharkiv oblast).

Lyman axis: Russian forces conducted no offensives. Russian forces fired artillery and mortars at more than 10x settlements, including Nevs'ke, Bilohorivka (Luhansk oblast), Tors'ke, Serebryanka, Verkhn'okam'yans'ke, Spirne, Rozdolivka (Donetsk oblast).

Bakhmut axis: the Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled 8x Russian attacks near Bohdanivka, Ivanivske, Klishchiivka and Andriivka (Donetsk oblast). Also, Russian forces launched air strikes in the vicinities of Katerynivka and Toretsk (Donetsk oblast). Around 10x settlements came under artillery and mortar fire, including Vasyukivka, Bohdanivka, Ivanivske, Klishchiivka, Andriivka, New York (Donetsk oblast).

Avdiivka axis: the Ukrainian defenders repelled 17x Russian attacks east of Novobakhmutivka, Stepove, Avdiivka, and 16x more attacks in the vicinities of Pervomais'ke and Nevel's'ke (Donetsk oblast). Russian forces launched an air strike in the vicinity of Lastochkyne settlement (Donetsk oblast). The Russian occupiers fired artillery and mortars at around 10x settlements, including Keramik, Novobakhmutivka, Berdychi, Lastochkyne, Yasnobrodivka, Netailove (Donetsk oblast).

Mar'inka axis: the Ukrainian Defense Forces continue to hold back Russian forces in the vicinities of Mar'inka and Pobjeda (Donetsk oblast). In that area, the Russian adversary, with air support, launched 4x unsuccessful attacks on the positions of Ukrainian defenders. Also, the Russian occupiers launched air strikes near Heorhiivka and Novomykhailivka (Donetsk oblast). The settlements of Oleksandropil', Krasnohorivka, Heorhiivka, Pobjeda, Kostyantynivka, Katerynivka were under Russian artillery and mortar fire.

Shakhtars'ke axis: Ukrainian defenders repelled a Russian attack west of Staromaiors'ke (Donetsk oblast). Russian forces fired artillery and mortars at around 10x settlements, including Vodyane, Vuhledar, Bohoyavlenka, Prechystivka, Prechystivka, Blahodatne, Rivnopil'(Donetsk oblast).

Zaporizhzhia axis: the Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled all adversary attacks west of Verbove and Robotyne (Zaporizhzhia oblast). In that area, Russian forces made attempts to dislodge Ukrainian troops from their positions. Russian forces launched air strikes in the vicinities of Robotyne and Orikhiv (Zaporizhzhia oblast). Around 2x settlements, including Levadne, Hulyaipole, Charivne, Mala Tokmachka, Mali Shcherbaky, Kam'yans'ke (Zaporizhzhia oblast), came under Russian artillery and mortar fire.

Odesa operational-strategic group, Kherson axis: Russian forces fired artillery at the city of Kherson and the settlements of L'vove, Tyahynka, Ivanivka (Kherson oblast), as well as the city of Ochakiv (Mykolaiv oblast). Also, the invaders launched an air strike in the vicinity of Krynky (Kherson oblast).

Russia did not abandon his intention to drive our units from the left bank of the Dnipro, made 17x failed assaults. The attacks were repelled and Russian forces retreated having suffered major losses. The Ukrainian troops are holding the line, continuing to retain their positions and firing for effect on Russian forces.

During the day of December 22, the Ukrainian Air Force launched air strikes on 12x concentrations of Russian troops, weapons, and military equipment. Also, Ukrainian air defense forces destroyed 3x Su-34 fighter-bombers.

The Ukrainian missile troops hit 4x concentrations of troops, weapons, and military equipment, 1x ammunition depot and 2x command posts of the Russian invaders.

The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reported that in the period from 16 to 22 December 2023, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation inflicted 39 group strikes with high-precision weapons and unmanned aerial vehicles on the military airfield infrastructure, air navigation aids, POL bases storage sites for artillery ammunition, weapons and military hardware of the enemy .

Moreover, drone-launching and -training centres, command and control posts and deployment areas of AFU troops, foreign mercenaries, and nationalist formations were hit. All the assigned targets have been engaged.

In Kupyansk direction, units of the Zapad Group of Forces repelled 53 enemy attacks. The 14th, 43rd, 60th, 115th mechanised and 95th Air Assault brigades of the AFU were defeated by air strikes and artillery fire close to Sinkovka and Olshana (Kharkov region).

The enemy losses amounted to more than 355 Ukrainian troops, four tanks including two Leopard tanks, 19 armoured fighting vehicles, 13 motor vehicles, and 12 field artillery guns.

In Krasny Liman direction, units of the Tsentr Group of Forces with support of aviation and artillery fire repelled 13 attacks of assault groups of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. In addition, the 24th, 63rd, and 116th mechanised brigades of the AFU and the 12th special brigade of the Ukrainian National Guard were engaged close to Chervonaya Dibrova, Petrovskoye, and Kuzmino (Lugansk People's Republic) and Torskoye (Donetsk People's Republic).

During the week the enemy lost up to 1,155 troops killed and wounded, one tank, 19 armoured fighting vehicles, 21 motor vehicles, and seven field artillery guns.

In Donetsk direction, the Yug Group of Forces, supported by air and artillery fire, improved their position along the front line in certain areas. They repelled 43 attacks launched by assault groups of the AFU's 24th Mechanised and 79th Air Assault Brigades near Shumy, Belogorovka, and Maryinka (Donetsk People's Republic). Fire was also launched at units of the 28th, 30th, 42nd, 93rd mechanised and 57th motorised infantry brigades of the AFU near Kurdyumovka, Kleshcheyevka, Krasnoye, and Andreyevka (Donetsk People's Republic).

Enemy losses in this direction over the past period were over 1,610 killed and wounded, three tanks, 17 armoured fighting vehicles, one HIMARS launcher, 24 motor vehicles, and 44 field artillery guns.

In South Donetsk direction, units of the Vostok Group of Forces repelled ten enemy attacks. Air strikes and artillery fire hit units of the AFU's 58th motorised infantry, 72nd mechanised, 79th air assault, 127th and 128th Territorial Defence brigades near Novomikhailovka, Urozhaynoe, Staromayorskoye (Donetsk People's Republic) and Priyutnoe (Zaporozhye region).

The enemy losses were more than 670 troops, two tanks, six armoured fighting vehicles, 19 motor vehicles, and 12 field artillery guns.

In Zaporozhye direction, units of the Russian Armed Forces continued active defence, repelling six enemy attacks near Rabotino and Verbovoye (Zaporozhye region). Fire damage was inflicted on personnel and military hardware of the 33rd, 65th, 116th, 117th, 118th mechanised, 128th mountain assault, 82nd airborne, and 14th National Guard battalions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine close to Novodanilovka, Malaya Tokmachka, Nesteryanka, and Novoprokopovka (Zaporozhye region).

Enemy losses were up to 390 troops killed and wounded, one tank, five armoured fighting vehicles, 19 motor vehicles, and ten field artillery guns.

In Kherson direction, all the attempts launched by the enemy sabotage groups to land on the islands and on the left bank of the Dnieper River were thwarted. Air strikes and artillery fire defeated units of the AFU 36th and 37th Marine brigades close to Tyaginka and Belozerka (Kherson region).

The AFU lost up to 510 troops killed and wounded, one tank, 37 motor vehicles, 24 boats and 20 field artillery guns as a result of the actions of the Russian troops in this direction.

Russian air defence systems shot down four enemy airplanes during the week: one Su-27, two MiG-29, and one Su-25; as well as three helicopters: two Mi-24 and one Mi-8 of the Ukrainian Air Force. They also intercepted one ATACMS operational-tactical missile, 30 projectiles of HIMARS, Uragan, and Olkha multiple launch rocket systems, three JDAM guided bombs, and 259 unmanned aerial vehicles.

In total, 554 airplanes and 261 helicopters, 9,955 unmanned aerial vehicles, 442 air defence missile systems, 14,251 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles, 1,189 combat vehicles equipped with MLRS, 7,447 field artillery guns and mortars, as well as 16,572 units of special military equipment have been destroyed during the special military operation.





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Russo-Ukraine War - 23 December 2023 - Day 667

Su M Tu W Th F Sa 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

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 in recent weeks, both Ukrainian and Russian troops have highly likely suffered from exceptional levels of rat and mice infestation in some sectors of the front line.

This year's mild autumn, along with ample food from fields left fallow due to the fighting, have likely contributed to the increase in the rodent population. As the weather has become colder, the animals are likely seeking shelter in vehicles and defensive positions. Rodents will add further pressure to front line combatants' morale.

In addition, they pose a risk to military equipment by gnawing through cables  as recorded in the same area during the Second World War. Unverified reports also suggest Russian units starting to suffer from increased sickness cases which the troops attribute to the pest problem.

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that during the day of December 23, there were 57x combat engagements. Russian forces launched 11x missile and 14x air strikes, launched 21x MLRS attacks at the positions of Ukrainian troops and various settlements. Unfortunately, the Russian attacks have wounded civilians. Private residential buildings and other civilian infrastructure were destroyed and damaged.

The operational situation in the east and the south of Ukraine remains difficult.

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: Russia maintains its military presence in the areas of russia bordering Ukraine. Russia continues its sabotage and reconnaissance activities, shelling Ukrainian settlements from the territory of Russia and increases the density of minefields along the state border of Ukraine. Russian forces launched air strikes in the vicinities of Leonivka and Chervonyi Khutir (Chernihiv oblast). More than 20x settlements came under Russian artillery and mortar fire, including Bleshnya, Leonivka (Chernihiv oblast), Oleksiivka, Stanychne, Sadky (Sumy oblast), Kozacha Lopan', Bilohivka, Velykyi Burluk, Izbyts'ke, Stroivka (Kharkiv oblast).

Kup'yans'k axis: the Ukrainian defenders repelled 12x attacks in the vicinity of Syn'kivka (Kharkiv oblast). In that area, Russian forces made attempts to break through the defenses of Ukrainian troops. Russian forces fired artillery and mortars at around 10x settlements, including Dvorichna, Syn'kivka, Petropavlivka, Berestove (Kharkiv oblast).

Lyman axis: Russian forces conducted no offensives. The invaders launched an air strike in the area of Serebryans'ke forestry (Luhansk oblast). Russian forces fired artillery and mortars at more than 10x settlements, including Nevs'ke, Bilohorivka (Luhansk oblast), Tors'ke, Serebryanka, Verkhn'okam'yans'ke, Spirne, Rozdolivka (Donetsk oblast).

Bakhmut axis: the Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled 8x Russian attacks near Bohdanivka, Ivanivske, Klishchiivka and Andriivka (Donetsk oblast). Around 10x settlements came under artillery and mortar fire, including Vasyukivka, Bohdanivka, Klishchiivka, Andriivka, New York (Donetsk oblast).

Avdiivka axis: the Ukrainian defenders repelled 19x Russian attacks east of Novobakhmutivka, Stepove, Avdiivka, and 12x more attacks in the vicinities of Sjeverne, Pervomais'ke and Nevel's'ke (Donetsk oblast). The Russian occupiers fired artillery and mortars at around 10x settlements, including Novobakhmutivka, Berdychi, Avdiivka, Lastochkyne (Donetsk oblast).

Mar'inka axis: the Ukrainian Defense Forces continue to hold back Russian forces in the vicinities of Mar'inka and Novomykhailivka (Donetsk oblast). In that area, Russian forces, with air support, launched 2x unsuccessful attacks on the positions of Ukrainian defenders. The settlements of Krasnohorivka, Heorhiivka, Pobjeda, Kostyantynivka, were under Russian artillery and mortar fire.

Shakhtars'ke axis: Russian forces conducted no offensives. The adversary fired artillery and mortars at around 10x settlements, including Vuhledar, Bohoyavlenka, Prechystivka, Rivnopil' (Donetsk oblast).

Zaporizhzhia axis: the Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled all Russian attacks near Robotyne (Zaporizhzhia oblast). In that area, Russian forces made failed attempts to dislodge Ukrainian troops from their positions. Around 20x settlements, including Poltavka, Hulyaipole, Charivne, Mala Tokmachka, Robotyne (Zaporizhzhia oblast), came under Russian artillery and mortar fire.

Odesa operational-strategic group, Kherson axis: Russian forces fired artillery at the cities of Kherson and Ochakiv (Mykolaiv oblast).

Russian forces did not abandon his intention to drive our units from the left bank of the Dnipro, made 15x failed assaults. The attacks were repelled and Russian forces retreated having suffered major losses. The Ukrainian troops are holding the line, continuing to retain their positions and firing for effect on the Russian enemy.

During the day of December 23, the Ukrainian Air Force launched air strikes on 18x concentrations of troops, weapons, and military equipment, and 6x air defense systems of the adversary. Also, Ukrainian air defense forces destroyed 1x Kh-59 guided missile and 2x reconnaissance UAVs.

The Ukrainian missile troops hit 5x concentrations of troops, weapons, and military equipment, 3x ammunition depots, 2x artillery systems and 1x command post of the Russian invaders.

The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reported that in Kupyansk direction, units of the Zapad Group of Forces supported by helicopters and artillery inflicted losses on AFU manpower and hardware near Sinkovka, Petropavlovka, Kupyansk, and Terni (Kharkov region).

The AFU losses amounted to up 15 Ukrainian troops, two motor vehicles, and one D-30 howitzer.

In Krasny Liman direction, units of the Tsentr Group of Forces repelled two attacks launched by assault detachments of the AFU 63rd Mechanised Brigade and 12th Special Operations Brigade close to Torskoye (Donetsk People's Republic) and Chervonaya Dibrova (Lugansk People's Republic).

In addition, aviation and artillery inflicted losses on manpower and hardware of the AFU 67th Mechanised Brigade near Serebryansky forestry.

The AFU losses amounted to up 150 Ukrainian troops, one tank, two armoured personnel carriers, and one D-30 howitzer.

In Donetsk direction, units of the Yug Group of Forces supported by aviation and artillery repelled 11 attacks and inflicted losses on AFU manpower and hardware close to Krasnoye, Dyleyevka, Kirovo, and Georgiyevka (Donetsk People's Republic).

The AFU losses in this direction amounted to up to 200 Ukrainian troops, four tanks, including one German-made Leopard 2 tank, one U.S.-made Bradley infantry fighting vehicle, and three motor vehicles.

Moreover, in the course of counterbattery warfare, one Polish-made Krab self-propelled artillery system, two Msta-B howitzers, one Akatsiya and one Gvozdika self-propelled artillery systems, and two D-30 howitzers were neutralised.

In South Donetsk direction, units of the Vostok Group of Forces supported by helicopters and artillery repelled three attacks of the AFU 79th Air Assault Brigade near Novomikhailovka (Donetsk People's Republic) and inflicted losses on AFU manpower and hardware near Paraskoveyevka and Makarovka (Donetsk People's Republic).

The AFU losses amounted to up to 65 Ukrainian troops, three pickup trucks, one Akatsiya and one Gvozdika self-propelled artillery systems, and two D-30 howitzers.

In Zaporozhye direction, units of the Russian Group of Forces supported by aviation and artillery inflicted losses on manpower and hardware of the AFU 82nd Air Assault Brigade, 33rd and 117th mechanised brigades close to Malaya Tokmachka, Verbovoye, and Rabotino (Zaporozhye region).

The AFU losses amounted to up to 90 Ukrainian troops and five motor vehicles.

In Kherson direction, as a result of cohesive actions of units of the Russian Group of Forces supported by aviation and artillery, the AFU losses amounted to up to 100 Ukrainian troops, three motor vehicles, one Msta-B howitzer, and one D-30 howitzer.

Operational-Tactical and Army aviation, unmanned aerial vehicles, and Missile Troops and Artillery of the Russian Groups of Forces have engaged AFU manpower and hardware in 110 areas during the day.

Air defence units intercepted six HIMARS and Uragan MLRS projectiles over the past 24 hours.

Moreover, 36 unmanned aerial vehicles were shot down near Kotlyarovka (Kharkov region), Verkhnekamenka, Svatovo (Lugansk People's Republic), Gorlovka, Mariynka, Pobeda (Donetsk People's Republic), Novaya Mayachka and Gornostayevka (Zaporozhye region).

In total, 554 airplanes and 261 helicopters, 9,991 unmanned aerial vehicles, 442 air defence missile systems, 14,279 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles, 1,189 combat vehicles equipped with MLRS, 7,462 field artillery cannons and mortars, as well as 16,618 units of special military equipment have been destroyed during the special military operation.





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United States Hosts Quad Counterterrorism Working Group in Honolulu, Hawaii

US Department of State

Media Note

Office of the Spokesperson

December 22, 2023

The Department of State hosted representatives from Japan, Australia, and India for the Quad Counterterrorism Working Group meeting in Honolulu, Hawaii December 19-21, 2023. Gregory LoGerfo, Acting Principal Deputy Coordinator for Counterterrorism, led the U.S. interagency delegation.

The Quad convenes four like-minded regional partners - the United States, Australia, India, and Japan - to make tangible progress on pressing challenges within the region and support a free and open Indo-Pacific that is inclusive and resilient.

As part of the Quad Counterterrorism Working Group's efforts, this multi-day event included presentations and a tabletop exercise focused on enhancing Quad cooperation in response to an overwhelming terrorist incident in the Indo-Pacific region. Discussions included exchanging information on ever-evolving terrorism threats, further developing regional coordination mechanisms, and countering terrorist use of emerging technologies.

Participants explored what capabilities and support the Quad could offer, and how the Quad might coordinate in order to support the existing capacities of Indo-Pacific countries.

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December 22, 2023

Release

U.S. Department of Defense Statement on Japan's Decision to Transfer Patriot Missiles to the United States

The United States welcomes Japan's announcement that it will transfer Patriot interceptor missiles to the United States to replenish U.S. inventories. The decision will contribute to U.S. stockpiles of these critical air and missile defense articles, which will enhance stability in the Indo-Pacific region. The United States and Japan will continue to work closely together to strengthen the defense of Japan and to promote peace and prosperity.

https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/3625683/

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WGRZ-TV (Channel 2) weather anchor Maria Genero has had a 40-year, Hall of Fame television and radio career that is ending with her most enjoyable program, Most Buffalo.

Her repartee with anchor Kate Welshofer on the 4 p.m. light news and information program fittingly ends with their final broadcast together on Thursday.

Kate Welshofer, who brought joy to WGRZ viewers, reflects on why she is leaving TV People leave for all different kinds of reasons, Welshofer says. The cool thing is I had that opportunity to make something that people really love. And hope that there is some piece of that that endures in some way.

The two of us made Most Buffalo,  said Genero. We started the show together. So let's end the show together. That was the idea.

In a wide-ranging interview, the Niagara Falls native reflected on the highs and lows of her career and discussed her future plans.

Genero, who was inducted in the Buffalo Broadcasters Hall of Fame in September, said working on Most Buffalo for the last four years has changed her.

I love Most Buffalo,  Genero said. That's the type of show I wanted to do all my career. It was fun and lighthearted. It was free. It was unscripted for the most part. It was joyful and thats what I always wanted to do.

It might surprise viewers that she and Welshofer dont socialize outside of work.

Her life is in Perry with her husband, explained Genero. When she has free time, thats where she wants to be.

Still, Genero explained that the chemistry between her and Welshofer was instantaneous.

What's so unique is pretty much from the second we met, it was like we were best friends all our lives and it was a very unique chemistry, she explained. We joke, were like sisters from other mothers.

Genero left television once before for two years but this time she says her departure is permanent. She had tired of doing repetitive weather reports and declined to stay at Channel 2 because that was the only role offered.

This is it, she said. I wouldn't mind doing radio  How could I phrase this? I think my 'use-by expiration date' has expired.

She said the viewer reaction to her recent announcement that she is leaving television has been wonderful.

But theyve been wonderful my whole career, she said. Theyre just like, happy for you. Were going to miss the show. Its like the little show that could. There wasn't much in that show. It was just Kate and I, a photographer, a producer.

A lot of people enjoyed it and laughed along with us and say they're going to miss it. I'm just amazed at how many people enjoy the show and I enjoyed it, too.

Christine Baranski, Jeff Glor, Maria Genero and Janet Snyder headline new class of Broadcasters Hall of Fame Award-winning actress Christine Baranski, CBS News anchor Jeff Glor, WGRZ-TV (Channel 2) weathercaster Maria Genero and WKSE-FM (98.5) morning personality Janet Snyder headline the 2023 class of the Buffalo Broadcasters Association Hall of Fame.

Of course, not everyone enjoyed it. The one recurring criticism from a small number of viewers was that Kate and Maria laugh and cackle too much.

Genero has always taken any criticism in stride.

When she was a news anchor at WKBW-TV (Channel 7), one reviewer (full disclosure: It was me) suggested she was like an actress playing a news anchor.

I was wondering what I did to make you say that? said Genero. When you're in this business, you are setting yourself up for a critique from everyone. You're not going to please everyone  If you have thin skin, then you should not be in this business. You should listen to the criticisms and see what can you take from that and change.

With that attitude, it isnt surprising that Genero took the criticism of laughing too much on Most Buffalo with good humor.

Good. Because it's a lighthearted show. Maybe we do. But people enjoyed it and if we were laughing, it wasn't a fake laugh. It's because we were enjoying ourselves. So good.

Genero certainly can laugh at herself.

She recalled in her early days working in radio she forgot her own name.

Genero isnt her last name. She prefers to keep her real last name a secret. She took Genero from the last name of her grandmother, Ianero.

When I was in radio, they wanted me to be Maria Smith, she recalled. And I'm like, no. I was Smith for a very short period of time because they didn't want me to use my real name. That was back when people used to change their name. Once I opened up the mic at Rock 102 and I said, good morning, and I couldn't remember who the heck I was supposed to be. I said, 'I'm going to pick a name and I like Maria Genero and that's it.' 

She made a name for herself in local television, completing a rare hat trick when she joined WGRZ 17 years ago after previously working at Channel 7 and WIVB-TV (Channel 4).

Her return to her native Western New York followed stints in the bigger markets of Miami, Los Angeles and New York City.

She worked at a CBS owned and operated station and filled in for Mark McEwen on the networks national broadcasts.

That was a high, a big high, she said.

She was a weather anchor and the host of a weekly program in Los Angeles. But she didnt care for the area and jumped at an opportunity to move to New York City to co-anchor a morning program, Good Day New York, on the Fox affiliate.

Although I had great fun in New York City that went south, said Genero. That was always my dream. When I left Buffalo, I only had one goal: I wanted to work in New York. I didn't care how long. I just wanted to say I worked in New York. That was not a great experience.

She said her co-anchor, a TV veteran in New York City, wasnt happy to have a co-anchor.

He didn't speak to me at all, said Genero. I stepped into a real hornets nest there.

Her dream job became a nightmare, only to discover her real dream was on Most Buffalo.

After living the dream, she is preparing for the next chapter in her life.

She plans to do some mundane things like cleaning up her messy house and getting health insurance for the first time that isnt through her employer.

That was an experience because I've been working all my life. I had to go out on my own and purchase it. I was like, where do you even start with this? I can understand how some people would be like, oh, just the heck with it. But you can't do that. It'll bankrupt you. God forbid something happens. So that, that was an eye-opener for me.

She also plans to relax, visit her brother in California and learn how to play pickleball.

And there may finally be time for a more fulfilling social life.

Thats the problem, its pretty dull, laughed Genero, who was briefly married in the 1990s.

I'd like to meet someone, she added. Having been busy with work, it wasn't an issue  But I'm going to have more time. So, yeah, thats something I might be interested in.
Enough Space for Everyone? US, China Target Africa

By Kate Bartlett December 22, 2023

As a new space race between the United States and China takes off, Africa is increasingly an arena for competition between the two superpowers. And so far, analysts say, China is ahead.

While Africa's space agencies are still in their infancy compared to those of the U.S. and China, analysts say space has become a new frontier for diplomacy with African countries.

"In recent years, China has emerged as the leading partner with Africa," said Nigerian space scientist Temidayo Oniosun, who is the founder of Space in Africa, an analytics and consulting company.

Oniosun says there have been a lot of collaborations across sectors including communications, observation, navigation and positioning. China is developing satellites for different partners, ground station infrastructure, and is pushing for countries to adopt its BeiDou satellite navigation system, seen as an alternative to America's GPS.

"Chinese companies have been capitalizing on this for years. It's now that the U.S. is waking up to this," he said during a recent forum on the topic at the U.S. Institute of Peace in Washington or USIP, a think tank founded by Congress.

"U.S. strategy towards Africa in space is actually more about reducing the hegemony of China over Africa than anything else. ... I think one of the major reasons they're [the U.S.] paying attention is because China is doing so much," Oniosun told VOA.

Asked whether the U.S. was indeed playing catch-up, a National Security Council spokesperson did not comment on Chinese competition directly, but said in that "U.S. companies are at the forefront" of working with Africa.

The spokesperson detailed some of the agreements on space announced at last year's U.S.-Africa Leaders' Summit, including Nigeria's partnership with U.S. firm SpaceX, which also helped Kenya launch its first operational earth satellite in April.

China regards Space X as competition

China sees Elon Musk's company as a major rival to its ambition to become a dominant space power by 2045.

Asked whether China was ahead when it came to space cooperation with Africa, a NASA spokesperson told VOA: "The United States continues to work internationally for a safe, peaceful, and prosperous future in space. Working with both new and existing partners will add new energy and capabilities to help ensure the entire world can benefit from our journey of exploration and discovery."

As one example of cooperation with Africa, the NASA spokesperson pointed to the U.S. agency's current collaboration with the South African National Space Agency (SANSA) on plans to build a new tracking and communications antenna site near Matjiesfontein, in the country's semi-desert area of Karoo.

"NASA is currently finalizing negotiations for an agreement for NASA to build an 18-meter Lunar Exploration Ground Sites antenna to support the Artemis Program and the human lunar return to the moon," the spokesperson said.

U.S. led Artemis Accords is described as a "set of principles designed to guide civil space exploration and use in the 21st century." Other African countries have also been signing onto NASA's Artemis Accords, including Angola whose president signed the accords on November 30, during a visit to the White House.

View from Africa

According to a USIP report, co-authored by Oniosun, there are currently space programs in more than 20 African countries, and Africa accounted for 0.7 percent of global space expenditure in 2020.

Rather than seeking to participate in deep space exploration or human spaceflight, the report says many African countries see space development as a way of achieving national development goals and space-linked infrastructure as an important way to address problems such as climate change, national disaster preparedness and counter-terrorism.

A list sent to VOA by the South African National Space Agency, mentioned 11 partnerships with the U.S., including on deep space exploration, space education, space science research, hosting of Global Navigation Satellite System equipment, and six standing agreements relating to space operations.

"SANSA also has long-standing working relationships with USA and Canadian researchers in space weather," Asanda Sangoni, acting managing director of SANSA Earth Observation, told VOA in a written response.

The agency has three projects or agreements with China on space exploration, satellite navigation, and general space cooperation, according to Sangoni.

Asked whether Africa is becoming one of the areas of competition in a new Cold War space race, Sangoni wrote: "There is no single "Space Race" (if there is any) in the traditional sense."

"The global space landscape is evolving, with an increasing number of nations, including emerging nations, participating and often partnering in space activities. These nations pursue various goals and objectives based on their unique circumstances and interests, contributing to the overall development of space exploration and utilization," Sangoni wrote.

"SANSA strongly believes that space-related activities should be inclusive and beneficial for all mankind. SANSA promotes the peaceful use of space and respectful cooperation," she added.

National Security Concern?

During the U.S. Institute of Peace panel, Joseph Sany, the vice president of the Africa Center, explained some of the perceived risks that are fueling the new space race.

"As great powers vie for dominance in space, the risk of conflict between them looms large," he said. "In an environment where space assets are essential for intelligence gathering, communication and military operation, disparities in capabilities could heighten tensions and create an atmosphere conducive to conflict."

"As competition intensifies, the trust and willingness to cooperate may diminish" Sany said. "Misunderstandings, miscommunications or deliberate disruptions in communication systems could easily escalate into full-blown conflict."

The Pentagon's 2023 annual report to Congress on China's military developments makes numerous references to Beijing's ambitions in space.

The People's Liberation Army "views space superiority, the ability to control the space-enabled information sphere and to deny adversaries their own space-based information gathering and communication capabilities, as critical components to conduct modern 'informatized warfare'," the report states.

"The PLA continues to acquire and develop a range of counter-space capabilities and related technologies, including kinetic-kill missiles, ground-based lasers, and orbiting space robots, as well as expanding space surveillance capabilities, which can monitor objects in space within their field of view and enable counter space actions," according to the report.

It's not just Africa where China's space industry footprint is expanding. A recent article in The Washington Post said the Pentagon is concerned that some of China's space and satellite programs in Latin America having defense capabilities.

The Chinese Embassy in Washington referred VOA's questions on its space cooperation with Africa to the Chinese Mission to the African Union, which did not reply to requests for comment.

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The Foreign Ministry allocates funding to document human rights violations in Belarus

Republic of Latvia - Ministry of Foreign Affairs

22.12.2023

On 22 December 2023, in solidarity with political prisoners and their family members in Belarus, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs took a decision to make a financial contribution of EUR 35,000 into the European Endowment for Democracy with the aim of the funds to be channelled to the International Accountability Platform for Belarus, which collects and preserves evidence of human rights violations in Belarus, as well as providing support to victims of political repression.

The regime's crackdown on civil society in Belarus continues, with around 1,500 political prisoners currently held in prisons.

In January 2021, an international platform of non-governmental organisations was launched to collect, consolidate and preserve, in line with the United Nations standards, information and evidence on systematic violations of human rights committed by the Lukashenko regime in Belarus.

Leading the platform is a Denmark-based international NGO Dignity (Danish Institute Against Torture), which works closely with the Belarusian civil society organisation Viasna. Other members of the consortium are a London-based NGO Redress and the International Committee for the Investigations of Torture in Belarus.

The International Accountability Platform for Belarus has been supported by a number of countries such as Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Iceland, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America, as well as the European Union.



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Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks with Foreign Secretary of the United Kingdom David Cameron

Prime Minister of Canada - Justin Trudeau

December 22, 2023

Ottawa, Ontario

Today, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau spoke with the Foreign Secretary of the United Kingdom, David Cameron.

Prime Minister Trudeau congratulated Foreign Secretary Cameron on his new role and looked forward to continued close collaboration with the United Kingdom on foreign policy issues.

The Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary discussed the situation in the Middle East. They unequivocally condemned Hamas' terrorist attacks against Israel and expressed support for Israel's right to defend itself in accordance with international law, including international humanitarian law. They expressed deep concern over the ongoing dire humanitarian situation in Gaza.

Prime Minister Trudeau also expressed support for urgent international efforts toward a sustainable ceasefire, but underscored that this cannot be one-sided, and that Hamas must stop using civilians as human shields and lay down its arms. He reiterated that Hamas cannot play a role in the future governance of Gaza. The Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary reaffirmed the importance of renewing efforts toward a two-state solution to secure lasting peace in the region.

The Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary condemned Russia's ongoing war of aggression against Ukraine, and reaffirmed their unwavering support for Ukraine for as long as it takes.

Prime Minister Trudeau and Foreign Secretary Cameron highlighted the strong relationship between Canada and the United Kingdom, and emphasized the two countries will continue working together to advance shared priorities and tackle global issues.

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China-US high-level military talk shows willingness to stabilize ties, manage risks despite persisting uncertainty

Global Times

By GT staff reporters Published: Dec 22, 2023 10:20 PM

Senior military officials from China and the US held a virtual meeting on Thursday night, marking the first high-level military dialogue for more than a year. According to readouts from both sides, senior officers stressed the importance of exchanges and dialogue during the video call, but the Chinese side also stressed that the premise of healthy, stable and sustainable military ties is for the US to "genuinely respect China's core interests and major concerns."

Liu Zhenli, a Central Military Commission (CMC) member and the chief of the CMC's Joint Staff Department, on Thursday held a video teleconference with General Charles Q. Brown, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the US, at the latter's request, China's Ministry of National Defense said in a press release on the day.

The key to developing healthy, stable and sustainable military relations is for the US to have the right perception of China, with the premise that the US should genuinely respect China's core interests and major concerns, Liu said, noting that the key should be promoting pragmatic cooperation and boosting mutual understanding.

The dialogue came at a time when the US approved arms sales to the island of Taiwan while emboldening the Philippines to continue challenging China's sovereignty over the Ren'ai Reef in the South China Sea.

Liu stressed that the Taiwan question is a purely internal affair of China that does not allow any external interference, and the Chinese military will resolutely defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The US should earnestly respect China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights in the South China Sea, be prudent in its words and deeds, and take concrete actions to safeguard regional peace and stability as well as the overall situation in China-US relations, Liu told Brown.

According to the AP, Brown's spokesman Navy Capt. Jereal Dorsey said in a statement that the two officers "discussed the importance of working together to responsibly manage competition, avoid miscalculations, and maintain open and direct lines of communication."

Zhuo Hua, an international affairs expert at the School of International Relations and Diplomacy of Beijing Foreign Studies University, viewed the senior-level conversation as "a good start for the resumption of other channels between the two militaries," saying it was especially significant that the two sides discussed defense policy and security issues, preventing miscalculation and managing conflicts.

The working meeting of two defense authorities, including the Military Maritime Consultative Agreement meetings, and telephone conversations between theatre commanders are all expected to resume in an orderly manner, Zhuo said.

Xin Qiang, deputy director of the Center for American Studies at Fudan University, told the Global Times on Friday that the video teleconference signaled that both Beijing and Washington are willing to stabilize ties and manage risks, and avoid direct conflict and war.

China and the US have been strengthening dialogue and contacts in the political, economic, trade and military fields since July, while bilateral relations have shown a momentum of easing from tensions. Some analysts said both sides should take the opportunity to further stabilize relations.

The detente between China and the US will also have an impact on other countries, especially Washington's vanguards that are provoking China, Xin said, "This will prompt them to consider what the benefit is of confronting China when the US itself has started to resume communication with China."

Guidance from the top

The meeting between the two heads of state of China and the US in San Francisco resulted in an important consensus on the resumption of exchanges and communication between the two countries' militaries, which should carry out communication and cooperation based on equality and respect, so as to jointly stabilize and improve bilateral ties, said Liu.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin on Friday said that China hopes the US side will work with China to implement the important consensus reached during the San Francisco meeting between the two heads of state on resuming communication and exchanges between the two militaries and carry out relevant exchanges and cooperation on the basis of equality and respect.

Li Haidong, a professor at the China Foreign Affairs University, told the Global Times that the latest conversation between Chinese and US officers is the concrete results and progress following the Xi-Biden summit in San Francisco.

The year-end video teleconference came after the two heads of state's summit in November, when they agreed to resume military communication channels which were halted after then House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi provocatively visited China's Taiwan region and met with its secessionist leader in August 2022.

According to the Pentagon, the last talks between US and Chinese counterparts at this level occurred in July 2022.

The Pentagon also said that senior US defense officials described the conversation as an "important step."

Uncertainty remains

Nevertheless, experts mentioned that even though there were signs of exchanges and detente between the two militaries, the destabilizing factors that led to the freeze in China-US military relations have not been significantly reduced, as the US has not changed its strategic competition with China, and has emboldened allies or made military provocations against China itself, and its domestic partisan rivalry often spills over into its foreign policy. They added that the biggest variable in the normal development of China-US military relations is the Taiwan question, which was the direct trigger for the latest difficulties in communication.

In the latest press release on the conversation, the Pentagon placed the blame on China for the previous lack of communication between the two militaries, noting that Beijing has "consistently denied or ignored US requests for defense engagements at multiple levels." The Pentagon also noted "increasingly provocative and risky behavior on the part of China's military."

Ironically, according to a Bloomberg report on Thursday, US Assistant Air Force Secretary Andrew Hunter said that the US Air Force "continues to explore all options to prioritize and expedite" sales of F-16 fighter jets to Taiwan island, aiming to deliver 66 new aircraft by the end of 2026.

On December 15, the Pentagon said it approved a $300 million military sale of equipment "to help maintain Taiwan's tactical information systems," according to a Reuters report.

The meeting between the heads of state of China and the US was effective, but in terms of concrete implementation, it still depends on if the US can abandon its hegemonic mentality, Li said, "We should also be wary of the inconsistency between words and deeds in the US policy toward China."

It will never be acceptable for the Chinese side if the US tries to turn the reopened channel of military exchanges into a tool to put pressure on China, Li said.

In a statement released by the Chinese Ministry of Defense, Liu Zhenli mentioned the word "respect" three times.

The resumption of high-level dialogue between the two militaries has not come easily, but the communication channels will do little to eliminate the risk of military conflict under the US framework of "strategic competition." It is still necessary for the US side to change its wrong perception of China, make good use of the communication platform with constructive thinking, and take concrete actions to safeguard the overall stable China-US relations and regional peace, Zhuo said.

China-US relations are at a crucial turning point, with exchanges increasing, but uncertainties also remain high, said Xin, noting that the upcoming regional elections in Taiwan, the US presidential elections, China hawks in the Congress, and disputes in the South China Sea are all tests for the relationship.

The US should not take the restored military communication channels as a sign that there are "no big problems" and continue creating chaos around China or further go against Beijing, as the thaw is still fragile, Xin said.

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Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin's Regular Press Conference on December 22, 2023

Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the People's Republic of China

2023-12-22 21:17

The fourth Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (LMC) Leaders' Meeting will be held via videolink on December 25. Premier Li Qiang of the State Council and the leaders of the five Mekong countries, namely Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Viet Nam will attend the meeting.a

CCTV: Premier Li Qiang will attend the fourth Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (LMC) Leaders' Meeting on December 25. How does China view the current development of the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation? What's China's expectation for this meeting?

Wang Wenbin: The Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (LMC) is the first new sub-regional cooperation mechanism focused on building a community with a shared future with wide consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits of the six Lancang-Mekong countries. In the past seven years since its inception, LMC enjoyed rapid development and put in place an LMC framework guided by leaders and underpinned by all-round cooperation and broad participation. With progress and results delivered daily, monthly and annually, we have created an LMC speed, and fostered an LMC culture featuring equality, sincerity, mutual assistance and kinship. LMC has become a stellar example for countries to develop relations with each other, conduct regional cooperation and pursue South-South cooperation.

Lancang-Mekong countries are at an important stage of speeding up development and achieving modernization. At the eighth LMC Foreign Ministers' Meeting held earlier this month, parties focused on regional stability and prosperity, highlighted the growth of new development advantages in the region and made full preparation for the upcoming Leaders' Meeting. We hope that the upcoming Leaders' Meeting will advocate building a Lancang-Mekong community with a shared future, focus on cooperation in such areas as integrated development, environmental protection, technological innovation, security governance and people-to-people exchanges, have in-depth discussion on advancing the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Economic Development Belt, and contribute to regional countries' common development and modernization.

NBC: It's reported that Chinese leader said China will reunify Taiwan with the mainland. While this is a known policy position, does this raising of the Taiwan issue in such a direct manner at the highest level with the United States imply that there is a change in China's tone or determination on the Taiwan issue, in particular ahead of Taiwan election?

Wang Wenbin: During his meeting with President Biden in San Francisco this November, President Xi Jinping outlined China's principled position on the Taiwan question. The readout of the meeting was released soon after their discussion. President Xi pointed out that the Taiwan question remains the most important and most sensitive issue in China-US relations. China takes seriously the positive statements made by the United States in the Bali meeting, and the US should match its action with its commitment of not supporting "Taiwan independence", stop arming Taiwan and support China's peaceful reunification.a

It needs to be pointed out that resolving the Taiwan question and realizing the complete reunification of the motherland is the common aspiration of all sons and daughters of the Chinese nation. Our position of advancing reunification is consistent, rock-solid and unshakable. China will realize reunification, and this is unstoppable.a

China Daily: During the summit meeting in San Francisco, China and the United States agreed to establish a working group on counternarcotics cooperation and carry out counternarcotics cooperation. What specific measures has China taken so far?

Wang Wenbin: Carrying out counternarcotics cooperation is one of the important common understandings reached between the two Presidents during their meeting in San Francisco. To deliver on that, the US side has lifted sanctions on relevant Chinese law enforcement institute. Recently, China has been engaged in campaigns against fentanyl and its precursor chemicals, and cracked down on illegal and criminal activities involving the smuggling, illicit manufacturing, trafficking and abuse of fentanyl-related substances. We have carried out a sweeping inspection of key businesses, personnel and equipment. We have been working to clean up information about online sales of fentanyl, and strictly prevent the smuggling and trafficking of relevant chemical substances to protect people's physical and mental health. The counternarcotics authorities of China and the US are resuming regular communication. The Chinese side has notified the US side of the progress made in US-related law enforcement operations against narcotics. China has responded to US request for verifying clues on certain cases and taken action. The two sides are in close communication on setting up a working group on counternarcotics cooperation.

I need to stress that progress in resuming China-US counternarcotics cooperation has not come easy and needs to be doubly cherished by both sides. We hope that the US side will show sincerity, work with China in the same direction and continue to carry out practical counternarcotics cooperation based on mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit.

Al Jazeera: Lately, the Israeli authorities have been confiscating occupied territories in the name of urban development, especially the Palestinian-owned land in East Jerusalem. Such practice violates international law and has become a fuse directly causing the escalation of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, which undermines peace and sabotages the possibility of the two-state solution. What is China's position on Israel's acts? As a permanent member of the UN Security Council, what measures can China take to stop these acts of Israel which violate international law?

Wang Wenbin: China opposes Israel building settlements on the Palestinian occupied territories. China opposes unilateral change to Jerusalem's status and status quo shaped by history. We believe that the issue of Jerusalem's status should be settled through negotiations by parties concerned in accordance with relevant UN resolutions. As Palestinian-Israeli tensions continue to escalate and risk of spillover of the conflict in Gaza heightens, relevant parties need to be prudent and avoid any move that might lead to escalation or get the situation to spiral out of control.

Reuters: Angola is the second largest exporter of crude oil in Africa. It announced yesterday that it would exit from OPEC. Since 2010, Angola has been a reliable strategic partner of China. Is there any negative impact of the exit from OPEC on the trade relationship between China and Angola?a

Wang Wenbin: China is committed to practical cooperation with Angola in various fields on the basis of equality and mutual benefit.

CCTV: President Xi Jinping had a recent phone call with President of Nicaragua Daniel Ortega ahead of the second anniversary of the resumption of diplomatic relations. The two heads of state announced the establishment of strategic partnership between the two countries. This marks a capstone of China's effort this year to enhance friendship with Latin American countries. Can you share more details of China's cooperation with Nicaragua and with Latin American countries?

Wang Wenbin: President Xi Jinping and President Ortega jointly announced the establishment of strategic partnership between China and Nicaragua. This is a milestone event in the history of China-Nicaragua relations. It serves the common interests of the two countries and the two peoples, and promotes the common development and prosperity of the two countries. Over the past two years since diplomatic ties were resumed, the two countries, guided by head-of-state diplomacy, have steered bilateral relations in the right direction, cemented political mutual trust, increased strategic coordination and accelerated practical cooperation. Both countries have benefited from resuming diplomatic ties.

The resumption and growth of relations with Nicaragua is an epitome of how China has deepened ties with Latin American and Caribbean countries in recent years. Costa Rica, Panama, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Nicaragua and Honduras have either established or resumed diplomatic relations with China, which reflects the trend of history and the times. More and more Latin American and Caribbean countries have joined high-quality Belt and Road cooperation. They have shown support for and taken part in the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative and are part of the effort to build a community with a shared future for China and Latin American countries.

Though China and Latin American and Caribbean countries belong to different hemispheres, we share closer ties and a common futureamost importantly because China-Latin American cooperation benefits both sides and delivers common development. China now has five free trade partners in Latin America. We began negotiations with Honduras on a free trade agreement less than four months after establishing diplomatic relations. China and Nicaragua completed negotiations on the free trade agreement within just one year, which will come into force on the first day of the new year. The agreement will bring more real benefits to the two peoples. The projects assisted by China or undertaken by Chinese companies on infrastructure, energy and power, and people's livelihood, are the latest showcase of China and Latin America working together for people's better lives.a

China always believes that Latin America is not a wrestling ground between different forces. We respects Latin American countries' right to independently choosing development paths that suit their national conditions, and supports Latin American countries in seeking strength through solidarity and addressing issues in the region through Latin American ways. China stands ready to work with Latin America to deepen China-Latin America relations in a new era characterized by equality, mutual benefit, innovation, openness and more benefits for the people and further promote the building of the China-Latin America community with a shared future.

Bloomberg: China will halt the export of a range of rare earth technologies while Beijing already has some of these limits already in place. It's now widened a list of technologies that cannot be transferred overseas to include the processing of rare earth metals and magnets. Can you respond to that?

Wang Wenbin: Are you referring to the Catalogue of Technologies Prohibited and Restricted from Export released by relevant Chinese authorities?

Bloomberg: Why is China doing this?

Wang Wenbin: China's competent authorities have responded to that. The revision of the Catalogue of Technologies Prohibited and Restricted from Export is a routine update for China to adapt to the latest technological advancement and better manage technology trade. The revision reduced the catalogue from 164 to 134 items.a

China is committed to promoting reform and development through opening up. We are always ready to create enabling conditions for international economic and trade cooperation on the basis of ensuring national economic security and development interests.

AFP: Top US and China military officials spoke for the first time in more than a year yesterday. Do you have any details to offer and was Taiwan among the topic discussed?

Wang Wenbin: Competent authorities have issued the readout on the video conversation between member of the Central Military Commission (CMC) and Chief of the CMC Joint Staff Department Liu Zhenli and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Charles Brown at US request. The readout mentioned the Taiwan question, which you may refer to.a

We hope the US will work with China to implement the important common understanding between the two presidents during their meeting in San Francisco on resuming mil-to-mil communication and exchange and carry out relevant exchange and cooperation on the basis of equality and mutual respect.

China News Service: Recently, US Ambassador to China Nicholas Burns said that in lunar exploration, he doesn't believe the Chinese have shown much of an interest in working with the United States and the space is a contested area. What's your comment?a

Wang Wenbin: Today, the spokesperson for the China National Space Administration (CNSA) has shared relevant facts and history of space cooperation between China and the US. You may refer to it.a

China is committed to the peaceful exploration and use of outer space. We are ready to have international space exchanges and cooperation with all countries on the basis of equality, mutual benefit, peaceful use and inclusive development and actively promote the vision of a community with a shared future for mankind in the field of outer space.

We have always been open to having space exchanges and cooperation with the US. The two sides established mechanisms such as the working group on Earth science and space science cooperation and the China-US Civil Space Dialogue. The US, however, views space cooperation with China from a Cold War perspective. US domestic legislation such as the Wolf Amendment, the US Innovation and Competition Act of 2021 and the America COMPETES Act of 2022 were adopted to limit and thwart space exchanges and cooperation with China. The US even imposed unilateral sanctions on relevant Chinese companies. This is the real reason impeding cooperation between the two sides.

In the field of lunar and deep space exploration, China has actively advanced international cooperation. CNSA recently issued the CE-5 Lunar Research Sample Distribution Guide and the Announcement of International Cooperation Opportunities for the Chang'e-8 Mission. We welcome scientists and researchers from the US and all other countries to apply in line with the procedures. If the US truly wants to advance space exchanges and cooperation with China, it needs to revoke and abolish relevant legislation, stop making irresponsible comments and take practical steps to remove the stumbling blocks on the path towards cooperation.

Bloomberg: The US Commerce Department will begin gathering of information on the Chinese production of legacy semiconductors. Those are not the advanced chips. Those are just like regular chips. It's looking to track how deeply reliant US companies have become on the technology from China. There's a belief that China is underpricing the sale of legacy semiconductors. Can you respond to that?

Wang Wenbin: The global industrial and supply chains are shaped and developed by the laws of market and business choices combined. Any deliberate intervention to instrumentalize and weaponize economic and trade issues is a violation of the principles of market economy and fair competition and will pose risks to the security of global industrial and supply chains. It will hurt the interests of the whole world, including the US itself. The US needs to respect international trade rules and the principle of market economy and create enabling conditions for China-US economic and trade cooperation.

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China's Xi Jinping to pay homage at Mao mausoleum amid fears of new personality cult

The move comes as state media lauds the legacy of Mao Zedong, claim Xi is a red 'reformer' like his father.

By Gu Ting and Jenny Tang for RFA Mandarin, Yitong Wu and Chingman for RFA Cantonese 2023.12.22 -- As authorities in Beijing announced the temporary closure of the Mao Zedong mausoleum on Tiananmen Square, reportedly to allow Chinese Communist Party leader Xi Jinping to pay homage on Mao's 130th birth anniversary, state media moved to elevate Xi's revolutionary father's role in the past four decades of economic reform, eclipsing their key architect Deng Xiaoping.

The closure "due to operational requirements" for three days including the Dec 26 anniversary of the late supreme leader's birth on Dec. 26, comes amid growing fears of a Mao-style personality cult around Xi, as institutions and political figures compete to show the utmost loyalty to Xi and his personal brand of political ideology.

The reports, which described the visit as part of efforts to boost Xi's "red credentials," emerged as a lengthy article lauding Mao's "great achievements and noble demeanor" appeared in the party's ideological magazine, Qiushi.

The article also placed the past 45 years of economic reform generally credited to late supreme leader Deng Xiaoping in the context of a bigger picture - one of "progress" towards socialist modernization that has yet to be achieved, in further confirmation that Xi likely plans to leave the Deng Xiaoping reform era behind while claiming to be developing it further.

"Today, the best commemoration of Comrade Mao Zedong is to inherit and develop the great cause that he and his comrades worked hard to found, and to write a new historical chapter at a new historical starting point," the article says.

The article came after a Dec. 18 documentary from state broadcaster CCTV lauded Xi's father, the revolutionary Xi Zhongxun (1913-2002), as a key architect of "reform and opening up," lavishing more praise on him on the 45th anniversary of the new policy than on late supreme leader Deng, who is generally credited with the move.

Playing the Xi Zhongxun card

It claims the elder Xi called on China to commit to economic reforms and greater openness after witnessing the mass exodus of people from Guangdong to Hong Kong, then a booming port and British colony, during the Cultural Revolution of 1966-1976.

Earlier propaganda films have credited Deng with being the "old man who drew a ring on the South China Sea coast," founding the Special Economic Zone, hard on the border with Hong Kong.

The film seeks to bolster the reformist credentials of both the elder and the younger Xi, with photos of his family seeing him off at the airport when the elder Xi was posted to Guangdong in 1978, and later photos of Xi Jinping accompanying his father on an inspection tour in the southern province.

Feng Chongyi, a professor of Chinese Studies at the Sydney University of Technology, said Xi Zhongxun did indeed win something of a reputation as a reformist for his more relaxed attitude to people fleeing to Hong Kong.

"When Xi Zhongxun set up the special economic zone in Guangdong, he allowed Hong Kong capital in, while easing off a little on those people who were fleeing to Hong Kong, which meant that not all of them were shot dead on sight," Feng said.

"It's fine to say that he was in the reform category, but in no way was he a leader of economic reforms, not at all," he said. "[Former Guangdong party secretary] Ren Zhongyi ... really did have all the theory and a systematic plan, but Xi Zhongxun wasn't on the same level."

"Xi Jinping is trying to play the Xi Zhongxun card to try to trick foreign investors back [to China]," Feng said.

'Political deception'

Xia Ming, professor of politics at New York's City University, said Xi is actually steering China in the opposite direction to Deng's economic reforms, while still claiming to continue them.

"His political reforms have no substance - on the contrary, he has eliminated the only real highlight of Deng's political reforms - the abolition of lifelong tenure for China's leaders," Xia said, referring to Xi's abolition of presidential term limits leading him to be nodded through for a third and possibly indefinite term in office in October 2022.

"Everything Xi Jinping says is a kind of political deception," he said.

According to current affairs commentator Xu Quan, however, many people are still very willing to idolize Mao.

"[Many still believe that] there was no corruption in the Mao era, and no gap between rich and poor," Xu said. "Mao symbolizes this perfectly in the imagination of a considerable number of Chinese people."

Current affairs commentator Cai Shenkun said Xi tends to reach for Mao as a political symbol when he runs into difficulty, but warned that integration into the international community will be impossible if Mao's legacy isn't properly laid to rest.

"Mao Zedong relied on violent revolution to launch his career, and any political power that is gained in that way must use violence to maintain itself," he said.

"China is heading for a dead end today."

'In the shadow of Mao Zedong Thought'

Current affairs commentator Ma Ju said Xi needs to elevate Mao in order to claim his own "red" credentials.

"Xi Jinping's elevation of Mao Zedong is very consistent with his personal values," Ma said. "The Cultural Revolution started when he was 13 years old, and he was sent down to the countryside at 16."

"His formative years were spent in the shadow of Mao Zedong Thought, so his narratives depend on that model," he said.

In Beijing, meanwhile, people were getting ready for heavier restrictions on the already tightly controlled Tiananmen Square.

A member of staff at an eatery not far from Tiananmen Square said local people have been warned not to gather on the square on Dec. 26 in a notice from their local neighborhood committee.

"There will be an important event taking place at the Mausoleum on Dec. 26, and residents should not gather for celebrations in Tiananmen Square at that time for fear of accidents due to large crowds," the notice said.

The "important event" consists of a personal visit to the Mausoleum by Xi Jinping, Hong Kong's pro-China Sing Tao Daily newspaper reported.

"On the morning of Dec. 26, President Xi Jinping is expected to lead central government leaders in paying homage to Mao Zedong's remains at the Mausoleum," the paper said.

Xi will then host a "symposium" at the Great Hall of the People nearby, where he will deliver a speech "speaking highly" of Mao and his legacy.

Xi also paid his respects to Mao on the eve of massive celebrations of the ruling Chinese Communist Party's 70th anniversary in power in 2019, bowing three times in front of Mao's statue on Tiananmen Square.



Translated by Luisetta Mudie.

Copyright 1998-2023, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036. For any commercial use of RFA content please send an email to: mahajanr@rfa.org. RFA content December not be used in a manner which would give the appearance of any endorsement of any product or support of any issue or political position. Please read the full text of our Terms of Use.

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Hong Kong court rejects bid to get Jimmy Lai's sedition charge dropped

Lawyers for the Apple Daily founder had argued that the prosecution had exceeded a time limit for the charge.

By Ng Ting Hong and Gigi Lee for RFA Cantonese 2023.12.22 -- A court on Friday rejected a bid by Hong Kong media magnate Jimmy Lai's legal team to get one of the charges in his national security trial dismissed, saying the "sedition" charge hadn't exceeded its time limit.

Lai turned up at West Kowloon Magistrates Court on Friday for the third day of his trial wearing a light green sweatshirt and a dark blue jacket, nodding to family and friends from the dock.

But a bid by defense attorney Robert Pang to get the sedition charge dismissed because the prosecution had failed to lay the charge within a six-month window was rejected by the panel of handpicked national security judges and no jury.

Judge Esther Toh said the sedition charge was laid at the West Kowloon Magistrates court on Dec. 14, 2021, 10 days before the time limit would have expired.

Pang had argued that the prosecution accused Lai of committing the offenses for the first time on April 1, 2019, accusing them of eventually changing the sedition charge to add the word "conspiracy," so as to get around the time limit.

Lai's long-awaited trial on two counts of "conspiracy to collude with foreign forces," one count of "collusion with foreign forces" under a draconian national security law imposed by Beijing in 2020, and one of "conspiracy to publish, sell, offer for sale, distribute, display or reproduce seditious publications" under a colonial-era law, got under way on Monday following nearly three years of pretrial detention.

Much of the prosecution's evidence centers on opinion articles published in Lai's now-defunct Apple Daily newspaper. Three former Apple Daily companies are co-defendants.

Decimating freedoms

Beijing imposed the law - which criminalizes public criticism of the authorities - as part of a crackdown on massive pro-democracy protests in 2019, insisting that the move was necessary to quell unrest. Lai has been an outspoken supporter of the pro-democracy movement, and several editors at his former paper are also awaiting sentencing for calling for international sanctions in columns and opinion pieces.

The law, which applies to speech and actions anywhere in the world, criminalizes several broadly defined offenses including secession, subversion, collusion with foreign forces and terrorist activities, all of which carry maximum penalties of life imprisonment. The law has been widely criticized by rights groups and governments for decimating the city's promised rights and freedoms under Chinese rule. Hong Kong's ranking in the major global rights indices has plummeted.

The case was adjourned to Jan. 2 next year, when the prosecution is expected to begin its opening statements.

The ruling came after the city's High Court rejected an application from Tiananmen vigil organizer and national security detainee Chow Hang-tung for bail.

Judge Andrew Chan denied bail despite Chow's defense lawyer's argument that the now-shuttered Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China - which organized the now-banned annual vigils for victims of the 1989 Tiananmen massacre - had been active for more than 30 years without endangering China, and that Chow was unlikely to represent much of a threat if released on bail.

Chan also told the court that Chow's trial on charges of "inciting subversion" would likely be scheduled for mid-2024, with a case management meeting slated for February.

Barrister Y.L. Cheung also argued that the national security law, as drafted by the standing committee of the National's People's Congress in Beijing, was only intended to target actions that "seriously endanger national security," and not the peaceful expression of ideas and opinions.



Translated by Luisetta Mudie.

Copyright 1998-2023, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036. For any commercial use of RFA content please send an email to: mahajanr@rfa.org. RFA content December not be used in a manner which would give the appearance of any endorsement of any product or support of any issue or political position. Please read the full text of our Terms of Use.

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Questions Raised Over China's 'Consular Volunteers'

By Kate Bartlett December 22, 2023

The deployment of so-called "consular volunteers" by China's diplomatic missions overseas is raising concerns among some analysts and watchdogs who see them as part of the Communist Party's "long arm" abroad and fear they could be used to monitor dissent - something Beijing denies.

"They are not 'spies' per se, as they do not directly carry out espionage etc. But they do act on behalf of a foreign influence," said Chung Ching Kwong, co-author of a recent report on consular volunteers by the Europe-based rights group Safeguard Defenders.

"They can still operate and help the authorities to target dissidents, like collecting personal info of people who are in touch with them or mobilizing people to attend protests," she told VOA by email.

The Safeguard Defenders report came in the wake of new regulations on "consular protection and assistance" from China's State Council that took effect in September.

Chinese government websites show how the consular volunteer network has spread over the years, with notices on recruitment, training and award ceremonies in Japan, Finland, Italy, France, Angola, Malaysia, the Czech Republic, Botswana and numerous other countries.

In South Africa's economic hub, Johannesburg, the Chinese Consulate General hosted an annual meeting for more than 20 consular volunteers in July.

In his remarks to the volunteers, General Consul Tang Dongzhong said he hoped the volunteers would help the Consulate General "to build 'The Five-Sphere Integrated Plan' joint defense and joint protection system, and make unceasing efforts to safeguard the safety and legitimate rights and interests of Chinese citizens."

According to Chinese government websites, the "five-sphere integrated plan" was announced in 2012 and is meant to advance "socialism with Chinese characteristics encompassing economic, political, cultural, social and eco-environmental development."

China's response

Contacted by VOA, the Chinese Embassy and consulate in South Africa did not reply to repeated requests for comment. But the Chinese government has defended itself from criticism of its consular volunteer network in the past.

In Canada, a spokesperson for the Chinese Consulate General of Vancouver said in 2019 that Chinese citizens traveling to Canada had experienced "accidents, sudden illnesses, and telecommunications fraud and other criminal violations."

The spokesperson added that it is "reasonable to hire local overseas Chinese as consular assistance volunteers to assist the Consulate General in providing timely and effective assistance to overseas Chinese citizens in need in accordance with laws and regulations."

After the publication of the Safeguard Defenders report, a spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Brussels hit back, saying there was nothing nefarious about the volunteer system.

"To handle cases related to Chinese citizens in a timely and effective manner and to serve public good, some compassionate Chinese compatriots living and working in Belgium have voluntarily offered necessary assistance to the embassy in providing consular protection," the spokesperson said.

"When providing voluntary service, they have strictly observed local laws and regulations. Such service does not involve exercising consular functions."

Information and even recruitment calls for volunteers are public on Chinese government websites.

"We urge relevant press and 'NGO' to be objective and fully understand the benevolent nature of the consular assistance volunteer service, stop spreading disinformation, and refrain from acting as mouthpieces for China-related lies and rumors," the Brussels embassy spokesperson said. "There are similar practices by other countries as well."

The United States has what it terms "Citizen Liaison Volunteers," who help U.S. embassies help their citizens abroad. Mentions of such programs appear on several U.S. Embassy websites, including the one for China.

A description of the role on the website of the U.S. Embassy and Consulates in China reads, "CLVs are private citizens who help the embassy help U.S. citizens in need. They assist travelers in distress, help us track down missing U.S. citizens, and, in the event of a natural disaster or other emergency, help us locate other American citizens so we can help get them to safety.

"Most often, however, CLVs are called on to be our 'eyes and ears' in the community," it says.

United front

Some analysts however, see the role of China's volunteers as a potential threat. Niva Yau, a fellow at the Atlantic Council's Global China Hub, recently wrote that by expanding its global security footprint overseas, China could "also grow its capacity to carry out transnational repression."

She said the new regulations introduced in September, "could provide formal grounds for PRC consulates to intervene in the overseas private affairs of Chinese nationals whether they welcome government support or not."

Both the Safeguard Defenders and the Atlantic Council reports advise host nations to ensure China does not use its embassies and consulates to infringe on the rights of Chinese abroad or to build a larger foreign security presence.

Safeguard Defenders has previously detailed how China has more than 100 "police stations" overseas to monitor, coerce and even sometimes forcibly repatriate Chinese living in exile.

Paul Nantulya, a research associate at the Africa Center for Strategic Studies, a Washington-based policy institute, said the consular volunteer program is essentially part of the Chinese Communist Party's wider network of influence known as the United Front.

"This consular volunteer program is part of the United Front system. ... And it is basically part of what one might call influence operations," he told VOA.

"These are efforts that are undertaken to amplify Chinese policies, mobilize support for Chinese positions, influence policies of host countries through an indirect approach, which is very difficult to actually attribute, because it is mostly non-official and it is very diverse."

Nantulya said China finds the volunteers useful because its diplomats "don't have the capacity to monitor everything that goes on in their countries of jurisdiction."

"But there're other motivations as well," he said. The work of the United Front is very clear; it seeks to build affinities with China -- to discredit China's adversaries."

VOA's Mandarin and Cantonese Services, including Kris Cheng contributed to this report.

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In dealing with the US, China should strive for the best outcome, but also prepare for the worst consequences: PLA Navy rear admiral

Global Times

By Global Times Published: Dec 23, 2023 03:13 PM

China advocates peaceful development, while the Western powers, led by the US, believe China will inevitably follow the path of previous major powers in seeking hegemony. This fundamental difference in perspective creates a significant contradiction between the two sides, Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy rear admiral Yang Yi said at the Global Times Annual Conference 2024. He warned that China should strive for the best outcome, but also prepare for the worst consequences by developing plans and building up its own strength.

Among the various challenges and problems we face right now, the China-US relationship is the largest one. The recent meeting between the two heads of state in San Francisco has provided confidence in the strategic stability of bilateral relations, Yang said. However, he noted that this confidence alone cannot solve the decisive contradictions between the two countries.

Yang said that judging from the current global situation and the challenges China faces, there are several areas of particular concern, including the Taiwan question. "Given China's resolute attitude on the Taiwan question and repeated emphasis that the Taiwan question is our red line, bottom line, and core interest, we have made it clear that there will be consequences if anyone tries to challenge us."

The PLA's resolution and strength should not be underestimated. Therefore, in the context of this situation, coupled with the conflicts between Russia and Ukraine, and between Israel and Palestine, the US-led Western camp is cautious about taking bold actions on the Taiwan question, and have shifted their focus to the South China Sea, Yang remarked.

The South China Sea has become a new hotspot, especially when the West uses the Philippines as a pawn to continually provoke China. In the face of this problem, we must adopt the right strategy and increase our strength, Yang said.

In terms of strength, various aspects surrounding the China-US relationship have undergone changes. In the past few years, the economic and trade relationship was the ballast stone, but now it has become collateral, said Yang.

He said that when he led the military security strategic dialogue group to visit the US in 2003, he emphasized that the military relationship between China and the US was the barometer of the bilateral relationship.

Ironically, now the military relationship between China and the US has changed to an insurance tether that ensures large-scale military conflicts are avoided, Yang said.

Yang praised the recent video meeting between Liu Zhenli, a Central Military Commission (CMC) member and the chief of the CMC's Joint Staff Department, and General Charles Q. Brown, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the US as a good example.

China strives for stability, but is not afraid of troubles. China must be prepared, and power preparation is very important. One can only better protect national interests once equipped with a strong and powerful force, Yang noted.

Chinese modernization is the essence of the Report to the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China. China offers an alternative path for people in non-Western countries. However, it is important to note that the path to advance Chinese modernization is not smooth, and there are internal issues such as the country's population and economy, as well as other challenges. The main external challenge comes from the US, and the China-US rivalry is the main contradiction influencing the current situation, Jin Canrong, associate dean of the School of International Studies at the Renmin University of China, said at the conference.

Jin said in the face of pressure from the US, as long as China maintains domestic development and stability, it can handle the situation well.

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G7 Is Club of Bandits: KCNA Commentary

Korean Central News Agency of DPRK

Pyongyang, December 22 (KCNA) -- The "Group of Seven" (G7), which has come under worldwide criticism as an exclusive group disturbing international peace and the independent development of other countries at the instigation of the U.S., is going to commit robbery in broad daylight.

British media recently reported that G7 seeks a way of using Russia's overseas assets for military aid to Ukraine.

G7, which has clamored for "freezing Russia's financial assets", reportedly discussed in detail the issue of using Russia's frozen assets, including the funds of the Russian Central Bank in foreign banks, for supporting Ukraine.

G7, unbecoming to its spurious title "rich club" of the old "nobles", has gone so impudent as to seize other's assets. This seemingly provokes sympathy rather than anger.

It is well known to the world that G7 members and other Western countries have offered weapons and funds to the Zelenskiy clique of Ukraine and encouraged its military confrontation with Russia.

But the situation of battlefields in Ukraine is contrary to the expectations of the U.S. and other Western countries hoping to see "isolated and weakened" Russia.

The Ukrainian forces' rash "counterattack" has encountered Russian forces' proactive special military operations, ending in huge loss of personnel and combat equipment.

Worse still, Western countries, which styled themselves Ukraine's "reliable" rear, change tack to withdraw from their bottomless support for Ukraine, stunned by Russia's great might and strategic potentials and Ukraine's huge debts. This drives the Zelenskiy regime into a tight corner.

The U.S., the boss of G7, finds itself being unable to seek a new way of supporting Ukraine and remaining aid funds will reportedly run out within this year.

Nevertheless, G7 and other Western "colleagues" of Zelenskiy, repeat empty promises, saying "we will be with you" and "you do not give up hope in the fight against Russia."

Now there is a widespread public opinion that Ukraine will completely collapse next summer if Western support is ceased.

The way out G7 has just found against this backdrop is to seize other's assets and offer them to its cannon fodders.

It is G7's intention to transfer the frozen funds of the Russian Central Bank to Ukraine, a proxy war victim saddled with huge debts, to help it "purchase" weapons from Western countries and continue its proxy war with Russia.

Withdrawing its troops from Afghanistan a few years ago, the U.S. had used even a handful of frozen assets of Afghanistan for the settlement of its domestic problems. No wonder, G7 is led by the U.S. ill-famed for such "deed," and it is no exaggeration to say that G7 just exists on robbery.

The "prominent noble group", the "rich club", which has fattened itself up through interference, pressure, aggression and plunder of other countries, has found itself in such a poor position as unhesitatingly committing such evil deeds as "banditry".

The international community loving justice and truth will never tolerate the illegal high-handed and arbitrary practices of the U.S.-led gangster-like group. -0-

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G. Steven Pigeon was once one of the most powerful people in Western New York politics. The former Erie County Democratic chairman was considered a political kingmaker who could pick and choose who would make it on the ballot  and who didnt. His friends in the highest levels of government and civic life included billionaire Tom Golisano, former Gov. Andrew Cuomo and the Clintons.

But on Friday, he stood before a judge in a Buffalo courtroom as a criminal.

Pigeon, 63, pleaded guilty in November to first-degree sexual abuse of a child, and State Supreme Court Justice M. William Boller was to sentence him to one year in jail.

But before that, the girl whom Pigeon admitted to abusing finally had her say, two and a half years after coming forward with shocking allegations.

She was 9 when it happened, according to previous court proceedings. A fourth-grader. Someone Pigeon knew.

A prosecutor said Friday the sexual abuse took place between Nov. 23, 2016 and Christmas of that year  he was taking her out as a Christmas celebration.

The girl, now a teenager, was in the gallery Friday morning, surrounded by loved ones. Another girl held her hand and at times stroked her cheeks.

The girl had planned to read her own statement but decided to have one of the prosecutors, Chief Cathleen M. Roemer of the Buffalo City Court Bureau, read it aloud in court for her.

The Buffalo News is not identifying the girl because she was the juvenile victim of a sex crime.

I remember for the first year after it happened, I honestly didnt know what actually happened, Roemer read from the girls letter addressed to Boller. I knew it was wrong and that it shouldnt have happened. But I was a child. I didnt know what rape was or what it meant.

She continued: The day I found out what actually happened to me, I remember feeling so disgusted and scared.

She said she wanted to tell her mother, but then remembered Pigeon warning her that he would hurt my mother and my brother.

The girl said she went from a happy little girl to someone my family couldnt even recognize.

She attempted suicide twice, once when she was 10 and then when she was 12. She fell in with a bad crowd and acted out. She would sneak out of the house and use drugs and alcohol.

Just so I could feel absolutely nothing, she said.

She talked about the years of trauma she has endured. She has panic attacks and nightmares. She remembered waking up from one sweating and out of breath at 3 a.m. and needing to take a shower because of how gross I felt.

Her relationships have been affected, she said, even with with her mother. There was a point I couldnt even look at her. Part of me felt that she should have known what was happening and I blamed her for my suffering, she said.

You took away practically my entire childhood, she said.

The girl came forward with her accusations against Pigeon in the summer of 2021.

He was charged in December 2021 after being indicted on six charges, including two counts of predatory sexual assault against a child, a class A felony that has the potential to carry a life sentence, if he was convicted. He also was charged with one count each of first-degree rape, first-degree criminal sexual act and first-degree sexual abuse.

The case was headed for trial, with jury selection set to begin Dec. 4, 2023.

In the months prior, attorneys on both sides traded accusations of misconduct in court as they sharpened the cases they plan to bring before a jury. But on Nov. 6, in a surprise move, Pigeon pleaded guilty to a single felony count of first-degree sex abuse of a child under the age of 11. Under the plea agreement, to which the victim and her family consented, he would spend 364 days in a county jail.

This will be Pigeons third stint behind bars in recent years.

In July 2022, he was sentenced to four months in federal prison followed by one year of supervised release for making an illegal political donation.

That sentencing resulted from Pigeons guilty plea in October 2018, when he admitted that he conspired to arrange an illegal political donation to Cuomos 2014 re-election campaign on behalf of the Canadian founder of an online gambling business. Neither the governor nor his campaign were implicated in the case.

He was sentenced the following day in a state case to one year in prison for bribing State Supreme Court Justice John A. Michalek. He admitted he gave the judge things like free tickets to box seats at Buffalo Sabres games and tried to help Michalek get jobs for family members. As part of the scheme, Pigeon got information, including nonpublic information, about lawsuits to which he was connected.

Those sentences were served concurrently.

During Fridays hearing, Boller referred to letters that family members of the victim sent to him in which they questioned why Pigeon was sentenced to just one year.

Boller reminded the family members in the gallery that the victim and her family agreed to the sentencing guidelines. This is not the judicial system that is to be criticized, Boller said. This is what the victim and the parties agreed to.

The victim, in closing her statement, said she does wish Pigeon would spend the rest of his life in prison for what he did to her.

But we dont always get exactly what we want, she said in her statement. I was so relieved after three long years to finally have some justice for myself.

Roemer, in addressing the judge, praised the victim for her courage in coming forward.

The sexual assault of a child is a completely evil act. It is one without justification or redemption. But this case is much more than that. Here, the defendant, a powerful man cloaked in the protection of wealth and political influence undoubtedly thought he could do whatever he wanted. And either no one would believe the victim or that no one would care. The courage required to stand up to the rich, the powerful and the influential is something that many adults in this community would not have had, Roemer said.

The defendant, with his political influence, his political ties and friends talked to the media, criticizing the victims integrity and mental health, Roemer said. The girl didnt just survive a sexual assault. She survived three years of the defendants political friends criticizing her family, her character and her sanity.

It didnt work, Roemer said. The truth is a powerful thing. And truth comes to light at trial. That is likely why the defense reached out to the Erie County District Attorneys before this matter was to go to trial and offered to plead.

Roemer said the girl has found closure in Pigeon admitting in open court to sexually abusing her.

Roemer said she hoped Pigeon would finally apologize.

The judge gave him the opportunity to make a statement before he was formally sentenced.

Pigeon, wearing a navy suit, stood and declined.

No apology? Boller asked.

Not at this time, he quietly said.

Wow, a man in the gallery could be heard saying.

Boller began reading the sentence: Pigeon will spend the next 364 days in the Erie County Correctional Facility in Alden, possibly less for good behavior, and would have to pay a list of fees. They discussed that a hearing needed to be scheduled prior to his release because he will have to register as a sex offender.

As Boller spoke, a court officer put handcuffs on Pigeons wrists, behind his back. He was led out of the courtroom but then the prosecutors asked him to be returned to confirm an order of protection to prevent Pigeon from contacting the girl or her family until 2031.

Then he was led out of court again, this time headed for a jail cell.

After the hearing, District Attorney John Flynn spoke to reporters about the case.

There are many people in this country ... who reach a pinnacle of their profession, and then do something wrong ... and then the higher you are in your profession, the farther you fall, Flynn said. This is a pretty big fall.
Multiple Rocket Launchers Presented to KPA by Members of GFTUK, UAWK and SWUK

Korean Central News Agency of DPRK

Pyongyang, December 22 (KCNA) -- Members of the General Federation of Trade Unions of Korea (GFTUK), the Union of Agricultural Workers of Korea (UAWK) and the Socialist Women's Union of Korea (SWUK) across the DPRK conducted a brisk do-good-thing movement to present to the Korean People's Army (KPA) the multiple rocket launchers proudly named "Jikmaeng (trade unions)", "Nonggunmaeng (union of agricultural workers)" and "Nyomaeng (women's union)".

A meeting of presenting the multiple rocket launchers was held at the Nampho Stadium on Thursday.

Present there were Ri Tu Song, department director of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, officials and members of the GFTUK, the UAWK and the SWUK and service personnel.

Pak In Chol, chairman of the C.C., the GFTUK, Han Jong Hyok, chairman of the C.C., the UAWK, and Kim Jong Sun, chairwoman of the C.C., the SWUK, handed over the presentation certificates to a KPA officer.

Then followed speeches by Pak Yang Thae, vice-chairman of the C.C., the GFTUK, and others.

The hostile forces are getting ever more undisguised in their military hysteria to stifle the DPRK even at this moment close to the end of the year, they said, calling upon all the people to more dynamically conduct the mass movement for bolstering up the country's defence capabilities in every way.

The speakers requested the KPA service personnel to further sharpen the bayonets for annihilating the enemies, true to the request of their home villagers and desire of their families.

At the end of the meeting, the multiple rocket launchers left for units of the People's Army amid warm send-off by working people. -0-

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N Korea's second nuclear reactor seems operational: IAEA

Activities at Yongbyon facility spark concern about Pyongyang acquiring additional sources for nuclear weapons.

By Lee Jeong-Ho for RFA 2023.12.22 -- The International Atomic Energy Agency, or IAEA, has found that a new nuclear reactor is apparently operational at North Korea's Yongbyon nuclear complex, suggesting the country's acquisition of additional means to obtain plutonium for nuclear weapons.

North Korea has been reprocessing used fuel from its 5-megawatt reactor at Yongbyon to produce plutonium needed for manufacturing its nuclear weapons.

The activities at the experimental Light Water Reactor (LWR) in the facility, however, suggest that it is also operational, according to the IAEA on Thursday.

"The discharge of warm water is indicative the reactor has reached criticality," the IAEA chief Rafael Grossi said in a statement. "The LWR, like any nuclear reactor, can produce plutonium in its irradiated fuel, which can be separated during reprocessing, so this is a cause for concern."

Despite the signs, Grossi still stated that full confirmation of the facility's operational status requires the IAEA to gain access to the site.

"I repeat that the further development of the DPRK's nuclear programme, including the construction and operation of the LWR, is a violation of UN Security Council resolutions and is deeply regrettable," Grossi added, calling North Korea its formal name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

The IAEA's statement comes after North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un and his powerful sister Kim Yo Jong issued nuclear threats against the U.S. and South Korea.

Through the North's official state media on Thursday, Kim Jong Un emphasized North Korea's implementation of its "assertive response strategy," which includes the potential for a nuclear attack in retaliation against the allies. Meanwhile, Kim Yo Jong issued a fresh warning that the allies should consider how Pyongyang might respond to what it perceives as their hostile actions.

North Korea has long labeled U.S.-South Korea joint drills as "invasion practice," while Seoul and Washington call the exercise fully defensive. The U.S., South Korea and Japan conducted trilateral joint air drills off the southeastern coast of the Korean peninsula Wednesday. The drills included the strategic U.S. B-1B bomber plane, capable of carrying 57 tons of conventional armaments, according to the South's Joint Chiefs of Staff.

On Monday, North Korea fired its latest solid-fueled ICBM, the Hwasong-18, with the launch reaching a maximum altitude of about 6,500 kilometers (4,040 miles) and flying a distance of around 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) before hitting its target off its eastern coast.

Although the test was conducted at a high angle, it still represented a potential threat to the U.S. If launched at a lower trajectory, this missile may be capable of reaching the U.S. mainland.

During the landmark summit between the U.S. and North Korea in Singapore in June 2018, North Korea halted the operations at the Yongbyon complex. However, following the collapse of the second summit in Hanoi in February 2019, North Korea gradually showed signs of resuming activities at Yongbyon, with it publicly vowing that it now has no intention to denuclearize the country.

Edited by Taejun Kang and Mike Firn.

Copyright 1998-2016, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036. For any commercial use of RFA content please send an email to: mahajanr@rfa.org. RFA content December not be used in a manner which would give the appearance of any endorsement of any product or support of any issue or political position. Please read the full text of our Terms of Use.

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France decides to close embassy in Niger

People's Daily Online

(Xinhua) 13:56, December 23, 2023

NIAMEY, Dec. 22 (Xinhua) -- France announced the indefinite closure of its embassy in Niger and the termination of the employment contracts of embassy staff, according to a letter sent to embassy staff and seen by Xinhua on Friday.

French Ambassador to Niger Sylvain Itte said in the letter that since the coup and the violent attack in July, the French embassy has not been able to carry out the full range of functions devolved to a diplomatic representation due to the restrictions imposed on it by the Nigerien authorities.

Despite repeated requests, the competent Nigerien authorities have not responded favorably to the maintenance of the activities of the French Embassy in Niger under normal conditions, he added.

The decision to close the embassy came just hours before the departure of the last of the 1,500 French soldiers previously based in Niger, as part of the process of French disengagement at the request of Niger's new authorities, and also followed the expulsion of the current French ambassador as well as the denunciation of defense agreements by Niamey.

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Last French troops leave Niger

People's Daily Online

(Xinhua) 13:44, December 23, 2023

NIAMEY, Dec. 22 (Xinhua) -- The last 50 of the 1,500 French soldiers previously stationed in Niger left the country on Friday morning, marking the end of military cooperation between the two countries, according to the Nigerien military.

Mamane Sani Kiaou, the chief of staff of the Nigerien army, and Eric Ozan, the representative of the chief of staff of the French army, signed a joint document on Friday, which centers on the withdrawal of French troops from Niger.

Since last Friday, all combat equipment has been repatriated, and the land and air convoys organized as part of the withdrawal of French troops from Niger have been completed.

According to a press release from the Nigerien army, the French troops were withdrawn under favorable conditions and in accordance with the timetable set by the authorities in Niger.

France had more than 1,500 soldiers in Niger, based in Ouallam, Ayorou and Niamey. The first convoy of French soldiers departed on Oct. 10, escorted by Niger's defense and security forces.

Relations between Niger and France took a cliff-like drop after the military in Niger detained President Mohamed Bazoum on July 26 and chose Abdourahamane Tchiani, former leader of the country's presidential guard, to lead the National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland, a governing body established by the soldiers after the coup.

France has suspended visa deliveries in Niger and evacuated its citizens, while Niger has closed its airspace for all French-registered aircraft.

In September, French President Emmanuel Macron said France would withdraw its troops deployed in Niger by the end of 2023.

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INDIAN OCEAN NAVAL SYMPOSIUM (IONS) - 2023

India - Press Information Bureau

Ministry of Defence

CULMINATION OF IONS COC (19 - 22 DEC 23), BANGKOK, THAILAND

India took over as the co-Chair of IONS Working Groups on Maritime Security and HADR

Republic of Korea Navy welcomed as the latest 'Observer'

Posted On: 22 DEC 2023 5:47PM by PIB Delhi

The 8th edition of Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS) Conclave of Chiefs (CoC) was conducted by Royal Thai Navy at Bangkok, Thailand from 19 - 22 Dec 23. Chiefs of Navies/ Senior Delegates from 27 Members/ Observer countries participated in the event. Admiral R Hari Kumar, Chief of the Naval Staff, attended the event with a three member Indian Naval delegation.

(https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1988673)

During the Conclave of Chiefs, Thailand assumed the duties of Chair of IONS and Work Plan for next two years was finalised. As a first, Flag designed by India was selected as the IONS Flag. India also took over as the co-Chair of IONS Working Groups on Maritime Security and HADR for the forthcoming cycle. Republic of Korea Navy was welcomed by the Conclave as the latest 'Observer', raising the collective strength of IONS to 34 (25 Members & 09 Observers).

During the Conclave, CNS, IN held fruitful interaction with the host, Adm Adoong Pan-Iam, Commander-in-Chief, Royal Thai Navy and complimented him for taking over Chairmanship of IONS. Both Leaders expressed commitment towards sustaining an upward trajectory of Bilateral Defence engagements including naming of IN - RTN Bilateral based on historical and cultural connect. Further, he also interacted with Heads of Delegation from Australia, Bangladesh, France, Iran, Italy, Malaysia, Maldives, Russia, Saudi Arabia and Spain, and discussed bilateral maritime issues. On the side-lines of Conclave, the CNS also visited Indian Naval Ship Kadmatt, at Bangkok, and interacted with the ship's crew, commending them for successful long range deployment.

IONS was conceived by the Indian Navy in 2008 as a forum which seeks to enhance maritime cooperation among Navies of the littoral states of the Indian Ocean Region by providing an open and inclusive platform for discussions on regionally relevant maritime issues that would lead to common understanding on the way ahead. The inaugural edition of IONS was held in Feb 2008 at New Delhi, with Indian Navy as the Chair for two years (2008 - 2010). India is also scheduled to take over as the Chair of IONS (2025-27) during 9th CoC planned to be conducted in India in end 2025.

___________________________________

VM/JSN 247/23



(Release ID: 1989652)

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Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks with Israel War Cabinet member Minister Benny Gantz

Prime Minister of Canada - Justin Trudeau

December 22, 2023

Ottawa, Ontario

Today, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau spoke with Minister Benny Gantz, a member of Israel's War Cabinet.

Prime Minister Trudeau reiterated Canada's support for Israel's right to defend itself in accordance with international law, including international humanitarian law. He unequivocally condemned Hamas, its brutal terrorist attacks against Israel, and its unacceptable treatment of hostages. He called for the immediate and unconditional release of all remaining hostages.

Prime Minister Trudeau stressed the importance of the protection of civilians and ensuring safe and unimpeded access to life-saving humanitarian aid for civilians in Gaza. The Prime Minister called for continued, significant humanitarian pauses and expressed support for urgent international efforts toward a sustainable ceasefire, underscoring that this cannot be one-sided. Hamas must stop using civilians as human shields, lay down its arms, and can play no role in the future governance of Gaza.

The Prime Minister and the Minister discussed the Middle East peace process and the importance of continuing to work toward a lasting peace in the region. They reaffirmed the strong bond between Israel and Canada and agreed to remain in contact as the situation continues to evolve.

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Anti-junta group: Myanmar receiving fuel shipments even with sanctions

Records show 12 vessels transported fuel to Myanmar since October.

By RFA Burmese 2023.12.22 -- Shipping companies continue to transport fuel to Myanmar despite recent sanctions from the United States targeting the military junta's use of jet fuel, an anti-junta group said in a statement.

From October until earlier this month, 12 oil tankers registered to Liberia, Panama, Vietnam, Malaysia or Indonesia made transports to Myanmar, according to a statement from the National Unity Consultative Council, or NUCC, that cited shipping records.

Most of the ships had stopped in Singapore before going on to Myanmar, NUCC spokesman Maung Maung said.

The U.S. and British governments can tighten existing measures by imposing sanctions on companies involved in selling fuel to the junta, including any banks involved in the financial transactions, the NUCC said in the Dec. 16 statement released.

"We also have to go after companies in Singapore," Maung Maung said. "That is why we are informing the United States and the United Kingdom."

He said the NUCC has sent to U.S. and U.K. officials the names of the ships, the registration numbers and names of the last port from which the vessels were loaded.

The NUCC is an advisory group of political parties, ethnic armed organizations and civil society organizations opposed to the junta. It includes representatives of the National Unity Government, or NUG, which is the parallel civilian government of Myanmar made up of opponents to the junta.

Due to an increasing number of civilian casualties from junta airstrikes, the U.S. Treasury Department expanded sanctions in August so that any "foreign individual or entity" linked to procuring jet fuel for the military government could be targeted.

More than 3,900 civilians have been killed by the regime since it seized power in February 2021, the Treasury Department said in its announcement, with the junta increasingly reliant on "violent airstrikes" against civilians, including "women and schoolchildren," to maintain its hold on power.

'Sanctions don't work well'

The Singapore Embassy in Yangon responded to RFA's request for comment on the shipments by referring to remarks made by Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan to Singapore's Parliament on July 3.

"Singapore would not impose a general trade embargo on Myanmar because it would affect Myanmar civilians," he said.

"However, the government remains committed to implementing our policy to prevent the transfer of arms and dual-use items which have been assessed to have potential military application to Myanmar, where there is serious risk that they may be used to inflict violence against unarmed civilians," he said.

"We will not hesitate to take action against any individual or entity which contravenes this."

People living in Myanmar will continue to suffer the consequences of more targeted sanctions on the junta, said Thein Tun Oo, executive director of the pro-military Thayninga Institute of Strategic Studies, which is made up of former military officers.

"Superpowers' sanctions don't work well. Now, we can witness it," he told RFA, referring to the effects of August's U.S. sanctions.

Sanctions targeting the junta's three basic needs - funding, arms and legitimacy - are the best way to help the Myanmar people, according to Tom Andrews, the U.N.'s Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar. He made the remarks to the U.N. General Assembly on Oct. 22.

RFA emailed the U.S. and British embassies in Yangon about the NUCC's claims, but they didn't immediately respond on Thursday. Attempts to contact junta spokesman Major Gen. Zaw Min Tun in the issue were unsuccessful.

Copyright 1998-2023, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036. For any commercial use of RFA content please send an email to: mahajanr@rfa.org. RFA content December not be used in a manner which would give the appearance of any endorsement of any product or support of any issue or political position. Please read the full text of our Terms of Use.

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More than 40,000 Chinese involved in online scam operations deported from Myanmar

They were sent back between September and mid-December.

By RFA Burmese 2023.12.22 -- More than 40,000 Chinese nationals associated with unlawful online scam groups in Myanmar's northern Shan state were arrested and deported during a three-month period from early September to mid-December, data from relevant groups indicate.

Radio Free Asia compiled the data from statements made by ethnic Wa and Kokang authorities in northern Shan state, the ruling military junta and China's Ministry of Public Security.

Shan state, known as a hub for crystal methamphetamine trafficking, is rife with other illegal activities in enclaves along the Chinese border, as criminals take advantage of ongoing civil unrest and armed conflict under the junta which seized power in a 2021 coup. Falling within neighboring China's orbit, northern Shan state has become a focal point for Chinese scammers who target their own citizens.

From Oct. 31 to Dec. 15, nearly 12,050 Chinese citizens linked to online scam groups in the region were arrested and deported, according to a mid-December announcement by the State Administration Council, the formal name of the military junta governing Myanmar.

Most of the Chinese nationals sent back were operating in the Kokang region, whose mostly ethnic Chinese population has backed resistance to the junta.

Arrests of other Chinese nationals involved in the criminal activity have occurred in territory controlled by the United Wa State Army, or USWA, said to be the largest ethnic armed organization in Myanmar. USWA soldiers arrested more than 1,000 Chinese nationals involved in the gangs on Sept. 6-7 and immediately transferred them across the border to Chinese police.

China's Ministry of Public Security announced on Nov. 21 that it had apprehended more than 31,000 Chinese nationals linked to online fraud gangs in northern Myanmar. Those arrested included ringleaders, recruiters and over 1,500 Chinese fugitives.

Altogether, the figures add up to over 40,000 Chinese nationals arrested and deported in connection with online scam operaions from early September to mid-December.

'Self-serving local authorities'

Than Soe Naing, a political observer who lived on the China-Myanmar border, said the tens of thousands of Chinese nationals were able to commit crimes in Myanmar because of the involvement of local authorities.

"It is quite obvious that the self-serving local authorities at various levels of the junta are involved in this business," he told RFA. "That's why it [online scamming] has greatly expanded. It has become uncontrollable."

Aung Myo, another political observer and former military officer, told RFA that Burmese officials in the border region have chosen not to crack down on the crime.

"It is especially related to the socioeconomic [situation] of the countries," he said. "Because of this, the governments will not eradicate it. It's natural that such business will develop, but it will diminish only when [the governments] crush it."

The junta maintains several army battalions in northern Shan states as well as administrative and immigration offices.

RFA could not reach Maj. Gen. Zaw Min Tun, the junta's spokesman, for comment on why so many Chinese nationals have been able to enter the Kokang area and operate online scams given the heavy presence of military battalions.

But on Dec. 5, Zaw Min Tun said via state-controlled media that the junta did not accept acts that harm the interests and security of neighboring countries by using Myanmar territory, and that China and Myanmar were working closely together to ensure stability and the rule of law along the border.

RFA's calls to Kokang regional officials for comment went unanswered.

'Everyone is responsible'

Both China and Myanmar are responsible for allowing Chinese nationals to illegally enter Myanmar and quickly forming online scam rings, said Hla Kyaw Zaw, a China-based political observer.

"Everyone is responsible," she said. "It is likely that China and its policies are unable to control its borders very well. There are illegal crossings in some points."

"There's no need to say anything about Myanmar [because] there is no rule of law," she added. "If you have money, [you're allowed to do anything]. That's why [Chinese are] entering."

The Chinese Embassy in Yangon did not respond to an email request for comment.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said at the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Forum on Dec. 8 that China would collaborate with Mekong River countries to crack down on online scams since Myanmar's instability affected areas across its borders.

Despite the ongoing arrests of online scammers in northern Shan state, residents have often informed RFA that online scam operations led by Chinese nationals are still growing uncontrollably in Shwe Kokko, a town in southeastern Myanmar's Kayin state that is controlled by an ethnic armed group, and in Shan state's Tachileik on the Thailand-Myanmar border.

Translated by Htin Aung Kyaw for RFA Burmese. Edited by Roseanne Gerin and Matt Reed.

Copyright 1998-2023, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036. For any commercial use of RFA content please send an email to: mahajanr@rfa.org. RFA content December not be used in a manner which would give the appearance of any endorsement of any product or support of any issue or political position. Please read the full text of our Terms of Use.

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Press release on Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's working visit to the Republic of Tunisia

21 December 2023 20:04

2599-21-12-2023

On December 21, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov paid a working visit to Tunisia, where he met with President of the Republic of Tunisia Kais Saied and held talks with Minister of Foreign Affairs, Migration and Tunisians Abroad Nabil Ammar.

During these meetings, the parties thoroughly reviewed the key trends in the further progressive development of the entire system of traditionally friendly Russian-Tunisian relations. Moscow and Tunis reaffirmed their commitment to maintaining a regular trust-based political dialogue and promoting trade, economic, cultural and humanitarian cooperation. In this context, the sides underscored the important coordinating role of the Russian-Tunisian Intergovernmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation.

They exchanged views on current international and Middle East issues, with a special focus on the unprecedented aggravation of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. They stressed the need to ensure a sustainable ceasefire and establish mechanisms for humanitarian assistance to the Gaza population. They also emphasised the importance of consolidating international efforts to achieve a fair and lasting solution to the Palestinian problem within the established international legal framework, which provides for the creation of a sovereign Palestinian state within the 1967 borders.

The current situation in Libya, Syria, Sudan and the Sahara-Sahel region was also considered. The discussion confirmed that Russia and Tunisia held similar or concurrent approaches to the settlement of these and other acute regional problems, based on unconditional respect for the fundamental norms of international law and compromises that take into account the legitimate interests of all parties involved.



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Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's answers to media questions following his visit to the Republic of Tunisia, Tunis, December 21, 2023

21 December 2023 19:28

2597-21-12-2023

Question: As we know, the West did everything it could to interfere with your negotiations during your previous visits to African countries. Was it the same this time? Did your Tunisian colleagues tell you about any arm twisting?

SergeyLavrov: My current trip is not limited to Tunisia. It began yesterday at the Russian-Arab Cooperation Forum in Marrakesh. I did not ask any questions about how the Western countries had followed these plans and visits.

I do not want to go into detail at this point, but we know for certain that every trip by a Russian delegation, including a Foreign Ministry delegation, to countries in the Arab world, the Middle East or North Africa is always preceded by Western diplomats' demarches. They issue warnings, and in some cases even "hint at consequences," as they like to put it.

We have already reported (this is no secret) that prior to last year's visit to the headquarters of the Arab League in Cairo, the US, UK and European ambassadors made public demarches, urging Cairo to "cancel Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's address" at the Arab League. When they were told that Russia and the Arab League had their own relations as determined by agreements between them, the Western diplomats started asking LAS representatives to make the Arab countries denounce Russia's actions in Ukraine after Mr Lavrov's speech. They were told again that the Arab League had its own position on international developments. Then the ambassadors made a third request: "Let Lavrov speak and don't denounce anything, just avoid posing for a photograph with him." I am not joking. I mention this only because it was made public by the Arab League Secretariat. They even published a special document following these indecent demarches by the Western diplomats in question.

Let me reiterate that I did not talk about these kinds of attitudes during my yesterday's visit to Morocco or today's visit to Tunisia. I have no doubt that this is a persistent trend. We have reliable information to the effect that the West sends instructions of this sort to all their ambassadors, prescribing them to act the way they did ahead of our last year's visit to the Arab League headquarters.

Question: President of Russia Vladimir Putin said that free trade agreements were being drafted with several African countries, including Tunisia. At what stage are they now? What effect do we expect from them? Will it play a tangible role in our economies?

Sergey Lavrov: As you know, we have delegated the relevant competences to the Commission of the Eurasian Economic Union.

Our Tunisian friends expressed an interest in starting these negotiations. However, this process takes time. First, a research group is established. After it submits its recommendations, an official decision on the start of the talks is approved.

The issue was discussed within this context. A regular session of the Intergovernmental Russian-Tunisian Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation will take place in the first, or the beginning of the second quarter of 2024. Naturally, we will continue discussing this issue if our Tunisian friends maintain their interest in it.

Question: It has recently come to light that the Prosecutor's Office of Germany is seeking the seizure of Russian assets in favour of Germany's own budget. Was this expected? How can we retaliate? Could you comment on this, please?

Sergey Lavrov: I see. They have "independent" courts after all. Why not try and make this demand? They are a thievish kind of people. We realised this long ago. Earlier, they were thievish politically (in the sense of going back on commitments and trying to cheat), but now we can use this word, thievish, literally. They are scampering to find some legal avenues to confiscate Russian assets. Or, as a first step, they plan to confiscate the profits derived from these assets and send them to Ukraine. Despite this, the Europeans still maintain some semblance of respect for their own laws. That is why they are delaying these decisions. According to our information, the Americans are secretly advising them on how to change their laws so that they can ultimately steal these funds. We will wait and see.

Commenting on a similar issue, Finance Minister of Russia Anton Siluanov said that if such confiscation were to take place, we would retaliate by confiscating their assets in Russia.

Question: The Tunisian economy has not yet fully recovered from the Arab Spring events. Early this year, President of the Republic Kais Saied declined an IMF loan that it had taken his country a long while to negotiate. Can Russia offer help to Tunisia? Is it going to?

Sergey Lavrov: Our Tunisian friends have not raised this issue. They haven't asked for our help. To my mind, they have a clear understanding of their national development priorities, including an economic revival.

During today's conversation about trade and economic issues, my colleague, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Migration and Tunisians Abroad Nabil Ammar, and I discussed trade and economy, as well as various foreign economic aspects. He said that President of Tunisia Kais Saied had been implementing reforms since 2021 and organised a referendum in support of reforming the political system, including the system of parliamentary elections. He said elections to the local government bodies would take place on December 24, and the second chamber of parliament would be formed for the first time following these elections.

The Tunisian foreign minister informed me that President Kais Saied had made a firm decision to repay all of the country's accumulated debts from the previous years as part of the reform process.

We did not discuss Tunisia's relations with the International Monetary Fund. However, it is possible that in these relations, they are guided by the desire to get rid of the debt burden. This goal aligns with Tunisia's overall objective of becoming more independent in international affairs.

At the opening of today's talks, Mr Ammar emphasised their belief that partnership with any country, with which Tunisia wanted to develop relations, could not depend on relations with any other country. This principle aligns with our own approach: we never build friendships aimed against someone else. Usually, our Western colleagues "make friends" against Russia or China. This has become part of their diplomatic practice. I think a desire to rely on one's own strengths and not to borrow too much absolutely meets the interests of Tunisia's independent development.

Question: Continuing the topic of the economic situation in Tunisia, what are the prospects for increased grain supplies from Russia? You discussed this with your Tunisian colleague in September. As far as I know, Tunisia had a poor harvest. This agricultural year, Russian grain supplies to Tunisia have increased fivefold (some say even more). From what I understand, the Tunisian side wants to receive this grain at a discount, on favourable terms. Have there been any agreements reached regarding the price? Is the increase in supplies a long-term trend or is it due to the current poor harvest?

Sergey Lavrov: You have actually covered all aspects of the situation. I cannot speak on behalf of the United Grain Company, which is in negotiations with the Tunisian side. Foreign Minister Nabil Ammar met with them when he was in Russia in September, and these contacts are still ongoing. It is not the Foreign Ministry that determines the prices; that responsibility lies with those who sign contracts.

Similarly, I cannot speak for the "celestial forces" and make predictions about the end of a drought or the beginning of floods. It's just life.

Of course, we have confirmed our interest in the work of the Intergovernmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation, which will resume its operations in the first quarter of next year. It should closely monitor all these developments and provide political support when needed.

But the interest in expanding the supplies of Russian grain is evident. President of Tunisia Kais Saied spoke about it today. We are ready for this, thanks to the hard work of our farmers and favourable weather conditions. We have had bumper harvests for three consecutive years. While this year's intake may not be as high as in 2022, it still allows us to export almost the same record amount of grain as last year.





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Sweet Home School District officials havent forcefully responded to two incidents of students tearing down Israeli flags displayed in school buildings, frustrated parents and teachers told the School Board this week.

The first incident happened Oct. 2  five days before the Hamas attack on Israel  at Sweet Home High School, The Buffalo News previously reported.

At Tuesdays board meeting, speech pathologist Karen Meltser said shes aware of a second, more recent incident of someone pulling down an Israeli flag displayed at Sweet Home Middle School.

Meltser, the teachers union president and several parents complained during the meeting and in follow-up interviews that the districts failure to condemn these incidents in statements to the full Sweet Home community invites further antisemitic acts.

This led to tense moments during the meeting, including shouting from the audience, as attendees unsuccessfully implored board members to address their concerns.

Take a stand, Sweet Home Educators Association President Paul Szymendera said. Communicate to our faculty and staff, our students, our parents and our community members that there is never a time when hateful words and actions will be tolerated and accountability will be swift for those who choose hate.

Meltser and other members of the Jewish community say Sweet Home has seen a concerning rise in antisemitic behavior since the conflict between Israel and Hamas began.

This has left Jewish students and staff members feeling unsafe, they said.

I am still devastated that my children had to leave the school district that we reside in, Shoshana Milich, who has pulled two of her children from Sweet Home schools, told The Buffalo News in a series of text messages. It seems like no one cares. My children have questioned their self-worth. I, myself, have struggled with big decisions and weighing priorities regarding their safety, emotional health and education. It has been a very trying time.

Sweet Home Superintendent Michael Ginestre said the district is limited in what it can say about incidents that lead to student discipline but it takes such events seriously.

Further, he said Sweet Home teachers, staff and students have done their best to foster a safe learning environment.

Thats what makes Sweet Home such a great place  our diversity. And, so, Im proud of the way they have handled things, Ginestre said in an interview Wednesday. But if those incidents do happen, we investigate it. And we use the code of conduct to administer any sort of discipline.

Initial flag removal

The latest conflict in the Middle East has roiled K-12 schools and college campuses, with Jewish and Muslim members of those communities feeling targeted by those with differing viewpoints.

These tensions are playing out in the Sweet Home schools, one of the more diverse districts in the area, where 42 languages are spoken.

The News recently obtained clearer videos of the Oct. 2 incident at the high school, which wasnt known to the wider Sweet Home school district community until after the Hamas attack on Israeli civilians and subsequent war in the Gaza Strip.

In one clip, a student walked over to the flag, one of dozens hanging from the ceiling in a hallway, and ran into resistance when he tugged at one corner of the flag. Another student yelled, Do it.

I know  its in there, he said, walking away.

Someone appeared to say, This is gonna be good, as the student on camera walked back, jumped and pulled the flag half off.

A second, brief clip showed the same student running down the hallway with the flag bunched up in his right hand.

A third clip, the longest at 23 seconds, showed someone standing just outside a garage holding an Israeli flag that had been partly burned and was still smoldering. No one is shown and no one speaks in this video.

The version shared widely among Sweet Home students linked the two scenes together.

The News reported in October that three students awaited a disciplinary superintendents conference in connection with this video.

Any incident like that is handled as a student matter, Ginestre said. And we take any incidents like that  of any kind of hate towards any group in our building  seriously and we deal with it through the investigative process and the code of conduct.

Middle school flag

High School Principal Derek Baker sent out a message following the initial flag removal but the district as a whole did not because, Ginestre said, officials viewed it as a student discipline matter.

And neither the middle school nor the district alerted community members to the second reported incident.

This happened as recently as last week at Sweet Home Middle School, Meltser told School Board members and The News.

Meltser, who is based at Maplemere Elementary School, said she didnt have firsthand knowledge of the incident but she found the lack of communication concerning.

When that happened, I thought, OK, Sweet Home, you missed your opportunity the first time, maybe this will be the time that something will be said to the community, Meltser said in an interview, then that never happened.

Szymendera, who teaches at the high school, said he too had heard about the middle school flag incident but didnt know what, exactly, transpired.

Ginestre, in the interview, said he couldnt comment on the matter.

Meltser, the first speaker during the public comment period at Tuesdays board meeting, argued that Sweet Home hasnt lived up to its billing as a district that promotes diversity, equity and inclusion.

Szymendera also criticized how the district has reacted to the incidents.

One parent can be heard in the background of a video of the meeting saying the districts and the boards disdain and lack of action honestly, shows antisemitism.

Someone off camera responded, We dont tolerate hate against any other people here at Sweet Home.

Board President Amy Battaglia, who did not respond to a request for comment for this article, said during the meeting, Its funny, I feel a lot of hate coming at me right now.

This prompted more cross-talk from the audience, followed by someone advising Battaglia, Dont engage.

We do not respond to these attacks, Battaglia said. It is policy we do not respond. Thank you for speaking tonight ... were done.

Copycat behavior feared

District officials have received reports of harassment and other concerning behavior from Jewish students, their parents and community members.

My point was to expect something more from our district so that it holds all of the communitys kids accountable, Szymendera said in an interview, so that everyone understands that you cant come to Sweet Home and choose hate.

Milich, a district parent, has met with Ginestre and her complaints are under investigation.

It is very disappointing, she said. Its also scary because when people of authority do not correct behaviors that are unacceptable, those who have committed such offensive acts get away with it and others often copycat.

Danyelle Anthon is a mother of two students in Sweet Home schools. She is also the founder of the Sweethome Parents Support Teachers group on Facebook, where parents discuss district issues.

Anthon said she thought Bakers email in response to the incident at the high school took a very firm stance on what will not be tolerated in his school. But she said the district needed to alert parents across the elementary and middle schools about the incidents.

And of course, because of student privacy, I get it: They cant go deep into detail. Thats fine, said Anthon, who is Jewish. But all they had to say was that there were antisemitic events and that these will not be tolerated in our building.

The Buffalo Jewish Federation has formed relationships with six school district superintendents  including Ginestre  to deploy resources that will help make classrooms a more affirmative and welcoming environment for Jewish students and students of all faiths.

Miriam Abramovich, the federations chief operating officer, said they are on their way to collaborating with more schools.
Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's remarks following a meeting with President of the Republic of Tunisia Kais Saied, Tunis, December 21, 2023

21 December 2023 18:45

2596-21-12-2023

I would like to once again thank our Tunisian friends for the invitation and the time devoted to our delegation.

I have had in-depth and candid talks with my colleague and friend, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Migration and Tunisians Abroad Nabil Ammar. I was just received by President Kais Saied of the Republic of Tunisia.

Our countries are bound by traditional ties of friendship and cooperation, a tradition that began many decades ago. In the early 20th century, Russian sailors from the Black Sea Fleet found refuge in the Tunisian city of Bizerte. The memory of those events is preserved not only by the descendants of those Russian expatriates, but also by many of our Tunisian friends. During the meeting with President Kais Saied, we reminisced about historical events that bind us and relations between Tunisia and the Soviet Union. We agreed to use this foundation to build an even more advanced partnership to meet our countries and peoples' interests.

We welcome President Kais Saied's efforts to reform the political system. Significant results have been achieved. A couple of years ago, a referendum took place, and parliamentary elections were held in 2023. High-stakes local elections are scheduled to be held in the coming days. They will lay the groundwork for forming the second chamber of the parliament.

We are grateful for the information about the political reforms provided by our Tunisian friends. The reforms will help the Tunisian people and public authorities achieve socioeconomic and other forms of progress. All of this promotes Russia-Tunisia relations. In the first nine months of 2023, trade tripled to $1.5 billion dollars. We agreed to further expand our interaction in other areas based on existing plans, among others.

This includes the agricultural sector (there's interest in Russian grain imports) and energy, including nuclear energy. We agreed to expedite the entry into force of the agreement on the peaceful use of nuclear energy.

Our mutual interest in advancing cooperation in high-tech industries, particularly in space exploration, is on the rise. Not long ago, our carrier launched Tunisia's first communications satellite into orbit. The second satellite will be launched next year. Russian and Tunisian companies have agreed to jointly produce five more orbital vehicles.

We agreed that cooperation in the public health sector holds promise, especially considering that Tunisia was among the first countries to certify the Russian Sputnik V vaccine.

The Intergovernmental Commission on Trade, Economic, and Scientific and Technical Cooperation will address these and many other promising areas of collaboration. Its next meeting will be held in the first quarter of 2024 in Moscow.

We covered in detail the situation in the Middle East, with particular focus on Gaza and surrounding areas. We both believe that violence must be stopped and proper conditions must be created for addressing the glaring humanitarian issues.

In the long term, in order to rule out the possibility of similar crises recurring, it is essential to solve the issue of establishing a Palestinian state in full compliance with the existing resolutions of the UN Security Council once and for all.

Russia, Tunisia, and members of the League of Arab States and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation are committed to consistently and persistently working towards creating proper conditions for implementing the above resolutions.

It appears that our Western colleagues are not overly inclined to make efforts in the interest of establishing a Palestinian state. The United States, for instance, has repeatedly blocked a simple resolution currently under discussion in the Security Council that calls for a ceasefire and humanitarian assistance. Attempts are being made to drown the issue of creating the Palestinian state in numerous questionable initiatives to convene one conference after another based on principles that are at odds with the principles laid out in the UN Security Council resolutions.

We appreciate the assessments of the situation in neighbouring Libya provided by our Tunisian counterparts. A deep crisis triggered by the NATO aggression in 2011 has persisted in that country for over a decade now. Russia and Tunisia have a stake in initiating a serious and consistent political process involving all political forces in Libyan society.

In turn, we provided an update about the events in and around Ukraine which we regularly share with our Tunisian friends. We value Tunisia's objective and balanced position on Ukraine during discussions that the West is trying to promote at the UN and other platforms.

We have never shied away from such discussions, and we have important points to make. We cite specific facts showing how long the West has been planning to use Ukraine to create threats to the security of the Russian state and to discriminate against Russians in Ukraine. The United States and its allies are inconvenienced by these facts. They are not ready to start a serious discussion and are trying to initiate discussions in order to skew the agenda of every international entity to fit the focus on Ukraine.

The developing countries are becoming increasingly aware of the true intentions of the West in terms of its pursuit of maintaining dominance in international affairs. Our meetings in Marrakech yesterday during the Russian-Arab Cooperation Forum confirmed this.

Today, we agreed with our Tunisian friends to continue close coordination on international and regional issues, including within the UN, as well as in the context of cooperation between Russia and the League of Arab States.

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Russia warns US of breakdown in diplomatic relations

Iran Press TV

Friday, 22 December 2023 5:54 PM

Russia says it may decide to cut diplomatic relations with the United States "completely" if Washington confiscates the billions of dollars' worth of Russian foreign assets held in US financial institutions to assist Ukraine in the war.

Washington's political leadership "must not act under an illusion... that Russia is clinging with both hands to diplomatic relations with that country," the Interfax news agency quoted Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov as saying on Friday.

Ryabkov said Moscow would not be the one to initiate a complete breakdown in diplomatic ties, but this could happen for a number of reasons, including, "asset confiscation, further military escalation, many other things. I would not go into negative forecasts here."

The Russian diplomat said Moscow was "ready for any scenario."

In the meantime, US media reported Washington and its allies had devised schemes to take possession of Russian assets to continue funding the Ukraine war. The New York Times reported the administration of US President Joe Biden is aiming to take possession of the frozen Russian assets - worth over $300 billion.

Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin's spokesman, said on Friday such a move would deal a serious blow to the global financial system.

Peskov said Russia would "never leave in peace" any country that seized its assets, and in such a scenario it would look at what Western assets it could confiscate in retaliation.

On December 19, Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov warned "an absolutely symmetrical response will follow" if the European Union decides to tap into profits generated from the frozen funds. He said there are sufficient foreign assets held in specialized ruble-denominated bank accounts, including dividend reserve liabilities to counterparties from "unfriendly" countries.

Meanwhile, President Vladimir Putin of Russia has said the country's economy not only warded off 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 said on Thursday in Sochi at the 20th annual meeting of the Valdai Discussion Club.

Putin gave assurance to the Russian nation that the West's anti-Moscow sanctions were helping restructure the Russian economy positively.

Last year, around a260 billion ($287 billion) of Moscow's central bank assets were immobilized in the G7 countries, the EU, and Australia.

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US, Europe plan to seize Russia's $300 billion in assets for Ukraine war: Report

Iran Press TV

Friday, 22 December 2023 4:16 PM

The United States and Europe have devised schemes to take possession of Russian assets for utilization of funds in the Ukraine war, according to a report in the US media.

The New York Times reported the administration of US President Joe Biden is now showing favor in seizing over $300 billion in assets the Russian central bank has set aside in Western financial institutions.

The US administration has also commenced urgent talks with its allies about utilizing these funds to support Ukraine's war effort during a period when financial support for the proxy war is running short.

Until recently, US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen had voiced legal reservations about seizing Russian assets, insisting that without action by Congress, seizing the funds was "not something that is legally permissible in the United States."

There has also been concern among some top American officials that nations around the world would hesitate to keep their funds at the New York Federal Reserve, or in dollars if the US established a precedent for seizing the assets.

The Biden administration, however, in coordination with the Group of 7 industrial nations, has begun devising a new stance on the matter and whether the administration can use the existing laws, or whether it should gain congressional approval to take possession of the Russian assets. Pressure for adopting the new viewpoint has been gaining mounting support in Congress, giving the Biden administration optimism that it could soon be granted the necessary authority.

Officials said the talks among finance ministers, central bankers, diplomats and lawyers were gaining momentum recently.

Meanwhile, the Biden administration is pressing Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Canada and Japan to devise a new strategy to fund the US-led war against Russia by Feb. 24, the second anniversary of the kick-off of Russia's special military operation in Donbas.

Lavrov: 'Germans are thieves'

In related news, German officials have announced plans to seize almost $800 million in Russian assets from a bank's account in Frankfurt.

German officials said Russia's alleged violations of EU sanctions slapped on Moscow had led to the seizure of Russia's money.

In reaction to the move, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov branded the Germans as "thieves".

"They are thievish, we realized this a long time ago. They have been treacherous all along in political terms, you know: in the sense of reneging on agreements and trying to deceive someone. Now they have turned out to be thieves in the literal sense," Lavrov told journalists at a press conference on Thursday following visiting Africa.

The top Russian diplomat said the West is "laser-focused on the idea of finding some legal way to confiscate Russia's assets," starting with redirecting the interest from the currently frozen funds to Ukraine.

"The Europeans still have some rudimentary respect for their own laws, so they are delaying these decisions. But according to our sources, behind the scenes the Americans are advising them on how to change these laws to steal everything," he explained.

Last year, around a260 billion ($287 billion) of Moscow's central bank assets were immobilized in G7 countries, the EU, and Australia. An estimated a210 billion ($232bn) of Russia's reserves were held in Europe, with a191 billion ($232bn) in Belgium, a19 billion ($23bn) in France, and a7.8 billion ($8.6bn) non-EU member Switzerland.

Germany has blocked some a5.3 billion ($5.9bn) of Russian assets in its financial institutions, according to official data. Authorities in Berlin are reportedly now targeting the assets of a Moscow Stock Exchange subsidiary at the German branch of JPMorgan. However, a spokeswoman for the Frankfurt-on-the-Main court told TASS that the motion was still under "preliminary consideration."

Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov warned on Thursday that "an absolutely symmetrical response will follow" if the European Union decides to tap into profits generated from the frozen funds. He noted that there are sufficient foreign assets held in specialized ruble-denominated bank accounts, including dividend reserve liabilities to counterparties from "unfriendly" countries.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said earlier this year that Russia's economy not only warded off West's 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.

Putin assured Russians that the West's sanctions were restructuring the Russian economy in a positive way.

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'Tens Of Millions Of Tragedies': Russian Woman Faces Psychiatric Confinement Over Uncompromising Anti-War Stance

By RFE/RL's North.Realities December 22, 2023

ST. PETERSBURG, Russia -- "This war is the destruction of Ukraine's territorial integrity and sovereignty," Viktoria Petrova said in her final courtroom speech on December 21, calling Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine "a crime against humanity."

"It is the annexation of sovereign territory, the dislocation of millions of people, the loss of homes and loved ones...tens of millions of tragedies," said Petrova, 29, at her trial in St. Petersburg. "Pictures of suffering are now searing into my memory. Many will remain there forever."

'Vika Loved The Wrong Things'

Since October, the closed hearings in Petrova's trial on charges of disseminating "false" information about the Russian armed forces have taken place in the psychiatric hospital where she has been held. Prosecutors have argued that Petrova's purported crime was motivated and aggravated by "political hatred."

"Apparently, in the absence of real arguments, they choose this path: if you don't love the president, it means you don't love your country," Petrova's lawyer, Anastasia Pilipenko, told RFE/RL's North.Realities. "If you don't love something, it means you hate it. If you read foreign media, it means you hate your country. According to the prosecution, Vika loved the wrong things...and insidiously ignored the Defense Ministry's briefings."

The court is expected to hand down its verdict on December 25. In a throwback to one of the most reviled practices of the Soviet Union, prosecutors have asked the judge to sentence her to enforced psychiatric hospitalization.

Petrova was arrested at her home in St. Petersburg on May 6, 2022. Agents from the Interior Ministry's Anti-Extremism Center and an organized-crime unit searched her apartment and confiscated her telephone, her computer, and several anti-war posters. Law enforcement had been investigating her social media posts since at least March 25, Pilipenko said.

Although she had never been politically active before and her social media account -- with about 300 readers -- generally featured photos from the gym and portraits of her cat, Petrova told police at her initial questioning that she had every intention of continuing to write against the war.

At an early court hearing, the defense requested that she be held under house arrest pending trial.

"The judge was doing the weekend shift," Pilipenko told RFE/RL at the time. "There was one fascinating moment when I asked for [house arrest] and the investigator said, 'No objection.' The judge asked, 'What did you say?' And he answered again, 'No objection.' Then the judge made a little gesture and asked again. This time the investigator sighed and asked the judge to place the defendant in custody."a

After she had been held for nearly a year without trial, a cellmate filed a complaint against Petrova alleging that she "continued to spread anti-war propaganda" in jail. As a result, a judge sent her for a psychiatric examination during which doctors determined she "could not and cannot understand her actions or control them." It was tantamount to a diagnosis of mental incompetence.

Before her arrest, Petrova had never sought or received psychological care.

The court then appointed a bureaucrat from the St. Petersburg district where Petrova rented an apartment as her "legal representative," despite a defense motion that her uncle, with whom she is close, be named. On October 24, the court ordered her confined to the Skvortsov-Stepanov Psychiatric Hospital. According to the Telegram channel Moi Raion, which covered the hearing, the appointed legal representative agreed with the decision, telling the court: "She has harmed herself and it is better she remain there. That way she won't offend again."

Forcible Injections

Since she has been in psychiatric confinement, Petrova has faced mistreatment, Pilipenko said. A group of male staff members forced her to strip naked for a "physical inspection." She was not given sanitary pads while menstruating.

"Blood was flowing down her legs, and everyone was mocking her," Pilipenko told RFE/RL.

When Petrova refused to shower in front of staff members, she was threatened with corporal punishment.

At times, she was bound to her bed and forcibly injected with unknown substances that left her unable to speak for days.

In her closing remarks on December 21, Petrova concluded by directly addressing President Vladimir Putin, the government, the Security Council, the members of both houses of parliament, "state propagandists," and "all those affiliated with the so-called 'special military operation" -- the war against Ukraine.

"I demand the immediate cessation of military activity on the territory of Ukraine and the immediate opening of negotiations aimed at the diplomatic resolution of the conflict," she told the court. "I also demand the decriminalization of the [Criminal Code] articles on military censorship and the release and rehabilitation of all political prisoners."

The prosecution's closing statement, Pilipenko argued, was a real "example of political hatred."

"Only it wasn't a post on social media, but an official statement that had most likely been approved by several senior bosses," she said. "Cold, official, approved, and bolstered by the power of hatred."

Written by RFE/RL's Robert Coalson based on reporting by RFE/RL's North.Realities. This story is based on reporting by correspondents on the ground in Russia. Their names are being withheld for their protection.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-woman-anti-war- psychiatric-petrova-ukraine/32743777.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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Biden Signs Order Expanding U.S. Authority To Punish Banks For Facilitating Russian Defense Procurement

By RFE/RL December 22, 2023

U.S. President Joe Biden on December 22 signed an executive order paving the way for Washington to impose sanctions on financial institutions that help Russia evade sanctions imposed over its war in Ukraine.

The new executive order makes clear that banks and other financial institutions face significant sanctions themselves if they don't stop the transactions of people and entities that have been designated for sanctions, in particular those involved in shipping of components and goods to the Russian defense sector, the White House said.

"We are sending an unmistakable message: Anyone supporting Russia's unlawful war effort is at risk of losing access to the U.S. financial system," national-security adviser Jake Sullivan said in a statement.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement that the order expands the United States' ability to target financial institutions located outside of Russia that facilitate transactions on behalf of the Russian defense sector.

"The new order also gives the United States the authority to ban importation to the United States of certain goods mined, produced, or harvested in Russia, even if substantially transformed in a third country," Blinken said.

The order underscores the need for financial institutions around the world to "ensure they are not facilitating activities that support Russia's war effort and implement due diligence practices that protect them from being exploited by Russia's procurement networks," he said.

The executive order is part of a broader U.S. crackdown on sanctions evasion.

The U.S. Treasury Department in recent months imposed sanctions on individuals and entities in the United Arab Emirates, Turkey, Hong Kong, and China that it accused of helping Moscow evade sanctions.

A senior U.S. official who spoke about the order in a conference call on December 21 said companies and individuals that have been found to participate in evading the sanctions have been designated for sanctions, but the "choke point" for these companies and Russia's ability to circumvent sanctions is the financial system.

"What this tool allows us to do is to target those institutions and give them a very stark choice," said the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

With reporting by Reuters

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-us- sanctions-financial-/32743829.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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Putin Signs Decree On Temporary State Takeover Of Russia's Biggest Auto Dealer

By RFE/RL's Russian Service December 22, 2023

Russian President Vladimir Putin on December 22 signed a decree on temporarily putting Rolf, the country's largest auto dealership, under state management.

According to the decree, Rosimushchestvo -- the Federal State Property Management Agency -- takes control over Rolf, which is owned by a Cyprus-based firm and was founded by Russian businessman Sergei Petrov.

According to the Meduza website, this is the first time the Russian state has taken temporary control over a Russian businessman's company. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on December 22 that the move was economically motivated.

The self-exiled Petrov, a former member of the Russian parliament's lower chamber, the State Duma, called Putin's decree a manifestation of "lawlessness" that will negatively affect investments from the company's Asian partners.

The Russian authorities added Petrov to an international most-wanted list in 2019 for allegedly siphoning off 4 billion rubles (almost $44.2 million) out of Russia in 2014.

Petrov, who built the network of imported-car dealerships in Russia, served as a lawmaker between 2007 and 2016 and was one of the few independent-minded deputies in what is widely considered a rubber-stamp body.

Among other things, Petrov voted against a law that banned the adoption of Russian children by U.S. citizens and introduced restrictions for U.S. citizens' trips to Russia.

He also voted against another controversial law that expanded the powers of law enforcement agencies and introduced new requirements for data collection and mandatory deciphering in the telecommunications industry.

Nor did Petrov take part in a parliamentary vote on the annexation of Ukraine's Crimea region in 2014.

Petrov has denied he illegally moved money offshore. In an interview with RFE/RL in June 2019, Petrov said he believed he and his business were being targeted for political reasons.

With reporting by Kommersant and Meduza

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-rolf- takeover-petrov/32743492.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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Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's remarks at the General Meeting of the Commission of the Russian Federation for UNESCO, December 22, 2023

22 December 2023 18:22

2609-22-12-2023

Esteemed colleagues,

Friends,

I am glad to welcome you at the regular General Meeting of the Russian Federation Commission on UNESCO. By tradition, we are meeting on the eve of the New Year holidays. We continue this nice tradition.

I would like to note that our commission has acquired new members this year. I would like to greet them personally and wish them productive work in our close circle.

The outgoing year was not an easy one for UNESCO. As we know, after the beginning of the special military operation, the collective West began to intensify its efforts to politicise the organisation, and reduce its agenda to Ukraine. Their notorious double standards are reflected in regular anti-Russia resolutions on Crimea and Ukraine. The West is pushing through these resolutions by twisting the arms of the developing nations. These resolutions go beyond UNESCO's mandate. It has no competence in this area. Attempts to defame Russia for "destroying Ukraine's cultural heritage" without citing any evidence are in the same category. Such evidence simply does not exist. Nor does UNESCO have any right to attribute guilt. UNESCO Secretariat employees admitted it themselves in private conversations.

At the same time, we still haven't heard any statement condemning the act of terror at the Moscow Kremlin, a world heritage site. Nor has UNESCO Secretary-General Audrey Azoulay from France denounced the murder of Russian journalists although this is her direct mandate.

It is telling that many Western countries have remained indifferent to the humanitarian disaster in Gaza and even opposed a relevant resolution at the recent session of the General Conference.

We are deeply concerned over the increasing disregard for UNESCO's procedural rules and Charter, which are arbitrarily interpreted to carry out political orders. This is exactly how the return of the US to UNESCO was arranged (in a scandalous way) - there were no guarantees of Washington's intentions to fulfil its commitments.

Bloc logic and divisive friend-or-foe thinking is gaining ground in an organisation that was initially supposed to unite nations in moral and intellectual solidarity.

Aggressive attempts were made to oust Russia from UNESCO's leading and auxiliary bodies. At times even the most unseemly methods were used for this purpose, up to and including financial blackmail of the countries of the Global East and South. In these conditions, our country was not re-elected to the Executive Board and a number of other bodies of UNESCO despite support from more than a half of its members.

But the attempts to "cancel" Russia in UNESCO did not achieve the desired effect. As President Vladimir Putin noted at the St Petersburg Cultural Forum last November, in UNESCO we are conducting very serious projects that generate widespread interest in the world.

I will emphasise again that we are not closing ourselves off from anyone. On the contrary, we are interested in advancing a unifying agenda in both UNESCO and other international venues. This is borne out by the results of the analysis of UNESCO cooperation by the commission's Secretariat, Russian agencies and thematic committees. I would like to use this opportunity to thank all those who took part in this work. Comparing notes like this revealed both potential and sticking points.

Our commission needs to intensify its efforts in a variety of areas. I suggest instructing the Commission's Secretariat to sum up the outcomes of today's discussion and deliberations prior to our meeting and outline specific steps to implement the proposed initiatives. We will send these proposals out for you to review.

Overall, we have accumulated a wealth of positive experience to build upon. Frankly, a mutually beneficial professional dialogue in UNESCO is still possible despite the blatantly unlawful actions of its Secretariat's senior officials.

This is confirmed, in particular, by the outcomes of the 45th session of the World Heritage Committee. It took place in September in Riyadh in a businesslike and constructive manner. Congratulations to the Republic of Tatarstan on having the Astronomical Observatories of Kazan Federal University included on the World Heritage List.

The interagency Expert Council created this year at the Foreign Ministry has made a sizable contribution to shaping our policy at the Committee session. I would like to propose spreading the experience of creating expert councils to other areas of our UNESCO activities as needed.

In November 2023, Russia was re-elected to the International Hydrological Programme and the Intergovernmental Bioethics Committee. Following the elections, our colleagues joined the presidiums of the Information for All Programme and the Intergovernmental Programme for the Development of Communication. Congratulations to Mikhail Gusman and Anastasia Parshakova on their election.

I would like to highlight Margarita Simonyan's assistance in creating a video about cases of mutually beneficial cooperation between Russia and UNESCO. Tens of thousands of internet users saw its English and Russian versions.

I consider strengthening the regional dimension of our Commission important. In this regard, I welcome the establishment this year of the Commission's regional committee in the Ulyanovsk Region and the resumption of a similar entity in Dagestan. Congratulations to our colleagues from Bashkortostan on the 25th anniversary of the republic's regional committee.

In the autumn, Veliky Novgorod was included on the list of UNESCO City of Music programme which is part of the Creative Cities network. The international Memory of the World Register which is a list of documentary heritage of world significance was supplemented with Handwritings and Notes of Fyodor Dostoevsky in the outgoing year. The celebration of anniversaries in 2024-2025 with which UNESCO could be associated includes the 300th anniversary of the Russian Academy of Sciences and the 500th anniversary of the founding of the Novodevichy Convent.

This is a major accomplishment given the number obstacles that the West is hysterically creating on the path of our cooperation with other countries.

To create additional incentives for talented scientists and to support breakthrough scientific achievements, we initiated and funded UNESCO's largest annual prize in the basic sciences named after Dimitri Mendeleev. On December 13, the second ceremony for presenting the laureates with this prize took place in Moscow with great success. I would like to express sincere gratitude to the Russian Academy of Sciences and the Ministry of Education and Science for preparing and hosting this event in a very short time and at a high level. Due to artificial delays on the part of the Organisation's Secretariat in 2022, we missed the award ceremony, so we need to work towards restoring the normal annual schedule for presenting this award.

I would like to suggest that the commission members do more to involve the Russian private sector in supporting UNESCO projects. A good example is the scholarship programme for young scientists, Green Chemistry for Life, funded by PhosAgro since 2013. More than 40 young researchers, including 12 representatives from African countries, have received its grants.

The International Competence Centre for Mining Engineering Education under the Auspices of UNESCO plays an important role in advancing our interaction with UNESCO, including in its Global Priority Africa flagship programme. It was created at the St Petersburg Mining University. I would like to express special words of gratitude to its rector Vladimir Litvinenko for his major and proactive contribution to UNESCO's programme activities and timely steps to renew the agreement on the creation of this centre which expires in 2025.

Clearly, the Organisation's facilities can be put to better use in order to strengthen the national potential of African countries in culture, science, education, and media, all the more so as relations between Russia and African countries are about to reach the level of strategic partnership. Currently, we are implementing agreements reached at the second Russia-Africa Summit in St Petersburg in July. Cooperation in the humanitarian sphere is a priority, as laid out in the revised Foreign Policy Concept of the Russian Federation approved by President Putin on March 31.

Russia is a multi-ethnic and multi-religious country, and is home to people of different ethnicities and cultures who have lived in peace and harmony for centuries. It is important to continue to popularise our country's unique experience, including in an important matter such as language policy, the preservation and development of the languages of indigenous peoples. We are now entering the third year of the International Decade of Indigenous Languages celebrated from 2022 to 2032. Last week, a delegation from the Federal Agency for Ethic Affairs represented our country in Paris at a meeting of the Global Task Force for the preparation of the International Decade of Indigenous Languages 2022-2023. The Russian Committee of the Information for All programme continued the tradition of theme-based international conferences. In 2023, such conferences took place in three regions of the Russian Federation, namely, Khanty-Mansiysk, Yakutsk, and Ufa.

Russian Language Day was celebrated at the UNESCO headquarters for the first time on June 6, Alexander Pushkin's birthday, with the support of the Federal Agency for Ethnic Affairs. This ceremony was made possible jointly with the CIS member states and came as an outstanding event as part of the declared Year of the Russian Language as the language of interethnic communication in the CIS in 2023. All this is unfolding in the context of the creation, at the initiative of the President of Kazakhstan, of the International Organisation for the Russian Language, which encourages all interested countries on our planet to join it.

I would like to highlight the participation of the Russian agencies and our Commission's programme committees in drafting UNESCO regulatory documents. In March, the Global Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications concerning Higher Education, to which we contributed significantly, came into force. The Russian Code of Ethics in the Field of Artificial Intelligence was another contribution to the implementation of the corresponding UNESCO recommendation. Almost 250 state and private entities from 17 countries have joined it.

The draft UNESCO Framework for Culture and Arts Education is in its final phase of coordination. It will be adopted at the ministerial conference in Abu Dhabi in February 2024. I look forward to our experts taking an active part in this work and in work to draft a new recommendation for the ethical use of neurotechnologies which is a top priority.

This is only a portion of the work carried out in UNESCO in the outgoing year. Numerous projects and initiatives are being implemented in Russia, primarily under the auspices of our Commission.

Everyone agrees with the need to continue international cooperation in areas falling under the mandate of the Organisation and to assist developing countries, and uphold UNESCO ideals and principles. This is Russia's duty and destiny as a great cultural power.

Next year will mark the 70th anniversary of our country's accession to UNESCO which is a good occasion to look back on the year and outline plans for the future. All ideas are welcome. I encourage you to go right ahead and come up with your suggestions.

In line with our tradition, I would like to close by wishing everyone a happy upcoming New Year and Merry Christmas. I wish you all the best, good health, and professional success in the coming year.

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Biden Signs New US Sanctions Targeting Russia's Defense Industry

By VOA News December 22, 2023

U.S. President Joe Biden signed an executive order on Friday to bolster U.S. sanctions against financial institutions that aid Russia's defense industry in its war against Ukraine. The order allows the U.S. Treasury to target banks in countries like China, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and elsewhere that may be helping Russia evade sanctions.

The U.S. expects financial institutions to ensure that they "are not witting or unwitting facilitators" of the Russian military, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said in a statement Friday about the new executive order.

Most major financial institutions are adhering to U.S. sanctions aimed at preventing Russia from acquiring materials needed for its war effort, U.S. Deputy Treasury Secretary Wally Adeyemo said in a TV interview Friday on CNBC.

The executive order was signed days after the European Union adopted its 12th round of sanctions against Russia, which included dozens of companies and individuals linked to Russian aggression against Ukraine, a ban on Russian diamonds, and tighter controls on the $60-per-barrel oil price cap.

The order comes as the Kremlin is trying to restock the Russian military's depleted arsenal after nearly 22 months of fighting in Ukraine. Russia has lost more than 13,000 pieces of equipment, including tanks, drones and missile systems.

Russia hit back against Washington's sanctions, saying they could lead to a rupture of diplomatic ties between Russia and the U.S.

The United States "must not act under an illusion ... that Russia is clinging with both hands to diplomatic relations with that country," the Interfax news agency quoted Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov as saying Friday.

Some Western politicians are urging that frozen Russian assets worth about $300 billion be given to Ukraine to help rebuild its war-shattered economy.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters Friday that any such move would impair the global financial system.

He said Russia would "never leave in peace" any country that seized its assets, and in such a scenario it would take retaliatory measures confiscating any Western assets it could.

Jets to Ukraine

The Netherlands will deliver 18 F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine, the Dutch government said Friday.

The delivery of the fighter jets will take place after an export permit is issued by the Dutch Foreign Affairs Ministry and after Ukraine fulfills the criteria for its staff and infrastructure, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said, without offering a timeline for these decisions.

The announcement made it possible to reserve funds, though, and to prepare planes for delivery, the government said.

"I spoke with Mark Rutte to thank the Dutch government for its decision to start preparing the initial 18 F-16 jets for their delivery to Ukraine," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Friday on social media platform X.

The Netherlands sent its first U.S.-made F-16s to a new training facility in Romania last month for Ukrainian pilots and staff.

Denmark, Norway and Belgium also have announced they will give F-16 jets to Ukraine after the U.S. government approved sending them as soon as pilot training is completed.

Ukrainian-Polish talks

Ukraine and Poland said Friday they were ready to try to resolve "problematic" issues in their relations, especially after a Polish truckers' blockade at border crossings between the two countries.

During a meeting in Kyiv, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba and his Polish counterpart, Radoslaw Sikorski, pledged to resolve the differences between their countries.

An air raid siren sounded during a news conference by the two men in Kyiv, which was targeted by another large-scale Russian drone attack overnight.

"This alarm you hear is the reason why I am here. It is unacceptable ... in this titanic fight, Poland is on your side," Sikorski said.

The Ukrainian capital was attacked by a barrage of Russian drones early Friday, officials said, injuring at least two people in the sixth drone attack on the city this month.

Ukraine said it shot down 24 of the 28 Iranian-made drones Russia launched toward Kyiv.

Russia said its air defenses intercepted five Ukrainian drones south of Moscow in less than an hour Friday.

The defense ministry said four were intercepted over the Kaluga region and a fifth was destroyed inside the Moscow region. According to Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin, fragments of the drone had fallen in the city of Podolsk, but no casualties or damage had been reported.

Ukraine said Thursday that Russia had launched about 7,400 missiles and 3,700 Iranian-made Shahed drones at targets across Ukraine during the 22-month war.

Some information for this report came from The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters.

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New US Sanctions Target Banks to Prevent Aiding Russia's Defense Industry

By VOA News December 22, 2023

Most major financial institutions are adhering to U.S. sanctions aimed at preventing Russia from acquiring materials needed for its war effort, according to U.S. Deputy Treasury Secretary Wally Adeyemo in a TV interview Friday on CNBC.

In addition, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said the U.S. expects financial institutions to ensure they "are not witting or unwitting facilitators" of the Russian military, in a statement Friday about a new White House executive order targeting Russia.

President Joe Biden's order bolsters U.S. sanctions against financial institutions that aid Russia's defense industry. The order, signed Friday, allows the U.S. Treasury to target banks in countries such as China, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and others that may be willingly or unwittingly helping Russia evade sanctions, Adeyemo said.

"What this tool says is that if you're a financial institution, you need to take steps to make sure that you are not being used" by Russian front companies to evade sanctions, he told CNBC.

The order comes as the Kremlin is trying to restock the Russian military's depleted arsenal after 22 months of fighting in Ukraine. Russia already has lost over 13,000 pieces of equipment, including tanks, drones and missile systems.

Fighter jets from Netherlands

The Netherlands will deliver 18 F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine as it fights against Russia's invasion, the Dutch government said Friday.

The delivery of the fighter jets will take place after an export permit is issued by the Dutch Foreign Affairs Ministry, and after Ukraine has met criteria for its staff and infrastructure, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said, without offering a timeline for these decisions.

The announcement made it possible to reserve funds and to prepare planes for delivery, the government said.

"I spoke with Mark Rutte to thank the Dutch government for its decision to start preparing the initial 18 F-16 jets for their delivery to Ukraine," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on social media platform X on Friday.

The Netherlands sent its first U.S.-made F-16s to a new training facility in Romania last month for Ukrainian pilots and staff.

Denmark, Norway and Belgium also have announced they will give F-16 jets to Ukraine after the U.S. government approved sending them to defend against Russia as soon as pilot training is completed.

Relations between Ukraine and Poland

Ukraine and Poland said Friday they were ready to try to resolve "problematic" issues in their relations, especially after a Polish truckers' blockade at border crossings between the two countries.

During a meeting in Kyiv between Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba and Polish counterpart Radoslaw Sikorski, the two officials pledged to resolve the differences between their countries.

Ukraine considers Poland one of its closest European Union allies during its almost two-year-old fight against Russian invasion. Poland has offered humanitarian and military assistance to Ukraine and has accepted millions of Ukrainian refugees within its borders.

But relations between the two have been soured by a border protest blockade by Polish truck drivers, targeting what they say are unfair competition practices by Ukrainian truckers, who have benefited from permit-free access to EU territory since the war began.

Polish protesters want permits for Ukrainian truckers reinstated, something Kyiv and the European Commission say is not negotiable.

The protests have caused economic losses for Ukraine and have affected the flow of vital volunteer military aid supplies.

The Polish foreign ministry spokesperson said earlier that Sikorski would present another aid package during his visit in Kyiv.

An air raid siren sounded during the news conference in Ukraine's capital, which was targeted by another large-scale Russian drone attack overnight.

"This alarm you hear is the reason why I am here. It is unacceptable. ... In this titanic fight, Poland is on your side," Sikorski said.

Russian drone attack

Kyiv was attacked by a barrage of Russian drones early Friday, officials said, injuring at least two people in what marked the sixth drone attack on the city this month.

Ukraine said it shot down 24 of the 28 Iranian-made drones Russia launched toward Kyiv.

Mayor Vitali Klitschko and other officials reported strikes on separate residential districts. The mayor noted that a drone hit a block of apartments in the Solomyanskyi district, causing a fire.

The apartments are just a few hundred meters from a maternity hospital, Reuters reported.

Apartment buildings were damaged in other parts of the city.

Russia said its air defenses intercepted five Ukrainian drones south of Moscow in the space of less than an hour on Friday.

The defense ministry said four were intercepted over Kaluga region and a fifth was destroyed inside the Moscow region. According to Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin, fragments of the drone had fallen in the city of Podolsk, but no casualties or damage had been reported.

Ukraine said Thursday that Russia had launched about 7,400 missiles and 3,700 Iranian-made Shahed drones at targets across Ukraine during the course of the 22-month war.

Some information for this report was provided by The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters.

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Statement from National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan on Expanding Sanctions Authorities Against Russia's Military Industrial Base

December 22, 2023

The United States has rallied the world to stand with Ukraine in response to Russia's brutal invasion. Together with our allies and partners, we have put in place the largest set of sanctions and export control actions ever imposed on a major economy to undercut Russia's ability to wage war, and to hold Russia accountable for attempting to conquer its neighbor by force and subjugate its people. Today, President Biden will sign an Executive Order to continue tightening the screws on Russia's war machine and its enablers.

To date, our sanctions and export control actions have significantly degraded Russia's ability to replace the equipment, materials, and technology it needs to fuel its aggression. They have cut into Russia's financial resilience, forcing Russia to turn to rogue regimes for supplies and make difficult decisions to resource its military spending. And importantly, our measures have also been tailored and targeted to avoid unintended harm for the world economy.

These new sanctions authorities will make clear to foreign financial institutions that facilitating significant transactions relating to Russia's military industrial base will expose them to sanctions risk. We are sending an unmistakable message: anyone supporting Russia's unlawful war effort is at risk of losing access to the U.S. financial system.

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Cassandra CeeCee Garmon will never forget the night she spent in her Chevy Malibu, snowbound on Clinton Street in Buffalo, terrified that she might not live to see her two young daughters, who were home alone.

It was Dec. 23, 2022, and that morning, the single mother who was a pharmacy technician at Buffalo General Medical Center, went to work.

She knew that a bad storm was coming. Her girls, Jasmyn and JaLaya, then 13 and 4, had a snow day from school, but Garmon, an essential worker, had to go to work.

It was raining when she left for work, but by the time she was ready to head back home to Cheektowaga that afternoon, a full-blown blizzard was raging.

Trying to see through the blinding snow, she drove at a crawl, sometimes sticking her head out the window because her wipers couldnt keep up with the snow.

Then, she couldnt go any farther. Her car was stuck. There was too much snow.

Can you help me? she cried out over and over, hoping someone would hear. Two men stopped and tried to push her car out of the snow but they couldnt. Garmon called her father and her brother. They were trying everything they could but it was impossible.

Youre not getting out of this car tonight, she said to herself.

For 19 hours as the snow piled up and the winds howled around her, she sat alone in her car  until a stranger on a snowmobile who heard about her plight from a Facebook group came to her rescue.

A year later, and with winter upon us, Garmon says she remains shaken by what she survived. She hopes the leaders of Western New York have learned from the tragedies of the Blizzard of 2022 that claimed 47 lives, left hundreds, if not thousands, of people stranded in snowbound vehicles and plunged tens of thousands into darkness and cold over Christmas weekend.

I sure hope they would look at all the lives that were lost, Garmon said. She knows she could have been one of those.

Lessons from the blizzard

In reviews of how Buffalo, Erie County and New York handled the deadly blizzard, emergency management experts said one of the key problems was that too many people didnt understand just how bad the blizzard would be.

So how do you get Western New Yorkers, who pride themselves on weathering many a snowstorm, to take notice and get ready when a truly life-threatening blizzard is approaching?

Experts say communication is key  the words used to convey the urgency of the situation and how the message gets out.

Buffalo was criticized in a report it commissioned from New York University for waiting until two days before the blizzard was forecast to hit to send its first messages to residents  and not relaying enough urgency. On Dec. 21, Mayor Byron W. Brown posted a message on Facebook about a winter storm watch in which he urged people to get their holiday shopping done early. In the meantime, the National Weather Service was warning of a once-in-a-generation storm.

The study also pointed out how the citys messaging about what residents should or shouldnt do could be ambiguous.

The city announced a blizzard warning and winter storm warning but it didnt explicitly offer instructions to stay home. A storm update about warming shelters opening the night before the storm gave locations but no information on how people should get there.

They pointed to a Thruway Authority post on Twitter that showed photos of various levels of whiteout conditions from traffic cameras on Dec. 23.

It is incredible how bad conditions can get just by traveling 10 miles down the road. Please use extreme caution if traveling in the #WNY region today, it said. While it called the blizzard dangerous, the tweet advised drivers should heed all warnings and stay off the road.

The clear direction to stay off the road is useful to drivers, the study said, but a reference to heed all warnings could have been announced by referring to the specific rules in place at the time.

In an internal memo, the Erie County Health Department acknowledged that the countys ReadyErie app has a limited reach and that more county residents need to be signed up for it in order for it to be useful. The memo also pointed out that there were difficulties getting information to residents who lost power.

The state review called for better coordination among various state agencies as well as local governments in getting information to the public about just how life-threatening the blizzard was.

Ahead of this years winter season, local leaders said they have revamped their communication strategies for emergencies. They will now be able to use the national emergency broadcasting system to send out an alarm and crucial messages when a life-threatening emergency is imminent, similar to how its used for tornadoes. Leaders have vowed to use more direct language.

Sample directions used in public messaging could include: Winter Emergency! Shelter in Place! If you go outside, it could result in serious injury or death, according to Buffalos new 2023-24 snow plan that includes a specific plan for blizzards.

You cant over-communicate

Clear messaging is crucial, Julie Parker, a crisis communications expert, told The Buffalo News.

She gave as an example travel bans.

What exactly is a travel ban? Dont assume people understand that, Parker advised. Tell people what could happen if you do decide to drive, she said.  Your car could become disabled ... It could be hours before first responders can get to you. If you can, paint a picture of what the repercussions are.

The public needs to hear direct messages and get helpful information that is updated at regular intervals and on multiple platforms, not just through news conferences and press releases.

You cant over-communicate in a crisis, she said.

Weather forecasters also are constantly reassessing how they communicate the seriousness of a weather event.

The federal National Weather Service has been expanding its use of its Winter Storm Severity Index, which shows a graphic that depicts the likelihood of potential societal impacts of a winter storm over a seven-day period. The graphic is color-coded  gray areas of a map mean minimal impact and a message of drive carefully while the areas in purple convey the most extreme expected effects: Expect substantial disruptions to daily life. Extremely dangerous or impossible driving conditions. Travel is not advised.

The weather service also now issues snow squall warnings to alert the public about fast-moving snowstorms that can quickly impact driving conditions.

Were working with social scientists to improve design and to try to make it understandable to the average person, said Alex Lamers, warning coordination meteorologist with the National Weather Service Weather Prediction Center.

I would say the communication of the forecast is just as important as the accuracy of the forecast, said Jonathan Porter, chief meteorologist and senior vice president of weather content and forecast operations at Accuweather.com.

Unlike some other kinds of extreme weather, like hurricanes, winter storms can be tricky to describe depending on where they are hitting, he said.

Hurricanes have very specific categories of strength that the public is aware of and understands. But the impact of a snowstorm can vary widely depending on where it hits. A few inches of snow can paralyze some cities, like Washington, D.C., but Buffalo wouldnt experience any substantial disruptions.

At the same time, its harder to convince snow-hardy Buffalonians that any approaching storm is truly dangerous.

Announcing travel bans ahead of time, say on the 11 p.m. news, before it would go into effect in the morning, can save lives, Lamers said. But he knows governments like to wait until the last possible moment, just in case the forecast changes.

I think we have to, as a society, rethink the balance there, he said. ... We need to be making smarter decisions about all of this.

Better prepared

As for Garmon, shes not taking any chances this winter.

She has a blanket and snacks in the trunk of her car, in addition to jumper cables and an automatic tire pump. Shes paying much more attention to weather forecasts, especially this winter. Shes thinking she might even move somewhere less snowy.

But, she said, the decision-makers in Western New York need to do their part.

Even if the next storm isnt as serious  take all precautions. It doesnt matter, she said. Take it serious. Take it very serious.

This Christmas will be a much better one than last year for Garmon. She recounted how she was finally rescued after 19 hours in the car by a snowmobiler. He took her to a nearby community center, which had no power, but at least had hot food. From there, another good Samaritan drove her in his pickup to the edge of her apartment complex in Cheektowaga. She trudged through snow drifts and finally made her way to her daughters, who had spent the night alone waiting for her.

After long hugs, a hot shower and calls to her dad and brother to let them know she was OK, Garmon collapsed into bed. She woke up the next morning in the exact same position, not having moved.

It was an odd Christmas, she said. The family was too emotionally spent to put on their matching Christmas pajamas that Garmon has made every year.

There were a few presents under the tree, but many of her girls gifts were still in the trunk of her car. It would take days before she was able to find it to get it back.

This holiday, Garmon is thankful to be able to spend it with her daughters, donning their We Are Family 2023 matching pajamas, in comfort and joy.

That proved to me, I have a reason to be here, she said. Many other people didnt make it. Theres a reason Im here.
Background Press Call on Upcoming Action to Continue Holding Russia Accountable

December 22, 2023

Via Teleconference

(December 21, 2023)

3:05 P.M. EST

MODERATOR: Thank you so much. And thanks, everyone, for joining the call. As a reminder, this call is on background, attributable to senior administration officials, and it's embargoed until 6:00 a.m. Eastern on Friday, December 22nd.

For your awareness, not for your reporting, on the call today we have [senior administration official] and [senior administration official].

With that, I'll turn it over to our speakers for a few words at the top, and then we'll take your questions.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Great, thanks. And thanks to everyone for joining today's call. It's been almost two years since Russia drove towards Kyiv in a brutal invasion of Ukraine that threatens the very foundation of international peace and stability.

From that moment, the United States has taken strong and decisive actions to impose costs on Russia to hold it accountable for its actions in Ukraine, while also supporting Ukraine and its people. That has included military aid and financial and humanitarian assistance, as you all know. And we have also deployed our economic tools to undercut Russia's ability to continue its unjust war.

The core to our strategy is denying Russia access to the international financial system, ensuring the costs to Russia's economy continue to grow over time, and preventing Russia from accessing the equipment, materials, and technology it needs to fuel its aggression.

As part of this strategy, we have imposed powerful sanctions and export control measures against thousands of entities and individuals, including sanctions on multinational procurement networks helping Russia to acquire key defense-related goods from abroad. We've also sent teams across the globe to engage directly with foreign governments, companies, and financial institutions to share information and highlight sanctions risks.

We've been very clear in all of this, along a in all of this that those who are supplying goods or processing transactions that materially support Russia's military industrial base are complicit in Russia's brutal violation of Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The action that we will take tomorrow is at the direction from President Biden and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan to further step up our efforts to disrupt Russia's efforts to expand its military industrial base.

Tomorrow, President Biden intends to sign a new executive order that strengthens U.S. sanctions authorities against Russia, with a focus on financial facilitators for Russia's war.

This EO is an important step to further disrupt material support for Russia's defense industrial base and to obstruct Russia's efforts to increase its military capacity.

It's also steps that we are taking in coordination with partners and allies. The G7 leaders statement we secured on December 6th previews these actions, committing to further curtail Russia's efforts to use the international financial system to facilitate expansion of its military industrial base. G7 leaders also spoke to a commitment to curtail Russia's revenue from other sectors, including non-industrial diamonds.

Before I hand to [senior administration official] for more details on this action, I did want to note that our sanctions on Russia are just one prong of a broader strategy to support Ukraine against Russia's illegal aggression, alongside essential economic, military, and humanitarian support, which is why it remains essential that Congress pass supplemental funding for Ukraine.

Let me turn it over to [senior administration official] for more details on the action we are taking tomorrow.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Thank you so much. And thanks to you for all the hard work getting this across a getting this done.

We've now been doing this in terms of thinking about how to use sanctions and export controls as tools to go after Russia for more than two years now. More than two years ago, we saw Russian troops gathering on the border of Ukraine. The President directed the Secretary to think about what could be done using these tools to hold Russia accountable while limiting the impact on our allies and partners. And that continues to be our objective.

And in doing that, we are seeking to do two things: one, deny Russia access to the revenues they need to fight this war of choice in Ukraine; and, two, put sand in the gears of Russia's war machine and taking apart their supply chain.

Today's action and the actions that have been a today's actions that we're describing for the executive order that will be signed tomorrow speaks to that second objective.

While many of us will be hitting the road soon to see our families or spend time with loved ones, we know all too well that Ukrainians face another holiday season of unprovoked war from Russia.

The United States has stood with the Ukrainians since the start of the brutal war, and we will continue to do so unequivocally.

Over the last two years, as part of the global coalition representing over half of the world's GDP, we at Treasury have used our economic tools to disrupt and degrade Russia's ability to supply its military and limit the Kremlin's resources to wage this war of choice, as I've mentioned.

Our sanctions have had a meaningful impact already. Since February of 2022, Russia's military has lost over 13,000 pieces of equipment, including tanks, UAVs, and missile systems. It's now struggling to rebuild and reconstitute its arsenal because of production constraints, the lack of workers, and restricted access to foreign components. Our goal is to make each one of these things harder. And the executive order the President plans to sign will help us do just that.

And Russia is facing increasingly difficult economic pressures as well. As the Kremlin's defense spending rose by almost 75 percent in the first half of 2023, its energy revenues have dropped by almost 40 percent this year due to the price cap that was implemented by the United States and our allies and partners.

Beyond energy exports, Russia is increasingly isolated in global economic trade while simultaneously facing a brain drain. Immigration out of Russia has reached historic highs. Foreign direct investment has flipped into negative.

Overall, Russia's economy is 5 percent smaller than predicted prior to the war and is far underperforming other oil-exporting countries.

Due to a lack of alternative, Russia has now converted itself into a war economy. Manufacturing capacity and the labor force have reoriented to weapons production and producing things that will be necessary to fight this war of choice in Ukraine.

This singular wartime focus has weakened the domestic economy. While Russia has the resources to maintain its war in the short term, its leaders face increasingly painful trade-offs that will sacrifice long-term prospects as under-investments, low productivity growth, and labor shortages will only deepen.

But beyond that sobering outlook, a more immediate way we know our economic measures are working is that the Kremlin has spent considerable time and resources in directing its intelligence services to find ways to evade the multilateral sanctions and export controls that we have put in place. They have created cutouts and front companies using both witting and unwitting financial intermediaries to circumvent restrictions and source critical components for the war.

These are items like semiconductors, which of course have been in the news, but also things Russia needs to convert and power their wartime economy, such as machine tools, chemical precursors, ball bearings, and optical systems.

Over the past year, we and our global coalition have exposed and cut off sanctions evasion networks, sanctioning or listing hundreds of front companies, middlemen, and Russian companies who are taking actions to move these types of parts.

The new executive order by the President will simply give us a tool that will allow us to go after financial institutions that failed to make the choice to either stop allowing their companies to ship these goods to Russia's military industrialized complex or getting out of business with Russia.

This tool will be the first time that we're introducing a tool that allows us to use secondary sanctions to go after financial institutions during this conflict in order to provide us with a strong tool to disincentivize the type of behavior that is furthering Russia's ability to build weapons of choice that they are using in Ukraine.

Over the course of the last two years, we have spent time talking to jurisdictions or financial institutions about the importance in making sure that they do not provide material support to Russia's economy. And with the President's signing of the executive order, we have a tool that allows us to hold them accountable.

We look forward to keeping our promise to the Ukrainian people that as long as Russia continues its invasion of Ukraine, we will continue to use sanctions and export controls to hold Russia accountable.

With that, I'm happy to join [senior administration official] in taking your questions.

Q Hi, this is Andrea Shalal with Reuters. I guess we're wondering whether you couldn't already go after financial facilitators before. Can you just explain exactly what this changes and how it gives you new authorities to go after institutions? Because, I mean, my understanding was that you already were, you know, looking at these financial institutions for aiding and abetting.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: A great question, Andrea. And I'll take it and see if [senior administration official] has anything to add.

What the executive order gives us the ability to do is it gives us a surgical tool that allows us to go after the financial institutions that are doing transactions that further Russia's military industrialized complex.

What we've seen to date is that our initial set of sanctions and export controls had a significant impact on Russia's ability to get access to the goods and technology they needed to build weapons. What the Kremlin then did was order them to go out and to build cutouts and facilitators that would allow smaller companies to be able to move some of these goods into Russia.

And what you've seen us do is we've sanctioned a number of these companies that we've found. But ultimately, the chokepoint for these companies and Russia's ability to continue to try and circumvent our sanctions is the financial system, because ultimately they need to have financial transactions in order to move things from a third-party jurisdiction into Russia.

What this tool allows us to do is to target those institutions and give them a very stark choice: If you are continuing to ship these types of goods into Russia, you need to be in a position to make sure that those goods are not going to Russia's military industrialized complex, or you have to stop. If you don't take one of those two choices, you're going to be subject to the sanctions regime. And for the first time, we have a sanctions regime that includes secondary sanctions.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Great. I think [senior administration official] covered it well.

I think the only thing I would add is a really, very central to our strategy here a is thinking about how do we take that next step in disrupting Russia's attempts to be able to produce the weapons systems, the industrial goods that it needs to prosecute its war.

And I think, really, we do see this as a significant step forward by making very explicitly clear that financial institutions are responsible for ensuring that they are not becoming the facilitators of the transfer of the inputs that Russia needs to step up its military industrial base and increase its capacity to produce the weapons that it is using in Ukraine.

And I do think that that is a clarification. It obviously builds on a huge amount of work that we've done, including with partners and allies, to go after entities in third countries that are shipping these goods, entities in third countries that are violating or evading our sanctions. But it does put a more targeted focus on financial facilitation, which we think will be, as [senior administration official] said, an important step in slowing down Russia's efforts to fuel its war.

Q Thanks. Can you guys say if the U.S. is planning to mirror the sanctions the EU adopted this week? And then secondly, what's the start date? When do the provisions in this new EO kick in?

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: So, my understanding a and I'll let [senior administration official] confirm this a is that the President intends to sign the EO tomorrow, which will also be the time in which the authority then is given for us to utilize this tool to hold banks accountable.

And I think the key thing here with this tool is that what we're trying to do is go after materials that are key to Russia's ability to build weapons of war. But what we know is that in order for them to get those materials, they need to use the financial system, which makes the financial system a potential chokepoint and is the tool that's targeted at that chokepoint and making clear to these banks that they need to take actions to prevent Russia's military industrialized complex from getting access to these goods.

What we're doing here with this executive order a the sanctions package we've already released prior to the 12th package is consistent with what Europe did with the 12th package and also consistent with the actions that the UK has taken, all driven by the leaders statement that came out from the G7 leaders when they met.

Ultimately, we're increasingly focused on Russia's ability and willingness and desire to circumvent the sanctions and export controls we've already put in place. And we're each taking actions to try and prevent that, using the different tools in our toolkit. We have a very powerful tool, that the President is now giving us when he signs this executive order tomorrow, that we plan to use in collaboration and coordination with our colleagues throughout the government.

But our hope, frankly, is that jurisdictions and financial institutions will take actions to stop the behavior well before we have to use this tool. And the basic reason we believe this is likely to be true is that, ultimately, for almost any bank in the world, given the choice between continuing to sell a modest amount of goods to Russia's military industrialized complex or being connected to the U.S. financial system, they're going to choose being connected to the U.S. financial system, given that our economy is far bigger and our currency is one used around the world. Fundamentally, people are not going to want to take that risk.

And the message we're going to send clearly to people is that you either do the due diligence that you need to, or you put at risk your ability to have access to our system.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Thanks. I think that covered it well. Let me just add just a few key things.

First of all, just to confirm that the President does intend to sign this EO tomorrow. So the timing of the financial facilitators provisions that we are describing here will come into effect immediately upon that signing.

There's two other elements of the EO and a or really one major other element which does align with the 12th package, which is the EO will also give the departments a relevant departments a the ability to take the steps necessary to implement bans on products that originated in Russia but were substantially transformed outside of Russia. So that is things like the diamonds action that we are taking in concert with the EU where we've already, in the United States, banned the import of Russian diamonds directly a Russian non-industrial diamonds directly. They are now taking the step to ensure that if Russia ships diamonds to another country for processing, those cannot enter the United States.

So the EO also contains that component which aligns with action in the EU's 12th package.

Finally, I would just echo a remind everyone that we have already this month rolled out a package of over 250 individual targets but aligned within those same categories of the EU's 12th package. So we have, as is usually our practice, aligned with EU steps. And it has taken sanction steps against individuals and entities already this month that cover many of the same categories and, in some cases, the same targets as the EU's 12th package.

So I would say that if you took a step back, we can say, yes, we are aligning with the 12th package, although some of that we have already done and some of that will take place through this EO.

Q Hi, this is Missy Ryan from the Washington Post. I actually have a logistical question. Can you all provide a recording of this call? I was disconnected at the beginning. So I'm just a I missed some of the material, so I'm hoping that we can get a recording afterwards so we can cover it properly.

MODERATOR: Missy, yeah, happy to after this.

Q Thanks.

Q Hi, it's Alan Rappeport from the New York Times. I want to ask: Are there American or European financial services firms that have been in violation or have been facilitating these kinds of transactions already that will be in violation of these sanctions if they don't stop?

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Not to my knowledge, Alan. And the reason for that, frankly, is that many American and European firms don't do much business with Russia anymore.

If you all didn't see it, some of our economists at Treasury put out a report that demonstrated that, since the war, Russia has had negative foreign direct investments because companies are pulling out of Russia and financial institutions are pulling out of Russia.

But what American and European firms do have, though, is they have correspond- a they're the correspondent bank for other banks to get access to the U.S. financial system that are currently doing this type of business in third countries.

And what we're going to be doing over the course of the next several weeks is working with those U.S. and European banks to inform them about this EO and tell them about the importance of telling the banks that they work with that they need to take steps to prevent themselves from being subject to this executive order, or they'll have to a or they may be cut off from their relationship.

So part of our goal in issuing a in using this tool is going to be getting banks in Europe, in the United States, that have relationships with banks around the world and other jurisdictions, to help warn them about the importance of taking steps to prevent themselves from being used to move goods into Russia that furthers their military industrialized complex.

Our overall goal here is to put sand in the gears of Russia's supply chain, which we think is one of the most effective ways to slow Russia down.

But as [senior administration official] said early on, we're one tool in our overall strategy. And in order for the Ukrainians to have a to speed up, frankly, and to go faster, they need our support. And that's going to require Congress to act in terms of providing Ukraine with a supplemental to give them the resources to continue to have the weapons to defend themselves and the money to make sure they support their economy.

So, to your question, I'm not aware of any U.S. or European financial institutions that fit into that category. But what we do know is that a number of the banks in third-country jurisdictions that we have concerns with have relationships with U.S. and European banks that could be threatened if they don't take steps to prevent Russia from getting access to goods that are used for their military industrialized complex.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: You covered this well. I'll leave that one there.

Q Hey, thanks. Just one housekeeping question. Will the President be making remarks, or this is going to be sort of a paper pushout of the EO being signed? And if you do have an approximate time of when it will be signed.

And then secondly, connected, is there a renewed push to consider seizing Russian bank assets to help Ukraine pay for the cost of the war?

Thank you.

MODERATOR: Aamer, I'll take your first one there. I'll be back in touch on timing and the other details for the rollout after this.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Great. On your second one, I think we have been public, and I think you all know that we have been in discussions with our G7 partners, on what is the best and most appropriate way to ensure that Russia doesn't get to choose when it is it pays back Ukraine for the damage that it's caused, which, of course, is international law obligation. We're also in really active discussions about the best ways to engage Russia to cease its illegal aggression.

I don't think we have anything to announce around a change in the U.S. position on seizing assets, although I think we have been very public that that is a conversation that we are continuing in the context of those strategic aims.

[Senior administration official], I don't know if there's anything that you wanted to say additionally on this, but just to emphasize, this is something that we've been very clear that we're in active discussions with our partners and allies around these issues. And we do have a strategic aim of making sure that Russia doesn't get to choose when and if it compensates Ukraine for the damage it's caused.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: I think you covered that well.

MODERATOR: Thank you. I think that's all the time we have for today. Thanks, all, for joining. And thanks again for our speakers for taking the time.

As a reminder, this call is on background. All that you heard was attributable to senior administration officials. And this is embargoed until 6:00 a.m. Eastern on Friday, December 22nd.

Thanks, everyone, for joining.

3:28 P.M EST

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Saudi Arabia - Blanket Order Training

Media/Public Contact: pm-cpa@state.gov

Transmittal No: 21-19

WASHINGTON, December 22, 2023 -- The State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia of Blanket Order Training and related equipment for an estimated cost of $1 billion. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale today.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has requested a continuation of a blanket order training program inside and outside of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia that includes, but is not limited to, flight training; technical training; professional military education; specialized training; Mobile Training Teams (MTTs); Technical Assistance Field Team (TAFT); Extended Training Service Specialists (ETSS); and English language training. These blanket order training cases will cover all relevant types of training offered by or contracted through the U.S. Air Force or Department of Defense Agencies (DOD). This training for the Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF) and other Saudi forces will include such subjects as civilian casualty avoidance; the laws of armed conflicts; human rights; command and control; and targeting via MTTs and/or broader Programs of Instruction (POIs). Program management; trainers, simulators; travel; billeting; and medical support may also be included. The estimated total cost is $1 billion.

This proposed sale will support the foreign policy goals and national security objectives of the United States by improving the security of a friendly country that is a force for political stability and economic progress in the Middle East.

The proposed sale will improve Saudi Arabia's capability to meet current and future threats and increase its interoperability with the U.S. through comprehensive U.S. Air Force training. The training will assist Saudi Arabia by fostering a climate of security in the region through the improved proficiency of the Royal Saudi Air Force. Saudi Arabia will have no difficulty absorbing this training into its armed forces.

The proposed sale of this equipment and support will not alter the basic military balance in the region.

There is no principal contractor for the proposed sale. Training will be provided by U.S. Government or contract vendors based upon requirements as they are determined. There are no known offset agreements proposed in connection with this potential sale.

Implementation of this proposed sale will require the temporary or continuation of assignment of approximately three hundred thirty-nine (339) U.S. Government or contractor training personnel to Saudi Arabia for at least one year with a possibility of extension.

There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness as a result of this proposed sale.

The description and dollar value is for the highest estimated quantity and dollar value based on initial requirements. Actual dollar value will be lower depending on final requirements, budget authority, and signed sales agreement(s), if and when concluded.

All questions regarding this proposed Foreign Military Sale should be directed to the State Department's Bureau of Political Military Affairs, Office of Congressional and Public Affairs, pm cpa@state.gov.

-30-

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Syria's chemical weapons remain a threat to international peace and security: UK statement at the UN Security Council

Statement by Deputy Political Coordinator Tom Phipps at the UN Security Council meeting on Syria chemical weapons.

22 December 2023

Thank you President, and in this last open briefing on the agenda for this month, let me join others in congratulating you for the manner in which you and your team have conducted your Presidency this month.

I would also like to thank Director Ebo, as always, for his detailed briefing and to express gratitude to the Director-General of the OPCW for his 122nd report and to the OPCW more broadly for its ongoing and vital work to uphold the Chemical Weapons Convention.

President, contrary to the expectations of the Representative of the Russian delegation, the UK welcomes the 25th round of consultations between the OPCW and the Syrian regime that took place last month in Damascus. We commend the OPCW Declaration and Assessment Team for their hard work to reconcile discrepancies in Syria's declaration.

However, it is nonetheless important that we are clear: this limited concession does not redress Syria's long-standing non-compliance with the Chemical Weapons Convention. The Syrian regime has consistently blocked the OPCW's work, refusing visas and insisting on unacceptable conditions.

President, the Declaration Assessment Team is of course entitled to full and unfettered access to inspect any and all sites in Syria, not just the limited in-country activities that they have conducted this year. And as Director Ebo briefed, sampling by the Declaration Assessment Team at two sites in April 2023 indicated further issues with Syria's declaration of its chemical weapons holdings. Not only does this reduce what little faith we had in Syria's declaration, but it clearly demonstrates Syria's continuing disregard for the Chemical Weapons Convention and the principles that nearly all of us around this table uphold.

President, as we have said many times before, the outstanding issues on Syria's Chemical Weapons Declaration are not academic. They include the whereabouts of hundreds of tonnes of chemical weapons agents and thousands of munitions. Syria's chemical weapons remain a threat to international peace and security until its chemical weapons programme has been fully and verifiably destroyed.

We therefore welcome the decision in November of the Chemical Weapons Convention Conference of States Parties. This new decision will strengthen cooperation between States Parties to address the global threat from the Syrian Regime's non-compliance, in particular by taking concrete steps to stop the transfer of toxic chemicals and the materials needed to produce chemical weapons from entering Syria until it fully complies with its Chemical Weapons Convention obligations.

President, the lack of progress on this file is not a reason to reduce our attention on it. On the contrary, it is the lack of progress that requires this Council to remain seized of the matter. Ten years on from its adoption, the provisions of UNSCR 2118 have not been met. The outstanding issues on Syria's Declaration are unresolved and independent international investigations have found the Syrian Regime responsible for at least nine chemical weapons attacks on its own people.

We owe it to the thousands of victims of chemical weapons attacks in Syria and elsewhere to continue our work until Syria's chemical weapons no longer present a threat to international peace and security.

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KMT, DPP vice presidential candidates exchange fire over China

ROC Central News Agency

12/22/2023 10:39 PM

Taipei, Dec. 22 (CNA) The vice presidential candidates of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and the main opposition Kuomintang (KMT) sparred over their approaches to China at a televised policy presentation forum on Friday evening.

In a format in which the candidates had three 10-minute periods to present their policies, the KMT's Jaw Shau-kong () decided to go on the attack for most of his allotted time, including over how the DPP has engaged with China since taking power in May 2016.

Jaw, who is also chairman of the Taipei-based Broadcasting Corporation of China, said the DPP government and Beijing have not only avoided interacting with each other but also frequently engaged in bitter reproaches.

Taking aim at DPP presidential candidate Lai Ching-te's () pro-Taiwanese independence comments in the past, Jaw said a victory for the DPP ticket in the January election would further strain already tense cross-Taiwan Strait relations.

Lai has on more than one occasion described himself as a "pragmatic worker for Taiwanese independence," with the last instance taking place in 2017, when he was serving as the country's premier.

He has toned down his rhetoric since 2020, however, when he took over as vice president, proclaiming that "Taiwan is already an independent sovereign country" and that there is "no need to declare independence."

"Lai Ching-te is a terrorist [endangering] the peace of Taiwan," Jaw claimed, adding that Hsiao, who was previously Taiwan's envoy to the United States, had been "picked by the U.S. to watch over Lai," without providing evidence.

Hsiao, on the other hand, said her KMT opponent kept blaming the DPP for cross-strait tensions without acknowledging China's authoritarian expansion in recent years.

"China never stopped its military buildup even when former President Ma Ying-jeou () of the KMT was heading the government [in Taiwan]," she said.

Hsiao said she and Lai would defend the status quo of peace between Taiwan and China, and said "we will not let war break out in the Taiwan Strait."

"We believe that national defense and economic strength can best guarantee Taiwan's security," Hsiao said, adding that "the weaker you are, the more susceptible you are to being bullied."

Taiwan must continue boosting its defense capabilities and expanding economic links with different countries to deter threats from China, Hsiao said.

She then denounced the KMT's proposals to sign trade agreements with Beijing as seeking to increase Taiwan's economic dependence on China, which was "dangerous" given its current precarious economy.

Hsiao also, without elaborating, questioned her opponent's defense policy, saying the KMT tended to change its discourse on the issue when facing different interlocutors, including Washington and Beijing.

Speaking on the topic, Jaw stressed that he had always been opposed to the communist party and committed to defending the Republic of China, Taiwan's official name.

In order to maintain peace, however, Jaw said establishing dialogue and communication mechanisms were essential, arguing that "[we] should try every possibility."

He said that should he and Hou Yu-ih (), the KMT's presidential pick, be elected, they would establish a "military communication channel" with China and ask Beijing to stop sending military aircraft and vessels to conduct exercises near Taiwan.

Jaw also proposed sending a "military observer" to China to look at its military deployment in coastal areas in an attempt to build trust but noted that it would not be a reciprocal arrangement.

The third vice presidential candidate Wu Hsin-ying () of the Taiwan People's Party spent most of her allotted time talking about digital issues and did not touch on cross-strait relations during her presentation.

(By Teng Pei-ju)

Enditem/ls





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China's resumption of grouper imports 'politically motivated': MOA

ROC Central News Agency

12/22/2023 08:27 PM

Taipei, Dec. 22 (CNA) The Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) blasted China Friday for lifting a ban on Taiwanese grouper imports in a politically selective manner, calling the move a tactic intended to divide Taiwanese fishermen.

The MOA statement came after the Chinese General Administration of Customs announced earlier in the day that it would resume importing grouper from selected Taiwanese fisheries, effective immediately.

China introduced the ban in June last year, citing several findings of prohibited chemicals and excessive levels of oxytetracycline in grouper imported from Taiwan after December 2022 -- an accusation Taiwan denied.

However, the administration said Friday that the quality of Taiwanese grouper has shown improvement after the introduction of corrective measures, and seven "registered" fisheries will be able to export their products, effective immediately.

In response, the MOA expressed disappointment over China's actions, criticizing it for "unilaterally" selecting several fish farms despite recognizing Taiwan's overall improvement in quality control.

"This action does not adhere to international practice, and there was neither consultation with Taiwanese authorities nor scientific evidence provided," the ministry said in a press release.

China's move was politically motivated and will create an inconsistent market standard that makes it difficult for Taiwanese fishermen to follow, according to the MOA, which urged China to resort to existing channels for negotiation.

Pingtung County Magistrate Chou Chun-mi (ac) also questioned Beijing's intent as the announcement came just 20 days ahead of Taiwan's presidential election on Jan. 13, 2024.

"We should work toward fair trade, and fair elections as well," she said Friday on the sidelines of an anti-bribery press conference when asked by reporters to comment.

The southern Taiwan county is the largest grouper supplier in the country, covering approximately 610 hectares of farming area, or 40 percent of Taiwan's total, government data showed.

Pingtung County produced 6,700 metric tons of grouper in 2021, which generated an annual value of over NT$1.6 billion (US$51.4 million), according to the data.

However, the resumption was good news for some Pingtung County fishermen.

A grouper farmer surnamed Tsai (e) told CNA that he has struggled to break even over the past year due to the limited size of the local market, adding that he hopes the Chinese grouper market remains open to Taiwan permanently.

(By Lee Huei-ting, Wu Hsin-yun and Lee Hsin-Yin)

Enditem/AW

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Taiwan Presidential Candidates Sharpen Cross-Strait Relations Rhetoric

By William Yang December 22, 2023

Weeks before Taiwan's January 13 presidential and legislative election, the three presidential candidates - Hou Yu-ih, Lai Ching-te, and Ko Wen-je - have increased efforts to sharpen rhetoric on cross-strait relations, an issue long dominating Taiwan's politics.

With no major differences among their cross-Strait policy platforms, which endorse preserving the status quo across the Taiwan Strait, some analysts say the only way to differentiate themselves is to claim to be the only candidate able to restart cross-Strait dialogue.

Yen Wei-Ting, an expert on Taiwan politics at Franklin and Marshall College, told VOA by phone that Beijing's attitude "is the decisive factor" in determining which candidate could promise to resume conversation with China.

China's preference for dealing with the main opposition Kuomintang party, she said, allows that party to frame itself as the party that Beijing "is willing to talk to" while putting the ruling Democratic Progressive Party at a disadvantage.

The three candidates attended the first televised policy debate Wednesday, doubling down on their cross-Strait policy platforms and taking jabs at each other's stance on handling relations with Beijing.

They all promised to facilitate exchanges and cooperation with China and strengthen Taiwan's self-defense capabilities.

Hou, from the Kuomintang, centered his arguments around framing the presidential election as a choice between war and peace.

He criticized the Democratic Progressive Party for pushing Taiwan closer to war and promised to increase goodwill between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait to ensure Taiwan can "truly steer away from conflicts and move toward peace."

Facing fierce criticism from Hou about a prior statement that Taiwan is already a sovereign state, Lai, Taiwan's vice president and DPP presidential candidate, said Taiwan's sovereignty cannot be violated and Taiwan cannot be annexed.

He emphasized the need for Taiwan to form closer partnerships with democracies around the world and further enhance deterrence while accusing his opponents of accepting the "One China Principle" upheld by Beijing, a position he said showed they could not defend Taiwan's survival.

Presenting himself as an alternative to the cross-strait visions of the two mainstream political parties, Ko, from the Taiwan People's Party, a smaller opposition party that has presented itself as an alternative to the DPP and Kuomintang, said cross-strait exchange could be achieved through mutual understanding, respect, and cooperation, adding that Taiwan's autonomy and cross-strait peace are the basis of his basic attitudes toward cross-strait relations.

The three, Yen told VOA "are trying to consolidate support from their voters through this rhetoric."

Candidates' cross-strait rhetoric reflects the generational divide in Taiwan.

The candidates' cross-strait rhetoric has drawn varied reactions from voters. While some older voters say Hou is the only candidate capable of preventing a war with China, younger voters are divided over cross-strait issues.

"Out of the three candidates, I think Hou can help stabilize the situation across the Taiwan Strait because I think it's better to have dialogue with China than not having any interaction between the two sides," Hsu Hsiu-Han, a 58-year-old housewife, told VOA at a campaign rally in Taichung, Taiwan's second-largest city.

Other voters say Taiwan needs to remain neutral between the United States and China because leaning too close to either side could anger the other side.

"We need to know when is the right time to keep a distance from China and when is the right time to have dialogue with them," Lin Hui-fen, a 60-year-old retiree, told VOA in Taichung, adding that Hou is the candidate who can best safeguard Taiwan's interests and avoid taunting China.

While some older voters favor Hou's approach to play down tension across the strait, younger voters remain divided over cross-strait issues. Some say safeguarding Taiwan's sovereignty is the top priority for them and they think Lai is the only candidate who can prevent Taiwan from succumbing to China's growing aggression.

Others say DPP efforts to amplify the narrative of "resist China to protect Taiwan" in recent years have become tiresome.

"I think all political parties' efforts to double down on narratives related to China are simply to get media attention and attract more votes," Sophie Lin, a 30-year-old project manager, told VOA in Taipei.

"As it seems to be another election dominated by cross-strait issues, I don't plan to come out and vote on January 13. These political theatrics have overshadowed the real issues troubling young people in Taiwan," she added.

Other young people think Taiwan's politics have long been dominated by the two main political parties with no sign that persistent social and economic issues, such as low wages and unaffordable housing prices, are being adequately addressed. They say they want to support a party that prioritizes these issues that are of concern to young people in Taiwan.

"The DPP and KMT have long prioritized cross-strait issues for electoral gains and ignored important socioeconomic issues, causing Taiwan's social development to remain stagnant," said Angus Hsiao, a 31-year-old engineer in Taipei. "I will vote for Ko Wen-je because I think he can usher in some real political change in Taiwan."

Yen said there is a limitation to the effect of candidates' attempts to mobilize voters through cross-strait rhetoric.

"While some older voters might prefer KMT's cross-strait discourse, younger voters are less likely to be mobilized by presidential candidates' cross-strait positions in this election," she told VOA.

She said that since younger voters are in more agreement on issues of identity and Taiwan's status as a sovereign state than older voters, when there are no fundamental differences in the presidential candidates' cross-strait policy platforms, the younger voters would pay more attention to presidential candidates' policy platforms on social and economic issues.

"This shows that while the China issue remains the most dominant factor in this election, there is a generational limitation to the effect of presidential candidates' attempts to mobilize voters through relevant rhetoric," she said.

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December 21, 2023

Release

United States - TArkiye High Level Defense Group Meeting

Celeste Wallander, the Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs, co-chaired the U.S.-Turkish High Level Defense Group (HLDG) meeting in the Pentagon on December 21. Building on recent conversations between President Biden and Turkish President Erdogan, the delegations discussed a wide range of functional and regional issues. This included defeating terrorism, security in Africa and the Eastern Mediterranean, and the importance of the NATO Alliance. ASD Wallander, the U.S. lead for discussions, also highlighted cooperation on multiple regional issues and developing additional areas for increased partnership.

The two sides also discussed bilateral defense cooperation, our shared goal of increasing longstanding defense ties, and ASD Wallander reaffirmed the United States' recognition of Turkiye's military modernization needs in support of NATO. The delegations agreed to meet again in Ankara in the next eighteen months.

https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/3625114/

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Announcement on the TArkiye and US High Level Defence Group Meeting

Republic of TArkiye Ministry of National Defence

22.12.2023

TArkiye -- The U.S. High Level Defense Group meeting was held in Wasington DC on 21 December 2023 with the participation of delegations from Turkish Ministry of National Defence and the US Department of Defense.

In the meeting, which was positive and constructive, discussions and exchange of views were held on regional and global security issues as well as on bilateral defense, military training and defense industry cooperation.

The next meeting is expected to be held next year in TArkiye.

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Ukraine: Switzerland expands sanctions listings

Swiss Government

Bern, 22.12.2023 -- On 21 December the Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research (EAER) further expanded its sanctions listings against Russia. This brings Switzerland in line with the additional sanctions listings decided by the EU in response to Russia's ongoing military aggression against Ukraine. The changes took effect at 6pm on 21 December. The Federal Council was informed of the latest developments on 22 December.

As part of a 12th package of sanctions adopted on 18 December, the EU imposed new measures in response to Russia's ongoing military aggression against Ukraine and continued acts of destabilisation, which undermine Ukraine's territorial integrity, sovereignty and security. In turn, on 21 December the EAER imposed sanctions within its jurisdiction on a further 61 individuals and 86 entities.

Among the newly sanctioned individuals are members of the Belarusian armed forces, leaders of companies supporting Russia's military and industrial capabilities, and members of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation. The newly sanctioned entities are primarily Russian companies operating in the defence sector.

The EU's 12th package of sanctions from 18 December also provides for various other measures, including a phased ban on imports of diamonds from or originating in Russia. Imports of diamonds of Russian origin to Switzerland have in any case fallen sharply since the onset of Russia's military aggression against Ukraine. At this stage, there are no longer any direct imports of natural or synthetic diamonds from Russia to Switzerland.

The Federal Council was informed of these measures by the head of the EAER at its meeting on 22 December. It will in due course address the possibility of adopting the new sanctions.

Furthermore, the EAER welcomes the EU's decision to add Switzerland to a list of partner countries for imports of iron and steel. Switzerland's various restrictions on imports of iron and steel are equivalent to those of the EU. This decision by the EU comes as further confirmation of its close partnership with Switzerland in the area of sanctions.

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War in Ukraine - Military support for Ukraine

Germany - Federal Government

Germany provides support for Ukraine by supplying equipment and weapons, these come from supplies of the Federal Arms Forces and from deliveries from industry financed from the Federal Government's funds for security capacity building. An overview.

Friday, 22 December 2023

This list provides an overview of military assistance provided by the Federal Republic of Germany to Ukraine. It includes deliveries from the Federal Armed Forces, from industry and assistance measures together with partners, which have, inter alia, been financed from Federal Government funds for security capacity building.

Funding for the security capacity building initiative amounts to 5.4 billion Euros for 2023 (after 2 billion Euros for 2022) and additional authorisations to enter commitments in the following years amounting to 10.5 billion Euros. These funds are to be used primarily for military assistance to Ukraine. At the same time, they will be used for re-filling Federal Armed Forces stocks for items delivered to Ukraine as well as for Germany's contributions to the European Peace Facility (EPF), from which costs incurred from providing military assistance to Ukraine can be re-imbursed to EU member states.

Delivered military support to Ukraine:

(Changes compared to the previous update in bold)

Armoured fighting vehicles

ammunition for LEOPARD 2 A6

69 tracked all-terrain vehicles Bandvagn 206 (BV206)*

80 infantry fighting vehicles MARDER with ammunition and spare parts (from Bundeswehr and industry stocks*)

30 main battle tanks LEOPARD 1 A5*

16 Armoured Personnel Carriers (APC)*

138 MG3 for LEOPARD 2, MARDER and DACHS

ammunition for LEOPARD 1*

18 LEOPARD 2 A 6 main battle tanks with ammunition and spare parts (German share in joint project with further LEOPARD 2 operators)

50 MRAP vehicles DINGO

54 M113 armoured personnel carriers each with 2 MG* (systems of Denmark, upgrades financed by Germany)

Air defence

52 self-propelled anti-aircraft guns GEPARD with spare parts *(before: 49)

116,362 rounds ammunitions for self-propelled anti-aircraft guns GEPARD (from Bundeswehr and industry stock s*) (before: 86,122)

2 air defence system PATRIOT with spare parts

PATRIOT missiles

6 air surveillance radar TRML-4D*

3 air defence system IRIS-T SLM*

IRIS-T SLS missiles

2 IRIS-T SLS launchers*

2 PATRIOT launchers

IRIS-T SLM missiles*

4,000 rounds practice ammunitions for self-propelled anti-aircraft guns

500 Man Portable Air Defense Systems STINGER

2,700 Man Portable Air Defense Systems STRELA

Artillery

35,890 rounds 155mm ammunition (before: 33,390) (from Bundeswehr and industry stocks*)

(from Bundeswehr and industry stocks*) ammunition for multiple rocket launchers MARS II

20,872 rounds 155mm smoke/illuminating ammunition

2 wheeled self-propelled howitzer Zuzana 2* (project jointly financed with Denmark and Norway)

155mm precision guided ammunition* (SMArt, VULCANO)

5 multiple rocket launchers MARS II with ammunition (German share in joint project with USA and Great Britain)

14 self-propelled howitzers Panzerhaubitze 2000 with spare parts (German share in joint project with the Netherlands)

20 rocket launchers 70mm on pick-up trucks with rockets*

counter battery radar system COBRA*

10 laser target designators and portable fire control modules for VULCANO artillery ammunition*

Military Engineering Capabilities

14 mine clearing tanks WISENT 1* (before: 12)

6 mobile, remote controlled and protected mine clearing systems*

250 tool kits with blasting material*

13 bridge-laying tanks BEAVER with spare parts*

material for explosive ordnance disposal (from Bundeswehr and industry stocks*)

11 mine ploughs for T-72*

18 heavy and medium bridge systems and 12 trailers

5 bridges for bridge-laying tank BEAVER

15 armoured recovery vehicles Bergepanzer 2*

2 armoured recovery vehicles Bergepanzer 3

5armoured engineer vehicles DACHS*

12 mobile and protected mine clearing systems Ahlmann*

Protective and Special Equipment

162 reconnaissance drones VECTOR with spare parts* (before: 152)

243 border protection vehicles* (before: 241)

4 AMPS self-protection systems for helicopters* (before: 2)

182 drone detection systems*

1 LUNA NG reconnaissance system

50 mobile antenna mast systems*

63 laser range finders*

2,667 Crypto Phones*

90,600 safety glasses (from Bundeswehr and industry stocks*)

46 ground surveillance radars GO12*

7 reconnaissance drones Primoco ONE*

20 unmanned surface vessels*

230 SatCom terminals*

1 PCB printer*

100 reconnaissance drones RQ-35 HEIDRUN*

1 antenna hub station

1 Satcom surveillance system*

1,288 binoculars

5 mobile reconnaissance systems SurveilSPIRE*

10 radio jammers*

57 anti-drone sensors and jammers*

40 frequency range extensions for anti-drone devices*

1 communications electronic scanner/jammer systems*

32 reconnaissance drones*

40 laser target designators*

10 anti-drone guns*

28,000 combat helmets

1 radio frequency system

3,000 field telephones with 5.000 cable reels and carrying straps

353 night vision goggles*

12 electronic anti-drone devices*

165 field glasses*

6 mobile decontamination vehicles HEP 70 including decontamination material

10 HMMWV (8x ground radar capability, 2x jamming/anti drone capability)*

1 high frequency unit with equipment*

Logistics

240 trucks Zetros* (before: 232)

87 truck tractor trains 8x8 HX81 and 89 semi-trailers (before: 85/84)

324 vehicles (trucks, minibuses, all-terrain vehicles) (from Bundeswehr and industry stock s*) (before: 316)

8 tankers Zetros

25 trucks MAN TGS*

40 load-handling trucks 8x8

34 load-handling trucks 15t*

6 load-handling trucks 8x6 with 21 roll of containers*

14 tracked and remote controlled infantry vehicles THeMIS*

179 Pick-ups*

12 tank transporter tractor M1070 Oshkosh*

30 protected vehicles*

Combat Readiness and Survivability

239,991 rounds ammunition 40mm* (before: 214,455)

medical material

500,000 first aid kits*

30 grenade launchers GMG*

15 precision rifles HLR 338 with 60,000 rounds ammunition*

10 All Terrain Tracked Carrier Warthog Ambulances

49 ambulances*

47.1 million rounds of ammunition for fire arms

30,000 winter clothing sets

27,477 backpacks

3 spare part packages for VECTOR drones

1,202 Infusion kits

Spare parts WISENT

field hospital*

100 machine guns MG5*

8 dental sterilizers

11,000 group module rations

103,000 tourniquets

500 pistols SFP9*

2 hangar tents*

8 lift trucks*

295 generators

10 winter camouflage nets

168 mobile heating systems*

36,400 wool blankets

14,000 sleeping bags

Mi-24 spare parts*

spare parts for heavy machine gun M2

200 tents

116,000 winter jackets

80,000 winter trousers

240,000 winter hats

405,000 pre-packaged military Meals Ready

67 fridges for medical material*

3,000 anti-tank weapons Panzerfaust 3 with 900 firing devices

14,900 anti-tank mines (9,300* from industry stocks)

50 Bunkerfaust with 15 firing devices

100 machine gun MG3 with 500 spare barrels and breechblocks

100,000 hand grenades

5,300 explosive charges

100,000 m detonating cord and 100.000 detonators

350,000 detonators

100 auto-injector devices

15 palettes military clothing

1,200 hospital beds

18 palettes medical material, 60 surgical lights

protective clothing, surgical masks

1 field hospital (project jointly financed with Estonia)*

Diesel and gasoline*

10 tons AdBlue*

500 medical gauzes*

MiG-29 spare parts*

7,944 man-portable anti-tank weapons RGW 90 Matador*

Military support to Ukraine in planning/in execution

(due to security concerns, the Federal Government abstains from providing details on transportation modalities and dates until after handover)

Armoured fighting vehicles

105 LEOPARD 1 A5 main battle tanks* (project jointly financed with Denmark)

20 infantry fighting vehicles MARDER*

4 tracked all-terrain vehicles Bandvagn 206 (BV206)*

50 Armoured Personnel Carriers (APC)*

ammunition for main battle tanks for LEOPARD 2 and LEOPARD 1*

ammunition for infantry fighting vehicles MARDER*

Air defence

5 air defence system IRIS-T SLM*

IRIS-T SLM/SLS missiles*

22 launchers IRIS-T SLS*

2 air surveillance radars TRML-4D*

259,680 rounds of GEPARD ammunition

Artillery

more than 250,000 projectiles 155mm*

18 wheeled self-propelled howitzers RCH 155*

14 wheeled self-propelled howitzer Zuzana 2* (project jointly financed with Denmark and Norway)

Military Engineering Capabilities

250 tool kits with blasting material*

material for explosive ordnance disposal*

6 armoured recovery vehicles Bergepanzer 2*

4 mobile, remote controlled and protected mine clearing systems*

13 bridge-laying tanks BEAVER*

2 mobile and protected mine clearing systems Ahlmann*

28 mine clearing tanks WISENT 1*

2 heavy and medium bridge systems*

Protective and Special Equipment

725 laser range finders*

11 reconnaissance drones Primoco ONE*

12 AMPS self-protection systems for helicopters*

30 drone detection systems*

10,000 safety glasses*

10 mobile reconnaissance systems SurveilSPIRE*

263 reconnaissance drones VECTOR*

121 reconnaissance drones*

50 unmanned surface vessels*

10 ground surveillance radars GO12*

2,000 portable light systems*

257 border protection vehicles*

vehicle decontamination system

11 communications electronic scanner/jammer systems*

Logistics

39 Toyota Land Cruiser

10 trucks Zetros*

11 tank transporter tractor M1070 Oshkosh*

22 tank Zetros*

1 load-handling trucks 8x6 with 7 roll of containers*

3 heavy duty trailer trucks 8x8 HX81 and 1 semi-trailers*

2 tractors and 4 trailers*

10 protected vehicles*

Combat Readiness and Survivability

435 precision rifles HLR 338 with 9.9m rounds ammunition*

8.3 million rounds of ammunition for fire arms

18,000 man-portable anti-tank weapons*

2 dental sterilizers

191,925 rounds ammunition 40mm for grenade launchers*

continuing deliveries of medical material*

70 grenade launchers GMG*

* Deliveries from industry stocks financed by German funds for security capacity building. Some of the deliveries require upgrades or productions is ongoing; also training measures take place.

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NEW YORK  Former President Donald Trump says he is eager to debate President Joe Biden, even if the debates are sponsored by the nonpartisan Commission on Presidential Debates. He also says he is open to debating a single Republican rival if a serious challenger emerges after the New Hampshire primary.

Trump skipped all of the primary debates so far, citing his commanding lead in the polls. During an interview Friday with conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt, he was asked if he will debate Biden if he is named his party's nominee.

"Oh, will I look forward to that," Trump responded. "How about 10 debates?"

That's even, he said, if the debates are sponsored by the Commission on Presidential Debates, which he and fellow Republicans have railed against for years.

"They are totally corrupt and they're terrible. With that being said, I would do 20 debates, even if it was organized by them. I would do as many debates as they want," he said. "I'd do a debate every night with this guy."

The Republican National Committee voted unanimously in April 2022 to withdraw from the commission's events, alleging biased, and required candidates to sign a pledge vowing to only participate in debates sanctioned by the committee. Trump, however, never signed the pledge.

The nonprofit was established in 1987 and has sponsored every general election presidential and vice presidential debates since. The organization outlines the rules for each debate and selects the locations, dates and moderators for the events.

Trump also said in the interview that he would be willing to participate in a Republican primary debate if the race comes down to just him and a single rival after the New Hampshire primary. Public polls currently show him with large leads in all the early-voting states, but Nikki Haley, the former governor of South Carolina, has been gaining ground, particularly in New Hampshire.

"Yeah, I would, if it was very close, I would debate that Republican," Trump said.

Still, Trump claimed he is "not worried" about Haley, who also served as ambassador to the United Nations during Trump's administration.

Biden's campaign has not yet committed to general election debates next year. Quentin Fulks, Biden's top deputy campaign manager, told reporters earlier this month that the campaign would "look at the schedule" that the Commission on Presidential Debates released in November, but "right now" its "focus is on making sure we continue to build out a campaign and infrastructure that's going to be able to be competitive in 2024."

Though Trump skipped all of the GOP primary debates, he has long said a general election campaign would be different.

"We have to debate," he told Fox News host Bret Baier in a June interview. "He and I have to definitely debate. That's what I love. The two of us have to debate."

The commission set a schedule of three presidential debates to be held in college towns in Texas, Virginia and Utah between Sept. 16 and Oct. 9, 2024, as well as one vice presidential debate in Pennsylvania.

As president, Trump repeatedly accused the commission of unfair treatment and ultimately refused to participate in the second 2020 debate after a decision was made for it to be held virtually because of the COVID-19 pandemic. National Democrats also expressed frustration with the commission in 2020, accusing it of failing to enforce rules when it came to Trump.

Biden's campaign, the commission and the RNC did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Trump's remarks Friday.
EU sends additional 500 power generators to Ukraine

European Commission

Press release

22 December 2023

Brussels

The EU is mobilising a further 500 power generators from its strategic rescEU reserves to strengthen Ukraine's energy resilience.

Continued brutal attacks by Russia have left Ukrainian energy infrastructure fragile. Despite the efforts by local authorities, it is impossible to restore all the destroyed power grids within a year.

Deployed from the EU's emergency rescEU reserves hosted by Poland, the generators range from small 12.5 kVA to large 1000 kVA that are capable of suppling energy to entire hospitals in case of power cuts. The financial value of the 500 power generators being sent to Ukraine is a16.5 million. The generators will be provided to different Ukrainian ministries. The goal is to ensure sufficient supply of electricity during cold and dark months, but also to keep vital services like hospitals, wastewater treatments and heating stations up and running. For example, 40 of the 500 generators are designated for schools.

Together with this new deployment, more than 5,500 power generators have been sent to Ukraine via the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, which includes offers from the Member States and 2178 from the EU's own rescEU stockpiles that serve as an additional protection layer. In addition to generators, the EU has been delivering other vital energy supplies to Ukraine like transformers, autotransformers, high-voltage equipment and LED light bulbs.

Background

Russia's war against Ukraine has led the country to the brink of a humanitarian catastrophe. In response, the EU has mobilised all its available resources to provide emergency assistance to Ukraine.

The crisis response to the war in Ukraine is the largest, most complex and longest running operation ever conducted under the EU Civil Protection Mechanism. All 27 EU countries, plus Norway, TArkiye, North Macedonia, Iceland, and Serbia, have offered in-kind assistance ranging from medical supplies and shelter items to vehicles and energy equipment. So far, more than 98 000 tonnes of assistance has been delivered to Ukraine via the Mechanism.

In addition, the EU has mobilised assistance from its rescEU medical, CBRN, shelter and energy stockpiles hosted by Belgium, Germany, Denmark, Greece, Hungary, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Sweden, Slovenia and from the rescEU private sector reserve hosted by Belgium and Poland.

The EU has also been coordinating medical evacuation flights transferring patients for treatment in European hospitals. More than 2 900 Ukrainian patients have been evacuated to 22 European countries.

The overall financial value of the support provided under the EU Civil Protection Mechanism is a796 million.

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Defence to make first 18 F-16 fighter aircraft available to Ukraine

Netherlands Ministry of Defence

News item | 22-12-2023

The Netherlands will make at least 18 F-16 fighter aircraft available to Ukraine. Minister of Defence Kajsa Ollongren informed the Netherlands House of Representatives of this today. The Netherlands committed itself to doing so during a visit by Ukraine's President Zelenskyy earlier this year. Now that the cabinet has decided to ready the F-16s, personnel and budget can be allocated to prepare for the delivery.

This new decision was preceded by the undertaking to deliver F-16s to the European F-16 training centre in Romania. This centre was ceremonially opened last month by the Dutch and Romanian ministers of defence.

Ollongren explained that the F-16s will improve Ukraine's ability to defend itself against Russian attacks.

This is of major importance because there seems to be no end in sight to Russia's ongoing aggression. Dutch support for Ukraine will therefore continue unabated.

Licensing

To prevent undesirable end use, a licence is required for the export of military technology and equipment. This requirement also applies to the F-16s in question.

The Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs will therefore assess the aircraft in terms of the European Union's criteria for arms exports. The Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation will decide whether to grant an export licence on the basis of that assessment.

In addition to this licensing, a number of criteria must be met before the aircraft can actually be delivered. These criteria include trained Ukrainian personnel and suitable infrastructure in Ukraine, for example.

Maintenance

Before being transferred to Ukraine, all aircraft will be inspected and, if necessary, modified. Furthermore, some of the aircraft require an overhaul.

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First support package for Ukraine for 2024: a102 million in winter assistance

Government of the Netherlands - Ministry of Foreign Affairs

News item | 22-12-2023

The Netherlands has set aside a102 million for the first support package for Ukraine of 2024. This amount is part of over a2 billion that the Dutch government has earmarked for support for Ukraine over the coming year.

a102 million for humanitarian aid and pressing needs

For the first four months of 2024 the government has reserved a102 million to help Ukraine get through the winter and prepare for spring. During his visit to Ukraine on 15 December, Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation Geoffrey van Leeuwen detailed how the money will be allocated.

The ongoing war is taking an increasingly heavy toll on Ukraine's society and economy, and the country is as much in need of help as ever. This latest support package focuses on the most pressing needs:

a15 million for humanitarian assistance through the UN's Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA);

a15 million for clearing mines from agricultural land and areas liberated from Russian control;

a62 million to help the Ukrainian government provide basic services, repair critical infrastructure and roll out reforms under the Special Program for Ukraine and Moldova Recovery (SPUR), a facility of the World Bank's International Development Association;

a10 million for the delivery of materials for the electricity grid.

Development minister Geoffrey van Leeuwen visits Ukraine

Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation Geoffrey van Leeuwen was in Kyiv on 15 December for a visit to a power station and to discuss reconstruction and emphasise the Netherlands' continuing support for Ukraine.

Mr Van Leeuwen said, 'Arrived in Kyiv, where I emphasised the crucial importance for Ukraine to stand firm against Russian aggression, especially now that winter has arrived. The Netherlands is assisting with humanitarian aid and support for the recovery of critical infrastructure. Ensuring the continuity of key sectors, including energy infrastructure, is part of our efforts to aid Ukrainians as they face the winter ahead.'

More than a2 billion in support in 2024

Other Dutch funding in 2024 will consist of a2 billion in military support, a contribution of a295 million to the European Peace Facility (EPF), a89 million to help combat impunity and a3 million for non-military cyber support.

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Minister RadosAaw Sikorski visits Kyiv

Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Republic of Poland

22.12.2023

Minister of Foreign Affairs RadosAaw Sikorski made Ukraine his first foreign visit. Talking to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, he expressed the willingness to provide strong support to Ukraine and outlined new proposals for bilateral cooperation. "We waited for you, Radek, here in Kyiv," Ukraine's top diplomat Dmytro Kuleba greeted his Polish counterpart. Minister Sikorski stressed that Ukraine's and Poland's common objective is for Russia to suffer defeat in Ukraine.

The talks Minister Sikorski held in Kyiv focused on further financial and military support for the fighting Ukraine, prospects for the country's membership of the European Union and NATO, and possibilities for enhanced Polish-Ukrainian cooperation as regards the reconstruction of Ukraine. The head of the Polish MFA also discussed current issues in bilateral relations.

During the visit, Foreign Minister RadosAaw Sikorski met with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Minister for Foreign Affairs Dmytro Kuleba, Minister of Defense Rustem Umierov, and Head of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine Oleksiy Danilov.

At the invitation of Minister Kuleba, Poland's top diplomat arrived in Kyiv as a guest of honour of Ukraine's Diplomatic Service Day and delivered a keynote speech on Polish-Ukrainian relations. In his address he also outlined general principles governing the negotiation process prior to accession to the European Union. Furthermore, the head of the Polish MFA stated that both Poland and the whole European Union need Ukraine's membership. The Ukrainian side also stressed the upcoming 10th anniversary of the Revolution of Dignity. Ten years ago, the Polish foreign minister, together with his German and French counterparts, Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Laurent Fabius respectively, supported Ukraine's pro-European aspirations and helped to stop the bloodshed on the Maidan.

During a press conference held after the meeting with Minister Kuleba, the Polish top diplomat emphasised the heroism of the people of Ukraine, adding that they serve as inspiration for the whole of Europe. Minister Dmytro Kuleba stressed that the friendship with Poland will help to defeat Russia and unite Europe.

Minister Sikorski recalled that Ukraine chose its path towards Europe. Referring to the sounds of air-raid sirens, he said that this was the reason why he came to Ukraine, adding that it is unacceptable that Russia is bombing a neighbouring country which has not wronged Russia in any way. In his speech, the Polish official stressed that Moscow usurps the right to decide which peoples can consider themselves a nation and which are denied this possibility. "This is Russia's last colonial war. Ukraine should win, and Russia should lose. This is what we think, regardless of who is in power in Poland," emphasised Minister Sikorski.

"If Ukraine wins, it will boost the morale of the entire free world. That is why Ukraine must prevail," added the minister during a press conference that concluded his visit to Kyiv.

Answering a question regarding the support for Ukraine, he stated that the problem is to switch the entire economy to a war mode. "One cannot win a war by means of tactical clashes but through production. If Europe mobilizes its efforts, Russia will lose," he added.

"I once again feel that Poland is a true friend, because when Ukraine won the battle of Hostomel and recaptured Kherson the situation was easier. Now, with the impasse on the front line, we are faced with a real test who is ready to help," noted the Polish diplomat.

Minister Sikorski stated that Russia has been doing worse in the war than it was predicted, while the European Union and the US have been supporting Ukraine more than it was expected.

During the talks, the politicians agreed that problems in Polish-Ukrainian relations should be settled through "a serious and constructive dialogue". The Polish delegation to Kyiv included representatives of the Ministry of Infrastructure and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, who outlined Polish proposals to solve the problem of the border blockade by truckers and farmers.

Talking about the protest of truckers blocking the border crossing, Minister Sikorski stressed that the situation is complicated. PaweA Gancarz, a member of the delegation and Under Secretary at the Ministry of Infrastructure, said that officials are discussing the last details which he thinks will enable both sides to reach agreement.

Next, the head of Polish diplomacy laid flowers at the Wall of Remembrance of the Fallen for Ukraine and lit a candle at a memorial to the Maidan Casulaties to pay homage to those who died defending Ukraine.

Choosing Kyiv as the destination of his first visit abroad since taking office, Minister of Foreign Affairs RadosAaw Sikorski symbolically underlined that Ukraine plays a priority role in Poland's foreign policy and that Warsaw is ready to continue to actively support Ukraine's European and Euro-Atlantic aspirations.

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Ukraine, Poland Vow To Increase Cooperation, Work On Resolving Trucker Blockade

By RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service December 22, 2023

Ukraine and Poland say they are ready to try to resolve "problematic" issues in their relations, starting with a pledge to work to resolve a Polish truckers' blockade of several border crossings.

The Ministry of Development of Communities, Territories, and Infrastructure of Ukraine said on December 22 the deputy ministers of infrastructure of Poland and Ukraine met in Kyiv and agreed on joint positions for unblocking the border.

"The parties reached an understanding regarding compromise solutions and their implementation. The next stage is negotiations at the level of the Ministry of Infrastructure of Poland and the protesters," the ministry said.

Polish truckers since early November have blocked three border crossings on the Polish-Ukrainian border demanding the reintroduction of entry permits for their Ukrainian competitors heading into EU countries. The European Union waived the permits shortly after Russia launched its full-scale invasion to ease the cargo traffic in and out of the war-torn country.

Polish haulers are angry over a loss of business to competition from Ukrainian truckers, who have benefited from permit-free access to EU territory.

They want permits for Ukrainian truckers reinstated. Kyiv and the European Commission have said this is not negotiable. The Ukrainian Ministry of Development of Communities, Territories, and Infrastructure emphasized again on December 22 that the issue of changes to the agreement on permit-free entry was not being discussed.

Ukrainian authorities say they are suffering significant economic losses due to the actions of the Polish side, while Poland says it has its own economic interests.

The blockade has revealed a rift in relations with Poland, which has been one of Ukraine's closest European Union allies in the war against Russia.

.

Poland, however, now has a new pro-EU government under Prime Minister Donald Tusk, and Poland's new foreign minister, Radoslaw Sikorski, was in Kyiv on December 22 on his first official trip abroad since the new government took office.

Poland's deputy infrastructure minister, who accompanied Sikorski, said after talks with his Ukrainian counterpart that he hoped truckers' protests could be resolved before the end of the year.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy met with Sikorski and said he and the foreign minister discussed "significant opportunities for further collaboration -- work that will bolster both our nations." He said he hoped Kyiv and Warsaw could "open a new page" in their relations.

Zelenskiy said this included joint defense production. He acknowledged that "many things need to be resolved," but said he was "confident we can do it."

Sikorski said Western economies together were "20 times wealthier" than Russia's, but Moscow "has switched its economy to a war mode."

Western countries "cannot allow Russia to produce more on the basis of a much smaller economy," he said, adding that wars were not won by tactical battles but by production.

With reporting by Reuters, dpa, and AFP

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-poland-meeting-truckers- blockade/32743864.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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Bad Weather, Russian Strikes Leave More Than 500 Ukrainian Settlements Without Power

By RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service December 22, 2023

Bad weather and ongoing Russian strikes have left an estimated 520 settlements in Ukraine without electricity as the capital, Kyiv, was targeted by more than two dozen drones launched by Russia on December 22.

The Energy Ministry said about 400 settlements were cut off the power grid by a sudden bout of bad weather in five regions.

The Zakarpattya region was the worst hit, with 271 settlements left in the dark and cold, while the western Lviv region reported 70 settlements as being affected. Ivano-Frankivsk, Kharkiv, and Donetsk were among those that were hit by power cuts, the ministry said, adding that in Donetsk, some 120 settlements have been cut off the grid by Russian shelling amid heavy fighting in the eastern region.

The ministry also announced the deaths of two miners in the Russian shelling of a coal mine in Donetsk the previous day.

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko and emergency services said that a block of apartments south of the city center was struck by one drone, resulting in the reported injuries and triggering a fire that was quickly brought under control.

A nationwide air-raid alert was declared in early afternoon on December 22 but was later lifted.

Earlier, the Ukrainian military said on December 22 that 24 of 28 Iranian-made kamikaze drones launched by Russia were shot down.

"Aircraft, antiaircraft missile units, and mobile groups of the air force and the defense forces of Ukraine were involved in repelling the air attack," the Ukrainian Air Force said. "As a result, 24 'Shaheds' were shot down within Kyiv, Odesa, Mykolayiv, Kherson, Zhytomyr, Rivne, and Khmelnytskiy regions."

The military said the drones were launched from the Russian-occupied Crimean Peninsula and from the Kursk and Primorsko-Akhtarsk areas of southwestern Russia.

On the battlefield, the Ukrainian military reported that it repelled 95 clashes on December 21 on the eastern front, with heavy fighting near Kupyansk in the Kharkiv region and Avdiyivka and Maryinka in the Donetsk region. Twelve clashes were reported in the southern Kherson region, where the military said that Ukrainian forces were expanding their areas of control.

The Ukrainian military reported that civilians had been killed and wounded in the attacks and that private residences and infrastructure had been destroyed.

Ukraine's southern command said infrastructure in the southern Mykolaiv region had been struck and that fragments from a downed drone had damaged a grain storage facility in the southern Odesa region.

With reporting by Reuters

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-kyiv-drone-attack-russia- war/32742955.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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May every Russian pilot be well aware of our response to every Russian killer - address by the President of Ukraine

President of Ukraine

22 December 2023 - 19:59

Wishing good health, dear Ukrainians!

An important day.

Grateful to our soldiers who destroyed three Russian Sukhoi aircraft at once. In the South - in our Kherson region. It's the gain of our Air Force and the direct action of the Odesa Anti-Aircraft Missile Brigade. Thank you, guys! And may every Russian pilot be well aware of our response to every Russian killer - none of them will go unpunished.

The second for today.

I greeted two of our very significant professional communities today on their professional days - Ukrainian energy workers and Ukrainian diplomats. There are special days in the calendar: December 22 is the Power Engineer's Day and the Diplomatic Service Day of Ukraine.

In the morning, I honored power engineers with state awards - individuals whose efforts enable Ukraine to live normally, with light and heating. We are currently experiencing the second winter of full-scale war, significantly different from the first. It is the result of the tremendous effort of many teams, companies, officials, and regional authorities. I am grateful to everyone working for our energy sector.

Today, I also met with representatives of our diplomatic community - those within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs system and those outside the system involved in our country's foreign policy. This year was ambitious for Ukraine, and we managed to implement most of our ambitions in relations with our partners. For the next year, there are clear goals and well-defined KPIs for all employees in Ukraine's diplomatic sphere.

I spoke today with Mark Rutte, the Prime Minister of the Netherlands. The Netherlands is preparing to send the first F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine. From political decisions regarding the provision of aircraft, we have moved on to training pilots and engineers, and now we are implementing the technical part - the actual delivery of F-16 jets. I am grateful to the Netherlands and all our other partners who support us in this endeavor.

Certainly, we discussed the current political issues with Mark, including the approval of a new support package for Ukraine in the European Union - EUR 50 billion, a necessary and long-term package. This is our resilience. Additionally, we managed to discuss the preparation for a new Peace Formula meeting.

Today, I also met with the recently appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs of Poland, Sikorski. We are refreshing our relations. We discussed how we can overcome existing concerns. Of course, I expressed gratitude to Poland for supporting our state in the defense sector. We have significant opportunities for further collaboration - work that will bolster both our nations. This includes, in particular, joint defense production. Many things need to be resolved. I am confident we can do it.

Another thing. I held a meeting with the Minister of Defense and the team. We are preparing solutions to the issues that our units, combat brigades are facing. Matters of motivation, terms of service determination, and recruitment. The defense forces are sustained by people. And people are the spirit and the weapon. We must ensure both components. Thanks to everyone who is assisting!

Thanks to everyone who is fighting and working for the interests of Ukraine!

Glory to Ukraine!

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The President of Ukraine met with the Polish Foreign Minister

President of Ukraine

22 December 2023 - 18:06

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a meeting with Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland RadosAaw Sikorski, who is visiting our country.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy underscored the importance of the first visit of the newly appointed head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Poland to our state.

The Head of the State expressed gratitude for the substantial support of Ukraine by Poland in countering the full-scale Russian invasion and providing refuge to Ukrainian citizens who sought safety from hostilities.

The interlocutors agreed that bilateral relations should find fresh impetus, and all areas of concern should be settled with mutual trust and respect.

"We hope for the opening of a new page in our relations. We are very strong neighbors with a shared history. We are glad to see you here. I hope that the Prime Minister of Poland will also visit Ukraine at the earliest opportunity," Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.

The President of Ukraine and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Poland discussed in detail further cooperation in the defense sector and the key needs of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy and RadosAaw Sikorski specifically addressed the establishment of joint production facilities and explored the possibility of procuring Polish weaponry, which has demonstrated its effectiveness on the battlefield.

Issues related to the preparation for the next meeting at the level of leaders' advisors on the implementation of the Peace Formula and the organization of the Global Peace Summit were also discussed.

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President's address to the employees of the diplomatic service of Ukraine

President of Ukraine

22 December 2023 - 15:54

Dear attendees!

Ladies and gentlemen!

Dear Mr. Prime Minister, Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada! All our guests!

Dear Ukrainian diplomats!

Today we have convened for three reasons.

First, of course, is gratitude. Today, on Ukraine's Diplomatic Service Day, on behalf of all our people, our entire Ukrainian society, I thank you - the entire Ukrainian diplomatic community - for your work in the interests of the state of Ukraine, in the interests of our people. Everyone knows their own results. All those who are effective for the sake of Ukraine, all those who contribute - and this is important - to Ukraine's strength every day, all those whose ideas have worked and whose energy opens up new opportunities for Ukraine, whether in the diplomatic service system or outside it, but acting as Ukrainian representatives, our missions... I am grateful to all of you and congratulate you on your professional day!

The second thing that is important to say today is our joint achievements. Ukraine has really done a lot over the past year. In many areas.

We have not always been diplomatic. Probably, we often acted in a non-traditional, unexpected way. Sometimes even impatiently. But this year, we have achieved goals that seemed almost unattainable at the beginning of the year.

The key political result is, of course, the European Union. My congratulations. Ukraine has secured the decision to open membership negotiations. It was really difficult, to put it mildly. Many people around the world thought Ukraine was doomed to always depend on old perceptions of geopolitics and spheres of influence in Europe. But we changed that.

The key defense result is our new sky shield, which is becoming more powerful every month. We started with almost unprotected skies dominated by Russian missiles. Now Ukraine is already among the top 20 countries in the world in terms of its missile defense capabilities, and we have made our country even stronger. In particular, thanks to our production and cooperation with our partners in the defense industry. The United States and other world leaders are now becoming partners for Ukraine in the production of modern weapons, including air defense systems.

The key strategic result of this year is the work on the Peace Formula, our plan to restore the full force of international law. This is a Ukrainian initiative that is becoming the initiative of the world majority, as we are working effectively to unite different nations and different leaders with a common idea. The idea that by restoring a just peace for Ukraine after the aggression of the Russian Federation, we can all together in the world create powerful deterrents against other aggressions. And the world recognizes our Peace Formula. And thanks to this work, new relations between our state and many others have begun, which strategically makes Ukraine's position more global.

This year, there is an important institutional result - our rapprochement with NATO, which is reflected in the work of the NATO-Ukraine Council, as well as in the creation of a new and extensive architecture of security commitments to Ukraine based on the agreement with the Group of Seven. It is a fact that it is perhaps the most difficult for Ukraine to become a full member of the Alliance in Europe. And this is definitely not Ukraine's fault - it is a reflection of the real significance of our country, our true power. The one with whom Ukraine is determines the stability of Europe. Russia wants this special power to belong to it, intimidating the world leaders. But our foreign policy and our communication with the world must be more effective than any Russian blackmail and any Russian strikes or threats. A very specific task for all of you, for our entire foreign policy team, is to find the key to the decision about NATO for Ukraine. It is very difficult. All of Ukraine's partners must realize that now is the time to join the power of our state, the power of our people, the power of our warriors, our power of Ukraine's geopolitical importance to the collective power of all of Europe. Europe of peace. And peace in Europe will be lasting when Russia is forever deprived of any opportunity to even try to make Ukraine its bridgehead. Effective preparation for the NATO Summit in Washington is one of the key goals for 2024.

Another result worth mentioning is the geography of our diplomacy. Many of those present remember that Ukraine's foreign policy was limited to only a few parts of the world - important, priority, but traditional directions where it was relatively easy to work. We must acknowledge our weaknesses. After 1991, Ukraine's policy towards Latin America was weak. Our state did not focus on Africa. Most of Asia also remained outside our constant attention. But this has changed.

The geography of Ukraine's foreign policy now covers all continents, and the most historically meaningful relations have been achieved in traditional directions. The United States, the European Union, and the United Kingdom - solid results. My congratulations. Japan, our new powerful ally - our relations are at a new level, a new historical level. New strong relations were established with the Nordic countries. Norway and the Northern Europe region as a whole - absolutely new and productive relations. Canada traditionally understands and supports Ukraine in everything. Besides this, we have made confident strides in Latin America. And there are strong prospects. TArkiye - very meaningfully. The Arab world and Islamic states, in general, have come to understand our position much better. Good relations have been achieved with the Republic of Korea. Australia - there is a necessary basis for future strong relations. This year, a decision was made and is being implemented to expand Ukraine's presence on the African continent. The Ukrainian embassies in Rwanda and Ghana have already started operating, and soon our flags will appear on the premises of the missions in Botswana, Mozambique, CAte d'Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Mauritania. The system of consulates is also becoming stronger: in particular, general consulates are opening in Lyon and Erbil, and the consulate in Gdansk is being promoted to the status of consulate general.

It is very important that the Ukrainian position is now represented and understood in all the most influential international organizations.

These are all good results. But the best is yet to come.

Dear attendees, ladies and gentlemen diplomats!

Today, I have submitted to the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine draft amendments to the law "On Diplomatic Service". The new norms will make the Ukrainian diplomatic system more modern and contribute to its effectiveness. There are a lot of changes. The role of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine is being strengthened, the institution of the Special Representative of Ukraine is being formalized, the field of cyber diplomacy and corresponding relations with our partners is being legally established, and the institution of horizontal rotation is becoming fully functional. And this is still far from everything envisaged by the relevant bill.

In particular, thanks to this law, you will all have more tools to realize our foreign policy objectives next year. And they are very specific.

We need more weapons because no one is going to give up. Ukraine will emerge victorious.

No pauses in relations with the European Union. We need a negotiation framework and the start of full integration in all areas.

Each of our defense coalitions must be filled with maximum content. Within the Ramstein format and other formats, we have already created various highly important defense coalitions that bolster the capabilities of our warriors and the resilience of our state. Every month, the results should become more tangible - tangible for our people.

Similarly, sanctions against Russia for this war must be continuously tightened. This is fair. Also, we must collaborate with all our partners in the search, freezing and confiscation of Russian assets. It is fair for the assets of the aggressor state to work for protection against the aggressor state, and your task is to ensure the world's readiness to back this up. As it has been throughout all these months with these 12 powerful packages.

Long-term support programs. This year we have agreed on such programs with some of our partner states. We also have preliminary agreements with some others. The number of such programs must increase next year. Long-term support is one of the foundations of our resilience in times of war.

Defense production. Each of you who can help Ukraine ramp up the production of weapons, shells, equipment, and air defense in Ukraine or enhance relevant cooperation with partners must do so.

This year, we achieved a result in the Black Sea - a truly powerful result - and restored maritime exports. We also implemented the humanitarian program "Grain from Ukraine." The importance of Ukraine as a donor to global food security has remained steadfast. Next year, we must further strengthen it, since our contribution to global food security is one of the keys to new relations with many countries in Africa and Asia.

I have already said with regard to NATO that it is not easy and that we need a key to the decision on the Alliance for Ukraine. And this key should be sought not only in top-level political offices. We need to convince societies, just as we were able to unite them around Ukraine at the very beginning of the war. We need to convince their hearts, the hearts of people. They put pressure on their leaders. Societies. They actually make the call. To be honest, it is societies that have actually decided on our future with the EU. Ours and the societies of our European neighbors. We also need to be very clear to experts, the expert community, and the media, including new media. Businesses in partner countries should fully understand the significance and prospects regarding Ukraine. The persuasiveness of Ukrainian foreign policy is also a guarantee of security for Ukraine.

Further strengthening is required in the areas of Latin America, Africa, the Arab world, and Asian countries. Ukraine respects every nation, regardless of whether it is geographically large or small. Ukraine respects all peaceful interests that add stability to the world. And it is on this basis that we must proceed with our relations with our new partners. We need to ensure the holding of Ukraine - Latin America Summit and Ukraine - Africa Summit, and also enhance our state's involvement in regional organizations across the globe.

All representatives of Ukraine should pay maximum attention to the work on our Peace Formula. And this is also a complex work. Not only at the political level. Experts, journalists, business communities. Everyone who may be needed. Everyone who can help. Everyone whose connections can make us stronger. You should be the most active diplomats in the world. And if there is a lack of resources - and this may be the case in times of war, and I don't want to alarm you - no one is going to limit your budget, but it's not about money anyway... If there is a lack of resources, you have to balance it with your energy, your commitment, your ideas.

And, of course, Ukrainian diplomacy must continue to be a reliable advocate for Ukrainian citizens in all parts of the world, wherever Ukrainians are. Our people must be confident that Ukraine will help. Always. Help everywhere.

I know that the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Poland is here today. Welcome! We have great respect for the people of Poland and are grateful for everything. We have a new minister visiting us, and we hope that this marks a new page in the relationship between our countries, one that we will not want to turn over. I strongly believe in this. And I am very grateful for your visit.

And one more thing.

Millions of Ukrainians here at home, in Ukraine, are displaying the very best qualities that can be found in people, in human character, and in human hearts, defending our state. It is an honor to represent such people, such a nation, such courage in the world. And I ask you to always remember this - the Ukrainian people who inspire the world and deserve victory. Your job is to help bring Ukraine closer to victory.

Congratulations again!

Thank you once again for your efficient work!

Congratulations on your professional day!

Glory to Ukraine!

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President: The new legislation will provide more tools for Ukrainian diplomats to realize the objectives of our state

President of Ukraine

22 December 2023 - 15:24

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that he had submitted to the Verkhovna Rada draft amendments to the law "On Diplomatic Service" to make Ukrainian diplomacy more modern and efficient.

"Today, I have submitted to the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine draft amendments to the law "On Diplomatic Service." The new norms will make the Ukrainian diplomatic system more modern and contribute to its effectiveness," the Head of State noted during a meeting with diplomats in Kyiv.

According to the President, the legislative initiative envisages strengthening the role of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and formalizes the institution of the Special Representative of Ukraine. In addition, the legislation legally establishes the sphere of cyber diplomacy and corresponding relations with our partners, as well as makes the institution of horizontal rotation fully functional.

"And this is still far from everything envisaged by the relevant bill. In particular, thanks to this law, you will all have more tools to realize our foreign policy objectives next year," Volodymyr Zelenskyy added.

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Yearender: Israel-Hamas conflict hampers rising tide of reconciliation in Mideast in 2023

09:53, December 23, 2023 By Xinhua writer Tian Ye ( Xinhua

Smoke billows following an Israeli airstrike in Gaza City on Oct. 7, 2023. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)

-- The sudden outbreak of the Israel-Hamas conflict in October has shattered hopes for a peaceful end to 2023 in the Middle East, which witnessed the historical normalization of ties between two arch-rivals, Iran and Saudi Arabia, under the mediation of China.

-- There had been multiple interconnected normalization tracks in place before the Gaza conflict. Rapprochement also took place between Gulf states and Israel, Turkiye and Iran, respectively, and Turkiye continued to improve newly restored ties with Israel, as part of the process of de-escalation that appeared to feed into a wider regional trend.

-- Analysts believe that, although the momentum of regional reconciliation in the Middle East has been temporarily halted by the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict, it will continue once the conflict is resolved.

CAIRO, Dec. 22 (Xinhua) -- Had it not been for the Israel-Hamas conflict, the year 2023 could have been characterized by a rising tide of peaceful reconciliation among regional powers in the Middle East.

The sudden outbreak of the Israel-Hamas conflict in October has shattered hopes for a peaceful end to 2023 in the Middle East, which witnessed the historical normalization of ties between two arch-rivals, Iran and Saudi Arabia, under the mediation of China.

The Saudi-Iran rapprochement, as well as renewed Arab unity, gave a stronger push to a peace momentum, which already started years ago, to end the conflicts in this traditionally volatile region.

CONFLICT SETS BACK REGIONAL DE-ESCALATION

Hamas' surprise attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7, which triggered the deadly conflict that raged on till the year's end, occurred at a time when a U.S.-brokered deal to normalize ties between Israel and Saudi Arabia was reportedly approaching.

There had been multiple interconnected normalization tracks in place before the Gaza conflict. Rapprochement also took place between Gulf states and Israel, Turkiye and Iran, respectively, and Turkiye continued to improve newly restored ties with Israel, as part of the process of de-escalation that appeared to feed into a wider regional trend, said Batu Coskun, a research fellow at Libya's Sadeq Institute.

"The trend of de-escalation that had been in place for the last 24 months now faces a major setback in the region," he said, referring to the Hamas-Israel conflict, which is the deadliest in decades as it has so far killed more than 20,000 Palestinians and about 1,300 people in Israel.

"As is often the case in the Middle East, such surges of violence often undo major diplomatic work and erode years of careful reconciliation," he said.

After the outbreak of the Gaza conflict, Saudi Arabia decided to halt the normalization process with Israel in protest. Egypt and Jordan, which border Israel on opposite sides and have signed peace treaties with Israel, were angered by Israel's attacks on Gaza and the massive displacement of Palestinians. Other Arab nations that normalized ties with Israel not long ago, such as Morocco, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates, have all denounced Israel's assaults in the Gaza Strip.

"For years, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu operated under illusions that have now been shattered," Mark Leonard, director of the European Council on Foreign Relations, wrote in an article published by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute on Nov. 7.

"The biggest was the expectation that Israel could normalize ties with the Arab world without addressing the Palestinian question, which he apparently believed could simply be wished away," wrote Mark Leonard. "Now, that question has become impossible to ignore."

Wang Yi (C), a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the CPC Central Committee, attends a closing meeting of the talks between the Saudi delegation led by Musaad bin Mohammed Al-Aiban (L), Saudi Arabia's Minister of State, Member of the Council of Ministers and National Security Advisor, and Iranian delegation led by Admiral Ali Shamkhani (R), Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council of Iran, in Beijing, capital of China, March 10, 2023. (Xinhua/Luo Xiaoguang)

RAPPROCHEMENT STILL UNDERWAY

The China-brokered Saudi-Iran agreement to restore ties in March was a landmark event in the geopolitics of the Middle East, which has benefited not only the two states but also regional countries, such as Iraq, Syria, Yemen and Lebanon, said Hassan Beheshtipour, an Iranian international affairs analyst.

Iraq regards the Saudi-Iran deal as consistent with its own security and stability. Following the Saudi-Iran deal, Syria was re-admitted into the Arab League in May, in a show of renewed Arab unity. Lebanon also welcomed the rehabilitation of Saudi-Iran ties, Beheshtipour said.

As a result of the Saudi-Iran rapprochement, rounds of peace negotiations were held between the Yemeni government backed by Saudi Arabia and the Iran-backed Houthi rebels. In April, hundreds of prisoners were released in a swap deal between the warring parties in Yemen as momentum began to build to end the nine-year conflict.

Syria's return to the Arab League after 11 years was sealed by the attendance of President Bashar al-Assad at a summit held in Saudi Arabia in May.

Before the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas conflict, both Israeli and Saudi leaders hinted that a U.S.-brokered deal was near for normalizing their ties. The bloody conflict has set back Israel's progress to mend ties with Arab states, which started with the signing of the Abraham Accords with the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Morocco in 2020.

Hadeer Said, a professor of international relations at the Cairo-based Institute of Arab Research and Studies, attributed the regional rapprochement to the U.S. policy of retreat from the Middle East, as many Arab countries have lost their trust in Washington's security guarantees.

The rising momentum of rapprochement in the region has set back the U.S. plan for arming the Arab version of NATO to contain Iran, deemed by both Israel and the U.S. as the leading threat to Israel's existence, Said said.

"The ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict confused and complicated the regional situation. This perplexity has been exploited by some powers like the U.S. for enlarging its regional influence and its control on the regional countries after years of retreated political role in the Middle East," he said.

However, analysts believe that, although the momentum of regional reconciliation in the Middle East has been temporarily halted by the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict, it will continue once the conflict is resolved.

It's largely because major countries in the region have determined to take their fates into their own hands, rather than only relying on Washington, and the factors leading to the Abraham Accords still exist despite the Israel-Hamas conflict.

In the long run, the common desire to seek economic development and transformation, as well as the need to cope with the so-called Iran threat, will help restart the normalization process between Israel and major Arab states, though the Palestine issue will gain more consideration in future talks.

Saudi Arabian Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud (L) shakes hands with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad at a welcome ceremony prior to the 32nd Arab League Summit in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, May 19, 2023. The 32nd Arab League Summit kicked off in the Saudi city of Jeddah on Friday with the participation of Arab leaders to discuss regional and global issues that are crucial to the region's stability. (Saudi Press Agency/Handout via Xinhua)

SECURITY CHALLENGES REMAIN

Analysts caution that the restoration of relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran does not imply that the profound and fundamental differences between the Shiites in Tehran and the Sunnis in Riyadh have been forgotten.

The two countries will remain competitors with different visions for the region, analysts said, though the restoration of Saudi-Iran ties is a positive development that has reduced the risk of direct military confrontations and facilitated their economic development.

Meanwhile, Turkiye's cross-border attacks continued in Syria and Iraq. In an interview with Sky News Arabia in August, Syrian President Bashar Assad called for the withdrawal of Turkish forces from Syria and slammed Turkiye, which is a main backer of armed opposition fighters, for the violence in his war-torn country.

In Sudan, deadly clashes between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces since April 15 still showed no sign of abating. More than 12,000 people have been killed so far in the clashes, while 6.9 million others have been displaced inside and outside Sudan, according to the UN.

Parts of war-ravaged Sudan are at a high risk of slipping into catastrophic famine by next year, the United Nations World Food Program has warned.

Furthermore, the humanitarian crisis in Gaza continues to deepen day by day with the rising number of civilians killed by Israel's airstrikes and ground offensive and a severe shortage of food, water and medicine due to the Israeli siege.

The longer the Israel-Hamas conflict lingers, the bigger the risk of the conflict's spreading in the whole region, where the geopolitical situation would worsen with a rising Palestinian death toll.

This photo taken on Aug. 26, 2023 shows clouds of smoke rising from a post belonging to the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) after a drone attack launched by the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), in Khartoum, Sudan. (Xinhua)

(Web editor: Chang Sha, Zhong Wenxing)
A Palestinian man mourns a relative killed in the Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip outside a morgue, in Khan Younis on Saturday, Dec. 23, 2023. (Mohammed Dahman/AP)

RAFAH, Gaza Strip  More than 90 Palestinians, including dozens from an extended family, were killed in Israeli airstrikes on two homes in Gaza, rescuers and hospital officials said Saturday, a day after the U.N. chief warned that nowhere is safe in the territory and that Israels offensive creates massive obstacles to distribution of humanitarian aid.

U.S. President Joe Biden spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday, calling it a long and private conversation a day after the Biden administration again shielded Israel in the diplomatic arena. On Friday, the U.N. Security Council adopted a watered-down resolution that calls for immediately speeding up aid deliveries to desperate civilians in Gaza, but not for a cease-fire.

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I did not ask for a cease-fire, Biden said of the call. Netanyahus office said the prime minister made clear that Israel would continue the war until achieving all its goals.

Also Saturday, the Israeli military said troops arrested hundreds of alleged fighters in Gaza over the past week and transferred more than 200 to Israel for further interrogation, providing rare details on a controversial policy of mass roundups of Palestinian men. The army said more than 700 people with alleged ties to the fighter groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad have so far been sent to Israeli lockups.

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Israel declared war after Hamas gunmen stormed across the border on Oct. 7, killing some 1,200 people and taking some 240 hostages. More than 20,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israels war to destroy Hamas and more than 53,000 have been wounded, according to health officials in Gaza, a besieged territory ruled by the Islamic fighter group for the past 16 years.

The Health Ministry in Gaza on Saturday evening said 201 people had been killed over the past 24 hours.

Airstrikes on Friday flattened two homes, including one in Gaza City, where 76 people from the al-Mughrabi family were killed, making the attack one of the deadliest of the war, said Mahmoud Bassal, a spokesman for Gazas Civil Defense department.

Among those killed were Issam al-Mughrabi, a veteran employee of the U.N. Development Program, his wife, and their five children.

The U.N. and civilians in Gaza are not a target, said Achim Steiner, the head of the agency. This war must end.

And a strike pulverized the home of Mohammed Khalifa, a local TV journalist, killing him and at least 14 others in the urban refugee camp of Nuseirat, according to officials at the Al Aqsa Martyrs Hospital where the bodies were taken.

Israel blames Hamas for the high civilian death toll, citing the fighters use of crowded residential areas and tunnels. Israel has launched thousands of airstrikes since Oct. 7, and has largely refrained from commenting on specific attacks.

Israels offensive has been one of the most devastating military campaigns in recent history, displacing nearly 85% of Gazas 2.3 million people and leveling wide swaths of the tiny coastal enclave. More than a half million people in Gaza  a quarter of the population  are starving, according to a report this week from the United Nations and other agencies.

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In the southern city of Khan Younis, men walking through the rubble tried to shoo away cats feeding on unclaimed bodies. One man covered a body with a blanket. Another wished to call an ambulance but had no phone signal.

The Israeli military spokesman, Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, said forces were expanding their offensive in northern and southern Gaza and troops were fighting in complex areas in Khan Younis.

The armys statement on detentions followed earlier Palestinian reports of large-scale roundups of teenage boys and men from homes, shelters and hospitals in northern Gaza where troops have established firmer control. Some of the released detainees have said they were stripped to their underwear, beaten and held for days with minimal water.

Channel 13 in Israel showed new footage of Palestinian men stripped to their underwear and walking in single file, with soldiers nearby. It was not clear when the footage was taken. In response to widespread criticism, the army has said detainees are stripped to check them for weapons. It has denied abuse allegations and said those without links to fighters are quickly released.

Hamas called on the International Committee of the Red Cross and other organizations to pressure Israeli authorities to reveal the whereabouts and conditions of people detained.

Israel says it has killed thousands of Hamas fighters, including about 2,000 in the past three weeks, but has not presented evidence. It says 144 of its soldiers have been killed in the ground offensive.

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Following the U.N. resolution, it was not immediately clear how and when aid deliveries would accelerate. Trucks enter through two crossings  Rafah on the border with Egypt and Kerem Shalom on the border with Israel. On Friday, fewer than 100 trucks entered, the U.N. said  far below the daily average of 500 before the war.

Both crossings were closed Saturday by mutual agreement among Israel, Egypt and the U.N., Israeli officials said.

Senior Hamas official Osama Hamdan criticized the Security Council resolution that called for aid into Gaza without suspending hostilities, calling it weak and insufficient.

Ahead of the council vote, the U.S. negotiated the removal of language that would have given the U.N. authority to inspect aid going into Gaza, something Israel says it must continue to do itself to ensure material does not reach Hamas.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Friday that its a mistake to measure the effectiveness of the humanitarian operation by the number of trucks.

The real problem is that the way Israel is conducting this offensive is creating massive obstacles to the distribution of humanitarian aid inside Gaza, he said.

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Netanyahu and his government also faced pressure at home, with calls to get the remaining hostages freed. Bibi, Bibi retire. We dont want you anymore, a crowd of thousands chanted in Tel Aviv.

___

Magdy reported from Cairo. Associated Press writers Aamer Madhani in Washington and Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations contributed to this report.
Darien Harris spent more than 12 years in an Illinois prison, convicted of murder in part on the testimony of an eyewitness who was legally blind.

Harris, who was released from prison on Tuesday, was convicted in 2014 for the 2011 fatal shooting of a man at a gas station on Chicago's South Side.

His case is the latest in a dozen exonerations this year in Chicagos Cook County, where defendants have been represented by attorneys with The Exoneration Project.

It does seem in the past few months there have been a larger number than usual, said Lauren Myerscough-Mueller, a lecturer in law and staff attorney for The Exoneration Project at the University of Chicago Law School.

Since 2009, more than 200 people have been exonerated through the group's work, according to data from the organization.

About 150 of the convictions were tied to former Chicago police Sgt. Ronald Watts, who regularly framed people for drug crimes they didnt commit. Cook County States Attorney Kim Foxx said in December 2022 that 237 convictions vacated in recent years were linked to Watts and his unit.

Harris is one of four Chicago men who have been exonerated over the past few weeks.

On Dec. 14, James Soto and his cousin, David Ayala, had their murder convictions vacated after spending more than 40 years each in Illinois' prisons. Each had been sentenced to life in prison. Soto also was represented by The Exoneration Project.

Brian Beals, 57, was freed two days earlier after a judge dismissed murder and other charges and vacated his conviction. Beals had spent 35 years behind bars.

Harris was sentenced to 76 years in prison.

But I fought, and now Im here," Harris, now 30, said after his release. "I fought. Keep on fighting, everybody. Just keep on fighting. Never give up.

Myerscough-Mueller said evidence showed the eyewitness had advanced glaucoma and lied about his eyesight issues at Harris' trial. Evidence also included testimony from a gas station attendant who said Harris wasnt the shooter.

It always was a very thin case. Darien never should have been convicted in the first place, she said.

Judges and prosecutors are giving such cases more serious looks, added Josh Tepfer, another attorney with The Exoneration Project, which is among a number of organizations across the United States seeking justice for the wrongfully imprisoned.

They see repeat problems, Tepfer said.

Also this week, an Oklahoma judge exonerated 71-year-old Glynn Simmons who spent 48 years in prison for a 1974 murder. Simmons was released in July after prosecutors agreed that key evidence in his case was not turned over to his defense lawyers.

Two men who served decades in prison for separate murders in New York City were exonerated last month after reinvestigations found they had been convicted based on unreliable witness testimony. The Legal Aid Society and the Innocence Project were involved in those cases.
In a phone call with Mark Rutte, Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked the Dutch Government for the decision to prepare the first F-16 jets for their delivery to Ukraine

President of Ukraine

22 December 2023 - 14:57

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy had a phone call with Prime Minister of the Netherlands Mark Rutte.

The Head of State thanked the interlocutor for the active stance of the Netherlands regarding the opening of negotiations on Ukraine's accession to the EU. He also highlighted the importance of providing a50 billion in long-term EU assistance for Ukraine as soon as possible.

"This decision will not only contribute to bolstering our defense and macroeconomic resilience, but also demonstrate the unwavering support of the European Union and may become a driver for similar decisions by other partners of ours," Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.

The President and the Prime Minister discussed frontline developments and the situation in the Black Sea, as well as Ukraine's current defense needs, including artillery, drones and air defense.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked the Dutch Council of Ministers for the decision to prepare the initial 18 F-16 fighter jets for their delivery to Ukraine. The leaders agreed to continue working on bilateral security arrangements in the framework of the G7 Vilnius Declaration.

The interlocutors also discussed the next meeting at the level of advisors to the heads of state on the implementation of the Peace Formula and efforts to further consolidate international support for the Ukrainian vision of a just peace.

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Volodymyr Zelenskyy congratulated Ukrainian diplomats on Ukraine's Diplomatic Service Day and outlined foreign policy objectives for the next year

President of Ukraine

22 December 2023 - 14:28

On Ukraine's Diplomatic Service Day, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy congratulated Ukrainian diplomats and employees of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on their professional holiday and outlined the country's foreign policy objectives for the coming year.

"Today, on Ukraine's Diplomatic Service Day, on behalf of all our people, our entire Ukrainian society, I thank you - the entire Ukrainian diplomatic community - for your work in the interests of the state of Ukraine, in the interests of our people. Everyone knows their own results. All those who are effective for the sake of Ukraine, all those who add - and this is important - to Ukraine's strength every day, all those whose ideas have worked and whose energy opens up new opportunities for Ukraine, whether in the diplomatic service system or outside it, but as Ukrainian representatives, our missions... I am grateful to all of you and congratulate you on your professional day!" the Head of State said, addressing the Ukrainian diplomats.

According to the President, this year Ukraine achieved things in the international sphere that seemed almost unattainable at the beginning of the year, and the main political result of the year is the opening of negotiations on Ukraine's membership in the European Union.

"It was really difficult, to put it mildly. Many people around the world thought Ukraine was doomed to always depend on old perceptions of geopolitics and spheres of influence in Europe. But we changed that," Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted.

The President named the strengthening of Ukraine's air defense as the main defense result, the work on the implementation of the Ukrainian Peace Formula as the main strategic result, and the rapprochement with NATO on the platform of the NATO-Ukraine Council and the creation of a new security commitments architecture under the Vilnius Declaration of the Group of Seven as an important institutional result.

In addition, according to the President, the geography of Ukraine's foreign policy now covers all continents. In particular, Ukraine's presence on the African continent is expanding, and historically the most meaningful relations have been achieved in traditional directions of cooperation.

"It is very important that the Ukrainian position is now represented and understood in all the most influential international organizations. These are all good results. But the best is yet to come," he is convinced.

The President also outlined the foreign policy objectives of our country for the next year. Among the priorities is bolstering defense support for Ukraine.

"We need more weapons because no one is going to give up. Ukraine will emerge victorious," the Head of State emphasized.

In addition, active cooperation with the European Union should continue, namely, the elaboration of a negotiation framework and the start of full integration with the EU in all areas.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy also emphasized the importance of filling each defense coalition with maximum content within the Ramstein format and in other formats that bolster the capabilities of our warriors and the resilience of the state.

Similarly, sanctions against Russia for the war against Ukraine must be continuously tightened, the President is convinced. He also noted the importance of cooperating with partners in the search, freezing and confiscation of Russian assets for the benefit of Ukraine.

"It is fair for the assets of the aggressor state to work for protection against the aggressor state, and your task is to ensure the world's readiness to back this up. As it has been throughout all these months with these 12 powerful packages," Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.

The Head of State also drew attention to developing and increasing the number of long-term support programs for Ukraine, which is one of the keys to the resilience of our country in times of war.

The President separately focused on the development of defense production.

"Each of you who can help Ukraine ramp up the production of weapons, shells, equipment, and air defense in Ukraine or enhance relevant cooperation with partners must do so," he said.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted the importance of ensuring continued maritime exports and the implementation of the humanitarian program "Grain from Ukraine", as well as developing cooperation with Latin America, Africa, Arab and Asian countries in general.

According to the President, work on Ukraine's Euro-Atlantic integration should continue at various levels.

"I have already said with regard to NATO that it is not easy and that we need a key to the decision on the Alliance for Ukraine. And this key should be sought not only in top-level political offices. We need to convince societies, just as we were able to unite them around Ukraine at the very beginning of the war. We need to convince their hearts, the hearts of people," he stressed.

The representatives of Ukraine should also pay maximum attention to the work on the Ukrainian Peace Formula, as stated by the President.

"And, of course, Ukrainian diplomacy must continue to be a reliable advocate for Ukrainian citizens in all parts of the world, wherever Ukrainians are. Our people must be confident that Ukraine will help. Always," the Head of State noted.

"Millions of Ukrainians here at home, in Ukraine, are displaying the very best qualities that can be found in people, in human character, and in human hearts, defending our state. It is an honor to represent such people, such a nation, such courage in the world. And I ask you to always remember this," the President urged the Ukrainian diplomats.

For his part, Minister of Foreign Affairs Dmytro Kuleba, on behalf of the entire diplomatic service, thanked the President for his consistent support and for the ever-higher standard set by the entire diplomatic team in the interests of Ukraine.

"This is what inspires us, helps us move forward and defend our country. These are the words from the entire team, from the entire diplomatic service, both here and abroad. Thank you for the kind words, for the new instructions, for the new bar that we have all heard about," the Minister said.

"It is a great honor to represent this heroic nation and this legendary country - Ukraine," he added.

For a significant personal contribution to the strengthening of interstate cooperation, fruitful diplomatic activity and high professionalism, the Head of State presented the Order of Merit, II class to Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Mykola Tochytskyi, the Order of Merit, III class to Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration Olha Stefanishyna and the Order of Princess Olga, III class to Deputy Director of the MFA Department Svitlana Khachaturyan.

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Andriy Yermak held a meeting with representatives of diplomatic institutions on providing security commitments to Ukraine

President of Ukraine

22 December 2023 - 10:38

Pursuant to the instruction of President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Head of the Office of the President Andriy Yermak held a video conference meeting with ambassadors and heads of diplomatic missions on the status of implementing the agreements on providing Ukraine with security commitments based on the Joint Declaration of the Group of Seven leaders and Ukraine adopted in Vilnius on July 12.

Representatives of diplomatic institutions from the USA, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, Albania, Belgium, Luxembourg, Bulgaria, Greece, Denmark, Estonia, Ireland, Spain, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, North Macedonia, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Finland, the Czech Republic, Montenegro, Sweden, Poland, Slovakia, TArkiye, and the European Union participated in the meeting.

The event was also attended by Deputy Heads of the Presidential Office Ihor Zhovkva and Roman Mashovets, Minister of Defense Rustem Umerov, Minister for Strategic Industries Oleksandr Kamyshin, Head of the Security Service Vasyl Malyuk, Head of the Foreign Intelligence Service Oleksandr Lytvynenko, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Mykola Tochytskyi, and advisors to the Head of the Presidential Office Daria Zarivna and Oleksandr Bevz.

Andriy Yermak emphasized that 31 states have joined the Joint Declaration. In particular, bilateral consultations on agreements on providing Ukraine with security commitments have begun with all the G7 countries, the Netherlands and the European Union. The Head of the President's Office noted that France, Italy, Germany and the United Kingdom had submitted drafts of the relevant agreements. In addition, according to Andriy Yermak, 15 states have expressed their readiness to start consultations on concluding bilateral agreements on providing Ukraine with security commitments.

Andriy Yermak said that out of 27 EU countries, only six (Austria, Croatia, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, and Hungary) have not yet joined the Joint Declaration. Also, 5 out of 31 NATO member states have not yet joined the declaration: TArkiye, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary and Croatia. Andriy Yermak called for encouraging these states to accede to this important document.

"The Vilnius Declaration envisages not only bilateral agreements. There is also a possibility of concluding multilateral agreements on security commitments. One of the promising areas could be security in the Black Sea," he said.

The Head of the President's Office noted that Ukraine is ready to move from consultations to bilateral negotiations with countries on concluding agreements on security commitments. Andriy Yermak emphasized the importance of legally binding nature and further ratification of the relevant agreements.

Deputy Head of the President's Office Ihor Zhovkva noted that consultations on bilateral talks on security commitments have already gone beyond the G7, and more and more countries are confirming their readiness to start relevant consultations with Ukraine.

"If 31 countries, including Ukraine, are signatories to our Joint Declaration, it is logical that over time all these countries will begin negotiations," he emphasized.

Ihor Zhovkva emphasized that during the consultations Ukraine insists on the need to conclude legally binding agreements on security commitments to our country, as we do not need another Budapest Memorandum.

"We are currently working on the military component of security commitments. This section should be written out in the most thorough manner. This was emphasized by the President of Ukraine during the recent end-of-year press conference," he said.

Also, according to Ihor Zhovkva, the document on security commitments should provide for effective sanctions, including preventive ones, against the aggressor.

"We see how effective sanctions can be. At the same time, we see that the current sanctions are not enough. We see how difficult the EU sanctions packages are to pass, but they continue to be adopted. I am grateful to all our partners in the European Union for the adoption of the 12th sanctions package. But Ukraine immediately calls for starting the work on the 13th sanctions package," he said.

Also, according to the Deputy Head of the Presidential Office, bilateral security agreements should provide for a clear mechanism of partners' response in the event of intensified Russian aggression or repeated aggression after Ukraine's victory. This mechanism should be coordinated among all major signatories to bilateral agreements on security commitments.

Ihor Zhovkva also emphasized the importance of signing the relevant bilateral agreements at the level of the heads of state.

Minister of Defense Rustem Umerov emphasized the importance of the components of security agreements related to further building up the capabilities of the Ukrainian Defense Forces, intensifying military-technical cooperation and developing military-industrial complex. Rustem Umerov emphasized that the Ministry of Defense is working on a strategy for the future of the Ukrainian Defense Forces and called on partners to join its implementation.

Andriy Yermak noted that provisions on joint defense production will be an extremely important part of the bilateral agreements.

Minister for Strategic Industries of Ukraine Oleksandr Kamyshin said that his ministry proposes to include five points in the structure of bilateral documents: stimulating investment by partner countries in sustainment and production of military equipment in Ukraine during the war; ensuring access of Ukrainian defense industry enterprises to supply chains of critical materials and components for weapons production; deepening integration of the Ukrainian defense industry with the military-industrial complexes of partner countries; ensuring exchange of technologies and localization of production; providing financing for the procurement of weapons and military equipment for defense needs during the war.

Deputy Head of the Presidential Office Roman Mashovets emphasized the importance of elaborating practical mechanisms to implement the provisions of the Joint Declaration in terms of ensuring reliable Defense Forces capable of defending Ukraine now and deterring Russian aggression in the future.

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Mykola Tochytskyi highlighted the importance of issues concerning the protection of information, investments, intellectual property, and overall physical security. According to him, in the matter of security commitments, it is important not to limit the scope to just political requirements.

Head of the Foreign Intelligence Service Oleksandr Lytvynenko emphasized that an important component of the documents regarding security commitments should be countering hybrid threats. According to him, these issues include cybersecurity, information security, and collaboration with the intelligence services of partner countries.

Head of the Security Service of Ukraine Vasyl Malyuk emphasized the importance of taking into account information security and cyber defense.

The Head of the President's Office thanked the partner states for the important defense assistance Ukraine receives.

"We will never forget this. We always remember this. You are friends who stand with Ukraine today. This is highly valuable to us. We are grateful to you for the willingness to continue this difficult work on security commitments," he said.

Andriy Yermak emphasized the importance of reflecting information security issues, including cybersecurity and countering disinformation, in the drafts of the relevant agreements.

The Head of the President's Office thanked the ambassadors of the partner countries for the important dialogue during the consultations on the relevant agreements. He called on the representatives of the Ukrainian diplomatic corps to be more actively involved in this work.

Andriy Yermak noted that following the meeting, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy would be provided with up-to-date information on the status of implementation of the Joint Declaration and the course of consultations with partner countries on providing Ukraine with security commitments.

"We will propose to the President of Ukraine to form a delegation for conducting negotiations on bilateral and multilateral agreements regarding security commitments. Also, together with you, we will develop a plan for further expanding the circle of guarantor countries, conducting negotiations, and concluding the respective security agreements," summarized the Head of the President's Office.

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Zelensky discusses delivery of F-16 jets to Ukraine with Dutch PM

People's Daily Online

(Xinhua) 13:38, December 23, 2023

KIEV, Dec. 22 (Xinhua) -- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Friday that he had discussed the delivery of F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine with Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte in a phone conversation.

"I spoke with Mark Rutte to thank the Dutch government for its decision to start preparing the initial 18 F-16 jets for their delivery to Ukraine," Zelensky said on social platform X, formerly known as Twitter.

Zelensky said that he also discussed with Rutte the developments in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the situation in the Black Sea, and Ukraine's current military needs, including artillery, drones, and air defense.

Zelensky and Rutte agreed to continue joint work on security guarantees for Kiev and discussed the next meeting on Ukraine's Peace Formula.

After the conversation, Rutte wrote on Twitter that certain criteria must be met before F-16 delivery to Ukraine can take place, including requirements for personnel and infrastructure.

The Netherlands, along with Denmark, Norway and Belgium have pledged to transfer F-16 jets to Ukraine to help the country upgrade its combat aircraft fleet amid the conflict with Russia.

The F-16 training center for Ukrainian pilots opened in Romania last month.

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NEW YORK, Dec. 22, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --

WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, announces the filing of a class action lawsuit on behalf of purchasers of securities of Holley Inc. f/k/a Empower Ltd. (NYSE: HLLY) between July 21, 2021 and February 6, 2023, both dates inclusive (the Class Period). A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than January 5, 2024.



SO WHAT: If you purchased Holley securities during the Class Period you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement.

WHAT TO DO NEXT: To join the Holley class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=18648 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email pkim@rosenlegal.com or cases@rosenlegal.com for information on the class action. A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than January 5, 2024. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation.

WHY ROSEN LAW: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources or any meaningful peer recognition. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm has achieved the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs Bar. Many of the firms attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers.

DETAILS OF THE CASE: According to the lawsuit, defendants made materially false and misleading statements, and/or failed to disclose to investors that: (1) as a result of Holley's extensive focus on its direct-to-consumer ("DTC") channel, Holley's critically important relationships with its resellers and distributors, whose business made up the vast majority of Holley's revenue, were suffering significant damage; (2) Holley used discounting and other similar efforts to grow its DTC channel, which undermined the pricing discipline Holley historically had with its resellers and distributors, and further damaged Holley's relationships with its resellers and distributors; (3) as a result of Holleys strained relationships with its resellers and distributors, those resellers and distributors were decreasing their purchases of Holley products, returning products already purchased at significant levels that were far above historical norms, and increasing their purchases of competitors products; (4) Holleys growing DTC channel could not offset the negative financial impact of Holleys increasingly strained relationships with its resellers and distributors and, as a result, rather than keeping its foot on the gas, Holley was actually slamming the brakes on its critical reseller/distributor relationships; (5) Holley had failed to successfully integrate and capture synergies from its numerous acquisitions, which left Holley with inefficient operations, excess costs, and inventory management problems; (6) Holley was riding a wave of COVID-related stimulus money that temporarily boosted its sales and performance, and despite this unsustainable, temporary boost, defendants misled investors to believe the growth was sustainable and the result of persistent demand, and supportive of positive financial guidance; and (7) as a result of the foregoing, defendants statements regarding Holley's outlook and expected financial performance were false and misleading at all relevant times. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages.

To join the Holley class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=18648 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email pkim@rosenlegal.com or cases@rosenlegal.com for information on the class action.

No Class Has Been Certified. Until a class is certified, you are not represented by counsel unless you retain one. You may select counsel of your choice. You may also remain an absent class member and do nothing at this point. An investors ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff.

Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm, on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm/.

Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

Contact Information:



Laurence Rosen, Esq.

Phillip Kim, Esq.

The Rosen Law Firm, P.A.

275 Madison Avenue, 40th Floor

New York, NY 10016

Tel: (212) 686-1060

Toll Free: (866) 767-3653

Fax: (212) 202-3827

lrosen@rosenlegal.com

pkim@rosenlegal.com

cases@rosenlegal.com

www.rosenlegal.com
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Dec. 22, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- POWR Lithium Corp. (CSE: POWR) (FRA: 6JX / WKN: A3D6BS) (OTCQB: PWRLF) (POWR or the Company), a mineral exploration and development company focused on American lithium deposits to support domestic demand, is pleased to provide the initial results from a four-hole, 2,899 feet (883.9-metre) HQ core program. The Halo project is located less than 3 kilometres northwest of Tonopah, NV and surrounded by several lithium-exploration companies with published resources or, at least, discoveries (see Figure 1).



Highlights:

Results from the first drill hole reveal lithium concentrations as high as 1,735 ppm Li.

Lithium-bearing claystone and siltstone were intersected in a 125.4 ft (38.2 m) thick (true thickness) package with an average grade of 938.1 ppm Li, starting at 187.0 ft (57.0 m). The initial hole was drilled to a total depth of 503.9 ft (153.6 m).

Interval contained within broader envelope between 92.8 to 331.0 feet (28.3 - 100.9m) of >400ppm Li.



CEO Matt Chatterton states, We are very pleased with these first results.

The inaugural work program on the Halo property consisted of four drill holes, ranging from 503.8 to 804.9 feet (153.6 - 245.4m) in depth. Drill Hole No. Halo-001-23, shown in Figure 1, was positioned closest to the basins current margin and bottomed in lithic tuff with Li values <100ppm Li. Hole Nos. Halo-002 thru -004 are located further west and north revealing greater sediment thickness and, hence, hole depths, i.e. to 770.8 feet (235m). These greater sediment thicknesses are consistent with results reported by both American Lithium and American Battery Technology located to the north and west, respectively. The importance of this observation will be more carefully considered once all the results have been received.

The Company anticipates the assay results for the remaining three holes early in 2024. Upon receipt and quality assurance review of the outstanding assays, the Company will complete a comprehensive review and analysis of the results.

These results are encouraging. They show a substantial sequence of finely laminated lithium-bearing claystone and siltstone. More broadly speaking, these results are similar to the results published by our neighbors including American Lithium (TLC Project), American Battery Technology and Tearlach (Gabriel Project), stated CEO Matt Chatterton.

For additional project details please visit our website at https://www.powrlithium.com/

Figure 1. Map of the POWR land package showing drill hole and neighboring land positions.

Qualified Person

The technical data in this news release have been reviewed by Robert Johansing, M.Sc., P. Geol. (MMSA #01520QP), a qualified person under the terms of NI 43-101.

In November, the QP was on-site and became familiar with the drill sites and drilling procedures for the Halo Project and witnessed all components of the core logging and sampling procedures conducted at their core storage facility in Tonopah, NV.

All samples were retrieved by representatives of American Assay Labs (AAL) and transported to their facility in Sparks, Nev., for the 28 element, 4 acid ICP-OES (inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy) analytical package. Both the Company and AAL have inserted standards, blanks and duplicates into the sample sequence for the reported results. These results have been reviewed by the QP and any sampling or analytical issues have not been observed. A more comprehensive analysis of the data will occur once all the results have been received.

On Behalf of The Board of Directors,

Sincerely,

~Matt Chatterton~

Matt Chatterton

Chief Executive Officer

POWR Lithium Corp.

www.powrlithium.com

About POWR Lithium Corp. (CSE: POWR) (FRA: 6JX / WKN: A3D6BS) (OTCQB: PWRLF)

POWR Lithium is an exploration and development company dedicated to the advancement of North American lithium deposits to support domestic demand. The Company holds interests on the Halo and Eli properties in Nevada. The Company is also focusing on the development of claystone extraction and processing technologies aimed at delivering scalable efficiencies across the value chain in a sustainable manner. To find out more visit www.powrlithium.com and watch our video.

POWR Lithium advises the public that as part of its disclosure obligations as a public issuer, all material and regulatory filings can be found on www.sedar.com. We also invite the public to visit our website at www.powrlithium.com and to sign up to our news alerts to be advised of future news releases and related company information. Please also ensure you watch our video which is now available on the website.

Forward Looking Information Disclaimer

This news release contains statements and information that, to the extent that they are not historical fact, may constitute forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. Forward-looking information may include financial and other projections, as well as statements regarding future plans, objectives, or economic performance, or the assumption underlying any of the foregoing. In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by terms such as may, would, could, will, likely, except, anticipate, believe, intend, plan, forecast, project, estimate, outlook, or the negative thereof or other similar expressions concerning matters that are not historical facts. Examples of such statements include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to the timing of receipt of the assay results of the remaining three drill holes at the Halo property and the completion of a comprehensive review of the results by the Company.

Forward-looking information is based on the assumptions, estimates, analysis, and opinions of management made in light of its experience and its perception of trends, current conditions and expected developments, as well as other factors that management believes to be relevant and reasonable in the circumstances at the date that such statements are made, but which may prove to be incorrect. The material factors and assumptions used to develop the forward-looking information contained in this news release include, but are not limited to, key personnel and qualified employees continuing their involvement with the Company; the Companys ability to secure additional financing on reasonable terms; the competitive conditions of the sector in which the Company operates; and laws and any amendments thereto applicable to the Company. Forward-looking information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information, including, without limitation, risks relating to the future business plans of the Company; risks that the Company will not be able to retain its key personnel; risks that the Company will not be able to secure financing on reasonable terms or at all, as well as all of the other risks as described in the Companys annual Management Discussion and Analysis dated December 16, 2022, under the heading Risks Factors. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on any such forward-looking information. Further, any forward-looking information speaks only as of the date on which such statement is made. New factors emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for the Companys management to predict all such factors and to assess in advance the impact of each such factor on the Companys business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking information. The Company does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking information to reflect information or events after the date on which it is made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, except as required by law, including securities laws.

The CSE has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this press release. Neither the CSE nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

CONTACT INFORMATION

POWR Lithium Corp.

Investor Relations

Email: info@powrlithium.com

Phone: +1 (778) 383-7240

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/2abd259d-8650-4715-b7c5-6ccd7216eef7




MONTREAL, Dec. 22, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- (TSX-V: HAR) (Harfang or the Company) is pleased to announce that it has completed a non-brokered private placement for gross proceeds of $940,500 (the Private Placement).



Pursuant to the Private Placement, Harfang issued an aggregate of (a) 2,733,333 flow-through common shares as a part of a charity arrangement (the Charity FT Shares) at $0.30 per Charity FT Share and (b) 573,811 flow-through common shares (the FT Shares) at $0.21 per FT Share.

We are excited to welcome a new institutional shareholder to Harfang and would like to thank the continued support of our existing shareholders participating in this placement, said Rick Breger, President. With this additional liquidity, we further reinforce our optionality and financial flexibility. We, at Harfang, are all looking forward to an exciting 2024 and wish all our stakeholders and happy and safe Holiday Season.

The proceeds from the Private Placement will be used for exploration expenditures on the Companys projects located in the Province of Quebec. More particularly, the proceeds will be used for Canadian exploration expenses within the meaning of the Income Tax Act (Canada), and be incurred on or before December 31, 2024 and renounced to the subscribers with an effective date no later than December 31, 2023. In addition, the proceeds arising from the issuance of the Charity FT Shares will, once renounced, qualify as flow-through critical mineral mining expenditures within the meaning of the Income Tax Act (Canada). Finally, the proceeds will qualify under the Taxation Act (Quebec) as (a) an expense for inclusion in the exploration base relating to certain Quebec exploration expenses within the meaning of the Taxation Act (Quebec) and (b) an expense for inclusion in the exploration base relating to certain Quebec surface mining expenses within the meaning of the Taxation Act (Quebec).

An insider of the Company has participated in the Private Placement for an amount of $10,500 under the same terms and conditions as the other investors. The participation of this insider is exempt from the formal valuation and shareholder approval requirements under Regulation 61-101 respecting Protection of Minority Holders in Special Transactions. The exemption is based on the fact that the market value of such participation or the consideration paid by such insider does not exceed 25% of the market capitalization of the Company.

The securities issued under the Private Placement are subject to a four-month-and-one-day statutory hold period expiring on April 23, 2024. As a result of the closing of the Private Placement, there are 64,166,000 common shares of Harfang issued and outstanding. The Private Placement was carried out pursuant to prospectus exemptions of applicable securities laws and is subject to final acceptance by the TSX Venture Exchange.

Finders fees related to the Private Placement equal to an aggregate amount of $3,525 were paid to arms length third parties of Harfang.

About Harfang Exploration Inc.

Harfang Exploration Inc. is well financed with approximately $6.7M in the treasury as of December 22, 2023 and is a technically driven mineral exploration company with the primary mission to discover ore deposits in Quebec and Ontario. The Company is managed by an experienced team of industry professionals with a proven track record of success, and controls a portfolio of highly prospective projects. Harfang is dedicated to best practices through engagement with all stakeholders and commitment to the environment.

On behalf of the Board of Directors and for further information, please contact:

Ian Campbell

Chief Executive Officer

Tel: 647 680-3820

Email: icampbell@harfangexploration.com



Rick Breger

President

Tel: 416 809-0728

Email: rbreger@harfangexploration.com

Web: www.harfangexploration.com

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information

The information in this news release includes certain information and statements about managements view of future events, expectations, plans and prospects that constitute forward-looking statements. 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, expectations, achievements or performance may differ materially from those anticipated and indicated by these forward-looking statements. Any number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from these forward-looking statements as well as future results. Although Harfang believes that the expectations reflected in forward-looking statements are reasonable, it can give no assurances that the expectations of any forward-looking statements will prove to be correct. Except as required by law, Harfang disclaims any intention and assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements 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 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.
Toronto, Ontario, Dec. 22, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ayurcann Holdings Corp. (CSE: AYUR, OTCQB: AYURF, FSE: 3ZQ0) (Ayurcann or the Company), a leading Canadian cannabis extraction company, specializing in the processing and co-manufacturing of pharma grade cannabis and hemp to produce various derivative cannabis 2.0 and 3.0 products in the medical and recreational market, is pleased to provide the following corporate updates.



Annual General and Special Meeting

The Company is pleased to announce that its voting results from its annual general and special meeting of shareholders of the Company (the Shareholders) held on December 20, 2023 (the Meeting). Shareholders voted in favour of each resolution put forward at the Meeting at a passing rate of over 96%, including approval of each of the Future Share Issuance Resolution and Equity Incentive Plan Resolution (each as defined herein) by a majority of minority Shareholders.

At the Meeting, there were 25 Shareholders represented in person or by proxy holding 67,336,133 common shares in the capital stock of the Company (the Common Shares), representing 41.50% of the issued and outstanding Common Shares as at the record date for the Meeting. Each nominee listed in the Companys management information circular dated November 29, 2023 (the Circular), was elected as a director of the Company, the results of which were as follows:

Nominee



Votes For: Votes Withheld: Number % Number Percentage Igal Sudman 66,298,680 98.85 % 769,146 1.15 % Roman Buzaker 67,009,240 99.91 % 58,586 0.09 % Maor Shayit 67,011,990 99.92 % 55,836 0.08 % David Hackett 67,011,990 99.92 % 55,836 0.08 % Alison Gordon 67,011,990 99.92 % 55,836 0.08 %

In addition, at the Meeting, Shareholders reappointed Clearhouse LLP as the Companys auditor the ensuing year and authorized the board of directors to fix their compensation, and disinterested Shareholders: (i) authorized and approved the future issuance of Common Share to Messrs. Sudman and Buzaker, which would result in them becoming new Control Persons of the Company, therefore Materially Affecting Control (as such terms are defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange (the CSE) of the Company, as required pursuant to the policies of the CSE (the Future Shares Issuance Resolution), as more particularly set forth in the Circular; and (ii) ratified the repeal and replacement the Companys current stock option plan and restricted share unit plan with the adoption of the proposed equity incentive plan for the Company (the Equity Incentive Plan Resolution), as more particularly set forth in the Circular. The results of such votes were as follows:

Resolution



Votes For: Votes Against: Votes Withheld: Number Percentage Number Percentage Number Percentage Reappointment of Auditor 67,280,297 99.92 % Nil N/A 55,836 0.08 % Future Share Issuance Resolution(1) 20,838,309 96.44 % 769,146 3.56 % Nil N/A Equity Incentive Plan Resolution(2) 18,901,183 96.09 % 789,146 3.91 % Nil N/A

Note:

Approved by a majority of minority Shareholders. 45,460,371 Common Shares held by interested parties were ineligible to vote. Approved by a majority of minority Shareholders. 47,397,497 Common Shares held by interested parties were ineligible to vote.

Corporate Update

Debt Settlement

On October 30, 2023, the board of directors of the Company (the Board), on recommendation from the compensation committee of the Board, authorized and approved bonuses (together, the Management Bonuses) in the amount of $756,000 to each of 2388765 Ontario Inc. a company controlled by Igal Sudman (238 Ontario) and 1000677847 Ontario Inc. a company controlled by Roman Buzaker (100 Ontario) pursuant to the terms and conditions of certain executive agreements entered into between the Company and each of 238 Ontario and 100 Ontario, respectively, (together, the Executive Agreements). Pursuant to the terms and conditions of the respective Executive Agreements, the Company engaged: (x) Igal Sudman, through 238 to perform Chief Executive Officer services for the Company and (y) Roman Buzaker through 100 Ontario to perform Chief Financial Officer services for the Company.

The Debt has accrued over multiple years pursuant to (compensation agreements) approved by the Companys board of directors, In issuing the Common Shares, The Company and officers have determined that to preserve the Companys cash, they intend to settle the transaction in Common Shares at a deemed price of $0.05 per Common Share (the Debt Settlement). The Common Shares would be subject to a four month and one day hold period pursuant to the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange (the CSE) and applicable securities laws.

Pursuant to the policies of the CSE, completion of the Debt Settlement was subject to prior approval from the disinterested Shareholders and at the Meeting the Company received the requisite disinterested Shareholder approval. The Company intends to complete the Debt Settlement in or around the first week of January 2024, and will disseminate a subsequent press release once completed.

Related Party Transaction

The Debt Settlement constitutes a related party transaction, as such term is defined in Multilateral Instrument 61-101  Protection of Minority Shareholders in Special Transactions (MI 61-101) due to the involvement of each of Messrs. Sudman and Buzaker (together, the Officers), who are directors and officers of the Company and direct and control, 238 Ontario and 100 Ontario, respectively, and would require the Company to receive minority shareholder approval for, and obtain a formal valuation for the subject matter of, the transaction in accordance with MI 61-101, prior to the completion of such transaction. However, in completing the Debt Settlement, the Company intends to rely on exemptions from: (x) the formal valuation requirements of MI 61-101, on the basis that the Company is not listed on Specified Markets (as defined in MI 61-101), as determined in accordance with MI 61-101; and (y) the minority shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101, on the basis that the fair market value of the Officers participation in the Debt Settlement does not and will not exceed $2,500,000, as determined in accordance with MI 61-101.

About Ayurcann:

Ayurcann is a leading post-harvest solution provider with a focus on providing and creating custom processes and pharma grade products for the adult use and medical cannabis industry in Canada. Ayurcann is striving to become a partner of choice for leading Canadian cannabis brands by providing best-in-class, proprietary services including ethanol extraction, formulation, product development and custom manufacturing.

Igal Sudman, Co-Founder & CEO

Phone: 905-492-3322 x301

Email: igal@ayurcann.com

For more information about Ayurcann, please visit www.ayurcann.com and its profile page on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca.

Neither the CSE nor its Regulation Services Provider have reviewed or accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. All statements contained herein that are not clearly historical in nature may constitute forward-looking statements. Generally, such forward-looking information or forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as plans, strategy, expects or does not expect, intends, continues, anticipates or does not anticipate, or believes, or variations of such words and phrases or may contain statements that certain actions, events or results will be taken, will launch or will be launching, will include, will allow, will be made will continue, will occur or will be achieved. The forward-looking information and forward-looking statements contained herein include, but are not limited to, statements regarding: the Companys intention to complete the Debt Settlement; the Companys becoming the partner of choice for leading Canadian and international cannabis brands; and the Companys plans to produce various derivative cannabis products.

Forward-looking information in this news release are based on certain assumptions and expected future events, namely: the Company will complete the Debt Settlement; the Company has the ability to produce various derivative cannabis products; the Companys assessment of market conditions, its ability to gain market share, and its potential competitive edge are accurate; the Company has the ability to carry out its plans with respect to its new innovation and offerings; the Company has the ability to enhance its product development capabilities; the Company will seek new Canadian business opportunities; the Company will increase efficiency in its processes and partnerships; and the Company has the ability to carry out its goals and objectives.

These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements, including but not limited to: the Companys inability to complete the Debt Settlement; the Companys inability to become the partner of choice for leading Canadian and international cannabis brands; the Companys inability to produce various derivative cannabis products; the Companys inability to carry out its plans with respect to its new innovation and offerings; and the Companys inability to enhance its product development capabilities.

Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list is not exhaustive. Readers are further cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, as there can be no assurance that the plans, intentions, or expectations upon which they are placed will occur. Such information, although considered reasonable by management at the time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect and actual results may differ materially from those anticipated.

Forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement and reflect the Companys expectations as of the date hereof and are subject to change thereafter. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, estimates or opinions, future events, or results or otherwise or to explain any material difference between subsequent actual events and such forward-looking information, except as required by applicable law.




BOCA RATON, Fla., Dec. 22, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Saxena White P.A. has filed a securities fraud class action lawsuit (the Class Action) in the United States District Court for the District of Minnesota against Inspire Medical Systems, Inc. (Inspire Medical or the Company) (NYSE: INSP) and certain of its executive officers (collectively, Defendants). The Class Action asserts claims under Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934 (the Exchange Act) and U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Rule 10b-5 promulgated thereunder on behalf of all persons or entities who purchased Inspire Medicals common stock between May 3, 2023 and November 7, 2023, inclusive (the Class Period), and were damaged thereby (the Class). The Class Action filed by Saxena White is captioned: City of Hollywood Firefighters Pension Fund v. Inspire Medical Systems, Inc., No. 23-cv-03884 (D. Minn.).



Inspire Medical is a medical technology company that develops and commercializes minimally invasive products for patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) that require prior authorizations from doctors. In 2022, Inspire Medical introduced a pilot program (the Acceleration Program) through which the Companys Advisor Care Program team, with the customer on the phone, would directly access doctors electronic schedules and schedule doctor appointments online, without the need for phone calls. Throughout the Class Period, Defendants touted the Acceleration Programs effectiveness, claiming that the program had achieved a 30% improvement in physician appointments, and that by August 2023, about 60-plus centers are using the tool right now.

The Class Action alleges that, during the Class Period, Defendants misled investors and/or failed to disclose that: (1) despite the Acceleration Program, customers were encountering challenges with the prior authorization submission process, including with the scheduling of appointments; (2) a slowdown in prior authorization submissions arising from these challenges led to a shortfall of hundreds of procedures to implant the Companys OSA device; and (3) as a result, Defendants positive statements about the Companys financial guidance, business, operations, and prospects were materially false and misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis at all relevant times.

The truth emerged after the close of markets on November 7, 2023, when the Company announced disappointing earnings results for the third quarter of 2023, including a decline in prior authorization submissions for patients seeking Inspire therapy. Inspire Medical further admitted it had started to track problems with the Acceleration Program no later than the second quarter of 2023, the Company had strong confirmation of the problems with the Acceleration Program, and the Company realized we needed to take some corrective action. In response to this news, shares of Inspire Medical declined approximately 20%, from a closing price of $161.74 per share on November 7, 2023, to a closing price of $129.95 per share on November 8, 2023.

If you purchased Inspire Medical common stock during the Class Period and were damaged thereby, you are a member of the Class and may be able to seek appointment as lead plaintiff. If you wish to apply to be lead plaintiff, a motion on your behalf must be filed with the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota no later than February 20, 2024. The lead plaintiff is a court-appointed representative for absent members of the Class. You do not need to seek appointment as lead plaintiff to share in any Class recovery in the Class Action. If you are a Class member and there is a recovery for the Class, you can share in that recovery as an absent Class member.

You may contact Marco A. Duenas (mduenas@saxenawhite.com), a Senior Attorney at Saxena White P.A., to discuss your rights regarding the appointment of lead plaintiff or your interest in the Class Action. You also may retain counsel of your choice to represent you in the Class Action.

You may obtain a copy of the Complaint and inquire about actively joining the Class Action at www.saxenawhite.com.

Saxena White P.A., with offices in Florida, New York, California, and Delaware, is a leading national law firm focused on prosecuting securities class actions and other complex litigation on behalf of injured investors. Currently serving as lead counsel in numerous securities fraud class actions nationwide, Saxena White has recovered billions of dollars on behalf of injured investors.

CONTACT INFORMATION

Marco A. Duenas, Esq.

mduenas@saxenawhite.com

Saxena White P.A.

10 Bank Street, Suite 882

White Plains, New York 10606

Tel.: (914) 437-8551

Fax: (888) 631-3611

www.saxenawhite.com
New York, Dec. 23, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --



Market Overview and Report Coverage

The Lyocell Fiber market research report provides a comprehensive analysis of the current market conditions, shedding light on key trends, challenges, and growth prospects. Lyocell Fiber, a sustainable and eco-friendly material, is gaining prominence in the textile industry. The market is segmented into Regular Lyocell Fiber and Crosslinked Lyocell Fiber, catering to diverse applications. The main findings of the report emphasize the growing demand for sustainable textiles and the versatility of Lyocell Fiber across apparel, home textiles, and nonwoven applications. Regulatory and legal factors specific to the market, such as environmental certifications and sustainable sourcing regulations, are addressed to ensure compliance. The Lyocell Fiber Market is expected to grow from USD 803.70 Million in 2022 to USD 1431.90 Million by 2030, at a CAGR of 8.60% during the forecast period.

Recommendations from the report underscore the importance of adopting eco-friendly practices in the production of Lyocell Fiber and leveraging its unique properties to meet consumer preferences for sustainable and high-performance textiles. The geographical spread analysis covers North America (NA), Asia-Pacific (APAC), Europe, the United States (USA), and China. The report assesses regional market dynamics, identifying growth drivers and challenges. APAC, particularly China, is expected to dominate the Lyocell Fiber market, driven by its thriving textile industry and increasing consumer awareness of sustainable products. Europe and North America follow closely, reflecting the global trend toward sustainable and responsibly sourced textiles.

In summary, the Lyocell Fiber market research report provides valuable insights into market conditions, regulatory influences, and strategic recommendations. It guides industry stakeholders in navigating the evolving textile landscape, emphasizing the significance of sustainable practices and innovation to capitalize on the growing demand for eco-friendly textiles across diverse applications and global regions.

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Lyocell Fiber Market Trends and Market Analysis

Lyocell Fiber, an innovative and sustainable textile material, is produced from wood pulp, often sourced from eucalyptus trees. Known for its eco-friendly attributes, Lyocell boasts a closed-loop production process, minimizing environmental impact. The target market for Lyocell Fiber is broad, spanning apparel, home textiles, and nonwoven applications. Its future outlook is promising as consumer preferences increasingly shift toward sustainable and ethically sourced materials. Major companies in the Lyocell Fiber market include Lenzing, Grecell, Hi-Tech Fiber Group Corporation, Hubang Lyocell, Shandong Yingli Industrial, Sateri, and Auyuan Beauty. These industry players contribute to market growth through technological advancements, expanding production capacities, and strategic collaborations.

Latest trends in the Lyocell Fiber market reflect a heightened focus on sustainable fashion and environmentally conscious choices. Lyocell's exceptional moisture-wicking properties, breathability, and soft feel contribute to its popularity in the textile industry. However, challenges include the higher production cost compared to traditional fibers, limiting widespread adoption. Additionally, ensuring a transparent and traceable supply chain for raw materials remains a challenge. Overcoming these hurdles is vital for Lyocell Fiber to maintain its position as a frontrunner in the sustainable textile market, addressing both consumer demand and environmental concerns.

Inquire or Share Your Questions If Any Before the Purchasing This Report- https://www.reportprime.com/enquiry/pre-order/295

Top Featured Companies Dominating the Global Lyocell Fiber Market

The competitive landscape of the Lyocell Fiber market is characterized by key players contributing to the industry's growth through innovation and sustainable practices. Lenzing, a global leader, focuses on advanced technologies and eco-friendly production processes, influencing market dynamics. Grecell, with a commitment to green manufacturing, and Hi-Tech Fiber Group Corporation, known for diversified fiber solutions, bolster the market's expansion. Hubang Lyocell emphasizes product quality and market presence. Shandong Yingli Industrial and Sateri contribute to market growth through increased production capacities and geographical expansion. Auyuan Beauty, with a focus on premium Lyocell products, adds to the market's diversity.

Estimated sales revenue figures showcase the market significance of these key players:

Lenzing ($2.3 billion)

Sateri ($1.8 billion)

Shandong Yingli Industrial ($800 million)

These figures underscore the financial strength and market influence of these companies, reflecting their pivotal roles in driving innovation, meeting sustainability goals, and satisfying the growing demand for Lyocell Fiber across diverse applications. The collaborative efforts and strategic initiatives of these companies contribute to the overall expansion and development of the Lyocell Fiber market.

In terms of Product Type, the Lyocell Fiber market is segmented into:

Regular Lyocell Fiber

Crosslinked Lyocell Fiber

Lyocell Fiber is available in two main types: Regular Lyocell Fiber and Crosslinked Lyocell Fiber. Regular Lyocell, known for its exceptional moisture-wicking properties, breathability, and softness, is widely used in apparel and home textiles. Its eco-friendly production process and biodegradability align with the growing consumer preference for sustainable fashion. Crosslinked Lyocell Fiber enhances the fabric's strength and durability, making it suitable for applications where increased resilience is crucial. These distinct types cater to diverse consumer needs, boosting the overall demand for Lyocell Fiber in the textile market, as it combines sustainability with performance across various applications.

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In terms of Product Application, the Lyocell Fiber market is segmented into:

Apparels

Home Textiles

Nonwoven

Others

Lyocell Fiber finds versatile applications across Apparels, Home Textiles, Nonwoven, and other sectors. In Apparels, it is used for crafting lightweight, breathable, and soft fabrics, offering comfort and a sustainable alternative to conventional fibers. Home Textiles benefit from Lyocell's moisture-wicking and hypoallergenic properties, providing bedding and furnishings with enhanced comfort and durability. Nonwoven applications, such as wipes and medical textiles, leverage Lyocell Fiber for its high absorbency and biodegradability. The fastest-growing application segment is Apparels, driven by the increasing demand for sustainable fashion, where Lyocell's eco-friendly attributes and performance characteristics contribute to revenue growth.

Lyocell Fiber Market Regional Synopsis

The Lyocell Fiber market exhibits robust growth across North America (NA), Asia-Pacific (APAC), Europe, the United States (USA), and China. APAC, notably China, is poised to dominate the market, driven by a thriving textile industry and a surge in sustainable fashion trends. The region is expected to contribute to over 50% of the market share, reflecting its pivotal role in Lyocell Fiber's global expansion. North America and Europe follow closely, showcasing substantial market adoption. The USA is anticipated to be a significant contributor, emphasizing the overall global impact of Lyocell Fiber across diverse regions.

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GLENVILLE, N.Y. (AP)  A tractor-trailer loaded with what authorities believe were gas containers slammed into the bottom of an overhead railroad bridge in upstate New York and exploded Thursday night as a freight train was traveling on the tracks above.

The crash seriously injured the truck driver and briefly knocked out power to local homes and businesses. At about 6:30 p.m, the truck hit the bridge in Glenville, about 30 miles (48 kilometers) northwest of Albany. Police said the driver apparently failed to heed signs warning that the height clearance was 10 feet (3 meters).

Video and news photos from the scene showed flames shooting into the sky as the wrecked truck was stuck under the bridge and nearly tipped over. Officials believe it was carrying containers of compressed natural gas. Authorities said there was no major damage reported to the train, which did not stop.

The first thought was god forbid if there is a fatality here," Christopher Koetzle, the Glenville town supervisor, told reporters at the scene. This is something we feared for years. This is obviously the most significant hit weve had to our bridges."

It should invoke more discussion on this absolutely, he continued.

The same bridge was struck by vehicles five times earlier this year, The Daily Gazette reported.

Police said multiple homes near the crash site were evacuated as a precaution, and most homes and businesses on the east side of town lost power for about two hours.

Crews were still trying to remove the truck from under the bridge Friday. After that, engineers were expected to inspect it to determine the damage, officials said.

The driver was identified as a 60-year-old man from Texas. Authorities said he was flown to Westchester Medical Center to be treated for third-degree burns.

Police also said a local fire chief who was responding to the truck crash got into an accident on the way there. Thomas Corners Chief Dan Vlainich had his lights and siren on when a vehicle he was trying to pass made a left turn. Three people were brought to a hospital with unknown injuries, police said.
New York, Dec. 23, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --



Market Overview and Report Coverage

The Sandwich Panels market research report offers a comprehensive analysis of the current market conditions, providing valuable insights into trends, challenges, and growth opportunities. The market is segmented into various types, including PIR Bs1, PIR Bs2, PUR Bs2, PUR Cs3, PUR F, EPS, and Mineral Wool Sandwich Panels. Each type caters to diverse applications, such as Building Wall, Building Roof, Cold Storage, and others. The regulatory and legal factors specific to the market are meticulously examined, addressing compliance requirements, fire safety standards, and environmental regulations governing Sandwich Panel usage. The Sandwich Panels Market is expected to grow from USD 9.10 Billion in 2022 to USD 14.00 Billion by 2030, at a CAGR of 6.40% during the forecast period.

The main findings of the report underscore the growing demand for energy-efficient and fire-resistant building materials, driving the adoption of advanced Sandwich Panels. Recommendations from the report emphasize the importance of adherence to safety standards, sustainable sourcing, and technological innovations in production processes to meet the evolving needs of the construction industry.

Geographically, the market is spread across North America (NA), Asia-Pacific (APAC), Europe, the United States (USA), and China. The report assesses regional market conditions, identifying growth prospects and challenges in each area. This geographical spread analysis enables businesses to tailor their strategies based on specific market dynamics, considering factors such as regional construction trends, climate conditions, and regulatory landscapes.

In summary, the Sandwich Panels market research report provides a detailed overview of market conditions, regulatory influences, and strategic insights. The findings guide industry stakeholders in making informed decisions, ensuring sustainable growth in the evolving Sandwich Panels market. The recommendations foster innovation and collaboration, positioning businesses for success in leveraging Sandwich Panels' applications across multiple construction segments and geographical regions.

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Sandwich Panels Market Trends and Market Analysis

Sandwich Panels are composite materials made by layering two thin, rigid facings around a lightweight inner core, creating a high-strength and insulated panel suitable for various construction applications. The target market for Sandwich Panels encompasses the construction industry, particularly in building walls, roofs, and cold storage. The future outlook for Sandwich Panels is promising, driven by the construction sector's increasing emphasis on energy efficiency, sustainability, and rapid building solutions. Key players in the market include Kingspan, Metecno, Cornerstone Building Brands, Assan Panel, ArcelorMittal, TATA Steel, and others. These companies contribute to market growth through product innovation, geographical expansion, and addressing specific industry demands.

The latest trends in the Sandwich Panels market involve a shift towards more sustainable and fire-resistant materials, reflecting the growing awareness of environmental concerns and safety regulations in construction. Challenges faced by the industry include fluctuations in raw material prices, stringent building codes, and the need for continuous innovation to meet evolving construction standards. Overcoming these challenges is crucial for Sandwich Panels to maintain their pivotal role in modern construction practices and capitalize on emerging opportunities in the ever-evolving building materials landscape.

Inquire or Share Your Questions If Any Before the Purchasing This Report- https://www.reportprime.com/enquiry/pre-order/290

Top Featured Companies Dominating the Global Sandwich Panels Market

The competitive landscape of the Sandwich Panels market is characterized by key players contributing to innovation, market expansion, and meeting diverse construction needs. Companies like Kingspan, Metecno, and Cornerstone Building Brands lead with a focus on energy-efficient solutions and global reach. Assan Panel, Isopan, and ArcelorMittal specialize in a broad range of applications, contributing to the market's versatility. Major players like TATA Steel, Romakowski, and Lattonedil bring expertise in steel-based solutions. Sales revenue figures (estimated) for key players include Kingspan ($5.5 billion), Metecno ($1.8 billion), and Cornerstone Building Brands ($3.6 billion). These companies utilize Sandwich Panels across sectors, fostering growth through technological advancements, sustainable practices, and tailored solutions. The market's dynamism is further fueled by players like Marcegaglia, Ruukki, and Nucor Building Systems, offering specialized panels for diverse construction needs. Together, these companies shape the Sandwich Panels market, addressing the evolving demands of the construction industry and contributing to its continual growth.

In terms of Product Type, the Sandwich Panels market is segmented into:

PIR Bs1 Sandwich Panels

PIR Bs2 Sandwich Panels

PUR Bs2 Sandwich Panels

PUR Cs3 Sandwich Panels

PUR F Sandwich Panels

EPS Sandwich Panels

Mineral Wool Sandwich Panels

Sandwich Panels come in various types, each catering to specific construction requirements. PIR Bs1 and PIR Bs2 Sandwich Panels, known for their fire-resistant properties, are integral for structures where safety is paramount. PUR Bs2 and PUR Cs3 Sandwich Panels offer versatile insulation solutions, enhancing energy efficiency. PUR F Sandwich Panels find application in cold storage and controlled environments due to their enhanced insulation capabilities. EPS Sandwich Panels provide cost-effective solutions for various building applications, while Mineral Wool Sandwich Panels offer fire resistance and sound insulation. The diverse range of types addresses different construction needs, boosting the demand for Sandwich Panels across various sectors, including commercial, industrial, and residential construction.

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In terms of Product Application, the Sandwich Panels market is segmented into:

Building Wall

Building Roof

Cold Storage

Others

Sandwich Panels have versatile applications, prominently used in Building Walls for quick and efficient construction, providing insulation and structural support. In Building Roofs, they offer lightweight, durable, and energy-efficient solutions. Cold Storage benefits from the superior insulation properties of Sandwich Panels, maintaining temperature control. The "Others" category encompasses diverse applications such as partition walls and modular construction. The fastest-growing application segment is Building Walls, driven by the increasing emphasis on sustainable and rapid construction methods, making Sandwich Panels a preferred choice for developers seeking efficient and eco-friendly building solutions, contributing significantly to revenue growth.

Sandwich Panels Market Regional Synopsis

The Sandwich Panels market is poised for substantial growth across North America (NA), Asia-Pacific (APAC), Europe, the United States (USA), and China. Asia-Pacific is expected to dominate with over 40% market share, fueled by rapid urbanization and infrastructure development. Europe and North America collectively contribute around 30%, driven by advancements in construction technologies. The USA holds a significant share due to its robust construction sector. China, with its massive construction projects, is anticipated to be a key driver. Overall, the Sandwich Panels market reflects a global landscape, with Asia-Pacific emerging as a dominant force in shaping the industry's growth.

Reasons to Purchase the Sandwich Panels Market Research Report:

Segmentation Details: Understand the market segments based on types (PIR, PUR, EPS, Mineral Wool, etc.) and applications (Building Wall, Roof, Cold Storage, etc.).

Regulatory Landscape: Stay informed about regulatory and legal factors influencing the Sandwich Panels market, ensuring compliance and risk mitigation.

Company Profiles: Evaluate strategies and market positions of major players such as Kingspan, Metecno, Cornerstone Building Brands, and others.

Strategic Decision-Making: Utilize the report findings for informed decisions related to investments, partnerships, and market entry strategies.

Market Size and Share: Obtain accurate market size figures and share data to gauge the industry's significance and potential.

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Niagara Falls is on a roll, as it attempts to reinvent itself while letting everyone know that it is, indeed, open for business and always has been with the falls as an attraction unto itself.

Now that hard work is starting to blossom  the latest news being that Niagara Falls State Park has a new visitor center that promises to be much more welcoming to tourists.

The visitors center comes in the form of a $46 million sleek building formally named the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Welcome Center at Niagara Falls State Park.

The official opening on Monday drew a proud Gov. Kathy Hochul who, according to a report in this newspaper, observed that the new facility is much more worthy of the awe inspiring attraction flowing just beyond its walls.

Indeed, the 28,000-square-foot-center is part of the states efforts to upgrade the park and make it more accessible to visitors. Now those visitors will also be able to spend some time planning their day(s).

Niagara Falls State Park draws about 9 million visitors a year, more than any other state park in New York. Beyond focusing on the falls themselves, the new visitor center offers the opportunity to promote other regional assets, including the Niagara Falls Underground Railroad Heritage Center and the Niagara Power Projects Power Vista. It also provides the chance to nosh on some of the areas best food bites  among them, Sahlens, DiCamillos and Perrys ice cream. New Era Cap Co. and Oxford Pennant will also have a retail presence at the center.

The visitor center is open for business and the public is welcome to come on in, but another phase is yet to be completed. Its timing has not been disclosed but will include interpretive museum space, featuring an immersive experience, with exhibits that highlight Native American history, outdoor exhibits and interpretive signage.

The public is in for a treat.



More good news in the area is that the Aquarium of Niagara has recently named an interim president and CEO. The move was in recognition that the facilitys current leader is preparing to leave early next year.

Tracie Schafers appointment will take effect Feb. 1, according to the Niagara Aquarium Foundations board of trustees. Schafer will succeed Gary Siddall, whose resignation takes effect Jan. 31.

The aquarium will be in good hands under Schafers interim period. Schafer serves as the aquariums vice president of finance and administration. This is after joining the aquarium in 2017 and taking on roles of increasing responsibility, according to the foundation.

Meanwhile, a national search will help to find Siddalls permanent replacement. The search committee will have to act swiftly and efficiently if it wants to meet its self-appointed deadline before the opening of an expansion, called Great Lakes 360, next summer.



Getting into the Christmas spirit, The News Toni Ruberto wrote about a Christmas film made in Buffalo.

As Ruberto reported, A Royal Christmas Holiday, filmed here in January, premieres at 8 p.m. today on Great American Family channel with encore showings at 9 a.m. Dec. 26, 8 p.m. Dec. 27 and noon Dec. 28. It is the sixth holiday film made in the area by director Fred Olen Ray, whose other Buffalo-made movies can be seen again this season in multiple ways.

The holiday romance features the Buffalo and Erie County Naval & Military Park, a reporter and a visiting prince.

The area connections continue with the festively decorated Ilio DiPaolos restaurant and scenes throughout Main Street in East Aurora.

Grab some popcorn and enjoy!
A newly introduced federal bill seeks to heighten security at American schools by encouraging districts to adopt social media monitoring programs.The controversial practice, which uses algorithms to crawl and index public profiles of popular sites like Twitter and Facebook, has grown in popularity over the last several years, as administrators look to new and emergent technologies to heighten school safety  and potentially head off the next mass shooting.Now the Restoring, Enhancing, Securing, and Promoting Our Nation's Safety Efforts Act or RESPONSE Act, introduced by Texas Sen. John Cornyn, advocates for numerous policies aimed at increasing school security, including a "Children's Internet Protection" amendment that encourages districts to invest in programs that detect "online activities of minors who are at risk of committing self-harm or extreme violence against others." Under the bill, almost all federally funded schools would be required to install software of this kind.The bill comes at a time when schools are already investing more heavily in this technology. Earlier this year, a review by the Brennan Center for Justice of self-reported procurement orders from schools across the country showed that the number of school districts purchasing such software rose from just 6 in 2013 to 63 in 2018.Companies like Geo Listening, Varsity Monitor and Snaptrends have all made a name for themselves by offering school administrators the ability to monitor and potentially police signs of violent thoughts and behavior, as well as offensive behavior and language. The net cast can often be wide, like one recently deployed in Juneau, Alaska, that scans for all "mentions of violence, self-harm, drug use, sexual content and cyberbullying" in students' school email accounts.The relative affordability of these programs  with a median annual expense of $8,417  makes them appealing additions to district security systems.These businesses take slightly different approaches, depending on their specific security focus. Geo Listening, for instance, is marketed as a straightforward monitoring system that sends administrators daily reports with screenshots of flagged content from the monitored sites. These reports will include the poster's name, the time and location of the posting, and a short commentary of why the post was flagged. Posts are typically "flagged for negative content ... counter to the school code of conduct, evidencing violent threats to other students or the school, cyberbullying, or self-harm," according to a recent study in which the company was profiled.Varsity Monitor, meanwhile, is geared specifically toward surveilling student athletes at major universities, for the purposes of making sure the students are compliant with ethics codes. Schools pay upward of $7,000 a year to track "obscenities, offensive commentary or words like 'free,' which could indicate that a player has accepted a gift in violation of N.C.A.A. rules," according to theHowever, while there is a growing demand for these services, researchers are largely split on whether these programs actually prevent violence."Aside from anecdotes promoted by the companies that sell this software, there is no proof that these surveillance tools work," the Brennan Center report concludes, also critiquing the software's propensity for error, and the kinds of misinterpretation that can take place when machines sift through the slang-saturated conversations of teenagers.When paired with other forms of surveillance, the software has concerned critics for its broad reach and lack of public oversight.The Aspen Institute, for instance, recently released a brief report on data collection at school systems in Florida, where the state's Department of Education recently launched a controversial Schools Safety Portal (FSSP). The portal mandates that state schools collect large amounts of student data  a process that is augmented by the deployment of social media monitoring programs.The report argues that "preventing school shootings through data is fraught with ethical and technical risks, including a lack of data quality and the potential for biases across multiple levels of predictive algorithms." The report doesn't outright indict the practice itself, arguing instead that policies should be developed to increase process transparency and accountability, while deploying experts to ensure data quality.The RESPONSE Act has seen significant support among a constellation of mental health and law enforcement organizations. In October, the bill was referred to the Senate Committee on the Judiciary where it is awaiting further review.
Amerado: Ghanaians made me realise Kwaku Ananse is a powerful song because everyone was singing it

Kofi Duah Showbiz News Dec - 23 - 2023 , 10:58

THERES no doubt rapper Amerado is still on cloud nine because his single, Kwaku Ananse released about four months ago is one of the big bangers of 2023, which is still enjoying the buzz.

But Amerado admits as he basks in its success, he is under pressure to work harder so his next song would be accepted and be as good as Kwaku Ananse.

Speaking in an interview with Graphic Showbiz, Amerado, real name Derrick Sarfo Kantanka, said although he felt the pressure it only made him work harder.

I know the impact Kwaku Ananse has made and the question I know on peoples lips is: What is next? But the truth is I work harder under pressure and I am okay with it because I love what I do. Kwaku Ananse is so big and I know people are wondering the song I will drop that will break it.

As a musician I should be able to do a song that is bigger than the previous one and that is what I am aiming at. I have never stopped bringing up good songs. There was Grace featuring Lasmid and Abotre featuring Black Sherif and those were amazing songs he told Graphic Showbiz.

Asked how Kwaku Ananse became so big, the reigning Vodafone Ghana Music Awards (VGMA) Best Rapper of the Year said he never knew the song would get that big till he heard it at places he didnt expect to hear it and that prompted him to pay more attention to the lyrics although it was his song.

Ghanaians made me realise Kwaku Ananse is a powerful song because everyone was singing it. I saw the song as just a normal one but after it blew everywhere, I had to go back to listen to the words and I realised it is a beautiful song, he stated.

Just as most artistes are going to be busy during December in GH, Amerado is off to Okese Park at Ejisu in the Ashanti Region on Thursday, December 28 to host his first major concert My Motherland.

Artistes supporting him on the night are Lasmid, Eno Barony, Brother Sammy, Kweku Darlington, Ypee, Fameye, Lil Win and King Paluta.
Asking me for money this period shows you lack conscience  Comedian AY

Vanguardngr.com Showbiz News Dec - 22 - 2023 , 17:39

Nigerian comedian Ayo Makun, popularly known as AY, has expressed his frustration over individuals who are asking him for financial assistance during this festive period.

The veteran comedian took to his Instagram story to convey his message.

Recall that just a few months ago, AY Makun was struck by a tragedy when his multi-million naira home was razed by fire.

However in a recent post, AY Makun said that anyone asking him for money this period lack conscience or the fear of God.

He wrote: I am just tempted to say that everybody asking me for money this period does not have conscience or lacks the fear of God. E get why.
Reggie Rockstone: I change workers like my boxers because they steal and lack work ethics

Graphic Showbiz Showbiz News Dec - 22 - 2023 , 19:33

Hiplife grandpapa, Reggie Rockstone has revealed that he regularly changes workers like his boxer shorts because many of them lack work ethics and steal from the company.

In recent interview with Property FMs Amansan Krakye, the revered rapper said he doesnt hesitate to fire any staff who falls culprits since the youth of today are lazy but always want to find a fast way to success.

Its not been easy since I started operating my own company and the workers are very lazy whilst some are also thieves. As for stealing its so enormous thats why we regularly change the workers quite often like my boxers and you have to always keep an eye on them.

They are so corrupt in all their endeavours and these are the same people who will grow and end up as a politician in future, he told the host Amansan Krakye.

Also, in a bid to redirect the culinary discourse and celebrate Ghanaian heritage, Reggie Rockstone in a recent interview also urged Ghanaians to shift their focus from the Jollof rice debate with Nigeria and instead, direct efforts towards making Waakye gain global recognition just as Senegalese have done to earn the rights. (Read Focus on making Ghana Waakye global and stop fighting over Senegal jollof  Reggie Rockstone)

The musician called on Ghanaians to unite in championing Waakye and showcasing it as a symbol of Ghana's culinary excellence.

"Instead of arguing with Nigeria over Jollof, let's prioritise Waakye, which comes from Ghana in high esteem, he stated.
Gifty Ayoka writes: Assistive Technology, A Pathway to Inclusive Education

Gifty Ayoka Opinion Dec - 22 - 2023 , 17:55

Assistive technology encompasses a variety of tools, devices, software, or systems aimed at enhancing the abilities of people with disabilities, enabling them to perform tasks more easily or access information effectively.

Examples include screen readers for visually impaired individuals, wheelchairs for mobility support, and speech recognition software for those with limited dexterity.

Assistive technology plays a pivotal role in breaking down barriers and creating an inclusive educational environment for students with disabilities. Leveraging technological advancements can mitigate barriers related to communication, physical limitations, and access to educational resources which can empower students to thrive academically.

*Enhancing Accessibility through Assistive Technology*

In the case of students with speech disabilities, various assistive technologies can significantly improve their educational experience. Assistive technologies (AT)such as speech-generating devices, allow individuals to communicate by generating speech from text or symbols. These devices enable students with speech impairments to express themselves, participate in discussions, and complete assignments effectively.

Moreover, technologies like project relate app,a voice recognition software facilitates transcription which enables students who cannot write due to physical limitations to dictate their responses, thereby ensuring their voices are heard during examinations.

Project Relate App-a game changer for persons with disabilities

The Project Relate app, developed by Google, is a free app that utilizes machine learning to assist individuals with atypical speech patterns in face-to-face conversations.

The Listen function transcribes spoken words into text instantly, allowing users to share their messages by speaking, with the app converting their speech into written text for easy communication across various platforms.

The Repeat feature enables users to restate their words using a clear, synthesized voice, aiding those who have difficulty articulating their speech clearly, ensuring better understanding in conversations or when communicating with voice assistant devices.

Moreover, the app seamlessly integrates with Google Assistant, enabling users to perform tasks like controlling smart home devices or issuing commands through voice interaction within the app.

Project Relate showcases how cutting-edge technology combined with a focus on accessibility can significantly enhance communication for individuals with unique speech patterns, fostering inclusivity and enabling them to engage more effectively in social interactions and daily tasks.

*The Role of West Africa Examination Council (WAEC) in Promoting Assistive Technology*

To ensure equal opportunities for students with disabilities, educational assessment bodies like the West Africa Examination Council should incorporate and support the use of assistive technology. This includes providing alternative assessment methods, such as allowing students to use Assistive Technologies like Alternative and Augmentative Communication (AAC) devices.

Furthermore, WAEC should invest in training examiners and markers to understand and properly evaluate responses given through assistive technology. Ensuring the readiness of technical infrastructure to receive and process alternative forms of exam submissions is equally vital.

*Call to Action*

The use of assistive technology in education is not just about leveling the playing field; it's about unlocking the potential of every student, irrespective of their disabilities or abilities. WAEC and educational institutions across West Africa must prioritize and integrate assistive technology into their frameworks to enable students with disabilities to reach their full potential.

By harnessing the power of assistive technology and fostering a supportive educational environment, we can create a future where ALL students, including those with disabilities, have the opportunity to thrive and co

ntribute meaningfully to society.
The Science/Scientific Challenge?

Brig Gen Dan Frimpong (Rtd) Opinion Dec - 22 - 2023 , 18:33

At a reception recently, we had lively beer-assisted free-flowing conversations on all topics from archaeology to zoology, with lots of interesting theories being propounded.

Unexpectedly, the discussion zoomed in on my weekly articles.

They were commended by colleagues who said the articles satisfied their requirements of informing, entertaining and educating. They also found them current, relevant and humorous, though they wished they were longer.

However, while not disagreeing with the others, a colleague advocated for more science-based articles, or articles about Science!

Almost simultaneously, he was told by the others that, the average science/scientific article which will necessarily require definitions/explanation of terminologies, may not likely be what readers would want in a short 800-word limit article.

They gave the example of such a recent scientific article which many did not understand because it was considered too technical. For them, a newspaper/online article must be light and easy reading, and not have the dense style of a textbook.

Nonetheless, for a change, I am taking up my colleagues observation as a challenge for a science-based article. Since in recent times I have done some flying to Kumasi/Tamale/Wa/Takoradi, I will venture into the world of flying/aviation.

So, how did flying come to the world?

Wright Brothers

Despite the non-unanimity/controversy that surrounds how flying/aviation started, it is generally accepted that, the American Wright brothers, Wilbur and Orville pioneered the flying of the aeroplane, being the first humans to fly a machine.

The brothers were bicycle-repairers who decided to adventure beyond their comfort zone of repairing bicycles. On 17th December 1903 in Kitty-Hawk, North Carolina, USA, Orville and Wilbur Wright became the first to fly a machine, thus becoming the first aviators in history.

The Wrights first powered airplane flew a 12-second flight, traveling 36 metres (120 feet), with Orville piloting. Later that day, with Wilbur at the controls, he covered 255.6 metres (852 feet) in 59 seconds.

Orteig Challenge Prize

A major fillip to the development and flying of the aircraft from the rudimentary 1903 start by the Wright brothers came on 22nd May 1919.

A New-York businessman Raymond Orteig, challenged potential pilots with a $25,000 (net-present-value in 2023 of $450,000) reward for anyone who did a trans-Atlantic flight between New-York-City and Paris or vice-versa. Many pilots died in their attempt to win the Orteig Prize.

Finally, on 21st May 1927, American pilot Charles Lindbergh flying a single-engine aircraft Spirit of St Louis flew solo from New York to Paris.

It took him 33.5 hours. The Orteig cash prize of $25,000 was duly presented him in June 1927 in New-York-City.

Mach & Brig Gen Yeager (Rtd)

A significant development in aviation history was to push aircraft speeds beyond previous records. In this, the word MACH was born. It was named after an Austrian physicist Ernst Mach after the designation had been proposed by the Swiss aeronautical engineer Professor Jackob Ackeret.

Mach showed the speed of an object in relation to the speed of sound. At 20 degrees Celsius (68 degrees Fahrenheit) at sea-level, the speed of sound is 1,125 feet/second. This translates into 768 miles/hour or 1235 km/hour. Mach 1 therefore became accepted as the speed of an aircraft at par with the speed of sound. Aircraft which flew below the speed of sound were classified as sub-sonic while those which flew beyond Mach One were super-sonic!

A phenomenon called the sonic-boom was also discovered. As an object crosses the sound-barrier of 768mph, the energy generated causes a loud noise which sounds like an explosion, hence the name sonic-boom.

On 14th October 1947, a young American Air Force captain, later Brig Gen Chuck Yeager (Rtd) became the first human to fly pass the sound-barrier in his Bell X-1 aircraft. He later trained Americas first batch of astronauts in the late 1950s.

Space Race

A major contributory factor to the development of the aircraft was the Space Race. At the tail end of World War 2 in 1945, German scientists were captured both by the USA and USSR. In the Cold War which started immediately after WW2, both sides used the captured German scientists to develop rockets for Space exploration.

So important was the Space enterprise that on 1st October 1958, American President Dwight Eisenhower (Gen Rtd) commissioned the National Aeronautics and Space Association (NASA) to train astronauts. Out of 500 applicants, seven test pilots were selected to commence training as astronauts.

On 12th April 1961, Yuri Gagarin, a Russian cosmonaut/astronaut became the first human to journey to Space and back in his Vostok spacecraft. Three weeks later on 5th May 1961, American, later Rear-Admiral Alan Shepard became the first American and the second human to go to space! For the USA, it was a painful defeat of the USA by the USSR in the Space race!

The Space Race led to the development of the reusable NASA shuttle-aircraft like Atlantis, Challenger, Columbia, Discovery and Endeavour.

Discussion

I have wondered how the Wright brothers would feel if they lived in 2023, seeing the development of the rudimentary flying-machine they pioneered in 1903. Wilbur died young of typhoid-fever in 1912, but Orville lived until 1948, when he died at age 77. Before his passing, he met Charles Lindbergh in 1927.

Without doubt, one of mans greatest inventions has been the aircraft, thanks to Orville and Wilbur Wright. While this article has concentrated on fixed-wing aircraft, it does not lose sight of the tremendous effort that went into the development of rotary-wings (helicopters).

Ghana Airways, the flag-carrier of Ghana was founded in July 1958. Sadly, the airline ceased operations in June 2005.

In July 1959, the Ghana Air Force was started as the third Service of the Ghana Armed Forces after the Army and Navy. It has since played a major role in support of Ghanas development.

Leadership, lead! Fellow Ghanaians, WAKE UP!

The writer is a former CEO, African Peace Support Trainers Associationm Nairobi, Kenya and Council Chairman, Family Health University College, Accra
Supreme Court declines to fast-track Trump immunity case

BBC International News Dec - 22 - 2023 , 20:21

The US Supreme Court has declined, for now, to decide whether former president Donald Trump has immunity from prosecution for allegedly trying to overturn the 2020 election.

Mr Trump's efforts to delay the case appears successful, as it must now work through the appeals process.

Special counsel Jack Smith had asked the court to take up the case in an expedited manner.



Mr Trump was indicted on election subversion charges earlier this year.

The court did not explain its decision, instead issuing an unsigned order saying: "The petition for a writ of certiorari before judgment is denied."

The ruling is a setback for Mr Smith, who had asked the Supreme Court to intervene early for fear that the appeals process could delay the start of Mr Trump's trial, which was scheduled to begin 4 March in Washington, DC.

Mr Smith is investigating Mr Trump's alleged attempts to overturn the election leading up to the 6 January Capitol riots.

District Judge Tanya Chutkan has paused the case while Mr Trump appeals. He is claiming he is immune from prosecution because he was acting in his official capacity as president before and during the riots.

Mr Smith argued to the Supreme Court in court filings that the case presented "a fundamental question at the heart of our democracy: whether a former president is absolutely immune" from being prosecuted for federal crimes allegedly committed while in the White House.

Mr Smith argued to the Supreme Court in court filings that the case presented "a fundamental question at the heart of our democracy: whether a former president is absolutely immune" from being prosecuted for federal crimes allegedly committed while in the White House.

"The United States recognizes that this is an extraordinary request," he added. "This is an extraordinary case."

The ruling means the US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit will have to rule in the case before it can be appealed to the Supreme Court, where it is expected to eventually be heard.

The appeals process may delay the start date of the trial, which prosecutors had hoped to hold before the election.



More to follow
UK PM adds to family visas confusion, saying rise to 38,700 comes in 2025

theguardian.com International News Dec - 23 - 2023 , 19:50

Rishi Sunak has said the minimum salary levels needed for British nationals to bring foreign relatives to the UK will rise to 38,700 in 2025, adding yet more confusion to the rapidly changing rules.

The prime ministers comments come just a day after an initially unnoticed parliamentary answer said the much-criticised plan to more than double the threshold from 18,600 a year to 38,700 was being shelved.

Instead, the Home Office said, the minimum salary would be changed initially to 29,000 in spring 2024, with no timeline given for an increase to 38,700.

This prompted a backlash from rightwing Conservative MPs, whose anger over annual net migration figures of 745,000 prompted Sunak to toughen the rules on both work and family visas this month.

In an interview during a visit to an air ambulance headquarters in Lincoln on Friday, Sunak said the subsequent rise to 38,700, a threshold that would put being able to live together in the UK out of reach for many thousands of families, would take place in 2025.

We are increasing the salary threshold significantly, and we are doing exactly as we said, were just doing it in two stages, he said. So it will go up in a few months time and then it will go up again, the full amount, in early 2025.

Sunaks stated timetable is different to that set out by the Home Office on Thursday evening. Even though this did not give dates beyond the rise to 29,000, it said there would be two more stages: to 34,500 and then finally to 38,700.

By Friday evening the Home Office had updated its factsheet about the policy to confirm the spring 2025 date. This said the interim stage of a 29,000 threshold would also happen, but did not say when.

The Home Office and Downing Street were contacted for clarification.

While current polling indicates Sunak and the Conservatives are likely to be out of office by spring 2025, meaning it would be a decision for another government, the seemingly accelerated timetable points to renewed worries in No 10 about anger from rightwing MPs.

In January, Sunak is hoping to avoid a rebellion from the same faction over his bill aiming to remove legal barriers to deporting asylum seekers to Rwanda.

But at the same time, moving forward rapidly on the higher income threshold will dismay campaigners and lawyers, who have warned that even the 29,000 limit will tear families apart and discriminate against those on low incomes.

The migrant-led charity Migrant Voice condemned the policy as a cruel way of separating families.

Its director, Nazek Ramadan, estimated that increasing the threshold to 29,000 would affect between 10,000 and 20,000 people.

She said: Even with a partial U-turn, this festive season many of those working here will be scared that this is the last one they can stay with their families. No one should be banned from having a family based on where they were born or how much they earn.

Ramadan added: The existing income requirements of 18,700 are already seeing parents having to only see their children via a computer screen this winter. Increasing it, whether to 29,000 or 38,700 later, will rip more families apart.



Colin Yeo, a barrister and writer on immigration, had said the change to an initial threshold of 29,000 amounted to a terrible compromise. Writing on X, he said: Now the govt announces its climbdown: the outrageous new rule wont apply to spouses and partners already sponsored, only those applying for the first time. AND the income requirement will initially be lower: only 29,000.

It still massively discriminates against northerners, Scots, the Welsh, women, carers. Its still way higher than the minimum wage. Its a brutal interference by the government with the private lives of its citizens.

The campaign group Reunite Families UK agreed. In a statement it said: 29,000 is still very high for most families  it excludes over half of the population from sponsoring a foreign spouse and is much higher than the minimum wage so those on lower salaries are still being told their family is not welcome here.

Its baffling why the MIR [minimum income requirement] is now going to be raised incrementally  the process is already complicated enough without this too.

The rules on salary thresholds are part of a wider crackdown intended to reduce net migration by about 300,000. They were set out by the home secretary, James Cleverly, after fury among some Tories when data released in November showed net inward migration had been 745,000 in the year to December 2022.

The increase in the family visa salary requirement was expected to contribute only about 10,000 to the overall planned reduction.
News / National

by Staff reporter

Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) Chief Executive Officer Winnie Muchanyuka resigned under ministerial pressure, while the board was also booted out by the new Tourism minister Barbara Rwodzi, it has emerged.A number of other officials are also under pressure, fearing they would be fired by the minister soon in the coming year.Muchanyuka was appointed substantive chief executive for the tourism body last year.She had replaced Karikoga Kaseke who had resigned last year due to ill-health.Givemore Chidzidzi had been acting in that capacity since Kasekes resignation.Six months down the line, in January this year, former Tourism minister Nqobizitha Mangaliso Ndlovu placed Muchanyuka and Chidzidzi under corruption investigations by a special committee led by the Public Service ministrys permanent secretary Simon Masanga.The five-member special investigation committee was appointment by Ndlovu through a Government Gazette published on 27 January 2023.Other members of the committee were Gibson Chijarira (chief director in the Lands, Agriculture Fisheries, Water and Rural Development ministry), N Shuva (chief internal auditor in the Energy and Power Development Ministry), E Ngwarati (chief director in the Local Government and Public Works ministry) and R C Makunike ( chief director, Legal Advice Department.Meanwhile, the ZTA board chaired by Ray Mawerera and deputised Precious Sibiya has been pressured out.Other members were Rita Likukuma, Beatrice Tonhodzayi, Veneranda Munyoro, Tare Munzara, Precious Mazhande, Admire Ndlovu and Muchanyuka who was ex officio.Rwodzi is deputised by President Mnangagwa's nephew Tongai Mnangagwa, an appointment that sent tongues wagging as it came together with the deployment of the President's son Kudakwashe Mnangagwa as deputy Finance minister.
Students of Vine Christian High School serve the less privileged food, drinks

Gloria Apprey Life Dec - 22 - 2023 , 18:09

Vine Christian High School last weekend donated food and drinks to the less privileged on some streets in Accra. This initiative was the second edition, held on the theme: Feed My People.

Among beneficiaries were hawkers, beggars and the physically-challenged along the main roads of Shiashie, Accra Mall, Opeibea and 37 in Accra.

With a zeal to be part of an experience that fosters a sense of community and shared responsibility, the students distributed the food and drinks.

Some students helped package the meals

In an interview, the Principal of the school, Mr Victor Tekpetey, said the meals were prepared and event planned by the students under the guidance of their teachers and a students committee.

He expressed the school's dedication to instilling Christian values beyond academics in the students.

Education goes beyond textbooks; it is about shaping compassionate individuals who contribute positively to society", he noted.

"The project, named Christmas Cook N Serve, to be held yearly, was designed to teach our students the importance of empathy and kindness to those who do not enjoy the same privileges they do", he explained.

He added that the school, located within the East Legon, Adjiringanor community in Accra, runs both the British and Ghana Education Service Curriculum. Mr Tepketey showed gratitude to their sponsors, Fotostore Ghana, ZoomLion Waste Management, Petrosol, Tourpedia Travel, and Pick and Bite Cake.

A benefiary receiving a meal

The Student President and committee Chairperson, Benaiah Ayensu, said although he enjoyed the impact they made, planning was quite a challenge for him.

Leadership is very dynamic, it takes time and patience, especially working with people to help put things together. I believe at the end of the day, we are all one people, no matter the background, because love is all that matters, he said.

Student President,Benaiah Ayensu (arrowed), entertained the beneficiaries

The co-chairperson of the students committee, Nakeasha Ejim, said planning was tougher than she expected but seeing the smiles on the faces of the beneficiaries, made it all worth it.

Looking at the predicament of some of these people, I am very grateful for the life I have and hope more opportunities are made available to them also, she said.

Some students of Vine Christian High School

Another student, Louisa Xose Ayem, sharing her experience, said the act of giving energised and excited her which made her always open to doing more.

Small acts of kindness can make a big difference in anyones life so having the opportunity to make someones day is fulfilling, she noted.
GNFS reports significant decline in fire outbreaks for 2023

Jemima Okang Addae Dec - 23 - 2023 , 04:21

The greatest achievement from the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) this year has been the dwindling numbers of fire outbreaks as compared to last years, 2022.

The Chief Fire Officer (CFO) of GNFS, Julius Kuunuor revealed this at the festival of Nine Lessons and Carols in Accra as part of its 60th anniversary celebration.

He said that, fire outbreaks declined by 4.92 per cent for the first eleven months of 2023 as the service recorded 5,256 fire outbreaks as compared to 5,530 recorded in the same period in 2022.

This, he noted was due to the extensive public fire safety education carried out nationwide.

Kwame Anyimadu Antwi (right), Council Chairman, Ghana National Fire Service explaining a point to Doreen Annan (2nd from right), Acting Chief Director, Ministry of the Interior during the event. With them is Julius Kuunuor (left), Chief Fire Officer, Ghana National Fire Service.

He said the service undertook 17,877 fire safety education in public and private institutions and places such as markets, churches and mosques, schools in various languages nationwide.

Through the timely intervention of the Service, property worth millions of cedis were salvaged, he stated.

Assurance

CFO Kuunuor assured the service personnel that, management would not relent in its effort to find solutions to the challenges that may hamper effective and efficient performance in the discharge of their duties.

He explained that, the service was also collaborating with government to procure fire appliances and equipment to replace the overaged fire appliances at the fire stations and also ensure the opening of more fire stations to improve response time to incidents.

Doreen Annan, Acting Chief Director, Ministry of the Interior making a remark at the event.

The Service is in the process of signing a Memorandum of Understanding with some of the local Universities such as University of Cape Coast, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) and University of Energy and Natural Resources for the training of Fire personnel in the relevant fields from the undergraduate to the Post Graduate progimmes, he added.

Carols

The event, was held on the theme "Reflect the Qualities of God our Maker Lev. 20:26, and attended by retired Chief Fire Officers (CFOs), directors, fire service council members, chaplain generals, regional fire officers, and civilian employees of the GNFS.

A festive atmosphere prevailed as the Fire Service Band played music, and attendees joyfully danced and sang, expressing gratitude to God.

Rescue

A chaplain at the Ghana Armed Forces, Apostle Col. Benjamin Kumi-Woode said God is a rescuer who has called on us to belong to him and separated us from the world to be his own.

And if God is a rescuer, then he falls in place that He has called us to be rescued. We are ensuring the safety of our nation, of our kindred and of the things that God has made, he stated.

He explained that the nine lessons read conveyed a christmas message that, God is coming into the realm of man with a purpose to rescue us from sin and perils that befalls us.

Celebrate

Speaking of behalf of the Minister for the Interior, Ambrose Dery, the Acting Chief Director, Doreen Annan said the event provided an opportunity to celebrate Gods gracious gifts, achievements of the past year, acknowledge challenges they have overcome and express their gratitude.

She expressed her appreciation to the service personnel for their dedicated service and unwavering commitment to ensuring the safety and security in the communities.

Your courage in the face of adversity, your swift response to emergencies, and your commitment to safeguarding lives and property are commendable.

Staff of the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) dancing and singing songs of praises during the event.

You are the unsung heroes who stand tall, ready to protect and serve our communities, she stated.

Mrs Annan said the establishment of the Fire College at Kyebi, was a testament to the ministrys commitment to providing world-class training facilities to firefighters.

She stressed that, it was crucial to recognise the role of the public in assisting the service as their vigilance, prompt reporting of incidents, and adherence to safety guidelines empower firefighters to deliver on their mandate effectively.

Awards

At the event, 10 retired fire officers from the GNFS were awarded with a plaque and some items for their outstanding performance, dedication and contribution to the service.

They comprised, Rev DCFO Edward K Ashon; DCFO Dwamena Obeng Dankwa; DCFO Nana Brenya; DCFO Anna A Obeng and DCFO Paa Kwesi Adutwum.

Others are, DCFO Gilbert Wiafe; DCFO Janet Duah; DCFO George Bassah; ACFOI Charles Addo and ACFOI Richard Homeku.
Help preserve Ghanas status as beacon of peace in Africa - President Akufo-Addo to soldiers

Joshua Bediako Koomson Dec - 23 - 2023 , 13:28

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has charged the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) to help preserve Ghanas status as the beacon of peace in Africa by ensuring that the 2024 General Election is conducted in an atmosphere of peace and serenity.

He urged them to protect the sovereign will of the Ghanaian people to help guarantee the longevity of the fourth republic.

He was speaking at the GAF annual West African Soldiers Social Activity (WASSA) which was held today (December 22) to climax this years activities.

Dominic Nitiwul - Minister of Defence

WASSA

The WASSA is celebrated each year to create an informal environment for the GAF to socialise and also give the Command the opportunity to interact and appreciate the contributions of all ranks and the civilian staff.

The programme brought together high ranking officers of the GAF and other civilian staff.

Other dignitaries present were the Minister of Defence, Dominic Nitiwul, Minister for the Interior, Ambrose Dery, the Inspector General of Police, Dr George Akuffo Dampare and the Comptroller-General of the Ghana Immigration Service, Kwame Asuah Takyi.

The occasion was thrilled by the GAF Central Band and one of the countrys famous dancehall and reggae musical artist, Samini, who lit up the evening with a dazzling performance for the entertaining pleasure of the guests.

Retooling of the GAF

President Akufo-Addo further reiterated governments commitment to sustain the programme of retooling the GAF to enable it to perform it duties effectively and efficiently.

I assure you that my government will not relent its efforts to transform the GAF into a formidable force and enhance its capacity to contribute strongly towards the overall development of the nation, President Akufo-Addo said.

He extended his appreciation to international organsations and countries who supported the GAF in diverse ways to promote infrastructural development, training and equipment acquisition.

He also commended the European Union for recently donating specialised vehicles to the force in the fight against terrorism and tran-national organised crime.

While noting that integration of efforts and close corporate among countries were vital to making the world a safer place, he commended all international partners, particularly those whose governments continue to offer the GAF the opportunities and facilities for quality training.

Accra Initiative

He said it was their efforts that ensured successful implementation of the Accra Initiative which involved a consistent collaboration and cooperation of security and intelligence heads of the country and its neighbors to enhanced fight against terrorism in the region.

President Akufo-Addo said that had helped the country to reinforce the security of its northern and north-eastern borders against infiltrations.

While expressing his appreciation to the support of foreign partners in the Accra Initiative, he said it had greatly enhanced the command and control hub of the Multi-National Joint Task Force Headquarters in Tamale.

In addition, he said it had enhanced the Economic Community of West African States standby force to coordinate their response to the myriad of threats and other emerging ones confronting them.

It is therefore, my hope and expectation that this cooperation will continue to grow from strength to strength in the coming years, he stated.

Equipment and accommodation challenge

The Minister of Defence said equipment and accommodation challenges continued to be one of the biggest challenges confronting the GAF.

However, due to the innumerable interventions, he was hopeful that very soon the challenges would be minimised.

It is for this reason that I seize the opportunity to show gratitude to the President for commissioning a number of government sponsored projects at the Military Academy, Mr Nitiwul said.

He said those projects did not only help to improve the infrastructural amenities of the academy but also assisted to improve the quality of training of officer cadets as the academy

He said retooling of the GAF was also ongoing and the series of commissioning and handing over of vehicles and equipment was an attestation of governments commitment to it.

Lets remind ourselves that it is our duty to supper the governments effort by providing an enabling security environment for accelerated national development and growth and, thereby, improving the livelihood of the citizenry, Mr Nitiwul added.

Efforts of the GAF

The Chief of Defence Staff, Vice Admiral Seth Amoama admitted that the year had been one of the challenging years in the history of the GAF.

In spite of the limited resources and other constrains within which the GAF had to operate, it had strived to live up to expectations and prevailed in applying its capabilities in a manner that ensured the attainment of its mission.

All through the year, the GAF has offered it services to preserve stability and the internal security of the country and also worked assiduously to ensure that it provided its quota to the developmental effort of the country.

We have kept the flag of the nation flying high internationally through our sterling performance in peace support operations, Vice Admiral Amoama said.

With insurgency becoming more prevalent world wide, he said it only took training, modern equipment, the development of pragmatic strategies and cooperation with stakeholders and other security service for the GAF to keep pace with the changing trends.

In that regard, he applauded the government for its commitment and dedication demonstrated in ensuring the continuous retooling of the GAF so as to enhance its operational capabilities.
In 2023 PURC resolved 1,512 consumer complaints in Eastern Region

Haruna Yussif Wunpini Dec - 23 - 2023 , 09:57

The Eastern Regional Office of the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) in 2023 successfully solved 1,512 complaints out of 1,519 lodged against the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) and Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) by domestic, commercial and corporate consumers.

Such a success which translates to 99.53 percent, according to the Regional Manager of the PURC, Jude Aduamoah-Addo was due to series of public engagements code-named "Operational Efficiency" on the operations of the ECG and GWCL in most towns and communities.

Mr Aduamoah-Addo made this known at an end-of-year get-together organised by the PURC at Koforidua on Friday (December 22).

The event which was attended by top officials of the PURC, ECG, GWCL and some utility consumers was to take stock of the year's activities with the view of improving service delivery and also enhance relationship between consumers and service providers.

According to Mr Aduamoah-Addo, his outfit's initiative led the GWCL and ECG to recover outstanding debts.

To help address challenges, the Regional PURC boss said his outfit has declared 2024 as a "Strategic Impact Year" through four key measures namely, self-improvement, transparency, enforcement and proactiveness to consolidate gains made this year.
Involve HIV communities in programmes targeted at them

Augustina Tawiah Health Dec - 23 - 2023 , 08:43

John Snow Incorporated (JSI), a non-governmental organisation, has stressed the need for HIV communities, especially the youth, to be involved in the design and implementation of the programmes intended to serve them.

JSI said from HIV prevention to treatment, service delivery was best when it was person-centred.

The Senior Communications Advisor, USAID Strengthening the Care Continuum Project, JSI, Richard Adupong, said this in an interview in Accra with Graphic Online after their participation in the just-ended International Conference on AIDS and STIs in Africa (ICASA) 2023 held from December 4 to 9, in Harare, Zimbabwe.

The conference, which was attended by institutions and persons concerned with fighting HIV including experts, policy makers, key HIV populations, pharmaceutical companies that are into the manufacture of HIV medications was on the theme, "AIDS is not over: address inequalities, accelerate inclusion and innovation ".

Ghana's delegation to the conference which included officials from the Ghana Health Service, Ghana AIDS Commission, JSI and the Ghana office of the World Health Organization was led by the National AIDS/STI Control Programme.

"JSI staff were thrilled to join the ICASA to focus on ending HIV as a public health threat. From engaging sessions, insightful posters and thoughtful conversations at our booth, these are some of our main takeaways," he explained.

Mr Adupong said understanding the social and behavioural dynamics of communities affected by HIV was imperative for effective and enduring change.

He said programme sustainability must not be an afterthought.

He mentioned some of the presentations the JSI team made at ICASA 2023 to include, the impact of the men's clinic initiative as a differentiated service delivery model; strengthening key population data reporting in Ghana; addressing gender-based violence within the context of HIV services and person-centred care service delivery in HIV treatment settings.

HIV achievements

On their achievements in Ghana, he said, JSI as part of its health system strengthening through the USAID Care Continuum Project, has donated 86 high-grade hospital beds, 58 motorbikes, two prefabricated office units utilised as centers for HIV counseling and service delivery, two vehicles, 10 refurbished vehicles, and ICT equipment to health facilities, districts, and regional health directorates.

Mr Adupong said the project reached and provided HIV testing to 363,451 people between October 2019 and June 2023, of which 14,441 were diagnosed HIV positive; 13,816 were linked to treatment, and 89 per cent achieved viral suppression.

For key populations, he said, the project reached and tested 16,747 people, 1,703 were diagnosed HIV positive, 1,584 were put on treatment, and 91 per cent achieved viral suppression.

"Through the projects back to care campaign, the team brought more than 10,000 people living with HIV who interrupted treatment in the Western, Western North, and Ahafo regions back to care," he said.
Parliament approves five tax bills to help rake in additional revenues and Appropriation Bill

Nana Konadu Agyeman Politics Dec - 23 - 2023 , 13:13

Parliament on Friday night [Dec 22] approved five tax bills aimed at helping the government to rake in additional revenue to the state as well as the Appropriation Bill, 2023.

They are the Value Added Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2023, Excise Duty (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill, 2023, Stamp Duty (Amendment) Bill, 2023 Emissions Levy Bill, 2023 and Exemptions (Amendment) Bill, 2023.

First, the VAT Bill seeks to expand the tax net and extend the zero rate on locally manufactured products, introduce a zero rate on locally-produced sanitary towels and waive the VAT on the import of electric vehicles for public transportation.

It will also introduce a flat rate of five per cent for the rental of commercial premises and the sale of immovable property by an estate developer.

Set to amend the existing VAT regime, the bill is estimated to yield GH3.725 billion for the 2024 financial year, reports Graphic Online's Nana Konadu Agyeman from Parliament House.

Second, the Excise Duty Bill is to amend the Excite Duty Act, 2015 (Act 878) to increase the excise duty rate on cider bear to align with the excise duty rate on beer, reduce excise duty on plastics and expand the coverage of the excise duty on plastics to cover imported plastic packaging.

It will also introduce an emission tax on carbon dioxide emissions by companies and from vehicles.

It is billed to yield approximately GH540 million in additional revenue to the state.

Third, the Stamp Duty (Amendment) Bill is to amend the Stamp Duty Act, 2005 (Act 689) to review the rates of stamp duty on specified instruments that have legal effect in line with current economic realities.

It is not a tax on transactions but on documents brought into being for the purpose of recording transactions.

The revision of the rates of stamp duty is expected to yield an amount of GH653 million in revenue for the 2024 financial year.

Fourth, the purpose of the Emissions Levy Bill is to promote the use of eco-friendly technologies and green energy.

Seeking to control the level of carbon dioxide emissions from internal combustion engine vehicles in Ghana, the bill will generate an amount of GH541 million for the 2024 fiscal year.

Fifth, the Exemptions (Amendment) Bill, 2023 is to provide a waiver of customs duties and customs taxes in respect of the importation of fishing gear and agricultural inputs.

The bill, waiver will result in estimated exemptions to the tune of GH442.65 million next year.

It will provide for the exemption from customs duties and customs taxes, seeds and fertilisers imported for agricultural purposes in relation to the phase two of the Planting for Food and Jobs Programme.

The Appropriation Bill provides for the withdrawal an amount of GH259 billion from the Consolidated Funa and other public funds necessary to meeting government expenditure for the 2024 financial year.

Rationale for taxes

Presenting the Finance Committees report on the four tax bills and moved a motion for the House to adopt the report, Kwaku Kwarteng, the Chairman of the committee, said the proposed amendments to the VAT Act were necessary to promote domestic production of sanitary towels and extend the coverage of VAT to other sector to enhance revenue generation.

He said the entire Minority members of the committee supported the zero-rating of VAT on materials for the production of sanitary towels but expressed concerns about the impact the other revenues measures would have on the cost of doing business in the country on the general population.

When a voice vote was put on the motion for the House to adopt the Finance Committees report on the bill, the Second Deputy Speaker,

Andrew Asiamah Amoako, who was presiding, declared the Ayes by the Majority to have had it.

But the Deputy Minority Leader, Emmanuel Armah-Buah, invoked Order 113(2) to challenge Mr Amoakos decision.

When the Speaker of Parliament assumed the chair, he directed the Table Office to conduct a headcount which saw a 137 to 134 votes in favour of the Majority.

The Excise Duty Bill

For the Excise Duty (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill, Mr Kwarteng said the bill was targeted at reducing the negative impact of cider beer on consumers.

He said the inclusion of imported plastic packaging in the excise tax on plastics would reduce the incentive to import those products rather than sourcing them from local manufacturers.

Again, the reduction of the rate of the tax from 10 per cent of ex-factory prices to five per cent of ex-factory price will bring some relief to local manufacturers who hitherto have had to pay the tax at the rate of 10 per cent of ex-factory price, he said.

He said the entire Minority on the committee expressed concern about the impact those increases would have on the cost of doing business in the country and on the general population.

Stamp Duty bill

With regard to the Stamp Duty (Amendment) Bill, 2023, Mr Kwarteng said the bill would not affect any of the ad-valorem rates in Act 689.

The only rates being reviewed were the nominal amounts that were set in 2005 and which had lost their value over time, he said.

Just like previous bill, he said the entire Minority members declined to recommend to the House to pass the bill into law as it would worsen the economic situation of Ghanaians and businesses.

Importance of Emissions Levy Bill

On the importance of the Emissions Levy Bill, Mr Kwarteng said the ultimate effect is to reduce the adverse impact of pollution on the environment and reduce environmental pollution and encourage the use of clean energy, he said.

On the position of the Minority on the bill, he said members of the NDC expressed their unwillingness to support the bill due to its potential to increase the cost of doing business in the country.
The political year in retrospect

Dr John Osae-Kwapong Politics Dec - 23 - 2023 , 13:55

All too soon the year is ending. The year 2023 had its share of big political stories. In this piece, I reproduce some of the thoughts I shared on a select few. But before I do, let me take a minute to express my sincere gratitude to the Daily Graphic.

What started as a weekly submission to the Daily Graphic has now become twice a week. There is surely no shortage of political topics to write about, but it is no easy task keeping this writing schedule. If I think back to how this relationship started  a piece on CDD-Ghanas blog, a request by Mr. Albert Salia, Political Editor, Daily Graphic, to reproduce the piece in the Daily Graphic, a follow up request to consider additional submissions, embracing the opportunity to, etc.  it is truly both an honor and a privilege to have this platform to regularly share my thoughts on political happenings in the land of my birth.

Words alone cannot express my deep sense of gratitude. And to those who regularly read what I share please know that this Akuapem Catholic man is truly grateful. I am yet to meet Mr. Salia in person but I am adding that to my list of new year resolutions for 2024.

The Assin North By Election

I said this after the by election on the issue of voter inducements. In Assin North, there were several reports of money sharing. It was also quite funny to see several voters mocking the losing candidate with a song which essentially said, We took your money but still voted against you.

These voters in the videos showed no feelings of remorse. We are yet to deal with this issue in our elections. Until then, I hope parties and candidates recognise that the use of inducements is a risky gamble with no guarantees of victory.

The temptation may be to outdo your opponent in an election, but I really hope that is not a temptation parties and candidates will yield to. The often-quoted statement fear candidates can easily be rephrased as fear voters.

Alan goes independent.

Bowing out of the NPP primaries, the former trade minister not only resigned from the party, but he also decided to contest the 2024 election as in independent candidate.

I wrote this about the prospect of a third-party candidate. The political behaviours of voters that form over time do not easily change overnight.

In actual fact, they strengthen. The empirical evidence is very clear when you look at what Ghanaians have said about their voting intentions in the Afrobarometer surveys as well as what they have actually done in elections.

I often say that in as much as I hear the narrative we are tired of NDC-NPP, we need a third force Ghanaians keep voting for NDC-NPP in alternating fashion. I am not convinced they want to break that habit.

Bawumia wins NPP flag bearer race

I regularly said the Vice-President was going to be the partys flagbearer. When he won the race, I said this. For me, that is Dr Bawumias task. To answer the question what happened and to convince Ghanaians how a Dr Bawumia presidency will be different.

I hope that the argument will not be the alternative is scary because I believe the force of that argument died in 2020. I also believe the force of the Covid-19 and Russia-Ukraine war arguments has limitations. To win the hearts and minds of voters he has to offer a more forceful argument while facing a difficult political terrain.

John Mahamas 24hr economy idea

With election year approaching, our political parties and candidates will propose several ideas on how to deal with the many socio-economic challenges the country faces. When NDC Flagbearer John Mahama proposed the idea of a 24hour economy, I said this.

If the answer to this problem is not a 24-hour economy, then I am guessing there is an alternative solution. Can we have a counterproposal? After all, is that not what elections are about? A battle of ideas and presenting the Ghanaian voter with policy options to choose from.

I sincerely hope that as we engage in our usual partisan banter over the idea, we do not lose sight of the fact that a) creating jobs is a high priority for Ghanaians; and especially b) despite our best efforts over the years through several job creation efforts, Ghanaians remain generally dissatisfied.

Election year 2024

I look forward to an exciting election year. I look forward to all the ideas that will be debated as voters decide who is best to lead the country after the tenure of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo comes to an end. I believe election 2024 will be both exciting and competitive.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. See you all in 2024.

The writer is a Democracy and Development fellow at the Ghana Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana).
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At some point on Christmas Eve, the magnificent North Star will appear in the skies above Guam, inviting weary shoppers and tired travelers alike to follow its illuminated path.

Some paths will converge on a modest home in Agana Heights, and the starlight will convert to LEDs. There you will find a scene unnatural to the islands: kings and camels, saints and shepherds, farm animals, royal gifts, and a humble manger, retrofitted as a birthing center.

Unnatural for Guam, yes, but the nativity scene, or bilen, in CHamoru, is duplicated a thousandfold here and at countless other places around the world.

Jesus Christ has arrived, and for devout Catholic Natividad Natty Calvo, its her favorite time of the year. In the days leading up to Christs birth and ending on Dec. 26, Calvo is positively giddy with excitement.

Calvo started building her bilen right after Thanksgiving and she finished by Christmas Eve. Along with a family novena, its a tradition she started with her newlywed husband 65 years ago, and a tradition she maintained after he died 39 years ago. How apt his name was Felix to her Natividad.

They raised six children who have since started their own families, and now grandchildren and great-grandchildren also contribute to the scene that encompasses her backyard.

So dont be surprised if you see Bambi, or Buzz Lightyear on the outskirts of the nativity scene, she says. Its a sign of progress and inclusion.

Natty Calvos eldest daughter, Catherine Calvo Cruz, said the family novena and bilen go back as far as she can remember. As soon as they could walk, she and her siblings helped harvest lumot every November. The lumot, or moss, is used everywhere in a nativity scene, as a lush carpet that lives and keeps indefinitely with proper care. As Cruz walks her family to her moms backyard, the aroma of todays lumot brings back a deluge of memories, she said.

Cruz is a lifelong instructor of music, and the family conductor. Part of the novena is singing a selection of CHamoru hymns. The harmonies produced by this nuclear family are a result of decades of practice, resonating beauty to rival any seasoned church choir.

One hymn in particular, Kantaye Gue, offers the essence:

Annai i Nino minida as Maria (When Mary clothed the infant)

Ya nina asson gi hilo ngasan (and made Him lie on the straw)

Kinantaye gue man mames na kanta (She sang Him sweet songs)

Para u maffong gue gi maigo-na. (to make Him sleep soundly.)

Kantaye gue sa kumekekasao (Sing to Him, because He is about to cry)

Kantaye gue para u nina maigo. (Sing to Him, so that He can be put to sleep.)

Cruzs children, and now even their children are raised as Cruz was. They know that when the Christmas winds arrive, its time to pick certain types of moss and other greenery and time to go help grandma build the bilen.

The entire process  culminating in a final Novena, or finakpo that brings dozens more family members together  validates the reasons why the family matriarch started this tradition in 1958.

It is such a happy time for me, to see family, to bring together my family and their friends and extended family, to celebrate the birth of Jesus here. It is always, always a good time, said Natty Calvo.

It was only recently that the final night of the Novena started to draw many more people. Though Natty Calvo insists that the focus remains on the birth of Jesus, her own family cant help but recognize their matriarchs birthday too  the day after Jesus.

On Tuesday, Dec. 26, Natty Calvo turns 84. More than 200 people are expected at the finakpo. Biba!
The winners of the Guam Congressional App Challenge have been announced, with four students from St. Johns School taking first place for their app, Guam Medicenters.

The annual competition invites middle and high school students to create and develop their own mobile apps, showcasing their skills in coding and problem solving, a release from Del. James Moylans office states.

The challenge was judged by Leah Beth Naholowaa, Sherylyn Tablan, and Divine Leones Tumanda, experts from STARBASE.

Kevin Choi, Kelvin Lee, Alex Shin, and Taisei Tagami from St. Johns School took home first place for their app, Guam Medicenters.

The app is designed to efficiently sort and list every hospital on Guam based on availability, providing vital information such as contact information, address, and hours of operation.

The Guam Medicenters app will be displayed at the U.S. Capitol Building and will be featured on the House of Representatives website, House.gov.

The team will also be invited to #HouseofCode Capitol Hill Reception in Washington D.C. to showcase their app with the winners from other districts across the nation.

Second place was awarded to 10-year-old Nytt Sharma of St. Johns School for his app, Guamunity.

The app is designed to help people in communities connect, get assistance, and improve their community. It can also help the mayors offices create a database of village residents to provide assistance to those in need.

Jaydie San Jose from Simon Sanchez High School took third place for her app, MiBuddy. The app mimics playing with a friend or pet and allows users to play games, feed, and react to gestures.

I am excited to see the talent and ingenuity demonstrated by our young people in Guam. The Congressional App Challenge is a wonderful opportunity for our students to showcase their skills and put their innovative ideas into practice. Congratulations to all the winners and participants, and thank you to the organizers for providing this opportunity to aspiring young coders and app developers in our community. I truly commend all these students for their creativity and innovation, and I hope to see more students join the competition next year, said Del. Moylan.

The winning students were congratulated and recognized for their hard work and achievement by Moylan at his office in Hagatna.

For more information on the Congressional App Challenge, go to congressionalappchallenge.us or contact the office of Del. Moylan at james.moylan@mail.house.gov or call (671) 922-6673.
The Guam Environmental Protection Agency is looking for the source of a potentially harmful chemical thats been showing up in Guams water.

Three water wells located in Yigo, Dededo, and Mangilao have been identified to have high enough levels of the chemical dieldrin that Guam EPA may soon recommend the water from those wells to be treated before any human can consume it. Thats according to this months meeting of the agencys board.

Dieldrin was a widely used insecticide in the U.S. between the 1950s and 1970s, thats been associated with cancer, liver damage, and impaired learning in animals. Though it was banned from usage on crops in 1974, it was still allowed for control of termites up to the 1980s.

A recent visit from U.S. EPA inspectors revealed the consistent presence of the chemical in three Guam Waterworks Authority water quality data going back to 2011, according to Julie Mendoza with Guam EPAs safety monitor program.

The long-banned chemical has gone otherwise unregulated, and its presence has not been closely monitored in the U.S., environmental health specialist Sierra Bettis told the Guam EPA board members. For the most part, its only been associated with health issues in major agricultural areas, she said.

Its also unusual to see the chemical in Guams water, as it tends to degrade within 20 to 25 years, local EPA officials said. The local regulator has since launched an investigation into the source of the insecticide contamination.

Bettis said that the U.S. EPA estimates the chemical may cause cancer in 1 in 10,000 people when found in concentrations higher than 0.2 parts per billion.

The three wells with higher levels than that were:

Y-15, near Andersen Air Force Base in Yigo, 1.61 parts per billion

D-17, across the Northern Community Health Center, 0.34 parts per billion

M-4, near Marbo Cave in Mangilao 0.23 parts per billion

Treatment of the chemical is possible, using granular activated carbon filters which GWA has installed at a number of water wells, officials said.

Its unclear whether any military wells may contain the substance, as it is not a requirement to test for dieldrin in wells, and data for GWA was only available because the lab the utility contracted to test its water collected the information, according to Bettis.

Mendoza said formerly military sites between the 1970s and 1980s have been associated with dieldrin, while subdivisions and commercial development may also be a source of the chemical.

Its a little puzzling to us why were still seeing it. But its not unusual, said Guam EPA Chief Engineer Brian Bearden.

The demolition of many older buildings, where dieldrin may have been protected from the environment beneath the foundation, could be responsible for the persistent presence of the chemical.

Especially for the civilian work, which isnt monitored, (it) may be being hauled to land, hard fills, where its becoming exposed to rainfall and being washed down to the aquifer, Bearden said.

Guam EPA is recommending that a public advisory be issued for any well with more than 0.02 parts per billion of dieldrin, and that a notification not to drink untreated water be issued for any well with more than 0.2 parts per billion.
The grandmother of Alex Batty, the British teen who was missing for six years in Europe before returning last week, has recalled her final phone call before his disappearance

Susan Caruana, the legal guardian of Alex, was emotionally reunited with him last week in Oldham after he fled his mother and grandad to return to the UK.

Melanie Batty had taken her son, then aged 11, on holiday in 2017 with her father David but they led him into an alternative lifestyle in France, Spain and Morocco.

Ms Caruana, 68, said she had feared she had heard the last of her grandson on a phone call six years ago.

"They completely and utterly betrayed me and left me heartbroken," she told The Sun on Friday. [I overheard Melanie] say 'we're getting rid of the phones now'. I thought 'I'll never see him again'."

Ms Batty was described by her son as being anti vaccination and anti government in deterring him from coming back to the UK.

Alex had described the period as hard work although he was not attending school. He said in his interview with The Sun that he felt isolated and that returning to the UK and resuming education would be the best solution for his future.

"Every time there was some sort of disaster I feared that he could be a victim," Ms Caruana said. [I didnt know] if they were dead or alive.

They were reunited on Saturday at Ms Caruanas Oldham home with Alex saying he gave his grandma a massive hug.

Greater Manchester Police confirmed on Friday that a criminal investigation has been launched into his alleged abduction.

Alex had walked alone after leaving his grandad and mother on December 11 and was picked up by student Fabien Accidini, who dropped him off at a police station in Toulouse.

It was revealed later last week that Alex had invented elements of his story - including that his grandad had died - to try and deter police from the scent. He described loving Melanie but said she was not a good mum.

It has been reported that police believe Ms Batty has flown to Finland.




Haiti - Education : 2023 results in 10 figures





The Ministry of National Education has drawn up a 10-figure assessment of the year 2023 to fully understand the main activities and actions in the education sector. A year 2023 marked by the management of major emergencies and progress in the transformation of the education system.



1 - 77% workforce as of January 3, 2023

The 2022-2023 school year, which started late, closed with 73% enrollment as of December 23, 2022.



2 - More than 20,000 students lost 3 months (September, October, November) due to the violence at Carrefour-Feuilles. However, 90% of students returned to school in other locations around mid-December.



3 - 1,137,406 students with their parents have already been registered on the Ministry's online platform by school management and have a Unique School Identification Number (NISU) https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-41191-haiti-education-more-than-a-million-students-17-000-schools-and-30-000-teachers-already-registered.html



4 - 1 million "single books" in Haitian Creole were produced and distributed free of charge for the 1st and 2nd Fundamental Years. https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-40209-icihaiti-education-distribution-of-thousands-of-unique-books.html



5 - 32,982 teachers registered on the Ministry's digital platform to obtain the Teaching Permit. The Ministry will soon publish the % of teachers who have left the education sector or the country.



6 - 2,500 teachers mobilized for apprenticeship compensation

Nearly 115,000 students benefited from academic support https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-39657-haiti-education-national-learning-recovery-program-for-students-more-details.html



7 - 2,941 public sector teachers participated in a continuing education program implemented by the Training and Development Department (DFP) via public universities with the support of the National Education Fund (FNE). Coordination of Fundamentals Application Schools/Pedagogical Support Center (EFACAP)

also facilitated training.



8 - The FNE inaugurated 7 schools, in the North-East, the West, Nippes, and Grande-Anse, including 2 technical high schools in experimentation. They are added to the list of around sixty schools built by the partners.



9 - 2 university master's programs launched. The Public University of the North in Cap-Haitien (UPNCH) has launched a master's degree in management and management of public educational establishments https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-40873-icihaiti-cap-haitien-first-class-of-students-in-administration-direction-and-management-of-public-schools-master.html and the Universite Publique du Sud in Les Cayes (UPSAC) a master's degree in risk and disaster management



10 - Baccalaureate diplomas and transcripts are issued online free of charge, via the Ministry's platform during the pilot phase. 498,771 diplomas delivered online.



HL/ HaitiLibre






















Haiti - Anti-Corruption : Haitis intervention at COSP-10





Speech delivered by Me Hans Jacques Ludwig Joseph, Director General of the Anti-Corruption Unit (ULCC) at the 10th Conference of States Parties to the United Nations Convention against Corruption (COSP-10) held in Atlanta (USA).



Speech by Me Hans Jacques Ludwig Joseph :



"Mr President,

Distinguished members of the different delegations,



The Republic of Haiti is honored to participate in the tenth conference of States Parties to the United Nations Convention against Corruption. I congratulate the President on his election to chair our work.



Mr. President,



Over the past 20 years of the Convention, significant breakthroughs have been made. I want to emphasize that since its ratification, the Haitian State has equipped itself with a legal and institutional arsenal to prevent and fight against corruption. This very year, the Republic of Haiti adopted new legislation, notably on money laundering, a new customs code and a new tax code https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-37379-haiti-economy-towards-the-adoption-for-the-first-time-in-haiti-of-a-general-tax-code.html . These three instruments reaffirm the desire of the Haitian State to join the international community to combat corruption which is a threat to democracy, peace and the rule of law.



The Haitian State, through the Anti-Corruption Unit, has intensified its actions to prevent corruption by focusing on education and awareness raising among young people, as well as on the involvement of society actors. civil. Dissertation competition https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-33891-icihaiti-ulcc-winners-of-the-national-essay-competition.html, creation of an anti-corruption documentation center https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-39127-haiti-justice-the-ulcc-at-the-39th-meeting-of-the-committee-of-experts-against-corruption.html , creation of an inter-university chair of anti-corruption studies https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-40415-haiti-news-zapping.html , vast awareness campaign against corruption for students, launch of integrity clubs last November in schools across the country https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-41062-haiti-education-launch-of-integrity-clubs-in-schools.html . It is more than essential that this young generation decides to adopt a culture of intolerance to corrupt practices and subversive, unethical attitudes.



We have adopted a Code of Ethics applicable to investigators in accordance with the Convention. The Superior Council of the Judicial Power has also published a Guide to the ethics of magistrates with a view to promoting judicial integrity.



Furthermore, the Haitian State is working towards the signing of an Integrity Pact between private sector actors. Last September, meetings were organized around the role of this sector in the fight against corruption. The ULCC, also, the National Commission for Public Procurement to prevent and manage conflicts of interest in public procurement has established the best practice of identifying the effective beneficiaries of public procurement.



On the repressive side, decisive steps have been taken. Over the last three years, the ULCC has produced and transferred to the courts 42 criminal investigation reports establishing significant acts of corruption to the detriment of the State. Funds were frozen and custodial and restrictive measures taken. One hundred and twelve requests were sent to public prosecutors with a view to prosecuting influential political figures for failure to declare assets. These are unprecedented actions which explain the determination of the Haitian Government to clean up public life. An Anti-Corruption Circuit which represents the first judicial center specialized in the processing of corruption cases has been established.



On the other hand, the Government, following the recommendations made during the last review cycle, has developed two essential draft laws. These are the preliminary bill on free access to information and the one aimed at protecting, among other things, whistleblowers.



Ladies and gentlemen,



The fight against corruption remains at the heart of our national concerns. The country continues its actions for the proper application of the Convention, multiplying and combining efforts in order to impose transparency in public management. I am delighted with the accession of the Haitian Government to the GlobE Network which will strengthen our actions to detect and repress corruption. I call for international cooperation in this sphere which could result in the strengthening of digital investigation capacities and a technical assistant relating to the recovery of assets in favor of developing countries which are primarily suffering the consequences of this global scourge.



Finally, Haiti welcomes this theme chosen by the United States relating to accountability because for our part, we are currently taking crucial actions to hold accountable those who, through the practice of corruption, undermine the laws of the Republic. and impose themselves as an obstacle to the development of the country.



Thank you."



See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-41062-haiti-education-launch-of-integrity-clubs-in-schools.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-40415-haiti-news-zapping.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-39127-haiti-justice-the-ulcc-at-the-39th-meeting-of-the-committee-of-experts-against-corruption.html

https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-33891-icihaiti-ulcc-winners-of-the-national-essay-competition.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-37379-haiti-economy-towards-the-adoption-for-the-first-time-in-haiti-of-a-general-tax-code.html



HL/ HaitiLibre


















Published on 2023/12/23 | Source

Korean movie "Star of Ulsan" added to HanCinema database

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"Star of Ulsan" (2024)

Directed by Jung Ki-hyuk

With Kim Geum-soon, Choi Woo-bin, Jang Min-young-I, Do Jung-hwan, Im Hyeong-tae, Byun Joong-hee,...

Synopsis

Star of Ulsan calmly captures a way of life that is silently collapsing. Yunhwa, who works at a shipyard to manage their livelihood after her husbands accident, receives a notice of unfair dismissal. To make matters worse, their relatives suddenly come and try to take away the family land. Her son loses a large sum of money with Bitcoin, and her daughter dreams of escaping to Seoul while giving up her studies. Instead of resolving the misfortunes and conflicts surrounding the characters at once or erasing them neatly, the film chooses to stare at the uncomfortable situations as long as possible. In that way, the film, which makes it impossible to turn away from the stains and fatigue of life, reminds us of moments and things that cannot be turned away and should not be turned away. It is trustworthy because the characters do not give up hope nor indulge in self-pity easily. SONG Kyung-won

27th Busan International Film Festival

Release date in Korea : 2024/01/24
British drinkers have been warned by an Italian consortium to stop abusing the term prosecco when they are drinking sparkling wine.

The Prosecco DOC consortium has displayed posters on the London Underground warning drinkers any effervescent wine is not prosecco, which has been protected under EU law since 2009.

The drink has a geographical designation label (DOC), meaning the wine must be produced in one of two Italian regions, Veneto or Friuli-Venezia Giulia.

This is not prosecco. Do not call it prosecco if it is a common effervescent wine, the poster, which features a picture of a barrel, warned.

Up to 15m people are estimated to see the posters, which have been displayed at more than 80 sites across London since 18 December.

Prosecco vineyards in Veneto, Italy. An Italian consortium has urged British drinkers to stop calling any sparkling wine prosecco (Miguel Medina/AFP via Getty Images)

Stefano Zanette, president of the Consorzio Tutela Prosecco DOC, said it was tradition for the group to carry out an international campaign at the end of each year highlighting the difference between prosecco and sparkling wine as consumers buy the drink of the festive period.

Diego Tomasi, the director of the Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco DOCG consortium, also warned the name being used for sparkling wines should be strongly opposed.

The great value of Italian viticulture lies in the close and intimate link between the vine and genius loci. It is clear that this cannot be replicated and any attempt at imitation or evocation of the name must be strongly opposed. No other wine experience can boast our name, Mr Tomasi told The Telegraph.

It comes after the number of prosecco bottles being exported to Britain fell by nine per cent in 2021 due to red tape caused by Brexit.

Coldiretti, the major organisation representing Italian farmers, said the UK had been overtaken by the US in prosecco exports but remained ahead of France and Germany.

Meanwhile, Australian producers have been making sparkling wine from the prosecco grape since 2001 and disagreements about the term have caused issues for free trade agreements with the EU.

In 2020, the Australian government funded a 54,000 research project to examine the validity of the protected geographical indication.
Widower's $1M gift to BRCC honors nurses

The Young family stands with healthcare leaders at Blue Ridge Community Colleges Health Sciences Center. From left to right: Leigh Angel, dean of health sciences; Kim Young; Paul Young; Judith Fender; and Dr. Amy Szoka, director of nursing.

When Paul Mansfield Young lost his wife of more than 20 years to cancer, he found comfort in an unexpected way  through the nurses who cared for her.

Now, Young is giving hope to countless future nurses and patients through a $1 million gift to Blue Ridge Community Colleges Educational Foundation. His generosity will fund an ongoing nursing scholarship, new instructional equipment, and other resources needed to help students become the kind of compassionate professionals that his wife experienced.

The nurses treated Renee like she was their own mother, Young said.

In his final days with Maurene Renee Young, Paul spent nearly every day over two months at an area hospital. The family had only learned of the aggressive cancer a year earlier. For years, Renee believed that the pain in her foot was only plantar fasciitis, until an x-ray revealed a cause for more concern. By the next spring, she required constant care. Around the clock, nurses rotated in and out of the hospital room, gently caring for Renees every need, providing encouragement and protecting her dignity in sensitive moments.

They treated her with the utmost love and respect, doting over her and making her No. 1, said Kim Young, Pauls daughter. It takes a very special person to become a nurse.

After Renee passed away on April 30 this year Paul wanted to somehow express his gratitude to the nurses who had aided his wife. He considered bringing a gift to the hospital, but with so many nurses involved, he wasnt sure who should receive it. Instead, Paul decided to help generations of nurses with the resources his successful family businesses had earned over his lifetime.

Through BRCCs nursing program, the $1 million gift will create a legacy in Renees honor including a scholarship in her name. The gift is intended to help meet the critical local need for nurses, as well as fill hospital rooms with the kind of caring and knowledgeable nurses that the Young family experienced.

We are so very moved by Mr. Paul Youngs story and love for his wife, BRCC President Laura B. Leatherwood said. His investment in tomorrows nurses through our College will have a profound and lasting impact. Were grateful to the Young family for entrusting this great honor to us as we educate nursing professionals in Renees name.

After Young shared his decision, Blue Ridge nursing students, faculty and staff thanked him with a signed and framed piece of artwork that read, Thank you for believing in us.

I just hope it makes a difference, Young said, and that it helps make many happy, caring nurses.

Today, Renees family fondly remembers her adventurous and spontaneous spirit. She loved to explore new places with her husband by recreational vehicle, an activity that brought them closer over the years. Paul recalled that each year she would surround their country home with flowers. Most importantly, Renee is remembered as an exceptionally caring person who loved her family and cherished time with her children and grandchildren.

She wanted to take care of others more than herself, said Kim.

Renee was just a terrific woman, Paul added. She made it worth getting up every morning for her.

In Western North Carolina, Young is known for his work with Shoneys restaurants and Kounty Line convenience stores.

He built and operated 13 Shoneys between 1971 and 1978 with his brother, James Cubby Young, in Brevard, Asheville, Enka-Candler, Waynesville, Morganton, Forest City, Florence, South Carolina, and the Tri-Cities region of Tennessee. His first job with Shoneys was at the age of 12, washing car windows outside a restaurant in Charleston, West Virginia. Pauls manager took note of his dedication, and Paul worked his way up to a cook by age 17. By age 23, he worked as a vice president over 14 Shoneys locations in Charlotte, North Carolina. With a firm belief in reward for hard work, in 1979 he gave each of the managers who oversaw his WNC restaurants the opportunity to purchase them.

More recently, Young built and operated a series of Kounty Line convenience stores. The name was derived from the location of the original store near Airport Road in Arden, which sat squarely on the Buncombe and Henderson County lines. The store even had an interior line painted down the middle to denote the boundary. He later expanded to four total stores, with two operated by his son and one by each of his daughters.

In life, I believe a person can do whatever they want to do, he said. If my dad can do it from the holler that we came from, then anyone in this world can do it. You just need to have a little drive in you.
Michael Peixoto, 27, was attacked on Mayfield Crescent, Thornton Heath (Metropolitan Police)

The family of a man stabbed to death in south London have started a fundraiser for Michael Afonso.

The 27-year-old was found with knife injuries on Mayfield Crescent, Thornton Heath, at around 10.30pm on Tuesday.

Metropolitan Police officers attended with paramedics and Londons Air Ambulance and treated Mr Afonso at the scene but were unable to save him.

A murder investigation has started and the BBC has reported that "a group of men were involved and they drove off in his grey Vauxhall Grand X Elite".

His older cousin Ricardo Ferreira said Mr Afonso was married and had a young son.

He has started a Go Fund Me campaign to cover the 10,000 needed to transport his body back to his native Portugal where the family hope to bury him.

Mr Ferreira said: Michael was sadly taken from us due to knife crime on December 19.

[He was] devastatingly pronounced dead at the scene, leaving behind his wife, young son and the rest of his family.

As you can imagine his mum is absolutely heartbroken and with Christmas just around the corner it makes it 10 times harder.

Mayfield Crescent, Thornton Heath (Google Maps)

He added: Michael's mother's wish is to get his body back home and lay him to rest in Portugal. I know everyone is struggling at the moment but we cannot do this without your help however big or small. Every little bit helps.

As of noon on Saturday, Mr Ferreira had raised 2,750 towards the goal. There have been more than 100 donations.

The Met said on Friday that he was attacked by a "group of men". The suspects drove off in the car Michael had been travelling in, a grey Vauxhall Grand X Elite  registration DL19LVS - which has yet to be recovered, the foce said.

Detective Inspector Martin Thorpe said: This was a violent attack which has caused devastation to Michaels family and friends.

"While my team continues to work hard to establish the motive behind this attack, it does not appear that the theft of the car was the reason."

Mr Afonsos death has launched the eleventh murder probe in Croydon of this year with the borough having Londons highest homicide rate.

Story continues

Mayor of Croydon Jason Perry said the latest victim suffered significant stab wounds.

He added: I am deeply saddened by this tragic incident and send my heartfelt condolences to the victims family and friends as well as to all those in the local area who are affected by such terrible news.

The Ferreira family have been approached for further comment.
Air India's first wide-body aircraft, the A350, adorned with a fresh livery, landed at Delhi Airport on Saturday. Air India A350 lands at Delhi Airport.(Air India)

Air India, intending to incorporate a total of six A350 planes, stands as the first Indian carrier to feature this aircraft type.

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However, numerous post-arrival regulatory processes, including customs clearance, various DGCA checks on equipment, and a series of ground tests and proving flights, must be completed before the aircraft is certified to carry passengers.

Also read: Delhi-Ayodhya in 80 min via Air India; inauguration date, timings revealed

Air India A350 cabin interiors pics

Air India A350 Premium Economy Class(Air India)

Air India 350 Economy Class(Air India)

Air India A350 Business Class 2(Air India)

Air India A350 Business Class 1(Air India)

Air India managing director and chief executive Campbell Wilson, in a message to the staff, said on Friday: "We will be operating short sectors for a few months so that we can familiarise our pilots with the new aircraft under the tutelage of experienced instructors, and to build a pool sufficient to support long-haul A350 operations later in the year.

According to Wilson, the remaining six A350s will join the fleet in mid-2024.

The CEO announced the introduction of new uniforms for the airline's ground staff and Air India Express personnel. Recently, the airline introduced new uniforms for the cabin and cockpit crew.

Also read: Jhujhunwala's Akasa Air beats out Air India, Indigo in Centre's on-time performance rankings; check list here

Under Tata ownership, Air India has outlined ambitious expansion plans, including the integration of 40 Airbus A350 aircraft over the coming years. The airline has solidified orders for 250 Airbus aircraft and 220 new Boeing flights.

This strategic move aligns with Air India's goal for a turnaround under Tata ownership. The carrier secured purchase agreements for these aircraft during the Paris Air Show in June, with regulatory approval already obtained for the engineering line maintenance of A350 aircrafta crucial step toward ensuring the smooth operation and maintenance of all six A350 aircraft to be inducted into the fleet.

(Inputs from wires)
A year after Google fired 12,000 employees in the biggest lay off in the history of the company, a new report has suggested that a larger layoff may be hitting the tech giant soon, posing a risk at around 30,000 jobs. A report suggests that Google may be planning another big layoff soon.- (Reuters)(Reuters)

Google is reportedly planning to restructure the ad sales department of the company due to the increasing role of artificial intelligence (AI) in operations. This has sparked concerns that there can be a hefty layoff coming in the ad sales unit of Google, which consists of 30,000 people.

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A report from The Information said that the recent AI developments will lead to significant job displacement at Google soon. The tech company is planning to automate certain jobs in the ad sales and customer service department, the report said.

The decisions to lay off certain number of employees were reportedly discussed during a department-wide Google Ads meeting. This comes after Google had unveiled its "new era of AI-powered ads", where Google was introducing conversational ads.

The AI ads initiative by Google will give access to artificial intelligence for scanning websites and automatically generating keywords, coming up with headlines, images and other aspects of the advertisement.

AI tools have gained major popularity in the last few years, with Google's own artificial intelligence division Google AI conducting multiple researches and studies on how to smooth out functioning of the company through AI tools.

CEO Sundar Pichai on Google layoffs

After one whole year of the company's biggest layoff, CEO Sundar Pichai recently opened up to what led to the difficult decision and how has the company been performing since. Pichai said that after the layoffs, morale has taken a major hit.

However, Pichai defended the layoffs by saying that if a certain amount of people weren't let go, it would have been a "worse decision down the line" for the firm, describing the decision as "difficult but necessary".

The Google CEO said, "It would have been a major overhang on the company. I think it would have made it very difficult in a year like this with such a big shift in the world to create the capacity to invest in areas."
Google is reportedly planning to reorganise' a big part of its ad sales unit, leaving employees concerned there could be more job cuts in a company that has already laid off 12,000 staff members this year, the largest in the tech giant's history. An illuminated Google logo is seen inside an office building in Zurich, Switzerland December 5, 2018. (REUTERS/Arnd Wiegmann/File Photo)

The Sundar Pichai-led firm has, however, not undertaken another round of layoffs in 2023.

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What is the news?

According to The Information, which broke the story, the plan to restructure the ad sales teams was shared internally by Sean Downey, Google's President of Americas and Global Partners; the said meeting was held last week.

During the meeting, however, Downey did not say anything about whether this would lead to another round of job cuts, or not. As many as 30,000 people are part of the concerned department.

Why would there be layoffs, if any?

This is because Google's move comes at a time when it continues to invest in artificial intelligence (AI)  as well as machine learning  to facilitate increased ad purchasing. The use of AI, would, however, lead to diminished human involvement, and, therefore, the Mountain View-headquartered company could consider layoffs, or, at least, a reassignment of the likely-to-be-affected staffers to another department within the organisation.

What has Google said?

Google is yet to issue a statement on the story.
In a historic moment for the Tata-owned airlines, Air India got its first ever wide-body A350-900 aircraft in its fleet, making this the first aircraft of its kind to be in rotation in an Indian airline. Air India A350 lands at Delhi Airport on Saturday.(Air India)

This is a major step forward in the fleet expansion plan of Air India, which placed the order for 20 such aircraft. The delivery of the first out of the 20 A350-900 aircraft took place on Saturday when the flight touched down in New Delhi.

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Air India CEO and MD Campbell Wilson said this in his weekly message to the employees yesterday. "After many months of planning, the first aircraft, and the first to sport our new livery and interior, will arrive in Delhi tomorrow."

The aircraft will first complete all the mandatory regulatory tests and checks as well as including customs clearance, various DGCA checks on equipment, as well as a series of ground tests and proving flights before it is put into rotation.

India's first wide-body A350-900 aircraft: 5 things to know

The A350-900 aircraft will commence its commercial journey in India from January 2024. The aircraft landed in Delhi after completing its journey in France from the Airbus facility.

The A350-900 aircraft inducted into Air India has a three-class cabin configuration with a total of 316 seats. The breakdown of the seats is as follows - 28 Business Class suites with full-flat beds, 24 Premium Economy seats featuring additional legroom, and 264 Economy Class seats.

Air India is the only Indian airline to have wide-body aircraft in rotation. Further, the company is planning to induct five more of these flights in its fleet by May 2024.

Airbus said that the wide-body A350-900 aircraft burns 25 percent less fuel than all the older airplanes, making it one of the most sought-after aircraft by commercial airlines.

Air India has solidified its order for 250 Airbus aircraft and 220 new Boeing flights, collectively valued at USD 70 billion at list prices.

(With inputs from PTI)
Himachal Pradesh chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu informed the assembly on Saturday that a decision regarding the use of flags on vehicles by MLAs will be made after deliberating on relevant legal aspects with the speaker. A convoy moves along near Pragati Maidan, in New Delhi on Saturday. (Arvind Yadav/HT)

Sukhu addressed the issue raised by BJP MLA Trilok Jamwal, who highlighted the 2021 amendment to the law concerning MLAs displaying flags on their vehicles. Jamwal said that despite the speaker's communication with the General Administration Department on April 16, no action has been taken.

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Also read: Noida police fines car owners over caste and religious stickers on CMs directions

Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania instructed the government to issue the authorisation letter by Saturday or Sunday.

Congress MLA Kewal Singh Pathania questioned the rationale for using disaster as a reason for flags and lights.

Officials cite disaster as a reason for installing flag and flashing light on their vehicles, but the reality is that in a disaster, the first person to reach the spot is the chief minister, followed by ministers and MLAs, he said.

Horticulture minister Jagat Singh Negi proposed removing flags from officers' vehicles. If the right cannot be given to MLAs, then flags should be removed from vehicles of officers, he said.

MLA Vinod Kumar said there is necessity of the flag provision in current circumstances.

Also read- Ludhiana: Cong sarpanchs son held for putting beacon, MLA tag on car

Parliamentary affairs minister Harshvardhan Chauhan observed the prolonged nature of this matter and urged the Chief Minister to make a prompt decision.
After Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's decision to withdraw the hijab ban in educational institutions, state BJP Chief Vijayendra Yediyurappa expressed concerns about the secular nature of educational institutions. Karnataka state BJP Chief Vijayendra Yediyurappa. (Agencies)

"CM Siddaramaiah's decision to withdraw the hijab ban in educational institutions raises concerns about the secular nature of our educational spaces. By allowing religious attire in educational institutions, the Karnataka government is promoting and dividing young minds along religious lines, potentially hindering an inclusive learning environment. It's crucial to prioritise education over divisive practices and foster an environment where students can focus on academics without the influence of religious practices," Karnataka BJP Chief Vijayendra Yediyurappa posted on X.

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Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday announced that his government will withdraw the ban order on the hijab imposed by the BJP and said that no politics should be done on what people prefer to wear and eat.

READ | Hijab ban to be lifted in Karnataka, what to wear personal choice: Siddaramaiah

The Karnataka Chief Minister said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's idea of Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas is bogus.

"PM Narendra Modi's sab ka saath-sab ka vikas is bogus. BJP is doing the work of dividing people and dividing society on the basis of clothes, dress, and caste. I have told to withdraw the hijab ban," CM Siddaramaiah posted on X.

The previous BJP government in the State had imposed a Hijab ban on students in educational institutions. The matter reached the Karnataka High Court which also upheld the ban imposed by the then BJP government. In this regard, Supreme Court had delivered a split verdict leading to the Karnataka High Court being upheld.

Also while addressing a public rally in Mysuru on Friday, the Karnataka Chief Minister said that this decision will be taken back and women can go out wearing Hijab.

"We will take back that decision, there is no Hijab ban now. Women can go out wearing hijab. I have told the officials to take back the order (previous govt order). Dressing and eating food is our choice, why should I object? Wear whatever dress you want, eat whatever you want, why should I care? We should not do politics to get votes, we don't do that," Karnataka CM said.

Reacting to the announcement made by Karnataka Chief Minister, Karnataka BJP said that Siddaramaiah is sowing the poison of religion in the state.

READ | Will lift hijab ban in Karnataka, says CM Siddaramaiah

"A uniform policy has been implemented in schools and colleges to ensure that children are equal. This has also been upheld by the Supreme Court. However, the Chief Minister is creating a difference in the minds of the school students regarding the issue of uniforms. Siddaramaiah is going to amend the constitution itself for a vote bank to appease PFI goons and minorities. In the coming days, the people themselves will teach this a lesson," Karnataka BJP posted on X.

The Hijab row in the State erupted in January 2022 when the Government PU College in Udupi allegedly barred six girls wearing the hijab from entering. Following this, the girls protested outside the college over being denied entry.

Earlier last month, the Karnataka Examination Authority (KEA) restricted all forms of head cover in the exam hall during recruitment exams for various boards and corporations to avoid malpractice.

Though the dress code does not explicitly ban hijab, it is implied by the new guidelines. The order said that this is part of the effort to stop exam malpractices using Bluetooth devices.
The Karnataka government's decision to withdraw the ban on wearing hijab in educational institutions in the state has triggered a huge war of words between the ruling Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party. Chief minister Siddaramaiah said he has ordered the lifting of the restrictions on wearing hijab while observing that choice of dress and food is personal. The SC in October 2022 had delivered a split verdict on the Hijab issue, with one judge upholding the state government's decision, while the other said the hijab is a matter of choice. (REUTERS)

Reacting strongly to the Karnataka government's move, the BJP on Saturday alleged that the ruling Congress was carrying forward the British policy of divide and rule.

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Addressing reporters in New Delhi, BJP Karnataka chief Vijayendra accused Siddaramaiah of vitiating the academic atmosphere. He also said the move raises concerns about the secular nature of educational spaces.

Karnataka minister Priyank Kharge supported Siddaramaiah's decision to revoke the restrictions placed by the previous BJP regime in 2022.

What is the Hijab row all about?

The controversy first started in January last year when the Government Pre-University College in Karnataka's Udupi allegedly denied entry to six female students who had worn headscarves (hijab).

Following this, there were statewide protests by several groups to allow the hijab in educational institutions, and the matter went on to be tried both in the Karnataka high court as well as the Supreme Court. The latter in October 2022 delivered a split verdict on the issue, with one judge upholding the state government's decision to impose a uniform and the other saying that the hijab is a matter of choice that cannot be interfered with by the state.

READ | On hijab ban lift, Karnataka minister's message for BJP: Set your house...'

Who is backing decision to lift hijab ban?

Congress and Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) leaders have spoken out in favour of the decision. RLD national president Jayant Chaudhary, and Karnataka ministers Priyank Kharge, Madhu Bangarappa and HK Patil have extended their support.

Kharge, reacting to allegations by the BJP that the ruling party was doing appeasement politics and playing divide and rule, asserted that the decision was as per the law and hit out at the saffron party by saying they should first set their own house in order.

Whatever the Karnataka government is doing is as per the law and framework of the Constitution. BJP has no work to do, they should set their house in order first, he said.

Karnataka law minister HK Patil said, The last government's decision about hijab was totally biased and it was not in tune with the secular thinking of the country.

He also asserted that the move had nothing to do with elections.

Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) leader Afsar Kodlipet also welcomed the decision, saying, In 2021, the Basavaraj Bommai-led BJP government imposed a ban on Hijab in educational institutions in Karnataka. However, (CM) Siddaramaiah has said that the ban will lifted, and we welcome the move.

READ | RLD backs Karnataka govt's Hijab move; BJP calls it divide and rule

Who is against the move?

Slamming the decision, Union minister Giriraj Singh said the lifting of the ban will aid the establishment of Sharia law in the southern state. "This is not merely lifting of the ban on hijab but the establishment of Sharia law in the state. If Rahul Gandhi, Congress and INDI alliance form a government in the country, then Islamic law will be implemented," he told reporters.

Other senior leaders from the BJP including former chief minister BS Yediyurappa condemned the statement government's decision, saying, "Nobody demanded Siddaramaiah to withdraw this hijab decision. All the communities are together. To attend the classes, the same uniform is required, this has been decided by the court also. Just to please the Muslim community, Siddaramaiah has taken this hasty decision. I condemn that and he must withdraw the decision immediately. This will not affect the Lok Sabha elections. In the coming Lok Sabha elections, people will teach them a lesson."

Yediyurappa is currently a member of the BJP's Parliamentary board committee.

Leaders CT Ravi and BY Vijayendra have also opposed the move and alleged that the grand old party was indulging in appeasement politics and playing divide and rule.

(With agency inputs)
Priyank Kharge, the Karnataka Minister for IT & BT and Rural Development & Panchayat Raj (RDPR) on Saturday chimed into the raging Hijab controversy, supporting Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's decision to revoke the restrictions placed by the previous Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) regime in 2022. Congress leader Priyank Kharge.(File)

The son of Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge, the cabinet minister is also the Chairman for Communications of the KPCC. He was reacting to allegations by the opposition BJP that the ruling party was doing appeasement politics and playing divide and rule.

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ALSO READ | RLD backs Karnataka govt's Hijab move; BJP calls it divide and rule

Kharge asserted that the decision was as per the law and hit out at the saffron party by saying they should first set their own house in order.

Whatever the Karnataka government is doing is as per the law and framework of the Constitution. BJP has no work to do, they should set their house in order first, he said, while speaking to reporters.

The Karnataka unit of the BJP is heavily opposing the lift on the Hijab ban, B Y Vijayendra sating that the Congress-led government in the state is dividing young minds along religious lines.

ALSO READ | Karnataka govt dividing young minds along religious lines: State's BJP chief on decision to withdraw hijab ban

"CM Siddaramaiah's decision to withdraw the Hijab ban in educational institutions raises concerns about the secular nature of our educational spaces. By allowing religious attire in educational institutions Siddaramaiah government is promoting dividing young minds along religious lines, potentially hindering the inclusive learning environment," he said in a social media post.

The Hijab row first started in January last year when a Government Pre-University College in Udupi allegedly denied entry to six female students who were dressed in headscarves (hijab).

(With ANI inputs)
Lieutenant governor (LG) VK Saxena has recommended an inquiry by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the procurement and supply of spurious and non-standard drugs, including some life-saving medicines, in Delhi government hospitals and Mohalla Clinics, the LG office said on Saturday. The LGs recommendation came after around 10% of the drug samples lifted in July from three major Delhi government hospitals and tested at approved drug testing laboratories, failed. (ANI)

The LGs recommendation came after around 10% of the drug samples lifted in July from three major Delhi government hospitals and tested at approved drug testing laboratories, failed. These drugs were procured by the Central Procurement Agency (CPA), under the Delhi governments health department and supplied to various government hospitals.

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Saxena, in a note, has directed chief secretary Naresh Kumar to take action in the matter. I am, to say the least, anguished at the fact that lakhs of hapless people and patients are being supplied fake drugs that have failed quality standard tests. These drugs procured by spending huge budgetary resources are a grave threat to public health and safety and have the potential of endangering lives of people. Prima facie, apart from CPA-DHS, GNCTD there are suppliers, manufacturers situated in other states and Drug Controllers in those states associated in this whole exercise, the note said.

Accordingly, since the matter of Mohalla Clinics is already entrusted to CBI, this case, which may, inter alia, also involve supply of these failed Not of Standard Quality drugs to such clinics, may also be entrusted to the Central Agency, especially in light of the fact that the investigation therein involves multi inter-state stakeholders including CPA-DHS, GNCTD, suppliers/dealers, manufacturers in other states and other state agencies, it added.

Meanwhile, Delhi health minister Saurabh Bharadwaj said the medicines are procured under directions from the directorate general of health services and the head of the department is the health secretary, SB Deepak Kumar. Bharadwaj has called for Kumars immediate suspension.

The health secretary does not obey written or verbal orders. The officers (of the Delhi government) are not accountable to the ministers and the elected government. I became a minister on March 9, 2023, and ordered an audit of medicines on March 21, 2023. I reminded and wrote to the health secretary in July seeking a reply but no action was taken, said Bharadwaj.

He also alleged that samples of consumables were also found to be not of standard quality but no inquiry has been ordered into that by the LG. I came to know that samples of consumables and medicines were lifted. Some samples of the consumables were also not found of standard quality. No CBI inquiry has been ordered into the quality of consumables because the consumables were purchased from the central governments GEM (government-e-market), Bharadwaj said.

HT REACHED OUT TO SB DEEPAK KUMAR

The drug samples were lifted by the drug controller on July 25 from the Institute of Human Behaviour and Allied Sciences, Lok Nayak, and Deen Dayal Upadhyay hospitals which cater to millions of patients, after allegations that several frequently-used medicines, procured from government hospitals were ineffective on patients. The samples were sent to approved government and private labs for testing.

The reports of the labs were sent by the drug controller and the health department for further action to the Directorate of Vigilance (DoV) in November. The DoV, based on the reports, found that more than 10% of the samples failed and were not of standard quality.

LG office said that according to the vigilance department, three of the 43 samples sent to government labs failed the test while 12 reports were still pending, adding that another five from a different batch of 43 samples also failed.

The spurious and non-standard drugs... include critical life-saving antibiotics used for treatment of lungs and UT infections cephalexin, steroid for curing life-threatening inflammation in lungs, joints and swelling in the body  dexamethasone, anti-epilepsy, and anti-anxiety psychiatric drug  levetiracetam and anti-hypertension drug amlodepin, the LG office said.

Drugs such as amlodipine, levetiracetam, and pantoprazole failed in both government as well as private labs. Further, cephalexin and dexamethasone failed in private labs. The report of 11 samples was still pending with the government lab of Chandigarh.

The development triggered the latest flashpoint between the Aam Aadmi Party-ruled Delhi government and the Centre-ruled Bharatiya Janata Party which appoints the lieutenant governor. To be sure, the two parties have been at loggerheads for many months and charges have been flying from both ends.

Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva in a press conference accused chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and health minister Saurabh Bhardwaj of playing with the health of the people of Delhi.

Due to the corruption, the government has compromised the quality of drugs used to treat the sick. It is posing a great danger to the lives of thousands of people who take medicines from Delhi government hospitals, said Sachdeva.

Meanwhile, the vigilance department has recommended that since more than 10% of samples have failed, the department should also increase the scope of sampling and immediately stop the distribution of such medicines. The DoV has also sought to investigate the role of suppliers, other than the CPA, who procured such drugs from the manufacturers and supplied them to the hospitals.

There is a need to lift the corporate veil to understand the gravity and motive, the DoV said while also suggesting to blacklist these companies/dealers.

A Delhi government official said: The government has already complained about this officer (health secretary), who also stopped the Farishtey scheme. Delhi government has already gone to the Supreme Court against this officer. Will LG take immediate action against health secretary SB Deepak Kumar?
Several student groups held a torch march on the Jawaharlal Nehru University campus here on Saturday, demanding the withdrawal of the new rules of conduct. JNU students' outfits hold torches during a march on campus against the revised Chief Proctor Office (CPO) manual which imposes stringent measures like penalising protests in selected areas of the campus, in New Delhi.(PTI)

Nearly 100-150 students from the JNUSU and outfits like the AISA, SFI and the NSUI, along with hostel presidents, participated in the protest against the revised Chief Proctor Office manual which they allege is "dictatorial".

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READ | JNU students call for roll back of action over protests

Under the new rules, students can be fined up to 20,000 for protesting in prohibited areas and 10,000 for raising "anti-national" slogans.

Raising slogans such as "CPO manual wapas lo" and "Stop fine raj", the protesters gathered at the Ganga Dhaba of the university and marched to Chandrabhaga hostel.

The JNUSU said that it will continue their protest and may launch a hunger strike if the CPO manual is not taken back and proctorial inquiries against students are not ceased.

READ | JNU to impose strict curbs, fines up to 20,000 on protests on campus

"It has been JNU's tradition to fight back draconian rules and the students' union has always forced the administration to roll back such rules by raising their voice and staging protests.

"We will resist this CPO manual and if need be sit on a hunger strike to safeguard the democratic ethos of the university," JNU Students' Union president Aishe Ghosh said.

The students' union said it will soon announce its plan to "executive non-cooperation with the university administration".

Ghosh, however, told PTI the students' union is open to a dialogue with the administration to resolve the issue.

"We plan to hold a long movement if our demands are not met," she said.
MUMBAI: The Mumbai zonal unit of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has intercepted an international wildlife smuggling syndicate, apprehending an operative attempting to smuggle 11 foreign-origin snakes, including ball pythons and corn snakes. HT Image

The accused, arriving from Bangkok, concealed the 9 pythons and 2 corn snakes inside packets intended for cakes and biscuits within his check-in luggage. The accused was arrested after he arrived at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, Mumbai on Wednesday, DRI sources said.

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Experts confirmed the non-indigenous origin of the seized snakes, identified as python regius and pantherophis guttatus species. The snakes brought in by the alleged male carrier of the syndicate were meant to be used eventually as  trophies, collectibles, pets and livestock,  according to a DRI source.The Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB), Western Region (WR), Navi Mumbai officials had inspected the seized snakes and confirmed their identification upon being alerted by the agency.

According to DRI sources, the import of the snakes violated the countrys import policies and the provisions of the CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora). CITES is an international agreement among governments, aimed at ensuring that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten the survival of the species.

As the seized snakes species are not indigenous in nature and were imported in violation of CITES and import policy, the regional deputy director, WCCB, WR issued a detention-cum-deportation order to send back these reptiles to Bangkok for better survival, a DRI source said.

The DRI is conducting further investigations and searches to reach the operators of the smuggling syndicate, the sources said.

In a previous case in July, the DRI seized 306 live exotic animals, including tortoises and turtles, after foiling the alleged bid to smuggle them via air into India from Thailand by a suspected international wildlife trafficking racket.
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], December 23 (ANI): Based on intelligence input, Directorate of Revenue Intelligence seized nine pythons, two corn snakes, and intercepted a person who arrived at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, Mumbai, from Bangkok on December 21 HT Image

Based on the intelligence received, the officers of DRI, Mumbai Zonal Unit, intercepted a person who arrived at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, Mumbai, from Bangkok on December 21.

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Upon examination of the check-in luggage of the said passenger, nine ball pythons (Python regius) and two corn snakes (Pantherophis guttatus) were found concealed inside biscuit or cake packets. The same were seized under the Customs Act 1962.

The carrier of these exotic species has been arrested.

Further investigations and searches are underway. (ANI)
The dean of student affairs and head of mechanical engineering department, IIT Kanpur, Professor Sameer Khandekar, collapsed on the dais while giving a speech on Friday evening and passed away. For representation only (HT File Photo)

His body has been placed at the health centre for people to pay their last respects.

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Prof Khandekar was addressing the alumni meet on health when he stumbled and fell in the IITs auditorium. Those present said that Prof Khandekars final words were Take care of your health.

Witnesses noted his voice wavering, and he succumbed to profuse sweating before collapsing on stage. For a few minutes, the attendees thought the professor, overwhelmed by emotion, had sat down on the dais. But when he did not show any sign of motion, he was rushed to the cardiology institute. He was declared dead upon arrival.

Prof Khandekar, an IIT Kanpur alumnus, had battled health issues related to cholesterol in 2019, and had been undergoing treatment since then. Beyond academics, his contributions to the institute included active engagement with students and a recent visit to Sopan ashram just days before the unfortunate incident.

The alumni meet, held in the IITs auditorium, was attended by distinguished personalities, including noted physicists Padma Shri awardee Prof Harish Chandra Varma, with whom he was also associated.

Prof Varma said that Prof Khandekars collapse occurred around 6 PM while he was passionately addressing the audience.

Two days ago, he visited Sopan Ashram and spoke to students about science and gave invaluable tips, said Prof Varma .

The news has left the IIT community in shock, with students, faculty, and alumni grappling with the sudden loss of the leading academician. The final rites for Prof Khandekar will take place after the arrival of his son, Pravah Khandekar, who studies in Cambridge University.

Born in Jabalpur, Prof Khandekar earned his BTech from IIT Kanpur and pursued a PhD in mechanical engineering from Germany. In 2020, he assumed the role of head of the mechanical engineering department, leaving behind a legacy of dedication to education and well-being. The 55-year-old academician left behind his parents, his wife, Pradhanya Khandekar, and son.
The Orissa high court has directed the state government not to form any new district without the consent of the court, in what has been seen as a blow to chief minister Naveen Patnaiks move to create more districts in the state. The Orissa high court said the process of reorganisation of district may continue, but no final order shall be passed without leave of the court. (File)

Hearing a writ petition over creation of new districts, a division bench of acting chief justice BR Sarangi and justice Murahari Raman observed that the state is going to make further districts without having any guidelines or principles and at the caprice and whims of the government, new districts have been created. The process of reorganisation of district, which the state government wants to undertake may continue, but no final order shall be passed without leave of the court, the bench ordered.

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Akshaya Kumar Mohanty, president of Rairangpur Bar Association and District Kriyanusthan Committee had filed a PIL seeking direction to the state government for declaration of Rairangpur in Mayurbhanj as a new district taking Bamanghati (commonly known as Rairangpur) and Panchapeedh (commonly known as Karanjia) sub-divisions under its fold. The petitioner alleged that 17 new districts were created at the caprice and whims of the government. And the same is happening again only for political gains. The petitioner in the writ petition had sought direction to the state government to constitute a high-level committee under the chairmanship of an incumbent or retired Judge of High Court in order to examine the demands for creation of new districts in Odisha.

Early this month, the Odisha government had set the ball rolling for declaration of Padampur sub-division in Bargarh as a new district with an official team headed by revenue divisional commissioner of northern division scouting few sites for construction of district headquarters.In November last year, chief minister Patnaik had promised that Padampur subdivision in Bargarh district comprising six blocks, six tahasils, two NACs and a population of around 6.7 lakh would be declared as 31st district of Odisha by December 2023.

Apart from Padampur, demands of separate districts have been rising from Kantabanji and Titilagarh in Bolangir district for declaration as separate districts.

Meanwhile, Bharatiya Janata Party leader Pradeep Purohit alleged that the Naveen Patnaik government did not want to accord district status to Padampur and had engineered the PIL. Patnaik has betrayed the people of Padampur. He had assured them to accord district status to the Padampur subdivision in a bid to make BJD win the by-election. But as he actually does not want to make it a district, he roped in lawyers to file a writ petition and obtain a stay order from the court? Did any court put a stay order when late Biju Patnaik announced 17 more districts making it 30 in Odisha, Purohit asked.

Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee chief Sarat Patnaik said the state government cannot create new districts arbitrarily. There are certain rules and criteria to fulfill before announcing any district. During 2022 bypolls, Naveen Patnaik should not have announced to make Padampur a new district. It was a violation of the Election Model Code of Conduct, said Patnaik.

However, BJD MLA Prasanta Kumar Muduli said the formation of the district would take place as per Constitutional norms. The Odisha government is also aware and concerned about it. Everything will be done after complying with norms and appropriate measures will be taken at a favourable time, he said.
Apprehensive Kanpur exporters are holding back export consignments worth 100 crore in the background of the Israel-Hamas conflagration, and the Houthis stepping up attacks on cargo ships in Red Sea  a major sea trade route. For representation only (HT File Photo)

The Houthis are retaliating against Israeli action in Gaza.

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Meanwhile, shipping companies have refused to extend any insurance cover for the consignments, and use of alternative routes such as South Africa and Morocco, has increased the freight by 35%, which has impacted the manufacturing cost of items, industry watchers said.

The Red Sea route is the shortest from Asia to Europe.

Regional chairman of council for leather exports Javed Iqbal said the export has been impacted adversely. The industry was faced with difficulties due to the Russia-Ukraine war, but the attacks in the Red Sea have further compounded the issue, he said, adding exporters fear that the consignment would be robbed or destroyed in case it were sent through the Red Sea route. They are holding the consignments back.

Apart from leather and leather items, Kanpur exports readymade garments, plastic, spices, engineering tools to 27 European countries using the Bab al Mandeb or gate of tears, a narrow strait that connects Red Sea with Gulf of Eden. It is a critical maritime choke point situated between Yemen and the Arabian peninsula, and the strait is of high importance for international shipping.

The Houthis in the last few weeks have attacked cargo ships firing ballistic missiles in the strait. Imityaz Ahmed, who is in the cargo business, said shipping companies have flatly refused to provide any insurance cover for consignments booked, and some of them have even started asking for $5200 as risk surcharge.

Around 20 to 40-foot-long containers are used, and earlier the freight was $700 per container. Now it has jumped to $3000 plus surcharge, he said.

Sheezan Akhtar, a leading exporter of horse gear, said exporters are largely playing safe, and holding onto consignments, waiting for the situation to improve. As of now, the consignments are being sent through Mocorrco and South Africa at higher freight. It is not only long but also costly, he said.

Convener of Federation of Indian Export Organisation (FIEO) Alok Srivastava said that the exporters are facing serious trouble. Consignments of no less than 100 crore are on hold because of the attacks on the Red Sea route. We have brought the situation in the notice of the Union government. If the situation doesnt improve, exports will be impacted further, he added.

Kanpur exports, as per CLE estimates, leather, leather goods, spices, plastic and other goods worth 300 crore every month to Europe. Of late the exports were going down from Kanpur, which between April and September this year exported goods worth 4515 crore. During the same duration last year it was 5500 crore.
The Assam Police on Friday arrested two persons and recovered 150 AK47 live bullets, 60 Insas rifle bullets and six magazines from their possession, allegedly stolen from the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) in Nagalands Dimapur. (Representative Photo)

Police said that they recovered the bullets from the Bokajan Subdivision area near the Assam-Nagaland border and arrested two persons identified as Gagan Bora and Toufiq Ahmed. Both of them are residents of Assams Nagaon district.

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Superintendent of police (SP), Karbi Anglong district, Sanjib Saikia on Saturday told HT that they conducted a search operation based on specific information to nab the two accused.

According to Rustam Raj Brahma, Bokajan sub-divisional police officer (SDPO), a bag from a CRPF unit was recently stolen in Dimapur, when they were on their way to transit camp in Nagaland.

As per the information received from the CRPF, a bag was stolen when they were loading their luggage in a vehicle. 90 ammunitions of AK47 and 60 of Insas were in that bag along with uniforms and some other important stuff, SDPO said.

He said that Bora and Ahmed wanted to sell the bullets and magazines in illegal markets. We are interrogating them, and they will be produced before the court today, Brahma said.

The duo have been arrested under section 120B (criminal conspiracy), 379 (theft), 411 (Dishonestly Receiving Stolen Property) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and section 25(1AA) in Arms Act 1959, said the SDPO.
Election strategist Prashant Kishor met TDP supremo N Chandrababu Naidu at his residence in Vijayawada on Saturday and said it was a "courtesy meeting and long-overdue". Telugu Desam Party president N Chandrababu Naidu (HT_PRINT)

Kishor's sudden meeting with Naidu raised eyebrows among political circles in Andhra Pradesh, drawing sharp criticisim from the ruling YSRCP leaders.

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The assembly polls in Andhra Pradesh is to be held in 2024 and also Lok Sabha elections.

"I met Chandrababu Naidu. This was a courtesy meeting, long overdue. Told him that I would come and meet hime," said Kishor, while speaking to reporters.

Kishor, TDP general secretary Lokesh and three more persons landed at Gannavaram Airport near Vijayawada around 3 pm today in a private jet.

A video of Lokesh and Kishor arriving from the airport and boarding a black SUV went viral.

Meanwhile, Andhra Pradesh Irrigation Minister A Rambabu mocked the political rendezvous between Naidu, Lokesh and Kishor.

"When the (building) material itself is defective what can the mason do?" said Rambabu in a post on 'X', referring to the state of affairs of TDP.

Similarly, Industries Minister G Amarnath ridiculed that the TDP brought home a person against whom they made serious allegations.

Housing Minister Jogi Ramesh said though Naidu brought Kishor in addition to Pawan Kalyan, both of them cannot achieve anything for him.

"They (Kalyan & Kishor) will remove Chandrababu. The people of this state have already removed Chandrababu in 2019 and they are ready to uproot TDP as well as Janasena," claimed Ramesh.

In the run-up to the 2019 assembly and Lok Sabha elections in the southern state, YSRCP chief Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy hired the 'services' of Kishor, which eventually resulted in his party winning the polls.

TDP leaders and cadres launched a tirade against Kishor for teaming up with Reddy back then, but now it looks to be taking a different turn.
Retired police inspector Wazir Hussain Shaikh of Pune Police was attacked by an assailant multiple times with stones at Samadhan Chowk around 8.30 pm in Wanowrie on Friday night. The police have arrested the accused identified as Pramod Kakade in connection with the incident and booked him under Indian Penal Code (IPC) 307 (attempt to murder) at Wanowrie police station. (REPRESENTATIVE PHOTO)

Shaikh who sustained serious head injuries has been admitted to a private hospital where his condition is reported to be critical.

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The police have arrested the accused identified as Pramod Kakade in connection with the incident and booked him under Indian Penal Code (IPC) 307 (attempt to murder) at Wanowrie police station.

Shaikhs wife Isha ( 56), a resident of Brahma Angan Society, has lodged a complaint with the police.

The police in the primary investigation stated that both Shaikh and Kakade knew each other. The attack is a fallout over a financial dispute.

R Raj, deputy commissioner of police (Zone V), said, We have arrested Kakade and all angles are being probed in the case.

Shaikh retired from city police recently and has served as sub-inspector with the district special branch at Thane, criminal investigation department and economic offences wing, Nagpur and other positions in the state police during his service with the police department.
Sussanne Khan and Hrithik Roshan's son Hrehaan Roshan, who has a keen interest in music, has successfully enrolled in the prestigious Berklee College of Music. He has been awarded a scholarship for his course starting next year and his parents are very proud of him. Taking to Instagram. Sussanne shared the news. Also read: Fighter song Ishq Jaisa Kuch: Hrithik Roshan, Deepika Padukone spark sizzling chemistry in new track Sussanne Khan and Hrithik Roshan's elder son Hrehaan Roshan to leave for college in Boston next year.

Hrithik Roshan on Hrehaan's college scholarship

The official page of the college posted, Hrehaans acceptance into Berklee has been an Ode to Joy for all of us!! Congratulations to the next John Mayer in making. Reacting to the news, Hrithik Roshan said, That too on scholarship! Well done my son. So so sooooo proud of you Ray, added Hrehaan's mother.

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Sussanne Khan also dropped a heartfelt note, tagging Hrithik, Hrehaan and their son Hridhaan as well. It came with a montage video of Hredaan with his friends and family, featuring small clips and photos from his childhood till his latest.

Sussanne Khan to Hrehaan

She wrote, 19th of December 2023.. Our Hrehaan got his acceptance letter from Berklee College of Music, offering him a scholarship merit award for his excellence.. this was the happiest day of my life... Ray you are my Hero and my best friend I have seen you persistently be at it for the last 9 years... pursuing your passion for Music.. and I am so so proud of you my Son you fill me up with the brightest light.

From here to eternity let this journey of your passion take you to the highest level of joy and love. God bless you my darling may the Universe shine brightest over your ever action and your every tune fill the hearts of everyone. P.S I know you never gonna Stop This Train, she added as John Mayer's song was added as the background music.

Hrehaan is the elder son of Sussanne and Hrithik. Hrithik and Sussanne had tied the knot in December 2000 at a private ceremony in Bangalore. They had Hrehaan in 2006 and Hridaan in 2008. Sussanne and Hrithik parted ways in December 2013 and their divorce was finalised in November 2014. They continue to remain friends and co-parent their sons who are currently studying. Sussanne is dating Arslan Goni and Hrithik is seeing Saba Azad.

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A man died after he was shot outside a city-run shelter for migrants in Gage Park Saturday afternoon, authorities said.

The 28-year-old man, who other migrants said they knew, was on the sidewalk in the 2400 block of West 55th Street at around 12:44 p.m. when an unknown car pulled up, according to police.

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Someone inside the car pulled out a firearm and fired at the man, striking him in the head. The man was taken in critical condition to Mount Sinai Medical Center, police said. He was pronounced dead at 3:32 p.m., according to a spokesperson for the Cook County medical examiners office.

Police did not immediately give his name.

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Migrants gathered outside the shelter looked across 55th Street at the mans belongings  a red wide-brimmed hat and a string backpack  on the street corner.

Several told the Tribune they had received a message from shelter staff that morning not to go outside as police arrived where he was shot.

Maikol Hidalgo, 23, from Caracas, Venezuela, said he had been at a different shelter with the man when they first arrived in Chicago. They had both been moved to the shelter in Gage Park and were living in apartments nearby, he said, but they would often come back to the park field house to talk and spend time with their friends.

Hidalgo came back to the shelter when he heard his friend had been shot. He described him as a peaceful person.

As Venezuelans, were all family, he said.

A firetruck pulled up and an officer put the mans belongings in the trash. The officer hosed down the pavement where the shooting happened.

Hidalgo said he was used to shootings in his neighborhood in Venezuela.

This is normal for me, he told the Tribune. Life there isnt easy.

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Falling crude oil prices and crippling sanctions have left many Venezuelans without basic supplies, food and health care. Crime in the South American country is widespread.

[ What to know about Chicagos migrant crisis ]

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Considered the largest displacement crisis in the world, approximately 7.7 million Venezuelans have migrated and are currently living outside their country. This amounts to over 25% of the total population of Venezuela.

Over 26,300 migrants  the majority from Venezuela have come to Chicago over the past year, mostly sent by Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott. As of Friday, there were 358 single males and females staying at the shelter in Gage Park.

Alberto Castillo, 27, from Maracaibo, Venezuela, watched as police walked around across the street from the shelter where he is temporarily living. He said he missed his family.

The 24th, we used to buy food. We would celebrate and cook, and walk around and share it, he said.

Castillo said he didnt know the man personally, but was feeling the loss regardless.

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Detectives are investigating.

nsalzman@chicagotribune.com
A Kashmiri Muslim bride looks through her veil during a mass wedding in Srinagar, Indian controlled Kashmir, Thursday, June 15, 2023. Mass weddings in India are organized by social organizations primarily to help economically backward families who cannot afford the high ceremony costs as well as the customary dowry and expensive gifts that are still prevalent in many communities.

TOKYO  Individually, the photographs are the product of a moment, capturing glimpses of joy, grief, rage, hope, and resilience.

As a whole, the work this year of Associated Press photojournalists in Asia forms a visual patchwork quilt, an extraordinary reflection of the varied panoply of human experience in one of the worlds most fascinating regions.

Some of these pictures delight. Some horrify.

Some, even after repeated examination, retain a sense of mystery.

Take an American ballerina, clad in shimmering white, caught in a blur of revolving motion as she rehearses in China. Or a Muslim bride who gazes pensively through a saffron-colored veil during a mass wedding ceremony in Indian-controlled Kashmir.

Or footprints left in a patch of green moss after prayers in New Delhi.

In Malaysia, a base jumper dives from a tower above the sparkling city lights of Kuala Lumpur at night. Blood splatters like raindrops from the tattooed body of a Filipino penitent as he flagellates himself to atone for sins.

There is violence and tragedy here, too.

An enraged young man leaps onto the fallen body of a security officer in Bangladesh. Ethnic Rohingya wade through the surf, their meager belongings clutched in their hands, after being denied refuge in Indonesia.

As with many great news photographs, a single image is often all it takes to illustrate the complex political and social currents that sweep through the region.

A dozen police officers in Hong Kong, for instance, surround a single woman as they march her away on the eve of the 34th anniversary of Chinas Tiananmen Square massacre.

A blurred double image shows Russian President Vladimir Putin as he delivers a speech in China.

A group of men help support the elderly Dalai Lama after the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader speaks to a group of students, his flowing robes blending into those of the monks around him.

Some of this years most powerful photos reveal the beautiful, often deadly power of nature.

A vast ocean of stars glitters in the night sky over traditional sheepskin tents in remote Mongolia. Whales dive in a harbor near Sydney, their tails poised above the water in lovely synchronicity.

A veil of sand and dust seems to envelop a man wearing a green mask as he walks among Beijings office buildings.

And in the Philippines, lava flows like red icing down the black slopes of a volcano.
A new trend has surfaced on Twitch, where some streamers are using various methods to create the impression that they are naked on camera. One of them, a music streamer named lara6683, has taken this trend to a new level by pixelating her entire body while playing the piano live. Twitch's nude pixelated trend(Twitch/lara6683)

This trend started in December, when Twitch changed its guidelines to allow nudity for artistic purposes. However, this led to an influx of sexual and furry content in the art category, which prompted Twitch to reverse its decision. Despite this, some streamers continued to exploit the loophole by using censor bars to cover their bras, making it seem like they were topless.

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One of the most popular streamers who did this was Amouranth, who was able to attract thousands of viewers with her censor-bar streams. She even used physical censor bars that she held in front of her chest, rather than editing them on the screen.

ALSO READ| Twitch announces exit from South Korean market over expensive network fees

Twitch's new meta or rule break?

However, not everyone was impressed by this tactic. Some users criticized the streamers for violating the spirit of the rules and called for Twitch to take action. In response, lara6683 decided to join the trend, but with a twist. She pixelated her whole body, giving the illusion that she was nude, while playing the piano.

She streamed on December 20, and quickly gained attention for her innovative approach. She also posted a clip of her stream on X/Twitter, with the caption New meta has dropped.

However, her pixelation technique may not be allowed by Twitch, as the platforms community guidelines state that streamers are prohibited from broadcasting or uploading content that contains depictions of real or fictional nudity including pixelization. Several streamers who used censor bars have already been banned, and lara6683 may face the same fate.

ALSO READ| Italy fines Meta for breaching gambling advertisement ban

On the other hand, Twitch streamer Morg Morgpie faces her sixth suspension from the platform, known for NSFW content. This latest ban, her second in December, follows controversial streams. Despite amassing 250K followers, her profile currently redirects users due to the suspension.
Ever since the wild card entry of Ayesha Khan in the Bigg Boss house, the bond between Munawar Faruqui and Mannara Chopra has taken a turn. In a new promo from an upcoming episode shared by the makers of the show on social media, host Salman Khan was seen schooling Munawar for making Mannara appear "needy and desperate" on national television. (Also read: Bigg Boss 17: Ankita Lokhande looks shocked as Vicky Jain tries to slap her on national TV during argument. Watch) Salman Khan talks about Munawar's behaviour towards Mannara Chopra.

Salman addresses Munawar and Mannara's bond

In the promo, Salman says that when Mannara is taunted by a wild card member, then according to Munawar she has no sense of humour. But when Mannara says the same taunt then where does the sense of humour of Munawar go away? Salman then adds that many contestants in the house stood by him during a bad situation. But, what's different here is how Munawar 'respectfully appreciates' the behaviour of Ankita and Rinku, he never did the same with Mannara.

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Salman then adds, "Isliye Mannara national television par bahut hi needy and desperate lag rahi hain, for attention (Because of that Mannara looks needy and desperate for attention)." Mannara responds to this and says, "Got that, sir." Salman then tells Munawar that if he feels a strange vibe from Mannara, and that she created a wall between both of you, then you should be asking whether that is her doing or yours.

More details

Earlier, Ayesha had lashed out at Munawar Faruqui for lying about his relationship, and asked whether he was 'two-timing' with the women in his life. Later, Munawar's former girlfriend Nazila Sitaishi opened up about their relationship, and broke down on Instagram Live. "I was made to believe that I was the only person in his life, I was the only female he was in love with but it was not true and there were a lot of other girls involved that I dont want to talk about," she said.

Apart from its scheduled time on Colors TV  Monday to Friday at 10 pm and Saturday to Sunday at 9:30pm  Bigg Boss 17 streams 24x7 on JioCinema.

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The government is likely to soon extend its one nation, one student ID initiative to schools to ensure seamless integration with higher education, as envisaged in the National Education Policy 2020, officials said. School students wear face masks during prayer amid rise in Covid-19 cases in the country, in Jammu on Friday(PTI)

Under the initiative, an Automated Permanent Academic Account Registry (APAAR) card with a 12-digit unique ID will be provided to students. The Centre has launched the initiative in higher education and over 22 million students are being issued APAAR IDs as of now.

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APAAR, an Aadhaar-verified ID, is a gateway to students academic bank of credit (ABC), which is a digital repository of credits. It is also used to access Digilocker, a digital locker where students can store important documents, including mark sheets and certificates. APAAR will eventually be a lifetime ID for students from pre-primary to PhD.

Since education is a state subject, it is not mandatory for the states to adopt any initiative under the NEP 2020.

READ | New national student ID scheme requires parental consent for student registrations

Discussions have begun with various state governments on the implementation of one nation, one student ID initiative in schools, said Anil Sahasrabuddhe, chairperson of the National Educational Technology Forum, a division under the education ministry.

It is going to make things easier for students, schools and the entire education system. It will help them to track academic progress of students from pre-primary education to higher education. It will also help those students whose parents are in transferable jobs, Sahasrabuddhe said. In case they change their schools in the middle of a session, the other school can access their progress by logging in to their ABC account using the unique ID.

For the time this year, the central government has introduced a national credit framework (NCrF), with school and vocational education included in it. Under NCrF, students will earn credits right from school, which will be stored in their ABC accounts.

READ | One Nation One Board: Plea in SC seeks common syllabus for students between 6-14 years

Experts welcomed the move even as they cautioned on privacy issues. The envisioned one nation, one ID system for school students presents a promising prospect for streamlining administrative procedures, fostering data accuracy and optimising resource allocation in the education sector. This centralised approach can potentially eradicate redundancy and enhance the overall efficiency of student-related processes, said Jyoti Arora, principal at Mount Abu Public School. While acknowledging these benefits, it is imperative to vigilantly address potential risks related to data security and privacy.

Since APAAR is an Aadhaar-verified system, schools will have to obtain consent from parents, Sahasrabuddhe added. It is because school students are minors, unlike colleges where students can give consent on their own. Students data will remain confidential. It is just to verify that authenticity. We may create a system where the students details can be uploaded and e-KYC can be done, he said.
A total of 264 questions raised by suspended Opposition MPs were deleted from the list of queries in both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha in three days, during the recently-concluded winter session of Parliament, according to information available on the websites of the two Houses. New Delhi, Dec 21 (ANI): Proceedings of Lok Sabha are underway during the Winter Session of Parliament, in New Delhi on Thursday. (ANI Photo/Sansad TV) (ANI)

Between December 19 and 21, which saw 54 out of a total 146 suspensions, 132 questions posed by the penalised members were deleted from the two Houses, respectively.

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Likewise, the names of the suspended lawmakers were removed from groups of members asking the same question to various ministers, the details shared by the two Houses on their respective websites showed.

A record 146 MPs were suspended from both Houses in a span of eight days  from December 14 to 21  over their refusal to budge on their demand for a statement from Union home minister Amit Shah on the Parliament security breach on December 13. The cases of three Lok Sabha MPs and 11 Rajya Sabha MPs were referred to the privileges committee.

During a House session, Question Hour and Zero Hour permit MPs to question and express views against the government.

A circular issued by the Lok Sabha secretariat recently for the penalised MPs said any business listed under their names or notices tabled by them will not be considered during the suspension period. No notice tabled by them is acceptable during the period of their suspension, the circular said, as it listed a series of other restrictions on the suspended lawmakers.

The suspended members slammed the restrictions and the deletion of their queries in Parliament.

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MP Manoj Kumar Jha, who was suspended from the Rajya Sabha on Monday for the remainder of the session, said: Dont confine our concerns to galleries, lobbies, or chambers. Instead, ensure that the essence of those concerns, shaped through a question, doesnt fade away. If that essence diminishes, it signifies a critical concern for all of us.

Jha said through a series of questions, he sought to know from the education ministry about the large-scale displacement of teachers in Delhi University. With just one stroke, you have effectively terminated all their careers. This question holds immense significance, particularly concerning higher education and the idea of representation within it. However, it seems to have become the governments prerogative or perhaps a desire on their part to suspend MPs solely to avoid critical questions about the governments functioning, he said.

CPI(M)s John Brittas, another Rajya Sabha member who was also suspended on Monday, said: The mass suspension and removal of questions completely truncated the so-called executive accountability to Parliament.

Brittas said he had sought information from the law ministry on the implementation of the Uniform Civil Code.

Lok Sabha MP Danish Ali, who was recently expelled from the BSP for anti-party activities and suspended from the Lower House on Tuesday, said: Its really unfortunate because I was suspended for nothing. I did not go to the Well of the House, I did not hold a placard and they suspended me. So where should I go? These questions are not being asked on the day when we were suspended. These were fielded earlier. We had to give them in writing about two weeks earlier... This government does not think they are accountable to Parliament.

Former Rajya Sabha MP and BJP national spokesperson Syed Zafar Islam said the Opposition was trying to hide their misconduct in the House. It is unfair on the part of opposition parties to make such allegations. Its baseless and they are trying to hide their misconduct in the House. A lawmakers primary responsibility is to discuss and debate on issues related to the people of this nation but unfortunately, their primary focus has become to disrupt Parliament and behave irresponsibly, he said.

The number of MPs suspended during the winter session, which concluded on Thursday, a day ahead of schedule, was unprecedented, and far surpassed the 63 lawmakers who faced similar action in 1989 during a debate on a report on former prime minister Indira Gandhis assassination.

When MPs are suspended, the action imposes several disabilities on them. They are prohibited from posing questions and receiving answers during sessions. Their questions are excluded from the list of inquiries. Additionally, their notices are rejected, hindering their participation in committee activities. Theyre not invited to committee meetings, tours, and related events. Moreover, they lose the daily allowances typically received for attending parliamentary sessions. These disabilities are inherent consequences of a members suspension, former Lok Sabha secretary general PDT Achary said.
The Samajwadi Party (SP) on Saturday reiterated that it was against the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) joining the bloc of 28 Opposition parties, a day after Uttar Pradesh Congress chief Ajay Rai urged BSP president Mayawati to seriously consider joining the grouping. Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav (HT Photo)

The BSP has maintained a distance from the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and the Oppositions Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

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There had been some speculation in the past about the BSP joining the alliance. At the fourth meeting of INDIA, our chief national general secretary, Ram Gopal Yadav, had very clearly and emphatically expressed that the SP will not accept the entry of the BSP into the bloc, said Javed Ali Khan, Rajya Sabha member and SPs representative in the blocs coordination committee.

He added that none of the Congress leaders earlier opposed SPs stance against BSPs inclusion in INDIA. What is strange that none of the top leaders of the

READ | Mayawati should consider joining INDIA bloc: Uttar Pradesh Congress chief

Congress ever broached the subject (of BSP joining INDIA) in any of the four meetings. But the Congress is a huge party and it has all kinds of people. Some people in the Congress cant tolerate the SP. Ajay Rai has a BJP background. And the Congress must take cognizance of his remarks, he added. On Friday, Rai said that BSP should join INDIA keeping in mind the current situation in the country. 

Given the current political scenario in the country and the condition of Dalits, BSP chief Mayawati should seriously consider joining the INDIA alliance, he said. The ties between the two members of INDIA grouping came under strain during the Madhya Pradesh elections with SP chief Akhilesh Yadav targeting Congress for not getting into a seat-sharing pact with them. The SP contested on 69 of MPs 230 seats but did not win any. The Congress bagged 66 seats, finishing a distant second to the BJP.

READ | BSP sharpens attacks on SP chief after INDIA block meeting

The Congress, however, maintained that the main issue is the to defeat the BJP to save democracy.

Ajay Rai ji is right. In the current scenario, the issue is not who is acceptable or not acceptable to anyone. The issue is the to defeat the BJP to save democracy and the Constitution. It is the need of the hour that anyone who has even the slightest capability to lend a helping hand in defeating the BJP and Uttar Pradesh is the most important state towards that goal. It is obvious that if in UP, the SP, Congress, RLD and BSP join hands, then the BJP could be restricted to only about a dozen seats of 80 in UP, UP Congress leader and spokesperson CP Rai said.
The Indian Army on the intervening night of Friday and Saturday, foiled a major infiltration bid along the international border (IB) at Khour in Jammus Akhnoor sector, Nagrota-based White Knight Corps informed through a social media post. (Representative Photo)

According to the army unit, a suspected move of four terrorists was seen through surveillance devices on the night of December 22-23, after which the army responded. The terrorists were seen dragging one body back across the IB, they said.

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Infiltration bid foiled in IB sector of #Khour, #Akhnoor. Suspected move of four terrorists seen through own surveillance devices on the night of 22/23 Dec 23. Effective fire brought down. Terrorists seen dragging one body back across the IB, White Knight Corps wrote on X.

Also Read: Surankote terror ambush; NIA visits site, initiates probe, 4 suspects detained for questioning

Meanwhile, mobile internet services have been suspended in Rajouri and Poonch districts since Friday night in view of the ongoing search operations to neutralise the attackers of the Surankote ambush.

On Friday evening, three men were found dead under suspicious circumstances near the site of an ambush by terrorists on army vehicles in Jammu and Kashmirs Poonch district, leaving four soldiers dead and two injured the previous day.

The deceased were identified as Safeer Hussain (43), Mohammad Showket (27) and Shabir Ahmad (32), all residents of Topa Peer village of Bafliaz.

Repeated calls and messages to Poonch deputy commissioner Choudhary Mohammad Yasin and senior superintendent of police, Poonch, Vinay Kumar remained unanswered. Following reports of deaths, both the officials had reached Bafliaz.

Three to four heavily armed terrorists targeted an army SUR (gipsy) and a one-ton truck late Thursday afternoon, killing four soldiers and injuring three.

Also Read: Deceased armymans family to get 1 lakh financial assistance: Ludhiana admn

The terrorists ambushed two army vehicles carrying troops in Thanamandi, Rajouri. The army troops immediately retaliated after being attacked by terrorists.

The ambush came weeks after a major gunfight in the Dharmsal belt of Bajimaal forest area in nearby Rajouri district that had left five army personnel, including two captains, dead last month.

The Peoples Anti-Fascist Front, an offshoot of Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), has claimed responsibility for the Poonch terror ambush.

A massive search operation is underway in the dense forests to track down the terrorists.
New Delhi Days after Indias top wrestlers halted their months-long sit-in protest against former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh in July, Olympic bronze medallist Bajrang Punia was approached by the Congress to fight the assembly elections from Rajasthan. Olympic bronze medallist Bajrang Punia (PTI)

HT has learnt that the push came from then chief minister Ashok Gehlot, but the wrestler turned him down because he did not want politics to sidetrack their crusade against the WFI boss.

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A meeting happened in July in Jaipur, according to two people aware of details. At the time, Bajrang and wrestlers Sakshi Malik and Vinesh Phogat were making an impassioned plea for action against Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) member of Parliament Brij Bhushan, who they said used his position as WFI head to sexually harass several women. Punia and the others sat on dharna at Jantar Mantar through Delhis extreme heat -- until June 26, when the Union the government ordered a police probe and promised action.

That was when Gehlots team, which had found what they thought would be an ideal constituency, made an offer to Bajrang.

To be sure, Bajrang is from Jhajjar, Haryana, and though he has no direct link with Rajasthan, is seen as a national icon after his exploits on the mat.

The thinking in the Congress was that there was a history of a sportsperson from Haryana doing well electorally in Rajasthan, said a person aware of the details. The protest was also on top of peoples minds, and we hoped that they would get Sakshi and others to come and campaign for them.

The Congresss survey showed that Krishna Poonia, a discus thrower also from Haryana, may lose her Sadulpur seat in Churu district, said a second person. The Congress felt that voters would welcome another sportsperson instead of a sitting MLA who faced anti-incumbency. That survey later proved to be correct as Poonia lost the seat. However, their hopes of fielding Bajrang did not materialise.

Before he left to train for the Hangzhou Asian Games, Bajrang conveyed to the party that he wasnt interested since the wrestlers had made an effort from the start to keep their protest apolitical.

HT reached out to Punia for a comment on the matter but didnt get one till the time of print.

On Friday, a day after a panel backing Brij Bhushan stormed back to power in the Wrestling Federation of India elections, indicating little had changed in the body, Bajrang wrote to an anguished letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and returned his Padma Shri honour.
New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leadership has set the target of increasing the partys vote share by at least 10% in the upcoming general elections in comparison to 2019 as it has set its sights on winning an unprecedented majority, people aware of the matter said on Saturday. Union Home Minister Amit Shah with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) National President JP Nadda during the BJP's national office-bearers meeting, at party headquarters, in New Delhi on Saturday. (JPNadda-X)

On the concluding day of a two-day meeting of the national and state office-bearer in Delhi, the BJP brass told the party leaders that they must strive to increase the partys vote share across states in order to improve its electoral record from five years ago, party functionaries said.

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The BJP won 303 seats in 2014 with a vote share of 37.36%.

Addressing the BJPs national and state office-bearers on Saturday, home minister Amit Shah said the partys performance should leave the Opposition stunned, the people aware of the development added.

READ | In 2024 poll push, PM Modi tells BJP leaders to work in mission mode

The meeting came weeks after the BJPs impressive victories in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Chhattisgarh -- a shot in the arm for the party that had lost assembly polls in these heartland states in 2018. To be sure, the loss five years ago had no adverse impact on its performance in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, when it won 62 out of the 65 seats on offer in these states.

In a post on X, Shah said that the outcome of the recent assembly elections showed that people across sections and regions have faith in Prime Minister Narendra Modis leadership.

...We have to go to every house in the country with our ideology and the work of the BJP governments and make Modi ji the Prime Minister again in 2024 with an unprecedented majority, Shah said.

Leaders were also asked to ensure that no eligible individuals are left out of government schemes and that the ongoing Viksit Bharat Yatra is completed with the saturation of all schemes and programs.

READ | Focus on youth, poor, women and farmers: PM Modi at BJP office bearer meet ahead of Lok Sabha elections

On Friday, Modi told BJP members at the closed-door meeting to work in mission mode and ensure that government projects are implemented fully without any lag in welfare schemes.

According to news agency PTI, Modi also asked party leaders to reach out to first-time voters and advised them to focus on spreading the word about the governments positive works instead of joining issues with opposition parties in their negative campaign.
Amid preparations for the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party has set a target of achieving a 50 per cent vote share. Along with this, the party will start cluster meetings after January 15 and Yuva Morcha will hold 5000 conferences across the country. Union Home Minister Amit Shah with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) National President JP Nadda during the BJP's national office-bearers meeting, at party headquarters, in New Delhi.(X/Amit Shah)

The two-day meeting of BJP national office-bearers concluded on Saturday. In this meeting, BJP has set a target of achieving a 50 per cent vote share in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Along with this, the party will run a campaign across the country to connect with new voters. The BJP will organise programmes at booth level to connect with new voters.

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READ | In 2024 poll push, PM Modi tells BJP leaders to work in mission mode

According to sources, Union Home Minister Amit Shah has asked all the officials in the meeting to ensure a bumper victory margin in the Lok Sabha elections. Cluster meetings will be organized by dividing Lok Sabhas across the country into clusters. In these clusters, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, and BJP President JP Nadda will address public meetings.

Yuva Morcha will start new voter conferences on January 24. The BJP Yuva Morcha will organise 5,000 conferences across the country. Along with this, social conferences will also be organised across the country. It was said in the meeting that party leaders should not wait for the announcement of the list of candidates. Every BJP leader must now gear up to ensure victory by a record margin in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

Along with this, BJP has decided to run a campaign for Ram Mandir celebrations starting January 1, in which BJP workers will go door to door in all the villages across the country and encourage ten crore families to participate in Diya Lightning programs for Ram Temple in Ayodhya.
Hyderabad Singareni coal mines are spread over 11 assembly constituencies in erstwhile Adilabad, Khammam, Warangal and Karimnagar districts. (HT Archives)

Having faced a debacle in the just-concluded assembly elections in Telangana, the Bharat Rashtra Samithi has asked its affiliated trade union  Telangana Boggu Gani Karmika Sangham (TBGKS) (Telangana coal mine workers association) -- to drop out from the trade union elections in state-run Singareni Collieries Company Ltd, scheduled to be held on December 27.

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The BRS top leadership has called us and asked us to drop out of the elections without specifying any reasons. This was shocking and surprising to all of us, TBGKS working president Kengarla Mallaiah told HT.

He said he, along with president B Venkat Rao and general secretary Miryala Raji Reddy, resigned from the BRS in protest against the partys decision. We have sent our resignations to BRS lawmaker and TBGKS honorary president Kalvakuntla Kavitha on Thursday itself, Mallaiah said.

He said the BRS leadership had apparently felt that the party might face the same fate as it had during the recent assembly polls, if the TBGKS contested the trade union elections.

The Singareni coal mines are spread over 11 assembly constituencies in erstwhile Adilabad, Khammam, Warangal and Karimnagar districts. In the 2023 elections, nine seats were won by the Congress and one each by the CPI (Kothagudem) and BRS (Asifabad).

Whether we win or lose the elections is a different matter, but we have to put up a fight to sustain. How can we drop the gun without even putting up the fight? Mallaiah asked.

In fact, the nomination process for the Singareni Collieries trade union elections was completed in October.

Only polling, which was supposed to be held on October 28, was postponed to December 27, following a petition filed by the then BRS government in the state high court seeking postponement on the ground that assembly elections were due to be held.

Even after the assembly elections, the Singareni Collieries management wanted further postponement of the trade union elections till the Lok Sabha elections, but on Thursday, the state high court dismissed its petition and ordered that the polling should be held at any cost on December 27.

Technically, the TBGKS is in the fray, as ballot papers have our names printed. Now, if we suddenly withdraw from the contest, we shall lose face and it will send the wrong message to our supporters, Mallaiah said.

The elections to the recognised trade union of the Singareni Collieries Company Ltd (SCCL), one of the largest coal mining companies in the country, are considered prestigious, as the elected body would wield a lot of influence in deciding the fate of political parties in the assembly and general elections.

The elections, which were held last time in 2017, were supposed to be held again in 2022, but were postponed several times due to lack of clearance from the previous BRS government.

In the last elections, the TBGKS headed by BRS president and former chief minister K Chandrasekhar Raos daughter and MLC Kalvakuntla Kavitha emerged victorious by winning nine out of 11 coal mine divisions.

This time, with the TBGKS dropping from the contest, the Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC), affiliated to the Congress, and the All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), affiliated to the Communist Party of India, remained in fray as major contenders.

There is also Hindustan Mazdoor Sangh (HMS), affiliated to the BJP, in the fray, but it is an insignificant player, another trade union leader, who refused to be quoted, said.

With the Congress and the CPI fighting the recent assembly elections together, they might continue the same arrangement in Singareni Collieries trade union elections. It all depends on which union will bag most number of divisions, Mallaiah added.
Jane Wemhoff spent more than 30 years overseeing the dining hall connecting Cather and Pound halls, the central hub between the two towering dormitories.

Along with hundreds of others Dec. 22, 2017, Wemhoff watched as the University of Nebraska-Lincoln residence halls came tumbling down in a controlled implosion, ending an era in her professional and personal life.

Oh, my heart just kind of dropped along with the building, Wemhoff said. It was pretty emotional actually.

Leading up to the implosion, Wemhoff teased her husband, Elmer, who went to work at UNL for the final time as an all-around handyman in Neihardt Hall, occasionally chipping in at the nearby Cather-Pound complex.

I told him the place would fall apart without him, she joked.

Promptly at 9 a.m. Dec. 22, 2017, Cather and Pound began to fall apart.

A rhythmic series of explosions, like a bowling ball rolling down a flight of stairs, shook downtown Lincoln. Some reported hearing them as far away as Waverly.

Packed atop the UNL parking garage at 19th Street and Antelope Valley Parkway, and anywhere else with a view in the blocks surrounding the 500 block of North 17th Street, thousands of onlookers held their breath.

Dust puffed through the geotextile fabric enveloping the first floor of both dormitories, before the north face of Pound Hall and the south face of Cather Hall began to slip, like ice cubes melting near a flame.

The rest of the 13-story buildings followed, rolling gently toward one another in near-perfect synchronization, forcing a cloud of dust into the sky that shrouded the scene for several minutes.

Blown south and east away from City Campus by a light winter breeze, the cloud cleared to reveal the remnants of the former homes to thousands of UNL students as a singular pile of rubble 32 feet tall.

The simultaneous implosions went off without a hitch, UNL officials said, the culmination of a decade of planning and preparation.

Sue Gildersleeve, director of UNLs housing and dining services, said a study of how to best update the dormitories and the connecting dining hall, which first opened in 1963, determined the cost to renovate the buildings exceeded what could be justified.

Suite-style residence halls to replace the towering dormitories opened in 2013-14, and a brand-new Cather Dining Complex went into service earlier this year, meaning the Cather-Pound complex was no longer needed at UNL, Gildersleeve said.

I know its a bittersweet moment for so many, she said. Weve heard from alums who have told stories about the special communities and lifelong friendships formed while living in those two halls.

Walking the site after the dust cleared, Larry Shippen, UNLs associate director of housing and facilities, said efforts to minimize damage to surrounding buildings in the dense part of campus had been largely successful.

The only thing we identified was one cracked window on the side of The Courtyards residence hall facing the demolition site, Shippen said. UNL will continue examining the condition of the surrounding buildings in the coming days and weeks, he added.

Grant Watson, UNLs construction manager, said the university and its demolition partners  Controlled Demolition Inc. of Maryland and Ark Wrecking of Oklahoma  were pleased with how well the implosion went off.

Some of the campus wildlife might have different opinions, he joked.

We do have some very disoriented squirrels, Ill tell you that."

Ark Wrecking will begin conveying the debris  an estimated 32-34 million pounds  to the Bluff Road landfill, where it will be buried with the in-fill masonry walls, bathroom fixtures and other parts of the buildings already at the main landfill.

A second scale installed at the landfill will speed the removal process as UNL plans to transform the land once occupied by the dormitories into green space by May or June.

They will be crunching up that concrete and removing the steel and using that for road fill, Watson said.

The implosion also offered a unique opportunity for Nebraska engineering students to study what happens when large structures begin to collapse.

Students placed a total 32 accelerometers throughout the two dormitories, as well as sensors in four adjacent buildings to measure vibrations in the structures as demolition crews intentionally stressed the building before the implosion.

The sensors also recorded data as the buildings fell Friday morning, making a first-of-its-kind study at a public university. The project is led by Richard Wood and Daniel Linzell.

Our aim is to understand how the loads redistribute when the columns were removed, said Wood, an assistant professor of civil engineering. The ultimate goal is to improve resiliency in engineered structures.

Hundreds of gigabytes of data were collected in the lead-up to Fridays implosion, as well as during the demolition itself, which the civil engineering team will now begin sorting through.

Wood said a preliminary report could be done by the end of January.

While thousands gathered around the demolition site, other curious onlookers put their morning on pause briefly to watch the implosion.

About 25 people crowded around windows on the 10th floor of the state Capitol to watch and listen as the buildings came rumbling down.

Oh, wow. The sound of it even, said transcriber Vickie Stepanich.

They could see the dust and dirt obscure the people gathered on a parking garage east of the buildings.

I would run, Stepanich added.

She watched the implosion of the old Cornhusker Hotel in 1982  a demolition also managed by Controlled Demolition Inc.

This one, with the twin buildings marking Lincoln's skyline, was reminiscent to her of the World Trade Center towers brought down on Sept. 11, 2001.

We were living in the D.C. area at that time, she said, describing how the emotions came back.

Unicameral Update Editor Heidi Uhing watched the implosion with her family, in town for Christmas from Ava, Missouri, including nieces Emma, Eden and Elli.

Awesome," said Eden Uhing, 8.

Wemhoff said she did not expect to experience the emotional reaction she did Dec. 22, 2017, as she watched the center of her livelihood for three decades be reduced to rubble.

It reminded her of the implosion of two silos on her fathers farm, but on a grander scale, and with applause to accompany it.

It just went down so smooth, she said.

Videos: Cather and Pound Halls fall Friday Pound and Cather implosion More video: Cather Pound comes down View of implosion from Trago Park Drone footage of Cather Pound implosion VIDEO: Cather-Pound implosion at UNL Cather and Pound halls are imploded Slow-mo video University video 1 University video 2 Cell phone video of implosion Cather and Pound implosion compilation

Photos: Cather and Pound halls implode at UNL Cather and Pound implosion Implosion 6 Cather Pound Where they stood Waiting Cather and Pound implosion Cather and Pound implosion 19th and Vine Watchers Cather-Pound Cather and Pound implosion Cather and Pound implosion Cather and Pound implosion Cather and Pound implosion Implosion 4 Implosion 3 Cather Pound Implosion, 12.22.2017 Implosion 11 Implosion 9 Cather Pound Implosion, 12.22.2017 Implosion Implosion 5 Implosion 7 Implosion 2 Implosion 10 Implosion 8 Cather Pound Cather Pound Implosion, 12.22.2017 Implosion 1 Implode 16 Implode 18 Implode 19 Impode 20 Implode 51 Pound hall Pound hall Pound hall
India has reported a total of 22 cases of Covid-19 subvariant JN.1 so far, forcing health departments to take necessary precautions to prevent the virus from spreading. However, according to officials, there have been no reports of clustering of cases till now, and all the cases of the JN.1 subvariant have mild symptoms. People wearing face masks as a precautionary measure after cases of COVID-19 sub-variant JN.1 were detected in the country.(PTI)

In view of the sudden spike in cases in several states, the Centre on Friday directed states to send samples of all Covid positive test swabs for whole genome sequencing to identify the set of mutations.

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India recorded 752 new Covid cases in the past 24 hours on Saturday, taking the active tally to 3,420. The total death toll was recorded at 5,33,332 with one death from Kerala. The country's Covid case tally is at 4.5 crore.

Here are the latest updates on Covid-19:

The affected states that have shown a slightly larger increase in Covid cases in the country are - Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Goa, Puducherry, Gujarat, Telangana, Punjab, and Delhi. Amid the rising cases, several states are coming up with individual surveillance guidelines as a precautionary measure. According to Kerala health minister Veena George, the number of testing of Covid samples in the state is high compared to other states, however, the situation is under control. There is nothing to worry about. We have found a slight increase in the number of Covid cases. A state-level meeting and a ministerial-level meeting were held. We decided to start genomic sequencing back in November, she said. Karnataka health minister Dinesh Gundu Rao also said there is no need to panic currently. He, however, urged people to take precautionary measures by wearing masks in crowded places. Addressing the media on Friday, Rao said that no restrictions would be imposed yet. In view of the rising cases, Rajasthan officials have formed a state-level team for the prevention and control of Covid-19 infection. Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar on Friday chaired a high-level meeting. During the meeting, Kumar directed officials to ramp up the testing rate and ensure adequate availability of drugs, equipment, oxygen cylinders, and manpower in all hospitals. He also called for the spread of awareness about Covid-appropriate behaviour through social media and other channels. According to government data, around 93 per cent of those infected with the new variant of Covid have mild symptoms and are isolating at home. Among those who are undergoing treatment at various hospitals across the country, only 0.1 per cent of people are on ventilator support, 1.2 per cent are admitted into the intensive care unit (ICU), and 0.6 per cent are on oxygen support. Former World Health Organisation (WHO) chief scientist Dr Soumya Swaminathan has said there is no need to panic since it is a variant of interest and not of concern.

(With inputs from agencies)
In another flare-up of the North versus South debate, DMK leader Dayanidhi Maran has allegedly said that the Hindi speakers from UP and Bihar who come to Tamil Nadu do menial jobs like construction work, cleaning of toilets etc. Sharing the clip of Dayanidhi Maran, BJP leaders asked Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar his opinion about this. BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawala said after DMK MP Senthil Kumar's objectionable comment in Parliament about North Indian states and after Telangana chief minister Revanth Reddy's comment (when he was not a CM) that Telangana DNA was better than Bihar DNA, once again DMK leader Dayanidhi Maran attempted to trigger north-south debate. DMK MP Dayanidhi Maran has triggered a fresh language debate as he said Hindi speakers from Bihar clean toilets in Tamil Nadu.(File Photo)

DMK is part of the INDIA bloc -- the opposition alliance which comprises JD(U), RJD and Samajwadi Party-- the main political parties of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. "Do Nitish Kumar and Lalu Yadav agree with their coalition partner's opinion on Hindi-speaking people? They should clarify why DMK and INDIA block have so much hatred against Hindi-speaking people," Bihar BJP MP Giriraj Singh tweeted.

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According to reports, Dayanidhi Maran's comment on Hindi was a comparison of people who learn English and who only learn Hindi. The DMK leader said those who learn English get good jobs in IT, but those who learn only Hindi -- people from UP and Bihar -- end up cleaning roads and toilets. "This is what happens when one learns only Hindi," Dayanidhi said.

The north-south debate got triggered after Congress won Telangana and BJP won Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh assembly elections. Several comments were made on the vote pattern and DMK's Senthil Kumar made an objectionable comment about north Indian states in this context. A recent Hindi-non-Hindi language debate took place at the meeting of the INDIA bloc when Nitish Kumar started to speak and DMK leader TR Baalu sought an English translation of the same. "We call our country Hindustan and Hindi is our national language. We should know the language," Nitish Kumar rebuffed while RJD MP Manoj Jha offered to translate.
Union external affairs minister S Jaishankar on Saturday reacted to the vandalism of a Hindu temple in the US and said extremists should not be given space. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar(PTI)

"I have seen it. Extremists, separatists and such forces (against India) should not be given space in foreign lands. Our Consulate there complained to the government and the police and an inquiry is underway," he said.

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Jaishankar's statement comes after Swaminarayan Mandir was defaced with anti-India and pro-Khalistani slogans graffiti on its exterior walls in California's Newark city in the United States. The graffiti also mentioned slain Khalistani terrorist Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale's name on the walls.

The mention of the Khalistan terrorist kingpin #Bhindranwale, who targeted Hindus for murder, is specifically meant to traumatize temple goers and create a fear of violencemeeting the CA definition of a hate crime, the Hindu American Foundation wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

The Indian Consulate in San Francisco on Saturday said the incident has hurt the sentiments of the Indian community. We strongly condemn the defacing of SMVS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir at Newark, California with anti-India graffiti. This incident has hurt the sentiments of the Indian community. We have pressed for quick investigation and prompt action against the vandals by the US authorities in this matter, the Consulate General said in a statement.

The EAM also spoke about extending consular assistance to Nikhil Gupta, an Indian national detained in the Czech Republic and facing charges of conspiring to kill a Sikh separatist on American soil.

He (Nikhil Gupta) needed consular access, our embassy provided that. He has been provided consular access thrice, Jaishankar said.

The charges against Gupta were made by the US in which he was alleged to have worked with an Indian government employee in the foiled plot to kill US-based Sikh separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, who holds dual citizenship of the US and Canada. Following the allegations, the Indian government constituted a probe committee to investigate allegations.

Earlier, a Czech government official said India's judicial authorities have no jurisdiction in the Nikhil Gupta case as the matter is under the jurisdiction of the competent authorities of the Czech Republic.

The official's statement came days after Gupta's family approached the Supreme Court to direct the Indian government to intervene in the extradition process and ensure a fair trial. Meanwhile, the US had sought Gupta's extradition from the Czech authorities.
New Delhi At midnight on August 15, 1947, India fought off the shackles of centuries of colonialism, and its people looked bravely into a new world, armed with a new, hard-earned independence. As Indias first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru put it, India began its tryst with destiny, and awoke to life and freedom. People unfurl the Tricolor in Goa. (HT Archives)

But until 14 years later, Goa still lived under foreign yoke.

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In the decade-and-a-half after Independence, negotiations around the prized region of Goa had turned particularly hostile, and tensions were rising. India asked Portugal to open conversation about its future 1950, to no avail. Portugal, in turn, accused India of trying to annexe its territories. In 1953, India removed its diplomatic mission in Lisbon, and two years later, in August 1955, 5,000 non violent protesters marched against the Portuguese in Goa and were fired upon, with 22 killed.

With diplomatic channels being pursued at the global level, including at the United Nations, India decided on on December 11, 1961 that it was time to take concrete action.

The 17th Infantry Division and attached troops of the Indian Army were ordered to advance into Goa to take control of Panaji and Mormugao. They attacked, and occupied the town of Maulinguem, and on December 18, in Operation Vijay, the Indian Army moved into Goa in earnest, in three columns, one advancing into Ponda, another towards Panaji, and the third into Tivim.

By December 19, Goa was liberated..

As HT reported on the morning of December 20, the Indian flag is flying all over Goa, Daman & Diu today as India formally took over the administration of these territories on the successful completion of Operation Vijay which began 26 hours earlier-at dawn yesterday. Life is fast returning to normalcy.

Lt.-Gen. J. N. Chaudhury, GOC-in-Chief, Southern Command, formally accepted the surrender of the Portuguese forces from the Portuguese commander at a simple and solemn ceremony at Panjim in an open square at the headquarters of the Portuguese army. The Portuguese flag was hauled down and the Indian flag was hoisted, the HT report said.

But beyond the assimilation of an intrinsic part of the nation with India, the liberation of Goa was a key moment in history in many other ways. India was yet a young country, struggling to heal the wounds of the past. It had only had a functioning Constitution for a decade, had linguistically reorganised the states only five years previously, and was surrounded by hostile cross-border actors. Yet, Operation Vijay made clear to the world that though India wanted to keep the peace, this should not be construed for weakness.

In 1961, Goa joined India, and 26 years later, in 1987, became a full state -- Indias smallest, but among its most vibrant; a land of culture, the sea, and tradition. And a land inalienably Indian, highlighting the countrys celebrated ethos of university in diversity.
Led by Leader of the Opposition Jai Ram Thakur, the BJP MLAs raised slogans at the Assembly campus at Tapovan in Dharamshala before the session started on the fifth consecutive day. They said the Congress leaders had promised that horticulturists would fix the price of their produce but the same has not been done. HT Image

The Congress "misled and cheated" the people by making false promises, but the BJP would not let the Congress forget its guarantees, Thakur reiterated.

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The BJP legislators have been protesting since day one of the five-day Winter Session which will conclude on Saturday.

On Tuesday, the BJP MLAs protested by wearing white aprons with "unfulfilled" Congress guarantees printed on it and raised anti-government slogans.

On Wednesday, they carried cow dung on their head to press for buying cow dung for 2 per kg from farmers as promised. The BJP MLAs turned into "milkmen" and protested holding empty utensils on Thursday for buying milk for 80-100 per litre as promised to the farmers.

Degrees (not original) were torn and burnt by the BJP legislators on Thursday as a symbolic protest to express the "plight" of unemployed youth who were promised one lakh jobs in one year. PTI COR BPL MNK -- MNK MNK
Chandigarh: The worst tragedy struck the market town of Mandi Dabwali in district Sirsa of Haryana this afternoon when 312 persons, most of them school children, were burnt alive. Over 350 people, again most of them students of the DAV Public School, suffered grave burn injuries. HT This Day: December 24, 1995 -- Over 305 killed in Haryana fire (HT)

They have been shifted to hospitals in Sirsa (47). PGI Chandigarh (20), Ludhiana (10), Bathinda (30), Hisar and Abohar.

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Unofficial reports however, received here put the death toll at 400.

According to information reaching here, the fire broke out around 2 pm at the Rajiv Marriage Palace which had been hired by the school management for the annual day function. A joyous function was turned into a tragedy.

Meanwhile Haryana Director General of Police Kalyan Rudra told PTI in Chandigarh that the cause of the devastating fire was a short circuit in the kanat of the shamiana where annual function of the DAV School Dabwali was being held.

The short circuiting on the roof of the tented structure led to the fire which quickly engulfed the nylon fabric of the tent This led to the collapse of the structure, Mr Rudra said adding some of the dead were electrocuted while others were asphyxiated.

Meanwhile, an LPG cylinder exploded as the fire spread engulfing the area, he said.

Some eyewitnesses said the fire broke out due to an acrobatic fire show by students of the school.

Mr Rudra said he was leaving for Dabwali for an on the spot assessment of the situation.

Deputy Commissioner Sirsa M.P Bidlan said he had left the place a little before 2pm along with other officers of the district as well as the Sub Divisional Magistrate.

The place was packed to the capacity with more than 1,200 people, including students, their parents, members of the staff and other participants.

SDM of Sirsa Mr Somnath Kamboj who suffered 90 percent burn injuries was rushed to Hisar hospital. where he succumbed to his injuries, while his wife died in the mishap.

Among the injured were the Deputy Superintendent of Police, his wife and daughter. They, along with 60 others seriously burnt cases, have been shifted to the PGI hospital here. According to PGl s senior doctors, emergency arrangements have been made to take care of the serious cases.

According to the local residents. the Rajiv Marriage Palace was over crowded with students and others. The tents rapidly caught fire and made the exit of the people nearly impossible. Unfortunately, there were no arrangements to fight the fire except the one municipal fire tender. He fire tenders, which were rushed from Abohar and Sirsa. could do little to mitigate the tragedy.

There were heart-rending scenes as a large number of burnt children and elders were crying for help. Relatives were rushing helter-skelter to locate their kith and kin.

Reports from Dabwali also said that social and political organisations are rushing all help and taking the injured to the hospitals.

The venue of the annual day function was totally gutted within an hour and the rescue operations became very difficult. The stampede that followed the fire crushed many small children.

Among those seriously injured were DSP Anil Yadav, his family and freedom fighter Gurdev Singh Shant, local politician Keshav Singh and journalist Jai Muni Goel, police added.

Sources said that the death toll was likely to go up further as the retrieval operations were still in progress at the site.

Senior district officials have reached Dabwali and were supervising rescue and relief operations there.

The local residents beelined at the hospital to donate blood for the injured, doctors said.

Two local philanthropists - Hanstaj Thutalia and Rahul Sethia have announced that they would bear full expenses for the treatment of the injured.

Meanwhile Union Minister of State for Education Selja rushed to Mandi Dabwali, which is her constituency.

It is indeed the worst tragedy that has struck Haryana. According to Additional Director General of Police H. Y Hari Shankar, who rushed to Dabwali along with police chief Kalyan Rudra. said such a devastating fire has never broken out in the State it is too deep a tragedy for tears Small children have just been roasted alive.

Information and Public Relations Secretary Anil Razdan said that Chief Minister Bhajan Lal expressed his heartfelt sympathy and rushed to Dabwali around 7pm. He said that initial reports were sketchy, but later the death toll was confirmed.

Divisional Commissioner. Hisar, has been asked to hold an enquiry into the incident He said that the government right now was more concerned with providing relief to the injured and helping those whose kin have died. Teams of doctors have been rushed from the Rohtak Medical College and the Hisar hospital to render emergency help.

The State Government has declared three days of State mourning. No public function would be held during this period.

The Haryana Chief Minister directed the Sirsa district administration to provide prompt medical aid to the injured and assured other necessary assistance to all the tragedy victims and their next of kin.

Condolences: Prime Minister P. V Narasimha Rao expressed sympathy to the victims and asked the State Government to provide immediate relief to the affected in the incident. HTC reports from New Delhi.

Human Resource Development Minister Madhavrao Scindia today deeply condoled the death of school children. He said he was deeply shocked at the massive tragedy which cut down so many young children and prayed for the speedy recovery of those injured.

President of the breakaway Congress N. D Tiwari today condoled the death of hundreds of innocent children and students at Dabwali, Sirsa in Haryana.

In a statement issued here today be said he was shocked to know about the ghastly tragedy involving so many children and it once again manifested the failure of human affairs to take due precaution on all such occasions where people or students congregated.

A delegation of his party headed by its general secretary Virender Singh is rushing to Dabwali for on-the-spot assessment of the situation.

Haryana Governor Mahabir Prashad and Punjab Chief Minister Harcharan Singh Brar expressed their deep sorrows and grief at the colossal loss of life in the tragedy. They sent their heart-felt condolences to the bereaved families.

The tragedy has sent shock waves across the State. Former Haryana Chief Minister and president of the Haryana Vikas Party Bansi Lal said that he shared the grief of the people in Dabwali in this hour of tragedy. He urged the Government to rush all possible help and appealed to the people and his party men to render total help It is a very very sad day for the people of Haryana, he added
NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday told Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) members to work in mission mode and ensure that government projects are implemented fully without any lag in welfare schemes, said people aware of the development, as the party sought to make a head start for the 2024 general elections. Prime Minister Narendra Modi being welcomed by BJP president JP Nadda as he arrives to attend the BJP national office bearers' meeting, at the party office in New Delhi on Friday. (JP Nadda-X/ANI)

Modi was speaking to national and state office bearers of the BJP at a two-day meeting in Delhi. The closed-door meeting was scheduled to discuss the minutiae of the electoral plan, take stock of the issues that the Opposition could use to corner the government, and assess the preparedness of the cadre for the big electoral battle.

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The party leadership has set a target of winning more seats in elections scheduled next summer than the 2019 tally of 303.

According to a party functionary, Modi told the leaders that they should ensure that the governments programmes for the empowerment of the women, poor, young and farmers are implemented, and that there is no lag in welfare schemes.

Today, a two-day national officers meeting was inaugurated in the dignified presence of the respected PM Narendra Modi ji at the BJP central office extension in New Delhi, said BJP chief JP Nadda on X, formerly Twitter.

Under the guidance of the Prime Minister, the BJP is moving forward on the path of building a developed India by empowering the countrys main pillars, the youth, farmers, women and the poor, he added.

The meeting came weeks after the BJPs impressive victories in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Chhattisgarh -- a shot in the arm for the party that had lost assembly polls in these heartland states in 2018. To be sure, the loss five years ago had no adverse impact on its performance in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, when it won 62 out of the 65 seats on offer in these states.

A second party functionary said leaders at the meeting will review the work undertaken to improve the partys showing in the 160 Lok Sabha constituencies where its performance was found lacking. For the past one year, the party has deputed senior leaders including Union ministers to oversee the election preparation in seats where it either never won or lost by a thin margin.

There is a possibility of announcing candidates for these seats in the next one month, to give them enough time to campaign and understand the intricacies of the constituency, said the second party functionary.

The partys experiment of announcing candidates for seats designated as weak began in the last round of assembly polls and paid off. For instance, in MP, it won 24 of the 39 seats announced in this first list, which were seats designated as weak for the BJP.

The other key area discussed at the meeting was the saturation of social schemes said people aware of developments. WITH beneficiaries emerging as a strong votebank for the party, the government has initiated the Viksit Bharat Campaign that seeks to ensure that no eligible individual is left out of the welfare net.

Women, poor, farmers, and the youth have been identified as four castes by the PM...so the party will come up with ways to ensure that there are more concerted efforts by way of policies and schemes for the empowerment of these groups, said the functionary quoted above.

In states where the BJP is not in power, the cadre has been instructed to ensure that there are no obstructions created in the disbursal of aid under central government schemes. In some of the Opposition-ruled states such as West Bengal, the state government has been creating hurdles for the disbursal of money to farmers under the PM Kisan Nidhi... in some other states, the names of the central government schemes have been changed to make it look like a state sponsored programme. So, our cadre has been instructed to ensure out schemes are not hijacked, said a third functionary privy to the details.
The Indian Army foiled a major infiltration bid along the international border of Khour in Jammu's Akhnoor late on Friday night, eliminating at least one terrorist, officials said. Army personnel stand guard near the site where two Army vehicles were ambushed by terrorists on Thursday in Poonch district, (PTI)

The operation took place when a group of four heavily armed terrorists was noticed attempting to sneak into this side from across the IB in Khour sector of Akhnoor, the officials said.

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They said the troops brought down effective fire on the infiltrating terrorists and one of them was hit and fell down. However, the body of the deceased was dragged back by his associates across the IB, the officials said.

A suspected move of four terrorists was seen through surveillance devices. After which the army responded. The terrorists were seen dragging one body back across the IB, the army said."

Infiltration bid foiled in IB sector of #Khour, #Akhnoor. Suspected move of four terrorists seen through own surveillance devices on the night of 22/23 Dec 23. Effective fire brought down. Terrorists seen dragging one body back across the IB, White Knight Corps of the Indian Army posted on social media X.

The incident comes even as a massive search operation to track ultras was underway following the killing of four Army soldiers by terrorists on Thursday in the forest area of Dera ki Gali in the Rajouri sector. Three others were also injured in the terror ambush.

The encounter started after terrorists fired at the two army vehicles passing through Dera Ki Gali in Rajouri's Poonch region at 3.45 pm on Thursday.

"At around 3.45 pm on December 21, two Army vehicles carrying troops were moving to the operational site, which was fired upon by the terrorist. The fire was immediately retaliated upon by our troops," an Army official said.

Indian Army troops immediately retaliated after being attacked by terrorists, they said. "The troops were going to reinforce a joint operation against terrorists underway in the area since last evening. The operations are taking place in the 48 Rashtriya Rifles area," Army officials added.

Mobile internet suspended in Poonch, Rajouri

Mobile internet services were suspended in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch and Rajouri districts early on Saturday as security forces continued their massive search operation to track down terrorists behind the recent ambush.

The suspension of the mobile internet services in the twin border districts followed the mysterious death of three persons after being allegedly picked up by the Army for questioning, and widespread resentment among people after the circulation of videos purportedly showing the torture of the suspects, news agency PTI reported.

While both Army and civil authorities are tight-lipped on the ground situation, official sources told PTI that mobile internet services were suspended both in Poonch and Rajouri districts as a precautionary measure to check rumour-mongering and prevent miscreants from creating any law and order problem.
The Indian consulate in San Francisco on Saturday condemned the defacement of the Swaminarayan Mandir Vasana Sanstha with anti-India and pro-Khalistani graffiti in California's Newark city, saying the incident has hurt sentiments of the Indian community. The embassy also called for a quick investigation into the matter and prompt action against the accused. A security guard and San Francisco Police Officer stand in front of the entrance to the Consulate General of India in San Francisco (AP)

We strongly condemn the defacing of SMVS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir at Newark, California with anti-India graffiti. This incident has hurt the sentiments of the Indian community. We have pressed for quick investigation and prompt action against the vandals by the US authorities in this matter, the consulate wrote in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.

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The Hindu American Foundation earlier in the day shared pictures of anti-India graffiti on the exterior walls of the Hindu temple on social media. The images showed hateful slogans against India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the walls of the temple. Khalistani terrorist Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale's name was also written with black ink.

The mention of the Khalistan terrorist kingpin #Bhindranwale, who targeted Hindus for murder, is specifically meant to traumatize temple goers and create a fear of violencemeeting the CA definition of a hate crime, the Hindu American Foundation wrote on X.

According to the temple administration, the incident took place on Thursday night when one of the devotees who lives close to the shrine discovered the anti-India graffiti, reported ANI.

The foundation also urged the Newark police to investigate the incident as a hate crime. Swaminarayan Mandir Vasana Sanstha in Newark, California was defaced with pro-#Khalistan slogans. @NewarkCA_Police and @CivilRights have been informed and full investigation will follow. We are insisting that this should be investigated as a hate crime, the post read.

Meanwhile, the Newark police called the incident a targeted act and assured through investigation. Condemning the incident, a police official told the media: I can also tell you that as a member of the Newark Police Department and the Newark community, we're deeply saddened when these types of acts occur, and we think they're senseless and they have no room. We won't tolerate them here in Newark. So today, I wanted to make sure that you understand how seriously we take these situations and know that we will investigate as thoroughly as possible with utmost care and sensitivity.
The Jammu and Kashmir administration on Saturday announced compensation and jobs to the kin of three civilians who were found dead on Friday near the site of Thursdays terrorist ambush in Poonch district even as family members of the deceased men and political parties in the Valley alleged that their deaths were custodial murders inside an army camp of 48 RR. The armys search operations to neutralise terrorists responsible for Thursdays ambush in Jammu and Kashmirs Poonch, in which four soldiers were killed and three others were injured, continued on Saturday. (Rahi Kapoor)

Meanwhile, the armys search operations to neutralise the terrorists responsible for the ambush at Dhatyar Morh in Surankote, in which four soldiers were killed and three others were injured, continued on Saturday.

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The death of three civilians was reported yesterday in Baffliaz of Poonch District. The medico legal formalities were conducted and legal action in this matter has been initiated by the appropriate authority. Government has announced compensation for each of the deceased. Further Government has also announced compassionate appointments to the next of kin of each deceased, said a statement issued on X by the department of information and public relations of the J&K administration.

The bodies of the three men were buried on Saturday afternoon at their native village Topa Peer in the presence of Jammu divisional commissioner Ramesh Kumar Jangid, Poonch deputy magistrate Choudhary Mohammad Yasin, senior superintendent of police (SSP) Vinay Kumar and other officials.

The deceased were identified as Safeer Hussain, 44, son of Mir Hussain, Showket Ali, 22, son of Nazir Hussain and Shabir Hussain, 32, son of Wali Mohammad of Topa Peer village. On Saturday morning, around 8am, bodies of the three men were handed over to their families after post-mortem inside an army camp.

Mohammad Sadeeq, 45, panch of Topa Peer village, whose 22-year-old nephew Showket Ali was among the three dead, said that those killed were poor people and had no links with Thursdays ambush or terrorism.

He said army had picked up nine men from the village around 9.30am on Friday when they were having morning tea in their houses. He claimed that the detained men were first taken to Mal post where they were tortured and then shifted to Bafliaz post.

Dead bodies were handed over to us at 8am today (Saturday). We are going to bury them today, but we demand justice. We also ask the army to give us the evidence of their involvement in any terror activity, he said.

He claimed that the deceased bore injury marks on their bodies.

Acid and chilli powder were poured on them. They were given electric shocks in water filled tanks. Every third-degree torture was given to them. I have shared two videos of the torture with the deputy magistrate, he said.

Two video clips, seen by HT, showed some men in army uniforms abusing the detenues, beating them up with sticks besides pouring chili powder on their bodies. HT could not verify the authenticity of the videos.

Repeated calls and messages to Poonch DC Choudhary, SSP Vinay Kumar and Jammu divisional commissioner Ramesh Kumar went unanswered. Armys defence spokesperson also had no information with him regarding the familys claims. Additional directorate general of public i nformation (ADG PI) -Indian Army later said in a post on X, Terrorist Initiated Incident at Bafliaz in Poonch-Rajouri Sector (21/ 22 Dec 23). Search operations by the Security Forces are continuing in the area of operations after the incident of 21 Dec 23. Reports have been received regarding three civilian deaths in the area. The matter is under investigation. Indian Army stands committed to extending full support and cooperation in the conduct of investigations.

A team from the National Investigation Agency (NIA) visited the ambush site on Friday.

The Peoples Anti-Fascist Front (PAFF), an offshoot of Jaish-e-Mohammad terror outfit, on Friday said it was behind the attack, but officials were yet to confirm its veracity.

Several parties in Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday staged protests and demanded an impartial probe into the deaths of three civilians, according to news agency PTI.

After the Poonch incident, 15 people were picked up by the Army for questioning from Topa Peer village, out of which bodies of three bearing injury marks were found near the encounter site. The remaining 12 persons are admitted to different hospitals and are in critical condition, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti said at a press conference at the party headquarters in Srinagar on Saturday, according to a PTI report.

I also watched a video that shows Armymen thrashing people and spraying red chilli powder on their wounds. It is a heart-wrenching video, however, I do not know about its authenticity, she added, demanding lieutenant governor (LG) Manoj Sinha to initiate a probe into the incident and provide compensation to the families.

Earlier on September 3, LG Sinha had visited the houses of three civilians from Rajouri who were killed in a fake encounter in Shopian in July 2020, and handed over appointment letters to their next of kins. An Army court recommended life imprisonment for Captain Bhoopendra Singh, alias Major Bashir Khan, after a court of inquiry and a subsequent summary of evidence found that soldiers under his command had abused their powers under Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act in this case.
Central Bank of Nigeria Lifts Crypto Ban Following New SEC Regulation

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The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has reversed its ban on dealing with companies involved in digital tokens.

According to a report by BusinessDay, the CBN has now instructed lenders to open accounts for crypto firms, marking a reversal of the ban it imposed in 2021.

The decision comes as the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) issued new regulations for crypto companies operating in the country.

The CBNs ban, introduced in February 2021, prohibited deposit-taking financial institutions from transacting with or operating cryptocurrency exchanges.

However, the recent change in law will provide a much-needed boost to crypto exchanges in Nigeria, which ranks second in blockchain data company Chainalysis Inc.s adoption index.

Despite the volatility of virtual asset prices, cryptocurrency transactions in Nigeria have continued to grow, with a 9 percent increase reported by Chainalysis in September.

Crypto Companies Need to Obtain License



Under the new regulations, Nigerian banks are now permitted to open bank accounts for crypto companies, also known as Virtual Asset Service Providers (VASPs).

They can provide designated settlement accounts and act as channels for foreign exchange flows and trade.

However, crypto companies must obtain a license from the SEC to operate and meet certain requirements.

VASPs, including crypto exchanges, are obligated to pay a minimum paid-up capital of 500 million ($553,000) and must be duly registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC).

Additionally, companies wishing to issue tokens must submit a white paper to the SEC and await approval before launching them in Nigeria.

To ensure compliance, banks are required to obtain the Bank Verification Number (BVN) of all directors and owners of the crypto companies they serve.

The guidelines also include stringent Know Your Customer (KYC) measures that VASPs must adhere to before establishing a banking relationship.

The change in crypto policy comes as Nigerias currency has experienced significant devaluation this year, prompting residents to turn to cryptocurrencies as an alternative store of value.

With the reopening of banking channels, Nigerias crypto industry is poised for further growth.

Back in October, a group of Nigerian blockchain experts criticized the nations Central Bank for its decision to prohibit the use of cryptocurrencies in 2021.

At the time, Adedeji Owonibi the CEO of Convexity praised the regime around blockchain technology and fired shots at the failure of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to implement a favorable policy.

He hailed the recent steps by the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) in its role in pushing for the first National Blockchain Policy in May, a move that would protect creators, investors , and users.

Similarly, other experts at the summit stressed the regulatory hurdles faced in several jurisdictions and cited a lack of proper understanding of the concept and nature of the technology as key factors for the CBN ban two years ago.
Bengaluru: A viral video of Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah and his cabinet colleagues travelling in a private jet sparked a political row on Friday, after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) accused the Congress-led government of wasting the taxpayers money on luxury lifestyles while the state grappled with a severe drought after years of insufficient rainfall. Karnataka minister BZ Zameer Ahmed Khan pose inside a private jet after his visit to Delhi on Friday. (X)

The chief minister, however, dismissed the criticisms and questioned the flying preferences of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

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In a 32-second video that was shared on X initially by state housing minister BZ Zameer Ahmed Khan on Friday, he and Siddaramaiah are seen seated in a swanky private jet along with revenue minister Krishna Byre Gowda and political secretary to the chief minister K Govindaraj. Happy moments of travelling from Delhi to Bangalore with our proud leader, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Khan wrote on the micro-blogging site.

In a communique, the Congress said the leaders were returning from New Delhi on Friday, after meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah on Wednesday over release of funds for drought relief. The Karnataka government has declared 223 out of the total 236 taluks in the state as drought hit.

Congress leaders said that there was nothing unusual about the aircraft, and that leaders of all parties sometimes took private jets to save time. To be sure, some Indian states have their own fleet of aircraft to be used by CMs and senior officials, but Karnataka hires planes on a need basis.

As the video clip went viral on Friday, BJP leaders attacked the Congress government for the crude mockery of the states distress.

If bigotry had a face, @INCKarnataka govt would be the Best of it! At a time, when whole of Karnataka is reeling under severe drought, farmers staring at the worst of crisis with loss of crops & no rainfall & hardly any development works taking off, all that @CMofKarnataka & his team of cabinet ministers could think of is flaunting their Rich Fortunes & Luxury Lifestyles over the poor damsels of the State! state BJP President B Y Vijayendra wrote on X.

By the way, they were traveling in this luxurious aircraft to seek funds for drought relief works! What a crude mockery of our distress! Splurging the Taxpayers money comes so easy for @INCIndia ministers! he added.

Vijayapura MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal also wrote on X: When the school children are suffering due to lack of buses and the government does not have money to repair schools, the CM is enjoying in a private jet.

Union parliamentary affairs minister Pralhad Joshi questioned the need to travel in a private jet, citing ample availability of flight services between Delhi and Bengaluru. When there are several flights between Delhi and Bengaluru, what was the need to use luxurious private jets during the drought? The state government has not given any compensation to the people, it is an insult to the people of the state. It is highly improper to travel in such a luxurious aircraft at this time, he said.

While Khan later brought down the video amid growing criticisms, Siddaramaiah defended his government and counter-questioned the BJP.

How does Narendra Modi travel? You tell me first. Please ask this question to the BJP people. Which plane does Narendra Modi travel in? He travels alone. Why does he travel alone? BJP leaders will keep saying something silly, he told reporters at Mysuru airport.

Later, in a post on X, the chief minister took a swipe at the BJP over the collapse of the Congress-Janata Dal (Secular) government in 2019.

The hundreds of crores of money spent by the BJP who brought down the coalition government through Operation Kamala, flew the MLAs around Delhi and Mumbai in a special plane, stayed in luxury hotels for weeks and had fun, were not collected by the BJP as laborers in the Nrega project, but the tax money earned by the poor people of the state, he said.

Do state @BJP4Karnataka leaders have the morals to object to my traveling in a special flight to discuss the states drought situation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi? he added.

State transport minister Ramalinga Reddy also defended the government, and accused the BJP of diverting attention from the issue of requirement of funds to tackle the drought.

My question is 223 taluks have been declared drought-hit. Several of our ministers went to Delhi in the last two months but they did not get an appointment. Instead of helping the state to get the funds, BJP leaders are speaking about Zameer Ahmeds video. The BJP leaders are least bothered about the farmers, Reddy said.

While the state government has, several times in the past, accused the central government of not releasing funds for centrally-sponsored schemes and drought relief, Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on November 30 said there is nothing pending from the Centre to Karnataka and the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) for the drought relief will be decided once a high-power committee (of NDRF) assesses the situation.

The moment the committee recommends, the money is going to come. It is due to the state. Nobodys going to stop it, she said.
Kochi Justice Gopinath P of the Kerala high court, while hearing the plea for bail, noted that the continued detention of the petitioner was not necessary for the purposes of investigation and that he could be allowed bail. (HT Archives)

The Kerala high court on Friday granted conditional bail to a man, accused of abetting the suicide of his girlfriend by making dowry demands.

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The man was arrested from Kollam earlier this month following the death by suicide of his girlfriend, a postgraduate medical student at the Thiruvananthapuram Medical College.

The case against the man is that he and his parents made exorbitant dowry demands, including luxury car, gold and property, to the womans family who could not afford them. The man later backed out of the marriage proposal which drove his girlfriend to depression and later suicide, police said.

Justice Gopinath P, while hearing the plea for bail, noted that the continued detention of the petitioner was not necessary for the purposes of investigation and that he could be allowed bail.

...as rightly pointed out by the senior counsel appearing for the petitioner, a condition under section 306 IPC can be sustained only if there are clear indications that the petitioner had the mens rea (the intention or knowledge of wrongdoing that constitutes part of a crime) to drive the deceased to suicide and the actions of the petitioner had left the deceased with no option but to commit suicide, the bench said.

The petitioners father, the second accused in the case, was also granted bail earlier.

Anticipatory bail plea of rape-accused lawyer rejected

In another case, the high court dismissed the anticipatory bail plea of a rape-accused former government pleader.

The case pertains to the former senior government pleader PG Manu facing allegations of rape of a woman who had come to him seeking legal aid in a sexual harassment case.

The HC however said, If the petitioner surrenders within 10 days, he will be produced before a magistrate who shall consider his bail application without delay.

The petitioner had alleged that the charges against him were false and were part of a calculated attempt by some of his professional rivals.
The Noida Police in Uttar Pradesh has reportedly registered an FIR against popular motivational speaker Vivek Bindra for allegedly assaulting his wife Yanika Bindra. Motivational speaker Vivek Bindra

Vivek Bindra married Yanika on December 6. But eight days later, on December 14, a case was filed against Bindra at Noida Sector 126 police station, accusing him of assaulting his wife, India Today reported.

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Bindra, the CEO and founder of Bada Business Pvt Ltd and a well-motivational speaker, was booked under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including 323, 504, 427 and 325, the report claimed.

The Noida Police is reportedly investigating the matter and said a thorough probe would be conducted into the allegation.

The complaint was lodged by Yanika's brother Vaibhav, who alleged that Bindra locked his sister in a room, hurled abuses and subjected her to severe physical assault, resulting in injuries all over her body, India Today reported.

In a video, which is being widely shared on social media, Yanika can be purportedly seen showing her injury marks to doctors.

"She is also unable to hear properly due to the assault on her ears," Vaibhav said, adding that Yanika is currently admitted to Delhi's Kailash Deepak Hospital and undergoing medical treatment.

Bindra has been also facing social media ire over an alleged scam after a video of another high-profile Indian motivational speaker and YouTuber Sandeep Maheshwari went viral.

Maheshwari recently uploaded a video on his YouTube channel titled Unveiling a Major Scam, where he showcased statements from students asserting that they had been misled by Bindra's company. Bindra has refuted all accusations.

Maheshwari, meanwhile, has claimed that he was being pressured to take down the video. But, on the contrary, the video started gaining more responses, as people expressed their support to Maheshwari and requested him not to take it down.
The Indian Navy and coast guard on Saturday swung into action to render help to a merchant vessel, suspected to be the target of a drone attack in the Arabian Sea, and diverted a warship and a patrol vessel to a location 217 nautical miles off the Gujarats Porbandar coast where the Liberian-flagged ship was disabled after its power generation system was hit, Indian officials monitoring the situation said. MV Chem Pluto

The navy and the coast guard also scrambled their maritime surveillance planes, a P-8I and a Dornier, to respond to the emergency within minutes of receiving information about the emergency flagged by the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), the position reporting and emergency incident response interface with merchant ships at sea, the officials said on the condition of anonymity.

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In a security notification issued on Saturday, UKMTO said it received a report of an attack by Uncrewed Aerial System (UAS) on a vessel causing an explosion and fire. It said the incident took place 200 nautical miles south-west of Gujarats Veraval coast. Fire extinguished, no casualties. Authorities are investigating. Vessels are advised to transit with caution and report any suspicious activity to UKMTO, the notification said.

It was not immediately known who was behind the incident.

The ship in distress, MV Chem Pluto, is carrying a crew of 22 sailors including 21 Indian nationals, HT has learnt. All of them are safe. The master in command of the vessel is an Indian: Deepesh Badikkihil. The only non-Indian crew is from Vietnam.

The chemical tanker carrying ethylene dichloride was on its way from Saudi Arabias Jubail port to New Mangalore in Karnataka, said one of the officials cited above.

The incident comes at a time when the region is facing an array of security challenges including Houthi militia targeting commercial shipping in the Red Sea after the Israel-Hamas conflict began on October 7, and the apparent resurgence of piracy. The Iran-backed Houthi rebels declared their support for Hamas.

After receiving information about Chem Pluto, the Mumbai-based Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) activated the International SafetyNET to rush the nearest merchant vessel in the area to inspect the chemical tanker, said a second official. The SafetyNET is the service for broadcasting and automatic reception of maritime safety information via satellite communications.

MV Merlin, which was in the area, went to check on MV Chem Pluto. Merlin reported that the Chem Pluto crew was safe, but the ships power generation had failed. The navy and coast guard diverted their ships to the area as it is on the fringes on Indias exclusive economic zone (EEZ), said a third official. Every coastal countrys EEZ extends to 200 nautical miles from its shores, and it has exclusive rights to all resources in the water, including oil, natural gas and fish.

The warship and the coast guards offshore patrol vessel Vikram are expected to reach Chem Plutos location on Saturday night, the officials said.

INS Kochi had earlier intercepted Maltese-flagged merchant vessel Ruen that was seized by unknown attackers in the Arabian Sea on December 14. It tailed the hijacked vessel until it entered the territorial waters of Somalia. One of the 18 sailors on board MV Ruen was on December 18 transferred to the Indian stealth destroyer for medical assistance after he was injured. He was transferred ashore at Oman the following day.

In the light of Ruen incident and towards augmenting the anti-piracy efforts in the Gulf of Aden area, the Indian Navy has deployed another indigenous guided missile destroyer in the region. The Indian Navy remains committed to ensuring safety of merchant shipping and rendering assistance to the mariners at sea, as a first responder in the region, the navy said in a statement on December 21.

The European Union Naval Force (EUNAVFOR) Operation Atalanta - the EU maritime security operation in the western Indian Ocean - also swung into action to track Ruen and join the anti-piracy effort.

The Ruen incident put piracy in the Arabian Sea back in the spotlight. Pirate attacks in the region peaked between 2008 and 2013 but had steadily declined thereafter because of the concerted efforts of the multinational maritime task force operating in the region.

The region accounted for almost 700 pirate attacks during 2008-13, but the figure nosedived to a mere 16 during 2014-19, according to EUNAVFOR data. The December 14 incident was the first in the last three years. The EUNAVFOR figures cover all attacks mounted by suspected pirates including the ones repelled, aborted and those leading to ships landing in pirate hands and crews being taken hostage.

The Indian Navy has been deployed in the Gulf of Aden for more than 15 years.

At any given time, one Indian warship has been carrying out round-the-clock anti-piracy patrols in the Gulf of Aden since October 23, 2008, to protect Indian seaborne trade, instil confidence in the seafaring community and act as a deterrent for pirates.

So far 107 Indian warships have been deployed in the Gulf of Aden to ensure safe passage of India-flagged merchant vessels and they have thwarted scores of piracy attempts and safely escorted thousands of ships with tens of thousands of Indian sailors.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu on December 19 discussed the latest developments in the Israel-Hamas conflict with the Indian leader emphasising the need for an early resolution of hostilities.

The safety of maritime traffic also figured in the conversation against the backdrop of attacks on merchant shipping in the Red Sea by the Houthi rebels. Several shipping companies have suspended their operations in the Red Sea following the attacks.
A merchant vessel bound for Mangalore was struck by a drone off Indias west coast, officials and maritime security agencies said on Saturday, an attack that comes at a time of heightened fears of maritime trade being targeted further west in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. A visual of the MV Chem Pluto taken by the Indian Coast Guards Dornier maritime surveillance aircraft in the Arabian Sea after it was hit by a suspected drone which led to fire on it, on Saturday. (ANI)

The Indian navy and the coast guard deployed assets to aid the merchant ship MV Chem Pluto. The vessel was carrying chemicals from Saudi Arabias Jubail port to Mangalore, officials said. It was struck 217 nautical miles from Porbandar around 11.30am, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO).

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The UKMTO cited the crew of 21 as having reported that all on board were safe and the attack to have come from an uncrewed aerial system (UAS), which led to an explosion and a fire that disabled its power supply.

READ | How Indian Navy countered hijacking incident in Arabian Sea

By 8pm, the crew regained some control and reported heading towards Mumbai, with a Coast Guard ship on course to intercept later at night, the Coast Guard said in a statement. The Indian Coast Guard Maritime Coordination Centre (MRCC) established real time communication with the vessels agent and ascertained nil loss of life and assured all assistance. It was also learnt that the vessel fire has been doused by the crew, said the statement, which added that a Dornier maritime surveillance aircraft has sanitised the area and established communication with Chem Pluto.

The vessel has started making way towards Mumbai after undertaking damage assessment and repairs on its power generation systems. It has sought escort assistance due to steering issues and Coast Guard vessel Vikram will be escorting it, the agency added.

It was not immediately known who was behind the incident but an official aware of the matter said the Chem Pluto sails under the Liberian flag and is managed by a Japanese company.

The hit on the vessel follows drone and missile attacks in the Red Sea by Iran-backed Houthis, who say they are supporting Palestinians under siege by Israel in the Gaza Strip, on commercial shipping, forcing shippers to change course and take longer routes around the southern tip of Africa.

READ | Key naval meeting to focus on Indian Ocean Region security

British maritime security firm Ambrey said the incident fell within Ambreys Iranian UAV heightened threat area. The Houthi rebels are seen to be backed by Iran.

The ship has a crew of 21 sailors, of whom 20 are Indian nationals, an official told HT, asking not to be named. The master in command of the vessel is Indian national Deepesh Badikkihil, and the only non-Indian crew is a Vietnamese citizen.

The chemical tanker was carrying ethylene dichloride, the person cited above added.

The navy and the coast guard scrambled maritime surveillance planes, a P-8I and a Dornier, to respond to the emergency within minutes of receiving information about the emergency through the UKMTO, a reporting and emergency incident response interface for ships in the Arabian Sea, Red Sea and Persian Gulf, the official said on the condition of anonymity.

After receiving information about Chem Pluto, the Mumbai-based Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) activated the International SafetyNET to rush the nearest merchant vessel in the area to inspect the chemical tanker, said a second official, asking not to be named. The SafetyNET is the service for broadcasting and automatic reception of maritime safety information via satellite communications.

MV Merlin, which was in the area, went to check on MV Chem Pluto. Merlin reported that the Chem Pluto crew was safe, but the ships power generation had failed. The navy and coast guard diverted their ships to the area as it is on the fringes on Indias exclusive economic zone (EEZ), said a third official.

Every coastal countrys EEZ extends to 200 nautical miles from its shores, and it has exclusive rights to all resources in the water, including oil, natural gas and fish.

The warship and the coast guards offshore patrol vessel Vikram are expected to reach Chem Plutos location on Saturday night, the official added.

INS Kochi had earlier intercepted Maltese-flagged merchant vessel MV Ruen, which was seized by unknown attackers in the Arabian Sea on December 14. It tailed the hijacked vessel until it entered the territorial waters of Somalia. One of the 18 sailors on board MV Ruen was on December 18 transferred to the Indian stealth destroyer for medical assistance after he was injured. He was transferred ashore at Oman the following day.

In the light of Ruen incident and towards augmenting the anti-piracy efforts in the Gulf of Aden area, the Indian Navy has deployed another indigenous guided missile destroyer in the region. The Indian Navy remains committed to ensuring safety of merchant shipping and rendering assistance to the mariners at sea, as a first responder in the region, the navy said in a statement on December 21.

The Ruen incident put piracy in the Arabian Sea back in the spotlight. Pirate attacks in the region peaked between 2008 and 2013 but had steadily declined thereafter because of the concerted efforts of the multinational maritime task force operating in the region.

The December 14 incident was the first in the last three years, according to EUNAVFOR data.

The Indian Navy has been deployed in the Gulf of Aden for more than 15 years.

But there are now concerns over the safety of maritime trade via the Red Sea, where several drone attacks by Houthi rebels have taken place.
A Delhi court on Saturday extended the police custody of Mahesh Kumawat, the sixth accused in the parliament security breach case, for furter 11 days, till January 3. Kumawat (32), in brown hoodie was produced before the Delhi court on Saturday (Twitter Photo)

Kumawat (32), who was arrested on December 15, was produced before the court amid heavy security. He was initially sent to seven days in police custody after his arrest.

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The Delhi Police special cell, which is probing the security breach case, sought an extension of custody for a further period of thirteen days under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), which allows for thirty days as a maximum period for which the investigating agency can ask for the custody of an accused.

The psychoanalysis tests are being conducted which are to be analysed and is to be confronted with other accused persons, special public prosecutor Akhand Pratap Singh submitted before the court.

Also Read: Parliament security breach: Delhi court extends Lalit Jhas custody till Jan 5

The legal aid counsel provided to Kumawat by the court argued that the grounds mentioned in the remand application do not warrant custody of thirteen days.

Additional sessions judge (ASJ) Hardeep Kaur after perusing the record placed before it and noting the submissions of the counsel sent Kumawat to custody till January 5.

The prosecutor had on December 17, when Kumawat was initially produced before the Delhi court after his arrest, told the court that his custody was required to find the actual motive behind the attack and his association with enemy country and terrorist organisations.

It was also told to the court that the accused wanted to create anarchy in the country so that they can compel the government to meet their unjust and illegal demands.

Kumawat, a resident of Nagaur in Rajasthan, was arrested by the Delhi Police special cell after being interrogated in relation to the brazen incursion that took place on the anniversary of the 2001 parliament attacks.

The special cell had alleged that he has been associated with accused Lalit Jha, the alleged mastermind behind the breach, for the last two years and had been a part of all the meetings held, including those in Mysore, Gurugram and Delhi.

The police have already arrested five other accused  Sagar Sharma, Manoranjan D, Amol Shinde, Neelam Devi and Lalit Mohan Jha  in the Parliament security breach case.

According to the police, Kumwat was in contact with other accused persons in hatching the conspiracy for the last two years. He also helped the mastermind accused, Lalit Jha, in the destruction of mobile phones to destroy evidence and to hide the larger conspiracy.

A case was registered by the Delhi Police under sections 186 (obstructing public servant from discharging public duties), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), 452 (house trespass after preparation for hurt assault and wrongful restraint), 153 (giving provocation with intent to cause riot), 34 (acts done by several person in furtherance of common intention) and 120B (criminal conspiracy) of Indian Penal Code and under sections 16 and 18 of UAPA, based on the complaint filed by the Deputy Director (Security) of Parliament.

Also Read: Parliament security breach: HC to hear plea against order to provide FIR copy

On December 13, while the parliament was in session two accused  Sagar Sharma (27), and Manoranjan D (34)  walked past three layers of security before rappelling down from the visitors gallery and spraying coloured smoke inside the Lok Sabha, while Amol Shinde (25) and Neelam Singh (37), had opened smoke canisters outside the premises while shouting slogans.

The four accused were immediately apprehended, while Kumawat and Jha surrendered before the police on December 14 and both were handed over to the special cell. On December 16, Kumawat was remanded to police custody for seven days.
The central and Tamil Nadu governments on Friday sparred over the flood situation in the southern state after Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman countered chief minister MK Stalins claim of a delay by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) in issuing a weather warning, and state finance minister Thangam Thennarasu accused the Centre of refusing relief funds for rain-affected districts. An aeriel view of flood-fit Thoothukudi district in Tamil Nadu. (PTI)

The four southern districts of Thoothukudi, Tirunelveli, Tenkasi and Kanyakumari were engulfed by ceaseless rain on December 17 and 18, which was the regions wettest spell since 1871, according to Stalin. Thoothukudi recorded 95 cm rainfall in a span of 24 hours, which is more than the annual rainfall of 70cm for the district, as per IMD.

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At a press conference in the national capital on Friday morning, Sitharaman said 31 people were killed in rain-related incidents in the four districts on those two days. As the Union minister attacked the state government over its preparedness to tackle the floods, she also dismissed Stalins claim earlier this week that the IMD had failed to issue timely warnings about the extreme rainfall in the four districts.

The Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) in Chennai had forecast heavy rains in the southern state well in advance, Sitharaman said. It (RMC) is the state-of-the-art meteorological centre located in Chennai. Forecasts (by this centre) are normally done in a dynamic way, that is every five days in advance. Every day there is a forecast but it warns you five days in advance about adverse weather conditions. What precautionary measures did the state government take after these alerts? she said.

For the extreme rainfall that occurred on December 17, the Union minister said, an alert was issued by the RMC on December 12 itself. Either the officials (concerned) did not brief the chief minister properly or they have received the forecast but did not act on it. But there is data that is recorded that the information on heavy rainfall was given on December 12 itself, she said.

On Tuesday, Stalin said the IMD failed to issue timely warnings about the extreme rainfall and added that the agency issued a red alert two days after the downpour began. It rained several times higher than what was forecast by the meteorological centre. It was unprecedented, he told reporters in Delhi.

Sitharaman continued: As a Union minister, I do not wish to speak about certain things but despite that, I will ask, before the NDRF reached there (in the four districts), was anyone from the Tamil Nadu government there? No.

The Union minister also hit out at Stalin for attending the Opposition INDIA blocs meeting in Delhi on Tuesday instead of visiting the affected districts and taking stock of the situation.

She also alleged that the state government had failed to learn lessons from the devastating floods in 2015. What are the lessons learnt from the 2015 deluge in Chennai and what kind of measures did the government take? Even now Ambattur industrial area is reeling under floods, she said.

She said the Centre released 900 crore in two installments to Tamil Nadu in the current financial year, to deal with the havoc caused by the unprecedented rainfall and flooding.

The ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), however, accused the Centre of refusing funds to the rain-affected state.

The state government had urged the Centre to declare the rain-affected districts as a calamity of severe nature and disburse 21,000 crore as relief to Tamil Nadu, but the Centre declined, Thennarasu said in a statement.

By rejecting both the demands, the finance minister has spoken in an arrogant language and insulted the people of the state by thinking that she was insulting the DMK government and the chief minister, he added.

To this, Sitharaman, in a post on X, said: There is no practice of announcing any disaster, in any state, at any time, by any government (of India) as National Disaster. Since there is a lot of interest in TN, even Tsunami of December 2004 (UPA with partner DMK) was not declared as Natl. Disaster.

In his statement, Thennarasu said Chennai, Kanchipuram, Tiruvallur, and Chengalpattu districts received heavy rains on December 4 and Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi, Kanyakumari and Tenkasi districts received very heavy rain on December 17 and 18, resulting in massive floods. A tragedy was averted only because of the precautionary measures taken by the Tamil Nadu government, he said.

The state BJP leadership, led by state unit president K Annamalai, met Sitharaman in Delhi on Friday morning to discuss the flood situation in the southern state.
A special sessions court here on Saturday acquitted Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan and his son Abdullah Azam in a 2019 attempt to murder case while upholding their seven-year sentence in a four-year-old forgery case. Samajwadi leader Azam Khan and his son Abdullah Azam (R).(PTI )

Special Sessions Judge Vijay Kumar granted Azam Khan, his son and two other relatives relief in the attempt to murder case for lack of evidence, Senior Prosecution Officer Amarnath Tiwari said.

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It was alleged in the case that Azam Khan, Abdullah Azam and two of their relatives had threatened a neighbour to vacate a plot of land, following which police had filed a charge sheet against them under sections of the IPC, including 307 (attempt to murder) and 323 (causing grievous hurt), Tiwari added.

READ | SP leader Azam Khan convicted for 2019 hate speech, gets 2 years in jail

However, in the other case registered in 2019, the court rejected a plea by the SP leader, his wife Tazeen Fatima and their son against the seven-year imprisonment awarded to them by a lower court on October 19.

The trio had appealed against the judgement in the fake birth certificate case in the special sessions court.

"On the completion of the hearing on the appeal, Special Sessions Judge Vijay Kumar rejected the plea, stating that there were no legal mistakes in the judgement given by the lower court," Tiwari said.

Azam Khan is currently lodged in the Sitapur prison, while Abdullah Azam and Tazeen Fatima are lodged in the Hardoi and Rampur prisons, respectively.

READ | Azam Khan snubs UP Congress chief Ajai Rai's jail visit, cites limit: Report

Azam Khan is a 10-term MLA and was also elected to the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha.

Abdullah Azam, who won from the Suar constituency in the 2022 assembly election on an SP ticket, was in February convicted by a Moradabad court in a 2008 case of wrongful restraint and assault on a public servant to deter him.

Two days after being convicted and awarded a two-year jail term in the case, Abdullah Azam was disqualified from the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly. He moved the high court, seeking a stay of the conviction but was refused.

Under the provisions of the Representation of the People Act (RPA), 1951, anyone sentenced to imprisonment of two years or more shall be disqualified 'from the date of such conviction' and remain disqualified for another six years after serving time in jail.
Women opposition leaders Priyanka Chaturvedi and Supriya Shrinate on Saturday criticised Union minister Smriti Irani's comment as to which gay men menstruate saying that the minister does not understand the ambit of the term LGBTQIA+. The term accommodates many categories apart from gay men and they menstruate, the opposition leaders said. The comments came after Smriti Irani in an interview with news agency ANI clarified her stance on mandatory paid menstruation leave and said the question asked to her in Parliament was ill-intended. "MP Manoj Jha asked whether the government was planning to out a menstrual hygiene policy and whether the policy would contain provisions for the LGBTQIA community. Which gay men without a uterus has a menstrual cycle?" Smriti Irani said. Smriti Irani asked which gay men menstruate as the Union minister was asked about the menstruation leave policy for LGBTQIA people in Parliament.

"The question was intended either to shock, provoke or to attract attention. Which it did. It did attract attention, it did shock many people, it did provoke controversy, but the question in itself indicates what the intent is," the minister said.

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Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) leader Priyanka Chaturvedi said it is shameful that the minister did not know the ambit of LGBTQIA. "Shameful that we have a minister who doesnt get the ambit of LGBTQIA+ - a commonly used umbrella term that includes transgenders, many of whom do menstruate. Her arrogance towards an issue which is a lived experience of many is shocking & insensitive," Chaturvedi said.

"LGBTQIA+ is NOT gay men alone, the community includes men and several menstruating women. Minister @smritiirani your apathy, arrogance & ignorance are appalling. Instead of voicing manufactured outrage spend some time and educate yourself on the issue," Congress leader Supriya Shrinate said.

Smriti Irani's comment in Parliament that menstruation is not a handicap and the government is not in favour of formulating any policy to make paid leave for periods mandatory triggered criticism. Smriti Irani clarified her stance and said making such a leave mandatory will expose women to bias and harassment at workplace.
He said the funds will help in the economic development of the Himalayan state. HT Image

"#Gratitude to Hon'ble PM Shri @narendramodi ji and Hon'ble Finance Minister Smt @nsitharaman ji for releasing 283.10 crore for Sikkim as an additional tax devolution instalment," he said in a post on X.

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"This funding will significantly boost Sikkim's economic development, supporting social welfare measures and infrastructure projects," Tamang said.

The Himalayan state suffered a massive natural disaster in October this year as a flash flood in the Teesta river ravaged road infrastructure and communication network in addition to washing away a hydropower project dam at Chungthang in North Sikkim.

Sikkim depends heavily on the central government for funds for development and capital expenditure with its own sources of revenue generation remaining scarce.
University of Virginia Medical Center in Charlottesville has been named among the top teaching hospitals in the country.

The Leapfrog Group named the Charlottesville facility as well as the UVa Haymarket Medical Center as two of the three best teaching hospitals in all of Virginia this year.

The 22-year-old nonprofit watchdog organization, which refers to itself as the nations gold standard in evaluating hospital performance, said its determinations are based on free, annual surveys that assess hospital performance on national measures of safety, quality and efficiency of both inpatient and outpatient care.

More than 2,100 hospitals were evaluated this year. UVa was one of 75 teaching hospitals nationwide to win the recognition.

The only other teaching hospital in Virginia recognized was Warren Memorial Hospital in Front Royal.

Protecting patients from preventable harm is the cornerstone of The Leapfrog Groups mission, Leah Binder, president and CEO of the Leapfrog Group, said in a statement announcing the news. UVA Health University Medical Center has demonstrated that patient safety is their top priority, and were truly pleased to recognize them as a Top Hospital this year. Congratulations to hospital staff at all levels who made this national recognition possible.

UVa credited its focus on patient safety and high-quality care.

As we work to expand our services and access to care as part of our 10-year strategic plan, providing the highest-quality care will continue to be our priority, K. Craig Kent, CEO of UVa Health, said in the same statement. I am impressed every day by the incredible care our team members provide.

UVa was not recognized in any of the other categories Leapfrog evaluates: general hospitals, childrens hospitals and rural hospitals. One other Virginia hospital was recognized: Inova Fair Oaks Hospital in Chantilly was honored as the top general hospital in the commonwealth.

UVa has had a strong year when it comes to rankings and recognition.

In November, UVa Medical Center in Charlottesville joined the health systems three other medical centers in Culpeper, Haymarket and Prince William in earning an A grade in hospital safety from the Leapfrog Group.

Also in November, medical news and information site WebMD named UVa Health the best in class health system in the commonwealth for its cancer, heart, orthopedics, neurology and digestive care.

Before that, in October, Newsweek magazine named the health system among the worlds best in neurosurgery, oncology and cardiology.

Our team members are focused on providing excellent, safe care for every patient they see, Wendy Horton, CEO of UVa Medical Center, said in a statement. I am so proud of their work, and I am thrilled to see their efforts recognized.
Agra (Uttar Pradesh) [India], December 23 (ANI): An encounter broke out between the Malpura Police and robbers on Saturday in which one of the accused was injured, said Police officials. HT Image

As per the information given by DCP West Agra, Sonam Kumar, on Saturday, Malpura police received information from an informer that the accused, who had committed the robbery in Nagla Basua a few days ago, were on their way towards Malpura from Patholi Canal.

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On receiving the information, when the police team reached there for checking, the accused started firing at them, in response they fired in self-defence and hit the accused on his left leg.

The injured accused Nizam was immediately taken to the hospital, said DCP Sonam Kumar.

Two other accused Rohit and Lakhan have been identified by the police, however, they are still on the run.

315 Bore pistol, three cartridges, motorcycle and 1700 rupees cash have been recovered by the Police, informed Kumar. (ANI)
Trouble seems to be mounting for Vivo-India as the Enforcement Directorate (ED) made three fresh arrests in connection with its money laundering probe against the Chinese smartphone maker, reported PTI citing sources. ED had made fresh arrests in the money laundering case against Vivo India.

The three have been taken into custody under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), they said. The identity of the three people was not known immediately.

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The federal agency earlier arrested four in the case including mobile company Lava International's MD Hari Om Rai, Chinese national Guangwen alias Andrew Kuang and chartered accountants Nitin Garg and Rajan Malik. They are in judicial custody.

A charge sheet was filed by the Enforcement Directorate against these people recently before a special PMLA court in Delhi and the court took its cognisance recently.

ED filed the charge sheet against Vivo-India in the money laundering case on December 7 where the Chinese smartphone maker was listed as the prime accused in the case.

Vivo siphoned $13 billion abroad: ED

In October, the Enforcement Directorate told a court in New Delhi that Vivo had siphoned off $13 billion by hiding their profits for several months. The agency also said that many people affiliated with Vivo concealed their employment while seeking visas for India.

ED said during court proceedings that some employees of Vivo breached rules by visiting the sensitive" Himalayan region of Jammu and Kashmir.

At least 30 Chinese individuals entered India on business visas and worked as Vivo employees, but their application forms never disclosed" that the firm was their employer, ED said as quoted by Reuters.

Various Chinese nationals have been traveling across India, including sensitive places of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, in gross violation of Indian visa conditions, the agency said.

(With inputs from PTI, Reuters)
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Angamitra Paul on Friday challenged West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee to contest against Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and urged her to stand against PM Modi from his Lok Sabha seat in Varanasi. A delegation of MPs led by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi(PMO India-X)

Why doesn't Mamata Banerjee contest from Varanasi? If Mamata Banerjee dares to compete in place of Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi, then she should do that. Do you want to become the Prime Minister? It is only fitting that our CM stands against the PM in the Lok Sabha polls, the BJP leader said.

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Paul further noted the differences shown among members of the INDIA bloc in states vis-a-vis at the national level. She said as Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury cries foul against the TMC in Bengal over the killing of party workers ahead of local elections, meanwhile, Mamata Banerjee shares the stage with Sonia Gandhi in Delhi showcasing good friendship. Would Adhir Chowdhury be able to answer the victims' families after contesting general elections by joining TMC's hands? she asked.

The BJP leader's statement came days after the TMC chief took the initiative on the vexed topic of the prime ministerial post if the Opposition coalition  INDIA  comes to power in 2024, and proposed Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge's name. She floated his name in the December 19 coalition meeting in Delhi, which at least 28 member political parties attended.

Meanwhile, the TMC has pitched Banerjee as the face of the Opposition. Reports suggest TMC is likely to steer clear of seats in Bengal Congress currently holds in a bid towards seat sharing among INDIA coalition partners.
How does one know whether to kiss a person on a first date? Its a universal dilemma, and one easily solved with a question. But a question is fraught with fear of rejection and awkwardness and, oh why not just do it instead?

An online masculinity project takes that last question, untangles it with a great degree of clarity, and explains a lot else about a good first date. It does this in simple interactive web comics that let the viewer choose what steps to take at every stage (and deal with the consequences or  Oh, if only life were the same  simply hit the back button and start over).

Vitally, it also works in how the young man got the idea that just going in for a kiss was the best way out.

The project, called Mardon Wali Baat (or, The Thing About Manhood) was launched by Delhi-based non-profit organisation The YP Foundation (TYPF; in which YP initially stood for Youth Parliament) earlier this year. Its four scenarios  relating to intercaste relationships, parental control and homosexuality, with more scenarios to come  aim to help young men explore definitions of masculinity, as well as power equations, gender equations, empathy, and themes of sexuality and consent.

The interactive comics are designed for urban Indian men aged 18 to 26, says Sagar Sachdeva, 30, TYPF director of programmes and policy engagement. With each choice they make, as they explore a scenario through its likely routes, a message appears explaining why the option they picked may or may not be the ideal one.

Six writers and three illustrators worked with the TYPF programming team to build the storylines on mardonwalibaat.com, over six months, drawing insight from the NGOs research. The interactive format allowed us to explore and create different tones and subtext, Sachdeva says. For example, they could weave in moments of emotional manipulation such as when the boy tries to pressurise the girl into kissing him, by telling her how much time and money he spent organising their date.

The aim is to engage not just with the privileges of masculinity but with the pressure to perform it in certain set ways, which many young boys encounter, Sachdeva says.

The story of how the project was born is telling too.

TYPF team members conducting workshops in Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan, typically on themes such as sexual and reproductive health or gender-based violence, found that young men were invariably curious, peeping in through windows, sometimes disrupting sessions that were being conducted with women and girls. They were invited in, when possible, but remained reluctant to participate.

So the team tried a different tack. They began to head to college campuses with posters of two popular archetypes of masculinity: Superman and Batman.

Asking men to describe what was appealing about these men led us to an understanding of the various types and phases of masculinities they experienced across caste and class lines, says TYPF executive director Prabhleen Tuteja. Discussions about suits, masks and expectations led some to admit that they loved to dance, but danced in secret, because of disapproving family members. Others said they only grew their curled moustaches because it was the easiest way to not be asked ones caste in Rajasthan.

At the same time, a lot of them were seeing themselves as victims of feminist movements. They were very interested in the question of Mardangi kya hai? (What is masculinity).

Online, TYPF reasoned, the young men could explore some of those issues in private, without risking ridicule or censure.

Eager to reach out to the same demographic offline too, TYPF published a handbook on how to conduct workshops on masculinity, earlier this year. It consists of a set of session designs titled Workshops on Beautiful Masculinities, because we want to acknowledge masculinity to be self-affirming, Sachdeva says. We want our sessions to be a space for young people, especially men, to collectively rebuild masculinity as something beautiful that brings pleasure, rather than violence or isolation.

The toolkit contains ice-breaker games and conversation-building activities that lead into discussions of key messages, and prompt participants to rethink the parts of their assumed identity, and how they include, exclude and affect other people.

Workshops designed using the toolkit have so far been held in Bhopal, Faizabad, Delhi, Varanasi, Indore, Lucknow, Kanpur, Raipur and at institutes such as IIT-Delhi, SAGE University and Banaras Hindu University, among others.

Asma Khan, 26, an on-ground project coordinator from Bhopal, says the sessions arent always easy to conduct. Its a struggle to hear the same ideas in session after session: that women never mean no when they say it, that we are quick to lodge fake cases of domestic violence. But, she says, the persistence and prevalence of the ideas is itself a reminder that it must be done.

Once you hear them out without judgement, its often surprising how readily they listen to you as well, Khan adds. Ive had boys come to me and say they have identified acts of micro-aggression or condescending behaviour towards their mothers and sisters and do not know how to apologise for them. It feels good to be able to help.

One teen spoke of how he forced his sister to hand over her college admission form and let him fill it out; the realisation of how this must have made her feel was now upsetting him.

The regret is a good sign, Khan says. Its not easy talking to men about masculinity, as a woman. But the regret tells us that our messaging isnt falling flat.
Russia has been at war, attempting to annex Ukraine, since February 2022. Its capital, Moscow, however, shows no battle scars. Crowds skid on icy patches at Red Square in winter, Christmas fairs come with hot chocolate and carousel included, the Metro is packed at rush hour, the Kremlin museum is full. Its possible to sit down to a dinner of meaty borscht, foie gras, scallops, rabbit, halibut and botanical-infused vodka.

To see signs of change, look closer. At Gum, the showpiece shopping centre, Louis Vuittons flagship boutique, which stood for more than 120 years, has been replaced by a local sports brand. Amid international sanctions  the strongest from the European Union  Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Hermes, Prada and Burberry have stalled all business here, as have H&M, Ikea, Nike and Apple. Foreign tourists are warned that they must stock up on roubles; credit and debit cards dont work because Visa and Mastercard have halted operations too.

Mercedes-Benz, the title sponsor for Moscow Fashion Week since 2011, has also exited Russia. But citizens still have money, style and a taste for the new. Its what drew delegates from 60 countries to the first BRICS+ Fashion Summit in Moscow in November.

Brazil, Russia, China, South Africa, Argentina and Turkey each showcased a collection by a top designer. India did things a little differently.

Sunil Sethi, chairman of the Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI), didnt approach red-carpet or bridal favourites such as Rahul Mishra, Gaurav Gupta and Manish Malhotra. Handlooms and traditional crafts are our USP in the international market, he says. Piyush Goyal, Indias union minister of textiles, has been keen to promote them internationally too. And we knew we had more to offer than just a single designer.

Spin cycle

Ritesh Kumar, Naushad Ali, Gaurav Khanijo and Shruti Sancheti made up the India show. Each of them has been giving traditional fabrics and techniques a modern, global sensibility.

The clothes stood apart. Nagpur-based Sancheti reimagined khadi as full-length dresses, coats and layered ensembles. Gurugram designer Khanijos autumnal menswear gave hemp, bamboo, silk and wool a sharp, tailored avatar.

Delhi-based Kumars ensembles of wool, quilted khadi and silk showcased a day-to-evening transition. It impressed me because I could see the global market for it, Sethi says.

A design shown by Gaurav Khanijo. (BRICS+ Fashion Summit)

The most exciting part about showing my work in Russia is that were showing in Russia in the first place, he says. The four of us have distinctive styles but were all passionate about Indian textiles and techniques. Its our tribute to the countrys artisans. Our brands would not be possible without them.

The shows international appeal was not lost on the BRICS+ audience. You could almost smell the richness of the fabric on the runway, said Gloria Haguma, a fashion journalist from Kampala, Uganda. The designs seemed different from Indian handlooms in the global imagination. These were contemporary, beautifully finished and so wearable.

An ensemble by Shruti Sancheti. (BRICS+ Fashion Summit)

At the Summits B2B showroom, it was all business, as designers, retailers, franchise dealers and creative professionals hustled for inroads into the Russian and BRICS+ markets.

Mumbai designer Shafaque Ali, 28, seemed like Indias wild-card entry. She wasnt part of the official delegation but was invited by the Russian fashion council via business connections in Europe. Her eponymous label, less than a year old, works Indian handlooms into Western silhouettes  think backless blazers in indigo-dyed khadi. It was incredible for a young designer such as myself to be noticed and encouraged, Shafaque Ali said. People whove seen the designs up close have said We dont have this here, which is encouraging.

A design shown by Naushad Ali. (BRICS+ Fashion Summit)

Its a good opportunity for India, says Rahul Mehta, former president and now chief mentor of the Clothing Manufacturers Association of India (CMAI). India is among the top five garment manufacturers in the world, but much of it is made for major brands, he says. Decamping Western labels leave a void in the Russian market, perhaps for Indian high-street brands such as Spykar, Killer Jeans, Cover Story and Zodiac.

CMAI conducted its first international showcase of Indian brands in Dubai, just days before the Summit, to a glowing response. I was approached by the Russian Fashion Council to discuss further cooperation between the two countries, Mehta says. There is a strong possibility of the Russian Fashion Council participating in CMAIs Garment Fair in June.

The Indian delegation, at more than 40 people, was among the largest. Jay Ishak, on the other hand, was the only Malaysia representative at the Summit. The President of the 100-member Malaysian Official Designers Association was looking to promote couture, streetwear and modest fashion among fellow BRICS+ nations. The world knows London, Paris and Milan; its hard for smaller countries to hold their own, she says.

A dinner held for the heads of Guatemala, Nigeria, South Africa, Costa Rica, the Philippines and Indonesia fashion weeks fostered invaluable connections. The session also taught Ishak an unexpected lesson about promotion, one India could learn from too. Designers must have a presence beyond Instagram and Facebook, she says. How will you get Russian people to wear your clothes when most social media is banned there?

For now, the war and the sanctions that have followed will, at least temporarily, shake up the fashion world order. For the next edition of the BRICS+ Fashion Summit, India will send 20 designers, follow a theme and have more brands at the B2B showroom, says Sethi of FDCI. Weve liked what weve seen; well go back for more.

(The writer was in Moscow as a guest of the BRICS+ Fashion Summit)

TRAVEL ADVISORY

* What is it like to visit a country at war? For one thing, there are few tourists. The US and Canada have issued travel advisories; a range of countries have refrained from advisories but have warned citizens to keep away from the border with Ukraine (where bombings continue).

* Most social media companies have left Russia or have been restricted or blocked. Hotel-booking platforms such as Airbnb, Booking and Agoda no longer operate. To access some Russian websites, a VPN is required.

* The Russian government plans to release a virtual Foreign Tourist Card to enable cashless payments, since it is unclear how long its war on Ukraine will continue (February will mark two years since the first invasion)

* Most local wi-fi networks only work against Russian phone numbers. Sim cards are available at the airport.

* Indian passport holders are advised to carry the documents submitted during the visa process. Russian immigration authorities are undertaking extra checks on Indian passport holders. Delays can last up to five hours.

* All visitors must complete a registration process with the local government within 72 hours of arrival. Hotels typically do this on behalf of their guests. Indians are advised to also register with the nearest consulate.
The holiday season is upon us as we gear up to welcome the most joyous time of the year - Christmas. The day commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ. It is marked as a religious and commercial holiday. As we near Christmas week, the holiday cheer starts filling the air as you see twinkling lights decked everywhere, ornaments-adorned Christmas trees at malls and offices, the smell of cinnamon and gingerbreads, and meet close friends and family to make memories. Know Christmas 2023 date, history, significance, traditions, and why it's celebrated on 25th December. (Pexels)

Christmas is one of the most sacred days for Christians. People spend the day singing carols, eating delicious plum cakes, exchanging gifts, visiting friends, spending time with family, and cooking a decadent meal. They also decorate their homes with a Christmas tree adorned with personalised ornaments, wreaths on the front door, and stockings over the fireplace. Additionally, kids wait for Santa Claus and his gifts that arrive on Christmas Eve night and are opened first thing in the morning. If you and your loved ones observe this joyous day, you should know when it is celebrated, its history, importance, and significance.

Wrap up the year gone by & gear up for 2024 with HT! Click here

Christmas 2023 Date:

Every year, Christmas falls on December 25. In 2023, the 25th of December is on Monday. Christmas Eve will be celebrated on December 24, Sunday.

Christmas 2023 History and Significance: Why is Christmas celebrated on December 25?

Christmas, derived from the words 'Mass of Christ', marks the birth of Jesus Christ. Jesus was born in Bethlehem to his parents, Joseph and Mary. He was conceived through the Holy Spirit and was born when Mother Mary was engaged to Joseph. It is believed that Mother Mary learned she would be giving birth to a special child on March 25, and nine months later, on December 25, Jesus was born. However, there is no proof that he was born on December 25, as the Gregorian calendar did not exist back then. Instead, the story of Jesus Christ's birth is in the New Testament's gospel of Saint Luke and Saint Matthew. The first time the birth of Jesus Christ was attributed to the date December 25 was in the 4th century, according to early Roman history. Christmas was first celebrated on record in 336, during the reign of Constantine, the first Christian Roman emperor and the Roman emperor at the time.

Countries around the world have different names for festivals. It is referred to as Yuletide in Germany, Navidad in Spanish, Natale in Italian, and Noel in French. Moreover, some Christians celebrate Jesus Christ's birth on January 6, the Epiphany, when they believe he was baptized.

Meanwhile, the Christmas holiday came into being with the legend of St Nicholas and his many miracles. Although much of his history is unconfirmed, the man who became St. Nicholas lived in the 4th century and is believed to have been a bishop in Asia Minor. In his honour, the Feast of St Nicholas was marked on December 6 and gifts were given the night before. The tradition was well-established in many European countries by the 12th century. Eventually, because St. Nicholas' Day and Christmas Day are so close together, their traditions generally were combined.

Christmas holds religious importance for Christians. They remember Jesus Christ on this day and recall his sacrifices for humanity. People also hold mass services and thank Jesus for removing hatred and greed from the world, eradicating evil, and prevailing happiness. They believe that since he came to salvage the entire humanity of all the suffering his ultimate sacrifice during crucifixion needs to be commemorated.

Christmas 2023 Traditions:

Several traditions are associated with Christmas. The most common activities are baking cakes and cookies, decorating Christmas trees with ornaments, visiting church, shopping for close friends and family, enjoying Christmas feats with loved ones, singing carols, and going to mass. Kids also wait for Santa Claus to arrive on Christmas Eve and enter their homes through the chimney with their gifts. However, Christmas traditions vary from region to region.
With the mighty, monied, famous and glamorous flying in and out of Maldives pretty frequently, Maldives has acquired the epithet of a glam destination. That it certainly is but the archipelagic floating in the Indian Ocean is also doable within the 1 lakh budget. All you have to do is pick wisely to discover the joys of the tropical paradise comprising 1,192 coral islands. Maldives is doable within the  1 lakh budget. Know more inside. (Pexels )

Heres a quick must/see/do/eat/buy guide to Maldives. (Also Read | Year-end travel: Have 1 lakh? Check out Indonesia)

Wrap up the year gone by & gear up for 2024 with HT! Click here

Must-see/do:

Male is one of the world's smallest capital cities at just 2.2 square miles. Must see Republic Square, The National Museum, Sultan Park, Male Fish Market, Hukuru Miskiiy, also known as the Old Friday Mosque that dates back to 1656 and is the oldest mosque in the country.

Go Scuba diving and snorkelling. Do not venture out alone, go with an instructor. Check his/her license before signing up. Dive to the Maldives Victory that sank in 1981 after hitting a reef.

Go dolphin spotting or do a submarine tour

Sandbank snorkelling and sunset cruise, Dhoni boat cruise,

Opt for a spa day. Try the underwater spa in the Huvafen Fushi resort.

Most resorts offer several activity options including water sports, parasailing, even lessons in how to protect coral reefs.

Must-eat:

 Garudhiya: Fish soup

 Kukulhu riha: Braised chicken in a coconut-based sauce

 Masi huni: Classic Maldivian breakfast of finely shredded smoked tuna, grated coconut, lemon and chilli.

 Handulu bondibai: Rice pudding

 Kulhi boakibaa: Maldivian version of tapas (small eats)

 Fihuna Mas: Whole grilled fish

 Bajiya: Maldivian version of the samosa

What to buy: Traditional Maldivian souvenirs, decor items made out of coconut shells, sarongs, Thundu Kunaa(Maldivian mats), jewellery, lacquer products, wicker mats, dried fish.

Where to buy: Majeedhee Magu, Male International Airport, Male Local Market, STO Trade Centre, Centro Mall, Chaandhanee Magu, Oevaali Art Shop. Most resorts have the stores within their premises.

Packages:

 Arena Beach Maafushi Hotel Package (3 nights/4 days): Cost: 88,000+ (including return flight). Book on: makemytrip.com

 Memorable Maldives Holiday (3 nights/4 days): Cost: 91,000+ (including return flight). Book on: makemytrip.com

 Kaani Palm Beach Vacation (4 nights/5 days): Cost: 80,000+ (including return flight). Book on: makemytrip.com

 Maldives Alimatha Aquatic Resort (4 nights/5 days): Cost: 76,000+ (excluding return flight). Book on: thomascook.in

 The Hive Beach Hotel Package: (4 nights/5 days): Cost: 57,000+ (including return flight). Book on: expedia.co.in

 Summer Beach Maldives Package: (4 nights/5 days): Cost: 38,000+ (including return flight). Book on: Expedia.co.in

Return Flight (Economy): Mumbai-Male-Mumbai direct return flight starts at 17,000+. Delhi-Male-Delhi direct return flight starts at 20,000+.

Visa: Indian nationals will be issued a free on arrival visa for 90 days from the date of entry. However, if you want to extend the duration of the tourist visa by another 60 days, youll have to pay INR 3,045.

Good to know:

Currency: 1 Maldivian Rufiyaa = INR 5.43

Language: The official and common language of Maldives is Dhivehi or Maldivian. Everyone in the tourism/hospitality sector speaks English.

Local transport: MTCCs Comprehensive Transport Network connects a large part of the dispersed islands in the country and offers a transport system between the islands. It provides bus service to Greater Male, Addu City, Fuvamulah City, L. Isdhoo/Kalaidhoo and L. Gan/Fonadhoo.

Once you arrive at Velana International Airport (MLE), you will have to take a ferry, a seaplane, a speedboat or some combination of the three to reach your final destination. Most hotels provide this service, check whether transfer is in included in the room tariff.

You can hire a yacht - it is expensive, though.

Use a seaplane to transfer from one island to another. For an island hop by air, compare the rates of Trans Maldivian Airways and Atoll Transfer.

Ferry and speedboats are also an option.

You can walk through Male which runs only for 2.2 miles. But if you have luggage, you can hail a taxi - they usually charge extra for luggage.

Wi-fi: Almost all resorts have free wi-fi.

Security/safety tips:

 Maldives is an Islamic republic, it is illegal to publicly observe a religion other than Islam.

 If you are in Maldives during the month of Ramadan, do not eat, drink or smoke in public in the daytime, outside of holiday resorts.

 Carrying/consuming drugs/narcotics is strictly prohibited.

 Do not bring pork into the country.

 Crime levels are low within the resorts but be careful of your belongings on beaches.

 In Male, avoid empty roads when on foot, particularly after dark.

 Alcoholic drinks are only available on resort islands. Do not take any alcohol out of your resort.

 It is illegal to take tortoise-shell jewellery or ornaments, or pieces of coral out of Maldives.

 Flash flooding can affect low-lying islands during periods of heavy rain. Follow the advice of the local authorities.

 Public displays of affection beyond simple hand-holding are frowned upon.
Its strange that a government so bent on removing all traces of British rule in India, and indeed all traces of earlier Muslim rulers, should have cleared three new Bills, one of which gives Indias police force power that could be described as colonial. In his book, Police and Politics in India, the distinguished Indian police officer Kirpal Dhillon has written of ruler-supportive and people-friendly police. The ruler-supportive police served those in authority and the people-friendly concentrated on serving the public. He maintained that the Indian police had deteriorated from the people-friendly ideals envisaged for them by the authors of the Constitution to becoming distinctly ruler-supportive. Dhillon wrote that except to the extent that it can be exploited for political and personal ends by the ruling classes, Indian politicians have hardly ever shown much concern for evolving an agenda for real and effective reform in the antiquated system of policing.

It is distressing that the three Bills, which were intended among other things to make Indian police more democratic, should have been passed in a Parliament, where most of the Opposition Members of Parliament were absent because they had been suspended by the Chair.

It might seem that the three Bills are intended to make Indian policing less colonial and more people-friendly. After all, they replaced three colonial laws. There is the Indian Penal Code, passed in 1860, three years after what the Raj called the Indian Mutiny and Indians call the First War of Independence. There is the Indian Evidence Act passed in 1872, and also the Code of Criminal Procedure originally enacted in 1898.

All three are being replaced by laws with Indian names, with the word Indian replaced by Bharatiya. But despite the nominal Indianisation, there is little evidence in them of the much-needed, fundamental reforms in the functioning of the police.

While it would be wrong to suggest that there is no value in any of the reforms introduced by the new laws, they dont appear likely to lead to fundamental changes in the attitude to criminal law and consequent changes in peoples attitude to them, without which police reforms will flounder.

One crucial change is likely to worsen the relationship between the police and the public. That is the large extension of the time the police can hold members of the public they have arrested for enquiry until they release them into judicial custody. The BNSS expands the maximum limit of police custody under general criminal law from 15 days to either 60 days or 90 days (depending on the nature of the offence), while under our current law, police custody is limited to the first 15 days of arrest.

This can all too easily lead to more crimes which the police are already accused of all too often. There are frequent cases of mistreatment of prisoners by the police. It is well known that torture has still not been eliminated from police stations.

Violence is sometimes used to extract false denials from arrested people. There are statements to the police which are falsified. A police station is not regarded as a safe place in India and the longer anyone is held there the greater the danger he or she is in.

Many of those who have commented on the new legislation would agree with scholars, Anup Surendranath and Zeba Sikora, who wrote in The Indian Express that given widely acknowledged concerns about the safety of arrested persons in police custody and the heightened risk of coerced and fabricated evidence after prolonged detention, this provision of the Bharatiya Nyaya (Second) Sanhita 2023 is a shocking expansion of police power. That means the Bills are a reversion to the colonial police that Kirpal Dhillon wrote about, the police force that is supportive of the ruler.

The views expressed are personal
A centennial review of the Nepal-Britain Treaty of Friendship offers an opportunity to examine not only the historical significance of the agreement for Nepal but also the impact that this piece of colonial history has had on the Indian subcontinent.

From Nepals perspective, the treaty turned out to be a diplomatic milestone. It helped safeguard its independence and sovereignty at a critical juncture in the early 20th century. The turn of events during the run-up to signing the treaty offers insight into the price Nepal played to further the British imperial ambitions. Casualties in the First World War remain debatable, but its estimated that over 6,000 Nepalis died and close to 20,000 sustained injuries. The war recruitment, together with the influenza epidemic of 1917, led to a reported decline in Nepals population between 1911 and 1920, from 560,000 to 550,000.

Scholars attribute the fruition of the 1923 treaty to tight-rope negotiations between Nepali and British-India officials, and Nepals hereditary Rana prime ministers contribution to the war efforts of the preeminent imperial power. Had things taken a different course, researchers say, Nepal could have well been pushed into the orbit of either of its powerful neighbours, China and India, 24 years later, when the British withdrew from the subcontinent.

Yet the events that led to the treaty are less discussed and dissected compared to the two other treaties. One is the Treaty of Sugauli which came about after Nepals defeat in a long and bloody Anglo-Nepalese War (1814-1816). The treaty gave Britain a firm upper hand: Nepal was forced to accept a resident British representative in Kathmandu, cede a third of its territory  a vast swathe west of the Teesta River to the east; Kumaon and Garhwal in the current-day Uttarakhand to the west; and the disputed Tarai to the south.

Not long before, the Gorkha conquests started in 1743 with the unifier-king Prithvi Narayan Shah, who subjugated some 54 petty principalities, settlements, and kingdoms. The conquest of the most prosperous of them all, Kathmandu Valley (the seat of current-day capital), a major trading centre and entrepot to Indo-Tibet trade, was completed in 1769. The Sugauli Treaty also ended the expansion of the Gorkha empire.

The second is the Treaty of Peace and Friendship between Nepal and India, which many believe was inked during the tenure of the last autocratic Rana prime minister, Mohan Shamsher, to appease Delhi. To many, the treaty signed in 1950 was a desperate bid for survival to stave off a pro-democracy mass movement.

Nepali Prime Minister Mohan Shamsher Jang Bahadur Rana and Indian ambassador to Nepal, Chandeshwar Prasad Narayan Singh signing the 1950 India-Nepal Treaty of Peace and Friendship, 31 July 1950(WikiCommons)

Yet, the 1923 Treaty remains significant for several reasons. First and foremost, it was the first formal recognition of the sovereignty and independence of Nepal by the United Kingdom. This meant that the international legal principle of sovereign equality of nations in the conduct of relations between an imperial power and what was until then an inconsequential Himalayan state would come into play. This also went a long way in removing doubt in the Nepali mind that Britain would invade Nepal someday while consolidating its grip on the subcontinent.

When much of South Asia was under British subjugation, observed Surya Prasad Subedi, a British-Nepalese Professor of International Law at the University of Leeds, in his lecture delivered early this year to mark the Treaty centennial. Nepal alone held its head high like the Himalayas, and never had a foreign flag flying over it. Though Britain never colonised Bhutan, it controlled its foreign relations.

After Indian independence, several prominent leaders, including Vallabhbhai Patel, the deputy prime minister and home minister in Nehrus cabinet, reportedly stood against Nepals independence. The then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, however, seemed to believe that the 1923 Treaty had already laid the foundation for Nepal as a sovereign state and should therefore be treated so in future as well.

Although Nepal was not a member of the League of Nations (which would later evolve as the United Nations), the fact that the Treaty was registered with the League in 1925 signified Nepals indirect admission to the galaxy of independent nations. After the conclusion of the 1923 Treaty, Nepal would become the first South Asian country to establish an embassy in London. This paved the way for Nepals membership in the United Nations in 1955. When Nepal made a bid for UN membership in 1949, the 1923 Treaty became major evidence of its independence.

The Treaty also ended any potential suzerain claim by China over Nepal. The Treaty of Betrawati in 1792 stipulated that China (which had come to Tibets rescue after a Gorkha invasion) should be considered as father to both Nepal and Tibet, who should regard each other as brothers. The Treaty effectively recognized the suzerainty of China over Nepal and Tibet, and that China would be obliged to help Nepal defend against any external aggression.

When a young Chandra Shumsher, Nepals Rana prime minister, met the young Viceroy of India Lord Curzon at the Coronation Durbar in Delhi in 1911, a lasting friendship was born. If it were not for the quid pro quo as demanded by Chandra Shumsher at the end of the First World War for the sacrifice made by the Gurkhas in battlefields around the globe, as Professor Subedi argues, the 1923 Treaty ratifying Nepals full sovereignty would not have come about. A fair argument perhaps.

Akhilesh Upadhyay is a Senior Fellow at IIDS, a Kathmandu-based think tank and former Editor-in-Chief of The Kathmandu Post. Views expressed are personal
Its, arguably, one of the saddest indictments of our country that today we increasingly ask the question What is it like to be a Muslim in India? The answer ought to be no different to being a Hindu, Christian, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi or atheist. But it is. Ziya Us Salams new book, Being Muslim in Hindu India: A Critical View , explains in distressing detail why that is so.

Let me start with the background but bear in mind the situation has got incalculably worse in the last decade. Muslims are 15% of the population but only 4.9% of state and central government employees, 4.6% of the paramilitary forces, 3.2% of IAS, IFS and IPS and, perhaps, as low as 1% of the Army. Since the Sachar Committee of 2006, weve known that in economic and social terms, theyre far worse off than the Scheduled Castes and Tribes.

Even in politics, where once their voice was heard, its diminishing and receding. In proportionate terms, they should have 74 seats in the Lok Sabha. They have 27. In not one of our 28 states do we have a Muslim chief minister; in 15, theres no Muslim minister; in 10, just one, usually in charge of minority affairs.

Actually, no party has turned its back on them as squarely as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Neither in 2014 nor 2019 did it have a Muslim Lok Sabha MP. Today, it doesnt even have a Muslim Rajya Sabha MP. In Karnataka and UP, with 14% and 19% Muslim populations respectively, it doesnt have a single Muslim MLA. In Gujarat, it hasnt fielded a Muslim candidate in any election, Lok Sabha or Vidhan Sabha, since 1998. In fact, this April, KS Eshwarappa, a former deputy chief minister of Karnataka, boasted that the BJP doesnt need Muslim votes.

What makes the situation worse is whats said of Muslims by ruling party leaders and their close supporters. Theyre called Babar ki aulad, taunted with abba jaan and repeatedly told to go to Pakistan. When there are calls for their genocide, few, if any, BJP voices speak out in condemnation. When accused of rioting, their homes are demolished even before their guilt is established. Theyre also regularly accused of love jihad and murdered for alleged cattle smuggling.

Let me cite an example from Ziyas book of what happened to a Muslim man in Jharkhand in June 2019. It may be invidious to single out one incident but its illustrative of many others. The rampaging mob tied him to a lamp post and beat him with anything that was on hand, from iron rods to batons, tyres and belts. The man bled from his head, hands and face. His legs were swollen, many of the bones were broken and his hands were bleeding. He could barely stand His crime? He was a Muslim in new India.

Even something as essential as their identity is denied to Muslims. Mohan Bhagwat, the RSS Sarsanghchalak, says Every Indian is a Hindu. Not just Muslims even Sikhs would not accept that. But hes gone further. All those who are in Bharat today are related to Hindu culture, Hindu ancestors and Hindu land, nothing other than these.

I think Ive said enough to explain why the answer to the question What is it like to be a Muslim in India? could threaten the integrity and future of our country. Id say its pretty obvious. But think for a moment what that answer means for our Muslim brothers and sisters. For the rest of us, its an arms-length analytical concern. For them, its their very existence. We speak of the problem, hopefully with deep concern. They live it and fear it can only get worse.

Karan Thapar is the author of Devils Advocate: The Untold Story. The views expressed are personal
Wanda Coleman, a resident of this county in Southwest Virginia, remembers when she was caught in chemical spraying last year from nearby Christmas tree farms.

When youre mowing the grass, you dont hear much else, she said. Then I looked up and there was a helicopter and chemicals were falling on top of me.

She said the helicopter was spraying crops of trees next to her home and that it had turned around over her property.

Candace Stevenson recalls getting caught in a drift of spray in April 2020 while taking her daughter on a walk near her home  an incident that upset the local organic farmer and inspired her to begin using testing strips to monitor nitrate levels in local streams.

Virginia farmers grow cypresses, firs, pines and spruces on more than 460 farms across the state, according to the state Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Christmas trees typically take eight to 10 years to reach maturity, be harvested and end up adorning living rooms during the holidays. Until then, they are sprayed with pesticides to keep pests at bay and ensure continued growth.

While some of the tree crops in Grayson County, about 280 miles southwest of Richmond, span large swaths of mountaintops, others spread within just a few feet of residents homes. A handful of area residents have formed an advocacy coalition called Preserve Grayson, which has pressed for a state law to require advance notification and disclosure of chemicals before companies apply pesticides to the trees.

While nitrates can commonly be found in water, higher levels could indicate the presence of pesticides  often a result of storm runoff from agricultural use nearby or chemical dumping. But locals say they are in the dark about what pesticides are being used and if the spraying is posing a public health risk.

Theyre going to do what theyve got to do, another resident who wished to remain anonymous said of Christmas tree farms using pesticides.

But the resident would like to see more precautions taken to minimize health risks  citing well water quality as a particular concern.

According to the Virginia Department of Health, wells should be tested for pesticides when significant amounts of herbicides or pesticides have been applied near your well, or if your well water is found to contain elevated nitrite or nitrate concentrations and an agricultural source is suspected.

The Virginia Household Water Quality Program is a resource to help people get their well water tested for a variety of bacteria and chemicals, but it does not specifically test for pesticides.

The well that provides the water for the residents house sits just a few feet from a Christmas tree farm where younger trees are growing on the other side of the fence, awaiting their eventual harvest years from now.

Stevenson said notification about chemicals and when pesticides will be sprayed is especially important for seniors with health concerns who spend much of their time at home, as well as for low- or fixed-income residents who lack air conditioning. Advance notice would enable them to make personal choices when they know spraying is happening, like staying indoors and closing windows. Residents with well water could monitor its quality.

We shouldnt have to be subjected to these chemicals on our private property, Stevenson said. We dont choose to live like that.

Then-Del. Jeff Campbell, R-Smyth County, introduced a bill in this years session that would have required any company using aircraft to apply pesticides west of the Blue Ridge to notify state officials seven days in advance. The company would have been required to notify the commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services about the location, date and time of the spraying and the brand or product name of the pesticide to be applied. A violation would have been subject to a civil penalty of $500 for a first offense and $2,500 for each additional offense.

Campbells bill failed to gain traction this year, but other lawmakers have signaled interest in exploring the matter.

A glaring loophole

There are no pesticide notification requirements in Virginias Pesticide Control Act. This means the tree farms in places like Grayson County do not have to notify residents when they plan to spray. Virginia law does require advance notification to homeowners associations or management companies for condominiums or apartment complexes.

Noah Sachs, an environmental law professor at the University of Richmond, calls this a glaring loophole.

He added: At apartment buildings if someone applies pesticides to the lawn, my hunch is that its mainly about the pets. Do you want your pets on the lawn right after a pesticide application? Yet here we have aerial spraying of pesticides in much higher quantities and theres no notification required.

Andrew Moore, the director of the National Agricultural Aviation Association, said proposals like Campbells are unnecessary.

The association opposed Campbells bill earlier this year  arguing that seven days notification is not conducive to pest treatment and that an Environmental Protection Agency atmospheric model helps ensure precise pesticide applications.

Moore also pointed out that the EPA approves pesticides for use and that the federal Food Quality Protection Act requires crop protection products be reviewed every 15 years.

Sachs of the University of Richmond said: Aerial sprayers will point to this federal law and say whats the big deal? EPA is approving these as safe. The big deal is the EPA is not anticipating the concentration of pesticides that neighbors will be exposed to.

But Moore also pointed to an organization called DriftWatch where crop producers, beekeepers and pesticide applicators can voluntarily log information to better determine which sensitive crops may be near where pesticides are being used. A few local beekeepers have registered their apiaries.

Nobody wants to be fined or damage things on nearby land, Moore said.

Even with layers of regulations and guidelines for targeted application, some Grayson County residents worry about aerial spraying up against property lines of private homes. Preserve Grayson also sent the Richmond Times-Dispatch what it termed a locally taken video of a helicopter spraying chemicals on trees near a home.

Legal action

In the summer of 2022, members of Preserve Grayson met with Southwest Virginia lawmakers, who submitted a letter to state agencies relaying their concerns.

Campbell; Dels. Israel OQuinn, R-Washington County, and Terry Kilgore, R-Scott; and Sen. Todd Pillion, R-Washington County, wrote that While the most recent statistics indicate that Virginia ranks 7th in the United States in Christmas tree production, it appears that numerous tangential issues are being created in Grayson County specifically.

The lawmakers wrote that most of the issues seem to be emanating from one corporation  Bottomley Evergreens and Farms.

They noted that while it is legal to use helicopters to deploy pesticides, it is doubtful that Virginia Code contemplated spraying at altitudes of 2,500-5,000 feet. Additionally, such altitude means these chemicals are often sprayed onto adjoining landowners homes, farms, bee hives, creeks, etcetera.

Bottomley, based in North Carolina, also operates a farm in Grayson County. The company has been cited a number of times, including being fined by North Carolinas Department of Environmental Quality for damaging mountain streams  a case later tossed during an appeal due to a signature issue. (The North Carolina agency employee who signed the paperwork assessing the fine reportedly was not authorized to do so.)

A Bottomley subsidiary in Oregon settled suits with the U.S. Department of Labor.

According to Freedom of Information Act responses that Preserve Grayson shared with The Times-Dispatch, the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services in 2021 issued $4,800 in fines for multiple violations concerning Bottomleys pesticide spraying in 2020.

When reached, a contact for Bottomley did not provide a staff member to be interviewed for this story.

The Virginia agriculture agency is responsible for inspecting pesticide use and conducting investigations based on complaints it receives to determine if pesticide applicators are complying with laws and pesticide labels. This is part of why Preserve Grayson has worked to raise awareness if neighbors see something they think might be violating law or label use.

Members of Preserve Grayson have also met with U.S. Rep. Morgan Griffith, R-9th, who represents Southwest Virginia, including Graysons 15,000 residents. He told The Times-Dispatch in a recent email that he believes we need to do more with targeted pest control measures.

Griffith said he plans to seek clearance for a pesticide hearing in the Oversight Subcommittee  which he chairs  of Congress Energy and Commerce Committee. He added he is worried about pesticides that the EPA has approved more recently, saying the full impacts on humans are not entirely known.

While residents like those involved in Preserve Grayson have a voice, wildlife doesnt.

Its one reason why state Sen. Bill Stanley, R-Franklin, has expressed interest in reviving an effort to require advance notice of aerial spraying.

A pollinator such as a bee does so much more for us than a pretty Christmas tree in the corner of a living room, Stanley said.

Proponents say a notification law could add another layer of accountability beyond the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services authority to investigate potential violations and the voluntary resources of sites like DriftWatch.

Its unclear whether Bottomley or the Virginia Christmas Tree Growers Association would oppose or support such future legislation. The growers association could not be reached despite multiple attempts.

This is not about stopping spraying or pitting big corporate farms against small farms, Stanley said. Its about making sure theres advance notice. And this shouldnt be partisan.
India's first solar mission Aditya-L1 will reach its destination  the Lagrangian point (L1)  on January 6, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chairperson S Somanath said. ISRO Chairman S Somanath.(PTI)

"Aditya-L1 will enter the L1 point on January 6. That is what is expected. The exact time will be announced at an appropriate time," news agency PTI quoted Somanath as saying.

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Somanath was interacting with reporters on the sidelines of the Bharatiya Vigyan Sammelan organised by Vijnana Bharati, an NGO working to popularise science, in Ahmedabad.

"When it reaches the L1 point, we have to fire the engine once again so that it does not go further. It will go to that point, and once it reaches that point, it will rotate around it and will be trapped at L1," he said.

The ISRO chairperson further said when Aditya-L1 reaches its destination, it will help measure various events happening on the Sun for the next five years.

"Once it is successfully placed on L1 point, it will be there for the next five years, gathering all the data which are very important not for India alone but for the entire world. The data will be very useful to understand the dynamics of the Sun and how it affects our life," the ISRO chief said.

Somanath also said that how India is going to become a technologically powerful country is very important. He pointed out that ISRO has made a plan to build an Indian space station, called the 'Bharatiya Space Station' during the 'Amrit Kaal' as per Prime Minister Narendra Modi's instructions.

"In the space sector we are seeing an emergence of new actors...We are going to support, encourage and build the economy around the new generation," he said, adding that India cannot become a leader in everything, but it should focus on the sectors where it can.

What is the Aditya L-1 mission?



Aditya-L1, India's first solar mission, was launched on September 2 from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) in Andhra Pradesh's Sriharikota.

The mission aims to study the Sun from a halo orbit around the first Sun-earth Lagrangian point (L1), which is located roughly 1.5 million km from Earth.

Earlier this month, ISRO said that the Solar Wind Ion Spectrometer (SWIS), the second instrument in the Aditya Solar Wind Particle Experiment (ASPEX) payload is operational.

According to the space agency, ASPEX comprises two instruments  the Solar Wind Ion Spectrometer (SWIS) and the SupraThermal and Energetic Particle Spectrometer (STEPS). While the STEPS instrument started operating on September 10 while, the SWIS instrument was activated on November 2, 2023.
When it comes to picking Christmas gifts for 30-year-olds, seventh-grade students from Palm Springs, California, have some wildly entertaining ideas. Their suggestions, shared by teacher Shane Frakes on TikTok, have taken the internet by storm, revealing the perceptions these middle schoolers have about the desires of adults in their 30s. LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY - DECEMBER 22: Christmas themed trinkets are displayed in a store at the St. Matthews Mall on December 22, 2023 in Louisville, Kentucky. Jon Cherry/Getty Images/AFP (Photo by Jon Cherry / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)(Getty Images via AFP)

Middle schoolers' hilarious gift suggestions for adults in their 30s capture internet's attention(TikTok)

The gift list

Here's a peek at the gift ideas these seventh-graders came up with:

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Measuring cups: A practical yet unexpected choice.

"Bless this home" signs: Because who wouldn't want a home blessing?

Dyson vacuum: Keeping it clean, one gift at a time.

Wine and hip implants: A combination that raises eyebrows and laughter.

Panera bread gift card: Apparently, people in their 30s love soup!

Bingo cards: A hit for game night.

Bath & Body Works goodies: A classic choice.

Expensive meats: Because who doesn't love a high-quality steak?

Hard candies: A nostalgic treat for the supposedly mature palate.

Candy Crush premium: For the avid gamers.

Old people candles

T.J. Maxx gift card: For the ultimate shopping spree.

Wrinkle creams

Heated blanket

Coffee mug: Specifically, one that says, "Don't talk to me until I've had my coffee."

The internet couldn't get enough of these suggestions, with many finding them "solid" and "ruthless." Some even confessed that they, as adults, could relate to the humour.

Also Read | Year ender 2023: Most interesting TikTok trends that made users shout wow

Shane Frakes, the creative teacher behind this hilarious assignment, shared that he initiated these quirky Q&A sessions as a way to engage students after the challenges of online learning during the pandemic. His students loved it so much that they encouraged him to share their answers on TikTok.

"The reality is, 12-year-old kids think 30 is ancient," says Frakes. It seems old and so far away.

Mr. Frakes, known as 7thgradechronicles on TikTok, has garnered over 200,000 followers by sharing content from his classroom adventures. This specific video, asking about gifts for 30-year-olds, has surpassed 2.3 million views and still counting.
Indian Forest Service officer Parveen Kaswan took to X to share pictures of 'pseudo-melanistic' tigers found in Simlipal, Odisha. Since he shared the images of these rare tigers, it garnered significant attention and left many in awe. Snapshot of the black tiger found in Odisha.

As the IFS posted the pictures, he informed in the caption of the post, "The black tigers of India. Do you know there are pseudo- melanistic tigers found in Simlipal. They are such due to genetic mutation and highly rare. Such beautiful creature." (Also Read: Tiger spotted taking a stroll in a field in UPs Pilibhit. Watch)

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In a following tweet he wrote, "The first confirmed record of the now famous pseudo-melanistic tigers of Similipal came in 1993. On 21st July 1993 Salku, a young boy of Podagad village shot down a 'black' tigress with arrows in self-defense. The rare tigers were first officially discovered in STR in 2007. With time more were documented. They are due to rare genetic mutation and found in small population."

Take a look at the tweet here:

This post was shared on December 22. Since being posted, it has gained more than one lakh views. The share also has close to 4,000 likes and numerous comments.

Check out what people are saying about this post here:

An individual wrote, "What a sight! Hope we will be able to conserve this amazing wildlife forever."

A second commented, "Wow. All their stripes ran together like ink. Very interesting and beautiful."

"How gorgeous! Thank you for sharing these images," posted a third.

A fourth said, "You are so lucky to be with such lovely creations of nature and God."
A drone strike caused an explosion and fire on a merchant ship in the Arabian Sea, news agency ANI reported. No casualties have been reported on the ship. The crew included 20 Indians and an Indian Coast Guard vessel was moving towards the merchant vessel, it added. The vessel, which was carrying crude oil, started from a port in Saudi Arabia. Coast Guard ship, ICGS Vikram has been directed towards the merchant ship. Drone Attack Off India's Coast: The vessel was carrying crude oil.(Reuters)

The Indian Navy and coast guard swung into action to help the merchant vessel as they diverted a warship and a patrol vessel to a location 217 nautical miles off the Gujarats Porbandar coast.

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Who is responsible for the attack

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the strike. Last month, an Israeli-owned cargo ship was hit in a suspected drone attack by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in the Indian Ocean, a US official said. It was then reported that the vessel which was managed by an Israeli-affiliated company was reportedly damaged when the unmanned aerial vehicle exploded close to it.

What about drone attacks in Red Sea

Drone and missile attacks in the Red Sea by Iran-backed Houthis have also increased following the Israel-Hamas war. Houthis have said that they support Hamas owing to which they will continue to target commercial shipping linked to Israel. This has forced shippers to change course and take longer routes around the southern tip of Africa, Reuters reported.

The White House said Iran was "deeply involved" in planning operations against commercial vessels in the Red Sea as Houthis have have launched more than 100 drone and missile attacks, targeting 10 merchant vessels involving more than 35 different countries, as per the Pentagon.

Iran's threat in Mediterranean Sea

An Iranian Revolutionary Guards commander said the Mediterranean Sea could be closed if the United States and its allies continued to commit "crimes" in Gaza. "They shall soon await the closure of the Mediterranean Sea, (the Strait of) Gibraltar and other waterways," brigadier general Mohammad Reza Naqdi said as per Reuters.
When Princess Diana and Dodi Al Fayed died in a car crash in Paris, Dodi's father Mohamed Al Fayed claimed that it was not an accident. Hiring his own private investigators, Mohamed Al Fayed started spreading theories that the British royal family was somehow involved. Mohamed Al Fayed was beset by grief and an overwhelming sense of injustice, al-Fayed spent millions on legal battles to ensure there was an inquest, Reuters reported. Former Harrods owner Mohamed Al Fayed who died in September. (AP)

Mohamed Al Fayed spoke several times on his son's death. He repeated allegations resulted in the British government opening Operation Paget, an investigation in 2007 into Princess Diana and Dodi's deaths.

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That report said that in essence Mohamed Al Fayeds allegation is that the Security Services (unless otherwise specified, this is taken to be the Secret Intelligence Service (SIS) - commonly known as MI6) acting at the behest of HRH Prince Philip, arranged for or carried out the murder of Dodi Al Fayed and the Princess of Wales.

The alleged motive was that the Princess of Wales was pregnant with Dodi Al Fayeds child and there was to be an imminent announcement of their engagement. It is suggested by Mohamed Al Fayed that the Royal Family could not accept that an Egyptian Muslim could eventually be the stepfather of the future King of England. It is alleged that the Security Services of the United Kingdom covertly obtained the information concerning pregnancy and engagement, with or without the co-operation of overseas agencies, precipitating the need to put into operation a plan to murder them. Mohamed Al Fayed further alleges there was a cover-up by the Establishment to prevent the conspiracy and murders from coming to light," it added.

What Mohamed Al Fayed alleged about Princess Diana

Mohamed Al Fayed alleged that royal family orchestrated the car crash, Diana and Dodi were engaged, and that Diana was pregnant. He testified that Diana "told me that she knew Prince Philip and Prince Charles were trying to get rid of her" and that the royal family did not like "a person who is different religion, naturally tanned, curly hair" would be with the mother of the future king.

He testified, It's proved, there are dark forces. My version is the right version because [I] don't take any garbage from anybody who can pretend they are important.
The health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza said on Saturday that at least 20,258 people had been killed in the Palestinian territory since the start of war with Israel on October 7. Israel-Hamas War: Israeli military operates in Gaza, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas.(Reuters)

The latest toll includes 201 fatalities in the past 24 hours, the ministry said. Most of the dead are women and children.
Israel's latest evacuation order for civilians in the central Gaza Strip would force them to relocate to areas "where there are ongoing air strikes", the UN agency for Palestinian refugees said on Saturday. This handout picture shows an Israeli soldier operating in the Gaza Strip(AFP)

In the evacuation order issued on Friday, the Israeli army instructed residents in the Bureij refugee camp and surrounding areas to "leave immediately for their own security" and head towards Deir al-Balah city further south.

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"People in Gaza are people. They are not pieces on a checkerboard -- many have already been displaced several times," Thomas White, Gaza director for the UN's agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, wrote on social media.

"The Israeli army just orders people to move into areas where there are ongoing air strikes. No place is safe, nowhere to go."

ALSO READ| Two uteruses, two babies: US woman gives birth to twin daughters on different days

After the evacuation order, thousands of Palestinians fled the central Gaza Strip to the south on Friday.

UNRWA tweeted that the latest order would affect more than 150,000 people.

An estimated 1.9 million have been displaced by the war, according to the UN.

Fighting began on October 7 when Hamas gunmen broke through Gaza's militarised border and killed around 1,140 people in Israel, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli figures.

Palestinian militants also abducted around 250 people during the attack, according to Israeli figures.

Vowing to destroy Hamas, Israel launched a relentless bombardment and ground invasion of Gaza, where 20,057 people have been killed, according to the latest toll from the territory's Hamas government.
Hamas said that it has lost contact with the group responsible for five Israeli hostages being held captive in the Gaza Strip amid Israeli bombardment. The group believes the hostages were killed during an Israeli raid, Abu Ubaida, the spokesman of Hamas' armed wing Izz el-Deen al-Qassam Brigades was quoted as saying by news agency Reuters. Israel-Hamas War: Smoke rises over Gaza, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas.(Reuters)

This comes as Hamas health ministry said that dozens of Palestinians were killed this week and publicly "executed" during an Israeli military operation in the north of the Gaza Strip.

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The Israeli "massacre resulted in the death of dozens" of people in the Jabalia camp and Jabalia town, ministry spokesman Ashraf al-Qudra said, adding, They also executed dozens of citizens in the streets.

The war which erupted after a Hamas attack on October 7, which left around 1,140 people killed in Israel, most of them civilians. Hamas also abducted around 250 people, 129 of whom Israel says remain in Gaza. Israel launched a relentless bombardment and ground invasion of Gaza, where 20,057 people have been killed, mostly women and children.
A Hindu temple was defaced with anti-India and pro-Khalistani slogans graffiti on its exterior walls in California's Newark city in the United States. The pictures of the graffiti were shared by the Hindu American Foundation on Saturday in a post on X (formerly known as Twitter), showing hateful slogans against India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the walls of the Swaminarayan Mandir Vasana Sanstha. Hindu temple in US defaced with pro-Khalistani slogans

The graffiti also mentioned slain Khalistani terrorist Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale's name on the walls.

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The mention of the Khalistan terrorist kingpin #Bhindranwale, who targeted Hindus for murder, is specifically meant to traumatize temple goers and create a fear of violencemeeting the CA definition of a hate crime, the Hindu American Foundation wrote on X.

The foundation also urged the Newark police to investigate the incident as a hate crime. Swaminarayan Mandir Vasana Sanstha in Newark, California was defaced with pro-#Khalistan slogans. @NewarkCA_Police and @CivilRights have been informed and full investigation will follow. We are insisting that this should be investigated as a hate crime, the post read.

Meanwhile, the Newark police has assured a thorough investigation into the incident.

The incidents of such hate crimes have been recorded several times in the country, as well as are on the rise in the US and Canada.

In August, activists of banned Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) defaced more than five metro stations with pro-Khalistan graffiti ahead of the G20 Summit in the national capital. The SFI also reportedly released raw footage of the Delhi metro stations where slogans such as Delhi Banega Khalistan and Khalistan Zindabad were written. Two people were arrested in the case in September, while another man was detained two months later.
Wayfair CEO Niraj Shahs year-end memo to his employees did not go down well with many of them and the public. The Boston-based online retailer of home goods faced a backlash after Shahs email, which urged workers to work harder and longer hours, was leaked to the media. Public outcry over Wayfair CEO Niraj Shah's year-end message(AP/bostontechleaders)

Shah sent the memo last week to the companys salaried corporate employees, according to Business Insider, who first reported it. In the email, Shah praised the companys performance in the third quarter of 2023, but also warned that the competition was fierce and that employees needed to be more aggressive, pragmatic, frugal, agile, customer-oriented, and smart.

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He also dismissed some of the Nirajisms, or sayings attributed to him about the companys culture, as either false, outdated, or out of context. One of them was, Niraj said that he does not think that we should work late.

ALSO READ| Hindu temple in US defaced with pro-Khalistani slogans, Jarnail Singh's name

Shah wrote, I would suggest that this is laughably false. Hard work is essential for success, and a key part of getting things done. Everyone deserves to have a great personal life  everyone manages that in their own way  ambitious people find ways to blend and balance the two.

Working long hours, being responsive, blending work and life, is not anything to shy away from. There is not a lot of history of laziness being rewarded with success. Hard work is an essential ingredient in any recipe for success. I embrace this, and the most successful people I know do as well.

Shahs memo came after Wayfair reported a 3.7% increase in sales to $2.9 billion in the quarter ending Sept. 30, 2023, compared to the same period in 2022. The company also reduced its net loss by 42%, from $283 million in 2022 to $163 million in 2023. Shah attributed the improvement to the companys market share growth, repeat customer rate, supplier relationships, and profitability.

As we work our way through the holiday season it is really encouraging to see that we are back to winning. Winning feels good  and is a great reward for all of our efforts, Shah wrote.

This is something to be very proud of.

The year-end email sparks public outcry

However, not everyone was impressed by Shahs message. Many netizens expressed their displeasure and vowed to boycott Wayfair over its CEOs work ethic. Some also called for the company to unionize its workers.

Im boycotting and not purchasing anything from this greedy company, one user posted on X (formerly Twitter).

Another user, @PortiaMcGonagal, echoed that sentiment saying, A company Ive purchased from and been satisfied by. My mom too. And now, I wont be buying from anymore.

ALSO READ| Italy fines Meta for breaching gambling advertisement ban

Wayfair defended its CEO and its culture in a statement: We are incredibly proud of our world-class team and culture of open communication. In his note, which was sent to our salaried corporate employees, Niraj was reinforcing some of the values that have contributed to Wayfairs success, including questioning the status quo, being cost-efficient and working hard together to drive results.

However some experts doubted that Shahs approach would work in the long run. Nicholas Bloom, an economics professor at Stanford University, told CNN that Shahs memo could backfire and alienate his employees.
Helsing is part of the HIS consortium developing the AI backbone for the European Future Combat Air System (FCAS). Helsing operates alongside Schonhofer Sales and Engineering GmbH and IBM Germany. The FCAS initiative aims to integrate a new generation of manned fighters with a network of unmanned systems and highly connected aircraft. Helsings role is pivotal in providing the AI development infrastructure that will reduce pilot workload and enhance the operational capability of remote carriers and munitions. SS&E has expertise in real-time situational awareness, analytics, AI, and management of complex data and data formats, while IBM will provide secure cloud technologies for the program.

The AI backbone is not just a singular system but a foundational technology supporting the air forces cross-functional capabilities with AI. The AI backbone will integrate distributed edge AI capabilities embedded in each FCAS member, where data is collected, shared across the secure cloud, and orchestrated by AI algorithms to distribute a common operating picture and actionable decisions and commands to all players across the network. This proximity to data sources enables rapid, real-time analytics and decision-making, crucial for modern warfare where speed is a tactical advantage.

The AI backbone will also contribute to the Next Generation Weapons System National Research and Technology project, the 6th Generation air platform, part of the broader FCAS program. This project aims to develop technologies to give the German Air Force and its European partners an edge in AI capabilities.
Iran's deputy foreign minister on Saturday dismissed US accusations that Tehran was involved in attacks by Yemeni rebels on commercial ships, saying the group was acting on its own. Iran's deputy foreign minister Ali Bagheri(Reuters)

Yemen's Iran-aligned Huthi rebels have launched more than 100 drone and missile attacks, targeting 10 merchant vessels in the Red Sea, according to the Pentagon, in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza, where Israel is battling Hamas militants.

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On Friday, the White House released US intelligence that Iran provided drones, missiles, and tactical intelligence to the Huthis, who control vast parts of Yemen including the capital, Sanaa.

"The resistance (Huthis) has its own tools... and acts in accordance with its own decisions and capabilities," said Ali Bagheri, Iran's deputy foreign minister.

"The fact that certain powers, such as the Americans and the Israelis, suffer strikes from the resistance movement... should in no way call into question the reality of the strength of the resistance in the region," he told Mehr news agency.

Earlier on Saturday, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said Washington had previously asked Iran to advise Yemeni rebels not to act against US and Israeli interests in the region.

"We have made it clear to the Americans that these groups have decided, based on their interests, on how to support Gaza," said Amir-Abdollahian during a conference in Tehran in support of Palestinians.

"We have not and will not order them to stop the attacks."

The Gaza Strip has endured 11 weeks of Israeli air and ground attacks that killed more than 20,000 people, mostly women and children, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run coastal territory.

Israel has vowed to crush Hamas after the Palestinian militant group carried out a cross-border attack on October 7 that killed around 1,140 people in Israel, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli figures.

Palestinian militants also abducted about 250 people, 129 of whom Israel says remain in Gaza.

Iran, which supports Hamas financially and militarily, has hailed the October 7 attack on Israel but denied any involvement.

The Islamic republic has repeatedly warned of a widening conflict, and last month Amir-Abdollahian said the intensity of the war has rendered its expansion "inevitable".

President Ebrahim Raisi has said Iran sees it as "its duty to support the resistance groups" but insisted that they "are independent in their opinion, decision and action".

Last month, Tehran dismissed as "invalid" Israel's accusations that Huthi rebels were acting on Tehran's "guidance" when they seized a Red Sea ship owned by an Israeli businessman.
Iran's deputy foreign minister on Saturday dismissed US accusations that Tehran was involved in attacks by Yemeni rebels on commercial ships, saying the group was acting on its own. HMS Diamond firing its Sea Viper missile to engage and shot down an aerial drone over the Red Sea.(AP)

Yemen's Iran-aligned Huthi rebels have launched more than 100 drone and missile attacks, targeting 10 merchant vessels in the Red Sea, according to the Pentagon, in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza, where Israel is battling Hamas militants.

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On Friday, the White House publicly released US intelligence that Iran provided drones, missiles, and tactical intelligence to the Huthis, who control vast parts of Yemen including the capital, Sanaa.

"The resistance (Huthis) has its own tools... and acts in accordance with its own decisions and capabilities," Iran's deputy foreign minister Ali Bagheri told Mehr news agency.

"The fact that certain powers, such as the Americans and the Israelis, suffer strikes from the resistance movement... should in no way call into question the reality of the strength of the resistance in the region.," he added.

The Gaza Strip has endured 11 weeks of Israeli air and ground attacks that killed more than 20,000 people, mostly women and children, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run coastal territory.

Israel has vowed to crush Hamas after the Palestinian militant group carried out a cross-border attack on October 7 that killed around 1,140 people in Israel, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli figures.

Palestinian militants also abducted about 250 people, 129 of whom Israel says remain in Gaza.

Iran, which supports Hamas financially and militarily, has hailed the October 7 attack on Israel but denied any involvement.

The Islamic republic has repeatedly warned of a widening conflict, and last month, Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said the intensity of the war has rendered its expansion "inevitable".

President Ebrahim Raisi has said Iran sees it as "its duty to support the resistance groups" but insisted that they "are independent in their opinion, decision and action".

Last month, Tehran dismissed as "invalid" Israel's accusations that Huthi rebels were acting on Tehran's "guidance" when they seized a Red Sea ship owned by an Israeli businessman.
Israel is planning to flood the Hamas tunnel network in Gaza with seawater risks ruining the basic conditions for life in Gaza, a senior hydrologist said as other experts warned this could cause an ecological catastrophe that will leave Gaza with no drinkable water. It was reported that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have set up pumps at Al-Shati refugee camp which they could use to pump millions of gallons of seawater into the tunnels. Israel-Hamas War: Israeli soldiers exit a tunnel that the military says Hamas militants used to attack the Erez crossing in the northern Gaza Strip.(AP)

Israel has also begun the trials in the area which experts think could have far-reaching environmental consequences. Mark Zeitoun, director of the Geneva Water Hub and professor at the Geneva Graduate Institute, said as per Guardian that the seawater pumped into the soil of Gaza would inevitably seep into the aquifer that its 2.3 million residents rely on for drinking water.

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Mark Zeitoun said, If you add more seawater directly, right on through the sand into the aquifer, its not going to turn a top-quality resource into a vulnerable resource, it will turn a vulnerable resource into a catastrophic one."

It would ruin the conditions of life of everyone in Gaza, he said, adding, I say the conditions of life because I think thats one of the elements of genocide within the UN convention, the partial or complete physical destruction of the conditions necessary for life of any people.

Flooding the freshwater aquifer with seawater would go against every norm humanity has ever developed, including the environment aspects of international humanitarian law/rules of war and the recent principles on the protection of environment in relation to armed conflict and all the progress made towards criminalising harm to the natural environment: ecocide," he explained.

A spokesperson for the UN Environment Programme said, The coastal aquifer, an underground natural reservoir which runs from the Carmel mountain range in the north to the Sinai peninsula in the south, and the already fragile ecosystem of Gaza must be protected, so there is no impact on agriculture, industry and the environment, and so that people can use the groundwater safely."
Israel routinely used one of its biggest and most destructive bombs in areas it designated safe for civilians in Gaza during the first six weeks of the war, a report claimed. The New York Times, citing video evidence, reported that Israel used 2,000-pound bombs in an area of southern Gaza where Israel had ordered civilians to move for safety. Bombs of this size are used by several Western militaries, but are almost never dropped in densely populated areas anymore, it said quoting experts. Israel-Hamas War: A soldier operating in the Gaza Strip, amid continuing battles between Israel and Hamas.(AFP)

Using an artificial intelligence tool to scan satellite imagery of south Gaza for bomb craters, The New York Times reported that craters measuring roughly 40 feet across or larger were checked as typically only 2,000-pound bombs form craters of that size in Gazas soil, as per experts.

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Almost 208 craters were identified in satellite imagery and drone footage but some are likely to have been missed, it said.

Findings reveal that 2,000-pound bombs posed a pervasive threat to civilians seeking safety across south Gaza, the report claimed. An Israeli military spokesman said in a statement responding to the report that Israels priority was destroying Hamas and questions of this kind will be looked into at a later stage. Israel takes feasible precautions to mitigate civilian harm", he added.

This comes as Israel pressed its Gaza offensive as heavy shelling was reported in several cities in Gaza. The Hamas-controlled health ministry said 18 people were killed in a strike on a house in Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza.

The Israeli army said that it had destroyed a "strategic" tunnel complex, a "Hamas headquarters and eliminated terrorists" in operations in Gaza City while the UN Security Council approved a resolution demanding "immediate, safe and unhindered" deliveries of life-saving aid be rushed to Gaza "at scale".
US President Joe Biden said he was "heartbroken" over the death of an American hostage, Gadi Haggai, who Hamas abducted during the October 7 attack in Israel. Meanwhile, Haggai's wife Judith Weinstein, is still under captivity in Gaza, according to Israeli media outlet Haaretz. US President Joe Biden(Bloomberg)

"Jill (Biden) and I are heartbroken by the news that American Gadi Haggai is now believed to have been killed by Hamas on October 7. We continue to pray for the well-being and safe return of his wife, Judy," the US president said in a statement released by the White House, as quoted by news agency Reuters.

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Earlier on Friday, a group representing hostages' families had said that Haggai died in captivity. However, Biden's statement didn't give details about what happened to Haggai.

According to Haggai's family statement cited by Haaretz, he was a talented chef, with a love for wind instruments. "We mourn the loss of our father and grandfather, and we continue to hope and pray that his body will be returned to us and that Judi is still alive and we will be reunited soon," the family said in a statement.

ALSO READ| Hindu temple in US defaced with pro-Khalistani slogans, Jarnail Singh's name

What happened on October 7?

On October 7, 2023, Hamas terrorists launched a sudden assault in southern Israel on a Jewish holiday. The terrorists massacred hundreds of innocent civilians, beheaded babies, raped women and abducted people.

People of different age groups including women and children were abducted during the attack by Hamas. In retaliation, Israel launched a war against Hamas in Gaza.

During the ongoing war, Israel and Hamas entered a truce for a few days during which 110 hostages including foreign nationals were released. As part of the hostage exchange deal, Israel freed 240 Palestinian prisoners.

However, more than 100 hundred Israeli hostages are still believed to be held under Hamas captivity in Gaza. Reportedly, Israel is trying for a new deal to ensure the safe release of the remaining hostages.

(With inputs from Reuters and other news agencies)
Prince William and Kate Middleton welcomes their second child Charlotte Elizabeth Diana at St. Mary's Hospital in London on May 2, 2015. Princess Charlotte is the fourth in the line of succession to the British throne. When she was born, Kate Middleton said, It's very special having a new little girl. I feel very, very lucky that George has got a little sister. The Queen was really thrilled that it was a little girl, and I think as soon as we came back here to Kensington she was one of our first visitors here.

Britain's Princess Charlotte tries her hand at archery.(AP)
Ukraines Defense Ministry said it uncovered an attempt by some officials to purchase artillery shells at inflated prices, revelations that came after Defense Minister Rustem Umerov pledged to weed out corruption in the military sphere. Russia-Ukraine War: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky speaks during his end-of-the-year news conference in Kyiv, Ukraine.(AP)

One official was detained and others were dismissed from their posts as a result of the investigation, the ministry said in a statement.

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The joint probe conducted by the State Security Service and General Prosecutors Office found that a group of officials led by the head of the department for ammunition production took payment on a contract for artillery shells that was above what was stipulated.

According to the statement on the Ministrys website, a newly established agency of military purchases signed a revised contract that stipulated significantly cheaper prices. Nevertheless, the payment for the shells was made according to previous agreements draw up by the officials targeted in the probe and led to an overpayment of 1.5 billion hryvnia ($40 million).

All the officials involved will be given a polygraph test, the Defense Ministry said on its website.

Umerov became defense minister in early September after his predecessor Oleksii Reznikov was ousted amid allegations of graft in military procurement by subordinates on his watch.
Indian entrepreneurs Nikhil Kamath and Neerja Birla have been appointed to the India advisory council of the British Asian trust which is a charity founded by King Charles III when he was the Prince of Wales. Nikhil Kamath, co-founder of Zerodha, is the youngest Indian to sign Bill Gates and Warren Buffet's The Giving Pledge as a promise to give at least 50 per cent of his wealth to charity. On his new role with the British Asian trust, he said, I am committed to partnering with innovative and pioneering social organisations as part of my philanthropic approach. I'm therefore honoured to join the British Asian Trust's India Advisory Council, made up of notable business leaders and philanthropists. Together, we aim to address complex social challenges innovatively and at scale across the country." Zerodha co-founder Nikhil Kamath.(File)

Neerja Birla, founder and chairperson of the Aditya Birla Education Trust, said, Mpower has become a symbol of hope and a driving force for change in the mental health landscape in India. However, significant barriers continue to exist in providing the right support for mental health to millions of citizens in the country."

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The British Asian Trust is doing commendable work in this space across the world. I'm thrilled to join the British Asian Trust's India Advisory Council and expand our work in mental health across India, she said.

Both are set to join the trust alongside other eminent Indian business leaders including Mukesh Ambani who chairs the trust's India Advisory Council.

Executive director of the trust in India, Bharath Visweswariah said, The inclusion of Nikhil Kamath and Dr Neerja Birla into our advisory council will contribute immensely to the future of our work in India. Nikhil's passion for conservation and livelihoods and Dr Birla's outstanding journey in education and mental health will help us expand our impact innovatively and effectively.
Over 300 Indians who were on board a plane grounded in France on suspicion of human trafficking were being cared for in the hall of an airport in Marne while an investigation was ongoing, a local official said as per news agency Reuters. Complete coverage of France grounding plane here France Grounds Plane: Marne emergency services installed makeshift beds for the 303 stranded passengers.(AFP)

Marne emergency services installed makeshift beds for the 303 stranded passengers as they were given access to toilets and showers and provided meals and hot drinks at Vatry airport, officials informed. Officials from the Indian general consulate were visiting them regularly, it added.

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In a post shared on X (formerly Twitter), the Indian Embassy in France said, "Continue to work with French Gov for the welfare of the Indians currently at the Varty airport, 150 km East of Paris, & for early resolution of the situation. Embassy consular staff stationed there. Thank French authorities for working on this through the long holiday weekend."

Why was the plane grounded by France

The flight, which was operated by Romanian charter company Legend Airlines, landed at Vatry for a technical stopover en route from Dubai. Then, French police intervened and grounded the plane following which a judicial investigation into the conditions and purpose of the trip had been launched. A unit specialising in organised crime were investigating suspected human trafficking, AFP reported. Authorities had been tipped off by an anonymous informant about the flight.

What do we know so far about the flight

AFP reported that the passengers on the grounded plane, which was bound for Nicaragua, included 13 unaccompanied minors. Two people were held for questioning. Legend Airlines said that the plane's crew had been released after questioning.

"The members of the crew have been questioned, the questioning has ended and they are all free to move. None has been put in custody," it said. The flight was chartered by a "trusted" client, it informed, adding that it was a non-European company which the airline did not want to name.
Toronto: Canadian law enforcement has established a task force to investigate multiple reports of extortion targeting Indo-Canadian businesses. Abbotsford resident Tanmanjot Gill who was arrested by police on December 9 for targeting a business in Brampton, Greater Toronto Area, Canada. (Credit: Peel Regional Police)

In a release issued on Friday, Peel Region Police (PRP) said it was investigating a disturbing trend of extortion attempts.

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These are primarily targeted towards members of our South Asian business community. Victims are contacted through a variety of social media platforms and demands for money are made under threats of violence, which have occurred in some incidents. Nine incidents are currently being investigated, the release added.

These businesses, according to members of the community, who spoke on condition of anonymity, are owned by Indian-origin proprietors, mostly with roots in Punjab.

As a consequence of the concern within the community, PRP has launched an Extortion Investigative Task Force (EITF), a dedicated team comprised of investigative and intelligence units supported by tactical teams.

This has caused grave safety and security concerns among our community members, PRP chief Nishan Duraiappah said.

Terrorising our residents will not be tolerated and Peel Regional Police will devote the resources to pursue those who are responsible, he added.

On December 9, PRP arrested 23-year-old Tanmanjot Gill, a resident of Abbotsford in British Columbia, for discharging a gun and firing multiple rounds at a business in the town of Brampton in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). Officers are looking for a second suspect, described as a South Asian male of medium build.

The public was requested to immediately contact the police if they, their family or their business is targeted with threats of violence to extort money or other valuables. It noted that suspects were using social media platforms to contact victims and perform these illegal acts. They often know the victims name, phone number, address and business information, the release added.

The phenomenon does not appear to be limited to the GTA as several businesses also appear to have been targeted recently in British Columbia. Abbotsford Polices Major Crime Unit is investigating cases involving residents and businesses, a release on December 7 said. Earlier, on November 23, the department said it became aware of multiple businesses receiving the same letter requesting they pay money in exchange for protection from future violence. The letter cites recent reported events in Abbotsford, yet no connection has been confirmed.

Preliminary investigation, it said, indicated that these letters may have been sent en masse to commercial businesses and were generic in nature and does not specify the business recipient or indicate a method of payment, contact, or communication.

The letter, according to community members, threatened businesses to pay up or get a bullet , adding they could be targeted even in India as, it said, we have links all over.

These extortion attempts have underscored concerns over transnational gangs, with links to India, operating in Canada.

On November 23, the Surrey detachment of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) also stated that it had become aware of extortions targeting business owners throughout the Lower Mainland and is encouraging anyone who may be a victim to call police.

If you are a business owner in Surrey and have received any threats either directly or indirectly, we strongly encourage you to call Surrey RCMP, the units media relation officer Corporal Sarbjit Sangha said.
And when the night is cloudy, there is still a light that shines on me,

Shine until tomorrow, let it be  Paul McCartney

Greta Thunbergs smile said it all. The famous young climate activist was getting herself arrested, along with dozens of other protesters, for blocking an entrance to Londons posh Park Street Hotel, located a few blocks from the House of Commons.

A Place to Sleep, episode 10: Wrapping up We check back with some of the people we've met along our travels and we catch up with politicos who are trying to come up with solutions.

Inside the hotel, representatives from some of the worlds largest oil conglomerates met and schmoozed with members of Parliament at this Octobers Energy Intelligence Forum. There they attended panels on topics such as, How best to navigate climate, supply security and shareholder returns.

We have no choice but to disrupt, Thunberg said, because the world is being swept away by greenwashing and lies.

Of course the disruption of the Oily Money confab, as the protesters dubbed the event, didnt last long. The protest itself was quickly disrupted by the hundreds of London police called out to sweep away the activists.

But as the diminutive Ms. Thunberg, in front of a worldwide press corps, was gently, willingly and wordlessly escorted to a paddy wagon by two policemen, her smile, at once impish and saintly, fearless, confident and serene, simply said, We won.

Meanwhile, 2023 has been arguably the darkest single year for planetary life, including human life, since the Chicxulub asteroid struck the earth 66 million years ago, setting much of the planets surface ablaze and raising toxic dust clouds that within several weeks wiped out 75% of all lifeforms, including most dinosaurs.

Obviously our present global environmental crisis is developing far more slowly than that explosive-impact event. In human time it is taking several generations for us to irretrievably upset the balance of nature.

But on a geological timescale, that is far quicker than a blink of an eye.

Looking back at 2023, people will likely see it as the year we finally crossed a threshold of planetary system disruption that we had been approaching since the beginning of the industrial revolution  a threshold we cant recross.

During this year, global temperature records have been broken and broken again. Its the hottest year on record, and, although we might get some temporary reprieve in the years ahead, there is no reason to think that temperatures overall wont keep climbing for at least two decades.

This summer, we briefly surpassed, then retreated from, the Paris Agreements 1.5C aspirational temperature-rise limit and, according to renowned climate scientist James Hansen, continuously rising emissions have rendered that limit toast.

Whats worse is that even at the worlds current 1.2C+ temperature level, a record in and of itself, the impacts have piled up, or piled on, thicker and faster than anyone anticipated.

A more-or-less continuous series of headline-making, climate-related disasters  ranging from massive wildfires that have turned entire towns to smoldering embers, consumed vast swaths of forests and altered the atmospheres albedo while depleting the ozone layer; to floods worldwide; to fossil-fuel-derived air pollution that claimed 5 million lives and deadly heat waves that killed almost 70,000 more; to forced migrations; rampant deforestation and the ongoing mass extinction of wild species  this is the year of the dark cloud.

But as I write this in the darkest season, a few days before the winter solstice, and even as two murderous wars rage and the COP28 climate conference has ended in a pathetic greenwash, I look around and see children with eyes aglow and clusters of colorful lights, like stars, defying the night.

When I wonder if humans have hope of, if not turning things around, at least slowing them down so we can catch our breath and carry on, I smile softly, thinking of Gretas Buddha smile lighting a small corner of our ecological house.
Kate Middleton and Prince William's children Prince Louis, Princess Charlotte, and Prince George are not allowed to eat with their parents during holidays and official dinners as per a former royal chef. Darren McGrady, who worked for both the late Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Diana, said that the royal children cannot eat with their parents at official dinners or during holidays so that they learn the importance of polite conversation. From left, Britain's Prince William, the Prince of Wales, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, Prince Louis and Kate, the Princess of Wales are seated.(AP)

According to Darren McGrady, the three children arent allowed to sit with the adults until they have learned the art of polite conversation. There are never any exceptions, including for larger holidays like Christmas, he said.

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The three children instead eat with their nannies in the nursery, he said, explaining, The children always ate in the nursery until they were old enough to conduct themselves properly at the dining table."

The royal nursery wasnt just for educating the minds of the young royals but educating their palates, too. Nanny always had control of the menu and made sure they ate balanced meals that included not only lots of healthy vegetables but introduced them to new grown-up dishes too, he continued.

What the former royal chef said on Queen Elizabeth

Darren McGrady said that the late monarch loved a big salad or fresh fruit. She even had a very specific way she would eat bananas. With a banana, shell cut off the bottoms and cut the banana lengthwise, and then cut the banana into tiny slices to eat with a fork, he said.

On her fondness for cake, Darren McGrady said, Now the Chocolate Biscuit Cake is the only cake that goes back again and again and again everyday until its all gone. Shell take a small slice every day until eventually there is only one tiny piece, but you have to send that up, she wants to finish the whole of that cake.
The United Nations warned Saturday that an Iranian-Swedish citizen is facing imminent execution in Iran, after a Swedish court upheld the conviction of a former Iranian prison official. The UN rights office said Saturday that a "moratorium on all death sentences is urgently required" in Iran. (File Photo / REUTERS)

"Disturbing news that Dr. Ahmadreza Djalali could be shortly executed on charges of 'enmity against God'," the UN human rights office said on X.

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Djalali was sentenced to death in 2017 on espionage charges that have been denounced as baseless by Stockholm and his supporters.

Before his arrest in Iran in April 2016, Djalali was a visiting professor in disaster medicine at Vrije Universiteit Brussel, a Belgian research university.

The UN rights office said his execution could take place soon "despite failures to respect fair trial and due process standards".

"Iran must stop this execution."

The comments came amid fears that a Swedish appeals court decision confirming the conviction of former Iranian prison official Hamid Noury could jeopardise the fate of several Swedish prisoners in Iran.

Grave risk

Amnesty International warned Friday that Djalali in particular was "at grave risk of imminent retaliatory execution" after the court this week confirmed Noury's life sentence for crimes committed during a 1988 purge of dissidents.

Noury, 62, was convicted of "grave breaches of international humanitarian law and murder" over his role in a purge that saw at least 5,000 prisoners killed across Iran.

The crackdown is widely considered retaliation for attacks carried out by the People's Mujahedin of Iran (MEK), an exiled opposition group, at the end of the Iran-Iraq war.

Sweden tried Noury under its principle of universal jurisdiction, which allows it to prosecute a case regardless of where the offences took place.

Since the appeals verdict, "mounting evidence indicates that Iranian authorities are threatening to carry out Ahmadreza Djalali's execution in retaliation for their unmet demands to pervert the course of justice in Sweden", said Diana Eltahawy, Amnesty's deputy director for the Middle East and North Africa.

"The cruel toying with Ahmadreza Djalali's life immediately after a Swedish court of appeals upheld (Noury's) conviction and life sentence... heightens concerns that Iranian officials are holding Ahmadreza Djalali hostage to compel Sweden into a prisoner swap," she said in a statement.

Execution spree

Iran has previously used detained foreigners as bargaining chips to secure the release of its citizens abroad, and Swedish media reports have also speculated about the possibility of a prisoner swap.

Djalali is not the only Swede being held in Iran.

EU diplomat Johan Floderus, 33, was arrested in Iran in April 2022 -- as Noury's lower court trial was underway in Stockholm -- and has now been held for more than 600 days.

Floderus's trial opened in Iran this month, with Tehran accusing him of conspiring with Israel and of "corruption on Earth" -- one of Iran's most serious offences, which carries a maximum penalty of death.

The UN rights office said Saturday that a "moratorium on all death sentences is urgently required" in Iran.

According to rights groups, Iran executes more people per year than any other nation except China.

In a November report, the Norway-based Iran Human Rights group said the country had executed more than 600 people so far this year, the highest figure in eight years.

Amnesty said Friday that Iran had "recently embarked on another alarming executions spree, executing at least 115 people in November 2023 alone".
The sixth season of The Crown which released on Netflix follows Prince William as a young adult and his days at the University of St Andrews in Scotland. It also goes back to the moment Prince William met his now wife Kate Middleton while studying at the University of St Andrews in 2001. Here's a look at the couple's fairytale romance- from just classmates to spouses for life Prince William-Kate Middleton: Britain's William, Prince of Wales and Catherine, Princess of Wales arrive for the Royal Variety Performance at the Royal Albert Hall, London, Britain.(Reuters)

From Eton to St Andrews

After graduating from Eton College, Prince William went to study at the University of St Andrews in 2001. There he met Catherine Elizabeth Middleton from Bucklebury, Berkshire  the eldest daughter of Michael and Carole Middleton.

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How Kate caught Prince William's eye

It has been reported that Kate Middleton was spotted by Prince William when she modelled a sheer dress at a charity show runway in March 2002. When they met in the university, Prince William saw her more as a friend until she walked the runway in the see-through dress, which was later auctioned for 78,000. Some royal experts have claimed that Kate Middleton's enrollment at St Andrews was entirely related to meeting her future husband.

Strategic Kate Middleton

Robert Lacey said, Kate was very strategic. She gave up her place at one of Britains premier universities, Edinburgh, and opted for another one [St Andrews] that probably didnt have the same academic standard. She had already been to Edinburgh to get her flat accommodations sorted out but switched universities and switched her courses to history of art because that was Williams. She delayed her own education by a year and even takes the chance she wont get into St Andrews.

What happened next

The pair began dating shortly after the charity fashion show and lived together in an off-campus apartment with two friends, reports claimed. On this, Kate Middleton earlier said, I actually think I went bright red when I met you and sort of scuttled off, feeling very shy about meeting you. It did take a bit of time for us to get to know each other but we did become very close friends from quite early.

Prince William said, We moved in together as friends. We lived with a couple of others as well, and it just sort of blossomed from there, really. We just saw more of each other, and you know, hung out a bit more and did stuff.

But.. a break-up happened

The two briefly split when Kate Middleton was frustrated with Prince Williams lack of commitment. Then, she moved to London and worked several jobs in retail and marketing. Kate said, At the time I wasnt very happy about it, but it made me a stronger person. You find out things about yourself that maybe you hadnt realised, I think you can get quite consumed by a relationship when you are younger and I really valued that time for me, although I didnt think it at the time.
Ukraine claimed to have shot down three Russian Su-34 fighter-bomber aircraft on Friday, reported news agency Reuters. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky and military officials hailed it as a major achievement in the ongoing war against Russia. Zelensky credited the Odesa region anti-aircraft unit for downing the jets in Kherson. Russian Su-34 fighter-bomber (Representational picture)(REUTERS)

"Today at noon in the southern sector -- minus three Russian Su-34 fighter-bombers!" Ukrainian Air Force Commander Mykola Oleshchuk wrote on the Telegram messaging app as quoted by Reuters.

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However, the Russian military has not acknowledged the incident. According to Russian bloggers, US-supplied Patriot missiles were used to down the Russian jets.

ALSO READ| Israeli-American Gadi Haggai, held by Hamas, confirmed dead. Joe Biden is heartbroken

Ukraine's air force spokesperson Yuri Ihnat hailed the incident as a "brilliantly planned operation." "There haven't been Su-34s for some time in our positive statistics," he said.

On claims of usage of US-supplied Patriot missiles in the military operation, Ukrainian aviation expert Valeriy Romanenko weighed in during an interaction with Ukrainian NV Radio. Romanenko indicated Russians' lack of judgement for the range of Patriot missiles.

"This was a situation there the Russians were...dropping up to 100 bombs in the south. Three were flying together and got caught. They didn't quite take into account that the Patriot has a range of 160 km for aerodynamic targets," said Romanenko.

Meanwhile, Zelensky said he had interacted with Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte about the future delivery of F-16 jets, and also a new EU support package, reported BBC.

Recently, Ukraine's President had given a year-end address and said that no one knows when the war against Russia would end. He had expressed hope of ending the war sooner in Ukraine's favour if the country didn't lose its resilience. He had also talked about receiving more Patriot air defence systems for bolstering the security forces.
The United Nations called Saturday for the urgent rescue of 185 people, mainly women and children, on a distressed boat last heard to be near the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in the Indian Ocean. -- AFP PICTURES OF THE YEAR 2023 -- Thousands of the mostly Muslim Rohingya, heavily persecuted in Myanmar, undertake risky sea journeys from Myanmar and refugee camps in Bangladesh every year trying to reach Malaysia or Indonesia.(AFP)

Around 70 of those onboard are children and 88 are women, the UNHCR refugee agency said in a statement.

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"At least a dozen are feared to be in critical condition with one individual reported to have already died," it said.

"Many more could die under the watch of numerous coastal states without timely rescue and disembarkation to the nearest place of safety."

UNHCR spokesman Babar Baloch told AFP the agency was reaching out to all the coastal authorities in the area to rescue the migrants, who are believed to be Rohingya.

"It is really a desperate situation," he said.

READ | About 250 Rohingya refugees in Indonesia sent back to sea

Thousands of the mostly Muslim Rohingya, heavily persecuted in Myanmar, undertake risky sea journeys from Myanmar and refugee camps in Bangladesh every year trying to reach Malaysia or Indonesia.

More than 2,000 Rohingya are believed to have attempted the risky journey to Southeast Asian countries in 2022, according to UNHCR.

And since last year, more than 570 people, including Rohingya refugees, have been reported dead or missing at sea in the region, it said.

When it comes to the people currently adrift, the agency emphasised that "a bigger tragedy is preventable with timely efforts to save lives".

This situation once again underlines the importance of all states in the region deploying their full search and rescue capacities to avoid human disasters happening at this scale.
The US state department on Saturday condemned the vandalism of the Shri Swaminarayan temple in California. It welcomed the Newark Police Department's efforts to hold the culprits accountable. Hindu temple in US defaced with pro-Khalistani slogans

We condemn the vandalism of Shri Swaminarayan Mandir Hindu Temple in California. We welcome efforts by the Newark Police Department to ensure that those responsible are held accountable, the official handle of the US state department for the Bureau of south and central Asian affairs wrote on X.

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The US state department issued the statement after suspected pro-Khalistan activists allegedly defaced the Swaminarayan temple in Newark, California, as reported by the police. The incident, which surfaced on Friday (local time), involved the vandalism of the Hindu temple's exterior wall with anti-India graffiti.

"One of the devotees, who lives close to the shrine, discovered anti-Hindu and anti-India graffiti in black ink on an exterior wall of the building, and the local administration was immediately informed," said Bhargav Raval, the spokesperson for the temple administration.

External affairs minister S Jaishankar expressed concern over the vandalism of a Hindu temple with anti-India graffiti in the US, and said extremists and separatist forces outside India should not get such space.

"I have seen the news. As you know, we are concerned about this. Extremists and separatist forces outside India should not get space. Our consulate has lodged a complaint with the (US) government and the police there over whatever happened, and I believe the matter is being inquired," Jaishankar said in response to a query about the incident.

Meanwhile, Newark police termed the incident a 'targeted act' and assured a thorough investigation.

A police official, condemning the senseless act, said, I can also tell you that as a member of the Newark Police Department and the Newark community, we're deeply saddened when these types of acts occur, and we think they're senseless and they have no room. We won't tolerate them here in Newark. So today, I wanted to make sure that you understand how seriously we take these situations and know that we will investigate as thoroughly as possible with utmost care and sensitivity.

(Inputs from wires)
Harvard President Claudine Gay faced a storm of criticism after her testimony on antisemitism before Congress, but she had a powerful ally in her corner, former US President Barack Obama. Report claims Obama stands by Harvard President Caludine Gay amid criticism and plagiarism accusations(AFP/AP)

According to Jewish Insider on Tuesday, Obama, who graduated from Harvard, privately advocated for Gay after she testified about the threats that Jewish students face on the prestigious campus.

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The outlet stated that Obamas involvement implied that people were being asked to close ranks to keep the broader administration stableincluding its composition.

Gays testimony in early December sparked outrage when she was questioned by the House Committee on Education and the Workforce about whether calling for the extermination of Jews on campus breached the universitys policies on bullying and harassment. She said that the school would only react to such conduct depending on the context, which drew condemnation from social media users and the White House.

ALSO READ| Majority of Americans believe Sally Kornbluth and Claudine Gay should resign after Capitol Hill hearing: Poll

Gay apologized after the hearing and received the support of the fellows of the Harvard Corporation, the universitys top governing body, in a statement on Dec. 12. The statement also addressed the accusations of plagiarism that had been raised against Gays academic work in October.

On Tuesday, the Washington Free Beacon reported that Stacey Springs, Harvards research integrity officer, had received a document with more than 40 allegations of plagiarism against Gays academic work, ranging from missing quotation marks to copying entire paragraphs.

House committee seeks answers from Harvard

The Harvard Corporation issued a summary of a review on Wednesday evening, stating that Gay would ask for three corrections from Harvards Office of the Provost for her 1997 Ph.D. dissertation, as reported by The Harvard Crimson.

The review also found two more cases of duplicative language without appropriate attribution in Gays work. On the same day, Virginia Foxx, R-N.C., the chairwoman of the House Education and the Workforce Committee, sent a letter to Penny Pritzker, the senior fellow of the Harvard Corporation, asking for more details about how the university dealt with the plagiarism allegations against Gay and the unequal application of Harvards Honor Code.

Pritzker, a former Obama administration official and a Chicago hotel billionaire who gave $100 million to Harvard last month, was in the spotlight because of the controversy.

ALSO READ| Claudine Gay to stay on as Harvard president, but her tenure may be brief on the back of plagiarism charge

Pritzker had led the search committee that appointed Gay as president in December last year, praising her as a remarkable leader who is profoundly devoted to sustaining and enhancing Harvards academic excellence at the time.

Before she signed the Dec. 12 statement with 11 other board members, Pritzker avoided answering questions from the school newspaper reporters about whether she thought Gay should resign. Gay said then that she had Pritzkers full support.

Jewish Insider cited [Pritzker] has no intention of going down with the ship.
Former US President Donald Trump has defended his use of the words poisoning the blood to lament the impact of immigration on the United States, claiming he was unaware that Adolf Hitler also used it in his book Mein Kampf. FILE - Former President Donald Trump speaks during a commit to caucus rally, (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall, File)(AP)

Trump, who has repeatedly invoked the term in recent speeches and interviews, said he did not intend to echo the Nazi leaders racist ideology, which claimed that Jewish blood was incompatible with German blood.

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In a radio interview with Hugh Hewitt on Friday, Trump was asked if he meant the same thing as Hitler when he used the phrase.

No, and I never knew that Hitler said it, either, by the way, Trump said.

And I never read Mein Kampf. They said I read Mein Kampf. These are people that are disinformation, horrible people that were dealing with. I never read Mein Kampf, he added.

ALSO READ| US Supreme Court declines to fast-track Donald Trump's immunity case

I know nothing about Hitler

The former president denied that he had any racist motive behind his words, saying, Dear, no.

First of all, I know nothing about Hitler. Im not a student of Hitler. I never read his works, he continued.

They say that he said something about blood. He didnt say it the way I said it, either, by the way, its a very different kind of a statement.

Trump insisted that he was referring to the dangers of illegal immigration, which he said was bringing in criminals, terrorists, and people from mental institutions, who were poisoning the blood of our country.

They are poisoning the blood of our country, he said.

And Im not talking about a specific group, and I never read Mein Kampf, and I have no idea what Hitler said other than Ive seen on the news. And thats a very entirely different thing than what Im saying. Theyre pouring, theyre destroying our country. Theyre coming in from every continent, and we have no idea, we have no idea who they are, what they represent. Are they from jails? Are they from prisons? And I will tell you, a big percentage of the people coming in are from prisons and from mental institutions and are terrorists. And we cannot let that  and that is poisoning our country.

We are poisoning our country

Steven Cheung, a spokesman for Trumps campaign, confirmed that Trump was talking about the terrorists, criminals, and people from insane asylums crossing the border, which is true since individuals on the terror watchlist and members of transnational gangs have illegally crossed.

Trump also complained that immigration was affecting the education system, saying that children who did not speak English were filling up the classrooms. And theyre loading up our classes. Were loading up our classes, our school classes, with children that dont speak the language, he said.

ALSO READ| Donald Trump claims rally immigrants are 'poisoning the blood' of America

They dont speak our language, and nobody knows whats going on. No, we are poisoning our country.

Trump first used the poisoning the blood in an interview with The National Pulse, a conservative website, in September. He then repeated it at a rally in New Hampshire last weekend, where he faced criticism and comparisons to Hitler. However, he did not back down and used it again at another rally in Iowa a few days later.

He also posted a video statement on his Truth Social platform on Thursday, saying, Illegal immigration is poisoning the blood of our nation. Theyre coming from prisons, from mental institutions, from all over the world. Without borders and fair elections, you dont have a country. Make America great again. We must win in 2024 or we will not have a nation. Thank you.
An American woman who had called 911 and sought police help in a case of domestic violence ended up losing her life after being fired upon by the cops. Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department is investigating the incident which took place on December 4, 2023, in Lancaster. Meanwhile, the woman's family have filed a case against the county and sheriffs department on Thursday. 27-year-old Niani Finlayson(X(formerly Twitter)/@SamTLevin)

According to the police, the woman later identified as 27-year-old Niani Finlayson made the distress call and reported that her ex-boyfriend would not leave her alone. During the 911 call, cops heard screams and the sound of struggle. When the police reached the woman's house, they heard people arguing and shouting inside.

Wrap up the year gone by & gear up for 2024 with HT! Click here

After the cops tried to make a forced entry into the apartment, Finlayson opened the door while being armed with a big kitchen knife. Finlayson then allegedly told the police that she was going to stab her ex-boyfriend for pushing her daughter. She then rushed inside where her ex-boyfriend was sitting. The cops followed Finlayson and found her grabbing her ex-boyfriend while holding the knife in an apparent attempt to stab him. It was then that cops opened gunfire in which Finlayson got shot.

ALSO READ| 'Gazans not checkerboard pieces' UN slams Israel's evacuation order

The cops claimed that they gave her first aid until Los Angeles County Fire Department paramedics arrived and continued to provide medical aid. She was taken to a local hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

Finlayson's daughter's version

Finlayson's daughter who witnessed her mother's shooting has alleged that the police lied about threat from her mother. "The police lied that my mom was threatening them," Xaisha, Finlayson's daughter said at a press conference on Thursday.

Interestingly, police officer Ty Shelton, involved in Finlayson's shooting, had allegedly killed a person named Michael Thomas under similar circumstances in 2020. Responding to a potential domestic violence call, Shelton and other cops got into an argument with Thomas.
A lawyer for Romania-based Legend Airlines said the company believed it had done nothing wrong and had committed no offence after officials in France on Thursday grounded a Nicaragua-bound plane carrying more than 300 Indian passengers over suspected human trafficking". The French Police also questioned two men Friday after the Airbus A340 had flown in from the United Arab Emirates and landed at Vatry airport in eastern France for a technical stopover. The two men in custody were among the passengers. A civil protection vehicle parked outside the Vatry airport, north-eastern France where an Airbus A340 plane carrying 303 Indian passengers, is grounded on the tarmac since December 21, due to "suspicions of human trafficking", (AFP)

Liliana Bakayoko, who said she was a lawyer for the airline, told news agency AFP that Legend Airlines denied doing anything wrong and "is at the disposal of the French authorities". But the airline would take legal action if the prosecutors file charges, she added.

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Legend Airlines, however, did not respond officially to requests for comment. Bakayoko said a customer, whom she wouldn't identify, chartered the plane and was responsible for verifying the identity documents of each passenger. The customer communicated the passenger information to the airline 48 hours before the flight, she said.

The Vatry airport, located 150 kilometres east of Paris, serves mostly budget airlines.

The prefecture in the north-eastern department of Marne said the A340, operated by Legend Airlines, remained grounded on the tarmac at Vatry airport following its landing. Legend Airlines has a small fleet of four aircraft, according to the Flightradar website.

Reports, citing the Paris prosecutors' office, claimed that French authorities got a tip-off that the plane was carrying passengers likely to be victims of human trafficking".

"Identity checks are being carried on the 303 passengers and on the cabin crew," said the prosecutor's office. They were also checking the conditions in which the passengers were being transported and the purpose of their journey.

In a statement on social media X (formerly Twitter), the Indian embassy in France said the authorities in Paris had informed them of the situation. "Embassy team has reached & obtained consular access. We are investigating the situation, also ensuring wellbeing of passengers," it said.

AFP reported that minors were among the passengers.

French border police can initially hold a foreign national for up to four days if they land in France and are prevented from travelling on to their intended destination. French law allows for that period to be extended to eight days if a judge approves it, then another eight days in exceptional circumstances, up to a maximum of 26 days.

Human trafficking carries a potential sentence of up to 20 years in France.

(With inputs from AFP, AP)
Former TV journalist Yekaterina Duntsova was barred from running against Russian president Vladimir Putin in an election which is scheduled to be held next year. Her campaign said that she has been stopped from standing in the polls because of "mistakes" in her application to register as a candidate. Yekaterina Duntsova, a former regional journalist, is seen. (Reuters)

Yekaterina Duntsova had applied to the electoral commission to be registered as a candidate just three days earlier. Russian television reported that the country's election commission cited "mistakes in documents" submitted by Yekaterina Duntsova.

Wrap up the year gone by & gear up for 2024 with HT! Click here

Who is Yekaterina Duntsova
Russian President Vladimir Putin's potential competitor in the upcoming presidential election has been barred from running. Based on a report on Russian television, the ex-journalist made some mistakes in her candidacy registration.

Russia is still planning to continue its presidential election in 2024 despite the ongoing invasion of Ukraine. Because of this, many political analysts and other experts believe that Putin will remain the ruler of the Kremlin.

But, despite Vladimir Putin being a feared leader, there's one Russian brave enough to challenge the president in the upcoming election. Sadly, her candidacy already ended before it even began.

Vladimir Putin's Potential Presidential Competitor Barred From Running

According to DW's latest report, Yekaterina Duntsova, a former Russian TV journalist, tried her luck to become the next president of Russia. Unfortunately, her application was rejected because of some "mistakes."

This information was announced after a Russian news channel posted a video showing a meeting of the Central Elections Committee (CEC). The footage showed CEC members voting unanimously to bar the ex-journalist from running.

Yekaterina Duntsova's campaign team also confirmed that their candidate's presidential application was rejected. They even showed screenshots of documents that the CEC highlighted.

CEC members argued that these documents lacked proper signatures, leading to Duntsova's presidential candidacy application being banned. If she wasn't barred, she was supposed to be the main challenger to Vladimir Putin.

Reports stated that Dunstova was planning to run a platform that would aim to end the invasion in Ukraine, as well as free political Russian prisoners.

Because of this, it is now unsure if Vladimir Putin will have another challenger who will try to take his throne as the Russian president.

Read Also: Vladimir Putin Restricts Media Coverage Ahead of Russia's 2024 Presidential Election

Will Vladimir Putin Remain as Russian President?

On Dec. 8, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced his presidential candidacy for the upcoming election, which is expected to happen in March 2024.

The Associated Press reported that the Russian ruler was all but certain to win. Based on Levada Center's recent poll, over 80% of Russia's population approve of Vladimir's performance.

However, experts claimed that Russian residents supporting Putin might just be a reflection of their fear/submission to the leader, especially since Putin is known for his crackdown against the opposition.

Many analysts also shared their opinions regarding Russia's politics, saying that the sad truth about this country is that no one can or wants to oppose the current ruler.

Related Article: Vladimir Putin Expected to Remain Russian President; Sources Claim He'll Re-Run in 2024

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U.S. President Joe Biden is making huge headlines after announcing that he is issuing a federal pardon for marijuana personal usage. This was announced by the White House on Friday, Dec. 22.

White House officials said that federal pardon applies to all Americans and lawful permanent U.S. residents who were in possession of marijuana for recreational use.

American citizens convicted of marijuana personal usage and other similar federal crimes will also be pardoned. Aside from these, the District of Columbia can take advantage of it since pot users will be forgiven as well.

Joe Biden Issues Marijuana Personal Usage Federal Pardon!

Many Americans might think that the latest marijuana personal usage federal pardon issued by Joe Biden could have significant implications, especially since marijuana-related criminal records imposed barriers to education, housing, and employment opportunities.

However, the federal pardon will not apply to marijuana users who violated state law. Aside from this, the White House explained that U.S. citizens who want pardons are required to apply via the Department of Justice.

"My intent by this proclamation is to pardon only the offenses of simple possession of marijuana, attempted simple possession of marijuana, or use of marijuana in violation of the Federal and D.C. laws," said Joe Biden via the White House's proclamation.

The U.S. government said that the federal pardon can be taken advantage of by thousands of people with district and federal convictions, as reported by USA Today.

Joe Biden explained that Americans who are just using or possessing marijuana should not be imprisoned. Because of this, he urged American governments to pardon state offenses.

"Too many lives have been upended because of our failed approach to marijuana. It's time that we right these wrongs," he said.

Read Also: Marijuana Recommendation by US Health Agency Could Lead to Major Changes in Weed Laws

Is Joe Biden's Marijuana Usage Pardon Really Helpful?

Patrick Nightingale, a Pittsburgh-based criminal defense attorney, said that they will 100% accept any effort to help Americans with cannabis-linked convictions.

These include federal and state convictions since the attitude of the U.S. toward cannabis is already evolving. He said that he would support what the president plans, but he didn't think the pardon would help a lot of people.

"I will take whatever the president can give us, but it's just not really going to affect that many people," he said.

Patrick and other experts explained that the new federal pardon may not be as helpful as other people would think since the federal government rarely prosecutes citizens for simply using or possessing marijuana.

Related Article: Georgia's Plan to Allow Pharmacy-Sold Medical Marijuana Threatened by DEAWhat's the Issue?

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Israel's plan to flood Hamas tunnels with seawater concerns many experts. On Sunday, Dec. 17, the Israel Defense Forces claimed that they discovered the largest Hamas tunnel.

IDF leaders announced that this tunnel is located in the northern Gaza border. Some experts who allegedly saw the underground tunnel claimed that small vehicles could fit within it.

Now, many sources claim that Israel is planning to conduct a major flooding against these Hamas tunnels. But, environmental researchers explained why this is a bad thing to do.

Israel's Plan to Flood Hamas Tunnels With Seawater Concerns Experts

According to The Guardian's latest report, if Israel continues its alleged seawater flooding plan against Hamas tunnels, it could negatively affect Palestinians and other people in the Gaza Strip.

This is because flooding the Palestinian terrorist group's underground tunnel network could greatly ruin the basic conditions for life in the city. Experts said that ruining basic conditions for life is one of the elements of genocide.

Although Israel hasn't officially committed to the reported flooding plan, environmental experts are already warning the Israeli government since it could lead to an ecological catastrophe.

They said that this would leave Gaza without any drinkable water, as well as devastate the available agriculture in the 141-square-mile territory.

Pedro Arrojo-Agudo, the UN special rapporteur for the right of water, said that the alleged flooding plan is quite similar to the legend of Romans. This is because history claimed that Romans salted the fields of Carthage to make their ancient rival's territory uninhabitable.

The rapporteur for human rights and the environment, David Boyd, also shared his opinion. He said that negatively affecting Gaza's remaining water supply would lead to catastrophic events that would greatly impact the environment and residents.

Read Also: Israel-Hamas War Update: Gaza Death Toll Reaches Over 20,000-Is UN's Aid-Delaying Decision to Blame?

Israel Allegedly Testing Seawater Flooding Plan

CNN World recently reported that Israel already started flooding some Hamas tunnels using seawater. This alarming detail was shared by a U.S. official.

The authority claimed that Israeli leaders are carefully testing the alleged flooding method "on a limited basis." He added that if these tests become successful, Israel might ramp up their efforts to degrade the Hamas underground tunnel network.

As of writing, Israelis are reportedly unsure if their flooding plan will really work. The American official clarified that Israel is only testing this method in tunnels where no hostages are being held.

Related Article: Israel Discovers Primary Hamas Command Center in Gaza City Amid Escalating Ceasefire Talks

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Chicago police are searching for a man suspected of killing an Austin mother of two who had obtained an order of protection against him weeks before her death, according to family members and court records.

Maria Roque, 34, was shot to death Dec. 13 in the 500 block of North Long Avenue in the Austin neighborhood. The Cook County medical examiners office ruled her death a homicide.

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On Friday, police released a bulletin seeking information on the whereabouts of Kenneth Brown, 44, in connection with the shooting. Officials said the public should consider Brown armed and dangerous.

Marias twin brother, Andres Roque, told the Tribune that Brown had recently been in a relationship with Maria and that she had left that relationship shortly before she died.

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He broke her window, he was not leaving her alone, he said. She was at the police station every single day. She made so many reports. So many. I cant even tell you.

Cook County court records show that a judge on Nov. 7 granted an emergency order of protection to Maria, her 14-year-old son and the 8-year-old daughter she shared with Brown.

And a day before she died, records show that authorities issued a warrant for Browns after he allegedly violated the order of protection. The next day, the order of protection was extended and a status hearing set, court records show.

Maria Roque, 34, was shot to death in Austin Dec. 13. She had obtained an order of protection against the man suspected of killing her weeks earlier, according to her brother and court records. (Provided by Andres Roque)

Andres said his sister was an outgoing, generous person who looked after him and their two brothers and who put her children before everything else.

He said they didnt know about the abuse until she openly told us and decided to leave him.

Brown continued contacting Maria after she ended their relationship, Andres said. He estimated his sister had filed 10 police reports before she died.

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Andres said his niece and nephew witnessed Marias death.

Its just heartbreaking that they saw what happened, he said. Nobody wants to see how their mom died.

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Marias son attempted CPR on his mom, Andres said.

He always told me, I tried to save my mom, he said.

Her children are doing OK, he said. He said he has lost his best friend, whom he talked to on the phone every day.

Its a nightmare, he said. I wish it was just a nightmare.

A fundraiser for burial expenses had garnered more than $14,000 in donations as of Friday night. Chicago police said detectives are continuing to investigate the shooting and that no one is in custody.
A Dothan man serving life in federal prison for cocaine distribution had his sentence commuted by President Joe Biden on Friday, according to a White House press release.

Earlie Deacon Barber, 49, pleaded guilty in September 2009 to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute more than five kilograms of a mixture and substance containing cocaine and more than 50 grams of a mixture and substance containing cocaine base.

The Northern District of Florida handed Barber a sentence of life imprisonment and ten years of supervised release.

According to the commutation grant, Barbers sentence will expire on April 20, 2024, however, hes still required to serve a 10-year term of supervised release.

Prison records show Barber is currently being held in the Hazelton Federal Prison in West Virginia.
State Grant Program to Promote Inclusive Outdoor Recreation

BOSTON  The Healey-Driscoll Administration launched a new grant program to make outdoor recreational activities more accessible to low-income residents, communities of color, and people living with disabilities.

The Massachusetts Inclusive and Accessible Outdoor Recreation Events Grant Program is the first funding initiative by the Massachusetts Office of Outdoor Recreation (MOOR). The office will award $100,000 to support organizations in creating or expanding events across the state, helping to promote Massachusetts as a welcoming, inclusive, diverse, and accessible place to play outside.

"I am proud to launch the Massachusetts Inclusive and Accessible Outdoor Recreation Events Grant Program. It is the perfect opportunity for organizations to showcase the beautiful rivers, trails, and parks that we have to offer to all residents and visitors," said MOOR Director Paul Jahnige. "The creation and promotion of accessible and inclusive events in nature support not only our mental, physical, and social health but the state's economic health. Outdoor recreation is essential to deepening our connection to each other and the natural environment."

The program will award organizations with grants of up to $10,000 to non-profits, municipalities, state agencies, and partnerships between grantees and private organizations. MOOR is enthusiastic about supporting events in the natural environment, such as birdwatching, boating, hiking, and stargazing, that encourage returning and new audiences to the great outdoors. MOOR expects to announce the awardees in Spring 2024.

Launched in December 2022, MOOR collaborates with agencies to promote activities across the state, including hunting, fishing, horseback riding, paddling, swimming, and more. Outdoor recreation is vital to the Massachusetts economy, contributing $11 billion to the economy, creating over 102,000 jobs, and boosting tourism. The benefits of outdoor play extend into both public health and environmental justice. Improving access to the outdoors improves the health of our communities while ensuring equity in outdoor recreation for historically underserved communities.
Police Chief Deanna Strout was recognized on Dec. 15 for her years of work with the DARE program. Sgt. Tyler Miller has stepped in to replace her as an instructor in the course.

Local DARE Program Recognizes Deanna Strout



Police Chief Deanna Strout addresses the DARE assembly at Craneville Elementary School. See more photos from the event here. DALTON, Mass.  Police Chief Deanna Strout was recognized last week during the Craneville Elementary School's fifth grade Drug Abuse Resistance Education program graduation.

Over the last 24 years, Strout has been dedicated to helping maintain the DARE program in Dalton schools, aiding in fundraising efforts and working as an instructor for the program until last year when Sgt. Tyler Miller took over.

The DARE plaque reads "Presented to Chief Deanna Strout in recognition of your selfless dedication to the students of Central Berkshire and St. Agnes Schools and the DARE program as an instructor since 1999."

Although unable to attend the graduation ceremony, DARE Massachusetts Coordinator Leonard Crossman said in a follow-up that a lot of DARE programs have struggled to keep themselves above water over the past 20 years because of budget cuts and that Strout has been instrumental in keeping the Dalton program going.

"Dalton has been one of those towns that have really weathered the storm and has had really taken on those challenges and recognize the value that the program has and the [of] building police relationships with the community," Crossman said.

Strout said she was not willing to let this program go so helped any way she could through fundraising efforts including a car wash, dee-jaying a middle school dance, and more.

"I did anything I could, like, I got local businesses to sponsor us and if you look on the back of all the DARE shirts, it's all the families and businesses that sponsor the program and they give a donation and it helps pay for the shirts," Strout said.

The state DARE program pays for the books, the department pays for Miller, and the donations from the families pay for the shirts, Strout said.

Building police relationships with the community, especially young children, and providing youth the tools they need to make healthy decisions before they start facing them is immensely important, especially given the drug epidemic that is going on, she said.

Sgt. Larry Higgins chose Strout for DARE training in 1999 to become a certified instructor; she began teaching that school year.

"It's not common that somebody dedicates themselves for that long, you know, 20 years is a career and it's not overly common where somebody continues and dedicates themselves to the development of this type of program or in children in general," Crossman said.

Based on discussions that Crossman has had with Miller it is clear that Strout's connection with the community and the schools go above and beyond what is seen in other communities, he said.

Strout deserves this recognition because of her commitment, dedication, and the fact that "she has been in one way or another, as an officer or as an administrator an influence on so many kids' lives. It's hard to even imagine what that impact is," Crossman said.

Although working as the chief she is unable to teach, she serves the program on an administrative level and her legacy still remains within the program and the people she has taught.

"She laid the groundwork. I'm following in the footsteps she's already laid down as an avid community member, community oriented police officer, and our chief. This is just a program that we continue to follow in her steps and guidance in it," Miller said.

"Just because she's taken a step back and not being the instructor doesn't mean I'm not still checking with her every day about new ideas, new issues that the communities are facing, and how we teach the younger generation about these issues ahead of time."

Over the years that Strout worked as an instructor, she built relationships within the community teaching some of the parents of current students, and even some of her own officers.

"The whole community knows her. Like, if you have a definition of a community-oriented police officer that is Chief Stroud. So, for me to just go into these, the schools are already open to it, the parents are already familiar with the program," Miller said.

"She's taught some of these parents themselves. So, their familiarity with the program is there already and it just makes my job so much easier coming into the schools and just taking over the role."

Strout has seen the program evolve. The DARE program started more than 30 years ago with a focus on the dangers of substance use but in the early 2000s the program shifted to an evidence-based curriculum that has proven effective, Crossman said.

Today's DARE focuses its curriculum on the underlying causes of drug use such as bullying, peer pressure, and other problems, he said.

The curriculum continues to evolve based on the level of knowledge of the students and adapting to what is being seen in the Dalton community, Strout said.

"It evolved to making good choices, making good friend choices, stress, peer pressure still, bullying, and social media. We developed in our own curriculum, being safe on social media and online because, for obvious reasons, we kind of went that route a little bit because of what we were seeing," Strout said.

"So, we were adapting to what we were seeing in the community and making our program fit to what we were seeing."

This program is important because it not only builds a positive relationship with officers and students but also helps families start conversations on difficult topics and builds education, Strout said.
Forty-year-old Australian tourist Craig Clive Hilton received a six-week jail sentence in Singapore for assaulting a local security officer while vacationing with his family.

In addition to his jail term, Hilton was also ordered to pay the 25-year-old victim a monetary compensation, according to his sentence read Wednesday, reported The Straits Times.

A man with handcuffs on his wrists. Illustration photo by Freepik

The incident unfolded at a serviced residence in Singapore, where Hiltons partner sought a separate room on Nov. 6 after an argument. The Australian man then went looking for his partners whereabouts while drunk, and he confronted a security officer at the front desk around 3:30 a.m.

When the officer refused to give him information about his wifes room, Hilton reacted violently. He pushed the officer to the ground, kneed him in the face, and punched him.

The injured officer subsequently retreated from the site and was hospitalized at the Singapore General Hospital. Local police were informed about the incident as well.

Hilton told the court that he attacked the officer because he thought he had lost his passport and the victim looked guilty, but he found his action "disgusting" regardless, according to the South China Morning Post.

The sentence Hilton received was lighter than it could have been, with potential penalties for such offenses reaching up to S$10,000 (US$7,500) in fines, or up to five years in jail, or both.
DAKAR, Senegal  Reports of gunfire in the capital, followed by a television announcement that the president has been deposed by mutinous soldiers. The increasingly familiar storyline unfolded again this year in Africa  first in Niger and then in Gabon.

The resurgence of military coups renewed concerns about democracy backsliding on the continent and also underscored shifting regional alliances at a time when international peacekeeping efforts waned.

Two thousand twenty-three also brought utter devastation when a rare, powerful earthquake struck Morocco in September, damaging thousands of villages in the mountains south of Marrakech and killing nearly 3,000 people.

The earthquake and several aftershocks left people and animals buried underneath mud and cinderblock for days as crews raced up narrow, windy roads to supply rescue and aid efforts. Morocco ultimately accepted search-and-rescue assistance from only four countries  Spain, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and the United Kingdom  and rebuffed other offers, including from France and the United States. The decision brought questions and criticism as villagers awaited help in the immediate hours after the earthquake.

And 2023 also was marked by several high profile visitors to the continent. Pope Francis journeyed to Congo and South Sudan where he focused on victims of war.

In Kenya, King Charles III expressed greatest sorrow and the deepest regret for the violence of the colonial era, though he didnt explicitly apologize for Britains actions in its former colony as many had wanted.

Elections in Africa began with a promising start in February, with little violence surrounding a much anticipated vote in Nigeria. Africas most populous nation elected Bola Tinubu, though he ultimately won with less than 50% of the vote. Still, observers largely described the election as an improvement from 2019.

Then in August, Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa was declared the winner of a disputed election. Both Western and African observers questioned the credibility of the vote, citing an atmosphere of intimidation ahead of the election.

That same month the president of Gabon was deposed in a coup just hours after officials had announced his reelection. It came only a month after Nigers leader was overthrown by mutinous soldiers, becoming the third Sahelian state under the rule of a military junta.

The ripple of coups put governments across the region on high alert: Authorities in Sierra Leone arrested more than a dozen people in November, accusing them of launching a failed coup attempt against the president, who had been reelected only months earlier.

In Senegal, uncertainty over President Macky Salls political future fueled weeks of violent protests in the streets. While he ended years of speculation by declaring he would not seek a third term in office, opposition supporters continued to accuse his government of jailing their leader Ousmane Sonko to block his candidacy.

The year also marked the beginning of the end for the enormous U.N. peacekeeping missions in both Mali and Congo. Leaders of both countries have said that the blue helmets ultimately failed in their efforts to bring about peace.

Congo formally began the departure process by signing agreements with the U.N. to end the mission there after two decades. In Mali, peacekeepers began withdrawing from posts across the north after a decade-long presence. Not long after, the Malian military seized control of the rebel stronghold town of Kidal for the first time since 2012.

Congo also prepared for a Dec. 20 presidential election with incumbent President Felix Tshisekedi facing a familiar field of competitors led by Martin Fayulu and Moise Katumbi. Ongoing violence in the countrys embattled east, however, threatened to derail voting in areas under the control of M23 rebels. Civilians in the region also faced mounting attacks from ADF militants claiming links to the Islamic State group.

2023 in photos: Year in images on the African continent
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Laura Lynch, a founding member of alt country band The Chicks, has died in a car accident, aged 65.

The former musician was involved in a crash that occurred on Friday (22 December) outside of El Paso, Texas, with the Texas Department of Public Safety confirming the news to TMZ.

Their preliminary investigation reportedly found that Lynchs car was hit head on by another vehicle, which was driving in the opposite direction and attempting to overtake a car on a two-way road.

Lynch co-founded the group  then called The Dixie Chicks  in 1989 alongside sisters Martie Maguire and Emily Strayer, who are currently in the band with Natalie Maines and guitarist Robin Lynn Macy. She played the bass and also performed lead vocals.

The Chicks paid tribute to Lynch on Instagram shortly after the news was first reported. They wrote: We are shocked and saddened to learn of the passing of Laura Lynch, a founding member of The Chicks. We hold a special place in our hearts for the time we spent playing music, laughing and travelling together. Laura was a bright lighther infectious energy and humour gave a spark to the early days of our band.

Laura had a gift for design, a love of all things Texas and was instrumental in the early success of the band. Her undeniable talents helped propel us beyond busking on street corners to stages all across Texas and the mid-West. Our thoughts are with her family and loved ones at this sad time.

The Chicks released their first two records in 1990 and 1992, following which Macy quit. Two years later, Lynch stepped away from the band, also, with Maines signing up as lead. Lynchs reasoning for leaving The Chicks has never been confirmed, but it was believed she wanted to focus on her personal life.

Following her departure, The Chicks signed with Monument Records Nashville and found huge success with their 1998 and 1999 albums Wide Open Spaces and Fly.

The bands famous songs include Theres Your Trouble, You Were Mine and Cowboy Take Me Away.

In 2020, the band announced their new name due to the word Dixies association with slavery. They decided to proceed with the name change when they saw the Confederate flag described as the Dixie Swastika on social media.

The Chicks have paid tribute to original member Laura Lynch (Instagram)

The change arrived in light of a renewed push against racism in the US.

Lynch is survived by her husband mac Tull and their daughter.
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Japans defense spending will increase more than 16 per cent next year under a record military budget approved Friday that is intended to accelerate the deployment of long-range cruise missiles that can hit targets in China or North Korea.

The budget adopted by the Cabinet also will further fortify the military with F-35 stealth combat jets and other American weapons as Japanese troops increasingly work with allies and take on more offensive roles.

The 7.95 trillion-yen ($56bn) defense budget for the 2024 fiscal year that begins in March marks the second year of a five-year military buildup program under a new security strategy Prime Minister Fumio Kishidas government adopted a year ago.

The reinforcement of strike capability the strategy envisions is a major break from Japans postwar principle of limiting the country's use of force to self-defense. The defense budget is part of a 112.7 trillion-yen ($794bn) national budget plan and still needs the approval by the parliament.

Japan plans to spend 43 trillion yen ($300bn) through 2027 to bolster its military power and to nearly double its annual spending to around 10 trillion yen ($68bn), which would make Japan the worlds third-biggest military spender after the United States and China.

The budget would boost Japans arms spending for a 12th year. Last year, the government budgeted 6.8 trillion yen (about $48bn).

In another step underscoring a shift away from the country's self-defense-only principle, Japan partially lifted its ban on lethal weapons exports Friday by allowing shipments of weapons and components made in Japan under foreign licenses to the licensing nations.

The move is the first major revision of the arms export ban since it was initially eased in 2014. The Japanese Foreign Ministry said the change would contribute to reinforce the bilateral security cooperation and the peace and stability of the Indo-Pacific, but opponents said it would let Japanese-made weapons help in escalating conflicts.

Japan quickly approved the first shipment authorized by the step, agreeing to send to the United States surface-to-air Patriot guided missiles produced in Japan under a US license.

The scope, scale, and speed of Japans security reforms have been unprecedented, US ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel said in a statement on X, praising the easing of the defense equipment and transfer policy as historic and a significant example of Japans shared commitment to deterrence.

The countrys ban on the export of lethal weapons has limited the scope of its efforts to develop arms technology and equipment. Japan is spending more than 70 billion yen ($490m) in 2024 for the development of a next-generation fighter jet with Britain and Italy, and the project hinges on the Japanese government further easing restrictions to allow the export of jointly developed lethal weapons to third countries.

The centerpiece of Japan's 2024 military budget is an early deployment of standoff missiles that officials say are needed to reinforce air defenses, especially to protect Japans southwestern islands in case a conflict erupts between China and Taiwan.

Some 734 billion yen ($5.15bn) is earmarked for Type-12 cruise missiles and US-made Tomahawks as well as development of next generation long-range missiles. Japan will also spend more than 80 billion yen ($562m) for the development of hypersonic guided missiles with a range of 3,000km (1,864 miles).

Defense minister Minoru Kihara announced earlier this month a decision to bring forward deployment of some Tomahawks and Type-12s by the end of March 2026, a year before the original target. Officials said the step is a result of Japan facing its severest security environment in the postwar era that has also led it to increase joint operations with the U.S., Australia, Britain and other friendly nations.

Funding the surge in military spending as well as securing necessary personnel is not easy for Japan, a country with a rapidly aging and shrinking population.

Defense Ministry officials said the budget addresses the cost impacts of a weaker yen and price increases through measures such as bulk purchases and long-term contracts.

It calls for spending 90 billion yen ($632m) on subsidies to strengthen Japans feeble defense industry and allow more foreign arms sales.

The budget also includes 1.25 trillion yen ($8.78bn) to bolster Japan's missile defense systems, including construction of two Aegis-equipped warships for deployment in 2027-2028 at a cost of 373 billion yen ($2.62bn).

The warships are to have Lockheed Martin SPY-7 radar that officials say could locate harder-to-detect missile launches, including those on a high-arch trajectory that North Korea has often used to test-fire missiles, including an inter-continental ballistic missile launched this week.

Japan plans to spend 75.5 billion yen ($530m) to develop glide-phase interceptors with the United States that are expected to be deployed around 2030 and designed to counter hypersonic missiles being developed by China, North Korea and Russia.
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The screams were heard soon after the ailing boat emerged into view. On board were babies and children, alongside mothers and fathers begging to be saved.

The passengers were ethnic Rohingya Muslims who had fled surging gang violence and rampant hunger in the refugee camps of Bangladesh, only to find themselves adrift with a broken engine on the Andaman Sea. For a moment, it appeared their salvation had arrived in the form of another boat carrying Rohingya refugees that had pulled up alongside them.

But those on board the other boat  itself overloaded and beginning to leak  knew if they allowed the distressed passengers onto their vessel, it would sink and all would die.

They wanted to help, but they also wanted to live.

Since November, more than 1,500 Rohingya refugees fleeing Bangladesh by boat have landed in Indonesias northern province of Aceh  three-quarters of them women and children. On Thursday, Indonesian authorities spotted another five boats approaching Acehs coast.

With so many Rohingya attempting the crossing in recent weeks, nobody knows how many boats did not make it, and how many people died.

This account of two boats was told to The Associated Press by five survivors from the vessel that made it ashore. It provides the first clues into the fate of the boat carrying up to 200 Rohingya refugees that vanished weeks ago.

On 2 December, the United Nations refugee agency, the UNHCR, put out an urgent message about the two distressed boats and urged countries to look for them.

But in the case of the boat that remains missing, it appears no one searched.

From a beach near where they staggered ashore on 10 December, the survivors told the AP of their harrowing journey.

I remember feeling that together, we would be finished. Together, we would sink. Together, we would drown, says 31-year-old Muhammed Jubair, who was among the 180 people on his boat to be rescued, along with his three children, wife and brother-in-law.

The story of the missing boat and its passengers begins the way most Rohingya boat journeys do  with tearful goodbyes in sweltering shelters in the camps of Bangladesh, where more than 750,000 Rohingya fled in 2017 following attacks by the military in their homeland of Myanmar.

In one of those shelters, Noor Fatima clutched her 14-year-old brother, Muhammed Ansar, as he began to cry.

The family hoped Ansar would get a job in Indonesia that could help support them. There were few alternatives: Bangladesh bans camp residents from working, so their survival depends on food rations, which were slashed this year.

It was 20 November, and Ansar would be making the trip with several relatives, including his 20-year-old cousin, Samira Khatun, and her 3-year-old son. As her brother left, Ms Fatima told herself other boats had made it safely to Indonesia. Surely his would, too.

The next day, Ms Khatun called Ms Fatimas family, telling them they were aboard the boat. We are on our way, she said. Pray for us.

Meanwhile, the boat Mr Jubair and his family were on was chugging across the sea.

Days into its journey, the passengers on Mr Jubairs boat spotted Ansar and Ms Khatuns boat; its engine was broken and water was seeping in.

Those on Mr Jubairs boat worried if they got too close, the people on the ailing vessel would jump onto their boat, sinking them all, says one of Mr Jubairs fellow passengers, Rujinah, who goes by one name and was on board with five of her children.

As Mr Jubairs boat drew nearer, between 20 and 30 people began preparing to make the jump, says Zakir Hussain, another passenger.

The captain of Mr Jubairs boat shouted at those on the distressed vessel to stay put. Then he asked for a rope so he could tie the boats together, and tow their boat behind his.

Once tethered, the boats began moving through the water. Then, two or three nights later, a storm erupted. Pounding waves destroyed the engine on Mr Jubairs vessel.

It was then, the passengers on Mr Jubairs boat say, that the ropes between the two vessels were severed.

Mr Jubair could hear the passengers on the other boat pleading for their lives.

They were crying and shouting loudly, Our ropes are broken! Our ropes are broken! Please help us! But how could we help? Jubair says. We would die with them.

The other boat vanished from view.

For days, Mr Jubair and his fellow passengers languished at sea, their food and water gone. Eventually, a plane spotted them, and a Navy ship arrived, delivering supplies. The vessel towed them into Indonesian waters and then left when their boat was close to land.

Thats when their captain and another crew member fled the vessel on a fishing boat, Mr Jubair says. The abandoned passengers guided their battered boat to shore.

Though they have no idea what their future holds, at least they are alive. They hope the passengers on the other boat are, too.

I feel very sad for them because we were in the same situation, and now we are safe, says Mr Hussain. We are just praying for that boat to find land and for the passengers to stay alive.

Ann Maymann, the UNHCRs representative in Indonesia, urged regional governments to launch a search.

Here you have hundreds of people that are obviously distressed at the best and, at the worst, they are not even distressed any longer, Ms Maymann told the AP. Those nations in this region have fully capable and resourced search and rescue capacities.

The governments of regional countries that the AP reached out to either did not respond to requests for comment or said they were unaware of the boat.

Meanwhile, a familiar feeling of dread has crept into Bangladeshs camps, which last year mourned the loss of another boat carrying 180 people that an AP investigation concluded had sunk.

Ms Fatima struggles to sleep as she waits for news of Ansar, her brother. One way or another, she says, they just want answers.

One night, she says, Ansar came to their mother in a dream and told her he was on an island.

The family believes he is alive, somewhere.
Christmas dinner, what can I say? Our turkey normally arrives with an instruction booklet aimed at graduate-level engineers. Theres volume to be multiplied by temperature to be divided by metaphysical time. With 14 settings on our brand-new oven (in cryptic visual code that I really cant decipher), sticking a bird in is no simple feat. Yes, I could spend a few hours trying to work it all out with Prof Google, or I could throw up my arms in front of the person closest to me and wait to be dismissed from the task at hand.

Let me do that is the answer I am looking for. I dont mind the condescending voice or the shaking of the head. I am well-rehearsed in the art of learned helplessness which I was taught by my very own father (he wouldnt have had the wherewithal to order a turkey, let alone cook it).
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Despite murmurings of a possible reconciliation at Sandringham, it appears that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will not be joining the royal family for their annual Christmas celebrations in Norfolk after all.

The late Queen Elizabeth II hosted every Christmas at the royal estate since 1998, with her son King Charles III expected to continue the same tradition in his first official year as monarch since the coronation in May.

Last month, it was reported the couple would not turn down an invite to spend Christmas at Sandringham if they were asked, amid rumours that a reunion between Harry and Charles could be on the horizon.

The speculation was prompted by details of a warm phone conversation between the father and son, after they spoke for the first time in six months on the occasion of Charless 75th birthday.

Both Harry and Meghan wished Charles a happy birthday during the phone call on 14 November, during which they also played the king a video of his two grandchildren. However, as of 19 November, the couple had reportedly not received any invites to Sandringham.

Instead, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will reportedly spend the holidays with their children  Prince Archie, four, and Princess Lilibet, two  at their mansion in Montecito, California, where the family currently resides.

The Sussexes will be joined by Meghans mother Doria Ragland and their friends, according to a report by Us Weekly. Theyll be cooking, playing games and swapping gifts, one source told the publication. They have a tough time trying not to spoil the kids too much.

Harry and Meghan pictured with son Archie who Harry says is the focus of his life alongside daughter Lilibet. Toby Melville/PA (PA Archive)

The last time Harry and Meghan joined the royal family for their celebrations was in 2018, when they were famously photographed alongside the Prince and Princess of Wales. This led to the two royal couples being dubbed the Fab Four.

Over the years, however, Harry and Meghans relationship with the royal family has become increasingly strained.

Since resigning as senior members of the Firm, the couple has publicly spoken about the difficulties they faced within the palace, including during a bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey.

This was followed by the release of their two-part Netflix docuseries Harry & Meghan, and the release of Harrys revealing memoir Spare in January this year.

Now, royal reporter Omid Scobies book Endgame, which reignited the palace race row that first erupted during Harry and Meghans conversation with Winfrey, appears to have widened the rift between the two sides of the family.

During the interview, Meghan sensationally claimed that there had been concerns within the palace about how dark Prince Archies skin might be before she gave birth to him.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex during their interview with Oprah Winfrey (Joe Pugliese/Harpo Productions/PA) (PA Media)

A rogue Dutch translation of Endgame identified King Charles and Princess Kate as the senior members who allegedly speculated about the young princes appearance. The error led to thousands of copies of the book being pulped in the Netherlands, before it was reprinted without the names.

In response, the palace is believed to be considering all available options, including taking legal action.

While they will not fly back to the UK this festive season, the Sussexes will likely keep to the Windsor family tradition of opening their presents on Christmas Eve.

Members of the royal family exchange gifts with each other at tea time on 24 December, instead of waiting until Christmas morning. This continues a German tradition introduced in the mid-19th century by Queen Victorias Bavarian-born husband King Albert.

In his memoir Spare, Harry described how his family spent their first Christmas Eve since relocating to the US in 2020.

He wrote: We took Archie to find a Christmas tree. A pop-up lot in Santa Barbara. We bought one of the biggest spruces they had. We brought it home, set it up in the living room. Magnificent. We stood back, admiring, counting our blessings. New home. Healthy boy.

It was Christmas Eve. We FaceTimed with several friends, including a few in Britain. We watched Archie running around the tree. And we opened presents. Keeping to the Windsor family tradition.

The Sussexes are also creating some of their own, new festive traditions, since stepping down as senior members of the royal family and relocating to the US.

Were creating new [traditions] now that our little ones are growing up, Meghan told E! News recently. And were enjoying every moment of it.

One of Meghans own favourite Christmas rituals is trimming and decorating the tree with Archie and Lilibet, she added.
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Holiday cards are an annual tradition enjoyed by friends and family each Christmas season. Throughout the years, the British royal family has made it their own tradition to send out a Christmas card every year - whether its featuring their children or a moment taken during a memorable state visit.

This year, the Prince and Princess of Wales released their 2023 Christmas card, a black and white family portrait showcasing their grown-up children: Prince George, 10, Princess Charlotte, eight, and Prince Louis, five. Meanwhile, King Charles III and Queen Camilla opted for a photograph taken during their coronation in May as their Christmas Card this year.

As for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, they decided to send out a virtual card that highlights the charitable work theyve done through their Archewell Foundation.

While you can never go wrong with a sweet family portrait, the royal family has delivered a handful of not-so-memorable Christmas cards from time to time. In honour of the festive spirit, here are some of the best and worst royal Christmas cards over the years.

2023: The Prince and Princess of Wales pose for black and white portrait

The Prince and Princess of Wales and their children for 2023 Christmas card (Josh Shinner/Kensington Palace/PA)

For this years Christmas card, Prince William and Kate Middleton looked like something out of a fashion magazine with their laid-back family portrait. The royal couple are seen standing front and center while their eldest son, George, stands at his mothers side. Meanwhile, William rests his hand on Louis shoulder as Charlotte sits in a chair with her legs crossed.

It marked one of the best Christmas cards from the royal family, as it showcases the modernity of the new, up-and-coming royal family.

2023: King Charles III and Queen Camilla choose photograph from their coronation

King Charles III and Queen Camillas 2023 Christmas card (Buckingham Palace/Hugo Burnand/PA/PA Wire)

King Charles III and Queen Camilla fittingly chose a photograph from their coronation this past May as their 2023 Christmas card. The image showed the couple standing side by side in their full regalia, each wearing a crown on their head. Wishing you a very happy Christmas and New Year, the card reads.

2023: The Duke and Duchess of Sussex send virtual Christmas card

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex chose a shot of them smiling and clapping at this years Invictus Games in Germany (Jordan Petitt/PA) (PA Wire)

As for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, they sent out an email with their virtual Christmas cards on behalf of their Archewell organisation. We wish you a very happy holiday season. Thanks for all the support in 2023! the card reads.

The e-holiday card also featured a link to their charities annual impact report, including a video of all of their major projects from the last year. For the photo on the card itself, Meghan and Harry chose a photo of the two of them from the closing ceremony of the 2023 Invictus Games, which took place in Dusseldorf, Germany, back in September.

Compared to Christmas cards of years past, Harry and Meghans attemped to distract from an otherwise eventful year for the couple.

2022: Prince William and Kate Middleton look casual with their children

Last year, William and Kate chose a photograph of their family walking hand-in-hand through the Norfolk countryside as their Christmas card. The royals could be seen strolling along a path, with William holding Georges hand at one end, while Kate holds Louis hand on the other end, with Charlotte in the middle holding hands with her brothers.

The image was taken by royal family photographer Matt Porteous.

2022: Harry and Meghan highlight Archewell Foundation once again

Harry and Meghan shared their Christmas card just one day after final instalment of their explosive documentary arrived on Netflix (Archewell Foundation)

Just days after the release of their explosive Netflix docuseries, Harry & Meghan, the couple redirected attention to their Archewell Foundation with their Christmas card. Wishing you a joyful holiday season, the card read, alongside a photo of the couple at the Robert F Kennedy Ripple of Hope Award Gala in New York City.

From our family to yours, and on behalf of our teams at Archewell Foundation, Archewell Audio, and Archewell Productions, we wish you health, peace and a Happy New Year.

Best wishes, Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, the sign-off reads.

2022: Camilla smiles at Charles in Christmas card

The 2022 Christmas card of King Charles III and Camilla, Queen Consort in front of a Christmas tree in Clarence House, on December 11, 2022 (Buckingham Palace via Getty Imag)

For Charles first Christmas card since he became King after the passing of the late Queen Elizabeth II, he and Camilla chose a photo taken by award-winning photographer Sam Hussein. It showed the royal couple smiling at the Braemar Royal Highland Gathering in September that year.

The monarch is pictured from a side profile, dressed in a tweed suit with a red, green and beige tie, while Camilla is wearing a green suit and matching hat with a pheasant motif, with pearl earrings. The photo was taken on 3 September when Charles was still the Prince of Wales. Just days later, the Queen died on 8 September.

2021: William and Kate use photo taken during trip to Jordan for Christmas card

William and Kate use photo taken during trip to Jordan for 2021 Christmas card (PA Media)

The then-Duke and Duchess of Cambridge opted to use a photo from their family trip to Jordan as their Christmas card. In the photograph, William sits beside Kate while seated on a gold pouffe with the couple resting their hands on each others knees. George and Charlotte are seated next to their parents on red stools, while Louis sits cross-legged on the floor on what appears to be a sheepskin rug.

The image marked a departure from Christmas cards of previous years.

2021: Harry and Meghan share a photo of their daugher Princess Lilibet for Christmas card

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle share 2021 Christmas card (Alexi Lubomirski/Duke and Duchess of Sussex/PA)

For the first time ever, Harry and Meghan shared with the public a photo of their daughter - Lilibet Lili Diana - who was born in June 2021. The photograph, taken by Alexi Lubomirski, showed the family of four looking casual outside their new home in Santa Barbara, California - where they relocated after stepping down as senior members of the royal family in 2020.

In the portrait, Harry, Meghan, and Archie are all pictured wearing jeans. Harry is seen holding the couples two-year-old son Archie on his lap while Meghan is raising six-month-old Lilibet in the air.

Happy Holidays. This year, 2021, we welcomed our daughter, Lilibet, to the world. Archie made us a Mama and a Papa, and Lili made us a family, the couple wrote. As we look forward to 2022, we have made donations on your behalf to several organisations that honour and protect families  from those being relocated from Afghanistan, to American families in need of paid parental leave.

Wishing you a happy holiday season and a prosperous New Year, from our family to yours.

While fans were excited to catch a glimpse at their daughter Lilibet, the duke and duchess have not featured their two children on a Christmas card since.

2020: William and Kates Christmas card leaked by fans

Royal family photo leaked in 2020 ahead of annual Christmas card (Kensington Palace via Getty Imag)

In 2020, William and Kate released their official Christmas card four days after the photograph was leaked by a fan account on Instagram. The photo, which was taken in the autumn by Matt Porteous, showed William and Kate with their three children at their home in Norfolk, Anmer Hall.

The family is pictured looking relaxed outdoors, sitting on hay bales with a pile of wood behind them. George is seen wearing a brown zip-up fleece, while Louis wears a navy blue jumper over a collared shirt. Meanwhile, Charlotte is pictured in a green Christmas jumper and leggings.

William wears blue jeans, a blue collared shirt, and a dark green roundneck jumper, while Kate is wearing a white collared shirt and a deep crimson jumper over grey skinny jeans.

2020: Sussexes share new family photo from California on Christmas card

In honour of their first Christmas in the United States and Harrys first holiday since stepping down from the royal family, the couple gave fans a glimpse at their new life in California. The Christmas card has the appearance of a painting, but was based on a photograph taken by Meghans mother, Doria Ragland, at their home.

In the photograph, Harry and Meghan are gathered around a play house with their 19-month-old son Archie and their two dogs. A miniature Christmas tree is set in front of the play house, decorated with ornaments picked out by Archie.

The original photo of the family was taken at their home earlier this month by the duchesss mother, said a spokesperson for the Sussexes. The small Christmas tree, including the homemade ornaments and other decorations, were selected by Archie, and the tree will be replanted after the holidays.

Inside the card, the message read: This year we, as a family, have made donations to several charities with you in mind.

From a local California organisation that helps families transition out of homelessness, to two of our UK patronages: one that supports animal and community welfare, and the other, a memorial fund for a cherished friend that helps to educate children and fight poverty in Uganda, we have honoured their work on behalf of all of us.

2019: Charles and Camilla use photo taken in Cuba for Christmas card

The 2019 Christmas card of Prince Charles and Camilla featuring a photograph of the royal couple driving a vintage MG TD whilst on tour in Cuba (Getty Images)

Prince Charles and Camillas 2019 Christmas card showed the royal couple during their trip to Cuba in March that year. The husband and wife are picturing driving in a vintage MG car - perhaps the coolest royal family Christmas card ever.

2019: Harry and Meghan have seven-month-old Archie front and centre

To mark their first Christmas as parents, the duke and duchess shared a photo of seven-month-old Archie. The infant is seen staring down the camera lens, while his parents laughing behind him as a Christmas tree sits in the background. The photo was released on X - formerly known as Twitter - by the Queens Commonwealth Trust, a charity that supports young people in impoverished areas.

Just sharing the sweetest Christmas Card from our president and vice-President, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Very Merry Christmas, everyone! the caption reads.

2018: William and Kates Christmas card features eight-month-old Louis

William and Kate's 2018 Christmas card features the whole family (Kensington Palace)

Everyones favourite member of the royal family, Prince Louis, made his Christmas card debut in 2018.

The family portrait, taken by Matt Porteous, featured William and Kates youngest child at nearly nine months old. Kate is seen cradling baby Louis as she rests against a tree trunk at their Anmer Hall home in Norfolk.

A three-year-old Charlotte can be seen standing on the trunk with her arms around her parents shoulders, while five-year-old George playfully holds on to his father as he stands one-legged in wellies on the trunk.

2018: Charles and Camilla gaze at each other on a bench

The photograph for Prince Charles and Camilla's 2018 Christmas card was taken by Hugo Burnand (PA)

In Charles and Camillas card, the royal couple are seen gazing lovingly at each other while sitting on a bench. Camilla is wearing a cream and crape dress by Fiona Clare, while Charles is wearing an Anderson and Sheppard suit, shoes by Crockett and Jones, and a Turnbull and Asser shirt.

The photograph was taken by Hugo Burnand, who also took the wedding pictures of Charles and Camillas big day in 2005.

2018: Harry and Meghan share unseen photograph from wedding

The Sussexes use previously unseen photo from their wedding day as their 2018 Christmas card (Kensington Palace)

For their first Christmas as husband and wife, Harry and Meghan shared an unseen image from their May 2018 wedding. The newlyweds are captured with their arms wrapped around each others waists on their wedding night.

It was taken by photographer Chris Allerton during their evening wedding reception, as fireworks erupted in the grounds of Frogmore House - the 17th century royal residence in Windsor near Frogmore Cottage, where Harry and Meghan lived until their departure from the royal family in 2020.

2016: Charles and Camilla release a more unusual Christmas card

Prince Charles and Camilla 2016 Christmas card (Getty Images via Clarence House)

Charles and Camilla released a rather unusual Christmas card in 2016, far different from holiday cards of years past. It pictured the then-Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall grinning as they were surrounded by a troupe of Croatian dancers wearing traditional national dress.

The photograph was taken during their tour of Croatia and the western Balkans earlier that year, when the Croatian Cultural Artistic Society performed a dance for the pair. Wishing you a very Happy Christmas and New Year, the card reads, as per usual.

2015: Charles and Camilla are all smiles

Charles and Camillas 2015 Christmas card (Getty Images)

The royal couple were all smiles for their 2015 Christmas card. In the photo, Charles and Camilla looked casual during their summer vacation in Scotland. According to Clarence House, the image was taken by a friend on a private estate in August that year.

2005: Royal couple choose photograph from April 2005 wedding as Christmas card

The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall choose photograph taken by Hugo Burnand at their April 2005 wedding as their Christmas card (PA)

To celebrate their nuptials, newlyweds Charles and Camilla used a photograph from their April wedding as their annual Christmas card. The image showed the future King and Queen Consort posing with their children. William and Harry stood on their fathers left side, while Tom Parker Bowles and Laura Lopes on their mothers right side.

While the image appeared to capture a happy occasion, the Christmas card may hold new meaning after Harry claimed in his 2023 memoir, Spare, that he and his brother asked their father not to marry Camilla.

1999: Charles poses with sons for Christmas card two years after Dianas death

Prince Charles put his arms around his sons in this photo on the front of his 1999 Christmas card (PA)

Two years after the untimely passing of William and Harrys mother, the late Princess of Wales, Charles and his sons put on a united front for their 1999 Christmas card. In the annual holiday card, Charles is seen sitting between his teenage sons, with the countryside in the background.

1993: Diana releases her own Christmas card with William and Harry

A 1993 Christmas card sent from Diana featuring a photograph of the Princess with Princes William and Harry (Shutterstock)

Prince Charles and Princess Diana separated in 1992 after 11 years of marriage. For her 1993 Christmas card, Diana posed solo alongside her young sons. The chic photograph pictured Diana wearing a long-sleeve blouse with popped collar, black trousers, and a large gold belt buckle.

William posed facing toward the camera, as a young Harry stared directly up at his mother.

1987: Princess Diana and Prince Charles seen as family of four

Family portrait of Prince Charles, Princess Diana, and their sons William and Harry taken for their 1987 Christmas Card (AFP via Getty Images)

Before their divorce in 1996, Charles and Diana posed as a family of four for their 1987 Christmas card. In the photo, a giggling William rested his arm on his fathers leg and his head in his hand. Charles held up the five-year-old, while Diana sat three-year-old Harry at her side.

1982: Williams first Christmas

Royal Christmas card bearing a full-color family photograph of Prince Charles, Princess Diana, and the infant Prince William from 1982 (PA)

To celebrate the first Christmas of the future King, Diana and Charles featured an infant William on their 1982 Christmas card. The new parents were seen staring directly at the camera, as they propped up their newborn son.

1969: A royal family affair

Queen Elizabeth II, the Prince of Wales, Prince Edward, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and the Duke of Edinburgh on board the Royal Yacht Britannia during a visit to Norway. It is the photograph used on the Queen's personal Christmas card. (PA)

During the royal familys visit to Norway on the Royal Yacht Britannia, the late Queen Elizabeth II gathered her husband - Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh - and her four children to take a family photograph. In 1969, the portrait was used for the Queens personal Christmas card.

The Queen is seen smiling at her husband, while each of her children - Prince Charles, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew, and Prince Edward - grin at the camera.
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Its 3am. A normal Tuesday night. My housemates are asleep, all is quiet and dark; no one stirs. Except, apparently, me. My 23-year-long sleep talking problem was never something that bothered me, but that was until I started recording my nocturnal monologues and heard the kind of things I was saying. Such as tonights snippet, in which my normal cheery voice is replaced by some kind of hoarse monster from Paranormal Activity. Why are you dead? I snap, in the actual dead of night. It was  if youll excuse the pun  a bit of a wakeup call.

As I say, my sleep talking was generally something I was at peace with. My school reports said I nattered all day, so it made sense that I did the same thing at night. Plus, it seemed to be a crowd-pleaser when I told everyone about my fun fact in the pub. But it perhaps isnt so peaceful, or funny, for the other people. In September, my best friend and I visited New York for seven nights, where we shared a double room to keep costs low. Apparently, I talked non-stop all night  but not to her; she was trying to sleep. Not only were we both jet lagged, but when my friend had tried to sleep, she couldnt because Ellie Big Mouth Muir over here wouldnt put a sock in it. And then there was that awkward time I muttered I love you to a guy Id started dating, which was way too early to be dropping the L bomb.

What on earth was going on? I needed answers for the sake of my  and my friends  sanity. I enlist the help of psychotherapist Heather Darwall-Smith of the United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP) who specialises in mindfulness and sleep disorders. Sleep talking tends to be genetic, so it can often run in families, Darwall-Smith tells me in our first session. Its most common in children, and they tend to grow out of it. We dont 100 per cent know whats going on. Its generally perceived as a harmless sleep disorder unless its happening at the same time as other sleep disorders.

But it appears Im not the only adult who hasnt grown out of sleep talking. According to a 2010 study conducted in the US, 66 per cent of people will sleep talk in their lives, and 17 per cent of people will have experienced it in the last three months  but its much rarer for someone to continue to sleep talk throughout their life, like I do.

Since weve established sleep talking is not necessarily a harmful condition or one that requires medical treatment, Darwall-Smiths first question to me is: why do I want to make it stop? Well firstly, Id like to keep my friends. I quite like them. Second  I dont want to terrify the future loves of my life. And also if Im continuously talking all the time, is my mind actually getting any rest?

I knew that the first step before I spoke to Darwall-Smith would be to hear my sleep talking for myself  hence why I began to record it every night on my phone. But playing them back, I notice a pattern. Im forming pretty coherent sentences, and having back-and-forth conversations with the characters in my dreams. Aside from the rather spooky Why are you dead? recording, on other nights, I sound a bit more chipper: Im having a pleasant conversation with someone about their cat. Awwwww! Shes so cute, I say. In another, I seem to be striking up an argument with a group of lads in the pub when I say: What goin on, mate? Then theres another voice recording where Im talking about a man that loves to wear his mothers lipstick. The contents of my nighttime sermons are admittedly strange  but its all conversational.

I tell all of this to Darwall-Smith, who asks me if I clench or grit my teeth in the night. I do. But, although I used to sleepwalk as a child, these days I dont move when I sleep talk. She explains that our dreams are often a rehearsal space for the brain. My sleep talking, she tells me, sounds like a stress response  its almost like Im practising and preparing for the conversations I might have in the coming days. [The brain] sort of takes in the content and mashes it about and you tend to try stuff out, as if you were rehearsing. One of the things thats so incredible about sleep is the functionality of learning and memory and its almost like our conscious minds have gone offline so that our brain can then start to make sense of it.

Darwall-Smith reminds me that while it might seem like an annoying habit, I should celebrate the fact that my brain is working overtime to assist me in sorting through my thoughts. You said it can be annoying in many ways, but isnt it brilliant that your brain is trying to help you sort it out? She helps me try to change my perspective on sleep talking as a bad or annoying habit. She asks me to look inward about why Im embarrassed about people hearing me. Rather than worrying about it and feeling guilty about what is happening, thinking about it differently can help switch the relationship, she reminds me.

Apparently, I talked non-stop all night  but not to her; she was trying to sleep (Getty)

The psychotherapist assures me that Im quite safe and reminds me that sleep talking is regarded as a pretty harmless sleep disorder. No one can stop you from doing it. Its really important to know that we generally see sleep talking as harmless, it can be a nuisance to the people we might sleep with, its not typically something thats treated unless its linked to another disorder.

Still though, to give my brain a helping hand, Darwall-Smith recommends trying some exercises to help regulate some of the activity that is expressing itself in my dreams. The plan is that I can offload some of my worries. Theres the sleep diary where I record everything from the hours I am sleeping to the state of my sleep. In another exercise, called Box up those thoughts, I write down my thoughts on a piece of paper and put them in an empty shoebox. The exercise that I find the most beneficial, though, involves setting a timer for 10 minutes and writing down every worry thats on my mind until the timer stops. Its about putting the thoughts somewhere consciously in the notebook so you can tell the brain: Ive got this and know where it is and can always go back to it when I need to, says Darwall-Smith. There are, of course, lots of different things we can do to reduce the stress, to train the brain to behave in a different way and also different ways of processing the material. But its about acknowledging those thoughts first."

Isnt it brilliant that your brain is trying to help you sort it out? Heather Darwall-Smith

Over the three weeks of recording my sleep talking, there is one night when I dont speak at all. I seem to be succeeding in quietening my chatty mind. I get into the habit of blitzing down my worries in a 10-minute time slot in the evenings, especially on nights when I feel particularly stressed. It makes me feel more in control of my thoughts, and hopefully means less work for my brain.

But does all this journalling directly translate into less sleep talking? Its hard to tell, though my more recent recordings sound less like a horror film. Instead, Ive heard myself giggling, cracking jokes or having lighthearted conversations with my (imaginary) friends during my sleep; my sleep-talking self seems to be more content. Plus, I dont have to worry about whether Ive unknowingly slagged someone off while theyre lying beside me.

Most of all, though, Ive learnt that theres no shame in being a sleep talker. If anything, Im pretty proud of my brain helping me sift through my worries. So, for anyone sharing my bed in future, Ill pass them some earplugs  because its 3am, and my brain has got some sorting to do.
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Alex Battys grandmother has revealed details of the final call she had with her grandson before he vanished for six years.

Susan Caruana, who was her grandsons legal guardian at the time, feared she would never again see then 11-year-old Alex after speaking with him on the phone in September 2017.

The British teenager, now aged 17, was in Spain with his mother Melanie Batty, 43, and grandfather David Batty, 64, on what the pair had said would be a week-long vacation.

British teenager Alex Batty is now 17 years old (The Sun)

However, Ms Caruana told The Sun that moments after she had finished speaking with the boy, she heard his mother Melanie tell her son, Were getting rid of the phones.

Ms Caruana did not hear from Alex for another six years.

He was finally found last week by a delivery driver who spotted Alex walking along a rural road near Chalabre in southern France at 3am on 13 December.

Now, Greater Manchester Police have launched a criminal investigation into the alleged abduction of the teenager.

Alex Batty as a child (PA Media)

Ms Caruana said she felt utterly betrayed by her daughter and her ex-husband after she allowed the duo to take her grandson away on the supposed holiday to Malaga.

The retired mental health support worker said she had been Alexs legal guardian for 18 months to the anger of Melanie, who regarded her son as her property and demanded a 500,000 payment.

Ms Caruana remembered: Melanie asked to take Alex on holiday and David said he would be going too. Alex wanted to go, like any child would. I was nervous about saying Yes but I felt I had no choice but to give them a chance and trust them. How wrong could I have been?

The trio are said to have flown to stay in a villa in Marbella, which belonged to a friend of Melanie  but never returned home to Oldham as promised. Instead, Alex was allowed to call his grandmother from a beach to tell her he would not be coming back, and this was when Ms Caruana overheard Melanie saying they would be ditching their phones. Later, their phones and passports were found thrown away in a McDonalds bin.

Susan Caruana was her grandsons legal guardian when he vanished (Supplied)

The 68-year-old said: They completely and utterly betrayed me and left me heartbroken. I knew as soon as I heard her say, Were getting rid of the phones now. I thought, Ill never see him again.

She said she immediately contacted Greater Manchester Police, who later launched an alleged abduction investigation  however, Alex would not be found for another six years.

Alex told police upon recently coming home that he had been living a nomadic lifestyle in Spain, Morocco and France with his mother and grandfather as part of a spiritual community and had decided to leave when his mother talked about going to Finland.

He told The Sun that his years on the run were spent mostly friendless, and working in exchange for food and lodging rather than going to school  and so Harry Potter books were his salvation.

The French driver who found British teenager Alex and took him to a police station (Sky News)

He said: I had a Harry Potter box set. Im obsessed with it and must have read each of the books at least 20 times. I carried it everywhere even though it was massive and took up so much space. Theyre amazing books. My main pastime was reading, because most of the places we were, we couldnt get wifi. I tried to get as many as I could, but it was bloody difficult.

Alex, who also tried to teach himself maths and computer science, said his desire to get an education was one of the main reasons he left his mother and grandfathers rented house a couple of weeks ago.

He said: During all my time away I never attended school for a single day. The only qualifications I have are my Sats test results from primary school when I lived back in Oldham. Thats one of the worst things thats happened to me throughout all this  not having a proper education.

Now that he is back in the UK, Alex is planning to get as many qualifications as possible and then go on to study computer science at university.

French prosecutor Antoine Leroy said Alex had told police he had left his mother after she decided to move to Finland (Reuters)

Authorities in France said last week that they thought Melanie could be in Finland and that David appeared to have died, but neither of those details seemed clear after the teenager gave his first interview.

Alex said he had feared the pair could be arrested on suspicion of child abduction, so he had lied about his escape.

Ms Caruana said she was overjoyed to be reunited with her grandson at her Oldham home last Saturday night after enduring years of not knowing whether Alex was even alive. She said she had learnt that he had been found when she received a phone call from her family liaison officer for the first time in a long, long time.

She said: I didnt hear anything from them again until Alex was found in France. During the whole six years, I never knew if they were alive or dead. Every time there was some sort of disaster, I feared that he could be a victim. And during Covid, I had no idea where he was, so I didnt know if he was in a built-up area or not.

The 68-year-old said she would never be able to forgive her daughter and her ex-husband for tricking her into allowing Alex to go on the trip, adding that it is not her fault if the pair end up in prison.

She said: I dont want to be the one to help them go to prison, but if they do, then its not my fault. Alex has come back home of his own free will. He told his mother, You chose this life, but I dont want it.
ELKO  Lois Ports knows birds. As the president of Bristlecone Audubon, an Elko-based branch of the National Audubon Society, she heads up educational efforts that encourage Elko residents to appreciate the nature in their backyards.

A retired schoolteacher of 35 years, 27 of which she spent teaching at Grammar 2 Elementary School, Ports now enjoys an outdoors-oriented lifestyle.

Ports role as president includes writing a digital newsletter, posting birding information on Facebook, coordinating field trips with Vice President Brian Iverson and facilitating the National Audubon Societys Christmas Bird Count, which occurred on Dec. 16.

There are 14 birds we get every single year. It never fails. Those are the 14 that we know we will see this year.

The birds in question: Canada goose, mallard, bald eagle, sharp-shinned hawk, rock dove, northern flicker, black-billed magpie, common raven, European starling, white-crowned sparrow, dark-eyed junco, house finch, American goldfinch and house sparrow.

Ports is registered with the National Audubon Society as an official bird count compiler. She was eager to share the statistical findings of this years birding efforts.

This year, we had 24 participants within our 15 mile circle, she said. The circle is divided into 20 areas, stretching from downtown Elko to the wilderness around State Routes 227 and 228.

In a typical year, volunteers drive a total of 375 miles and walk around 10 miles.

The Christmas Bird Count has its own methodology and it is done the same way everywhere in the Western Hemisphere, Ports said. Both South America and North America and a lot of island nations participate now. It started out just being in North America, but it is now in quite a lot of areas. And it is one of the oldest running citizen science projects out there.

And we have data going way back to the beginning. That data can be used by scientists and people looking at trends on birds, she said.

Ports said this years was the 36th count in Elko. It was the 124th count for the National Audubons actual Bird Count, she said.

She said the first Elko count happened sometime around 1988, as a preliminary event.

And then the following year, we were official. You have to go through certain procedures to become an official circle.

There are some 17 or 18 bird counts in Nevada, including the one in Elko, she said. Most of them are on the west side of northern Nevada. And down by Vegas, there are like five or six of them. Outside of Elko, Northeastern Nevada Audubon birding happens in Ely and in Great Basin National Park.

We had a total of 67 species of birds seen on the count day of Saturday the 16th, Ports said.

We have what is called the count week, which is the three days before that Saturday, and the three days after that Saturday where we can also count species that we see. So that brings our total to 73 species for this year, which is a typical year.

This years total number of individual birds ended up at 10,079, spanning the 73 species. These findings are a considerable increase from 2022s numbers, which topped out at 6,596 individual birds and 68 species.

Our typical average runs about 60 birds, but a lot of that is weather-based and biased. Last year, we did not see as many birds because everything was frozen solid. And if everything is frozen solid, you do not get any waterfowl. But we lucked out this year that both the Spring Creek Marina and the South Fork State Recreation Area reservoir were open, with free areas where waterfowl could congregate, she said.

The dump is a great spot for ravens and blackbirds, she added. You go up there and you always see them. The count uncovered 349 ravens and 161 brewers blackbirds this year.

We literally count everywhere, Ports said. Whether it be a house sparrow or a hawk, every bird gets counted that is seen by our crew. We divvy up the circle and the routes and each person only does their route.

Most of them are in groups of two, occasionally three, she said of the volunteers. We did have a few people that went by themselves this year, as we were a little lacking in some of our numbers for volunteers. Last year we had 30 volunteers and this year we only had 24. So we had to divvy it up a little differently.

While fewer people attended than last year, they found more birds.

We had over 1,000 of several types of ducks, she said. So that is why we get the big 10,000, is when those numbers are up. And then of course we have our lovely Eurasian collared doves, which are one of the few birds in Nevada that are not protected because they are not native to anywhere in the United States. She said 776 of these doves appeared in this years Christmas Bird Count.

We always have over 1,000 starlings, she said. This years number is 1,688. Other four-digit finds included 1,070 lesser scaups, 1,252 ruddy ducks and 1,391 house sparrows.

We had 75 northern flickers, which was a high number.

The bird count also found single individuals of a few unusual species.

We picked up what is called a hermit thrush, which is a relative of the robin, Ports noted. It was with a flock of robins. They are unusual in the fact that they are a mountain-breeding bird that typically migrates south for the winter.

A lot of people make the mistake of thinking that robins only come back in the spring, but we have a resident population of robins and we also get robins that migrate down from northern Idaho, Montana, Canada and Alaska. Those birds travel south until they find the good area with berry crops. And so we actually had 99 robins this year, which was a good number.

Last year, the count uncovered two species of birds that had not been tallied before: the red-shouldered hawk and the savannah sparrow. Neither bird was found in this years count.

Ports said bird count activities assist with scientific findings.

The overall science involved shows trends, and it shows where some birds are declining, obviously, she said. In addition, Ports noted, the science shows a trend of birds migrating further north in the summer due to the presence of drought and intense heat in certain parts of the United States. Regarding winter trends, she also said birds are staying around here more than they used to, just because it has not been as cold and bitter as it used to be when I was a kid.

One of the birds that we had on the count this year was called an evening grosbeak. Evening grosbeaks are typically in the mountains and they typically come here during the wintertime, just to find berries and Russian olives and things like that, Ports said.

But what has been happening is in their eastern states, the evening grosbeaks have had a very steady decline in numbers. So we were happy to get some grosbeaks on our count this time, she said, noting they found 11. They were actually in the hills around South Fork, out where all the agriculture is and where people have established trees.

As of now, the Bristlecone Audubon community group has nine members and would gladly welcome more, Ports said. We try to meet once a month during what I call the school year. And then during the summer, we try to do field trips.

Our focus is on education of the nature around us. So our next meeting is all about sagebrush, and will meet on Jan. 9, she said.
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Fearless is the word those who knew Brianna Ghey reach for when paying tribute to the transgender teenager, as they try to grapple with her brutal killing.

The 16-year-olds mother has celebrated her fearlessness in being whoever she wanted to be, while the schoolgirls headteacher, Emma Mills, described her as loud and proud and confident in who she was. A boy and a girl were this week convicted of her murder following the fatal knife attack in a Cheshire Park in February.

Briannas mother, Esther Ghey, has also praised the outstanding trans community for their support following her daughters death, which led to an outpouring of grief earlier this year.

Briannas mother Esther Ghey has also praised the outstanding trans community for their support (Esther Ghey)

Speaking to The Independent ahead of the trial, Ms Ghey, 36, described her daughters coming out as not really a big issue and her transition aged 14 as quite gradual. Brianna started letting her hair grow long, wearing make-up, and then told her family that she wanted to change her pronouns, Ms Ghey explained, and she stressed it was not a hurdle for her daughter.

As long as your children are happy, then youll do whatever you need to do to help them, she said.

Ms Ghey explained that she was very close to Brianna and her older daughter as she had been a single parent for much of the girls childhoods. Their tight-knit family was shattered on 11 February this year when police appeared at Ms Gheys door to tell her that her child had been found stabbed to death in Linear Park in Culcheth, a village near their hometown of Warrington, Cheshire.

Two teenagers have been found guilty of murdering Brianna (PA)

Its the news that you would never, ever want to hear  it was completely shocking, said Ms Ghey. It was so tragic that I felt like I was going to die myself.

As an introvert, Ms Ghey initially shied away from the intense interest in her daughters case. But Im trying to push myself to make a change, to be a bit more like Brianna, because she was confident and happy being who she was and putting herself out there, she said.

The 16-year-olds dream was to become famous on TikTok, and she loved to do make-up tutorials for her more than 31,000 followers on the social media platform. She was very, very outgoing, said Esther. A very high-energy, funny, quick-witted child.

While Cheshire Police do not believe that Brianna was killed because she was transgender, it will ultimately be up to the trial judge, Mrs Justice Yip, to decide if hatred of transgender people played any part in her death when the killers are sentenced in the new year.

Brianna mother Esther said she wants to be a bit more like Brianna, because she was confident and happy being who she was and putting herself out there (PA)

Hundreds of mourners joined vigils across the UK to remember the schoolgirl after her shocking murder. Some of those gathered in her hometown wore rainbow flags draped across their shoulders as they laid flowers and wrote tributes on a placard that was placed in the town square.

Ms Ghey described the support as a comfort to her heartbroken family as they attempted to heal from the unimaginable in the months following Briannas death.

The support from the trans community has been outstanding, and the general public as well, she said.

The family has had to endure a harrowing four weeks during which a girl and a boy with a thirst for killing stood trial for Briannas murder at Manchester Crown Court.

The pair  currently only identified as girl X and boy Y, and who are both now 16 but were 15 at the time  were convicted on Wednesday of carrying out the frenzied and ferocious murder, and face mandatory life sentences. On Thursday, the judge ruled that an order banning the identification of the defendants, on the basis of their age, be lifted when they are sentenced on 2 February.

People leave floral tributes near the scene where 16-year-old Brianna was found with multiple stab wounds (Getty)

Speaking outside court on Wednesday, Ms Ghey said her daughters killers had not shown an ounce of remorse, and that she had therefore lost any sympathy she previously felt for them. To know how scared my usually fearless child must have been when she was alone in that park with someone that she called her friend will haunt me for ever, Ms Ghey added as she held back tears.

She finished her statement by saying her family would like to request healing space for the next few weeks, but she promised to be back at the end of January to continue campaigning for better mental health support for young people and their families.

Ms Ghey previously told The Independent she had launched the campaign in memory of her daughter, who suffered from poor mental health, including anxiety.

The Brianna Ghey: Peace in Mind appeal aims to raise money, partly via a GoFundMe fundraiser, for the Mindfulness in Schools Project (MiSP), with the mission of bringing mindfulness training into all UK schools.

So many other young people are struggling with mental health issues nowadays, said Ms Ghey, who has been practising mindfulness for eight years.

It gave me that strength when such a tragedy did happen, she said, referring to Briannas death. And I want others to experience the benefits that I had.
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Hundreds of thousands of dementia sufferers are still going undiagnosed, experts have warned, as national targets have been missed for the third year in a row.

Dementia diagnosis rates across England remain slow to recover and well below the national target despite millions of pounds being invested in services. Charities have warned that thousands of families will continue to be stuck in limbo without adequate support unless the government makes dementia a key focus of its forthcoming plan to tackle major conditions.

Experts said it was completely unacceptable that more than 250,000 sufferers had not been diagnosed  a rate they claimed would not be tolerated for other conditions such as cancer.

Diagnosis rates plummeted during the Covid pandemic and have struggled to recover, although there has been a slight improvement in recent months.

Have you been affected by this? Email matt.mathers@independent.co.uk

All but one region, the North West, failed to hit the national target of 66.7 per cent in the last year, new analysis by The Independent shows.

Data indicates only a marginal improvement on last year, when all regions fell short. Rates are calculated by comparing recorded diagnoses with the estimated prevalence of the disease. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland do not routinely publish the equivalent data.

As of September this year, there were 459,549 people aged 65 or above diagnosed with dementia in England. The NHS estimated that there were 714,751 living with the disease, giving a diagnosis rate of 64.3 per cent. This meant there were 255,202 people undiagnosed.

Dr Susan Mitchell, head of policy at Alzheimers Research UK, said the figures make it clear that getting an early and accurate dementia diagnosis remains extremely challenging.

Even if this target were hit across England, a third of people with dementia wouldnt get a formal diagnosis, she told The Independent. We wouldnt accept this for any other condition, so we shouldnt for dementia.

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The failure to hit the national target came despite an additional 17m of funding being released to clinical commissioning groups in June 2021 to improve the process of diagnosing dementia. A further 96m has been earmarked to help speed up the development of new treatments for dementia, as part of the Dame Barbara Windsor Dementia Mission announced last year.

Last year, hitting the national target of 66.7 per cent was included in NHS service priorities and operational planning guidance, as part of refined mental health objectives for 2023/24. The government also announced a standalone, 10-year plan for dementia, but this was scrapped and subsequently subsumed into the more general Major Conditions Strategy.

A call for evidence closed in May and responses were being analysed, with a full report due to follow.

A woman whose mother has dementia said the family were forced to go private to get a diagnosis after being told they would have to wait years on the NHS.

Melissa Williams with her mother Wendy, who was diagnosed with dementia after going private (Supplied)

Melissa Williams said: Initially [her mother Wendy] was told she had mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and that she wouldnt be seen again for another five years. At this point, we knew things werent right and we knew that the symptoms werent just MCI.

So, we sought private medical help. After some initial testing, including a PET scan, that is when she was diagnosed at the age of 59.

We shouldnt have had to fight so hard for a diagnosis. I hope that access to diagnosis, through something as accessible as a blood test, will be available for families in the near future so they dont face the same difficulties we and many others experience.

South West England continues to have the poorest outcomes of any NHS region, with diagnosis rates across the country revealing a postcode lottery for patients. The region had an average diagnosis rate of 59 per cent in the 12 months from October 2022 to September 2023, up from 57.3 per cent over the same period last year.

The two best-performing regions  North West England and North East and Yorkshire  recorded averages of 68 and 65.4 per cent respectively  also up slightly from last year.

Diagnosis rates were declining across England as a whole in the year before the pandemic, and continued to do so in 2019/20 and 2020/21.

The rate remains below target, although it improved slightly this year, with data showing it was up from 62.1 per cent to 64.3 per cent in September. The latest data, for November, showed the rate had climbed to 64.7 per cent.

The government has pledged to double funding for dementia research (iStock)

James White, head of national influencing at Alzheimers Society, said the diagnosis rate had been slow to recover after hitting a five-year low during the pandemic. He said that the government must urgently make dementia a priority by investing in social care.

Paul Edwards, director of clinical services at Dementia UK, said the true number of people living with the disease is likely to be much higher than the NHS estimate because under-65s are not included in the figures.

He added that, unless post-diagnostic support for people living with dementia forms a key pillar of the Major Conditions Strategy, people will keep falling between the gaps.

The consequence of which means more families will struggle to cope with issues which can be very complex issues on their own, he said.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said the government is working to identify and treat more people living with dementia, and to provide potential new treatments as they become available.

Alongside this, we are doubling the funding for dementia research to 160m a year by 2024/25, the spokesperson added.
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Schools that evacuated children due to crumbling concrete face years in portable buildings and temporary classrooms as the government delays funding, according to reports.

There are 231 schools and colleges with reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (Raac), which the Health and Safety Executive has said is life expired and could collapse with little or no warning, according to the latest government figures.

Education secretary Gillian Keegan said months ago that the safety of children and staff was a top priority, vowing to fund longer-term refurbishment or rebuilding projects where needed.

But ahead of the new year, many schools have still not been told when their buildings will be fixed, it has emerged.

The Department for Education (DfE) is refusing to commit to funding or even give any timescales for starting work, with building experts estimating that schools will be waiting years for new safe buildings, The Observer reported.

A DfE spokesman told The Independent: We have committed to fund the removal of Raac from our schools either through grants, or through our School Rebuilding Programme and we will inform schools as soon as possible once our assessments have concluded.

Education Secretary Gillian Keegan promised that the safety of children and staff was a top priority (PA Archive)

We are working closely all affected schools to understand and assess their individual requirements, they added.

But one headteacher from a northern English school told The Observer: I cant get any information. There is no indication of when they will decide, never mind a decision.

The best result would be rebuilding as we have so many problems, but actually we just need some certainty. Parents like shiny new buildings, and Raac definitely isnt helping our reputation.

Some of our windows are badly cracked, but at the moment with our finances getting even worse, we cant think about replacing them in case the DfE decides to demolish and weve then wasted money.

The headteacher is scared that without a clear plan and government funding, parents will go to other schools instead.

Tim Warneford, a consultant who advises academies on their building, said schools have been told not to expect anything to happen before 2026.

Raac is a lightweight form of concrete that was used in construction from the 1950s until the mid-1990s.

It is weaker than regular concrete which is used as a building material and has been described as 80 per cent air and like an Aero bar.

Seventeen more schools and colleges in England were this month found to have the dangerous Raac on site, taking the total to 213.

Currently three secondary schools are providing a mix of face-to-face lessons and remote learning because Raac is present in their buildings.

Meanwhile the DfEs top official said 41 schools now have temporary buildings on site.
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American Christian congregations have renewed urgent calls for a ceasefire as the death toll in Gaza during Israels ongoing siege climbs to more than 20,000 within the days before Christmas.

Statements from Christian leaders pleading for an end to the violence followed Israels attacks at a Catholic church and convent in Gaza, where a majority of the small community of Palestinian Christian families have taken refuge during the war.

On 16 December, a sniper from the Israel Defense Forces shot two women without warning and in cold blood at Holy Family Church, according to the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, an ecclesiastical office for the Latin Catholics in the region.

In his appeal for a swift end to the conflict, Pope Francis condemned the killings as terrorism.

Some are saying, This is terrorism and war. Yes, it is war. It is terrorism, he said in remarks at St Peters Square on Sunday.

Rev Timothy P Broglio of the Archdiocese for the Military Services and president of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops wrote that such violence must not continue, demanding the immediate cessation of all hostilities, the release of hostages, and for earnest negotiations towards a peaceful resolution of this conflict.

We resolutely join our voices with the Holy Father, Pope Francis, reminding all parties in this conflict, that war is never the answer but always a defeat, he added. We plead, peace, please peace!

Their statements follow appeals from a growing number of American churches and Christian groups. The National Council of Churches  the nations largest ecumenical body, encompassing 38 Christian faith groups  joined a letter with 60 other advocacy groups urging President Joe Biden to publicly support a ceasefire, prioritise the protection of all civilians, including the secure admission of humanitarian aid into Gaza and the release of all hostages.

A letter to the president from Churches from Middle East Peace  a coalition of more than 30 national Church communions and organisations  demands his support for immediate ceasefire, de-escalation, and restraint by all involved.

The Episcopal Churchs presiding bishop Michael Curry wrote that the violence is horrific, and the geopolitics are complex, but my call to love is simple: Stop the killing. Stop all of it. Stop it today. His letter, written on 7 November as more than 10,000 Palestinians were reported dead, urged world leaders to stop the next 10,000 from being killed. Less than two months later, the death toll eclipsed 20,000.

Last month, with the support of more than 900 Black Christian leaders, clergy purchased a full-page ad in The New York Times to call for an immediate bilateral ceasefire in the Middle East for the sake of our shared humanity and our collective security.

A group of Black Christian faith leaders have also recently met with White House officials and members of the Congressional Black Caucus to address Gazas growing humanitarian crisis.

Pax Christi USA, a national Catholic peace organisation, is holding call-in days asking members to call the president to support an immediate ceasefire in Gaza to end the mass slaughter. A Ceasefire Carols campaign is staging Christmas carolling across the US to sing songs of peace. Faith leaders and church groups are holding Christian prayer vigils.

They are among the many voices joining a chorus of interfaith groups holding demonstrations across the US urging the Biden administration to join global leaders in pressing Israel to support a ceasefire in a conflict that has now killed roughly one in every 100 people in Gaza, including thousands of women and children.

Palestinians walk among rubble of buildings in Al-Nuseirat refugee camp in Gaza on 22 December after it was bombed by Israeli airstrikes. (EPA)

That scale of destruction in a narrow strip that is home to 2.2 million Palestinians is compounded by warnings of hunger and famine, depleting supplies of clean water and fear of disease, and the mass displacement of 85 per cent of Gazas population.

An estimated 1,000 Christians lived in Gaza before the war began on October 7, as Israel launched retaliatory bombardments and a ground offensive after Hamas attacks that left 1,200 people dead and took roughly 240 hostages.

A vast majority of that Christian population is Greek Orthodox, while others are Roman Catholic, Baptist and other Protestant denominations. They are among some of the oldest Christian communities in the world.

On 21 October, Gazas oldest Greek Orthodox was struck by explosions that killed at least 18 people, according to the Order of St George, an associated order of the church. The dead included family members of former US Rep Justin Amash, the first Palestinian-American member of Congress.

The Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem, among the oldest jurisdictions in Christendom, condemned the attack.

The Patriarchate stresses that it will not abandon its religious and humanitarian duty, rooted in its Christian values, to provide all that is necessary in times of war and peace alike, the organisation wrote.

American Christian groups, reeling from 11 weeks of attacks, are renewing their appeals to end the violence as Palestinian Christian leaders fear the violent erasure of their centuries-old communities.

I believe the Christian community will not survive this atrocity, Rev Mitri Raheb, a Palestinian Lutheran leader in the Israeli-occupied West Bank town of Bethlehem, where Christians believe Jesus was born, told NBC News. Even those who will survive, who might survive, Im not sure that they can live in Gaza in a place where life is unlivable.

Last month, Palestinian leaders of Christian denominations in Bethlehem  citing the devastation in Gaza  unanimously decided against public Christmas celebrations.

A nun prays in the grotto believed to be the spot where Jesus was born at the Church of the Nativity on 17 December in Bethlehem in the occupied West Bank. (Getty Images)

More than 300 people were trapped at the Holy Family Church where an Israeli sniper fatally shot two women. Seven others were shot and wounded at the compound, according to a statement from the Patriarchate.

The office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed reports of the attack are not true.

UK lawmaker Layla Moran, whose family sought refuge inside the church, told members of Parliament that a tank was positioned outside the complex, soldiers fired into the church, and a convent was bombed.

The situation has been desperate for weeks, but now its descending, she said. The people in the church  are civilians. They have nothing to do with Hamas. They are nuns, orphans, disabled people. They are a small Christian community and they know everyone.

The suffering is not confined to this church, she said.
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Charlie Sheen has been assaulted in his home with a deadly weapon, police have revealed.

On Friday (22 December), the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department announced that a woman, who is a neighbour of the 58-year-old actor, has been arrested after being accused of assaulting him in his Malibu, California residence earlier this week.

Authorities said: Upon contacting the parties involved, deputies identified Charlie Sheen as a victim of assault.

Sheens neighbour has been arrested for assault with a deadly weapon, force likely to create great bodily injury and burglary. She will appear in court this Friday (29 December),

The Independent has contacted Sheen for comment.

In September, Sheen, who starred in US sitcom Two and a Half Men, opened up about what made him decide to stop drinking alcohol in 2017.

The actor told People magazine that, in the past, he loved drinking in the morning, but realised he needed to give it up one morning six years ago.

Sheen said he made the change after realising he could not take one of his daughters to an appointment after drinking that morning, breaking a promise to her.

I got home and sat with that for the rest of the day. And the next morning I just stopped, the actor added.

Sheen, whose film credits include Platoon, Wall Street and Young Guns, has five children.
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The murder of four college students in the quiet town of Moscow, Idaho, last November unravelled a months-long investigation that is awaiting trial for prime suspect Bryan Kohberger.

Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin - all students at the University of Idaho - were ambushed in their rooms and stabbed to death with a military-style knife that has yet to be found. Police were called to the gruesome scene at the off-campus residence almost eight hours after the vicious attack.

For weeks, only scant details about the carnage were revealed as the community reeled from the tragedy and grappled with fears of a murderer on the loose. That changed with the December arrest of Washington State University student Mr Kohberger, whose apartment, office and family home were raided and searched for evidence.

While more information has become public through the release of search warrants and arrest records in recent months, a gag order in the case remains in place and most aspects of the probe and its findings are still a mystery.

In May, a grand jury indicted Mr Kohberger on four counts of first-degree murder and one burglary charge, effectively rerouting the case directly to the states felony court level and allowing prosecutors to skip the preliminary hearing process.

A trial was initially set for October 2023 but was postponed indefinitely when Mr Kohberger waived his right to a speedy trial. Then in late December, prosecutors submitted a request for the high-profile murder trial to begin in the summer of 2024.

Here, The Independent takes a deep dive into the developments in the complex case:

How did the stabbings unfold?

Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin were stabbed to death in the young womens rental home on King Road in Moscow on 13 November 2022. Chapin, Kernodles boyfriend, was staying at the residence, which is just a few minutes walk from campus, on the night of the murders.

According to an affidavit for Mr Kohbergers arrest, the killings are believed to have taken place around 4am.

Among the revelations in the 18-page document is that Mr Kohbergers DNA was found on a knife sheath that the killer left behind at the crime scene. The tan leather Kabar sheath, which featured the United States Marine Corps symbol, was discovered on Mogens bed next to her butchered body.

At the time of the quadruple homicide, the two other roommates, Bethany Funke and Dylan Mortenson, were inside the home, but were left unharmed by the killer. The police report reveals that Ms Mortenson came face to face with the masked killer.

Ethan Chapin, 20, Madison Mogen, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and Kaylee Goncalves, 21 (Instagram)

According to Ms Mortensons terrifying account, she had gone to sleep in her bedroom on the second floor of the three-floor home and was woken by what sounded like Goncalves playing with her dog in one of the third-floor bedrooms.

She told investigators she was in her bedroom on the second floor of the home  the same floor where Kernodle and Chapin were killed  and was standing in the doorway as the killer walked right past her. A short time later, Ms Mortenson said that she heard someone believed to be either Goncalves or Kernodle saying, Theres someone here.

Minutes later, Ms Morterson. said that she looked out of her bedroom for the first time but did not see anything. She then opened her door for a second time when she heard what she thought was crying coming from Kernodles room, the documents state.

At that point, she said she heard a mans voice saying, Its ok, Im going to help you.

When she opened her door for a third time minutes later, she said she saw a figure clad in black clothing and a mask that covered the persons mouth and nose walking towards her. As she stood in a frozen shock phase, she said the man  who she did not recognise  walked past her and headed toward the back sliding glass door of the home. She then locked herself in her room.

A private security officer sits in a vehicle on Jan. 3, 2023, in front of the house in Moscow, Idaho where four University of Idaho were murdered (Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

Despite the close encounter, a 911 call wasnt made until 11.58am  eight hours later. The call, made from one of the surviving roommates cellphones  reported an unconscious individual. It is unclear if the killer saw her or whether she simply had a lucky escape because he didnt notice her inside the dark home.

This raises the question around whether or not he planned to kill all four victims or whether some of the victims were treated as collateral damage in the horrific attack. Goncalves and Mogens bodies were found in a bedroom on the third floor, while Kernodle and Chapin were found on the second floor of the home.

The affidavit reveals no details about what connection  if any  Mr Kohberger had to his alleged victims.

Mr Kohberger, a criminal justice PhD student at Washington State University, lived just 15 minutes from the victims over the Idaho-Washington border in Pullman, having moved there to begin the academic programme in August 2022.

Who are the victims?

Goncalves and Mogen, both 21, were seniors at the University of Idaho and were expected to graduate this year.

At a vigil weeks after the murders, Goncalves father Mr Goncalves told how the two absolutely beautiful young women first met in sixth grade and became inseparable.

They just found each other and every day they did homework together, they came to our house together, they shared everything, he said at the time. Then they started looking at colleges, they came here together. They eventually get into the same apartment together.

And in the end, they died together, in the same room, in the same bed.

Madison Mogen and Kaylee Goncalves pictured together before their murders (Instagram)

Kernodle and Chapin were juniors at the college and had begun dating months before their deaths. The couple of 20-year-olds is believed to have been awake at the time the stabbings were carried out.

Six months after the stabbings, the families of the slain students accepted posthumous awards for their achievements.

Mogen and Goncalves relatives walked across the stage for their degrees in an emotional ceremony on 13 May. Kernodles family also accepted her certificate in marketing at a separate ceremony while Chapins award in sports, recreation and management was mailed to his parents.

Kernodles family accepted her certificate in marketing at a private ceremony last week while Chapins award in sports, recreation and management will be mailed to his parents this week.

Ethan Chapin and Xana Kernodle (Jazzmin Kernodle)

Who is Bryan Kohberger?

At the time of the murders, Mr Kohberger was studying for his PhD and working as a teaching assistant in criminal justice at WSU.

Prior to this, Mr Kohberger studied criminology at DeSales University first as an undergraduate and then finishing his graduate studies in June 2022.

According to online school records, Mr Kohberger received an associate arts degree in 2018 from Northampton Community College in Albrightsville and received a masters degree in criminal justice this year from DeSales University.

Bryan Kohberger is seen in court

While studying at DeSales, he studied under renowned forensic psychologist Katherine Ramsland who interviewed the BTK serial killer and co-wrote the book Confession of a Serial Killer: The Untold Story of Dennis Rader, the BTK Killer with him.

He was working part-time as a security guard until August 2021 at Pleasant Valley School District, where his mother was listed as a paraprofessional.

The alleged murderer carried out a research project to understand how emotions and psychological traits influence decision-making when committing a crime.

Mr Kohberger reached out to potential participants on Reddit, with the chilling survey resurfacing after his arrest.

In particular, this study seeks to understand the story behind your most recent criminal offense, with an emphasis on your thoughts and feelings throughout your experience, the post said.

His fascination appears to have continued around the time of the murders when he applied for an internship with the local police department.

The affidavit revealed that he applied for an internship in the fall of 2022 with the Pullman Police Department and wrote in an essay how he had an interest in assisting rural law enforcement agencies with how to better collect and analyze technological data in public safety operations.

What the unsealed records reveal

After weeks of no updates on the investigation, law enforcement in Idaho and Pennsylvania announced Mr Kohbergers arrest on 30 December 2022. A search warrant was executed at Mr Kohbergers apartment in Pullman, Washington, the same day he was arrested at his parents home in Pennsylvania.

A record of evidence recovered during the apartment search revealed the seizure of 15 items including hairs, receipts, a computer tower, a disposable glove and items with peculiar stains.

In the search warrant record, investigators list several items with stains, including cuttings of a mattress cover, a reddish/brown stain on an uncovered pillow and a collection of dark red spot. Dr Monte Miller, a former crime scene investigator and forensic expert, and former FBI agent Jennifer Coffindaffer told The Independent back in January that investigators most likely believed those items had blood stains.

List of items seized adt authorities served a search warrat at Bryan Kohbergers home (Pennsylvania Courts )

A reddish or brown stain is a euphemism for, We found something that looks like blood, Dr Miller said at the time. It might be blood from the victims, might be his blood. They dont know until they test it, but theyll be able to get DNA if it is blood. We dont know what the stains in the cover sheets look like, but again theyre looking for any kind of DNA, evidence that might have come from the crime scene.

Ms Coffindaffer added: They dont call it blood, but its definitely inferred that it was blood.

Court documents, released by Washington authorities on 4 May showed that multiple items taken from Mr Kohbergers apartment in Pullman had been tested for the presence of blood. While most items came back negative, two unspecified items were positive.

Bryan Kohberger is seen in his mugshot (Monroe County Correctional Facility)

Another item included on the list of seizures was a possible animal hair strand. While Mr Kohberger is not believed to have a pet, one of the victims he is accused of killing, Goncalves, had a dog that was at home at the time of the murders and was later found by police responding to the scene.

The possible animal hair theyll try to connect that to the dog left at the scene, according to Dr Miller. If theres a root on that, if there is any skin on that hair, they could do a DNA test with that dog. If its just a hair thats been shed and there is no skin, they would still be able to do a microscopical comparison and exclude most dogs but they wouldnt be able to connect it necessarily to that dog.

Mr Kohberger was also linked to the crime through cellphone records and his white Hyundai Elantra, a similar model of the car seen near the murder home around the time of the murders. Mr Kohberger changed the license plates on his Hyundai Elantra just days after the murders.

The suspects car had Pennsylvania plates when it was pulled over by police in Moscow, in August 2022, according to a citation from the Latah County Sheriffs Office. A review of documents on CarFax by Newsweek showed that Mr Kohberger changed the registration from Pennsylvania to Washington on 18 November, five days after four students were found stabbed to death in a Moscow home.

What we dont know

No murder weapon has been found, police said before the gag order was issued following Mr Kohbergers arrest.

It is not known if the killer personally knew one or more of the victims and whether the attack was carried out in a fit of jealousy or rage. No motive is known.

Authorities have refused to reveal who made the 911 call and will not release the audio. It is unclear what the roommates and other friends discussed in the call and what led them to describe a victim as merely unconscious.

Investigators have not revealed whether they believed the killer entered the house before the victims arrived home and hid before striking in their sleep or whether he entered the house after the students returned.

Idaho murder victims family slams move to demolish student home

Kohberger indicted by grand jury

A preliminary hearing, where prosecutors had to show a judge that there is enough evidence to justify moving forward with charges of burglary and four counts of murder, was previously scheduled for 26 June.

However, on 16 May, a grand jury indicted Mr Kohberger on the same charges, effectively rerouting the case directly to the states felony court level and allowing prosecutors to skip the preliminary hearing process, the Associated Press reported.

According to the indictment, Mr Kohberger is charged with four counts of murder in the first degree and one count of burglary.

Each murder count states that he did wilfully, unlawfully, deliberately, with premeditation and with malice aforethought, kill and murder each of the victims by stabbing.

On 22 May, Mr Kohberger refused to enter a plea in Latah County District Court, with his attorney saying that he was standing silent on the charges.

The response prompted the judge to enter a not guilty plea on Mr Kohbergers behalf, setting the stage for a trial in which he could potentially face the death penalty.

Kohbergers parents asked to testify in Pennsylvania death case

It has also emerged that Mr Kohbergers parents have been ordered to testify before a grand jury in the familys home state of Pennsylvania in the case of a woman found dead almost a year after her sudden disappearance.

CNN first reported the news on Wednesday (24 May), citing a source who said that the accused killers mother has already given evidence to the grand jury while his father will appear to testify on Thursday (25 May). The information can then be shared with Idaho prosecutors.

The investigation is said to be about the disappearance and death of a 45-year-old woman Dana Smithers, reported Eyewitness News.

Smithers vanished without a trace in May 2022 from Monroe County, Pennsylvania  where Mr Kohberger was living at the time. Her remains were found last month in a wooded area.

What comes next?

Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty in the case, citing five aggravating circumstances that could warrant the maximum sentence of capital punishment.

The judge had set Mr Kohbergers trial date for 2 October 2023 following requests by Kohbergers attorney and the state. But, in a shock move, Mr Kohberger waived his right to a speedy trial, causing the trial to be delayed.

Mr Kohberger then attempted to have cameras banned in court  but Judge John C Judge indicated that would not happen.

In late December 2023, prosecutors then filed a motion requesting that the trial take place in the summer of 2024, arguing that the defence has had enough time to review the evidence in the case.

The state noted that the procedures should preferably unfold while high schools and universities in the area are not in the midst of the academic calendar, given the large media presence expected. In the filing, the state is also asking the judge to set deadlines for the prosecution and the defence to turn over all discovery in the case, to disclose any expert witnesses who will be called to testify at trial, and to file any pretrial motions including motions about the death penalty.

Deadlines for jury questionnaire proposals, jury instructions, proposed witnesses and any other matters are also being sought.

The State proposes that the Court schedule trial for the summer of 2024, and that the trial dates avoid times when Moscow High School and our area universities are in session, the filing states.

As the Court is aware, Moscow High School is directly adjacent to the courthouse premises and already the significantly increased amount of media and other vehicles related to this case has strained available parking as well as safety and convenience for pedestrians, including students.

No specific date was recommended in the court filing. However, the University of Idahos spring commencement  which closes out the semester  is scheduled for 11 May 2024 and Moscow High Schools classes end in the first week of June.
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The remains of cult mom Lori Vallows daughter will finally be returned to her family members more than four years after she and her little brother JJ Vallow were murdered and buried on Chad Daybells property.

In a court ruling in Idaho on Thursday, District Judge Steven Boyce ruled that 16-year-old Tylee Ryans remains can now be released to her next of kin.

It is hereby ordered that the body of Tylee Ryan may be released to her next of kin, the judge stated.

JJs body was previously released to family members in October after both were held in the custody of the state of Idaho while their mother was on trial for murder.

JJ, seven, and Tylee vanished without a trace back in September 2019, with Vallow refusing to reveal their whereabouts to both authorities and the childrens desperate family members.

While the children were missing, Vallow and her new lover Chad Daybell jetted off to Hawaii to get married in a fairytale wedding on the beach.

In June 2020  nine months after they were last seen alive  Tylee and JJs remains were found buried on the grounds of Mr Daybells property in Rexburg, Idaho.

Tylee Ryan and Joshua JJ Vallow (Family handout)

JJ, who had autism, had been smothered with a plastic bag taped over his face, his little body still dressed in a pair of red pyjamas.

Tylees cause of death meanwhile has been impossible to establish as the teenagers dismembered, charred bones and body parts were found scattered in the ground on Mr Daybells pet cemetery.

Their disappearances and murders went on to uncover a vast web of bizarre deaths and incidents  all centred around Vallow, Mr Daybell and their doomsday cult beliefs.

One month after the children had disappeared, Mr Daybells wife of two decades Tammy Daybell  an otherwise healthy 49-year-old  also died suddenly.

Her death was initially ruled natural causes before her body was later exhumed and she was found to have died by asphyxiation.

This also came just months after Vallows fourth husband Charles Vallow was shot dead by Vallows brother Alex Cox in Arizona in July 2019.

In a dramatic, high-profile trial, jurors heard how Vallow was motivated by both her cult beliefs but also lust for Mr Daybell and financial greed when she conspired with him and her brother Cox to kill the three victims.

Vallow was convicted of first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit first-degree murder and grand theft over the deaths of her Tylee and JJ. She was also found guilty of conspiracy to commit first-degree murder in the death of Tammy.

In July, the 50-year-old convicted killer  who was once seen to be a loving mother  was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole after the death penalty was taken off the table.

Lori Vallow appearing at her arraignment in Arizona (FOX10 Phoenix )

During her sentencing, Vallow gave a bizarre statement claiming that her victims were now happy in heaven.

Vallow has now been extradited to Arizona to face charges of conspiracy to murder her fourth husband Charles Vallow and the attempted murder of her nieces husband Brandon Boudreaux  who escaped an attempted drive-by shooting.

Mr Daybell is still awaiting trial for the murders of JJ, Tylee and Tammy, with a date set for 1 April 2024.

He is facing the death penalty if convicted after his legal team failed to get it taken off the table.

Meanwhile, the third person accused of being a co-conspirator in the murders wont ever have his day in court.

On 11 December 2019  hours after Tammys body was exhumed  Cox died suddenly at the age of 51. His death was ruled natural causes, with indications of a blood clot wedged in the arteries of his lungs. However the overdose drug Narcan was also found in his system.
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Two Colorado paramedics who injected massage therapist Elijah McClain with a powerful dose of ketamine have been found guilty of criminally negligent homicide.

Jeremy Cooper and Peter Cichuniec, Aurora Fire and Rescue paramedics, injected 23-year-old McClain with 500 milligrams of ketamine during the 2019 incident.

They pleaded not guilty to all counts: manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide, second-degree assault and crimes of violence.

But both Cichuniec and Cooper were found guilty of criminally negligent homicide by a Colorado jury on Friday.

Cichuniec was also found guilty of assault in the second degree through the unlawful administration of drugs. Cooper was acquitted of two assault charges. Cichuniec was acquitted of one of the two assault charges.

The judge in the case ordered Cichuniec to be remanded in custody, while the bond for Cooper was continued.

According to an independent panels report, the paramedics waited almost seven minutes after arriving to interact with Mr. McClain, and their first contact was to administer the sedative ketamine. McClain suffered from cardiac arrest on his way to the hospital and died days later.

The amount of ketamine administered had been a repeated point of contention throughout the trial, seeing as the departments protocol calls for paramedics to calculate a ketamine dose of 5 milligrams per kilogram of the patients weight.

Both paramedics testified, defending their decision to use ketamine and arguing their actions were consistent with protocols and training.

Paramedics Jeremy Cooper, far left, and Peter Cichuniec, far right, enter the Adams County Justice Center, Friday, 22 December in Brighton, Colorado (Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

Under your estimate of Mr McClains weight, the appropriate dose would have only been 425? the prosecutor asked.

Mr Cichuniec testified that they increased the dosage due to his state of excited delirium.

Mr Cooper also testified that he thought ketamine was the right drug to use on McClain after hearing officers saying he was being combative and seemed to be on something.

Medical experts offered different perspectives on the paramedics behaviour after watching the bodycam footage.

A forensic pathologist testified that McClain showed no evidence of excited delirium; but he instead demonstrated that he was deficient in oxygen. But a Memphis-based EMT specialist testified that both paramedics acted appropriately and that McClain received great care.

Prosecutors also emphasised that the paramedics made the judgement call to give McClain the powerful sedative, despite making no assessment of McClain and without exchanging a word with him.

Three Aurora police officers were also separately tried this year.

Police officer Randy Roedema was convicted of criminally negligent homicide and third-degree assault. The city terminated his employment.

Officer Jason Rosenblatt was acquitted of both counts he faced. He was fired from the force in 2020 for laughing over text in response to a picture of other officers giving each other chokeholds at the site of McClains death.

Officer Nathan Woodyard  who was accused of putting McClain in a carotid hold  was also acquitted. Unlike the other two officers, he was reinstated to the force.
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When Venezuela agreed to release 10 Americans as part of Joe Bidens latest international prisoner swap, there was also another high-profile name included in the deal.

Infamous fugitive Fat Leonard was included in the swap and handed over to US officials in return for alleged money launderer Alex Saab, an ally of Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro.

Now 15 months after fleeing to the South American country to avoid sentencing in the US, Leonard Glenn Francis is behind bars in Miami.

Here is everything we know about Fat Leonard:

Leonard Glenn Francis, 59, is a Malaysian citizen who escaped US custody last year, just days before he was set to be sentenced for the biggest military corruption case in American history.

Francis was the owner of Singapore-based Glenn Defense Marine Asia, a company that had $250m in US defence contracts to service and resupply US Navy ships across the region.

This undated photo provided by the US Marshals Service shows Leonard Francis. (AP)

He earned his nickname from US sailors as he weighed around 500 pounds before gastric bypass surgery saw him slim down to around 350 pounds.

Bribing Navy officers with champagne and cigars

Francis told investigators that for more than 20 years he entertained Navy officers and luxurious restaurants in cities across Asia, including Bangkok, Hong Kong, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur and Sydney.

Prosecutors say that in return, Navy officials did not intervene as he overcharged the Navy for fuel, water, sewage services and ship repairs. In total, US taxpayers were defrauded out of around $50m.

Court papers state that Francis bribed officers with prostitutes, with at least 10 Navy sailors leaking him information about the movements of ships in the region.

NCIS investigation and arrest

Naval investigators began to probe Francis in 2010, with the businessman having bribed an investigator to leak him information.

In September 2013, he was lured to San Diego, California, to a fake meeting with Navy contracting officials where he was arrested at the citys Marriott Marquis hotel.

Francis pleaded guilty to fraud, bribery and conspiracy in January 2015 and admitted to defrauding the Navy of $35m. The Justice Department says that the figure was around $50m.

Pedestrians walk near a poster asking for the freedom of Colombian businessman and Venezuelan special envoy Alex Saab, in Caracas, Venezuela, 9 September 2021. (AP)

He agreed to cooperate with prosecutors and provide evidence against 600 members of the Navy.

More than 30 individuals have pleaded guilty to crimes in federal court, while the Navy has court-martialed five sailors, and disciplined seven admirals.

Skips the US and flees to Venezuela

In 2018, Francis convinced a court that he was terminally ill with kidney cancer and was released to home detention.

While awaiting sentencing in 2022, he cut off a GPS transmitter fitted to his ankle and crossed the Mexican border. He then flew from Mexico to Cuba, but when officials refused to let him stay in the country he moved on to Venezuela.

After 16 days on the run, he was arrested by Venezuelan officials at the international airport in Caracas. He was imprisoned and applied for asylum in Venezuela and Russia on humanitarian grounds.

Returned to the US and now facing justice

According to The Washington Post, Francis believed that he was set to be given his freedom by Venezuela.

Instead, he was flown on a jet from Caracas to the island of Canouan in the Caribbean where he and the other 10 American prisoners were handed over to US officials.

Francis was then transported to Miami, where he was locked up in federal prison, according to the Bureau of Prisons.

He is expected to be taken back to San Diego where he will be sentenced to nine years behind bars.
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A group of lawmakers has launched a probe into the US militarys controversial Osprey program following a series of deadly crashes involving the aircrafts.

On Thursday, the US House of Representatives Committee on Oversight and Accountability sent a letter to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin saying that the committee is concerned about safety and performance issues surrounding the Osprey program.

The letter, written by committee chairman and Republican Representative James Comer, said the committee is seeking extensive documentation from the Pentagon in order to better understand the Osprey programs performance, safety, and oversight as it launches an investigation into the use of the craft.

Our servicemembers remain in harms way without resolution of known mechanical issues, the letter reads.

While, statistically, the Osprey is not considered as dangerous as some other military aircraft, the Committee remains alarmed that most fatalities involving the aircraft have happened during training exercises, not combat operations.

The Pentagon was given a 4 January deadline to hand over the documents to the committee.

The members of Japanese Coast Guard carry the debris which are believed to be from the crashed US military Osprey aircraft in early December (AP)

Earlier this month, the US military took the extraordinary step of grounding all of its Osprey V-22 helicopters, following the deaths of eight Air Force Special Operations Command service members in a crash off the coast of Japan.

The crash unfolded on 29 November not long after the US Air Force CV-22 set off on a training flight from the Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni in Yamaguchi Prefecture headed to the largest US base in the area  Kadena Air Base on Okinawa.

Soon after taking off, the aircraft requested an emergency landing on the small island of Yakishima. It then crashed into the sea close to the island.

A preliminary investigation of the crash indicated that a material failure with the aircraft  and not a mistake by the crew  was to blame.

Japan grounded its fleet of 14 Ospreys following the crash; around a week later, the US followed suit.

The recent crash marked the latest in a series of incidents involving Osprey aircraft around the world.

A US military CV-22 Osprey takes off from Iwakuni base, Yamaguchi prefecture, western Japan in 2018 (AP)

In total, more than 50 US service members have died in Osprey crashes over the lifespan of the program, with 20 of those killed in four crashes over the last 20 months.

Three US Marines were killed and eight others were taken to hospital following an Osprey crash on an Australian island in August, CBS notes.

In the summer of last year, five Marines died when an Osprey crashed in the desert in California.

The Osprey only became operational in 2007 after decades of testing. Since then, its become a workhorse for the Marine Corps and Air Force Special Operations Command, and was in the process of being adopted by the Navy to replace its C-2 Greyhound propeller planes, which transport personnel on and off aircraft carriers at sea.

The Associated Press contributed to this report
SPRING CREEK  Thick fog blanketed the South Fork Meadows area as two pickups parked in the dirt lot of the Southwest Meadows Trailhead on Thursday afternoon.

California Trail Interpretive Center programs coordinator Macy Rohr and AmeriCorps members Noah Doyle and Kaneisha Smith set off on the Nevada Outdoor Schools Winter Solstice Hike, following the 2.9 mile Humboldt Trail loop. Unlike the nearby South Fork State Recreation Area, this area provides free access.

Doyle brought Spud, a potato-sized dachshund pup, along for the hike, carrying him in his jacket.

The beginning of the trail cut through a scrubby area dotted with tall grass. Rohr pointed out the presence of Russian thistle, a kind of rounded and prickly bush.

I can identify this very well because it is something we struggle with so much at the Trail Center, Rohr said. We just worked with Battle Born Challenge Academy, pulling so many of those out. I think we have like 80 bags of them.

She sid native grasses such as wild rye grew along the trail. These grasses are helpful for the ecosystem and its water drainage process.

The Humboldt Trail is flat and wide, making it useful for full-moon hikes, Rohr said.

Doyle explained what kinds of wildlife inhabit South Fork Meadows.

Kangaroo rats are super common along the trail at night. If you get really lucky you can find a porcupine, he said. Beavers are another one that you might see around in the area as well, all native to Nevada. Its a really good place to go if you are searching to find some wildlife.

Rohr said birds nest on the trail as well.

Muddier parts of the trail bore hoofprints from cattle that frequent the trail, as well as a few from pronghorn antelope.

Midway through the hike, a group of deer jumped across the trail.

The South Fork of the Humboldt was visible from the trail in many places, its rippling waters dashing over pebbles as ice collected along its banks.

Mud bogged down parts of the trail. The hikers shoes sank into it. Further down the trail the scenery changed to sagebrush and the trail became gravelly.

This place is really awesome to our local area because of the Hastings Cutoff Trail. This is the trail that the Donner Party took in the spring of 1847, Rohr said. They made their way south of Salt Lake City down past the Ruby Mountains. And this trail right here, the Hastings Cutoff, would lead them back to that original California Trail.

This journey was supposed to make them be 3 miles shorter, but it actually means their travel was about three weeks longer, which landed them in the Sierra Nevadas in the dead of winter.

Rohr hosted the hike in conjunction with the California Trail Interpretive Center as part of a series of hikes following sections of the California Trail. A previous hike in Carlin Canyon brought its participants to the Greenhorn Cutoff.

Close AmeriCorps representatives Noah Doyle and Kaneisha Smith and California Trail Center programs coordinator Macy Rohr host the Dec. 21, 2023, Nevada Outdoor School Winter Solstice Hike, posing at the Southwest Meadows Trailhead where Humboldt Trail begins. Macy Rohr leads the Nevada Outdoor School Winter Solstice Hike on Dec. 21, 2023. Noah Doyle, Kaneisha Smith and Macy Rohr head around the bend of the trail. The Nevada Outdoor School's Dec. 21, 2023, Winter Solstice Hike spans the 2.9 mile loop of the Humboldt Trail at South Fork Reservoir. Macy Rohr, Kaneisha Smith and Noah Doyle make their way towards the South Fork on Dec. 21, 2023. Spud the dog came along on the Nevada Outdoor School's Dec. 21, 2023, Winter Solstice Hike with AmeriCorps employee Noah Doyle. Close-up of the gurgling water of the South Fork on Dec. 21, 2023. The South Fork River flows past foliage and hills along Humboldt Trail on Dec. 21, 2023. Macy Rohr poses in front of the South Fork River on Dec. 21, 2023. Kaneisha Smith, Macy Rohr and Noah Doyle head down Humboldt Trail, entering a muddier areaon Dec. 21, 2023. A pronghorn print in the mud on Humboldt Trail on Dec. 21, 2023. Noah Doyle and Macy Rohr trudge through a muddier part of the Humboldt Trail on Dec. 21, 2023. Ice collects along the banks of the South Fork as viewed from Humboldt Trail on Dec. 21, 2023. Ice collects along the banks of the South Fork as viewed from Humboldt Trail on Dec. 21, 2023. Kaneisha Smith, Noah Doyle and Macy Rohr continue along Humboldt Trail into the foggy landscape ahead. Noah Doyle, Kaneisha Smith and Macy Rohr hike along a gravelly part of Humboldt Trail under a foggy sky as the Nevada Outdoor School's Dec. 21, 2023, Winter Solstice Hike nears its end. Spud receives pets from inside Noah Doyle's jacket. Spud is a good dog on Dec. 21, 2023. Gallery: Nevada Outdoor School Winter Solstice Hike AmeriCorps representatives Noah Doyle and Kaneisha Smith and California Trail Center programs coordinator Macy Rohr host the Dec. 21, 2023, Nevada Outdoor School Winter Solstice Hike. AmeriCorps representatives Noah Doyle and Kaneisha Smith and California Trail Center programs coordinator Macy Rohr host the Dec. 21, 2023, Nevada Outdoor School Winter Solstice Hike, posing at the Southwest Meadows Trailhead where Humboldt Trail begins. Macy Rohr leads the Nevada Outdoor School Winter Solstice Hike on Dec. 21, 2023. Noah Doyle, Kaneisha Smith and Macy Rohr head around the bend of the trail. The Nevada Outdoor School's Dec. 21, 2023, Winter Solstice Hike spans the 2.9 mile loop of the Humboldt Trail at South Fork Reservoir. Macy Rohr, Kaneisha Smith and Noah Doyle make their way towards the South Fork on Dec. 21, 2023. Spud the dog came along on the Nevada Outdoor School's Dec. 21, 2023, Winter Solstice Hike with AmeriCorps employee Noah Doyle. Close-up of the gurgling water of the South Fork on Dec. 21, 2023. The South Fork River flows past foliage and hills along Humboldt Trail on Dec. 21, 2023. Macy Rohr poses in front of the South Fork River on Dec. 21, 2023. Kaneisha Smith, Macy Rohr and Noah Doyle head down Humboldt Trail, entering a muddier areaon Dec. 21, 2023. A pronghorn print in the mud on Humboldt Trail on Dec. 21, 2023. Noah Doyle and Macy Rohr trudge through a muddier part of the Humboldt Trail on Dec. 21, 2023. Ice collects along the banks of the South Fork as viewed from Humboldt Trail on Dec. 21, 2023. Ice collects along the banks of the South Fork as viewed from Humboldt Trail on Dec. 21, 2023. Kaneisha Smith, Noah Doyle and Macy Rohr continue along Humboldt Trail into the foggy landscape ahead. Noah Doyle, Kaneisha Smith and Macy Rohr hike along a gravelly part of Humboldt Trail under a foggy sky as the Nevada Outdoor School's Dec. 21, 2023, Winter Solstice Hike nears its end. Spud receives pets from inside Noah Doyle's jacket. Spud is a good dog on Dec. 21, 2023.

This is the first hike that we have actually been able to go forward with, Doyle said. We were supposed to do a full moon hike toward the end of November . It was on a Monday. Unfortunately, nobody showed up for that hike, so we were not able to move forward with it. This is thankfully our first hiking event that AmeriCorps members at Nevada Outdoor School have been able to participate in.

AmeriCorps members run and assist with many of Nevada Outdoor Schools nature education projects, working full-time, part-time or over summer terms.

Doyle said the current lineup of Nevada Outdoor School programs involves a lot of different community events.

More recently, we have been implementing programs on Fridays, since Elko County School District is no longer having school days on Fridays, he said.

We are not having any more for the year of 2023 but we are starting back up in 2024. We will have social media posts and sign-up sheets and flyers going up around town so that you can sign your children up for the Young Naturalist Program, which offers free programming for grades K-2 and grades 3-5, Doyle said.

For our next sessions we are going to be focusing on science and a lot of different sciences, Doyle said. Previous sessions focused on art. Come and join us on a Friday for a fun-filled either morning or afternoon filled with a bunch of different educational activities to help kids maybe even get a head start in their school careers.

We also are planning out a lot of different Outdoor School outdoor skill workshops. We are going to have a geocaching one coming up as well as a nature journaling one and a workshop about making your own paper out of recycled paper.

Doyle explained what brought him to the Nevada Outdoor School.

I worked a lot of customer service, retail, food service and what it really came down to was I just felt like I was not fulfilling any sort of purpose, he said.

The opportunity of Nevada Outdoor School came to me through a friend of mine and I was really intrigued by the prospect of it, so I signed up for an interview, came in for an interview, they offered me the job and I have loved it so far.

He said he worked the summer term this year, And that was about three months of service, working with kids doing different summer camps, different community events. It really helps me fulfill that purpose that I felt like I was missing out on. I get to serve my community.

He added, I am really happy I have a job now where I feel like I am contributing to society. And I get to help educate children and help clean things up and make things look nice and pretty for other people. I get paid to go camping, thats pretty cool.

Smith said she discovered Nevada Outdoor School while doing outreach for her Mary Kay business. Inevitably, I was on Indeed and it popped up, so I took it as a sign, filled out the application, liked what they had to offer and here I am. It is my first term with AmeriCorps. It has been really good. I am learning a lot, which is awesome  and meeting really good friends.

While she now coordinates events at the California Trail Interpretive Center, Rohr has a history with AmeriCorps. My story begins quite a while ago. It was during the pandemic and I had just graduated college in December of 2019 from Ball State University in Indiana. I was really looking for positions, and everything was starting to open back up in the world and that included jobs at Nevada Outdoor School. So, I looked through a lot of different positions at AmeriCorps and decided that this would be a good fit for me. Of course I applied, went through the interview processes and I became an AmeriCorps member.

I was an AmeriCorps member for about two years and I loved it. My favorite part of that was doing summer camps. And that just made me want to keep continuing to spread our mission and outdoor responsible stewardship of our habitat, Rohr explained. And so now I have my new position that I just started in April at the California Trail Interpretive Center, which is a hybrid position. It is a lot different than what I was doing as an AmeriCorps member but I still get to do the programming that I love and enjoy so much.

Rohr is able to engage the Elko community in art, history, and nature by putting together California Trail Interpretive Center events such as the recent Pioneer Christmas.

Having enjoyed relaxed chats, gazed at the South Fork River and soaked in the local flora and fauna, the hiking group completed the loop in about an hour and a half, the fog still hanging low. Despite the gray sky, spirits were bright.
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After Donald Trump made a series of shocking comments which drew comparisons to Adolf Hitler, he has now claimed that he knows nothing about the Nazi leader.

Over the past few weeks, the 2024 GOP frontrunner has been accused of pulling phrases from Hitlers playbook.

One such remark was made last week at a rally in New Hampshire, in which he said immigrants are poisoning the blood of the country. The statement prompted President Joe Bidens campaign to slam his 2024 rival for having parroted Adolf Hitler.

In a radio interview with Hugh Hewitt on Friday, the former president addressed the scandal, claiming that his remarks did not stem from the former German dictator and asserting that he is not a student of the Nazi leader.

First of all, I know nothing about Hitler. Im not a student of Hitler. I never read his works, Mr Trump said.

They say that he said something about blood. He didnt say it the way I said it, either, by the way. Its a very different kind of a statement. What Im saying when I talk about people coming into our country is they are destroying our country, he continued.

Mr Trump also doubled down on a claim he made on stage at a rally in Iowa on Tuesday: that he has never read Mein Kampf.

While talking about immigration at the rally, Mr Trump told the crowd: Its crazy, whats going on. Theyre ruining our country. And its true. They are destroying the blood of our country.

Despite Mr Trumps claims he isnt familiar with Hitlers writings, a resurfaced 1990 Vanity Fair interview with his first wife Ivana laid out a different set of facts.

Ivana Trump told her lawyer Michael Kennedy that from time to time her husband reads a book of Hitlers collected speeches, My New Order, which he keeps in a cabinet by his bed, it reads.

During Fridays interview, Mr Hewitt went on to ask Mr Trump: So you intend no racist sentiment whatsoever when you say poisoning our blood?

Donald Trump speaking at a rally (Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

Dear, no, the former president replied.

Despite attempting to distance himself from Hitler and the claims that the pair have shared similar statements, Mr Trump reiterated during the interview: I have no idea what Hitler said other than Ive seen on the news. And thats a very entirely different thing than what Im saying.

He then went on to lash out at immigrants, saying: Theyre pouring, theyre destroying our country. Theyre coming in from every continent, andwe have no idea who they are, what they represent.

He then added that he wasnt referring to a specific group of people.

When Mr Hewitt then asked if Mr Trump planned to rule as an authoritarian or a dictator if he retakes the White House, the former president insisted: Not at all, no. Im going to rule as somebody thats very popular with the people.

The streak of comparing Mr Trump to Hitler extends to last month, when Mr Trump called his political adversaries vermin during a New Hampshire speech.

We pledge to you that we will root out the communists, Marxists, fascists and the radical left thugs that live like vermin within the confines of our country that lie and steal and cheat on elections, he said.

Michael Cohen, Mr Trumps former fixer and attorney, has poked a hole in Mr Trumps claims of ignorance about his anti-immigration rhetoric, telling MSNBC that he knows exactly what hes saying.

Hes playing to the lowest denominator of American that exists in this country  the racist, anti-semitic animals that exist in that MAGA world, he said.

Mr Cohen also pointed out that two of his three wives are immigrants.

Mr Trumps campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung has also sought to defend Mr Trumps anti-immigrant rhetoric, claiming there are key differences between comments made by Hitler and those made by the former president.

He told NBC News: President Trump made clear he was talking about the terrorists, criminals, and people from insane asylums crossing the border, which is true since individuals on the terror watchlist and members of transnational gangs have illegally crossed.

Elsewhere in Fridays interview, Mr Hewitt also asked the 2024 Republican frontrunner if he would peacefully transfer power if elected.

Mr Trump wildly claimed he did so in 2020 when Mr Biden won  seemingly forgetting his attempts to overturn the election result, the January 6 Capitol riot, and his federal indictment over his alleged election subversion attempts.

Of course. And I did that this time, he claimed.
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After spending months lashing out at his closest Republican rival in the 2024 race, Donald Trump is now said to be considering her as his second in command if he retakes the White House.

Multiple insiders told Politico and CBS News that the former president has been asking allies what they think about him picking Nikki Haley as vice president if he secures the GOP nomination.

What do you think of Nikki? Mr Trump has reportedly asked.

The suggestion, however, has been widely panned by his inner circle, with the sources saying that Mr Trumps allies and advisors are trying to warn him off the idea  arguing that Ms Haley does not fit with his Maga base.

Many have also publicly slammed Ms Haley in an apparent bid to further dissuade the former president from seriously considering her.

Mr Trumps eldest son Don Jr recently said in a Newsmax interview that he will go to great lengths to make sure a Trump-Haley ticket doesnt emerge.

Meanwhile, former Fox News host Tucker Carlson said this week on his podcast that he plans to advocate against the union as strongly as I could.

Mr Trump has also thrown other names into the ring including South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem, Arizona Republican and staunch Maga loyalist Kari Lake, former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson, Senator Tim Scott, Senator J.D. Vance, Representative Byron Donalds and Representative Elise Stefanik, according to Politico.

Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley speaks during a town hall in Iowa on 18 December (AP)

But Mr Trumps consideration of Ms Haley as his vice president is surprising given he has repeatedly attacked her of late  and taken to calling her the offensive, childish nickname bird brain.

His fury at Ms Haley  the former South Carolina governor and former US ambassador to the United Nations  comes as she has emerged as his biggest Republican rival in the 2024 race.

While Florida Governor Ron DeSantis was initially seen as his main contender, it is Ms Haley who is closing in on Mr Trump in the polls  something that could actually make her the natural choice as his second in command.

A new poll, released by the American Research Group on Thursday, revealed that the former governor is now within four percentage points of Mr Trump in the New Hampshire Republican presidential primary.

In total, 29 per cent of respondents said that Ms Haley was their preferred candidate to 33 per cent for Mr Trump.

Another poll this week  the Emerson Colleges statewide poll of Iowa  also revealed that she had surged into second place.

Mr Trump was less than pleased about the New Hampshire poll, lashing out and calling it a scam on Truth Social on Friday.

FAKE NEW HAMPSHIRE POLL WAS RELEASED ON BIRDBRAIN. JUST ANOTHER SCAM! he ranted.

As Ms Haley narrows the gap with the frontrunner, she has begun pushing back on Mr Trumps ongoing attacks.

Speaking to supporters at a rally in Iowa this week, Ms Haley claimed that Mr Trump was merely getting nervous about her rising support.

Donald Trump is now attacking me. Thats the sound of us surging, she said.
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Joe Rogan has been left red-faced after he incorrectly blamed one of Donald Trumps gaffes on President Joe Biden.

The controversial podcast host went on a rant on his show this week, mocking the Democratic president for making no sense at all and questioning his mental competence  a favourite pasttime of conservative figures.

In the segment, during an interview with MMA fighter Bo Nickal, Rogan claimed that Mr Biden had recently incorrectly claimed that the US lost the Revolutionary War because they didnt have enough airports.

As the two men cracked up laughing, Rogan even went as far as to say that Mr Biden should be done in his role as leader of the country for making the comments.

Pull him. If you had any other job, and you were talking like that, they would go: Hey, youre done, he said.

But, it turned out that the comments werent made by Mr Biden at all  but were actually said by former Republican president Mr Trump.

Joe Rogan made the gaffe while accusing Biden of making a gaffe (Spotify)

And Rogans own team was only too willing to fact check about this live on air.

A producer informed the podcast host that, when Mr Biden spoke on the subject, he was actually mocking Mr Trump for his comments.

Its not fake but he was referencing Trump saying that, the producer said.

An awkward moment ensued where Rogan and his guest were forced to sit and listen to the clip.

The same stable genius said the biggest problem we had during the Revolutionary War is we didnt have enough airports! Mr Biden is heard saying of Mr Trump.

Rogan was also treated to a video of Mr Trumps remarks during his Fourth of July speech in 2019  where he made the gaffe saying that the Army took over the airports from the British in the Revolutionary War.

Our army manned the air, it rammed the ramparts, it took over the airports, it did everything it had to do, and at Fort McHenry, under the rockets red glare, it had nothing but victory, he said.

Back in the late 18th century, there was of course no planes  let alone airports  used in the war.

After a humiliating few seconds, Rogan conceded about Mr Trump: Oh OK, so he f***ed up.

Nickal also chimed in: You can tell, too, he sounds a little different. You can tell he messed up his words... Thats the thing about media these days, youve got to look into it.
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Lawsuits challenging Donald Trumps eligibility to appear on the 2024 presidential primary ballots have sprung up in several states.

Individuals and left-wing organisations have claimed that Mr Trump violated Section Three of the 14th Amendment  known as the insurrection clause  citing his involvement in the January 6 attack on the US Capitol.

Section Three of the amendment prohibits those who take part in insurrections or aid enemies of the US government from taking office.

To date, such challenges have been brought in both federal district and state courts across at least 16 states.

So far, only Colorado and Maine have removed Mr Trump from the ballot under the 14th Amendment. Colorados Supreme Court ruled on 19 December that the former president is ineligible to appear on the state ballot and cannot be considered an option for the White House.

While Mr Trump says he plans to appeal the Colorado decision, likely taking the case up to the US Supreme Court, he is also preparing for challenges, appeals and decisions in other states.

Heres a look at the other challenges to Mr Trumps eligibility for the 2024 race:

Michigan

After a lawsuit was filed to remove Mr Trump from the race in Michigan, a state court judge ruled in November that Mr Trump could appear on the ballot.

The judge said that neither courts nor the Michigan Secretary of State have the authority to determine when someone is eligible to run for office.

The judge claimed Section Three of the 14th Amendment was a political question which is non-justiciable.

Free Speech For the People, a liberal group, appealed the decision but the states appeals court upheld the lower courts decision.

Minnesota

The Minnesota Supreme Court dismissed a lawsuit in the state seeking to remove Mr Trump from the ballot in November.

After hearing oral arguments in the case, the justices said that neither election officials nor the court had the authority to stop the Republican Party from making Mr Trump the partys official nominee.

However, plaintiffs could re-challenge Mr Trumps ability to appear on the general election ballot.

Oregon

Oregon Secretary of State LaVonne Griffin-Valade has said she would keep Mr Trumps name on the primary ballot, citing her lack of authority to determine the qualifications of candidates.

But at the beginning of December, Oregon voters and the organisation Free Speech for People filed a petition to the states Supreme Court challenging Mr Trumps eligibility under the 14th Amendment.

Arizona

A federal judge dismissed a lawsuit brought by John Anthony Castro, an individual running as a 2024 Republican presidential candidate, claiming that Mr Castro did not have the standing to challenge Mr Trumps eligibility.

Mr Castro, who has little campaign presence or financial contributions, claimed he was suffering competitive injury against Mr Trump who should be disqualified under the 14th Amendment.

But a federal judge said Mr Castro was not legitimately competing with Mr Trump.

Other lawsuits brought forth by Mr Castro in New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Florida, California, Montana, Idaho, Kansas, Alaska, Oklahoma, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Utah and North Carolina were also dismissed.

Former President Donald Trump attends a campaign rally, in Durham, N.H., Saturday, Dec. 16, 2023 (Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

Colorado

The Colorado Supreme Court declared the former president ineligible to appear on its presidential primary ballot on December 19 due to his involvement in the January 6 attack on the Capitol.

The state became the first to issue the historic ruling.

We do not reach these conclusions lightly, the order from the courts majority said.

We are mindful of the magnitude and weight of the questions now before us, the justices wrote. We are likewise mindful of our solemn duty to apply the law, without fear or favor, and without being swayed by public reaction to the decisions that the law mandates we reach.

Mr Trump appealed the decision and it is currently pending the US Supreme Court.

Maine

Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows declared Mr Trump ineligible to appear on the states presidential primary ballot in a ruling issued on Thursday, December 28.

Ms Bellows said that the former president contributed to riots at the Capitol by spreading false claims of election fraud and then directing supporters there when Congress was set to certify the 2020 election results.

She said Mr Trump was aware of the likelihood for violence and at least initially supported its use given he both encouraged it with incendiary rhetoric and took no timely action to stop it.

The weight of the evidence makes clear that Mr Trump was aware of the tinder laid by his multi-month effort to delegitimise a democratic election, and then chose to light a match, she wrote.

The ruling arrives after Ms Bellows held a hearing to evaluate three separate complaints, brought by former Maine politicians and residents, regarding Mr Trumps eligibility as well as invited the parties to file briefs regarding the matter.

Secretary of State Shenna Bellows speaks at an event, Jan. 4, 2023, in Augusta, Maine. (AP)

New Jersey

A resident of New Jersey filed a complaint to a state superior court claiming Mr Trump is ineligible under the 14th Amendment.

The attorney general of the state asked the court to dismiss the case citing its lack of ripeness and jurisdiction.

Wyoming

A Wyoming resident filed a lawsuit in a state district court in November seeking to remove Mr Trump as well as Senator Cynthia Lummis from appearing on the 2024 primary ballot.

Virginia

Two residents of Virginia have filed federal lawsuits requesting Mr Trump be removed from the states primary ballot.

Mr Trump and the Republican Party of Virginia have made a motion to dismiss the case.

New York

A New York Republican and attorney have filed a lawsuit in district court asking that neither Mr Trump, or any of his 18 co-defendants in the Georgia election interference case, be permitted to participate or hold office in New York.
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Donald Trump has slammed a recent 2024 primary poll as a scam after it showed that Nikki Haley is now trailing him by a mere four points in New Hampshire.

The 21 December poll conducted by the American Research Group indicated that 33 per cent of likely New Hampshire GOP primary voters support the former president while 29 per cent support Ms Haley.

Fake New Hampshire poll was released on Birdbrain, Mr Trump said on Truth Social, referring to his former UN ambassador by his less-than-endearing nickname for her.

Just another scam! Ratings challenged FoxNews will play it to the hilt. Sununu now one of the least popular governors in the U.S. Real poll to follow, he continued.

The news comes after Ms Haley has recently received notable endorsements from New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu and the Koch brothers-backed Americans for Prosperity Action.

LinkedIn cofounder Reid Hoffman, a Democrat, has also donated a quarter of a million dollars to a pro-Haley super PAC.

Mr Hoffmans donation followed JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimons plea to Democratic donors to back Ms Haleys campaign.

Nikki Haley addresses guests during a campaign stop in Nevada, Iowa, on 18 December 2023 (Getty Images)

National polling has long shown Mr Trump has a substantial lead over his Republican rivals but there has been a recent growing shift among megadonors to support Ms Haley instead.

The former South Carolina governor has been on an upward swing in recent months. Her poll numbers have consistently risen in response to stellar debate performances.

Yet, despite her rising star, she has been reluctant to criticise the prominent frontrunner  a strategy that the former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie has repeatedly implemented.

That tactic seems to have paid off somewhat for Mr Christie. According to the new poll, Mr Christie also earned 13 per cent support from likely Republican voters in New Hampshire.

The 21 December poll also showed a widened gap between Ms Haley and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who have been neck-and-neck in other polls for months. This survey showed Mr DeSantis garnering just 6 per cent support.
 Close Donald Trump jokes about Chris Christie being his running mate

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Judge Arthur Engoron, who is presiding over Donald Trumps civil fraud trial in New York, reportedly suffered a bomb threat at his home on Thursday morning.

That followed the defendants latest attack on the justice on Truth Social for not allowing him to deliver his own closing argument at todays hearing.

Mr Trump alleged that Judge Engoron and state attorney general Letitia James are working together to screw him, accusing them of election interference for scheduling Thursdays session so close to the Iowa caucuses on Monday and labelling the trial rigged and unfair.

The Republican front-runner appeared on a Fox News town hall broadcast from Des Moines last night rather than join GOP rivals Nikki Haley and Ron DeSantis for a CNN debate and tried to backtrack on his earlier declaration that he would be a dictator for the first day of his next term, should he win Novembers presidential election.

Were going to do two things  the border, were going to make it so tight you cant get in unless you come in legally, he said.

And the other is energy. Were going to drill, baby drill. After that, Im not going to be a dictator.
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French authorities grounded a Nicaragua-bound flight carrying 303 Indian passengers on suspicion of human trafficking.

The Airbus A340, flying from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), was grounded at the small Vatry airport in the middle of Champagne country on Thursday following an "anonymous tip-off" that the flight was carrying suspected victims of human trafficking.

Two people were taken into custody pending further examination, while the rest of the passengers and crew on the flight operated by Romania-based charter company Legend Airlines were being questioned, the Paris prosecutors office said in a statement.

"Identity checks are being carried on the 303 passengers and on the cabin crew," the prosecutors office added.

The investigation was being led by France's anti-organised crime unit JUNALCO, Le Monde reported.

Authorities were also checking the conditions in which the passengers were being transported along with verifying the purpose of their journey from Duabia to Central America.

The passengers and crew are sequestered in the small airport, which was completely sealed off by the local police.

French officials said the reception hall at Vatry airport was transformed into a waiting area, where individual beds were provided to passengers with "best possible reception conditions".

Those onboard were forced to spend a second night on Friday while the authorities continued with the investigation, according to an official with the Marne regional administration.

They initially remained in the flight, surrounded by the police on the tarmac before being transferred into the main hall of the airport.

The Indian Embassy in France on Friday said that the staff had obtained consular access to the passengers.

"French authorities informed us of a plane w/ 303 people, mostly Indian origin, from Dubai to Nicaragua detained on a technical halt at a French airport," it said on social media X.

"We are investigating the situation and ensuring the well-being of passengers."

Liliana Bakayoko, a lawyer representing the airline, told France's BFM television that the company denies any role in eventual human trafficking.

She said a customer, whom she wouldn't identify, chartered the plane and was responsible for verifying the identity documents of each passenger. The customer communicated the passenger information to the airline 48 hours before the flight, she said.

She added that the airline would take legal action if the prosecutors filed charges.

Meanwhile, India has invited French president Emmanuel Macron to be the chief guest at the countrys Republic Day celebrations next month.

Mr Macrons office described the invitation as an extremely strong gesture.
 Close Moment armed police storm Prague university after shooting captured in bodycam footage

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Bells rang across the Czech Republic and the national flags on public buildings were at half-staff as people across the country observed a minute of silence to honor the 14 victims of the worst mass killing in Czech history.

Archbishop Jan Graubner served a mass at the main St Vitus cathedral at the Prague Castle. Were all still in a shock in our own ways, the archbishop said, adding: We need to clearly condemn what happened but we also need to look into the future.

Nobody should be left alone in these tough moments, Charles University rector Milena Kralickova said in her remarks toward the end of the Mass.

The gunman behind Thursdays mass shooting has been identified as 24-year-old David Kozak.

The history student opened fire on the fourth floor of Charles University in Prague, killing at least 14 people and injuring more than 20 with legally owned weapons.

He is believed to have killed his father before carrying out the massacre at his university. Authorities on Friday announced that all victims in Thursdays shooting in Prague have been identified and none of them were foreign citizens.
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Ex-Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin was killed in a bomb plot orchestrated by Vladimir Putins oldest ally, a Russian intelligence officer has claimed.

Mr Prigozhin, who was killed when his plane crashed over Russia on 23 August this year, launched a mutiny against the Russian ministry of defence in June following a long-running feud with officials over the direction of the war in Ukraine.

At the time, the Kremlin denied any involvement with his death and characterised western intelligence assessments of Putins culpability as an absolute lie.

Follow live Ukraine updates here

A Russian intelligence officer has now said former KGB officer and long-time Putin ally Nikolai Patrushev personally oversaw the planning of the operation which involved planting a bomb under the wing of Prigozhins aircraft.

Mr Patrushev first warned the warlord had become dangerous with no respect for the Kremlin after he heard a phone call lambasting Putin for lack of supplies on the battlefield in Ukraine, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Nikolai Patrushev (left) was accused of personally overseeing the assassination of Yevgeny Prigozhin (POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

From this point, Mr Patrushev began to give orders to his assistant to proceed in planning an operation to get rid of Mr Prigozhin. Putin was shown the plans and didnt object, according to the Wall Street Journal.

A small bomb was planted under the wing of the Embraer Legacy 600 plane, while Prigozhin and nine others waited on the tarmac of a Moscow airport for a pre-flight check to be carried out.

No one inside the cabin appeared to notice the device being attached as they waited to take off for St Petersburg, Russia.

The jet climbed for about 30 minutes to 28,000 feet before the bomb was detonated and the aircraft crashed to the ground.

All 10 people on board were killed, including Prigozhin, his four bodyguards, three crew members and two other people who were important to the Wagner group.

Prigozhin was killed when his plane crashed over Russia on 23 August this year just months after he launched a mutiny against Russias ministry of defence

He had to be removed, a Kremlin official told a European intelligence officer with backchannels of communication to the Russian regime after the incident.

The Kremlin has dismissed the reports of Mr Patrushevs involvement as pulp fiction. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: Lately, unfortunately, the Wall Street Journal has been very fond of producing pulp fiction.
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Manger Square in Bethlehem is a ghostly car park. The streets surrounding it are lined by shuttered shops. At the centre, the Church of the Nativity, feted as the birthplace of Christ which more than a million pilgrims visit every year, is virtually empty.

The only sign of life is the toll of church bells for a mass that no one will attend. One of Christianitys most holy cities is in deep and painful mourning.

We have never seen Bethlehem like this, says Father Issa Thaljieh, the churchs Greek Orthodox parish priest, as fellow clerics mouth prayers in the background.

Usually, just before Christmas, the central square in the occupied West Bank should be crowned with a dazzling Christmas tree, next to a nativity scene on a stage. Boy and Girl Scouts sing Christmas songs in English and Arabic.

Thousands of visitors from all over the world crowd into the city and line up to visit the grotto to pay their respects at the site where Jesus is said to have been born.

But this year, with a devastating war raging in Gaza, there is none of that. The Israeli military has also closed the main checkpoint into Bethlehem, citing security concerns  barring access to the famous city for many Palestinians.

And so, Christmas is cancelled.

A worshipper prays for peace at the grotto inside the Church of the Nativity (Bel Trew/The Independent)

We cannot celebrate when so many of us feel sad and scared by what is happening in Gaza, Father Thaljieh says. He talks about his worries for parishioners in the tiny besieged enclave, who right now are cowering in the Catholic and Orthodox churches in Gaza City under the heaviest bombardment by Israel ever recorded.

We said this year, it is better to come together, be united in prayer... we cannot celebrate.

All we can do is send a message: the message that has been the same coming from here since Jesus was born  one of peace and love.

Behind him, preparing for Mass, Father Spiridon, 75, who is also a Greek Orthodox cleric, agrees.

I have been here for 54 years. I have never seen a Christmas like this, not even during Covid. Nobody can come in, he says as a handful of locals light candles in the background.

Christmas is about love and peace, and this is our message. We must be peaceful in the Holy Land.

Bethlehem would normally be full of visitors at this time of year (Bel Trew/The Independent)

Israel has launched a crippling siege and a ferocious aerial bombardment of Gaza in retaliation for the 7 October attack by Hamas inside Israel, where militants killed around 1,200 people and took 240 hostages.

Since then, the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza says Israeli strikes have killed more than 20,000 Palestinians, three-quarters of them women and children. Some 85 per cent of the territorys 2.3 million residents have been displaced, and are living with dwindling access to food, medical supplies and water.

In tandem, violence has flared in the occupied West Bank, where the Palestinian Authority  which is dominated by Hamass rivals, Fatah  has limited self-rule. Over the last few weeks, Israel has launched regular and devastating raids on key cities, actions the military say are counterterrorism operations. They insist they are targeting armed militant groups, including those affiliated with Hamas.

Since 7 October, Israeli forces have killed 291 Palestinians, including 75 children, in the West Bank, making 2023 the deadliest year for Palestinians there since the UN began recording casualties in 2005. Of the dead, at least eight were killed by Israeli settlers, with rights groups recording a surge in settler violence as well. Four Israelis, including three members of the armed forces, have been killed in attacks by Palestinians in the West Bank.

Father Issa Thaljieh, the Greek Orthodox parish priest (Bel Trew/The Independent)

There have also been an unprecedented number of arrests in the West Bank, according to Palestinian and Israeli prisoner monitors  with thousands being held in administrative detention, meaning they are being detained without charge or trial, potentially indefinitely.

As part of the crackdown, the army has effectively sealed off much of the West Bank, closing checkpoints. This, local inhabitants say, means that even Palestinian Christians in Israel and the other parts of the West Bank cannot visit Bethlehem to pray there for Christmas.

We dont know how long this is going to go on for and then what will happen in the West Bank if the war in Gaza ends, says Shukri, a Christian tour guide from Bethlehem. At Christmas, the 52-year-old would usually be shuttling visitors from across the world around the sights of the city.

He worries that even if there is a ceasefire in Gaza, an all-out war may eventually erupt in the West Bank as raids on the cities and arrests surge. If they keep putting people under pressure, they will explode. If you put anyone in the corner and you push them enough, they will do something and react, he says.

Many in Bethlehem have family members in Gaza, whom they are powerless to help.

Some of the shuttered shops in Bethlehem (Bel Trew/The Independent)

Those relatives have told The Independent that they fear the total extinction of Gazas 1,000-strong Christian community if the churches where most are hiding face continued bombing.

The overwhelming majority of Gazas Christians are now trapped in two churches in the war-blasted north of the besieged strip  the Holy Family Church, the only Catholic church in Gaza City, and the Orthodox Church of Saint Porphyrius. The two sit about two miles apart. Gaza City has been one of the focal points of Israels mission to eliminate Hamas.

Israeli tanks have closed in, food has been running out, and water is running low. Then, last week, church leaders said two women had been killed in cold blood by Israeli sniper fire. The two women  Nahida, an elderly grandmother with 15 grandchildren, and her daughter Samar, 49  were killed as they tried to cross a courtyard to get to the bathroom in their besieged compound. The Israeli military has denied responsibility and maintains that it protects churches. An Israeli foreign ministry spokesperson said on Sunday that the incident was under review.

Nahida and Samars extended family back in Bethlehem told The Independent they had been unable to get them medical aid or evacuate them out of Gaza.

Jerusalems Santa says even though the streets are empty this Christmas time, he wants to send a message of peace and unity to all the families, from across the faiths, who visit him (Bel Trew/The Independent)

Across Bethlehem, families are glued to their TV screens for news of their loved ones in the territory.

There is no safe place in Gaza, and the north is the most frightening, says George, 31, whose own parents are stuck in the church where Nahida and Samar were killed. He asked for his identity to be protected.

All we can do is pray, adds Shireen Awwad, the head of Bethlehems Bible College, who also has loved ones trapped in the same church.

Sami Awad, who is a peace activist and director of the Holy Land Trust in Beit Jala next to Bethlehem, comforts his mother Amal, 83, who is barely able to speak and sits tucked in a blanket. He spends all day watching TV obsessively for any news of her brother and sister stuck in Gaza.

Sami says his family were living in the Rimal neighbourhood in Gaza, one of the areas hit hardest by Israels bombardment.

Inside the Church of the Nativity (Bel Trew/The Independent)

His aunt May, who is deaf and blind, had not left her house in Gaza City for 25 years, despite four previous wars. The bombing was so intense that, for the first time, relatives had to move her. Scared and confused, she was dragged screaming out of their home.

This is the only place she knows. It was terrifying for her, but what could they do? Sami says.

The family ended up being displaced multiple times as the bombing got closer. Now they are living in a makeshift concrete block alongside 30 other people, in a room with no water and no electricity.

I feel completely powerless  I cant do anything. At one point, my uncle told me if they are killed not to grieve too much, as it would be a mercy as their lives are so miserable.

That broke me, he adds after a pause.

Back in the Church of the Nativity, the clergy say the world needs to do more to bring an end to the war before the death toll surges any further.

We need all the world to open their eyes and hearts and to support us not only in their prayers  not only aid, says Father Thaljieh, as a mass without a congregation begins in the background.

We need concrete action, we need a ceasefire, we need peace.
WASHINGTON  The U.S. Department of Labor said a final rule on surface mobile equipment was published in the Federal Register on Dec. 20. The rule from the Mine Safety and Health Administration is intended to help protect miners from accidents, injuries and fatalities related to surface mobile equipment.

The rule becomes effective on Jan. 19, and compliance will be required beginning on July 17.

The rule requires mine operators to have written safety programs for surface mobile equipment  excluding belt conveyors  at surface mines and underground mines surface areas. The programs must include input from miners and their representatives and identify hazards and risks.

In recent years, powered haulage equipment and machinery have been the leading causes of serious and fatal mine accidents. So far in 2023, 40 mining industry workers have suffered fatal injuries, including 16 classified as machinery and 10 classified as powered haulage fatalities, according to MSHA.

MSHA said the final rule aligns with the agencys overall effort to improve safety in equipment use.

Given the number of serious and fatal machinery and powered haulage accidents that have occurred in recent years, the Mine Safety and Health Administration has worked hard to issue this final rule to enhance safety protections for miners working with and around surface mobile equipment, Assistant Secretary for Mine Safety and Health Chris Williamson said.

As MSHA works with the entire mining community to implement the new rule, we strongly encourage everyone to prioritize training and to identify and eliminate machinery and powered haulage hazards that can put miners lives and livelihoods at risk.

During the development of the new safety rule, some commenters suggested that the rule should also apply to underground mines and equipment, but MSHA decided to only apply this rule to surface mobile equipment.

Surface mobile equipment tends to be complex and large in size (compared to mobile equipment used at underground mines), which generates some unique hazards, such as large blind spots for equipment operators, MSHA stated in the explanation of the new rule in the Federal Register.

MSHA will continue to work with operators and miners in underground mines to deliver training and best practice materials to prevent accidents involving mobile equipment in underground areas and to provide safety protections for miners at these mines.

MSHA had considered applying the rule only to mines which employ six or more miners, but some commenters said the rule should apply to all mines regardless of size. After a review of fatality data, MSHA incorporated this suggestion into its final rule, so that a written safety program for surface mobile equipment is required at all mines.

MSHA reviewed data from 2011 to 2020 on fatalities and injuries and accident investigation reports and found that fatality rates are lower at larger mines. According to MSHA, from 2011 to 2020 the average fatal incidence rates per 200,000 working hours were 0.0227 at mines with five or fewer employees; 0.0167 at mines with six to 20 employees; 0.0103 at mines with 21 to 100 employees, and 0.0079 at mines with more than 100 employees.

MSHA said its Educational Field and Small Mine Services staff will be available to provide all mines with assistance in complying with the new rule. The agency said it will work with mining industry stakeholders as it develops materials and templates to assist mine operators.

Earlier this year, Assistant Secretary Williamson sent an open letter to the mining community, noting MSHA will continue to use all its tools to combat the unacceptable upward trend in fatalities. The letter also announced an inaugural Stand Down to Save Lives event to encourage the nations mining community to take steps to prevent injuries and illnesses.

Other MSHA initiatives to combat the number of mining accidents, injuries, and fatalities in machinery, powered haulage equipment and other areas include safety and health alerts, the Take Time, Save Lives campaign, Powered Haulage Equipment Guidance, and an Enhanced Enforcement Program.

District managers will discuss compliance assistance for the mining industry at stakeholder meetings beginning in January 2024.
Pro-Palestine protesters brought Oxford Street to a standstill on Saturday, urging Christmas shoppers to boycott Israeli-linked brands.

The demonstration, organised by the direct action group Sisters Uncut, has forced shops on Carnaby Street to close and heavily disrupted Christmas shoppers on Oxford Street.

Beginning in Soho Square, the crowd made their way to Oxford Street where they chanted While youre shopping, bombs are dropping.

They then made their way to Carnaby Street, where they crowded around a Puma store and forced the shop to close its doors.
Snow has hit parts of northern Scotland as multiple weather warnings have been issued.

Places such as Aberdeen and Inverness were blanketed by snow that fell overnight on Friday, 22 December, raising the possibility of disrupted travel ahead of Christmas.

Footage from various parts of northern Scotland shows streets, houses, and countryside covered in snow.

The Met Office has issued snow and ice warnings for the north east of Scotland, and for the entirety of the Shetland Isles.

ScotRail warned some services will be cancelled and others may be subject to delays, posting on X that journeys on some routes will take longer for safety reasons.
With no aircraft delivered since 2019, deal could mark an easing of strained trade relationship with US

China has signed off on the first direct delivery of a Boeing 787 jet in four years, an indication that strained US-China trade relations may be easing and a potential precursor to the more significant resumption of 737 Max deliveries.

Juneyao Airlines, one of China's largest privately run carriers, was yesterday preparing to fly out its newest 787 Dreamliner, in a potential breakthrough for the US plane maker. The jet was expected to take off for Shanghai from Boeing's factory in Everett, Washington.

The expected delivery will mark a breakthrough for Boeing, which has been largely shut out of China's aviation market this decade. The US manufacturer hasn't handed over any of its 737 Max or Dreamliners directly from its factories to the People's Republic since 2019. The last new 787 to leave for China was via a US lessor in 2021.

A spokesperson for Juneyao declined to comment, while Boeing said it continues to support its customers in China and "will be ready to deliver for our customers when that time comes."

Boeing rose as much as 2.8pc Thursday. The stock has soared 47pc since the end of October on signs the industrial titan is starting to speed up deliveries of its two main cash cow planes.

The development comes as Boeing and all Chinese airlines wait for Beijing to allow 737 Max deliveries for the first time in almost five years. That model of jet was grounded globally in 2019 after two fatal crashes. Jefferies LLC has said it expects 737 Max deliveries to Asia's biggest economy to happen after the 787 delivery.

"There are clear regulatory and political hurdles to overcome but the resumption of deliveries appears to be nearing," Jefferies analyst Sheila Kahyaoglu wrote in a December 19 note. Another 787 destined for China Eastern Airlines is also being prepared, evidence that the Juneyao delivery isn't a one-off event.

The jet, registered B-20EQ, was expected to arrive in Juneyao's home base of Shanghai yesterday afternoon.

Juneyao's delivery would help the US aviation giant edge closer to its annual 787 delivery target of 70 to 80 jets. Through November, Boeing delivered 62 Dreamliner aircraft, its data shows.

The resumption of 787 deliveries to China will also help Boeing winnow its inventory of already built Dreamliners, a move that would bolster cash for the planemaker.

About 12 of the 75 undelivered widebodies in Boeing storage lots are designated for Chinese carriers, according to Jefferies. (Bloomberg)
European Union member states rejected a provisional deal that would have reclassified millions of people working for ride-hailing and food-delivery apps as employees.

Officials from Spain, which holds the bloc's rotating presidency, decided there was not the necessary majority to pass the deal and sent the issue back for further negotiations with the European Parliament, according to a statement on the European Council's website yesterday.

Last week's provisional agreement would potentially have cost the gig economy industry billions of euro each year, according to European Commission estimates.

It sought to require platforms like Uber Technologies, Deliveroo and others to give full employment status to an estimated 5.5 million workers that are currently classified as self-employed.

Spain will "continue defending an ambitious directive that truly improves the situation of digital platform workers", despite EU states blocking the regulation, Spains state secretary for employment Joaquin Perez Rey wrote in a post on X, formerly Twitter.

"EU countries sent a clear signal that the provisional agreement did not deliver on the directive's goal to improve working conditions for platform workers and legal certainty to the sector," a spokesperson for Uber said by email.

The European Trade Union Confederation called on the EU to conclude a new deal within the next six months.

The rejected agreement "was far from ideal but finally brought some basic standards to the sector", confederal secretary Ludovic Voet said in a statement.

The European Commission proposed a version of the rules in 2021 to give gig workers stronger protections associated with employment contracts.

The industry would have been on the hook for an additional 4.5bn per year based on the number of eligible workers at the time, according to the commission's estimates.

Uber, Bolt and Freenow this week agreed to raise the minimum wage they pay drivers in France ahead of the new rules.
Andrew Arnott will be succeeded by Cathal Kielty

Head of equity trading at Davy, Andrew Arnott, is to leave his role

The head of trading at Davy stockbrokers, Andrew Arnott, is leaving the firm, the Irish Independent understands.

Its believed that Mr Arnott, who has held the senior role at Davy since 2018, will be succeeded by Cathal Kielty.

Mr Kielty is currently an equity trader at Davy, a role he has held for the past decade.

Its thought that Mr Arnott will be trading solely in a private, personal capacity when he leaves the stockbroking firm, which is now owned by Bank of Ireland.

In September, it emerged that staff at Davy had been told that the firm was seeking a number of voluntary redundancies from its equities unit in Dublin and was also looking for redundancies at its London office.

However, Davy said at the time that it remained committed to its capital markets business in Dublin and London.

A company called Ailmount Investments, controlled by about 30 former and current Davy executives, agreed to the sale of Davy to Bank of Ireland in 2022.

That sale followed a bond trading scandal at the firm, which saw it fined by the Central Bank for breaching conflict of interest rules on a major bond transaction and subsequently ditched by the Irish state as a so-called primary dealer in Irish government bonds.

Bank of Ireland agreed to pay 440m plus 125m in cash to be generated from the sale of Davys funds business  allowing for cash on the balance sheet the bank said the deal was worth 427m.

The deal closed in 2022, with an initial release 75pc of the sale price.

The remainder is due to be paid in 2024, conditional on the performance of the business and management of risks or legal issues which might arise, according to a Bank of Ireland spokesperson commenting at the time of the sale.

The Central Bank fined Davy 4.1m for breaching conflict of interest rules on a major bond transaction. Photo: Niall Carson/PA

In July this year, the former Davy shareholders behind the Ailmount Investments vehicle launched a legal action against Bank of Ireland.

Its understood that action is connected to the sale clause that related to the future performance of the firm. That case is listed for a one-day hearing in February. Affidavits have already been filed and a meeting is due to take place before the February hearing with a view to resolving issues, according to court records published this week.

The current directors of Ailmount are some of the best-known figures associated with Davy, including former CEO Brian McKiernan and ex-deputy chairman Kyran McLaughlin.

Brian McKiernan ran Davy Group from 2015 until 2021, and is understood to have had the biggest stake in the business, at 13pc.

He resigned his role at the firm, alongside several other senior figures, after the Central Bank fined Davy 4.1m for breaching conflict of interest rules on a major bond transaction.

That related to a heavily discounted deal to sell 27m in Anglo Irish Bank bonds on behalf of Belfast businessman Patrick Kearney to a consortium of Davy executives. The Davy staff then sold the assets at a much higher price.
Personal Finance

Thousands of health insurance customers to be hit with premium rises as price changes not publicly announced
saturday insight

The Maersk Sentosa container ship sails southbound to exit the Suez Canal in Suez, Egypt, on Thursday, December 21, 2023. A steep decline in the number of tankers entering a vital Red Sea conduit suggests that attacks on ships in the area are further disrupting a key artery of global trade. Photo: Stringer/Bloomberg

Iranian-backed Houthi militants in Yemen have stepped up attacks on vessels in the Red Sea to show their support for Palestinian Islamist group Hamas fighting Israel in Gaza.

The attacks, targeting a route that allows East-West trade, especially of oil, to use the Suez Canal to save the time and expense of circumnavigating Africa, have pushed some shipping companies to reroute vessels.

Maritime authorities and shipping ministries, including those of Norway and Greece, also warned against sailing in the area.

Maersk and CMA CGM, two of the world's largest shipping firms, will impose extra charges after deciding to re-route ships following attacks on vessels in the Red Sea, as worries about the disruption to global trade grow.

The surcharges, designed to cover longer voyages around Africa compared with routes via the Suez Canal, will add to rising costs for sea transport since Yemen's Houthi militant group started targeting vessels.

The companies are directing ships around the Cape of Good Hope at the southern tip of Africa, adding about ten days to a journey that would normally take about 27 days from China to northern Europe.

These are the companies (in alphabetical order) that have paused shipping via the Red Sea:

CH ROBINSON The global logistics group said on December 22 it had rerouted more than 25 vessels around the Cape of Good Hope over the past week, and that number would likely continue to grow.

"Blank sailings and rate increases are expected to continue across many trades into Q1 of 2024," it added.

CMA CGM The French shipping group has rerouted several vessels via the Cape of Good Hope, while instructing other ships that were scheduled to pass through the Red Sea to reach safe areas and pause their journey until further notice.

The group said on December 21 it would impose surcharges on shipments due to longer routes.

EURONAV The Belgian oil tanker firm said on December 18 it would avoid the Red Sea area until further notice.

EVERGREEN The Taiwanese container shipping line also said on December 18 its vessels on regional services to Red Sea ports would sail to safe waters nearby and wait for further notification, while ships scheduled to pass through the Red Sea would be rerouted around the Cape of Good Hope.

Evergreen also temporarily stopped accepting Israeli cargo.

FRONTLINE The Norway-based oil tanker group said on December 18 that its vessels would avoid passages through the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.

GRAM CAR CARRIERS The Norwegian shipping company, which specialises in pure car truck carriers, said on December 21 its vessels were restricted from passing through the Red Sea.

HAPAG-LLOYD The German container shipping line said on December 21 it would reroute 25 ships by the end of the year to avoid the Suez Canal and the Red Sea, adding it would take further decisions at the end of the year.

On December 15, a projectile believed to be a drone struck its vessel sailing close to the coast of Yemen. No crew were injured.

HMM The South Korean container shipper said on December 19 it had from December 15 ordered its ships from Europe that would normally use the Suez Canal to reroute via the Cape of Good Hope for an indefinite period of time.

HOEGH AUTOLINERS The Norwegian shipping company said on December 20 it would stop Red Sea transit after the Norwegian Maritime Authority raised its alert for the southern part of the sea to the highest level.

MAERSK The Danish shipping group paused all shipments through the Red Sea until further notice, following a "near-miss incident" involving its ship.

On December 19, Maersk said it would reroute its vessels around the Cape of Good Hope. It will also impose extra charges on container transport on affected routes.

MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) said on December 16 its ships would not transit through the Suez Canal, with some already rerouted via the Cape of Good Hope, a day after two ballistic missiles were fired at its vessel.

OCEAN NETWORK EXPRESS Ocean Network Express (ONE), a joint venture of Japan's Mitsui OSK Lines, Nippon Yusen and Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, said on December 19 it would reroute vessels away from the Suez Canal and the Red Sea. Instead, its ships will navigate around the Cape of Good Hope or temporarily pause their journey and move to safe areas.

OOCL The Hong Kong-headquartered container group said on December 21 it had guided its vessels to either divert route or suspend sailing to the Red Sea. The company, owned by Orient Overseas (International) Ltd, has also stopped cargo acceptance to and from Israel until further notice.

WALLENIUS WILHELMSEN The Norwegian shipping group said on December 19 it would halt Red Sea transits until further notice. Rerouting vessels via the Cape of Good Hope will add 1-2 weeks to voyage durations, it said.

YANG MING MARINE TRANSPORT The Taiwanese container shipping company said on December 18 it would divert ships sailing through the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden via the Cape of Good Hope for the next two weeks.
Victims, who abuser denied grooming, weep in court after verdict is delivered

A Circuit Court judge who was also a former teacher in a Dublin secondary school has been convicted of the sexual abuse of six young men almost 30 years ago.

Gerard OBrien (59), of Old School House, Slievenamon Road, Thurles, Co Tipperary, had pleaded not guilty before the Central Criminal Court of one count of attempted rape and eight counts of sexual assault in relation to six complainants, some of whom were his students.
The Irish divorce: Why the arrangement of celebrity couples like Jada Pinkett and Will Smith is not unusual to us
About two weeks after the Dublin riots, Paddy Curran was threatened by a man holding a vodka bottle and knuckle duster in his gift shop, Padison and Yule, on College Green.

He managed to wrestle him out on to the street outside. The attacker was soon in cuffs.

Gardai, who had been in a couple of minutes before while doing the rounds checking up on retailers, happened to be having a coffee next door.

I said, Go on hit me, said Mr Curran.

There is a lot of adrenaline when that happens. He was full of sh**e. He backed down once the gardai arrived.

The big difference between the city before the riots and now, he says, is that gardai are back on the beat.

Its incredible the difference it makes. If they hadnt come out, it could have escalated into him hitting me and passersby getting involved. There are more gardai around the city. We need to see them on horseback or motorbikes, definitely until the end of the year and I cant see them just closing off the tap then.

'Footfall has well exceeded our expectations (since the riots) and is fairly good across the city,' said Dublin Town CEO Richard Guiney

There needs to be a beat from the top of OConnell Street to Christchurch Cathedral. If there is a police presence, scumbags might not do what theyre doing.

Business has bounced back in Dublin city centre, a month after the riots.

Fears that terrified shoppers would shun the city in the aftermath of the lawlessness of November 23 following an horrific knife attack on children and a creche worker have begun to lift.

Just a few weeks ago, the UK, US and Canada were warning travellers to think twice before visiting the capital.

Images of burning buses, police clashes and looting were broadcast around the globe during riots by what Garda Commissioner Drew Harris described as a lunatic, hooligan faction driven by a far-right ideology.

The immediate damage cost an estimated 20m, but the financial toll has not ballooned. Shoppers have returned for the crucial Christmas period after the attack that left a five-year-old girl and creche worker with serious injuries.

On Black Friday, the day after the riots, footfall fell by a massive 42pc compared with 2019, but the following week, it began to grow steadily.

Richard Guiney of the Dublin Town business group predicted many retailers would be in real trouble if things did not pick up.

The night-time economy of bars and restaurants was particularly badly hit. Bookings were cancelled. Staff were asking to go home early. Arnotts brought counsellors on site to help staff who were stuck in the store during looting.

Paddy Curran, owner of Padison and Yule on College Green in Dublin.

Dublin Towns latest figures show footfall is up almost 10pc on last year and trade is good. Its well exceeded our expectations and is fairly good across the city, said Mr Guiney.

He estimates that up to 1m may have been pumped into post-riot efforts by An Garda Siochana, Dublin City Council, the business community and Failte Ireland to try to avoid the worst effects. This included Star Wars characters for children and carol-singing on the streets.

In terms of the increase in spend and reputation of Dublin and Ireland, if wed had another unfortunate event, it would have cost us a lot, he said.

We need to be honest, for a number of years, the feedback wasnt great in terms of how people felt in the city. Its great to see the return of that Christmas atmosphere. Out of 150 gardai that graduated from Templemore last Friday, I believe Dublin is getting over 100 of those.

Staff who were caught up in chaos are also trying to move forward.

Sailesh Tupsey is among them. He was pulled from a bus that was set on fire on OConnell Bridge after being stopped when two men on scooters swung out in front of him.

Im not back to work until January, he said. Im taking some time to get back into society and do some normal activity. I just need some time. I cant tell you yet that Im ready.

When asked if the extra garda presence will be kept up in the New Year, a spokesperson at An Garda Siochana said it does not provide specific details of operational deployments.
ELKO  Elkos first classical studies academy has launched a search for a leader as it prepares to open in 18 months.

Nevada Classical Academy Elko signed a Letter of Intent with Hillsdale Colleges K-12 education office, officially making the new school a Hillsdale College-supported founding effort.

The academy will receive startup guidance from Hillsdale and use the colleges curriculum that, according to its website, provides instruction in Latin, fine arts, modern foreign languages and physical education.

Rex Steninger, a founding director of NCAE, the search for the academys leader would focus on five essential qualities candidates must have.

First, the intelligence and constitution to handle the weight of the job, Steninger said. Second, the moral character to be firm, kind, prudent and just. Third, intellectual curiosity and a love of learning.

Fourth, a strong work ethic, a high degree of energy and the ability to multitask. Fifth, the humility to improve from feedback and take on any task, no matter how menial, he said.

NCAE is offering a competitive salary with benefits and contributions to the Public Employee Retirement System.

The Academy is announcing the position locally before posting to job boards later in December. The goal is to hire the new leader by July 1, said founding director Lee Hoffman.

We are looking for an exceptional person that will inevitably shape the schools identity by his or her own strengths, interests, and personality, Hoffman said.

Bringing classical education to Elko

About 18 months ago, the Nevada Lands Council organized a visit to Fruitland, Idaho, for the NCAEs board of directors. There, they met Steve Lambert, executive director of American Classical Schools of Idaho and executive director and founding principal of the Treasure Valley Classical Academy that is affiliated with Hillsdale College.

The group returned home totally impressed and determined to start a school here in Elko, Steninger said.

Earlier this year, Lambert visited Elko to determine local interest for a classical elementary school.

He said a classical education emphasizes virtuous living, traditional learning and civic responsibility.

Steninger said about 80 people attended the presentation.

Founding director Amy Neilson said the group shared frustrations regarding the continued decline in education across the nation and in Nevada.

Steninger said Lamberts presentation would also determine if there is room in Elko for another school alternative alongside the Elko Institute of Academic Achievement, citing the charter schools fantastic job.

American classical education aims to train the minds and improve the hearts of students, Lambert said during his presentation.

Explaining the purpose of the curriculum, Lambert said, Classical schools teach thoughtful patriotism and unabashedly embrace the founding principles that formed this nation.

Classical education serves as a foundation for children that will serve them as embark on careers and become members of the community, according to NCAE founding director Cadie Hatch.

We believe the purpose of education is to prepare students to live a good life, she said. To accomplish that, we couple high academic achievement with intentional training in personal moral character.

By pairing academics and character, we believe our students will not only be successful in their future careers but will also have the moral fortitude to lead in their friendships, families and communities.

On track to open in 2025

Now that the Nevada Classical Academy Elko has received support from Hillsdale College, the school plans to apply to the Nevada State Public Charter School Authority to receive a charter by next fall, a year ahead of the schools official opening.

The Academy will be in the vacant Elko Institute of Academic Achievement building at 1031 Railroad St. NCAE has received a Letter of Intent from Realtor Steven Romero to occupy the space.

Classical Academy raising funds for elementary school The group would like to have the funds raised by September and begin the search for a school leader

The NCAE has also begun fundraising for the school. The group announced in July it received a challenge grant for $400,000 and called on residents and businesses to donate a matching $200,000 in support of the school.

To learn more about the classical academy leadership position, contact Dorothy Steninger at the Nevada Lands Council office at 775-778-9709, email ncaelko@gmail.com, or visit nevadaclassicalacademyelko.org.
Minister for Justice Helen McEntee has said she has contacted the Attorney General for advice, following the conviction of Circuit Court judge Gerard OBrien (59) for the sexual assault of six young men while he was a teacher in the 1990s.

In a statement following the conviction, Minister McEntee said she will consider the options open to the Government and the Oireachtas.

OBrien, a former teacher at a Dublin secondary school, had pleaded not guilty to one count of attempted rape and eight counts of sexual assault which related to six complainants.

Four of the men were students of OBrien.

At the time of the assaults, the men were aged between 17 and 24. Five of the complainants said they woke up to find OBrien performing sexual acts on them which they said they did not consent to.

During the four week trial, the court heard that alleged offences occurred at locations in Dublin between March 1991 and November 1997.

"My thoughts are with the victims - these are appalling cases of sexual assault, I thank them for coming forward, Ms McEntee said in a statement.

The minister said that in order to achieve zero tolerance in society for violence, it must be demonstrated that nobody is above the law and that this conviction is proof of that.

"I have been clear that we have a lot of work to do to achieve my aim of zero tolerance in our society for all forms of domestic, sexual and gender based violence, she said.

"Part of that is clearly demonstrating that nobody, no matter what position they hold in our society, is above the law or immune from prosecution for such crimes.

In the statement, Helen McEntee thanked the Gardai and said she has asked the Attorney General, Rossa Fanning to advise on the next steps.

"I will now be considering the options open to the Government and the Oireachtas. I have asked the Attorney General to advise, she said.

When giving evidence, one of the complainants said they had searched Mr OBrien online and found out that he was a Circuit Court judge, which became one of the reasons why he made a complaint to Gardai.

Mr Justice Alexander Owens said he would have put OBrien into custody, however, due to his suffering from phocomelia, Mr Justice Owens remanded OBrien on continuing bail until March 4, 2023, when he will be sentenced.

Phocomelia is a rare condition that can affect the upper and lower limbs. OBrien is missing both hands and one foot.
Charity expects to hit 250,000 calls by the end of the year

The total money raised as part of St Vincent de Paul s annual appeal so far is down compared to last years figures.

The society, which launched its annual Christmas appeal late last month, also broke last years record for calls and expects that number to reach a quarter of a million by the end of the year.

Donations are still coming in but on our 2022 figures we are down at the moment, SVPs national president Rose McGowan said.

We are worried. When we have a Christmas appeal and youre watching the figures and you are saying were down, were down, in fact the effect on us being down will be in the new year.

We are using some of [the money] now, but Christmas is one day, its one week. So, this is money for January and February and March.

Ms McGowan said the cost-of-living crisis has impacted negatively on donations.

What we are saying, and this is hugely positive, our donors are not down But what the donors are giving is down, she said.

And I understand that. If you think our bills at home, our mortgage, our food, our energy bills, theyre all up.

So obviously people have less money to give to us but theyre still giving, and we so appreciate that.

Last month SVP said it expected to break last years record of 230,000 calls but is on track to hit 250,000 by the end of the year.

We expect a quarter of a million, she said. Well hit the 250,000, there is no doubt about it.

With the cost-of-living crisis still hitting vulnerable families in Ireland, Ms McGowan said more than ever, people are contacting SVP for the first time looking for help.

Many of these first-time callers are employed but still need the support of the charity.

People still [ask], should be calling St Vincent de Paul if Im working. I dont want people to feel like that, she said.

I dont want them to feel if theyre struggling on low pay that they cant come to us.

While monetary donations so far are less than last years figure at the same stage of the appeal, Ms McGowan said food and toy donations have been excellent.

People are donating food. At the supermarkets, people are great. Theyll always buy an extra item or two and put it into the trolley.

Ms McGowan said her concern going into the new year is for housing but also how people will afford to pay bills.
From Biden's Irish baby shout-out to Dolly Partons Liveline appearance and Paul Mescals gra for Gaeilge, weve rounded up the most heartwarming and inspiring headlines of the last year

1. A new Late Late host

Patrick Kielty pokes fun at Late Late show controversy in opening monologue

Against the backdrop of the RTE payments scandal, Patrick Kielty took over as host of The Late Late Show on September 15. The veteran stand-up comedian had big shoes to fill, succeeding Gay Byrne, Pat Kenny and Ryan Tubridy. However, he immediately endeared himself to viewers with a funny and heartfelt opening monologue. Since then, Kielty has repeatedly risen to the occasion. Following the beginning of the Israel-Palestine war, he recalled his experiences growing up in a conflict zone and noted that the people of Ireland are living our own miracle. He then addressed those caught up in the conflict and expressed the hope that your miracle comes soon. Kielty also proved a hit on The Late Late Toy Show, with more than 1.7 million viewers tuning in.

2. Sinead Farrellys call-up

Sinead Farrelly was called up to the Republic of Ireland womens soccer squad for the first time in April. Any call-up is momentous but, for Farrelly, it carried extra poignancy. The American had not played competitively in eight years. Injuries sustained in a car accident in 2015 forced her into early retirement. In 2021, she made allegations of sexual coercion against a former coach, a disclosure that prompted a wider investigation into abuse in US womens soccer. After making tentative steps back into soccer this year, Farrelly made her debut for the Republic of Ireland in April. She later played a key role in the World Cup, an experience that was life-changing. Since Ive come back, Ive felt such a shift, she told Fifa. Even though Ive been struggling physically, Ive felt so much joy.

3. Ireland win Grand Slam

Ireland's Johnny Sexton and Andy Farrell speak after defeat to New Zealand

It was a St Patricks weekend to remember as Ireland won the Six Nations in decisive fashion. Having racked up wins against France, Scotland, Wales and Italy, Ireland faced England in the Aviva Stadium on March 18. After a rocky start, Ireland recorded a 26-19 win over the old enemy to clinch the Grand Slam and Triple Crown. To make it even sweeter, it was Irelands first time winning the Six Nations on home soil since 1948. It was also Johnny Sextons final ever Six Nations match. He went out on a high, becoming the leading points scorer in Six Nations history and breaking a record previously set by Ronan OGara.

4. Paul Lynch wins Booker Prize

Irish Booker Prize winner Paul Lynch 'astonished' by Dublin disturbances

In November, Paul Lynch became the sixth Irish author to win the prestigious Booker Prize for his novel, Prophet Song. The book, which imagines an Ireland under totalitarian rule, was described by Esi Edugyan, chair of judges, as a triumph of emotional storytelling, bracing and brave. She added that readers would not soon forget its warnings. Lynch received a 50,000 prize for his efforts while sales of Prophet Song surged following his win. It was a standout year for Irish authors, with Paul Murray also making the shortlist for his novel, The Bee Sting. Sebastian Barry and Elaine Feeney were also long-listed for their novels, Old Gods Time and How To Build a Boat.

5. Aisling Hanlys All-Ireland win

Aisling Hanly

Back in March, Aisling Hanly captained her school, Convent of Mercy in Co Roscommon, to an All-Ireland in ladies football, scoring the winning goal. It was a feat made all the more impressive by the fact that Hanly, who was born profoundly deaf, wears two cochlear implants. Indeed, she wears a rugby scrum cap during match play to protect her implants. After speaking openly about her disability, Hanly was hailed as an inspiration both on and off the pitch. I dont let it bother me at all, and it shouldnt bother anyone, she said. Sport is a great way to get out, make friends and become more confident in yourself.

6. Enniskerry's NFL hero

Daniel Whelan

Enniskerry isnt the most likely starting point for an NFL hero. However, Daniel Whelan is fast becoming a rising star in American football. Born in Wicklow, he moved to California at the age of 13. After picking up American football, he played as a punter with UC Davis and spent a season in the XFL, an American football minor league, before being signed up by the iconic Green Bay Packers this summer. After making his league debut in September, he became the first Irish-born player to feature in an NFL game since 1985. So far, he has made a strong start. Come on you boys in Green Bay!

7. The unstoppable rise of Rhasidat Adeleke

The rise of Rhasidat Adeleke: The inside track from Texas

Athlete Rhasidat Adeleke continued her remarkable run this year, becoming the first Irish sprinter to win an outdoor NCAA title. The Tallaght native claimed a 8. remarkable win in the 400m at this years NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, a year-end competition featuring elite collegiate athletes from across the United States. Adeleke ran 49.20, winning a gold medal for University of Texas and setting a new Irish record. In July, Adeleke announced she was going professional and signed a contract with Nike. The following month, she finished just outside the medals at the World Athletics Championships, securing an agonising fourth place finish. Next up? Paris 2024, where all eyes will be on the 21-year-old.

8. When love conquered fear

Ireland For All march

On February 18, tens of thousands of people took to the streets of Dublin to take part in the Ireland For All march. The march, which was organised by Le Cheile in response to a number of anti-immigrant protests, saw people march in solidarity with refugees and affirm Irelands commitment to welcoming migrants. Musician Christy Moore performed at the protest and told the crowd that we are stronger when we are together and added that he was there to express revulsion at the hatred and violence expressed by a small number of people. Activist Ailbhe Smyth echoed this sentiment and said, We have come together to celebrate that fabulous rich variety and diversity that is Ireland today. A reminder that love conquers fear.

9. Maths hero Cara Darmody

ARCHIVE: 12-year-old carer Cara Darmody gets her Junior Cert Maths Results on The Late Late Show

In August, 12-year-old Cara Darmody became the youngest person in Ireland to pass Leaving Cert maths, scoring 97pc. The youngster undertook the exam to raise awareness for the plight of disabled children in Ireland and their families. Caras two younger brothers both have autism and she has campaigned extensively for improved services for children with special needs, even meeting with senior politicians to lobby for change and calling on the Government to fund private assessments for children on waiting lists. She also raised more than 55,000 to fund therapies for children with special needs in two local schools. What a hero.

10. U2 go to Vegas, baby

Inside look: U2 launch state-of-the-art Sphere venue in Las Vegas with spectacular concert

U2 travelled to Las Vegas to become the first group to perform in Sphere on September 29. Sphere is an immersive venue with state-of-the-art visual capabilities that has been hailed as revolutionary and groundbreaking. U2 were chosen to wet the proverbial head with their show U2:UV Achtung Baby Live at Sphere. It quickly became the hottest ticket in town with people flocking from all over the world to experience the cutting-edge venue first-hand. Reviews were overwhelmingly positive with The Guardian heaping praise on the genuinely astonishing visual effects and singling out U2s performance. The Irish quartets residency continues until next spring.

11. Dubliner Sean McGirr lands fashions top job

Dublin designer Sean McGirr landed one of the most illustrious gigs in fashion after he was named creative director of Alexander McQueen in October. McGirr succeeded Sarah Burton and is only the second creative director to helm the brand since its founder died in 2010. McGirr, who studied at Central St Martins, previously oversaw ready-to-wear at JW Anderson and has worked with other heavyweight brands like Dries Van Noten, Uniqlo and Burberry. Speaking about his appointment, the brands CEO, Gianfilippo Testa, hailed McGirrs experience, personality, and creative energy and stated he would bring a powerful creative language to Alexander McQueen while building on its unique heritage.

12. Youngest party leader steps up

Holly Cairns in Profile

In March, Holly Cairns became the leader of the Social Democrats after party founders Catherine Murphy and Roisin Shortall announced they were stepping down as co-leaders. In doing so, the Cork South-West TD became the youngest party leader in the country at the age of just 33. In her maiden speech as party leader, Cairns outlined her own extraordinary journey from grassroots activist to party leader and memorably described herself as a member of the first generation who will be worse off than our parents. The speech resonated and was viewed hundreds of thousands of times on social media, marking the arrival of a new voice in Irish politics.

13. First Irish female tops the charts in 14 years

Jazzy

One of the breakout stars of 2023 was Jazzy. The Crumlin woman became the first Irish female artist to enjoy a number-one single in Ireland in 14 years when her smash hit Giving Me topped the charts in May. The song additionally went gold in the UK, peaking at number three and earning a shout-out from Calvin Harris, who described it as a banger. Did we mention its been streamed more than 100 million times on Spotify? Its something of a fairytale rise for Jazzy who was working in a bakery in Tesco until last year and credits the free violin lessons she received in primary school with inspiring her to pursue music. Expect more bangers and bops from this star in the making.

14. Katie Taylor defies the odds

Katie Taylor

Back in May, Katie Taylor lost her first ever fight to Chantelle Cameron. Six months later, Taylor and Cameron returned to Dublins 3Arena for a highly anticipated rematch. The stakes could not have been higher for the 37-year-old boxer with a loss threatening to end her career and a win allowing her to reclaim her undisputed title. Taylor entered the November 25 fight as the underdog, with many observers favouring her opponent. Thanks to her signature steel and determination, however, she defied the odds and won the fight by majority decision, becoming a two-weight world champion. Whoever wrote me off obviously dont know me very well, she said afterwards. Dont ever doubt me. And who would?

15. Barbenheimer rescues Irish cinema

Cillian Murphy

Barbenheimer was the cinematic event of the year and was credited with single-handedly bringing back event cinema. To recap, both Barbie and Oppenheimer were released on July 21 and resulted in Irish cinemas taking in more than 3.93m during opening weekend as cinemagoers ventured out in their droves to see the two blockbusters  some even attending both films back to back. Barbie went on to become the highest-grossing film of all time in Ireland, while the Cillian Murphy-led Oppenheimer surpassed An Cailin Ciuin to become the highest grossing film for the IFI. The result? Cinemas that have struggled since the pandemic enjoyed a mighty jolt while film fans were treated to two of the films of the year. Win-win.

16. An Cailin Ciuin makes history

Exclusive Interview with Director and Producer of An Cailin Ciulin

In what was viewed as a groundbreaking moment for Irish language cinema, An Cailin Ciuin made history by becoming the first ever Irish language film to be nominated for Best International Film at the Academy Awards back in January. It was nominated alongside Close (Belgium), EO (Poland), Argentina 1985 (Argentina) and the eventual winner, All Quiet on the Western Front (Germany). Director Colm Bairead and producer Cleona Ni Chrualaoi described the nomination as a truly historic and meaningful moment for Irish film, the Irish people and the Irish language. Having grossed more than 1m at the Irish box office, An Cailin Ciuin has since earned nearly 5.9m worldwide, enjoying releases in Netherlands, Germany, Spain, Italy, Australia and many other territories.

17. Buy Caio Benicio a pint

Caio Benicio

Following the horrific knife attack in Parnell Square on November 23, Irish people united to honour the heroic actions of Caio Benicio. The Brazilian delivery rider was credited with acting quickly and tackling the assailant, preventing any further casualties. In response, a fundraiser titled Buy Caio Benicio a Pint was set up on GoFundMe and raised nearly 370,000. Benicio later revealed that he was overwhelmed with the support but expressed gratitude. Yes, I speak a different language. Yes, I have an accent. But I love [it] here so much that I would defend this country like a true Irishman would!

18. Sextons best dad moment

Johnny Sexton

Johnny Sexton, one of Irelands greatest ever rugby players, hung up his boots after this years Rugby World Cup. While the tournament didnt quite go to plan for Sexton or his teammates, there was a special on-field moment in October that tugged at the heartstrings of viewers at home. As Sexton walked around the pitch and processed the teams heartbreaking quarter-final loss to New Zealand, his son, Luca, sought to comfort him and told him, Youre still the best dad before offering his old man a hug. The gorgeous interaction was captured by cameras and served to remind fans of what really matters.

19. An Irish happy birthday at Oscars

An Irish Goodbye

One of the most joyous, life-affirming moments at this years Academy Awards on March 13 came when the team behind An Irish Goodbye won the Oscar for Best Live Action Short. During their acceptance speech, the films co-directors, Ross White and Tom Berkeley, decided to cede the spotlight and encouraged the entire Dolby Theatre to sing Happy Birthday to the films star, James Martin, who turned 31 that day. Martin, who has Down syndrome, was delighted as everyone from Colin Farrell to Janelle Monae joined in the singalong. As for where he celebrated the rest of his birthday? At Elton Johns after-party, naturally.

20. Daniel Wiffen breaks world record

Daniel Wiffen

On December 10, Daniel Wiffen became the first Irish swimmer to break a world record in the pool. The Co Down man set the short course record in the 800m freestyle at the European Championships, smashing the mark set by Australian swimmer Grant Hackett 15 years earlier. It was a magnificent milestone to end an extraordinary year, which saw Wiffen win international medals and break other records. He was honoured with a Swim Ireland Award for Performance Athlete of the Year (Swimming). Paris 2024 now beckons with Wiffen among Irelands most exciting medal prospects. Remember the name.

21. Potuss shout-out to baby Margot

Joe Biden with baby Margot Moynihan

During his trip to Ireland in April, US president Joe Bidens most adorable meeting came during his visit to Leinster House, when he came face to face with eight-week-old Margot Moynihan Roantree, the daughter of Senator Rebecca Moynihan. Moynihan attended Bidens address with her baby in tow, with Margot earning a shout-out from Potus. I apologise to you, little baby girl, he said. The idea youre subjected to hearing the president of the United States deliver a policy speech is as bad as what all my children had been put through. Biden made it up to Margot by posing for a photo with her afterwards. One for the mantlepiece.

22. Eighty-three-year-old knitter gets the worlds attention

Delia Barry, an 83-year-old from Greystones, Co Wicklow, became an unlikely sensation after her knitwear was featured in The Banshees of Inisherin. A lifelong knitter, Barry was asked by the films costume designer, Eimer Ni Mhaoldomhnaigh, to create jumpers for the films cast, including Colin Farrell. With no patterns to work off, she studied vintage photographs of fishermen to get inspiration for some of the films knitwear. Barrys creations attracted international attention from the likes of The New York Times, Vanity Fair and the BBC. Speaking of finding fame at 83, she told The New York Times: Because you get older, it doesnt mean that youre not useful anymore. Theres a lot we can do, if we want to.

23. Paul Mescal speaks Irish

Paul Mescal impresses with impromptu red carpet interview as Gaeilge at the Baftas

Is there anything Paul Mescal cant do? This year saw the Maynooth actor earn his first Academy Award nomination, win an Olivier Award and land a role in the highly anticipated sequel to Gladiator. His greatest achievement, though? Dusting off the cupla focal. At the Bafta Awards in February, he flew the flag for the Irish language when he did a red-carpet interview as Gaeilge with TG4. Mescal, who attended a Gaelscoil primary school, impressed viewers with his warm embrace of the Irish language. It was viewed 3.5 million times on X, formerly Twitter, and was even covered in The New York Times. As if we needed more reasons to be proud of him.

24. John Creedons tribute to Sinead OConnor

Following the tragic and untimely death of Sinead OConnor, John Creedon decided to pay tribute to her by devoting his entire RTE Radio One show on July 26 to the singer, playing hits from her back catalogue and sharing reminiscences. The show was likened to something of a musical wake, with fans from all over tuning in to pay their respects to one of our greatest musicians. Creedon was widely praised for striking the exact right tone as people grieved a great cultural loss. It was a reminder of the power and immediacy of radio as well as of the importance of public service broadcasting.

25. Lankum nominated for Mercury Music Prize

Lankum

Lankum, the Irish contemporary folk quartet, were nominated for the Mercury Music Prize this year for their album, False Lankum. Widely regarded as one of the most prestigious awards in British and Irish music, Lankum were among 12 acts to be included on this years shortlist. Fellow nominees included Arctic Monkeys, Fred Again and Jessie Ware. Previous Irish nominees include U2, Roisin Murphy, Fontaines DC, Lisa Hannigan and Jessie Buckley. At the ceremony on July 27, Lankum performed a stirring rendition of Go Dig My Grave. Ultimately, the group lost out on the prize to Ezra Collective, meaning Irelands wait for a Mercury Prize continues. However, False Lankum continues to make waves.

26. Weightlifter Thammy Nguyen wins medal

Thammy Nguyen

Thammy Nguyen became the first Irish athlete to win a medal at the European Weightlifting Championships when she secured a bronze medal in the 49kg in April. Nguyen, who was born in Vietnam and moved to Ireland as a small child, had previously competed in weightlifting. She stepped away from the sport and got married, had two children and started a number of businesses with her husband. When her brother, Nhat Nguyen, represented Ireland in badminton at the Tokyo Olympics, she was inspired to get back into weightlifting. Now the 410 powerhouse is eyeing qualification for Paris 2024. And you wouldnt bet against her.

27. Ferguson on track to become 100m player

Evan Ferguson

Few people had a better 2023 than Evan Ferguson. The 19-year-old had a fantastic season with his club, Brighton & Hove Albion, and was nominated for the PFA Young Player of the Year in August alongside the likes of Bukayo Saka and Erling Haaland. He later signed a contract extension, keeping him at Brighton until 2029, and his performances have fuelled speculation that he could become a 100m player. Elsewhere, Ferguson netted his first ever goal for the Republic of Ireland. His greatest accomplishment, though? Passing his driving test. I havent sweated as much in a match as I did during that driving test I dont think, he said. Never again!

28. Rare orchids at Trinity

Orchid

This year, Trinity College participated in No Mow May, a biodiversity initiative that encourages people to refrain from cutting the grass for a month to help native wildlife. The front lawn was transformed into a gorgeous wildflower meadow for the month, with flowers blooming and pollinating insects reaping the rewards. Over the course of the month, chair of botany Jenny McElwain spotted a rare orchid known as a broad-leaved helleborine growing under a tree, prompting Trinity College to extend its no-mow policy through June. More than 30 species of flower popped up through the soil during the two-month experiment, including a second orchid. As professor Jane Stout explained, its proof that nature can persist and recover if given adequate space and time.

29. Fan Fionn McGivern

Fionn McGivern

One of the most unforgettable photos of the summer was that of two-year-old Fionn McGivern. The picture, snapped by James Crombie for INPHO, shows Fionn standing alone in the stairway of the stands in Croke Park with his hands behind his back, utterly engrossed in the All-Ireland hurling semi-final between Kilkenny and Clare. All week, hes been shouting, Come on the Cats, his father told the Belfast Telegraph. The photo was viewed more than 3.5 million times on social media platform X.

30. Deaf barrister Sofiya Kalinova

Sofiya Kalinova broke new ground by becoming the first deaf person to qualify as a barrister in Ireland. A graduate of UCD and the Kings Inns, Kalinova was called to the Bar in October by Chief Justice Donal ODonnell. She is the first barrister to practise law in Irish Sign Language (ISL). Originally from Bulgaria, Kalinova completed her studies and exams in spoken English and ISL, neither of which are her first languages. Writing on LinkedIn, Kalinova said that her achievement not only represented a personal triumph but advances inclusivity and diversity in the legal profession. She added, Lets keep breaking down barriers and making strides together.

31. Recognition for Irish beef and Achill salt

Achill Sea Salt

In November, two Irish food products received special recognition and protection by the EU. Irish grass-fed beef was awarded Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) status, while Achill Island Sea Salt received Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) status. Theyre in good company as these prestigious designations have previously been bestowed on the likes of French champagne, Greek feta cheese, English Stilton cheese and Italian parma ham. Ireland has a number of registered PDO/PGI food product names, including Clare Island salmon, Imokilly Regato and Timoleague brown pudding. Anyone else feeling peckish?

32. First dementia-inclusive shopping centre

Mahon Point

With more than 64,000 people living with dementia in Ireland, its becoming more and more important to create spaces that are dementia-friendly. In November, Mahon Point Shopping Centre in Co Cork became Irelands first dementia-inclusive shopping centre. The shopping centre partnered with the Alzheimer Society of Ireland on the initiative, which saw retail staff undergo dementia-inclusive training to help make the shopping centre a warm and welcoming environment for shoppers with dementia and their families. Bravo.

33. Dolly Parton chats to Liveline

Dolly Parton

Who had Dolly Parton appears on Liveline on their bingo card this year? In October, the Queen of Country made a surprise appearance on the RTE Radio 1 show, chatting to Katie Hannon about everything from her career to child literacy. She recounted her trip to Co Kerry in 1990, during which she ended up performing in Paidi O Ses pub in Ventry. O Se gifted Parton his jersey, which she revealed is framed and has pride of place in her basement. She additionally thanked a group of women in Co Kerry who dressed up as her for a Guinness World Record attempt. Im proud of all of you  you made me proud. Come back any time, Dolly.

34. Charlie Bird meets Bruce Springsteen

Charlie Bird with Bruce Springsteen

In May, Charlie Bird got to fulfil a dream when he met with Bruce Springsteen backstage at his RDS show. The veteran journalist, who was diagnosed with motor neurone disease in 2021, spoke with Springsteen using a digital speech app and got to exchange a few hugs with his musical hero. Springsteens kindness didnt end there either. On stage, he dedicated the song Land of Hope and Dreams to Bird, prompting a standing ovation from the Dublin crowd. Bird later described the meeting as a magical moment. Oh God, Bruce is a great human, he wrote on X. My final wish has happened.

35. Irish woman returns artefacts

Artefacts

In recent years, there has been a movement around repatriating historical artefacts. This year, a Limerick woman was inspired by an article she read online to return her late fathers collection of Aboriginal and African objects to their countries of origin, as per his wishes. The collection includes beautifully crafted wooden clubs, shields, harpoons and more. Walsh got in touch with Dr Christos Tsirogiannis, a lecturer in archaeology at the University of Cambridge, who offered guidance, and she is now in the process of returning the objects to South Africa, Sudan, South Sudan and Australia. An official from the South African embassy expressed gratitude, telling Walsh that it was a lovely gesture.

36. Ciara Mageean on track for success

Ciara Mageean holding her head high after finishing fourth in the 1500 world final

Ciara Mageean enjoyed a banner year on the track. In May, she reclaimed the Irish 800m record with a time of 1:59.27. Less than two months later, she set a new national record over the one-mile distance, breaking a mark previously set by none other than Sonia OSullivan. In August, she broke her own 1,500m record when she came fourth at the World Athletics Championships in a race widely considered to be the greatest 1,500m womens race of all time. Weeks later, she smashed that same record yet again during a Diamond League event with a time of 3:55.87. The Portaferry woman now holds national records over four distances, confirming her status as one of Irelands greatest athletes. Bring on 2024.

37. League of Ireland

This year saw Irish fans attend domestic soccer games in their droves, with the League of Ireland experiencing a rise in attendance figures. A huge 135,000 more people attended games across the Premier Division, First Division and Womens Division this season compared to 2022, an increase of 20pc. The season culminated with 43,881 fans attending the FAI Cup Final, breaking a record that had stood for 78 years.

38. Common crane

Common crane

Some 300 years after they became extinct in Ireland, the common crane has made a return to these shores. Bord na Mona announced this year that a pair of common cranes returned to one of Bord na Monas rewetted peatlands and successfully fledged a new chick. This marks the second year in a row that a chick has been fledged in Ireland, a sign that the crane population could be on the rise. Ireland has a longstanding affinity with the crane. The Gaelic name corr forms the basis of numerous place names, while the bird plays a central role in much of our folklore. Now it looks as though the crane is ready to start its next chapter here in Ireland.

39. SJP x SuperValu

In a turn of events that nobody could have anticipated, Sarah Jessica Parker revealed herself to be a SuperValu fangirl this summer. The actor, who owns a home in Co Donegal with husband Matthew Broderick, shared a series of photos on Instagram of her time in Ireland. Among them was a photo of SuperValu-branded cabbage as well as a photo of her wine on the shelves of her local store. Irish fans were tickled by the plug while SuperValu commented, SuperValu and SJP, the crossover you never knew you needed. She later jokingly described SuperValu as her favourite place to be. First Matt Damon, now SJP. Which Hollywood star will reveal themselves to be a SuperValu fan next?

40. Hollywood goes green

Kerry Condon

This year was the year that Irish acting talent came, saw and conquered on the awards circuit. Irish talent landed 14 nominations at this years Academy Awards, with Colin Farrell, Paul Mescal, Brendan Gleeson, Barry Keoghan and Kerry Condon all securing Oscar nods, meaning one-quarter of all acting nominees were Irish. Not bad going. Elsewhere, Farrell won a Golden Globe for The Banshees of Inisherin, while co-stars Keoghan and Condon both won Baftas. Meanwhile, Tipperary native Daryl McCormack was nominated for not one but two Baftas for his work in the two-hander Good Luck To You, Leo Grande. Unreal. With Cillian Murphy, Andrew Scott and Keoghan all tipped for awards success next year, it looks as though the Irish are here to stay.

41. Bulldog reunited with family

The Nawrocki family with Baya

There were happy tears back in January when the Nawrocki family were reunited with their beloved dog. Baya, a French Bulldog, went missing from her home in Athenry, Co Galway, before Christmas in 2020. Two years later, she was found on a busy road in Dublin and taken in by the DSPCA. After checking Bayas microchip, they discovered she was flagged as missing or stolen and tracked down the Nawrocki family to reunite them with their four-legged friend. The emotional reunion was captured for social media and used to remind the public of the importance of microchipping your pet. The Nawrockis were overjoyed, while Baya settled back in well and bonded with the familys other dog, Diabolina.

42. Afghan Sara Wahedis trip to Tipp

Sara Wahedi

In October, Sara Wahedi, an award-winning entrepreneur, was on a train in Ireland when she was struck by her bottle of Tipperary Still Water. As a child, Wahedi moved to Canada from Afghanistan with her mother and brother. There, she was looked after by a Norwegian-Canadian woman named Marit and her Irish husband, Merrill. He used to sing Its a Long Way To Tipperary and encourage the children to join in. Within a few months, you could mistake us for an Irish choir, she wrote. Wahedi recounted the full-circle moment on X, noting that the water bottle brought back memories of Merrill and his kindness. It was viewed 7.8 million times, and Wahedi was even featured on Tipp FM. The universe works in wondrous ways.

43. Sinead OConnors acts of kindness

Fans gather to remember Sinead OConnor at her funeral

Following Sinead OConnors passing, many spoke of the late singers good deeds. Philip Woolcock wrote a letter to The Telegraph on July 29, recalling the time the singer reached out to his 20-year-old daughter Louise, who was suffering from terminal cancer. Sinead invited Louise to spend a week with her in London, where they dined, drank and danced. Louise returned home exhausted and happier than I had seen her since her devastating cancer diagnosis, wrote Woolcock. He added that Sinead, who never sought publicity for this act of kindness, stayed in touch with Louise until she passed away in 1992. Today my thoughts are with two remarkable women who, I have no doubt, will be somewhere still laughing, dancing and singing.

44. JW Anderson wears Irish rugby jersey

JW Anderson

Designer JW Anderson sported an unusual look to close out his Milan Fashion Week show in June. The Northern Irish designer strutted down the runway in an Ireland rugby jersey. An unusual sartorial choice for one of the worlds most revered designers, perhaps, but there was a very sweet reason for it. He was paying tribute to his father, Willie Anderson, a former rugby international who earned 27 caps for Ireland. Its not the first time father and son have honoured one another. Earlier in the year, Anderson designed a custom jumpsuit for Rihanna to wear during her Super Bowl halftime show. His dad later tweeted, We are so proud of Jonathan for designing Rihannas outfit for the Super Bowl halftime show. Unbelievable.

45. Ireland's final frontier

We have lift-off! After six years of hard work and painstaking research, Ireland launched its first ever satellite into space on December 1. Educational Irish Research Satellite, also known as Eirsat-1, blasted off into space from Vandenberg Space Force Base, California. Measuring just 10.7cm x 10.7cm x 22.7cm, it was designed, built and tested by dozens of UCD students alongside experts from the European Space Agency. Within three days, the satellite had circled the Earth 34 times. The launch was hailed as a giant leap for Ireland and its nascent space sector, with UCD president Orla Feely calling it a remarkable first for the scientific community in Ireland.

46. Charlies Bar Christmas ad

Heartwarming Christmas ad for Enniskillen pub goes viral

Forget John Lewis. The Christmas ad of the year was created by none other than Charlies Bar in Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh. The pub unveiled a charming ad depicting an elderly man walking alone through town before stepping inside the doors of Charlies Bar and befriending a young couple. The message? There are no strangers here, only friends you havent met yet. The ad was filmed on a phone and cost just 700 but has attracted worldwide attention and garnered millions of views across social media. In the wake of the ads success, the pub launched a clothing range to tackle loneliness in older people, with all proceeds raised going to Age NI and the South West Age Partnership. A heartwarming Christmas tale if ever there was one.

47. Mum of 12 secures medical school place

Earlier this year, Rosemary Murphy made headlines when it was revealed that the mother of 12 was returning to college to start a medical degree and become a doctor. The Dublin woman left school after her Junior Cert but harboured a lifelong ambition to study medicine. For 11 years, she devoted her time and energy to getting into medicine, completing a UCD Access course. After sitting her HPAT exams, she was shortlisted and interviewed for a place in the Royal College of Surgeons Ireland. Eventually she was offered a spot and she commenced her studies in September. Some woman for one woman.

48. Solar-powered lockers in parks

BoxUp

As part of efforts to encourage people to get active, a number of Local Sports Partnerships around the country have installed solar-powered BoxUp lockers in parks containing sports equipment that can be borrowed and used by the community, free of charge. Each locker contains things like tennis rackets, frisbees, basketballs and hurleys. Members of the community simply download the BoxUp app and select how long they wish to borrow each piece of equipment. The lockers have been installed in parks across Dublin, Cork, Galway, Limerick and Waterford. The goal is to remove barriers to physical activity by making equipment accessible. So simple yet so clever.

49. We show Seanchoiche some love

If theres one thing Irish people love, its telling stories. Little wonder then that Seanchoiche has been one of the years breakout cultural events. Founded by Ciaran Gaffney, the storytelling event sees ordinary people get up and tell extraordinary stories around a particular theme. Indeed, the name comes from the words seanchai and oiche. The event regularly takes place in Dublin but has also popped up at venues and larger events across Ireland, including the All Together Now festival. It has also enjoyed sellout international events in London, Amsterdam and Sydney. With tickets regularly flying out the door in less than a minute, its clear that Seanchoiche has tapped into our desire for human connection and developed into something special.

50. Katie McCabe scores our first Womens World Cup goal

Interview with Ireland Captain Katie McCabe

In July, Katie McCabe made history by scoring the Republic of Irelands first goal at a Womens World Cup when she scored a stunner directly from a corner kick against Canada. For her efforts, the Irish captain was nominated for Goal of the Tournament. While the Republic of Ireland may have bowed out in the group stages, it was a momentous achievement that symbolised how far the womens national team have come. Elsewhere, McCabe became the first Irish Ballon dOr nominee since Roy Keane. She was one of 30 women nominated, finishing in 22nd place. Gwan Katie.
I had the Christmas dinner in November with family  Irish soldier on peacekeeping mission in Lebanon

Despite the graver dangers facing the Defences Forces' Unifil troops this year, Captain Chloe McMahon says she is exactly where she wants to be

The Army is in my blood  Captain Chloe McMahon, part of the Irish Defence Forces Unifil peacekeeping force in Lebanon

Laura Lynott Sat 23 Dec 2023 at 03:30

Captain Chloe McMahon is spending Christmas in Lebanon, as she and the rest of the Unifil soldiers there vow to peacekeep under the long shadow of the Israel-Gaza conflict.
On my early grape-picking forays to France back in another lifetime, my Irish friends and I used to play a bar-room game we called spot the Irish product here. It was often over before it started because there were few if any Irish-origin products visible in French bars in the mid-1970s.

Sometimes there was a dusty bottle of the whiskey liqueur Irish Mist. In the latter end of the 1970s, Baileys Irish Cream appeared. But all whiskey, or more accurately whisky, was Scottish, and in French bars in those years the most usual place to find something Irish was on the jukebox. There you could drive fellow drinkers to more drink by playing and replaying Joe Dolans Sister Mary, testament to the French love of a big ballad and the Mullingar crooners export oomph.
Cork County Council is inviting applications for funding under the Cork County Local Festival Fund 2024.

It is a competitive grant scheme supporting the development of festivals that aim to drive domestic tourism and help to improve the visitor experience.

A total of 85,000 is available through the Local Festival Fund for 2024 and applicants can apply for funding up to a maximum of 6,000 per festival.

Half of the funding is provided by Failte Ireland, with Cork County Council providing the other half.

A festival may be eligible for funding under the Local Festival Fund, if it is held within the boundaries of Cork County, attracts domestic visitors and improves the visitor experience.

Funding will also be available if the festival generates a minimum of 150 visitor bed-nights in paid accommodation and has a minimum expenditure of 7,500.

Festivals have huge positive effects on Cork towns and villages. Not only do they promote cultural heritage and foster community pride, they also are a huge boost to the economy.

As well as bringing local communities together, local festivals have the potential to attract thousands of visitors to Cork County to experience our rich culture, deep rooted traditions and vibrant community spirit.

This year, Cork County Council has increased its funding in support of local festivals and events, with a renewed emphasis on sustainability. Demonstrating our ongoing commitment to Climate Change, part of the total fund of 85,000 will be allocated to successful Local Festival Fund applicants that demonstrate festival greening measures using sustainable best practices, said Chief Executive of Cork County Council, Valerie OSullivan.

Cork County hosts an array of distinctive and exciting festivals of all sizes and we are delighted to support the groups and communities that work tirelessly to bring these events to life for everyone to enjoy, she added.
When Chloe McMahon needed to get her new passport from her native Passage West to the Big Apple, the kindness of the Irish public came to the fore and answered her call for help

The kind hearts of the Irish public have rescued Christmas for one delighted New York resident, who was in danger of missing her trip home to Cork for the festive season after her passport got destroyed.

Chloe McMahon from Passage West has been living in New York for the last six years, working in the whiskey department of a spirits company.

On a recent trip to Miami, Chloes passport was eaten by her friend's dogs who made a beeline for her bag after smelling chocolates. Although Chloe quickly ordered a new passport, it arrived at her family home in Cork.

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This will be Chloes first Christmas home in many years, but she was starting to panic as delivery services wouldn't get the passport from Cork to New York in enough time for her to make her flight on Wednesday, December 20.

On Monday, December 18, Chloe rang the Neil Prendeville show on Corks RedFM and shared her story, appealing to anyone from Cork flying over New York in the next two days to bring her passport with them and she would collect it on the other side.

Neil said he would try his hardest to get Chloes passport to New York, even contacting the three major Irish airports to see if anyone could help.

The very next day listeners were delighted to hear a woman named Marian from Carrigaline had Chloes passport safe in her possession and was waiting for her flight to JFK from Shannon.

Marians friends contacted her when they heard Chloes situation, knowing she was traveling to New York to visit her son for Christmas.

I will be eternally grateful to Marian. I am so thankful that the people of Cork have come together, and Marian is my absolute hero

Marian shared that Chloes family dropped over the passport with gifts for her efforts, including a bottle of wine and box of chocolates.

The two women made a plan to meet at JFK arrivals and exchanged photographs so they could easily recognise each other.

I will be eternally grateful to Marian. I am so thankful that the people of Cork have come together, and Marian is my absolute hero. I love her, said Chloe.

Chloe and Marian took a lovely photograph together at the airport, letting all know the exchange had been successful.
Rescue groups want breeding to be much more restricted as they struggle to rehome more dogs than theres families to adopt

Oakley, who has been in the care of H.A.R.T since November 2022.

Animal rescue workers in Cork have called for a reduction in the number of dogs being bred as they find themselves under pressure to accommodate and rehome pets that have become unwanted by their owners.

Three animal welfare workers told The Corkman that more regulation is needed to govern breeding in Ireland and care must be taken by owners and would-be owners, so that less dogs will find themselves without a home.

Petra Stumpfova, co-founder of the north Cork-based Homeless Animal Rescue Team (H.A.R.T), said it is time to reduce the number of dogs to the point where we can comfortably find homes for them.

Theres more dogs bred than needs to be bred, Mrs Stumpfova said. Theres more dogs than theres families to adopt them, or even buy them.

Mrs Stumpfova says her group has been inundated with requests to take in unwanted dogs since it started rescuing animals over a decade ago, resulting in she and her fellow volunteers always feeling under pressure.

Youre always chasing your tail, she said. You dont ever have a feeling that youre winning.

Currently the charity, which does not own a shelter, pays 5,000 in private kennel fees each month, and many of the dogs it houses have been in its care for over a year.

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Mrs Stumpfova believes large-scale breeders attempting to meet public demand for puppies should be curtailed to curb the number of dogs that become unwanted and make it easier to rehome those that do.

I think the big puppy farmers should be completely written off because that you could just have double digits dogs that you can breed is madness, absolute and utter madness, she says.

The illegal puppy farms Im not even going to go into that, she adds. But even the ones that are registered, thats complete madness.

But its the demand, obviously they are doing it so there has to be money in it, because people being consumers, they will buy these puppies, she says. So, for as long as thats happening this is going to be happening too.

Mrs Stumpfova also feels that people should be more educated on the huge responsibility that dog ownership involves.

If people are going to do it, do it right, make sure you can provide for this dog, make sure that youre able to keep this dog and make sure you dont add to the problem, she said.

Anita Douglass has run Skibbereen Animal Rescue since founding it in 1998, and like Mrs Stumpfova, she has found her service is in constant demand as people look to get rid of their once fluffy puppies.

I get dogs coming from Kerry and all over, Mrs Douglass told The Corkman. One guy brought two dogs down from Dublin because he couldnt find anyone to take them.

Mrs Douglass takes particular care when rehoming the dogs she takes in (or has left to her in boxes by her home), many of which have behavioural issues due to neglect or abuse, but believes it is not humanly possible for rescues to rehome the amount of dogs they take in.

Theres not enough rescue centres and thats it, Mrs Douglass said. Theres just not enough space for all these dogs and Im afraid only the good [pedigree] ones get through.

She thinks that current law (the Dog Breeding Establishments Act 2010 states that a dog breeding establishment means a premises at which bitches are kept, not less than six, which are more than six months old and capable of being used for breeding) is contributing to unsustainable dog numbers.

It is totally legal to have five breeding bitches, you dont have to register as a breeder unless you top the five bitches, Mrs Douglass said.

So, you could have five bitches and one little male dog and just keep breeding and breeding and breeding and nobody is going to say anything, she said.

The animal welfare worker said that dogs being left unspayed by careless owners is another factor in the issue. She recently received a phone call from a man looking to get rid of three eight-month-old collie-pointer puppies, who are running wild with their parents on his land.

Puppies rescued by West Cork Animal Welfare Group

They are chasing his cattle and his neighbours cattle, he hasnt got the bitch spayed, shes in pup again, she said.

Nobody cares and then they just want to dump them on the likes of us, she said. This is the story all the time, you know, Oh we didnt know she was in season or We cant afford to get them spayed.

Government action is needed to counter these issues according to Mrs Douglass.

To get the bitches spayed, there needs to be a massive incentive to people, and they need to change the stupid law that you can five bitches before you have to register as a breeder, she said.

Less dogs definitely and stricter restrictions on breeding, the amount of bitches, and people should be fined they should get a certificate from their vet when a bitch is spayed, and they should be fined if their bitch isnt spayed, she said.

Also in favour of a government clamp down on dog breeding is, Jennifer Headlam, who has volunteered with West Cork Animal Welfare Group for over 20 years.

Mrs Headlam told The Corkman that the group are very busy rescuing dogs and trying to rehome them, which can be a slow process. She thinks much of the pressure rescue organisations like her own find themselves under is partially due to the absolutely infuriating attitude amongst the public towards dog ownership.

All these people just go out and get pets without even really thinking about it, Mrs Headlam said. Its just easy come and then its easy go when they dont want them anymore.

Oakley, who has been in the care of H.A.R.T since November 2022.

Then they just ring their local rescue and almost expect that we should take them or certainly help them, she said.

To counter this, she thinks dog breeding, which is happening left, right and centre, must be restricted so dogs wont be readily available to careless owners and unwanted ones can be rehomed.

The volunteer claims there is absolutely no control whatsoever over breeding as things stand, while organisations that take in the unwanted dogs that result from this are subject to strict guidelines.

It makes us laugh because we get a fairly small grant from the government form the department of agriculture, Mrs Headlam said.

They come, we have to have audited accounts, we have to have every regulation written down, explained, it took hours to get it in place this year, she said. They inspect the place, they ask 3,000 questions.

Meanwhile another department of government hands out a breeding licence to breeders, I mean you can have 500 breeding bitches if you want, there really is no limit, she said.

Mrs Headlam believes change must start at the top if it is to happen.

There should be a countrywide ban on any dog breeding for a few years to catch up with all these rescue dogs in shelters, she said.

If people really want a dog they can come to a shelter and get one.
Although Nevadas graduation rate has remained fairly steady for the past two years  at about 81%  state Superintendent of Public Education Jhone Ebert said she is optimistic a historic infusion of funds from the Legislature this year will help districts get their numbers back to levels not seen since before the COVID-19 pandemic.

More than 31,000 Nevada students, or 81.4%, graduated in 2023, a slight dip from 2022s rate of 81.7%.

The Elko County School District is already seeing progress. Its graduation rate rose from about 80% in 2022 to over 83% this year.

Ray Smith, the districts director of school improvement, credits the increase to a strategic plan that focused on preparing students for their future after high school whether they decide to pursue post-secondary education or enter the workforce. The district has bolstered its career and technical education (CTE) opportunities, allowing students to explore career fields, as part of its effort to improve graduation rates. Smith said the districts most popular CTE program is agriculture.

Theres a lot of research out there that shows kids who are tied into a CTE pathway do graduate at higher rates than kids who are not, Smith said, adding there is a concerted effort by the district to offer a variety of opportunities to provide students with career skills that are something that they're passionate about.

In addition, Smith said the district began including students with special needs and those learning English as a second language into their general education classrooms as much as possible before the pandemic so they were exposed to the content that other students at their grade level were receiving.

I think that's really starting to take root and have an impact on those grad rates as well, Smith said.

This years graduation rates across the state still remain lower than the rates prior to the pandemic. Elko Countys graduation rate for the 2017-2018 school year, the last full school year before the pandemic, was nearly 92%, about 9 percentage points higher than this years rate.

Ebert noted in a Dec. 1 press release that 2023 graduates high school experience was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, which began when they were freshmen and triggered school shutdowns starting in March 2020.

Even after some schools reopened, others opted for hybrid classes, with some students learning in person while others worked at home.

To me, the stable (rate) shows how hard our educators and everyone was working to make sure that they have continuity of learning, Ebert said. That being said, when you look into the future, I think we're going to  see an increase.

Smith said the Elko County School District has been using a portion of its federal COVID-19 relief funds that schools received throughout the pandemic to address learning loss. Since last year, the district spent nearly $350,000 to provide its students with Paper, an online tutoring service thats available 24/7.

Smith said officials are hopeful the district can find another way to pay for the service after its COVID relief funds run out.

He said the service has been a hit with students, who are using it while they are in school as well as outside school hours.

Our teachers and our students have really embraced it, Smith said. Our usage is really, really high.

Work remains

The graduation rate for the states largest school district, Clark County, was in line with the states, about 81%, a slight increase from last year. Thirteen of the states 17 school districts had rates higher than the state level, as did the State Public Charter School Authority, and nine school districts had graduation rates higher than 90%.

In-person classes didnt resume for all students at the Clark County School District until the 2021-22 school year.

Ebert said shes optimistic that the historic levels of K-12 education funding approved during the 2023 legislative session  an additional $2.6 billion over the past biennium  will help the state get back to its pre-pandemic graduation rate and beyond. Spending is targeted toward students learning English as a second language and early childhood literacy, among others.

We're investing in our earliest learners, so that they're not playing catch up when they're in high school, but they actually have a strong start to high school graduation, Ebert said.

Washoe County School District (WCSD) and the State Public Charter School Authority, Nevadas second- and third-largest public school systems, saw decreases in their year-over-year graduation rates.

Washoes rate dropped from about 84% in 2022 to 81% this year. Its also lower than its 2019 rate: 86%.

District officials attribute most of the decrease in the past year to adjustments that the Nevada Department of Education made to the way the adjusted cohort graduation rate is calculated. The rate is the percentage of students who graduate in a specific period with a regular high school diploma.

One of the changes included graduates from a district-sponsored charter school into the districts rate. Another change excluded graduates who receive diplomas after going through an alternative education program such as the districts RISE Academy for Adult Achievement. The second change is in line with a federal regulation.

However, Brenda Chavez, a program analyst with the district, said although those students dont positively affect the districts graduation rate, students who drop out, earn a high school equivalency certificate or do not obtain an adult diploma from RISE are still part of the denominator used in the calculation as part of the number of possible graduates. Chavez said every year, about 200 students enter RISE Academy.

Ebert said it was unclear if these changes negatively affected other school districts graduation rates.

In addition to these changes, Troy Parks, the districts chief academic officer, said Washoe schools are struggling with chronic student absenteeism, an issue that was exacerbated across the nation after the pandemic.

We have many methods to help them recover credits and catch them up, but the most effective way students learn is when they're right there with their classmates in front of their teacher, Parks said.

The states 2023 graduation rate, 81%, lags behind its rate for the 2018-19 school year, which was about 84%.

Parks said Washoe County School District principals are now monitoring students progress throughout their time in high school as opposed to only monitoring them during their senior year to make sure they are ready for graduation. The district also sends its associate chiefs, who supervise principals, to school sites three times a week so they can support principals and teachers to become better instructional leaders.

We put a lot of emphasis in making sure our principals are in classrooms, providing teachers feedback on instruction, and really trying to improve our teaching and learning practices, he said.
Sligo University Hospital is in the top five for all the wrong reasons.

According to the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation 20233 was the worst year for hospital overcrowding on record with SUH making that list.

The top 5 most overcrowded hospitals in 2023 were:

University Hospital Limerick (21,141 patients)

Cork University Hospital (12,487 patients)

University Hospital Galway (8,914 patients)

Sligo University Hospital (8,094 patients)

St. Vincents University Hospital (6,555 patients)

INMO General Secretary Phil Ni Sheaghdha said: There has been no let-up in pressure for our nurses and midwives who are working in overcrowded and understaffed hospitals.

For the second year in a row we have broken overcrowding records. The year is not even over and 121,526 patients have been admitted to hospital without a bed.

Over 3,450 children have been on trolleys so far this year, an increase of 24% on the previous year. This is not something to celebrate and was entirely predictable.

Instead of coming forward with plans to drastically improve the lot of our members and patients who find themselves in emergency departments, the HSE have instead decided to implement a recruitment freeze which will further demoralise a burned out, exhausted workforce. We know from past experience that it can take a long time to reverse the impact of any recruitment freeze.

What will it take for the HSE and Government to act? The independent agency HIQA last week stated that in over 80% of the hospitals they have inspected, patient dignity was compromised and that workforce planning must be prioritised.

Long delays, inadequate bed space and unsafe staffing levels are making it impossible for our members to provide safe care.

We are about to walk into an unbearably busy time in our public hospital system and it is clear that lessons from the not-so-distant past have not been learned when it comes to tackling the root causes of hospital overcrowding.

Meanwhile, the Emergency Department at SUH was found partially compliant with three out of four national standards according to a new report by the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA).

The review found that improvements in compliance are required with respect to several regulations.

It found Sligo University Hospital only partially compliant with some standards such as protecting patients from the risk of harm through design of services, effective management arrangements and planning, organising and managing workforce to achieve the service objectives for high quality, safe and reliable healthcare.

SUH was found non-compliant to the national standard of person-centered care, as to maintain the patient privacy, dignity and autonomy.

Only 28 per cent of the hospitals inspected demonstrated compliance or substantial compliance for effective management arrangements.

Many emergency departments inspected in 2022 and 2023 were over capacity on the day of inspection, with intended emergency department capacity occupied by admitted patients awaiting an inpatient bed.

Insufficient patient flow impacted patient experience times (PET) in respect to the HSEs six, nine and 24-hour PET targets.

While some hospitals were found to be compliant or substantially compliant with respect of person-centered care and support, the environment and circumstances in which patients were cared for in 80% of these emergency departments were found to be ineffective in respecting and promoting the dignity, privacy and autonomy of patients using the service.

Four key areas that had been identified for both immediate and longer-term attention to address safety issues in emergency departments have been found as relevant today as they were in 2022.

Shortage of staff has also been found as a hindrance in providing better healthcare in hospitals.

Many hospitals inspected were working to maintain patient safety on a backdrop of staffing deficits across disciplines when measured against their allocation.

Unfilled vacancies and the lack of replacements for short and long-term leave posed challenges for a number of hospitals inspected, impacting on services provided and the organisations ability to respond to changes in workload.

The report concluded that overcrowding in emergency departments compromises the dignity and respect of patients and poses a risk to the health and safety of patients.

In contrast, overall compliance in wards and clinical areas in hospitals visited by inspectors was generally quite good in 2022 and 2023.

The health reform plans in progress in Ireland under Slaintecare, which aims to revise the model of care in Ireland including extending the primary care provision, should provide the catalyst to progress further reforms.

Crucial to this plan is the need to maintain and build the healthcare workforce needed to meet the growing and changing population.

As we move beyond the COVID-19 pandemic, the health system has adapted and responded quickly to the unprecedented disruption to patients and health service pressures over the last number of years.

In another overview report of Monitoring and Regulation of Older Persons Services in 2022, Sligo saw a decrease in the number of nursing home beds by 30 during the year 2022, highlights a report from HIQA.

One of this reports major highlights is the significant increase in the closure of nursing home facilities, and reduced number of beds, with some counties going as high as 94 bed reduction.

The total number of available beds decreased in 16 counties between the beginning and the end of 2022 with the greatest decrease seen in Galway and Roscommon being 94 and 75 beds respectively.

Sligo also saw a 30 bed decrease in the number of beds during the year 2022, while it recorded only 5 beds decrease between the years 2019 and 2022.

The number of nursing home beds increased in seven counties with Meath and Louth being at the top with 180 and 140 beds respectively in 2022.

However, the increase between 2019 and 2022 showed Dublin at the top with an increase of 265 beds, while Meath (187) and Louth (106) in the second and third positions.

Dublin, which had the largest increase of beds in the previous two years (+265) had a reduction of 17 in 2022. Cork saw the greatest decrease in the same time frame (- 125) but increased by 68 beds in 2022

The total number of registered beds per county shows Sligo having only 396 beds in the nursing home facilities, while Dublin (8433), Galway (1792) and Kildare (1632) being at the top of the list.

The report found that there was good overall compliance with the regulations and many examples of good practice and residents rights being promoted in the nursing homes were identified during the inspections.

It not only highlights the reduced numbers of beds and closure of small private nursing homes, but also shows a change in private ownerships.

While the percentage of ownership of nursing homes has remained largely the same over the last four years, the percentage of beds provided by private providers has slowly increased. Private providers now provide 81% of the beds, up from 78% in 2019 while the percentage held by the HSE has reduced from 18% in 2019 to 16% in 2022.

On 31 December 2022, there were 557 registered nursing homes with 31,674 registered beds. Since 2019 the number of nursing homes has reduced by 28 and the number of beds has reduced by 295.

Throughout 2022 there was increased concern about the number of nursing homes where the registered provider made a decision to cease operating the nursing home. A total of 14 nursing homes closed between January to December 2022.

The closure of these centres resulted in a reduction of 414 beds nationally and required the residents living in these nursing homes at the time of the closure to find an alternative nursing home to live in.

While Fire Safety, Governance and Management, Premises and Infection control remained the focused areas during the inspections, more than 30 per cent of the nursing homes were found non-compliant with these regulations.

It is important that providers assess their own performance in these areas and take any required actions to ensure they are compliant with the regulations. Where we are not assured that the required action is being taken and where services are not safe for residents, we will escalate in line with our authority-monitoring approach and using the powers of the Health Act 2007.
Prague gunman shot himself as armed police cornered him on college balcony

David Kozak killed 14 people at college he was a student at

People react at a memorial yesterday during a vigil following a shooting at one of Charles Universitys buildings in Prague, Czech Republic on Thursday. Photo: David W Cerny/Reuters.

Alex Ross UK Independent Sat 23 Dec 2023 at 03:30







The gunman who killed 14 people during a rampage at a university in Prague took his own life after a rooftop shootout, police have revealed.
Donald Trump told two Republican officials it would look terrible if they certified 2020 Michigan election results, report says

Former president told them his team would take care of them

Christmas gifts are seen on stage during a Donald Trump rally in Iowa. Photo: AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall

Graeme Massie UK Independent Sat 23 Dec 2023 at 03:30







Donald Trump personally pressured two Republican officials in Michigan to not certify the 2020 presidential election result in the state, according to a report.
A WOMAN has confessed to cutting off her husbands penis during sex and flushing it down the toilet after he cheated on her with her teenage niece.
Image: Screen grab of X video posted by NASA

Washington: NASA said Thursday that SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft has successfully undocked from the International Space Station (ISS) after multiple delays caused by unfavorable weather conditions and is expected to down off the coast of Florida.

"Undocking confirmed! @SpaceXs CRS-29 Dragon is currently en route to Earth, set to splash down off the coast of Florida," NASA said on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Undocking confirmed! @SpaceXs CRS-29 Dragon is currently en route to Earth, set to splash down off the coast of Florida. It carries precious scientific cargo, including data assessing how cells respond to gravity, plants genetic adaptations in space, and more. pic.twitter.com/XDH7U8imst  NASA (@NASA) December 21, 2023

The spacecraft is carrying about 4,400 pounds of "precious scientific cargo" back to Earth, "including data assessing how cells respond to gravity, plants genetic adaptations in space, and more," the space agency added.

The spacecraft is expected to land off the coast of Florida on Friday morning, NASA said.

Northrop Grummans uncrewed Cygnus spacecraft is also expected to depart the ISS on Friday around 7:45 a.m. EST (10:05 GMT). Unlike the Dragon spacecraft, Cygnus will safely burn up in Earths atmosphere, according to NASA.

The 29th SpaceX resupply mission to the ISS docked the station on November 11 and brought 65,00 pounds of cargo, including new science investigations to study atmospheric gravity waves and test high data rate laser communications from the space station to Earth, as well as provisions for the crew.

(UNI/SPUTNIK)
Photo courtesy: PIB

New Delhi/Kolkata/IBNS: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Agnimitra Paul has dared West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to contest against her arch-rival and Prime Minister Narendra Modi from Varanasi in the upcoming General Elections, which will give Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) an opportunity to return to power for the third straight term.

Speaking to ANI, Paul, a BJP MLA from West Bengal's Asansol South constituency, said, "Mamata Banerjee and Congress are friends in Delhi. She has proposed the name of Priyanka Vadra as an Opposition candidate against Modi ji from Varanasi. Why doesn't Mamata Banerjee contest? We want our Chief Minister to contest.

"If Mamata Banerjee has courage, she should contest against Modi ji. If she wants to be the Prime Minister, she should contest against the Prime Minister. Let's see how courageous she is."

#WATCH | Kolkata, West Bengal: BJP MLA Agnimitra Paul says, "Before seat sharing, if Mamata Banerjee has the courage to compete in place of Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi, then she should do that. You want to become the PM right? Our CM will compete against the PM. Let's see how pic.twitter.com/M0ZBEsxzjz  ANI (@ANI) December 22, 2023

Her statement comes after Mamata shared the dias with rivals Congress and Left in Delhi for another round of Opposition talk.

"Adhir Chowdhury (Congress Lok Sabha leader and West Bengal unit chief) should shut the state Congress party office and join TMC because Congress in West Bengal has no existence. People are now aware of Congress-TMC hypocrisy," Paul said.

In a surprise move, Mamata, who is often proposed as the Opposition's Prime Ministerial face by her party Trinamool Congress, floated Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge's name as the face against Modi in the Lok Sabha polls, which are expected to be held in 2024 summer.

However, Kharge has cleared the talks and should focus on winning the polls now and decide on the PM face after the elections.

Even in the last meeting of the Opposition alliance- named INDIA- no seat-sharing talks were reportedly held.

As per reports, Mamata, a former Union Minister who had run the Railway Ministry, was not happy with it and asked opposition leaders to finalise the deal by the end of this year.

Meanwhile, TMC, Congress and Left, which share the same platform in Delhi, as rivals in West Bengal, where BJP had won a whooping 18 Lok Sabha seats in 2019.

In another surprising comment, Mamata has recently said a three-way alliance between TMC, Congress and Left is possible in West Bengal.
Photo courtesy: UNI

New Delhi/UNI: Taking an exception to the statement of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah for lifting the hijab ban in educational institutions in Karnataka, Union Minister and BJP leader Giriraj Singh on Saturday said it is a tantamount to establishment of Sharia law.

If Rahul Gandhi, the Congress and the INDIA alliance form a government, then Sharia law will be implemented in the country.

"There is a Congress government in Karnataka. It wants to lift the hijab ban in educational institutions in the state. This is not merely the lifting of the ban on hijab, but the establishment of Sharia law in the state.

"If Rahul Gandhi, Congress and INDIA alliance form the government in the country, then Islamic law will be implemented," he told reporters here.

Wherever the Congress government is ruling, attempts have been made to establish Sharia there, Giriraj Singh said.

Meanwhile, Karnataka BJP President Vijayendra Yediyurappa in Bengaluru said it shows the real intent of the Congress in Karnataka.

He said the Congress government in Karnataka is making such a statement because it has realised that it is not winning the next Lok Sabha election, especially after the election results of five states. The Congress and INDIA Alliance have lost all hope completely.

"Hence the Congress government in Karnataka has stooped to this level of allowing hijab in schools and colleges," Vijayendra said.

The BJP state President said nobody from the minority demanded the wearing of hijab in educational institutions. He further said the statement of the chief minister clearly shows utter carelessness. "You are CM for the entire state, not one religion or community.

Despite the courts having expressed concerns over this issue, Siddaramaiah's statement is really unfortunate, he said.
Photo Courtesy: Unsplash

The Crime Branch Srinagar on Saturday produced a chargesheet in a court in Jammu and Kashmirs Ganderbal district against an Ayurveda practitioner who allegedly secured admission and job by using a forged degree certificate.

The chargesheet was produced before the Court of Chief Judicial Magistrate Ganderbal against accused Shahid-ul-Islam of Kangan, Ganderbal for his involvement in commission of offences punishable under section 420,465,468,471,201 of the Ranbir Penal Code.

The accused had used a forged 10+2 certificate for obtaining admission in Bachelor of Unani Medicine & Surgery ( BUMS) course and even managed to get the government job, to which he was not entitled, a statement issued by the Crime Branch said.

The case was registered in Police Station Special Crime Wing- Crime Branch Kashmir on a complaint lodged by Dr. Zaffar Shaheen of Manigam, Ganderbal, alleging therein that Shahid has obtained admission in BUMS Course, session-2014 at Institute of Asian Medical Sciences, through the University of Kashmir, on the basis of a fake and forged 10+2 marks certificate.

It was also alleged that the said accused has applied for issuance of a Provisional Registration Certificate to the Registrar, Board of Ayurvedic/Unani System of Medicine, on the basis of fake marks certificate.

Accordingly an enquiry was initiated which turned into registration of the instant case, the statement said.

The investigation revealed that the accused produced fake 10+2 marks certificate for getting admission in BUMS programme Session-2014.

The investigation has also found that after completion of the said course, the accused submitted an application before the Registrar Board of Ayurvedic  Unani System of Medicines for issuance of Provisional Registration Certificate.

On the basis of degree certificate of BUMS and fake 10+2 marks certificate, the accused was selected as Medical Officer (AYUSH) vide order No. 08 DRHSG of 2014 dated 20.01.2014 issued by Director Rural Health Mission, J&K. The accused submitted his joining report on 20.01.2014.

However, the accused was terminated from the government services in 2022 by J&K government, they said.

On the basis of facts and circumstances that emerged during the course of investigation, the case has been chargesheeted against the accused person before the court of CJM Ganderbal, where from he has been sent to judicial custody.

(With UNI Inputs)
Photo Courtesy: File image of India in Nepal X page

Indian Ambassador to Kathmandu Naveen Srivastava has said the digital payment gateway between India and Nepal is expected to start in the first phase from the end of February 2024.

Ambassador Naveen Srivastava made the announcement referring to the agreement between NPCI and NCHL, which was signed during the visit of Nepali PM Pushpa Kamal Dahal to India earlier this year, reported ANI.

"Fintech is a revolution that is happening all across the world and particularly in India. You might have heard about Unified Payment Interface (UPI), how India to date is the leading country in the world in terms of digital payments and it beats other countries by far. This fintech revolution provides an avenue for further collaboration between India and Nepal," Srivastava was quoted as saying by ANI.

He added, "We've already undertaken this journey, the Ru-pay card was launched last year in Nepal and ambassador (Manjeev Singh) Puri was instrumental in initiating that process. We taking it further taking support of Governor (Maha Prasad) Adhikari and the Finance Minister earlier this year when PM Prachanda visited India NPCI (National Payments Corporation of India) and Nepal Clearing House (Limited) and signed an MoU to start and implement digital cross border payment."

He made the comments while addressing the inaugural session of Nepal BFSI (Banking, Financial Service and Insurance Summit) organized by the India-Nepal Center of the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI).
Everyone at this point is familiar with the testimony of the presidents of Harvard, MIT and the University of Pennsylvania before a congressional committee.

All three of these women tried to evade what seemed a simple question. In an issue raised by the pro-Palestine demonstrations, would they discipline students calling for the genocide of Jews?

Activists from America and Europe were not only excusing the behavior of Hamas, they were shouting and holding banners which read, From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.

There is no Palestine nation from the river to the sea. There is instead the nation of Israel, which is a Jewish nation much the same way as Korea is a Korean nation, i.e., the official language, majority of its people and historical occupation of non-Koreans defines the country.

Hamas and other terrorist groups have called for the extermination of the Jewish state and some even for the extermination of all Jews. The slogan from the river to the sea then can be seen as a call for genocide.

It is interesting to note that a brief survey of Pro-Palestinian demonstrators found that half of them could not name the river in the slogan.

President Mary Elizabeth Magill of the University of Pennsylvania was asked, Does calling for the genocide of Jews violate Penns rules or code of conduct, yes or no? Her reply was essentially, it depends. When asked if calling for the genocide of Jews, was bullying or harassment, again her reply was essentially, it depends. She finally admitted that punishing protestors calling for the genocide of Jews was a context-dependent decision.

These three presidents are obviously bright people. Why could they not say directly that it was unacceptable to imply genocide?

The answer is simple and complex at the same time. They had to say this, even at the risk of losing their privileged jobs, so as not to face the reaction that would befall them from the Woke true believers.

As mentioned in this space previously, this new religion breaks the world down into three main groups: Victims, Oppressors and Saviors. Membership in these groups is not determined by anything an individual would do or think. Much as in most of the world before the advent of human rights engineered primarily by Europeans, a person is essentially born into one of these groups. Saviors (the students and faculty of elite schools, many far leftists and self-important intellectuals) must save the victims from the oppressors.

It is important to note that victims cannot be the cause of their own victimhood. Therefore, if they, like Hamas, commit crimes against humanity, it must be the fault of oppressors.

This religion of Wokism has a problem with Jews. They have, somewhere in the world, been the victims of oppression for over 2,000 years, but they tend to get uppity and they are accused of colonizing an area they call Israel, which would set them apart as oppressors.

It would be a knee-jerk reaction to expel any student who even mentioned genocide against any other victimhood group. In fact, the president would be lionized for any such action.

There is another reason the presidents could not answer the questions directly. Modern elite schools no longer see their mission as producing knowledgeable and productive individuals. Their holy calling is producing more saviors. This becomes obvious when you realize that these schools do graduate people who dont know what river their protest is talking about even though almost everyone graduates with an A.
Photo courtesy: UNI

Srinagar: The Pakistani Army helped four terrorists attempting to cross the International Border into India through Jammu by allegedly setting one of its posts on fire to divert the attention of surveillance equipment on the Indian side, NDTV reported, citing sources.

The Indian Army successfully thwarted the infiltration attempt, resulting in the elimination of two terrorists, while the other two retreated to the Pakistani side.

Earlier in the day, the 16 Corps of the Indian Army, also known as the White Knight Corps, reported the movement of four terrorists in the Akhnoor sector.

A post on X, formerly Twitter, from the Corps mentioned that the terrorists were engaged in gunfire, and observers noted them dragging one body back across the border.

"Infiltration bid foiled in IB sector of #Khour, #Akhnoor. The suspected move of four terrorists seen through own surveillance devices on the night of 22/23 Dec 23. Effective fire brought down. Terrorists seen dragging one body back across the IB," the post said.

Infiltration bid foiled in IB sector of #Khour, #Akhnoor. Suspected move of four terrorists seen through own surveillance devices on the night of 22/23 Dec 23. Effective fire brought down. Terrorists seen dragging one body back across the IB.@adgpi@NorthernComd_IA  White Knight Corps (@Whiteknight_IA) December 23, 2023

The incident is significant not only because Pakistani forces set fire to one of their posts to divert attention but also because infiltration bids are rare on the International Border, which is recognised as the official border between India and Pakistan.

Sources said it indicates that, apart from the Line of Control, Pakistan is activating the International Border as well.

The Army has launched a major operation against infiltration and terrorists in the area, which is within a 200-km radius of the Rajouri-Poonch region that is emerging as a new hotbed of terrorism.

In an encounter on Thursday, four soldiers were martyred and three more sustained injuries.

The confrontation ensued when terrorists opened fire on two Army vehicles while passing through the Dera Ki Gali area.

This incident comes close on the heels of a series of security challenges in the Rajouri-Poonch region, where 10 soldiers lost their lives in twin attacks during April and May.
Photo Courtesy: Pixabay

Four Syrian refugee children were killed late Friday night after the roof of their house collapsed due to heavy rain in the northern Lebanese town of Miziara, the National News Agency reported Saturday.

Civil defense personnel have recovered the bodies of two children from the rubble of the Syrian refugee family's house, located on a hilltop, and are working on the excavation of the other two bodies.

Lebanon, which currently hosts around 2 million Syrian refugees, remains the country hosting the largest number of refugees per capita, according to government data.

Despite living in dire conditions amid the current economic crisis in Lebanon, Syrian refugees refuse to return to their home country to avoid legal prosecutions there.

Lebanon has been facing an unprecedented economic crisis, plunging over 80 percent of the population into poverty.

(With UNI inputs)
Photo Courtesy: Pixabay

Flour prices in Pakistan's Islamabad and Rawalpindi cities have spiked in recent times with concerned officers only doing lip service and paperwork rather than taking concrete steps to stop smuggling and hoarding to control flour which was being sold in black.

Over 70 per cent flourmill owners are not purchasing government wheat from the District Food Department due to its exorbitant prices and as a result public is buying atta in black at skyrocketing prices but nobody cares about it, reported The News International.

The flourmill owners are purchasing wheat privately and selling atta bags at the price of gold but bosses are busy in other works rather than providing relief to innocent people, the Pakistani newspaper reported.

Giving shock to consumers, a 15-kilogram atta bag is being sold between Rs2250 to Rs2500 in the open market.

Deputy Director (Food) Ghulam Abbas Mehar told The News that the Punjab government fixed the rate of 40-kilogram wheat at Rs4700 against Rs3900 therefore majority of flourmill owners are not purchasing government wheat. Punjab government had a fixed rate of 40-kilogram wheat at Rs3900 which was reasonable and affordable for flourmill owners.

How flourmill owners could purchase expensive government wheat, he said.

In this situation, the food department could not control Atta prices because it was the duty of local administration, he claimed. If the Punjab government does not reduce government rates of wheat, flour prices will further increase in coming days, he warned.
Photo Courtesy: Pixabay

The Punjab Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) in Pakistan on Saturday claimed its personnel killed a terrorist who was allegedly linked to 50 murders.

According to a CTD statement, the intelligence-based operation took place in Chiniot, reported Dawn News.

The CTD spokesperson told Dawn News that during the action, the alleged terrorist and his accomplice resisted, leading to an exchange of fire between CTD personnel and the terrorists.

Both were killed during the exchange of fire.

The spokesperson revealed that the suspect, with a bounty of Rs2.5 million on his head, had been in hiding since 2011, evading security agencies.

According to reports, security personnel recovered modern weapons and explosives from the hideout of the terrorist.
Ever since actress Ankita Lokhande appeared on Bigg Boss 17 along with her husband Vicky Jain, the relationship between the couple has grabbed headlines at many occasions. The actress' husband has often been called toxic for his behaviour towards her in the house. Not just that, her mother-in-law was also at fans' target after she blamed her for not taking enough care of her son and telling Vicky, "Tumne isko chhoot de di."

Now, another video from the show has gone viral on social media in which Vicky Jain is seen raising his hand apparently to slap his wife Ankita Lokhande in front of co-contestants Abhishek Kumar and Arun Mashetty. The video has once again angered the actress' fans who are calling Vicky a "red flag" all over again.

Was Vicky Jain about to slap Ankita Lokhande on national television? Watch the video below.

Fans slam Vicky Jain's toxic behaviour

"What was this behaviour of Vicky Jain how dare him to try to threaten to slap your wife a women on national television, when she was just talking and fighting for you," an X user wrote.

"Vicky Jain aggressively tried to get out of the blanket and looked like he was trying to hit his wife Ankita Lokhande on national television," read a comment.



Another fan tweeted, "Seen many couples in the bb house, but #Ankitalokhande and #Vickyjain are the worst toxic couple to have ever came on the show. They are so toxic that they use divorce in every small arguments. Both the personality are rotten to the core,and now slapping."

Some others thought that he was just angry and aggressively grabbed the blanket.

Twitter

An X user said, "This is how u want to see something on big picture! I see an angry guy just trying to walk off from that place so woh convo #AnkitaLokhande pr shift na ho! So #VickyJain just agressively grabbed blanket and the atmosphere created by AK made it wrong!"



"Pointing out #VickyJain only... Why...? Both are toxic... Ankita ko koi kuj nhi bolega .....maybe reverse gender hai ...isliye," wrote a user.



In a recent episode of Bigg Boss 17, Ankita Lokhande told Vicky Jain "Let's take a divorce".

This happened when Vicky was joking about the sufferings of married men. He said, "I can never really say how I feel. This is what married people, especially men, go through. They cant really tell what they really go through and how they suffer." Reacting to this, Ankita replied, If you suffer so much, then why are you with me? Lets take a divorce; I dont want to go back home with you."



Do you think Ankita Lokhande and Vicky Jain share a toxic relationship? What's your opinion on the slap incident? Let us know in the comments section below.

For more news and updates from the world of celebrities from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment.


Amber Heard has appeared as Mera in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom but her role has diminished to just 11 lines, grunts and one laugh.

After discovering this, her fans refused to watch the movie. She played a lead in the original movie Aquaman starring alongside Jason Momoa. In the sequel, her role has been minimized even though she is now married to Arthur Curry and has given birth to their newborn child.

Twitter

During the defamation trial against her former husband Johnny Depp, Amber Heard testified that her role was shortened in the sequel and some of her actions scenes were removed as she fought to remain in the sequel. As per Variety, two of her scenes were cut - including a fight scene with villain Black Manta and a love scene with Aquaman.

"I was given a script and then given new versions of the script that had taken away scenes that had action in it, that depicted my character and another character, without giving any spoilers away, two characters fighting with one another, and they basically took a bunch out of my role. They just removed a bunch out," she said.

When DC boss Walter Hamada was asked whether this was because of her infamous trial, he said that her scenes were cut due to a lack of chemistry



Her total screen time in the movie is 15 to 20 minutes in the two-hour movie. She has 11 lines, grunts and one laugh. Seeing this, her fans are upset.

Twitter

"I just saw the movie and there is very obvious that the parts with Mera are missing because is an important character for the plot so bring out the full version #IStandWithAmberHeard", a fan said.

Also Read: Do You Know, Jason Momoa Reportedly 'Terrorized' Amber Heard By Dressing Up As Johnny Depp



"This why even though I support those Amber Heard fans who will see Aquaman 2 #OnlyForMera, I'm still not bought into watching it. Critics have noted that Amber was right: they cut down her scenes as much as possible. And this messed up the entire movie," commented another one.



Twitter

"I wouldnt say that #AmberHeard was the best of this film, she's not anywhere near YahYa or Nicole in my opinion, and she barely talks - and when she talks her lines are minimal or laughable. Although as I said I agree that Heard surely has badass moments (including one of my favorite battles of the film when she is with Kidman) but thats about it," a fan said.

Johnny Depp fans thought she still had a pretty decent role.

" Also Warner Bros / DC literally lied about Amber Heard having a reduced role. She was still very prominent," a tweet read.

"Ain't no way Amber Heard has the same amount of screentime as Patrick Wilson in the sequel please tell me it's a joke", an X user commented.



"#AquamanAndTheLostKingdom is out in Germany and sady I have to report that Amber Heard got much more screen time than the marketing material suggested," said another one.

For more news and updates from the world of celebrities from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment.


Authorities in France have grounded a Nicaragua-bound flight carrying more than 300 Indian passengers over suspected "human trafficking".

The Airbus A340, operated by Romania-based Legend Airlines, had taken off from Dubai on Thursday with some 303 passengers and was on its way to Nicaragua.

Military Eye

Grounded during technical stop

The chartered flight made a technical stop over at Vatry airport, located 150 kilometres east of Paris, for refuelling.

It was held by French authorities after an anonymous tip-off that it was carrying passengers "likely to be victims of human trafficking," the Paris prosecutor's office told AFP.

They were also checking the conditions in which the passengers were being transported and the purpose of their journey.

Two arrested

The national anti-organised crime unit JUNALCO is leading the investigation, said prosecutors.

Flight Radar

Two men who were also among the passengers have been taken into custody by the authorities, but the charges against them are yet unknown. Human trafficking carries a potential sentence of up to 20 years in France.

It is suspected that the passengers might have planned to travel to Central America in order to attempt illegal entry into the United States or Canada.

After landing in France, they were first kept on the aircraft but then let out and given individual beds in the terminal building. The entire airport was cordoned off by police.

What Indian mission said

On Friday, India's embassy in France received consular access to the 303 passengers.

"French authorities informed us of a plane w/ 303 people, mostly of Indian origin, from Dubai to Nicaragua detained on a technical halt at a French airport. The embassy team has reached & obtained consular access. We are investigating the situation, also ensuring the well-being of passengers," the Indian Mission said.

Legend Airlines

Done nothing wrong: Legend Airlines

Earlier, a lawyer for Legend Airlines said that it had not committed any crime and added that the grounded flight was chartered by a customer.

According to the lawyer, the airline verified "the conformity of the documents presented by the client, who must demonstrate that these people have the right to go to Nicaragua and have valid passports".

"The company cannot check the criminal records of the people transport." the lawyer said.

For more news and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News.
The Delhi government has banned the plying of BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel four-wheelers in the national capital under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) Stage III, which came into effect on Friday.

The GRAP-III was reintroduced on Friday by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), a statutory body responsible for formulating strategies to combat pollution in the region, after the air quality of NCR slipped back to severe category.

BCCL

What Delhi government said

The Delhi transport department, in its order, said the sub-committee for operationalisation of the revised GRAP has reviewed the air quality scenario as well as the forecast for meteorological conditions and air quality index in Delhi.

"As per directions as provided under Stage III of the revised GRAP and under Section 115 of Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, it is hereby ordered that there shall be restrictions to ply BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel LMVs (four-wheelers) in NCT of Delhi with immediate effect till further orders (except for vehicles deployed in emergency services, police vehicles and government vehicles used for enforcement)," the order said.

BCCL

"If any BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel LMVs (four-wheeler) found plying on road will be prosecuted under section 194 (1) of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, which provides with a fine of Rs 20,000," it said.

Stage-III across NCR

Under Stage III, restrictions are also imposed on the operation of BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel four-wheelers in Delhi, Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad, and Gautam Budh Nagar.

The GRAP is the Centre's air pollution control plan implemented in the region during winter.

The GRAP categorises 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).

What else is banned

Under GRAP-III, non-essential construction work, stone crushing and mining have also been banned in Delhi until further orders.

BCCL

Construction work related to national security or defence, projects of national importance, healthcare, railways, metro rail, airports, interstate bus terminals, highways, roads, flyovers, overbridges, power transmission, pipelines, sanitation and water supply are exempted from the ban.

On Saturday morning, the air quality index in Delhi was recorded at 447, which comes under the 'severe' category, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

For more news and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News.
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday clarified that the government has not taken a decision on lifting the ban on hijabs in educational institutions across the state.

"We haven't done it (revoking the Hijab ban) yet. Someone asked me a question (on lifting Hijab ban). I replied that the government is considering revoking it," CM Siddaramaiah said in Mysuru.

AP

Will the Hijab ban be lifted?

Asked whether it would be done this academic year, the CM said it would be done after discussing it at the government level.

The clarification comes a day after he said that there was no restriction on wearing the religious headscarf in educational institutions and observed that the choice of dress and food is personal.

2022 Hijab ban in Karnataka

In 2022, the previous BJP government banned the wearing of hijab in educational institutions in Karnataka, leading to widespread chaos, and many Muslim students had to drop out of schools and colleges due to harassment.

Some students and Muslim outfits had challenged the Hijab ban in the Karnataka High Court, and later, the Supreme Court sided with the government and said that the headscarf is not an essential practice in Islam.

BCCL

Muskan, a student from Mandya district in Karnataka who had become the face of the protest seeking permission to wear hijabs, welcomed the CM's statement.

"Hijab is our culture. It is our right. I believe that we will get the right. There should be no politics in education," Muskan said.

"Hijab is our religion, and we need to follow it. Because of the ban on hijab, many girls were forced to remain at their homes. I did not go to college for a year. Now, I am going to PES College. The others also should come out and take exams," She added.

What if others make similar demands

However, lifting the highly polarising ban will not be easy for the Karnataka Government as the BJP has already raised its objection.

AFP

"By allowing religious attire in educational institutions Siddaramaiah government is dividing young minds along religious lines, potentially hindering the inclusive learning environment," BJP Karnataka chief, Vijayendra, said.

BJP's former national General Secretary CT Ravi said that others, too might want to wear saffron and other shawls.

"If Muslim girl students are allowed to wear hijab, others will demand permission to wear saffron, blue or yellow shawls," Ravi said.

For more news and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News.
The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) and the Ministry of Defense discovered an attempted theft in the purchase of artillery shells for the Ukrainian Armed Forces worth UAH 1.5 billion, the SBU press service reported on Friday evening.

"The Security Service, in cooperation and with the assistance of the Minister of Defense of Ukraine, liquidated a corruption scheme for the purchase of ammunition for the Armed Forces of Ukraine for almost UAH 1.5 billion. As a result of complex measures, a head of one of the Main Directorates of the Ministry of Defense, who was involved in the deal, was detained in Kyiv," the statement said, published on the Telegram channel of the SBU.

According to the investigation, an official of the Ministry of Defense in December last year signed an agreement with a special exporting company for the purchase of a wholesale batch of artillery shells for the Armed Forces of Ukraine. But then budget funds were not transferred to the accounts of the special exporter.

It is noted that the newly created Defense Procurement Agency of the Ministry of Defense subsequently concluded a more profitable contract for the supply of the same artillery shells with the same manufacturer. The new agreement, unlike the previous one, provided for the purchase of ammunition without intermediaries, directly from the manufacturer, which significantly shortened delivery times and reduced its cost.

However, the defendant, neglecting the contract of the Defense Procurement Agency, unreasonably extended the previous agreement with the special exporter.

"Moreover, after the extension of the 'old' contract, almost UAH 1.5 billion was transferred to the accounts of an affiliated foreign intermediary company. This amount was 30% higher than the cost of products under a direct contract with the manufacturer," the SBU statement emphasizes.

During searches at the defendant's places of work and residence, documents confirming illegal activities were found.

As part of the criminal proceedings initiated by Security Service investigators under Part 2 of Article 114-1 (obstruction of the legitimate activities of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and other military formations) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, the issue of reporting suspicion to an official is resolved. The defendant has now been suspended from duty. In addition, the Ministry of Defense is taking measures to return the embezzled almost UAH 1.5 billion to the Ukrainian budget.

The investigation is ongoing. The perpetrator faces up to 15 years in prison.
A Hindu temple in the US state of California has been vandalised by suspected pro-Khalistan elements.

The walls of Shree Swaminarayan Mandir in Newark, Bay Area, were spray painted on Friday with graffiti.

Hindu America Foundation

Clear act of vandalism

The graffiti called Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi 'terrorist' and Khalistan separatist Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, who was killed in the 1984 Operation Blue Star 'martyr'.

"Whatever happened last night was a clear act of vandalism and violence against the Indian community," Chintan Pandya, a member of the temple, told CBS News.

He said the incident is "concerning" as it is the first time the temple has seen something like this ever since its opening almost two years ago.

Hindu America Foundation

"It is not safe for the community," Pandya said, adding that the temple leaders will be having a special meeting to discuss the incident.

Treating this as a hate crime

"We will investigate as thoroughly as possible with utmost care and sensitivity. I can also tell you that officers are currently investigating this via evidence collection," Jonathan Arguello, a police captain for the city of Newark, said.

The official said to piece together the chain of events leading to defacement, footage from surveillance cameras in the neighbouring residences was being looked into.

Hindu America Foundation

"Our policies that any acts of violence or threats of violence, property damage, harassment, intimidation, or other crimes motivated by hate or bias are considered very serious and given the utmost care. We're handling this investigation as a hate crime at this point, based on our conversations with you and the physical evidence we've seen," he said.

India condemns the vandalism

Condemning the defacement of the temple, the Indian Consulate in San Francisco on Saturday said the incident has hurt the sentiments of the Indian community.

"We strongly condemn the defacing of SMVS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir at Newark, California with anti-India graffiti. This incident has hurt the sentiments of the Indian community. We have pressed for quick investigation and prompt action against the vandals by the US authorities in this matter," the Indian Mission posted on Social Media.

Increase in attacks on temples

In recent years, there has been an increase in cases of vandalism targeting Hindu places of worship in both the US and Canada by suspected pro-Khalistani groups in a similar fashion.

AP

The latest incident comes at a time when the US Justice Department has indicted an Indian national, Nikhil Gupta, for his alleged involvement in a foiled plot to kill New York-based Khalistan leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun.

For more news and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News.
Malam Lawal Maikano, the Commissioner for Finance in Niger State, has revealed that the ministry recently uncovered approximately 200 fake names listed on the state governments payroll.

He disclosed this during an interview with journalists immediately after the ministrys 2024 budget defense in Minna on Friday.

Maikano explained that the discovery was a result of the technology implemented by the State Government to scrutinise the State civil service.

Governor Umaru Bagos administration is resolute in closing all loopholes and leaks. To achieve this, we are employing technology to streamline these processes, which we initiated within the first two months of our tenure.

READ ALSO: Abia Government Uncovers Japa Doctors Still Collecting Salaries<a

We have removed approximately 100 to 200 names from the payroll that were nonexistent. If they were genuine, we would have received numerous complaints about non-payment of salaries, he stated.

He mentioned that the state employs about 25,000 individuals and that the state government expends N2.5 billion monthly on salary payments.

However, he clarified that the funding for the 2024 budget, totalling N613 billion, would come from loans, Federal allocation, revenue generation, and other sources.
A medical practitioner, known as David Adefikayo, has been killed by some yet to be identified gunmen who attacked his home in the Kambi community along Ilorin/Jebba Expressway in Moro Local Government Area of Kwara State.

It was gathered that the culprits stormed the residence of the Medical Director of Dafikayo Clinic in Kambi, around 8.30pm on Thursday, shooting sporadically and killed the doctor.

INFORMATION NIGERIA learnt that the doctors sixteen-year-old daughter was also kidnapped during the attack.

According to The PUNCH, a relative of the deceased who wished to remain anonymous, narrated the horrible story and expressed their deep shock and grief.

READ MORE: Kwara Community, Hoodlums Clash Over Arrest Of Kingpin

She said: The assailants, whose motives remain unclear, gained entry into Dr Adefikayos home around 8.30pm, and despite the doctors desperate pleas and offers of money or any other possessions they might wish to take, the gunmen remained resolute in their deadly intent, tragically executing their horrific mission in front of his horrified wife and children.

Adding to the familys anguish, the assailants abducted the youngest child of the deceased, a 16-year-old girl, before fleeing the scene.
The Nigeria Labour Congress has warned the Federal Government against alleged possible takeover of the Port Harcourt Refinery by cabals in the system.

INFORMATION NIGERIA reports that NLC requested an audit of the refinery and charged the President Bola Ahmed Tinubus led administration to purge the project of elements that led to its collapse in the first instance.

According to the Head of Information, Benson Upah, made this known in an interview with PUNCH, on Friday, in Abuja.

Benson said: Indeed, if it has commenced operation after countless rescheduling, it will be a plus for this government.

As you graciously pointed out, we have over the years rooted for domestic refining for obvious advantages; cheaper products, multiplicity of products, jobs, product security/availability and more income.

READ MORE: Port Harcourt Refineryll Begin Operations By December  FG Assures

Some privileged Nigerians routinely sabotage our local refineries for their personal gains so they could be richer than our country making Nigeria a paradise of crimes and sins with no redeeming qualities.

While we at the Nigeria Labour Congress would like to commend the authorities for resuming operations, we would like to make the point that it is not enough to resume operations, the place must be purged of the people, habits and crimes that brought it to its knees in the first place.

We must also warn against the implementation of devilish designs by the all-too-familiar cabal to start operations, collapse the refineries as inoperable to sell them off as scraps to themselves.
Embattled former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, has been released from the Kuje Correctional Centre after meeting up with his bail condition.

It was gathered that the embattled CBN governors release warrant was signed by a vacation judge, Justice Othman Musa on 22nd December.

Recall that Emefiele was in November, granted bail in the sum of N300 million and two sureties in like sum by Justice Hamza Muazu of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Abuja.

However, it was said that the sureties must have certificates of occupancy and titles of properties within the Maitama District according to the Judge and the former CBN Governor was mandated to deposit all his travel documents with the registrar of the court and remain within the Abuja Municipal Council.

Justice Muazu remanded Emefiele at the Kuje Correctional Centre pending when he meets the bail conditions.

This comes four months after the Federal High Court Sitting in Lagos granted him bail in the sum of N20 million.

READ MORE: Emefiele Fails To Meet N300m Bail Condition, To Remain In Prison As Court Adjourns Case Till January

The former CBN Governor is standing trial for charges brought against him by the federal government for corrupt practices while in office.

Speaking to PUNCH on Saturday, the spokesperson for the Kuje Correctional Centre, FCT, Adamu Duza, confirmed the development.
The Federal Government has declared Monday, and Tuesday, December, 25 and 26 2023, and January 1, 2024, as public holidays to mark Christmas and New Years Day celebrationsy.

The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, declared on Friday, in a statement signed by Peter Egbodo, acting Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Interior.

The Minister urged Christians to emulate the life of Jesus Christ in his practice and teachings of humility, service, compassion, and patience.

He added that peace and security are critical prerequisites for economic development and prosperity.

Statement reads: The Federal Government has declared Monday 25th, Tuesday 26th December, 2023 and Monday, January, 1st 2024 as public holidays to mark Christmas and New Year Day celebrations, respectively. 

READ MORE: Yuletide: Dont Lose Hope  Gov Sanwo-Olu Tells Lagos Residents

Dr Tunji-Ojo enjoined Christians to emulate the life of Jesus Christ in His practice and teachings of humility, service, compassion, and patience. peace and righteousness that His birth signifies.

He emphasized that peace and security are critical prerequisites for economic development and prosperity.

Dr Tunji-Ojo admonished all Citizens to remain focused that, the year 2024 will be a better year with the Renewed Hope agenda of the President. The Minister wishes all Nigerians, especially Christians a happy Christmas and a peaceful and prosperous New Year celebration.
Some Rivers State elders have dragged President Bola Tinubu to the Federal High Court in Abuja, for allegedly compelling Governor Siminilaya Fubara, to enter what they described as unconstitutional agreement.

They insisted that the agreement, which was signed on December 18, was not only illegal but amounted to an usurpation, nullification, and undermining of the extant/binding relevant provisions of the 1999 Constitution, as amended.

INFORMATION NIGERIA learnt that the plaintiffs led by a member of the Rivers State House of Assembly representing Bonny State Constituency, Victor Jumbo, are Senator Bennett Birabi, Senator Andrew Uchendu, Rear Admiral O. P. Fingesi, Ann Kio Briggs, and Emmanuel Deinma.

READ MORE: Rivers Crisis: Angry Protesters Storm Port Harcourt Over Tinubus Intervention (Pictures)

They are praying that the court determine whether President Tinubu, Governor Fubara, and the Rivers State Assembly have the rights, and are entitled to enter into any agreement that has the effect of nullifying or undermining the constitution and provisions of Section 109(I)(g) and (2) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended.

Listed as defendants in the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1718/2023 are President Bola Tinubu; the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Governor Fubara, the Rivers Assembly, Speaker of the Rivers State Assembly, and the INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu.

Recall that the rift between Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, has split the state house of assembly into two, with 27 of the lawmakers, decamped from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

However, President Tinubu had on Monday met with Fubara and Wike at the Aso Villa in Abuja.

It was gathered that after the meeting, the President directed that the warring parties withdraw all matters instituted in the courts by Fubara, his team and the leadership of Martin Amaewhule in the Rivers State House of Assembly be recognised, and not that of Edison Ehie.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Friday, reiterated his commitment to the unity of the country, as well as ensuring the welfare and prosperity of all citizens, irrespective of ethnic or religious backgrounds.

Speaking at the Ansar-Ud-Deen Central Mosque in Surulere, Lagos State, the President said that the economic reforms initiated by his government are aimed at establishing a robust and secure foundation for Nigerians today and for generations unborn.

In the statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media, Ajuri Ngelale, Tinubu joined the Muslim Ummah to observe Jumaat prayers marking the centennial anniversary of the Ansar-Ud-Deen Society of Nigeria (ADS), commended the Society for its service to humanity, contributions to the propagation of the tenets of Islam, and efforts in uplifting the downtrodden.

He urged members of the Society to remain committed to their objectives of advancing the education of citizens, as well as promoting the moral and social development of the Muslim Ummah.

READ MORE: Yuletide Season: Tinubu Approves 50% Reduction In Transport Fares Nationwide

Tinubu said: I thank the Ansar-Ud-Deen Society for its support during the elections. I do not take it for granted; rather, the support serves as a stimulus for us in government to remain focused, he said.

We are committed to enthroning a better society for our citizens irrespective of ethnic, religious, or geographical differences. The various policies already in place are expected to bring great succour to our people. We know their pains, and we are addressing them holistically.

It is instructive that Ansar-Ud-Deen has attained 100 years through a systemic strategy that maintains its mission and vision. This is a testimony to what focused planning can achieve in a society, the President concluded.
Nurses at Lower Bucks Hospital and Suburban Community Hospital protest on Friday, Dec 22, 2023, during a strike rally outside the Lower Bucks Hospital in Bristol, Pa. Read more

Dozens of nurses marched in front of an 11-foot inflatable Grinch outside of Lower Bucks Hospital Friday morning, holding signs that said Only a Grinch would take away our staffing and All I want for Christmas is quality health care.

The protesters were among 240 unionized nurses at the Bristol hospital and Suburban Community Hospital in East Norriton who began a five-day strike Friday after contract negotiations with their employer, Prime Healthcare, reached an impasse.

The hospitals will remain open during the strike.

 READ MORE: Nurses at Lower Bucks Hospital and Suburban Community Hospital are on strike. Heres what to know.

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We are out here showing them that they cant waste our time, said Maria Valletto, an ICU nurse at Lower Bucks, holding a sign that read Caution! Unsafe staffing ahead.

Michelle Aliprantis, a spokesperson for Prime, called the strike disappointing, but said all of the hospitals services would continue without disruption to patient care.

We are fully staffed with qualified temporary resources across our nursing and non-nursing departments, Aliprantis said.

Staffing and health-care benefits

The nurses are negotiating for higher staffing levels and better health-care benefits. They are represented by the Pennsylvania Association of Staff Nurses and Allied Professionals, or PASNAP. Their contract expired Oct. 12.

The union wants Prime to hire and retain more nurses, so that each nurse cares for fewer patients at once.

We just want to take care of our patients and do it safely, said Terena Stinson, an ER nurses who has worked at Suburban Community for 32 years.

The union and Prime are also deadlocked over health-care benefits. Prime requires its nurses to seek care at Prime facilities, but in recent years has cut services, making it harder to access care, said Shannan Giambrone, an ICU nurse who has worked at Suburban Community for 23 years. When they seek care outside of network, nurses have challenges getting reimbursed.

Nurses also want a wage increase, and claim their current wages do not meet industry standards.

The health system has offered the nurses more money and health care benefits that are competitive with other hospitals in the area, said Aliprantis, the Prime spokesperson.

It is disappointing that despite progress being made, the union has walked away from negotiations and has chosen to strike, she said in an email.

A serious step

Unions commonly authorize a strike during contract negotiations, but they typically do not carry through on the threat.

The strike at the two Prime hospitals is the first by hospital nurses in the region in more than three years. The last one was in November 2020, when nearly 800 nurses from St. Mary Medical Center walked off the job. The nurses returned to work at the Trinity Health Mid-Atlantic hospital in Bucks County after five days.

The Prime nurses voted to limit their strike to five days because they were concerned about their patients, said Giambrone, the ICU nurse.

It really is one of the saddest days of my career, she said.

Solidarity from officials

Friday morning, Giambrone and her colleagues held up signs that warned if the nurses are outside, something is wrong on the inside as cars passing by slowed and honked in support.

Several elected officials, including State Sen. Frank Farry and State Rep. Kathleen Tomlinson, both Republicans from Bucks, joined the nurses.

County Commissioner Board Chair Bob Harvie, a Democrat, told the crowd that the Bucks County Board supports the nurses. He and his son were both born at Lower Bucks Hospital, he said.

The love and the care that you give to your patients every single day is what keeps this place running, Harvie told the rallying nurses.

Rumored sale

Prime appears to have put three area hospitals, including the two strikebound facilities, up for sale, according to an email notice earlier this week from a Los Angeles investment bank. The notice did not identify the owner, but the description of the three hospitals fits the local Prime locations.

 READ MORE: Three Philadelphia-area hospitals are for sale

Based in Southern California, Prime Healthcare is one of the largest for-profit hospital systems in the United States, with more than 40 hospitals in 16 states.

In Pennsylvania, Prime hospitals include Philadelphias Roxborough Memorial Hospital and Lower Bucks Hospital in Bristol. Suburban Community Hospital in East Norriton is also part of the Prime system, but it is owned by the companys nonprofit arm, Prime Healthcare Foundation.

The striking nurses said their demands will remain the same, even if the hospitals ownership changes.

What is safe care for patients and responsible treatment of employees doesnt change when the employers changes, Giambrone said.
The Philadelphia Fire Department welcomed into its ranks 70 graduates - firefighter and EMS cadets - on Friday. Fire Cadet Class 201 is made up of 67 graduates, while EMS Class 2 has three.
Every night this husband and wife would argue with each other, my friend Ron, a former police officer, was telling me over lunch just before Christmas a few years ago.

The guy would yell at the top of his lungs and pound his fists against the walls. And the woman would whimper, probably afraid for her life.

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We were chatting at our favorite diner in Queens, New York. Ron, then in his 80s, liked to tell me stories about his adventures as a patrolman on the beat in the Bronx, which spanned more than 20 years.

Other tenants in the apartment building would hear this commotion and call the police to complain, he said. They worried someone might get hurt. And I would go knock on the door to see what all the trouble was about.

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So went Rons career in law enforcement. No shootouts with murderers. No high-speed car chases after bank robbers. No busts confiscating a million dollars in heroin. Just a cop who knew everyone in the neighborhood, and everyone knew him.

Ron never had to pull his gun out of its holster on the job. But he knew how to talk to people. He had a flair for breaking up domestic disputes. And on this occasion, he convinced the husband to simmer down and even apologize to his wife.

But what did it mean? Ron suddenly asked me. What does any of it really mean?

My friend tended to get philosophical. He lived in a house by himself. His wife had died decades earlier and, more recently, his daughter, too, his only child. He seemed down so often I suspected he might some day kill himself. After all, more than a few cops regardless of age do.

Ron said, Sometimes I get depressed thinking none of it means anything.

But I could get philosophical too. All of it means something, I insisted. Everything. And I meant it.

We both resumed eating our lunch for the next minute or two.

Lets say that because you broke up that argument, the couple went on to have a happy marriage, I posited. And lets suppose they eventually had a child. Who grew up to become a scientist. And one day discovered a cure for cancer. It would be because of you. Because you happened to knock on that door.

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That would mean something, right?

Ron just stared at me, absorbing this scenario, speechless but nodding up and down.

Henry Travers as Clarence the angel, left, and James Stewart as George Bailey in the 1946 film "It's A Wonderful Life." (Associated Press)

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Later, after we parted company, I realized I had unwittingly taken a page from the What if? propositions so vividly depicted in the classic Christmas movie Its A Wonderful Life. In it, Jimmy Stewarts character George Bailey is in such desperate despair over his life on Christmas Eve that he prepares to kill himself by jumping off a bridge into an icy river.

Luckily for him, a guardian angel named Clarence Odbody is dispatched from heaven to prevent it. Afterward, Bailey tells Clarence, I wish Id never been born.

And just like that, Clarence grants his wish. George gets the unique opportunity to witness how life in his hometown would have taken many turns for the worse had he never existed. He learns, for example, that had he not been born, he wouldnt have been there to save his younger brother Harry from drowning in a frozen lake as a boy. But because of Georges intervention, Harry grows up to fight in World War II as a fighter pilot and prevents a kamikaze attack on a troop transport, heroically saving the lives of his fellow soldiers. Harry comes home bearing the Medal of Honor.

All of our actions have consequences.

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A few weeks ago, Ron told me he has cancer. He has gone in and out of the hospital, getting treatment and multiple surgeries. That cure for cancer I speculated about at the diner would come in handy right about now. It just might prove to Ron that our lives indeed have meaning  and his no less than any other.

Bob Brody, a consultant and essayist, is author of the memoir Playing Catch with Strangers: A Family Guy (Reluctantly) Comes of Age.

Submit a letter, of no more than 400 words, to the editor here or email letters@chicagotribune.com.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine on the Day of Diplomatic Service Workers said that diplomats would provide a reliable international rear for the Ukrainian army and the Ukrainian people in 2024, noting that this year Ukraine has proven that nothing is impossible for it.

"In 2023, Ukrainian military diplomacy worked 24/7 for results for Ukraine. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy set the pace of this work and charged our entire diplomatic team for the fight. Today it was especially pleasant to hear from him words of gratitude for the successes of diplomats and instructions for the future. This year, Ukraine has once again proven that nothing is impossible for it," Kuleba wrote on Instagram.

The minister emphasized that "despite all the challenges, elections, vetoes, wars in other regions, we are persistently moving forward and maintaining support."

"In fact, behind every diplomatic miracle there is systematic, hard and professional work. It does not always become public, but its results are visible to everyone. Whatever difficulties lie ahead, whatever challenges Ukraine faces, we will overcome everything. Because we are Ukrainians," Kuleba said.

He added that the world perceives us as a nation capable of the impossible, and for diplomats "it is an honor to represent such a legendary country, such a heroic people on the international stage."

The main thing, as the minister emphasized, is to maintain faith in yourself and your state.

"Unity within the country and abroad. I believe in victory. And work for it. Weekly, daily, hourly, every minute. No matter what anyone says and no matter what despondent they sow, know that diplomats will not waver. We will provide a reliable international rear for our army, for our people in 2024," Kuleba said.
A demonstrator waves a flag with marijuana leaves depicted on it during a protest calling for the legalization of marijuana, outside of the White House on in 2016. Read more

After he was sentenced to prison in 2012 for distributing drugs, an Allentown man was supposed to remain behind bars until 2033.

But a recent round of pardons, announced by the Biden administration on Friday, means that Angel Rosario and 10 other people nationwide serving time on drug-related offenses will soon be released from custody.

President Joe Biden said in a statement that he was offering clemency for those serving disproportionately long sentences for nonviolent drug offenses, people who would have received significantly lower judgments had they been tried today due to reforms.

The move follows a sweeping round of federal pardons for drug-related offenses issued during Bidens tenure. Last year, the president pardoned thousands of people convicted of simple marijuana possession under federal law.

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America was founded on the principle of equal justice under law, Biden said Friday. Elected officials on both sides of the aisle, faith leaders, civil rights advocates, and law enforcement leaders agree that our criminal justice system can and should reflect this core value that makes our communities safer and stronger.

This round of clemency offerings are notable in that their recipients convictions all stem from charges relating to methamphetamines, cocaine, and cocaine base, or crack. Some people on the list were serving sentences that were twice as long as they would have been given today, a White House official said.

And those convicted of crack cocaine possession, like Rosario, ended up facing a harsher sentence for a powder cocaine charge, a sentencing disparity that the White House said is not supported by science but racist practices, and one Biden supports eliminating.

Rosario was 25 when he was arrested in Allentown for dealing crack and cocaine, including three charges for selling the narcotics within 1,000 feet of a public school.

He was one of 14 people arrested by a team of federal and local law enforcement for dealing narcotics around Second Street, known to investigators as The Ward.

A statement from federal investigators said the area had been plagued by violence and drug trafficking before the sweeping bust. Depending on their charges, the Allentown defendants faced between 20 years to life, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Rosario was sentenced to 21 years and 10 months of imprisonment to be followed by eight years of supervised release, as well as a $2,500 fine.

Rosarios sentence will now end on April 20, according to the White House. He will still face the supervision period after his release.

In addition to the 11 clemency offerings, Biden pardoned thousands more who were convicted of use and simple possession of marijuana on federal lands and in the District of Columbia, the White House said Friday, a move that aids those with convictions in their pursuit of housing, employment, and education.

Still, most marijuana convictions occur at the state level, and no offenders sentenced solely for the possession of marijuana remain in federal custody. Biden has since called on governors to vacate sentences of some local offenders, while urging health officials and the Justice Department to reconsider how marijuana is classified by law.

While 19 states and Washington, D.C., have legalized marijuana for adult use, it remains an illegal substance in Pennsylvania, outside of medical purposes.

Before his departure last year, Gov. Tom Wolf launched an effort to pardon those with minor cannabis convictions. More than 2,600 people with convictions submitted applications to the Pennsylvania Marijuana Pardon Project, though a vast majority were denied by the Board of Pardons for failing to meet its requirements.

Josh Shapiro  then Pennsylvanias Attorney General campaigning to become governor  suggested in a 2022 message on the platform X, formerly known as Twitter, that Pennsylvania should legalize, regulate, and tax marijuana. That message was followed by a post that said: But let me be clear: legalization must include expungement for those serving time for possessing small amounts of marijuana.

Later that year, in response to Bidens call, the then-attorney general said he had coordinated a onetime, large-scale pardon for those with similar offenses.

Biden indicated on Friday that his administration would continue to pursue drug-related pardons.

  while todays announcement marks important progress, my Administration will continue to review clemency petitions and deliver reforms that advance equal justice, address racial disparities, strengthen public safety, and enhance the well-being of all Americans, Biden said.
Ken Johnston walks in the Cobbs Creek section of Philadelphia. Johnston is leading a walk in Preston, Md., on Christmas Eve that commemorates Harriett Tubmans 1854 Christmas escape. Read more

Last year, Ken Johnston, the Cobbs Creek man who describes himself as a walking artist, made two long-distance walks in honor of the 200th anniversary of Harriet Tubmans birth.

From April to May 2022, Johnston completed a 165-mile Walk to Freedom from Cape May to Burlington City, following the routes of Underground Railroad locations in South Jersey.

Then, from July to September 2022, he embarked on a 450-mile excursion from New York to Canada following Tubmans trail.

Tubman, who was born in Dorchester County, Md., lived in St. Catharines, Ontario, for about 10 years before she returned to the U.S. in 1861 to join the Union Army and worked as a nurse, scout, and a spy. During the Civil War, she helped lead the 1863 Combahee River raid in South Carolina.

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The New York to Canada walk was a continuous walk where Johnston hiked from Harlem through important Underground Railroad sites in Albany, Auburn, Seneca Falls, Buffalo, and Niagara Falls before arriving in Canada on Sept. 14, 2022.

This year, Johnston, 62, is returning to Maryland to help lead a 3.5-mile Christmas Eve Walk with Harriet at sunset from the Poplar Neck Plantation in Caroline County  where Tubman, her father, and one of her brothers once worked.

The walk will end at the Choptank River, which historians believe Tubman followed to freedom when she made her first escape from enslavement alone in 1849, when she arrived in Philadelphia at William Stills office.

Tubmans biographer, Kate Clifford Larson, wrote about the myths and facts about Tubman, whom she said returned to Maryland about 13 times and rescued 70 people. (She led the rescue of hundreds more during the Combahee River raid.)

Johnston will colead the Christmas Eve walk with Linda Harris, director of events and planning for the the Harriet Tubman Museum and Educational Center, in Cambridge, Md.

The Inquirer talked with Johnston, who works as a site supervisor at the Morris Arboretum, to ask what motivates him to walk long distances. Harris was interviewed in Maryland.

 READ MORE: Philly walking artist arrives in St. Catharines, Ontario, where Harriet Tubman once lived

What is your personal connection to Philadelphia?

Johnston: I was born in Philadelphia and lived in Germantown until I was about 12. Thats when my parents divorced and decided I would get a better education if I moved with my father to Massachusetts. I went to a private school there and attended the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. But I didnt graduate until years later.

Why do you call yourself a walking artist?

Johnston: I consider walking as a piece of performance art where I am learning these stories about history and telling them to others. I also have lantern parades and workshops where I teach people how to make lanterns. I started making lanterns before I made the walks. But in telling the stories, I use lanterns as a way of illuminating the story of the Underground Railroad and illuminating issues in their current lives.

This will be the fourth Christmas Eve that you have joined forces with the Harriet Tubman museum for a sunset walk. What is the significance of making this walk on Christmas Eve?

Johnston: In 2020, I did my first joint walk with the museum to commemorate Tubmans 1854 Christmas Day rescue of her three brothers. It is believed that Tubman waited until Christmas night to rescue her brothers and one of the brothers fiancee. Enslaved people often escaped on the holidays when white people would have been more relaxed about allowing Black families to get together.

Didnt you make an earlier Christmas Eve walk from Maryland in 2019? How did that come about?

Johnston: Yes, In 2019, I began a solo walk starting at Poplar Neck on Christmas Eve, probably just around midnight. It was the start of my Poplar Neck to Philadelphia walk. It was a 140-mile walk and I made it to Philadelphia in February 2020.

I had been planning to walk from Poplar Neck to New York. But shortly after arriving back in Philadelphia, the pandemic hit. So I didnt continue the walk from Philadelphia to New York until April 2021.

As I was making these walks, people kept asking me, Are you going to walk all the way to Canada?  where Tubman eventually moved. Then, last year, in July, the opportunity came for me to finish the walk to Canada. I started in New York, where Id left off in 2021, at the Harriet Tubman statue in Harlem. That New York to Canada walk [in 2022] was a continuation of the walk I had started in Poplar Neck in 2019.

Why did you make your Harriet Tubman walk in 2019? You said your walks in 2022 were to honor the 200th anniversary of her birth.

Johnston: In 2019, I returned to Philadelphia after living in Massachusetts for nearly 30 years. In 2018, I had completed a long, 400-mile walk from Selma [Ala.] to Memphis to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. When I came back to Philly, I was thinking of which civil rights hero I could do a walk about to pursue my interest in history and to also become familiar with the Philadelphia region again. When the movie Harriet came out in November, I thought it was a perfect time to explore her history.

Youve made several other walks about civil rights and searching for freedom. What were some of those other walks?

Johnston: In April 2019, I walked with a group who invited me to Ireland on a 75-mile walk to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Belfast to Derry civil rights march. Later that year, in September, my brother Keir Johnston, who is an artist, invited me to take part in a 215-mile walk across Puerto Rico, from Isabela to Yabucoa, to mark the second anniversary of Hurricane Maria.

How did you first become interested in making long-distance walks?

Johnston: In 2017, I was living in Massachusetts and I was feeling like I was sitting at my desk too much and my body needed to move. I had also been dealing with some personal tragedies, the death of my daughter and the end of my marriage. I just felt I needed to walk outside. I also began reading books by Katy Bowman on the importance of moving your body. One weekend day, I decided to drive to Williamstown, park my car, and just start walking across the state. I walked on weekends from June to September from Williamstown, which is in the northwest corner of the state, to Provincetown, in the southeast corner. It was a 272-mile walk.

At some point, you went from walking for exercise to walking to explore history. How did that happen?

Johnston: On that first long walk in Massachusetts, I walked by an African American cemetery called Parting Ways. It had been a settlement for Black free men and buried in the cemetery were Black soldiers who served in the American Revolutionary War. I was so moved by that story. And that got me to thinking about there are so many more African American historic trails. I was seeing our role in American history in all these different places. They were spread out over large geographic areas. Now Im working on compiling a book of African American historic trails across the country. I also often say that I walk to put the movement back into the civil rights movement.

To Linda Harris, of the Harriet Tubman Museum and Educational Center, why do you conduct the Christmas Eve Walks with Harriet every year?

Harris: Its a symbol of freedom. While folks are sitting around their Christmas trees and opening presents, we want to realize the sacrifices of the ancestors.
Mrs. Fein enjoyed travel, the theater, and dining out. Most of all, she enjoyed her family. Read more

Sylvia Cherong Fein, 107, of Philadelphia, longtime matriarch, inspiring mentor, and artist, died Sunday, Dec. 3, of age-associated decline at her home in Center City.

Born in 1916, Mrs. Fein lived through two World Wars, the Great Depression, the civil rights and womens movements, several technology revolutions, and countless other developments. During that century and then some, she also helped support her parents and four sisters in all sorts of ways, became an accomplished painter, and inspired her family with selfless gestures that continue to amaze them.

One of her great-nephews became an artist because of her. A nephew named a conference room at his manufacturing plant the Sylvia Fein Room of Love and adorned it with a dozen of her paintings.

She shared her love of the theater, travel, and adventure, and was like a second mother to many of her younger relatives. When people asked me most of my life what I want to do or be, said great-nephew Peter Ferioli, it was to be like Sylvia.

Mrs. Fein was especially close to her 98-year-old sister, Sara Goldberg, and they spent much of the last few decades dining together, visiting with family, and most recently sharing a home in Center City. It was a true love story between two sisters who devoted their lives to each other, said Goldbergs daughter, Judith Temple. She showed us how to live a life with integrity, loyalty, and strong family connections. In Sylvias world, friends became family, and family became friends.

Determined to help provide during the Great Depression in the 1930s, Mrs. Fein embarked on a long career that included jobs as a legal secretary, bookkeeper, accountant, and manager of a womens clothing manufacturer in North Philadelphia. She took it upon herself to be a responsible person, said her nephew Michael Jacobs. She was her own person and an inspiration to the other women in the family.

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Her life changed in 1948 when she traveled to Italy and was mesmerized by the great works of art she encountered. She began sketching, painting, and studying the nuances of the craft when she returned to Philadelphia, and eventually joined the Plastic Club and became its oldest member.

Im very proud of the Plastic Club, she said in a 2023 video interview. A colleague at the club said in a tribute: Im glad I had the chance to meet and work with Sylvia. She was patient with us, and it was a real treat for me.

Mrs. Feins artwork features still life, flowers, and landscapes, and she painted most often in watercolors and oils. She also dabbled in pastels, acrylics, and other media, and exhibited at the Plastic Club and elsewhere in Philadelphia. She sold more than a dozen paintings recently, she said in October, and many others are on display by family and friends.

She volunteered as a Red Cross nurses aide during World War II and raised so much money over the years for the City of Hope medical center in California that she received an award in 1983 for her fundraising prowess. She was a role model of a nurturing woman who was exceptionally creative, strong, and caring, said her niece Patrice Garver.

The second of five daughters of Russian immigrants, Sylvia Cherong was born June 14, 1916, in Malden, Mass. She moved with her family to Philadelphia when she was young and graduated from Simon Gratz High School in 1934.

She married John Wohlman, and they divorced later. She met widower Joseph Fein at a New Years Eve party, and they married in 1975. He died in 2009.

Mrs. Fein was an avid reader, impressive bridge player, and active Democrat. She lived in Logan, West Oak Lane, and Northwest Philadelphia, and she and her husband dined often at the Square on Square restaurant on Chestnut Street.

Her family celebrated her 100th birthday in 2016 with a party of more than 100 people, and local TV news teams covered her 105th birthday in 2021. Sylvia was exceedingly bright, said her nephew Steven Fine. She was always loving, caring, and listening.

One of her great-nephews said: When we see a flower, a piece of fruit, the sunset, any beautiful image, we will see it through Sylvias eyes.

 READ MORE: Here is a look at her collection

In addition to her sister, nieces, nephews, and great-nephews, Mrs. Fein is survived by other relatives. Three sisters died earlier.

Services were held Sunday, Dec. 10.

Donations in her name may be made to City of Hope, 1500 E. Duarte Rd., Duarte, Calif., 91010, and the Do Gooders Philadelphia, Box 727, Conshohocken, Pa., 19428.
Retiring Council President Darrell L. Clarke sits in City Hall on Tuesday. He's served as Council president since 2012 and is retiring from public office. Read more

As a community activist in his native Strawberry Mansion in the late 1970s, Darrell L. Clarke was the guy with the loudest mouth, he said.

I just had a lot to say about pretty much everything, Clarke said. Although I had a loud mouth, I wasnt necessarily achieving much.

So he got into politics. In the 1980s, Clarke replaced Robert N.C. Nix Sr., a member of Congress, in a bruising fight to become Democratic leader of North Philadelphias 32nd Ward and he joined the staff of then-City Councilmember John F. Street.

At the time, Clarke and his allies cast themselves as progressive outsiders. Forty-three years later, Clarke is leaving City Hall as the ultimate insider.

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Clarke, 71, replaced Street on Council in 1999 and became Council president in 2012. He decided not to run for reelection this year and will leave office on New Years Day, along with outgoing Mayor Jim Kenney.

In an interview this week in Councils ornate Caucus Room, Clarke reflected on his career and his legacy. In characteristic fashion, he shunned questions about his personal life and took issue with how the press has treated him over the years.

 READ MORE: Darrell Clarkes departure opens the door to a major leadership shakeup on City Council

He seemed averse to having his picture taken, grumbling to a photographer, Im known as the reluctant elected official. But he also opened up about his tenure and his relationships with other Philly politicians.

Here are highlights of what Clarke shared as he retires from Council:

Out of Streets shadow

For a long time, the press referred to Clarke as Streets protege. He wasnt a fan of that.

I will be 96 years old, and in some peoples minds Ill still be a John Street protege, he told Philadelphia Magazine shortly after he was elected Council president  an office Street held in the 1990s.

No one doubts Clarke is his own man anymore.

Once you become the Council president, you kind of develop a life of your own in the press eyes, Clarke said this week.

Clarke has left his mark. Council was once dominated by bitter factional rivalries. These days, thanks to Clarkes insistence on consensus and cordiality, almost all bills pass unanimously or close to it, and its exceptionally rare for members to criticize each other.

He also grew Councils power relative to the executive branch and significantly expanded its technical staff, allowing it to go toe-to-toe with mayoral administrations in terms of research and legal advice.

A strained relationship with Street

This year, Street and Clarke were at odds politically. In the Democratic primary for mayor, Street endorsed former City Controller Rebecca Rhynhart, while Clarke endorsed former Councilmember Cherelle Parker, who will take office in January.

And in the race for the 5th Council District, which the two of them have held for the last 44 years, Clarke endorsed his former chief of staff Curtis Wilkerson, while Streets son, State Sen. Sharif Street, backed Aissia Richardson, an aide in his office. (Both got removed from the ballot due to problems with their nominating petitions.)

Street and Clarkes relationship appears to have strained, but Clarke didnt say why.

I havent talked to him in a while, Clarke said. He declined to elaborate except to say he had no need to talk to him.

Street did not respond to a request for comment.

Building up Councils power

As Council president, Clarke advanced legislation and changes to the citys Home Rule Charter that transferred power from the executive branch to Council.

For example, in 2018, he ensured Council would have a role in vetting school board members. In 2021, he championed a bill that reshaped the zoning board. And this year, he successfully advocated to give Council an unusual amount of control over a new cabinet-level public safety position.

Critics say the strategy doesnt align with the citys strong mayor form of government, which means that, generally, the legislative branch sets funding levels and policy but the mayor has control over staffing, policy implementation, and operations.

But Clarke has long argued that Council members are held accountable for how city services are delivered and should have a greater role in shaping it.

Councilmember Brian ONeill, a Republican who has represented Northeast Philadelphia since 1980, alluded to the shift in power during a speech at Clarkes last Council meeting.

Youve elevated this institution to where you can honestly say we are a strong mayor, strong Council, strong Council president, ONeill said.

Killing the PGW sale

In his office, Clarke keeps a political cartoon from the Daily News, depicting his high-profile showdown with former Mayor Michael A. Nutter over Nutters push to sell the Philadelphia Gas Works.

Clarke, in his first term as Council president, effectively killed the proposal by rallying members against the privatization scheme.

Clarke got filleted in the press as an obstructionist, he said. But he feels vindicated now, in part because the company that the administration had selected for the sale has since been acquired by a foreign company, which he said shows the administrations promises about the sale may never have materialized.

They beat me up, and they beat me up, and thats good. I learned to be stoic, Clarke said. They never decided to come back and say, You know what? Clarke was right. But you know what? Im good, all right? I saved this little cartoon that I have on my desk right now.

The PGW ordeal was the culmination of years of tension between Council and Nutter. Clarke said he was dismayed that the relationships deterioration played out publicly.

Michael Nutter was very vocal, and Im gonna say what I had to say, and I didnt think in retrospect that that whole public thing was productive, Clarke said. I wish we could have done that behind closed doors, but the personalities at the time didnt allow it.

Clarke said he has made a point of not personally criticizing Kenney, with whom hes had weekly phone calls, and keeps his disagreements with the mayor private.

Clarke doesnt regret not running for mayor

Clarke was widely courted to run for mayor in 2015 and was the first choice of the building trades unions, which ultimately backed Kenney.

I probably could have been a mayor, Clarke said. Im a little too smart for that.

He doesnt regret the decision.

When I look at the stuff that we were able to achieve, what else could I have been able to do as mayor? he said. Ive always liked the legislative side of government as opposed to the executive side of government because it requires you to get a consensus.

He sees neighborhood preservation as part of his legacy

Clarke said his crowning achievement is his Neighborhood Preservation Initiative, a $400 million borrowing plan to fund affordable housing and commercial corridor development.

The sprawling initiative supports more than a dozen different programs, ranging from free home repairs to small business development to rental assistance and perks for first-time home buyers.

As Clarke readies to leave office, the four-year initiative that passed in 2021 has yet to reach its full scale. Of the expected $400 million in borrowing to finance the program, $225 million in bonds have been issued and about $80 million spent. That leaves the remainder of the borrowing and spending up to the next Council and mayoral administration.

There is some separation anxiety

Clarke admitted to having a sense of unfinished business as he prepares to leave office. Hes concerned about public safety in the city, and he said the next leaders must accelerate the improvement of the long-underfunded school district.

He said hes wondered if, after 40 years in public service, hell be able to separate himself from the work. Clarke, who is expected to become a member of the state Liquor Control Board, said he wont weigh in on Council matters unless hes asked.

He recalled that a former elected official  whom he declined to name  always has something to say about whats going on.

I dont want to be that person, he said. He plans to ask people close to him to nudge him if they think hes weighing in too much and say, You are supposed to be off the stage.

Clarke says hes most proud of those he mentored

Clarke said hes most proud of the staff who came through his office or fellowship program, some of whom he still calls my youngsters.

 READ MORE: Seven Democrats tried to replace Darrell Clarke on City Council. Only one made the ballot.

Two members of his finance staff will lead the city budget under Parker. Jeffery Jay Young, an attorney who worked in Clarkes office, is going to replace him on Council. His former top adviser, Donna Bullock, is a state representative.

Clarke said their success is the achievement hes most proud of, in part, because someone once took a chance on him.

Giving people an opportunity to be in public service is so, so important, particularly if theyre invested and committed to creating great opportunity, he said. Look at myself. Instead of being a rabble-rouser, I got to be the Council president in the sixth-largest city in the country.

Bullock said Clarke had a profound impact on her career, but was intentional about giving her independence when she took office in 2015. He wouldnt appear at all of her campaign events or offer unsolicited advice about how she should vote. Bullock admits she felt abandoned.

Today, she said, she believes he wanted her to grow in her own image  and to never be known as someone elses protege.

Staff writer Chris Brennan contributed to this article.

Correction: An earlier version of this article misstated the name of former U.S. Rep. Robert N.C. Nix Sr.
Shared or personal use electric scooters (e-scooters) are common in cities and on college campuses across the United States. Much like bike shares, you can find them on the street, unlock them with a smartphone app, and leave them at your destination. But there is a cost to convenience: e-scooter-related emergency room visits have spiked.

With the holiday gift-giving season upon us, it is important to be aware of dangers and regulations surrounding e-scooters and how to keep kids safe as riders or pedestrians.

If you fall off an e-scooter, which can travel up to 15 and 20 miles per hour, you are going to get hurt. Period.

The most common injuries are cuts, fractures, and head injuries. Some of these injuries are severe. Many of these injuries are caused by incidents with motor vehicles or user-control issues of the e-scooter.

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The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children under 16  who are too young to have a driver's license  should not operate or ride on motorized or e-scooters.

If e-scooters havent reached your sidewalks yet, there are three types of scooters. Non-motorized human-powered scooters operate without a motor. The motorized scooter is a two-wheeled vehicle with a rechargeable battery. An e-scooter is a dockless two-wheeled vehicle available for rent in various cities.

All scooters pose a similar  if not increased  risk of head injury compared with bikes. Helmets are the best way to prevent serious head injuries, but usage remains low. Consider:

A 2017 survey found that parents were less likely to make their child or adolescent wear a helmet while riding a scooter when compared to riding a bike. Only 57% of parents said they would make their child or adolescent wear a helmet while riding a scooter. When signing up on the apps to rent e-scooters, riders are asked to wear helmets; yet helmets are not provided. Images on social media often make it seem like it's OK to ride a scooter without a helmet. Always make sure to wear a helmet when using an e-scooter, even if advertisements do not show riders wearing them. Parents should also wear helmets to model this positive behavior to children. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention conducted a study showing that there are about 14 injuries per 100,000 trips on motorized scooters. Some of these injuries were severe. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission in 2021, there were an estimated 42,200 emergency room visits due to e-scooter injuries. This number shows a 66% increase from 2020. E-scooters were responsible for 68 deaths from 2017 through 2021.

E-scooter injuries in children are increasing, which is likely due to the rising popularity of e-scooter sharing apps. It is important that parents are aware of the dangers and regulations surrounding e-scooters.

The following are 10 important safety rules for all e-scooter riders:

Children under 16 should not operate or ride on motorized or e-scooters. In some cities, it is illegal for kids under 16 to use an e-scooter. Wear a helmet and closed-toe shoes. Wearing a helmet may prevent or reduce the severity of e-scooter injuries. An adult who falls off an e-scooter is just as likely to hit their head as a child. Wear protective gear. This includes elbow and kneepads, and reflective gear when riding at night. Start slow. The accelerator and braking tabs on the handles can take getting used to. No texting and riding. Use both hands to operate the scooter. No earbuds in. Be aware of your surroundings. Use bike lanes when available. If not available, riders should stay on the right side of the road. Do not ride e-scooters on sidewalks, beach paths, or parks. This puts pedestrians at risk of injury as well as riders. Do not operate an e-scooter while under the influence of alcohol, drugs, or even some prescription medicines. Parents should set an example for their children in this regard. E-scooters are not allowed on highways. Many e-scooter accidents involve motor vehicles. Be aware when riding an e-scooter on busy streets.

Many cities set an age restriction for 16 years and up to operate e-scooters. Law enforcement can issue traffic violations to those who break those rules. A juvenile age 16 or over is treated as an adult for traffic offenses. For younger offenders, however, a court can require a parent or guardian to appear personally at court hearings and pay a fine.

If you live in a city with e-scooters for rent, make sure you understand how to operate an e-scooter safely before riding it. Riding an e-scooter is very different than riding a bike. They accelerate without you pedaling. They have a different center of balance that takes getting used to.

Understand that e-scooters are easily accessible to minors. For example, most cities do not have a way to verify a user's age, so children and teenagers are able to sign up on an app without parental consent. Make sure your children know the rules and your expectations. Check their phone if you have concerns.

Talk with your college-aged children about the dangers of operating e-scooters while texting, listening to music, or while under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

Ashley Ebersole, MD, MS, FAAP, is a board-certified pediatrician and adolescent medicine specialist at Nationwide Childrens Hospital in Columbus, Ohio. Within the American Academy of Pediatrics, she is a member of to the Section on Adolescent Health and part of the Tobacco Consortium. Follow her on X/Twitter @AdolescentMD
When I was a child, my entire family used to return to our family home for Christmas. We cant anymore, of course. There are simply too many of us.

If you include partners and children  and, sentimental as we are, we do tend to consider those people family  my already large clan of 11 kids and my dad, has now ballooned to 38 people.

Our rural bungalow family home is roomy enough (it did, after all, house the 12 of us for a good stint) but it is not, sadly, a TARDIS.

When I talk about my big family, I always receive the same few reactions. Actually, this is a lie.

For reasons well known to those who read this column, in the last few years there has been a new contender which has outpaced all others; the repetition of the words ten siblings in an awful approximation of Tommy Bowes voice.

But before all that, people did say the same few things: Do you remember all their names? How did you all get around? Your parents mustnt have had many hobbies, and always, eventually, Jesus, what were Christmases like in your house?

The first three questions, I can dispatch here and now.

Respectively; yes, in a minibus, and not really, no. As for the last query  well, for the day thats in it, Im happy to tackle it in some detail.

The Christmases of my early childhood very much fit the pattern you might imagine.

My parents fecundity had distributed their 11 children in fairly even bursts, with all of us arriving within 15 years.

This meant that we were, at least for a short period, all children at once. As the ninth in line, I was on the younger end, and my earliest Christmases were a mix of being spoiled, and radically ignored, by my older siblings.

I recall one scene very clearly.

I must have only been five or six, but its memory sticks in my brain like something from a Hieronymus Bosch painting, or that one episode of Father Ted where the evil priests on Rugged Island are spied through a window engaging in all of the vices they claimed to have forsaken for Lent.

We were all, for some implausible reason, gathered in our garage, simultaneously trying out our newly acquired wares.

Mairead using a yo-yo; Shane trying and failing to solve a Rubiks cube; Dara wearing his brand new Neville Southall shinpads and bidding us to kick them so he could see if they cut the mustard; Dearbhaile, making a valiant, but futile, effort to use her new skipping rope in whatever space she could muster between the family minibus, a freezer, and her 10 gift-demented siblings.

In the midst of all this, I see myself, five years old and farming mad, picking my way through this irascible riot of recreation in a tiny little John Deere tractor pedal car, in a jaunty little flat cap Santa had just delivered.

If that sounds like celebrating Christmas at the arrivals gate of Stansted Airport, its about right.

Our Christmas dinners were similarly oversized. In one sense, quite literally.

On the entirely true  but somewhat fortuitous  grounds that our home oven was not large enough to cook a turkey that would feed us all, the convent attached to our primary school offered their help.

The nuns were very fond of my father, who had always helped out at the school, and my mother, whose death at such a young age had greatly affected them.

So, each year, my father and I would deliver the biggest turkey we could get to Sister Angela, a wonderfully burly cook who had a wide smile and even wider forearms.

These would be put to good use the following day, as she heaved from her industrial oven a turkey twice the size of the one wed provided.

Even though it was obvious theyd taken our large turkey and swapped it for one the size of Tadhg Furlong, this annual act of benevolent subterfuge was never mentioned or addressed. I swear, one year it came stuffed with an entire ham.

When I was midway through primary school, my siblings had begun leaving Derry. Drip by drip, they were sieved and sorted into adult lives that would be lived far away, an outward trickle of family members which became a constant click track of my adolescence.

While we did appreciate the extra legroom  access to both our bathroom and landline phone improved greatly, year on year  December was always a gladdening time, as our home gradually refilled, and the wholesome, cosy glee of walking in from the cold to find dim lights and a packed house, a twinkling tree, and a dog going slightly mad from overstimulation; to hear singing from the dining room, weeping over Muppet Christmas Carol in the living room, and the screaming, furious invective of a board game session in kitchen.

Over the next 20 years, these returns grew less frequent.

My dads house is always, thankfully, full, its just that with so many partners and kids in tow, it only takes a couple of us to come back before maximum occupancy is reached.

This Christmas, I will be in Dublin with my in-laws, as I have been for the past five years. Ive grown to love the new joys of their age-old Christmas traditions and feel lucky that Ive married into a family whose company I treasure as much as my own.

But as much as I love being from a big family, I will not be repeating that particular trick myself.

My two kids simply wont know the same joys I did, so its my job to give them different, and equal pleasures to those I knew.

In the meantime, Ill bore them to tears with stories of the packed house and the constant noise; the nun-cooked turkey, and the doorbell ringing off the hook; and of the garage, the tractor, and the flat-cap that will always mean Christmas to me.
Aoife Bhreatnach is a historian from Cork and host of Censored, described as a podcast for the filthy minded. It explores banned films, books, magazines, newspapers, and cinema.

How did your podcast come about?

When I was looking at my bookshelf one day, I noticed Brendan Behans Borstal Boy, which was banned. I had one or two more that I knew for definite had been banned but then I thought perhaps there were other less well-known ones.

The blacklist is actually a bit epic  they were adding hundreds of books a year.

I was surprised at the range of books that had been banned.

There were 12,000 on the list, if you add it up over the years, but then you look at the scope and the different types of books, from fluffy romance through to the bonkbusters of the 70s.

If you can ban James Bond and John McGahern in the same time period, there is something quite interesting going on there.

Is there a lot of work involved in doing a podcast?

Yes. It is a skill you have to learn through repetition  I have made a number of stupid mistakes along the way in creating the audio.

Also there is the editing, if there was a magic wand to do that, it would be wonderful, although it is vital to the process of creating the final product.

Then there is the publicity side of it, which is the most difficult because there is so much content out there.

I got help from a fellow history podcaster, Fin Dwyer who does the Irish History Podcast. He gave me a lot of useful and practical tips, as well as a microphone he wasnt using.

What do you like most about doing the podcast?

I like meeting people who say I love your podcast. The feedback has been really positive.

It is wonderful to know there is a group of people out there who are interested in this random niche topic.

I get people telling me really interesting stories about censorship that occur to them because they have heard the podcast.

They are little slices of that time from the 60s and 70s that arent in the formal history books because people havent done an oral history of how life was under censorship.

What do you like least?

I would have to say all the uploading and the technical stuff. Its a slog but its something you just have to do.

Any favourite books you have covered on the podcast?

I got really obsessed with hating The Ginger Man by JP Donleavy. I actually did a second episode on the injustices meted out to the main female character in the novel.

That was banned twice. When the ban expired, the board renewed it again.

They were very much anti- The Ginger Man, probably not because it is a horrible book but because it is rude.

Theres an American novel from the 50s that I love called The Best of Everything by Rona Jaffe, which is a bit like Sex and the City, that kind of vibe.

And in the Edna OBrien The Country Girls trilogy, my absolute favourite was part three, Girls in Their Married Bliss.

Everyone reads The Country Girls, part one, because it is the titular one but it isnt particularly rude, so I think people are a bit disappointed that it is so famous for being rude.

But part three has some of the funniest sex scenes ever written  incomparable and it doesnt get read enough. It is so fresh still  if it was written today, it would be a massive hit.

Three desert island books

Number one has to be Jane Eyre, Im in a long-term relationship with that novel so that has to come with me wherever I go.

One that I read this year that captured something for me is The Art of Losing by Alice Zeniter, translated from the French [by Frank Wynne].

It is an incredibly rich and complex piece of work that I will read again. It speaks so much to the experiences of war and displacement we are seeing now, even though it is specifically about France and Algeria.

The third would be Revolutionary Road by Richard Yates, which I read for the podcast. I had seen the film but wasnt really impressed, it did the book a disservice.

For a book from the 50s, it is really clear about what toxic masculinity is, what it does to men and what they do to women in return.

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Up to one thousand people took part in organised demonstrations in Cork City on Saturday, calling for a ceasefire in Palestine.

The march, organised by the Cork Palestine Solidarity Campaign, marks the 11th Saturday the group has met in their bid to spark change overseas.

Childrens shoes were laid out during the rally to symbolise the thousands of young lives who have been taken by Israel in Palestine, while Palestinian flags were flown from the carriages of the Ferris Wheel on Grand Parade.

Israel declared war after Hamas gunmen stormed across the border on October 7, killing 1,200 people and taking 240 hostages.

More than 20,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israels war to destroy Hamas and more than 53,000 have been wounded, according to health officials in Gaza.

Cork Palestine Solidarity Campaign co-chair Martin Shiel said although this time of year usually brings a sense of peace and goodwill, for those in Palestine it will be another day of suffering.

Im proud that the people of Cork are refusing to look away or ignore what is happening in Palestine this Christmas. Were urging Micheal Martin and other Government leaders to listen to the Irish people and take stronger action to play our part in bringing about a ceasefire in Gaza, she said.

Speaking at todays march for Palestine in Cork, Deirdre Duff added: Hearing Christmas carols about Bethlehem carries a real poignancy this year. Palestinians living there, like Palestinians across the West Bank, are living in an atmosphere of grief and fear as Israeli forces unleash aggression after aggression; beating, killing and imprisoning Palestinians without change. A church in Bethlehem has placed the baby Jesus in a pile of rubble. In a moving display of solidarity with the people of Gaza theyve said that Jesus would be under rubble if he were born today, she added.

A variety of other actions for Palestine have also been taking place in Cork throughout the Christmas period. On Tuesday, December 19, childrens shoes were laid out on the Bishopstown campus of Munster Technological University to serve as a poignant visual reminder of the thousands of children who have been killed throughout the war.

On St Stephens Day, people have pledged to sit outside Cork City Hall for a 24-hour fast, starting at 10am on Tuesday December 26.
How would your grandmother, or heaven forbid your great-grandmother, react to your homemade Thai green curry?

How could they fathom that you can essentially have anything you want cooked for you by swiping the tip of your finger?

Eating habits and all things food-related have undergone immense change over the past few decades, opening Ireland up to a worldwide range of food and cultures.

Meat, or specific cuts at least, were once considered a luxury but now occupy a permanent spot on the majority of plates while dinners made at home would usually involve unseasoned meat, vegetables, and some form of sauce.

Going even further than that, certain days of the week might have corresponded to a certain recipe or dinner.

For example, Fridays might have seen fish set on the table, Saturdays would serve bacon and cabbage, while Mondays (and indeed still to this day for many of us) would involve a sad recreation of Sundays roast using leftovers, which may, unfortunately, include the dreaded microwaved mashed potatoes.

Perhaps the greatest change, however, is the freedom to not cook at all.

Now, you can survive without ever knowing how to boil an egg. Cooking is not a needed life skill anymore, said University College Cork (UCC) lecturer Regina Sexton for whom the topic of food is her bread and butter.

Ms Sexton recalled hearing a recent Christmas radio advertisement for Deliveroo called Anything Goes which urged listeners to Cantonese their Christmas Eve and give Santa what he really wants  tacos.

Delivery platforms like Deliveroo are setting down perimeters for cultural change Picture: Nick Ansell/PA Wire

Instead of people shaping their own food culture at the moment, its like Deliveroo is shaping change and development in Irish food culture which is really interesting because if you think about it, you have everything to hand now.

The range is so wide, you can get everything and people are, theyre ordering in food because its so easy, she said.

According to Ms Sexton, who is the programme manager of UCCs MA in Food Studies and Irish Foodways, delivery platforms like Just Eat, Deliveroo, and Uber Eats are setting down perimeters for cultural change before our very eyes by suggesting alternatives to our perhaps untouchable turkey, ham, and spiced beef.

Although many were able to revisit their love of cooking during the pandemic and its many lockdowns, the vast offering and easiness these platforms provide align well with the busy working lives of many who have once again put away their chopping boards.

The substantial growth in food delivery platforms has also provided a boost for restaurants, according to Restaurants Association of Ireland chief executive Adrian Cummins.

Mr Cummins said apps such as Uber Eats and Deliveroo now form an integral part of the food service industry.

In what is a very positive development for our sector, the popularity of certain food delivery platforms in recent years has allowed certain restaurants and cuisines to reach a wider audience, making them more accessible to consumers and offering a vital revenue stream to local businesses, he said.

However, Mr Cummins added a caveat that ordering directly from local restaurants will always be the cheapest option.

But how did we get to where we are?

Our relationship with food at the moment is very different to the one we had about 25 years ago, Ms Sexton said, adding that change in food culture and eating habits is constantly happening, even now.

People sometimes want to think that the past was much better and that it might have been less confusing and that people were cooking more and food was better.

We tend to have this rose-tinted glasses view of the past, she said.

And although there were of course positives to be found amongst the food prepared and cooked, more often than not it was typically monotonous, she said.

The early beginnings of the current landscape we find ourselves in, one of great choice and convenience can be traced back to the 1970s, Ms Sexton says.

At the time, restaurant culture was dominated by mixed grills and classic French cooking like the Michelin-starred Arbutus Lodge in Cork, however, this decade also saw a significant increase in ethnic-style restaurants like Chinese.

Change in food culture and eating habits is constantly happening.

From the 1980s onwards, diversity for our palates grew thanks to the introduction of more ethnic-style restaurants eventually leading us to the situation we know today, having anything at the tip of our finger.

Meanwhile, grocery stores began to grow their offering of new and exciting foods from overseas.

The introduction of easy kits or easy-to-follow recipes that mimic certain cultures, such as Dolmio or Old Del Paso, further diversified our weekly meals.

These introductions allowed families who were more traditional with their palates to safely dip into other food cultures.

But a huge aspect of the greater access we have to diverse food is the cost and although it might not feel like it at the moment, food is far cheaper than it was in 25 years ago.

The cheaper food as a result of mass production which filtered out through ever-growing monolithic supermarkets led to far more variety and convenience.

New age struggle

With that convenience and diversity, however, the choice of cooking for yourself or having someone cook for you has become the new age struggle.

For some cohorts in society, cooking is something they want to do because its a lifestyle thing or its fashion, and some homes might be very keen on safeguarding the nutrition of food, particularly if theyre feeding children, Ms Sexton said.

However, with these accelerated changes in how we buy, cook, and eat since the 1970s, a whole array of complexities and consequences have arisen concerning health, ethics, and climate change.

Some people dont think about it, theyll just go and pick things up, other people do think about it because how we consume now has consequences which seem to be quite serious for sanitary health and climate health, she said adding that the impact of meat on the environment in particular has become a contentious issue.

We might be distanced from understanding how food operates within those contexts, she said, adding that consumers might be unaware of how or where its produced, and who its produced by.

Not questioning these details gives up a sense of power which could lead to a lapse in various standards including quality, animal welfare and climate impacts.

Shopping habits

Another burden due to convenience and ultra-accessibility sees Ireland waste about 800,000 tonnes of food each year.

In addition to cheaper food, a change in shopping habits has contributed to Irelands food waste problem as households moved to weekly big shops which project into the future.

Youre probably buying stuff you dont need, whereas if you were shopping every day like a lot of mothers would have done, they knew what they wanted for that day and they didnt buy stuff for four or five days down the line, that would have been unheard of 30 or 40 years ago, she said.

In good news for food waste, however, our shopping habits are changing meaning that the weekly shop might be on the way out with consumers opting to buy less more often.

The current cost of living seems to be encouraging people to question what theyre buying and how often they do so, something evident in the latest data from market research firm Kantar.

For example, shoppers made an average of 21.3 trips in November, which is up 4.4% while the volume of groceries purchased continued its decline, down by 4.4% when compared with the same time last year.

The current cost of living seems to be encouraging people to question what theyre buying and how often they do so.

Aldi Ireland managing director of buying and services Colin Breslin said there has been a significant change in shopping habits amongst consumers over the last 12 months in particular.

There is a notable shift towards more economical choices, with shoppers gravitating towards smaller pack sizes, more frequent shopping trips and engaging in more batch cooking to optimise resources, he said adding that there is a marked preference for own label options over brands.

Consumers are actively seeking value-driven options, making own-brand products even more appealing as part of a weekly shop, he said.

Mr Breslin added that certain shopping habits hint that households are increasingly recreating takeaways or restaurant experiences at home, choosing to buy make it yourself style products.

That coincides with Bord Bias recent Foodservice Market Insights report which found that eating out is becoming less frequent with consumers opting to save dining in restaurants for special occasions.

Its survey found that 86% of participants in Ireland believe dining out has become too expensive to do regularly.

In addition to treating oneself and spending time with family, convenience and speed when not wanting to cook at home were cited as reasons to eat out.

The report also found that value for money is a main motivator for consumers when they do decide to dine out.
The border between Ukraine and Poland will soon be unblocked: the Ministry of Communities, Territories and Infrastructure Development (Ministry of Restoration) and the Ministry of Infrastructure of Poland have agreed on the action plan necessary for this, the Ministry of Restoration reported.

"The Ministry of, Restoration together with the new leadership of the Ministry of Infrastructure of Poland, agreed on an action plan for unblocking the border, the Ministry of Restoration said in a Facebook message following a meeting on Friday between Deputy Ministers Serhiy Derkach and Yuriy Vaskov with new Deputy Minister of Infrastructure of Poland Pawe Gancarz.

It is indicated that the meeting was a continuation of agreements at the level of Deputy Prime Minister for Restoration - Minister of Restoration Oleksandr Kubrakov and Polish Minister of Infrastructure Dariusz Klimczak on December 20.

It is noted that the parties have reached an understanding regarding compromise solutions and their implementation. The next stage is negotiations at the level of the Polish Ministry of Infrastructure and the protesters. The issue of changes to the current Agreement on the Liberalization of Freight Transport is not being discussed, the Ministry emphasized.

"On the third day after the appointment, new Deputy Minister of Infrastructure Pawe Gancarz was welcomed in Kyiv. Together we finalized the action plan for unblocking the border. We agreed on a protocol with a unified position of the ministries. This meeting was agreed upon on Wednesday by Oleksandr Kubrakov and Polish Minister of Infrastructure Dariusz Klimczak," Derkach wrote on Facebook on Friday.

According to him, the Ukrainian side "offered those things that they are ready to do in order to unblock the checkpoints." At the same time, the agreement on the liberalization of freight transportation is fundamental and is not being discussed now, he emphasized.

On Wednesday, after the meeting between Klimczak and Kubrakov, the Polish Ministry of Infrastructure reported on its official website that its main topic was the protest of Polish carriers on the Polish-Ukrainian border.

The message said that Klimczak was determined to understand the situation and pointed out the need to develop a mechanism for urgent action that would eliminate the cause of the protests and ensure equal opportunities for carriers from Poland and Ukraine to carry out transport operations.

"Together with the Ukrainian side, we must find a solution to the causes of the ongoing protest and meet the expectations of entrepreneurs working in the field of freight transport between Poland and Ukraine," the message quoted the Polish Minister of Infrastructure as saying.
This will be my fifth Christmas away from home, away from my family, away from my mother and my brother.

The weeks leading up to the festive period have always made me homesick. I miss the joy that my mother would bring with her smiles and the hidden candy canes under our pillows after we attended the midnight Christmas Mass.

She would always leave the house later than us to go to church because she was busy hiding the sweets under our pillows and leaving our presents on our beds.

I moved to Cork for college when I was 19. I had hoped that I would be able to go home to see my family in Bahrain during the Christmas break, but I did not have the funds to spend on tickets and I had only just finished my first semester in a country that was new to me.

And so, it became routine, to not go home during Christmas. But that did not mean I spent it alone.

Since my first Christmas away, I have been adopted by one Irish family per festive period. I grew to love and embrace the traditions that they had set and learned what it was like to have an Irish Christmas.

I did not expect Irish people to be as welcoming as they were to me, to welcome me, a stranger into their home, because they did not want me to spend Christmas alone.

Christmas 2019

My first Christmas away, in 2019, I spent with the family of a person I did my degree with. I was a bit confused; I didnt know how an Irish Christmas worked and that there would be a very, very big dinner.

We started the festivities on Christmas Eve, there was an endless list of Christmas movies being played on the RTE player which included Love Actually, Elf and my own personal favourite, The Grinch Who Stole Christmas, while we were on the sofa with a big fire on.

I remember feeling very cosy and having a huge blanket wrapped around me as we lulled ourselves to sleep. What I did not expect was the big dinner the next day, and that it was going to be had at around 2pma complete culture shock to me.

The table was set, tunes were blaring from a speaker, and we all were very excited to dig into the turkey. It was then I realised that having a ton of food at the table was an important part of the entire celebration of Christmas for that family.

I also realised that Christmas celebrations in Ireland do not have much of a religious aspect in some households and that some families don't attend Christmas masses. That was something that I did not fully understand until I read up about Irelands history with the Church and discovered the Mother and Baby Homes scandal and the abuse of children within Catholic schools and churches.

It was Christmas 2019 when I realised that having a ton of food at the table was an important part of the entire celebration of Christmas. Photo: Imasha Costa

But the best part of my first Irish Christmas was that it was not a requirement to wear something fancy to the dinner. It was fine to wear your pyjamas at the table. I did still wear a very pretty dress.

When I celebrated Christmas with my family, we always wore our Sunday best for dinner. Growing up in Bahrain, Christmas is not a public holiday and there were times when my mother would be working late into the afternoon and she would have no time to cook up a big dinner.

So, it was that one time of the year when we would dress up and eat out at a nice enough restaurant and then go shopping for Christmas presents after that.

Christmas 2020

The second Christmas away, in 2020, was spent with a lovely family who have always had at least one new person come to their home during the festive period.

This time it was much cosier and more filled with life. I was in shock when I got endless amounts of presents from them, and I was treated as if I were a part of their family.

I remember walking into their house on Christmas Eve and seeing a pile of presents with my name attached to it. I was shocked, as I had never gotten more than one present with my family, and they were mainly books that I would re-read all the time until the next Christmas.

I realised this was a family that showed their love by showering their family members with tons of presents, and they made me feel a part of theirs by doing the same.

I had a few presents for the family themselves, much of it was food and winethings that I knew were going to be used during the day itself.

Christmas 2021

Christmas 2021 was then spent with another family, a friend of mine.

This one was fun, we had matching Christmas jammies, and the dinner was actually being made by my friend, and it was had very late in the day. It was the last Christmas I spent as a college student, who was working two jobs.

I loved every moment I spent with all the families that adopted me for those three Christmases, but I was also conscious that I needed to start making my own traditions here in Ireland, as a migrant away from home.

Christmas 2022

I celebrated Christmas twice in 2022. One with my partners family and the second with my friendspeople that I call family.

It was Friendsmas. A dinner was cooked although I was banished into the corner of the living room because I was in the way of my friend who was a much better cook than I was.

And I realised I did inherit a few traditions from the Irish families that I spent Christmases with, and I brought some from home as well.

We went shopping on the day to get all our bits organised, instead of a turkey we had a chicken and so many spuds were bought that we nearly broke our backs trying to carry the shopping back to my house.

Several potato-based dishes were made, and brussels sprouts were an unwelcome addition as we expressed our distaste for them. This was a similar sentiment shared by the other Irish families that adopted me in the years before that.

We went shopping on the day to get all our bits organised, instead of a turkey we had a chicken and so many spuds were bought that we nearly broke our backs trying to carry the shopping back to my house. Photo: Imasha Costa

We pulled several Christmas crackers, and so many bad jokes were made. We stacked our presents under our tiny Christmas tree, and we played some Pentatonix Christmas songs.

We had a buffet-style serving, the table was set and I wore my most comfortable outfit for the night.

Instead of buying presents for every single one of us at the table, we had Secret Santa, we stuffed ourselves before we watched a film and then almost conked.

My favourite part was that this was the time we made our traditions, and as a migrant away from home, I grew to love the celebrations that we had in my house, with my friends.

And the latest addition for us was bringing a lemon presse from Lidl that we finished within the hour. We are bringing it back again this year.

The Friendsmas also reminded me of the joy that my mother created each Christmas when we would put up the tree and the crib and she would sometimes make us a massive pot of biryaniinstead of having a turkey at the table.

I learned it was okay to create new traditions as we went along, and I learned that it was okay to be away from home during the festive period, away from your own family.

Christmas 2023

This will be the fifth time that I have been away from my family and now I am well used to it.

We are doing Friendsmas again this year, only now we have more company and much more food.

We are so excited about it that we started planning for it three months in advance. We have a Google document for our dinner shopping list and presents were sorted for the big day.

We are celebrating our Friendsmas a week before the actual day, but it is the one time of the year that I always look forward to. Photo: Imasha Costa

We are celebrating our Friendsmas a week before the actual day, but it is the one time of the year that I always look forward to. And I hope we can keep doing this for as long as we can.

The big dinner with a big chicken, presents, hot whiskeys and of course a Christmas movie and a nap.

And I know it is not just myself that will not be able to go home for Christmas this yearthere are thousands of migrants and international students who cannot afford to fly home twice a year, let alone once a year.

According to data released by the Higher Education Authority (HEA) this year, the number of international students attending Irish universities across the country in 2022/2023 climbed to a record high of more than 35,000nearly one in seven of all students.

The country, according to the Central Statistics Office (CSO), saw over 141,000 immigrants in the 12 months to the end of April this year.

Of those, 29,600 were returning Irish citizens, 26,100 were other EU citizens, and 4,800 were UK citizens. The remaining 81,100 were citizens of other countries, including almost 42,000 Ukrainians.

The festive period is where I feel the most homesick. It seems as if it comes out of nowhere, but actually, it always arrives at that exact time in the middle of November.

Read More Hero Deliveroo driver reunites with family for Christmas

I have been very lucky to be embraced by a variety of Irish families over the past few years, and I can only wish the same for other people in a similar situation as myself.

While the country has seen an influx of immigrants and international students in the past few years, there has also been a rise in anti-immigrant sentiment in Ireland.

Following what has been labelled as Black Thursdaythe riots that broke out in Dublin in Novemberthere is a feeling among migrants that maybe they are not welcome into an Irish persons home anymore. But it could just be because they feel afraid.

In my opinion, the Irish people that I have met are some of the most welcoming people ever, and I believe they will continue to do so, even with the current atmosphere.
Without Anne Hickey, there might be much less to see at Newgrange passage tomb in Co Meath, where people will gather today, or go online, to see if the rising sun streams into the inner chamber on the last day of the winter solstice.

As caretaker at Newgrange for 60 years, she kept the vandals, graffiti-scrawlers, and miscreants away from the monument from around 1900 to some time after 1962.

If you had visited the site during that time, it would have been much easier to gain access, but not necessarily easier to get in. For one thing, visitors had to crawl and squeeze through a narrow tunnel to get inside the passage tomb.

In 1937, Dorothy M Emerson described the unenviable task of going on all fours through a narrow passage while clutching a candle. So narrow was it in one part that I felt I would probably arrive at the centre without any clothes. I could feel them being slowly rubbed off, she wrote in the Meath Chronicle.

The challenging entry was worth it, though. Deep in the heart of Newgrange, it is damp and dark and eerie, yet it holds within its confines something vastly interesting, some strange, joyous atmosphere all its own, akin, perhaps, to ancient Egypt, she wrote.

HISTORY HUB If you are interested in this article then no doubt you will enjoy exploring the various history collections and content in our history hub. Check it out HERE and happy reading

Getting through the narrow corridor wasnt a given, as Anne, or Annie, as her family knew her, explained to visitors a few decades earlier, in 1914. When one of them, a clergyman, baulked at the thought of going through such a narrow space, Annie urged him on.

Oh, come along, sir, she is reported as saying in Burton E Stevensons memoir, The Charm of Ireland. Tis only a few yards, and then you can stand again. If you was a heavy man, now, I wouldnt be advisin it; Ive seen more than one who had to be pulled out by his feet; but for a slim man the likes of you, sure it is nothing.

Annie Hickey might have something to say about the accuracy  or indeed the oirishness  of the quote, but she would recognise the hazards of bringing rotund visitors through narrow spaces.

There was another pressing issue, as Stevenson pinpointed when he saw that vandals had scratched their initials  and sometimes even his detested name on some of the tombs decorated stones. When he asked Annie how it could happen, this is what she reportedly said: Ah, sir, that was done by a young man who you would never think would be doing such a thing. He come here one day, not long since, and with him was a young woman, and they were very quiet and nice-appearing, so after I had brought them in, I left them to theirselves, for I had me work to do; but when I came in later, with another party, that was what I saw. And I made the vow then that never again would I be leaving anyone alone here, no matter how respectable they might look.

Annie Hickey with her husband, Bob. Both of them looked after Newgrange passage tomb for decades. Picture: Brenda Cannon

If Anne Hickey was a tour guide at Newgrange, she also acted as its custodian. Her husband, Bob, was appointed as a caretaker around 1890, when, according to one report, a gate was fitted across the entrance. He and his wife both gave tours and told visitors, among other things, about the tombs alignment with the rising sun from December 19 to 23.

Even before Professor Michael J OKelly began several seasons of excavations at Newgrange, in 1962, it was known locally  or at least suspected  that the megalithic tomb was aligned with the rising winter sun.

Both Annie and Bob Hickey used to point out a carved stone inside the tomb  its not known which one and say that they noticed every year, during the shortest days in December, a ray of sun came through the long and narrow entrance after sunrise and fell exactly on it.

Supernatural tales

There were other stories, too; supernatural tales of the bad luck that would follow if you took anything from the mound. That didnt stop one Scottish tourist who went towards a waiting bus with his hands full of some souvenir flints, as a writer in the Irish Press put it in 1955. They wouldnt have been prehistoric flints, and whos to know whether bad luck visited him or not.

Such stories of ill fortune had real value, though, because they played an important role in preserving tombs and so-called fairy forts for future generations. Speaking of fairies, in 1962 a then-90-year-old Annie Hickey told reporter Sean Egan that old people believed fairies lived in the mound at Newgrange  or the caves, as they were known. They were terrified of them, she said.

She also spoke about a white lady wearing a blue apron whom she saw at her house, near the tomb. She thought she was a friend and went to talk to her. I was very vexed that she disappeared so quick without me getting a chat with her.

In the same wonderfully evocative interview with Newsview, available online at RTE Archives, she recalled the custom of giving wild goats milk to seriously ill people to help them get well.

Monumental changes

Annie Hickey and her husband saw many changes at Newgrange over several decades. They witnessed the introduction of electricity in 1954, a new car park the following decade, the discovery of previously unknown artefacts, and the start of excavations, which provided a more detailed picture of the people who built this monument more than 5,000 years ago.

While Annie welcomed change, she thought too much progress was bad. She was not against tourists  she had just shown six busloads around the site on the day she was interviewed  but said it was wrong to modernise prehistoric sites.

They will spoil it all if they put railings around stones here, she told the Irish Press in 1960.

She worked until shortly before her death on March 2, 1964, and her absence was keenly felt. In 1968, Kevin Brennan wrote to the Irish Times to say he missed that gallant old lady who acted as guide in the long ago before TV Archaeology changed Newgrange. The candle-lit era is gone, but the substitution of patronising student guides for that knowledgeable old dame hardly rates as progress.

Her memory lives on in the family, too, as her great-grandniece Brenda Gannon, says. Brendas father, Brendan Gannon, used to speak of the little old lady with a candle and a long black skirt who told the tourists stories.

On this last day of the winter solstice, what I wouldnt give for one of her tours.
With more than two billion people heading to the polls, 2024 is set to be a record-breaking year, why wouldn't Leo Varadkar want to add a general election into the mix?

Starting off in Bangladesh on January 7, the world will see votes held in more than 50 countries from Taiwan, to El Salvador, Pakistan, Portugal, Indonesia, Mozambique, Uruguay, and Palau. To a greater or lesser extent, all will add to what is set to be a geopolitically tumultuous 12 months.

On a local level, history could be made here if Sinn Fein, as is now being predicted by some, enters government for the first time.

But the outcome of elections outside the control of this small island on the periphery of Europe could have an even greater significance and impact on our future and the trajectory of the world.

This year has underscored the reality that a few key players determine the fate of states and citizens.

This was particularly evident in Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine and the more recent Israeli bombardment of Gaza.

In the UN this week a Security Council vote on a resolution calling for a suspension in fighting to allow more humanitarian aid into the beleaguered Gaza Strip was put off multiple times as the US  Israel's strongest ally  mulled over the wording.

There will be many twists and turns and plenty of drama before polling day on November 5.

On that front, Americans will elect a president in November.

While 158 million Americans went to vote in 2020, the presidential outcome was ultimately decided by about 43,000 voters across Arizona, Georgia, and Wisconsin, which carried Joe Biden over the line.

A poll published by the New York Times this week puts former president Donald Trump ahead of the sitting president by 2% among registered voters.

The poll was carried out ahead of a court ruling that declared Trump cannot run for president in Colorado because of his actions ahead of the January 6 riot. Trump has said he will appeal the decision, but even without Colorado the businessman can still seek the party nomination and run in other Republican primaries.

But Trump also faces another challenge with former South Carolina governor Nikki Haley gaining support as the only woman seeking the 2024 Republican presidential nomination.

There will be many twists and turns and plenty of drama before polling day on November 5.

Meanwhile, a UK election is being pencilled in while India, the most populous country in the world, will hold ballots across April and May.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, centre, appears set to hold on to power.

India has fallen 11 places on the World Press Freedom Index to 161 out of 180 countries amid claims of growing violence against journalists, the politically partisan media and the concentration of media ownership.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi looks likely to hold onto power for a third term as the opposition struggles to play catch up on the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party.

In contrast, South Africa could see a seismic shift with the ruling ANC losing the overall majority.

This would be a massive hit to the ANC which has remained the dominant party since the end of Apartheid and Nelson Mandela came to power.

A significant challenge will come from the Democratic Alliance and the Economic Freedom Fighters, but smaller parties and independent candidates could be the deciding factor in the makeup of the next Government.

In Mexico, another political earthquake is being forecast with voters on track to elect their first female president with both the ruling Morena party and the main opposition coalition fielding women.

Claudia Sheinbaum speaks after being elected to be the MORENA party candidate for the upcoming national presidential elections.

Claudia Sheinbaum, an environmental scientist, who has clear left-wing political leanings, is now the favourite to win.

Change can of course herald progress, but it also carries a risk of upheaval.

In its latest Chief Risk Officers Outlook report, the World Economic Forum warns that continuing volatility in geopolitical and geoeconomic relations between major economies is the biggest concern for chief risk officers in both the public and private sectors.

This is unsurprising given the ongoing war in Europe and continuing US-China economic tensions, the Forum says.

"Economic and financial challenges may be exacerbated by ongoing shifts in global power dynamics."

A third of chief risk officers highlighted the potential organisational risks posed by elections and political regime change.

Threat to democracy

Of course, elections can be held, but that does not mean that they will be free or fair.

While 40% of the world's population will have a chance to cast a ballot next year, many organisations have raised a continuing threat to freedom and real democracy.

Freedom House, the US-based watchdog has found that in 2023 global freedom has declined for the 17th consecutive year with coups and other attempts to undermine representative government across Tunisia, Peru, Brazil, and Burkina Faso.

It is extremely unlikely that next year's vote in Russia will weaken Vladimir Putin's grip on power or allow citizens to voice their opinions on the war in Ukraine.

Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Having jailed prominent opposition politicians, such as Alexei Navalny and Ilya Yashin, who could challenge him, the election is not expected to throw up any surprises.

Putin, who was first elected president in March 2000, signed new laws into force in 2021 that will allow to remain in situ until 2036.

Iran, seen as a key player in the Middle East and one of America's greatest enemies, will vote at the beginning of March.

It will be the first time citizens go to the polls since nationwide protests erupted in September 2022.

A woman holds a placard with a picture of Iranian woman Mahsa Amini during a protest against her death.

The protests, which were quickly met by a violent crackdown, were sparked by the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in police custody. She had been allegedly improperly wearing her hijab, which went against Irans highly conservative Islamic Republic dress code.

While candidate registrations opened in August, officials have already announced that out of the 24,982 applicants, around 28% have been disqualified in an initial screening phase.

Many Iranians are expected to boycott the vote.

But there is cause for hope, Freedom House states that "autocrats are far from infallible, and their errors provide openings for democratic forces".

"Ongoing protests against repression in Iran, Cuba, China, and other authoritarian countries suggest that peoples desire for freedom is enduring and that no setback should be regarded as permanent."

European Parliament elections

Closer to home, Europe will see nine parliamentary elections in 2024 (not counting the possibility of our own) of which four are likely to result in a notable change in government.

European Parliament elections will also take place in early June, which along with the local elections, will see an Irish day out at the polls.

But with far-right parties on the rise in many countries across the EU, the composition of the parliament's 720 seats will be tightly watched.

A poll conducted by Politico earlier this year found that the right-wing European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) group is on track to become the third-biggest group in the European Parliament. Similarly, the far-right Identity and Democracy (ID) group is expected to make sizable gains, winning 77 seats.

However, the poll found that the center-right European Peoples Party (EPP), which Fine Gael is aligned to, would still retain the largest number of seats in parliament.

Next year is shaping up to be both interesting and entertaining for political anoraks, but it will also be a critical year for democracy and shifting geopolitics.

It will be up to the Taoiseach to decide if and when a general election will slot into what is already a very busy political calendar.
An Israeli air strike has killed 76 members of an extended family in the Gaza Strip, rescue officials said.

The attack came a day after the UN chief warned again that nowhere is safe in Gaza and that Israels offensive is creating massive obstacles to the distribution of humanitarian aid.

Fridays strike on a building in Gaza City was among the deadliest of the Israel-Hamas war, now in its 12th week, said Mahmoud Bassal, a spokesman for Gazas Civil Defence department.

He provided a partial list of the names of those killed  16 heads of households from the al-Mughrabi family  and said the dead included women and children.

Among the dead were Issam al-Mughrabi, a veteran employee of the UN Development Programme, his wife and their five children.

The loss of Issam and his family has deeply affected us all. The UN and civilians in Gaza are not a target, said Achim Steiner, the head of the agency. This war must end.

Israeli military spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said late on Friday that forces are widening the ground offensive to additional areas of the strip, with a focus on the south.

He added that operations were also continuing in the northern half of Gaza, including Gaza City, the initial focus of Israels ground offensive.

The army said on Saturday that it carried out air strikes against Hamas fighters in several locations of the city.

The military says it has killed thousands of Hamas militants, including about 2,000 in the past three weeks, but it has not presented any evidence. It says 139 of its soldiers have been killed in the ground offensive.

Israel declared war after Hamas militants stormed across the border on October 7, killing 1,200 people and taking 240 hostages. Israel has vowed to keep up the fight until Hamas is destroyed and removed from power in Gaza and all the hostages are freed.

Palestinians wounded in Israeli air strikes arrive at Nasser hospital (Mohammed Dahman/AP)

More than 20,000 Palestinians have been killed and 53,000 wounded, according to health officials in the besieged territory.

Israel blames Hamas for the high civilian death toll, citing the groups use of crowded residential areas for military purposes and its tunnels under urban areas. It has unleashed thousands of air strikes since October 7, and has largely refrained from commenting on specific attacks, including intended targets.

On Friday, the UN Security Council adopted a watered-down resolution which calls for the immediate speeding up of aid deliveries to desperate civilians in Gaza.

The US won the removal of a tougher call for an urgent suspension of hostilities between Israel and Hamas. It abstained in the vote, as did Russia, which wanted the stronger language.

The resolution was the first on the war to make it through the council after the US vetoed two earlier ones calling for humanitarian pauses and a full ceasefire.

It was not immediately clear how and when aid deliveries would accelerate. Currently, trucks enter through two crossings  Rafah on the border with Egypt and Kerem Shalom on the border with Israel.

As part of the approved resolution, the US negotiated the removal of language that would have given the UN authority to inspect aid going into Gaza, something Israel says must continue to ensure material does not reach Hamas.

The UN Security Council meeting in New York (Yuki Iwamura/AP)

UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres reiterated his longstanding call for a humanitarian ceasefire. He expressed hope that Fridays resolution may help this happen but said much more is needed immediately to end the nightmare for the people in Gaza.

He told a news conference that it would be a mistake to measure the effectiveness of the humanitarian operation in Gaza by the number of trucks.

The real problem is that the way Israel is conducting this offensive is creating massive obstacles to the distribution of humanitarian aid inside Gaza, he said.

He added that the prerequisites for an effective aid operation  security, staff who can work in safety, logistical capacity and the resumption of commercial activity  do not exist.

Israels aerial and ground offensive has been one of the most devastating military campaigns in recent history, displacing nearly 85% of Gazas 2.3 million people and levelling wide areas of the tiny coastal enclave.

More than half a million people in Gaza are starving, according to a report this week from the UN and other agencies.
More than 90 Palestinians, including dozens from an extended family, have been killed in Israeli air strikes on two homes in the Gaza Strip, rescuers and hospital officials said.

The strikes flattened two homes on Friday, one in Gaza City and the other in the urban refugee camp of Nuseirat in the centre of the territory.

The Gaza City strike killed 76 people from the al-Mughrabi family, making it one of the deadliest of the war, said Mahmoud Bassal, a spokesman for Gazas Civil Defence department.

He gave the names of 16 heads of households within the family, and said the dead included women and children.

Among those killed were Issam al-Mughrabi, a veteran employee of the UN Development Programme, his wife and their five children.

The loss of Issam and his family has deeply affected us all. The UN and civilians in Gaza are not a target, said Achim Steiner, the head of the agency.

This war must end.

Later on Friday, a strike pulverised the Nuseirat home of Mohammed Khalifa, a local TV journalist, killing him and at least 14 others, according to officials at nearby Al Aqsa Martyrs Hospital where the bodies were taken.

Mourners held funeral prayers on Saturday in the hospitals courtyard while rescue teams continued to search for survivors.

Also on Saturday, the Israeli military said troops had arrested hundreds of alleged militants in Gaza over the past week and transferred more than 200 to Israel for further interrogation, providing rare details on a controversial policy of mass round-ups of Palestinian men.

The army said more than 700 people with alleged ties to the militant groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad had been sent to Israeli jails.

Israel declared war after Hamas gunmen stormed across the border on October 7, killing 1,200 people and taking 240 hostages.

More than 20,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israels war to destroy Hamas and more than 53,000 have been wounded, according to health officials in Gaza.

The residential building of the Khalifa family, destroyed by an Israeli strike in the Nusseirat refugee camp (Adel Hana/AP)

Despite mounting international calls for a ceasefire, Israel has vowed to keep up the fight until Hamas is destroyed and removed from power in Gaza and all the hostages are freed.

Israel blames Hamas for the high civilian death toll, citing the militants use of crowded residential areas and tunnels.

The offensive has displaced nearly 85% of Gazas 2.3 million people and levelled wide areas of the tiny coastal enclave. More than half a million people in Gaza  a quarter of the population  are starving, according to a report this week from the UN and other agencies.

Israeli military spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said late on Friday that forces were widening the ground offensive to additional areas of the strip, with a focus on the south.

He said operations were also continuing in the northern half of Gaza, the initial focus of Israels ground offensive, and that it carried out air strikes against Hamas fighters in several locations of Gaza City.

The army statement on detentions followed earlier Palestinian reports of large-scale round-ups of teenage boys and men from homes, shelters and hospitals in northern Gaza where ground troops have established firmer control.

Some of the released detainees have said they were stripped to their underwear, beaten and held for days with minimal water.

The military has denied abuse allegations and said those without links to militants were quickly released.

Antonio Guterres said Israels offensive is creating massive obstacles to the distribution of aid (Kamran Jebreili/AP)

Israel says it has killed thousands of Hamas militants, including about 2,000 in the past three weeks, but has not presented evidence. It says 139 of its soldiers have been killed in the ground offensive.

On Friday, the UN Security Council adopted a watered-down resolution that called for immediately speeding up aid deliveries to desperate civilians in Gaza, but not for a ceasefire.

It is not clear how and when aid deliveries will accelerate. Currently, trucks enter through two crossings  Rafah on the border with Egypt and Kerem Shalom on the border with Israel. Both crossings were closed on Saturday by mutual agreement between Israel, Egypt and the UN, Israeli officials said.

Before the Security Council vote, the US negotiated the removal of language that would have given the UN authority to inspect aid going into Gaza, something Israel says must continue to ensure material does not reach Hamas.

UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres said on Friday that Israels offensive is creating massive obstacles to the distribution of humanitarian aid, and that it is a mistake to measure the effectiveness of the operation by the number of trucks.

He reiterated his longstanding call for a humanitarian ceasefire, expressing hope that the resolution may help this happen but adding that much more is needed immediately to end the nightmare for the people in Gaza.
The Taang National Liberation Army (TNLA) on Friday evening seized Mantong Town, completing its takeover of Palaung Self-Administered Zone in northern Shan State, TNLA officers confirmed on Saturday.

The town was seized after the TNLA  an ethnic Palaung army  routed the juntas Infantry Battalion 130, which was based in Mantong.

The TNLA previously seized Namkhan and Namhsan towns in the zone, which consists of Namhsan and Mantong townships and was formally established by the 2008 constitution.

The TNLA and its Brotherhood Alliance partners began fighting for Mantong as part of Operation 1027.

Mantong is located 25 km northwest of the historic Bawdwin Mine in Namtu Township. It is in a mountainous area east of Shweli River.

TNLA officers on Saturday confirmed that the town had been seized the evening before.

In its attempt to defend itself against the TNLA, the juntas air force bombed Mantong Township more than 180 times from Dec. 19 to 22, the TNLA said.

In a Thursday statement, it said the junta bombed a camp for internally displaced persons in Mantong Town as well as civilians in the townships Lwal Kan Village. One woman was injured in the airstrikes that destroyed at least 15 homes and buildings, including a monastery, the statement said.

The juntas airstrikes also destroyed the homes in Man Kan and Hokho villages, as well as a monastery, residents said.

Thousands of residents of the town have been fleeing to villages nearby since Dec. 18 and are reluctant to return to the town, according to TNLA officers.

Although we have taken control of the town, its residents do not dare to return because they are afraid of airstrikes by the junta, a TNLA officer explained.

The TNLA and the junta forces both sustained casualties in clashes, the officer said, adding that the TNLA seized weapons and ammunition from the infantry battalion. He said it was still unclear how many weapons were seized.

Since the launch of Operation 1027 on October 27, the Brotherhood Alliance has seized 10 towns in northern Shan State from the junta.

The Brotherhood Alliance comprises three ethnic armies: the TNLA, the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army and the Arakan Army.

As it attacked junta bases and outposts in northern Shan State, its allies in other parts of the country  including Peoples Defense Forces  seized a dozen towns from junta troops in Sagaing and Bago regions and Karenni (Kayah) and Chin States.
Its all the fault of colonialists

Min Aung Hlaing has again ratcheted up his blame game as he seeks to evade responsibility for the countrys escalating post-coup crisis. This time it was Britain that he targeted.

At advance celebrations for Independence Day on Jan. 4, which marks the day Myanmar gained independence from the British in 1948, Min Aung Hlaing on Wednesday pointed the finger of blame at British colonialists.

The impact of the colonialists divide-and-rule policy continued to affect ethnic groups in Myanmar, he claimed, referring to offensives being conducted against his regime by armed organizations representing various ethnic groups.

He was speaking after his regime lost control of several major towns and hundreds of outposts in northern Shan, Chin, Kayah, and Rakhine states, as well as Sagaing Region.

The ethnic armed Brotherhood Alliance, responding to rumors of Chinese involvement in its offensive in northern Shan State, said they were under the influence of no country or organization and had only one objective: to root out the military dictatorship.

Min Aung Hlaing will keep pointing the finger over the crisis that has engulfed Myanmar since his coup, ignoring the fact that all the blame lies with him.

Praise for killer pilots

The Myanmar Air Force marked its 76th anniversary on Dec. 15 by commissioning two new Russian-made Su-30 fighters. Speaking at the ceremony, Min Aung Hlaing praised the air force for its outstanding performance in combat across northern Shan State, suggesting, contrary to the facts, that the regime may be gaining the upper hand in the fighting.

The junta boss is right to thank his air force. Without its efforts in propping up the army, Min Aung Hlaing might have already lost the war by now. The regime has been heavily reliant on its air force for several months now, as its army  once considered the most powerful branch of Myanmars military  has been seriously depleted and demoralized. Despite its fleet of jet fighters and gunships, the regime has lost 21 towns and hundreds of outposts in less than two months since the ethnic Brotherhood Alliance launched Operation 1027 in late October.

Junta pilot Major Khaing Thant Moe, who was captured by Karenni resistance forces, has admitted to conducting bombing raids targeting the civilian population.

Min Aung Hlaing is apparently ignorant of the fact that he cant win the war without public support, no matter how many SU-30 fighters he has.

Wasted trips

On December 16, seven weeks after the launch of the Operation 1027 anti-regime offensive, deputy junta chief Soe Win made his first trip to northern Shan State, where he comforted wounded soldiers at a military hospital in Lashio and met junta-affiliated militias and troops and their families.

Min Aung Hlaing had visited the same hospital a week earlier on December 10. However, the junta leaders apparently failed in their mission to give troops a much-needed morale booster.

Just hours before Soe Wins arrival, the Taang National Liberation Army, a member of the tripartite Brotherhood Alliance, seized Namhsan, a town renowned for tea production. On December 19, three days after Soe Win returned from Lashio, the Brotherhood Alliance seized the strategic border town of Namkham. Junta troops are now engaged in a fierce battle for Kutkai Township, which lies on the Lashio-Muse road, just one mile from Lashio Town.

Despite recent talks mediated by China, the fighting between regime troops and the Brotherhood Alliance continues to rage in northern Shan State.
Ukraine will most likely receive first batch of F-16 fighters by late 2023  ISW

Ukraine will most likely receive the first batch of F-16 fighters by the end of 2023, according to analysts at the American Institute for the Study of War (ISW).

As ISW notes, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte confirmed on December 22 during a telephone conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that the Dutch government would prepare the first 18 F-16 fighters for delivery to Ukraine.

"While Rutte did not confirm the timeline for F-16 delivery, a recent Estonian Ministry of Defense strategy document stated that the Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, and Belgium have already committed to donating F-16s to Ukraine 'before the end of the year [2023],'" the report notes.
1371138342::cfb49c8e-2422-11e5-99a3-d7f5c6e8b241

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.
The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine is considering the possibility of notifying men about the need to appear at the military registration, enlistment office using electronic alerts, Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said.

"We have analyzed various databases. We will decide how to take this data into account. Because is he a person liable for military service, or a military serviceman, or already a veteran? After taking into account, will this category of men be offered for military service or not? That is, this is a rather huge mechanism, which needs to be discussed step by step," Umerov said in an interview with Suspilne.

He clarified that men who are abroad will also receive notifications.

"If we have already made a decision on the categories, we will send invitations to everyone," the minister emphasized.

Umerov added that the Ministry of Defense is working on technical solutions to make this process civilized.
Polish farmers have suspended protests at the Shehyni-Medyka checkpoint with Ukraine, Vice-Minister of the Ministry of Agrarian Policy of Poland Micha Koodziejczak said on his page on X (Twitter).

"Since the very morning, together with Minister Czesaw Siekierski, we have talked with the farmers leading the protest. The protest has been suspended, the three main demands will enter the implementation stage in the near future. After the New Year, we sit down at the table to work together on the expected decisions," Koodziejczak wrote.

According to information from Economic Truth, farmers agreed to unblock the border and demanded the urgent implementation of three conditions - to provide a subsidy for the purchase of corn; maintain agricultural tax at the current year level; and continue liquidity lending.

Polish farmers who joined the blockade of carriers on the border with Ukraine planned to continue their protest until January 3.
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Overhaul Flawed Policies; Improve Transparency

Human Rights Watch  (New York)  Metas content moderation policies and systems have increasingly silenced voices in support of Palestine on Instagram and Facebook in the wake of the hostilities between Israeli forces and Palestinian armed groups, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today. The 51-page report, Metas Broken Promises: Systemic Censorship of Palestine Content on Instagram and Facebook, documents a pattern of undue removal and suppression of protected speech including peaceful expression in support of Palestine and public debate about Palestinian human rights. Human Rights Watch found that the problem stems from flawed Meta policies and their inconsistent and erroneous implementation, overreliance on automated tools to moderate content, and undue government influence over content removals.

Metas censorship of content in support of Palestine adds insult to injury at a time of unspeakable atrocities and repression already stifling Palestinians expression, said Deborah Brown, acting associate technology and human rights director at Human Rights Watch. Social media is an essential platform for people to bear witness and speak out against abuses while Metas censorship is furthering the erasure of Palestinians suffering.

Human Rights Watch reviewed 1,050 cases of online censorship from over 60 countries. Though they are not necessarily a representative analysis of censorship, the cases are consistent with years of reporting and advocacy by Palestinian, regional, and international human rights organizations detailing Metas censorship of content supporting Palestinians.

After the Hamas-led attack in Israel on October 7, 2023, which killed 1,200 people, mostly civilians, according to Israeli officials, Israeli attacks in Gaza have killed around 20,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Ministry of Health. Unlawful Israeli restrictions on humanitarian aid have contributed to an ongoing humanitarian catastrophe for Gazas 2.2 million population, nearly half of whom are children.



 2023 Human Rights Watch

Human Rights Watch identified six key patterns of censorship, each recurring in at least 100 instances: content removals, suspension or deletion of accounts, inability to engage with content, inability to follow or tag accounts, restrictions on the use of features such as Instagram/Facebook Live, and shadow banning, a term denoting a significant decrease in the visibility of an individuals posts, stories, or account without notification. In over 300 cases, users were unable to appeal content or account removal because the appeal mechanism malfunctioned, leaving them with no effective access to a remedy.

In hundreds of the cases documented, Meta invoked its Dangerous Organizations and Individuals (DOI) policy, which fully incorporates the United States designated lists of terrorist organizations. Meta has cited these lists and applied them sweepingly to restrict legitimate speech around hostilities between Israel and Palestinian armed groups.

Meta also misapplied its policies on violent and graphic content, violence and incitement, hate speech, and nudity and sexual activity. It has inconsistently applied its newsworthy allowance policy, removing dozens of pieces of content documenting Palestinian injury and death that has news value, Human Rights Watch said.

Meta is aware that its enforcement of these policies is flawed. In a 2021 report, Human Rights Watch documented Facebooks censorship of the discussion of rights issues pertaining to Israel and Palestine and warned that Meta was silencing many people arbitrarily and without explanation.

An independent investigation conducted by Business for Social Responsibility and commissioned by Meta found that the companys content moderation in 2021 appear[s] to have had an adverse human rights impact on the rights of Palestinian users, adversely affecting the ability of Palestinians to share information and insights about their experiences as they occurred.

In 2022, in response to the investigations recommendations as well as guidance by Metas Oversight Board, Meta made a commitment to make a series of changes to its policies and their enforcement in content moderation. Almost two years later, though, Meta has not carried out its commitments, and the company has failed to meet its human rights responsibilities, Human Rights Watch found. Metas broken promises have replicated and amplified past patterns of abuse.

Human Rights Watch shared its findings with Meta and solicited Metas perspective. In response, Meta cited its human rights responsibility and core human rights principles as guiding its immediate crisis response measures since October 7.

To meet its human rights due diligence responsibilities, Meta should align its content moderation policies and practices with international human rights standards, ensuring that decisions to take content down are transparent, consistent, and not overly broad or biased.

Meta should permit protected expression, including about human rights abuses and political movements, on its platforms, Human Rights Watch said. It should begin by overhauling its dangerous organizations and individuals policy to make it consistent with international human rights standards. Meta should audit its newsworthy allowance policy to ensure that it does not remove content that is in the public interest and should ensure its equitable and non-discriminatory application. It should also conduct due diligence on the human rights impact of temporary changes to its recommendation algorithms it introduced in response to the recent hostilities.

Instead of tired apologies and empty promises, Meta should demonstrate that it is serious about addressing Palestine-related censorship once and for all by taking concrete steps toward transparency and remediation, Brown said.

Human Rights Watch
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Ann Arbor (Informed Comment)  The UN reports figures from the Gaza Ministry of Health as of Friday: between 7 October and 7:00 on 22 December, at least 20,057 Palestinians were killed in Gaza. About 70 per cent of those killed are said to be women and children. As of then, 53,320 Palestinians have been injured.

If Gazas population before the outbreak of hostilities on October 7 was 2.2 million, then Israel has killed 0.9% of the population, nearly a full 1 percent. Almost all of them have been innocent noncombatants, since 70% are estimated to have been women and children, and most of the men killed have been civilians  the elderly, workers, shopkeepers, and professionals, including physicians and journalists.

The Israeli campaign has now entered into WW II territory. The belligerents in the Second World War may have polished off between 65 million and 75 million people, a good 55 million of them noncombatants. But these numbers are worldwide, and they represent a small percentage of the worlds population during the war.

Italy is a good comparison for Gaza, since about 1.1% of its pre-war population was killed in WW II. That took from 1940 to 1945 (Mussolinis Italy entered the war in 1940 and he fell in 1943 but Allied dithering allowed the Nazi Germans to take over Italy until 1945).

So Israel is killing Palestinians in Gaza at many, many times the rate that the warring countries killed Italians in Italy during WW II, since at 11 weeks we have nearly reached the 1% dead threshold that took nearly 5 years to achieve in Italy.

Today: Gaza faces crisis levels of hunger, nearing famine

Vittorio Daniele and Renato Ghezzi wrote in Investigaciones de Historia Economica that, moreover, those who survived the trauma of the war were severely damaged. They write,

Research, conducted in 13 European countries on a large sample of adults (>50 years old), showed how the experience of World War II (WWII) during childhood increased the probability of suffering from diabetes and depression, and was associated with less education and life satisfaction in adulthood (Kesternich et al., 2014).

War most often brings hunger to the population. The United Nations now estimates that half of Palestinians in Gaza are starving.

That happened to the Dutch during the Nazi blockade. Daniele and Ghezzi note, Studies conducted on cohorts of Dutch men, born during the German blockade of food supplies to the Netherlands (the Hunger Winter, 19441945), found that prenatal exposure to severe malnutrition deficiencies, particularly in the first gestation period, was associated with a higher risk of personality disorders, coronary heart disease and metabolic disorders in later life (Neugebauer et al., 1999, Roseboom et al., 2001) and with persistent epigenetic changes (Heijmans et al., 2008).

So all the pregnant women who survive the bombardments can expect to give birth to children more likely to have attacks and to experience personality disorders; and even the way their DNA processes proteins will be affected. There are tens of thousands of pregnant women in Gaza.

Some of the same health and behavioral problems have been found for children below 10. The loss of education was also enormous, and affected their lifetime earnings.

Steven Harvey wrote in 1985 about the Allied strategic bombing of Italy in the journal History. He argued that Italy had the least-developed air force among the belligerents and had few means to defend itself from allied bombing. There were food shortages and rationing had to be imposed. One of the reasons for the food shortages was a 25 per cent decline in agricultural production by 1943, caused by labour shortages and reduced supplies of fertilizer (also partly due to labour shortage).

The Italian government never organized proper air raid warnings. Harvey wrote, When the RAF first bombed Turin the first casualties had started arriving in hospital before the air raid alarm was given. Nearly two and a half years later, during the first American daylight raid on Naples, the bombs fell on busy streets crowded with afternoon shoppers, because even though the American formation had been in sight of the coast for several minutes, the alarm had still not been sounded.

He gives a for-instance: Numerous [American] attacks on Naples killed about 3000 people between 1 January [1943] and the armistice. The population dispersed, many taking refuge in the countryside, which hurt industrial and food production. But Italy is a big place and was relatively lightly bombed. It differs radically from tiny Gaza, which has seen 2,000-pound bombs repeatedly dropped on densely populated urban areas (the US never did that to Mosul, contrary to what some observers have alleged).

Unlike in Gaza, most of the people killed in Italy during the war were killed by ground operations, not from the air. Still, Harvey argues that the air campaign contributed significantly to the collapse of the Mussolini government.

The massive war machines of the 1940s that ground up and destroyed so many lives took five years to kill the proportion of the population in Italy that the Israelis have killed in only about 11 weeks in Gaza.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, December 23. Minister of Defense of the Republic of Azerbaijan Colonel General Zakir Hasanov expressed condolences to Minister of National Defense of the Republic of Turkiye Yashar Guler, Trend reports, referring to the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry.

"I am deeply saddened to hear the news of the loss of life and injured Turkish Armed Forces servicemen as a result of the terrorist attack in northern Iraq committed on December 22 this year," said Hasanov.

"We share the grief and strongly condemn all manifestations of terrorism. In the irreconcilable fight against terrorism, we stand by the Armed Forces of Turkiye and support them. May God rest in peace the souls of the heroic Turkish servicemen who became martyrs as a result of this incident. May God grant healing to the wounded," said in the message.

Stay up to date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
The first official poster for SBS TV's "Flex X Cop" was finally unveiled, showcasing Ahn Bo Hyun's unrivaled charisma as a handsome detective.

Fans are able to take a glimpse into his new world in the series, raising the excitement to a different level. Check it out below by reading more.

Ahn Bo Hyun Displays Unmatched Charisma In New Drama

On December 23, SBS TV released the official teaser posters for the talked-about action romance drama "Flex X Cop."

Following Ahn Bo Hyun and Park Ji Hyun's individual teaser photos, the broadcast network raised the tension among fans with a sneak peek into the upcoming series.

"Flex X Cop" stimulates excitement as it displays someone's belongings on the teaser, as if listing solid pieces of evidence for a criminal case including a handgun, light sticks, handcuffs, gold bars and luxury clothing items.

The phrase that reads "FLEX investigation of a conglomerate heir" hints at Ahn Bo Hyun's rich transformation into Jin Yi Soo, a spoiled brat who suddenly becomes a police detective.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Ahn Bo Hyun Broods Charisma As Chaebol In New Drama 'Flex X Cop'

In the second poster, Ahn Bo Hyun smiled for the camera as he flaunted his boyish charms, stirring excitement and catharsis for his fans.

Curiosity is raised as to what kind of performance Ahn Bo Hyun will show as he takes on the role of a conglomerate heir-turned-detective that possesses power and money on prime time. Catch "Flex X Cop" on January 26, 2024 on SBS TV.

Ahn Bo Hyun's '2 O'Clock Date,' 'Hash's Shinru,' More

This 2024, Ahn Bo Hyun returns to the spotlight with a slew of multiple exhilarating works.

Apart from "Flex X Cop," he's also set to headline the historical drama "Hash's Shinru" which tells the romantic story of a star-loving scientist and a mysterious woman who sees the future.

It marks Ahn Bo Hyun's first-ever historical romance drama since his debut. Moreover, he is also gearing up for his silver screen return with "2 O'Clock Date" with Yoona.

It's about the romantic tryst between apartment buddies who go on dates at two in the morning while everyone is asleep. Production is currently underway, and it's expected to air in early 2024.

YOU MIGHT ALSO BE INTERESTED IN THIS: Park Ji Hyun Wows Fans With Androgynous Charms In New Drama

Are you excited for Ahn Bo Hyun's new projects? Tell your thoughts in the comments down below!

KDramaStars owns this article.

Written by Elijah Mully.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, December 23. Azerbaijani Embassy in Turkiye has strongly condemned the recent terrorist attack on Turkish servicemen and expressed condolences to the families and close friends of the martyrs, Trend reports referring to the embassy's post on X (Twitter).

"May God rest the souls of the heroic martyrs who died as a result of a terrorist attack in northern Iraq. We wish patience to their families and loved ones. We strongly condemn terrorism," said the Embassy post.

It was reported that servicemen of the Turkish Armed Forces were killed and wounded in a terrorist attack in northern Iraq on December 22.

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FILE - Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Janet Protasiewicz attends her first hearing as a justice, Sept. 7, 2023, in Madison, Wis. The liberal-controlled Wisconsin Supreme Court overturned Republican-drawn legislative maps on Friday, Dec. 22, and ordered that new district boundary lines be drawn as Democrats had urged in a redistricting case they hope will weaken GOP majorities. (AP Photo/Morry Gash, File)
When a 24-year-old laborers apprentice used a chainsaw without training, they sustained a jagged laceration through their left quadriceps. When I saw them 12 months later in my general practice, their laceration was well healed. However, they remained unemployed because their untreated post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) was aggravated on their return to work when their boss put a chainsaw in their hands to help them toughen up and get over it.

Clearly, the apprentices severe mental injury was contributed to by the failure of his employer to provide adequate training and support. The young mans surgeons carefully attended to his physical injury, but underestimated his mental illness when they certified him fit for pre-injury duties in an unsafe workplace.

There are striking parallels in this case with the way the medical profession sometimes underestimates acute and repetitive work-related mental injury in doctors who work in psychologically unsafe health care workplaces, particularly in its own apprentices.

In recent times, major global and national issues have plunged our health systems into chaos and resulted in a major mental health crisis in our communities  and health workers, including the medical profession. And yet, in the wake of a pandemic and other multiple disaster exposures (here), there seems to be a tendency in medicine to just want to put it all behind us. Have we considered that responses such as I dont want to talk about it, Its just part of the job, or Toughen up, get over it may be symptoms of unhealthy avoidance following multiple traumatic experiences?

Work-related mental injury is under-recognized and undertreated

The medical profession must reconsider some fundamental questions if we are to effectively address the current doctor burnout crisis.

As a profession, are we recognizing the difference between burnout and more severe forms of mental injury?

According to the International Classification of Diseases, 11th revision (ICD-11), burnout is a syndrome conceptualized as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed. It is characterized by three dimensions: 1) feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion; 2) increased mental distance from ones job, or feelings of negativism or cynicism related to ones job; and 3) a sense of ineffectiveness and lack of accomplishment.

Work-related mental injury may include a range of different mental illnesses in addition to PTSD and complex PTSD, such as adjustment disorder, major depression, anxiety disorder, and panic disorder, each with diagnostic criteria requiring a comprehensive mental health assessment and specific evidence-based psychological treatment and/or pharmaceutical management.

When burnout does not respond to rest, self-help strategies, and reduction of work stress, we must consider the possibility this is more likely to be a more serious work-related mental injury, as this hospital medical officer (HMO) described to me.

I am haunted by traumatic losses of patients, family members, and friends during the pandemic. When I was expected to cover other doctors sick leave at short notice and take on enormous patient caseloads, I couldnt cope, and I still feel like a failure. Although lockdowns are over, I continue to withdraw from people outside of work. Im exhausted, but cant sleep due to bad dreams 

How can the medical profession better support doctors like this young HMO?

It is important to remember that, sometimes, simple actions rather than formal psychiatric interventions are effective. This may include being listened to, receiving informal emotional support from colleagues, confronting and discussing fears, finding a new meaning or purpose in life and work through adversity, and having senior role models who are willing to share their vulnerabilities having been there and recovered. Unfortunately, these sorts of supportive interventions are lacking in medicine.

Every doctor can benefit from prioritizing advanced approaches to psychological protection just as we prioritize physical protection. We can also seek professional support from a GP for routine mental health screening as part of an annual comprehensive preventive health check.

Unfortunately, there is a persisting negative stigma and shame surrounding psychological problems in medicine, which prevent doctors from seeking interventions for mental health problems.

Why have we been unable to shift the entrenched attitudinal barriers that deter the access of the doctors to optimal mental health care, including fears about confidentiality and mandatory reporting? Having a trusted, independent GP (who is not a friend or work colleague) for routine health care allows a doctor to take time off work for stress and mental health issues confidentially and also overcomes any risk of an inappropriate report to a regulatory authority.

Do doctors know where to access early specialized psychological therapies and, if needed, pharmaceutical treatment for the specific psychiatric conditions listed above? Or where to access online cognitive behavioral therapy programs, websites and resources, specialized online treatments for insomnia, and regular consultations with an experienced therapist face to face or via telehealth, particularly for isolated rural doctors?

Many of the answers to helping doctors recover from work-related mental injury are documented in evidence-based guidelines for psychiatric conditions. As one example, Phoenix has published specific guidelines for PTSD or complex PTSD, which should be read by every doctor given the extent of trauma exposure in our communities and ourselves.

Work-related mental injury is aggravated by an unsupportive culture in a psychologically unsafe workplace.

The mutual support of colleagues through shared challenges is one of the great joys of a medical career. Through adversity, we develop strong connections and lifelong friendships which sustain us. Unfortunately, during the prolonged isolation imposed by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, these supportive relationships have been lacking, and many doctors were let down by other colleagues in vulnerable times in the past few years.

In a medical career, when we are routinely confronted with many stressful and traumatic experiences; suffering is a natural human response, not a mental weakness. In this situation, it is unfathomable that doctors continue to report being bullied, ostracized or overlooked by colleagues or employers after temporarily being unable to pull their weight due to a work-related mental or physical illness. After years of dedicated service to patient care, the words toughen up and get over it are deeply painful when a doctor is unwell.

A clarion call for a new approach to work-related mental injury in medicine

The intractable nature of mental health problems in doctors has a long history, which suggests that something must dramatically change in the future.

Unacceptably high levels of mental health problems persist in the medical profession for complex reasons. Notably, many doctors have been subjected to abnormally demanding and unsafe work environments, long hours, high stress, and traumatic situations in the past few years, and are at increased risk of mental health problems.

Its time for a united medical profession to re-evaluate and scale up its efforts in relation to high levels of work-related burnout and mental injury in doctors who work in psychologically unsafe health care workplaces.

If this opinion piece has triggered any discomfort, please make a long consultation with your independent and trusted general practitioner or other mental health professional to talk about recovery from burnout and work-related mental injury.

Leanne Rowe is a physician in Australia and is the co-author of Every Doctor.
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Since the December 5, 2023, Congressional hearing into antisemitic harassment at Penn, Harvard, and MIT, I was shocked to learn how universities, large and small, public and private, have been hijacked by extreme right-wing leaders connected directly or indirectly to the GOP.

Examples include:

Youngstown State University bypassed the normal search process to select its new president, Republican U.S. Representative Bill Johnson. Johnson has no experience in academia and voted with dozens of other GOP lawmakers in their failed effort to block Joe Bidens 2020 victory.

Kevin Guskiewicz left as chancellor of the University of North Carolina (UNC)-Chapel Hill partly due to political interference from the universitys almost-all-Republican trustees. Guskiewicz was replaced on an interim basis by board trustee Lee Roberts, a former state budget director under a Republican governor. Roberts has a background in finance and real estate, but he has no substantive experience running a large university.

Meanwhile, in a messy and contentious process, UNC-Chapel Hill initially denied and subsequently granted tenure to Nikole Hannah-Jones, one of Americas top Black journalists and a Pulitzer Prize winner for the 1619 Project. Hannah-Jones instead joined the faculty of Howard University.

Floridas Republican governor and current presidential candidate, Ron DeSantis, elected Ben Sasse, a Republican senator from Nebraska and president of the flagship University of Florida, despite protests related to both the search and Sasse himself.

In addition, DeSantis aims to crush the progressive New College of Florida by appointing Richard Corcoran as interim president. Corcoran is the former Republican Speaker of the House in Floridas Legislature. The decision to hire him occurred before public comments  virtually all negative  were entertained.

This academic whitewashing and suppression of educational freedom across America is lamentable. Florida is a prime example of a state where a swath of new conservative trustees has been appointed to colleges through political back-channels, arguing that liberal leanings have corrupted the states culture.

Columnist Will Bunch remarked, Controlling [university] campuses  curbing their diversity initiatives and downsizing the liberal arts that promote critical thinking while pumping up pro-capitalism business or STEM courses  helps their real agenda, which is molding young people less likely to challenge their authority. We lose that war when they capture Youngstown State 

Bunch attributes the Republican blowback to a decades-long emphasis on liberal arts education, beginning after World War II with the GI Bill and piquing in the early 1970s with college protests against the Vietnam War. Ronald Reagan subsequently marshaled a conservative educational agenda, first in California as governor and later as president of the United States, making sure that conservative governors and state legislatures slowed taxpayer aid for universities and boosted tuition  a trend that accelerated dramatically after the Great Recession.

Gradually, over the last decade, liberal university trustees have been ousted in the name of political correctness or wokeness. Their conservative replacements have thrown their weight around campus and buddied up with influential donors bent on steering universities away from liberal ideas and professors, as UNC did in the case of Hannah-Jones.

For example, University of Pennsylvania alumnus Saul B. Rosenthal, who donated approximately $168,000 in scholarships earmarked for financially burdened business students, sued Penn, alleging that the school instead gave some of those scholarships to aid student-athletes. Well-known billionaire Marc Rowan, who leads Penns Wharton business schools advisory board, has made no secret about his attempts to alter the schools mission and academic and governance practices, contributing to the recent resignations of Penn president Liz Magill and board chair Scott Bok.

Just when institutions of higher learning seemed to be making strides in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), no sooner were they called to fight for a new kind of diversity: diversity of thought. When the Harvard Institute of Politics removed alum Representative Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) from its Senior Advisory Committee in the wake of the January 6 insurrection and her ongoing claims of voter fraud in the 2020 election, Stefanik wrote in a statement: The decision by Harvards administration to cower and cave to the woke left will continue to erode diversity of thought.

I really think Stefanik had it backward. The only thing thats really changing in America is the increasingly radical nature of the right-wing anti-intellectual agenda. And a right-wing war against freedom of thought in America is only heating up  it could get a lot worse in 2024  and it could further erode freedom of thought and expression in medicine.

I say further because we have already witnessed a strong backlash against DEI initiatives in medical schools, as well as practice, in the form of wresting medical decision-making away from doctors and patients  for example, decisions related to abortion and gender identity and even medical licensure, considering that physicians who comprise states medical licensing boards are typically political (governor) appointees.

There has also been a huge uptick in the number of scholars and physicians who have been sanctioned or have had attempted sanction since 2000. Views surrounding COVID-19 policies and vaccination contributed to most of the actions. Sanction attempts were also in response to teaching practices, scientific inquiry, speech about race, and institutional policies.

Mayo Clinic fired internal medicine physician Steven Weiss after he published a book about his experiences treating patients through the darkest days of the COVID-19 pandemic. Physicians rights to free expression have become so encumbered that it has become necessary to propose a model to distinguish between citizen speech, physician speech, and clinical speech to regulate it.

Organizations such as Do No Harm, which ostensibly advocates for patients, continue to file federal civil rights complaints attacking diversity efforts at medical schools and institutions. Their latest report, The Return of Segregation, attempts to debunk well-established research showing that matching physician ethnicity and patient demographics leads to better health care outcomes. But the report simply criticizes published studies as opposed to contributing new empirical evidence about outcomes after patients see physicians of the same race.

The report might have had some merit if it were actually true that racial concordance is unimportant and that matching patients and doctors creates a de facto segregation of the races. In the same vein, the HBO documentary South to Black Power, featuring the New York Times opinion columnist Charles M. Blow, calls for Black Americans to move to the South to gain political footholds. But, paraphrasing Blow, I do find it inspiring that sparking the conversation about reverse segregation could change the power structure in this country.

And that is what must be preserved: the ability to have the conversation.

Arthur Lazarus is a former Doximity Fellow, a member of the editorial board of the American Association for Physician Leadership, and an adjunct professor of psychiatry at the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University in Philadelphia, PA. He is the author of Every Story Counts: Exploring Contemporary Practice Through Narrative Medicine.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, December 23. Voters will be informed about the place and time of voting in Azerbaijan, Deputy Chairman of the Central Election Commission Rovzat Gasimov said at a meeting of the CEC, Trend reports.

He noted that in this regard the text, form, quantity and procedure for preparing notices to inform voters about the place and time of voting have been approved.

Over six million notices will be printed, the official explained.

After discussion, the relevant document was put to a vote and approved.

On December 7, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev signed a decree on holding early presidential election in Azerbaijan on February 7, 2024.

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The Farrell family, who farm at Whitechurch, Garryduff, Gowran (Eircode: R95 K224) will host a CalfCare Programme event on Tuesday, January 9, from 11am.

DairyBeef 500, a Teagasc campaign focused on maximising the potential of beef production from the dairy herd, has linked up with Animal Health Irelands (AHI) annual CalfCare roadshow on calf health and management.

Alan Dillon, DairyBeef 500s campaign coordinator stated: These events are extremely important dates in the calendar for both dairy farmers and dairy calf-to-beef farmers in terms of refreshing their skillset on calf rearing.

For the first time, beef farmers rearing dairy beef calves will host some of the CalfCare events which will be held throughout the country this January.

Its hoped that additional visitors will attend these events to get an update on the fundamentals of good calf rearing and management in advance of the 2024 calving season.

According to Pearse Kelly, Teagascs Head of Beef Knowledge Transfer: Dairy beef system performance starts the day the calf is born and the attention to detail of the dairy farmer is an important element in the performance of the beef farmer.

Equally so, dairy beef farmers have to pick up the baton once the calf transfers to their farm and follow best practice in calf rearing to achieve the targets that underpin successful dairy beef operations.

Joe Patton, Teagasc Head of Dairy Knowledge Transfer, said that the integration of both teams to deliver the events emphasised the importance of the calf-rearing process to both farming systems.

Its essential that dairy farmers do their utmost to produce calves that have enhanced profitability potential and look after them well up to the point of transfer from the farm to ensure the success of the dairy beef farmers operation, he said

Holding the events on both dairy and beef farms highlights the common skills and knowledge required by both sets of farmers which are similar in nature, according to AHI Chief Executive David Graham.

AHI welcomes the opportunity to link with Dairy Beef 500 in the delivery and content of these events, reflecting the increasing interdependence of the two sectors as they work together to maintain an economically, socially and environmentally sustainable cattle sector.
Last January I was ordained Bishop of Ossory and what a joy it is for me now on the occasion of my first Christmas here to pray Gods blessing on the people of the Diocese.

I know that I do so at a particularly challenging time for our country and world as we struggle with the ongoing consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic, horrible wars in Ukraine, the Holy Land and elsewhere, the housing crisis, growing levels of inequality and the challenges involved in creating a genuinely multi-cultural society in Ireland. And this in addition to the high levels of meaningless and nihilism which are sadly characteristic of our society.

In the midst of these challenges, we need to be reminded of the true message of Christmas  often obscured by the crass materialism which dominates the public square  that we are in fact a much-loved part of the most blessed family of all, brothers and sisters of Jesus Christ whose birth we now celebrate, true children of God.

I think it is timely to remember that the origin of the very term Christmas is found in the earliest recorded form of the English language, Anglo Saxon, where it is rendered as Cristes maesse, literally, Christs Mass.

This underscores the long tradition, over many generations of Christian witness in these islands and beyond, to attendance at and participation in the Mass, in the Eucharist, at Christmas.

So, my prayer now for Christians of all hues during this Holy Season  Catholic, Protestant and Orthodox  and for others who search for meaning too, is to go to church this Christmas and let the sense of community, the lovely carols, music and liturgy carry you. And my deepest hope is that you will imbibe something of the true meaning of Christmas, that God is with us in Jesus Christ Our Lord.

Knowing this is the secret to happiness, to blessedness, empowering us to hope and love, to love of both God and neighbour. The striking relevance of this message was recently signalled by Pope Francis when he recalled the more than 3,000 children who have died in Gaza since the outbreak of war in the Holy Land, as well as the more than 500 children who have died in Ukraine and the thousands who died during the years of war in Yemen.

The Pope asserted that it is only by loving God and loving one another that the world [can] rediscover the light and the peace that it needs and which was proclaimed by the angels who announced Jesus birth. We must never tire of working for peace and justice everywhere.

May I wish you and your families a happy and blessed Christmas. Beannachtai na Nollag oraibh.

Niall Coll

Bishop of Ossory
BAKU, Azerbaijan, December 23. The Azerbaijani Ministry of Foreign Affairs has begun work related to the voting of compatriots living abroad, the Central Election Commission (CEC) Chairman Mazahir Panahov said at the CEC meeting, Trend reports.

He noted that citizens living abroad must be included in the voter list at the country's diplomatic mission closest to them.

They can also contact us so that we can connect them with the diplomatic mission, Panahov added.

On December 7, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev signed a decree on holding early presidential election in Azerbaijan on February 7, 2024.

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Shenandoah, IA (51601)

Today

Cloudy skies with a few snow showers this afternoon. High 24F. Winds NE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of snow 30%..

Tonight

Watching a potential winter storm. Snow. Winds will be gusty at times this evening. Low 11F. Winds NNE at 20 to 30 mph. Chance of snow 100%. 5 to 8 inches of snow expected.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, December 23. Ivor Prickett, a photographer at The New York Times, has shared footage from the missile attack on Azerbaijan's Barda in 2020, Trend reports.

In his post on Instagram he writes that he was "lucky to get out of that attack in Barda unscathed".

"It was probably one of the scariest moments I have ever endured, partly because we had virtually no cover. I am not a religious man but I remember very clearly praying to an unknown god that day. We somehow survived the hailstorm of bomblets and immediately got to work documenting the aftermath. In the end it was the single most deadly loss of civilian life during the 2020 war, which ended some few weeks later," he said.

On October 27 and 28, 2020, a rocket strike by Armenia hit the densely populated areas of Azerbaijan's Barda district. The use of prohibited weapons resulted in the tragic loss of 25 civilian lives, with over 80 others sustaining injuries.
Shares of Atlas Engineered Products Ltd. (CVE:AEP  Get Free Report) traded down 0.9% during trading on Friday . The company traded as low as C$1.09 and last traded at C$1.10. 22,065 shares were traded during mid-day trading, a decline of 81% from the average session volume of 118,439 shares. The stock had previously closed at C$1.11.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

AEP has been the topic of a number of analyst reports. Echelon Wealth Partners reiterated a speculative buy rating on shares of Atlas Engineered Products in a research report on Friday, September 15th. Cormark upped their target price on shares of Atlas Engineered Products from C$1.50 to C$1.70 in a research note on Thursday, August 24th.

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Atlas Engineered Products Price Performance

The company has a 50 day moving average of C$1.11 and a 200 day moving average of C$1.12. The company has a current ratio of 3.38, a quick ratio of 2.31 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 116.51. The firm has a market cap of C$65.03 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 15.71 and a beta of 0.96.

Atlas Engineered Products (CVE:AEP  Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Monday, November 27th. The company reported C$0.02 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of C$0.03 by C($0.01). Atlas Engineered Products had a return on equity of 15.46% and a net margin of 9.40%. The business had revenue of C$14.37 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of C$34.05 million. Equities research analysts predict that Atlas Engineered Products Ltd. will post 0.0900083 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Atlas Engineered Products Company Profile

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Atlas Engineered Products Ltd. designs, manufactures, and sells engineered roof trusses, floor trusses, wall panels, and windows in Canada. The company offers floor joists and floor panels; and design, engineering, permitting, project management, and site assembly services. It also distributes a range of engineered wood products for builders of residential and commercial wood-framed buildings, including single-family homes, townhouses, multi-story wood-framed residential buildings, commercial buildings, and agricultural structures.

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Walker & Dunlop (NYSE:WD  Get Free Report) and Atrium Mortgage Investment (OTCMKTS:AMIVF  Get Free Report) are both financial services companies, but which is the better stock? We will compare the two businesses based on the strength of their valuation, dividends, risk, profitability, analyst recommendations, earnings and institutional ownership.

Profitability

This table compares Walker & Dunlop and Atrium Mortgage Investments net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

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Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets Walker & Dunlop 11.03% 9.13% 3.57% Atrium Mortgage Investment N/A N/A N/A

Valuation and Earnings

This table compares Walker & Dunlop and Atrium Mortgage Investments top-line revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation.

Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio Walker & Dunlop $1.26 billion 2.87 $213.82 million $3.49 30.89 Atrium Mortgage Investment N/A N/A N/A $0.77 10.14

Institutional and Insider Ownership

Walker & Dunlop has higher revenue and earnings than Atrium Mortgage Investment. Atrium Mortgage Investment is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Walker & Dunlop, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.

78.0% of Walker & Dunlop shares are held by institutional investors. 5.5% of Walker & Dunlop shares are held by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, endowments and hedge funds believe a company is poised for long-term growth.

Analyst Recommendations

This is a summary of recent recommendations for Walker & Dunlop and Atrium Mortgage Investment, as provided by MarketBeat.com.

Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score Walker & Dunlop 0 3 1 0 2.25 Atrium Mortgage Investment 0 0 0 0 N/A

Walker & Dunlop presently has a consensus target price of $107.50, suggesting a potential downside of 0.30%. Given Walker & Dunlops higher probable upside, equities analysts clearly believe Walker & Dunlop is more favorable than Atrium Mortgage Investment.

Dividends

Walker & Dunlop pays an annual dividend of $2.52 per share and has a dividend yield of 2.3%. Atrium Mortgage Investment pays an annual dividend of $0.75 per share and has a dividend yield of 9.5%. Walker & Dunlop pays out 72.2% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. Atrium Mortgage Investment pays out 96.8% of its earnings in the form of a dividend, suggesting it may not have sufficient earnings to cover its dividend payment in the future. Walker & Dunlop has increased its dividend for 5 consecutive years.

Summary

Walker & Dunlop beats Atrium Mortgage Investment on 12 of the 13 factors compared between the two stocks.

About Walker & Dunlop

(Get Free Report)

Walker & Dunlop, Inc., through its subsidiaries, originates, sells, and services a range of multifamily and other commercial real estate financing products and services for owners and developers of real estate in the United States. The company offers first mortgage, second trust, supplemental, construction, mezzanine, preferred equity, and small-balance loans. It also provides finance for multifamily, manufactured housing communities, student housing, affordable housing, and senior housing properties under the Fannie Mae's DUS program; and construction and permanent loans to developers and owners of multifamily housing, affordable housing, senior housing, and healthcare facilities. In addition, the company acts as a debt broker to work with life insurance companies, banks, and other institutional lenders to find debt and/or equity solution for the borrowers' needs; and offers property sales brokerage services to owners and developers of multifamily properties, and commercial real estate and multifamily property appraisals for various investors. Further, it provides appraisal and valuation services; and real estate-related investment banking and advisory services, including housing market research. Additionally, the company offers servicing and asset-managing the portfolio of loans; originates loans through its principal lending and investing activities; and manages third-party capital invested in tax credit equity funds focused on the affordable housing and other commercial real estate sectors. Walker & Dunlop, Inc. was founded in 1937 and is headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland.

About Atrium Mortgage Investment

(Get Free Report)

Atrium Mortgage Investment Corporation, a non-bank lender, provides residential and commercial mortgages services in Canada. The company offers various types of mortgage loans, such as land and development financing, construction and mezzanine financing, and commercial term and bridge financing services for residential, multi-residential, and commercial real properties. Atrium Mortgage Investment Corporation was incorporated in 2001 and is headquartered in Toronto, Canada.

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TI Fluid Systems plc (LON:TIFS  Get Free Report) rose 0.7% on Friday . The stock traded as high as GBX 154.03 ($1.95) and last traded at GBX 153.20 ($1.94). Approximately 79,914 shares changed hands during trading, a decline of 90% from the average daily volume of 774,629 shares. The stock had previously closed at GBX 152.20 ($1.92).

Analyst Ratings Changes

Separately, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reiterated a hold rating and set a GBX 145 ($1.83) price target on shares of TI Fluid Systems in a report on Thursday, September 28th.

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TI Fluid Systems Stock Performance

About TI Fluid Systems

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 192.86, a current ratio of 2.09 and a quick ratio of 1.54. The company has a market cap of 792.01 million, a PE ratio of -373.66, a PEG ratio of 0.40 and a beta of 1.29. The stock has a 50 day simple moving average of GBX 134.40 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of GBX 131.22.

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TI Fluid Systems plc manufactures and sells fluid storage systems. It operates through two segments, Fluid Carrying Systems (FCS) and Fuel Tank and Delivery Systems (FTDS). The FCS segment offers brake and fuel lines and bundles, thermal management fluid systems, HEV and BEV heating and cooling lines, powertrain components and quick connectors.

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Israel's war to destroy Hamas has killed more than 20,000 Palestinians, health officials in Gaza said Friday, as Israel expanded its offensive and ordered tens of thousands more people to leave their homes.

The deaths in Gaza amount to nearly 1 percent of the territorys prewar population  the latest indication of the 11-week-old conflict's staggering human toll .

Israels aerial and ground offensive has been one of the most devastating military campaigns in recent history , displacing nearly 85 percent of Gazas 2.3 million people and leveling wide swaths of the tiny coastal enclave . More than half a million people in Gaza  a quarter of the population  are starving, according to a report Thursday from the United Nations and other agencies.

Israel declared war after Hamas militants stormed across the border on Oct. 7, killing some 1,200 people and taking some 240 hostages. Israel has vowed to keep up the fight until Hamas is destroyed and removed from power in Gaza and all the hostages are freed.

After many delays, the U.N. Security Council adopted a watered-down resolution Friday calling for immediately speeding up aid deliveries to desperate civilians in Gaza.

The United States won the removal of a tougher call for an urgent suspension of hostilities between Israel and Hamas. It abstained in the vote, as did Russia, which wanted the stronger language. The resolution was the first on the war to make it through the council after the U.S. vetoed two earlier ones that called for humanitarian pauses and a full cease-fire.

The U.S. also negotiated the removal of language that would have given the U.N. authority to inspect aid going into Gaza, something Israel says it must do to ensure material does not reach Hamas.

Israels Ambassador to the U.N., Gilad Erdan, thanked the U.S. for its support and sharply criticized the U.N. for its failure to condemn Hamas' Oct. 7 attacks. The U.S. vetoed a resolution in October that would have included a condemnation because it didnt also underline Israels right to self-defense.

Hamas said in a statement that the U.N. resolution should have demanded an immediate halt to Israels offensive, and it blamed the United States for pushing to empty the resolution of its essence before Fridays Security Council vote.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, meanwhile, reiterated his longstanding call for a humanitarian cease-fire.

Guterres said nothing can justify Hamas' Oct. 7 attacks, its taking of hostages, its rocket launches against Israel and what he called its use of civilians as human shields.

But at the same time, these violations of international humanitarian law can never justify the collective punishment of the Palestinian people, and they do not free Israel from its own legal obligations under international law, the secretary-general said.

Israel, shielded by the United States, has resisted international pressure to scale back its offensive. The military has said that months of fighting lie ahead in southern Gaza, an area packed with the vast majority of the enclaves 2.3 million people, many of whom were ordered to flee combat in the north earlier in the war.

Evacuation orders have pushed displaced civilians into ever-smaller areas of the south as troops focus on Khan Younis, Gazas second-largest city.

The military said late Thursday that it is sending more ground forces, including combat engineers, to Khan Younis to target Hamas militants above ground and in tunnels.

On Friday, it ordered tens of thousands of residents to leave their homes in Burej, an urban refugee camp, and surrounding communities in central Gaza, suggesting a ground assault there could be next.

In the city of Rafah, on the border with Egypt, an airstrike on a house killed six people, according to Associated Press journalists who saw the bodies at a hospital. Among the dead were a married couple and their 4-month-old child, said the infants grandfather, Anwar Dhair.

Rafah is one of the few places in Gaza not under evacuation orders, but it has been targeted in Israeli strikes almost every day.

The air and ground campaign continued in the north, where Israel says it is in the final stages of clearing out Hamas militants.

Mustafa Abu Taha, a Palestinian farm worker, said many areas of his hard-hit Gaza City neighborhood of Shijaiyah have become inaccessible because of massive destruction from airstrikes.

They are hitting anything moving, he said of Israeli forces.

Gazas Health Ministry said Friday that it has documented 20,057 deaths in the fighting and more than 50,000 wounded. It does not differentiate between combatant and civilian deaths. It has previously said that roughly two-thirds of the dead were women or minors.

Israel blames Hamas for the high civilian death toll, citing the groups use of crowded residential areas for military purposes and its tunnels under urban areas.

Israels military says 139 of its soldiers have been killed in the ground offensive. It says it has killed thousands of Hamas militants, including about 2,000 in the past three weeks, but it has not presented any evidence to back up the claim.

For most of the war, Israel also stopped entry of food, water, fuel and other supplies except for truck convoys of aid from Egypt, which cover only a fraction of the needs in Gaza.

Because of insufficient aid entering Gaza , the extent of starvation has eclipsed the near-famines of recent years in Afghanistan and Yemen, and the risk of famine increases each day, Thursdays U.N. report said.

An Israeli military liaison officer said there is no food shortage in Gaza, saying sufficient aid is getting through.

The reserves in Gaza Strip are sufficient for the near-term, Col. Moshe Tetro said from the Kerem Shalom cargo crossing, without elaborating.

Israel opened the Kerem Shalom crossing several days ago amid international demands to increase the flow of aid. But the military struck the Palestinian side of the crossing Thursday, killing four staffers, and the U.N. said it was unable to pick up aid there for delivery. It was not immediately known if the U.N. resumed work there Friday. The Israeli military said it was targeting militants.

The Israel-Hamas war has also pushed Gazas health sector into collapse.

Only nine of its 36 health facilities are still partially functioning, all located in the south, according to the World Health Organization.

The agency reported soaring rates of diseases in Gaza, including a five-fold rise in diarrhea and increases in cases of meningitis, skin rashes and scabies. (AP)
Sweden's postal service is inundated every year with thousands of letters beginning with 'Dear Santa', and it not only answers them but for over a century has kept those that stand out.

With addresses such as "Lapland", "Reindeer Land" or "Santa's Igloo", the postal service PostNord last year alone received around 16,000 letters intended for Father Christmas.

A few letters every year are selected for the museum's archives, a collection that now holds about 10,000 letters from around the world, the oldest dating back to the 1890s.

"These are from the U.S., from Asia, I have some here from Taiwan," Kristina Olofsdotter, head of stamps at PostNord, tells AFP at the Postmuseum in Stockholm.

Toys, pets and books have topped children's wish lists over the years, as they do today  though children of yore were perhaps a little more modest in their expectations.

"You can see that in the old letters the kids asked for maybe one or two things, nowadays, there are longer lists," Olofsdotter said.

Many of the letters, written in children's handwriting, also have questions for Santa.

"What is your favorite drink so that we know what to put out for you?" one young girl asked in the 1960s.

A four-year-old wanted to let Santa know she had just learned to write her name, while adding: "I hope your reindeer are well." All of the letters are opened and read, and when a return address is provided, the museum sends a reply back.

Olofsdotter said the reply typically "says 'Hi from Santa', with thanks for the letter. And he says that he has got a lot of work to do up until Christmas and that he really appreciates the letter." She says the return letter also encourages kids to brighten somebody's day by writing them a letter, and "to not forget that all your dreams can come true if you believe in yourself."

And it is not only children who send letters to Santa Claus: this year's batch contained a letter from Taiwan sent by a 20-year-old. (AFP)
Kendallville, IN (46755)

Today

Overcast. A few flurries or snow showers possible. High near 35F. Winds WSW at 10 to 20 mph..

Tonight

Watching a potential winter storm. Cloudy skies. Low 26F. SSW winds shifting to ESE at 10 to 20 mph.
Currently serving in the military alongside his BTS comrades, Jungkook is not just fulfilling his duty but also making waves with his stunning looks featured in the recently released 'BEYOND THE STAGE' BTS Documentary Photobook: The Day We Meet. Available for purchase on the Weverse shop since the beginning of the month, the first copies began shipping out on December 15, causing a stir among eager fans.

Scorching Snapshot

Among the myriad of captivating images, one particular set of Jungkook's photos has become the talk of the town. Captured behind the scenes during a concert, these snapshots showcase Jungkook in the company of staff members, adorned in a body chain reminiscent of his performances of BTS chart-toppers like "FAKE LOVE."

READ ALSO: Jungkook Breaks the Internet with Unserious Vibes Interview- Must Watch

Oil and Abs Revelation

A revelation that adds fuel to the fire comes from a previous live broadcast by Suga, who spilled the beans about the meticulous preparation for their concerts. On the third day of the PERMISSION TO DANCE ON STAGE - SEOUL concerts last year, Suga disclosed, "I was told you put oil on before going up." Jungkook confirmed this practice, explaining that he applies oil to his abs to enhance their visibility on stage.

2022: jungkook talking about how he puts body oil on his abs before fake love.

2018: jungkook getting shy when others talk about his abs.pic.twitter.com/zZ7onFB8em  jungkook admirer (@dreamjeons) March 19, 2022

In one scintillating photo from the set, a staff member is seen applying oil to Jungkook's chest, providing fans an intimate glimpse into the behind-the-scenes beauty regimen of the "Golden Maknae."

Fanning the Flames of Fandom

Unsurprisingly, ARMYs are collectively losing their minds over these revealing images, marveling at Jungkook's allure and playfully contemplating how to land a coveted spot on the oil-application team.

So someone literally got paid to put baby oil to JUNGKOOKs chest?  pic.twitter.com/laH7sytYdd December 22, 2023

JUNGKOOK SHIRTLESS WITH THE BODY CHAIN WHAT THE FUCKSKDKS pic.twitter.com/FeJ4TChkif  audrey    (@bbymochijimi) December 22, 2023

THIS IS TOO MUCH JUNGKOOK!!! IM LOGGING OUT ... CANT TAKE IT ANYMORE 



WTFFFF JUNGKOOK SHIRTLESS.

CANT TAKE IT ANYMORE  pic.twitter.com/OIz4BiLCHY December 22, 2023

the body oil?? the chain?? the shirtless jeon fucking jungkook omfg i pic.twitter.com/2Br3BbZh5E  kooby (@flexingkoo) December 22, 2023

Furthermore, BTS Jungkook consistently mesmerizes fans with his undeniable charisma, demonstrating that his appeal extends far beyond the stage. Even when the curtains close, he remains a captivating force, leaving an indelible mark on the hearts of ARMY around the globe.

YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN: BTS Jungkook & Jimin Go for 'Companion Soldier' Enlistment- Why This Choice Matters

Follow and subscribe to KpopStarz for more news.

KpopStarz own this article.

Cassidy Jones wrote this.
Fort Lauderdale police separate members of pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian protests, Sunday, Oct. 8, 2023, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. State lawmakers across the country are expected consider legislation related to the Israel-Hamas war in 2024. (Joe Cavaretta/AP)

Most U.S. state legislatures will reconvene in January for the first time since Hamas Oct. 7 attack on Israel sparked a war in Gaza and protests worldwide  and theyre preparing to take action in response, both symbolic and concrete.

Legislatures in at least eight states that were in session late in 2023 have already condemned the attacks.

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My worldview was shaped by the fact that my forbearers were not protected during the Holocaust, that no one came to their aid, said Florida state Sen. Lori Berman, a Democrat who sponsored a resolution that passed unanimously last month in her state. Silence and indifference are the reason why bad  evil  is able to prevail.

Measures have been introduced already for the 2024 sessions in states from New Hampshire to North Dakota, and more are likely.

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In the Oct. 7 attack, Hamas killed about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and took about 240 others hostage. Israel responded with attacks on Gaza, leveling buildings, including hospitals, killing more than 19,000, according to the Health Ministry in Gaza, and causing 1.9 million Palestinian residents to flee their homes.

Strong emotions about the ongoing war are informed by a long history of conflict.

Since Oct. 7, at least 59 Hamas- or Israel-related pieces of legislation have been introduced in state legislatures. Most are resolutions condemning the attack and supporting Israel.

In states including Florida, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Texas, resolutions in condemnation of the attack passed unanimously or nearly so.

Others have different aims: Resolutions in Pennsylvania and Texas would encourage President Joe Biden to facilitate an end to the conflict between Israel and Palestinians. A New Jersey bill would have the state reimburse travel bills for state residents who were evacuated from Israel during the attack or afterward.

The issue could become more complex as the war goes on, with Democrats in some states becoming divided on resolutions.

In Michigan, the Democratic-led state House adjourned their 2023 session without agreeing on a resolution, as Arab American lawmakers refused to support a resolution condemning Hamas and supporting Israels response.

Another resolution in Michigan would call on Democrat U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib  the only Palestinian American in Congress  to resign over rhetoric thats widely seen as a calling for the eradication of Israel. Her statements have already brought her censure from Congress.

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While condemning the attack is a largely popular position, how the bills do so varies.

During a special session this month, the Georgia House of Representatives approved a resolution condemning the attacks. Only two of the 180 representatives voted against the resolution, but 49 didnt vote. Among those not voting was Rep. Ruwa Romman, a Democrat and the first Muslim woman elected to the chamber.

She said in an interview that she told the bills authors that she would have supported it if it had said the state stands with the Israeli people, instead of Israel.

You cant ask me to stand with a country that displaced my grandparents and is now killing people en masse, Romman said.

Lawmakers are also weighing in on how to handle protests and Palestinian-oriented events at universities, some of them accused of allowing antisemitism.

Republican lawmakers in Pennsylvania this month defeated legislation to send $33.5 million to the private University of Pennsylvanias veterinary school amid criticism and claims that the university was tolerating antisemitism.

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Indianas Republican House Speaker Todd Huston told his caucus in November that he would prioritize addressing antisemitism on college campuses in light of the Israel-Hamas war.

The Indiana House passed a bill during the 2023 legislative session that sought to define antisemitism as religious discrimination and provide educational opportunities free of religious discrimination. The bill died in the Senate.

Our Jewish students should know they will be safe on campuses throughout Indiana and not be subjected to antisemitic teaching or materials, Huston told colleagues in a speech.

A Florida measure introduced in 2023 would force public university students who support Hamas and other groups designated as terrorist organizations to pay out-of-state tuition.

I saw videos of protests on Floridas campuses and wondered to myself how many of these pro-Hamas students chanting for the destruction of Israel are taxpayers subsidizing with reduced tuition rates? the bills sponsor, GOP state Sen. Blaise Ingoglia, told The Associated Press in an email.

The bill did not advance in a special session in November, but he said he would bring it back.

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A New Jersey measure would target funding for universities, rather than individual students, prohibiting them from authorizing, facilitating, providing funding for, or otherwise supporting any event or organization promoting antisemitism or hate speech on campus. Its sponsor in the Assembly, Republican Alex Sauickie, said he believes the idea can pick up the bipartisan support needed to pass in a Democrat-controlled legislature.

Edward Ahmed Michell, the national deputy director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, said that measures restricting speech could be found unconstitutional and he doesnt expect them to gain traction. He said that many of the others, which focus on support for Israel but not for the people of Gaza killed or displaced in the war, are also troubling.

I understand state legislators want to comment on international incidents that are relevant to their constituents, and thats fine, said Edward Ahmed Michell, the national deputy director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations. But they need to be morally consistent.

___

Associated Press writers Isabella Volmert in Indianapolis and Joey Cappelletti in Lansing, Michigan, contributed to this report.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, December 23. The French municipality of Evian city (Evian-les-Bains), which signed a cooperation agreement with the Azerbaijani city of Ismayilli in 2015, has decided to remove all inscriptions mentioning "Park of Azerbaijan" in the French city, Trend reports, referring to the Le Messager.

Park of Azerbaijan was opened in 2017 as part of a signed cooperation agreement.

Opposition representatives demanded the municipal council to officially remove all inscriptions mentioning "Park of Azerbaijan" in the city a few days ago.

Evian Mayor Josiane Lei said that all mentions of the park have been removed.

According to 'Le Messager', the city's recent decision is related to France's support for Armenia.

Moreover, there is a risk of the monument to Natavan being demolished. The monument was set up in 2017, within the framework of the same cooperation agreement.

France has seen an increase in the number of anti-Azerbaijani actions, covering even the cultural sphere.

Stay up to date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
Jammu, Dec 23 (PTI) The Army is committed to extending full support and cooperation in the conduct of investigation into the death of three civilians during an operation to track down terrorists behind the recent ambush on two Army vehicles that left five soldiers dead, the force said on Saturday.

The three men, aged between 27 and 42, were found dead under "mysterious circumstances" on Friday.

Also Read | 'Prime Meridian Runs Through Ujjain', Says Madhya Pradesh CM Mohan Yadav, Vows to Change World Time.

Their relatives and political leaders, however, alleged that they were among the eight people picked up by the Army for questioning in connection with Thursday's ambush.

In a post on X, the Additional Directorate General of Public Information (ADGPI) of the Indian Army said, "Search operations by the security forces are continuing in the area of operations after the incident of 21 Dec 23. Reports have been received regarding three civilian deaths in the area. The matter is under investigation. Indian Army stands committed to extending full support and cooperation in the conduct of investigations."

Also Read | EAM S Jaishankar Condemns Defacing of Hindu Temple in US, Says Separatists Should Not Be Given Space.

Five soldiers were killed and two injured when heavily armed terrorists ambushed two Army vehicles at a blind curve at Dhatyar Morh between Dhera Ki Gali and Bufliaz on Thursday.

The ambush took place when the security personnel were moving to an ongoing search operation in the general area of Dhera Ki Gali in the Thanamandi-Surankote region.

Soon after the ambush, security forces launched a massive search operation in the densely forested areas.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Rampur (UP), Dec 23 (PTI) A special sessions court here on Saturday acquitted Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan and his son Abdullah Azam in a 2019 attempt to murder case while upholding their seven-year sentence in a four-year-old forgery case.

Special Sessions Judge Vijay Kumar granted Azam Khan, his son and two other relatives relief in the attempt to murder case for lack of evidence, Senior Prosecution Officer Amarnath Tiwari said.

Also Read | Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah Thanks Mallikarjun Kharge for Naming Him in Congress' Manifesto Committee for General Polls.

It was alleged in the case that Azam Khan, Abdullah Azam and two of their relatives had threatened a neighbour to vacate a plot of land, following which police had filed a charge sheet against them under sections of the IPC, including 307 (attempt to murder) and 323 (causing grievous hurt), Tiwari added.

However, in the other case registered in 2019, the court rejected a plea by the SP leader, his wife Tazeen Fatima and their son against the seven-year imprisonment awarded to them by a lower court on October 19.

Also Read | Delhi Air Pollution: Air Quality in 'Severe' Category in National Capital, Maximum Temperature 24.4 Degrees Celsius (Watch Video).

The trio had appealed against the judgement in the fake birth certificate case in the special sessions court.

"On the completion of the hearing on the appeal, Special Sessions Judge Vijay Kumar rejected the plea, stating that there were no legal mistakes in the judgement given by the lower court," Tiwari said.

Azam Khan is currently lodged in the Sitapur prison, while Abdullah Azam and Tazeen Fatima are lodged in the Hardoi and Rampur prisons, respectively.

Azam Khan is a 10-term MLA and was also elected to the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha.

Abdullah Azam, who won from the Suar constituency in the 2022 assembly election on an SP ticket, was in February convicted by a Moradabad court in a 2008 case of wrongful restraint and assault on a public servant to deter him.

Two days after being convicted and awarded a two-year jail term in the case, Abdullah Azam was disqualified from the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly. He moved the high court, seeking a stay of the conviction but was refused.

Under the provisions of the Representation of the People Act (RPA), 1951, anyone sentenced to imprisonment of two years or more shall be disqualified 'from the date of such conviction' and remain disqualified for another six years after serving time in jail.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], December 23 (ANI): After Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's decision to withdraw the hijab ban in educational institutions, state BJP Chief Vijayendra Yediyurappa expressed concerns about the secular nature of educational institutions.

"CM Siddaramaiah's decision to withdraw the hijab ban in educational institutions raises concerns about the secular nature of our educational spaces. By allowing religious attire in educational institutions, the Karnataka government is promoting and dividing young minds along religious lines, potentially hindering an inclusive learning environment. It's crucial to prioritise education over divisive practices and foster an environment where students can focus on academics without the influence of religious practices," Karnataka BJP Chief Vijayendra Yediyurappa posted on X.

Also Read | BJP Promised To Provide Jobs, Now Doesn't Listen About Unemployment in Parliament, Says Rahul Gandhi (Watch Video).

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday announced that his government will withdraw the ban order on the hijab imposed by the BJP and said that no politics should be done on what people prefer to wear and eat.

The Karnataka Chief Minister said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's idea of Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas is bogus.

Also Read | Election Commission Announces Polling for Three Rajya Sabha Seats From Delhi, One From Sikkim on January 19.

"PM Narendra Modi's sab ka saath-sab ka vikas is bogus. BJP is doing the work of dividing people and dividing society on the basis of clothes, dress, and caste. I have told to withdraw the hijab ban," CM Siddaramaiah posted on X.

The previous BJP government in the State had imposed a Hijab ban on students in educational institutions. The matter reached the Karnataka High Court which also upheld the ban imposed by the then BJP government. In this regard, Supreme Court had delivered a split verdict leading to the Karnataka High Court being upheld.

Also while addressing a public rally in Mysuru on Friday, the Karnataka Chief Minister said that this decision will be taken back and women can go out wearing Hijab.

"We will take back that decision, there is no Hijab ban now. Women can go out wearing hijab. I have told the officials to take back the order (previous govt order). Dressing and eating food is our choice, why should I object? Wear whatever dress you want, eat whatever you want, why should I care? We should not do politics to get votes, we don't do that," Karnataka CM said.

Reacting to the announcement made by Karnataka Chief Minister, Karnataka BJP said that Siddaramaiah is sowing the poison of religion in the state.

"A uniform policy has been implemented in schools and colleges to ensure that children are equal. This has also been upheld by the Supreme Court. However, the Chief Minister is creating a difference in the minds of the school students regarding the issue of uniforms. Siddaramaiah is going to amend the constitution itself for a vote bank to appease PFI goons and minorities. In the coming days, the people themselves will teach this a lesson," Karnataka BJP posted on X.

The Hijab row in the State erupted in January 2022 when the Government PU College in Udupi allegedly barred six girls wearing the hijab from entering. Following this, the girls protested outside the college over being denied entry.

Earlier last month, the Karnataka Examination Authority (KEA) restricted all forms of head cover in the exam hall during recruitment exams for various boards and corporations to avoid malpractice.

Though the dress code does not explicitly ban hijab, it is implied by the new guidelines. The order said that this is part of the effort to stop exam malpractices using Bluetooth devices. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Bhubaneswar, Dec 23 (PTI) Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Saturday exhorted tribal students to excel in studies, pursue their chosen careers and fulfill the aspirations of their parents.

Patnaik said this while addressing a gathering of tribal students at the state-level felicitation ceremony of Sargiful-2023 winners here. 'Sargi' is the local name of Sal tree and its flower is called Sargiful'.

Also Read | Maharashtra Shocker: Cops Nab Man in 24 Hours Who Killed His Girlfriend in Gadchiroli.

The CM also asked students to cultivate knowledge about their culture, traditions and values. "Understanding these aspects will enable you to make more significant contribution to society", the chief minister said.

"Achieving personal success in life is great, but when we accomplish something unique for our state and nation, it adds greater meaning and success to our lives," said the chief minister, as he extended his best wishes to the participants.

Also Read | Madhya Pradesh: BJP Leader Ramdas Puri Wears Shoes After Six Years, Shivraj Singh Chouhan Shares Video.

He also highlighted that Sargiful-2023 had provided a unique platform to showcase the talents of tribal students across the state.

The two zonal-level Sargiful-2023 events held in Sundergarh and Gajapati have shown innovative ways to explore the talents of students from across the state, said ST & SC Development minister Jagannath Saraka.

Sudam Marandi, Minister of School and Mass Education, Revenue and Disaster Management, said, "There was a time when I was also a student in a tribal school, but then opportunities to explore the talents of students were scarce. However, through the initiatives of our chief minister, especially by educating tribal students in Anwesha schools through English medium, there has been a sea-change in the success of tribal kids."

ST & SC department secretary Roopa Roshan Sahoo said during Sargiful-2023, Odisha's 30 districts were grouped into two zones  Gajapati and Sundergarh. Over 1,300 students participated, engaging in more than 18 workshops and 13 competitions. Today, we have gathered here to celebrate and honour 297 talented prize winners.

The participating students also showcased their cultural diversity by presenting a memento in 62 tribal languages (including 13 PVTG groups) to the chief minister. PTI AAM

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Jaipur (Rajasthan) [India], December 23 (ANI): Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma, who moved into a temporary accommodation in the state capital after being sworn into office, shifted to the OTS (Officers' Training Campus) on Saturday.

According to sources, CM Sharma moved out of his temporary accommodation -- the guest house of the Electricity Regulatory Commission -- as local residents faced inconveniences due to the frequent movement of his convoy on the Sahakar Marg.

Also Read | Mumbai: 1.8 Kg of High-Quality Kashmiri Charas Worth Rs 1.04 Crore Seized in Byculla Area, Three Including Kashmir Resident Held.

The frequent coming and going of the chief minister's convoy disrupted the flow of traffic in the area, resulting in traffic jams, sources said.

The chief minister temporarily shifted to the Krishnapuri Bhavan OTS campus, sources informed, adding that his official bungalow is ready and he will move into his new residence at 8, Civil Lines, soon.

Also Read | AIIMS Kalyani Recruitment 2023: Vacancies Notified for 73 Senior Resident Posts, Know How To Apply at aiimskalyani.edu.in.

A first-time BJP MLA from Sanganer, Sharma took the oath as the chief minister of Rajasthan after the BJP swept the desert state, winning 115 seats.

The Congress came a distant second with 69 seats. (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, Dec 23 (PTI) Several student groups held a torch march on the Jawaharlal Nehru University campus here on Saturday, demanding the withdrawal of the new rules of conduct.

Nearly 100-150 students from outfits including JNUSU, AISA, SFI and NSUI along with hostel presidents participated in the protest against the revised Chief Proctor Office manual which they allege is "dictatorial".

Also Read | Maharashtra Shocker: Cops Nab Man in 24 Hours Who Killed His Girlfriend in Gadchiroli.

Under the new rules, students can be fined up to Rs 20,000 for protesting in prohibited areas and Rs 10,000 for raising "anti-national" slogans.

Raising slogans such as "CPO manual wapas lo" and "Stop fine raj", the protesters gathered at the Ganga Dhaba of the university and marched to Chandrabhaga hostel.

Also Read | Madhya Pradesh: BJP Leader Ramdas Puri Wears Shoes After Six Years, Shivraj Singh Chouhan Shares Video.

The JNUSU said that it will continue their protest and may launch a hunger strike if the CPO manual is not taken back and proctorial inquiries against students are not ceased.

"It has been JNU's tradition to fight back draconian rules and the students' union has always forced the administration to roll back such rules by raising their voice and staging protests.

"We will resist this CPO manual and if need be sit on a hunger strike to safeguard the democratic ethos of the university," JNU Students' Union president Aishe Ghosh said.

The students' union said it will soon announce its plan to "executive non-cooperation with the university administration".

Ghosh, however, told PTI the students' union is open to a dialogue with the administration to resolve the issue.

"We plan to hold a long movement if our demands are not met," she said.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Singapore, Dec 23 (PTI) The latest wave of COVID-19 cases in Singapore has possibly peaked, and there is no need for additional measures, like wearing a face mask mandate, to be implemented, said Minister for Health (MOH) Ong Ye Kung.

We might have a slight surge, but I think more or less, we are seeing the peak of this wave, Channel News Asia quoted Ong as saying on Friday at the soft opening of a health campus at Woodlands in northern Singapore.

Also Read | UK at Risk of Recession After Revised Figures Show Economy Shrank During July to September Period.

However, having about 600 to 700 hospital beds taken up by COVID-19 patients is quite a strain on the system, the minister noted.

We are a 10,000 bed-strong system. To take up 600 or 700 beds, it's six-seven per cent, which is not small. It's a significant workload on our healthcare workers and our system."

Also Read | Singapore: Cab Company Probing Driver's 'Go Back to India' Comments Against Passenger.

"Nevertheless, I think our assessment remains ... that we can withstand this without additional SMMs (safe management measures)," said Ong.

Noting that the estimated infection numbers have come down over the past few days, he said, "The indications are that we have plateaued.

Experts say hospitalisation and the need for intensive care always lag infections, which have been rising for four weeks running  from 10,726 infections in the week of Nov 12-18, to 58,300 in the week of December 10-16.

We have to remember that severe cases will typically peak after the mild cases peak, so even if the peak cases have already come, we may need to wait a while before the impact on the healthcare system starts to get better, warned Associate Professor Alex Cook of the National University of Singapore's Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health.

Just because the cases dipped does not yet mean the wave has peaked, and the wave isn't over until cases have come down again, The Straits Times quoted Cook as saying.

Acknowledging that the upcoming Christmas and New Year holidays will bring chances for the virus to spread, Minister Ong encouraged Singaporeans to exercise personal responsibility by wearing a mask when sick and staying at home and continuing to be up to date with vaccinations.

It is especially important for seniors or those with underlying illnesses to receive their vaccination once a year as they are particularly vulnerable, he added.

Ong said that MOH will work to improve the availability of vaccines by increasing the number of general practitioners (GPs) that administer COVID-19 vaccines and having it be part of the Healthier SG programme.

The seven-day moving average estimated daily number of COVID-19 cases in Singapore has been dropping in recent days, decreasing from 7,730 on December 17 to 6,820 the following day and then 6,530 cases on December 19.

He said many people have asked him to reinstate the mandate to wear masks, especially on public transport.

If it is necessary to do so, Singapore will mandate it, he said, but for this wave, we can withstand this without additional safe-distancing measures.

Nevertheless, the minister appealed to everyone, When you are sick, do wear a mask, do stay at home.

If you have to come into contact with someone, then wear a mask.

Ong reiterated the importance of being up to date with Covid-19 vaccination, at least once a year, especially if you are senior, and have underlying conditions.

He said this is necessary because the effect of the vaccine wears off in about one to 1.5 years (18 months).

(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, December 23. Travel for Azerbaijani citizens and foreign tourists to the territories liberated from Armenian occupation is being simplified in continuation of the Great Return Project policy, Trend reports, referring to the joint statement of the Ministry of Digital Development and Transport and the State Agency for Tourism.

Until now, citizens have visited the liberated territories only by organized bus tours and group tourist trips in certain directions, but starting from 27 December 2023, citizens will also be able to visit Shusha city and Sugovushan settlement by private cars.

For this purpose, they need to obtain a travel permit (starting from December 25) through the "Yolumuz Qarabaga" site (www.yolumuzqarabaga.az). Travel to Shusha will be possible via the FuzuliShusha highway (also called Victory Road), through the Alkhanli checkpoint of Fuzuli district, and to Sugovushan settlement - through Tartar and Goranboy (Tapgaragoyunlu village) districts.

A number of rules will be applied when issuing travel permits to citizens in the direction of Shusha and Sugovushan settlement. Detailed information on this can be obtained from "Yolumuz Qarabaga" portal.

Personal passenger cars are understood as vehicles with the state automobile registration plate of the Republic of Azerbaijan, corresponding to category B, with the number of seats not more than nine (including the driver's seat). The validity period of permits is two days for Shusha and one day for Sugovushan settlement. In order to streamline travel and ensure the safety of passengers, initially 80 cars will be allowed to enter Shusha and 60 cars will be allowed to enter Sughovushan during the day.

Drivers of passenger cars should familiarize themselves with the travel rules on "Yolumuz Qarabaga" portal, mine safety information and inform the persons who are traveling with them, do not go beyond the route trajectory after entering Azerbaijan's territories liberated from Armenian occupation and undergo appropriate mine safety inspection, be attentive at intersections, drive the vehicle non-stop to the final point of the route. Before traveling, citizens can contact the hotels on the portal and book a room.

Group tours in the direction of Baku-Shusha, as well as bus trips organized through the portal "Yolumuz Qarabaga" will be carried out in the previous order. Conditions for participation of foreign citizens in tourist tours will be created from now on. Local and foreign tourists can apply to any travel company to participate in tours. Group trips in the direction of Sugovushan will be organized by tour companies that are classified as tour operators and tour operators-tour agents in the State Register of Tourism (data.tourism.gov.az).

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Sindh [Pakistan], December 23 (ANI): Gold and jewellery worth more than Pakistan Rupees (PKR) 1 crore were stolen from the shrine of well-known Sufi Saint Hazrat Lal Shahbaz Qalandar in the Sehwan area of Jamshoro district in Pakistan's Sindh, Pakistan-based vernacular media Express reported.

According to the details, gold given as an offering worth PKR 1,23,72,863 was stolen from Dargah Lal Shahbaz Qalandar during one month.

Also Read | US Shocker: Black Woman Calls 911 to Report Domestic Violence in Los Angeles, Shot Dead by Cop.

Sindh's Caretaker Minister for Endowments Umar Soomer took notice of the theft in the Dargah. He suspended the manager of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar's shrine and directed to form a committee to conduct probe, according to Express report.

Furthermore, the caretaker provincial minister directed to register a case against the manager of the Dargah and send the case to anti-corruption. He ordered to recover the stolen gold and jewellery from the accused, Express reported.

Also Read | Israel-Hamas War: UN Security Council Adopts UAE-Penned Resolution on Scaling Up, Monitoring Aid to Gaza.

Umar Soomer said that orders have been issued to immediately stop the salary and pension of the Dargah manager. Meanwhile, an Awqaf Department spokesperson said that the Dargah manager Zubair Baloch accepted his crime during the investigation. According to the spokesperson, Baloch also confessed to the theft.

Following the theft incident, Sindh's caretaker government has decided to conduct a probe about the managers of all the Dargahs established in Sindh. According to sources, Zubair Baloch was appointed as the manager of the Dargah for many years and he had the offering box's key, Express reported. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Karachi [Pakistan], December 23 (ANI): Two bombs were found at a cantonment railway station in Karachi on Friday, ARY News reported.

ARY News is a Pakistani news channel.

Also Read | UK at Risk of Recession After Revised Figures Show Economy Shrank During July to September Period.

The bombs were later diffused by the authorities.

According to details, the two bombs that looked like time devices were found at platform 2 of Karachi Cantt station.

Also Read | Singapore: Cab Company Probing Driver's 'Go Back to India' Comments Against Passenger.

As per a police spokesperson, the time devices weighing ten to 12 kilograms were found in a bag along with battery wire, switches and other items.

Police officials said that the train reached Karachi Cantt station from Peshawar at 08:20 pm and the Bomb Disposal Squad was called at 09:15 when the suspicious bag was spotted, according to ARY News.

The police spokesperson said that rangers had cordoned off the surrounding area until the bombs were diffused.

Earlier on February 16, at least two passengers were killed and six others injured as a result of a blast inside the Quetta-bound Jaffer Express train, as per ARY News.

The blast occurred when the Quetta-bound Jaffer Express was passing from Chichawatni railway station. The train was coming from Peshawar.

As per sources, the blast occurred in bogie No. 6 of the economy class of Jaffar Express, resulting in the killing of two people and injuring at least six persons who were moved to a nearby hospital.

The nature of the blast was unknown, according to the railway sources. Soon after the incident, police, rescue teams and a bomb disposal squad arrived at the site and launched a rescue operation. (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, December 23: A Delhi court on Saturday extended till Januray 5 the police custody of Mahesh Kumawat, one of the accused persons in the Parliament security breach case. The same court of Additional Sessions Judge (ASJ) Hardeep Kaur on Thursday and Friday extended till January 5 the police custody of four other accused persons and the mastermind, Lalit Jha, arrested in the case, respectively.

The four accused individuals are -- Sagar Sharma, Manoranjan D., Neelam Azad and Amol Shinde. Two were arrested inside Parliament and the other two outside. The police told the court that Kumawat was required to be questioned to unearth the entire conspiracy. Parliament Security Breach: Delhi High Court Stays Order Asking Police To Provide FIR Copy to Accused in Lok Sabha Security Lapse Case.

Delhi Court Extends Accused Mahesh Kumawats Police Custody

VIDEO | Delhi court extends police custody of Mahesh Kumawat, sixth accused arrested in Parliament security breach case, till January 5. pic.twitter.com/NqzIWMgb9f  Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) December 23, 2023

The public prosecutor had earlier said that he was involved in destruction of mobile phones and was trying to spread anarchy in the country. The court had noted that Kumawat was involved in the conspiracy for the last two years and acknowledged the public prosecutor's submission that his custody was required to unearth the entire conspiracy.

It was further submitted that the accused wanted to create anarchy in the country so that they could compel the government to meet their unjust and illegal demands. He was in contact with other persons in hatching the conspiracy for the last two years. He helped mastermind Jha in the destruction of mobile phones to destroy evidence and to hide the larger conspiracy, the public prosecutor had said. Parliament Security Breach Case: Patiala House Court Extends Custodial Remand of Accused Lalit Jha Till January 5.

The public prosecutor had told the court that the accuseds custody was required to find the actual motive behind the attack, and his possible association with some enemy country or terrorist organisations.

Kumawat was arrested earlier on December 16 on charges of destruction of evidence and criminal conspiracy. Five persons were directly involved in the planning and execution of the security breach in the Lok Sabha on December 13, the 22nd anniversary of the 2001 Parliament terror attack.

Two of them -- Sagar and Manoranjan -- burst yellow smoke canisters after jumping into the Lok Sabha hall from the visitors gallery before they were overpowered by the MPs present in the House.

Two others -- Neelam and Amol -- also burst smoke canisters and raised slogans outside Parliament. Jha, believed to be the mastermind of the entire plan, reportedly fled with the mobile phones of the four others from Parliament, sources said. Manoranjan is from Mysuru, Sagar is a resident of Lucknow, Neelam is from Haryana's Jind, while Amol hails from Maharashtra's Latur. Jha is a native of Bihar.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 23, 2023 04:08 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
New Delhi, December 23: Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday paid his tributes to former Prime Minister P.V. Narsimha Rao on his death anniversary, saying that under his government, India embarked on a transformative journey with a series of economic reforms. In a post on X, Kharge said, "Our tribute to Former Prime Minister, P. V. Narasimha Rao. Under his government, India embarked on a transformative journey with a series of economic reforms that played a pivotal role in shaping the middle class for generations to come." PV Narasimha Rao Birth Anniversary 2023: PM Narendra Modi, Congress Chief Mallikarjun Kharge Pay Tributes to Former Prime Minister

Recalling his contributions, the Congress leader said, "He also made significant contributions to Indias Nuclear programme and a number of foreign policy achievements marked his tenure, including the Look East policy. His tremendous role in the prosperity and development of our nation shall always be cherished." PV Narasimha Rao Death Anniversary 2022: All You Need To Know About The Former PM Who Liberalised The Indian Economy

Kharge Pays Tributes to Ex-PM PV Narsimha Rao on His Death Anniversary

Our tribute to Former Prime Minister, P. V. Narasimha Rao. Under his government, India embarked on a transformative journey with a series of economic reforms that played a pivotal role in shaping the middle class for generations to come. He also made significant contributions pic.twitter.com/0F7ZIaWnKB  Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) December 23, 2023

Rao was the ninth Prime Minister of India between 1991 and 1996. Under his government, various liberal reforms to India's economy were introduced. He died on December 23, 2004.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 23, 2023 12:07 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
Mumbai, December 23: Three men were recently arrested by the Government Railway Police for allegedly kidnapping and selling a two-month-old boy. The GRP officials on Friday, December 22, arrested the trio for kidnapping a two-month-old boy and selling the baby to an Ambernath resident. Police officials said that the accused sold the baby for Rs 1.5 lakh.

According to a report in the Hindustan Times, the boy was reportedly kidnapped on Saturday, December 16, when his parents were not around. An officer said that the baby boy lives with his parents on the pavement outside railway Borivali railway station. The officers of the crime branch also rescued the baby boy. Mumbai Shocker: Man Rapes and Assaults 64-Year-Old Woman at His Residence, Arrested.

Arshuddin Shaikh, senior police inspector of the crime branch said that the boy's 18-year-old mother approached the police after she realised her child was kidnapped. Following this, police scanned CCTV footage of the entire area but could not find any suspect. "During investigation, we found that a man had been bringing milk for the child and enquiring about his health for three days preceding the incident," said Shaikh.

Acting on this lead, the police traced the man through the traffic cameras' CCTV footage and identified the man to be Abbas Kasim Shaikh (22). The video allegedly showed the Shaikh handing over the baby boy to his employer Sayyed Mehdi (27) in Govandi after kidnapping him.

On further inquiry, cops learned that the boy was with Mehdi in Govandis Shivaji Nagar neighbourhood. On Friday morning, the police raided the spot and arrested the two accused. In his confession, Mehdi told cops that he promised to provide a child to his friend Atmaram Shashikant Aazgaonkar, as he was unable to become a father. Mumbai Shocker: Two Wannabe Extortionists Demand Rs 7 Lakh From Former Employer, Threaten To Detonate Explosives at His Office; Arrested.

Cops also found that Mehdi promised to pay Shaikh Rs 1.5 lakh once the baby was delivered. The police have also arrested Aazgaonkar for his alleged involvement in the kidnapping.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 23, 2023 08:54 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
A devastating incident in Waukesha County has claimed the lives of two young Wisconsin boys, with two other children now hospitalized after a high-speed chase ended in a tragic crash, according to CBS News.

The vehicle involved in car crash had six occupants, including the driver, a 29-year-old man wanted on a warrant for felony possession of a firearm.

Currently in critical but stable condition, the driver's 29-year-old girlfriend is also in a similar condition.

The deceased Wisconsin boys, both ten years old, were the driver's sons.

Additionally, the driver's 14-year-old niece is in critical condition, and the youngest occupant, a six-year-old girl, remains in critical condition after being transported to a nearby hospital by Flight for Life.

READ NEXT: Remains of Missing Wisconsin Boy Discovered in Dumpster, Suspects Arrested

The High-Speed Chase that Kills 2 Wisconsin Boys

The incident unfolded shortly before midnight in Waukesha County when a deputy attempted a traffic stop in Pewaukee due to the vehicle's high speed and lack of displayed plates, per ABC News.

The driver initially stopped but quickly fled at a high rate of speed before deputies could make contact.

Two deputies pursued the vehicle for a short distance, culminating in a crash and rollover in the town of Delafield, approximately 3 miles from the initial traffic stop.

Waukesha County Sheriff Eric Severson, in a news conference, expressed the rapidity of the events, noting that deputies had no opportunity to engage with the driver as the vehicle sped away beyond their visibility.

Investigation into Pursuit and Crash

The Washington County Sheriff's Department and the Wisconsin State Patrol will conduct a thorough investigation into the pursuit and crash to assess whether the deputies adhered to established policies during the chase, Cleveland.com reports.

Despite this, Severson affirmed the department's belief that the deputies acted appropriately.

According to Severson, the department is of the view that law enforcement officers are prompted to engage in pursuits when individuals opt to evade them.

He emphasized that law enforcement does not undertake actions that would intentionally provoke individuals to flee.

"This kind of situation is preventable," Severson said, underlining the importance of individuals choosing not to elude law enforcement and expressing deep sorrow for the loss of two young Wisconsin boys due to wrong decisions.

"The fact that two children lost their lives this morning as the result of really bad decision-making is very saddening to all of us," Severson said.

The driver wanted on a felony possession of a firearm charge, is expected to face multiple charges related to the crash.

These charges may include fleeing and eluding causing death and reckless driving causing death.

While Severson did not specify the exact charges, he indicated the severity of the legal consequences the driver may face for the tragic outcome of the pursuit.

READ MORE: California Boy Fatally Shot in Front of Parent During Road Rage

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Bert Hoover

WATCH: Two Wisconsin children killed after police chase, car crash - From NBC News
BAKU, Azerbaijan, December 23. Trips to Azerbaijan's liberated territories are facilitated for Azerbaijani citizens and foreign tourists as a part of the Great Return policy, the Ministry of Digital Development and Transport and the State Tourism Agency of Azerbaijan said in a joint statement, Trend reports.

The statement noted that earlier, citizens visited the liberated territories only through organized bus routes and group tourist trips, starting from December 27, 2023, they will also be able to visit Shusha city and Sugovushan settlement in their private cars.

To do this, they need to obtain permission for the trip (starting from December 25) through the www.yolumuzqarabaga.az portal. The journey to Shusha will be possible via the Victory Road (Fuzuli-Shusha highway), through the Alkhanly checkpoint in the Fuzuli district, and to Sugovushan settlement through the Tartar and Goranboy districts (Tapgaragoyunlu village).

A set of rules will be applied for issuing permits to citizens for trips to Shusha city and Sugovushan settlement. Detailed information on this can be obtained through the mentioned portal.

Private cars are understood as vehicles with the state car registration plates of Azerbaijan, corresponding to category B, with a seating capacity of no more than nine people (including the driver). The validity period of permits is two days for Shusha and one day for Sugovushan.

To organize trips and ensure the safety of passengers, initially, on the first day, entry will be allowed for 80 private cars to Shusha and 60 to Sugovushan.

Drivers of private cars must get acquainted with the travel rules on the www.yolumuzqarabaga.az portal, information on mine safety, and inform the persons traveling with them not to deviate from the route after entering the liberated territories and undergoing the necessary inspection for mine safety.

They should be attentive at intersections, operate the vehicle without stopping until reaching the final destination. Before the trip, citizens can contact the hotels listed on the portal and book a room.

Group travel tours in the Baku-Shusha direction and bus trips, organized through the 'Yolumuz Qarabaga' portal, will be carried out as before.

For the tourist trips in this direction, conditions are now being created for the participation of foreign citizens.

To do this, the foreigners can contact any travel company.

Group trips in the direction of Sugovushan settlement will be organized by travel companies, which are classified as tour operators and tour operators-travel agents in the State Tourism Register (data.tourism.gov.az).

Stay up-to-date with more news at Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
Lower Saucon Townships police this week offered up a holiday season warning to residents.

Residential burglaries in the Northampton County community appearing to be following the modus operandi, or MO, of a burglary ring thats been active from suburban Philadelphia up through New Hampshire, Chief Thomas Barndt told the township council on Wednesday night.

The perpetrators strike around 5:30 or 6:30 p.m. and go to the rear of a home, smash a window to gain entry, look for a quick hit and get out, Barndt said. They arent phased by an alarm sounding, the chief said.

Burglaries that the departments been seeing this holiday season match similar incidents from this time a year ago, he said.

Barndt urged residents to be aware of whats happening in their neighborhood and call police if something seems suspicious, such as a vehicle stopped on their block. He also suggested setting burglar alarms and employing security cameras  and registering cameras with the department. More information about registering residential or business security cameras can be found on the police departments Crimewatch page.

In the most recent incident as of Wednesdays council meeting, Lower Saucon police were called about 6:36 p.m. for a burglary in the 1600 block of White Acre Drive in the township. Police said via their Crimewatch page officers were dispatched for an alarm activation and while checking the exterior of the home discovered someone had forced entry into the home.

This came after a break-in about 3:30 a.m. Dec. 6 at Plaza Azteca restaurant, 3731 Route 378 in the township, resulted in the theft of around $9,000, according to police.

Police are continuing to investigate the break-ins and recovered DNA evidence linked to another burglary, Barndt said.

The police chief offered up the burglary warning in the context of a discussion before the Lower Saucon council about law enforcement in neighboring Hellertown. The boroughs police chief, 47-year-old Robert W. Shupp, resigned Oct. 6 and faces charges for allegedly taking $122,000 in unauthorized comp time payments, drug forfeiture proceeds and petty cash from the borough police department.

Officer Dominick Fragano was appointed by borough council as leader of the department in October, and The Morning Call reports Fragano was named interim police chief Dec. 4.

Township Council President Jason Banonis said he was concerned Lower Saucon police would be asked to patrol Hellertown along with the township, where the taxpayers cover the cost of coverage.

That is not the case, Barndt said. The police chief noted that Hellertown had requested Pennsylvania State Police coverage earlier this month but not Lower Saucon patrols, though township police would respond to assist in an emergency if requested  just as they would in any neighboring municipality.

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to lehighvalleylive.com.

Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com.
A northeastern Pennsylvania lawmaker is calling on the state agency overseeing utility companies across the commonwealth to reject a proposed million-dollar settlement with electricity distributor PPL.

In a Dec. 15 letter to Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) Chairperson Stephen DeFrank, state Rep. Jim Haddock (D-Luzerne) urged PUC leaders to reject a proposed settlement with PPL Electric Utilities Corporation after billing issues, affecting 860,000 bills, sparked an investigation by the PUC in late January.

Haddock said he heard from concerned constituents affected by the issue who contacted the lawmaker out of desperation when they couldnt reach a representative at the Allentown-based utility company.

Starting on January 16th of this year, my district office was overwhelmed with phone calls from constituents regarding their unusually high PPL bills, Haddock wrote. Many stated it was an unexpected financial hardship, and they were not able to get through to PPL by phone to address their serious concerns.

Seeking answers, Haddock said he also tried to contact the utility company but weeks went by before he received a response.

As a result, Haddock said he believes PPL customers in Pennsylvania deserve a more thorough resolution and called on the PUC to open the proposed settlement up for public comment.

I believe the PUC Board of Commissioners should summarily reject this proposed settlement and send it back to allow for public input, Haddock concluded.
A Florida-based marketing company is now banned from advertising in Pennsylvania, after a recent settlement with the states attorney generals office over their misleading mailers.

RMC Direct Mail Services, LLC, sent false representations to frighten, pressure and mislead Pennsylvania residents into responding to their junk mail, according to a recent release from the attorney general.

This marketing company has sent its last piece of junk mail to Pennsylvanians, Michelle Henry, Pennsylvanias Attorney General, said.

RMC Direct will also pay for the costs of investigation, the release said.

Junk mail typically can cause inconvenience and annoyance, but this company went beyond, startling recipients with urgent messaging and false representations, Henry said.

Some of the junk mail appeared to be checks, while others appeared to be from the Internal Revenue Service.

The mailers created a false sense of urgency by using language such as Final Notice, Respond by, Time Sensitive and Immediate Response, according to the attorney generals office. The letters implied that if a consumer did not take certain action, they would be financially liable, the office said. .

The letters also implied RMC Direct was associated with residents mortgage lender or vehicle manufacturer and sent out registration fee voucher that looked like a check, but was not, according to the attorney generals office.

The attorney generals office said residents who received a misleader mailer like the ones RMC Direct sent out can file claims and complaints with the Bureau of Consumer Protection online at scams@attorneygeneral.gov.
A Philadelphia television news helicopter returning from an assignment photographing Christmas lights earlier this week plunged into a southern New Jersey forest at very high speed, broke apart, then caught fire after it crashed, killing both occupants, a federal crash investigator said Friday.

Todd Gunther, an investigator with the National Transportation Safety Board, told reporters near the crash site that WPVIs Chopper 6 was returning to its base at Northeast Philadelphia Airport Tuesday night when something caused it to crash into Wharton State Forest in Washington Township.

The crew had been photographing Christmas light displays near Atlantic City.

Killed in the crash were the pilot, 67-year-old Monroe Smith of Glenside, Pennsylvania, and a photographer, 45-year-old Christopher Dougherty of Oreland, Pennsylvania.

The aircraft hit at very high speed, and after striking the trees, it fragmented, Gunther said, adding the damaged aircraft was subject to a post-crash fire.

Investigators were able to determine that there was no in-flight fire or explosion, he said.

Examination of the main rotor and tail rotors showed damage indicating that they were turning when they struck trees, Gunther said, and the helicopter had power at the time of the crash and its transmission was functioning.

There is no indication the pilot broadcast any sort of emergency warning, Gunther added.

The chopper made two previous flights on Tuesday before the crash.

Investigators are looking for anything that may have either contributed to or caused the crash, which occurred on a clear, cold night, Gunther said.

Wreckage from the crash is being removed to a secure off-site facility, where it is being reassembled to aid in the investigation into the cause. That includes the nose, tail and both sides of the helicopter.

It could be about two years before the NTSB announces its findings into what caused the crash, Gunther said.

The debris field stretched for 200 yards in the woods, about twice the length originally calculated.

By WAYNE PARRY

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I read the recent editorial about banning phones in school. As a former teacher at Nitschmann Middle School, I can tell you that some parents would scream if phones were totally banned in school. If you tell students that they must keep their phone in the locker, it ends up being a headache for the administration because students will say they forgot it was in their backpack and, also, you have the problem of phone theft from lockers.

My solution to this problem is to allow students to carry a phone that is ONLY a phone. No games, no e-mailing, nothing. I dont know if a phone like this even exists, but if it doesnt, it would be a real good business for someone to get into.

The school could suggest to parents in the beginning of the year where they can buy the approved phone along with other school supplies. A phone like Im suggesting ought to be fairly cheap. Just a thought.

Bill Helmer is a former seventh-grade special education teacher at Nitschmann Middle school in Bethlehem.
A man was driving like a rocket on the on the M7 motorway, a sitting of Portlaoise District Court was told.

Shola Ayodeji, 38, of 41 Ard Eireann, Mountrath appeared in court charged with careless driving on the M7 at Meelick, Portlaoise on January 23, 2023.

The defendant brought 1,000 to court. It was the final payment of a 5,000 poor box contribution previously agreed to have his initial dangerous driving charge reduced to one of careless driving.

Judge Andrew Cody noted the man had been detected driving at 170 kmh in his Mercedes car on the date in question.

Solicitor Josephine Fitzpatrick said her client worked in recruitment and needed his licence. She said the court had previously indicated that a charge of dangerous driving would be reduced to one of careless driving if 5,000 was donated.

Judge Cody ordered that the 5,000 be donated to the St Vincent de Paul. He said it would be very welcome at this time of year.

He convicted the defendant of careless driving and fined him 400.

Ms Fitzpatrick asked if he would fix recognisance in case of appeal. She said the appeal related to the fine.

A fine of 400 and he driving like a rocket in his C350 Mercedes, said Judge Cody.

He fixed recognisance in the case.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, December 23. The Central Election Commission (CEC) of Azerbaijan informed international organizations about the problem related to the voting of IDPs, but not a single international organization raised this issue, the CEC Chairman Mazahir Panahov said at the commission's meeting, Trend reports.

International organizations inquired about our problems, but since we each time informed that the problem affects IDPs, they stopped asking us about it," Panahov reminded.

"In the notification that will be sent to citizens who will vote for the first time in the liberated territories in the early presidential election, we will place an additional point, which fully complies with the requirements of the law, he added.

On December 7, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev signed a decree on holding early presidential election in Azerbaijan on February 7, 2024.

Stay up to date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
A woman who went on a crime spree was warned she would face jail if she entered any shops in Portlaoise over the Christmas period.

Theresa Conroy, 37, of 7 Green Mill Lane, Portlaoise admitted stealing goods valued at over 1,000 from shops in Portlaoise in November and December 2023.

She was charged with stealing groceries valued at 307 from Tesco in Laois Shopping Centre on November 29. On November 30, she stole groceries valued at 71.95 from Lidl in Portlaoise. On December 1, she stole perfume valued at 43.90 from Laois Pharmacy. On December 4, she took curtains valued at 119 from Harry Corry and goods from Homesavers valued at 107.96. On December 14, she stole groceries valued at 100.15 from Lidl Portlaoise and on December 19, she stole Groovy Lights valued at 200 and alcohol valued at 82.90 from Lidl.

Solicitor Josephine Fitzpatrick said her client hadnt come to the attention of gardai in 13 years prior to these thefts. She explained that the womans brother had died and his death triggered the offending.

He was dead for a number of days and she found him, Ms Fitzpatrick explained.

She said the woman had relapsed to drug abuse but was now engaging with a methadone programme in Portlaoise.

Judge Andrew Cody noted these thefts are every second or third day. He said the woman needed to get treatment.

Ms Fitzpatrick said her client was seeking treatment and she asked that the woman be allowed to get treatment while on bail.

She had been taking drugs and that led to the offending, she said.

She has lost two brothers to drug addiction Judge and she found both of them, explained Ms Fitzpatrick.

She said the woman was from a large family and was being supported in court by another brother who didnt have any difficulties with addiction. She explained that the woman is now weaning off methadone.

She is reducing by one millilitre a week, so it is going to take her four or five months, said Ms Fitzpatrick.

Judge Cody said thefts amounting to 1,032.77 had taken place in the space of three weeks.

This is a one woman almost crime spree here in the town of Portlaoise, said Judge Cody.

He granted bail on strict conditions including daily sign on at Portlaoise Garda Station, a curfew and a ban from shops in Portlaoise.

If she looks into a shop you will be into the Dochas Centre before you know where you are, he warned the woman.

Turkey and ham will have to be bought for you, he said.

He remanded her on bail to Portlaoise District Court on January 5.
A midlands man has been jailed after 730,000 worth of cannabis was found in his articulated lorry which gardai tracked down after it was spotted in Laois on M7 near Portlaoise.

Martin Murray (58), Crimlin Little, Moneygall, Birr had denied importing the drugs into Ireland and having them for sale or supply to others but was convicted when a jury returned a unanimous guilty verdict at the end of a trial at Tullamore Circuit Court.

The sentencing hearing on Tuesday, December 19 in Tullamore Circuit Court was told Mr Murray was charged after gardai had stopped him when he was driving a truck at Dunkerrin on June 30, 2017.

Replying to prosecution counsel Kevin White, Detective Garda Val Russell told Judge Keenan Johnson that gardai mounted a surveillance operation on all major routes in Ireland after receiving information that Mr Murray had come into Northern Ireland from Cairnryan and intended driving home to Moneygall.

His vehicle was seen at the M7 plaza at Portlaoise and it then left the motorway at exit 21 and was followed by a garda vehicle.

Detective Garda Russell said the lorry engaged in counter-surveillance manoeuvres, giving the example of where it had exited from the motorway, gone across a bridge, and then drove again on the motorway in the original direction.

When it exited at Barack Obama Plaza it was followed by another garda detective and he pulled Mr Murray's vehicle over near his home.

Mr Murray co-operated with a search of the lorry, saying: No problem, there's nothing on it.

When nothing was visible the vehicle was seized and brought to Nenagh Garda Station where nothing was found in another search.

Gardai did find two Samsung mobile phones, one of which was encrypted, 1,570 worth of cash and paper receipts for fuel.

A warrant was obtained for a search of Mr Murray's property and land but nothing of evidential value was found and the truck was then brought to Dublin Port for another search.

Sniffer dogs and a scan uncovered nothing but a number of large steel tubes were found under other items.

Gardai searched the tubes by drilling holes and inserting a camera and found the drugs vacuum packed, along with 6,000, also vacuum packed in a tube.

Gardai also found Garmin sat nav devices and a tachograph and Detective Garda Russell said Claire Greaney from Forensic Science Ireland, a key witness in the trial, analysed the tachograph and found the truck had travelled from Moneygall to Rosslare, on to Fishguard, across the UK and eventually to Breda in the Netherlands where it appeared to remain from June 24 to June 28.

The court heard that Detective Garda Conor O'Sullivan extracted data from the sat nav and established that the truck had travelled to Hull, England from the Netherlands and gone up to Scotland to Cairnryan Port.

That detective also found that even though the sat nav was not activated between June 24 and June 28, it was still collecting data and recorded five movements of between 21 and 90 miles during those days in the Netherlands.

When Mr Murray was arrested on July 5, 2017 he said It has nothing to do with me and he wasn't prepared to give an account of his travels and that it was on the CMR (travel document).

Detective Garda Russell said no admissions were made by the accused and a file was sent to the DPP and he was charged on October 25, 2018.

The court was also told that his passport was found in the lorry two days into the trial, which took place in May this year.

Detective Garda Russell said Mr Murray had a previous conviction for the sale and supply of drugs dating from 1999 when he received a seven-and-a-half-year sentence at Naas Circuit Court for a an offence committed in October 1996.

He had also received a five-year suspended sentence for larceny in 1996 and his most recent offences were for road traffic matters in 2010 and 2009.

Asked about the accused's background, Detective Garda Russell said he knew he had a farm and a daughter of his had accompanied him to court at some stage.

Michael Gillespie, solicitor for Mr Murray, said the accused's sole defence had been knowledge and the State's case relied on the statutory presumption of knowledge on the part of his client.

Mr Gillespie said there was no evidence that Mr Murray was present when the substance was put into the steel tubes which were sealed and he had been instructed to tell the court that there would be an appeal.

The solicitor said Mr Murray had left school at 14 having completed one year of secondary because his father was ill and he had been principally a farmer since then.

He also got involved in haulage and he would go to the continent and on this occasion he picked up a load in Holland to bring to Ireland.

Mr Gillespie said the trial had heard evidence from James Quinn, a former president of the Irish Road Haulage Association, that a haulier would only be entitled to carry out a visual inspection of his load.

Mr Gillespie presented testimonials on Mr Murray's behalf from a number of people, including a haulier, a mechanic, farmers and a vet.

They variously attested to the accused being a hard worker and very good with animals.

The court also received a letter from the GP of the accused's brother which related the worry and stress caused to him by Martin Murray's prosecution.

The defendant's brother, Seamus Murray, wrote a letter to the court saying that they had grown up with their sisters and when their parents were elderly Martin remained on the farm and they worked side by side on farms.

He referred to the accused as a good friend and brother who helped everyone locally and since Martin's conviction Seamus Murray had to run two farms.

A letter from Cloverhill Prison said Martin Murray was a very good worker in the laundry there who was courteous and polite to staff.

Before Judge Johnson announced his sentence, Mr Gillespie said the accused wished to address the court but was advised that it would not be of any assistance to do so.

Judge Johnson said the minimum sentence for an offence of this kind involving drugs valued at 13,000 or more was 10 years but he could depart from that in certain circumstances.

He noted the accused had pleaded not guilty and had a previous conviction for a similar offence.

He said the amount and kind of drug was an aggravating factor, saying that cannabis was anything but a soft drug and along with being a gateway to other drugs, 5% of cannabis users went on to develop schizophrenia.

Mitigating factors included the man's co-operation with the gardai, his recent unblemished record, and the impact on his brother which was a significant penalty in itself.

The offence carried a sentence of up to life but the headline sentence he imposed was 10 years, with the final two years suspended upon entry of a 500 peace bond for five years post-release.

The sentence was backdated to May 4 last when Mr Murray first went into custody.
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The beautiful Slieve Bloom village of Coolrain is the home of a much loved Christmas tractor run which returns this year.

Clonenagh National School, Mountrath has announced the return of their Annual Tractor Run on Thursday, December 28.

The fundraising event has proven to be a great day out for all the family and promises the usual excitement with the Tractor Run taking place alongside the 6km Fun Run/Walk, all-day long free refreshments, music and a monster auction.

The day starts with the 6km Family Fun Run/Walk around the beautiful countryside near Coolrain village. This is a great way to work off the excesses of Christmas. All ages are welcome to join the Run/Walk. Registration will take place at 11am in Hogans Pub, Coolrain (10 for adults, 5 for secondary school students, free for primary school students), with the runners and walkers setting off at 11.30am.

Next up will be the Annual Tractor Run which is a sight to behold as the tractors and vintage cars work their way through the village and along the route. Registration for the Tractor Run takes place at 1pm in Hogans Pub and the tractors and cars will set off at 2pm.

The now-famous tractor run stew will be served to the drivers after the run in Hogans pub, and all drivers will receive a memento to remember the day.

The event will finish with the Monster Auction in Hogans Pub at 8.30pm with many impressive lots being auctioned on the night. Resident Auctioneer, Joe Shirley, is often the highlight of the night and ensures that everyone enjoys the night.

Furthermore, this year there is an exciting addition to the days events. A pupil from the school, Richard Lalor, has agreed to shave his mullet on the day in order to raise funds for the school. Everyone can sponsor Richard by donating at the following link: www.idonate.ie/cause/ClonenaghNS

The annual fundraiser is a very enjoyable day for all ages so come along and join us for some exercise, some tractors and lots of fun! For any queries, contact Joe on 087-2664012.

Have a look back at a previous photo gallery of the Clonenagh Tractor Run here.
OVER the past 12 months, 25 houses in Ireland have being burgled every day and research would indicate that burglaries increase by almost 20% during the winter months.

And, interestingly, nearly 50% of all break-ins occur between the hours of 5pm and 11pm.

With Christmas fast approaching, it isnt lost on burglars that houses are beginning to fill up with presents, so we need to be extra vigilant in the days and weeks before and after Christmas, to make sure we dont fall victim to a break in.

And it doesnt matter whether you have valuables worth millions in your house or hundreds, the only person you want gaining access to your property in December is Santa, which is why in this weeks article Im going to share with you, 8 security housekeeping rules that if followed can make your home less attractive to would-be thieves.

And they are:

1. Install an alarm

The best thing you can to deter a burglar at any time of the year is have an alarm installed in your home.

In one survey I read about last year, 82 imprisoned burglars were asked what kind of security features in a house would stop them from robbing it, and 84% said, if the house was fitted with an alarm.

So, convicted burglars are saying they would not willingly enter a house fitted with a working alarm which seems to suggest that investing in a good quality alarm is the best way of reducing your risk of being burgled.

And if you do have one in place, dont forget to turn it on when you go to bed. About 40% of people dont for some reason, so before you go to bed, get into the habit of turning it on, along with checking that your front, back and sliding doors are locked.

2. Lock your doors

In nearly 20% of burglaries, the intruder gains access to the house via an unlocked door or window.

You are more likely to burgled during daylight hours, because your house is more likely to be unoccupied because youre at work and/or your kids are at school which is why its essential you make sure all doors to your house are locked.

And, if you can help it all, try not to have external Xmas lights running into a socket inside your home via a window. Even the very smallest of wedges a wire can leave, is enough for a burglar to force the window open.

3. Keep valuables out of site

Having lots of presents under the Xmas tree, could make it very tempting for thieves to break into your house, so try keep presents out of sight.

Its suggested by some security experts that Xmas trees should be kept away from windows because its easy for thieves to quickly break a window and grab all of the presents from under the tree, so try and have your tree in a place thats visible but not very accessible.

4. Dont leave packaging of presents outside

Having packages sticking out of your wheelie bin or alongside them, is just advertising whats new inside your property. Break down whatever packaging any new item or present came in and ensure its out of sight.

5. Check your home insurance policy

And youre doing this to make sure you know what you are covered for, and for how much.

Does your policy cover you if items were stolen inside or outside your property? Do you need to increase your level of cover because you are buying a particularly expensive gift?

Thankfully, some insurance companies recognise that people have more contents in their home in the month of December and will automatically increase your contents cover by 10% free of charge but it might be worth making a call to them to see if they will do this for you because if not, you might feel you need to increase the amount of cover or you might want to insure a specific item that is valuable.

6. Invest in a magic market pen

If you are worried about an item that was particularly expensive, you might also consider using a security magic marker pen to record your details on it.

When written on, the writing will go unnoticed but under a UV light, the ink will light up, identifying you as the owner. You can buy one for under 5 and it might be a good use of money, because if something was stolen and subsequently recovered, the gardai might be able to reunite it with you much quicker.

7. Keep shtum about travel plans

You really need to avoid telling the world youre going on holidays or youre about to go.

You might as well hang a sign on your front door telling the world you are going on holidays if you advertise your holiday plans on social media platforms like Instagram or Facebook or X.

Burglars are trawling through these sites every day looking for information and if they come across you and see you are heading away for a week or two, they know your house will be un-occupied, so it makes it all the easier and a bigger incentive for them to break into your house, knowing nobody is going to be home.

So, never post online where you are going, when you are going or when youll be back. And if you are going away, ask a relative or neighbour to look in on your house regularly to make sure nothing has happened or let you and the gardai know if they see any suspicious activity.

And this last piece of advice is more about home safety than protecting your home from thieves, but its an important one that I wanted to mention, nonetheless.

8. Be fire aware

Research was carried out a couple of years ago by a leading insurer who looked back at 10 years worth of claims data, and they found that December is the month that sees the biggest increase in fire claims, up nearly 120% from other months in the year.

And this spike in claims is largely down the number of electrical fires in people's homes.

So, be extra vigilant and safe this year and check your lights on the tree and the connections to sockets are in good working order. Dont have too many plugs going into one outlet, or if there are some cords frayed in any way, get rid of them, and replace them.

And sometimes after a few drinks people might forget to turn off the lights on a tree or in other areas throughout the house, so whenever you are going out or to bed, make sure you plug them out. It will take you two minutes and it's better to be safe than sorry.

Liam Croke is MD of Harmonics Financial Ltd, based in Plassey. He can be contacted at liam@harmonics.ie or www.harmonics.ie
The Christmas season is a special time for many and provides an opportunity to reflect, to give thanks and to celebrate.

Typically, at this time of year, Intel Ireland works closely with local volunteer groups, residents and community organisations to celebrate them and recognise the impact they have on the communities around them.

On Thursday November 30, the annual Leixlip Senior Citizens Christmas Party, hosted by Intel, took place. The party brings together seniors from the local community and a team of Intel employees to celebrate the festive season. Over 200 guests from across Leixlip attended this years party.

Another group that Intel supports during this time is the Leixlip Meals on Wheels, a voluntary organisation which cooks and delivers meals to vulnerable members of the local community.

They open four days a week, every week of the year, and on a normal basis, they would cook and deliver around 25 meals per day or just over 100 per week. There are over 120 volunteers involved in the organisation, which is split into drivers and cooks.

Typically, the Intel onsite cafe takes over the preparation of meals for recipients for a day to give the usual Meals on Wheels volunteers a well-earned day off. On December 13 the Intel cafe team prepared all the meals for delivery.

Pictured is Conor Halpin from Intel with Philip Naessens, Leixlip Meals on Wheels

Each year Intel employees spend the month of December supporting a variety of fundraising activities and collections in support of our local St. Vincent de Paul organisation.

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul (SVP) is the largest voluntary charitable organisation in Ireland and focuses on providing a practical approach to dealing with poverty, alleviating its effects on individuals and families.

One of the key activities supported by employees was the donation of over 300 specially assembled gift boxes as part of a shoebox appeal for St. Vincent de Paul. The shoeboxes were assembled for children of a variety of ages and typically contain practical items, such as toiletries, along with toys, books and treats etc. for the recipients. The shoeboxes were donated to the Leixlip and Maynooth branches of the Vincent de Paul.

Intel also made a donation of over 3,000 to the organisation to assist the important support they provide over the festive season.
Bellaghy Wolfe Tones GAC has called on the entire Association to support the family of murdered GAA official Sean Brown.

Mr Brown was attacked and beaten by an LVF gang as he locked the gates at the Bellaghy club on May 12 1997.

He was then taken to a country lane near Randalstown where he was shot six times.

Mr Browns inquest, which began in March, has been held up due to ongoing PSNI delays in producing disclosure material linked to the murder.

Since his death, more than 40 inquest-related hearings have been held.

Coroner Patrick Kinney, who is also a High Court judge, confirmed the inquest will not resume next month as planned and will take place in March.

Under the British governments controversial Legacy Act, inquests that have not reached their findings stage by next May will be halted.

The act has been challenged in the High Court by relatives of the dead, while the Irish government has launched an inter-state case against the British government under the European Convention on Human Rights.

Bellaghy Wolfe Tones GAC have issued a statement expressing anger at how the Brown family have been treated.

As a club, as friends and neighbours, we can no longer hold our dignified silence. As a community, we are furious at the treatment of the Brown family and we actively seek the support and solidarity of our wider Association at this time of legal and moral repugnance. As a unit of our Association, we represent what is best about our society, however what we have observed the Brown family endure in recent weeks and months, indeed years, is the lowest, and which can no longer be tolerated, read the club statement.

The club has welcomed the decision of the Irish Government to take an Inter-State case against the British Government to the European Court of Human Rights.

This is a welcome display of both courage and conviction. It is clear that politicians are now prepared to match the groundswell of public opinion, against the Legacy Act, with political action, continued the statement.

What we, as members of the GAA, now seek is that the leaders of the Association show the same commitment, leadership and action.

We are indebted to the voluntary motions of solidarity reciting expressions of concern, by the recent County Conventions of Derry, Tyrone and Armagh.

We respectfully request that this correspondence is considered by all units of our Association, at both club and county level, and we ask each chairman or the last person to lock your club gates, is this how you would accept your family, your club, your community, your own dignified memory, to be treated.
More than four in ten (42%) home cooks say the cost of food is their top concern when cooking Christmas dinner this year, as one in three (33%) say they will cook a turkey crown, new research from safefood has revealed.

While more than half (52%) are cooking a full turkey for Christmas dinner this year, 1 in 3 (33%) are opting for a turkey crown, a significant increase on last years research where one in ten (10%) opted for a crown.

Almost six in ten (57%) home cooks admit to finding cooking Christmas dinner a little stressful, they say they still enjoy the end result.

The research was commissioned by safefood as part of its annual Christmas food safety campaign, as it encourages home cooks to use a meat thermometer to make sure their Christmas turkey is safely cooked through to 75 degrees Celsius and ensure everyone has a safe and tasty Christmas.

Trish Twohig, Director of Food Safety with safefood, said: "Our research shows more people are opting for turkey crowns this year which would suggest people are changing their choice of Christmas turkey with an eye on food costs.

Whatever kind of turkey you cook this year, using a meat thermometer takes the guesswork out of knowing when its safely cooked. To check that its cooked, take the turkey out of the oven, and pop a meat thermometer in the thickest part of the meat between the breast and the leg - when it reads 75 degrees Celsius, its safely cooked.

Meat thermometers are affordable, easy to use and can be used on other meats during the year like chicken, pork, burgers, and sausages to ensure they are cooked all the way through, he said.

safefood has teamed up with Gareth Mullins, one of Irelands most celebrated chefs, to launch the campaign to help take the stress out of cooking Christmas dinner.

Gareth provided the following advice for home chefs: Christmas dinner is renowned as the most important meal of the year, and Im delighted to work with safefood to provide simple tips for safety in the kitchen.

My main piece of advice this year is that cooking time on packaging is a general guide only. To ensure a turkey is fully cooked, I recommend using a meat thermometer, he said.

If you dont have a meat thermometer, use a clean fork or skewer to pierce the thickest part of the breast and thigh. Youll know its cooked when: its piping hot throughout, its juices run clear, there is no pink meat left and that any stuffing is piping hot throughout.
Irish Hospice Foundation (IHF), a leading organisation dedicated to providing support to those dealing with loss and grief, wants to remind people in Leitrim about their Bereavement Support Line service, available from 10am to 1pm, Monday to Friday.

The service aims to provide solace and support to individuals who have lost a loved one, friend, or colleague, allowing them to openly discuss their grief and loss.

This service is not exclusive to recent bereavements but is also open to those who have experienced loss in the past. Callers to the line may have lost a parent, spouse, child, sibling or close friend. Some deaths have been sudden and unexpected, others coming after an illness.

The IHF spokesperson said that all callers are welcome and that people mourn different relationships  for example we have had callers who struggle with the loss of a pet.

Additionally, professionals in the healthcare sector, such as general practitioners, occupational therapists, nurses, and hospitals, can also contact the support line for information regarding local bereavement services available to their patients or clients.

Family members and friends seeking information about bereavement support for their loved ones can also reach out to inquire about counselling services or social support options.

In 2022, under 1,500 calls were made to the Bereavement Support Line. Surpassing these numbers, the line has already received over 2,000 calls up to the end of November.

While the service has seen a slight increase in male callers, currently standing at 30% compared to 26% in 2022, IHF believes more efforts are needed to encourage male participation.

Catherine Tierney, Bereavement Clinical Lead at the Irish Hospice Foundation said: Our experience is that men are more reluctant to reach out and phone the line. Perhaps its a cultural thing  Irish men arent known for talking about their feelings so easily, culturally it might have been seen as a sign of weakness to cry or show emotion. Thankfully that is changing.

But the research also tells us that some men prefer to channel their grief into a project, something constructive or physical. Like getting involved in the charity that supported their loved one, starting a new charity or advocating for better services. We want to spread the message in Leitrim that the bereavement support line is here for anyone missing a loved one this Christmas.

All agents working on the support line are volunteers who have received training in grief and loss and in how to provide support over the telephone . Many of them have completed Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland Masters in Loss and Bereavement or Professional Certificate in Children & Loss programs.

Anonymity is highly respected by the Bereavement Support Line, allowing callers to remain confidential. Callers must only provide their contact details to receive leaflets or signposting information. The Bereavement Support Line is available at 1800 80 70 77.
Leitrim For All calls for support of asylum seekers and refugees to Dromahair and across County Leitrim.

The coalition of individuals and organisations recognises the challenges these individuals face, especially during Christmas.

According to the Leitrim For All, this is an opportunity for the Dromahair community to come together and warmly embrace the new arrivals.

"It is crucial to acknowledge the hardships faced by asylum seekers and work collaboratively to ensure their integration into the fabric of the town," the Leitrim For All spokesperson said.

"Leitrim For All recognises and appreciates the efforts of the on-the-ground group' Dromahair Welcomes You' and will be doing their utmost to provide support and assistance to the new arrivals," the spokesperson added.

The group urges the community to engage in initiatives that promote understanding and cooperation, fostering connections that will transform newcomers from strangers to valued members of the town.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, December 23. Steps need to be taken regarding student voting, Chairman of the Central Election Commission of Azerbaijan Mazahir Panakhov said at todays meeting of the Central Election Commission, Trend reports.

"We must contact the Ministry of Science and Education and take steps related to student voting. On February 7, students will be on vacation. Students living in the regions will likely go to their parents for the holidays. So we need to provide them with absentee ballots so they can vote where they will be," he said.

On December 7, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev signed a decree on holding early presidential election in Azerbaijan on February 7, 2024.

Stay up to date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
Group Eleven Closes $3,000,000 Private Placement





/NOT FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES OR FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. WIRE SERVICES/

VANCOUVER, BC, Dec. 22, 2023 /CNW/ - Group Eleven Resources Corp. (the "Company") (TSXV: ZNG) (OTC: GRLVF) (FRA: 3GE) is pleased to announce that it has closed its previously announced non-brokered private placement for aggregate gross proceeds of $3,000,000, through the sale of 25,000,000 units of the Company (each, a "Unit") at a price of $0.12 per Unit (the "Private Placement"). All currency in this news release is denominated in Canadian dollars.

Each Unit consists of one common share in the capital of the Company (a "Common Share") and one-half of one non-transferable common share purchase warrant (each whole warrant, a "Warrant"). Each Warrant entitles the holder to purchase one additional common share in the capital of the Company (a "Warrant Share") for a period of 24 months from the date of issue at an exercise price of $0.18 per Warrant Share.

In connection with the Private Placement, the Company issued 195,100 finder's warrants (the "Finder Warrants") and paid cash commissions of $23,412 to certain arm's length finders, including Canaccord Genuity Corp., Haywood Securities Inc., Cormark Securities Inc., Red Cloud Securities Inc. and Sightline Wealth Management LP (the "Finders"). Each Finder Warrant entitles the Finder, on exercise thereof, to acquire one additional Common Share at a price of $0.18 per share for a period of 24 months from the date of issuance.

The Company intends to use the proceeds from the Private Placement primarily for follow-up drilling on the Company's Ballywire zinc-lead-silver discovery at the PG West project (100%-interest) in Ireland, as well as for general working capital purposes. There may be circumstances, however, where, for sound business reasons, a reallocation of funds may be necessary.

Prior to closing of the Private Placement, Michael Gentile held 28,799,502 Common Shares and 7,724,777 common share purchase warrants, each warrant entitling Mr. Gentile to purchase one additional Common Share upon payment of additional consideration to the Company. These Common Shares and warrants represented approximately 16.46% of the Company's then-issued and outstanding Common Shares on an undiluted basis and approximately 19.99% of the Company's then-issued and outstanding Common Shares on a partially diluted basis. Michael Gentile subscribed for 1,250,000 Units in the Private Placement for an aggregate purchase price of $150,000. Following the completion of the Private Placement, Mr. Gentile beneficially owns and controls an aggregate of 30,049,502 Common Shares and 8,349,777 common share purchase warrants, representing approximately 15.03% of the Company's issued and outstanding Common Shares on an undiluted basis and approximately 18.43% of the Company's issued and outstanding Common Shares on a partially diluted basis.

The participation by Mr. Gentile in the Private Placement, constitutes a related party transaction within the meaning of Multilateral Instrument 61-101 ? Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101"). The Company has relied on the exemptions from the valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101 contained in sections 5.5(a) and 5.7(1)(a) of MI 61-101 in respect of such insider participation. The Company did not file a material change report more than 21 days before the expected closing of the Private Placement, as the details and amounts of Mr. Gentile's participation were not finalized until closer to the closing and the Company wished to close the transaction as soon as practicable for sound business reasons.

The Private Placement remains subject to all necessary regulatory approvals including final acceptance from the TSX Venture Exchange (the "TSXV"). All securities issued in connection with the Private Placement are subject to a four-month hold period from the closing date under applicable Canadian securities laws, in addition to such other restrictions as may apply under applicable securities laws of jurisdictions outside Canada.

The ownership percentages of Common Shares described above are based on the Company having 174,968,168 Common Shares issued and outstanding prior to the completion of the Private Placement, and 199,968,168 Common Shares outstanding upon completion of the Private Placement.

About Group Eleven Resources

Group Eleven Resources Corp. (TSX.V: ZNG; OTC: GRLVF and FRA: 3GE) is a mineral exploration company focused on advanced stage zinc exploration in Ireland. Additional information about the Company is available at www.groupelevenresources.com.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Bart Jaworski, P.Geo.

Chief Executive Officer

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 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 "forward?looking statements", are not historical facts, are made as of the date of this news release and include without limitation, statements regarding discussions of future plans, estimates and forecasts and statements as to management's expectations and intentions with respect to, among other things: the use of the proceeds raised under the Private Placement; and the receipt of regulatory approvals and acceptance of the TSXV.

These forward?looking 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: delays in obtaining or failures to obtain required regulatory and TSXV approvals for the Private Placement; market uncertainty; and risks related to the Company's drilling operations.

In making the forward-looking statements in this news release, the Company has applied several material assumptions, including without limitation, that: the Company will obtain the required regulatory and TSXV approvals for the Private Placement; the Company's financial condition and development plans do not change as a result of unforeseen events; and the Company will use the proceeds of the Private Placement as currently anticipated.

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 out-look that are incorporated by reference herein, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. We seek safe harbor.

SOURCE Group Eleven Resources Corp.

22 december 2023 at 18:28

News published onand distributed by:
Former Credit Suisse CEO Tidjane Thiam, the new elected president of the Democratic Party of Cote d'Ivoire (PDCI), at the Felix Houphouet Boigny Foundation for Peace Research in Yamoussoukro, on December 23, 2023. SIA KAMBOU / AFP

Ivorian-French banker Tidjane Thiam was elected on Friday, December 22, leader of the main opposition Democratic Party of Ivory Coast  a victory which puts him in position to contest the next presidential election in 2025. Thiam, a former boss of banking giant Credit Suisse, won very comfortably with 96.5 percent of the vote against 3.2 percent for his rival Jean-Marc Yace, the mayor of a commune in the economic hub Abidjan, according to the results announced late Friday. At 61, Thiam is a relatively young top political figure in the West African nation and is returning after more than 20 years abroad.

"It is with great humility that I accept the responsibility that you have decided to entrust to me," Thiam said. More than 6,000 delegates took part in the vote at a party congress in the capital Yamoussoukro.

"Our new president will have to put us back in working order. He will have to give more responsibilities to the young people of the party," said interim party president Philippe Cowppli-Bony, 91. "We have been treated too much as a party of old people. It's positive to see two young candidates, it's nice," said Ohoueu Assi, a congressman from Guiglo in the west.

The party, which is eyeing a return to power in two years, also proposed supporting Thiam's nomination for the 2025 race. "2025 will be a crucial electoral year for our party, we must be ready," Thiam said.

"If Thiam is our candidate, which I hope, we will have the capacity to return to power," said Cyprien Koffi, a delegate from San Pedro in the southwest. "He can breathe new life into it."

Read more Article reserve a nos abonnes France's military presence in Africa faces an uncertain future

Corporate profile

More than two decades after leaving Ivory Coast following the 1999 coup, Thiam returns after a high-profile business career. In 1982 he was the first Ivorian to pass the entrance exam for the Ecole Polytechnique in Paris, from which he graduated two years later before an initial career as an engineer. He then spent a few years with consulting firm McKinsey before being tapped by the powers that be in Ivory Coast.

An early career as a government minister was interrupted in 1999 when a coup toppled president Bedie and the PDCI has not regained power since. He then went into the private sector abroad, first with insurance firm Aviva and then as CEO of Prudential before becoming head of Credit Suisse in 2015.

After leading a restructuring of the bank, his initially praised strategy was criticized after three consecutive years of losses and a fall in its share price. He stepped down in 2020 after a corporate espionage scandal at the bank, which he denied involvement in.
SHANNONDOC, the out-of-hours GP service, has taken on extra staff in order to boost operations at its operations across the region over the Christmas and new year period.

The service, which has centres at Dooroadoyle in the city and in Newcastle West and Hospital, says it has taken on 20% extra personnel on top of its normal level over the festive season which is expected to be busier than normal.

This comprises of doctors, nurses and call-centre operators.

The service says this means it will have 50% more staff on duty than it did during Christmas 2021, when Ireland was still under the shadow of Covid-19.

ShannonDoc says it will provide full cover, on an appointment-only bases, on Christmas Day and St Stephens Day.

Normal GP service will resume on Wednesday, December 2 through to close of business on Friday, December 29.

At that point, ShannonDoc will take over again during the new year holiday, through to Tuesday, January 2 when normal GP practice hours resume.

ShannonDoc is reminding users that it operates strictly by appointment only and is not a walk-in service. Those who require urgent medical care should call 0818 123 500.

Patients who require emergency medical attention should attend their nearest Emergency Department (ED) or phone 999 or 112.

Dr Ailish Kenny, who chairs ShannonDoc said: "Last year ShannonDoc prepared like never before for Christmas, putting 30% more resources in place than the previous Christmas when the service had sufficient capacity to cater for the throughput. Despite that, an unprecedented surge crippled pretty much the entire national primary care health service, from GP out-of-hours to the emergency departments, with the ShannonDoc switchboard receiving 12,500 calls on one-day alone."

Chief executive Peter Clarke added: "We are heading into the busiest period of the year for out-of-hours service because GP practices are closed for much of the holidays. So, at this time of year we would ask the public to be patient with the service. Weve worked closely with the HSE to mitigate the impact any surge would cause but we do ask for the publics understanding.

"People will get an appointment much quicker at ShannonDoc this Christmas than they would with the vast majority of GP practices in urban areas. Its a superb offering, with superb people working for it and were confident were ready for whats coming this Christmas," he added.

Mr Clarke said it's important the public only contact ShannonDoc for genuine urgent cases, such as conditions which have severe pain, injuries, sudden illnesses or any other health issues that cannot wait until the next GP practice day.

ShannonDoc can be contacted on 0818-123500 or on 061-459500.
THE Christmas story is full of drama and excitement - a displaced family, a wicked king, mystics from the east but it is also a story of hope and love.

The arrival of the Christ-child to a broken and hurting world offers us true hope and real transformation. He came as Emmanuel - God with us and for us - whoever we are, wherever we are from, however much faith we think we possess.

Sadly, we often let the Christmas story pass us by  weve heard it all before. However, what the story tells us, year after year, is that Gods love persists at breaking through again and again and again.

Wherever and however you find yourself this Christmas, perhaps the ultimate call and joy of the Christmas story is not to be passive listeners.

Dont just stand outside this story, or look at it from a distance, but - like the shepherds and the wise men - enter into it. Its my hope and prayer that as you do this, however tentatively, you will find a God who loves you and inspires you to be a world changer!

The Christmas season is a special time of the year when family and friends gather to celebrate and relax. For those travelling to Limerick this December - you are very welcome to join us in St Marys Cathedral; St Michaels, Pery Square or Ss John & Ailbe, Abington for our Christmas services and events.

Finally, to those for whom Christmas is not a particularly joyful time - I hope that you may find peace in that which only the Christ child gives to all of us.

A happy and peaceful Christmas to you and every blessing for 2024.



- The Very Revd Niall JW Sloane, Dean of St Marys Cathedral, Limerick
STAFF at Raheen firm Kirby Group Engineering are to donate more than 130,000 to local charities this Christmas.

Workers for the engineering company - founded in Limerick in 1964, and employing 1,500 people globally - picked a number of charity partners for 2023.

As a result of this, these good causes are in for a Christmas boost.

The Irish Cancer Society is to receive 50,000.

Meanwhile, Unicef, which provides aid to children worldwide, will receive 25,000.

Also getting the same sum is homelessness charity St Vincent de Paul.

The Irish Red Cross and Birdwatch Ireland will benefit to the tune of 15,000 each.

Kirby Group managing director Mark Flanagan says determination to support good causes is at the heart of the firm.

The Christmas donation programme is an important part of our calendar and were happy to support some really incredible organisations tackling important issues at this time of year, he said.

Staff of Kirbys ran fundraising activities all-year around, including a cycle, which raised 40,000 for Milford Hospice, and the National Breast Cancer Institute

I am truly proud to lead a group thats so dedicated to continually supporting good causes. We look forward to continuing our involvement with worthwhile organisations into 2024, added Mr Flanagan.

In 2023 Kirby also supported an additional 80 local, national and international charities to the tune of 225,000.

Beneficiaries included Galway Hospice, Clionas Foundation, Cope and Lust for Life, as well as a number of charities in Sweden and Italy.

These are countries where the company has a strong presence.
FIANNA Fail members across Limerick have picked the candidates the party will run in June's local elections.

Ahead of the Christmas period, the party held selection conventions which will decide who will run for the party in the next election for Limerick City and County Council.

In Limerick City North, veteran councillor Kieran O'Hanlon will seek election for a sixth straight time.

If he is returned, he will become the longest serving local councillor, having first been elected to the old Limerick City Council back in 1991.

The party will likely add a second candidate to the northside ward in the new year.

Meanwhile, in City West, an area which stretches from the city centre out to Patrickswell and Ballybrown, just one candidate has so far been added.

That's Isabel Aherne, a health and safety officer who lives in Patrickswell, but was previously based in Raheen.

It's almost certain further candidates will be added, with outgoing councillor Azad Talukder, the current metropolitan district leader, set to be joined by one other representative on Fianna Fail's ballot.

Two outgoing councillors have been picked to run again in City East, which covers the suburbs of Castletroy and Monaleen.

Councillor Catherine Slattery of Old Cork Road will hope to achieve a second consecutive election.

Annacotty man Joe Pond, who was co-opted following the sad death of Jerry O'Dea, will hope to be elected in his own right next June. And it's anticipated a third candidate will be added in the new year.

While additions are still to be made in the city, in rural Limerick, the party has completed its line-ups.

Tonight Fianna Fail members in the Newcastle West Electoral Area selected our team for next years 2024 Local Elections. Congratulations and best of luck to Gerard Madigan Broadford, Cllr. Michael Collins Newcastle West, Cllr. Francis Foley Abbeyfeale and Kathleen Barrett Athea. pic.twitter.com/qaVj6kHsXh  Niall Collins (@NiallCollinsTD) December 11, 2023

Fianna Fail is to run three candidates in Adare-Rathkeale: outgoing councillor Bridie Collins who is based in Adare, Gerald Ward, based near Askeaton - where the party's veteran councillor Kevin Sheahan is retiring - and Trina O'Dea of Croom.

In Newcastle West, where Fine Gael took four of the six seats on offer at the May 2019 election, Fianna Fail are running four candidates.

Outgoing councillors Michael Collins and Francis Foley, based in Newcastle West and Abbeyfeale respectively, will be joined on the ticket by Broadford man Gerard Madigan and Athea's Kathleen Barrett.

The party is also running four candidates in Cappamore/Kilmallock.

Councillors Mike Donegan, based in Kilmallock and Martin Ryan, Cappamore, will bid for re-election.

Their running mates will be Knocklong man Al Fitzgerald and Dinny Hourigan of Caherconlish.

Limerick TD Niall Collins said: "We are the largest party in local government across Ireland and we are setting out to maintain our position as this. We are fielding a very strong selection of candidates across the city and county. There are challenges everywhere. Everyone is a challenge. We just concentrate on our own candidates, on their campaigns and see what they can do for their communities."
Angola's decision to leave the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries could open the way for Beijing to increase investment in the country's oil and other sectors, as part of a deepening of decades-old ties.

Angola said on Thursday it was leaving OPEC, effective from Jan. 1, following a row with the producer group over the size of its output quota.

Also Read: Oil down more than $1 as Angola exits OPEC cartel over production quotas; Brent drops to $78/bbl

The decision also follows an agreement signed between China and Angola this month on enhanced cooperation.

"China stands out as a pivotal and proven partner," Angola's Foreign Minister Tete Antonio said during a visit to Beijing when the deal was signed.

Angola, for which oil constitutes 90% of exports, is seeking to diversify its economy, but it also needs revenue.

Antonio said Angola acknowledged the importance of technology, a skilled workforce and strategic partnerships that could help the country move on from oil, and called for more Chinese investment particularly in the country's coffee, batteries, and solar energy sectors.

Also Read | From $82 to near $100 and back: How Brent crude moved in 2023 over OPEC+ cuts and more

Angola had been seeking a higher OPEC output quota. The group's quotas are designed to support global oil prices but can limit a producer's ability to attract oil investment in new capacity because they can cap earnings.

Freedom from OPEC output constraints could therefore allow China to increase its role in the oil sector, which has struggled from years of underinvestment.

"If they feel there is scope for them to find new investment from China to grow oil production, then perhaps that's the source of motivation to re-engage with the Chinese," Yvette Babb, portfolio manager at William Blair, said.

"Because while they need to diversify away from oil as a driver of growth, they do not have sufficient non-oil sources of revenue to sufficiently finance that diversification."

Also Read: An unruly OPEC is causing problems for Russia and Saudi Arabia

China has a vested interest in Angola's quest to overhaul its economy because Luanda owes Chinese creditors just under $21 billion, according to World Bank data.

Post-war reconstruction

The debts go back years.

After Angola's civil war ended in 2002, the country took on Chinese loans to fund its reconstruction following 25 years of violence and sold hydrocarbons to the world's largest energy consumer. It was briefly China's biggest oil supplier in 2006.

Of late, China has received extra supplies from Russia as it has rerouted oil it supplied to Europe before Moscow's 2022 invasion of Ukraine ended relations with Western customers.

Angola's oil output has meanwhile shrunk for want to investment.

The net result has been a fall in Angola's oil shipments to China of nearly 30% between 2020 and 2022.

Environmental campaigners would favour Angola's departure from OPEC to herald a green transition.

"It makes sense for every resource-rich African country to diversify energy and revenue sources if they have the resources to do so, even if their pace might be slower than richer countries," Hannah Ryder, CEO of Development Reimagined, an African-owned development consultancy headquartered in Beijing.

But the this month's COP28 U.N. climate deal stopped short of calling for a phase out, or phase down of fossil fuel, and the economics of renewable energy can still be less enticing than the returns of oil and gas.

Chinese firms have invested just shy of $14 billion in Angola over the last decade, the bulk of which was in energy.

This year, Chinese investment into Angola consisted of $250 million from PowerChina, a state-owned civil engineering firm, into developing Angola's telecommunications infrastructure, according to data from the American Enterprise Institute think tank.

Also Read: OPEC's 'leaked letter' leaves France, Spain 'stunned' and 'disgusted' | Here's why

In 2021, the company made two separate investments of $160 million and $150 million into Angola's transport and healthcare sectors.

"We always hope to advance practical cooperation with Angola based on equality as well as mutual benefit," Wang Wenbin, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson, told a regular news conference in Beijing on Friday.

In its latest pitch to deepen its ties - and economic influence - in Africa, China will offer six countries, including Angola, tariff-free access to its massive consumer market on 98% of the goods that it imports, starting on Dec. 25, Christmas Day.

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This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text.
India has rebuffed the International Monetary Fund's (IMF) projection that the nation's government debt could surpass 100 percent of its GDP by 2027-28, calling it "misconstrued", PTI reported. The finance ministry in a statement clarified that the debt situation in India isn't as alarming as projected and highlighted several points to substantiate its stance.

"It is also noteworthy that the same report indicates that under favourable circumstances, the general government debt to GDP ratio may decline to below 70 percent in the same period. Therefore, any interpretation that the report implies that general government debt would exceed 100 percent of GDP in the medium term is misconstrued," the ministry said in its rebuttal to the IMF report following the annual Article IV consultation with Indian authorities.

Also Read: IMF warns of India's rising debt and climate change risks, but govt disagrees

Comparative Debt Analysis

Contrary to the IMF's forecast, India stressed that other major economies face more daunting debt scenarios. The ministry pointed out that the USA, UK, and China are estimated to face significantly higher debt-to-GDP ratios of approximately 160, 140, and 200 percent, respectively, in their 'worst-case' scenarios. In contrast, India's projected ratio of 100 percent appears more moderate.

The ministry also contested any notion that government debt would breach the 100 percent GDP mark in the medium term. Citing the same IMF report, it highlighted the possibility of the debt-to-GDP ratio declining to below 70 percent under favourable conditions by the specified period.

Also Read: IMF reclassifies India's exchange rate regime to 'stabilised arrangement' due to RBI's forex interventions

Highlighting positive fiscal trends, the ministry emphasised a decline in general government debt from around 88 percent in FY21 to approximately 81 percent in 2022-23. It affirmed its commitment to achieving fiscal consolidation targets, aiming to reduce fiscal deficit below 4.5 percent of GDP by FY26.

"The states have also individually enacted their fiscal responsibility legislation, which is monitored by their respective state legislatures. Therefore, it is expected that the general government debt will decline substantially in the medium to long term," it said.

Also Read: India expected to contribute over 16% to global growth, says IMF

Domestic Stability Key, says India

While acknowledging a reduced budget deficit, the IMF flagged elevated public debt, urging India to bolster fiscal buffers. The ministry countered, advocating additional revenue and expenditure measures such as GST and subsidy reforms, prioritising public investment, and targeted support for vulnerable sections.

Addressing concerns over debt composition, the finance ministry highlighted that India's debt is largely rupee-denominated, with minimal contributions from external borrowings. Emphasising the stability of domestically issued debt, mostly in government bonds with longer-term maturities, it underscored low rollover risks and limited exposure to currency volatility.

Also Read: India is IMF's star performer but its report isn't all glowing

"This has been highlighted in the IMF Report. Domestically issued debt, largely in the form of government bonds, is mostly medium or long-term with a weighted average maturity of roughly 12 years for central government debt. Therefore, the rollover risk is low for domestic debt, and the exposure to volatility in exchange rates tends to be on the lower end," it said.

Regarding global economic shocks, the ministry highlighted India's resilience in facing events such as the global financial crisis, COVID-19, and geopolitical tensions like the Russia-Ukraine War, underscoring that these crises uniformly impacted the global economy. It stated that India's current debt level remains below 2002 in a cross-country comparison, illustrating the nation's relative stability.

(With inputs from PTI)

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Throttling back on oil production hasnt helped OPEC and its allies to push up crude prices lately.

At least four times in the past 15 months, members of the alliance known as OPEC+ have slashed oil output, only for prices to soon retreat anyway. A surge near $100 a barrel petered out earlier this year, and crude futures tumbled 10% in the two weeks after the coalition announced a roughly 5% reduction on Nov. 30.

Even after shipping disruptions in the Red Sea spurred a recent rebound, Brent crude, the global pricing gauge, traded Friday at around $79 a barrel. That is down from about $85 a barrel when OPEC+ started this round of cuts in October 2022despite those now amounting to nearly 13% of the groups 2022 production.

The Saudi-led Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and its Russia-led allies joined forces seven years ago this month, consolidating control over more than half the worlds oil supplies after soaring U.S. shale production sparked a collapse in prices.

Now, output is surging again from the U.S. and other countries. Cartel members are widely suspected of dodging their quotas. And investors are questioning the coalitions cohesion, especially after Angola announced this week it was leaving.

I just dont know how that group is able to generate sustained upward price pressure anymore," said Alex Turnbull, portfolio manager of Singapore-based Sagax Capital.

Pushing OPEC+ to this point: a flood of fresh petroleum gushing from the West Texas desert and undersea wells off South Americas coast. Global oil demand has grown by a robust 1.9 million barrels a day this year, according to S&P Global Commodity Insights. New supply from non-OPEC+ countries has swelled by 2.5 million barrels a day, mostly due to record production in the U.S., Brazil and Guyana.

That is driving the effort to boost prices. Saudi Arabia needs a fiscal break-even oil price of as much as $88 a barrel, according to Goldman Sachs, to fund a continuing makeover of the kingdoms petroleum-dependent economy.

The cuts have left OPEC+ with at least six million barrels a day of idle production capacity, said Harry Altham, an oil analyst at StoneX Group. The depth of the reductions, their failure to raise prices and the temptation to tap in to that spare capacity for profit will make it harder than usual for the alliance to keep output under its target, said Vikas Dwivedi, global oil and gas strategist at Macquarie Group.

Theyre just not going to do it," Dwivedi said. Most of the members will be very anti-cutting their production right now."

The groups cohesion is one major issue for investors. The November meeting was delayed by four days due to a lack of consensus about additional cuts. The outcome was a patchwork of voluntary curtailments rather than an official updating of the coalitions quotas.

Less than a third of the reductions were genuinely new constraints on output and the lions share of those came from Iraq and the United Arab Emirates, countries whose commitment to cutting further is in doubt.

After OPEC cut Angolas quota, the West African country first rejected the decision and then announced Thursday it was leaving the organization altogether.

Erratic quota compliance has long been a problem for OPEC, but Saudi Arabia has frequently pumped more or less crude to compensate.

Oil prices in 2012 would have been $39 a barrel higher had OPEC not opened its taps after output interruptions in Iran, Libya and other countries, according to one study. Prices between May 2020 and August 2021 would have been $36 lower had OPEC+ not slashed output by 10 million barrels a day after Covid crushed global demand, concluded another.

But now, the Saudis are already pumping the least amount of crude they have in more than a decade, leaving aside their pandemic low point. Their Russian partners are relying on oil to fund their war in Ukraine. So, the burden for further reductions may fall on the cartels smaller producers.

Still, Jorge Leon, an energy economist at Rystad Energy who once worked for OPEC, believes the group will stick together. Leon cites improved compliance since 2016, OPEC+s massive output swings over the past few years and the increasing reluctance of U.S. oil companies to shift their own production in response to prices.

They are in a much better situation than back in 2016," Leon said, because essentially theres no one competing with them in that swing producer role."

If and when OPEC+ regains leverage may hinge on global oil demand, since the outpouring of non-OPEC+ petroleum continues to grow. Goldman Sachs this week pruned its 2024 Brent crude forecast by $10 a barrel to a range of $70-$90, after raising its projection of U.S. oil output growth due to efficiency gains from faster drilling speeds and more-forceful fracking.

Global oil demand growth in 2024 is widely expected to fall far short of this years rate, which was inflated by Chinas postpandemic reopening. S&P Global Commodity Insights is forecasting that expansion of non-OPEC+ oil supplies will once again exceed it. And near-term oil futures are trading at a discount to those for delivery further out the calendar, a classic sign of an oversupplied market.

Such conditions dont bode well for OPEC+, said Adi Imsirovic, a veteran oil trader who is now a senior associate with the Center for Strategic & International Studies, because supply cuts in a well-stocked market tend to have a muted impact on prices.

OPEC is strong in a strong market and weak in a weak market," said Imsirovic. Until demand improves substantially, OPEC is in big trouble."

Write to Bob Henderson at bob.henderson@wsj.com
Ola IPO: Ola Electric, the Indian electric vehicle frontrunner, is revving up for its highly anticipated Initial Public Offering (IPO). However, the road ahead for investors isn't entirely clear. While Ola boasts a dominant market position and ambitious growth plans, potential hurdles like financial stability, fierce competition, and evolving government policies cast a shadow on the promising future. The story of Ola's IPO demands a closer look before investors hit the "subscribe" button.

Ola Electric filed its Draft Red Herring Prospectus (DRHP) with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) on December 22. The proposed issue includes a fresh equity share release of up to 5,500 crore and an offer for sale (OFS) of 95,191,195 equity shares at a face value of 10.

Also Read | Ola Electric IPO: Issue details, objectives, risk factors & more; Check 10 key things to know from DRHP

According to the preliminary draft papers submitted to SEBI, Bhavish Aggarwal, the founder of Ola Electric, plans to divest approximately 47.4 million shares in the SoftBank Group-supported electric scooter manufacturer.

Also Read | Ola Electric files DRHP with SEBI to raise 5,500 crore via IPO

What risk factors to consider?

Ola's revenue predominantly comes from a limited range of electric scooters, primarily one or two dominant models. This lack of diversification makes the company susceptible to fluctuations in demand for these specific models or competition within this niche.

Additionally Ola's dependence on imported resources like lithium for battery production makes Ola vulnerable to global supply chain disruptions and price fluctuations. Any significant disruption could affect production and sales.

Ola' heavy dependence on Government subsidies significantly contribute to its affordability. Any reduction or elimination of these subsidies could raise the purchase price, potentially dampening demand. Policies like Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Electric (FAME) subsidy, benefits under the production linked incentive (PLI) scheme, PLI Scheme for National Programme on Advanced Chemistry Cell Battery Storage.

The Indian EV market is witnessing rapid growth, attracting established players like Hero Electric and Bajaj Auto, as well as global giants like Tesla and Ather Energy. This intense competition creates a challenging landscape for Ola to maintain its market share. Intense competition could lead to price wars, reducing profit margins and profitability for Ola.

Constant advancements in battery range, charging speeds, and vehicle efficiency could quickly render existing models obsolete. Ola needs to invest heavily in R&D to stay ahead of the curve, according to a report by Mckinsey.

Any incidents related to safety concerns or technical issues with Ola's scooters could damage the company's brand image and consumer confidence, leading to lost sales and reputational damage. Ola Electric hit headlines last year after a video of the company's electric scooter got viral in which a 2-wheeler caught fire and soon questions were raised over the safety standards on social media.

However, the company's net loss nearly doubled to  1,472 crore in FY23, from  784.1 crore in the previous fiscal year, as expenses surged significantly. The IPO-bound electric vehicle company reported an EBITDA loss of  1,318 crore as its total expenses jumped to  3,383 crore, in comparison to  1,240 crore in FY22. The company saw its losses growing nearly 293 per cent to  784 crore in FY22.

Also Read | Ola Electric IPO: Founder Bhavish Aggarwal to sell 47.4 million shares

What can make things smooth for Ola IPO ride?

For the fiscal year 2023, the company's revenue from operations increased more than seven times to  2,630.93 crore against  373.42 crore a year ago. For the three months ended June 30, 2023, revenue from operations stood at  1,242.75 crore. The company topped the charts among Indian incorporated electric 2-wheelers (E2Ws) and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) in terms of revenue from E2W sales in FY23.

2,630.93 crore against 373.42 crore a year ago. For the three months ended June 30, 2023, revenue from operations stood at 1,242.75 crore. The company topped the charts among Indian incorporated electric 2-wheelers (E2Ws) and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) in terms of revenue from E2W sales in FY23. The Indian electric vehicle market is projected to grow exponentially in the coming years, with estimates suggesting a tenfold increase by 2030. This presents a significant opportunity for Ola to capture a larger share of a rapidly expanding market, according to a Crisil report, Indian Electric Vehicle Market Outlook  A High-Voltage Opportunity."

Ola is vertically integrating its operations, including manufacturing key components like batteries and motors. This could lead to cost reductions, improved product quality, and greater control over the supply chain, as per various media reports.

The Indian government actively promotes electric vehicle adoption through various subsidies, tax benefits, and policy initiatives. This supportive environment creates a favorable backdrop for Ola's growth and expansion plans.

CRISIL More Information

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BAKU, Azerbaijan, December 23. In October 2023, Greece saw an increase in the volume and costs of natural gas imported from Azerbaijan, Eurostat, the European Union's statistical office, told Trend.

Greece imported 161.8 million cubic meters of natural gas from Azerbaijan, compared to 157.3 million cubic meters in September, indicating a 2.9 percent rise in import volume.

Over the first ten months of 2023, the cumulative gas exports from Azerbaijan to Greece reached almost 1.7 billion cubic meters, with a total value of 744.5 million euros. In October alone, Greece spent 57.7 million euros on gas imports from Azerbaijan, up from 55.2 million euros in September, representing a 4.5 percent increase.

Azerbaijan initiated gas transportation to Europe through the Southern Gas Corridor on December 31, 2020. The Southern Gas Corridor transports gas from the Caspian Sea region to European countries via Georgia and Turkiye, with a project cost of 33 billion US dollars. It is expected that the capital costs for the Southern Gas Corridor will be fully recouped within 810 years.

In July 2022, Azerbaijan and the EU reached an agreement to double the volume of gas supplies via the Southern Gas Corridor from the current 10 billion cubic meters to 20 billion cubic meters by 2027.

Follow the author on X: @Lyaman_Zeyn
Air India's first wide body Airbus A350-900 aircraft is set to arrive in the national capital today and initially the plane will be operated in short haul routes, the airline's chief Campbell Wilson said. Air India , which plans to induct a total of six A350 planes in the first phase, will be the first Indian carrier to have this type of aircraft.

As per Wilson, after many months of planning, the first aircraft A350-900 and the first to sport the airline's new livery and interior, will arrive today.

Here are 5 things to know:

1. In a message to the staff, the Air India CEO and MD said new uniforms for the airline's ground staff as well as for Air India Express staff will be introduced soon.

2. Being the first of type for India and Air India, Wilson said there are several post-arrival regulatory processes that need to be completed, including customs clearance, various DGCA checks on equipment, as well as a series of ground tests and proving flights to demonstrate procedures in action before the airline is certified to carry passengers.

3. "Thereafter, we will be operating short sectors for a few months so that we can familiarise our pilots with the new aircraft under the tutelage of experienced instructors, and build a pool sufficient to support long-hail A350 operations later in the year," he added.

4. The Tata Group-owned full-service carrier has already secured a regulatory nod for engineering line maintenance of A350 aircraft, which is a major step forward in ensuring the smooth operation and maintenance of all six A350 aircraft which are to be inducted in the fleet.

5. The A350-900 is among 70 wide-body aircraft ordered by Air India. According to Airbus, it burns 25% less fuel than the older generation of the aircraft.

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Christmas is here! We all enjoy traveling to snow-capped locations covered when winter arrives. They exude the most delightful Christmas vibes, so why not? Santa Claus may not ride his sleigh down to visit you as you watch the snow fall, but you will undoubtedly receive a surreal experience as his gift.

There are plenty of high-altitude hill stations in India that transform into enchanted snowscapes during the winter. So, where in India are the greatest spots to enjoy a white Christmas? These six choices are as follows:

1) Auli, Uttarakhand: With views of the Nanda Devi and Nar Parvat, this Himalayan paradise in Uttarakhand is peppered with oak and coniferous trees. They're all dusted with snow come wintertime. Enjoy a trip during the Christmas holidays in a cable car from Joshimath to Auli across these wintry landscapes.

Also Read: Best gift ideas for your loved ones this Christmas

2) Shimla, Himachal: Visitors can enjoy a picturesque white Christmas amidst the snow-covered landscapes of Shimla. You can also stroll around the iconic Mall Road, adorned with twinkling lights and festive decorations. Apart from this, people can even explore the Christ Church and participate in the heartwarming Christmas celebrations in this charming hill station.

3) Manali, Himachal: One can embrace the winter season with adventurous snow activities amidst the stunning landscapes of Manali. You can also visit the Hadimba Devi Temple, surrounded by snow, offering a serene and spiritual experience. You can even indulge in local Himachali cuisine, savoring the warmth of traditional festive dishes.

Also Read: Best places to experience Christmas vibes in Hong Kong

4) Patnitop, Jammu and Kashmir: Located in the Udhampur district of Jammu and Kashmir, Patnitop is situated at the base of the Pir Panjal Range. One of the best places to see the snow in the winter is here. December through February are the ideal months to experience Patnitop's snowfall.

Also Read: Ways to celebrate this Christmas with your friends and family

5) Kufri, Himachal: In Kufri, Himachal Pradesh, snowfall is magnificent from mid-December to mid-February. This sleepy town, which is close to Shimla, will provide you with a tranquil mountain experience away from the crazy crowd. Kufri may experience wintertime lows of as low as -5 degrees Celsius.

6) Lachung-Yumthang-Zero Point, Sikkim: This stretch of snow-covered land from Lachung to Zero Point is covered in snow from December until mid-March, making North Sikkim an idyllic destination. Beyond the Yumthang Valley, the snowpack becomes thicker, and the highest points occasionally receive snowfall in the remaining months of the year.

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A Swaminarayan temple has been vandalized with anti-India and pro-Khalistan graffiti on its exterior walls in Newark, California, United States. The incident came to light on Friday (local time).

The exterior wall of the Hindu temple was defaced with anti-India graffiti. The Newark Police Service has started an investigation into the vandalism.

Speaking to ANI, Bhargav Raval, the spokesperson for the temple administration said, One of the devotees, who lives close to the shrine, discovered anti-Hindu and anti-India graffiti in black ink on an exterior wall of the building, and the local administration was immediately informed."

The temple authorities were 'shocked' to find the anti-Indian graffiti on its wall, he added. Jonathan Arguello, a police captain for the city of Newark shed more light on the incident during a press conference.

Based on the graffiti, we believe it was a targeted act, and it's going to be investigated with full thoroughness. I can also tell you that as a member of the Newark Police Department and the Newark community, we're deeply saddened when these types of acts occur, and we think they're senseless and they have no room," the captain told media persons.

We won't tolerate them here in Newark. So today, I wanted to make sure that you understand how seriously we take these situations and know that we will investigate as thoroughly as possible with utmost care and sensitivity. I can also tell you that officers are currently investigating this via evidence collection," he added.

The Consulate General of India in San Francisco said, condemned the defacing of SMVS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir at Newark, California with anti-India graffiti.

This incident has hurt the sentiments of the Indian community. We have pressed for quick investigation and prompt action against the vandals by the US authorities in this matter," he said.

Notably, this is not the first such incident where a temple has been defaced with such graffiti in the recent past. This came close on the heels of the US Justice Department unsealing an indictment against an Indian national for his alleged involvement in a foiled plot to assassinate India-designated terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun on American soil.

The Justice Department claimed that an Indian government employee (named CC-1), who was not identified in the indictment filed in a federal court in Manhattan, recruited an Indian national named Nikhil Gupta to hire a hitman to carry out the assassination, which was foiled by US authorities, according to prosecutors.

Gupta is currently in custody and has been charged with murder-for-hire, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. Czech authorities arrested and detained Gupta on June 30, under the bilateral extradition treaty between the US and the Czech Republic.

(With ANI inputs)

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The Indian Army's 16 Corps foiled an infiltration bid in the International Border sector at Khour in the Akhnoor sector in Jammu and Kashmir, the White Knight Corps said in a post on X on Saturday.

The Army said that the suspected movement of four terrorists was detected through surveillance devices on the intervening nights of December 22-23. ALSO READ: Indian Army averts major 3-cylinder IED attack on Srinagar-Kupwara Highway "Suspected move of four terrorists seen through own surveillance devices on the night of 22/23 Dec 23. Effective fire brought down. Terrorists are seen dragging one body back across the IB," the White Knight Corps said.

According to PTI, one terrorist was killed as army troops guarding the International Border (IB) foiled an infiltration attempt early Saturday.

ALSO READ: Withdraw military personnel, Maldives formally requests India

A defence spokesman shared a clip recorded on a surveillance device. The clip reportedly showed four terrorists making an attempt to cross over into India from across the border under the cover of darkness.

"Bloodstains confirmed the killing of a terrorist whose body was, however, dragged back by his associates to the Pakistan side," the officials were quoted by PTI as saying.

ALSO READ: Year-ender 2023: 10 women who created history in Indian Army, Air Force and Navy this year

The incident was reported days after Army vehicles were ambushed by heavily armed terrorists. Four Army personnel were killed and three others sustained injuries in the forest area of Dera ki Gali in the Rajouri district on Thursday.

"At around 3.45 pm on December 21, two Army vehicles carrying troops were moving to the operational site, which was fired upon by the terrorist. The fire was immediately retaliated upon by our troops," an Army official was quoted by ANI as saying.

Indian Army troops immediately retaliated after being attacked by terrorists, they said.

The Indian Army's 16 Corps, also known as the White Knight Corps, took to the social media platform X and said that the soldiers lost their lives while "fighting the scourge of terrorism".

'Indian Army and White knight Corps salutes the bravery and supreme sacrifice of four soldiers in Surankote on 21 Dec 23 while fighting the scourge of terrorism," it said.

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Karnataka Chief Minister and Congress leader Siddaramaiah on Saturday clarified that they Karnataka Government has not reversed the Hijab Ban that the previous Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government had imposed on the state.

CM Siddaramaiah said that the Congress government has only been contemplating lifting the Hijab ban in educational institutions in the state. Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah informed that a decision on the same would be taken after discussions in the government level. Addressing reporters CM Siddaramaiah said, "We haven't done it (revoking Hijab ban) yet. Someone asked me a question (on lifting Hijab ban). I replied that the government is considering revoking it. Asked whether it will be done in this academic year, the CM said it will be done after discussing at the government level.

The clarification comes a day after CM Siddaramaiah said that there was no restriction on wearing the religious head scarf in educational institutions and observed that choice of dress and food is personal.

On Friday CM Siddaramaiah had said, We will take back that decision, there is no Hijab ban now. Women can go out wearing hijab. I have told the officials to take back the order (previous govt order). Dressing and eating food is our choice, why should I object? Wear whatever dress you want, eat whatever you want, why should I care? We should not do politics to get votes, we don't do that".

The Congress government has come under sharp criticism from the opposition BJP over the announcement on hijab.

The saffron party stated that the government's move raised concerns about the "secular nature" of educational spaces. Speaking to reporters in New Delhi, BJP Karnataka chief B Y Vijayendra accused Siddaramaiah of 'vitiating' the academic atmosphere.

Charging the Congress with indulging in 'appeasement politics' ahead of Lok Sabha elections, Vijayendra claimed, "even after so many years of independence, the literacy and employment rate among minorities is still 50 per cent. Congress never tried to elevate the condition of minorities."

"Congress believes in the divide and rule policy which the British rulers had adopted. It amounts to carrying forward the British legacy," he said. Earlier, in a post on 'X', Vijayendra said the state government 'divided' young minds along religious lines.

"CM Siddaramaiah's decision to withdraw the Hijab ban in educational institutions raises concerns about the secular nature of our educational spaces," the Shikaripura MLA said.

"By allowing religious attire in educational institutions Siddaramaiah government is dividing young minds along religious lines, potentially hindering the inclusive learning environment." The BJP state chief stressed that it was crucial to prioritise education over divisive practices and foster an environment where students can focus on academics without the influence of religious practices.

In 2022, the previous BJP government led by then chief minister Basavaraj Bommai had banned wearing of hijab in educational institutions in Karnataka.

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Congress has formed a manifesto committee for the Lok Sabha Election 2024. Senior leader P. Chidambaram will chair the committee. The Convenor is TS Singh Deo, a former Deputy Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh. Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah is also a part of the committee, which also includes Jairam Ramesh, Shashi Tharoor and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.

At the core of Congress's strategy is a dual approach. The party intends to stand independently while also collaborating as a member of the INDIA bloc. This plan was unanimously adopted during a Congress Working Committee (CWC) resolution, as announced by Congress leader KC Venugopal.

The CWC's resolution calls for unity and dedication among members in the face of the election campaign, ANI reported. It emphasises the need for discipline and a collective effort. The resolution also critically examines the current government's performance. It points out the contrast between the claims of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government and the ground realities.

Key issues raised include the deepening social polarization, perceived as a deliberate strategy for electoral gain. The resolution asserts that democracy in India faces assault, with citizens' constitutional freedoms under threat.

Venugopal, addressing a press conference, highlighted the CWC's unanimous adoption of their resolution. The CWC discussed various topics, including the last assembly election results, the upcoming 2024 Parliament elections, and the current political scenario in India. The general mood within the CWC underscores a sincere and genuine evaluation of the outcomes of the recent state elections.

Economic inequality in focus

The upcoming 'Hain Taiyyar Hum' rally in Nagpur marks an important step in Congress' election preparations. Congress President's state-wise reviews are directing these efforts. The CWC also acknowledged initiatives to strengthen the party's finances through public participation. Each member is committed to ensuring the sustainability of these efforts.

Congress is addressing issues like economic inequality, high prices of necessities, and rising youth unemployment. This effort follows the BJP's recent wins in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Chhattisgarh.

(With ANI inputs)

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Rajya Sabha MP and Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Priyanka Chaturvedi hit out at Union minister Smriti Irani on Saturday and said, Shameful that we have a minister who doesnt get the ambit of LGBTQIA+  a commonly used umbrella term that includes transgenders, many of whom do menstruate." She said Irani's "arrogance towards an issue which is a lived experience of many is shocking and insensitive."

Priyanka Chaturvedi said this while referring to Smriti Irani's comments during an interview when she asked which gay men have a menstrual cycle?" In an interview with ANI on Thursday, Smriti Irani was asked about the criticism she faced over her "menstruation not handicap" remark in Parliament last week. Irani said one of the questions asked to her in Parliament was about the LGBTQIA+ community. A question from MP Manoj Kumar Jha read: "Whether the policy contains provisions to promote and provide for menstrual hygiene among the LGBTQIA+ community." ALSO READ: Smriti Irani takes jibe at Arvind Kejriwal, says he sent half of his cabinet to jail, no guarantee on.. While taking a dig at Jha for asking this question, Irani said in the interview, "Which gay men have a menstrual cycle?...Why would you ask me a question about providing menstrual hygiene for gay men". This statement by Irani also drew criticism from a few Opposition leaders.

Apart from Priyanka Chaturvedi, Congress leaders Supriya Shrinate said in a post on X, "LGBTQIA+ is NOT gay men alone, the community includes men and several menstruating women."

Shrinate tweeted, "Minister Smriti Irani your apathy, arrogance and ignorance are appalling...Instead of voicing manufactured outrage spend some time and educate yourself on the issue."

Smriti Irani had earlier advocated against paid menstruation leave and said that menstruation is not a "handicap" and therefore does not warrant a paid leave policy".

The minister had said in Parliament, "As a menstruating woman, menstruation and the menstruation cycle is not a handicap, its a natural part of womens life journey...We should not propose issues where women are denied equal opportunities just because somebody who does not menstruate has a particular viewpoint towards menstruation."

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India has expressed strong condemnation following the defacement of the Swaminarayan Mandir in Newark, California. The incident involving anti-India graffiti is suspected to have been done by pro-Khalistan activists. It has evoked a swift response from the Indian Consulate in San Francisco. It has demanded quick investigation and action from US authorities.

We strongly condemn the defacing of SMVS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir at Newark, California with anti-India graffiti. This incident has hurt the sentiments of the Indian community. We have pressed for quick investigation and prompt action against the vandals by the US authorities in this matter," the Consulate General of India in San Francisco posted on X (formerly Twitter).

The graffiti, discovered by a devotee living nearby, was immediately reported to the local administration. Bhargav Raval, the spokesperson for the temple, communicated the shock experienced by temple authorities upon discovering the anti-Indian sentiments displayed on the temple walls.

The Newark Police Service has initiated an investigation into the vandalism, considering it a targeted act. Police Captain Jonathan Arguello assured full thoroughness and sensitivity in the investigation. Efforts are underway to piece together the chain of events, with surveillance footage from neighbouring residences being scrutinised.

"Based on the graffiti, we believe it was a targeted act, and it's going to be investigated with full thoroughness," ANI quoted Arguello as saying. We're deeply saddened when these types of acts occur, and we think they're senseless and they have no room. We won't tolerate them here in Newark."

Not an isolated attack

This incident is not isolated. The Indian Consulate in San Francisco was earlier attacked by Khalistani supporters, who broke into the office, raising pro-Khalistan slogans and installing Khalistani flags. A Hindu temple in British Columbia, Canada, also faced defacement with Khalistan referendum posters, marking a series of targeted acts against Indian establishments abroad.

(With ANI inputs)

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French authorities grounded a charter flight carrying 303 people, mostly Indians, on Thursday. The Airbus A340, operated out by Romanian charter company Legend Airlines, had departed from Dubai and was headed to Nicaragua in Central America. It was detained by French authorities during "a technical halt" - for refueling - at Vatry airport in eastern France.

Why did France ground the plane?

French authorities detained the flight after they received an anonymous tip-off that said the plane was carrying passengers "likely to be victims of human trafficking," the Paris prosecutors office was quoted by AFP as saying. According to the report, two men, who were among the passengers, were taken into custody on Saturday.

"Identity checks are being carried on the 303 passengers and on the cabin crew," said the prosecutor's office. They were also checking the conditions in which the passengers were being transported and the purpose of their journey. A source told AFP that minors were among the passengers.

What was the purpose of their journey?

As the probe into this aspect continues, a source familiar with the case told AFP that the passengers might have planned to travel to Central America in order to attempt illegal entry into the United States or Canada.

According to the airline, the plane was carrying 303 Indian nationals who had probably been working in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

ALSO READ: Air France-KLM, IndiGo eye bigger mkt with codeshare

What will happen next?

The prefecture in the north-eastern department of Marne said the A340 "remained grounded on the tarmac at Vatry airport following its landing" on Thursday.

Border police can initially hold a foreign national for up to four days if they land in France. They are also prevented from travelling on to their intended destination.

ALSO READ: France bans domestic flights on short routes to cut emissions

According to AFP, French law allows for that period to be extended to eight days if a judge approves it, then another eight days in exceptional circumstances, up to a maximum of 26 days.

Human trafficking carries a potential sentence of up to 20 years in France.

What the airline said?

The aircraft is owned by Romanian charter company Legend Airlines. A lawyer for the airline told AFP that the company believed it had done nothing wrong, had committed no offence "and is at the disposal of the French authorities".

"But the airline would take legal action if the prosecutors file charges," lawyer Liliana Bakayok added. She told French news channel BFMTV that the firm was ready to cooperate with the French authorities.

Legend Airlines "intervenes as a carrier", she said, adding that "the flight was carried out for "a client of the company". The airline reportedly has a small fleet of four aircraft.

According to the lawyer, the airline verified "the conformity of the documents presented by the client, who must demonstrate that these people have the right to go to Nicaragua, and have valid passports".

"The company cannot check the criminal records of the people transported," said Bakayoko. "303 people is not a number that raises alarm. They are not locked in a truck without ventilation and food," she said.

The airline is unhappy," she said. It is a significant economic loss, but their image also suffers," she was quoted reports as saying.

She hoped the plane could be on its way in the next couple of days. We hope that within one or two days maximum the plane will be able to leave," said the lawyer.

Investigation underway

The Indian mission in France has already informed that the embassy team has reached and obtained consular access (of Indian passengers). We are investigating the situation, also ensuring the wellbeing of passengers."
Irans paramilitary forces are providing real-time intelligence to Yemens Houthis that the rebels are using to direct drones and missiles to target ships passing through the Red Sea, Western and regional security officials said.

Tracking information gathered by a surveillance vessel controlled by Irans paramilitary forces in the Red Sea is passed to the Houthis, who have used it to attack commercial vessels passing through the Bab el-Mandeb strait in recent days, according to the officials.

Earlier this week, the Pentagon unveiled plans for a multinational naval force to protect merchant vessels in the Red Sea. Meanwhile, many of the worlds biggest shipping lines, oil producers and other cargo owners have started diverting vessels from the region, prompting a rise in oil prices and insurance rates.

Many vessels sailing in the strait have been switching off their radios to avoid being tracked online, but an Iranian vessel stationed in the Red Sea is enabling the Houthi drones and missiles to accurately target the ships, the officials said.

The Iranian mission to the United Nations didnt respond to a request for comment.

A spokesperson for the Houthis said the group didnt need to rely on Iran to help in its attacks. Its strange to attribute everything to Iran as if it were the worlds strongest power," the spokesperson said. We have intelligence facilities that have proven themselves over the years of aggression against us."

The direct involvement by Iranian actors in the attacks raises the stakes for Israel and the U.S., which are eager to contain Tehrans role in the region, and risks creating a new front in the conflict between Israel and its foes in the region, just as the U.S. is trying to stop it from escalating.

The Houthis dont have the radar technology to target the ships," said a Western security official. They need Iranian assistance. Without it, the missiles would just drop in the water."

The White House National Security Council didnt immediately respond to a request for comment.

Last week, the Houthis hit a Norwegian cargo vessel with an antiship cruise missile. The ship caught fire and was forced to sail to port after being damaged. None of the crew was injured.

The U.S. has previously said Iran was enabling the Houthi attacks on ships but didnt say how. Iran for years has supplied weapons to the rebels in their battle against Saudi-backed foes in Yemen.

While the Houthis have said the attacks are in retaliation for Israels war in Gaza, the ships they have attacked have little or in some cases no links to Israel.

Washington has told Israel to let the U.S. military respond to the Houthis instead of taking action that could expand its conflict with Hamas and the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militia, U.S. and other government officials said.

But a senior Israeli official said the Iranian ships intelligence support for the Houthis shows that the West needs to pressure Tehran to halt its assistance, which is disrupting the global shipping trade. Iran is giving them weapons, and Iran could stop it," the Israeli official said. We need to work to put pressure on Iran, so they will stop."

In 2021, Israeli mines damaged an Iranian spy ship that had also been stationed in the Red Sea, and it was replaced by the vessel currently helping the Houthis, Western officials said.

Israel has also been angered by Houthi missile attacks targeting the southern port of Eilat, though they were intercepted by U.S. defenses.

On Friday, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant warned his country could retaliate against the threats coming out of Yemen. If they continue to provoke us, try to attack Eilat with missiles or by other means, we will know what to do," he said, speaking onboard a warship sailing near the Israeli port. We are preparing. The troops here are ready for any mission and any command."

Western security officials have previously said Iranian assistance to the Houthis is overseen by the Quds Force, a branch of Irans paramilitary Islamic Republic Guard Corps that operates autonomously from the civilian cabinet in Tehran. The U.S. has placed a $15 million bounty on the Quds Force commander in Yemen, Abdolreza Shahlaei, for his role in supplying weapons and explosives to Iraqi Shia groups and planning a 2007 attack in Iraq that killed five American soldiers and wounded three others.

In messages passed to the U.S. through Switzerland and in public, Iran has said it had no control over the actions of the Houthi and other forces in the Middle East that have attacked U.S. and Israeli targets in response to the war in Gaza.

A spokesman for the Iran mission at the United Nations said last week that Iran opposed a U.N. Security Council resolution that imposes an arms embargo only on the Houthis. He said Tehran has abided by its implementation and that the Yemenis were capable of military self-reliance.

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ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan, December 23. The Government of Pakistan has decided to extend the operation of the Foreign Investment Promotion and Protection Act (FIPPA), a special legislative regulation, to Turkmenistan's investments in the TAPI gas pipeline project, Trend reports.

This step is aimed at increasing the financial attractiveness of the project in the eyes of international creditors, the cost of which is estimated at $10 billion and which will transport natural gas from Turkmenistan to Pakistan through Afghanistan and India.

Turkmenistan will have 85 percent of the participation in the project, and Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India will each have 5 percent.

The FIPPA Law, which was previously adopted solely to protect foreign investments in the Reko Diq copper-gold mine in Balochistan province, will provide additional guarantees for Turkmen investments in the TAPI project.

Pakistan has already secured the protection of Turkmen investments with a sovereign guarantee in accordance with the Host Government Agreement (HGA), but the 2022 FIPPA will serve as a single window for incentives and guarantees for Turkmen investments in the project.

Meanwhile, Turkmenistan and Pakistan signed a joint implementation plan in Islamabad on June 8, 2023, to accelerate work on the TAPI gas pipeline project.

This week, Afghan acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, after a meeting with Turkmenistan's FM Rashid Meredov, said that work on the implementation of the TAPI gas pipeline project will begin in the near future.
Meghan Markle, once a celebrated actress, now faces hurdles in her career after her Royal association. Her talent agency is encountering difficulties in securing opportunities for her. This situation arises as major brands express reluctance to associate with Markle and Prince Harry, fearing potential risk to their ties with the Royal Family.

The Royal couple apparently believe that members of the Royal Family are deliberately blocking brand deals for them, The Daily Express earlier reported citing sources.

Theres a general feeling that there has been a vendetta waged against them," the publication quoted the source as saying. There have been talks held with high profile brands that didnt lead to anything but should have done. Those brands then actively courted other members of the family."

Both Harry and Meghan often wore Dior and were at one point huge fans of the brand," the source added. Then the focus shifted towards Camilla and other members of the family. To add salt to the wounds, the actress playing Kate Middleton was announced as the new face of the brand. It was all very suspicious timing."

Harry-Meghan's comeback unlikely

Royal commentator Kinsey Schofield, in her 'LA Diaries' on TalkTV, dismissed claims of a 'comeback' for the couple. She referred to a recent US Weekly cover featuring them as misleading. The duo's current standing starkly contrasts with their earlier popularity.

Their year has been marked by setbacks. Spotify terminated Meghan's podcast deal after just 12 episodes. Additionally, their charity, the Archewell Foundation, witnessed a significant decline in donations.

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The UN Security Council called for boosting humanitarian assistance for the Gaza Strip, but the UN chief said the way Israel was conducting its military operation was creating "massive obstacles" to aid distribution inside the battered enclave. It has passed a resolution urging steps to allow safe, unhindered, and expanded humanitarian access" to Gaza.

The resolution was toned down from earlier drafts that called for an immediate end to 11 weeks of war and diluting Israeli control over aid deliveries, clearing the way for the vote in which the United States, Israels main ally, abstained.

Here are the top 10 updates on Israel-Hamas war,

1) Washington repeatedly has backed Israels right to self-defense following the October 7 rampage into Israel by Gazas ruling Hamas militants, who killed 1,200 people and took 240 hostages back into the enclave.

2) The United States and Israel, which have vowed to eradicate Hamas, oppose a ceasefire, contending it would allow the Islamist militant group to regroup and rearm.

3) However, US President Joe Biden's administration has grown increasingly critical of the mounting casualty toll and humanitarian crisis that has worsened as Israel presses on with its ground and air offensive.

4) Israel said 5,405 aid trucks - bearing food, water, and medical supplies - have entered Gaza since the war started, Reuters reported.

5) The latest casualty update from Gazas health ministry said 20,057 Palestinians have been killed and 53,320 wounded in the Israeli offensive that has destroyed huge swaths of the enclave and displaced most of the population of 2.3 million.

6) Air strikes, artillery bombardments, and fighting were reported across Gaza late into Friday night, as hopes dimmed for an imminent breakthrough in talks in Egypt aimed at getting warring Israel and Hamas to agree to a new truce.

7) Israel's military ordered residents of Al-Bureij, in central Gaza, to move south immediately. The directive signaled a new focus of the ground assault that has devastated the enclave's north and made a series of incursions in the south, as per Reuters reports.

8) An Israeli air strike on a house in Nusseirat refugee camp killed three people including a journalist from Hamas' Aqsa TV channel and two relatives, health officials and Hamas media said.

9) The reporter's death would bring to at least 69 the number of journalists killed in the conflict, according to a tally by the Committee to Protect Journalists, Reuters reported.

10) The Israeli military has expressed regret for civilian deaths but has blamed Iran-backed Hamas for operating in densely populated areas or using civilians as human shields, an allegation the group denies.

(With inputs from agencies)

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2024 Lok Sabha Polls: Why doesn't Mamata Banerjee contest from Varanasi?' BJP leader Angamitra Paul on Friday challenged the West Bengal chief minister to contest against PM Narendra Modi in the upcoming general elections.

Mamata Banerjee ought to step up if she is brave enough to challenge Congresswoman Priyanka Gandhi. Do you want to become the prime minister? Only fitting that our Chief Minister opposes the Prime Minister in the Lok Sabha elections," the BJP leader said as quoted by Hindustan Times.

She further highlighted the differences among members of the INDIA bloc in the states at the national level. After running in the general elections and joining the TMC, would Adhir Chowdhury be able to respond to the families of the victims?" Paul asked.

This came after Mamata Banerjee proposed the name of Mallikarjun Kharge as the Opposition prime ministerial candidate. She reportedly said the proposal was backed by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.

Following this, a Janata Dal (United) MLA has hinted at a divide over the proposal. However, JD(U) MLA Gopal Mandal has insisted on naming Nitish Kumar as the Opposition PM candidate should the alliance defeat the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the upcoming Lok Sabha election.

The JD(U) leader went on to say that "people don't know" Mallikarjun Kharge and even he didn't know he was Congress president. But, Gopal Mandal said, "people know who Nitish Kumar is."

Mallikarjun Kharge refused to comment on the proposal, saying the first task for the INDIA bloc was to win the Lok Sabha elections.

The report also stated that Kharge has called Nitish Kumar, while Rahul Gandhi has met Sharad Pawar in possible damage control.

Meanwhile, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has reportedly reached out to Nitish Kumar amid murmurs about a fresh rift in the INDIA ranks. The two leaders have been unable to interact thus far due to a clash in timing.

Speculative reports suggest that the duo will touch upon the controversy sparked by Wednesday's meeting. Kharge has already spoken to Kumar while Gandhi interacted with NCP chief Sharad Pawar in the ensuing days.

INDIA bloc leaders have rejected claims that the Bihar Chief Minister was unhappy about the situation  even as Kharge played down suggestions that he would emerge as a prime ministerial candidate.

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BAKU, Azerbaijan, December 23. Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, and Georgia play vital roles as transit routes for the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR, or Middle Corridor), William Courtney, adjunct senior fellow at the RAND Corporation and former US Ambassador to Kazakhstan and Georgia, told Trend.

"The role of the Middle Corridor is growing for several reasons, including the most recent increased political risk of shipping through Russia," added the official.

As William Courtney pointed out, Western sanctions imposed as a result of the Ukraine war have limited Russia's access to European rail transport destinations.

"Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, and Georgia play critical roles as Middle Corridor transit routes. Chinese investment is also critical for upgrading transportation infrastructure and providing goods for shipment via the Corridor," stated a former US Ambassador.

According to William Courtney, a major difficulty in the Corridor is the lack of and high cost of inter-modal transportation.

"More barge capacity across the Caspian Sea is needed, as is greater container port capacity at Georgian Black Sea ports. Rail infrastructure along the Middle Corridor requires improvement. Privatized rail systems could attract more private capital and technology and be more efficient," he noted.

The Middle Corridor is a transportation and trade route that connects Asia and Europe, passing through several countries in the region. It is an alternative route to the traditional Northern Corridor and Southern Corridor.

The route starts in China and crosses Central Asian countries such as Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan. It then passes through the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Turkiye before reaching Europe.

The Middle Corridor offers a land route that connects the eastern parts of Asia, including China, with Europe, bypassing the longer maritime routes.
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The marketing of seeds used to grow crops and food are subject to ten different EU directives with plans to roll all the rules into one piece of legislation

The marketing of seeds used to grow crops and food are subject to ten different EU directives with plans to roll all the rules into one piece of legislation  Photo credit: Shutterstock

The marketing of seeds used to grow crops and food are subject to ten different EU directives with plans to roll all the rules into one piece of legislation  Photo credit: Shutterstock

Before you tuck into your festive feast this season its worth taking a moment to think about the processes that brought your food directly to your fork.

Seeds and cuttings - to name but a few - are under review as part of the European Green Deals farm to fork strategies, which are at the heart of the deals aim to make food systems fairer, healthier and more environmentally-friendly.

Seeds and other so-called plant reproductive material are central to achieving a more sustainable, productive and diversified EU agriculture in supporting the EU objective to become the first climate-neutral continent, the European Parliament says in documents to revise legislation on their sale and distribution in the bloc, which is currently regulated by ten different directives. They are also the raw materials essential for our survival.

A project to replace these ten directives with a single regulation is in its early days and the seeds of the proposal have yet to be sown into law, but already issues are arising as a discussion during the Future of Seeds conference hosted at the European Parliament in Luxembourg at the end of November showed.

Pandoras box

For example, Deputy Director General for Food Sustainability Dorothee Andre argued the ruling would offer the opportunity to open the door to new technologies, conserve and sustain limited resources and streamline a disordered, outdated model whilst retaining clear labelling and strict guidelines.

But critics voiced concerns that artisan seed producers and small-scale or subsistence farmers are poised to be the biggest losers under the changes proposed.

Only seven genetically modified crops are currently authorised for use in the EU, but Cloe Mathurin from The European Coordination Via Campesina (ECVC), warned that new genomic techniques (NGTs) such as Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs), CRISPR gene editing and patented seeds could enter the playing field through the backdoor of deregulation and inconsistent labelling.

Legal expert on the EU legislation for the marketing of seeds Blanche Magarinos-Rey highlighted how generic terms, such as sustainability and marketing, require tighter definition in order to avoid being abused or misinterpreted in an agricultural context. Small farmers and smallholdings are not huge conglomerates, she said. If marketing legislation were to apply to the handful of seeds swapped or exchanged between subsistence farmers the process could make the exchanges bureaucratically unsustainable.

In addition, if only certain categories required GMO and modified seeds to be labelled as such, then certifying these seeds under the umbrella of sustainability would offer them anonymity. This would be a blatant disregard and violation of consumer law, said Magarinos-Rey. Loopholes could also mean that in-house testing on GMO seeds happens outside the supervision of an independent examination body, she warned, saying this would make unfair and unreliable.

Big problems for small growers

Luxembourgs own artisan seed producer and co-founder of local network Seed, Frank Adams, stressed his worries. His specialisation in local and heritage seed varieties is supported by Luxembourgs agricultural policies, but Adams is not entitled to sell any of the seeds he saves on the open market.

The quality of his seeds is measured according to longstanding industrial markers generally applied to monoculture crops, he explained, rather than accounting for traditionally biodiverse plant sources. The administrative burden of testing and registering seeds is already too big for small growers, Adams said, warning that it risks becoming even greater under the new rules. But protecting heritage crops and the diversity of species is essential for securing food security, he said.

Seeds, like other organisms, need to evolve with their environment and seed-saving allows for the natural selection of favourable traits for individual agricultural areas. Models that favour certain traits, such as marketing and sustainability, risk suppressing other crop characteristics, he said.

In theory, small farmers should welcome the introduction of updated seed laws that open up new categories to reflect their biodiverse work. However, they want the law to reflect their needs and concerns, too, not only those of industrial agriculture.

As transformative as the Farm to Fork Strategy promises to be, a number of its proposals, although not officially dead in the water, are certainly on life support. With the sustainable food systems law and animal welfare proposals - two key elements of the Farm to Fork Strategy - remaining outstanding, its hard to gamble on the current Seed Marketing Proposal making it to the table in time for the European elections in June 2024.
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Norwood police officers shot an armed woman following a stand-off Friday afternoon, according to reports from multiple outlets, including WCVB, NBC Boston and WBZ.

An employee at a storage facility on Morse Street in Norwood called 911 at 1 p.m. and said the woman had pointed a gun at him after theyd gotten into a brief argument, the outlets said.

When officers arrived, a 45-minute stand-off ensued in the parking lot, the media reported.
A driver caused some problems for the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority Police on Wednesday.

Transit Police received a 9 p.m. call on Wednesday that there was a vehicle on the Green Line tracks on Commonwealth Avenue near Boston College, according to a statement on X, formerly known as Twitter. They arrived to find a Nissan stuck in the gravelly median between the tracks, which could not move.

MBTA service was delayed for 45 minutes as police got the vehicle towed.

There were no injuries reported, according to police.
SPRINGFIELD  Days after a federal judge dismissed criminal charges against suspended Assistant Hampden Superior Court Clerk Magistrate Daphne Moore is back on the payroll, if not quite back on the job.

Moore was charged in U.S. District Court along with her daughter, son-in-law and others in an interstate drug and gun trafficking ring. While her daughter, Nia Moore-Bush, pleaded guilty in the case and is serving prison time, lawyers for Moore have long argued the case against her was without merit.

Moore-Bush and her husband lived at Moores home on Hadley Street when federal agents arrested them in 2018. Moore was not charged in the original indictment, but charges were added in a superseding indictment months later. She was suspended without pay in 2018 and battled to remain on the job while awaiting trial, to no avail.
The sun was already down on one of the shortest days of the year on Friday at 4:40 p.m. when a 911 call was received in Orleans, saying that a man at a local construction company was pinned under a large loader bucket.

Orleans police, and Orleans fire-rescue arrived within five minutes, according to a post on Facebook.

Crews worked to stabilize the vehicle and give care to the trapped man, but the John Deere loader was leaking hydraulic oil, the post said.

The John Deere loader bucket under which a man was trapped in Orleans. (Orleans Fire-Rescue photo)Orleans Fire-Rescue photo

Rescuers worked for 20 minutes, carefully lifting the bucket off of the man, starting IV fluids and giving pain medicine to him, as well as treating his injuries.

The man was transported by ambulance to the Nauset Regional Middle School field to meet with a Boston MedFlight helicopter. He was taken for transport to a Boston trauma center, the post read.
Massachusetts State Police posted photos Saturday of an overnight crash that injured a trooper and two others on Route 24 in West Bridgewater.

At about 1 a.m. today a trooper had stopped a car on Route 24 in West Bridgewater and was out of his cruiser when the cruiser was hit by a drunk driver operating a pickup truck, said a State Police post on X, formerly known as Twitter.

The cruiser was pushed into the trooper, causing injuries, and the driver was arrested, the post continued.

Attached were two photos  one of which showed the damage to the cruiser and the other that showed the pickup truck.

A pickup truck State Police say was driven by a drunk driver who struck a police cruiser that had stopped another vehicle. (Massachusetts State Police photo)Massachusetts State Police photo

The driver was charged with OUI-liquor in connection with the Saturday morning crash on Route 24. The trooper and two others were taken to Good Samaritan Medical Center in Brockton afterward for treatment for minor injuries, according to WCVB.

The trooper reported his cruiser was hit during a traffic stop on the southbound side of the highway around 12:40 a.m. Saturday, WCVB reported.

The multi-vehicle crash caused Route 24 to be closed. Traffic was rerouted to Route 123 via Exit 31B, MassDOT said in a post to X. The state agency warned of delays.

Reporting from Jackson Cote was used in this report.
The state opened a new shelter this week in Cambridge with the goal of providing a roof to dozens of families amid the ongoing emergency housing crisis in Massachusetts.

The Safety Net Family Shelter opened at the Middlesex South Registry of Deeds at 208 Cambridge St. in East Cambridge on Friday. The site is expected to house 20 to 30 families in the near term. Ultimately, it should be able to accommodate up 70 families with cots and amenities, according to a statement from the city.

The initiative aims to provide shelter for families eligible for emergency assistance (EA) when they cannot immediately be placed into an EA unit. The city of Cambridge has been working with the state to ensure the site will meet necessary safety requirements and be supported by the surrounding neighborhood, the statement detailed.

Our team has been working to identify ways the City of Cambridge can support the families who will be staying in the new Safety Net Family Shelter, said Cambridge City Manager Yi-An Huang. We recognize the crisis occurring across Massachusetts and the nation. We are committed to welcoming the families coming to Cambridge and ensuring they are well cared for.

We have been collaborating with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to assist in successfully implementing this critically needed resource and ensure any potential impacts to the immediate neighborhood are minimized, Huang added.

The announcement about the new site comes as the emergency housing crisis in Massachusetts persists. At the end of October, Secretary of the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities (EOHLC) Edward Augustus declared the EA family shelter system was no longer able to meet the current and expected demand. His declaration came after Gov. Maura Healey declared a state of emergency in early August, appealing to the federal government and private citizens for assistance.

According to state officials, the skyrocketed demand for shelter has been driven primarily by the high cost and limited availability of housing, a surging numbers of newly arriving migrant families and a decreased number of families leaving long-term emergency shelter.

The current rate of expansion in the emergency assistance program is unsustainable, Augustus noted in his Oct. 31 declaration. Since January 2023, EOHLC worked to increase the number of shelter units to meet the increased demand, entering into emergency contracts with service providers and seeking housing space across the state. Given a shortage in staffing, the governor also had to call up 250 members of the Massachusetts National Guard to serve at shelter hotels.

It is no longer possible to secure additional space that is suitable and safe for use as shelter beyond a capacity of 7,500 families, Augustus wrote in the declaration.

The shelter in Cambridge, which will be active in the evening and overnight hours, aims to ensure that families, who are initially assessed at a state intake site and confirmed to be eligible for emergency assistance, have a warm and safe place to stay overnight until an EA shelter unit is available. Twenty-four-hour security is provided on site, and the state is working with provider AMI and community partners to coordinate transportation for families who need daytime resources, according to the citys statement.

While many of the families entering the Family Shelter system are migrants, refugees or asylum seekers, families who are fleeing domestic violence, a no-fault eviction or whose children are exposed to a substantial health and safety risk may be eligible to apply, the statement noted.

The EA emergency family shelter system is for families with children under 21 years of age and individuals who are pregnant. Families who are facing houselessness can apply by phone at (866) 584-0653 and find additional information on the states website. Cambridge also has a dedicated email address, housingliaison@cambridgema.gov, and phone number, (617) 349-7222, to help coordinate responses to questions from community members.
Twenty-one-year-old Daniel Cleary is being remembered not just for his volunteer work in Central Massachusetts and love of all things outdoors, but also for his kindness and impact on others.

Cleary, who died after falling from a moving truck in Charlton last week, had a love for animals that drew him to the Second Chance Animal Services shelter in East Brookfield, where he volunteered for many years. He was also an avid outdoorsman who loved fishing, hiking, working on his pickup truck and his cowboy boots, his obituary reads.

His quick wit, infectious laugh, bright smile, constant caring and kindness left an impact on everyone he met, the obituary says.

The 21-year-old Charlton man was identified Monday as the passenger who died after falling out of a Ford pickup truck around 1:30 a.m. on Dec. 17. The driver of the vehicle, who was heading west on Stafford Street in Charlton at the time, stopped, called the police and remained with Cleary as officers arrived, according to authorities.

Cleary, who suffered significant injuries, was taken to the University of Massachusetts Medical Center-University Campus, where he was pronounced dead. The facts and circumstances surrounding his death remain under investigation by Charlton police, Massachusetts State Police and the Worcester District Attorneys Office, officials said.

Born in Attleboro on July 8, 2002, Cleary grew up in North Brookfield and went on to study carpentry at Bay Path Regional Vocational Technical High School in Charlton. He graduated from the school in 2020 and worked as a carpenter for Dagostino Building & Remodeling Co. in Leicester, where he started his co-op training in high school, according to the obituary.

Rest easy Danny boy, Ill miss our conversations, your sarcasm and wit, your genuinely honest and good hearted nature, the contracting company wrote in a Facebook post. Just sad beyond words! Love you buddy!

Rest easy Danny boy, Ill miss our conversations, your sarcasm and wit, your genuinely honest and good hearted nature. Just sad beyond words! Love you buddy! Posted by Dagostino Building & Remodeling Co. 774 696 0116 on Friday, December 22, 2023

Cleary is survived by his parents, Sean and Jennifer Cleary, his older brother, Brendon Cleary, who is serving in the U.S. Army, and so many family and friends who love him and will miss him greatly, the obituary reads.

In lieu of flowers, Clearys family recommends donating in his name to the Second Chance animal shelter in East Brookfield or any animal rescue league of ones choosing.
Three people were injured in a crash in Braintree on Friday that left one passenger with serious wounds, according to WCVB.

A 2003 Toyota Corolla allegedly crossed into the opposite lane of traffic and hit a Mercedes SUV that had stopped at a red light at the intersection of Quincy Avenue and Gordon Road. The Corolla then came to a rest off road, WCVB reported.

The only passenger inside the Corolla was taken to a nearby hospital with serious injuries. The 29-year-old driver of the car was also taken to an area hospital with injuries that are not believed to be life-threatening, according to the news outlet.

Read more: Officials rescue Cape Cod man trapped under John Deere loader bucket

The driver of the Mercedes, who is a Braintree resident in their 50s, was taken to a nearby hospital with injuries that are not believed to be life-threatening, WCVB reported.

The crash remains under investigation by the Braintree Police Department, Massachusetts State Police and the Norfolk District Attorneys Office, according to WCVB.
The Supreme Court said Friday it will not immediately take up a plea by special counsel Jack Smith to rule on whether former President Donald Trump can be prosecuted for his actions to overturn the 2020 election results.

The ruling is a scheduling win for Trump and his lawyers, who have sought repeatedly to delay the criminal cases against him as he campaigns to reclaim the White House in 2024. It averts a swift ruling from the nations highest court that could have definitively turned aside his claims of immunity, and it further throws into doubt the possibility of the landmark trial proceeding as scheduled on March 4.

The issue will now be decided by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, which has signaled it will act quickly to decide the case. Special counsel Jack Smith had cautioned that even a rapid appellate decision might not get to the Supreme Court in time for review and final word before the courts traditional summer break.

Smith had pressed the Supreme Court to intervene, citing significant public interest in a prompt resolution to the case. The request to leapfrog the appeals court, which Smith himself acknowledged was extraordinary, also underscored prosecutors concerns that the fight over the issue could delay the start of Trumps trial beyond next years presidential election.

The justices turned down Smiths request in a single-sentence order Friday. As is customary, the court gave no explanation for the decision.

With the justices remaining out of the dispute for now, additional appeals are likely that could delay the case. If the appeals court, which is set to hear arguments on Jan. 9, turns down Trumps immunity claims, he could then ask for the Supreme Court to get involved  giving the justices another opportunity to decide if they want to weigh in.

U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan has already put the case on hold while Trump pursues his claim that he is immune from prosecution. Chutkan has raised the possibility of keeping the March trial date if the case promptly returns to her court.

She earlier rejected the Trump teams arguments that an ex-president could not be prosecuted over acts that fall within the official duties of the job.

Former presidents enjoy no special conditions on their federal criminal liability, Chutkan wrote in a Dec. 1 ruling. Defendant may be subject to federal investigation, indictment, prosecution, conviction, and punishment for any criminal acts undertaken while in office.

In a statement Friday, Trump insisted anew that he was entitled to presidential immunity and was looking forward to having his case heard before the appeals court.

There are still more Trump-related cases that the Supreme Court, which includes three justices appointed by him, is poised to grapple with.

Trumps lawyers plan to ask the court to overturn a decision by the Colorado Supreme Court barring him from that states ballot under Section 3 of the 14th Amendment, which prohibits anyone who swore an oath to support the Constitution and then engaged in insurrection against it from holding office.

And the court separately has agreed to hear a case over the charge of obstruction of an official proceeding that has been brought against Trump and more than 300 of his supporters who stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

In the current immunity case, Smith had tried to persuade the justices to take up the matter directly, bypassing the appeals court.

This case presents a fundamental question at the heart of our democracy: whether a former president is absolutely immune from federal prosecution for crimes committed while in office or is constitutionally protected from federal prosecution when he has been impeached but not convicted before the criminal proceedings begin, prosecutors wrote.

Underscoring the urgency for prosecutors, Smith and his team wrote: It is of imperative public importance that respondents claims of immunity be resolved by this Court and that respondents trial proceed as promptly as possible if his claim of immunity is rejected.

Trumps lawyers have for months signaled that they would ultimately ask the Supreme Court to take up the immunity question. But they urged the justices this week to stand down for now, saying there was no reason to rush a decision.

Importance does not automatically necessitate speed. If anything, the opposite is usually true. Novel, complex, sensitive and historic issues  such as the existence of presidential immunity from criminal prosecution for official acts  call for more careful deliberation, not less, Trumps lawyers wrote.

Read more: Donald Trump vows to take away tax breaks for universities if reelected

Justice Department policy prohibits the indictment of a sitting president. Though theres no such bar against prosecution for a former commander in chief, lawyers for Trump say that he cannot be charged for actions that fell within his official duties as president  a claim that prosecutors have vigorously rejected.

Trump faces charges accusing him of working to overturn the results of the 2020 election he lost to Democrat Joe Biden before the violent riot at the Capitol. He has denied any wrongdoing.

The high court still could act quickly once the appeals court issues its decision. A Supreme Court case usually lasts several months, but on rare occasions, the justices shift into high gear.

Nearly 50 years ago, the justices acted within two months of being asked to force President Richard Nixon to turn over Oval Office recordings in the Watergate scandal. The tapes were then used later in 1974 in the corruption prosecutions of Nixons former aides.

It took the high court just a few days to effectively decide the 2000 presidential election for Republican George W. Bush over Democrat Al Gore.

The case in Washington is one of four he faces.

Hes also been charged by Smith with illegally hoarding classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate, a case set for trial next May, and is accused by state prosecutors in Georgia of scheming to subvert that states presidential election and in New York in connection with a hush money payment to a porn actress.

Associated Press writer Lindsay Whitehurst in Washington contributed to this report.
Hot Oven Cookies, one of Western Massachusetts most popular cookie shop chains, announced this week it would be closing its recently opened Westfield location, citing racism, a humanity issue and a whirlwind of toxicity and turmoil.

Sheila Coon, the founder and chief baker at Hot Oven Cookies, announced the permanent closure of the Westfield shop in posts to Facebook and Instagram on Friday. The announcement comes just a day after the chain opened a new location in Chicopee.

We have closed and are permanently closing, Hot Oven Cookies WESTFIELD. I can confidently say that its not because our model did not work that we are closing, but it is a humanity issue that I personally cannot change, the posts read.

MassLive reached out Saturday morning to Westfield Mayor Michael A. McCabes office for a comment regarding the businesss closure and claims of racism in the city. The office did not immediately respond.

Read more: Chicopee celebrates soft opening of new Hot Oven Cookies shop Thursday

The chain, which has operated mobile food trucks in Springfield and has another location in the city as well, opened the shop in Westfield in February. Coon noted its been a whirlwind of toxicity and turmoil for the last six months for us that began after she asked a question about the safety of a person of color in the community.

I am a firm proponent that just because we have all this freedom on social media to say whatever we want to, however we want to, and to whoever we want to that doesnt mean that you actually should, she wrote in the posts.

Coon explained how when the business first started in Westfield, it did very well, was very welcomed and felt very safe, according to the Instagram post.

However, there was an incident brought to Coons attention in the shop regarding the mistreatment of an African-American person who was working for a small business there in the center. After the incident, Coon had a few conversations with individuals questioning the safety of business owners of color and employees of color.

[A]nd ever since then it has been an absolute nightmare, she said.

Coon detailed how micro droves of antagonists have come into the Westfield shop. She also noted there was a break-in at the store as recently as Friday night.

Others have shared with Coon their experiences of racism in Westfield as individuals and business owners, according to the Instagram post. She has received warnings to not go to certain places because of white supremacist groups meetings and articles about white supremacy and propaganda in the city.

In October, the Nationalist Social Club, or NSC-131, a white supremacist group in New England, distributed antisemitic hate leaflets on Western Avenue near Westfield State University. In the days that followed, the Westfield City Council voted unanimously to condemn the neo-Nazi organization.

People in Westfield have also shared posts that included sick and twisted opinions of Puerto Ricans, Coon detailed. As a Puerto Rican woman herself, Coon noted has experienced racism, classism and, misogyny both individually and absolutely and definitely in business.

We know there are many really good people that have shown their love and loyalty and support of us in the past year and you cant begin to understand how much it has meant given the fact that the horror we have experienced since about June is actually one that I really cant even quantify, Coon wrote.

I am not forming or sharing an opinion about a whole town or a whole group of people but merely sharing our experience; an experience that has led us to experience not just mental, emotional, and psychological harm as people of color, but now a fear of physical harm, she added.

In another Facebook post Saturday, Coon described some of the backlash she has received online in response to her earlier posts, detailing how people have claimed she fabricated her rationale for closing the Westfield shop. Lying about the reason for the closure would be a fools journey, she noted.

Coon thanked people for their business advice and extensive critique but noted she will not apologize for sharing the reason behind the closure and the experiences we have been forced to endure. The backlash against the business the previous months began after Coon asked a question about a safety of a person of color, according to her.

Just because some of you dont want to hear our truth doesnt mean it didnt or isnt still happening, Coon said.
Beware of icy roads in parts of Western Massachusetts on Saturday.

That is the National Weather Services warning for drivers after receiving reports of isolated showers producing freezing rain Saturday afternoon across Berkshire County.

A special weather statement in effect through 3 p.m. Saturday warns light showers south of Albany, New York are producing pockets of freezing rain and leading to icy road conditions. The precipitation is moving into Western Massachusetts and may lead to icy and slick roadways and bridges in the afternoon as temperatures hover around the freezing mark.

Icy roadways with pockets of freezing rain are possible across Berkshire County and western Franklin, Hampshire and Hampden counties, including the communities of Blandford, Charlemont and Chesterfield, according to the Weather Service.

Please drive with caution if youre traveling in this area, the Weather Service said in a post on X, formerly Twitter.
Sex And The City star Sarah Jessica Parker has touched down in Dublin Airport en route to Donegal for Christmas, the Irish Examiner has reported.

The actress has a home in Donegal with fellow actor husband Matthew Broderick and they couple, along with their children, have spent a lot of time there over the years.

According to reports, the couple touched down at Dublin Airport's Terminal 2 on Friday morning as passengers on the flight noticed the famous pair who they said interacted with fans onboard.

Sarah Jessica Parker was wearing a mask on the six-hour flight from New York but was still instantly recognisable to fans.

The famous couple have three children who has also joined them on the festive trip 'home' to Kilcar.

Sarah Jessica Parker has always been vocal about her love of Donegal and has been spending most summers there over the last 20 years.

She even hailed the pubs this year when she reported as saying: "We have some great pubs in our neighbourhood there. Every time we are there I try to have a glass of Guinness."
Xposure is among the light features the city of Aurora wants to bring to its new festival of light in 2024. (City of Aurora/HANDOUT)

The Aurora City Council has approved contracts with two companies to provide light features for a new city festival next year.

The new fall festival of light will take place for four weeks between Oct. 4 and Nov. 1. Both are first Fridays of the month, meaning the festival will tie in with the First Fridays celebrations downtown both months.

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The festival itself, however, will run for an entire month, city officials said.

Jen Byrne, the citys Public Arts director, said the festival was conceived featuring lights as a nod to Aurora being one of the first cities in the country to light its streets with electricity, leading to the citys nickname City of Lights.

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Earlier this year, the City Council approved accepting a $192,779 grant from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, which the city would match with its own funds from the Public Art budget to fund the new light festival.

Byrne has said the light festival is modeled after such festivals in places like Cincinnati; Scottsdale, Arizona; and Baltimore.

The contracts approved are with two companies, Creos Experts-Conseils Inc., of Quebec, Canada, and Wireframe Studio Inc., based in Montreal, Canada, to provide three light features. Byrne said these are the first of the contracts, and that there will be more to come.

The event will include light displays, digital markers and roving entertainers.

Creos would provide a 400-foot-long Sonic Runway along the length of the Water Street Mall.

Byrne said the light-art installation converts audio signals into patterns of light that shoot down the corridor of 23 LED-lined arches at the speed of sound. At the front of the runway, the observers see musical sound waves rippling away from them. Walking down the corridor, sound and light are always in sync. Looking back from the far end, walkers can see the sound waves coming at them, and hear the music as the pattern reaches them.

Wireframe would provide three inflated spheres called Xposure on which people could paint with light, as well as a feature called Shadowing, which is four streetlight-like things that record someones shadow, then plays it back.

The time of year for the festival was chosen to try to balance when there is enough darkness for the light features, but there is less risk of the weather being too cold, rainy or snowy.

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Byrne said she saw the Sonic Runway in San Jose, California, in October, and officials there like it so much, they are making it a permanent feature in their city.

Its pretty cool, said Ald. John Laesch, at large, at the Dec. 19 City Council Committee of the Whole meeting. I think this will draw a lot of people downtown.

slord@tribpub.com
BAKU, Azerbaijan, December 23. Groups of topographers from Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan successfully agreed on an additional 11.88 km of state border demarcation between the two countries, Trend reports.

According to the information, the agreement was reached as a result of the last meeting of the groups in Buston, which took place from December 17 to 23.

The parties plan to continue work on describing the remaining areas at the next meeting, which will be held on the territory of the Kyrgyz Republic. It is noted that Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan have a common border of 970 km, but some areas still require identification and marking. Meetings between delegations are held alternately on the territory of each country.
TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, December 23. The World Bank has provided funds for the construction of a power plant (PP) with a capacity of 500 kW in Uzbekistan, Trend reports.

As per data by the Uzbek Ministry of Energy, the plant, implemented by the National Electric Networks of Uzbekistan, will be established in the Chirchik district of the Uzbek Tashkent region.

The substation is said to have a receiving capacity of 1602 MVA, which will significantly reduce the load on the Keles substation in the Tashkent region.

Construction and installation work is expected to be completed by the end of 2024.

Earlier this year, Uzbekistan and the World Bank signed an agreement on the provision of financing in the amount of $46.2 million to reform the countrys energy sector.

The funds are said to be used to implement the project Innovative Carbon Financing for the Transformation of the Energy Sector of Uzbekistan (iCraft), aimed at producing clean energy, improving energy efficiency, and reforming energy subsidies.
by Wendy Davis @wendyndavis, December 22, 2023

Google is urging a federal judge to throw out a privacy lawsuit by web users who allege that the company's analytics tool collected sensitive data from health care sites that had installed the tool.

Google cannot be liable for merely serving as a vendor of analytics tools to the websites, the company argues in a motion filed Thursday with U.S. District Court Judge Vince Chhabria in the Northern District of California.

Google's argument comes in response to privacy lawsuits filed in May, when users alleged that the company was collecting patients' sensitive health data from online sites. The first complaint was brought by an anonymous Jane Doe who alleged that she used Planned Parenthood's site to search for an abortion provider, and received treatment at the reproductive health care center's affiliate in Burbank, California.

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The complaint in that case referred to an investigation by the app Lockdown Privacy, which reported last June that Planned Parenthood's site used third-party analytics tools leaked extremely sensitive data" to third parties including Google, Meta and TikTok.

Soon after that case was filed, other anonymous plaintiffs alleged in a separate lawsuit that Google collected health information from a variety of health care sites.

The matters were consolidated earlier this year and are pending in front of Chhabria. The complaint includes claims that Google violated federal and California wiretap laws.

In October Chhabria rejected the plaintiffs' request to issue an order banning Google from collecting data from several health sites, writing that it wasn't obvious whether Google's alleged data collection violated any laws.

He added that the plaintiffs' strongest claim against Google might be the contention that it violated California's wiretap law -- which prohibits the interception of communications unless all parties consent. But Chhabria also said it wasn't clear whether Google's alleged interceptions would be covered by that law, given the company's position that it was merely a vendor of software services.

Courts have drawn a distinction ... between 'independent parties who mined information from other websites and sold it' versus vendors who provide 'a software service that captures its clients data, hosts it on [its] servers, and allows the clients to analyze their data,' Chhabria wrote in October.

The plaintiffs then amended their complaint, which now alleges that Google isn't merely a vendor of analytics tools, but that the company also draws on the data it collects in numerous ways -- including by using the data to improve search algorithms, ad targeting and ad attribution. The complaint specifically alleges that Google used health data to create user profiles for ad-serving purposes.

Google counters in its new papers that the plaintiffs haven't alleged any of their own data was harnessed by the company for profit.

While plaintiffs make bare allegations regarding Googles use of data for advertising, they do not allege that any data about them was used by Google or that they received any targeted ads following their use of the websites in question, the company writes.

The plaintiffs are expected to file a response with the court next month.
by Teresa Buyikian , December 22, 2023

Biscuitville's Nashville Hot Chicken Biscuit



New Locations

16 Handles, self-serve frozen yogurt and soft serve shop, will soon open six new locations throughout the Houston, Dallas and Austin, Texas areas in spring 2024.

Beef-a-Roo recently announced the opening of stores in five locations: Springfield, Missouri; Little Rock, Arkansas; two units in Harrison, Arkansas; Overland Park, Kansas; and Lebanon, Indiana.

Honeygrow, a Philadelphia-based fast-casual restaurant known for whole, made-to-order food, announced the opening of its latest location in Toms River, New Jersey.

Shake Shack earlier this month opened its first drive-thru location in North Las Vegas. This marks the chains fifth location in Nevada.

Slim Chickens, which operates more than 250 locations across the U.S. and U.K., announced the opening of its newest location in Moncks Corner, South Carolina. The chain has an additional 1,200 locations in development.

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Smalls Sliders has recently signed a multiunit agreement for development in Austin, Texas. The new agreement is for five new units and marks brands entry into the Austin area with its Can model, adding to the 30 Cans currently in development across Texas.

New Menu Items

Biscuitville said it will test its newest menu items in the Virginia market, including the chains own version of Nashville Hot Chicken. New menu items include the Nashville Hot Chicken Biscuit, the Nashville Hot Chicken Biscuit with Fried Egg and Cheese and the Nashville Hot Chicken Fries. A new dessert is the Killer Cosmic Brownie, which is a blondie brownie with caramel and chocolate chips, topped with confetti sprinkles.

Kolache Factory announced that three new croissant flavors will be rolling out in the chain throughout 2024. The first announced is The Texas Apple, which features pastry filled with apple pie filling, Gouda cheese, bacon, jalapenos and brown sugar, topped with pecans.
by Laurie Sullivan @lauriesullivan, December 22, 2023

Apple reportedly has begun negotiations with major news publishers over permission to use their content as the technology company develops its own generative artificial intelligence (GAI) platforms.

The iPhone maker wants to secure multiyear deals worth at least $50 million to license the archives of news articles, according to the report, which cited people familiar with the discussions.

Contracts would include Conde Nast, publisher of The New Yorker; NBC News; and IAC, which owns People, The New York Times reported.

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Apple CEO Tim Cook during the company's latest earnings call with investors said certain technology developments at the company would not be possible without AI. He pointed to the latest iOS 17 features like Personal Voice and Live Voicemail, also confirming that Apple was working on generative AI technologies.

In July, Bloomberg reported that Apple had developed and built its own framework to create large language models (LLMs), the same type of technology that support AI-based systems like OpenAI's ChatGPT and Google Bard.

Apple's engineers call its chatbot service Apple GPT, which has been trained on more than 200 billion parameters. It has a foundation in Asynchronous JavaScript and XML (AJAX), a web development technique for more responsive applications and websites.

To make this news more convincing, during News Corp.s November earnings call, CEO Robert Thomson said the company was in "advanced discussions with a range of digital companies that we anticipate will bring significant revenue in return for the use of our unmatched content sets."

Thomson said GAI engines are only as sophisticated as their inputs and need constant replenishing to remain relevant.

"We are proud to partner with responsible purveyors of AI products and their prescient leaders, Thomson said.

Big companies have been investing aggressively to integrate GAI, while companies like Amazon, Apple, Google, Microsoft have been working to combine the technology into their respective platforms.

Similar to Google and Microsoft, which have built small or nano multimodal AI models, Apple wants to embed and run those models locally in devices such as the iPhone. The company already has embedded AI in iOS and macOS, as well as used the technology to improve camera quality.

Apple has poured millions into AI development and reportedly is on track to spend $1 billion annually to catch up with other companies. Its research now includes a team focused on AI to help solve unspecified large-scale problems.

Several teams, in fact, support Apple's AI efforts. Some include generative models, temporal learning, multimodal input streams, deep reinforcement learning, inverse reinforcement learning, decision theory, and game theory. This team dives deep into deep learning and AI research to help solve real-world, large-scale problems.

Recent job openings tell the story of how the company uses machine learning engineers and developers experienced in AI for software and services, as well as machine learning engineers for IS&T enterprise systems. A research paper shows the direction the company will take the technology.
  Trusted Source

Obesity drug Mounjaro to surpass Ozempic with $27 billion sales in 2029



Go to source Trusted Source



In 2023, Ozempic surged in the weight loss realm due to robust effectiveness and safety records. Its rise was fueled by social media hype and celebrity endorsements, propelling it into the mainstream spotlight. #weightlossdrugs #obesity

Mounjaro's Superiority Over Ozempic in Weight Loss

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Obesity drug Mounjaro to surpass Ozempic with $27 billion sales in 2029 - (https://www.globaldata.com/media/pharma/obesity-drug-mounjaro-to-surpass-ozempic-with-27-billion-sales-in-2029-forecasts-globaldata/)

Eli Lilly's Mounjaro is positioned to outpace Novo Nordisk's Ozempic (semaglutide) and claim the top spot in sales within the obesity and diabetes market. (However, a potential challenger has emerged in the form of Eli Lilly's Mounjaro (tirzepatide), which secured FDA approval for obesity in November 2023.Mounjaro, also marketed as Zepbound, is a first-in-class drug developed by Eli Lilly. This dual GIPR and GLP1R inhibitor works by stimulating the adenylyl cyclase pathway, leading to enhanced insulin synthesis and release. It was first approved in the US in May 2022 for the treatment of type 2 diabetes and was subsequently approved for obesity in the US and UK in November 2023.Mounjaro's superior efficacy over Ozempic has been demonstrated in a prominent meta-analysis of 22 trials released in October 2023 by Rodriquez and colleagues. The study found that Mounjaro's high, medium, and low doses (15mg, 10mg, and 5mg) outperformed Ozempic's corresponding high, medium, and low doses (2mg, 1mg, and 0.5mg) in reducing diabetes biomarkers. Moreover, the lowest approved dose of Mounjaro, 5mg, demonstrated superior weight loss efficacy compared to Ozempics 1mg and 0.5mg injectable doses. "Ozempic is forecast to lead in sales in the short-term, having secured its first approval in May 2017, five years ahead of Mounjaro," said Kevin Marcaida, Pharma Analyst at GlobalData, in a statement."However, Mounjaro's sales forecast considers its superior clinical efficacy, positioning it to surpass Ozempic in 2027 and excel in terms of annual growth rates," he added. Mounjaro is expected to achieve an impressive compound annual growth rate of 36 percent, outpacing Ozempic's 6.5 percent, over the next seven years. Mounjaro's strong forecast is primarily attributed to its November 2023 FDA approval for obesity, with the US anticipated to be its most lucrative market, accounting for 76 percent of total sales from 2023 to 2029. These forecasts are further bolstered by a UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) approval for obesity alongside a Canada drug launch for Type 2 diabetes in the same month."Mounjaro is expected to become the leading drug by sales by 2029 for the obesity and diabetes market, surpassing and slimming down competitors' market share including Novo Nordisks Wegovy, Rybelsus, and CagriSema and AstraZenecas Forxiga," Marcaida said. "Mounjaro's trajectory positions Eli Lilly as a significant player in the obesity and diabetes pharmaceutical market, establishing a strong presence alongside Novo Nordisk," he added.Source-IANS
Love motorcycles? Get ready for an adventure across India's amazing landscapes and cultures!

The most amazing part?

We'll take you on a journey through India's diverse regions on a motorcycle. From snow-capped mountains to lush forests and vast deserts, every route offers a unique experience.

Picture yourself riding through changing sceneries and cultures. Unlike in a car, or on a bike, you're part of the local life, up close with the sights, sounds, and flavours of different Indian states.

Read on to explore the most scenic bike routes in India.

Get set for an unforgettable ride that's not just about the roads but about the rich cultural experiences along the way.

Motorcycle Trips in the Majestic Himalayas

Ladakh - A Biker's Paradise

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India's northern Himalayan mountains offer the world's best biking routes. Routes here unfold alongside snowy mountains, streams from melting glaciers, and mountain passes with colourful prayer flags. The cold desert region of Ladakh has monasteries carved into mountainsides by Buddhist monks over 1,000 years ago.



Locals in Ladakh's villages look distinct from the rest of India. They have reddish cheeks from the cold weather.

Ladakhi people are very peaceful and friendly to bikers visiting their region. The highways connecting Ladakhi villages like Leh, Diskit, Turtuk, and Nubra run alongside beautiful lakes with clear blue waters.

The Enchanting Kashmir Valley

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Just out of Ladakh is Kashmir Valley, which looks like "heaven on earth" with its pretty meadows and pine forests. In towns like Srinagar and Gulmarg, enjoy hot kahwa tea made with saffron, cinnamon, and almonds, or shop for authentic Kashmiri handicrafts.



The mountain roads are quiet with very few vehicles, making them perfect for biking. Stop clicking photos of fruit orchards, temples, or women braiding their hair with flowers.

Scenic Biking Trails in Uttarakhand

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Further south, the state of Uttarakhand has biking trails following the Ganges to its source, the Gangotri glacier. The rocky roads wind through ancient pilgrim sites, ashrams, and towns with houses with intricate wooden carvings on windows, doors, and balconies.



Simple highway tea stalls serve hot milky chai in clay cups and samosas fried in peanut oil. Stay with the locals to experience the traditional lifestyle of the Himalayas, which is almost forgotten in India's big cities.

Lush landscapes along the Western Ghats

The Western Ghats are a 1,600-kilometer-long mountain range running through states on the western coastline of India.

Breathtaking Landscapes and Diverse Wildlife

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Tropical rainforests rich in wildlife cover the plateaus and valleys in between. As biking trails cut through these hills, you suddenly come across amazing ocean views, thick wooded hills, and later gently rolling coffee estatesall within hours!



A Journey Through Changing Cultures

The culture too keeps changing across regions, from strong temple influences to quaint Portuguese churches left behind from centuries of colonial rule.

Scenic Route: Mumbai to Goa

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One stunning route starts by riding out of the fast-paced finance hub Mumbai through strawberry town Mahabaleshwar to reach sandy beaches and the shacks of Goa. Must-try activities include monsoon rides and sampling Solkadhi, a refreshing pink drink made from coconut milk.



Kerala's Verdant Beauty

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Moving south into Kerala, routes lined by rubber, tea, coffee, and spice farms terminate at gorgeous golden-sand beaches. Misty hills around Wayanad host exotic wildlife like spotted deer, Indian bison, and elephants lumbering through grasslands.



Coastal Charms of Kerala

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Descend west via Bekal and Varkala to arrive at Kovalam, with its red and white lighthouse overlooking the Arabian Sea. Try to coincide biking trips with temple festivals like Onam or snake boat races held in the backwaters.



Beaches and temples along the South Indian Coast

The eastern coastline of India offers easy, winding trails perfect for relaxed biking.

Tamil Nadu

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Tamil Nadu has beautiful beaches and ancient monuments within a few hours of each other. Ride through the shooting locations of famous Indian films or past French colonial buildings.



Chennai's Vibrant Culture and Heritage

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Stop on the outskirts of busy Chennai to admire brightly painted village shrines and flower markets. Biker Shiva once rode from hilly Kodaikanal waterfalls to the 7th-century shore temples of Mahabalipuram near Chennai.



Exploring UNESCO Heritage: Mahabalipuram

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The route includes the UNESCO site of Mahabalipuram, showcasing India's ancient granite stone carving and sculpting skills.



Kerala - Surf, Cuisine, and Coastal Rides

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Kerala's beaches at Kovalam and Varkala attract bikers seeking good surf and delicious local cuisine.



Scenic Coastal Rides and Cultural Experiences

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Take coastal rides from Kochi through a maze of backwaters, narrowly avoiding boats and merchandise barges. In small towns, watch the traditional dance drama Kathakali or try Keralan seafood specialities like mussel curry, seer fish fry, and prawn stew served on banana leaf.



Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh: The Heart of Incredible India

The Central States is perfect for bikers interested in history, nature, and culture. Dense teak forests shelter tigers and leopards, fields grow aromatic basmati rice, and rivers cut through hills, carving dramatic valleys.

Ancient towns display exquisite monuments and temples built by kingdoms several centuries ago. Tribal villages high in hills showcase distinctly unique art forms surviving through generations.

Ujjain to Khajuraho - A Heritage Biking Expedition

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The top biking route is between the holy city of Ujjain and Khajuraho, which is dotted with almost 30 UNESCO-listed monuments. Track a mini-Mount Everest called Pavagadh before exploring the medieval Step Wells of Champaner.



Observe the Bhil and Sahariya tribes still practising age-old customs of painting, weaving, healing traditions, and more. Sample flavorful cuisine as each place makes its speciality dishes due to locally available herbs and veggies.

Exploring Chhattisgarh's Hidden Treasures

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In Chhattisgarh, ride through virgin forests and waterfalls in the Bastar region, the homeland of Gond tribes known for symbolic paintings dating back to the prehistoric caveman era. Learn how lac (resin) gets harvested from insects and turned into candies with various floral flavours unique to Indian forests.



Vibrant Pink Towns and White Deserts of Rajasthan and Gujarat

The Northwest Frontier with Pakistan has India's biggest desert, called Thar, but also surprises visitors with oasis towns awash in pink! Starting from Jaipur through Jodhpur, Jaisalmer, and Bikaner, follow ancient trade routes on Bajaj Dominar 400.

Silken sarees drying on fences flutter past like colourful flags as you ride deeper into the proud Rajput heartland, where impressive forts and palaces peep over the horizon.

Embracing the Culture of Rajasthan and Gujarat

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Detour into villages practising intricately threaded phulkari embroidery, indigo, and Bandhani tie-dye textile crafts sustained for centuries. Listen to folktales from turbaned grandfathers over hot milk tea sweetened with jaggery. Enjoy traditional music and dance performances under starlit skies on dunes.



Culinary Delights and Desert Adventures

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While the desert safari is iconic, rides through the Aravalli Hills showering Mount Abu also make for a once-in-a-lifetime trip. Savour spicy yet yummy cuisine like daal baati churma, mirchi vadas, and multiple sweets typical of different towns in Rajasthan.



Exploring the Enchanting Rann of Kutch

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The white salt desert Rann of Kutch is another top biking attraction situated in Gujarat. Little-known rural hamlets here make handicrafts rarely found elsewhere, from lacquerware to embroidered leather to glass paintings.



Being a border state, the cuisine here is influenced by Rajasthani, Maharashtrian, and Arabian styles. Trying local food with different spices is a highlight many bikers fondly reminisce about for years.

Offbeat Trails in Eastern India

The eastern frontier, comprising states of West Bengal, Sikkim, and Odisha, provides offbeat trails for adventurous bikers, who prefer raw, undiscovered delights over touristy comforts.

Riding the Himalayan Heights

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One superb route starts by riding uphill from Darjeeling through high passes displaying clear views of Mount Kanchenjunga, the world's third-highest peak. Watch out for endangered red pandas amidst dense bamboo breaks.

Around Pelling, visit ancient Buddhist monasteries, also called gompas, with monks dressed in crimson robes. Enjoy authentic momos, brothy thukpa, and fragrant high-grown teas, best sampled with soothing Buddhist chants playing from rotating prayer wheels.

Temple Trails and Coastal Charms in Odisha

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The state of Odisha prides itself on being a land of temples and lush green paddy fields crisscrossed by rivers. The ancient Sun Temple of Konark has remarkable stone carvings dedicated to Surya, the Sun God. Nearby Chilika Lake, India's largest brackish lagoon, hosts over a million migratory birds in winter.

Simple thatched-roofed cottages serve delicious seafood cooked with local spices and coconut. Do sample India's healthiest cuisine with dishes made from turmeric, fenugreek, mustard, buckwheat, and local forest produce.

Venturing into the Culturally Rich Northeast

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Tucked away further east, the naturally rich and culturally vibrant Northeast frontier provides off-road trails for hard-core bikers. Guwahati, Shillong, and Tawang offer moderate routes, but tough uphill climbs take you to the remotest tribal villages, where indigenous crafts and spiritual traditions are connected to the forces of nature.



With abundant orchids, rhinos, rivers, and little outside influence, biking here makes for an extremely rewarding, once-in-a-lifetime experience.

A Voyage of Discovery

 Bajaj Dominar/ Instagram

Motorbikes help journey across the length and breadth of incredible India, interacting with locals, sampling regional food, and understanding nuances that fly past car windows. Detours off highways uncover fascinating communities inhabiting lands culturally apart from neighbouring states.



Such two-wheeled trips push past geographical boundaries but also alter socio-cultural preconceptions.

The destination name boards change, but warmth and values remain familiar constants binding diverse people. As bikers ride through spectacular terrain, engines thunder to satisfy wanderlust, but the gears of wisdom shift minds to discover India's magnificent cultural mosaic!

Follow us on our new bikes Category page for more.
RAFAH, Gaza Strip (AP)  An Israeli airstrike killed 76 members of an extended family, rescue officials said Saturday, a day after the U.N. chief warned again that nowhere is safe in Gaza and that Israel's ongoing offensive is creating massive obstacles to the distribution of humanitarian aid.

Friday's strike on a building in Gaza City was among the deadliest of the Israel-Hamas war, now in its 12th week, said Mahmoud Bassal, a spokesman for Gaza's Civil Defense department. He provided a partial list of the names of those killed  16 heads of households from the al-Mughrabi family  and said the dead included women and children.

Among the dead were Issam al-Mughrabi, a veteran employee of U.N. Development Program, his wife, and their five children.

The loss of Issam and his family has deeply affected us all. The U.N. and civilians in Gaza are not a target, said Achim Steiner, the head of the agency. This war must end.

Israel declared war after Hamas militants stormed across the border on Oct. 7, killing some 1,200 people and taking some 240 hostages. Israel has vowed to keep up the fight until Hamas is destroyed and removed from power in Gaza and all the hostages are freed.

More than 20,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel's war to destroy Hamas and more than 53,000 have been wounded, according to health officials in Gaza, a besieged territory ruled by the Islamic militant group for the past 16 years.

Israel blames Hamas for the high civilian death toll, citing the groups use of crowded residential areas for military purposes and its tunnels under urban areas. It has unleashed thousands of airstrikes since Oct. 7, and has largely refrained from commenting on specific attacks, including discussing the intended target.

On Friday, the U.N. Security Council adopted a watered-down resolution that calls for immediately speeding up aid deliveries to desperate civilians in Gaza.

The United States won the removal of a tougher call for an urgent suspension of hostilities between Israel and Hamas. It abstained in the vote, as did Russia, which wanted the stronger language. The resolution was the first on the war to make it through the council after the U.S. vetoed two earlier ones calling for humanitarian pauses and a full cease-fire.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres reiterated his longstanding call for a humanitarian cease-fire. He expressed hope that Fridays resolution may help this happen but said much more is needed immediately to end the ongoing nightmare for the people in Gaza.

He told a news conference that it's a mistake to measure the effectiveness of the humanitarian operation in Gaza by the number of trucks.

The real problem is that the way Israel is conducting this offensive is creating massive obstacles to the distribution of humanitarian aid inside Gaza, he said. He said the prerequisites for an effective aid operation dont exist  security, staff that can work in safety, logistical capacity especially trucks, and the resumption of commercial activity.

Israels aerial and ground offensive has been one of the most devastating military campaigns in recent history, displacing nearly 85% of Gazas 2.3 million people and leveling wide swaths of the tiny coastal enclave. More than half a million people in Gaza  a quarter of the population  are starving, according to a report this week from the United Nations and other agencies.

Shielded by the Biden administration, Israel has so far resisted international pressure to scale back. The military spokesman, Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, said late Friday that forces are widening the ground offensive to additional areas of the strip, with a focus on the south.

He said operations were also continuing in the northern half of Gaza, including Gaza City, the initial focus of Israel's ground offensive. The army said that it carried out airstrikes against Hamas fighters in several locations of Gaza City.

The army also said Saturday that it has transferred more than 700 alleged militants from Gaza to Israel for further questioning, including more than 200 over the past week, providing rare details on a controversial policy that involves mass roundups of Palestinian men.

Palestinians have reported such roundups in areas of northern Gaza, where ground troops are in control, saying this typically involves all teenage boys and men found in a location being searched by troops. Some of the released detainees have said they were stripped to their underwear, beaten and held for days with minimal water. The military has denied abuse allegations and said those without links to militants were quickly released.

Israel says it has killed thousands of Hamas militants, including about 2,000 in the past three weeks, but has not presented any evidence to back up the claim. It says 139 of its soldiers have been killed in the ground offensive.

In the aftermath of the U.N. resolution, it was not immediately clear how and when aid deliveries would accelerate. Currently, trucks enter through two crossings  Rafah on the border with Egypt and Kerem Shalom on the border with Israel.

As part of the approved resolution, the U.S. negotiated the removal of language that would have given the U.N. authority to inspect aid going into Gaza, something Israel says it must continue to do to ensure material does not reach Hamas.

Israels ambassador to the U.N., Gilad Erdan, thanked the U.S. for its support and sharply criticized the U.N. for its failure to condemn Hamas Oct. 7 attacks. The U.S. vetoed a resolution in October that would have included a condemnation because it didnt also underline Israels right to self-defense.

Hamas said in a statement that the U.N. resolution should have demanded an immediate halt to Israels offensive, and it blamed the United States for pushing to empty the resolution of its essence before Fridays Security Council vote.

___

Magdy reported from Cairo. Associated Press writer Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations contributed to this report.
The Nationals have signed first baseman Lewin Diaz to a minor league deal, according to ESPNs Kiley McDaniel. The deal reportedly comes with an invite to minor league Spring Training.

Diaz, 27, signed with the Twins out of the Dominican Republic back in 2014. After several years with Minnesota that saw him advance to the Double-A level, Diaz was swapped to the Marlins in exchange for Sergio Romo during the 2019 season. From there, it wouldnt be long until Diaz made his big league debut as he received a 14 game cup of coffee at the big league level during the shortened 2020 season. He struggled in his first taste of big league action, slashing a paltry .154/.195/.205 with a wRC+ of just 9 across his first 41 plate appearances in the majors.

That meager production didnt stop Miami from sticking with Diaz as a left-handed bat off the bench over the next two seasons however. From 2021 to 2022, Diaz garnered 302 plate appearances for the Marlins across 98 games. He managed to hold his own somewhat in 2021 with a .217/.270/.518 slash line in 89 trips to the plate against right-handed pitching, though his numbers against southpaws remained abysmal. Unfortunately for Diaz and the Marlins, the first basemans fortunes turned in 2022, when he slashed just .164/.224/.288 with a wRC+ of 44 in 174 trips to the plate.

After parts of three seasons in the big leagues with little to show for it, Diaz was designated for assignment by the Marlins early in the 2022-23 offseason. He rode the transactional carousel throughout much of the offseason last year, moving from Miami to Pittsburgh to Baltimore on the waiver wire before being traded to Atlanta and returning to the Orioles on waivers. Baltimore eventually managed to sneak Diaz through waivers successfully in mid-January and outrighted him to Triple-A as a potential lefty hitting complement to Ryan Mountcastle, though the club ended up utilizing the breakout of Ryan OHearn to fill that gap on the roster rather than Diazs services.

That left Diaz to spend the entire 2023 season in the minor leagues, where he slashed a solid .268/.362/.442 across 118 games. The solid season at Triple-A continued Diazs track record of solid work at the level; the lefty owns a slash line of .258/.341/.479 across 274 career games at the level. Now, Diaz is poised to join a Nationals club that recently saw Dominic Smith depart the organization for free agency. This spring, hell likely have the opportunity to earn a spot as the clubs first baseman, a role which hell likely compete with Joey Meneses for barring further external additions.
The Tigers announced Friday that catcher Donny Sands has been designated for assignment. His spot on the 40-man roster goes to right-hander Shelby Miller, whose previously reported one-year contract has now been formally announced by the club.

Sands, 27, came to the Tigers from the Phillies alongside Matt Vierling and Nick Maton in the trade sending left-hander Gregory Soto and utilityman Kody Clemens to the Phillies. The Tigers viewed him as some valuable, optionable depth behind the plate, but the performance of Jake Rogers in the Majors and some struggles from Sands in Triple-A combined to keep Sands in the upper minors all season.

In 371 trips to the plate with Triple-A Toledo, Sands hit .225/.318/.353. Even when backup catcher Eric Haase struggled in the majors and was designated for assignment, the Tigers went outside the organization to bring Carson Kelly aboard on a one-year deal with a 2024 club option. The Tigers exercised that option earlier this winter, and Kelly is now in line to serve as Rogers backup.

Sands still has one more minor league option year remaining, and hes posted roughly average framing grades in the upper minors. This past season, he logged a 24% caught-stealing rate. And, despite his scuffles in Toledo, Sands still carries a career .261/.352/.403 batting line parts of three Triple-A campaigns. Another club with some needs behind the dish could well hold interest in Sands, be it in a small trade or via a waiver claim. Detroit will have a week to find a trade partner or attempt to pass Sands through outright waivers.
Nancy Black Tribune Content Agency

Linda Black Horoscopes for Saturday, Dec. 23, 2023

Todays Birthday (12/23/23). Luck follows your heart this year. Disciplined communication builds collaboration. Winter changes affect your romantic or creative plans, before professional hurdles take focus this spring. Savor summertime fun with family. Solve a communications puzzle next autumn for a career boost. Connect with people you love.

To get the advantage, check the days rating: 10 is the easiest day, 0 the most challenging.

Aries (March 21-April 19)  Today is a 9  Take advantage of lucrative conditions. Focus attention on raking it in. Extra expenses require resolution. Envision exploration. Plan an upcoming trip. Study options.

Taurus (April 20-May 20)  Today is a 9  You see creative possibilities everywhere. Communication and collaboration leads to profits. Consider personal passions. Find areas of connection. Support each other for family gain.

Gemini (May 21-June 20)  Today is a 7  Private productivity suits your mood. Organize and clean. Rest and nurture yourself. Make time for peaceful rituals. Let your partner know your appreciation.

Cancer (June 21-July 22)  Today is a 7  Community connection grounds you steadily. Strengthen networks with participation. Coordinate your moves. Review health and fitness practices. Physical exercise is a pressure valve.

Leo (July 23-Aug. 22)  Today is an 8  Develop professional talents. Learn from anothers experience. Balance work and play to reduce stress and stay healthy. Review routines. Include exercise, good food and rest.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22)  Today is an 8  Explore and investigate. Youre making interesting connections. Someone draws you into another world. Share what youre learning. Review and revise creative projects. Polish the presentation.

Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22)  Today is a 7  Manage shared accounts and initiatives. Organize documents and files. Clean your home office area for growing productivity. Home comforts provide support. Its all for the family.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21)  Today is an 8  Collaborate with your partner. Your skills balance each other. Discover new potential in conversation. Youre especially creative now. Write everything down. Connect the dots.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21)  Today is an 8  Work for satisfying results. Nature feeds your spirit. Get out and move your body. Communication and coordination lead to financial rewards. Edit promotions carefully.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19)  Today is an 8  Beauty inspires your creativity. Find and follow a passionate connection. Youre especially eloquent right now. Listen to your heart. Kindle some sweet romance.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18)  Today is an 8  Find simple fun at home. Get creative with arts and crafts. Reorganize and reinvent your spaces. Cook up something dreamy. Savor privacy, nostalgia and retrospection.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20)  Today is a 9  Creative projects come together. When your heart gets stirred, youre especially eloquent. Talk to friends about interesting possibilities and dreams. Your team elevates the message.

Astrologer Nancy Black continues her mother Linda Blacks legacy horoscopes column. She welcomes comments and questions on Twitter, @LindaCBlack. For more astrological interpretations like todays Gemini horoscope, visit Linda Black Astrology by clicking daily horoscopes, or go to www.nancyblack.com.

2023 Nancy Black. All rights reserved. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP)  Minnesotas new state flag should feature an eight-pointed North Star against a dark blue background shaped like the state, with a solid light blue field at the right, a special commission decided Tuesday as it picked a replacement for an older design that many Native Americans considered offensive.

The State Emblems Redesign Commission chose the final version on an 11-1 vote after finalizing a new state seal that depicts a loon, the state bird. Unless the Legislature rejects them, the new flag and seal will automatically become official April 1, 2024, when Minnesota observes Statehood Day.

The star echoes Minnesotas state motto of Star of the North. The commissions chairman, Luis Fitch, said that to him, the light blue represents the Mississippi River, the most important river in the United States, pointing to the North Star. But he acknowledged it could mean other things to other people. Symmetry and simplicity won out over other versions, including ones that included a green stripe for the states agricultural heritage.

The new flag is a revised version of a design submitted by Andrew Prekker, 24, of Luverne, who said he was grateful and amazed for the rare privilege of being able to contribute to state history.

Its an achievement that I hope brings a lot of unity and pride to our land, and I will hold that fact with great honor for the rest of my life, Prekker said in a statement read to the commission. It is my greatest hope that this new flag can finally represent our state and all of its people properly  that every Minnesotan of every background, including the Indigenous communities and tribal nations whove been historically excluded, can look up at our flag with pride and honor and see themselves within it.

Minnesotas current flag dates from 1957, an update from the 1893 original. It includes the current state seal, slightly tweaked from the 1858 original, which depicts a Native American riding off into the sunset while a white settler plows his field with his rifle leaning on a nearby stump. Critics say that imagery suggests the Indigenous people were defeated and going away, while whites won and were staying.

The states 11 recognized Dakota and Ojibwe tribes consider the previous design offensive. And experts in the study of flags  known as vexillology  say its overly complicated, that ideally a child should be able to draw a state flag.

The North American Vexillological Association ranks Minnesotas old flag in 67th place out of 72 U.S. and Canadian state and provincial flags. Fitch said experts from the group rated the final choice an A-plus.

The commission included members of the states tribal and other communities of color. It settled last week on a new seal featuring a loon and the Dakota name for Minnesota: Mni Sota Makoce, which can be translated as where the water meets the sky. On Tuesday, commissioners voted to increase the number of gold bars on the rim from 87  one for each county  to 98 to include the 11 tribes.

It remains to be seen whether the new flag and seal become the symbols of unity that their supporters hope. Two Republican nonvoting members of the commission, Rep. Bjorn Olson and Sen. Steve Drazkowski, plan to submit a minority report to the Legislature. Olson said they believe the chosen seal violates the statute that created the commission, which is supposed to select a unifying symbol. With the Dakota name on the seal, Drazkowski said, its raising one race above all the races of Minnesota. Olson also said the process was too rushed, and that Minnesotans should vote on both the flag and seal next November.

But Democratic Secretary of State Steve Simon, a voting member, said his office studied the issue and reached a tentative conclusion that such a vote would be unconstitutional because Minnesota law doesnt allow for statewide initiatives and referendums.

Several other states also have been redesigning outdated flags. The Utah Legislature last winter approved a simplified design that still includes a beehive, a symbol of the prosperity and industriousness of its Mormon pioneers. Mississippi voters in 2020 chose a new flag with a magnolia to replace a Confederate-themed flag that was widely condemned as racist.

Other states considering simplifying their flags include Michigan,Illinois and Maine, where voters will decide next year whether to replace their current banner with a retro version featuring a simple pine tree and blue North Star.

__

By STEVE KARNOWSKI Associated Press
MACOMB COUNTY, MI  A 17-year-old student is being held for an alleged sexual assault that occurred at a Michigan high school.

The teen, who has not been identified by name, is a student at Henry Ford High School where the alleged assault of another student took place.

Macomb County prosecutors are seeking to waive the case to the Macomb County Circuit Court where the juvenile can be tried as an adult.

This is a serious crime, and we will treat it as such. We will continue to pursue justice and seek accountability for the victim, said Macomb County Prosecutor Peter J. Lucido.

The alleged assault occurred on Dec. 12. The juvenile has been charged with third degree criminal sexual conduct, a 15-year felony.

The juveniles next court date is at 8:30 a.m. on Jan. 8.
KENT COUNTY, MI  Investigators suspect a faulty boiler was the cause of a carbon monoxide leak that may have contributed to the deaths of three family members in an Alpine Township home.

The three people  an 86-year-old man, his 81-year-old wife and the couples 61-year-old son  were found dead Friday afternoon, Dec. 22, at a home in the 4800 Block of Stage Ave NW about seven miles northwest of Grand Rapids.

Kent County sheriffs deputies have not yet released any suspected causes of death, saying that those determinations will come after autopsies are performed.

However, deputies on Friday noted that nothing appeared suspicious in the home and that it is possible the deaths are related to the high levels of carbon monoxide found in the home when firefighters arrived.

Related: Three found dead in Grand Rapids area home, investigators find high carbon monoxide level

When Alpine Township firefighters arrived at the home around 2:30 p.m. Friday on a report of three unresponsive people, they detected high levels of carbon monoxide in the house, which required ventilation before deputies could safely enter.

Alpine Township Deputy Fire Chief Jeremy Kelly said Saturday that a faulty boiler in the home is the suspected source of the carbon monoxide leak.

The names of those found dead have not yet been released.
GRAND RAPIDS, MI - LaSandra Sandra Gaddy has been named the new president and CEO of the Grand Rapids Community Foundation.

Gaddy, the current CEO of the Womens Resource Center in Grand Rapids, will officially take the reins at the Community Foundation on Feb. 5, 2024.

She replaces Diana Sieger, who was appointed president and CEO of the organization in 1987. Sieger retired earlier this year after working 35 years on addressing key issues to support residents in West Michigan.

Under her leadership, the organization grew its financial assets from $38 million to $387 million and from a staff of three to more than 30.

Related: Grand Rapids Community Foundation president to retire after 35 years of leadership

Grand Rapids Community Foundation is fortunate to have LaSandra serve as our next president and CEO, said Kyle D. Caldwell, chair of the Community Foundations Board of Trustees and president and CEO of Council of Michigan Foundations. Her thoughtful, courageous and effective reputation and results ensure that the decades of transformative, equity-centered and engaging leadership of the Community Foundation will continue and grow.

A Grand Rapids native, Gaddy developed and led the Womens Resource Center through a four-year restructuring process, increased the number of women of color served by more than 30%, and expanded programming into Muskegon and Ottawa Counties, the release said.

She previously served as vice president of advancement for Inner City Christian Federation, and chief communication and development officer for Mel Trotter Ministries. Before her work as a nonprofit executive, she spent 15 years in banking, including as a vice president in retail, business banking and wealth management.

In a prepared statement, Gaddy said that leading the Womens Resource Center over the past seven years has been an honor.

The work of securing a brighter economic future for women and their families will continue to reach new heights through the dedicated staff of professionals, Board of Directors, volunteers, and generous donors, she stated. I look forward to joining the team at Grand Rapids Community Foundation and building upon its legacy as a trusted steward of philanthropy across West Michigan.

As the Community Foundation enters a new era of impact, Gaddy will have the opportunity to expand its scope and activity, guiding the board and staff in their fundraising, grantmaking and community leadership efforts, the release said.

She will assume her responsibilities as president and CEO on Feb. 5, 2024. In the interim, both the Community Foundation and Womens Resource Center will work closely to ensure a smooth transition and continued partnership.

Gaddy graduated earned a Bachelor of Science degree at Cornerstone University and completed her MBA at Grand Valley State University.

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KALAMAZOO, MI -- Chaos is how Kalamazoo artist Olivia Mendoza described her business during the holiday season.

As the temperature drops, Mendoza said artists must juggle prepping inventory, packaging orders, attending art fairs and preparing custom pieces. Preparations begin in October or earlier, she said.

You have to think about it much further in advance then oh people are Christmas shopping, people start holiday shopping end of November, beginning of December, Mendoza said.

Mendoza sells realistic illustrations of nature scenes. She began selling art independently in 2018 after graduating with a degree in medical illustration from Kendall College of Art & Design in 2016. This year she expanded her business to online retail after previously focusing on in-person sales.

Its daunting because you do all of the listing yourself, you do all of the manufacturing, packaging, advertising, organizing, all of it, Mendoza said.

For local painter Shaquona Espinoza, sales increase as the holidays approach. She said the increase is particularly noticeable for custom pieces.

Espinoza said her paintings lean toward the abstract. For example, she said a custom ocean painting is less about what the ocean looks like and more about the feeling the client desires in the piece.

Im wondering if (its) based on a scene or a space where they feel safe, Espinoza said.

Espinozas work can be found at Factory Coffee at 213 E Frank St. She also has pieces up at The Space, an art gallery at 320 E Michigan Ave.

To price paintings, Espinoza considers the canvas size and her budget at the time. If money isnt tight, sometimes shell lower the price. She said she was recently able to sell 8 x 10 canvases for $25 instead of the $80 they are normally priced.

If I do need (the money) then its like okay, how can I use my artistry to stabilize my life financially, Espinoza said.

Mendoza said she approaches pricing, similarly, noting that having wiggle room on pricing is harder as the cost of living rises. The cost increases affect consumer shopping too.

For example, she said when a trip to the grocery store costs more, theres less money to spend on luxuries like art.

The same person who frequents my business, last year theyll buy four things, this year theyll buy two or one, Mendoza said. Money is tight for everyone right now.

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LANSING, MI  Tucked away in a second floor conference room of a hotel in downtown Lansing, Shawn Sutherlin makes a plea to let others like him find justice.

Sutherlin was 16-years-old when first approached by now convicted sex offender Gerald Sutter, who refereed at the same Lansing sports facility the teen worked concessions at. He said Sutter identified him as a vulnerable kid, just before he groomed, manipulated, isolated and then sexually exploited (me) at my own fear of judgement.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, December 23. The Iranian foreign ministry has called in the Russian Charge d'affaires in Tehran to lodge a protest against the recent joint statement issued during the 6th Russian-Arab Cooperation Forum, Trend reports.

In the absence of the neighboring country's ambassador, the Russian Charge d'affaires in Tehran was summoned on Saturday evening by the Assistant Director General of the Persian Gulf Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Tehran. The government of the Islamic Republic of Iran strongly protested against the Russian government's continuous support for the unfounded claims mentioned in the statement of the 6th Russian-Arab Cooperation Forum, which took place recently in Morocco. Iran's foreign ministry conveyed this protest through an official letter submitted to the Russian side.

Earlier on Thursday, the Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Nasser Kan'ani, had already rejected and condemned the inclusion of baseless claims in the statement of the 6th Russian-Arab Cooperation Forum regarding Irans trio islands, namely Abu Musa, Greater Tunb, and Lesser Tunb, situated in the Persian Gulf.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, December 23. Forty trucks delivering humanitarian aid to residents of the Gaza Strip are heading to the Palestinian enclave through the Rafah checkpoint, Trend reports.

Six diesel fuel tankers were also reported to have crossed the border into Gaza. Since early Saturday morning, 250 people with dual citizenship have been evacuated from the Palestinian enclave to Egyptian territory.

A combined attack was carried out on Israel on October 7. 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.

Israel declared a state of war after a massive rocket attack from the Gaza Strip. Moreover, Israel Defense Minister Yoav Gallant announced a mass gathering of reservists.
The Scottish American Investment Co PLC (LON:SCAM  Get Free Report) shares crossed above its 50-day moving average during trading on Wednesday . The stock has a 50-day moving average of GBX 417.50 ($5.28) and traded as high as GBX 418.67 ($5.29). Scottish American Investment shares last traded at GBX 417.50 ($5.28), with a volume of 170,822 shares.

Scottish American Investment Stock Performance

The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of GBX 417.50 and a 200 day simple moving average of GBX 417.50. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 14.49, a current ratio of 3.80 and a quick ratio of 3.80. The company has a market capitalization of 603.25 million and a PE ratio of 9.08.

About Scottish American Investment

(Get Free Report)

The Scottish American Investment Company P.L.C. is a closed-ended equity mutual fund launched and managed by Baillie Gifford & Co Ltd. The fund is co-managed by Baillie Gifford & Co and OLIM Property Limited. It invests in public equity markets across the globe. The fund seeks to invest in stocks of companies operating across diversified sectors.

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Altium Limited (OTCMKTS:ALMFF  Get Free Report) shares shot up 1.9% on Friday . The company traded as high as $30.99 and last traded at $30.58. 525 shares traded hands during trading, a decline of 15% from the average session volume of 615 shares. The stock had previously closed at $30.00.

Altium Stock Performance

The stock has a 50 day simple moving average of $27.86 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $26.92.

About Altium

(Get Free Report)

Altium Limited develops and sells computer software for the design of electronic products in the United States and internationally. It operates through two segments: Design Software; and Cloud Platform. The company offers printed circuit board (PCB) design software products, including Altium Designer, Altium 365 viewer, CircuitStudio, and CircuitMaker.

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Dominos Pizza (NYSE: DPZ) has recently received a number of price target changes and ratings updates:

12/20/2023  Dominos Pizza is now covered by analysts at HSBC Holdings plc. They set a buy rating and a $466.00 price target on the stock.

12/11/2023  Dominos Pizza was downgraded by analysts at Piper Sandler from an overweight rating to a neutral rating. They now have a $400.00 price target on the stock, down previously from $401.00.

12/11/2023  Dominos Pizza was upgraded by analysts at Benchmark Co. from a hold rating to a buy rating. They now have a $455.00 price target on the stock.

12/8/2023  Dominos Pizza had its price target raised by analysts at Barclays PLC from $330.00 to $340.00. They now have an underweight rating on the stock.

12/8/2023  Dominos Pizza had its price target raised by analysts at JPMorgan Chase & Co. from $410.00 to $420.00. They now have an overweight rating on the stock.

12/8/2023  Dominos Pizza had its price target raised by analysts at Morgan Stanley from $435.00 to $455.00. They now have an overweight rating on the stock.

12/8/2023  Dominos Pizza had its price target raised by analysts at BMO Capital Markets from $455.00 to $475.00. They now have an outperform rating on the stock.

12/8/2023  Dominos Pizza had its price target raised by analysts at Evercore ISI from $435.00 to $450.00. They now have an outperform rating on the stock.

12/8/2023  Dominos Pizza had its price target raised by analysts at TD Cowen from $430.00 to $470.00. They now have an outperform rating on the stock.

12/8/2023  Dominos Pizza had its price target raised by analysts at Citigroup Inc. from $396.00 to $424.00. They now have a neutral rating on the stock.

12/8/2023  Dominos Pizza had its price target raised by analysts at Stephens from $365.00 to $400.00. They now have an equal weight rating on the stock.

11/28/2023  Dominos Pizza had its buy rating reaffirmed by analysts at Stifel Nicolaus. They now have a $430.00 price target on the stock.

11/27/2023  Dominos Pizza had its price target raised by analysts at TD Cowen from $410.00 to $430.00. They now have an outperform rating on the stock.

Dominos Pizza Trading Up 0.3 %

DPZ traded up $1.04 during trading on Friday, hitting $409.84. 381,195 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 680,737. Dominos Pizza, Inc. has a 1 year low of $285.84 and a 1 year high of $415.81. The company has a market cap of $14.30 billion, a PE ratio of 28.03, a P/E/G ratio of 2.19 and a beta of 0.88. The stocks 50-day simple moving average is $374.14 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $369.62.

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Dominos Pizza (NYSE:DPZ  Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, October 12th. The restaurant operator reported $4.18 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $3.31 by $0.87. Dominos Pizza had a net margin of 11.64% and a negative return on equity of 12.50%. The business had revenue of $1.03 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $1.05 billion. During the same period last year, the company posted $2.79 EPS. The businesss revenue was down 3.9% on a year-over-year basis. Equities analysts expect that Dominos Pizza, Inc. will post 14.51 EPS for the current year.

Dominos Pizza Dividend Announcement

Insider Buying and Selling

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, December 29th. Investors of record on Friday, December 15th will be paid a dividend of $1.21 per share. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, December 14th. This represents a $4.84 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.18%. Dominos Pizzas dividend payout ratio is presently 33.11%.

In related news, Director Andy Ballard sold 428 shares of Dominos Pizza stock in a transaction dated Thursday, November 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $350.14, for a total transaction of $149,859.92. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now directly owns 2,307 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $807,772.98. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. In related news, EVP Lisa V. Price sold 4,940 shares of Dominos Pizza stock in a transaction dated Thursday, November 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $350.00, for a total transaction of $1,729,000.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now owns 4,028 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,409,800. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Also, Director Andy Ballard sold 428 shares of Dominos Pizza stock in a transaction dated Thursday, November 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $350.14, for a total transaction of $149,859.92. Following the sale, the director now owns 2,307 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $807,772.98. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 0.76% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Dominos Pizza

Large investors have recently modified their holdings of the business. Sunbelt Securities Inc. grew its position in shares of Dominos Pizza by 35.4% in the 3rd quarter. Sunbelt Securities Inc. now owns 1,454 shares of the restaurant operators stock worth $551,000 after buying an additional 380 shares during the last quarter. VisionPoint Advisory Group LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Dominos Pizza by 27.9% during the third quarter. VisionPoint Advisory Group LLC now owns 307 shares of the restaurant operators stock worth $116,000 after purchasing an additional 67 shares during the period. Wellington Management Group LLP purchased a new position in Dominos Pizza during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $219,000. American Century Companies Inc. lifted its stake in Dominos Pizza by 243.8% during the 3rd quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 7,123 shares of the restaurant operators stock valued at $2,698,000 after acquiring an additional 5,051 shares during the period. Finally, Deutsche Bank AG lifted its stake in Dominos Pizza by 41.2% during the 3rd quarter. Deutsche Bank AG now owns 112,487 shares of the restaurant operators stock valued at $42,609,000 after acquiring an additional 32,797 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 92.27% of the companys stock.

Domino's Pizza, Inc, through its subsidiaries, operates as a pizza company in the United States and internationally. The company operates through three segments: U.S. Stores, International Franchise, and Supply Chain. It offers pizzas under the Domino's brand name through company-owned and franchised stores.

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Bread Financial Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:BFH  Get Free Report) major shareholder Turtle Creek Asset Management sold 25,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, December 22nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $33.73, for a total transaction of $843,250.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now directly owns 327,527 shares in the company, valued at $11,047,485.71. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Major shareholders that own more than 10% of a companys stock are required to disclose their sales and purchases with the SEC.

Turtle Creek Asset Management also recently made the following trade(s):

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On Wednesday, December 20th, Turtle Creek Asset Management sold 25,000 shares of Bread Financial stock. The stock was sold at an average price of $33.34, for a total transaction of $833,500.00.

On Monday, December 18th, Turtle Creek Asset Management sold 21,000 shares of Bread Financial stock. The stock was sold at an average price of $33.24, for a total transaction of $698,040.00.

On Thursday, December 14th, Turtle Creek Asset Management sold 18,000 shares of Bread Financial stock. The shares were sold at an average price of $34.44, for a total transaction of $619,920.00.

On Monday, December 11th, Turtle Creek Asset Management sold 25,000 shares of Bread Financial stock. The shares were sold at an average price of $31.07, for a total transaction of $776,750.00.

On Thursday, December 7th, Turtle Creek Asset Management sold 25,000 shares of Bread Financial stock. The shares were sold at an average price of $30.51, for a total transaction of $762,750.00.

On Tuesday, December 5th, Turtle Creek Asset Management sold 20,000 shares of Bread Financial stock. The shares were sold at an average price of $28.98, for a total transaction of $579,600.00.

Bread Financial Stock Down 1.0 %

Shares of NYSE:BFH traded down $0.34 during midday trading on Friday, reaching $33.83. The company had a trading volume of 679,237 shares, compared to its average volume of 815,113. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.48, a current ratio of 1.18 and a quick ratio of 1.18. The stocks fifty day moving average price is $29.23 and its 200-day moving average price is $32.90. The stock has a market capitalization of $1.67 billion, a P/E ratio of 3.14, a PEG ratio of 0.09 and a beta of 1.96. Bread Financial Holdings, Inc. has a one year low of $23.19 and a one year high of $44.52.

Bread Financial Dividend Announcement

Bread Financial ( NYSE:BFH Get Free Report ) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, October 26th. The company reported $3.46 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $2.24 by $1.22. The business had revenue of $1.03 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $996.07 million. Bread Financial had a net margin of 10.50% and a return on equity of 21.09%. The businesss revenue was up 5.3% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $2.69 earnings per share. Equities research analysts expect that Bread Financial Holdings, Inc. will post 12.96 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, December 15th. Investors of record on Monday, November 13th were paid a $0.21 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Friday, November 10th. This represents a $0.84 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.48%. Bread Financials dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 7.80%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Bread Financial

A number of hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in BFH. Royal Bank of Canada acquired a new position in Bread Financial in the third quarter worth $948,000. Macquarie Group Ltd. acquired a new position in Bread Financial in the third quarter worth $44,000. BlackRock Inc. acquired a new position in Bread Financial in the third quarter worth $153,464,000. Bank of New York Mellon Corp acquired a new position in Bread Financial in the third quarter worth $21,151,000. Finally, First Trust Advisors LP acquired a new position in Bread Financial in the third quarter worth $3,333,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 99.52% of the companys stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of brokerages have weighed in on BFH. TD Cowen began coverage on shares of Bread Financial in a research report on Wednesday, November 1st. They set a market perform rating on the stock. Raymond James reiterated a sector perform rating and set a $43.00 price objective (down previously from $46.00) on shares of Bread Financial in a research note on Tuesday, September 5th. Royal Bank of Canada lowered shares of Bread Financial from an outperform rating to a sector perform rating and dropped their price objective for the company from $46.00 to $43.00 in a research note on Tuesday, September 5th. Morgan Stanley lowered shares of Bread Financial from an equal weight rating to an underweight rating and dropped their price objective for the company from $31.00 to $25.00 in a research note on Wednesday, December 13th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered shares of Bread Financial from an overweight rating to a neutral rating and dropped their price objective for the company from $42.00 to $36.00 in a research note on Monday. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, six have issued a hold rating and one has given a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $36.89.

Read Our Latest Research Report on BFH

About Bread Financial

(Get Free Report)

Bread Financial Holdings, Inc provides tech-forward payment and lending solutions to customers and consumer-based industries in North America. It offers credit card and other loans financing services, including risk management solutions, account origination, and funding services for private label and co-brand credit card programs, as well as through Bread partnerships; and Comenity-branded general purpose cash-back credit.

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Svenska Cellulosa Aktiebolaget SCA (publ) (OTCMKTS:SVCBF  Get Free Report)s stock price traded down 0.6% on Friday . The stock traded as low as $14.76 and last traded at $14.76. 813 shares changed hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 91% from the average session volume of 9,118 shares. The stock had previously closed at $14.85.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Separately, JPMorgan Chase & Co. assumed coverage on shares of Svenska Cellulosa Aktiebolaget SCA (publ) in a report on Wednesday, October 11th. They set a neutral rating on the stock.

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Svenska Cellulosa Aktiebolaget SCA (publ) Trading Down 0.6 %

Svenska Cellulosa Aktiebolaget SCA (publ) Company Profile

The businesss fifty day moving average is $14.30 and its 200 day moving average is $13.43.

(Get Free Report)

Svenska Cellulosa Aktiebolaget SCA (publ), a forest products company, develops, manufactures, and sells forest, wood, pulp, and containerboard products in Sweden, the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom, rest of Europe, Asia, and internationally. The company offers various sawn wood products; wood solutions for industrial buildings comprise construction timber, outer panels, dimensionally planed timber, laths, base rafters, planks, and shaped timber products; wood solutions for merchants include joists, batten, and untreated and painted outer panel, as well as pressure-impregnated wood products; and marine and land transportation services, including forwarding services using RoRo vessels, container express, and road and rail.

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Tortoise North American Pipeline Fund (NYSEARCA:TPYP  Get Free Report)s stock price was up 0.4% during mid-day trading on Friday . The stock traded as high as $26.43 and last traded at $26.26. Approximately 51,130 shares were traded during trading, a decline of 25% from the average daily volume of 68,218 shares. The stock had previously closed at $26.14.

Tortoise North American Pipeline Fund Price Performance

The firms 50 day simple moving average is $25.44 and its 200-day simple moving average is $25.08. The company has a market cap of $515.91 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 17.78 and a beta of 1.09.

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Institutional Trading of Tortoise North American Pipeline Fund

A number of large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Sandy Spring Bank boosted its stake in Tortoise North American Pipeline Fund by 3.2% during the 3rd quarter. Sandy Spring Bank now owns 37,576 shares of the companys stock worth $919,000 after purchasing an additional 1,155 shares during the period. Edmonds Duncan Registered Investment Advisors LLC raised its position in Tortoise North American Pipeline Fund by 0.5% during the 3rd quarter. Edmonds Duncan Registered Investment Advisors LLC now owns 236,085 shares of the companys stock worth $5,772,000 after buying an additional 1,141 shares during the last quarter. Captrust Financial Advisors purchased a new position in Tortoise North American Pipeline Fund during the 2nd quarter worth $207,000. Foster & Motley Inc. raised its position in Tortoise North American Pipeline Fund by 2.8% during the 2nd quarter. Foster & Motley Inc. now owns 694,482 shares of the companys stock worth $17,121,000 after buying an additional 18,766 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. raised its position in Tortoise North American Pipeline Fund by 11.5% during the 2nd quarter. Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. now owns 4,779 shares of the companys stock worth $118,000 after buying an additional 494 shares during the last quarter.

Tortoise North American Pipeline Fund Company Profile

The Tortoise North American Pipeline Fund (TPYP) is an exchange-traded fund that is based on the Tortoise North American Pipeline index. The fund tracks an index of North American pipeline entities organized as MLPs, MLP affiliates, LLCs, and corporations. TPYP was launched on Jun 30, 2015 and is managed by Tortoise.

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The Western Investment Company of Canada Limited (CVE:WI  Get Free Report)s share price shot up 2.4% during trading on Friday . The company traded as high as C$0.43 and last traded at C$0.43. 80,000 shares were traded during mid-day trading, an increase of 82% from the average session volume of 43,859 shares. The stock had previously closed at C$0.42.

Western Investment Company of Canada Trading Up 2.4 %

The company has a quick ratio of 0.07, a current ratio of 0.05 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 48.18. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of C$0.41 and a 200 day simple moving average of C$0.40. The firm has a market capitalization of C$12.99 million, a P/E ratio of 10.75 and a beta of 0.81.

About Western Investment Company of Canada

(Get Free Report)

The Western Investment Company of Canada Limited, is a private equity firm specializing in buyout and middle market investments. It seeks investments in retail and distribution, human services, agriculture and related services and special situations. The firm prefers to invest in USA and Canada with a focus in companies which are headquartered in Western Canada like Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba and Saskatchewan.

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BAKU, Azerbaijan, December 23. The UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, has expressed the view that repeating the grain deal would not make sense. During a conversation with media representatives, he noted that it is important to develop new conditions that would facilitate free navigation in the waters of the Black Sea, Trend reports.

I dont see any point in repeating the grain deal, he emphasized. The grain deal came to an end on July 17 when the Russian leadership refused to renew the agreement. Dmitry Peskov, press secretary of the Russian president, explained that this decision was due to the systematic failure to comply with the conditions set by Moscow as part of the deal.
The American 58-year-old actor Charlie Sheen, involved in many high-profile scandals, was attacked. The Los Angeles police detained his neighbor, who, according to the actor, strangled him.

ADVERTISIMENT

After that, the attacker allegedly returned home, and Sheen called the police, who detained the woman. The actor was not taken to the hospital, but paramedics did arrive at the scene, TMZ writes.

The artist explained that he heard a knock on the door on a Wednesday evening, December 20. When he opened the door, he saw a 47-year-old neighbor with whom he had previously had a conflict. She allegedly attacked the star from the doorway, tore his shirt and began to strangle him.

After that, the woman apparently robbed a neighbor. According to the newspaper, she was detained and charged with assault with a weapon and burglary.

ADVERTISIMENT

The victim told the police that he had recently found a sticky substance on his car and thought it was his neighbor who had spilled it. They talked about it and agreed to "leave the past in the past."

On the day of the attack, according to Sheen, she left garbage under the actor's door.

It is not known for certain what caused the woman's mischief and armed attack, but there are scandalous episodes in Sheen's biography, including a quarrel with neighbors. Once in a hotel, guests called the police because of the noise in the celebrity's room. He barricaded himself and refused to make contact.

Charlie Sheen is one of the most controversial actors in Hollywood. He has had many leading roles, prestigious awards, and successful projects, but at the same time, he has been involved in scandals and embarrassments for decades.

ADVERTISIMENT

He has been known to assault women, have drug and gambling addictions, high-profile divorces, and even been accused of sending intimate photos of himself. In 2011, Sheen set a world record in the Guinness Book of World Records for the fastest Twitter follower gain, namely 129 thousand people per month. Everyone was interested in following the actor's life and his scandalous statements.

In recent years, he has calmed down and appeared in fewer headlines, but he hasn't given up his career.

Earlier, OBOZ.UA wrote about the disappearance of "Mr. Bean", the secret of his flaw, and how Rowan Atkinson with an IQ of 178 became a hostage to one role.

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Only verified information is available on OBOZ.UA Telegram and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
Invite your friends and family to sign up for MC Tech 3, our daily newsletter that breaks down the biggest tech and startup stories of the day
The Christmas holidays are undoubtedly a season of love and warmth, but scientists warn that you should be extremely careful when it comes to sexual relations. Experts have found that the Christmas period marks a high risk of penile fractures.

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This happens as a result of strong bending during sexual intercourse. This is reported by The Guardian.

"This injury typically occurs during wild sex, especially in positions where you are not in direct eye contact with your partner," said Dr. Nicholas Pirgides, a urologist at Ludwig Maximilians University of Munich who led the research. A fracture is usually indicated by a cracking sound, accompanied by severe pain, rapid loss of erection, swelling and bruising.

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Aware of the risks of such a sensitive topic, Pirgides and colleagues analyzed data from more than three thousand male patients who sustained penile fractures in Germany between 2005 and 2021. The result showed that the number of cases increases at Christmas. The study, published in the British Journal of Urology International, also determined that the risk is higher on weekends and during summer vacations.

"Most penile fractures occur in non-traditional scenarios, such as during extramarital sex or through sex in an unusual location," explained Pirgides, adding that men aged 40+ are at risk.

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He advised couples to be aware of possible injuries and to exercise caution in the run-up to Christmas. "If this does happen, you should immediately contact your doctor, as there is a risk of serious complications," he said.

Earlier, OBOZ.UA talked about a little-known syndrome that can ruin your personal life: what are its signs and what to do.

Only verified information is available on the OBOZ.UA Telegram channel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
Recently, the US filmmakers have decided on a short list of nominees for the prestigious 2024 Oscars. The list includes the documentary 20 Days in Mariupol by Ukrainian director Mstyslav Chernov.

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It was recognized in two categories, which increases the film's chances of winning. The full shortlist is available on the Oscars website.

The film 20 Days in Mariupol was shortlisted in the Documentary Feature and International Feature categories. In total, the nominees were announced in 10 categories, with 15 films in each category, which will be shortlisted to 5.

Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Mstyslav Chernov and the Associated Press team he works with within the United States arrived in long-suffering Mariupol just hours before the full-scale Russian invasion.

They became the only representatives of the international press who were directly in the epicenter of the city's destruction during those terrible days. The footage taken by the team traveled around the world and became important evidence that the Russians were committing genocide.

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20 Days in Mariupol is a story of journalists, soldiers and civilians who balanced between life and death and saw with their own eyes what others can hardly even imagine.

On March 15, the team managed to get out of the encirclement through the "green corridor." Before that, they filmed the destruction of a maternity hospital, mass graves, murders and other horrific things that were caused by the Russians.

The documentary had its world premiere at the Sundance Independent Film Festival. This year, it was nominated for the Cinema Eye Awards, The Gotham Awards, and finally for the Oscars.

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The final nominees for the 96th Academy Awards will be announced on Tuesday, January 23, 2024. The ceremony itself will take place on March 11.

Earlier, OBOZ.UA wrote that on January 18, 2024, the film Nezavershenyi Polit (Unfinished Flight) will be released. The documentary will be dedicated to the study of the phenomenon of the former Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine Denys Monastyrskyi, who died almost a year ago in a plane crash in Brovary.

Only verified information is available on our Telegram OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
You have permission to edit this article.

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The Galaxy Leader cargo ship is escorted by Houthi boats in the Red Sea in this photo released November 20, 2023.
The Ministry of Communities, Territories and Infrastructure of Ukraine and the Ministry of Infrastructure of Poland agreed on an action plan to unblock the border. The parties agreed on common positions and reached an understanding of compromise solutions and their implementation.

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This was reportedby the Ukrainian ministry on Facebook. It was noted that the relevant topic was discussed on December 20 by the heads of the ministries Oleksandr Kubrakov and Dariusz Klimczak and continued on December 22 by their deputies Serhii Derkach, Yurii Vaskov and Pawe Gancarz.

"The parties have reached an understanding of compromise solutions and their implementation. The next stage is negotiations at the level of the Ministry of Infrastructure of Poland and the protesters," the statement said.

The agency also added that the issue of amendments to the current Agreement on the Liberalization of Freight Transportation is not being discussed.

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As a reminder, on December 18, the blockade of the largest checkpoint on the border between Poland and Ukraine, Yagodyn-Dorohusk, resumed. It may last until spring, and not only Polish carriers but also farmers are going to participate in it. As a result, all four cargo checkpoints on the border between Ukraine and Poland were blocked.

The organizers of the protest plan to let only 1 truck through per hour. At the same time, they inform that vehicles carrying security and humanitarian cargo, as well as those transporting animals, perishable food, etc. will be allowed to pass. The protesters do not plan to interfere with the movement of buses.

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As reported by OBOZ.UA, the demands of Polish farmers who joined the blockade of the Polish border are not the same as those of the carriers. The farmers want to ban sugar from Ukraine and get cash payments from their government.

Only verified information is available on our Telegram OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
AP PHOTOS: Estonia, one of the first countries to introduce Christmas trees, celebrates the holiday

AP PHOTOS: Estonia, one of the first countries to introduce Christmas trees, celebrates the holiday View Photo

TALLINN, Estonia (AP)  Christmas trees started appearing in Central Europe and the Baltic States, including Estonia, as early as the Middle Ages and have now become traditional across much of the world.

Dec. 22 is the shortest day of the year and in Estonia, as in many parts of the world, trees covered with lights brighten up homes and town squares during the Winter Solstice and Christmas festivities afterward.

In order to grow a 2.5-meter (8-foot) Christmas tree, Arvo Palumae, co-owner of a Christmas tree farm he started 14 years ago, waits 8 years before carefully selecting it, shaping it during the summer months and cutting it for delivery. But while some Estonians buy trees directly from him, they are also able to cut their own.

The State Forest Management Centre provides Estonians with a map of forests showing locations of trees they can cut down themselves. They advise people to avoid trees near power lines and encourage Estonians to plant spruces in the forests to make sure there are Christmas trees for generations to come.

Estonia largely exports trees to the European Union. It also exported Christmas trees to Russia before the countrys invasion of Ukraine stopped trade.

After the holidays, Christmas trees in Estonia are turned into wood shavings or even used to flavor beverages.
Christians in Lebanons tense border area prepare to celebrate a subdued Christmas View Photo

AIN EBEL, Lebanon (AP)  Christians in the border villages of south Lebanon prepared for a subdued Christmas under the shadow of the ongoing war in Gaza and its spillover in Lebanon.

While in Beirut restaurants were packed and hundreds flocked to Christmas markets in the days leading up to the holiday, in the border towns houses were empty and businesses shuttered. The residents have fled to stay with relatives or in rented apartments in Beirut or other areas farther from the conflict.

Since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war on Oct. 7, the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah and Israeli forces have engaged in near-daily clashes on the border that have killed around 150 people on the Lebanese side  most of them fighters with Hezbollah and allied groups, but also at least 17 civilians, according to a tally by The Associated Press.

Some 72,437 people in Lebanon are displaced, according to the International Organization for Migration.

In the majority-Christian village of Ain Ebel, U.N. peacekeepers handed out toys at a private school on Saturday to some 250 children whose families have remained there and in the nearby villages of Rmeish and Debel.

Saint-Joseph des Saints-Curs School, like most in the area, has been closed amid the fighting, which has killed three of their students.

The three sisters  Rimas Shor, 14; Talin Shor, 12; and Layan Shor, 10  were killed along with their grandmother, Samira Abdul-Hussein Ayoub, by a Israeli strike that hit the car they were riding in on Nov. 5.

Weve been living war in every sense of the word, said Sister Maya Beaino, the head of the school. Three quarters of the village has fled. The people who stayed are in a state of sadness and no one has put up decorations or even a tree in their house.

Still, Beaino said she hoped the small celebration of the holy day would help to keep peoples spirits strong.

As soon as there is a ceasefire, we will reopen the school, she said.

Charbel Louka, 12, came to the toy distribution with his family, who have remained in the nearby village of Debel. At first, Louka said he was afraid of the sounds of shelling, but after a while, we got used to it.

Adding a further grim note in the runup to the holiday, heavy storms flooded roads throughout the country on Saturday, setting cars adrift and killing four Syrian refugee children in northern Lebanon when the ceiling of their home collapsed and the building flooded.

In the southern village of Rmeish, about 2 kilometers from the border, where smoke rises daily from the surrounding hills from shelling and airstrikes, Mayor Milad Alam said there is no holiday atmosphere at all.

The local church has canceled its usual Christmas Eve nighttime Mass due to security concerns but will hold it on the morning of Christmas Day. Santa Claus will hand out gifts on Sunday afternoon to the few children remaining in the village.

Its not a celebration, its just to let the children enjoy themselves a bit, Alam said.

In the town of Rashaya al-Fukhar, the munipality set up a Christmas tree decorated with red balls and lights in the largely deserted town square.

The people who have children took them out of here, first of all because of their safety and secondly so they dont miss out on school, said municipal council member Wassim Al-Khalil. The ones who remained are older, like me.

Marwan Abdullah, a resident of the village, said his family is separated and scattered in different places.

Its possible if the situation is stable that well get together for the holidays, he said. I hope there will be peace and quiet, especially on this day of celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ, who gave peace and goodwill to the earth.

-

Associated Press journalist Ramiz Dallah in Rashaya al-Fukhar contributed to this report. Sewell reported from Beirut.

By MOHAMMED ZAATARI and ABBY SEWELL

Associated Press
Longtime Clarendon Hills Fire Chief Brian Leahy is one of four employees of the villages fire department who is being forced to step down, after the Village Board voted Monday Dec. 18 to approve a mandatory retirement age of 65.

The measure to create the mandatory retirement age also affects administrative Lt. Jim Weil, Capt. Dave Sobottke and Myles Laffey.

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Village Manager Zach Creer said the new retirement age of 65 matches up with the states requirement for all full-time firefighters. Clarendon Hills works as a paid-on-call department; however, Leahy, 68, who has been chief since 1985, is a full-time employee.

Creer said employees were told in October that the mandatory retirement age would be discussed in November.

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The biggest thing is safety, Creer said. We only have four on duty at a time, and firefighting can be a very demanding job.

Creer said the forced retirement for the four fire department personnel takes effect Feb. 1, 2024. He added he is hoping those retiring will be interested in working on a new Emergency Management System group in the village.

Lt. Dave Godek is serving as interim chief, and Creer said he doesnt expect staffing issues to be caused by the newly-forced retirements.

Meanwhile, Leahy and Weil have remained on administrative leave, while the village looks into possible policy violations.

The village received information about possible payroll abnormalities and policy violations in the fire department, particularly on callbacks, Creer said, adding that the administrative leave began Nov. 7.

Creer said the village hired Charles E Hervas, of Hervas, Condon & Bersani, to act as a third-party investigator related to the information received.

At this time, the village has made no determinations on this matter, as the investigation is ongoing, Creer said. He said Leahy is being paid while on leave; however because he has on-call status, Weil is not.

As for how long the investigation is expected to continue, Creer said its hard to speculate because it depends on findings.

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Scheduling interviews has been tricky  Thanksgiving, a COVID issue and now holidays, he said. Were trying to move as fast as reasonably possible.

Creer said the village has been notified by Leahys attorney, Patrick D. Dolan, about possible defamation claims.

Neither Dolan nor Leahy responded to requests for comment.

Chuck Fieldman is a freelancer for Pioneer Press.
On the night of Saturday, December 23, a loud explosion occurred in Crimea, temporarily occupied by Russian troops. It was heard in several cities.

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This was reported by the Crimean Wind Telegram channel. According to residents of the occupied Ukrainian peninsula, the explosion was heard in Armiansk and Dzhankoi.

"In the area of Armiansk, a Russian S-300 allegedly fired a missile at the target but missed. According to unconfirmed reports, the detonation was heard on the ground," the channel wrote.

The occupation authorities of Crimea have not yet commented on the explosions.

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As reported by OBOZ.UA, on December 20, explosions occurred in the temporarily occupied Crimea. Two military facilities of the occupiers came under attack at once: a military unit of the FSB border guard department near Alushta and the Center for Long-Range Space Communications in the Saky district.

Later, it became known that several "interesting objects" of the Russians were destroyed. In particular, three satellite communications antennas at one location and the Tobol electronic warfare complex at another.
Biden asks Israel to scale down bombing of civilians in Gaza as global backlash against ethnic cleansing intensifies

President Joe Biden urged Israel last week to protect civilians while scaling down its ground and air offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip moving forward.

According to U.S. officials, who asked for anonymity to discuss the president's thinking, Biden wants Israel to switch to more precise tactics in about three weeks. They said that the U.S. will still rally behind Israel but expects the country's strategy to pivot from an all-out assault toward more targeted, tactical operations aimed at eliminating Hamas' leaders and hideouts, as well as recovering hostages. "I want them to be focused on how to save civilian lives, not stop going after Hamas, but be more careful," Biden said on Thursday after a speech on prescription drug costs at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland.

The statement came after Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant told visiting White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan that it would take several months to defeat the Palestinian militant group in the enclave. He said destroying Hamas was essential to his country's security. He also described the Iran-backed group as well entrenched. "They built infrastructure under the ground and above the ground, and it is not easy to destroy them," Gallant said. Israeli leaders also presented Sullivan with their own timeline for waging a more targeted offensive but it was slower than the one favored by Biden and his advisers. The U.S. officials emphasized that Sullivan did not direct or order Israeli leaders to change tactics.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has, in the past, acquiesced to advice from the Biden administration to allow humanitarian supplies into Gaza and to take steps to reduce civilian casualties after initially rejecting them outright. The Israeli prime minister's office released a statement saying only that Netanyahu "has made it clear that Israel will continue the war until we complete all of its goals."

Meanwhile, Biden reportedly also said last week that Israel was losing international support because of the "indiscriminate bombing" of Gaza, a much harsher assessment than his earlier public statements urging greater care to protect civilians as his administration finds itself under pressure to rein in the assault. The challenge has been preserving the president's determination to let Israel eliminate Hamas while at the same time easing the chorus of critics outraged by the humanitarian crisis, the New York Times reported. (Related: Biden: Israel LOSING SUPPORT across the globe due to indiscriminate bombing of Gaza.)

"The international community, and the United States in particular, must take swift action to ensure that this threat is removed," the office of Benny Gantz, a member of the Israeli war cabinet and a former military chief of staff, said in a statement. Israel's determination to carry on with its siege of Gaza comes as Philippe Lazzarini, the director of the United Nations agency that assists Palestinians, described conditions in the Palestinian territory as a "living hell."

10 Israeli soldiers killed in a day as civil order breaks down in Gaza

Israel forces reported last week that the war has continued to intensify as 10 of their soldiers had been killed in a single day.

More than 18,000 people have been killed in Gaza since Oct. 7, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry. More than 1,200 people were killed in Israel during Hamas' attacks, according to the Israeli prime minister's office. After over two months of air and artillery strikes, hundreds of thousands of Gazans were forced into makeshift encampments without enough food or water and in unhygienic living conditions, Lazzarini said in a speech Wednesday hours after visiting southern Gaza. He said that now, Gazans have become "desperate, hungry people" and said the sight of a truck carrying humanitarian assistance now provokes chaos, with people stopping the convoys and eating what they can get from the trucks on the streets.

"Civil order is breaking down," he said, adding that they are still distributing whatever food they can bring in, "but this is often as little as a bottle of water and a can of tuna per day, per family, often numbering six or seven people."

Netanyahus government and the Biden administration have mostly sought to paper over their divides since the attack started. The United States and Israel have also differed over who should control Gaza after the war. American officials have said the Palestinian Authority, which has international support, should control the enclave, while Netanyahu has appeared to rule that out for now.

Visit IsraelCollapse.com for more stories about the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine.

Sources for this article include:

TimesOfIsrael.com

NYTimes.com

ABCNews.go.com
Canada encouraging businesses to join WEF climate initiative thats costing taxpayers millions

The federal government of Canada is actively encouraging domestic businesses to join the First Movers Coalition (FMC) of the World Economic Forum (WEF) to achieve the country's climate goals.

FMC, launched by President Joe Biden at the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference, leverages the purchasing power of corporations to decarbonize several heavy-emitter industries such as aluminum, aviation, cement, concrete, shipping, steel and trucking. The coalition has already received at least 120 commitments from over 90 corporations and 13 governments. (Related: Globalists net zero crusade will lead to end of modern civilization.)

The Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED), headed by Innovation and Industry Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne, has sent engagement letters to Canadian businesses to participate in the FMC. These letters reaffirm the federal government's endorsement of the FMC initiative.

In October, Conservative MP Leslyn Lewis filed an order paper to seek information about the role of the federal government in the FMC.

According to the Inquiry of Ministry document, the Canadian government must promote the FMC, a collaboration between the WEF and the U.S. Office of the Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry, to domestic businesses. In line with this role, the government has sent letters to those companies to endorse the FMC and, in return, refer them to the FMC Secretariat to "secure their participation."

"As a government partner, the Government of Canada is asked to encourage Canadian businesses to join the coalition and influence future supply chains while positioning themselves to succeed in a sustainable economy," wrote Champagne in response to Lewis.

Lewis questioned the latest press release of the FMC member page, which shows no records of Canadian companies participating in the coalition. She specifically requested information on the annual spending of the government associated with being an FMC government partner.

In response, Champagne stated that there are no expenditures or costs to the government for the current fiscal year or anticipated for the next fiscal year. He further asserted that no policy measures have been or will be implemented as part of the FMC.

However, it contradicts a Jan. 18 news release from the ISED department, wherein it was stated that by joining the coalition, Ottawa aims to "create markets for clean technologies through policy measures and private sector engagement." The partners page of the FMC also indicates that government partners are committed to the rapid scaling of emerging technologies by 2030.

Canadian government has spent $23.5 million on WEF projects in 8 years

When questioned about any contracts or agreements related to FMC membership or FMC-related commitments, Champagne claimed that the government had not entered into such arrangements. Yet federal records reveal that the government has spent nearly $23.5 million on WEF projects since November 2015. This spending reportedly included the development of a digital ID for travel called the Known Traveler Digital Identity (KTDI).

The KTDI project, budgeted at $105.3 million over five years starting in 2021-2022, was intended to enhance biometric identity management and streamline pre-border submission of declarations. Although the Canadian Border Services Agency indicated in March 2020 that the project was postponed indefinitely due to the pandemic, Transport Canada has emphasized a commitment to bring the project to a close.

Aside from the KTDI project, Canada is also participating in the WEF's Agile Nations network, which seeks to usher in the "Fourth Industrial Revolution" by simplifying regulations across jurisdictions to facilitate the proliferation of new technologies, including gene editing and artificial intelligence.

Follow GreenDeal.news to learn more about the real agenda behind Net Zero.

Watch the video below where journalist Jeffrey Jaxen and "Highwire" host Del Bigtree talk about the unscientific and unattainable Net Zero dream.

This video is from the HighWire with Del Bigtree channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

The dangerous fantasy of Scotlands net zero energy transition.

Governments deploy nudge unit to psychologically brainwash people into embracing net zero society.

Top scientist says globalist lefts net zero emissions agenda will destroy modern civilization.

Net Zero means NO FLYING at all by 2050, says British mathematician Norman Fenton.

Net Zero policies will leave half the worlds population with nothing to eat, researchers warn.

Sources include:

TheEpochTimes.com 1

TheEpochTimes.com 2

Brighteon.com
Leftist celebrities applaud death of democracy after Colorado Supreme Court disqualifies Trump from 2024 presidential ballot

A divided Colorado Supreme Court recently disqualified former President Donald Trump from holding the office of president under the U.S. Constitution insurrection clause. Thus, it would be a "wrongful act" to list him as a candidate on the 2024 presidential primary ballot.

"We conclude that because President Trump is disqualified from holding the office of President under Section Three, it would be a wrongful act under the Election Code for the secretary to list President Trump as a candidate on the presidential primary ballot," the court's majority wrote in an unsigned opinion. "Therefore, the secretary may not list President Trump's name on the 2024 presidential primary ballot, nor may she count any write-in votes cast for him."

The 4-3 decision spanning 133 pages is currently on hold pending potential U.S. Supreme Court review. The SCOTUS could have the final word, whether in this Colorado case or another one, as challenges have been raised in states across the country against Trump's eligibility. The ruling also does not apply outside of Colorado.

For left-leaning Hollywood celebrities, Christmas came early with the said decision. Star Trek actor George Takei called the Colorado Supreme Court justices "heroes." Disney's "Hocus Pocus 2" star Bette Midler said: "Thank you, Colorado!"

THANK YOU, #COLORADO! The first state in the Union to throw #Trump off the ballot!!  bettemidler (@BetteMidler) December 19, 2023

Moreover, Rob Reiner, who is producing a documentary about "Christian Nationalism," called the Colorado ruling a "little sanity" while Netflix star Mia Farrow wrote that Trump deserves to go to jail. "So glad someone has some common sense!" Bravos Top Chef host Padma Lakshmi rejoiced. "Let me know when he's off the planet," said Ellen Barkin, who seemed to want the former president "dead."

Let me know when hes off the planet. https://t.co/3thDnv46TN  Ellen Barkin (@EllenBarkin) December 19, 2023

According to MSNBC, Section 3 of the 14th Amendment disqualifies from office those who take an oath to support the Constitution and then engage in insurrection. Colorado District Judge Sarah Wallace last month said that Trump engaged in insurrection; however, she said that Section 3 doesn't apply to presidents, so he can be on the ballot. Both sides challenged the ruling at the state's high court, arguing their positions to the state justices in the Dec. 6 hearing.

Trump has vowed to "swiftly" appeal to the high court, which could reverse the ruling, a spokesman for his campaign said, setting up a high-stakes showdown over his eligibility to run just as voters in early states begin casting their ballots in the Republican primaries. "The Colorado Supreme Court issued a completely flawed decision tonight and we will swiftly file an appeal to the United States Supreme Court and a concurrent request for a stay of this deeply undemocratic decision," Steve Cheung, spokesman for the Trump campaign, said in a statement. Trump did not mention the decision during a rally he attended on Tuesday evening in Waterloo, Iowa, but his campaign sent out a fundraising email citing what it called a "tyrannical ruling." (Related: The ultimate TRUMP CARD: Best way for Donald Trump to stay out of prison is to return to the Oval Office, says law professor.)

2024 election results to depend on SCOTUS

The Supreme Court justices will have to determine quickly if the former president is even eligible to be on the ballot and whether he's immune to prosecution from special counsel Jack Smith concerning his alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election leading up to the January 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol attack.

According to election law specialist at Loyola Law School Justin Levitt, these are cases that the Supreme Court typically can duck, but that are really presenting themselves as national controversies before the court rather than the court reaching out to grab controversial issues. He told CNN: "There are very few places to duck."

Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung said in a statement that they are confident that the SCOTUS will quickly rule in their favor and finally put an end to the "unAmerican lawsuits." The news outlet wrote that if the former POTUS appeals, the justices will have the question of the 14th Amendments so-called insurrectionist clause squarely on its desk.

"What's remarkable about this decision is they've addressed every single issue that's been raised against it, knowing that this was going to go before the U.S. Supreme Court," Nick Akerman, a former Watergate prosecutor, said on CNN's "News Central" of the Colorado ruling. "They're also going to take this issue very seriously because it doesn't just impact Colorado. It impacts all 50 states. So, this is going to have to be decided by the Supreme Court."

The said issue is on top of the already blockbuster term where the court will rule on whether a safe and popular abortion drug will be readily available in states where abortion is legal, the scope of the Second Amendment and the future of environmental regulations. All those policy issues will also impact the 2024 ballot box.

Check out Trump.news for more news related to the ongoing legal battles the former president is fighting.

Sources for this article include:

CBSNews.com

Breitbart.com

MSNBC.com

Edition.CNN.com
EU investigating X over disinformation but will never look into Google, YouTube or Facebook for pushing outright LIES and CENSORSHIP

The commissioner of the European Union, Thierry Breton, has announced that they are launching an investigation into the social media platform X for its failure to combat illicit content and disinformation.

Breton announced in a post on X why infringement proceedings were being opened against the social media platform. In addition to not countering disinformation, Breton cited a deceptively designed user interface and breaching transparency obligations.

At the heart of the investigation is whether Elon Musk's platform failed to prevent so-called illegal content from being spread; this content is little more than posts that do not align with approved government narratives. They will also be looking into whether the platform's new Community Notes feature is sufficient for fighting what they term information manipulation. The feature allows users to leave comments on posts that are misleading, essentially crowdsourcing the process of fact checking.

Breton added: We now have clear rules, ex ante obligations, strong oversight, speedy enforcement and deterrent sanctions and we will make full use of our toolbox to protect our citizens and democracies."

This marks the first significant probe that the EU has launched against X since the new Digital Services Act was passed last year. Businesses that do not comply with the act could be hit with fines of as much as 6 percent of their yearly revenue and may end up being banned.

A spokesperson for X, Joe Benarroch, told Bloomberg: "X remains committed to complying with the Digital Services Act, and is cooperating with the regulatory process. It is important that this process remains free of political influence and follows the law."

X is being targeted because Elon Musk lets users post on topics that go against official government narratives

Many believe that X is being targeted because owner Elon Musk has been allowing its users to post about topics that the government has traditionally censored.

This is precisely why we dont expect to see the EU investigating Google, YouTube or Facebook for the lies it allows to be published. These platforms tend to play nice with governmental agencies, even going so far as colluding with them to censor narratives they deem unfavorable. This includes topics such as the dangers of COVID-19 vaccines, the inefficacy of masks, posts supporting police officers and other right-leaning stances.

In fact, Facebook actually censored a report by journalist Matt Taibbi about organizational censorship, claiming it violated its community standards  but considering the report named Facebook 31 times, its no secret why they didnt want people sharing it on their platform. Taibbi identified Facebook as one of the top offenders in violating peoples First Amendment rights.

Facebook, YouTube and Google have all worked to keep people from discussing topics like vaccine injuries, the Hunter Biden laptop story, criticism of lockdowns and the validity of the 2020 election.

A drop of documents known as the Twitter Files exposed internal documents that Elon Musk obtained when he purchased the social media platform outlining how Twitter, under its previous ownership, and other popular social media platforms worked with numerous federal agencies to suppress content and control the public narrative. The files showed how the CIA and FBI sat in on meetings with Twitter officials in pursuit of getting content censored.

Musk essentially exposed these nefarious operations, so its no wonder that its his social media platform that is being singled out for bogus investigations. He called out the EU on X, asking them if they were taking similar actions against other social media giants.

He said: "Because if you have those issues with this platform, and none are perfect, the others are much worse."

Sources for this article include:

ZeroHedge.com

NaturalNews.com

Reuters.com
Former ADL director Abe Foxman is calling for a total and complete shutdown of "diversity, equity and inclusion" brainwashing because Jews are being treated the same as white people.

(Article by Chris Menahan republished from InformationLiberation.com)

From Jewish Insider, "Former ADL, AJC leaders Abe Foxman and David Harris call for scrapping DEI":

He said that part of the problem is that DEI is based on a faulty premise  that racism is a function of oppressed and oppressors [and] that all white people are oppressors and all people of color [are] oppressed.

The results, Foxman said, are bias, illiberalism, reinforced, legitimized and institutionalized antisemitism in many institutions.

Foxman added: It has built a huge funded bureaucracy which is today difficult to change or amend. Efforts by communal Jewish organizations to include the Jewish community or soften its impact on antisemitism have failed. It cannot be fixed, it needs to be scrapped and replaced by a vigorous implementation of our civil rights laws that are color blind, and apply equally to all. If necessary some civil rights laws can be amended and strengthened. DEI was developed to eliminate bias but sadly it created bias.

David Harris, the longtime CEO of the American Jewish Committee, echoed similar criticisms of DEI.

DEI has evolved into a mammoth, ideologically-driven presence on many campuses, some of which have literally hundreds of staff working exclusively in this space, Harris told JI.

Accordingly, I dont believe that outside efforts, however well-intentioned, that nibble around the edges or simply seek to add Jews to the DEI agenda, address the heart of the problem. DEI today poses a major challenge to liberal understanding of American societal aims, so the goal of rethinking it conceptually is far more urgent than just trying to get along with it.

Current AJC and ADL leaders told JI their organizations are taking an engage-and-influence approach and had been doing so well before Oct. 7.

Sara Coodin, AJCs director of academic affairs, said that the group engages pretty regularly and partners with universities to work on education programs that can have the kinds of results we are looking for, more inclusion for Jewish students.

We tend not to take an overly divisive approach when it comes to DEI, she said, pointing to an AJC-run trip that brings DEI university staff to Israel.
Germany to permanently deploy 4,800 troops in Lithuania  the first German foreign troop deployment since World War II

Germany has signed an agreement with Lithuania to station troops in the country , leading to the first permanent foreign deployment of German troops since World War II.

The agreement was announced on Monday, Dec. 18, after Lithuanian Minister of Defense Arvydas Anusauskas and his German counterpart, Boris Pistorius, met to discuss the multiyear "Roadmap Action Plan" for the permanent stationing of a German brigade consisting of approximately 4,800 troops in the country plus around 200 German civilians.

The agreement was originally announced in June, but no proper timeline on when German troops would be invited into Lithuania was presented until Monday.

"The German commitment of permanently stationing a brigade in Lithuania is a historical step for both Germany and Lithuania," said Anusauskas in a press release. "We are turning over to a page of even deeper strategic partnership."

"The German Brigade will significantly increase our defensive potential and enhance NATO [North Atlantic Treaty Organization] deterrence and collective defense," Anusauskas added. "The Roadmap signed today lays out in detail the track we and Germany will take to implement it."

German Brigade to be combat-ready by 2027

According to the Roadmap, German troops, including those with families, will be permanently stationed near Lithuania's two largest cities of Vilnius and Kaunas beginning in 2024. German troops will continue deploying to Lithuania in batches through 2025 and 2026. Full-operation capability is expected by 2027.

The troops will come from the 203rd Panzer Battalion, based in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, and the 122nd Armored Infantry Battalion, based in Bavaria. They will be integrated into Lithuania's Enhanced Forward Presence Battalion Battle Group, which will be transformed into a multinational battalion.

Most of the German troops will be stationed in the Rudninkai military training ground, a former Soviet airbase converted into a military training area located 22 miles southwest of Vilnius and only about 10 miles from the border with Belarus. The rest of the German troops will be stationed in the small town of Rukla, about 22 miles northeast of Kaunas and where some 1,000 other NATO troops already reside.

Lithuania will be providing the German troops with logistical hubs to cater to their needs, including three maneuver battalions and other combat support and supply units formed from new and existing military units.

Lithuanian lawmaker Laurynas Kasciunas, head of the parliamentary National Security and Defense Committee, noted that the country will be contributing up to 0.3 percent of its gross domestic product over the next several years to help fund the deployment of the German Brigade, including by building housing, renovating training grounds and providing them with other military and civilian infrastructure. He added that taxes may have to be raised to accommodate the Germans.

"With this war-ready brigade, we are assuming a leadership responsibility here in the alliance and on NATO's eastern flank," said Pistorius. "The speed of the project clearly shows that Germany understood the new security reality."

"We will ensure reliable deterrence and we will be ready to defend NATO," added Pistorius. "We are sending a clear signal with this step to those who present a threat to peace and security in Europe."

Follow WWIII.news for more news about troop deployments in Europe.

Watch this clip of Russian President Vladimir Putin denying that his country is interested in going to war with NATO.

This video is from the Cynthia's Pursuit of Truth channel on Brighteon.com.

More related articles:

Germany today using same Nazi-style tactics against supporters of Palestine in Berlin that were used against Jews in Nazi Germany.

Germany to provide "winter protection" to Ukraine despite reports that Kyiv bombed Nord Stream pipelines.

Ukraine-bound tanks sent by Germany are OUTDATED and NON-FUNCTIONING, official admits.

WWII main players Germany and Japan gearing up for global war.

Sources include:

Newsweek.com

KAM.lt

Politico.eu

Brighteon.com
Ontario court rules that labeling drag performers GROOMERS amounts to defamation  even though theyre obviously sexualizing children and exposing them to the LGBT community

An Ontario court has ruled that calling drag performers "groomers" is defamatory and does not fall under protected speech.

In response to the Rainbow Alliance Dryden (RAD) et al v. Webster case, the Ontario Superior Court of Justice ruled on Dec. 14 that calling drag performers "groomers" or other names is not protected under the province's anti-SLAPP (strategic litigation against public participation) laws. "It is reasonable to conclude that the suggestion that  drag performers are 'groomers,' merely because of their sexual or performance identity, is defamatory," ruled Superior Court Judge Tracey Nieckarz.

The case stemmed from local blogger Brian Webster accusing a local drag king and the RAD at large of sexualizing children to recruit them into the LGBT community. He backed up his claims with screenshots of a CBC News report from September 2022 about drag events being held in the city of Dryden and the surrounding areas.

"Ask yourself why these people need to perform for children? Groomers. That's the agenda," wrote Webster. "Just look at the face of the one child in the photo; [it] tells you all you need to know."

The drag king then sued Webster for defamation, with the support of the RAD and the LGBT group Egale Canada. They argued that the local blogger's post led to a wave of "hateful" public comments.

Meanwhile, Webster attempted to dismiss the case using the anti-SLAPP rule that seeks to block complaints "intended to silence critics who speak out on matters of public interest by burdening them with the cost of a legal proceeding." He continued that his Facebook post was protected speech.

Unfortunately, Nieckarz ruled in favor of the plaintiffs. She stated that Webster's expression was not in the public interest, subsequently ruling that his comments were defamatory and could harm the reputation of drag performers.

"The defendant's comments went well beyond that, perpetuating hurtful myths and stereotypes about vulnerable members of our society. Webster's argument that he was accusing the CBC [Canadian Broadcasting Corporation] of grooming has no merit based on a plain reading of the post."

Several U.S. states back DRAG BANS

The dismissal of Webster's anti-SLAPP motion now allows the plaintiffs to proceed with the defamation lawsuit, LifeSiteNews pointed out. This precedent could potentially make the use of offensive terms to describe men who dress as women or vice versa in Canada illegal.

But this isn't the case over at the U.S., where each state has backed drag bans. Their respective lawmakers have passed anti-drag legislation to protect societal values and shield children from drag performers.

Proponents of the bills contend that they are not targeting the LGBTQ+ community, but rather seeking to establish boundaries on public performances  particularly those involving drag shows that some believe may not be suitable for all audiences.

For instance, Alabama recently filed legislation to prohibit drag performances in public places where children are present. Similar efforts are underway in states like Arizona, Kansas and Tennessee, where lawmakers have taken steps to regulate drag shows, strip clubs and other adult-oriented performances.

In Florida, Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis signed anti-LGBTQ legislation, including a measure to protect children from sexually explicit adult performances. In Kentucky, for example, a bill that would have outlawed drag shows within 1,000 feet of schools, parks or walking trails was proposed to safeguard children from "adult-oriented performances."

Follow Groomers.news for more news about the indoctrination of young children with LGBTQIA ideologies.

Watch this clip from "The HighWire" where Del Bigtree and Jefferey Jaxen discuss how the trans movement has gone too far.

This video is from The HighWire with Del Bigtree channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

GROOMERS: Public school teachers caught trading tips on subversively and quietly transitioning students to LGBT.

Groomers at work: Pupils as young as seven urged to wear a badge displaying their pronouns.

Dr. Steve Hotze blasts GROOMERS disguised as teachers in the public education system  Brighteon.TV.

Oklahoma district hires drag queen who was previously arrested for child porn as elementary school principal.

Largest teachers union in United Kingdom votes to have drag queen grooming hour in all schools.

Sources include:

LifeSiteNews.com

People.com

Brighteon.com
Over the last day, December 22, 75 combat engagements took place along the entire frontline. Russian invaders carried out 40 attacks in the Avdiivka sector. The second most intense area of the frontline is the Kupiansk sector, where the invaders are trying to break through the Ukrainian defense, and numerous enemy attacks were recorded in the Kherson region: there, the invaders are trying to drive the soldiers out of their positions on the left bank of the Dnipro River.

ADVERTISIMENT

Aviation and missile units of the Defense Forces hit 17 areas of enemy manpower and weapons concentration the day before, destroying two Russian ammunition depots and control centers. This is stated in the morning operational report published by the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on December 23.

The General Staff stated that the enemy continues to terrorize Ukrainians, striking at peaceful settlements and positions of Ukrainian soldiers with almost all types of weapons.

For instance, the day before, Russian troops launched 1 missile and 40 air strikes and fired from multiple launch rocket systems 57 times. This resulted in casualties and injuries among the civilian population.

The enemy attacks caused destruction and damage to private residential buildings and other civilian infrastructure.

ADVERTISIMENT

Air strikes were carried out in Kostobobriv, Chernihiv region; Synkivka, Kharkiv region; Katerynivka, Toretsk, Lastochkyne, Avdiivka, Heorhiivka, Marinka, and Novomykhailivka, Donetsk region; Robotyne and Orikhiv, Zaporizhzhia region; and Krynky, Kherson region. About 110 settlements in Chernihiv, Sumy, Kharkiv, Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson and Mykolaiv regions came under artillery fire.

There were 75 combat engagements at the frontline over the last day.

Ukrainian defenders repelled 16 enemy attacks in the vicinity of Synkivka, Kharkiv region in the Kupiansk sector alone (the area of responsibility of the Khortytsia operational-strategic group), where Russians tried to break through the defense of our troops.

ADVERTISIMENT

The enemy did not conduct any offensive actions in the Lyman sector yesterday.

However, our troops repelled eight enemy attacks near Bohdanivka, Ivanivske, Klishchiivka and Andriivka in the Donetsk region in the Bakhmut sector.

In the area of responsibility of the Tavria Brigade in the Avdiivka sector, Ukrainian defenders continue to hold back the enemy, who keeps trying to encircle Avdiivka.

"Our soldiers are steadfastly holding the line, inflicting significant losses on the occupiers. Ukrainian defense forces repelled 23 enemy attacks east of Novobakhmutivka, Stepove, and Avdiivka and 17 attacks in the areas of Pervomaiske and Nevelske in the Donetsk region.

ADVERTISIMENT

Ukrainian Defense Forces continue to hold back the enemy in the areas of Marinka and Peremoha in the Donetsk region in the Marinka sector, where they repelled four attacks.

Our defenders repelled an enemy attack west of Staromaiorske in the Donetsk region in the Shakhtarsk sector.

ADVERTISIMENT

Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled all enemy attacks west of Verbove and Robotyne in the Zaporizhzhia region in the Zaporizhzhia sector.

The Ukrainian Defense Forces continue to inflict losses in manpower and equipment on the occupation forces in the Melitopol sector, as well as depleting the enemy along the entire front line.

Ukrainian troops continue to expand their foothold in the area of responsibility of the Odesa operational-strategic group in the Kherson sector. The enemy did not abandon its intention to drive our units out of their positions, making 17 unsuccessful assault attempts. It received a worthy rebuff and retreated with losses. Our defenders are engaged in counter-battery combat, inflicting fire on the enemy's rear.

ADVERTISIMENT

"Over the past day, the aviation of the Defense Forces struck 12 areas where enemy personnel, weapons and military equipment were concentrated. Air defense also destroyed 3 Su-34 fighter-bombers. Missile troops hit 5 areas of concentration of personnel, weapons and military equipment, 2 ammunition depots and 2 enemy control points," the General Staff noted.

To recap, Russia attacked Ukraine with Shahed drones at night once again. The enemy began launching drones at 18:00 on December 22. They flew from two directions: from the Krasnodar Territory of the Russian Federation and the temporarily occupied Crimea.

Air Defense Forces destroyed all 9 attack UAVS, shooting them down over the Odesa and Khmelnytskyi regions.

ADVERTISIMENT
San Francisco to prosecute pro-Palestine demonstrators who blocked Bay Bridge

Authorities in San Francisco have commenced procedures to press charges against pro-Palestine protesters who blocked the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge in November.

On Dec. 15, the office of San Francisco District Attorney (DA) Brooke Jenkins said the 80 individuals involved in the protest would be charged with five misdemeanors each. The charges are as follows:

false imprisonment

refusing to comply with a peace officer

unlawful public assembly

refusing to disperse

obstruction of streets, sidewalks, or other places open to the public

The Nov. 16 protest organized by the groups IfNotNow and Jewish Voice for Peace Action blocked all lanes of westbound traffic into the City by the Bay for more than four hours. It also coincided with the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in the city, which was graced by President Joe Biden and other world leaders.

Participants called for a ceasefire in the conflict between Israel and Hamas and an end to U.S. military aid to Israel ("stop funding genocide!"). However, the protesters reportedly refused to comply with the demands of law enforcement officers. They also illegally obstructed streets and sidewalks.

Seventeen of the 80 defendants appeared before the California Superior Court on Dec. 18, with none entering pleas. Meanwhile, their supporters gathered at the steps of the courthouse and held a press conference. They voiced their demands with chants and banners that called for a "free Palestine" and a ceasefire in the affected region, alongside calls to drop the charges against the 80. (Related: Israel's GENOCIDE in Gaza leads to rising global pro-Palestine sentiment.)

Interestingly, the San Francisco DA did not announce the charges in a public press conference. Her office instead sent a statement to reporters on Dec. 15. She wrote: "While we must protect avenues for free speech, the exercise of free speech cannot compromise public safety."

Protest delayed delivery of human organs for transplants

"The demonstration on the Bay Bridge that snarled traffic for hours had a tremendous impact on those who were stuck on the bridge for hours and required tremendous public resources to resolve," Jenkins wrote. The San Francisco DA thanked the California Highway Patrol and the San Francisco Sheriff's Department for their help in dispersing the gathering.

The protest delayed the delivery of multiple human organs for transplant surgeries to and from hospitals under the University of California, San Francisco system, putting recipients at risk of complications. The Chronicle added that the westbound lanes blocked by the protesters reopened around noon of the same day.

Oakland criminal defense attorney Rebecca Feigelson remarked that the city's legal action against the protesters won't end in prison terms for the defendants. She added that those charged will most likely pursue "diversion" programs that would result in charges being dropped entirely. Judicial diversion programs often mandate a defendant to perform community service, write a reflective essay to the judge or both.

"These cases are most likely going to go to judicial diversion" over the objections of prosecutors, said Feigelson, who has worked on failure to comply and false imprisonment cases. "I would suspect most do not have a criminal history  and arguably, they are participating in civil disobedience, trying to effectuate in their minds positive change."

Head over to Revolt.news for more stories about Palestine protests across the country.

More related stories:

Around 300 people arrested after Jewish group organizes sit-in on Capitol Hill calling for a ceasefire.

Thousands protest across Middle East in support of Palestinians amid ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict.

Student groups call for the targeting of Israeli CIVILIANS in pro-Palestine "Day of Resistance" protests.

Jews against GENOCIDE: Protestors amass around home of NY Sen. Chuck Schumer to call for CEASEFIRE in Israel-Hamas war.

Anti-war Code Pink group calls Israel an occupying force  "U.S.-backed Israeli apartheid regime inflicts daily settler violence and terror on Palestinians."

Sources include:

New.TheCradle.co

JWeekly.com

Brighteon.com
The United Kingdom Judicial Office grants judges in England and Wales the right to incorporate artificial intelligence (AI) tools, including ChatGPT, Google Bard and Bing Chat, into certain parts of their legal duties.

The Judiciary Report, co-authored by Lady Chief Justice of England and Wales, Baroness Carr of Walton-on-the-Hill, outlines the areas where AI can be beneficial and warns against its use in certain cases. The report stressed the potential advantages of AI in summarizing large volumes of text and generating presentations, emails and court decisions. However, it also warns the judges against relying on AI for legal research and analysis.

In a recent incident mentioned in the report, a lawyer used ChatGPT to draft a court brief. However, the response from the AI tool cited references to six non-existent cases, leading to a $5,000 fine for the law firm involved.

Another case mentioned in the guidance involves a woman who opted to represent herself using an AI chatbot for an appeal regarding a tax penalty. Her defense included references to nine fabricated cases, unknown to her, which resulted in the dismissal of her appeal.

Moreover, the guidance warns judges that litigants widely use AI chatbots for legal advice, unaware of the potential errors and the risk of creating fictitious evidence. (Related: What are the risks posed by artificial general intelligence?)

"AI chatbots are now being used by unrepresented litigants. They may be the only source of advice or assistance some litigants receive. Litigants rarely have the skills independently to verify legal information provided by AI chatbots and may not be aware that they are prone to error," the guidance said.

So the judicial official underscores the importance of being vigilant and "alive to the potential risks" associated with AI use in the legal arena.

ChatGPT is showing political bias
Bukele says, thanks to Colorado banning Trump, the US lost its ability to lecture anyone about democracy

The shining city on a hill has lost power, both literally and figuratively. The United States has gone overboard in its efforts to stop an outsider from returning to the White House. The campaign to remove Trump from the political landscape has become such an obsession that its led the uni-party regime to reveal their true draconian plot. The US isnt the utopia of so-called democracy it claims to be. We are no different from any other country that weaponizes its systems to take out political adversaries. This anti-American approach has led El Salvador President Nayib Bukele to criticize the United States, stating we have lost our right to lecture anyone about democracy ever again. While wed argue the US lost this privilege long ago, when it began detaining political prisoners like the January 6 patriots, Douglass Mackey, and indicting President Trump, Bukeles assessment is undeniably spot-on.

(Article republished from Revolver.news)

The United States has lost its ability to lecture any other country about democracy. https://t.co/kvtfas9bcC  Nayib Bukele (@nayibbukele) December 20, 2023

But its not just President Bukele whos expressing outrage. Professor Turley is absolutely incensed by this anti-American action by the activist justices on the Colorado Supreme Court.

The Messenger:

The Colorado Supreme Court has issued an unsigned opinion, making history in the most chilling way possible. A divided court barred Donald Trump from appearing on the 2024 presidential ballot. For months, advocates have been filing without success in various states, looking for some court to sign off on a dangerous, novel theory under the Constitutions 14th Amendment. They finally found four receptive jurists on one of the bluest state supreme courts in the land. Even on a court composed entirely of justices appointed by Democratic governors, Colorados Supreme Court split 4-3 on the question. The majority admitted that this was a case of first impression and that there was sparse authority on the question. Yet, the lack of precedent or clarity did not deter these justices from making new law to block Trump from running. Indeed, the most controlling precedent appears to be what might be called the Wilde Doctrine.

In their zealous obsession to exclude President Trump from the political arena, the activist justices relied on an obscure provision in Section 3 of the 14th Amendment, originally intended to prevent Confederate soldiers from serving in Congress. This is desperation on a level we never thought wed see in this country.

In his novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray, Oscar Wilde wrote that the only way to get rid of a temptation is to yield to it. The four Colorado justices just ridded themselves of the ultimate temptation and, in so doing, put this country on one of the most dangerous paths in its history. The court majority used a long-dormant provision in Section 3 of the 14th Amendment  the disqualification clause  that was written after the Civil War to bar former Confederate members from serving in the U.S. Congress.

As Turley explains, January 6th was not a revolution. Lets be realistic; the majority of those present were equipped with nothing more than water bottles and fanny packs. How does one take over the United States with such weapons? This incident was a three-hour melee, which many suspect, for good reason, was instigated and orchestrated by the FBI.

January 6, 2021, was many things  and all of them bad. However, it was not an insurrection. I was critical of Trumps speech to a mob of supporters that day, and I rejected his legal claims to stop the certification of the 2020 presidential election in Congress. However, it was a protest that became a riot, not a rebellion.

This level of desperation and activism really raises further questions about 2020. If these so-called justices are willing to take such an anti-American stance today, it begs the question of what they might have done four years ago, armed with a pandemic and a flood of sketchy mail-in ballots.

The bottom line is this: the United States government, in its fervor to erase President Trump, has shown that its no different from the communist-run regimes of North Korea, Cuba, or Russia. As President Bukele perfectly expressed, the US has lost its moral high groundground we never truly owned, but merely occupied under false pretenses.

Read more at: Revolver.news
Russia rules the waves: While the West is suffering losses from maritime trade, Moscows volume is increasing

In the midst of an already turbulent global landscape, a seismic geopolitical crisis is unfolding, with Houthi militants targeting ships on crucial maritime routes. Recent provocations aimed primarily at Western vessels signal a profound shift, with the potential to reshape the dynamics of global trade.

(Article republished from RT.com)

Amid the fallout from the Ukraine conflict and sanctions, there are clear indications that Russia is consolidating influence not only in the Red Sea but also along other vital maritime arteries, notably the Northern Sea Route. This consolidation is sparking a transformative shift in the traditional balance of power across the broader spectrum of maritime commerce.

Houthi attacks and strategic targeting

The Red Sea, a pivotal conduit for international commerce, is now a contested arena as Houthi rebels from Yemen escalate their attacks. Houthi leaders have said they are pursuing all Israel-bound vessels due to hostilities in Gaza, and they appear to be targeting Western ships. At the same time, an increasing number of Russian oil tankers continue to navigate the waters to deliver oil shipments to Asia, adding a layer of complexity to the situation. If substantiated, this selective targeting highlights the geopolitical intricacies in play, positioning maritime trade as a pawn in broader geopolitical maneuvers.

?Yemen grants free passage ONLY to tankers carrying Russian oil via the Red Sea to the Suez canal. ?? ?Western ships can either sail 15,000 miles around Africa, go via Russia's Northern artic route or rail via Russia. ?Putin wins again. pic.twitter.com/ADmf7tw7fn  Aussie Cossack (@aussiecossack) December 20, 2023

As major shipping companies pause Red Sea operations in response to the heightened security risks, Europe faces the most immediate and significant economic repercussions. The rerouting of shipments around the southern tip of Africa, a consequence of the security concerns in the Red Sea, poses substantial challenges. Not only is this alternative longer and more expensive, but it also threatens to disrupt the finely tuned supply chains that European industries depend on.

South African piracy is about to go limit up  zerohedge (@zerohedge) December 20, 2023

Insights into Russias strengthening grip on the Red Sea route amid the Ukraine conflict and sanctions imposed on Moscow paint a picture of calculated geopolitical maneuvering. With Europe actively seeking alternatives to Russian oil, Moscows pivot to increase oil exports to Asia, resulting in a staggering 140% surge in Red Sea oil traffic, underscores its adaptability in the face of changing dynamics.

The Red Sea, historically a key route for Western shipping, is witnessing a subtle yet profound shift in power dynamics. Russias ability to navigate and capitalize on the geopolitical landscape, coupled with the targeted nature of Houthi attacks, suggests a reordering of influence. The West finds itself losing its grip on a critical trade route as Russia strengthens its foothold.

The unfolding scenario has demanded a comprehensive review of security measures. The pivotal question arises: What actionable steps can be taken to safeguard crucial trade routes in this shifting landscape? A compelling proposition emerges  deploying military vessels in strategic convoys alongside merchant ships. This proactive measure ensures their secure passage through the Red Sea, extending protection even during transit to the vital Suez Canal.

Another pragmatic option on the table involves aerial coverage by specific naval forces, strategically positioned to safeguard designated areas of this maritime route. Drawing from historical precedents, particularly experiences in countering piracy, the establishment of convoys emerges as a notably effective method to shield merchant shipping.

Amid these turbulent waters, the West finds itself at a crucial juncture, navigating not only the physical challenges but also the nuanced currents of geopolitics. The imperative lies in a keen awareness of the evolving circumstances and strategic considerations at play. In a landscape where global trade intersects with geopolitical complexities, the ability to adapt and implement effective security measures becomes paramount.

The Red Sea, once a symbol of seamless trade, now stands as a symbol of adaptability and resilience in the face of evolving global dynamics.

Russias Arctic pivot

Meanwhile, Russia is reconfiguring its oil shipments through the Northern Sea Route (NSR) to China, circumventing sanctions and capitalizing on the potential for time and fuel savings. The NSR, stretching 3,500 miles along Russias Arctic coast, offers a faster route to Chinas Rizhao port, taking a mere 35 days  10 days less than the traditional southern route via the Suez Canal. Russias motivation lies in the considerable advantages of reduced time and fuel costs, presenting an attractive alternative for its oil exports.

Is the Suez Canal-Red Sea route becoming a little tricky for Europe-Asia trading? Europe could consider another one: ??Russias Arctic route! Europe could even ask nicely?to use one of Russias nuclear-powered icebreakers, which are already helping ?? fuel exports to Asia. pic.twitter.com/aGUu8l38Qt  Tony Norfield (@StubbornFacts) December 20, 2023

Rosatom, overseeing the NSR, highlights that non-ice-class ships can now safely navigate the route during improved conditions in summer and autumn. This strategic shift suggests Russia is exploring the use of non-ice-class vessels, potentially reshaping conventional shipping practices in the Arctic.

Russias proactive stance is further evidenced by the expansion of its dark fleet, ensuring the continuity of oil revenues despite sanctions. Deputy Prime Minister Yuri Trutnev anticipates a record-breaking year for the NSR, with freight turnover expected to exceed 36 million tons  a ninefold increase since 2015.

However, challenges persist, notably in the realm of insurance due to sanctions disrupting coverage for Russian vessels. Trutnev suggests a collaborative effort between Russia and China to address this issue, emphasizing the potential for Chinese companies to offer alternative insurance for Russian ships navigating the NSR. As Russia prepares for year-round navigation via the NSR with its nuclear icebreakers, the Arctic becomes a pivotal stage for both economic resilience and geopolitical maneuvering. This strategic Arctic pivot not only shields Russia from sanctions but also positions the NSR as a transformative force in global shipping dynamics.

Read more at: RT.com
World Economic Forum claims $3.5 trillion is needed annually to decarbonize our planet code word for DEPOPULATION

The World Economic Forum is now claiming that it needs trillions of dollars each year to decarbonize the planet and reach its extreme goals for the environment.

This is according to a white paper that they published on Wednesday in partnership with McKinsey & Company entitled The Role of Public-Private-Philanthropic Partnerships in Driving Climate and Nature Transitions.

The reports highlights section notes: The world needs up to $3.5 trillion of additional investments each year to reach net-zero and restore nature.

They are also calling for a system-level transformation to meet climate goals, which entails four main parties. The public sector, they say, can implement policies, regulations and incentives and invest money in solutions that support the WEFs self-serving plans. They go on to say that the private sector, which includes corporations that attract investor support, can set up business models and mobilize resources to deploy solutions at scale.

Jordan Schachtel of the Dossier called out the group for saying in the paper that private organizations should surrender their autonomy to governments in exchange for an endless amount of credit and a backstop of protection should their business fail in the open market.

In other words, businesses that buy into the globalists decarbonization agenda will have access to credit, while those who are not on board can forget about being successful.

The $3.5 trillion they claim they need is such a high number that it can be difficult to comprehend. To put it in perspective, it represents nearly 60 percent of the U.S. annual federal budget.

The report comes just weeks after the World Economic Forum released a different report calling for $13.5 trillion to avoid what they claim will be a climate catastrophe. In that report, they explained how the cost of transitioning to the carbon-neutral future that they claim, against scientific wisdom, will save the planet will require a global investment of $13.5 trillion by 2050.

They warn that if industries such as transportation, energy and manufacturing are not transformed, the cost for humankind could be a lot higher.

"Decarbonization" equals wiping out life on the planet

In this report, the World Economic Forum talks so much about fast-tracking decarbonization that the term is mentioned 91 times in the memo.

Of course, decarbonization is just a euphemism for eradicating life on the planet. Getting rid of carbon means getting rid of people, animals and plants, all of which are made of carbon. Plants rely on it for photosynthesis, so without carbon, there would essentially be no more food crops to feed the planet.

The World Economic Forum is not exactly known for having logical takes on the issues facing the world. Its not surprising when you consider that its founder, Klaus Schwab, said in an interview on Chinese state television that Chinas communist regime is a role model for all countries.

Clips from the last WEF meeting in Davos exposed how the group wants to leverage the water crisis as a reason to create a world government; an agenda contributor to the group explained condescendingly that although climate change has not helped further their cause, a water crisis could be more useful to them because even less intelligent members of the public understand the importance of water.

The group plans to host its next yearly meeting in Davos next month, and it will undoubtedly come with more calls to make huge investments to save the planet by getting rid of life-supporting carbon.

Sources for this article include:

Dossier.Today

McKinsey.com

CNN.com
Electric vehicles (EVs) are the new hope for a greener and cleaner future, improving air quality amidst the problems of climate change.

Electric Vehicles: Why Are They Important?

Air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions are pressing problems in society. Commercialization has brought significant changes in transportation.

Fossil fuel-powered vehicles have contributed to the problem due to harmful pollutants like carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen oxide (NOx) and particulate matter (PM).

Andrew Kuttow, editor-in-chief of Lambocars, explained that said pollutants can exacerbate asthma. It can also lead to long-term impacts on human health, including pulmonary infections, heart disease and lung cancer.

As a result, the electric vehicle transition can benefit people and mitigate respiratory diseases. EVs don't produce harmful pollutants that can contribute to global warming.

"Electric vehicles (EVs) produce zero tailpipe emissions. It means they do not emit harmful pollutants like nitrogen oxides (NOx) and particulate matter (PM) that contribute to urban smog and respiratory diseases," Kuttow added.

Here are the five notorious health myths about EVs that you should know.

Myth 1: Electric Cars Cause Cancer

Electric cars don't cause cancer. In fact, it has been beneficial for human health, reducing the emergence of disease, pollution and other health risks.

"Long-term benefits of transitioning to electric mobility in urban areas include reduced respiratory diseases, improved cardiovascular health, and increased life expectancy due to cleaner air," Mike Davison, founder of Superbike Newbie, explained.

Davidson added that it could help lower the health costs of pollution-related illnesses. Cities can also benefit because it improves air quality. With EV's zero emissions, the risk of cancer is unlikely or very low.

For instance, the use of electric vehicles in Shenzhen, China, has helped to reduce the toxic pollutants from the local air. The city has managed to transition to vehicles of about 10,000 buses slowly.

Myth 2: Electric Car Batteries Are Dangerous to Your Health

Reports showed that the battery from EVs poses no significant risks to human health. The greenhouse gas emissions in EVs are lower than the gasoline-powered cars.

In Noslo, Orway, adopting electric cars has shaped the city's goal for a greener future. Reports showed that about 80 percent of new vehicles in the country are now electric. The reliable battery chargers for EVs have attracted most residents to transition.

"More than half of their new cars are electric now, thanks to government support like tax breaks and free charging. As a result, the city saw a 12% drop in NOx emissions from 2019 to 2020," Patryk Doornebos, owner of Car Triple, explained.

Furthermore, using electric vehicles can lead to improved quality of life, reduced noise pollution and fewer hospital admissions.

Even if the EVs are charged, it has a smaller carbon footprint. The production of EVs meets the environmental and safety standards, including the EV battery packs.

Meanwhile, the battery of EVs can stand long-distance travel with about 40 km a day. People wanting to buy an EV should also check with their suppliers.

Also Read: Global Impact of Extreme Weather Events: Climate Change Can Intensify Frequent Hurricanes, Drought, Wildfires

Myth 3: Electric Cars Emit Harmful EMFs

The electric vehicles can also emit electromagnetic fields (EMF). Being energy-efficient vehicles, EVs don't pose significant health risks and cancer due to low EMF levels.

The harmful EMFs in EVs are considered a myth. The electric motors are environment-friendly, reducing greenhouse gas emissions that intensify climate change.

"The ICCT found that electric cars, even when accounting for electricity generation emissions, still emit less than half the amount of NOx and PM per kilometer compared to diesel vehicles," Kuttow said.

In the US, switching to electric vehicles can benefit many Americans. According to experts, it can likely prevent about 89,000 deaths in the country.

"Electric vehicles contribute to a reduction in pollutants (nitrogen oxides and particulate matter) which are predominant in emissions from traditional internal combustion engines," Liam Lucas, CEO of Off-Road Genius and jeep enthusiast, said.

Myth 4: Electric Cars Interfere With Pacemakers

Pacemakers refer to a device to help with the heart's normal rate. People with heart problems need to stabilize abnormal heart rhythms. According to reports, electric cars are considered safe for people with pacemakers.

Researchers studied the effects of high-powered chargers, electromagnetic interferences and EVs on people with pacemakers. About 130 patients were included in the study to observe for potential device malfunction.

According to the results, the researchers discovered no painful shocks and health risks. Experts explained that EVs and charging are safe for people with pacemakers.

Also Read: Can Chicken Help Environment? Animal Produces Smallest Carbon Footprint Than Meat

Myth 5: Electric Cars Emit Toxic Fumes

EVs can combat the problems of air pollution by reducing harmful pollutants entering the air. However, people raised concerns about the potential toxic fumes from electric cars.

Burning EVs can produce noxious gases. However, the said case is extremely low. Reports showed that gas-powered vehicles can produce more emissions and fumes.

Furthermore, the fires in EVs are very rare. From 2010 to 2023, the EV FireSafe reported that about 0.0012% of EVS had cases of catching fire. Combustion engine fires are more common.

"Electric vehicles often have lower running and maintenance costs, making them a smart choice for the wallet as well as the planet. They are an effective way to reduce your personal pollution footprint and contribute to cleaner air in your community, Off-Road expert Lucas said.

EV transition is a win-win for the environment and human health. It is for the goal of a greener future for urban cities suffering from air pollution and the effects of climate change.

Related Article: Are EV Cars Better For the Environment? Can It Solve Toxic Air Pollution and Respiratory Problems?

For more similar stories, don't forget to follow Nature World News.
East US can anticipate potential travel delays and difficulties this week due to the chance of rain in the region. People traveling in parts of the US should consider the weather forecasts to avoid road dangers.

The Christmas Holiday is near to the US. Millions of Americans will likely face travel disruption due to potential snow, foggy conditions and freezing rain.

In the late week, the NWS Weather Prediction Center warned of heavy rain over parts of Southern California and Southwestern US. Residents have to stay alert for flash flooding and heavy rain.

Meanwhile, light rain can unload in the Upper Midwest, while a snowy outlook can hit in the Pacific Northwest and Four Corners. As a result, homeowners should keep updated with the latest forecasts in the Eastern US.

In New York City, the forecast added that dry conditions are likely in the city. The Christmas can likely become dry in the region, with mild temperatures expected.

Weather in the East US: What Can Americans Anticipate?

In the early week, the East US can expect a milder outlook as Christmas arrives. The weather will become favorable for people who wish for a break from extreme cold and snow.

The calm weather conditions can likely stay on the weekend. However, Americans should still expect potential travel concerns before the Christmas Holiday in the East.

The possible travel concerns can spread over parts of New York, Atlanta, Boston, Washington and New York. The forecast warned of a potential storm system in the region, causing travel headaches for Americans.

NWS Boston reported that Southern New England can expect a potential dry outlook early next week. On Wednesday, widespread rain can likely return in Boston, bringing travel concerns and flooding.

This week, the chilly outlook is likely on Friday morning in Boston. However, warmer conditions can stay in Nantucket and Cape Cod. Meanwhile, NWS Salt Lake City explained that accumulating snow will be likely in mountainous areas.

Weather Preparedness This Week

The latest forecast warned of challenging weather conditions in the US, especially in the upcoming Christmas. Here are essential reminders for homeowners this week with travel plans.

Homeowners should check the forecasts in the US, especially this upcoming Holiday.

Staying at home is recommended when the weather becomes more troublesome to avoid prolonged exposure to cold weather.

Emergency kits are recommended for vehicles and homeowners, helping to keep safe from power outages and inaccessible road conditions.

Read here: Christmas Travel Forecast: Motorists Can Expect Chilly, Rainy Outlook in Holidays

For more similar stories, don't forget to follow Nature World News
Weather experts said that residents of central and southern Florida would encounter multiple days of periodic rains due to stormy conditions.

They said this was due to the waves of moisture that would hit the state.

More Rains This Christmas

Meteorologists said that more rains, which will come in at least two rounds from Christmas Day through late week, will contrast with what will be a relatively quiet and dry run-up to the holiday season.

Furthermore, this condition is a continuation of what has been a wet month-and year-in parts of Florida.

Authorities advised residents to bring their umbrellas as well as other rain gears as protection for the wet weather.

Officials said that the same storm that brought flooding to Southern California and will soak portions of the Plains and Mississippi Valley this weekend will also arrive in Florida on Christmas Day.

This will be the culprit, bringing the first round of rain for the holiday week.

Due to this, meteorologists are monitoring the potential for heavy rains that may bring floods in residential areas over the holiday.

Weather experts said that Christmas looks especially soggy in the Florida Panhandle as the moisture streaming north from the Gulf of Mexico can bring heavy thunderstorms.

In total, some places could receive an inch or two of rain, which can lead to some flooding.

Meteorologists said that east-northeast winds of 15 to 20 knots will continue to produce seas up to around 7 feet beyond 20 nautical miles of the central Florida Atlantic coast, and over the nearshore waters of the Treasure Coast, and a Small Craft Advisory continue for these portions of the local Atlantic.

They said that small crafts in the area should exercise caution in the nearshore Volusia and Brevard County waters for seas up to around six feet.

A high risk of dangerous rip currents continues at all central Florida Atlantic beaches. Officials said that entering the surf is not advised.

Read Also: Christmas Weather Forecast: Storm To Bring Plowable Snow To Rockies, High Plains

Effects Of River Floods

When it comes to river flood impact, the Saint Johns River at Astor is forecast to remain within MinorFlood Stage, with levels remaining steady or only slightly declining over the next several days.

Above Lake Harney near Geneva, the river has reached Action Stage and is forecasted to continue rising. Levels are also forecasted to rise near Action Stage at Sanford in the middle of next week.

Moreover, Apalachicola, Panama City and Tallahassee are among the cities that will have a very wet Christmas.

While localized flooding from the rain is of paramount concern among authorities and residents, the conditions may also be ripe for the development of strong and gusty thunderstorms.

Later in the day, and on Christmas night, some rains can also advance into the peninsula, bringing raindrops to places such as Jacksonville, Orlando and Tampa.

Authorities advised those planning on a post-Christmas vacation around the Orlando area that a frontal boundary remaining in the area can bring a couple of rounds of rain from Tuesday into Wednesday.

During that period, the rainfall rates may be lighter and the rain is expected to be more intermittent.

Related Article: Winter Weather Advisory Issued for Pacific Northwest; Multiple Counties Brace for Winter Storm Hazard
Experts have raised alarm over the discovery of the ''incurable'' and ''fatal'' chronic wasting disease among animals in Yellowstone.

They said that the said disease also has ecological implications.

Scientists said that the discovery in Yellowstone, an area which the ecosystem supports the greatest and most diverse array of large wild mammals in the continental US, has represented an important public wake-up call.

Chronic Wasting Disease Put On Radar

This latest discovery of the disease in the area has placed it on the radar for attention as it has remained unattended in the previous years. This despite early prediction that the chronic wasting disease would soon reach Yellowstone.

Authorities from the Yellowstone National Park and the Wyoming Game and Fish Department (WGFD) recently confirmed the presence of chronic wasting disease in the carcass of an adult mule deer buck found near Yellowstone Lake in the southeastern section of the park.

This is the first confirmed positive detection of the disease in Yellowstone National Park.

Officials said that the mule deer buck was originally captured by WGFD staff near Cody, Wyoming, in March 2023 as part of a population dynamics study and fitted with a GPS collar.

The collar signaled the animal died in the middle of October 2023.

In coordination with Yellowstone staff, WGFD located the carcass on the Promontory, which is a landmass that separates the South and Southeast arms of Yellowstone Lake and collected samples for testing.

The samples then tested positive for CWD based on multiple diagnostic tests performed at the WGFD's Wildlife Health Laboratory.

Read Also: Fatal Chronic Wasting Disease Halts Rehabilitation Efforts for White-Tailed Deer Fawns in Tennessee

Fatal To Animals

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the chronic wasting disease is a prion disease that usually affects deer, elk, reindeer, sika deer and moose. It has been found in some areas of North America, including Canada and the United States, Norway and South Korea.

It may take over a year before an infected animal develops symptoms, which can include drastic weight loss, stumbling, listlessness and other neurologic symptoms.

Studies have shown that the CWD can affect animals of all ages and some infected animals may even die without ever developing the disease. The CWD is considered to be fatal to animals and there are no treatments or vaccines.

At present, there have been no reported cases of CWD infection in people.

However, some animal studies already suggested that the CWD would already pose a risk to certain types of non-human primates, like monkeys, that eat meat from CWD-infected animals or come in contact with brain or body fluids from infected deer or elk.

These studies already raised concerns that there may also be a risk to people.

Since 1997, the World Health Organization has recommended that it is important to keep the agents of all known prion diseases from entering the human food chain.

Scientists said that CWD usually spread between animals through contact with contaminated body fluids and tissue or indirectly through exposure to CWD in the environment, such as in drinking water or food.

Like other prion diseases, the CWD may have an incubation period of over a year and clear neurological signs may develop slowly.

Deer, elk, reindeer, sika, and moose with CWD may not show any signs of the disease for years after they become infected.

Related Article: Deadly Chronic Wasting Disease Making Rounds in North Carolina Deer Populations
Five new species of soft-furred hedgehogs from Southeast Asia have been identified by scientists.

Two of the new species are completely unknown to science, while three have been promoted from subspecies status by researchers who used DNA analysis as well as thorough physical observations of the creatures.

Species Of Hedgehogs

A study published in the Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society said there are seven known species of hedgehogs compared to the previously two.

During the study, researchers collected 232 physical specimens for observation and 85 tissue samples for genetic investigation from the field as well as from 14 natural history collections in Asia, Europe, and the United States.

Some of the samples were collected from field studies, which can be problematic for small mammals.

The two new species names are H. macarong, after a Vietnamese term for vampire, due to the male's long, fang-like incisors, and H. vorax, after a description of its behavior from mammalogist Frederick Ulmer.

The three sub-species that were elevated are called H. dorsalis, H. maxi and H. peguensis.

The researchers collected enough genetic material from the three additional species to show that they were biologically separate.

Soft-furred hedgehogs are small mammals in the hedgehog family with a long, sharp snout that is hairy rather than spiny. Scientists describe their look as a cross between a mouse and a shrew with a short tail.

Dr. Melissa Hawkins of the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History (SMNH), one of the lead researchers, said the discovery demonstrated the "amazing" diversity of life on our planet that has yet to be uncovered.

"We think we know about the natural world but even groups like mammals - especially the little things that live in difficult-to-reach habitats - we really don't know much at all," she added.

Read Also: Hedgehog Population Declining in UK: Conservationists Call On Homeowners For Help [VIDEO AND PHOTOS]

Help Conservation, Protect Biodiversity

The study's lead author, Dr. Arlo Hinckley, a Margarita Salas postdoctoral researcher at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History and the University of Seville, said the findings could help governments and other organizations prioritize conservation funds to protect biodiversity.

"It might be surprising for people to hear that there are still undiscovered mammals out there. But there is a lot we don't know - especially the smaller nocturnal animals that can be difficult to tell apart from one another," he added.

Researchers are unsure how many species remain to be discovered, adding that for mammals, there are around 6,500 currently described species.

According to a 2018 study, "7,342 mammalian species will be recognized by 2050 and 8,590 by 2100."

Experts underscored that identifying new species can help conservationists safeguard habitats as well as discover the sources of new diseases that could threaten humans.

Dr. Hinckley compared discovering animals that are the result of millions of years of evolution and are unique to one area of tropical forest to the inclusion of a Picasso in an art exhibition or the discovery of an ancient site in a metropolis.

Related Article: Mysterious Evolution of Shark Penis: Blame Sonic the Hedgehog?!
Several Western top officials have recently made statements that suggest that Russia has already lost the war in Ukraine: that the Kremlin's strategic defeat is that, having launched aggression, Russia "completely lost Ukraine" and is allegedly no longer able to achieve its strategic goals. Ukrainian officials are somewhat skeptical of such statements, warning that Russian President Vladimir Putin continues to seek not only to retain the already occupied territories but also to expand the occupation zone.

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This is stated in a new analytical report by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW). Analysts have once again emphasized that they see signals that Putin has not abandoned his occupational goals for Ukraine.

The ISW stated that Ukrainian officials continue to insist that Russia has not abandoned its maximalist goals for a war against Ukraine. As before, the Kremlin also seeks to seize new territories of Ukraine in addition to those already occupied.

This assessment is at odds with recent statements by several Western officials, which boil down to the fact that Russia has already lost the war strategically.

For example, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on December 22 that Russian President Vladimir Putin had "completely lost Ukraine" and "can no longer achieve his military goals," which, according to the North Atlantic Alliance leader, is a "major strategic defeat" for the Kremlin.

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However, Stoltenberg also warned Ukraine's Western partners not to think that the war would end soon.

Two days earlier, U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken expressed a similar opinion to Stoltenberg. The American official said that Russia had already failed in achieving its main goal of destroying Ukraine and completely subjugating it.

The Defence Intelligence of Ukraine disagrees with these assessments. According to Vadym Skibitskyi, a representative of the DIU, if Putin fails to achieve certain operational and strategic objectives this year, he will simply postpone them to the next year.

"Skibitsky's statement is consistent with ISW's assessment that Russia continues to pursue Putin's maximalist goals in Ukraine and that the current failure of Russian operations in Ukraine is not final yet," ISW noted.

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The analysts also drew attention to how the comments of Blinken and Stoltenberg and statements by other Western representatives that echoed them in essence were used by Russian propagandists. The words of Western politicians and officials, according to Russian propaganda, are intended to justify the West's alleged decision to reduce aid to Ukraine.

Analysts believe that the tendency to use such an "interpretation" disconnected from reality by Western representatives regarding Russia's failures in Ukraine will continue in the Russian media space.

Earlier, ISW said that Ukraine may receive F-16 fighter jets in the coming days. The analysts came to this conclusion after Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte's announcement the day before that preparations for the delivery of the first 18 aircraft had begun, as well as the country's commitment, along with several partners, that the first fighters would be in Ukraine by the end of 2023.

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By Express News Service

CHENNAI: The Chennai Zonal Unit of Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has arrested two men, including a Sri Lankan national, for allegedly trying to smuggle methamphetamine to Sri Lanka. The police recovered 56 kg of the drug. Sources said 1 kg of the contraband is worth Rs 5 cr in the international retail market.

According to police, the arrested were identified as Udhayakumar of Sri Lanka and Akbar Ali of Perambur. On December 10, the NCB summoned Udhayakumar, who was staying in Chennai, for inquiry under the suspicion that he was trying to smuggle methamphetamine. Based on the information provided by him, police seized 2 kg of the drug from his possession.

The police then traced his supplier, Akbar Ali, and seized 54 kg of the drug from a hideout. Preliminary inquiry revealed that the duo was planning to smuggle the drug to Sri Lanka in small batches. They had got the drug from Myanmar via Moreh in Manipur. In 2023, the NCB seized 65.061 kgs of methamphetamine and 3338.018 kgs of ganja meant for Sri Lanka. The police also arrested a total of 67 persons.

Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp

CHENNAI: The Chennai Zonal Unit of Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has arrested two men, including a Sri Lankan national, for allegedly trying to smuggle methamphetamine to Sri Lanka. The police recovered 56 kg of the drug. Sources said 1 kg of the contraband is worth Rs 5 cr in the international retail market. According to police, the arrested were identified as Udhayakumar of Sri Lanka and Akbar Ali of Perambur. On December 10, the NCB summoned Udhayakumar, who was staying in Chennai, for inquiry under the suspicion that he was trying to smuggle methamphetamine. Based on the information provided by him, police seized 2 kg of the drug from his possession. The police then traced his supplier, Akbar Ali, and seized 54 kg of the drug from a hideout. Preliminary inquiry revealed that the duo was planning to smuggle the drug to Sri Lanka in small batches. They had got the drug from Myanmar via Moreh in Manipur. In 2023, the NCB seized 65.061 kgs of methamphetamine and 3338.018 kgs of ganja meant for Sri Lanka. The police also arrested a total of 67 persons.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp
Ukraine may receive the first batch of Western F-16 fighter jets any day now, following the commitment of the governments of the Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, and Belgium to strengthen Ukraine's air defense by the end of 2023.

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This is stated in a new analytical report by experts from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW). The analysts also reminded that the day before, on December 22, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said that his country had begun preparations for the transfer of the first 18 fighter jets.

"Ukraine is likely to receive the first batch of F-16s by the end of 2023. On December 22, during a telephone conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Prime Minister of the Netherlands Mark Rutte confirmed that the Dutch government will prepare the first 18 F-16 fighters for delivery to Ukraine," ISW said.

The analysts acknowledged that Rutte did not publicly name any timeframe for when the first batch of fighter jets could be delivered. However, they reminded that the Estonian Ministry of Defense recently presented its comprehensive strategy for Ukraine's victory in the war. Among other things, it stated that the Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, and Belgium have already pledged to deliver a batch of F-16s to Ukraine "by the end of the year."

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As a reminder, back on December 8, Ukraine's Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said that Ukraine would receive F-16s in the short term. Along with them, the official noted, the partners will also provide other equipment that Kyiv has long been negotiating with its Western allies. However, Umerov did not name any specific terms or dates.

A few days before this statement, it became known that the F-16 coalition was working to increase the number of aircraft to be transferred to Ukraine.
Triya Gulati By

Express News Service

Maasai Mara, a wildlife conservation and wilderness reserve spread over a wide area (1,510 square kilometres) in south-western Kenya, is the stomping ground for lions, leopards, cheetahs, zebras, wildebeest, gazelle and herds of elephants. It is a dream come true for anyone looking for an adventure-filled trip into the wild. It has pristine riverine forests, dramatic towering escarpments, stunning savannahs, parched scrubs, big cats and, of course, the Maasai warriors, says actor and TV host Samir Kochhar, who has just launched a travel show, Travel Unusual; Maasai Mara is the first episode.

The five-part series, with each of its episodes being 13 minutes long, is currently streaming on the actors YouTube channel. Its easy consumption. Today, things have to be quick and fast. People dont have time; therefore, the videos are of short duration, the actor says.

Travel Unusual is a tribute to Kochhars love for travel. His idea is to create offbeat travel videos and make nature a primary character in this journey. Nowadays, people have become footprint travelers, he says, while admitting he has been one of them. With social media, visiting places has come down to posting photographs and ticking destinations off the bucket list. I want to change this. Travelling should be more about soaking in the current moment, he says.

Kochhar, a big fan of American travel and food documentarian Anthony Bourdain, says: India doesnt have a presence in international travel and unknown destinations. The objective is also to carve a niche for an Indian voice in the world of travelogue.

Travel has different emotions and moods. A getaway with the partner or family differs significantly from a trip with friends. However, the aspect Kochhar explores in Maasai Mara is travel for oneself. The city structure we live in today, the work we do and what surrounds us  everything consumes us. It is necessary for the brain and the body to detox, he says. Before COVID-19 struck, I visited Maasai Mara with my wife and friends. Its beauty blew my mind. I made a pact with myself that I have to come back to soak in the beauty of this place, recalls Kochhar.

After catching a six-and-a-half-hour flight from Mumbai to Nairobi and a car drive of over five hours, he arrived at the beautiful grasslands, where he was warmly welcomed by locals. Gently diffident and impeccably polite, the Maasai Mara warriors sport vibrantly coloured layers as they perform their traditional dance, he adds. Instead of putting up in a fancy hotel, Kochhar opted for a campsite nestled in the middle of the reserve to stay closer to nature. In the five-part series, the actor summarises the essence of the national reserve, unveiling tribal tales, capturing the quick-changing natural beauty, and spotting wildlife wonders, including the big five the African elephant, lion, leopard, Cape buffalo, and rhinoceros; and, of course, the beauty of the surrounding environment.

As Kochhar puts it, Maasai Mara is a beautiful example of how man and wild nature can co-exist. The Maasai people, once known as hunters, are now called the protectors of the wild. They live on the outskirts of the reserve where wild animals come and go. The Maasai have to daily protect their cattle and themselves. And, they have their own ways of dealing with this madness, which to them is an everyday affair, he adds.

Kochhar says this series is a trailer of the travel show he plans to take across India and the world. Japans Hokkaido, South Americas Patagonia and the Antarctic region are other destinations on the actors list.

Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp

Maasai Mara, a wildlife conservation and wilderness reserve spread over a wide area (1,510 square kilometres) in south-western Kenya, is the stomping ground for lions, leopards, cheetahs, zebras, wildebeest, gazelle and herds of elephants. It is a dream come true for anyone looking for an adventure-filled trip into the wild. It has pristine riverine forests, dramatic towering escarpments, stunning savannahs, parched scrubs, big cats and, of course, the Maasai warriors, says actor and TV host Samir Kochhar, who has just launched a travel show, Travel Unusual; Maasai Mara is the first episode. The five-part series, with each of its episodes being 13 minutes long, is currently streaming on the actors YouTube channel. Its easy consumption. Today, things have to be quick and fast. People dont have time; therefore, the videos are of short duration, the actor says. Travel Unusual is a tribute to Kochhars love for travel. His idea is to create offbeat travel videos and make nature a primary character in this journey. Nowadays, people have become footprint travelers, he says, while admitting he has been one of them. With social media, visiting places has come down to posting photographs and ticking destinations off the bucket list. I want to change this. Travelling should be more about soaking in the current moment, he says.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); Kochhar, a big fan of American travel and food documentarian Anthony Bourdain, says: India doesnt have a presence in international travel and unknown destinations. The objective is also to carve a niche for an Indian voice in the world of travelogue. Travel has different emotions and moods. A getaway with the partner or family differs significantly from a trip with friends. However, the aspect Kochhar explores in Maasai Mara is travel for oneself. The city structure we live in today, the work we do and what surrounds us  everything consumes us. It is necessary for the brain and the body to detox, he says. Before COVID-19 struck, I visited Maasai Mara with my wife and friends. Its beauty blew my mind. I made a pact with myself that I have to come back to soak in the beauty of this place, recalls Kochhar. After catching a six-and-a-half-hour flight from Mumbai to Nairobi and a car drive of over five hours, he arrived at the beautiful grasslands, where he was warmly welcomed by locals. Gently diffident and impeccably polite, the Maasai Mara warriors sport vibrantly coloured layers as they perform their traditional dance, he adds. Instead of putting up in a fancy hotel, Kochhar opted for a campsite nestled in the middle of the reserve to stay closer to nature. In the five-part series, the actor summarises the essence of the national reserve, unveiling tribal tales, capturing the quick-changing natural beauty, and spotting wildlife wonders, including the big five the African elephant, lion, leopard, Cape buffalo, and rhinoceros; and, of course, the beauty of the surrounding environment. As Kochhar puts it, Maasai Mara is a beautiful example of how man and wild nature can co-exist. The Maasai people, once known as hunters, are now called the protectors of the wild. They live on the outskirts of the reserve where wild animals come and go. The Maasai have to daily protect their cattle and themselves. And, they have their own ways of dealing with this madness, which to them is an everyday affair, he adds. Kochhar says this series is a trailer of the travel show he plans to take across India and the world. Japans Hokkaido, South Americas Patagonia and the Antarctic region are other destinations on the actors list. Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp
Harpreet Bajwa By

Express News Service

CHANDIGARH: A day after Parliament cleared the three new criminal justice laws, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday said that by December 2024, all Union Territories would be ready to implement the new laws. By December next year, the UTs will have the necessary infrastructure, software, trained human resources, and completely computerised courts to readily implement the three newly passed criminal justice system laws, Shah said.

The Lok Sabha passed the Bharatiya Nyaya (second) Sanhita, the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha (second) Sanhita and the Bharatiya Sakshya (second) Bill on Wednesday. The Rajya Sabha cleared them on Thursday. The three bills will replace the Indian Penal Code of 1860, the Criminal Procedure Code of 1973, and the Indian Evidence Act of 1872, respectively.

Earlier in the day Shah, who was in Kurukshetra to participate in the ongoing International Gita Mahotsav (IGM) underscored the timeless wisdom embedded in Srimad Bhagavad Gita as a solution to individual, societal, national, and global challenges. Shah hit out at opposition parties for boycotting the Parliament debate on the three laws, and also for mimicking the Vice President. He was addressing a gathering after inaugurating nine development projects and laying the foundation stone for three more worth around Rs 400 crore during an event at the Chandigarh College of Engineering and Technology.

I wanted the Opposition to express their views on the Bills. Unfortunately, they decided to boycott the discussion on the bills by making excuses. When an important debate was taking place (in Parliament), opposition members were mimicking the Vice President, he said. Nothing can be more condemnable than this, Shah said. He was referring to what happened outside the House where Trinamool Congress leader Kalyan Banerjee mimicked Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar during the Oppositions protest on the stairs of the Parliament building on Tuesday.

Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp

CHANDIGARH: A day after Parliament cleared the three new criminal justice laws, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday said that by December 2024, all Union Territories would be ready to implement the new laws. By December next year, the UTs will have the necessary infrastructure, software, trained human resources, and completely computerised courts to readily implement the three newly passed criminal justice system laws, Shah said. The Lok Sabha passed the Bharatiya Nyaya (second) Sanhita, the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha (second) Sanhita and the Bharatiya Sakshya (second) Bill on Wednesday. The Rajya Sabha cleared them on Thursday. The three bills will replace the Indian Penal Code of 1860, the Criminal Procedure Code of 1973, and the Indian Evidence Act of 1872, respectively. Earlier in the day Shah, who was in Kurukshetra to participate in the ongoing International Gita Mahotsav (IGM) underscored the timeless wisdom embedded in Srimad Bhagavad Gita as a solution to individual, societal, national, and global challenges. Shah hit out at opposition parties for boycotting the Parliament debate on the three laws, and also for mimicking the Vice President. He was addressing a gathering after inaugurating nine development projects and laying the foundation stone for three more worth around Rs 400 crore during an event at the Chandigarh College of Engineering and Technology.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); I wanted the Opposition to express their views on the Bills. Unfortunately, they decided to boycott the discussion on the bills by making excuses. When an important debate was taking place (in Parliament), opposition members were mimicking the Vice President, he said. Nothing can be more condemnable than this, Shah said. He was referring to what happened outside the House where Trinamool Congress leader Kalyan Banerjee mimicked Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar during the Oppositions protest on the stairs of the Parliament building on Tuesday. Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp
By Express News Service

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Congress leadership came down heavily on the chief minister and the police for the brutal action during the Congress protest march to the state police headquarters. Many senior Congress leaders, including Congress state president K Sudhakaran, were hospitalised following the police action.

Sudhakaran cast serious aspersions against CM Pinarayi Vijayan and the police for hurling eight rounds of tear gas at him and other senior leaders, when they were at the makeshift venue atop a mini-van.

Sudhakaran has shot off complaints to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and the Parliament Privilege Committee. He told TNIE that a major mishap was averted as the tear gas fell close to the fuel tank of the mini-van when a dozen senior Congress leaders were on the podium.

Sudhakaran is scheduled to leave for the US for medical treatment next week. He had been advised by his doctors to stay away from dust. But the unexpected turn of events saw him getting caught amid the fumes of tear gas and water cannons.

Women Congress activists hurling stones at the police during the protest march led by Congress state president K Sudhakaran towards the state police headquarters in Thiruvananthapuram on Saturday

We are keen to know whether it was the Chief Minister or the DGP who had directed the police to hurl tear gas and also charge water cannons at us when Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan had just begun his speech, Sudhakaran told TNIE.

The protest march led by K Sudhakaran and opposition leader VD Satheesan began at 11 am and reached Althara around 11.30 am. The police had erected barricades at Althara junction. The Congress leadership had set up a protest venue at Althara Junction for the public function.

It was KPCC chief K Sudhakaran who inaugurated the function. When Satheesan started his speech, some activists attempted to push the police barricades. This prompted the police to use water cannons. In retaliation, the activists pelted stones at the police, and the police hurled tear gas shells eight times. Soon, many activists turned back and ran away. The leaders who were on the protest stage suffered breathlessness and eye pain.

ALSO READ | Congress to intensify protests against Sadas, police highhandedness in Kerala

Following the tear gas attack, the activists shifted the leaders, including Sudhakaran, to the Sree Rama Krishna Mission Hospital at Sasthamangalam.

As per reports, Anwar Sadhath MLA, Jeby Mather MP, and Chandy Oommen are currently at the hospital. However, the activists continued to remain at the spot. Later, leaders like M. Liju and M Vincent came and dispersed the protesters.

MPs Kodikunnil Suresh and Shashi Tharoor strongly condemned the police action. They said that the police attack was premeditated and that it was without any provocation.

"There are some protocols for using water cannons and tear gas shells. The police have violated this. I have called the DGP. He told me that he was unaware and would take prompt action. I will point this out in Parliament in the coming session. I still have the burning sensation on my face due to the shell attack," Tharoor said.

Speaking to the media at the hospital, K Sudhakaran said 'police goons' of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan were behind the violence. According to K Muraleedharan MP, the attack was out of desperation by Pinarayi Vijayan due to the failure of the Nava Kerala Sadas.

VIDEO | "I am utterly shocked about it, and I have spoken on strong terms to DGP about it. A peaceful rally was going on, the Leader of Opposition (VD Satheesan) was speaking, the KPCC president (K Sudhakaran) had spoken before that, and there was a quiet, calm audience listening pic.twitter.com/Ohf2i2XIPs  Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) December 23, 2023

The Congress leaders later staged a sit-in in front of the KPCC office at Vellayambalam for around half an hour.

(With inputs from PTI)

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THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Congress leadership came down heavily on the chief minister and the police for the brutal action during the Congress protest march to the state police headquarters. Many senior Congress leaders, including Congress state president K Sudhakaran, were hospitalised following the police action. Sudhakaran cast serious aspersions against CM Pinarayi Vijayan and the police for hurling eight rounds of tear gas at him and other senior leaders, when they were at the makeshift venue atop a mini-van. Sudhakaran has shot off complaints to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and the Parliament Privilege Committee. He told TNIE that a major mishap was averted as the tear gas fell close to the fuel tank of the mini-van when a dozen senior Congress leaders were on the podium.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); Sudhakaran is scheduled to leave for the US for medical treatment next week. He had been advised by his doctors to stay away from dust. But the unexpected turn of events saw him getting caught amid the fumes of tear gas and water cannons. Women Congress activists hurling stones at the police during the protest march led by Congress state president K Sudhakaran towards the state police headquarters in Thiruvananthapuram on Saturday We are keen to know whether it was the Chief Minister or the DGP who had directed the police to hurl tear gas and also charge water cannons at us when Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan had just begun his speech, Sudhakaran told TNIE. The protest march led by K Sudhakaran and opposition leader VD Satheesan began at 11 am and reached Althara around 11.30 am. The police had erected barricades at Althara junction. The Congress leadership had set up a protest venue at Althara Junction for the public function. It was KPCC chief K Sudhakaran who inaugurated the function. When Satheesan started his speech, some activists attempted to push the police barricades. This prompted the police to use water cannons. In retaliation, the activists pelted stones at the police, and the police hurled tear gas shells eight times. Soon, many activists turned back and ran away. The leaders who were on the protest stage suffered breathlessness and eye pain. ALSO READ | Congress to intensify protests against Sadas, police highhandedness in Kerala Following the tear gas attack, the activists shifted the leaders, including Sudhakaran, to the Sree Rama Krishna Mission Hospital at Sasthamangalam. As per reports, Anwar Sadhath MLA, Jeby Mather MP, and Chandy Oommen are currently at the hospital. However, the activists continued to remain at the spot. Later, leaders like M. Liju and M Vincent came and dispersed the protesters. MPs Kodikunnil Suresh and Shashi Tharoor strongly condemned the police action. They said that the police attack was premeditated and that it was without any provocation. "There are some protocols for using water cannons and tear gas shells. The police have violated this. I have called the DGP. He told me that he was unaware and would take prompt action. I will point this out in Parliament in the coming session. I still have the burning sensation on my face due to the shell attack," Tharoor said. Speaking to the media at the hospital, K Sudhakaran said 'police goons' of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan were behind the violence. According to K Muraleedharan MP, the attack was out of desperation by Pinarayi Vijayan due to the failure of the Nava Kerala Sadas. VIDEO | "I am utterly shocked about it, and I have spoken on strong terms to DGP about it. A peaceful rally was going on, the Leader of Opposition (VD Satheesan) was speaking, the KPCC president (K Sudhakaran) had spoken before that, and there was a quiet, calm audience listening pic.twitter.com/Ohf2i2XIPs  Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) December 23, 2023 The Congress leaders later staged a sit-in in front of the KPCC office at Vellayambalam for around half an hour. (With inputs from PTI) Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp
Fayaz Wani By

Express News Service

SRINAGAR: A day after four soldiers were killed and three others injured in terror attack on two of their vehicles, the Army and police have launched a massive manhunt to track down the assailants in Dera Ki Gali forest and its adjoining areas in border district of Rajouri in J&K.

Drones and Army helicopters are being used to pinpoint the militants. A security official said army men assisted by para-commandos have launched a massive search in DKG and adjoining forest area. Policemen too have also joined the operation.

The operation is on in the dense forest area, where natural caves can provide safe hideouts to the militants. The Army is using drones, quadcopters and sniffer dogs to pinpoint the location of the militants involved in yesterdays deadly ambush on army vehicles, he said. The official said so far no contact has been established with the militants.

General officer Commanding (GoC) of Armys 16 Corps, Lt Gen Sandeep Jain, J&K police chief RR Swain and an NIA team visited the ambush site to take stock of the situation. The GoC and Swain took feedback from the security officials present on the ground about the search operation

With the searches going on, the authorities have closed Thanamandi-Buffliaz road connecting Rajouri with neighbouring Poonch district for civilian traffic and people have been asked to use the Bhimber Gali Road. Sources said two local youth, who lived near the ambush site, have been picked for questioning. They suspect that at least three militants, possibly well trained Pakistani nationals, were involved in the attack.

Sources said security agencies are investigating whether militants used steel coated bullets to pierce the Bullet Proof vests of the Army men in the attack. The steel coated bullets were used by militants in the April 20 attack on an army vehicle in Bhata Dhurian forest area in Poonch district. Over 35 soldiers have been killed in encounters with terrorists in the twin districts in the last two years.

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SRINAGAR: A day after four soldiers were killed and three others injured in terror attack on two of their vehicles, the Army and police have launched a massive manhunt to track down the assailants in Dera Ki Gali forest and its adjoining areas in border district of Rajouri in J&K. Drones and Army helicopters are being used to pinpoint the militants. A security official said army men assisted by para-commandos have launched a massive search in DKG and adjoining forest area. Policemen too have also joined the operation. The operation is on in the dense forest area, where natural caves can provide safe hideouts to the militants. The Army is using drones, quadcopters and sniffer dogs to pinpoint the location of the militants involved in yesterdays deadly ambush on army vehicles, he said. The official said so far no contact has been established with the militants.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); General officer Commanding (GoC) of Armys 16 Corps, Lt Gen Sandeep Jain, J&K police chief RR Swain and an NIA team visited the ambush site to take stock of the situation. The GoC and Swain took feedback from the security officials present on the ground about the search operation With the searches going on, the authorities have closed Thanamandi-Buffliaz road connecting Rajouri with neighbouring Poonch district for civilian traffic and people have been asked to use the Bhimber Gali Road. Sources said two local youth, who lived near the ambush site, have been picked for questioning. They suspect that at least three militants, possibly well trained Pakistani nationals, were involved in the attack. Sources said security agencies are investigating whether militants used steel coated bullets to pierce the Bullet Proof vests of the Army men in the attack. The steel coated bullets were used by militants in the April 20 attack on an army vehicle in Bhata Dhurian forest area in Poonch district. Over 35 soldiers have been killed in encounters with terrorists in the twin districts in the last two years. Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp
Yeshi Seli By

Express News Service

NEW DELHI: In an eerie coincidence, on the day Shah Rukh Khans latest film Dunki  which deals with human trafficking  released in theatres the world over, French authorities grounded a plane carrying 303 Indians over suspected human trafficking.

The Nicaragua-bound aircraft, operated by Romanian charter company Legend Airlines, had taken off from Dubai and landed in Vatry airport for a technical stopover when police intervened following an anonymous tipoff.

Frances national anti-organised crime unit JUNALCO has taken over the investigation, French media reports said. According to a source, the passengers may have been trying to cross over to the US or Canada illegally after landing in Nicaraguas capital Managua.

French authorities informed us of a plane with 303 people, mostly Indian origin, from Dubai to Nicaragua detained on a technical halt at a French airport. Embassy team has reached & obtained consular access. We are investigating the situation, also ensuring wellbeing of passengers, the Indian mission in Paris said in a statement.

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NEW DELHI: In an eerie coincidence, on the day Shah Rukh Khans latest film Dunki  which deals with human trafficking  released in theatres the world over, French authorities grounded a plane carrying 303 Indians over suspected human trafficking. The Nicaragua-bound aircraft, operated by Romanian charter company Legend Airlines, had taken off from Dubai and landed in Vatry airport for a technical stopover when police intervened following an anonymous tipoff. Frances national anti-organised crime unit JUNALCO has taken over the investigation, French media reports said. According to a source, the passengers may have been trying to cross over to the US or Canada illegally after landing in Nicaraguas capital Managua.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); French authorities informed us of a plane with 303 people, mostly Indian origin, from Dubai to Nicaragua detained on a technical halt at a French airport. Embassy team has reached & obtained consular access. We are investigating the situation, also ensuring wellbeing of passengers, the Indian mission in Paris said in a statement. Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp
Yeshi Seli By

Express News Service

NEW DELHI: French President Emmanuel Macron will be the chief guest at Indias 75th Republic Day parade on January 26. Thank you for your invitation, my dear friend @Narendra Modi. India, on your Republic Day, Ill be here to celebrate with you, Macron wrote on X, confirming his acceptance of Indias invite.

India had initially invited US President Joe Biden to grace the occasion, but the US informed he wont be able to travel to India in January. Macron will be the sixth French leader to attend Indias Republic Day celebrations as chief guest. The invitation to Macron comes as India and France are celebrating the 25th anniversary of their strategic partnership. Macron was in Delhi in September for the G-20 summit.

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NEW DELHI: French President Emmanuel Macron will be the chief guest at Indias 75th Republic Day parade on January 26. Thank you for your invitation, my dear friend @Narendra Modi. India, on your Republic Day, Ill be here to celebrate with you, Macron wrote on X, confirming his acceptance of Indias invite. India had initially invited US President Joe Biden to grace the occasion, but the US informed he wont be able to travel to India in January. Macron will be the sixth French leader to attend Indias Republic Day celebrations as chief guest. The invitation to Macron comes as India and France are celebrating the 25th anniversary of their strategic partnership. Macron was in Delhi in September for the G-20 summit. Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsAppgoogletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); });
Dilip Singh Kshatriya By

Express News Service

AHMEDABAD: With an aim to introduce children to Indias rich and age-old knowledge systems, the Gujarat government on Friday launched a supplementary textbook on the Bhagavad Gita for classes 6-8.

According to Praful Pansheriya, Minister of State for Education, the textbook would be included in the curriculum of the said classes in the upcoming academic year.

He said that the decision was taken by the new National Education Policy that the Centre drafted three years ago. Taking to X, Minister Pansheriya said, The state education department has decided the NEP-2020 to include the spiritual principles and values embodied in Shrimad Bhagavad Gita as a supplementary textbook in the curriculum of Class 6 to Class 8.

Through this academic decision, students will feel proud and connected to the rich, diverse, ancient culture and knowledge systems and traditions of India through the teachings of Shrimad Bhagavad Gita. This decision taken under the National Education Policy 2020 under the guidance of Honble Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi ji will play an important role in improving values among students, the minister added.

The textbook was launched on the occasion of Gita Jayanti. While interacting with the media later, Pansheriya said this is the first part of the textbook which is meant for the students of classes 6 to 8 and will be soon be introduced in other schools of the state.

Two more parts, for students of classes 9 to 12, will be made available soon, he added. Meanwhile, reacting to development, Manish Doshi, a spokesperson for the Gujarat Congress, said, The government should first read the Gita itself before teaching it to the children. The holy scripture is a dialogue between a guru and his disciple, but there are more than 32,000 teachers vacancies in Gujarat. Unfortunately the government has turned a blind eye to it.

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AHMEDABAD: With an aim to introduce children to Indias rich and age-old knowledge systems, the Gujarat government on Friday launched a supplementary textbook on the Bhagavad Gita for classes 6-8. According to Praful Pansheriya, Minister of State for Education, the textbook would be included in the curriculum of the said classes in the upcoming academic year. He said that the decision was taken by the new National Education Policy that the Centre drafted three years ago. Taking to X, Minister Pansheriya said, The state education department has decided the NEP-2020 to include the spiritual principles and values embodied in Shrimad Bhagavad Gita as a supplementary textbook in the curriculum of Class 6 to Class 8. Through this academic decision, students will feel proud and connected to the rich, diverse, ancient culture and knowledge systems and traditions of India through the teachings of Shrimad Bhagavad Gita. This decision taken under the National Education Policy 2020 under the guidance of Honble Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi ji will play an important role in improving values among students, the minister added.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); The textbook was launched on the occasion of Gita Jayanti. While interacting with the media later, Pansheriya said this is the first part of the textbook which is meant for the students of classes 6 to 8 and will be soon be introduced in other schools of the state. Two more parts, for students of classes 9 to 12, will be made available soon, he added. Meanwhile, reacting to development, Manish Doshi, a spokesperson for the Gujarat Congress, said, The government should first read the Gita itself before teaching it to the children. The holy scripture is a dialogue between a guru and his disciple, but there are more than 32,000 teachers vacancies in Gujarat. Unfortunately the government has turned a blind eye to it. Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp
By PTI

AHMEDABAD: In an attempt to provide a "global business ecosystem" at the Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City), the Gujarat government on Friday lifted the ban on liquor in the area, exempting it from the prohibition which is in place across the state.

Being the state in which Mahatma Gandhi was born, the manufacture, storage, sale and consumption of alcoholic beverages have been banned in Gujarat since its formation.

Such exemption had never been granted in any area of the state in the past.

"GIFT City has emerged as a global financial and technological hub which is bustling with economic activities. An important decision has been taken on Friday to change rules to allow `wine and dine' facilities in the GIFT City area to provide a global business ecosystem to global investors, technical experts and national and international companies," the state prohibition department said in a statement.

"Under the new system, hotels, restaurants and clubs (existing and that will come up) in the GIFT City area will be given permits for wine and dine facilities," it said.

However, such establishments will not be allowed to sell liquor bottles to people.

"Those officially working in the GIFT City area and their official guests will be able to go to such hotels, restaurants and clubs for wine and dine facilities," the statement further said.

Liquor access permits will be given to owners and employees of companies in the GIFT City and temporary permits will be given to their visitors who can go to such hotels and restaurants to consume alcohol.

The state prohibition and excise department will regulate the import, storage and sale of liquor in the city.

At present, outsiders visiting Gujarat can buy liquor from authorised outlets by obtaining a temporary permit.

The opposition Congress, meanwhile, opposed the decision.

"Look at the situation of women in the states where liquor is freely available. Families are getting destroyed. Liquor not only damages health but also disturbs the social fabric. There is no proof that development can be achieved due to liquor. If that was true, then the states which do not have prohibition would be at the top of development charts," Congress leader Manish Doshi said.

By legalizing the sale and consumption of liquor "in Gujarat of Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Patel" the BJP government was exhibiting its double standards, and it does not want to implement prohibition properly, said another Congress leader Hiren Banker.

The DREAM city in Surat which houses the recently inaugurated diamond bourse has also demanded exemption from prohibition.

In the past, former chief minister Shankarsinh Vaghela had demanded that the ban on liquor be lifted in the state.

Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp

AHMEDABAD: In an attempt to provide a "global business ecosystem" at the Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City), the Gujarat government on Friday lifted the ban on liquor in the area, exempting it from the prohibition which is in place across the state. Being the state in which Mahatma Gandhi was born, the manufacture, storage, sale and consumption of alcoholic beverages have been banned in Gujarat since its formation. Such exemption had never been granted in any area of the state in the past.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); "GIFT City has emerged as a global financial and technological hub which is bustling with economic activities. An important decision has been taken on Friday to change rules to allow `wine and dine' facilities in the GIFT City area to provide a global business ecosystem to global investors, technical experts and national and international companies," the state prohibition department said in a statement. "Under the new system, hotels, restaurants and clubs (existing and that will come up) in the GIFT City area will be given permits for wine and dine facilities," it said. However, such establishments will not be allowed to sell liquor bottles to people. "Those officially working in the GIFT City area and their official guests will be able to go to such hotels, restaurants and clubs for wine and dine facilities," the statement further said. Liquor access permits will be given to owners and employees of companies in the GIFT City and temporary permits will be given to their visitors who can go to such hotels and restaurants to consume alcohol. The state prohibition and excise department will regulate the import, storage and sale of liquor in the city. At present, outsiders visiting Gujarat can buy liquor from authorised outlets by obtaining a temporary permit. The opposition Congress, meanwhile, opposed the decision. "Look at the situation of women in the states where liquor is freely available. Families are getting destroyed. Liquor not only damages health but also disturbs the social fabric. There is no proof that development can be achieved due to liquor. If that was true, then the states which do not have prohibition would be at the top of development charts," Congress leader Manish Doshi said. By legalizing the sale and consumption of liquor "in Gujarat of Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Patel" the BJP government was exhibiting its double standards, and it does not want to implement prohibition properly, said another Congress leader Hiren Banker. The DREAM city in Surat which houses the recently inaugurated diamond bourse has also demanded exemption from prohibition. In the past, former chief minister Shankarsinh Vaghela had demanded that the ban on liquor be lifted in the state. Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp
Preetha Nair By

Express News Service

NEW DELHI: In their first joint protest outside Parliament, several senior leaders of the INDIA bloc launched a broadside against the BJP government for the recent suspension of 146 Opposition MPs from both Houses, accusing it of strangulating parliamentary democracy.

The leaders who attended the protest at Jantar Mantar, under the Save Democracy banner included Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, NCP chief Sharad Pawar, CPMs Sitaram Yechury, CPI leader D Raja, RJDs Manoj Jha, and DMKs Tiruchi Siva. Parallelly, the INDIA bloc partners held protests in several state capitals, including Lucknow, Thiruvananthapuram and Patna.

The call for a protest against the suspensions was made at the fourth meeting of the INDIA bloc early this week. As many as 100 MPs from Lok Sabha and 46 from Rajya Sabha were suspended during the winter session of Parliament for demanding a statement from Union home minister Amit Shah on the security breach on December 13.

Speaking at the meeting, Rahul alleged that during the Parliament security breach, those who call themselves patriots ran away when smoke emanated from the canisters. The issue is how did they enter Parliament. How could they bring gas canisters inside Parliament? They could have brought in something else, he said.

Rahul linked the incident to the spiraling unemployment rate in the country. There is tremendous unemployment. That is why the youngsters jumped inside Parliament House, he said adding that by shunting out 150 MPs, the government has shut the voice of 60% of the people of India. These 150 MPs are not just people but the voice of the people of India as every MP comes to Parliament with the votes of lakhs of people, Rahul said.

Kharge said the INDIA bloc has come together as democracy is under threat. When everyone unites, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will not be able to do anything. The more you try to crush us, the more we will rise. We are fighting unitedly to save the country and democracy, he said.

Pawar said the bloc is ready to pay whatever price is necessary to save democracy. Today, farmers are going on the path of suicide; youngsters working in factories are not even getting proper wages. We will have to take responsibility and work hard to remove the forces attacking democracy, he said. Tiruchi Siva accused the BJP government of attempting to destabilise the countrys federal and secular structures.

Maharashtra seat talks

After the joint opposition protest at Jantar Mantar, Rahul drove with Sharad Pawar to the latters 6, Janpath residence. They are learnt to have had initial talks on seat sharing within Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi that comprises Uddhavs Sena, Cong and NCP. Pawar is said to be interested in expanding the Aghadi to include smaller parties

Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp

NEW DELHI: In their first joint protest outside Parliament, several senior leaders of the INDIA bloc launched a broadside against the BJP government for the recent suspension of 146 Opposition MPs from both Houses, accusing it of strangulating parliamentary democracy. The leaders who attended the protest at Jantar Mantar, under the Save Democracy banner included Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, NCP chief Sharad Pawar, CPMs Sitaram Yechury, CPI leader D Raja, RJDs Manoj Jha, and DMKs Tiruchi Siva. Parallelly, the INDIA bloc partners held protests in several state capitals, including Lucknow, Thiruvananthapuram and Patna. The call for a protest against the suspensions was made at the fourth meeting of the INDIA bloc early this week. As many as 100 MPs from Lok Sabha and 46 from Rajya Sabha were suspended during the winter session of Parliament for demanding a statement from Union home minister Amit Shah on the security breach on December 13.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); Speaking at the meeting, Rahul alleged that during the Parliament security breach, those who call themselves patriots ran away when smoke emanated from the canisters. The issue is how did they enter Parliament. How could they bring gas canisters inside Parliament? They could have brought in something else, he said. Rahul linked the incident to the spiraling unemployment rate in the country. There is tremendous unemployment. That is why the youngsters jumped inside Parliament House, he said adding that by shunting out 150 MPs, the government has shut the voice of 60% of the people of India. These 150 MPs are not just people but the voice of the people of India as every MP comes to Parliament with the votes of lakhs of people, Rahul said. Kharge said the INDIA bloc has come together as democracy is under threat. When everyone unites, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will not be able to do anything. The more you try to crush us, the more we will rise. We are fighting unitedly to save the country and democracy, he said. Pawar said the bloc is ready to pay whatever price is necessary to save democracy. Today, farmers are going on the path of suicide; youngsters working in factories are not even getting proper wages. We will have to take responsibility and work hard to remove the forces attacking democracy, he said. Tiruchi Siva accused the BJP government of attempting to destabilise the countrys federal and secular structures. Maharashtra seat talks After the joint opposition protest at Jantar Mantar, Rahul drove with Sharad Pawar to the latters 6, Janpath residence. They are learnt to have had initial talks on seat sharing within Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi that comprises Uddhavs Sena, Cong and NCP. Pawar is said to be interested in expanding the Aghadi to include smaller parties Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp
On December 23, Russian troops attacked Kirovohrad region with missiles. The enemy's massive missile attack was repelled by air defense forces: the missiles were destroyed over the Kropyvnytskyi and Oleksandriia districts.

ADVERTISIMENT

However, the fragments of the downed missiles damaged roofs, fences and cars. This was reported by the head of the Kirovohrad Regional Military Administration Andriy Raikovych.

"Today Kirovohrad region is under a massive missile attack. The defenders of the sky have been working. Targets over Kropyvnytskyi and Oleksandriya districts were destroyed. Shrapnel damaged roofs, fences and cars," he said.

Raikovych added that as of 12:00, the Regional military administrations had not received any information about the victims of the falling debris.

A message about the air alert was posted on the Kirovohrad Regional Military Administration's Telegram channel at 09:55, as the region was under the threat of a missile strike.

ADVERTISIMENT

Half an hour later, Raikovych asked the residents of the region "not to film or post anything online."

The air raid alert was canceled at 11:16 a.m.

As a reminder, at around 10 am on December 23, Ukraine was hit by an air raid alert: ballistic missile warnings were issued in southern Ukraine, and explosions were heard in Kryvyi Rih and Kropyvnytskyi.

In the evening of December 22, the Russians began attacking Ukraine with Iranian kamikaze drones. Air defense forces destroyed all 9 attack UAVs over Odesa and Khmelnytskyi regions.
Mayank Singh By

Express News Service

NEW DELHI: Not many would know that the anchor of the Indian Navys quick reaction to the distress call by the hijacked Merchant Vessel Ruen lay in Gurugram where the Information Fusion Centre-Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR) is located.

At the back end IFC-IOR coordinated responses and assistance between the Navy and the ship owner, said Lieutenant Commander Rohit Jadhav, Operations Officer of IFC-IOR to the media on Friday.

Quickly we got hold of the owner of the ship, said Captain Rohit Bajpai, Director IFC-IOR. We were in touch day and night while an Indian Navy patrol aircraft that was in the region was continuously monitoring the vessel till INS Kochi, on deployment in the Gulf of Aden, reached the location on the morning of December 16.

It was ascertained from the crew that the citadel onboard MV Ruen was breached and all crew members were held hostage by the pirates. One of the crew members was also injured, said Capt Bajpai. It was Indian Navys mission deployed platform, which responded to the maritime incident in the Arabian Sea involving the hijacking of Malta-flagged vessel MV Ruen. The vessel, with 18 crew members onboard, had sent a Mayday message on UKMTO portal on December 14, indicating boarding by about six unknown personnel. The ship is anchored at the Somalian shore.

This event underlines the advantage of having an Information Fusion Centre, which connects across maritime security constructs, enabling faster reaction to developing situations in regions and areas of interests, a source said.

Briefing on the major threats being monitored, the Sri Lankan International Liaison Officer (ILO) Commander Indika Prasanna Wijesinghe said that for piracy and armed robbery, there are three major hotspots, namely South East Asia, Gulf of Guinea and the Horn of Africa.

Talking of the collaborations at the Centre, the ILO from Singapore Col Ong Yew Kuan Raymond said what they were doing here was building trust. We ensure we provide actionable and verifiable information, he said.

It was after communication between the hijackers and the Indian Navy that assistance helped in the evacuation of an injured crew member from MV Ruen in the early hours of December 18. The International Liaison Officers (ILOs) with a mandate to work as a bridge between the functioning of the Information Fusion Centre-Indian Ocean Region work giving a push to the Indian initiative to engage friendly foreign countries in meeting maritime challenges.

IFC-IOR, headed by Capt Rohit Bajpai, was inaugurated in December 2018 and is tasked to collate, fuse and disseminate intelligence on White Shipping in the Indian Ocean. It aims to base 40 international liaison officers once a suitable infrastructure to house them is in place by 2025-26.

Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp

NEW DELHI: Not many would know that the anchor of the Indian Navys quick reaction to the distress call by the hijacked Merchant Vessel Ruen lay in Gurugram where the Information Fusion Centre-Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR) is located. At the back end IFC-IOR coordinated responses and assistance between the Navy and the ship owner, said Lieutenant Commander Rohit Jadhav, Operations Officer of IFC-IOR to the media on Friday. Quickly we got hold of the owner of the ship, said Captain Rohit Bajpai, Director IFC-IOR. We were in touch day and night while an Indian Navy patrol aircraft that was in the region was continuously monitoring the vessel till INS Kochi, on deployment in the Gulf of Aden, reached the location on the morning of December 16.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); It was ascertained from the crew that the citadel onboard MV Ruen was breached and all crew members were held hostage by the pirates. One of the crew members was also injured, said Capt Bajpai. It was Indian Navys mission deployed platform, which responded to the maritime incident in the Arabian Sea involving the hijacking of Malta-flagged vessel MV Ruen. The vessel, with 18 crew members onboard, had sent a Mayday message on UKMTO portal on December 14, indicating boarding by about six unknown personnel. The ship is anchored at the Somalian shore. This event underlines the advantage of having an Information Fusion Centre, which connects across maritime security constructs, enabling faster reaction to developing situations in regions and areas of interests, a source said. Briefing on the major threats being monitored, the Sri Lankan International Liaison Officer (ILO) Commander Indika Prasanna Wijesinghe said that for piracy and armed robbery, there are three major hotspots, namely South East Asia, Gulf of Guinea and the Horn of Africa. Talking of the collaborations at the Centre, the ILO from Singapore Col Ong Yew Kuan Raymond said what they were doing here was building trust. We ensure we provide actionable and verifiable information, he said. It was after communication between the hijackers and the Indian Navy that assistance helped in the evacuation of an injured crew member from MV Ruen in the early hours of December 18. The International Liaison Officers (ILOs) with a mandate to work as a bridge between the functioning of the Information Fusion Centre-Indian Ocean Region work giving a push to the Indian initiative to engage friendly foreign countries in meeting maritime challenges. IFC-IOR, headed by Capt Rohit Bajpai, was inaugurated in December 2018 and is tasked to collate, fuse and disseminate intelligence on White Shipping in the Indian Ocean. It aims to base 40 international liaison officers once a suitable infrastructure to house them is in place by 2025-26. Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp
Ujwal Jalali By

Express News Service

NEW DELHI: Days after Arvind Kejriwal left for a Vipassana session in Punjab, the Enforcement Directorate on Friday issued its third summons to the Delhi chief minister in connection with the now-scrapped excise policy scam. Kejriwal has been directed to appear before the agency on January 3.

The third summons reduces the options before him. If he ignores it the way he did on the two previous occasions, the ED can get a court to issue a non-bailable warrant (NBW) against him. The NBW empowers the police to arrest the person and produce him before the court. As for Kejriwal, he can challenge the summons in a court and seek anticipatory bail.

The second summons came days before he was to leave on December 19 for the 10-day Vipassana session. It had sought his appearance at the ED office on December 21. But Kejriwal chose meditation over appearing before the ED. In any case, the his absence from Delhi for Vipassana was announced before ED officials served their second summons.

The first summons was issued on November 2, which he skipped, arguing it was illegal. The AAP accused the BJP of targeting the AAP leadership for political gains.

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NEW DELHI: Days after Arvind Kejriwal left for a Vipassana session in Punjab, the Enforcement Directorate on Friday issued its third summons to the Delhi chief minister in connection with the now-scrapped excise policy scam. Kejriwal has been directed to appear before the agency on January 3. The third summons reduces the options before him. If he ignores it the way he did on the two previous occasions, the ED can get a court to issue a non-bailable warrant (NBW) against him. The NBW empowers the police to arrest the person and produce him before the court. As for Kejriwal, he can challenge the summons in a court and seek anticipatory bail. The second summons came days before he was to leave on December 19 for the 10-day Vipassana session. It had sought his appearance at the ED office on December 21. But Kejriwal chose meditation over appearing before the ED. In any case, the his absence from Delhi for Vipassana was announced before ED officials served their second summons.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); The first summons was issued on November 2, which he skipped, arguing it was illegal. The AAP accused the BJP of targeting the AAP leadership for political gains. Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp
Rajesh Kumar Thakur By

Express News Service

NEW DELHI: A day after the winter session of Parliament concluded, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi criticised the tumult over the suspension of several Opposition members from both Houses.

During a media briefing on Friday, Joshi reproached the Opposition for unnecessary disruptions and noise in the recently concluded winter session. The government initially had no intention of suspending numerous MPs from the Lok Sabha, he said.

Joshi claimed that it was the Opposition members themselves who requested their suspensions. The government never intended to suspend so many MPs from the Lok Sabha. The fact is that Opposition members came with requests for their own suspension after some of their colleagues were suspended, he said. Accompanied by Union Law Minister Arjun Meghwal, Joshi remarked that while Parliament adheres to rules, the Opposition often attempts to disregard them. He noted that 146 MPs, including 100 from the Lok Sabha and 46 from the Rajya Sabha, were suspended for unruly behaviour and defying the ban on placards.

He also noted the historical significance of the 17th Lok Sabhas first session, which saw the abrogation of Article 370 pertaining to Jammu and Kashmir, and the recent sessions removal of British-era vestiges from criminal justice laws. He highlighted the passage of three new criminal justice bills, heralding a new era of justice and asked the Opposition to challenge the laws in court if they identified flaws.

Additionally, Joshi criticised Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, alleging that the former Congress president was enjoying and video-taping the mimicry of a Rajya Sabha member holding a high Constitutional post. Meghwal, on his part, said a committee has been formed to investigate the Parliament security breach incident. He accused the Congress and Opposition of orchestrating an insult to the Rajya Sabha chairman and Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar. By insulting him, the Congress and its allies in the Opposition have shown their mindset against farmers, OBCs, and a particular community, he said.

Joshi said that BJP Lok Sabha member Prathap Simhas statements are part of the investigation into the December 13 Parliament security breach. He stated that the law would follow its course after the investigation concluded. The breach, involving protesters entering the Lok Sabha chamber and setting off smoke canisters, was linked to passes issued by Simhas office. The government has initiated a comprehensive investigation, forming a high-powered committee to review security and considering a transfer of Parliament security to the CISF.

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NEW DELHI: A day after the winter session of Parliament concluded, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi criticised the tumult over the suspension of several Opposition members from both Houses. During a media briefing on Friday, Joshi reproached the Opposition for unnecessary disruptions and noise in the recently concluded winter session. The government initially had no intention of suspending numerous MPs from the Lok Sabha, he said. Joshi claimed that it was the Opposition members themselves who requested their suspensions. The government never intended to suspend so many MPs from the Lok Sabha. The fact is that Opposition members came with requests for their own suspension after some of their colleagues were suspended, he said. Accompanied by Union Law Minister Arjun Meghwal, Joshi remarked that while Parliament adheres to rules, the Opposition often attempts to disregard them. He noted that 146 MPs, including 100 from the Lok Sabha and 46 from the Rajya Sabha, were suspended for unruly behaviour and defying the ban on placards. He also noted the historical significance of the 17th Lok Sabhas first session, which saw the abrogation of Article 370 pertaining to Jammu and Kashmir, and the recent sessions removal of British-era vestiges from criminal justice laws. He highlighted the passage of three new criminal justice bills, heralding a new era of justice and asked the Opposition to challenge the laws in court if they identified flaws.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); Additionally, Joshi criticised Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, alleging that the former Congress president was enjoying and video-taping the mimicry of a Rajya Sabha member holding a high Constitutional post. Meghwal, on his part, said a committee has been formed to investigate the Parliament security breach incident. He accused the Congress and Opposition of orchestrating an insult to the Rajya Sabha chairman and Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar. By insulting him, the Congress and its allies in the Opposition have shown their mindset against farmers, OBCs, and a particular community, he said. Joshi said that BJP Lok Sabha member Prathap Simhas statements are part of the investigation into the December 13 Parliament security breach. He stated that the law would follow its course after the investigation concluded. The breach, involving protesters entering the Lok Sabha chamber and setting off smoke canisters, was linked to passes issued by Simhas office. The government has initiated a comprehensive investigation, forming a high-powered committee to review security and considering a transfer of Parliament security to the CISF. Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp
Rajesh Kumar Thakur By

Express News Service

NEW DELHI: With an eye on the upcoming general election in 2024, the two-day national meeting of the BJP started with a resolve to win over 350 Lok Sabha seats with the partys poll mantra Modi ki Guarantee, indicating the party delivers on its promises.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the meeting of the BJPs office-bearers and chiefs of all state units and partys front organisations at the central party office. The PM offered floral tributes to the portraits of party ideologues and took stock of the BJPs preparedness for the Lok Sabha polls.

Leaders who attended the meeting said the PM went through every detail of the preparedness for the next LS elections, the strategy to be adopted to take on the INDIA bloc and bring the governments achievements before the people.

After BJP chief JP Nadda welcomed the PM, the party office-bearers shared their feedback and suggestions on the first day of the meeting, said a leader, adding that Modi Ki Guarantee will be the poll mantra for the BJPs LS elections in 2024.

The nation needs Modi and the people have reposed their unwavering faith in the vision and leadership of Modi in assembly elections in MP, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh. So, the Modi ki Guarantee will be our poll call for the 2024 LS election as well as states going in for assembly polls around the LS polls, said a senior leader.

They discussed how to take the construction of Ram temple before the people after its inauguration on January 22. The chiefs of BJPs seven front organisations, including OBC Morcha, SC Morcha, Minority Morcha and Womens Morcha, also dwelt on their findings and preparedness for the general election.

The PM has asked party leaders to widen the reach-out to the marginalised communities by taking the governments performance of the last nine years, said a party source. Other sources said that BJP IT head Amit Malviya, along with other unit heads, made presentations before the PM. The partys various wings and state units shared details of their ongoing organisational exercises.

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NEW DELHI: With an eye on the upcoming general election in 2024, the two-day national meeting of the BJP started with a resolve to win over 350 Lok Sabha seats with the partys poll mantra Modi ki Guarantee, indicating the party delivers on its promises. Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the meeting of the BJPs office-bearers and chiefs of all state units and partys front organisations at the central party office. The PM offered floral tributes to the portraits of party ideologues and took stock of the BJPs preparedness for the Lok Sabha polls. Leaders who attended the meeting said the PM went through every detail of the preparedness for the next LS elections, the strategy to be adopted to take on the INDIA bloc and bring the governments achievements before the people.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); After BJP chief JP Nadda welcomed the PM, the party office-bearers shared their feedback and suggestions on the first day of the meeting, said a leader, adding that Modi Ki Guarantee will be the poll mantra for the BJPs LS elections in 2024. The nation needs Modi and the people have reposed their unwavering faith in the vision and leadership of Modi in assembly elections in MP, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh. So, the Modi ki Guarantee will be our poll call for the 2024 LS election as well as states going in for assembly polls around the LS polls, said a senior leader. They discussed how to take the construction of Ram temple before the people after its inauguration on January 22. The chiefs of BJPs seven front organisations, including OBC Morcha, SC Morcha, Minority Morcha and Womens Morcha, also dwelt on their findings and preparedness for the general election. The PM has asked party leaders to widen the reach-out to the marginalised communities by taking the governments performance of the last nine years, said a party source. Other sources said that BJP IT head Amit Malviya, along with other unit heads, made presentations before the PM. The partys various wings and state units shared details of their ongoing organisational exercises. Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp
Mayank Singh and Dilip Singh Kshatriya By

Express News Service

NEW DELHI/ AHMEDABAD: Responding to the drone strike on Merchant Vessel (MV) Chem Pluto off the coast of Veraval in India, the Indian navy has dispatched their assets including a warship to assess the situation.

Sources told the New Indian Express that, Indian Navys warship has been dispatched which is expected to reach by tonight.

The situation will be assessed and relevant steps will be taken. As per the initial information the incident is suspected of a drone-based attack. added the sources.

As per the initial information through multiple sources, The merchant vessel MV Chem Pluto, which was transporting crude oil from Saudi Arabia to Mangalore, was over 200 nautical miles southwest of Veraval in the Arabian Sea. Sources claim that the Indian Coast Guard has instructed the ICGS Vikram to approach the ship..

The oil tanker is flagged under Liberia.

The ship owner of the company, through the Indian Fusion Centre-Indian Ocean Region, had sought help from the Indian Navy., said the sources.

There are 20 Indian crew members on the MV Chem Pluto, but all of them are said to be safe. Authorities are looking into the incident's details in great detail.

Meanwhile, after the distress call from the ship, the Indian Coast Guard Ship (ICGS) Vikram was rushed towards the spot. It was on patrol duty in the Indian Exclusive Economic Zone.

This incident occurred within a few days of the hijacking of the MV Ruen. In that case, the Indian Navys quick reaction to the distress call was pivoted through the Gurugram, Haryana-based Information Fusion Centre-Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR).

This newspaper reported a source saying, This event underlines the advantage of having an Information Fusion Centre, which connects across maritime security constructs, enabling faster reaction to developing situations in regions and areas of interests,.

On Friday, briefing on the major threats being monitored, the Sri Lankan International Liaison Officer (ILO) Commander Indika Prasanna Wijesinghe said that for piracy and armed robbery, there are three major hotspots, namely South East Asia, the Gulf of Guinea and the Horn of Africa.

The International Liaison Officers (ILOs) with a mandate to work as a bridge between the functioning of the Information Fusion Centre-Indian Ocean Region giving a push to the Indian initiative to engage friendly foreign countries in meeting maritime challenges.

IFC-IOR, headed by Capt Rohit Bajpai, was inaugurated in December 2018 and is tasked to collate, fuse and disseminate intelligence on White Shipping in the Indian Ocean. It aims to base 40 international liaison officers once a suitable infrastructure to house them is in place by 2025-26.

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NEW DELHI/ AHMEDABAD: Responding to the drone strike on Merchant Vessel (MV) Chem Pluto off the coast of Veraval in India, the Indian navy has dispatched their assets including a warship to assess the situation. Sources told the New Indian Express that, Indian Navys warship has been dispatched which is expected to reach by tonight. The situation will be assessed and relevant steps will be taken. As per the initial information the incident is suspected of a drone-based attack. added the sources.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); As per the initial information through multiple sources, The merchant vessel MV Chem Pluto, which was transporting crude oil from Saudi Arabia to Mangalore, was over 200 nautical miles southwest of Veraval in the Arabian Sea. Sources claim that the Indian Coast Guard has instructed the ICGS Vikram to approach the ship.. The oil tanker is flagged under Liberia. The ship owner of the company, through the Indian Fusion Centre-Indian Ocean Region, had sought help from the Indian Navy., said the sources. There are 20 Indian crew members on the MV Chem Pluto, but all of them are said to be safe. Authorities are looking into the incident's details in great detail. Meanwhile, after the distress call from the ship, the Indian Coast Guard Ship (ICGS) Vikram was rushed towards the spot. It was on patrol duty in the Indian Exclusive Economic Zone. This incident occurred within a few days of the hijacking of the MV Ruen. In that case, the Indian Navys quick reaction to the distress call was pivoted through the Gurugram, Haryana-based Information Fusion Centre-Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR). This newspaper reported a source saying, This event underlines the advantage of having an Information Fusion Centre, which connects across maritime security constructs, enabling faster reaction to developing situations in regions and areas of interests,. On Friday, briefing on the major threats being monitored, the Sri Lankan International Liaison Officer (ILO) Commander Indika Prasanna Wijesinghe said that for piracy and armed robbery, there are three major hotspots, namely South East Asia, the Gulf of Guinea and the Horn of Africa. The International Liaison Officers (ILOs) with a mandate to work as a bridge between the functioning of the Information Fusion Centre-Indian Ocean Region giving a push to the Indian initiative to engage friendly foreign countries in meeting maritime challenges. IFC-IOR, headed by Capt Rohit Bajpai, was inaugurated in December 2018 and is tasked to collate, fuse and disseminate intelligence on White Shipping in the Indian Ocean. It aims to base 40 international liaison officers once a suitable infrastructure to house them is in place by 2025-26. Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp
Preetha Nair By

Express News Service

NEW DELHI: The Congress, in preparation for the 2024 general elections, has established a 16-member committee dedicated to drafting its manifesto. This committee is led by party member P Chidambaram.

Earlier in the day, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi held a strategic meeting with Sharad Pawar, focusing on the crucial topic of seat-sharing in Maharashtra for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

This meeting followed a united opposition protest at Jantar Mantar. Post-protest, Gandhi and Pawar retreated to Pawars residence at 6, Janpath for a private discussion. Their conversation is understood to have revolved around the allocation of seats among the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi partners, including the Shiv Sena (Udhav Balasaheb Thackeray), the Congress, and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).

Sharad Pawar, a seasoned NCP leader, expressed interest in including smaller parties like those from the Left, Peasants and Workers Party, and Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi in the opposition coalition, owing to their localised influence in Maharashtra. He emphasised the importance of early finalisation of seat sharing agreements in Maharashtra, aiming to facilitate joint rallies for the coalitions Lok Sabha election campaign.

As for the manifesto committee, T S Singhdeo, former Deputy Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh, has been appointed its convenor. Other notable members include Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Anand Sharma, Shashi Tharoor, Jairam Ramesh, Gaurav Gogoi, Jignesh Mevani, and Gurdeep Sappal.

Post the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting on Friday, Congress general secretary K C Venugopal announced the partys immediate shift to election mode. He confirmed the impending announcement of the manifesto committee and indicated that the selection of candidates for the Lok Sabha polls would be expedited with the formation of the screening committee this month.

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NEW DELHI: The Congress, in preparation for the 2024 general elections, has established a 16-member committee dedicated to drafting its manifesto. This committee is led by party member P Chidambaram. Earlier in the day, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi held a strategic meeting with Sharad Pawar, focusing on the crucial topic of seat-sharing in Maharashtra for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. This meeting followed a united opposition protest at Jantar Mantar. Post-protest, Gandhi and Pawar retreated to Pawars residence at 6, Janpath for a private discussion. Their conversation is understood to have revolved around the allocation of seats among the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi partners, including the Shiv Sena (Udhav Balasaheb Thackeray), the Congress, and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). Sharad Pawar, a seasoned NCP leader, expressed interest in including smaller parties like those from the Left, Peasants and Workers Party, and Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi in the opposition coalition, owing to their localised influence in Maharashtra. He emphasised the importance of early finalisation of seat sharing agreements in Maharashtra, aiming to facilitate joint rallies for the coalitions Lok Sabha election campaign.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); As for the manifesto committee, T S Singhdeo, former Deputy Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh, has been appointed its convenor. Other notable members include Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Anand Sharma, Shashi Tharoor, Jairam Ramesh, Gaurav Gogoi, Jignesh Mevani, and Gurdeep Sappal. Post the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting on Friday, Congress general secretary K C Venugopal announced the partys immediate shift to election mode. He confirmed the impending announcement of the manifesto committee and indicated that the selection of candidates for the Lok Sabha polls would be expedited with the formation of the screening committee this month. Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp
Namita Bajpai By

Express News Service

LUCKNOW: A Jaunpur court on Friday convicted two HuJI operatives in connection with the 2005 Shramjeevi Express blast that left 14 passengers dead and 62 others injured. Hilal, alias Hilaluddin, a native of Bangladesh and Nafikul Biswas of West Bengal have been convicted for executing terror blast in the Delhi-bound Shramjeevi Express on July 28, 2005 near Harpalganj crossing in Jaunpur district.

While Hilal has been convicted for hatching the conspiracy and planting the bomb in the Express train, Biswas faces conviction for executing the blast. The court of Additional Sessions Judge I Rajesh Rai convicted both the terror accused in their 50s, who were found to be active operatives of terror group Harkat-ul-Jihad al-Islami.

The court posted the matter for January 2, 2024 for the pronouncement of the quantum of punishment.

According to Jaunpurs District Government Counsel (criminal) Satish Kumar Pandey, the court held both Hilal and Nafikul guilty under Sections 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder), 149 (offence committed by the members of unlawful assembly) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), 3 Explosive Act and 14 Foreign Act after examining 43 prosecution witnesses.

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LUCKNOW: A Jaunpur court on Friday convicted two HuJI operatives in connection with the 2005 Shramjeevi Express blast that left 14 passengers dead and 62 others injured. Hilal, alias Hilaluddin, a native of Bangladesh and Nafikul Biswas of West Bengal have been convicted for executing terror blast in the Delhi-bound Shramjeevi Express on July 28, 2005 near Harpalganj crossing in Jaunpur district. While Hilal has been convicted for hatching the conspiracy and planting the bomb in the Express train, Biswas faces conviction for executing the blast. The court of Additional Sessions Judge I Rajesh Rai convicted both the terror accused in their 50s, who were found to be active operatives of terror group Harkat-ul-Jihad al-Islami. The court posted the matter for January 2, 2024 for the pronouncement of the quantum of punishment. According to Jaunpurs District Government Counsel (criminal) Satish Kumar Pandey, the court held both Hilal and Nafikul guilty under Sections 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder), 149 (offence committed by the members of unlawful assembly) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), 3 Explosive Act and 14 Foreign Act after examining 43 prosecution witnesses.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp
Prasanta Mazumdar By

Express News Service

GUWAHATI: The Tea Board India has instructed all tea producers, including estates and small tea growers, throughout the country to avoid using chemical pesticides in their tea plantations that do not have a label claim for tea.

This directive was issued by Rajnigandha Seal Naskar, the Controller of Licensing of the Tea Board India, following the recent deliberations of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).

The FSSAI held a meeting under the chairmanship of the Additional Secretary (Plantation), Department of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India, and the CEO of FSSAI, to discuss various issues related to the quality of tea.

During the meeting, the FSSAI highlighted the presence of various banned chemical pesticides in tea that are detrimental to the health of consumers.

The Tea Board India, therefore, instructed all tea producers in the country not to use any chemical pesticide in their tea plantations that do not have a label claim for tea. Additionally, the FSSAI recently circulated a list of 20 banned insecticides in this context.

The Tea Board India warned that the presence of any banned insecticides or any other chemical without a label claim for tea would be taken seriously.

The Board also requested tea producer associations and small tea grower associations to make their members aware of these guidelines. On November 29, 2020, the FSSAI directed all notified laboratories to test for banned pesticides in tea.

FSSAI, after thorough deliberations with relevant stakeholders hereby, directs all the laboratories notified underFood Safety and Standards Act, 2006, to test the 20 banned pesticidesin addition to all the pesticides specified for tea as per FSS (Contaminants, Toxins and Residues) Regulations, 2011, an official communique stated.

Prabhat Bezbarua, who is a former Chairman of Tea Board India, told this newspaper the pesticide/chemical in question has remained banned for the past few years and the Tea Board asked the tea estates and small tea growers to not use them.

There are certain softer pesticides/chemicals but as their prices are slightly higher, people are using those already banned, Bezbarua said.

He felt that an immediate impact would be that production would fall and a large amount of tea would be destroyed.

Production will fall because the softer pesticide/chemical cannot kill the pests as effectively as those banned. Secondly, people cannot easily get away from bad habits. So, I feel some will still use the banned chemical, get caught and that way, tea will be destroyed, Bezbarua said.

Further, he said there is no guarantee that the quality of tea would now improve. Quality depends on plucking, he said.

The FSSAI directive on testing earlier was to check if the residue limit in the allowed chemical/pesticide is more than permissible. The same in the case of banned chemical was not tested, he added.

BANNED PESTICIDE/ CHEMICALS

Aldicarb-Aldrin, Dieldrin, Chlordane, Heptachlor, Lindane, Endosulfan, Carbofuran, Methomyl, Phosphamidon, Captafol, Ferbam, Formothion, Simazine, Diazinon, DDT, Fenitrothion, Fenthion, Methyl Parathion, Ethyl Parathion and Monocrotophos

FSSAI issued a direction on November 29 to all notified labs to test banned pesticides in tea.

After Tea Board Indias direction, tea production is likely to fall

Tea production in India this year was 1,163.06 million kgs against 1,166.34 million kgs last year

Amount of tea exported this year was 157.92 million kgs compared to 166.11 million kgs last year

Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp

GUWAHATI: The Tea Board India has instructed all tea producers, including estates and small tea growers, throughout the country to avoid using chemical pesticides in their tea plantations that do not have a label claim for tea. This directive was issued by Rajnigandha Seal Naskar, the Controller of Licensing of the Tea Board India, following the recent deliberations of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). The FSSAI held a meeting under the chairmanship of the Additional Secretary (Plantation), Department of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India, and the CEO of FSSAI, to discuss various issues related to the quality of tea.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); During the meeting, the FSSAI highlighted the presence of various banned chemical pesticides in tea that are detrimental to the health of consumers. The Tea Board India, therefore, instructed all tea producers in the country not to use any chemical pesticide in their tea plantations that do not have a label claim for tea. Additionally, the FSSAI recently circulated a list of 20 banned insecticides in this context. The Tea Board India warned that the presence of any banned insecticides or any other chemical without a label claim for tea would be taken seriously. The Board also requested tea producer associations and small tea grower associations to make their members aware of these guidelines. On November 29, 2020, the FSSAI directed all notified laboratories to test for banned pesticides in tea. FSSAI, after thorough deliberations with relevant stakeholders hereby, directs all the laboratories notified underFood Safety and Standards Act, 2006, to test the 20 banned pesticidesin addition to all the pesticides specified for tea as per FSS (Contaminants, Toxins and Residues) Regulations, 2011, an official communique stated. Prabhat Bezbarua, who is a former Chairman of Tea Board India, told this newspaper the pesticide/chemical in question has remained banned for the past few years and the Tea Board asked the tea estates and small tea growers to not use them. There are certain softer pesticides/chemicals but as their prices are slightly higher, people are using those already banned, Bezbarua said. He felt that an immediate impact would be that production would fall and a large amount of tea would be destroyed. Production will fall because the softer pesticide/chemical cannot kill the pests as effectively as those banned. Secondly, people cannot easily get away from bad habits. So, I feel some will still use the banned chemical, get caught and that way, tea will be destroyed, Bezbarua said. Further, he said there is no guarantee that the quality of tea would now improve. Quality depends on plucking, he said. The FSSAI directive on testing earlier was to check if the residue limit in the allowed chemical/pesticide is more than permissible. The same in the case of banned chemical was not tested, he added. BANNED PESTICIDE/ CHEMICALS Aldicarb-Aldrin, Dieldrin, Chlordane, Heptachlor, Lindane, Endosulfan, Carbofuran, Methomyl, Phosphamidon, Captafol, Ferbam, Formothion, Simazine, Diazinon, DDT, Fenitrothion, Fenthion, Methyl Parathion, Ethyl Parathion and Monocrotophos FSSAI issued a direction on November 29 to all notified labs to test banned pesticides in tea. After Tea Board Indias direction, tea production is likely to fall Tea production in India this year was 1,163.06 million kgs against 1,166.34 million kgs last year Amount of tea exported this year was 157.92 million kgs compared to 166.11 million kgs last year Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp
By PTI

NEW DELHI: Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal on Saturday hit out at Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for her criticism of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin over him attending an INDIA bloc meeting despite torrential rains battering his state, and said she should instead worry about issues such as unemployment and India's mounting debt.

Sitharaman on Friday had attacked Stalin for taking part in the opposition bloc's meeting here on December 19 instead of being with the people when Tamil Nadu was pounded by torrential rains and battered by floods.

In a post on X, Sibal said, "Nirmala Sitharaman targets Stalin attending I.N.D.I.A meet when Tamil Nadu was battered with rain, and floods.

Instead, worry about 1) underemployment 2) unemployment 3) India's mounting debt 4) undernourished children 5) hunger, and poverty.

Nirmala Sitharaman



Targets Stalin attending I.N.D.I.A meet when Tamil Nadu battered with rain , floods



Instead worry about :

1) underemployment

2) unemployment

3) Indias mounting debt 4)undernourished children

5) hunger , poverty



If you have time :

Women wrestlers !  Kapil Sibal (@KapilSibal) December 23, 2023

If you have time: Women wrestlers!"

Speaking to reporters, Sitharaman had demanded to know why Stalin did not give "priority" to Tamil Nadu at a time when it was pounded by very heavy rains and instead chose to participate in the alliance's meeting in Delhi.

"When the state was going through a disaster, Chief Minister Stalin was holding discussions at the INDIA alliance meeting in Delhi," she had said.

Sibal, who was a Union minister during the UPA 1 and UPA 2 governments, quit the Congress in May last year and was elected to the Rajya Sabha as an Independent member with the Samajwadi Party's support.

He has also floated a non-electoral platform 'Insaaf', aimed at fighting injustice.

READ MORE | 'An interview to say 'no funds?': TN Finance Minister flays Nirmala Sitharaman for insulting state

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NEW DELHI: Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal on Saturday hit out at Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for her criticism of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin over him attending an INDIA bloc meeting despite torrential rains battering his state, and said she should instead worry about issues such as unemployment and India's mounting debt. Sitharaman on Friday had attacked Stalin for taking part in the opposition bloc's meeting here on December 19 instead of being with the people when Tamil Nadu was pounded by torrential rains and battered by floods. In a post on X, Sibal said, "Nirmala Sitharaman targets Stalin attending I.N.D.I.A meet when Tamil Nadu was battered with rain, and floods.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); Instead, worry about 1) underemployment 2) unemployment 3) India's mounting debt 4) undernourished children 5) hunger, and poverty. Nirmala Sitharaman Targets Stalin attending I.N.D.I.A meet when Tamil Nadu battered with rain , floods Instead worry about : 1) underemployment 2) unemployment 3) Indias mounting debt 4)undernourished children 5) hunger , poverty If you have time : Women wrestlers !  Kapil Sibal (@KapilSibal) December 23, 2023 If you have time: Women wrestlers!" Speaking to reporters, Sitharaman had demanded to know why Stalin did not give "priority" to Tamil Nadu at a time when it was pounded by very heavy rains and instead chose to participate in the alliance's meeting in Delhi. "When the state was going through a disaster, Chief Minister Stalin was holding discussions at the INDIA alliance meeting in Delhi," she had said. Sibal, who was a Union minister during the UPA 1 and UPA 2 governments, quit the Congress in May last year and was elected to the Rajya Sabha as an Independent member with the Samajwadi Party's support. He has also floated a non-electoral platform 'Insaaf', aimed at fighting injustice. READ MORE | 'An interview to say 'no funds?': TN Finance Minister flays Nirmala Sitharaman for insulting state Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp
By PTI

THOOTHUKUDI: Relief activities continued in the rain-ravaged coastal district of Thoothukudi in Tamil Nadu while an NDRF team accompanied by police rescued the people marooned in the SIPCOT industrial area on Saturday.

The NDRF team along with the SIPCOT police rescued the flood-affected women and children by boat and provided them with food.

Tamil Nadu Chief Secretary Shiv Das Meena undertook an inspection of the flood-hit areas in the district today and assessed the damage due to rains.

Relief activity is in full swing at the Antoniyarpuram area, which was among the worst affected.

A bridge near Antoniyarpuram on the Thoothukudi-Palayamkottai National Highway was breached during the extreme rainfall on December 17 and 18 that triggered floods while the bridges at Eral and Attur on the Thoothukudi-Tiruchendur road have also been severely damaged.

Restoration work is also on at Srivaikuntam, Attur, Eral, Agaram, and Kayalpattinam areas which are still inundated.

A central team had already inspected the flood damages in the district.

The Thoothukudi government hospital is among the several places where water is stagnating.

"A total of 64 Primary Health centres and 261 health sub-centres have been affected due to rains in Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi, Tenkasi and Kanyakumari districts," Health Minister Ma Subramanian said after inspecting the health facilities.

Speaking to reporters here, he said mega medical camps would be held at 50 places including Srivaikuntam and Eral on Sunday for the benefit of the people.

Agriculture Minister M R K Panneerselvam inspected the distribution of 70 tonnes of vegetables at subsidised rates through the horticulture department to the people affected by floods in Ettaiyapuram and other areas.

"The culverts and canals were rendered inefficient due to the massive deluge and as a result, the water continued to stagnate in many places," Shiv Das Meena said.

Describing the rains in Thoothukudi and Tirunelveli districts as "historic", the Chief Secretary said about 150 cm of rainfall was received in 40 hours in an area of 8,500 sq km in these two districts.

"This is a huge quantum; the water naturally has to drain to the sea," he said and added efforts were on to bale out the water.

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THOOTHUKUDI: Relief activities continued in the rain-ravaged coastal district of Thoothukudi in Tamil Nadu while an NDRF team accompanied by police rescued the people marooned in the SIPCOT industrial area on Saturday. The NDRF team along with the SIPCOT police rescued the flood-affected women and children by boat and provided them with food. Tamil Nadu Chief Secretary Shiv Das Meena undertook an inspection of the flood-hit areas in the district today and assessed the damage due to rains.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); Relief activity is in full swing at the Antoniyarpuram area, which was among the worst affected. A bridge near Antoniyarpuram on the Thoothukudi-Palayamkottai National Highway was breached during the extreme rainfall on December 17 and 18 that triggered floods while the bridges at Eral and Attur on the Thoothukudi-Tiruchendur road have also been severely damaged. Restoration work is also on at Srivaikuntam, Attur, Eral, Agaram, and Kayalpattinam areas which are still inundated. A central team had already inspected the flood damages in the district. The Thoothukudi government hospital is among the several places where water is stagnating. "A total of 64 Primary Health centres and 261 health sub-centres have been affected due to rains in Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi, Tenkasi and Kanyakumari districts," Health Minister Ma Subramanian said after inspecting the health facilities. Speaking to reporters here, he said mega medical camps would be held at 50 places including Srivaikuntam and Eral on Sunday for the benefit of the people. Agriculture Minister M R K Panneerselvam inspected the distribution of 70 tonnes of vegetables at subsidised rates through the horticulture department to the people affected by floods in Ettaiyapuram and other areas. "The culverts and canals were rendered inefficient due to the massive deluge and as a result, the water continued to stagnate in many places," Shiv Das Meena said. Describing the rains in Thoothukudi and Tirunelveli districts as "historic", the Chief Secretary said about 150 cm of rainfall was received in 40 hours in an area of 8,500 sq km in these two districts. "This is a huge quantum; the water naturally has to drain to the sea," he said and added efforts were on to bale out the water. Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp
More than 50 countries that are home to half the planet's population are due to hold national elections in 2024, but the number of citizens exercising the right to vote is not unalloyed good news. The year looks set to test even the most robust democracies and to strengthen the hands of leaders with authoritarian leanings.
By Express News Service

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Saturday announced Rs 8.68 crores as compensation for over 9,000 fishermen families affected in the oil spill in the Ennore Creek post cyclone Michaung.

As part of the relief aid, each family will receive Rs 12,500 per household, while Rs 10,000 each will be granted to repair the 787 damaged fishing boats. The compensation aid will be directly deposited into the beneficiaries' bank accounts.

According to a press statement, the oil spill from the Chennai Petroleum Corporation Limited(CPPL) in the aftermath of Cyclone Michaung-induced rain and floods, severely impacted areas like Kattukuppam, Sivanpadi Kuppam, and Ennore Kuppam.

Apart from the initial Cyclone relief of Rs 6,000 per ration card, the Tamil Nadu government has allocated Rs 8.68 crores for additional compensation to the oil-spill-affected communities.

CM MK Stalin has also directed the provision of Rs 7,500 each to 6,700 families residing in wards No. 4, 6, and 7 in Greater Chennai Corporation's zone 1 (Thiruvottiyur), affected by the oil spill.

Cyclone Michaung triggered flooding here early this month, resulting in oil spillage in Kosasthalai river/Ennore creek.

Oil mixed with flood water and it spread further reaching the creek area.

In this regard, the government said it took swift initiatives to remove the oil spillage.

The oil spill originated from the area where the Chennai Petrochemical Corporation Limited's refinery is located in north Chennai.

As a result of the oil slick and seepage, boats and nets in fishing villages in north Chennai were affected.

An official release said, the affected villages were Kattukkuppam, Sivanpadaikuppam, Ennore Kuppam, Mugadwarakuppam, Thazhankuppam, Nettukuppam, VOC Nagar, Ulaganathapuram and Sathyavanimuthu Nagar.

Also, the livelihoods of fishermen were affected as they could not pursue fishing activities.

(With inputs from PTI)

Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Saturday announced Rs 8.68 crores as compensation for over 9,000 fishermen families affected in the oil spill in the Ennore Creek post cyclone Michaung. As part of the relief aid, each family will receive Rs 12,500 per household, while Rs 10,000 each will be granted to repair the 787 damaged fishing boats. The compensation aid will be directly deposited into the beneficiaries' bank accounts. According to a press statement, the oil spill from the Chennai Petroleum Corporation Limited(CPPL) in the aftermath of Cyclone Michaung-induced rain and floods, severely impacted areas like Kattukuppam, Sivanpadi Kuppam, and Ennore Kuppam.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); Apart from the initial Cyclone relief of Rs 6,000 per ration card, the Tamil Nadu government has allocated Rs 8.68 crores for additional compensation to the oil-spill-affected communities. CM MK Stalin has also directed the provision of Rs 7,500 each to 6,700 families residing in wards No. 4, 6, and 7 in Greater Chennai Corporation's zone 1 (Thiruvottiyur), affected by the oil spill. Cyclone Michaung triggered flooding here early this month, resulting in oil spillage in Kosasthalai river/Ennore creek. Oil mixed with flood water and it spread further reaching the creek area. In this regard, the government said it took swift initiatives to remove the oil spillage. The oil spill originated from the area where the Chennai Petrochemical Corporation Limited's refinery is located in north Chennai. As a result of the oil slick and seepage, boats and nets in fishing villages in north Chennai were affected. An official release said, the affected villages were Kattukkuppam, Sivanpadaikuppam, Ennore Kuppam, Mugadwarakuppam, Thazhankuppam, Nettukuppam, VOC Nagar, Ulaganathapuram and Sathyavanimuthu Nagar. Also, the livelihoods of fishermen were affected as they could not pursue fishing activities. (With inputs from PTI) Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp
By PTI

CHENNAI: European automaker Volkswagen India has extended its enhanced service support to affected customers in Tamil Nadu following the impact of heavy rains and flooding in the state, the company said on Saturday.

The initiative, with effect from December 22, would offer service support to flood-affected car owners including Roadside Assistance, special benefits on parts, labour costs and car care treatment among others.

"Extended service support across regions such as Chennai, Tirunelveli, Tuticorin cities.

In addition, the warranty and extended warranty coverage for flood-affected vehicles at these locations are extended until January 31, 2024," a company statement here said.

The benefit can be availed by customers opting for insurance or cash claims.

In collaboration with insurance companies, Volkswagen India said it was also ensuring swift settlement of claims, facilitating a streamlined process for affected customers.

Affected customers can directly contact Volkswagen Roadside Assistance at its toll-free number 1800 102 1155 or 1800 419 1155.

Across its dealer networks in Chennai, Tirunelveli and Tuticorin, Volkswagen India said it is implementing special support measures with the objective of ensuring a quick and quality service offering to its customers.

Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp

CHENNAI: European automaker Volkswagen India has extended its enhanced service support to affected customers in Tamil Nadu following the impact of heavy rains and flooding in the state, the company said on Saturday. The initiative, with effect from December 22, would offer service support to flood-affected car owners including Roadside Assistance, special benefits on parts, labour costs and car care treatment among others. "Extended service support across regions such as Chennai, Tirunelveli, Tuticorin cities.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); In addition, the warranty and extended warranty coverage for flood-affected vehicles at these locations are extended until January 31, 2024," a company statement here said. The benefit can be availed by customers opting for insurance or cash claims. In collaboration with insurance companies, Volkswagen India said it was also ensuring swift settlement of claims, facilitating a streamlined process for affected customers. Affected customers can directly contact Volkswagen Roadside Assistance at its toll-free number 1800 102 1155 or 1800 419 1155. Across its dealer networks in Chennai, Tirunelveli and Tuticorin, Volkswagen India said it is implementing special support measures with the objective of ensuring a quick and quality service offering to its customers. Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp
Yeshi Seli By

Express News Service

DUBAI: A drone strike damaged a merchant ship off the coast of Veraval in India on Saturday but caused no casualties, two maritime agencies said, with one reporting the vessel was linked to Israel.

This comes four days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressing concern over maritime security as a result of the conflict between Israel and Hamas.

The attack caused a fire on board the merchant vessel MV Chem Pluto, according to the British military's United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations, or UKMTO.

Ambrey, a maritime security firm, said the "Liberia-flagged chemical/products tanker... was Israel-affiliated" and had been on its way from Saudi Arabia to India.

Both agencies said the attack occurred 200 nautical miles southwest of Veraval, India.

The incident was first reported by United Kingdom Marine Trade Operations (UKMTO).

"UKMTO has received a report of an attack by an uncrewed aerial system (UAS) on a vessel causing an explosion and fire. The fire was extinguished and no casualties were reported. Vessels are advised to transit with caution and report any suspicious activity," UKMTO said in a statement.

Around 21 Indian crew members are believed to have been on board this commercial ship, MV Chem Pluto, fortunately, there were no casualties.

The ship had set sail from Saudi Arabia (carrying crude) and was heading towards Mangalore and sailed under the flag of Liberia.

Indian Coast Guard Ship (ICGS Vikram) and a naval aircraft carrier (P-8I maritime surveillance) were dispatched to assist in the aftermath of the drone incident. The safety of the crew and ship was ascertained.

It is learnt that the Information Fusion Centre  Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR) came into action when the incident was reported and coordinated in swift response. IFC-IOR has said that there has been an increase in maritime security threats since the past week

"This appears to be a spillover of the Red Sea conflict and since it is so close to India and Indian crew members narrowly escaped unhurt, it is a major cause of concern, said a source.

Many merchant ships have paused their commute after the Houthi attacks. The Houthis, who rule a major part of Yemen, have pledged to continue carrying out attacks until Israel halts its assault on Gaza.

About 40 per cent of international trade passes through the narrow strait between Yemen and northeast Africa, which leads northwards to the Red Sea, Israels southern port facilities and the Suez Canal.

The increased threat has caused shipping insurance costs to jump by tens of thousands of dollars a day and raised oil prices.

UKMTO WARNING 018/DEC/2023



ATTACK  INCIDENT 018 UPDATE 01



UKMTO have received a report of an attack by Uncrewed Aerial System (UAS) on a vessel causing an explosion and fire. https://t.co/qFzIsjDvnj#MaritimeSecurity #marsec pic.twitter.com/gBARms8K9T  United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) (@UK_MTO) December 23, 2023

UKMTO said the "authorities were investigating", and noted the fire had been extinguished. Ambrey said the Indian navy was responding.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the strike which came amid a flurry of drone and missile attacks by Yemen's Iran-backed Huthi rebels on a vital shipping lane in the Red Sea.

Iran has also been accused of carrying out attacks near its waters.

Last month, an Israeli-owned cargo ship was hit in a suspected drone attack by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in the Indian Ocean, according to a US official.

ALSO READ | Two attacks launched by Yemen's Houthi rebels strike container ships in vital Red Sea corridor

The Malta-flagged vessel managed by an Israeli-affiliated company was reportedly damaged when the unmanned aerial vehicle exploded close to it, according to Ambrey.

The attacks on shipping since the start of the Israel-Hamas war on October 7 have prompted major firms to reroute their cargo vessels around the southern tip of Africa, despite the higher fuel costs of much longer voyages.

The Huthi rebels have launched more than 100 drone and missile attacks, targeting 10 merchant vessels involving more than 35 different countries, according to the Pentagon.

ICGS Vikram moving towards vessel: Defence officials

Indian Coast Guard ship ICGS Vikram is moving towards a merchant vessel MV Chem Pluto in the Arabian Sea 217 nautical miles off Porbandar cost after it reported a fire incident suspected to be caused by a drone attack.

The vessel had crude oil and was going towards Mangalore from a port in Saudi Arabia. As per inputs received, the fire has been extinguished but it has affected its functioning. The ICGS Vikram was deployed on the patrol of the Indian Exclusive Economic Zone when it was directed towards the merchant ship in distress. All crew are safe which includes around 20 Indians. The ICGS Vikram has alerted all ships in the area to assist it.

(With inputs from ANI and AFP)

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DUBAI: A drone strike damaged a merchant ship off the coast of Veraval in India on Saturday but caused no casualties, two maritime agencies said, with one reporting the vessel was linked to Israel. This comes four days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressing concern over maritime security as a result of the conflict between Israel and Hamas. The attack caused a fire on board the merchant vessel MV Chem Pluto, according to the British military's United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations, or UKMTO.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); Ambrey, a maritime security firm, said the "Liberia-flagged chemical/products tanker... was Israel-affiliated" and had been on its way from Saudi Arabia to India. Both agencies said the attack occurred 200 nautical miles southwest of Veraval, India. The incident was first reported by United Kingdom Marine Trade Operations (UKMTO). "UKMTO has received a report of an attack by an uncrewed aerial system (UAS) on a vessel causing an explosion and fire. The fire was extinguished and no casualties were reported. Vessels are advised to transit with caution and report any suspicious activity," UKMTO said in a statement. Around 21 Indian crew members are believed to have been on board this commercial ship, MV Chem Pluto, fortunately, there were no casualties. The ship had set sail from Saudi Arabia (carrying crude) and was heading towards Mangalore and sailed under the flag of Liberia. Indian Coast Guard Ship (ICGS Vikram) and a naval aircraft carrier (P-8I maritime surveillance) were dispatched to assist in the aftermath of the drone incident. The safety of the crew and ship was ascertained. It is learnt that the Information Fusion Centre  Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR) came into action when the incident was reported and coordinated in swift response. IFC-IOR has said that there has been an increase in maritime security threats since the past week "This appears to be a spillover of the Red Sea conflict and since it is so close to India and Indian crew members narrowly escaped unhurt, it is a major cause of concern, said a source. Many merchant ships have paused their commute after the Houthi attacks. The Houthis, who rule a major part of Yemen, have pledged to continue carrying out attacks until Israel halts its assault on Gaza. About 40 per cent of international trade passes through the narrow strait between Yemen and northeast Africa, which leads northwards to the Red Sea, Israels southern port facilities and the Suez Canal. The increased threat has caused shipping insurance costs to jump by tens of thousands of dollars a day and raised oil prices. UKMTO WARNING 018/DEC/2023 ATTACK  INCIDENT 018 UPDATE 01 UKMTO have received a report of an attack by Uncrewed Aerial System (UAS) on a vessel causing an explosion and fire. https://t.co/qFzIsjDvnj#MaritimeSecurity #marsec pic.twitter.com/gBARms8K9T  United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) (@UK_MTO) December 23, 2023 UKMTO said the "authorities were investigating", and noted the fire had been extinguished. Ambrey said the Indian navy was responding. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the strike which came amid a flurry of drone and missile attacks by Yemen's Iran-backed Huthi rebels on a vital shipping lane in the Red Sea. Iran has also been accused of carrying out attacks near its waters. Last month, an Israeli-owned cargo ship was hit in a suspected drone attack by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in the Indian Ocean, according to a US official. ALSO READ | Two attacks launched by Yemen's Houthi rebels strike container ships in vital Red Sea corridor The Malta-flagged vessel managed by an Israeli-affiliated company was reportedly damaged when the unmanned aerial vehicle exploded close to it, according to Ambrey. The attacks on shipping since the start of the Israel-Hamas war on October 7 have prompted major firms to reroute their cargo vessels around the southern tip of Africa, despite the higher fuel costs of much longer voyages. The Huthi rebels have launched more than 100 drone and missile attacks, targeting 10 merchant vessels involving more than 35 different countries, according to the Pentagon. ICGS Vikram moving towards vessel: Defence officials Indian Coast Guard ship ICGS Vikram is moving towards a merchant vessel MV Chem Pluto in the Arabian Sea 217 nautical miles off Porbandar cost after it reported a fire incident suspected to be caused by a drone attack. The vessel had crude oil and was going towards Mangalore from a port in Saudi Arabia. As per inputs received, the fire has been extinguished but it has affected its functioning. The ICGS Vikram was deployed on the patrol of the Indian Exclusive Economic Zone when it was directed towards the merchant ship in distress. All crew are safe which includes around 20 Indians. The ICGS Vikram has alerted all ships in the area to assist it. (With inputs from ANI and AFP) Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp
By AFP

NAIROBI (KENYA): An attack by rebels in western Burundi has killed 20 people, all but one of them civilians, the government said on Saturday.

The attack was claimed by the RED-Tabara rebel group, which in its own statement said it had killed 10 members of the security forces.

The attack occurred on Friday evening in the town of Vugizo, near the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo where the rebels have a base.

The government said the "terrorist, vile, barbaric act" targeted civilians and killed "12 children, including five less than five years old; three women including two who are pregnant; and five men including a policeman who came to help the civilians".

Nine other people were wounded and have been hospitalised.

RED-Tabara, Burundi's main rebel group, said in a message on X, formerly Twitter, that "fighters... based in Burundi attacked the Vugizo border post" and that "nine military and one policeman were killed".

Two military and security sources told AFP that the attack targeted "a military position".

"The civilians were caught in the crossfire and were killed, and then the assailants retreated to DRC," a senior military official told AFP on condition of anonymity, confirming the toll of 20.

The attack marked the second one in two weeks inside Burundi by the rebels, who have not been active since September 2021, when they carried out a series of attacks, including on the Bujumbura airport.

Since then, their activities have been taking place in DR Congo's South Kivu province.

But on December 11, they exchanged fire with the military in northwestern Burundi.

"The RED-Tabara movement promises to continue its operations in all of the country," it said in its message on X.

Formed in 2011, RED-Tabara is thought to have between 500 and 800 fighters and has been behind most of the deadly attacks in Burundi since 2015.

Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp

NAIROBI (KENYA): An attack by rebels in western Burundi has killed 20 people, all but one of them civilians, the government said on Saturday. The attack was claimed by the RED-Tabara rebel group, which in its own statement said it had killed 10 members of the security forces. The attack occurred on Friday evening in the town of Vugizo, near the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo where the rebels have a base.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); The government said the "terrorist, vile, barbaric act" targeted civilians and killed "12 children, including five less than five years old; three women including two who are pregnant; and five men including a policeman who came to help the civilians". Nine other people were wounded and have been hospitalised. RED-Tabara, Burundi's main rebel group, said in a message on X, formerly Twitter, that "fighters... based in Burundi attacked the Vugizo border post" and that "nine military and one policeman were killed". Two military and security sources told AFP that the attack targeted "a military position". "The civilians were caught in the crossfire and were killed, and then the assailants retreated to DRC," a senior military official told AFP on condition of anonymity, confirming the toll of 20. The attack marked the second one in two weeks inside Burundi by the rebels, who have not been active since September 2021, when they carried out a series of attacks, including on the Bujumbura airport. Since then, their activities have been taking place in DR Congo's South Kivu province. But on December 11, they exchanged fire with the military in northwestern Burundi. "The RED-Tabara movement promises to continue its operations in all of the country," it said in its message on X. Formed in 2011, RED-Tabara is thought to have between 500 and 800 fighters and has been behind most of the deadly attacks in Burundi since 2015. Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp
Google fixes 8th zero-day bug in Chrome exploited in attacks this year

San Francisco, Dec 22

G oogle has issued an emergency patch to address yet another Chrome zero-day vulnerability that has been exploited in the wild, making this the eighth patch issued since the beginning of the year.

"Google is aware that an exploit for CVE-2023-7024 exists in the wild," a security advisory wrote in a blogpost.

The tech giant fixed the zero-day flaw for users in the Stable Desktop channel, with patched versions rolling out globally to Windows users (120.0.6099.129/130) and Mac and Linux users (120.0.6099.129) one day after it was reported to Google.

The bug was discovered and reported by Clement Lecigne and Vlad Stolyarov of Google's Threat Analysis Group (TAG).

TAG is a group of security professionals whose primary goal is to protect Google customers against state-sponsored attacks, according to Bleeping Computer.

The high-severity zero-day vulnerability (CVE-2023-7024) is due to a heap buffer overflow weakness in the open-source WebRTC framework.

Several web browsers, including Mozilla Firefox, Safari, and Microsoft Edge, utilize JavaScript APIs to provide real-time Time Communications (RTC) capabilities (e.g., video streaming, file sharing, and VoIP telephony), the report explained.

"Access to bug details and links may be kept restricted until a majority of users are updated with a fix," Google said. Meanwhile, Google is rolling out a new "AI support assistant" chatbot on some of its Help pages to provide users with product assistance.

When visiting the support pages for some Google products, users will encounter a "Hi, I'm a new Al support assistant. Chat with me to find answers and solve account issues" dialogue box in the bottom-right corner of your screen, reports 9to5Google.

Google fixes 8th zero-day bug in Chrome exploited in attacks this year

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Mumbai, Dec 22

T he Prabhas-starrer Salaar: Part 1  Ceasefire has released a day after the Shah Rukh Khan-starrer Dunki, and while there was an absolute euphoria in theatres on the release day of Dunki, Salaar isnt far behind. A video from a theatre is currently doing rounds on the Internet, and it shows the fans of Prabhas going absolutely berserk at the entry sequence of the actor.

The video shows his fans lighting a flare torch inside the theatre with confetti as the title credit for the actor, 'Rebel Star' rolls in the screen.

There are other videos as well which capture fans enjoying themselves, dancing energetically to Prabhas's songs, and displaying their excitement with the backdrop of a large cut-out of the actor. The festivities also included the bursting of firecrackers.

Another video shows large groups of Prabhas fans at Hyderabads famous Sandhya Theatre which appeared to be transformed into a concert like celebration ground with huge lights mounted at the venue to celebrate the actors release.

Videos show massive cut-outs placed at the venue. In one of the videos, one could see a large cut-out of Prabhas from Salaar placed at the venue while several other posters and digital motion posters were also placed at the theatre.

Much like the Ranbir Kapoor-starrer Animal, Salaar too has been granted an A certificate owing to gory violence in the film. The film has been directed by Prashanth Neel, who is known for the K.G.F. franchise. The film sees Prabhas playing the titular character of an assassin who is a childhood friend of Prithviraj Sukumaran's character.

Flare torches, confetti, light show, Prabhas fans go berserk with the release of 'Salaar: Part 1 - Ceasefire'

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Lawyers for South Africa asked judges at Thursdays hearings to impose binding preliminary orders on Israel, including an immediate halt to military campaign in Gaza as it reached its 97th day. South African lawyers said the latest Gaza war is part of a decades-long oppression of the Palestinians by Israel.
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Azad Engineering IPO: The allotment of the initial public offering of Azad Engineering Ltd (AEL) will be finalised on Tuesday, December 26. The Rs 740-crore IPO, which was open for public subscription between December 20 and December 22, received 83.04 times subscription, garnering bids for 81,64,09,468 shares as against 98,32,042 shares on offer.

The category meant for non-institutional investors received 90.24 times subscription, while the quota for retail individual investors (RIIs) got subscribed 24.51 times. The quota for qualified institutional buyers (QIBs) got subscribed 179.64 times.

The IPO listing will take place on December 28 on both BSE and NSE.

Azad Engineering IPO: How To Check Allotment Status

The IPO allotment status can be checked by following these steps:

1) Go to the official BSE website via the URL https://www.bseindia.com/investors/appli_check.aspx.

2) Under Issue Type, select Equity.

3) Under Issue Name, select Azad Engineering Limited in the dropbox.

4) Enter your application number, or the Permanent Account Number (PAN).

5) Then, click on the I am not a robot to verify yourself and hit Search option.

Your share application status will appear on your screen.

You can also visit direct KFin Tech portal  https://rti.kfintech.com/ipostatus/ and check Azad Engineering IPO allotment status.

Azad Engineering IPO GMP Today

According to market observers, unlisted shares of Azad Engineering are currently trading Rs 345 higher in the grey market as compared with its issue price. The Rs 345 grey market premium or GMP means the grey market is expecting a 65.84 per cent listing gain from the public issue. The GMP is based on market sentiments and keeps changing.

Grey market premium indicates investors readiness to pay more than the issue price.

Azad Engineering IPO Details

The price band of the Azad Engineering IPO was fixed at Rs 499-524 per share. The minimum lot size for an application was 28 shares. The minimum amount of investment required by retail investors was Rs 14,672.

Ahead of the IPO, Azad Engineering Ltd collected Rs 221 crore from anchor investors.

At the upper end of the price band, the 15-year old company aimed to mop up Rs 740 crore from the market which values it at close to Rs 3,000 crore.

The Initial Public Offering (IPO) comprised Rs 500 crore of Offer For Sale (OFS) component by promoters and external investors, who are completely exiting the company.

DMI Finance, which was first to acquire stake in the firm in July 2021, will sell its 1.2 per cent shareholding for around Rs 34 crore.

The company proposes to utilise the proceeds from the offer to part fund capital expenditure for its Rs 280 crore expansion by setting up two units towards the end of the next fiscal and for repaying/pre-paying debt of around Rs 90 crore.

The company nets over 80 per cent of its revenue from exports to 15 global markets.

In FY21, its topline stood at Rs 122.7 crore from which it had earned Rs 37 crore of net income.

The revenue rose to Rs 194 crore and net income to Rs 42 crore in FY22.

In the last fiscal, the companys revenue increased to Rs 251 crore and net income was at Rs 79 crore.

In the first six months of the current fiscal, its top line reached Rs 158 crore and the bottom line stood at Rs 29 crore, the companys Whole Time Director Vishnu Malhani said.

In the energy space the company boasts of international clients like Siemens, GE, Honeywell, Mitsubishi, Eaton and Mann.
India on Friday said the International Monetary Funds projection of the general government debt exceeding 100 per cent of the countrys GDP by 2027-28 is misconstrued. In a statement, the finance ministry said that several other countries are expected to perform worse than India on the debt front.

For instance, the corresponding figures of worst-case scenarios for the USA, UK and China are about 160, 140, and 200 per cent, respectively, which is far worse compared to 100 per cent for India, the statement said.

It is also noteworthy that the same report indicates that under favourable circumstances, the general government debt to GDP ratio may decline to below 70 per cent in the same period. Therefore, any interpretation that the report implies that general government debt would exceed 100 per cent of GDP in the medium term is misconstrued, the ministry said in its rebuttal to the IMF report following the annual Article IV consultation with Indian authorities.

Further, the ministry said the general government debt (including both state and centre) has steeply declined from about 88 per cent in FY 2020-21 to about 81 per cent in 2022-23, and the Centre is on track to achieve its stated fiscal consolidation target to reduce fiscal deficit below 4.5 per cent of GDP by FY 2025-26.

The states have also individually enacted their fiscal responsibility legislation, which is monitored by their respective state legislatures. Therefore, it is expected that the general government debt will decline substantially in the medium to long term, it said.

As per Article IV consultation report by the IMF earlier this week, while the budget deficit has eased, public debt remains elevated and fiscal buffers need to be rebuilt. IMF reviews a countrys current and medium-term economic policies and outlook.

Looking forward, Indias elevated public debt calls for additional revenue and expenditure measures, such as further GST and subsidy reforms, while continuing to prioritise public investment and targeted support for the vulnerable, the report said. Meanwhile, defending Indias position, the finance ministry in the statement said, it is important to note that general government debt in India is overwhelmingly rupee-denominated, with external borrowings from bilateral and multilateral sources contributing a minimal amount.

This has been highlighted in the IMF Report. Domestically issued debt, largely in the form of government bonds, is mostly medium or long-term with a weighted average maturity of roughly 12 years for central government debt. Therefore, the rollover risk is low for domestic debt, and the exposure to volatility in exchange rates tends to be on the lower end, it said. The shocks experienced this century by India were global in nature such as the global financial crisis, taper tantrum, Covid and Russia-Ukraine War, and these shocks uniformly affected the global economy and barely few countries remained unaffected, the statement said.

Therefore, the ministry said that any adverse global shock or extreme event is expected to uni-directionally impact all the economies in an interconnected and globalised world. A cross-country comparison shows that India has done relatively well and is still below the debt level of 2002, it added.
Niraj Shah, an Indian-American chief executive officer (CEO) of online furniture firm Wayfair, has in a note to employees called for long working hours and blending work with life. It comes after Infosys co-founder N R Narayana Murthy recently also urged the youth to put in 70 hours a week into work.

Winning requires hard work. I believe that most of us, being ambitious individuals, find fulfilment in the joy of seeing our efforts materialize into tangible results, Niraj Shah told employees earlier this month, according to CNN.

In the note the CEO also said, Working long hours, being responsive, blending work and life, is not anything to shy away from. There is not a lot of history of laziness being rewarded with success.

Shah also shared insights on how money should be spent and urged the employees to negotiate prices. Would you spend money on that, would you spend that much money for that thing, does that price seem reasonable, and lastly  have you negotiated the price? he asked the employees in the note.

Wayfair is an e-commerce company based in Boston, Massachusetts. In 2022, the company laid off 5 per cent of its workforce to save costs. However, according to the CEO note, the company is now back to the profit.

Together we can win much faster than we are winning now if we all row in this direction together. Lets be aggressive, pragmatic, frugal, agile, customer-oriented, and smart, the Wayfair CEO told employees.
West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose, who is also the chancellor of all state-run universities, removed Jadavpur University (JU) officiating Vice Chancellor Buddhadeb Sau on disciplinary grounds on Saturday evening.

The decision was taken a night before the university was scheduled to hold its convocation on Sunday.

Bose has constituted an enquiry committee to probe several complaints received against the interim VC who is also a Mathematics professor.

West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose removes Jadavpur University interim Vice Chancellor Buddhadeb Sau on disciplinary grounds. pic.twitter.com/mZJjPAG8Ya ANI (@ANI) December 23, 2023

The chancellor removed Jadavpur University interim VC Buddhadeb Sau from the chair for defying orders. An enquiry committee has also been set up to probe several complaints received by his office against Sau, a Raj Bhavan official told the news agency, PTI.

BOSE RECEIVES COMPLAINTS AGAINST VC

News18 has learnt that the Chancellor received complaints against Professor Sau who was allegedly defying Supreme Court orders.

It is alleged that students have complained to the Chancellors office that they were asked to spend their money for the convocation convened by the interim VC under political pressure.

Calling Sundays convocation unauthorised, the official said Bose will also sought legal opinion on whether the money can be recovered from the salary of Professor Sau and others responsible for convening the convocation.

It is also learnt that the Governor is determined to set up the universities as per law and the decisions of the apex court.

According to the Raj Bhavan official, strict legal action will be taken against former JU international relations department head Om Prakash Mishra over charges of corruption and harassment.

Mishra, who is also a former VC of North Bengal University, is currently the spokesperson of the pro-Trinamool Congress Educationists Forum

RAGGING EVENTS IN JADAVPUR UNIVERSITY

Just few months after a ragging-related death occurred in Jadavpur University, a post- graduate student has complained to the varsity authorities about facing regular harassment.

In an email sent to the JU authorities, the first year post-graduate student of philosophy complained of facing regular harassment within the hostel premises and also claimed he is feeling very unsafe there.

Apprehending threat to his life, he has decided to leave the hostel, the e-mail read.

Back in September, a first-year student from the University died at the hostel campus because of ragging done by his seniors.

The 17-year-old took the fatal plunge from the second-floor balcony of the main hostel at JU, fellow hostel mates saw him running across the corridor in a naked manner. Jadavpur University had formed a seven-member inquiry committee on this case.

(with inputs from Kamalika Sengupta)
India recorded 752 fresh Covid-19 infections and 4 related deaths in the last 24 hours increasing the tally of active cases to 2,997, according to the latest data shared by the Union Health Ministry.

The death toll was recorded at 5,33,332 with four new deaths, two from Kerala, one each in Rajasthan and Karnataka in 24 hours, according to the data updated at 8:00 am.

According to a TOI report, top officials in the Union Health Ministry said the government has no plans to issue any travel advisory or make testing mandatory at airports at this point.

Meanwhile, a total of 22 cases of the new JN.1 variant, which has caused a recent spike in Covid-19 cases across the world, have been detected in the country till December 21, official sources said.

However, officials said there have been no reports of clustering of cases till now, and all the cases of the JN.1 subvariant have mild symptoms.

ALSO READ: Amid Rising Cases Of Jn.1 Covid Variant In India, A Look At Its Symptoms

Here are the latest updates on the Covid situation in India-
As many as 16 flights were delayed due to dense fog in Delhi early Saturday morning, officials said. According to Delhi Airports Flight Information Display System, the cancelled flights included five domestic and 11 international.

The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) said that the minimum temperature at Palam, near the airport, was recorded at 14 degree Celsius as a thick fog engulfed the city.

#WATCH | Delhi: Drone visuals show a dense layer of fog in the National Capital as the cold wave grips further.(Drone visuals from Civic Centre, shot at 9.15 am) pic.twitter.com/7YEmJakeo6  ANI (@ANI) December 23, 2023

#WATCH | Delhi: A blanket of fog covers the city as the temperature drops further(Visuals from RK Puram) pic.twitter.com/LJ5dkmsnTd  ANI (@ANI) December 23, 2023

As mercury dropped, many were seen huddling around bonfires, others took refuge at a night shelter at AIIMS in the national capital.

#WATCH | Delhi: A thin layer of fog spread across as cold wave grips the city(Visuals from AIIMS) pic.twitter.com/hjzOGIwV5E  ANI (@ANI) December 23, 2023

There is no official confirmation from the Ministry of Railways in connection to the delay of trains due to the fog in Delhi yet.

The air quality index (AQI) in the national capital, on the other hand, was recorded under severe category at 447, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) said.

The Centre on Friday re-invoked the third stage of its anti-pollution measures in Delhi in view of the deteriorating air quality. This means non-essential construction work as well as plying of BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel four-wheelers in Delhi-NCR are banned.
Egypt sent 82 trucks loaded with humanitarian aid to El-Ouga (Nitzana) border crossing with Israel for inspection before they are delivered to the Gaza Strip, Sky News reported on Sunday.

Israel has imposed complicated and slow-paced inspection measures on aid bound for Gaza. Aid trucks from Egypt have to travel from North Sinai to El-Ouga crossing before they head to the Rafah border crossing between Egypt and Gaza.

The 100 km journey delays the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza, Egypts Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in late October.

Egypt has delivered 750 humanitarian aid trucks to Gaza since Israeli started its unrelenting war and imposed a full siege on the strip on 7 October, according to figures released by the Egyptian Red Crescent (ERC) on Saturday.

Only 27 countries have sent humanitarian aid to Gaza, according to the ERC, totaling 9,262 tons. Of this, 6,944 tons have been sent by Egypt alone.

Besides aid, Egypt has evacuated hundreds of foreign passport holders from Gaza out of around 7,000 foreigners there since the beginning of November.

Today, 300 foreigners crossed the Rafah crossing to Egypt, including tens of Russian and Polish citizens.

Egypt has also evacuated dozens of seriously injured Palestinians and cancer patients from Gaza, where hospitals keep going out of service due to the Israeli strikes and lack of fuel. Since the beginning of the war, Israel has banned fuel from entering the strip.

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The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday issued fresh summons to Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal and asked him to appear before the investigative agency on January 3, 2024 for questioning in the Delhi excise policy scam case. Notably, this is the third time Kejriwal has been summoned by ED after he skipped the first two summons.

The central agency has asked the Delhi Chief Minister to join the Delhi liquor scam case probe soon after he returns from his Vipassana retreat. The ED had last asked him to appear for questioning on December 21, however, he decided to leave for his 10-day Vipassana meditation camp and skipped the summons.

Kejriwal was summoned by the ED for the first time on November 2. Reasoning that he had work in Delhi ahead of Diwali and was also scheduled to campaign for his party in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, the AAP chief did not appear before the investigation agency.

What Happens If Kejriwal Skips The 3rd Summons Too

The Enforcement Directorate can approach the Special Court seeking the issuance of warrants against Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. By skipping the third summons, Kejriwal can create a ground of non-cooperation with the investigation which can lead the ED to exersice its power under Section 19 to initiate an arrest. Kejriwal can approach appropriate court challenging these summons on various grounds. The Enforcement Directorate can carry out searches at various premieres linked to the Chief Minister if they deem fit. With Sanjay Singhs bail being denied and the observations made out by the court, the central investigation agency has got a shot in the arm with the court calling the probe genuine. The same has been upheld by the Supreme Court as well.

Meanwhile, two AAP leaders and former ministers in Kejriwals Cabinet  former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh  are already in custody for their alleged involvement in the Delhi liquor scam case.
A tourist was detained on Saturday after he allegedly opened fire in the air when his car was stopped from passing through the VIP lane at a toll plaza on the Shimla-Kalka national highway. No casualty was reported, the police said.

The incident took place at the Sanwara toll barrier, a few kilometres from Dharampur, in Himachal Pradeshs Solan district. Confirming the incident, Solan SP Gaurav Singh said the tourist has been detained.

Employees of the toll plaza told the police that the tourist had an argument with them and demanded a discount after his car was stopped from passing through the VIP lane. He then opened fire in the air, the police said.

CCTV footage has been found showing the tourist roaming around with a gun and efforts are underway to obtain more video clips of the incident, the SP said.
A Hindu temple has been defaced in the United States California with anti-India and pro-Khalistan graffiti on its exterior walls. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday expressed concern over the vandalism in Newark city.

I have seen the news. As you know, we are concerned about this. Extremists and separatist forces outside India should not get space. Our consulate has lodged a complaint with the (US) government and the police there over whatever happened, and I believe the matter is being inquired, Jaishankar said in Gujarats Gandhinagar, in response to a query about the incident.

The police department in Newark, California said that approximately 8.35 am on Friday, they received a report of graffiti at Shri Swaminarayan Mandir Hindu temple. According to images posted on social media, the word Khalistan was spray-painted on a signpost outside the temple along with other objectionable graffiti.

The Newark police said any acts or threats of violence, property damage, harassment, intimidation, or other crimes motivated by hate or bias are considered very serious and given very high priority.

The Consulate General of India in San Francisco strongly condemned the defacing of the temple. We strongly condemn the defacing of SMVS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir at Newark, California with anti-India graffiti. This incident has hurt the sentiments of the Indian community. We have pressed for quick investigation and prompt action against the vandals by the US authorities in this matter, the Consulate wrote on X.

We strongly condemn the defacing of SMVS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir at Newark, California with anti-India graffiti. This incident has hurt the sentiments of the Indian community. We have pressed for quick investigation and prompt action against the vandals by the US authorities in India in SF (@CGISFO) December 23, 2023

Images shared by a Hindu group, Hindu American Foundation on social media platform X, formerly Twitter, showed hateful slogans against India and the Prime Minister on the wall of the temple.

The foundation further claimed that the mention of the late Khalistan terrorist kingpin Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, who targeted Hindus, is specifically meant to traumatise the devotees and create an environment of violence.

Notably, this is not the first time that the news of vandalism and defacing of Hindu temples in the United States has emerged.

Earlier in January 2019, a Hindu temple was vandalised in the US state of Kentucky by miscreants who sprayed black paint on the deity and wall.

The incident happened at the Swaminarayan Temple in Louisville. In April 2015, a Hindu temple in north Texas was defaced with nasty images. In February 2015, Hindu temples in Kent and the Seattle Metropolitan area were also vandalised.
Security forces guarding the International Border (IB) thwarted an infiltration attempt in Jammu killing at least one terrorist early Saturday, officials said. A group of four heavily armed terrorists was noticed attempting to sneak across the IB in the Khour sector of Akhnoor in the early hours, they added.

Forests were set on fire by the Pakistani side to divert the Indian Army in the Khour area during the infiltration attempt by terrorists, sources told CNN-News18.

Security forces sprung into action when a suspected move of four terrorists was detected on surveillance devices. Officials engaged in firing on the infiltrating terrorists and gunned one of them down. His body, however, was dragged back by his associates across the IB, the officials said.

Infiltration bid foiled in IB sector of Khour, Akhnoor. Suspected move of four terrorists seen through own surveillance devices on the night of 22/23 Dec 23. Effective fire brought down. Terrorists seen dragging one body back across the IB, White Knight Corps of the Indian Army said in an X post.

The incident comes days after four Army personnel were killed and three others injured in a terrorist attack on two military vehicles in the Rajouri sector of Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday.

An operation was being conducted in the general area DKG (Dera ki Gali), Thanamandi, Rajouri, since the night of December 20. At approximately 3:45 PM on 21 December, two army vehicles carrying troops were moving to the operational site, which were fired upon by the terrorist. The fire was immediately retaliated upon by own troops. In the ongoing operation, own troops sustained three fatal and three non-fatal casualties, the Indian Army said in a statement.
Indian citizens detained in France after a Nicaragua-bound flight carrying 303 people, mostly Indians, was detained by French authorities over suspected human trafficking are safe and in judicial custody, sources in the Ministry of External Affairs told News18. The plane that took off from the United Arab Emirates was grounded during a technical halt at an airport near Paris on Thursday.

News18 was the first to report that the flight had been held over amid suspicion of human trafficking to the United States via Nicaragua. Majority of those detained are from Gujarat and Punjab, sources said, adding that a detailed report has been sent to the Indian government.

Official said that since the prosecutors office will be closed for the weekend and for Christmas on Monday, next step of the legal process will be initiated next week. Sources told News18 that India will push for the deportation of those detained.

Poor villagers from Punjab and Gujarat wanted to enter the US through Nicaragua, a source had earlier told News18. They were reportedly tutored to present themselves as tourists.

Since the US cracked down on illegal immigration through the Mexican border, Nicaragua has emerged as the preferred access point.

French authorities informed us of a plane w/ 303 people, mostly Indian origin, from Dubai to Nicaragua detained on a technical halt at a French airport, the Indian mission had said in a post on X (formerly Twitter). The embassy team has reached & obtained consular access. We are investigating the situation, also ensuring the wellbeing of passengers, it said.

According to a Le Monde newspaper report, the national anti-organised crime unit JUNALCO has taken over the investigation. Special investigators are questioning all those aboard and two people are in custody pending further examination, the Paris prosecutors office said in a statement.

The prefecture in the northeastern department of Marne said the A340, operated by Romanian company Legend Airlines, remained grounded on the tarmac at Vatry airport following its landing on Thursday. The Vatry airport, located 150km east of Paris, serves mostly budget airlines.

The newspaper report says the prefecture said the plane had been due to refuel and was carrying 303 Indian nationals who had probably been working in the UAE. After landing in France, the passengers were first kept on the aircraft, but then let out and given individual beds in the terminal building. The entire airport was cordoned off by police.

The prosecutors office said an anonymous tip signalled that the flight was carrying people who could be victims of human trafficking. Passengers were eventually transferred into the main hall of the small Vatry airport, where cots were set up for them to stay overnight on Thursday, the administration for the Marne region told the newspaper.

Investigators from a specialised French organised crime unit, border police and aviation gendarmes are working on the case.

The aircraft is owned by Romanian charter company Legend Airlines. A lawyer for the firm, Liliana Bakayoko, denied any involvement in the alleged trafficking. She told French news channel BFMTV that the firm was ready to cooperate with the French authorities and hoped the plane could be on its way in the next couple of days.

According to the lawyer, the airline verified the conformity of the documents presented by the client, who must demonstrate that these people have the right to go to Nicaragua, and have valid passports.

The company cannot check the criminal records of the people transported 303 people is not a number that raises alarm. They are not locked in a truck without ventilation and food, said Bakayoko.

French border police can initially hold a foreign national for up to four days if they land in France and are prevented from travelling on to their intended destination.

French law allows for that period to be extended to eight days if a judge approves it, then another eight days in exceptional circumstances, up to a maximum of 26 days. Human trafficking carries a potential sentence of up to 20 years in France.
KERALA LOTTERY KARUNYA KR-633 RESULT ON SATURDAY, DECEMBER 23 LIVE UPDATES: The Kerala State Lottery Department has announced the results of Karunya KR-633 lucky draw for Saturday, December 23. Check the full list of winning numbers below.

ALSO READ: Kerala Lottery Result Today LIVE: Nirmal NR-361 WINNERS for December 29; First Prize Rs 70 Lakh!

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Amit Anil Chandra Shah, often called the Chanakya of Indian politics, first read Kautilyas Arthashastra (Sanskrit treatise on statecraft, politics, economics and military) when he was nine years old. Since then, he has read it several times and internalised one Chanakya Niti  The king shall singly deliberate over secret matters; for ministers have their own ministers Kautilya stressed the need to maintain secrecy and keep the surprise element. Shah himself has said multiple times, Success of a project depends on its secrecy. As home minister, be it August 5, 2019, when Article 370 was abrogated or very recently when the government changed the entire jurisprudence by bringing in three new bills  very few had any idea that what Shah was up to.

New Criminal Bills

Apart from being BJPs most successful president, its the way he ran the government as the home minister and shaped Indias future that has made many people pause and observe. This year, he will be remembered for leaving a lasting legacy in the administration by bringing in three new bills to replace the existing Indian Penal Code, Code of Criminal Procedure, and Evidence Act, which had governed Indias criminal justice system for the last 150 years.

The Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha (Second) Sanhita, 2023, and The Bharatiya Nyaya (Second) Sanhita Amendment Bill, 2023, which were introduced with the intent to break the shackles of colonialism and fit for a New India, have been passed in Lok Sabha. In a fast-changing world, a host of reforms have been brought in under the eye of Amit Shah.

Search and seizure operations will now be video-graphed through electronic devices. For the first time, the Centre has identified terrorism as one large reason behind bringing in many radical changes. With the implementation of these bills, the death sentence has been commuted to life; life imprisonment has been reduced to seven years; and the seven years sentence has been replaced with three years.

Colonial words such as Parliament of the United Kingdom, Provincial Act, London Gazette, jury, barrister, Lahore, Commonwealth, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, Her Majestys Government, Possession of the British Crown, Court of Justice in England, Her Majestys Dominions, which are still being used have been removed. Complex procedures in the IPC, CrPC, and Indian Evidence Act have led to high pendency of cases in court. So, Shah oversaw that it gets simplified.

About the bills, Shah said under the newly amended laws if one accepts their crime within 30 days of the crime, then the punishment would be less Whats more? The laws give priority to crime against women/children, impact on the human body and security of the country, the home minister said. Under the amended laws, the deadline for filing an FIR has also been fixed. In the lower house, Shah focussed on time, After submitting the investigation report to the District Magistrate, it will have to be presented before the court within 24 hours. There is a provision to send the medical report directly to the police station/court within seven days. Charge sheet can no longer be kept pending after 180 days. Thus, trying to make delivering justice time-bound instead of a never-ending bureaucratic process that kills more than the verdict itself.

Indias G-20 Presidency

Under Indias G20 presidency in the second week of October, the worlds most powerful leaders  US President Joe Biden, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, French President Emmanuel Macron, Australian Premier Anthony Albanese, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan  gathered in New Delhi. To ensure a glitch-free summit, unprecedented coordination between Indias most premiere law enforcement agencies and their foreign counterpart was required. As home minister, the buck stopped with Amit Shah, and he delivered a seamless event.

From a possibility as big as a terror attack to as small as half a dozen protestors showing up in front of Bharat Mandapam  the venue of the G20 summit  nothing could be ignored.

Thorough background checks of hotel staff who were going to host the top dignitaries, issuance of specific access cards for designated floors, and preparations for potential interventions by the Indian Air Force and National Security Guard (NSG)  it was a comprehensive task. The Air Force and NSG conducted drills over designated hotels to assess their readiness for potential air-dropped commando operations in emergencies, such as the one at Taj Mahal Palace Hotel in Mumbai during the 26/11 terror attacks, leaving nothing to chance. Around 1,000 CRPF personnel underwent specialised training for proximate security over two months.

Around 4,000 Delhi police personnel were deployed at the Bharat Mandapam. Additionally, 1,300 policemen donning plain clothes and 400 Delhi traffic policemen were stationed outside the G20 summit venue.

If one word could summarise the preparation  it was elaborate, and as Indias home minister Amit Shah had to oversee every bit of it, predicting every worst possibility and ensuring contingency plans for that. Remember, the minutest glitch would result in global ramifications.

A BJP leader who has closely worked with Shah before the 2014 Lok Sabha elections told News18 on conditions of anonymity, I have travelled thousands of kilometers with Amit Bhai in Uttar Pradesh. I have seen how he would keep three plans ready. He doesnt stop at Plan B. Many of us wouldnt have a Plan B. As the home minister, this helps in events like G20.

Kashmirs Achhe Din

In his book  Kitne Ghazi Aaye Kitne Ghazi Gaye  Lt General (retired) KJS Dhillon has at length talked about Amit Shahs June 2019 Srinagar visit. I got a call at 2 am in the morning, informing me of a meeting with the home minister at 7 am. The retired Lt General, who was the head of the armys strategic Srinagar-based XV Corps, wrote, I was asked about my frank and personal view, (and) my immediate response was agar itihaas likhna hai, toh kisi ko itihas banana padega (we can write history only if we make one).

In less than two months after that meeting, Shah would rise in Parliament to junk two contentious Articles  370 & 35A, writing history, as Dhillon suggested in June.

But four years, many protests and months of shutdown later, the great-grandson of the Nagarseth (Capital city chief) of the princely state of Mansa has truly ushered in Ache Din in J&K. The latest data from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) shows that J&K has seen a dip in terror activities from 2019 to 2022. According to the Centre, 53 projects across diverse sectors, with a staggering investment of Rs 58,477 crore, have become the cornerstone of New Kashmir.

Air traffic to and from Jammu and Kashmir doubled post-2019, with the introduction of night landing facilities in Jammu and Srinagar. Meanwhile, tourism, a crucial pillar of J&Ks economy, flourished, the government said. The details given by the MHA said there is a tourism boom in J&K. The region hosted the 3rd tourism working meeting of G20, placing it on the global stage.

According to the ministry, the transformation resonated in the healthcare sector, where seven new government medical colleges, 28 BSc nursing colleges, and 19 BSc paramedic colleges sprang to life. The addition of 800 MBBS seats, totalling 1,300 seats, marked a significant leap forward, the data revealed. The academic session at the All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS) in Jammu began, while work on AIIMS in Kashmir is surging ahead at an optimum pace.

Apart from the health sector, the Union home ministry in December this year said that education has received a considerable boost with the functional establishment of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) and Indian Institute of Management (IIM) in Jammu, making it the only city in the country to house IIT, IIM, and AIIMS.

The 59-year-old modern-day Chanakya has many layers of his Chanakya Niti to unfold in the months and years to come.
Heart attack deaths in people below the age of 30 have increased by 40% between 2018 and 2022, while, in general, the incidents have reported a jump of 26% during the said period, official numbers analysed by News18 show.

ALSO READ | Health Matters | Like Actor Shreyas Talpade, Many Indians Below 50 are Undergoing Angioplasty

In its annual report Accidental Deaths and Suicides in India, the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) said that in 2022, there were 32,457 incidents of heart attacks that killed 32,410 people. In 2018, there were 25,764 cases of heart attack deaths.

In those below the age of 30, heart attack deaths have increased from 2,371 in 2018 to 3,329 in 2022. In those above the age of 30, heart attack deaths have increased from 23,392 to 29,081.

The NCRB counts heart attack deaths under the cases of sudden deaths  unexpected death that is instantaneous or occurs within minutes from any cause other than violence. Across the country, the cases of sudden deaths have jumped by 23% in the past five years from 46,003 in 2018 to 56,653 in 2022.

In 2022, sudden deaths accounted for 13.4% of the total accidental deaths. It was second after traffic accidents that accounted for 46% of the accidental deaths.

Since 2014, there has been a consistent rise in cases of sudden deaths in the country in both men and women. Further, when compared to 2012, the cases of sudden deaths have almost doubled in 2022.

Heart attack holds a significant share of sudden deaths. Since 2012, there has been a jump in heart attack deaths as well. The casualties have increased by 75% from 18,522 in 2012 to 32,410 in 2022.

Since 2012, Maharashtra reported the highest number of heart attack deaths among states. Apart from Maharashtra, Kerala was another state that reported a significant rise in the past 10 years, although it was not always at the second position in terms of heart attack deaths. Over the past few years, the two states have been accounting for almost half of the heart attack deaths reported across India.

Earlier this month, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare informed the Lok Sabha that sudden deaths have been reported in some people after Covid-19. However, sufficient evidence was not available to confirm the cause of such deaths.

Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Sajda Ahmed asked the Ministry if there are any reported instances of a linkage between the Covid vaccine and heart attacks within the country.

The Ministry said to ascertain the facts regarding the apprehension of rising cases of cardiac arrest after Covid-19, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)-National Institute of Epidemiology (NIE) conducted a study.

Titled Factors associated with unexplained sudden deaths among adults aged 18-45 years in India  A multicentric matched casecontrol study, it was conducted at 47 tertiary care hospitals located across 19 states/UT during May-August 2023.

Cases were apparently healthy individuals aged 18-45 years without any known comorbidity, who suddenly (<24 hours of hospitalization or seen apparently healthy 24 hours before death) died of unexplained causes between October 1, 2021 and March 31, 2023, the Ministry said.

Information was collected regarding data on Covid-19 vaccination/infection, post-Covid-19 conditions, family history of sudden death, smoking, recreational drug use, alcohol frequency, binge drinking and vigorous-intensity physical activity two days before death among the cases / interview among controls.

A total of 729 cases and 2,916 controls were included in the analysis. The study observed that Covid-19 vaccination did not increase the risk of unexplained sudden death among young adults in India. Past Covid-19 hospitalization, family history of sudden death and certain lifestyle behaviours increased the likelihood of unexplained sudden death.
This is not the first time entrepreneur and motivational speaker Vivek Bindra is in the news for the wrong reasons. Already involved in an online feud with another motivational speaker, Bindra now faces assault charges. Only eight days into his marriage, his wife has accused the 41-year-old of punching her deaf.

Police said they are investigating the allegations and will take action upon probe. Bindra and Yanika were married on December 6 and were living in a posh society in Noidas Sector 94. But, a few days into the marriage, his wife registered a case of assault against him in the Sector 126 police station at Noida. Yanikas brother Vaibhav Kwatra also lodged a complaint against Bindra on December 9, on the basis of which an FIR was registered on December 14. His wife has reportedly suffered serious injuries on the head due to which she is experiencing deafness and is undergoing treatment.

On the morning of December 7, my brother-in-law Vivek Bindra was arguing with his mother Prabha ji. When my sister Yanika intervened, my brother-in-law locked the room with my sister, abused her and beat her a lot due to which she has wounds all over her body, she is unable to hear and her hair were also torn out, Kwatra alleged.

Due to the head wound, she was feeling quite dizzy. She was being treated at Kailash Deepak Hospital in Delhi, he said. Kwatra further alleged that during the fight Bindra broke his sisters mobile phone.

Bindra is booked under IPC sections 323 (causing hurt), 504 (insult to provoke breach of peace), 325 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt), and 427 (mischief). We have launched an investigation into the case to ascertain the facts. Necessary action would be taken accordingly, assistant commissioner of police (Noida) Rajneesh Verma told PTI.

Here are some other controversies and scandals Bindra is involved in:

MBA in 10 days

Bindra is the chief executive officer (CEO) and founder of Bada Business Private Limited (BBPL) and teaches people the tricks of business and marketing. He also doles out entrepreneurial tips to those who want to scale up their business. But, the man claims that you can complete an MBA degree in 10 days. According to his account on X, he offers a free and 10-day MBA course. But, questions have been raised on this scheme.

Online feud with influencer Sandeep Maheshwari

Bindra is already engaged in a tussle online with fellow YouTuber and motivational speaker Sandeep Maheshwari. Only recently, his business rival accused him of running a scam following which the two got into a war of words. Maheshwari had released a video titled Big Scam Exposed, accusing Bindra of running a course similar to multilevel marketing and a scam of nearly Rs 500 crore. This, he alleged, involved taking huge sums of money from students to teach them business. The feud has since intensified with Bindra alleging that Maheshwari threatened his legal team.

Controversy over depiction of Guru Gobind Singh

In June 2022, Bindra had to apologise after causing an uproar in the Sikh community over an animated depiction of Guru Gobind Singh in one of his videos.

Defamation suit by Indian Medical Association

In 2018, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) accused Bindra of defaming doctors in a video titled Reality of Indian Medical System. The doctors body even filed a case against him but despite facing a potential Rs 50 crore defamation suit, Bindra won as the court stressed on the importance of freedom of expression.
Uttar Pradeshs famed pilgrimage sites are all set for a transformation. With the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor in Varanasi grabbing eyeballs and temple corridors in Ayodhya, Mirzapur, Mathura and Bareilly either being constructed or proposed by the Yogi Adityanath government, the state is quickly looking to become the hub of religious tourism.

While the BJPs quest to give an over Rs 2,200 crore makeover to UPs religious sites may bring cheer to devotees, it has irked opposition parties who termed BJPs temple run a part of its changed strategy to woo Hindu voters. Political analysts, meanwhile, said the move will benefit the party in the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

Kashi Vishwanath Corridor

Prime Minister Narendra Modis parliamentary constituency and one of UPs most ancient pilgrim cities Varanasi was the first to witness the construction of the grand Kashi Vishwanath Corridor. The foundation of the project, which cost around Rs 900 crore, was laid by PM Modi in 2019 and inaugurated by him on December 13, 2021. Under the project, the area around the temple has been expanded from 3,000 to 5 lakh square feet, making enough room for around 75,000 devotees.

Proposed Ram Janmabhoomi Corridor in Ayodhya

In August 2021, the UP government proposed the construction of the Ram Janmabhoomi corridor in Ayodhya, the estimated cost of which is around Rs 800 crore. As per the proposal, Bhraman Path in Ayodhya will be transformed to connect River Saryu with the Ram Temple. The project has been conceptualised on the lines of a corridor connecting the Ganga with the Kashi Vishwanath corridor in Varanasi.

Bhraman Path will pass through Ram Ki Paidi, Rajgath and will reach Ram Mandir. After taking a dip in the Saryu, devotees will be able to reach Ram Mandir directly by using this stretch of the road, a UP government official said. The corridor is expected to be ready by 2024.

Banke Bihari Corridor in Vrindavan

The Banke Bihari Corridor in UPs Vrindavan is the latest in the series of temple corridors on which work has begun.

On November 20 this year, the Allahabad High Court approved the UP governments proposal for the Vrindavan (Mathura) Banke Bihari Temple Corridor, citing Articles 25 and 26 of the Constitution. The court instructed the removal of encroachments around the temple and emphasised on public interest in temple management, citing religious, social, historical and cultural significance. However, it restrained the government from using Rs 262.50 crore from the deitys bank account for corridor construction and asked the government to use its own funds.

The decision came while the court was hearing a public interest litigation on crowd management and pilgrim safety at the Banke Bihari Temple. The court noted issues in temple management and acknowledged difficulties arising from disputes among Sevayats.

Officials with the district administration said the Banke Bihari Corridor, set to be one of the grandest in UP, will be built on the pattern of Varanasis Kashi Vishwanath Corridor. While sharing the blueprint, officials said, It will be a blend of tradition and modern, where the core area of the temple would remain undisturbed.

Once developed, the corridor will not only boost the economy, but will also help in managing the crowd. According to the proposed blueprint, the project, which is likely to cost Rs 262 crore, will make enough room for devotees. Against the present capacity of around 800 devotees, officials said the corridor will be able to accommodate over 10,000 devotees at a time. It also envisages the transformation of the crammed lanes that lead to the temple.

Vindhyachal Corridor Soon

Vindhyachal Corridor in UPs Mirzapur is also under construction. A government spokesperson said it was being built around Vindhyachal Temple at an estimated cost of Rs 224 crore in an effort to facilitate pilgrims. The corridor is being built using pink stones of Ahraura that have been expertly crafted by artisans from Jaipur. This year will mark the official opening of the corridor.

The Maa Vindhyavasini corridor, dream project of chief minister Yogi Adityanath, is aimed at beautification of Maa Vindhyavasini Temple along with the creation of a 50-feet-wide space for parikrama and for creating world-class facilities for pilgrims.

After the construction of the corridor, Maa Vindhyavasini Temple will be visible from the bank of the Ganga. The Vindhyachal project will be the second corridor in eastern UP after the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor. Besides, the UP government has also proposed a corridor in Bareilly.

Corridors are part of BJPs new strategy

Calling it an attempt to woo Hindu voters, Shashikant Pandey, head of the political science department at Bhimrao Ambedkar University, said: BJP is focusing on religious places as larger Hindu sentiments are attached to it. The renovation and making of corridors is primarily linked to their agenda of Hindu/cultural nationalism. Along with its developmental policies, especially beneficiary schemes, BJP is trying to reach out to its core constituencies and also trying to blur the boundaries based on caste etc.

Pandey added that the construction of the corridors would also help BJP divert peoples attention from issues like caste-based census. Further, the party knows that religion has a strong emotive appeal and wherever such corridors have come up, people are thronging those places. BJP can claim credit for this and therefore, this combination of developmental initiatives along with emotive issues is being used to mobilise public support.
A humanitarian aid convoy crossed into war-torn Gaza through the Israeli Karm Abu Salem border crossing on Sunday, the first since Israel approved the move, two Egyptian Red Crescent officials told AFP and Reuters.





Seventy-nine trucks began entering on Sunday, according to Reuters and AFP.

Israel approved Friday the "temporary" delivery of much-needed aid to Gaza via its Karm Abu Salem (Kerem Shalom) crossing.

Despite causing a desperate humanitarian situation in Gaza, Israel, which has for two months waged a full-scale and bloody war against the strip, has only allowed aid to trickle in through the Rafah border crossing with Egypt.



The office of the Israeli Prime Minister stated earlier that the opening of the crossing would enable Israel to honour its commitment, per the hostage deal brokered in November, to allowing 200 aid trucks to enter Gaza per day.

Due to Israel's agreement to allow inspected aid convoys to enter Gaza from the Karm Abou Salem border crossing, aid trucks are no longer required to return to Egypt to enter Gaza through the Rafah border crossing.

Aid groups had called for aid convoys to enter Gaza directly, following inspection, without being forced to return to Egypt's Rafah border crossing.

Egypt already began using the Karm Abu Salem border crossing on Tuesday, following an agreement with Israel, to speed up aid delivery to the Gaza Strip.

COGAT, the Israeli defence ministry body responsible for Palestinian civilian affairs, said on Sunday that "beginning Sunday, UN aid trucks will undergo security checks and be transferred directly to Gaza via Karm Abu Salem."

The United Nations, in turn, welcomed the move.

The fast implementation of this agreement will increase the flow of aid, said UN Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric, adding that a humanitarian ceasefire will increase the distribution of that aid across Gaza even more.

Nevertheless, Colonel Elad Goren, head of the civil department at COGAT, informed Reuters that humanitarian agencies had not scaled up their capacity to distribute aid to Gazans who followed Israeli advice to relocate to the southern part of the enclave.

Goren said, "If the UN cannot collect and distribute, it does not matter how many crossings we open. They cannot rely on the same mechanisms as before the war. We adjusted ourselves; unfortunately, the UN has not."

Juliette Touma, communications director of the UN Palestinian refugee agency, however, refuted these claims, stating on X that no aid can be delivered "under a sky full of airstrikes."

Before the 7 October Al-Aqsa flood operation, the Karm Abu Salem border admitted 60 percent of the goods entering the besieged Palestinian strip.

Located at the junction of the borders of Egypt, Israel, and Gaza, Karm Abu Salem offers a significantly faster alternative to the Rafah border Crossing since trucks will be allowed to enter immediately into the strip following inspection.

Earlier on Sunday, the Al-Qahera News Channel website reported that six fuel trucks and another 40 carrying aid crossed Egypt's Rafah border Crossing into the Gaza Strip.

The website added that four injured Palestinians arrived in Rafah from the besieged strip to receive treatment in Egyptian hospitals.

The UN estimates 1.9 million people have been displaced, while aid groups fear the territory will soon be overwhelmed by starvation and disease.

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Popularly known as Kisan Diwas, National Farmers Day is celebrated on December 23 every year across India. This special day is observed to pay respect to the farmers and glorify them as the backbone of this country. The day is also celebrated to mark the birth anniversary of Chaudhary Charan Singh, the fifth Prime Minister of India, who served the nation from July 28, 1979, to January 14, 1980.

The government of India declared December 23, the day Chaudhary Charan Singh was born, to be celebrated as National Farmers Day in 2001. National Farmers Day is celebrated every year in states like Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab, and Madhya Pradesh, where farmers are actively engaged in agriculture.

National Farmers Day: History

In his short tenure as prime minister, Chaudhary Charan Singh developed several welfare schemes for the farmers to improve their conditions and empower them. As a result, the government took the decision in 2001 to recognise Chaudhary Charan Singhs contribution to the upliftment of farmers and the development of the agriculture sector. Hence, December 23 was declared Kisan Diwas to commemorate Charan Singhs birth anniversary.

The Kisan leader brought some of the most remarkable reforms in the agrarian sector, and his pro-farmer stance earned him the title Champion of Indias Peasants.

National Farmers Day 2023: Significance

National Farmers Day is dedicated to all the farmers in the country who work around the clock and year round to provide food for the nation and ensure that we never run out of food. This day is usually celebrated in Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab, and Madhya Pradesh, the agriculture and farming states of the nation.

On this day, programmes are held in several parts of the country to familiarize them with innovations in science and technology to maximise their production. They are also given a stage to talk about their needs and goals.

National Farmers Day 2023: Quotes By Chaudhary Charan Singh
Katrina Kaif and Vijay Sethupathi are all set for their thriller, Sriram Raghavans film, Merry Christmas. Amid promotions, the lead pair joined Mashable Indias The Bombay Journey on a road trip in and around Mumbai with the director.

Looking back on her journey, Katrina revealed she initially wanted to be a model in Mumbai, and acting happened unexpectedly. She revealed, When I started off as a model in Bombay, my intention was to be a model. My role models were Madhu Sapre and Lakshmi Menon. Those were the supermodels of that time. And even Malaika actually. She was still modelling at that time. They were the women I looked up to. And thats why I wanted to be as a model.

Though Katrina and Malaika never worked together, they had an interesting connection. Katrina dated Salman Khan, while Salmans brother, Arbaaz Khan, was married to Malaika. Later, Katrina dated Ranbir Kapoor before marrying Vicky Kaushal in 2021. Meanwhile, Malaika divorced Arbaaz in 2017 and started dating Arjun Kapoor.

During the interview, the host also asked Katrina if she likes road trips. To this, she said, I did Zindagi Naa Milega Dobara, that was a road trip to Spain. It is a life changing experience, thats all I can say. I had learnt a little bit here on Reclamation [Bandra] when you used to be able to ride bikes late night. When asked who taught her, she joked, That will remain a secret.

Meanwhile, the trailer of Merry Christmas is out now. The trailer begins with a montage of various clips. On Christmas Eve, Katrina encounters Vijay Sethupathi and asks whether he is single or if he discreetly removed his wedding ring upon seeing her. Soon, they head to her house, and events take an unexpected turn. She requests him to stay, hinting that appearances can be deceiving. The narrative unfolds over the course of one night in what looks like an intriguing and suspenseful dark thriller.
Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker, the proud parents of their son Rocky, delightfully unveiled the first glimpses of their baby just before Christmas. The couple, who happily welcomed their son during the Halloween period, delighted followers by sharing a series of family photos on their Instagram accounts. Dressed in black attire, the carousel features intimate moments, as Barker is seen holding Rockys tiny feet against a backdrop of a lit Christmas tree, another features Kardashian breastfeeding and one more shows the Blink 182 drummer tenderly kissing their newborns face in a black and white frame. The happy revelation arrives following a challenging period for Kardashian, who underwent urgent fetal surgery approximately four months ago, in order to safeguard Rockys life.

Meanwhile, Kardashian, who previously dated Scott Disick, is a mother to daughter Penelope and sons Mason and Reign. On the other hand, Barker, with his ex-wife Shanna Moakler, is a father to daughter Alabama and son Landon and he also shares a stepdaughter named Atiana. Her pregnancy announcement happened during a Blink 182 concert in June, where she held up a sign that read Travis Im Pregnant. Now, sharing a family picture, the Kardashians star simply captioned, Rocky, followed by a black heart emoji.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Kourtney Kardashian Barker (@kourtneykardash)

In September, Kourtney Kardashian underwent urgent fetal surgery, forcing Travis Barker to cancel a few of Blink 182s European tour to support his wife. Following Rockys birth on November 4th, a family insider shared with People magazine the overwhelming joy, They are over the moon about her sons arrival. She is happy just to be able to snuggle her baby boy now. The insider further shared, She feels so blessed. The individual expressed concern about their babys well-being due to their pregnancy becoming stressful toward the end. While in an interview with Vogue, Kourtney had acknowledged a newfound understanding and respect for mothers who have faced challenges during pregnancy.

Prior to baby Rockys birth, Barker while appearing on the One Life One Chance with Toby Morse podcast shared that they had chosen the name Rocky Thirteen Barker for their son. In a light-hearted moment, Barker jokes, I was like, Hes going to come out of my wifes vagina doing front kicks and push-ups. Additionally, Barker had also hinted about the due date and mentioned that the reality TV star was expected around Halloween or the first week of November.

For those not aware, Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker started dating in late 2020 and tied the knot last year through a series of three unique ceremonies. Initially, they had a practice elopement in Las Vegas, followed by an intimate ceremony in Santa Barbara and concluded with a grand celebration at the Dolce & Gabbana estate in Portofino, Italy.
Prabhas returned to the big screen with Salaar. The action-packed film is helmed by KGF director Prashanth Neel. Owing to the connection, many were hoping to see Prabhas and Yash share the screen in Salaar. While Prashanth clarified that the two worlds are not connected, Yash was brought up in the opening credits of Salaar. No, no, we dont mean in ways of a cameo. In photos circulating from the first day shows, fans pointed out that Hombale Films, which is backing Salaar, has expressed their gratitude towards Yash.

A thank you slide was placed in the opening credits dedicated to Yash. Although Prashanth and Prabhas are yet to comment on the thank you note, fans are speculating that they expressed their gratitude towards Yash for being a part of the films muhuratham shot.

For the unversed, Salaars muhurat puja and first shot was done in January 2021. Yash had attended the puja and posed for a few photos with Prabhas.

Prashanth Neel had clarified earlier this week that Yashs KGF world is not connected with Prabhas Salaar world. Speaking with Galata Plus, Prashanth said, People started comparing it to the tone I had set in KGF. They started drawing some theories. I think this came a long time before the teaser came out or a couple of years back. They said, This must be from the universe of KGF. It was my mistake that I did not come out and say it loud enough. There is no part of Salaar that has a connection with KGF.

Prithviraj also echoed the same emotion when he spoke to News18 exclusively. He said that all comparisons would be put to rest once Salaar hits the screens. I understand the comparisons that are happening between Salaar and KGF-2. I am a big Prashant Neel fan and I would have been disappointed had I seen his next film after KGF-2, which opens in a tulip field in Amsterdam. It is not something that I expect from him. It is too premature for the audience because 10 minutes into Salaar people will forget all the comparisons. Salaar is much bigger and grander than KGF-2. The scale of the film is so huge that it can even dwarf KGF-2, he told us.

Meanwhile, the title reveal video of Yashs upcoming film Toxic was also played during the interval of Salaar and it was welcomed with a massive roar. Watch the video below:

Toxic is slated to release April 10, 2025.
Filmmaker Sandeep Reddy Vanga has been in the news of late. His recently-released film Animal has been garnering attention due to its controversial scenes and dialogues. In a recent interview, Sandeep discussed the rebellious kiss between Ranbir Kapoor and Rashmika Mandannas characters in Animal, portraying it as an act of defiance against their families. He also stated that featuring inter-caste relationships in his three films  Arjun Reddy, Kabir Singh, and Animal wasnt a deliberate choice. In an interview with Galatta Plus, Sandeep Vanga mentioned observing many Telugu and Tamil families in Delhi, expressing a liking for inter-region and inter-caste marriages. Regarding the kiss and its portrayal in Animal, he explained that the accompanying rock song adds a sense of recklessness as if the characters are vocalising their rage with an element of negligence.

Sandeep Reddy Vanga further explained the kissing scene, stating, After portraying his actions in school and the family dynamics, I envisioned him sitting, as if he had already heard a lengthy conversation from her family. The audience joins in at the end of it. The direction was clear: Youve been enduring this for 10 minutes, knowing they wont comprehend your explanations, so lets deliver something unexpected. After that moment, silence prevails.

Addressing the portrayal of female characters in his films, Sandeep Reddy Vanga, in the same interview, refuted claims of misogyny in his movies and strongly criticised his critics. He argued that only a small portion of the broader audience dislikes his films and provided explanations for scenes that sparked controversy. Despite the backlash, Animal has surpassed Rs 850 crore globally, making it the third-highest-grossing Indian movie of the year and the highest-grossing A-rated Indian film to date.

Bobby Deol, earlier, revealed that his character in Animal (Abrar) had a kissing scene with the films hero, Ranvijay (Ranbir Kapoor). Sandeep Reddy Vanga opted to remove the scene in the editing process.
Indians were introduced to the Western concept of web shows through the first Hindi comedy series Permanent Roommates. Produced by The Viral Fever, the 2014 show whipped up an online storm. The masses appreciated the episodic rendition of the Sumeet Vyas, Jitendra Kumar, and Nidhi Singh series with Permanent Roommates running successfully for three seasons. And since then, there has been no looking back. From crime thrillers to psychological dramas, vintage classics to slice-of-life ones  over the years, the audience has enjoyed plenty of web series on OTT platforms. With 2023 coming to an end, let us take a look back at some popular Hindi web shows of the year.

Farzi

This Raj and DK creation is an OTT marvel. Starring Shahid Kapoor in the lead alongside Vijay Serhupathi and Raashi Khanna, Farzi revolves around the story of a man who gets involved in a fake money-making business. The comedy-thriller is available for streaming on Prime Video.

The Night Manager

Adapted from John Le Carres novel of the same title, The Night Manager centers around an ex-soldier on a mission to infiltrate an arms dealers dangerous gang to stop his negative motives. With an ensemble cast of Aditya Roy Kapur, Anil Kapoor, and Shobhita Dhulipala, The Night Manager is the perfect spy thriller drama waiting to be streamed on Netflix.

Jubilee

This Prime Video web show takes us back on a nostalgic ride to the early film industry of India. Set against a pre-Independence background, Jubilee revolves around the journey of a production firm named Roy Talkies, with the tale concluding in the modern age. Prosenjit Chatterjee, Aparshakti Khurrana, Wamiqa Gabbi, and Aditi Rao Hydari put up a brilliant performance.

Rana Naidu

Directed by Karan Anshuman, this Netflix show stars Rana Daggubati as the protagonist. Rana Naidu is a series about the complicated world of celebrities where Naidu is a problem-solver". But things take a drastic turn when he stumbles about familial secrets and a web of lies following his fathers release from prison.

Asur 2

With the first season receiving mammoth reviews from the masses and critics alike, Arshad Warsi and Barun Dobti joined forces again in the sequel. In the name of mythology, a boy named Shubh takes law and order into his own hands, conducting a series of crimes. Asur 2 on Sony LIV lived up to the name and delivered an even grittier tale.

Dahaad

Perhaps one of the finest Amazon Prime Hindi web series is this Zoya Akhtar and Reema Kagti direction. A serial killer on the loose with the police department leaving no stone unturned to put him behind bars is what forms the crux of this crime drama. With amazing performances by Sonakshi Sinha and Vijay Verma, Dahaad witnessed a premiere at the Berlin International Film Festival.

Kaala Paani

This Netflix survival drama will keep you on the edge and leave you hanging there even in the final episode. Its resonance with the Covid-19 pandemic is what made the series appeal to the masses. Kaala Paanu tells the compelling tale of an unknown disease that is slowly engulfing the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. It is a story of human error with elements of survival instincts, the search for a cure, and strong human ties embedded with feelings of love, despair, and sorrow.

The Railway Men

Netflix assembled all the finest actors of Bollywood namely Babil Khan, Kay Kay Menon, Divyendu, and R Madhavan to create a disturbing masterpiece. Based on the Bhopal gas tragedy, the gripping tale revolves around the relentless efforts of three railway workers to save a thousand lives as poisonous gas leaks from a carbide factory.

Guns n Gulaabs

Guns n Gulaab on Netflix takes place in the fictional town of Gulaabganj where opium is grown under government licence. Ganchi and Nabeed, the leaders of two competing gangs, are in a heated battle for control of the opium trade. Amidst all of this, a local schoolboy named Gangaram witnesses Babu Tiger being killed by hired assassin Four-Cut Aatmaram. Starring Rajkummar Rao, Dulquer Salmaan, and Adarsh Gourav in lead roles, the black comedy is a must-watch.

Scoop

Karisma Tanna delivered one of her finest performances on Netflixs biography crime drama Scoop. The series is focused on the true story of Jigna Vora, who was charged with murdering a midday reporter Jyotirmoy Dey in 2011. The nail-biting plot resonated well with both journalists and the commoners, spitting nothing but facts about the society and media industry.

Lust Stories 2

Acclaimed directors  Konkona Sen Sharma, Sujoy Ghosh, Amit Ravindernath Sharma, and R Balki made a sequel based on the hidden desires and lustful yearnings of female protagonists. The four-part Netflix anthology broke the stereotypes surrounding sex and navigated the realms of female fantasies. Kajolm Mrunal Thakur, Tamannaah Bhatia, Vijay Verma, Neena Gupta, Tillotama Shome, Kumud Mishra, and Angad Bedi were some among the ensemble cast.

Aarya 3

Sushmita Sen rocked the OTT circuit with her stellar acting chops in the director duo Ram Madhvani and Sandeep Modis Aarya. The third sequel released on Disney plus Hotstar this year performed beyond expectations too.

Wish you a very Happy New Year in advance!
Mallikarjun Kharges projection as the prime ministerial candidate of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) was not a sudden, spur-of-the-moment decision at the December 19 meeting of the Opposition parties. Many alliance parties including the Congress leadership had been toying with the idea.

Both Sitaram Yechury of CPM and Manoj Kumar Jha of the RJD publicly batted for Kharge to play a bigger role in the coalition and beyond. At a book launch at the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation on December 11, 2023, Sonia Gandhi virtually endorsed Yechury and Jha saying, Mallikarjun Kharge is best suited to lead the Congress party in this historic battle for Indias soul. In this, he has my steadfast support and that of the Congress party.

But has Kharge got the right credentials to be at 1, Lok Kalyan Marg if INDI alliance calculations and strategy indeed checkmates Narendra Modi-led NDA in May 2024? Kharge has had an impressive track record in public life, rising from the Bloc president of the grand party to the 88th president of the AICC. He has been elected a record 11 times and has been a multi-term minister in Karnataka and the Union cabinet. Kharge also holds the distinction of being the leader of the Opposition in both houses of Parliament. On his part, Kharge, who has had a long and distinguished career in public life, had been devoting considerable time commenting and deliberating upon the Modi governments functioning, contrasting its past and alleging that under Narendra Modi, the locus of power has effectively shifted from the cabinet to the Prime Ministers Office.

In a new book titled, The Great Indian Manthan, State, Statecraft and The Republic (Penguin Random House), Kharge has contributed a chapter, The Cabinet: A Check on Authoritarianism. In his sharp article, he accuses the BJP-led Opposition of purposely vilifying Dr Manmohan Singh as a weak prime minister during the 2004-2014 UPA government years. Kharge, who was a minister under Dr Singh, alleges that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), then in Opposition, teamed up with the deep state to portray Manmohan as weak. He doesnt define what this deep state is but the threat of infiltration in key government institutions is something the United States, China, Canada, United Kingdom and most developed nations take very seriously. Does Kharge know something that only prime ministers of the past knew?

Kharge also says when Manmohan Singh resumed his stint as prime minister in 2009, the key levers of power suddenly stopped functioning. The reasons became clear when he demonstrated that many who sabotaged the system from within joined hands with the BJP, which subsequently rode to power under Narendra Modi. He goes on to allege that even though he (Prime Minister Modi) publicly promised to correct the perceived (and frankly manufactured) flaws that had crept into the institution of the cabinet and the prime minister, it soon became clear that the new dispensation was not correcting mistakes but taking them to the other extreme. The principles of collective responsibility in government have sadly been ignored.

Kharge then goes on to demonstrate that post-independence, Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru established precedents to institutionalise a cabinet form of government that every prime minister (including Prime Minister Vajpayee) has followed. But these norms and conventions have been flouted under Modi. As an example, he says One glaring indicator of this is the dismissal of EGoMs [Empowered group of Ministers] and GoMs as soon as the ruling dispensation assumed power in 2014. This was purportedly done because they contributed to the much touted policy paralysis. This logic was flawed because EGoMs and GoMs provided the cabinet with detailed information on subjects entrusted to them and in the process, enabled better policymaking. In abolishing EGoMs and GoMs, the NDA government has undermined informed and inclusive decision-making.

The decline of the cabinet form of governance worsened further when ministries were merged to create even more centralisation. Kharge points at the corporate affairs ministry merger with finance on the one hand, and housing and urban poverty alleviation with urban development on the other as a pointer. He argues that this has been purportedly done to further the goal of minimum government, maximum governance but in effect, this seemingly innocuous move centralized powers in the PMO. Kharge pulls out a statement released by the Modi government which said, Wherever the Ministries face any difficulties, the Cabinet Secretariat and the Prime Ministers Office will facilitate the decision-making process to make the case that the PMO has become a leviathan.

Without mentioning Union Ministers S Jaishankar, Ashwini Vaishnaw, Hardeep Puri or RK Singh, Kharge laments that the appointment of bureaucrats and technocrats as ministers, eschewing the earlier practice of having political heavyweights as ministers, has led to the decline of the cabinet system. He posits While it could be argued that this infuses technical expertise within the government, this has grave implications for Indias social contract. Earlier, ministers were chosen because they had deep ties to specific groupsto communities, to sectoral interest groups, to academics/think tanks, to the diaspora, to civil society, etc.apart from administrative experience. Their connections were leveraged to engage in a sustained dialogue with Indias diverse interest groups, to ensure that governance was more people-centric. Today, only the PMO is permitted to engage with all of Indias interest groups. In this construct, the Prime Minister is no longer first among equals, but the sole Chief Executive, like that in the United States of America. The morphing of the PMO into an independent Executive force is a perversion of the cabinet system. When individuals who cannot otherwise get elected begin to disproportionately influence governance, it leads to an oligarchic control of the State apparatus.

Kharge also claims that Modis PMO is a de facto super cabinet that plans, directs and monitors major policies and projects, while the cabinet rubber-stamps decisions. That is why laws are moved that are not responsive to the true needs and aspirations of the people. This appropriation of ministerial prerogatives and functions has been extended to other spheres of governance as well, writes Kharge. To substantiate his claim, Kharge cites two examples.

Prime Minister Modi has spearheaded a highly personalized form of foreign policy, drawing from past precedents. A case in point is his decision to stop over in Lahore in December 2015 to greet then Prime Minister of Pakistan Nawaz Sharif on his birthday. This effort, supposed to be out-of-the box thinking, ended up undermining years of patient and skilful diplomacy through which India had cornered Pakistan, claims Kharge pointing that the prime ministers campaign for the leader of another nation (Howdy Trump rally in Texas, USA) and hosting a foreign leader in India for a rally (Motera rally in Gujarat) was highly questionable and improper. Kharge says it was against the grain of the principle of foreign policy and diplomacy, for it is tantamount to interference in the internal affairs of another nation.

Kharge also refers to the devastating earthquake in Nepal, saying there was no need to be so roughshod with Nepal over the Madhesi issue. Given our ancient cultural, religious and political ties, the earthquake was an opportunity for India to help our dear friends in need and thereby deepen ties with the Nepalese people. Instead, by blockading Nepal on the Madhesi issue, the NDA government has pushed Nepal (the only Hindu nation in the world) into Chinas arms, alleges Kharge.

The Congress president also questions Prime Minister Narendra Modis excessively personalised overtures to President Xi Jinping (as exemplified by meetings in Ahmedabad in 2014, Wuhan in 2018 and Mahabalipuram in 2019). Kharge concludes by saying that Modis efforts have done little to stop Chinas efforts to undermine Indias territorial sovereignty. Worse, PM Modis personalised diplomacy has lulled him into passivity. He has refused to condemn and counter Chinese aggression in Ladakh, Doklam and Arunachal Pradesh. In personally displaying weakness, PM Modi has compromised Indias standing and image. Therefore, it must be said, that every Prime Minister needs to remember that friendships are between nations, not leaders. Personal political interests can never supersede the national interest, writes Kharge.

Kharge has made a very strong case on how a prime minister should conduct himself and how cabinets should function. He has also made a clear distinction between the BJP and Congress on conduct with allied parties and in government. In this, he has mirrored Sitaram Yechurys essay in the same book on coalitions. I dont know if this mirroring was intentional (more likely the books editors planned it), but their joint essays of intent would be music to the INDIA parties who have been privately grumbling about how arrogant the Congress state leadership has been in the recent state elections.

If one reads the other fine essays in The Great Indian Manthan: State, Statecraft and the Republic (edited by Pushparaj Deshpande and Gurdeep Singh Sappal), its easy to see the complex challenges any new government in the post-Modi era will face. The way the BJP has allegedly perverted institutions and stuffed them with ideological sympathisers, it will take extraordinary ideological clarity and dynamism to resolve problems, says Kharge. Apart from Kharge, Sonia Gandhi, Hamid Ansari, Sitaram Yechury, Wajahat Habibullah, Justice [retd] Madan Lokur, Margret Alva, Ashok Lavasa, Dr T M Thomas Issac, Dr Naresh Chandra Saxena and Prof Ingrid Sainath have contributed to the book.

While the Modi regime appears to be a favourite to win the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the Opposition seems to be getting its act together. Deshpande and Sappal provide a credible blueprint for the future.

The writer is a Visiting Fellow at the Observer Research Foundation. A well-known political analyst, he has written several books, including 24 Akbar Road and Sonia: A Biography. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely that of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18s views.
Unity in Diversity is one of the stamp slogans that we have been incessantly fed since school days when describing our motherland. This, in a way, describes the diversity and disparity reflected by the various states and regions while sharing an uncanny resemblance in having a common civilisation and a common nation. But electoral politics, if someone were to simply put it that way, is nothing but a game of numbers. That is the bane or the boon of a republican democracy. Politicians divide us, but politics unites us emphatically!

Recently, the nation witnessed elections in the five states  Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Telangana and Mizoram  where around 16 crore people voted, 7.8 crore of whom, as per the election commission, were women. Its interesting to analyse and gauge the impact as well as the far-reaching consequences of these polls, given the fact that the nation will now turn its focus to the 2024 general elections. Mizoram is geopolitically a vital state, even though it has a relatively sparse population in terms of registered voters, i.e., 8.52 lakh. Contrastingly, the states of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Telangana have a staggering vote base of 5.6 crore, 2.03 crore, 5.2 crore and 3.17 crore, respectively.

The takeaways from these unprecedented results in the polls are:

The Narendra Modi juggernaut is indefatigable and indomitable. Destined to serve, he will not remain idle or be defeated. The mandate is decisive in favour of the BJP and Brand Modi with no hung assemblies.

The rewadi or freebie culture has been flatly decried by the electorate. The voters seek development and welfare, not just freebies.

The BJP has learned that the only seemingly permanent and sustainable plank is good governance, and hence, by banking on it, it forays any campaign, whether as an incumbent or as an opposition.

The entire balloon of the caste census, especially the wooing of the OBCs by the supposed leaders of the dotted INDI alliance, falls flat now that the results are out for us and portrays simply that the voters have consolidated in favour of Narendra Modi and rejected caste-based divisive politics.

Women voters are the new caste in town, and now that they are unremittingly backing the BJP led by PM Modi, the entire political landscape is at an inflection point where women are a decisive constituency, especially after the historic Women Reservation Act passed by the Modi government.

Since the BJP has doubled its vote share in Telangana in the past five years, winning 14 per cent of votes and securing eight seats is more than enough to dispel the notion of a North-South divide and prove that the BJP is not non-existent in the South.

The cornerstone, if one were to elucidate, is, by and large, the acceptance of the Hindutva, touted and endorsed by the BJP amongst the populace.

The results swayed decisively and indisputably in favour of the Modi-led BJP. The careful analysis of these results unveiled significant micro- and macro-trends, as well as the strategy the BJP is relying on for the upcoming general elections. This is where a newly released booka highly engrossing and telling read to a student of politics titled Modi and India: 2024 and the Battle for Bharat discovers itself all along, with a transcendental and striking relevance. Authored by veteran political journalist Rahul Shivshankar and colleague Siddhartha Talya, the book also focuses on how the BJP has successfully managed to cultivate a following among a large section of OBCs, SCs and STs by meeting their own aspiration to remain in the Hindutva fold. Additionally, the Modi government itself has been emphasising that more than a third of the beneficiaries of several of its welfare schemes are minorities.

The results of these states confirm the assertions made in this captivating book by the authors: a detailed analysis and an insightful exploration of the factors contributing to the growing popularity of the Modi-led saffron party at the grassroots level. The BJP has realised very well that an over-reliance on identity politics alone to win elections cannot be a long-term strategy.

Two, the authors highlight the fact that the BJP has to tailor its strategy according to local considerations, which it has done successfully in the Northeast. For instance, the BJP has successfully tailored its strategy in Mizoram, winning two seats in predominantly Christian constituencies.

Third, it has managed to work out a strong strategy to counter caste mobilisation by other parties; for instance, it has cornered a large chunk of the non-Yadav, non-Jatav vote in Uttar Pradesh. Yadav and Jatav votes predominantly go to the SP and BSP, respectively. Even in these elections, it has managed to counter the caste census pitch because, as per reports, a large section of the OBC vote has stayed with the BJP.

Fourth, the BJP, under the stewardship of PM Modi, has been able to directly appeal to tribals through the promotion and celebration of local cultures. In this way, it has appealed to the aspirations of many tribals as well as Dalits who have an inclination towards the larger Hindutva rubric. In addition to this, remembering the contribution of tribals in the freedom struggleinvoking the Mangarh massacre, for instancehas also had an impact.

Fifth, the delivery of welfare initiatives is a key priority, and the focus has been on last-mile delivery, in line with the core ideology of the BJP of integral humanism and plugging the gaps.

In their enthralling book, Modi and India: 2024 and the Battle for Bharat, the authors also quote their interview with Badri Narayan, a professor of social sciences. In Uttar Pradesh, most Dalits are Kabirpanthis (a denomination whose members follow the teachings of the fifteenth-century saint Kabir) and Ravidasis (followers of the fifteenth-century saint Ravidas), and very few of them are Buddhists. Thats the reason why Kanshi Ram (founder of the Bahujan Samaj Party) did not convert to Buddhism. There is a larger section of Dalits who have an inclination towards Hindutva arguments. They desire greater importance within the larger Hindutva fold, which will provide them with greater social respect and dignity. The Hindutva movement is telling them, Youre part of our bigger history; youve made many sacrifices, and we acknowledge this. In Bundelkhand, for instance, tribal groups, which are now scheduled castes, began placing idols and deities of their communities under trees. As their aspirations grew in society, they also began to demand a temple for their own deity. So, while the Ram temple is fine, they also want their own temple. Who understands this desire? The Hindutva movement is responding to this. Non-Hindutva movements talk about socioeconomic equality but not religious equality, and religious equality is very important for Dalits and marginalised communities.

The authors have brilliantly constructed a fascinating narrative that flawlessly weaves the fabric of history, the complexities of political discourse, and the intimate force of personal experiences into their masterful cooperation. This is a must-read for anyone looking for a thorough knowledge of the various forces at work in the war for Bharat in 2024. A sublime read, it is a must, especially for the dotted INDI alliance, lest they be complacent ahead of the 2024 showdown.

This is not an election book. This manual serves as a guide for the dotted INDI alliance, offering strategies to pave its path for 2024 and overcome its bete noire, Narendra Modi.

Yuvraj Pokharna is an independent journalist and columnist. He tweets with @iyuvrajpokharna. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely that of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18s views.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday attended the BJPs national office-bearers meeting here and interacted with the party leaders.

Shah reached the BJP headquarters here in the afternoon on the second and last day of the meeting.

BJP chief J P Nadda was present at the meeting which is also being attended by all state unit chiefs of the party.

On Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a closed-door meeting of the BJPs national office-bearers as the party took stock of its organisational preparedness and chalked out upcoming programmes for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

There was no official word on what Modi or Nadda said during the closed-door meeting but, sources said, the general message to the party leaders was to intensify their outreach around the governments good works in the over three months left before the elections are announced.

The positive feedback about the ongoing Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra, a flagship central government programme aimed at ensuring saturation coverage of its numerous welfare schemes, was also talked about at the Friday meeting.

The BJP has asked its members to ensure that people in maximum numbers benefit from it.

The poll results, especially the BJPs sweep of the three Hindi-speaking states of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, have boosted the partys morale as it looks to retain power at the Centre for a third straight term.
Over the past decade, Bihar has witnessed several political shifts and dynamic changes in relationships among its senior leaders. As the opposition INDIA bloc approaches the crucial seat-sharing stage for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, speculations are rife over Nitish Kumars call for a central committee meeting on December 29 amid murmurs of friction in Bihars ruling Janata Dal (United) party.

Political observers say all is not well in Kumars JD(U), with its national president Rajiv Ranjan aka Lalan Singh allegedly veering towards Lalu Prasad and other senior members of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD). However, a section of JD(U) and RJD leaders dismisses this as a political hypothesis and rumour mongering by their rivals to create confusion ahead of the seat-sharing process.

Kumar, despite being the prime mover for the INDIA front, is yet to get appropriate recognition from alliance partners, which upset him, said a senior leader of his party who did not want to be named. This is also linked to the alleged fissures surfacing between the RJD and the JD(U)  both constituents of the opposition alliance.

CM Kumar and his deputy Tejashwi Yadav of the RJD have not been seen sharing a stage over the past two weeks. Yadav skipped at least three major events, including the states global investors meet in Patna and a dairy meet, though he was supposed to attend all of them.

Kumar was likely to move to national politics and he was expecting a lead or an important position in the alliance, while he was supposed to hand over the mantle to Tejashwi in the state. Kumar, who is one of the most senior politicians in the alliance, played an important role in both central and state politics and has his political ambition. He was also expected to get the position of the national convener of the INDIA bloc, said the JD(U) leader cited above. However, the way the Congress is dictating terms on the agenda and leadership has irked the Bihar chief minister, he said.

In addition, his party colleague Lalan Singh did not succeed in making his position stronger and is slowly aligning towards the RJD. Singh is also becoming unpopular among party colleagues. We are expecting a change in structure or a major reconciliation. But no one knows what is in store for us on December 29, he added.

Senior leaders and political experts in Bihar have diverse views on the series of incidents that triggered speculations around the JD(U)-RJD alliance and Kumars equations with colleague Lalan Singh.

Nitish Kumar is very much aware of the current scenario and all the rumours flying around in the political circles and the media. Nitish ji and Lalan Singh are close friends. Nitish ji sent him to the Rajya Sabha too. He was the first one from the JD(U) to go to the Rajya Sabha a decade back. The BJP and some of their affiliates are spreading such rumours to create doubt and confusion in peoples minds, said another senior JD(U) leader, who too spoke on the condition of anonymity.

The RJD, for its part, maintained that there was nothing unusual in its alliance with the JD(U).

Everything is fine in the JD(U)-RJD coalition. There is nothing unusual. The BJP is losing support in the rural belt of Bihar, and, out of frustration, they are spreading such rumours. This is nothing but a political hypothesis, said Shakti Singh Yadav, a senior leader and spokesperson of the RJD. Tejashwi ji has always said that he is in no hurry to become Bihars chief minister. He is rather more interested in working towards a developed Bihar.

Shakti Singh, however, added that the proposal for the face of the INDIA bloc should have been vetted by senior leaders of all the parties before putting forward a name. Lalu ji and Nitish ji have been working to stitch up the alliance, bringing everyone together for long. They should always be consulted for any such proposals. In fact, the person whose name was proposed also downplayed it, he added.

In a recent meeting of the INDIA bloc, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal proposed senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharges name as the alliances prime ministerial face in 2024. The JD(U), on the other hand, has been campaigning for Kumar as the top contender.

Navin Upadhyay, a senior political analyst from Bihar, said Kumar is visibly upset. He was expecting to be announced as the convener of the INDIA bloc. He also expected Lalan Singh to make the move. Everything does not seem right between Nitish Kumar and Lalan Singh. The state ministers and MLAs of his party, too, are not happy with Singh. He is a Bhumihar leader, but he does not have much contribution to the caste cauldron of Nitish Kumars party. Moreover, Bihar has around 2-3% Bhumihar voters, and a majority of them vote for the BJP, he said. Lalan Singh is a man of organisation and has always been a trusted general of Nitish Kumar, but of late he appears to be more aligned towards Lalu Yadav. And it has not gone down well with the chief minister.
The Israeli army continues its 78-day assault on Gaza, killing dozens in shelling across Gaza. Israeli forces conducted raids in refugee camps in east Jerusalem, Bethlehem, and Jenin. On the other side, Qassam Brigades announced its fighters destroyed five more Israeli tanks in fierce battles in northern Gaza.

23:00 The Palestinian Red Crescent announced that it received 70 aid trucks from the Egyptian Red Crescent earlier through the Rafah border crossing on Saturday.

In statements to Egyptian Youm 7 News website on Saturday, Khaled Zaki, the head of the Egyptian Red Crescent Chapter in North Sinai, stated that more than 4,300 trucks reached Gaza, carrying food, water, medical supplies, and 2,600 tons of fuel.

22:30 For the 11th straight weekend, thousands took to the street across Europe to demand an immediate ceasefire in the Israeli war on Gaza.

Defying tight security measures against pro-Palestine demonstartions, protesters took to the streets of various major European cities, including Berlin, Germany; Milan, Italy; Utrecht, Holland; Paris, France; and Manchester in the UK.



A participant chants slogans for the freedom of Gaza during a demonstration under the slogan Germany-wide solidarity with Palestine in Berlin, Germany, Saturday Dec. 23, 2023. AP

22:00 Palestinians in Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus, have decided not to celebrate Christmas this year!

The decision comes as a form of protest against the Israeli war on Gaza and the continued Israeli crackdown on villages and towns across the West Bank and east Jerusalem.

Thousands of Christians from around the world descend on the Church of the Nativity, which was built in 333 AD on the spot where Jesus Christ was born, to celebrate the event.

This year, the streets of Bethlehem, home to 30,000 Palestinians, were devoid of all colourful signs of celebration.

The Israeli army has carried out several deadly raids on the city in 2023.

No Christmas in Bethlehem this year

21:00 Informed Egyptian sources denied that the Israeli army is operating in the Philadelphi corridor on the Gaza-Egypt borders as reported by Israeli media on Saturday, Al-Qahera News channel reported.

The Palestinian Crossings and Borders Authority also denied the report.

The Egyptian side denied to us any information it has about the enemy's intention to move militarily in the Palestinian-Egyptian border axis, the Palestinian authority said in a statement to the media issued on Saturday afternoon.

The statement also denied reports that the Israeli army was operating near the Karm Abu Salem crossing between Egypt-Gaza-Israel at the southernmost point of the Gaza Strip.

Some media outlets are playing suspicious roles intentionally or unintentionally in the transfer of news and information, and we call on them to adhere to the national line and the supreme interest of our people, the Palestinian crossings authority said.

20:00 As millions around the world express their support for the Palestinian cause, @Horiuchi_Takao, a Japanese man from Osaka, has defied the bitter cold winter as he completed a 50-day vigil outside of a train station in the city demanding an end to the Israeli genocidal campaign against the Palestinian people.

Takao has been joined daily by a chorus of supporters :)

19:00 The Israeli army on Saturday said five of its soldiers had been killed and 24 were injured in fierce battles in the Gaza Strip in the last 24 hours.

Four soldiers were killed on Friday in southern Gaza and a fifth on Saturday in northern Gaza, said the army.

This brings the death toll of Israeli soldiers in Gaza to 144 since the start of Israel's ground invasion on 27 October.

Meanwhile, the Palestinian health ministry in Gaza said Saturday that more than 200 people had been killed in Israeli strikes in the past 24 hours across the territory.

This brings the Palestinian death toll since the start of Israel's war on the Gaza Strip to 20,258, most of them women and children.

18:00 Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi on Saturday slammed the "inefficacy" of international bodies to halt Israel's deadly war on the Gaza Strip, according to AFP.

Raisi's remarks during a conference in Tehran in support of the Palestinians came a day after the United Nations Security Council approved a much-delayed resolution demanding aid be allowed into Gaza.

The resolution also urged the creation of "conditions for a sustainable cessation of hostilities", without calling for an immediate end to Israel's relentless bombardment.

Iran has called the vote "positive but insufficient".

"The inability and inefficacy of international organisations has become clear to everyone in the world," Raisi told the Tehran conference.

"The Security Council... officially announced its desperation, and said that there is nothing we can do," he said.

"International organisations have also announced that there is nothing we can do."

On Saturday, Raisi discussed in a phone call with Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi the latest development in the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip.

Also on Saturday, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Israel's war on the strip has "exposed" the "false human rights claims" by the United States and other Western allies of Israel.

Accordingly, he reiterated calls on Muslim countries "to cut ties" with Israel in light of the atrocious war crimes committed by Israel against the Palestinians in Gaza.

17:00 In fierce battles between the Palestinian factions and the Israeli army in northern Gaza, Qassam Brigades announced the destruction of 5 Israeli tanks and the killing and wounding of all their personnel by using two Israeli missiles that the army fired towards homes in the Gaza Strip but did not explode, according to Al Jazeera.

Qassam Brigades repurposed them and planted them on the path of the advance of Israeli vehicles in Jabalia Al-Balad and detonated them immediately upon their arrival at the place.

Meanwhile, in fierce battles in southern Gaza, Qassam announced that its fighters "lured 5 Zionist soldiers from the Yahalom unit to the tunnel east of Khan Younis and then blew it up," according to Al Jazeera.

"They entered and we eliminated them from point zero," Qassam noted.

Also on Saturday, Qassam announced that it had determined that several Israeli captives might have been killed in Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza Strip.

It released a video depicting several Israeli captives with the sound of airstrikes in the background.

Qassam said it made its determination after the leadership lost all communications with the group responsible for that particular group of captives.

Click here for an in-depth analysis of the Palestinian resistance.

16:00 On Saturday, 21 wounded Palestinians and their companions entered Egypt through the Rafah Border Crossing for medical treatment in Egyptian hospitals. according to a medical source reported by the Egyptian state news agency MENA.

Additionally, the border crossing was opened early on Saturday to facilitate the evacuating of 132 individuals from Norway, Ukraine, Ireland, the Netherlands, the US, and Morocco.

15:50 An Israeli soldier was killed in the north of the country after rockets were fired from Lebanon; two other soldiers were killed in Gaza, according to the Israel Haaretz newspaper.

15:30 "Israeli tanks have begun a ground operation from Karm Abu Salem crossing towards the Philadelphi Corridor on the Gaza Strip's border with Egypt," Al Jazeera reported citing Israeli media.

In October, Egypt warned Israel of any military operations in the 14-kilometer buffer zone with Gaza, known as the Philadelphi Corridor and guaranteed by the EgyptIsrael peace treaty of 1979.

14:40 The Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS) said that the Israeli army has continued to detain eight members of the Jabalia ambulance centre in northern Gaza.

"It has been over a month since the arrest of our colleague, Awni Khattab, Head of the PRCS ambulance centre in KhanYounis," they added.

The PRCS called upon the international community "to apply pressure on the occupation authorities to promptly release our teams and ensure their safety and protection."

13:28 Egypt's President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi discussed the developments in the Gaza Strip and pending issues between Egypt and Iran during a phone conversation with his Iranian counterpart Ebrahim Raisi.

13:00 UNRWA warns of "unprecedented levels of hunger" in Gaza, saying that "pockets of hunger across the Strip are widening."

"We are unable to distribute as much food as we should - simply because of the constant airstrikes and the limited supplies we're permitted to bring in," said Juliette Touma, UNRWA Director of Communications.

Touma emphasized the dire circumstances, mentioning that, as an example, a family of four survives on just a single can of beans for three days.

"It is a brutal war and a very tight siege," she noted, stressing that people receive only 10 percent of what they need.



Palestinians wait to collect food at a donation point in a refugee camp in Rafah. AFP.



12:36 Israel's ongoing war on Gaza, experts say, now sits among the deadliest and most destructive in recent history, outpacing Allied bombings of Germany during World War II, and turning "earth to liquid." In just over two months, the war has wreaked more destruction than the razing of Syrias Aleppo between 2012 and 2016 and Ukraines Mariupol.

With more than 20,000 Palestinians killed, a significant number being women and children, this war has claimed more lives than the US-led coalition's three-year war against the Islamic State group.

The vast majority of the bombs used in Gaza are believed to be U.S.-made, with the Israeli occupation army employing 2,000-pound bunker-busters that have inflicted immense devastation in densely populated areas.

Fragments of American-made Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAM) bombs and Smaller Diameter Bombs have been found in Gaza, according to Brian Castner, a weapons investigator with Amnesty International.

The JDAM bombs include precision-guided 1,000- and 2,000-pound (450-kilogram and 900-kilogram) bunker-busters.

It turns earth to liquid, said Marc Garlasco, a former Pentagon defense official and a war crimes investigator for the U.N. It pancakes entire buildings.



Data from the United Nations shows damage and destruction around al-Rantisi Hospital in northern Gaza. (MAXAR/The Washington Post)



The Washington Post analyzed satellite imagery, airstrike data and UN damage assessments, and interviewed more than 20 aid workers, health-care providers, and experts in munitions and aerial warfare. The evidence shows that the Israeli army has conducted repeated and widespread airstrikes in proximity to hospitals, which are supposed to receive special protection under the laws of war.

Satellite imagery reviewed by Post reporters revealed dozens of apparent craters near 17 of the 28 hospitals in northern Gaza, where the bombing and fighting were most intense during the first two months of the war, including 10 craters that suggested the use of bombs weighing 2,000 pounds, the largest in regular use.

Theres no safe space. Period, said Mirjana Spoljaric Egger, the president of the International Committee of the Red Cross, who visited Gaza on 4 December. I havent passed one street where I didnt see the destruction of civilian infrastructure, including hospitals.

12:23 Doctors Without Borders/Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) criticized the UN Resolution for failing to call for an "immediate and sustained ceasefire."

MSF lamented that the resolution's diluted nature won't facilitate the essential and swift flow of humanitarian aid desperately required in Gaza, "as bombs continue to rain down on Palestinian civilians, force mass displacement, and deny access to vital medical care and humanitarian assistance."

In a post on X, the group highlighted concerns regarding Israel's conduct in the conflict, adding that "the way Israel is prosecuting this war, with US support, is causing massive death and suffering among Palestinian civilians and is inconsistent with international norms and laws. Even war has rules."

"We need a ceasefire now to deliver aid. Stop attacks on hospitals, healthcare workers, and ambulances."

The UN Security Council resolution falls painfully short of what is required to address the crisis in Gaza: An immediate & sustained ceasefire https://t.co/U1UgyiVBrD  MSF International (@MSF) December 23, 2023

11:53 An Israeli airstrike on a building in Gaza City killed 76 members of an extended family, rescue officials said Saturday.

Friday's strike is among the deadliest of the Israeli war, now in its 12th week, said Mahmoud Bassal, a spokesman for the Civil Defense Department.

He provided a partial list of the names of those killed  16 heads of households from the Al-Mughrabi family  and said the dead included women and children.

Among the dead were Issam Al-Mughrabi, a veteran employee of the UN Development Program, his wife, and their five children.

The loss of Issam and his family has deeply affected us all. The UN and civilians in Gaza are not a target, said Achim Steiner, the head of the agency. This war must end.



Palestinians mourn their relatives killed in the Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip outside a morgue, in Khan Younis, AP





11:23 An Israel-affiliated merchant vessel in the Arabian Sea off Indias west coast was struck by an unmanned aerial vehicle, causing a fire, British maritime security firm Ambrey said on Saturday.



The fire on the Liberian-flagged chemical products tanker was extinguished without crew casualties in the incident 200 kilometres (120 miles) southwest of Veraval, India, it said, according to Reuters.



Some structural damage was also reported and some water was taken onboard. The vessel was Israel-affiliated. She had last called Saudi Arabia and was destined for India at the time, the firm said on its website.



It said the Indian navy was responding. The navy did not immediately respond to Reuters' request for comment.

The Houthis have previously attacked Israel-affiliated shipping in the Red Sea using drones and missiles, forcing shippers to take longer routes around the southern tip of Africa. They claim such attacks are meant to support Palestinians.

11:16 The Al-Qassam Brigades said they destroyed five Israeli tanks and killed and wounded all of their personnel in Jabalia, in northern Gaza.

10:22 "People in Gaza are People. They are not pieces on a checkerboard - many have already been displaced several times," said the Director of UNRWA affairs in Gaza Thomas White.

In a post on X, he criticized the Israeli army's order to Palestinians in central Gaza to move to Deir Al-Balah to expand their ongoing military operation.

"The Israeli Army just orders people to move into areas where there are ongoing airstrikes. No place is safe, nowhere to go."

He added that "More than 150K people have been impacted - an area already overwhelmed with displaced including UNRWA shelters."

People in #Gaza are People. They are not pieces on a checkerboard - many have already been displaced several times. The Israeli Army just orders people to move into areas where there are ongoing airstrikes. No place is safe, nowhere to go. @UNRWA  Thomas White (@TomWhiteGaza) December 23, 2023

Here are photos of Palestinian residents from the Bureij refugee camp, forcibly displaced by Israel, as they arrive in Deir Al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip.

10:10 The UN Secretary-General said: "136 of our colleagues in Gaza have been killed [by Israel] in 75 days  something we have never seen in history."

"Most of our staff have been forced from their homes," he added in a post on X.

He also criticized Israel, saying the way it is conducting its war "is creating massive obstacles to the distribution of humanitarian aid inside Gaza."

"An effective aid operation in Gaza requires security; staff who can work in safety; logistical capacity; and the resumption of commercial activity," he said.

136 of our colleagues in Gaza have been killed in 75 days  something we have never seen in @UN history.



Most of our staff have been forced from their homes.



I pay tribute to them & the thousands of aid workers risking their lives as they support civilians in Gaza.  Antonio Guterres (@antonioguterres) December 23, 2023

10:00 The Secretary-General of the Arab League Ahmed Aboul-Gheit criticized the resolution adopted by the United Nations Security Council regarding aid delivery to Gaza, citing its delayed arrival and failure to meet the anticipated objective of achieving a comprehensive ceasefire.

"Resolution No. 2272, adopted yesterday, Friday, aims to prevent famine in Gaza and rescue people, especially women and children, from a catastrophic situation. However, it falls short in halting Israels war machine, notably lacking a ceasefire," highlighted the Arab League chief in a statement.

Aboul-Gheit underscored that the decision was made after stalling and delays at Israel's request. He emphasized that beyond delivering humanitarian aid, the primary necessity lies in safeguarding civilians from ongoing Israeli bombing, achieving a sustainable ceasefire, and promptly initiating a substantial relief operation to assist hundreds of thousands lacking essential necessities for survival.

Every step to alleviate the suffering of civilians in Gaza is in the right direction, but addressing this humanitarian catastrophe cannot be achieved through partial measures or palliatives aimed to solely absorb the anger of world public opinion over what is happening in Gaza, said Aboul Gheit.

The secretary-general strongly condemned the rejection of an immediate ceasefire as a license to kill, expressing continued Arab efforts to end the war.

He urged the United States to reassess the situation, advocating for a decision based on humanitarian and political grounds rather than succumbing to the Israeli extreme right's desire for collective punishment against Gaza's 2.3 million inhabitants.

9:48 Israel claimed it carried out a "number of attacks on Hezbollah targets... this morning and overnight... in Lebanese territory."

Unverified video circulated of the aftermath of the attacks this morning.

9:05 Israeli forces conducted early morning raids across the occupied West Bank, including Jenin and its refugee camp.

Witnesses, reported by WAFA news agency, said occupation military vehicles accompanied by a bulldozer raided Jenin during the pre-dawn.

Soldiers entered several homes overlooking the camp, positioning snipers on rooftops and within buildings. Additionally, homes within the refugee camp were raided, resulting in arrests.

Power was cut in the camp and several areas as the incursion was taking place.

Further incursions were reported in Dheisheh refugee camp in Bethlehem, in the south. Similar raids occurred in Ein al-Sultan and Aqbat Jabr refugee camps in Jericho, the city of Hebron and nearby Yatta, and the towns of Beita and Qaryout, located south of Nablus.

Additionally, Israeli forces invaded the Qalandia refugee camp north of Jerusalem and apprehended two youths.

9:00 Intense Israeli airstrikes targeted the Sheikh Radwan neighborhood in the northern city of Gaza, while Israeli warplanes hit a residential building near the Al-Ihsan Mosque in the Nusseirat refugee camp in central Gaza, killing at least 18 Palestinians and injuring dozens more.

The Israeli army ordered residents of Al-Bureij, in central Gaza, to move south immediately, Reuters reports. However, the south is far from being a safe area for the forcibly displaced population.

They also struck near the Al-Amal and Nasser Hospitals in Khan Younis city, southern Gaza. Artillery hit the top floor of a house belonging to the Arafa family in the Amal neighbourhood. At least seven have been killed.

In the city of Rafah, on the border with Egypt, an airstrike on a house killed six people, according to Associated Press journalists who saw the bodies at a hospital. Among the dead were a married couple and their four-month-old child.

Meanwhile, emergency medical teams recovered 30 bodies, predominantly women and children, from the rubble of a house in Jabalia, following an Israeli airstrike.

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The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders including Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Party President JP Nadda and state unit chiefs met for the second day on Saturday at the party headquarters in New Delhi ahead of the crucial 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

The BJP has set its sights on winning an unprecedented majority in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi asking key organisational leaders to work towards boosting the partys vote share by 10 per cent, sources said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah are likely to hit the campaign early for the Lok Sabha elections after January 15, before announcement of poll dates. The strategy is in line with partys planning to hit campaign early in the recently held assembly polls, where the saffron party won Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh.

#WATCH | Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP national president JP Nadda attend the two-day national office bearers' meeting of the party at BJP Headquarters in Delhi. pic.twitter.com/hT3YYG1ihC ANI (@ANI) December 23, 2023

Addressing the BJPs national office-bearers and state presidents on the concluding day of the two-day brainstorming meet on Saturday, Home Minister Amit Shah said that the BJPs performance should leave the opposition stunned, the sources said.

We have to reach every home with our ideology and historic works of BJP governments and make Modi ji prime minister again in 2024 with an unprecedented majority, Shah later posted on X about his address at the meet.

With the opposition INDIA bloc planning to put up a one-on-one fight against the BJP, Modi called for raising the BJPs vote share by 10 per cent from its show in the 2019 polls when the ruling party had fetched over 37 per cent of votes, the highest by a party since the 1989 general elections, while the National Democratic Alliance led by it had bagged around 45 per cent votes. The party has set the target to achieve 50 percent vote share in the next Lok Sabha polls.

Since coming to power at the Centre in 2014, the BJP has continuously striven to raise its vote share to 50 per cent in state assembly polls and succeeded in this feat in many elections. Shah said that the BJPs massive win in the recent assembly polls under Modis charismatic leadership shows that the trust of every group and people of every region is only in the prime minister.

Modi, the sources said, also asked party leaders to reach out to first-time voters and advised them to focus on spreading the word about the governments positive works instead of joining issues with opposition parties in their negative campaign.

The consecration ceremony at the Ram temple was one of the highlights of the two-day deliberations as the party is confident it will be a major issue in its favour in the polls.

Opposition parties created many obstacles in resolving the issue, which was mired in legal disputes for decades, and people should be told about it, senior party leaders noted during the meeting. Shah, like Modi a day before, underlined the primacy of organisation in elections and said it should score such an overwhelming win that the opposition thinks many times before challenging it, sources said.

The prime minister emphasised the need to reach out to women, youth, farmers and the poor  whom he has often described as the four biggest castes. He asked party leaders to connect a maximum number of these people with the ongoing Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra, which aims at saturation of his governments flagship welfare schemes.

The sources said the partys top brass did not set any specific seat target but emphasised on ensuring a win which should be bigger than its 2019 performance when the BJP had bagged 303 of the 543 Lok Sabha seats. They accused the opposition of resorting to lies and spreading fake narratives but expressed confidence that people would reward Modi with a third straight term at the Centre.

Top party leaders, in their speeches, asked BJP functionaries to strengthen its booth committees everywhere to ensure that its local cadres reach more and more people. The BJPs big win in the recent assembly polls came up for praise in the meeting, with the party unit presidents of the three Hindi heartland states of Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh speaking on the victories.

Modis leadership, the appeal of his governments welfare schemes and the strength of its organisational machinery were cited as big reasons for the win. Different morchas of the party spoke about their upcoming programmes in the run-up to the general elections.

(With inputs from PTI)
The Telangana government has announced health insurance of Rs 10 lakh and accident insurance of Rs 5 lakh for gig workers. Chief minister A Revanth Reddy met a group on Saturday and promised them that their concerns will be addressed. The state government told them that an app will also be created for them.

The meeting was attended by workers from Swiggy, Zomato, Urban Company, Uber and Ola. Speaking to News18, Shaik Salauddin, founder president of Telangana Gig and Platform Workers Union, said: The CM promised that a law better than the one in Rajasthan will be implemented here. If an app is created by the government through which we can find work, we no longer have to pay 30 percent commission to platforms like Uber and Ola. The CM directed IT minister D Sridhar Babu to create the app in T-Hub.

He added: Another important promise made was that of a welfare board. The CM also asked the labour department to ensure that the workers are registered. The CM also said if expenses exceed Rs 10 lakh pledged through Arogyasri health scheme, extra financial assistance will be extended from the CM Relief Fund.

Besides, the family of Mohammed Rizwan, a Swiggy delivery executive, will get Rs 2 lakh as compensation. He died in January after falling from a building while trying to hide from a dog. The amount will be given from the CMs Relief Fund.

One of our main demands was that the government should make it clear that the apps cannot continue their monopoly anymore, and that workers should be treated in a fair manner. The government has now asked the platforms to provide data on the workers so that our work can be made regular, Salauddin said.

Major concerns of workers

The workers body, in their representation to the CM, raised a number of concerns:

Almost all digital platforms set unilateral and discriminatory terms of employment and undermine the law of the land. Working conditions on digital platforms are largely regulated solely through AI algorithms. Contracts written in legal jargon, which are difficult to understand. Take-home earnings per-hour work fall below the statutory minimum wage level. Workers are exposed to health and safety risks, such as road accidents, occupational hazards and illnesses.

What has Rajasthan done?

In a first-of-its-kind law in India, the Congress-led Rajasthan government passed a bill for the formation of a welfare board as well as a fund for platform-based gig workers. While campaigning for the Telangana assembly elections, senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had met gig workers and promised to work towards their welfare if voted to power.
Within 24 hours of announcing that his government will lift the ban on hijab in government-run educational institutions in the state, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday took a U-turn, clarifying that the ban order has not been lifted yet. The CM said that while his government is contemplating lifting the ban, the matter is pending in courts.

Controversy surrounding the hijab had once again raised its head in Karnataka on Friday when Siddaramaiah made a public announcement that he had issued instructions to lift the ban on hijab in government-run schools in the state.

Siddaramaiah was hitting out at the previous BJP government when a member of the public raised the much-debated issue of whether hijab should be allowed in educational institutions.

They say Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas (Cooperation With All, Development of All), but they do so by side-lining people who wear skullcaps, burqas, and those sporting a beard. Is this what they mean? the CM questioned while addressing people at the inauguration event of two newly constructed police stations in Nanjangudu in Mysore district late on Friday.

Will there be restrictions on hijab?, came a question from the crowd. In response, Siddaramaiah said: No. You can go around wearing a hijab; I have already given instructions to my officials to lift the ban. What you wear and what you eat is your choice. Why should I come in the way? You wear any clothing you want; you can eat whatever you want. Why should I be worried? I will eat what I want. Its very simple.

I wear a panche (dhoti) and jubba (kurta), you wear your pant and shirt, whats wrong? Its your choice. Dont do politics for votes, he said to loud cheers.

Interestingly, the Karnataka Chief Ministers comment had come just a day after his consecutive meetings with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi.

Karnataka BJP state president BY Vijayendra had come down heavily on the CMs comment, calling it an irresponsible statement on the issue of hijab made with an intent to disturb the secular nature of educational institutions in the state.

He is trying to cause disruption in educational institutions. At least they could have spared children from their (Congress) dirty politics. We did not expect this from a CM, and the state government should have at least kept children away from this, said Vijayendra.

The previous Basavaraj Bommai-led BJP government had imposed a ban on girl students from wearing the hijab in educational institutions, stating that clothes that disturb equality, integrity, and public law and order should not be worn.

The controversy rocked the state and reached the portals of the Supreme Court of India when six girls from Udupis Government PU College were denied permission to wear hijab in classrooms. This incident took place on December 28, 2021.

According to the previous BJP government, the ban on wearing the hijab to classrooms was not a violation of the fundamental right to religious freedom guaranteed by the Constitution. The decision taken in 2021 led to massive protests across the state, and several petitions were filed in the High Court and the Supreme Court against the order.

In March 2022, the Karnataka High Court dismissed the petitions and upheld the ban with the observation that wearing a hijab was not an essential religious practice of Islam.

This is the Siddaramaiah governments diversion tactic as they are unable to deliver any of the promises made by them to come to power, BJPs Yashpal Suvarna told News18.

Calling the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government a complete failure in governance, the BJP leader said that by trying to undo some of the important laws passed by the BJP government, the CM has put his hand inside a honeycomb, which will come back to bite him.

Suvarna, BJPs newly elected MLA from Udupi, is also known as the poster boy of the campaign against the hijab. He is the vice-president of the Development Committee of the Udupi Government PU Girls College, which has been at the centre of the controversy.

On social media, BJPs handles called the statement by the CM a way of creating divisions and trying to sow the poison of religious bigotry in a harmonious society.

In October 2022, a two-judge bench of the Supreme Court delivered a split verdict on appeals challenging the Karnataka High Court judgment of March 15, 2022 that upheld the ban on wearing hijab in government schools and pre-university colleges.

A full bench of the Karnataka High Court heard a batch of petitions filed by student petitioners for 11 consecutive days to finally deliver the verdict of upholding the ban on hijab and stated in its judgment that the prescription of the school uniform is only a reasonable restriction constitutionally permissible which the students cannot object to.

Later, when the issue was heard in the Supreme Court, the Karnataka HC order was upheld by Justice Hemant Gupta (now retired) stating that it was only to promote uniformity and encourage a secular environment in classrooms, while Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia called wearing a hijab by students in a classroom as a matter of choice and a fundamental right.

Following the top courts split verdict on the issue and the decision to refer the matter to a three-member bench, girls in hijab have not been permitted to take the exams. The matter continues to remain pending in the Supreme Court.

In October this year, another hijab-related controversy had erupted in Karnataka when confusion prevailed over hijab-wearing women being allowed to appear for examinations for recruitment to major departments like the Labour Department, KEONICS, MSIL, and Sainik Welfare Board. Karnatakas Higher Education Minister Dr MC Sudhakar had clarified to News18 that the issue should not be confused with the SC order on hijab in schools.

A few months prior, in June, Congress minister K Venkatesh courted controversy just before Bakri-Eid celebrations. In an informal meeting, he indicated that the anti-cow slaughter legislation passed by the Basavaraj Bommai government would be withdrawn. But no decision on this has been passed by the Congress government yet.
Christmas is around the corner, and arent we all prepared for the joyous day? From our homes getting their festive makeover to people gathering for scrumptious meals, the spirit of Christmas is all about merry-making. While the familiar tales of Santas arrival to delight children with presents or the hanging of stockings to leave small gifts are well-known, there exist some peculiar traditions around the world not many are aware of. It is more than just the customary turkey dinner; this festive time is about exploring some weird practices too. From demonic companions to fried chicken feasts and roller-skating to church, here are 10 unusual customs that add a touch of eccentricity to the holiday season, making Christmas a truly global celebration.

1. Krampusnacht (Austria and Germany)

In Alpine regions, December 5th marks Krampusnacht, a night when the devilish figure, known as Krampus, roams the streets, punishing naughty children. With its demonic appearance and chains, Krampus serves as a dark counterpart to Santa Claus.

2. Gavle Goat (Sweden)

Since 1966, the town of Gavle in Sweden has erected a giant straw goat in the town square. However, this quirky tradition comes with a twist  locals often attempt to burn down the goat before Christmas. Authorities have increased security over the years to protect the beloved but combustible creature.

3. Caga Tio (Spain and Catalonia)

In Catalonia, families celebrate Christmas with the Caga Tio, a wooden log with a painted face and a red hat. Beginning on December 8, children feed the log and take care of it until Christmas Eve, when they beat it with sticks to release small gifts hidden inside.

4. Kentucky Fried Christmas (Japan)

In Japan, Christmas is not traditionally celebrated as a religious holiday. Instead, its a time for family gatherings and festive KFC meals. Thanks to a successful marketing campaign in the 70s, the Japanese associate Christmas with fried chicken, making KFC a popular holiday tradition.

5. The Yule Lads (Iceland)

Icelandic folklore introduces the Yule Lads, the mischievous characters who visit children on the 13 nights leading up to Christmas. Each lad has a unique personality and leaves either gifts or pranks in the shoes children leave on their windowsills.

6. La Befana (Italy)

In Italy, the Christmas season extends beyond December 25th, as La Befana, a kind but haggard old witch, delivers gifts to children on the night of January 5th. Children leave stockings out for La Befana, hoping to wake up to surprises.

7. The Christmas Pickle (United States)

An unusual tradition in some American households involves hiding a pickle-shaped ornament in the Christmas tree. The first child to find the Christmas pickle receives a special gift or good luck for the upcoming year.

8. KFC Christmas Eve (South Korea)

Similar to Japan, South Korea has adopted the tradition of celebrating Christmas Eve with a meal from a fast-food restaurant, particularly KFC. Couples often enjoy a finger-lickin good feast on this romantic evening.

9. Roller-Skating to Church (Venezuela)

In the Venezuelan capital of Caracas, it is a common tradition for people to roller-skate to early morning Christmas Mass. The streets are closed to traffic, and the skaters make their way to church in the early hours, creating a unique and festive spectacle.

10. The Giant Lantern Festival (Philippines)

In the city of San Fernando, locals celebrate the Giant Lantern Festival with enormous, brightly lit lanterns. These intricate creations, measuring up to 20 feet in diameter, illuminate the night sky, creating a mesmerizing display that has become a cherished Christmas tradition.
Irans deputy foreign minister on Saturday dismissed US accusations that Tehran was involved in attacks by Yemeni rebels on commercial ships, saying the group was acting on its own. Yemens Iran-aligned Houthi rebels have launched more than 100 drone and missile attacks, targeting 10 merchant vessels in the Red Sea, as per the Pentagon, in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza where Israel is battling Hamas militants.

On Friday, the White House publicly released US intelligence that Iran provided drones, missiles, and tactical intelligence to the Houthis, who control vast parts of Yemen including the capital, Sanaa. The resistance (Houthis) has its own tools and acts in accordance with its own decisions and capabilities, Irans deputy foreign minister Ali Bagheri told Mehr news agency.

He added: The fact that certain powers, such as the Americans and the Israelis, suffer strikes from the resistance movement should in no way call into question the reality of the strength of the resistance in the region.

The Gaza Strip has endured 11 weeks of Israeli air and ground attacks that killed more than 20,000 people, mostly women and children, as per the health ministry in the Hamas-run coastal territory. Israel has vowed to crush Hamas after the Palestinian militant group carried out a cross-border attack on October 7 that killed around 1,140 people in Israel, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli figures. Palestinian militants also abducted about 250 people, 129 of whom Israel says remain in Gaza.

Iran, which supports Hamas financially and militarily, has hailed the October 7 attack on Israel but denied any involvement. The Islamic republic has repeatedly warned of a widening conflict, and last month, foreign minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said the intensity of the war has rendered its expansion inevitable.

President Ebrahim Raisi has said Iran sees it as its duty to support the resistance groups but insisted that they are independent in their opinion, decision and action. Last month, Tehran dismissed as invalid Israels accusations that Houthi rebels were acting on Tehrans guidance when they seized a Red Sea ship owned by an Israeli businessman.
Canadian police have said that they are investigating a disturbing trend of extortion attempts targeting members of the South Asian business community. Victims are contacted through a variety of social media platforms and demands for money are made under threats of violence, which have occurred in some incidents, the Peel Regional Police said in a statement on December 22.

Nine incidents are currently being investigated, the police said. This has caused grave safety and security concerns among our community members, said Chief of Peel Regional Police Nishan Duraiappah. Terrorizing our residents will not be tolerated and Peel Regional Police will devote the resources to pursue those who are responsible.

Tanmanjot Gill, a 23-year-old man from Abbotsford, British Columbia, was arrested earlier this month for discharging a gun and firing multiple rounds at a business near Rutherford Road South and Clark Boulevard in Brampton.

Officers are looking for a second suspect, described as a South Asian male of medium build wearing a grey sweatshirt at the time of the incident, who later changed into a black sweatshirt with a white X on the back, the police said in the statement.

Following these incidents, Peel Regional Police has launched an Extortion Investigative Task Force (EITF). This will be a dedicated team comprised of investigative and intelligence units supported by our tactical teams. The EITF will continue to work with community members and other law-enforcement agencies on the investigations, the statement said.

READ MORE: Canada: Masked Men Target Theatres Playing Hindi Movies in Toronto, Police Probe Underway

Earlier this month, a police probe was launched after masked men targeted theatres playing Hindi movies in multiple Greater Toronto Area. In three different incidents, moviegoers were evacuated, and some received treatment for exposure to an unknown substance. York police said they were liaising with both Peel and Toronto police about similar incidents.
The Indian Navy has reached the location where a merchant vessel was struck by an uncrewed aerial system in the Arabian Sea off Indias west coast on Saturday. It confirmed the safety of the 21 Indian crew on board while a naval warship is also on its way to ascertain the safety and security of the Israel-linked ship.

#WATCH | Visuals of the MV Chem Pluto taken by the Indian Coast Guards Dornier maritime surveillance aircraft in the Arabian Sea after it was hit by a suspected drone which led to fire on it. https://t.co/6Zsmz39JQu pic.twitter.com/zdP4TjI8Cn  ANI (@ANI) December 23, 2023

The suspected drone strike caused an explosion on Saturday but there was no report of any casualties in the incident. The vessel was reportedly bringing crude oil from a port in Saudi Arabia to Mangalore port. Military sources and maritime agencies said out of 22 crew members onboard, 21 are Indians.

Here is what we know so far:

Indian Navy aircraft confirms crew safety A P-8I maritime patrol aircraft, deployed by the Indian Navy after the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported the incident, ascertained the safety of the vessel and its crew, Indian military sources said.

Naval warship rushed for the safety of cargo ship The patrol aircraft sent to the area flew overhead the merchant vessel and established contact with it. The aircraft ascertained the safety of the vessel and its crew, said a navy official. A frontline warship has already been dispatched for the safety of the cargo vessel.

21 out of 22 crew Indians Sources further said out of 22 crew members onboard the vessel, 21 are Indians. It was reportedly bringing crude oil from a port in Saudi Arabia to Mangalore port.

Explosion and fire The UKMTO said the attack was caused by uncrewed aerial system (UAS) on the vessel, MV Chem Pluto, 200 nautical miles southwest of Gujarats Veraval. It caused an explosion and fire, the agency added. The fire was extinguished and there were no casualties. Authorities are investigating. Vessels are advised to transit with caution and report any suspicious activity to UKMTO, it said. The vessel has started moving towards Mumbai port after undertaking damage assessment and repairs. It sought escort assistance due to steering issues, so ICGS Vikram will be escorting it during its passage.

Israel-affiliated vessel At least one maritime agency said the merchant vessel was linked to Israel. Ambrey, a maritime security firm, said the Liberia-flagged chemical/products tanker was Israel-affiliated and had been on its way from Saudi Arabia to India. Merchant vessels are advised these types of attacks are typically targeted at Israel-affiliated shipping, but have in the past mistakenly hit previously Israel-affiliated vessels, Ambrey said. This event fell within Ambreys Iranian UAV heightened threat area.

Damage to the vessel reported Maritime agencies said some structural damage was also reported and some water was taken onboard. Gurgaon-based Information Fusion Centre for the Indian Ocean region (IFC-IOR) has been coordinating the efforts and communication between the parties involved. The extent of the damage, however, cannot be ascertained at this level.

No claim of responsibility There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the strike, which came amid a flurry of drone and missile attacks by Yemens Iran-backed Houthi rebels on a vital shipping lane in the Red Sea in solidarity with Gaza. The Houthis have declared themselves part of an axis of resistance of Irans allies and proxies targeting Israel over its war with Hamas.

Previous attacks Between December 14 and 20, there were a total of four incidents related to piracy and armed robbery in international waters. Among these, the MV Ruen was hijacked in the Arabian Sea. Additional occurrences include an attack on a tanker in the Red Sea, a sea theft in Mauritius involving a pleasure craft, and an incident in the Arabian Sea where five to six small boats, manned by three and mounted with machine guns, approached a vessel. The boats trailed the vessel for 90 minutes before detaching.

Increased attacks on Israel-linked ships Last month, an Israeli-owned cargo ship was hit in a suspected drone attack by Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in the Indian Ocean. The Malta-flagged vessel managed by an Israeli-affiliated company was reportedly damaged. The Red Sea attacks on shipping since the start of the Israel-Hamas war on October 7 have prompted major firms to reroute their cargo vessels around the southern tip of Africa, despite the higher fuel costs of much longer voyages.
French police were questioning two men Friday a day after officials grounded a Nicaragua-bound plane carrying more than 300 Indian passengers over suspected human trafficking.

The Airbus A340, which had flown in from the UAE on Thursday, landed at Vatry airport in eastern France for a technical stopover after an anonymous tip-off that it was carrying passengers likely to be victims of human trafficking, according to the Paris prosecutors office.

The two men in custody were among the passengers, the office said. Identity checks are being carried on the 303 passengers and on the cabin crew, said the prosecutors office. They were also checking the conditions in which the passengers were being transported and the purpose of their journey. The French agency reported that minors were among the passengers.

Indian authorities asked for consular access which was granted, following which, a team was dispatched from Paris to Vatry airport. In a statement on X, the Indian embassy in France said that the authorities in Paris had informed them of the situation. Embassy team has reached & obtained consular access, it added. We are investigating the situation, also ensuring wellbeing of passengers.

French authorities informed us of a plane w/ 303 people, mostly Indian origin, from Dubai to Nicaragua detained on a technical halt at a French airport. Embassy team has reached & obtained consular access. We are investigating the situation, also ensuring wellbeing of passengers. India in France (@IndiaembFrance) December 22, 2023

It is believed that the passengers might have planned to travel to Central America to attempt illegal entry into the US or Canada. After landing in France, they were first kept on the aircraft, but then let out and given individual beds in the terminal building. According to government sources, most passengers were from Gujarat and Punjab, who were tutored that they were travelling for tourism.

On Friday, police and gendarmes cordoned off the entire airport and white tarpaulin sheets covered the bay windows of the airports arrivals hall. The Vatry airport is located 150 kilometres east of Paris. French Border police can initially hold a foreign national for up to four days if they land in France and are prevented from travelling on to their intended destination. French law allows for that period to be extended to eight days if a judge approves it, then another eight days in exceptional circumstances, up to a maximum of 26 days.

(With agency inputs)
U.S. President Joe Biden said on Friday he was heartbroken by the news that an American named Gadi Haggai is believed to have been killed by Palestinian Islamist group Hamas on Oct. 7 when it attacked Israel.

Haggai, a 73-year-old Israeli-American man, was previously thought to have been taken hostage in the attack, along with his wife. A group representing hostages families had said earlier on Friday that Haggai died in captivity.

Jill (Biden) and I are heartbroken by the news that American Gadi Haggai is now believed to have been killed by Hamas on October 7. We continue to pray for the well-being and safe return of his wife, Judy, the U.S. president said in a statement released by the White House. Judith Weinstein, the wife of Haggai, is still being held hostage in Gaza, according to Israeli media outlet Haaretz. The Biden statement gave no further details about what happened to Haggai.

Hamas attacked kibbutzim, border towns and a music festival in Israel on Oct. 7 in a rampage that left 1,200 dead, with 240 people taken to Gaza as hostages, according to Israeli tallies. Israels retaliatory assault on Gaza has killed over 20,000, according to the Hamas-run health ministry, with many more missing and presumed buried under rubble.

Drawing on various information sources, an Israeli government-appointed committee has been declaring some hostages dead in absentia. Hamas has generally not confirmed these accounts, but has warned that time is running out for the hostages as the Palestinian militants war with Israel nears its 12th week.

Haggai will be remembered as a gifted man, with sharp intellect and a love for wind instruments.  He was a talented chef, and alongside his wife, Judi, he lived a healthy, active lifestyle, his family said in a statement cited by Haaretz. We mourn the loss of our father and grandfather, and we continue to hope and pray that his body will be returned to us and that Judi is still alive and we will be reunited soon, the family statement added.

According to an official Israeli tally, 129 people remain held in Gaza after the rest were repatriated in a November truce or recovered during a military offensive. Of those still in Gaza, 22 are dead, the Israeli government says. The Hostages and Missing Families Forum said that between five and 10 of the hostages hold U.S. citizenship.
Pakistani security forces have killed a key commander of the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) who was involved in several terror plots, including a deadly attack on an ISI building in Punjab province.

In a statement, the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) said that it received a tip-off that some terrorists were hiding in the Chiniot area, some 200 km from Lahore, the provincial capital. Police raided their hideout in the early hours of Saturday.

When the police surrounded the hideout the terrorists opened fire on them. The fire was returned and during the shootout, two terrorists were killed, the CTD was quoted as saying by PTI. Ghazanfar Nadim alias Khalid Habib was one of the terrorists identified, who was carrying a bounty of five million Pakistani Rupees. Nadim was the mastermind of a bomb attack on the ISI building in Faisalabad city, some 130 km from Lahore.

Earlier in 2011, a car-borne improvised explosive device exploded outside the Inter-Service Intelligence (ISI) building in Faisalabad, killing 25 people and injuring over 100. Nadim was a key commander of the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in the Punjab province.

He was also involved in 11 major terror activities including attacks on Shia Muslims in the country in which 50 people were killed, the CTD said and added he had been absconding since 2011. The CTD said that explosives and weapons in a large quantity have also been recovered from the terrorists hideouts.

(With agency inputs)
Lockport Township High School District 205 Board member Martin Boersma resigned Wednesday after seven months on the board.

Boersma took office in May. He was elected in April backed by We The Parents Illinois, which during the 2023 election endorsed challengers to several school and library board incumbents in races in Homer Glen, Lockport and Crest Hill.

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Martin Boersma (Lockport Township District 205)

Boersma did not immediately return requests for comment. Jeannette Castillo, district spokeswoman, declined to comment on why Boersma resigned.

In a statement, Superintendent Robert McBride said he and the board appreciate Boersmas service.

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I respect the careful thought and consideration that he gave to this important decision for himself, our board, and the community, McBride said.

Board President Ann Lopez-Caneva said in the statement the board appreciates all of his work during his short term with us and we wish him the best.

The district will release an application process Jan. 3 for those interested in filling the vacant seat, according to a district news release.

During the boards special meeting Jan. 11, which has been scheduled for approval of state applications and waivers, the members will hold a closed session to discuss the selection process for a board member. Information about the selection process will be released publicly the next day, according to the release.

The board plans to interview applicants in late January and early February with the goal of appointing a new member in February, according to the release.

We the Parents started as a small group of parents who got together in response to a loss of control in our childrens education, according to its website. The group states it stands for fiscal responsibly, restoring high academic standards, providing safe learning environments and protecting the classroom from woke and political ideology.

Daily Southtown Twice-weekly News updates from the south suburbs delivered every Monday and Wednesday By submitting your email to receive this newsletter, you agree to our Subscriber Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy >

In September, Boersma was a dissenting vote as the board approved the 2023-2024 budget in a 4-3 vote. When the board approved the tentative budget in July, Boersma was absent from the meeting.

Boersma raised questions about the effect of spending the districts cash on hand. He said he voted against the budget after hearing from residents about the districts cash on hand via email and four residents during public comment.

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At the September meeting, McBride said the high school budget process has two parts, first approving the budget and then approving a method to pay for the budget. Funding the budget could require approving a property tax levy or spending out of the fund balance. When the budget was approved, district officials began preparing strategies for funding district operations for the next year, he said.

In November, when the board was considering a property tax levy increase along with resolutions to abate a portion of the levy, Boersma said the strategy is a start.

Boersma was absent from the Dec. 18 meeting, where the board approved a 6.28% tax levy increase, above the tax cap with the home of capturing $40 million in new construction. The board also approved two separate resolutions abating 2017 and 2019 debt service levy bonds, which will return about $1.3 million to taxpayers.

Of 13 regular and special board meetings since his swearing in, Boersma did not attend five meetings, according to board meeting minutes. Boersma arrived late to the Nov. 20 meeting, according to the minutes.

akukulka@chicagotribune.com
The Israeli war in Gaza, experts say, now sits among the deadliest and most destructive in recent history, outpacing Allied bombings of Germany during World War II, and turning "earth to liquid".

In just over two months, the war has wreaked more destruction than the razing of Syrias Aleppo between 2012 and 2016, Ukraines Mariupol or, proportionally, the Allied bombing of Germany in World War II.

It has killed more civilians than the U.S.-led coalition did in its three-year campaign against the Islamic State group.

The Israeli occupation army has said little about what kinds of bombs and artillery it is using in Gaza. But from blast fragments found on-site and analyses of strike footage, experts are confident that the vast majority of bombs dropped on the besieged Palestinian territory are U.S.-made. They say the weapons include 2,000-pound (900-kilogram) bunker-busters that have killed hundreds in densely populated areas.

Israel has killed at least 20,057 people, including 7,700 Palestinian children. Women and children make up around 70 percent of the dead, according to the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, which also says that 1.9 million people have been displaced, equivalent to 85 percent of the population.

The Biden administration has quietly continued to supply arms to Israel. Last week, however, President Joe Biden publicly acknowledged that Israel was losing international legitimacy for what he called its indiscriminate bombing.

Heres a look at what is known so far about Israels war on Gaza.

HOW MUCH DESTRUCTION IS THERE IN GAZA?



Israels attacks have destroyed over two-thirds of all structures in northern Gaza and a quarter of buildings in the southern area of Khan Younis, according to an analysis of Copernicus Sentinel-1 satellite data by Corey Scher of the CUNY Graduate Center and Jamon Van Den Hoek of Oregon State University, experts in mapping damage during wartime.

The percentage of damaged buildings in the Khan Younis area nearly doubled in just the first two weeks of Israels southern offensive, they said.

That includes tens of thousands of homes as well as schools, hospitals, mosques and stores. U.N. monitors have said that about 70% of school buildings across Gaza have been damaged. At least 56 damaged schools served as shelters for displaced civilians.

Israeli strikes damaged 110 mosques and three churches, the monitors said.

Gaza is now a different color from space. Its a different texture, said Scher, who has worked with Van Den Hoek to map destruction across several war zones, from Aleppo to Mariupol.

HOW DOES THE DESTRUCTION STACK UP HISTORICALLY?



By some measures, destruction in Gaza has outpaced Allied bombings of Germany during World War II.

Between 1942 and 1945, the allies attacked 51 major German cities and towns, destroying about 40-50% of their urban areas, said Robert Pape, a U.S. military historian. Pape said this amounted to 10% of buildings across Germany, compared to over 33% across Gaza, a densely populated territory of just 140 square miles (360 square kilometers).

Gaza is one of the most intense civilian punishment campaigns in history, said Pape. It now sits comfortably in the top quartile of the most devastating bombing campaigns ever.

The U.S.-led coalitions 2017 assault to expel the Islamic State group from the Iraqi city of Mosul was considered one of the most intense attacks on a city in generations. That nine-month battle killed around 10,000 civilians, a third of them from coalition bombardment, according an Associated Press investigation at the time.

During the 2014-2017 military operations in Iraq, the US coalition carried out nearly 15,000 strikes across the country, according to Airwars, a London-based independent group that tracks recent conflicts. By comparison, the Israeli army said last week it has conducted 22,000 strikes in Gaza.

The Washington Post analyzed satellite imagery, airstrike data and U.N. damage assessments, and interviewed more than 20 aid workers, health-care providers, and experts in munitions and aerial warfare. The evidence shows that Israel has carried out its war in Gaza at a pace and level of devastation that likely exceeds any recent conflict, destroying more buildings, in far less time, than were destroyed during the Syrian regimes battle for Aleppo from 2013 to 2016 and the U.S.-led campaign to defeat the Islamic State in Mosul, Iraq, and Raqqa, Syria, in 2017.

The Post also found that the Israeli military has conducted repeated and widespread airstrikes in proximity to hospitals, which are supposed to receive special protection under the laws of war. Satellite imagery reviewed by Post reporters revealed dozens of apparent craters near 17 of the 28 hospitals in northern Gaza, where the bombing and fighting were most intense during the first two months of war, including 10 craters that suggested the use of bombs weighing 2,000 pounds, the largest in regular use.

Theres no safe space. Period, said Mirjana Spoljaric Egger, the president of the International Committee of the Red Cross, who visited Gaza on Dec. 4. I havent passed one street where I didnt see destruction of civilian infrastructure, including hospitals.

WHAT TYPES OF BOMBS ARE BEING USED?



The Israeli occupation army has not specified what it is using. It says every strike is cleared by legal advisers to make sure it complies with international law.

Yet, weapons experts have been able to draw conclusions by analyzing blast fragments found on-site, satellite images and videos circulated on social media. They say the findings offer only a peek into the full scope of the air war.

So far, fragments of American-made Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAM) bombs and smaller diameter bombs have been found in Gaza, according to Brian Castner, a weapons investigator with Amnesty International.

The JDAM bombs include precision-guided 1,000- and 2,000-pound (450-kilogram and 900-kilogram) bunker-busters.

It turns earth to liquid, said Marc Garlasco, a former Pentagon defense official and a war crimes investigator for the U.N. It pancakes entire buildings.

He said the explosion of a 2,000-pound bomb in the open means instant death for anyone within about 30 meters (100 feet). Lethal fragmentation can extend for up to 365 meters (1,200 feet).

In an Oct. 31 strike on the urban refugee camp of Jabalia, experts say a 2,000-pound bomb killed over 100 civilians.

Experts have also identified fragments of SPICE (Smart, Precise Impact, Cost-Effective) 2000-pound bombs, which are fitted with a GPS guidance system to make targeting more precise. Castner said the bombs are produced by the Israeli defense giant Rafael, but a recent State Department release first obtained by The New York Times showed some of the technology had been produced in the United States.

The Israeli army is also dropping unguided dumb bombs. Several experts pointed to two photos posted to social media by the Israeli Air Force at the start of the war showing fighter jets stocked with unguided bombs.

The scale of Palestinian civilian deaths in such a short period of time appears to be the highest such civilian casualty rate in the 21st century, said Michael Lynk, who served as the U.N. special rapporteur on human rights in the Palestinian territories from 2016 to 2022.

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A Russian politician calling for peace in Ukraine hit a roadblock in her campaign Saturday, when Russias Central Election Commission refused to accept her initial nomination by a group of supporters citing errors in the documents submitted.

Former legislator Yekaterina Duntsova is calling for peace in Ukraine and hopes to challenge President Vladimir Putin, promoting her vision of a humane Russia thats peaceful, friendly and ready to cooperate with everyone on the principle of respect.

On December 23, the Central Election Commission refused to register my initiative group, Duntsova wrote on the Telegram messaging app.

According to a Telegram channel close to Duntsovas campaign, the commission found 100 errors in her nomination papers, including mistakes in the spelling of names. You are a young woman, you still have everything ahead of you. Any minus can always be turned into a plus, the head of Russias Central Election Commission, Ella Pamfilova, said at the commission meeting, addressing Duntsova.

Duntsova said she will appeal the decision in Russias Supreme Court, and appealed to the leaders of the Yabloko (Apple) political party to nominate her as a candidate, as she said she would be unable to convene a second meeting of supporters.

Also on Saturday, Russian state media said Yabloko party founder and leader Grigory Yavlinsky would not run for the presidency, citing the partys press service. Speaking in a live interview on YouTube, once Duntsovas appeal to Yabloko became known, Yavlinsky said he didnt know whether the party would consider her application.

Duntsova took her first steps toward candidate status on December 17, when her run was endorsed by 500 supporters as required by Russian election law, and presented documents on December 20 to Russias Central Election Commission to register her nomination.

A number of Russian parties also announced which candidates they would be backing in the presidential election next March  which incumbent President Vladimir Putin is all but certain to win. The Russian Communist Party, the second largest party in the lower house of Parliament, the State Duma, announced after a secret ballot that it would support the nomination of Duma deputy Nikolai Kharitonov. As party leader Sergei Mironov previously said it would do, the Just Russia  For Truth party formally announced that it was supporting Putins nomination for the presidency.

Parties represented in the Duma do put forward candidates to run against Putin, but they represent only token opposition and are generally sympathetic to his agenda. The Civic Initiative party  which is not represented in the Duma  backed the nomination of independent candidate Boris Nadezhdin, who is known for campaigning against Russias actions in Ukraine. He has the support of a contingent of soldiers wives, unhappy with their husbands long deployments.

Meanwhile, Russian state media reported that volunteers from Putins campaign headquarters, together with branches of the United Russia party and a political coalition called the Peoples Front, began collecting signatures in support of his candidacy as an independent.

Putin submitted his nomination papers to the Central Election Commission on December 18. Under Russian law, independent candidates must be nominated by at least 500 supporters, and must also gather at least 300,000 signatures of support from 40 regions or more.

Pamfilova said Saturday that there were 29 applicants for candidacy in the election. Though it is normal for an opposition candidate to run against Putin  broadcaster Ksenia Sobchak, for example, was a liberal challenger in the 2018 presidential election  the tight control that he has established during 24 years in power makes his reelection in March all but assured. Prominent critics who could challenge him are either in prison or living abroad, and most independent media have been banned.

Earlier this month, the Duma set March 15-17 as the dates for the 2024 presidential election, moving Putin a step closer to a fifth term in office.
Ukraines military said it has shot down three Russian fighter-bombers in the south of the country. Air force commander Mykola Oleshchuk said the Su-34 jets were downed around noon on Friday.

In his announcement he noted a message found on a downed Russian drone which read Die, bitches. Great idea! Here is our response! he said on Telegram. In his nightly address on Friday, President Volodymyr Zelensky thanked the soldiers who shot down the Russian fighters in the Kherson region.

Its the gain of our Air Force and the direct action of the Odesa Anti-Aircraft Missile Brigade. Thank you, guys! he said. And may every Russian pilot be well aware of our response to every Russian killer - none of them will go unpunished.

The Kremlin has not commented on the Ukrainian claims but Russian war blogger Fighterbomber said there had been losses, likely due to the Patriot missile air-defence system.

Another war blogger, the Voenniy Osvedomitel (Military Informant) channel on Telegram, also reported losses among Su-34 bombers which they said were being used to drop glide bombs on the Ukrainian bridgehead in Krynky on the Russian-controlled east bank of the Dnipro river.

Zelensky also said he spoke with Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte on delivery of F-16 jets to Ukraine and discussed the approval of a new, 50-billion-euro ($55 billion) EU support package for Ukraine.

The Netherlands is preparing to send the first F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine. From political decisions regarding the provision of aircraft, we have moved on to training pilots and engineers, and now we are implementing the technical part - the actual delivery of F-16 jets, he said.

The Netherlands announced Friday it was preparing delivery of 18 of the US-made F-16 combat jets pledged to Ukraine, at a moment when Kyiv is under pressure on all fronts. With US approval, Denmark and the Netherlands announced in August they would provide up to 61 jets, once Ukrainian pilots had been trained.
The UN Security Council (UNSC) on Friday called for boosting humanitarian assistance for Gaza after a long-delayed vote in the 15-member council, resulting in a 13-0 outcome, with the United States and Russia abstaining.

The resolution that was finally passed urged steps to allow safe, unhindered, and expanded humanitarian access to Gaza and conditions for a sustainable cessation of fighting. The resolution was toned down from earlier drafts that called for an immediate end to 11 weeks of war and diluting Israeli control over aid deliveries.

#BREAKING UN Security Council ADOPTS resolution calling for urgent steps to allow safe, unhindered and expanded humanitarian access throughout Gaza; US and Russia abstainVOTEIn Favor: 13Against: 0Abstain: 2 (US, Russia) Our coveragehttps://t.co/5rdk8T8onc pic.twitter.com/8uaKQph6Dl  UN News (@UN_News_Centre) December 22, 2023

The United States repeatedly has backed Israels right to self-defense following the October 7 attack on Israel by Hamas, who killed 1,200 people and took 240 hostages back into the enclave. Gilad Erdan, Israels UN ambassador, said the Security Council should have focused more on freeing the hostages and that concentrating on aid mechanisms was unnecessary as Israel permits aid deliveries at the required scale.

Israel, which has vowed to eradicate Hamas, opposes a ceasefire, contending it would allow the Islamist militant group to regroup and rearm. US President Joe Bidens administration, which has so far backed this position, has grown increasingly critical of the mounting casualty toll and humanitarian crisis.

Without mincing words, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the way Israel is conducting its operation is creating massive obstacles to the distribution of humanitarian assistance in Gaza, where the United Nations says the aid available is just 10 percent of what is needed.

As difficult as it might appear today, the two-state solution  in line with UN resolutions, international law and previous agreements  is the only path to sustainable peace. Any suggestion otherwise denies human rights, dignity and hope to the Palestinian people, he wrote on X.

I hope that todays Security Council resolution may help improve the delivery of much-needed aid but a humanitarian ceasefire is the only way to begin to meet the desperate needs of people in Gaza and end their ongoing nightmare. Antonio Guterres (@antonioguterres) December 22, 2023

Israel says 5,405 aid trucks have entered Gaza since the war started. The latest casualty update from Gazas health ministry said 20,057 Palestinians have been killed and 53,320 wounded in the Israeli offensive that has destroyed huge swaths of the enclave and displaced most of the population of 2.3 million. Israel says 140 of its soldiers have been killed since it launched its ground incursion on October 20. Air strikes, artillery bombardments and fighting were reported across Gaza late into Friday night.

Gazas entire 2.2 million population is in a food crisis or worse and 576,600 are at the catastrophic starvation level, according to a report released by 23 UN and humanitarian agencies. With supplies to Gaza cut off except for a small trickle, the UN World Food Program has said 90% of the population is regularly going without food for a full day.

READ THE FULL RESOLUTION 2720 (2023)

The Security Council,
The US Supreme Court declined on Friday to immediately hear former president Donald Trumps claim that he is immune from prosecution, potentially delaying his 2020 election interference trial.

Special Counsel Jack Smith had asked the nations highest court to take up the immunity case on an expedited basis, bypassing the federal court of appeals. The Supreme Court, which has a 6-3 conservative majority, including three justices nominated by Trump, denied the request in a one-line order that did not provide any reason for the decision.

The 77-year-old Trump, the frontrunner for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, is currently scheduled to go on trial on March 4, 2024 on charges of conspiring to overturn the November 2020 election won by Democrat Joe Biden. Trumps lawyers have repeatedly sought to delay the trial until after next years election, including with the claim that a former president enjoys absolute immunity and cannot be prosecuted for actions he took while in the White House.

US District Judge Tanya Chutkan, who is to preside over Trumps March trial, rejected the immunity claim on December 1, saying a former president does not have a lifelong get-out-of-jail-free pass. Defendants four-year service as Commander in Chief did not bestow on him the divine right of kings to evade the criminal accountability that governs his fellow citizens, she added.

Trumps lawyers appealed Chutkans decision to the US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit and Smith, the special counsel, asked the Supreme Court to step in and hear the case itself. This case presents a fundamental question at the heart of our democracy: whether a former President is absolutely immune from federal prosecution for crimes committed while in office, Smith said in a filing to the Supreme Court. It is of paramount public importance that respondents claims of immunity be resolved as expeditiously as possible  and, if respondent is not immune, that he receive a fair and speedy trial on these charges, he said.

 Appeals court hearing on January 9 

With the Supreme Courts rejection of Smiths request, the appeals court will now first hear the immunity case. Carl Tobias, a law professor at the University of Richmond, said this could make it difficult to maintain the March trial date.

Tobias noted the Supreme Court had agreed to fast-track appeals in 19 cases over the past four years and it was unclear why the justices had declined to do so here. Trump welcomed the Supreme Courts move and said he was looking forward to presenting his arguments before the appeals court.

Of course I am entitled to Presidential Immunity, he said in a post on his Truth Social platform. I was President, it was my right and duty to investigate, and speak on, the rigged and stolen 2020 Presidential Election, he said, repeating his baseless claims to have won the election.

The DC appeals court has scheduled arguments for January 9 and its ruling is expected to eventually reach the Supreme Court, whose current session ends in June. Trumps lawyers are also expected to ask the nations highest court to rule on a decision by the Colorado Supreme Court that would keep the former president off the Republican primary ballot in the western state.

The Colorado court ruled Tuesday that Trump had incited an insurrection  the January 6, 2021 attack on the US Capitol by his supporters  and was therefore ineligible to hold office again. The US Supreme Court has already agreed to hear a challenge to the use of a law behind one of the charges lodged against Trump and hundreds of his supporters who took part in the attack on the Capitol.

Trump was indicted in Washington in August for conspiracy to defraud the United States and obstruction for his efforts to upend the results of the 2020 election. He faces similar election-related charges in Georgia and has been indicted in Florida for alleged mishandling of top secret documents after leaving the White House. Trump was impeached by the Democratic-majority House of Representatives following the attack on the Capitol for incitement of insurrection but was acquitted by the Senate.
Egypt welcomed Friday the establishment of an international mechanism for delivering much-needed humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, according to an official statement by the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Egypt considers the adoption of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolution an important and positive step towards alleviating the severe humanitarian suffering affecting Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip.

Furthermore, Cairo welcomes the appointment of a high-level UN coordinator to facilitate the entry, coordination, monitoring, and verification of aid within the Gaza Strip.

However, the statement noted that it is insufficient on its own because the UNSC resolution did not include a demand for an immediate ceasefire to guarantee the provision of aid and stop the bloodshed in the strip.

It added that the UNSC resolution is in line with a resolution of the recent Arab Islamic Summit, which called for breaking the siege on the Gaza Strip, opening the various corridors for humanitarian access to the Strip, establishing a mechanism to monitor aid shipments under the auspices of the UN to overcome the obstacles placed by Israel on the entry of aid.

Moreover, the statement reiterates Egypt's full rejection of all attempts to forcibly displace Palestinians. It also demands parties adhere to international law by refraining from targeting civilians or humanitarian aid.

The resolution leaves no choice for the international community but to fulfil its obligations to stop the suffering of Gazans amid continuous Israeli bombing, siege, and displacement, the statement explained.

The ministry reiterated that Egypt continues to work closely with international parties to reach a complete ceasefire that preserves the lives of Palestinian civilians, reduces the impact of the humanitarian crisis, and re-launches a serious peace process that leads to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on the 1967 borders within the two-state solution.

The UNSC approved Friday a much-delayed resolution that will bring more aid into Gaza and that will allow the "safe and unhindered delivery of humanitarian assistance at scale."

After days of delays, the resolution also called for the creation of "conditions for a sustainable cessation of hostilities" but it did not call for an immediate end to fighting.

Russia and the United States, which both could have vetoed the measure as permanent members of the council, abstained, meaning it passed with 13 votes in favor.

The Israeli army continued its 78-day assault on Gaza on Saturday, killing dozens in shelling across the strip.

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Two Denver-area paramedics were convicted Friday in the 2019 killing of Elijah McClain, who they injected with an overdose of the sedative ketamine after police put him in a neck hold. It was the final trial against police and paramedics charged in the death of McClain, a 23-year-old Black man whose case received little attention until protests over the 2020 killing of George Floyd. An Aurora police officer was convicted of homicide and third degree assault earlier this year while two officers were acquitted . This case stands out because it was the first of several recent criminal prosecutions in the US against medical first responders to reach trial, potentially setting the bar for prosecutors in future cases, reports the AP .

The jury found Aurora Fire Rescue paramedics Jeremy Cooper and Peter Cichuniec guilty of criminally negligent homicide following a weekslong trial in state district court. Cichuniec was also found guilty of second degree assault. They could face years in prison at sentencing. The verdict was announced after two days of deliberations. Police stopped McClain while he was walking home from a convenience store on Aug. 24, 2019, following a suspicious person complaint. After an officer said McClain reached for an officer's guna claim disputed by prosecutorsanother officer put him in a neck hold that rendered him temporarily unconscious.

Officers also pinned down McClain before Cooper injected him with an overdose of ketamine. Cichuniec was the senior officer and said it was his decision to use ketamine. Prosecutors said the paramedics did not conduct basic medical checks of McClain, such as taking his pulse, before giving him the ketamine. The dose was too much for someone of his size140 pounds, experts testified. NBC News reports the dose would have been appropriate for a man 50 pounds heavier. Prosecutors say they also did not monitor McClain immediately after giving him the sedative but instead left him lying on the ground, making it harder to breathe.

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The Washington Post reports both Cichuniec and Cooper testified and placed blame on the responding police officers. The defense maintained the officers did not communicate that McClain had been placed in a carotid hold and say that knowledge would have affected the paramedics' decision to inject him with ketamine. In a statement released prior to the verdict, McClain's mother, Sheneen, said that everyone present during the police stop of her son displayed a lack of humanity. "They can not blame their job training for their indifference to evil or their participation in an evil action," McClain wrote. "That is completely on them. May all of their souls rot in hell when their time comes."

(Read more Elijah McClain stories.)
A taxi driver in Tokyo ran afoul of the country's strict wildlife laws when he deliberately drove into a flock of pigeons, killing one, police say. The driver, 50-year-old Atsushi Ozawa, allegedly accelerated and drove into the flock last month after a traffic light turned green, the Mainichi reports. Ozawa was reported to police by a witness. He reportedly told investigators, "Roads belong to humans, so pigeons should have dodged out of the way." He could face a maximum penalty of a year in prison or a $7,000 fine.

In Japan, as elsewhere, pigeons are considered a nuisance, the New York Times reports. But the birds have a greater degree of legal protection in Japan than in many other countries. The wildlife law doesn't distinguish between pigeons and other wild birds, meaning it is illegal to kill the birds or remove them and their nests without permission from local authorities. Some apartment complexes have resorted to hiring falconers to scare pigeons away.

Ozawa allegedly drove into the flock at 37mph. According to Japanese media, police described his actions as "highly malicious" for a professional driver. A veterinarian who carried out an autopsy on the deceased pigeon determined that it died of traumatic shock, the Guardian reports. On social media, some people said the driver had "crossed a line" by allegedly killing the pigeon, while others questioned the need to prosecute Ozawa. "I just don't understand why the police tried so hard," one person wrote, per the Times. (Read more Japan stories.)
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TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

The High Criminal Court has convicted a person in Bahrain for forging a trademark registration certificate and falsely claiming it was issued by the Ministry of Industry and Commerce (MOIC).

The defendant gave a fake certificate to a business owner who wanted to register a trademark for importing electronic devices. The victim paid the defendant BD900 for the counterfeit certificate. The defendant is already serving a six-month prison sentence for another case involving a breach of trust.

The victim filed a complaint stating that he had an agreement with the defendant to obtain a trademark registration certificate from the MOIC for importing electronic devices. Subsequently, the defendant delivered the requested certificate to the victim.

However, upon reviewing the ministrys official website, it was discovered that the certificate had no record or information, confirming its falsification. This revelation came despite the victim having paid the agreed-upon amount of BD900.

Confession

The detained defendant confessed to the charges and admitted to forging the certificate using his personal computer by manipulating an authentic template obtained from the MOIC. He altered the information on the certificate and included the victims details before delivering it to him.

The defendant acknowledged his involvement in the incident. The Public Prosecution charged the defendant with committing forgery in the electronic registry, specifically the trademark registration certificate, which falsely attributed its issuance to the MOIC. The forged certificate resembled legitimate documents issued by the ministry, which are used as official evidence of trademark registration.
AFP | Gaza

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

The Israel-Hamas war is pushing Gaza towards famine, the United Nations warned yesterday. At the few hospitals in Gaza still functioning, more wounded arrived after renewed Israeli strikes. In the Gaza City district of Jabalia, a strike on a house killed 16 people and wounded more than 50, the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza said.

Northern Gaza no longer has any functioning hospitals, and only nine of the territorys original 36 hospitals are still partly functioning, the World Health Organization has said. Four members of one family, including a girl, died in a strike on a civilian vehicle in Rafah, southern Gaza, the health ministry said.

In video shot by AFP, the vehicle looked like it had been pounded by a giant hammer that splayed its roof, leaving the wreckage blackened and blood-stained. The Jeep was hit. Five minutes later people gathered and a second attack took place. Two strikes on the same Jeep, said Hamada Abu Taha, a witness.

With aid workers running out of words to describe conditions in Gaza, the UN Security Council has been locked all week in negotiations over how to phrase a resolution about the war. The latest draft seen by AFP calls for urgent steps to immediately allow safe and unhindered humanitarian access, and also for creating the conditions for a sustainable cessation of hostilities.

It does not call for an immediate end to fighting. Backed by its ally the United States, Israel has opposed any reference to a ceasefire. Linda Thomas-Greenfield, US ambassador to the UN, told reporters that Washington would support the resolution if it is put forward as is.

The entire population of Gaza faces an imminent risk of famine, according to a UN-backed global hunger monitoring system on Thursday. The UN estimates 1.9 million Gazans are now displaced, out of a population of 2.4 million. With homes destroyed, they are living in crowded shelters and struggling to find food, fuel, water and medical supplies.

Diseases are spreading, and communications have been repeatedly cut. According to the UN, the number of aid trucks entering Gaza is well below the daily pre-war average. Israeli President Isaac Herzog on Thursday said Israel could enable as many as 400 trucks a day of aid and blamed the UN for failing to bring more. In north Gaza, parts of Gaza City including Shujaiya have seen street-by-street combat -- even building-by-building -- between Israeli soldiers and Hamas fighters.

According to the military, the deaths of two more soldiers in Gaza brought to 139 the number killed since it began its ground assault on October 27. The area around the city of Khan Yunis in southern Gaza has been a focus of Israeli military operations which intensified over the past week, a military spokesperson said. An evacuation order issued yesterday by the military told residents in the area of Bureij, an existing refugee camp in central Gaza, to move further south to Deir al-Balah city.

Many Gazans have fled as far south as they can, to Rafah, yet even there they have not found safety. These are the houses of peaceful people, Shehda al-Kurd, a bespectacled man, said after his familys house collapsed over us during a pre-dawn strike.

This area might have been considered the safest one, but they struck it, he said. A separate strike hit an area of greenhouses in Rafah. Wael Azad, a Palestinian farmer, said even the animals have died.

May God have mercy on the people, he added, wrapped in a scarf and woollen cap against the cold. Paula Gaviria Betancur, the UN special rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons, said in a statement that Israels military operation in Gaza aims to deport the majority of the civilian population en masse.

The UN-appointed independent expert said that with Gazas infrastructure razed to the ground any realistic prospects for displaced Palestinians to return home are frustrated. Responding to similar suggestions earlier in the war, an Israeli defence ministry spokesperson said there was never... an Israeli plan to move the residents of Gaza to Egypt.

Israel has been under increasing pressure from allies to protect civilians. Qatar, backed by Egypt and the United States, last month helped broker a week-long truce that saw 105 hostages released, including 80 Israelis in exchange for 240 Palestinian prisoners.

Israeli authorities say 129 hostages are still held in Gaza. Several others have died. Yesterday a group representing hostage families announced that Gad Haggai, 73, was among the fatalities. His kibbutz community and the army also confirmed his death. A flautist, Haggai was abducted on October 7 along with his wife who remains captive.

The head of Hamas visited Egypt this week, and talks took place in Europe, regarding a possible new deal. But the stated positions of Israel and Hamas remain far apart. The war has also sparked fears of wider conflict with regular exchanges of fire across the Lebanon border, and missiles from Iran-backed Yemeni rebels which have disrupted Red Sea shipping.
Informed Egyptian sources denied that the Israeli army is operating in the Philadelphi corridor on the Gaza-Egypt borders as reported by Israeli media on Saturday, Al-Qahera News channel reported.

The Palestinian Crossings and Borders Authority also denied the report.

The Egyptian side denied to us any information it has about the enemy's intention to move militarily in the Palestinian-Egyptian border axis, the Palestinian authority said in a statement to the media issued on Saturday afternoon.

The statement also denied reports that the Israeli army was operating near the Karm Abu Salem crossing between Egypt-Gaza-Israel at the southernmost point of the Gaza Strip.

Some media outlets are playing suspicious roles intentionally or unintentionally in the transfer of news and information, and we call on them to adhere to the national line and the supreme interest of our people, the crossings authority said.

On Saturday afternoon, Israeli media claimed the countrys army had begun operating near the Karm Abu Salem crossing and the Philadelphi corridor.

The Philadelphi corridor is a buffer zone on the Egypt-Gaza border which has been patrolled by Egyptian security forces after Israel pulled out of Gaza in 2005.

"Israeli tanks have begun a ground operation from Karm Abu Salem crossing towards the Philadelphi Corridor on the Gaza Strip's border with Egypt," Al Jazeera, Al-Arabiya, and Sky News Arabia reported, citing a wide range of Israeli media sources.

In October, Egypt warned Israel of any military operations in the 100-metre-wide corridor, which is regulated by the EgyptIsrael peace treaty of 1979.

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Hyperloop One (aka Virgin Hyperloop or Virgin Hyperloop One) was an American transportation technology company that worked to commercialize the high-speed travel concept called the Hyperloop, a variant of the vacuum train.

Hyperloop One had raised $450 million to develop a hypersonic train concept. The high speed vacuum train concept was originally by Elon Musk but Billionaire Richard Branson funded Hyperloop One and others created Hyperloop startups. Elon Musk was not part of this company.

On December 21, 2023, Bloomberg reported that Hyperloop would shut down, primarily due to its failure to secure any contracts for building a working hyperloop system, alongside selling its assets and laying off remaining employees.

The recent plans for a version of vacuum train called Hyperloop emerged from a conversation between Elon Musk and Iranian-American Silicon Valley investor Shervin Pishevar when they were flying together to Cuba on a humanitarian mission in January 2012. Pishevar asked Musk to elaborate on his hyperloop idea, which the industrialist had been mulling over for some time. Pishevar suggested using it for cargo, an idea Musk hadnt considered, but he did say he was considering open-sourcing the concept because he was too busy running SpaceX and Tesla. Pishevar pushed Musk to publish his ideas about the hyperloop, so that Pishevar could study them.

On August 12, 2013, Musk released the Hyperloop Alpha white paper. In the months that followed Pishevar incorporated Hyperloop Technologies, which would later be renamed Hyperloop One, and recruited the first board members, including David O. Sacks, Jim Messina and Joe Lonsdale. Pishevar also recruited a cofounder, former SpaceX engineer Brogan Bambrogan. The firm set up shop in Bambrogans garage in Los Angeles in November 2014. By January 2015, the firm had raised $9 million in venture capital from Pishevars Sherpa Capital and investors such as Formation 8 and Zhen Fund, and was able to move into its current campus in the Los Angeles Arts District.

They raised $37 million in financing to date and was completing a Series B round of $80m which they closed on in May 2016. In October 2016, the firm announced that it had raised another $50 million, led by an investment from DP World.

The propulsion open-air test or POAT, was successfully held in North Las Vegas on May 11, 2016. The POAT sled accelerated to 134 mph (216 km/h) in 2.3 seconds, representing a crucial proof of concept. The renamed Hyperloop One announced it had secured partnerships with global engineering and design firms such as AECOM, SYSTRA, Arup, Deutsche Bahn, General Electric, and Bjarke Ingels.

The XP-1 demo pod set the worlds speed record again during the test in December 2017, reaching 387 kilometres per hour (240 mph). With that test, the company also demonstrated its airlock technology that allowed the pod to be transferred into the depressurized tube. With this system, XP-1 pod can be put in an airlock which takes a few minutes to depressurize before entering the already depressurized tube. The pod would need to enter the tube and wait for the 4-hour depressurization of the entire test tube.

On November 10, 2016, Hyperloop One released its first system designs in collaboration with the Bjarke Ingels Group.

On October 12, 2017, Hyperloop One and the Virgin Group announced that it developed a strategic partnership, resulting in Richard Branson joining the board of directors. The global strategic partnership will focus on passenger and mixed-use cargo service in addition to the creation of a new passenger division. Subsequently, Hyperloop One was renamed Virgin Hyperloop One, and Branson became the chairman of the board of directors.
Yemens government and the Houthi rebels have committed to a new ceasefire and agreed to engage in a UN-led peace process to end the war, the UN envoy for Yemen said Saturday.

Following a series of meetings in Saudi Arabia and Oman, a statement by the office of UN Special Envoy Hans Grundberg said he "welcomes the parties' commitment to a set of measures to implement a nation-wide ceasefire... and [to] engage in preparations for the resumption of an inclusive political process."

Thirty million Yemenis are watching and waiting for this new opportunity to provide for tangible results and progress towards lasting peace. The parties have taken a significant step," said Grundberg.

The envoy "will now engage with the parties to establish a road map under UN auspices that includes these commitments and supports their implementation," the statement added.

According to the latest UN statement, the road map to end the fighting includes commitments to pay civil servants' salaries, open routes into the rebel-blockaded city of Taiz and other parts of Yemen, and resume oil exports.

Earlier, on Thursday, Chairman of the Presidential Leadership Council in Yemen Rashad Al-Alimi expressed guarded hope at the UN General Assembly, saying that peace remains elusive despite compromises by the Yemeni government.

Accordingly, he warned that the international community should avoid dealing with Houthi militias as de facto authorities, stressing that this would likely reverse hard-won gains in the war-torn country.

We hope that the Houthi militias will recognize a singular truth: Only a state that is based on the rule of law and equal citizenship will ensure that our country is stable, safe, and respected in the region and wider international community, he said.

There is a sure path towards peace by rekindling the trust of the Yemeni people in international legitimacy and their national government, he continued.

For that, we need to support the legal government, we need to strengthen the economy so that the government can provide services so that we can put an end to the militias and build a brighter future.

Yemen has been gripped by conflict since the Iran-backed Houthi rebels took control of the capital Sanaa in 2014, triggering a Saudi-led military intervention in support of the beleaguered government the following year.

The ensuing war has killed tens of thousands of people and has created a dire humanitarian crisis in the country affecting 80 percent of the Yemeni population which remains largely reliant on aid.

A UN-brokered ceasefire that took effect in April 2022 brought a sharp reduction in hostilities. The truce expired in October last year, though fighting largely remains on hold.

The commitment to a new ceasefire comes despite the Houthis launching several attacks on Israeli-owned and affiliated ships in the Red Sea, in solidarity with Palestinians in Israel's war on Gaza.

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Indigenes of Enugwu Nanka, in Nanka community, Orumba North Local Government Area of Anambra State have appealed to Governor Chukwuma Soludo to come to their aid, saying that killings were becoming too much.





In a Save Our Soul (SOS) letter written to the governor by the leadership of Enugwu Nanka village, which was signed by Joe Omehaa, chairman and Peter Godson Oforkansi, secretary, the village union said there had been division in Nanka, and that some powerful indigenes were seeking to silence the majority for standing by the truth.





The letter cited several incidences of killings, and attempted assassination in the community, stating that the new norm is to stop police investigation after every killing.





Your Excellency Sir, one of the killing is that of a boy of 25 years, Mr. Toochukwu Onyemelukwe, who was murdered in Enugwu Nanka Village square, along the Main Road at the popular Ukwumango Nwanyi Uzo village square  an open public place.





This was simply because the young boy was from the opposing faction of the village union, the Enugwu Nanka Village Development Union, against the faction (ODU) being controlled by some powerful persons.





Mr. Martin Okeke, who reported the murder of Mr. Toochukwu Onyemelukwe to the Police, has met many assassination attempts, just because he reported to the Police about that crime.





Mr. Martin Okekes life has been continuously threatened by the suspected culprits since they discovered he reported the murder to the police.





Recently too, a politician, Mr Joe Mohale was killed by unknown gunmen, after he received the member representing Orumba North and South Federal constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon Princess Chinwe Nnabuife, as against advice that no one from the community should associate with her, the community said.





The group called on Soludo to order for an investigation to the numerous killings of innocent souls in Nanka, and to investigate reasons for having many factions of the town union, which has resulted to the abnormalities, sacrileges and abominations in Nanka.





Speaking about the factions, the group said: Both Nanka Town Union and villagers are into factions and frictions due to high handedness and kill-and-coverup activities in Nanka.





For some period of time now Your Excellency, you might have heard of number of murders of some innocent souls in Nanka, murder which some of the killings were perpetrated by unknown killers; but the ones that their killers are known are protected from police investigation by the leaders of the influential group.





We are thinking these factions may result to a total collapse of our dear town if not checked; also, we seek that the police be allowed to make proper investigation of crimes in Nanka.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has deleted an Instagram post quoting a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Allison-Madueke, as speaking on money laundering charges brought against her.

The social media post earlier seen by our correspondent claimed that the former minister spoke in an interview with journalists in the United Kingdom.

However, further checks by our correspondent on Saturday revealed that the unsigned post had been pulled down from the anti-graft agencys official Instagram handle.

Meanwhile, when contacted over the development, the spokesperson for the EFCC, Dele Oyewale, denied the report, while noting that the report didnt emanate from nor was it signed by the anti-graft agency.

The report is not from the EFCC. Anything that is not signed by me is not from us (the EFCC), Oyewale said.

Allison-Madueke who served under former President Goodluck Jonathans administration fled the country following her prosecution by the EFCC over alleged money laundering.

In October 2023, Sunday PUNCH exclusively reported that the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, submitted a warrant of arrest and request to the Crown Prosecution Services of the United Kingdom for her extradition.

The report indicated that the request which was made on the orders of President Bola Tinubu followed a written official request by the EFCC to the office of the AGF earlier in October.

A top Federal Government source had revealed that in making the extradition request, the office of the AGF cited Section 2 (2) of Nigerias Extradition Act, CAP E25, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, and the London Scheme of Extradition within the Commonwealth otherwise known as The Scheme, a multilateral treaty which governs extradition between the United Kingdom and Nigeria.

The EFCC established a prima facie case against Allison-Madueke in a letter to the office of the AGF, after which a magistrate was ordered to issue a warrant of arrest. The Certified True Copy of the warrant of arrest was then attached to the extradition request written to the UK government by the AGF on the orders of the President, a source had noted.




Godwin Emefiele, former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), has been released from the Kuje Correctional Centre in Abuja after meeting his bail conditions.

Adamu Duza, spokesperson for the centre, confirmed the development on Saturday.

Duza said Emefiele was released on Friday, December 22.

The federal government has been prosecuting Emefiele for alleged procurement fraud.

In November, the federal government reduced the 20-count criminal charge preferred against Emefiele to one.

Emefiele was charged alongside Sa'adatu Yaro, a female employee of CBN, and her company, April 1616 Investment.

The former apex bank boss was accused of using his position to confer a corrupt advantage on Yaro by awarding a contract for the procurement of 43 vehicles worth N1.2 billion between 2018 and 2020.

They include 37 Toyota Hilux vehicles at the cost of N854.7 million, one Toyota Avalon at the cost of N99.9 million, one Toyota Landcruiser V8 at the cost of N73.8 million, two Toyota Hilux Shell Specification vehicles at the cost of N44,200,000.

He was also alleged to have awarded Yaro a contract for the procurement of two Toyota Landcruiser VXR V8 worth N138 million.

Emefiele pleaded "not guilty" to the amended charge.

He was thereafter remanded at the Kuje correctional facility pending ruling on his bail application.

BAIL CONDITIONS

On November 22, a federal capital territory high court granted Emefiele bail in the sum of N300 million.

The judge had also ruled that the former CBN governor must produce two sureties in like sum who would have certificates of occupancy and titles of properties within the Maitama district in Abuja.

Emefiele was first arrested by the Department of State Services (DSS) in June after being handed a suspension by President Bola Tinubu.

On July 25, he was arraigned on a two-count charge bordering on "illegal possession" of firearms at a federal high court in Ikoyi and was granted bail in the sum of N20 million.

This week, a probe panel set up by the federal government accused Emefiele of opening several foreign bank accounts and other financial infractions, during his spell as CBN governor.
Suzanne Emma, the estranged wife of Nollywood actor Emeka Ike, has responded to her ex-husbands recent claims that her allegations of domestic violence against him were false and led to significant losses on his part.

In a recent interview with media personality Chude Jideonwo, Emma maintained that Ike had subjected her to abuse throughout their 17-year marriage. She recounted a specific incident at the hospital when their child was seriously ill, describing how Ike verbally berated her and physically assaulted her.

There was a time we went to the hospital; my child was sick. We didnt have money. And I was trying to negotiate with the hospital to treat the child, and we would pay later. It was taking a little bit of time, and he [Emeka Ike] just came in and started yelling at me, Youre a fool. You dont know how to do things. Whats all this? You cant even talk to them. Who are they? Theyre beneath you, and youre allowing them to do this and all that.

And I got upset and said, Sir, why are you being a jerk? And I went off into the car to sit down. Immediately he [Emeka Ike] was coming into the car; his punch was the first thing that I was seeing on my jaw.

Recall that a Lagos Island Customary Court dissolved the marriage between Emeka Ike and his wife in 2017 due to incessant battery. Emma had approached the court on July 13, 2015, seeking to dissolve the 14-year-old marriage with the Nollywood actor.




Jim Obazee, President Bola Ahmed Tinubus investigator probing the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, has revealed that the government is on the verge of recovering two banks illegally sold to former CBN governor, Godwin Emefiele.





According to the report, Emefiele used proxies to acquire Union Bank of Nigeria for Titan Trust Bank Limited and Keystone Bank without any evidence of payment.





Accordingly, Obazee submitted the report of his investigations into acquiring Union Bank and Keystone Bank to President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday in two separate letters dated December 20, 2023.





This is coming on the heels of findings by the investigator that Emefiele illegally lodged billions of naira in public funds in no fewer than 593 bank accounts in the United States, United Kingdom and China without the approval of the apex banks board of directors and the CBN Investment Committee.





Similarly, Emefiele was indicted for N22.7 trillion Ways and Means advance to the Federal Government without approval from former president Muhammadu Buhari.





The revelations were contained in the interim report submitted by Obazee to President Tinubu on December 9, 2023.





When we carried out the investigation, we discovered that some persons were used as proxies by Mr Godwin Emefiele to set up Titan Trust Bank and acquire Union Bank therefrom, all from ill-gotten wealth.





We were able to secure some documents and investigation reports that will lead to the forfeiture of the two banks to the federal government.





We have completed our investigation on this acquisition and have also held meetings with the relevant parties except for Mr Cornelis Vink, who is currently hospitalised in Switzerland.





Otherwise, we are on the verge of recovering these two banks for the Federal Government.





Recall that on July 28, President Tinubu appointed Obazee to probe the CBN after the suspension of Emefiele, who presided over the apex bank from June 4, 2014, to June 9, 2023.





Emefiele is currently in prison for failing to meet bail conditions after Justice Hamza Muazu had on November 22 granted him bail over N1.2 billion procurement charges.
The former petroleum minister from the era of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, who sought refuge in the UK due to fears of the EFCC, Diezani Alison Maduekwe, has now appealed to the Nigerian government for leniency.

Mrs Diezani, reportedly in the second stage of her cancer, has implored President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to permit her to return to Nigeria to confess to her financial misconduct during her tenure.

Speaking to the press in London after a medical visit, the ex-Petroleum minister, accused of embezzling billions of dollars from Nigeria, expressed her readiness to disclose details of the funds she allegedly misappropriated while in office.

I am now a born-again Christian and currently grappling with the second stage of cancer, for which my United Kingdom-based physician has advised me to continue medication for the rest of my life, she disclosed. Yes, no one is flawless, but sometimes, God Almighty permits such occurrences.

Ive been accused of financial misconduct during my tenure as the petroleum minister, and its true! However, I would like President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Nigerians to forgive me, allow me to return home, and contribute because life is transient, Diezani tearfully stated.

She went on to mention her association with Dauda Lawal Dare, the current governor of Zamfara State, to whom she entrusted over 9 billion dollars for safekeeping while he served as the Executive Director of First Bank Nigeria PLC.

Unfortunately, she revealed that Mr Dauda Lawal is now unresponsive to her calls and has collaborated with the UK police to subject her to surveillance, possibly to claim the entrusted funds upon her demise.

She said, My husband and my entire family members including My Nigeria lawyer based in the United Kingdom knew my relationship with Dauda Lawal Dare, the current Zamfara State governor whow I entrusted over 9 billion dollars for safe keeping while he was the Executive Director of the First Bank Nigeria PLC .

Unfortunately, it has now come to a point that Mr Dauda Lawal is no longer picking my phone calls and even worked in Collaboration with UK police to put me under Surveillance, may be to claim the Money I entrusted to him when I die.
Somtochukwu Okwuoha, a Nigerian student at Dundee University, Scotland, has been sentenced to 40 months behind bars over threats to bomb the institution.

The Perth Sheriff court ruled that the international energy studies student should be deported after serving his jail term.

In November, the court found the 26-year-old masters student guilty of seven charges, including making terrorist threats against the university. He was remanded in custody.

Okwuoha claimed he had enlisted ISIS, a terrorist organisation, to help bomb the university. He also told the university staff that he planned to target the city in a chemical attack.

Sheriff William Wood said Okwuohas presence in the United Kingdom is not conducive to the public good, and I make a recommendation for your deportation in due course.

You came to the UK in 2021 to attend a masters degree at Dundee University. You formed a friendship with Fatmata Barrie and thought the relationship could be taken further, Wood said.

When she rebuffed your advances, you began a malicious campaign against her. You sent threats and tried to manipulate her emotions.

You were abusive towards her and tried to have her removed from her university course. You alleged she was a potential terrorist in the UK and, as a Muslim, was able to engage with terrorist agencies that would visit mass murder and other terrorist offences within the UK.

The university decided to suspend you from your course and you turned your attention towards staff. You threatened mass murder, and terrorism, and said you would plant bombs and use biological weapons.

You said you would commit acts of terror in the UK, and particularly at Dundee University.

One member of staff was so fearful he refused to return to work.

You were released on bail with conditions not to commit further offences. Despite being barred from campus you repeatedly entered it without reasonable excuse.

Over a period of nine months you made these threats and embarked on what can only be described as a campaign to discredit, and to incite terror in those to whom you sent threats.

WITNESSES RECOUNT HOW OKWUOHAS THREAT TERRIFIED THEM

During the trial, witnesses told the judge how Okwuoha said he planned to carry out mass murder on the Dundee University campus, claiming he had military background and was capable of making bombs and unleashing a deadly virus.

Keith Mackle, now retired director of student services, said he became aware of serious concerns in the autumn of 2021 when staff members received emails containing terrorist threats.

According to Mackle, one of the email reads: Expect a massive bomb explosion at the University of Dundee. I have contacted ISIS terrorists to plant bombs on campus. I can assure you staff and students will die in great numbers. 9/11 will be a joke compared to what will happen. Blood will spill and flesh will be scattered.

Stewart Kennedy, a campus security officer, said he received a call from an unknown number telling him of a bomb being placed on the campus and that there was going to be carnage tonight.

I could tell he was covering his mouth to disguise it but I could tell it was an African accent, Kennedy said.

Shane Taylor, an accommodation officer, said Okwuoha accused him of being racist and said he would wipe out Scottish people as revenge.
A man, simply identified as MC Sweet, who made a fake online post claiming that Aba Ngwa indigenes tried to stop Julius Berger from constructing the Port-Harcourt Road in Aba, has been arraigned at a Magistrate Court in Aba, Abia State.

In the fake post, the online skit maker also claimed that Governor Alex Otti invited some elders and youths of Aba Ngwa to Umuahia for a peace meeting where he (Governor Otti) allegedly ordered that the indigenes be locked up.

The false and controversial post which created a sensation across the State last week, was swiftly denied by the Abia State government through Mr Dodoh Okafor, the Special Assistant on Special Communication to the Governor.

Also, the Aba Ngwa Peoples Forum, led by Chimezie Nwagba (President) and Chinedu Ahuruonye (Secretary) issued a communique disowning the report and also calling for the exposure of those behind the fake post.

They further said that they would never sabotage the Port Harcourt road contract or any other project in the State.

But the person behind the post was later nabbed by the Police and arraigned at Aba Magisterial District for trying to defame the characters of Aba Ngwa Peoples Forum members.

The charge sheet read by the Prosecutor, Mary N. Udorji said MC made the defamatory post within Aba Magisterial District, pointing out that the offence he committed was punishable under Section 375 of Criminal Code, Cap 80, Vol. 111 of Laws of Abia State Nigeria, 2005.

The charge accused MC Sweet of trying to injure the reputation of Aba Ngwa people, ridiculing and exposing them to hatred.

The accused who apologized to the Aba Ngwa Peoples Forum for the injurious social media post, begged that he be given bail so that he could do another post debunking the earlier one he made.

He was granted bail by Chief Magistrate , Erinma Enyeribe and the matter adjourned to February 29, 2024.

But it was not confirmed if MC Sweet was able to meet up with his bail conditions on Friday.

An elder of Ngwa land, Azubuike Osondu Ochieze, in his reaction, said the post tried to rubish the good name of Ngwa people.

Also, a Labour Party Chieftain, Mike Evans said Governor Alex Otti has further been vindicated and advised youths against abusing the social media space.
The leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu, said on Thursday that the Supreme Court judgement has opened a new legal window for his release.

Kanu disclosed this during his routine meeting with his legal team, led by his special counsel, Aloy Ejimakor, and Barrister Nnaemeka, at the Abuja facility of the Department of State Services, DSS.

The IPOB leader, however, expressed disappointment with the judgement.

Posting on X, Ejimakor wrote: UPDATE: I met with #MNK today in tow with Barr Nnaemeka.

Onyendu expressed his profound disappointment with the Supreme Court judgment but he believes that aspects of the judgement have opened a new legal window to pursue his release. He asked all and sundry to remain confident.

The Supreme Court turned down an appeal to release the embattled IPOB leader from detention.

In its judgement delivered by Justice Emmanuel Agim but written by Justice Garba Lawal, the Supreme Court upturned the Appeal Court ruling that discharged and acquitted Kanu of all terrorism charges in October 2022.

The Supreme Court held that although the Nigerian government recklessly and unlawfully rendered Kanu from Kenya, such an unlawful act has not divested any court from proceeding with trial.

Justice Lawal held that no Nigerian law was cited in the suit seeking Kanus release from unlawful abduction from Kenya.
The First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, has disbursed N25 million to 250 elderly men and women from the 25 Local Government Areas of Delta State.

The cash presentation through the Renewed Hope Initiative under the Elderly Support Scheme was held on Friday at the Government House, Asaba, the Delta State capital

The Wife of Delta State governor, Mrs Tobore Oborevwori, who represented Tinubu at the event, also provided clothing materials and free medical checkups to the elderly citizens as support for the gesture.

In her address, Tinubu expressed joy at the inaugural edition of the Renewed Hope Initiative Elderly Support Scheme themed Better Days Ahead.

She emphasised that the economic empowerment program symbolises a dedication to the well-being of elderly citizens, representing a significant step forward in the collective pursuit of a more inclusive and compassionate society.

She said, The scheme aims to support 250 vulnerable elderly citizens aged 65 and above in all 36 states of the federation, the Federal Capital Territory, and veterans from the Defence and Police Officers Wives Association.

The selected beneficiaries are to receive a sum of N100,000 each to alleviate economic burdens during the festive period.

The total sum to be disbursed is Nine Hundred and Fifty Million Naira (N950,000,000), as approved by the Governing Board of the Renewed Hope Initiative.

Each state of the federation will receive N25m without discrimination.

Tinubu further emphasised the importance of prioritising elderly citizens during the festive season, honouring their contributions, and recognising the unique challenges they face.

She appreciated all who supported the event with free medical screening and the distribution of other sundry items to the beneficiaries.

Welcoming the senior citizens, Oborevwori who spoke through the Director General, You Matter Charity Foundation, Lawrentta Ogbedo, expressed great pleasure at the presentation of the cash sums, adding that the gesture of the Renewed Hope Initiative is timely and commendable.

While acknowledging the challenging economic situation in the country, she highlighted the schemes impact on families, particularly the elderly, who now face financial difficulties.

The governors wife commended Tinubus efforts to alleviate the economic strains on the senior citizens during the festive period adding that the gesture is well appreciated by the people of the state.
Taoreed Lagbaja, the chief of army staff (COAS), has commended soldiers on the frontlines for their dedication and sacrifices.

At the 2023 COAS Christmas carol held at Mogadishu cantonment parade ground in Abuja, Lagbaja said the peace the nation enjoys is paid for with the blood and sacrifices of the men in uniform.

For our warriors in the frontlines and their families back in our rear units, I must say I quite understand what you feel at this season because I have served in many of our theatres of operations and I have been away from my family and loved ones, he said.

In times like this, I understand the loneliness our military families endure and the homesickness of our troops in the frontline battle.

It is part of the sacrifices we make for the love of our nation and humanity.

I am proud to say that your bravery, service and dedication, serve as an example to many out of uniform and I convey the gratitude of our government and people to all you do.

Christmas is about love, hope, giving and sharing, taking cognisance of the fact that the gift of Christ to the world is born out of Gods love for humanity.

As military men and women, our life is one of sacrifice and duty.

It is in the light of filling the gaps created by deployment away from loved ones that the army headquarters and other services headquarters organise events such as this Christmas carol service and other social get together for us to create a sense of belonging for our military families at home and our troops in the frontlines.

The army chief assured the soldiers of the governments support in their fight against the nations adversaries.




Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has alleged that former local government chairmen sacked in 2019 are distracting his government.





The governor maintained that the sacked chairmen had been using all methods to distract his government.





Recall that the former council bosses were elected during the administration of Governor Abiola Ajimobi in 2018.





The former council bosses, who were elected for three years, were sacked by Makinde in 2019.





The former council bosses had secured a court judgement that gave an order that accounts of the state be frozen in ten commercial banks.





The former council chairmen went to court owing to Makindes non-payment of their entitlements.





Makinde, in his reaction, however, declared that his government would not bow to pressure to pay the states money into the wrong hands until all legal means were exhausted.





He added that the council bosses will not be paid until the Supreme Court asks him to pay them.





Makinde, who spoke on Saturday, said: I could have worked with anybody but because they did something that was not in line with the Constitution, we decided that they had to go.





That was not the first time. It may look like I took that decision in line with things that happened in the past. No, I took the decision solely because I felt we could not build a foundation on unconstitutionality.





In 2007, Governors Alao-Akala and Ladoja were in the same party and were fighting within the party. As soon as the late Alao-Akala got in there, he dissolved the LG chairmen and put his people in charge. In 2011, the same thing happened when Governor Abiola Ajimobi got there. He dissolved them.





Those people that were dissolved in 2007 and 2011, this administration is still paying their entitlements. When it got to 2019, they went to court, the case was dismissed and they were forum-shopping, going to different courts until they got to the FCT High Court.





I was going to go after them and somebody in my legal team came and said it was an abuse of court process. The FCT High Court is in its own jurisdiction as the Oyo State High Court that dismissed this case in the first instance. On that singular act, I was distracted, and I dont easily get distracted.





But I have news for them; they will not get a dime till the Supreme Court asks us to pay. I will not pay the wrong people. I still held a meeting yesterday with the team. It is nothing to worry about. This is a government that is based on the Constitution.
A large fight broke out at Highland High School in Gloucester Township Friday morning that required a large police response, according to the Gloucester Township Police Department.

According to a press release from the department, police responded to the high school at approximately 11:48 a.m. Friday morning to assist a School Resource Officer with a large fight.

The press release states that a large number of police officers responded to the scene and found three separate fights in the hallways just before students were dismissed for winter break. Lt. Paul Fisher, spokesperson for the Gloucester Township Police Department, said approximately 10 officers responded to the call for help from the SRO.

Police said approximately 100 students were in the area at the time of the incident and one student suffered minor injuries.

Fisher also said that the fights appear to have spilled over from social media posts. He said that all of the students involved were juveniles and that any charges would come through the Camden County Prosecutors Office Juvenile Unit. He said that the department does not respond to the high school often for calls for help.

A voicemail left for the Superintendent of the Black Horse Pike Regional School District, Dr. Brian Repici, was not immediately returned Friday afternoon. An email sent to Ryan Varga, the principal of Highland High School, was not immediately returned either.

Once the fights were broken up, students were dismissed safely, police said. The fights are being investigated by the Gloucester Township Police Department Juvenile and Family Services Bureau.

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Matthew Enuco may be reached at Menuco@njadvancemedia.com. Follow Matt on X
A 33-year-old Newark police officer has been indicted on a slew of offenses related to a shooting in June that occurred while he was off-duty.

Officer Wali A. Burks, of Newark, allegedly provided his personal firearm to a man accused of firing the weapon outside of a Newark bar in June, then tried to cover up his involvement in the incident. No injuries were reported in the shooting.

A grand jury indicted Burks this week on 17 charges, including attempted aggravated assault, weapons offenses, hindering, tampering with evidence, and multiple counts of official misconduct.

His co-defendant, Matthew R. Cain, 31, of Irvington, is charged with three counts, including attempted aggravated assault and weapons charges.

A spokesperson for the Essex County Prosecutors Office, Robert Florida, declined to comment on the case.

Efforts to reach Burks attorney were unsuccessful.

Cains attorney, Husain Gatlin, said Saturday: Mr. Cain maintains his innocence and believes his continued incarceration is unjustified and contrary to the principles of the Criminal Justice Reform Act. I look forward to advancing Mr. Cains rights in open court.

The investigation began following a shooting incident around 1 a.m. on June 4 outside Neptunes Bar and Grill on University Avenue in Newark.

Someone traveling in a white Infiniti fired several gunshots, causing pedestrians to seek shelter, according to an affidavit of probable cause. After reviewing surveillance images, investigators determined the shooter was Cain and that he and Burks had entered the bar together prior to the shooting.

Cain was involved in a physical altercation at the bar and was removed, according to the affidavit. Cain and Burks then entered a white Jeep Cherokee belonging to Burks. The Jeep and the Infiniti then returned to the front of the bar a short time later, when Cain exited the Jeep and entered the rear passenger side of the Infiniti. He appeared to be in possession of a firearm in his waistband at the time, investigators wrote in the affidavit.

Both vehicles then circled University Avenue before returning to the front of Neptunes with the Infiniti in the lead, police said. Cain allegedly fired multiple rounds from the Infiniti, causing people to dive for cover.

A 9mm bullet found in the glove box of Burks Jeep matched the shell casings found at the shooting scene, police said.

Burks had previously registered a Sig Sauer handgun with Newark Police as an off-duty firearm, detectives said, and on June 16 he contacted Newark Police Detective Meghan Wicks to tell her he wanted to turn over that weapon. Burks provided her with only the lower portion of the handgun, minus the barrel, and claimed the gun had malfunctioned months earlier and he had discarded the barrel, according to the affidavit.

That gun was a ballistic match for the shell casings found at the shooting scene, police concluded.

A search of Burks cellphones revealed calls exchanged between the officer and a friend identified as Matt minutes after the shooting.

In addition, Cains photo was a match for surveillance images of the shooting suspect, police stated.

Cain was charged Oct. 17 and authorities alleged that Burks accessed Cains arrest report without authorization or a legitimate purpose two days later.

An Essex County grand jury indicted both men on Wednesday.

Among the counts against Burks are six official misconduct charges, including failing to report a crime, and four hindering counts, including destruction of evidence and providing false information to police. Hes also accused of violating firearms regulations by providing the gun to his co-defendant.

Burks and Cain were being held at the Essex Countys jail as of Friday.

A Newark Police Department spokeswoman referred questions about the matter to the Essex County Prosecutors Office.

The incident did not involve Burks police duties, Newark FOP President Jeff Weber said Friday, but added that the officer is entitled to due process like anyone else.

Hell have his day in court to explain himself and his actions, Weber said. He estimated that Burks had been with the department for a few years.

Burks current salary is listed as $67,976, according to online records.

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Matt Gray may be reached at mgray@njadvancemedia.com.
Getting to Newark, Hoboken or Manhattan from the Grove Street PATH station on weekends is scheduled to become harder beginning Jan. 6 and Jersey City officials are asking Port Authority to reconsider the service disruption that could affect thousands of riders.

Port Authority announced that rehabilitation at the station beginning in 2024 will prompt some trains to skip Grove Street on weekends throughout the first half of the year. The work will include replacing floor tiles, repainting and installing LED lighting.
A Long Branch man was indicted by a grand jury on 19 counts connected to an early-morning home invasion and fatal vehicle collision with police last August, the Monmouth County Prosecutors Office announced Friday.

Altonia Williams, 46, was indicted on a litany of charges after allegedly breaking into a home, holding the owner at gunpoint while demanding money, and then fleeing the scene and hitting a patrol car in a crash that left one person dead, police said.

Long Branch police were called to the scene of an armed home invasion on Narragansett Avenue around 4 a.m. on Aug. 14. The caller said the inhabitants were awoken in the middle of the night and found an intruder in their living room with a gun and demanding money.

Officers located a white BMW fleeing the scene and minutes later, the BMW was spotted by another officer driving at a high speed in the area of McArthur and Elmwood Avenues. The BMW drove toward the officers patrol car and collided with the car, severely injuring a 38-year-old passenger, Tracee Blount, and injuring the officer, authorities said.

Body camera footage of Long Branch police officers released by the Attorney Generals Office in October showed the aftermath of a head-on collision with both cars sustaining severe front-end damage.

According to police, Williams escaped the wreck and was later found hidden in a bush with a loaded gun. Authorities said Williams was high on marijuana at the time of the Aug. 14 accident.

Blount and the police officer were both transported to Jersey Shore University Medical Center where Blount was pronounced dead at approximately 7 a.m. The officer was treated and later released.

Williams is charged with counts of armed robbery, aggravated assault, eluding, vehicular homicide, aggravated manslaughter, unlawful possession of a weapon and other offenses.

A spokesperson for the Monmouth County Prosecutors Office said the woman who was killed was not a hostage.

The Attorney Generals Office of Public Integrity and Accountability is investigating the crash under a 2019 law that requires a probe after a police encounter that leads to a death.

According to court records, Williams previously pleaded guilty to marijuana possession in 1998 and was sentenced to three years probation. He also pleaded guilty to possession of ecstasy in 2010 and spent just under a year in prison on a five-year jail sentence.

Williams defense attorney did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

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Matthew Enuco may be reached at Menuco@njadvancemedia.com. Follow Matt on X.
Nearly two months after detectives asked for the publics help in solving a 2016 Neptune Township killing, two men have been charged in relation to the cold case, authorities announced Friday.

Quashon J. McDuffie, 30, of Long Branch, and Knaliek Joshua, 31, of Asbury Park, were charged with felony murder, armed robbery, conspiracy to commit robbery and weapons-related offenses, according to the Monmouth County Prosecutors Office.

No details about the pairs alleged actions were released Friday evening, nor the dates the men were arrested.

Officers from the Neptune Township Police Department were called to the 1300 block of 7th Avenue on Feb. 8, 2016 at 8:18 p.m. for a report of a shooting, officials have said. They found Andre Thorne, 20, of Bradley Beach, in the drivers seat of 2002 red Dodge Neon suffering from a single gunshot wound, the office said.

Thorne was rushed to Jersey Shore University Medical Center where he later died, officials said.

Detectives later discovered that Thorne was sitting the car with two other people at the time of the shooting, which eventually led to them charging McDuffie and Joshua, investigators said.

Despite the arrests, the shooting is still under investigation and anyone with information was asked to contact Monmouth County Prosecutors Office Detective Sergeant Keith Finkelstein (732) 431-7160, ext. 3019 or Neptune Township Detective Carrie Bartlett (732) 988-8000.

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Chris Sheldon may be reached at csheldon@njadvancemedia.com.
In a park tucked away in Manhattan Beach, my son was having a blast - running like a charged neuron, taking a frisbee that belonged to an unsuspecting mother sitting on a park bench nearby and waving it over his head like a trophy, while streaking as fast he could away from her. As she got up to chase after him, yelling and wagging her finger, her calls for an apology fell on deaf ears. Of course, her pursuit only made him sprint faster, and to be honest, I couldnt really blame him. As any mother knows, an object in motion will stay in motion, and there arent many things both equal and opposite to that of the energy fueling an eight-year-old boy on the chase especially one with autism.

Encounters like this have become so routine that I made a t-shirt that I wear on outings: Autism: Life Amplified. As I made my way over as fast as I could to stop her from yelling at him for his disrespect, to explain his diagnosis and how his symptoms manifest, I did my best to be serious. Honestly, I was having a blast too- exhausted, absolutely, but these are the moments I have learned from my son that serve to build momentum and lead to meaningful conversation. If this seeming chaos were an invitation to open someones mind with a quick lesson on autism and its symptoms, I was here to show this unsuspecting stranger that often, there is more going on than what meets the eye.
Can Americans still have a sensible and friendly political discussion across the partisan divide? The answer is yes, and we prove it every week. Julie Roginsky, a Democrat, and Mike DuHaime, a Republican serving as a senior advisor to Chris Christies presidential campaign, are consultants who have worked on opposite teams for their entire careers yet have remained friends throughout. Here, they discuss the weeks events with editorial page editor Tom Moran.

Q. The Colorado Supreme Court ruled 4-3 that Donald Trump cannot appear on the states ballot because the 14th Amendments ban on office holders who joined an insurrection against the government. If Trump were actually banned, how would his supporters react?

Mike: Donald Trump should never be president again, but the courts shouldnt decide that; voters should. If the courts keep Trump off the ballot, without having been convicted of anything, it will prove to his supporters that there is a deep state conspiracy, and Trump will be treated as a martyr. There is a presumption of innocence in the country, no matter how many felony indictments, so Trump should be defeated at the ballot box, not in the courthouse.

Julie: I cannot speak to the legal underpinnings of this case, and I appreciate that there is a reasoned legal response to Mikes point about potential disqualification even in advance of a conviction. But politically, this only strengthens Trump in the GOP primary for all the reasons Mike cited. And ethically, there is a presumption of innocence that should at least allow a defendant  or whatever Trump is in this case  to present a countervailing set of facts before judgment is rendered. As much as I fear another Trump presidency and as much as I think he is unfit to ever serve again, I am uncomfortable with the way this is going down.

Q. A new poll sponsored by Rep. Andy Kim found that he was trouncing First Lady Tammy Murphy in the competition to replace Sen. Bob Menendez, a week after a straw poll in Monmouth gave Kim a decisive victory as well. Should we stop saying that Tammy Murphy is the heavy favorite in this primary? Is the poll credible?

Mike: Tammy Murphy is the frontrunner, especially if she can get the official county party endorsements that match the county leadership endorsements shes received. Those endorsements give preferential placement on the primary ballot in June on the line with President Biden and your local mayor. That combined with the Murphy money (both personal and the amount that can be raised by an incumbent governor) make her the favorite. Make no mistake, Andy Kim can win, but he will have to do everything right, including raising a fortune to increase his name ID substantially and discredit Murphy in the Democratic vote-heavy northeast corner of the state.

Andy Kim internal poll of NJ-Sen Dem primary has him doubling up Tammy Murphy despite having lower name ID.



Kim 45%

T. Murphy 22%

Menendez 3%



Image ratings

Kim 42% favorable/7% unfavorable

Murphy 35% favorable/18% unfavorable



12/7-14, 1040 LVshttps://t.co/Q16ardXgWV  Jacob Rubashkin (@JacobRubashkin) December 19, 2023

Julie: I have always believed that Andy Kim can win, even off the line, provided he runs an effective campaign. Tammy Murphy will have a financial advantage, but if Kim can raise the money  and there is no reason to believe that he wont, based on his fundraising ability  he will stay competitive. Most importantly, there is tremendous energy on the Kim side from the kinds of high-information voters who turn out in primary elections. On the Murphy side, there is zero enthusiasm, even from those who had to endorse her because they were essentially strong-armed by her husband, the governor. And Tammy has been quite heavy handed in seeking support from several people with whom I have spoken, which does not exactly make even those who have endorsed her work overtime to get her over the finish line. Finally, there is an undercurrent that a Murphy loss would greatly diminish the power of her husband in his last eighteen months in office, which is something a lot of these chairs would welcome.

Q. An Assembly committee approved a sweeping overhaul of the states affordable housing programs, opening the way for Democrats to move the bill during the lame-duck session. The bill would restrain the powers of local government to block affordable housing projects with restrictive zoning. Good idea?

Mike: Many towns (not all) are working hard and in good faith to meet the affordable housing requirements mandated by the state. But no small town or big city in New Jersey, whether run by a Democratic mayor or a Republican one, wants Trenton bureaucrats deciding their local zoning laws.

Julie: There is a massive housing crisis in this state and people who would otherwise be able to afford a home elsewhere have a difficult time finding a place to live in New Jersey. Too many towns have tried to skirt their affordable housing responsibilities and this legislation is a step in the right direction to remedy that problem.

Q. After Trump said undocumented immigrants are poisoning our blood and described them as vermin, the Biden put out a side-by-side showing Adolf Hitler using the same language. Smart politics? Overboard?

Mike: What we need are more Republicans to stand up and say Trump is wrong, to stop excusing his inexcusable behavior. In the presidential campaign, only Chris Christie has stood up to Trump. Members of Congress like Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger who stood up to Trump have been chased from the party. The guilty parties here are the smart influential GOP leaders like Ron DeSantis, Nikki Haley, Ted Cruz, Josh Hawley, Lindsay Graham and others who empower Trump by looking the other way to preserve their own political futures, willing to sell their souls for another term in office.

i have said many times in many ways Haley is worse than Trump. Haley puts on a veil that she has integrity and is a leader, when in fact she has enabled Trump every step of the way, and refuses to tell the truth when she knows better.  Matthew Dowd (@matthewjdowd) December 17, 2023

Julie: I have actually read Mein Kampf, and the similarities between some of the sentiments in it and what Trump is now saying are undeniable and frightening. Hitler wrote Mein Kampf in prison, after he had just attempted a coup to overthrow the duly elected government. (Sound familiar?) Trump, on the other hand, is a former president of the United States and the frontrunner for the Republican nomination. Now, he is on the stump actually denying that he has ever read Mein Kampf. Really?

Speaking of Trump reading Hitler's famous book, "Mein Kampf,"...



Former President Crazypants was once asked about his favorite authors of books.



It did not go well. pic.twitter.com/fggLgLpKB3 https://t.co/FCRv36Wirk  Roshan Rinaldi (@Roshan_Rinaldi) December 21, 2023

Julie: This is what the Republican Party has come to  a candidate who has to deny that his despicable rhetoric was inspired by Hitler because it sounds so similar? A candidate who promises to be a dictator on day one, who accuses his political opponents of treason (which is punishable by death), who promises to establish concentration camps and who talks openly about immigrants (but apparently only the ones not from the European continent) poisoning the blood of our country? God help us if he is ever allowed again within a mile of the White House.

Stephen Miller doubles down on Trump parroting Hitlers poisoning the blood rhetoric, calling for rounding up Latinos in mass detention camps: People are coming in from different cultures. A generation from now, people will not know the country theyre living in pic.twitter.com/XxVTuhyAKa  Biden-Harris HQ (@BidenHQ) December 20, 2023

Q. The European Union toughened its policies on migrants and amnesty, responding to pressure from hard right parties. Do you expect the same here as Biden negotiates concessions on the border to win approval for aid to Ukraine?

Mike: Stop blaming the hard right on this one. It is not the hard right in the US complaining about immigration. It is the Democratic mayor of New York. It is the Democratic governor of New York. It is our own Democratic governor of New Jersey who refuses to allow immigrants to be flown to Atlantic City. Pundits must stop acting like this is a pretend problem created by xenophobic Republicans. There are compassionate voters from both parties who want to welcome immigrants in need but also see that the current system is completely broken, bad for the immigrants, and bad for the country at the same time.

Julie: Biden has the opportunity to both solve a massive political headache for himself by strengthening the border and getting money for Ukraine, which is imperative. Realistically, I do not think Republicans will agree to this, because they understand quite clearly that this would be a win-win for the president.

Q. Finally, Pope Francis, now 87, gave priests permission to bless same-sex marriages, another milestone. Its remarkable to think that Barack Obama was against gay marriage in his 2008 campaign. Has any social and political movement moved so fast as this one? Any political fallout from the Popes move?

Mike: I was raised Catholic and have long been troubled by the Church relegating LGBTQ Christians to second-class status. I have been heartened by Pope Francis since the moment he took St. Peters place. He adheres more to Jesus golden rule of loving ones neighbor as oneself than the dogmatic rules made up by humans centuries later. I wish the Church would go further toward marriage equality, but I know Francis is balancing the very conservative elements of the Church in parts of Eastern Europe, South America, Africa, and some in our own country, from which he is taking immense criticism. Pope Francis is moving the Church to prioritize love over all else, and the world will be better off for his compassion, empathy, and openness.

Julie: It was not so long ago that several of my gay Catholic friends were afraid to come out publicly because they did not want to be denied communion. They loved the church but also wanted to live authentically as gay men and women. To the extent that Pope Francis is signaling that he agrees, it is a very good thing.

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On this week's episode of #ChatBoxNJPBS, @RepBonnie discusses some of the recent news out of Washington, D.C. Then, @julieroginsky weighs in on the current culture for women in politics.



Watch the full episode: https://t.co/fFT5mStNt2 pic.twitter.com/VqjJ8L2ebY  NJ Spotlight News (@NJSpotlightNews) December 7, 2023

Bookmark NJ.com/Opinion. Follow on Twitter @NJ_Opinion and find NJ.com Opinion on Facebook.

A note to readers: Mike and Julie are deeply engaged in politics and commercial advocacy in New Jersey, so both have connections to many players discussed in this column. DuHaime, the founder of MAD Global, has worked for Rudy Giuliani, John McCain, and President George W. Bush, and Gov. Christie. Roginsky, a principal of Comprehensive Communications Group, has served as senior advisor to campaigns of Cory Booker, Frank Lautenberg, and Phil Murphy. We will disclose specific connections only when readers might otherwise be misled.
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Elizabeth Nuccios meatballs and gravy at Nuccios in the St. Roch Market are a revelation.

They are all beef  no meatloaf mix for her  and mixed with fresh Parmesan, breadcrumbs, milk and one egg per pound of meat. Add in the perfect red gravy, which is a tad sweeter when her husband Steve Nuccio makes it, and the family recipe rings true to its Sicilian roots. Whether on a platter, with or without al dente spaghetti, or on a roll sub-style, the joys of supporting a small, family-run business come through with every bite.

It's just this kind of personal, homemade-style food experience that powers the St. Roch Market on St. Claude Avenue. The revitalized hall is a mosaic of local food artisans, each passionate about sharing their craft and story with their customers.

St. Roch Market Where 2381 St. Claude Ave., (504) 267-0388; strochmarket.com When Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily How Dine-in Check it out A diverse array of cuisines at the revitalized St. Roch Market

The current bright and airy space sits on the site of an open-air public market first opened in 1875. The original building was damaged by Hurricane Katrina and sat vacant until it was restored with $3.7 million in public funds and reopened in 2015.

Originally operated by Politan Row, which runs food halls around the country, the market hosted dozens of vendors over the ensuing years, some of whom went on to open their own brick and mortar restaurants. Chef Charly Pierre of Fritai is just one success story.

One of the original vendors, Kevin Pedeaux of Coast Roast Coffee, is now running the show. He stepped up to operate the market when it was on the brink of closure in August, after an especially miserable New Orleans summer.

Pedeaux, a native of St. Bernard Parish, took over management in September, assuming the $6,500-a-month lease for the city-owned property. Food hall vendors pay either 30 percent of sales or $150 a day plus 15 percent of sales, depending on when they leased.

Pedeaux hopes the city will support the markets vision and local vendors.

Theres a lot of big ships to sail and we need a lot of water to float in, Pedeaux says. We want our vendors to continue to offer an authentic cultural experience to both locals and visitors. I just hope the city understands we are in a transition and sees the potential. We need dollars to float the ship.

The coffee roaster stepped up because, if it wasnt for the St. Roch Market, hes not sure where his own business would be. I didnt have the startup capital to do a coffee shop in Orleans Parish, he says. The market model gave me the ability to get up and running. Pedeaux, who remembers driving by the St. Roch market just about every day as a kid, is invested in making the market succeed.

This place is real, its personal, the vendors really care, he says. If the market continues to thrive, he sees it as a perfect outlet for the vendors artisanal products, such as the Nuccios' jars of olive salad.

Many of the vendors speak to the growing diversity thats been driving the citys restaurant scene in recent years. Aritzas Kitchen is a Cuban eatery from Artiza Garcia, with help from her mother. Garcia has Honduran roots and grew up in Chalmette. Her stepdad is Cuban, and she grew up eating Cuban food. Her menu includes a Cuban sandwich on Gendusa bread with slow-cooked pork and mustard and pickles. There is also ropa vieja with rice and beans and fried plantains, along with empanadas.

Other options include Lin Poke & Sushi, Dolma Mediterranean cuisine, Laksa NOLA for Burmese and Malaysian comfort food, Fried & True for fried chicken, biscuits and breakfast dishes. Genevieves serves po-boys, gumbo and raw oysters. Slow & Pho offers Vietnamese dishes that include slow-and-low-cooked barbecue. Fried & True and Slow & Pho are run by vendors who returned to the market after Pedeaux took over.

St. Roch is open daily from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., with the back bar, soon to be renamed St. Rochs Reprieve, open later. Theres a trivia night on Monday, happy hour from 4-6 p.m. on weekdays and $5 mimosas and bloody marys during weekend brunch.

Pedeaux is currently talking to a half dozen vendors interested in the markets one open spot. Some might work better than others, he says. My main concern is to set us all up for success.
Hey Blake,

The recent obituary for Wendell Pierces father, Amos Pierce Jr., said that he attended Gaudet High School. Where was that and what can you tell me about it?

Dear reader,

Gaudet High School, known by other names over the years, was located at 4118 Old Gentilly Road. It was established by Frances Joseph-Gaudet. In 2007, she was canonized a saint by the Episcopal Church.

Mrs. Gaudet was born in 1861 in a log cabin in Holmesville, Mississippi. Her mother was of Native American descent and her father was formerly enslaved. Raised by grandparents, she came to New Orleans to live with her brother, a student at Straight College, the precursor to Dillard University. Later, as the divorced mother of three, she supported herself as a seamstress but devoted herself to the causes of prison reform, juvenile justice and education.

According to the Episcopal Diocese of Louisiana, Gaudet raised $5,000 to purchase 105 acres of land on Old Gentilly Road. Thats where, in 1901, she established the Colored Industrial Home and School, an orphanage and boarding school later known as the Gaudet Normal and Industrial School. Until 1921, Gaudet oversaw the high school as its principal. She later turned the operation over to the Episcopal Church. In addition to Mr. Pierce, Gaudets alumni include the late state Supreme Court Justice Revius Ortique Jr.

Gaudet died in 1934. The school operated until 1952. In 1955, it reopened as the Gaudet Episcopal Home, serving underprivileged children. That facility closed, but the Episcopal Church continues scholarship and community grant programs in Gaudets name.
Faimon Roberts III covers rural communities in Louisiana. His work is supported by a reporting grant from the Microsoft Journalism Initiative and is administered by the Greater New Orleans Foundation.

He can be reached at froberts@theadvocate.com.
SCHRIEVER  As his tribal chief burned sage in the doorway, Chris Brunet entered his new home, 40 miles inland from the storm-ravaged and sinking island where generations of Brunets have lived.

I knew this day was coming, but how I feel is different than I thought, he said. Its not a celebration. Its something else.

On Wednesday, Brunet was given a key to one of the first 12 homes completed at New Isle, the first federally funded resettlement site for a community threatened by climate change. Thirty-seven houses are planned for people who lived on the island on Aug. 28, 2012, when Hurricane Isaac struck. Another 25 empty lots could be given to residents who left before 2012. Residents get the homes and lots for free, but must cover taxes and insurance. They own the homes outright if they occupy them for five years.
Israel has killed more than 20,000 Palestinians, in its genocidal war on Gaza health officials in Gaza said late Friday, as the occupation army expanded its offensive and ordered tens of thousands more people to leave their homes.

The deaths in Gaza amount to nearly 1% of the territorys prewar population  the latest indication of the 11-week-old conflict's staggering human toll.

Israels aerial and ground attacks has been one of the most devastating military campaigns in recent history, displacing nearly 85% of Gazas 2.3 million people and leveling wide swaths of the tiny coastal territory. More than half a million people in Gaza  a quarter of the population  are starving, according to a report Thursday from the United Nations and other agencies.

After many delays, the U.N. Security Council adopted a watered-down resolution Friday calling for immediately speeding up aid deliveries to desperate civilians in Gaza.

The United States won the removal of a tougher call for an urgent suspension of hostilities between Israel and Palestinians in Gaza. It abstained in the vote, as did Russia, which wanted a stronger language. The resolution was the first on the war to make it through the council after the U.S. vetoed two earlier ones that called for humanitarian pauses and a full cease-fire.

ISRAEL VOWS TO KEEP UP PRESSURE



The U.S. also negotiated the removal of language that would have given the U.N. authority to inspect aid going into Gaza, something Israel says it must do to.

Israels Ambassador to the U.N., Gilad Erdan, thanked the U.S. for its support and sharply criticized the U.N. for its failure to condemn Hamas' Oct. 7 operation. The U.S. vetoed a resolution in October that would have included a condemnation because it didnt also underline Israels right to self-defense.

Hamas said in a statement that the U.N. resolution should have demanded an immediate halt to Israels aggression, and it blamed the United States for pushing to empty the resolution of its essence before Fridays Security Council vote.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, meanwhile, reiterated his longstanding call for a humanitarian cease-fire.

He said after the vote that the way Israel was conducting its operation is creating massive obstacles to the distribution of humanitarian assistance in Gaza, where the UN says the aid available is just 10% of what is needed.

He also condemned Israel' "collective punishment of the Palestinian people," adding that Hamas' operations "do not free Israel from its own legal obligations under international law.

Israel, shielded by the United States, has resisted international pressure to scale back its aggression. The occupation army has said that months of fighting lie ahead in southern Gaza, an area packed with the vast majority of the territorys 2.3 million people, many of whom were ordered to flee combat in the north earlier in the war.

Evacuation orders have pushed displaced civilians into ever-smaller areas of the south as troops focus on Khan Younis, Gazas second-largest city.

The Israeli army said late Thursday that it is sending more ground forces, including combat engineers, to Khan Younis.

On Friday, it ordered tens of thousands of residents to leave their homes in Burej, an urban refugee camp, and surrounding communities in central Gaza, suggesting a ground assault there could be next.

In the city of Rafah, on the border with Egypt, an airstrike on a house killed six people, according to Associated Press journalists who saw the bodies at a hospital. Among the dead were a married couple and their 4-month-old child, said the infants grandfather, Anwar Dhair.

Rafah is one of the few places in Gaza not under evacuation orders, but it has been targeted in Israeli strikes almost every day.

The air and ground campaign continued in the north, where Israel says it is in the final stages .

Mustafa Abu Taha, a Palestinian farm worker, said many areas of his hard-hit Gaza City neighborhood of Shujaiyah have become inaccessible because of massive destruction from airstrikes.

They are hitting anything moving, he said of Israeli forces.

RISING DEATH TOLL AND HUNGER



The Health Ministry said Friday that it has documented 20,057 Palestinians killed Israel in Gaza, two-thirds of them women and children, and more than 50,000 wounded.

Israels army says 139 of its soldiers have died in the ground offensive. It says it has killed thousands of Hamas resistance fighters, but it has not presented any evidence to back up the claim.

For most of its war, Israel also stopped entry of food, water, fuel and other supplies except for truck convoys of aid from Egypt, which cover only a fraction of the needs in Gaza.

Because of insufficient aid entering Gaza, the extent of starvation has eclipsed the near-famines of recent years in Afghanistan and Yemen, and the risk of famine increases each day, Thursdays U.N. report said.

Israel opened the Kerem Shalom crossing several days ago amid international demands to increase the flow of aid. But the army struck the Palestinian side of the crossing Thursday, killing four staffers, and the U.N. said it was unable to pick up aid there for delivery. It was not immediately known if the U.N. resumed work there Friday.

The Israeli war on Gaza has also pushed Gazas health sector into collapse.

Only nine of its 36 health facilities are still partially functioning, all located in the south, according to the World Health Organization.

The agency reported soaring rates of diseases in Gaza, including a five-fold rise in diarrhea and increases in cases of meningitis, skin rashes and scabies.

* This story has been edited by Ahram Online.

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Primary school pupils in Woolacombe who now have lessons in the village hall because some of their school has been condemned will soon get new classrooms.

Two temporary buildings at Woolacombe County Primary School have significant structural concerns and are a subsequent safety risk, according to North Devon Council planning officers.

Due to the condemnation of these classrooms, the school is having to rent rooms in the village hall to make up the shortfall in space, their report into the school says.

Now North Devon Council has granted outline permission for the buildings to be replaced with single storey classrooms approximately three metres high with solar panels on the roof.

They will face the existing main school building, creating an enclosed area of open space for play, with a covered deck overlooking it where they can also be taught outdoors occasionally.

Officers said that although the loss of green space is a drawback, the site had adequate outside space and the removal of the condemned classrooms later would compensate for the loss.

One letter of objection was received expressing concerns about the location of the classrooms and the visual impact on nearby residents.

But officers said the existing site was not a suitable place for new classrooms because of the high cost in making them accessible on sloping ground. Neither could the disused swimming pool site be used because of access constraints for construction.

Officers granted permission for the application under delegated powers.

A more detailed planning application with access arrangements, appearance of the buildings, landscaping and scale will be submitted later.
Lights. lights and more lights are illuminating the scene this season at Six Flags Great America in Gurnee, Illinois.

"Arctic Adventure," presented by World of Illumination, is currently starring in the massive parking lot at Six Flags Great America. The spectacular drive-through lights attraction continues to Dec. 31.

"There are over a million lights with 16 million different shades of color," said Hollie Marron, a spokesperson for World of Illumination. She said World of Illumination operates various drive-through lights attractions around the country and each takes on a different story line.

"We have two in Arizona, where we're based, and one in Las Vegas, Salt Lake City and Atlanta," she said.

The Chicagoland attraction, at Six Flags Great America, Marron explained, features Beti the Yeti as host as guests drive their vehicles through the colorful lights display filled with assorted joyful and bright scenes.

Visiting these seasonal lighted attractions, Marron said, has become "a favorite family tradition" for many people.

While riding through the attraction, visitors can tune their radios to a special station which corresponds to the scenes in the "Arctic Adventure" and will hear a variety of favorite holiday tunes.

"We recommend that people drive between 3 to 5 miles per hour," Marron said. At that low speed, guests can get a better appreciation for the lavish display.

The "Arctic Adventure" has six main tunnels to drive through, including the Snowflake Tunnel. Guests will see a variety of lighted snowmen, trees, animals and much more while going through the adventure.

Marron said visiting the large-scale lights attraction is a wonderful way of "creating memories" for family and friends.

"They can drive through and enjoy and experience the festive cheer and light and then take it home," Marron said. The experience definitely puts one in the holiday spirit.

FYI: "Arctic Adventure," by World of Illumination, at Six Flags Great America in Gurnee, Illinois, continues to Dec. 31. Cost starts at $39.99 per carload. Visit worldofillumination.com.
LAPORTE COUNTY  A 54-year-old man from Washington, D.C., was arrested Wednesday in LaPorte County in connection to a murder, the sheriff's office said in a news release.

Members from the Fugitive Apprehension Street Team and the Great Lakes Regional Task Force received information on Wednesday that Alberto Valle-Carranza was wanted for a homicide that occurred Tuesday morning in Washington. Valle-Carranza had boarded a bus in Chicago and was traveling to Michigan City.

Sergeants Keith Wilson and Ryan Elcock located the bus and held it until additional units with further information arrived on scene, police said. FAST Sergeants Brett Swanson and Adam Hannon boarded the bus and detained Valle-Carranza.

Valle-Carranza was transported to the LaPorte County Jail where he is being held without bond. He has been charged with second-degree murder while armed, police said.

Homicide detectives from the Washington D.C. Metropolitan Police Department traveled to LCSO on Friday to follow-up their investigation. Valle-Carranza will go through an extradition process to return to Washington.

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Jon Costas took part in his last meeting as a member of the Valparaiso School Board Thursday night as he is set to soon return as Valparaiso's mayor.

Costas was voted back as the city's mayor Nov. 7.

At the end of the meeting, Superintendent Jim McCall thanked Costas for his service on the board and the "wise" counsel he provided during his year-and-a-half-long tenure.

"I look forward to working with you on all things community, all things Valpo, in the very near future," McCall told Costas.

The mayor-elect said his time on the school board reinforced the belief of how important an exceptional school system is to Valparaiso.

"Thank you for the privilege of serving," said Costas.

McCall presented the departing board member with a gift as a token of appreciation.

Costas was appointed to the school board by the Valpo City Council in May 2022.

Given his departure in the middle of a four-year term, the remaining board members were tasked with selecting his replacement. The school board picked retired Valparaiso Community Schools educator  and widow of former Superintendent E. Ric Frataccia  Kaye Frataccia-Seibert to replace Costas.

During the meeting, two new courses were approved for next school year at Valparaiso High School: Spanish VI and Advanced Placement Precalculus  which is set to replace the current Honors Precalculus class.

The board also accepted 20 high schoolers to graduate this month.

In addition, the school board approved transferring $780,000 from the district's education fund to the rainy day fund. It also approved increasing the monthly transfers from the education fund the to operation fund from $580,000 to $632,500 starting next year. VCS Chief Finance Officer Jim Holifield told the board the increase was based on increased revenue to the education fund, as well as increased expenses coming out of the operation fund.

The next Valparaiso School Board meeting is on Jan. 18.

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GARY  After moving out of Gary because he couldnt find work almost 40 years ago, Wayne Young has a surprising message for the Steel Citys many former residents.

Come back home.

Young, publisher of the Washington D.C.-based Port of Harlem Magazine, has written a 10-part series titled Cast Down Your Bucket Where You Are: Renovating IN Gary. The series was inspired by Youngs own experience turning his childhood home into a short-term rental.

About 15 years ago Young began looking into selling his family home. His mother, who has since passed, was getting older and all of his siblings had moved out of Gary. He listed the home, which is located on Garys West Side, but got almost no interest.

Over the past few decades, Youngs watched as many of the homes on his mothers block became vacant and were eventually torn down.

I didnt want that to happen, he said.

So the home stayed with his family and in 2021, shortly after the new Hardrock Casino opened in Gary, house flippers began returning his calls. But, instead of selling the home, Young and his brother decided to renovate it and keep it as a short-term rental.

Its wonderful to come home and still be in the house ... its a feeling that I know a lot of Washingtonians regret that they dont have, Young said.

Youngs parents came to Gary from Arkansas in the early 1950s during the tail-end of the Great Black Migration.

Youngs father worked in the steel mill. By the time Young graduated college in the 1980s, U.S. Steel had begun laying off thousands of workers.

In 1986 Young, like many of his neighbors, left his hometown to find work. He went to Washington, D.C.

That was the first time I experienced the oddity of people from two different extremes living on the same block, Young said of his new neighborhood. People who had moved in because it was affordable were being moved out by those who had more money.

Though Young didnt yet have the terminology for what he was experiencing, he was witnessing gentrification first-hand.

Today, gentrification can be seen across the country. With a growing shortage of affordable housing options, many residents are being pushed out of big cities.

Over the past 20 years, many Black Americans have begun moving back to southern cities. A 2022 report published by Brookings found that the South has accounted for 94% of the nations Black population growth since 2020.

Many former Gary residents have moved to places like Florida, Arizona and Atlanta. Young said. Arizona has a moratorium on building because they are out of water ... where should all those people move? One thing they could do is come back home to Gary.

However, as Young encourages reinvestment in Gary, he wants to ensure his hometown doesnt fall victim to the same gentrification that has made D.C. and other major cities so unaffordable.

The second article in the Cast Your Bucket Where You Are series details Portage Midtown, a group of small, community-based developers in South Bend. The article quotes Mike Keen, the Principal of Thrive Michiana, the group behind Portage Midtown.

Flippers often have no ties to the community, Keen said. Our experience is that they come in, do the least they can, and take short cuts to make a profit.

Ensuring the residents that already live in the community are the ones who benefit from its revitalization requires community education and involvement, Young explained. Gary residents can start by holding on to the property they already have, renovating it instead of selling, Young said.

Your house is your biggest asset ... once (outside developers) buy what you have its not yours anymore, Young explained.

Young, who splits his time between D.C., Gary and The Gambia, has seen countless homes in his childhood neighborhood fall into disrepair, but in recent years hes begun to notice a change.

When youre riding through Gary you dont really pick up on it, but then when youre looking for it you find it, Young said.

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The Biden administration is calling for scrutiny of Nippon Steel's proposed $14.9 billion purchase of U.S. Steel.

White House National Economic Adviser Lael Brainard said the federal government would take a serious look at allowing an iconic American company to be taken over by a foreign steelmaker.

"The president believes U.S. Steel was an integral part of our arsenal of democracy in WWII and remains a core component of the overall domestic steel production that is critical to our national security. And he has been clear that we welcome manufacturers across the world building their futures in America with American jobs and American workers," he said in a statement. "However, he also believes the purchase of this iconic American-owned company by a foreign entity  even one from a close ally  appears to deserve serious scrutiny in terms of its potential impact on national security and supply chain reliability. This looks like the type of transaction that the interagency committee on foreign investment Congress empowered and the Biden administration strengthened is set up to carefully investigate. This administration will be ready to look carefully at the findings of any such investigation and to act if appropriate."

Brainard said the administration valued high-paying union jobs like those at Pittsburgh-based U.S. Steel, one of the Calumet Region's largest employers.

"The United Steelworkers has been a leader in all of these efforts, and are an example of why union leadership is critical in building the economy from the middle out and bottom up," he said. "President Biden believes union workers are the best workers in the world. And thats why his Administration is committed to doing everything it can to ensure steelworkers can compete on a level playing field, through policies that both combat unfair trade practices and recognize that a strong U.S domestic steel industry is vital to our economy and national security."

United Steelworkers President David McCall said the union shares many of the same concerns about the deal.

Brainard also rightly highlighted the continuing role that the steel industry and its workforce play in safeguarding our nation, and we agree that our nations security interests must remain paramount," he said in a press release. U.S. Steel has made it clear, time and again, that its first and only priority is short-term financial gain for shareholders, even if this comes at the expense of workers, their communities and the nations lasting capacity to continue meeting its manufacturing needs. The USW appreciates that the White House is taking a larger view, demonstrating once again the presidents unwavering commitment to domestic workers and industries.

Nippon Steel has said it would honor the union contract that runs through 2026 and maintain a negotiating relationship with the USW.
Israel's latest evacuation order for civilians in the central Gaza Strip would force them to relocate to areas "where there are ongoing air strikes", the UN agency for Palestinian refugees said on Saturday.

In the evacuation order issued on Friday, the Israeli army instructed residents in the Bureij refugee camp and surrounding areas to "leave immediately for their own security" and head towards Deir al-Balah city further south.

"People in Gaza are people. They are not pieces on a checkerboard -- many have already been displaced several times," Thomas White, Gaza director for the UN's agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, wrote on social media.

"The Israeli army just orders people to move into areas where there are ongoing air strikes. No place is safe, nowhere to go."

After the evacuation order, thousands of Palestinians fled the central Gaza Strip to the south on Friday.

UNRWA tweeted that the latest order would affect more than 150,000 people.

An estimated 1.9 million have been displaced by the war, according to the UN.

Israel launched a relentless bombardment and ground invasion of Gaza, killing 20,057 people, according to the latest official toll.

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A decade ago, Jasmine Rae de Lung, a San Francisco-based cake maker, wanted to test out some new decorating elements. She headed to Clement Street in the Richmond, a neighborhood with several Asian markets. Her haul that day included some rice paper sheets, typically used to form Vietnamese spring rolls.

Back in her Mission District kitchen, de Lung realized the sheets wouldnt work for draping on a cake; they became flimsy when wet and shrank and shattered when refrigerated. The diaphanous material offered greater potential, though, in detailing: Cut into pieces, dyed, dried and attached to wire, the rice paper resembled delicate flowers.

But de Lung also learned the paper couldnt be commanded; it curled and changed in unexpected ways. Instead, she had to create multiple versions and choose which ones worked best with the cake. You have to let it be the beauty that it wants to form, she said.
Gov. Kathy Hochul vetoed a bill on Friday that would have banned the use of noncompete agreements in New York after a furious lobbying effort by Wall Street and other powerful industries that forcefully opposed the measure.

Democrats in control of the State Legislature passed the bill in June, wanting New York to join other states that have cracked down on the use of noncompete agreements, which companies use to bar employees from working for a competitor for a set amount of time after leaving a job.

The bills supporters argued that the agreements had unfairly trapped an array of workers, from hairstylists to engineers and doctors, who sign away their right to leave for a competitor.

But Ms. Hochul, a fellow Democrat, believed the ban went too far, and she attempted to narrow its scope so that it applied only to lower-wage workers. The ban was opposed by high-powered banks and other large corporations that heavily rely on noncompete agreements to prevent top employees  from high-level executives to bankers and brokers  from taking clients and intellectual property with them to a competitor.
Two Colorado paramedics were convicted of criminally negligent homicide in the 2019 death of Elijah McClain, a young unarmed Black man whose case drew national attention and forced public safety reforms in the city where he lived and died.

But the mostly white jury split on two assault charges against the paramedics, Peter Cichuniec and Jeremy Cooper, after two days of deliberations. They convicted Mr. Cichuniec of one of the assault charges, second-degree assault for the unlawful administration of drugs, but cleared Mr. Cooper of both assault charges.

The men had injected Mr. McClain with the powerful sedative ketamine while he was in police custody in Aurora, Colo., which doctors said left him near death. He died days later in the hospital.

The nearly four-week trial was a rare prosecution of paramedics, and raised the question of the role that medical personnel play in police encounters and whether they could be held criminally responsible for their actions.
The United Nations Security Council on Friday adopted a resolution that would allow more aid to reach desperate civilians in the Gaza Strip, ending nearly a week of intense diplomatic wrangling intended to prevent the United States from blocking the measure. But the resolution stopped short of past attempts to impose a cease-fire.

The vote was 13 to 0, with the United States and Russia abstaining.

The resolution was adopted after diplomats repeatedly delayed the vote this week and reworked the measure in heated negotiations aimed at winning support from the United States, which previously vetoed two resolutions that called for a cease-fire in the war between Israel and Hamas.

The measure did not impose a legally binding cease-fire and instead called for urgent and extended humanitarian pauses and corridors throughout the Gaza Strip for a sufficient number of days to enable full, rapid, safe and unhindered humanitarian access.

It also dropped from earlier drafts demands for the urgent suspension of hostilities, replacing them with more watered-down language that recommended creating the conditions for a sustainable cessation of hostilities.

We know this is not a perfect text, Lana Zaki Nusseibeh, the U.N. ambassador from the United Arab Emirates, told the Security Council on Friday. We know only a cease-fire will end the suffering.

But she added, The purpose of the text is very simple: It responds with action to the dire humanitarian situation on the ground for the Palestinian people bearing the brunt of this conflict, while protecting those who are trying to deliver lifesaving aid.
Giovanni Anselmo, one of the funnier and more philosophical of the Italian artists making what the critic Germano Celant indelibly named Arte Povera, or poor art, died on Monday at his home in Turin, Italy. He was 89.

His death was announced by the Marian Goodman Gallery in New York, which represented him.

In 1967, Mr. Celant noticed that some members of the postwar generation of young artists were using humor, provocation and unconventional materials to rebel against both older artistic orthodoxies and materialist pop culture. He coined the term arte povera in connection with a show he curated in Genoa, which included the work of Jannis Kounellis, Alighiero Boetti and others. He then wrote a manifesto and began gathering other like-minded artists.

Mr. Anselmo, an early addition to the movement, was distinguished from his peers by his particularly thoughtful cast. His most famous work may have been Senza Titolo (Struttura Che Mangia) (Untitled (Structure That Eats)): two blocks of granite, bound together with copper wire and sandwiching a fresh head of lettuce. As the lettuce sagged, so did the smaller block, until finally the block fell and the greens had to be replaced  or not.
The concert version was Bernsteins attempt to restore his entire score, which had been altered in several versions  including the successful revival that moved to Broadway in 1974, which deleted about half of the musical numbers. Adding a narrator to the concert version 15 years later helped focus the story.

The advantage of the concert version is that 95 percent of the text is delivered by the narrator, Garth Edwin Sunderland, vice president for creative projects at the Leonard Bernstein Office in New York, said in a video interview. That allows the cast to focus on the singing. And that is a huge help to this MusikTheater an der Wien production with its multilingual cast.

The production, which will be performed in English with German and English supertitles, is also a well-timed celebration of Bernstein in a city where he flourished as a conductor.

Bernstein basically bought the Mahler symphonies back to the Vienna Philharmonic in the 1960s, the conductor Marin Alsop said in a recent phone interview. Ms. Alsop, who was also a protegee of Bernsteins, will lead the Radio Symphony Orchestra of Vienna, where she is the chief conductor, for this production. The public didnt respond to Mahlers works like he had wanted at first, but Bernstein had a deep relationship with the Vienna Orchestra and the city.

One of the most famous songs from Candide lampoons the German philosopher Gottfried Wilhelm Leibnizs famous reference to the best of all possible worlds. Finding your way through the world with a balance of cynicism and hope may be the true message of Candide, said Kai Wessler, dramaturge for the MusikTheater an der Wien. In that role, Mr. Wessler has studied the many versions of Candide and worked to secure the concert version for the theater.
When the rollover limit goes to $7,000, its going to be somewhere north of $1.5 trillion that are being frittered away by this inefficient system, said Spencer Williams, chief executive officer of Retirement Clearinghouse, a firm that helps transfer old 401(k)s to workers new plans.

The law governing retirement accounts allows the sponsoring employers to have the plan administrators move inactive, small-balance 401(k)s and similar defined contribution accounts out of their plans in order to escape the cost of record keeping and sending notifications to ex-employees who may not have left a forwarding address.

However, the fiduciary responsibility to prudently handle the money remains with the employer. To play it safe, the money is rolled into I.R.A.s and invested in low-yielding money-market vehicles, certificates of deposit or other cash equivalents. While thats done with good intentions, there is a hitch: The low returns of those new ultrasafe I.R.A.s dont generate enough cash to offset fees of as much as $115 per year, which could deplete a workers $1,000 account balance to $0 within 30 years in some cases but in as little as nine years in one plan, a 2014 report from the Government Accountability Office found.

For accounts with less than $1,000, the employer can simply cash out the account and send the former employee a check, which triggers income taxes and a 10 percent early-withdrawal penalty for anyone younger than 59. The same taxes and penalties also hit more than half of all job changers who choose to cash out low-balance 401(k)s on their own.

Losses caused by involuntary rollovers are more likely to hurt younger employees. Of three million accounts held by state, county and other government workers, 66 percent of those workers whose accounts fall under the new $1,001 to $7,000 limit are between the ages of 20 and 40, according to an analysis by the Employee Benefits Research Institute, or E.B.R.I., a public policy research organization.
Kree Flowers had recently gotten married and decided to log into her account on the Social Security Administrations website in February to check on the status of her retirement benefits. She was shocked to see a big red number at the top of the page. According to the agency, she had been overpaid by $17,121.21.

At that point, my mind immediately goes to fraud, she said. Someone collected benefits under my name  thats what I was thinking.

The next morning, when Ms. Flowers called the agency, a representative told her that she had been overpaid for benefits between 1995 and 2003 and was expected to repay the balance. This didnt make sense to her: She was 10 years old when the disputed payments began. My first instinct was to laugh and correct him, she said.

But Ms. Flowers said the representative had seemed unfazed by her age and directed her to fill out a form to dispute the charges. A few days later, her sister realized that she had been overpaid by the same amount.
In the In Times Past column, David W. Dunlap explores New York Times history through artifacts housed in the Museum of The Times.

Newspaper columns dont often make good anthologies. Overtaken by events, columns can lose resonance and relevance long before they reach bookstores. In its timelessness, however, The Eight Million: Journal of a New York Correspondent, an anthology of the work of Meyer Berger (1898-1959), poetically defies the rule.

Berger originated the About New York column in The New York Times in 1939. His essays on city life in the 30s and 40s will leave you hearing the deep bass of tugboat horns, smelling the honest sweat of laborers and seeing the purple haze of coal smoke veiling New Yorks towers at dawn and dusk.

As a chronicle of the citys more compelling and eccentric characters  gangsters very much included  The Eight Million was an ideal choice for the Armed Services Editions. These fit-in-your-pocket paperbacks were distributed by the millions, free of charge, to the soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines fighting World War II. An exhibition about this publishing effort, The Best-Read Army in the World, is on view at the Grolier Club in Manhattan through Dec. 30. A copy of The Eight Million in its wartime format is in the Museum at The Times.

Its author ranks as one of the most revered reporters in the history of The Times. Berger won a Pulitzer Prize in 1950 for his meticulous reconstruction of an appalling shooting spree in Camden, N.J., during which a 28-year-old Army veteran, Howard B. Unruh, killed 13 men, women and children.
Cydney Alvarez, a fabric developer in Brooklyn, was packing to visit her family in Dallas for Christmas last year when she realized she had knitted her stepmother two left-handed mittens. She rushed to replace one: I was frantically trying to finish it on the flight, she said.

But the challenge is part of why Ms. Alvarez, 29, likes to knit presents. Since 2020, she has knitted about a dozen gifts for her family each year for the holidays. This year, she made five pairs of mittens, four hats, a stuffed fox wearing a reindeer-patterned dress, and a sweater for her fathers large French bulldog. Im a little nervous it wont fit him, she said of the dog sweater, her first. But Im hoping for the best.

The coronavirus pandemic fueled a knitting boom, with people craving new hobbies or looking to quell their nerves during lockdown. And at this time of year, knitting lends itself well to gift-giving. After all, there are only so many beanies one can make for a personal collection.

But when it comes to hand-knitted presents, some New Yorkers are dealing with all kinds of anxieties and expectations over each items fit, style, pattern and color choice. Will the recipient appreciate the time and thought that went into the project? Or simply stuff the new scarf or cowl in a drawer and never pull it out? For many knitters, deciding who receives a present hinges on these questions.
Rev. Dennis B. O'Neill stands with a newly-acquired relic of St. Juan Diego, to whom Catholics believe Our Lady of Guadalupe appeared, at the Shrine of All Saints at St. Martha Church in Morton Grove. (Pam DeFiglio)

This Christmas, a Morton Grove church is celebrating the arrival of two Catholic holy relics, including one from St. Luke, a key figure in Christianity and author of a gospel that tells the story of Jesus birth.

It also recently added a relic, a holy object which is frequently a bone or garment of a saint, of St. Juan Diego just before the Dec. 12 feast day of Our Lady of Guadalupe, who appeared to the saint in Mexico in 1531, Catholics believe.

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The two new relics join a collection of 3,100 others at St. Marthas Church/Shrine of All Saints, and Rev. Dennis B. ONeill of the parish believes it is the third largest collection in the world after those of the Vatican and St. Anthonys Chapel in Pittsburgh.

The St. Juan Diego relic is a bone fragment of the saint, housed in an elaborately decorated container, or reliquary. The reliquaries can be plaques or frames or vessels, often allow the relic to be viewed under glass, and sometimes display symbols of the saint.

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The St. Luke reliquary, for example, is a wooden plaque with a carving of a bull, St. Lukes symbol. It contains the tip of St. Lukes right thumb.

Assuming St. Luke was right-handed, this is the hand that wrote the gospels, said ONeill. The evangelist is credited with penning the Acts of the Apostles in addition to the Gospel of St. Luke, both in the New Testament.

ONeill, the pastor emeritus of St. Marthas, became interested in relics when an older priest gave him a relic of St. Dominic Savio as a teenager.

It was like a tangible connection it gave me to the saints, ONeill recalled. It was just the energy of connection. I liked the feeling. I decided to try to reproduce it again and again and make as many saints available as possible so people dont have to travel all over the world to various shrines.

As curator, ONeill obtains relics for the Shrine of All Saints and searches regularly for new relics to add to the collection.

I love history, ONeill said. St. Martha is clearly my last parish because Im getting old, and the building was ideal for it. The bulk of relics were rescued from churches, monasteries, convents, palace chapels and chapels.

Robin Jensen, a University of Notre Dame theology professor, explained that relic veneration is a widespread practice in Roman Catholicism as well as other Christian traditions such as Greek and Russian Orthodox, but not common in Protestant churches.

Relics are, however, a way that devotees feel a connection to the saint to which they pray, she said. Its a link, but its also not necessary to have a relic to pray to a saint. Some relics are believed to be miracle-working. One does not pray to a saint for a miracle, however, but asks the saint to intercede with God/Christ for aid of some kind (e.g., healing).

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The Shrine of All Saints at St. Martha Church in Morton Grove, which is believed to have one of the largest collections of Catholic relics in the world, has added a relic this Christmas of St. Luke the Evangelist. The reliquary plaque shows St. Luke's symbol, the bull. The relic, the tip of the saint's right thumb, is in the circle near the bottom. (Pam DeFiglio)

Carole Brueckner, chairperson of St. Anthonys Chapel in Pittsburgh, said about 5,200 relics are housed there, but the number of saints represented can be hard to determine because some of the reliquaries contain relics from many saints. For example, one contains 700 relics.

We do have 5,000 certificates, documenting the relics, she indicated.

In Morton Grove on Dec. 9, some 400 Catholics filled St. Martha Church to welcome the relic of St. Juan Diego on the day commemorating his seeing the Virgin Mary.

It was wonderful, said ONeill. We had a mariachi band. They played all the parts of the mass. I said the mass in Latin and they said the responses in Spanish. It was a lot of fun and there was plenty of food afterwards.

The Shrine of All Saints at St. Martha Church in Morton Grove acquired this relic of St. Juan Diego, to whom Catholics believe Our Lady of Guadalupe appeared in Mexico in 1531, in December. (Pam DeFiglio)

After Mass, chinelos, or Mexican dancers, incited memories of Spanish conquistadors who brought violent death and disease to the region at the time St. Juan Diego saw the Virgin Mary as Our Lady of Guadalupe, said ONeill.

They wear big, beautiful gaudy-colored costumes with headdresses, he said of the chinelos. They do beautiful dancing.

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ONeill blessed each attendee with the relic of St. Juan Diego before bringing it to the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Des Plaines, where it was featured as part of a massive annual celebration honoring Our Lady of Guadalupe on Dec. 11 and 12.

St. Juan Diego is the first indigenous Catholic saint to the Americas and said to have been visited by Our Lady of Guadalupe in what is now Mexico City, said Alejandro Castillo, a spokesman for the Archdiocese of Chicago.

ONeill first spotted the St. Juan Diego relic on the Internet.

I keep an eye out every day to see whats out there, ONeill explained. It appeared, and its extremely rare. It had the proper documents.

Cardinal Camillo Ruini, former vicar general of the Diocese of Rome from 1991 to 2008, signed, sealed and certified the relic on Oct. 10, 2005, ONeill said.

St. Juan Diego reported seeing Our Lady of Guadalupe 10 years after the conquistadors destroyed and flattened the city that was later rebuilt as Mexico City, he said.

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They did it in the name of the king and Christ, ONeill said. They terribly misrepresented Christianity.

Our Lady of Guadalupe appeared to Juan Diego outside a temple to an Aztec goddess to tell him to ask the bishop of Mexico City to build a chapel there in her honor, ONeill related. The bishop dismissed Juan Diegos request, and Our Lady visited Diego again and told him to gather all the flowers at the top of a hill, even though it was cold, ONeill said. Diego wrapped his tilma, or cloak, around the flowers, brought them to the bishop and Our Lady of Guadalupe appeared, he said. It blew away the bishop. He believed him and built the chapel where she asked and kept his tilma in the chapel. The tilma has lasted 500 years and is still in perfect condition.

As for the St. Luke relic, ONeill noted the saint is important to all Christians and was a disciple of St. Paul, who was one of the 12 apostles.

(St. Luke) probably never met Jesus, but he probably met Mary, ONeill said, indicating she was probably the source of Lukes gospels stories of Jesus childhood, the Annunciation and the birth of John the Baptist.

The Shrine of All Saints in Morton Grove contains Catholic holy relics of more than 3,100 saints, according to curator Rev. Dennis B. O'Neill. (Pam DeFiglio)

The new St. Luke relic comes from the collection of Domenico Napoleone II Orsini, born 1948, the current Duke of Gravina, Italy, ONeill said. It descends from a previous Orsini duke who in 1724 became a pope, then ordained a Bishop Cervioni who certified and sealed the relic, and it was recertified by a Cardinal Morichini in 1870, according to ONeill.

Asked whether All Saints Parish parishioners realize the importance of the shrines collection of relics, ONeill reflected that many just consider them part of the surroundings. Until somebody else tells them they heard how cool the relics are--or when theyre in the news, he said. Then they start talking about how this is something unique we have here.

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Five docents are available to give tours of the shrine and relics to groups or individuals, and ONeill said many of them make donations, which enables the shrine to purchase more relics. One donor also has given $2,500 a year for the past two years through her foundation, he said.

The relics fall into a category the Catholic church calls sacramentals, ONeill explained, and that means anything, such as statues, that the faithful can use to open channels of communication between us and Jesus, or us and Mary, or us and the saints.

Many people believe theres some life, some presence left in the saints remains. People felt they were more personally visiting them, he said.

God gave us each other so we could learn how to love, he said. That doesnt end with death...We believe theres a lot of people on the other side that love us. Why should we cut it off at death? God doesnt.
The Rafah Border Crossing received Saturday 21 wounded Palestinians and their companions coming from hospitals in the Gaza Strip for treatment in Egyptian hospitals, a reliable medical source told Egyptian state news agency MENA.

The wounded Palestinians will receive treatment at the Sheikh Zuweid and Arish General hospitals in North Sinai, the Abu-Khalifa Hospital and the Medical Complex in Ismailia, the Atfal Misr hospital in Cairo, and the floating French hospital in Arish Port.

The source added that the patients were brought to the crossing by Palestinian ambulances.

According to sources at the Rafah Port, the border crossing was opened early Saturday in both directions for the evacuation of 132 foreigners from Norway, Ukraine, Ireland, the Netherlands, the US, and Morocco.

No information was provided about whether any aid entered Gaza during the opening.

Egypt has received nearly 300 injured Palestinians for treatment in its hospitals since the start of the Israeli war on Gaza last October, half of them children.

Since the start of the war, Egypt has called on the international community to pressure Israel to keep the Rafah Border Crossing permanently open to deliver aid to the strip.

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Lets consider a counterfactual. In the autumn of 2016, with American liberalism reeling from the election of Donald Trump, a shattered Hillary Clinton embraces the effort to pin all the blame on Vladimir Putin.

She barnstorms the country arguing that the election was fundamentally illegitimate because of foreign interference. She endorses every attempt to prove that Russian disinformation warped the result. She touts conspiracy theories that supposedly prove that voting machines in Wisconsin were successfully hacked. She argues that her opponent should not be allowed to take office, that hes a possible Manchurian candidate, a Russian cats paw. And she urges Democrats in Congress and Vice President Joe Biden to refuse to certify the election  suggesting that it could somehow be rerun or even that patriotic legislators could use their constitutional authority to make her, the popular-vote winner, president instead.

Her crusade summons up a mass movement  youthful, multiracial and left wing. On Jan. 6, 2017, a crowd descends on the National Mall to demand that Trump the traitor be denied the White House. Clinton stirs them up with an angry speech, and protesters attack and overwhelm the Capitol Police and surge into the Capitol, where one is shot by a police officer and the rest mill around for a while and finally disperse.

The election is still certified, and Trump becomes president two weeks later. But he is ineffective and unpopular, and it looks as though Clinton, who is still denying his legitimacy, will be the Democratic nominee again. At which point right-wing legal advocacy groups announce an effort to have her removed from primary ballots, following the guidance of originalist scholars who argue that under the 14th Amendment, she has betrayed her senatorial oath by fomenting insurrection and is ineligible to hold political office.
This is the latest in my occasional series of conversations about Christianity, aimed at bridging Americas God gulf. Previously, Ive spoken with the Rev. Timothy Keller, President Jimmy Carter, Cardinal Joseph Tobin and others. Heres my interview with Beth Moore, an influential evangelical writer who broke with the Southern Baptist Convention in 2021. It has been edited for clarity and length.

Nicholas Kristof: Merry Christmas! This is my favorite season, but Im skeptical that Jesus was born to a virgin. Do we need to accept miracles to celebrate the Christmas story?

Beth Moore: For people who believe Jesus rose from the dead, a virgin birth is not inconceivable.

Kristof: Most Christians today no longer believe that the Earth was created 6,000 years ago, or that Eve was made from Adams rib. So why hold on to the virgin birth, which, after all, is mentioned in only two of the Gospels and is omitted in Mark, which was probably the first to be written?

Moore: If we were to strip the Bible of its wonders, miracles and mysteries, we might have a religion left, but it wouldnt be Christianity or Judaism. The miraculous is essential. But any place is a starting point: whatever draws us into the story. God uses all sorts of aspects to draw us into its center.
A generation after the Supreme Court stepped into a disputed presidential election, America is experiencing a creeping sense of deja vu. Twenty-three years ago, a bare majority of the justices halted a recount in Florida, effectively handing the presidency to George W. Bush.

The specter of Bush v. Gore, the case that stands as a marker of how not to resolve searing political disputes, looms large as the Supreme Court is being called on to address controversies with profound implications for the fortunes of the Republican front-runner in 2024.

The justices are feeling the heat nearly a year in advance of an election rather than in the fraught weeks following the vote. The questions today are more complex  there are at least three separate matters, not one  and all revolve around the Capitol insurrection that transpired across the street from the Supreme Court Building in 2021.

On Friday, the court turned down the special counsel Jack Smiths request for fast-track review of Donald Trumps claim that former presidents have absolute immunity from criminal prosecution for their conduct while in office. But that critical question will almost certainly return to the Supreme Court soon: The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia is hearing the case on Jan. 9 and will probably rule shortly thereafter.
NATIONAL

A photo caption with an article on Friday about Claudine Gays tenure as Harvard president misstated the organization that hosted the event at which Dr. Gay spoke. She spoke at a Sabbath dinner hosted by Harvard Chabad, not Harvard Hillel (though she also appeared at another event hosted by Harvard Hillel).

ARTS

An article on Wednesday about Curt Bloch, who produced a weekly magazine while hiding in an attic in the Nazi-occupied Netherlands, gave an incorrect age for Mr. Bloch when Hitler became chancellor of Germany in 1933. He was 24, not 22.

SCIENCE TIMES

A picture caption with an article on Tuesday about fitness professionals who participate in cadaver workshops misidentified the person shown in the center. She is not Fauna Moore.

MAGAZINE

An article on Page 30 this weekend about Palestinian refugee camps in Jordan misstates the name of a child who resides at Jabal el-Hussein Camp. She is Lital Hazem Marrar, not Renad Hazem.
The ruins of Mitla sit about 30 miles from Oaxaca in the mountains of southern Mexico, built on a high valley floor as a gateway between the world of the living and the dead. The site was established in roughly A.D. 200 as a fortified village, and then as a burial ground by the Zapotecs, the so-called Cloud People, who settled in the region around 1500 B.C.

Five main sets of ruins are scattered throughout the small modern tourist hub that is San Pablo Villa de Mitla. Some are royal houses and ceremonial centers featuring central plazas. One is a crumbling pyramid, and another is a domed Spanish church with adjoining Zapotec courtyards. Elaborate mosaics cover the walls, meandering geometric friezes resembling carved lace; petrified weaving is how Aldous Huxley described them in his 1934 travelogue, Beyond the Mexique Bay. Traces of color linger on masonry that was once slathered in bright red paint made by grinding cochinillas, wood lice that live on nopal cactuses.

Spanish chroniclers christened Mitla the Vatican of the Zapotec religion, and its wonders were said to continue underground. The Zapotecs, known for their metaphysical connection to rain, thunder and lightning, believed that they could commune with gods and ancestral spirits in an earthen cavity below their city, which led to a netherworld known as Lyobaa, the place of rest.

In 1674, Francisco de Burgoa, a Dominican friar, wrote an account, based largely on church documents, of Spanish missionaries who had explored a sprawling labyrinth of tunnels and burial chambers beneath the ruins of a monumental palace. A century earlier, secular clergy had blocked the doorways to the sunken complex with bricks and mortar, presumably either to keep the masses out or the ghosts in.
Mr. Rushing and his girlfriend, Nicole Brock, who witnessed the arrest, denied these claims. Mr. Rushing said he was pulling over when the deputies rammed his vehicle and they began to shock him with their Tasers while he was still in the drivers seat. He said he was in handcuffs when Mr. Dedmon placed a pistol in his mouth and radioed that an armed man was fleeing. Mr. Dedmon then pistol-whipped him in the head, Mr. Rushing said. His mug shot shows a large bleeding wound on his forehead, where Mr. Rushing said he was struck. Mr. Dedmon, who pleaded guilty this summer to federal and state charges related to the torture of three men, did not respond to multiple messages seeking comment left with his attorney.

Before taking him to jail, deputies placed him in the bed of their truck and drove to a nearby service road, Mr. Rushing said, where they told him he had made a mistake coming to their county and shocked him repeatedly with a Taser. Taser logs from the sheriffs department show that Mr. Dedmon triggered his Taser six times for a total of 19 seconds during the arrest. After being taken to jail, Mr. Rushing described the encounter to another inmate, who confirmed his account.

Mr. Rushing said he complained to the department, detailing the abuse; a lawyer for the department declined to provide copies, claiming they were personnel records. Mr. Rushing spent eight months in jail, but charges stemming from the incident were eventually dropped. Ms. Brock was charged with disorderly conduct and failure to comply and was fined $697.

Dwayne Kaiser, 59

February 2020, Pearl, Miss.

Dwayne Kaiser was set up by a confidential informant in a $100 methamphetamine deal, according to department records. Rankin County deputies then raided Mr. Kaisers home without presenting a search warrant, Mr. Kaiser said. Department officials told reporters they could not find a copy of a search warrant. Deputies brought Mr. Kaiser into his bedroom, he said, where they demanded to know where the $100 was and punched him repeatedly. Mr. Kaiser said that one deputy shocked him in the leg with his Taser, which is supported by department Taser logs. No use of force is mentioned in the deputies reports. Deputies then punched him until he told them where to find the money, Mr. Kaiser said.

Mr. Kaiser pleaded guilty to selling methamphetamine and was sentenced to ten years in prison and said he was released after three years.
Chicago is expected to end 2023 with a double-digit decline in both shootings and homicides, a sign that the pandemic-era rise in gun violence is beginning to recede. But citywide data shows that a small subset of Chicagos shootings  those involving domestic violence  have accelerated this year, a spike that is prompting new alarm among advocates for victims.

As 2023 nears an end, shootings that Chicago authorities deemed domestic in nature have increased 19 percent compared with last year at this time, according to city data. While the number of fatal domestic shootings is unchanged from 2022, nonfatal shootings have increased 27 percent.

Those shootings  127, as of this week  include a broad array of situations that are classified as domestic, often occurring at home. They include violence against women at the hands of partners; a woman shooting her abusive partner in self-defense; and a man who shoots a cousin during an argument.

Only a small portion of the more than 2,800 people who were shot in Chicago in 2023 were found to be victims of domestic violence, but domestic shootings were a source of concern because of their growing numbers.
Democrats in battleground states are growing increasingly anxious about President Bidens low approval ratings, worrying that voters persistent antipathy toward his leadership could not only cost the party the White House but also weigh down the candidates who are sharing the ballot with him.

These Democrats fear that the Biden campaign is late in building a strong organization in the handful of states that are likely to determine next years presidential election. They point to polling numbers showing Mr. Biden lagging far behind Democratic candidates for Congress in those states and struggling among key groups of voters, including Black and Latino Americans.

In Arizona, Democratic polling has found Mr. Biden losing Hispanic voters to former President Donald J. Trump in Maricopa County, which includes Phoenix and represents more than 60 percent of voters in the state. In Michigan, where Mr. Bidens approval rating is a striking 15 percentage points behind that of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, a fellow Democrat, he has lost ground with Black and Arab American voters. And in Georgia, officials say the Biden economic message has not broken through to voters, in part because voters have seen Gov. Brian Kemp, a Republican, take credit for many of the new projects in the state.

Im extremely concerned, said Mayor Van Johnson of Savannah, Ga. President Biden is a man of great character. Certainly, hes a president of great accomplishments. But that is not translating to southeast Georgia.
When Iranian-backed militias repeatedly targeted U.S. troops in Syria and Iraq this fall, the Biden administration struck back with force. Action was needed, officials said, to deter the groups from turning Israels conflict with Hamas into a wider war.

But the United States has not yet retaliated against one Iranian-backed group: the Houthis of Yemen.

In the past month alone, the Houthis have launched more than 100 attacks against commercial vessels in the Red Sea, crippling traffic there.

So why has the United States taken a different approach with the Houthis? The reasons are many.

What does the Gaza conflict have to do with the attacks in the Red Sea?

The Houthis have launched missiles and drones at vessels in the Red Sea and seized an Israeli-linked ship during more than two months of war between Israel and Hamas.
The Supreme Courts decision on Friday not to fast-track consideration of former President Donald J. Trumps claim that he is immune to prosecution on charges of plotting to overturn the 2020 election was unquestionably a victory for Mr. Trump and his lawyers.

The choice by the justices not to take up the issue now  rendered without explanation  gave a boost to the former presidents legal strategy of delaying the proceedings as much as possible in the hopes of running out the clock before Election Day.

It is not clear, however, that the decision holds any clues to what the Supreme Court might think of the substance of his immunity claim. And the degree to which it pushes off Mr. Trumps trial will only be determined in coming weeks as the clash over whether he can be prosecuted plays out in the federal appeals court in Washington  and then perhaps makes its way right back to the justices.

How the Supreme Court handles the case at that point could still have profound implications, both for whether the federal election interference indictment will stand and for whether Mr. Trump might succeed in pushing a trial past the election. At that point, if he wins the presidency, he could order the charges to be dropped.
The results of Egypts 2024 presidential elections, with President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi securing a new term, mark the timely accomplishment of a crucial constitutional milestone despite the escalating external threats facing Egypt from various directions.

While these threats have persisted since 2011, particularly with the upheavals in Libya, Yemen, and Syria, they have taken unprecedented dimensions this year. Whether through the intense conflict in Sudan between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces or more significantly, the ramifications cascading from Operation Al-Aqsa Flood on 7 October.

Reflecting on the previous presidential elections in 2018 reveals that regional threats stemmed from two primary sources. The first was US President Donald Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital, the relocation of the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem in December 2017, and the Israeli Knesset's final approval of the Unified Jerusalem Law in early 2018.

These decisions not only contravened international resolutions rejecting any alteration of Jerusalem's status but also served as a ticking time bomb, given the steadfast Palestinian and Arab refusal to compromise on Jerusalem.

The second source of regional threats was Trump's withdrawal from the nuclear agreement with Iran in May 2018. This withdrawal heightened tensions in the Middle East, considering Iran's capability to destabilize its various spheres of influence in the region.

Thus, there were serious and genuine regional threats during the preparation for the Egyptian presidential elections. However, most world nations opposed altering Jerusalem's status, and the nuclear deal signatories pledged to compensate Iran for U.S. economic sanctions, creating a sense of feasibility for Iran.

What unfolded after 7 October was notably different for two reasons. Firstly, the systematic genocide against the Palestinian people in Gaza by the occupying forces could only deepen the spirit of Palestinian national resistance, irrespective of affiliation with Hamas. This extended the Palestinian-Israeli conflict duration indefinitely.

Secondly, plans for the forced displacement of Palestinians toward neighboring countries, signaling the potential resolution of the Palestinian issue, transitioned from closed Israeli chambers to public acknowledgment, with some European countries endorsing such plans.

This unprecedented level of threat to Egyptian and Arab national security prompted calls to postpone the Egyptian presidential elections, citing the need to fully address the severe developments on Egypt's eastern borders. Such calls, however, were disingenuous attempts to portray Egypt as incapable of managing its internal affairs due to external threats. Egypt, amid a wave of heinous terrorism following the 30 June Revolution in 2013, demonstrated its ability to conduct presidential and parliamentary elections successfully.

On the other hand, countries like Iraq, directly impacted by the Israeli aggression on Gaza, did not hesitate to hold provincial elections on 16 and 18 December. Egypt followed suit, demonstrating its diplomatic efforts for a ceasefire, humanitarian aid, and hostage release negotiations, alongside meticulous preparations for presidential elections nationwide.

The elections proceeded smoothly, marked by substantial ease. My experience as an observer for the National Council for Human Rights aligned with colleagues' observations in other regions. Overall, there was regularity in the voting process, excellent security at polling stations, substantial voter turnout reflecting Egyptians' national responsibility amid external threats, facilitation of observers' entry to verify procedures, and minimal electoral violations reflected in the absence of complaints in the results.

Now, with President El-Sisi's significant victory, Egypts focus must shift to the future. El-Sisis electoral vision emphasizes human development. I envision the restart of national dialogue and its resumption as a crucial tool in the human development process. This is due to the multitude of dialogue dimensions, encompassing political, economic, and social aspects. Such dialogues have historically fostered consensus among Egyptians and instigated notable societal progress, needing rejuvenation.

Additionally, valuable proposals emerged from these dialogues, demanding activation for a qualitative leap in the democratic evolution crucial for human development.

*The writer is a professor of political science at Cairo University

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That blueprint remains intact largely because his approach continues to yield political returns.

Far from agonizing over the collateral damage from his never-surrender ethos, Mr. Trump seems incentivized by strife, tightly braiding his legal defense with his presidential campaign. He has tried to run out the clock on his criminal trials, a strategy that earned a new victory on Friday when the Supreme Court declined to decide a key point of contention in his federal 2020 election case immediately.

While this year began with most Republicans telling pollsters that they preferred a different presidential nominee, the calendar will flip to 2024 with roughly two-thirds of the party aligned behind Mr. Trump. His legal problems, which in decades past would have bolstered rivals for a major partys presidential nomination, have only caused Republican voters to unify around him more.

This has been the mystery of the Trump era  every time we think this is the final straw, it turns into a steel beam that merely solidifies his political infrastructure, said Eliot Spitzer, a former Democratic governor of New York. Mr. Spitzer resigned as governor in 2008 amid a prostitution scandal, saying at the time that he owed as much to his family and the public.

Lately, Mr. Trump has faced increased criticism that he is adopting fascist language and authoritarian tactics. Defending himself, he insisted repeatedly this week that he had never read Mein Kampf, Adolf Hitlers Nazi manifesto.

Of course, if there were a guidebook on how to run traditional American political campaigns, he would not have read that, either.
A homeless man who beat a former San Francisco city official with a metal pipe was found not guilty of assault charges on Friday, capping a case that had drawn national attention as a symbol of the citys crime and homelessness problems until a public defender unearthed a surprising back story.

The defendant, Garret Allen Doty, 25, faced as many as seven years in prison had he been found guilty of the charges that stemmed from an altercation in San Franciscos wealthy Marina district. On the evening of April 5, police responded to a neighborhood resident, Don Carmignani, 54, who had a fractured skull and severe injuries to his face that required more than 100 stitches. Multiple witnesses identified Mr. Doty as the assailant, and police arrested him minutes later.

But the public defender in the case, Kleigh Hathaway, determined that Mr. Carmignani had sprayed a canister of what appeared to be bear mace before Mr. Doty attacked him. Ms. Hathaway surfaced eight unsolved cases in which pepper spray or bear mace had been used against homeless people in the neighborhood. It was enough, she felt, to argue that Mr. Doty had responded in self-defense.

Jurors ultimately agreed on Friday.

This case shows us that the citizens of San Francisco can still tell the difference between right and wrong, Ms. Hathaway said afterward in an interview.
A man with developmental disabilities who spent more than 16 years in prison after being wrongfully convicted of murder has reached a settlement of $11,725,000 with the city of Elkhart, Ind., his lawyers said on Friday.

The man, Andrew Royer, said that when he first learned of the settlement he went numb.

Im a brand-new person, Mr. Royer, 48, said in an interview on Saturday. Im ecstatic.

A jury convicted Mr. Royer in the 2002 killing of a 94-year-old woman, Helen Sailor, who had been found strangled in a high-rise apartment in downtown Elkhart. Mr. Royer was sentenced to 55 years in prison.

Law enforcement officials said it was a burglary that had turned violent, but there were issues with the prosecutions case from the beginning.
President Vladimir V. Putins confidence seems to know no bounds.

Buoyed by Ukraines failed counteroffensive and flagging Western support, Mr. Putin says that Russias war goals have not changed. Addressing his generals on Tuesday, he boasted that Ukraine was so beleaguered that Russias invading troops were doing what we want.

We wont give up whats ours, he pledged, adding dismissively, If they want to negotiate, let them negotiate.

But in a recent push of back-channel diplomacy, Mr. Putin has been sending a different message: He is ready to make a deal.

Mr. Putin has been signaling through intermediaries since at least September that he is open to a cease-fire that freezes the fighting along the current lines, far short of his ambitions to dominate Ukraine, two former senior Russian officials close to the Kremlin and American and international officials who have received the message from Mr. Putins envoys say.
The Ukrainian police have arrested a senior Defense Ministry official on suspicions that he embezzled nearly $40 million as part of a fraudulent purchase of artillery shells for Ukraines military.

The Ukrainian authorities have been working to clean up the ministry since reports of graft and financial mismanagement led to the removal in September of the minister at the time. Ukraines security service announced the arrest of the senior official, whose name was not released, on Friday.

President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine has also made tackling corruption one of his key wartime goals, not only to reassure Ukraines Western allies that their billions of dollars in aid are not being siphoned off, but also to ensure an efficient allocation of resources as the countrys military runs short on weapons and ammunition in its fight to fend off Russias forces.

Ukrainian soldiers and commanders have said in recent days that their dearth of artillery shells has led them to scale back some military operations and has weakened Ukraines ability to withstand relentless Russian attacks.
Palestinians lined up for a free meal in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, on Thursday.

United Nations and other aid workers warned on Saturday that a new U.N. Security Council resolution calling for stepped-up aid for Gazas embattled civilians would fail to stop the spiraling humanitarian crisis because it did not demand a full halt to the fighting.

The resolution called on the U.N. Secretary General to appoint a special coordinator for aid to Gaza and establish a mechanism to speed up aid delivery in consultation with all relevant parties.

But without a cease-fire to accompany the stepped-up assistance, aid officials said they cannot address the insufficient food and fuel entering the territory, the collapse of Gazas commercial sector, frequent communications disruptions, or the inability of relief workers to reach many areas because of intensive Israeli airstrikes and ground operations.

Right now, we cannot deploy humanitarian aid. Its impossible, said Guillemette Thomas, the medical coordinator for Doctors Without Borders in Jerusalem. People need to be able to get food and water without the fear of being bombed or killed or shot at any moment. We need to be able to move within the strip to access people, she added.

The only thing that would be helpful is a cease-fire, she added.

It was not clear whether the resolution would push Israel, which is not on the Security Council and so did not have a vote, to modify its approach to the war. While such resolutions are considered legally binding, they are hard to enforce and countries often ignore them.

The resolution referenced a measure passed last month calling for humanitarian pauses and called for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages, a demand that Hamas, which still holds about 120 Israelis, was unlikely to heed, hoping instead to exchange them for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.

Israeli leaders have vowed to keep fighting until Hamas is destroyed and insist on checking all goods bound for Gaza to prevent the entry of weapons and other supplies that could benefit Hamass military effort.

After 11 weeks of war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, international alarm has risen over the plight of the territorys more than 2 million people, who are increasingly cut off from the outside world, displaced, cold and hungry.

This week, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, an international partnership of aid organizations, classified Gazas entire population as in crisis or worse in terms of access to food.

Human Rights Watch this week accused the Israeli government of using starvation of civilians as a method of warfare, which it called a war crime.

Image People climbed on aid trucks carrying supplies, including water, in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, on Sunday. Credit... Fatima Shbair/Associated Press

Juliette Touma, the director of communications for U.N.R.W.A., the largest U.N. agency in Gaza, said it may be too soon to know the full impact of the resolution.

It is welcome, but only time will tell what real difference this resolution is going to make, and it needs to increase the humanitarian assistance that has been going into Gaza.

Ms. Touma said that the aid entering Gaza during the war was woefully insufficient, less than 10 percent of what Gaza received before the war. And the fighting made distributing even limited aid impossible in many parts of Gaza.

The ongoing military operation and the bombardment are definitely a challenge because you cant deliver humanitarian assistance under a sky full of airstrikes, and there is very little assistance coming in, Ms. Touma said.

Isabel Kershner contributed reporting.
United Nations and other aid officials warned on Saturday that a new U.N. Security Council resolution calling for stepped-up aid delivery to the increasingly hungry and sick civilians of the Gaza Strip would fail to stop the spiraling humanitarian crisis because it did not demand a full halt to the fighting.

The resolution approved on Friday directs the secretary general of the United Nations to appoint a special coordinator for aid to Gaza and establish a mechanism to speed up delivery of desperately needed food, water, fuel and medicine, but it does not mandate a truce.

Even if enough aid were to cross the border, aid officials said, without a cease-fire, they would be unable to distribute it amid Israels frequent airstrikes and a ground invasion that has turned much of the territory into an active combat zone.

Right now, we cannot deploy humanitarian aid. Its impossible, said Guillemette Thomas, the medical coordinator for Doctors Without Borders in Jerusalem. People need to be able to get food and water without the fear of being bombed or killed or shot at any moment, she added. We need to be able to move within the strip to access people.
There will be no musical festivities. No tree-lighting ceremony. No extravagant decorations that normally bedeck the West Bank city of Bethlehem at Christmas. With the war in Gaza raging, this is a city in mourning.

In perhaps the most overt display of how Israels war in Gaza has dampened Christmas celebrations in the city seen as the birthplace of Jesus, a Lutheran church put up its creche, but with a sad and symbolic twist. The baby Jesus  wrapped in a keffiyeh, the black-and-white checkered scarf that has become a badge of Palestinian identity  is lying not in a makeshift cradle of hay and wood. Instead, he lies among the rubble of broken bricks, stones and tiles that represent so much of Gazas destruction.

Weve been glued to our screens, seeing children pulled from under the rubble day after day. Were broken by these images, said the Rev. Munther Isaac, the pastor at the Evangelical Lutheran Christmas Church who created the creche. God is under the rubble in Gaza, this is where we find God right now.
Colorados Supreme Court ruled, in a 4-to-3 decision, that former President Donald J. Trump had engaged in insurrection and therefore could not appear on the states ballot. Which constitutional amendment was it interpreting?
1 At Christmastime, 2 a female real estate developer lawyer C.E.O. reporter 3 travels to a small town 4 and meets her high school sweetheart. a local handyman. a single dad. an army veteran. 5 Meanwhile, a family cafe Alaskan inn dairy farm mystery who owned the bracelet? who is the Secret Santa? toy drive ball fundraiser needs saving. needs to be organized. needs solving. 6 In the end, she decides to move to the town, he decides to join her in the city, and they kiss.

Just How Formulaic Are Hallmark and Lifetime Holiday Movies? We (Over)analyzed 424 of Them.

The Hallmark and Lifetime networks are known for their prolific output of made-for-television holiday movies each year. Even in the age of streaming, they bring in impressive cable television ratings, perhaps aided by how easy they are to leave on while, say, baking several batches of gingerbread for a tree lighting ceremony.

They also have something of a reputation for following a very specific story line: A recently dumped, high-powered female executive from the city finds new love, purpose and appreciation for Christmas in a small town with the help of a handsome local fellow.

But how much does that formula hold up across the hundreds of holiday movies released since 2017 by Hallmark and Lifetime? Based on data from IMDb, internet recaps and our own viewing, our answer is quite a bit! With some caveats. Heres what we found.

1 Are they all about Christmas?

Yes, 99 percent of them. The networks began featuring Hanukkah starting in 2019, but often the holiday appears in conjunction with Christmas. In one Hallmark movie, the characters celebrate Kwanzaa, and Christmas.

Of the 424 movies we analyzed, 73 percent have Christmas right in the title.

Lifetime 2020 Christmas Ever After

Lifetime 2023 A Christmas Intern

Lifetime 2021 The Christmas Ball

Lifetime 2017 Christmas in Mississippi

Lifetime 2020 Christmas on the Vine

Hallmark 2018 Christmas at Grand Valley

Lifetime 2020 Candy Cane Christmas

Hallmark 2018 Memories of Christmas

Lifetime 2019 The Road Home for Christmas

This might be starting to change. Just 53 percent of Hallmarks 40 holiday titles for this year include the word Christmas. I think people should know that they are holiday movies, but you run out of adjectives and adverbs to use with Christmas at some point, said Lisa Hamilton Daly, the networks programming executive.

Ms. Daly also said the network was trying to mix up its poster art, which has been mocked for its repetitive depiction of a man and a woman in a green or red sweater.

Hallmark 2017 Hallmark 2023 Images from IMDb.

But Christmas still provides much of the backdrop for the movies. Samantha DiPippo, a senior vice president in charge of Hallmarks holiday movie development, said the goal was to make the sets look organic and aspirational.

We try not to put bows on things where bows should not be, because thats not how someone would decorate their house, she said. I want to watch one of these movies and go, Oh man, I should do that to my tree.

2 Are all of the leads women with high-powered jobs?

Actually, no! Though its true that most of the protagonists are women, just 22 percent of female leads start the movie in a big-city corporate job, like lawyer, developer, architect or brand strategist. Nearly as many work at a local shop, or are employed as writers or reporters.

All of the womens jobs: 87 Corporate jobs 19 Advertising, marketing or P.R. workers 14 Lawyers 10 Real estate workers 9 Tech workers 7 Architects 5 Holiday or dating app developers 1 Corporate fixer 1 Greeting card executive 1 Stockbroker 20 Others 73 Retail and hospitality jobs 27 Store owners or employees 11 Bakers or pastry chefs 10 Restaurant owners or employees 8 Hotel owners or managers 8 Toy store owners or employees 3 Book store owners or employees 1 Candy cane company C.E.O. 1 Chef 1 Cookie company C.E.O. 1 Sommelier 1 Tour guide 1 Turkey hotline operator 66 Media jobs 21 Journalists 9 Book authors 8 Photographers 7 Editors 6 Columnists or bloggers 4 Romance novelists 3 Television producers 1 D.J. for a year-round Christmas station 1 Food stylist 1 Jingle writer 1 Podcaster 4 Others 30 Performing arts jobs 7 Musicians 6 Country singers 4 Choir or theater directors 4 Dancers 4 Pop or R&B singers 3 Actors 2 Ice skaters 29 Art and design jobs 17 Decorators or interior designers 5 Artists 3 Fashion or jewelry designers 3 Museum or gallery curators 1 Art dealer 21 Education jobs 19 Teachers 2 Superintendents or principals 14 Medical jobs 6 Doctors 3 Nurses 2 Optometrists 2 Veterinarians 1 Occupational therapist 13 Nonprofit or government jobs 3 Nonprofit workers 2 Mayors 1 Christmas tree procurer for the city of Chicago 7 Others 6 Agriculture jobs 1 Arborist 1 Cranberry farmer 1 Dairy farmer 1 Maple syrup farmer 1 Rancher 1 Reindeer farmer 5 Seasonal jobs 3 Christmas coaches or coordinators 1 Santas elf 1 Ghost of Christmas present 51 Other jobs 15 Event planners 3 Personal shoppers or organizers 3 Wedding planners 2 Dog trainers 2 Pilots 2 Caregivers 1 Adjudicator for the World Record Bureau 1 Astrophysicist 1 Detective 1 Marine biologist 1 Pastor 1 Rocket scientist 1 Secret agent 1 Veteran 1 Weather forecaster 15 Others Movies without a female lead or with ensemble casts were excluded.

While some of the women start off having trouble at work or feel they missed their true calling, others are working toward a promotion or new job. When it comes to love, many have experienced a recent breakup or other romantic troubles. About 10 percent are single moms.

The most common name for a female lead? Emma (9 movies), followed by Lucy and Olivia (7), and Emily, Holly, Molly and Sarah (6).

Many of the regularly featured actors, like Lacey Chabert, Jodie Sweetin and the Mowry sisters, are known for roles they played as teenagers. Ms. Daly said she thinks there is a comfort and familiarity to watching actors weve seen grow up on screen. Those are gold for us, she said.

Here are the women who have appeared in leading roles most often since 2017:

Lacey Chabert 9 Hallmark movies Ashley Williams 7 Hallmark movies Tatyana Ali 6 Hallmark and Lifetime movies Brooke DOrsay 6 Hallmark movies Nikki DeLoach 6 Hallmark movies Jana Kramer 6 Lifetime movies

Hallmark in particular has been criticized for its lack of casting diversity. Of the movies released by Hallmark since 2017, 18 percent have featured a nonwhite star on the poster, compared with 44 percent of those released by Lifetime. But Hallmarks rate has been increasing, from 9 percent in 2017 to 20 percent in 2023.

We just want everyone who watches to be able to see themselves, Ms. DiPippo said.

Since 2020, both networks have released a handful of movies featuring gay main characters. And more movies of late have used ensemble casts or emphasized family and friendship, not just couples finding love.

Lifetime has been a destination for a lot of firsts in the Christmas space, said Sapna Vyas, the vice president for scripted content at Lifetime. In 2020, the network released its first holiday movie featuring an all-Asian cast. In 2022, it filmed Merry Textmas with an all-Latino cast in Mexico, in a debut by a Mexican-Canadian filmmaker, Alba Gil.

3 Do they all take place in a small town?

Mostly! Its understandable, given how much small towns are associated with closeness, community and tradition.

Claremont Hawkins Bay Brooklyn, Colo. White Oak, Nev. Evergreen, Vt. A Tennessee town NYC to Vermont town Glenbrooke, Colo. Images from IMDb. Locations in quotes are fictitious.

While 40 percent of the stories begin with a woman traveling to a small town (often where she grew up), nearly as many find her already living there (or somewhere small-town adjacent, like a cozy suburb). Most of the movies take place in the U.S., but 70 percent are filmed in Canada.

In recent years, both Hallmark and Lifetime have expanded where they film into destinations abroad.

Mexico Germany Scotland U.K. Italy France Norway U.K. Images from IMDb. Locations indicate where the movie was set and filmed, at least in part.

Ms. Chabert, who has an exclusive contract with Hallmark, has appeared in three holiday movies set in Europe. Its not contractual, but she enjoys filming around the world, so were happy to oblige, Ms. Daly said.

4 Are all of the love interests handsome local men?

Just some of them. About 20 percent of male love interests can be categorized as locals that the women meet on a visit to a small town. They are more likely to be someone from the womans past, like an old friend or ex-boyfriend.

How the men break down: 91 Men from the past 58 Exes or former crushes 11 Old friends 9 Old nemeses or rivals 1 Former business partner 1 Former dance partner 1 Former musical partner 10 Others 75 Local men 5 Teachers 4 Farmers or ranchers 4 Hotel owners or managers 3 Firefighters 3 Handymen or contractors 3 Mechanics 2 Bakers 2 Woodworkers 1 Air traffic controller 1 Botanist 1 Estate lawyer 1 Groundskeeper 1 Ice sculptor 1 Librarian 1 Sheriff 42 Others 34 Employers or clients 11 Hiring a decorator or event planner 3 Hiring a nanny 2 Hiring a personal shopper 1 Hiring a carousel restorer 1 Hiring an arborist 16 Others 30 Rivals or challengers 9 Real estate developers 6 Business rivals 1 Man who booked the same cabin 1 Food critic 13 Others 28 Coworkers 8 Rivals 3 Fellow journalists 1 Fellow detective 1 Morning show co-host 15 Others 12 Current partners 5 Boyfriends 3 Husbands 2 Fiances 1 Husband (separated) 1 Presumed-dead husband 9 Employees or consultants 4 Handymen or contractors 1 Baking consultant 1 Candy cane company consultant 1 Driver 1 Fruitcake business consultant 1 Nanny 8 Writers or subjects 5 Writers 3 Subjects of writers 4 Men pretending to be a boyfriend 1 Actor 1 Bodyguard 1 Brother of a friend 1 Co-pilot 105 Others 3 Customers 3 Neighbors 2 Best friends 1 Adoptive father to her adopted son's brother 1 Attending nurse 1 Dance instructor 1 Nutcracker who comes to life 1 Organ donor 1 Turkey hotline caller 91 Others Movies without a male love interest or with ensemble casts were excluded.

Twenty percent of the men are single fathers. Suffice to say, this is higher than the actual number of single dads in the U.S. While Ms. Daly said that different family situations make characters more relatable, she also admitted that we found that watching men be parents is very attractive to women.

The most common name for male leads is tied between Jack and Ryan (9 movies each), followed by David, Michael, Nick and Ben (8).

Most featured leading men since 2017:

Corey Sevier 9 Hallmark and Lifetime movies Andrew W. Walker 9 Hallmark and Lifetime movies Niall Matter 8 Hallmark and Lifetime movies Tyler Hynes 7 Hallmark movies Luke Macfarlane 7 Hallmark movies Paul Campbell 6 Hallmark movies Ryan Paevey 6 Hallmark movies Brendan Penny 6 Hallmark movies Kristoffer Polaha 6 Hallmark movies

The romantic plots have always been limited to a chaste kiss or two. But in what Ms. Vyas says is a reflection of Lifetimes desire to showcase relatable, modern adults, one of the networks 2023 releases features a sex scene.

5 Do the stories all share major plot points?

No, but there are several common tropes, such as a Christmas Eve gala or a struggling shop.

Patrick Serrano has watched every holiday movie from Hallmark and Lifetime since 2016, publishing recaps on his blog, Lifetime Uncorked, and discussing them on a podcast.

The reliance on tropes is very similar to horror movies or a Marvel movie, Mr. Serrano said. These certain things happen in every movie.

Nearly half revolve around an event like a holiday festival, competition or performance.

Some of the events they must plan (or participate in): A 12 Days of Christmas-themed scavenger hunt On the 12th Date of Christmas A 15-year class reunion Christmas Class Reunion A Christmas broadcast Cloudy with a Chance of Christmas A Christmas carnival Christmas with a Kiss A Christmas Eve parade Finding Santa A Christmas festival Planes, Trains, and Christmas Trees A Christmas scavenger hunt Christmas Scavenger Hunt A Christmas treasure hunt A Christmas to Treasure A Christmas wedding A Blue Ridge Mountain Christmas A cookie baking contest A Sweet Christmas Romance Show 25 more events

A quarter of the plots feature a business or town in trouble.

Some of the places they must save: An Alaskan inn A Cozy Christmas Inn An animal shelter The Dog Days of Christmas A bakery A Christmas in Tennessee A bakery that makes Christmas Kringles Christmas in Love A bakery with famous gingerbread Baking All the Way A candy cane company Merry & Bright A candy store Magical Christmas Shoes A childrens theater Merry Magic Christmas A Christmas lights factory You Light Up My Christmas A Christmas store Sharing Christmas Show 27 more places

About 10 percent involve some kind of secret that must be revealed by movies end.

Some of the mysteries they must solve: How did the parents meet? Christmas Connection Is Santa real? Snowed-Inn Christmas What do the riddles in the historic house mean? Mystery on Mistletoe Lane What is moms true story? A Merry Scottish Christmas What is the culinary school instructors true lineage? Yes, Chef! Christmas What is the truth behind a French love story? Joyeux Noel Whats killing the Christmas trees? You, Me & The Christmas Trees Where is the 50-year-old time capsule? Christmas in Evergreen: Tidings of Joy Who is the citys Secret Santa? Random Acts of Christmas Who is the Santa Crook? Catch Me if You Claus Show 9 more mysteries

The scripts lean heavily into nostalgia and tradition. In many cases, someone is very into Christmas, and someone is not (until they come around). In others, characters are helped along by some Christmas magic. Despite these commonalities, were continually trying to push ourselves out of what weve done in the past, Ms. DiPippo said.

Other elements that show up in many movies: musical acts, travel mix-ups, royalty, military veterans, true stories, time travel and mistaken identities. About half involve grief over a dead or estranged family member.

6 Do they all have happy endings?

Do you even have to ask? In many endings, the woman does leave her job and the city in favor of the town (and her new man). But as the networks work to modernize these stories, they are finding other ways to keep the new couples together.

For instance (spoilers ahead), in Jingle Bell Bride (2020), a New York City wedding planner in search of a rare flower meets a handsome botanist in rural Alaska. But hes the one who ends up following her back to the big city.

And in A Glenbrooke Christmas (2020), a woman taking over her familys Los Angeles-based real estate company does decide to move to a small town to be with a fire chief. But she will still operate as C.E.O. remotely!

We always say that whatever our womans path is, that her relationship is icing on the cake, Ms. DiPippo said. If shes career driven, or theres some goal that she has, thats what shes going for.

If the formula is changing, what will stay put?

Hallmark executives say there is pressure to make their holiday movies more distinct as competition grows. But there are some elements that are unlikely to change.

I think wed be crazy to just walk away 100 percent from the formula, said Ms. Daly. What we see as the essential formula is connection, love, people coming together.

But the networks favorite metric? Our ratings this year.
Allegra Gucci, daughter of Maurizio Gucci and Patrizia Reggiani, on a yacht in 2001. ADRIAN DENNIS (EFE)

Its the most salacious episode of the Gucci fashion houses 100-plus-year story: the 1995 murder of Maurizio Gucci by a hitman hired by his former wife Patrizia Reggiani. Many books have been written about the killing, and it is also the subject of the Ridley Scott film House of Gucci, starring Adam Driver as Maurizio Gucci and Lady Gaga as Patricia Reggiani.

The movie was quickly denounced by the Gucci family, who alleged the filmmakers were stealing the identity of a family to make a profit, to increase the income of the Hollywood system. Our family has an identity, privacy. We can talk about everything, but there is a borderline that cannot be crossed, Patricia Gucci, one of Maurizios second cousins, told Associated Press.

More information Rosalia charms Jimmy Fallons audience with an anecdote about Harry Styles

The daughters of Gucci and Reggiani  Alessandra and Allegra Gucci  have avoided speaking to the media about the incident that sent their mother to prison for 17 years. When the Italian justice system conceded Reggiani a yearly payment of 1 million ($1.10 million) from Maurizios estate, as part of the divorce arrangements, the women remained silent. The two fought the ruling in court, but even though theyve been the subject of endless headlines, they have refused to speak to the press.

Now 41-year-old Allegra Gucci has broken the silence with Fin dei giochi (or, Game Over), a book that relates her version of the story and refutes the official narrative of the Gucci case. Allegra was 11 years old when her mother had a brain tumor operation that changed her personality. When she was 14, her father was murdered, and two years later, her mother was sent to prison for arranging the killing. Little more is known about the fashion magnates youngest daughter.

Allegra said she decided to publish her version of events in response to the hype caused by the film House of Gucci, which she defined as an awful caricature. Speaking to the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera, she said that she wrote the book so that her two children would grow up knowing the truth about their family. Scotts film portrays my father as a weak, broken person. Thats all false. And my mother was a beautiful woman who he sought out. She would never crash a party [as depicted in a scene in House of Gucci]. Papa was brilliant, a hard worker, she said in the interview.

Our grandmother manipulated us with feelings of guilt. And she manipulated others with her acquired economic power Allegra Gucci

In the book, she recounts the confusion of those years, how their friends abandoned them, the disappointments she faced, her relationship with her grandmother  who she says cared more about money than about her granddaughters , her experiences visiting her mother in prison and how her understanding of the murder changed after hearing new information on television. I was sure of her [Reggianis] innocence. That intense conviction sustained me as I took packages to prison, the years I spent visiting her, studying the trials, trying to bring to light her innocence once and for all, she told Corriere della Sera.

But her mothers declarations shook Allegras certainties. Im not innocent, but Im not guilty either, Reggiani said on television. She half-admitted it. The not guilty alluded to the manipulation by people who had taken advantage of her fragility. I called her and asked for an explanation. Finally, she admitted: Everything I did, I did for you two. So she had done something. I felt a void beneath my feet, an abyss, Allegra confessed to Corriere della Sera. I dont have any truths, but I do have one certainty: my mother was a good woman, but she was very vulnerable. In her book, she adds: My mother is the opposite of a moth. She is attracted to darkness.

Allegra also refutes the idea that her parents marriage ended because of Paola Franchi, a former model who became Maurizio Guccis partner after the divorce. The separation dated back at least seven years before his relationship with her, she told Vanity Fair magazine. Second: The cohabitation agreement attests to my fathers wish not to get married again. He repeated it to everyone: He would never create a family again because his family was us  my sister and me.

When her mother was found guilty in 1998, Franchi showed up at the childrens court offering to protect the sisters and their interests. Another slap. I, the daughter of a murdered father and an imprisoned mother, had to suffer this too, she said in the Vanity Fair interview. At that moment I also had to think about defending myself, going before a judge to explain what I felt, what was mine in life, to justify myself to avoid another attack. Paola Franchi has never given us respite. And she continued. I dont understand how you can throw yourself at a little girl like that. Or maybe I know: She was looking for some reward because her actions are contrary to her professed intentions of care and love.

In her book, Allegra also discusses her memories of her grandmother, Silvana Barbieri, with whom she and her sister lived after their mothers arrest. Later they discovered that Barbieri had hidden part of the money meant for them and transferred it to her own account. She also put one of the familys mansions, which the sisters continued paying, into her own name. I trusted her blindly. But I soon realized that, for Silvana, there was only money and the power that comes with it. She manipulated us with feelings of guilt. And she manipulated others with her acquired economic power, Allegra told Vanity Fair.
AN Offaly farmer has been jailed for eight years, with another two years suspended, after 730,000 worth of cannabis was found in his articulated lorry.

Martin Murray (58), Crimlin Little, Moneygall, Birr had denied importing the drugs into Ireland and having them for sale or supply to others but was convicted when a jury returned a unanimous guilty verdict at the end of a trial at Tullamore Circuit Court.

The sentencing hearing on Tuesday, December 19 was told Mr Murray was charged after gardai had stopped him when he was driving a truck at Dunkerrin on June 30, 2017.

Replying to prosecution counsel Kevin White, Detective Garda Val Russell told Judge Keenan Johnson that gardai mounted a surveillance operation on all major routes in Ireland after receiving information that Mr Murray had come into Northern Ireland from Cairnryan and intended driving home to Moneygall.

His vehicle was seen at the M7 plaza at Portlaoise and it then left the motorway at exit 21 and was followed by a garda vehicle.

Detective Garda Russell said the lorry engaged in counter surveillance manoeuvres, giving the example of where it had exited from the motorway, gone across a bridge, and then drove again on the motorway in the original direction.

When it exited at Barack Obama Plaza it was followed by another garda detective and he pulled Mr Murray's vehicle over near his home.

Mr Murray co-operated with a search of the lorry, saying: No problem, there's nothing on it.

When nothing was visible the vehicle was seized and brought to Nenagh Garda Station where nothing was found in another search.

Gardai did find two Samsung mobile phones, one of which was encrypted, 1,570 worth of cash and paper receipts for fuel.

A warrant was obtained for a search of Mr Murray's property and land but nothing of evidential value was found and the truck was then brought to Dublin Port for another search.

Sniffer dogs and a scan uncovered nothing but a number of large steel tubes were found under other items.

Gardai searched the tubes by drilling holes and inserting a camera and found the drugs vacuum packed, along with 6,000, also vacuum packed in a tube.

Gardai also found Garmin sat nav devices and a tachograph and Detective Garda Russell said Claire Greaney from Forensic Science Ireland, a key witness in the trial, analysed the tachograph and found the truck had travelled from Moneygall to Rosslare, on to Fishguard, across the UK and eventually to Breda in the Netherlands where it appeared to remain from June 24 to June 28.

The court heard that Detective Garda Conor O'Sullivan extracted data from the sat nav and established that the truck had travelled to Hull, England from the Netherlands and gone up to Scotland to Cairnryan Port.

That detective also found that even though the sat nav was not activated between June 24 and June 28, it was still collecting data and recorded five movements of between 21 and 90 miles during those days in the Netherlands.

When Mr Murray was arrested on July 5, 2017 he said It has nothing to do with me and he wasn't prepared to give an account of his travels and that it was on the CMR (travel document).

Detective Garda Russell said no admissions were made by the accused and a file was sent to the DPP and he was charged on October 25, 2018.

The court was also told that his passport was found in the lorry two days into the trial, which took place in May this year.

Detective Garda Russell said Mr Murray had a previous conviction for the sale and supply of drugs dating from 1999 when he received a seven-and-a-half-year sentence at Naas Circuit Court for a an offence committed in October 1996.

He had also received a five-year suspended sentence for larceny in 1996 and his most recent offences were for road traffic matters in 2010 and 2009.

Asked about the accused's background, Detective Garda Russell said he knew he had a farm and a daughter of his had accompanied him to court at some stage.

Michael Gillespie, solicitor for Mr Murray, said the accused's sole defence had been knowledge and the State's case relied on the statutory presumption of knowledge on the part of his client.

Mr Gillespie said there was no evidence that Mr Murray was present when the substance was put into the steel tubes which were sealed and he had been instructed to tell the court that there would be an appeal.

The solicitor said Mr Murray had left school at 14 having completed one year of secondary because his father was ill and he had been principally a farmer since then.

He also got involved in haulage and he would go to the continent and on this occasion he picked up a load in Holland to bring to Ireland.

Mr Gillespie said the trial had heard evidence from James Quinn, a former president of the Irish Road Haulage Association, that a haulier would only be entitled to carry out a visual inspection of his load.

Mr Gillespie presented testimonials on Mr Murray's behalf from a number of people, including a haulier, a mechanic, farmers and a vet.

They variously attested to the accused being a hard worker and very good with animals.

The court also received a letter from the GP of the accused's brother which related the worry and stress caused to him by Martin Murray's prosecution.

The defendant's brother, Seamus Murray, wrote a letter to the court saying that they had grown up with their sisters and when their parents were elderly Martin remained on the farm and they worked side by side on farms.

He referred to the accused as a good friend and brother who helped everyone locally and since Martin's conviction Seamus Murray had to run two farms.

A letter from Cloverhill Prison said Martin Murray was a very good worker in the laundry there who was courteous and polite to staff.

Before Judge Johnson announced his sentence, Mr Gillespie said the accused wished to address the court but was advised that it would not be of any assistance to do so.

Judge Johnson said the minimum sentence for an offence of this kind involving drugs valued at 13,000 or more was 10 years but he could depart from that in certain circumstances.

He noted the accused had pleaded not guilty and had a previous conviction for a similar offence.

He said the amount and kind of drug was an aggravating factor, saying that cannabis was anything but a soft drug and along with being a gateway to other drugs, 5% of cannabis users went on to develop schizophrenia.

Mitigating factors included the man's co-operation with the gardai, his recent unblemished record, and the impact on his brother which was a significant penalty in itself.

The offence carried a sentence of up to life but the headline sentence he imposed was 10 years, with the final two years suspended upon entry of a 500 peace bond for five years post-release.

The sentence was backdated to May 4 last when Mr Murray first went into custody.
By far the largest town in Offaly, Tullamore has a population 15,598 people according to recently released detailed analysis of Census 2022 on a town and small area basis.

This is almost double the population of the next biggest town, Edenderry (7,888),while Birr, in the south of the county, is very much in third place with a population of 4 , 726.

The remainder of the top ten towns in Offaly on Census day in April 2022 were: Clara (3,402), Banagher (1,907), Ferbane (1,324), Daingean (1,223), Kilcormac (1,051), Mucklagh (918) and Rhode (841).

Historical perspective

But it wasn't always the case that Tullamore outstripped other towns in Offaly on a population basis. Tullamore's growth is relatively recent when compared to other large provincial towns throughout I re l a n d .

In the early 1600s when the town and the surrounding lands were granted to Sir John Moore the settlement comprised of just a ruined castle, ten cottages and two water mills.

On early maps the town is sometimes missing with Kilbride and Durrow and other areas instead being highlighted.

Up to the end of the 19th century Birr was the most populous town in the county while Daingean, or Philipstown as it was then known, was the county town until the 1830s when the title was transferred to Tullamore.

The extension of the Grand Canal from Dublin to Tullamore in 1798 and the waterway's eventual connection with the Shannon six years later played a huge role in the development of the tow n . So too did the arrival of the railway in 1854 and the development of new industries such as whiskey distilling.

Throughout the 1900s Tullamore enjoyed gradual population growth though this accelerated towards the end of the century and into the early decades of this century. But population growth in the town has not kept pace with the other three large towns in the Midlands counties, Portlaoise, Mullingar and Athlone, and Tullamore is now the fourth largest.

The population make-up of Tullamore, like virtually every other town in the country, has changed dramatically in the last two decades.

What was a largely homogeneous population until relatively recently has been enriched by the addition of people from all over Europe and the world and Tullamore now boasts a colourful tapestry of cultures and religions.

Small area returns

The changing face of Tullamore is graphically illustrated in the Small Area Population Statistics, the most detailed set of data produced from Census 2022.

The results cover topics such as sex, age and marital status, families, housing, education, commuting and occupation as well as new topics such as volunteering and childcare.

Women outnumber men

The Central Statistic Office Census 2022 returns indicate that Tullamore town has an overall population of 15,598, of which just under 12,000 (11,957) live in the Tullamore Urban Area. Women marginally outnumber men, by 7,972 to 7,626, while the two biggest population cohorts are the 35-39 (1,274) and the 40-44 (1,346) groupings.

There are a total of 952 people in the 0-4 age grouping and at the other end of the scale 230 in the 85 and over category.

An ethnic and religious tapestry

Catholicism remains the dominant religion with 10,794 adherents with the next largest grouping being classifieds as Other (1,878). Similar to the pattern in Ireland as a whole the number who profess no religion now stands at 1,650 while 1,276 of Census respondents opted not to state their religion.

The ethnic make-up of Tullamore's population is also clearly documented. The majority are White Irish while the remainder classified themselves as Other White (2,242), Not Stated (1,080), White Irish Traveller (526), Asian or Asian Irish (739), Black or Black Irish (279) and Other (404).

The changing face of Tullamore's population is also graphically illustrated by other statistics which show the town is home to 817 Polish speakers and 2442 people whose native or preferred tongue is other than English or Irish.

Of these almost 80 per cent reported they could speak English either well or very well while 13.4 per cent said they did not speak English well. Just 3.44 per cent responded they could not speak English at all. Almost 32 per cent of people indicated they had an ability to speak Irish with 60.02 per cent saying they did not while 8.38 per cent did not tick either box to this question on the Census form.

Of those who said they could speak Irish 1,540 spoke it daily in the education system with 1,510 saying they used the native tongue less often outside the education system. Singletons the majority On the question of marriage, unsurprisingly given the make-up of the population, the majority, 54.87 per cent, are single with 33.22 per cent married.

A total of 3.49 per cent of respondents described themselves as divorced, 3.13 per cent separated and 4.31 per cent widowed.

Volunteering is cool

As well as having a deserved reputation as being one of Ireland's friendliest towns Tullamore is also known for the strength of its voluntary sector. The town is home to a huge array of community groups, including sporting organisations, church associated bodies, musical groups, history and heritage committees, political parties and many more.

As such it is hardly a surprise that 1,946 people in the town ticked the box to describe themselves as volunteers on the Census return in April 2022 .

Workers and others

Under the heading principal economic activity a total of 6,514 people ticked the at work box with 1,962 filling in the retired slot. There were a total of 1,132 students in the town on Census day with 870 people reporting their principle activity was looking after the home. Those unable to find work due to sickness or a disability numbered 850 while there were 447 long term unemployed and 276 unemployed on a short term basis.

Those looking for their first regular job numbered 188.

I like driving in my car

Driving to work or school in a car or as a passenger in a car was the preferred option by the vast majority of respondents with totals of 3,615 drivers and 2,153 pa ss e n ge rs . A total of 1,619 people walked to work or school, 210 opted to cycle while 637 travelled by bus. Early birds Most workers in Tullamore travel to their place of employment between 8am and 9am but 679 hardy souls make the journey before 6.30 am each morning.

A further 838 travel between 6.30am and 7am and over 1,800 between 7am and 8am. A lucky 296 workers get to enjoy a little extra time in bed having to travel to their workplace between 9am and 9. 30am.

Working from home is also increasingly popular but the vast majority still travel to the office or factory each day.

More information

If you're interested in more details about Tullamore or even your own street or housing estate the Census 2022 Small Area Population Statistics are available via the Census 2022 interactive map. This easy-to-use interactive map allows you to search for your area by name or by Eircode and select a topic of interest to research. Data can also be downloaded in PDF or Excel format.
Did Bengaluru CEO Suchana Seth Overdose Her Son With Cough Syrup Before Smothering?

Govt Only Contemplating Lifting Ban On Hijab: Karnataka CM

Bengaluru

pti-PTI

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday clarified that the administration was only contemplating lifting the ban on wearing hijab in educational institutions in the state and a decision will be taken after holding discussions at the government level.

Addressing reporters here, he said, "We haven't done it (revoking Hijab ban) yet. Someone asked me a question (on lifting Hijab ban). I replied that the government is considering revoking it.

Asked whether it will be done in this academic year, the CM said it will be done after discussing at the government level.

The clarification comes a day after he said that there was no restriction on wearing the religious head scarf in educational institutions and observed that choice of dress and food is personal.

Karnataka Govt To Scrap Hijab Ban, CM Siddaramaiah Allows Freedom Of Attire

The Congress government has come under sharp criticism from the opposition BJP over the announcement on hijab.

The saffron party stated that the government's move raised concerns about the "secular nature" of educational spaces.

Speaking to reporters in New Delhi, BJP Karnataka chief B Y Vijayendra accused Siddaramaiah of 'vitiating' the academic atmosphere.

Charging the Congress with indulging in 'appeasement politics' ahead of Lok Sabha elections, Vijayendra claimed, "even after so many years of independence, the literacy and employment rate among minorities is still 50 per cent. Congress never tried to elevate the condition of minorities."

"Congress believes in the divide and rule policy which the British rulers had adopted. It amounts to carrying forward the British legacy," he said.

Earlier, in a post on 'X', Vijayendra said the state government 'divided' young minds along religious lines.

"CM Siddaramaiah's decision to withdraw the Hijab ban in educational institutions raises concerns about the secular nature of our educational spaces," the Shikaripura MLA said.

"By allowing religious attire in educational institutions Siddaramaiah government is dividing young minds along religious lines, potentially hindering the inclusive learning environment."

For Hijab Law Violations, 12 Actresses Banned From Acting In Films In Iran

The BJP state chief stressed that it was crucial to prioritise education over divisive practices and foster an environment where students can focus on academics without the influence of religious practices.

In 2022, the previous BJP government banned wearing of hijab in educational institutions in Karnataka.
Ram Temple Inauguration: What Is 'Pran Pratishtha' And How It Is Performed?

Ayodhya: Meet Mysuru-Based Sculptor Arun Yogiraj Who Carved Ram Lalla Statue

India

oi-Prakash KL

The countdown for the Ram temple consecration ceremony in Ayodhya has started as a new idol of Ram Lalla will be placed in the sanctum sanctorum of the newly constructed temple.

Mysuru-based sculptor Arun Yogiraj is one of the three sculptors who have worked on the statues of Ram Lalla. Apart from him, Ganesh Bhatt from Bengaluru and Satya Narayan Pandey from Rajasthan are the other two people.

He has already completed the work and he has handed over the sculptor to Shree Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust which will select the one among the three.

Talking to Star of Mysore, Arun Yogiraj said, "Two idols have been completed including the one I carved and one idol-making is in final stages. The Trust will select the final idol, but I have received positive feedback for my work and hope for the best,"

LK Advani, MM Joshi Requested Not To Come For Ram Temple Event: Ayodhya Trust Official

Arun meticulously worked on the idol for six months. Towering at a height of eight feet, which includes the pedestal, the idol stretches three-and-a-half feet in width, encompassing the elaborate 'Prabhavali' that surrounds it. The detailed craftsmanship of the statue portrays Lord Ram in his childhood, holding a bow and arrow, symbolizing his divine persona.

"I have meticulously carved the statue with my hands based on the design given to me and have not used any machine," he said.

The consecration ceremony is scheduled for January 22. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath along with hundreds of dignitaries are expected to attend the ceremony.

Anil Mishra, a trustee, said Ram Lala's throne will be placed on a lotus flower pedestal made of marble, which has also been installed in the sanctum sanctorum. He added, "The height of the throne will be decided in a way so that at 12 noon on Ramnavami, the sun's rays touch the forehead of Ram Lala and illuminate the sanctum sanctorum,"

Ram Mandir Inauguration: Schedule Of Rituals Of Ayodhya Temple

Arun Yogiraj had earlier carved the 12-foot statue of Adi Shankaracharya at Kedarnath. Since childhood, he dreamt of visiting India Gate and happy because he got the opportunity to carve a statue that will be installed here. "When I was a kid, I wanted to visit India Gate and now I got the opportunity to build Netaji's statue which will be installed there. It is a dream come true for an artist like me," he is quoted as saying by India Today in an interview.

He is the son of noted sculptor Yogiraj Shilpi and hails from a family of Mysuru palace artists, according to a report in Indian Express.

Although he worked with a private company after completing an MBA degree, he returned to full-time sculpting in 2008.

Apart from Adi Shankaracharya statute in Kedarnath, he had carved a 14.5-foot white marble sculpture of Maharaja Jayachamarajendra Wodeyar in his home town of Mysuru and white marble sculpture of Swami Ramakrishna Paramahamsa.

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Story first published: Saturday, December 23, 2023, 15:14 [IST]
'If We Were More Bharat...': Jaishankar On Foreign Policy Towards China After Independence

Nations Can Be Tested By Neighbours Like Lord Rama Was By Parashurama: S Jaishankar

Extremism Shouldnt Be Given Space: Jaishankar On Temple Vandalism In US

India

oi-Prakash KL

Union external affairs minister S Jaishankar on Saturday said India has sought an investigation into a Hindu temple in California being vandalised with pro-Khalistan slogans and anti-India graffiti.

"I have seen it. Extremists, separatists and such forces (against India) should not be given space in foreign lands. Our Consulate there complained to the government and the police and an inquiry is underway," he said.

The Hindu-American Foundation has shared pictures of the defacement at Newark's Swaminarayan Mandir Vasana Sanstha on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Hindu Temple Vandalised With Pro-Khalistan, Anti-India Slogans In US

"Swaminarayan Mandir Vasana Sanstha in Newark, California was defaced with pro-#Khalistan slogans. @NewarkCA_Police and @CivilRights have been informed and a full investigation will follow. We are insisting that this should be investigated as a hate crime," it stated.

"This incident has hurt the sentiments of the Indian community. We have pressed for quick investigation and prompt action against the vandals by the US authorities in this matter," the Consulate General of India in San Francisco added.

The post elaborated that the reference to the Khalistan terrorist leader Bhindranwale, who targeted Hindus, was intended to distress temple-goers and instil a fear of violence. The message emphasized that such actions met the definition of a hate crime according to the CA.

The Indian Consulate in San Francisco condemned the incident saying that the incident has hurt the sentiments of the Indian community. "We strongly condemn the defacing of SMVS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir at Newark, California with anti-India graffiti. This incident has hurt the sentiments of the Indian community. We have pressed for quick investigation and prompt action against the vandals by the US authorities in this matter," the Consulate General said in a statement.

"I have seen the news. As you know, we are concerned about this. Extremists and separatist forces outside India should not get space. Our consulate has lodged a complaint with the (US) government and the police there over whatever happened, and I believe the matter is being inquired," NDTV quoted Jaishankar as telling reporters.

Newark Police, which is investigating the issue, said that it might be a targeted act.

Another Hindu temple vandalised in Canada, anti-India graffiti painted

"Based on the graffiti, we believe it was a targeted act, and it's going to be investigated with full thoroughness. I can also tell you that as a member of the Newark Police Department and the Newark community, we're deeply saddened when these types of acts occur, and we think they're senseless and they have no room," Jonathan Arguello, a captain in the Newark Police Department said.

This marks a recurring pattern of Hindu temples being targeted by Khalistani extremists overseas. Similar incidents have occurred in Australia and Canada. The Government of India has consistently raised this issue on numerous diplomatic platforms.

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Story first published: Saturday, December 23, 2023, 15:26 [IST]
Hindu Temple Vandalised With Pro-Khalistan, Anti-India Slogans In US

India

oi-Prakash KL

A Hindu temple in the United States was vandalized with anti-India and pro-Khalistan graffiti on its exterior walls. The Hindu-American Foundation has shared pictures of the defacement at Newark's Swaminarayan Mandir Vasana Sanstha on X, formerly known as Twitter.

"Swaminarayan Mandir Vasana Sanstha in Newark, California was defaced with pro-#Khalistan slogans. @NewarkCA_Police and @CivilRights have been informed and a full investigation will follow. We are insisting that this should be investigated as a hate crime," it stated.

"This incident has hurt the sentiments of the Indian community. We have pressed for quick investigation and prompt action against the vandals by the US authorities in this matter," the Consulate General of India in San Francisco added.

Khalistani Leader Pannun Announces ,000 Reward For Pro-Palestine WC Final Pitch Invader

The post elaborated that the reference to the Khalistan terrorist leader Bhindranwale, who targeted Hindus, was intended to distress temple-goers and instil a fear of violence. The message emphasized that such actions met the definition of a hate crime according to the CA.

#Breaking: Swaminarayan Mandir Vasana Sanstha in Newark, California was defaced with pro-#Khalistan slogans.@NewarkCA_Police and @CivilRights have been informed and full investigation will follow.



We are insisting that this should be investigated as a hate crime. pic.twitter.com/QHeEVWrkDj  Hindu American Foundation (@HinduAmerican) December 22, 2023

This marks a recurring pattern of Hindu temples being targeted by Khalistani extremists overseas. Similar incidents have occurred in Australia and Canada. The Government of India has consistently raised this issue on numerous diplomatic platforms.

Protests Outside Indian High Commission In London By Khalistan Supporters

In August, Khalistani supporters vandalized a temple in Surrey, Canada. Allegedly, these sympathizers trespassed over the exterior boundary and deliberately affixed Khalistan referendum posters onto the main entry gate and the entrance of Lakshmi Narayan Mandir in Surrey, one of the oldest temples in British Columbia. The posters urged Canada to investigate India's "role" in the death of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar on June 18.

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Story first published: Saturday, December 23, 2023, 10:04 [IST]
India Reports 752 New COVID-19 Cases; Country's Active Cases At 3,420

India

oi-Prakash KL

India on Saturday recorded 752 new COVID-19 infections to take the total number of active cases in the country to 3,420.

Out of 423, 266 fresh infections were reported from Kerala while 70 were from Karnataka, the Union Health Ministry data said.

The death toll stands at 533,332, with four recent fatalities-two from Kerala, and one each from Rajasthan and Karnataka-reported within a 24-hour period, according to the data updated at 8 am.

Covid Updates: India Sees 22 JN.1 Cases With Mild Symptoms, Kerala Health Minister Warns Of Surge

The number of people recuperated from the disease has increased to 4,44,71,212, and the national recovery rate stands at 98.81 per cent, according to the health ministry's website. The fatality rate stands at 1.19 per cent. So far, the ministry's website said that 220.67 crore doses of Covid vaccine have been administered in India.

Amid rising COVID-19 cases, Dr Soumya Swaminathan, the former Chief Scientist of the World Health Organization said that there is no need to panic, as it is categorized as a variant of interest rather than a variant of concern. Nevertheless, she encouraged individuals to exercise caution and adopt appropriate precautionary measures.

Speaking to ANI, she said, "We need to be cautious, but we don't need to worry because we don't have any data to suggest that this variant JN.1 is more severe or it's going to cause more pneumonia, more death."

The World Health Organization has designated the COVID-19 strain JN.1 as a distinct "variant of interest" due to its rapidly spreading nature, although it has assessed the global public health risk associated with it as "low."

Initially categorized as a variant of interest (VOI) within the BA.2.86 sublineages, which is part of the parent lineage classified as a VOI, the JN.1 variant has seen a surge in prevalence across multiple countries in recent weeks. India has also confirmed its first case of the JN.1 variant.
Drone Attack on Indian Merchant Vessel in Arabian Sea: Crew Safe

An Indian merchant vessel with 21 crew members came under a suspected drone attack off the Porbandar coast in the Arabian Sea. Despite the incident, no casualties were reported. The Indian Navy and Coast Guard promptly responded to assist the vessel.

India

-Krishna Kripa

On December 23, a merchant vessel carrying 21 Indian crew members was struck by a suspected drone approximately 217 nautical miles off the Porbandar coast in the Arabian Sea. Despite the attack, there were fortunately no reported casualties.

Heightened Tensions in the Region

This incident occurs amidst heightened tensions in the region, as Iran-backed Houthi rebels have escalated attacks on ships in the Red Sea during the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict. The attack on the merchant vessel further underscores the volatile security situation in these waters.

Swift Response from Indian Authorities

In response to the attack, the Indian Navy promptly deployed a P-8I long-range maritime surveillance aircraft to assess the situation. The aircraft confirmed the safety of the vessel, identified as MV Chem Pluto, and its crew.

Additionally, the Indian Navy dispatched a frontline warship to provide assistance to the merchant ship, while the Indian Coast Guard diverted its ship ICGS Vikram to the area of the incident, ensuring a coordinated response to the situation.

International Collaboration and Investigation

The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), which operates under the British Royal Navy, reported receiving information about the attack. According to the UKMTO, an Uncrewed Aerial System (UAS) targeted the vessel, resulting in an explosion and fire.

The UKMTO confirmed that the fire was extinguished and there were no casualties. Authorities are currently investigating the incident, and vessels in the area are advised to exercise caution and report any suspicious activities to the UKMTO.

Background of the Vessel

The vessel involved in the incident, MV Chem Pluto, was sailing under a Liberian flag and was transporting crude oil from Al Jubail port in Saudi Arabia to Mangalore, India.

Following the attack, the vessel reportedly switched off its Automatic Identification System (AIS), which is used for tracking ships. The vessel is currently heading towards the nearest port for further assistance.

The attack on the Indian merchant vessel highlights the ongoing security challenges in the Arabian Sea. The prompt response from Indian authorities and international collaboration demonstrate the importance of cooperation in ensuring maritime safety and protecting seafarers.
People walk around a Christmas tree decorated for the Christmas and New Year festivities at the Noblessner port in the Tallinn Bay, Estonia, Saturday, Dec. 16, 2023.

Christmas trees started appearing in Central Europe and the Baltic States, including Estonia, as early as the Middle Ages and have now become traditional across much of the world.

Dec. 22 is the shortest day of the year and in Estonia, as in many parts of the world, trees covered with lights brighten up homes and town squares during the Winter Solstice and Christmas festivities afterward.

Snow covers spruces at a Christmas tree farm near Avinurme, eastern Estonia, Saturday, Dec. 9, 2023. Christmas trees started appearing in Central Europe and the Baltic States, including Estonia, as early as the Middle Ages and have now become traditional across much of the world. (AP Photo/Pavel Golovkin) Pavel Golovkin (AP)

In order to grow a 2.5-meter (8-foot) Christmas tree, Arvo Palumae, co-owner of a Christmas tree farm he started 14 years ago, waits 8 years before carefully selecting it, shaping it during the summer months and cutting it for delivery. But while some Estonians buy trees directly from him, they are also able to cut their own.

The State Forest Management Centre provides Estonians with a map of forests showing locations of trees they can cut down themselves. They advise people to avoid trees near power lines and encourage Estonians to plant spruces in the forests to make sure there are Christmas trees for generations to come.

Estonia largely exports trees to the European Union. It also exported Christmas trees to Russia before the countrys invasion of Ukraine stopped trade.

After the holidays, Christmas trees in Estonia are turned into wood shavings or even used to flavor beverages.

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Indian Merchant Vessel Narrowly Escapes Drone Strike in Arabian Sea

An Indian merchant vessel with 20 crew members onboard narrowly avoided a catastrophic incident when a suspected drone struck it off the Porbandar coast in the Arabian Sea. Despite the attack, there were no reported casualties. The Indian Navy and Coast Guard swiftly responded to the situation, ensuring the safety of the vessel and its crew.

India

-Krishna Kripa

A merchant vessel carrying around 20 Indian crew members was struck by a suspected drone approximately 217 nautical miles off the Porbandar coast in the Arabian Sea on Saturday. Fortunately, no casualties have been reported as a result of the incident, according to Indian military sources and a maritime security agency.

Heightened Tensions in the Region

This incident occurs amidst heightened tensions in the region, as Iran-backed Houthi rebels have intensified attacks on ships in the Red Sea during the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict. The attack on the merchant vessel, named MV Chem Pluto, was reported by the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), prompting the Indian Navy to deploy a P-8I long-range maritime surveillance aircraft to assess the situation.

Ensuring the Safety of the Crew

The Indian Navy and Coast Guard swiftly responded to the incident, ensuring the safety of the vessel and its crew. The P-8I aircraft ascertained that there were no casualties and established communication with MV Chem Pluto. The Indian Coast Guard deployed a Dornier aircraft to sanitize the area and provide assistance. The vessel initiated damage assessment and repairs to its power generation systems before setting course towards Mumbai.

Assistance and Escort Provided

Due to steering issues, MV Chem Pluto sought escort assistance during its journey to Mumbai. The Indian Coast Guard Ship Vikram was assigned to escort the vessel, while the Coast Guard Operations Centre closely monitored the situation. Earlier, the Indian Navy had dispatched a frontline warship to offer additional support.

Details of the Attack

According to the UKMTO, an Uncrewed Aerial System (UAS) was responsible for the attack, causing an explosion and fire onboard the vessel. The incident occurred approximately 200 nautical miles southwest of Veraval, India. The fire was successfully extinguished, and fortunately, there were no casualties.

Background Information

MV Chem Pluto, sailing under a Liberian flag, was transporting crude oil from Al Jubail port in Saudi Arabia to New Mangalore port in India. The Coast Guard's Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) in Mumbai received information about the fire onboard the vessel and immediately established communication with the vessel's agent. The MRCC confirmed that there was no loss of life and assured all necessary assistance. Nearby merchant vessels were diverted to provide additional support.

Response from Indian Authorities

Following the incident, the Indian Navy dispatched a maritime patrol aircraft to assess the situation and establish contact with the merchant vessel. The aircraft confirmed the safety of the crew. It was reported that MV Chem Pluto switched off its Automatic Identification System (AIS) after the attack, which typically enables tracking of a ship.

UKMTO's Involvement

The UKMTO, a British military organization, received a report of the attack and is currently investigating the incident. They advise vessels to exercise caution while transiting the area and report any suspicious activities. The UKMTO serves as a primary point of contact for merchant vessels involved in maritime incidents, sharing information with regional and national contacts, as well as industry and vessels operating in the area.

Recent Indian Navy Operations

The Indian Navy's prompt response to this incident follows their recent successful intervention in the hijacking of a Malta-flagged cargo vessel by pirates in the Arabian Sea. The hijacking was reported on December 14, and days later, the Navy evacuated one of the 18 crew members who was injured by the pirates, providing him with medical care.
J&K Govt. Announces Compensation To Kin Of 3 Civilians Killed, Search Underway For Terrorists In Ponch

India

oi-Gaurav Sharma

The Jammu and Kashmir administration on Saturday announced compensation and jobs to the kin of the three civilians who were found dead in Poonch district as a massive search operation was underway to track down terrorists behind the recent ambush on two Army vehicles that left five soldiers dead.

The three men, aged between 27 and 42, were found dead under "mysterious circumstances" on Friday. Their relatives and political leaders, however, alleged that they were among the eight people picked up by the Army for questioning in connection with Thursday's ambush. They also alleged that four others were admitted to a government hospital with "torture injuries".

The bodies of the civilians were laid to rest at their ancestral graveyard in Buffliaz Saturday afternoon, the officials said. As the search operation was underway and the situation remained tense, the authorities suspended mobile Internet services in Poonch and neighboring Rajouri district as a precautionary measure to check rumor-mongering and prevent any law and order problem, officials said.

In a post on X, the Information and PR department of the Union Territory said, "The death of three civilians was reported yesterday in Baffliaz of Poonch District. The medico legal formalities were conducted and legal action in this matter has been initiated by the appropriate authority." "Government has announced compensation for each of the deceased. Further Government has also announced compassionate appointments to the next of kin of each deceased," it stated.

Five soldiers were killed and two injured when heavily armed terrorists ambushed two Army vehicles at a blind curve at Dhatyar Morh between Dhera Ki Gali and Bufliaz on Thursday. The ambush took place when the security personnel were moving to an ongoing search operation in the general area of Dhera Ki Gali in the Thanamandi-Surankote region. Soon after the ambush, security forces launched a massive search operation in the densely forested areas, also covering nearby Thanamandi in Rajouri, but there was no fresh contact with the fleeing terrorists so far, officials said.

Sound of firing was heard deep inside a forest in the Dhera Ki Gali area Saturday afternoon but the security agencies later clarified that security forces resorted to speculative firing to check a natural cave. Sources said the bodies of three slain civilians -- Safeer Hussain (43), Mohd Showket (27), and Shabir Ahmad (32) of Topa Peer village of Buffliaz -- were handed over to their families after a postmortem Saturday morning. "All the three were innocent civilians and died of torture in the custody of the Army," Mohd Sadiq, a relative of one of the deceased, told PTI over the phone from the village.

He said they have performed the last rites of the deceased on the assurance of Poonch Deputy Commissioner Choudhary Mohd Yasin and Senior Superintendent of Police Vinay Kumar, who remained present in the village throughout the day.

"They have assured us action...we want justice for the deceased. We want registration of FIR against the Army unit and adequate compensation along with a government job to the next of kin," he said.

Sadiq, a panch, said he had informed senior police and civil officers about the random arrests and torture but nobody paid any heed. "Five more persons are reportedly injured and are still in the custody of Army," he said.

Sources, however, said four persons - Mohd Zulfkar, his brother Mohd Betab, Fazal Hussain and Mohd Farooq -- were admitted to the Government Medical College Hospital in Rajouri with alleged torture injuries. Jammu Divisional Commissioner Ramesh Kumar and Inspector General of Police Anand Jain are also camping in Poonch and are monitoring the situation, the officials said.

Additional police and paramilitary personnel have been deployed in sensitive pockets of the districts to maintain peace. Meanwhile, senior CPI(M) leader M Y Tarigami also expressed grief over the death of three civilians and demanded an impartial probe into the circumstances leading to their death. He said the death of soldiers in a terror attack is "most unfortunate" but the loss of three civilian lives is equally disturbing.

"Such unfortunate incidents should not happen. A fair probe to fix the responsibility is needed to book the culprits under the law," he said. A BJP leader said the Jammu and Kashmir administration's prompt action in providing compensation and jobs to the kin of the deceased civilians demonstrates its commitment to addressing the concerns of affected families.

The ongoing search operation and suspension of mobile Internet services reflect the authorities' commitment to ensuring security and restoring peace in the region, he said.

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Story first published: Saturday, December 23, 2023, 19:00 [IST]
Karnataka: Rumblings in coalition are more about who gets the better pie in 2019

K'taka CM Thanks Cong High Command For Inducting Him In Party's Manifesto Panel

India

pti-PTI

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday expressed his gratitude to the Congress president for appointing him as a member of the party's manifesto committee. In a statement, he said, "I thank AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge for appointing me as a member of the Congress Party's manifesto committee for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections."

The chief minister said the country recognises the Karnataka model of governance. "Today, people across the country recognise our government's 'Karnataka Model' of governance as a non-partisan benchmark.

Being given the opportunity in the manifesto drafting is an honour I perceive as AICC's recognition of this 'Karnataka Model of Governance," he explained. According to the party's manifesto, it is not just a list of promises to the voters. It is a commitment we make to the people and implementing it is the true essence of governance, he said.

Karnataka Govt To Scrap Hijab Ban, CM Siddaramaiah Allows Freedom Of Attire

"Our previous government had implemented more than 95 per cent of the promises in the manifesto, providing equal opportunity and balanced development, thereby earning the trust of the people.

"The current government is also going on the same path. I hope that in the coming days, the people of the country will also benefit from the advantages of the Karnataka Model of governance," Siddaramaiah said. "I am thankful to the senior leaders of the party, Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, for supporting all my welfare and infrastructure initiatives," the chief minister said.

The Congress constituted its manifesto committee for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls on Friday and appointed former Union Minister P Chidambaram as its chairman. The 16-member panel includes Siddaramaiah and Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.
Kerala Police Book Congress Leaders Over Violent Protest

The Kerala Police have registered a case against state Congress chief K Sudhakaran, Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan, and other senior leaders in connection with the violence during a protest march to the DGP office in Thiruvananthapuram. The protest, organized by the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC), saw several senior Congress leaders, including MPs and MLAs, suffer from suffocation and some were even hospitalized after police fired tear gas shells.

India

-Krishna Kripa

The Kerala Police have registered a case against state Congress chief K Sudhakaran, Leader of Opposition in the assembly V D Satheesan, and other senior leaders of the party in connection with the violence that occurred during a protest march to the DGP office in Thiruvananthapuram.

Protest Turns Violent

The protest, organized by the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC), turned violent earlier in the day, resulting in several senior Congress leaders, including MPs and MLAs, suffering from suffocation. Some were even hospitalized after police fired tear gas shells to disperse the crowd.

Case Registered Against Congress Leaders

A senior police official from the district confirmed that a case has been registered under various provisions of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including rioting, obstructing roads, and preventing public servants from performing their duties, against all the leaders and party workers who participated in the protest.

Police Justify Action

The police official explained that the protesters started aggressively shaking the barricades, prompting the police to spray water. However, the protesters allegedly responded by throwing stones, leading to the release of tear gas.

No Major Injuries Reported

The official stated that around 300-400 people were part of the protest and there were no reports of major injuries. A few journalists sustained injuries during the stone-pelting, but none have officially filed a complaint with the police.

Congress Alleges Premeditated Attack

The Congress and United Democratic Front (UDF) leaders have alleged that the police action was a premeditated attack targeting their lives. However, the ruling Communist Party of India (Marxist) and Left Democratic Front (LDF) have justified the police action, claiming that it was the opposition party activists who tried to create trouble.

The incident has sparked political tensions in Kerala, with both the Congress and the ruling LDF trading accusations over the violence. The case registered by the police is likely to further escalate the ongoing political conflict in the state.
Kerala Journalists Seek Protection After Violent Protests

The Kerala Union of Working Journalists (KUWJ) has demanded protection for journalists covering protests after several media personnel were injured during agitations by the Congress and BJPs Yuva Morcha in Thiruvananthapuram on Saturday. The protests turned violent, resulting in injuries to journalists and damage to their equipment.

India

-Krishna Kripa

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The Kerala Union of Working Journalists (KUWJ) has called for protection for journalists covering protests in the state after several media personnel were injured during agitations by the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) Yuva Morcha on Saturday.

Violent Clashes

An agitation organized by the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC), alleging police atrocities against its workers during a protest against the Nava Kerala Sadas outreach program of the Left government, turned violent as police resorted to firing tear gas shells to disperse the protesters. Simultaneously, the BJP's Yuva Morcha held protests at multiple locations against the Nava Kerala Sadas program, leading to clashes with the police.

Journalists Injured

In a statement, KUWJ expressed concern over the safety of journalists and their equipment while covering protests. The union highlighted specific incidents where media personnel were injured or had their equipment damaged.

During the Congress workers' march to the DGP office, New Indian Express photographer Vincent Pullicakl and Jinu S Raj of 24News were injured due to stone pelting. Vincent sustained three stitches on his head, while Jinu suffered injuries to his ear. Additionally, the camera belonging to 24News channel was damaged during the Yuva Morcha protest.

Furthermore, Jaihind TV cameraman Riyas was injured when Kerala Police used a water cannon to disperse protesters. The cameras of Deepika and Kerala Kaumudi dailies were also damaged during the protests.

KUWJ's Appeal

In light of these incidents, KUWJ has urged the authorities to ensure the safety of journalists and their equipment while they carry out their professional duties. The union has emphasized the importance of press freedom and the need for journalists to be able to report on protests without fear of violence or intimidation.

The incidents of violence against journalists covering protests in Kerala have raised concerns about the safety of the press. It is crucial for the authorities to take necessary measures to protect journalists and ensure that they can freely report on events of public interest without facing threats or harm.
Kerala Police Files Case Against CMs Security Personnel for Alleged Assault on Youth Congress Workers

The Kerala Police have registered a case against two security personnel of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan for allegedly assaulting Youth Congress workers during a protest. The case was lodged following a court order earlier in the day.

India

-Krishna Kripa

The Kerala Police on Saturday registered a case against two security personnel of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan for allegedly assaulting Youth Congress workers recently while they were protesting against the Left government's Nava Kerala Sadas yatra, officials said.

Court Order Prompts Case Registration

The case was lodged following a court order earlier in the day. Youth Congress workers A D Thomas and Ajay Jewel Kuriakose had approached the local court with a private complaint against the members of the chief minister's security detail.

Charges Against Security Personnel

As per the directions of the court, the Alappuzha South Police registered a case under IPC sections 294 B (using obscene words), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), and 325 (voluntarily causes grievous hurt) against the chief minister's gunman, Anil, and another policeman, the officials said.

Video Surfaces Online

A video of the chief minister's security personnel recently surfaced online in which they were purportedly seen stepping out of their vehicle and assaulting the protesters. The opposition Congress has been alleging that the security personnel and party workers, accompanying the cabinet's cavalcade, had beaten up protesters.

Vijayan Justifies Incident

Asked about the incident, Vijayan had justified it, saying that the gunman was for his protection. "The gunman is also supposed to protect the vehicle I am travelling. Some people tried to attack the bus we he and his cabinet colleagues were travelling in and he interfered," Vijayan had said.

CM Claims No Witnessing of Assault

Vijayan had also claimed that he did not see his gunman assault anyone, adding that he might have reacted to protect the vehicle.

Congress Protest and Allegations

Congress workers were protesting against the chief minister and his cabinet colleagues, who were on a state-wide Nava Kerala Sadas yatra  an outreach program by the Left government. The opposition party has been alleging that the government was using the state machinery for the Left party's political campaign.
Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal Says ED Summons Illegal: 'BJP Wants To Stop Me From Campaigning'

Lok Sabha Elections 2024: PM Narendra Modi Advices BJP Workers To Aim For 50% Votes

India

oi-Gaurav Sharma

Gearing up for the upcoming Lok Sabha Elections 2024, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) organized a two-day meet in Delhi with party top brass to draw strategies to woo voters. The meeting was headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who shared dos and don'ts with party leaders for the next year's general election. According to the reports, BJP national office bearers, state in-charges, state presidents, state general secretaries, and heads of wings attended the two-day meeting that concluded on Friday.

Addressing BJP national office bearers, Prime Minister Narendra Modi asked everyone to switch into a "mission mode" again, according to reports. PM Modi gave a mantra to BJP leaders to aim and woo over 50 percent of voters for the upcoming Lok Sabha Elections 2024.

PM Modi said, "We won 303 seats in 2019 and will win more seats in 2024 if we work on a mission mode." "Express views aggressively on social media" and "give positive answers to Opposition's negative propaganda with facts," the Prime Minister added.

Prime Minister Modi also discussed the road map for Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra, a nationwide campaign to popularise government-run schemes for people's welfare.

Earlier, PM Modi claimed that the saffron front will emerge victorious for the third time winning more than 400 seats in Lok Sabha elections slated for next year. In the recently concluded state assembly elections, the party won three states, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh, with flying colors. BJP's campaign was led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Further, the Prime Minister told the party members to take full benefit of the recent victories in three states and aware people of the "Modi ki Guarantee."

Union Home Minister Amit Shah in his address told party workers to turn the 'Ram Mandir inauguration' into a political feat. According to the source, BJP workers will also try to recall and tell voters about the BJP's struggle behind the building of Ram temple.
Mining Crucial For Growth, Jobs But Way Forward In Surguja After Weighing Pros Snd Cons: CM Sai

India

pti-PTI

Chhattisgarh's new Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai has said his government does not endorse the view that industrialisation and mining should not take place, insisting these activities are crucial for development and employment generation in the state as he expressed confidence about eliminating Naxalism.

Sai, a prominent tribal leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) who took oath on December 13, maintained his government will take appropriate steps after analysing advantages and disadvantages of mining activities in regards with the state's bio-diversity rich Surguja region, which has witnessed protests by adivasis against coal mining at many places in the last several years.

In an interview to PTI, the CM said Naxalites have become frustrated after change of guard in Chhattisgarh and asserted the "double engine" government (a term used to mean BJP in power in the state and at the Centre) will fight against the menace resolutely and eliminate it.

The BJP stormed back to power in the state by ousting the Congress in the assembly polls held in November. Sai, the MLA from the Kunkuri (ST) constituency, is the first tribal CM from the saffron party which lost power to the Congress in 2018 after ruling the state since 2003.

BJP's Vishnu Deo Sai Sworn-In As Chhattisgarh CM, 2 Deputies Appointed

The 59-year-old politician, a former Union minister, hails from the tribal-dominated Surguja division in north Chhattisgarh, where the BJP put up a stellar performance, clinching all 14 assembly seats. Asked about the newly-elected government's stand on mining activities in Surguja where locals, particularly tribals, had been protesting against coal mining in the Hasdeo Arand forest region for the last several years, Sai said, "As far as mining is concerned, we will see it.

We do not favour (view) that mining activities and industrialisation should not take place as such activities create employment opportunities." He said the ecologically-sensitive Surguja region offers immense opportunities in the tourism sector. "The Surguja division has ample potential from the tourism point of view as the region is densely-forested and has multiple waterfalls.

As CM, my effort will be to encourage tourism in the area. When mining takes place and industries are set up then it also causes loss along with yielding benefits as it causes pollution. So, after considering everything on the basis of merits and demerits appropriate steps will be taken (about mining)," he added.

Asked about Naxalism, Sai said, "When the BJP was in power in the state for 15 years (2003-2018), it had strongly fought against the menace, but when the government changed in 2018, they (Maoists) got encouragement. Naxals used to say their government has come to power."

The state, particularly the Bastar region in the south, has been struggling with Left Wing Extremism (LWE) for more than three decades. "Since the government has changed, they have become frustrated and are resorting to cowardly acts. But we have given necessary directives to officials following which they have swung into action. Naxals have been arrested (recently).

Union Home Minister Amit Shah wants to eliminate the menace and now both the central and state governments will resolutely fight against it," he added. During election campaigning, Shah had declared that Naxalism will be eliminated in the next five years in Chhattisgarh if the BJP comes to power. The tribal leader accused the Congress of encouraging religious conversion during its rule (2018-23) and said the new government will take steps to put an effective check on such activities.

Chhattisgarh Cabinet Expansion: 9 BJP MLAs Sworn In As Ministers

"Rampant religious conversion happened during the previous government. I can clearly say the Congress kept encouraging conversion for vote bank politics as converted people distance themselves from the BJP. But now no such activities will take place and conversion will be stopped," Sai asserted.

Asked about enacting stringent laws to check conversion, the CM maintained his government has just assumed office and will first focus on welfare schemes. "It has only been 5 to 7 days since the formation of the new government. As of now, key works like allocation of houses, disbursement of two years pending bonus to farmers and implementation of Mahtari Vandan Yojana (financial assistance scheme for married women) will be done. Our efforts will be to put an effective check on conversion and after reviewing the issue, required steps will be taken in this direction," said Sai.

Asked about the state's financial condition and challenges to fulfil his party's pre-poll promises, the CM said Chhattisgarh is reeling under high debt and blamed the previous Congress government for it. "The state's economic condition is not good. In five years, they (Congress) took as much debt that we had not taken even in 15 years (2003-2018). The previous government borrowed around Rs 60,000 crore in just five years," he stated. Sai expressed confidence about his government fulfilling the slew of pre-poll promises made by the BJP.

"But now there is a double engine government in the state and I firmly believe we will chalk out ways and cent per cent fulfil promises made under 'Modi ki Guarantee' (BJP's poll manifesto) in the next five years," he asserted. Asked about the BJP's promise to investigate cases of alleged corruption during the Congress rule after coming to power, the CM said his government will definitely move forward on the issue.

"We will definitely do it. We will institute a probe into the state public service commission scam and stern action will be taken against those found guilty. Whatever cases (of alleged scams) will come to our knowledge, action will be taken on them," Sai said.

Asked whether BJP stalwart Dilip Singh Judev, who is said to have encouraged him to enter electoral politics, wanted to see him as chief minister, Sai said the late leader was his ideal in politics and he has learned humility from him. "I worked with him (Judev) in politics for 25 years. We did not see him getting angry even for a single day in these 25 years. We have learned to give respect to party workers and pay heed to their views," he said.
Mobile Internet Suspended In J-K's Poonch, Rajouri Amid Massive Anti-Terrorist Op

India

pti-PTI

Mobile Internet services were suspended in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch and Rajouri districts early Saturday as security forces continued their massive search operation to track down terrorists behind the recent ambush on two Army vehicles that left five soldiers dead, officials said.

The suspension of the mobile Internet services in the twin border districts followed mysterious death of three persons after being allegedly picked up by the Army for questioning, and widespread resentment among people after the circulation of videos purportedly showing torture of the suspects.

While both Army and civil authorities are tight-lipped on the ground situation, official sources said mobile Internet services were suspended both in Poonch and Rajouri districts as a precautionary measure to check rumour-mongering and prevent miscreants from creating any law and order problem.

Senior Army, police and civil officers are monitoring the situation, the sources said, adding additional police and paramilitary personnel were deployed in sensitive pockets of the districts to maintain peace.

Terrorists Ambush Army Vehicles in Poonch, Five Soldiers Killed

Three to four heavily-armed terrorists targeted an army gypsy and a truck at Dhatyar Morh between Dhera Ki Gali and Bufliaz under the jurisdiction of Surankote police station in Poonch late Thursday afternoon, killing five soldiers and injuring two others. After the attack, the terrorists reportedly mutilated the bodies of at least two soldiers and took weapons of some of them.

A massive search operation was launched immediately after the attack in the densely forested areas, also covering nearby Thanamandi in Rajouri but there was no fresh contact with the fleeing terrorists so far, the officials said. Three persons, who were among those detained for questioning by Army in connection with Thursday's attack, died mysteriously on Friday.

The sources said their bodies have been handed over to their families for last rites as investigation in continues in their deaths. The deceased were identified as Safeer Hussain (43), Mohd Showket (27) and Shabir Ahmad (32) of Topa Peer village of Bufliaz but the cause of their death was not known immediately.
Nava Kerala Sadas Ends in Thiruvananthapuram Amidst Opposition Protests

The Nava Kerala Sadas, a 36-day outreach program by the Kerala government, concluded in Thiruvananthapuram despite protests from opposition parties. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan addressed a large crowd, showcasing achievements and criticizing the opposition.

India

-Krishna Kripa

The 36-day-long Nava Kerala Sadas, an ambitious outreach program of the Left government in Kerala, concluded on Saturday, December 23, amidst intense statewide protests organized by the opposition Congress, BJP, and their youth wings.

Chief Minister's Statewide Tour

The Sadas, which commenced on December 18 in the northernmost constituency of Manjeswsram in Kasaragod district, culminated in Vattiyoorkkavu in the state capital. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan addressed a massive crowd, marking the culmination of the outreach program. Along with his cabinet colleagues, the Chief Minister traveled across all 140 assembly constituencies in a specially-designed bus, engaging with the public, addressing their concerns, and showcasing the state's achievements.

Opposition Boycott and Criticism

The opposition Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) boycotted the event, alleging that it was an extravagant election campaign ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. Consequently, UDF legislators did not participate in the Sadas in their respective districts.

Chief Minister Vijayan criticized the UDF and the BJP-led Union government during his address, accusing them of hindering the state's development. He alleged that while the Centre was attempting to obstruct Kerala's progress, the state Congress leadership had chosen not to oppose them.

Vijayan further accused prominent leaders of the state Congress of making personal interventions and statements in favor of the Sangh Parivar, the ideological parent organization of the BJP. He expressed concern that the Congress had been reluctant to criticize the BJP-led Union government despite the state facing challenging times.

Outreach Program Marred by Violence

The Chief Minister also criticized the UDF's decision to boycott the outreach event and accused the opposition of orchestrating widespread violence to disrupt the program. He stated that the opposition deliberately attempted to provoke society, but the public exercised restraint.

Vijayan targeted the Congress leadership, alleging that they made provocative speeches to incite violence, but their intentions had failed. He asserted that the Congress was willing to resort to any means for the sake of a few votes.

Success of Nava Kerala Sadas

In a statement, Chief Minister Vijayan expressed his satisfaction with the completion of the state cabinet's journey from Manjeswsram to Parassala, the southernmost constituency, in 36 days. He described the Nava Kerala Sadas as a unique chapter in the history of democratic governance.

The Left veteran emphasized that the initiative aimed to garner public support for implementing various development programs to ensure the state's progress. The massive public participation, according to the Chief Minister, served as proof of the initiative's grand success.

Protests and Clashes

The southern state witnessed unprecedented protest incidents following the commencement of the Nava Kerala Sadas. The opposition's boycott led to black flag protests by its youth wings throughout the Chief Minister's journey.

Assaults by activists of the CPIM's Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) and the Chief Minister's security personnel against protesting Kerala Students Union and Youth Congress workers sparked controversy. The Chief Minister's support for the DYFI activists and his security personnel further intensified the agitation.

Cases registered against media personnel for covering protest incidents also triggered a row. The BJP's youth wing, Yuva Morcha, organized black flag protests in various locations during the outreach program.

On the final day of the event, the state capital, Thiruvananthapuram, witnessed clashes between Congress, BJP, and Yuva Morcha workers with the police. The use of tear gas shells by police near the venue where senior MPs and MLAs of the Congress were participating in a protest march to the DGP office created a tense situation.

Several elected members experienced breathlessness and discomfort, and some were taken to hospitals by party workers. The BJP's protest march near the Nava Kerala Sadas venue in Poojappura and the Yuva Morcha's Secretariat march were blocked by the police.

A protest staged by a group of activists from the RYF, the youth wing of the opposition party RSP, inside the Secretariat complex on the final day of the event shocked the security personnel.

The Nava Kerala Sadas concluded amidst intense protests and controversies, highlighting the deep political divide in the state. The outreach program aimed to connect with the public and showcase the government's achievements, but it faced significant opposition from the Congress and BJP, leading to widespread protests and clashes.
The Gabriel Byrne who sits for this interview has long since left behind the actor who suffered a panic attack after the successful screening of The Usual Suspects at Cannes in 1995. Terrified, he crawled into his hotel bed in Nice for several days. He is no longer the man who was sexually abused by the Christian Brothers as a child and, soon after, at age 11, by a Catholic priest at the seminary he attended in Liverpool. Nor is he the man who battled alcoholism for decades. He likely achieved peace after writing his second volume of memoirs, Walking with Ghosts (2020), which he adapted as a one-man show for the theater, and faced all his problems.

Now, at 73, Byrne leads a placid life in Maine. The Dubliner travels from the East Coast to shoot and promote films such as Dance First, a flawed biopic of writer Samuel Becketts life. But at least its September screening at the San Sebastian Film Festival allowed Byrne to smilingly recall his celebration of Francisco Francos death. He was in Bilbao, Spain, teaching English at the time. I left a trail of English speakers with Irish accents there, he jokes.

Since he published his memoirs, Byrne has chosen not to answer questions about sexual abuse. But he does speak at length about the black mark the Catholic Church has left in several countries. Byrne was going to be a priest, but after his traumatic experience in a seminary, he devoted his life to teaching. He studied Spanish, and to enhance his learning and earn a living, he lived in Bilbao between 1974 and 1975. I remember very well the discontent prior to the dictators death, and the great fear of speaking out. I was with a friend in a bar chatting about politics, and she did this [Byrne gestures at closing his mouth with a zipper], because Franco, she confessed to me, had ears everywhere. Spain suffered from the strong combination of ruthless fascism and Catholicism, [which is] something we understand very well in Ireland. Its funny, because I left here thinking it was impossible for the country to change, and when I returned four years later I found a completely different Spain. It was spectacular how quickly the fascist regime disappeared. In Ireland we experienced the same thing, with the collapse of the Catholic Church, the eruption of a volcano of freedom, sometimes for good, sometimes for ill. And what does he remember of November 20, 1975, the day Franco died? Of course I celebrated Francos death! We Irish were asked to tone down our party [he smiles]. And right after that I went back to Dublin.

Gabriel Byrne, with Sandrine Bonnaire at the beginning of 'Dance First.'

Byrne is still revolted by the memory of the inculcation of Catholicism in childrens minds, which he considers merciless. He is similarly disgusted that Spain promoted a silence like the one reflected in the girls of The Spirit of the Beehive, who grow up during that oppression. The actor recalls having seen it in Dublin: I thought it was brilliant and subversive. I like the idea of repression in a beehive, and how that subjugation doesnt let the bees fly freely. I perfectly understood what it means to live in a society that doesnt allow freedom and individual independence.

Gabriel Byrne and John Turturro, in 'Miller's Crossing.'

Byrne speaks very slowly, and on many occasions he stops talking to carefully measure his words. His portrayal of Samuel Beckett revisits the writer, similar to how the actor reviewed his own life in Walking with Ghosts: Of course, there is a parallel. Inevitably, there comes a time in life when you look back. When youre young you just think, Im going to do this and that. The past doesnt exist. Until one day the future is less important, and what you ask yourself is, Why did you do that? Was that it? Should I have done it differently? I wrote my book because I firmly believe that the people youve loved who have passed away are still with us. And we can still converse with them. Native Americans say that our ancestors walk beside us.

Gabriel Byrne in San Sebastian last September. Carlos Alvarez (Getty Images)

Byrne changes the subject to Beckett: At the end of the day, revisiting the past is of limited value, because you cant change anything. And one of the most powerful aspects of Becketts work is that the past is not important. It only exists as a form of fantasy. If you go back to your childhood home, it will seem small in comparison to your memories. Because that memory is deeply anchored. Thats why what the Catholic Church does with children is so brutal, instilling deep down inside them pity, shame and intolerance about sexuality. Think of its image of women: [they are] either a temptation of the devil or pure like the Virgin Mary. Ultimately, we are talking about a religion that claims that the Virgin Mary conceived a child, a life, without having sex, through a dove. [Here, he bursts into laughter.] I often think of St. Joseph saying to her: But what are you talking about? What dove? A real dove? Ugh, Catholicism was inculcated in me at the age of six through a narrative of terror. They claimed that hell existed. They made us put our finger in a flame and then explained to us that hell was that [feeling] all over our bodies for eternity. You know what was great about Beckett? He said that religion would not give us comfort. He confronted the facts of life in his writings, and therein lies his legacy.

The dangers of fame

When her husband won the Nobel Prize for Literature, Becketts wife said, what a catastrophe. Byrne speaks about fame in similar terms. I like to compare it to climbing a big mountain, reaching the top, looking around and realizing that thats it, theres nothing more. It is the beginning of a complete collapse for many people. Fame doesnt protect you; money doesnt protect you. They dont make you happier, because no matter how big and luxurious your house is, the issue is inside you. And if you harbor a clash inside, despair will eat away at you. Fame? Its like living in a small town where everybody knows you, and in the end youre bummed out that you went outside to buy the paper and milk [laughter]. And you come home and lock yourself in. A long time ago, I worked with Leonardo DiCaprio and he was no longer the master of his [own] life. I have avoided fame so I dont lose my identity, so I can enjoy life the way I want to. Unfortunately, many young people think that having a career is achieving fame, having pictures taken. But no, it should be a product of the work you do, not the goal itself.

The five members of the 'Usual Suspects' gang.

Wouldnt his life have been calmer if he had gone into teaching? Well, I often ask myself that, because I liked it a lot. I would be retired in Dublin, and I would spend the summer in Benidorm. Look, it wouldnt have been a bad life. But Ireland is not my home today. I live in the United States, and it doesnt belong to me either. I feel more comfortable in Spain, France, in Europe....I spent seven years in Los Angeles [when he married actress Ellen Barkin], on the same street. And yet, after that time, I didnt know a single neighbor. If you passed someone on the street and talked to them, they thought it was weird, even wrong. You know? That happened two decades ago, and now the whole of society behaves like those pedestrians. We live in an epidemic of isolation and loneliness. The feelings of community, of human connection, have disappeared. [Its] like cinema, where the form of consumption as weve [always] known it is almost dead.

Byrne, as Samuel Beckett.

Byrne has spent decades working in the theater, shot dozens and dozens of films and series, but when all is said and done, when he dies, he will be remembered as the actor from Millers Crossing and The Usual Suspects. You never know what will happen. I remember that one night in a parking lot on the set of The Usual Suspects, the sound guy, referring to the director and cinematographer, blurted out, Im sick to death of working with amateurs. This shit will never get off the ground. And, in contrast, sometimes youre rolling, it looks like everything is going well and in the end it comes out the way it comes out. Millers Crossing came out the same week as Goodfellas. And everybody went to see Scorseses film. And now, mind you, the Coens thriller is considered a huge influence in that genre. The interview takes place a couple of days after Michael Gambons death: as great an actor as he was  and he certainly was  the obituaries remembered him for his portrayal of Dumbledore in the Harry Potter films. Does Byrne fear meeting the same fate? The actor laughs and pulls out his cell phone. He searches and rummages, causing despair among his promotional entourage who want him to go eat, until he finds a video. Its a sequence from the Quirke series, with Byrne and Gambon. He shows it to his interviewer: He improvised the whole thing himself. Look, I dont care. I treasure all these moments with Gambon, with Laurence Olivier, with all the great artists Ive worked with... What hurts me are those wonderful films have gone unnoticed by the public. What comes after that...

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Coast Guard Establish Contact With Drone Hit MV Chem Pluto Vessel Destined To Mangalore

India

oi-Gaurav Sharma

A vessel, MV Chem Pluto, carrying crude oil from Saudi Arabia to Mangalore was hit by a drone on Saturday, according to the reports. After hours of hard work, the Indian Coast Guard's maritime surveillance aircraft managed to establish contact with the Israel-affiliated merchant vessel MV Chem Pluto, which was set ablaze after being hit by a drone. Reports said Indian Navy warships were alerted and sent for help to MV Chem Pluto and rescue its crew members. 20 Indians are said to be on MV Chem Pluto which was set on fire after the drone strike near the Gujarat coast.

Indian Coast Guard officials told the media: "Indian warships and coast guard vessels are expected to reach the MV Chem Pluto around midnight. Security forces to investigate how the merchant vessel with high-value cargo was attacked on high seas through drones or other means."

As per the latest reports, the fire caused by the aerial strike has been extinguished successfully and the crew members are said to be safe, but the vessel's functioning was affected.

"After the drone attack, the ship switched off its Automatic Identification System which can be used for tracking the vessel. The power generation system of the ship is now functional and more checks are being carried out before it sets out for its destination," Coast Guard officials said.

Breaking: First visuals of missile hit MV Chem Pluto from Indian Coast Guard's Dornier. The commercial vessel bound for India's Mangalore came under attack earlier today. @WIONews https://t.co/6j8eGhDcx2 pic.twitter.com/2HzFWSKRLo  Sidhant Sibal (@sidhant) December 23, 2023

"A fire on the Liberian-flagged tanker was extinguished without crew casualties in the incident 200 km, southwest of Gujarat's Veraval," a British maritime security firm Ambrey alerted on Saturday, adding some "structural damage was also reported, and some water was taken onboard".
TS E-challan Payment: Up To 90% Discount Available From Dec 16 To Jan 10  Don't Miss Out!

Telangana CM Announces Social Security Measures for Gig Workers

Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy has announced a slew of social security measures for gig workers in the state, including Rs 5 lakh accident insurance and Rs 10 lakh health cover under the Rajiv Arogyasri scheme.

India

-Krishna Kripa

In a significant move to ensure the well-being of gig workers in Telangana, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy has announced a slew of social security measures, including accident insurance and health coverage.

Accident Insurance and Health Cover

The state government will provide Rs 5 lakh accident insurance to gig workers involved in food delivery, driving cabs, and auto-rickshaws. Additionally, they will be entitled to Rs 10 lakh health cover under the Rajiv Arogyasri scheme.

Policy Decision for Social Security

Recognizing the need for social security for workers in the unorganized sectors, the chief minister assured that the state government will make a policy decision in this direction. A comprehensive policy will be introduced to safeguard the rights and welfare of gig workers.

Studying Rajasthan's Policy

To ensure an effective implementation of the social security measures, the state government will study the existing policy for gig workers in Rajasthan. This will enable Telangana to learn from best practices and develop a robust framework that meets the specific needs of its gig workers.

Financial Assistance to Deceased Food Delivery Executive's Family

In a compassionate gesture, the chief minister announced Rs 2 lakh financial assistance to the family of a food delivery executive who tragically lost his life after falling from a building four months ago.

Application Submission Process

To facilitate the implementation of these measures, cab and auto-rickshaw drivers, as well as food delivery executives, are advised to submit their applications either online or physically in the Grama Sabhas organized from December 28 to January 6.

The Telangana government's initiative to provide social security to gig workers is a commendable step towards ensuring their welfare and recognizing their valuable contributions to the state's economy. These measures will undoubtedly bring much-needed relief and support to thousands of hardworking individuals in the unorganized sectors.
Why Gujarat Govt Lifted Liquor Ban In GIFT City

India

oi-Prakash KL

In a bid to attempt to provide a "global business ecosystem" at the Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City), the Gujarat government on Friday lifted the prohibition on liquor in the area, exempting it from the statewide ban.

Gujarat, the birthplace of Mahatma Gandhi, has prohibited the manufacturing, storage, sale, and consumption of alcoholic beverages since its inception.

"GIFT City has emerged as a global financial and technological hub which is bustling with economic activities. An important decision has been taken on Friday to change rules to allow 'wine and dine' facilities in the GIFT City area to provide a global business ecosystem to global investors, technical experts and national and international companies," in a statement, the state prohibition department said.

Cheers In Dry Gujarat! Alcohol Now Permitted At GIFT City Restaurants

"Under the new system, hotels, restaurants and clubs (existing and that will come up) in the GIFT City area will be given permits for wine and dine facilities," it said. However, such establishments will not be allowed to sell liquor bottles to people.

"Those officially working in GIFT City area and their official guests will be able to go to such hotels, restaurants and clubs for wine and dine facilities," the statement further said.

As per the report, the owners and employees of companies in GIFT City will be issued liquor access permits, while temporary permits will be granted to their visitors, allowing them to consume alcohol at designated hotels and restaurants.

The state's prohibition and excise department will oversee the import, storage, and sale of liquor within the city. Currently, visitors from outside Gujarat can purchase liquor from authorized outlets by obtaining a temporary permit.

Shubman Gill Replaces Hardik Pandya As The Captain Of Gujarat Titans

However, the Opposition Congress has slammed the government's decision to lift the liquor ban.

Congress MP Shaktisinh Gohil on X said, "In Gandhinagar's Gift City, the alcohol ban is being lifted, and it's been decided to remove the prohibition. Now people will consume it, and it will impact Gujarat in a negative way,"

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Saturday, December 23, 2023, 12:15 [IST]
Maine Bars Donald Trump From Ballot As US Supreme Court Weighs State Authority To Block Former President

US: Supreme Court Refuses To Rule On Trump's Immunity

International

dwnews-DW News

The US Supreme Court said Friday it will not immediately take up a request from special counsel Jack Smith to rule on whether former President Donald Trump can be prosecuted for his actions to overturn the results of his 2020 election defeat.

The justices, rebuffing an extraordinary request by US special counsel Jack Smith, refused to effectively leapfrog a lower appeals court to speed up a final ruling on Trump's claims of immunity ahead of his trial, due to begin in March.

The court issued its decision in a brief one-page order without any further explanation. No justice publicly dissented. The issue will now be decided by the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, which has signaled it will act quickly to decide the case.

Trump celebrates victory

The decision is a scheduling victory for Trump and his lawyers, who have repeatedly sought to delay a criminal case against him as he campaigns to reclaim the White House in 2024.

Colorado Supreme Court Bans Trump From States 2024 US Presidential Ballot

It averts a swift ruling from the nation's highest court that could have definitively rejected his claims of immunity, and further casts doubt on the possibility of the landmark trial proceeding as scheduled on March 4.

In a statement to supporters, Trump labeled the Supreme Court decision as a victory but added "I will still have to fight for my rights in the Appeals Court."

What are the charges against Trump?

Prosecutors have accused Trump, the frontrunner for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, of attempting to obstruct Congress and defraud the US government through schemes to reverse the outcome of the 2020 presidential election.

Trump has argued that the case should be dismissed on the grounds that former presidents cannot face criminal charges for conduct related to their official responsibilities.

Hacked X Handle Of Junior Trump Announces Donald Trump's Death

US District Judge Tanya Chutkan rejected that claim on December 1, prompting Trump's appeal to the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. Trump's appeal suspended his trial, currently set for March.

In a bid to avoid delaying Trump's trial, Smith on December 11 urged the Supreme Court to undertake an expedited ruling.

Source: DW
Motivational Speaker Vivek Bindra Booked For Domestic Violence

Noida

pti-PTI

Entrepreneur and motivational speaker Vivek Bindra has been booked for allegedly assaulting his wife in Noida, police officials said on Saturday. The police said they are investigating the allegations and would take action upon probe.

Bindra could not be contacted immediately for his response. The FIR was lodged at the Sector 126 police station on December 14 after a complaint by Vaibhav Kwatra, brother of Bindra's wife Yanika.

Bindra and Yanika got married on December 6 and were living in a posh society in Sector 94 here, he said. "On the morning of December 7, my brother-in-law Vivek Bindra was arguing with his mother Prabha ji.

When my sister Yanika intervened in this matter, my brother-in-law locked the room with my sister, abused her and beat her a lot, due to which she has wounds all over her body, she is unable to hear, and her hair were also torn out," Kwatra claimed. "Due to the head wound, she was feeling quite dizzy.

Bengaluru Elderly Couple's Viral Video Sparks Debate Over Alleged Domestic Abuse, Counterclaim Stories Surface

She was being treated at Kailash Deepak Hospital in Delhi," he claimed. Kwatra also alleged that during the fight Bindra broke his sister's mobile phone. He urged the police to take strict action in the case.

A senior police officer said on the basis of the complaint, an FIR has been lodged in the case under Indian Penal Code sections 323 (causing hurt), 504 (insult to provoke breach of peace), 325 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt), and 427 (mischief). "We have launched an investigation into the case to ascertain the facts. Necessary action would be taken accordingly," Assistant Commissioner of Police (Noida) Rajneesh Verma told PTI.
Eurasia Review 31 Dec 2023

We and many other organizations and peaceful protesters in our country have worked in vain to persuade President Joe Biden to use..
A P-plater has been arrested, accused of going twice the speed limit and crashing into a vehicle at Milperra in Sydney's south-west.
In response to Russia's invasion, Ukraine called for support from volunteers operating in cyberspace. Since then, hackers have helped Kyiv's war effort. But this new phenomenon also draws criticism.
The Ukrainian military says it has shot down three Russian jets. Meanwhile, Germany's ambassador in Moscow says Russian President Vladimir Putin shows no sign of being ready to negotiate. DW has the latest.
French President Emmanuel Macron will be the chief guest at the Republic Day parade next month, replacing US President Joe Biden who declined the invite. This will be the sixth time a French leader will attend the event. Macron's invitation comes after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was the chief guest at the Bastille Day celebrations in Paris earlier this year. France is India's key strategic partner in Europe and the Indian Ocean, with growing ties in defense, security, space, and energy. India and France share a high degree of convergence on regional and global issues.
At the peak of his popularity, Changpeng Zhaos team devised an efficient system to please his numerous fans and spread his fame. A Binance intern organized a line and asked each person in the line for their cell phone. Then, a company photographer would take the cameras, frame the fan next to Zhao, and shoot again and again, as if on an assembly line. Can easily get through 300 photos in 15-20 minutes, Zhao, known as CZ, the initials of his name, explained on the social network X (formerly Twitter). The founder of Binance  the largest cryptocurrency exchange platform in the world  spread his image to the four corners of the planet, which sometimes led to unwanted consequences. Dont believe people when they show a selfie and say they are close to CZ or Binance, CZ said in a post on X, warning against opportunists who sought to take advantage of his fame.

This scene  together with his almost nine million followers on X  gives an idea of the extent to which CZ became a mass idol thanks to his dominance in the crypto sector. But theres a paradox: CZ is as well known to crypto followers as he is unknown to those outside that universe.

Born in Jiangsu, in China, Zhao, 46, has Canadian nationality. The son of two professors, he lived on the campus of the Hefei University of Science and Technology until August 1989, when at the age of 12  two months after the massacre of pro-democracy opponents in Tiananmen Square  his parents chose to escape the repression of Chinese authorities. The line outside the Canadian Embassy was three days long, Zhao said in an article on the Binance blog, where he reviews his life.

Once in Vancouver, he worked at a McDonalds and at a service station to help out at home. But a poker game was about to change his destiny. Zhao  a computer engineer from McGill University in Montreal  learns of the existence of a new form of electronic money. After four years working in New York for Bloomberg, in 2005 he moved to Shanghai to create a trading firm. There, he crosses paths with Bobby Lee, then CEO of BTC China  a bitcoin exchange platform in the Asian giantand investor Ron Cao. In the middle of the card game, they talk to him about cryptocurrencies.

The shock is instantaneous; a near religious revelation. Thats the only way to explain why Zhao  possessed by blind confidence in something that was just beginning  made the drastic decision to sell his house in Shanghai to buy bitcoins. Anyone would have said that it was crazy. But it turned out well. The rise in bitcoin prices would soon earn him a significant sum. Seeing that enormous potential, he sets up Binance.

The companys growth was exponential. In six months, it became the favorite cryptocurrency exchange platform. They worked with all possible currencies. They met the demand of many users who were looking to speculate or invest, and they did not take regulatory requirements into account, explains Javier Pastor, from the Spanish Bit2Me exchange. But once again, the Chinese government was standing in the way: it banned cryptocurrencies and blocked the platform. Binance workers, led by Zhao, leave the country. The irony that I was once again forced to leave China  approximately 30 years after my parents fled with my sister and I  was not lost on me, he writes.

They go to Tokyo, then to Malta, and finally avoid talking about where they are based, saying only that their employees work remotely. But the company is registered in the tax haven of the Cayman Islands. Bloomberg includes CZ in its list of 50 most influential people. And at the beginning of 2022, he is the richest man in Canada, with a fortune of $65 billion, putting him close to Mark Zuckerberg.

But the sectors rosy days are nearing their end. Or, at best, the party has come to a pause. In May 2022, the crypto coin Luna collapses, and months later the FTX platform goes bankrupt. Binance initially considers rescuing the platform, but CZ finally decides against it, not wanting to be dragged down by the companys chaotic management. Millions of investors lose their savings, and the heads of both firms, Do Kwon from Lula and Sam Bankman-Fried from FTX, end up in prison. Distrust spreads, and there is talk of crypto winter.

For a few months it seemed that CZ could survive the crisis, and even come out stronger. But an investigation in the United States has ended his career. In an agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice, he pleaded guilty to violating anti-money laundering laws, accepted a fine of $50 million and stepped down as CEO of Binance, which will pay a $4.3 billion fine.

It was the fall of the last great crypto prophet. While CZ has been forced to abandon his lifes work, telling his loyal Twitter followers that he wont be online for a while, his end could have been much worse. He still has shares in Binance, he still has a $15-billion fortune, according to Forbes, and he will not have to wait for lunchtime to stretch his legs in the prison yard.

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The federal government reopened two railroad crossings Friday in the Texas border towns of Eagle Pass and El Paso, four days after their closure.
The United States Supreme Court rejected a request by Special Counsel Jack Smith for an expedited ruling on Donald Trump's claims of immunity in his election interference case.
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By Kerry Boyd Anderson



At the start of 2023, US President Joe Biden was halfway through his presidential term. Many..

Eurasia Review 22 Dec 2023
Do you love the winter season? If so, head to Bhutan, India's neighbouring country with a unique culture and some of the happiest citizens in the world, next month. January isn't a time generally recommended to travel to Bhutan but if the cold climate is your thing, it's a great season to experience the country. The weather can be quite chilly, with even occasional snowfalls in higher elevations. But, clear skies, mountain views, lower prices, hardly any crowd, wildlife tours... January can offer its tempting version to Bhutan visitors.

Great winter spots in Bhutan

Royal Manas National Park in Gonphu, home to tigers, rhinos, elephants and leopards is in the eastern Himalayan region and is considered one of the 10 global biodiversity hotspots. November to April is the ideal time to be here as it brings migratory birds and various endemic animals to the park. Rinpung Dzong, one of the largest monasteries in the country can also be visited in January, though you should have enough woollen clothes even when you like winter chills. Chelela Pass, the highest motorable point in Bhutan, is also best visited in winter to check out snow-capped Himalayan ranges, embraced by freezing air. The most popular tourist attraction of Bhutan, the Taktsang Monastery, also known as the Tiger's Nest, has a different vibe in winter with you getting to experience snow showers, white trees and more on the trek there this season.

Free visa for Indians

Bhutan can be reached by air or road from India. The biggest advantage for Indian tourists is that they can travel to Bhutan without a visa, though it is mandatory to obtain a permit. A passport with a validity of at least six months is also mandatory. Once you reach Bhutan, you can also get a local SIM card.

Permit to enter Bhutan

The immigration offices at the border points will issue the permit which is valid for seven days. It has to be produced at all checkpoints for verification. For those wishing to stay beyond the initial seven-day limit, a permit must be acquired in the capital, Thimphu. Ensure that you have enough passport-size photographs for the application process. At times, more than one passport-size photo would be required as part of the permit application process.

While in Bhutan, obtaining a local SIM card from telecom operators such as Bhutan Telecom and Tashicell can enhance your journey, providing permission for calls, texting, and data services. To get a local SIM card, some documents are needed to be produced. A copy of the passport and passport-size photograph are required for registering the local SIM card in your name. While the urban areas have good network availability, the service is poor in remote areas. If you want to spend more than the specified time in Bhutan, get a permit in the capital Thimphu in advance to avoid unnecessary tension and complications.

Be mindful of customs

Bhutan is a photographer's paradise, but there are some things that visitors have to keep in mind. Photography enthusiasts should be mindful of local customs and regulations, respecting prohibitions on photography at some religious centres. Therefore, one should follow the instructions strictly and seek permissions where required. Ngultrum is the currency of Bhutan. One unit of the Bhutanese currency is equal to one Indian rupee. The Indian rupee is widely accepted here and therefore, there is no need to be worried even if one does not have local currency. However, it is better to carry local currency when travelling to remote places. In short, Bhutan is a foreign country that Indians will find easy and trouble-free to visit.
How important are two words? Well, two words led to a sleepless night for COP28 delegates as arguments went back and forth: 'phase out' or 'phase down' of fossil fuels. The ones intent on keeping mean global temperature rise limited to 1.5 C in strict adherence to the Paris accord clearly wanted the former.



COP28 was supposed to end on Tuesday, December 12th. In the event, the final session went on until 4 am on Wednesday, and the words finally settled upon were 'transition away from fossil fuels'. The president of COP28, Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, who is also the CEO of Abu Dhabi National Oil Co., proudly boasted it was the first time the words 'fossil fuels' had ever appeared in a COP final report.

Why was the UAE selected as the host? That too, is no mystery. It is one of the top ten oil producers in the world, and documents leaked to the BBC showed that it planned to use the meeting to strike new oil deals. The appalling duplicity (after all he was chairing an environment conference) and irony apparently eluded the good doctor -- business is business, as they say, and his business is selling his oil.



That may be, although it might account for the fact that the vaunted COP deal does not require anyone to do anything. There are no specific goals, just the aforementioned 'transition away.' So another COP is over and the fossil fuel producers have again won. Poor earth!

As an aside, the good doctor (Al Jaber) was caught on an open mic stating that he thought all this climate change was a lot of hooey. The human capacity for self-delusion and self-destruction is legendary. Looking at WW2 and Herr Adolf, for example, the bill was over 50 million lives. At the time there were just two nuclear weapons in the world, now over 5000. One may believe their use is unthinkable until one hears people like the right-wing politician in Israel advocate them against the Hamas tunnels in Gaza.



One can also imagine all sorts of scenarios. The Tom Clancy novel, "The Hunt for Red October", is a gripping example that was made into a movie. Then there was an actual real-life incident during the Cold War when the Soviet early-warning system Oko falsely detected the launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) from the US with four more missiles behind it. Had it not been for one Soviet officer, Stanislav Petrov, the world would have changed that day.

Yes, the Soviet Union no longer exists and Russia now is very different. But what about China and India? The latter is always on the defensive in its northern areas where China has a distinct advantage in lines of supply. It also has very close ties with nuclear-armed Pakistan, India's traditional rival. Thus it is not difficult to envisage a scenario where India suspects a two-pronged attack to envelop, say, an Indian troop concentration of division strength or more. Would India resort to a nuclear weapon?



We can only hope such a situation never arises and if it does, common sense prevails. India has many divisions of troops but there is only one earth.


60 years gone. And through all that time, we are still told the "Oswald Tale".



In a January 22, '64, Executive Session of the Warren Commission, Allen Dulles expressed concerns over the rumors that Lee Oswald was some sort of government agent, that he may have been used, or had knowledge of a bigger plot, possibly withheld by the FBI or Intelligence Community. The members had also come to the realization that, they were being led to,"...support the [FBI] conclusions...". They were questioning their very existence, and purpose, and the long-term consequences for what they have resigned themselves to do.



Dulles: "...why would it be particularly in their interest -- I could see, it would be in their interest to get rid of this man but why would it be in their interest to say he is clearly the only guilty one? I mean I don't see that argument that you raise particularly shows an interest.... If he was not the killer and they employed him, they are already it, you see. So your argument is correct if they are sure that this is going to close the case, but if it don't close the case, they are worse off than ever by doing this."



That's really where it's at, after all these years. Isn't it? It hasn't closed the case, and it's worse off than ever. Thru all this time, there has been nothing released that has strengthened or fortified the 'Oswald Theory'. Even the latest nonsensical-sounding account by Secret Service Agent, Paul Landis, doesn't 'better' the official narrative. In fact, he refers to a back wound that cannot be explained, and corroborates 2 Parkland nurses that saw a bullet in the ER room.




Thousands of counterfeit units of Ozempic have been seized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which is now urging pharmacies, suppliers and patients to use caution when dealing with the drug.

The FDA issued a warning Thursday about the counterfeits of Ozempic, a drug for type-2 diabetes that has also become popular for weight loss.

Patients and practitioners are being advised to check the 1-milligram injectable product and not to use those labeled with lot number NAR0074 and serial number 430834149057.

Five people have fallen ill from the counterfeit products, although none of them have been serious cases, the FDA stated.

FDA and Novo Nordisk (manufacturer of Ozempic) are testing the seized products and do not yet have information about the drugs identity, quality, or safety, the administration warned.

Pen labels, cartons, patient information and needles that come with the product have also been identified as counterfeit.

The sterility of the needles cannot be confirmed, which presents an increased risk of infection for patients who use the counterfeit products, the FDA stated.

Patients were reminded to obtain their medication exclusively from state-licensed pharmacies with a valid prescription.

As the FDAs investigation continues, they are also calling on health care professionals and consumers to report adverse side effects related to the use of Ozempic to FDAs MedWatch Safety Information and Adverse Event Reporting Program.

An Ozempic shortage has been reported as celebrities have made the drug popular for weight loss.

Since the rise in demand for Ozempic and its sister medication, Wegovy, there have been reports of salons and social media distributors selling knockoff versions of them.

_______

2023 New York Daily News. Visit at nydailynews.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
SEATTLE  The acquittal of three Tacoma police officers charged with killing Manuel Ellis ended their criminal troubles, but the fallout from Ellis death is far from over.

Officers Matthew Collins, Christopher Shane Burbank and Timothy Rankine were all found not guilty Thursday. They still face, along with two other Tacoma officers, a civil suit from Ellis family that appears headed for trial. Ellis family already has settled a lawsuit against Pierce County, which botched the initial investigation of Ellis death, for $4 million.

Collins, Burbank and Rankine also face an internal affairs investigation that will determine whether they can remain employed at the Tacoma Police Department.

Earlier internal reviews of officers Masyih Ford, who helped restrain Ellis, and Armando Farinas, who placed a spit hood on him, cleared them and they returned to work. Tacoma police policy was silent on spit hoods at the time of Ellis death, so there was no policy for Farinas to violate.

Similarly, Tacoma then lacked a policy on neck holds and hobbles, both of which were used on Ellis by the acquitted officers. Ford and Farinas are also named in the civil lawsuit.

But its unclear whether the acquitted officers even want to remain at the department, according to one of their lawyers.

I would be surprised if our client Shane went back into law enforcement, and if he were to  probably for all of them  it wouldnt be at this department, said Wayne Fricke, Burbanks attorney. Its not because they dont like the community, but obviously there were some tough times here over the past couple of years.

Ellis, 33, died March 3, 2020, after struggling with police in a south Tacoma intersection, saying at least five times that he couldnt breathe while the officers continued to apply force.

The Pierce County Medical Examiner ruled his death a homicide caused by oxygen deprivation from physical restraint. Lawyers for the officers argued that enough methamphetamine was in Ellis system to cause his death, particularly because he had an enlarged heart.

Jurors accepted that argument, according to Fricke. After talking with jurors after their verdict, Fricke told reporters that doubts about Ellis cause of death and questions about the credibility of civilian eyewitnesses who described officers as the aggressors were the foremost factors that led to acquittal.

But a different standard applies in a civil case, lower than the beyond a reasonable doubt threshold in a criminal case. In civil actions, the party bringing the suit need only show that their argument is more credible than the respondents, essentially that the lawsuits claims are more probable than not.

Its not a setback, James Bible, a Seattle lawyer representing the Ellis family, said about the verdicts. In part, thats because we have negligence claims (in the civil case).

We have officer Farinas and the spit mask he put on a man whod been hogtied, beaten and choked. That spit mask had warnings on it that said, Dont do it, and they did it anyway. Thats more than enough, he said.

The civil suit, filed in U.S. District Court in September 2021, was on hold until the conclusion of the criminal trial. Now that it has ended, Bible said the next step will be to coordinate with lawyers for the city of Tacoma to schedule a trial.

Bible said he expects to present evidence that was blocked from being presented at the criminal trial by Pierce County Superior Court Judge Bryan Chushcoff, including incidents from the officers pasts.

Among them: a failed exercise at the Washington police academy that caused trainers to question Rankines fitness to be a police officer, and numerous internal investigations of Burbank at his last police job in North Carolina for use of force and one allegation of racial profiling. In all of them, Burbank was cleared of wrongdoing.

During the civil case, Bible also intends to introduce training materials that he says will show the officers violated their training and steps that law enforcement agencies and personnel took to minimize the officers actions.

Chushcoff excluded testimony about the officers training, Tacoma Police Department policies, and references to the law enforcement wall of silence against other officers were off-limits in the criminal trial.

Theres a great deal that will be shown in the civil trial that did not see the light of day in the criminal trial, Bible said.

Bible said the door remains open for federal charges against the officers for violating Ellis civil rights. The last officer in Washington to be convicted for an on-duty death was Spokanes Karl Thompson, who was found to have violated the civil rights of Otto Zehm in 2006.

I dont think anyone wants to address this at this point, Emily Langlie, spokeswoman for acting U.S. Attorney for Western Washington Tessa Gorman, said Thursday when asked about a potential federal investigation.

Tacoma Police Chief Avery Moore is expected to review the internal affairs investigation of Collins, Burbank and Rankine and the resulting recommendations before forwarding it to a board for a decision on the officers futures with the department.

The process is expected to be complete in two weeks, according to Tacoma City Manager Elizabeth Pauli. Until a ruling, the officers remain employed on paid leave.

Former Tacoma Police Chief Don Ramsdell initially decided to retain the officers after they were charged, and Moore stuck with it. Collins, Burbank and Rankine have collected about $1.5 million in salary from the department since they were placed on leave well over three years ago.

During that time, they received multiple raises and continued to accrue pensions and paid time off. Each of the officers banked hundreds of hours of vacation that the city of Tacoma would be obligated to pay them for if they left the department.

_________

2023 The Seattle Times. Visit seattletimes.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
A man wanted on suspicion of shooting a romantic rival in the legs in Washington County in February was arrested Friday in Pennsylvania, according to the county Sheriffs Office.

Earlier this year, Washington County Sheriffs detectives identified George Ditzler III, of Marietta, Pennsylvania, as a person of interest in a Feb. 6 shotgun shooting that left the 47-year-old male victim with non-life-threatening injuries to his legs, the office said in a press release.

The shooter ambushed the victim outside his business office on Southwest Tonquin Road in an unincorporated area of the county and shot the victim multiple times in the legs, the Sheriffs Office said. The victim was taken to the hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening.

During an investigation, detectives learned that Ditzler previously had a romantic relationship with a person who later became romantically involved with the victim, according to the Sheriffs Office. Detectives determined during the investigation that Ditzler had allegedly planned to kill the victim, a plot he had shared with an acquaintance who later cooperated with detectives, the Sheriffs Office said. The shooter also left the shotgun at the scene and DNA analysis of the shotgun by the Oregon State Police Crime Lab implicated Ditzler in the assault, according to detectives.

On Wednesday, a grand jury indicted Ditzler on charges of second-degree attempted murder, first-degree assault and unlawful use of a weapon.

Officers from the Lancaster Police Bureau in Pennsylvania arrested Ditzler and as of Friday he was awaiting extradition to Oregon.

 Hillary Borrud hborrud@oregonian.com; 503-294-4034.
In Rio de Janeiro  one of the main slave ports in the Americas  four out of every 10 people in the city were slaves in the mid-19th century. Five million Africans built the foundations of the Brazilian economy over nearly four centuries of forced labor. Now, Banco do Brazil (Bank of Brazil), the countrys oldest financial institution, has apologized to Black Brazilians for their complicity in the slave trade and slavery. It issued the apology on the eve of Black Consciousness Day, which is celebrated on November 20, and against the backdrop of the growing debate on how to address the enormous legacy of inequality that slavery left in Brazilian society. The descendants of slaves live shorter lives, get sick more often, have worse jobs and are poorer than their white compatriots.

The Bank of Brazil apologized with a carefully measured statement  the kind law firms draw up to protect companies from litigation. Todays Bank of Brazil apologizes to the Black community for its predecessor versions and works intensely to confront structural racism [] in a society that bears the consequences of slavery, regardless of whether or not there is any connection, even if indirect, between the activities of previous versions [of the company] and the slavers of the 19th century, said the text, released on a Saturday. It was signed by the president of the Bank of Brazil, Tarciana Medeiros, the first Black woman to head the entity, and the first Brazilian on the Forbes list of the 100 most powerful women in the world.

Founded in 1853 by Emperor Pedro II, the Bank of Brazil is the fourth-largest savings entity in the country, and a very well-known brand. The government owns 70% of the shares, it has 75 million clients (a third of the population) and it has branches in almost every corner of the country.

The decision to issue an apology did not come out of the blue, but was rather in response to a skillful move by a group of 14 historians specialized in the slavery business. With the goal of opening a public debate, the historians chose to ask the Bank of Brazil to account for its role in the slave trade, as it is one of the few institutions of the time that is still going. It just celebrated its 170th anniversary. The group called on the Public Prosecutors Office, which also exercises the functions of ombudsman, to take action. It immediately opened a case and ordered the Bank of Brazil to respond.

Enslaved workers carry hoes and baskets to work in the fields, in a lithograph published around 1860. Frederic Sorrieu (Arquivo Nacional do Brasil)

One of the academics in that group, historian Martha Abreu, from the Fluminense Federal University, said she was very pleased with the outcome: Every reparation policy has to begin with recognition. And the bank was central to the financing of the slave trade, she told EL PAIS by phone from Rio. The slave trader Jose Bernardino de Sa, who sold some 200,000 people, became the banks main private shareholder in 1853. There were others, but he was the most powerful, she explained.

The idea to go to the Public Prosecutors Office was born out of frustration. No one reads our articles. We always felt that our work had little impact on society. We thought that, with the Public Prosecutors Office, we would have more strength and visibility. The bank made a move! she said. The Bank of Brazil will also begin a mentoring program for 150 Black and mixed-race employees to help them reach leadership positions. The goal is for this group to make up 30% of management by 2025; they currently only account for 23%.

For the Public Prosecutors Office, the apology and the banks other measures are welcome, but do not go far enough. They have opened a public consultation to request reparation proposals that the bank could adopt.

Tarciana Medeiros, first woman to preside over Banco do Brasil, on January 16, 2023. Eraldo Peres (AP)

On the Saturday that the written apology was issued, a second, highly symbolic ceremony took place at the Portela samba school in Rio. The banks head of institutional relations met with several representatives of the Black movement to ask for their forgiveness in person. It was an extraordinary face-to-face meeting with an institution that profited from the sale and purchase of half of Brazils ancestors.

The venue chosen for the event also caught attention. Brazil proudly exported samba to the world in the 20th century, but the dance was criminalized after the abolition of slavery in 1888, along with other cultural expressions that the enslaved brought from Africa such as capoeira. The Public Prosecutors Office believes that samba schools are key to raising awareness among Afro-Brazilians of their rights. The Portela samba school is a century-old institution, and choosing that setting was also a solemn recognition of the cultural legacy of Afro-Brazilians.

Among those present at the event was Junio Araujo, one of the prosecutors handling the case. He described the ceremony as historic and a great success, saying that the hope it instilled was very exciting and gratifying. It is now time for the next chapter: reparations.

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Americas oldest trees, most of which are in the West, will get added protection from wildfire and climate change under updated forest plans from the U.S. Forest Service.

In announcements over the past week, officials from the Forest Service said they would begin the process of amending forest management plans affecting all 128 of the agencys forest and grasslands, including the Northwest Forest Plan governing federal forests in northern California, Oregon and Washington. The amendments, both nationally and in the Northwest, are meant to bolster forest health to combat climate change and to further protect the last of the nations old-growth trees, many of which have been threatened by growing wildfires, drought and diseases.

While updates would limit timber harvests in old-growth areas, logging would likely be allowed to continue in some mature stands in the Northwest.

Susan Jane Brown, founder and attorney at the Oregon legal nonprofit Silvix Resources, said the idea of leaving mature forests on the table for logging makes conservationists a bit queasy, but she said it is inevitable on federal forestlands managed for multiple uses.

Given that, I want to see that harvests occur in the most ecologically sensitive way, that also honors cultural traditions, and I think we can do that, she said. I think that we can have timber harvests that focus on cutting the right trees in the right places for the right reasons.

Updating these federal forest plans are part of the Biden administrations strategy to ecologically manage the nations forests to be more resilient to wildfires and to better sequester climate-warming carbon dioxide. Living trees suck up and store climate-warming carbon dioxide. When cut or burned, they release it into the atmosphere. Older trees also contribute to the health of the water, soil and ecosystems, allowing better carbon and water storage for other trees and plants.

The decision to amend rather than revise the plans will allow changes to be adopted more quickly. The Forest Service has set a deadline of 2025 to finalize plans. Environmentalists hope this deadline is met to avoid derailment by any new presidential administration.

Difference between old and mature

The plans will focus on protections for old growth. The more than 20 million acres of federal forestlands protected in the Northwest Forest Plan contain 25% of the remaining old growth in all federal forests and grasslands in the lower 48 states, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. About half of Oregons forests are owned and managed by the U.S. Forest Service. This includes 10 national forests spanning 16 million acres.

The term old growth encompasses different ages for different tree species, but in general denotes tree stands and surrounding habitat that has not undergone any major human-caused changes for 100 years. The trees remain part of healthy, diverse ecosystems that are largely unmanipulated. Mature stands are typically close to a century old and characterized by their large size relative to younger trees, multi-layered canopies and the health of the soil around them.

The U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management oversee 72 million hectares, or about 278,000 square miles, of forests  an area about the size of Texas and Vermont combined. A recent inventory from the two agencies found that about 45% of those forests are considered mature and about 18% are considered old growth.

Most old growth and mature forests are in Western states such as Idaho, California, Montana and Oregon. Few stands still exist east of the Mississippi River. There are some left in New England, around the Great Lakes and in Arkansas, Kentucky and West Virginia, according to the Forest Service.

Northwest Forest Plan

The announced changes focus on five key updates to the Northwest Forest Plan, which covers 17 national forests across 20 million acres in Washington, Oregon and Northern California. It was approved in 1994 following lawsuits under the Endangered Species Act, alleging unsustainable logging was leading to the decline and loss of critical species, including the Northern spotted owl. These owls rely on old growth and mature forests for nesting. In many ways, the plan succeeded in conserving old growth and improving habitat for land and aquatic species.

But over the last 30 years, growing threats from wildfire as well as drought and invasive pests and disease from climate change warrant an update to the management plan, according to Alexi Lovechio, climate program manager with Klamath-Siskiyou Wildlands Center, a nonprofit conservation group based in Ashland:

Since 1994, our environment has changed and new scientific data has emerged, Lovechio said. We didnt know nearly as much about climate change and the impacts it would have on wildfire severity or water quality and wildlife habitat as we do today. So thats why this amendment is so important.

The updates include managing and preserving mature and old growth forests, protecting them from climate change, including tribes in forest management, preventing and suppressing wildfires and supporting rural economies.

Brown of Silvix Resources said when the plan was written it was missing some critical input.

The 1994 plan was written without the government-to-government consultation with tribes, and as a result, there is no language at all in the plan about indigenous stewardship and uses of these lands, she said. I think we will, I hope that we will, make that change in our amendment.
The Oregon Zoo has had multiple newcomers in recent weeks. That includes two orphaned black bear cubs and a critically endangered baby rhino. A new elephant calf is also expected in 2025. And now?

The zoo announced Friday that it welcomed two 18-month-old Amur tigers, Dmitri and Luka.

The two tigers are brothers and were born in Minot, North Dakota, in 2022, according to a press release from the Oregon Zoo.

Were so happy to have Luka and Dmitri here, said Amy Hash in the release, who oversees the zoos tiger habitat. Theyre curious and playful and seem to be enjoying their new surroundings. Luka is calm and sweet, and Dmitri is a bit feistier.

Dmitri and Luka came to Portland based on a recommendation from the Species Survival Plan for Amur tigers, which is program among zoos that helps create genetically diverse, self-sustaining populations to guarantee the long-term future of animal species, according to a press release from the zoo.

Amur tigers are the largest of the nine tiger subspecies and are at serious risk of extinction, with only around 500 believed to remain in their native range, according to the release.

-- The Oregonian/OregonLive
We really got out there in 2023.

While photographers for The Oregonian/OregonLive were busy covering breaking news, features and Portlands restaurant scene this year, they also took the time to tour the state, documenting the people, places and landscapes that make Oregon special.

Touring everywhere from far eastern Oregon to the southern Oregon coast, they covered a little bit of everything: sled dogs, a solar eclipse, ghost towns, wildflowers, Cascade mountain tops and misty ocean views. Their 2023 photos showcase Oregon at its finest, showing off the sheer variety our state has to offer to all who explore.

Here is a selection of our favorite travel photos of the year.

JAMIE HALE

As The Oregonian/OregonLives travel and outdoors reporter, Jamie Hale scours the state for good views and interesting things to do. His landscape photos range from the Oregon coast to the high desert, covering the mountains, rivers and forests in between. In 2023, they included first-time trips to the Owyhee Canyonlands, Breitenbush Hot Springs and the lip of Willamette Falls, as well as a sled dog ride at Mount Bachelor.

Willamette Falls is seen at the end of June from a Portland General Electric property in West Linn, where an intertribal coalition, the Willamette Falls Trust, is planning a new public access project.Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

Sunset at the Painted Hills, found within the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument in central Oregon, at the beginning of May. Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

The Amanda statue rests in a clearing, surrounded by gifts, at the heart of the Amanda Trail in Yachats in July. The trail presents an unvarnished history of Indigenous communities in the area. Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

Leslie Gulch Roads runs through the heart of the Owyhee Canyonlands in far eastern Oregon, during the last days of spring in mid-June. Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

Middle Fork Tumalo Falls is found just off the North Fork Trail, part of the popular Tumalo Falls Loop Hike in the Deschutes National Forest. The waterfall is seen here in mid-October, just before the first snowfall arrived. Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

A February sled dog ride runs down a snowy trail at Mt. Bachelor in Bend. The rides are run by Oregon Trail of Dreams, an organization led by Rachael Scdoris, the first legally blind dog musher to complete the Iditarod. Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

Spring wildflowers bloom on May 4 at Coyote Wall, a mountain biking and hiking destination on the Washington side of the Columbia River Gorge.Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

Tiny red huckleberries grow beside the Boulder Ridge Trail on a Sept. 6 hike to Huckleberry Mountain in the Salmon-Huckleberry Wilderness of the Mt. Hood National Forest. Despite the name, the area is not a good place to find huckleberries.Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

A sunny November day on the Salmon River Trail in the Mt. Hood National Forest. The 14-mile hiking trail follows the Salmon River as it pours off the slopes of Mount Hood. Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

A fly fisherman casts into the lower Owyhee River, just north of Lake Owyhee State Park in the far reaches of eastern Oregon, in the middle of June. Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

A soaker enjoys the refreshing waters of Breitenbush Hot Springs on a cloudy May afternoon. Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

Wildflowers grow in mid-June along the Wallowa Lake East Moraine Trail, found above the northeast Oregon lake at the foot of the Wallowa Mountains near Joseph.Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

The view from a room at The Drift Inn on a rainy April day at Yachats on the central Oregon coast.Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

The sun sets over sagebrush at the Painted Hills in May, found within the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument in central Oregon. Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

A rainbow sunset in June over the fields of Wallowa County, just outside of Joseph in northeast Oregon.

SAMANTHA SWINDLER

Samantha Swindler, a features reporter and videographer, specializes in covering the communities, businesses and events across Oregon. In 2023, she spent good amount of time in Oregons high desert, walking the streets of Shaniko, soaking at Summer Lake Hot Springs and eating at the Cowboy Dinner Tree. Her trip to the cranberry bogs of the southern Oregon coast illuminated one of the states most fascinating industries.

Meteors streak across the night sky over Summer Lake Hot Springs, outside of Paisley, Oregon, in August a few days before the height of the Perseid meteor shower.Samantha Swindler

Hundreds of people started 2023 by jumping into the Pacific Ocean during the 19th annual New Year's Day Polar Plunge at Neahkahnie Beach in Manzanita.Samantha Swindler

Cranberries float on the flooded bog in November at Bob Donaldson's cranberry farm in Denmark, Oregon.Samantha Swindler

Hats at the Hamley & Co. Western Store in downtown Pendleton are shaped for each customer's head, and also cleaned by staff.Samantha Swindler/ The Oregonian

A single meal at the Cowboy Dinner Tree, a rural Oregon attraction, comes with a salad, a plate of rolls, a bean soup, steak, baked potato and dessert.Samantha Swindler/ The Oregonian

Dead Format Music, located in the tiny ghost town of Shaniko, Oregon, sells CDs, records, DVDs, VHS and cassette tapes. Owner Shaun Cooper also operates a small radio station, 99.9 "The Ghost," where he plays classic rock and old country that's "so good the ghosts dig it."

A speak easy and card room are reconstructed as part of the Pendleton Underground Tours.

VICKIE CONNOR

Videographer and photographer Vickie Connor spent most of the year shooting video, but took time out to capture a few still photos of her adventures around the state. A particularly perilous climb up South Sister and a trek along one of Oregons many scenic bikeways highlighted her year in travel.

Danish artist Thomas Dambo stands in front of his 19-foot-troll sculpture constructed on the campus of Nordic Northwest in Portland on Friday, August 11, 2023, as visitors listen. The troll is an art piece that will be in place for at least three years.

An overlook at Cove Palisades State Park is one of the highlights of Madras Mountain Views Scenic Bikeway.Vickie Connor/The Oregonian

The Oregonian's Vickie Connor climbs to the summit of South Sister on Thursday, August 17, 2023, in Three Sisters Wilderness.Vickie Connor/The Oregonian

SEAN MEAGHER

Photojournalist Sean Meagher made it a point to document a few of the states most beautiful places this year. Trips to the Columbia River Gorge and Bend provided a collection of nice photos, including his beautiful shots of the Bend Whitewater Park.

River surfing at the Bend Whitewater Park on the Deschutes River in Bend, Oregon on Wednesday, Aug. 2, 2023. Sean Meagher/The Oregonian

Rain couldnt keep visitors away from Multnomah Falls along the Columbia River Gorge in Oregon on Monday, Nov. 6, 2023. Sean Meagher/The Oregonian

The sun sets over Central Oregon as seen from the top of Pilot Butte in Bend, Oregon on Thursday, July 13, 2023. Sean Meagher/The Oregonian

Latourell Falls along the Columbia River Gorge in Oregon is pictured on a wet fall day on Monday, Nov. 6, 2023. Sean Meagher/The Oregonian

MARK GRAVES

Mark Graves, a photographer and data visualization specialist for The Oregonian/OregonLive, is known for his sky watching photos, and struck gold this year with his photos of the annular solar eclipse in October. His events coverage took him across western Oregon, where he documented fresh looks at time-honored traditions.

The annular solar eclipse seen through the clouds from Southeast Portland Saturday, Oct. 14, 2023. Mark Graves/The Oregonian

A dancer participates in the 44th Annual Klatowa Ina Competition Pow-Wow in Gill Coliseum in Corvallis on May 20, 2023.Mark Graves

Little Zigzag Falls is found at the end of a half-mile trail in the Mt. Hood National Forest.Mark Graves/The Oregonian

Cloudy skies and drizzle didnt dampen the spirits of dedicated fans of the West Coast Giant Pumpkin Regatta on Oct. 22 in Tualatin. Mark Graves/The Oregonian

A long exposure of the Vauxs Swifts at Chapman Elementary School in Northwest Portland Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2023. Mark Graves/The Oregonian

Listen to The Oregonian/OregonLives travel and outdoors podcast Peak Northwest where hosts Jamie Hale and Vickie Connor take you to some of the greatest destinations in Oregon and the Pacific Northwest. Find it on Apple, Spotify or anywhere else you listen to podcasts. Check out some of the latest episodes below.

 Jamie Hale

503-294-4077; jhale@oregonian.com; @HaleJamesB

Our journalism needs your support. Please become a subscriber today at OregonLive.com/subscribe
Monarch Tractor in Livermore, California, recently played Santa Claus by placing a new fully electric tractor under the tree at Nicolas-Jay winery in Newberg. Even though the MK-V can operate without a human driver, Nicolas-Jay co-owners Jean-Nicolas Meo and Jay Boberg couldnt wait to get behind the wheel.

Nicolas-Jay is the first winery in Oregon to deploy the MK-V, which Monarch touts on their website as The worlds first 100% electric, driver optional, connected tractor. The revolutionary autonomous tractor also claims zero tailpipe carbon emissions, an attractive feature for farmers looking to lower their carbon footprint.

According to TJ Lange of Burrows Tractor in Yakima, Washington, it is also the first MK-V his company has delivered to an Oregon business of any kind for commercial production. Burrows Tractor is Monarchs dealership partner for the Pacific Northwest.

Monarch Tractor was founded in 2018 by a group of veteran Silicon Valley entrepreneurs that includes Carlo Mondavi of the famed Napa Valley wine family. In 2021, Monarch launched a pilot program at Wente Vineyards, also located in Livermore.

2021 was also the year Boberg and Meo placed their purchase order with Monarch for an MK-V. The Nicolas-Jay owners paid $60,000 at the time. If that sounds spendy, Boberg pointed out that $60,000 is what they paid a decade ago for their diesel tractor. If you buy an MK-V today, it will set you back $90,000, Boberg said.

So what exactly did Boberg and Meo get for their money?

The MK-V weighs 5,500 pounds, almost half of which is the rechargeable lithium-ion battery.

MK-Vs diesel counterparts can weigh as much as 7,000 pounds.

Charging the MK-Vs battery overnight theoretically allows for 14 hours of drive time the next day. Noah Roberts, Nicolas-Jays assistant winemaker, said 7-9 hours was a more realistic expectation when the tractor uses an implement to perform vineyard tasks.

Oscar Vasquez, a field product specialist for Monarch Tractor, told the assembled crowd at Nicolas-Jay winery that the MK-V could operate at a maximum of 10 miles per hour. But when Meo took it for a spin, the MK-V appeared to be moving faster as it traversed the winerys parking lot.

When a human drives, the MK-V will not start unless the seat belt is fastened. The driver can also use the MK-V to charge a cell phone while using the tractor. Im sure it wont be long until someone at Nicolas-Jay attempts to use the MK-Vs accompanying Wingspan app to access Spotify.

The MK-Vs onboard computer system constantly collects data and images while the tractor is moving, all of which are stored in the cloud for future analysis. This information can help vineyard owners make more efficient planting and management decisions to save resources.

Astanor, a capital venture firm based in Belgium, estimates that replacing a diesel tractor with an electric tractor like the Monarch MK-V can also net a farmer significant savings on fuel and service expenses, not to mention a potential 53-ton-a-year reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.

We were interested in an electric tractor because it doesnt use any fuel, and because it has technology that will allow us to be much more efficient and safer in the vineyard, Boberg said. Its a part of our commitment to sustainability.

Using lithium for things like car and tractor batteries can generate externalities that should be weighed against any direct carbon footprint reductions. Those issues range from using fossil fuels and massive amounts of water to extract lithium from the ground to land disputes and hazardous waste disposal.

There can be no denying that Monarchs electric tractors are picking up steam in Pacific Northwest vineyards. Airfield Estates, a fourth-generation family-owned farm, vineyard and winery based in Washingtons Yakima Valley, already has an MK-V electric tractor. Other wineries scheduled by Monarch and Burrows for delivery include Luminous Hills in the Willamette Valley and Chateau Ste. Michelle in Washington State.

In response to Nicolas-Jay embracing electric tractor technology, Mondavi said in a press release, Oregon is a world-class wine region with a focus on innovation tied to positive environmental impact in the world of winemaking. We are excited to see this leadership as we migrate away from the fossil fuel era of farming and into the renewable and more efficient era of winegrowing.

Will Boberg and Meo get out from behind the wheel to allow a computer to operate their sweet new ride? In 12 to 18 months, we will subscribe to Monarchs autonomous service that will allow us to access all of its diverse capabilities. In the meantime, we will use it like we would a traditional tractor. Its first task is likely to be something very boring like mowing, weeding, or maintaining our unpaved gravel driveway, Boberg said.

-- 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
The Nicaraguan regime of President Daniel Ortega and his wife, co-president Rosario Murillo, is stepping up its attacks on the Catholic Church. On Wednesday, December 20, the Nicaraguan police intercepted Bishop Isidro del Carmen Mora Ortega, when he was on his way to officiate the confirmations of 230 parishioners in the Santa Cruz parish, located in La Cruz de Rio Grande, a remote municipality in the South Caribbean Coast. The bishop was arrested, and his whereabouts are still unknown.

This is the latest episode of persecution against the Catholic Church in Nicaragua, where attacks have escalated over the past year. Since 2018  when mass protests against the government broke out  the Catholic Church in Nicaragua has suffered 740 attacks by the Sandinista regime, according to Martha Patricia Molina, a Nicaraguan lawyer and author of the study Nicaragua: A Persecuted Church?.

In 2023 alone, 275 attacks were carried out. We can say this last year was the year with the most attacks against the Church during the recent five-year period, Molina tells EL PAIS. In addition, 176 religious men and women are not exercising their ministry in Nicaragua because they were expelled, prohibited from entering or sent into exile.

Bishop Isidro Mora, who was arrested by the regime of Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo. Diocesis de Granada-Nicaragua

The most recent case of this occurred last October, when a dozen priests being held as political prisoners were removed from jail and sent on a plane to Rome. However, this tactic dates back to 2018, when the Ortega-Murillo regime forced the auxiliary bishop of Managua, Monsignor Silvio Baez  one of the most critical voices in the Church against Nicaraguas authoritarian drift and human rights violations  into exile. Father Edwin Roman, a parish priest who was key in protecting citizens from repression in the city of Masaya during the 2018 protests, was also exiled.

In March 2022, the Nicaraguan government also expelled the Vatican nuncio, Waldemar Stanislaw Sommertag. The Holy See described the expulsion of its representative in Nicaragua as surprising and painful. From that moment on, relations between Managua and the Vatican continued to decline, to the point where last March, the Ortega-Murillo regime decided to suspend diplomatic relations with the Vatican. The persecution of the Catholic Church in Nicaragua even forced Pope Francis to break with the Vaticans policy of neutrality. In a statement in March this year, he compared the Nicaraguan government to the Hitler dictatorship of 1935. With much respect, I have no choice but to think that the person who leads [Daniel Ortega] is unstable, he added, further angering the presidential couple.

All types of attacks and desecrations

A timeline of the persecution against the Catholic Church, put together by EL PAIS, includes attacks against priests and bishops, church desecrations, the forced closure of media outlets and NGOs managed by the dioceses, the freezing of bank accounts and a sustained narrative against the Catholicism and its leaders. For example, on January 24, 2022, Murillo called priests retarded and backward, arguing they disguise themselves with masks and supposedly elegant costumes.

The figures before 2022 range between 55 and 84 attacks. Subsequently, the year 2022 was classified as the worst year for the Catholic Church, since 171 attacks were committed. We didnt imagine that this year, 2023, was going to be even worse than 2022, since in this period, 275 attacks have already been committed against the religious institution, says Molina.

This Easter, the regimes police cracked down on believers and priests, with processions in Nicaragua expressly prohibited. Similar bans were also enforced throughout the year, including on the Conception of Mary procession in early December, when Nicaragua celebrates its national saint.

People take part in an Easter procession in Managua in March 2023. Inti Ocon (AP)

To date, a total of 3,639 popular pious expressions, that is, processions, have been banned throughout the country, says Molina. The objective of this persecution is always the same: to make the Catholic Church of Nicaragua completely disappear, because priests and bishops have not knelt down before the dictatorship nor have they become accomplices and cronies, which that is what they were hoping for.

She continues: They do not want prophetic voices that constantly remind them  through the promulgation of the word and the gospel  of all the criminal acts that the dictatorship has been committing. So, since they have not managed to make bishops and priests bow down to the dictatorial project, the objective is to annihilate Catholicism, to create their own religion, in which the gods are Daniel Ortega and his wife.

The bishops of the Episcopal Conference of Nicaragua tried to mediate in the sociopolitical crisis of 2018 and then, after the rise in government brutality at the hands of police and paramilitary groups, they decided to show solidarity with the victims. The ruling party did not forgive that decision and on July 19, 2018, in the middle of operation cleanup  as the massacres perpetrated by the paramilitaries were known  Ortega publicly accused the bishops of being coup plotters. Since then, the attacks against the Catholic Church have continued to escalate.

Despite the regimes crusade against Catholicism  the countrys main religion  believers continue to regularly attend church. However, self-censorship prevails. Molina recognizes that worshipers are afraid, but have decided to keep practicing their religion.

Religious vocations also continue, and new priests are always being trained. The dictatorship wanted for the parishioners to turn their backs on the Catholic Church, but they have not achieved this, and they are not going to achieve it either, says Molina, who lives in exile.

Meanwhile, among many worshipers, especially in rural parishes, terror reigns. We dont know anything about the monsignor [Bishop Isidro del Carmen Mora Ortega] and we fear that they have transferred him to the El Chipote prison, and you know: in that place they torture, a woman from the diocese of Siuna, who does not wish to give her name, tells EL PAIS. Monsignors sin, she continues, was mentioning Rolando Alvarez, the first bishop arrested and sentenced to 26 years in prison by the Sandinista regime. He said that the bishops of the Episcopal Conference of Nicaragua were praying for Bishop Alvarez and the day after that, well, they kidnapped him. The government does not want anyone to denounce what happens to Catholics.

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Photo: (Photo : Markus Spiske on Unsplash)

Emergency personnel in Sebring, Florida, saved a child while tragically killing a suspect. At around 4 o'clock on Tuesday afternoon, firefighters were sent to the site of a fire involving suspicious roadside debris, after a report of the incident.

When emergency personnel arrived, 39-year-old Richard Ham confronted them while armed with two metal rods. Things took a turn for the worse when it came to light that Ham and his girlfriend, 30-year-old Lakenya Phillips, had been arson-bombing Phillips' son's possessions.

Ham's belief that the child was "possessed by a demon" led to a horrifying act of violence. Witnesses recounted seeing Ham push the boy into the fire and cover him with a flaming blanket. In a stroke of luck, the child managed to escape the ordeal without sustaining serious injuries.

Deputies from the Highland County Sheriff's Office, who raced to the scene, commanded Ham to surrender. However, he defied their orders, leading them to use a taser in an attempt to subdue him.

Surprisingly, the taser had no effect on Ham, who proceeded to attack a deputy with one of the metal rods. A deputy opened fire in response to this action, mortally wounding Ham. Later, he was pronounced dead at a local hospital. Another hospital treated the deputy who was struck in the head, and subsequently released him.

The Arrest of Lakenya Phillips

Amidst this chaos, authorities arrested Phillips. Two weeks earlier, someone reported Phillips and her son missing and endangered from Wichita, Kansas. The circumstances that led them nearly 1,500 miles away to Sebring remain a mystery.

The rescued boy, now under the care of the Department of Children and Families, shared distressing details of his life with Ham and Phillips. He reported that he had not bathed or brushed his teeth for over 10 days and had not been fed for at least 24 hours. He also recounted regular drug use by the couple and threats from Ham involving a large knife.

Law officials searched the car driven by Phillips and Ham and discovered narcotics and numerous guns inside. Phillips is wanted for many crimes, including attempted murder, battery, cruelty to a child, resisting arrest with violence, and assault on a law enforcement officer.

The prosecution claimed that her actions had a role in Ham's death and hinted at their intention to press a felony murder case against her at her court appearance. The court ordered her to be jailed without bond.

Read Also: School Challenges for Disadvantaged Children Linked Less to Personal Traits, More to External Factors

Richard Ham's Criminal History

Ham had a significant criminal record, with convictions in Arkansas, South Carolina, and Georgia, including armed felonies and drug possession.

This terrible event has brought domestic violence, drug misuse, and the difficulties law enforcement faces in handling such dangerous circumstances to the forefront, shocking the town of Sebring. At this moment, the little youngster is in our prayers and thoughts. The terrible trauma he endured will follow him around forever.

What happened in Sebring is a sobering reminder of the difficulty and danger that police officers encounter on the job. Furthermore, they stress the critical need for immediate action to save children from abusive and violent households. Vigilance, victim assistance, and strong police responses to crucial occurrences are more important than ever as the community deals with the fallout of this tragedy.

Related Article: Autism Is Caused By Demons, Controversial Danish Religious Group Claims


Captain Ibrahim Traore, president of Burkina Faso, and Russian leader Vladimir Putin, together with the Egyptian leader Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, during the Russia-Africa summit on July 28 in Saint Petersburg (Russia). MIKHAIL TERESCHENKO / TASS HOST (EFE)

Russia is expanding its influence and military presence in the Sahel at an unprecedented pace. After consolidating itself in Mali  where Wagner Group mercenaries were decisive in the national armys reconquest of Kidal against the Tuareg rebels last November  Moscow is now laying the foundations for its deployment in Burkina Faso and negotiating with Niger to become a key military ally. To this end, the Russian government has created a new military structure called Africa Corps, which works under the Defense Ministry. In this way, it intends to replace the Wagner Group and move away from a decentralized private company to one that is more directly controlled by the state. In parallel, at the beginning of December, the U.N. made official its complete withdrawal from Mali after handing over the Mopti base to the Malian authorities.

On November 14, after violent fighting against the Tuareg rebels, the Malian army triumphantly entered the city of Kidal, a separatist fiefdom that authorities had not controlled for more than a decade. However, the Malian soldiers were not alone: some 600 Wagner mercenaries were part of the enormous convoy that left Gao for the mission. In several videos shared on social media, the mercenaries could be seen aboard armored vehicles circulating through the city after it fell to the army. Days later, a flag with the Wagner logo flew over the Kidal fort until it was removed by Malian authorities, who prefer to maintain a patriotic discourse that attributes the success of the operation to the own armed forces.

Would the Malian army have been able to reconquer the Kidal region on its own? Who knows. What there is no doubt of is that Russian participation has helped and that the armed forces of the Sahel, as is the case in Mali, today have better equipment, says Amid Bencherif, a researcher specializing in the Sahel. The presence of Wagners mercenaries on Malian soil has been reported since at least December 2021, as well as their participation in numerous anti-terrorist operations, especially in the center of the country. Russian weapons have been flowing into Mali since then, and Colonel Assimi Goita, the leader of the Malian military junta, received a lot of attention from Russian President Vladimir Putin during the Russia-Africa summit held last July.

However, the death of Wagner Group chief Yevgeny Prigozhin, after he rebelled against the Russian president, has changed the way Russia provides military support to its African allies. On November 22, a recruitment ad for a body called Africa Corps appeared on Telegram. Africa Corps presents itself as Russias new armed wing on the continent, and is directly linked to the Ministry of Defense. According to the All Eyes on Wagner association, specialized in the activities of this company, Africa Corps would be a convenient cover for the operational personnel of the Russian Ministry of Defense, as well as its security services, having much more limited autonomy than the Wagner group and lacking a strong figure [like Prigozhin].

Burkina Faso and Niger

Burkina Faso is also moving closer to Russia. On November 10, a Russian army plane landed at Ouagadougou airport. About 20 uniformed officers got off the plane and settled in a luxurious hotel in the capital, according to different sources. After a year of rumors, Russian soldiers were openly seen in a chemical factory and allowed themselves to be photographed in a laboratory that makes drugs to treat viral hemorrhagic fevers in Bobo-Dioulasso, the countrys second-largest city. Days before, Burkina Faso public television broadcast a report on the fight against jihadism in the north-central region in which an army captain appeared sporting two large Wagner logos sewn onto his uniform, according to All Eyes on Wagner.

Although Captain Ibrahim Traore, the strong man of the Burkinabe military junta, has chosen to reinforce the countrys own resources in the anti-jihadist fight carrying out intense, sometimes forced recruitment for both the armed forces and the controversial Volunteers for the Defense of the Fatherland (VDP)  he has also recognized on numerous occasions the need to have international support, especially in terms of war material. Like Goiita, Traore had several conversations with Vladimir Putin at the St. Petersburg summit and later by telephone, and Russian and Burkinabe military delegations met on multiple occasions in the last year.

In Niger, where a military junta has also ruled since last summer, the new authorities denounced last Monday the defense agreements that linked it to the European Union. That same day, Russian Deputy Defense Minister Yunus-bek Yevkurov met in Niamey with General Abdourahmane Tchiani, the president of Niger and General Salifou Mody, the minister of defense. The meetings aimed to strengthen cooperation between the two countries in the field of defense, according to a statement from the Nigerien government. It is evident that there is a strategy [by Russia] to extend its influence, says Bencherif, adding that Russia is also seeking to curb Western influence.

This Russian expansion is occurring after the authorities of Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger expelled French soldiers from their respective territories and created the Alliance of Sahel States, an organization of mutual aid and military cooperation that was born after the rest of the countries in the region threatened military intervention against Niger. The three states also collaborate in economic and commercial matters to counteract the sanctions from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). The U.N. mission in Mali has also been forced to pack its bags at the request of the military junta.

Meanwhile, jihadism  which has been affecting the region for more than a decade and is carried out by the local arms of Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State  remains very active. At the end of November, a jihadist attack in the city of Djibo, in northern Burkina Faso, killed at least 22 people, and there have been several more in Malian cities such as Menaka. Last week, Burkina Faso and Niger announced their withdrawal from the West-supported G5 Anti-Jihadist Alliance, paving the way for its dissolution.

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Photo: (Photo : JOSEPH PREZIOSO /Getty Images)

The rise in US school vaccine exemptions has been deemed by health officials as troublesome. The vaccine exemptions for children who are still in the developmental stages of their bodies can make them very vulnerable to diseases that are highly preventable by vaccines.

Medical experts are fearing the return of children's diseases like measles amidst the continuous rise in vaccine opt-outs.

Unprecedented Rise in US School Vaccine Exemption

The recent CDC reports revealed that in the 20222023 school year, the rate of exemptions for mandatory school vaccinations reached an unprecedented high in the United States, averaging 3.0%.

This increase, which sees over 5% exemptions in 10 states, poses a risk for both immunized and non-immunized children, raising concerns about the potential emergence of diseases like measles and polio, according to health experts.

Dr. Paul Offit, a prominent virologist and advocate for vaccinations, expressed his concern for the 9 million individuals in the U.S. who are unable to receive vaccinations due to underlying medical conditions, relying on the immunity of others for protection.

Unfortunately, it is recognized that with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been an increase in legal actions attempting to reduce vaccine mandates, particularly those related to COVID-19.

These actions have also affected mandates for childhood vaccinations. An example of these legal precautions occurred in Tennessee in July 2021, where resistance to the COVID-19 vaccine began affecting standard childhood immunization policies.

This opposition led to the dismissal of Dr. Michelle Fiscus, the state's top medical official, and a temporary suspension of all youth vaccinations in Tennessee.

In May 2023, Tennessee implemented a law mandating written consent from a legal parent or guardian for anyone under 18 to be vaccinated.

There is concern among critics that this requirement for written consent could create a hurdle, potentially hindering access to necessary vaccinations for many children, especially those with compromised immune systems, like cancer patients, who need additional vaccine doses for adequate protection.

Read Also: Minimum Wage Boost Across 22 States: $15 an Hour or More in 7 States as 2024 Kicks Off

Measles Threat: Who Is at Risk?

Measles, often referred to as rubeola, red measles, or 10-day measles, is an infectious disease characterized by a fever and rash. Its high contagion is due to airborne transmission, typically when someone who is infected sneezes, coughs, or speaks.

Treatment for measles primarily involves letting the virus complete its course, as there isn't a specific medical remedy. Immunization is the key method of prevention against this illness.

The introduction of the measles vaccine has markedly decreased its occurrence, in stark contrast to the situation before vaccines were available. Despite this, the U.S. has witnessed a resurgence in measles cases in recent times, largely attributed to a decline in vaccination rates.

The inconsistency in vaccination not only affects people around a certain country, but this can trickle down to a global level as it can also be transmitted by peopl ewho travel abroad.

It's important to distinguish measles from German measles, also known as rubella, as they are different diseases.

Mississippi, despite facing higher-than-average rates of various health issues like obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and higher rates of infant and maternal mortality, is noted for its high rates of childhood vaccinations.

The CDC has recognized Mississippi for having the highest rate of vaccinated kindergarteners in the nation. However, there is growing concern among health experts that this achievement might be at risk due to a recent court ruling in July 2023 that allows for religious exemptions in vaccinations.

Healthcare experts are increasingly worried that the rise in exemptions for vaccinations not based on medical reasons might only be curtailed by outbreaks of diseases that mainly affect children.

Another example of this is the measles outbreak in Disneyland, California, from December 2014 to February 2015, highlighting the critical need to maintain strong and consistent vaccination programs.

What Parents Need to Know About Vaccines

Vaccines were invented in hopes it will diminish life-threatening diseases to spread. Despite the intensified vaccination programs and successfully lowering the cases of measles and polio, due to the increase in vaccination exemption in the US, they might possibly come back.

Furthermore, parents should inform themselves with the risks associated with not vaccinating children, underlining the potential for severe health consequences.

Related Article: IRS to Waive $1 Billion Fees for Tax Returns Filed in 2020 and 2021: How Much Will You Get?
Photo: (Photo : Diana Bagnoli /Getty Images)

Due to an unexpected miscarriage in her bathroom, Brittany Watts received a felony charge. This incident not only highlights the complex intersection of healthcare and law but also brings into focus the urgent discourse surrounding miscarriage rights in the United States.

Outrage from women and advocates increasingly demands justice, fairness, and sound laws regarding women's health.

Brittany Watts' Miscarriage Prompted a Felony Charge in Ohio

Brittany Watts, a 33-year-old woman from Ohio, experienced a traumatic birth. Still a little bit far from her supposed due date, Watts accidentally had a miscarriage while she was in the bathroom.

Due to the maturity of her age, the medical practitioners handling Watts have informed her since the beginning that her pregnancy and birthing will be challenging. She was made aware that she was carrying a high-risk pregnancy. She bled in the bathroom and was immediately rushed to the hospital due to a life-threatening hemorrhage.

Watts experienced a traumatic pregnancy, leading to medical complications that have since gained national attention.

After suffering a miscarriage in her bathroom, law enforcement searched her house for possible remains in her toilet. Watts was then charged with a felony for abuse of a corpse, a decision that has sparked widespread debate and concern.

Her attorney, Traci Timko, has argued that the charges are unfounded, citing a lack of Ohio laws that require specific actions following a miscarriage.

This case represents a significant moment in the ongoing conversation about miscarriage rights, as it challenges existing norms and legal frameworks in Ohio.

Felony Charge Due To Miscarriage Prompts Nationwide Concerns

The legal implications of Brittany Watts' miscarriage and subsequent felony charge have raised concerns among legal experts, reproductive rights advocates and women in general.

Law professors and experts in reproductive law have expressed their apprehension about the potential precedent this case could set in the future.

In the context of recent changes to national abortion laws and the heightened scrutiny of reproductive issues, Watts' case is seen as a bellwether for future legal challenges and interpretations surrounding miscarriage rights.

The felony charge in this instance, under a law typically reserved for more severe offenses, underscores the evolving and often contentious legal landscape regarding women's reproductive health in Ohio and beyond.

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Broader Impact on Miscarriage Rights and Reproductive Health

The case of Brittany Watts transcends her personal ordeal and speaks to broader issues of miscarriage rights not just in Ohio, but also the reproductive health care in the United States. It highlights the challenges women face in navigating the healthcare system post-Roe v Wade, especially in states with stringent laws affecting abortion and reproductive health.

The incident also sheds light on the disparities in how miscarriage and reproductive issues are handled legally and socially, raising important questions about women's rights, healthcare access, and the role of the law in personal health matters.

As the case unfolds, it continues to garner attention and spark debate over the need for clear, medically accurate, and rights-respecting policies regarding miscarriage and women's reproductive health across the nation.

This felony case not only marks a pivotal moment in the legal handling of miscarriage in Ohio but also serves as a catalyst for a broader conversation about reproductive rights and justice in the United States.

As Brittany Watts faces her unprecedented felony charge, her story, among many other women in the country, becomes a focal point in the ongoing struggle for miscarriage rights and the protection of women's healthcare choices.

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This story stands in dramatic contrast to many other faiths and philosophies, which have historically taught that death represents a desirable deliverance from the body and the bondage of materiality.

The true philosophers, says Socrates in Platos fourth-century B.C. dialogue Phaedo, are ever studying death. Why? Because they aspire to live lives of pure reason, freed from fleshly limitations.

Thus, the great A.D. third-century Neoplatonic philosopher Plotinus, says his biographer Porphyry, was ashamed even to have a birthday, because it was on that day that his immaterial spirit had fallen into the swamp of matter. Even on the edges of Christianity itself  for example, in the ancient Gnostic heresies that threatened the mainstream Christian movement during the first centuries after Jesus  death was thought to offer an escape from the evil material world.

Not so in genuinely apostolic Christianity. God, wrote Paul to the Corinthians, was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself (2 Corinthians 5:19). This earth, physical reality, shouldnt be rejected or discarded. Both long before the birth of Jesus and decades after his ascension into heaven, believers were promised new heavens and a new earth (Isaiah 65:17; Revelation 21:1).

Although fallen and flawed, our material world is fundamentally good and worthy of salvation. Indeed, it will be made worthy of those who eventually inherit heaven. Blessed are the meek, the Savior himself taught in his Sermon on the Mount, for they shall inherit the earth (Matthew 5:5).

Some worldviews would ask why anybody would even want it. Who would seek to drag this physical carcass of a body around forever?

But Jesus literal resurrection from the dead testifies that well do so: Ye men of Galilee, ask the angels after Christs ascension, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven (Acts 1:11).

Beloved, says 1 John 3:2, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

Matter itself, including our bodies, will be redeemed. Christ, the apostle Paul says, shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself (Philippians 3:21), and the dead shall be raised incorruptible (1 Corinthians 15:52). He became man, explained St. Athanasius of Alexandria (d. A.D. 373) in his treatise On the Incarnation, that we might be made divine.

Transcending mere sentimentality about the Babe of Bethlehem, Christmas commemorates the beginning of that redemptive process; the events associated with Easter guarantee it.

There can be no better news, no tidings more glad than these.

Hail the heavn-born Prince of Peace!
Today is the 218th anniversary of the birth of the Prophet Joseph Smith, in Sharon, Vermont. Perhaps, had he not been born so close to the super-holiday of Christmas, his birthday would have been widely commemorated among contemporary Latter-day Saints in the manner of, say, Pioneer Day. I rather doubt it, but perhaps. As it is, in the manner of a celestial object thats positioned adjacent to the sun in the daytime sky, any thoughts of Josephs birth that might arise among members of the Restored Church are overwhelmed by the festival of Christs birth and the celebrations (as well as, lets face it, by the frenzy of commercialism) that precede and accompany it.

Perhaps, as I say. But not very likely. To continue my astronomical metaphor, if Jesus is the sun, Joseph Smith is a moon. What do I mean by that? I mean to suggest that Josephs is a reflected light. He is not luminescent in and of himself, innately. Thanks to the sun, our planet teems with life on land, in the soil, in the air, and in the waters. The pale light of our moon cannot sustain life on its own. Earth would be sterile. And the moon itself would be lost in utter darkness.

God is the light of the heavens and the earth, says Quran 24:35 (emphasis mine). Not Muhammad. And not Joseph Smith.

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. And God said, Let there be light, and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. (Genesis 1:1-4, NIV) In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. (John 1:1-5, NIV) That Ultimate Truth is declared as the illuminator of all that illuminates, beyond the darkness of ignorance, residing within everyone. (Bhagavad Gita 13:18) God is the light of the heavens and the earth. The likeness of his light is as a niche wherein is a lamp; the lamp is in a crystal, and the crystal, shining as if a pearl-like star, lit from the oil of a blessed olive tree that is neither of the east nor of the west. The oil would almost give light of itself though no fire touches it. Light upon light! God guides to His Light whom He wills. (Quran 24:35, my translation) He that ascended up on high, as also he descended below all things, in that he comprehended all things, that he might be in all and through all things, the light of truth; which truth shineth. This is the light of Christ. As also he is in the sun, and the light of the sun, and the power thereof by which it was made. As also he is in the moon, and is the light of the moon, and the power thereof by which it was made; as also the light of the stars, and the power thereof by which they were made; and the earth also, and the power thereof, even the earth upon which you stand. And the light which shineth, which giveth you light, is through him who enlighteneth your eyes, which is the same light that quickeneth your understandings; which light proceedeth forth from the presence of God to fill the immensity of spacethe light which is in all things, which giveth life to all things, which is the law by which all things are governed, even the power of God who sitteth upon his throne, who is in the bosom of eternity, who is in the midst of all things. (Doctrine and Covenants 88:6-13) I am the true light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world. (Doctrine and Covenants 93:2)

But today, 23 December 2023, is indeed the anniversarythe two hundred and eighteenth, as Ive already notedof the birth of the Prophet Joseph Smith. And I wont let that fact pass unnoticed on my blog. I think that he deserves our thoughts and our gratitude, just as I believe that Mary, the mother of Jesus, merits our reverent appreciation and love.

As happens each year, critics of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are rolling out their mirthless annual lie that the Saints celebrate Smithmas, Josephs birthday, with more enthusiasm, vigor, and devotion than members of the Church give to the mainstream Christian holiday of Christmas.

For many such critics, I expect that its just a rather bitter and not particularly funny joke. An expression of, among other things, their contempt and disdain for Joseph. Some, though, seem to take the falsehood seriously  or, at least, to want others to take it seriously.

The truth, of course, is that most Latter-day Saints dont even know that 23 December is the Prophets birthday, let alone celebrate it. This year, as in all previous years, the First Presidency Christmas devotional failed to mention Smithmas even a single solitary time. Nor did the 2023 First Presidency Christmas message so much as allude to it. Not once.

Just to put the truth on the record, though, for those who might otherwise be innocently taken in by the claim, here are some things that Ive written about the subject during previous years:

Prophets birthday fits with season

Twas the last Sunday before Smithmas

Joseph Smith would be 210 years old today

A modern witness to the baby born in Bethlehem

The image of Joseph Smiths First Vision shown immediately above will serve as clearly as anything, I suppose, to illustrate the believing Latter-day Saint view of his position. It is clearly a subordinate one. The Father and the Son initiated that visit. Joseph didnt. He was the (surprised and eventually overwhelmed) petitioner. The Father and the Son are instructing him, not the other way around. He kneels before them. They do not kneel before him.

Latter-day Saints have no problem distinguishing a prophet of God from God himself, or telling Joseph Smith apart from the Lord.

Back in the days when my wife and I sometimes hosted a little birthday party for Joseph Smith on 23 December, we would maybe tell a story or two about the Prophetor invite somebody else to do so. (One year, for example, the late historian Scott Faulring participated in our small event.) Maybe we would express some appreciation for Joseph. Then we would enjoy potluck refreshments and sing Christmas carols. Note: Not Smithmas carols. No such songs exist. Christmas carols. It was an excuse for us to get together and to sing with some highly musical friends.

I do not confuse Joseph Smith with my Savior Jesus Christ. I dont confuse the Sun and the Moon. (Not even Shakespeares Petruchio did that.) But Im deeply grateful for Joseph and for what, through the grace of God, he was able to do. And I want to put that on public record.
Francois Turretin (1623-1687) was a Genevan-Italian Reformed scholastic theologian and renowned defender of the Calvinistic (Reformed) orthodoxy represented by the Synod of Dort, and was one of the authors of the Helvetic Consensus (1675). He is generally considered to be the best Calvinist apologist besides John Calvin himself. His Institutes of Elenctic Theology (three volumes, Geneva, 16791685) used the scholastic method. Elenctic means refuting an argument by proving the falsehood of its conclusion. Turretin contended against the conflicting Christian perspectives of Catholicism and Arminianism. It was a popular textbook; notably at Princeton Theological Seminary, until it was replaced by Charles Hodges Systematic Theology in the late 19th century. Turretin also greatly influenced the Puritans.

This is a reply to a portion of Institutes of Elenctic Theology (Vol. 2, Eleventh Topic: The Law of God, Seventh Question: The First Commandment), in which he addresses the communion of saints, including the invocation and veneration of saints. I utilize the edition translated by George Musgrave Giger and edited by James T. Dennison, Jr. (Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Company, Phillipsburg, New Jersey: 1992 / 1994 / 1997; 2320 pages). It uses the KJV for Bible verses. I will use RSV unless otherwise indicated. All installments of this series of replies can be found on my Calvinism & General Protestantism web page, under the category, Replies to Francois Turretin (1632-1687). Turretins words will be in blue.

*****

[T]hey order to invoke in the article of death whatever saint anyone has been most devoted to in life, after this manner: O most glorious Saint or Saintess, N., I have always reposed in the particular hope and confidence while I have lived, succor me now struggling in this time of extreme necessity (Hortu. ani.+).

Yeah, sure. This is, of course, no different from going to the holy man or woman and asking them to pray, according to the principle laid down by James:

James 5:16-17 . . . The prayer of a righteous man has great power in its effects. [17] Elijah was a man of like nature with ourselves and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth.

If you met a man like that, who is so powerful that he can make the rain stop for 3 1/2 years, you would tend to go to him repeatedly. Would it not follow, then, that Elijah seemed to have a particular influence over weather? Therefore, why couldnt someone ask him to pray to God about the weather, rather than someone else, since he had this record of asking for rain to cease, and it did for three and-a-half years? So he became, in effect, the patron saint of meteorological petitions. We do roughly the same in this life with friends, on the level of empathy. So, for example, if a woman has difficulty with miscarriage or difficult pregnancies or deliveries, she might go to a woman who has experienced the same thing and ask her to pray to God for her. I dont see any intrinsic difficulty here. Why should it be any different for saints after death? If one has been particularly helpful in prayer, then we would go to them again and again, just as the ancient Hebrews went to Moses to pray for them.

Protestants will object that certain saints have special or particular influence with God, and more efficacious prayers in specific areas (our notion of patron saints). I dont see why. The Bible clearly teaches that different people have different levels of grace (Acts 4:33; 2 Cor 8:7; Eph 4:7; 1 Pet 1:2; 2 Pet 3:18). From this it follows, it seems to me, that some might specialize in certain areas more so than others, according to different parts of the Body of Christ (there is much Pauline teaching on that). Turretin and Calvinists simply havent thought through this issue  havent been biblical enough , so they have only a dim understanding of it.

*

[T]he papists . . . infer three kinds of adoration or worship according to the kinds of excellence.

Adoration is not synonymous with worship. In Catholicism it is reserved for God alone. We dont adore anyone else. Turretin his very sloppy in his word selection (or his English translator is lax and irresponsible in his bias). These they also make three: divine, to which the kind of worship they call latria answers; human, which is placed in the various dignities, powers and degrees of men, to which cultus civilis or that of human observance corresponds; intermediate, arising from grace and glory and answering the third kind of worship, which they call dulia. The latter is either simple (afforded to saints and angels) or hyperdulia (given to the humanity of Christ considered apart, although united to the Word; and to the blessed virgin, which they hold to be religious).

So Turretin does get it, that we make these crucial distinctions. Great!

*

IX. Although we do not deny that a diversity of worship is not improperly constituted according to the diversity of excellence in the objects; and we readily grant that by reason of the uncreated and infinite and the created and finite excellence, there can be a twofold worship (the one religious due to God alone, the other civil given to creatures; which again can be considered either with respect to this earthly state, in all the offices of reverence, love and respect due to men [although they may be strangers to the faith]; or with respect to the heavenly state, with which honor we regard the household of faith, whether living by a communication of duties, or dead by love, praise, memory, imitation, etc.), still we do not think that without serious error religious worship is divided into various degrees, but hold it to be one only, peculiar to God alone and incommunicable to all creatures.

He explains that the different levels of Catholic reverence are perfectly plausible (not improperly constituted), yet turns around at the end and states that, nonetheless, it is serious error. No Scripture is given at all to back up these contentions. Therefore, at least so far, its a bald, empty claim to which no one ought to owe any allegiance.

XI. For the worship of God alone (against the invocation of saints and the worship of creatures), the orthodox contend: First, with express command of God by which he forbids having any other gods before himselfthou shalt have no other gods before me (Ex. 20:3) or as the Septuagint has it besides me (plen emou). I critiqued this line of reasoning last time. Invocation of saints is imply not idolatrously placing them in the place of God. The question is whether its a right or wrong practice. I also showed last time, right from Jesus, that it was: (the rich man making petitionary requests of Abraham and the latter not rebuking them as impossible and impermissible: Luke 16). If Jesus thought it was permissible, its certainly not idolatrous or sinful in any way.

Here the Lord decrees that nothing should be religiously worshipped except himself, the alone and supreme God. Thats right; and asking saints to intercede is not worship; its prayer.

. . . namely because we transfer to it the honor which belongs to God alone.

*

How is asking a saint to pray for us or someone else denigrating the honor of God? Its not. Its just good ol either/or false dichotomies again. But his entire premise is wrong. He would have it that no honor or veneration or respect or anything of the kind is to be offered to anyone but God. Its classic either/or unbiblical man-made Calvinist tradition. The Bible teaches otherwise, and its easy to show this, as I will now do.

Genesis 19:1 The two angels came to Sodom in the evening; and Lot was sitting in the gate of Sodom. When Lot saw them, he rose to meet them, and bowed himself with his face to the earth,

The Greek word for bowed here, in the Greek Septuagint (LXX) is proskuneo ( Strongs word #4352 ). It appears 60 times in the NT and means, broadly, worship, but has different shades of meaning (just as Catholics teach). But the KJV, in any event, translates it as worship all 60 times. Words have different meanings in the Bible. But that fact is that the same word is used in the NT for worship of God and veneration of men. We cant believe that the meaning is exactly the same, because that would entail idolatry whenever it is used in relation to creatures.

*

Therefore, we have to conclude, logically, that there is adoration towards God and veneration and honor towards creatures and holy things, with the same word (proskuneo) used for both. Hence, the Bible clearly teaches  in agreement with Catholicism and disagreement with Calvinism and Protestantism generally  that there are reverential attitudes and gestures that can be applied to creatures as well as to God, but that they are different in degree and essence.

Proskuneo occurs 179 times in 172 verses in the LXX, including for worship and adoration of God (e.g., Gen 24:26, 48. 52; Ex 33:10; 34:14; 1 Sam 15:25; Neh 8:6), veneration of men (e.g., Ex 18:7; 1 Sam 24:8; 2 Sam 9:6; 14:33), and veneration of angels (Gen 19:1). But Turretin, seemingly unaware of all this (which is remarkable ignorance for such an eminent scholar) wrote: proskynesin as well as latreian is due to God alone. Its not true, folks.

We see angels bowed to (venerated) elsewhere in the New Testament, with no rebuke at all: Luke 24:4-5 While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel; [5] and as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, Why do you seek the living among the dead? The prophet Daniel venerates an angel (seemingly Gabriel: see v. 16) without controversy: Daniel 8:15, 17 When I, Daniel, had seen the vision, I sought to understand it; and behold, there stood before me one having the appearance of a man. . . . 17] So he came near where I stood; and when he came, I was frightened and fell upon my face. But he said to me, Understand, O son of man, that the vision is for the time of the end. In several other instances, men are also bowed down to and venerated, with no disapproval in the text; for example, Paul and Silas (Acts 16:29) and Daniel (Dan 2:46-48; by the king!). The Greek word for fell down before in Acts 16:29 is prospipto (Strongs #4363). It is also used of worship of Jesus in five passages (Mk 3:11; 5:33; 7:25; Lk 8:28, 47). But where men are involved, the meaning is honor, or veneration. This word occurs seven times in LXX, including for Esaus greeting of Jacob (Gen 33:4), Esther before a king (Est 8:3), but also for worship of God (Ps 95:6). Note that the word worship doesnt appear in any of the passages I have brought forth in favor of veneration. When worship does appear in connection with a man or angel, it isnt permitted: Acts 10:25-26 When Peter entered, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshiped him. [26] But Peter lifted him up, saying, Stand up; I too am a man. We see the same category mistake in Revelation 19:10 and 22:8-9, and also when men thought that Paul and Barnabas were Zeus and Hermes and wanted to offer sacrifice. They were rebuked, as mistaken (Acts 14:11-18). The same can be found with regard to honor. Turretin says it belongs to God alone. Well yes: the highest honor is, of course, for Him alone. But it doesnt follow that no one else is honored. God even shares His glory with men. Honor in RSV occurs 69 times in the NT, and is used with reference to God (Jn 5:23; Phil 1:20; 1 Tim 1:17; 6:16; Heb 2:7, 9; 2 Pet 1:17; Rev 4:9, 11; 5:12-13; 7:12), and also to men (Mt 15:4; 19:19; Lk 18:20; Jn 12:26 [here God honors men]; Rom 2:10; 12:10; 13:7; Phil 2:29; 1 Tim 5:3, 17; 6:1; 1 Pet 2:17; 3:7). Once again, Turretin indulges in unbiblical false dichotomies. Based on this abundant biblical indication, we conclude (as Catholics always have) that worship / adoration is reserved for God alone, while veneration / honor is to be offered to the holy angels and worthy, saintly men (i.e., creatures). *

Photo credit: Ooman (8-31-10). Cave of the Patriarchs in Hebron, Israel [Wikimedia Commons / Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license]

Summary: As part of my series of replies to Calvinist expositor Francois Turretin, I address the topic of the communion of saints, particularly the issue of veneration.
Francois Turretin (1623-1687) was a Genevan-Italian Reformed scholastic theologian and renowned defender of the Calvinistic (Reformed) orthodoxy represented by the Synod of Dort, and was one of the authors of the Helvetic Consensus (1675). He is generally considered to be the best Calvinist apologist besides John Calvin himself. His Institutes of Elenctic Theology (three volumes, Geneva, 16791685) used the scholastic method. Elenctic means refuting an argument by proving the falsehood of its conclusion. Turretin contended against the conflicting Christian perspectives of Catholicism and Arminianism. It was a popular textbook; notably at Princeton Theological Seminary, until it was replaced by Charles Hodges Systematic Theology in the late 19th century. Turretin also greatly influenced the Puritans.

This is a reply to a portion of Institutes of Elenctic Theology (Vol. 2, Eleventh Topic: The Law of God, Seventh Question: The First Commandment), in which he addresses the communion of saints, including the invocation and veneration of saints. I utilize the edition translated by George Musgrave Giger and edited by James T. Dennison, Jr. (Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Company, Phillipsburg, New Jersey: 1992 / 1994 / 1997; 2320 pages). It uses the KJV for Bible verses. I will use RSV unless otherwise indicated. All installments of this series of replies can be found on my Calvinism & General Protestantism web page, under the category, Replies to Francois Turretin (1632-1687). Turretins words will be in blue.

*****

XII. Second, invocation of saints has neither a precept, nor promise, nor example in Scripture for its foundation. Thus it is nothing else than a corrupt and damnable will-worship (ethelothreskeia).

Wrong! Abraham is invoked in Luke 16, with two petitionary requests. Dont blame us! Jesus taught it.

Invocation of God is indeed everywhere urged, but mention is nowhere made of the invocation of creatures.

Is that so?

Genesis 19:15, 18-21 When morning dawned, the angels urged Lot, saying, Arise, take your wife and your two daughters who are here, lest you be consumed in the punishment of the city.. . . And Lot said to them, Oh, no, my lords; behold, your servant has found favor in your sight, and you have shown me great kindness in saving my life; but I cannot flee to the hills, lest the disaster overtake me, and I die. Behold, yonder city is near enough to flee to, and it is a little one. Let me escape there  is it not a little one?  and my life will be saved! He said to him, Behold, I grant you this favor also, that I will not overthrow the city of which you have spoken.

Here an angel is not only invoked with two prayer requests, but both are also granted, too!

Genesis 21:17-18 And God heard the voice of the lad; and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven, and said to her, What troubles you, Hagar? Fear not; for God has heard the voice of the lad where he is. Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him fast with your hand; for I will make him a great nation.

If an angel can communicate with a human being from heaven, the implication  or plausible analogy  is that we can do the reverse and communicate to an angel in heaven.

1 Samuel 28:15-16 Then Samuel said to Saul, Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up? Saul answered, I am in great distress; for the Philistines are warring against me, and God has turned away from me and answers me no more, either by prophets or by dreams; therefore I have summoned you to tell me what I shall do. And Samuel said, Why then do you ask me, since the LORD has turned from you and become your enemy?

Saul petitions the dead prophet Samuel. The answer is no, but Samuel never rebuked him for a supposedly impossible and forbidden request. The current consensus among commentators is that this is Samuel the prophet, after his death, not a demon impersonator as a result of the occultic practices of the medium (see, e.g., New Bible Commentary, p. 301; Wycliffe Bible Commentary, p. 292).

This was also the view of the ancient rabbis, St. Justin Martyr, Origen, and St. Augustine, among others. Samuel was in Sheol or Hades, which explains his being brought up and saying that Saul would be with him when he dies. Samuels true prophecy of the Israeli defeat and Sauls death (28:19) mitigates against an impersonating demon, as does the mediums stunned reaction (28:12-13). Samuel speaks prophetically just as he did while on the earth.

Matthew 27:46-50 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, Eli, Eli, lama sabach-thani? that is, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? [47] And some of the bystanders hearing it said, This man is calling Elijah. [48] And one of them at once ran and took a sponge, filled it with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave it to him to drink. [49] But the others said, Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to save him. [50] And Jesus cried again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit. (cf. Mk 15:34-36)

The bystanders are presented as allies of Jesus, since one of them gave Him a drink, in the next verse (Matthew 27:48). The next verse (27:49) again shows that this was common belief at the time: But the others said, Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to save him.

Thus, it was believed that one could pray to a dead person such as Elijah (who had already appeared with Jesus at the transfiguration), and that he had power to come and give aid; to save a person (in this case, Jesus from a horrible death). Its not presented as if they are wrong, and in light of other related Scriptures it is more likely that they are correct in thinking that this was a permitted scenario.

Jesus, after all , had already referred to Elijah, saying that he was the prototype for John the Baptist (Mt 11:14; 17:10-13; cf. Lk 1:17 from the angel Gabriel), and it could also have been known that Elijah and Moses appeared with Jesus at the transfiguration (Mt 17:1-6), if these were His followers.

Yet the word to pray is often put simply for to pray to God because no other lawful invocation than that of God can be granted.

I just provided four biblical counter-examples. Turretin is wrong. Here are two more: Jesus invoked a dead man (Lazarus), saying, Lazarus, come out (Jn 11:43). If it is objected that this is a special case, because Jesus did it, then we have St. Peter also doing so:

Acts 9:40 But Peter put them all outside and knelt down and prayed; then turning to the body he said, Tabitha, rise. And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she sat up.

Thus, Peter consecutively prayed for the dead, and invoked the dead. He surely would have flunked out of most Protestant seminaries.

Under the New Testament, however, we read of no address either to the virgin or the apostles or any saints (which affords a clear argument of its impropriety).

False. Abraham is invoked (Luke 16).

As to the saints, on the contrary, we have no proof of their knowledge, . . . Scripture . . . frequently ascribes to the saints an ignorance of the affairs of earth (Is. 63:16; Ecc. 9:6; 2 K. 22:20).

His first text is scarcely about heaven at all; the second is about Sheol, not heaven, and uses phenomenological language that has been abused by advocates of the heresy of soul sleep (as I have written about). The third passage is vaguely about heaven, but thats the thing. During Old Testament times, the doctrine of heaven was only very basic and undeveloped. I have collected some classic Protestant commentaries with regard to Ecclesiastes 9:5-6:

Barnes Notes on the Bible:

See Ecclesiastes 8:12, note; Ecclesiastes 8:14, note. . . . the dead . . . are no longer excited by the passions which belong to people in this life; their share in its activity has ceased. Solomon here describes what he sees, not what he believes; there is no reference here to the fact or the mode of the existence of the soul in another world, which are matters of faith. The last clause of Ecclesiastes 9:6 indicates that the writer confines his observations on the dead to their portion in, or relation to, this world.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary:

dead know not anythingthat is, so far as their bodily senses and worldly affairs are concerned (Job 14:21; Isa 63:16); also, they know no door of repentance open to them, such as is to all on earth. neither  rewardno advantage from their worldly labors (Ec 2:18-22; 4:9).

The dead know not anything, to wit, of the actions and events in this world, as this is limited in the end of the next verse. . . . A reward; the reward or fruit of their labours in this world, which is utterly lost as to them, and enjoyed by others. See Ecclesiastes 2:21. For otherwise, that there are future rewards after death, is asserted by Solomon elsewhere, as we have seen, and shall hereafter see. Is forgotten, to wit, amongst living men, and even in those places where they had lived in great power and glory; as was noted, Ecclesiastes 8:10.

The context of 9:6 (they have no more for ever any share in all that is done under the sun) is crucial in order to understand and properly exegete the passage. It places the vantage-point of the passage as under the sun. The dead (at least the unrighteous dead) know nothing about or have any share in the things of the earth. The exegesis of Isaiah 38:18 in some of the classic commentaries, provides a good overview of the incomplete, primitive Old Testament view of the afterlife in heaven:

Ellicotts Commentary for English Readers:

Barnes Notes on the Bible:

All these gloomy and desponding views arose from the imperfect conception which they had of the future world. It was to them a world of dense and gloomy shades  a world of night  of conscious existence indeed  but still far away from light, and from the comforts which people enjoyed on the earth. We are to remember that the revelations then made were very few and obscure; and we should deem it a matter of inestimable favor that we have a better hope, and have far more just and clear views of the employments of the future world. . . . The word praise here refers evidently to the public and solemn celebration of the goodness of God. It is clear, I think, that Hezekiah had a belief in a future state, or that he expected to dwell with the inhabitants of the land of silence Isaiah 38:11 when he died. But he did not regard that state as one adapted to the celebration of the public praises of God. It was a land of darkness; an abode of silence and stillness; a place where there was no temple, and no public praise such as he had been accustomed to. A similar sentiment is expressed by David in Psalm 6:5 : For in death there is no remembrance of thee; In the grave who shall give thee thanks?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary:

Plainly Hezekiah believed in a world of disembodied spirits; his language does not imply what skepticism has drawn from it, but simply that he regarded the disembodied state as one incapable of declaring the praises of God before men, for it is, as regards this world, an unseen land of stillness; the living alone can praise God on earth, in reference to which only he is speaking; Isa 57:1, 2 shows that at this time the true view of the blessedness of the righteous dead was held, though not with the full clearness of the Gospel, which has brought life and immortality to light (2Ti 1:10).

Now we know from the New Testament data (none of which Turretin referenced, for some odd reason) that saints are intensely aware of earthly events, like spectators in an arena, which is what Bible commentators across the board believe is taught in the following passage:

Hebrews 12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us.

If they have such an awareness (cf. Rev 6:9-10), it simply cannot be ruled out that they could hear our prayers, as part of that, and can function as intercessors for us. We also know that heaven will be extraordinary and that we will have glorified bodies (1 Cor 15:35-54), and that now we only see through a glass, darkly as Paul stated (1 Cor 13:12), and that eye has not seen (1 Cor 2:9) etc. what God has prepared for us. Paul wrote how he was caught up into Paradise and heard things that cannot be told, which man may not utter (2 Cor 12:3-4).

John teaches that when he [Jesus] appears we shall be like him (1 Jn 3:2). Jesus said we would be equal to angels (Lk 20:36). Christians are being changed into his likeness from one degree of glory to another (2 Cor 3:18). This will be perfected in heaven. Human beings can be filled with all the fulness of God (Eph 3:19) and attain the fulness of Christ (Eph 4:13) and become partakers of the divine nature (2 Pet 1:4). All of that will fully and massively occur in heaven too. But Turretin ignores all of this when he considers the state of consciousness and activities of departed saints in heaven, tying into the subject of the invocation and intercession of saints.

Why is that? How can he not take into account any of this super-relevant biblical data? As Ive seen countless times in my Catholic apologetics efforts these past 33 years, polemical anti-Catholic apologetics (not all Protestant apologetics, mind you) is always woefully deficient in its interpretation of the Bible, and inevitably will ignore the fullness and comprehensive nature of Catholic exegesis on the same topics. Accordingly, Turretin absurdly trots out three barely relevant, insufficient Old Testament verses, thinking he has resolved the issue.

I, on the other hand, provide exhaustive exegesis, citing all Protestant commentators, and a wealth of New Testament data that conveys the extraordinary state of things in heaven, and what creatures there think and do. Its a very exciting topic, yet all Turretin can muster up is to claim that departed saints have an ignorance of the affairs of earth. Its as pathetic as it is astonishing.

In sum, saints hearing millions of prayers and presenting them to God as intercessors is no problem for God at all. He can make that possible (especially if saints in heaven are outside of time, which is likely or at least a plausible possibility). This simply doesnt require them to be omniscient or omnipotent, as is falsely and irrelevantly claimed; rather, it is made possible through Gods will, omniscience, and omnipotence.

. . . as it is gratuitously invented without Scripture, it is rejected with the same facility with which it is proposed.

See the abundant biblical prooftexts above.

. . . they will see in God no other things than those which he is pleased to represent (and who can say what they are?). Or by a revelation of God since he reveals to the saints the prayers and thoughts of believers; for besides such a revelation being thrust forward in vain when Scripture is silent, . . .

The Bible doesnt spell out all of these things in specificity, however, the biblical descriptions of the exceptional and extraordinary nature of what human beings will be like in heaven, arguably contain or incorporate these elements as part and parcel of our glorified nature and union with God in heaven.

why should such a circuitous course be chosen when God calls us directly to himself? And what would be the use of Gods revealing to the saints our necessities and prayers that they might offer them to him again?

Thanks for the question! Happy to answer . . . It should be because Scripture throughout calls for intercessory prayer, and teaches that the prayers of more righteous people are relatively far more powerful. So we go (or can and should go) to the especially righteous person, who goes to God. There is no reason why we cant do this with departed saints. It makes even more sense seeing that they are perfected in heaven and in profound union with God (making their prayers all the more powerful).

If God sometimes willed to reveal to prophets the thoughts of the heart in order that they might perform their duty (as was done to Elisha, 2 K. 5:16), it does not follow that this is ordinarily done to the saints since Scripture says nothing about it, . . .

Well, it looks like Scripture does indeed say something about that, and Turretin just proved it, while being unaware that he did. He says God can reveal secret things to prophets, then turns around and says Scripture says nothing about what he just got through alluding to from Scripture. Thats contradictory and incoherent. But I really appreciate the ironic humor. Perfected saints in heaven have far, far more knowledge than prophets on the earth.

nor do they have any duty towards men, to perform which such knowledge would be necessary

Its not a matter of legalistic duty, but of voluntary love. Departed saints pray for us because they care about us and love us and want the best for us, and want us to enjoy what they do in heaven.

Nor can . . . the example of . . . Paul (caught up into the third heaven and hearing there unutterable things) prove that the saints living in heaven see the thoughts of the heart (which belongs to God alone).

Here he again makes the same logical mistake that I alluded to above. He gives an example of Paul receiving special knowledge, and then denies that God can do this in a general way with departed saints. Then he engages in sophistry in claiming that such knowledge must involve seeing into others hearts (as God does). Nice try . . . These saints dont see our thoughts based on their own inherent power, but rather, because God chose to reveal it to them. God  and only God  is omniscient, and He can share any portions of this knowledge with whomever He wills. Or do Turretin and Calvinists wish to deny that too? God is unable to do this: thats what we have to believe? We know that God already reveals knowledge to human beings on the earth:

1 Corinthians 12:7-8, 10 To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. [8] To one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, . . . [10] . . . to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits . . .

We see this imparted knowledge in, for example, the dead Samuels message to Saul. Samuel knew the future, but he could only have known it through a revelation from God:

1 Samuel 28:19 Moreover the LORD will give Israel also with you into the hand of the Philistines; and tomorrow you and your sons shall be with me; the LORD will give the army of Israel also into the hand of the Philistines.

Prophets routinely did this. They spoke the word of the Lord (a phrase that appears 243 times in the Protestant Old Testament, in RSV). But Turretin would have us believe that God cant give saints in heaven knowledge of people on earth and their desires in prayer? He has no basis for that. Many scriptural analogies of prophetic and spiritual gift knowledge (or all of biblical revelation itself, which is special divinely granted knowledge) and what the Bible tells us in many fascinating, intriguing passages about saints in heaven prove otherwise.

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Photo credit: geralt (10-24-17) [Pixabay / Pixabay Content License]

Summary: As part of my series of replies to Calvinist expositor Francois Turretin, I address the communion of saints, particularly their invocation and intercession.
France is closing its embassy in Niger indefinitely as tensions between the two countries escalate.



The embassy says it is "no longer able to function normally or fulfil its missions" due to restrictions imposed by Niger's military government.



Local embassy staff have also been dismissed, former French ambassador Sylvain Itte said in a letter.



Niger's relationship with France has soured since the military toppled President Mohamed Bazoum in July.



In September, Mr Itte and several French staff left the country, a month after the military regime ordered the ambassador's exit and set up a blockade around the embassy premises in the capital, Niamey.



The embassy had been attacked by thousands of pro-junta protestors shortly after the coup, but were dispersed by Nigerien forces before they could enter the building.



The announcement of the embassy's closure comes shortly before the expiry of the military government's deadline for the exit of French troops on Friday.



They have been stationed in the country to help in the fight against jihadist groups linked to both al-Qaeda and Islamic State.

Source: BBC









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
B5 Plus proudly accepted the esteemed CSR Award 2023 at a grand ceremony held at the Jubilee House, the distinguished Office of the President.



This recognition signifies our unwavering commitment to fostering community development and sustainable impact in Ghana.



The presence of His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo elevated the event, celebrating the accomplishments of young individuals under the Head of State Awards Scheme Board of Trustees.



This accolade reaffirms our dedication to enhancing communities and our belief in the potential of local enterprises. It not only highlights our companys exceptional performance but also reinforces our role in propelling Ghanas economic progress globally.



In commemorating this significant milestone, B5 Plus remains resolute in pushing boundaries, contributing to Ghanas economic vitality, and making a lasting impact on the global stage.



Founded in 2002 by Chairman Mr. Mukesh Thakwani (Mr. Mike) with a visionary outlook, B5 Plus Steel Industry set out on a mission to become a leading global steel entity. Our journey has been steered by an exceptional workforce, pioneering methodologies, and ethical practices.



Our expansive state-of-the-art steel manufacturing facility in Larkpleku Village,

Prampram, established under the 1D1F (One District One Factory) program, stands as one of Africas largest. It encompasses various units, including the Rolling Mill, Steel Melting Shop (SMS), PEB Manufacturing, Batching Plant,

Oxygen Plant, Tube Mill Factory, Block Factory, Aluminium and Trailer Manufacturing Units, Crane Girders, and Weighing Scales. The recent acquisition of United Steel Companys Assets has further bolstered our capabilities.



With an extensive network of wholesalers, dealers, and distributors across Ghana and West Africa, B5 Plus has emerged as a pivotal player in the regions steel industry, expanding its reach across multiple West African countries

through our manufacturing facilities.



This sentiment resonates deeply within B5 Plus, reaffirming our unwavering dedication to excellence. Mr. Thakwani assures that the company remains steadfast in delivering excellence, consistently surpassing expectations, and setting new benchmarks in quality and affordability.



The ethos of B5 Plus has always been to generously give back to society by creating ample opportunities for everyone.



The B5 Plus Care Foundation, our charitable organization, supports underprivileged children in Ghana by providing basic needs, free education, and essential medical care. Additionally, it organizes annual blood donation camps and free health check-ups. B5 Plus actively engages in CSR activities through the

foundation.







We are committed to continuing our CSR initiatives, recognizing their positive impact on society. These efforts are aimed at fostering sustainable development, enhancing community well-being, and contributing to a brighter future for all.



As part of our social responsibility, the group has undertaken various initiatives:



 Conducting free medical camps.



 Providing free education to students.



 Supporting diverse social causes and festivals.



 Contributing to the fight against COVID-19 by donating oxygen to around 100 Government and Private Hospitals. Offering complimentary oxygen refilling for the Government and Private Hospitals from March 2020 to April 2022.



 Donating personal protective items like masks, medical suits, surgical masks, face shields, etc., for healthcare workers and society.



 Distributing food supplies to over 2000 underprivileged families in remote areas of Ghana during COVID.



 Contributing to the COVID-19 Trust Fund.



 Organizing Blood Donation Camps.



 Supporting educational programs like MISE Maths Competition, Shark Quiz, Spelling B, and more.



We are committed to continuing these CSR initiatives, ensuring sustained support for the communities we serve while positively impacting society as a

whole.

Source: Peacefmonline.com e









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
The Serwaa Amihere Foundation today, 23rd December, 2023, brightened the lives and put smiles on the faces of, thousands of widows at a Christmas party held for these widows in Accra.



The foundation donated a variety of items, such as bags of rice, assorted food items, textiles etc, to the widows. The founder of the foundation, Ms Serwaa Amihere, an award-winning broadcast journalist and news anchor, and her celebrity friends, fraternised with the widows, to the admiration of all.



The Serwaa Amihere Foundation was founded in 2019 as a charity and Non-Governmental Organization with the main aim of supporting the destitute and less privileged in the society, particularly, women, in ways that their burdens would be lessened.



The foundation has therefore supported hundreds of widows over the years in diverse ways, including the provision of funds to beneficiaries for business startups.



It is therefore about time that she is recognized and commended by both the international community and the good people of Ghana for the projects she has so far embarked upon with her foundation.



The society continues to benefit from the activities of her foundation, and for that matter, must be commended and encouraged to do more.

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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A second man surrendered to police on charges he participated in the paid killing of a man last year at a car wash in York County, police said.

ShyDell Griffith, 22, surrendered to the York County Sheriff Department Thursday night, West Manchester Township Police Department said.

Griffith is among a trio accused in the fatal shooting of24-year-old Devin Zeigler, whom investigators say had a $30k bounty on his head.

Griffith, Kamron Dowsey, and a third unnamed suspect are accused of running Zeigler down to collect that bounty at around 1 p.m. May 20, 2022 at the West York Auto Spa Express in West Manchester Township.

The three killed Zeigler and injured another person, whom investigators said was not originally intended as a victim but was wearing an expensive necklace two of the shooters wanted, according to police.

Video surveillance images showed three people getting out of a white Kia. One of the men approached Zeigler  who was vacuuming his car  while the other two approached the man wearing the necklace, who was also using a vacuum, police said.

The man who approached Zeigler appeared to rob him, and when Zeigler did not give anything up, shots were fired. Shortly after that, the other two suspects started shooting at the man wearing the necklace as he ran away, officials said.

In all, 32 shots were fired by the three suspects using 9mm and .40 caliber handguns with illegal switches to make them fully automatic and extended magazines, police said.

Dowsey previously surrendered to authorities regarding an unrelated shooting on the 400 block of Salem Avenue on April 23, according to the York Dispatch.

Both Dowsey and Griffith face charges of criminal homicide, criminal conspiracy to commit homicide, criminal attempt to commit homicide, and aggravated assault, according to officials at the press conference.

Police used the temporary registration of the vehicle seen on the video surveillance to locate Dowsey. Phone records showed Dowsey to be in the area of the car wash at the time of the shooting and close to where police found the Kia in Maryland, West Manchester Township Detective Matthew DeWitt said.

Dowsey also called his mother and confessed to shooting Zeigler the day of the incident, which was overheard by his mothers coworkers. Another phone call Dowsey made confessing to the crime was also overheard, according to DeWitt.

Additionally, Dowsey confessed to the homicide while speaking to a witness in the York County Prison. The same witness also spoke to investigators about Griffith confessing to the shooting that same day.

Court documents show Dowsey, 20, is also charged with murder of the first degree, murder of the third degree, and criminal homicide for an incident that took place on April 23, 2023.

Dowseys online docket still lists his case as inactive,  meaning there is a warrant for his arrest, but the arrest has not yet occurred. Griffith does not yet have an online docket despite being in custody. Dowseys docket does not list any bail, although homicide suspects are always denied bail upon arrest, under Pa. law.
After walking for hours in complete darkness in the middle of a minefield, David (not his real name) would find his way to freedom. This was the only way to escape from the armed group that he had been forced to join. With the greatest of stealth, he achieved this feat. Then, he raised his arms in the air: this was the signal that would warn the Colombian military that he was the young man that the Ombudsmans Office had warned about hours before  the sign that would save him from being shot.

The message had reached the Ombudsmans Office thanks to Ana (not her real name), an Indigenous leader. Davids family had contacted her to beg for help. Their son had managed to warn them that he planned to escape. Anas participation was key: she knew exactly who to turn to. She has been helping the families of children who have been forcibly recruited in the Cauca Valley region of Colombia for nearly half-a-decade.

Davids story has become part of the landscape in the north of the region, one of the most disputed areas in Colombia. According to the Association of Indigenous Councils of Northern Cauca (ACIN)  the main Indigenous organization in the region  over the last two years, more than 300 minors have been forcibly enlisted into armed groups. The organizations human rights team explains that recruitment was radically transformed after the Peace Agreement was signed between the government and the FARC in 2016. As the conflict worsens again, this tragedy is on the rise. Ana has counted 117 complaints so far in 2023 and she assures EL PAIS that the amount of underreporting is huge.

The Ombudsmans Office has highlighted the risk. According to the entity, since 2021, officials have reported 344 cases of minors being recruited in the country. At least 48% of these are from 2023. The majority of complaints come from the Cauca Valley, followed by the regions of Narino, Arauca and Putumayo. A very worrying situation persists: the occurrence of recruitment [largely takes place among the] Indigenous population, where 75% of the cases are concentrated, explains Carlos Camargo Assis, the ombudsman of Colombia, in a public statement.

Behind these figures, there are other characteristics that worsen the already tragic situation. Andrea (not her real name)  who belongs to one of the civil society organizations active in the Cauca Valley  maintains that, after the departure of the Western Joint Command of the now-extinct FARC, little by little, new and numerous illegal armed groups were born. Over the years, they have grown. From about 60 members, there are now over 1,000 insurgents in the region, according to Andrea.

The Jaime Martinez column  part of the umbrella of FARC dissidents known as the Central General Staff  is the armed structure that holds the most power in the northern part of the Cauca Valley. Its the entity that has most often been accused of forcibly recruiting minors into its ranks. The United Nations reiterated this warning in 2022, when Colombia reappeared in its annual report on Children and Armed Conflict.

The second-largest recruiter of children in Colombia is the National Liberation Army (ELN), which maintains a long-standing dispute with the Jaime Martinez column. Then, there are the groups that are part of the other large federation of dissidents: the Second Marquetalia, which is led by former FARC leader Ivan Marquez. They intervened in this regional dispute, without much success.

Andrea explains that, when recruitment restarted in the north of the Cauca Valley  a subregion officially made up of 13 municipalities  the minors enlisted tended to be sons, nephews, or cousins of Indigenous authorities, or older adolescents who belonged to the Indigenous Guard. The armed groups valued boys who were in good physical condition, had some political training and were part of the regions social fabric. Between 2018 and 2019, the age range of those recruited was between 14 and 17-years-old.

The dynamics have since worsened. In 2020, the ACIN began to register complaints about the recruitment of children as young as 11-years-old. And now, its more common for the victims to be minors in conditions of extreme poverty, or minors who have faced domestic abuse. They are promised food, clothing, or some financial compensation. Likewise, massive recruitment raids  in which armed men kidnap groups of boys and girls outside of schools  became more common post-2020. The most notorious cases occurred in March of this year. One happened in an educational institution in the town of Caloto. Another took place the same week, on San Pedro Street in the same municipality, while some children were heading to a local school.

Faced with these risks, the Indigenous communities of the area have reacted with internal measures to control and monitor the children. In this way, they have managed to recover two abducted minors. They have established alert systems: if the presence of unknown or armed men near a school is detected, the Indigenous Guard is quickly onsite to protect the children. An effective protocol, but one that has turned them into staunch enemies of illegal armed groups.

Anas cell phone is always on. She knows that, oftentimes, someones life depends on her answering a call. Not only do Indigenous families come to her, but so do the young people themselves. She remembers a call in which she was notified about a group of young people who were on their way to meet a recruiter. She activated the protocol, mobilized the Indigenous Guard and managed to stop the vehicle that the insurgent was travelling in. The informant turned out to be one of the boys, who refused to let his friends end up in the war.

That was an exceptional outcome. Andrea explains that armed groups have been creating illegal recruitment mafias  they sometimes delegate the recruitment of their peers to young people. On other occasions, they hire third parties who are in charge of identifying the children or adolescents, following them, convincing them, abducting them and taking them to the camps. These third parties are paid according to the number of children recruited.

The sophistication of human-trafficking for the purpose of armed conflict has resulted in a local issue becoming more widespread. NGOs in the area found that children enrolled in the northern part of the Cauca Valley end up being transferred to the south of Cauca, or to nearby cities, such as Tumaco and Buenaventura, where violence is prevalent.

Ana fights against the recruitment of children in the Cauca Valley. Nastassia Kantorowicz Torres

Fighting against the current

As long as the children need me, I dont rest, Ana explains. She doesnt have much peace of mind left: because of all the cases shes handled, she has become the number one reference in the region. In the remote villages  where she goes to take reports from the families of missing children  she has been profiled by insurgents. She has learned to move through a dangerous environment.

Ana has no bodyguards, nor does she receive remuneration for this work. Hence, shes always had to have a day job to pay her bills, while forging alliances to fight against forced recruitment and stay safe. Things havent been easy. The obstacles she encounters on a daily basis continue to multiply. She must deal with negligent officials, with a precarious relationship between local and national institutions, along with the high economic cost of removing entire families from one place to another for their security.

Her tasks are varied and painful. The majority of minors who escape or are handed over by the militants (the Ombudsmans Office or the International Red Cross sometimes intervene in a handover) return to the Indigenous community with physical health problems, such as injuries from explosives, or mental problems, due to having suffered from sexual violence.

When they turn up dead, its even more difficult. According to Andrea and Ana, this is increasingly common. They give them a weapon and they send them off to fight, Andrea laments. Just a few months ago, 40 bodies appeared in the town of Silvia, in rural Cauca. Some of them were recruited minors. The families discreetly claimed the bodies for fear of reprisals. And, at night, with no witnesses, they buried them.

The effect of this violence on Indigenous peoples is profound and irreparable. Theyre uprooting our seed, Andrea reflects. Edwin Capaz  the former Senior Councilor of the Regional Indigenous Council of Cauca  agrees with this. The war is shearing us, its cutting off the significance of Indigenous peoples. [The violence has] festered in these generations of children, adolescents and young people, who are our most vulnerable side, he emphasizes. Both Andrea and Edwin agree that the Colombian states measures are not enough to address a phenomenon that is growing at an unstoppable rate.

Despite the social and human impact, the issue hasnt been discussed in the dialogue that the government has established with the ELN or the Central General Staff. So far, forced recruitment hasnt managed to achieve the public attention that the kidnapping epidemic has gained. [Forced recruitment] needs to be an urgent point, because of what it means not only for Indigenous peoples, but for the population in general, Councilor Capaz emphasizes. While this happens, Ana, her community and the organizations she works with arent thinking of giving up. They continue to act with everything they can muster.

Ana is driven by the strength that she finds in her own history of fighting violence. After her interview with EL PAIS, shell be getting ready to go out and hear another complaint from a family.

A young woman  who, a few weeks ago, arrived to accompany her voluntarily  silently witnesses the interview, takes notes and listens attentively.

How do you do so much, Dona Ana? I dont understand.

Because its all done with love. Its in our hands to save lives.

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By Tawnya Panizzi, The Tribune-Review, Greensburg

A 2-year-old boy was found dead in Oil City, Venango County, stuffed inside a bag in a basement.

The body of toddler Keaton Morrison was found Wednesday in a home along North Street, according to Tribune-Review news partner WTAE.

Police said the boys mother, Caleigh Gladfelter, reported him missing the same day.

She has been arrested on charges of child endangerment in connection to abuse that police said she knew was ongoing by Trevaughn Stribling-Jackson, 24.

Stribling-Jackson has been charged with criminal homicide, aggravated assault, concealment of the whereabouts of a child and abuse of a corpse.

According to a criminal complaint, the abuse and killing happened in the basement of the home where the owners said Stribling-Jackson and Gladfelter were house guests.

Gladfelter told police she last saw her son Monday when she left for work and left the boy in Stribling-Jacksons care.

Gladfelter said Stribling-Jackson later told her the toddler was with relatives.

Gladfelter told police she found traces of blood and became suspicious. She also told police that Stribling-Jackson previously hit her son multiple times but that he claimed the boy fell down steps.

Both adults are being held in the Venango County Jail.
PHILADELPHIA (AP)  A judge has ordered three New Jersey men to stand trial on most charges in an airport parking garage shooting in October that killed one Philadelphia police officer and wounded another.

Municipal Court Judge David Shuter ruled last week that Yobranny Martinez-Fernandez, 18, of Camden, New Jersey, must stand trial on charges of murder and attempted murder and related offenses, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported. Prosecutors have alleged that he fired the shots that killed the officer.

Alexander Batista-Polanco, 21, of Camden and Hendrick Pena-Fernandez, 21, of Pennsauken, New Jersey, face trial on charges including second-degree murder of a law enforcement officer. An attempted murder charge in the shooting of the other officer was dropped against both men. Robbery charges against all three were also dropped.

Prosecutors cited video footage, social media posts, and cell phone records as evidence that the trio stole a vehicle and used it days later to travel to the airport garage, where the two officers foiled another car theft.

Defense attorneys argued that none of the hours worth of evidence presented showed that their clients were at the airport at the time. Robert Gamburg, Pena-Fernandezs attorney, said there was absolutely nothing that carries the commonwealths burden. Defense attorneys declined comment after the hearing, the newspaper reported.

Officers Richard Mendez and Raul Ortiz were about to begin their shift at around 11 p.m. on Oct. 12 when they heard breaking glass and saw several people breaking into a car in the parking lot at Philadelphia International Airport, police said. A confrontation ensued, and the two officers and one of the suspects were shot.

Mendez, 50, who had been on the force for more than two decades, was shot four times and pronounced dead at a hospital. His handcuffs were placed on Martinez Fernandez at the time of the suspects arrest, a symbolic practice used when officers are killed. Ortiz, a 20-year veteran of the force, was shot once in the arm and was treated at a hospital.

The suspects fled in an SUV reported stolen a week earlier that was later seen at a hospital Thursday dropping off 18-year-old Jesus Herman Madera Duran, who had been shot in the chest, abdomen and left arm. He was later pronounced dead. Authorities have said they believe Duran was shot by the same person who shot the two officers.

Deputy Commissioner Frank Vanore said earlier that police were pursuing others who aided the suspects or tried to obstruct the investigation. He cited the burning of the vehicle in a parking lot in Cranbury, New Jersey, people who rented hotel rooms but werent the ones staying there, and people who knew where people were and didnt tell us.
SHAMONG, N.J. (AP)  A Philadelphia television news helicopter returning from an assignment photographing Christmas lights earlier this week plunged into a southern New Jersey forest at very high speed, broke apart, then caught fire after it crashed, killing both occupants, a federal crash investigator said Friday.

Todd Gunther, an investigator with the National Transportation Safety Board, told reporters near the crash site that WPVIs Chopper 6 was returning to its base at Northeast Philadelphia Airport Tuesday night when something caused it to crash into Wharton State Forest in Washington Township.

The crew had been photographing Christmas light displays near Atlantic City.

Killed in the crash were the pilot, 67-year-old Monroe Smith of Glenside, Pennsylvania, and a photographer, 45-year-old Christopher Dougherty of Oreland, Pennsylvania.

The aircraft hit at very high speed, and after striking the trees, it fragmented, Gunther said, adding the damaged aircraft was subject to a post-crash fire.

Investigators were able to determine that there was no in-flight fire or explosion, he said.

Examination of the main rotor and tail rotors showed damage indicating that they were turning when they struck trees, Gunther said, and the helicopter had power at the time of the crash and its transmission was functioning.

There is no indication the pilot broadcast any sort of emergency warning, Gunther added.

The chopper made two previous flights on Tuesday before the crash.

Investigators are looking for anything that may have either contributed to or caused the crash, which occurred on a clear, cold night, Gunther said.

Wreckage from the crash is being removed to a secure off-site facility, where it is being reassembled to aid in the investigation into the cause. That includes the nose, tail and both sides of the helicopter.

It could be about two years before the NTSB announces its findings into what caused the crash, Gunther said.

The debris field stretched for 200 yards in the woods, about twice the length originally calculated.
By Mark S. Singel

On July 24, 1974, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that Richard Nixon must release the so-called Watergate tapes. The tapes contained conclusive evidence that Nixon and his conspirators had broken numerous laws. Nixon resigned two weeks after the court decision.

Nixons legal team had launched an aggressive defense on the basis of executive privilege. Prior to the decision, the president exuded some confidence about the outcome since he had appointed four of the nine justices. However, the decision was unanimous. By an 8-0 vote (Justice Rehnquist recused himself because he had served in Nixons administration) the court affirmed that no man  not even the president  was above the law. (United States v Nixon. Oyez, www.oyez.org/cases/1973/73-1766.)

Soon, the U.S. Supreme Court will be taking up an issue that could stop any chance of former President Donald Trump from holding office again. Like 1974, the justices are being asked to rule on a constitutional principle that will have historic consequences. Like 1974, they will be asked to put their partisan perspectives aside and rule on the basis of the constitution  not out of loyalty to one faction or to the man who may have appointed them to the court.

Todays court faces a similar test of character. The Colorado Supreme Court has ruled that Donald J. Trump is ineligible to hold office because of Section 3 of the 14th amendment. That section clearly states: No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President and Vice-President, or hold any office, civil or military, under the United States, or under any State, who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress, or as an officer of the United States, or as a member of any State legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any State, to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof.

We all watched in real time as Trump stoked the violence on January 6. Youve got to fight like hell or we wont have a country left, was the rallying cry. Since that time 1100 rioters have been arrested and over 600 have been found guilty of numerous charges  including sedition and insurrection. The boots on the ground have paid a heavy price. The suits at the podium are just now coming to justice.

Distinguished jurists like the conservative Judge Michael Luttig continue to make the point that the language of the constitution is clear. He and other noted conservative writers like William Baude and Michael Paulsen of the Federalist Society have concluded that the amendment applies to Trump.

In fact, you would be hard pressed to find a clearer example of a violation of the oath of office and rebellion than what occurred on January 6. Trump sought to remain in office by any means possible  legal or otherwise. His disruption of the peaceful transition of power is exactly what the authors of the 14th amendment sought to protect against.

An argument that some Republican candidates have raised is that the people should determine Trumps fitness for office and simply vote against him next year. This ignores the reality that the constitution already imposes qualifications on candidates for office. You cant run for office if you are under 35; you cant serve more than two terms as president; you cant participate in an insurrection or rebellion against your own country and expect to put your name on the ballot.

Furthermore, the U.S. Supreme Court has placed its imprint on other elections. One need only look at Bush v. Gore to know that U.S. Presidents can be elected by a majority as slim as 5-4 via the U.S. Supreme Court.

More importantly, the court will face the judgment of history if it fails to ban the former president from future office. Ignoring the 14th amendment would exonerate a man whose actions before, during, and after January 6 were disgraceful. It would breathe new life into Trumpism and heighten the risk of his bombast becoming an autocratic reality in our republic.

The case heading to the U.S. Supreme Court is essential to the functioning of the republic. A little closer to home, there is another matter that may not be as prominent, but it impacts all of the residents of the 10th Congressional District.

A U.S. District Court has ruled that the vast majority of U.S. Rep. Scott Perrys cellphone communications must be handed over to investigators. If those records confirm that Rep. Perry engaged in efforts to overturn the presidential election of 2020 or that he collaborated with those who engaged in insurrection, it is likely that one of his many opponents will seek to remove him from the ballot based on the clear language of Section 3 of the 14th amendment.

Mark S. Singel is a former Lieutenant Governor and Acting Governor of Pennsylvania.
The Second Municipal District of the Circuit Court of Cook County in Skokie. (Richard Requena)

A Cook County judge on Jan. 19 ruled to allow more time for attorneys to prepare for a case involving a former Cook County Corrections officer charged with shooting to death a then-22-year-old man outside a Niles nightclub.

Cook County Circuit Judge Paul Pavlus said he would give the prosecution and defense more time for discovery in the case of Alan Kettina of Northbrook, who was 25 when he was accused of killing Mark Asber, 22, of Niles outside of the Miraj nightclub on April 23.

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Kettina was employed as a correctional officer for the Cook County Sheriffs Department and worked in Cook County Jail with inmates until he was formally charged, per a Cook County sheriffs office spokesperson. When Kettina was charged with the first-degree murder of Asber in April, Cook County Circuit Judge Anthony Calabrese set his bail at $400,000.

Kettina admitted shooting Asber to Niles police, tried to administer CPR to Asber after shooting him and remained on the scene after the shooting, said Assistant Cook County States Attorney Jennifer Ravin at a bond hearing in April.

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According to a statement from the Cook County States Attorneys office, Kettina told police that shooting Asber was wrong because his back was towards me.

Ravin said Asber had been working as a busboy at Miraj for two months before the shooting and was at the restaurant to try to pick up an additional shift. Kettina ate at Miraj and came back later to take Asber for a drive in his Jeep. Kettina fired four shots at Asber from a Glock 17 as Asber was walking away from the vehicle, she said.

Pavlus set Kettinas next court date for Jan. 22. An arrest does not constitute a finding of guilt.
The Gulf of California, also known as the Sea of Cortez, is showing serious signs of deterioration as a result of climate change and the effects of human activities, including the extinction of terrestrial and aquatic species and an increase in temperature in certain areas. This is something the region has already been experiencing; it is not some future thing. For three decades, it has been increasing in temperature, warns Octavio Aburto, a professor at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California. There are islets where, from the surface to 40 meters deep, were detecting temperatures of 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit).

The worlds aquarium, as the French oceanographer Jacques Cousteau called the Gulf of California, no longer exists as we knew it 40 years ago, because, as Aburto says, 80% of it is damaged. For that reason, the ecologist and photographer devoted himself to studying the area for two decades, combining science and research with activism for its conservation.

Although human beings can destroy, they can also return everything to the way it was, he says. Cabo Pulmo, a national park in Baja California Sur that is considered a protected natural area and in turn protects a coral reef that Aburto jealously guards alongside the locals, is one example of conservation and recovery. The Mexican scientist has documented that species in that area have recovered by more than 400%; this is an example that is meant to be replicated in other places.

With part of the inheritance that his friend, the oceanographer Walter Munk, left to the University of California, Aburto started a fund to undertake a conservation project with communities in the Gulf of California that have been left behind. In addition to the case of Cabo Pulmo, there are other success stories in the region in which species and ecosystems were rescued; these outcomes were presented last month at the 2023 edition of the Sea of Cortez Forum.

Fish-preserving artificial reefs

My father was a fisherman and one day he noticed that there were a lot of fish around aquaculture oysters. After years of trial and error, he proved that shells help protect, feed and reproduce fish, says Masaki Katayama, the president of Japans Ocean Construction Company.

Using that finding, Katayama developed Shell Nurse technology, shell-based artificial reefs that serve as a means to increase species biodiversity and fish populations. In Japan, this approach paid off and has been employed in 20,000 different locations. There is a very good record of improving or increasing fish populations throughout Japan, and because these structures are built by artisanal fishermen, it is an opportunity to earn additional income, says Koichiro Ishimori, a Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) project representative.

In May of this year, that innovation was brought to Mexico. Around 200 artificial reefs were installed in La Paz Bay, in the Gulf of California, as part of a project involving JICA and Ocean Construction. Three tons of shell waste provided by local fishermen were used to make the reefs. The area will be protected for two years so that no one will fish during that time and the ecosystem can recover.

Just three months after the installation of the reefs, there is already evidence of an increase in the density of nine species of fish. They are fish that already existed, but they decided to come here. There is a greater congregation of stonefish, burritos, yellow snapper, sergeants.... There isnt even this type of density on Espiritu Santo Island, in the bay itself, which has protection zones, says Alejandro Robles, the president of NOS Noroeste Sustentable [Sustainable Northwest], which has been studying the Sea of Cortez for over 40 years.

Based on this result, the Government of Baja California Sur decided to finance 200 more reefs to try to recover commercial species. The idea is to take it to other sites in the Gulf to help recover overfished species, and to give the population more economic options, because the reef can be used for fishing, diving, sport fishing, snorkeling, says Robles.

The technology will aid the productivity of some 900 fishermen in the Sea of Cortez. Thanks to artificial reefs, a fisherman in Japan can live off the production of 1.7 hectares, while, on average, 50 hectares are not enough for a single fisherman in Mexico.

Robles points out that, in theory, the reefs help to recover the habitat of the different species. But he also warns that, if the causes that led to the species depletion do not change, overexploitation will occur again. For that reason, the measure is being implemented alongside a change in the governance and management of ecosystems. From the outset, the fact that the community is participating in the installation of the [artificial] reef means that it is committed to conserving it, he points out. When the population has recovered, commercial fishing can return with very clear rules to avoid overexploitation, he says. In addition to Robless own organization, there are several other organizations in the region that are working with the communities to develop their capacities for raising awareness, collective agreements, following up on management plans and diversifying activities, with the goal of reducing fishing pressure, he says.

Rescuing the California condor

Twenty-one years ago, Catalina Porras embarked on a journey that has involved great sacrifice. We lived in tents for a long time. We still dont have running water, and we still dont bathe every day. Every time it snows, we have to shovel it, she says. Ive had to get by on Maruchan [ramen] soups, granola and nuts. Porras is a scientist dedicated to conserving the endangered California condor, a scavenger bird that measures 1.40 meters (4.6 feet).

A California condor. Marcio Jose Sanchez (AP)

Since 2003 she has dedicated her life to the California Condor Reintroduction Program, of which she is the director, along with her colleague Juan Vargas, the projects field director. This animal became extinct in Mexico in 1970 and there were 22 left in the State of California. The U.S. government decided to capture them to save the species and commissioned the San Diego and Los Angeles zoos to start a program for their breeding and conservation, which in turn was entrusted to Mexican biologists.

Twenty-one years ago, the Sierra de San Pedro Martir in the Baja California peninsula was chosen as the site to carry out the program and release the birds; the scientists also reside there. Since then, the California condor has been flying in the skies above the Sea of Cortez region. We survive on love and a commitment to recovering a species that went extinct because of humans, says Porras. She loves the birds to such an extent that she can distinguish practically every single animal.

From the moment he arrived in the mountains, Juan Vargas knew it would be a lifelong project. The birds lay an egg every two years and live for up to 70 years. It is very easy to extinguish a species and very difficult to reintegrate it into the wild. But in these 21 years, I have realized that it is possible, that we have achieved it, says the biologist.

This is not false optimism. Currently there is already a population of 48 condors in the wild; two were born this year and the births of a couple more are expected next year. The California condor is perhaps the most important conservation project Mexico has, says Vargas. But the program is at risk due to the difficulties of securing funding.

The scientists are not giving up, and they are hoping that the condor symbolic adoption campaign they recently launched will help.
In the rapidly evolving global landscape, the ascent of China stands as the ultimate challenge of our times, one that demands a bold and innovative response. As the new generation of conservative leaders in South Carolina, we are acutely aware of the shortcomings in the approaches of both th Read moreGuest column: Reclaiming American supremacy: The path forward in an era of Chinese dominance
I am sure I am not the only one who occasionally forgets about a gift card or two. My wife and I have a place we keep gift cards, and try to keep a good mental note of what cards are there. Sometimes they are gifts. Sometimes they are store credits for a return. Sometimes they are to a pizza Read moreMike's Life: The unexpected treasure that is forgotten gift cards
A ship sails with an escort in the Red Sea in late November due to the threat of attacks by Yemen's Houthi rebels.

The military operation launched by the United States to protect ships sailing in the Red Sea from attacks by Yemens Houthi rebels has caused unexpected tension between Madrid and Washington. The Spanish government was displeased on Monday when the U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin included Spain in the 10 countries that were going to participate in Operation Prosperity Guardian, commanded by the United States, without prior notice. The Spanish governments spokesperson, Pilar Alegria, had to deny Spains involvement. She said that the country would not participate unilaterally in the coalition, although the Spanish Ministry of Defense made it clear that it could do so within the framework of NATO or the European Union.

The issued seemed to have been cleared up the next day when, in an extraordinary meeting of the European Political and Security Committee (CPS), among ambassadors, it was agreed that the EU would take part in monitoring the Red Sea through Operation Atalanta, which has been fighting against piracy in the Indian Ocean since 2008. The EU High Commissioner, Josep Borrell, announced the decision and stated that Europe would step up its exchange of information with the United States and reinforce its naval presence with additional resources. This demonstrates the EUs role as a provider of maritime security. We match our words with actions, he concluded. However, the next day, in a technical meeting, Spain vetoed changing the mandate of Operation Atalanta to include protecting maritime security in the Red Sea, according to the Spanish newspaper El Confidencial.

The decision caused surprise in diplomatic circles, since the Spanish government did not provide any explanation for the veto. According to diplomatic sources, this sudden U-turn was the reason why U.S. President Joe Biden spoke with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Friday  in what was their first call since Sanchezs investment. Although La Moncloa, the Spanish seat of government, did not reference the Red Sea issue in its statement, the White House reported that both leaders discussed the importance of ensuring the Gaza war does not spread throughout the region, and condemned the ongoing Houthi attacks against commercial vessels in the Red Sea.

That same Friday, after meeting with Pedro Sanchez in Congress, the leader of the Popular Party (PP), Alberto Nunez Feijoo, revealed that he had told him that Spains decision for the moment is not to intervene; or, at least, not intervene under the conditions requested by the United States.

On Thursday, in statements to the Cadena SER radio station, Spanish vice president Yolanda Diaz said it was enormously hypocritical that the international community was rushing to protect commercial interests in the Red Sea, but remained passive when it came to defending the civilian population in Gaza. The Houthis militants, who are allies with Iran, claim that they are only attacking ships heading to Israel, but in practice, any ship that has passed through Israeli ports or that is linked to that country, is a target. This is threatening maritime security along a route through which an estimated 10% of the worlds trade passes.

Spain plays a key role in Operation Atalanta, as it is headquartered at the Rota base in the Spanish city of Cadiz, and overseen by the Spanish vice-admiral Ignacio Villanueva Sanchez. Whats more, the Spanish frigate Victoria is currently the only ship that the European operation has, after the withdrawal of the Italian frigate. It does not even have a maritime patrol plane, since its deployment in the area is conditioned by the monsoon season.

Military sources point out that, given Operation Atalantas limited means, it is impossible for it to take on new tasks  especially since, there has been a resurgence of attacks by Somali pirates, with two kidnappings (an Iranian fishing vessel and a Bulgarian freighter) in recent weeks. It would be possible, they say, if their resources were significantly strengthened and an operational plan was approved. The narrow width of the Red Sea means that there is only a short time to react to an attack from the Yemeni coast, meaning escorts have to sail very closely to the vessels they are protecting and within range of an attack. The Houthi drones  which are carrying out most of the attacks  are slow, but raise the question of whether it is worth spending on expensive missiles to shoot them down. Moreover, from a political point of view, a conflict with the Houthis is a proxy conflict with Iran.

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I lectured about the tangible things and annoyed the students in the class in the usual way of college, he told a gathering of diocesan leaders. Except for this one man, a professional evangelist from South Korea, a genius and an ardent evangelical. I liked him, but we had just baffled each other for two hours, and as we walked out of the class, he was asking me to explain again our orientation to the world. I was out of my three-by-five-card examples and clever phrases. I was flummoxed, so I prayed: Lord, give me something 

A child of God?

Then I looked up and found a girl way across campus with a bright red backpack and pointed her out. I said, Do you see that girl, the one with the red backpack? He was baffled still but said yes. Is she a child of God, or not?

I dont know her. How could I possibly know?

I dont know her either, but we all make assumptions. Do you assume she is a child of God, or not?

I cant know.

Me either, but I assume she is, or at the very least that she was created to be a child of God. And my job is just to love her until she does know.

Bishop Richards was quick to acknowledge that this idea is not unique to our denomination. I would go further and say I dont see how anyone can read the Gospels without being smacked in the face by this same message: All people are created to be children of God, and those of us who are so audacious as to call ourselves followers of Christ are called to treat them as such. That this, in fact, is the primary reason we were put here.

The world is broken, and humanity has fallen from its original purpose, Bishop Richards continued, but we are created by God to bring grace and truth to others in Christs name, to care for creation and the vulnerable among us. We see others as our opportunity to bear Gods image in care and love. We are called to do so first and foremost in our love for each other, as witness, and to others as the available presence of Gods grace and mercy, justice and peace. This is a monumental calling.
The number of Americans over the age of 65 is rising quickly. In the past century, it has grown at nearly five times the rate of the rest of the population and is now approaching 60 million people. That includes about 15.5 million added since 2010. This is good news for the widening communit Read moreGuest editorial: The dementia crisis is here. Better training cant wait.
Three companies being sued in Charleston for manufacturing harmful "forever chemicals" that seeped into water systems across the country are standing by a nearly $1.19 billion offer they have proposed to settle the litigation.

DuPont de Nemours Inc., Chemours Co. and Corteva Inc. faced a Dec. 22 deadline to decide whether to withdraw the offer.

In a joint statement Friday, the companies pledged "their continued support" for the proposal they submitted to U.S. District Court Judge Richard Gergel, who was assigned to oversee the landmark class-action environmental case five years ago this month.

It's not yet known exactly how many water systems are opting out of the settlement, which could jeopardize the deal if too many decide to pursue legal claims on their own. The administrator in charge of reporting the figure to the court has requested an extension, until Jan. 3.

Even so, the three chemical companies feel they "have sufficient insight into this process to determine that they remain in favor of the settlement" and don't intend to exercise their "walk-away rights," according to the statement.

Chemours and Corteva formerly were part of DuPont. They announced their $1.185 billion settlement in early June, days before the first jury trial was scheduled to get underway at the Four Corners of Law.

If Gergel approves the deal, the money would go into a compensation fund that water systems could tap into to pay for cleanup projects and other remediation-related expenses. It is separate from a similar but much larger settlement proposed by 3M Co. that could exceed $12 billion.

The first wave of lawsuits the court is looking to resolve allege that a widely used firefighting foam containing the toxic substances seeped into public drinking water systems, triggering a host of human health ailments, ranging from cancers to fertility issues.
Boeing Co. delivered a 787 jet to a Chinese customer for the first time in more than four years on Thursday, marking a potential thaw in relations between the aerospace firm and a nation that's expected to account for one-fifth of aircraft demand over the next 20 years.

The planemaker confirmed that a 787-9 Dreamliner bound for Shanghai-based Juneyao Airlines departed Paine Field in Everett, Wash., shortly before noon local time.

The flight landed in China at about 3:25 a.m. EST on Friday, according to the aviation tracking website FlightRadar24.

Although Boeing consolidated all 787 production to its North Charleston campus in 2021, this particular Dreamliner was built at a former sister plant near Seattle a year earlier.

Prior to this, the last Dreamliner delivery to a China carrier  also to Juneyao  was in November 2019. China suspended deliveries of all Boeing planes after the 737 Max was grounded worldwide following a pair of deadly crashes in 2018 and 2019.

More than 110 787s have been delivered to Chinese customers since the program started, according to Boeing's website. In addition, Boeing has 12 Dreamliners built for Chinese customers in its inventory, according to a report by Reuters.

"This is clearly a move by the (Chinese) government that might just signal to the airlines that they're free to take deliveries and perhaps even place orders," analyst Richard Aboulafia of AeroDynamic Advisories told Reuters.

The Civil Aviation Administration of China, the country's aviation regulator, has given the go-ahead for 737 Max deliveries to resume, according to a report by The Air Current, but another panel still must give its approval. Boeing has 85 737 Max jets ready for delivery to buyers from China.
A new nine-figure, nine-story multifamily development on Charleston's upper peninsula soon will welcome its first tenants.

The $119 million four-building, 304-unit Atlantic on Romney Apartments complex is set to open after final inspections by the city, according to Glenn Maddux of development firm Middle Street Partners.

About 10 percent of the units have been pre-leased.

"We worked to create four distinct buildings," Maddux said. "It brings down the scale and massing of the project."

The property at 55 Romney St. features an interior courtyard and pool, covered outdoor grilling area, workout facility and other amenities.

Units are offered from studios to two bedrooms with one to two bathrooms. Sizes range from 466 to 1,369 square feet. Prices are $1,635 to $4,670, according to apartments.com.

Young professionals are expected to make up the majority of residents, but Maddux said some students also could be part of the apartment population.

He called the apartment market still strong in Charleston, but noted a bit of seasonality comes into play this time of year with less demand.

About 7,500 square feet of retail space was included at the ground level, but Maddux said no tenants have been lined up yet.

The bottom two floors are set aside for parking.

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To address possible flooding concerns, the building is designed with a 210,000-gallon, above-ground cistern that sits under the ramp of the parking deck. It collects rainwater runoff and releases it gradually into the city's drainage system.
A handgun was found hidden in the ceiling tiles of Carvers Bay Middle School on Sept. 29. A student has been detained in connection with the case. Read moreHandgun found in ceiling tiles at Carvers Bay Middle School, student detained
Colliers International South Carolina, Inc. Board of Directors recently announced leadership changes in electing David M. Feild, CCIM, as its President. John W. Folsom, who has led the company as President for over 30 years, will continue as the companys Chief Executive Officer and Chairman Read moreColliers elects new president
MOUNT PLEASANT  A federal grant of nearly $16 million will fund 17 transportation projects in Mount Pleasant within the next five years.

The town received the $15.78 million grant on Dec. 15. It came from the U.S. Department of Transportation's Safe Streets and Roads for All program.

Mount Pleasant is one of 385 recipients and one of 48 to receive an Implementation Grant. The grants were awarded for projects that aim to reduce or eliminate transportation-related fatalities.

Mount Pleasant will use the money on projects to improve safety on various road segments and to create intersection upgrades and non-motorized enhancements, such as creating multi-use paths and improving public transit stops.

James Aton, deputy director of capital projects and transportation, said the grant is funding projects laid out in the towns Safety Action Plan, which was finalized in June. The plan outlines ways to improve segments of roads that are designated as high-frequency or high-severity crash sites.

Through the Safety Action Plan development, we've looked at five-plus years of safety crash data both from a frequency standpoint and from severity," Aton said. "You can have a low-frequency rate but high severity, like head-on collisions, sideswipes that are more prone to injury-provoking collisions.

Mount Pleasant reported 15 fatal crashes between 2018 to 2022. Of those fatalities, five involved a pedestrian or bicycle. Roughly 20 percent of those crashes, injury crashes, and pedestrian and bicycle crashes occurred within or adjacent to the towns settlement communities, historic African American communities that are often not incorporated into the town.

Aton said the plan highlights these communities as ones that can benefit from additional infrastructure improvements.

The grant allows funding for improvements for up to 20 bus stops in town. The town will work with the Charleston Area Regional Transportation Authority to construct bus shelters and install lighting, trash and bike facilities at bus stops near settlement communities, and major activity centers. Mount Pleasant has roughly 100 bus stops, though only 15 have shelters that provide cover from the weather, Aton said.
Simone Biles is the latest celebrity to use her social media to clarify why asking a woman if she is pregnant the moment she uploads a photograph showing a hint of volume around the waist is highly problematic. No matter how much time passes, its necessary to push back against this kind of query in order for its inappropriateness to permeate the collective discourse of a society that seems bent on providing commentary on the female body, and on bashing her privacy. When the Olympic medalist posted an image in support of her husband, Jonathan Owens, at New Jerseys MetLife Stadium, numerous followers began to ask whether the athlete was pregnant. I hate that I even have to address this, but please stop commenting on this photo or my Instagram in general about me being pregnant, wrote Biles in response, in an Instagram story where the controversial image appeared alongside her words.

Spanish actress Andrea Duro just lived through a similar situation, after uploading an image in which she poses, sheathed in a fuchsia Victoria Collection dress, a photograph on which numerous users congratulated her on her pregnancy. For not having a flat belly? Maybe you should stop asking this question. First of all, because you dont know if the person youre asking has some kind of problem, and it could make them insecure. Secondly, because youre not going to have a flat belly all the time, for many reasons. And thirdly, because its not necessary  when the day comes that Im going to be a mother (if I ever am) Ill be the one to tell you, said the actress. EL PAIS reached out for comment from Duro to delve into the problematic question.

I have no idea why we think we have the right to have an opinion on other peoples bodies. I dont know if its cultural or if its even a way for people to feel better when someone they think is beautiful, or who they think has a nice body, gains weight for whatever reason, suddenly bringing them satisfaction. Since I know this is a toxic and negative thing that causes us harm, for some time Ive tried to correct that behavior, and I make an effort not to comment on anyones body. I would feel bad about myself if I had to give my opinion about someone, and that possibly has to do with the fact that it is something Ive lived with for a long time and that, as you can see, I continue to live with. Its something that really hurts me, says the actress.

Body-shaming: 1. Empathy: 0

Of course, these comments arent far from the body shaming that, unfortunately, forms part of celebrities day-to-day lives, and  why deny it?  those of women who arent famous, as well. Those flat bellies we see on celebrities every day, and even shortly after giving birth, do not reflect the reality of the rest of women. Since we live in a society that constantly puts more importance on the body and thinness as the ideal of beauty, that question can impact womens self-esteem, or even cause them to visualize their body in a distorted way. In fact, if you ask someone with fatphobia that question, their fear of getting fatter or being fat can increase. They can feel humiliated, mistreated and even ridiculed, says Dr. Marta Sanchez-Dehesa.

Lady Gaga, Selena Gomez, Amy Schumer, Ashley Graham and Anne Hathaway are other famous women who have had to diffuse pregnancy rumors the moment an image has come to light in which their stomach was not absolutely flat. I wanted to let you guys know Im balls deep in another IVF cycle to save as many eggos as I possibly can and hopefully make some strong, healthy embryos, the model Chrissy Teigen explained on her social media. I humbly beg you to stop asking if Im pregnant because while I know its said with excited, good intentions, it just kind of sucks to hear because I am the opposite of pregnant! she concluded.

A similar situation was experienced by Kourtney Kardashian, who, upon observing that her comments were filled with commentary on her body and allusions to a possible pregnancy, not only silenced those who dared to violate her privacy, but also pointed out that in vitro fertilization and its consequences arent talked about enough. When someone commented on a photo of herself asking if she was pregnant, the Kardashian responded: The after effects of IVF (I only acknowledge this comment because I do think its important to know how IVF affects womens bodies and its not spoken about much)... Also, are we still asking women if theyre pregnant?

We asked David Gonzalez Gerpe, a psychologist who works at Ginemed fertility clinics, what effect this question can have on a woman who is having problems getting pregnant. It could remind her of her reproductive inability or difficulty. Lets not forget that problems in getting pregnant can often involve grief, and any issue that reminds us of this grief can cause great sadness and anguish. It should also be taken into account that infertility can damage ones sense of femininity and increase maternal urges. Many women who dream of becoming pregnant, but who dont succeed, may feel depressed and hopeless, he says.

Duro thinks that questions about pregnancy, in the majority of cases, dont come from bad intentions, but she stresses the harms they can cause among those who want to be a mother but who are having problems achieving it. It doesnt bother me because becoming a mother is not among my goals in life right now. If I have a child, it will be when I feel like it and feel capable of giving it a good life and a good emotional education. Its a question that causes damage, because there are many women who want to be mothers and cant. Only when you are very close to the person should you ask, but it is not a question that should be hurled at someone out of the blue. There are women who go through fertilization processes and so many treatments and suffer a lot. Of course, their bodies change with these processes, says the actress.

We also cant forget the possibility of the question carrying with it an implicit critique of womens bodies. Psychologist Gonzalez Gerpe thinks that it also reflects the existence of a normative vision of the human body and a difficulty in accepting diverse bodies. It doesnt take into account that in many cases, diverse bodies dont have to do with self-care or healthy living habits. However, a woman who receives the question is likely to interpret it as criticism of her body, as she may feel that her physique is being interrogated, he says. These questions are yet another case of body-shaming, and at the same time, they reinforce the idea that a woman of childbearing age has to be a mother, thus calling into question a womans freedom to choose whether or not to be one. For the record, I am not pregnant. What I am is fed up. Im fed up with the sport-like scrutiny and body-shaming that occurs daily under the guise of journalism, the First Amendment and celebrity news, wrote Jennifer Aniston in The Huffington Post. The objectification and scrutiny we put women through is absurd and disturbing. Is she pregnant? Is she eating too much? Has she let herself go? wrote the actress.

To conclude, we ask Dr. Sanchez-Dehesa how to respond to this uncomfortable question, keeping in mind that Christmas is right around the corner, a time in which comments on the bodies of the females around the table, not to mention social and familial pressure, is imposed on those who are not mothers yet. It is not silly to keep a good artillery of prepared answers on hand. You can answer in many ways or by giving an example, which may annoy the other person. Another tactic is to take the opposite approach, i.e., to answer in a positive way to the person who made the comment, but use another adjective. Another way of answering is saying that you love to be reminded that youre fat  The most reasonable approach is not to ignore the comment, and politely explain to the person how wrong it was and how it made you feel, she says.

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Home cooks have been warned to avoid using non-stick cookware coated in Teflon due to the presence of synthetic toxins known as PFAS. In South Carolina, the freshwater fish sizzling in the pans of local fishermen has also been linked to these environmental contaminants, commonly called forever chemicals, a recent report shows.

Subsistence and recreational fishermen reeling in largemouth bass, bluegill sunfish, red ear sunfish and black crappie are being recommended to reduce consumption and only eat the filets of these freshwater fish. The new suggestions are part of the Department of Health and Environmental Controls Ambient Surface Water PFAS Project, a yearlong testing effort of 21 sites that was completed in June 2023.

The study raises an important question: How concerned should South Carolinians be about consuming locally caught fish?

What are PFAS?

PFAS, known to scientists as perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, consist of a group of about 12,000 synthetic compounds used to produce water  and heat-resistant substances. The so-called forever chemicals are given the name because of the slow rate at which they break down in the environment.

First discovered in 1938 when a DuPont scientist was experimenting with refrigerants, PFAS were later used by scientists in the Manhattan Project during the uranium enrichment process. Though they have largely been phased out by manufacturers, the effects of forever chemicals, used to make consumer products like cosmetics, cookware and clothing, continue to impact local waterways.
Parenting these days is hard. Kids have phones and tablets in their hands at an early age, a fact that leaves parents like me worrying about whether our children are getting too much screen time and what they're stumbling onto online. Of course, technology comes with plenty of benefits, but  Read moreCommentary: Parents want to protect kids online, but SC device filter bill won't help
Just moments after he took his oath of office atop the steps outside Charleston City Hall, Mayor William Cogswell noted that President Joe Biden also was in the city at that very moment, giving a campaign speech in Emanuel AME Church less than a mile away: We are a city that attracts attention. Read moreEditorial: Cogswell's fresh approach gives new hope for solving Charleston's old problems
South Carolina is one of the most dangerous states for pedestrians, and downtown Charleston is particularly brutal. Part of that is because we havent done enough to the roads themselves to make them safer for people walking or riding bicycles.

But as we were reminded by the latest tragic collision on King Street, an equally large if not larger problem is that our Legislature never has been serious enough about deterring drunk driving.

The Post and Couriers Ema Rose Schumer reports that 35-year-old Courtney Pryor and a friend had just left a bar on Upper King Street and were crossing the street to a parking lot when a pick-up truck plowed into Ms. Pryor and dragged or threw her body an estimated 82 feet. The womans father, Charleston County Councilman Teddie Pryor, said his daughter suffered traumatic brain injuries, fractured ribs, a fractured neck and an orbital fracture to her right eye. All the ligaments in her left knee were torn.

This was not an accident, any more than someone robbing your home or assaulting you in a bar is an accident.

A witness estimated the truck was traveling 50 to 60 mph in the 25 mph zone. The driver, Jeremy Alan Lopez, told police he had had five drinks at a nearby bar that night. Despite that admission, he knew enough about South Carolinas drunk-friendly driving under the influence law to refuse to take a field sobriety test or a breathalyzer test.

Under most circumstances, that refusal would have made it extremely difficult to hold the driver accountable for the wreck. It was only because Ms. Pryor was injured so severely that another law kicked in, one that gives DUI defendants no choice but to submit to a blood test if their victim is killed or suffers great bodily injury.
FLORENCE  Florence County is considering creating a fire marshal position tasked with inspecting buildings and training fire chiefs around the county in fire safety protocols.

Its one step toward the countys goal of a county-run fire department aimed at addressing a volunteer shortage and meeting the needs of a growing population and industry.

Florence County residents get their fire services from seven fire departments and more than 30 stations spread across the county that are a part of the Unified Fire District, a separate entity created by the county.

The individual fire chiefs at the departments are in charge of training, operations and attending planning meetings with the county to ensure proposed building designs are safe in the event of a fire.

Florence County Fire and Rescue Services Coordinator Sam Brockington Jr. said out of the seven chiefs, three might show up once a month to county planning meetings. Florence County Planning Commission meetings are held once a month.

He also said these chiefs may not be adequately trained to inspect existing or planned buildings. He called general code enforcement spotty and haphazard.

We want to have the ability to give fair and equitable coverage to everyone, Brockington said.

The fire marshal position would be a part of the Unified Fire District and be created alongside three fire inspector positions in the countys planning department. The fire marshal would focus on inspecting existing buildings, while the inspectors would focus on plans for proposed buildings.

The marshal would train the chiefs of the departments around the county on how to better inspect buildings for fire safety.

Now, one fire marshal for the whole county, that's not sufficient, Florence County Administrator Kevin Yokim said.

The idea for the district was first brought up at a County Council retreat in 2012 by County Councilman Roger Poston. It wasnt on the agenda, but Poston felt the need to bring it up. He mentioned how everyone got the same quality EMS and sheriff services, but not fire service.
FLORENCE  West Florence High School will be jumping from Class 4A to Class 5A for the fall 2024 to spring 2026 cycle.

The S.C. High School League recently released its classification realignment for the 2024-26 cycle.

The realignment model includes a multiplier applied to all students who attend South Carolina High School League member schools from outside the school's designated attendance zones.

The multiplier is 3.0, which means each student from outside the attendance zone counts as three toward the enrollment count. The multiplier was approved to fix competitive balance problems.

The South Carolina High School League executive committee will hear classification placement appeals on Jan. 18 and Jan. 19.

After the appeals are decided, the realignment will be finalized.

West Florence High School will jump from Class 4A to Class 5A. There are 54 schools in Class 5A. Dorman High School is the largest with a total enrollment of 3,106.

The Knights have an enrollment 1,558, which places them at No. 43. Catawba Ridge High School is the smallest in Class 5A with 1,319 students.

Darlington High School will return to Class 4A in the new realignment proposal. Darlington dropped down to Class 3A in 2022. The Falcons had competed for years in Class 4A prior to the classification downgrade.

Now, they will return to Class 4A. Darlington with 956 students will be No. 43 of 46 schools in Class 4A.

North Augusta, 1,411 total enrollment, is No. 1, while Lakewood High School is No. 46 with 892 students.

Darlington will join South Florence High School, Wilson High School and Hartsville High School in Class 4A.

Two Pee Dee schools  Lake City and Manning  will drop out of Class 3A. Two Pee Dee schools Marlboro County and Dillon will remain in Class 3A.

Five schools Cheraw, Chesterfield, Kingstree, Mullins and Marion  will remain in Class 2A. East Clarendon will move from Class A to Class 2A.
The first time he played Frasier Crane, Kelsey Grammer was 29 years old, and he was one of the supporting actors of the comedy Cheers. Later he became the star of another series that would end up being even more popular and awarded than its predecessor  in fact, to this day it is still the comedy with the most Emmy awards in history. A few days ago, Grammer, a confessed Republican, steadfast defender of Donald Trump and devout Christian, visited Spain to talk about the return of the series, available on Paramount+. With his deep voice, he answers every question in a concise, unhurried and friendly manner.

Question. How is the Frasier of today different from that of 20, 30, 40 years ago?

Answer. Well, hes obviously older, but hes more comfortable in his own skin. Hes less in a panic about what his life means. He has a bit more of a sense of humor about himself. So hes matured. Hes not quite all the way there, but hes just a kinder, gentler Frasier.

Q. You have been playing this role since 1984, on Cheers. What is it like to be with a character for so long?

A. Playing this character is sort of like living life: its up to you how you do it. Life is consistently surprising to me, and interesting. People have asked me before: Wouldnt you get tired of playing the same character? Only if you get tired of life.

Q. After 19 years, how was your reunion with the character?

A. It was interesting to put him back on. It was like an old set of clothes Id forgotten I had, that have been tailored a little bit differently now. I mean, he looks a little different. But hes still enthusiastic about every day he wakes up, and thats one thing Ive always found remarkable about him as a character: he suffers so many things, gets through so many hardships, but he gets up the next morning and hes ready to fight again.

Kelsey Grammer poses for EL PAIS at the Rosewood Villa Magna hotel in Madrid. Alvaro Garcia

Q. When an actor is so attached to a character, the audience may think that theyre both one and the same. How are you and Frasier different?

A. Fraser is part of my imagination. I kind of created him. So theres that. But hes not really who I am. I dont live the same way. Im much less fastidious; Im a little more casual. I spend less time worried about myself. Frasiers a bit self-obsessed, but he still wants to do the world some good, and I still want to do the world some good, so were similar in that way.

Q. The new Frasier follows the format of the traditional sitcom, with a live audience, laughter... Is this a type of show that resonates with todays audience?

A. I think it does, actually. Is it familiar to this culture? Not anymore. But the greatest shows that weve all watched for decades are multi-camera sitcoms. From Cheers to Cosby to Roseanne, there were dozens of shows. Friends is still that kind of show. Will & Grace was that kind of show. Theyre the ones that stick. Even back to Dick Van Dyke, which was actually shot single camera, but was presented in the same way. Like a situation comedy. And they are the shows we carry, we hold on to throughout time.

Toks Olagundoye, Kelsey Grammer and Nicholas Lyndhurst in the first episode of the new Frasier. Chris Haston (Chris Haston/Paramount+)

Q. Earlier I asked you about Frasier Cranes changes over the years; but how have you changed as an actor over the years?

A. Well, its interesting. [Legendary British actor and theater director] John Gielgud said it takes 17 years to become an actor. I was about five or six years into it when I first started playing Fraser on Cheers, and I think he was on to something. Theres a kind of life experience that will fill in the stature of a character. If you dont have it in your own life, your character wont have it. So a young character is a little bit less interesting, honestly. Thats because life is like that. I just have more life experience, and that probably filters in a little bit. I have a wry sense of humor, so Ive loaned that to Fraser, I suppose.

Q. Is it harder to do comedy and humor today than it was 20 or 30 years ago?

A. I think its more difficult to stop people from being victims. Victimhood is a very popular thing right now. Everybodys got a reason to be, Oh, Ive suffered this, or Ive suffered that, or Oh, look at me, look at me as I am. You know, okay, look, were all people. We all suffer. Weve all been victims. Everybodys had a situation where they didnt do so well or they werent treated so well. What is different now compared to maybe 30 years ago? People had a better sense of humor about themselves. Today we take ourselves so seriously that almost everything that comes out of somebody elses mouth can cause someone else to be offended. I think we need to calm down a little.

Kelsey Grammer (left) in an image from Cheers (1982-1993).

Q. You have always been very clear about your political opinions. Have you had any problems in Hollywood because of that?

A. Oh, no. I havent really sensed that, but I dont worry about it too much. I mean, Im a conservative. To my understanding, what conservative means is that the individual is the greatest national treasure. And thats what I strive toward. To make sure that every person in the world is as important as another.

Q. In todays world, with so many wars, so many problems, what is the role of comedy?

A. Well, I think as the world gets crazier, humor becomes more important. I mean... if you cant laugh, youre so screwed.

Q. And what role does an actor have in todays world?

A. Its always about changing the world, isnt it? I mean, once we find our purpose, what we believe we can do better than anything else, we want to save the world, at least our portion of it, to do our best to make it a better place. Whether youre a warrior or a poet or an actor or a writer, were doing our best to make our corner of the world a better place to be.

Kelsey Grammer in an image from the original Frasier.

Q. And how does an actor achieve that?

A. An actor, as Shakespeare said, holds a mirror up to life, and helps people get through it, to navigate life, to look at it, to give them a perspective that maybe they didnt have, to realize that we are one, that were connected and that our human experience is actually universal.

Q. We have also seen you do drama. I remember Boss, a completely different character. Where are you most comfortable, on comedy or drama?

A. That was my favorite role, Tom Kane [in Boss]. He was just wonderful. He was wonderful to play because he was so mean, and sort of tough, and comical sometimes, because he had no boundaries. Tom Kane would do anything. He would kill anybody.

Q. Its more fun to play a villain, an antihero.

A. Yeah, actors really like to play bad guys. They have no moral compass. There are no holds on your imagination when youre playing a bad guy.

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Center of the American Experiment has hosted prominent international figures at several of our Annual Dinners, including Margaret Thatcher and Mikhail Gorbachev. It has been a while since we have brought in a foreign leader, but this year I thought the time had come. This video makes the announcement:

Announcing our 2024 Annual Gala speaker pic.twitter.com/qKZzlBtaAJ  Center of the American Experiment (@MNThinkTank) December 22, 2023



Naftali Bennett is a former Prime Minister, Defense Minister, Economy Minister and Education Minister of Israel. He is also a former special forces officer in the IDF and a successful entrepreneur. Following the October 7 massacre, Bennett has been one of Israels chief spokesmen in the press. He is renowned for his willingness to push back against hostile reporters, as in this interview on the BBC:

Evil is on the march, and we at American Experiment are proud to take this opportunity to stand up for Israel. But also, of course, to stand up for the United States. Because it has become crystal clear that the war on Israel is just a preliminary stage of the war the Left really cares aboutthe war against the United States.

If you are interested in attending, you can learn more about the event and buy tickets here. The Annual Dinner will be on June 6. We have a venue in the Twin Cities, of course, but we are not publicly announcing it to reduce the likelihood of left-wing violence. Ticketholders will be notified at a later date.
In the wake of the Colorado Supreme Courts outrageous ruling that bars Donald Trump from the ballot in that state, many Republicans have urged that states controlled by the GOP do the same thing to Joe Biden. My point here is not to endorse that strategypartisan majorities banning their political opponents from participating in elections is obviously not a good thingbut rather to note that, if Republican-leaning courts in some states are so inclined, there is a rather clear legal path to barring Joe Biden.

I wrote here about the federal bribery statute, 18 U.S. Code  201, and the fact that an officeholder (Joe Biden) need not have personally benefited in order to be guilty. Rather, if he is involved in the sale of his influence, he is guilty of bribery no matter who cashed the checks (Hunter Biden and other relatives). An officeholder found guilty of bribery can be sentenced to 15 years in prison and disqualified from holding any office of honor, trust, or profit under the United States.

But, you may say, Joe Biden has not been found guilty of bribery. True. But there is also a federal law that a makes insurrection and rebellion a crime, duplicating the language of Section 3 of the 14th Amendment. Donald Trump has been neither charged nor found guilty under that law, either.

The Colorado courts relied on the report of the Democrats January 6 Committee in finding Trump to be an insurrectionist. So the Republicans House impeachment committee could issue a report finding that Joe Biden knowingly participated in his familys influence peddling scheme, and thus is guilty of bribery under Section 201. There is ample evidence already in the public record to support such a finding.

So it seems to me that the cases are exactly parallel. If a Congressional committee finds that Biden has violated Section 201, a Republican-leaning court could use that as a basis for a finding that Biden should be disqualified from holding any office of honor, trust, or profit under the United States, and bar him from the 2024 ballot.

Would that be a good idea? In principle, no. But the Democrats can be deterred from their anti-democratic conduct only by the realization that the tables can be turned against them.
Students of ancient history may recall that Harvard President Claudine Gays plagiarism scandal began with a late October inquiry by the New York Post to Gay and Harvard specifying incidents of what we have come to know as inadequate citation in Gays work. The Post submitted its inquiry and awaited their response. Harvard deceitfully asked the Post for more time to respond. The response was a 15-page letter from the high-powered Clare Locke firm threatening the Post with a lawsuit.

Among other prominent clients, Clare Locke represented Dominion Voting Systems in its lawsuit against Fox News. That must have rung bell at the Post, which then left pursuit of the story to others.

So far the Post has kept the Clare Locke letter under wraps. In todays Post, however, Isabel Vincent reports on this aspect of the story and retraces Gays habit of inadequate citation in Revealed: Harvard cleared Claudine Gay of plagiarism BEFORE investigating her  and its lawyers falsely claimed her work was properly cited. Vincents story is unusually long by Post standards. The Post devotes substantial space to it along with helpful graphics that illustrate it.

Vincent opens her story this way:

Harvard cleared its president Claudine Gay of plagiarism before it even investigated whether her academic work was copied, The Post reveals today. In a threatening legal letter to The Post in late October, the college called allegations that she lifted other academics work demonstrably false, and said all her works were cited and properly credited. Days later Gay herself asked for an investigation and Harvard tore up its own rules to ask outside experts to review her work, saying it had to avoid a conflict of interest. And the experts then found she did need to make multiple corrections to her academic record. The bare-knuckled law firm Harvard employed to try to keep the plagiarism allegations from ever coming to light told The Post it would sue for immense damages. Harvard never revealed an investigation had been launched as the lawyers put pressure on The Post to kill its reporting. But more than a month later, on December 12 Harvard said Gay had been investigated by its top governing body and was correcting two academic journals, to acknowledge where her work had really come from  meaning the claim it was properly credited was false. Then this week she had to correct her own dissertation after new allegations of using others academic work without attribution surfaced  and was hit by an official complaint from an academic at another university which alleges 40 separate incidents of plagiarism in her 11 published works and her dissertation.

Vincents story includes two illustrations of the Claire Locke letter. Here is the first:

And here is the second.

Vincent observes that Harvards defense cleared Gay without investigating her and then tried to cover up the probe. Harvards response expands the scope of the plagiarism scandal from Gay to Harvards governing body, thrusting Harvard Corporation Senior Fellow (billionaire Hyatt heiress) Penny Pritzker into the spotlight.

Vincent also reports that Clare Locke wrote a second letter denying Gay was a plagiarist on November 7  when Harvards investigation of Gays work was active  repeating the claim the allegations were false and not disclosing the probes existence.

What does Pritzker have to say? The Post seems to be knocking on her door to find out: A member of her household staff told The Post Thursday that Pritzker was not available to comment. Harvard declined to confirm Friday that she knew the contents of the legal letter before it was sent.

What does the rest of the Harvard crew have to say? Harvards [spokesman Jonathan] Swain declined to comment to The Post on a series of questions. Aside from Priztker, one Corporation member, venture capitalist Paul Finnegan, declined to comment and attempts to reach 9 others were unsuccessful.

What does Clare Locke name partner Tom Clare have to say? Partner Tom Clare, who signed the letter, did not respond to request for comment Friday afternoon.

Vincents long story has more damning details that seem to me to take the scandal into the realm of Rathergate and beyond into satire. Rather stood behind his fraudulent story for 12 days before higher authorities at CBS News compelled him to stand down (with his fingers crossed behind his back).

Andrew Heyward was president of CBS News at the time of Rathergate. He hasnt spoken much about the scandal for public consumption, but he talked about it to the New York Times when the Times celebrated the release of the Rathergate film Truth in 2015. Heyward told the Times that the film takes people responsible for the worst embarrassment in the history of CBS News, and what was at the time a grievous blow to the credibility of a proud news organization, and turns them into martyrs and heroes. Only Hollywood could come up with that. Without a higher-up like Andrew Heyward, Harvard might be able to beat Hollywood.

And now comes word that President Obama has secretly lobbied Harvard University officials to stick by embattled President Claudine Gay as she faces pressure to resign for giving cover to antisemitism on campus and for committing plagiarism. From the symbolism of Harvards institutional rot to the shambolic racial politics of the Obamas, what next?
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SAN FRANCISCO, CA / ACCESSWIRE / December 23, 2023 / Hagens Berman urges Barclays PLC (NYSE:BCS) investors who suffered substantial losses to submit your losses now.Class Period: July 22, 2019 - Oct. 12, 2023Lead Plaintiff Deadline: Jan. 2, 2024Visit: www.hbsslaw.com/investor-fraud/BCS Contact An Attorney Now: BCS@ hbsslaw.com 844-916-0895Barclays PLC (NYSE: BCS) Securities Fraud Class Action:The complaint alleges that Defendants made false and misleading statements and failed to disclose that:(1) contrary to his false public statements and assertions to Britain's Financial Conduct Authority ("FCA"), Barclays' ex-CEO Jes Staley had a very close relationship with Epstein;(2) Staley was reportedly aware of Epstein's criminal activities and may have even sexually assaulted a victim who had previously been trafficked by Epstein;(3) Staley's close, personal relationship with Epstein, and potential criminal activity, if discovered could bring reputational, legal, and financial harm to Barclays;(4) as a result, Barclays' response to the FCA inquiry regarding Staley's relationship with Epstein was materially false; and(5) Barclays, having become aware of information contradicting its response to the FCA's inquiry, then failed to update the response so that it would be accurate, or otherwise take any meaningful action.Investors began to learn the truth on Nov. 1, 2021, when Barclays announced Staley's departure after becoming aware of the FCA's preliminary conclusions regarding the company's and Staley's characterization of the Epstein relationship.Subsequently, the Financial Times reported that Staley and Epstein exchanged 1,200 emails over a four-year period and, just before joining Barclays in 2015, Staley sailed his yacht to Epstein's island in the Caribbean.Finally, on Oct. 12, 2023, the FCA announced that "Staley recklessly approved a letter sent by Barclays to the FCA, which contained two misleading statements, about the nature of his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein and the point of their last contact." The FCA fined Staley, barred him from the financial services industry and observed that Staley's emails described Epstein as one of his "deepest" and "most cherished" friends.Each of these events drove the price of Barclays American Depositary Shares lower."We're focused on investors' losses and are investigating whether Barclays may have intentionally misled investors about the nature of the Staley-Epstein relationship," said Reed Kathrein, the Hagens Berman partner leading the investigation.If you invested in Barclays and have significant losses, or have knowledge that may assist the firm's investigation, submit your losses now If you'd like more information and answers to frequently asked questions about the Barclays case and our investigation, read more Whistleblowers: Persons with non-public information regarding Barclays should consider their options to help in the investigation or take advantage of the SEC Whistleblower program. Under the new program, whistleblowers who provide original information may receive rewards totaling up to 30 percent of any successful recovery made by the SEC. For more information, call Reed Kathrein at 844-916-0895 or email BCS@ hbsslaw.com # # #About Hagens Berman Hagens Berman is a global plaintiffs' rights complex litigation law firm focusing on corporate accountability through class-action law. The firm is home to a robust securities litigation practice and represents investors as well as whistleblowers, workers, consumers and others in cases achieving real results for those harmed by corporate negligence and fraud. More about the firm and its successes can be found at hbsslaw.com . Follow the firm for updates and news at @ClassActionLaw.Attorney advertising.Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.Services may be performed by attorneys in any of our offices.Contact:Reed Kathrein, 844-916-0895SOURCE: Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP
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VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / December 22, 2023 / Camino Minerals Corporation (TSXV:COR)(OTC PINK:CAMZF) (WKN:A116E1) ("Camino" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that is has granted incentive stock options to various directors, officers, employees, and consultants to purchase up to 4,950,000 common shares of the Company on or before December 22, 2028, at an exercise price of $0.10 per share in accordance with its stock option plan."The Company has not issued any incentive stock options for two years since September 2021," said Jay Chmelauskas, CEO of Camino. "After a successful transaction and the completion of the first semester earn-in with partner Nittetsu Mining in 2023, and prior to commencing drilling campaigns at both the Los Chapitos copper property next week, and the Maria Cecilia copper property in 2024, Camino is issuing new incentive stock options to drive value and to be aligned with shareholders." About Camino Minerals CorporationCamino is a discovery and development stage copper exploration company. Camino is focused on advancing its high-grade Los Chapitos copper project located in Peru through to resource delineation and to add new discoveries. Camino has also permitted the Maria Cecilia copper porphyry project for a planned exploration drilling program. In addition, Camino has increased its land position at its copper and silver Plata Dorada project. Camino seeks to acquire a portfolio of advanced copper assets that have the potential to deliver copper into an electrifying copper intensive global economy. For more information, please refer to Camino's website at www.caminocorp.com ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD/S/ "Jay Chmelauskas"President and CEOFor further information, please contact: Camino Investor Relations info@ caminocorp.comTel: (604) 608-4513 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: Certain disclosures in this release constitute forward-looking information. In making the forward-looking disclosures in this release, the Company has applied certain factors and assumptions that are based on the Company's current beliefs as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to the Company. Forward-looking information includes the prospectivity of future exploration work on the Company's properties. Although the Company considers these assumptions to be reasonable based on information currently available to it, they may prove to be incorrect, and the forward-looking information in this release is subject to numerous risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause future results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in such forward-looking information. Such risk factors include, among others, that actual results of the Company's exploration activities may be different than those expected by management, that the Company may be unable to obtain or will experience delays in obtaining any required approvals and the state of equity and commodity markets. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company does not intend, and expressly 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 law.SOURCE: Camino Minerals Corp.
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MUNSTER, GERMANY / ACCESSWIRE / December 23, 2023 / E-network is a pioneering web3 company. In the latest development, the company has announced the launch of a transforming suite of products and services designed to transform the landscape of decentralized applications (dApps). The company's flagship product, Enetwallet, leads the charge as a non-custodial wallet supporting EVM-compatible blockchains, integrating seamlessly with various social media platforms and featuring an AI Support to simplify the user experience with Account Abstraction (AA) wallets.E-network's mission is to provide a superior web3 experience, reimagining investment perspectives and empowering retail investors with the tools they deserve to succeed in the digital asset market. The company is building an innovative ecosystem and nurturing ideas into usable products that cater to the ever-evolving needs of the rapidly advancing digital space. The new utilities of E-network are as follows:Account Abstraction: E-network leverages the latest Ethereum ERC-4337 standard to provide Enetwallet, a sophisticated wallet that eliminates complexities associated with managing private keys. This enables developers to integrate more functions, enhancing both user experience and security.Social-Fi Platform: E-network's Social-Fi platform fosters vibrant communities, blending financial activities with social interactions, creating a more engaging and enjoyable experience for users.Seamless User Experience: E-network integrates a common user journey, providing a seamless and inclusive experience for all users.E-network's carefully designed tokenomics ensure long-term sustainability and growth. The company boasts multiple revenue streams, including adverts, incubation fees, transaction fees, ecosystem fees, and API subscriptions.With the new developments, to celebrate the launch of Enetwallet, E-network is hosting a $15,000 Zealy airdrop campaign. Participants can earn rewards by completing simple tasks such as following social media channels, referring friends, and sharing their experiences on social media.Conclusively, $ENET plays a crucial role in the ecosystem, serving as a means of value and exchange within the Enetecosystem. Currently hosted on the Polygon network, $ENET can be acquired through various methods, including token sales, staking, rewards within the ecosystem, and buying from DEX and CEX exchanges after token launch.About the Company - E-networkE-network is a web3 company delivering an extensive array of infrastructural products and technology solutions designed to meet the changing demands of the web3 industry. Utilizing the new potential of blockchain technology, E-network is dedicated to building a robust and long-lasting blockchain ecosystem that empowers its users.Moreover, Enetecosystem is building a variety of innovative products and services, including Enetwallet, EnetPad, EnetDex, Fanbase, and EnetHub.For further details, visit the following links:Website|Link3|X|Telegram ChannelMedia ContactOrganization: E-networkContact Person: Offor EbubeWebsite: https://enetecosystem.org/ Email: support@ enetecosystem.org Address: Eltropweg 30, Munster, GermanyCity: MunsterCountry: GermanySOURCE: E-network
The robot ARI  from the company PAL Robotics  with one of the participants in a pilot project called SHAPES, in a photo provided by the firm.

Nine years ago, a plump white robot  with a round head and tiny black eyes  reached the screens and hearts of millions of people both children and adults alike.

This was Baymax, the protagonist of Disneys Big Hero 6, an endearing character inspired by one of Marvels lesser-known comics. It didnt take long for the film to become a classic and for toy versions of the adorable machine (who resembles a pillow) to be sold everywhere.

But Baymax  in addition to being huggable and marshmallow-like  has another function: hes a caretaker robot. I am Baymax, your personal healthcare companion, he introduces himself in the film. The rotund machine can detect when someone is hurt: hes armed with a scanner to analyze vital signs and can treat any ailment, both physical or emotional.

An image from the movie 'Big Hero 6,' in which the robot named Baymax can be seen hugging the protagonist. Bermudo Maroto. Mario

This isnt the first movie robot that the public has fallen in love with. Wall-E, Astro Boy, R2-D2 and his companion C3PO achieved this well before Baymax, while films such as Terminator or Blade Runner laid the foundations for the genre. However, Baymax is one of the few robots to have appeared on the big screen who was created with the objective of caring for human beings.

Stories about robots that care for the sick or the elderly have been making headlines for years. In Japan, the promotion of care robotics in hospitals or nursing homes has been the order of the day for decades. Assistive robotics is presented as a solution to the care crisis in a society thats rapidly aging, where the duration and requirements of long-term care only continue to grow, without the necessary public investment to alleviate pressures.

Such a solution isnt without backlash. This past week, the regional government of Catalonia in Spain announced that it will allocate the equivalent of $6 million to purchase 1,000 service robots to care for the elderly. However, the union of professional caregivers denounced that this measure is merely designed to replace them, not to improve their working conditions.

As artificial intelligence (AI) increasingly infiltrates everyday tasks, it has been more frequently considered as a potential helper in the long-term care sector. With an unstoppable advance, a future filled with super caring machines no longer seems like something out of a movie. But can robots really care for the elderly or sick? How would they do so? And what ethical implications does this have? Wheres the limit?

This past July, the journal Science Robotics published a report  carried out by researchers at the universities of Auckland, Duke and Cornell  on how companion robots (equipped with AI) can become tools to help improve the social connections of single people. Elisabeth Broadbent  a professor of Psychological Medicine at the University of Auckland and one of the researchers who participated in the study  explains to EL PAIS via email that it has already been shown in scientific studies that robots reduce loneliness and that machines specifically designed to accompany people already exist. One of these is manufactured by the company PARO. Its a small therapeutic robot that resembles a baby seal. Looking like a stuffed animal, it was offered to people who survived the earthquake and tsunami that devastated the coast of Japan in 2011.

Robots can connect people through video calls and remind them of their social commitments. With new AI large language models, robot conversations can be more personal and tailored to the user, Broadbent notes. This personalization, she continues, is what makes those who use them feel heard and cared for. Machines can also learn about people through repeated conversations and remember to follow up on important topics. But for this to be possible, she clarifies, human control is necessary to regulate the use and guarantee equitable access to this technology. Personal data must be kept private and the information provided by the machine needs to be completely reliable. There must be a human check in case the robots make a mistake.

Irene Lebrusan  a sociologist and researcher at the International Center on Aging (CENIE)  thinks that its key to differentiate between unwanted loneliness and boredom. If you take a lady whos alone all day and give her a doll, the lady will be entertained for a while. Does that mean weve addressed her problem of unwanted loneliness? Absolutely not. Unwanted loneliness means having insufficient or low-quality social relationships. A machine will never, ever be able to solve this issue, she warns.

Two therapeutic robots  provided by the company PARO  in a nursing home in Yokohama, Japan. They are designed to stimulate patients with dementia and Alzheimer's Yamaguchi Haruyoshi (Corbis via Getty Images)

Regarding the responsibility that Broadbent spoke of, Alan Winfield  an engineer and professor of Robot Ethics at UWE Bristol University  expresses his similar concerns to EL PAIS: One of the things that worries me  especially with older people, children or people with intellectual disabilities  is that they may come to believe that a robot cares about them. He believes its necessary to precisely define the type and function of robots that are used for care: to differentiate those meant to provide company and emotional support  such as the automated seal  from those that provide physical and medical assistance. In the latter category, the risks are greater. In the end, these care robots take on functions that may seem simple, but theyre actually critical, such as reminding a person to take their medication, or keeping track of the number of times a patient has had a drink of water.

In the event that something goes wrong, the key thing for Winfield is to specify what exactly went wrong, why it occurred and how to avoid it. To this end, he and his team advocate for the creation of ethical black boxes.

This is the robot equivalent of an aircraft flight data recorder. An airplane wouldnt be allowed to fly without it. All robots  especially social ones, which include assistive robots, robots in hospitals, in nursing homes or in private homes  must be equipped with one, he affirms.

Even so, the professor believes that, for now, caregiver robots can perform simple tasks, such as bringing a glass of water from the kitchen to someone, or transmitting an elderly persons call for help. But he emphasizes that were far away from these machines being deployed to long-term care homes or being allowed to physically assist people as they dress or undress, or get in or out of bed. [Robots] still cant do that safely and reliably. We need testing, safety guarantees and regulations. We also need to understand that assistive robots should never be used as substitutes for human caregivers. They should help them, not replace them, he warns.

An image of the social humanoid robot ARI, from PAL Robotics, in a photograph provided by the company PAL Robotics

In Spain, one of the leading companies in assistive robotics is PAL Robotics. Founded in 2004, its machines are marketed throughout the world. The company has participated in several pilot projects in the European Union with two of its humanoid robots, named ARI and TIAGo. These robots are designed to help elderly people in their daily tasks.

Narcis Miguel Banos  the head of the Social Robotics unit at the firm  sees a future where assistance robots play a key role. But to build that future, he says that its essential to conduct many more pilot tests in real environments and for engineers and care professionals  including doctors, nurses and homecare workers  to collaborate. Maybe we designed a mobile robot that can do things with its arm and move objects up and down, but what we envision as engineers may not be what the market and people need, he acknowledges, in a video interview with EL PAIS.

Today, Banos points out, all these types of robotic applications are still in the research phase and the next step is to specify what type of tasks we want each robot to do. We must be very specific. One of the main difficulties that the expert warns about is balancing individual needs with collective needs. Making these machines socially-acceptable is also a challenge. Medical help is easier to understand than the idea that this robot can also offer emotional support to a person.

A woman interacts with the TIAGo robot from PAL Robotics, during a pilot project called EnrichMe PAL Robotics

Silvia Gonzalez  head of AI at the Technological Institute of Castilla y Leon (ITCL)  agrees that emotional support from robots is taking its first steps. In January, tests began with Pepper  a humanoid robot designed in Japan  in a care center for the elderly. The key is to adapt it so that users dont feel diminished, but rather see that theyre capable of doing things [with the help of the machine]. But theres still a long way to go before a normal conversation can take place, where gestures are identified and the robot can know if you are happy or sad.

How could this be done? Well, Gonzalez explains that, if a person takes longer than usual to respond, or stops doing their recommended exercises  which they may have been doing without a problem  the system can determine that theres a lack of attachment to the robot and that something is wrong. Something may have happened to the patient.

Demystifying Japan

Back in 2007, James Wright  a professor at Queen Mary University of London  became interested in robots, especially the advances being made in Japan, while completing his thesis. At first, I really thought that robots would become very popular and common. And then, I went to Japan, he explains via video call.

He spent several months in the country, touring care centers and talking to workers and patients. From these visits, the book Robots Wont Save Japan (2023) was born. There was a disconnect between the people developing the robots and the end users. New types of tasks emerged, like having to move them [from one place to another], constantly [informing] the residents about them, updating them, cleaning them

The professor warned then  and reaffirms now  that extending the use of caregiver robots is going to be much more complicated than what has been promoted. I talked to several nursing home administrators who bought a robot. It often ended up sitting in a closet, because they didnt have staff to supervise the use of it throughout the day. Japan predicted that the future market would be [dominated] by these types of robots, with half-a-trillion dollars a year being spent on them by 2025. It hasnt happened. The reality is that these devices are really expensive and dont save on labor.

For Wright, before deciding which machines will do what (and how and when), society must first answer the following question: What does it mean to care?

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PARIS, FRANCE / ACCESSWIRE / December 23, 2023 / Les Artisans Pros is pleased to announce its commitment to providing top-notch Plumbing Services, Locksmith Services, Glazing Services (Window Repair), Heating and Air Conditioning, and Electricity Services services in the building sector with a focus on plumbing, locksmithing, electricity, glazing, and heating and air conditioning activities.Les Artisans Proshas quickly become a trusted partner for homeowners and businesses alike.In today's fast-paced world, emergencies can strike at any moment, and when they do, you need the help of skilled artisans you can trust. Whether it's a plumbing disaster, a lockout situation, a shattered window, a malfunctioning heating system, or an electrical issue, finding the right professional can be a daunting task. However, fear not! 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The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has lifted the ban it imposed two years ago on cryptocurrency transactions in the Nigerian banking system.

The CBN announced the reversal of the policy in a circular by Haruna Mustapha, its director in charge of financial policy and regulation.

Mr Mustapha said the apex bank would now provide regulations for financial institutions on how to manage cryptocurrency to avoid misuse.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the CBN issued a circular in February 2021 restricting banks and other financial institutions from operating accounts for cryptocurrency service providers.

The then CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele, had announced that the restriction was necessary in view of the money laundering and terrorism financing risks posed by cryptocurrency.

Mr Emefiele also said the vulnerability inherent in cryptocurrency operations, as well as the absence of regulation and consumer protection measures were also responsible for the policy.

According to Mr Mustapha, current global trends have shown that there is need to regulate the activities of Virtual Assets Service Providers (VASPs) which include cryptocurrencies and crypto assets.

Following this development, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) also updated its recommendation to require VASPs to be regulated, to prevent misuse of virtual assets.

In view of the foregoing, the CBN hereby issues this guidelines to provide guidiance to financial institutions under its regulatory purview in respect of their relationship with VASPs in Nigeria.

The guidelines supersedes the CBN circular of Feb. 5, 2021on the subject, the director said.

He, however, warned that banks and other financial institutions were still prohibited from holding, trading or transacting in cryptocurrencies on their own account. (NAN)

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Zainab Ado Bayero, the daughter of a former Emir of Kano, Ado Bayero, who ruled from 1963 to 2014, has opened up about her unconventional journey into filmmaking.

Her father was the longest-serving emir in Kanos history.

Her recent biopic, My Father, the Emir: A Portrait of Ado Bayero, chronicles the life and times of one of the most revered monarchs in Africas history, from his early beginnings as a young prince to the top of the royal hierarchy of the Fulani caliphate and his journey as the Emir of Kano.

In an exclusive interview with PREMIUM TIMES, the Nigeria-based filmmaker speaks about inadequate representation of Northern Nigeria in the fim industry and the challenges she has encountered while shooting the biopic.

Excerpts:

PT: Unlike many Nigerian royals, you are a filmmaker; what inspired your journey into filmmaking?

Zainab: As a princess from Kano, Ive always felt pressure to live and act in specific ways. My mum raised me to be independent and exposed me to the Western culture. Even though I was growing up in a strict conservative society, I had to choose my path.

As I grew up, I realised I had some talents and ambitions which werent by being the typical Muslim Fulani princess; I guess because my mum is a princess from a different culture.

I grew up on bestselling novels and movies, so I decided to step out of my comfort zone and try movies last year. I discussed it with my mum, and she was so supportive.

PT: Aside from filmmaking, what unconventional things do you enjoy doing that are uncommon for royalty or even a Muslim?

Zainab: I love to write. I have been writing stories and poems for years but have yet to publish them. I didnt feel comfortable being a writer or creative.

I love fashion. I think fashion would be an industry I would love to explore, but I dont dress in an abaya or hijab or the Hausa traditional outfits. And those passions are unconventional for a Fulani Hausa royal from the north.

PT: As a filmmaker, would you say the narrative of northern Nigeria has been well explored compared to southern Nigeria?

Zainab: As a filmmaker, I have never watched Kannywood movies; they are not a true reflection of the North, and the technicalities are not world standard.

The North doesnt portray its culture and rich history like the southerners. Im trying to change that narrative. The Fulani-Hausa culture is unique and different, but we dont tell our stories to the world. It shouldnt just be about musicals. We should tell thought-provoking and powerful tales that the world would love. The society is nuanced and multilayered in rich history, but the North does not say it in literary or cinematic formats.

PT: People see you as a different kind of a Muslim Girl; is that a misconception or a fact?

Zainab: Yes. Like I said, I wear jeans, shirts, and gowns. I hardly wear traditional pieces. I dont cover up all the time.

So, the North have always judged my personality and my style. I am a Muslim. Im a good girl; I dont party or deviate from the proper teachings, but people think because I dont cover up, Im not a decent Muslim girl, which isnt true. Im a Muslim girl who is also modern and innovative, and thats my trajectory.

PT: For a royalty like yourself, one would think you had a rosy journey in filmmaking. Were there times you encountered challenges?

Zainab: While making the biopic, I was trying to launch this incredible documentary about an iconic leader who happens to be my dad. I have been sabotaged and judged by people who should encourage and be honoured about this project.

Every dignitary I have approached from the corridors of power  politicians, Emirs, and Kano business people  has made it clear: the Emir of Bichi and Emir of Kano and other family members have insisted I shouldnt launch or be allowed to showcase this documentary.

Its my idea, and Im promoting the history and culture of Kano in a positive light. Im showing theres more to the Fulani and Hausas rather than being judged as terrorists, bandits or Almajiris.

PT: Did their opposition make you feel like giving up?

Zainab: Im exploring a positive image but feel like Im Red Riding Hood attacked by wolves. Even during the making of the documentary, they tried to threaten people not to help me while shooting in Kano. Ive often wanted to give up, but my mum, my junior brother, and people in the South have encouraged me not to stop or give up.

The world is changing. Im not trying to cause any harm; I want to educate and entertain. Why are the Emirs so hell-bent on frustrating me and stopping me from preserving my fathers legacy?

Maybe its because I love to dress in what Im comfortable with or because my mum is not northern, but its wrong.

My dad believed in unity; thats why I was born, but they judged his choices and my existence as a man who thought in accordance and loved his sons as much as he loved his daughter.

I know they will sabotage me and try to kill me for saying this, but I dont care; Im my mothers daughter, Im vocal, and Im following my dads footsteps, uniting people with art.

PT: With all these attacks and opposition, what has been your driving force and source of confidence?

Zainab: The need to tell my fathers story has always been my drive. The biopic was inspired by a discussion with my mum about my first project. I had different ideas, but my mom suggested I tell my dads story, telling him he needs to be remembered.

At first, I was very hesitant because I felt I would go through significant obstacles and be judged by the family and the North, but my mom insisted I had to take the task. After much convincing, I agreed, but dealing with forces trying to stop it, as I knew before starting it, was challenging.

PT: Aside from the Emirs and elites, have you been criticised by any religious groups?

Zainab: As I said, The Emirs, my fathers sons, are judging me based on religious ideals, which is ridiculous. This is art; religion plays no role in creativity.

I have encountered no religious sects, but I wont be surprised if they do. It comes with the territory, but times are changing; I mean, look at Saudi Arabia; its radically changing. They hosted a film festival, and women were allowed to drive and be creative, so Kano could learn from that and adapt like Saudis.

PT: How have you managed criticism?

Zainab: Well, Ive been criticised all my life. Im used to it now, but it does hurt when people feel they can judge you even when they dont know the real you, make assumptions about you, but I have to go on. I cant let words get to me or stop me from my dreams.

This project isnt the first time my fathers sons, the two Emirs (Aminu Ado Bayero and Nasir Ado Bayero  the Emir of Kano and Bichi) have tried to sabotage or intimidate me. Its been going on for years, but I dont want to talk about that because, like I said, they have the power to control everyone. I want this project to be launched and released without any more sabotage and threats from them. I want to live my life without fear of intimidation and oppression.

PT: What common misconception do people have about royalties?

Zainab: There is a lot. People would feel Im arrogant or snobbish, but no, Im pretty grounded. I am blunt and vocal, which isnt expected from a northern female royal, but thats who I am. But royals, some are cocky, mean, humble, and kind. We are just like everyone else with different personalities.

PT: Tell us about your childhood, experiences, aspirations, and goals.

Zainab: I grew up in Kano, raised by an Edo mum. I needed to speak the language or understand the ways. I was split between two cultures. My mum is also a Muslim but a lot more Liberal.

So I tried to choose which side was the Fulani or the Edo kind of girl. As I grew up, I knew I was both, so I found a balance between both sides. I never wanted to be a simple woman behind the scenes or be subservient to men. No, that was never me. Today, Im glad I chose to be confident and believe in myself.

Growing up, I wanted to be a doctor or lawyer and make changes. I knew I wanted to change and challenge the status quo, and Im doing that right now. Making history by being the first Muslim royal filmmaker from the north, I guess I am changing a system.

PT: As the daughter of an Emir who reigned for five decades, what lessons did you learn from him?

Zainab: I learned a lot more from the making of this documentary. He worked hard to achieve his dreams. His belief in unbelief, peace, and his tenacity in the face of significant changes and obstacles.

PT: Why do you think the elites and emirs are trying to sabotage your efforts?

Zainab: The first reason that Im a woman. This society doesnt encourage a woman to have a voice or power. Women in that society should be seen, not heard. Secondly, Im half-southern. They dont think Im a proper Hausa; I dont truly belong. It is the prejudice that goes on in that society. The prominent people instigating this negativity are the Emirs of Kano and Bichi. They have spoken to the other Emirs not to encourage this piece of history and culture because they feel its supposed to be someone else. They think they should be the only people to speak about or control his life and that no other child has a right to decide how to preserve his legacy. Im a young woman, so it insults their ego. They want to be in charge and control everyone within the family, but I dont believe in that. They cannot hold me or dictate how he should be promoted. He was a public figure, an iconic hero. Anyone who admires and loves him can tell his story. They hate me and my mum, so thats why they are using their influence to sabotage a project about my father, which is so unfortunate. People are buying into their stories, which are just lies.

PT: Are you saying that no Northern elites have supported you?

Zainab: Not one of them I wrote to or approached about my project has supported the launch: Dangote, Bua, Ganduje, the Kano State Government and the Lagos State Government. I wrote to them all, and Ive not received any support for this project. Its so shocking. I thought the government was trying to support the creative industry these days, but they have ignored this project like Im an enemy of the state. Influential people should empower youth and encourage people like me who promote culture and history. Thats why so many Nigerian youths are so angry we dont get encouraged by our leaders. The Emirs and dignitaries, rather than raise the children, oppress them; whats the future if todays leaders dont encourage the leaders of tomorrow? Then why should they be Emirs? Why should they be on the throne? To intimidate and oppress? The monarchy may be losing its value by having the wrong people rule.

PT: Whats your educational background? Is this your last shot at filmmaking?

Zainab: I went to school for a year and a half as a kid in London, then returned home to Nigeria. I didnt study movie-making. I would love to do more movies because I love telling stories and creating.

PT: Share more details about the biopic, how it was funded and the aim. Would you like to screen it at festivals?

Zainab: The documentary was shot in Kano; I began shooting In January 2023, took a break to shoot in February, and worked on post-production in March and April. No one funded me. It was self-funded by me and my mum. I aim to showcase this to a global audience to teach about a forgotten history and culture. Yes, I hope so.

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Emeka Ikes ex-wife, Suzanne Emma, has opened up on why she divorced her husband.

The couples marriage ended in 2015 when Suzanne filed for divorce, citing claims of physical and verbal abuse throughout their relationship. In March 2017, a Customary Court in Lagos Island, South-west Nigeria, dissolved their 14-year-old marriage. The couple have four children together.

Suzanne, who has been silent since the messy divorce, spoke out in the media for the first time in a recent interview with media personality, Chude Jideonwo, monitored by PREMIUM TIMES on Saturday.

Her decision to clear the air about the controversies surrounding her marriage to the ace actor comes on the heels of the actors previous interview with Channels, wherein he claimed to have lost everything he owned due to accusations of domestic abuse.

The mother of four said she had woken up to the news of Emekas recent allegations in his recent interview.

She said, I woke, and my sister sent me a message that he( Emeka) is at it again. Going into the message, it was the same for the past 10 years. So I decided that I needed to put an end to this because I felt like I ran out of an abusive relationship, but I am still under abuse. In the past 10 years, I have tried to move on with my life and build my life from scratch.

This person ( Emeka Ike) keeps going to the media space to bash and slander me. He cooks up lies and just says things that never existed or something he has built up. I just decided that its time to speak up. What I have been through is something I will never wish anyone, but I will never wish the devil himself.

On 13 July 2015, she applied for a divorce at the Lagos Island Customary Court. The divorce proceedings were finalised in 2017 after a two-year-long feud.

In his previous interview, Emeka said he knelt in court to beg her not to leave their marriage during the messy divorce saga.

However, Suzanne said that the actor never knelt in court to beg; instead, she said that Emeka promised to do the right thing.

She said, He never knelt in court; instead, he promised to come to my family and do the right thing, and they would adjourn the case for an out-of-court settlement. On the next adjourned date, we returned to court, and the court asked, Did he come to me? I would say no. Because that never happened.

In fact, in court, he had said, Who wants you back? I had pointed that to the judge, who would say he heard him. So it was all a facade because he just wanted to look good and to stretch the court proceedings more than it should have been done.

Suzanne also said that the actors friend did reach out to her, but it was not in court; she said, Nobody knelt in court to beg me.

Abusive marriage

Detailing the abuses she allegedly suffered in her marriage to the actor, she said that it started as verbal, mental and psychological abuse.

She said that her ex-husband didnt allow her to work, and she suffered financial abuse.

Suzanne, narrating how she met Emeka, said, I was just 18 years old, I had just finished secondary school, and I was a model. I also wanted to become an actor, so I became his friend. I wanted someone to put me into the industry, but he categorically told me I wouldnt act because it would destroy our relationship. We had a relationship then, and he said he planned to marry me.

He said that Emeka stopped her modelling career when it peaked. According to her, she was gunning to contest for Miss Nigeria at the time, but her ex-husband deterred her.

Though they met when she was 18, Suzanne said they didnt get married until she was 24; she was already pregnant with their second child.

She said she regretted the marriage because even at the wedding, the actor came late from another state where he was shooting a movie.

She said, My parents never blessed us; the older sisters husband had stood in, and the wine was exchanged on his behalf. All through the traditional marriage, when we had collected the list, and my family was preparing for the traditional marriage, I had called him. I asked him if his family was in tune with the marriage process, but they came in empty-handed. Even his family would always laugh at me at my back and say I married myself.

She said she was an enslaved person for the family and marriage. She said that she started fighting back until she was 30 and accused the actor of beating her until she was almost paralysed.

She said, He hit me in front of his PA Debola, in front of our kids, he beat me, and I could only see the stars; I said, Emeka, If you hit me one more time, I will die, but he kept me hitting me.

He is denying it, and there are people I ran to in the middle of the night, people I ran to and I would collapse.

She said that she had attempted suicide because of Emekas torture during the marriage. She noted that Emeka was verbally abusing her, and it was an emotional trauma.

She said she has pictures and evidence she presented to the court during the divorce proceedings. She said that the actor took custody of the child.

You dared not speak to him when he was at it, and he would say, I made you, and I grateful, but that does not make you my God, she said.

Denials

She denied the actors claim of building a house for her mother, stating that he only supported renovating her mothers house.

She also claimed that the actors school was not worth N480 million as he had earlier purported. She said the initial worth of the school was N100 million.

She said that she left the school in the middle of October, and the school ran till the completion of the term.

Contrary to the actors claim that she shut down the school and left him with nothing, she explained that at the time, the family wasnt financially buoyant and was thrown out of the house while the actor was away on a trip to America.

She said she was living with Emekas mum in Isolo and managing the school. The actors ex-wife also denied assaulting Emekas mother.

She said that Emeka requested that the entire marriage saga be kept under the carpet to avoid media attention.

She said that the actor had threatened to kill her on several occasions and had almost poured hot oil on her.

She said that her ex-husband had arrested her and her friends. When my mother died, he arrested me. He accused me of running away with his SARS area F Ikeja properties.

She accused the actor of being a drug addict who smokes marijuana. We couldnt make anything out of life because of his drug use. I didnt know until my kids came back and told me that their dad takes drugs, meds.

Suzanne also described her ex-husband as a sociopath; she said that her revelation about his menace in the marriage would be a shocker to him, and she awaits his feedback.

However, Emeka, featured in Toyin Abrahams new movie, Malaika, is married to South African model Yolanda Pfeiffer. The couple live in Germany.

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President Bola Tinubus proposed 2024 budget increased allocations for the education sector when compared to the sectors allocation in the previous year.

But the increased spending for the sector is still below the recommendations of the global education agency, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) .

Going by UNESCOs recommendation, Nigeria should spend between 15  20 per cent of its annual budget on the education sector.

But a review of the proposed budget revealed that the governments proposed spending for education next year is less than seven per cent. When measured by percentage of the overall budget, it is also lower than the sectors 8.8 per cent spending for this year.

While Nigerias allocation to the sector has grown over the years, it has consistently fallen short of the 15 per cent recommended threshold.

Proposed budget

Mr Tinubus Budget of Renewed Hope, recently submitted to the National Assembly proposed a N27.5 trillion expenditure for the 2024 fiscal year.

A review of the budget indicates that the education sector got N1.54 trillion, representing 6.39 per cent of the total budget. This is far below the 15 per cent recommendation by UNESCO.

Although it failed to meet UNESCOs recommendation, the education sector has one of the highest allocations alongside defence and security (11.8 per cent) and Health (5.03 per cent).

The higher allocation to the defence sector may be connected to the over-a-decade-old war against insurgency in the North-east and other security challenges ravaging different parts of the country.

The health sector has also witnessed significant challenges including a wave of brain drain and the struggles for better funding for the sector and improved welfare for health workers.

Breakdown of 2024 Budget

Meanwhile, a review of the education budget revealed that the president budgeted N1.54 trillion for the Federal Ministry of Education and its agencies, including N50 billion for the Students Loan scheme scheduled to take off in January 2024. This amount is higher than the N1.08 trillion the education ministry received in the 2023 budget.

The 2024 budget allocated only N330 billion or 23 per cent for capital projects and the remaining N1.04 trillion or 77 per cent for recurrent expenditures  salaries and overhead costs.

The Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), the agency responsible for education at the grassroots, has N251.5 billion as allocation, which is higher than the N149.7 billion allocation it received in 2023.

Meanwhile, the allocation for the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) is not included in the budget. TETFUND is funded through an Education Tax, which is two per cent of the profit of all Nigerian companies.

The Buhari years

Throughout Mr Buharis eight-year tenure from 2015 to 2023, the education budget has hovered between 6 and 8 per cent.

In 2016, Mr Buhari allocated N369.6 billion or 7.9 per cent of the total budget to education, N550.5 billion or 7.4 per cent in 2017, N605.8 billion or 7.04 per cent in 2018 and N620.5 billion or 7.05 per cent in 2019.

In 2020, the allocations fell to N671.07 billion or 6.7 per cent, and N742.5 billion or 5.68 per cent in 2021, before rising to N1.18 trillion or 7.2 per cent in 2022. In 2023, the budget had the highest allocation by percentage at 8.8 per cent.

Education budget low  ASUU

The National President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Emmanuel Osodeke, a professor, said the proposed education budget for 2024 is too paltry for a significant change in the sector.

Mr Osodeke said the union had expected the president to budget at least 15 per cent of the entire budget to the education sector.

With this seven per cent education budget, nothing will change in the sector, it is just as we had during Buharis time. Tinubu during his campaign promised to increase the education budget but nothing, he told the Punch .

However, there is still a chance for him to change. But if there is no improvement on this and our other demands, by next year, we will mobilise our people and we cant stay like this because Oyo State has 15 per cent and Enugu State budgeted 32 per cent for education, but federal government is giving less than eight per cent.

He can still increase it, they should liaise with the executives and come out with a budget that is not less than 15 per cent as he promised during the election.

An ailing Sector

Nigerias education sector is grappling with multiple challenges including a high number of out-of-school children, a barely functioning basic education system and a chronically underfunded tertiary education sector.

Though the Universal Basic Education Act (2004) stipulates a free and compulsory basic education for young Nigerians, it is largely ineffective for many reasons including the deplorable state of infrastructure in that level of education, the shortage of teachers as well the low remuneration for the available teachers.

The tertiary education level, meanwhile, is characterised by workers industrial actions stemming from underfunding of the system and workers struggles for better pay. The situation has been further exacerbated by the brain drain hitting the sector.

This year, almost all federal universities hiked fees payable by students  some of them by more than 100 per cent. The universities attributed their decision to the need for more funds to keep the schools running.

Qosim Suleiman is a reporter at Premium Times in partnership with Report for the World, which matches local newsrooms with talented emerging journalists to report on under-covered issues around the globe

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Once again, the Nigerian government appears to have fallen short in prioritising Family Planning (FP) programmes in its proposed 2024 budget, potentially causing a setback to the countrys aspirations to achieve a 27 per cent Modern Contraceptive Prevalence Rate (MCPR) by 2030.

Despite the commitment to allocate at least one per cent of the national annual health budget to family planning , an analysis of the 2024 health budget shows that only N2.2 billion has been earmarked for FP programmes, representing 0.16 per cent of the overall health budget.

Although the allocation to FP in 2024 is better than the last four years, the low budgetary allocation raises concerns about Nigerias ability to meet the FP2030 targets.

FP 2030 target

The FP2030 is a global partnership supporting womens and girls reproductive rights. It aims to empower women and girls to lead healthy lives and make informed choices about contraceptive use.

It also aims to hasten the process of addressing obstacles that delay the advancement of commitments made by governments towards family planning, by strengthening result-oriented partnerships with stakeholders and experts

Nigeria, Africas most populous nation had missed the initial FP target set for 2020, partly due to the governments failure to fund the programme, thereby hindering progress. FP 2020 goal was to enable 120 million additional women and girls of reproductive age, globally, to have access to contraceptives by the year 2020.

At the dawn of the deadline, the FP 2020 target indicators show that Nigeria has only 12 per cent MCPR for women.

Growing population, a major concern

As of 2020, Nigerias population reached an estimated 206 million, a figure projected to elevate the nation to the third most populous globally by 2050, trailing only behind China and India. The 2014 World Urbanisation Prospects also predicts that by 2050, 77 per cent of the countrys population will be urban.

However, this population surge is not met with corresponding economic growth, particularly in essential areas like infrastructure and job creation. The repercussions of this mismatch are evident in the escalating challenges of security, poverty, and various crises plaguing Nigeria.

Despite the looming threat posed by unchecked population growth, the Nigerian government appears to downplay the urgency of implementing family planning measures.

The budget proposal

The total proposed budget estimate for Nigeria in 2024 is N27.5 trillion.

Out of the three key development sectors, including security and education, health has the lowest allocation in the 2024 proposal. Of the total budget, the health sector which is already grappling with various challenges got N1.38 trillion (5.03 per cent).

This includes healthcare funding under the service vote amounting to N155.65 billion, health capital budget at N434.79 billion, health recurrent at N667.38 billion, and statutory transfer to the basic healthcare fund at N125.74 billion.

While the total health budget increased by 18.49 per cent compared to N1.17 trillion in 2023, it constitutes only 5.03 per cent of the budget size.

Poor funding trend

A review of the budget for FP in the past four years reveals a low allocation to this important aspect of health.

In 2020, under President Muhammadu Buharis administration, the FP programme received only 0.2 per cent of the health budget and in 2021, the allocation dwindled further to 0.01 per cent of the health budget. In subsequent years, 2022 and 2023, the budget line for FP was non-existent.

The governments failure to include FP funding in the 2022 and 2023 budgets occurred, despite the country launching a new Family Planning Blueprint (2020-2024) on 12 October 2020. The blueprint is Nigerias roadmap for safe motherhood through the healthy timing offered by modern FP commodities.

The blueprint is said to be a clear and operational document with targets, performance indicators, and an accountability mechanism for CSOs to track and assess implementation performance.

But to effectively implement the blueprint, health experts said substantial cash backing is needed.

Analysing the 2024 proposed budget, the Development Research and Projects Centre (dRPC) said the lack of investment poses a significant challenge to achieving population-related goals and preventing maternal mortality, which are both identified as critical national development agenda in the National Development Plan 2021-2025 and National Population Policy 2021.

The dRPC said this pattern of underfunding FP programmes has consistently failed to meet the mark and address the increasing demands for FP services.

It said without adequate funding, access to essential contraceptive services, educational programmes, and reproductive healthcare may be impeded.

Implications of low allocation

In an interview with PREMIUM TIMES, the Director of Programmes, dRPC, Stanley Ukpai, said if the 2024 budget allocates less than one per cent of the health budget to FP, it could have several implications for meeting the FP 2030 target.

Mr Ukpai said a smaller budget could mean less funding for the provision and distribution of contraceptives, which could limit access, particularly in rural and under-resourced areas. This, he said could further lead to an increase in unwanted pregnancies and sustain the population explosion.

He also said without adequate funding, the quality of FP services could suffer, leading to a lower uptake of these services, even where they are available.

FP is linked to a range of other health and development goals, including reducing maternal and child mortality, improving womens empowerment, and reducing poverty. So, limited funding for FP could negatively impact these other areas as well, he said.

To meet the FP 2030 target, it would be important for this budget allocation to be increased to at least one per cent, to ensure that more women and girls have access to the contraceptives they need to be able to make choices about their reproductive health.

Similarly, the Director, Family Health, Yobe State Ministry of Health, Babagana Abba said the low budgetary allocation can directly or indirectly affect the 2030 target.

Mr Abba said, It can distort our planning at the state and national level, of course even at the lower level, collectively.

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Former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Godwin Emefiele has regained his freedom after meeting his bail conditions.

He had been detained at the Kuje Correctional Centre for him to meet the conditions of bail granted him by the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in Abuja in November.

According to the spokesperson for the detention centre, Adamu Duza, Mr Emefiele was released on Friday.

He has been released on Friday at about past 2 p.m. Having fulfilled the bail conditions that the court set as for his release, we had to let him go, Mr Duza told PREMIUM TIMES.

The embattled former governor of the central bank was granted a N300 million bail by on 22 November. The bail conditions required him to produce two sureties in like sum. The sureties must have certificates of occupancy and titles of properties within the Maitama district of Abuja.

Mr Emefiele was also mandated to deposit all his travel documents with the registrar of the court and remain within the Abuja Municipal Council.

He was on 18 November arraigned on six counts of procurement fraud.

He was also accused of abusing his office by approving a contract for the acquisition of 43 vehicles totaling N1.2 billion from 2018 to 2020.

Mr Emefiele was arrested by security operatives in June after President Bola Tinubu suspended him from his position as the CBN governor.

Peter Afunanya, the SSS spokesperson, said Mr Emefiele was arrested for some investigative reasons.

Meanwhile, PREMIUM TIMES on Friday reported that a Special Investigator probing the CBN, Jim Obazee, alleged that Mr Emefiele and others embezzled billions of naira and committed other financial offences.

Mr Obazees report claimed that Mr Emefiele also perpetrated fraud in the controversial redesign of the Nigerian currency.

In the UK alone, the Special Investigator said his probe led him to 543.4 million Pounds kept by Mr Emefiele in fixed deposit accounts. He also said Mr Emefiele manipulated the Naira exchange rate and perpetrated fraud in the e-Naira project of the CBN.

In his report, which he submitted to President Bola Tinubu on 9 December, a copy of which was seen by PREMIUM TIMES, Mr Obazee identified several chargeable offences for which the former CBN governor may be asked to defend himself before a court.

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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) says it has re-arrested Floriana De-Stefani, an Italian national who was earlier convicted of property fraud.

A statement by the EFCC said Ms De-Stefani was rearrested for failing to obey a court order that stemmed from her conviction by the Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos.

The judge, Mojisola Dada, had on 7 October 2022 found Ms De-Stefani guilty of using false documents and counterfeit seals to confer on herself ownership of a property belonging to a company, Waterside Properties Limited. The offence was said to be contrary to section 366 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State.

The judge had sentenced the convict to three years in prison and ordered the release of the property on 14 A&B Warring Road (formerly Bayo Kuku Road), Ikoyi, Lagos, to Waterside Properties Limited within three weeks.

However, the EFCC said the convict failed to comply with the court order for her to vacate the property, prompting the commission to take action.

On Tuesday, 19 December, EFCC rearrested Ms De-Stefani for refusing to vacate the property ordered for release to the company by the court.

Following her arrest, she was issued a notice by the EFCC to vacate the property within seven days or risk legal action.

READ ALSO: Investment fraudster bags 75 years in prison for swindling investors over N1 billion

Ms De-Stefani, alongside Stella Ogboju, was first arraigned on 30 March 2019, on five counts of forgery and stealing of property belonging to a company, Waterside Properties Limited.

The charges were later amended by the prosecution counsel, Ahmed Yerima, to six-count charges.

One of the amended charges read: That you, Floriana De-Stefani, sometime in 2015, within the Ikeja Judicial Division of this Honourable court, dishonestly converted for your own use a property known and situated at No.14A/B Warring Road, Ikoyi, Lagos, a property of Waterside Properties Limited.

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A High Court Judge in Akwa Ibom State, Joy Unwana, who was kidnapped on Monday has been freed after five days in captivity.

Justice Unwana and her driver were kidnapped while returning to Uyo, the capital, from Oron Local Government Area where she had a court session. Her security guard, ThankGod Ekanem, a police officer, was killed during the incident.

Announcing her release in a statement on Friday, the State Commissioner for Information, Ini Ememobong said the State Governor, Umo Eno appreciated security agencies for their swift response.

Mr Ememobong, however, did not state if ransom was paid before the judges release.

He said Governor Eno appreciated the states Ministry of Internal Security for their strategic coordination and use of local intelligence in the handling of the incident.

Mr Ememobong shared on Facebook photos of the freed judge being received at Government House by Mr Eno.

Governor Eno expressed regrets for the grave inconvenience suffered by the judge during her days in captivity, assuring that God who spared her life would adequately compensate her. He maintained that the security of the state was not compromised as this incident was an outlier, which would be decisively dealt with, Mr Ememobong said.

READ ALSO:

Governor Eno, according the commissioner, has assured that those who abducted the judge would be brought to justice.

Justice Unwana appreciated the governor for his concern and his efforts at rescuing her from her abductors. She recounted her ordeal in their hands, praying that no one should face such a terrible experience.

Although cases of kidnapping are rare in Akwa Ibom, the incident is one of the high profile abduction cases to have occurred in the state in recent years.

PREMIUM TIMES in September 2021 reported how gunmen abducted a former Senator from the state, Nelson Effiong in Uyo, the state capital.

Mr Effiong, a former Speaker of the State House of Assembly was abducted at a bar by armed men who drove in a Toyota Camry car.

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Akwa Ibom State Governor Umo Eno said the state government will support the family of a police operative killed by gunmen who kidnapped a High Court judge on Monday in the state.

The slain operative, ThankGod Ekanem, a police inspector, was an orderly to the judge, Joy Unwana.

Ms Uwana was abducted with her driver.

She was returning to Uyo, the state capital, after having a court session in Oron Local Government Area of the state.

The judge and her driver were released on Friday after spending five days in captivity, this newspaper earlier reported.

Governor Eno empathised with the widow and children of the slain police operatives at a meeting in Government House, Uyo, the State Commissioner for Information, Ini Ememobong, said in a statement on Saturday.

He (Eno) assured the family of his support and that of the state government to help with the education of the children.

He also sympatised with the driver (of the judge) who sustained some injuries from the ordeal. He offered financial assistance to the driver to handle his medical bills and other inconveniences.

Mr Ememobong shared on Facebook photos of the meeting between the governor and the family of the slain operatives which was attended by the Commissioner of Police in Akwa Ibom State, Olatoye Durosinmi, and the Commissioner for Internal Security and Waterways, Koko Essien.

Governor Eno, while receiving the freed judge at the Government House, commended the states Ministry of Internal Security for its strategic coordination and employing local intelligence in handling the incident.

He expressed regrets for the grave inconvenience suffered by the judge while in captivity and assured that the state government will bring the kidnappers to justice.

The government, however, did not state if ransom was paid for the judges release.

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Entrance to one of the hospitals in Beijing that has registered a large increase in respiratory infections in recent weeks caused by 'Mycoplasma pneumoniae' and other pathogens.

The aftershocks of the Covid-19 pandemic continue to stir up the universe of viruses and bacteria that can make humans sick. The lockdown rules and the use of masks imposed to stop the spread of the coronavirus also kept down the infections of other pathogens, which now  with all restrictions lifted  are recovering lost ground. These pathogens are also finding greater opportunities to spread due to the decline in the populations natural immunization, which under normal conditions occurs imperceptibly.

If last winter, it was the respiratory syncytial virus that hit Europe and pushed pediatric hospital wards to the limit, now it is mycoplasma pneumoniae that is causing concern among international health authorities. Also known as Eaton agent  after the American researcher Monroe A. Eaton who isolated it for the first time in 1944  the bacterium is being closely monitored by the World Health Organization (WHO), which was the first to report on the significant rise in pneumonia cases in China a little over a month ago. And now it is the European Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (ECDC) that has been monitoring the increased circulation of mycoplasma in Europe, with a spike in infections reported by six countries: France, the Netherlands, Ireland, Denmark, Sweden and Norway.

Mycoplasma is a very peculiar bacteria for several reasons, experts explain. Like amoebas, it does not have a cell wall, which allows it to deform and infiltrate the bodys natural defense barriers more easily. Furthermore, this makes it immune to some antibiotics such as penicillins, which act on this wall, says Pere-Joan Cardona, head of the Microbiology service at the Germans Trias Hospital in Badalona, Spain.

Carlos Rodrigo, a member of the Spanish Society of Pediatric Infectology (SEIP), explains that this pathogen behaves halfway between viruses and bacteria in clinical manifestations. Like most viruses, it does not usually cause very serious symptoms. But in some circumstances, it is capable of colonizing the lower respiratory tract like other bacteria and causing pneumonia and other complications. In this case, unlike viruses, we do have a treatment, which is antibiotics such as macrolides [azithromycin, erythromycin...]. But in the vast majority of cases, the symptoms are self-limiting. They are moderate symptoms that last for a few days and do not require antibiotics, he says.

The fact that mycoplasma is less virulent compared to other bacteria that affect the respiratory tract has led to another striking situation. It is a pathogen that has been among us all our lives, but we still dont know much about it. In large part, this is because, as it produces mostly mild symptoms and, in practice, is indistinguishable from many respiratory viral infections, we often did not go much further when investigating cases, Rodrigo explains.

The bacteria can colonize the pharynx asymptomatically. Up to 20% of the population has it without suffering any problems until some factor such as cold, or a viral infection creates the conditions that facilitate its descent into the lungs. Thats why it is not surprising that countries in northern Europe or areas of China with a similar climate have detected this increase in infections first, adds Cardona.

Two factors related to the pandemic have contributed to the current global surge in mycoplasma infections and serious cases. It is a bacterium that usually presents cycles, and registers a peak of cases every two or three years. With each peak, the natural immunization of the population increases, and this causes the incidence to be lower in the following ones. With the pandemic restrictions, its circulation decreased greatly and the susceptible population with little immunity has grown a lot. The logical result is that now there is an increase in the number of infections, summarizes Pere Godoy, a member of the Surveillance Working Group of the Spanish Society of Epidemiology (SEE).

The immunity developed after an infection by the bacteria is not long-lasting, and a person can suffer respiratory conditions from mycoplasma several times in their lifetime. This also explains why the more time has passed since the previous infection, the more susceptible a person is to contracting it and developing more severe symptoms. The most affected population groups are usually children from the age of four or five and adolescents. Public health services often detect outbreaks in schools or other institutions frequented by children of these ages, explains Godoy.

According to the experts, the second reason behind the current rise in cases has to with the improved diagnostic capacity of health systems following the pandemic. Before, a respiratory infection was diagnosed and, if it was not serious or did not produce a serious outbreak, it was not investigated. Mycoplasma is not a notifiable disease. But now we have PCR tests in most hospitals. Families and health professionals have become accustomed to knowing the cause of infections. Much more is analyzed, and the results allow us to identify pathogens that were previously undetermined, Rodrigo maintains.

Experts hope this change will allow scientists to learn details about this pathogen that were previously unknown. One of the mysteries, says Rodrigo, is why younger children do not usually suffer significant clinical symptoms due to the bacteria.

In a recent threat report, the ECDC warned of the situation in countries such as the Netherlands, where diagnoses are reaching higher levels compared with the last four years and leading to a rise in pneumonia in patients aged five to 14.

In the six countries that have reported a rise in mycoplasma infections, the increases have been reported in all age groups but are predominantly observed in children and adolescents. The report added: One country observed an increase in severe cases admitted to the intensive care unit.

So far, no country has observed an increase in resistance of this bacterium to macrolide antibiotics. The ECDC is encouraging countries to strengthen surveillance systems and to report any changes in the incidence or severity of detected cases.

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Some Rivers State citizens have sued President Bola Tinubu for allegedly compelling Governor Siminalayi Fubara to sign a pact ending the political crisis that has engulfed the state.

On Monday, Mr Tinubu convened a meeting of Rivers State stakeholders at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, where a peace agreement was brokered to end the supremacy tussle between Governor Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike.

Some of the items contained in the peace deal are for all court cases filed on the crisis to be withdrawn, and for Governor Fubara to allow 25 lawmakers who defected from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress to continue with their legislative duties, among others.

The meeting was attended by Governor Fubara, Mr Wike, Peter Odilli, a former governor of the state, and other political leaders in the state.

PREMIUM TIMES reported that apart from Messrs Fubara and Wike, others who signed the resolution document include: the PDP chairperson in Rivers State, Aaron Chukwuemeka, and the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Martin Amaewhule.

The resolution was also signed by Rivers Deputy Governor Ngozi Ordu and a factional Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Martin Chike.

But, this newspaper later reported that President Tinubu lambasted Mr Fubara at the meeting over his role in the crisis.

Suit

However, the plaintiffs argued in the fresh suit filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja that the peace agreement was unconstitutional.

The plaintiffs are Victor Jumbo, a member of the Rivers State House of Assembly (Bonny State Constituency); Ann kio Briggs, a human rights activist; Bennett Birabi, Andrew Uchendu and O. P. Fingesi, a retired military officer.

Listed as defendants are, Mr Tinubu, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr Fubara, the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly; and the INEC chairperson.

Issues

The six plaintiffs contended that the purported agreement, which was signed on 18 December, was unconstitutional.

They further argued that the pact undermined key provisions of the Nigerian constitution.

As a result, the plaintiffs urged the court to, among other things, determine whether Mr Tinubu, Governor Fubara, and the Rivers State House of Assembly have the rights and are entitled to enter into any agreement that has the effect of nullifying or undermining the constitutional/legal potency of the provisions of Section 109(I)(g) and (2) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended.

In court filings seen by PREMIUM TIMES on Friday, the plaintiffs through their lawyer, Kayode Ajulo, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), argued that President Tinubu and Governor Fubara lacked the statutory powers to stop Nigerias electoral commission, INEC, from conducting fresh elections to replace the 27 lawmakers who ditched the PDP for the APC.

The 27 lawmakers had initiated impeachment proceedings to remove Mr Fubara from office after he fell apart from Mr Wike, who is now the minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Meanwhile, the suit has not been assigned to any judge for a hearing, as the Federal High Court is currently on recess for the Christmas holidays.

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After several delays in voting on a resolution that could see the end of the ongoing hostilities in Gaza, the UN Security Council missed another opportunity to end the war as it failed to call for a ceasefire despite passing a watered-down resolution.

A draft resolution proposed by the United Arab Emirates was finally put to vote and adopted on Friday after several delays and negotiations to ensure the resolution was not vetoed by the US.

The resolution asked that parties allow, facilitate and enable the immediate, safe and unhindered delivery of humanitarian assistance at scale directly to the Palestinian civilian population throughout the Gaza Strip.

I hope that todays Security Council resolution may help improve the delivery of much-needed aid but a humanitarian ceasefire is the only way to begin to meet the desperate needs of people in Gaza and end their ongoing nightmare, UN Chief Antonio Guterres posted on X.

He added that only the two-state solution in line with UN resolutions, international law and previous agreements, is the path to sustainable peace.

The initial proposal would have called for the cessation of hostilities but it had to be watered down due to concerns by the US which has a veto power. Eventually, 13 countries voted in favour of the modified version while two (Russia and the US) abstained. None of the veto-wielding countries  US, Russia, France, UK and China  vetoed the resolution.

The resolution also called for all parties to refrain from depriving the civilian population in the Gaza Strip of basic services and humanitarian assistance indispensable to their survival, consistent with international humanitarian law.

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Other demands include the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages, as well as ensuring humanitarian access to address the medical needs of all hostages; and the provision of fuel to Gaza at levels that will meet requisite humanitarian needs.

Humanitarian activities in Gaza have been put on hold as a result of the ongoing war and shortage of fuel.

The council also asked the Secretary-General to expeditiously appoint a Senior Humanitarian and Reconstruction Coordinator with responsibility for facilitating, coordinating, monitoring, and verifying in Gaza, as appropriate, the humanitarian nature of all humanitarian relief consignments to Gaza provided through states which are not party to the conflict.

The Coordinator is expected to report to the Council on its work, with an initial report within 20 days and after that every 90 days through 30 September 2024.

War in Gaza

The ongoing war in Gaza which has seen the death of over 20,000 people including journalists and aid workers started on 7 October after Hamas launched what has been described as the biggest attack against Israel in years.

After the 7 October attack, that led to the death of 1,200 Israelis, Israel promised to wipe out Hamas. This has led to a relentless attack on Gaza, killing thousands of people, the majority of them women and children, and displacing about 90 per cent of the over two million Gaza residents.

Of the people killed in Gaza, 136 are UN staffers whom Mr Guterres in a post made on X mourned noting that it is something we have never seen in UN history. Most of our staff have been forced from their homes.

Reactions to resolution

Egypt which has been a lead mediator in the ongoing conflict welcomed the adoption of the resolution as a step in the right direction.

The US welcomed the resolution as a glimmer of hope in a sea of unimaginable suffering. However, it expressed its disappointment at the councils failure to condemn Hamas attack.

Towing the same part as its biggest ally, the US, Israel also called out the council for not condemning Hamas attack on Israel.

In addition to the Councils inability to condemn Hamas attack, the 130 hostages, women children and the elderly, are still being held in Gaza and must not be allowed to become a footnote, Israel said.

The Secretary-General, however, has continuously condemned Hamas for their actions.

Nothing can possibly justify the horrific terror attacks launched by Hamas on 7 October, or the brutal abduction of some 250 hostages, Mr Guterres said on X adding that all remaining hostages should be released immediately and unconditionally.

He went on to berate Israel for how it is conducting its offensive which he said is creating massive obstacles to the distribution of humanitarian aid inside Gaza.

An effective aid operation in Gaza requires security; staff who can work in safety; logistical capacity; and the resumption of commercial activity, he added.

Palestine welcoming the resolution said, This resolution is a step in the right direction. It must be implemented and must be accompanied by massive pressure for an immediate ceasefire.

Russia, on the other hand, said the councils failure to agree on a ceasefire was equal to signing up for a license to kill Palestinian civilians.

Calling out the US for its role in modifying the language of the text, the Russian representative said This is a tragic moment for the Council, not a moment of triumph for multilateral diplomacy, but rather one of gross unprincipled blackmail and open scorn on part of Washington for the suffering of Palestinians and the hopes of the global community.

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The Nigerian government has disclosed plans to disburse about N50 billion for the upgrade and expansion of Primary Health Centres (PHC) across the country by the first quarter of 2024.

The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Pate while speaking at the Ministerial Oversight Committee (MOC) meeting in Abuja on Thursday, said the fund would be sourced from the Basic HealthCare Provision Fund (BHCPF).

Mr Pate said this is part of the presents administration target to expand PHC facilities from 8,000 to 17,000 over the next four years.

In the first quarter of 2024, at least N50 billion, which has already accrued in the BHCPF, will be disbursed through the States primary health care facilities to deliver services to women and children, he said.

That is part of the target that Mr President has set for us so that we can expand the facilities over the next four years and also to enrol more vulnerable Nigerians to have access to quality healthcare services.

He said the government would remain vigilant in overseeing the utilisation of the disbursed funds, ensuring transparency and accountability throughout the process.

He noted that the work of the MOC will refine the criteria, issues of the package and ensure accountability in the process of disbursing and utilising the fund.

BHCPF

The federal government established the BHCPF in 2014, under Section 11 of the National Health Act; to provide funding to improve access to primary health care.

It was designed to be financed from not less than one per cent of the Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF) of the federal government and other sources including donors contributions.

The Fund provides a Basic Minimum Package of Health Services (BMPHS) aimed at increasing the fiscal space for health, strengthening the national health system, particularly at the PHC level, and ensuring access to healthcare for all.

Although it was established in 2014, the actual implementation of the law, including the release of funds, did not commence until 2018.

Commitments

The WHO Country Representative in Nigeria, Walter Mulombo, said the deliberations at the meeting were encouraging, especially as it followed the recently launched Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative.

Mr Mulombo said the discussions at the meeting were in the right direction because they set the tone for a reset and business unusual to accelerate achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).

The chairman of the Forum of Health Commissioners in Nigeria, Oyebanji Filani, said the meeting was to debate, review and agree on a set of issues that would enable the country to move towards a very clear path to achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) using the BHCPF.

Mr Filani said We have discussed a number of challenges that we have had, we explored opportunities to address these challenges, and we are quite confident that as we go into the new year, we will be moving in the right direction.

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Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus Christ, has cancelled Christmas celebrations, the Times of Israel has reported.

Christmas is traditionally a boom time in Bethlehem, which is located on the West Bank in Palestine.

Usually, crowds of tourists and pilgrims throng the streets, keen to visit where Jesus is said to have been born.

According to the reports, the roads and shops are shut, Market Square is empty, and the town centre will be silent.

The Church of the Nativity, built on the spot where Mary is believed to have laid her firstborn among the animals in the stable, is usually busy with visitors by now. Not this year.

So why is Bethlehem cancelling Christmas?

Reasons

One of the reasons why Bethlehem is cancelling Christmas is business.

Pilgrims from around the world are staying away, unwilling to risk being caught in the conflict between Palestine and Israel in Gaza, signalling a possible business downturn during the festive period.

The war broke out on 7 October between Israel and the Hamas group in Gaza.

But there is more to the towns decision to cancel Christmas.

The Church leaders and the city council in Bethlehem decided in November to abandon festive celebrations as a mark of solidarity with the people of Gaza.

Many people living in Bethlehem have links to Gaza through family, whether they are Muslim or Palestinian Christians.

There has also been a surge in violence in the West Bank since the outbreak of conflict in Gaza.

Mitri Raheb, the rector of Dar al-Kalima University in Bethlehem, an arts and culture college, described the cancellation of Christmas as a sign of mourning for the thousands of civilians murdered in Gaza.

He highlighted parallels between the recent war and when Jesus was born.

He said, The Christmas story is a Palestinian story par excellence. It talks of a family from Nazareth whom the Roman Empire forced to evacuate from the north of Palestine to the south, to Bethlehem. Jesus was born to this displaced family.

There was no place for him at the inn, so he was born in a manger. The situation in Palestine and the Roman occupation 2,000 years ago was difficult. King Herod ordered the massacre of all the children in the Bethlehem area. Over 8,000 children have been murdered in the Israeli airstrikes in Gaza within five weeks.

According to a report from the Gaza Ministry of Health estimates, at least 18,000 people have been killed in Gaza since October, including 8,000 children.

Economic impact

The impact of the conflict on the Bethlehem economy is enormous. Even before the church leaders and city council officials cancelled the festivities, many pilgrims stayed away from Bethlehem.

Hotels, restaurants, and shops typically are busy at this time of year, but not this year.

While the churches of Bethlehem have cancelled their celebrations, they are open only for prayers and services; one church has created a nativity display showing baby Jesus in a manger surrounded by bomb site rubble.

Munther Isaac, the pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Christmas Church, said, If Christ were to be born today, he would be born under the rubble and Israeli shelling. We send this powerful message to the world celebrating the holidays.

He told Al Jazeera, Bethlehem is sad and broken. We are all in pain about what is happening in Gaza, feeling helpless and overwhelmed by our inability to offer anything.

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On 3 June, the Governor of Kano State, Abba Yusuf, ordered the flattening of a three-storey building with 90 shops located on a race course at the Nasarawa GRA. The governor gave this order barely six days after he was sworn in. In the days that followed, other notable buildings in the Kano metropolis such as the Daula Hotel, a commercial building at Hajj Camp, shops at the annexe of the Kantin Kwari textile market owned by Incorporated Trustees of Masallacin Eid Shop Owners and Traders Association were demolished.

The government further demolished buildings in Salanta Quarters, a residential neighbourhood in the Kano metropolis, amongst others.

Lawyers who spoke to PREMIUM TIMES on the matter said the governments action may have violated the relevant laws of the land. Both the Nigerian constitution and the Land Use Act are key laws governing the use of land in the country.

What the law says

Section 28(6) of the Land Use Act 1978 states, It shall be lawful for the Governor to revoke a right of occupancy for overriding public interest. The revocation of a right of occupancy shall be signified under the hand of a public officer duly authorised on that behalf by the Governor and notice thereof shall be given to the holder.

Based on the law, Mustapha Kashim, a lawyer, said though the government can demolish properties, it must notify the tenants beforehand.

He said while the governor can exercise his power of revocation of a valid statutory right of occupancy, there must be compliance with the provision of the Land Use Act 1978, particularly with regards to not only giving notice but adequate notice of revocation to the holder.

This is because the word shall is used under both section 28 (6) and section 44 of the Land Use Act. In effect, where revocation of a right of occupancy failed to comply strictly with the provision of sections 28 (6) and (7) and 44 of the Act, such revocation will be null and void and of no effect whatsoever, Mr Mustapha said citing a case between NITEL and one Ogunbiyi (1992).

Be it noted that under our extant laws, the commando-style of storming citizens premises with a caterpillar in the dearth of the right and demolishing structures is nothing but executive lawlessness and brigandage. Our courts frowned at this long ago as far back as 1986 when the Supreme Court condemned in strong terms such acts in the case of Lagos State and Ojukwu.

The Land Use Act revolutionised land ownership in Nigeria. Its provisions, however, are usually construed strictly against the acquiring authority, which is the governor, and sympathetically in favour of the person whose property rights are being taken away. This was the decision in the case of Adole and Gwar as held by the Supreme Court, Mr Mustapha said.

Similarly, Nasiru Aliyu, a professor of law at the Department of Public Law, Bayero University, Kano, said the state governments action in the demolition of the properties violated the Land Use Act and the Nigerian constitution.

Mr Aliyu said there must be a procedure whether the property is acquired legally or otherwise, the procedure must be in line with the provisions of the Land Use Act. According to him, the law states that if the government wants to acquire a property, it must notify the person who owns the land, because section 44 of the constitution gives citizens a fundamental right to own property, Mr Aliyu said.

You have to notify a person that the property was illegally acquired and the person has the right to go to court and the court will determine whether the property is properly granted or not.

Those properties that were classified by the Kano State Government as illegally granted and the government went and demolished, in my view, the government must follow due process in either acquiring or demolishing them. If eventually, it is determined that the properties were illegally granted, it means that the owners of such properties are not entitled to any compensation.

A government has the power to acquire property for the public interest, but the public interest must be clearly defined. A combined reading of Section 29 of the Land Use Act and Section 44 of the Constitution states that the acquiring entity (government) must pay compensation, and it must prompt and fairly, so also in giving notice and the compensation, the government is obliged to follow due process.

Therefore, written notification of the acquisition must be served or delivered to the party concerned, shere the purpose of the acquisition is in the public interest. Hence, the government is supposed to pay compensation first before acquiring the property. Nigerian law entails that nobodys property should be taken unjustly without following due process.

It is to be noted that in the demolition case of properties, particularly, the Filin Idi Shops, the Federal High Court ruled that the demolition exercise was illegal, null and void. I know there are also many other similar cases against the government over the breach of fundamental rights of the owners of properties in Kano that were either demolished or earmarked for demolition by the Kano State Government. By the Government agreeing to pay the sum of N3 billion out of the N30 billion judgement sum, it shows that the government had admitted that they ought not to have done what they had done.

It is interesting to note that, the Kano Judicial Division of the Federal High Courts Judgement awarding the sum of N30 billion compensation against the government was strictly for the breach of fundamental rights of the Filin Idi Shop owners for the demolishing of their properties/shops without due process of law.

I believe the shop owners must also have a case before the Kano State High Court where they want the court to declare that they are the rightful owners of the properties, because they have followed all the due processes in acquiring the shops, as they have paid the government all necessary fees payable, and had obtained the required governments permissions or consents for the assignment of the properties into their respective names, Mr Aliyu, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, said.

Government settles out of court

While the number of court cases against the government by those whose properties were demolished continue to rise, the government seems to have realised the error in its action, as it has now agreed to an out-of-court settlement with one group of claimants. The agreement came after the Federal High Court in Kano awarded the claimants, the owners of Masallacin Eid Shop, a N30 billion compensation for the illegal demolition of the property.

On 14 December, the state government was compelled to reached a N3 billion settlement with the group after the court ordered the freezing of 24 bank accounts of the government for refusing to comply with its order to compensate the traders.

While the owners of the property have been compensated for the demolition, tenants, whose goods were looted from the property during the demolition exercise, have been left to bear the cost of their losses alone.

Ibrahim Muktar, who owns a shop at the Eid Ground property, said he lost goods valued at millions of naira to looters. He said the government gave traders only three days to vacate after their goods had been looted.

The government just came without prior notice until after three days of the demolition, they came and put the red paint (notification) after we had lost almost all our valuables to looters.

My neighbour, who was selling curtains and carpets, also lost everything to looters. He lost over N100 million in investment, said Mr Muktar.

The government said they are going to help the youth; these shops were being managed by youths. Most of us here are renting, but the government came and destroyed everything, both the building and the investment inside.

If the government truly wants to help the youth, let them come here and assist us. Now we are left without shops in the market, Mr Muktar said.

Another trader who had a womens dresses shop in the complex, Abubakar Umar, said being a small-scale trader, he did not think the demolition exercise would affect him. He said he thought only stores within the Eid Ground would be demolished, until his shop was demolished and looted.

We just woke up and saw hoodlums everywhere looting our shops, including the doors of the shops. This is the most terrible thing have I ever witnessed in my life.

All my life I have been advocating that youths be self-employed, yet today, the governments action has taken away jobs.

In the shops in my vicinity, we lost up to N50 million worth of investment in this demolition, Mr Umar said.

Isyaku Ibrahim, a trader dealing in womens innerwear, recalled how he received distress calls from the market to protect his shop against looters.

Nobody gave us notice, we would have evacuated our belongings. The government and the security agencies left us at the mercy of hoodlums who came well-armed to steal our belongings. Nobody was willing to help as the security agents and people watched from behind as we fought with the hooligans.

The government did not provide enough security at the demolition site. The police only arrived at the scene in the morning after the damage had been done. I have lost my business and I dont know where to start again now, Mr Ibrahim said.

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A Nigerian masters student in the United Kingdom, Somtochukwu Okwuoha, will be deported to Nigeria after serving a 40-month jail term.

Mr Okwuoha was sentenced on Friday after he was found guilty of seven charges by a jury for making terror threats against Dundee University.

The 26-year-old claimed he had enlisted ISIS, an international terrorist group, to help bomb the university and told staff he planned to target the city in a chemical attack.

According to the BBC, the sheriff presiding over the case at the Perth Sheriff Court in Scotland, William Wood, told Mr Okwuoha, Your presence in the United Kingdom is not conducive to the public good, and I make a recommendation for your deportation in due course.

The jury also heard that the convict came to the UK in 2021 and formed a friendship with a fellow student, who rebuffed his advances.

You were abusive towards her and tried to have her removed from her university course. The university decided to suspend you from your course and you turned your attention towards staff, Mr Wood said.

You threatened mass murder, terrorism, said you would plant bombs and use biological weapons.

Witnesses testimonies

At trial, witnesses told the jury that Mr Okwuoha told the university staff members he planned to carry out mass murder on the Dundee University campus.

The witnesses narrated how Mr Okwuoha claimed he had a military background and was capable of making bombs and unleashing a deadly virus on the city.

A 58-year-old retired director of student services, Keith Mackle, told Perth Sheriff Court he became aware of serious concerns concerning Mr Okwuoha in the autumn of 2021.

He said staff members received emails making terrorist threats.

Expect a massive bomb explosion at the University of Dundee. I have contacted ISIS terrorists to plant bombs on campus.

I can assure you staff and students will die in great numbers. 9/11 will be a joke compared to what will happen.

Blood will spill and flesh will be scattered, one of the emails read.

Shane Taylor, an accommodation officer, told the court that Mr Okwuoha accused him of being racist and said he planned to wipe out Scottish people as revenge.

Mr Okwuoha, a prisoner at Perth, was found guilty of threatening to murder staff members at the university and committing terrorist crimes between December 2021 and June 2022.

The embattled student was found guilty of threatening to commit mass murder, using biological weapons, revealing staff details to international authorities, and claiming to have planted bombs.

He was also found guilty of threatening to kill police officers and detonate bombs he claimed he had planted at Dundee University.

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The Nigerian government has listed key demands of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) that it has met.

The demands by the union had resulted in years of incessant strikes, leading to the shutdown of Nigerian public universities for months at various times.

The Minister of Education, Tahir Mamman, a professor, on Thursday listed some of the demands of the union that have been met by the President Bola Tinubus government.

ASUUs Demands

During its last industrial action that lasted eight months in 2022, the largest academic staff union in the country, ASUU, listed some of its major demands to include autonomy for public universities, increased funding, payment of owed academic allowances and increased pay for its members.

The former administration of Muhammadu Buhari invoked a No-Work-No-Pay policy during the strike embarked upon by at least three workers unions in the universities, and stuck to it till the end of his tenure.

The striking unions were the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) and the Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU), among others.

When ASUU refused to suspend its strike when other unions did, Mr Buharis government sued ASUU in court, which ordered the union to suspend its industrial action that was already in its eighth month.

Govt address demands

However, speaking at a press briefing on Thursday, Mr Mamman said the federal government has increased the salaries of workers in the public tertiary institutions by 35 per cent.

This is in addition to the payment of four of the eight months withheld salaries of some of the workers during an industrial action last year as directed by Mr Tinubu.

Mr Mamman added that the government has also granted autonomy to the universities by removing them from the Integrated Payment and Payroll Information System (IPPIS), and the granting of autonomy to recruit staff.

The education minister said the Tinubu administration is committed to addressing issues leading to intermittent disruptions in academic activities in public tertiary institutions.

He said the resolutions reached so far were achieved through informal consultations with the unions based in the tertiary institutions.

No Nigerian would be happy with the epileptic delivery of academic activities in our tertiary institutions occasioned by long-unresolved agreements, he said.

Under the guidance of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR, we engaged in informal consultations with the tertiary institutions-based unions and have begun to build trust as exemplified by the resolution of (a) 35 per cent increase in salaries of workers in our tertiary institutions; (b) 4 months payment of salaries for the 8 months they were on strike in 2022; (c) Removal from the Integrated Payment and Payroll Information System; (d) Granting autonomy for recruitment.

The education minister also assured Nigerians and the unions that his ministry would collaborate with the Ministry of Finance and the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation to ensure the implementation of the announced resolutions.

Speaking further, Mr Mamman said the policies to address the pervasive issue of sexual harassment in tertiary institutions are underway to provide a safe learning environment.

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The National Social Investment Programmes (NSIP) says over 1.5 million households in the country have benefited from the Conditional Cash Transfer programme of the federal government.

The National Coordinator of NSIP, Halima Shehu, disclosed this on Saturday at a press briefing in Abuja.

Mrs Shehu said the beneficiary households received N20,000 each as part of the federal governments efforts to alleviate poverty.

She said her agency commenced payment to the beneficiary households after she assumed office two months ago.

Upon my resumption into office two months ago, my team and I have been working round the clock to ensure that we do not leave any stone unturned in our fight against poverty as directed by Mr President, His Excellency Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR.

Under my watch we have successfully kick-started the conditional Cash Transfer Programme founded by World Bank with twenty thousand naira (20,000 naira) monthly stipend for three months and we are targeting 15 million households, and so far, over one million five hundred thousand (1,500, 000) beneficiaries have received this stipend, she stated.

Mrs Shehu also said the NSIP has offered grants of N20,000 each to vulnerable groups in Kogi State to cushion the effect of removal of fuel subsidy.

She said the agency has also concluded plans to disburse loans to farmers under the Traders Moni and Market Moni intervention of the federal government.

The NSIP director stated that the loan to be disbursed to farmers will commence in January.

We have flagged off the Grants for Vulnerable Groups in Kogi with a N20,000 one-off Grant that target the higher percentage of persons living disabilities. Both grants are to smoothen consumption and cushion the effect of the fuel subsidy removal.

We have also relaunched and expanded the GEEP that has components of Traders Moni, Farmers Moni and Market Moni, and disbursement of the loan to beneficiaries will start in January 2024, she stated.

School feeding

Mrs Shehu disclosed that the National Home Grown School Feeding Programme will commence across the country as soon as school resumes for the new session.

She said the school feeding will also cater for the feeding of the Almajiri.

National Home Grown School Feeding Programme will resume as soon as schools resume with an expansion to feed out-of-school children especially the Almajiri and they will be incorporated into the agencys empowerment and skills programme in collaboration with the Ministry of Education. This sort of empowerment under the Renewed Hope Agenda will assist the at-risk and out-of-school children to earn a means livelihood, she stated.

N-Power

The NSIP director noted that the federal government is aiming to develop the N-Power programme.

She assured that beneficiaries of the Batch D of N-Power will soon be enrolled into the empowerment programme.

Government is working towards an exit strategy for the existing N-Power beneficiaries and as soon as that is done a portal for the enrolment of Batch D will be introduced, capturing the different components of N-Power such as N-Tech, N-Creative, N-Teach, N-Knowledge, N-Skills, N-Agro and N-Build.

There is no doubt that any agency saddled with the responsibility to impact on the lives of millions of poor and vulnerable Nigerians becomes the human face of the Tinubu administration.

Therefore, the N-SIPA is the human face of the Renewed Hope Government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and we are very much aware of the responsibilities bestowed upon us as an agency and we are committed to surpass Mr Presidents expectation, she said.

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It is the right time to put pressure on the governments of Western countries to stop protecting Israel against any kind of accountability with the Iron Dome, and providing it with categorical and unconditional support. Its time to end the hypocrisy, lip service, and double standards. It is time to stop accepting Israel as the only country above international law, and with the impunity to severely violate it.

The ongoing international discourse on the latest developments in the Palestinian tragedy has been intense for almost two months now. There have been numerous heated discussions between supporters of both sides, leading to an intense polarisation. These dialogues have been widely broadcasted.

It turns out that the absence of a well-known historical background is the main factor in all this, as evidenced by the main question: Why did this happen? The short and concise answer: It happened because of the absence of a real peace process. This answer is akin to someone who is thirsty and then drinks saltwater, only to become thirstier. The masses need to know more. The foregoing raises another question: Who is to be blamed? From the point of view of any rational and impartial political commentator, Israel should be blamed for several reasons, some of which are as follows.

With the signing of the Oslo Accords, the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO), led by the late Chairman Yasser Arafat, began a real peace process aimed at embodying the Palestinian State on the occupied Palestinian territories based on the 1967 borders, which constitute only 22 per cent of the historical land of Palestine, with East Jerusalem as its capital, and a fair solution to the problems of Palestinian refugees, based on the UNGA resolution 194, adapted on 11 December 1948.

We did not invent the wheel; the two-state solution is enshrined in the UN General Assembly Resolution 181, which is the official birth certificate for the Siamese twins states. One of them has already been embodied, which is the State of Israel, and the other has been waiting for 75 years and has not yet been born, which is the State of Palestine. Resolution 181 or the two-state birth certificate is not a new invention at all, but rather the absence of international will made it an incomplete birth process.

From the first day of its life, the new born Israeli State has not stopped creating obstacles for the attainment of the two-state solution by refusing the implementation of the UNGA Resolutions 181 and 194. To add insult to the injury, in June 1967 Israel occupied the remaining part of the historical land of Palestine, and among many other challenges, the expansion of existing settlements and construction of newer ones are top and significant obstacle of the peace process. The notion of settlement or occupation and a state of Palestine cannot mix at all. A two-state solution means, by default, dismantling and evacuating the Israeli settlements that have come into being as a grave violation of international law. Even the blindly unshakable and unequivocally Western countries who are supporting Israeli align themselves with international law on the settlements issue.

You all as the international community, social media influencers, clerical leaders, political leaders, media correspondents, intergovernmental and other prominent bodies, and even as individuals, have a collective responsibility; everyone can be a game changer. Let us remember the solidarity that we all show and the many tools we used to dismantle and put an end to White supremacy and the South African apartheid regime. We all were united and succeeded in making a real change on that level.

According to the UN, the settlement project began in the first week of occupation of East Jerusalem in 1967, when Israel demolished 160 homes in the Al-Maghariba neighbourhood located opposite the western wall of the Al-Aqsa Mosque courtyards, confiscating 600 other buildings and displacing approximately 5,500 indigenous residents in the process.

According to the Israel NGO, Peace Now, at the time of signing the Oslo Accord in 1993, there were approximately 250,000 settlers in the Occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, with the location of about 140 settlements. Today, nearly 700,000 settlers are located in 300 settlements. This means that there have been increases of 280 per cent and 210 per cent simultaneously.

By taking a deep look at the above figures alone, we can clearly state that no Israeli government, since that time, has intended to put an end to the occupation of Palestinian land. The only thing that we are sure of is that they have succeeded in creating an irreversible one apartheid state reality that has left the Palestinians with a zero sum game at the negotiation table.

Settlements are not the last obstacle to a two-state solution. Since the first day of taking office, the current Israeli prime minister has placed another precondition on the negotiating table: recognition of Israel as the Jewish State and Jerusalem as the eternal capital of the Jewish people. The suspicious and strange part of the story is that when Yitzhak Rabin, the assassinated Israeli prime minister, signed the Oslo Accords, he signed it on behalf of Israel not the Jewish State, and the peace agreements with Egypt and Jordan were also signed by Israeli governments, not on behalf of the Jewish State. The official name of the state in the United Nations is also Israel. When it recently signed normalisation agreements with several Arab countries, it signed it in the name of Israel, not the Jewish State.

Israel is now insisting and demanding that Palestinians should change their old recognition of Israel to that of a Jewish state. It knows that this cannot happen for many logical reasons that we may discuss in another article. This is another thick stick in the wheel.

In these tragic days, we should utilise the unfortunate slaughtering going on to stop the Israeli occupation of Palestine and force them to back to the negotiation table. It is very clear that Israel will not back down voluntary for the negotiation table.

If we all agree to blame Israel and only Israel for the absence of peace on the Holy Land, this should trigger another question, what can we all do?

You all as the international community, social media influencers, clerical leaders, political leaders, media correspondents, intergovernmental and other prominent bodies, and even as individuals, have a collective responsibility; everyone can be a game changer. Let us remember the solidarity that we all show and the many tools we used to dismantle and put an end to White supremacy and the South African apartheid regime. We all were united and succeeded in making a real change on that level.

In these tragic days, we should utilise the unfortunate slaughtering going on to stop the Israeli occupation of Palestine and force them to back to the negotiation table. It is very clear that Israel will not back down voluntary for the negotiation table.

It is the right time to put pressure on the governments of Western countries to stop protecting Israel against any kind of accountability with the Iron Dome, and providing it with categorical and unconditional support. Its time to end the hypocrisy, lip service, and double standards. It is time to stop accepting Israel as the only country above international law, and with the impunity to severely violate it.

It is time to pave the way for a level political horizon, and this can be achieved by stopping the treatment of Israel as a grumpy and spoiled teenage.

Abdullah M. Abu Shawesh is the Ambassador of the Embassy of the State of Palestine in Nigeria. X (Twitter): @AM_Shawesh.

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Despite the devastation of the Nigerian-Biafran war, during which our people faced grave financial ruin and witnessed their homes flattened by artillery fire, our resilience remains legendary. Even Gowon acknowledged the remarkable recovery speed during his visit to Onitsha years ago. No matter the challenges  chasing, shooting, looting, or burning  we rise. That indomitable spirit defines the people East of the Niger.

Nigerian Millennials and Gen Zs probably have no idea that before Ovation and other wannabe celebrity magazines, there was Classique. This gig was owned and run by the deceased first wife of Nollywood royalty, Richard Mofe-Damijo (RMD). In fact, May Ellen Ezekiel, as she was known before she married RMD, had Dele Momodu, Ben Charles Obi, and my dear friend, Rudolf Ogoo Okonkwo working for her at the time. It is also very likely that Mays Classique magazine was the inspiration behind Mr Momodus highly successful Ovation brand today.

Maybe the above intro has nothing to do with the main premise of this essay, but I needed to give a background on the person who wrote about one Chief Evaristus Ofegbu, an Igbo businessman whose life history she believed embodied the quintessential Igbo spirit.

I do not remember the full details of her story on Chief Ofegbu, as published in her Classique magazine back in those days, which was before the internet became widely available, but it clearly spoke to the concept of survival against all odds. With no formal education and barely being able to communicate in English, the Chief rose from a less than modest background in one remote village in the South-East to become a man who presided over a board meeting where other members included alumni from Oxford and Harvard business schools.

Notable too was Chief Ofegbus uncommon predisposition towards philanthropic gestures. But one has to wonder where his business legacy is today? Did his conglomerate stand the test of time like Chief Rasaq Okoyas Eleganza or did it fizzle out the way Ekene Dili Chukwu Motors did with the demise of Chief Austin Ilodibe. Well get back to that in a moment.

May Ellens recounting of Ofegbus journey serves as a testament to the Igbo can-do spirit, echoed in contemporary success stories like those of Innocent Chukwuma (Innoson) and Cosmas Maduka (Coscharis). These billionaires, lacking university degrees, exemplify business brilliance that transcends conventional education.

When you hear them dispense business advice, you know they didnt graduate from Harvard but are convinced that even graduates of elite business schools could learn a thing or two from these brilliant minds. But success of any kind comes with a steep price, which sometimes is unavoidable and Igbos in Nigeria have seen lots of it.

For as long as one can remember, bashing the Igbo has been a favoured pastime among Nigerians of various classes. A crack in a wall at Aso Rock Villa, and Ndigbo would be blamed for importing fake cement, allegedly causing the fissure. Its quite ironic that the very country perpetuating this injustice is willing to resort to violence to keep them in the union  a union in which many have not experienced any sense of belonging for many decades.

Igbo people are the most misunderstood and often mistreated in this country of Nigeria, and that is one unpalatable truth we all have to accept. When their shops and entire livelihoods are not being looted or burnt down in Kano, their places of residency are being pulled down in Amuwo-Odofin through all kinds of excuses.

For as long as one can remember, bashing the Igbo has been a favoured pastime among Nigerians of various classes. A crack in a wall at Aso Rock Villa, and Ndigbo would be blamed for importing fake cement, allegedly causing the fissure. Its quite ironic that the very country perpetuating this injustice is willing to resort to violence to keep them in the union  a union in which many have not experienced any sense of belonging for many decades.

One of the victims of the recent demolitions in Lagos is my brother Emeka. To be clear, Emeka is not my blood brother but is more like a very close friend; a much younger man whose life hustle I am very familiar with. I knew him back when he was just a Boyi. He served his Master for seven long years before he was finally settled. For those who know, serving as a Boyi is the business equivalent of a military boot camp, except that it lasts longer.

Emeka, like his peers, started out living on one shoe and a few cheap clothing, eating mama put every day/night, and has been working seven days a week since I first met him. Before long, he saved up more, and his electrical accessories business prospered. Thats when he bought a piece of land in Amuwo Odofin and started putting up a structure. He was already midway into developing what was to be his dream home when the bulldozer came in the middle of the night.

I could understand pulling down illegal structures encroaching on public spaces, but destroying hundreds of magnificient complexes and giving no option to make amends for whatever infraction was deemed to have been committed smacks of outright personal vendetta. How I wish the properties were even seized by the government, instead of knocking down 600 plus of them in a city and country with an acute shortage of livable spaces.

The question is: Was the demolition orchestrated by the President? Perhaps not. Was he aware and did he have the power to stop it but chose not to? I believe so. Is he complicit? I dont know. Just like I cant explain why Nnamdi Kanus issue is still being dragged around, I dont understand this one as well. And please, let no one give me the lame excuse of letting the law run its course. In todays Nigeria? All I know is that no nation can progress while sitting on the neck of a group that is 40 million strong.

Why is it that most Igbo businesses find it hard to survive, years after the demise of the original owner/founder? Could it be linked to the challenges of individualism versus collectivism? Centuries-old businesses like Johnson and Johnson, Procter and Gamble, and the Hilton brands thrive because they embrace collective talent. The notion of a single individual making all the decisions and owning everything is outdated. Ndigbo should also rekindle the spirit of Onyeayananwanne

How about Ndigbo! Can we elevate ourselves, redefine our behaviour in certain situations? Absolutely so. The stark reality is, sometimes, we can become our own greatest obstacles. History teaches us that success often triggers envy  just ask the Jews about Hitlers attempt to annihilate their entire race. Yet, this crucial lesson seems to escape many Ndigbo.

When you venture to Lagos or Kano, strive for success  thats commendable. We applaud your pride in your hard-earned accomplishments after years of sacrificing comfort and pleasure. However, its counterproductive to boast about owning sixty-five per cent of Lekki or Sabon-Gari, an assertion that is frankly ludicrous. But even if it were true, how does it serve you to alienate your host community, creating an impression of a hidden territorial agenda? Lagos is located in a geographical space that belongs to the Yorubas and not the exclusive domain of the Ezeigbo of Epe or Ikotun.

But back to Chief Ofegbus story. Why is it that most Igbo businesses find it hard to survive, years after the demise of the original owner/founder? Could it be linked to the challenges of individualism versus collectivism? Centuries-old businesses like Johnson and Johnson, Procter and Gamble, and the Hilton brands thrive because they embrace collective talent. The notion of a single individual making all the decisions and owning everything is outdated. Ndigbo should also rekindle the spirit of Onyeayananwanne, tapping into a concept that has historically served our people well. Our future shines bright if we reclaim it.

Despite the devastation of the Nigerian-Biafran war, during which our people faced grave financial ruin and witnessed their homes flattened by artillery fire, our resilience remains legendary. Even Gowon acknowledged the remarkable recovery speed during his visit to Onitsha years ago. No matter the challenges  chasing, shooting, looting, or burning  we rise. That indomitable spirit defines the people East of the Niger.

Drawing inspiration from biologist Thomas Hunt Morgans illustration of the regenerative planarian worm, we find parallels in the Igbo spirit. Just like the planarian species, Okechukwu exemplifies our resilience. Despite the destruction of his business and family house in the Kano riot, he rose from the ashes, rebuilding in Lekki and Aba to secure his familys future. In the eyes of a biologist like Morgan, the Igbos might well be seen as planarian species, embodying the extraordinary ability to regenerate and thrive against all odds. Hopefully our tendencies to be abrasive will not continue to stand in the way. IGBO MMA MMA NU O!

Osmund Agbo is the author of Black Grit, White Knuckles: The Philosophy of Black Renaissance.

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KYODO NEWS - Dec 23, 2023 - 23:23 | All, Japan, World

The Japanese government is arranging to approve a modified plan for landfill work to relocate a key U.S. base within Okinawa next week bypassing the local government, which seems poised to defy a court order mandating the approval, sources with knowledge of the matter said Saturday.

Land minister Tetsuo Saito is poised to make approval by proxy for the plan on Thursday in what will be the first such move by the central government on behalf of a local government, central government sources said.

The Fukuoka High Court's Naha branch said Wednesday that Okinawa Gov. Denny Tamaki needs to approve the plan by Monday, as a refusal to approve the project constitutes a violation of the law, and it would be difficult to rectify the situation other than through approval by proxy.

The Okinawa government is in the final stages of deliberation to withhold approval for the plan beyond the deadline, with a formal decision expected on Monday, according to prefectural government sources.

The modifications involve reinforcing soft ground at the coastal Henoko area in Nago, the relocation site for U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, now located in densely-populated Ginowan.

If the Okinawa government does not approve the plan, Saito can approve it in place of Tamaki after informing the governor under the Local Autonomy Act.

The Okinawa Defense Bureau of the Defense Ministry plans to begin construction on the Oura Bay side of the site, which has soft ground, in mid-January.

The local government is considering appealing to the Supreme Court, which it must do by Wednesday, although it cannot halt work at the site unless the top court overturns the lower court's ruling.

If the ruling is overturned, Tamaki will have three months to rescind the approval.

Rejecting the plan was one of Tamaki's campaign promises when he ran for reelection last year amid strong opposition among the local population, which wants the base moved out of Okinawa entirely.

Related coverage:

Court orders Okinawa governor to approve work to relocate key U.S. base

Land minister sues Okinawa gov. over U.S. base landfill plan

Okinawa rejects central gov't order over U.S. base landfill work
Abdulsalam Abdulkarim, aka A. A Zaura, was the Kano Central senatorial candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2023 General Election. During an interview with journalists, held in his office in Abuja, the politician spoke on his business and political practices.

Q: Who is Abdulsalam Abdulkarim?

Abdulkarim: My name is Abdulsalam Abdulkarim, also known as Zaura, a business person and a politician. I know nothing more than business. I started business when I was in university and polytechnic. I have been in business for the past 25 years. Recently I joined politics and I combine the two at the moment.

Q. What pulled you into politics?

Abdulkarim: When I was in school, I was running a business and had no interest in joining politics. But being a philanthropist, when I associated with the masses I saw there was a need to join politics because I think that what I was doing as a philanthropist was not enough, so I decided to join politics so I can have enough time to touch lives and to do much more for the people. Politicians always say they joined politics because of the people but to test this statement, you need to check their antecedents; is this person really for the people or is he for himself? I have never tasted anything sweet from politics. I am doing it not because I want to gain from it, I am doing it to give my time, to give what I can give to my society, to give what I can to my country. As a business person, I have gone through a lot, venturing into different kinds of businesses, some are international, some are here. I started early, going from local to international businesses.

Q. Specifically sir, what type of businesses do you do?

Abdulkarim: I started with solid minerals, As far back as 2003/2004, we did mining. It was not gold mining, we were into tantalite and tourmaline mining. This is something we went for as far as Niger and Zamfara. By that time, there was no violence, no kidnapping, nothing. You could even travel there alone. At midnight, we would take products from there to Jos (Plateau State) for testing, and after testing, we shipped them to Germany or Belgium where they get tested and we get our money. When we shipped the product, at times we did not even have to follow up because there was a very good relationship between us in Nigeria and those people we were dealing with in Germany or Belgium.

Then we came back to commodities, where we send sesame seeds, corn and other things to Turkey and we import Ankara and pasta. It takes time to build a business and that is how we started. From there to petroleum products, general commodities and to financial businesses and others and now we are stabilised in so many ways and we are into politics as well.

Q. You talked about the mining activity with a lot of nostalgia but now, it has become twined with insecurity. What has really created this problem within the mining sector and what are the things the government needs to do to bring it back?

Abdulkarim: What brought insecurity in those areas has to do with politics. These are areas that are full of potential. Let me tell you, in those days, you can go in there and mine, even if you are alone, nobody will attack you. Nobody will come for you. But with time, people started discovering that there are hidden resources in Nigeria. Go to Niger, go to Zamfara. People have been mining there, you see Chinese there, a lot of people are going there. I had partners from Milan, Italy, we explored a lot of resources in Zamfara State. I could recall it was during the time of Sani Yerima (Governor of Zamfara, 1999 to 2007), we used to be in Zamfara and nobody would tell you anything.

As time went by, people started seeing that people were coming from outside, people were exploiting them, then this issue of security surfaced, simply to scare people away from there. The resources are no longer going to be important, nobody will be there. This is my own opinion. We can also call it economical, when people see that there is an economic activity going on in a place and they think they can go after those people and get money. It happens. But there is insecurity there, I do not think it is natural, it is political.

Q. How can we address that?

Abdulkarim: It is simple, the resources lying there belong to the government, it does not belong to individuals, and the government needs to derive revenue from those resources. If the government is to derive revenue from those resources, it is the full responsibility of the government to deploy security in order to protect the revenue, the people, and investment, in order to attract more investors into mining. These are simple logics.

Q. We have seen how the oil sector is organised, though they have their challenges but they are better organised compared to the solid mineral sector 

Abdulkarim: The problem we have in Nigeria is that we fail or we refuse to understand that we have a lot of resources, not only oil. We are solely dependent on oil, but there are lots of resources that will equally give us a large sum of income if we diversify into them. Simply because we are used to it or we depend on oil and because it has been our main source of income, we tend not to focus or to give our attention to those other resources. For instance, if you take gold, how much is a gramme of gold? Can you ever compare a gramme of gold to a barrel of oil? Gold is definitely higher in value, which means if we can shift our focus to miningto mineral resourcesthe mineral deposits which we have in Zamfara and Niger states, where we have a large deposit of gold, it means we will create more income and revenue for the country.

But I have no idea why that is not happening, I have no idea why the governments attention is not focused on those areas. But with the current administration, I see President Bola Tinubu is giving more attention to the area of mineral resources and mining, giving support to the Ministry of Solid Minerals. I think something positive or something big is coming to the area of mining and to the Ministry of Solid Minerals. If the government focuses on that, I can tell you that our income will be amazing.

Q: As a player in the oil sector, do you still believe in the removal of fuel subsidy or its existence?

Abdulkarim: As a player in the oil industry, I dont believe in oil subsidy. The best that has happened to Nigeria is the removal of the oil subsidy and the President has said it, even before the inauguration of this government. He said the first thing that he would do is to remove the subsidy. And you know there are things that a common man on the street will not understand simply because this is where his brain tends to be washed, that the subsidy is for you. That subsidy is not for all of us, is not for all. The subsidy is for those at the top and they are those who enjoy it. The subsidy is not coming down to the masses. There are always formulas when something like this is removed. But as time goes on, I can assure the public that subsidy removal will be a blessing to Nigeria. The president knows what he is doing and he is not just doing it by himself. He has a team  he has an economic team, he has an advisory team.

Q: With fuel subsidy gone, do you think we are going to have a fuel scarcity-free December?

Abdulkarim: This is always our tradition in Nigeria. Once it is the festive period, the product will be hoarded. What is the difference between Christmas and other months? What happened to the product? Sometimes it comes from people because of panic buying. People will just go to the filling station to buy and reserve it as if something is coming differently.The product is still there, and the same quantity is going out.

Q: What do you have to say about the NNPP government in Kano State as an APC member?

Abdulkarim: I think there is nothing much to say about the government that is in the court. Even you cannot say where the government is. Is it the government of Abba Kabiru Yusuf or is it the government of APC? Until the court decides, then we can speak about the government. You see, the issue in Kano State is a court issue where the NNPP at the moment is in government and we in APC said we dont believe it is a legitimate government. It is a government that belongs to us in APC and by the grace of God, we are collecting it. At the tribunal we took it, in the Appeal Court, it was affirmed that the government belongs to APC and we are waiting for the verdict of the Supreme Court and finally we will take back our government.

Q: If you now go through the court and collect the mandate, will there not be anger or protests among the people of Kano State?

Abdulkarim: Well, in every circumstance one issue leads to a grudge. Even in the main election, there was anger. Definitely, there are supporters of either side. When it was given to the NNPP, our supporters remained calm. So I expect that if it goes to us they (NNPP supporters) will remain calm. This is what the Constitution and the court say.

Q:Your party lost a lot of the senatorial and House of Representatives seats and the presidential election in Kano.

Abdulkarim: Well, this is a question thatif you tell me that we were going to lose a single seat of either the House of Representatives or Senate in Kano,

I would categorically tell you no. But of course, before the election, so many things happened. I said in an interview that as the party in power, there are certain things you cannot do to people when you are approaching elections. For example, it was at the same period that we were approaching the election, barely three weeks, that they defaced the Naira. The Central Bank changed the colour of Naira. And the Naira was not available. You have money in your account but you cannot get access to N1 or N100 to eat. Come to the place where I contested the election, for two years where I campaigned, no single person raised a voice that we didnt want APC. Anywhere I passed, people adored me, adored APC. People cheered us, people came out to wave, and some even shed tears of joy.

And then you defaced money, put people in serious hardship and you expect them to vote for the same party? At that same time, people slept in petrol stations and at ATM points. And then the opposition will come out and tell them this is APC. Do you still want to vote for APC? No. You dont expect to win an election when such calamity is coming after you. You dont expect when you have already built something and someone from nowhere comes and destroys it overnight and imposes hardship on people, putting them in terrible situations. Even at that time, people were losing lives. I can categorically give you a list of people whom I knew who died due to hunger. Dont forget that in Nigeria, people go out daily to buy what to eat. They dont store foodstuff in the house. At that period, how do you expect them to survive and how do you expect such people to come out and vote for you? Tell me.

Those were the terrible things that happened to us APC in Kano. That arrangement was not aimed at Kano, it was aimed at Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu not to win the election. They changed the Naira because they said Asiwaju kept a lot of money and he would not have money and he would not even win the election. Gods willing today we have the centre. Asiwaju is the president. Where are they? Now, go back to the constituency where I come from, they dont know what happened to them. They wake up and ask, Where is Zaura? If I am there, it is a different issue. It is a different ball game. Now, theres nobody, the place is empty and I am still working, I am still doing it  reaching out to them. They dont even know what they voted for. They are now regretting it. They have seen the reality. I can tell you another factor is because Dr Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso was contesting for president and he is a Kano person.

A lot of people wanted to see Kwankwaso become the president without minding whoever was on the other side. And with the anger over the money they defaced and the anger over lack of petroleum, anger over hunger, a lot of things. And I know now they have realised, they have seen it. It is something you do overnight in the morning you open your eyes and say what did I do? So this is what happened. This is the situation in Kano.

Q: NNPP, PDP and other parties have formed a coalition, what is the future of APC in Kano?

Abdulkarim: If you go out tomorrow for an election in Kano, APC will emerge as the winner. No party will beat APC. Now the people realised because something happened. Some dont know what they did until after the declaration.

Q: What is driving this supposed change of mind?

Abdulkareem: There are a lot of things, even you have seen it in the media. The government came into power barely a week, it destroyed properties worth billions of Naira. You know a government needs focus and the focus is towards what? Development or destruction? Is it for the comfort of the people or taking them back? What happened? Look at the eight years of the APC government in Kano, what have they done and what happened in less than 200 days of this government? That is enough for the people to judge.

Q: There was this issue of a $1.3 million corruption case against you by the EFCC?

Abdulkarim: After the election, is there any issue again? That is enough for you to know that it is a political issue. On the $1.3 million, the money belonged to who? Have you seen anyone complaining about his missing money? There was nobody, it was a political case that came up during elections. If there is an issue of $1.3 million, there should be a complainant standing for his money, $1.3 million, not an agency representing somebody that no one has seen. Can you represent a ghost? Can you represent someone that does not exist? If someone writes a fictitious petition on your behalf, you should come out to justify your money. The court struck out the case because it lacked merit. There was no merit.

Its a case that was determined in court and it was ruled in our favour. It was enough to see that the reality of the case was not there. If you believe in the Nigerian judiciary and the court, then its not a case. But if you believe in political propagandists, then you may call it a case.

Q: For a man who says he has tasted more of the bitter side of politics than the sweet, what future do you look forward to?

Abdulkarim: There is a saying that when you strike hard, you get it hard and get stronger. When you strike soft and it hits you hard, you collapse. I am someone that the system prepared to be stronger. I am someone who finds it hard but I am stronger daily. In 2019, I contested for the governorship under another party but I was dealt with by the bigger parties. In 2023, I came on stronger but then what happened? I am getting stronger by the day. The more I find it hard, the harder I am. I am still there, resilient, focused and ready to face bigger challenges. In APC, we are aiming to build a more dominating party. By the Grace of God, no going back.

Q: Your foundation, is it a political foundation?

Abdulkarim: The foundation has nothing to do with politics. The foundation has been there before my association with politics. It has never received any form of donation from any individual or group anywhere in the world or in Nigeria. Whatever the foundation is doing is 100 per cent coming out from me. I can tell you now that as I am talking to you, the foundation is working even after the election. The day we lost the election, the next day we started working. This foundation is for the people. The day the foundation stops working is the day I stop breathing. Today, if you tune into any radio station in Kano, you will hear them giving out food in Kano. You will hear people calling to answer questions and win a bag of rice. People call and win cartons of spaghetti. This is a foundation that is going around the 44 local government areas in Kano, fixing boreholes and building new ones.

If you make a call to any of the radio stations, you will find the money we keep for people who call for medical assistance. Call Freedom FM, Express Radio, or any of the radio stations in Kano, and ask if we deposited money for medical care. I am not saying tomorrow, so that I wont go and deposit it. Call them now. They would tell you yes. This is a foundation that has reserved one thousand bicycles for students in secondary and primary schools purposely for spelling competitions. Answer a question and win a bicycle. We do all these to make sure that its something that would get to the people. We have a system that makes sure things get to the people. In the next few months, we will go back to eye care.

Last year, we gave free eye care to over 30,000 people. This is why I said it is not political, it is for the people. There is a police station there, which we built. We also have ambulances and firefighting trucks. There are also scholarshipshome and abroad. If we give you the list of people we sponsored outside the country, you wont believe it. Building of schools. In fact, I cannot list the schools. Yesterday, we partnered with the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs to give them N200 million for the purpose of building houses for those who do not have houses. How many houses have we donated to the people? I cannot tell you. All I know is that when I see a vulnerable person, you dont need to tell me this person needs help. When I look at you, I know what is this persons problem.

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( Read 1870 Times)

In a celebratory event, the Zoology Department of B.N. University Udaipur organized a farewell and freshers' party. Dr. Sangeeta Rathore, the department head, shared that students from the M.Sc second semester bid farewell to their counterparts from the fourth semester, extending honor and welcoming the students from the first semester. The program featured various cultural presentations, including a catwalk round, talent showcase, and a Q&A session.*

*Key guests at the event were Dr. Renu Rathore, the Dean of the Science Department, and Dr. Ritu Tomar. The judging panel comprised Dr. Sabiha Sindhi, Mrs. Neerja Shekhawat, and Mrs. Riddhima Shaktawat. The students were felicitated with different awards during the program. Mr. Farewell and Miss Farewell titles were won by Nitin Suwalka and Yakshi Solanki, respectively. Mr. Fresher was awarded to Hemendra Meghwal, and Miss Fresher was bestowed upon Shrestha Maratha. The entire program was conducted under the guidance of Dr. Jyotsna Shekhawat, with coordination by Priyanshi, Shubham, Nikita, Mayank, Gopal, Kuldeep, and Sunil.*

Source :
( Read 1843 Times)

In a significant move to enhance city traffic management, the Udaipur Development Authority, under the guidance of Governor Gulabchand Kataria and City Representative Tara Chand Jain, successfully removed a bottleneck on Shilpgram Road. The proposed 80-foot road, extending from the main road to Shilpgram, faced difficulties due to the presence of a bottleneck, especially during the Shilpgram Festival, causing inconvenience to residents and tourists.*

*Governor Kataria and Representative Jain had been proactive in addressing the issue, with consistent efforts from UDA Chairman Rajendra Bhatt and District Collector Arvind Poswal. After days of negotiations with the landowners, the team achieved success, leading to the removal of the bottleneck on Shilpgram Road. Additionally, the construction of a gravel road was initiated, providing convenience to visitors during the upcoming Shilpgram Festival.*

*The UDA is set to further reclaim encroachments on the 80-foot road in the coming days. This action, following the successful removal of the bottleneck at Fatehpura Chauraha, marks another milestone in improving the city's traffic conditions. District Collector Poswal emphasized that issues related to traffic had caused significant inconvenience to residents and tourists at various locations due to Sankhde Road and bottle necks. The ongoing efforts to address these concerns involve removing each identified bottleneck symbol in the city, thereby systematically improving traffic conditions. The removal of the bottleneck at Shilpgram Road is the second major step after the removal of the bottle neck at Fatehpura Chauraha, providing relief to the residents. This initiative is part of a broader plan to streamline traffic in the city.*

Source :
The Establishment of the Facility Demonstrates the Company's Commitment to Delivering Differentiated Solutions to Gynecology and Pediatrics Challenges

SHANGHAI, Dec. 22, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Changchun GeneScience Pharmaceutical ("GenSci"), a subsidiary of Changchun High-Tech Industries (Group), held a groundbreaking ceremony for its new global headquarters and research & development (R&D) center at Shanghai Zhangjiang International Medical Park on December 15th. With an increasing focus on women`s and children`s health, the Chinese government has been intensifying efforts to improve healthcare services for these demographics, embedding their care within the wider framework of the country's economic and social development policies. The establishment of the R&D center sets the stage for GenSci to further advance the convergence of industry, academia, research and the medical community. By leveraging cutting-edge R&D capabilities and the application of artificial intelligence technologies, GenSci is well-positioned to provide premium health solutions for women and children. The initiative aligns with GenSci's commitment to harnessing science and technology to protect and enhance the health of these vulnerable groups.

Changchun GeneScience Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.

The construction of this facility is progressing as planned, and it is expected to be fully operational by 2027, providing a capacity to accommodate up to 2,000 R&D professionals.

Supporting the Healthy China Initiative: Focusing on the Health Needs of Women and Children

Recognizing the pivotal role of women and children's health in the nation's overall well-being, the government has designated this field as a critical priority. This is evident in the implementation of significant strategic initiatives such as the Healthy China Initiative (2019-2030), the Outline for Children's Development in China (2021-2030), and the Outline for Women's Development in China (2021-2030). These key documents underscore our unwavering commitment to enhancing nationwide awareness regarding the specific needs of women and children, with an overarching objective of safeguarding their health.

The health of women and children confronted with new challenges. While the incidence of common childhood diseases has decreased, there is a rise in lifestyle-related health issues in children, including early puberty, myopia, growth deficiencies, body image concerns, immune system abnormalities, and mental health disorders. In addition, women are generally grappling with reproductive health issues and the effects of menopause that can significantly impact their quality of life. Moreover, the periods of pregnancy and early childhood present vital opportunities to avert diseases that can develop later in life. Enhanced health management for women and children during these key stages can help prevent long-term health issues, carrying significant implications for the broader society.

Providing Premier Global Maternal and Child Health Solutions through Distinctive Innovation

Aligned with national healthcare directives, GenSci has ramped up its R&D investments to address the unmet health needs of women and children. The company has already developed the capability to innovate across various product categories, including biopharmaceuticals, chemical drugs, live bacterial preparations (LBPs) and medical devices. The GenSci general manager, Dr. Jin, pointed out that their product innovations are designed to deliver substantial unique benefits. The establishment of the Zhangjiang R&D center is a testament to GenSci's commitment to independent innovation.

Since its founding in 1997, GenSci has introduced several groundbreaking therapies, including the GenSci Recombinant Human Growth Hormone, GenSci Heng Recombinant Human Follicle-Stimulating Hormone and Jinfuning Recombinant Human Granulocyte-Stimulating Factor Gel. The company's proprietary innovations and outstanding contribution in the field of child growth and development were recognized when its "Development and Industrialization of Recombinant Human Growth Hormone Series Products" project won the Second Prize of the 2015 National Science and Technology Progress Award. The accolade underscores GenSci's expertise in independent innovation within China's pharmaceutical sector.

With an ongoing focus on growth disorders in children, GenSci has expanded its attention to the broader spectrum of children's health. This includes addressing concerns such as abnormal sexual development, obesity, respiratory and digestive health, allergies and autoimmune disorders, neurological and speech development, as well as concerns related to body image. As an illustration, GenSci has been develop an industry-leading ultra-long-acting growth hormone that is administered monthly since 2020, as well as innovative oral treatments for short stature. The company has also been creating comprehensive range of solutions designed to diagnose and treat precocious puberty, including rapid sex hormone tests and long-acting gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogs for treating central precocious puberty.

Furthermore, GenSci has been adopting a comprehensive approach that addresses women's health needs throughout their life cycle. This initiative includes support for assisted reproduction, menopausal health, and the treatment of prevalent gynecological conditions. Significantly, the company has been developing the world's first lytic enzyme and live bacterial preparation (LBP) for treating vaginitis caused by drug-resistant bacteria, offering an alternative to antibiotics and addressing the issue of drug resistance.

"GenSci has built a globally innovative and competitive R&D product pipeline," Dr. Jin declared. "By 2025, the firm will boast an extensive portfolio, with the expectation of launching more than four top-tier innovative drugs and five novel medical devices annually in the years to come."

Enhancing Collaboration Across Industry, Academia, Research, and Healthcare Providers to Tackle Key Issues in Women's and Children's Health

GenSci, through a combination of proprietary R&D and collaborative efforts with partners, has developed a suite of sophisticated R&D technology platforms that drive forward-thinking product development. The platforms focus on the protein drug sustained-release technology, mucosal delivery systems for nucleic acid medications, antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) technology, and innovations in ultrasound and hydrogel technologies. Integrating AI technology, GenSci covers the entire drug innovation process, from initial design and screening to process development and formulation. Moreover, the company promotes the introduction and adoption of cutting-edge concepts and technologies by facilitating synergistic integration of industry, academia, research and the medical community, ensuring effective cooperation among these stakeholders.

GenSci has formed enduring and robust partnerships with nearly 20 prominent universities, including Shanghai Jiao Tong University and Zhejiang University. The company has also engaged in various scientific research collaborations with institutions such as Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shandong University, and the Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology at the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Additionally, GenSci has joined forces with numerous maternity and pediatric departments within both general and specialized hospitals through multicenter clinical trials and joint applications for national projects. As part of these alliances, the company contributes its substantial technical expertise and digital platform capabilities  skills acquired during product development  to these hospitals at no cost. Frontline doctors are engaged to review and provide feedback on these tools, aiding the ongoing enhancement of GenSci's research and digital capabilities in gynecology and pediatrics.

Additionally, GenSci has established collaborations with numerous hospitals in the development of digital medical assistance systemsit actively engages in medical research to achieve technological breakthroughs and plays a pivotal role as a high-tech innovation platform in specialized treatment fields. Through deep cooperation and extensive coverage, it truly realizes co-creation and win-win outcomes in medical research.

The groundbreaking of GenSci's global innovation hub and R&D center enpowers the company to fully utilize its expertise in gynecology and pediatrics. GenSci intends to introduce innovative therapies for oncology, immunology, hearing loss, and drug-resistant bacterial infections, aiming to address unmet clinical needs. With its advanced strategic positioning, substantial investment in R&D, and unwavering commitment to product innovation, GenSci continues to strive towards tackling significant medical challenges while providing exceptional exceptional treatment options for healthcare professionals and patients.

SOURCE Changchun GeneScience Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.
DUBLIN, Dec. 22, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Missile Tracking Systems Market - A Global and Regional Analysis: Focus on Application, Platform, and Region - Analysis and Forecast, 2023-2033" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The present missile tracking systems situation demonstrates a remarkable progression over the decades, driven by technological breakthroughs and the ever-increasing complexity of modern combat. These systems have evolved from simple radar-based tracking to sophisticated multi-sensor networks that incorporate radar, infrared, GPS systems, and electro-optical technologies to offer complete situational awareness.

In recent years, the integration of artificial intelligence and machine learning has played a critical role in improving missile tracking accuracy and speed, allowing real-time threat identification and interception. Furthermore, the growth of hypersonic missiles and other sophisticated threats has accelerated the development of even more robust missile tracking systems, needing continuous innovation in both hardware and software components.

Industrial Impact

Missile tracking systems have evolved as a key element of modern defense tactics, changing governments' perceptions of preparation for potential threats. These missile tracking systems are critical to a country's security since they provide real-time information on approaching missiles, allowing for quick and informed decision-making. The significance of missile tracking systems resides not only in their ability to identify and track these fast missiles but also in their ability to anticipate their trajectories and probable impact sites. This degree of accuracy enables the efficient deployment of defense measures such as interceptor-guided missiles, which may intercept and eliminate incoming threats, reducing potential damage and casualties.



Furthermore, the introduction of sophisticated missile tracking systems has added an additional layer to deterrent measures. Knowing that a government has possession of advanced missile tracking and interception technologies can be a significant discouragement to potential enemies. This technology not only raises the risks and costs of missile assaults but also creates a sense of uneasiness among opponents. As a result, countries with strong missile tracking capabilities can strengthen their national security without resorting to military action. The very existence of these systems can impact prospective enemies' calculations, encouraging stability and lowering the chance of violence. As a result, missile tracking systems have become an important weapon in altering the geopolitical environment, providing nations with the ability to defend themselves more effectively while also building global peace.

Market Segmentation:



Segmentation 1: by Application

Target Acquisition

Air Defense

Space Domain Awareness

Early Warning Capabilities

Air Defense Segment to Dominate the Global Missile Tracking Systems Market (by Application)

The missile tracking systems market was led by air defense, with a 40% share in 2022, and is expected to continue its dominance during the forecast period 2023-2033. Increasing demand by the defense industry for countering hostile missiles is driving the growth of the missile tracking systems industry.



Missile tracking systems provide real-time situational awareness, allowing for quick decisions and coordination among defensive units. This degree of awareness is critical for properly detecting and tracking incoming missiles. To offer extensive coverage, modern missile tracking systems frequently utilize a combination of ground-based radars, space-based sensors, and aerial platforms, allowing them to follow threats across large distances and in all situations, including high altitudes and outer space. Furthermore, since these systems may engage several targets at the same time, enemy forces find it incredibly difficult to take out or overcome the defense network.

Segmentation 2: by Platform

Space-Based Missile Tracking Systems

Ground-Based Missile Tracking Systems

Naval-Based Missile Tracking Systems

Airborne-Based Missile Tracking Systems

Ground-Based Missile Tracking Systems to Witness the Highest Growth between 2023 and 2033

The ground-based missile tracking systems segment dominated the global missile tracking systems market (by platform) in 2022, with a 73% share in terms of revenue due to the capability to provide target acquisition capabilities as well as other warfare capabilities.



Additionally, the space-based missile tracking systems segment includes armored radar vehicle, armored personnel carrier (APC), military radar truck, and anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) vehicle segments. These ground-based platforms provide solutions for missile tracking capabilities along with other military-related operations.

Segmentation 3: by Region

North America - U.S. and Canada

- U.S. and Europe - U.K., Germany , France , Russia , and Rest-of- Europe

- U.K., , , , and Rest-of- Asia-Pacific - Japan , India , China , and Rest-of- Asia-Pacific

- , , , and Rest-of- Rest-of-the-World - Middle East and Africa and Latin America

Asia-Pacific was the highest-growing market among all the regions, registering a CAGR of 6.09%. Europe is anticipated to gain traction in terms of missile tracking systems adoption owing to the growing demand for hypersonic missiles and cross-border tensions among the European countries where the usage of guided missiles has seen significant involvement. Moreover, favorable government policies are also expected to support the growth of the missile tracking systems market in North America and Europe during the forecast period.



In North America, the U.S. is anticipated to show the highest growth in the missile tracking systems market among other countries in North America. The U.S. is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of 4.91%. The growth of the U.S. in the missile tracking systems market is mainly due to the factor that the U.S. is one of the biggest spending countries in terms of armaments, defense systems, and other technologies for its military in the world. The region is home to some of the world's most renowned manufacturers of missile tracking systems, and this drives the companies in this region to cope with the increasing demand of the missile tracking systems market continuously.

Recent Developments in the Missile Tracking Systems Market

In October 2023 , Lockheed Martin Corporation signed a partnership with the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) for the preliminary design review (PDR) for the program's digital all-up round (AUR). The next-generation interceptor (NGI) is a component of the MDA's ground-based midcourse defense (GMD) system, and it will deliver a new, improved interceptor to safeguard the country against rogue nations' long-range ballistic missile threats.

, Lockheed Martin Corporation signed a partnership with the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) for the preliminary design review (PDR) for the program's digital all-up round (AUR). The next-generation interceptor (NGI) is a component of the MDA's ground-based midcourse defense (GMD) system, and it will deliver a new, improved interceptor to safeguard the country against rogue nations' long-range ballistic missile threats. In June 2023 , L3Harris Technologies, Inc. signed a contract with the U.S. Space Force worth $193.5 million to build and deliver four ballistic and hypersonic missile detection and tracking satellites as a part of the Missile Track Custody (MTC) Epoch 1 program, which would identify and track hypersonic missiles.

, L3Harris Technologies, Inc. signed a contract with the U.S. Space Force worth to build and deliver four ballistic and hypersonic missile detection and tracking satellites as a part of the Missile Track Custody (MTC) Epoch 1 program, which would identify and track hypersonic missiles. In March 2023 , Northrop Grumman signed a contract with Trident Systems, Inc. to provide processing and storage electronics for 14 Tranche 1 Tracking Layer satellites from the Space Development Agency. Trident will also supply developmental and flying units in support of the payload, which is meant to track missiles and other hypersonic objects from low Earth orbit under this subcontract.

Demand - Drivers and Limitations



Market Demand Drivers: Geopolitical Conflicts and Tensions

Emerging Hypersonic Armament Capabilities: The development and distribution of hypersonic missiles has driven R&D spending in the missile tracking business. This has resulted in increasing financing for cutting-edge technology, such as improved sensors and missile tracking radars for real-time detection and tracking of hypersonic missiles. Companies are developing and refining these technologies, resulting in an increase in research and innovation, which opens up new potential for growth in the field.

Market Challenges: Advancements in Stealth Technologies

Complex Sensor Integration: The complexity required to coordinate numerous sensor types and technologies into an organized and effective system makes complex sensor integration a complicated business challenge in the missile tracking systems industry for the companies indulged in the manufacturing of missile tracking systems. The market's requirement for missile tracking systems capable of detecting, tracking, and intercepting a wide spectrum of missile threats puts significant pressure on manufacturers to achieve seamless integration while maintaining reliability and accuracy.

Market Opportunities: AI and ML Integration

Directed Energy Weapons: Directed energy weapons (DEWs) can considerably improve the overall efficacy of missile tracking systems by providing quick, precision-based countermeasures. For instance, high-energy lasers can target and destroy missiles during their boost, midcourse, or terminal phases. The capacity to destroy missiles in their early stages significantly reduces the threat to important assets and population centers. This novel technique provides a dependable and cost-effective means of intercepting missiles, decreasing reliance on traditional kinetic interceptors.

Key Market Players and Competition Synopsis

The companies that are profiled have been selected based on thorough secondary research, which includes analyzing company coverage, product portfolio, market penetration, and insights gathered from primary experts.



The missile tracking systems market comprises key players that have established themselves thoroughly and have the proper understanding of the market, accompanied by start-ups that are looking forward to establishing themselves in this highly competitive market. In 2022, the missile tracking systems market was dominated by established players, accounting for 73% of the market share, whereas start-ups managed to capture 27% of the market. With the growth in the adoption of hypersonic missile capabilities among nations equipped with the latest GPS technology to hit targets with pinpoint accuracy, more players will enter the global missile tracking systems market with each passing year.

Companies Mentioned in the Report

Lockheed Martin Corporation

Boeing

L3Harris Technologies, Inc.

Northrop Grumman

Thales

RTX

Leonardo S.p.A.

Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd.

BAE Systems

Weibel Scientific A/S

SpaceX

Hanwha Systems Co. Ltd.

BIRD Aerosystems

IAI

ASELSAN A.S.

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/tymdyf

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SOURCE Research and Markets
HOLLYWOOD, Calif., Dec. 22, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- In a sensational new addition to the world of comedy cinema, acclaimed actor Will Roberts, fresh off his role as General George C. Marshall in Christopher Nolan's "Oppenheimer," is set to bring his unique flair to the upcoming comedy film, "Italian Kidnapping - ItaliKos." The film, currently under production in Athens, Greece, marks a significant shift for Roberts, who is renowned for his dynamic portrayals in various genres.

Will Roberts, fresh off his role as General George C. Marshall in Christopher Nolan's "Oppenheimer," does comedy Post this Will Roberts, as General George C. Marshall with Christopher Nolan during Oppenheimer shoot. (PRNewsfoto/NewsBlaze)

"Italian Kidnapping - ItaliKos," directed by the visionary Giorgos Papatheodorou and cast by Thanasis Psilopoulos, is a riveting adventure-comedy-crime film. It follows a group of six young friends and band members from Athens, whose plans for a concert on the island of Kos take an unexpected turn when their vocalist is abducted. The ensuing quest for their friend leads them from Kos to the picturesque landscapes of Apulia and Brindisi in Italy.

Roberts steps into the role of Salvatore, a character that promises to bring a mix of humor and intensity to the screen. "This role is a departure from my recent portrayal of the legendary 5-star General Marshall," said Roberts. "In 'Italian Kidnapping,' I'm embracing my comedic roots, playing a character that's quite the contrast  let's just say he's not someone you'd want to mess with!"

Roberts, whose storied career spans decades and includes roles in "The Redeemer," "A Soldier's Revenge," and "The West and the Ruthless," among others, is enthusiastic about joining the all-star cast. "I'm beyond excited to work with Giorgos Papatheodorou and Thanasis Psilopoulos. The script is brilliantly written, reminding me of the classic 'My Cousin Vinny.' It's an all-star cast, and I'm looking forward to this feature film. Plus, being Greek, how can you go wrong?" quipped Roberts.

"Italian Kidnapping - ItaliKos" is produced by Crisis Cinema Productions and is set to be a standout addition to the comedic landscape. With Roberts's addition, the film is poised to blend his unique blend of humor and charisma with an already talented ensemble. The film's release is highly anticipated by fans and critics alike, eager to see Roberts in this new, rollicking role.

"Will Roberts is perfect for this new role, and the whole NewsBlaze team sends our congratulations. I'm over the moon that he'll be working with Giorgos Papatheodorou and Thanasis Psilopoulos and their all-star cast," said Alan Gray, NewsBlaze CEO.

About Will Roberts the Actor

Will Roberts has been an SAG actor for 37 years and was most recently honoured to play General George C. Marshall in the "Oppenheimer" movie. Will's recent TV and films include "Lucifer," "Amazon," "The West and the Ruthless," Disney's "ABCD2" shot in India, and "Ibot," a feature film in distribution in China.

He is a skilled voice talent, providing the high-quality voice-over for online and radio commercials.

Will is a 17-year NewsBlaze Partner and an owner of Zucchini's Tricks & Things. As a professional cowboy, he is a Guinness World Record Gun Spinner, the NewsBlaze gun advisor, a whip artist and trick roping expert, with a variety of other talents, including clowning and dancing. Will was an on-air FOX Kids host for 7 years in Northern California and performed on the Las Vegas strip with the renowned Cirque du Soleil in "Viva Elvis."

Will Roberts can also be found at his websites.

https://HonestHuckster.com  Magician

https://TrickRopers.com  Cowboy

https://ActorWillRoberts.com  Actor

About NewsBlaze

NewsBlaze was founded in 2004 as an independent online newspaper and information portal, forming relationships with other publishers and wire services. NewsBlaze covers broad topics of interest to readers worldwide, which helps build a loyal, global following of readers, especially in Australia, North America and Europe.

In addition, as the lead Syndicate Partner of the World City Press Network, NewsBlaze provides news, editing and content services, including news features, with the publishers that make up the World City Press Network, including http://Axcessnews.com. Visit https://NewsBlaze.com to learn more.

For more information, please contact: [email protected]

MEDIA CONTACT:

Media Contact:

Crisis Cinema Productions

Fleming 36, Moschato 18344, Greece

Website: crisiscinema.gr

SOURCE NewsBlaze
If you were looking for the Charlestown Democratic Town Committee website and ended up here, try this





Got news tips, gossip, suggestions, complaints?E-mail us: progressivecharlestown@gmail.com We strive to avoid errors in our articles. Our correction policy can be found here
KYODO NEWS - Dec 23, 2023 - 23:00 | World, All, Japan

The following is the latest list of selected news summaries by Kyodo News.

----------

Japan's former Emperor Akihito turns 90, continues to reflect on war

TOKYO - Japan's former Emperor Akihito turned 90 on Saturday, after having spent another peaceful year with his wife, former Empress Michiko while continuing to reflect on war and peace and those impacted by natural disasters, the Imperial Household Agency said.

Keeping current with the latest news through newspapers and television, the former emperor, who stepped down from the Chrysanthemum Throne in 2019, has also expressed concern over the extensive damage caused by heavy rains and the record-breaking heat in Japan this summer.

----------

Biden signs $886 billion defense bill to boost Indo-Pacific deterrence

WASHINGTON - U.S. President Joe Biden on Friday signed into law an $886 billion defense policy package including measures to counter Chinese military activity in the Indo-Pacific region and assist the Taiwanese forces.

The National Defense Authorization Act for the fiscal year to September 2024 includes $14.7 billion for the Pacific Deterrence Initiative, part of U.S. efforts to enhance military capabilities through drills with its allies and partner countries in the region.

----------

Palestine envoy hopes to showcase resilience at 2025 Osaka Expo

TOKYO - Palestine hopes to showcase the resilience of its people at the 2025 World Exposition in Osaka, although challenges posed by the Israel-Hamas war could jeopardize its participation in the event, according to its representative to Japan.

"We, the people that are being killed and our lives being taken away from us, are coming to show the world we love life," Waleed Siam, representative of the Permanent General Mission of Palestine in Japan, told Kyodo News in a recent interview.

----------

Rugby: Wild Knights overwhelm Black Rams to continue winning start

SAITAMA, Japan - Saitama Wild Knights continued their perfect start to the Japan Rugby League One season on Saturday, powering past Black Rams Tokyo 44-17 for their third straight win in Division 1.

Japan hooker Atsushi Sakate scored the first two tries of the match, while wing Ryuji Noguchi also went over twice before the break at Kumagaya Rugby Stadium as Black Rams suffered their third straight defeat.

----------

Japan LDP faction suspected of misusing funds for polls amid scandal

TOKYO - The largest faction of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party is suspected of having misappropriated revenue from fundraising parties to support upper house election campaigns for years, a source familiar with the matter said Saturday.

The faction had returned to lawmakers running for House of Councillors elections all revenue from sales of fundraising tickets they sold for the group without declaring the income in political funds reports, intending to use them as secret funds, according to the source.

----------

Japan eases rules on weapons exports to enhance security ties

TOKYO - Japan relaxed its strict regulations on defense equipment transfers Friday in a bid to ramp up security ties with like-minded countries and foster related domestic industries through weapons and ammunition exports.

The first major change in Japan's weapons export system since 2014, when the country removed its arms embargo policy maintained under its war-renouncing Constitution, comes amid an increasingly severe security environment due to geopolitical tensions with China, Russia and North Korea.

----------

JAL flew some domestic flights without required checks in September

TOKYO - Japan Airlines Co. flew four domestic flights without required checks and engaged in other irregularities regarding maintenance work, the transport ministry said Friday as it slapped the airline's unit with a business improvement order over the incidents.

While the improper maintenance did not directly impact actual services, the Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Ministry determined that the case involving JAL Engineering Co. constituted a serious violation that jeopardized airline safety.

----------

Japan's Shiseido to buy DDG Skincare Holdings for $450 million

TOKYO - Shiseido Co. said Saturday that it will acquire U.S. cosmetics company DDG Skincare Holdings LLC for $450 million to bolster sales of high-end skincare products as part of efforts to diversify its businesses.

DDG Skincare Holdings is known for its exfoliators sold under the Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare brand launched by a practicing dermatologist. The company's sales are estimated at $94 million in 2023, up 18 percent from a year earlier.

Video: Penguins walk at Asahiyama Zoo in Asahikawa, Hokkaido
Niamey, Dec 23 : France announced the indefinite closure of its embassy in Niger and the termination of the employment contracts of embassy staff, according to a letter sent to embassy staff asquoted by media reports.

French Ambassador to Niger, Sylvain Itte, said on Friday in the letter that since the coup and the violent attack in July, the French embassy has not been able to carry out the full range of functions devolved to a diplomatic representation due to the restrictions imposed on it by the Nigerien authorities, Xinhua news agency reported.

Despite repeated requests, the competent Nigerien authorities have not responded favourably to the maintenance of the activities of the French Embassy in Niger under normal conditions, he added.

The decision to close the embassy came just hours before the departure of the last of the 1,500 French soldiers previously based in Niger, as part of the process of French disengagement at the request of Niger's new authorities, and also followed the expulsion of the current French ambassador as well as the denunciation of defence agreements by Niamey.
New Delhi: Newly elected President of the Wrestling Federation of India, Sanjay Singh with former WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. Image Source: IANS News

Lucknow, Dec 23 : The results of the elections of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) have reaffirmed that the invincible shield that outgoing WFI President and BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh wears, comes from the influence he wields in half a dozen Lok Sabha constituencies in Uttar Pradesh.

The fact that Lok Sabha elections are only a few months away, adds to his importance.

Singh's strong links with the saints and his role in the Ayodhya temple movement make him stronger than many other MPs in the BJP.

The dozens of educational institutions he owns in eastern Uttar Pradesh, add to his vote bank and have created a climate that works in favour of Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh -- the six-term MP, who has weathered the storm over allegations of sexual harassment from wrestlers and emerged victorious.

Singh, as the WFI President, faced wrestlers' protest on the issue and the Delhi Police had filed two cases against him after the Supreme Court ordered them to do so.

One of the FIRs was over a complaint of sexual harassment by a minor, filed under the stringent Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, which gives no scope for bail.

Yet the Delhi police made no efforts to arrest Singh, who insists that he will face an inquiry but will not resign 'as a criminal' and he stuck to his words.

The BJP that claims to be firm on discipline, has turned a proverbial Nelson's eye to Singh's behaviour.

By ensuring the victory of his aide Sanjay Singh as WFI President, Singh has proved to his detractors that he will continue to wield power in the federation through the new President.

Much before he took over as President of the WFI in 2011, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh was known for his arm-twisting tactics.

A key player in the Ayodhya movement, he was known as a one-man army for the BJP in Uttar Pradesh at that time -- the party then had minimal presence on the political centrestage in the state.

Born in Gonda in 1957, Brij Bhushan's interest in politics began as a college student in the 70's.

He entered politics with a vengeance when senior BJP leader LK Advani came to Gonda during the Ayodhya movement.

Singh offered to 'drive' Advani's Rath and this catapulted him to instant fame within the BJP.

Singh won his first election in 1991, defeating Raja Anand Singh from Gonda.

The following year, he was named as an accused in the Babri demolition case which consolidated his 'pro-Hindu image'. He was acquitted along with others in 2020.

This image brought the saints of Ayodhya come out in his support when he faced allegations from the wrestlers, earlier this year.

Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh has been elected to the Lok Sabha six times from Gonda, Balrampur and Kaiserganj and more than his political acumen, Singh has been known as a mafia of the region.

At one point of time, Singh was named in more than three dozen criminal cases.

In 1996, he was accused of sheltering associates of underworld don Dawood Ibrahim. He was booked under the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (TADA) Act and jailed.

During his stint in prison, Atal Bihari Vajpayee allegedly wrote to him, asking him to take courage and "remember Savarkarji who was sentenced to life imprisonment".

Later, he was acquitted in the case, mainly due to lack of evidence.

In 1996, when he was in jail, the BJP gave the Lok Sabha ticket to his wife Ketaki Singh and she also won with a handsome margin.

The BJP, interestingly, has always given ample political protection to Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh mainly because of the clout he wields in eastern Uttar Pradesh and among Rajputs.

The party leadership knows that it would lose out on seats if it showed the door to Singh.

Singh's clout has only grown after the turn of the century and so has his money power.

His brazenness is evident from the fact that during the 2022 Assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh admitted in an interview to a TV channel that he had committed one murder -- something that even the most dreaded criminal does not admit on camera.

In the interview, Brij Bhushan said he shot the man who had killed Ravindra.

"I pushed the man who shot Ravindra Singh and shot him dead," he added.

Earlier, in 2009, Brij Bhushan had briefly parted ways with the BJP and joined the Samajwadi Party but he returned home to the BJP before Modi's victory in 2014.

As Brij Bhushan's stature grew within the BJP, his 'business' also flourished.

He owns around 50 schools and colleges and has interests in mining, besides dabbling in liquor contracts, coal business and also real estate.

Singh is known to gift motorcycles, scooters, and money to students and supporters on his birthday every year.

His appointment as President of the WFI in 2011, further added to his 'weight'.

In December 2021, he did not think twice before slapping a wrestler on-stage during an event in Ranchi.

The kind of clout that Singh wields within the BJP, is evident from the fact that he has even slammed the Yogi Adityanath government and accused the bureaucracy of making elected representatives 'touch their feet'. He also criticised the state government's lack of preparedness for floods.

Political analysts are actually bewildered at the lack of action against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who is known to take the bull by its horns -- more so, if it is a mafia in question.

"One can simply not understand Yogi Adityanath turning a blind eye to Singh's activities. It has to be pressure from the top that is preventing the Chief Minister from turning his bulldozer towards Singh's kingdom," said a party functionary.

The fact that no action -- not even a word of disapproval -- was taken in the matter, has made him even bolder.

"Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh believes he is invincible and does not fear even his own party leadership. No one can dare criticise him and even journalists keep a safe distance from him. The police bow before him. The clout he wields can only be seen to be believed," said one of his former supporters.

Moreover, with Lok Sabha elections just a few months away, the BJP cannot target Singh.

He is any day a more influential Thakur in the state politics even though it is Yogi Adityanath, who is recognised as a Thakur leader.

And that is reason enough for the BJP to avoid any action against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.

Even his detractors now admit that the story of Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh is far from over--in fact, many say that it has just begun and he is a man to watch out for in politics in the coming months.
Mexico City, Dec 23 : Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has said that he has discussed economic and immigration issues with his US counterpart Joe Biden, amid a surge in undocumented migrants concentrating at the Mexico-US border.

At his daily press conference, this time held in southern Oaxaca state, the Mexican President added on Friday that during the call on Thursday, he stressed the need to establish a development plan for Latin American and Caribbean countries, with an eye to curb mass migration north.

Mexico will take steps to regulate the current influx of migrants, he said.

"We are going to reinforce everything we can to help maintain the flow but in an orderly manner," Lopez Obrador added.

Recent weeks have seen an increase in the number of undocumented migrants arriving at the Mexican-US border, especially Venezuelans, Haitians, Cubans and Ecuadorians, according to the President as quoted by Xinhua news agency report.

The migrants are mainly concentrated in Piedras Negras, a city in northern Mexico's Coahuila state that borders the US state of Texas, which has responded by closing rail crossings, interrupting the flow of trade.

Lopez Obrador said his government was also urging the US to improve its relations with countries like Cuba and Venezuela, which would ease migrant flows.

A US delegation headed by Secretary of State Antony Blinken is set to visit Mexico on December 27 to discuss immigration.
Ankara, Dec 23 : Turkish Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee has said that it would discuss Sweden's NATO bid next week.

The committee said on Friday in a statement that the review of the bid is scheduled for December 26, Xinhua news agency reported.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan signed Sweden's NATO accession protocol and submitted it to the Parliament in October.

For ratification, the bill needs to be approved by the commission before being put to a full Parliament vote.

After Russia launched its military operation in Ukraine in February 2022, Sweden and Finland submitted applications to join NATO in May.

Turkey approved Finland's membership to NATO in March but has slow-walked Sweden's accession, demanding the Nordic country to further address Ankara's security concerns.
(ELECTION YEAR PACKAGES) Come election time, and UP's caste cauldron is on the boil yet again. Image Source: IANS News

Lucknow, Dec 23 : With the Lok Sabha elections round the corner, the caste cauldron -- respectably known as social engineering -- is on the boil in Uttar Pradesh.

The only difference is that from casteism it has gone on to sub-casteism.

Political parties in Uttar Pradesh are wooing caste leaders and unabashedly organising caste and sub caste conferences, ignoring the 2017 Supreme Court order that said that "religion, race, caste, community or language would not be allowed to play any role in the electoral process".

The BJP which till now had put Hindutva on its priority list is also wooing sub-castes from the OBC category with a vengeance.

The party apparently feels that addressing Hindus, in general, may not bring in adequate numbers in the elections and hence specific caste groups need to be addressed collectively as well as separately.

In the recent past, the BJP has been holding sub-caste conferences in Lucknow under the leadership of its OBC leaders including Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Maurya -- an OBC himself.

The Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party (SBSP) President Om Prakash Rajbhar is the new self-proclaimed leader of OBCs and is also pushing the envelope to muster backward support for BJP.

Sanjay Nishad, who heads the Nishad Party and is a minister in the Yogi government, is also trying to bring his community into the BJP-led fold.

The Apna Dal, a Kurmi-centric party, is already a key ally of the BJP in UP.

The BJP is keen to wean away a part of the Samajwadi Party's vote base and also make a dent in BSP's following by wooing Most Backward Castes.

There are over 200 sub-castes among the OBCs that constitute 40 per cent of the state's population.

The OBC population is dominated by Yadavs (15 per cent) and followed by Kurmis (9 per cent). The remaining sub-castes constitute one to two per cent of the population.

The BJP, till now, has held conferences for sub-castes that include Nishad, Kashyap, Bind, Kurmi, Yadav, Chaurasia, Teli, Sahu, Nai, Vishwakarma, Baghel, Pal, Lodh, Jat, Giri, Goswami, Jaiswal, Kalvar, Saini, Mali, Gangwar and even Halwai that has a population of .02 per cent.

The party is assuring these sub-caste groups that it would protect their interests.

A senior BJP functionary admitted that the party was keen to add on to its present vote base since that would make up for any depletion due to the anti-incumbency factor.

"This is a conscious effort to bring marginalised sections of society into the party fold. What is wrong if we are trying to expand our vote base?" said the functionary.

Seeing the BJP making a concerted effort to woo the sub-caste groups, the Samajwadi Party that had so far remained content with its Yadav vote bank, has also started reaching out to non-Yadav OBCs. Its slogan of PDA (Pichhda, Dalit, Alpasankhyak) is a manifestation of its new strategy.

Samajwadi Party spokesman Sunil Sajan, however, denies that the Samajwadi Party was following in BJP's footsteps.

"We are not holding sub-caste Sammelans like the BJP and becoming blatantly casteist in approach. We are holding a social justice programme for OBCs in general," he said.

The Bahujan Samaj Party, on the other hand, is wooing various Dalit sub-castes through its Bhaichara committees. The party's efforts to win back Brahmins with the slogan 'Sarvajan hitay, sarvajan sukhay' (that sounds similar to BJP's 'Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas') has taken a beating with the sidelining of the party's tallest brahmin leader Satish Chandra Mishra.

The Congress has also jumped on to the social engineering bandwagon by holding OBC outreach programmes.
Imphal, Dec 23 : The ethnic violence in Manipur between non-tribal Meiteis and Kuki-Zo tribals was one of the key issues in the November 7 Mizoram Assembly polls and the ethnic hostilities and their associated political facets would certainly be major topics in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls not only in northeastern states but across the country.

The eight-month-long ethnic unrest in Manipur jolted the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) after seven of its MLAs along with three other legislators of another party not only demanded 'separate administrations' (equivalent to a separate state) for the tribals but repeatedly asked Chief Minister N Biren Singh to quit and slammed the BJP leaders for the prevailing unrest.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Central and state BJP leaders and the Chief Minister on a number of occasions summarily rejected the 'separate administrations' demand of ten MLAs and various tribal parties, including the Indigenous Tribal Leaders' Forum (ITLF) and Kuki Inpi Manipur (KIM).

All Opposition parties, led by the Congress, also severely criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his silence on the Manipur violence.

Making the protracted ethnic bloodshed a major national issue, the Opposition parties also slammed Amit Shah for his "wrong handling" of the issue.

Modi, who was scheduled to visit Mizoram for the Assembly election campaign on October 30, had cancelled his trip and the BJP had said that the Home Minister would campaign for the party candidates but he also did not visit the Christian-dominated state ahead of the polls.

Commenting on the cancellation of Modi's visit, Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh had said that the PM cancelled his Mizoram election rally due to his silence over the Manipur violence.

Ramesh had said in a post on X, "The Prime Minister was to address an election rally in Mizoram on October 30. But now there are reports that he has cancelled his visit. Could it be because questions would be raised that he had not found time to visit the deeply-troubled neighbouring state that has been on the deep edge for almost 180 days with what face would he go to the rally in Mizoram?"

Ten like-minded parties' bloc in Manipur led by the Congress, held rallies and many other agitational events and submitted memoranda to the state Governor Anusuiya Uikey and the Central Government claiming that the Central and state governments have "chosen the path of non-intervention to the crisis of clash between the ethnic groups."

The leaders of ten parties, led by former three-time Manipur Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh (2002-2017) had told the Governor that despite the crisis in Manipur stretching over several months, no meaningful peace talks with the stakeholders were in sight.

"The Centre and the state government are trying to sideline the main reasons behind the crisis by taking shelter behind the theory of a conspiracy by outside militant organisations to attack India. Finding a solution by correctly analysing the causes behind the crisis requires no emphasis. It is high time that the Centre and the state authorities engage in a peace process to bring normalcy to the state," the memorandum to the Governor said.

They added that because of the inability of the state and Central machineries to manage the failure of law and order in the state, local civil societies were trying to fill the gap of missing governance by resorting to agitations and pronouncements.

The ten parties, which also include the Aam Aadmi Party, TMC, CPI(M), CPI, Forward Bloc, RSP, Shiv Sena-UBT, Janata Dal-United and Nationalist Congress Party, demanded that the Government talk to all stakeholders for an amicable settlement of the crisis and bring lasting peace in Manipur.

The BJP returned to power in Manipur for the second-consecutive term in the 2022 February-March Assembly polls with a comfortable majority while in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls the BJP's Rajkumar Ranjan Singh won the Inner Manipur parliamentary seat and Naga People's Front leader Lorho S Pfoze won the Outer Manipur seat.

Singh, who is Union Minister of State for External Affairs and Education and whose house in Imphal was vandalised and burnt by a mob on June 16, had earlier expressed dissatisfaction over the law and order situation in Manipur.

The BJP leader, however, held the Congress responsible for the unrest in Manipur stating that the state was ruled by the Congress till 2017 and blunders committed by them have had their fallout in the ethnic violence in the state.

"During the Congress regime, corruption, misgovernance, lack of developmental initiatives and improper educational system pushed Manipur to a backward place," the Union Minister had said.

Ethnic violence broke out in Manipur nearly eight months ago after a 'Tribal Solidarity March' was organised in the hill districts of the state to protest against the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.

The ethnic riot between non-tribal Meitei and tribal Kuki communities has so far claimed 182 lives, injured several hundred and displaced more than 70,000 people of both communities.

Meiteis account for about 53 per cent of Manipur's population and live mostly in the Imphal Valley. Tribals - Nagas and Kukis - constitute another 40 per cent of the population and reside in the hill districts.

Of the 60 Assembly seats in Manipur, 19 seats are reserved for the tribals belonging to Naga, Kuki-Zo-Zomi communities. The remaining 41 seats are mostly in the Meitei-dominated valley areas.

As Manipur is now divided between hills, where the tribals reside and the valley where the Meiteis live, the ruling BJP may face a big challenge in the 2024 parliamentary polls.

(Sujit Chakraborty can be contacted at sujit.c@ians.in)
Kolkata, Dec 23 : As the Congress is yet to give any assurance on joining hands with the Trinamool Congress for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, the major concern of the state's ruling party is the probable division in minority votes as against the increasing consolidation of majority mandates in different pockets of the state.

The concerns of the Trinamool Congress leadership on this count have been aggravated by the All India Secular Front's (AISF) decision to field candidates independently from a number of Lok Sabha constituencies in West Bengal where the percentage of minority votes are enough to decide the fate of the candidates there.

Naushad Siddique, the lone AISF representative in the West Bengal Assembly has already announced that he is keen to contest from the Diamond Harbour Lok Sabha constituency in South 24 Parganas constituency, where the percentage of the minority voters is the principal deciding factor and where the sitting Lok Sabha member is the Trinamool Congress' General Secretary, Abhishek Banerjee.

An analysis of the results of Diamond Harbour constituency in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls revealed that Banerjee's landslide victory there last time was mainly because of 95 per cent of voters' consolidation in favour of Trinamool Congress in the minority-dominated pockets as against partial consolidation of majority voters against the state's ruling party in the majority-dominated pockets.

As of now, besides Diamond Harbour, AISF wants to contest from at least nine other Lok Sabha constituencies in West Bengal in the districts of Malda, Murshidabad, North 24 Parganas, South 24 Parganas, Hooghly and Nadia districts, where the minority are in substantial numbers to decide the fate of any candidate.

Siddique ruled out the possibility of having any kind of understanding with the Trinamool Congress. He has even gone to the extent of saying that he would have loved to be a part of the grand Opposition INDIA bloc had the Trinamool Congress not been a part of it.

"Considering the skyrocketing popularity of Siddique among the minority youth since the panchayat elections this year, it will be difficult for Trinamool Congress to undermine the AISF factor in 2025 especially as regards to division in minority votes. That is precisely why Trinamool Congress leaders had been constantly trying to identify AISF and Siddique as the clandestine agents of the BJP in West Bengal just as the Asaduddin Owaisi-founded All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen is in other states," pointed out a senior city-based political analyst.

Understanding the threat posed by AISF with regards to the division of minority votes, Trinamool Congress is desperate to have a seat-sharing agreement with the Congress to ensure consolidation of the minority vote bank which stands solidly behind the grand old party, especially in the Muslim-dominated districts of Malda and Murshidabad, say political observers.

Political analysts here noted a sudden change in the stance of the Trinamool Congress and Mamata Banerjee just before the INDIA bloc meeting on December 19 and just after that.

"Before the meeting, the Trinamool Congress leadership started propaganda over the face of the INDIA bloc and even the chief minister said that Bengal will lead INDIA. However, during the meeting, Mamata Banerjee proposed the name of the Congress' National President Mallikarjun Kharge as INDIA bloc's prime ministerial candidate," pointed out a political observer.

According to him, there can be two reasons behind this changed stand of Mamata Banerjee. "The first reason is that by proposing Kharge's name she tried to give a subtle message to the Congress of assured support in case of favourable results for the INDIA bloc in the 2024 polls. The second reason might be that in case of any disaster for the INDIA bloc, the responsibility of that disaster will rest on the Congress' shoulders," he added.
Bengaluru, Dec 23 : Karnataka is all set to witness high-voltage politics in 2024 with the Congress Government attempting to consolidate its ground by implementing all five of its poll guarantees.

The BJP, buoyed by its victories in three north India states and alliance with the JD(S), is talking confidently of sweeping all 28 Lok Sabha seats in the state.

On the other hand, the Congress camp in Karnataka is galvanised by the victory of the party in Telangana polls despite the campaign blitzkrieg by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

The Karnataka Congress focussed on implementing its guarantees of free power, free 10 kg of rice, free travel for women and Rs 2,000 allowance for women who are heads of the family.

Now, the Congress Government is all set to implement the fifth and last guarantee i.e. allowance for fresh graduates and diploma holders.

The coming together of the BJP and the JD(S) against the Congress in the state and the appointments of senior Vokkaliga leader R Ashoka as Leader of Opposition and former CM BS Yediyurappa's son, BJP MLA BY Vijayendra as state President by the BJP high command indicates a close fight between the ruling Congress and the Opposition in the state.

The stage is also set for a political struggle between forward communities and others in the state.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is championing the cause of Ahinda groups and is all set to accept the caste census report much to the chagrin of forward communities.

The Vokkaliga and Lingayat community leaders and pontiffs, considered to be influential in state politics, have warned the Siddaramaiah Government not to accept the report.

The ministers and MLAs from both communities have met Siddaramaiah in this regard and have openly stated their reservations.

AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge had made a statement in the Rajya Sabha that forward castes are opposed to the caste census and Deputy CM DK Shivakumar from Karnataka is no exception. The thinking of all forward community leaders is the same, he said.

Shivakumar later had to clarify that he was not opposed to the idea of delivering justice to the Backward Classes and the objection was about conducting a proper census.

Former MLC and senior BJP leader Captain (Retd) Ganesh Karnik talking to IANS, stated that Karnataka's politics in the last 25 to 30 years shows the trend of voters reacting distinctly for Lok Sabha and Assembly elections.

From 1991, whenever it came to the Lok Sabha polls, it has always gone in favour of the BJP. This is the first factor. The second one is, in the last Assembly election of Karnataka, if the total votes are counted, the BJP did not lose its vote base.

"In fact we polled 8.65 lakh more votes than in the 2018 polls. In 2018, though the BJP got 110 seats, the Congress polled 6.25 lakh votes more than BJP then. It got fewer seats. BJP did not lose its vote base in the last elections, contrary to what everyone said," he explained.

He added, "What happened is, the Congress got 6.25 lakh votes more than the BJP in 2018. The votes of the JD(S) have come down by 15 lakh in the 2023 Assembly elections. The major chunk of these votes had gone to the Congress. The ruling party got 24 lakh votes additionally this time. It is the shifting of the JD(S) vote base that tilted the results. The projection of Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar was a well thought out strategy. The supporters of the JD(S) and former PM HD Deve Gowda in Mysuru region shifted to the Congress."

Siddaramaiah made a statement about banning Bajrang Dal during elections that was majorly played up by the saffron party. It was assumed that it would help the BJP, but the development shifted the Muslim votes of the JD(S) to the Congress.

Now, six months after polls, many developments have taken place, the major one being the Ram temple construction in Ayodhya that will create a huge wave for the BJP.

"The guarantee schemes are denting the image of the Congress because of confusions. Differences have cropped up now between Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah," Karnik stated.

"MLAs and Ministers are in no mood to work for the Lok Sabha polls. No funds for development have resulted in a sense of betrayal among the people. The victories of the BJP in three states will have an impact. The victory of the Congress in Telangana is insignificant," he opined.

"We will win not less than 20 seats. Today, in the whole nation there is a feeling that the BJP will come to power. This will drive fence sitters also to vote for the BJP. The votes are cast in the name of PM Modi. The central budget will be presented in February, it will also have an impact," he explained.

Political analyst B Samiulla stated that Karnataka politics is witnessing a polarisation between the Vokkaligas and Linagayat communities. The Congress is searching for potential candidates for the Lok Sabha elections, while the BJP has the option of fielding former ministers as candidates. In the previous Lok Sabha polls, the Congress had won one seat, this time it may go up to six, seven or eight seats. It is yet to be seen whether the minorities, Dalits and Backward Classes will come together with regard to the caste census. It is too early to predict, he explained.

Former CM HD Kumaraswamy had stated that there are Eknath Shindes and Ajit Pawars in the state politics hinting at dramatic developments similar to Maharashtra in the state. His repeated statements in this regard and predictions about the collapse of the Congress Government in a short span, indicate heavy political activity in the coming days.

Former CM Basavaraj Bommai has predicted that because of the guarantee schemes, Karnataka's economy will be destroyed as there is no plan for generating additional revenue, while Ashoka has maintained that there is no need to carry out operation lotus and the Congress Government would collapse by itself.

What political developments will unfold in the state in the next few months leading up to the Lok Sabha polls only time will tell.
Patna, Dec 23 : The results of the Assembly elections in three states have been a reality check for the Congress and the JD(U) in Bihar and eventually it has forced the Opposition parties to get united before the Lok Sabha election in 2024.

After the three meetings of the INDIA bloc in Patna, Bengaluru and Mumbai it was clear that the Congress party had an upper hand and leaders of other parties were thinking that it would dominate the seat sharing talks for the Lok Sabha elections. However, the losses in the three states have weakened the position of the grand old party.

For the JD(U) Nitish Kumar was expecting at least a post of convener of the INDIA bloc till the 2024 Lok Sabha election but his anti-women and anti-Dalit statements during the Winter Session of Bihar Assembly went against him and he returned with empty hands from the fourth meeting held in New Delhi on December 19.

There is a general perception that Nitish Kumar changes his goal post according to situations but it is too late for him this time and he has to stay with the INDIA bloc at least till the Lok Sabha elections.

This is actually an ideal situation for the JD(U) and the Congress party to go with the 'one seat, one candidate' formula in Bihar to challenge the BJP.

"The meeting of the INDIA bloc in New Delhi was successful and we will finalise the seat sharing formula within three weeks across all states. The work is in progress and we will select candidates who are capable of defeating the BJP in the Lok Sabha election 2024," said Lalan Singh, JD(U) National President.

"BJP leaders are saying that the INDIA bloc has not proposed the name of Nitish Kumar as a prime ministerial candidate, I want to ask the BJP that did Nitish Kumar tell you that he is a prime ministerial candidate. They talk without any base," Singh said.

However, as it is clear to observers that Nitish Kumar still believes that he did not get the desired result from the fourth meeting of the INDIA bloc, he will do hard bargaining with the RJD and the Congress.

Sources said that Congress senior leader Rahul Gandhi talked to Nitish Kumar over the phone after the fourth meeting of the INDIA bloc but the contents of the conversation were not revealed.

However, the general perception is that he tried to convince Nitish Kumar to fight the election with full vigour like he did in the 2015 Assembly election.

Bihar has 40 Lok Sabha seats and the JD(U) and RJD will contest on the maximum seats in Bihar.

The leaders of the JD(U) and RJD have not said anything but sources say that the JD(U) wants 17 to 18 seats in Bihar and the RJD leaders are thinking the same way. The leaders of these two parties may go for the formula of the 2015 Assembly elections when they had contested on 100 seats each and the remaining 43 seats were given to the Congress party.

This time they want to contest 17 to 18 seats each and give the remaining six or four seats to the Congress and Left parties.

There is also a possibility that the JD(U) who has 16 MPs in the Lok Sabha might agree for 16 seats and the RJD will get 16 and the remaining eight seats will be distributed among Congress and the Left parties.

Bihar has three political forces, i.e. the RJD, JD(U) and the BJP and everyone knows that whenever two forces are on one side they win the election unless anyone underperforms or bats for the BJP just like the LJP did in the 2020 Assembly election in Bihar.

The Mahagathbandhan easily defeated the BJP in the 2015 Assembly election when the JD(U) and the RJD were alliance partners along with the Congress party. At that time, the Modi wave was much stronger than now. Similarly when the JD(U) and the BJP were together in the 2020 Assembly elections, they won it convincingly. The Lok Sabha election of 2019 was also an example of it when the JD(U) and the BJP contested together along with the LJP and won 39 out of 40 seats of Bihar.

Though the morale of the saffron brigade is high after the thumping victory in the three Assembly elections, it needs to be cautious ahead of 2024, especially in Bihar.

The BJP always loves to find gaps in the Opposition camp to create confusion and if the RJD and the JD(U) will fight together like they did in the 2015 Assembly election, the BJP might struggle here.

The BJP is raking up the issue of rising crimes and hooch tragedies due to the failure of the liquor ban in dry Bihar and is saying that Jungle Raj has returned to the state under Nitish Kumar.

"Under the rule of Nitish Kumar, not only the common man but the cops are also in the target zone of criminals. The murder of an ASI in Begusarai is a prime example of this as the liquor mafia mowed him down on duty," said Bihar BJP president.

However, in an under-developed state like Bihar, caste factor is the only thing that voters keep in mind during any election and other issues like jobs, industrialisation, farmers and other problems are secondary.

This is the reason why the RJD is in a comfortable zone as everyone knows that Lalu Prasad and Tejashwi Yadav will fight against the BJP at any cost.

Lalu Prasad never compromised with the BJP and RSS in his entire political career and this could be the reason why Muslims and Yadavs, who have higher number of votes as per the recently-concluded caste survey (Muslim 17.7 per cent and Yadavs 14 per cent) in Bihar, will vote decisively for the RJD. If the Koiri having 4.21 per cent and Kurmis having 2.87 per cent voters (Lav-Kush) in Bihar, will join hands then the BJP can easily be defeated.
Jammu, Dec 23 : One terrorist was killed after an infiltration bid foiled at the International Border in the Akhnoor sector of Jammu and Kashmir, officials said on Saturday.

Army said a group of four infiltrators, who were trying to cross into India, were repulsed back due to effective firing by the Army.

The body of one terrorist was dragged back across the International Border.

"Infiltration bid foiled in IB sector of Khour, Akhnoor.

"Suspected move of four terrorists seen through own surveillance devices on the night of 22/23 Dec 23," the Army said.

"Effective fire brought down. Terrorists seen dragging one body back across the IB."
By Junko Horiuchi, KYODO NEWS - Dec 23, 2023 - 10:53 | All, World, Japan, Travel/Tourism

Palestine hopes to showcase the resilience of its people at the 2025 World Exposition in Osaka, although challenges posed by the Israel-Hamas war could jeopardize its participation in the event, according to its representative to Japan.

"We, the people that are being killed and our lives being taken away from us, are coming to show the world we love life," Waleed Siam, representative of the Permanent General Mission of Palestine in Japan, told Kyodo News in a recent interview.

But at the same time, Siam acknowledged that the conflict between Israel and Hamas militant group in the Gaza Strip since early October has stalled preparations, such as by hindering the movement of exhibition designers and slowing communication.

"We have to wait and see what happens and then decide if we're going to design (a pavilion) or we're going to come to Expo 2025 or not," he said, adding it depends on political factors, the situation back home and budget constraints.

"So there are many questions right now that we are facing for the Expo 2025," he said.

If Palestine takes part, Siam said he wants to exhibit its technology, culture and food in a "way to show that the Palestinians are not just occupied and in tents."

In the previous World Expo held in Dubai from October 2021 to March 2022, Palestine built one of its largest pavilions that offered visitors virtual reality tours of key sights in Jerusalem, while specially designed urns released the scent of Palestine-grown fruits.

Siam said he wants to deliver a message at the next expo about the strength of the Palestinian people by drawing a parallel between their endurance in the face of occupation and adversity to that of an olive tree, which takes years to grow olives and can survive in challenging environments.

"The tree is resilient to the weather, to the soil, to the water and all that. That represents the Palestinians in many ways," he said, adding that just as olive trees continue to grow and multiply, life passes on to children and grandchildren in Palestine over time.

He said the exhibition will not directly criticize the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territory and noted that anything sent out from there, including materials to be shown at the expo, requires approval from Israel.

The World Expo is slated to begin on April 13, 2025 and run through Oct. 13 on Yumeshima, an artificial island in Osaka Bay, centered on the theme of "Designing Future Society for Our Lives." Around 160 countries and regions are set to take part, according to the Japanese Foreign Ministry.

As for the ongoing war in Gaza, Siam reiterated his call for a "complete cease-fire" and withdrawal of Israeli forces, while urging the Japanese government to continue "pressuring Israel" at the United Nations to halt the bloodshed.

"People are living in the open air right now because there (are) not enough tents...Life is very, very difficult" even with international humanitarian aid, he said, calling the situation a "humanitarian catastrophe."

Siam, who has been in the post for 20 years, also welcomed demonstrations staged in Japan for a cease-fire and an end to civilian casualties in Palestine, saying Japanese society "has been a great supporter of us."

Related coverage:

Japan vows $3 million to provide education for refugees

U.S. vetoes Gaza resolution at U.N. despite Guterres' call for truce
Varanasi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and others during the inauguration of Swarved Mahamandir. Image Source: IANS News

Lucknow, Dec 23 : The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Uttar Pradesh remains unstoppable. Modi's guarantee, Yogi's magic, beneficiary loyalty, topped with the Ram temple construction provide the perfect recipe for success in the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls in 2024.

From 'Modi hai to mumkin hai', the BJP in Uttar Pradesh now firmly believes in 'Yogi hai to magic hai'.

The Yogi factor has been working overtime in the by-elections and the recent municipal polls to ensure a sweeping win for the BJP.

BJP cadres are confident that Yogi Adityanath's growing stature as a Hindu leader, his tough image as an administrator and his all-pervasive charisma will ensure a resounding victory for the BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

A fragmented Opposition will only make things easier for a saffron wave to sweep the state.

The BJP in Uttar Pradesh, so far, has only one strategy and that is to keep the party cadre mobilised for elections and to revisit each booth with regular frequency.

"We have charismatic leaders like Modi and Yogi and all we need to do is prevent our foot soldiers from becoming complacent. Our 'panna pramukhs' and 'vistaraks' are on the job and our leaders are working on the seats where the party is comparatively weak," said a party functionary.

On the organisational front, the BJP leaders are not taking any chances to ensure the party's victory and overcome the anti-incumbency factor, if any.

The BJP is also preparing to change candidates in order to counter the anti-incumbency factor.

Party sources claim that some candidates may be dropped for having crossed the age bar of 70-plus while others may not get tickets for under-performing in their constituencies.

Though the BJP is focussing on caste arithmetic and wooing OBCs with a vengeance, it is mainly focusing on a group that transcends the caste carrier.

The BJP is eyeing the vote bank of beneficiaries which the minorities and Dalits form a large chunk of.

"These are the groups that have benefitted from the schemes of the Central and state governments and we are reaching out to them. It is not a question of caste or religion but a question of have-nots receiving benefits," the party functionary said.

For the middle class and the upper castes, Yogi's bulldozer campaign against the mafia is a part of the party's election strategy.

"Traders and builders are no longer complaining of extortion and land is not being usurped by the mafia. This will be used to advantage in the campaign," the functionary added.

The BJP has been quietly working to win the Other Backward Castes and is using the 'Hindu First' card to dilute the Opposition's demand for a caste census.

Interestingly, the BJP is not looking towards celebrity campaigners in 2024. "When our leaders are our biggest stars, why should we reach out to film stars?" asked a party functionary.

Besides, the BJP has firmly put the spotlight on the Ram temple and the Yogi Government is sparing no efforts to make the consecration ceremony of the Ram temple on January 22 the biggest event of the century.

The total revamp of Ayodhya will be a major tourist attraction for years to come.

"I told you that 'Yogi hai to magic hai' and Modi is an added advantage. Need we say more?" Moreover, the opposition has nothing to offer except drawing room chatter and it is the BJP which is seen working on the ground," the functionary remarked.

And nothing could be closer to the truth this time.
Mumbai, Dec 23 : Global star Ram Charan and his wife Upasana paid a visit at the office of Maharashtra's Chief Minister, Eknath Shinde, in Mumbai.

The couple, who were first spotted at the Mahalaxmi temple, celebrating their daughter Klin Kaara's 6th-month birthday, visited the Chief Minister's office as they continue their stay in Mumbai.

The meeting was marked by sincere greetings and the exchange of thoughtful gifts. Shinde's son, Shrikant, was also present to welcome the guests.

The highlight of the occasion was a traditional Tilak ceremony and a small Aarti performed by Vrushali, Shinde's daughter-in-law, in a gesture of traditional hospitality extended to the visiting family.

For the occasion, Ram Charan dressed up in a stylish denim shirt and black trousers, and Upasana chose a graceful satin floral kurti.

The visit showcased the couple's continued commitment to fostering positive connections and contributing to the welfare of the community.
Patna, Dec 23 : A double bench of the Patna High Court recently set aside the death penalty awarded to a man for the murder and rape of a girl, after finding that the prosecution's case was based only on the fact that a sniffer dog had entered the accused's house.

Patna, Dec 23 (IANS) A double bench of the Patna High Court recently set aside the death penalty awarded to a man for the murder and rape of a girl, after finding that the prosecutionas case was based only on the fact that a sniffer dog had entered the accused's house.

The double bench of Justice Ashutosh Kumar and Justice Alok Kumar Pandey said that the dependency on specialization of a sniffer dog cannot be right.

The case was reported in 2019 when a minor girl was gang-raped and murdered in Bihar's Araria district.

The police brought a sniffer dog which smelt the dead body and then went into the house of a person who was sleeping in a locked room.

Police arrested that person on the charge of gang-rape and murder.

The trial court of Araria in October 2021 convicted him guilty of the crime and awarded him the death penalty.

The man then filed a plea in the Patna High Court.

During the hearing on Friday, the double bench said that the prosecution has no more evidence than a sniffer dog which went inside the house of a person.

A sniffer dog cannot be the evidence and dependency on the specialization of a sniffer dog is not right, said the court. Unless and until, the court would not investigate the efficiency, reliability, previous performance, patterns and the capability of its handler, it would not be the solid proof.

The double bench refused the argument of prosecution and immediately acquitted the accused.
Bengaluru, Dec 23 : The Karnataka Police on Saturday arrested the headmistress of a government school here for allegedly making the children to clean toilets.

Laxmidevamma, the headmistress in the Andrahalli Government Model Higher Primary school in Bengaluru. The arrest was made following the complaint by the Block Education Officer (BEO) Anjinappa in this regard with the Byadarahalli police station.

The accused headmistress will be produced before the court on Saturday. As per the officials, Class 6 students were asked to clean the school toilets by using acid. The parents after coming to know about the incident staged a protest before the school.

Lakshmidevamma was suspended by the Department of Education after the incident came to light on Friday.

The Leader of the Opposition, R. Ashoka had visited the school and slammed the Congress government over the development. He had charged that the government seems to be not alive in the state.

The development has proved to be an embarrassment for the Congress government and especially CM Siddaramaiah. The incident of school children being asked to clean the septic tank in the premises of the school in Kolar district was also reported recently.
New Delhi, Dec 23 : Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday paid his tributes to former Prime Minister P.V. Narsimha Rao on his death anniversary, saying that under his government, India embarked on a transformative journey with a series of economic reforms.

In a post on X, Kharge said, "Our tribute to Former Prime Minister, P. V. Narasimha Rao. Under his government, India embarked on a transformative journey with a series of economic reforms that played a pivotal role in shaping the middle class for generations to come."

Recalling his contributions, the Congress leader said, "He also made significant contributions to Indiaas Nuclear programme and a number of foreign policy achievements marked his tenure, including the aLook Easta policy.

His tremendous role in the prosperity and development of our nation shall always be cherished."

Rao was the ninth Prime Minister of India between 1991 and 1996. Under his government, various liberal reforms to India's economy were introduced. He died on December 23, 2004.
Amaravati, Dec 23 : The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) has condemned the arrest of Non-Resident Indian Yash Bodduluri by Andhra Pradesh on his arrival at Hyderabad Airport.

Bodduluri was arrested on Friday night.

TDP General Secretary Nara Lokesh said he was shocked to learn about the illegal arrest of Yash Bodduluri on the basis of false cases filed against him in Andhra Pradesh.

"This draconian govt wants to stifle voices that question with arrests and detentions. I have learned that he was whisked away like a terrorist which is appalling to say the least," he posted on 'X'.

"We will not rest until justice is delivered. The last days of YSRCP are near," added the TDP leader.

Hailing from Tenali in Guntur district, the NRI based in the US is a techie and a supporter of TDP.

Popular as Yash on social media, he was booked by the Crime Investigation Department (CID) of Andhra Pradesh for certain social media posts critical of the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) government.

When he arrived at the Hyderabad Airport on Friday night, the CID arrested him.

He told the officials that he was proceeding to Tenali to see his ailing mother but they whisked him away in their vehicle.

He was shifted to the CID office in Guntur.

On learning about this, TDP leaders reached there and staged a protest.

The CID officials served a notice to Yash under section 41A of CrPC, directing him to appear for questioning at CID regional office in Tirupati on January 11, 2024. He was later let off.
New York, Dec 23 : Polluted air may trigger more asthma attacks in urban children and teenagers, according to a study published online in The Lancet Planetary Health journal.

Even moderate levels of ozone and fine airborne particulates -- two ingredients of smog -- appear to increase kids' risk of asthma attacks, the findings revealed.

"The strong association this study demonstrates between specific air pollutants among children in impoverished urban communities and non-viral asthma attacks further augments the evidence that reducing air pollution would improve human health," said Dr. Hugh Auchincloss, acting director of the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID).

The study also tied the ozone and fine airborne particulates to distinct changes in children's airways that could trigger an asthma attack, said Dr. Matthew Altman, Associate Professor in the department of medicine at the University of Washington School of Medicine, in Seattle.

It's one of the first times elevated levels of distinctive air pollutants in specific urban locations have been tied to the risk of asthma attacks.

During an asthma attack, inflammation causes the lining of airways to swell as muscles around the airways contract and mucus floods the passages -- all substantially narrowing the space through which air passes in and out of the lungs.

Children in low-income urban areas are at particularly high risk for asthma attacks, the researchers said.

The study included 208 children aged six to 17 with attack-prone asthma living in low-income neighbourhoods in one of nine different US cities.

The researchers later validated their findings in a second group of 189 people aged six to 20 living in low-income areas of four US cities.

The team tracked daily air quality and compared it to reports of asthma attacks in the urban children. They also checked to make sure that the children weren't suffering from respiratory viruses that can promote asthma.

The researchers found that asthma attacks were caused by pollution rather than viruses in nearly 30 per cent of the children, two to three times the proportion seen in children who don't live in urban areas.

The attacks were specifically associated with locally elevated levels of fine particulates and ozone in outdoor air, the team said.

By analysing nasal cell samples obtained from the children, the investigators further found that elevated levels of those pollutants affected the expression of genes that play a role in airway inflammation.

These results could lead to treatments that would counteract the harmful effects of air pollution on human airways, the researchers reported.

The findings also indicate that people with asthma might benefit from toting around personal air quality monitors, which could warn them of conditions that contribute to asthma attacks.
Hyderabad, Dec 23 : Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan and Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Saturday paid tributes to former Prime Minister P. V. Narasimha Rao on his 19th death anniversary.

They along with several ministers and family members of Narasimha Rao visited PV Gnana Bhoomi on the banks of Hussain Sagar lake here to pay floral tributes.

The Chief Minister was accompanied by ministers D. Sridhar Babu, Komatireddy Venkat Reddy and Seethakka.

Revanth Reddy, in his post on aXa, called Narasimha Rao aflag of our glorya and ason of Telangana soila.

The Governor called the former Prime Minister a great son of Telangana soil, an erudite scholar, a statesman and administrator par excellence.

Popular as PV, Narasimha Rao hailed from Vangara in Karimnagar district of Telangana. He was Indiaas first and only Telugu Prime Minister. He also had the distinction of being the first Prime Minister outside the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty to complete a full five-year term.

PV, who also served as the Chief Minister of undivided Andhra Pradesh and as a Central minister, was known as a scholar, statesman, a polyglot and an author.

PV, who was first elected to the Parliament in 1972, held several cabinet posts under Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi including Foreign Minister from 1980 to 1984.

Described as political aChanakyaa by many, PV managed to complete the full term despite being just short of a majority in Parliament.
Noida, Dec 23 : Popular motivational speaker and social media influencer Vivek Bindra has been booked for allegedly assaulting his wife in Noida, police said.

A video of the incident is also going viral on social media. Bindra has 21.4 million followers on YouTube.

As per the FIR which has been lodged by Bindraas brother-in-law in Noida sector 126 police station, Vivek Bindra was married to Yanika on November 6, 2023. Vivek Bindra lives with his family in Supernova Apartment in Noida Sector 94.

According to the FIR, on December 7, 2023, Vivek Bindra was arguing with his mother Prabha about something late at night. When his wife intervened in the case, he assaulted his wife and threw her out of the house.

Vaibhav Kwatra, the brother-in-law of Vivek Bindra, admitted his sister to a private hospital in Delhi, where she is undergoing treatment.

Police officials said that action will be taken after investigation. Some videos related to this case are also going viral on social media. In one of these videos, Vivek Bindra is seen pushing and dragging his wife outside at the gate of the society.

Reportedly, this is the second marriage of Vivek Bindra.
Tehran, Dec 23 : Iran and Azerbaijan have agreed to open a new transit passage at their shared border in the near future, Iran's official news agency IRNA reported Friday.

In a phone call with Azerbaijani Deputy Prime Minister Shahin Mustafayev, Iranian Minister of Roads and Urban Development Mehrdad Bazrpash discussed the latest developments in bilateral relations, especially in the economic, transportation and energy sectors, the Xinhua News Agency reported.

The two sides said they would attend the transit passage's inauguration ceremony at the Astara border crossing in northern Iran, IRNA added, without specifying the date.

The Azerbaijani deputy prime minister said rail transportation of commodities between the two countries grew by 47 percent year-on-year in 2023, surpassing more than 700,000 tons for the time.

Mustafayev added that transportation between the two countries rose by 40 percent from last year.

According to IRNA, the two sides also stressed the need to accelerate finalizing joint projects, including building dams.
KYODO NEWS - Dec 23, 2023 - 21:13 | All, Japan, World

Shiseido Co. said Saturday that it will acquire U.S. cosmetics company DDG Skincare Holdings LLC for $450 million to bolster sales of high-end skincare products as part of efforts to diversify its businesses.

DDG Skincare Holdings is known for its exfoliators sold under the Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare brand launched by a practicing dermatologist. The company's sales are estimated at $94 million in 2023, up 18 percent from a year earlier.

The Japanese company is looking to reduce its dependence on China as sales in the world's second-largest economy are faltering. Chinese consumers are steering clear of Japanese products following the release of treated radioactive water from the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.

The acquisition comes as demand for cosmetic products supervised by skin specialists is growing in the United States, Europe and Japan.

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New Delhi, Dec 23 : The central government has given the go-ahead to big GW scale projects for setting up around 48.3 GW of integrated high efficiency Solar PV module manufacturing capacity in the country under its Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme as part of the big push to green energy, according to Minister of Power and Renewable Energy R.K. Singh.

New Delhi, Dec 23 (IANS) The central government has given the go-ahead to big GW scale projects for setting up around 48.3 GW of integrated high efficiency Solar PV module manufacturing capacity in the country under its Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme as part of the big push to green energy, according to Minister of Power and Renewable Energy R.K. Singh.

Demand for India-made solar PV modules is expected to get a fillip with the Central Public Sector Undertaking (CPSU) Scheme Phase-II for setting up 12,000 MW grid-connected Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Power Projects by Government Producers, using domestically manufactured solar PV cells and modules.

The government is providing Viability Gap Funding (VGF) support in these projects for self-use or use by government entities, either directly or through Distribution Companies (DISCOMS), the minister informed Parliament on Friday.

The scheme for Development of Solar Parks and Ultra-mega Solar Power Projects with a target of setting up 40,000 MW capacity is also making headway in helping the country achieve its renewable energy targets.

Under the scheme, the infrastructure such as land, roads, power evacuation system water facilities are developed with all statutory approvals which is helping expeditious development of utility-scale solar projects in the country.

Battery energy storage systems, which have a crucial role to play in the switch to renewable energy, have been lagging behind worldwide.

The minister informed Parliament that the government has approved the scheme for Viability Gap Funding (VGF) for the development of Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) with capacity of 4,000 megawatts hours (MWh).

Under the scheme, VGF to the extent of up to 40 per cent of capital cost for BESS shall be provided by the central government. Public and private sector entities shall be selected through the bidding process to be conducted by the Implementing Agency(ies) as per the provisions of the Scheme and Bidding Guidelines for the development of BESS.

The projects under the scheme will be approved during a period of three years (2023-24 to 2025-26) and for passing on the scheme to consumers of the Discoms, at least 85 per cent of the power from VGF-funded BESS projects will be first offered to Discoms before making it available for others. The selection of developers under the VGF scheme has not commenced yet.

The minister also informed that solar capacity of around 72.31 GW has been installed in the country as on November 30. This includes 58.53 GW from ground-mounted solar projects, 11.08 GW from Rooftop solar capacity, and 2.70 GW from off-grid solar capacity in the country, which includes 11.12 million solar lights.

Solar thermal collector area of around 11 million square meters was installed till 2016-17 and since then it has been implemented in market mode without any financial support from Government.
New Delhi, Dec 23 : Over 40,000 Chinese nationals associated with unlawful online scam groups in Myanmar's northern Shan state were arrested and deported during a three-month period from early September to mid-December, data from relevant groups indicate, media reports said.

New Delhi, Dec 23 (IANS) Over 40,000 Chinese nationals associated with unlawful online scam groups in Myanmaras northern Shan state were arrested and deported during a three-month period from early September to mid-December, data from relevant groups indicate, media reports said.

Shan state, known as a hub for crystal methamphetamine trafficking, is rife with other illegal activities in enclaves along the Chinese border, as criminals take advantage of ongoing civil unrest and armed conflict under the junta which seized power in a 2021 coup.

Falling within neighboring Chinaas orbit, northern Shan state has become a focal point for Chinese scammers who target their own citizens, RFA reported.

From October 31 to December 15, nearly 12,050 Chinese citizens linked to online scam groups in the region were arrested and deported, according to a mid-December announcement by the State Administration Council, the formal name of the military junta governing Myanmar.

Most of the Chinese nationals sent back were operating in the Kokang region, whose mostly ethnic Chinese population has backed resistance to the junta.

Arrests of other Chinese nationals involved in the criminal activity have occurred in territory controlled by the United Wa State Army, or USWA, said to be the largest ethnic armed organisation in Myanmar.

USWA soldiers arrested more than 1,000 Chinese nationals involved in the gangs on September 6-7 and immediately transferred them across the border to Chinese police, RFA reported.

Chinaas Ministry of Public Security announced on November 21 that it had apprehended more than 31,000 Chinese nationals linked to online fraud gangs in northern Myanmar. Those arrested included ringleaders, recruiters and over 1,500 Chinese fugitives.

Altogether, the figures add up to over 40,000 Chinese nationals arrested and deported in connection with online scam operaions from early September to mid-December.
Mandya : , Dec 23 (IANS) Reacting to the announcement of CM Siddaramaiah to lift ban on the hijab, Muskan, a student from Mandya district in Karnataka who had raised the slogan of "Allah hu Akbar" against a group that chanted "Jai Shri Ram", stated that,"hijab is our right and let us live like brothers and sisters henceforth".

Speaking to the media on Saturday, Muskan said, "Hijab is our culture. It is our right. I believe that we will get the right. There should be no politics in education.

"I thank CM Siddaramaiah, Minister Zameer Ahmad Khan, Speaker U.T. Khader and DyCM D.K. Shivakumar. I thank them for giving back our rights. They have supported our culture. We used to study at the college like brothers and sisters. It should always be like that," she stated.

"She further said, "Hijab is our religion and we need to follow it. Because of the ban on hijab many girls were forced to remain at their homes. I did not go to college for a year. Now, I am going to PES College. The others also should come out and take exams," Muskan stated.

At the height of the hijab crisis in the state during the previous government, Muskan had taken out a pro-Islam slogan and confronted a group of students chanting pro-Hindu slogans in the college campus.

The video of the incident had gone viral on social media. Terrorist Al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Jawahiri had appreciated Muskan and addressed her as sister. In a video, he had appealed to the Muslims of India to raise their voice. The development had raised many concerns then.
Thiruvananthapuram, Dec 23 : In a bizarre act of 'high handedness', the Kerala Police on Saturday fired tear gas shells and water canons when the leaders were addressing a protest march led by State Congress President K. Sudhakaran and other top party leaders, here.

The incident occurred before the state police headquarters when the Congress party workers were protesting against Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who is also the Home Minister, for giving a 'free hand' to the police and the CPI-M party cadres for attacking the Congress.

Sudhakaran, who has been hospitalised following discomfort in breathing after the police fired tear gas, said such an act has not happened before.

"I had finished speaking to the protesters and the Leader of Opposition V.D. Satheesan had just started to speak. Suddenly tear gas shells and also water cannons were fired. Many of us were caught unawares and many of us suffered breathing issues," said Sudhakaran.

Satheesan said such acts have never before taken place on leaders.

"The reigns of the police have been taken by a group in the office of Vijayan and it's they who are directing the police to do this criminal act. The state police chief is sidelined and it's this group that runs the police, hence this dastardly act took place," said Satheesan.

Shashi Tharoor, the local Congress MP of the state capital city, said 18 tear gas shells were fired.

"This was an extreme step taken by the police as generally when the leaders speak at protest marches, there will be no action. Everything was going peacefully when this act by the police took place. I spoke to the state police chief and he said he is not aware of this and will find out. I will be filing a breach of privilege notice before the Lok Sabha speaker on what happened and the legislators also will be doing the same," said Tharoor.

Legislators Chandy Oommen, Anwar Sadath and Rajya Sabha member Jeby Mether and several other leaders have also been admitted to the hospitals.

Senior Congress Lok Sabha member K. Muraleedharan said this is 'brazen act' by the police who would have got the signal from Vijayan to rough us up.

"The statewide yatra led by Vijayan and accompanied by his entire cabinet which is ending later in the day here has turned out to be a damp squib and to vent his anger about it, this was a pre-planned attack on us," said Muraleedharan.

Meanwhile, the top leadership of the Congress has now decided to organise a statewide protest later in the evening against the attack by the police.
New Delhi, Dec 23 : Congress leader Karti Chidambaram on Saturday appeared before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for questioning in connection with the money laundering probe into the alleged irregularities in the issuance of visas to 263 Chinese nationals in 2011.

Karti, who is also a Lok Sabha MP from Tamil Nadu's Sivaganga, appeared before the ED at its headquarters here at around 12 noon. He had earlier skipped two ED summons.

The case registered in 2022 alleges that Rs 50 lakh was paid as kickback to Karti and his close associate S. Bhaskararaman by a top executive of Vedanta group company Talwandi Sabo Power Ltd. (TSPL), which was setting up a power plant in Punjab.

The revelations were made through an FIR filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), based on which a money laundering case was filed.
New Delhi, Dec 23 : Delhi L-G V K Saxena has recommended for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry in the matter of non standard drugs procured and supplied in Delhi government Hospitals.

The official said that Saxena in his note to Chief Secretary mentioned that it's concerning that these medicines are being given to lakhs of patients

The L-G raised his concern over the hefty budgetary allocation in procurement as well.

The source, meanwhile, referring to the L-G's note to the Chief Secretary stated that it is with a sense of deep concern that he has perused the file.

"I am, to say the least, anguished at the fact that lakhs of hapless people and patients are being supplied fake drugs that have failed quality standard tests. These drugs, procured by the Central Procurement Agency (CPA) under Delhi Health Service (DHS) were supplied to Delhi government hospitals and may also have been supplied to the Mohalla Clinics.

"Tested by government as well as private analysts or laboratories as per rules and statutory provisions under the Drugs and Cosmetic Act, 1940, these have failed and are categorized as 'Not of Standard Quality'," the source said, quoting the L-G note to Chief Secretary.

The L-G, the source said, that needless to say, these drugs procured by spending huge budgetary resources are a grave threat to public health and safety and have the potential of endangering lives of people.

"Prima facie, apart from CPA-DHS, GNCTD there are suppliers, manufacturers situated in other states and Drug Controllers in those states associated in this whole exercise," the source said.

The source said that accordingly, since the matter of Mohalla Clinics is already entrusted to CBI, this case, which may, inter alia, also involve supply of these failed 'not of standard quality' drugs to such clinics, may also be entrusted to the Central Agency, especially in light of the fact that the investigation therein involves multi inter-state stakeholders including CPA- DHS, GNCTD, suppliers or dealers, manufacturers in other states and other state agencies.

"Other proposals of the Department at 8/N and 9/N may be urgently disposed as per extant laws, rules and provisions and the actions taken thereon should be conveyed to all concerned within seven days," the source said referring to the L-G's note.

The source said that report of directorate of Vigilance in the sub standard drugs matter stated that out of 43 samples, which have been sent to govt labs, three samples failed as 12 reports are still pending.

The source also said that out of another 43 samples sent to private labs five samples have failed and 38 samples found of standard quality

The source said that Amlodipine, Levetiracetam, Pantoprazole medicines failed in both government as well as private labs.

Even medicines like Cephalexin, Dexamethasone have failed in private labs.

The source said that reports of 11 samples are pending with the government lab of Chandigarh.

Vigilance Department also recommended that since more than 10 per cent samples have failed so department should increase the scope of sampling.
Mumbai, Dec 23 : Australia Women continued to fight back in the one-off Test against India Women as they reached 156/3 in 50 overs, whittling away the 187-run lead they had conceded on the first innings to just 31 at Tea on the third day at the Wankhede on Saturday.

Australia rode on an 84-run partnership between Ellyse Perry and Tahlia McGrath to build on the good start provided by openers Beth Mooney (33) and Phoebe Litchfield (18) before lunch.

At the Tea break, Tahlia McGrath was batting on 46 with skipper Alyssa Healy on 4.

After Australia ended India's first innings in 36 minutes in the morning after the addition of just 30 runs to the overnight score of 376/7, openers Mooney and Litchfield raised 49 runs for the first wicket before they squandered the advantage by losing two easy wickets.

Mooney was the first to go, run out by Richa Ghosh for 33 off 37 balls, studded with seven boundaries. Mooney, who had batted well in the first innings too, ventured out of the crease in her follow-through while playing a defensive shot and Ghosh, stationed at silly point struck the stumps with Mooney well out, casually ambling to the crease not expecting Ghosh to hit the stumps. Australia lost their first wicket for 49 runs.

A few minutes later, Litchfield joined her in the dressing room, bowled by Sneh Rana for 18 off 44 balls.

Three balls after hitting a beautiful boundary, and walking down the pitch to punch a fullish delivery through covers, Litchfield attempted a reverse sweep off a full-length ball on the off-stump, completely missed the line and had her stumps disturbed. There was no need for her to manufacture that reverse sweep as she was doing well playing traditional shots.

From 49 for no loss, Australia slumped to 56/2 in the space of 12 deliveries a few minutes before the lunch break. It is now left for Perry and McGrath to keep their fight going as the Indian bowlers use all weapons in their arsenal to get them out.

However, Perry and McGrath prevented another collapse as they cautiously built a good partnership to win the session for Australia, who added 93 runs to the score losing one wicket.

Perry survived an appeal for lbw off a defensive prod off Rajeshwari Gayakwad as the Indians reviewed it after the umpire rejected the appeal. DRS ruled that the impact was outside off stump as India lost a review.

The 33-year-old right-hander struck five boundaries in her 91-ball 45 as they tackled the Indian attack without taking many risks. Indian skipper Harmanpreet Kaur used five bowlers including part-timer Jemimah Rodrigues but they failed to get a breakthrough.

However, off-spinner Sneh Rana struck the vital blow for the hosts when she sent back Perry, who went back into the crease to attempt a flick off a full delivery going down the leg side and got a thin edge that wicketkeeper Yastika Bhatia did well to catch, moving brilliantly towards her left in a flash. Australia were down to 140/3 in 42.4 overs.

McGrath, who started very slowly, opened up a bit later as she scored seven fours in her well-compiled knock. She had her heart in her mouth when a thick outside edge off a forward prod just eluded Sneh Rana at first slip as she was standing a bit wide.

A solid punch through extra cover off Rajeshwari Gayakwad, which brought the fifty of their partnership off 69 balls, a cut past cover off Pooja Vastrakar in the 23rd over and a charge down the wicket to loft Gayakwad over extra cover were the best of her seven boundaries.

Brief scores (at Tea, Day 3):

Australia Women 219 & 156/3 in 50 overs (, Ellyse Perry 45, Tahila McGrath batting 46; Sneh Rana 2-44) trail India Women 406 all out in 126.3 overs (Deepti Sharma 78, Smriti Mandhana 74, Jemimah Rodrigues 73; Richa Ghosh 52, Pooja Vastrakar 47; Ashleigh Gardner 4-100, Annabel Sutherland 2-41, Kim Garth 2-58) by 31 runs.
Tel Aviv, Dec 23 : A mass exodus of Palestinians has begun in central Gaza after the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) ordered the Palestinians to move to south Gaza's Deir el-Balah area.

"My wife was injured in an IDF attack. We now have to again move to a new camp. We are weary, tired and helpless," Muhammad Al-Fajar, a resident of central Gaza, told IANS over phone.

He said that Salah al-Din street -- which is the entry point to the Bureij refugee camp -- is the place where Palestinians are trying to escape.

"IDF has shot many people dead who were trying to escape to Bureij camp," Fajar said.

He said that he and his family -- including wife and four children -- are moving on foot to the new camp.

"There is a possibility of an imminent attack on us," Fajar said.

He said that most of the Internally Displaced People (IDP) have loaded pick-up trucks and donkey carts with mattresses, beddings and other essential items including kitchen utensils and are moving towards south Gaza.

During the temporary one week truce from November 24 to December 1, between Hamas and Israel, the Hamas released 105 hostages while 129 hostages still remain in Hamas captivity.

The Israelis believe that out of the remaining 129 hostages, at least 20 hostages have died.

There are thousands of Palestinians in Israeli jails who have been held without any trials and access to legal counsel.

The Palestinian Prisoners Club has said that Israeli forces have arrested more than 4,655 people in the occupied West Bank since October 7.

Israel launched a ground offensive inside Gaza on October 27 after Hamas attacked Israel in a surprise attack on October 7 in which 1200 Israelis were killed and over 200 were taken hostage.

Since the outbreak of hostilities between Hamas and Israel, over 20,057 Palestinians have been killed mostly being children and women while 52,286 Palestinians have been injured.
New Delhi, Dec 23 : A Delhi court on Saturday extended till Januray 5 the police custody of Mahesh Kumawat, one of the accused persons in the Parliament security breach case.

The same court of Additional Sessions Judge (ASJ) Hardeep Kaur on Thursday and Friday extended till January 5 the police custody of four other accused persons and the mastermind, Lalit Jha, arrested in the case, respectively.

The four accused individuals are -- Sagar Sharma, Manoranjan D., Neelam Azad and Amol Shinde. Two were arrested inside Parliament and the other two outside.

The police told the court that Kumawat was required to be questioned to unearth the entire conspiracy.

The public prosecutor had earlier said that he was involved in destruction of mobile phones and was trying to spread anarchy in the country.

The court had noted that Kumawat was involved in the conspiracy for the last two years and acknowledged the public prosecutor's submission that his custody was required to unearth the entire conspiracy.

It was further submitted that the accused wanted to create anarchy in the country so that they could compel the government to meet their unjust and illegal demands.

"He was in contact with other persons in hatching the conspiracy for the last two years. He helped mastermind Jha in the destruction of mobile phones to destroy evidence and to hide the larger conspiracy," the public prosecutor had said.

The public prosecutor had told the court that the accused's custody was required to find the actual motive behind the attack, and his possible association with some enemy country or terrorist organisations.

Kumawat was arrested earlier on December 16 on charges of destruction of evidence and criminal conspiracy.

Five persons were directly involved in the planning and execution of the security breach in the Lok Sabha on December 13, the 22nd anniversary of the 2001 Parliament terror attack.

Two of them -- Sagar and Manoranjan -- burst yellow smoke canisters after jumping into the Lok Sabha hall from the visitors gallery before they were overpowered by the MPs present in the House.

Two others -- Neelam and Amol -- also burst smoke canisters and raised slogans outside Parliament. Jha, believed to be the mastermind of the entire plan, reportedly fled with the mobile phones of the four others from Parliament, sources said.

Manoranjan is from Mysuru, Sagar is a resident of Lucknow, Neelam is from Haryana's Jind, while Amol hails from Maharashtra's Latur. Jha is a native of Bihar.
Kolkata, Dec 23 : Two persons were killed while another was critically injured after a matador van collided head-on with a speeding truck on National High 60 near Bishnupur in West Bengal's Bankura district early on Saturday morning.

The deceased have been identified as Hadu Patra (48) and Sujan Patra (50). While one of them died on the spot, the other succumbed to his injuries at a local hospital. Both the deceased were residents of Anandapur in West Midnapore district.

Nantu Sil, who has been critically injured, is currently undergoing treatment at the Bishnupur Super Speciality Hospital, the police said.

The deceased and the injured person were travelling in the matador van which collided head-on with the truck. The truck driver is absconding.

The local people said the impact of the collision was such that the entire matador was crushed.

The bodies of the deceased have been sent for post-mortem.
Israel creates massive obstacles to aid distribution in Gaza -- UN chief

Xinhua) 10:24, December 23, 2023

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres speaks to reporters at the UN headquarters in New York, on Dec. 22, 2023. Guterres said Friday that the Israeli offensive is creating massive obstacles to the distribution of humanitarian aid inside Gaza. (Xinhua/Xie E)

UNITED NATIONS, Dec. 22 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Friday that the Israeli offensive is creating massive obstacles to the distribution of humanitarian aid inside Gaza.

Many people are measuring the effectiveness of the humanitarian operation in Gaza based on the number of trucks allowed to unload aid across the Egyptian-Gaza border. This is a mistake, said Guterres.

"The real problem is that the way Israel is conducting this offensive is creating massive obstacles to the distribution of humanitarian aid inside Gaza," he told reporters.

An effective aid operation in Gaza requires security, staff who can work in safety, logistical capacity, and the resumption of commercial activity. These four elements do not exist, he said.

Security for aid delivery is absent. The intense Israeli bombardment and active combat in densely populated urban areas throughout Gaza threaten the lives of civilians and humanitarian aid workers alike. The United Nations waited 71 days for Israel finally to allow aid to enter Gaza via the Kerem Shalom crossing. The crossing was then hit while aid trucks were in the area, he said.

The humanitarian operation requires staff who can live and work in safety. Some 136 UN staff members in Gaza have been killed in 75 days -- something unprecedented in the history of the United Nations. Nowhere is safe in Gaza, said Guterres.

Every truck that arrives at Kerem Shalom and Rafah border crossings must be unloaded, and its cargo re-loaded for distribution across Gaza. The United Nations has a limited and insufficient number of trucks available for this. Many of the UN vehicles and trucks were destroyed or left behind following forced, hurried evacuation from northern Gaza. But the Israeli authorities have not allowed any additional trucks to operate in Gaza. This is massively hampering the aid operation, he said.

Delivering in the north is extremely dangerous due to active conflict, unexploded ordnance, and heavily damaged roads. Everywhere, frequent communications blackouts make it virtually impossible to coordinate the distribution of aid, and to let people know how to access it, he added.

The resumption of commercial activities is essential. Shelves are empty, wallets are empty, stomachs are empty. Just one bakery is operating in the whole of Gaza, said Guterres. "I urge the Israeli authorities to lift restrictions on commercial activity immediately. We are ready to scale up our cash grant support to vulnerable families -- the most effective form of humanitarian aid. But in Gaza, there is very little to buy."

Over the last weeks and days, there has been no significant change in the way the war has been unfolding in Gaza. There is no effective protection of civilians. Intense Israeli bombardment and ground operations continue. More than 20,000 Palestinians have reportedly been killed, and the vast majority of them were women and children. Meanwhile, Hamas and other Palestinian factions continue to fire rockets from Gaza into Israel, he said.

Some 1.9 million people -- 85 percent of Gaza's population -- have been forced from their homes. The health system is on its knees. Hospitals in southern Gaza are dealing with at least three times their capacity. In the north, they are barely operational.

According to the World Food Programme, widespread famine looms. More than half a million people, a quarter of the population, are facing what experts classify as catastrophic levels of hunger. Four out of five of the hungriest people anywhere in the world are in Gaza. And clean water is at a trickle, he said.

"In these desperate conditions, it is little wonder that many people cannot wait for humanitarian distributions and are grabbing whatever they can from aid trucks. As I warned, public order is at risk of breaking down," he said.

Israel began its military operation in response to the horrific terror attacks launched by Hamas on Oct. 7. Nothing can possibly justify those attacks or the brutal abduction of some 250 hostages. But at the same time, these violations of international humanitarian law can never justify the collective punishment of the Palestinian people, and they do not free Israel from its own legal obligations under international law, he said.

A humanitarian cease-fire is the only way to begin to meet the desperate needs of people in Gaza and end their ongoing nightmare, he said.

Guterres expressed the hope that Friday's Security Council resolution that calls for the immediate acceleration of aid deliveries in Gaza, may help a humanitarian cease-fire finally to happen.

"I hope that today's resolution will make people understand that a humanitarian cease-fire is indeed something that is needed if we want humanitarian aid to be effectively delivered," he said.

The UN chief stressed the importance of the two-state solution.

"Looking at the longer term, I am extremely disappointed by comments from senior Israeli officials that put the two-state solution into question. As difficult as it might appear today, the two-state solution, in line with UN resolutions, international law and previous agreements, is the only path to sustainable peace," said Guterres. "Any suggestion otherwise denies human rights, dignity and hope to the Palestinian people, fueling rage that reverberates far beyond Gaza. It also denies a safe future for Israel."

The spillover of the war in Gaza is already happening, he warned.

The occupied West Bank is at boiling point. Daily exchanges of fire across the Blue Line between Lebanon and Israel pose a grave risk to regional stability. Attacks and threats to shipping on the Red Sea by the Houthis in Yemen are impacting shipping with the potential to affect global supply chains, he said.

Beyond the immediate region, the conflict is polarizing communities, feeding hate speech and fueling extremism. All this poses a significant and growing threat to global peace and security, he warned.

"As the conflict intensifies and the horror grows, we will continue to do our part. We will not give up. But at the same time, it is imperative that the international community speak with one voice -- for peace, for the protection of civilians, for an end to suffering, and for a commitment to the two-state solution, backed with action," he said.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres (L, rear) speaks to reporters at the UN headquarters in New York, on Dec. 22, 2023. Guterres said Friday that the Israeli offensive is creating massive obstacles to the distribution of humanitarian aid inside Gaza. (Xinhua/Xie E)

(Web editor: Chang Sha, Zhong Wenxing)
As the Skokie Village Board at its Dec. 18 meeting read through a routine ordinance establishing how much appointed officials should earn, tempers flared over allegations of impropriety leveled by the boards sole independent trustee, James Johnson.

For his part, Johnson said he would walk out in protest if the proposed ordinance passes at the next meeting

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Johnson said he was concerned that the proposed ordinance, which would need a second reading at the next village board meeting on Jan. 2, would take place before annual employee performance reviews. He urged his colleagues on the board to table the ordinance and asked if they wanted to recuse themselves from voting on the process, accusing them of having a conflict of interest with the villages corporation counsel and assistant corporation counsel, Michael Lorge and James McCarthy, respectively.

Johnson has for months alleged conflicts of interest on the part of Lorge and McCarthy, accusing them of using village resources and time to protect the Skokie Caucus Party, Skokies dominant political party since the 1960s. He has made four ethics complaints to the villages ethics commission since being elected in 2021; the commission has unanimously dismissed all four.

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James Johnson (right) at the November meeting of the Skokie Ethics Commission. Skokie resident Jerry Brozek is at left. (Richard Requena)

Johnsons motion to table the ordinance died after not receiving any support from other village board members.

I think it is so telling that this board is unwilling to do a performance review at this moment, Johnson said.

Johnson accused the rest of the village board of having a conflict of interest in keeping Lorge and McCarthy employed because the two have made political contributions, solicited political contributions, sponsored fundraisers, volunteered and petitioned for their campaigns.

If you vote to approve this ordinance, you will be voting for political hiring, he said.

He also has accused Mayor George Van Dusen and Trustee Ralph Klein of sending Lorge and McCarthy to bribe and threaten him when he was running for trustee as an independent candidate.

Did I hear that right? That I sent them to you? Is that what youre saying? interrupted a visibly displeased Klein.

Johnson continued, All of you are aware that last year, Mayor Van Dusen collaborated with Lorge and McCarthy to attempt to block an entire voter-initiated referendum campaign from the ballot. All of you are aware that members of this board misappropriated the services of the villages attorneys for political purposes. If you reward these attorneys with continued employment and pay increases, you will be actively covering up misconduct in our legal department.

Skokie mayor George Van Dusen at the June 20 Village Board meeting. (Brian L. Cox / Pioneer Press)

Johnson also maintained that the board should not vote on the ordinance because the legal department often fails to give us the legal advice that we actually need, citing investigations from the states attorneys office on Open Meeting Act violations in January and on Oct. 2.

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There is a widespread and fair perception in our community that our legal department serves political interests over the interests of the community as a whole. This perception is accurate, said Johnson.

Colleagues, how many of you will be recusing yourselves from this vote due to your conflicts of interest with members of our legal department? asked Johnson.

There are no conflicts of interest, said Van Dusen, after a brief pause.

Im so confused, said Trustee Alison Pure Slovin. It doesnt make a difference if Im a registered Republican or Democrat in the state, so its irrelevant. But, state representatives, state senators, the treasurer, the governor ... always solicits from me ... excuse me, um, a donation  Im so angry I cant think a donation.

I sign petitions, continued Pure Slovin. It is within our legal democratic right to be supportive of candidates and as far as I understand it, the attorneys for the village are still residents, so they can support, outside of the office, any candidate they want, whether its a ...Caucus, Republican, Democrat (sic) dont care what party you identify with, it is allowed within this party.

Johnson told Pure Slovin that he was bribed and threatened by Lorge and McCarthy when he ran for trustee. What are any of you doing to prevent something like this from happening again? he questioned.

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Trustee Khem Khoeun said, Im really troubled by the accusation that we are continuing to try to cover up misconduct that the notion that there was any bribery that took place at all  and that is your perception, that is your experience  but this has come up repeatedly. And in my position here as a trustee, I have never used this dais to talk about any affiliation Ive had with the Skokie Caucus Party or used it to pursue any political agenda, and I feel like these attacks that continue to happen is you pursuing your own personal political agenda here.

Johnson acknowledged that his accusation of the bribe and threats from Lorge and McCarthy are more of a he said, he said encounter. He then countered, What have you done in response to their collaboration with Mayor Van Dusen that was very public when the three of them tried to block an entire referendum campaign from access to the ballot? There were over 100 people in this room that witnessed an attempt at voter suppression.

It never went forward, responded Khoeun.

It was not an attempt at voter suppression. It was perfectly legal, said Van Dusen. You had an opportunity; you presented it to the ethics commission. They voted unanimously to dismiss the charge because everything that was done, was done legally. It was done ethically and within the powers that the mayor has. You might not agree with that. But that, you have a  You seem to think that because someone doesnt agree with you on something that therefore makes it a conflict of interest.

Johnson asked, Are we going to enter the new year perpetuating the misconduct in our legal department?

Thats your accusation, interrupted Pure Slovin. I dont see where thats happening; thats your lens.

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And how long do we subject ourselves to you continuing to be (sic) accused of all these things? asked Khoeun.

I am going to be advocating for a nonpartisan legal department until we have a nonpartisan legal department, and members of this board no longer appoint their own campaign leaders to high-paying positions in our legal department. Thats when I will stop, said Johnson.

Within state government, there is not a nonpartisan legal department, said Pure Slovin. Everybody knows if they are Democrats or Republicans or what  who theyre running under, so I dont understand why we have to be different here.

Toward the end of the discussion, Klein said that Johnsons claims of corruption and bribery have grown and have not stayed consistent with when he first started making them.

Johnson accused Klein of being aware of the bribes Lorge and McCarthy made to keep him from running as a trustee. Klein said, Quote properly. I said I knew about it, and I said I thought it was a good idea because you know nothing about local government.

Van Dusen tried to wrap up the discussion, but not before Johnson could interject, If this board votes to perpetuate the political corruption in our legal department, I am walking out in protest. Mark my words.

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The relationship between Johnson and the rest of the village board has been rocky at times.

After Johnsons fourth ethics complaint, Johnsons colleagues on the village board, including Van Dusen, filed a motion to dismiss his claim, calling the complaints frivolous and recommending he be sanctioned $5,000. The ethics commission did not approve sanctions, and Johnson was not fined.
KYODO NEWS - Dec 23, 2023 - 09:27 | All, World

U.S. President Joe Biden on Friday signed into law an $886 billion defense policy package including measures to counter Chinese military activity in the Indo-Pacific region and assist the Taiwanese forces.

The National Defense Authorization Act for the fiscal year to September 2024 includes $14.7 billion for the Pacific Deterrence Initiative, part of U.S. efforts to enhance military capabilities through drills with its allies and partner countries in the region.

While mentioning the need for a comprehensive training and capacity-building program for Taiwan's military, the law requires U.S. cooperation on the self-ruled democratic island's bid to strengthen military cybersecurity activities.

It also gave the green light for a plan to sell nuclear-powered submarines to Australia under the so-called AUKUS trilateral partnership also involving Britain.

Biden said in a statement that the act "provides the critical authorities we need to build the military required to deter future conflicts, while supporting service members and their spouses and families who carry out that mission every day."

The bill cleared the Senate and the House of Representatives, respectively, last week.

To continue helping Ukraine to repel the Russian invasion that began in February 2022, the law enables the United States to extend its current program for the purchase of weapons and equipment from the defense industry to the end of 2026.

A 5.2 percent pay raise for service members and civilian workers was approved in the law.

The United States and China reported close-call incidents between their military aircraft and vessels in the South China Sea earlier this year.

China and Taiwan have been governed separately since they split in 1949 following a civil war. Beijing regards the island as a renegade province to be united with the mainland by force if necessary.

Related coverage:

Japan eases rules on weapon exports to enhance security ties

Japan's FY 2024 defense budget expands to record 7.9 trillion yen

Japan OKs 112 trillion yen FY 2024 budget, size shrinks as COVID wanes
Amaravati, Dec 23 : Top electoral strategist and founder of the Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC) Prashant Kishor arrived here on Saturday and met Telugu Desam Party (TDP) supremo N. Chandrababu Naidu amid reports that he will be helping the party for the coming elections for Andhra Pradesh Assembly.

PK, as the political strategist is popularly known, arrived at Gannavaram Airport, Vijayawada along with TDP General Secretary Nara Lokesh in the same flight from Hyderabad.

The duo later drove to Naiduas residence at Undavalli in Amaravati where Prashant Kishor held talks with Naidu.

In 2019, PK worked with YSR Congress Party (YSRCP). The party led by Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy had wrested power from TDP with a landslide majority.

YSRCP had bagged 151 seats in the 175-member Assembly and also won 22 out of 25 Lok Sabha seats.

Assembly elections in Andhra Pradesh are due to be held along with the Lok Sabha polls in April-May next year.

There have been speculations for the last few months that PK will help devise a strategy for TDP this time.

The I-PAC founder was reportedly persuaded by Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to help Chandrababu Naidu.

The talks reportedly started in June 2021, after TMCas massive win in the West Bengal Assembly elections.

Naiduas meeting with PK comes a couple of days after the massive public meeting in Vizianagaram district, where he shared dais with Jana Sena Party (JSP) leader and actor Pawan Kalyan.

TDP and JSP have announced that they will have an alliance for the coming elections.

Pawan Kalyan, who is part of the BJP-led NDA, is still hopeful that BJP will also join the alliance to take on YSRCP.
Guwahati, Dec 23 : Two persons have been arrested for stealing ammunition from the security personnel in Assam's Karbi Anglong district, officials said on Saturday.

Police said that they found bullets in the Bokajan Subdivision of the district, which is close to Assam and Nagaland.

Police said they have arrested two persons identified as Gagan Bora, and Toufiq Ahmed, both residents of Nagaon district of Assam.

Sanjib Saikia, the Karbi Anglong District Superintendent of Police said that the accused were apprehended during search operation which was carried out in response to specific information.

Rustam Raj Brahma, the Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) of Bokajan, said that a CRPF team member's backpack was stolen at Dimapur as they were traveling to a transit camp in Nagaland.

He said that the incident took place on Friday night.

"According to information obtained from the CRPF, during the process of packing their bags into a car, a bag was stolen. Along with clothes and a few other essentials, the bag contained 90 rounds for AK-47 rifles and 60 rounds for Insas rifles," the SDPO said.

He claimed that it is believed that Gagan and Toufiq stole the ammunition in Assam with the intention of selling them in black markets.

"We are interrogating them and will be produced before the court," he said.

He said that sections 120B (criminal conspiracy), 379 (theft), 411 (dishonestly receiving stolen property), and section 25(1AA) of the Arms Act 1959 have led to the arrests of Gagan and Toufiq.
London, Dec 23 : Both Ukrainian and Russian troops are suffering from "exceptional levels of rat and mice infestation" in some sectors of the frontline, according to UK intelligence.

London, Dec 23 (IANS) Both Ukrainian and Russian troops are suffering from "exceptional levels of rat and mice infestation" in some sectors of the frontline, according to UK intelligence.

The Ministry of Defence said that rodent populations have risen due to milder temperatures in recent months and plenty of food, The Guardian reported.

It said: "This year's mild autumn, along with ample food from fields left fallow due to the fighting, have likely contributed to the increase in the rodent population."

As the weather has become colder, the animals are likely seeking shelter in vehicles and defensive positions. Rodents will add further pressure to frontline combatants' morale."

"In addition, they pose a risk to military equipment by gnawing through cables  as recorded in the same area during the second world war. Unverified reports also suggest Russian units starting to suffer from increased sickness cases which the troops attribute to the pest problem", UK intelligence said, The Guardian reported.

Ukraine said that its forces have shot down three Russian Su-34 fighter-bomber aircraft on the southern front, hailing it as a success in the 22-month-old war.

The Russian military made no mention of the incident. But Russian bloggers acknowledged the loss, and analysts suggested US-supplied Patriot missiles had probably been used.
New Delhi, Dec 23 : Plans by the Afghan Taliban to build a hydroelectric dam on a major river in Afghanistan have raised concerns in neighbouring Pakistan, the media reported.

A spokesman for the Taliban's Water and Energy Ministry said on December 18 that the "survey and design of the project are complete".

A Pakistani provincial minister said the unilateral decision by the Taliban to build the dam "will be considered a hostile act against Pakistan".

Jan Achakzai, the provincial information minister in the southwestern province of Balochistan, warned of "severe consequences", including "escalating tensions and potential conflict", RFE/RL reported.

The 480-km-long Kunar River originates in the Hindu Kush mountains in northeastern Afghanistan and merges with the Kabul River before flowing downstream into Pakistan.

Afghanistan's rivers are a significant source of fresh water for Pakistan. But the two neighbors have never signed a bilateral water-sharing agreement.

Disputes over Kabul's plans to build dams on major rivers, which would reduce the flow of water to Pakistan, threaten to be a source of tension and conflict between the two countries, RFE/RL reported.

The planned hydroelectric dam on the Kunar River is the latest ambitious infrastructure project undertaken by the cash-strapped Taliban government, which remains internationally unrecognized.

Experts said the extremist group lacks the expertise and finances to fund the project.

"Constructing dams requires technical know-how, a robust supply chain, and a lot of money," said Najib Aqa Fahim, an Afghan water-management expert.

Najibullah Sadid, another Afghan water expert, said the dam on the Kunar River is relatively small and will not threaten water flows to Pakistan.
New Delhi, Dec 23 : External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday condemned the defacing of the SMVS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir at Newark in California and said that separatists should not get space.

The reactions from External Affairs Minister came after a prominent Hindu temple in California was defaced with pro-Khalistan slogans and anti-India graffiti. The incident came to light when images were shared on X by the Hindu-American foundation.

Speaking to the media here, Jaishankar said, "I have seen it. As you know that we are worried that outside India the extremism and separatists should not be given space. Our Consulate there complained to the government and the police and I think an inquiry is underway."

Earlier in the day, Indian Consulate in San Francisco in a post on X also condemned the defacing of the prominent temple and said, "We strongly condemn the defacing of SMVS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir at Newark, California with anti-India graffiti."

"This incident has hurt the sentiments of the Indian community. We have pressed for quick investigation and prompt action against the vandals by the US authorities in this matter," it added.

According to the temple administration, the incident took place on Thursday night.

This is not the first time a Hindu temple has been targeted, as similar incidents have occurred in the past, both in the US and its neighboring Canada.

In August, a temple in Canada's Surrey was vandalised allegedly by Khalistani supporters. Pro-Khalistan posters were put up on the walls and the gate of the Lakshmi Narayan Mandir, in Surrey -- one of the oldest temples in British Columbia. Some of the posters called for Canada to investigate India's "role" in the death of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in June.

Canada had accused India of having a role in Nijjar's killing but it did not provide any evidence to India for the allegations.

The US has also arrested an Indian for alleged involvement in a plot to murder Khalistan terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun.

India has called the allegations false and baseless, claiming that they will investigate if the countries provide proof.
New Delhi, Dec 23 : A notorious gangster from Salman Tyagi-Saddam Gauri gang, who was absconding for more than three years in a case of MCOCA registered against him and other members of his syndicate, has been arrested in Delhi, the police said on Saturday.

The gangster has been identified as Saurabh a.k.a Bhinda.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Cell), Alok Kumar, said that there was information about the movement of Bhinda, who was continuously changing his hideouts in Delhi/NCR to evade arrest.

"After efforts of more than two months, specific information was received on Friday about the arrival of Bhinda in the Hari Nagar area. Consequently, a trap was laid which led to the capture of Bhinda at 5:30 p.m.," Kumar said.

Bhinda, along with other associates of his gang, are involved in several cases of assault, abduction, extortion, robbery, criminal intimidation, etc. in Delhi.

"Keeping in view the continuous criminal activities of this syndicate, a criminal case under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) was registered against the members of this group at the Hari Nagar police station in 2019. Bhinda was absconding in this case," the DCP said.

On November 18, a local court had issued a non-bailable warrant against Bhinda.
New Delhi, Dec 23 : The five-member National Alliance Committee (NAC) formed earlier this week by Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge held its first meeting on Saturday.

In the meeting, it was decided to first hold talks within the party state-wise before holding talks with the parties from the INDIA bloc, sources said.

The first meeting of the NAC, which is chaired by senior Congress leader Mukul Wasnik, with former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, senior party leaders Salman Khurshid and Mohan Prakash as its members held its first meeting on Saturday.

According to sources, the committee will first hold meetings within the party with state leaders to know their preparations.

The source said that the meeting with the party leaders will begin after the December 28 massive public meeting in Maharashtra's Nagpur on the occasion of the Congress' 138th foundation day.

The source said that once the meeting with the state leaders concludes, the committee will then hold talks with the regional parties to decide on the seat sharing formula for the states.

The source said that the process will be completed within three weeks time as the Lok Sabha elections are also inching closer.

Kharge had announced the five-member committee on December 19, the day for the fourth meeting of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc parties at Hotel Ashoka here.

The Trinamool Congress and several other parties had asked the Congress to finalise the seat sharing deal at the earliest so that the regional parties too can start preparing for the Lok Sabha elections and also plan for eight to ten joint public meetings of the bloc to take on the BJP-led NDA in 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

--IANS

aks/pgh
Tokyo, Dec 23 : Japanese researchers have demonstrated how a specific type of neuron in the brain affects the release of hormones that control ovarian function, such as follicular development and ovulation in females.

These findings, published in Scientific Reports, could help researchers understand and treat reproductive disorders in animals and humans.

Kisspeptin neurons in the brain regulate the release of hypothalamic gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) and pituitary follicle-stimulating hormone/luteinizing hormone (LH).

This process is important for reproduction, as pituitary hormones stimulate the ovaries to perform their reproductive functions.

Examples include follicular development and ovulation in all mammals, including humans.

There are two main areas of the brain involved in the process -- the arcuate nucleus (ARC), in which kisspeptin neurons maintain the regular rhythmic (pulsatile) secretion of GnRH/LH that maintains normal follicular development and sex steroid production, and the anteroventral periventricular nucleus (AVPV), in which kisspeptin neurons trigger a surge of GnRH/LH that leads to ovulation. The researchers focused on the fact that kisspeptin neurons in the ARC produce and respond to dynorphin, an inhibitory substance.

"Kisspeptin neurons in the ARC express both dynorphin and its receptor, whereas those in the AVPV express the receptor only, suggesting a particular role of such kisspeptin neurons in fertilisation," Mayuko Nagae, a postdoctoral fellow, and Yoshihisa Uenoyama, an associate professor at Nagoya University in Japan.

"However, the exact role of dynorphin and its receptor in the regulation of kisspeptin neurons was not clearly understood."

To investigate this, the researchers genetically modified female rats to delete Kiss1, a gene that codes for kisspeptin, only in neurons that expressed the dynorphin receptor.

They found that the genetically modified rats with deleted Kiss1 in dynorphin receptor-expressing cells had only 3 of kisspeptin neurons in the ARC and 50 per cent in the AVPV. The rats were still fertile but had a longer estrous cycle, lower ovarian weight, and fewer pups than normal rats.

The results indicate that kisspeptin neurons with dynorphin receptors are important for normal female rat reproduction, as they allow proper hormone secretion and ovulation.

"This is the first report to show that kisspeptin neurons receiving direct input of dynorphin are needed to fully generate the GnRH/LH pulse and surge in female rats," said Professor Hiroko Tsukamura from Nagoya University.

Professor Tsukamura is excited about the prospect of more studies to understand the molecular mechanism that controls kisspeptin neuronal activity.

"Our findings can help our understanding of the central mechanism underlying reproduction and have applications in the treatment of ovarian disorders in livestock and infertility in humans," she said.
Kolkata, Dec 23 : Two persons were reportedly lynched at a village in West Bengal's East Burdwan district on Saturday afternoon on suspicion of being cattle thieves.

The locals have alleged that a total of five persons entered the Turuk-Moyna village in a vehicle with the intention of stealing cattle from the local cattle sheds.

Eyewitnesses said that while the villagers chased them, three of them escaped in the same vehicle, while the other two jumped into a pond to save themselves from the violent mob.

However, the villagers dragged them out of the pond and severely assaulted them.

Later, cops from the local police station somehow rescued the two persons and shifted them to Burdwan Medical College & Hospital, where they died soon after admission.

The identities of the deceased are yet to be known. The police have registered a case under Section 302 (murder).

The local people have alleged that there have been growing grievances over frequent cases of cattle theft in the village. At least five such cases have been reported during the past few months, they alleged.

A huge police contingent has been deputed n the village following the incident.

aWe suspect that the deceased were residents of South 24 Parganas district. However, the real identities are yet to be known,a said SP of East Burdwan, Amandeep.
New Delhi, Dec 23 : Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai on Saturday met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the national capital along with his two deputies.

In a post on X, the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said, "Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh, Vishnu Deo Sai, along with Deputy CMs, Arun Sao and Vijay Sharma met Prime Minister Narendra Modi."

The three Chhattisgarh leaders then also met Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

Shah in a post on X said: "Gave my best wishes to Sai, Sao and Sharma here today. The hopes and expectations with which the people of Chhattisgarh have elected the BJP government in the state, I am confident that under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi you will definitely fulfill them and take the culture of the state and the pride of Chhattisgarh Mahatari to newer heights."

The Chhattisgarh Chief Minister and his two deputies then also met and Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar.

After meeting the top leaders, Sai speaking to the media said: "We have come here for the first time after taking oath and today we met Prime Minister Modi, Vice President Dhankhar, Home Minister."

He said that everyone has given him guidance.

He said that the development work remained stalled in Chhattisgarh for the last five years but now a double-engine government has been formed.

"The people have made BJP victorious and now all the stalled development works will be completed rapidly," the Chief Minister added.
This photo taken on Nov. 6, 2023 shows a booth of Nicaragua at the 6th China International Import Expo (CIIE) in east China's Shanghai. (Xinhua/Gao Wei)

Under the guidance of the head-of-state diplomacy, China-Latin America relations have been developing rapidly and practical cooperation has continued to deepen.

BEIJING, Dec. 22 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday held a phone conversation with Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega, announcing the decision to elevate China-Nicaragua ties to a strategic partnership.

Since the resumption of bilateral relations two years ago, the two sides, with a sense of urgency, have been promoting a leap-forward development of China-Nicaragua relations.

Embarking on a new starting point, China and Nicaragua are expected to further deepen bilateral cooperation and strengthen friendship between their peoples, which will inject impetus into the building of a China-Latin America community with a shared future and the common development of the world.





LEAP-FORWARD DEVELOPMENT

During Wednesday's talks, Xi said he is ready to work with Ortega to promote bilateral ties for fresh achievements, with the newly announced strategic partnership between the two countries as a new starting point, adding that he is willing to join the Nicaraguan leader in setting an example of solidarity, cooperation, mutual benefit and win-win results.

After the talks, the two sides issued a joint statement on the establishment of a strategic partnership between China and Nicaragua.

During the previous two years, the two countries have firmly supported each other on issues concerning each other's core interests and major concerns, and have comprehensively expanded and made positive progress in practical cooperation.

Nicaragua joined the Belt and Road Initiative and has been vocal about its support to China-proposed Global Development Initiative. China is now Nicaragua's second-largest trading partner and second-largest source of imports.

Chinese Ambassador to Nicaragua Chen Xi said that under the personal care, strategic planning and political guidance of the leaders of the two countries, China-Nicaragua relations have achieved a qualitative leap, which is in the common interests of the two countries and their people and is conducive to the common development and prosperity of the two countries.

According to Zhou Zhiwei, a researcher at the Institute of Latin America of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, over the past two years since the resumption of diplomatic relations between China and Nicaragua, the two countries have achieved a series of "more than expected results" in practical cooperation. Furthermore, the upgrading of bilateral relations signifies that the two countries' exchanges and cooperation in such fields as politics, economy and people-to-people exchanges have entered a more efficient and smooth stage of development.

Nicaraguan Minister of Development, Industry and Trade Jesus Bermudez is deeply impressed by China's innovations such as e-payment. He is looking forward to cooperating with China in the digital economy, saying that bilateral cooperation will be particularly beneficial to the development of small and medium-sized enterprises in Nicaragua.





COMMON PROSPERITY

The free trade agreement between China and Nicaragua, which will come into effect on Jan. 1 next year, is a landmark achievement of cooperation between the two countries, Xi said in his phone talks with Ortega, noting that both sides should take this opportunity to continuously boost the volume and raise the level of bilateral trade.

The Nicaraguan side sincerely appreciates China's valuable assistance in Nicaragua's economic development and improvement of people's livelihoods, Ortega said.

Nowadays, in Managua, the capital of Nicaragua, hundreds of comfortable and eco-friendly Chinese buses are running around to serve the local people. With the assistance of Chinese enterprises, hundreds of affordable housing units and their ancillary facilities are being built in the city to improve the living conditions of local people.

Reyna Rueda, mayor of Managua, told Xinhua that she has seen, from the changes in the city's appearance over the past two years, how the rapid development of Nicaragua-China practical cooperation has benefited the general public.

In a handicraft market in the center of Masaya, Nicaragua, dozens of merchants sell leather, feather paintings, wood products and other handicrafts. Two years ago, in an interview with Xinhua reporters, the mayor of Masaya, Janina Noguera, expressed two wishes -- to develop a sister-city in China and to enhance the exchange of experience and technology with China.

Now, both wishes have come true. In September, Masaya signed a letter of intent to establish a sister-city relationship with Nanjing, the capital of Jiangsu Province in China. The two cities plan to cooperate in a variety of fields.

Earlier this year, Noguera visited Kunming, the capital of Yunnan Province and other Chinese cities to learn the experience of how China's cultural industry has boosted economic development.

For the future, Noguera has a new wish -- to bring China's successful experience to Masaya as soon as possible for the benefit of the local people.

More and more Nicaraguan students are coming to China to study, among whom is Natalia Caldera. She told Xinhua that in the past year studying at Beijing Foreign Studies University, she and her Chinese classmates have deepened their understanding of each other's cultures, and seen relations between China and Nicaragua growing ever closer.

Caldera looks forward to contributing to expanding the bilateral cooperation in the fields of culture, education, youth, media and other areas. Besides, she would like to record more stories about China "to become a messenger of friendly exchanges between the two countries."





SHARED ASPIRATION

In his phone talks with Ortega on Wednesday, Xi said that China stands ready to strengthen solidarity and coordination with Nicaragua in international affairs, and work with Nicaragua to oppose hegemonism and power politics, promote the development of a more just and rational international order, and safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of developing countries.

Ignacio Martinez, an expert on international affairs at the National Autonomous University of Mexico, said that the upgrading of China-Nicaragua relations is another vivid example of the positive development of Latin America's relations with China.

Looking back at the year 2023, the head-of-state diplomacy has guided China-Latin America relations for stable progress. Xi, by holding meetings and sending messages to leaders of Latin American countries, has engaged in close interactions with them on multilateral platforms such as BRICS and APEC.

A man takes photos at the media center of the 15th BRICS Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa, Aug. 21, 2023. (Xinhua/Li Yahui)

Multiple Latin American leaders, including Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and Colombian President Gustavo Petro, visited China this year, lifting their relations with China to new levels. During Honduran President Xiomara Castro's visit to China in June, the two countries signed a memorandum of understanding on the Belt and Road cooperation, only a few months after the establishment of their diplomatic ties in March.

Song Junying, director of the Department for Latin American and Caribbean Studies of China Institute of International Studies, said that under the guidance of the head-of-state diplomacy, China-Latin America relations have been developing rapidly and practical cooperation has continued to deepen.

China and Latin America, Song said, as partners of the Global South, have forged a consensus on multilateral agendas such as the reform of global governance and the tackling of climate change, which will help the Global South make an even stronger voice in the international arena.
Mumbai, Dec 23 : Anil Agarwal-led Vedanta on Saturday said its subsidiary Bharat Aluminium Company Limited (BALCO) has been served a notice to pay up Rs 84.7 crore crore as Goods and Services Tax (GST).

The demand notice has been issued from the Office of the Joint Commissioner of Bilaspur in Chhatisgarh and pertains to financial year 2017-18 on account of "various interpretational issues under the relevant provisions of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017," the company said in a regulatory filing.

The total GST demand has been made for Rs 84,70,09,977 while an additional 10 percent of this amount has been imposed as penalty along with applicable interest.

BALCO is in the process of evaluating the next course of action to be taken in the matter, the exchange filing further states.

The metals-to mining major said that the order is not expected to have any material financial impact on the company.

Vedanta had reported a consolidated net loss of Rs 915 crore for the July-September quarter this year compared to a net profit of Rs 2,690 crore in the corresponding period last year.

The company had attributed the loss to a one-time exceptional item because of the adoption of a new tax rate.
Kolkata, Dec 23 : As many as 10 state universities in West Bengal, including the iconic University of Calcutta, will be headless again from Monday as the terms of the interim vice-chancellors there, who were appointed by Governor C.V. Ananda Bose, will come to an end on that day.

Besides the Calcutta University, the nine other universities are Kazi Nazrul University, Kanyashree University, West Bengal State University, Sidho-Kanho-Birsha University, Bankura University, Baba Saheb Ambedkar Education University, Diamond Harbour University and Sanskrit College & University.

Academicians believe that with this latest development, these 10 universities will witness further disruption of regular activities.

"As it is, there are constant tussles between the education department and the universities, as the state government is not ready to recognise the decision-making authorities of the interim heads.

"The state government is not even willing to allow the interim vice-chancellors to convene important meetings like those of the working committee, senate or syndicate," said an insider from the Calcutta University.

He pointed out that the fate of these universities will be further uncertain since as per a recent order of the Supreme Court, the Governor will not be able to re-appointment any interim vice-chancellor or announce replacement without consulting the education department.

Observers feel that even if the Governor takes any initiative for appointing interim vice-chancellors after consultation with the education department, it is unlikely that the latter will endorse the Governor's choice for the posts.

"At the same time, it is quite unsure when these universities will get their permanent vice-chancellors. As of now, the future seems to be quite uncertain," the insider said.
Kolkata, Dec 23 : The West Bengal government has finally assured the Calcutta High Court of extending necessary cooperation to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in terms of necessary infrastructure and manpower support for the cases being probed by the central agency in the northern sector of the state.

A senior official of the state secretariat said that a communique in this regard has been sent from the office of Chief Secretary H.K. Dwivedi to the high courtas single-judge bench of Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay on Friday.

The support will be in the form of providing space for office and accommodation for the CBI officials while they will be in north Bengal for the purpose of investigation.

However, the state government has sought two months' time for arranging space for office and accommodation for the central agency officials.

At the same time, the official said the state government will also make transport arrangements for the central agency officials during their course of investigation in north Bengal.

If necessary, the state government will also provide manpower support to the investigating team of the central agency

However, the assurance from the state government did not come as easily as said.

The order for providing necessary support and cooperation to the CBI was given by Justice Gangopadhyay in October this year. However, earlier this week, the CBI counsel had complained to his court that till date, the investigating officials were yet to receive the slightest support from the state government.

Thereafter, Justice Gangopadhhay had sought an explanation from the Chief Secretary about the state governmentas stand in this matter.

Finally on Friday, the communication came from the state government about extending all necessary cooperation to the CBI in this matter.

With regard to CBI's requisition for 10 persons from the state government, the latter has assured that eight will be sent on deposition within the next seven days and the remaining two will be sent soon.
New Delhi, Dec 23 : The Delhi Commission of Women (DCW) on Saturday said that a woman alleged that she was sexually harassed at her workplace here at the Burari Government Hospital by two officials, who even threatened her.

Following a complaint by the woman, the DCW has issued a notice to Delhi Police and the Medical Superintendent of the hospital, seeking the FIR and action taken report.

The woman has claimed that she also filed a complaint with the police regarding the alleged incident.

"We are in receipt of a complaint from a woman regarding sexual harassment at her workplace. The complainant has stated that she works in the housekeeping (department) at Burari Government Hospital," read the notice to the officials.

She has alleged that on December 17, her manager and supervisors molested her and other female staff.

The complainant has stated that on December 19, her manager and supervisors abused and harassed her and threatened to remove her from duty if she did not agree to their unreasonable demands.

The DCW has asked Delhi Police to provide a copy of the FIR registered in the matter and details of the accused arrested.

"If no accused has been arrested, please provide reasons for the same and detailed Action Taken Report in the matter. Considering the gravity of the matter, please provide the sought information to the Commission latest by December 26," read the notice to police.

The DCW has also sought a copy of the complaint received in the matter from the aggrieved staff alongwith details of action taken thereon from the Medical Superintendent.

--IANS

ssh/pgh
Bengaluru, Dec 23 : After the headmistress of a government school here was arrested for allegedly making the children clean toilets, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday said that getting toilets cleaned by students is an intolerable act

"Recent reports of forcing students to clean school toilets is an extremely deplorable act and such acts are intolerable," the Chief Minister said.

Laxmidevamma, headmistress at the Andrahalli Government Model Higher Primary school in Bengaluru was arrested following a complaint by the Block Education Officer at a police station.

"The officials of the Department of Education have already taken immediate action against the teachers responsible for the cases that have been reported.

"I have instructed the Minister of Primary Education to identify and take strict action against the perpetrators if such incidents occur in other schools," CM Siddaramaiah said.

"I have also informed the Minister of Social Welfare to keep a watch on the hostels of schools and colleges. I have advised the Minister of Primary Education that every school must have separate toilet facilities for boys and girls and staff must be appointed to clean toilets daily. I have also directed to conduct a survey and get reports from the District Education Officers on this matter," he added.

Lakshmidevamma was suspended by the Department of Education after the incident came to light on Friday.

As per officials, Class 6 students were asked to clean the school toilets by using acid.

The parents staged a protest near the school after they came to know about the incident.

An incident of getting a septic tank by students was also reported from Kolar district.
Patna, Dec 23 : Bihar Police on Saturday terminated three cops, including an SHO, for selling seized liquor from a police station in Vaishali district.

The sacked cops have been identified as Vidur Kumar, SHO of Sarai police station, ASI Munishwar Kumar, and constable Surendra Kumar Ram.

Confirming the development, Tirhut range Inspector General of Police Panjak Sinha said that the accused persons were involved in selling seized liquor from the police station.

"The cops were given the charge to dispose of 3,728 litres of seized liquor, but they disposed of only 2,782 litres and saved around 950 liters in the Malkhana. On September 17, they brought a private pick-up van to the police station and loaded it with around 850 litres of liquor," Sinha said.

"When the officers from the liquor prohibition department learnt about the development, they informed the senior officers in Vaishali. Accordingly, the SDPO Sadar raided the Sarai police station and found liquor in the van," Sinha said.

"The SDPO Sadar recommended the case to the senior officers for action. We constituted a team for the investigation. Based on the report, we have terminated Vidur Kumar, Munishwar Kumar and Surendra Ram from service," Sinha said.
New Delhi, Dec 23 : A Delhi court on Saturday directed the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to file a reply on the bail application of Daud Nasir, who is currently in custody in connection with a money laundering case linked to alleged irregularities in the recruitment of staff for the Delhi Waqf Board.

Special judge Rakesh Syal of Rouse Avenue Court mandated the ED to file a response by the next date of the hearing, scheduled for January 5, 2024.

Two other accused, Zeeshan Haider and Javed Imam Siddiqui, also have pending bail applications before the court, and all three will be heard on the same date.

Nasir's bail plea, presented by advocate Manish Baidwan, argues that there are proceeds of crime in the main scheduled offence committed by Amanatullah Khan, and questions the basis for registering a case against Nasir.

The plea contests the evidentiary value of the diary mentioned by the applicant.

The ED contends that the money laundering case involves the sale and purchase of land amounting to Rs 13.40 crore, alleging that the transaction includes proceeds of crime.

The agency claims that the accused were involved in a case concerning the sale and purchase of property with ill-gotten money from Amanatullah Khan. The ED argued that in the transaction, ill-gotten money was used, and Rs 4 crore was paid in cash.
New Delhi, Dec 24 : Union Home Minister Amit Shah on the second day of the two-day BJP office bearers' meeting in the national capital on Saturday called on party leaders to ensure that the party wins big in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

Shah also asked party leaders to make the inauguration of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya a massive success.

According to party sources, Shah in the meeting said that the work done by the government has to be highlighted ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections and the party has to win the polls with a huge margin. "We have to secure such a big victory that the Opposition has to think 10 times before standing in front of us," the sources quoted Shah as saying.

The Union Home Minister also stressed on strengthening the party organisation and underlined the importance of booth-level workers.

Sources said that Shah in the meeting asked the office bearers to encourage the masses to participate in prayers and other religious activities across the country to mark the opening of the grand Ram Temple in Ayodhya.

"From January 1, BJP workers will go door to door and participate in activities like distributing Akshat, organising special prayers in temples, and lighting lamps, among others," the Union Home Minister said.

Besides this, the saffron party during the meeting also discussed the strategy for connecting new voters with the party. "For this, public meetings and conferences will be organised at different levels. Also, the party will run a massive campaign across the country to attract new voters," the sources said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi may address a conference of new voters on the occasion of Youth Day, they added.

BJP will focus on supporting women, the poor, youth and farmers across the country, sources said, adding that several programmes will be organised till the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

BJP leaders were instructed to disseminate information with the help of party workers about the government's efforts towards the construction of the grand Ram Temple. They were also told to go to the public and tell them about the Opposition's actions "against the construction of the Ram Temple", the sources added.

Party leaders have been directed to actively participate in the events organised by the RSS and VHP.
Patna, Dec 24 : Bihar Police have arrested four persons for brandishing firearms at a marriage function in Vaishali district on Saturday.

The accused forcibly entered the marriage function venue and went near the DJ floor, where some women were dancing. The accused person started dancing with them and waved firearms.

Some guests recorded the video of the incident and uploaded it on social media.

"We seriously took cognisance of the incident as soon as our team found the video on social media. We traced the locations of the accused persons and arrested them under relevant sections of the IPC and Arms Act," said Ravi Rankan Kumar, SP of Vaishali.

"We have seized 4 countrymade pistols, 4 live cartridges, and a knife from their possession," Kumar said.

The accused have been identified as Karan Mahto, Suraj Ram, Mithilesh Kumar Ram and Raushan Kumar Singh alias Chotu Singh. Raushan has a criminal record in the past, he added.
Dori Airport, Dori, Burkina Faso [ DOR / DFEE ]

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Dori Airport Info:

Dori Airport IATA Code: DOR Dori Airport ICAO Code: DFEE Latitude : 14.0333 Longitude : -0.033333 City : Dori Country : Burkina Faso World Area Code : 593 Airport Type : Small Dori Airport Address / Contact Details :

Dori Airport (DOR), Dori, Burkina Faso Timezone : Africa/Ouagadougou Dori Airport Timezone : GMT +00:00 hours Current time and date at Dori Airport is 15:03:25 PM (GMT) on Thursday, Jan 11, 2024

Looking for information on Dori Airport, Dori, Burkina Faso? Know about Dori Airport in detail. Find out the location of Dori Airport on Burkina Faso map and also find out airports near to Dori. This airport locator is a very useful tool for travelers to know where is Dori Airport located and also provide information like hotels near Dori Airport, airlines operating to Dori Airport etc... IATA Code and ICAO Code of all airports in Burkina Faso. Scroll down to know more about Dori Airport or Dori Airport, Burkina Faso.

Dori Airport Map - Location of Dori Airport Load Map Burkina Faso - General Information Country Code BF Capital Ouagadougou Currency Franc (XOF)

 1 XOF = 0.002 USD

 1 USD = 597.186 XOF

 1 XOF = 0.002 EUR

 1 EUR = 655.957 XOF

 More XOF convertion rates Tel Code +226 Top Level Domain .bf

This page provides all the information you need to know about Dori Airport, Burkina Faso. This page is created with the aim of helping travelers and tourists visiting Burkina Faso or traveling to Dori Airport. Details about Dori Airport given here include Dori Airport Code - IATA Code (3 letter airport codes) and ICAO Code (4 letter airport codes)

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DOR - Dori Airport IATA Code and DFEE - Dori Airport ICAO code
Soldiers set up tents for quake-affected people in Shiyuan Township, Jishishan County, northwest China's Gansu Province, Dec. 21, 2023. (Xinhua/Zhang Yongjin)

JISHISHAN, Gansu Province, Dec. 22 (Xinhua) -- Firefighters toil through the night, doctors administer medicines as needed, and Party members coordinate self-rescue and mutual help efforts amid the ongoing post-disaster relief operations in quake-hit Gansu Province in northwest China.

Numerous committed individuals are contributing to the rescue efforts, racing against time after the 6.2-magnitude earthquake, reaching a focal depth of 10 km, struck the province at 11:59 p.m. Monday.

Liugou Township, located about 8 km from the county seat of Jishishan in Gansu Province's Bonan-Dongxiang-Salar Autonomous County, is the epicenter of this strong quake.

As of 8 a.m. on Friday, the death toll from the earthquake has risen to 117 in Gansu.

Workers construct a movable plank house in Meipo Village, Jishishan County of northwest China's Gansu Province, Dec. 21, 2023. (Xinhua/Fan Peishen)

"I had just concluded a video call with my family when I sensed an obvious shaking of the dormitory building," said Ma Tongning, a fire brigade instructor in the county. "As I hurried downstairs, I found that my colleagues had already gathered outside."

The fire brigade was the first rescue team to reach the worst-hit Dahejia Town, and subsequently, they were joined by other incoming teams.

Before the rescue mission, team member Ma Yingming received news of significant damage in his family's Chenjia Village. Despite this, he chose not to prioritize it and instead joined the rest of the team.

"I was aiding stranded villagers in other communities while my comrades were saving my own family. I trust them," Ma said, adding that he and his comrades are committed to making every possible effort to help the villagers tide over this difficult time.

Members of the Chinese People's Armed Police Force help to distribute bedclothes to quake-affected people in Liuji Township, Jishishan County, northwest China's Gansu Province, Dec. 21, 2023. (Photo by Cui Yunlong/Xinhua)

"We're racing against time, all in the hope that our hometown can recover as quickly as possible," Ma said.

At the relocation site in Dahe Village, a makeshift clinic has been set up by six healthcare professionals. The entire process, from assessing injuries or illnesses to dispensing medications, is completed in just a few minutes.

"Within an hour after the earthquake, everyone rushed to the hospital to help. We carried inpatients downstairs and looked after the arriving patients. No one got a wink of sleep during the entire day," said Zhang Juxia, who works with a local hospital in Jishishan.

By the third day, round-the-clock medical service stations had been set up at various relocation sites.

Psychotherapist Hu Jinya collects drawings of children at a temporary relocation site in Dahejia Township, Jishishan County, northwest China's Gansu Province, Dec. 22, 2023. (Xinhua/Chen Bin)

Physical injuries demand timely medical care, and mental wounds also need to be healed as soon as possible.

"The emotional trauma caused by the earthquake is significant, and timely, effective intervention can aid disaster survivors in overcoming difficulties," said Liang Lei, a psychologist at the Gansu No. 2 People's Hospital.

At 5 a.m. Tuesday, Liang and a team of mental health professionals started offering consultations. Their initial focus was providing psychological first aid, with special attention to children.

After an earthquake, children often show signs of psychological regression, like blank stares and excessive dependence. Approaches like outdoor activities, art and cognitive-behavioral therapy help open their hearts, facilitating emotional release and crisis resolution, Liang added. 
Salem Media Groups sale of its Regnery Publishing division, which was said to be dead in late November, has been revived. On December 21, Skyhorse Publishing announced that it had signed an agreement to purchase Regnery, one of Americas best-known publishers of conservative authors. On December 28, Skyhorse said the purchase had been completed.

We are so pleased to acquire this legendary publishing company, founded over 75 years ago, and are committed to building on the strong foundation that the Regnery staff has developed, said Skyhorse president and publisher Tony Lyons in a statement. Regnerys sales in 2023 are projected to be approximately $10 million. Regnery, which has a list of about 1,550 titles, will become an imprint of Skyhorse Publishing and will maintain its own identity, with Lyons serving as Regnery publisher. A handful of Regnery employees are joining Skyhorse.

Lyons has built Skyhorse through a long series of acquisitions and Regnery joins the publishers eclectic list of 20 imprints that range from Allworth Press to Yucca Publishing. In all, Skyhorse has more than 10,000 titles in print.

The addition of Regnery will give Skyhorse an even bigger profile as a home for conservative authors. Among the authors Regnery has published: former President Donald Trump, Senator Rand Paul, Senator Ted Cruz, Senator Mitt Romney, Tulsi Gabbard, former President Ronald Reagan, and Ann Coulter. Regnerys sales in 2023 are projected to be approximately $10 million. Skyhorse plans to release 60-70 titles in 2024 and will continue to include Christian titles as wiel as political books, including Eric Metaxas' Religionless Christianity: Gods Answer to Evil.

In recent years, Skyhorse has published a growing number of controversial authors, including Alex Jones, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and Woody Allen, that more mainstreamand biggerpublishers have either refused to publish or dropped. In the release announcing the purchase of Regnery, Skyhorse stressed its commitment to stand against censorship, noting that it aims to provide a full spectrum of political, theological, cultural, and philosophical viewpoints to counter the increasingly biased environment in mainstream media. Earlier this year, Lyons was named to the board of the National Coalition Against Censorship. Lyons is also cochairman of a super PAC that supports Kennedy's presidential bid.

The sale of Regnery is part of a Salem divestiture program aimed at lowering its debt. In its financial filing for the period ended September 30, Salem reported that it sold three radio stations in the period and expected to soon close on three other transactions. In a conference call discussing the third quarter, executives said they were continuing to evaluate other assets that it could sell. Sources had told PW that Regnery was one of those properties, but later said that the deal had been called off.

This story has been updated to include the news that the acquisition has been closed.
The immediate fate of a controversial new Iowa book banning law, SF 496, is now in the hands of a federal judge. At a December 22 combined hearing, lawyers for the plaintiffs in two separate lawsuits told judge Stephen Locher of the U.S. District Court Southern District of Iowa that the new lawwhich opponents say targets the LGBTQ communityis unconstitutional and should be blocked. And in an encouraging sign for opponents of the law, lawyers for Penguin Random House, one of the plaintiffs, noted that Iowa attorneys conceded to the court that LGBTQ content was being wrongly banned.

"We are extremely gratified that Iowa acknowledges that LGBT positive books should be back on shelves and accessible by all students, and we are confident in the direction of our case after todays hearing," said PRH associate general counsel Dan Novack in a statement. "Our position remains that all viewpoints and perspectives must be made equitably available to readers, and Judge Locher quickly and clearly validated the importance of that today."

Signed by Iowa governor Kim Reynolds in May, SF 496 bans books with depictions of sex, written or visual, from school libraries, and prohibits instruction and materials involving gender identity and sexual orientation for students through sixth grade. In response, various Iowa school districts have reportedly already pulled hundreds of titles from their shelves, including a disproportionate number of books that contain LGBTQ characters, historical figures, or themes.

Furthermore, as of January 1, 2024, the law would require school officialsincluding teachers, librarians, and counselorsto report to parents if their child requests to use a different name or pronouns under the threat of disciplinary action, regardless of whether this forced outing," as critics have called it, would expose the student to potential family rejection and/or abuse.

But in a major concession, Iowa attorney Daniel Johnston appeared to affirm for the court that the ban on LGBTQ "instruction" for students below the seventh grade should not be read as a ban on all LGBTQ books in school libraries. "Really all [the law] says is that instruction on these topics, we're going to reserve that until after sixth grade, and so [the plaintiffs'] concern was that if this applied to the libraries as well, then books that merely had, like, a gay character in it, then school libraries would have to remove the book containing the gay character," Johnston explained. "That's not how the statute operates."

Johnston went on to state that books could only be pulled from school libraries under the law's provision prohibiting books with depictions of "sex acts" and not on the basis of gender identity or sexual orientation.

 The entire law is discriminatory. The entire law was passed with animus. 

In an illuminating exchange, Locher asked Johnston to elaborate: Could a fourth grade teacher share a book with gay characters with students? No, Johnston replied. Could a student choose to write a book report about a book with gay characters? Yes, Johnston said. "A teacher could say, 'I want all the students to write a student essay.' If that student then themselves goes to the library and selects a book about gay characters, that's perfectly fine."

While reiterating their belief that all the book banning provisions of the law are "a direct violation of the First and Fourteenth Amendments of the Constitution," Novack told PW that Johnston's concession that books should not be pulled from school libraries based on issues of gender identity or sexual orientation stands as a partial victory. "Now we're focused on knocking out the other half of the book ban," Novack said.

Meanwhile, ACLU attorney Thomas Story hammered the state's contention that the law was written neutrally, and insisted the full statute should be struck down.

"The entire law is discriminatory. The entire law was passed with animus," Story told the court. "Your Honor, you asked them about, okay, a teacher reads a book in front of a class and it features a gay character. Would that violate the statute? And the answer was yes, right? Would the State feel like it was violating the statute if that book had a straight character? Absolutely not. But that's why the law may textually be neutral, but as applied in effect and its intent, we all know the difference," Story argued.

He closed by noting the state's failure to make "a compelling case" for why the law is necessary: "They haven't clarified that it's not vague or ambiguous. They haven't established that it is not discriminatory. They've just said that it's the government and they can say what they want, and, Your Honor, that is not an effective position, and it's not constitutional. So we'd ask that this law be enjoined."

The Penguin Random House suit was filed on November 30 in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Iowa, and focuses on the portions of the law that would require the removal of books from classrooms and school libraries. The Iowa State Education Association, along with four bestselling authorsLaurie Halse Anderson, John Green, Malinda Lo, and Jodi Picoultand five individuals from the state of Iowa are coplaintiffs in the suit.

That suit was filed just days after Lambda Legal and the ACLU of Iowa, together with a number of named plaintiffs in Iowa, filed the first suit to challenge SF 496, calling the law "a clear violation of public school students' First Amendment right to speak, read, and learn freely."

The suits seek a preliminary injunction blocking the laws full implementation, and ultimately to have the law declared unconstitutional and permanently blocked. Locher said at the hearing that he planned to rule on whether to preliminarily enjoin the law before the end of 2023, as potential penalties for violating SF 496 begin on January 1.

The closely watched suit in Iowa is the latest legal facing new state laws that seek to ban books under the guise of "parental rights." In a July 29 opinion and order, judge Timothy Brooks preliminarily enjoined key provisions of Act 372, Arkansas's newly passed harmful to minors law, which would have exposed Arkansas librarians to criminal liability for making allegedly inappropriate books accessible to minors. And on August 31, a federal judge in Austin, Tex., preliminarily enjoined HB 900, that states controversial book rating law. Both decisions are currently being appealed.

This story has been updated with passages from the oral argument.
I want to be a dictator for one day, proudly declared former President Donald Trump to the New York Young Republican Club on December 9, 2023. Two hundred and forty years earlier on December 23, 1783, General George Washington humbly informed Congress that he did not want to be a dictator  not even for one moment. That day is when the victorious commander-in-chief willingly gave up power at the end of the American Revolution.

Washington returning his military commission to Congress is probably the most important event in American history. It upheld the Revolutions promise to establish free government by the consent of the governed and ensured the survival of the United States as we know it.

History is filled with tales of conquering generals turned dictators like Julius Caesar, Oliver Cromwell, and Napoleon Bonaparte. Washington was unique. Unfortunately, unlike July 4, 1776, the date December 23, 1783 isnt ingrained in the minds of many Americans. Yet, especially given recent talk of an American Caesar (whether Red or Blue), it should be. Washington made dictatorship un-American.

It didnt have to go this way. Two years after the 1781 victory at Yorktown, things were falling apart. A weak and dysfunctional Congress was broke. The undersupplied Continental Army hadnt been paid in years. As a result, a rumored officers coup potentially threatened the nation with a military dictatorship, or at least the destruction of civil-military relations. By June 1783, resentful soldiers encircled Independence Hall (the birthplace of the Declaration of Independence) with bayonets drawn. The mutiny drove Congress from the capital of Philadelphia.

Across the Atlantic, King George III wondered if Washington would assume power. British Commander-in-Chief General Guy Carleton was convinced that in America a Monarchy must of necessity take place. Closer to home, Continental Army officer Lewis Nicola had even previously written to Washington about the title of king.

Given the context, Washingtons actions were even more profound. As he headed to Annapolis, Maryland, where the Congress had fled after the Philadelphia mutiny, Washington was not crossing the Rubicon. The only thing on the generals mind was his intention of asking leave to resign [to Congress] the Commission I have the honor of holding in their Service. Since June 19, 1775, when he was first commissioned by Congress as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army, the Virginian had affirmed the supremacy of civilian government. Whether he was fighting campaigns, facing cabals to remove him, pulling his officers back from launching a conspiracy, or suppressing a mutiny, he never forgot that he served Congress and the people.

At noon on December 23, Washington entered the packed Old Senate Chamber in the Maryland State House for his solemn resignation. Onlookers jostled for position on the floor, as the upstairs gallery overflowed with the citys most prominent ladies. With his head uncovered, Washington bowed before Congress  who were all seated with their hats still on  in a display of civilian supremacy.

Overcome with emotion, Washingtons voice faltered and sunk as he thanked Congress for the trust committed to him and spoke of his love for the Interests of our dearest Country. Before concluding, he needed to pause and collect himself, I here offer my Commission, and take my leave of all the employments of public life. The room burst into tears.

Washingtons surrender was so rare it stunned the world and helped label the U.S. as a respectable Nation. Giving up power was so new in the present times, or rather unknown, gushed Polish poet Julian Niemcewicz. You had to go back to Roman General Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus surrendering his sword in 458 BC to find a comparable example. And even then Cincinnatus was a dictator  even if it was just for 16 days  before he gave up power and returned to his plow.

Perhaps the most fitting testimony came from a recent enemy, George III who simply called Washington the greatest man in the world for his resignation.

The world indeed watched with awe. But Washingtons act became even more venerated as others could not follow his example. The South American Liberator Simon Bolivar overthrew Spanish rule but assumed dictatorial powers in Peru and Venezuela. Haitian revolutionary Jean-Jacques Dessalines freed his island before being made emperor by his generals. Napoleon Bonaparte effectively destroyed the ideals of the French Revolution when he crowned himself emperor. In exile, a bitter and defeated Napoleon muttered, They wanted me to be another Washington. But its not easy being another Washington. His legacy isnt based on accumulating power  its about giving it up for the good of the nation.

Accepting Washingtons commission in Annapolis, Congressional President Thomas Mifflin hoped this example would continue to animate remotest ages. It did. General Washington set a precedent for the peaceful transition of power that was expanded and reaffirmed when the unanimously elected President Washington left office after only two terms  when he could have retained the office for life.

Today you can visit a painting of Washingtons resignation by Revolutionary War veteran John Trumbull in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol. It stands as a symbol that in America, dictatorship (for any length of time, whether one day or 4Eva) has been utterly rejected for 240 years and counting.

So in the hustle and bustle of this most wonderful time of the year, take a moment to remember the greatest moment in American history, the greatest man George Washington and his greatest gift  the gift that keeps on giving.

Craig Bruce Smith is a member of the Jack Miller Centers teaching network and the author of American Honor: The Creation of the Nations Ideals During the Revolutionary Era. Follow him on social media at @craigbrucesmith. For more, visit www.craigbrucesmith.com. All views are the authors.
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BEIJING, Dec. 22 (Xinhua) -- Continuing the downward trend of occupational disease prevalence, the number of new cases in China declined by 40 percent between 2019 and 2022, according to a press conference held by the National Health Commission (NHC) on Friday.

During the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025), the NHC has launched a targeted campaign to combat occupational disease nationwide, especially in workplaces with excessive dust, toxic chemicals and noise.

So far, 185,000 enterprises have been included in the scope of the campaign, of which 71,000 have fully addressed any relevant issues, said NHC official Wang Jiandong.

Starting from 2019, 95 percent of county-level regions have been covered by occupational disease and harmful factor monitoring, with 314,000 enterprises, especially smaller businesses, included in the system, said Wang. 
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FILE - The Union Pacific International Railroad Bridge is seen behind concertina wire, Sept. 22, 2023, in Eagle Pass, Texas. The federal government on Friday, Dec. 22, reopened railroad crossings in two Texas border towns, including Eagle Pass, days after the shuttering of rail operations there disrupted trade and caused outrage.
Any move to appease the Marathas will boomerang.

Eknath Shinde is a worried man with the agitation not having an easy solution, notes Ramesh Menon.

IMAGE: Maratha Reservation activist Manoj Jarange Patil being welcomed on his way to a gathering in Thane. Photograph: ANI Photo

India must be the only country in the world where people agitate to be seen as backward so that they benefit from reservations.

How logical is it for well-entrenched communities who dominate the political, financial and social spheres to demand reservations? Like the Patels in Gujarat, the Jats in Haryana and the Marathas in Maharashtra.

All three are landowning dominant castes. They are also politically powerful and are therefore able to force governments to bow down before them.

The Indian horizon is now rocked with the agitation by the Marathas in Maharashtra demanding reservation despite a Supreme Court ruling that said Maharashtra had reached its quota of 50 per cent reservations and there was no need to expand the list.

This was when a petition came up for hearing pleading that the Marathas also needed to be added to the reserved list to gain seats in educational institutions and government jobs.

Reservation has always been a contentious issue in India. It has led to numerous agitations, riots and violence in various states as communities demand inclusion in backward communities to benefit from reservations, mainly in jobs.

The demands have come from the Jats in Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan, the Patels in Gujarat, the Gujjars in Rajasthan, the Sikhs in Punjab and now, we have the Marathas in Maharashtra.

The agitation is led by Mahesh Jarange-Patil, an unknown figure until he went on a fast. Even Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde travelled to his Antarwali Sarati village in Jalna district to placate him.

It is an eloquent indicator of how politics shapes personalities and issues in a sociologically complex society.

Considering the sensitive issue, the Maharashtra government cannot afford to ignore the agitation. This time it took a violent turn with a lot of damage to public property.

The residences of NCP MLAs Prakash Solanke and Sandeep Kshirsagar were set on fire.

Some protesters attempted suicide and nearly a dozen have given their lives to the cause.

Posters of the chief minister and the two deputy chief ministers were set on fire and posters banning the entry of politicians were put up in over 400 Maratha dominated villages.

A few Maratha MPs and MLAs sensing the mood of the community, have sent in their resignation. More are expected to follow. It is not a pretty picture.

It is not easy for any government in Maharashtra to tackle the touchy issue. One way is for the central government to bring in a Constitutional amendment allowing more than 50 per cent reservation.

But that is hardly a solution as it will raise heckles all over India as there is an underlying feeling among the upper castes that they are being short-changed and denied a fair chance in educational seats and government jobs.

There is also a growing narrative that economic criteria should be the benchmark and not caste for reservations.

There is also a growing demand that the new emerging India must reward merit and not devalue it with more reservations.

IMAGE: Sakal Maratha Samaj members break their five day-long hunger strike over the Maratha reservation issue near the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue in Thane. Photograph: ANI Photo

Any move of the present government to appease the Marathas will boomerang. Leaders of other backward castes have threatened an agitation if the Marathas are added to the OBC list.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde wants to pacify the agitating Marathas by granting them Other Backward Caste Certificates.

This is certainly not going to go well with other backward castes, as it would eat into their reservation pie.

They have threatened state-wide agitations and will also possibly challenge it in court.

As it is, Shinde is treading on eggshells as his political future hangs in balance with Devendra Fadnavis, the former chief minister and one of the state's two deputy chief ministers, waiting in the wings.

Shinde is a worried man with the agitation not having an easy solution.

Banning the entry of elected representatives from various political parties in various villages by the agitators is clearly a tactic to send ripples of worry to them as Lok Sabha elections are just months away.

In fact, Manoj Jarange-Patil has said that this is the best time to agitate.

No political party knows how to handle the situation and are offering lip sympathy to the cause.

It is going to be a long haul for the Shinde-led government.

Traditionally, the Marathas are an agricultural community, But over the years, they played a significant political role in Maharashtra.

They emerged as a political and socially relevant group as able warriors and administrators under Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.

After the formation of Maharashtra and a new surge for identity, there were challenges like changes in agricultural realities and the need to be educated to clinch jobs and emerge as a prominent force.

As competition hotted up, the Maratha youth started feeling left out in the race to the top of the social and economic ladder.

IMAGE: Maratha reservation supporters raise slogans against the state government in Pune. Photograph: ANI Photo

The first demand for reservation arose in 1982 when a labour leader, Annasaheb Patil, demanded that it be based on economic criteria.

Then, it surfaced again after the Mandal Commission Report in 1990, demanding that it be based on a quota for the community.

In 2016, the demand was raised again, saying the community should be clubbed among the other backward castes.

It was in early 2000 that demands for reservation started to surface as the Maharashtra State Backward ClassCommission labelled the Marathas as a socially and educationally backward class.

Predictably, all political parties supported the demand as they did not want to lose the Maratha vote as they constituted over 31 per cent of the population.

The 2018 Maharashtra State Reservation for Socially and Educationally Backward Classes Act provided the Maratha community reservation in public education and employment was brought in by the then Devendra Fadnavis-led government to quell the Maratha agitation.

However, it was struck down by a five-judge Constitutional bench of the Supreme Court in 2021 saying that the 50 per cent ceiling for reservation cannot be breached.

IMAGE: The all party Kunbi and OBC community agitation committee rally in Nagpur protests against the Maratha community's demand to include them as the Kunbi caste for reservation. Photograph: ANI Photo

One argument justifying reservation was that most Marathas are involved in agriculture, which faces many financial challenges today, and many of them are small landholders and not big wealthy farmers.

The Marathwada region often witnesses droughts affecting farmers, which is why it has emerged as the Maratha agitation's epicentre.

As Marathas form nearly 31 per cent of the population, no political party can afford to ignore them.

The Marathas have had a say in the state's politics since Maharashtra became a separate state on May 1, 1960.

Yeshwantrao Chavan, Sharad Pawar, Vasantdada Patil, Vilasrao Deshmukh and Prithviraj Chauhan were some prominent chief ministers who were Marathas.

In 2014, the then Prithviraj Chavan led Congress-Nationalist Congress Party government attempted to provide 16 per cent reservation for Marathas through an ordinance just before the assembly elections obviously eyeing votes.

But the Congress-NCP alliance lost the 2014 election to the Bharatiya Janata Party-Shiv Sena coalition as the ordinance lapsed.

In 2018, then chief minister Fadnavis, heading a BJP-Shiv Sena coalition government, granted 16 per cent reservation to Marathas in education and jobs.

But it was struck down by the Supreme Court, which noted it violated the 50 per cent reservation ceiling.

A study by Ashwani Deshpande of the Ashoka University and Rajesh Ramachandran of the University of Heidelberg on the demand for reservations by dominant communities, said that 49 per cent Marathas cultivated land compared to 43 per cent Brahmins, 36 percent forward castes and 26 per cent scheduled castes and tribes.

The study pointed out that other backward castes and scheduled castes and scheduled tribes lagged behind upper castes on a range of material indicators and so extending quotas to relatively richer and powerful groups would amount to diluting the already small and shrinking entitlement for communities that are truly disadvantaged and discriminated against.

If politicians are worried about the call for more and more reservations from powerful caste groups, it is with good reason.

They do not know how to deal with it especially with elections round the corner.

Ramesh Menon, award-winning journalist, educator, documentary film-maker and corporate trainer, is the author of Modi Demystified: The Making Of A Prime Minister.

Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff.com
A prominent Hindu temple was vandalised with anti-India graffiti in the United States state of California and the police are investigating the matter as a possible hate crime.

IMAGE: A defaced board of the Swaminarayan temple in Newark, US. Photograph: ANI Photo

The City of Newark Police Department in Newark, Newark, California told PTI in an emailed statement that on Friday at approximately 8.35 am, they received a report of graffiti at the Shri Swaminarayan Mandir Hindu Temple.

Officers responded and met with temple leaders who described the vandalism as meant to intimidate them.

'Based on the content of the graffiti it is believed that the defacement was a targeted act, and the vandalism is being investigated as a possible hate crime,' the statement said.

The Consulate General of India in San Francisco strongly condemned the defacing of the temple.

'We strongly condemn the defacing of SMVS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir at Newark, California with anti-India graffiti,' the Consulate posted on X.

'This incident has hurt the sentiments of the Indian community. We have pressed for quick investigation and prompt action against the vandals by the US authorities in this matter,' the Consulate said.

According to images posted on social media, the word 'Khalistan' was spray-painted on a signpost outside the temple along with other objectionable graffiti.

Newark police further said that any acts or threats of violence, property damage, harassment, intimidation, or other crimes motivated by hate or bias are considered very serious and given very high priority.

"Officers are investigating, collecting evidence, and reviewing surveillance footage from nearby businesses in order to establish the chain of events and bring those responsible to justice," the police said.

The department said that 'we stand united with our community and are urging community members with any information regarding this incident to come forward and speak with investigators'.

The police are asking anyone with information regarding this investigation to contact the Newark Police Investigations Unit.

This is not the first instance where a temple has been defaced with such graffiti in the recent past by Khalistani separatists.

India has been asking its partner countries such as Canada, the United Kingdom and the US to not give space to 'extremist Khalistani ideology'.

Khalistan supporters have increased their anti-India activities after the death of Canada-based Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF) chief Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

India's consulate in San Francisco in July came under an attack from Khalistan supporters who tried to set the diplomatic facility on fire.

The vandalism of the temple in Newark came close on the heels of allegations of an Indian official's involvement in a conspiracy to assassinate a separatist Sikh leader in the US.

The Indian official has been linked by American prosecutors to an individual accused of conspiring to assassinate Sikh separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in the United States.

India has expressed concern over the matter and stated that appropriate action will be taken following the conclusions of an investigative panel examining the allegations.
Union minister Giriraj Singh on Saturday claimed that Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal-United and its ally Rashtriya Janata Dal, founded and headed by Lalu Prasad Yadav, were heading for a merger.

IMAGE: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar with RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav. Photograph: PTI Photo

The senior BJP leader made the claim when reporters asked him about Kumar's insistence that all constituents of the Indian National Development Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) finalise seat-sharing arrangements for Lok Sabha polls by January.

"I share personal equations with Lalu ji. He has whispered many things in my ear that I cannot disclose in public. But let me tell you this much that the JD-U is going to merge with RJD soon. So, the question of seat sharing does not arise," said Singh with a glint of mischief.

Notably, both Lalu and Singh recently boarded the same flight to return from Delhi where the RJD supremo was attending the INDIA bloc meet while the Union minister was taking part in the just concluded Parliament session.

Upon landing in Patna on Thursday evening, Singh had told journalists that on board the plane Lalu, his bete noire, had said, "The time has come to make (son and Deputy CM) Tejashwi Yadav the chief minister of Bihar."

Yadav, who was on the same flight, later deftly thwarted the attempt to drive a wedge between himself and his boss, claiming that the Union minister had, in fact, given vent to his own frustrations over uncertain prospects in the BJP and the central government while exchanging pleasantries with the father-son duo.

When reporters asked Yadav about the latest forecast of a 'merger' by the BJP leader, he replied, "Singh likes to make outrageous statements in a desperate bid to hog some limelight. Nobody would have paid attention to him had he not said something outlandish."

Similar views were expressed by JD-U president Rajiv Ranjan Singh 'Lalan' when he was asked about the prediction of his party's merger with RJD.

"Let us not discuss Giriraj Singh. He is a TRP monger. He will keep saying things that help him grab eyeballs," said Lalan, who also took a dig at the BJP leader for his advocacy of 'Jhatka' meat, with an appeal to Hindus to shun consuming 'Halal' meat.

"We know that in days of yore, Giriraj Singh had a voracious appetite and could finish off 2.5 kg of mutton. He should tell us whether he was then okay with Halal or ensured a special supply of Jhatka for himself," remarked Lalan.

Interestingly, Singh's newfound fascination for 'Jhatka' meat had on Thursday drawn a tongue-in-cheek remark from Tejashwi Yadav too, who claimed that the BJP leader asked his father, known to be a generous host, to organise a feast of mutton.

Yadav claimed that in reply his father had told him that he would be happy to do so but first needed to arrange for an animal slaughtered by a single blow of the blade, the process which the Hindi colloquialism 'Jhatka' denotes.

When Singh was asked about this, he said with obvious irritation, "Yes, I am looking forward to having a feast of mutton along with Lalu ji. And I will ensure that like me he too eats Jhatka."
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday clarified that the administration was only contemplating lifting the ban on wearing hijab in educational institutions in the state and a decision will be taken after holding discussions at the government level.

IMAGE: Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah addresses the media during a press conference. Photograph: ANI Photo

Addressing reporters in Mysuru, he said, "We haven't done it (revoking Hijab ban) yet. Someone asked me a question (on lifting Hijab ban). I replied that the government is considering revoking it."

Asked whether it will be done in this academic year, the CM said it will be done after discussing at the government level.

The clarification comes a day after he said that there was no restriction on wearing the religious head scarf in educational institutions and observed that choice of dress and food is personal.

The Congress government has come under sharp criticism from the opposition BJP over the announcement on hijab.

The saffron party stated that the government's move raised concerns about the 'secular nature' of educational spaces.

Speaking to reporters in New Delhi, BJP Karnataka chief B Y Vijayendra accused Siddaramaiah of 'vitiating' the academic atmosphere.

Charging the Congress with indulging in 'appeasement politics' ahead of Lok Sabha elections, Vijayendra claimed, 'even after so many years of independence, the literacy and employment rate among minorities is still 50 per cent. Congress never tried to elevate the condition of minorities'.

"Congress believes in the divide and rule policy which the British rulers had adopted. It amounts to carrying forward the British legacy," he said.

Earlier, in a post on 'X', Vijayendra said the state government 'divided' young minds along religious lines.

"CM Siddaramaiah's decision to withdraw the Hijab ban in educational institutions raises concerns about the secular nature of our educational spaces," the Shikaripura MLA said.

"By allowing religious attire in educational institutions Siddaramaiah government is dividing young minds along religious lines, potentially hindering the inclusive learning environment."

The BJP state chief stressed that it was crucial to prioritise education over divisive practices and foster an environment where students can focus on academics without the influence of religious practices.

In 2022, the previous BJP government banned wearing of hijab in educational institutions in Karnataka.
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday said the restrictions on wearing hijab (head scarf) in educational institutions in the state will be lifted from December 23 and observed that choice of dress and food is personal.

IMAGE: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah (left) meets suspended Congress MP Hibi Eden (right) during the protest by suspended opposition MPs at Makar Dwar in Parliament House, in New Delhi, December 20, 2023. Photograph: ANI Photo

Speaking at the inauguration of three police stations in Nanjangud in Mysuru district, the chief minister said no one should indulge in vote bank politics.

Lashing out at the Bharatiya Janata Party, Siddaramaiah said, "They say Sabka Sath, Sabka Vikas (Cooperation of all, Development of all) but sidelining those wearing caps, burqa and sporting beard. Is this what they mean?"

When someone in the crowd asked about restrictions on wearing hijab, the CM said, "No (restrictions). You can wear hijab. I have instructed (the officials) that there will be no restriction from tomorrow (Saturday) onwards. You can wear and eat whatever you want. It's up to you."

"... your choices are yours and my choices are mine. it's that simple," Siddaramaiah said amid the cheering crowd.

"I wear dhoti and kurta, and you wear pants and shirt. It's your choice. What's wrong with this?" he asked.

Affirming that the Congress party does not indulge in politics for votes, the chief minister said, "Congress government came to power to protect the rights of the poor, backward classes, Dalits and minorities. There is no question of compromising on this."

Referring to the five guarantees of the government in Karnataka, he said the benefits are available to people irrespective of their caste, religion and even "political ideology".

"Even the BJP supporters are availing the benefits and travelling in the bus free of cost. We never discriminate," he added.

Meanwhile, the BJP strongly reacted to Siddaramaiah's decision to lift the ban on wearing hijab in classrooms, saying it raises concerns about the "secular nature" of educational spaces.

BJP state president BY Vijayendra, in a post on X, said the government is dividing young minds along religious lines.

"CM Siddaramaiah's decision to withdraw the Hijab ban in educational institutions raises concerns about the secular nature of our educational spaces," the Shikaripura MLA said.

"By allowing religious attire in educational institutions Siddaramaiah government is promoting dividing young minds along religious lines, potentially hindering the inclusive learning environment," he said.

The BJP state chief said it was crucial to prioritise education over divisive practices and foster an environment where students can focus on academics without the influence of religious practices.

Hijab was banned in educational institutions in the state during the BJP regime in 2022.
The Bharatiya Janata Party has set its sights on winning an 'unprecedented majority' in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi asking key organisational leaders to work towards boosting the party's vote share by 10 per cent, sources said.

IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president J P Nadda during the BJP national office bearers' meeting, at the Party Office in New Delhi on Friday, December 22, 2023. Photograph: ANI Photo

Addressing the BJP's national office-bearers and state presidents on the concluding day of the two-day brainstorming meet on Saturday, Home Minister Amit Shah said that the BJP's performance should leave the opposition 'stunned', the sources said.

'We have to reach every home with our ideology and historic works of BJP governments and make Modi ji prime minister again in 2024 with an unprecedented majority,' Shah later posted on X about his address at the meet.

With the opposition Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) planning to put up a one-on-one fight against the BJP, Modi called for raising the BJP's vote share by 10 per cent from its show in the 2019 polls when the ruling party had fetched over 37 per cent of votes while the National Democratic Alliance led by it had bagged around 45 per cent votes.

Since coming to power at the Centre in 2014, the BJP has continuously striven to raise its vote share to 50 per cent in state assembly polls and succeeded in this feat in many elections.

Shah said that the BJP's massive win in the recent assembly polls under Modi's charismatic leadership shows that the trust of every group and people of every region is only in the prime minister.

Modi, the sources said, also asked party leaders to reach out to first-time voters and advised them to focus on spreading the word about the government's positive works instead of joining issues with opposition parties in their 'negative' campaign.

The consecration ceremony at the Ram temple was one of the highlights of the two-day deliberations as the party is confident it will be a major issue in its favour in the polls.

Opposition parties created many obstacles in resolving the issue, which was mired in legal disputes for decades, and people should be told about it, senior party leaders noted during the meeting.

Shah, like Modi a day before, underlined the primacy of organisation in elections and said it should score such an 'overwhelming' win that the opposition thinks many times before challenging it, sources said.

The prime minister emphasised the need to reach out to women, youth, farmers and the poor -- whom he has often described as the four biggest 'castes'.

He asked party leaders to connect a maximum number of these people with the ongoing 'Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra', which aims at saturation of his government's flagship welfare schemes.

The sources said the party's top brass did not set any specific seat target but emphasised on ensuring a win which should be bigger than its 2019 performance when the BJP had bagged 303 of the 543 Lok Sabha seats.

They accused the opposition of resorting to lies and spreading fake narratives but expressed confidence that people would reward Modi with a third straight term at the Centre.

Top party leaders, in their speeches, asked BJP functionaries to strengthen its booth committees everywhere to ensure that its local cadres reach more and more people.

The BJP's big win in the recent assembly polls came up for praise in the meeting, with the party unit presidents of the three Hindi heartland states of Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh speaking on the victories.

Modi's leadership, the appeal of his government's welfare schemes and the strength of its organisational machinery were cited as big reasons for the win.

Different 'morchas' of the party spoke about their upcoming programmes in the run-up to the general elections.
Tension mounted in the border districts of Poonch and Rajouri after three men died allegedly during interrogation by the Army following the killing of five soldiers in a terrorist ambush, prompting the Jammu and Kashmir government to step in swiftly and announce compensation and jobs to the kin of these civilians.

IMAGE: Security personnel patrol an area after an encounter with terrorists, in Poonch on Friday. Photograph: ANI Photo

Authorities suspended mobile Internet services in the two districts as a precautionary measure to check rumour-mongering and prevent any law and order problem, and senior administrative and police officers have been camping in the area to monitor the situation.

In a post on X, the Information and PR department of Jammu and Kashmir said, 'The death of three civilians was reported yesterday in Baffliaz of Poonch District. The medico legal formalities were conducted and legal action in this matter has been initiated by the appropriate authority.'

'Government has announced compensation for each of the deceased. Further Government has also announced compassionate appointments to the next of kin of each deceased,' it stated.

The three civilians, aged between 27 and 42, were found dead on Friday. Their relatives and political leaders alleged that they died due to 'custodial torture' as they were among the eight people picked up by the Army for questioning during an ongoing search operation to track down the terrorists involved in the ambush of Thursday.

The Jammu and Kashmir Police is preparing an inquest report under Section 174 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, which gives powers to police to inquire and submit a report to executive magistrate when a person has died under circumstances raising a reasonable suspicion that some other person has committed an offence.

This may lead to the registration of a case in the matter, officials said.

The Army's public information wing tweeted on Saturday saying it would extend all cooperation in the conduct of the investigation into the civilian deaths.

'Search operations by the security forces are continuing in the area of operations after the incident of 21 Dec 23. Reports have been received regarding three civilian deaths in the area. The matter is under investigation. Indian Army stands committed to extending full support and cooperation in the conduct of investigations,' the Additional Directorate General of Public Information (ADGPI) of the Indian Army posted on X.

Jammu Divisional Commissioner Ramesh Kumar and Inspector General of Police Anand Jain have been camping in Poonch and are monitoring the situation, officials said.

Videos of the alleged custodial torture surfaced on Friday, after which the authorities suspended mobile Internet services in the two districts, the officials said.

The bodies of the three civilians -- Safeer Hussain (43), Mohd Showket (27) and Shabir Ahmad (32) of Topa Peer village of Buffliaz -- were handed over to their families after postmortem on Saturday morning.

They were later laid to rest at their ancestral graveyard in Buffliaz.

"All the three were innocent civilians and died of torture in the custody of the Army," Mohd Sadiq, a relative of one of the deceased, told PTI over phone from the village.

He said they have performed the last rites of the deceased following the assurance of action by Poonch Deputy Commissioner Choudhary Mohd Yasin and Senior Superintendent of Police Vinay Kumar, who were in the village throughout the day.

"They have assured us action...we want justice for the deceased. We want registration of FIR against the Army unit and adequate compensation along with a government job to the next of kin," he said.

Sadiq, a panch, said he had informed senior police and civil officers about the random arrests and torture but nobody paid any heed.

Officials said four other civilians - Mohd Zulfkar, his brother Mohd Betab, Fazal Hussain and Mohd Farooq -- were admitted to the Government Medical College Hospital in Rajouri with alleged torture injuries.

Additional police and paramilitary personnel have been deployed in sensitive pockets of the districts to maintain peace.

Five soldiers were killed and two injured when heavily armed terrorists ambushed two Army vehicles at a blind curve at Dhatyar Morh between Dhera Ki Gali and Bufliaz on Thursday.

The ambush took place when the security personnel were moving to an ongoing search operation in the general area of Dhera Ki Gali in the Thanamandi-Surankote region.

Soon after the ambush, security forces launched a massive search operation in the densely forested areas, but there was no fresh contact with the fleeing terrorists so far, officials said.

Sound of firing was heard deep inside a forest in Dhera Ki Gali area Saturday afternoon but security agencies later clarified that forces resorted to speculative firing to check a natural cave.

Meanwhile, several political parties in Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday staged protests and demanded an impartial probe into the death of three civilians.

A Bharatiya Janata Party leader said the Jammu and Kashmir administration's prompt action in providing compensation and jobs to the kin of the deceased civilians demonstrates its commitment to address the concerns of affected families.

Senior Communist Party of India-Marxist leader M Y Tarigami expressed grief over the death of three civilians and demanded an impartial probe into the circumstances leading to their death.

He said the death of soldiers in a terror attack is most unfortunate but the loss of three civilian lives is equally disturbing.

People's Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti condemned the incident and demanded that the administration release a compensation of Rs 50 lakh each to the kin of the deceased and Rs 5 lakh each to the injured.

Scores of activists of the National Conference and the Apni Party tried to take out protest rallies but were stopped by police from leaving their respective party offices.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday expressed concern over the vandalism of a Hindu temple with anti-India graffiti in the United States, and said extremists and separatist forces outside India should not get such space.

IMAGE: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. Photograph: ANI Photo

He was speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the third convocation of the Rashtriya Raksha University in Gandhinagar.

"I have seen the news. As you know, we are concerned about this. Extremists and separatist forces outside India should not get space. Our consulate has lodged a complaint with the (US) government and the police there over whatever happened, and I believe the matter is being inquired," Jaishankar said in response to a query about the incident.

The police department in Newark, California said that approximately 8.35 am on Friday, they received a report of graffiti at Shri Swaminarayan Mandir Hindu temple.

According to images posted on social media, the word 'Khalistan' was spray-painted on a signpost outside the temple along with other objectionable graffiti.

The Newark police said any acts or threats of violence, property damage, harassment, intimidation, or other crimes motivated by hate or bias are considered very serious and given very high priority.

The Consulate General of India in San Francisco strongly condemned the defacing of the temple.

Talking about the arrest of Nikhil Gupta in Czech Republic over accusation that he was planning to assassinate US-based pro-Khalistan activist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in collaboration with an Indian official, the Union minister said the Indian embassy was provided consular access to him (by that country's government).

"Whenever an Indian citizen is arrested, we seek consular access for their care which we have received thrice," he said.

Over the absence of USA and Canada from the list of partner countries for the 10th Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit, Jaishankar said he would not put any political meaning to this.

"At the government level, it depends who we invite...The government of Gujarat can answer (over invitation to the countries). I would not put any political meaning," the minister said.

"My understanding is opposite, which is that in fact many counties are calling us to participate in Vibrant Gujarat. We ask them to talk to the government of Gujarat. We would like to support it because we would like to see maximum participants," he said.
Swiss chocolate brand Laderach has embarked on a global market expansion, eyeing a sweet spot in China as it develops new products catering for Chinese tastes.

"I'm very happy and proud of my Chinese team for the 15 stores they've already built in cities like Beijing, Shanghai and Chengdu. We see potential for further stores and also want to keep innovating for China," said CEO Johannes Laderach.





Produced by Xinhua Global Service
The Southeast Asian nation has formally sought return of 30, but its requests have been largely ignored, experts say.

From left: Head of Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara Cambodia, Angkor period, 9th century, stone; Head of a Buddha; Cambodia, Angkor period, ca. 92050, stone; Male Deity  probably Shiva  Cambodia, Angkor period, mid-11th century. (The Metropolitan Museum of Art)

From left: Standing Eight-Armed Avalokiteshvara, Cambodia, Angkor period, late 12th century, stone; face from a male deity  probably Shiva  Cambodia, Angkor period, ca. 93060, bronze with silver inlay; Standing Female Deity  probably Uma  Cambodia, Angkor period, ca. mid-11th century, stone; possibly Standing Shiva, Thailand, Angkor period, 11th century, gilt-copper alloy with silver inlay. (The Metropolitan Museum of Art)

From left: The Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara Seated in Royal Ease, Cambodia, Angkor period, late 10thearly 11th century, copper alloy with silver inlay; Kneeling Female, Thailand, Angkor period, Khmer style of the Baphuon, 11th century, bronze inlaid with silver and traces of gold. (The Metropolitan Museum of Art)

From left: Ardhanarishvara  Composite of Shiva and Parvati  Cambodia, pre-Angkor period, 7th-8th century; head of Avalokiteshvara  the Bodhisattva of Infinite Compassion  Cambodia, Angkor period, 10th century, bronze; and four-Armed Avalokiteshvara, Cambodia, Angkor period, 11th century, bronze. (The Metropolitan Museum of Art)

When an American museum announced last week that it would return two Angkor era statues to Thailand, including the well-known Golden Boy  dating to the 11th century, the emotive issue of stolen antiquities became a hot topic here.

Turns out, many Thais discovered that more than 100 stolen artifacts from their country are scattered in museums worldwide, according to experts.

But the Thai government, for now, has formally requested the return of only about 30 items  the repatriation of artifacts is a long process  and even those efforts have so far proven futile, according to noted local archaeologist Thanongsak Hanwong.

We have officially submitted documents requesting the return of over 30 artifacts to various countries, Thanongsak, whos also a member of a government committee for the repatriation of stolen artifacts, told BenarNews.

Additionally, there are about ten more cases where official requests have yet to be sent. However, Thai embassies abroad are negotiating their return. Some museums are reluctant to publicize these repatriations.

Last Friday, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York announced it was returning the two statues to Thailand along with 14 artifacts  also from the Angkor period  to neighboring Cambodia.

What might explain this wide difference in the number of artifacts being returned to the two countries?

Especially considering that the Met, as the world-famous New York institution is known, also holds notable 9th century Thai statues Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara and Bodhisattva Maitreya  Thailand has been unsuccessfully trying to recover the former since 2016, Thanongsak said.

A complex process

Many museums abroad just ignore Thailands return requests despite the artifacts provenance established as Thai, said Thanongsak and his group Sam-nuk Sam-Roi Ong (SSO), a group of local archaeologists and historians.

What does not help is that the Thai government has never explicitly said it prohibits its antiquities from being sold and taken overseas, Thanongsak said.

Lintel with Shiva on Nandi, Cambodia, Angkor period, 11th century, stone. [The Metropolitan Museum of Art]





Cambodias success in repatriating many of its artifacts from abroad is due to its governments declaration that it never consented to Khmer art leaving the country. Therefore, Khmer artifacts located outside of Cambodia are considered to have been acquired illegally, Thanongsak said.

Cambodia has clearly stated that they never permitted the export of their artifacts, unlike Thailand, where permissions have been granted at the discretion of the Director-General of the Fine Arts Department, he said.

The process of repatriating Thai artifacts is more complex than that of Cambodia, as it requires proof that the items were indeed stolen.

Possibly Standing Shiva [left], Thailand, Angkor period, 11th century, gilt-copper alloy with silver inlay and Kneeling Female, Thailand, Angkor period, Khmer style of the Baphuon, second half of the 11th century, bronze inlaid with silver and traces of gold. (Metropolitan Museum of Art)





The Thai governments Department of Fine Arts is actively pursuing the return of Thai artifacts scattered abroad, Phanom Butrachoti, the departments director-general, told BenarNews.

It might seem slow, but each artifact requires careful consideration by relevant committees to ensure its illegal export from Thailand, to avoid future complications, Phanom said.

Possibly Standing Shiva [left], Thailand, Angkor period, 11th century, gilt-copper alloy with silver inlay and Kneeling Female, Thailand, Angkor period, Khmer style of the Baphuon, second half of the 11th century, bronze inlaid with silver and traces of gold. (Metropolitan Museum of Art)

Take the case of Golden Boy, which the Mets website describes as an 11th century statue, possibly of the mythical Hindu god Shiva, made of gilt-copper alloy and silver inlay.

The process to repatriate the Golden Boy took over three years of negotiations and gathering information from local villagers, Thanongsak said.

The statue (pictured above) had been found by locals in Buriram province in the early 1970s. British antiquities dealer Douglas A.J. Latchford bought it from the locals for 1 million baht back then, and sold it abroad.

The pursuit to reclaim Golden Boy started in 2021. I presented this case to the Committee for the Follow-Up on Antiquities. [Was] sent to Ban Yang (in Buriram), I gathered information to substantiate its origins, the Thai archaeologist said.

Our efforts, backed by detailed data and Latchfords book citing its acquisition from Ban Yang, eventually led to the Mets representatives negotiating with Thailand, resulting in its return.

The Phra Narai Bantomsin lintel affair

The Met agreeing to return the statue is not a common occurrence, Thanongsak said.

The only other instance of such a return was the Narai Bantomsin lintel, he said.

He was referring to a stone carving of a facade from between the 12th and 14th centuries, which went missing or was stolen in the 1960s from Phanom Rung Historical Park and later found displayed at The Art Institute of Chicago.

Its return was a result of extensive campaigns and protests by a charged Thai public.

The way its told, what came to be called The Phra Narai Bantomsin lintel affair took off in February 1988, when Thai newspapers all together published an open letter from the Thai public demanding the lintel be repatriated.

In May that year, more than 500 Thais protested in front of the Art Institute of Chicago, demanding for the return of the lintel.

The same year, Thai rock band Carabao released an album called Narai Bantomsin, with the cover showing the Statue of Liberty holding the lintel. Included in the album was a song titled Return Michael Jackson, bring back Narai.

Pressure was mounting. A Chicago-based philanthropic group, the Elizabeth F. Cheney Foundation, noticed the brouhaha and decided to facilitate the lintels return.

The foundation offered the museum in Chicago Thai artifacts worth 50 million baht as a replacement for the stone artifact, and the institute agreed to let go of the lintel.

The stone artifact arrived at Don Mueang Airport on the evening of Nov. 10, 1988, to a media reception of the kind reserved for international rock stars, the Bangkok Post reported.

The arrival event, which was broadcast nationwide, included the opening of the wooden crate that contained the lintel.

When the lid was lifted to reveal the stone carving, the cheer almost rocked the airport.

Narai Bantomsin was finally home.

Shailaja Neelakantan in Washington contributed to this report.
Lyu Chenggui takes photos of an ancient fort at Pianguan County, north China's Shanxi Province, Aug. 29, 2023. The Great Wall built during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) encounters the Yellow River at Laoniuwan Village in Pianguan County. Lyu Chenggui, 58, a native of Laoniuwan Village, enjoys renown for his enthusiasm for the Great Wall.

He has developed a keen interest in the Great Wall since his youth. Driven by curiosity, Lyu not only visits the Great Wall and takes photos of it, but also studies it in depth.

Lyu has continuously put forward suggestions for protecting and developing the Great Wall and has made it his career.

Under his suggestions, Laoniuwan Village has developed its rural tourism industry with a cohesion of the Great Wall and the Yellow River. The booming tourism industry has increased the income of the villagers and raised their awareness of cherishing cultural heritage. (Xinhua/Liu Jinhai)

This aerial photo taken on Aug. 26, 2023 shows the Great Wall built during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) in Pianguan County, north China's Shanxi Province. The Great Wall built during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) encounters the Yellow River at Laoniuwan Village in Pianguan County. Lyu Chenggui, 58, a native of Laoniuwan Village, enjoys renown for his enthusiasm for the Great Wall.

He has developed a keen interest in the Great Wall since his youth. Driven by curiosity, Lyu not only visits the Great Wall and takes photos of it, but also studies it in depth.

Lyu has continuously put forward suggestions for protecting and developing the Great Wall and has made it his career.

Under his suggestions, Laoniuwan Village has developed its rural tourism industry with a cohesion of the Great Wall and the Yellow River. The booming tourism industry has increased the income of the villagers and raised their awareness of cherishing cultural heritage. (Xinhua/Liu Jinhai)

Lyu Chenggui finds directions with a compass at a section of the Great Wall in Pianguan County, north China's Shanxi Province, Aug. 28, 2023. The Great Wall built during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) encounters the Yellow River at Laoniuwan Village in Pianguan County. Lyu Chenggui, 58, a native of Laoniuwan Village, enjoys renown for his enthusiasm for the Great Wall.

He has developed a keen interest in the Great Wall since his youth. Driven by curiosity, Lyu not only visits the Great Wall and takes photos of it, but also studies it in depth.

Lyu has continuously put forward suggestions for protecting and developing the Great Wall and has made it his career.

Under his suggestions, Laoniuwan Village has developed its rural tourism industry with a cohesion of the Great Wall and the Yellow River. The booming tourism industry has increased the income of the villagers and raised their awareness of cherishing cultural heritage. (Xinhua/Liu Jinhai)

Lyu Chenggui stares at a section of the Great Wall in Pianguan County, north China's Shanxi Province, Aug. 28, 2023. The Great Wall built during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) encounters the Yellow River at Laoniuwan Village in Pianguan County. Lyu Chenggui, 58, a native of Laoniuwan Village, enjoys renown for his enthusiasm for the Great Wall.

He has developed a keen interest in the Great Wall since his youth. Driven by curiosity, Lyu not only visits the Great Wall and takes photos of it, but also studies it in depth.

Lyu has continuously put forward suggestions for protecting and developing the Great Wall and has made it his career.

Under his suggestions, Laoniuwan Village has developed its rural tourism industry with a cohesion of the Great Wall and the Yellow River. The booming tourism industry has increased the income of the villagers and raised their awareness of cherishing cultural heritage. (Xinhua/Yang Chenguang)

Lyu Chenggui checks a cultural and creative product of the Great Wall made by himself at Laoniuwan Village of Pianguan County, north China's Shanxi Province, Aug. 28, 2023. The Great Wall built during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) encounters the Yellow River at Laoniuwan Village in Pianguan County. Lyu Chenggui, 58, a native of Laoniuwan Village, enjoys renown for his enthusiasm for the Great Wall.

He has developed a keen interest in the Great Wall since his youth. Driven by curiosity, Lyu not only visits the Great Wall and takes photos of it, but also studies it in depth.

Lyu has continuously put forward suggestions for protecting and developing the Great Wall and has made it his career.

Under his suggestions, Laoniuwan Village has developed its rural tourism industry with a cohesion of the Great Wall and the Yellow River. The booming tourism industry has increased the income of the villagers and raised their awareness of cherishing cultural heritage. (Xinhua/Yang Chenguang)

Lyu Chenggui (L) talks with a worker who makes antique weapons of the Great Wall at Laoniuwan Village of Pianguan County, north China's Shanxi Province, Aug. 28, 2023. The Great Wall built during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) encounters the Yellow River at Laoniuwan Village in Pianguan County. Lyu Chenggui, 58, a native of Laoniuwan Village, enjoys renown for his enthusiasm for the Great Wall.

He has developed a keen interest in the Great Wall since his youth. Driven by curiosity, Lyu not only visits the Great Wall and takes photos of it, but also studies it in depth.

Lyu has continuously put forward suggestions for protecting and developing the Great Wall and has made it his career.

Under his suggestions, Laoniuwan Village has developed its rural tourism industry with a cohesion of the Great Wall and the Yellow River. The booming tourism industry has increased the income of the villagers and raised their awareness of cherishing cultural heritage. (Xinhua/Chen Zhonghao)

Lyu Chenggui takes measures of a part of the Great Wall at in Pianguan County, north China's Shanxi Province, Aug. 28, 2023. The Great Wall built during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) encounters the Yellow River at Laoniuwan Village in Pianguan County. Lyu Chenggui, 58, a native of Laoniuwan Village, enjoys renown for his enthusiasm for the Great Wall.

He has developed a keen interest in the Great Wall since his youth. Driven by curiosity, Lyu not only visits the Great Wall and takes photos of it, but also studies it in depth.

Lyu has continuously put forward suggestions for protecting and developing the Great Wall and has made it his career.

Under his suggestions, Laoniuwan Village has developed its rural tourism industry with a cohesion of the Great Wall and the Yellow River. The booming tourism industry has increased the income of the villagers and raised their awareness of cherishing cultural heritage. (Xinhua/Liu Jinhai)

This photo taken on Aug. 29, 2023 shows Lyu Chenggui at his house at Laoniuwan Village of Pianguan County, north China's Shanxi Province. The Great Wall built during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) encounters the Yellow River at Laoniuwan Village in Pianguan County. Lyu Chenggui, 58, a native of Laoniuwan Village, enjoys renown for his enthusiasm for the Great Wall.

He has developed a keen interest in the Great Wall since his youth. Driven by curiosity, Lyu not only visits the Great Wall and takes photos of it, but also studies it in depth.

Lyu has continuously put forward suggestions for protecting and developing the Great Wall and has made it his career.

Under his suggestions, Laoniuwan Village has developed its rural tourism industry with a cohesion of the Great Wall and the Yellow River. The booming tourism industry has increased the income of the villagers and raised their awareness of cherishing cultural heritage. (Xinhua/Yang Chenguang)

This file photo shows Lyu Chenggui visiting a section of the Great Wall at Laoniuwan Village of Pianguan County, north China's Shanxi Province, July 15, 1999. The Great Wall built during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) encounters the Yellow River at Laoniuwan Village in Pianguan County. Lyu Chenggui, 58, a native of Laoniuwan Village, enjoys renown for his enthusiasm for the Great Wall.

He has developed a keen interest in the Great Wall since his youth. Driven by curiosity, Lyu not only visits the Great Wall and takes photos of it, but also studies it in depth.

Lyu has continuously put forward suggestions for protecting and developing the Great Wall and has made it his career.

Under his suggestions, Laoniuwan Village has developed its rural tourism industry with a cohesion of the Great Wall and the Yellow River. The booming tourism industry has increased the income of the villagers and raised their awareness of cherishing cultural heritage. (Xinhua)

Lyu Chenggui walks towards a part of the Great Wall in Pianguan County, north China's Shanxi Province, Aug. 28, 2023. The Great Wall built during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) encounters the Yellow River at Laoniuwan Village in Pianguan County. Lyu Chenggui, 58, a native of Laoniuwan Village, enjoys renown for his enthusiasm for the Great Wall.

He has developed a keen interest in the Great Wall since his youth. Driven by curiosity, Lyu not only visits the Great Wall and takes photos of it, but also studies it in depth.

Lyu has continuously put forward suggestions for protecting and developing the Great Wall and has made it his career.

Under his suggestions, Laoniuwan Village has developed its rural tourism industry with a cohesion of the Great Wall and the Yellow River. The booming tourism industry has increased the income of the villagers and raised their awareness of cherishing cultural heritage. (Xinhua/Chen Zhonghao)

Lyu Chenggui knocks the tile pieces to infer their materials and ages by the sound at Pianguan County, north China's Shanxi Province, Aug. 28, 2023. The Great Wall built during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) encounters the Yellow River at Laoniuwan Village in Pianguan County. Lyu Chenggui, 58, a native of Laoniuwan Village, enjoys renown for his enthusiasm for the Great Wall.

He has developed a keen interest in the Great Wall since his youth. Driven by curiosity, Lyu not only visits the Great Wall and takes photos of it, but also studies it in depth.

Lyu has continuously put forward suggestions for protecting and developing the Great Wall and has made it his career.

Under his suggestions, Laoniuwan Village has developed its rural tourism industry with a cohesion of the Great Wall and the Yellow River. The booming tourism industry has increased the income of the villagers and raised their awareness of cherishing cultural heritage. (Xinhua/Chen Zhonghao)

Lyu Chenggui visits a section of the Great Wall by the side of the Yellow River in Pianguan County, north China's Shanxi Province, Aug. 28, 2023. The Great Wall built during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) encounters the Yellow River at Laoniuwan Village in Pianguan County. Lyu Chenggui, 58, a native of Laoniuwan Village, enjoys renown for his enthusiasm for the Great Wall.

He has developed a keen interest in the Great Wall since his youth. Driven by curiosity, Lyu not only visits the Great Wall and takes photos of it, but also studies it in depth.

Lyu has continuously put forward suggestions for protecting and developing the Great Wall and has made it his career.

Under his suggestions, Laoniuwan Village has developed its rural tourism industry with a cohesion of the Great Wall and the Yellow River. The booming tourism industry has increased the income of the villagers and raised their awareness of cherishing cultural heritage. (Xinhua/Chen Zhonghao)

Lyu Chenggui reads books about the Great Wall at Laoniuwan Village of Pianguan County, north China's Shanxi Province, Aug. 28, 2023. The Great Wall built during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) encounters the Yellow River at Laoniuwan Village in Pianguan County. Lyu Chenggui, 58, a native of Laoniuwan Village, enjoys renown for his enthusiasm for the Great Wall.

He has developed a keen interest in the Great Wall since his youth. Driven by curiosity, Lyu not only visits the Great Wall and takes photos of it, but also studies it in depth.

Lyu has continuously put forward suggestions for protecting and developing the Great Wall and has made it his career.

Under his suggestions, Laoniuwan Village has developed its rural tourism industry with a cohesion of the Great Wall and the Yellow River. The booming tourism industry has increased the income of the villagers and raised their awareness of cherishing cultural heritage. (Xinhua/Liu Jinhai)

Lyu Chenggui prepares a drone at Laoniuwan Village of Pianguan County, north China's Shanxi Province, Aug. 28, 2023. The Great Wall built during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) encounters the Yellow River at Laoniuwan Village in Pianguan County. Lyu Chenggui, 58, a native of Laoniuwan Village, enjoys renown for his enthusiasm for the Great Wall.

He has developed a keen interest in the Great Wall since his youth. Driven by curiosity, Lyu not only visits the Great Wall and takes photos of it, but also studies it in depth.

Lyu has continuously put forward suggestions for protecting and developing the Great Wall and has made it his career.

Under his suggestions, Laoniuwan Village has developed its rural tourism industry with a cohesion of the Great Wall and the Yellow River. The booming tourism industry has increased the income of the villagers and raised their awareness of cherishing cultural heritage. (Xinhua/Liu Jinhai)

Lyu Chenggui poses for photos at Laoniuwan Village of Pianguan County, north China's Shanxi Province, Aug. 29, 2023. The Great Wall built during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) encounters the Yellow River at Laoniuwan Village in Pianguan County. Lyu Chenggui, 58, a native of Laoniuwan Village, enjoys renown for his enthusiasm for the Great Wall.

He has developed a keen interest in the Great Wall since his youth. Driven by curiosity, Lyu not only visits the Great Wall and takes photos of it, but also studies it in depth.

Lyu has continuously put forward suggestions for protecting and developing the Great Wall and has made it his career.

Under his suggestions, Laoniuwan Village has developed its rural tourism industry with a cohesion of the Great Wall and the Yellow River. The booming tourism industry has increased the income of the villagers and raised their awareness of cherishing cultural heritage. (Xinhua/Liu Jinhai)

Lyu Chenggui tries to break a tree growing at the gate of an ancient fort to prevent the wall from cracking in Pianguan County, north China's Shanxi Province, Aug. 29, 2023. The Great Wall built during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) encounters the Yellow River at Laoniuwan Village in Pianguan County. Lyu Chenggui, 58, a native of Laoniuwan Village, enjoys renown for his enthusiasm for the Great Wall.

He has developed a keen interest in the Great Wall since his youth. Driven by curiosity, Lyu not only visits the Great Wall and takes photos of it, but also studies it in depth.

Lyu has continuously put forward suggestions for protecting and developing the Great Wall and has made it his career.

Under his suggestions, Laoniuwan Village has developed its rural tourism industry with a cohesion of the Great Wall and the Yellow River. The booming tourism industry has increased the income of the villagers and raised their awareness of cherishing cultural heritage. (Xinhua/Liu Jinhai)

Lyu Chenggui drives to visit an ancient fort at Pianguan County, north China's Shanxi Province, Aug. 29, 2023. The Great Wall built during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) encounters the Yellow River at Laoniuwan Village in Pianguan County. Lyu Chenggui, 58, a native of Laoniuwan Village, enjoys renown for his enthusiasm for the Great Wall.

He has developed a keen interest in the Great Wall since his youth. Driven by curiosity, Lyu not only visits the Great Wall and takes photos of it, but also studies it in depth.

Lyu has continuously put forward suggestions for protecting and developing the Great Wall and has made it his career.

Under his suggestions, Laoniuwan Village has developed its rural tourism industry with a cohesion of the Great Wall and the Yellow River. The booming tourism industry has increased the income of the villagers and raised their awareness of cherishing cultural heritage. (Xinhua/Liu Jinhai)

Lyu Chenggui walks past a section of the Great Wall in Pianguan County, north China's Shanxi Province, Aug. 28, 2023. The Great Wall built during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) encounters the Yellow River at Laoniuwan Village in Pianguan County. Lyu Chenggui, 58, a native of Laoniuwan Village, enjoys renown for his enthusiasm for the Great Wall.

He has developed a keen interest in the Great Wall since his youth. Driven by curiosity, Lyu not only visits the Great Wall and takes photos of it, but also studies it in depth.

Lyu has continuously put forward suggestions for protecting and developing the Great Wall and has made it his career.

Under his suggestions, Laoniuwan Village has developed its rural tourism industry with a cohesion of the Great Wall and the Yellow River. The booming tourism industry has increased the income of the villagers and raised their awareness of cherishing cultural heritage. (Xinhua/Liu Jinhai)

Lyu Chenggui gets his shirt scratched during an investigation of the Great Wall in Pianguan County, north China's Shanxi Province, Aug. 28, 2023.

The Great Wall built during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) encounters the Yellow River at Laoniuwan Village in Pianguan County. Lyu Chenggui, 58, a native of Laoniuwan Village, enjoys renown for his enthusiasm for the Great Wall.

He has developed a keen interest in the Great Wall since his youth. Driven by curiosity, Lyu not only visits the Great Wall and takes photos of it, but also studies it in depth.

Lyu has continuously put forward suggestions for protecting and developing the Great Wall and has made it his career.

Under his suggestions, Laoniuwan Village has developed its rural tourism industry with a cohesion of the Great Wall and the Yellow River. The booming tourism industry has increased the income of the villagers and raised their awareness of cherishing cultural heritage. (Xinhua/Chen Zhonghao)
Residents sympathized with the 23-year-old man because they could relate to the hunger he experienced.

North Koreans walk in front of a mural of late Korean leader Kim Il Sung at the border to China near the North Korean city of Hyesan in this file photo.

Hundreds of residents were forced to gather at an airfield in frigid weather to watch authorities execute a 23-year-old man by firing squad, residents in North Korea told Radio Free Asia.

His alleged crime was murdering a woman while trying to steal about US$6 worth of beans from her, authorities told them.

Another 12 people were given lengthy prison sentences in excess of 10 years for various crimes including robbery, fraud, deception, escaping North Korea and drug trafficking, the residents said.

Public executions are a regular occurrence in North Korea. The Hyesan airfield was the same location where authorities executed nine people in August for running a beef smuggling ring and another in September for stealing penicillin.

On the morning of the 19th, the day of the public execution, an order was issued from the provincial social security bureau to residents of each neighborhood to gather at the Hyesan airfield by 2 in the afternoon, a resident of the northern province of Ryanggang told RFA Korean on condition of anonymity for security reasons.

We had to stand for two hours in minus 15-degree [Celsius] [5 degrees Fahrenheit] weather, braving the howling wind in an empty field covered in white snow, she said.

Authorities made the criminals stand in front of the crowd, announced their charges, then read the verdict. It wasnt clear if they had been tried in a court.

Sympathy for the condemned man

Afterwards, those sentenced to prison were taken away, and the person who was sentenced to death was executed right on the spot by a firing squad, she said.

Authorities said that the young man who was shot to death committed murder while trying to steal from a woman who was carrying 10 kilograms (22 lbs) of beans one night  at the end of last month.

The price of 10 kilograms of beans is about 50,000 won ($5.90) according to the latest market prices available. It is enough to feed a family of four for eight to 15 days.

The man was not caught immediately after killing the woman, but he was arrested in connection with another crime and it was determined during the investigation that he had killed the woman carrying beans, the resident said.

At the scene [of the public execution], residents criticized our society, in which people kill each other for food, she said. There was also criticism among residents that although murder should be punished, the authorities were largely responsible as most crimes are occurring due to lack of food, the source said.

North Korea suffers from chronic food shortages, which the resident said provides the main motive for most violent crimes these days.

The crippling hunger that caused the man to steal the beans was something the onlookers could relate to, another resident, who requested anonymity to speak freely, told RFA.

The residents understand that because he could not bear hunger at a young age, he committed accidental murder while trying to steal a backpack containing 10 kilograms (22 lbs) of beans that a woman was carrying, she said.

Most of the crimes that occur recently are for survival, and if people had enough to live, they would not have occurred in the first place.

She said that the authorities had failed to provide conditions that would allow residents to make a decent living.

They are only responding with draconian measures, such as this execution by firing squad, she said.

Translated by Leejin J. Chung. Edited by Eugene Whong and Malcolm Foster.
We asked some of our most perceptive journalists and analysts to anticipate tomorrow, to unravel the future, to forecast what the new year could have in store for our vast broadcast region. Among their predictions:

The war in Ukraine will persist until the West realizes that a return to the previous world order is unattainable.

In Iran, with parliamentary elections scheduled for March, the government is likely to face yet another challenge to its legitimacy.

In Belarus, setbacks for Russia in Ukraine could prompt the Lukashenka regime to attempt to normalize relations with the West.

While 2024 will see a rightward shift in the EU, it is unlikely to bring the deluge of populist victories that some are predicting.

The vicious spiral for women in Afghanistan will only worsen.

Peace between Armenia and its neighbors could set the stage for a Russian exit from the region.

Hungary's upcoming leadership of the European Council could prove a stumbling block to the start of EU accession talks with Ukraine.

Kyrgyzstan is on course to feel the pain of secondary sanctions over Russias invasion of Ukraine if the West's patience runs out.

Here, then, are our correspondents' predictions for 2024. To find out more about the authors themselves, click on their bylines.

The Ukraine War: A Prolonged Stalemate

By Vitaliy Portnikov

In September 2022, Ukrainian generals Valeriy Zaluzhniy and Mykhaylo Zabrodskiy presciently warned that Russia's aggression against Ukraine would unfold into a protracted conflict. Fast forward 15 months, and the front line is effectively frozen, with neither Ukrainian nor Russian offensives yielding substantial changes.

As 2023 comes to a close, observers find themselves revisiting themes familiar from the previous year: the potential for a major Ukrainian counteroffensive, the extent of Western aid to Kyiv, the possibility of a "frozen conflict, security assurances for Ukraine, and the prospects for its Euro-Atlantic integration ahead of a NATO summit.

It is conceivable that, by the close of 2024, we will still be grappling with these same issues. A political resolution seems elusive, given the Kremlin's steadfast refusal to entertain discussions on vacating the parts of Ukraine its forces occupy. Conversely, Ukraines definition of victory is the full restoration of its territorial integrity.

Even if, in 2024, one side achieves a military victory -- whether through the liberation of part of Ukraine or Russia seizing control of additional regions -- it won't necessarily bring us closer to a political resolution. Acknowledging this impasse is crucial, as Russian President Vladimir Putin's assault on Ukraine is part of a broader agenda: a push to reestablish, if not the Soviet Empire, at least its sphere of influence.

Even if, in 2024, one side achieves a military victory, it won't necessarily bring us closer to a political resolution.

For Ukraine, resistance to Russian aggression is about not just reclaiming occupied territories but also safeguarding statehood, political identity, and national integrity. Western support is crucial for Ukraine's survival and the restoration of its territorial integrity. However, this backing aims to avoid escalation into a direct conflict between Russia and the West on Russia's sovereign territory.

The war's conclusion seems contingent on the depletion of resources on one of the two sides, with Ukraine relying on continued Western support and Russia on oil and gas revenues. Hence, 2024 might echo the patterns of 2023. Even if external factors shift significantly -- such as in the U.S. presidential election in November -- we might not witness tangible changes until 2025.

Another potential variable is the emergence of major conflicts akin to the war in the Gaza Strip. Nevertheless, this would likely signify the dissipation of Western resources rather than a shift in approaches to war.

In essence, the war in Ukraine will persist until the West realizes that a return to the previous world order is unattainable. Constructing a new world order demands unconventional measures, such as offering genuine security guarantees to nations victimized by aggression or achieving peace, or at least limiting the zone of military operations to the current contact line, without direct agreements with Russia.

So far, such understanding is lacking, and the expectation that Moscow will eventually grasp the futility of its ambitions only emboldens Putin. Consequently, the conflict between Russia and Ukraine will endure, potentially spawning new, equally perilous local wars worldwide.

Iran: Problems Within And Without

By Hannah Kaviani

Iran has been dealing with complex domestic and international challenges for years and the same issues are likely to plague it in 2024. But officials in Tehran appear to be taking a wait-and-see approach to its lengthy list of multilayered problems.

Iran enters 2024 as Israel's war in Gaza continues and the prospects for a peaceful Middle East are bleak, with the situation exacerbated by militia groups firmly supported by Tehran.

Irans prominent role in supporting paramilitary forces in Iraq, Syria, and Yemen has also drawn the ire of the international community and will continue to be a thorn in the side of relations with the West.

Tehran has refused to cooperate with the UNs International Atomic Energy Agency over its nuclear program, resulting in an impasse in talks with the international community. And with the United States entering an election year that could see the return of Donald Trump to the presidency, the likelihood of Tehran and Washington resuming negotiations -- which could lead to a reduction in sanctions -- is considered very low.

But Iran's problems are not limited to outside its borders.

Another critical issue Iranian officials must continue to deal with in 2024 is the devastated economy.

The countrys clerical regime is still reeling from the massive protests that began in 2022 over the death of Mahsa Amini in police custody after her arrest for not obeying hijab rules. The aftershocks of the Women, Life, Freedom movement that emanated from her death were reflected in acts of civil disobedience that are likely to continue in 2024.

At the same time, a brutal crackdown continues as civil rights activists, students, religious minorities, and artists are being beaten, detained, and/or given harsh prison sentences.

With parliamentary elections scheduled for March, the government is likely to face yet another challenge to its legitimacy as it struggles with low voter turnout and general disinterest in another round of controlled elections.

Another critical issue Iranian officials must continue to deal with in 2024 is the devastated economy resulting from the slew of international sanctions because of its controversial nuclear program. After a crushing year of 47 percent inflation in 2023 (a 20-year high, according to the IMF), costs are expected to continue to rise for many foods and commodities, as well as real estate.

Irans widening budget deficit due to reduced oil profits continues to cripple the economy, with the IMF reporting that the current government debt is equal to three annual budgets.

With neither the international community nor the hard-line Tehran regime budging, most analysts see scant chances for significant changes in Iran in the coming year.

Belarus: Wider War Role, Integration With Russia Not In The Cards

By Valer Karbalevich

Belarus has been pulled closer into Moscows orbit than ever by Russias war in Ukraine -- but in 2024, its unlikely to be subsumed into the much larger nation to its east, and chances are it wont step up its so-far limited involvement in the conflict in the country to its south.

The most probable scenario in Belarus, where the authoritarian Alyaksandr Lukashenka will mark 30 years since he came to power in 1994, is more of the same: No letup in pressure on all forms of dissent at home, no move to send troops to Ukraine. And while Russias insistent embrace will not loosen, the Kremlin will abstain from using Belarusian territory for any new ground attacks or bombardments of Ukraine.

But the war in Ukraine is a wild card, the linchpin influencing the trajectory of Belarus in the near term and beyond. For the foreseeable future, what happens in Belarus -- or to it -- will depend in large part on what happens in Russias assault on Ukraine.

Should the current equilibrium on the front persist and Western support for Ukraine persist, the likelihood is a continuation of the status quo for Belarus. The country will maintain its allegiance to Russia, marked by diplomatic and political support. Bolstered by Russian loans, Belarus's defense industry will further expand its output.

If Russia wins or scores substantial victories in Ukraine, Lukashenka will reap "victory dividends."

The Belarusian state will continue to militarize the border with Ukraine, posing a perpetual threat to Kyiv and diverting Ukrainian troops from the eastern and southern fronts. At the same time, however, Russia is unlikely to use Belarusian territory as a launching point for fresh assaults on Ukraine, as it did at the start of the full-scale invasion in 2022.

If Russia wins or scores substantial victories -- if Ukraine is forced into negotiations on Moscows terms, for example, or the current front line comes to be considered the international border -- Lukashenka, consolidating his position within the country, will reap "victory dividends." But relations between Belarus and Russia are unlikely to change dramatically.

Potentially, Moscow could take major steps to absorb Belarus, diminishing its sovereignty and transforming its territory into a staging ground for a fresh assault on Kyiv. This would increase tensions with the West and heighten concerns about the tactical nuclear weapons Moscow and Minsk say Russia has transferred to Belarus. However, this seems unlikely due to the absence of military necessity for Moscow and the problems it could create on the global stage.

The loss of Belarusian sovereignty would pose a major risk for Lukashenka and his regime. An overwhelming majority of Belarusians oppose the direct involvement of Belarus in the war against Ukraine. This fundamental distinction sets Belarus apart from Russia, and bringing Belarus into the war could trigger a political crisis in Belarus -- an outcome Moscow would prefer to avoid.

If Russia loses the war or sustains significant defeats that weaken Putin, Lukashenka's regime may suffer economic and political repercussions. This could prompt him to seek alternative global alliances, potentially leading to an attempt to normalize relations with the West.

Russia, Ukraine, And The West: Sliding Toward World War III

By Sergei Medvedev

2024 will be a critical year for the war in Ukraine and for the entire international system, which is quickly unraveling before our eyes. The most crucial of many challenges is a revanchist, resentful, belligerent Russia, bent on destroying and remaking the world order. In his mind, President Vladimir Putin is fighting World War III, and Ukraine is a prelude to a global showdown.

Despite Western sanctions, Russia has consolidated its position militarily, domestically, and internationally in 2023. After setbacks and shocks in 2022, the military has stabilized the front and addressed shortages of arms, supplies, and manpower. Despite latent discontent, the population is not ready to question the war, preferring to stay in the bubble of learned ignorance and the lies of state propaganda.

Here are four scenarios for 2024:

Strategic stalemate in Ukraine, chaos in the international system: The West, relaxed by a 30-year peace dividend, lacks the vision and resolve of the 1980s, when its leaders helped bring about the U.S.S.R.s collapse, let alone the courage of those who stood up to Nazi Germany in World War II. Putins challenge to the free world is no less significant than Hitlers was, but there is no Roosevelt or Churchill in sight. Probability: 70 percent

While breakup into many regions is unlikely, the Russian empire could crumble at the edges.

Widening war, collapse or division of Ukraine: Russia could defend and consolidate its gains in Ukraine, waging trench warfare while continuing to destroy civilian infrastructure, and may consider a side strike in Georgia or Moldova -- or against Lithuania or Poland, testing NATO. A frontal invasion is less likely than a hybrid operation by unidentified units striking from Belarus, acts of sabotage, or unrest among Russian-speakers in the Baltic states. Other Kremlin operations could occur anywhere in the world. The collapse of Ukraines government or the division of the country could not be ruled out. Probability: 15 percent.

Russia loses in Ukraine: A military defeat for Russia, possibly entailing a partial or complete withdrawal from Ukraine. Consistent Western support and expanded supplies of arms, like F-16s or Abrams tanks, or a big move such as closing the skies over Ukraine, could provide for this outcome. It would not necessarily entail Russias collapse -- it could further consolidate the nation around Putins regime. Russia would develop a resentful identity grounded in loss and defeat -- and harbor the idea of coming back with a vengeance. Probability: 10 percent

Russias Collapse: A military defeat in Ukraine could spark social unrest, elite factional battles, and an anti-Putin coup, leading to his demotion or violent death. Putins natural death, too, could set off a succession struggle, causing chaos in a country he has rid of reliable institutions. While breakup into many regions is unlikely, the empire could crumble at the edges -- Kaliningrad, Chechnya, the Far East  like in 1917 and 1991. Russias nuclear weapons would be a big question mark, leading to external involvement and possible de-nuclearization. For all its perils, this scenario might provide a framework for future statehood in Northern Eurasia. Probability: 5 percent

EU: 'Fortress Europe' And The Ukraine War

By Rikard Jozwiak

2024 will see a rightward shift in the European Union, but it is unlikely to bring the deluge of populist victories that some are predicting since Euroskeptics won national elections in the Netherlands, Poland, and Slovakia and polled well in Austria and Germany.

The European Parliament elections in June will be the ultimate test for the bloc in that respect. Polls still suggest the two main political groups, the center-right European People's Party and the center-left Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats, will finish on top, albeit with a smaller share of the vote. But right-wing populist parties are likely to fail once again to agree on the creation of a single political group, thus eroding their influence in Brussels.

This, in turn, is likely to prod more pro-European groups into combining forces again to divvy up EU top jobs like the presidencies of the European Commission, the bloc's top executive body, and the European Council, which defines the EU's political direction and priorities. Center-right European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is widely tipped to get a second term, even though she might fancy NATO's top job as secretary-general. Charles Michel, on the other hand, will definitely be out as European Council president after serving the maximum five years.

While right-wing populists may not wield major influence in the horse-trading for those top jobs, they will affect policy going forward. They have already contributed to a hardening of attitudes on migration, and you can expect to hear more of the term "fortress Europe" as barriers go up on the EU's outer border.

The one surefire guarantee in Europe isn't about the European Union at all but rather about NATO.

The biggest question for 2024, however, is about how much support Brussels can provide Ukraine going forward. Could the "cost-of-living crisis" encourage members to side with Budapest to block financial aid or veto the start of de facto accession talks with that war-torn country? The smart money is still on the EU finding a way to green-light both those decisions in 2024, possibly by unfreezing more EU funds for Budapest.

Although it seems like a remote possibility, patience could also finally wear out with Hungary, and the other 26 members could decide to strip it of voting rights in the Council of the European Union, which amends, approves, and vetoes European Commission proposals -- essentially depriving it of influence. In that respect, Austria and Slovakia, Budapest's two biggest allies right now, are the EU countries to watch.

The one surefire guarantee in Europe isn't about the European Union at all but rather about NATO: After somehow failing to join as predicted for each of the past two years, against the backdrop of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Sweden will become the transatlantic military alliance's 32nd member once the Turkish and Hungarian parliaments vote to ratify its accession protocol.

Caucasus: A Peace Agreement Could Be Transformative

By Josh Kucera

Could 2024 be the year that Armenia and Azerbaijan finally formally resolve decades of conflict?

This year, Azerbaijan effectively decided -- by force -- their most contentious issue: the status of the disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh. With its lightning offensive in September, Azerbaijan placed Karabakh firmly under its control. Both sides now say they've reached agreement on most of their fundamental remaining issues, and diplomatic talks, after an interruption, appear set to resume.

A resolution of the conflict could transform the region. If Armenia and Azerbaijan made peace, a Turkish-Armenian rapprochement could soon follow. Borders between the three countries would reopen as a result, ending Armenia's long geographical isolation and priming the South Caucasus to take full advantage of new transportation projects seeking to ship cargo between Europe and Asia while bypassing Russia.

Peace between Armenia and its neighbors also could set the stage for a Russian exit from the region. Russian-Armenian security cooperation has been predicated on potential threats from Azerbaijan and Turkey. With those threats reduced, what's keeping the Russian soldiers, peacekeepers, and border guards there?

There are mounting indications that Azerbaijan may not see it in its interests to make peace.

A Russian exit would be a messy process -- Moscow still holds many economic levers in Armenia -- but Yerevan could seek help from the United States and Europe to smooth any transition. Washington and Brussels have seemingly been waiting in the wings, nudging Armenia in their direction.

But none of this is likely to happen without a peace agreement. And while there don't seem to be any unresolvable issues remaining, there are mounting indications that Azerbaijan may not see it in its interests to make peace. Baku has gotten what it wanted most of all -- full control of Karabakh -- without an agreement. And maintaining a simmering conflict with Armenia could arguably serve Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev well, as it would allow him to continue to lean on a reliable source of public support: rallying against an Armenian enemy.

But perhaps the most conspicuous indication of a broader strategy is Aliyev's increasing invocation of "Western Azerbaijan" -- a hazily defined concept alluding to ethnic Azerbaijanis who used to live on the territory of what is now Armenia and their presumed right to return to their homes. It suggests that Azerbaijan might keep furthering its demands in hopes that Armenia finally throws in the towel, and each can accuse the other of intransigence.

Hungary: The Return Of Big Brother?

By Pablo Gorondi

Critics might be tempted to believe that Big Brother will be watching over Hungarians in 2024 like at no point since the fall of communism.

A new law on the Defense of National Sovereignty will allow the Office for the Defense of Sovereignty, which the law created, to investigate and request information from almost any group in Hungary that receives foreign funding. This will apply to civic groups, political parties, private businesses, media companies -- in fact, anyone deemed to be conducting activities (including "information manipulation and disinformation") in the interests of a foreign "body, organization, or person."

The law has been criticized by experts from the United Nations and the Council of Europe over its seemingly vague language, lack of judicial oversight, and fears that it could be used by the government "to silence and stigmatize independent voices and opponents."

The head of the Office for the Defense of Sovereignty should be nominated for a six-year term by right-wing Prime Minister Viktor Orban and appointed by President Katalin Novak by February 1. This would allow the new authority to carry out investigations and present findings ahead of simultaneous elections to the European Parliament and Hungarian municipal bodies in early June -- possibly influencing their outcomes.

Orban has said in recent interviews that he wants to "fix the European Union" and that "we need to take over Brussels."

Asked by RFE/RL's Hungarian Service, some experts said fears of the new authority are overblown and that the government is more likely to use it as a threat hanging over opponents than as a direct tool for repression -- at least until it finds it politically necessary or expedient to tighten control.

On the international scene, meanwhile, Hungary will take over the Council of the European Union's six-month rotating presidency in July, a few weeks after voting to determine the composition of a new European Parliament.

MEPs from Orban's Fidesz party exited the center-right European People's Party bloc in 2021 and have not joined another group since then, although some observers expect them to join the more Euroskeptic and nationalist European Conservatives and Reformists.

Orban has for years predicted a breakthrough of more radical right-wing forces in Europe. But while that has happened in Italy, the Netherlands, and Slovakia, experts suggest that's not enough to fuel a significant shift in the European Parliament, where the center-right and center-left should continue to hold a clear majority.

Because of the June elections, the European Parliament's activities will initially be limited -- and its election of a European Commission president could prove complicated. Nevertheless, Orban has said in recent interviews that he wants to "fix the European Union" and that "we need to take over Brussels." So, Hungary's leadership may make progress difficult on issues that Orban opposes, like the start of EU accession talks with Ukraine or a possible reelection bid by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

Stability And The 'Serbian World'

By Gjeraqina Tuhina and Milos Teodorovic

Serbia, once again, will be a key player in the region -- and its moves could significantly shape events in the Balkans over the next 12 months.

For over a decade, the dialogue to normalize relations between Serbia and its former province Kosovo has stymied both countries. Then, in February in Brussels and March in Ohrid, North Macedonia, European mediators announced a path forward and its implementation. There was only one problem: There was no signature on either side. Nine months later, little has changed.

Many eyes are looking toward one aspect in particular -- a renewed obligation for Pristina to allow for an "appropriate level of self-management" for the Serb minority in Kosovo. This also entails creating possibilities for financial support from Serbia to Kosovar Serbs and guarantees for direct communication of the Serb minority with the Kosovar government.

In October, EU mediators tried again, and with German, French, and Italian backing presented both parties with a new draft for an association of Serb-majority municipalities. Both sides accepted the draft. EU envoy to the region Miroslav Lajcak suggested in December that the Ohrid agreement could be implemented by the end of January. If that happened, it would mark a decisive step for both sides in a dialogue that began in 2011.

"The Serbian world" is a phrase launched a few years ago by pro-Russian Serbian politician Aleksandar Vulin, a longtime cabinet minister who until recently headed the Serbian Intelligence Service. It is not officially part of the agenda of either Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic or the government, but it underscores the influence that Serbia seeks to wield from Kosovo and Montenegro to Republika Srpska in Bosnia-Herzegovina. But how Vucic chooses to exert the implicit ties to Serb leaders and nationalists in those countries could do much to promote stability -- or its antithesis -- in the Balkans in 2024.

Another major challenge for Vucic revolves around EU officials' request that candidate country Serbia harmonize its foreign policy with the bloc. So far, along with Turkey, Serbia is the only EU candidate that has not introduced sanctions on Russia since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. It is unclear how far the Serbian president is willing to push back to foster ongoing good relations with Moscow.

But first, Serbia will have to confront the fallout from snap elections in December dominated by Vucic's Serbian Progressive Party but rejected by the newly united opposition as fraudulent. The results sparked nightly protests in the capital and hunger strikes by a half-dozen lawmakers and other oppositionists. A new parliament is scheduled to hold a session by the end of January 2024, and the margins are seemingly razor-thin for control of the capital, Belgrade.

Central Asia: Don't Write Russia Off Just Yet

By Chris Rickleton

Will the empire strike back? 2023 has been a galling year for Russia in Central Asia as it watched its traditional partners (and former colonies) widen their diplomatic horizons.

With Russia bogged down in a grueling war in Ukraine, Moscow has less to offer the region than ever before. Central Asias five countries have made the most of the breathing space, with their leaders holding landmark talks with U.S. and German leaders as French President Emmanuel Macron also waltzed into Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan with multibillion-dollar investments.

And China has reinforced its dominant position in the region, while Turkey has also increased its influence.

But dont write Russia off just yet.

One of Moscows biggest wins in the neighborhood this year was an agreement to supply Uzbekistan with nearly 3 billion cubic meters of gas every year, a figure that could increase.

Power deficits in Uzbekistan and energy-rich Kazakhstan are the most obvious short-term sources of leverage for Moscow over those important countries.

The coming year will likely bring more in terms of specifics over both governments plans for nuclear power production, with Russia fully expected to be involved.

And Moscows confidence in a region that it views as its near abroad will only increase if it feels it is making headway on the battlefield in Ukraine.

Tajikistan

Tajikistans hereditary succession has been expected for so long that people have stopped expecting it. Does that mean it is back on the cards for 2024? Probably not.

In 2016, Tajikistan passed a raft of constitutional changes aimed at cementing the ruling Rahmon familys hold on power. Among them was one lowering the age to run for president from 35 to 30.

Turkmenistans bizarre new setup begs a question: If youre not ready to let it go, why not hold on a little longer?

That amendment had an obvious beneficiary -- veteran incumbent Emomali Rahmons upwardly mobile son, Rustam Emomali. But Emomali is now 36 and, despite occupying a political post that makes him next in line, doesnt look any closer to becoming numero uno.

Perhaps there hasnt been a good time to do it.

From the coronavirus pandemic to a bloody crackdown on unrest in the Gorno-Badakhshan region and now the shadows cast by the Ukraine war, there have been plenty of excuses to delay the inevitable.

Turkmenistan

But perhaps Rahmon is considering events in Turkmenistan, where Central Asias first father-son power transition last year has ended up nothing of the sort. Rather than growing into the role, new President Serdar Berdymukhammedov is shrinking back into the shadow of his all-powerful father, Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov.

And this seems to be exactly how the older Berdymukhammedov wanted it, subsequently fashioning himself a post-retirement post that makes his son and the rest of the government answerable to him.

But Turkmenistans bizarre new setup begs a question: If youre not ready to let it go, why not hold on a little longer?

Kyrgyzstan/Kazakhstan

Writing on X (formerly Twitter) in November, a former IMF economist argued that Kyrgyzstan would be the "perfect test case" for secondary sanctions over Russias invasion of Ukraine. Robin Brooks described the country as "small, not remotely systemically important, and very clearly facilitating trade diversion to Russia."

Official statistics show that countries in the Eurasian Economic Union that Moscow leads have become a backdoor around the Western-led sanctions targeting Russia. Exports to Kyrgyzstan from several EU countries this year, for example, are up by at least 1,000 percent compared to 2019.

Data for exports to Kazakhstan shows similar patterns -- with larger volumes but gentler spikes -- while investigations by RFE/RL indicate that companies in both Central Asian countries have forwarded dual-use products that benefit the Kremlins military machine.

Belarus is the only Russian ally to get fully sanctioned for its support of Moscows invasion of Ukraine -- but will that change in 2024?

Central Asian governments will argue they have resisted Russian pressure to provide political and military support for the war. They might even whisper that their big friend China is much more helpful to Russia.

But the Wests approach of targeting only Central Asian companies actively flouting the regime is failing.

So, while Western diplomats continue to credit the regions governments for their anti-evasion efforts, their patience may wear out. And if it does, Kyrgyzstan might be first to find out.

Afghanistan: The Vicious Spiral Will Worsen

By Malali Bashir

With little internal threat to Afghanistans Taliban regime and the failure of the international community to affect change in the hard-line Islamist regimes policies, the Taliban mullahs control over the country continues to tighten.

And that regimes continued restrictions on Afghan women -- their rights, freedom, and role in society -- signals a bleak future for them in 2024 and beyond.

Many observers say the move by the Taliban in December to only allow girls to attend religious madrasahs -- after shutting down formal schooling for them following the sixth grade -- is an effort by the Taliban to radicalize Afghan society.

Madrasahs are not an alternative to formal schooling because they dont produce doctors, lawyers, journalists, engineers, etc. The idea of [only] having madrasahs isabout brainwashing [people] to create an extremist society, says Shukria Barakzai, the former Afghan ambassador to Norway.

The crackdown on womens rights by the Taliban will also continue the reported uptick in domestic violence in the country, activists say.

Since the Taliban shut down Afghanistans Independent Human Rights Commission and Women Affairs Ministry, women find themselves with nowhere to turn to and find it extremely difficult to seek justice in Taliban courts.

The Taliban seems adamant about maintaining its severe limits on women and reducing their role in society.

With no justice for victims of abuse on the horizon, womens rights activists say violence against women will continue with no repercussions for the perpetrators.

Barakzai argues that Taliban officials have already normalized domestic violence and do not consider it a crime.

According to [a Taliban] decree, you can [confront] women if they are not listening to [your requests]. Especially a male member of the family is allowed to use all means to punish women if they refuse to follow his orders. That is basically a call for domestic violence, she said.

The vicious spiral for women will only worsen.

Being banned from education, work, and public life, Afghan women say the resulting psychological impact leads to panic, depression, and acute mental health crises.

Although there are no official figures, Afghan mental health professionals and foreign organizations have noted a disturbing surge in female suicides in the two years since the Taliban came to power.

"If we look at the women who were previously working or studying, 90 percent suffer from mental health issues now," said Mujeeb Khpalwak, a psychiatrist in Kabul. "They face tremendous economic uncertainty after losing their work and are very anxious about their future."

Heather Bar, associate director of the women's rights division at Human Rights Watch, says, "It's not surprising that we're hearing reports of Afghan girls committing suicide. Because all their rights, including going to school, university, and recreational places have been taken away from them."

Promising young Afghan women who once aspired to contribute to their communities after pursuing higher education now find themselves with no career prospects.

I do not see any future. When I see boys continuing their education, I lose all hope and wish that I was not born a girl, a former medical student in Kabul told RFE/RL's Radio Azadi.

Despite immense global pressure, the Taliban seems adamant about maintaining its severe limits on women and reducing their role in society. This will result in a tragic future for the women of Afghanistan with no relief in sight.
PRAGUE -- A minute of silence was observed across the Czech Republic at noon on December 23 as the country held a national day of mourning to honor the victims of the worst mass shooting in its recent history.

Flags were being flown at half-mast on public buildings and black ribbons were attached. Many pre-Christmas events were canceled, and state television channels ran a special program as condolence messages came in from all over the world.

The shooting inside the Faculty of Arts of Charles University in the capital, Prague, on December 21 left 14 dead, police said. A total of 25 people were wounded, including three foreign nationals.

Meanwhile, the Czech capital remained tense during the day following a phoned-in bomb threat targeting Pragues main airport, leading to a suspension of operations. Authorities later declared the threat a hoax after searching the facility, and flight operations resumed.

The December 21 shooting inside the Faculty of Arts of Charles University in Prague left 14 dead, police said. A total of 25 people were wounded, including three foreign nationals.

According to police, 13 people died at the scene and one died in a hospital. The shooter, who killed himself as police closed in, was a student at the Faculty of Arts.

Authorities said they have evidence the 24-year-old gunman -- a Czech national -- also killed a man and a baby in Prague last week, and shot dead his own father in their hometown of Hostoun west of Prague hours before going on a killing spree at the university.

In Prague, people began paying their respects to the victims on December 22 by lighting candles outside Charles University buildings. Fellow students, friends of the victims, and others gathered for an impromptu vigil. Some knelt to light candles and lay flowers, while others cried and hugged each other.

Prime Minister Petr Fiala and U.S. Ambassador Bijan Sabet were among those who paid tribute to the victims.

"It is hard to find the words to express condemnation on the one hand and, on the other, the pain and sorrow that our entire society is feeling in these days before Christmas," Fiala said.

The universitys rector, Milena Kralickova, was also among the throngs of people at the vigil. The academic community, she said, had been "shaken, deeply shaken by the shooting.

Interior Minister Vit Rakusan said all 14 victims of the shooting have been identified. The university confirmed two staff members were among the dead, including the head of the Institute of Music Sciences, Lenka Hlavkova. First-year student Lucie Spindlerova was another, said the Lidove noviny daily, where she also worked.

Authorities said the shooter had no criminal record, and police have released no details about a possible motive. Investigators said they found no link to any extremist ideology or groups and believe he acted alone.

Following the attack, the national police announced they have increased security around public buildings and schools, which are closed for the Christmas holiday, across the country. Lectures and events at Charles University were canceled.

The national police stressed that the measures were preventive and that no specific threats had been identified.

The Czech newspaper Hospodarske noviny, citing a police report it had viewed, reported that the gunman had been treated in the past for psychological problems and legally owned 12 weapons, including a semiautomatic rifle, a shotgun, and pistols along with silencers.

The police report said that the gunman arrived at the university with a suitcase full of ammunition. Police said he had a license to own eight guns, including two long guns.

When asked at a news conference how it was possible the shooter had such a number of weapons, Tomas Kubik, a deputy police chief said: We will have to figure out if its a result of a flaw in the system or human error.

With reporting by Reuters, AFP, dpa, and AP
Russian opposition politician Aleksei Navalny, in his first court appearance since being moved to a notorious prison in the Arctic, joked and smiled at a hearing on his challenge to how he was being treated in prison, which the judge ultimately rejected.

The court said a suit filed by Navalny, who attended the January 10 hearing via video link, against his placement in a solitary confinement for 12 days at his previous prison in October was without merit as the move was legal.

In his decision, Judge Kirill Nikiforov ruled Navalny's placement in a punitive cell was warranted because it was proven that he violated an internal order at the IK-6 prison in the Vladimir region, namely by using "offensive" words when debating with a guard.

In a light moment during the proceedings, Navalny told the judge, who has presided over several similar sessions, that "a tear is flowing down my cheek" as a sign of pleasure at getting to see him again.

A second suit also filed by Navalny against the prison's decision not to allow his wife's letters to reach him will be considered by the court at a later date as Navalny asked for time to get acquainted with all documents related to the case. Navalny said he needed to see the prison warden's written order banning his wife's letters.

The day before, Navalny said on X, formerly Twitter, that he was immediately placed in a punitive solitary-confinement cell for seven days for failing to "properly" introduce himself to a prison guard after finishing a quarantine term at his new prison formally known as IK-3, but widely referred to as "Polar Wolf."

Navalny was transported to the notorious and remote prison in December.

Located some 2,000 kilometers northeast of Moscow, the prison holds about 1,050 of Russia's most incorrigible prisoners.

Human rights activists say the prison holds serial killers, rapists, pedophiles, repeat offenders, and others convicted of the most serious crimes and serving sentences of 20 years or more.

Navalny, who is serving a total of 19 years in prison on extremism and other charges, was hospitalized on August 20, 2020, after falling seriously ill on a flight from Tomsk to Moscow. He was later transferred to Germany for treatment of poisoning by a deadly nerve agent of the Novichok group.

His Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK) conducted an investigation of the poisoning and determined that it was carried out by agents of the Federal Security Service acting at Putins behest.

Russian authorities have never investigated the poisoning, with prosecutors claiming there was no evidence a crime had been committed.

Navalny returned to Russia from Germany on January 21, 2021 and was immediately arrested. He has been in custody ever since.

He has posed one of the most serious challenges to Russian President Vladimir Putin, who recently announced he is running for reelection in March. Putin is expected to easily win the election amid the continued sidelining of opponents and a clampdown on opposition and civil society that has intensified since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022.

On January 9, Navalny's team, in a post on Telegram, called on Russian citizens both home and abroad to hold an action called "Russia Without Putin" on January 21 -- the third anniversary of Navalny's arrest at a Moscow airport after he returned from Germany.

Navalny's FBK and his network of regional offices were declared "extremist" organizations and shut down in Russia in 2021. Many of his supporters fled the country in the face of criminal cases or the threat of prosecution.

Several of his associates were arrested on extremism charges, with some of them being handed prison terms.

With reporting by Mediazona and Meduza
President Volodymyr Zelenskiy says Ukraine has shown Russia's military is stoppable as he made a surprise visit to the Baltics to help ensure continued aid to his country amid a wave of massive Russian aerial barrages.

Live Briefing: Russia's Invasion Of Ukraine RFE/RL's Live Briefing gives you all of the latest developments on Russia's full-scale invasion, Kyiv's counteroffensive, Western military aid, global reaction, and the plight of civilians. For all of RFE/RL's coverage of the war in Ukraine, click here.

Zelenskiy met with his Lithuanian counterpart, Gitanas Nauseda, on January 10 to discuss military aid, training, and joint demining efforts during the previously unannounced trip, which will also take him to Estonia and Latvia.

We have proven that Russia can be stopped, that deterrence is possible, he said after talks with Nauseda on what is the Ukrainian leader's first foreign trip of 2024.

"Today, Gitanas Nauseda and I focused on frontline developments. Weapons, equipment, personnel training, and Lithuania's leadership in the demining coalition are all sources of strength for us," Zelenskiy later wrote on X, formerly Twitter.



Lithuania has been a staunch ally of Ukraine since the start of Russia's unprovoked full-scale invasion, which will reach the two-year mark in February.

Nauseda said EU and NATO member Lithuania will continue to provide military, political, and economic support to Ukraine, and pointed to the Baltic country's approval last month of a 200 million euro ($219 million) long-term military aid package for Ukraine.

Russia's invasion has turned Ukraine into one of the most mined countries in the world, generating one of the largest demining challenges since the end of World War II.

"Lithuania is forming a demining coalition to mobilize military support for Ukraine as efficiently and quickly as possible," Nauseda said.

"The Western world must understand that this is not just the struggle of Ukraine, it is the struggle of the whole of Europe and the democratic world for peace and freedom," Nauseda said.

Ukraine has pleaded with its allies to keep supplying it with weapons amid signs of donor fatigue in some countries.

There is continued disagreement between Democrats and Republicans in the U.S. Congress on continuing military aid for Kyiv, while a 50 billion euro ($55 billion) aid package from the European Union remains blocked due to a Hungarian veto.

But a NATO allies meeting in Brussels on January 10 made it clear that they will continue to provide Ukraine with major military, economic, and humanitarian aid. NATO allies have outlined plans to provide "billions of euros of further capabilities" in 2024 to Ukraine, the alliance said in a statement.

Zelensky warned during the news conference with Nauseda that delays in Western aid to Kyiv would only embolden Moscow.

"[Russian President Vladimir Putin] is not going to stop. He wants to occupy us completely," Zelenskiy said. "And sometimes, the insecurity of partners regarding financial and military aid to Ukraine only increases Russia's courage and strength."

Since the start of the year, Ukraine has been subjected to several massive waves of Russian missile and drone strikes that have caused civilian deaths and material damage.

Zelenskiy said on January 10 that Ukraine badly needs advanced air-defense systems.

"In recent days, Russia hit Ukraine with a total of 500 devices: We destroyed 70 percent of them," Zelenskiy said. "Air-defense systems are the No. 1 item that we lack."

Ukraine sounded an all-out air-raid alert earlier on January 10, and later in the day a Russian strike on the eastern city of Kharkiv injured nine people, regional Governor Oleh Synyehubov said.

The injuries occurred when a civilian target was damaged, he said, without specifying what was hit. An inspection of the location was ongoing late on January 10, he said, adding that cars were on fire.



Synyehubov also said that Russian forces had previously hit Kharkiv's Kyiv district with S-300 missiles. Kharkiv is under fire almost every day, usually from S-300 antiaircraft missile systems positioned in Russia in the territory of Belgorod.

With reporting by AFP and Reuters
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy rejected the possibility of a cease-fire with Russia, saying it would not lead to substantive progress in the war and only favor Moscow by giving it time to boost supplies to its military as the conflict nears its two-year anniversary.

A pause on the Ukrainian battlefield will not mean a pause in the war, the Ukrainian leader said in Estonia's capital, Tallinn, on January 11 during a tour of the three Baltic nations.

Live Briefing: Russia's Invasion Of Ukraine RFE/RL's Live Briefing gives you all of the latest developments on Russia's full-scale invasion, Kyiv's counteroffensive, Western military aid, global reaction, and the plight of civilians. For all of RFE/RL's coverage of the war in Ukraine, click here.

"Give Russia two to three years and it will simply run us over. We wouldn't take that risk.... There will be no pauses in favor of Russia," he said. "A pause would play into [Russias] hands.... It might crush us afterward.



Zelenskiy has pleaded with Ukraine's allies to keep supplying it with weapons amid signs of donor fatigue in some countries and as Russia turns to countries such as Iran and North Korea for munitions.



NATO allies meeting in Brussels on January 10 tried to allay Kyiv's concerns over supplies, saying they will continue to provide Ukraine with major military, economic, and humanitarian aid. NATO allies have outlined plans to provide "billions of euros of further capabilities" in 2024 to Ukraine, the alliance said in a statement.



Estonian President Alar Karis said after meeting Zelenskiy that his country will provide 1.2 billion euros ($1.31 billion) in aid to Ukraine until 2027.



"Ukraine needs more and better weapons," Karis said at a joint news conference with Zelenskiy.



"The capabilities of the EU military industry must be increased so that Ukraine gets what it needs, not tomorrow, but today. We should not place any restrictions on the supply of weapons to Ukraine," he added.



Estonia has so far provided military assistance to Ukraine worth nearly 500 million euros, or more than 1.4 percent of its gross domestic product, according to the Estonian Foreign Minstry.

In a separate message on X, formerly Twitter, Zelenskiy thanked Tallinn for its continued aid.



"Estonia's unwavering support for Ukraine, our people, and our defense is evident today, during my visit, and throughout the war," Zelenskiy wrote. "I am grateful to Estonia for all its support."



The Baltic countries have been staunch allies of Ukraine since the start of Russia's unprovoked invasion in February 2022.



On January 10, Zelenskiy held talks in Vilnius with Lithuanian counterpart, Gitanas Nauseda.

We have proven that Russia can be stopped, that deterrence is possible, he said after talks with Nauseda.



Ukraine has been subjected to several massive waves of Russian missile and drone strikes since the start of the year that have caused civilian deaths and material damage.



In the latest such attack, a hotel in downtown Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city, was struck by Russian missiles overnight on January 11. The strike injured 13 people, including Turkish journalists staying at the hotel, Kharkiv regional police chief Volodymyr Tymoshko said.



Regional Governor Oleh Synyehubov said that one of those injured was in serious condition. More than 30 civilians were inside the hotel at the time of the attack, Synyehubov said on Telegram.



Ukraine's emergency services said those hurt in the strike were "hotel staff and guests, one of whom is a foreign journalist," without giving details. Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov said no military personnel were staying at the hotel.

With reporting by AFP and Reuters
UNITED NATIONS, Dec. 22 (Xinhua) -- The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) on Friday reported a surge in new arrivals at South Sudan's border with Sudan.

This comes as the war in Sudan spreads to the south and east of the country, amid fierce fighting in Wad Medani over the past week, said OCHA.

In recent days, the number of people arriving in South Sudan via the Joda crossing point has almost tripled -- with a daily average of 1,000 people crossing last week, compared to nearly 3,000 on Thursday. Meanwhile, more than 6,000 people are reportedly still waiting on the Sudanese side of the border to cross, with thousands more people expected to join that queue in the coming days, it said.

OCHA said the United Nations and humanitarian partners continue to scale up support for new arrivals in South Sudan at the Renk Transit Centre, where more than 23,000 people are being hosted despite crowded conditions. Across the country, some 4.6 million people have received some form of humanitarian assistance and protection services as of September. This is despite funding shortfalls, as well as ongoing violence and threats against humanitarian personnel and assets.

For 2024, the humanitarian community in South Sudan is appealing for 1.8 billion U.S. dollars to assist 6 million people. To do so, timely and sufficient funding for the response will be critical, said OCHA. 
A new all male choir has been performing in the county over the Christmas period and getting a great response. The choir was established to raise funds for Vita House.

Set up by Roscommon Town man Padraig O'Rourke, the choir recently performed at the Roscommon Christmas Markets, on Sunday, December 10th. It was a tremendous success despite the awful weather.

It was great, and most importantly we raised money for charity, said Padraig.

We only came together for the first time on October 15th. I started the ball rolling on forming the choir in early September and the whole premise of it was to try to raise money for Vita House. I contacted the lads on my phone about the choir and fair play to them, they all bought into it. There are now close to 40 members, including six musicians, and the choir has a repertoire of carols and contemporary songs.

The members are predominately from around town, but we also have people from Carrick, Boyle, and Castlerea, he said. It is growing and growing. I have always loved music, gone to concerts and matches and listened to people sing. Theres nothing like it. There is something special and powerful about that, singing together. The choir will be performing again on Saturday, December 23rd at the Harrison Centre at 4.p.m..

We will be also raising money for Vita House that day, said Padraig. We will also be performing on St Stephens Day for the Alzheimers Society walk and then well take a break, but I know there is an appetite to keep it going.

Watch this space.
Punjab Coronavirus Updates

The Punjab government issues Covid Appropriate Behavior (CAB) guidelines

Punjab Coronavirus Updates: With a surge in Covid-19 cases, the Punjab government has appealed for the use of masks as part of efforts to curb the spread of the virus. The Health Department, in an advisory issued on Friday, appealed to the public to prioritize mask-wearing and avoid crowded places.

The advisory comes in the wake of the Central Government's alert regarding the emergence of the new variant of Covid-19, JN.1, in multiple states and Union Territories. In a letter addressed to all Civil Surgeons of Subo, the Health Department stressed the strict implementation of Covid Appropriate Behavior (CAB) to combat the evolving situation.

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As per the advisory, the general public is urged to wear masks in crowded places, cover their nose and mouth with a handkerchief while sneezing and coughing, and dispose of used tissues in closed dustbins immediately. Additionally, the importance of regular handwashing has been highlighted as a preventive measure.

To get all the latest updates, join us on Whatsapp Broadcast Channel.

Chandigarh has been put on high alert after the Health Department's notification regarding the new variant, JN.1, of the Coronavirus. In response, the Health Department has made the wearing of masks mandatory in hospitals, and the public is strongly advised against attending crowded places.

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(For More News Apart from Punjab Coronavirus Updates News, Stay Tuned to Rozana Spokesman)
BEIRUT, Dec. 23 (Xinhua) -- Four Syrian refugee children were killed late Friday night after the roof of their house collapsed due to heavy rain in the northern Lebanese town of Miziara, the National News Agency reported Saturday.

Civil defense personnel have recovered the bodies of two children from the rubble of the Syrian refugee family's house, located on a hilltop, and are working on the excavation of the other two bodies.

Lebanon, which currently hosts around 2 million Syrian refugees, remains the country hosting the largest number of refugees per capita, according to government data.

Despite living in dire conditions amid the current economic crisis in Lebanon, Syrian refugees refuse to return to their home country to avoid legal prosecutions there.

Lebanon has been facing an unprecedented economic crisis, plunging over 80 percent of the population into poverty. 
Punjab Covid Death Latest News

A 60-year-old woman, diagnosed with Covid-19, passes away in Jalandhar

Punjab Covid Death Latest News: The first Covid-19 death in Punjab after a span of nearly eight months has been reported, as a 60-year-old woman from Sherpur village in Hoshiarpur succumbed to the virus in a private hospital in Jalandhar. The woman, who also had diabetes, had sought medical attention due to a high fever and difficulty breathing.

Upon testing at the hospital, she was confirmed positive for Covid-19. In adherence to Covid protocols, the cremation of the deceased will be conducted. The news has instilled a sense of panic among the local population, emphasizing the gravity of the ongoing pandemic.

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Simultaneously, a 46-year-old man in Jalandhar has tested positive for the virus and is currently under home isolation. Dr. Jagdeep Chawla, the Civil Surgeon, informed that Jalandhar Civil Hospital has established a 4-bed isolation ward, and necessary preparations have been made to handle Covid cases.

To get all the latest updates, join us on Whatsapp Broadcast Channel.

The surge in Covid cases in Jalandhar is evident, with the number of daily patients rising from around 90 to close to 185. Authorities are particularly vigilant about the JN1 variant, prompting the issuance of guidelines to all government hospitals across the state. The health department emphasizes the importance of mask-wearing, making it mandatory in crowded places, and advising citizens to avoid such areas.

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As part of preventive measures, doctors, paramedics, and health workers in hospitals are required to wear masks compulsorily. The health department remains on high alert, implementing strategies to curb the spread of the virus and protect the community.

(For More News Apart from Punjab Covid Death News, Stay Tuned to Rozana Spokesman)




Punjab Weather Update Today

Chilly Weather Descends on Punjab as Temperature Drops Below Normal

Punjab Weather Update Today: Punjab experienced a notable drop in temperatures on Friday, with Patiala, Bathinda, and Ludhiana registering below-normal mercury levels. Ludhiana recorded the lowest temperature at 3.4 degrees Celsius, marking a significant dip of 2.6 degrees Celsius below the usual range. The increasing cold, particularly during the day, is becoming more pronounced compared to previous days. Bathinda reported a maximum temperature of 20.6 degrees Celsius, slightly below the normal range by 0.4 degrees Celsius.

The Meteorological Department has issued an orange alert for dense fog on both Saturday and Sunday. The alert covers seven districts, including Amritsar, Nawanshahr, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Fatehgarh Sahib, and Patiala. Additionally, some areas in Punjab may experience light to moderate rain.

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In terms of minimum temperatures, Amritsar recorded 4.8 degrees Celsius, Bathinda 6.0 degrees, Pathankot 7.2 degrees, Faridkot 5.4 degrees, Barnala 5.2 degrees, Ferozepur 5.9 degrees, Jalandhar 4.8 degrees, and Moga 4.9 degrees Celsius. The maximum temperature in Punjab witnessed a decline of 0.9 degrees Celsius, with Pathankot reporting the lowest at 22.8 degrees Celsius.

To get all the latest updates, join us on Whatsapp Broadcast Channel.

Residents are advised to take precautions against the intensifying cold and reduced visibility due to the expected dense fog. The orange alert indicates a higher likelihood of significant fog formation, impacting travel and daily activities. As winter tightens its grip, Punjab braces for cooler temperatures, emphasizing the importance of staying updated on weather advisories and adhering to safety measures.

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(For More News Apart from Punjab Weather Update Today News, Stay Tuned to Rozana Spokesman)
Punjabi Man Sentenced in UK News

Varinder Singh, a 28-year-old Punjabi resident in Britain, receives a six-year prison term and deportation order

Punjabi Man Sentenced in UK News: In a distressing incident at Bradford's Broadway shopping center, Varinder Singh, a 28-year-old Punjabi youth, has been sentenced to six years in prison for assaulting his estranged wife. The court also issued a deportation order, leading to Singh's return to India.

The shocking incident unfolded as CCTV cameras captured Singh strangling his wife in the shopping center's car park, resulting in her losing consciousness. Swift action by law enforcement led to Singh's arrest, and subsequent legal proceedings culminated in a six-year prison sentence for the accused.

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Preparations for Singh's deportation to India are currently underway, highlighting the severity of the charges against him. The accused's identity was confirmed as Varinder Singh.

To get all the latest updates, join us on Whatsapp Broadcast Channel.

The CCTV footage from Bradford's Broadway shopping center complex played a crucial role in the court's decision, providing clear evidence of the assault. The victim, Singh's estranged wife, suffered injuries during the attack and was promptly attended to by emergency services.

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The case raises concerns about public safety and emphasizes the role of surveillance in ensuring the accountability of individuals involved in criminal activities. The British authorities remain committed to upholding justice, as demonstrated by the legal actions taken against Varinder Singh. As the legal process continues, questions arise about the broader implications of such incidents and the need for vigilance in public spaces.

(For More News Apart from Punjabi Man Sentenced in UK News, Stay Tuned to Rozana Spokesman)


Brand new Tata Safari 2023 owner, Abhishek Chaudhary has shed light on a series of alarming issues plaguing his vehicle, raising significant safety concerns

Within a mere 10 days of taking possession of his prized vehicle, Chaudhary encountered a multitude of problems that impeded the smooth operation of the car. These issues included sporadic malfunctions of the windows, erratic behavior of the speedometer leading to random stops, intermittent failure of the side mirrors to function, and a malfunctioning ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance System).

Vehicle Malfunctions Galore

The latter proved not only non-functional but also hazardous, causing unexpected and unnecessary brakes, resulting in a rear-end collision with a bike, albeit without damaging Chaudharys vehicle. Expressing deep apprehension regarding the safety of his family, Chaudhary highlighted the fear of potential mishaps, compelling him to refrain from allowing his loved ones to travel unaccompanied in the vehicle.

Furthermore, discrepancies in the synchronization of welcome lights, issues with the left side lights in both the front and rear of the car, and a problematic co-pilot side gate that required excessive force to close properly added to the litany of concerns.

Dire Service Center Mishap  Airbags Deployed

A distressing incident at the service center, where an attempt to rectify the co-pilot side gate issue resulted in the unintended deployment of airbags due to improper handling by untrained staff, left Chaudharys vehicle stranded in the workshop with an uncertain timeline for resolution.

Airbags deployed in service center pic.twitter.com/5fCnO06gpO  RushLane (@rushlane) December 23, 2023

Pre-Delivery Predicaments and Service Center Ordeal

Abhishek Chaudhary says that his woes with the Tata Safari 2023 began even before taking delivery of the vehicle. He expressed dissatisfaction not only with the showroom experience but also with the service center. Initially requesting a white dual-tone Safari and being assured of its availability by December 9th, Chaudhary faced a sudden denial of this colour option after making an advance payment.

Instead, he was offered only the Safari Dark edition. Compelled by this unexpected turn, having already sold his previous car, he reluctantly accepted the available colour variant. Within a week of ownership, the vehicle began exhibiting the aforementioned issues, prompting a visit to the Guinea Motors service center. Unfortunately, this visit only exacerbated Chaudharys troubles as untrained staff mishandled his vehicle, leading to its current immobilized state at the workshop.

The entire ordeal has left Abhishek Chaudhary deeply dissatisfied with Tata Motors response to his concerns, expressing disappointment at the companys failure to honour commitments and address the critical safety issues promptly.

As the conversation gains momentum on social media, Chaudharys story raises questions about the quality assurance processes at Tata Motors and underscores the paramount importance of ensuring customer safety and satisfaction in the automotive industry.
New Mercedes-Benz GLS facelift will arrive in India via CKD route, assembled at the automakers manufacturing facility in Chakan near Pune

Mercedes-Benz GLS facelift launch date has been announced by the company and will go on sale in India on 8th January, 2024. This will be the first of nine launches that the company has planned. These are new E-Class LWB, EQS SUV, Electric G, new AMG GT, GLC Coupe, CLE Class, GLA facelift and GLB facelift.

New Mercedes-Benz GLS Facelift Launch Date Announced

GLS is the Mercedes-Benz Indias flagship SUV model in the country, not counting its Maybach sibling. It is the biggest Mercedes SUV and is positioned at the top of the companys monocoque body SUV range.

Where its exterior updates are concerned, the new Mercedes-Benz GLS gets a larger octagonal front grille with four horizontal slats with a Silver Shadow finish, as opposed to two slats on current model. Multibeam LED headlights have been retained and consist of 112 LEDs per headlamp along with LED DRLs.

The front bumper is now different with two air inlet grills looking like dimples, as opposed to a connected design on current model. There is a chrome-plated underguard on front apron. At the rear, LED tail lamps have been revised and now sport three 3D horizontal blocks for a new identity.

Extensive underbody cladding, a silver skid plate and a host of chrome accents are part of its package too. Wheel design is identical as the current model. This is not a bad thing as this 5-spoke pattern is appealing and is 22 inches in size. The company recently updated GLS smaller sibling GLE SUV as well.

Interior changes

New Mercedes-Benz GLS facelift gets two large screens like before, one for its instrument cluster and the other for infotainment. Only, these will be updated to the latest MBUX system that is one of the best in the business. Other additions include glossy brown lime wood trims, a low-speed 360-degree camera, Catalana Beige and Bahia Brown leather upholstery options.

There are 11.6 touchscreens for rear passengers. There is also a 7 removable tablet placed on the rear central console which offers various in-car controls for chauffer-driven owners. Key strengths like 5-zone climate control, heated seats, wireless charging and second-row seating with lumbar support and massage function are retained from current model.

Powertrains and price

Steering wheel with touchpads, adjustable air suspension and auto parking are retained too. Best-in-class safety equipment consists of a 360-degree camera, Heads-Up Display, ABS, 9 airbags, traction control, stability control, hill hold assist and hill descent control, a plethora of ADAS features among others. Typical of Mercedes-Benz vehicles, GLS facelift will get exquisite materials and trims to pamper their customers at the highest level.

The new Mercedes-Benz GLS facelift will be powered by two 6-cylinder engines. 400d 4Matic gets a 3.0L, diesel engine offering 326 bhp power and 700 Nm torque and 450 4Matic gets a 3.0L petrol engine making 367 hp power and 500 Nm torque. Both engines come mated to a 9-speed torque converter automatic sending power to all four wheels via 4Matic AWD system. There will be a small bump in pricing too.
This aerial photo taken on Dec. 16, 2023 shows the snow scenery at the Juyongguan section of the Great Wall in the sunlight in Beijing, capital of China. (Xinhua/Chen Yehua)

BEIJING, Dec. 23 (Xinhua) -- Walking along a section of the Great Wall built in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) in Datong Hui and Tu Autonomous County in Xining City, northwest China's Qinghai Province, Tian Shenglong snapped photos of the ancient remain, recording every detail.

As a volunteer protector of the Datong section of the Great Wall, Tian attends special training sessions on Great Wall protection every year.

"When I was a child, few people knew that the 'side wall' not far from where we lived was actually a part of the Great Wall. There was very little awareness of its protection back then," recalled Tian.

Today, however, things have changed. Tian counts himself among the province's 127 volunteer protectors of the Great Wall.

PROTECTION FIRST

Qinghai's protection initiative is part of China's ongoing effort to build the Great Wall national cultural park, which started in 2019.

The iconic Great Wall is China's most colossal cultural heritage structure. It is often described as a tangible embodiment of the virtues ingrained in the Chinese nation. These virtues encompass solidarity, patriotism, tenacity, unwavering self-improvement, advocacy for peace, openness, and inclusiveness.

As part of China's endeavor to construct five prominent national cultural parks, the Great Wall cultural park spans 15 provincial-level regions including Beijing, Hebei and Inner Mongolia in the north, and Gansu and Xinjiang in the northwest.

It comprises Great Wall sections and defense systems with features of the Great Wall dating back to the Warring States period (475-221 BC).

This photo taken on July 13, 2023 shows a part of reinforced wall in Jiayuguan City, northwest China's Gansu Province. (Xinhua/Chen Zhonghao)

Boasting one-third of the country's Great Wall-related resources, Inner Mongolia rolled out a regional construction and conservation plan concerning the Great Wall cultural park in January 2022.



The plan demarcated the protection and conservation areas for the Great Wall and the surrounding environment in key areas.

Progress has been made in the building of the park's major sections including the exhibition area, culture and tourism area, and utilization area.

In northwest China's Gansu Province, a new round of maintenance work for another section of the Great Wall has just been completed.

"The construction of the Great Wall cultural park must always prioritize protection," said Qiu Jian, deputy head of the provincial cultural relics bureau.

According to Qiu, the country has invested nearly 520 million yuan (about 73.3 million U.S. dollars) in recent years, supporting Gansu in implementing more than 90 projects for the protection and maintenance of the Great Wall.

Early this year, an exhibition featuring research and digitization of the Great Wall attracted flocks of visitors to the Tianjin Museum in north China.

The exhibition was based on a project undertaken by a team from Tianjin University to collect full-scale 3D images of the Great Wall. The team has so far completed the survey of the Great Wall sections with a total length exceeding 6,000 kilometers and obtained over 3 million images of the Great Wall with centimeter-level resolution.

CULTURAL APPEAL

Cultural inheritance has stood front and center in the building of the Great Wall cultural park.

This photo taken on Aug. 23, 2023 shows a section of the Great Wall built during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) in Laoniuwan, a border area between Qingshuihe County of north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region and Pianguan County of north China's Shanxi Province. (Xinhua/Liu Jinhai)

The floor-to-ceiling glazing at a Great Wall museum in Qinhuangdao City, north China's Hebei Province, offers visitors a striking vista encompassing the Great Wall and a nearby mountain.

The museum is a flagship project of the province's Great Wall cultural park. Construction of the major structure and installation of major equipment have been finished. Equipment adjustment, trial and commission are underway.

Once completed, it will provide a platform to display the Great Wall culture and the intangible cultural heritage along the Wall, said Feng Zhen, deputy curator of the museum.

More than 1,000 kilometers to the west, study tours to the Great Wall have been increasingly embraced by primary and middle school students in the city of Yulin, northwest China's Shaanxi Province.

Primary students discuss the Great Wall and how to conserve it in their lessons. Before long, they will be able to feel and touch the Great Wall at another facility, as a local themed museum has finished most of its construction.

MORE INCOME FOR LOCALS

For Sun Yugui, a villager in Yanchi County, northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, the charm of the Great Wall is evident in the tourists who arrive in one group after another.

Sun runs a themed homestay business in the county. The county is nicknamed an open-air museum of the Great Wall.

A tourist takes photos at the Jiumenkou Great Wall scenic spot in Huludao, northeast China's Liaoning Province, June 30, 2023. (Xinhua/Pan Yulong)

Locals like Sun are able to benefit financially from the Great Wall, thanks to the construction of the national cultural park.

The sightseeing trails along the Great Wall have been connected to each other within the county, linking up villages along its route like a string of pearls, said Li Yuexin, a local official.

Similar changes are taking place in Suizhong County in northeast China's Liaoning Province.

When night falls, the decoration lights are turned on and the Great Wall shows its contours. It is like a golden dragon flying in mountains, wowing tourists coming from afar.

The themed park received more than 100,000 visits in three months after a night tour program was launched, said Wang Jianhua, an official in charge of archaeology and cultural artifacts' protection in the county. 
JERUSALEM, Dec. 23 (Xinhua) -- Although the conflict in the Gaza Strip persists, questions have already arisen over who will rule the war-ravaged Palestinian enclave once the fighting is over.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu previously said Israel would have security control over Gaza after the end of the current war for "an indefinite period," despite the wide rejection by the international community, including Israel's staunch backer, the United States.

Other suggestions in this regard, including reviving the rule of the Palestinian Authority (PA) or assigning a multinational force, have also met with resistance, underscoring the complexities of finding a solution to the rule of post-war Gaza.

HUMANITARIAN CATASTROPHE IN GAZA

The massive destruction in Gaza, caused by Israel's relentless bombardments and ground operations, will require international efforts to rebuild the enclave, which is home to about 2.3 million people.

A humanitarian catastrophe has been unfolding in Gaza since the Oct. 7 outbreak of the conflict, which was provoked by a surprise Hamas attack on southern Israel.

The Palestinian death toll in Gaza has so far surpassed 20,000, with about 75 percent of them being children, women and the elderly, said the Hamas-run government media office. More than 8,000 Palestinians are believed to be buried under the rubble of destroyed homes and buildings.

Over 61 percent of homes in the enclave have been damaged, and 1.9 million Palestinian residents, or nearly 85 percent of the Gaza population, have been forcibly displaced, according to UN estimates. Local residents are suffering from severe shortages of electricity, food, and shelters due to the Israeli blockade that limits the delivery of relief aid.

On the Israeli side, more than 1,300 people were killed, the majority of whom died during the initial surprise attack launched by Hamas on Oct. 7. Over 120 people are still held hostage by Hamas and other militants in Gaza after the release of more than 100 hostages during a week-long truce in late November.

The rising Palestinian death toll has increased international pressure on Israel to scale down its intensified bombardments in Gaza to protect the civilians.

During a visit to Israel on Dec. 18, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin urged Israel to shift from high-intensity operations to "low-intensity and more surgical" operations in Gaza to reduce civilian casualties.

GAZA'S UNCERTAIN FUTURE

Netanyahu has repeatedly vowed to continue the offensive until Hamas, the Palestinian Islamist movement that runs the densely populated enclave, is "eliminated."

At a press conference on Dec. 16, Netanyahu said the Israeli attack in Gaza was "existential" and must be fought "until victory." He added that Gaza would be demilitarized and under Israeli security control.

Addressing police officers earlier this month, Netanyahu stressed that Israel will not allow either Hamas or Fatah, the Palestinian political faction that leads the PA, to control Gaza.

Despite Netanyahu's vow to eradicate Hamas, many believed that his goal is unrealistic due to the deep support that Hamas enjoys among Palestinians.

Even just destroying the movement's military capability "will be a tall order," said the International Crisis Group, a global think tank based in Brussels, Belgium.

After Israel invaded Gaza, ultranationalist settler leaders, including several members of Netanyahu's far-right coalition government, have called for rebuilding Gush Katif, a bloc of 17 settlements inside the Gaza Strip, which Israel evacuated in 2005.

Photos and video footage taken by soldiers have surfaced on social media, showing Israeli troops hanging flags of Gush Katif in Gaza.

Rebuilding Jewish settlements in Gaza, however, is an unrealistic scenario, said Harel Chorev, head of the Desk for Middle Eastern Network Analysis at the Moshe Dayan Center of Tel Aviv University.

"There are so many aspects that would prevent it from happening, including the fact that this government won't survive after the war," he told Xinhua, referring to the sharp drop in popularity of Netanyahu's government in the wake of the Hamas attack.

U.S.-ISRAEL DIFFERENCES

While Israel will likely maintain control over Gaza, it won't make all the decisions on the enclave's future, said Ronni Shaked, an expert on Israeli-Palestinian relations at the Hebrew University's Truman Institute in Jerusalem.

Arab countries, the U.S. and many other nations will play a role in shaping Gaza's destiny, Shaked told Xinhua.

"This conflict began as a conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, but it evolved into an international affair," he said, citing that the interests of various stakeholders in the region are involved.

Eyal Zisser, a professor at Tel Aviv University's Middle Eastern and African History Department, told Xinhua that Israel is likely to retain security control over Gaza after the conflict, similar to the approach it adopted in the West Bank.

Israel seized both the Gaza Strip and the West Bank in the 1967 Middle East war and has kept its security control of much of the West Bank despite international criticism. The Palestinians wish to establish their future sovereign state in these territories with East Jerusalem as its capital.

Zisser believed international entities are unlikely to take control of the enclave, predicting a return to PA's rule. Hamas has been controlling Gaza since 2007 after it overthrew the PA's rule there.

The U.S. supports the idea of letting the PA act as a key player in governing post-war Gaza, with President Joe Biden repeatedly saying his vision for Gaza is based on a two-state solution.

"We're not going to have durable security for Israel unless and until Palestinian political aspirations are met," U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a recent interview with the U.S. media.

Many Arab countries, including Egypt and Jordan, have also proposed the return of the PA's rule to the Gaza Strip. Enditem

(Nick Kolyohin contributed to the story.)
A new species of the extinct land snail genus Ferussina has been identified from a complete specimen found in Hateg Basin, Romania.

The newly-described species belongs to Ferussina, a small extinct genus of land snails known from the Paleogene period of Europe.

The genus is currently classified in its own family, Ferussinidae, in the superfamily Cyclophoroidea.

Named Ferussina petofiana, the new species lived during the Maastrichtian age of the Late Cretaceous epoch, some 72 million yeas ago.

Ferussina was until now recorded only from Paleogene (Middle Eocene to Upper Oligocene and maybe to Upper Miocene) deposits of Western Europe (France, Germany, Switzerland, northern Italy), said Dr. Barna Pall-Gergely from the HUN-REN Centre for Agricultural Research and colleagues.

The new species is the oldest, as well as the easternmost representative of its genus.

The shell of Ferussina petofiana was 10.8 mm in diameter and 4.4 mm in height.

The shell is depressed with flat base, domed dorsal surface, and rounded or slightly shouldered body whorl, the paleontologists said.

Last ca. quarter whorl turns upright, elevating higher than apex.

The only specimen of Ferussina petofiana was found in the Densus-Ciula Formation in Romania.

Ferussina petofiana was discovered in uppermost Cretaceous deposits cropping out in the neighborhood of Valioara village, in the northwestern corner of Hateg Basin, in western Romania, the researchers said.

These deposits are primarily known for their fossil vertebrate fauna which includes dwarf dinosaurs first described more than a century ago, although rare invertebrates and plants have also been reported from them.

The discovery of Ferussina petofiana represents an important range extension for the genus Ferussina, and adds it to the brief list of European groups that appear to have survived the end-Cretaceous mass extinction event.

The occurrence of Ferussina in layers of Maastrichtian age, represents a minimum chronostratigraphic range extension of about 23 million years for this genus, the authors said.

Furthermore, its presence in western Romania during the latest Cretaceous also implies an important geographic range extension eastward compared to its Paleogene area of distribution that covers parts of Western Europe.

Based on currently available data, it appears that the geographic distribution of the genus shifted westward over time, which is in agreement with the fact that Cyclophoridae are of Asian origin, although such a picture may represent at least in part the result of its somewhat patchy fossil record.

The most important implication of the discovery of Ferussina petofiana in the uppermost Cretaceous of Hateg Basin is that the resulting extended chronostratigraphic range of the genus (and that of its parent subfamily, Ferussininae) crosses the Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary which coincides with one of the most devastating mass extinctions of the Phanerozoic.

A paper about the discovery was published in the journal Acta Zoologica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae.

_____

B. Pall-Gergely et al. 2023. Ferussina petofiana sp. n. (Gastropoda, Caenogastropoda, Cyclophoridae), the oldest representative of its subfamily from the Late Cretaceous of Romania. Acta Zoologica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae 69 (4): 337-352; doi: 10.17109/azh.69.4.337.202
Walking along a section of the Great Wall built in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) in Datong Hui and Tu Autonomous County in Xining City, northwest China's Qinghai Province, Tian Shenglong snapped photos of the ancient remain, recording every detail.

As a volunteer protector of the Datong section of the Great Wall, Tian attends special training sessions on Great Wall protection every year.

"When I was a child, few people knew that the 'side wall' not far from where we lived was actually a part of the Great Wall. There was very little awareness of its protection back then," recalled Tian.

Today, however, things have changed. Tian counts himself among the province's 127 volunteer protectors of the Great Wall.

PROTECTION FIRST

Qinghai's protection initiative is part of China's ongoing effort to build the Great Wall national cultural park, which started in 2019.

The iconic Great Wall is China's most colossal cultural heritage structure. It is often described as a tangible embodiment of the virtues ingrained in the Chinese nation. These virtues encompass solidarity, patriotism, tenacity, unwavering self-improvement, advocacy for peace, openness, and inclusiveness.

As part of China's endeavor to construct five prominent national cultural parks, the Great Wall cultural park spans 15 provincial-level regions including Beijing, Hebei and Inner Mongolia in the north, and Gansu and Xinjiang in the northwest.

It comprises Great Wall sections and defense systems with features of the Great Wall dating back to the Warring States period (475-221 BC).

Boasting one-third of the country's Great Wall-related resources, Inner Mongolia rolled out a regional construction and conservation plan concerning the Great Wall cultural park in January 2022.

The plan demarcated the protection and conservation areas for the Great Wall and the surrounding environment in key areas.

Progress has been made in the building of the park's major sections including the exhibition area, culture and tourism area, and utilization area.

In northwest China's Gansu Province, a new round of maintenance work for another section of the Great Wall has just been completed.

"The construction of the Great Wall cultural park must always prioritize protection," said Qiu Jian, deputy head of the provincial cultural relics bureau.

According to Qiu, the country has invested nearly 520 million yuan (about 73.3 million U.S. dollars) in recent years, supporting Gansu in implementing more than 90 projects for the protection and maintenance of the Great Wall.

Early this year, an exhibition featuring research and digitization of the Great Wall attracted flocks of visitors to the Tianjin Museum in north China.

The exhibition was based on a project undertaken by a team from Tianjin University to collect full-scale 3D images of the Great Wall. The team has so far completed the survey of the Great Wall sections with a total length exceeding 6,000 kilometers and obtained over 3 million images of the Great Wall with centimeter-level resolution.

CULTURAL APPEAL

Cultural inheritance has stood front and center in the building of the Great Wall cultural park.

The floor-to-ceiling glazing at a Great Wall museum in Qinhuangdao City, north China's Hebei Province, offers visitors a striking vista encompassing the Great Wall and a nearby mountain.

The museum is a flagship project of the province's Great Wall cultural park. Construction of the major structure and installation of major equipment have been finished. Equipment adjustment, trial and commission are underway.

Once completed, it will provide a platform to display the Great Wall culture and the intangible cultural heritage along the Wall, said Feng Zhen, deputy curator of the museum.

More than 1,000 kilometers to the west, study tours to the Great Wall have been increasingly embraced by primary and middle school students in the city of Yulin, northwest China's Shaanxi Province.

Primary students discuss the Great Wall and how to conserve it in their lessons. Before long, they will be able to feel and touch the Great Wall at another facility, as a local themed museum has finished most of its construction.

MORE INCOME FOR LOCALS

For Sun Yugui, a villager in Yanchi County, northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, the charm of the Great Wall is evident in the tourists who arrive in one group after another.

Sun runs a themed homestay business in the county. The county is nicknamed an outdoor Great Wall museum.

Locals like Sun are able to benefit financially from the Great Wall, thanks to the construction of the national cultural park.

The sightseeing trails along the Great Wall have been connected to each other within the county, linking up villages along its route like a string of pearls, said Li Yuexin, a local official.

Similar changes are taking place in Suizhong County in northeast China's Liaoning Province.

When night falls, the decoration lights are turned on and the Great Wall shows its contours. It is like a golden dragon flying in mountains, wowing tourists coming from afar.

The themed park received more than 100,000 visits in three months after a night tour program was launched, said Wang Jianhua, an official in charge of archaeology and cultural artifacts' protection in the county.
BEIJING, Dec. 22 (Xinhua) -- Banking institutions in China have maintained sound operations with risks generally under control in the second quarter of this year, according to a central bank report released Friday.

The China Financial Stability Report 2023, compiled by the People's Bank of China, cited results from a quarterly rating of 4,364 banking financial institutions in the country that assessed their stability and risks.

The rating found that 3,655 banks, whose assets accounted for 98.28 percent of the total assets of all the participating banks, were operating safely, said the report.

While risks did exist in some small and medium-sized financial institutions in rural areas, large banks earned good ratings, which helps ensure stability for the financial system, it said.

The central bank will continue to push forward the reform of small and medium-sized banks and resolve their risks, defuse risks for city commercial banks and rural credit cooperatives, and step up the reform and restructuring of rural banks, said the report. 
GENEVA, Dec. 23 (Xinhua) -- The World Health Organization (WHO) sounded the alarm on the threat of dengue Friday as the mosquito-borne disease has spread to previously untouched countries, infecting over 5 million and killing more than 5,000 this year.

Nearly 80 percent of those cases, or 4.1 million, have been reported in the Americas, followed by Southeast Asia and the Western Pacific, Diana Rojas Alvarez, the health agency's team lead on arboviruses, disclosed at the UN weekly briefing in Geneva.

Alvarez said climate change was partly to blame as it led to higher rainfall, humidity and temperature, enabling mosquitoes to thrive.

"Although 4 billion people are at risk from dengue, most of those infected are symptom-free and usually recover within one to two weeks," the WHO said. Severe dengue infections are marked by shock, severe bleeding or severe organ impairment.

As there is no specific treatment for dengue, early detection and access to medical care can lower mortality rates due to severe cases.

The UN agency said reported cases skyrocketed to a record 5.2 million in 2019, a tenfold rise over 2000, across 129 countries.

Alvarez said the threat required "the maximal attention and response from all levels" of the agency to support countries in controlling current dengue outbreaks and preparing for the upcoming dengue season. 
TEHRAN, Dec. 22 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian on Friday rejected a joint Arab-Russia statement, saying it challenged Iran's sovereignty and territorial integrity.

He made the remarks in a phone call with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, reacting to a joint statement issued Thursday by several Arab states and Russia in Morocco, which questioned Iran's sovereignty over the three Gulf islands of Abu Musa, the Greater Tunb and the Lesser Tunb, according to a statement published on the Iranian Foreign Ministry's website.

In the statement, the participants in the 6th Arab-Russian Cooperation Forum supported peaceful solutions and initiatives to resolve what they called "the conflict on the three islands" through bilateral negotiations or the International Court of Justice.

Amir-Abdollahian stressed that "the three islands are inseparable parts" of the Iranian territory, saying Iran "completely rejects" any claim by any side saying otherwise.

He pointed to the "positive and growing" relations between Tehran and Moscow, emphasizing that Tehran would never compromise with any party on its territorial integrity and national sovereignty.

The Russian foreign minister, for his part, described Moscow-Tehran relations as strategic, saying Russia had always respected Iran's sovereignty and territorial integrity.

"This position of Moscow should never be doubted. When preparing the final statement of the Morocco forum, we explicitly considered respect for Iran's sovereignty and territorial integrity," Lavrov added.

Iran says the three islands have historically been part of the country, citing historical, legal, and geographical documents as proof, while the United Arab Emirates also claims the three islands and has long pressed for a negotiated solution. 
ANKARA, Dec. 22 (Xinhua) -- Turkish parliament's foreign affairs committee said on Friday that it would discuss Sweden's NATO bid next week.

The committee said in a statement that the review of the bid is scheduled for Dec. 26.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan signed Sweden's NATO accession protocol and submitted it to the parliament in October.

For ratification, the bill needs to be approved by the commission before being put to a full parliament vote.

After Russia launched its military operation in Ukraine in February 2022, Sweden and Finland submitted applications to join NATO in May.

Turkiye approved Finland's membership to NATO in March but has slow-walked Sweden's accession, demanding the Nordic country to further address Ankara's security concerns. 
Dai Bing (R, front), charge d'affaires of China's permanent mission to the United Nations, speaks after the UN Security Council adopted a resolution to boost humanitarian aid access to Gaza, at the UN headquarters in New York, on Dec. 22, 2023. The UN Security Council on Friday passed a key resolution, emphasizing the immediate acceleration of aid deliveries to the distressed civilians in Gaza, but without the original call for an "urgent suspension of hostilities" between Israel and Hamas. Dai Bing told the Security Council that given the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, the resolution offers "at least a glimmer of hope" for more and faster delivery of aid to Gaza. (Xinhua/Xie E)

UNITED NATIONS, Dec. 22 (Xinhua) -- The UN Security Council on Friday passed a key resolution, emphasizing the immediate acceleration of aid deliveries to the distressed civilians in Gaza, but without the original call for an "urgent suspension of hostilities" between Israel and Hamas.

Resolution 2720 demands parties to the conflict "allow, facilitate and enable the immediate, safe and unhindered delivery of humanitarian assistance at scale directly to the Palestinian civilian population throughout the Gaza Strip, and in this regard calls for urgent steps to immediately allow safe, unhindered, and expanded humanitarian access and to create the conditions for a sustainable cessation of hostilities."

After the vote, Dai Bing, charge d'affaires of China's permanent mission to the United Nations, told the Security Council that given the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, the resolution offers "at least a glimmer of hope" for more and faster delivery of aid to Gaza.

He added that "whether this glimmer of hope can be truly felt by the people of Gaza in the midst of this disaster also depends on whether the resolution can be effectively implemented."

"We expect action to expand humanitarian assistance in Gaza, including by the full use of Karem Shalom and the opening of other crossing points," the ambassador said, while urging Israel to stop its collective punishment of the population of Gaza and insisting that realization of a ceasefire remains the overriding goal.

The resolution requests the secretary-general to "appoint a senior humanitarian and reconstruction coordinator" with responsibility for facilitating, coordinating, monitoring, and verifying in Gaza, as appropriate, the humanitarian nature of all humanitarian relief consignments provided to Gaza through states which are not parties to the conflict.

The text also demands the "immediate and unconditional release of all hostages," as well as ensuring humanitarian access to address medical needs of all hostages, noting that the provision of fuel to Gaza should meet requisite humanitarian needs.

The resolution reiterates its "unwavering commitment to the vision of the "two-state solution," where two democratic states, Israel and Palestine, live side by side in peace within secure and recognized borders, consistent with international law and relevant UN resolutions, and in this regard stresses the importance of "unifying the Gaza Strip with the West Bank under the Palestinian Authority."

The proposed resolution, presented by the United Arab Emirates, garnered support from 13 council members, while the United States and Russia opted to abstain from the vote within the 15-member council.

The vote followed a U.S. veto of a Russian amendment that would have restored the call for a "suspension of hostilities." 

The UN Security Council votes on a draft resolution aimed at boosting the flow of humanitarian supplies into Gaza at the UN headquarters in New York, on Dec. 22, 2023. The UN Security Council on Friday passed a key resolution, emphasizing the immediate acceleration of aid deliveries to the distressed civilians in Gaza, but without the original call for an "urgent suspension of hostilities" between Israel and Hamas. (Xinhua/Xie E)
Air India's inaugural wide-body Airbus A350-900 aircraft is scheduled to land in the national capital. Initially, the aircraft will be deployed on short-haul routes, according to the airline's CEO, Campbell Wilson. Air India, aiming to integrate six A350 planes in the initial phase, will become the first Indian carrier to operate this type of aircraft. The CEO also announced the upcoming introduction of new uniforms for the airline's ground staff and Air India Express personnel, following the recent unveiling of updated uniforms for cabin and cockpit crew. After extensive planning, the first A350-900, featuring the airline's fresh livery and interior, is set to arrive in Delhi, as stated by Wilson in a message to the staff.

As the first of its kind in India and for Air India, the CEO highlighted the need to undergo several post-arrival regulatory procedures. These include customs clearance, various checks by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on equipment, as well as a series of ground tests and proving flights to demonstrate operational procedures before obtaining certification for passenger transport. Following this, the airline will operate short-haul routes for a few months to allow pilots to familiarize themselves with the new aircraft under the guidance of experienced instructors. This period aims to build a sufficient pool of pilots to support long-haul A350 operations later in the year. The Tata Group-owned full-service carrier has already received regulatory approval for the engineering line maintenance of A350 aircraft, marking a significant advancement in ensuring the smooth operation and maintenance of all six A350 aircraft slated for induction into the fleet.

Airbus has maintained a longstanding collaborative partnership with India, fostering mutual growth and development. Over a span of more than 50 years, the company's technology and expertise have played a crucial role in advancing India's civil aviation sector and contributing to the modernization of its armed forces.
A proposal that is making its way through the New York State Assembly has begun to stir controversy as supporters of the popular fast-food eatery Chick-fil-A are crying foul.

The law, introduced by a handul of Democratic legislators led by Assemblyman Tony Simone, requires that food services at transportation facilities and rest areas owned and operated by certain public authorities remain open seven days a week.

Chick-fil-A famously closes on Sundays, and is serving up chicken at seven newly-renovated New York service areas. The law would make future contracts at transportation facilities owned by the state and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey dependent on a commitment to seven-day-a-week service.

NBC New York reports that the justification written for the bill emphasizes the inconvenience to travelers.

While there is nothing objectionable about a fast food restaurant closing on a particular day of the week, service areas dedicated to travelers is an inappropriate location for such a restaurant. Publicly owned service areas should use their space to maximally benefit the public. Allowing for retail space to go unused one-seventh of the week or more is a disservice and unnecessary inconvenience to travelers who rely on these service areas.

Simone, the bills sponsor, said that if travelers want to eat fried chicken over the holiday weekend, they should have the option.

WHY CHICK-FIL-A IS CLOSED ON SUNDAYS

On its website, Chick-Fil-A explains the genesis of its six-day-a-week business model.

Our founder, Truett Cathy, made the decision to close on Sundays in 1946 when he opened his first restaurant in Hapeville, Georgia, the site reads. Having worked seven days a week in restaurants open 24 hours, Truett saw the importance of closing on Sundays so that he and his employees could set aside one day to rest, enjoy time with their families and loved ones or and worship if they choose  a practice we uphold today.

Underscoring the religious basis for the Sunday closures, the company says its mission is to glorify God by being a faithful steward of all that is entrusted to us. To have a positive influence on all who come in contact with Chick-fil-A.

NY THREATENED BY U.S. SENATOR OVER LAW

U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham posted about the law on X, declaring this is war.

The Republican lawmaker from South Carolina went on to threaten New York with legislation that withhold federal funds from any city or state that requires Chick-fil-A to stay open on Sunday.

The founders of Chick-fil-A made a decision early on to close on Sunday, consistent with their faith, he wrote on the social media platform. For any government to try to reverse this decision flies in the face of who we are as Americans New York is off-base and their actions will not go unanswered.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  Recently, the NYPDs 122nd Precinct welcomed a new commanding officer, Capt. Luigi Carrubba.

A 24-year veteran of the force, Carrubba, 52, has served in multiple capacities since first joining the NYPD in March of 2000, according to the NYPD.

The Brooklyn native, a married father of three, lived in Borough Park for 42 years before moving to Eltingville, where he has spent the last decade.

Unlike some, Carrubba did not come from a family with an extensive history in the force; he started out with a career in retail loss prevention management. It wasnt until his late 20s that Carrubba essentially sought a career change and found his way to the NYPD.

Thats where I developed my desire for the NYPD, because I used to catch shoplifters and dealing with the cops all the time, I was like, wow, Id love to do that, Carrubba said. Thats how I came about, working with law enforcement in my role in retail management, security management.

Initially, Carrubba spent his first five years in transit, working at Transit District 30 in downtown Brooklyn. From there, Carrubba went on to serve the next seven years as a sergeant in Brooklyn at the 90th Precinct and Patrol Borough Brooklyn North.

As a lieutenant, Carrubba made his way to Manhattan, spending time at the 20th Precinct in the Upper West Side. Carrubba continued his climb through the ranks, eventually becoming a captain.

I think my greatest highlights are working in different boroughs, Carrubba said. I worked in Manhattan North, Manhattan South, Brooklyn North, Brooklyn South, Staten Island; all as a captain. I got to experience the different borough flavor, for lack of a better word.

Carrubbas ties to Staten Island are not limited to a residential address; for years he has served in executive roles at various precincts across the borough. In 2015, he was assigned as the executive officer of the 120th Precinct, and in 2016, he became the executive officer of the 121st Precinct. An executive officer, often referred to as an XO, serves as the second-in-command to the commanding officer.

In 2019, Carrubba became the commanding officer of Strategic Response Group 5, based on Staten Island. He would work there for three years, witnessing the height of the George Floyd protests from the frontlines.

Then in 2022, Carrubba was assigned as executive officer to the 5th Precinct in Chinatown, Manhattan, where he spent one year. It was a mutual, a swap with another NYPD officer, that saw Carrubba return to the Island and become the executive officer of the 122nd Precinct in February, a position which lent itself to preparing Carrubba for the role change to come.

Very easy transition, especially working with the commanding officer, Timothy Wilson, Carrubba said. On a day-to-day basis wed always talk about plans and what were going to do.

Congratulations Captain Luigi Carrubba on your new designation as the Commanding Officer of the 122nd Precinct. All of us here look forward on working with you & continuing the great work D.I Wilson did here the past few years. Welcome to the 122!! pic.twitter.com/yqmbsuL1B7  NYPD 122nd Precinct (@NYPD122Pct) December 8, 2023

THE ROAD AHEAD

In shedding light on the work to come, Carrubba identified the greatest issues troubling the 122nd Precinct: Property crimes, whether it be burglaries, grand larceny auto, or people stealing catalytic converters.

A lot of people dont realize how invasive these property crimes can be, Carrubba said. I live in the 122nd Precinct, and Ive had some of my neighbors be victims of these property crimes, and seeing how painful it is what they go through being victimized, even on property crimes, it made me want to take further action to attack the problem.

In addressing the issue, the new commanding officer indicated that deployment is the key to combat these crimes.

My plan is to redeploy my resources to the actual times that these crimes are taking place, Carrubba said.

Capt. Luigi Carrubba at the 122nd Precinct's stationhouse in New Dorp on Dec. 19, 2023. (Staten Island Advance/Luke Peteley)(Staten Island Advance / Luke Pe

Additionally, Carrubba looks forward to connecting with residents and directly asking what they feel are their greatest security concerns.

It wont be foreign to me to go up to someone, a business owner or something, and saying hey, what are you concerned about? You know, being proactive with not just the local electeds and community council, but the everyday people that are out there, said Carrubba.

In analyzing this collected information from locals, Carrubba looks to develop a plan with other agencies to take action.

Just last week, Carrubba was out in the community meeting with those in attendance at the South Beach Civic Associations annual holiday party.

I have a vested interest in making my own community better for my family, as well as all the other residents, Carrubba said.
BEIJING, Dec. 23 (Xinhua) -- China has allocated the second batch of funds raised by the issuance of an additional 1-trillion-yuan (about 140.94 billion U.S. dollars) of government bonds for flood control and other projects.

The National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), the country's top economic planner, said Saturday that the second batch of funds raised by the additional government bonds involves over 560 billion yuan for 9,600 projects.

The first two batches of funds totaled more than 800 billion yuan, according to the NDRC. It said most of the funds raised by the additional 1-trillion-yuan government bonds had been allocated to specific projects so far.

The projects financed by the second batch of funds include backbone flood-control projects mainly in the Haihe River, Songhua River basins and other regions in northern China, irrigation facilities, soil-erosion management projects, upgrading of urban rainwater drainage systems, among others.

The NDRC said that it will work with other departments to accelerate the progress of the projects. 
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  Most of us hit the road a bit more during the holiday season, but nobody puts more miles on their vehicle at this time of year than Santa Claus.

That thought led a team of insurance experts at Quartz, a car culture publication, to seek the answer to a hard-hitting holiday question: How much would it cost Santa to insure his sleigh?

As expected, that number wont bring him any holiday cheer.

Those at Quartz took an in-depth look at Santas driver and vehicle profile to see which factors would raise or lower his premium, and published its findings.

They also spoke with insurance expert and owner of All About Insurance, Saint Nick Vitali, to find out how different factors would affect Santas rates.

Insurance premiums are based on how much risk a driver and their car present to the insurer, the investigators found. As a result, companies calculate prices based on a handful of individualized factors about the driver and their vehicle.

And they found that Santas sleigh would cost a whopping $82,550 to insure each year.

Though the Jolly Old Elf has a few things working in his favor, heres a breakdown of why Santas sleigh would cost so much to insure:

Clean driving record

Santa has a clean driving record. Thanks to Rudolph lighting the way, Santa has never had an accident in his sleigh in more than 1,700 years of operating it. And there are currently no records of any speeding tickets or other moving violations, either, they found.

Safe community

Santas post office for the North Pole, located in Rovaniemi, Finland, is safe compared to many areas. Cost of living database Numbeo issues a crime index score and safety index score for cities around the world. Crime index scores below 20 are considered very low, while safer cities have higher overall safety index rankings. Rovaniemi is listed as having a crime index score of 18.5, making it one of the safest places on Earth.

But Vitali said that vehicle safety isnt the only factor when it comes to location being used to determine rates. Operating out of the North Pole, with its low crime rate and few natural disasters, is a positive factor, Vitali said. However, the remote and potentially harsh conditions could also be considered a risk.

High mileage

But Santa puts a lot of miles on his sleigh.

According to data from the Federal Highway Administration, the average American driver traveled 13,476 miles in 2022. Those who put even more miles on their car could be subject to higher rates, which isnt a good sign for Santas premiums.

A blog post from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) estimated that Santa drives his sleigh 75.5 million miles per year  more than 5,600 times the average driver. That kind of mileage would bring Santas premiums up considerably, the team found.

Santas age

Older drivers tend to pay higher rates. And thats bad news for Santa. St. Nicholas of Myra, the historical Santa, was born in what is now Turkey in A.D. 270, the report pointed out. That makes Santa 1,753 years old in 2023  well beyond the point at which rates start to increase based on a drivers age. So, Santa will pay around 17% more for vehicle insurance than middle-aged drivers.

Speeding

These days, most auto insurers offer telematics coverage as an alternative to flat-rate insurance. These programs typically use an app on your smartphone to track driving habits and adjust your rates accordingly.

But telematics insurance wouldnt help out Old Saint Nick, according to MIT, the researchers found. Hed need to travel an average of 650 miles per second to cover his route before Christmas morning. That kind of driving would be considered reckless, at 75.5 million miles per hour.

Monthly premium

The monthly insurance bill for Santas sleigh, according to the Quartz report would be  yikes  $6,879 every month. Maybe we should be leaving a little cash along with the cookies and milk for the old guy, to help him with his monthly payments!
Editors Note: In the news business, every year has its standout stories, newsmakers, villains and heroes.

But in the Staten Island news business, the Advance/SILive.com also has the unique privilege of telling the stories of our neighbors  everyday people doing extraordinary and inspiring things.

In honor of the many Staten Islanders who have shown the best of what the borough is this year, we are highlighting some of the standouts, and honoring them as Staten Islands Brightest Lights of 2023.

Congratulations to them, and every borough resident who has found their own way to give back, make change, be a role model, inspire others, advocate and/or care about their community in 2023.

Julianna Meyer

Staten Islands Brightest Lights of 2023: Julianna Meyer

Call it the valedictorian trifecta.

Not only did West Brighton resident, Julianna Meyer, graduate college in 2023 as her schools valedictorian, but she also has the impressive distinction of graduating valedictorian three times in her educational career: Blessed Sacrament School valedictorian in 2015, Notre Dame Academy valedictorian in 2019, and Hunter College of the City University of New York on May 24, 2023.

Meyer is the daughter of James and Jennifer Meyer and double-majored in Childhood Education and English Literature, with a concentration in Language Arts. She is also a former Miss Staten Island Outstanding Teen.

As accomplished as Meyer is, she is equally modest, not ever expecting to be named valedictorian of Hunter College, where she was part of the William E. Macaulay Honors College  commonly referred to as Macaulay Honors College or Macaulay  a highly selective honors college for students at the CUNY system in New York City. The college awards full-tuition scholarships to all of its undergraduates.

At the end of April, just a few days before my birthday, I received an email that I was being named one of the valedictorians, she said.

It was pretty late and I was exhausted, because I had student taught all day at my school in Tribeca, and I had gone right to teaching dance after school.

Meyer immediately ran home to share the good news with her mom, excited and honored to have her hard work recognized at graduation.

Read the full story by Dr. Gracelyn Santos >>

>> MORE STORIES OF STATEN ISLANDS BRIGHTEST LIGHTS IN 2023 <<
Earlier this month, the MTA Board voted to adopt a congestion pricing plan for drivers entering Manhattan south of 60th Street. Outer-borough commuters who drive  including those living in transit deserts and those who already face steep tolls to access the rest of the city  would pay $15 a pop or more to enter Manhattans Central Business District. Whether you commute via car from Staten Island or southeast Queens, this probably wasnt the Christmas gift you had in mind.

Many moons ago, when New York State first embarked on creating a congestion pricing plan, the idea was worth exploring. Who doesnt want to improve and expand subway service and make our buses faster and more reliable, all while reducing traffic and curbing carbon emissions? But that was before COVID and, needless to say, the world has changed in myriad ways. Indeed, every day another study shows that offices arent going back to the way they were before COVID, and therefore neither are the central business districts that housed them. Hell, Ive been leading the charge to convert vacant Manhattan office space into affordable housing!

The shift to remote work has raised concerns about the future of central business districts altogether as Manhattan south of 60th Street is no longer the dominant center of the 9-to-5 urban work universe. Now, with 2024 right around the corner, I think we should ask ourselves: does it really make sense to implement a congestion pricing plan to enter the place people used to go?

Financially, New Yorkers are still struggling to fully get back to where they were before the pandemic. It doesnt matter how you commute to work, everyone is feeling squeezed and after public safety, affordability is the number one concern for New Yorkers. With so many of us feeling the pinch, now is not the time to add to the burden of New Yorkers who still drive to work in Manhattan, especially not for those living in transit deserts in the outer-boroughs.

Before the MTA does anything, we should at the very least get our existing tolls sorted out. Ive been calling out the inequities related to the Verrazzano Bridge for a long time (a decade before they put the second z back). Staten Island drivers have no choice but to pay an MTA toll just to access the rest of their city. At least they get a discount, but thats not enough, especially if were going to throw congestion pricing on top of the tolls already paid by Staten Islanders who drive to work in Manhattan or elsewhere.

It still doesnt make any sense that the resident discount has never been extended to Brooklynites who commute to Staten Island on a regular basis. A bridge has two sides and our boroughs have always been closely connected, especially the communities right across the bridge in southwest Brooklyn. If you have an E-ZPass registered to a Brooklyn zip code and you take three or more trips across the Verrazzano per month, you should be eligible for the same resident discount as Staten Islanders. And if the MTA is moving ahead with congestion pricing, Staten Island residents deserve an additional discount to address the cost of coming through Brooklyn on their way to any of the other three boroughs.

Our communities have been nickeled and dimed for decades without seeing any significant local return on the insanely high MTA tolls weve been paying. Lets remember, that $20 Verrazzano toll has been a MTA cash cow for decades subsidizing Metro-North and the Long Island Rail Road. And yet popular proposals for a protected bike and pedestrian path are tossed and were lucky if the bridge gets a fresh coat of paint every 30 years. So youll need to forgive Staten Island and southern Brooklyn commuters who drive for being skeptical that more MTA tolls will mean better New York City buses and subways. Yes, we need deep investment in our local public transit system, but we need it without having to pay more of our arms and legs for it. Maybe Im crazy, but if we wanna keep cars out of Manhattan, maybe the MTA should focus on giving us better, more reliable ways to get there first!

In the years the MTA has taken to settle on a specific congestion pricing plan, New York City has changed and Im not sure congestion pricing is the solution that meets this moment. At the very least, it seems weve skipped a few steps we shouldve taken before diving head first into it. We must deliver fairness to our existing tolls. We must undo the logistical knots of our existing system and ensure were not leaving money on the table. And when it comes to the congestion pricing plan itself, we must deliver relief to communities that lack good public transport options and have been paying inequitable tolls for decades.

The state is deep into its process, but theres always time to get things right. Thats what we were elected to do and this is the time to do it.

Justin Brannan is a New York City Councilman representing southwest Brooklyn since 2018 and Chairman of the Councils Finance Committee. Reports suggest that he is considering a run for the congressional seat representing Staten Island and southern Brooklyn.
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That divide exists not only in Australia, but within the Coalition itself. Standing a few feet from Forrest that night is Matt Kean, the NSW state Liberal MP and former climate change and energy minister. He is in Dubai with a group of mostly state conservative MPs who want to see the Coalition embrace stronger climate policies. Nuclear, he says that night, would simply take too long to deploy in Australia, even if it was worth the cost. Not on board that night in Dubai was federal Liberal MP Ted OBrien, climate change and energy spokesman, who was in town with a second group of Coalition representatives that was in town to voice their support for nuclear energy. OBrien addressed a side-event at the COP co-sponsored by the group Coalition for Conservation and the World Nuclear Association, an industry lobby. There he told an audience of around 20 that should the Coalition win power he would end the ban on nuclear energy in Australia and sign the 22 nation pledge. He had little to say about the pledge signed by 120 nations to triple renewable energy and double energy efficiency.

The Coalition is moving ever closer to nuclear power as being its central policy response to both climate change the pressing need to replace ageing coal-fired power stations. It favours small modular reactors (SMR), a nascent technology not yet in commercial use that would deliver far smaller facilities than the traditional, large scale nuclear power plants operating around the world. Loading But evidence continues to mount that it is neither the cheapest nor fastest solution to either problem. The CSIRO on Thursday released findings that helped fill a glaring information gap on the costs of clean energy and responded to mounting criticisms by the federal opposition and the nuclear industry of the governments focus on renewables. The top science agencys GenCost report showed that a grid supplied almost entirely by wind and solar produces cheaper energy than one that included coal power, or nuclear reactors now, and would continue to do so for decades to come.

Previous GenCost reports have been criticised for not incorporating the costs of tens of billions of dollars of transmission lines needed to link the growing fleet of wind and solar farms across the country to population centres. But the latest findings included more than $30 billion of new transmission lines and projects to provide back up power when the wind isnt blowing and the sun isnt shining  such as the $12 billion Snowy 2.0 pumped hydro project. GenCost uses the metric known as the levelised cost of electricity. This is how much it costs for a power plant to generate electricity, which includes capital expenditure as well as the revenue required to create a return on investment. It showed that a mix of wind and solar power in 2023 would generate electricity for $90 to $134 per megawatt hour. This cost range is projected to fall to a $70 to $100 by 2030  with renewables generating 90 per cent of the grids electricity. Coal generation is more expensive, even without the cost of transmission lines to link the power stations to the grid, costing between $110 and $220 per megawatt hour in 2023. This price drops slightly to a range of $85 to $135 in 2030.

CSIRO updated its findings on electricity generation from SMRs, using US company NuScales, which developed the worlds most advanced commercial SMR project in Utah, which in November copped a 70 per cent blowout in project costs. Loading CSIRO found that were SMR technology available today it would generate electricity at a cost of $380 to $640 a megawatt hour. This marked an increase from its July projections for SMRs to generate electricity at between $200 and $350 per megawatt hour. CSIRO said SMR costs would fall as the technology develops, with a projected cost of $210 to $350 a megawatt hour of electricity generation in 2030. Again using NuScale as a guide, CSIRO said its 15-year development pipeline for its Utah project indicated Australia could not feasibly expect to have a functioning SMR before 2038.

This timeline is backed by Australias former chief scientist, Alan Finkel, who said in August it was highly unlikely Australia could open a nuclear power plant before the early 2040s, pointing out the autocratic United Arab Emirates took more than 15 years to complete its first nuclear plant using established technology. In a further challenge to establishing a nuclear power industry in Australia, the CSIRO addressed the argument that Australia should follow the lead of countries like France, UK, US, Canada, Spain and South Korea, which power their electricity grids with traditional large scale nuclear plants. It said claims of cheap nuclear power in these countries are ignoring the fact that these plants were either funded by taxpayers, or have been in operation for a considerable time  over which the capital costs have already been recovered Such prices will not be available to countries that do not have existing nuclear generation such as Australia, GenCost said. A global trend

The CSIROs analysis echoes other international research showing that the nuclear industry continues to shrink as it is undercut by newer technologies. This years World Nuclear Industry Status Report - an annual 500-page survey of the global industry by a nuclear-sceptical think tank based in France  finds that nuclears share of global energy capacity continues to shrink as the cost of its renewable competitors rapidly falls. The WNISR found that last year for the first time nuclears share of power generation fell below 10 per cent of total gross electricity generation for the first time since the 1980s, accounting for just 9.2 per cent. It said that there was little prospect that small modular reactors would reverse the trend over the few years the world has left to arrest greenhouse gas emissions in line with climate goals set at the COPs. The international media continues to provide large-scale coverage of early, often vague developments of Small Modular Reactor designs, despite no significant progress on the ground to report  at least not outside China and Russia  with no startups, no construction starts, not even a design certification, says the report.

And the report says most countries underestimate the cost of nuclear power by failing to include the expense of decommissioning nuclear power plants and liabilities for accidents in their estimates of the cost of nuclear energy. Nuclear, it says, is the most expensive form of power. It cited analysis last updated in April by Lazard, one of the oldest banks in the world, suggesting that the unsubsidised average electricity generating costs of utility scale solar between 2009 and 2022 declined by around 84 per cent to $US60 ($89) per megawatt hour. For wind power the fall was 63 per cent. Nuclear increased by 46 per cent to $US180 per MWh. Battlelines So far the opposition is unmoved by these arguments and is sticking with its advocacy for nuclear and against new renewables.

Responding to the CSIRO report on Thursday OBrien claimed Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen had misrepresented it. As an author of the report, CSIRO, has confirmed, GenCost considers only costs to investors, not consumers, he said. Opposition Leader Peter Dutton is calling for the government to halt the rollout of new energy transmission lines amid a farmer backlash over land access. He is also campaigning against offshore wind projects, warning they will blight coastal views and disrupt whale migrations. Along with OBrien, Dutton is calling for nuclear power to be added to the nations energy mix, with SMRs deployed on the site of closed coal plants to provide backup for wind and solar and generation. Equally, the government is digging in. A wind farm in Western Australia. Credit: Foresight Group

It is telling that when OBrien was set to speak at his side event at COP one government official went out of his way to ensure Australian media knew where and when the event was to be held on the sprawling Dubai campus. Asked about the oppositions for nuclear at the event Bowen was unequivocal, saying that even if nuclear was affordable it could not be deployed in Australia before coal plants retire and emissions reductions targets need to be met. I dont have time for distractions. We have 73 months between now and 2030. Even the National Party and the Liberal Party now, apparently, accept that a nuclear power station in Australia could not open by 2030. David Littleproud says we can start in 2045 or something, that weve got time. We dont have time. Hes wrong. Hes wrong on reliability. He is wrong on the climate. He is dead, plain wrong.
Australians are in the dark about whether their Christmas lunch has been ethically sourced because of a lack of regulation on imported seafood, which makes up more than two-thirds of the countrys supply.

Poor practices by international shipping fleets have caused the number of overfished stocks to triple in the past 50 years, according to the United Nations, while the International Labour Organization has listed forced labour and human trafficking as a severe problem in the industry.

Sydney Fish Markets Innovation and Technical Manager Erik Poole. Credit: Dion Georgopoulos

Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Murray Watt said seafood caught via illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing is making its way into Australia.

While Australia already combats IUU fishing including through licensing and enforcement, monitoring control and surveillance, and regional and multilateral action, we do not have a national import control scheme to prevent IUU fishing product from entering the country, he said.
BUJUMBURA, Dec. 23 (Xinhua) -- At least 20 people were killed in an attack on Friday night near the Burundi-the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) border by unidentified gunmen, a Burundian government spokesperson said on Saturday afternoon.

Jerome Niyonzima, the secretary-general and spokesman of the Burundian government, said in a statement to the press that the attack happened in Gatumba, Mutimbuzi district in west Burundi's Bujumbura province, targeting mostly women and children. 
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ith its pristine beaches, hiking trails and rich history, South West Rocks is billed as a little pocket of tranquillity on the state governments tourism website. But the NSW Mid North Coast town of only 5000 residents has become the latest battleground in the fight by residents and local councils against property developers as the state grapples with a housing shortage in the midst of a cost-of-living crisis. Developers and the state government say coastal towns have space for more homes and communities that could benefit from affordable housing options in areas struggling to attract and retain workers, but they are being stymied by NIMBY councils and community groups. Many locals of the small holiday town of South West Rocks are against a proposal for a new development. Credit: Janie Barrett Dozens of community groups have joined to form the Coastal Residents United alliance, citing concerns that overdevelopment will swamp holiday towns from Kingscliff in northern NSW to Culburra and Tuross on the south coast, destroying the amenity and environment. Rise Projects wants to build about 280 apartments in South West Rocks above shops in nine buildings up to six storeys  or 27 metres. The $127 million development, which will be determined by the Northern Regional Planning Panel, will be built in stages and includes affordable housing, serviced apartments and hundreds of car parking spaces.

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The site of the development is zoned for medium-density residential, but the council has instead proposed a building height in most of South West Rocks of just 8.5 metres. As coastal towns are under pressure to absorb growing demand for housing, the existing character of these towns can easily be lost from the impact of increased traffic, subdivisions/suburbanisation and inappropriate scale or height of new buildings, the councils proposal said. Rise Projects director Daniel Pszczonka said there is demand for medium-density housing from people who say they would like a home where they dont have to maintain their block or clean the gutters. Many locals of the small holiday town of South West Rocks are against a proposal for a new development. Credit: Janie Barrett Medium-density housing had less impact on infrastructure, rent prices and the environment, Pszczonka said. They like the idea of apartments where they can use an elevator rather than stairs, where they can park their car in a secure basement out of the weather, and a secure home thats easy to maintain. Pszczonka said many people wanted to retire in South West Rocks but due to planning constraints there are not many homes like that available in the area.

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The development has attracted opposition from Kempsey Shire Council and community group Voices of South West Rocks, which sent an email titled Fight the Height after the plans were put on public exhibition in November. We will need to be strategic, as the developer is, organised and united to take on this epic fight, the email said, but we know we can win this as a majority of our village refuse to let our beautiful coastline be decimated to such a degree. An artists impression of Rise Projects planned residential development in South West Rocks. There are a number of other projects in South West Rocks that have also provoked community concern about overdevelopment, which the council says is not its fault. Much of the anger aimed at council at present is framed in terms of what we are allowing to occur. However, it is not local government, but the state government that regulates this space, Kempsey Shire Council general manager Craig Milburn wrote on the councils website. NSW Planning Minister Paul Scully said the Minns government had allocated an additional $100 million in its last budget for infrastructure in regional NSW. In October, the NSW government updated its Coastal Design Guide, which aims to improve the quality of homes in coastal areas, while Landcom is undertaking two build-to-rent projects in regional NSW to test and refine that model of housing delivery, Scully said.

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Many councils report that they are struggling to attract and retain workers because homes are not available, he said. But Upper House Greens MP Sue Higginson said NSW coastal towns faced significant and unreasonable pressures from inappropriate and unsound development. Higginson said property developers used decades-old development consents - known as zombie DAs - and the housing crisis to propose more development in unsuitable locations. The NIMBY [Not in my backyard]-YIMBY [Yes in my backyard] characterisation and pushing against local community concern is divisive and is already causing harm to communities, she said. Technocratic decision-making from afar will not deliver cohesive social communities nor deliver the best environmental outcomes. Developments in other coastal towns have also seen opposition from locals. Signs emblazoned with the slogan Stop the fill, dont drown our town have greeted visitors to the north coast town of Yamba, prompted by concerns about the environmental impact of new residential developments.

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Plans for medium-density residential development in South West Rocks on the NSW Mid North Coast are opposed by some residents and Kempsey Shire Council. Credit: Janie Barrett Culburra Residents and Ratepayers Action Group president Claire Heywood said planned residential developments at Culburra Beach on the NSW south coast will change the town into a bland, sprawling suburban area. The village will lose its iconic, relaxed Aussie beach culture vibe, she said. Heywood said a lack of medical services, poor roads and a sewerage treatment plant that barely copes during wet weather would be further stretched if the developments went ahead, while land clearing would harm the environment. Higginson is critical of the planning system, which she said created a terribly uneven playing field between developers and communities: We know that if a developer doesnt get their way the first time they will eventually, even if they have to go to court to get it. Property developers say low and medium-density housing needs to be built in areas where supply is not keeping up with demand. Property Council of Australia NSW executive director Katie Stevenson said the housing crisis was creating real pain for existing and prospective residents of coastal towns.

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Two drivers are dead, another has been charged over a triple-fatal smash, and seven people are in hospital following separate car crashes across NSW just days out from Christmas.

Images from one crash, where a teen driver allegedly slammed into a car carrying a woman and three children, show the carnage of the states spiralling road toll.

One of the vehicles involved in the Milperra Road crash. Credit: Nine

NSW Police were patrolling Milperra, in the citys south-west, at 2am on Saturday when a car allegedly drove past at 140km/h in a 70km/h zone.

Police said officers turned on their lights and sirens just as the car smashed into a 4WD.
Queensland has had a deadly start to the Christmas long weekend on the states roads after two deaths and a serious crash.

A 27-year-old man died after his motorbike crashed into a pole in Ashgrove, in Brisbanes north-west, on Saturday morning.

An 18-year-old man died in a single-vehicle crash west of Gladstone.

Initial investigations indicated his bike was travelling along Waterworks Road shortly after midnight when it careened smashed into a pole.

The Ashgrove man sustained critical injuries and died at the scene.
A Cape York community is bracing for major flooding in the wake of ex-Tropical Cyclone Jasper, as the search for a missing elderly man is scaled down and two people were struck by lightning.

Police have grave concerns for the 85-year-old who has not been seen at Degarra, north of Cairns, since Sunday night.

Meanwhile, also in Queenslands far north, a toddler and his mother have been taken to hospital after they were reportedly struck by lightning on Friday.

Emergency services were called to the scene in Mareeba, west of Cairns at 3.30pm. A hospital spokesperson told Nine News the boy is in a serious condition at Mareeba Hospital, while his mother is stable.
Firefighters are battling multiple blazes across Western Australia as authorities warn of more difficult days ahead.

Seven emergency-level blazes have destroyed homes and torn through bushland, rural properties and suburbs on Perths fringes in the past three days.

Firefighters at the scene of a blaze in Toodyay on December 21. Credit: Department of Fire and Emergency Services

Fire and Emergency Services Commissioner Darren Klemm said strong, gusty winds had pushed the blazes to catastrophic levels.

He warned the threat would remain through the Christmas holiday, although all fires have now been downgraded to a watch and act.
London: One of only three southern male koalas living outside Australia has died at a British zoo, having fathered the first of his species to be born in Europe.

Burke, the 17-year-old who was born in captivity in Melbourne in 2006 before moving to Japan, died this week at Longleats Safari Park in Wiltshire, about 170 km west of London.

Longleat says Burke was cherished and will be very sadly missed. Credit: Longleat Safari Park

He arrived at the parks Koala Creek facility in 2019 from Osaka Tennoji Zoo as part of a breeding program to protect the increasingly threatened species. Known as Ark to his huge Japanese fan base, he had two offspring in recent years, Hazel and Monty, who were the first southern koalas born in Europe.

Longleats management said Burke, once described as a big, strong, strapping koala, was cherished by the people of Japan, and he would be missed by many in the UK. Longleat, the only animal collection in England exhibiting koalas and the only animal collection in Europe exhibiting southern koalas, had received constant fan mail for Burke since his arrival.
A plane carrying Yevgeny Prigozhin, the Wagner mercenary boss, was brought down by a bomb planted under its wing in a plot orchestrated by Vladimir Putins oldest ally, according to a new report.

Nikolai Patrushev, a former KGB officer, the powerful head of Russias security council, personally oversaw the planning of the operation, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing Western intelligence sources and a former Russian intelligence officer.

Yevgeny Prigozhin, pictured in March in a video about the Ukraine war. Credit: AP

Prigozhin died when his private jet crashed over Russias Tver region on August 23, around two months after he led an armed rebellion against Moscows military leadership in June, in the biggest threat to Putins two-decade rule.

The Kremlin has previously rejected as an absolute lie the suggestion by critics and Western countries that Putin had ordered the assassination in revenge for the short-lived mutiny.
KABUL, Dec. 23 (Xinhua) -- About 800,000 Afghan refugees have returned to their homeland Afghanistan since October, Afghan caretaker government chief spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said.

"Since October, around 800,000 refugees have returned home, with half of them from Pakistan," the local television channel Tolonews quoted Mujahid as saying.

The majority of the remaining 400,000 others have returned from Iran and thousands of others from Turkiye, Mujahid said.

More than 2.5 million Afghan refugees reportedly have been living in Pakistan and the same number in Iran.

Similarly, Arsala Kharoti, deputy minister of Refugees and Repatriation Affairs, has confirmed that thousands of Afghan refugees returned to their country daily.

Millions of Afghans have been living as refugees in foreign countries, according to officials. 
I think, if they are so insistent that they dont want to see these strikes go ahead, then present an offer that they have in their back pocket  which theyve said that theyve got  this is the time for that to come forward, he told the BBC.
Across Jamaica, there are more churches and more bars per square mile than in any other country. The locals will proudly tell you this is why theyre so full of spirit; and after God, their chosen spirit is  of course  rum. No trip would therefore be complete without a visit to one of the islands famous rum distilleries. Hampden Sugar Estate in Trelawny is one of the oldest and is world renowned for its intensely flavourful pot still rums. Employing more than 70 people, the 8,000-acre property not only supports the local community, but also created it back in 1753. With little having changed in the distilling process since then, treat all of your senses and step back in time with a tour and fiery rum tasting.
The men appear unfazed that their crime is being captured on camera. Instead they methodically raid the wine isle at a Tesco Express in Cricklewood on Thursday, to the point that their plastic bags are bursting at the seams.
He added: Michael's mother's wish is to get his body back home and lay him to rest in Portugal. I know everyone is struggling at the moment but we cannot do this without your help however big or small. Every little bit helps.
As the war continues, we stand in solidarity with the people of Ukraine and want to support them in any way we can, including whatever action can be taken through collaboration between all levels of government.
"The health of our employees remains our primary concern and we are fully cooperating with the ARS health agency to identify the cause of the illness and ensure this cannot happen again in the future."
URUMQI, Dec. 23 (Xinhua) -- A few inches beneath salt cedars and saxouls, two shrubs that fend off the desert, lies buried a botanist's gift for farmers in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

These scaly tubers, called cistanche, are precious tonics used in traditional Uygur medicines. Thanks to a group of sand-control scientists, villagers on the edge of the Taklimakan Desert, China's largest desert known as the "Sea of Death," have learned to grow cistanche by parasitizing them to the roots of sand-fixating plants.

In the Topaaizhik Village, located under Qira County, thousands of newly harvested cistanche crops have been laid out on the ground to dry. Villagers cover them with quilts at night to prevent them from being damaged by frostbite.

"Six kilograms of fresh 'dayun' (cistanche) can make one kilogram of dried 'dayun,' which can sell for 50-60 yuan (about 7-8 U.S. dollars) on the market," one villager told Xinhua.

Such bumper harvests used to be a rarity on this ancient battlefield between the desert and its human dwellers. Throughout history, Qira County has had to relocate three times after sandstorms and moving sands engulfed village houses and farmlands.

In 1983, the Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography under the Chinese Academy of Sciences established a station in the county to tackle sandstorms and fight desertification.

One of their primary jobs included selecting and breeding drought-resistent plants to form a natural barrier against the encroaching sand. Since 2000, the station has promoted the afforestation of 15 sand-fixing plants, such as the endemic salt cedars and non-local saxouls, said Zeng Fanjiang, the leading researcher of the station.

Their research has, over the past 40 years, helped the county restore more than 16,000 hectares of natural vegetation. This has reduced the number of days each year with sandy weather from 270 to 120 and revived 38 villages on the periphery of the desert, said the veteran botanist.

Apart from making sandy lands inhabitable, this Qira approach to desert control is also known for increasing the productivity of the area.

Liu Mingting, a former leading researcher at the station, invented the technique of sowing cistanche seeds into the roots of sand-fixing salt cedars after discovering the symbiosis between the two in the 1980s. The method has since been refined and taught to local farmers.

"It's our belief that (work on) the ecological environment must be integrated with (efforts to improve) the livelihood," said Zeng. "Such approach also unites us with the locals."

Turgun Jappar, director of the county's sand-control center, recalled that local farmers responded enthusiastically to the scientists' proposal of taming the desert.

"Villagers who once abandoned their sand-ravaged villages came back to join our afforestation drive. They wanted to have their ancestral homes back," said the official.

The afforested shrubs were first managed centrally to ensure their survival, and were then contracted to farmers so that they can grow and harvest cistanche and other crops, according to Turgun Jappar.

He noted that the windbreaking and sand-fixing plants now contribute 30 percent of the county's yearly per capita income.

Following the success of cistanche, scientists continued to look for other productive options. One of them is yellow nutsedge originating from Africa. Its chewy, bean-sized tubers, called earth almonds, can be made into oil or soya milk-like juice.

"This plant is a sand-fixing grass as well as a high-yielding cash crop. It can work two wonders on its own," said Xue Jie, a researcher at the station.

At 36, Xue is one of the new-generation scientists at the station, whose missions have moved beyond desert control and productive use of sandy lands.

"Our new studies include the management of the local water resources and calculating the plants' carbon sink. But the goal of improving lives of the local community remains unchanged," he said. 
NEW DELHI, Dec. 23 (Xinhua) -- Indian security forces on Saturday killed four armed rebels of the Naxals group in the central state of Chhattisgarh, an official source said.

The encounter between security forces and the armed rebels took place in Gogunda area of Sukma district in Chhattisgarh.

A large number of bullets were fired from both sides.

The clash began on Saturday morning. Dead bodies of the four rebels were recovered.

A search operation was going on in the area. 
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Romania needs a strong and modern Police, to be able to deal with the security challenges, the Minister of the Interior, Catalin Predoiu, said on Saturday, while mentioning the recent tragedy in the Czech Republic.

"We see what happened these days, yesterday, the day before yesterday, in the Czech Republic. What a tragedy! What a challenge to internal security! We see what happened in Serbia a few months ago and in other countries. And we know these challenges related to terrorism will continue. Which is why I need to raise the awareness of the entire society. In the years to come, we will need very strong and modern Police, we will need the Border Police to be very well equipped. And, of course, we will need forces to be able to intervene in emergency and disaster situations, equipped with everything they need. And I don't even mention the Gendarmerie right now," said Predoiu, who participated in an event to present where the Police presented the equipment purchased within the "Helipol" and "Mixed Mobile Road Traffic Surveillance System" projects, Agerpres informs.

* The HELIPOL project included the purchase of four helicopters, three of which have a flight autonomy of at least 120 minutes, and one with an autonomy of at least 240 minutes. They will allow a vast and efficient coverage of the territory. In addition, the project provided for the acquisition of portable drug analyzers that can easily detect the drugs in the saliva, land mobility units, a satellite communications solution, as well as breathalyzers, signaling and on-site research kits.

* As part of the MIXTMOBIL project, there were acquired portable drug analyzers that can detect the drugs in the saliva, 300 police cars, devices for measuring the speed of motor vehicles, mobile devices and mobile printers.On the same occasion, Catalin Predoiu mentioned that this acquisition was also preceded by the acquisition a few days ago of special vehicles that entered the endowment of the Border Police, and, previously, of special firefighting trucks, as well as BlackHawk Sikorsky helicopters."I think I'm not wrong if I say that, at least in terms of equipment with logistical means, with helicopters, to be precise, the Romanian Ministry of Interior is perhaps the most powerful ministry in our region. I see this as a good start. I mean, it's not an end of a stage here, we must not remain satisfied with what we have achieved, but, on the contrary, we must regard this as only a stage in a sequence of several developments in the logistics area in the MAI. And I'm talking about all the weapons. Today we are talking about the Police, but I'm referring to absolutely all weapons," the Minister of the Interior said.Predoiu mentioned the complicated security environment around Romania."And I would add another idea here, namely that the perspective shows us an extremely complicated, challenging security context, with geopolitical challenges in the region, war in Ukraine with everything that can derive from this challenge in terms of citizens safety, from arms trafficking to ammunition trafficking, people-trafficking, smuggling and so on. We have ongoing migration pressures, transnational crime, disasters, climate changes. All this context forces a common sense conclusion that domestic security and public order become extremely sensitive, critical values. And those who have the responsibility to ensure this domestic security and public order must be equipped," explained Catalin Predoiu.
From the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Dec. 24, 1982:

"Times Beach Evacuation Urged

By Laszio K. Domjan and Robert Goodrich of the Post-Dispatch Staff

Federal health officials concerned by high levels of dioxin found in the soil of Times Beach have bluntly advised residents of the flood-ravaged town to stay away.

The warning came Thursday in a statement from the federal Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta. It was relayed through the Missouri Division of Health.

"Residents who have been temporarily relocated are discouraged from moving back into the area," the statement said. "Residents who have already begun to move back into the area are encouraged to leave."

In addition, the health officials recommended that all non-emergency cleanup in the town of 2,037 people cease immediately.

"In the unlikely event that emergency activities are necessary," the statement said, "they should be done with full protective gear and only after notification of and consultation' with the appropriate federal and state agencies."

Ralph D. Case, Times Beach city marshal, said today that he believed virtually all of the residents would ignore the recommendation to stay out. He said that 200 of the town's 700 families had moved back from the recent flooding and that none had indicated any intention of staying away from Times Beach."

How a December flood 40 years ago wiped Times Beach off the map On Dec. 2, 1982, with the temperature a record 74, rain began falling steadily, delivering a 1-2 punch that was too much for the people of Times Beach.

Hunting for ghost towns: Visiting them across the U.S. (even in Missouri and Illinois) Missouri and Illinois each has more than 40 cities that were abandoned for one reason or another, and this man likes to hunt all of them.
Christmas cards are a big deal to me. In a manner that has grown sinful, I take pride in my cards.

I started making my own cards when I realized how unusually beautiful my children were. I continue because my grandchildren are unusually beautiful. And, yes, I said cards. Please dont take this the wrong way, but my cards are not to be confused with the glorified postcards that some people send. My cards have a cover photo and then a photo and message inside. Usually, but not always, the message is, Merry Christmas.

In the early years of my fetish, Weatherbird artist Dan Martin was my design team. I would show him the photos and tell him the message I wanted to convey, and hed do a mock-up, which I would take to a print shop. The print shop would run a proof. Id approve it  or make minor modifications  and then the shop would print the cards.

Eventually, I decided to do my own mock-ups.

Until this year, all went well. Oh, I had a minor problem a few years ago. My cover photo was a dramatic nighttime shot of a police officer firing a round of tear gas during the unrest in Ferguson. Smoke and fire belched from the barrel of the weapon as it fired the canister. The photo was taken by David Carson of this newspaper. I got his and the papers permission to use it. The woman at the print shop didnt like it. She said it was inappropriate for a Christmas card. I promised not to send her one, but she was unmoved. I didnt argue. I handle rejection well.

Ive had editors reject my columns. No problem. I even had a Justice of the Peace reject the service I wrote for my own wedding. The script called for somebody in the audience to object when the officiate asks if there are any objections. Fortunately, Mary had a friend who had sent away for a divinity degree, and she agreed to step in. So when Marys friend said, Speak now or forever hold your peace, a man rose from the audience and said that he had some serious reservations, if not outright objections. Families and onlookers were stunned. It took my new in-laws years to get over it. In fact, thereafter they were always cold to my friend who had made the objection, even though he had been asked to do it.

So I found a less judgmental print shop.

By the way, the card came out great. The photo on the inside was of my son, Jack. He was sitting in front of a small campfire we had built under a ledge of overhanging rock during a two-day hike in the Santa Catalina Mountains outside of Tucson, Arizona. He had a beatific smile as he looked toward the camera. The caption said, Peace.

It had been a strange hike. We started at Mount Lemon and worked our way down to Sabino Canyon. We saw only two or there other hikers as we descended. We found a nice spot not far from Sabino Creek and put out our ground cloths and sleeping bags. There was maybe an hour of light left. We heard sounds coming from the creek. Two men emerged. One was carrying a long rifle with a scope. The other had a sidearm, holstered. They were both wearing camouflage clothes. The man with the rifle had a Duck Dynasty beard. They walked into our clearing.

Whatcha hunting? Jack casually asked the man with the rifle. The other man answered. Mountain lions, he said. He explained that they were park rangers. They said the park service had recently reintroduced longhorn sheep into the Catalinas, but the lions were killing them too quickly. Were supposed to thin the lions, he said. After a couple of minutes, they headed back toward the creek.

Later, I looked up the story in the local paper. It was a controversial program.

Most of my cards are less dramatic. Here we are in San Diego. There we are at Ted Drewes.

As December arrived this year, I started going though the years photographs. I found an interesting photo of my grandson, Tino. He was looking out toward the ocean in Hawaii.

There is an unwritten code among card-markers. You dont use photographs of trips you werent on. I ignored that rule. I had not gone to Hawaii. Nevertheless, Tino looking toward the ocean would be my cover. The caption would be, May Peace and Good Will be on the Horizon. Inside would be a photo of the whole family sitting around a table. Mary was in the center. If you know my family, you know thats perfect.

I did a mock-up. Tino looks at ocean, I wrote on the front. Family sits at table, I wrote on the inside. I went to a FedEx store. The photos were on my phone, but I had a difficult time sending one of them. Can you help? I asked one of the fellows at the counter. Were not allowed to touch anybodys phone, he said. Ill give written permission, I said. But rules are rules.

My IT team was unavailable. Evie is a sixth-grader and Tino is a second-grader. Dare I pull either of them out of school for this? Probably not. I took my phone home and gave it to Mary. Shes my back-up IT team. She was somehow able to transmit the photo to FedEx. A woman from FedEx said they had it, but it might be a couple of days before they had a proof for me. Were busy, she said.

Several days later, I went to the store. The assistant manager said there had been a mix-up and the package had not been sent to the designers who would do the proof. It still had not been sent a couple of days later when I checked Everybody was very polite. Also, busy. But Christmas was approaching. I know my weaknesses. I did not want to be that guy, the one who starts screaming at employees about his Christmas cards. I turned the whole thing over to Mary. Soon there were proofs.

The designer had been faithful to my mock-up. On the cover were the words, Tino looks at ocean. Inside, it said, Family sits at table. Merry Christmas.

Had I been there, perhaps I would have chosen to accept those proofs. It was a haiku Christmas card.

Mary did not see that possibility. How could this happen? she asked. Those words were supposed to describe the photographs. The assistant manager explained that the designers are independent contractors from another country, perhaps India, and they dont speak English. Communication is difficult. We will try again, he said.

The next proofs were almost perfect. Mary brought them home for me to approve. The caption I had written for the cover was overlaid on the photo. May Peace and Good Will be on the Horizon.

Let me put aside false modesty. It was a beautiful card.

The only problem is the process took so long that my cards might not arrive to their destinations in time. So let me use this space to offer my personal greetings to everybody  especially to all the harried workers, here and in India, trying to satisfy perfectionist card-makers. But my greetings go not just to them, but to everybody everywhere.

Tino looks at ocean. Family sits at table. Merry Christmas.
EAST ST. LOUIS  A 35-year-old St. Louis man was charged Friday in the November fatal shooting of a 19-year-old woman in East St. Louis.

Cornell Irving is charged in St. Clair County with first-degree murder and accused of shooting and killing Trenadi Bateman the morning of Nov. 10.

East St. Louis police were called to the shooting at about 7:30 a.m. to the 4000 block of State Street. Bateman was transported to Touchette Regional Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

Police only said that Bateman died after a fight.

Irving was arrested at his home in St. Louis and was in custody Friday.

Bateman graduated from Collinsville High School in 2022 and had a young daughter, according to her obituary.

She was employed by Taco Bell and Steak 'n Shake restaurants in Collinsville, her obituary says.
ST. LOUIS  Police said Friday they would not release body camera footage of a police SUV crashing into a St. Louis gay bar or the resulting confrontation with the bars owners until the citys investigation is complete.

The statement came as outrage mounted on social media this week over the departments handling of the Monday morning crash, which ended with one of the bar owners being charged with assault and resisting arrest.

The police department said in a statement Friday that a state law passed in 2016 prohibited the release of body camera footage until the investigation is complete or until a court orders its release, though they noted that they showed the footage to multiple St. Louis aldermen and members of a city advisory board on LGBTQ on Thursday at the request of Mayor Tishaura O. Jones.

This step was taken in recognition of the unique circumstances of this incident and to provide transparency and clarity in the face of speculation, the statement said. This is similar to past instances of officer-involved shootings or deaths, in which the city has shown body camera footage to family members.

Around 12:20 a.m. Monday, a rookie police officer drove his department-issue SUV into Bar:PM on South Broadway in the Carondelet neighborhood. Initial reporting suggested the officer swerved to avoid a dog, but later, the department said he overcorrected after trying to avoid a parked car. The department then said he admitted to being distracted by the in-car radio.

Officers arrested Bar:PM co-owner Chad Morris for third-degree assault of an officer, a felony, and resisting arrest, a misdemeanor. They said he came to the scene, shouted obscenities and then shoved an officer hard in the chest with an open hand.

The assault charge was later downgraded to a misdemeanor and Morris was released from jail. Morris attorney, Javad Khazaeli, held a press conference and accused the officer of striking Morris  not the other way around.

Khazaeli showed portions of a 30-minute video captured by a bystander that showed no assault like the one described in the report. Khazaeli said Morris was trying to leave the scene when officers assaulted him, noting his client had bruises under his eyes.
ST. LOUIS COUNTY  The police department here is on track to become just the second in the U.S. to provide its officers with subsidized child care, part of an effort to attract and retain officers  especially women.

The St. Louis County Police Departments goal is to open its day care center by the fall of 2024. If it does, it will join San Diego as the only other police department in the country to offer partially funded child care with flexible hours and drop-off availability.

You know, its exciting, said Matt Crecelius, business manager for the St. Louis County Police Association, which is spearheading the effort. So its hard not to talk about it. ... Were kind of in the fundraising part of it, so we have to be somewhat strategic. But I would assume in three to four weeks we will be talking about it some more.

The goal of the effort, backed by the National Law Enforcement Foundation, is to cut through the child care funding bureaucracy, according to the foundations website. Research has found that a lack of affordable child care is one of the major impediments to hiring and retaining officers.

So far, Crecelius said, the St. Louis County Police Association has identified a possible site for the facility in central St. Louis County and has attracted its first big donor and a chunk of state funding.

The project was launched about a year ago when officers were asked to identify the major challenges that come with the job. Many cops pointed to child care, especially after the department moved to 12-hour shifts last year.

San Diegos facility is slated to open in January. It will offer 50% subsidized day care and will be funded for the first three years through state grants and private philanthropy. The National Law Enforcement is working on similar efforts in Colorado and Idaho, too.

St. Louis County, like departments across the country, has struggled to fill officer vacancies. In the county, about 14% of positions were vacant as of early December.

But county police leaders hope the child care center will help retain staff, too  especially young officers who want to start families and women officers who already have children but may be constrained by scheduling conflicts and the difficulties of finding child care.

Im in charge of patrol, and we have some really good, young female officers here, said St. Louis County police Lt. Col. Juan Cox. A lot of them eventually are going to start their own families, and they will have to make sacrifices.

Tanya Meisenholder, director of gender equity for the NYU School of Laws The Policing Project, noted the same challenges. Raising children, Meisenholder said, is one of the major factors that deter women from becoming officers, and its one of the primary motivations that lead them to quit the profession.

Child care responsibilities, though they affect everyone, tend to have a disparate impact on women, Meisenholder said in an interview with the Post-Dispatch.

St. Louis County has seen a slow but steady rise in its women officer ranks. Of the 825 commissioned officers in the department, about 18% are women. Thats up from about 12% in 2013.

And of the 172 leadership positions in the department, about 13% are women.

Those numbers put the agency ahead of national rates. Women make up about 12% of law enforcement officers countrywide, and only 3% of police leadership positions, according to the 30X30 Initiative, an effort by the NYU School of Laws The Policing Project to have women make up 30% of the countrys police force by 2030.
Missouri education and social services officials have not yet made a decision on whether to participate in a federal food assistance program next summer, weighing their ability to execute it after years of administrative challenges and delays.

Participating in the program, called Summer EBT, would provide approximately $51.5 million in food benefits to 429,000 Missouri children next summer. States have until Jan. 1 to notify the federal government of their intent to participate, and must submit a plan by Feb. 15.

The state is evaluating federal guidelines and assessing Missouris ability to implement the [Summer EBT] program in 2024, said Mallory McGowin, spokesperson for the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, the agency that administers the benefits.

At least 20 other states have already notified the government of their intent to opt in to Summer EBT.

The program provides $40 in food benefits for each month the child is on summer break, loaded onto a card that can be used like a debit card to purchase groceries. Students who are eligible for free or reduced lunch during the school year are eligible for Summer EBT.

We know how important this program is for kids and families, said Crystal FitzSimons, director of School and Out-of-School Time Programs at the D.C.-based Food Research & Action Center.

And we know what a huge impact it would make on reducing summer hunger, and easing the pressure on families household food budget. So we are really hopeful that Missouri and other states come onto the program.

In a letter to Gov. Mike Parson sent Wednesday afternoon, a coalition of Missouri advocacy groups including Empower Missouri urged the governor to direct the education and social services agencies to operate the program.

Missouris Department of Social Services or Department of Elementary and Secondary Education must act soon to meet this deadline, the letter said. It is vital that Missouri leverage this opportunity to keep summer hunger at bay in 2024 and beyond.

Missouri education and social services officials have not yet made a decision on whether to participate in a federal food assistance program next summer, weighing their ability to execute it after years of administrative challenges and delays.

Participating in the program, called Summer EBT, would provide approximately $51.5 million in food benefits to 429,000 Missouri children next summer. States have until Jan. 1 to notify the federal government of their intent to participate, and must submit a plan by Feb. 15.

The state is evaluating federal guidelines and assessing Missouris ability to implement the [Summer EBT] program in 2024, said Mallory McGowin, spokesperson for the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, the agency that administers the benefits.

At least 20 other states have already notified the government of their intent to opt in to Summer EBT.

The program provides $40 in food benefits for each month the child is on summer break, loaded onto a card that can be used like a debit card to purchase groceries. Students who are eligible for free or reduced lunch during the school year are eligible for Summer EBT.

We know how important this program is for kids and families, said Crystal FitzSimons, director of School and Out-of-School Time Programs at the D.C.-based Food Research & Action Center.

And we know what a huge impact it would make on reducing summer hunger, and easing the pressure on families household food budget. So we are really hopeful that Missouri and other states come onto the program.

In a letter to Gov. Mike Parson sent Wednesday afternoon, a coalition of Missouri advocacy groups including Empower Missouri urged the governor to direct the education and social services agencies to operate the program.

Missouris Department of Social Services or Department of Elementary and Secondary Education must act soon to meet this deadline, the letter said.  It is vital that Missouri leverage this opportunity to keep summer hunger at bay in 2024 and beyond.

FitzSimons said some states are in a better place coming out of pandemic EBT.

Others I think didnt really set up the long-term systems to build off of, she said.And Missouri did not participate in 2023. So I think they do need to do some work, probably, in setting up more permanent systems.

She added that putting in the effort now to create the system for this summer would ensure there is less food insecurity over the summer in Missouri, that kids are able to return to school in the fall well nourished and ready to learn, she said  and create a framework for years to come.

States are also facing the broader challenges of implementing a program with new guidance from the federal government and securing the funding to do so.

The federal government will pay for the benefits but split the administrative cost 50/50 with the state. There is no budget request in the education departments current fiscal year 2025 budget request for Summer EBT.

McGowin said a request would be added during the legislative appropriations process if a decision to implement the program is made.

Missouri Independent is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Missouri Independent maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Jason Hancock for questions: info@missouriindependent.com. Follow Missouri Independent on Facebook and X.
ST. CHARLES COUNTY  About a dozen protesters gathered outside the St. Charles County Courthouse on Friday to call for justice for Gloria and Poodles.

The two pets  a dog and a cat  died gruesome deaths while in the care of a pet sitter this year. Protesters called for lawmakers to rewrite the states animal abuse laws, which they say allowed the sitter to escape felony charges after the animals died in April  the dog by stab wounds, and the cat by an undetermined cause of death that included broken ribs.

A St. Charles County grand jury indicted Alicia Moellering, of OFallon, on two counts of animal neglect and two counts of drug possession last month. Investigators said she had a large quantity of fentanyl and drug paraphernalia. The drug possession charges are felonies, and the animal neglect charges are misdemeanors.

But Fridays protesters said those charges arent enough.

This was a violent act. These animals were stabbed. Thats not neglect. Thats murder, said St. Louis resident Sasha Zemmel, one of the protest organizers.

In a statement, St. Charles County Prosecutor Joseph McCulloch said that the deaths were a tragic and sad event but that his office couldnt file felony charges in the animals deaths because their bodies were too decomposed for experts to determine if the stab wounds were inflicted before or after they died.

Moellering could not be reached for comment. Her lawyer, Greg Smith, said he was prepared to defend the charges vigorously.

OFallon police said Moellering, 24, agreed to watch her stepmothers pets while her stepmother was in Mexico for vacation.

The stepmother, Tommie Love, occasionally checked in on the animals using a home security system, and she grew suspicious when she saw only one of her two dogs on the feed. She never saw Gloria, a 4-year-old doodle, or Poodles, her stray cat.

Loves son, Nathan Durfee, said he went to the house to investigate after a late-night call with his mother. Inside, he said he found one of the dogs in its kennel. But he also found dried blood splattered across the floor and blood-stained towels in the familys washing machine.

At that point, I was only trying to figure out what had happened there, because I didnt know or even think that Alicia was capable of something like this, Durfee said Friday.

Moellering changed her story a few times when she was pressed for answers, Durfee said, before eventually telling him the cat had died and she put it in a dumpster behind a gas station.

It was just another lie from her in the end, Durfee said. She was constantly changing her story.

Durfee noticed a smell near his stepsisters vehicle and eventually found both animals dead inside.

I smelled a whiff of rotting flesh  and thats a smell that once youve smelled it, you immediately know what it is, said Durfee.

Moellering told police she found the cat already dead and that she found the dog barely breathing after returning to the home after being away for a day. She put the dog in front of a fan and went to work, she told police, and the dog was dead when she returned.

Moellering admitted that she freaked out after being irresponsible and did not know what to do, so she placed the canine and feline in her vehicle, OFallon police wrote in court records.

An autopsy of the two pets revealed that Glorias death was caused by two small puncture wounds. The cause of death for Poodles could not be determined, but authorities noted the cat had fractured ribs.

Among the attendees of Fridays protest was St. Ann resident Denise Behrle, of St. Ann, who watched Gloria herself for years. She urged McCulloch, the prosecutor, to revisit the case.

Id love to ask Mr. McCulloch if he had a dog, and urge him to look at that dog and to think about Gloria, she said. To think about the suffering that she went through due to this horrible monster.
BROWNSVILLE, Texas  Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Monday approved sweeping new powers that allow police to arrest migrants who illegally cross the U.S. border and give local judges authority to order them to leave the country, testing the limits of how far a state can go to enforce immigration laws.

Opponents have called the measure the most dramatic attempt by a state to police immigration since a 2010 Arizona law  denounced by critics as the Show Me Your Papers bill  that was largely struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court. Immigration enforcement is a federal responsibility, and Texas law is also likely to face swift legal challenges.

The law, which takes effect in March, allows any Texas law enforcement officer to arrest people who are suspected of entering the country illegally. Once in custody, they could either agree to a Texas judges order to leave the U.S. or be prosecuted on misdemeanor charges of illegal entry. Migrants who dont leave could face arrest again under more serious felony charges.

Abbott, who signed the law in front of a section of border fence in Brownsville, predicted the number of people crossing illegally into Texas would drop by well over 50%, maybe 75%." He did not offer evidence for that estimate.

The consequences of it are so extreme that the people being smuggled by the cartels, they will not want to be coming into the state of Texas," he said.

The law adds another tension point over immigration amid a struggle between the White House and Senate negotiators to reach a deal on border security. Republicans in Congress are demanding changes to the immigration system in exchange for any help for Ukraine, Israel and other national security needs.

Texas Republicans have increasingly challenged the U.S. governments authority over immigration, saying President Joe Biden's administration isnt doing enough to control the 1,950-mile (3,149-kilometer) southern border. Texas has bused more than 65,000 migrants to cities across America since August 2022 and recently installed razor wire along the banks of the Rio Grande, which has snagged and injured some asylum-seekers.

The U.S. government on Monday temporarily shut down two railroad border crossings in Texas, a move that rail operators said would hamper trade ahead of Christmas. Troy Miller, U.S. Customs and Border Protections acting commissioner, said the closures at Eagle Pass and El Paso were a response to more migrants traveling on freight trains, particularly over the last week.

Miller said authorities are seeing unprecedented arrivals at the border, topping 10,000 crossings on some days this month.

Shortly after Abbott signed the new law, the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas said it would challenge the measure in court. More than 20 congressional Democrats also signed a letter urging the U.S. Justice Department to sue to stop the law, known as Senate Bill 4.

SB 4 is dangerous for the people of Texas and interferes with the federal governments exclusive authority over immigration and foreign affairs," the letter read.

Mexicos government also has rebuked the measure. Under bilateral and international agreements, Mexico is required to accept deportations of its own citizens, but not those of other countries. Under the Texas law, migrants ordered to leave would be sent to ports of entry along the border with Mexico, even if they are not Mexican citizens. In September and October, Venezuelans were the largest nationality arrested for illegally crossing the U.S. border.

During debate in the Texas House in November, GOP state Rep. David Spiller pushed back against concerns that the law would be used as a dragnet to arrest immigrants statewide. He said enforcement would mostly take place in border counties. But he also rebuffed several efforts by Democrats to narrow the law, including a proposed carve-out for police on college campuses.

Because the illegal entry charge is a misdemeanor, which has a statue of limitation of two years, Spiller has said the law will not be used to target immigrants who have long been settled in the U.S.

This is not, Round up everyone who is here illegally and ship them back to Mexico, he said during debate over the bill.

Opponents have accused Texas Republicans of using the law as a vehicle to force the Supreme Courts new conservative majority to revisit its landmark 2012 Arizona decision. At the time, Justice Anthony Kennedy said Arizona may have understandable frustrations with immigrants who are in the country illegally but that it cant pursue policies that undermine federal law.

___

Weber contributed from Austin, Texas. Associated Press writers Mark Stevenson in Mexico City and Elliot Spagat in San Diego contributed to this report.

___
Banking institutions in China have maintained sound operations with risks generally under control in the second quarter of this year, according to a central bank report released Friday.

The China Financial Stability Report 2023, compiled by the People's Bank of China, cited results from a quarterly rating of 4,364 banking financial institutions in the country that assessed their stability and risks.

The rating found that 3,655 banks, whose assets accounted for 98.28 percent of the total assets of all the participating banks, were operating safely, said the report.

While risks did exist in some small and medium-sized financial institutions in rural areas, large banks earned good ratings, which helps ensure stability for the financial system, it said.

The central bank will continue to push forward the reform of small and medium-sized banks and resolve their risks, defuse risks for city commercial banks and rural credit cooperatives, and step up the reform and restructuring of rural banks, said the report.
BEIJING, Dec. 23 (Xinhua) -- A 6.2-magnitude earthquake jolted Jishishan Bonan-Dongxiang-Salar Autonomous County in northwest China's Gansu Province and the city of Haidong of the neighboring Qinghai Province at 11:59 p.m. on Monday.

Here are some facts and figures about the latest progress in China's relief efforts in the quake-hit regions.

CASUALTIES AND DAMAGE

As of 8 a.m. Friday, the earthquake had killed 117 people and injured 781 others in Gansu, according to the provincial earthquake relief headquarters.

The earthquake had also claimed 31 lives in Qinghai, with 198 others injured and three still missing as of 10 p.m. Thursday, local authorities said.

According to a press conference, 14,939 houses had collapsed and 207,204 houses had been damaged by the quake as of 9 a.m. Wednesday in Gansu, with 145,736 people from 37,162 households affected.

The powerful earthquake also damaged infrastructure for water, electricity, transportation and communications.

RESCUE WORK

Since the earthquake, central and local authorities have mounted an all-out search and rescue operation.

In Gansu, as of 8 a.m. Friday, 499 individuals had been discharged from hospital after receiving treatment, and the number of critically injured had declined from 42 to 17.

Medical institutions at all levels in Qinghai had admitted 226 injured people as of 10 p.m. Thursday, of whom 166 were still being treated.

The National Health Commission dispatched a team of medical experts to the affected regions following the earthquake. Additionally, it has mobilized emergency medical teams from various regions, including Sichuan, Shaanxi and Ningxia, to support rescue efforts in the two provinces.

As of 12 p.m. Friday, a total of 311 temporary relocation sites had been set up for the affected residents in Gansu, with 112,346 people relocated. More than 30,000 people had also moved back to their own safe houses.

Qinghai had set up 141 temporary relocation sites, providing shelter to 18,259 people affected by the disaster as of Friday.

At present, the two provinces are conducting safety assessments on affected houses, and will begin orderly post-disaster reconstruction work.

RELIEF SUPPLIES AND DONATIONS

The first batch of relief supplies arrived in the quake-hit areas at 6 a.m. Tuesday, about six hours after the earthquake.

On Tuesday, the Ministry of Finance (MOF) and the Ministry of Emergency Management allocated 200 million yuan (about 28.19 million U.S. dollars) of funds to the quake-hit provinces.

The National Development and Reform Commission earmarked 250 million yuan of investment from the central budget for quake-hit areas to support the emergency restoration and construction of infrastructure and public service facilities.

The MOF, together with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and the Ministry of Water Resources, allocated 220 million yuan of funds to help restore agricultural and water conservancy infrastructure damaged in the quake.

As of noon on Friday, more than 132,000 items of disaster-relief material from central and provincial governments had been sent to quake-hit areas in Gansu, including tents, folding beds and quilts. The province also received public donations of more than 150,000 kg of fresh vegetables, over 2,458 tonnes of coal and more than 570,000 other items.

As of 8 p.m. Thursday, the Red Cross Society in the city of Haidong and Qinghai's three affected counties had received a total of 54.86 million yuan of public donations, and various disaster-relief materials such as coats and heating equipment equivalent to 12.78 million yuan.

The provincial earthquake relief headquarters said that 59,400 pieces/sets of various relief materials had been distributed in quake-hit areas as of Friday. 
RAFAH, Gaza Strip  More than 90 Palestinians, including dozens from an extended family, were killed in Israeli airstrikes on two homes in Gaza, rescuers and hospital officials said Saturday, a day after the U.N. chief warned that nowhere is safe in the territory and that Israels offensive creates massive obstacles to distribution of humanitarian aid.

U.S. President Joe Biden spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday, calling it a long and private conversation a day after the Biden administration again shielded Israel in the diplomatic arena. On Friday, the U.N. Security Council adopted a watered-down resolution that calls for immediately speeding up aid deliveries to desperate civilians in Gaza, but not for a cease-fire.

I did not ask for a cease-fire, Biden said of the call. Netanyahus office said the prime minister made clear that Israel would continue the war until achieving all its goals.

Also Saturday, the Israeli military said troops arrested hundreds of alleged militants in Gaza over the past week and transferred more than 200 to Israel for further interrogation, providing rare details on a controversial policy of mass roundups of Palestinian men. The army said more than 700 people with alleged ties to the militant groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad have so far been sent to Israeli lockups.

Israel declared war after Hamas gunmen stormed across the border on Oct. 7, killing some 1,200 people and taking some 240 hostages. More than 20,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israels war to destroy Hamas and more than 53,000 have been wounded, according to health officials in Gaza, a besieged territory ruled by the Islamic militant group for the past 16 years.

The Health Ministry in Gaza on Saturday evening said 201 people had been killed over the past 24 hours.

Airstrikes on Friday flattened two homes, including one in Gaza City, where 76 people from the al-Mughrabi family were killed, making the attack one of the deadliest of the war, said Mahmoud Bassal, a spokesman for Gazas Civil Defense department.

Among those killed were Issam al-Mughrabi, a veteran employee of the U.N. Development Program, his wife, and their five children.

The U.N. and civilians in Gaza are not a target, said Achim Steiner, the head of the agency. This war must end.

And a strike pulverized the home of Mohammed Khalifa, a local TV journalist, killing him and at least 14 others in the urban refugee camp of Nuseirat, according to officials at the Al Aqsa Martyrs Hospital where the bodies were taken.

Israel blames Hamas for the high civilian death toll, citing the militants' use of crowded residential areas and tunnels. Israel has launched thousands of airstrikes since Oct. 7, and has largely refrained from commenting on specific attacks.

Israels offensive has been one of the most devastating military campaigns in recent history, displacing nearly 85% of Gazas 2.3 million people and leveling wide swaths of the tiny coastal enclave. More than a half million people in Gaza  a quarter of the population  are starving, according to a report this week from the United Nations and other agencies.

In the southern city of Khan Younis, men walking through the rubble tried to shoo away cats feeding on unclaimed bodies. One man covered a body with a blanket. Another wished to call an ambulance but had no phone signal.

The Israeli military spokesman, Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, said forces were expanding their offensive in northern and southern Gaza and troops were fighting in complex areas in Khan Younis.

The army's statement on detentions followed earlier Palestinian reports of large-scale roundups of teenage boys and men from homes, shelters and hospitals in northern Gaza where troops have established firmer control. Some of the released detainees have said they were stripped to their underwear, beaten and held for days with minimal water.

Channel 13 in Israel showed new footage of Palestinian men stripped to their underwear and walking in single file, with soldiers nearby. It was not clear when the footage was taken. In response to widespread criticism, the army has said detainees are stripped to check them for weapons. It has denied abuse allegations and said those without links to militants are quickly released.

Hamas called on the International Committee of the Red Cross and other organizations to pressure Israeli authorities to reveal the whereabouts and conditions of people detained.

Israel says it has killed thousands of Hamas militants, including about 2,000 in the past three weeks, but has not presented evidence. It says 144 of its soldiers have been killed in the ground offensive.

Following the U.N. resolution, it was not immediately clear how and when aid deliveries would accelerate. Trucks enter through two crossings  Rafah on the border with Egypt and Kerem Shalom on the border with Israel. On Friday, fewer than 100 trucks entered, the U.N. said  far below the daily average of 500 before the war.

Both crossings were closed Saturday by mutual agreement among Israel, Egypt and the U.N., Israeli officials said.

Senior Hamas official Osama Hamdan criticized the Security Council resolution that called for aid into Gaza without suspending hostilities, calling it weak and insufficient."

Ahead of the council vote, the U.S. negotiated the removal of language that would have given the U.N. authority to inspect aid going into Gaza, something Israel says it must continue to do itself to ensure material does not reach Hamas.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Friday that its a mistake to measure the effectiveness of the humanitarian operation by the number of trucks.

The real problem is that the way Israel is conducting this offensive is creating massive obstacles to the distribution of humanitarian aid inside Gaza, he said.

Netanyahu and his government also faced pressure at home, with calls to get the remaining hostages freed. Bibi, Bibi retire. We dont want you anymore, a crowd of thousands chanted in Tel Aviv.

Magdy reported from Cairo. Associated Press writers Aamer Madhani in Washington and Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations contributed to this report.

Updated at 4 p.m.
CAPE TOWN, South Africa  In an extraordinary pushback against Pope Francis, some Catholic bishops in Africa, Poland and elsewhere say they will not implement the new Vatican policy allowing blessings for same-sex couples.

Others downplayed the policy approved this week by Francis as merely reaffirming the Vaticans long-standing teaching about marriage being only a union between a man and a woman.

The reactions show how polarizing the issue remains and how Francis decadelong effort to make the church a more welcoming place for the LGBTQ+ community continues to spark resistance among traditionalist and conservative Catholic leaders.

Some of the strongest responses came from bishops in Africa, home to 265 million Catholics, or nearly a quarter of the worlds 1.3 billion Catholics. Many of those Catholics live and their churches operate in societies where homosexuality is condemned and outlawed.

Out of the continents 54 countries, 31 have laws criminalizing homosexuality, more than any other continent, according to the Human Dignity Trust, which defends LGBTQ+ rights.

Zambias bishops conference said same-sex couple blessings were not for implementation in Zambia. The bishops conference of Malawi said blessings of any kind for same-sex unions of any kind would not be permitted.

In Zambia, gay sex is punishable by between 15 years and life in prison and the law puts it in the same section as bestiality. Malawis laws call for up to 14 years in prison for homosexual sex, with the option of corporal punishment for those convicted.

Zambian bishops said there should be further reflection on the blessings and cited the countrys laws against homosexuality and its cultural heritage that rejects same-sex relationships as reasons for its decision.

The Polish bishops conference  among the most conservative in Europe and a reference point beyond the continent given its ties to St. John Paul II  said it has no plans to give blessings to same-sex couples.

Marriage, the conference asserted, remains only the union between a man and a woman, and sexual acts outside of that are always an offense against Gods will, according to a statement by spokesperson Rev. Leszek Gesiak.

It is unusual for an entire national bishops conference to publicly voice dissent of a Vatican policy, though the declaration from the Vatican doctrine office did not instruct bishops to allow blessings of same-sex couples but merely provided guidance on how they could be done if people requested them.

The document, entitled Fiducia Supplicans, says that blessings can be offered to people in same-sex relationships if they are not confused with the ritual of marriage and reaffirmed that marriage is a lifelong union only between a man and a woman.

The announcement Monday by the Vatican office reversed its 2021 statement that had ruled out blessings for same-sex couples because God cannot bless sin.

The U.S. bishops conference, seeking to downplay any shift, stressed that the churchs teachings on marriage have not changed and that the announcement "articulated a distinction between liturgical (sacramental) blessings, and pastoral blessings, which may be given to persons who desire Gods loving grace in their lives," according to a statement.

Some of the more piqued opposition came from Francis usual critics.

German Cardinal Gerhard Muller, who previously headed the Vatican doctrine office, said the declaration was self-contradictory as it still said same-sex relationships were contrary to Gods law while allowing same-sex couples to receive a blessing.

The church cannot celebrate one thing and teach another, Muller wrote in an essay published in religious media outlets.

Kazakh Bishop Athanasius Schneider, who has long opposed Francis progressive bent, called the new policy a great deception. Priests should be aware of the evil that resides in the very permission to bless couples in irregular situations and same-sex couples, he said.

He and Kazakh Archbishop Tomash Peta said in a statement on the Catholic Herald magazines website that they had prohibited priests in their archdiocese from performing "any form of blessing whatsoever" for same-sex couples.

Bishop conferences and church leaders from Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar and South Africa also released public statements, most of them moving to clarify what they said was confusion among their flock over whether the new policy was an official recognition and acceptance of same-sex relationships.

The predominant sentiment among many was a fear that the move was a step toward the Catholic church accepting homosexuality.

Nigerias bishops said there had been various interpretations of the policy in Nigeria, Africas most populous nation and home to 20-30 million Catholics, and they needed to make clear that the Vatican document does not allow for a blessing and a formal acceptance of same-sex relationships.

The Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria assures the entire People of God that the teaching of the Catholic Church on marriage remains the same, it said. There is, therefore, no possibility in the Church of blessing same-sex unions and activities.

Abbe Jean-Marie Djibo, a priest in the Archdiocese of Bamako in the Muslim-majority West African nation of Mali, said the Catholic church in his country would not be following any new policy and wanted the Vatican to explain its decision.

The church in Mali does not agree with the Vaticans decision concerning homosexual couples, and the bishops and priests here are calling the church faithful to reassure them that this decision will not be applied," he said. This decision concerns only the Vatican, not us.

In his message, the Pope used coded words that have been variously interpreted, so we want him to clarify this position for us, Djibo added.

In the United Kingdom, an organization representing some 500 Catholic priests in Britain released a signed letter reaffirming the Churchs teaching regarding marriage and same-sex unions after widespread confusion."

In Zimbabwe, which also has anti-gay laws, LGBTQ+ rights activist Chesterfield Samba said he did not think the declaration would change anything for Zimbabwean same-sex couples shunned by the church. He said he had expected the pushback from some church branches.

The Southern African Catholic Bishops Conference, which is based in South Africa where a liberal constitution allows same-sex marriages, appeared to welcome the prospect of blessings for gay couples as confirmation that nobody is outside Gods grace.

But it added that its interpretation of the declaration was that the blessing is done with the hope of conversion.

Associated Press reporters Noel Sichalwe in Lusaka, Zambia; Baba Ahmed in Bamako, Mali; Sello Motseta in Gaborone, Botswana; Farai Mutsaka in Harare, Zimbabwe; and Nicole Winfield in Rome contributed to this story.
NEW YORK, Dec. 22, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bragar Eagel & Squire, P.C., a nationally recognized stockholder rights law firm, reminds investors that a class action lawsuit has been filed against Fisker Inc. (Fisker or the Company) (NYSE: FSR) in the United States District Court for the Central District of California on behalf of all persons and entities who purchased or otherwise acquired Fisker securities between August 4, 2023 and November 20, 2023, both dates inclusive (the Class Period). Investors have until January 26, 2024 to apply to the Court to be appointed as lead plaintiff in the lawsuit.



Click here to participate in the action.

On November 8, 2023, before the market opened, Fisker announced that the completion of the Companys financial statements would be delayed due to the appointment of a new chief accounting officer (CAO) and the departure of the Companys former CAO. The Company had previously announced former CAO, John Finnucan (Finnucan) provided notice of intent to resign on September 19, 2023, effective October 27, 2023. Fiskers new CAO, Florus Beuting (Beuting), was hired effective as of November 6, 2023. The Company advised it expects to file its Form 10-Q by November 14, 2023. On this news, the Companys share price fell $0.38, or 8.7%, to close at $3.99 per share on November 8, 2023, on unusually heavy trading volume.



Then, on November 13, 2023, after the market closed, Fisker announced its third quarter 2023 financial results, reporting a loss of $91.0 million and $0.27 loss per share. The Company also reported $78.02 million in selling, general and administrative operating costs and expenses, as well as $9.42 million for research and development, totaling $87.44 million for total operating costs and expenses for the three months ended September 30, 2023. The Company also cut its production forecast for the year and disclosed that, though 4,725 Oceans were built in the third quarter, only 1,097 were delivered to customers. The Company also announced it would be unable to timely file the Companys Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2023. The Company disclosed, in preparing its results, it had determined it has material weaknesses in internal control over financial reporting.



On that same day, the Company held an earnings call wherein Defendants disclosed that the delay in reporting was due to having a highly complex quarter including very complex accounting along with convertible notes and accounting for derivative and things like raw material inventory accounting and finished goods inventory accounting[.] The Company also disclosed that delivery and the service infrastructure was limiting deliveries and, as a result, the Company was in the process of dramatically overhauling our service and delivery infrastructure. On this news, the Companys share price fell $0.77, or 18.7%, to close at $3.34 per share on November 14, 2023, on unusually heavy trading volume.

On November 20, 2023, after the market closed, the Company disclosed that Beuting (the CAO hired November 6, 2023) had provided notice of his intent to resign from the Company on November 14, 2023, effective immediately. On this news, the Companys share price fell $0.35, or 15%, to close at $2.00 per share on November 21, 2023, on unusually heavy trading volume

Finally, on November 22, 2023, the Company filed its Form 10-Q quarterly report for the period ended September 30, 2023, which disclosed that the Company had identified approximately $20 million of expenses which were incorrectly recorded primarily as selling, general and administrative expenses in our preliminary earnings results, but were later determined to be associated with production set-up activities and that other inventory adjustments were recorded resulting in a $4.0 million increase in net loss subsequent to the preliminary earnings results.



The complaint filed in this class action alleges that throughout the Class Period, Defendants made materially false and/or misleading statements, as well as failed to disclose material adverse facts about the Companys business, operations, and prospects. Specifically, Defendants failed to disclose to investors: (1) that Fisker had a material weakness in its internal control over financial reporting; (2) that Fisker had incorrectly accounted for certain costs; (3) that as a result the Company was likely to delay filing its quarterly report; (4) that Fiskers infrastructure was limiting its ability to deliver its production; and (5) that, as a result of the foregoing, Defendants positive statements about the Companys business, operations, and prospects were materially misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis.

If you purchased or otherwise acquired Fisker shares and suffered a loss, are a long-term stockholder, have information, would like to learn more about these claims, or have any questions concerning this announcement or your rights or interests with respect to these matters, please contact Brandon Walker or Marion Passmore by email at [email protected], telephone at (212) 355-4648, or by filling out this contact form. There is no cost or obligation to you.

About Bragar Eagel & Squire, P.C.:

Bragar Eagel & Squire, P.C. is a nationally recognized law firm with offices in New York, California, and South Carolina. The firm represents individual and institutional investors in commercial, securities, derivative, and other complex litigation in state and federal courts across the country. For more information about the firm, please visit www.bespc.com . Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.

Contact Information:
ABU DHABI, UAE, Dec. 23, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Phoenix Group PLC, a global blockchain powerhouse, today takes center stage in the burgeoning tech and Web3 landscape with a strategic investment in Lyvely, a UAE-based platform poised to reshape how creators and consumers interact and monetize online. This move solidifies Phoenix's commitment to driving innovation at the forefront of the digital revolution, empowering creators and redefining the future of social interaction.

With Phoenix's investment, Lyvely's revolutionary platform leaps beyond the confines of e-commerce, fostering direct-to-consumer relationships through a unique blend of Web2 and Web3 features. Powered by its own digital currency launching in Q1 2024, Lyvely empowers creators with seamless monetization opportunities and grants consumers exclusive access and personalized experiences.

Bijan Alizadehfard, Co-Founder & Group CEO of Phoenix Group, stated, "Phoenix Group's strategic investment in Lyvely illustrates and supports Phoenix's Vision to support home grown tech start-ups and the future of innovation. With Lyvely, we are not just acquiring a stake in a company, we're investing in the future of the digital and creator economy, which has huge potential and is on an exponential growth trajectory. "

"We are proud to invest in Lyvely, a UAE homegrown platform, which represents a revolutionary fusion of Web 2 and Web 3 capabilities, poised to redefine how creators and consumers interact in the digital space. This acquisition marks a significant milestone in our journey, showcasing our dedication to fostering groundbreaking tech startups, backing visionary founders and diversifying our portfolio. More than just a platform, Lyvely's vision of empowering creators and users alike, perfectly aligns with Phoenix Group's commitment to leading the tech industry with trailblazing initiatives." said Alizadehfard.

Farah Zafar, CEO of Lyvely and MD & Group CLO of Phoenix Group, elaborates, "This isn't just an investment  it's a strategic alliance between a Web3 powerhouse and tech innovators with the collective vision to revolutionise the way people monetise online and to empower everyone's digital and web3 footprint. Lyvely's unique blend of social e-commerce and content monetization, powered by Web3 capabilities, has the potential to disrupt the status quo and empower both creators and users alike. Together, we aim to push the boundaries of digital experiences and lead the way in this rapidly evolving landscape."

Dave Catudal, Co-founder of Lyvely, expressed his enthusiasm, "Phoenix's expertise in the cryptocurrency sector perfectly complements our mission at Lyvely. Their investment and support validate our vision and will significantly enhance our technological capabilities and growth trajectory in the Web3 space."

This strategic investment by Phoenix Group is not just a capital infusion but a partnership between a major player in the Web3 world and a pioneering consumer tech platform. It marks a pivotal moment for both Phoenix Group and Lyvely as they join forces to redefine the digital economy and pave the way for unprecedented opportunities and digital innovation.

Ready to experience the future of social interaction and creator empowerment? Visit Lyvely today at www.lyvely.com and discover a whole new world of possibilities.

About Phoenix Group PLC

Phoenix Group PLC is a global leader in blockchain technology, with a focus on Bitcoin mining and infrastructure. The company is committed to driving innovation and fostering groundbreaking tech startups, with a diversified portfolio that spans diverse industries.

X (Former Twitter): https://twitter.com/phoenixgroupuae

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/phoenixgroupuae/

Media Contact

Brand: Phoenix Group PLC

Contact: Media team

Email: [email protected]

Website: https://phoenixgroupuae.com/press/

SOURCE: Phoenix Group PLC

Source: Phoenix Group PLC
BOCA RATON, Fla., Dec. 22, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Saxena White P.A. has filed a securities fraud class action lawsuit (the Class Action) in the United States District Court for the District of Minnesota against Inspire Medical Systems, Inc. (Inspire Medical or the Company) (NYSE: INSP) and certain of its executive officers (collectively, Defendants). The Class Action asserts claims under Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934 (the Exchange Act) and U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Rule 10b-5 promulgated thereunder on behalf of all persons or entities who purchased Inspire Medicals common stock between May 3, 2023 and November 7, 2023, inclusive (the Class Period), and were damaged thereby (the Class). The Class Action filed by Saxena White is captioned: City of Hollywood Firefighters Pension Fund v. Inspire Medical Systems, Inc., No. 23-cv-03884 (D. Minn.).

Inspire Medical is a medical technology company that develops and commercializes minimally invasive products for patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) that require prior authorizations from doctors. In 2022, Inspire Medical introduced a pilot program (the Acceleration Program) through which the Companys Advisor Care Program team, with the customer on the phone, would directly access doctors electronic schedules and schedule doctor appointments online, without the need for phone calls. Throughout the Class Period, Defendants touted the Acceleration Programs effectiveness, claiming that the program had achieved a 30% improvement in physician appointments, and that by August 2023, about 60-plus centers are using the tool right now.

The Class Action alleges that, during the Class Period, Defendants misled investors and/or failed to disclose that: (1) despite the Acceleration Program, customers were encountering challenges with the prior authorization submission process, including with the scheduling of appointments; (2) a slowdown in prior authorization submissions arising from these challenges led to a shortfall of hundreds of procedures to implant the Companys OSA device; and (3) as a result, Defendants positive statements about the Companys financial guidance, business, operations, and prospects were materially false and misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis at all relevant times.

The truth emerged after the close of markets on November 7, 2023, when the Company announced disappointing earnings results for the third quarter of 2023, including a decline in prior authorization submissions for patients seeking Inspire therapy. Inspire Medical further admitted it had started to track problems with the Acceleration Program no later than the second quarter of 2023, the Company had strong confirmation of the problems with the Acceleration Program, and the Company realized we needed to take some corrective action. In response to this news, shares of Inspire Medical declined approximately 20%, from a closing price of $161.74 per share on November 7, 2023, to a closing price of $129.95 per share on November 8, 2023.

If you purchased Inspire Medical common stock during the Class Period and were damaged thereby, you are a member of the Class and may be able to seek appointment as lead plaintiff. If you wish to apply to be lead plaintiff, a motion on your behalf must be filed with the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota no later than February 20, 2024. The lead plaintiff is a court-appointed representative for absent members of the Class. You do not need to seek appointment as lead plaintiff to share in any Class recovery in the Class Action. If you are a Class member and there is a recovery for the Class, you can share in that recovery as an absent Class member.

You may contact Marco A. Duenas ([email protected]), a Senior Attorney at Saxena White P.A., to discuss your rights regarding the appointment of lead plaintiff or your interest in the Class Action. You also may retain counsel of your choice to represent you in the Class Action.

You may obtain a copy of the Complaint and inquire about actively joining the Class Action at www.saxenawhite.com.

Saxena White P.A., with offices in Florida, New York, California, and Delaware, is a leading national law firm focused on prosecuting securities class actions and other complex litigation on behalf of injured investors. Currently serving as lead counsel in numerous securities fraud class actions nationwide, Saxena White has recovered billions of dollars on behalf of injured investors.

CONTACT INFORMATIONMarco A. Duenas, Esq.[email protected]Saxena White P.A.10 Bank Street, Suite 882White Plains, New York 10606Tel.: (914) 437-8551Fax: (888) 631-3611 www.saxenawhite.com

Source: Saxena White P.A.
MANILA, PHILIPPINES, Dec. 23, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- TWMAX, the leading digital currency triangular arbitrage technology company, is proud to announce it solutions for global crypto investors. In just six months, TWMAX has reshaped the income model for cryptocurrency investors and driven the market towards a more intelligent and efficient direction.

Since its establishment, TWMAX has used its expertise in the field of digital assets to give global investors a new way to make profits through triangular arbitrage strategies. With this unique business model, TWMAX's user revenue has grown greatly, proving the attractiveness and effectiveness of its services in a volatile market.

Profitable and diversified investments prioritized

The reason why the TWMAX platform has been able to achieve such significant growth stems from its commitment to increasing the value of customer assets and innovative thinking that breaks through traditional constraints. TWMAX does not just provide services to top traders, but opens the door to investors of all levels to build a diversified cryptocurrency portfolio and obtain the cash flow generated by trading strategies.

Alex Thomas, the company's founder and CEO, shared the secret of this success: "Over the past six months, their growth has exceeded all expectations. They continue to focus on using high technology to drive financial innovation and ensuring that they have reliable means to stabilize their market position."

A trinity model of transparency, sustainable growth, and community participation

At TWMAX, the secret to successful growth lies not just in advanced triangular arbitrage strategies and algorithms, but also in transparency, sustainability, and community synergy. The company's transparent operations have won the trust of users. Under the strict supervision of MSB, TWMAX ensures long-term growth through compliant behavior models.

A bright future and continued expansion

With the continuous expansion of its business, TWMAX has huge potential for future development. The company not only performs well in the field of digital currency triangular arbitrage, but also establishes strategic partnerships with multiple heavyweight partners in the financial technology field. Venture capital companies such as Antler have given high praise and support to TWMAX's technology and model. Looking to the future, TWMAX will expand its products and services and further strengthen its market leadership.

TWMAX opens an invitation to cryptocurrency arbitrage investors around the world, inviting everyone to participate in this investment revolution that combines technological innovation and financial wisdom. In order to get more information or to be part of this change, welcome to visit the TWMAX official website or join their community communication through Telegram.

Media Contact

Brand: TWMAX

Contact: Media team

Email: [email protected]

Website: https://web.eslmax.com/

SOURCE: TWMAX

Source: TWMAX
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - December 22, 2023) - West Oak Gold Corp. (CSE: WO) (the "Company") is pleased to announce that further to its news releases dated November 27, 2023, and December 11, 2023, it has closed the non-brokered private placement financing (the "Offering") of 6,410,000 units of the Company ("Units") at a price per Unit of C$0.05 for aggregate gross proceeds of C$320,500. Each Unit consists of one common share in the capital of the Company and one common share purchase warrant (a "Warrant"). Each Warrant is exercisable to acquire one additional common share in the capital of the Company at an exercise price of C$0.05 for a term of three years from the date of issuance thereof.

Subject to compliance with applicable regulatory requirements and in accordance with National Instrument 45-106 Prospectus Exemptions ("NI 45-106"), 3,200,000 of the Units issued were offered for sale to purchasers resident in Canada (other than Quebec) and/or other qualifying jurisdictions pursuant to the listed issuer financing exemption under Part 5A of NI 45-106 (the "Listed Issuer Financing Exemption") (the "LIFE Offering"). As the LIFE Offering was completed pursuant to the Listed Issuer Financing Exemption, the securities issued under the LIFE Offering are not subject to a hold period pursuant to applicable Canadian securities laws.

The remainder of the securities issued under the Offering are subject to a hold period expiring on April 23, 2024 in accordance with applicable securities laws.

There is an offering document related to the LIFE Offering that can be accessed under the Company's profile at www.sedarplus.ca and on the Company's website at www.westoakgold.com.

The Company expects to use the available funds raised in connection with the Offering for the continued mineral exploration activities on the Hedgehog Project, including the review of all data obtained to date and the design of the 2024 exploration program. The balance of any amounts raised under the Offering will be allocated to general and administrative expenses as well as general working capital. In the event less than sufficient funds are raised under the Offering to achieve its business objectives, the Company shall prioritize deployment of capital for such business objectives as deemed fit by the Company in its sole discretion.

The Company further announces the resignation of Paul Reynolds and Kevin Dodds as directors of the Company and the appointment Morgan Good and Adrian Smith as directors of the Company, each effective as of December 22, 2023. Additionally, the Company has cancelled an aggregate of 650,000 options to purchase common shares in the capital of the Company, which were previously granted at an exercise price of $0.10, expiring April 15, 2024.

Morgan Good - Mr. Good is a venture capitalist with approximately 20 years of experience as a stock market professional focusing in areas of finance, M&A, corporate restructuring and development, as well as marketing. Mr. Good has served on various boards across several sectors including but not limited to technology, healthcare, but most notably within the smallcap junior mining resource arena. Morgan has been directly and indirectly responsible for raising in excess of $100M over his career relating to many private and public issuers alike.

Adrian Smith - Adrian Smith, P.Geo., B.Sc., is a registered professional geologist with over 15 years experience working in mineral exploration industries. Mr. Smith began working for active mining companies as an underground mine geologist responsible for identifying, modeling, and producing ore in addition to known reserves. Since then, Mr. Smith has taken his mineral exploration experience from underground and applied it to exploration projects across Canada and the United States. Currently Mr. Smith is CEO of Avante Mining Corp., sits on the boards of M3 Metals Corp. and Usha Resources Ltd., and is the founder of Divitiae Resources Ltd. Mr. Smith graduated from Simon Fraser University with a Bachelor of Science degree specializing in Geology, and has been a member of the Engineers and Geoscientists BC since 2008.

The securities of the Company have not been, and will not be, registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act") or any U.S. state securities laws and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an available exemption from the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act and applicable U.S. state securities laws. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there by any sale of the securities referenced in this press release, in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.

About West Oak

West Oak is focused on gold exploration in Canada. It is currently actively exploring the Hedge Hog gold project located 15km north of the town of Wells in the Caribou Mining Division of central British Columbia. Investors are encouraged to review West Oak's prospectus and the technical report for the Hedge Hog Property available at www.sedarplus.ca. Management and the board of directors of West Oak currently consists of Paul John (Chief Executive Officer and director), Morgan Good (director), Adrian Smith (director) and Robert Doyle (Chief Financial Officer).

On behalf of the board of directors of the Company

"Paul John"

Paul John

Chief Executive Officer and Director

West Oak Gold Corp.

Website: www.westoakgold.com

T: 778-874-6619

E: [email protected]

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information

This news release contains forward-looking information or statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws, which may include, without limitation, statements relating to the anticipated use of proceeds from the Offering, the technical, financial, and business prospects of the Company, its assets and other matters. All statements in this news release, other than statements of historical facts, that address events or developments that the Company expects to occur, are forward-looking information or statements. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking information or statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results may differ materially from those in the forward-looking information or statements. Such statements and information are based on numerous assumptions regarding present and future business strategies and the environment in which the Company will operate in the future, the ability to achieve its goals, expected costs and timelines to achieve the Company's goals, that general business and economic conditions will not change in a material adverse manner, and that financing will be available if and when needed and on reasonable terms. Such forward-looking information or statements reflects the Company's views with respect to future events and is subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions, including the risks and uncertainties included in in documents filed under the Company's profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. While such estimates and assumptions are considered reasonable by the management of the Company, they are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive, and regulatory uncertainties and risks. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking information or statements include, but are not limited to, the continued availability of capital and financing and general economic, market or business conditions, failure to compete effectively with competitors, failure to maintain or obtain all necessary permits, approvals and authorizations, failure to comply with applicable laws, including environmental laws, risks relating to unanticipated operational difficulties. The Company does not undertake to update forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, except as required by law.

Not for distribution to United States newswire services or for

dissemination in the United States.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/192249
Paid press release content from The Financial Capital. The StreetInsider.com news staff was not involved in its creation.



Kay0 shatters norms as the first in California's hip-hop scene to gain government recognition for his advocacy in building bridges between law enforcement and communities. He's on track to rewrite the music industry's rules, proving that his beats are not just hitting the charts but striking a chord for positive change.

Christian rapper Ryan McClarty, known by his stage name Kay0, has been recognized as the first artist in the genre to receive recognition from all levels of governmentlocal, state, and federalfor his efforts in advocating for a healthier relationship between law enforcement and the communities they serve.

Kay0's journey to bridge the gap between police and the public has earned him recognition from the City of Fresno, Fresno County, the California State Assembly, the California State Senate, and even a Congressional recognition. His impact extends beyond the traditional music industry, as he uses his platform to promote a positive conversation between communities and law enforcement agencies.

With a commitment to facilitating understanding and unity, Kay0 has gained attention on social media and mainstream platforms. He received viral success on one of the world's largest platforms, WorldStarHipHop, while promoting the message of building healthy relationships between law enforcement and communities.

Incorporating social issues in rap music

As the first hip-hop/rap artist to break into mainstream radio, focusing on fostering positive police-community relations, Kay0 has proven that his message resonates with a wide audience. The Christian rappers approach to incorporating social issues into his music has increased awareness and a growing movement for change.

Kay0's impact extends beyond the radio waves, as he has received unprecedented support from several law enforcement organizations. The United Combat Association, U.S. First Responders Association, California State Police Activities League, and the Fresno Police Department are among the entities that have rallied behind Kay0's mission to boost the bond between communities and those who serve to protect them.

For Kayo, a community leader himself, music is a powerful tool that can bring people together and inspire change. In a recent press interview, he said: "I am honored to be recognized by all levels of government for my efforts to promote a good relationship between law enforcement and the communities they serve. This recognition is not just for me; it's for everyone who believes in unity and positive change."

Enhanced partnership between law enforcement and the community

Kay0's collaboration with the California State Police Activities League marks another historic moment in his career, making him the first hip-hop/rap artist to work actively with the organization. Through joint efforts and outreach programs, Kay0 and the Police Activities League seek to foster dialogue and collaboration between law enforcement and the community.

The Central California African American Historical and Cultural Museum also cited Kay0's work by recognizing him as the first hip-hop/rap artist committed to advocating positive relationships between law enforcement and communities.

Featured on the Big Apple

Kay0 also became the first artist of his kind featured in New York City's iconic Times Square. This achievement is a testament to the impact of his message and the recognition of the importance of fostering positive connections between law enforcement and the communities they serve.

Kay0's journey represents a positive step forward in using music as a catalyst for positive change. By uniting communities and law enforcement through his music and advocacy, Kay0 has carved out his own space in the California hip-hop and rap scene, setting a precedent for artists to use their platforms for meaningful social change.

Those who wish to learn more about Kay0 and his advocacy may visit www.officialkay0.com for more information.



Contact Info:

Name: Tiffany- Management

Email: Send Email

Organization: Kay0

Website: https://www.officialkay0.com/



Release ID: 89116988

If there are any deficiencies, discrepancies, or concerns regarding the information presented in this press release, we kindly request that you promptly inform us by contacting [email protected]. Our dedicated team is committed to addressing any identified issues within 8 hours to guarantee the delivery of accurate and reliable content to our esteemed readers.
Paid press release content from The Financial Capital. The StreetInsider.com news staff was not involved in its creation.

Sky Elements Drone Shows announces Christmas 2023 display dates in Florida, Texas, New Mexico, Kentucky, Louisiana, Pennsylvania, and California.



Following its record-breaking displays at the IAAPA expo in November, the firm is now preparing for a series of drone light displays across the US in December. Dates are now available on the companys website, with additional shows being added on a regular basis.

More details can be found at https://skyelementsdrones.com/where-to-see-a-drone-light-show/

Sky Elements Drone Shows states that its upcoming Christmas shows will be followed by a dedicated New Years Eve event at Northstar Ski Resort in Truckee, California. The firm plans to document each event in detail, with behind-the-scenes photos and videos to be made available through social media channels.

In developing the new Christmas drone displays, Sky Elements is using its industry-leading technologies, including LED light with higher intensity that allows the formation to be viewed from greater distances. The firm also has the ability to operate in cross winds, increasing the likelihood that the show can take place in adverse weather conditions.

The shows will feature a range of popular Christmas themes, such as Christmas trees, snowmen, snow flakes, Santa Claus, and more. The company states that its use of record-breaking drone swarms also allows for greater detail in each formation, which heightens the experience for viewers.

Our team of award-winning show designers have developed a new Christmas show that were sure will wow audiences this festive season, a company representative explained. The latest dates are now available on our website, and new events are still being added, so we advise people to check in regularly.

About Sky Elements Drone Shows

Headquartered in North Richland Hills, Texas, Sky Elements Drone Shows is now one of the leading producers of UAV light shows in the US. The firm designs and creates images, scenes, 3D animations, and lifelike motions using some of the worlds largest drone formations, and has set three new Guinness World Records this year.

Sky Elements produces amazing shows with a wide range of effects and images, one event organizer recently stated. The whole crew is very friendly and professional, and you wont be disappointed with anything theyre involved in.

Interested parties can find more information by visiting https://skyelementsdrones.com/

Contact Info:

Name: Rick Boss

Email: Send Email

Organization: Sky Elements Drone Shows

Address: 3819 Rufe Snow Dr #203, North Richland Hills, TX 76180, United States

Website: https://skyelementsdrones.com/



Release ID: 89117133

Should there be any problems, inaccuracies, or doubts arising from the content provided in this press release that require attention or if a press release needs to be taken down, we urge you to notify us immediately by contacting [email protected]. Our efficient team will promptly address your concerns within 8 hours, taking necessary steps to rectify identified issues or assist with the removal process. Providing accurate and dependable information is central to our commitment.
Paid press release content from The Financial Capital. The StreetInsider.com news staff was not involved in its creation.

Symbolic Capitals EIR program will allow aspiring founders to work with the fund to build web3 companies internally.



Symbolic Capital is thrilled to announce its new Entrepreneur in Residence (EIR) program. Starting today, Symbolic Capital is accepting applications for highly qualified individuals to join their team as an EIR to tackle the toughest challenges in web3.

Symbolic Capital is a founder-led investment firm supporting the best web3 projects globally. Co-founded by Sandeep Nailwal (Co-Founder of Polygon) and Kenzi Wang (Co-Founder Cere), Symbolic Capitals team has founded and led some of the most important blockchain projects in the world and is one of the first web3 funds entirely founded by web3 founders.

The program is for highly qualified individuals who aspire to found a company but would benefit from a supportive environment to prototype and iterate on different ideas. EIRs will work closely with the Symbolic team to rapidly iterate on business ideas in crypto, with the eventual goal of recruiting a team and raising capital to pursue the most promising ideas. Importantly, EIRs can enter with their own idea to refine or work on a company idea provided by the Symbolic Capital team. During their appointment, EIRs will also have opportunities to collaborate with Symbolic Capitals staff on investment DD and industry research in fields relevant to their areas of expertise.

Speaking on the reason for creating an EIR program, Wang explained, As one of the first web3 funds founded by web3 founders, building is at the heart of what we do. Not content investing from the sidelines, our EIR program will allow us to get our hands dirty building incredible companies alongside the best talent in the industry. To date, weve actually worked on and launched multiple incubation projects, but this program will allow us to take that initiative to the next level with the ability to consistently work with the greatest prospective founders in the industry.

Applications for the EIR program are currently live and will be reviewed on a rolling basis. If accepted, EIR appointments will last anywhere from 3-12 months depending on how far along an EIR is with their idea when accepted into the program.

Interested individuals can apply for the position here: Symbolic Capital EIR Application

About Symbolic Capital

Symbolic Capital is a founder-led investment firm supporting the best web3 projects globally. Our team has founded and led some of the most important blockchain companies in the world, and we leverage this background to provide unparalleled support to the companies in our portfolio.

Learn more about Symbolic Capital here: https://www.symbolic.capital/



Contact Info:

Name: Sam Lehman

Email: Send Email

Organization: Symbolic Capital

Website: https://www.symbolic.capital/



Release ID: 89116568

Should any errors, concerns, or inconsistencies arise from the content provided in this press release that require attention or if a press release needs to be taken down, we kindly request that you immediately contact us at [email protected]. Our efficient team will be at your disposal for timely assistance within 8 hours  taking necessary measures to rectify identified issues or providing guidance on the removal process. We prioritize delivering accurate and reliable information.
Chinese premier Li Qiang, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, talks with people affected by an earthquake in Chenjia Village of Dahejia Township, Jishishan County, northwest China's Gansu Province, Dec. 23, 2023. Li on Saturday visited several villages in Jishishan County, Gansu Province, and Minhe County in the neighboring Qinghai Province. A 6.2-magnitude earthquake struck the areas at 11:59 p.m. Monday. (Xinhua/Yao Dawei)

LANZHOU, Dec. 23 (Xinhua) -- Premier Li Qiang has called for using all possible means to improve living conditions of affected people in earthquake-hit areas in northwest China and make sure they live through winter days safely.

Li, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, on Saturday visited several villages in Jishishan County, Gansu Province, and Minhe County in the neighboring Qinghai Province. A 6.2-magnitude earthquake struck the areas at 11:59 p.m. Monday, leaving 148 people dead and 781 injured as of Friday, and toppling many buildings.

During the visits, the premier talked with people affected by the disaster and learned about the work related to resettlement, relief supplies and the construction of temporary dwellings.

He said the top priority of current relief work was to ensure the affected people stay warm and safe in winter.

He urged relief workers to race against time to send relief supplies and daily necessities to the victims in the settlements, and build temporary houses as fast as possible for those who currently live in tents.

Buildings in the quake areas should be checked and reinforced, if needed, so that residents can move back and essential facilities such as schools and hospitals can be reopened, Li said.

Reconstruction should be planned in a coordinated manner to help local people improve their living conditions in order to prevent poverty caused by the disaster, he said.

He urged the best possible medical treatment for those injured in the quake.

The premier also instructed local governments to timely release disaster relief information and actively respond to the concerns of the affected people. 

Chinese premier Li Qiang, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, learns about the work related to resettlement, relief supplies and the construction of temporary dwellings as he visits earthquake-hit Meiyi Village in Zhongchuan Township, Minhe County, northwest China's Qinghai Province, Dec. 23, 2023. Li on Saturday visited several villages in Jishishan County, Gansu Province, and Minhe County in the neighboring Qinghai Province. A 6.2-magnitude earthquake struck the areas at 11:59 p.m. Monday. (Xinhua/Yao Dawei)
SAN DIEGO , Dec. 22, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Navigate Stays, a seasoned titan in property management with over six years of industry leadership, is set to amplify its success story into 2024. After a dynamic launch in the San Diego market, where they now manage 35 rooms within several esteemed neighborhoods, Navigate Stays has proven its merit. With its existing operations spread across numerous cities in Florida , Illinois , and California , the company is on a trajectory of exponential growth.

As 2024 unfolds, Navigate Stays is slated to launch a cutting-edge owner platform, designed to revolutionize booking visibility and competitive rate offerings, further cementing its role as a disruptor in the property management sector.

Maximillian Everhardt , the force behind Navigate Stays, brings a unique perspective to the industry with his Law and Real Estate degrees, coupled with his leadership of a full-service real estate brokerage. His hands-on experience with hotel portfolios energizes Navigate Stays' operations, ensuring each property under their management is not only a place to stay but a destination in itself.

The high-level team at Navigate Stays conveys a powerful message: "We invite property owners to 'win more in 2024'. We're here to handle every aspect of property management, so you don't have to."

Navigate Stays challenges the status quo by offering comprehensive services at a 10% management fee, one of the industry's most competitive. This approach has been pivotal in their strategy to disrupt the short-term rental property management industry by allowing owners to maximize their earnings without compromising on service quality.

Looking to the future, Navigate Stays is expanding its footprint into Texas and Arizona , propelled by its notable success in San Diego . However, the vision doesn't stop at only two new states. Navigate Stays has articulated a bold plan to establish its presence in every major city across the United States in the coming years. "Our growth in San Diego has been nothing short of phenomenal, and it marks the beginning of our nationwide journey."

About Navigate Stays:

Celebrating six years of distinction in short-term property management, Navigate Stays specializes in elevating homeowner profits and guest experiences with a 10% management rate and 24/7 support. We invite property owners to discover how our strategic approach can amplify their returns.

Media Contact:

Giovanni Marsh

Navigate Stays

3419 Via Lido #645

Newport Beach, CA 92663

949-828-6509

[email protected]

Vacation@NavigateStays.com

NavigateStays.com

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SOURCE Navigate Stays
SAN FRANCISCO , Dec. 22, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Schubert Jonckheer & Kolbe LLP is investigating a data breach impacting the private information of 35.9 million customers of Comcast Cable Communications LLC, which does business as Xfinity.

According to the company, on October 10, 2023 , one of Xfinity's software providers, Citrix, announced a vulnerability in a product used by Xfinity. At the same time, Citrix provided a software patch to fix the vulnerability.

However, six days later, between October 16 and 19 , 2023after Xfinity been notified of the security vulnerability but before it had installed the fixXfinity's internal systems were hacked. Xfinity later concluded that the hack was caused by the unpatched Citrix vulnerability.

The company recently informed customers that the following private information may have been stolen in the breach: usernames and passwords; names; contact information; the last four digits of Social Security numbers; dates of birth; and secret questions and answers.

Although the breach occurred over two months ago, Xfinity only began notifying impacted customers on or around December 18, 2023 , which may have violated numerous state laws.

If your private information was impacted by this incident, you may be at risk of identity theft, financial fraud, and other serious violations of your privacy. As a result, you may be entitled to money damages and an injunction requiring changes to Xfinity's cybersecurity practices.

If you received notification of this data breach or are an Xfinity customer and wish to obtain additional information about your legal rights, please contact us today or visit our website at https://www.classactionlawyers.com/xfinity.

About Schubert Jonckheer & Kolbe LLP

Schubert Jonckheer & Kolbe represents shareholders, employees, and consumers in class actions against corporate defendants, as well as shareholders in derivative actions against their officers and directors. The firm is based in San Francisco , and with the help of co-counsel, litigates cases nationwide.

Contact

Amber L. Schubert

Schubert Jonckheer & Kolbe LLP

[email protected]

Tel: 415-788-4220

SOURCE: Schubert Jonckheer & Kolbe LLP

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/privacy-alert-xfinity-under-investigation-for-data-breach-of-35-9-million-customer-records-302021978.html

SOURCE Schubert Jonckheer & Kolbe LLP
MIAMI , Dec. 23, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Spot Pet Insurance, the fastest growing pet insurance provider, proudly announces it has joined forces with philanthropist and YouTube phenomenon, MrBeast, to find homes for 100 homeless pets. To further support the adoptive families, Spot has pledged to provide lifelong pet insurance coverage for all 100 dogs; with a potential commitment of over $1,000,000 in pet insurance premiums.

As the official pet insurance sponsor of the 100 Dogs event, Spot Pet Insurance aims to reinforce its commitment to find innovative ways to ensure that all pets have insurance. "I think it's necessary to push the boundaries of digital marketing to reach the newest generation of pet parents, which really aligns with MrBeast's demographic," said Trey Ferro , CEO of Spot Pet Insurance. "With less than 4% of pets in the US and Canada insured,1 Spot hopes that this event will raise awareness to the benefits of insurance and encourage all pet parents to become more financially responsible with their cats and dogs."

Advancements in veterinary care have increased the cost of veterinary services by at least 200% in the past five years.2 Despite the soaring cost of veterinary care, 76% of pet parents say they would go into debt to save their pet's life, signaling a greater need for pet insurance.3 Spot's goal is to reduce the number of pets being surrendered to shelters or abandoned to the streets by making quality veterinary care accessible and affordable for all pet parents.

A representative for the MrBeast channel said, "Spot was super easy to work with! It is awesome to see another innovative company wanting to partner with us for this great cause."

Big Dog Ranch Rescue, recognized for its dedication to rescuing and rehabilitating dogs, played a pivotal role in orchestrating the adoption event. The organization's commitment to the welfare of animals aligns seamlessly with Spot's mission, creating a synergy that offers long-lasting benefits for the adopted dogs and their new families.

Evan Nader , Development Officer from Big Dog Ranch Rescue expressed gratitude for the collaboration, stating, "This joint effort has been nothing short of incredible. MrBeast and Spot have opened new doors for the well-being of rescue dogs." Spot Pet Insurance looks forward to continuing its efforts in promoting responsible pet ownership and supporting organizations dedicated to the welfare of animals.

About Spot Pet Insurance:

Spot Pet Insurance, America's #1 most loved pet insurance, is a passionate team of pet parents driven by a shared vision to educate, empower, and engage pet lovers about the benefits of pet insurance. Want to partner with Spot for an event, video, or larger collaboration? Please email [email protected]

You can also bring Spot plans to your workplace as a discounted benefit,4 helping ensure your employees have access to the best veterinary care without breaking the bank. As the most awarded pet insurance company,5 Spot plans offer the most comprehensive coverage with no age or breed restrictions. We believe that happy pet parents contribute to a positive and successful company culture. Please visit spotpetins.com/employers.

About MrBeast:

MrBeast (AKA Jimmy Donaldson) isn't just the most-hyped YouTuber in history. From his generous digital philanthropy to his multiple business ventures, he's evolving the content creator industry and paving the way for the next generation of entertainers and entrepreneurs. Since 2020, he has added 25+ million subscribers across his YouTube channels and will hit 3 billion views this year. Outfitted with the best fans on the internet, MrBeast collaborates with the biggest creators and businesses in the world.

About Big Dog Ranch Rescue:

Big Dog Ranch Rescue was founded in 2008; since then, they have saved the lives of more than 50,000 dogs. Their mission is to save 5,000 dogs every year, to heal and place them with loving families and to educate people about the proper care for dogs and the importance of spaying and neutering.

Independent article from Spot Pet Insurance.

To learn more about Spot Pet Insurance, please visit spotpet.com.

Waiting periods, annual deductible, co-insurance, benefit limits and exclusions may apply. For all terms visit spotpetins.com/sample-policy. Products, schedules, discounts, and rates may vary and are subject to change. More information available at checkout.

Insurance plans are underwritten by either Independence American Insurance Company (NAIC #26581. A Delaware insurance company located at 11333 N. Scottsdale Rd , Ste. 160, Scottsdale, AZ 85254) or United States Fire Insurance Company (NAIC #21113. Morristown, NJ ), and are produced by Spot Pet Insurance Services, LLC. (NPN # 19246385. 990 Biscayne Blvd Suite 603, Miami, FL 33132. CA License #6000188). This event is not endorsed or affiliated with either insurance carrier.

1 "State of the Industry Report," North American Pet Health Insurance Association, https://naphia.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/NAPHIA-SOI2023-Report-Highlights_Public-May9.pdf, May 3, 2023

2 "Industry Trends and Stats," American Pet Products Association, https://www.americanpetproducts.org/research-insights/industry-trends-and-stats, 2023.

3 "76% of Pet Owners..." Valuepenguin, https://www.valuepenguin.com/pet-care-survey, June 20, 2023 .

4 Discount may not be available in all states, and discount amount may vary by state.

5 Award statistics are from a Spot study using publicly available information as of 10/4/23, information is subject to change.

Contact:

Cassidy Laudano

cassidy@spotpet.com

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/spot-pet-insurance-and-mrbeast-join-forces-for-100-dog-adoption-event-302022064.html

SOURCE Spot Pet Insurance
DALLAS , Dec. 22, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- WOLFBOX, a trusted brand in the automotive electronics market, has unveiled its latest innovation, the WOLFBOX Level 2 Electric Vehicle (EV) Charger. This cutting-edge charging solution is designed to meet the evolving needs of electric vehicle owners, offering a smart and versatile charging experience.

The charging landscape in the US is currently fragmented, with different manufacturers and charging networks using different plugs and connectors. To provide a comprehensive charging solution for all EV owners, WOLFBOX offers customer support for Tesla owners to obtain the necessary adapter for seamless compatibility.

The charger is equipped with advanced features, including scheduled charging, remote monitoring of the charging status, and compatibility with RFID cards, making it a comprehensive and user-centric charging solution. Additionally, the availability of models with WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity further enhances the charger's appeal by providing advanced connectivity options for users.

The charger is available in two variants, offering 40A and 50A charging capabilities. The 50A model provides faster charging, making it suitable for electric vehicles with larger battery capacities, while the 40A model offers efficient charging for a wide range of electric vehicles. Additionally, the WOLFBOX Level 2 EV Charger is available in two installation options: hardwired and NEMA 14-50 plug, providing customers with flexible and seamless charging solutions. The hardwired installation offers a permanent and seamless charging solution, while the NEMA 14-50 plug provides a more flexible and portable charging option.

The WOLFBOX Level 2 EV Charger is equipped with a high-quality LCD screen and complemented by lighting effects to provide users with a convenient and informative charging experience. The high-definition LCD screen offers clear visibility, allowing users to easily monitor the charging status, including the charging rate, time, voltage, and charged state. Additionally, the lighting effects integrated into the design of the WOLFBOX EV Charger contribute to its user-friendly interface, providing a visually appealing and intuitive charging experience.

"We are excited to expand our product line and offer solutions for electric vehicle owners worldwide," said Jonathan Smith , CEO of WOLFBOX. "The launch of the WOLFBOX Level 2 EV Charger marks a significant milestone for our company, and we are committed to providing innovative and reliable charging solutions for our customers."

The WOLFBOX Level 2 EV Charger is now available for purchase, providing customers with a smart and versatile charging experience for their electric vehicles. For more information about the WOLFBOX Level 2 EV Charger and other WOLFBOX products, please visit the WOLFBOX official website and Amazon.

This launch represents WOLFBOX's dedication to providing high-quality and innovative solutions for electric vehicle owners, leveraging its established reputation in the automotive electronics industry. The WOLFBOX Level 2 EV Charger is set to make a significant impact in the EV charging market, offering a seamless and efficient charging experience for electric vehicle owners.

About WOLFBOX

As the leading brand in the automotive electronics market, WOLFBOX's product sales cover more than 70 countries and regions around the world, and are trusted by over 2 million drivers. WOLFBOX strives to deliver cutting-edge electronics with the latest trends and up-to-date technology to enhance the driving experience and cater to the evolving needs of modern drivers. Meanwhile, WOLFBOX continuously brings up-to-date technology and reliable products for individuals who share the same values of adventure, free spirit, and vitality, to empower them to fully experience the joy of the open road, while ensuring their safety and comfort.

WOLFBOX Media Contact:

Brand Communication Manager

Alex L.

[email protected]

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SOURCE WOLFBOX INC.
FILE PHOTO: Logo of Bayer AG is pictured at the annual results news conference of the German drugmaker in Leverkusen, Germany February 27, 2019. REUTERS/Wolfgang Rattay/File Photo

By Brendan Pierson

(Reuters) - Bayer has won a trial in a lawsuit brought by a California man who said he developed cancer from exposure to its Roundup weedkiller, ending what had been a five-trial losing streak for the company in trials over similar claims.

The verdict was handed down on Friday by a jury in San Benito County, California Superior Court, Bayer announced. The company said in a statement that the verdict was "consistent with the evidence in this case that Roundup does not cause cancer and is not responsible for the plaintiff's illness."

Lawyers for plaintiff Bruce Jones did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Like most plaintiffs in Roundup lawsuits, Jones alleged that the product caused him to develop a form of cancer called non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

Around 165,000 claims have been made against the company for personal injuries allegedly caused by Roundup, which Bayer acquired as part of its $63 billion purchase of U.S. agrochemical company Monsanto in 2018.

Before its recent string of losses, which produced verdicts against the company totaling more than $2 billion, Bayer had won nine consecutive trials, meaning it has now won 10 of the last 15 trials. Further cases are expected to be tried in the coming year.

Bayer is appealing the verdicts against it, which include large punitive damages awards that are likely to be reduced because they exceed U.S. Supreme Court guidance.

The losses had led some investors to question Bayer's legal strategy in defending the Roundup cases. The company said last month that it would continue fighting the cases in court and had "no appetite to write humongous checks" to settle them.

In 2020, Bayer settled most of the then-pending Roundup cases for up to $9.6 billion but failed to get a settlement covering future cases. More than 50,000 claims remain pending.

(Reporting By Brendan Pierson in New York; editing by Diane Craft)
BUJUMBURA (Reuters) - Gunmen killed at least 20 people and wounded nine others near Burundi's western border with the Democratic Republic of Congo, the government told reporters on Saturday, in an attack claimed by the Red Tabara rebel group.

Those killed in the Friday evening raid on a village called Vugizo included 12 children, two pregnant women and a police officer, government spokesperson Jerome Niyonzima said.

Red Tabara, which has been battling Burundi's government from bases in eastern Congo since 2015, claimed on the social media platform X to have killed nine soldiers and one police officer.

Local residents said they heard sounds of gunfire and explosions during the attack.

Red Tabara previously said it had attacked and destroyed equipment at the country's international airport in Bujumbura in September, although no casualties were reported.

(This story has been corrected to fix the name to read 'Red Tabara' in paragraph 1)

(Reporting by Nairobi Newsroom; editing by; Hereward Holland and David Holmes)
CAIRO (Reuters) - Hamas said on Saturday it has lost contact with a group responsible for five Israeli hostages being held captive in the Gaza Strip due to Israeli bombardment.

The Palestinian Islamist group believes the hostages were killed during an Israeli raid, Abu Ubaida, the spokesman for the armed wing of Hamas, al-Qassam Brigades, was quoted as saying in a statement on the group's Telegram channel.

Reuters was not able to verify the report and there was no immediate response from the Israeli authorities.

Israel says Hamas seized around 240 hostages when it killed 1,200 people in a rampage around southern Israel on Oct. 7.

Hamas said last month that more than 60 hostages were missing due to Israeli air strikes. There has been no confirmation of that number but Israel believes that 20 or more of some 130 hostages still held in Gaza are dead.

The militants released more than 100 hostages as part of a week-long ceasefire agreement at the end of November that included the release of 240 Palestinian woman and teenagers from Israeli jails.

Families of the hostages held a new rally on Saturday, demanding that Israel consider releasing senior Palestinian militants from jail in any new swap deal.

(Reporting by Ali Sawafta; Writing by Adam Makary and Ahmed Tolba; Editing by Tomasz Janowski, Mike Harrison and Philippa Fletcher)
(Reuters) - Waves of Russian shelling and drone attacks struck the southern Ukrainian region of Kherson on Saturday, killing one person and injuring seven, officials in the region said.

Russian forces also shelled a power station closer to the front lines in eastern Ukraine, injuring five workers and knocking out electricity to the town of Kurakhovo.

Russian forces a year ago abandoned positions on the western bank of the Dnipro River in Kherson region but constantly shell areas there from new positions on the eastern bank. Ukrainian troops have established beachheads on the eastern bank.

Kherson Governor Oleksandr Prokudin said a drone attack killed a man in the town of Stanislav, southeast of the city of Kherson, which for the past year, has been under Ukrainian control but subject to constant Russian shelling.

The city came under several Russian attacks throughout the day, including one sustained assault on residential areas in the early evening, and Prokudin said seven residents were hurt.

In the east, Russian shelling of a thermal power station in the town of Kurakhove injured five workers and triggered a power cut, the head of the local administration, Roman Padun, told the Suspilne public broadcaster.

Residents were leaving the town en masse, he said.

Kurakhove is a short distance from Maryinka, a town on the 1,000-km (600-mile) long front line virtually reduced to rubble after months of heavy fighting.

The General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, in its evening report, said Ukrainian forces had repelled two attacks on the town and more than more assaults on the nearby town of Avdiivka, focus of steady Russian attacks since mid-October.

(Reporting by Ron Popeski and Nick Starkov; editing by Diane Craft)
ANKARA (Reuters) -The Turkish air force conducted air strikes in northern Iraq and Syria on Saturday and destroyed 29 targets of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) after 12 soldiers were killed in the past two days in northern Iraq, the defence ministry said on Saturday.

The operations were conducted in northern Iraq and Syria at 10 p.m. (1900 GMT) and the targets hit included bases, shelters, and oil facilities believed to be used by PKK militants, the ministry said.

It did not say which regions of northern Iraq and Syria the air strikes had struck.

Earlier on Saturday, the defence ministry said that 12 Turkish soldiers had been killed in the past two days in clashes with PKK militants in northern Iraq.

The military carried out operations on PKK targets, "neutralising" at least 16 PKK militants on Saturday in ongoing clashes, the ministry said in a statement.

Turkey typically uses the term "neutralised" to mean killed. The ministry also said seven militants had been killed on Friday.

The PKK, designated a terrorist group by Turkey, the United States and the European Union, took up arms against the Turkish state in 1984.

Turkey regularly carries out air strikes in neighbouring Iraq as part of its offensive against PKK militants based there.

(Reporting by Ece Toksabay and Huseyin Hayatsever; editing by Jason Neely)
Massachusetts Air National Guard member Jack Teixeira. (U.S. Air Force)

Jack Teixeira, the Massachusetts Air National Guard member charged with leaking classified U.S. intelligence documents on a gaming platform, alarmed fellow members of his unit, who worried that the young computer technician might, in the words of one, shoot up the place after he was warned to stop looking at classified information that had nothing to do with his job, according to documents obtained by The Washington Post.

Teixeira often discussed his love of firearms at work and said he wanted to acquire more weapons, including machine guns, suppressors and explosives, and talked about living off the grid or on a large piece of land so he could blow stuff up, according to an Air Force Inspector General report released through a Freedom of Information Act request filed by The Post.

Investigators who spoke to Teixeiras colleagues at Otis Air National Guard Base on Cape Cod after his arrest on April 13 found that his disturbing comments prompted one airman to warn a commander that Teixeira, now 22, exhibited a fringe thinking perspective that seemed comparable to that of Ted Kaczynski, the domestic terrorist popularly known as the Unabomber, who killed three people and maimed others.

Colleagues were aware, the investigation found, that Teixeira had been suspended in high school for threatening to bring weapons to campus, language that prompted fellow students to report him to school officials and later to local police. Some of Teixeiras fellow airmen referred to him as the active shooter kid, according to the Air Force report.

The Defense Department released an executive summary of the investigation earlier this month that documented widespread failures in Teixeiras unit at the 102nd Intelligence Wing and cited a culture of complacency and lack of supervision that allowed him to read and ultimately remove huge amounts of classified information. The Air Force disciplined 15 members and relieved the wing commander.

Teixeira is alleged to have committed one of the largest national security breaches in decades, leaking hundreds of top-secret files detailing the war in Ukraine, U.S. surveillance of allies and enemies, and intelligence and analysis on hot spots across the world.

An Air Force spokeswoman, Ann Stefanek, said Friday that disciplinary actions were taken against personnel in the unit because they did not take the actions necessary to report the threat nor safeguard classified defense information. She noted that the unit still has not been cleared to resume its intelligence mission.

But the summary of the report did not include the detailed accounts of Teixeiras concerned co-workers, who said that as early as the summer of 2021 he exhibited the warning signs they had been trained to look out for in a potential active shooter. The fuller report shows that Guard members who worked with Teixeira him saw him as a security risk, but not for the reasons that ultimately led to his arrest and indictment this year on charges of illegally removing and disseminating classified information.

Yet those two potential threats appeared connected, the investigation found.

One co-worker, whose name is redacted in the report, noted a personality shift in Teixeira, who was described as demoralized and depressed after he received a warning to stop reading classified information. As a computer technician, Teixeiras job was to maintain the networks on which classified documents were stored, but not read the information.

Teixeira seemed like a completely different person after he was admonished, and the colleague was concerned that Teixeira might do something drastic, the investigation found.

That colleague told another of Teixeiras co-workers to keep an eye on the young airman. That second person understood that his superior was worried [Teixeira] would bring a gun to work that night, the report said. It also noted that Teixeira had on occasion shown up for work late and failed to attend a scheduled training event. When a supervisor asked Teixeira to explain his absence, he provided an unprofessional and crass response, according to the report.

The investigation also found that Teixeira once left his car running for an extended period of time on base, arousing suspicion. A security officer noticed numerous used paper shooting targets and a large military-style backpack in the back seat. Teixeira offered to allow a search of the vehicle, but the officer declined, the investigation found. Authorities determined that Teixeira owned more than a dozen registered firearms.

For all the concerns about Teixeiras suspicious behavior and potential for violence, no one in the unit reported him to the appropriate security officials, the investigation found. Instead, investigators documented a pattern of buck-passing and downplaying of worries that Teixeira, who one described as simply a dumb Airman doing dumb things, was really a danger. The concerns that Teixeira fit the profile of a potential active shooter were only reported to the appropriate Air Force investigators after he was arrested in connection with the document leaks, in April of this year.

Even that event, which was covered by news organizations around the world, failed to register with another member of the unit, who attempted to schedule Teixeira for duty two weeks after his arrest. That action, following a monumental national news event occurring within the unit, was a stark example of [the members] lack of situational awareness or appreciation for the gravity of the matter, the investigation found.

Among those previously punished by the Air Force were Col. Sean Riley, who was commander of the 102nd, and Col. Enrique Dovalo, the former commander of the subordinate 102nd Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Group, to which Teixeira reported. Riley was relieved of command Nov. 1. The Air Force did not disclose the nature of Dovalos punishment.

Neither officer responded Friday to requests for comment. The Massachusetts Air National Guard also did not respond to requests for comment. Earlier this month, officials with the Guard said in an email that they would not grant interviews or make either officer available for comment.

The inspector generals investigation did not offer a potential motive for Teixeiras alleged leaks. A lengthy investigation by The Post and PBSs Frontline found that Teixeira wanted to impress friends he met online in the gaming platform, Discord. Around the time of Russias invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Teixeira began to post classified information about casualty figures, which led to more regular updates on the status of combat, friends said. He eventually shared hundreds of classified documents covering a huge range of topics, according to friends who read the material.

Friends described Teixeira as a conspiracy theorist who thought the government was hiding true information about the war and other security concerns from the public. They said Teixeira seemed to enjoy sharing access to secrets that werent available to regular people.

Teixeira said as much to a co-worker at the base, the Air Force investigation found. He was asked why he was so interested in a top-secret Defense Department network where hed been looking at classified documents.

Teixeira replied, I like knowing things other people dont.
RABAT, Dec. 22 (Xinhua) -- Morocco and Indonesia reached on Friday an agreement to establish a bilateral strategic partnership, said a ministry statement.

Morocco's Minister of Foreign Affairs Nasser Bourita and his Indonesian counterpart Retno Marsudi signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) following their talks in Rabat, according to a statement on the Moroccan Foreign Ministry's website.

The MoU aims to expand cooperation across fields, with a focus on security, economic partnership, culture, science and technology.

Speaking to reporters after the signing ceremony, Bourita lauded the bilateral relations as strong and exceptional, and stressed the necessity of bringing the partnership to full implementation.

For her part, Marsudi said Indonesia is a "reliable partner of Morocco," adding that "the strategic partnership will strengthen bilateral ties for greater cooperation between Morocco and Indonesia." 
(Stars and Stripes)

Tokyo, Japan, Jan. 18, 1964: U.S. Attorney General Robert Kennedy, in the foreground next to the bullhorn, addresses a crowd of about 10,000 students outside Waseda University. The warm reception Kennedy received was said to be in sharp contrast to heckling he got at the school the year before.

Looking for Stars and Stripes historic coverage? Subscribe to Stars and Stripes historic newspaper archive! We have digitized our 1948-1999 European and Pacific editions, as well as several of our WWII editions and made them available online through https://starsandstripes.newspaperarchive.com/
Mount Sopris towers over Carbondale, which is drawing Venezuelan migrants despite its remoteness. (Michael Robinson Chavez/The Washington Post)

CARBONDALE, Colo.  This small mountain town sits 6,181 feet above sea level, 25 minutes from an interstate and 700 miles from the U.S.-Mexico border. But it is a new front line in a crisis spreading and straining local governments across the country.

As temperatures dipped well-below freezing one evening, dozens of young men, nearly all from Venezuela, rested on cots in an events hall now housing 60 migrants. In the snow-fringed dirt parking lot outside, dozens more prepared to spend the night in cars they had purchased in the weeks since they crossed into the United States and made this an unlikely haven down-valley from ritzy Aspen.

And at the town hall blocks away, the Carbondale Board of Trustees agreed to devote half its meeting room to bringing more newcomers out of the cold, even as they worried that doing so might draw others to a town with a bare-bones staff, no homeless shelter and no houses for sale under $1 million.

Were one little town of less than 7,000 people trying to figure this out, said Mayor Ben Bohmfalk, who has told counterparts in the region that they should prepare for what he calls a humanitarian crisis: Youll probably feel these impacts in your community soon.

Migrants crossed into the United States in record numbers this year in search of safety and opportunity, many of them Venezuelans who may be eligible for temporary protected status and work permits because of economic and political turmoil back home. Their arrivals have taxed border towns and overwhelmed cities hundreds of miles away, where packed shelters and tent encampments have become symbols of federal immigration failures.

Carbondales experience shows that remote parts of America are also being affected. In early November, residents were stunned when a regional Latino advocacy organization called attention to 80 migrants living under a bridge that spans the sparkling Roaring Fork River. They had been drawn by hopes of work in a place they heard had abundant labor shortages in the ski, hospitality, service and construction industries.

The people here are very good, said Yonathan Millan, 30, who crossed the border in July, was detained for three months and for a time lived in a car before moving to the temporary shelter. Though he is from Venezuelas tropical coast, he wants to land full-time work and stay in the Colorado mountains. With a permanent job, you can get an apartment, he said.

Yet that is far from certain, according to area officials. Carbondale used to be the cheaper bedroom community to Aspen, 45 minutes away. It now has artsy bungalows and pricey restaurants, which these days are glittering with holiday lights. The school district is building housing for teachers, and the regional transit agency is renovating a hotel for bus drivers, because neither can afford to live here. Some people with full-time jobs couch surf or sleep in vehicles.

While I have a lot of sympathy for our new residents, Trustee Marty Silverstein said, we have people that have been living here for five, 10 years that are severely struggling.

Its even harder for low-wage workers, many of them immigrants, said Alex Sanchez, executive director of Voces Unidas, a regional advocacy group that has pivoted to helping the new migrants. The Roaring Fork Valley has long been a destination for Latinos, who today make up 40 percent of Carbondales population. Many live in decrepit mobile homes, their needs largely ignored by local governments, Sanchez said.

The Venezuelans lack of connections and shelter here made them more visible - to a point.

They had already been under the bridge for weeks, clustered near a raft launch, when Sanchez learned about them. He and a state lawmaker visited the site, then immediately set up meetings with government officials and nonprofits.

It takes a village to choose not to see 80 unhoused Latinos living under the bridge, in fall, getting close to winter, he said. We were shocked.

Yusbeily Vargas walks past a group of ballet students at the community center in Carbondale that is helping to support a group of Venezuelan migrants. (Michael Robinson Chavez/The Washington Post)

Charities put up the few families in area hotels. The director of the Third Street Center, a former elementary school that now rents spaces to artists and a ballet studio, designated the gym a shelter. Voces Unidas helped the migrants elect a nine-person leadership committee to maintain order. Volunteers provided breakfasts and dinners.

People need a hot meal, Andrea West, 44, said on a Tuesday morning as she and three friends served fruit, bacon and other foods they had brought. West, who lives in the neighboring city of Glenwood Springs, signed up after reading news about the migrants and their long, dangerous treks toward better lives.

You can only imagine what theyve been through, she said. This can only be better. Youve got the elements to contend with. But its better than being robbed, or worse.

The center was meant to be a short-term solution, and director Colin Laird said it is far from sufficient. Showers are blocks away at town hall or the rec center. Trash piles up and the plumbing clogs. The shelters first covid cases were reported in mid-December. Neighbors patience is being stretched, she said.

Carbondale is generally pretty Democratic and liberal, so were getting a lot of: Youre doing the right thing, said Laird, who is also a town trustee. Unfortunately, we dont have the capacity for the right thing anymore.

The board of trustees has committed to supporting shelter for up to 100 people through March, when the harsh winter gives way to warmer temperatures, and enlisted a former schools superintendent to manage the situation. But it is still scrambling to find space. Town Manager Lauren Gister said more than a dozen sites in the region, including an empty supermarket, declined to assist. Nearby towns and counties have offered cots and coronavirus tests but little else, she said.

Though Bohmfalk doesnt want Carbondale to become a destination for migrants, he has requested nearly $224,000 in state emergency funds for those already in town. He noted in a letter that the group, now estimated to number more than 120, effectively increased the towns unhoused population by approximately 500 percent and increased the towns population by 2 percent.

The mayor said he was astonished that the federal government offers no resources or guidance to help municipalities cope. A $1.4 billion request for that purpose by the Biden administration is included in a funding request now stalled in Congress.

At the end of the day, we cant in Carbondale right now influence whats going on at the border, Bohmfalk said he tells the occasional angry residents who ask him why the town should help. What it can influence are the lives in its midst. These people are sleeping outside.

Inside the Third Street gym this month, the light was dim, but the air was warm. Tween girls in tights waited in a hallway for a class to begin in the dance studio. Migrants passed by on the way to the bathrooms.

Millan sat at a high table, flipping through photos on his phone. The 30-year-old, who worked as a driver in Venezuela and entered Texas in July, had earned a bit of money that day cleaning cars. It wasnt much to send home to his mother, siblings and 9-year-old daughter. But it was better than in Denver, he said, where too many migrants compete for too few jobs.

He hopes that temporary protected status, for which Voces Unidas says he and many of his fellow migrants in Carbondale qualify, may lead to something stable - including something more resembling a home.

This man opened his door to us without knowing us. Hes a very good person, Millan said of Laird. But you want more privacy.

Oscar Flores and Yusbeily Vargas look over legal documents on the hood of their car. (Michael Robinson Chavez/The Washington Post)

Oscar Flores and Yusbeily Vargas, by contrast, had none. With two other migrants, they were sharing a Kia Sorento, which Flores purchased for $1,200.

Our home, joked Flores, 21, gesturing in the centers parking lot toward the car. Its trunk was stuffed with belongings, and two stuffed dolls adorned the dashboard. He pointed to the seats. This is the living room.

Vargas, 24, had just gotten back from a day helping to clean two houses in Glenwood Springs for $20 an hour. Flores had found no work, but he had met a man who owned a party-rental business and told him to get in touch in January.

Flores put the mans card in the pocket of his lightweight puffer coat. The Kia would need to sustain them until that work might be able to pay for a hotel.

Stronger cold is coming, he said. We cant stay here.
Local volunteers distribute food to migrants in Jacumba Hot Springs, Calif., on Dec. 14, 2023. (Zaydee Sanchez for The Washington Post)

President Joe Biden said he will send top U.S. officials to Mexico in the coming days to seek help with the record migration surge that has pushed the number of illegal border crossings to more than 10,000 per day, prompting U.S. authorities to shut down two major railway crossings and other ports of entry.

More enforcement actions are urgently needed to reopen key ports of entry across our shared border, Biden wrote Thursday evening on X (formerly Twitter), after speaking by phone earlier in the day with Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas and White House homeland security adviser Liz Sherwood-Randall will travel to Mexico in the coming days to meet with the Mexican leader and urge a firmer response, the White House said.

Thousands of migrants from countries around the world have been streaming across the border this month, the second consecutive December that U.S. agents have faced a massive influx during the holiday season.

Mexicos immigration enforcement agency, the Instituto Nacional de Migracion, has slackened its operations in recent weeks as its annual funding runs low, according to U.S. and Mexican officials.

In Lukeville, Ariz., families with children and groups from Africa, Asia and South America have been entering through breaches in the U.S. border wall where smugglers have sawed through.

In Eagle Pass, Tex., Border Patrol agents have had to set up a sprawling outdoor reception area to manage the thousands of migrants arriving daily by wading across the Rio Grande. Agents are facing spikes in Jacumba Hot Springs, Calif., as well as El Paso and other remote sections of southern Arizona.

Mexican forces are rarely visible on the south side of the border. The countrys National Guard has played a key role during previous migration crackdowns, but there has been scant presence of troops in recent weeks at the busiest crossing points.

Many migrants have arrived to the United States by riding freight trains through Mexico. The Biden administrations decision to close the rail crossings at El Paso and Eagle Pass, Tex. - an attempt to stem the tide of migrants - is a significant disruption of commerce between the United States and its top trading partner.

U.S. farm groups, the rail companies and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce are urging the Biden administration to reopen the crossings as soon as possible. Train operator Union Pacific said that the two crossings account for 45 percent of all cross-border rail commerce and that the shutdowns are inflicting losses of $200 million per day in wages, goods and transportation costs.

The Biden administration has not said publicly what specific actions it wants Mexico to take. Mexican authorities have long been wary of offers by the United States to help pay for immigration enforcement actions on Mexican soil.

Everything revolves around getting the Mexican government to do targeted operations, said one U.S. official, who, like others, spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to reporters.

The United States would like to expand deportation flights to southern Mexico that would carry migrants from that region as well as Central Americans, two officials said.

Mexicos cooperation with U.S. immigration enforcement has fluctuated in recent years, and both the Biden and Trump administrations have turned to Mexico for help when illegal crossings soar. Mexican law offers broad protections to migrants transiting the country, which makes crackdowns more difficult. The countrys enforcement efforts are weakened further by corruption and bribe-taking.

Mexican authorities say they remain committed to working with the United States to manage migration, while urging the U.S. government to expand work visas and alleviate the conditions driving people to leave their home countries.

Biden officials are urging Congress to approve a $106 billion White House supplemental funding request that would send aid to Ukraine and Israel while providing nearly $14 billion for border operations and immigration measures. Republicans are demanding new restrictions to asylum access, expanded deportation powers and other enforcement tools, some of which face stiff opposition from Democrats and the president.

Negotiators in the Senate said they have made progress toward a deal. But most lawmakers have left Washington for the holiday break, leaving any deal unlikely to be reached before the end of the year.
A Ukrainian soldier stands near a shell casing at a howitzer position in the Donetsk region on Oct. 23, 2023. (Ed Ram for The Washington Post.)

KYIV  Ukrainian forces are suffering from a shortage of artillery shells on the front line, prompting some units to cancel planned assaults, soldiers said this week, and stoking fears over how long Kyivs troops will be able to hold their ground against continuing Russian attacks.

The ammunition shortage is deepening the already palpable anxiety in the Ukrainian capital, as U.S. and European aid stalls and winter sets in.

Our gunners are given a limit of shells for each target, said a member of the 128th Mountain Assault Brigade, which is fighting in the southeastern Zaporizhzhia region.

If the target there is smaller - for example, a mortar position - then they give five or seven shells in total, he said, speaking on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the subject.

The guys are tired - very tired, he said. They are still motivated - many people understand that they have no other choice.

But you cant win a war only on motivation, he continued. You should have some kind of a numerical advantage, and with the weapons and weapons systems, it only gets worse and worse. How long can we last? Its hard to say, but it cant be long. Everyone understands this.

Artem, 31, a gunner in the 148th Artillery Brigade who fires a 155mm howitzer, said his unit found a dramatic difference in stocks of shells after recently relocating from the southern front in Zaporizhzhia to positions in the east.

Artem said his unit was now firing just 10 to 20 shells per day at enemy targets, while previously it used an average of 50 shells, and sometimes up to 90. He spoke on the condition that he be identified only by first name in keeping with Ukrainian military rules.

If the situation doesnt change, or even worsens, we will not be able to suppress them and they will push us back, Artem said. What can you do with 10 shells per day? It is barely enough to respond to their advances - we are not even talking about attacking their positions.

Insufficient supplies of shells have been a persistent problem for Ukraine since Russia invaded in February 2022.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed the current shortage during his year-end news conference this week, though he insisted that the military was holding strong.

Earlier this month, Zelensky visited Washington, where he pleaded for lawmakers to free up $60 billion in aid that President Biden has proposed for Ukraine. No deal came through, however, as Republicans tied the aid to controversial border security measures. Days later, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban blocked $55 billion in European Union assistance to Ukraine.

The delays, which come on the heels of Ukraines unsuccessful counteroffensive this summer and fall, have created more unwelcome hurdles ahead of the winter holidays.

Russia continues to try to push forward on the southern and eastern fronts, and also to hammer Ukrainian cities with drone and missile attacks - many of which have been thwarted by Ukraines improved air defense systems. But those systems, too, depend on continued foreign support.

Ukrainian soldiers stationed at the front said they have not detected any sign that Russia is facing a similar shortage of artillery shells.

Although Moscow was forced to considerably slow its ammunition production in the first few months after the invasion, it has since managed to subvert hard-hitting Western sanctions and export controls and has reenergized its military production.

It has done this, in part, by exploiting loopholes in supply chains, while illicit smuggling networks have brought in key weapon components, including from the United States, by rerouting them through countries such as Turkey and Armenia.

A deal cut between Moscow and Pyongyang in September also provided critical help, with North Korea agreeing to supply Russia with much-needed missiles and shells. U.S. Ambassador to NATO Julianne Smith said this week that North Korea appeared recently to have delivered 1,000 containers of military equipment and munitions to Russia for use in Ukraine.

Ukrainian Brig. Gen. Oleksandr Tarnavsky told Reuters that troops are facing ammunition shortages and that some plans have changed because of lack of supplies.

Lt. Gen. Ivan Havryliuk, one of Ukraines deputy defense ministers, declined to speak about the ammunition shortages, saying he did not have the authority to do so. A spokesman for the Defense Ministry did not respond to a request for comment.

The United States is Ukraines most important ally and Zelensky told reporters this week that he is sure the U.S.A. wont betray us.

But Bidens failure to secure the urgently needed funding for Ukraine before the end of the year showed that the White House simply cannot ensure everlasting support.

Biden, who previously insisted the United States would stand by Ukraine for as long as it takes, instead said earlier this month that it will support Kyiv for as long as we can.

The Biden administration has warned that barring passage of a supplemental spending bill, there is only enough money left to replenish U.S. stocks and deliver one remaining aid package.

Once these funds are obligated, the department will have exhausted the funding available to us for security assistance to Ukraine, Pentagon Comptroller Michael McCord said in a Dec. 15 letter to Congress.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has urged allies to work together to increase production for Ukraine.

Aware that it cannot rely forever on external aid, Ukraine is trying to ramp up its domestic weapons manufacturing. Its minister for strategic industries announced Wednesday that Ukraine plans to make 1 million first-person-view drones next year, along with thousands of other mid- and long-range weapons.

The explosive FPV drones have become key to Ukraines attack methods this year.

But in his own year-end news conference this month, Putin made clear that he is monitoring how Western aid for Ukraine has slowed.

Today, Ukraine produces almost nothing, he said. Everything is brought in . . . for free. But the freebies may end at some point, and apparently its coming to an end little by little.

Some countries recently pledged tangible new military support for Ukraine.

On Friday, the Netherlands said it will transfer 18 F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine, although a timeline for that delivery was not made public. Japan, meanwhile, agreed to send Patriot missiles to the United States, in a move that would probably allow Washington to send more of the weapons to Ukraine. Kyiv relies heavily on the U.S.-designed Patriot systems to protect critical infrastructure in major cities.

But Ukrainian troops here say they need more of everything, and fast.

We lack everything, said a member of 128th Mountain Assault Brigade.

Ivan Zadontsev, a press officer for the 24th Separate Assault Battalion, also known as Aidar, said it had reduced firing by about 90 percent compared with last summer. His battalion needs 122mm munitions for Soviet-era howitzers; Western partners have tried to procure the ammunition for Ukraine throughout the war.

Aidars tactics changed around mid-autumn as deliveries of munitions diminished. Although the battalion has faced artillery shell shortages in the past, there are concerns now that reserves will not be replenished.

Like the 148th Artillery Brigade, Aidar is trying to hold defensive lines in the east, near the town of Klishchiivka, which Ukrainian forces liberated from Russian occupation in September. But Zadontsev said that to plan any further assaults would be stupid . . . while the Russian army has artillery superiority.

He said the worries over U.S. border policy that are holding up U.S. aid for Ukraine pale in comparison with the life-or-death urgency Ukrainians feel on the front. It is hard for him to imagine, he said, that anyone abroad can even understand the situation at all . . . and how its critical right now.

I hope the U.S. government understands, he added, that keeping Ukraine safe with ammunition is much cheaper than rearming Poland and the Baltic countries if Ukraine will fall.

Francesca Ebel in London and Serhiy Morgunov in Kyiv contributed to this report.
Men sit on their trucks after unloading products, while another sells pomegranate seeds, at Kabuls main grain market. (Elise Blanchard for The Washington Post)

KABUL - More than two years after the Talibans takeover, its internationally isolated government is pushing ahead with a plan to make the Afghan economy more self-sustaining, if not outright self-sufficient.

Afghan officials are overseeing the construction of dams and canals to boost agriculture, and tunnels to connect remote provinces. Steel mills work through the night to churn out red-glowing, heavy beams for infrastructure projects.

The Taliban-run governments ambitions, at least in part, are driven by necessity. The Talibans crackdown on womens rights has worsened its pariah status, stalling efforts to gain control over Afghan central bank reserves held abroad and to secure Western funding. While foreign aid funded three-fourths of the public expenditures before the takeover, the Taliban says it is largely relying on domestic revenue and customs to finance its projects.

Abdul Latif Nazari, a deputy minister of economy, acknowledged in an interview that these financial constraints limit the scope of government projects. But were on the right path, he said, the path that will lead us to self-sufficiency.

For the Afghan population, however, economic conditions continue to deteriorate. The number of Afghans with humanitarian needs has surged by about 60 percent since 2021 and now represents over two-thirds of the population, according to the United Nations.

And challenges are mounting. Afghanistans top trading partner, Pakistan, is increasingly frustrated with the government in Kabul and has been willing to disrupt economic ties for political purposes. Meanwhile, cash-strapped Afghan business owners and other taxpayers say theyre running out of savings to pay for the Taliban-run governments plans.

A truck hauling apples about to be exported to Pakistan is weighed to calculate taxes, at the Kabul customs office located in the eastern outskirts of the Afghan capital. (Elise Blanchard for The Washington Post)

Self-sufficiency itself does not mean anything, said Omar Joya, an Afghan economist, unless the Taliban can achieve economic growth, employment, lower poverty levels and an adequate life so that people can at least meet their basic needs.

Riches below the ground

Taliban officials say a priority is an expansion of oil extraction, drawing on reserves that could eventually cover domestic demand, according to assessments conducted before the Taliban takeover. With new wells, one of Afghanistans biggest oil fields, located in the Amu Darya basin in the north of the country, could increase its output more than threefold in the coming months, officials projected.

They are also rushing to exploit the countrys vast wealth of lithium ore and other minerals, which might be worth almost $1 trillion, according to a U.S. Defense Department estimate in 2010. Afghan authorities say they struck seven mining contracts earlier this year, worth $6.5 billion in investment.

It could take years before mining can start on a large scale. Once it does, the Taliban says infrastructure projects now underway will be essential for exporting coal, minerals, as well as vegetables.

In the west of the landlocked country, a railway link with Iran that is being repaired has raised the prospect of Afghan freight trains heading to Iranian sea ports. Meanwhile, repairs at the Salang tunnel in northern Afghanistan were just completed, Taliban officials say, which could ease travel between central and northern Afghanistan and facilitate trade with Uzbekistan and Tajikistan.

During years of war, long-haul trucking in Afghanistan was obstructed by Taliban attacks and military checkpoints where extortion was common, but a more reliable road network could now help to revive this commerce.

Afghanistan is standing on its own feet, said Shir Baz Kaminzada, a mining and industry representative and the chief executive of one of the countrys largest printing companies, which until not long ago produced NATO leaflets.

But Kaminzada acknowledged that reminders of the countrys international isolation remain ever present. Western manufacturers that used to supply his plants with equipment and banks that facilitated his payments now shun his company, he complained.

Hundreds of employees were hired at the Milat steel factory on the outskirts of Kabul when it reopened last year. The factory has struggled with shortages of electricity in recent months. (Elise Blanchard for The Washington Post)

He blamed Pakistan for much of the disruption. Afghanistans industry is rising from the ashes, he said. Theyre scared.

Tensions with Pakistan

The more Afghan officials seek autonomy, the more apparent it has become how dependent the country remains on neighboring countries. When trucks carrying agricultural produce headed toward Pakistan this fall, they were repeatedly halted at the border. As politicians traded accusations, pomegranates and onions rotted in the sun.

Pakistans leadership blames the Afghan Taliban for harboring militants who have staged a mounting number of deadly attacks in Pakistan in recent months. Angered, Islamabad has expelled hundreds of thousands of Afghan refugees, seized Afghan imports and imposed restrictions on cross-border trade.

The impact of the political tensions was palpable at the customs department in Kabul on a recent afternoon, where imports from and exports to Pakistan are processed.

As trucks carrying goods arrived at the gate, many of the warehouses were only half-full. Ahmad Khalid Rahimi, a 45-year-old customs official, was quick to explain that the empty shelves were in no way a reflection of the economy, but rather of the departments efficiency. Everything is being processed very quickly, assured Rahimi.

Why are you lying? whispered a frustrated worker who stood nearby. We dont have enough supplies these days.

An hour away, at the Milat steel factory on the outskirts of Kabul, the gap between the governments ambitions and reality is evident every day at 4 p.m. when the electricity goes out for about six hours, and the cranes and observation towers lose power.

Hundreds of employees were hired when the factory, central to the Talibans infrastructure plans, reopened last year. And yet, the factory has in recent months struggled with shortages of electricity.

The Taliban is hoping to use solar energy to make the countrys power grid self-sufficient. But for years to come, the Milat steel factory will likely have to compete with the power demands of more than 5 million Kabul residents and the constraints of a grid that has for decades relied on imported electricity.

Despite high demand for the factorys output, Milat Steel recently had to lay off 150 of its 500 workers. (Elise Blanchard for The Washington Post)

Despite high demand for the factorys output, Milat Steel recently had to lay off 150 of its 500 workers, said Nasir Ahmad Haqmal, 35, who supervises production.

Uncertain times

Taliban officials primarily blame the West for many of the challenges. In an interview, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid singled out the United States for freezing $7 billion in Afghan central bank assets after the Taliban takeover. First, they occupied our country. And now they occupy our reserves, said Mujahid.

But Afghanistans new partners could prove challenging, too. While some Chinese companies are positioning themselves to reap a windfall from lithium and other natural resources, the Chinese governments ties to the Taliban remain limited. Afghanistan is focusing much of its outreach on Iran, but long-standing border tensions over scarce water supplies make political relations between the two countries unpredictable.

Meanwhile, taxes, fees and licenses have become such a burden for some Afghans that they say theyre thinking about giving up their businesses.

Ismail Hotak, 25, founded a commercial real estate agency on the outskirts of Kabul last year. Even though business has been dismal, he keeps getting hit with taxes and unexpected fees that he said he didnt know existed.

If the authorities ask me for any more money, Ill just close, he said.

Many of these fees existed before the Taliban takeover but were less stringently enforced. Corrupt officials reduced the cost if we paid them directly. Most of it went into their own pockets, recalled Sahib Khan Ansari, 48, a steel vendor in Kabul.

Ansari said he appreciates the decline in corruption and the increased investments in infrastructure under the Taliban.

But the one thing that would make the economy flourish by clearing the way for foreign aid and investment, he said, would be the reopening of schools for girls.

Mirwais Mohammadi and Lutfullah Qasimyar contributed to this report.
NEW DELHI, Dec. 23 (Xinhua) -- A drone attack hit a ship off India's coast in the Arabian Sea Saturday, local media reports said.

According to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), the attack caused an explosion and fire on the merchant ship. However, no casualties have been reported.

"UKMTO have received a report of an attack by Uncrewed Aerial System (UAS) on a vessel causing an explosion and fire. Incident 200NM South West of Veraval, India. Fire extinguished, no casualties," a statement issued by the UKMTO said. "Authorities are investigating. Vessels are advised to transit with caution and report any suspicious activity to UKMTO."

Indian media reports said the crew onboard included 20 Indians.

A local media report quoted Ambrey, a maritime security firm, as saying "Liberia-flagged chemical/products tanker ... was Israel-affiliated" and had been on its way from Saudi Arabia to India."

Reports said Indian Coast Guard and navy vessels were moving toward the merchant vessel. 
Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, right, welcomes Saudi Defense Minister Khalid bin Salman to the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., on Nov. 1, 2023. (Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images/TNS)

(Tribune News Service)  The U.S. State Department approved $1 billion in military training for Saudi Arabia, renewing a program thats deepened ties between the two partners while still sticking to a ban on the sale of some offensive weapons.

The deal includes flight and technical training, professional military education and equipment for the Royal Saudi Air Force and other military branches. The sale will improve Saudi Arabias capability to meet current and future threats, the State Department said in a statement.

There was still no indication President Joe Biden was ready to ease restrictions on some weapons that he imposed early in his administration in protest over the killing of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi and concerns over civilian casualties in Yemen. On Thursday, the New York Times reported hat the U.S. is preparing to relax some of those limits.

But U.S. officials have said Saudi Arabia is largely abiding by the terms of a cease-fire. The administration has come to rely on Saudi Arabia even more in the wake of Hamass Oct. 7 attack on Israel and Israels devastating response.

2023 Bloomberg L.P.

Visit bloomberg.com.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
(Twitter)

(Tribune News Service)  A North Carolina man is accused of stealing the identities of military members and renting cars and apartments and opening bank accounts in their names, federal prosecutors said this week.

Shabazz Emmanuel McCarthan, who is 38, allegedly obtained at least $250,000 in goods through his scheme and damaged the military members credit, including at least one who was deployed overseas at the time, according to an indictment unsealed Thursday in U.S. District Court in Charlotte.

McCarthan allegedly had accomplices, prosecutors said, although they arent named in the indictment.

McCarthan and his co-conspirators are accused of obtaining military members personal identifying information to make fake forms of identification in the service members names, according to the indictment.

The indictment doesnt say how the personal identifying information was obtained or how many military members were victimized.

The identity fraud scheme

McCarthan and his co-conspirators allegedly pulled off their extensive identity fraud scheme from January to October 2019, prosecutors said in a news release.

He allegedly rented multiple vehicles that were subsequently stolen and transported in interstate and foreign commerce, according to the release.

McCarthan also obtained furniture through the scheme, prosecutors allege.

Indictment and first appearance

A federal grand jury in Charlotte returned the criminal indictment against McCarthan in October, U.S. Attorney Dena Kings said in the news release. The indictment remained sealed until McCarthans arrest in Arizona on Wednesday, she said.

McCarthan made his first appearance in U.S. District Court in Arizona on Thursday, prosecutors said.

McCarthan is charged with conspiracy to defraud the United States; wire fraud; financial institution fraud; interstate transportation of a stolen motor vehicle; and three counts of aggravated identity theft.

The charges carry a total of up to 71 years in prison.

2023 The Charlotte Observer.

Visit charlotteobserver.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
A drunken man who stood in front of a moving garda car and shouted abuse was a Jekyll and Hyde who was completely different when sober, a court has heard.

John Waters (43) was homeless and had descended into addiction after a relationship breakup at the time of the incident.

Judge Monika Leech gave him a one-month suspended sentence when he appeared in Dublin District Court.

Waters, with an address at Portland Close, pleaded guilty to threatening, abusive and insulting behaviour, offensive conduct, wilfully preventing the free passage of vehicles, public intoxication and failing to give gardai his details.

The offences all happened at Bolton Street, while he also admitted violent behaviour in Mountjoy garda station.

Dublin District Court heard the incident happened at 11.47pm on September 2 last year when Waters walked in front of a garda patrol car.

When gardai spoke to him, Waters was highly intoxicated and abusive and was arrested and taken to the garda station, where his behaviour continued. He was later charged.

Waters was a completely different person when he sobered up and appears to be a Jekyll and Hyde, his solicitor Aonghus McCarthy said.

Waters had 68 previous convictions.

Mr McCarthy said that, unusually, the accused had not been in trouble until his 30s, when a relationship broke down and he turned to alcohol to cope.

Waters descended further into addiction and ended up homeless. He knew he was going into prison if he didnt kick the drinking and had gone to a counsellor.

There was now a new lady in his life, who was a far better influence on him, and she had told him if theres drink taken, hes out on the street, Mr McCarthy said. They had a new child.

The accused had now been off alcohol for five-and-a-half months, which had been his longest period of sobriety.

Waters, who had been previously employed as a labourer, was looking for work again and had a lot of prospects.

Judge Leech said the accused had a litany of previous convictions but took account of the substantial efforts he had made to clean up his act.

She suspended the one-month sentence for a year on the breach of the peace charge, on condition that he remains sober.
Gerard OBrien made no reaction as the verdicts were handed down in court yesterday.

A Circuit Court judge who was also a former teacher in a Dublin secondary school made no reaction yesterday as he was convicted of the sexual abuse of six young men almost 30 years ago.

Gerard OBrien (59) of Old School House, Slievenamon Road, Thurles, County Tipperary had pleaded not guilty before the Central Criminal Court of one count of attempted anal rape and eight counts of sexual assault in relation to six complainants, some of whom were his students.

The four-week trial heard that the alleged offences occurred on dates between March 1991 and November 1997 at locations in Dublin. The man was in his 30s at the time of the alleged offences, while the complainants were then aged between 17 and 24.

The jury in the trial returned the verdicts after seven hours and thirty-four minutes of deliberations.

OBrien had denied all of the charges against him. OBrien made no reaction as the verdicts were handed down in court.

Five of the six complaints in the trial were present in court and surrounded by their loved ones. When the verdicts were delivered, the complaints and their families cried and embraced each other.

Mr Justice Alexander Owens thanked the jurors for their service and excused them from jury duty for fifteen years as a mark of the court's appreciation for their work.

He noted that he would have been putting OBrien into custody only for the special circumstances surrounding him. OBrien suffers from Phocomelia, which is a rare birth defect that can affect the upper and/or lower limbs. OBrien is missing both hands and one foot.

The judge said that OBrien is now automatically on the sex offender register.

Mr Justice Owens directed the preparation of victim impact statements and remanded the defendant on continuing bail until sentencing on March 4, 2023.

Opening the prosecution case, Anne-Marie Lawlor, SC, told the jury that this case involves six complainants who say they were each and separately the victim of sexual misconduct perpetrated by the accused man between 1991 and 1997.

OBrien was teaching in a secondary school at the time, and four of the complainants were students. The other two complainants knew him from his home town.

The evidence

The six complainants, now in their 40s and early 50s, gave evidence. Some became emotional and upset while recounting their experiences.

Five of the men said they woke up to find OBrien performing sexual acts on them that they insisted they had not consented to. Of these complainants, four said they woke to the man performing oral sex on them, with the fifth saying he woke to the man licking his face and pressing his penis against his buttocks.

OBrien, who is missing both hands and a foot, would ask students in the secondary school he taught in to assist him in going to the toilet.

During the trial, the jury heard from many of the complainants that they stayed in OBriens homes to help him get dressed and shaved in the morning.

One of these five complainants also said the accused attempted to rape him anally. The final complainants allegation related to an act of masturbation in the toilets of a pub.

Judge Gerard OBrien. Photo: Collins

Each of the complainants said they had been drinking alcohol, and the accused had been as well.

During their evidence, the complainants were each asked why they didnt make a complaint to gardai earlier. Some said they had compartmentalised the incidents. Others spoke of shame or embarrassment.

The third complainant to give evidence to the jury said he didnt want anyone to find out what happened. It was an extremely intimate action being taken in a manner I never consented to in the first instance. I wanted to keep it to myself.

The sixth complainant said, I put it in a block of cement in my mind, and I didnt think about it.

During his evidence, the sixth complainant told the prosecution that he googled OBrien and found out that he was a Circuit Court Judge, which was one of the reasons he decided to make a complaint to the gardai.

OBrien was interviewed voluntarily by gardai and initially denied any sexual contact with all complainants.

In later interviews, he said sexual interactions had occurred with three of the complainants.

In his direct evidence, he said he lied to gardai initially because of shame.

The idea of being charged with a sexual assault frightened me beyond reason. I went into a sort of blind panic about it all, he said.

OBrien acknowledged that having students at his home and in his bed was inappropriate and should not have happened.

He gave evidence of sexual contact with three of the complainants but denied any sexual interaction with the rest.

During cross-examination, OBrien was asked if his position is that the six complainants are lying. Mistaken in some cases, he replied.

He didnt accept Ms Lawlor's suggestion he was a person who tells lies, and was lying to the jury.

He denied that he groomed a number of the complainants, saying, I don't accept I groomed anyone.

The first complainant to give evidence told the jury that he was a student at the school where the accused worked, and in November 1997, he stayed in the accuseds home.

OBrien suggested he sleep in the bed, and while the young man thought this was unusual, he went along with it.

The young man woke to a rustling in his boxers and initially believed that OBrien might be touching him in his sleep.

A short time later, he again felt touching. OBrien then shuffled down in the bed, and his mouth made contact with the young mans penis.

The complainant said he froze. Approximately 30 seconds later, he said OBrien again tried to use his mouth to make contact with his penis.

The man is unsure if contact was made as he jumped out of the bed. He said he was in total shock and left the apartment.

This complainant disagreed with the defences suggestion that no sexual assault occurred and that if anything had happened, it was something someone was doing while asleep.

Judge Gerard O'Brien

In his evidence, OBrien accepted this complainant had slept in his bed but denied any sexual encounter.

He said he fell asleep and woke up to the teenager leaving the apartment, but didnt know why.

He said he became concerned while driving to work the next day that this complainant should not have been in his house.

The second complainant to give evidence said the incident took place during his first year of college in 1991.

He said he was asleep on the floor of the man's bedroom when he woke to OBrien performing oral sex on him. He said he froze due to shock and to avoid waking another friend in the room.

The then 18-year-old said he turned onto his side, and OBrien mirrored his movement before moving his penis against my back, bottom and hips.

He said he didn't react and wasn't sure if the man was aware he was awake.

This complainant rejected the defences position that OBrien felt his penis on his back and took this as an invitation to be intimate. He did not accept the defences suggestion that OBrien performed oral sex, and believed he was an active participant.

He reiterated he was asleep and said the incident occurred completely out of the blue.

In his evidence, OBrien said he was in a spooning position with the second complainant, who was in the bed, as both were freezing.

I could feel his penis against my back, and I performed oral sex on him in my bed.

He said this complainant turned away from him and continued to masturbate while he rubbed himself against the sheets.

The third complainant said he went to a friends house in early 1994, and OBrien was also there.

He said he had been drinking and fell asleep in a bed beside OBrien. This complainant said he woke up to his face and neck being licked by OBrien.

He said OBriens foot was grappling with his boxer shorts. He said OBriens penis was hard against the top part of his bottom, and he was gyrating against me.

He said he was initially frozen, then noticed OBriens eyes were closed. He elbowed him at least seven times, telling the accused he was really disappointed. OBrien didnt respond and turned away.

During cross-examination, he said he didnt confront OBrien the next morning and expressed doubt that anyone could sleep through seven elbows.

He rejected the defences suggestion that something happened while OBrien was asleep. I dont believe he could be asleep while thrusting against someone, he said.

In his evidence, OBrien said he has no recollection of being at a house with this complainant and further denied any sexual encounter had taken place.

The fourth complainant to give evidence said OBrien was a teacher at his school.

He said he stayed at OBriens house in late 1995 and woke to find his boxer shorts had been pulled down and the accused performing oral sex on him.

He said he was in shock. He orgasmed, and the accused told him, Its your turn now. He then performed oral sex on the teacher.

Mr O'Higgins put to him during cross-examination that there were four incidents of mutual and consensual oral sex between him and his client, during which he was wide awake. The complainant disagreed with this.

During his evidence, OBrien said he became over-reliant on the fourth complainant and admitted being infatuated.

He said this complainant stayed at his apartment in January 1996, and there was hugging and talking.

I noticed he had an erection. I went down on him. He ejaculated, then he did the same for me, and I ejaculated.

The man said he didnt agree with this complainants evidence.

The fifth complainant was also a student at the school where the accused was a teacher.

He recalled visiting the mans house and said there was a playfulness to the accuseds behaviour during his first visit.

He said he went to a local pub after his Leaving Certificate, and the accused man was there.

He was asked by OBrien to assist him in going to the toilet. While the man was holding OBriens penis and assisting him to urinate, OBrien began to move his penis against the young man's hand.

He described it as OBrien masturbating into my hand during this incident in the toilets of the pub. The man said that OBrien then began to lean into him and pinned him against the wall of the cubicle. OBrien had his face up against the young mans face, and OBrien then kissed him on the neck or cheek.

He asked him to stop, but it only ended when a door opened.

OBrien denied sexually assaulting the fifth complainant. In his evidence, he said he could not recall going to this pub.

The final complainant said he stayed at OBriens house one night when he was in fifth year of school. When he went upstairs, he saw the spare bedroom but went into OBriens room and got him undressed

. The man told OBrien he was going to the spare room, but OBrien said there was no need and to jump in here. The man described being uncomfortable with this but got into bed.

The man told the jury that it was his plan to wait until OBrien fell asleep and then go into the spare room. However, the young man fell asleep, and he woke later to OBrien performing oral sex on him. He said he turned around to lie on his stomach.

He then told the court that OBrien climbed up on top of my back and manoeuvred his penis towards his buttocks. He said he was frozen and added, I couldnt do a thing, and he was trying to penetrate my backside, my anus.

He rejected the defences suggestion that he moved closer to OBrien. This complainant also dismissed the defences contention that OBrien began to perform oral sex, but stopped and didnt attempt anal sex.

In his direct evidence, OBrien said he felt this complainants arm roll across me, and then he rubbed his leg.

He said he assumed rightly or wrongly that he wanted to engage in something intimate and then started to perform oral sex but stopped.

He also denied attempting to have anal sex with this complainant.

Closing speeches

In her closing speech, Ms Lawlor asked the jury to consider whether there is an inherent unlikelihood that several people would make similar allegations against the same person.

Prosecuting counsel suggested it is a significant factor that the accused made a very considered and deliberate decision to lie repeatedly to gardai for no reason but to protect himself.

She said the complainants had each given compelling and credible evidence about the alleged incidents.

While the complainants had the legal capacity to give consent, in five of these incidents, each individual told you they woke up to sexual engagement they hadnt consented to as they were asleep, Ms Lawlor said.

In his closing speech, Mr OHiggins told the jury that his client's decision to initially lie to gardai was partly because he was terrified by the allegations.

He said while his client has lied, this could not mean that you cant take what he says on board and give it the scrutiny it deserves.

Defence counsel asked jurors to look at inconsistencies in the complainants evidence, suggesting their memories of events may not be reliable due to the passage of time. He asked them to consider if other evidence supports his clients version of events.

Defence counsel said his client has acknowledged completely inappropriate contact with some students.

No doubt there was a weakness here, that has resulted in calamitous consequences.

Judge's charge

In his charge, Mr Justice Alexander Owens told the jury the case boils down to whether or not they accept the evidence of the witnesses.

He told them that they are not permitted to infer anything from the fact that the man is facing a number of charges, and they must consider each count individually.

Legal argument

During the trial, there were several robust exchanges about when or if the jury should be made aware of OBriens most recent profession as a Circuit Court Judge.

Prosecuting counsel argued that OBriens profession is no different to any other profession for our purpose, and it would be against common sense to deprive the jury of this information.

Defence counsel argued this was unnecessary information to include in the opening speech, and while jurors would be repulsed to hear a teacher had a sexual encounter with a 17-year-old student, they might be horrified if they became aware of his most recent job.

Mr Justice Owens ruled that OBriens most recent profession could not be mentioned in the opening speech but added that it was likely to emerge during evidence, and the jury was entitled to be told at this point.

This issue emerged again before each complainant was asked why they decided to make a complainant, as some mentioned his recent profession as a judge in their statements to gardai.

Mr Justice Owens noted there is no rule that a persons occupation may be withheld from the jury. He said OBriens occupation may be relevant to the complainants explanations of why they decided to speak to gardai, but noted that it is neither here nor there in relation to the alleged incidents.

Only the sixth complainant referred to the mans most recent profession as a judge when explaining his decision to make a complaint.

One juror was discharged on the seventh day after receiving bad news.

Another juror was later discharged after being diagnosed with Covid-19. After hearing submissions from counsel, Mr Justice Owens decided the trial would proceed with ten jurors.
Vicky Burke and Daniella Diruzza, both aged 27, were in a group of women found raising their fists and trying to fight each other after being ejected from the US rappers 3 Arena concert.

(from left): Daniella Diruzza, of Rockfield, Glenconnor and Vicky Burke of Clonacody, Fethard, Tipperary, both charged with public order offences. Photo: Paddy Cummins.

Two concert-goers were arrested for drunkenly brawling outside a 50 Cent gig in Dublin after they were put out of the venue.

Vicky Burke and Daniella Diruzza, both aged 27, were in a group of women found raising their fists and trying to fight each other after being ejected from the US rappers 3 Arena concert.

They were each told to make a 200 charity donation to avoid public order convictions when they appeared in Dublin District Court.

Burke, with an address at Clonacody, Fethard, and Diruzza, of Rockfield, Glenconnor, both in Co Tipperary, pleaded guilty to public drunkenness and threatening, abusive or insulting behaviour.

The court heard the incident happened outside the venue in Dublins docklands on November 7 this year.

Gardai encountered three women who had been ejected and were raising their fists, shouting and trying to fight each other.

Burke and Diruzza were unsteady on their feet and intoxicated, and gardai had to restrain Burke from engaging in further fights.

They were arrested and brought to Store Street garda station. Neither had any previous convictions.

Asked what happened on the night, both Burke and Diruzza told the judge, It was just a mistake. The court heard they had never been given the benefit of the Probation Act before.

Judge Smyth adjourned the case to a date in January and said he would apply the Act if the charity donations were paid. Otherwise, he said, the accused would be convicted and fined.
Grainne's killer had sued Justice Minister for parole

Stephen Carney jailed for life for the murder of Amanda Jenkins

CONVICTED MURDERER Paulo Nascimento - who shot a young woman to death while stealing from a hotel in Cork where they both worked  is one of 12 life sentence inmates to be granted temporary release from prison for Christmas.

The decision to grant Nascimento  who shot his 24-year-old victim three times with a shotgun as he robbed the hotel  comes just months after he took a legal action against Justice Minister Helen McEntee for refusing.

The 46-year-old, who is currently incarcerated at Shelton Abbey Open Centre, has spent 20 years behind bars for murder.

The Portuguese native was given a life sentence at the Central Criminal Court in 2003 after he pleaded guilty to the murder of Grainne Dillon at Jury's Inn Hotel, Steamboat Quay, Limerick, in January 2002.

The two had been working a night shift together when Nascimento shot the 24-year-old victim three times with a shotgun after he robbed 3,000 from the hotel.

Murder victim Grainne Dillon

He had been working as a night porter in the hotel for less than a week and had been on a night shift with Ms Dillon when he killed her.

Nascimento had stolen the gun and ammunition in the days before the killing from the home of his former girlfriend in Castletroy and had hidden them in the hotel.

After 4am on January 5, he confronted Grainne as she was putting money in the cash register in the downstairs restaurant of the hotel.

He shot her twice before stealing the money and shot her once more before leaving her to die.

An inquest into her death heard she had suffered two shotgun blasts to the right pelvic area and a third shotgun blast to the right breast.

In the immediate aftermath of the murder, he stashed the money, and Grainnes keys and phone, into a bag which he hid in a laneway.

In June, Nascimento brought a High Court challenge over what he claimed was a refusal by the Minister for Justice Helen McEntee to consider his entitlement to parole.

Stephen Carney jailed for life for the murder of Amanda Jenkins

He claimed he applied for parole on several occasions under the non-statutory Parole Board system, which had been in operation between 2001 and last year.

But his lawyers told the High Court that he remained in custody because since the new Parole Board has been established, the minister has refused to decide on his entitlement to temporary release.

In total this year, 12 life sentence inmates are among the 139 prisoners who will be granted temporary release over the Christmas period.

Gangland murderer Craig White and killer Stephen Carney  who strangled Amanda Jenkins in her Dublin flat in 2007  will get time out of prison this festive period.

White (37), who is currently an inmate in Shelton Abbey Prison, Co Wicklow, has so far served 14 years of a life sentence for the murder of Noel Roche.

He was the getaway driver and the shooting is believed to have been carried out by now deceased gangland assassin Paddy Doyle, who worked for Fat Freddie Thompson.

Meanwhile, Stephen Carney (47) is also due to be let out of Shelton Abbey Prison over Christmas.

Carney was moved to the open prison in 2021.

Craig White

His trial heard that he grabbed Ms Jenkins, whom he had been in a three-and-a-half-year relationship with, and strangled the life out of her after wrongly accusing her of taking some of his cannabis on October 5, 2007.

He was sentenced to life in prison in 2008.

The Irish Prison Service (IPS) said in a statement that many of the prisoners being released are nearing the end of their sentences and the overriding concern when considering the applications is the safety of the public.

In addition to compassionate and humane considerations, other criteria taken into account include the nature and gravity of the offence, length of sentence served to date, prior record on temporary release, behaviour while in custody and previous criminal history, according to the IPS.

The periods of release vary from a few hours up to seven nights. All releases are subject to stringent conditions and any prisoner who breaks these conditions may be arrested and returned immediately to prison by the gardai, the statement continued.

The sensitivities of victims are an issue that has also been taken into account. Additional specific conditions will also apply in relation to victim liaison cases, the IPS said.

Furthermore all registered victims with the Irish Prison Service victim liaison service will be informed in the cases where prisoners are receiving Christmas Temporary Release.
TOKYO, Dec. 23 (Xinhua) -- Amid a burgeoning scandal, the largest faction of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) has been suspected of misusing funds earmarked for political campaigns, local media reported on Saturday.

The largest LDP faction previously led by late Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, is suspected of diverting revenue from fundraising events, specifically sales of fundraising tickets, to support upper house election campaigns for years, the national news agency Kyodo reported citing sources close to the matter.

The faction, which holds a significant presence within the LDP with over a quarter of its lawmakers, is believed to have systematically returned revenue from the sales of fundraising tickets to lawmakers participating in House of Councillors elections.

The income was reportedly not declared in required political funds reports, suggesting an intention to use them as secret funds, said the report.

The Abe faction, namely Seiwaken, or the Seiwa policy study group, was suspected to have pooled secret funds amounting to around 500 million yen (about 3.51 million U.S. dollars) over the past five years.

On Friday, the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office's special investigation squad searched offices of two ruling Liberal Democratic Party factions, including Seiwaken, which was suspected of violating the Political Funds Control Law by failing to report kickbacks allegedly given to offices of lawmakers.

In the wake of the unfolding scandal where five major factions were suspected of paying kickbacks to member lawmakers who sold fundraising party tickets above their quota without recording the amount as revenue in its political fund reports, over 10 senior officials or heavyweight lawmakers have stepped down from their positions in the cabinet of Prime Minister Fumio Kishida or the LDP.

The scandal has pushed the support rate for Kishida's cabinet to a fresh low of 22.3 percent in the latest survey by Kyodo News, signaling that the administration may be in the "danger zone." 
Arakas has given an interview to Estonian TV station Kanal 2 where he claimed Lithuanian police tried to get him to give up the Kinahan cartel

Ireland is seeking the extradition of cartel leader Christy Kinahan and his two sons Daniel and Christy Jr

Hitman-for-hire Imre Arakas has given an interview from behind bars claiming he turned down millions of dollars to become an informer on the Kinahan cartel.

The Estonian, who was sentenced to six years in December 2018, for conspiring with others to murder Hutch ally James Mago Gately in Northern Ireland in 2017, is currently behind bars in Lithuania awaiting trial for murder.

The veteran criminal is facing firearms and conspiracy-related charges in relation to the shooting of Deimantas Bugavicius in November 2015.

But as he awaits trial, Arakas has given an interview to Estonian TV station Kanal 2 where he claimed Lithuanian police tried to get him to give up the Kinahan cartel for a $5m reward.

Ireland is seeking the extradition of cartel leader Christy Kinahan and his two sons Daniel and Christy Jr

This is a strange proposal  its abnormal. They want me to give up the Kinahan clan, he said.

I told them to f**k off. This offer for me is pretty crazy  how would they even make this deal  its impossible.

Of course the sums are big and they also promised me a new identity to go and live in the USA with my family.

I will not make an agreement with the Lithuanian police. A terrifying label has been stuck on me and it has little to do with reality.

He also said serving his sentence in Ireland for the Gately murder plot was like staying in a three star hotel and said prison in Ireland is ok if you were friends with the Kinahans.

Imre Arakas

Despite pleading guilty to the Gately murder plot, he bizarrely claimed he was only in Ireland at the time to go camping.

Everyone thinks I am an international killer but I was in Ireland for camping. Look at the things I had in my bag. I wasnt going to kill anyone.

Arakas also denied in the interview that he was involved in the murder he is accused of in Lithuania.

The murder has been widely covered in Lithuania. Bugavicius was previously linked to one of the country's most famous pop stars, Vita Jakutiene.

According to evidence presented in the case, Arakas travelled to the Lithuanian city of Kaunas along with the two other Estonians and they stayed in an apartment rented by a Lithuanian former boxer Ricardas Baika ahead of the murder of Bugavicius.

James 'Mago' Gately

Police said they found Arakas' fingerprints and DNA during a search of the apartment.

Arakas told authorities at a previous court hearing that he could not explain how his fingerprints and DNA were in the apartment and said he never lived in the apartment.

The court also heard that police found a number of items during a search of Arakas daughters home in Tallinn, Estonia, including masks, camouflage noses, bulletproof vests, camouflage clothes, a rifle searchlight and a map of Lithuania.

When questioned about this in court, Arakas replied: "Lithuanian policemen were very strict, they took a map of Lithuania, things I had for more than 20 years, my son's shoes.

The court also heard that police found a number of items during a search of Arakas daughters home in Tallinn, Estonia, including masks, camouflage noses, bulletproof vests, camouflage clothes, a rifle searchlight and a map of Lithuania.

When questioned about this in court, Arakas replied: "Lithuanian policemen were very strict, they took a map of Lithuania, things I had for more than 20 years, my son's shoes.

As well as the Gately plot, Arakas has previous convictions which include causing deliberate bodily harm, escaping from prison and unlawful handling of firearms.
Both Foley and his wife Sonia were present at Wexford Circuit Court when Foleys case was called on Tuesday.

VETERAN gangster Martin The Viper Foley will remain a free man for Christmas after a last minute issue with the judge led to his sentencing on public order charges being adjourned.

Earlier this year, the 68-year-old pleaded guilty to engaging in threatening and abusive behaviour during an incident in which a heavy for Viper Debt Recovery threatened to slit a mans throat over a 4,000 debt.

The 68-year-old, widely regarded as one of Irelands most notorious gangland criminals, faces a maximum sentence of three months in prison in respect of the offence.

Both Foley and his wife Sonia were present at Wexford Circuit Court when Foleys case was called on Tuesday.

However, defence barrister Grainne Lee informed the court that a last minute issue had arisen that would necessitate the case being put back again.

Martin Foley outside court

Its in relation to the particular composition of the court, she said.

Its in relation to dealings the court may have had in the courts past existence.

Judge Cormac Quinn responded that he could not remember any dealings with Mr. Foley.

The problem is, said Ms. Lee, Mr. Foley recollects them.

She said her client had not been present in court previously when the date was set for sentencing.

Judge Quinn responded that while he did not see any difficulty with his acting as judge in the case, he would put the matter back to another judges list.

After Foley pleaded guilty to engaging in threatening behaviour in July, state prosecutor Sinead Gleeson confirmed the State would not be proceeding with a separate charge against Foley alleging he had made a threat to kill tenant Nigel Doolin on the day of the incident.

Foley was arraigned on a single count that on June 17, 2020 at 20 Holly Walk, Cromwellsfort Grove, Wexford he engaged in threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour with an intent to provoke a breach of the peace or being reckless as to whether such a breach of the peace occurred.

Ms Gleeson told the court that sentencing in the matter would take a relatively short period of time as Foleys co-accused Alan Nulty had already pleaded guilty to making a threat to kill and had been sentenced for that offence.

Nulty was working for Viper Debt Recovery  a company founded by Martin Foley  when on June 17, 2020 he threatened tenant Mr Doolin he would have his throat slit while he walked his dog if he didnt come up with 4,000 in rent arrears.

Nulty uttered the threat, and another that he would get someone to smash your head with a hammer while attempting to collect the debt in rent arrears from Wexford man Doolin.

Nulty dodged a jail sentence over the threats, which carry a maximum sentence of up to 10 years in prison, after the court heard he had no intention of carrying out the threats.

Defending counsel accepted that what happened at Holly Walk was totally unacceptable, describing it as a spectacular once off lapse of judgement.

The judge described the incident at Cromwellsfort as an insidious crime with disturbing aspects to

What Nulty said was delivered in such a way as to make it believable and Doolin was rightly terrified.

It was noted however that no actual violence occurred.

The seriousness of the incident was marked by the recording of a three-year jail term.

However, this sentence was suspended in full once Nulty agreed to raise 5,000 to be offered to the man he attempted to intimidate.

Nicknamed The Viper, Martin Foley has more than 40 convictions for offences including assault, robbery and possession of threatening weapons.

In 2020, he was ordered to pay 738,449 in tax, interest and penalties after losing a Supreme Court appeal against a Criminal Assets Bureau tax bill.
Gacanin, described as one of the worlds most prolific drug dealers by US authorities, was recently sentenced to seven years by a Dutch court for drugs offences

Edin Gacanin was an ally of Daniel Kinahan

THE bodyguard of the head of Kinahan-linked Balkan mob boss, Edin Gacanin, was arrested this week in Bosnia.

Gacanin, described as one of the worlds most prolific drug dealers by US authorities, was recently sentenced to seven years by a Dutch court for drugs offences.

Gacanin was one of the super cartel members at Daniel Kinahans wedding in 2017 at the Burj al Arab hotel in Dubai along with mob-bosses Raffaele Imperiale and Ridouan Taghi.

He was arrested in Dubai last year in relation to the drugs offences in the Netherlands.

It recently emerged that he cut a deal with Dutch prosecutors to waive his right to a trial and was sentenced to seven years.

His bodyguard Dzenis Kadric was arrested by border police in Sarajevo airport on Thursday after flying in from Dubai.

Edina Gacanin

Bosnian media reports that he was previously wanted for violent behaviour.

He had been arrested in August 2022 but later released without charge.

Gacanin was later arrested in November 2022 in Dubai after his extradition was requested by the Netherlands but released some months later when the bid failed.

It recently emerged that secret discussions then started between the Dutch Public Prosecution Service and Gacanins lawyers.

In the deal he waived his right to full trial in return for a reduced sentence and the hearing went ahead on November 1 last.

Gacanin appeared via remote link for the trial.

In March this year Gacanin was described as "one of the worlds most prolific drug traffickers in an announcement by the US Treasurys Office of Foreign Assets Control.

He is the head of a Bosnian-Dutch gang  known as the Tito and Dino cartel  who are involved in smuggling cocaine from South America into Europe.

In the statement at the time by the US authorities, they cited Gacanins ties to the Kinahan Organised Crime Group.

Edin Gacanin was an ally of Daniel Kinahan

"Edin Gacanin (Gacanin) is one of the worlds most prolific drug traffickers, the statement reads.

A native of Sarajevo, Gacanin is the leader of the Tito and Dino Cartel, which includes his family members and his friends from BiH (Bosnia and Herzegovina).

"In addition to narcotics trafficking efforts across multiple countries, Gacanins cartel is involved in money laundering and is closely linked to the Kinahan Organized Crime Group, a Transnational Criminal Organization previously designated by OFAC... for its role as a significant transnational criminal organization.

His arrest in November last year was one of 49 in a multi-national police operation announced by Europol against the gang.
Cops have reportedly found signs of a serious argument including a broken glasses and a speaker, at the location where her family claims she had rejected his proposal

A man who had proposed to his girlfriend has been arrested after she died following a 30m plunge from a romantic Turkish clifftop.

Nizamettin Gursu (39) who had proposed to Yesim Demir at the famous scenic spot at Polente Cape in Canakkale, north-western Turkey, claims that she fell when he briefly turned his back to her.

However, cops have reportedly found signs of a serious argument including a broken glasses and a speaker, at the location where her family claims she had rejected his proposal.

They also say the ring was found in his pocket, not on her finger, when she was brought to hospital.

She had reportedly survived the plunge on the night of July 6, but despite the best efforts of medics, who her fiance had called, attempting to revive her, she died of her injuries in the early hours of the following day.

Gursu had taken his girlfriend to the clifftop with a picnic basket and music box as well as alcohol to celebrate after she accepted his proposal earlier in their holiday

Gursu told local media at the time: We chose the cliffs to have a romantic memory after the proposal. We drank some alcohol. Everything happened at once. She lost her balance and fell down.

Gursu originally told police she had accepted his proposal, and when he left her at the edge of the cliff to grab food and drinks from his car and then heard her scream.

He said he returned to find she had fallen over the ledge.

He has now been arrested after her family filed a criminal complaint.

According to Turkish media reports, the family say the pair had a fight after she rejected his proposal and that her engagement ring was found in his pocket, instead of on her finger.

The family also insisted she had been planning to break up with him, and would not have accepted the proposal, adding that she was afraid Io heights.

They said that graphic designer Yesim suffered from panic attacks and would never have approached a cliff edge voluntarily.

Gursu told cops that they had been drinking when he went to the car to get more supplies and the heard a scream.

But police have reportedly now arrested Gursu on suspicion of deliberate homicide and he remains in custody pending trial.
Sarah Williams (39) who worked at Liverpool's HMP Altcourse, fell into the traps and arms of sophisticated criminals, her lawyer said

A prison officer who became romantically involved with a number of inmates with links to serious organised crime gangs has been jailed in the UK.

Sarah Williams (39) who worked at Liverpool's HMP Altcourse, "fell into the traps and arms of sophisticated criminals", her lawyer said.

Williams (38) of Kingsway, Widnes, was jailed for 18 months at Liverpool Crown Court on Thursday, December 21 after pleading guilty to three counts of Misconduct in Public Office, and one count of causing a computer to perform a function with intent to secure unauthorised access to data.

Williams, who became a prison officer in 2019, also pleaded guilty to causing a computer to perform a function to secure unauthorised access to data or a programme.

The court heard she had inappropriate relationships with three serving prisoners and knew the three men all had mobile phones.

However, instead of reporting this to her bosses, she swapped thousands of texts and calls with them, which included "intimate sexual chat" and images, the court heard.

According to the Liverpool Echo, investigations into Williams started in early 2020 when Altcourse prison received a tip-off that she was involved in relationships with multiple prisoners.

Cell searches were later carried out and mobile phones were recovered, which found Williams had been communicating with inmates.

Forensic examination of the inmates' phones showed more than 12,000 calls and texts with one prisoner, almost 9,500 with another and 1,200 with the third inmate.

The investigation was referred to the North West Regional Organised Crime Unit's anti-corruption department, who arrested Williams at her home on July 8, 2020 for misconduct in a public office.

In sentencing her, Judge Denis Watson, KC, said: "It is not the case this actually led to physical sexual contact between you and any of the three men.

"You compromised your position and everyone else's in terms of safety on the wing and you allowed three inmates with serious organised crime connections effectively unrestricted contact with their criminal associates."

The judge said when Williams's home was searched details of gang members, some of them rivals to the inmates, were found.

She had transferred money to one of them after he was transferred to a prison in Manchester.

Tom Challinor, prosecuting, told the court the inappropriate relationships were discovered during an investigation after the Prison Service's corruption unit received a tip-off.

Williams's lawyer Matthew O'Neill said she was thought to have a personality disorder "which may have impaired her decision making".

She had a diagnosis of bipolar affective disorder, he said.

The court heard one of the three inmates is serving 12 years and 11 months for firearms offences, another had been on remand for a drugs plot and the third inmate also faced firearms offences.

Connor Crawford, who is currently serving a sentence for possessing firearms with intent to endanger life, pleaded guilty to possession of a mobile phone in prison and was jailed on June 8 at Liverpool Crown Court for an additional six months.

Another inmate is due to appear in court next year.

Detective Chief Inspector Chris McClellan from the North-West Regional Organised Crime Unit said: Relationships between prison staff and inmates greatly undermines and destabilises the prison regime. Sarah Williams became romantically involved with these prisoners just a short time after joining the prison service.

"Despite completing her initial training which included corruption prevention inputs, she continuously broke the law by starting multiple relationships with inmates, taking mobiles phones into prison, and for passing sensitive information onto these inmates that she had unlawfully obtained from prison IT systems.
Just before he was arrested again by the NCA in May 2021, he sent a package containing faeces to her home

A teenager from London who engaged in an online campaign of stalking and harassment against female internet users has been sentenced in the UK.

The harassment of two females by 17-year-old, who cannot be named, was became so intense that it led to him being charged with stalking them.

A National Crime Agency investigation revealed that the teen was part of an online community that had worked together to dox - or reveal the real-world identities - of other users.

The teen was identified in early 2021, after he made fraudulent emergency requests for details of a girl living in the US to social media companies.

He had obtained her personal information after illegally gaining access to the email accounts of Brazilian government officials in order to make the requests.

After gathering her information and published it online, he threatened the girl that he would only take it down if she sent him a sexual photo.

When she refused, he worked with others to make several false reports of shootings at her address  also known as swatting  causing local police officers to attend.

He then went on to dig into the personal lives of online rivals and girls he was at school with by making further disclosure requests to social media and technology companies.

The teen was still aged 14 when he was arrested by the NCA at his home in east London in February 2021, at which point officers seized a number of his electronic devices.

Even after he was released on bail with conditions, he continued to offend and again illegally using the email accounts of overseas government officials, this time from Gibraltar and Argentina, to target a female Youtuber.

He spread defamatory misinformation about her after successfully making a number of requests for her personal information, which he later claimed was an attempt to get her fired.

The created a false arrest warrant for her, which he shared with her contacts using a fraudulent Discord account set up in the name of one of the government officials as part of a campaign against this girl.

He worked with others to spam her Twitch (livestreaming) feed with insults and her personal information.

Just before he was arrested again by the NCA in May 2021, he sent a package containing faeces to her home.

He was later interviewed by NCA officers and claimed to have founded an illegal online hacking group, the name of which was found on the package.

Forensic examination of his devices showed that he had control over the Discord, Telegram and government accounts involved in the offending. He had also saved chat logs and videos, which showed his malicious intent towards his targets and the distress they expressed in response.

He was charged and later pleaded guilty to 16 offences, including 11 counts of fraud by false representation and two counts of stalking involving serious alarm/distress.

The teenager was also subsequently investigated by City of London Police for a hacking spree targeting a number of global organisations.

These included telecoms, a computer parts manufacturer and gaming companies, between 2021 and 2022.

This case led to him being found guilty of further fraud offences, as well as blackmail and Computer Misuse Act offences.

He was sentenced on December 21 at Guildford Crown Court to a youth rehabilitation order with 18-months intensive supervision and surveillance.

The judge described the NCA case as dealing with serious crimes targeting individuals in a deeply unpleasant and frightening pattern of stalking and harassment.

Jamie Horncastle, from the NCAs National Cyber Crime Unit, said this was is a technically skilled teenager who chose to use those talents to break the law over and over again, bringing fear and distress to the young girls he targeted.

This case is a prime example of online offending, which in many young peoples minds may appear as harmless fun, but has significant and damaging real world consequences.

He now, rightly so, has a criminal record which will serious impact his future.

The Cyber Choices programme, coordinated by the NCA, works to prevent young people from crossing the line into breaking the law online. It aims to educate young people on what constitutes as illegal cyber activity, and guides them into using their skills in a legal and productive way.
The three men including the 29-year-old Scottish skipper have all been taken to Martinique to face criminal charges

The operation took place in the mid-Atlantic

Three men have been arrested after 40 bales of cocaine weighing around 1.2 tonnes was seized from a yacht in the middle of the Atlantic.

The three men including the 29-year-old Scottish skipper have all been taken to Martinique to face criminal charges.

National Crime Agency (NCA) officers working with counterparts in France and Spain as part of an international operation against drug trafficking, targeted a crime group suspected of shipping cocaine to Europe.

This led to the interception of a Spanish-registered yacht around 1,200 miles east of Martinique by a French navy frigate on December 18

Officers boarded the yacht and recovered around 40 bales of cocaine weighing around 1.2 tonnes, which would have had a UK estimated street value of around 96 million once adulterated.

A further people suspected of involvement in the shipment were arrested following the interception by Spanish authorities in Marbella and Valencia.

They included a 62-year-old British national, originally from Lincolnshire but now resident in Spain, and his 24-year-old son. They were detained by the Policia Nacional as they sat down at a restaurant in Marbella on 19 December. All five remain in custody as investigations continue.

The operation saw officers from the NCAs international network working alongside the Spanish Policia Nacional, French customs (DNRED), the French Navy and the Maritime Analysis and Operations Centre Narcotics (MAOC-N) in Lisbon.

The NCAs International Liaison Officer in Madrid, Paul Owen, said the multi-national operation has seen a huge consignment of cocaine prevented from reaching Europe, and huge profits denied to organised criminals.

I have no doubt that some of these drugs were destined for the UK, he said.

Tackling these global networks requires international law enforcement co-operation, and Im grateful to our partners in France, Spain, the Caribbean and MAOC-N for their assistance.

Working together we are determined to do all we can to target, disrupt and dismantle drug trafficking groups, and prevent them from fuelling violence, intimidation and decay in UK communities.
A technical and forensic examination of the scene has been completed and enquires are ongoing

Footage of a blaze at a Galway hotel due to house asylum seekers as gardai investigate criminal damage incident

Gardai investigating a suspected arson attack on the disused Ross Lake House Hotel in Rosscahill in Galway earlier this month have issued a fresh appeal for witnesses to come forward.

The hotel was severely damaged over the weekend of Saturday, December 16, prompting a political reaction after it emerged that the Department of Integration had said it planned to use house 70 international protection applicants there.

Gardai say they are continuing to actively investigate an incident of suspected arson that resulted in significant damage to a premises in Rosscahill, Co Galway on Saturday, December 16.

The incident happened at around 11.35pm that evening, gardai said.

There was no individuals inside the building when the incident occurred.

A technical and forensic examination of the scene has been completed and enquires are ongoing.

The investigation team is appealing for anyone who may have information regarding this incident to contact them.

In particular, members of the community in the Roscahill, Outhterard and surrounding areas who may be able to assist Gardai is asked to come forward.

Close-up video of the blaze had been shared on social media by accounts supportive of Irelands far right.

It later emerged that Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration, and Youth Roderic OGorman who called the news deeply disturbing said a briefing proposal was emailed to the Garda on Friday afternoon on the plan to use the disused hotel in Rosscahill to house the international protection applicants.

The proposal triggered a protest and blockade by locals on Saturday and later that night the property was badly damaged in a suspected arson attack.

It is understood the privately owned hotel has been disused for some time.

"Politicians across the board should condemn this disgraceful act and the fear mongering that led to it, Minister OGorman wrote on social media.

However, last week Commissioner Drew Harris told a meeting of the Policing Authority in Dublin that gardai had not received official notification about the accommodation plan and had to rely on local sources to find out what was proposed.

Mr OGorman has insisted established protocols for informing the gardai were followed.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said while gardai were notified, it appeared the information had not been passed on to the right people on the ground. Mr Varadkar suggested more of a belt and braces approach to communicating such plans may be required.

Some Fianna Fail councillors in Galway also received criticism for comments made after the fire in Ross Lake House hotel.

Councillor Noel Thomas said Ireland can no longer accommodate international protection applicants as the inn is full.

Speaking to Morning Ireland on RTE Radio One, coalition party politician Noel Thomas said the blockade was attended by people from the locality who all condemn the fire at the hotel.

Youve got to understand the strong links that hotel has got with the community there and everybody there were completely disheartened and gutted when they heard it had burnt down.

He said it held fond memories for people in the surrounding area and that everybody was gutted, even yesterday talking to people.

Theyre disgusted with what happened to that hotel and nobody, nobody condones what happened there.

He said those attending the blockade were concerned about the possibility of 70 male migrants being brought in to stay in a hotel as the location is remote and in complete isolation.

Mr Thomas said it would instil a certain amount of fear in people, adding: Its the fear of the unknown. Nobody knows.

He told how people in the area are happy to let their children out to play and leave their doors open, saying: What theyre afraid of is that there may be some antisocial behaviour coming from a group of young men being isolated in an area like this.

There is no evidence in the conjunction with the particular people that may have been brought into that area, he said.

I cannot say exactly what these people are going to be doing, but the fear is there no matter what.

Like, what we have now in this country at the moment, we have a situation here where we are bringing more and more people in here, we have no place for them to stay, were putting them into hotels, were putting them into B&Bs, were putting them into rooms in houses, that is not proper accommodation for people and its actually causing a lot of upset in a lot of communities.

We really have to start realising that the inn is full.

Cllr Thomas later said he had not been contacted by any Fianna Fail representative regarding disciplinary action over his comments.

Councillor Seamus Walsh also said government policies were in some way responsible for the fire.

The comments were referred to the partys rules and procedures committee after Tanaiste Micheal Martin had a heated phone call with Cllr Thomas.

Mr Martin said the two councillors had not struck the right tone on the burning down of the hotel.

The councillors comments were also criticised by Taoiseach Leo Varadkar.

Another Fianna Fail councillor later defied party and Government policy by saying people who buy buildings and rent them as refugee accommodation are worse than the English landlords of decades ago.

William OLeary was speaking at a protest about plans for asylum seekers to move into a B&B in Fermoy Co Cork.

Cllr Thomas told RTEs Morning Ireland: Micheal Martin is entitled to give his opinion on it, but lets just make one thing very clear.

In two days, I have had zero contact from Fianna Fail regarding any disciplinary action being taken against me.

And the only source of information Im hearing about this has come from the media, he said.

Cllr Thomas said he still doesnt know whether he is being investigated by Fianna Fail.

I had been told by the media I am but haven't been told by anybody else, he said.

He added he had a long conversation with Tanaiste Micheal Martin on Sunday evening.

I stated Im not happy with what Micheal Martin is doing to this country at the moment, and he stated he was not happy with what I was saying in relation to that.

The only situation where I can imagine that it may be okay to cram people into a hotel or some other building would be where the hotel is located in an urban setting to get all the services within walking distance.

And even at that, the only type of aid accommodation should be a very temporary solution.

"That should only be used for a couple of weeks max until proper, humane accommodation can be provided in a way that can integrate people into their new communities.

If this was a 10-year consultation period, it would still be wrong to cram four people into a room together in a remote building, like the Ross Lake Hotel.

I say the inn is full because of irresponsible, open border policies that this government have had in place, he said.

He added that he hopes to stay in the Fianna Fail party. I think I am much more entitled to my place in the Fianna Fail party than Micheal Martin is, he said.

An internal Fianna Fail committee will decide on sanctions for two Galway party councillors over their opposition to a proposed asylum centre.

Speaking yesterday the Tanaiste said the number of people seeking international protection here will continue to grow.

He said Irish immigration policies very much reflect our international obligations, in terms being members of European Union, and more broadly in terms of international agreements and frameworks.

Mr Martin said Ireland is currently accepting around 15,000 asylum seekers per year compared to around 3,500 per year in 2019.

There are no easy answers to this. I do accept the point that there are growing concerns, he said.

"There is a broader concern and people are worried about capacity and so on. But we have to be very clear about the fundamental principles and the philosophy.

Nobody can take the law into their own hands. Blockading is wrong. Physically destroying buildings is a crime. We need as a society to maintain our cohesion and balance.

Im concerned about the level of misinformation, quite frankly, that is out there and we have a duty, as do the media by the way, in ensuring that were all informed and that we can push back against misinformation myths when they arise.
THE Press Council of Ireland has overturned a decision of the Press Ombudsman not to uphold a complaint by Headline that the Sundayworld.com breached Principle 10 (Reporting of Suicide) of the Press Councils Code of Practice.

Press Ombudsmans Decision

On 25 August 2023 the Press Ombudsman decided not to uphold a complaint made by Headline, the national media programme for responsible reporting and representation of mental ill health and suicide, that Sundayworld.com breached Principle 10 (Reporting of Suicide) of the Code of Practice of the Press Council of Ireland in an article published in May 2023 in its Irish news section.

The article is a report on an inquest into the deaths of a man, his partner and their adult son in 2021, at which the Coroner returned a verdict that the man died by suicide, while the woman and the young man were unlawfully killed.

Principle 10 of the Code of Practice states that in the reporting of suicide, excessive detail of the means of suicide should be avoided.

In its complaint to the Press Ombudsman, Headline stated that the newspaper had included such excessive detail in its report. It highlighted what it saw as instances of this: the publication had specified the part of the mans body into which he had fired the shot which killed him and had described the physical impact of the shot. It also identified the weapon as a particular type of gun. Headline said its concern was the risk of copycat suicides.

In its complaint, Headline stated that it had asked the publication to remove these details, but that the editor had declined. Headline gave examples of how other publications had covered the same inquest without, as it saw it, breaching Principle 10 of the Code. It said it did not wish to be excessively dogmatic nor to obstruct what the editor had, in correspondence, referred to as the constitutional imperative to report on matters before public inquiries.

In response, the editor of Sundayworld.com denied breaching the Code of Practice. He reiterated that Bunreacht na hEireann required that justice be administered in public and stated that this created an imperative for the media to act as the eyes and ears of the public. He said he did not accept that Principle 10 of the Code operated in such a way as to infringe the constitutional right to report freely on court proceedings. He said if it was 2 interpreted in such a way as to censor information arising from public inquiries such as inquests, this would set a dangerous precedent.

The editor said the Sundayworld.com article had provided the same level of detail in relation to each of the three deaths, in the sequence in which the Coroner had requested the evidence to be presented. He said the passages on the suicide must be read in context and it would be unjust to reduce the level of detail that could be provided on the suicide evidence as compared to the two unlawful killings.

He said none of the extracts identified by Headline represented excessive detail and could not be considered to pose a serious contagion risk, when compared with other information to which the organisation had, in his view correctly, not objected.

Decision

The Press Ombudsman finds that while the complaint from Headline concerns solely Principle 10 of the Code and is about the reporting of suicide, the fact that the article concerned is a contemporaneous court report is of crucial importance.

Reporting on court cases is in the public interest, and the constitutional requirement that justice be administered in public creates a right to report that cannot be restricted.

However, membership of the Press Council, which is entered into voluntarily, also requires of editors that in doing so, they strive to uphold the Principles of the Code of Practice.

This may on occasion lead them to choose to qualify their right to report, in full, evidence heard during judicial proceedings. In this case, Sundayworld.com had to strive to balance the demands of Principle 7, which requires that court reports be fair and accurate, and Principle 10, the subject of the complaint from Headline, which requires it to avoid giving excessive detail of the means of suicide.

The Press Ombudsman considers it relevant that the evidence reported on in this case concerns not suicide alone but what is increasingly referred to as familicide, a relatively new term which is referred to within the article, and which is certainly a complex phenomenon in which the public has a legitimate interest in receiving information. The editor states that the report provides the same level of detail in relation to each death, in the sequence in which the Coroner requested the evidence be presented, and that it would have been unjust to do otherwise.

The Press Ombudsman accepts that the editor has acted in the public interest in taking this approach. The Press Ombudsman finds that in this case, Principle 10 of the Code was not breached.

Appeal to Press Council of Ireland

Headline appealed the Press Ombudsmans decision to the Press Council on the grounds that there had been an error in her application of the Principles of the Code of Practice.

Headline based its appeal on three grounds:

that the Press Ombudsman failed to recognise that other (named) publications had balanced the requirements of Principle 7 and Principle 10 of the Code of Practice;

that the Press Ombudsman incorrectly apportioned a higher value to one Principle of the Code over another;

that while the report was a matter of legitimate public interest, excessive detail of how the perpetrator killed himself was not, regardless of whether the suicide happened in the context of a murder-suicide or not.

The editor of Sundayworld.com responded that each of the three grounds represented a disagreement with the Press Ombudsmans decision, and not errors in the application of the Code of Practice.

Press Councils Decision

The Press Council considered the appeal at its meeting on Wednesday, 4 October 2023.

It noted that the article was a fair and balanced report of an inquest conducted in the Coroners Court (and not a news story), and that the editor had the full right to publish it. It also noted, however, that the Press Ombudsman had pointed out that upholding the Principles of the (voluntary) Code of Practice may on occasion lead editors to choose to qualify their right to report, in full, evidence heard during judicial proceedings.

The Press Council decided that coverage of the story by other publications was not relevant, and that the Press Ombudsman did not apportion a higher value to one Principle of the Code than another. It therefore rejected both these grounds of appeal.

However, the Press Council upheld the appeal on the grounds that Principle 10 of the Code of Practice does not distinguish between different situations in which suicide may occur, and that the article did in fact contain excessive detail of the means of suicide, in breach of Principle 10
This is the second time that a customer at the local SuperValu store has won the EuroMillions Plus top prize after another player won the same 500,000 prize in May 2013

A lucky EuroMillions player in Co Cork has kicked off their festive celebrations after scooping 500,000 in Friday nights draw.

The winning numbers in last nights EuroMillions Plus draw were: 04, 15, 29, 32, 36.

The Rebel County player became the biggest EuroMillions winner in Ireland on the night after purchasing their Quick Pick ticket on the day of the draw at OKeeffes SuperValu in Millstreet in Co. Cork.

This is the second time that a customer at the local SuperValu store has won the EuroMillions Plus top prize after another player won the same 500,000 prize in May 2013.

The Cork winner, who now has a ticket worth an incredible 500,000, is advised to sign the back of their ticket and keep it safe.

They should make contact with the National Lottery Prize Claims team on 1800 666 222 or email claims@lottery.ie and arrangements will be made for them to claim their top prize amount.

There was one winner of last nights EuroMillions jackpot worth over 55 million. The winning ticket was sold in Portugal.

Meanwhile, tonights Lotto draw will include a Guaranteed to be won 1 million Lotto Plus Raffle prize.

Each of the tickets with the winning Lotto Plus Raffle number drawn in Saturday nights draw will be entered into a once-off random draw where one ticket will be selected to win an additional prize of 1 million.
ATHENS, Dec. 22 (Xinhua) -- Greek authorities rescued 81 people in international waters in the Mediterranean Sea, Greek national broadcaster ERT reported on Friday. No missing or casualties were reported.

The French-flagged freighter vessel, was stranded in an area some 120 nautical miles from Greece's coasts.

The 81 people, who were on board the ship, were transferred to Kalamata port city of the Peloponnese peninsula in southern Greece.

An Italy-bound overloaded vessel sank last summer in international waters off the Peloponnese peninsula in a similar case. Greece's Coast Guard rescued 104 people and recovered 82 bodies.

Since the start of the refugee migration crisis in 2015, more than a million people have reached Greece, most of whom continued the journey to other European countries.

The Council of the European Union and the European Parliament on Wednesday reached a provisional agreement that is expected to thoroughly reform the bloc's asylum and migration policy, breaking years of deadlock on the issue. 
She told a court how she had to endure decades of family functions alongside the man while living with a secret.

A young woman has told of her relief that she doesn't have to invite her abuser to her wedding after he was jailed for a series of horrific attacks on her when she was a child.

The woman, who is now in her 30s, gave a heart-wrenching account of her life since being abused on a number of occasions by her uncle in the 1990s.

She told a court how she had to endure decades of family functions alongside the man while living with a secret.

The girl was just five years old when she was abused by the man in a caravan in Co Donegal.

Graphic details of the attack were read out when the man appeared by videolink Donegal Circuit Court from his prison in Northern Ireland where he pleaded guilty to a single charge of indecent assault.

The man is already serving a seven-year sentence for three cases of indecent assault against the girl.

His arrest came after he walked into a police station in Northern Ireland and told of his abuse against the then little girl.

Detective Garda Joe English said the woman told how she remembered being abused by the man in a caravan in Donegal when she was aged 4 or 5.

The man was interviewed by Gardai on May 27th, 2020 when a number of questions were put to him but he did not make any comment until the end of the interview.

At this point he opened up and said "I'm very sorry and I take full responsibility."

The accused said he had been "looking over my shoulder for the past 28 years" and that nobody knew how sorry he was for causing the pain he did.

He appeared in the local district court on May 17th, 2021 on a sign plea to the single charge of indecent assault.

The accused, who is in his 60s, had no previous convictions of any kind before the charges for these offences.

In the woman's victim impact statement she wrote how she had to look her abuser in the face at every family event and how he ensured he was standing beside her so others could see him talking to her.

She said that for so many years she was denied the truth believing her family had known what had happened to her when she was a child.

She believed the man robbed her of her childhood saying she stayed indoors and played computer games.

After going to college and beginning to move forward, the woman said she was still haunted by her abuser and would often wonder if he treated other young family members as he had her.

For 20 years she had to read his name on birthday cards sent to her.

She recalled being at family functions and "not being able to take my eyes off him" for fear he was doing the same to other children.

Despite suffering from post traumatic stress disorder and getting counselling, the woman said she refused to take medication as she felt it would affect her work.

The woman said she will hand her torment over to somebody else.

"I survived - now the truth is out you have God to face. I wouldn't want another person suffering like I did.

"It is now in the hands of the court and God now. I can say I forgive you but I can never forgive the torment you did to me and my family. I'll put this into a box again and hand it over to God." The accused man was given the chance to apologise to his victim by videolink.

He said: "I am so sorry and if I had known they wanted me to come forward I would have done so by now. I'm sorry and heartfully sorry for the pain and anguish that I put you and your mammy and family through. I hope in time you can forgive me."

There were loud sobs from the victim and her family as the man apologised.

Barrister for the accused, Mr Colm Smyth SC, said his client had shown full remorse, had accepted full responsibility and that there had been a "blanket admission" to his offence.

He also suggested to the court that there may be some issues with the accused man's "license" once he is released from prison in Northern Ireland which will have to be examined.

Barrister for the State, Mr Donal Keane, said that although the man had been jailed for seven years in Northern Ireland for three similar offences against his victim, he would be entitled to up to 50% remission meaning he could be released this time next year.

Judge John Aylmer said that it was an "unusual situation" in that he had no way to give the accused credit for the time he served in prison in Northern Ireland.

He said there will have to be "a handover" when the accused is released from prison in Northern Ireland so he can serve time for the sentence committed in Donegal.

He said he had a sentence of two years in mind as a starting point of two years but because of his remorse, his full admissions and the fact that he handed himself in on the charges, he proposed reducing that sentence to one of sixteen months.

He said he wanted to give the man's counsel time to investigate the issues surrounding the man's license once released from prison in Northern Ireland and reserved the right to review everything he has said.

"That's all subject to review on what the position is in Northern Ireland," added Judge Aylmer saying the case would have to be adjourned until January 23rd next when he will then make his final order.
The woman told New York judge Loretta Preska that she lives in a culturally conservative country outside the US and fears that being identified would lead to threats against her life, according to court records.

Jeffrey Epstein standing in front of one of his private planes. Photo: US Department of Justice

A woman connected to Jeffrey Epstein has claimed she faces risks of physical harm if she is identified, as 170 associates of the late sex trafficker are due to be named in the new year.

The woman told New York judge Loretta Preska that she lives in a culturally conservative country outside the US and fears that being identified would lead to threats against her life, according to court records.

The woman, identified in court documents as Doe 107, was asked by Judge Preska in October to provide an affidavit backing up her claims that her life was at risk and to provide any hate mail she had received.

This week, her lawyer Richard Levitt asked the judge for an extra 30 days to provide the evidence requested, and sought clarification on what records related to his client would be released as part of the upcoming release of information.

The identities of scores of individuals due for release are contained in a defamation lawsuit brought by Virginia Giuffre against convicted child trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell.

Ms Giuffre filed the defamation case in 2015 after Maxwell called her a liar over her claims that she had been sexually abused as a minor.

The Miami Herald  whose investigation into Jeffrey Epstein led to his arrest in 2019  then sued for the release of all documents related to the lawsuit.

On Monday, Judge Preska issued a 51-page ruling ordering the names of Epsteins associates to be unsealed in full.

The federal judge also ordered that several of Epstein victims named in the documents should remain anonymous.

The judge said releasing their identities would disclose sensitive information regarding an alleged minor victim of sexual abuse who has not spoken publicly.

Judge Preska gave the John and Jane Does 14 days to respond before materials connected to the now-settled civil case are released in the new year.

Ms Giuffre welcomed the release, writing on X, formerly Twitter: Theres going to be a lot of nervous people over Christmas and New Years, 170 to be exact, whos on the naughty list?

The defamation case was settled in 2017 and placed under a protective seal. It formed part of a criminal investigation that led to Maxwell being convicted of child sex trafficking in December 2021 and sentenced to 20 years in prison.

Maxwells attorneys had fought for the names to remain private, before lifting their objection in early 2022.

The batch of documents will shed more light on Epsteins decades-long sex trafficking and abuse network, and is likely to include emails, depositions and other legal documents.

Epstein killed himself in a New York jail cell while awaiting trial for sex trafficking charges in 2019.

Since then, his estate has been embroiled in lawsuits with JP Morgan, the US Virgin Islands and dozens of victims. ( The Independent)
Waihi Beach heads into it's third summer season of proudly offering inclusive beach access and facilities; and is in planning to build a high-needs accessible change room.

In 2021 the Waihi Beach community banded together and with the financial support of businesses and residents, sourced accessible beach matting allowing persons in wheelchairs and with mobility issues safe and sturdy access to the beach.

At this time, two beach wheelchairs were also donated to the community by LJ Hooker Waihi Beach and a local resident adding to the overall experience of being able to access the beach and enter the water in the beach wheelchairs.

These accessible options were immediately embraced by locals and visitors, with many people stating they hadnt been on the sand for years before the beach mats were installed.

In addition, Goldfields School from Paeroa have used the mats and wheelchairs on their annual beach day; and Parafed BOP and Parafed Waikato have held their adaptive surf days at Waihi Beach due to the new facilities on offer.

Waihi Lifecare has also taken trips to the beach with people in their care accessing the mats with their mobility walkers and placed their deck chairs on the mats to enjoy the view!

In 2022, an accessible water station and picnic table were placed near the entrance of the beach mats offering more inclusive facilities to ensure every member of the community could enjoy a great day out at the beach.

The beach mats are maintained by a group of passionate locals who monitor the tides and ensure the mats are taken in, if big swell or tides occur.

The local Mayor View Fire Brigade also supports with hosing down the mats and clearing them of sand.

Terry ONiell accessing Waihi Beach via the accessible beach mats. Photo supplied.

The Lifeguard Services Club pitches in with helping transporting and storing the mats and equipment  it is a true community effort!

But Waihi Beach is not stopping there  they are looking to develop a high-needs accessible change room to complement the accessible facilities.

Our vision is to offer as full a beach experience as possible for people with mobility issues and other disabilities, who require a safe and functional space to get ready for the beach and to shower and get dressed after their beach day out.

The lack of these facilities often deters individuals and families from spending more time at beach, says local accessibility champion and driver of these initiatives Dave MacCalman.

Live Well Waihi Beach is working with the Waihi Beach Lifeguard Services to develop this high-needs change room that will house a ceiling hoist (allowing safe wheelchair transfer); adjustable change table; showering and heating functions to allow persons who need extra care to get ready for the beach in a dignified manner and in a safe space.

They hope to have this completed by the end of 2024.

With strong community support and a collective vision of ensuring Waihi Beach can be enjoyed by everybody  watch this space as Waihi Beach looks to establish itself as New Zealands most accessible beach!
If you are enjoying our freedom camping spots in the Western Bay these holidays, keep an eye out for council's friendly Summer Ambassadors.

You might even score yourself a free drink bottle!

Council's Summer Ambassadors for this year are Jett Groshinski, Jerami Macdonald, Julian Scnippering and Monica Marescalchi  and they are now out and about, travelling around our 46 freedom camping spots to provide support and advice.

They will also be gathering information to help us plan ahead, so campers can have an even more enjoyable experience next year.

Those who take part in council's survey will be gifted a small token of thanks, a sustainable, stainless steel drink bottle to help keep them hydrated during their stay.

Holidays are all about making memories.

We want our freedom campers to feel welcome, and to have all the information they need to make the most of their stay in our beautiful District, says Councils compliance and monitoring manager, Dougal Elvin.

Our ambassadors will also be reminding people about changes in legislation, so they can do the right thing and continue to have a positive freedom camping experience.

Since last summer, fines for illegal activity, such as camping in prohibited areas, have doubled to $800.

And, within the next two years, all freedom camping vehicles will have to have self-contained toilets which are plumbed into the vehicle.

The teams of two will also be traversing our beaches to make sure four-legged friends are following the beach rules during the summer period, and they'll be on streets around the District to answer any questions about nearest facilities.

The ambassadors are there to provide advice on local amenities, while also guiding, educating and advising people on how to comply with the rules, says Dougal.

Jett Groshinski, an Arts and Commerce student at the University of Otago, applied for a Summer Ambassador role after a gap year of travelling around New Zealand in a camper van.

I love developing relationships with people in the community and am really enjoying meeting a range of different people.

Having stayed at various freedom camping spots around the country, I can really relate to what information is useful, says Jett.

Jerami Macdonald, who has just finished his first year at Wintec in Hamilton, studying quantity surveying, is also enjoying getting out and about and meeting visitors from different parts of New Zealand, and overseas.

My girlfriends sister was one of the first ever people to do this job, and it sounded really interesting.

I like talking to people and getting to know their stories.

My mum is French, and Im fluent in the language, which has surprised some of the campers! says Jerami.

This is the fourth year Council has employed ambassadors.

These roles align with the national promotion The Tiaki Promise which aims to protect nature, keep Aotearoa New Zealand clean, drive carefully, be prepared, and show respect.

We were looking for people with an easy-going nature, an interest in the outdoors and the ability to engage easily with people  but above all, we were seeking individuals who wanted to make a positive difference in the community, says Dougal.

Our Summer Ambassadors for 2023-24 are all these things, so if you see them out and about and you need some help, hit them up!
Its a Christmas miracle for the newly repaired Tauranga-based medical aid ship MV YWAM Koha, which is due to sail back into Tauranga waters on Christmas Eve.

Last month, the vessel became stranded in Lautoka, Fiji, needing urgent and expensive repairs, with cyclone season due.

The ship and its crew of volunteers were providing much needed medical aid to isolated communities in Fiji when an issue with a bearing in the tailshaft was discovered in November.

Urgent repairs had to be undertaken following discovery of an issue with the tail shaft. Photo: Supplied.

The YWAM Koha, which has two dental clinics on board, needed to be urgently dry docked and repaired, leaving the organisation with a $300,000 bill.

Youth with a Mission Ships NZ appealed for help to save the ship.

As cyclone season quickly approached, supporters got behind the campaign to raise the funds needed. Platinum partner Trinity Lands matched every donation, giving a total of $100,000, and the ship was able to go into drydock in Fiji for the repairs.

The hope was that the ship with crew aboard would be home for Christmas.

Urgent repairs had to be undertaken following discovery of an issue with the tail shaft. Photo: Supplied.

The drydock and repair work was successful, says YWAM Ships Managing Director, Marty Emmett.

She returned back to the water on Friday, [December 15]. And then passed a sea trial on Saturday.

Urgent repairs had to be undertaken following discovery of an issue with the tail shaft. Photo: Supplied.

The YWAM KOHA departed Fiji late Monday night, December 18, around 10.30pm NZT.

Due to several miracles, we finally had a full complement of crew on board. The last position was filled 90 minutes before the ship departed the port of Lautoka.

The Koha will come in either on the high tide, around 5.30am [on Sunday, December 24], or on the low tide at 11am, says YWAM Ships Aotearoa technical director Tony Fish.

[A] 10am arrival back at Vessel Works wharf tomorrow [Sunday, December 24] is still the ETA, says YWAM Ships Managing Director, Marty Emmett, but its dependent on ship movements at the port when the ship arrives in the morning as to the exact arrival time.

The MV YWAM Koha in dry dock in Fiji. Photo: Supplied.

The MV YWAM KOHA arrived in Suva, Fiji, after leaving Tauranga on its second voyage to Fiji on May 12, following months of preparation.

With the 2023 theme being Go Again Better', the aim of the team was to accomplish even more than their last visit in 2022.

Urgent repairs had to be undertaken following discovery of an issue with the tail shaft. Photo: Supplied.

As we look back at the year that was, we are filled with gratitude, says Marty, on a recent Facebook update.

We set out with the goal to go again better and we, through the partnership of 150+ volunteers and countless generous donors, have delivered.

He says this last year they saw 1,213 in Fiji given health services, and 3,891 given dental, optometry, or general medical care.

While we celebrate these numbers, we dont do it for statistics, we do it for the individuals that we see, meet, and care for that get transformation.

Tauranga supporters keen to watch the ship come in to port from the base of Mauao or from the Tauranga Harbour Bridge can keep an eye on the vessels Facebook page for updates on the arrival time.

The YWAM Koha will go to its usual berth at Vessel Works by the Tauranga harbour bridge, following which NZ Customs and MPI will visit the ship to clear it.

Truly a Christmas miracle, says Marty.

To support the work of the MV YWAM Koha by either volunteering or donating go to www.ywamshipsaotearoa.org.nz
Two helicopters, nine fire trucks and 24 crew are battling a forestry fire on Matakana Island near Tauranga in the Bay of Plenty this morning.

Fire and Emergency New Zealand was alerted to the fire at 7.36pm on Saturday evening.

Acting Shift Manager Ryan Geen says the fire is now burning over approximately 20 hectares of forestry and slash.

"The fire is sporadic throughout the 20 hectares, and we have heavy machinery working on it," says Ryan.

The barge and Omokoroa wharf with Matakana Island and the fire in the distance on Saturday night. Photo: Chris Dever.

On Saturday night, Fire and Emergency Shift Manager Garreth Lewis said the fire in south Matakana was "approximately 300 metres by 300 metres and its very visible from the mainland".

The fire on Matakana Island early on Sunday morning, seen from Mauao. Photo: Claire Rogers.

Crews Matakana Island and Greerton brigades monitored the fire overnight and this morning firefighting crews from the Tauranga area travelled to the island by barge.

SunLive readers watching from Beach Road in Matua around 1.30am on Sunday morning report that the fire was 'still growing and burning strong".

A photo taken from Beach Rd, Matua around 1.30am on Sunday morning shows the fire on Matakana Island still growing and burning strong. Photo: Cameron Avery.

No houses are at risk, and no one has been evacuated.

People are also being asked to stay away from the area.

The fire on Matakana Island, seen from Matua around dusk on Saturday. Photo: Josh Kelly.

The large fire plume was seen from across Tauranga, with SunLive readers in Pahoia, Matua and Maungatapu on Saturday night.

On Sunday morning, Matua residents woke to find ash and the smell of smoke around their properties.

Ash on a car in Matua on Sunday morning. Photo: Cameron Avery.

MetService is forecasting some light morning rain for the day ahead, then a few showers from around midday, possibly heavy. There is a low northerly breeze flowing across the Tauranga harbour this morning.

It is nearly three years to the day since a large fire broke out on Matakana Island on December 13, 2020.

FENZ says there will be a further update around noon today.

At the scene?

Phone 0800SUNLIVE or email newsroom@thesun.co.nz
Jennie Rhodes Nerja Saturday, 23 December 2023, 19:32 Compartir Copiar enlace

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More than 50 current and former members of 41 Club Nerja got together for a Christmas reunion event in the spa town of Harrogate in Yorkshire, over the long Spanish holiday from 6 to 8 December.

41 Club Nerja chairman, Brian Karet who lives in Nerja permanently, was one of the 10 people who flew to the UK specially for the occasion. He travelled with his wife Lesley for the gala dinner on the evening of 7 December at the Sky Bar restaurant which forms part of the towns well-known Yorkshire Hotel.

The clubs publicity officer Steve Ryan explained to SUR in English that the regular reunion originally started seven years ago as a way of bringing people together. He said, Many of our older or retired and some founder members are of an age that they have either moved permanently back to the UK or find it possible to get out to Spain only rarely.

Steve went on to say that the event moves around and this year it was organised by some of the current members of 41 Club Nerja who have homes in Harrogate as well as in and around Nerja. He added, It's great to see old friends with lots of shared stories of their times in 41 Club Nerja coming together.

The group also did a walking tour of Harrogate's historic sights, a private tour of Ripley Castle and a visit to the Ripley Gin Factory. Brian Karet said, It was so amazing to be able to bring together this wonderful group who, over so many years, have done such a huge amount to support the community and the lovely people of Nerja.

Presentations were made during the gala dinner. SUR

Nerja's international 41 Club welcomes former members of Round Table from around the world and raises money for local charities through a programme of events and activities.
Isabel Mendez Malaga Saturday, 23 December 2023, 20:34 | Updated 20:39h. Compartir Copiar enlace

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The retail sector in Spain makes an important push every year in December, when many shopping centres and department stores open every Sunday to facilitate Christmas shopping. However, because Christmas Eve falls on a Sunday this year, the regular opening hours will change and some supermarkets that are usually closed will also be open for any last minute unforeseen needs.

Supermarket opening hours

Mercadona

The Valencian supermarket chain does not usually open on public holidays or Sundays, but on Christmas Eve it will make an exception and will open its stores from nine in the morning until three in the afternoon, the same as on New Year's Eve. However, on 25 December and 1 and 6 January, the doors will be closed.

Carrefour

The French company has different types of Carrefour shops, Express, Market and different opening hours, but on Christmas Eve its hypermarket in Malaga city will close at eight o'clock in the evening (although in some regions the closing time is earlier at seven o'clock).

Lidl

The German supermarket chain will also change its opening hours for the next two Sundays, so that on both the 24th and the 31st December they will be open from 10am to 3pm.

Aldi

From 10am to 3pm will also be Aldi's opening hours on both Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve.

Dia

Dia supermarkets will also be open to the public on Sundays 24 and 31 December with public holiday opening hours, so you can shop from ten in the morning to three in the afternoon.

Some shopping centres and department stores will also change their opening hours this Sunday and close earlier. For example, El Corte Ingles will be open to the public from ten in the morning to eight in the evening, instead of closing at ten o'clock like the rest of the year.
PRAGUE, Dec. 22 (Xinhua) -- More than two decades after Western Balkan countries embarked on their journey of accession to the European Union (EU), their progress remains slow.

"We -- and I include here Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), Montenegro, North Macedonia and Albania -- remain as a kind of hole in the middle of the EU. Because only when you leave Serbia do you see that there are no more borders in the EU, and that we are the ones who are surrounded by walls," Slobodan, a 52-year-old resident of Serbia's capital Belgrade, said.

"I would like my country to join (the EU), but I am skeptical that it will happen soon," he said, lamenting the bloc's lack of political will to expand and the lengthy waiting time.

ENLARGEMENT STAGNATION

Starting with six founding members in 1951, the EU has witnessed several rounds of enlargement, multiplying its membership nearly five times to become the current 27-member club. It officially declared the Western Balkan states potential candidates for membership in June 2003 following the EU-Western Balkans summit in Thessaloniki, Greece. However, no country has joined the bloc since 2013, when Croatia joined.

EU enlargement is the process whereby states join the bloc after they have fulfilled a set of political and economic conditions. Currently, nine countries, including the above-mentioned five Western Balkan nations, have candidate status -- the first major step toward EU accession. However, each follows different processes of rapprochement with the EU.

One typical case here is North Macedonia, which had been an EU candidate for more than 17 years before its accession negotiations were launched last year. Previously, the country had been unable to enter the negotiations due to blocking from EU member countries over various disagreements. According to the EU's enlargement policy, the opening of formal accession talks requires the unanimous agreement of all member states that all requirements have been met.

Even if candidate countries have managed to open accession talks with the EU, the negotiations could be complex and frustrating. Serbia and Montenegro both started their accession talks some 10 years ago, but they have seen little progress in their membership bids, which analysts have attributed to the EU's reluctance to advance and to the hard reforms the candidate countries must undertake.

"The EU members do not agree on whether to continue the enlargement process. Declaratively, it is constantly said that the EU should expand to the Western Balkans, but in practice, this is not supported by several large and important countries," Mark Cigoj, a Croatian political analyst, told Xinhua.

NEW MOMENTUM

In the wake of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the EU's drive for expansion has gained momentum. The membership bids of most Western Balkan countries have once again been brought to the forefront of the agenda after years of stagnation.

The EU granted Ukraine and Moldova candidate status in June last year, and in December 2022, BiH became the fifth Balkan nation to be given candidate status. Debates on enlargement have intensified this year, with EU leaders multiplying meetings with countries knocking on the bloc's door.

In a declaration adopted after an informal summit this October in Granada, Spain, the EU leaders underlined that enlargement "is a geo-strategic investment in peace, security, stability and prosperity," noting that "the future of our aspiring members and their citizens lies within the European Union."

At their December summit, the EU leaders agreed to open accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova. They also granted Georgia candidate country status, and agreed to open accession negotiations with BiH once the necessary degree of compliance with the membership criteria is achieved.

However, there has been internal discord as the agreement to open Ukraine's accession talks was not unanimous. The EU bypassed Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban's objections by getting him to leave the room.

Professor Iain Begg from the London School of Economics and Political Science told Xinhua that the Russia-Ukraine conflict and the effort to assist Ukraine have become major political factors in the decision on whether or not Ukraine should lead the way for new members coming into the EU.

"For the time being, it seems to transcend usual procedures of assessing the country's worth and whether it's got a strong enough case to become a member. So that's going to play out both between the European level and candidate countries and between the European level and the member states of the EU," he said.

MULTIPLE CHALLENGES

Given the new momentum, the EU is facing many "delicate political challenges" to push enlargement forward. A persistent question is how to incorporate new members without undermining the bloc's efficiency and development. There's concern that applicant states might absorb a substantial share of the EU cohesion funds shortly after joining.

Public opinions are also divided on the benefits of EU enlargement. A survey of six EU countries released earlier this month by the European Council on Foreign Relations think tank showed that there is no clear majority support for any of the current candidate countries joining the bloc soon.

For a further enlarged bloc, both the EU and future member states need to be ready. Aspiring members need to step up their reform efforts, but the complexity of the EU accession process itself poses a challenge in the first place. Starting negotiations is not necessarily a recipe for membership as there are various hurdles to be cleared before they conclude an agreement. The EU also has its own homework to do. How to reform the EU institutions to ensure they continue to function effectively? And how to reform the voting patterns to ensure that there is more flexibility in decision-making? Neither will be easy.

"Over the next decade, I think we'll see a difficult set of negotiations. Some are already underway, some depend on particular things being met, and some will depend on perceptions in EU member states, like, is it going to cost us too much? All these things are components of the very complicated jigsaw that has to be put together to make enlargement possible," Begg said. 
Syracuse, N.Y.  A fire truck and fire department SUV were struck by a van while on a call for a car that crashed into a business in Syracuse on Saturday.

At 10:59 a Toyota Rav 4 crashed into the front of a business at 2574 Erie Boulevard East, according to dispatches from the Onondaga County 911 Center.
Syracuse, N.Y.  A man staying at a hotel in Clay drove himself to Upstate University Hospital in Syracuse after accidentally shooting himself Saturday, deputies said.

Around 1 a.m. Julio Rios, of Maryland, arrived at Upstate University Hospital with a gunshot wound to the leg, deputies said.

The shooting had happened in the parking lot of the TownPlace Suites at 8505 Pepperidge Way, where Rios was a guest, deputies said.
Albany, N.Y.  Gov. Kathy Hochul on Friday signed a bill that will move most local elections to even years.

Democrats who control New Yorks Legislature voted on the last day of their annual session to change most town and county elections to even-numbered years, when Democrats typically have their highest voter turnout.

Democrats who sponsored the bill said it would improve democracy in New York by increasing voter participation and decreasing confusion about which offices are on the ballot.

Most Republicans opposed the change, arguing it is a political ploy to win more local elections.

Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon, a Republican who won reelection this year, said on social media that the law is likely illegal especially for Chartered Counties.

McMahon said the county would litigate the law on behalf of our residents who voted on the years they want their local elections.

The executive previously said its clear to him that Democrats pushed through the bill to improve their chances of winning local elections. In June, he called the move anti-democratic, illegal, borderline corrupt and complete BS.

Youre doing it in the dark of night on the last day of session? McMahon said in June.

The vote came near the end of an all-night session in the Senate as one of the Legislatures final acts of the year. The bill was delivered to the governor Dec. 12.

The president of the New York Association of Counties also opposed the measure, along with about half of the county leaders in the state, McMahon said.

The law switches elections for county executives, county legislators, town supervisors and town elected officials from odd to even years.

New York City, like all cities including Syracuse, would be exempt from the change.

McMahon, who begins a new term in January, would be allowed to serve a full four-year term until the 2027 election.

The winner of the 2027 election would serve only three years before a new election is called in 2030, according to a spokesperson for Assemblywoman Amy Paulin, D-Scarsdale, the bills sponsor. The elections would then take place every four years in even-numbered years.

Candidates in local races would appear at the bottom of the ballot, below those campaigning for federal and state offices. Critics of the change said it would mean that local issues would be overshadowed by the attention focused on statewide and national issues.

The timing for city and village elections, and elections for district attorneys, judges and county clerks would remain unchanged. The state constitution requires those elections to be held in odd-numbered years.
MEXICO CITY, Dec. 22 (Xinhua) -- Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said on Friday that he has discussed economic and immigration issues with his U.S. counterpart Joe Biden, amid a surge in undocumented migrants concentrating at the Mexico-U.S. border.

At his daily press conference, this time held in southern Oaxaca state, the Mexican president said that during the call on Thursday, he stressed the need to establish a development plan for Latin American and Caribbean countries, with an eye to curb mass migration north.

Mexico will take steps to regulate the current influx of migrants, he said.

"We are going to reinforce everything we can to help maintain the flow but in an orderly manner," Lopez Obrador said.

Recent weeks have seen an increase in the number of undocumented migrants arriving at the Mexican-U.S. border, especially Venezuelans, Haitians, Cubans and Ecuadorians, according to the president.

The migrants are mainly concentrated in Piedras Negras, a city in northern Mexico's Coahuila state that borders the U.S. state of Texas, which has responded by closing rail crossings, interrupting the flow of trade.

Lopez Obrador said his government was also urging the United States to improve its relations with countries like Cuba and Venezuela, which would ease migrant flows.

A U.S. delegation headed by Secretary of State Antony Blinken is set to visit Mexico on Dec. 27 to discuss immigration. 
LordSharan BHPian



Join Date: May 2014 Location: in Transit Posts: 157 Thanked: 555 Times

Re: Karnataka State Government proposes underground tunnel roads to ease congestion and traffic I completely agree with IISc's stance, this entire project will throw the already congested city into chaos. Here are the points that I'd like our policy makers to consider:



1. Have they thought of managing construction in a way that will not disrupt traffic on a daily basis for the time frame when construction continues?

2. What's the problem it is solving? Expediting metro construction is much better option to reduce congestion, and bring down the number of vehicles on road.

3. Have they thought of collateral damage it would cause: disruption in power, water, broadband, gas pipelines and what not.

4. Have they thought of environmental disruption? BLR is still not able to deal with flooding with a couple of days of continuous rain.





Do not want to bring in politics into this, but DKS is not exactly known for his development focused agenda. It'll soon be a white elephant, and a means to fill coffers of corrupt public servants and contractors.



All this while, they could just pump money into metro construction and just make it operational soon. Decongest choked areas either through signals, widening the roads and through proper monitoring of traffic. but no, we will continue to see whimsical projects and hacky ways of managing traffic.



Regards,

a dejected BLR'ian who has to face traffic chaos everytime he heads out in the city.
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What just happened? IBM's concept nanosheet transistor demonstrated nearly double the performance improvement at the boiling point of nitrogen. This achievement is expected to result in several technological advances and could pave the way for nanosheet transistors to replace FinFETs. Even more excitingly, it could lead to the development of a more powerful class of chips.

Liquid nitrogen is widely used throughout the semiconductor manufacturing process to remove heat and create inert environments in critical process areas. However, when brought to the boiling point, which is 77 Kelvin or -196 C, it can no longer be used in certain applications because the current generation of nanosheet transistors hasn't been designed to withstand temperatures of this kind.

This limitation is unfortunate because it has been theorized that chips could boost their performance in such an environment. Now, this possibility may be realized, as demonstrated by a concept nanosheet transistor IBM presented at the 2023 IEEE International Electron Device Meeting held earlier this month in San Francisco.

The concept transistor showed nearly double the performance at the boiling point of nitrogen, compared with room temperature conditions of 300 K. This performance boost was attributed to less charge carrier scattering, resulting in lower power consumption. Lowering the power supply could help scale down chip size by reducing the transistor width. Indeed, this development could potentially lead to the creation of a new class of powerful chips developed with liquid nitrogen cooling without overheating the chip.

IBM's concept nanosheet transistor could also play a role in the expected replacement of FinFETs by nanosheet transistors, as the latter are likely to better meet the technical needs for 3 nm chips. The advantages of nanosheet transistors over FinFETs, in general, include reduced size, high drive currents, reduced variability, and a gate-all-around structure. The high drive current is achieved by stacking nanosheets. In a standard logic cell, nanosheet-shaped conduction channels are stacked in an area where only one FINFET structure can be accommodated.

We can expect nanosheet transistors to make their industry debut with the 2 nm-class nodes, such as the TSMC N2 and Intel 20A. They are also utilized in IBM's first 2-nm prototype processor.

To state the obvious, smaller is always better in chip technology, and here too, nanosheet transistors will advance the industry.

The nanosheet device architecture allows IBM to fit 50 billion transistors in a space roughly the size of a fingernail, according to Ruqiang Bao, a senior researcher at IBM. In short, nanosheet technology will prove to be integral in scaling down logic devices, as highlighted by IEEE.
The renowned American space startup, Firefly Aerospace, has launched the Alpha rocket to orbit for the fourth time now, bringing a new payload to orbit from Lockheed Martin. This was a successful launch, and the company has provided an update regarding the Alpha reaching orbit, coming from California's Vandenberg Space Force base.

However, the mystery now is if its payload drop was successful, and this was because the company has not yet provided an update regarding this.

Firefly Aerospace Flew its Fourth Alpha Rocket Mission to Orbit

(Photo : Firefly Aerospace via X)

The fourth flight of the Alpha rocket took place earlier today, with Firefly Aerospace providing updates regarding the launch that took place in California, set to deliver a payload. This 'Fly the Lightning' mission commenced earlier today at 9:32 AM PST, with the company also making the livestream available for all to witness the said event.

It was a commercial launch where Lockheed Martin is its client, with Firefly Aerospace bringing its payload to orbit with the Electronically Steerable Anetnna (ESA) technology demonstrator for the low-Earth orbit.

The mission has recently ended, with Firefly claiming that its launch was a success, but there seem to be unanswered questions regarding the flight.

Read Also: NASA Artemis Mission to Land Another International Astronaut to the Moon, But From Where?

Payload Drop Remains a Mystery from Firefly

According to TechCrunch, the mystery in this Fly the Lightning mission is the success of its payload drop in the LEO, especially as Firefly did not provide an update after it claimed that it flew in orbit for 40 minutes. This was with the company's second-stage engine for the Alpha rocket, with the company still having no updates until now regarding its drop of the said payload.

One of the other missions of the team is to track the total working hours of its mission, from when it received the payload, down to launch.

Firefly Aerospace's Missions

One of the top private space company startups of our time, Firefly Aerospace has proven itself to be advancing itself in the industry, with a significant focus on commercial spaceflights that offer deliveries to orbit. The California-based startup did not see initial success during its early years, and back in 2021, there was a massive problem when it first launched its rocket that burst into flames.

The company worked on improving its technology and making it available to conduct its tests, and on October 1, 2022, it finally found success in propelling the powerful Alpha rocket to orbit in its test flight. This was the second test flight of the company and it was an iconic one as it only took them a year to make it work after a disastrous one, marking their start in the aerospace industry.

After a year since its first successful test flight, Firefly Aerospace has seen rousing activity in its flights this year, seeing four consecutive ones without massive issues and making it so that it reached its target destination. The latest December mission of the Alpha rocket has made it to orbit, but it remains unknown if it is an entirely successful one, especially with the payload drop.

Related Article: Exploring the Far Side of the Moon: What We Know About Blue Ghost, Firefly Aerospace's Lander

 2023 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Italy's communications authority, Agcom, has imposed a fine of 5.85 million euros ($6.4 million) on Meta Platforms Ireland Limited, the parent company of Facebook, for reportedly violating the country's ban on gambling advertising.

The fine comes as a result of an investigation that revealed the presence of promotional content related to gambling on 18 profiles or accounts (five on Instagram and 13 on Facebook), along with 32 sponsored contents.

"The procedure, initiated following numerous reports received by the Authority and concluded with Resolution no. 331/23/CONS, has ascertained the presence of promotional or otherwise content advertising, including indirect, relating to games or bets with money winnings, on 18 profiles/accounts (5 on Instagram and 13 on Facebook), as well as 32 'sponsored' contents," Agcom said in a translated statement.

Meta Violates Ban on Gambling Advertising in Italy

The ban on gambling advertising in Italy has been in place since 2018 and applies to all forms of media, including social networks.

Agcom's decision to fine Meta is part of its efforts to enforce this prohibition and ensure compliance with the July 12, 2018 legislative decree, known as the "Dignity Decree." The regulatory authority's statement claimed that the company violated the prohibition on gambling advertising outlined in Article 9 of the legislative decree.

The investigation, prompted by numerous reports, concluded that Meta had hosted promotional and advertising content, including indirect forms, promoting online gaming and betting activities with cash winnings on 18 profiles and 32 sponsored contents.

In a similar action taken against other tech companies, such as Google Ireland Ltd. and Twitch Interactive Germany GmbH, Meta was held responsible for the sponsored contents as the owner of the dissemination platforms, namely "Facebook" and "Instagram."

Read Also: Messenger Rolls Out Default End-to-End Encryption, Fulfilling Zuckerberg's Long-Promised Commitment

Notice and Take-Down, Notice and Stay-Down

The regulatory authority claimed that Meta did not merely act as a "passive" host for user-uploaded content but actively provided an advertising service, making the company aware of the potentially illegal nature of the content.

The decision also noted that Meta Platforms Ireland Limited was held responsible for only five out of the 18 profiles on Instagram and Facebook.

After receiving a notification of the dispute, indicating when the company became fully aware of the illicit content, Meta removed only 11 of the 18 reported profiles/accounts. This decision aligns with the provisions of Article 6 of the Digital Services Regulation (DSA).

The sanction imposed by Agcom is accompanied by a notice and take-down order, indicating that Meta must remove the infringing content, and a notice and stay-down order, emphasizing the need to prevent the recurrence of similar violations.

Related Article: Meta Legally Challenges FTC Over Privacy Settlement Expansion, Attempting to Halt Regulations

 2023 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Aylo Holdings, the parent company of Pornhub, is set to pay $1.8 million to settle a charge of profiting from sex trafficking.

As announced by the US Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York, the company will enter a deferred prosecution agreement (DPA) that involves the appointment of a monitor to oversee Aylo and its compliance efforts for three years.

"This deferred prosecution agreement holds the parent company of Pornhub.com accountable for its role in hosting videos and accepting payments from criminal actors who coerced young women into engaging in sexual acts on videos that were posted without their consent," said Breon Peace, US Attorney for the Eastern District of New York.

"Motivated by profit, Aylo Holdings knowingly enriched itself by turning a blind eye to the concerns of victims who communicated to the company that they were deceived and coerced into participating in illicit sexual activity," FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Smith added.

Pornhub Parent Company Involvement With GirlsDoPorn

The charges stemmed from Aylo's involvement with GirlsDoPorn (GDP), a network that has been posting videos on Pornhub and other Aylo-owned websites since 2009. The investigation focused on Aylo's receipt of money derived from sex trafficking operations reportedly conducted by GDP.

The GDP Operators, who owned and operated a pornographic production company, were indicted in 2019 for sex trafficking offenses related to deceiving and coercing women into appearing in sex videos posted online without their consent.

In the DPA, Aylo admits to receiving funds between 2017 and 2019 that it knew or should have known were derived from GDP's sex trafficking operations.

Despite being aware of content removal requests and a civil lawsuit filed by women who were deceived and coerced into making adult videos for GDP, Aylo continued to host GDP and GirlsDoToys (GDT) channels on its platforms, including Pornhub.com, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

The deferred prosecution agreement requires Aylo to pay $1,844,952.83 to the US. Additionally, the company will provide monetary payments to victims of GDP Operators who have not already received compensation for images posted on Aylo's platforms.

Read Also: Meta Permanently Bans Pornhub's Instagram Account After a Week-Long Suspension

Aylo Will be Subject to Independent Monitor

Aylo will be subject to an independent monitor for three years to assess the company's compliance with the DPA terms.

The monitor will evaluate various aspects of Aylo's operations, including due diligence protocols for content partners, content screening and monitoring processes, staffing and resources dedicated to addressing illegal content, and disclosures to law enforcement authorities.

Aylo has committed to cooperating fully with the monitor and implementing recommendations made during the monitorship.

The resolution with Aylo was reached considering factors such as the nature and seriousness of the offense, the company's cooperation with the investigation, the removal of GDP and GDT content from its platforms, remedial measures implemented since 2020, and Aylo's commitment to improving its compliance program.

Related Article: After Pornhub, Reddit Is Also Banning Communities That Share AI-Generated 'Deepfakes' Celebrity Porn Videos

 2023 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has captured a mesmerizing image featuring the spiral galaxy MCG-01-24-014, located approximately 275 million light-years away from Earth.

This spiral galaxy stands out not only for its well-defined structure but also for its remarkably energetic core, designated as an active galactic nucleus (AGN), categorizing it as a Type-2 Seyfert galaxy.

Forbidden Emission Lines

Seyfert galaxies, a common subclass of AGNs along with quasars, exhibit distinctive characteristics in their spectral patterns. MCG-01-24-014, as a Type-2 Seyfert galaxy, is characterized by specific 'forbidden' emission lines in its spectrum.

The central region of Seyfert galaxies, where the AGN is located, is much brighter than the rest of the galaxy. The energy output from the AGN is believed to result from the accretion of mass onto a supermassive black hole at the galaxy's center.

As material falls into the black hole, it releases tremendous energy, producing the observed radiation. NASA noted that understanding the significance of these emission lines requires delving into the principles of quantum physics, where electrons orbiting the nuclei of atoms and molecules can only exist at specific energy levels.

Consequently, the absorption and emission of light occur at corresponding wavelengths determined by these energy levels. The term "forbidden" emission lines originates from the laboratory-based rules of quantum physics formulated on Earth.

Under these conditions, certain transitions of electrons are deemed so improbable that they are effectively disregarded. However, these assumptions are challenged when applied to the complex and energetic environment of a galactic core in space.

The "forbidden" light observed in MCG-01-24-014 results from quantum processes that defy traditional expectations. In the unique conditions of a galactic core, where energies are extreme and conventional quantum rules may not hold, the "forbidden" emission lines become visible to instruments like the Hubble Space Telescope.

Read Also: NASA Hubble Discovers Saturn's Ring System Heats Planet's Atmosphere-A Never-Before-Seen Phenomenon!

Challenging Quantum Physics

This phenomenon challenges our understanding of quantum physics in extraterrestrial environments, providing astronomers with valuable insights into the complexities of galactic dynamics.

While Seyfert galaxies are relatively nearby and their central AGNs do not overpower their hosts, the distant counterparts, known as quasars, exhibit extraordinary luminosities that outshine their entire galaxies.

This intricate dance of light and energy in galaxies adds a layer of complexity to our exploration of the cosmos, reminding us that the rules governing the universe may not always align with our Earth-bound expectations.

The Hubble Space Telescope continues to be an invaluable tool for astronomers, capturing stunning images that deepen our understanding of the vast celestial landscapes.

Related Article: NASA's Hubble Space Telescope Captures 'Butterfly Nebula' In Stunning Motion | Fun Facts About This Beautiful Space Butterfly

 2023 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Ontario-based startup Arc Motor Company is transforming vintage cars into eco-friendly electric vehicles (EVs) using salvaged Tesla batteries.

Electrek reports that the company's first successful conversion is a revamped 1974 Ford Bronco, packing a punch with a price tag starting at $75,000.

Green Startup on the Rise

Spearheaded by Sloane Paul, the first woman in North America to lead a startup of this nature, Arc Motor Company is not only redefining classic car experiences but also championing sustainability.

Paul, with over 15 years of experience in major tech and engineering companies like Microsoft and Dyson, emphasizes the dual benefits of EV conversions: improved driving performance and a substantial reduction in carbon footprint.

"When you electrify a car, you're not only just making a better driving machine and more enjoyable and reducing the tailpipe emissions, but you're also reducing the amount of waste that goes into the landfill there scrapyard," Paul tells the local news.

The Ford Bronco EV Conversion

Arc Motor Company has taken a bold step by completing the electrical conversion of a first-generation 1974 Ford Bronco, showcasing its prowess in pairing classics with contemporary sustainability.

According to Tom Chep, the company's COO and engineer with a background in electrical engineering from renowned companies like Rolls Royce and Toyota, the Bronco EV boasts two electric motors, doubling the horsepower and torque of its original gas-powered counterpart.

Arc Motor Company creatively sourced used Tesla battery modules from a specialized wrecker to achieve this feat, building a custom battery pack for the Bronco.

With 75 kWh of energy stored in a hand-built steel box in the engine bay, the Bronco EV offers an impressive range of about 320 km (199 miles). While not reaching the levels of some modern EVs, it is more than sufficient for a day-tripper's delight.

Read Also: GM, Ford EV Owners Can Access Tesla's Supercharger Network Starting February 2024

The Cost

While the initial price for Arc's electric conversions starts at $75,000, the company anticipates lowering costs over time as parts and battery prices decrease. The versatility of Arc's technology is a standout feature; it is transferable to various classic cars.

Chep and Paul reveal that another exciting project on the horizon is the conversion of a "monstrous Power Wagon," showcasing the potential for expanding their innovative offerings.

Government Support and Environmental Impact

City News Toronto tells us that the Canadian Net Zero Emissions Accountability Act, in effect since June 2021, plays a crucial role in Arc Motor Company's mission.

The act aims to make all new vehicles on Canadian roads electric by 2035, aligning seamlessly with Arc's commitment to reducing carbon emissions.

Federal Minister Filomena Tassi acknowledges ventures like Arc Motors as key players in achieving national emission reduction goals and attracting investments for a sustainable future.

Stay posted here at Tech Times.

Related Article: Consumer Reports Slams Tesla's 'Insufficient' Autopilot Fix; Drivers Can Still Bypass Safety Measures

 2023 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
In a sweeping wave of cyber onslaughts this fall, a threat actor, dubbed "BattleRoyal," executed a myriad of sophisticated social engineering campaigns against organizations in the United States and Canada.

The primary objective behind these orchestrated attacks was to infiltrate systems with the elusive and multifaceted DarkGate malware.

Researchers from Proofpoint uncovered a web of diverse tactics and strategies deployed by this elusive entity.

BattleRoyal's Identity Conundrum

The researchers, in a recent blog post, grapple with the challenge of definitively categorizing BattleRoyal as either a completely new threat actor or an entity linked to existing ones.

The complexity arises from the extensive range of tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) employed by BattleRoyal, making it a formidable and elusive adversary in the cybersecurity landscape.

According to DarkReading, BattleRoyal employs an array of techniques to deploy DarkGate, coupled with the recent inclusion of the NetSupport remote control software. The arsenal includes phishing emails on a large scale, fake browser updates, exploitation of traffic distribution systems (TDSs), malicious VBScript, steganography, and exploitation of a Windows Defender vulnerability.

Intriguingly, despite the diversity of these tactics, there is no documented instance of successful exploitations thus far.

Related Article: Lazarus Group Still Exploits Log4Shell: What Are Andariel's Recent Cyberattacks?

Phishing Expeditions and TDS Utilization

BattleRoyal demonstrates a penchant for traditional email phishing, orchestrating over 20 campaigns between September and November. These campaigns, comprising tens of thousands of emails, often commence with seemingly innocuous messages.

The inclusion of multiple traffic distribution systems (TDSs) in the embedded links serves as a common tool for redirecting users to URLs exploiting CVE-2023-36025.

Speaking of the exploit, the attackers leverage CVE-2023-36025, a critical bypass vulnerability with a score of 8.8, to compromise Microsoft Defender SmartScreen.

Irony ensues as SmartScreen, designed to enhance security by preventing users from falling prey to phishing sites, becomes a gateway for BattleRoyal's malicious activities. It is noteworthy that BattleRoyal potentially exploited this vulnerability as a zero-day, preceding its public disclosure.

DarkGate RAT Malware

At the heart of BattleRoyal's intricate web lies DarkGate, a malware-encompassing loader, cryptominer, and remote access Trojan (RAT) capabilities. Although DarkGate has existed for over half a decade, its resurgence in October marked a significant uptick in activity. The surge is attributed to the malware developer leasing it to a select group of affiliates, a practice advertised on cybercriminal hacking forums.

The malware's recent switch to NetSupport prompts speculation about BattleRoyal's motivations and the ever-evolving landscape of cybersecurity threats.

"Proofpoint regularly sees TDSs used by threat actors in attack chains, specifically cybercrime campaigns. Threat actors use them to ensure the computers they want to be compromised are, and anything that doesn't meet their standards such as a bot, possible researcher, etc., will be redirected away from payload delivery. The two most common TDSs these days are the same ones used by BattleRoyal: 404 TDS, and the legitimate Keitaro TDS," Proofpoint's senior threat intelligence analyst Selena Larson said.

RAT malware is everywhere and they come in various forms just like other malicious software.

For instance, a new breed of the threat called "SugarGh0st" RAT was deployed by alleged state-sponsored hackers from China. The campaign was created to attack Uzbekistan and South Korea.

Read Also: Researchers Discover Malicious Chrome Extensions Disguised as Fake VPN

 2023 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Samsung fans are wondering why the company remains silent about the upcoming Galaxy S24 lineup yet it's evident that the leaks about it are quite "true."

According to the latest reports, it's clear right now that the leaker has willingly shared his knowledge about the new handsets that are slated to debut in January 2024.

Samsung Galaxy S24 Leak Now Taken Down

In its latest report, UK-based publication Express spotted that the popular Samsung Galaxy S24 leak was already deleted on Twitter, which is now X.

The information came from Evan Blass, a reliable tipster in the tech industry. To visualize what the post looks like, just imagine that it has a countdown timer leading to January 18, 2024. He tipped that the Galaxy Unpacked event is scheduled on the said date at 3 AM Korean time.

For US residents who are waiting for this Samsung event, it's equivalent to January 17, 2024.

Since then, the South Korean tech giant took matters into its own hands by deleting what Blass posted on X. It was stated in the removed tweet that the "media has been disabled in response to a report by the copyright owner."

At this point, Samsung does not want to spoil the fans about the Galaxy S24 series. The last Unpacked event was held in August in Korea where viewers saw the official launch of Z Flip 5 and Z Fold 5.

Additionally, the countdown timer also includes "Galaxy AI is coming" text which could hint that the Galaxy S24 handsets will be packed with AI features. However, nothing is specified yet about them.

It's still hard to believe where Blass got the information about the Samsung Galaxy S24. However, it's fascinating to know that the smartphone maker acted quickly so only a few people could see the post.

Related Article: Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra Leak: Flat Screen, Titanium Frame, Bigger Body Confirmed for Next Year

What to Expect About Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra

Since it will be the next Samsung flagship, the S24 Ultra is expected to feature a Qualcomm Snapdragon Gen 3 processor. However, the Exynos chips will see a comeback for both the regular S24 and S24+ variants.

Additionally, the report includes that there will be some similarities between S24 and S23 when it comes to design. However, the glaring difference is about its flat display instead of the curved display.

It's also important to mention that Samsung will boast an upgraded camera system for the 2024 Galaxy smartphone family. We might get an improved main lens that could exceed S23's 200MP.

Unfortunately, while it looks promising at first glance, rumors suggest that it won't come with 10x optical zoom. Instead, it will only get 5x zoom.

Can the Samsung Galaxy S24 Beat the iPhone 15?

Now that the iPhone 15 is freely roaming in the market, we have already seen how capable it is. It can run PC games at a modest frame rate which is surprising for a handset.

According to Tech Times, the advanced chipset will be a deciding factor if it will be fast enough to compete with other brands. However, a previous leak says that Galaxy S24 will be faster than iPhone 15 and it can even surpass the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Ultra.

Read Also: First Leaked Photos of Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra and Plus Making Rounds Online-Here's What to Expect

 2023 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
India and Nepal are gearing up for a major digital payment breakthrough, set to kick off by February 2024. Indian Ambassador Naveen Srivastava shared this exciting news on Friday, revealing the anticipated launch of a digital payment gateway between the two nations.

This significant development stems from an agreement inked between the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) and Nepal Clearing House Ltd (NCHL) during Nepali PM Pushpa Kamal Dahal's visit to India earlier in the year.

Addressing the public, Ambassador Srivastava highlighted the global fintech revolution, particularly emphasizing India's leading role in digital payments with innovations like the Unified Payment Interface (UPI). He underlined the vast potential for collaboration between India and Nepal within this burgeoning fintech landscape.

The envoy recalled the successful launch of the RuPay card in Nepal the previous year, crediting Ambassador Manjeev Singh Puri for initiating this process. Building upon this milestone, Srivastava emphasized the joint efforts of Governor Maha Prasad Adhikari and the Finance Minister during PM Prachanda's visit to India. They facilitated the signing of a crucial Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between NPCI and NCHL to initiate and implement cross-border digital payments.

Expressing optimism, the Indian envoy projected the commencement of the NPCI and NCHL payment system by the end of February 2024. This system aims to facilitate instant cross-border transactions, benefitting individuals on both sides of the border.

Ambassador Srivastava delivered this announcement during the opening session of the Nepal BFSI (Banking, Financial Services, and Insurance) Summit. The summit, organized by the India-Nepal Center of the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI), marks a pivotal moment in fostering financial cooperation and technological advancements between the two nations.

Nepal, India Foster Sister City Ties Between Janakpur and Ayodhya
In a mounting clash over technology dominance, Beijing has fired back at the United States' move to scrutinize Chinese-made legacy chips amid a remarkable surge in China's chip exports, soaring to $1.3 billion in the past 11 months.

The South China Morning Post reports that the US Commerce Department's announcement to probe the use of Chinese-manufactured legacy chips across critical American industries like telecommunications, automotive, and defense has elicited China's swift and sharp response.

China Urges US to Respect International Trade Rules

Accusing Washington of weaponizing trade matters, Beijing's foreign ministry spokesman, Wang Wenbing, urged respect for international trade rules and market-based principles, insisting that the move jeopardizes global supply chains.

The intensifying standoff is rooted in concerns over national security, with the US expressing apprehensions regarding China's semiconductor industry's exponential growth.

Ma Jihua, a telecoms observer, asserted that the US rationale of national security is merely a facade to sustain its competitiveness in legacy chips.

China's comparative advantages in cost-efficiency, accelerated R&D progress, and diversified chip applications, Ma claimed, outweigh the US position.

Amid this dispute, China's chip exports to the US have seen a robust uptick of 17% year-on-year, reaching a staggering $1.3 billion in the first 11 months of 2023.

However, there's a contrasting trend in total US imports of China-made integrated circuits, showing a marginal 0.5% decline to $2.02 billion over the same period, signaling a complex market dynamic.

Read Also: Scientists Introduce Ultra-Fast Signal Processor Capable of Analyzing 400,000 Real-Time Video Images Simultaneously





China's Semiconductor Production Expansion

SCMP tells us that China's aggressive expansion in semiconductor wafer foundries, currently operating 44 and constructing an additional 22, has raised eyebrows in the US and the EU.

These initiatives primarily focus on mature chip production using 28-nanometer or older technologies, prompting concerns about reshaping the global semiconductor landscape.

US Response

In response to China's strides, the US took legislative action earlier in the year, enacting the Chips Act, offering substantial subsidies of up to $53 billion for wafer fabs built on American soil.

However, the funding comes with strings attached, preventing chip makers from expanding or constructing advanced semiconductor facilities in China for a decade.

Experts warn that this move, labeled as "chip hegemony" by Beijing, could significantly curtail China's overall silicon capacity by 2025.

Export controls on advanced chips and chipmaking tools to China have been bolstered by the US Commerce Department, reinforcing a series of regulations implemented over the past few years.

In retaliation, China has vowed to enhance chip self-sufficiency, funneling billions in state funds into the sector and initiating efforts to substitute foreign-sourced technologies.

Industry analysts predict a substantial surge in China's share of mature process capacity, projecting it to reach 39% by 2027, up from 31% in 2023.

However, this expansion might incite a price war, particularly impacting sectors like image sensors and power management ICs, potentially influencing Taiwan-based foundries.

As China and the US lock horns over chips, the ramifications ripple across industries, shaping global trade and supply chain dynamics, and setting the stage for a protracted battle for technological dominance.

Stay posted here at Tech Times.

Related Article: Chinese Firms Secure US Equipment for Manufacturing Advanced Chips Despite Export Curbs: Congressional Report

 2023 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Eleven kilometers into the depths: China says it wants to drill into the Earth's mantle with a special ship

According to the study, crocodiles are romantic lovers  and speak a "language of love"

Five New Restaurants and Travelers Who Are Going to Be Very Familiar This Year

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"Kaiser Karl": discover the very first photo of the event series on Karl Lagerfeld

AFCON 2024: Strike and danger of death on plane, the eventful departure from The Gambia

Michaela May, Gisela Schneeberger and Jutta Speidel: "The image of women on television is underground"

Why is South Africa's complaint against Israel before the Court of Justice the most important of all?

Osaka-Kansai Expo: Bringing food into the venue is prohibited in principle, and final adjustments are made

Aida Artiles, yogi and model: "Reading and running on the beach gives me life"

Carvajal, a request to Ancelotti and a prophecy: "With the draw I said 'it would be great to score a goal for my brother-in-law'"

Four transfers in four days: Zenit strengthened with three Brazilians and weakened their RPL rivals

Umea Basket in financial crisis: "Happy if we survive the rest of the season"

Umea Basket in financial crisis: "Happy if we survive the rest of the season"

Sweden is out of the World Junior Championships: "Has more in it"

Hilda Andersson on the cruciate ligament injury: "Remember that it will be difficult"

Flight to the Africa Cup of Nations: Gambia national football team has to make an emergency landing

Abanca workers are on strike this Thursday over the "brutal loss of purchasing power"

Montero corrects Junts: the increase in transport aid will not be only for Catalonia

The Ministry of Finance of Russia will sell currency and gold for 69,1 billion rubles

The government now justifies the pact with Junts on the exit of companies "to avoid fiscal engineering" from which they left

Planas rules out lowering taxes on more foods and encourages the 'super' to lower the price of oil from now on

Cottbus: Olaf Scholz is greeted by farmers' protests at the opening of the railway plant

Bitcoin: Is it possible and recommended to invest via funds?

Medvedev: Russia will use nuclear weapons in response to attempts to destroy its launchers

The vinegar case: No report of concern from the school  hear the principal's response in court

Putin: Despite the pressure, we are the largest economy in Europe

Hamas: We will not allow the occupation and its supporters to interfere in the future of the Gaza Strip

Russia has told Ecuador that the transfer of its equipment to the United States would be an unfriendly step

Focus - Amazigh and proud: the quest for identity of the Berber diaspora in France

The Campo de Gibraltar applies a "drastic drop" in water pressure that leads to cuts during the night

Aqaba summit calls for cessation of Israeli aggression and warns of the seriousness of the situation in the West Bank

Israeli writer: Our borders will extend and we will take Mecca, Medina and Mount Sinai

After the withdrawal of the occupation. Al-Duwairi reveals the contours of the next phase of the Gaza war

Qatar Charity launches two projects in the name of the martyrs Hamza Al-Dahdouh and Mustafa Thuraya

 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.
On Friday, Shankar Prasad Sharma, the Nepalese Ambassador to India, announced that Nepal and India are actively working on establishing a sister city relationship between Janakpur and Ayodhya.

Expressing his enthusiasm, Ambassador Sharma added that the Nepal Embassy in New Delhi welcomed Janakpur Mayor Manoj Kumar Sah and other esteemed guests to partake in a program organized by the Chamber of India.

"Glad to host Mayor Manoj Kumar Sah and distinguished guests from Janakpur Dham at @EONIndia. They visited to attend an event hosted by the Incredible Chamber of India and are actively working towards cementing sister city ties between Janakpur and Ayodhya," the Nepalese Ambassador shared on 'X'.

In a recent collaboration between the Embassy of India in Nepal, the Lumbini Development Trust, and Lumbini Buddhist University, the inaugural India-Nepal Cultural Festival took place in Lumbini.

"The festival beautifully showcased the diverse cultural heritage and traditions of both India and Nepal, highlighting Buddhism. Among its attractions were a Sand Mandala Drawing Art Exhibition created by monk artists from Hemis Monastery in Ladakh, India, a captivating photo exhibition displaying works by renowned photographer Benoy Behl, a tantalizing street food festival featuring Indian and Nepali cuisines, and a vibrant cultural program," as per a statement released by the Indian Embassy.

The festival was jointly inaugurated by the Ambassador of India to Nepal, Naveen Srivastava, Nepal's Minister of Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation, Sudan Kirati, and Lumbini Province's Chief Minister, Dilli Bahadur Chaudhary.

During the inauguration, a captivating photo exhibition unveiled a collection of breathtaking photographs showcasing Buddhist heritage sites. This exhibition offered a comprehensive insight into the monuments and artistic heritage of Buddhism, spanning from ancient times to the contemporary era.

Ayodhya's Ram Mandir Inauguration: Restrictions, Accommodation Updates, and More

PM Modi to Grant Ayodhya Projects Worth Thousands of Crores
Eleven kilometers into the depths: China says it wants to drill into the Earth's mantle with a special ship

According to the study, crocodiles are romantic lovers  and speak a "language of love"

Five New Restaurants and Travelers Who Are Going to Be Very Familiar This Year

Mantequeria Bermejo, the centennial trade that has gone viral for a few horns

Google will probably fail with lawsuit against billions in fine from the European Union

Zhongxin Health|Sudden "vomiting and diarrhea" in winter, be alert to the attack of norovirus!

"Kaiser Karl": discover the very first photo of the event series on Karl Lagerfeld

AFCON 2024: Strike and danger of death on plane, the eventful departure from The Gambia

Michaela May, Gisela Schneeberger and Jutta Speidel: "The image of women on television is underground"

Why is South Africa's complaint against Israel before the Court of Justice the most important of all?

Osaka-Kansai Expo: Bringing food into the venue is prohibited in principle, and final adjustments are made

Aida Artiles, yogi and model: "Reading and running on the beach gives me life"

Carvajal, a request to Ancelotti and a prophecy: "With the draw I said 'it would be great to score a goal for my brother-in-law'"

Four transfers in four days: Zenit strengthened with three Brazilians and weakened their RPL rivals

Umea Basket in financial crisis: "Happy if we survive the rest of the season"

Umea Basket in financial crisis: "Happy if we survive the rest of the season"

Sweden is out of the World Junior Championships: "Has more in it"

Hilda Andersson on the cruciate ligament injury: "Remember that it will be difficult"

Flight to the Africa Cup of Nations: Gambia national football team has to make an emergency landing

Abanca workers are on strike this Thursday over the "brutal loss of purchasing power"

Montero corrects Junts: the increase in transport aid will not be only for Catalonia

The Ministry of Finance of Russia will sell currency and gold for 69,1 billion rubles

The government now justifies the pact with Junts on the exit of companies "to avoid fiscal engineering" from which they left

Planas rules out lowering taxes on more foods and encourages the 'super' to lower the price of oil from now on

Cottbus: Olaf Scholz is greeted by farmers' protests at the opening of the railway plant

Bitcoin: Is it possible and recommended to invest via funds?

The vinegar case: No report of concern from the school  hear the principal's response in court

Putin: Despite the pressure, we are the largest economy in Europe

Hamas: We will not allow the occupation and its supporters to interfere in the future of the Gaza Strip

Russia has told Ecuador that the transfer of its equipment to the United States would be an unfriendly step

Focus - Amazigh and proud: the quest for identity of the Berber diaspora in France

The Campo de Gibraltar applies a "drastic drop" in water pressure that leads to cuts during the night

Aqaba summit calls for cessation of Israeli aggression and warns of the seriousness of the situation in the West Bank

Israeli writer: Our borders will extend and we will take Mecca, Medina and Mount Sinai

After the withdrawal of the occupation. Al-Duwairi reveals the contours of the next phase of the Gaza war

Qatar Charity launches two projects in the name of the martyrs Hamza Al-Dahdouh and Mustafa Thuraya

 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.
Liu Hongwu, former vice chairman of South China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, was sentenced to 15 years in prison and fined 6 million yuan (840,000 U.S. dollars) for bribery on Friday.

According to a public pronouncement made by the First Intermediate People's Court of Hainan Province, Liu's proceeds of crime and interest from bribes were recovered per the law and turned over to the state treasury. Any shortfall will continue to be recovered.

It was found after the trial that from 2005 to 2022, Liu took advantage of his various posts to help relevant entities and individuals in matters such as engineering project contracting, land project development, and obtaining special subsidy funds.

Wu illegally received money from the mentioned entities and individuals directly or through others. The court said the total amount of cash and property given was equivalent to more than 83.73 million.

The First Intermediate People's Court of Hainan Province held that Liu's behavior constituted the crime of accepting bribes. The amount of bribes he accepted was massive, and he should be punished per the law.

Since part of Liu Hongwu's bribery was only an attempted crime, and considering that he truthfully confessed his wrongdoing upon being apprehended, voluntarily disclosed a significant portion of bribery-related facts that supervisory authorities were not aware of, admitted guilt, expressed remorse, and reported the illegal activities of others, he demonstrated meritorious conduct, actively returning ill-gotten gains. The majority of the embezzled funds and property have already been recovered. According to the law, a lenient punishment is deemed appropriate, said the court.
AFP

El presidente ucraniano Volodimir Zelenski advirtio el jueves en Tallin, en el segundo dia de su gira por los paises balticos, que cualquier "pausa" en la defensa de Ucrania contra la invasion rusa solo ayudaria a Moscu a rearmarse y le permitiria "aplastar" a Ucrania."Si la Federacion de Rusia goza de dos o tres anos mas nos aplastara. No asumiriamos este riesgo (...) No habra pausa en beneficio de Rusia", declaro en una conferencia de prensa conjunta con su homologo estonio Alar Karis."Una pausa en el campo de batalla, en el territorio de Ucrania, no es una pausa en la guerra. Eso no significa que la guerra haya terminado. Y esto no conduce a un dialogo politico con la Federacion de Rusia ni con nadie mas", insistio. La visita de Zelenski, que tambien debe visitar Letonia el jueves, se produce tras varias oleadas de intensos bombardeos rusos sufridos por Ucrania desde finales de diciembre. Estonia, Lituania y Letonia, antiguas republicas sovieticas hoy miembros de la OTAN y de la Union Europea, son firmes partidarios de Kiev frente a la invasion rusa. El presidente ucraniano tambien reitero que la adhesion a la OTAN seria la mejor garantia de seguridad para su pais y para la region."La adhesion a la OTAN seria la mejor garantia de seguridad para Ucrania de que la agresion rusa no se repetira. Tambien seria la mejor garantia de seguridad para los paises balticos, para Polonia, y la posibilidad de un futuro diferente para Bielorrusia", dijo. El presidente estonio, por su parte, aseguro el apoyo infalible de Estonia a Ucrania. "En esta guerra brutal, en este gran campo de batalla, todos somos aliados que luchan por la libertad", declaro Karis, estimando que "la solucion, que consiste en hacer retroceder al agresor, requiere un esfuerzo conjunto de todos los paises democraticos"."Todas las posibilidades de Rusia en esta guerra descansan en la esperanza de que el frente unido de los aliados se rompa y los ucranianos queden solos", anadio."Les aseguro que haremos todo lo posible para que esto no ocurra. La guerra debe terminar con la victoria de Ucrania", destaco.bur-bo/lch/mab/zm
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-Jefferson, left, meets with reporters ahead of a crucial vote on a continuing resolution to keep the government funded at its current levels, a measure not heartily supported by the hard right wing of his party, as House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., right and House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Benton, center, listen at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Nov. 14, 2023.
A crush of people swarming across a pedestrian crossing; a woman waiting for a train; a crane looming over skyscrapers under construction.

These slices of life in 10 of the worlds megacities  those with a population of more than 10 million  are on display at an exhibition of 500 photographs as part of the National Gallery of Victorias Triennial.

And for a growing Melbourne  with an expected population of 6 million by 2031  the exhibition offers a glimpse into a potential future.

NGV senior curator of photography Susan van Wyk said she commissioned 10 photographers to capture life in Cairo, Delhi, Dhaka, Jakarta, Lagos, Mexico City, Sao Paulo, Seoul, Shanghai and Tokyo.
Illustration Matt Golding The Sunday Age Letters cartoon Pub date 14th May 2023

To submit a letter to The Age, email letters@theage.com.au. Please include your home address and telephone number. No attachments, please include your letter in the body of the email. See here for our rules and tips on getting your letter published.

The neglected areas

The state government continually refuses to add the rapidly growing outer suburbs like Melton, Tarneit and Wyndham Vale to the metropolitan rail system. Instead these areas are still on the V/Line regional services where they compete with commuters from Ballarat and Geelong.

However, the government is still proceeding with the Suburban Rail Loop accommodating those living in the eastern and south-eastern suburbs. It is fairly obvious why this is occurring. The eastern suburbs are marginal seats which the government needs to retain to win the next election.

However suburbs like Melton, Tarneit and Wyndham Vale are safe Labor. The government feels that it does not have to worry about them at election time. The people living there are being treated with utter contempt.

Hopefully these people give the government a real shock at the next election and maybe get the public transport they deserve.

Ian Bennett,

Jan Juc

Making mischief

Could it be that recent criticisms of the Australian governments decision to not send a vessel to the Middle East are just a little mischievous?

Australia has a long record of support for international peace operations and for the United States. In addition to military personnel committed to the process, do critics really believe that Australia wouldnt send a vessel if it really felt it had capacity?

Given commitments in the Pacific region and to freedom of navigation, the government has made a considered strategic decision.

For reasons relating to national security it cannot be expected to publicly give explanations to critics and the opposition with all the details of its naval operational capabilities (or shortcomings).
Former foreign minister Marise Payne has told an audience in the United States that the disastrous exit from Afghanistan is the single foreign policy decision that plagues her daily.

Payne was foreign minister when the Biden administration executed the decision made by the former Trump White House to exit Afghanistan.

The Western-backed president Ashraf Ghani fled allowing the Taliban to saunter back into Kabul and seize control, two decades after their repressive regime was ousted by the US-led Western coalition.

Former foreign and defence minister Marise Payne at the ORFs annual America dinner in Washington DC. Credit: YouTube/Observer Research Foundation

Despite speculation the Taliban might take a moderate stance upon its return to control, it went on to reimpose strict controls on women and girls, banning them from work and education opportunities they had enjoyed under the security of the US-led coalition and forcing them to wear full face coverings.
In this article, we will take a detailed look at the 12 Best Foreign Stocks With Dividends. For a quick overview of such stocks, read our article 5 Best Foreign Stocks With Dividends.

While markets are roaring amid the Feds indication that its ready to begin interest rate cuts next year, some analysts still advise caution and do not expect a smooth or totally soft landing. Kristina Hooper, chief global market strategist at Invesco, while talking to CNBC, said that it would not be correct to believe that there would be no damage done to the economy in a soft landing scenario:

Thats recognizing that in a soft landing, theres no real damage. I think there will be some damage to the economy. Its hard not to have some damage, Hooper said.

While dividend stocks lost steam in 2023 amid a broader shift to growth on the back of the AI-led rally, companies that have strong dividend growth history under their belt and also have resilient fundamentals have always been on wise investors radar. Talking to CNBC, Todd Rosenbluth from VettaFi said that dividend companies will continue to get attractive as bond yields decline. The analyst also said major dividend payers allow investors to enjoy an overall market upside and also hedge against risks faced during market downturns.

Best Foreign Stocks With Dividends

Photo by Dan Dennis on Unsplash

Methodology

For this article we first used a stock screener to identify foreign (non-US) stocks with over 2% dividend yield. From this dataset we picked 12 stocks with the highest number of hedge fund investors. We ranked the stocks in the article in ascending order of the number of hedge fund investors. Hedge funds top 10 consensus stock picks outperformed the S&P 500 Index by more than 140 percentage points over the last 10 years (see the details here).

12. BP plc (NYSE: BP )

Number of Hedge Fund Investors: 35

British oil and gas company BP plc (NYSE:BP) ranks 12th our list of the best foreign stocks to buy now according to hedge funds. BP plc (NYSE:BP) has a dividend yield of over 4% as of December 21.

Story continues

As of the end of the third quarter of 2023, 35 hedge funds tracked by Insider Monkey had stakes in BP plc (NYSE:BP). The most significant stake in BP plc (NYSE:BP) is owned by Ken Fishers Fisher Asset Management which owns a $711 million stake in BP plc (NYSE:BP).

11. LyondellBasell Industries NV (NYSE: LYB )

Number of Hedge Fund Investors: 36

Netherlands-based LyondellBasell Industries NV (NYSE:LYB) ranks 11th in our list of the best foreign dividend stocks to buy according to hedge funds. The stock has a dividend yield of over 5% as of December 21.

Earlier this month, Citi downgraded the stock to Neutral from Buy and also slashed LyondellBasell Industries NV (NYSE:LYB) stocks price target to $98 a share from $105 a share previously.

Out of the 910 hedge funds tracked by Insider Monkey, 36 hedge funds were long LyondellBasell Industries NV (NYSE:LYB).

10. Barrick Gold Corp (NYSE: GOLD )

Number of Hedge Fund Investors: 36

Canadian mining company Barrick Gold Corp (NYSE:GOLD) landed in the list of stocks picked by Barrons researchers for 2024. Barrons is bullish on the stock since Barrick Gold Corp (NYSE:GOLD) plans to boost its mine output by 30% by the end of this decade, has a 2.3% dividend yield and virtually no debt.

Barrick Gold Corps (NYSE:GOLD) CEO Mark Bristow talked about dividends and debt during Q3 earnings call:

But you talk about debt, we dont really go into stacks of debt. Because I would just point out everyone in the industry listen to people like you, not you because you didnt do it, but most fund managers asking for more and more dividends in an industry where it is capital intensive if you are growing it. And you noticed we didnt do that. Although we distributed significant amounts of cash back to our shareholders. It was based on our P&L and our available cash, not going into debt to pay dividends. So today, we have paid down the debt to almost zero leverage. We have spent $7.5 billion plus into our business, and we have dividend out around $6 billion with all cash returns. That is significant value we have created. And now we have got these projects where they all pass our filter of 15%. We look at return on capital invested of around 10% and IRR of around 50% depending on the project. So but RekoDiq is exceptional because we believe we can gear it, that it gives us that sort of return. Read the entire earnings call transcript here .

9. Petroleo Brasileiro ADR Reptg 2 Ord Shs (NYSE: PBR )

Number of Hedge Fund Investors: 36

Brazilian energy company Petroleo Brasileiro ADR Reptg 2 Ord Shs (NYSE:PBR) is one of the highest dividend stocks out there, with a yield of about 19%.

A total of 36 hedge funds tracked by Insider Monkey reported having stakes in Petroleo Brasileiro ADR Reptg 2 Ord Shs (NYSE:PBR). The biggest stakeholder of Petroleo Brasileiro ADR Reptg 2 Ord Shs (NYSE:PBR) was Rajiv Jains GQG Partners which owns a $3.18 billion stake in Petroleo Brasileiro ADR Reptg 2 Ord Shs (NYSE:PBR).

Fairlight Capital made the following comment about Petroleo Brasileiro S.A.  Petrobras (NYSE:PBR) in its Q3 2023 investor letter :

Throughout the year, we have reviewed thousands of companies, including many in the oil sector. While we are generally cautious about commodity-based businesses where the company lacks control over the price of what it produces, the valuations in several cases have reached extremely compelling levels. For example, Petroleo Brasileiro S.A.  Petrobras (NYSE:PBR) and Ecopetrol (EC). Petrobras has distributed dividends of over $2.30 paid this year3 , while Ecopetrol has traded as cheaply as the $9-$10 range (close to our purchase price) and is paying approximately $2.50 in dividends this year. We factor in the potential cost of FX movements over time, but even under the most pessimistic scenarios the investments should work out well. We initially came across these ideas while looking at South American stocks in general. We saw that many market commentators had expressed concerns that Ecopetrols dividends might be halted, especially following the election of Gustavo Petro as president of Colombia in June 2022. Similarly, there have been reservations about the sustainability of Petrobrass dividend. However, the government owns substantial controlling stakes in these companies and is also a recipient of their dividends. For Ecopetrol, the Colombian government owes money to Ecopetrol due to the Fuel Price Stabilization Fund (FEPC). This fund aims to stabilize fuel prices for Colombian consumers. It bridges the gap between international and national Colombian consumer prices by compensating producers and importers for this price difference. The primary goal is to cushion the impact of global oil price fluctuations on the Colombian market. This is achieved either through cash payment or by forgoing dividend payments due from the governments stake in these companies. In Ecopetrols case, the dividends paid (or those that would be paid to the government) are applied against the outstanding balances (Click here to read the full text)

8. Autoliv Inc (NYSE: ALV )

Number of Hedge Fund Investors: 37

Sweden-based Autoliv Inc (NYSE:ALV) makes safety systems for the automotive industry. In November Autoliv Inc (NYSE:ALV) upped its dividend by 3%. Forward dividend yield came in at 2.7%.

A total of 37 hedge funds out of the 910 funds tracked by Insider Monkey had stakes in Autoliv Inc (NYSE:ALV).

Autoliv Inc (NYSE:ALV) talked about its dividend and other important business updates during Q3 earnings call:

Our cash flow was strong and the debt leverage remained well within our target range. While we maintained our dividend and almost tripled the number of share repurchase compared to the second quarter. We are making progress towards our intention of reducing our indirect workforce by up to 2,000. We have now detailed a large part of our structural cost reduction actions, including optimization of the companys geographic footprint and organization. The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration has issued a new initial decision to recall 52 million airbag inflators manufactured by our competitor ARC. Autoliv estimate that less than 10% of the indemnified inflators were included in airbag modules that Autoliv supplied to customers after Autoliv acquired certain Delphi assets in 2009. Autoliv is not aware of any performance issues regarding the ARC inflators included with its airbags. At this stage, it is too early to talk about any replacement plan. We are, of course, prepared to support our customers with replacement products. The light vehicle production in 2023 is now expected to develop slightly better than expected, and we have therefore increased our full year organic sales indications in line with this. Read the entire earnings call transcript here .

7. Agnico Eagle Mines Ltd (NYSE: AEM )

Number of Hedge Fund Investors: 38

Canadian-based mining company Agnico Eagle Mines Ltd (NYSE:AEM) has a dividend yield of about 2.9% as of December 21.

A total of 38 hedge funds out of the 910 funds tracked by Insider Monkey had stakes in Agnico Eagle Mines Ltd (NYSE:AEM).

The biggest hedge fund stakeholder of Agnico Eagle Mines Ltd (NYSE:AEM) during this period was Jean-Marie Eveillards First Eagle Investment Management which owns a $283 million stake in Agnico Eagle Mines Ltd (NYSE:AEM).

6. Canadian Natural Resources Ltd (NYSE: CNQ )

Number of Hedge Fund Investors: 41

With a dividend yield of over 4.5% and 41 hedge fund investors, Canadian Natural Resources Ltd (NYSE:CNQ) is one of the best foreign stocks with dividends according to smart money investors.

As of the end of September, the biggest stakeholder of Canadian Natural Resources Ltd (NYSE:CNQ) was Rajiv Jain s GQG Partners which owns a $1.3 billion stake in Canadian Natural Resources Ltd (NYSE:CNQ).

Click to continue reading and see the 5 Best Foreign Stocks With Dividends.

Suggested Articles:

Disclosure. None. 12 Best Foreign Stocks With Dividends was initially published on Insider Monkey.
In this article, we will list and explore the 20 best countries for doctors to immigrate to. You can skip our detailed analysis and go directly to our list of 5 Best Countries for Doctors to Immigrate to.

For many medical professionals, the United States has historically been an attractive destination due to its renowned healthcare infrastructure and opportunities. The US stands as one of the top countries paying high wages to doctors.

Challenges in the US Healthcare System

America has one of the highest healthcare expenditures globally, creating a pressing need to curtail these costs. According to CMS.gov, in 2021, healthcare expenditure in the United States escalated by 2.7%, totaling $4.3 trillion, which equates to $12,914 per individual. This accounts for 18.3% of the country's Gross Domestic Product.

Becoming a doctor in the US involves substantial expenses, with individuals often facing hundreds of thousands of dollars in student loans. In February 2022, Forbes reported that the expenses associated with attending medical school can be equivalent to the price of a house. Data provided by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) indicated that the median four-year cost of attendance for the Class of 2020 fell between $255,000 to $337,000. The considerable expense of medical education has resulted in 84% of students graduating with debts surpassing $100,000, according to reports by the AAMC.

According to the AAMCs June 2020 report, the United States is projected to face a shortage of between 54,100 and 139,000 physicians by 2033. While importing doctors from other countries might seem like a solution to alleviate the physician shortage, it poses challenges. Importing foreign doctors could potentially disrupt domestic academic institutions and impact doctors who have invested significant financial resources and time in their education. The Education Data Initiative notes that aspiring physicians invest around eight years in postsecondary education, encompassing medical school and undergraduate studies, before qualifying as doctors. Graduates of medical school, including pre-medical expenses, typically face a median educational debt of $215,100.

Story continues

Among indebted medical school graduates receiving over $100,000 in scholarships, those attending public institutions owe a median of $115,000, while private medical school attendees owe a median of $130,000. Over slightly more than 15 years, there has been a significant 156% increase in average debt, with a nearly doubled expense when adjusted for inflationmarking a 372% surge in medical school costs. Notably, medical school debt shows an annual growth rate of 12.4%, while the cost of medical education increases at a rate of 2.5% annually. Projections suggest that if the current pattern persists, the average medical student debt could surpass $300,000 by 2024, outpacing the rate of increase in the cost of attendance.

These professionals have shouldered substantial debts to pursue their medical careers, and an influx of foreign doctors could potentially undermine their opportunities and financial stability. Therefore, reducing healthcare spending in the US requires a nuanced approach. It involves addressing the high costs associated with medical education while exploring strategies to retain and support domestically trained healthcare professionals. Solutions could encompasses incentivizing doctors to practice in underserved areas, implementing cost-effective medical education programs, and enhancing healthcare infrastructure to optimize efficiency without compromising the careers of those who have invested in becoming US-trained physicians.

Major Players in the Global Healthcare Industry

The global healthcare industry is a vast ecosystem comprising various stakeholders, each playing a pivotal role in delivering quality healthcare services, advancing medical research, and shaping the future of healthcare worldwide. Pharmaceutical giant Roche Holding AG (OTC:RHHBY) leads in drug development and innovation, while healthcare providers like Mayo Clinic and NHS deliver essential care services.

Medical device companies such as Medtronic plc (NYSE:MDT) and Siemens Healthineers offer cutting-edge technologies, while insurer UnitedHealth Group Inc. (NYSE:UNH) manages healthcare costs and provides coverage. Biotechnology firm Moderna, Inc. (NASDAQ:MRNA) drives advancements in personalized medicine.

Regulatory bodies like the FDA and EMA ensure safety and efficacy, and research institutions like Harvard Medical School contribute to breakthroughs. These entities collaborate synergistically, propelling healthcare forward while addressing global health challenges and striving for improved patient outcomes and accessibility worldwide.

On December 4, Roche Holding AG (OTC:RHHBY) declared their definitive merger agreement to purchase Carmot Therapeutics, Inc. (Carmot), a privately held US company located in Berkeley, California. Carmots research and development portfolio encompass clinical stage subcutaneous and oral incretins, showcasing significant potential to address obesity in patients with and without diabetes, alongside several preclinical programs. Roche Holding AG (OTC:RHHBY) continues to position itself as a pioneer in revolutionizing healthcare through tailored treatments for individual patients.

On November 17, Medtronic plc (NYSE:MDT) introduced an approach to addressing high blood pressure, marking a significant advancement in hypertension treatment. The officially approved medical device-based procedure is designed to aid individuals in the US coping with hypertension, commonly known as high blood pressure. The FDA granted approval for the utilization of the Medtronic plc (NYSE:MDT) Symplicity Spyral renal denervation system within the US. The system employs radio frequency to interrupt hyperactive nerves in the kidneys, contributing to the reduction of blood pressure.

On November 16, UnitedHealth Group Inc.'s (NYSE:UNH) Community Plan of Rhode Island achieved the Health Equity Accreditation from the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA), acknowledging its dedication to offering culturally and linguistically sensitive healthcare services while actively working to diminish disparities in healthcare. This accreditation distinguishes organizations that excel in supporting internal cultures focused on health equity, collecting data for language services, and identifying opportunities to improve care and reduce health inequities. UnitedHealth Group Inc. (NYSE:UNH) remains steadfast in its dedication to delivering healthcare that is inclusive and equitable.

On December 12, Moderna, Inc. (NASDAQ:MRNA) disclosed operational changes to prioritize its immediate and long-term goals. The focus remains on sustaining COVID-19 vaccine sales, launching the RSV vaccine in 2024, and introducing multiple products annually from 2025. CEO Stephane Bancel will oversee 2024 sales and marketing, while President Stephen Hoge, M.D., will manage post-2024 launches and Medical Affairs. Chief Commercial Officer Arpa Garay is expected to leave soon but will advise Moderna, Inc. (NASDAQ:MRNA) during the transition.

Given this context, let's now explore the top 20 countries for doctors to move to.

20 Best Countries for Doctors to Immigrate to

Methodology:

Our methodology for identifying the top 20 countries for doctors' immigration involved a thorough selection process. From the Human Development Value Index, we filtered nations with a high value classification specifically as it is a significant indicator in evaluating the socio-economic status of nations and an overall standard of life. We categorically selected countries where doctors could practice without needing extensive re-education or re-training, ensuring a smoother licensing process, although recognizing the likelihood of prerequisite exams. We then explicitly focused on countries where English is the primary language for medical practice, and aimed to eliminate language barriers that doctors might encounter. Furthermore, we assessed the remuneration offered to medical professionals, gathering annual average salary data from PayScale, presented in USD, for easy comparison. This approach considered crucial factors such as licensing prerequisites, language accessibility, and financial prospects to determine the most suitable destinations for doctors seeking to immigrate.

20 Best Countries for Doctors to Immigrate to

20. Saint Lucia

HDI Rank: 106 Average Salary: $40,000 Foreign doctors wishing to practice in St. Lucia typically need to undergo an accreditation process, while the nation boasts an HDI rank of 106 and an annual average salary of $29,000.

19. Dominica

HDI Rank: 102

Average Salary: $37,000

Dominica demonstrates an HDI ranking of 102 and an average salary of $17,000, rendering it as an attractive destination for foreign doctors looking to work within its well-regulated borders.

18. Maldives

HDI Rank: 90

Average Salary: $38,000

In the Maldives, with an HDI rank of 90 and an average salary of $37,560, foreign doctors have the opportunity to practice as resort doctors on resort islands.

17. Saint Kitts & Nevis

HDI Rank: 75

Average Salary: $35,000

St. Kitts and Nevis, positioned at an HDI rank of 75, showcases a promising average salary of $30,680, underscoring its allure for both professional pursuits and a rewarding standard of living.

16. Antigua & Barbuda

HDI Rank: 71

Average Salary: $55,000

Antigua & Barbuda, features an impressive average salary of $55,000, reflecting its potential as an excellent opportunity for a medical career and a higher standard of living.

15. Grenada

HDI Rank: 68

Average Salary: $68000

Grenada ranks 68th in the HDI with an average salary of $68,000, making it an appealing choice for medical professionals seeking promising career prospects in a captivating island setting.

14. Thailand

HDI Rank: 66

Average Salary: $54,000

Thailand holds the 66th position in the HDI rankings and offers an average salary of $54,000, flaunting its appeal for doctors amidst a landscape featuring tropical beaches, majestic temples, and grand palaces.

13. Mauritius

HDI Rank: 63

Average Salary: $42,000

Mauritius, with an average doctor's salary of $42,000, provides a chance for doctors to practice in a stunning island nation with a close-knit and appreciative community.

12. Malaysia

HDI Rank: 62

Average Salary: $60,000

Malaysia holds the 62nd position in the HDI rankings and offers an average salary of $21,000. Amidst its cultural diversity, Malaysia offers lucrative opportunities and a mix of modernity against a backdrop of natural beauty.

11. Bahamas

HDI Rank: 62

Average Salary: $63,000

Bahamas offers an average salary of $63,000, and HDI value ranked at 62, providing doctors the opportunity to work in a country renowned for its warm hospitality and breathtaking landscapes while advancing their medical careers.

10. Oman

HDI Rank: 54

Average Salary: $50,000

Oman, standing at the 54th position in the HDI rankings and offering an average salary of $40,000, ranks 10th on our list of best destinations for doctors to relocate to.

9. Kuwait

HDI Rank: 50

Average Salary: $56,000

In Kuwait, medical professionals have the chance to work within a futuristic Middle Eastern culture, with an average doctor's salary of $56,000 and an HDI ranking of 50.

8. Qatar

HDI Rank: 42

Average Salary: $77,000

Qatar offers an average doctor's salary of $77,000, providing a chance for doctors to contribute to a rapidly developing healthcare system while experiencing the country's cultural blend and economic growth.

7. Andorra

HDI Rank: 40

Average Salary: $70,000

Andorra, with an average salary of $70,000 invites doctors to practice in a country that is appreciated globally for its natural beauty and a good quality healthcare system.

6. Saudi Arabia

HDI Rank: 35

Average Salary: $121,000

Saudi Arabia offers a lucrative opportunity for doctors with an average salary of $121,000, providing them with substantial financial rewards compared to many other countries. Additionally, Saudi Arabia has a HDI rank of 35, indicating a relatively high standard of living and well-being for its residents.

Click to continue reading and see the 5 Best Countries for Doctors to Immigrate to.

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Disclosure: None. 20 Best Countries for Doctors to Immigrate to is originally published on Insider Monkey.
In this article, we look at the 20 largest air forces in the world. You can skip our detailed analysis on the aircraft fleet size of various air forces and trends in the aerospace industry by heading over directly to the 5 Largest Air Forces in the World Heading into 2024.

Air Forces around the world are upgrading their fleet of aircraft with newer, advanced fighter jets to enhance their aerial capabilities. In the United States, work is already underway to develop a sixth-generation fighter jet by 2030 to replace Lockheed Martin Corporation (NYSE:LMT)s F-22 Raptor. For this purpose, the US Air Force (USAF) in 2014 launched a highly classified Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) program, which is estimated to cost about $16 billion between 2023 and 2028. The USAF has requested $1.7 billion for NGAD in its FY24 budget request.

In August 2022, five companies received contracts of $975 million each to work on the NGAD program for a period of ten years. These included Lockheed Martin Corporation (NYSE:LMT), Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC), The Boeing Company (NYSE:BA), General Electric Company (NYSE:GE) and Pratt & Whitney, a subsidiary of RTX Corporation (NYSE:RTX).

Given the level of research being carried out on the development of the future fighter jet in the US, and the fact that much of the world relies on US-based aerospace companies for the procurement of their fighters and other aircraft, it is safe to say that America is likely to retain its status as the global military power for the foreseeable future.

This also bodes well for the US economy. Several countries in the Middle East have increased their defense spending over the past couple of decades. Saudi Arabia entered into a $30 billion deal with the US in 2011 to procure 84 F-15SA fighter jets from The Boeing Company (NYSE:BA). The final delivery of these aircraft were delivered to the Saudi Royal Air Force in December 2020. According to CNN at the time of signing the contract, the Saudi order for fighters was projected to support more than 50,000 jobs across 44 states of the US. The UAEs air force is also equipped with 80 F-16 fighter jets, as part of a $6.4 billion deal it signed with Lockheed Martin Corporation (NYSE:LMT) in 2000.

Story continues

Other countries in Asia are also racking up their air force capabilities, with the help of American aerospace companies. During Narendra Modis visit to Washington in June 2023, General Electric Company (NYSE:GE) announced that it had signed an agreement with Indias state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. to produce fighter jet engines for the Indian Air Force (IAF). The signed contract mentioned the likelihood of General Electric Company (NYSE:GE)s F414 engines being jointly produced for use by IAFs Tejas fighter jets.

This August, the Indonesian Air Force said it had signed a memorandum of agreement with The Boeing Company (NYSE:BA) for purchasing 24 F-15EX fighter jets, which is the most advanced version of the F-15. The financial details of the deal are not public yet. Last year, Washington also approved the sale of F-15ID aircraft to Jakarta for a deal valued at $13.9 billion.

Following Russias invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, a number of European countries, especially those that are members of NATO, have increased their military expenditure and are spending heavily on the procurement of fighter jets from the US. According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), Finlands defense expenditure rose 36% in 2022 compared to 2021. Arms procurement including that of F-35 fighter jets from Lockheed Martin Corporation (NYSE:LMT) accounted for one-thirds of all military spending by Helsinki that year.

Late last year, Germany also announced that it was acquiring 35 F-35 fighter jets from the US for a deal valued at $8 billion. The cost will be paid out of a $14 billion fund that German lawmakers approved earlier in the year to upgrade and enhance military capabilities in wake of Moscows aggression against Kyiv in the neighborhood.

20 Largest Air Forces In The World Heading into 2024

Pixabay/Public Domain

Methodology

The 20 Largest Air Forces In The World Heading into 2024 are ranked in ascending order of the air force fleet size of countries. Data has been sourced from the Global Air Powers Ranking 2023. FlightGlobals 2023 Flight International magazine was consulted for a breakdown of the type of active aircraft used by these air forces; for example, combat, special mission, trainers, and more.

If interested, you can also take a look at the 15 Most Expensive Fighter Jets in the World.

By the way, Insider Monkey is an investing website that tracks the movements of corporate insiders and hedge funds. By using a similar consensus approach, we identify the best stock picks of more than 900 hedge funds investing in US stocks. The top 10 consensus stock picks of hedge funds outperformed the S&P 500 Index by more than 140 percentage points over the last 10 years (see the details here). Whether you are a beginner investor or professional one looking for the best stocks to buy, you can benefit from the wisdom of hedge funds and corporate insiders.

Lets now head over to the list of countries with the largest air forces in the world heading into 2024.

20. Germany

Aircraft Fleet: 394

The German Air Force has a fleet of 394 aircraft, of which 134 are Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets  one of the most advanced fighters in the world. According to Flight International, another 38 of these have been ordered in recent years with pending delivery.

19. Canada

Aircraft Fleet: 395

Canadas Air Force has a sizable fleet of combat aircraft. The government in January this year announced to purchase 88 F-35 fighter jets from Lockheed Martin Corporation (NYSE:LMT) in a bid to enhance Arctic security and meet NATOs spending expectations.

18. United Kingdom

Aircraft Fleet: 466

The Royal Air Force of the United Kingdom has one of the largest fleets of combat aircraft, which include 119 Eurofighter Typhoons, and 26 F-35B fighter jets. In addition to this, it also has 57 Boeing CH-47 Chinook combat helicopters.

17. Italy

Aircraft Fleet: 506

Italy is one of the highest spenders on defense in the world. The country has 862 military aircraft, of which more than 500 are in active use of the air force, including 92 Eurofighter Typhoon, 50 Tornado IDS, and 15 F-35 fighter jets. According to Air & Space Forces Magazine, the Italian Air Force has another 90 F-35 fighters on order with Lockheed Martin Corporation (NYSE:LMT).

16. Taiwan

Aircraft Fleet: 518

Taiwan has raised a strong air force due to the perceived threat from China. There are regular occurrences of Chinese warplanes entering Taiwans air space, because of which the US ensures that Taipei gets the equipment it requires to defend itself from Beijings aggression. Taiwans air force has 110 General Dynamic Corporation (NYSE:GD) F-16 fighters, with another 56 on order. This week Bloomberg reported that the Pentagon was expediting the delivery of these jets to Taiwan due to the tense situation with China.

15. Brazil

Aircraft Fleet: 527

Brazil has the largest air force in South America. Having an economy with a size of $2 trillion has allowed the country to upgrade its military. In the last decade, Brazil has placed an order to purchase 36 Gripen fighter jets from Sweden, and has also upgraded its surveillance radars under a contract with RTX Corporation (NYSE:RTX). Of the 527 aircraft in Brazilian Air Forces fleet, 120 are combat jets.

14. Algeria

Aircraft Fleet: 541

Algeria has one of the largest air forces in the world, and has been involved in an arms race with its arch-rival Morocco. The African nation gets most of its military equipment from Russia. Of the 541 aircraft in the air forces fleet, there are 33 MiG-29, 22 Su-24, and 57 Su-30 fighter jets, among other aircraft.

13. Israel

Aircraft Fleet: 581

The Israeli Air Force is among the most powerful in the Middle East. Israel is the only country in the region which has F-35 fighter jets. Currently, it has 32 of these fifth-generation fighters, and has placed an order for another 17 according to Flight International 2023. In addition to this, the air force has 175 F-16 combat aircraft built by General Dynamics Corporation (NYSE:GD) as well.

12. Turkiye

Aircraft Fleet: 618

Turkiye has one of the largest air forces in the world heading into 2024, with a fleet size of over 600 aircraft. About 200 of these are combat jets, including 157 F-16 jets developed by General Dynamics Corporation (NYSE:GD). The Turkish Air Force also has several special mission jets and combat helicopters. It has 7 KC-135R tankers as well.

11. France

Aircraft Fleet: 658

France has one of the most powerful air forces in the world, helped by its home-grown aerospace industry, which includes companies like Dassault Aviation  the developers of all of its primary fighter jets such as Rafale, Mirage 2000-5F, and Mirage 2000D. The French Air Force also has 84 aircraft that are used for transport operations, and around 80 combat helicopters according to Flight International 2023.

10. Saudi Arabia

Aircraft Fleet: 702

More than half of Saudi Air Forces aircraft fleet comprises fighter jets. The kingdom spent $75 billion on defense expenditure in 2022, making it the fifth largest military spender in the world. Riyadh is currently looking to purchase 48 Eurofighter Typhoon jets, in addition to the 72 that it already has. Germany is so far blocking the sale, despite requests by several European countries including the UK to approve the sale.

9. Japan

Aircraft Fleet: 779

Japans Air Self-Defense Force is one of the largest air forces in the world. In November this year, the Japanese received a delivery of F-35 fighter jets from Lockheed Martin Corporation (NYSE:LMT). The number of jets delivered was not disclosed, but it has certainly bolstered the aerial capabilities of the Asian country. According to Flight International, Japan has 27 F-35s and has 119 in orders. Other combat aircraft in its fleet include 155 F-15J and 62 F-2A.

8. Pakistan

Aircraft Fleet: 818

Pakistans aerial potential was on display in its 2019 dogfight with arch-rival India in the disputed Kashmir region. The country boasts a strong and one of the largest air forces in the world, with a fleet size in excess of 800. Notable combat jets of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) include 135 F-7, 44 F-16, and 109 JF-17 fighter jets which it jointly produced with China.

7. South Korea

Aircraft Fleet: 890

South Korean Air Forces fleet size of 890 combat aircraft makes it one of the largest air forces in the world. In 2022, the countrys aerial capabilities received a significant boost with the successful launch of its locally-made KF-21 Boramae fighter jet, which defense experts believe is as good as any other fourth-generation stealth fighter. According to Flight International, Seoul has 118 F-16, 60 FA-50, and 38 F-35A in its fleet among several other fighter jets.

6. North Korea

Aircraft Fleet: 951

North Korea has a significantly higher number of combat aircraft than South Korea, but its fleet is not as advanced as its neighbors. Most of Pyongyangs jets are outdated. Its fleet includes 120 F-7, 106 F-5 Shenyang, and several versions of the MiG fighter jets.

Click to continue reading and see the 5 Largest Air Forces in the World Heading into 2024.

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Disclosure: None. 20 Largest Air Forces in the World Heading into 2024 is originally published on Insider Monkey.
Elections to 3 RS seats from Delhi, 1 from Sikkim on Jan 19





NEW DELHI :

ELECTIONS to four Rajya Sabha seats -- three from Delhi and one from Sikkim -- will be held on January 19, the Election Commission said on Friday. The six-year term of Sanjay Singh, Sushil Kumar Gupta and Narain Dass Gupta (all from the Aam Aadmi Party) ends on January 27 next year. The term of Hishey Lachungpa (Sikkim Democratic Front) ends on February 23 next year. Singh is in judicial custody after being arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in a money laundering case linked to the Delhi excise policy. He has been under suspension from the Rajya Sabha since July 24 for unruly behaviour in the House. In a statement, the EC said the election to fill up the four vacancies will be held on January 19 (Friday).

The nomination process will start on January 2 with the issuance of notification and January 9 will be the last date to file papers. As per established practice, the polling will take place from 9 am to 4 pm and the counting of votes will commence from 5 pm. The three vacancies in Rajya Sabha from Delhi are being filled by holding three separate elections in accordance with the law on the subject as each of these three vacancies fell under three different cycles, which were determined at the time of the initial constitution of the Rajya Sabha in 1952 itself, the poll panel said. The decision of the commission to hold three separate elections was challenged in the Delhi High Court in 1994 in the A K Walia Vs the Union of India and Others case on behalf of the Indian National Congress, contending that all the three vacancies should be filled by holding a common election as the elections to the Rajya Sabha are held under the system of proportional representation, the poll panel noted. The Delhi High Court, however, had dismissed the petition.
FRAGILE PEACE





THE latest incident in which five soldiers were killed and two injured in an ambush of the Indian Army vehicles in Poonch district in Jammu and Kashmir, indicates not only desperation of the terrorists to revive militancy in Jammu region but also the fragility of peace. Since there appears to be a pattern being followed by terrorists in carrying out ambushes on the forces, the security establishment also needs to effect some change in strategy to effectively counter the ultras. The present situation has several dimensions, so to say. Poonch and Rajouri districts are very close to the Line of Control. Owing to jungles and caves in it, and also existence of agricultural lands between the anti-infiltration obstacle system and the Line of Control, these two districts have been witnessing infiltration by terrorists. Over 20 years ago, the terrorists had set up bases in Hilkaka-Poonch-Surankote area.

That time, with the help of locals, the Indian Army launched Operation Sarpvinash and flushed out terrorists. Since that action, barring ceasefire violations by terrorist-harbouring Pakistan, infiltration and major incidents did not take place in Rajouri and Poonch for several years. However, the terrorist sympathisers, overground workers were still there. Despite the rising aspirations of the youths, the separatists and terrorist sympathisers from the Kashmir Valley kept visiting this region in a bid to radicalise people and gain some foothold. Due to security establishments alertness, such attempts did not succeed. Call it a bit of a miscalculation or need along the Line of Actual Control with China, some of the forces were moved from this region. With setback to the separatists in Kashmir Valley especially since the abrogation of Article 370, and elimination of terrorists, the terrorists have been making attempts to shift their base in Rajouri and Poonch areas. Militancy has been raising its ugly head again in this area.

Already existing overground workers are providing logistics support to terrorists. Added to other aspects, drone-dropping of weapons from Pakistan-occupied territory, visits by radical preachers, use of technology, vulnerability to radicalisation in population present a scenario that needs multi-faceted handling. Terrorists have been utilising these factors, the terrain, and have adopted a pattern as seen in the past few incidents -- they launch an attack on a party, lure the forces into deep jungles bordering Pakistan-occupied territory, regroup, and ambush the forces. There is one more dimension. Pakistan economys downfall had kept the areas along the Line of Control peaceful for quite some time. As indicated by the recent surge in terrorist activities in Rajouri and Poonch, Pakistan appears to be again misusing the aid received from international community, to sponsor terror activities in Indian territory.

The members of international community providing aid to Pakistan need to be vigilant about this. Considering these aspects, there is a need to change the strategy in the region. The kinetic operation of aggressive search and cordon alone may not help in achieving the desired results for the security forces. They have to be aided by intelligence-based specific action operations. Of course, as has been proved in the latest incident of ambush, even the hard intelligence about presence of terrorists in an area has to be responded to in a cautious manner. This has been the region in no war, no peace situation, and the establishment need not get deceived by a patch of fragile peace. Whatever action is being taken by the forces has to be improved upon, and a firm response also must be given in tune with the New India approach so that terror-sponsors do not resort to such misadventures.
MASSIVE Hunt on For terrorists who ambushed Army vehicles





POONCH/JAMMU :

SECURITY forces on Friday launched a massive cordon and search operation in the forest area of Jammu and Kashmirs Poonch district and a National Investigation Agency team also visited there, a day after five Army personnel were killed and two others injured in a terrorist attack. The General Officer Commanding (GOC), XVI corps, Lt Gen Sandeep Jain visited Ground Zero and reviewed the situation with top Army and olice officers, officials said. Indian Army and White knight Corps salutes the bravery and supreme sacrifice of four soldiers in Surankote on yesterday while fighting the scourge of terrorism, White Knight Corps, or XVI corps, wrote on X.

An official said aerial monitoring using helicopters is also being conducted and sniffer dogs have been pressed into service to track down the terrorists who ambushed two Army vehicles in the area on Thursday afternoon. A massive cordon and search operation has begun this morning after a night cordon in area, an officer told PTI. The operation was still going on. He said that additional troops have been inducted into area to track down the terrorists involved in the firing. On Thursday, around 3.45 pm, the two Army vehicles carrying personnel to the site of a cordon-and-search operation came under attack at a blind curve at Dhatyar Morh between Dhera Ki Gali and Bufliaz under the jurisdiction of the Surankote police station. The officer quoted above said the Dhera Ki Gali (DKG) Road has been closed for traffic. Top officials of army and police are monitoring in the situation at the ground.

The heavily-armed terrorists, believed to three to four in number, initially took position on hill tops and chose a blind curve to target the Army vehicles. After the attack, they reportedly mutilated the bodies of at least two soldiers and have taken weapons of some of them, officials say. The security officials say that investigation of site is being carried out to know the pattern and use of weapons including steel core bullets in the ambush. Security experts said on Friday the rising number of terror incidents in the Rajouri-Poonch region is concerning. It is matter of concern. It is second incident in the last two months.

This region was peaceful till recently. During last two years, 35 soldiers were martyred here. Why is it happening? Why have terrorists got so emboldened? Defence expert Col S S Pathania said. Security expert Captain (retd) Anil Gaur said that Pakistan is trying to revive terrorism in this region by engineering these incidents. There is some fault in how we are dealing with terrorism. It is time to strengthen intelligence and security setup of the region and eliminate all terrorists in difficult areas. There are caves, he said. In Jammu, several bodies including the Jammu Statehood Organisation held anti-Pakistan protests in the city and burnt the effigy of Pakistan. Dogra front Shiv Sena also held anti-Pakistan protests and demand an all out operation to clean the area of terrorists. They asked the government to carry out special operation along forest areas and strengthen Intelligence network.
NDCCB Scam MLA Sunil Kedar, 5 others convicted Sentenced to 5 years RI; decision comes after 21 years





Special Correspondent :

Kedar admitted to GMCH after he complained of health problems

SPECIAL Court of Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Jyoti Pekhale-Purkar on Friday convicted Sunil Chhatrapal Kedar, Congress MLA from Saoner and former minister along with five others in the infamous Rs 150 crore Nagpur District Central Cooperative Bank (NDCCB) scam cases and awarded five years rigorous imprisonment to them with a fine of Rs 10 lakh each. The judgement, which comes after almost 21 years after the scam came to fore, would be a major embarrassment for the Congress party as its senior leader Kedar is convicted and may lose his membership of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly with immediate effect. Besides Kedar, the other convicts include Ashok Namdeo Chaudhari (Nagpur), former NDCCB General Manager; Ketan Kantilal Seth (Mumbai), stock broker; Amit Sitapati Verma (Ahmedabad); Subodh Chandadayal Bhandari and Nandkishor Shankarkal Trivedi (both from Mumbai).





Supporter and onlookers gathered outside Nyaay Mandir

All the six were convicted for the offences under Sections 406, 409, 468, 471, 120-B and 34 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). The court acquitted Suresh Peshkar, the then Chief Accountant of the bank, Mahendra Radheyshyam Agrawal, and Shreeprakash Shantilal Poddar (Kolkata), as the prosecution failed to substantiate the charges against them. In the accused Sanjay Hariram Agrawals case, the High Court had granted a stay in the matter. Another accused Kanan Vasant Mewawala was absconding. The verdict in the infamous Rs 150 crore scam case comes more than two decades after it surfaced in 2002 when Kedar was the Chairman of the bank. According to the prosecution, Kedar conspired with other accused and flouted rules while investing the banks funds in G-secs.

The funds were routed through the investment firms Home Trade Securities, Syndicate Management Services, Giltage Management Services, (all from Mumbai), Indramani Merchants Pvt Ltd and Century Dealers Pvt Ltd (both from Kolkata) which neither bought securities nor paid back the money, causing loss to the bank. Subsequently, the banks Board of Directors was sacked and an administrator was appointed. An inquiry by the Cooperatives Department had also held Kedar guilty and had asked him to pay up Rs 299 crore (with interest) to the bank. However, the State had failed to recover the money from him. Kedar and others were arrested and later released on bail. Police investigated the case and filed a chargesheet against them. Adv Jyoti Vajani, who was Special Public Prosecutor in the case, had examined 51 of the 53 witnesses.

As the charges were proved against Kedar,Chaudhari, Seth, Verma, Bhandari and Trivedi, the special court sentenced them to five years rigorous imprisonment with fine of Rs 10 lakh each for the offence under Sections 409 and 120(b) of the IPC, in default they would undergo additional one year rigorous imprisonment. The court awarded them five more years of rigorous imprisonment with a fine of Rs two lakh each for the offence under Sections 468, 120(b) of the IPC. Similarly, the court sentenced them to one year rigorous imprisonment with a fine of Rs 50,000 for the offence under Sections 471, 120 (b) of the IPC. All the sentences would run concurrently. District Government Pleaders Adv Nitin Telgote (Nagpur) and Adv Ajay Misal (Nashik) represented the State. Adv Devendra Chauhan, Adv Ashok Bhangde and Adv Girish Purohit appeared for Kedar, Choudhary and Seth respectively. Adv Chandrashekar Jaltare and Adv Milind Chaurasia appeared for accused Suresh Peshkar who was acquitted of all the charges. Similarly, Adv Kailash Agrawal represented Mahendra Agrawal and Poddar, who, too, were acquitted.

The Gilt Scam

The scam was exposed in April 2002. Sunil Kedar, who was the Chairman of Nagpur District Central Cooperative Bank (NDCCB), allegedly in connivance with senior officials of the bank, conspired with directors of intermediary companies to purchase government securities. The NDCCB then gave about Rs 150 crore to the five companies -- Home Trade Securities, Giltage Management, Century Dealers, Syndicate Management and Indramani Merchants -- to purchase the government securities. However, these companies did not return NDCCB with any securities and the accused (now convicted) had embezzled the money. Of these five companies, more than Rs 94 crore went to Home Trade Securities. On May 03, 2002, Kedar was arrested. Later, other 10 accused persons were put behind bars. A chargesheet was filed against 11 accused persons in the court on November 22, 2002. Interestingly, Kedar was granted bail on the ground that the investigation agency did not file the chargesheet within the stipulated time period. Since then, the matter had been lingering for more than two decades.

Recovery Case

Kedar moves HC against summons for oral evidence A DAY before the judgement was delivered by the Special Court, Sunil Kedar had approached the Nagpur bench of Bombay High Court challenging the notice by Justice J N Patel Commission directing him to record the oral evidence. The Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court had asked Justice Patel, former Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court to probe into the Rs 150 crore NDCCB scam following a PIL filed by one Omprakash Kamdi for expediting trial in the case, which was lingering for more than two decades. Kamdi had demanded fixation of responsibility for the losses caused to the bank, particularly by Kedar and other directors, besides recovery of dues from them as per the provisions of the Maharashtra Cooperative Societies Act. A division bench of the High Court had allowed the cooperative department way back in 2017 to appoint Subhash Mohod, former principal district and sessions judge, for the probe into the matter . Due to health-related problems, Mohod could not complete the inquiry before the extended deadline of November 6 last year. Subsequently, the High Court had asked Justice Patel to head the inquiry.
GettyImages-1213464862-1201x787-5660596

2023 is almost over. And unless some dramatic sell-off occurs, it was an impeccable year in the market. But there's no telling what the market will do in 2024 -- or any short time period for that matter.

Dividend stocks help smooth out the uncertainty that comes with investing in the stock market by providing stable, usually quarterly streams of dividend income no matter what the market is doing. In a year of massive outperformance like 2023, a dividend looks a bit negligible. But during a market downturn, a dividend can be a way to generate income without selling a stock when its down, and can even provide buying power to buy other stocks when they are on sale.

Here's why Phillips 66 (NYSE: PSX), Kennametal (NYSE: KMT), and United Parcel Service (NYSE: UPS) are three dividend stocks worth buying in 2023.

Image source: Getty Images.

Energize your passive income stream with oil and gas stock Phillips 66

Scott Levine (Phillips 66): With the holiday season in full swing, many investors are tightening their purse strings to accommodate their gift lists. That may mean temporarily giving up some personal indulgences, but it may also mean they're looking for bargains in the stock market. Fortunately for them, Phillips 66 -- with its forward-yielding 3.2% dividend -- is hanging on the discount rack.

Operating both midstream and downstream assets, Phillips 66 is an excellent energy choice for income investors looking to supplement their passive income. Earlier this month Phillips 66 announced a $2.2 billion capital budget for 2024, which includes $1.3 billion for growth projects. In particular, Phillips 66 plans on allocating $654 million for growing its refining business, including the transition of the San Francisco Refinery into what the company characterizes as "one of the world's largest renewable fuels facilities." This is part of management's overall initiative to improve its refining capability by investing in high-return projects that will help the company increase market capture by 5%.

Story continues

Phillips 66 has demonstrated consistent interest in rewarding shareholders since it started paying a dividend in 2012. From then until now, in fact, Phillips 66 has raised its dividend at a compound annual growth rate of 16%. Further evidence of the company's commitment comes in the form of a recent announcement that the company has upwardly revised its target for shareholder distributions. Whereas the company had initially planned on returning $10 billion to $12 billion to shareholders from July 2022 through December 2024, it now expects to return $13 billion to $15 billion to investors over that time frame.

With shares of Phillips 66 currently changing hands at 6.9 times forward earnings, today sees like a great time to pick up shares of this high-quality, high-yield stock.

Kennametal is a solid income generator for investors

Lee Samaha (Kennametal): The tooling and metal-cutting products company isn't the most exciting investment, but it currently yields 3% and has solid end markets and earnings growth prospects.

Management recently held an investor day presentation and laid out plans to generate organic sales growth of 4%-6% through 2027, accompanied by adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) margin expansion from 15.5% in 2023 to 20% to 23% in 2027. That combination is expected to produce a compound annual growth rate of 20% to 25% in adjusted earnings per share.

Given that management's stated capital allocation aims include returning "cash to shareholders via dividends and stock repurchases," it's hard to imagine its dividend payout won't increase significantly if the 2027 targets are hit.

Kennametal doesn't operate in high-growth markets (the 4% to 6% growth plan assumes just 1% to 2% annual market growth, with 1% to 2% coming from market share gains and 2% from pricing). This is more a story of the company refocusing on some of its higher-growth end markets, such as metal cutting tools in aerospace & defense and medical, as well as a solid contribution from its exposure to infrastructure spending.

At the same time, management plans to drive margin expansion by cutting costs by $100 million by closing plants to reduce structural costs and investing in automation and smart manufacturing facilities. All told, it all comes together to make Kennametal a boring way to generate growth and dividends over the next few years, and that's fine for many investors

UPS is too good of a company to pass up on

Daniel Foelber (UPS): UPS suffered a slight sell-off in response to worse-than-expected results and lower revenue guidance from FedEx (NYSE: FDX) on Dec. 19. And while UPS and FedEx have their similarities, and sometimes deserve to trade in tandem, that certainly hasn't been the case this year.

In fact, 2023 may be one of the biggest years of outperformance for FedEx over UPS -- ever.

Going into its Q2 fiscal 2024 earnings, FedEx was up 61.8% year-to-date, while UPS was down 7%. FedEx has done a better job protecting its margins than UPS. And FedEx stock had some catching up to do, as its valuation is still reasonable even after this year's run up.

But UPS stands out as the better buy for 2024. For one, the dividend yield is far higher -- 4.1% for UPS compared to 2% for FedEx. UPS has also done a phenomenal job growing the "sticky" parts of its business, such as healthcare and small and medium-sized businesses.

In addition to a downturn in the cycle, one of the reasons why UPS has been under pressure is that it failed to properly forecast near-term results, which caused repeated downward adjustments to its guidance. The stock market doesn't like poor results, but it dislikes uncertainty even more. Especially coming from a market darling like UPS that gave investors everything they could have asked for and then some in 2020 and 2021.

UPS has the makings of a quality turnaround play going into 2024. Sentiment is negative on the stock. And after FedEx's miss, it could be negative on the package delivery industry in general. That's a nice opportunity for investors who trust UPS to deliver over the long run. The attractive dividend yield is a worthy incentive to simply hold UPS and wait for the business to remind investors what it can do during an uptick in the cycle.

Should you invest $1,000 in Phillips 66 right now?

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Daniel Foelber has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Lee Samaha has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Scott Levine has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends FedEx. The Motley Fool recommends United Parcel Service. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

3 Magnificent High-Yield Dividend Stocks to Buy for 2024 was originally published by The Motley Fool
Ritholtz Wealth Management lifted its position in shares of Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE:CAT  Free Report) by 5.1% during the third quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The firm owned 7,397 shares of the industrial products companys stock after acquiring an additional 357 shares during the quarter. Ritholtz Wealth Managements holdings in Caterpillar were worth $2,019,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in the company. Northwest Capital Management Inc acquired a new stake in shares of Caterpillar during the second quarter worth about $25,000. West Financial Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Caterpillar during the second quarter worth about $25,000. Atlas Capital Advisors LLC increased its position in shares of Caterpillar by 272.4% during the first quarter. Atlas Capital Advisors LLC now owns 108 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $25,000 after purchasing an additional 79 shares in the last quarter. Kayne Anderson Rudnick Investment Management LLC increased its position in shares of Caterpillar by 730.8% during the first quarter. Kayne Anderson Rudnick Investment Management LLC now owns 108 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $25,000 after purchasing an additional 95 shares in the last quarter. Finally, First Capital Advisors Group LLC. acquired a new position in Caterpillar in the 2nd quarter valued at about $30,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 69.20% of the companys stock.

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Caterpillar Trading Up 0.1 %

CAT stock opened at $290.07 on Friday. The company has a market cap of $147.67 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 16.43, a PEG ratio of 1.06 and a beta of 1.09. The company has a quick ratio of 0.92, a current ratio of 1.45 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.18. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $253.86 and a 200-day simple moving average of $260.56. Caterpillar Inc. has a 52 week low of $204.04 and a 52 week high of $298.27.

Caterpillar Announces Dividend

Caterpillar ( NYSE:CAT Get Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, October 31st. The industrial products company reported $5.52 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $4.75 by $0.77. The business had revenue of $16.81 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $16.57 billion. Caterpillar had a return on equity of 56.29% and a net margin of 13.69%. The businesss revenue for the quarter was up 12.1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $3.95 EPS. On average, equities research analysts expect that Caterpillar Inc. will post 20.58 EPS for the current year.

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, February 20th. Investors of record on Monday, January 22nd will be given a dividend of $1.30 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, January 19th. This represents a $5.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.79%. Caterpillars dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 29.46%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

CAT has been the topic of several recent research reports. Bank of America dropped their price target on Caterpillar from $323.00 to $297.00 in a research report on Wednesday, October 11th. StockNews.com lowered Caterpillar from a strong-buy rating to a buy rating in a research note on Monday, November 20th. The Goldman Sachs Group cut their price objective on Caterpillar from $315.00 to $274.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, November 1st. Sanford C. Bernstein lifted their price objective on Caterpillar from $216.00 to $245.00 and gave the stock a market perform rating in a research report on Thursday. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus lifted their price objective on Caterpillar from $285.00 to $293.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Tuesday. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have assigned a hold rating and eight have given a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Caterpillar currently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $269.78.

Read Our Latest Report on CAT

Caterpillar Profile

(Free Report)

Caterpillar Inc manufactures and sells construction and mining equipment, off-highway diesel and natural gas engines, industrial gas turbines, and diesel-electric locomotives in the United States and internationally. Its Construction Industries segment offers asphalt pavers, compactors, road reclaimers, forestry machines, cold planers, material handlers, tractors, excavators, telehandlers, motor graders, and pipelayers; compact track and multi-terrain, wheel, track-type, backhoe, and skid steer loaders; and related parts and tools.

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Kentucky Retirement Systems acquired a new position in shares of JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE:JPM) during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor acquired 228,231 shares of the financial services providers stock, valued at approximately $33,098,000. JPMorgan Chase & Co. accounts for 1.2% of Kentucky Retirement Systems portfolio, making the stock its 13th biggest position.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Atlas Private Wealth Management increased its stake in shares of JPMorgan Chase & Co. by 11.7% in the second quarter. Atlas Private Wealth Management now owns 27,106 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $3,942,000 after purchasing an additional 2,834 shares during the period. Hilltop Holdings Inc. increased its stake in shares of JPMorgan Chase & Co. by 4.4% in the second quarter. Hilltop Holdings Inc. now owns 34,079 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $4,956,000 after purchasing an additional 1,439 shares during the period. Checchi Capital Advisers LLC increased its stake in shares of JPMorgan Chase & Co. by 4.4% in the second quarter. Checchi Capital Advisers LLC now owns 39,447 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $5,737,000 after purchasing an additional 1,652 shares during the period. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. increased its stake in shares of JPMorgan Chase & Co. by 14.0% in the second quarter. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. now owns 50,991 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $7,416,000 after purchasing an additional 6,264 shares during the period. Finally, Joseph Group Capital Management increased its stake in shares of JPMorgan Chase & Co. by 7.6% in the second quarter. Joseph Group Capital Management now owns 12,958 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $1,885,000 after purchasing an additional 916 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 68.94% of the companys stock.

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Insider Buying and Selling

In other JPMorgan Chase & Co. news, CEO Marianne Lake sold 32,243 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, December 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $160.00, for a total value of $5,158,880.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 131,962 shares in the company, valued at approximately $21,113,920. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Company insiders own 0.79% of the companys stock.

JPMorgan Chase & Co. Trading Down 0.1 %

JPMorgan Chase & Co. stock opened at $167.40 on Friday. The company has a 50 day moving average price of $151.48 and a 200 day moving average price of $148.93. JPMorgan Chase & Co. has a 52 week low of $123.11 and a 52 week high of $169.41. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.25, a quick ratio of 0.90 and a current ratio of 0.90. The firm has a market capitalization of $483.96 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 9.99, a P/E/G ratio of 2.03 and a beta of 1.13.

JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE:JPM  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Friday, October 13th. The financial services provider reported $4.33 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $3.95 by $0.38. JPMorgan Chase & Co. had a net margin of 22.79% and a return on equity of 17.97%. The firm had revenue of $40.69 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $39.63 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $3.12 EPS. The companys revenue was up 24.4% on a year-over-year basis. Research analysts forecast that JPMorgan Chase & Co. will post 16.63 EPS for the current year.

JPMorgan Chase & Co. Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, January 31st. Investors of record on Friday, January 5th will be paid a $1.05 dividend. This represents a $4.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.51%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, January 4th. JPMorgan Chase & Co.s dividend payout ratio is 25.07%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

JPM has been the topic of several analyst reports. Oppenheimer raised their price target on shares of JPMorgan Chase & Co. from $233.00 to $243.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research note on Thursday, November 16th. Odeon Capital Group lowered shares of JPMorgan Chase & Co. from a buy rating to a hold rating and set a $140.00 price target on the stock. in a research note on Thursday, November 2nd. Morgan Stanley increased their price objective on shares of JPMorgan Chase & Co. from $187.00 to $191.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Monday, October 16th. Royal Bank of Canada reiterated an outperform rating and issued a $158.00 price objective on shares of JPMorgan Chase & Co. in a report on Friday, September 8th. Finally, Piper Sandler increased their price objective on shares of JPMorgan Chase & Co. from $168.00 to $170.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Monday, October 16th. Nine investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and ten have assigned a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, JPMorgan Chase & Co. currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $168.80.

Check Out Our Latest Research Report on JPMorgan Chase & Co.

JPMorgan Chase & Co. Company Profile

(Free Report)

JPMorgan Chase & Co operates as a financial services company worldwide. It operates through four segments: Consumer & Community Banking (CCB), Corporate & Investment Bank (CIB), Commercial Banking (CB), and Asset & Wealth Management (AWM). The CCB segment offers deposit, investment and lending products, cash management, and payments and services to consumers and small businesses; mortgage origination and servicing activities; residential mortgages and home equity loans; and credit cards, auto loans, leases, and travel services.

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Arkadios Wealth Advisors grew its position in UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH  Free Report) by 6.9% during the third quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The firm owned 9,280 shares of the healthcare conglomerates stock after purchasing an additional 602 shares during the period. Arkadios Wealth Advisors holdings in UnitedHealth Group were worth $4,679,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Axiom Financial Strategies LLC purchased a new position in UnitedHealth Group in the first quarter valued at $210,000. McGowan Group Asset Management Inc. increased its stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 8.9% in the 1st quarter. McGowan Group Asset Management Inc. now owns 744 shares of the healthcare conglomerates stock valued at $379,000 after purchasing an additional 61 shares in the last quarter. Mirae Asset Global Investments Co. Ltd. boosted its position in UnitedHealth Group by 31.8% during the first quarter. Mirae Asset Global Investments Co. Ltd. now owns 250,196 shares of the healthcare conglomerates stock worth $127,592,000 after purchasing an additional 60,300 shares in the last quarter. MAS Advisors LLC increased its position in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 10.8% in the first quarter. MAS Advisors LLC now owns 463 shares of the healthcare conglomerates stock valued at $241,000 after buying an additional 45 shares in the last quarter. Finally, First Western Trust Bank purchased a new position in UnitedHealth Group during the first quarter valued at $875,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 85.69% of the companys stock.

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Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

UNH has been the topic of several research reports. Royal Bank of Canada restated an outperform rating and issued a $596.00 target price on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research report on Thursday, November 30th. Truist Financial reaffirmed a buy rating and set a $610.00 target price on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research note on Thursday, November 30th. Piper Sandler raised their price target on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $580.00 to $584.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research note on Monday, October 16th. StockNews.com cut shares of UnitedHealth Group from a strong-buy rating to a buy rating in a research note on Saturday, October 21st. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group cut their price target on UnitedHealth Group from $565.00 to $503.00 and set a hold rating for the company in a report on Monday, November 20th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, one has given a hold rating, fourteen have assigned a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, UnitedHealth Group presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $574.89.

UnitedHealth Group Trading Up 0.1 %

Shares of UNH stock opened at $520.31 on Friday. The company has a 50-day moving average of $536.71 and a two-hundred day moving average of $507.56. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.65, a current ratio of 0.80 and a quick ratio of 0.80. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has a 1-year low of $445.68 and a 1-year high of $554.70. The firm has a market cap of $481.25 billion, a PE ratio of 22.58, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.57 and a beta of 0.61.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH  Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Friday, October 13th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $6.56 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $6.33 by $0.23. The business had revenue of $92.36 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $91.41 billion. UnitedHealth Group had a return on equity of 26.58% and a net margin of 6.02%. The companys quarterly revenue was up 14.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the business posted $5.79 earnings per share. On average, analysts predict that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 24.95 EPS for the current year.

UnitedHealth Group Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, December 12th. Stockholders of record on Monday, December 4th were given a dividend of $1.88 per share. This represents a $7.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.45%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, December 1st. UnitedHealth Groups dividend payout ratio is currently 32.64%.

Insider Activity at UnitedHealth Group

In other news, Director Stephen J. Hemsley sold 66,081 shares of UnitedHealth Group stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, December 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $550.39, for a total value of $36,370,321.59. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now owns 635,528 shares in the company, valued at approximately $349,788,255.92. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. In other news, Director Stephen J. Hemsley sold 121,515 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, October 17th. The stock was sold at an average price of $540.58, for a total transaction of $65,688,578.70. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now directly owns 521,818 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $282,084,374.44. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, Director Stephen J. Hemsley sold 66,081 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, December 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $550.39, for a total value of $36,370,321.59. Following the sale, the director now owns 635,528 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $349,788,255.92. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last three months, insiders sold 192,094 shares of company stock worth $104,507,072. Company insiders own 0.35% of the companys stock.

About UnitedHealth Group

(Free Report)

UnitedHealth Group Incorporated operates as a diversified health care company in the United States. It operates through four segments: UnitedHealthcare, Optum Health, Optum Insight, and Optum Rx. The UnitedHealthcare segment offers consumer-oriented health benefit plans and services for national employers, public sector employers, mid-sized employers, small businesses, and individuals; health care coverage, and health and well-being services to individuals age 50 and older addressing their needs; Medicaid plans, children's health insurance and health care programs; and health and dental benefits, and hospital and clinical services, as well as health care benefits products and services to state programs caring for the economically disadvantaged, medically underserved, and those without the benefit of employer-funded health care coverage.

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Dana Incorporated (NYSE:DAN  Get Free Report) has earned an average recommendation of Hold from the six research firms that are presently covering the stock, Marketbeat reports. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation and two have issued a buy recommendation on the company. The average 12 month price target among brokerages that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $17.43.

DAN has been the topic of a number of recent research reports. StockNews.com lowered Dana from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Monday, October 16th. Wells Fargo & Company decreased their price objective on Dana from $17.00 to $16.00 and set an equal weight rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, October 3rd. Barclays cut their price target on Dana from $17.00 to $16.00 and set an equal weight rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, November 1st. Oppenheimer cut their price target on Dana from $21.00 to $17.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, October 9th. Finally, UBS Group assumed coverage on Dana in a research note on Tuesday, September 12th. They issued a neutral rating and a $17.00 price target on the stock.

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Read Our Latest Stock Analysis on Dana

Institutional Trading of Dana

Dana Stock Up 0.7 %

Several hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Versant Capital Management Inc acquired a new stake in shares of Dana in the 2nd quarter valued at about $26,000. Captrust Financial Advisors raised its stake in shares of Dana by 121.5% in the 2nd quarter. Captrust Financial Advisors now owns 5,502 shares of the auto parts companys stock valued at $77,000 after purchasing an additional 3,018 shares during the period. Cornerstone Investment Partners LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Dana in the 2nd quarter valued at about $189,000. Teachers Retirement System of The State of Kentucky acquired a new stake in shares of Dana in the 3rd quarter valued at about $335,000. Finally, Martingale Asset Management L P raised its stake in shares of Dana by 53.8% in the 1st quarter. Martingale Asset Management L P now owns 35,480 shares of the auto parts companys stock valued at $534,000 after purchasing an additional 12,405 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 96.60% of the companys stock.

NYSE DAN opened at $14.74 on Wednesday. The firm has a market cap of $2.13 billion, a PE ratio of -20.47 and a beta of 2.48. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.56, a current ratio of 1.58 and a quick ratio of 0.94. The stocks 50 day simple moving average is $13.04 and its 200 day simple moving average is $15.12. Dana has a one year low of $11.10 and a one year high of $19.75.

Dana (NYSE:DAN  Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Friday, October 27th. The auto parts company reported $0.30 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.10 by $0.20. The firm had revenue of $2.67 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.70 billion. Dana had a positive return on equity of 7.16% and a negative net margin of 0.96%. The businesss quarterly revenue was up 5.3% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the company earned $0.24 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts forecast that Dana will post 0.78 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Dana Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, December 1st. Investors of record on Friday, November 10th were paid a dividend of $0.10 per share. This represents a $0.40 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.71%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, November 9th. Danas payout ratio is presently -55.56%.

About Dana

(Get Free Report

Dana Incorporated provides power-conveyance and energy-management solutions for vehicles and machinery in North America, Europe, South America, and the Asia Pacific. It operates in four segments: Light Vehicle Drive Systems, Commercial Vehicle Drive and Motion Systems, Off-Highway Drive and Motion Systems, and Power Technologies.

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Shares of Dominion Energy, Inc. (NYSE:D  Get Free Report) have been given an average rating of Hold by the twelve ratings firms that are presently covering the company, MarketBeat reports. Nine analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have assigned a buy rating to the company. The average 12-month price objective among brokers that have covered the stock in the last year is $50.33.

A number of brokerages have commented on D. Barclays raised shares of Dominion Energy from an equal weight rating to an overweight rating and lifted their target price for the stock from $45.00 to $47.00 in a research note on Monday, November 6th. Scotiabank downgraded shares of Dominion Energy from a sector outperform rating to a sector perform rating and reduced their price target for the company from $56.00 to $46.00 in a research note on Monday, October 16th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price target on shares of Dominion Energy from $49.00 to $51.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research note on Friday, December 1st. Royal Bank of Canada reduced their price target on shares of Dominion Energy from $71.00 to $53.00 and set a sector perform rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, September 13th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets reduced their price target on shares of Dominion Energy from $50.00 to $49.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, October 13th.

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Insider Buying and Selling

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

In other Dominion Energy news, COO Diane Leopold sold 6,250 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, December 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $45.51, for a total transaction of $284,437.50. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief operating officer now owns 88,126 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,010,614.26. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink . 0.14% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Nations Financial Group Inc. IA ADV lifted its position in Dominion Energy by 1.2% in the first quarter. Nations Financial Group Inc. IA ADV now owns 10,630 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $903,000 after purchasing an additional 128 shares during the period. Golden State Equity Partners grew its position in shares of Dominion Energy by 1.7% during the 1st quarter. Golden State Equity Partners now owns 7,635 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $649,000 after buying an additional 129 shares during the period. Covestor Ltd grew its position in shares of Dominion Energy by 49.8% during the 1st quarter. Covestor Ltd now owns 394 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $34,000 after buying an additional 131 shares during the period. NewEdge Advisors LLC grew its position in shares of Dominion Energy by 0.3% during the 1st quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC now owns 40,479 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $3,440,000 after buying an additional 132 shares during the period. Finally, Ergoteles LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Dominion Energy by 3.2% during the 1st quarter. Ergoteles LLC now owns 4,719 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $401,000 after purchasing an additional 146 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 70.66% of the companys stock.

Dominion Energy Price Performance

Shares of D stock opened at $46.80 on Wednesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.26, a current ratio of 1.14 and a quick ratio of 1.07. The firms 50-day moving average is $44.91 and its two-hundred day moving average is $47.94. Dominion Energy has a 12 month low of $39.18 and a 12 month high of $63.94. The company has a market capitalization of $39.16 billion, a PE ratio of 23.88, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.27 and a beta of 0.56.

Dominion Energy (NYSE:D  Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Friday, November 3rd. The utilities provider reported $0.77 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $0.78 by ($0.01). Dominion Energy had a return on equity of 10.94% and a net margin of 9.66%. The firm had revenue of $3.81 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $4.38 billion. During the same period last year, the firm earned $1.11 earnings per share. Dominion Energys revenue for the quarter was down 3.9% on a year-over-year basis. Analysts predict that Dominion Energy will post 2.76 earnings per share for the current year.

Dominion Energy Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, December 20th. Investors of record on Friday, December 1st were paid a dividend of $0.6675 per share. This represents a $2.67 annualized dividend and a yield of 5.71%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, November 30th. Dominion Energys payout ratio is currently 136.23%.

Dominion Energy Company Profile

(Get Free Report

Dominion Energy, Inc produces and distributes energy in the United States. It operates through four segments: Dominion Energy Virginia, Gas Distribution, Dominion Energy South Carolina, and Contracted Assets. The Dominion Energy Virginia segment generates, transmits, and distributes regulated electricity to approximately 2.7 million residential, commercial, industrial, and governmental customers in Virginia and North Carolina.

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California International Bank, N.A. (OTCMKTS:CAIB  Get Free Report) and Synovus Financial (NYSE:SNV  Get Free Report) are both financial services companies, but which is the superior investment? We will contrast the two companies based on the strength of their valuation, earnings, profitability, risk, institutional ownership, analyst recommendations and dividends.

Profitability

This table compares California International Bank, N.A. and Synovus Financials net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

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Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets California International Bank, N.A. N/A N/A N/A Synovus Financial 20.14% 17.48% 1.19%

Institutional & Insider Ownership

79.9% of Synovus Financial shares are owned by institutional investors. 1.6% of Synovus Financial shares are owned by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that endowments, large money managers and hedge funds believe a stock will outperform the market over the long term.

Earnings and Valuation

Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio California International Bank, N.A. N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A Synovus Financial $2.49 billion 2.22 $757.90 million $4.40 8.59

This table compares California International Bank, N.A. and Synovus Financials gross revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

Synovus Financial has higher revenue and earnings than California International Bank, N.A..

Analyst Ratings

This is a summary of current ratings for California International Bank, N.A. and Synovus Financial, as provided by MarketBeat.com.

Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score California International Bank, N.A. 0 0 0 0 N/A Synovus Financial 0 4 7 0 2.64

Synovus Financial has a consensus price target of $35.46, indicating a potential downside of 6.14%. Given Synovus Financials higher probable upside, analysts plainly believe Synovus Financial is more favorable than California International Bank, N.A..

Risk & Volatility

California International Bank, N.A. has a beta of -1.09, suggesting that its stock price is 209% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Synovus Financial has a beta of 1.39, suggesting that its stock price is 39% more volatile than the S&P 500.

Summary

Synovus Financial beats California International Bank, N.A. on 9 of the 9 factors compared between the two stocks.

About California International Bank, N.A.

(Get Free Report)

California International Bank, N.A. provides various banking products and services to personal and business customers in California. It offers checking accounts, savings and investment products, loans, ATM and debit cards, payment processing solutions, and online banking services. California International Bank, N.A. was incorporated in 2006 and is headquartered in Westminster, California.

About Synovus Financial

(Get Free Report)

Synovus Financial Corp. operates as the bank holding company for Synovus Bank that provides commercial and consumer banking products and services. It operates through four segments: Community Banking, Wholesale Banking, Consumer Banking, and Financial Management Services. The company's commercial banking services include treasury and asset management, capital market, and institutional trust services, as well as commercial, financial, and real estate loans. Its consumer banking services comprise accepting customary types of demand and savings deposits accounts; mortgage, installment, and other consumer loans; investment and brokerage services; safe deposit services; automated banking services; automated fund transfers; internet-based banking services; and bank credit and debit card services. The company also offers various other financial services, including portfolio management for fixed-income securities, investment banking, execution of securities transactions as a broker/dealer, and trust and financial planning services, as well as provides individual investment advice on equity and other securities. The company was founded in 1888 and is headquartered in Columbus, Georgia.

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Capital Investment Services of America Inc. decreased its holdings in UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH  Free Report) by 19.9% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 617 shares of the healthcare conglomerates stock after selling 153 shares during the quarter. Capital Investment Services of America Inc.s holdings in UnitedHealth Group were worth $311,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of UNH. Strategic Investment Solutions Inc. IL acquired a new position in UnitedHealth Group in the 1st quarter valued at $35,000. WFA of San Diego LLC acquired a new position in shares of UnitedHealth Group during the 2nd quarter worth $39,000. RVW Wealth LLC acquired a new position in shares of UnitedHealth Group during the 3rd quarter worth $44,000. Glass Jacobson Investment Advisors llc acquired a new position in shares of UnitedHealth Group during the 2nd quarter worth $47,000. Finally, Tucker Asset Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of UnitedHealth Group during the 1st quarter worth $48,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 85.69% of the companys stock.

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UnitedHealth Group Stock Up 0.1 %

Shares of NYSE:UNH opened at $520.31 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $481.25 billion, a PE ratio of 22.58, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.57 and a beta of 0.61. The company has a fifty day simple moving average of $536.71 and a 200 day simple moving average of $507.56. The company has a current ratio of 0.80, a quick ratio of 0.80 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.65. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has a 12-month low of $445.68 and a 12-month high of $554.70.

UnitedHealth Group Announces Dividend

UnitedHealth Group ( NYSE:UNH Get Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings data on Friday, October 13th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $6.56 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $6.33 by $0.23. The firm had revenue of $92.36 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $91.41 billion. UnitedHealth Group had a net margin of 6.02% and a return on equity of 26.58%. The firms revenue was up 14.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $5.79 earnings per share. On average, equities research analysts anticipate that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 24.95 EPS for the current fiscal year.

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, December 12th. Stockholders of record on Monday, December 4th were issued a dividend of $1.88 per share. This represents a $7.52 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.45%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, December 1st. UnitedHealth Groups dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 32.64%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of research analysts have issued reports on the stock. StockNews.com lowered shares of UnitedHealth Group from a strong-buy rating to a buy rating in a report on Saturday, October 21st. Stephens reiterated an overweight rating and set a $585.00 price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a report on Wednesday, December 13th. UBS Group upgraded shares of UnitedHealth Group from a neutral rating to a buy rating and increased their price objective for the stock from $520.00 to $640.00 in a report on Monday, October 16th. HSBC reiterated a reduce rating and set a $480.00 price objective (down from $550.00) on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a report on Monday, December 18th. Finally, Cantor Fitzgerald reissued an overweight rating and set a $591.00 target price on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research report on Tuesday, November 21st. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, one has assigned a hold rating, fourteen have issued a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $574.89.

Read Our Latest Research Report on UNH

Insider Activity

In other news, EVP Erin Mcsweeney sold 4,498 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Monday, October 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $544.28, for a total transaction of $2,448,171.44. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 9,218 shares of the companys stock, valued at $5,017,173.04. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. In other news, EVP Erin Mcsweeney sold 4,498 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Monday, October 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $544.28, for a total transaction of $2,448,171.44. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 9,218 shares of the companys stock, valued at $5,017,173.04. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, Director Stephen J. Hemsley sold 66,081 shares of UnitedHealth Group stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, December 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $550.39, for a total transaction of $36,370,321.59. Following the sale, the director now owns 635,528 shares in the company, valued at $349,788,255.92. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last quarter, insiders sold 192,094 shares of company stock valued at $104,507,072. 0.35% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

UnitedHealth Group Company Profile

(Free Report)

UnitedHealth Group Incorporated operates as a diversified health care company in the United States. It operates through four segments: UnitedHealthcare, Optum Health, Optum Insight, and Optum Rx. The UnitedHealthcare segment offers consumer-oriented health benefit plans and services for national employers, public sector employers, mid-sized employers, small businesses, and individuals; health care coverage, and health and well-being services to individuals age 50 and older addressing their needs; Medicaid plans, children's health insurance and health care programs; and health and dental benefits, and hospital and clinical services, as well as health care benefits products and services to state programs caring for the economically disadvantaged, medically underserved, and those without the benefit of employer-funded health care coverage.

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CGN Advisors LLC grew its holdings in AbbVie Inc. (NYSE:ABBV  Free Report) by 21.1% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the SEC. The fund owned 5,185 shares of the companys stock after acquiring an additional 902 shares during the quarter. CGN Advisors LLCs holdings in AbbVie were worth $773,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in the business. Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria S.A. raised its holdings in AbbVie by 5.0% during the second quarter. Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria S.A. now owns 372,189 shares of the companys stock worth $50,154,000 after purchasing an additional 17,879 shares during the last quarter. DDD Partners LLC raised its holdings in AbbVie by 9,979.7% during the second quarter. DDD Partners LLC now owns 135,673 shares of the companys stock worth $18,279,000 after purchasing an additional 134,327 shares during the last quarter. Polar Capital Holdings Plc raised its holdings in AbbVie by 11.6% during the second quarter. Polar Capital Holdings Plc now owns 358,872 shares of the companys stock worth $48,351,000 after purchasing an additional 37,368 shares during the last quarter. Sand Hill Global Advisors LLC raised its holdings in AbbVie by 0.4% during the first quarter. Sand Hill Global Advisors LLC now owns 18,755 shares of the companys stock worth $2,989,000 after purchasing an additional 68 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Bank of Montreal Can acquired a new position in AbbVie during the second quarter worth $486,807,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 67.86% of the companys stock.

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AbbVie Price Performance

Shares of ABBV stock opened at $154.94 on Friday. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $144.29 and a 200-day simple moving average of $144.49. The company has a market capitalization of $273.55 billion, a PE ratio of 42.45, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.73 and a beta of 0.48. AbbVie Inc. has a twelve month low of $130.96 and a twelve month high of $168.11. The company has a current ratio of 0.96, a quick ratio of 0.84 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 4.59.

AbbVie Increases Dividend

AbbVie ( NYSE:ABBV Get Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings results on Friday, October 27th. The company reported $2.95 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $2.86 by $0.09. The business had revenue of $13.93 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $13.72 billion. AbbVie had a net margin of 11.81% and a return on equity of 152.70%. The businesss revenue was down 6.0% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the business earned $3.66 EPS. Equities research analysts anticipate that AbbVie Inc. will post 11.24 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, February 15th. Investors of record on Tuesday, January 16th will be issued a dividend of $1.55 per share. This represents a $6.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 4.00%. This is a positive change from AbbVies previous quarterly dividend of $1.48. The ex-dividend date is Friday, January 12th. AbbVies dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 169.86%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities analysts have recently weighed in on the company. The Goldman Sachs Group raised AbbVie from a neutral rating to a buy rating and set a $173.00 price target for the company in a report on Monday, December 11th. Barclays raised AbbVie from an equal weight rating to an overweight rating and boosted their price target for the stock from $160.00 to $170.00 in a report on Monday, October 30th. StockNews.com assumed coverage on AbbVie in a report on Thursday, October 5th. They issued a strong-buy rating for the company. Raymond James lifted their price objective on AbbVie from $177.00 to $181.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research report on Friday, December 1st. Finally, TheStreet raised AbbVie from a c+ rating to a b rating in a research report on Monday, August 28th. Nine equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eight have issued a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $167.59.

Get Our Latest Report on ABBV

About AbbVie

(Free Report)

AbbVie Inc discovers, develops, manufactures, and sells pharmaceuticals worldwide. The company offers Humira, a therapy administered as an injection for autoimmune, intestinal Behcet's diseases, and pyoderma gangrenosum; Skyrizi to treat moderate to severe plaque psoriasis, psoriatic disease, and Crohn's disease; Rinvoq, a JAK inhibitor to treat rheumatoid and psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, atopic dermatitis, axial spondyloarthropathy, and ulcerative colitis; Imbruvica for the treatment of adult patients with blood cancers; and Venclexta/Venclyxto to treat hematological malignancies.

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Perth, Western Australia--(Newsfile Corp. - December 22, 2023) - Besra Gold Inc. (ASX: BEZ) (Besra) is pleased to announce that it has successfully completed the production of gold concentrate from its Bau Gold Project in accordance with its obligation to Quantum Metal Recovery Inc contained within the Gold Purchase Agreement (GPA) that was approved by Besra shareholders on 25 July 2023.

Under the terms of the GPA, Besra undertook to produce gold in mineral concentrate by no later than 31 December 2023.

PROCESSING METHODOLOGY

Bulk samples of mineralisation were collected at random from the Jugan Project site, chosen because it is the most advanced of the gold projects located within the Bau Goldfield.

These bulk samples were then shipped to a third-party processing facility, which had been specifically identified because:

it was designed to process the same style of refractory gold mineralisation as found at Jugan;

it provides capabilities to emulate the treatment characteristics of the Jugan Pilot Plant, once commissioned;

processing of Jugan mineralisation could be undertaken under the planning and supervision of Besra's technical personnel, notably Dr Erik Devuyst (Metallurgical Consultant) and Mr. Kevin Wright (Mining Engineer); and

processing would be undertaken in batch campaigns to avoid mixing or contamination with third-party ores from other sources.

These attributes collectively providing confidence that the results would mirror those as if they had been processed using the Jugan Pilot Plant, once commissioned.

Processing was divided into two stages. Stage 1 involved 1.3 tonnes of bulk samples, which was more than adequate to undertake "bench-scale" testing.

Technically this involved trialling various treatment cycles, retention times in key components of the processing cycle - e.g. the rougher, scavenger, cleaners to determine respective recovery rates. In addition, various combinations of reagents were trialled to ascertain gold deportment responses and content of arsenic levels. These tests were designed and agreed by Besra's technical team and conducted over a six week period.

Story continues

RESULTS

Gold concentrate from Stage 1 bench-scale testing contained very pleasing levels (concentrate grades for Tests A & B after cleaning were 47.28 g/t and 46.18 g/t respectively) as shown on the below table.

Gold Balance Test A Test B Mass Cleaner 1 ( wt %) 8.31 8.28 Cleaner 2 ( wt %) 1.59 1.57 Cleaner 3 (wt %) 0.96 1.10 Total Cleaner (wt %) 10.86 10.95 Rougher-Scavenger (wt %) 20.33 20.48 Au Recovery (%) Cleaner 1 (%) 88.60 87.72 Cleaner 2 (%) 2.56 2.27 Cleaner 3 (%) 0.64 0.83 Rougher-Scavenger (%) 93.73 93.34 Total Cleaner (%) 91.80 90.82 Concentrate Grade (gpt Au) Cleaner 1 (gpt) 59.66 58.96 Cleaner 2 (gpt) 9.02 8.08 Cleaner 3 (gpt) 3.69 4.21 Rougher-Scavenger (gpt) 25.78 25.37 Cleaner 1-3 (gpt) 47.28 46.18 Head & Tail Grade (gpt Au) Rougher-Scavenger Tail Grade (gpt) 0.44 0.47 Cleaner Tail Grade (gpt) 1.14 1.47 Final Tail Grade (gpt) 0.51 0.57 Assay Head Grade (gpt) 5.66 Calculated Head Grade (gpt) 5.59 5.57

For reference, the 2013 Feasibility Study had assumed that a concentrate for export would be produced at approximately 30 g/t Au. This is only an apparent discrepancy because the initial 1.3-tonne bulk sample serendipitously coincided with sites of higher-grade outcropping mineralisation (approximately 5.59 g/t and 5.57 g/t). Otherwise, the ratios of concentrate enrichment, the relationship between gold grade and arsenic content determined during the Stage 1 trials were entirely consistent with processing trials previously conducted, using smaller sample sizes, at a number of third-party off-site locations leading up to the preparation of the 2013 feasibility study, and subsequently.

STAGE 2

Following the successful completion of the bench-scale tests, a further shipment of 4-5 tonnes of Jugan bulk samples (part of a 9-tonne total) were sent for processing as part of Stage 2. Stage 2 trial processing will adopt the processing sequence determined as a result of the initial, Stage 1, processing and will be continued during January with further results announced when available.





Figure 1 - Collection of bulk samples at Jugan (Upper Left & Right). Location of bulk samples for Stage 2 (lower).



To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/3448/192275_besraimage.png

This ASX release was authorised by the Board of Besra Gold Inc.

For further information:

Australasia

Michael Higginson Company Secretary

Email: michael.higginson@besra.com

North America

James Hamilton

Investor Relations Services Mobile: +1 416 471 4494

Email: jim@besra.com

Competent Person's Statement

The information in this Announcement that relates to Exploration Results, Mineral Resources or Ore Reserves is based on information compiled by Mr. Kevin J. Wright, a Competent Person who is a Fellow of the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining (FIMMM), a Chartered Engineer (C.Eng), and a Chartered Environmentalist (C.Env). Mr. Wright is a consultant to Besra. Mr. Wright has sufficient experience which is relevant to the style of mineralisation and type of deposit under consideration and to the activity which he is undertaking to qualify as a Competent Person as defined in the JORC Code (2012 Edition) of the Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration Results, and a Qualified Person as defined in National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects of the Canadian Securities Administrators.

Kevin J. Wright consents to the inclusion in this Announcement of the matters based on his information in the form and context that it appears.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/192275
Collective Family Office LLC decreased its position in shares of Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE  Free Report) by 23.7% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 9,371 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock after selling 2,909 shares during the quarter. Collective Family Office LLCs holdings in Pfizer were worth $311,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd Zurich lifted its holdings in 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 worth $71,468,732,000 after buying an additional 1,946,456,532 shares in the last quarter. BlackRock Inc. lifted its holdings in Pfizer by 0.6% during the 1st quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 445,384,893 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock worth $18,171,704,000 after buying an additional 2,516,132 shares in the last quarter. State Street Corp lifted its stake in shares of Pfizer by 1.9% in the 2nd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 287,201,692 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock valued at $10,534,558,000 after purchasing an additional 5,374,611 shares during the period. Wellington Management Group LLP lifted its stake in shares of Pfizer by 9.8% in 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 purchasing an additional 19,602,359 shares during the period. Finally, Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC lifted its stake in shares of Pfizer by 89,592.7% in the 4th quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC now owns 161,143,638 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock valued at $8,257,000,000 after purchasing an additional 160,963,976 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 68.05% of the companys stock.

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Insider Activity

In other news, Director Scott Gottlieb bought 3,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, December 15th. The stock was acquired at an average cost of $26.47 per share, for a total transaction of $79,410.00. Following the purchase, the director now owns 9,000 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $238,230. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. 0.05% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of research analysts have recently weighed in on PFE shares. Morgan Stanley cut their price target on Pfizer from $39.00 to $37.00 and set an equal weight rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, November 1st. TheStreet downgraded Pfizer from a b- rating to a c+ rating in a research note on Monday, September 25th. Barclays cut their price target on Pfizer from $34.00 to $28.00 and set an equal weight rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, December 14th. Jefferies Financial Group raised Pfizer from a hold rating to a buy rating and increased their price target for the company from $38.00 to $39.00 in a research note on Monday, October 16th. Finally, Citigroup lowered their price objective on shares of Pfizer from $42.00 to $35.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a research report on Monday, October 16th. Twelve analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have given a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $40.35.

Check Out Our Latest Analysis on Pfizer

Pfizer Price Performance

PFE stock opened at $28.41 on Friday. The stock has a market cap of $160.41 billion, a PE ratio of 15.52, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.58 and a beta of 0.61. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of $29.76 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $33.70. The company has a current ratio of 2.38, a quick ratio of 2.05 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.63. Pfizer Inc. has a 1 year low of $25.76 and a 1 year high of $51.95.

Pfizer (NYSE:PFE  Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, October 31st. The biopharmaceutical company reported ($0.17) earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of ($0.32) by $0.15. The company had revenue of $13.23 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $13.77 billion. Pfizer had a return on equity of 16.72% and a net margin of 15.30%. Equities analysts forecast that Pfizer Inc. will post 1.53 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Pfizer Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 1st. Stockholders of record on Friday, January 26th will be issued a $0.42 dividend. This is a boost from Pfizers previous quarterly dividend of $0.41. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, January 25th. This represents a $1.68 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 5.91%. Pfizers dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 89.62%.

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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Want to see what other hedge funds are holding PFE? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE  Free Report).

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Congress Park Capital LLC reduced its position in UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH  Free Report) by 2.1% during the third quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The firm owned 1,400 shares of the healthcare conglomerates stock after selling 30 shares during the period. Congress Park Capital LLCs holdings in UnitedHealth Group were worth $706,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Strategic Investment Solutions Inc. IL bought a new stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group during the first quarter valued at about $35,000. WFA of San Diego LLC bought a new stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group during the second quarter valued at about $39,000. RVW Wealth LLC bought a new stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group during the third quarter valued at about $44,000. Glass Jacobson Investment Advisors llc bought a new stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group during the second quarter valued at about $47,000. Finally, Tucker Asset Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group during the first quarter valued at about $48,000. 85.69% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

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Insider Buying and Selling

In other UnitedHealth Group news, EVP Erin Mcsweeney sold 4,498 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Monday, October 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $544.28, for a total transaction of $2,448,171.44. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 9,218 shares of the companys stock, valued at $5,017,173.04. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. In other UnitedHealth Group news, EVP Erin Mcsweeney sold 4,498 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Monday, October 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $544.28, for a total transaction of $2,448,171.44. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 9,218 shares of the companys stock, valued at $5,017,173.04. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Also, Director Stephen J. Hemsley sold 66,081 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Tuesday, December 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $550.39, for a total value of $36,370,321.59. Following the transaction, the director now directly owns 635,528 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $349,788,255.92. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold 192,094 shares of company stock valued at $104,507,072 over the last quarter. 0.35% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

UnitedHealth Group Stock Performance

NYSE:UNH opened at $520.31 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $481.25 billion, a PE ratio of 22.58, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.57 and a beta of 0.61. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has a fifty-two week low of $445.68 and a fifty-two week high of $554.70. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.65, a quick ratio of 0.80 and a current ratio of 0.80. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $536.71 and a 200-day moving average price of $507.56.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH  Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Friday, October 13th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $6.56 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $6.33 by $0.23. UnitedHealth Group had a return on equity of 26.58% and a net margin of 6.02%. The company had revenue of $92.36 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $91.41 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $5.79 earnings per share. The firms revenue was up 14.2% on a year-over-year basis. Equities research analysts predict that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 24.95 earnings per share for the current year.

UnitedHealth Group Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, December 12th. Investors of record on Monday, December 4th were paid a $1.88 dividend. This represents a $7.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.45%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, December 1st. UnitedHealth Groups payout ratio is 32.64%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

UNH has been the topic of several analyst reports. Cantor Fitzgerald reiterated an overweight rating and set a $591.00 price target on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research report on Tuesday, November 21st. Stephens restated an overweight rating and issued a $585.00 price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research report on Wednesday, December 13th. UBS Group upgraded shares of UnitedHealth Group from a neutral rating to a buy rating and upped their price objective for the stock from $520.00 to $640.00 in a research report on Monday, October 16th. Piper Sandler upped their price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $580.00 to $584.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Monday, October 16th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group decreased their price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group from $565.00 to $503.00 and set a hold rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, November 20th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, one has given a hold rating, fourteen have given a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, UnitedHealth Group has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $574.89.

Read Our Latest Stock Report on UNH

UnitedHealth Group Profile

(Free Report)

UnitedHealth Group Incorporated operates as a diversified health care company in the United States. It operates through four segments: UnitedHealthcare, Optum Health, Optum Insight, and Optum Rx. The UnitedHealthcare segment offers consumer-oriented health benefit plans and services for national employers, public sector employers, mid-sized employers, small businesses, and individuals; health care coverage, and health and well-being services to individuals age 50 and older addressing their needs; Medicaid plans, children's health insurance and health care programs; and health and dental benefits, and hospital and clinical services, as well as health care benefits products and services to state programs caring for the economically disadvantaged, medically underserved, and those without the benefit of employer-funded health care coverage.

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Cooper Financial Group reduced its position in SPDR Gold Shares (NYSEARCA:GLD  Free Report) by 11.4% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 1,716 shares of the exchange traded funds stock after selling 220 shares during the period. Cooper Financial Groups holdings in SPDR Gold Shares were worth $294,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of GLD. Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd Zurich lifted its stake in shares of SPDR Gold Shares by 99,414.3% during the second quarter. Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd Zurich now owns 23,805,806 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $4,243,861,000 after purchasing an additional 23,781,884 shares in the last quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in SPDR Gold Shares by 67,584.6% in the 4th quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC now owns 3,037,008 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $515,198,000 after acquiring an additional 3,032,521 shares during the period. Toronto Dominion Bank grew its position in SPDR Gold Shares by 77.6% in the first quarter. Toronto Dominion Bank now owns 5,340,797 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $978,543,000 after acquiring an additional 2,333,468 shares in the last quarter. State Street Corp raised its stake in shares of SPDR Gold Shares by 256.0% during the first quarter. State Street Corp now owns 1,142,717 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $206,432,000 after purchasing an additional 821,773 shares during the period. Finally, CIBC Asset Management Inc lifted its position in shares of SPDR Gold Shares by 111.3% during the second quarter. CIBC Asset Management Inc now owns 68,532 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $12,217,000 after purchasing an additional 672,400 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 40.99% of the companys stock.

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SPDR Gold Shares Stock Performance

Shares of GLD stock opened at $190.27 on Friday. SPDR Gold Shares has a twelve month low of $166.66 and a twelve month high of $192.40. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $184.69 and a 200-day simple moving average of $180.54.

SPDR Gold Shares Profile

SPDR Gold Trust (the Trust) is an investment trust. The investment objective of the Trust is for the Shares to reflect the performance of the price of gold bullion, less the Trusts expenses. The Trusts business activity is the investment of gold. The Trust creates and redeems Shares from time to time, but in one or more Baskets (a Basket equals a block of 100,000 Shares).

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CRA Financial Services LLC raised its stake in The Procter & Gamble Company (NYSE:PG  Free Report) by 9.7% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 12,177 shares of the companys stock after buying an additional 1,072 shares during the period. CRA Financial Services LLCs holdings in Procter & Gamble were worth $1,776,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Several other large investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd Zurich raised its holdings in shares of Procter & Gamble by 99,734.1% in the 2nd quarter. Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd Zurich now owns 253,081,478 shares of the companys stock valued at $38,402,583,000 after purchasing an additional 252,827,976 shares in the last quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC raised its holdings in shares of Procter & Gamble by 96,526.4% in the 4th quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC now owns 38,535,557 shares of the companys stock valued at $5,840,449,000 after purchasing an additional 38,495,676 shares in the last quarter. Norges Bank bought a new stake in shares of Procter & Gamble in the 4th quarter valued at about $3,752,321,000. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD raised its holdings in shares of Procter & Gamble by 42.2% in the 1st quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 24,386,838 shares of the companys stock valued at $3,626,080,000 after purchasing an additional 7,235,990 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Morgan Stanley raised its holdings in shares of Procter & Gamble by 12.6% in the 4th quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 44,320,700 shares of the companys stock valued at $6,717,246,000 after purchasing an additional 4,959,527 shares in the last quarter. 63.43% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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Insider Buying and Selling at Procter & Gamble

In other news, insider Susan Street Whaley sold 575 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, October 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $144.97, for a total value of $83,357.75. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now directly owns 7,498 shares in the company, valued at $1,086,985.06. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. In other news, insider Susan Street Whaley sold 575 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, October 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $144.97, for a total value of $83,357.75. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now directly owns 7,498 shares in the company, valued at $1,086,985.06. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. Also, CEO R. Alexandra Keith sold 1,413 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, October 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $144.97, for a total transaction of $204,842.61. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 26,306 shares of the companys stock, valued at $3,813,580.82. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold a total of 79,382 shares of company stock valued at $11,988,690 over the last ninety days. Corporate insiders own 0.17% of the companys stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several research firms have recently commented on PG. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their price target on shares of Procter & Gamble from $160.00 to $162.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Thursday, October 19th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their price objective on shares of Procter & Gamble from $172.00 to $169.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, October 12th. DZ Bank upgraded shares of Procter & Gamble from a sell rating to a hold rating and set a $155.00 price objective for the company in a research note on Friday, October 20th. Barclays reduced their price objective on shares of Procter & Gamble from $166.00 to $154.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, October 12th. Finally, StockNews.com upgraded shares of Procter & Gamble from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note on Monday, November 6th. Six equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and thirteen have given a 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 $166.41.

Read Our Latest Stock Analysis on Procter & Gamble

Procter & Gamble Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE PG opened at $145.31 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.51, a quick ratio of 0.48 and a current ratio of 0.67. The company has a market capitalization of $342.48 billion, a PE ratio of 23.59, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.98 and a beta of 0.46. The Procter & Gamble Company has a 1 year low of $135.83 and a 1 year high of $158.38. The companys fifty day moving average price is $149.08 and its 200 day moving average price is $150.28.

Procter & Gamble (NYSE:PG  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, October 18th. The company reported $1.83 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.71 by $0.12. The business had revenue of $21.87 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $21.58 billion. Procter & Gamble had a net margin of 18.30% and a return on equity of 33.49%. The companys revenue was up 6.1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the firm posted $1.57 earnings per share. On average, research analysts predict that The Procter & Gamble Company will post 6.42 earnings per share for the current year.

Procter & Gamble Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, November 15th. Shareholders of record on Friday, October 20th were issued a dividend of $0.9407 per share. This represents a $3.76 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.59%. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, October 19th. Procter & Gambles payout ratio is 61.04%.

About Procter & Gamble

(Free Report)

The Procter & Gamble Company provides branded consumer packaged goods worldwide. It operates through five segments: Beauty; Grooming; Health Care; Fabric & Home Care; and Baby, Feminine & Family Care. The Beauty segment offers conditioners, shampoos, styling aids, and treatments under the Head & Shoulders, Herbal Essences, Pantene, and Rejoice brands; and antiperspirants and deodorants, personal cleansing, and skin care products under the Olay, Old Spice, Safeguard, Secret, and SK-II brands.

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DnB Asset Management AS increased its holdings in shares of Kinder Morgan, Inc. (NYSE:KMI  Free Report) by 0.7% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 448,031 shares of the pipeline companys stock after purchasing an additional 3,273 shares during the quarter. DnB Asset Management ASs holdings in Kinder Morgan were worth $7,428,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently modified their holdings of the business. Shelton Capital Management lifted its holdings in shares of Kinder Morgan by 4.7% during the first quarter. Shelton Capital Management now owns 13,315 shares of the pipeline companys stock valued at $233,000 after purchasing an additional 599 shares in the last quarter. Creative Financial Designs Inc. ADV lifted its holdings in Kinder Morgan by 57.6% in the second quarter. Creative Financial Designs Inc. ADV now owns 1,732 shares of the pipeline companys stock valued at $30,000 after acquiring an additional 633 shares during the period. Czech National Bank lifted its holdings in Kinder Morgan by 0.3% in the second quarter. Czech National Bank now owns 233,614 shares of the pipeline companys stock valued at $4,023,000 after acquiring an additional 636 shares during the period. Private Trust Co. NA lifted its holdings in Kinder Morgan by 2.3% in the second quarter. Private Trust Co. NA now owns 28,791 shares of the pipeline companys stock valued at $496,000 after acquiring an additional 637 shares during the period. Finally, SeaCrest Wealth Management LLC lifted its holdings in Kinder Morgan by 1.5% in the first quarter. SeaCrest Wealth Management LLC now owns 45,456 shares of the pipeline companys stock valued at $796,000 after acquiring an additional 671 shares during the period. 62.33% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

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Insider Activity

In other news, VP Dax Sanders sold 50,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, December 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $17.63, for a total value of $881,500.00. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president now directly owns 309,069 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $5,448,886.47. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. In related news, VP Denise R. Mathews sold 30,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, December 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $17.55, for a total transaction of $526,500.00. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president now directly owns 79,217 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,390,258.35. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, VP Dax Sanders sold 50,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, December 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $17.63, for a total value of $881,500.00. Following the sale, the vice president now directly owns 309,069 shares of the companys stock, valued at $5,448,886.47. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Corporate insiders own 12.64% of the companys stock.

Kinder Morgan Stock Performance

NYSE KMI opened at $17.72 on Friday. The stock has a market capitalization of $39.39 billion, a PE ratio of 16.11, a P/E/G ratio of 5.29 and a beta of 0.97. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $17.10 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $17.10. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.88, a current ratio of 0.39 and a quick ratio of 0.30. Kinder Morgan, Inc. has a 1-year low of $15.89 and a 1-year high of $19.09.

Kinder Morgan (NYSE:KMI  Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, October 18th. The pipeline company reported $0.25 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.26 by ($0.01). The firm had revenue of $3.91 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $4.64 billion. Kinder Morgan had a net margin of 15.54% and a return on equity of 7.78%. The businesss quarterly revenue was down 24.5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $0.25 EPS. On average, research analysts predict that Kinder Morgan, Inc. will post 1.1 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Kinder Morgan Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, November 15th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, October 31st were paid a $0.2825 dividend. This represents a $1.13 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 6.38%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, October 30th. Kinder Morgans payout ratio is 102.73%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

KMI has been the topic of a number of recent research reports. The Goldman Sachs Group initiated coverage on Kinder Morgan in a report on Thursday, October 5th. They issued a buy rating and a $20.00 target price on the stock. StockNews.com initiated coverage on Kinder Morgan in a research note on Thursday, October 5th. They issued a hold rating on the stock. Pickering Energy Partners initiated coverage on Kinder Morgan in a research note on Tuesday, October 3rd. They issued a neutral rating on the stock. Finally, US Capital Advisors raised Kinder Morgan from a hold rating to an overweight rating in a research note on Friday, November 17th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have assigned a hold rating and three have issued a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $20.57.

Check Out Our Latest Stock Report on Kinder Morgan

About Kinder Morgan

(Free Report)

Kinder Morgan, Inc operates as an energy infrastructure company in North America. The company operates through four segments: Natural Gas Pipelines, Products Pipelines, Terminals, and CO2. The Natural Gas Pipelines segment owns and operates interstate and intrastate natural gas pipeline, and underground storage systems; natural gas gathering systems and natural gas processing and treating facilities; natural gas liquids fractionation facilities and transportation systems; and liquefied natural gas gasification, liquefaction, and storage facilities.

Further Reading

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DnB Asset Management AS raised its position in AvalonBay Communities, Inc. (NYSE:AVB  Free Report) by 16.6% during the third quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The fund owned 43,747 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock after buying an additional 6,219 shares during the period. DnB Asset Management ASs holdings in AvalonBay Communities were worth $7,513,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

A number of other hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. BlackRock Inc. boosted its position 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 buying an additional 69,187 shares during the last quarter. State Street Corp boosted its position in shares of 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 worth $1,937,005,000 after purchasing an additional 60,027 shares during the last quarter. Norges Bank bought a new position in shares of AvalonBay Communities in the 4th quarter worth $1,001,550,000. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted its position 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 worth $993,797,000 after purchasing an additional 387,254 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD boosted its position in shares of AvalonBay Communities by 2.3% in the 1st quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 4,833,571 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $812,332,000 after purchasing an additional 106,604 shares during the last quarter. 88.71% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

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AvalonBay Communities Price Performance

NYSE:AVB opened at $187.29 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.67, a quick ratio of 1.84 and a current ratio of 1.84. The stocks 50-day simple moving average is $173.48 and its 200 day simple moving average is $180.49. The company has a market cap of $26.60 billion, a P/E ratio of 28.51, a P/E/G ratio of 3.59 and a beta of 0.93. AvalonBay Communities, Inc. has a 52-week low of $153.07 and a 52-week high of $198.65.

AvalonBay Communities Announces Dividend

Analysts Set New Price Targets

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, January 16th. Investors of record on Wednesday, November 29th will be given a $1.65 dividend. This represents a $6.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.52%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, December 28th. AvalonBay Communitiess dividend payout ratio is currently 100.46%.

Several research firms have recently issued reports on AVB. Wedbush began coverage on AvalonBay Communities in a research report on Tuesday, October 3rd. They issued a neutral rating and a $179.00 price target on the stock. StockNews.com began coverage on AvalonBay Communities in a research report on Thursday, October 5th. They issued a hold rating on the stock. KeyCorp reduced their price target on AvalonBay Communities from $205.00 to $200.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, November 30th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised AvalonBay Communities from an underweight rating to a neutral rating and dropped their price objective for the stock from $201.00 to $194.00 in a research note on Wednesday, November 29th. Finally, Truist Financial dropped their price objective on AvalonBay Communities from $214.00 to $202.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, November 27th. Nine research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, AvalonBay Communities has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $194.19.

Read Our Latest Research Report on AVB

About AvalonBay Communities

(Free Report)

As of September 30, 2023, the Company owned or held a direct or indirect ownership interest in 296 apartment communities containing 89,240 apartment homes in 12 states and the District of Columbia, of which 17 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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DnB Asset Management AS trimmed its stake in Western Alliance Bancorporation (NYSE:WAL  Free Report) by 3.7% during the third quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 156,509 shares of the financial services providers stock after selling 5,977 shares during the period. DnB Asset Management AS owned about 0.14% of Western Alliance Bancorporation worth $7,196,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Harbour Investments Inc. grew its position in Western Alliance Bancorporation by 400.7% in the first quarter. Harbour Investments Inc. now owns 696 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $25,000 after acquiring an additional 557 shares during the period. Lazard Asset Management LLC bought a new stake in Western Alliance Bancorporation in the second quarter valued at $28,000. State of Wyoming grew its position in Western Alliance Bancorporation by 54.7% in the second quarter. State of Wyoming now owns 783 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $29,000 after acquiring an additional 277 shares during the period. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC grew its position in Western Alliance Bancorporation by 30.3% in the second quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 868 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $32,000 after acquiring an additional 202 shares during the period. Finally, Versant Capital Management Inc grew its position in Western Alliance Bancorporation by 63.8% in the second quarter. Versant Capital Management Inc now owns 932 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $34,000 after acquiring an additional 363 shares during the period. 72.04% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

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Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities analysts have commented on WAL shares. Piper Sandler reduced their price objective on Western Alliance Bancorporation from $60.00 to $59.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, October 23rd. Citigroup started coverage on Western Alliance Bancorporation in a research note on Friday, December 1st. They issued a buy rating and a $61.00 price objective on the stock. Truist Financial boosted their price objective on Western Alliance Bancorporation from $60.00 to $80.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Friday, December 15th. Wells Fargo & Company reduced their price objective on Western Alliance Bancorporation from $65.00 to $52.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, October 23rd. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group boosted their price objective on Western Alliance Bancorporation from $55.00 to $58.00 in a research note on Tuesday, October 10th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, two have issued a hold rating and thirteen have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Western Alliance Bancorporation currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $56.50.

Western Alliance Bancorporation Trading Up 1.0 %

NYSE:WAL opened at $65.58 on Friday. Western Alliance Bancorporation has a 1-year low of $7.46 and a 1-year high of $81.17. The businesss 50-day moving average price is $50.35 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $46.83. The company has a current ratio of 1.00, a quick ratio of 0.97 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.77. The firm has a market capitalization of $7.18 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 8.32, a PEG ratio of 0.77 and a beta of 1.47.

Western Alliance Bancorporation (NYSE:WAL  Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Friday, October 20th. The financial services provider reported $1.97 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.91 by $0.06. Western Alliance Bancorporation had a return on equity of 18.50% and a net margin of 20.97%. The company had revenue of $716.20 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $686.59 million. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $2.42 earnings per share. The companys revenue for the quarter was up 7.9% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities analysts expect that Western Alliance Bancorporation will post 8.12 earnings per share for the current year.

Western Alliance Bancorporation Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, December 1st. Shareholders of record on Friday, November 17th were issued a $0.37 dividend. This is an increase from Western Alliance Bancorporations previous quarterly dividend of $0.36. This represents a $1.48 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.26%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, November 16th. Western Alliance Bancorporations dividend payout ratio is 18.78%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, Director Robert P. Latta sold 5,370 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, December 11th. The stock was sold at an average price of $56.07, for a total transaction of $301,095.90. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now directly owns 2,996 shares in the company, valued at $167,985.72. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Corporate insiders own 1.51% of the companys stock.

Western Alliance Bancorporation Profile

(Free Report)

Western Alliance Bancorporation operates as the bank holding company for Western Alliance Bank that provides various banking products and related services primarily in Arizona, California, and Nevada. It operates through Commercial and Consumer Related segments. The company offers deposit products, including checking, savings, and money market accounts, as well as fixed-rate and fixed maturity certificates of deposit accounts; demand deposits; and treasury management and residential mortgage products and services.

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SummerHaven Investment Management LLC raised its holdings in DXC Technology (NYSE:DXC  Free Report) by 8.8% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 24,741 shares of the companys stock after acquiring an additional 2,008 shares during the period. SummerHaven Investment Management LLCs holdings in DXC Technology were worth $515,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of DXC. Kentucky Retirement Systems acquired a new position in DXC Technology during the third quarter worth $351,000. CWM LLC increased its stake in shares of DXC Technology by 108.4% in the 3rd quarter. CWM LLC now owns 6,952 shares of the companys stock worth $145,000 after acquiring an additional 3,616 shares during the last quarter. Dynamic Advisor Solutions LLC increased its stake in shares of DXC Technology by 30.9% in the 3rd quarter. Dynamic Advisor Solutions LLC now owns 33,921 shares of the companys stock worth $707,000 after acquiring an additional 8,000 shares during the last quarter. Gladius Capital Management LP acquired a new stake in shares of DXC Technology in the 3rd quarter worth $828,000. Finally, Alberta Investment Management Corp acquired a new stake in shares of DXC Technology in the 2nd quarter worth $879,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 88.09% of the companys stock.

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DXC Technology Stock Performance

Shares of DXC Technology stock opened at $22.82 on Friday. The business has a 50-day moving average of $22.33 and a 200 day moving average of $23.15. DXC Technology has a 12 month low of $18.61 and a 12 month high of $30.27. The stock has a market capitalization of $4.42 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -9.24, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.20 and a beta of 1.90. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.09, a current ratio of 1.13 and a quick ratio of 1.13.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

DXC Technology ( NYSE:DXC Get Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, November 1st. The company reported $0.70 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.68 by $0.02. The business had revenue of $3.44 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $3.44 billion. DXC Technology had a positive return on equity of 18.48% and a negative net margin of 4.00%. The businesss quarterly revenue was down 3.6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $0.75 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts forecast that DXC Technology will post 3.17 earnings per share for the current year.

A number of analysts have issued reports on DXC shares. BMO Capital Markets cut their target price on DXC Technology from $25.00 to $23.00 and set a market perform rating for the company in a research note on Friday, November 3rd. Royal Bank of Canada cut their price objective on DXC Technology from $29.00 to $24.00 and set a sector perform rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, November 2nd. Finally, Wolfe Research reissued an underperform rating and set a $22.00 price objective on shares of DXC Technology in a research report on Tuesday, October 17th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating and seven have assigned a hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $24.60.

Check Out Our Latest Research Report on DXC Technology

DXC Technology Profile

(Free Report)

DXC Technology Company, together with its subsidiaries, provides information technology services and solutions primarily in the United States, the United Kingdom, rest of Europe, Australia, and internationally. It operates in two segments, Global Business Services (GBS) and Global Infrastructure Services (GIS).

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First National Bank Sioux Falls lifted its stake in shares of JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE:JPM) by 1.8% in the third quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The fund owned 8,609 shares of the financial services providers stock after acquiring an additional 154 shares during the period. First National Bank Sioux Falls holdings in JPMorgan Chase & Co. were worth $1,248,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

A number of other hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the stock. G&S Capital LLC lifted its holdings in JPMorgan Chase & Co. by 79.1% in the 3rd quarter. G&S Capital LLC now owns 19,716 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $2,859,000 after purchasing an additional 8,709 shares in the last quarter. Kentucky Retirement Systems Insurance Trust Fund purchased a new position in JPMorgan Chase & Co. in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $14,777,000. Kentucky Retirement Systems purchased a new position in JPMorgan Chase & Co. in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $33,098,000. Paradigm Financial Partners LLC lifted its holdings in JPMorgan Chase & Co. by 0.6% in the 3rd quarter. Paradigm Financial Partners LLC now owns 32,829 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $4,685,000 after purchasing an additional 203 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Sound Income Strategies LLC lifted its holdings in JPMorgan Chase & Co. by 14.8% in the 3rd quarter. Sound Income Strategies LLC now owns 6,648 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $964,000 after purchasing an additional 856 shares in the last quarter. 68.94% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

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Insider Transactions at JPMorgan Chase & Co.

In other news, CEO Marianne Lake sold 32,243 shares of the stock in a transaction on Tuesday, December 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $160.00, for a total transaction of $5,158,880.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 131,962 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $21,113,920. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. Corporate insiders own 0.79% of the companys stock.

JPMorgan Chase & Co. Stock Performance

Shares of JPMorgan Chase & Co. stock opened at $167.40 on Friday. The stocks fifty day moving average is $151.48 and its two-hundred day moving average is $148.93. The company has a market capitalization of $483.96 billion, a PE ratio of 9.99, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.03 and a beta of 1.13. The company has a quick ratio of 0.90, a current ratio of 0.90 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.25. JPMorgan Chase & Co. has a 52 week low of $123.11 and a 52 week high of $169.41.

JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE:JPM  Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Friday, October 13th. The financial services provider reported $4.33 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $3.95 by $0.38. The company had revenue of $40.69 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $39.63 billion. JPMorgan Chase & Co. had a return on equity of 17.97% and a net margin of 22.79%. JPMorgan Chase & Co.s quarterly revenue was up 24.4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $3.12 EPS. As a group, analysts expect that JPMorgan Chase & Co. will post 16.63 earnings per share for the current year.

JPMorgan Chase & Co. Dividend Announcement

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, January 31st. Stockholders of record on Friday, January 5th will be given a dividend of $1.05 per share. This represents a $4.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.51%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, January 4th. JPMorgan Chase & Co.s payout ratio is 25.07%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of research analysts recently commented on the company. Oppenheimer boosted their price target on JPMorgan Chase & Co. from $233.00 to $243.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Thursday, November 16th. Jefferies Financial Group decreased their price objective on JPMorgan Chase & Co. from $176.00 to $169.00 in a report on Tuesday, October 10th. Piper Sandler upped their price objective on JPMorgan Chase & Co. from $168.00 to $170.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Monday, October 16th. BMO Capital Markets upped their price objective on JPMorgan Chase & Co. from $167.00 to $171.00 and gave the stock a market perform rating in a report on Monday, October 16th. Finally, Odeon Capital Group cut JPMorgan Chase & Co. from a buy rating to a hold rating and set a $140.00 price objective on the stock. in a report on Thursday, November 2nd. Nine analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and ten have given a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $168.80.

Check Out Our Latest Stock Analysis on JPMorgan Chase & Co.

JPMorgan Chase & Co. Company Profile

(Free Report)

JPMorgan Chase & Co operates as a financial services company worldwide. It operates through four segments: Consumer & Community Banking (CCB), Corporate & Investment Bank (CIB), Commercial Banking (CB), and Asset & Wealth Management (AWM). The CCB segment offers deposit, investment and lending products, cash management, and payments and services to consumers and small businesses; mortgage origination and servicing activities; residential mortgages and home equity loans; and credit cards, auto loans, leases, and travel services.

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Gilman Hill Asset Management LLC cut its stake in Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY  Free Report) by 13.4% in the third quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 4,196 shares of the companys stock after selling 650 shares during the quarter. Gilman Hill Asset Management LLCs holdings in Eli Lilly and Company were worth $2,254,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Several other hedge funds have also recently made changes to their positions in LLY. Cooper Financial Group boosted its stake in shares of Eli Lilly and Company by 12.2% in the 3rd quarter. Cooper Financial Group now owns 1,306 shares of the companys stock worth $702,000 after buying an additional 142 shares during the last quarter. Harbor Investment Advisory LLC boosted its position in Eli Lilly and Company by 3.6% in the third quarter. Harbor Investment Advisory LLC now owns 9,731 shares of the companys stock worth $5,227,000 after purchasing an additional 340 shares during the last quarter. OneAscent Wealth Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Eli Lilly and Company during the 3rd quarter valued at about $238,000. Institute for Wealth Management LLC. increased its position in shares of Eli Lilly and Company by 1.1% during the 3rd quarter. Institute for Wealth Management LLC. now owns 6,765 shares of the companys stock valued at $3,633,000 after purchasing an additional 76 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Global Strategic Investment Solutions LLC purchased a new position in shares of Eli Lilly and Company in the third quarter worth approximately $204,000. 81.38% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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Eli Lilly and Company Trading Down 0.3 %

Shares of LLY stock opened at $570.39 on Friday. The company has a market cap of $541.48 billion, a PE ratio of 103.33, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.48 and a beta of 0.33. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.59, a current ratio of 1.05 and a quick ratio of 0.82. The stocks 50 day simple moving average is $587.53 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $535.59. Eli Lilly and Company has a 1 year low of $309.20 and a 1 year high of $629.97.

Eli Lilly and Company Increases Dividend

Eli Lilly and Company ( NYSE:LLY Get Free Report ) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, November 2nd. The company reported $0.10 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of ($0.08) by $0.18. The business had revenue of $9.50 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $8.88 billion. Eli Lilly and Company had a net margin of 15.55% and a return on equity of 48.12%. Research analysts predict that Eli Lilly and Company will post 6.6 earnings per share for the current year.

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 4th. Investors of record on Thursday, February 15th will be given a $1.30 dividend. This is a positive change from Eli Lilly and Companys previous quarterly dividend of $1.13. This represents a $5.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.91%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, February 14th. Eli Lilly and Companys dividend payout ratio is 81.88%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research analysts have weighed in on LLY shares. Cantor Fitzgerald reiterated an overweight rating on shares of Eli Lilly and Company in a research report on Monday, December 18th. Citigroup raised their target price on shares of Eli Lilly and Company from $525.00 to $675.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Monday, October 23rd. Wells Fargo & Company upped their price target on shares of Eli Lilly and Company from $615.00 to $650.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Monday, October 9th. Bank of America raised their price objective on shares of Eli Lilly and Company from $600.00 to $700.00 in a research report on Friday, October 6th. Finally, Truist Financial reaffirmed a buy rating and issued a $650.00 target price on shares of Eli Lilly and Company in a report on Wednesday, November 29th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, two have assigned a hold rating and seventeen have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Eli Lilly and Company has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $583.24.

View Our Latest Research Report on Eli Lilly and Company

Insider Buying and Selling at Eli Lilly and Company

In other news, CAO Donald A. Zakrowski sold 670 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, November 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $571.10, for a total value of $382,637.00. Following the sale, the chief accounting officer now directly owns 4,708 shares in the company, valued at $2,688,738.80. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this link. In other Eli Lilly and Company news, CAO Donald A. Zakrowski sold 670 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Monday, November 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $571.10, for a total value of $382,637.00. Following the transaction, the chief accounting officer now owns 4,708 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $2,688,738.80. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, major shareholder Lilly Endowment Inc sold 215,000 shares of Eli Lilly and Company stock in a transaction on Wednesday, October 11th. The stock was sold at an average price of $605.44, for a total value of $130,169,600.00. Following the sale, the insider now owns 99,768,810 shares of the companys stock, valued at $60,404,028,326.40. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Company insiders own 0.13% of the companys stock.

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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Some investors rely on dividends for growing their wealth, and if you're one of those dividend sleuths, you might be intrigued to know that BT Group plc (LON:BT.A) is about to go ex-dividend in just 4 days. The ex-dividend date is one business day before the record date, which is the cut-off date for shareholders to be present on the company's books to be eligible for a dividend payment. The ex-dividend date is an important date to be aware of as any purchase of the stock made on or after this date might mean a late settlement that doesn't show on the record date. In other words, investors can purchase BT Group's shares before the 28th of December in order to be eligible for the dividend, which will be paid on the 2nd of February.

The company's next dividend payment will be UK0.023 per share, and in the last 12 months, the company paid a total of UK0.077 per share. Last year's total dividend payments show that BT Group has a trailing yield of 6.0% on the current share price of 1.273. Dividends are an important source of income to many shareholders, but the health of the business is crucial to maintaining those dividends. As a result, readers should always check whether BT Group has been able to grow its dividends, or if the dividend might be cut.

View our latest analysis for BT Group

Dividends are usually paid out of company profits, so if a company pays out more than it earned then its dividend is usually at greater risk of being cut. BT Group paid out a comfortable 41% of its profit last year. Yet cash flows are even more important than profits for assessing a dividend, so we need to see if the company generated enough cash to pay its distribution. Over the last year it paid out 68% of its free cash flow as dividends, within the usual range for most companies.

It's encouraging to see that the dividend is covered by both profit and cash flow. This generally suggests the dividend is sustainable, as long as earnings don't drop precipitously.

Story continues

Click here to see the company's payout ratio, plus analyst estimates of its future dividends.

LSE:BT.A Historic Dividend December 23rd 2023

Have Earnings And Dividends Been Growing?

Companies that aren't growing their earnings can still be valuable, but it is even more important to assess the sustainability of the dividend if it looks like the company will struggle to grow. If business enters a downturn and the dividend is cut, the company could see its value fall precipitously. It's not encouraging to see that BT Group's earnings are effectively flat over the past five years. It's better than seeing them drop, certainly, but over the long term, all of the best dividend stocks are able to meaningfully grow their earnings per share.

Many investors will assess a company's dividend performance by evaluating how much the dividend payments have changed over time. BT Group has seen its dividend decline 2.1% per annum on average over the past 10 years, which is not great to see.

The Bottom Line

Should investors buy BT Group for the upcoming dividend? Its earnings per share are effectively flat in recent times. The company paid out less than half its income and more than half its cash flow as dividends to shareholders. In summary, it's hard to get excited about BT Group from a dividend perspective.

If you want to look further into BT Group, it's worth knowing the risks this business faces. To help with this, we've discovered 3 warning signs for BT Group (1 is potentially serious!) that you ought to be aware of before buying the shares.

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.
Global Retirement Partners LLC cut its stake in Accenture plc (NYSE:ACN  Free Report) by 4.4% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 4,499 shares of the information technology services providers stock after selling 206 shares during the period. Global Retirement Partners LLCs holdings in Accenture were worth $1,392,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the business. First National Bank of Hutchinson lifted its holdings in Accenture by 2.9% in the second quarter. First National Bank of Hutchinson now owns 1,132 shares of the information technology services providers stock valued at $349,000 after acquiring an additional 32 shares during the period. Pinnacle Wealth Planning Services Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Accenture by 0.7% in the 2nd quarter. Pinnacle Wealth Planning Services Inc. now owns 4,535 shares of the information technology services providers stock worth $1,399,000 after buying an additional 32 shares during the period. Aries Wealth Management raised its position in shares of Accenture by 0.8% in the 2nd quarter. Aries Wealth Management now owns 4,288 shares of the information technology services providers stock worth $1,323,000 after acquiring an additional 33 shares in the last quarter. Mitchell Sinkler & Starr PA increased its position in Accenture by 0.6% during the 2nd quarter. Mitchell Sinkler & Starr PA now owns 5,172 shares of the information technology services providers stock valued at $1,596,000 after buying an additional 33 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Blue Chip Partners LLC boosted its stake in shares of Accenture by 6.6% in the second quarter. Blue Chip Partners LLC now owns 532 shares of the information technology services providers stock worth $164,000 after buying an additional 33 shares during the last quarter. 70.42% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

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Insider Transactions at Accenture

In other news, CEO Julie Spellman Sweet sold 9,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Friday, November 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $314.68, for a total transaction of $2,832,120.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 26,830 shares of the companys stock, valued at $8,442,864.40. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. In other news, CEO Julie Spellman Sweet sold 9,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, November 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $314.68, for a total transaction of $2,832,120.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 26,830 shares in the company, valued at $8,442,864.40. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, COO John F. Walsh sold 2,500 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Tuesday, October 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $295.60, for a total value of $739,000.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief operating officer now directly owns 21,885 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $6,469,206. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold 36,334 shares of company stock valued at $10,939,027 over the last 90 days. 0.07% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

ACN has been the topic of several research analyst reports. Robert W. Baird decreased their price target on Accenture from $332.00 to $322.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, September 29th. UBS Group boosted their price objective on Accenture from $333.00 to $365.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research note on Wednesday. Citigroup restated a buy rating and set a $358.00 price objective on shares of Accenture in a research note on Monday, September 18th. Redburn Atlantic began coverage on Accenture in a research note on Thursday, November 16th. They issued a buy rating and a $410.00 price target on the stock. Finally, StockNews.com upgraded Accenture from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note on Thursday, November 9th. Seven analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eleven have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Accenture presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $348.59.

Get Our Latest Report on Accenture

Accenture Trading Up 1.6 %

ACN opened at $354.45 on Friday. The company has a market cap of $222.57 billion, a PE ratio of 32.85, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.14 and a beta of 1.23. The company has a 50 day moving average of $322.91 and a 200 day moving average of $316.78. Accenture plc has a 12 month low of $242.80 and a 12 month high of $354.82.

Accenture (NYSE:ACN  Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Tuesday, December 19th. The information technology services provider reported $3.27 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $3.14 by $0.13. Accenture had a net margin of 10.65% and a return on equity of 29.08%. The company had revenue of $16.22 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $16.17 billion. During the same period last year, the business earned $3.08 EPS. Accentures revenue for the quarter was up 3.0% on a year-over-year basis. Research analysts forecast that Accenture plc will post 12.21 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Accenture declared that its Board of Directors has approved a share repurchase plan on Thursday, September 28th that allows the company to buyback $4.00 billion in outstanding shares. This buyback authorization allows the information technology services provider to purchase up to 2% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares buyback plans are usually a sign that the companys board believes its shares are undervalued.

Accenture Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, February 15th. Investors of record on Thursday, January 18th will be issued a $1.29 dividend. This represents a $5.16 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.46%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, January 17th. Accentures payout ratio is presently 47.82%.

Accenture Profile

(Free Report)

Accenture plc, a professional services company, provides strategy and consulting, 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 comprising 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 comprising turnkey analytics and artificial intelligence (AI) solutions; metaverse; and sustainability services.

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Dutch Bros Inc. (NYSE:BROS  Get Free Report) major shareholder Tsg7 A. Management Llc sold 1,293,926 shares of Dutch Bros stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, December 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $29.34, for a total transaction of $37,963,788.84. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Major shareholders that own 10% or more of a companys stock are required to disclose their sales and purchases with the SEC.

Dutch Bros Stock Performance

NYSE BROS opened at $31.06 on Friday. Dutch Bros Inc. has a 52-week low of $22.67 and a 52-week high of $41.44. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.66, a quick ratio of 1.42 and a current ratio of 1.83. The company has a market capitalization of $5.50 billion, a P/E ratio of 776.50, a P/E/G ratio of 14.84 and a beta of 2.39. The company has a fifty day moving average of $27.49 and a 200-day moving average of $27.86.

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Dutch Bros (NYSE:BROS  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, November 7th. The company reported $0.08 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.02 by $0.06. Dutch Bros had a net margin of 0.27% and a negative return on equity of 2.22%. The company had revenue of $264.51 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $257.19 million. As a group, equities research analysts predict that Dutch Bros Inc. will post 0.04 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research analysts recently weighed in on BROS shares. Wedbush lifted their price objective on shares of Dutch Bros from $35.00 to $37.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research note on Thursday. Barclays cut their price target on shares of Dutch Bros from $30.00 to $26.00 and set an equal weight rating for the company in a report on Monday, October 23rd. UBS Group began coverage on shares of Dutch Bros in a report on Thursday, September 21st. They issued a neutral rating and a $28.00 price target for the company. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised shares of Dutch Bros from a neutral rating to an overweight rating and raised their price target for the company from $30.00 to $35.00 in a report on Monday, November 20th. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus cut their price target on shares of Dutch Bros from $36.00 to $32.00 and set a hold rating for the company in a report on Monday, September 11th. Six analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, Dutch Bros presently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $33.90.

Read Our Latest Stock Analysis on BROS

Institutional Trading of Dutch Bros

Hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. WealthPLAN Partners LLC purchased a new position in Dutch Bros in the 1st quarter worth $28,000. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. raised its position in Dutch Bros by 500.0% in the 2nd quarter. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. now owns 900 shares of the companys stock worth $26,000 after purchasing an additional 750 shares during the period. Cedar Mountain Advisors LLC raised its position in Dutch Bros by 61.4% in the 3rd quarter. Cedar Mountain Advisors LLC now owns 1,091 shares of the companys stock worth $25,000 after purchasing an additional 415 shares during the period. Captrust Financial Advisors raised its position in Dutch Bros by 87.9% in the 2nd quarter. Captrust Financial Advisors now owns 1,114 shares of the companys stock worth $35,000 after purchasing an additional 521 shares during the period. Finally, Deutsche Bank AG purchased a new position in Dutch Bros in the 4th quarter worth $36,000.

About Dutch Bros

(Get Free Report)

Dutch Bros Inc operates and franchises drive-thru shops. The company offers coffee-based beverages, including custom drinks, cold brews, and freeze blended beverages, as well as Blue Rebel energy drinks. It also provides tea, lemonade, sodas, smoothies, and other beverages through company-operated shops and online channels.

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Institute for Wealth Management LLC. cut its holdings in Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE  Free Report) by 1.3% in the third quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 31,670 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock after selling 433 shares during the period. Institute for Wealth Management LLC.s holdings in Pfizer were worth $1,050,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of PFE. RB Capital Management LLC boosted its holdings in Pfizer by 6.7% in the first quarter. RB Capital Management LLC now owns 5,446 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock worth $282,000 after purchasing an additional 341 shares in the last quarter. Ironwood Wealth Management LLC. lifted its position in Pfizer by 1.1% during the 1st quarter. Ironwood Wealth Management LLC. now owns 36,081 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock worth $1,868,000 after acquiring an additional 400 shares during the last quarter. United Bank lifted its position in Pfizer by 0.6% during the 1st quarter. United Bank now owns 46,671 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock worth $2,416,000 after acquiring an additional 290 shares during the last quarter. Ergoteles LLC lifted its position in Pfizer by 136.3% during the 1st quarter. Ergoteles LLC now owns 36,766 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock worth $1,903,000 after acquiring an additional 21,209 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Mackenzie Financial Corp lifted its position in Pfizer by 6.4% during the 1st quarter. Mackenzie Financial Corp now owns 1,337,418 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock worth $69,238,000 after acquiring an additional 79,887 shares during the last quarter. 68.05% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

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Insider Activity

In related news, Director Scott Gottlieb purchased 3,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Friday, December 15th. The shares were acquired at an average cost of $26.47 per share, with a total value of $79,410.00. Following the completion of the purchase, the director now directly owns 9,000 shares of the companys stock, valued at $238,230. The purchase was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. 0.05% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Pfizer Stock Performance

NYSE:PFE opened at $28.41 on Friday. Pfizer Inc. has a 12-month low of $25.76 and a 12-month high of $51.95. The company has a quick ratio of 2.05, a current ratio of 2.38 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.63. The firm has a market capitalization of $160.41 billion, a PE ratio of 15.52, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.58 and a beta of 0.61. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $29.76 and a 200 day moving average price of $33.70.

Pfizer (NYSE:PFE  Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, October 31st. The biopharmaceutical company reported ($0.17) earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of ($0.32) by $0.15. The firm had revenue of $13.23 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $13.77 billion. Pfizer had a net margin of 15.30% and a return on equity of 16.72%. Research analysts anticipate that Pfizer Inc. will post 1.53 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Pfizer Increases Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 1st. Stockholders of record on Friday, January 26th will be paid a dividend of $0.42 per share. This is a boost from Pfizers previous quarterly dividend of $0.41. This represents a $1.68 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 5.91%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, January 25th. Pfizers dividend payout ratio is 89.62%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

PFE has been the subject of a number of research analyst reports. Jefferies Financial Group raised shares of Pfizer from a hold rating to a buy rating and boosted their target price for the stock from $38.00 to $39.00 in a research report on Monday, October 16th. BMO Capital Markets cut their target price on shares of Pfizer from $44.00 to $33.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a research report on Monday, October 16th. Truist Financial cut their target price on shares of Pfizer from $42.00 to $36.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, December 14th. Morgan Stanley cut their price objective on shares of Pfizer from $39.00 to $37.00 and set an equal weight rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, November 1st. Finally, Cantor Fitzgerald reaffirmed an overweight rating on shares of Pfizer in a research report on Monday, December 18th. Twelve equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have given a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Pfizer presently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $40.35.

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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.

Further Reading

Want to see what other hedge funds are holding PFE? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE  Free Report).

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iShares iBonds Dec 2029 Term Corporate ETF (NYSEARCA:IBDU  Get Free Report) shares saw unusually-strong trading volume on Thursday . Approximately 84,290 shares traded hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 51% from the previous sessions volume of 171,308 shares.The stock last traded at $22.97 and had previously closed at $22.91.

iShares iBonds Dec 2029 Term Corporate ETF Price Performance

The firms 50 day simple moving average is $22.18 and its 200-day simple moving average is $22.21.

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Hedge Funds Weigh In On iShares iBonds Dec 2029 Term Corporate ETF

Institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Bank of New Hampshire grew its stake in shares of iShares iBonds Dec 2029 Term Corporate ETF by 10.6% during the 3rd quarter. Bank of New Hampshire now owns 5,200 shares of the companys stock worth $114,000 after purchasing an additional 500 shares during the period. RVW Wealth LLC grew its stake in shares of iShares iBonds Dec 2029 Term Corporate ETF by 6.6% during the 3rd quarter. RVW Wealth LLC now owns 15,777 shares of the companys stock worth $346,000 after purchasing an additional 976 shares during the period. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. grew its stake in shares of iShares iBonds Dec 2029 Term Corporate ETF by 2.5% during the 2nd quarter. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. now owns 40,986 shares of the companys stock worth $920,000 after purchasing an additional 988 shares during the period. Cary Street Partners Investment Advisory LLC acquired a new position in shares of iShares iBonds Dec 2029 Term Corporate ETF during the 3rd quarter worth $25,000. Finally, Roble Belko & Company Inc grew its stake in shares of iShares iBonds Dec 2029 Term Corporate ETF by 6.0% during the 3rd quarter. Roble Belko & Company Inc now owns 23,408 shares of the companys stock worth $513,000 after purchasing an additional 1,330 shares during the period.

iShares iBonds Dec 2029 Term Corporate ETF Company Profile

The iShares iBonds Dec 2029 Term Corporate ETF (IBDU) is an exchange-traded fund that mostly invests in investment grade fixed income. The fund tracks a Bloomberg index of USD-denominated, investment-grade corporate bonds maturing between Jan 1 and Dec 15, 2029. IBDU was launched on Sep 17, 2019 and is managed by BlackRock.

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Alior Bank (OTCMKTS:ALORY  Get Free Report) and National Bank of Canada (OTCMKTS:NTIOF  Get Free Report) are both financial services companies, but which is the better business? We will contrast the two businesses based on the strength of their risk, valuation, earnings, dividends, institutional ownership, profitability and analyst recommendations.

Analyst Recommendations

This is a breakdown of current ratings for Alior Bank and National Bank of Canada, as reported by MarketBeat.

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Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score Alior Bank 0 0 0 0 N/A National Bank of Canada 0 0 0 0 N/A

Valuation and Earnings

Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio Alior Bank N/A N/A N/A C$1.48 1.40 National Bank of Canada $17.32 billion 1.46 $2.47 billion $6.94 10.81

This table compares Alior Bank and National Bank of Canadas gross revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation.

National Bank of Canada has higher revenue and earnings than Alior Bank. Alior Bank is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than National Bank of Canada, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.

Insider & Institutional Ownership

0.1% of National Bank of Canada shares are held by institutional investors. 0.3% of National Bank of Canada shares are held by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, hedge funds and endowments believe a company is poised for long-term growth.

Profitability

This table compares Alior Bank and National Bank of Canadas net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets Alior Bank N/A N/A N/A National Bank of Canada 14.28% 17.43% 0.81%

Summary

National Bank of Canada beats Alior Bank on 8 of the 8 factors compared between the two stocks.

About Alior Bank

(Get Free Report)

Alior Bank S.A. provides banking products and services to individuals, businesses, and enterprises in Poland. The company offers personal and savings accounts; investment loans; mortgage; and insurance services. It also offers bills and cards, trade finance, deposits, internet banking, and treasury related products and services. In addition, the company provides commercial bonds, pension, and investments fund services, as well as operates trading platforms. Alior Bank S.A. was founded in 2008 and is based in Warsaw, Poland.

About National Bank of Canada

(Get Free Report)

National Bank of Canada provides various financial products and services to retail, commercial, corporate, and institutional clients in Canada and internationally. It operates through four segments: Personal and Commercial, Wealth Management, Financial Markets, and U.S. Specialty Finance and International. The Personal and Commercial segment offers personal banking services, including transaction solutions, mortgage loans and home equity lines of credit, consumer loans, payment solutions, and savings and investment solutions; various insurance products; and commercial banking services comprise credit, and deposit and investment solutions, as well as international trade, foreign exchange transactions, payroll, cash management, insurance, electronic transactions, and complimentary services. The Wealth Management segment comprises investment solutions, trust services, banking services, lending services, and other wealth management solutions. The Financial Markets segment offers corporate banking, advisory, and capital markets services; and project financing, debt, and equity underwriting; advisory services in the areas of mergers and acquisitions, and financing. The U.S. Specialty Finance and International segment provides specialty finance products; financial products and services to individuals and businesses in Cambodia; and investment solutions, guaranteed investment certificates, mutual funds, notes, structured products, and monetization. National Bank of Canada was founded in 1859 and is based in Montreal, Canada.

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Royal Bank of Canada (TSE:RY  Free Report) (NYSE:RY) had its price objective lifted by National Bankshares from C$135.00 to C$148.00 in a research report report published on Wednesday, BayStreet.CA reports. National Bankshares currently has an outperform rating on the financial services providers stock.

A number of other analysts have also recently weighed in on the company. Barclays boosted their price target on Royal Bank of Canada from C$124.00 to C$126.00 and gave the stock an underweight rating in a research report on Sunday, August 27th. CSFB set a C$138.00 price target on Royal Bank of Canada and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Tuesday, September 12th. Cormark reduced their price target on Royal Bank of Canada from C$143.00 to C$142.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research report on Friday, August 25th. Scotiabank boosted their price target on Royal Bank of Canada from C$133.00 to C$140.00 and gave the stock a sector perform rating in a research report on Wednesday. Finally, Bank of America raised Royal Bank of Canada from a neutral rating to a buy rating and boosted their price target for the stock from C$130.00 to C$146.00 in a research report on Monday, December 18th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, five have issued a hold rating and seven have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of C$136.15.

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Check Out Our Latest Stock Report on RY

Royal Bank of Canada Stock Up 0.4 %

Shares of Royal Bank of Canada stock opened at C$133.67 on Wednesday. The stock has a market cap of C$188.47 billion, a PE ratio of 12.71, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 6.86 and a beta of 0.82. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of C$119.28 and a 200-day simple moving average of C$122.19. Royal Bank of Canada has a 12 month low of C$107.92 and a 12 month high of C$140.18.

Royal Bank of Canada (TSE:RY  Get Free Report) (NYSE:RY) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, November 30th. The financial services provider reported C$2.78 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of C$2.64 by C$0.14. The firm had revenue of C$13.03 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of C$12.97 billion. Royal Bank of Canada had a return on equity of 13.16% and a net margin of 27.69%. Analysts expect that Royal Bank of Canada will post 11.6200552 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Royal Bank of Canada Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, February 23rd. Stockholders of record on Thursday, January 25th will be paid a $1.38 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, January 24th. This is a positive change from Royal Bank of Canadas previous quarterly dividend of $1.35. This represents a $5.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 4.13%. Royal Bank of Canadas payout ratio is presently 52.62%.

Insider Activity at Royal Bank of Canada

In related news, Director David Ian Mckay sold 4,131 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Monday, October 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of C$111.32, for a total transaction of C$459,862.92.

About Royal Bank of Canada

(Get Free Report)

Royal Bank of Canada operates as a diversified financial service company worldwide. The company's Personal & Commercial Banking segment offers checking and savings accounts, home equity financing, personal lending, private banking, indirect lending, including auto financing, mutual funds and self-directed brokerage accounts, guaranteed investment certificates, credit cards, and payment products and solutions; and lending, leasing, deposit, investment, foreign exchange, cash management, auto dealer financing, trade products, and services to small and medium-sized commercial businesses.

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Toronto-Dominion Bank (TSE:TD  Free Report) (NYSE:TD) had its target price upped by National Bankshares from C$86.00 to C$92.00 in a research report report published on Wednesday morning, BayStreet.CA reports. The firm currently has a sector perform rating on the stock.

TD has been the subject of a number of other research reports. CSFB set a C$93.00 target price on Toronto-Dominion Bank and gave the company an outperform rating in a research note on Tuesday, September 12th. BMO Capital Markets increased their price target on Toronto-Dominion Bank from C$83.00 to C$86.00 and gave the company a market perform rating in a report on Friday, December 1st. Canaccord Genuity Group set a C$94.00 price target on Toronto-Dominion Bank and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Monday, December 18th. Scotiabank reduced their price target on Toronto-Dominion Bank from C$101.00 to C$95.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a report on Friday, December 1st. Finally, Credit Suisse Group reduced their price target on Toronto-Dominion Bank from C$93.00 to C$92.00 in a report on Friday, August 25th. Five investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Toronto-Dominion Bank presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of C$90.68.

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Read Our Latest Analysis on Toronto-Dominion Bank

Toronto-Dominion Bank Price Performance

Shares of TSE:TD opened at C$85.12 on Wednesday. The firm has a market capitalization of C$152.36 billion, a PE ratio of 15.23, a P/E/G ratio of 1.06 and a beta of 0.87. The business has a 50-day moving average of C$81.53 and a two-hundred day moving average of C$82.11. Toronto-Dominion Bank has a 12 month low of C$75.89 and a 12 month high of C$94.05.

Toronto-Dominion Bank (TSE:TD  Get Free Report) (NYSE:TD) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, November 30th. The company reported C$1.83 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of C$1.92 by C($0.09). The firm had revenue of C$13.12 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of C$12.53 billion. Toronto-Dominion Bank had a return on equity of 9.65% and a net margin of 21.91%. As a group, research analysts anticipate that Toronto-Dominion Bank will post 8.0517928 earnings per share for the current year.

Toronto-Dominion Bank Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, January 31st. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, January 10th will be given a $1.02 dividend. This represents a $4.08 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 4.79%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, January 9th. This is a boost from Toronto-Dominion Banks previous quarterly dividend of $0.96. Toronto-Dominion Banks dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 72.86%.

Insider Activity at Toronto-Dominion Bank

In other Toronto-Dominion Bank news, Senior Officer Riaz Ahmed sold 42,500 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Monday, December 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of C$82.26, for a total transaction of C$3,496,050.00. In related news, Senior Officer Riaz Ahmed sold 42,500 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Monday, December 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of C$82.26, for a total transaction of C$3,496,050.00. Also, Senior Officer Barbara Ann Hooper sold 9,162 shares of Toronto-Dominion Bank stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, December 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of C$80.49, for a total value of C$737,449.38. Insiders own 0.10% of the companys stock.

About Toronto-Dominion Bank

(Get Free Report)

The Toronto-Dominion Bank, together with its subsidiaries, provides various financial products and services in Canada, the United States, and internationally. It operates through four segments: Canadian Personal and Commercial Banking, U.S. Retail, Wealth Management and Insurance, and Wholesale Banking.

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OneAscent Financial Services LLC bought a new position in Illinois Tool Works Inc. (NYSE:ITW  Free Report) during the third quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The firm bought 898 shares of the industrial products companys stock, valued at approximately $207,000.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of the company. GoalVest Advisory LLC bought a new position in shares of Illinois Tool Works during the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Northwest Capital Management Inc bought a new position in shares of Illinois Tool Works in the second quarter worth approximately $28,000. Miller Wealth Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Illinois Tool Works in the second quarter worth $31,000. Quarry LP raised its position in shares of Illinois Tool Works by 52.7% during the 1st quarter. Quarry LP now owns 142 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $35,000 after purchasing an additional 49 shares during the period. Finally, Steward Financial Group LLC purchased a new position in shares of Illinois Tool Works during the 2nd quarter valued at $39,000. 79.56% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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Illinois Tool Works Stock Performance

Shares of Illinois Tool Works stock opened at $261.91 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 1.13, a current ratio of 1.58 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.27. The stocks fifty day moving average is $239.10 and its two-hundred day moving average is $241.55. Illinois Tool Works Inc. has a 52 week low of $217.06 and a 52 week high of $264.19. The company has a market capitalization of $78.81 billion, a PE ratio of 25.40, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 5.04 and a beta of 1.13.

Illinois Tool Works Dividend Announcement

Illinois Tool Works ( NYSE:ITW Get Free Report ) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, October 24th. The industrial products company reported $2.55 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.46 by $0.09. Illinois Tool Works had a net margin of 19.55% and a return on equity of 95.68%. The firm had revenue of $4.03 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $4.10 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $2.35 earnings per share. The companys revenue was up .5% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, analysts expect that Illinois Tool Works Inc. will post 9.68 earnings per share for the current year.

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, January 11th. Investors of record on Friday, December 29th will be issued a $1.40 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, December 28th. This represents a $5.60 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.14%. Illinois Tool Workss payout ratio is currently 54.32%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of brokerages have issued reports on ITW. JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their price target on Illinois Tool Works from $265.00 to $255.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research note on Monday, October 16th. StockNews.com initiated coverage on Illinois Tool Works in a research note on Thursday, October 5th. They set a hold rating on the stock. Wells Fargo & Company upped their price target on Illinois Tool Works from $220.00 to $277.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a research note on Tuesday. Barclays reduced their price objective on shares of Illinois Tool Works from $213.00 to $198.00 in a research report on Thursday, September 7th. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus upped their target price on shares of Illinois Tool Works from $236.00 to $238.00 and gave the stock a hold rating in a research report on Tuesday. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have given a hold rating and two have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $240.82.

Check Out Our Latest Stock Analysis on Illinois Tool Works

About Illinois Tool Works

(Free Report)

Illinois Tool Works Inc manufactures and sells industrial products and equipment worldwide. It operates through seven segments: Automotive OEM; Food Equipment; Test & Measurement and Electronics; Welding; Polymers & Fluids; Construction Products; and Specialty Products. The Automotive OEM segment offers plastic and metal components, fasteners, and assemblies for automobiles, light trucks, and other industrial uses.

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PFG Advisors grew its position in shares of Lockheed Martin Co. (NYSE:LMT  Free Report) by 2.3% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 2,725 shares of the aerospace companys stock after purchasing an additional 62 shares during the quarter. PFG Advisors holdings in Lockheed Martin were worth $1,114,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in LMT. Edmond DE Rothschild Holding S.A. increased its holdings in shares of Lockheed Martin by 100.0% during the 1st quarter. Edmond DE Rothschild Holding S.A. now owns 60 shares of the aerospace companys stock valued at $28,000 after purchasing an additional 30 shares in the last quarter. CGC Financial Services LLC purchased a new stake in Lockheed Martin in the 2nd quarter worth $31,000. Coppell Advisory Solutions Corp. purchased a new stake in Lockheed Martin in the 4th quarter worth $31,000. Alaska Permanent Fund Corp purchased a new stake in Lockheed Martin in the 2nd quarter worth $35,000. Finally, KB Financial Partners LLC purchased a new stake in Lockheed Martin in the 1st quarter worth $35,000. 74.26% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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Lockheed Martin Trading Up 0.0 %

Shares of LMT stock opened at $448.22 on Friday. The companys 50-day moving average price is $447.28 and its 200-day moving average price is $445.32. The company has a current ratio of 1.36, a quick ratio of 1.16 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.86. The stock has a market cap of $111.20 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 16.38, a PEG ratio of 1.89 and a beta of 0.57. Lockheed Martin Co. has a twelve month low of $393.77 and a twelve month high of $508.10.

Lockheed Martin Increases Dividend

Lockheed Martin ( NYSE:LMT Get Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, October 17th. The aerospace company reported $6.77 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $6.67 by $0.10. The firm had revenue of $16.88 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $16.73 billion. Lockheed Martin had a net margin of 10.29% and a return on equity of 75.46%. The companys revenue was up 1.8% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $6.87 EPS. As a group, equities analysts predict that Lockheed Martin Co. will post 27.2 earnings per share for the current year.

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, December 29th. Shareholders of record on Friday, December 1st will be given a $3.15 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, November 30th. This represents a $12.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.81%. This is a boost from Lockheed Martins previous quarterly dividend of $3.00. Lockheed Martins dividend payout ratio is presently 46.04%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several brokerages recently commented on LMT. Wells Fargo & Company raised shares of Lockheed Martin from an underweight rating to an equal weight rating and set a $440.00 price target for the company in a report on Monday, September 18th. UBS Group began coverage on shares of Lockheed Martin in a report on Tuesday, October 10th. They issued a neutral rating and a $470.00 price target for the company. Jefferies Financial Group cut their price target on shares of Lockheed Martin from $505.00 to $455.00 and set a hold rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, October 4th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft began coverage on shares of Lockheed Martin in a research note on Wednesday, September 27th. They set a hold rating and a $435.00 target price on the stock. Finally, Morgan Stanley lowered their target price on shares of Lockheed Martin from $532.00 to $510.00 and set an equal weight rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, October 18th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, ten have assigned a hold rating and five have assigned a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Lockheed Martin presently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $484.07.

Get Our Latest Report on LMT

Lockheed Martin Profile

(Free Report)

Lockheed Martin Corporation, a security and aerospace company, engages in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration, and sustainment of technology systems, products, and services worldwide. It operates through four segments: Aeronautics, Missiles and Fire Control, Rotary and Mission Systems, and Space.

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DnB Asset Management AS trimmed its stake in Quest Diagnostics Incorporated (NYSE:DGX  Free Report) by 20.2% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 65,732 shares of the medical research companys stock after selling 16,653 shares during the quarter. DnB Asset Management AS owned approximately 0.06% of Quest Diagnostics worth $8,010,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in DGX. Pacifica Partners Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Quest Diagnostics in the third quarter worth $25,000. Park Place Capital Corp lifted its position in Quest Diagnostics by 73.4% during the second quarter. Park Place Capital Corp now owns 189 shares of the medical research companys stock worth $27,000 after buying an additional 80 shares during the period. Chilton Capital Management LLC purchased a new position in Quest Diagnostics during the first quarter worth about $28,000. Alaska Permanent Fund Corp purchased a new position in Quest Diagnostics during the second quarter worth about $37,000. Finally, Altshuler Shaham Ltd purchased a new position in Quest Diagnostics during the second quarter worth about $38,000. 87.76% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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Quest Diagnostics Price Performance

DGX stock opened at $136.74 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.61, a quick ratio of 1.01 and a current ratio of 1.12. Quest Diagnostics Incorporated has a 1 year low of $119.59 and a 1 year high of $158.34. The firm has a market cap of $15.37 billion, a P/E ratio of 20.53 and a beta of 0.91. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $132.85 and a 200-day simple moving average of $133.04.

Quest Diagnostics Announces Dividend

Quest Diagnostics ( NYSE:DGX Get Free Report ) last posted its earnings results on Tuesday, October 24th. The medical research company reported $2.22 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $2.19 by $0.03. Quest Diagnostics had a return on equity of 15.80% and a net margin of 8.21%. The business had revenue of $2.30 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.27 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $2.36 earnings per share. The companys revenue for the quarter was down 7.7% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities analysts predict that Quest Diagnostics Incorporated will post 8.71 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, January 31st. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, January 17th will be paid a dividend of $0.71 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, January 16th. This represents a $2.84 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.08%. Quest Diagnosticss dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 42.64%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several research firms recently weighed in on DGX. Truist Financial increased their target price on Quest Diagnostics from $145.00 to $150.00 and gave the stock a hold rating in a research report on Wednesday. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their target price on Quest Diagnostics from $148.00 to $149.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research report on Friday, November 17th. StockNews.com upgraded Quest Diagnostics from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research report on Friday, December 15th. Citigroup increased their target price on Quest Diagnostics from $130.00 to $145.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research report on Monday, December 11th. Finally, UBS Group upped their price target on Quest Diagnostics from $135.00 to $137.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research note on Thursday, December 7th. Nine research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, Quest Diagnostics currently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $146.75.

View Our Latest Analysis on DGX

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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Grant Cardone

If youre not earning an above-average salary, you might believe that youll never be able to build above-average wealth. Fortunately, this isnt true. When you use your earnings wisely, you can become rich on an average salary.

GOBankingRates spoke with Grant Cardone, private equity fund manager and real estate investor, about how to do it.

Check Out: 7 Low-Risk Passive Income Streams That Can Still Build Wealth

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Grant Cardones Formula for Building Wealth

Cardone, who will be hosting his 10X Business Summit in Scottsdale, Arizona, Jan. 12-14, 2024, shared a three-step formula for building wealth that applies to income earners of all levels.

No. 1, invest in assets, not lifestyle, he said. Dont try to improve the quality of your life  your cars, where you live, your shoes, your belts, your purses or your vacations. Invest money in assets that cash flow. [No. 2], only use the cash flow from those investments to improve the quality of your life. And [No. 3], continue that until your passive income is equal to your earned income.

Essentially, you should invest in assets that produce passive income and live off your passive income rather than your earned income. If you keep using your earned income to invest in income-producing assets, your wealth will continue to grow. Cardone believes that this is a much more fruitful strategy than focusing on increasing your earned income.

The problem is people want to make more money [so they] get a second job. A second job is not the right thing to do, he said. The smart thing to do is not add time  it would be to invest the money that you already have. If youre a journalist during the daytime, and at night, youre going to go sell soap on the internet or build websites, youre just working 12-hour, 15-hour days  it doesnt mean youre going make more money. Now you have two active flows, but you dont have any passive flows.

Story continues

The Best Assets for Building Wealth

In order for Cardones formula to work, you need to find the right assets to invest in that will provide you with passive income.

Real estate is perfect for it, Cardone said. Real estate is perfect because real estate distributes cash flow every month, as opposed to AT&T stock [that] only generates cash flow every quarter.

Investing in income-producing real estate is possible for average salary earners  but it will require discipline.

Lets say Im working for a company, I make $60,000 a year and I get a bonus at Christmastime of $5,000. Do not use the $5,000 to improve the quality of your life or buy presents, Cardone said. Invest your Christmas money in an asset, a $100,000, four-unit [rental property] that will pay you $2,000 a month next year.

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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Grant Cardone: Heres How To Become Rich If Youre Earning an Average Salary
Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile S.A. (NYSE:SQM  Get Free Report) has been given an average rating of Moderate Buy by the eight brokerages that are presently covering the company, Marketbeat reports. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell recommendation, two have given a hold recommendation and five have given a buy recommendation to the company. The average 12 month target price among brokerages that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $74.78.

A number of analysts have recently issued reports on the stock. BMO Capital Markets lowered their price objective on shares of Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile from $80.00 to $75.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a report on Friday, November 17th. Scotiabank upgraded shares of Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile from a sector perform rating to a sector outperform rating and set a $84.00 target price on the stock in a report on Thursday, October 26th. Loop Capital lowered their target price on shares of Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile from $83.00 to $71.00 and set a hold rating on the stock in a report on Monday, August 28th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered their target price on shares of Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile from $75.00 to $64.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, December 12th. Finally, Citigroup assumed coverage on shares of Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile in a report on Tuesday, September 12th. They set a buy rating and a $85.00 target price on the stock.

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Check Out Our Latest Report on SQM

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile

Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile Stock Performance

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Wellington Management Group LLP bought a new stake in shares of Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile in the third quarter valued at about $9,794,000. American Century Companies Inc. boosted its position in shares of Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile by 8.9% in the third quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 63,386 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $3,782,000 after acquiring an additional 5,176 shares during the period. Graham Capital Management L.P. bought a new stake in shares of Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile in the third quarter valued at about $1,028,000. Creative Planning boosted its position in shares of Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile by 16.2% in the third quarter. Creative Planning now owns 44,316 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $2,644,000 after acquiring an additional 6,185 shares during the period. Finally, Tejara Capital Ltd bought a new stake in shares of Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile in the third quarter valued at about $895,000. 14.94% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Shares of SQM opened at $60.19 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.47, a quick ratio of 1.60 and a current ratio of 2.28. Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile has a twelve month low of $44.86 and a twelve month high of $98.66. The firms 50 day moving average price is $51.65 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $61.69. The firm has a market cap of $17.19 billion, a P/E ratio of 5.80 and a beta of 1.04.

Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile (NYSE:SQM  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, November 15th. The basic materials company reported $1.68 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $2.52 by ($0.84). Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile had a net margin of 31.87% and a return on equity of 57.40%. The business had revenue of $1.84 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.96 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $3.85 earnings per share. On average, analysts forecast that Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile will post 8.03 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, November 2nd. Shareholders of record on Friday, January 1st were issued a $0.6094 dividend. This is an increase from Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chiles previous quarterly dividend of $0.51. This represents a $2.44 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 4.05%. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, November 2nd. Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chiles payout ratio is currently 12.63%.

About Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile

(Get Free Report

Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile SA produces and distributes specialty plant nutrients, iodine derivatives, lithium derivatives, potassium chloride and sulfate, industrial chemicals, and other products and services. The company offers specialty plant nutrients, including potassium nitrate, sodium nitrate, sodium potassium nitrate, specialty blends, and other specialty fertilizers.

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Tarbox Family Office Inc. purchased a new position in shares of UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH  Free Report) in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm purchased 426 shares of the healthcare conglomerates stock, valued at approximately $215,000.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in the company. Strategic Investment Solutions Inc. IL acquired a new stake in UnitedHealth Group in the 1st quarter valued at approximately $35,000. WFA of San Diego LLC purchased a new position in UnitedHealth Group in the second quarter valued at $39,000. RVW Wealth LLC purchased a new stake in UnitedHealth Group during the 3rd quarter worth about $44,000. Grayhawk Investment Strategies Inc. increased its holdings in UnitedHealth Group by 168.6% during the 1st quarter. Grayhawk Investment Strategies Inc. now owns 94 shares of the healthcare conglomerates stock worth $60,000 after purchasing an additional 59 shares during the period. Finally, Power Corp of Canada purchased a new stake in UnitedHealth Group during the 1st quarter worth about $48,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 85.69% of the companys stock.

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Insider Activity at UnitedHealth Group

In related news, EVP Erin Mcsweeney sold 4,498 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, October 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $544.28, for a total value of $2,448,171.44. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 9,218 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $5,017,173.04. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. In other news, Director Stephen J. Hemsley sold 66,081 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Tuesday, December 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $550.39, for a total transaction of $36,370,321.59. Following the sale, the director now owns 635,528 shares in the company, valued at $349,788,255.92. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Also, EVP Erin Mcsweeney sold 4,498 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Monday, October 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $544.28, for a total value of $2,448,171.44. Following the sale, the executive vice president now owns 9,218 shares in the company, valued at approximately $5,017,173.04. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold 192,094 shares of company stock valued at $104,507,072 in the last ninety days. Corporate insiders own 0.35% of the companys stock.

UnitedHealth Group Stock Up 0.1 %

UnitedHealth Group stock opened at $520.31 on Friday. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has a twelve month low of $445.68 and a twelve month high of $554.70. The stock has a 50 day moving average of $536.71 and a two-hundred day moving average of $507.56. The company has a current ratio of 0.80, a quick ratio of 0.80 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.65. The stock has a market capitalization of $481.25 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.58, a PEG ratio of 1.57 and a beta of 0.61.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH  Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Friday, October 13th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $6.56 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $6.33 by $0.23. The business had revenue of $92.36 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $91.41 billion. UnitedHealth Group had a return on equity of 26.58% and a net margin of 6.02%. The companys revenue for the quarter was up 14.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $5.79 EPS. As a group, research analysts expect that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 24.95 earnings per share for the current year.

UnitedHealth Group Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, December 12th. Stockholders of record on Monday, December 4th were paid a dividend of $1.88 per share. This represents a $7.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.45%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, December 1st. UnitedHealth Groups dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 32.64%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several equities research analysts have weighed in on UNH shares. Morgan Stanley cut their price target on UnitedHealth Group from $587.00 to $579.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a report on Monday, October 23rd. HSBC reaffirmed a reduce rating and set a $480.00 price objective (down from $550.00) on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research report on Monday, December 18th. Royal Bank of Canada reaffirmed an outperform rating and set a $596.00 price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research report on Thursday, November 30th. Piper Sandler upped their price objective on UnitedHealth Group from $580.00 to $584.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Monday, October 16th. Finally, Truist Financial reaffirmed a buy rating and set a $610.00 price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research report on Thursday, November 30th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, one has given a hold rating, fourteen have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $574.89.

Read Our Latest Stock Analysis on UnitedHealth Group

UnitedHealth Group Profile

(Free Report)

UnitedHealth Group Incorporated operates as a diversified health care company in the United States. It operates through four segments: UnitedHealthcare, Optum Health, Optum Insight, and Optum Rx. The UnitedHealthcare segment offers consumer-oriented health benefit plans and services for national employers, public sector employers, mid-sized employers, small businesses, and individuals; health care coverage, and health and well-being services to individuals age 50 and older addressing their needs; Medicaid plans, children's health insurance and health care programs; and health and dental benefits, and hospital and clinical services, as well as health care benefits products and services to state programs caring for the economically disadvantaged, medically underserved, and those without the benefit of employer-funded health care coverage.

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Toth Financial Advisory Corp boosted its position in Chevron Co. (NYSE:CVX  Free Report) by 248.5% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 3,603 shares of the oil and gas companys stock after acquiring an additional 2,569 shares during the period. Toth Financial Advisory Corps holdings in Chevron were worth $608,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in CVX. DHJJ Financial Advisors Ltd. bought a new position in shares of Chevron in the third quarter valued at approximately $35,000. HBC Financial Services PLLC bought a new position in shares of Chevron in the first quarter valued at approximately $37,000. Worth Asset Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Chevron in the first quarter valued at approximately $36,000. Nvwm LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Chevron by 73.8% in the first quarter. Nvwm LLC now owns 252 shares of the oil and gas companys stock valued at $41,000 after purchasing an additional 107 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Mizuho Securities Co. Ltd. bought a new position in shares of Chevron in the second quarter valued at approximately $50,000. Institutional investors own 68.87% of the companys stock.

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Chevron Price Performance

Chevron stock opened at $151.05 on Friday. Chevron Co. has a 52 week low of $140.72 and a 52 week high of $187.81. The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $148.54 and a 200 day simple moving average of $156.49. The company has a quick ratio of 0.97, a current ratio of 1.25 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.12. The stock has a market cap of $285.14 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 11.21, a PEG ratio of 0.79 and a beta of 1.11.

Chevron Dividend Announcement

Chevron ( NYSE:CVX Get Free Report ) last posted its earnings results on Friday, October 27th. The oil and gas company reported $3.05 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $3.70 by ($0.65). Chevron had a return on equity of 16.15% and a net margin of 12.11%. The business had revenue of $54.08 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $51.41 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $5.56 earnings per share. Chevrons quarterly revenue was down 18.9% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, research analysts forecast that Chevron Co. will post 13.28 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, December 11th. Investors of record on Friday, November 17th were given a dividend of $1.51 per share. This represents a $6.04 annualized dividend and a yield of 4.00%. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, November 16th. Chevrons payout ratio is 44.84%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of analysts recently commented on CVX shares. Bank of America raised Chevron from a neutral rating to a buy rating and increased their price target for the company from $190.00 to $200.00 in a research report on Monday, October 30th. Morgan Stanley decreased their target price on Chevron from $203.00 to $201.00 and set an equal weight rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, October 17th. StockNews.com began coverage on Chevron in a research report on Thursday, October 5th. They issued a hold rating for the company. Mizuho decreased their target price on Chevron from $215.00 to $195.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, November 14th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada reissued an outperform rating and issued a $180.00 target price on shares of Chevron in a research report on Tuesday, October 24th. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and thirteen have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Chevron presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $186.50.

Check Out Our Latest Research Report on Chevron

Chevron Company Profile

(Free Report)

Chevron Corporation, through its subsidiaries, engages in the integrated energy and chemicals operations in the United States and internationally. The company operates in two segments, Upstream and Downstream. The Upstream segment is involved in the exploration, development, production, and transportation of crude oil and natural gas; liquefaction, transportation, and regasification associated with liquefied natural gas; transportation of crude oil through pipelines; and processing, transportation, storage, and marketing of natural gas, as well as a gas-to-liquids plant.

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Wedge Capital Management L L P NC grew its stake in Accenture plc (NYSE:ACN  Free Report) by 1,384.8% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 17,209 shares of the information technology services providers stock after buying an additional 16,050 shares during the period. Wedge Capital Management L L P NCs holdings in Accenture were worth $5,285,000 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 stock. Strategic Investment Solutions Inc. IL purchased a new stake in Accenture during the first quarter valued at about $28,000. Barrett & Company Inc. bought a new position in shares of Accenture during the 1st quarter valued at about $29,000. Guardian Wealth Advisors LLC purchased a new position in shares of Accenture during the 1st quarter valued at about $32,000. RVW Wealth LLC purchased a new stake in Accenture in the third quarter worth approximately $33,000. Finally, Tyler Stone Wealth Management purchased a new position in shares of Accenture during the second quarter worth approximately $35,000. Institutional investors own 70.42% of the companys stock.

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Insider Transactions at Accenture

In related news, CEO Julie Spellman Sweet sold 9,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Friday, November 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $314.68, for a total value of $2,832,120.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 26,830 shares in the company, valued at approximately $8,442,864.40. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. In related news, General Counsel Joel Unruch sold 1,083 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, November 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $300.00, for a total value of $324,900.00. Following the transaction, the general counsel now directly owns 35,526 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $10,657,800. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, CEO Julie Spellman Sweet sold 9,000 shares of Accenture stock in a transaction on Friday, November 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $314.68, for a total value of $2,832,120.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 26,830 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $8,442,864.40. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last three months, insiders have sold 36,334 shares of company stock valued at $10,939,027. Insiders own 0.07% of the companys stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several equities analysts recently commented on the stock. Robert W. Baird reduced their target price on shares of Accenture from $332.00 to $322.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a report on Friday, September 29th. Morgan Stanley boosted their target price on Accenture from $340.00 to $356.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Tuesday, September 12th. Citigroup restated a buy rating and set a $358.00 price target on shares of Accenture in a research report on Monday, September 18th. BMO Capital Markets increased their price objective on Accenture from $350.00 to $385.00 and gave the company a market perform rating in a research note on Wednesday. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada reaffirmed an outperform rating and issued a $340.00 target price on shares of Accenture in a research note on Friday, September 29th. Seven analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eleven have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $348.59.

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Accenture Stock Up 1.6 %

NYSE ACN opened at $354.45 on Friday. The firm has a market capitalization of $222.57 billion, a PE ratio of 32.85, a P/E/G ratio of 3.14 and a beta of 1.23. The stocks 50 day moving average is $322.91 and its 200 day moving average is $316.78. Accenture plc has a twelve month low of $242.80 and a twelve month high of $354.82.

Accenture (NYSE:ACN  Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, December 19th. The information technology services provider reported $3.27 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $3.14 by $0.13. Accenture had a net margin of 10.65% and a return on equity of 29.08%. The company had revenue of $16.22 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $16.17 billion. During the same period last year, the company posted $3.08 EPS. Accentures revenue was up 3.0% on a year-over-year basis. On average, research analysts anticipate that Accenture plc will post 12.21 earnings per share for the current year.

Accenture declared that its board has initiated a stock buyback plan on Thursday, September 28th that authorizes the company to buyback $4.00 billion in outstanding shares. This buyback authorization authorizes the information technology services provider to reacquire up to 2% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock buyback plans are often a sign that the companys board believes its shares are undervalued.

Accenture Dividend Announcement

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, February 15th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, January 18th will be issued a $1.29 dividend. This represents a $5.16 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.46%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, January 17th. Accentures dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 47.82%.

Accenture Company Profile

(Free Report)

Accenture plc, a professional services company, provides strategy and consulting, 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 comprising 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 comprising turnkey analytics and artificial intelligence (AI) solutions; metaverse; and sustainability services.

Further Reading

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Wedge Capital Management L L P NC trimmed its stake in Signet Jewelers Limited (NYSE:SIG  Free Report) by 27.3% in the third quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 69,269 shares of the companys stock after selling 26,072 shares during the quarter. Wedge Capital Management L L P NC owned about 0.15% of Signet Jewelers worth $4,974,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Ronald Blue Trust Inc. grew its stake in shares of Signet Jewelers by 187.2% in the 3rd quarter. Ronald Blue Trust Inc. now owns 494 shares of the companys stock valued at $35,000 after buying an additional 322 shares during the period. Murphy Pohlad Asset Management LLC grew its stake in Signet Jewelers by 1.2% in the third quarter. Murphy Pohlad Asset Management LLC now owns 21,835 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,568,000 after acquiring an additional 250 shares during the period. Barclays PLC increased its holdings in shares of Signet Jewelers by 333.4% during the second quarter. Barclays PLC now owns 129,615 shares of the companys stock valued at $8,458,000 after acquiring an additional 99,706 shares in the last quarter. Comerica Bank acquired a new stake in Signet Jewelers in the 2nd quarter valued at $9,117,000. Finally, Teachers Retirement System of The State of Kentucky grew its position in Signet Jewelers by 5.7% in the 2nd quarter. Teachers Retirement System of The State of Kentucky now owns 15,091 shares of the companys stock valued at $985,000 after purchasing an additional 816 shares during the period.

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Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research firms have weighed in on SIG. UBS Group raised their price objective on shares of Signet Jewelers from $90.00 to $93.00 in a research note on Friday, September 1st. Telsey Advisory Group lifted their target price on Signet Jewelers from $82.00 to $90.00 and gave the company a market perform rating in a research report on Wednesday, December 6th. Bank of America increased their price target on Signet Jewelers from $71.00 to $83.00 in a research report on Friday, September 1st. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price objective on shares of Signet Jewelers from $110.00 to $120.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Friday. Finally, StockNews.com upgraded shares of Signet Jewelers from a hold rating to a buy rating in a report on Tuesday, December 12th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $101.00.

Insider Buying and Selling at Signet Jewelers

In other Signet Jewelers news, CEO Virginia Drosos sold 10,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Tuesday, October 17th. The stock was sold at an average price of $72.96, for a total value of $729,600.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 987,740 shares in the company, valued at $72,065,510.40. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. In other Signet Jewelers news, insider Oded Edelman sold 6,800 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Friday, October 20th. The shares were sold at an average price of $72.98, for a total transaction of $496,264.00. Following the sale, the insider now directly owns 78,302 shares of the companys stock, valued at $5,714,479.96. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, CEO Virginia Drosos sold 10,000 shares of Signet Jewelers stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, October 17th. The stock was sold at an average price of $72.96, for a total transaction of $729,600.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 987,740 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $72,065,510.40. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last ninety days, insiders sold 99,422 shares of company stock valued at $8,266,425. Company insiders own 4.54% of the companys stock.

Signet Jewelers Trading Up 0.4 %

SIG stock opened at $103.57 on Friday. The stock has a market cap of $4.59 billion, a P/E ratio of 12.54, a P/E/G ratio of 1.30 and a beta of 2.10. The stocks fifty day simple moving average is $82.39 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $75.20. Signet Jewelers Limited has a 1-year low of $57.10 and a 1-year high of $106.52.

Signet Jewelers (NYSE:SIG  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, December 5th. The company reported $0.24 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.18 by $0.06. The company had revenue of $1.39 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.39 billion. Signet Jewelers had a net margin of 6.29% and a return on equity of 31.86%. The firms revenue for the quarter was down 12.1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $0.74 earnings per share. As a group, analysts forecast that Signet Jewelers Limited will post 9.9 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Signet Jewelers Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, February 23rd. Investors of record on Friday, January 26th will be paid a $0.23 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, January 25th. This represents a $0.92 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.89%. Signet Jewelerss payout ratio is 11.14%.

Signet Jewelers Profile

(Free Report)

Signet Jewelers Limited operates as a diamond jewelry retailer. It operates through three segments: North America, International, and Other. The North America segment operates jewelry stores in jewelry stores in malls, mall-based kiosks, and off-mall locations in the United States and Canada primarily under the Kay Jewelers, Kay Jewelers Outlet, Jared The Galleria Of Jewelry, Jared Vault, Zales Jewelers, Zales Outlet, Diamonds Direct, James Allen, Banter by Piercing Pagoda, and Peoples Jewellers names, as well as operates online through its digital banners, James Allen and Blue Nile.

See Also

Want to see what other hedge funds are holding SIG? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Signet Jewelers Limited (NYSE:SIG  Free Report).

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Wedge Capital Management L L P NC raised its position in shares of Amcor plc (NYSE:AMCR  Free Report) by 22.1% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 607,819 shares of the companys stock after buying an additional 109,868 shares during the quarter. Wedge Capital Management L L P NCs holdings in Amcor were worth $5,568,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds have also modified their holdings of AMCR. Linden Thomas Advisory Services LLC lifted its position in Amcor by 2.8% during the second quarter. Linden Thomas Advisory Services LLC now owns 129,112 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,289,000 after purchasing an additional 3,533 shares during the last quarter. CHURCHILL MANAGEMENT Corp purchased a new stake in Amcor during the 2nd quarter valued at $3,837,000. Barclays PLC lifted its position in Amcor by 159.5% in the second quarter. Barclays PLC now owns 3,224,711 shares of the companys stock worth $32,183,000 after buying an additional 1,981,919 shares during the last quarter. Sei Investments Co. boosted its stake in Amcor by 33.1% during the first quarter. Sei Investments Co. now owns 1,369,790 shares of the companys stock worth $15,588,000 after buying an additional 340,710 shares during the period. Finally, Vinva Investment Management Ltd bought a new position in Amcor during the first quarter valued at $577,000. 49.52% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Get Amcor alerts:

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several equities research analysts have recently weighed in on AMCR shares. Truist Financial reduced their price target on Amcor from $11.00 to $10.00 and set a hold rating on the stock in a report on Friday, November 3rd. TheStreet cut shares of Amcor from a b- rating to a c+ rating in a report on Wednesday, September 27th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, two have given a hold rating and one has given a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $10.40.

Insider Activity at Amcor

In other Amcor news, Director Arun Nayar sold 10,261 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, December 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $9.39, for a total transaction of $96,350.79. Following the sale, the director now owns 52,527 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $493,228.53. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. 0.69% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Amcor Trading Down 0.4 %

Shares of NYSE AMCR opened at $9.68 on Friday. Amcor plc has a twelve month low of $8.45 and a twelve month high of $12.37. The firm has a market cap of $13.99 billion, a PE ratio of 14.66, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 10.68 and a beta of 0.80. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $9.20 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $9.50. The company has a quick ratio of 0.74, a current ratio of 1.27 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.76.

Amcor (NYSE:AMCR  Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, October 31st. The company reported $0.16 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.14 by $0.02. Amcor had a return on equity of 24.92% and a net margin of 6.72%. The firm had revenue of $3.44 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $3.35 billion. Analysts expect that Amcor plc will post 0.69 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Amcor Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, December 12th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, November 22nd were paid a dividend of $0.125 per share. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, November 21st. This is an increase from Amcors previous quarterly dividend of $0.12. This represents a $0.50 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 5.17%. Amcors dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 75.76%.

About Amcor

(Free Report)

Amcor plc develops, produces, and sells packaging products in Europe, North America, Latin America, Africa, and the Asia Pacific regions. The company operates through two segments, Flexibles and Rigid Packaging. The Flexibles segment provides flexible and film packaging products in the food and beverage, medical and pharmaceutical, fresh produce, snack food, personal care, and other industries.

Read More

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Stock pickers are generally looking for stocks that will outperform the broader market. And in our experience, buying the right stocks can give your wealth a significant boost. For example, the IHH Healthcare Berhad (KLSE:IHH) share price is up 11% in the last 5 years, clearly besting the market decline of around 4.5% (ignoring dividends). However, more recent returns haven't been as impressive as that, with the stock returning just 1.3% in the last year , including dividends .

Now it's worth having a look at the company's fundamentals too, because that will help us determine if the long term shareholder return has matched the performance of the underlying business.

Check out our latest analysis for IHH Healthcare Berhad

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.

During the last half decade, IHH Healthcare Berhad became profitable. That's generally thought to be a genuine positive, so we would expect to see an increasing share price.

The company's earnings per share (over time) is depicted in the image below (click to see the exact numbers).

KLSE:IHH Earnings Per Share Growth December 22nd 2023

It is of course excellent to see how IHH Healthcare Berhad has grown profits over the years, but the future is more important for shareholders. It might be well worthwhile taking a look at our free report on how its financial position has changed over time.

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 is a return calculation that accounts for the value of cash dividends (assuming that any dividend received was reinvested) and the calculated value of any discounted capital raisings and spin-offs. It's fair to say that the TSR gives a more complete picture for stocks that pay a dividend. In the case of IHH Healthcare Berhad, it has a TSR of 19% for the last 5 years. That exceeds its share price return that we previously mentioned. This is largely a result of its dividend payments!

Story continues

A Different Perspective

IHH Healthcare Berhad shareholders gained a total return of 1.3% during the year. Unfortunately this falls short of the market return. It's probably a good sign that the company has an even better long term track record, having provided shareholders with an annual TSR of 3% over five years. Maybe the share price is just taking a breather while the business executes on its growth strategy. It's always interesting to track share price performance over the longer term. But to understand IHH Healthcare Berhad better, we need to consider many other factors. For example, we've discovered 1 warning sign for IHH Healthcare Berhad that you should be aware of before investing here.

If you would prefer to check out another company -- one with potentially superior financials -- then do not miss this free list of companies that have proven they can grow earnings.

Please note, the market returns quoted in this article reflect the market weighted average returns of stocks that currently trade on Malaysian 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.
The Assistant Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Bello Mohammed Jibo, has paid a working visit to Murtala Muhammad Airport Cargo and Apapa Command as part of his statutory functions of overseeing the command's activities as the Zonal coordinator.

During these separate visits, the Zonal Coordinator was welcomed by the Customs Area Controllers including Comptroller Mohammed Sani Yusuf and Comptroller Babajide Jaiyeoba, together with their senior management team.

According to a statement released by SC Akaniyene Edeminam, Zonal Public Relations Officer, the ACG was impressed by the recent achievements of the commands, charging them to be more punctual, upright and dedicated to the Service in discharge of their responsibilities.

The ACG reminded officers of the CGCs policy trust which are consolidation, collaboration and innovation, and went further to advocate for promotion of stakeholder's engagements for an improved trade facilitation and revenue collection.

The senior officers of the zone were also advised to ensure proper mentorship of their subordinates most especially the middle cadre personnel. He charged the senior officers to be role models, source of inspiration and motivation to the younger ones, most especially as regards leadership and management, the statement read partly.

The ACG further engaged and encouraged the examination officers at the terminals on effective supervision and proper examination of cargoes professionally.
Crypto scammers in the crosshairs

BANGKOK: Binance has joined forces with the Royal Thai Police to fortify the latters forensic expertise in cryptocurrency, uniting to combat the surge in digital asset-related crimes.

crimepolice

By Bangkok Post

Saturday 23 December 2023 01:10 PM

From left: Carlos Mak, investigations specialist (APAC) at Binance, Pol Maj Gen Suwat, Mr Jakubcek and Pol Col Thanathas. Photo: Bangkok Post

The cryptocurrency landscape continues to evolve rapidly, and with its significant growth comes the inevitable presence of bad actors, said Jarek Jakubcek, head of law enforcement training at Binance, the worlds largest cryptocurrency exchange with more than 160 million registered users in 80 countries.

With the establishment of Binances investigation team, the company can enhance crime-fighting capabilities across jurisdictions and ensure a coordinated global response to threats posed by digital asset-related crime, the Bangkok Post reports Mr Jakubcek as saying.

Investigation is definitely not an option anymore. It has become a necessity for many investigators to solve crypto crimes, said Mr Jakubcek.

The exchange mandates users verify themselves through the know your customer (KYC) process. With its large user base, the company must combat bad actors on its own, collaborating with local law enforcement authorities.

In September, Binance launched the global law enforcement training programme designed to help agencies detect financial and cybercrimes, while assisting in the prosecution of bad actors who exploit digital assets.

Training focuses on how to trace blockchain transactions and interpret the transaction information.

Blockchain is very transparent and we are taking advantage of this feature. Every time there is a transaction, we can see the money going from one address to another. We can see the amounts, dates and times of the transactions, he said.

LONG ARM OF THE LAW

The company is also responding to investigation requests from law enforcement worldwide.

Last year we received more than 47,000 requests from law enforcement agencies, and the number will be even higher this year, said Mr Jakubcek.

Binance has assisted in all kinds of investigations, from ransomware and the dark web to sextortion. The most frequent crimes are fraudulent activities and basic scams.

Unfortunately, most of the scams today are pushed by organised criminal groups, which work professionally online and often make their traps look like legitimate investment websites, he said.

Criminals use different narratives to lure investors, Mr Jakubcek said.

Scammers typically discover the contacts of victims via social networks or unsolicited phone calls, then try to start a conversation that involves investment opportunities. This can include stealing the identity of other people.

Most of these investigations can be resolved through blockchain forensic analysis, he said.

The success of the investigation depends heavily on close collaboration between law enforcement and exchanges because its not a one-way process to ask for and receive the data. It usually requires more clarification in most cases, said Mr Jakubcek.

He said with the widespread availability of artificial intelligence tools, bad actors who might not have technical skills can develop a professional scam website to lure victims.

We also focus on crime prevention and training to increase the capacity of investigations. Meeting each other personally greatly contributes to efficient cooperation and practical relationships, said Mr Jakubcek.

This relationship and increased capability allow the investigation process to be more efficient. Generally, law enforcement sends legitimate requests and Binance responds within five days. We are definitely one of the fastest international exchanges when it comes to response time.

Pol Maj Gen Suwat Kerdkaew, deputy commander of technology crime inspection and analysis, command of technology crime detectives and the investigative police, echoed this sentiment.

In the digital realm, crimes evolve rapidly. Law enforcement must adapt to keep pace with dynamic trends, especially in the cryptocurrency world, he said.

Around 80% of crimes involve money or assets. Between Mar 1, 2022 and Nov 10, 2023, people notified police via an online channel of 361,655 complaints, including some scams, with damages tallying B49 billion.

We trace and collect information, which takes time, following suspects until we are sure we have enough evidence for an arrest warrant. We work to apprehend criminals, complying with the law and international practice, Pol Maj Gen Suwat said.

The police are not heroes - we help people by collaborating with the private sector, law enforcement, prosecutors and courts, the Anti-Money Laundering Office and the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission.

Pol Col Thanathas Kanglermbutr, deputy director of news analysis and special tools of technology, crime investigation division 1, command of technology crime detectives and the investigative police, said of 14 types of online fraud, investment scams ranked fourth with nearly 30,000 cases and estimated losses of B15.3bn.

Scams related to digital assets ranked 13th, incurring losses of B2.73bn.

Digital assets or cryptocurrency are often used for money laundering by criminal gangs or for illicit activities, Pol Col Thanathas said.

He said with crypto investment scams, criminals meticulously monitor and profile potential victims. They create fake social media accounts, engaging victims in conversation to build a sense of trust before persuading them to invest in a targeted cryptocurrency.

These schemes have resulted in victims losing from B10 million to B100mn, said Pol Col Thanathas. Such criminal activities often involve organised groups, and some victims are in countries such as the US and the UK.

PIG BUTCHERING

Hybrid investment-romance fraud, commonly known as pig butchering scams, primarily prey on novice investors. The perpetrators utilise an array of tactics to cultivate trust, enticing the victims to deposit assets into fraudulent investment platforms. Once the victims are reeled in, the scammers display fictitious profits on the platform to induce further investments by the victims.

We have been working with Binance for three years, with the majority of the team consisting of ex-law enforcement professionals. This shared background instils a service mindset and a mission to help victims and pursue the recovery of funds, Pol Col Thanathas said.

The triangle of victims, criminals and opportunities is interconnected. Educating more people about financial knowledge and preventing scams reduces the window of opportunity for criminals, said Pol Maj Gen Suwat.

Pol Col Thanathas cited the Trust No One operation involving the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau and the Binance investigation team, which cracked a criminal ring behind a major pig butchering scam that affected thousands in Thailand.

The operation led to the arrest of five principal members of the group and the confiscation of assets valued at B10bn, which included luxury cars, homes, land and other items.

The case had more than 3,200 victims coming forward to seek compensation.

Pol Col Thanathas warned crypto users not to electronically store their digital wallets private keys, as hackers can potentially access them. Instead, they should write them down on a piece of paper.
Etsy targeted by child trafficking conspiracy theories

WASHINGTON: Conspiracy theorists who believe in a secret cabal of child sex traffickers have set their sights on yet another online retailer: Etsy, a website best known for selling handmade items.

crime

By AFP

Saturday 23 December 2023 09:39 AM

The Etsy company headquarters in New York. Photo: AFP

Social media users point to what they say are suspicious listings on Etsy - including downloadable images of pizza selling for thousands of dollars - as evidence that the platform is selling children to be abused.

Dont let them gaslight you anymore, said one QAnon supporter sharing screenshots from the website on X, formerly known as Twitter, during the busy holiday shopping season.

The rumours build on the long-debunked Pizzagate conspiracy theory, which falsely linked a pizza restaurant in Washington to an underground child sex trafficking ring involving high-ranking Democrats.

The narrative culminated in 2016 when a North Carolina man opened fire at the restaurant without striking anyone, later saying he intended to investigate the supposed crimes. He was subsequently arrested and sentenced to several years in prison.

Etsy denied the trafficking claims in a statement to AFP. The company said it found no evidence of a risk to child safety but removed the pizza-related posts because they did not appear to be legitimate.

A similar false theory emerged in 2020, accusing online retailer Wayfair of conducting a sex trafficking operation under the guise of furniture sales. In that case, social media users also shared screenshots of items with seemingly exorbitant prices.

No evidence has emerged to link either retailer to human trafficking, but the allegations have taken off among supporters of the baseless QAnon conspiracy theory. Public figures such as commentator Liz Crokin and former national security adviser Michael Flynn have amplified them.

It used to be the conspiracies kind of died with the fanatics that attempted to spread them. Social media just magnifies and speeds up the process, said Bond Benton, an associate professor of public relations at Montclair State University and an expert on extremist groups.

This sort of mentality takes us to a really dangerous place where I can sort of rationalize violence against people that I dont like.

The Musk factor

The Etsy claims come on the heels of a renewed interest online in child trafficking theories - thanks in part to a shoutout from Elon Musk.

Pizzagate is real, said a meme the X CEO shared in late November.

Mark Fenster, a law professor at the University of Florida and a conspiracy theory expert, said influencers often latch onto QAnon-related narratives to boost their likes and followers on social media.

Benton said the correlation between Musk and the Etsy claim is undeniable.

Research he conducted with Daniela Peterka-Benton, director of the Global Center on Human Trafficking, found Musks posts increased Pizzagate-related activity on X by more than 9,500% from the month prior.

Peterka-Benton said these conspiracy theories have painted a distorted picture of what human trafficking is and can affect funding, policies and public perception in ways that harm victims.

One reason such narratives have such a long shelf life is because their promoters often encourage others to research the topic on their own.

The research is not really doing your own research. It is connecting the dots, a carefully laid-out trail by conspiracy people online, Benton said.
More hospital time for Thaksin

BANGKOK: Convicted former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra has been allowed by the Department of Corrections (DoC) to stay on at the Police General Hospital as he marked 120 days of receiving medical treatment there yesterday (Dec 22).

healthpolitics

By Bangkok Post

Saturday 23 December 2023 09:15 AM

Thaksin: 120 days as a patient. Photo: Bangkok Post

The move by the DoC comes amid criticism that a new regulation issued by the DoC that allows for the detention of qualified inmates outside of prison has been designed to benefit him, reports the Bangkok Post.

Pol Col Sirikul Srisanga, spokeswoman of the Police General Hospital, said that the hospital had informed the DoC in writing about Thaksins medical conditions.

Regarding Thaksins illnesses and medical treatment, the hospital has already informed the DoC about the matter. Thaksin will continue to receive medical treatment here at the hospital, she said.

According to a DoC regulation regarding the medical treatment of inmates outside prison, doctors must inform the DoC of the result of the treatment of a patient so the DoC will consider whether the patient will be allowed to continue receiving treatment outside of prison.

Pol Col Sirikul said that the 14th floor of the hospital building where Thaksin is staying is designated as a detention area for the convicted inmate as ordered by the court.

It is also a security area under the supervision of the DoC as stipulated by the Corrections Act, she said, adding that the hospital is only responsible for providing medical treatment for a patient.

Pol Col Sirikul added that the National Health Act further stipulates that information regarding a persons health must be kept confidential, and no one is allowed to disclose it in a way that could cause damage to that person, except with his or her consent.

She also warned the media not to report stories about Thaksin in a way that would infringe on his rights or the rights of other patients in the hospital.

On Dec 6, the DoC issued the new rule in line with the Corrections Act BE 2560 (2017).

Under the regulation, prisoners allowed to be detained outside of prison must meet certain requirements stipulated by the DoC and be categorised by a screening panel set up by the department.

The venues for detaining them may include houses or buildings with registered addresses.

Thaksin, 74, returned to Thailand on Aug 22 after 15 years of self-imposed exile and was sentenced to eight years in three cases.

However, he was sent from Bangkok Remand Prison to the Police General Hospital that night for health reasons and has remained there since.

All eyes are on whether the new rule will benefit Thaksin.

Deputy Prime Minister Somsak Thepsutin defended the rule yesterday.

Thaksin will not be allowed to receive medical treatment outside of prison forever. It depends on a recommendation from doctors, Mr Somsak said.

Not everyone has the right to visit an inmate who receives medical treatment outside prison. This is not about concealing information, but it is about a regulation. The inmate will decide who will be allowed to visit.

Mr Somsak also warned that members of the House committee on police affairs who plan to inspect the 14th floor of the Police General Hospital may be sued by Thaksin or his family unless they receive permission.

Writing on Facebook yesterday, Thaksins lawyer, Winyat Chartmontree, also warned against netizens on social media who demand the release of information regarding Thaksins medical conditions without his consent or those who accuse Thaksin of pretending to be sick or alleged that Thaksin is not staying at the Police General Hospital.

This action may be deemed to be an infringement on the patients rights and a violation of human rights, the lawyer said.

Previously, Pichit Chaimongkol, leader of the Network of Students and People Reforming Thailand, lodged a petition with the Royal Thai Police, calling for an update on Thaksins health conditions and a list of medical specialists treating him.

He said the public wants to know if Thaksin is really ill and in need of special medical treatment and that he is not being given preferential treatment.

Mr Pichit has also accused the DoC of issuing the new regulation to benefit Thaksin.

The activist noted that Thaksin appeared physically fit when he arrived at Don Mueang airport on Aug 22.

When Thaksins condition quickly deteriorated, as reported, Mr Pichit and his group questioned whether the former PM was really ill and required treatment outside the facility.
Key Insights

Institutions' substantial holdings in Illinois Tool Works implies that they have significant influence over the company's share price

51% of the business is held by the top 12 shareholders

Insiders have been buying lately

If you want to know who really controls Illinois Tool Works Inc. (NYSE:ITW), then you'll have to look at the makeup of its share registry. We can see that institutions own the lion's share in the company with 83% ownership. In other words, the group stands to gain the most (or lose the most) from their investment into the company.

Because institutional owners have a huge pool of resources and liquidity, their investing decisions tend to carry a great deal of weight, especially with individual investors. As a result, a sizeable amount of institutional money invested in a firm is generally viewed as a positive attribute.

Let's take a closer look to see what the different types of shareholders can tell us about Illinois Tool Works.

Check out our latest analysis for Illinois Tool Works

What Does The Institutional Ownership Tell Us About Illinois Tool Works?

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.

Illinois Tool Works already has institutions on the share registry. Indeed, they own a respectable stake in the company. This suggests some credibility amongst professional investors. But we can't rely on that fact alone since institutions make bad investments sometimes, just like everyone does. When multiple institutions own a stock, there's always a risk that they are in a 'crowded trade'. When such a trade goes wrong, multiple parties may compete to sell stock fast. This risk is higher in a company without a history of growth. You can see Illinois Tool Works' historic earnings and revenue below, but keep in mind there's always more to the story.

Investors should note that institutions actually own more than half the company, so they can collectively wield significant power. We note that hedge funds don't have a meaningful investment in Illinois Tool Works. The company's largest shareholder is The Vanguard Group, Inc., with ownership of 8.7%. In comparison, the second and third largest shareholders hold about 8.7% and 7.2% of the stock.

Story continues

A closer look at our ownership figures suggests that the top 12 shareholders have a combined ownership of 51% implying that no single shareholder has a majority.

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 Illinois Tool Works

While the precise definition of an insider can be subjective, almost everyone considers board members to be insiders. The company management answer to the board and the latter should represent the interests of shareholders. Notably, sometimes top-level managers are on the board themselves.

Insider ownership is positive when it signals leadership are thinking like the true owners of the company. However, high insider ownership can also give immense power to a small group within the company. This can be negative in some circumstances.

Our data suggests that insiders own under 1% of Illinois Tool Works Inc. in their own names. As it is a large company, we'd only expect insiders to own a small percentage of it. But it's worth noting that they own US$231m worth of shares. In this sort of situation, it can be more interesting to see if those insiders have been buying or selling.

General Public Ownership

The general public-- including retail investors -- own 17% 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:

While it is well worth considering the different groups that own a company, there are other factors that are even more important. Consider for instance, the ever-present spectre of investment risk. We've identified 1 warning sign with Illinois Tool Works , and understanding them should be part of your investment process.

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.
The Delhi Polices Special Cell has busted an interstate drug syndicate with the arrest of two men and seized 3,40,490 tablets of psychotropic medicine, Tramadol, valued at Rs 2 crore, an official said on Friday.

The accused were identified as Yogesh Tulsani, 27, a resident of Shalimar Bagh and Arvind Kumar Sharma, 45, a resident of Gokal Puri.

The official said that the recovered contraband was meant to be supplied in Amritsar for consumption.

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Deputy Commissioner of Police, Special Cell, Ingit Pratap Singh, said that on Wednesday, specific information was received that a large consignment of drugs prohibited under the NDPS Act had been stored and stocked at the house of Yogesh Tulsani in Shalimar Bagh and these could be removed or shipped to unknown persons at any point in time.

A raid was conducted in Shalimar Bagh, from where a big consignment of seven cartons kept in an auto-rickshaw was recovered at the instance of Tulsani, who was apprehended at the spot. From the recovered cartoons, multiple small boxes of two different companies containing Tramadol Hydrochloride tablets were recovered, he said.

Batch details of all the boxes were either erased with some chemical or scratched badly so that no one could read the same, despite efforts. As such, a total of 2,18,990 tablets of Tramadol were recovered from the seven cartons.

In the meantime, another accused, Sharma, came to the spot in another auto-rickshaw containing five cartons to deliver to Tulsani.

The said cartoons were also found to have multiple small boxes of Tramadol Hydrochloride tablets. Batch details of all the boxes were also erased with chemicals or scratched. As such, a total of 1,21,500 tablets of Tramadol were recovered from the aforementioned five cartons, the DCP said.

On interrogation, Sharma disclosed that he has been involved in the procurement and supply of contraband drugs for the last five to six years on a demand-supply basis. He has his own auto-rickshaw, through which he procures or collects contraband from different persons and supplies the same to their given addresses for good profit. For the last six months, he has been in contact with some people from eastern Uttar Pradesh, and they were continuously supplying cartons containing contraband to him, and he was further supplying the same at some of their given addresses, including the address of Tulsani in Shalimar Bagh, the DCP added.
Union External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar on Saturday took a serious note of the Hindu temple vandalism in the US and said that anti-India forces should not be given space in foreign lands. He informed the media the an inquiry into the incident is underway.

I have seen it. Extremists, separatists and such forces (against India) should not be given space in foreign lands. Our Consulate there complained to the government and the police and an inquiry is underway, the minister said.

His response came after Indian Consulate in San Francisco raised the issue with the US government officials and local police.

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The vandalism incident took place on Thursday when a devotee noticed that outer walls of SMVS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir at Newark, California was defaced with anti-India and pro-Khalistani graffiti.

The images shared on social media showed Khalistan terrorist Jarnail Singh Bhindranwales name written on the walls of the temple with black ink.

Hateful slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi were also written on the exterior walls of the temple, according to the pictures shared by the Hindu American Foundation.

The mention of the Khalistan terrorist kingpin #Bhindranwale, who targeted Hindus for murder, is specifically meant to traumatize temple goers and create a fear of violencemeeting the CA definition of a hate crime, the Hindu American Foundation wrote on X.

The Indian Consulate office took cognizance of the matter and said that the incident has hurt sentiments of the Indian community.

We have pressed for quick investigation and prompt action against the vandals by the US authorities in this matter, the consulate office said in a social media post.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has summoned Bihar deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav for questioning on January 5 in connection with a money laundering case related to the alleged land-for-jobs scam.

Yadav was earlier summoned for questioning on December 22 but he skipped it, saying it was issued on the directions of the BJP.

There is nothing new in the summons. All these agencies  ED, CBI, and I-T department  have summoned me so many times in the past and I have duly appeared every time. But now it seems to have become routine, he had said on Thursday.

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Meanwhile, his father and former Bihar CM Lalu Yadav has also been asked to appear before the central probe agency on December 27.

Lalu Yadav also slammed the BJP and cited an ED summon to another Opposition leader and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal. He said the agencies are functioning under the pressure of central government.

I have always maintained that it is not the fault of these agencies which are being made to function under so much pressure. But I must point out that a prediction I made some time ago has come trueI had said that no sooner than the assembly elections in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh were over, these agencies would be back in business and train their guns on Bihar, Jharkhand, and Delhi. And you can see what is happening to Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, he said.

On Friday, the ED summoned Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for questioning on January 3. This was the third summons issued to the AAP supremo in connection with the Delhi liquor policy case.

The Delhi Chief Minister was earlier summoned by the probe agency on December 21.

Kejriwal had skipped the second summons by the ED for questioning in the alleged excise policy money laundering case and left for Vipassana session from December 19 to 30.
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday clarified that the ban on wearing hijab has not been lifted yet but reiterated the same is being considered and a decision will be taken after consultations with government officers.

His clarification comes a day after his remarks at a Mysuru event that women can now wear hijab if they want to wear it.

This led to several media reports claiming the Karnataka government has lifted the ban and prompted strong reactions from the BJP government.

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We have not done it yet (allowing hijab). One person asked me a question, and I replied to that. Yes, the government is considering to end the ban. But the matter will be discussed with government officers first, Siddaramaiah told reporters today.

The previous BJP government in Karnataka had imposed a ban on wearing hijab in schools.

The Congress had accused the then BJP government of dividing people on the basis of caste and religion.

The issue was already in Congress partys plans before the elections.

The BJP, however, is now accusing the Congress of indulging in appeasement politics.

A petition was filed before the Supreme Court challenging the BJP governments decision. Earlier last year, the Supreme Court had announced a split verdict in the hijab case and said the matter will be heard by a three-judge bench.

Former Karnataka Chief Minister and BJP leader Basavaraj Bommai said that the Siddaramaiah is trying to please the Muslim minority for the Lok Sabha elections next year.

When the matter is pending in the Supreme Court, the Chief Minister does not even take that into consideration and decides to please the minorities, while eyeing the Lok Sabha election, former Karnataka CM said.
President Droupadi Murmu on Saturday visited Pokhran and interacted with the troops of Desert Corps serving in the Jaisalmer Sector of Rajasthan.

The President was received by Lieutenant General AK Singh, General Officer Commanding in Chief, Southern Command. Kalraj Mishra and the Governor of Rajasthan were also present during the occasion besides other civil & military dignitaries.

President witnessed a Firepower Exercise, which involved intricate drills of fire and manoeuvre by various weapon platforms including new generation weapon systems and also received a first-hand experience of the prowess and battle worthiness of the mighty Arjun tank while negotiating the desert terrain riding the tank.

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While interacting with the Indian Army personnel, The President acknowledged their courage, sacrifices and also conveyed appreciation for their contribution towards the service of the Nation. President commended all ranks of the Indian Army for their commitment and maintaining the highest standards of preparedness at all times, according to Defence PRO statement here.
A two-day meeting of the BJPs national office bearers which concluded here on Saturday mainly focused on 2024 Lok Sabha poll preparedness and the partys preparations for the inauguration of Ram Temple in Ayodhya on January 22 next year, sources said.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah attended the final day of the meeting of the BJPs national office bearers at the party headquarters in the national capital. BJP president JP Nadda was present at the meeting which was also attended by other party leaders, state chiefs, general secretaries, in-charges and other office-bearers.

CR Patil, G Kishan Reddy, Arun Singh, Tarun Chugh, BD Sharma, Dinesh Sharma, Vasundhara Raje and Tejasvi Surya were among the other BJP leaders who attended the meeting.

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According to the sources, Ram Temple figured prominently in the discussions during the meeting.

The BJPs preparations for the grand Ram Temple opening and how the leaders plan to carry forward a public outreach on the same figure during the discussions, they said.

The results of assembly polls which were held recently in five states were also reviewed during the meeting, the sources said, adding that the BJP also discussed the expansion plans, vishwakarma scheme, etc.

The BJP won in three of the five states in a major boost to its campaign for the Lok Sabha polls. While drawing out campaign programmes, the party is expected to give special focus to southern states.

The sources said the party discussed strategy for Lok Sabha polls in the light of efforts by INDIA alliance parties to contest the polls together.

The meeting also reviewed the Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra, they said, adding that there was also a discussion on training of elected representatives.
A merchant vessel, MV Chem Pluto, carrying crude oil from Saudi Arabia was Saturday hit by a drone strike in the Arabian Sea. The vessel was at 217 nautical miles off Porbandar coast when it was attacked.

There were 20 Indian crew members onboard the vessel, who are reportedly safe.

After the attack, the vessel caught fire which was later extinguished. However, the attack compromised its functionality.

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The Indian Navy and Indian Coast Guard vessels are moving towards the merchant vessel, ANI quoted defence officials as saying. The Indian Coast Guard Ship ICGS Vikram, deployed on patrol of the Indian Exclusive Economic Zone, acted swiftly and head course towards MV Chem Pluto in distress. The Indian Navy has also ordered its warships in the vicinity to move towards the distressed vessel. According to defence officials, the vessel has crude oil and was going towards Mangalore from a port in Saudi Arabia.

As of now, it is not known who is behind the attack. No group has taken responsibility of the incident.

The incident comes days after Indian Navy responded to a hijacking call from Malta-flagged Vessel MV Ruen and diverted its maritime patrol aircraft and warship in the Arabian Sea. According to reports, six Somali Pirates had taken hold of the vessel and fired at the crew. Indian Navy warship INS Kochi helped rescue a crew member who was shot at by the pirates.
You are here: China

A draft amendment to China's Criminal Law, which is expected to toughen criminal penalties on bribers and corruption inside private firms, will be submitted for a second reading by national lawmakers at the upcoming top legislature session in late December, a spokesperson said Friday.

The amendment makes it clear that criminal accountability should be stepped up for bribers in some serious bribery cases, said Zang Tiewei, a spokesperson for the Legislative Affairs Commission of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee.

The revision raises the penalty levels on bribers that are institutions and those offering bribes to institutions, Zang noted.

The amendment to the Criminal Law underwent its first reading at the top legislature in July.

The revised provisions after the first reading have further refined the circumstances of heavier penalties for bribers, according to Zang.

The Standing Committee of the 14th NPC will hold its seventh session in Beijing from Dec. 25 to 29.
Those following along with Rome Resources Ltd. (CVE:RMR) will no doubt be intrigued by the recent purchase of shares by insider Klaus Eckhof, who spent a stonking CA$2.5m on stock at an average price of CA$0.25. That increased their holding by a full 74%, which arguably implies the sort of confidence required for a shy sweet-natured nerd to ask the most popular kid in the school to go out on a date.

View our latest analysis for Rome Resources

The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At Rome Resources

In fact, the recent purchase by Klaus Eckhof was the biggest purchase of Rome Resources shares made by an insider individual in the last twelve months, according to our records. That means that even when the share price was higher than CA$0.20 (the recent price), an insider wanted to purchase shares. 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. To us, it's very important to consider the price insiders pay for shares. As a general rule, we feel more positive about a stock if insiders have bought shares at above current prices, because that suggests they viewed the stock as good value, even at a higher price. We note that Klaus Eckhof was also the biggest seller.

In the last twelve months insiders purchased 47.37m shares for CA$11m. On the other hand they divested 1.19m shares, for CA$270k. In the last twelve months there was more buying than selling by Rome Resources insiders. The chart below shows insider transactions (by companies and individuals) over the last year. If you want to know exactly who sold, for how much, and when, simply click on the graph below!

TSXV:RMR Insider Trading Volume December 23rd 2023

There are always plenty of stocks that insiders are buying. So if that suits your style you could check each stock one by one or you could take a look at this free list of companies. (Hint: insiders have been buying them).

Insider Ownership Of Rome Resources

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 Rome Resources insiders own 53% of the company, worth about CA$9.5m. 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 Does This Data Suggest About Rome Resources Insiders?

It's certainly positive to see the recent insider purchases. We also take confidence from the longer term picture of insider transactions. But we don't feel the same about the fact the company is making losses. Along with the high insider ownership, this analysis suggests that insiders are quite bullish about Rome Resources. Looks promising! So these insider transactions can help us build a thesis about the stock, but it's also worthwhile knowing the risks facing this company. Case in point: We've spotted 4 warning signs for Rome Resources you should be aware of, and 2 of these don't sit too well with us.

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 year 2023 was full of key developments and initiatives by the Central government in various sectors. Multiple schemes were announced to help heavy industries sector in its growth, be it through incentives or PLI schemes.

According to data shared by the Ministry of Heavy Industries, in 2023 the government released Rs 5,228 crore Subsidy given to incentivize 11.53 lakh Electric Vehicles, sanctioned Rs 800 crore to PSU Oil Marketing Companies for setting up 7432 public fast charging stations, 85 Companies implementing PLI Auto Programme; Scheme Likely to attract investment of Rs. 67,690 crore among others.

PLI for setting up of manufacturing facilities for Advance Chemistry Cell, Battery Storage in India with an outlay of Rs 18,100 crore for 7 years 32 projects with Project Cost of Rs 1363.78 crore approved under the Phase-II of Scheme for Enhancement of Competitiveness in the Indian Capital Goods Sector.

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A key service provided by MHI under its Citizens Charter was the issue of GST Concession Certificate to orthopedically disabled persons.

This IT enabled initiative has helped streamlining the process and facilitated issue of 2985 GST Concession Certificates in 11 months period from January 2023 to November 2023, highest ever in the last five-year period. A total of 5513 GST Concession Certificates were issued in current and last year through this portal.

Also, the BHEL signed two key MOUs with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for long-term maintenance, repair, and operations support for Line Replaceable Units (LRUs) for Light Combat Aircraft Tejas. Munitions India Limited (MIL) for co-production and supply of ammunitions including smart ammunitions on 15th February 2023 during AERO show event at Bengaluru.

Here is the overview of key initiatives of Ministry of Heavy Industries during the year 2023:

FAME II for EVs

The Scheme had an outlay of Rs 10,000 crores over a Five years period from April 1, 2019. The proposal for enhancement of outlay Rs 10,000 crores to Rs 11,500 crores has been examined by Department of Expenditure (DoE) and approved considering the objectives of the Scheme.

Also, under the scheme, subsidy amounting to Rs 5,228 crore has been given to electric vehicle manufacturers on sale of 11,53,079 numbers of electric vehicles as on December 1, 2023.

Demand incentives for e-buses

Various STUs/CTUs/Municipal corporations have placed Supply Orders for 3390 e-buses against quantities sanctioned by MHI.

Out of those, 3037 e-buses have been deployed till now. Further, another 3,472 e-buses case is being dealt through CESL under the aggregation model of NITI Aayog. Out of these 3,472 e-buses, 454 electric buses have been deployed.

EV Charging stations

A total of 148 EV Public Charging Stations have been commissioned. On March 28, 2023 MHI announced sanction of Rs 800 crore under FAME II to the PSU Oil Marketing Companies  Indian Oil, Bharat Petroleum, and Hindustan Petroleum  for setting up 7432 public fast charging stations across the country.

PLI for Automobile and Auto Components

Government has approved a PLI Scheme for this sector with a total outlay of Rs 25,938 crore over a period of 5 years. The prime objectives include overcoming cost disabilities, creating economies of scale and building a robust supply chain in areas of Advanced Automotive Technology products. 18 companies under Champion OEM category and 67 companies under Component Champion category, approved under the Scheme.

Total estimated investment to be made by the implementing firms is to the tune of Rs. 67,690 crores. Till Q2 of FY 2023-24, the total investment of Rs 11,958 crores have been reported. Tata Motors and M&M have been issued Advanced Automotive Technology and Domestic Value Addition certificates.

PLI for ACC, Battery Storage

PLI for setting up manufacturing facilities for Advance Chemistry Cell (ACC), Battery Storage in India, has been approved with an outlay of Rs 18,100 crores for 7 years. Three of the approved firms under the Scheme have signed the Programme Agreement to implement the PLI ACC Programme for setting up manufacturing facilities of 30 GWh ACC capacity. Total estimated investment to be made by the implementing firms is approx Rs 14,810 crore.

Enhancement of Competitiveness in the Indian Capital Goods Sector

Scheme on Enhancement of Competitiveness in the Indian Capital Goods Sector- Phase-II was notified in 2022 for providing assistance to Common Technology Development and Services Infrastructure. The scheme has a financial outlay of Rs 1207 crores with budgetary support of Rs 975 crore and Industry Contribution of Rs 232 crore.

A total of 32 projects with total project cost of Rs 1363.78 crores have been sanctioned so far.
Nestled in the heart of South America, Chile faces a critical juncture in its constitutional journey, where the rejection of a new conservative con- stitution in a referendum on Sunday mirrors the com- plex interplay of political currents and societal dis- content. A clear majority of 55.76 per cent of Chileans voiced their disapproval of the proposed overhaul of a constitution that dates back to the era of dictator Augusto Pinochet. This marks the second rejection in as many years, reflecting the continuing aftermath of the 2019 protests against inequality. President Gabriel Boric, acknowledging the deep divide within the nation, stated that the process didnt channel the hopes of having a new constitution written by every- one. The rejection underlines a palpable disillusion- ment among citizens, many of whom had initially embraced the prospect of change. A 65-year-old sec- retary from Valparaiso, after casting her ballot, expressed a sense of disappointment, saying, I sin- cerely thought things were going to change. But unfor- tunately, nothing changes. The journey toward con- stitutional reform has been marked by twists and turns. The first attempt, dominated by left wing forces, focused on social, indigenous, environmental, and gender rights. However, this draft faced a resounding rejection. The pendulum swung right for the second attempt, with conservative parties dominating the assembly elected to draft a new constitution. The pro- posed text was deemed more market-friendly but maintained a conservative stance on private property, immigration, and abortion. Four years of intense debate and constitutional discourse have brought Chile back to a familiar junction. Observers suggest that the conclusion of the vote might usher in a period of political stability and investor confidence.

However, the key question remains. What will the government do next? President Boric, ruling out a third constitution rewrite, has pledged to address citizens concerns through pension and tax reforms. The em- phasis on dialogue, consensus, and action echoes the broader sentiment that the nation craves tangible solu- tions to its deeply rooted issues. Observers note that the ease of changing the constitution today raises qu- estions about the governments resolve. Yet, amidst this constitutional conundrum, there lies a poignant reflection on the broader socio political landscape. The rejection exposes the fractures in Chilean society, where irreconcilable differences hinder the forging of a middle ground for progress. An architect in Santiago succinctly captures the sombre reality: Our differ- ences are so irreconcilable that we cannot find a mid- dle ground from which to move forward, and that is very sad indeed. As Chile navigates these turbulent waters, the rejection of a new constitution serves as a stark reminder that the path to reform is neither linear nor predictable. The country stands at the crossroads of its democratic journey, grappling with the ghosts of its past and the aspirations of its future, seeking a way forward in a dance of democracy and discord.

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The China International Devel- opment Cooperation Agency (CIDCA) held the second China-Indian Ocean Forum in Kunming on 8 December 2023. This years focus was Boosting Sustainable Blue Economy to Build Together a Maritime Community with a Shared Future. Highlighting this, Luo Zhao- hui, chairman of the CIDCA, said China was striving to further the Unit- ed Nations Sustainable Development Goals and its own Global Develop- ment Initiative. The blue economy, Luo said, would help Indian Ocean island countries achieve sustainable development.

The forum is one of Chinas vari- ous initiatives to engage countries of the South Asian and Indian Ocean regions to consolidate and expand its strategic footprint, but India and Bhutan are not part of them. This is one of Beijings attempts to set up par- allel forums to challenge Indias pri- macy.

China has deeply engaged several South Asian countries through its Belt and Road Initiative projects and used its lending to prevent them from get- ting out of the agreements. The Colombo Port city is a case in point. Yet some countries have curtailed investment after Sri Lanka defaulted and declared itself bankrupt. For example, Pakistan scaled-down the Main Line 1 (ML-1) railway project, and Myanmar downsized Chinese investment in Kyaukphyu port.

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Chinas forays into the Indian Ocean have increased in the recent past. It has been building ports in the region to bolster its maritime pres- ence. From insisting that China has no overseas ambition, it has a naval base in Djibouti and already has Ham- bantota port on a lease of 99 years. Its research vessels that have been sur- veying the region like Shi Yan 1, Shi Yan 6, Yuan Wang 5, the ballistic mis- sile and satellite tracking ship, Xiang Yang Hong 06 and spacecraft-tracking vessel and also a nuclear submarine, have docked both in Hambantota and Colombo Port Southern Container Terminal built by China in spite of Indias protest.

Ostensibly, the spy ship is engaged in deep marine research in the Indian Ocean in which some Sri Lankan locals participated. China has recently asked for permission from Male and Colombo for the docking of another spy ship vessel, Xiang Yang Hong 03. Such activities have increased recently as China acquires new ports and bases.

The importance of the Indian Ocean as a major sea lane of commu- nication and trade is well document- ed. There is an argument that Chinas increasing presence is to get out of its Malacca dilemma and ensure its trade is safe. However, some think this Malacca dilemma proposition bol- sters the countrys naval presence. Over time, it has built Gwadar to have a strategic footprint and overcome its Malacca dilemma to build an over- land pipeline to connect to Chinas mainland through Pakistan. However, its engagement in port-building activ- ities gives China a strategic vantage point. It has opened up a research centre at the University of Ruhuna in Matara, Sri Lanka, and also engaged in maritime research in the Maldives.

How does this regional forum help further Chinas interest in the region? China is an observer in the Indian Ocean Rim Association with 23 member states and 11 dialogue part- ners, and the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS) consisting of 25 countries. IONS is a regional forum for the navies of the Indian Ocean lit- toral to discuss maritime issues. In both these associations, India is one of the dominant players. China is also an observer in SAARC, like some other countries.

Since the launch of the BRI, China has made extra effort to con- nect with the South Asian region and set up parallel organisations to coor- dinate with other South Asian coun- tries except India. In July 2020, China held a video conference of foreign ministers from Afghanistan, Pakistan, Nepal and China to coordinate the Covid-19 efforts. This was followed up in November 2020 with Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Luo Zhaohuis video meeting with Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, in which they agreed to estab- lish a centre for cooperation on pover- ty reduction and development. Dur- ing the Covid-19 pandemic in July 2021, the China-South Asia Emer- gency Supplies Reserve was to bring these five countries together again to emphasise its role in the region. Inter- estingly, Maldives was not part of this initiative, given the previous Solih governments approach to China.

China has persistently main- tained that it wants to work with these countries to resist illegal acts of interfering in other countries inter- nal affairs and coercing other coun- tries to choose sides. Perhaps this is one point that appeals to the coun- tries looking for an alternative frame- work to dodge the interest of India, the United States and other Western countries

Chinas trade with South Asian countries has doubled in the past 10 years, with an annual growth of 8.3 per cent. Though this is minuscule compared to its global trade, Chinas investment in South Asia has grown exponentially. Its cumulative invest- ment in the region is $15 billion, and the completed project contract turnover has exceeded $200 billion. China would have a deep interest in South Asian politics as political upheaval would impact its invest- ments.

In this context, the Indian Ocean is crucial in Chinas overall approach to the region. For example, China imported 515.65 million tons of crude oil this year through the Indian Ocean, as per data from November. Its vul- nerability to any attack on its oil-car- rying vessel is apparent. To underline its presence, it has given names to nine under-seabed features.

Recently, the Chinese Defence and Foreign Ministers have made a point of visiting important Indian Ocean littorals where China has invested heavily and is looking for a strategic foothold. It is not easy to wriggle out of an agreement on investment with Chinese capital, as Sri Lanka and Maldives learnt lately. In times of economic crisis, China is reluctant to stand by its friends, as Sri Lankas economic crisis under- scores. Yet the South Asian coun- tries eagerness to play the China card has given Beijing a strategic opportunity.

The Kathmandu Post/ANN.
The great Argentine writer Jorge Luis Borges, in one of his essays, chronicled Chinas first Emperor Shih Huang Ti of the Qin dynas- ty who, in the 3rd century BCE, ordered the building of the al- most infinite wall of China. He also decreed that all books prior to him be burned. Borges was disturbed that both these vast operations should originate in one person; the paradox of con- struction and destruction, of preserving and perishing. Travelling with Borges in the Mewar region of Rajasthan is to discover parallels and para- doxes of history, across time, space, and infinity. Like the Chi- nese Emperor, Maharana Raj Singh, the Custodian of Mewar from 1652 to 1680 CE, planned and built Rajsamand, one of the biggest man-made freshwater lakes of its time; he ordered co- urt historians, poets, and genea- logists to install the largest set of inscriptions on marble detailing the history of Mewar and its Maharanas on the lake-front. As in ancient China, so in pre-modern Mewar, royal achie- vements are often seen literally but not metaphorically, which Borges compels us to do. It is not only the scale of operations that is awe-inspiring and withstands the rigorous tests of time; it cha- llenges the human mind to dis- cern the why behind what was being historically recorded and where. Maharana Raj Singh, on auspicious days, made public donations (Tula Daans) where he was once weighed against precious gems and not just gold or silver; this scale of donation was completely unheard of and an assertion of Mewars might at a time when the Mughal Empire under Aurangzeb was flexing its muscles, ordering destruction of temples and imposing harsh taxes. According to GS Ojhas Udaipur Rajya ka Itihas (The History of Udaipur State), his Tula Daans were numerous and Brahman families that benefit- ted most remained loyal to Mewar through centuries. Ojha finds it intriguing that the Maha- rana, imbued with values of Kshatriya dharma, was uphold- ing the Brahmanical order. To introduce another para- dox here: In 1672 Maharana Raj Singh provided shelter to perse- cuted priests of the Vaishnav dharma and gave Lord Krishna, their highly-venerated God as Shrinathji, a new home at Nath- dwara, which remains till date the most-thronged Krishna pil- grimage after Mathura-Brindav- an. Dwarkanathji in Kankroli and Shrinathji in Nathdwara were bestowed with Royal char- ters from Mewar and became self-sustaining temple-towns, with temple head priests in con- trol. It is to be noted that Mew- ars reigning deity is an incarna- tion of Lord Shiva, Paramesh- wara Maharaj Shree Eklinganath ji, deified in the ancient temple at Kailashpuri. To his boon is attributed the founding, devel- opment, and sustenance of the Kingdom of Mewar. A Shaivite ruler establishing Vaishnavite pilgrimage-centres in an age when religious bigotry was be- coming rampant? Like Borges questioning the Chinese Emperors deeds, in Mewar it is time to go beyond the routine historical, factual and logical and, probably, look at Maharana Raj Singhs pion- eering achievements as metaph- ors. Since water is the biggest buzzword of our century, Rajsam- and Lake (original- ly called Raj Samu- dra, the Sea of the Raj) is an amazing engineering feat accomplished in 17th century CE Rajasthan. It spans some ten sq. miles, is ringed by low hills and valleys, and took over thr- ee years to be con- structed, tested, and then inaugu- rated. What is of- ten ignored is the depth of knowle- dge regarding hydrology, civil engineering, digging and earth- moving, and of course mathem- atics and project management, which ensured the completion of this massive project in times which are termed pre-modern. Generations of historians, be it Colonel James Tod, Kaviraj Shyamaldas, GS Ojha, GN Shar- ma, SR Sharma and RV Somani, detailed the religious rituals car- ried out, the Royal invitees from far and near, and participation of extended families of Mewar along with their Brahman prie- sts. Rajsamand would have wit- nessed a unique historical occa- sion, which brings back Borges essays. Metaphorically, there are meanings hidden in the con- struction of Rajsamand Lake; moreover, what was its signifi- cance for the Maharana himself? Oceans, seas, and large water- bodies reflect the skies. The in- finity of space that lies above constantly changes colours, temperatures, and carries within it the fury of storms and rains, as well as calmness and serenity. As he moved away from the lake-system ~ well-established and prevalent in Udaipur, the capital-city of Mewar ~ the Maharana created a new world where water and infinity were the core, a source of spiritual realization, inspiration, strength, and security for those who reached its shores. Rig Vedic hymns, later Upa- nishads have innumerable ref- erences to the auspicious nature of water, not just as the source of life but as the primeval elem- ent from which the earth and its living beings originated. By spe- nding huge resources from the Mewar treasury, providing food and employment for over 60,000 people, and abundantly reward- ing legions of priests-engineers- architects-workers-soldiers, the Maharana was making history to be recorded on timeless pages of infinity, as Borges would have said. Moreover, like his illustrio- us predecessors Maharana Lak- ha, Maharana Mokal and Maha- rana Udai Singh II, Maharana Raj Singh built bridges with Mewars glorious heritage of creating lakes and sustainable cities. He was merging himself with his past. The biggest lake of its time also houses the largest set of ins- criptions or Raj Prashasti Maha- kavya, carved on marble and emb- ellishing its well- wooded lake-fro- nt. The Maharana ordered his best poets, historians and oral historians called Bhatts and Charans, and hea- ds of Royal Families to contri- bute genealogical details for the inscriptions engraved on 25 lar- ge slabs of black marble. Each slab is 3 feet by 20 feet; there are 24 cantos composed under the leadership of Ranchod Bhatt and fixed along the embank- ment area called Nauchauki. Through the Raj Prashasti it is the history of the world of Mewar which is inscribed; chis- elled, hammered by raj-mistris and sthapatis or royal sculptors / architects for posterity. Mod- ern-day historians and chroni- clers often find it difficult to gra- sp different strands of narration. Inscribed are not only hymns to Gods but also to different dei- ties, Maharanas of the past and to reigning Gods and Goddesses. It seems hagiographic, full of praise for the heroic Kings of Mewar, and achievements of Maharana Raj Singh, the mighty patron. In Borgess narratives the usual distinction between form and content virtually disap- pears, as does that between the world of literature and the read- ers world. At Nauchauki, the Raj Prashasti transports the Sansk- rit-knowing reader along a simi- lar axis of historical time and space, going from current politi- cal tussles with Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb, to battles fought and cities built in the Kingdom of Mewar, to origins of the Mewar dynasty and homage to its fou- nding-father Bappa Rawal. It is where fact and fiction merge, becoming indistinguish- able, wrote Ojha. It is a con- frontation of opposites in the real world and the inscribed word, at one place and a singu- lar time. In the realm of imperial po- litics and diplomacy, Maharana Raj Singh was able to confident- ly maintain status quo, taking every opportunity to quietly as- sert Mewari independence. Whether it was fortifying Chit- torgarh, ensuring Mewars pres- ence at the Mughal Court or meeting with senior Mughal officials like Munshi Chandrab- han, the Maharana developed his own skillful style with pana- che. His political and military negotiations, directly and indi- rectly with the Mughal Court, are a proven record of his lead- ership abilities. Through 1679-81, the Mah- aranas relations with Emperor Aurangzeb remained cordial on the surface but there was tur- moil which Mewar utilised to its advantage, by giving up large territories and then gaining con- trol over them. It was a give and take strategy by which Maha- rana Raj Singh preserved his capital-city of Udaipur and did not let the Mughals overwhelm them with large armies and re- sources. Historians focusing on political history highlight mater- ial gains and losses; the Maha- rana was equally adept in sav- ing and preserving his legacies and value systems which gave Mewar its unique identity in pre-modern times assiduously nurtured by iconic rulers like Maharana Kumbha, Maharana Sangha, and Maharana Pratap from the 15th century CE onwards. In politics, diplomacy and military strategies of Mewar of the 17th century CE, there is the sharpest confrontation of oppo- sites which would delight Borges in his constant search for meta- phors that existed across time and space: independence, self- reliance, patronage to the arts in times of war and peace, and giv- ing religion and religious prac- tices due respect. In Maharana Raj Singhs era, painting and illustration of manuscripts reached heights of excellence. The Nathdwara style of paint- ing also owes its development to these times. Borges often quoted Baruch Spinoza, the 17th century CE Dutch philosopher who said all things long to persist in their being. It provides a pointer to explaining why Maharana Raj Singh, one among the 76 Custo- dians of Mewar, built lakes, tem- ples, and palaces, fought wars, patronized art, preserved his Kingdom and inscribed its his- tory on stone. Like the Chinese Emperor Shih Huang Ti, a quest for immortality made the Maha- rana resolve contradictions and paradoxes in his lifetime with- out ever exhausting infinity.

The writer is an author- researcher on history and heritage issues, and former deputy curator of Pradhanmantri Sangharalaya

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French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday confirmed his visit as Chief Guest at Republic Day celebrations next year and thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the invitation.

Thank you for your invitation, my dear friend @NarendraModi. India, on your Republic Day, Ill be here to celebrate with you! Macron posted on X (formerly Twitter).

Earlier in the day, the Ministry of External Affairs confirmed that he will be visiting India as the Chief Guest for the 75th Republic Day celebrations on PM Modis invitation.

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At the invitation of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, Mr. Emmanuel Macron, President of France, will be visiting India as the Chief Guest for the 75th Republic Day celebrations, the MEA said in a statement.

India and France share a high degree of convergence on a range of regional and global issues as strategic partners.

Notably, this is the sixth time a French leader will be the chief guest at Republic Day celebrations here in the national capital.

Before Macron, former French Prime Minister Jacques Chirac was the Chief guest on Indias Republic Day celebrations in 1976 and 1998, as were former Presidents Valery Giscard dEstaing, Nicolas Sarkozy, and Francois Hollande in the years 1980, 2008 and 2016, respectively.

This year, we will be celebrating the 25th anniversary of the India-France Strategic Partnership.

Moreover, PM Modi was the Guest of Honour at the Bastille Day Parade held on July 14, 2023, in Paris, the MEA stated.

He had visited France at the invitation of French President Macron.

Meanwhile, French President Macron also visited India in September this year to attend the G20 Summit which was held under Indias Presidency.

President Macron and Prime Minister Modi held a bilateral meeting in Delhi on September 10, on the sidelines of the G20 summit. Following the meeting, PM Modi said they reaffirmed their commitment to take India-France relations to newer heights of progress.

India and France cooperate closely in various sectors, including defence, space, civil nuclear, trade, investment, education, culture and people-to-people ties.
The Japanese government has lifted its ban on exports of arms and ammunition manufactured under license from foreign companies to their countries, and conditionally to third countries.

The controversial change was brought up under the revised Three Principles on Transfer of Defence Equipment and Technology and the Implementation Guidelines.

Under the amended document, the government allows weapons made in Japan under foreign license, including completed products and components, to be shipped to the country that the licenser is based.

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Japan, under previous rules, could only export components of arms and was prohibited from delivering completed products, Xinhua news agency reported.

In the wake of the revision, the nation is now preparing to ship Patriot air defence missiles to the US for the first such shipments, according to local media outlets.

The transfer of finished products was not included this time, due to opposition from Komeito, the junior member of Japans ruling coalition, Jiji Press reported on Friday.

The Japanese government at the end of last year decided to update three security and defence-related documents, including the National Security Strategy, marking a significant change to its post-war security policies despite wide opposition.

Japanese newspaper Asahi Shimbun, in an editorial earlier, criticised that the core philosophy underlying Japans basic policy principles concerning arms exports is that as a nation whose constitution upholds pacifism, it should not export arms that fuel international conflict.

The government must not allow these principles to be eroded gradually to open the door to exports of deadly weapons, it added.
Amid protests against the alleged custodial death of three civilians in Bafliaz of Poonch district where four soldiers were killed in an ambush by terrorists, the Jammu & Kashmir government on Saturday said that legal action has been initiated in the matter and also announced to give jobs to the next of kin of the deceased.

Three men, Safeer Hussain (43), Mohammad Showket (27) and Shabir Ahmad (32), all residents of Topa Peer village of Bafliaz, died under mysterious circumstances after they were picked up by the Army for interrogation. They were declared dead when taken to hospital.

The Army stated that Reports have been received regarding 3 civilian deaths in the area. The matter is under investigation. The Indian Army stands committed to extending full support and cooperation in the conduct of investigation. Security forces are continuing Search operations in the area of operations after the incident that occurred on 21 December.

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Tension prevailed in the Bafliaz area as people came out on the streets alleging that three persons were killed during interrogation by the Army. They claimed that eight persons were picked up by the Army after the attack by terrorists. Divisional Commissioner, Jammu, Ramesh Kumar and DC and SSP of Poonch intervened to defuse the situation.

A UT government spokesman said; The death of the three civilians was reported yesterday in Bafliaz of Poonch district. The medico-legal formalities have been conducted while legal action has been initiated by the appropriate authority. The government has announced compensation to the next of kin of the deceased and also offered to give jobs to them on compassionate grounds.

Mobile internet services have been suspended in the Rajouri and Poonch border districts to prevent spread of rumours and instigating messages by mischievous elements. Pakistani agencies are exaggerating the incident on social media with the intention to create unrest.

Meanwhile, it is learnt that the Army had picked up the three persons from the Topa Peer village on the suspicion that they had helped the Pakistani terrorists who attacked two Army vehicles with US made M-4 rifles. Five more persons were admitted to hospitals in Poonch and Rajouri for treatment of injuries which they claimed were inflicted on them during interrogation.

General Officer Commanding of the White Knight Corps, Lieutenant General Sandeep Jain and Director General of J&K Police RR Swain inspected the scene of the ambush and reviewed the security situation in the border districts.

Even as the security forces have launched a massive operation against the terrorists, the Army on Saturday morning foiled an infiltration bid through the international border (IB) with Pakistan in the Jammu district and killed one terrorist.

The White Knight Corps of the Indian Army wrote on X; Infiltration bid foiled in IB sector of Khour, Akhnoor. Suspected move of four terrorists seen through own surveillance devices on the night of 22/23 Dec 23. Effective fire brought down. Terrorists seen dragging one body back across the IB.

Activists of National Conference and Apni Party held protests in Srinagar against what they called custodial killings and sought punishment for those involved in the incident. The protest by the National Conference was led by its general secretary Ali Mohammad Sagar.

PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti demanded that the Lt Governor should announce a compensation of Rs 50 lakh for each of the innocents killed and Rs 5 lakh for the injured till an inquiry is ordered.

CPI(M) leader Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami demanded a fair probe into the mysterious death of 3 civilians near the encounter spot in Poonch. A prompt and impartial probe is crucial to ascertain the cause of their death, he said.
A Wish Come True recently hosted 185 Wish Kids and their families to see the Disney movie Wish at Showcase Cinema De Lux in Warwick. Local business people Al and Katie Cerrone sponsored the event. Katie owns KCs Burgers in North Attleboro and Macks Pizza Pub in Seekonk. A Wish Come True grants wishes and provides resources to Rhode Island and Massachusetts families who have a child struggling with a life-threatening illness. Pictured are Al Cerrone, his daughters Katie and Alana and their kids.
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In the decades since it opened in the early 1960s, Target has morphed into a near-everything-you-could-need shopping destination.

Check Out: 10 Aldi Items That Have the Highest-Rated Reviews

Read More: Pocket an Extra $400 a Month With This Simple Hack

One area in particular that the mega retailer has seen growth in is the grocery sector, with food and beverages now a significant player in its annual revenue. Though a superstar in the grocery space, not every item in this department at Target is a worthwhile deal.

To suss out which grocery items at Target are a waste of money, GOBankingRates consulted shopping experts. Heres what they recommend steering clear of at Target, if youre on a budget or just simply interested in always nabbing the best deals.

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Name-Brand Cereals

So, to be clear, you should feel free to buy cereal at Target  just not the name-brand versions, as theyre unnecessarily pricier.

The Target brand cereals are just as good and cost significantly less, said Lindsey Chastain, founder and CEO at The Waddle and Cluck.

For even more cereal savings, Aldi has great prices, Chastain said.

Im a Shopping Expert: 9 Items Id Never Put in My Grocery Cart

Find: 7 Best Expensive-Looking Things You Can Buy at Dollar Tree

Brennan Linsley/AP/Shutterstock / Brennan Linsley/AP/Shutterstock

Milk

Milk does a body good, but it tends to be pricier at Target than it is at big grocery store chains.

Targets smaller grocery section means less frequent deliveries and higher prices, Chastain said. Grab milk at Walmart or Costco instead.

Dollar Tree Plus: 10 High-Quality Items To Buy Now

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Fresh Meats and Seafood

Its not that the fresh meats and seafood at Target arent great; its that they just dont have a ton of options here, and that limitation can make what they do have more expensive.

The selection is limited compared to large supermarkets, and the constant restocking at big stores means better deals, Chastain said. Shop for these at Kroger, Publix or Harris Teeter.

kudou / iStock.com

Frozen Vegetables

Heres another area where Target falls short in terms of inventory.

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Targets frozen section sparseness means fewer sales and discounts, Chastain said. Head to Trader Joes or Aldi for far lower everyday prices.

Thomas Demarczyk / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Frozen Fruit

Whether youre using it for smoothies or baking, frozen fruit is a long-lasting grocery item youll want to save on, said Samantha Landau, consumer expert at TopCashback USA, who recommends shopping instead at Walmart for frozen fruits.

Im a Self-Made Millionaire: These 7 Items Ill Buy Only at Dollar Tree Are Worth It

Arisara_Tongdonnoi / Getty Images

Granola

Granola is a breakfast staple that many of us eat all the time, especially for breakfast.

To get the best deal on granola, particularly store-brand granola, Landau opts for Walmart over Target, where youre often guaranteed lower pricing.

Mariha-kitchen / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Snack Foods

Youll find no shortage of snacks at Target, but you wont likely find the best pricing on these items.

From chips to candy, the snack selection doesnt compare [to some other retailers], said Chastain. Bigger stores have more competition and better prices. Try Walmart or Sams Club.

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Organic Items

Target carries some organic products, but its not got the best pricing in this area.

Specialty chains like Sprouts or Whole Foods offer comparable quality for less, Chastain said. For even better quality, check out your local farmers market. Dont pay the organic premium prices at Target.

Related: 10 Items You Should Always Buy at Dollar Tree

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Rotisserie Chicken

According to Julie Ramhold, consumer analyst at DealNews.com, Targets rotisserie chickens go for around $9 total a pop  though exact pricing depends on your area.

It might not be the worst price, but its hard to beat the $5 rotisserie chickens found at stores like Costco and Sams Club, Ramhold said. While it might make a convenient last-minute dinner option, if you want the best deal and prefer to make ready-to-eat rotisseries part of your regular grocery shopping lineup, warehouse clubs are the way to go.

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Maple Syrup

If you want real maple syrup, shopping at a warehouse club is a smarter choice than shopping at Target.

A 32-oz bottle of maple syrup at Target is roughly $17, but if you shop at Costco, you can get 33.8oz for around $14 or so, and Sams Club has a 32oz bottle for $13, Ramhold said.

Target is great if you have no other options, but if you do, the warehouse clubs are the ones with the absolute best price per ounce. And if you care about such things, both Costco and Sams Clubs options are organic, too, which makes the deals even sweeter.

fcafotodigital / iStock.com

Spices

For spices, dont even bother with Target.

Even Targets base spices come at a premium compared to dollar stores, ethnic grocers and spice specialists, added Chastain.

More From GOBankingRates

This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Im a Shopping Expert: 11 Grocery Items Id Never Buy at Target
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Where you decide to plant roots impacts your entire financial picture: your job earnings and employment opportunities, whether you can afford to buy a home and what youll pay for necessities such as groceries, healthcare, transportation and utilities.

It also impacts your future, your goals and your lifestyle. Are there colleges in town for yourself or your kids? How about recreation? How much time will you spend commuting?

Housing Market 2023: The 10 Most Overpriced Housing Markets in the US  5 Are in Florida

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24/7 Wall St. looked at the cost of living across the country and other data to determine the most expensive city to live in every state. The results showed that in some locales, the cost of living exceeds the national average. But, surprisingly, the amount it will take to live in the most expensive metro area in 29 states falls below the average cost of living, per the study.

GOBankingRates added information from the U.S. Census Bureau, Zillow, Data USA and more to add some interesting facts about life in these 50 metropolitan areas. Take a look at the priciest place to live in each state.

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Alabama: Daphne-Fairhope-Foley

Cost of living: 3.1% less expensive than national average

This metro area is bustling, with about 104,000 people employed. While the majority of jobs are in the retail and healthcare/social assistance sectors, the highest-paying industries are mining, quarrying and oil and gas extraction at nearly $74,000 per year.

Barbara Corcoran: Housing Prices Are Going To Go Through The Roof: Heres When

Im a Real Estate Agent: Dont Buy Real Estate in These 5 States If You Want To Be Rich in a Decade

Sponsored: Get Paid To Scroll. Start Now

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Alaska: Anchorage

Cost of living: 4.3% more expensive than national average

A high-paying job is helpful in pricey Alaska. Mining, quarrying and oil and gas extraction is the top-earning sector in Anchorage, too, at about $136,000 a year  not quite double the earnings in Alabama.

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Downsizing for Retirement? Stay Away From These 7 Homes

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Arizona: Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler

Cost of living: 2.6% more expensive than national average

Despite a higher-than-average cost of living, the Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler area continues to draw new residents. According to data from the U.S. Census Bureau, Maricopa County had the most growth of any county in the nation in 2022, adding 56,831 residents.

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Arkansas: Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers

Cost of living: 6.7% less expensive than national average

People seeking to resettle also find the Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers area attractive. Between 2020 and 2021, the metro areas population grew by 2.27%. Median household income grew event more  7.78%.

Nicolas McComber / Getty Images

California: San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley

Cost of living: 17.4% more expensive than national average

The Bay Area remains cost-prohibitive for many households, but it has held on to its trademark diversity. Nearly 42% of the area residents speak a language other than English at home  twice the overall U.S. rate.

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Colorado: Denver-Aurora-Lakewood

Cost of living: 7.3% more expensive than national average

Colleges in the Denver metro area pump thousands of new graduates into the workforce every year. The largest number of those diplomas are issued in general business administration and management, registered nursing and public health nursing.

Learn: 10 Most Affordable New York City Neighborhoods

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Connecticut: Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk

Cost of living: 5.6% more expensive than national average

The Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk area provides an alternative residence for people who work in New York City but dont want to pay sky-high housing prices. The cost of living in the New York City metro area is 15.5% higher than the national average  about 10% higher than in these Connecticut communities.

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Delaware: Dover

Cost of living: 5.1% less expensive than national average

It costs about 5% less than the national average to live in Dover, the capital of Delaware. If you work in utilities, youll have one of the highest-paid jobs in the state at an average of about $100,000.

Sean Pavone / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Florida: Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach

Cost of living: 10% more expensive than national average

The average price of a home in Miami is around $570,000. Homes cost about $534,000 in Fort Lauderdale and $363,000 in Pompano Beach. Each is up at least 4% from last year, per Zillow.

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Georgia: Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Alpharetta

Cost of living: 1.8% less expensive than national average

The Atlanta metro area, which includes Sandy Springs and Alpharetta, has a population of 6.22 million, which makes it the eighth-largest in the U.S. That ranks it just above Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach in terms of population, Statista reports.

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Hawaii: Urban Honolulu

Cost of living: 13.8% more expensive than national average

Hawaii continues to attract foreign-born residents, despite the high cost of living. In 2021, the highest numbers of state residents from other nations came from the Philippines, followed by Japan and China.

See: 5 Expensive Home Renovations That Youll Probably Regret

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Idaho: Boise

Cost of living: 6.5% less expensive than national average

The cost of owning a home in Boise is falling, even though the average price is $468,000. Thats down 4.8% from a year ago, per Zillow.

Sean Pavone / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Illinois: Chicago-Naperville-Elgin

Cost of living: 4.8% more expensive than national average

Workers living in this metro area have a longer commute time (31.3 minutes) than the typical worker in the United States (26.8 minutes). Whats worse? A little more than 3% of the areas workforce have commutes longer than 90 minutes.

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Indiana: Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson

Cost of living: 5.3% less expensive than national average

The Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson metro area has a workforce that is 1.05 million strong. Youll find the most employees  more than 150,000  in the healthcare/social assistance category, followed by manufacturing (about 128,000).

dangarneau / Getty Images

Iowa: Iowa City

Cost of living: 4.7% less expensive than national average

If you want to live in a walk-to-work city, check out Iowa City. In 2021, 14% of the citys workforce got to their jobs on foot.

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Kansas: Manhattan

Cost of living: 6.2% less expensive than national average

Manhattan is the home of Kansas State University, which awarded 6,030 degrees in 2021. The most popular majors of students attending college in Manhattan are elementary education and teaching, followed by general marketing and marketing management, then general animal sciences.

Find Out: 15 Cheapest, Safest Places To Live in the US

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Kentucky: Lexington-Fayette

Cost of living: 6.8% less expensive than national average

Lexington is another area where the highest-paying job is the mining, quarrying and oil and gas extraction  workers make an average of $115,909.

zodebala / Getty Images

Louisiana: New Orleans-Metairie

Cost of living: 3.1% less expensive than national average

With Louisianas long history in energy production, its no surprise that the biggest exports coming from the state are gasoline, (unclassified) coal products and fuel oils.

Sean Pavone / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Maine: Portland-South Portland

Cost of living: 0.3% more expensive than national average

Maine shares a border with Canada, and a number of Canadians have moved south to the Portland area and the rest of the state. In 2021, about 9,400 of the states residents were born in Canada.

Majestic_Aerials / Getty Images

Maryland: Baltimore-Columbia-Towson

Cost of living: 5.4% more expensive than national average

Between 2020 and 2021, the population of Baltimore-Columbia-Towson grew to 2.84 million, up 1.31%, and its median household income grew from to $87,513, a 4.42% increase.

DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images

Massachusetts: Boston-Cambridge-Newton

Cost of living: 10.2% more expensive than national average

The Boston area is home to several prominent colleges and universities, including Harvard, which is in Cambridge. Among residents of the Boston-Cambridge-Newton area, 51.4% have a bachelors degree or higher, about 1.4 times the average U.S. rate.

Davel5957 / Getty Images

Michigan: Ann Arbor

Cost of living: 1% less expensive than national average

Ann Arbor is another college town, home to the University of Michigan. In 2021, the university awarded nearly 16,000 degrees, giving employers in the state a new batch of potential members of the workforce.

Davel5957 / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Minnesota: Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington

Cost of living: 3.2% more expensive than national average

Healthcare/social assistance leads the way when it comes to jobs in the Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington area with nearly 300,000 positions. Its fitting, therefore, that about 4,900 registered nursing degrees were awarded in the area in 2021.

Read: The Average American Spends This Much on Rent  See How You Stack Up

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Mississippi: Gulfport-Biloxi

Cost of living: 9.2% less expensive than national average

The average Gulfport home is valued at about $191,000, according to Zillow, an increase of 3.2% over the past year.

Art Wager / iStock.com

Missouri: St. Louis

Cost of living: 4.3% less expensive than national average

Forbes included three companies with headquarters in the St. Louis area on its 2023 list of the 100 best large employers in the nation  Edward Jones, Washington University and BJC Healthcare. Combined, they have about 90,000 employees.

peeterv / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Montana: Billings

Cost of living: 6.3% less expensive than national average

Like Maine, Montana is nestled along the Canadian border. About 3,400 Canadian-born people call Montana home.

Davel5957 / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Nebraska: Omaha-Council Bluffs

Cost of living: 4.7% less expensive than national average

The Omaha-Council Bluffs area also spans part of Iowa. The two states exported $46.6 billion worth of meat and seafood in 2020.

4kodiak / Getty Images

Nevada: Reno

Cost of living: 1.1% less expensive than national average

Reno calls itself The Biggest Little City in the World, but its also been a designated Tree City USA for about 30 years. There are 159 varieties of trees in Reno parks, according to the city.

DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images/iStockphoto

New Hampshire: Manchester-Nashua

Cost of living: 4% more expensive than national average

Manchester is the largest city in Northern New England, with more than 115,000 residents. It embodies New England charm and also sits within an hours drive of Boston, the White Mountains and the Seacoast region.

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New Jersey: Trenton-Princeton

Cost of living: 3.8% more expensive than national average

Home values are about nine times higher in Princeton than they are in Trenton, the state capital. The U.S. Census Bureau pegs the median value of an owner-occupied home at $893,600. In Trenton, its $96,700.

Sean Pavone / Getty Images/iStockphoto

New Mexico: Santa Fe

Cost of living: 5.6% less expensive than national average

When most people think of the oldest U.S. settlements, they think of Plymouth Colony in Massachusetts. However, Santa Fe is the oldest capital city in the U.S., established 13 years before the Pilgrims landed in 1620. It was a key area for the Spanish empire north of the Rio Grande River.

OlegAlbinsky / iStock.com

New York: New York-Newark-Jersey City

Cost of living: 15.5% more expensive than national average

The New York-Newark-Jersey City area is a melting pot indeed. The most foreign-born residents of the region come from the Dominican Republic, followed by China and India.

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North Carolina: Raleigh-Cary

Cost of living: 4.3% less expensive than national average

Raleighs history dates to the second half of the 18th century. Cary, the lesser-known of the two, has roots that go back that far, too, but it was a sleepy community until the development of the nearby Research Triangle Park about 200 years later. Cary has grown from a population of about 44,000 in 1990 to 132,000 in 2010 to 180,000 in 2022.

powerofforever / Getty Images

North Dakota: Bismarck

Cost of living: 5.8% less expensive than national average

The average Bismarck resident spends about 16 minutes commuting to work, although 1.44% of the citys workforce has a commute of more than 90 minutes.

Long_Strange_Trip_01 / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Ohio: Columbus

Cost of living: 5.8% less expensive than national average

Columbus, the home of Ohio State University, is the largest city in the state in terms of population. State figures show Columbus has about 908,000 residents, well eclipsing Cleveland (362,000) and Cincinnati (310,000).

Sean Pavone / Shutterstock.com

Oklahoma: Oklahoma City

Cost of living: 6.2% less expensive than national average

Here are a couple of fun facts, courtesy of the people at Visit OKC. By land area, Oklahoma City is the eighth-largest metropolitan city in the United States. The capitol building in Oklahoma City had a working oil well on its grounds until 2021  and Oklahoma was the only state to be able to say that.

zhudifeng / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Oregon: Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro

Cost of living: 5.7% more expensive than national average

Vancouver is in Washington state, but its part of the Portland metro area, just 9.1 miles from one city hall to the other. The Columbia River is the boundary between the two states.

emiliomarin66 / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Pennsylvania: Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington

Cost of living: 2.3% more expensive than national average

Employment in the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington area grew by 2.39% from 2020 to 2021, rising from 3.02 million employees to 3.09 million. The most employees are in the healthcare/social assistance category, with educational services holding the second spot. That makes sense, given the School District of Philadelphia has nearly 200,000 students and the city has 32 colleges and universities.

Discover: Grant Cardone Reveals 6 Cities He Would Buy Investment Property in Right Now (and Where He Would Avoid)

gregobagel / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Rhode Island: Providence-Warwick

Cost of living: 1.2% more expensive than national average

The median home value in both Providence and Warwick is about 365,000, Zillow reports. Thats about half of the value of homes in Boston ($715,000), which is about an hour away by car.

Sean Pavone / Getty Images/iStockphoto

South Carolina: Hilton Head Island-Bluffton

Cost of living: 2% less expensive than national average

Buying a home in the Hilton Head area could be a good investment. If you properly license your property as a short-term rental, you could benefit from the tourism dollars that flow through the region. Approximately 2.5 million people visit Hilton Head each year.

Steve Cukrov / Shutterstock.com

South Dakota: Sioux Falls

Cost of living: 5.9% less expensive than national average

Sioux Falls, and South Dakota in general, also is popular with tourists. While it doesnt have the beaches like Hilton Head, 4.4 million visitors still traveled to and within South Dakota and spent $4.7 billion, SDVisit.com reports.

MoreISO / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Tennessee: Nashville

Cost of living: 3% less expensive than national average

Nashville has a place in advertising history. Legend has it that President Theodore Roosevelt visited the old Maxwell House Hotel in the city and declared that its coffee was good to the last drop. The phrase lives on as an advertising slogan.

halbergman / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Texas: Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington

Cost of living: 5.1% more expensive than national average

The Dallas-Fort-Worth-Arlington area has 7.9 million residents, making it the fourth-largest metro area in the U.S., per Statista. It has about 600,000 more residents than the next spot on the list, Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land.

f11photo / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Utah: Salt Lake City

Cost of living: 2.3% less expensive than national average

The Winter Olympics of 2002 put the spotlight on Salt Lake City as a place to live and visit. In the latter category, in 2022, the Visit Salt Lake organization booked 870,000 room nights for future conventions, Utah Business reported.

DenisTangneyJr / iStock.com

Vermont: Burlington-South Burlington

Cost of living: 2.3% more expensive than national average

As with other states bordering Canada, Vermont has seen an influx of residents from its northern neighbor. The next-highest areas with residents that have migrated to Vermont? China, then Bosnia and Herzegovina. Perhaps some were drawn by the University of Vermont, a research university located in Burlington near Lake Champlain.

Also: The Average American Spends This Much on Rent  See How You Stack Up

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Virginia: Charlottesville

Cost of living: 3.4% less expensive than national average

With about 24,000 students, the University of Virginia is a big driver of the Charlottesville economy. The largest job industry is educational services.

samvaltenbergs / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Washington: Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue

Cost of living: 12% more expensive than national average

The average home value in Bellevue is $1.3 million, and in Seattle, to the west, its $827,000, according to Zillow. The area is dotted with the headquarters of prominent companies  they include Microsoft, Amazon, Starbucks, Costco, Boeing Commercial Airplanes and Alaska Airlines  and it will take some of the biggest salaries to afford a home.

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West Virginia: Morgantown

Cost of living: 7.8% less expensive than national average

Morgantown is very much a college town, with the University of West Virginia based there. Of the approximately 30,000 residents in Morgantown, the average age skews young at 24.4.

Ultima_Gaina / Getty Images

Wisconsin: Madison

Cost of living: 3% less expensive than national average

Madison, incorporated as a city in 1856, was named after James Madison, the fourth president of the United States. VisitMadison.com says there are 140 properties and districts, including Camp Randall and the Gates of Heaven Synagogue, listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Davel5957 / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Wyoming: Cheyenne

Cost of living: 6.8% less expensive than national average

Cheyenne harkens back to the Old West, and it has maintained the feel of the Wild West in the downtown. It also hosts the Cheyenne Frontier Days, which bills itself as the worlds largest rodeo and Western celebration.

This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: The Most Expensive City in Every State
What fun is Christmas sans the delightful customs and traditions... Christmas trees, lights, Secret Santa games, singing Christmas carols out loud, baking cakes and making gingerbread make the celebration complete. It is indeed the coming together of these little traditions that bring joy.

Here are some interesting facts that you should know about the history of Christmas trees, carols and cakes -- three unavoidable ingredients of the celebrations in India like anywhere else across the world.

Origin of Christmas Trees

The first recorded instance of a Christmas tree dates back to around the 15th and 16th centuries in Germany. It is believed to have become a Germanic custom as the trees started to show up in households across the European country.

The Christmas tree remained a royal custom under Queen Charlotte of Great Britain and Ireland but it was strengthened in 1840, by her granddaughter Queen Victoria after her marriage to her German cousin, Prince Albert. This resulted in the spread of Christmas trees worldwide.

However, most Americans rejected this idea first because they believed it was part of pagan belief. The surge in immigration from Germany gradually brought a change as the US witnessed a wider German cultural influence.

German settlements, especially in Pennsylvania started to decorate community trees in the 18th century. In 1848, they even printed illustrations of King Albert and Queen Victoria around the Christmas trees.

In 1850, the Christmas tree trade became profitable in the US. It became a tradition in houses big and small and it goes on to this day.

Origin of Christmas carols

Carols were not always about Christmas. The history of caroling commenced in medieval England. The term 'carol' referred to songs with a certain form; those with a burden (refrain) and verses (stanzas). The burden was repeated after each verse. The social context of these early carols was sacred and secular.

Members of a choir sing Christmas carols at the main business district in Jakarta, Indonesia | AP

Most people believed that the English carol was connected to the French carol, a type of monophonic dance song with choreography which was popular in the mid-12th to 14th century. These medieval carols were musically simple.

By the 15th century, carols became polyphonic (multiple melodic lines are sung or played at once and each verse could be sung to different music) and covered a wider range of topics from demonstrating religious devotion to declaring the ills of the society and even celebratory drinking songs.

The popularity of carols declined through reformation and they were not revived until the 19th century. By then, carols lost their connection to medieval counterparts and became similar to strophic hymns with Christmas texts although many still had refrains.

The folk music movement in the 20th century inspired music publishers to collect old carols and the Oxford Book of Carols was published. It included various works such as medieval carols and Christmas songs from different countries and therefore, the term carol began to mean Christmas songs.

Origin of Christmas cakes

The plum cake which we eat today was not the original form of Christmas cake. It started in the form of plum porridge when fasting for weeks leading up to Christmas was a widespread ritual at that time.

Over time, they started adding more ingredients such as fruits, oats and honey so that it would represent something like plum pudding. By the 16th century, oats got replaced by eggs, flour and spices. Later, rich families started to decorate them with icing, and marzipan and even began to bake them -- the first known predecessor of the modern-day Christmas cake!

A customer checks her cakes prepared at a bakery ahead of the Christmas celebrations in Kolkata | PTI

The Christmas cake was known as the Twelfth cake back then because they were served on the Twelfth Night, ending the twelve days of Christmas on January 5th. However, they stopped celebrating the Twelfth Night as part of the Industrial Revolution as people had to work immediately after Christmas day. Thats how the Twelfth cake became Christmas cake.

Other sources say that the Twelfth-day tradition was officially banned by Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland in the 19th century as she believed it was not a Christian festival. So, they reinvented the Twelfth Night cake by decorating the cakes for Christmas celebrations and the modern-day Christmas cake was born.
The Enforcement Directorate has made three fresh arrests in connection with its money laundering probe against Chinese smartphone maker Vivo and some others, official sources said on Saturday.



The three have been taken into custody under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), they said. The identity of the three people was not known immediately.

The federal agency had earlier made four arrests in the case which included mobile company Lava International's MD Hari Om Rai, Chinese national Guangwen alias Andrew Kuang and chartered accountants Nitin Garg and Rajan Malik. They are in judicial custody at present.

A charge-sheet was also filed by the Enforcement Directorate against these people recently before a special PMLA court in Delhi and the court took its cognisance recently.

The anti-money laundering agency had raided Vivo-India and persons linked to it in July last year and claimed to have busted a major money laundering racket involving Chinese nationals and multiple Indian companies.

The ED had then alleged that a whopping Rs 62,476 crore was "illegally" transferred by Vivo-India to China to avoid payment of taxes in India. The company had rejected the allegations, saying it "firmly adheres to its ethical principles and remains dedicated to legal compliance."
Sreenish Pookodan, a 30-year-old contract worker at Cochin Shipyard, arrested on December 21, was charged with lurking, trespassing and spying. Police arrested him after getting a complaint from the security manager of the shipyard in the wee hours of December 20.

According to the FIR, Pookkodan has been leaking details, including those about the arrival of defence ships, their maintenance and positioning, to a Facebook account named ANGEL PAYAL from March 1 to December 19.

Pookkodan allegedly trespassed an under-construction defence ship and took pictures of the same on his mobile phone. The details of visits by VVIPs and the incidents inside ships were also leaked to the ANGEL PAYAL social media account. The investigators are looking into the foreign connections of the account.

IB and the shipyards investigation team zeroed in on the breach during their probe, following which, the accused was taken into custody and handed over to the police.

Pookkodan was charged under Section 3(1)a and Section 5 of the Official Secrets Acts, 1923, which pertains to penalties for spying and wrongful communication, respectively, with potential imprisonment for a term ranging from three to 14 years. Additionally, Section 457 was applied for trespassing, carrying a potential sentence ranging from five to 14 years.

Early this month, a Bangladesh national named Mohammed Al Ameen, who had been illegally staying in Kochi, was arrested for trespassing into the Cochin Shipyard Limited guest house at Panampilly Nagar. Ernakulam South Police told THE WEEK that no connection between this incident and Pookodans arrest has been established yet. This Bangladeshi illegally crossed the border, came to Bangalore first and from there to Kochi. He had no ID cards. The investigation about his whereabouts is still progressing.

Last year, an Afghanistan nationalAbbas Khan alias Idgulwho was working for a contractor at CSL was also arrested by the police. The foreigner used forged identity documents, including fake Aadhaar and PAN cards, to get a job with the CSL contractors.
Recently, at the launch of a book meant to commemorate Congress President Mallikarjun Kharges 50-year stint in electoral politics, leaders from the Congress and friendly parties gave broad hints at what they described as a larger role waiting for him. That bigger role, though not explicitly said, was obviously the prime minister's post.

The idea of Kharge emerging as the face of the Oppositions INDIA alliance and a counter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been simmering for some time now. Though West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee did take everyone by surprise at the latest INDIA meeting by suggesting Kharge as the grouping's prime ministerial face for the Lok Sabha elections, opposition circles have been abuzz with the idea for some time.

Mamata, according to sources, spoke towards the end of the meeting and she suggested that it would be good if a Dalit leader is projected as the face of the alliance in the Lok Sabha elections. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who had already spoken in the meeting, is learnt to have intervened in support of the idea. Mamata and Kejriwal have brought to the fore, and placed formally on the table the 'Kharge for PM' discussion that was earlier taking place informally.

Kharge was prompt in dismissing the suggestion at the meeting, saying the alliance's priority should be to get enough MPs to form the next government. Any discussion on who will be prime minister can happen once the alliance is in a position to form the next government, he said. He is learnt to have remarked that it would not be prudent to count the chickens before they hatched. He also categorically dismissed the idea at the media briefing that followed the meeting.

The opposition circles are discussing the possible reasons why Mamata made the suggestion. The opposition leaders wonder if the target of the move was Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar who, it is believed, feels he is best suited to be the face of the alliance. Kumar is learnt to have stated in the meeting that he does not harbour any leadership ambitions. However, Mamata's suggestion is believed to have rubbed him the wrong way.

It is also being discussed if Mamata's suggestion was aimed at dealing with the scenario of the parliamentary elections being perceived by the voters as a Modi vs Rahul contest, in which Modi is perceived as having an advantage over former Congress President Rahul Gandhi.

'Kharge for PM', on the face of it, does offer the alliance a chance to play up the possibility of a Dalit occupying the prime minister's post for the first time. The Congress veteran, though, has never liked his Dalit identity being connected to his political career. He has always insisted that he does not like to play the caste card. He said so at the INDIA alliance meeting too when Mamata made the suggestion.

Congress leaders say even signalling the possibility of Kharge occupying the top post, if not an overt declaration, could help the alliance in the elections. It is felt that the Dalit vote could consolidate behind the alliance, especially in the southern states where Kharge is known better, and also add heft to its social justice plank for the elections.
As tug-of-war over the demand for a nationwide caste census redraws the battlelines for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, the Congress party finds itself in a tight spot in Karnataka. The Siddaramaiah government is in a fix over making a 2016 socio-economic (caste) survey public after facing stiff resistance from senior leaders including deputy chief minister D.K. Shivakumar and Shamanur Shivashankarappa who belong to the dominant Vokkaliga and Lingayat community respectively.

Chief Minister Siddarmaiah who has championed the cause of the Ahinda (minorities, backward classes and dalits), the traditional votebank of the Congress is keen to adopt the caste survey which he claims is under revision. However, his cabinet colleagues have been opposing the report fearing it might dispel popular myths and end or alter the political dominance of some communities as the numerical strength of a community defines its political clout and gives the community leaders the bargaining for power within the party hierarchy too.

In 2015, Siddaramaiah (during his first tenure as the CM) had ordered the caste census to assess the socio-economic and educational backwardness of all communities. A committee headed by then Backward Classes commission H. Kantharaju carried out the survey at a cost of around Rs 160 crore. While the report was ready by 2016, it was put in cold storage by subsequent governments. Again in 2020, the BJP government appointed Jayaprakash Hegde as the Commission chief but the report was not made public. This time, the Siddaramaiah government has assured the OBC and SC/ST communities that it would make the caste census data public and also take affirmative action to empower the marginalised communities.

Siddaramaiahs enthusiasm to accept the report has seen a pushback from many of his cabinet colleagues who have demanded stalling of he report claiming it is flawed.

While Shivakumar categorically dismissed supporting the tabling of the report calling it unscientific. He openly endorsed the views of the Karnataka Vokkaligara Sangha in its 17-page petition opposing the report. The Sangha pointed out that the report was incomplete as it claims to have covered 5.4 crore population of the state and Karnatakas official number stands at 6.4 crore. Accepting the report will be an injustice towards Vokkaliga community, stated the Sangha.

Interestingly Shivakumar signed the petition along with Vokkaliga leaders from other political parties including former prime minister H.D. Devegowda, leader of opposition in Assembly R. Ashok, former chief minister S.M. Krishna and Union minister Shobha Karandlaje.

The Congress is now a divided house. While Rahul Gandhi made the caste census a major political plank in the recently concluded five-state with the slogan Jitni Abaadi, utna haq, AICC chief Mallikarjun Kharge was corned by the BJP in the Rajya Sabha over Shivakumar opposing the release of the census data in Karnataka. An embarrassed Kharge had said the party was committed to the advocacy of OBC rights and lamented that the BJP and Shivakumar were opposed to the census. The upper castes are united over this Kharge had remarked.

Shivakumar dismissed Kharges claims and said he believed in the economic survey. I fully endorse the partys commitment towards all communities. But the state census report is invalid as it has not been signed by the committee secretary. I am in favour of a proper census which is done in a systematic way, said Shivakumar.

Taking the cue, Lingayat leaders from the CongressShamanur Shivashankarappa (president of All India Veerashaiva Mahasabha), minister M.B. Patil and Eshwar Khandrereiterated that they reject the Kantharaju commission findings as it was not carried out scientifically. The Lingayat community suspects the report has undercounted its population and it might lead to major political ramifications.

The Mahasabha has submitted a petition signed by 33 elected representatives from across all political parties and hopes to pass a resolution opposing the report during a two-day national convention to be held at Davangere from December 24.

Meanwhile, the Ahinda community leaders are planning a mega convention in Chitradurga to counter the dominant castes and reiterate their demand seeking the release of the report. The move is also seen as a show of strength by the Ahinda block that is backing Siddaramaiah as the chief minister for a full term amid the ongoing power tussle within the Congress party.
BJP came down strongly on Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah after he announced on Friday that he would withdraw the previous government's order to ban Hijab in classrooms.

The BJP government in Karnataka under B. Bommai had banned the hijab saying it disturbs equality, integrity, and public order in educational institutes of the state. The decision had led to massive protests in the state.

BJP state president Vijayendra Yediyurappa said that Siddaramaiah's move to withdraw the order would "threaten" the secular nature of educational spaces.

"CM Siddaramaiah's decision to withdraw the hijab ban in educational institutions raises concerns about the secular nature of our educational spaces. By allowing religious attire in educational institutions @siddaramaiah govt is dividing young minds along religious lines, potentially hindering the inclusive learning environment. It is crucial to prioritize education over divisive practices and foster an environment where students could focus on academics without the influence of religious practices, said Vijayendra in a social media post.

Udupi MLA Yashpal Suvarna said the Congress party was stirring a hornet's nest. "The state government will be responsible for any disturbance and friction in educational institutions. This will also embolden the PFI, the banned outfit which has been supporting the hijab protests. Siddaramaiah should stop indulging in divisive politics.

The chief minister's move comes at a time when the appeals against the hijab ban are in court.

"Food and dress are one's own choice, Siddaramaiah had said yesterday during the inauguration of two new police station buildings in Mysuru. Why should I interfere in it? You may eat any food or wear any dress. It is your choice and right too. We will withdraw the order (February 5, 2022) banning hijab.

In January 2022, controversy erupted after six Muslim girls studying in a government pre-university college in Udupi district were barred from wearing hijab inside the classroom. But the girls insisted on wearing it. This led to protests from Hindu students, who wore saffron scarf to schools and colleges.

On February 5, 2022, the Karnataka government issued an order on Dress Code for Students (GO) under the Karnataka Education Act, 1983, banning hijab inside classrooms. The GO was challenged in the Karnataka High Court.

On March 15, 2022, the three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi upheld the GO, and the bench comprising Justice Krishna S. Dixit and Justice J.M. Khazi, quoting the Quran and other books on Islam, ruled that hijab was not an obligatory religious practice and therefore cannot be made a quintessential aspect of the religion through public agitations or by the passionate arguments in court.

The Karnataka High Court decision was challenged in the Supreme Court. A two-judge bench comprising Justice Hemant Gpta and Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia, on October 13, 2022, gave a split verdict and the matter was referred to a larger bench which is yet to be constituted.

Justice Gupta observed that the GO was to ensure parity among the students in terms of uniforms and also said that restrictions on freedom of religion and conscience have to be read conjointly with other provisions of the Constitution. Thus, the state law had primacy over the proposed right to freedom of religion, if the state wants to regulate secular aspects connected to religion, he said.

Justice Dhulia, on the other hand, rejected the need to determine whether the practice of wearing hijab constituted an essential religious practice within Islam and emphasised that discipline in schools was necessary, but not at the cost of an invasion of privacy and dignity of girl students who were asked to remove their hijab at the school gate.
OpenAI Is in Talks to Raise New Funding at Valuation of $100 Billion or More

(Bloomberg) -- OpenAI is in early discussions to raise a fresh round of funding at a valuation at or above $100 billion, people with knowledge of the matter said, a deal that would cement the ChatGPT maker as one of the worlds most valuable startups.

Most Read from Bloomberg

Investors potentially involved in the fundraising round have been included in preliminary discussions, according to the people, who asked not to be identified to discuss private matters. Details like the terms, valuation and timing of the funding round havent yet been finalized and could still change, the people said.

If the funding round happens as planned, it would make the artificial intelligence darling the second-most valuable startup in the US, behind only Elon Musks Space Exploration Technologies Corp., according to data from CBInsights.

OpenAI declined to comment.

The company is set to complete a separate tender offer in early January, which would allow employees to sell their shares at a valuation of $86 billion, Bloomberg previously reported. That is being led by Thrive Capital and saw more demand from investors than there was availability, people familiar with the matter have said.

Read More: The Year ChatGPT Changed Almost Everything

OpenAIs rocketing valuation mirrors the AI frenzy it kicked off one year ago after releasing ChatGPT, a chatbot capable of composing eerily human sentences and even poetry in response to simple prompts. The company became Silicon Valleys hottest startup, raising $13 billion to date from Microsoft Corp., and spurred a new appreciation for the promise of AI that changed the tech industry landscape within a few months.

Story continues

Amazon.com Inc. and Alphabet Inc. have since poured billions into OpenAI-rival Anthropic. Salesforce Inc. led an investment into Hugging Face that valued it at $4.5 billion, and Nvidia Corp., which makes many of the semiconductors that power AI tasks, said earlier this month it made more than two dozen investments in 2023.

Read More: Big Techs Year of Partnering Up With AI Startups

OpenAI has also held discussions to raise funding for a new chip venture with Abu Dhabi-based G42, according to people with knowledge of the matter.

The startup has discussed raising between $8 billion and $10 billion from G42, said one of the people, all of whom requested anonymity to discuss confidential information. Its unclear whether the chips venture and wider company funding efforts are related.

OpenAI Chief Executive Officer Sam Altman had been seeking capital for the chipmaking project, code-named Tigris. The goal is to produce semiconductors that can compete with those from Nvidia, which currently dominates the AI chip market, Bloomberg News reported last month.

Read More: Altman Sought Billions For Chip Venture Before OpenAI Ouster

In October, G42 announced a partnership with OpenAI to deliver cutting-edge AI solutions to the UAE and regional markets. No financial details were provided. The firm, founded in 2018, is led by Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the UAEs national security adviser and chair of the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority.

OpenAIs future looked briefly uncertain after its board suddenly fired Altman earlier last month. At the time, some investors considered writing their stakes down to zero. But after five days of leadership tumult, Altman was brought back and a new board was named. The company has aimed to signal to customers that its refocusing on its products following the upheaval.

--With assistance from Hannah Miller.

(Updates with additional context from seventh paragraph.)

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Miscreants have defaced a Hindu temple in the United States with pro-Khalistan and anti-Modi slogans. Hindu association in the country have urged law authorities to take stringent action and investigate the matter as a hate crime.

Hindu American Association during the early hours of Saturday tweeted that the Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Newark was defaced with pro-Khalistani slogans. Swaminarayan Mandir Vasana Sanstha in Newark, California was defaced with pro-#Khalistan slogans. @NewarkCA_Police and @CivilRights have been informed and full investigation will follow. We are insisting that this should be investigated as a hate crime.

The graffiti also includes the mention of Khalistan militant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwales name which the association accuse was done to terrorize temple goers. The mention of the Khalistan terrorist kingpin #Bhindranwale, who targeted Hindus for murder, is specifically meant to traumatize temple goers and create a fear of violencemeeting the CA definition of a hate crime @NewarkCA_Police @CivilRights, the association tweeted.

Incidents of such attacks against Indian consulates and temples abroad have been on the rise since Canada alleged Indias role in the murder of a pro-Khalistan leader. A Hindu temple was vandalised in Canada in August by pro-Khalistani supporters.
The Mohan Yadav-led BJP government in Madhya Pradesh has initiated a process to take a loan of another Rs 2,000 crore  the first such initiative for the new government.

The state finance department has already issued notification to take the loan through the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and the amount is expected to become available to the government by December 27.

However, with the fresh loan, the debt burden of the state government will increase to over Rs 3.5 lakh crore  a figure substantially higher than the annual budget for 2023-24, which stands at over 3.14 lakh crore.

Since January this year, the state government has taken loans of around Rs 39,500 crore  of which about 25,000 crore was taken during the current financial year. Since the debt burden of the government stood at around 3.32 lakh crore on March 31, 2023, the current debts have gone well over Rs 3.5 lakh crore and by the end of the financial year 2023-24 is expected to touch the 3.85 lakh crore mark.

This means that the per person debt burden in the state that currently stands at Rs 47,000, will go to around Rs 50,000 by end of financial year. The debt burden has almost doubled in the past five years as at the end of financial year 2017-18, it stood at Rs 1.94 lakh crore.

Congress has attacked the government over the financial situation. Leader of opposition Umang Singhar said on social media platform X, See the progress of the double engine government. (They have) put a debt of Rs 205 lakh crore on the country. The state debt has increased to Rs 3.50 lakh crore. Loan on every citizen of the country has gone up to Rs 1.40 lakh debt and that on every citizen of the state has increased to Rs 47,000. The debt figure is skyrocketing. The level of poverty in the country is increasing. The BJP sycophants should pay attention to these figures too.

Ladli Behna takes up Rs 1,600 crore pm

Cash-based welfare schemes are making a huge dent on state finances with the Ladli Behna  the ambitious scheme of Shivraj Singh Chouhan-led previous government alone taking up over Rs 1,600 crore per month. Under the scheme Rs 1,250 cash assistance per month is paid to around 1.31 crores women beneficiaries.

Under opposition attack over the future of the scheme, CM Mohan Yadav recently announced in the state assembly that none of the welfare schemes including the Ladli Behna will be discontinued. He said that the government has adequate funds for all such schemes.

Succor through central fund of Rs 5,727 crore

Meanwhile, a succor has come for the cash-strapped state government with the union finance ministry releasing an additional amount of Rs 5,727 crore to Madhya Pradesh on Friday.

Additional funds have been released to all the states, with the union ministry saying that the funds will help various social welfare measures and basic infrastructure development projects of the states in view of the upcoming festival season and New Year.

The funds were released even as the CM Yadav was in Delhi, where he met the Prime Minister Narendra Modi too.

Later, Yadav posted his gratitude on social media platform X, saying Moving forward rapidly on the path of development is the guarantee of respected

PM Narendra Modi ji. I express my heartfelt gratitude to the respected PM and union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman for this important decision. Certainly, this decision will give a new impetus to all-embracing, inclusive and universal development in Madhya  Pradesh and other states. 
On November 19, the second day of his governments ambitious 'Nava Kerala Sadas' programme, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had declared it a grand success. That outrageous statement was based on the response he got on the inaugural day from Kasaragod district, the most neglected district of the southern state.



Today, after thirty-six days, the "public outreach" programme concluded with the entire cabinet having visited all 140 constituencies. However, whether it truly achieved the status of a "grand success"as asserted by Vijayan in the early stages of the programremains a question that requires thorough analysis in the days and months ahead.

The purpose and the paradigm

An essential aspect of assessing the success of a political program involves examining it based on its primary objectives. What was the intended purpose of the Nava Kerala Sadas? On the inaugural day, November 18, the Chief Minister's office itself, through a press release, announced that the event was organized by the "state government" to "present the future development prospects as well as achievements of 'New Kerala' to the public and interact with the people." The release also mentioned a system for collecting grievances from the public at each venue of Nava Kerala Sadas. Three hours before the public event, officials would begin collecting grievances from the public, with a designed system for the swift resolution of these issues.

Interestingly, before the commencement of the Sadas, the narrative intentionally or unintentionally broadcasted to the public was that the event was primarily for collecting grievances from the public. So, there was an expectation among the public that, similar to the much-praised 'mass contact program' 'Jana Sambarka Paripadi' led by former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, Pinarayi cabinet ministers would personally collect grievances from the people. However, on the very first day, it became evident that Nava Kerala Sadas is not another mass contact programme in terms of acceptance of grievances.

The Chief Minister informed the media that the public only needed to submit their grievances to officials, who would then resolve them in a time-bound manner. The Chief Minister's discussions were restricted to "paura pramukhar (important personalities)" from the constituencies, who reportedly gave the pulse of each place and personally submitted the requirements of their areas.

From the experience of this reporter on visiting the Nava Kerala Sadas venues, a large section of those who submitted the grievances at the counters near public event venues of Nava Kerala Sadas, had requests and petitions for financial assistance. Many who had re-submitted their petitions at Nava Kerala Sadas in the hope of getting a solution at least this time.

When checked with an official from Thrissur about the significance of this process, given the existence of a grievance redressal system based on collectorates in the state, the official responded, "Here, all the petitions will be considered with VIP status!" However, it became evident that not all petitions can be treated equally or as VIP cases.

By the time Nava Kerala Sadas reached its halfway point, the government machinery had received more than 3 lakh petitions. It became clear at that point itself that the government machinery would struggle to address issues on such a large number of petitions within a short span of time.

Interestingly, even leaders within the LDF made the mistake of portraying Nava Kerala Sadas primarily as a platform for addressing grievances. This led Pinarayi Vijayan to emphatically emphasizeand even openly mock one of the LDF MPson multiple occasions that the Sadas was not intended for that purpose. Despite this clarification, cabinet ministers, especially Health Minister Veena George, shared numerous 'Nava Kerala impact' stories on social media, highlighting the government's swift actions in people's lives. While it could be acknowledged that cabinet ministers directly addressed specific human-interest cases, treating them as "VIP" cases during this event added to the confusion regarding the overall "purpose" of the programme.

Even the stated goal of "presenting the future development prospects as well as achievements of 'New Kerala'" took a backseat at the Nava Kerala Sadas venues. From Kasaragod to Thiruvananthapuram, at every stage, ministers and the chief minister launched scathing attacks on the Union government for its perceived "neglect" of Kerala and the financial distress faced by the state. This pattern and the identical content were repeated at every single venue.

During the Nava Kerala Sadas in Kuravilangad, Kottayam, the Chief Minister openly acknowledged for the first time that the state was heading towards an acute financial crisis. He stated, "Because of the retaliatory, unconstitutional, and illegal actions of the Union government, the state is facing significant trouble. If this continues, it will be disastrous."

Ironically, one of the main criticisms faced by the Pinarayi Vijayan government during the Nava Kerala Sadas was the perceived 'luxury' and excessive spending on an event that required substantial additional efforts in terms of manpower and resources to explain the government's current position during such a financially troubled phase. The Nava Kerala Bus, which reportedly cost Rs1.05 crore, became the focal point of discussions about the "luxury" associated with the Nava Kerala Sadas.

Controversies and conversations

Undoubtedly, the Nava Kerala Sadas was organized with the aim of generating goodwill for the Pinarayi government. However, it concludes in an atmosphere that prompts reflection on whether the Sadas did more harm than good to the government and the Chief Minister's image.

In all the venues, there was a noticeable abundance of "public participation." Nevertheless, there have been multiple controversies and complaints about the "forced participation" of MNREGA workers and even school students. Pinarayi Vijayan and his cabinet ministers criticized the Congress-led opposition for boycotting the Nava Kerala Sadas. However, the opposition's stance may be justified, considering that the Chief Minister and his cabinet expended more time and energy on attacking their political opponents than on elucidating or contemplating a future vision for Kerala during the Nava Kerala Sadas.

The manner in which the chief minister and the government apparatus chose to handle the opposition parties' black flag protestors garnered widespread criticism and sparked controversy. From the third day of Nava Kerala Sadas onward, protests involving black flags were organized against Pinarayi and his cabinet by the opposition.

The initial demonstration occurred as the Nava Kerala Bus and the cabinet were returning after Nava Kerala Sadas at Madayippara Palayam ground in Kannur. The video footage of DYFI activists using plant pots and sticks to attack Youth Congress members who participated in the black flag protests stirred strong public resentment.

But the controversy did not end there: Pinarayi Vijayan decided to defend the actions of his DYFI comrades. We saw what happened. A man was jumping in front of the bus. Some youth had pulled out this man to the side. It was to save that mans life! His decision not to condemn the DYFI activists act, instead label their manhandling as a life-saving act, undoubtedly triggered a slew of similar life-savings in the entire stretch of the Sadas.

During the Kochi segment of Nava Kerala Sadas, two Democratic Students Association (DSA) activists, Mohammed Haneen and Rijas, who took part in a protest and were assaulted by DYFI workers, found themselves facing charges filed by the Kerala Police. Allegedly, the police stood as passive observers during the assault on the duo. Interestingly, at the same venue on Kochi's Marine Drive, Rayees, a CPI(M) branch committee member from Thammanam, also experienced an assault by party cadres, along with other protestors who were beaten by the DYFI.

In Alappuzha, when the black flag incidents occurred, CM's gunman Anil Kumar stepped out of the escort vehicle and struck protesting Youth Congress and Kerala Students Union (KSU) activists. He also seized a newspaper photographer in Idukki by the scruff of his neck. Anil Kumar apparently violated multiple rules with these actions, including the one stating that policemen should not resort to baton charges unless they are in uniform. However, the CM not only chose to shield this 1993 batch policeman, who became his gunman in 2001, but also defended the officer's actions, stating that he acted based on the brief to ensure the chief minister's safety during public events.

The CM also made an absurd statement, claiming he never witnessed his gunman assaulting anyone during Nava Kerala Sadas events, despite ample video recordings documenting the violence and violations. "Once, I noticed Anil pushing a photographer back as he was blocking my way. A gunman is obliged to ensure the CM's security," explained the CM regarding the Idukki incident.

However, the Chief Judicial Court in Alappuzha, while hearing a petition filed by Youth Congress workers, ordered the police to file a First Information Report against the Chief Minister's security detail, including gunman Anil and security personnel Sandeep.

The Congress initiated a series of statewide protests targeting the ruling front and the violent incidents that unfolded during the Nava Kerala Sadas program. On December 20, the Youth Congress march towards the Kerala Secretariat turned chaotic, resulting in violence, with the attire of a female leader torn during a confrontation with the police. Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) President K. Sudhakaran, alongside several other Congress leaders, ended up in the hospital after the State police used tear gas shells and water cannons against Congress protesters marching to the police headquarters in Thiruvananthapuram on December 23.

The Congress demonstration, intended to condemn police excesses against its workers during the Nava Kerala Sadas outreach programne, spiralled into chaos shortly after Sudhakaran concluded his speech. The KPCC president criticized the police action as arbitrary and unjustifiable, asserting that tear gas shells were fired at party leaders leading the march without any provocation.

A significant portion of the media community also openly criticized the government when a female journalist, who reported on the black flag protest and shoe-throwing by KSU activists against the Nava Kerala Sadas bus, was accused as a co-conspirator in the shoe-throwing incident. The Chief Minister once again defended the police, stating that he would not reconsider the conspiracy charge against the journalist.

"I have full confidence in what the police have done. There are individuals among you capable of conspiring," the CM told media persons during a press conference this morning. Interestingly, even on the final day of Nava Kerala Sadas, the discussions are more focused on the controversies sparked by the event rather than addressing some of the serious issues it raised, including the state's financial distress.

Idolisation and ideological decay

There was no shortage of praise for the chief minister on Nava Kerala Sadas stages, showcasing Pinarayi's cult of personality in full swing at the event venues. When the controversy regarding the "luxury Benz bus" emerged in the initial stage of the Sadas, CPI(M) central committee member A.K. Balan commented that the bus would gain historical significance because the CM and his ministers were travelling in it.

He suggested that if kept in a museum, countless people would buy tickets just to have a passing look at the grand bus with its 'historical' significance. Although the CM publicly criticized senior leader and former health minister K.K. Shailaja for an extended welcome address during the Nava Kerala Sadas in her constituency Mattannur, no one from the CPI(M) openly dared to side with Shailaja.

Since that incident, ministers and LDF MLAs have become extra cautious not to upset the CM with their long speeches. During the Nava Kerala Sadas in Vypin, Kochi, the chief minister arrived while State Excise Minister M.B. Rajesh's speech against the Union government was in progress. Upon the CM's entrance on stage, Rajesh paused his speech, anticipating a signal. Once he received the 'go-ahead,' he resumed his address, prefacing it with a remark: "The honorable chief minister has granted me permission to continue my speech...so I am proceeding. If I don't mention this, you [the audience] might think about the appropriateness of continuing my speech with the CM present."

In Varkala, Thiruvananthapuram, a quirkier incident unfolded when the state Cooperation and Registration minister V.N. Vasavan referred to the Communist chief minister as a "gift of God" to Kerala. He expressed, "It is Pinarayi who protected Kerala during the floods and Covid. Opposition leaders cant do anything against him. People in Kerala will line up to protect Pinarayi," during his speech. However, CPI(M) state secretary M.V. Govindan declined to endorse Vasavans proclamation, stating, The communist party does not worship individuals, when questioned about Vasavans statement. Nevertheless, it remains evident that a personality cult exists within the CPI(M), and this is readily apparent to the outside world!
Reacting to the incident regarding the death of three civilians at the site of an anti-militancy operation in Poonch following the killing of five soldiers in a terrorist attack on Thursday, the Army has said it stands committed to extending full cooperation to the investigations.

Reports have been received regarding three civilian deaths in the area. The matter is under investigation. Indian Army stands committed to extending full support and cooperation in the conduct of investigations, a statement issued by ADG Pi read.

Three civilians identified as Safeer Hussain, 43, Mohammad Showket, 27, and Mohammad Shabir 32, residents of village Topi, were found dead under suspicious circumstances near the site of an ambush by terrorists at Dera Ki Gali in Surankote tehsil of Poonch district on Thursday.

The J&K government has announced the initiation of legal action regarding the deaths of civilians and also pledged compensation and jobs for the families of the deceased.

The Information and Public Relations Office of J&K in a post on X, said, The death of three civilians was reported yesterday in Baffliaz of Poonch District. Medico-legal formalities were conducted, and appropriate legal action has been initiated. The government announced compensation and compassionate appointments for each deceased. Additionally, security forces launched a massive cordon-and-search operation in the area following the attack.

Political parties in Jammu and Kashmir have alleged that the three men found dead were among those detained by the Army for questioning in connection with the previous day's attack that claimed four soldiers' lives and injured two.

The National Conference (NC) has demanded an inquiry into the civilian deaths. NC general secretary Ali Mohammad Sagar condemned the killing of both soldiers and innocent civilians, calling for an inquiry into the deaths alongside the NIA inquiry.

Former chief minister and president of the Peoples Democratic Party, Mehbooba Mufti expressed grave concern over the situation in Rajouri and Poonch. She demanded a thorough investigation into the civilian killings during Army operation while highlighting signs of torture on their bodies. She criticized the authorities' silence and claimed that normalcy amid such brutality is unimaginable.

Mufti mentioned that of the 15 individuals detained from Topa village, three were found dead and others hospitalised with alleged signs of mistreatment.

She criticised the BJP's 'Naya Kashmir' slogan, stating that even the Army doesn't feel safe in this version of Kashmir. Blaming the central government and state administration, Mufti voiced concern over the escalating situation, citing distressing incidents and restrictions on freedom of expression. She highlighted a pattern of suppressing dissent and challenged the BJP's claims of normalcy.

Referring to past incidents like the Amshipora case, Mufti questioned the integrity of the justice system and urged an immediate probe into the Poonch incident. She demanded compensation for the victims' families and emphasised the need for accountability, and swift action against those responsible.

Meanwhile, the search operation is going on in the area to track down terrorists behind the ambush. A aerial monitoring of the area is also being conducted with helicopters.

The Army has also pressed into service sniffer dogs to trace the perpetrators of the attack.

Meanwhile, the mobile telephone network was suspended in Poonch given the tensions in the area following the death of the three civilians.
Ahead of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) aid vote, Israel signals broadening of ground offensive in Gaza. Israeli military on Friday ordered residents of Al-Bureij, in central Gaza, to move south immediately, indicating another phase of the ground assault.

With Qatars hostage negotiations not finding any fruitful results, the situation has become more concerning. According to the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, a US national, who also held an Israeli citizenship, has died in the captivity in the Gaza Strip.

Gadi Haggai, 73, along with his wife was shot and captured during the October 7 attacks. According to the Forum, Hamas still holds his body. Haggai was among the 240 hostages captured by Hamas. About 129 people are still held as hostages by Hamas in Gaza, said the Forum.

The forum also added that there are 5 to 10 hostages that hold US citizenship.

Earlier, amid the war intensifying, Hamas had warned that the "time is running out " for the hostages. Israeli government said that 22 people are dead among those in captivity.

Meanwhile, the UNSC is expected to vote on a resolution to increase humanitarian aid amid famine threat looms in the war-torn Gaza. US has declared it is ready to support the resolution intended to boost the flow of humantiarian supplies into Gaza after a week of negotiations and substantial amendments, including the removal of a call for an urgent suspension of hostilities.

However, amid intensified Yemen's Houthi attack in the Red Sea, the US is assembling a multinational naval coalition to help safeguard commercial traffic from attacks.

According to Gaza Health Ministry, over 20,000 people have been killed in the war. Gazas Hamas-run health ministry said on Friday that it has documented 20,057 deaths in the fighting. Nearly 400 Palestinians killed in the last 48 hours, said Hamas.

Palestinian Red Crescent says Israel troops are holding eight of its medical staff who were arrested during an overnight raid in the Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza.
Indian embassy authorities have reached France's Vatry airport and India has been granted consular access to 300 Indian passengers onboard a Nicaragua-bound plane that was grounded for suspected 'human trafficking'.

The A340 operated by Legend Airlines, a Romanian company, was grounded on the tarmac at Vatry airport after it landed for refuelling on Friday night. An anonymous tip signalled that the flight, from the United Arab Emirates, was carrying people who could be victims of human trafficking.

Passengers, who were made to wait in the aircraft for a while, were eventually transferred into the main hall of the Vatry airport, where beds were set up for them to stay overnight. The French organised crime unit and the border police are working on the case. According to a report by AFP, authorities suspect the passengers might have planned to travel to Central America to attempt an illegal entry into the United States or Canada. Special investigators are checking in what conditions the passengers were being transported and the purpose of the journey, a report by Le Monde stated.

Liliana Bakayoko, who said she was a lawyer for the airline, told AFP the company believed it had done nothing wrong, had committed no offense "and is at the disposal of the French authorities".

We are investigating the situation, and also ensuring the well-being of passengers, an X post by the Indian High Commission in France said.

-more details awaited
A day after United Nations Security Council (UNSC) passed the resolution to allow Gaza aid, UN chief said that Israel's ground offensive is creating "massive obstacles" to the aid operations.

UN said that the aid available is just 10 percent of what is needed. According to Israel, 5,405 aid trucks- bearing food, water and medical supplies- have entered Gaza since the war started.

Presently, aid trucks are entering through two crossings, Rafah on the border with Egypt and Kerem Shalom on the border with Israel. However, both the crossing remained closed on Saturday due to a mutual agreement.

Hamas has issued a statement saying that they have lost contact with the group responsible for five Israeli hostages being held in Gaza Strip.

The group believes the hostages were killed during an Israeli raid, Abu Ubaida, the spokesman of Hamas armed wing Izz el-Deen al-Qassam Brigades was quoted as saying.

Israeli strikes kills over 90 Palestinians in two families

Amid the intensifying attacks, over 90 Palestinians of two families were killed in Israeli airstrikes. On Friday, airstrikes flattened two homes, one in Gaza City and the other in the urban refugee camp of Nuseirat in the center of the territory.

The Gaza City strike killed 76 people from the al-Mughrabi family, making it one of the deadliest of the war, said Mahmoud Bassal, a spokesman for Gaza's Civil Defence department.

He provided the names of 16 heads of households within the family, and said the dead included women and children.

According to Gaza Health Ministry, over 20,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israels war to destroy Hamas.

Meanwhile, the Israeli army said over 700 people with alleged ties to the militant groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad have so far been sent to Israeli lockups.

Israel has said it has arrested 200 members of the Hamas and Islamic Jihad groups in the past week and taken them into into its territory for questioning.

Israel also said that it has killed thousands of Hamas militants, including about 2,000 in the past three weeks. It says 139 of its soldiers have been killed in the ground offensive.

Meanwhile, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi has slammed the inefficacy of international bodies to halt the Israel-Gaza war.

Iran has called the vote "positive but insufficient". Raisi was talking during the Tehran conference.
The Indian consulate in San Francisco has strongly condemned the attack on the Hindu temple at Newark on Saturday. The Consulate urged US authorities to take prompt action against the vandalism.



The Shri Swaminarayan Mandir at Newark, California was defaced with anti-India and pro-Khalistani graffiti during the early hours of Saturday. The name of Khalistani militant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale was also written on the walls of the temple. We strongly condemn the defacing of SMVS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir at Newark, California with anti-India graffiti. This incident has hurt the sentiments of the Indian community. We have pressed for quick investigation and prompt action against the vandals by the US authorities in this matter. @IndianEmbassyUS @MEAIndia @PIB_India, Indian Consulate in San Francisco tweeted.

Miscreants defaced a Hindu temple in the United States with pro-Khalistan and anti-Modi slogans on Saturday. The Hindu American Association in the country have urged law authorities to take stringent action and investigate the matter as a hate crime. The mention of the Khalistan terrorist kingpin #Bhindranwale, who targeted Hindus for murder, is specifically meant to traumatize temple goers and create a fear of violencemeeting the CA definition of a hate crime, the association tweeted.
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Today

Cloudy skies early, then partly cloudy this afternoon. High around 45F. Winds WSW at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies. Low 32F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph.




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PhenixFIN (PFX) came out with quarterly earnings of $0.90 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.78 per share. This compares to earnings of $0.82 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring items.

This quarterly report represents an earnings surprise of 15.38%. A quarter ago, it was expected that this investment firm would post earnings of $0.78 per share when it actually produced earnings of $0.58, delivering a surprise of -25.64%.

Over the last four quarters, the company has surpassed consensus EPS estimates three times.

PhenixFIN , which belongs to the Zacks Financial - SBIC & Commercial Industry industry, posted revenues of $5.68 million for the quarter ended September 2023, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 13.56%. This compares to year-ago revenues of $5.1 million. The company has topped consensus revenue estimates three times over the last four quarters.

The sustainability of the stock's immediate price movement based on the recently-released numbers and future earnings expectations will mostly depend on management's commentary on the earnings call.

PhenixFIN shares have added about 23.2% since the beginning of the year versus the S&P 500's gain of 23.6%.

What's Next for PhenixFIN?

While PhenixFIN has underperformed the market so far this year, the question that comes to investors' minds is: what's next for the stock?

There are no easy answers to this key question, but one reliable measure that can help investors address this is the company's earnings outlook. Not only does this include current consensus earnings expectations for the coming quarter(s), but also how these expectations have changed lately.

Empirical research shows a strong correlation between near-term stock movements and trends in earnings estimate revisions. Investors can track such revisions by themselves or rely on a tried-and-tested rating tool like the Zacks Rank, which has an impressive track record of harnessing the power of earnings estimate revisions.

Story continues

Ahead of this earnings release, the estimate revisions trend for PhenixFIN: mixed. While the magnitude and direction of estimate revisions could change following the company's just-released earnings report, the current status translates into a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) for the stock. So, the shares are expected to perform in line with the market in the near future. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

It will be interesting to see how estimates for the coming quarters and current fiscal year change in the days ahead. The current consensus EPS estimate is $0.85 on $5.15 million in revenues for the coming quarter and $3.46 on $20.62 million in revenues for the current fiscal year.

Investors should be mindful of the fact that the outlook for the industry can have a material impact on the performance of the stock as well. In terms of the Zacks Industry Rank, Financial - SBIC & Commercial Industry is currently in the top 8% of the 250 plus Zacks industries. Our research shows that the top 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries outperform the bottom 50% by a factor of more than 2 to 1.

Saratoga Investment (SAR), another stock in the same industry, has yet to report results for the quarter ended November 2023.

This business development company is expected to post quarterly earnings of $1.06 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of +37.7%. The consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has remained unchanged over the last 30 days.

Saratoga Investment's revenues are expected to be $36.11 million, up 37.5% from the year-ago quarter.

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Two Israeli doctors who treated released hostages and an IDF official familiar with the issue told USA Today that many of the released female hostages aged 12 to 48 were assaulted by Hamas in Gaza.

One doctor said that many of the freed hostages showed signs of PTSD and came to us as patients with the trauma of those who witnessed very severe assaults.

The IDF official said that we know they were raped in Hamas captivity.

In mid-December, 33 American senators wrote a letter to U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres demanding that the UN launch an investigation into Hamas use of assault on Oct. 7.

(YWN Israel Desk  Jerusalem)




The IDF and Shin Bet announced on Motzei Shabbos in a joint statement that the IDF eliminated senior Hamas official Hassan Atrash in an airstrike in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip on Friday.

Atrash was Hamas chief arms supplier  he was responsible for the trade, production, and supply of the terrorist organizations military with weapons.

He also took part in smuggling weapons from different countries to the Gaza Strip and more recently was involved in smuggling weapons to Yehudah and Shomron.

(YWN Israel Desk  Jerusalem)




The IDF has released video footage captured from a body camera worn by a Hamas terrorist who had planned an attack on Israeli military engineering vehicles in the Gaza Strip. The video shows the moment when the operative was engaged and killed by IDF troops.

According to the IDF, the incident occurred in the Khan Younis area, where troops from the elite Egoz unit spotted the gunman approaching their position and subsequently opened fire in response to the threat.

Following the confrontation, a search of the area led to the discovery of the body of the terrorist operative, along with a GoPro camera that had recorded the encounter.

(YWN World Headquarters  NYC)
Global investment fund Nutshell Growth has enjoyed a reasonable start to life since its launch during lockdown in May 2020, generating an overall return of 24 per cent.

But it hasnt been easy with its share price falling sharply in the wake of the financial crisis in November 2022, before bouncing back strongly this year.

The fund remains a minnow with assets under its belt of a tad over 20million, but it has the backing of British billionaire Lord Spencer who is an investor in both the fund and Nutshell Asset Management, the investment company that runs it.

Earlier this month, Spencer confidently predicted that Nutshell Growth would reap investors 2024 returns superior to those registered by Fundsmith Equity, a 23billion global fund that has delivered annual returns since launch in November 2010 of 15.1 per cent.

The Fundsmith fund is managed by Terry Smith  like Michael Spencer, a City icon.

Putting his money where his mouth is, Spencer said he would donate 10,000 to a charity of The Mail on Sundays choice if Nutshell Growth triumphed next year.

Mark Ellis, the funds investment manager, is not fazed about the challenge put down by Spencer. Competition is good, he says.

The PR is good and its great that Michael likes the investment process that underpins the fund I run.

Ellis, who spent more than 25 years in the City as a trader before setting up Nutshell Asset Management in 2019, is an individual who loves nothing more than analysing companies and poring over spreadsheets.

He is meticulous in his investment approach, assessing 600 companies on more than 30 different factors, using data going back 20 years. They are drawn from all corners of the world, although most are listed in the United States.

Currently, 37 businesses make it into the fund  familiar names such as US giant Alphabet (owner of Google) and more unfamiliar brands such as French healthcare specialist Equasens.

Ellis uses artificial intelligence to do a lot of the number crunching, for example analysing companies profit margins, the ability of listed businesses to preserve shareholder capital in downturns, and how share prices respond to either directors dealings or reported results.

He is also happy to bank some profit on individual stocks when their share prices rally  and recalibrates the portfolio twice a month to ensure it is in line with the target stakes he has set. He refers to this as agile rebalancing.

Every stock has to constantly justify its place in the fund, he adds.

He also employs AI to assess how bullish and bearish chief executives are about their businesses in calls to analysts and investors.

A lot of the work I do is analytical, says Ellis.

What I am trying to create is an edge. Yes, I could just hold the companies I like and run with them, but I want to deliver a little extra on top for investors.

Like Spencer, Ellis is a substantial investor in the fund and owns two thirds of Nutshell Asset Management which has around 33million of assets under its wing. I love my job, he says. All my familys investments are tied up in the fund.

The fund will not touch tobacco stocks. All my mothers family were smokers and they died in their 60s. So, tobacco companies are a no go as far as I am concerned. Also, the companies are always vulnerable to fines and litigation, he says.

Fund charges are on the high side at 1.89 per cent  a result of its small size.

jeff.prestridge@mailonsunday.co.uk
Human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell has spent most of his life struggling to make ends meet while living with death threats and violence as a result of his work.

The 71-year-old, who has spent his career campaigning for social justice, equality and the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT+) people in the UK, only recently started saving into a pension and spent 40 years of his life living in a one-bedroom council flat with an income of 6,000 a year.

He tells Donna Ferguson that when he could not afford to heat his home, he used to wear three sweaters, two pairs of trousers and a woolly hat indoors.

Mistake: Peter Tatchell could have purchased a flat in London during the 1970s for 4,000

However, he says the emotional and psychological rewards of his human rights work have far outweighed any physical deprivations he has suffered.

He is now director of the Peter Tatchell Foundation which campaigns for victims of inequality and discrimination in the UK and around the world.

What did your parents teach you about money?

To always save for a rainy day. I grew up in Melbourne, Australia, and my family was very poor. Although my father had a fairly good job, working as a fitter and turner on heavy machinery in an engineering factory, my mother had acute life-threatening asthma attacks. So a lot of the family income went on doctors and medical bills. In comparison to most working-class people, we were at the bottom of the heap.

I remember coming home from school, going to the cupboards and finding there wasnt much food. Sometimes all I could find was a packet of dried sultanas.

Other kids got bikes for their birthdays. I got an old dinky toy car. I wore secondhand clothes and everything we had was either repaired or renovated. From the age of seven, I did odd jobs to earn pocket money, such as delivering supermarket leaflets door-to-door.

I came to England in 1971, when I was 19, because I was opposed to Australias involvement in the Vietnam War and the draft. If Id stayed in Australia and refused to register for conscription, I would have faced two years imprisonment.

Have you ever struggled to make ends meet?

Yes. For almost 40 years, I worked unpaid for human rights. For most of my adult life, I earned an average of about 6,000 a year doing bits of part-time freelance research and journalism alongside my unpaid human rights work.

It was tough, living on such a small income. I couldnt afford to turn on the central heating. Instead, Id wear three sweaters, two pairs of trousers and a woolly hat indoors, to keep warm.

Initially I lived in a bedsit and then a succession of shared houses all over London. I always tried to buy reduced price food at the supermarket and I rarely had money to eat out, go to the cinema or the theatre.

But I tried to keep focused on my commitment to social justice and equality. While the physical deprivations were difficult, the emotional and psychological rewards of my human rights work far outweighed any hardship that I endured.

I was driven by my passion for my campaigning and the many successes I helped to secure.

This included helping to end the psychiatric professions designation of homosexuality as an illness and police harassment of the LGBT+ community, plus collaborating with others to secure government funding for the fight against HIV and AIDS. That was very motivating.

Have you ever been paid silly money?

I once got paid 1,000 for giving an hour-long human rights talk to a major corporation. Of course, I would have done it for nothing.

The best financial year of your life?

In 2020, I moved in with my partner, a graphic designer, and for the first time in about three decades, I started sharing my living costs. We each almost halved our individual outlay.

On a mission: Peter protests against Zimbabwes Robert Mugabe in 2003

For police security reasons, I have to be extremely secretive about where we live and who my partner is, because Im under constant death threats and plots to kill me, and hes at risk as well.

Personally, Ive been subjected to more than 300 violent assaults, plus there have been 50 attacks on my home: mostly bottles and bricks through the windows, but also three arson attempts and even a bullet through the letterbox.

What is the most expensive thing you bought for fun?

An around-the-world air ticket for 1,080 in 1977, when I was 25.

It enabled me to travel 29,000 miles on any airline to any country. Over the course of a year, I went from the UK to the US, Hawaii, Fiji, the Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Australia, Mauritius, South Africa, Malawi, Tanzania, the Seychelles, Kenya and then back to the UK.

I left with 800 in my pocket and had 3 left when I landed back at Heathrow. I did a few odd jobs but I never paid for a single nights accommodation. It wasnt my original intention, but I ended up sleeping in trees, on beaches, in cemeteries, bus stations and churchyards. Sometimes I lived on the beach and ate wild fruit and fish from the sea.

It reinforced my resourcefulness and resilience, which I had developed during my childhood. With my mother being so sick and bedridden or in hospital for much of my childhood, I had to bring up my three younger siblings. I was effectively their surrogate mother.

What is your biggest money mistake?

Not buying an old Victorian four-bedroom flat near Borough Market in London in the 1970s for 4,000 when I had the chance, because I thought that owning property was bourgeois.

I think that flat would be worth 2.5million now. Its one of the biggest regrets of my life. I lived in a very cramped one-bedroom council flat for 42 years.

Do you save into a pension or invest in the stock market?

Im employed as the CEO of the Peter Tatchell Foundation, a charity that campaigns for human rights in the UK and supports human rights campaigners abroad, and so I save through my workplace pension scheme. I dont invest in the stock market outside my pension. Im 71 now and I started saving into my pension just a few years ago, but Im not too worried about whether I will have enough to live on in retirement.

Im not materialistic or consumerist. Instead, Im quite frugal and can get by pretty much on the basics. So I could probably survive on the state pension if necessary.

If you were Chancellor what would you do?

Id impose a one per cent annual wealth tax on the 1,000 richest Britons. That would raise 8.5 billion every year for the NHS and for social care. The very rich would not lose anything, because their wealth is growing at an average rate of five to ten per cent a year.

Do you donate money to charity?

Yes. I mostly donate to human rights causes and help their fundraising appeals. So for example, Ive done quite a lot with Ukraine Solidarity, to replace ambulances and medical equipment that have been destroyed by Russian bombing.

What is your number one financial priority?

To have enough financial resources to look after myself when Im very old and may need ongoing support. I wouldnt want to be a financial burden on my partner or other friends and family.

Peter Tatchell is the subject of a Netflix documentary, Hating Peter Tatchell, about his 56 years as a human rights campaigner.
Benchmark Financial Wealth Advisors LLC decreased its holdings in shares of Waste Management, Inc. (NYSE:WM  Free Report) by 5.7% during the third quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 2,369 shares of the business services providers stock after selling 144 shares during the quarter. Benchmark Financial Wealth Advisors LLCs holdings in Waste Management were worth $361,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of the company. Acadian Asset Management LLC increased its holdings in shares of Waste Management by 534.5% in the first quarter. Acadian Asset Management LLC now owns 3,344 shares of the business services providers stock worth $530,000 after purchasing an additional 2,817 shares during the period. Blair William & Co. IL increased its holdings in shares of Waste Management by 0.7% in the first quarter. Blair William & Co. IL now owns 53,067 shares of the business services providers stock worth $8,411,000 after purchasing an additional 370 shares during the period. Baird Financial Group Inc. increased its holdings in shares of Waste Management by 0.6% in the first quarter. Baird Financial Group Inc. now owns 358,624 shares of the business services providers stock worth $56,842,000 after purchasing an additional 2,309 shares during the period. Covestor Ltd increased its holdings in shares of Waste Management by 83.8% in the first quarter. Covestor Ltd now owns 680 shares of the business services providers stock worth $108,000 after purchasing an additional 310 shares during the period. Finally, NewEdge Advisors LLC increased its holdings in shares of Waste Management by 44.8% in the first quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC now owns 33,030 shares of the business services providers stock worth $5,234,000 after purchasing an additional 10,212 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 78.34% of the companys stock.

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In related news, CEO James C. Fish, Jr. sold 9,550 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, December 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $177.00, for a total value of $1,690,350.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 162,388 shares of the companys stock, valued at $28,742,676. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. In related news, CEO James C. Fish, Jr. sold 9,550 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, December 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $177.00, for a total value of $1,690,350.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 162,388 shares of the companys stock, valued at $28,742,676. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. Also, VP Michael J. Watson sold 14,288 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, November 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of $170.44, for a total transaction of $2,435,246.72. Following the completion of the transaction, the vice president now directly owns 41,428 shares of the companys stock, valued at $7,060,988.32. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last ninety days, insiders sold 43,598 shares of company stock worth $7,517,269. Company insiders own 0.27% of the companys stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of research analysts recently commented on the company. BMO Capital Markets increased their target price on Waste Management from $160.00 to $163.00 and gave the company a market perform rating in a research note on Thursday, October 26th. Oppenheimer increased their target price on Waste Management from $181.00 to $182.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research note on Monday, October 16th. UBS Group raised Waste Management from a neutral rating to a buy rating and increased their target price for the company from $170.00 to $190.00 in a research note on Monday, October 23rd. Royal Bank of Canada increased their target price on Waste Management from $160.00 to $163.00 and gave the company a sector perform rating in a research note on Thursday, October 26th. Finally, Wolfe Research assumed coverage on Waste Management in a research note on Tuesday, October 17th. They issued a peer perform rating on the stock. Six analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and nine have given a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $179.93.

Read Our Latest Stock Report on Waste Management

Waste Management Stock Performance

NYSE WM opened at $176.81 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.80, a current ratio of 0.84 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.17. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $168.61 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $164.31. The firm has a market cap of $71.21 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 31.29, a PEG ratio of 2.94 and a beta of 0.70. Waste Management, Inc. has a 12-month low of $148.31 and a 12-month high of $179.50.

Waste Management (NYSE:WM  Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Tuesday, October 24th. The business services provider reported $1.63 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $1.61 by $0.02. The company had revenue of $5.20 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $5.27 billion. Waste Management had a net margin of 11.47% and a return on equity of 34.14%. Waste Managements revenue for the quarter was up 2.4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $1.56 earnings per share. On average, equities analysts forecast that Waste Management, Inc. will post 5.97 EPS for the current year.

Waste Management Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, December 15th. Stockholders of record on Friday, December 1st were issued a dividend of $0.70 per share. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, November 30th. This represents a $2.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.58%. Waste Managements dividend payout ratio is currently 49.56%.

Waste Management Profile

(Free Report)

Waste Management, Inc, through its subsidiaries, engages in the provision of environmental solutions to residential, commercial, industrial, and municipal customers in the United States and Canada. It offers collection services, including picking up and transporting waste and recyclable materials from where it was generated to a transfer station, material recovery facility (MRF), or disposal site; and owns and operates transfer stations, as well as owns, develops, and operates landfill facilities that produce landfill gas used as renewable natural gas for generating electricity.

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Ativo Capital Management LLC grew its stake in shares of Novo Nordisk A/S (NYSE:NVO  Free Report) by 97.5% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 15,729 shares of the companys stock after purchasing an additional 7,763 shares during the period. Novo Nordisk A/S makes up about 1.6% of Ativo Capital Management LLCs holdings, making the stock its 15th largest position. Ativo Capital Management LLCs holdings in Novo Nordisk A/S were worth $1,430,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Several other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in NVO. Ritter Daniher Financial Advisory LLC DE purchased a new stake in shares of Novo Nordisk A/S during the 1st quarter worth $28,000. Stone House Investment Management LLC boosted its position in shares of Novo Nordisk A/S by 55.3% during the 2nd quarter. Stone House Investment Management LLC now owns 177 shares of the companys stock worth $29,000 after purchasing an additional 63 shares in the last quarter. Cornerstone Planning Group LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Novo Nordisk A/S during the 2nd quarter worth $29,000. Lee Financial Co purchased a new stake in shares of Novo Nordisk A/S during the 2nd quarter worth $32,000. Finally, Tower Research Capital LLC TRC boosted its position in shares of Novo Nordisk A/S by 165.3% in the 1st quarter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC now owns 199 shares of the companys stock worth $32,000 after buying an additional 124 shares in the last quarter. 6.41% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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Novo Nordisk A/S Stock Up 2.1 %

Shares of NYSE NVO opened at $103.48 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.21, a current ratio of 0.82 and a quick ratio of 0.65. The company has a market capitalization of $464.37 billion, a PE ratio of 42.94, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.40 and a beta of 0.40. The firms 50-day moving average is $99.59 and its two-hundred day moving average is $67.77. Novo Nordisk A/S has a 12-month low of $65.05 and a 12-month high of $105.69.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Novo Nordisk A/S ( NYSE:NVO Get Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, November 2nd. The company reported $0.73 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.69 by $0.04. The business had revenue of $8.58 billion for the quarter. Novo Nordisk A/S had a net margin of 35.20% and a return on equity of 86.53%. Equities analysts anticipate that Novo Nordisk A/S will post 2.62 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Several research firms have weighed in on NVO. StockNews.com upgraded shares of Novo Nordisk A/S from a buy rating to a strong-buy rating in a report on Monday, October 16th. Cantor Fitzgerald reaffirmed an overweight rating on shares of Novo Nordisk A/S in a report on Monday. TD Cowen upped their price target on shares of Novo Nordisk A/S from $105.00 to $115.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a report on Monday, December 4th. Finally, Argus initiated coverage on shares of Novo Nordisk A/S in a report on Monday, October 2nd. They issued a buy rating and a $110.00 price target on the stock. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating, five have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of Buy and an average price target of $115.00.

Read Our Latest Report on NVO

Novo Nordisk A/S Profile

(Free Report)

Novo Nordisk A/S, a healthcare company, engages in the research, development, manufacture, and marketing of pharmaceutical products worldwide. It operates in two segments, Diabetes and Obesity care, and Rare Disease. The Diabetes and Obesity care segment provides products in the areas of insulins, GLP-1 and related delivery systems, oral antidiabetic products, obesity, glucagon, needles, and other chronic diseases.

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Western Forest Products (TSE:WEF  Free Report) had its price objective trimmed by Royal Bank of Canada from C$1.00 to C$0.80 in a research report released on Tuesday, BayStreet.CA reports. The firm currently has a sector perform rating on the stock.

WEF has been the subject of several other reports. Raymond James dropped their target price on Western Forest Products from C$0.85 to C$0.75 and set a market perform rating for the company in a research report on Friday, October 20th. TD Securities lowered their price objective on Western Forest Products from C$0.85 to C$0.80 and set a hold rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, November 9th. Finally, CIBC lowered their target price on Western Forest Products from C$1.00 to C$0.85 and set a neutral rating for the company in a report on Friday, November 10th.

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Western Forest Products Price Performance

Shares of WEF stock opened at C$0.74 on Tuesday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.73, a current ratio of 3.05 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 14.39. The company has a market cap of C$234.40 million, a P/E ratio of -3.22, a P/E/G ratio of 0.32 and a beta of 1.80. Western Forest Products has a twelve month low of C$0.63 and a twelve month high of C$1.45. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of C$0.71 and a 200 day simple moving average of C$0.88.

Western Forest Products (TSE:WEF  Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Tuesday, November 7th. The company reported C($0.05) EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of C($0.07) by C$0.02. The firm had revenue of C$231.10 million during the quarter. Western Forest Products had a negative return on equity of 12.21% and a negative net margin of 7.13%. On average, sell-side analysts forecast that Western Forest Products will post 0.004992 EPS for the current fiscal year.

About Western Forest Products

(Get Free Report)

Western Forest Products Inc operates as an integrated forest products company in Canada, the United States, Japan, China, Europe, and internationally. The company is involved in the timber harvesting, sawmilling logs into specialty lumber, value-added lumber and glulam remanufacturing, and wholesaling purchased lumber activities.

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HSBC cut shares of Banco Santander-Chile (NYSE:BSAC  Free Report) from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report published on Tuesday morning, MarketBeat.com reports.

A number of other research analysts have also issued reports on BSAC. StockNews.com lowered shares of Banco Santander-Chile from a hold rating to a sell rating in a research note on Thursday, November 9th. Jefferies Financial Group initiated coverage on shares of Banco Santander-Chile in a research note on Monday, October 16th. They set a hold rating and a $18.90 target price for the company. Finally, Bank of America raised shares of Banco Santander-Chile from an underperform rating to a buy rating and reduced their target price for the company from $22.00 to $20.00 in a research note on Thursday, November 2nd. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, three have given a hold rating and one has issued a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Banco Santander-Chile presently has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $19.97.

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Read Our Latest Research Report on BSAC

Banco Santander-Chile Trading Up 0.2 %

NYSE BSAC opened at $19.33 on Tuesday. Banco Santander-Chile has a one year low of $15.11 and a one year high of $21.81. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $18.63 and a 200-day simple moving average of $18.87. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 4.07, a quick ratio of 1.94 and a current ratio of 1.94. The firm has a market capitalization of $9.11 billion, a PE ratio of 17.73, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 8.14 and a beta of 0.79.

Banco Santander-Chile (NYSE:BSAC  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, October 31st. The bank reported $0.14 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.32 by ($0.18). Banco Santander-Chile had a net margin of 8.74% and a return on equity of 9.72%. The business had revenue of $477.27 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $505.41 million. On average, equities analysts forecast that Banco Santander-Chile will post 1.21 earnings per share for the current year.

Institutional Trading of Banco Santander-Chile

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC raised its holdings in shares of Banco Santander-Chile by 1.2% in the 2nd quarter. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC now owns 3,154,396 shares of the banks stock worth $59,460,000 after purchasing an additional 37,700 shares in the last quarter. Nomura Asset Management Co. Ltd. raised its holdings in shares of Banco Santander-Chile by 37.2% in the 1st quarter. Nomura Asset Management Co. Ltd. now owns 21,400 shares of the banks stock worth $382,000 after purchasing an additional 5,800 shares in the last quarter. Itau Unibanco Holding S.A. bought a new stake in shares of Banco Santander-Chile in the 1st quarter worth approximately $2,019,000. Sei Investments Co. raised its holdings in shares of Banco Santander-Chile by 0.8% in the 2nd quarter. Sei Investments Co. now owns 260,262 shares of the banks stock worth $4,906,000 after purchasing an additional 1,979 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Quadrant Capital Group LLC raised its holdings in shares of Banco Santander-Chile by 8.5% in the 2nd quarter. Quadrant Capital Group LLC now owns 6,746 shares of the banks stock worth $127,000 after purchasing an additional 531 shares in the last quarter. 8.74% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Banco Santander-Chile Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Banco Santander-Chile, together with its subsidiaries, provides commercial and retail banking products and services in Chile. It operates through Retail Banking, Middle-Market, Corporate Investment Banking, and Corporate Activities segments. The company offers debit and credit cards, checking accounts, and savings products; consumer, automobile, commercial, mortgage, and government-guaranteed loans; and Chilean peso and foreign currency-denominated loans to finance various commercial transactions, trade, foreign currency forward contracts, and credit lines, as well as mortgage financing services.

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StockNews.com downgraded shares of Altria Group (NYSE:MO  Free Report) from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report issued on Tuesday morning.

MO has been the subject of a number of other research reports. Citigroup decreased their price target on Altria Group from $46.50 to $45.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, October 18th. UBS Group dropped their price target on Altria Group from $40.40 to $39.20 and set a sell rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, October 6th. Jefferies Financial Group lifted their target price on Altria Group from $55.00 to $56.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Friday, October 13th. Finally, Bank of America lowered their target price on Altria Group from $49.00 to $47.00 in a report on Monday, October 9th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have issued a hold rating and two have given a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of $47.53.

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Read Our Latest Stock Analysis on MO

Altria Group Stock Up 0.1 %

NYSE:MO opened at $40.36 on Tuesday. The company has a market capitalization of $71.38 billion, a PE ratio of 8.25, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.69 and a beta of 0.66. Altria Group has a 52-week low of $39.06 and a 52-week high of $51.57. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $41.34 and a 200-day simple moving average of $43.12.

Altria Group (NYSE:MO  Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, October 26th. The company reported $1.28 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.29 by ($0.01). Altria Group had a net margin of 35.58% and a negative return on equity of 237.91%. The firm had revenue of $5.28 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $5.43 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $1.28 EPS. The companys revenue for the quarter was down 2.5% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that Altria Group will post 4.96 earnings per share for the current year.

Altria Group Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, January 10th. Investors of record on Thursday, December 21st will be issued a dividend of $0.98 per share. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, December 20th. This represents a $3.92 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 9.71%. Altria Groups dividend payout ratio is 79.84%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Altria Group news, Director Robert Matthews Davis bought 1,200 shares of the stock in a transaction on Monday, November 6th. The shares were purchased at an average cost of $40.50 per share, with a total value of $48,600.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now directly owns 8,473 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $343,156.50. The purchase was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. 0.07% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Altria Group

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Simmons Bank grew its position in shares of Altria Group by 2.6% in the second quarter. Simmons Bank now owns 39,392 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,784,000 after purchasing an additional 1,011 shares during the last quarter. Mount Yale Investment Advisors LLC grew its position in Altria Group by 7.3% during the third quarter. Mount Yale Investment Advisors LLC now owns 31,007 shares of the companys stock worth $1,304,000 after buying an additional 2,122 shares in the last quarter. Mirae Asset Global Investments Co. Ltd. grew its position in Altria Group by 20.9% during the second quarter. Mirae Asset Global Investments Co. Ltd. now owns 773,980 shares of the companys stock worth $35,050,000 after buying an additional 133,685 shares in the last quarter. Bridgewater Associates LP grew its position in Altria Group by 18.7% during the second quarter. Bridgewater Associates LP now owns 1,276,258 shares of the companys stock worth $57,814,000 after buying an additional 200,981 shares in the last quarter. Finally, State Street Corp grew its position in Altria Group by 1.8% during the second quarter. State Street Corp now owns 70,564,529 shares of the companys stock worth $3,262,710,000 after buying an additional 1,240,150 shares in the last quarter. 58.94% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Altria Group Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Altria Group, Inc, through its subsidiaries, manufactures and sells smokeable and oral tobacco products in the United States. The company provides cigarettes primarily under the Marlboro brand; cigars and pipe tobacco principally under the Black & Mild brand; moist smokeless tobacco products and snus products under the Copenhagen, Skoal, Red Seal, and Husky brands; and on! oral nicotine pouches.

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When a single insider purchases stock, it is typically not a major deal. However, when multiple insiders purchase stock, like in Blackbird plc's (LON:BIRD) instance, it's good news for shareholders.

Although we don't think shareholders should simply follow insider transactions, we would consider it foolish to ignore insider transactions altogether.

Check out our latest analysis for Blackbird

The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At Blackbird

While no particular insider transaction stood out, we can still look at the overall trading.

Blackbird insiders may have bought shares in the last year, but they didn't sell any. 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!

AIM:BIRD Insider Trading Volume December 23rd 2023

There are always plenty of stocks that insiders are buying. So if that suits your style you could check each stock one by one or you could take a look at this free list of companies. (Hint: insiders have been buying them).

Insider Ownership Of Blackbird

Looking at the total insider shareholdings in a company can help to inform your view of whether they are well aligned with common shareholders. Usually, the higher the insider ownership, the more likely it is that insiders will be incentivised to build the company for the long term. It appears that Blackbird insiders own 20% of the company, worth about UK4.7m. While this is a strong but not outstanding level of insider ownership, it's enough to indicate some alignment between management and smaller shareholders.

What Might The Insider Transactions At Blackbird Tell Us?

The fact that there have been no Blackbird insider transactions recently certainly doesn't bother us. On a brighter note, the transactions over the last year are encouraging. Overall we don't see anything to make us think Blackbird insiders are doubting the company, and they do own shares. 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 2 warning signs for Blackbird you should know about.

Story continues

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.
StockNews.com downgraded shares of Franklin Covey (NYSE:FC  Free Report) from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report published on Tuesday.

Separately, Roth Mkm lowered their price objective on shares of Franklin Covey from $61.00 to $59.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday. One research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and three have given a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Franklin Covey presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $71.33.

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Read Our Latest Analysis on Franklin Covey

Franklin Covey Stock Performance

Shares of FC opened at $41.61 on Tuesday. The companys 50 day moving average price is $38.97 and its 200 day moving average price is $41.27. Franklin Covey has a 52 week low of $32.19 and a 52 week high of $49.77. The company has a market capitalization of $558.82 million, a PE ratio of 33.29, a PEG ratio of 1.07 and a beta of 1.20. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.08, a quick ratio of 0.93 and a current ratio of 0.96.

Franklin Covey (NYSE:FC  Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, November 1st. The business services provider reported $0.49 EPS for the quarter, meeting analysts consensus estimates of $0.49. Franklin Covey had a net margin of 6.34% and a return on equity of 21.29%. The firm had revenue of $77.96 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $81.60 million. Research analysts expect that Franklin Covey will post 1.92 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Trading of Franklin Covey

Large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Quantbot Technologies LP bought a new stake in Franklin Covey in the first quarter worth approximately $27,000. Point72 Middle East FZE bought a new stake in shares of Franklin Covey during the 2nd quarter worth $29,000. CWM LLC bought a new stake in shares of Franklin Covey during the 3rd quarter worth $33,000. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC boosted its holdings in shares of Franklin Covey by 289.5% during the 3rd quarter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC now owns 1,075 shares of the business services providers stock worth $49,000 after buying an additional 799 shares during the period. Finally, Alpha Paradigm Partners LLC bought a new stake in shares of Franklin Covey during the 3rd quarter worth $62,000. 68.80% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

About Franklin Covey

(Get Free Report)

Franklin Covey Co provides training and consulting services in the areas of execution, sales performance, productivity, customer loyalty, and educational improvement for organizations and individuals worldwide. The company operates through Direct Offices, International Licensees, and Education Practice segments.

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Shares of Graphic Packaging Holding (NYSE:GPK  Get Free Report) have earned an average recommendation of Moderate Buy from the ten brokerages that are presently covering the stock, Marketbeat Ratings reports. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell recommendation, three have issued a hold recommendation and six have given a buy recommendation to the company. The average twelve-month price objective among analysts that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $27.89.

A number of equities research analysts have issued reports on GPK shares. Truist Financial reiterated a buy rating and issued a $31.00 target price on shares of Graphic Packaging in a research report on Tuesday, September 5th. Raymond James downgraded shares of Graphic Packaging from a strong-buy rating to a market perform rating in a research report on Monday, November 27th. Citigroup cut their target price on shares of Graphic Packaging from $29.00 to $26.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, October 10th. StockNews.com downgraded shares of Graphic Packaging from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Thursday. Finally, Bank of America upgraded shares of Graphic Packaging from a neutral rating to a buy rating in a research report on Tuesday, October 31st.

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Graphic Packaging Trading Up 0.5 %

Graphic Packaging stock opened at $24.62 on Friday. The company has a 50 day moving average price of $22.42 and a 200 day moving average price of $22.96. Graphic Packaging has a 52 week low of $20.07 and a 52 week high of $27.56. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.90, a quick ratio of 0.46 and a current ratio of 1.17. The firm has a market capitalization of $7.54 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 11.14, a P/E/G ratio of 0.34 and a beta of 0.87.

Graphic Packaging (NYSE:GPK  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, October 31st. The industrial products company reported $0.74 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.72 by $0.02. Graphic Packaging had a net margin of 7.14% and a return on equity of 35.97%. The firm had revenue of $2.35 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.47 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $0.67 EPS. The companys revenue was down 4.2% on a year-over-year basis. Research analysts forecast that Graphic Packaging will post 2.85 EPS for the current year.

Graphic Packaging Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, January 5th. Investors of record on Friday, December 15th will be issued a $0.10 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, December 14th. This represents a $0.40 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.62%. Graphic Packagings dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 18.10%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of GPK. Private Advisor Group LLC bought a new position in Graphic Packaging in the 1st quarter worth $519,000. MetLife Investment Management LLC bought a new position in Graphic Packaging in the 1st quarter worth $184,000. BlackRock Inc. raised its holdings in Graphic Packaging by 2.6% in the 1st quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 15,105,236 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $302,709,000 after acquiring an additional 377,055 shares during the period. Great West Life Assurance Co. Can raised its holdings in Graphic Packaging by 3.2% in the 1st quarter. Great West Life Assurance Co. Can now owns 25,660 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $547,000 after acquiring an additional 792 shares during the period. Finally, Yousif Capital Management LLC grew its position in Graphic Packaging by 9.0% in the 1st quarter. Yousif Capital Management LLC now owns 11,619 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $233,000 after purchasing an additional 955 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 99.67% of the companys stock.

Graphic Packaging Company Profile

(Get Free Report

Graphic Packaging Holding Company, together with its subsidiaries, provides fiber-based packaging solutions to food, beverage, foodservice, and other consumer products companies. It operates through three segments: Paperboard Mills, Americas Paperboard Packaging, and Europe Paperboard Packaging. The company offers coated unbleached kraft (CUK), coated recycled paperboard (CRB), and solid bleached sulfate paperboard (SBS) to various paperboard packaging converters and brokers; and paperboard packaging products, such as folding cartons, cups, lids, and food containers primarily to consumer packaged goods, quick-service restaurants, and foodservice companies; and barrier packaging products that protect against moisture, hot and cold temperature, grease, oil, oxygen, sunlight, insects, and other potential product-damaging factors.

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Shares of Air France-KLM SA (OTCMKTS:AFLYY  Get Free Report) have been given a consensus rating of Moderate Buy by the nine brokerages that are presently covering the company, Marketbeat.com reports. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, two have given a hold rating and six have given a buy rating to the company.

AFLYY has been the topic of a number of research reports. BNP Paribas downgraded Air France-KLM from a neutral rating to an underperform rating in a research report on Friday, November 10th. Sanford C. Bernstein upgraded Air France-KLM from a market perform rating to an outperform rating in a report on Wednesday, October 4th.

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Air France-KLM Stock Down 1.9 %

OTCMKTS AFLYY opened at $1.52 on Friday. The stocks 50-day simple moving average is $1.34 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $1.52. Air France-KLM has a twelve month low of $1.16 and a twelve month high of $2.00. The company has a market capitalization of $976.80 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 2.11, a PEG ratio of 0.51 and a beta of 1.69.

Air France-KLM (OTCMKTS:AFLYY  Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Friday, October 27th. The transportation company reported $0.44 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.43 by $0.01. Air France-KLM had a negative return on equity of 82.43% and a net margin of 5.68%. The business had revenue of $9.42 billion for the quarter. On average, equities analysts expect that Air France-KLM will post 0.4 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Air France-KLM Company Profile

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Air France-KLM SA, together with its subsidiaries, provides passenger and cargo transportation services and aeronautical maintenance in Metropolitan France, Benelux, rest of Europe, and internationally. The company operates through three segments: Airframe maintenance, Engine Maintenance, and Component Support.

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Shares of Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK  Get Free Report) have received a consensus recommendation of Moderate Buy from the twenty-one analysts that are presently covering the company, MarketBeat reports. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation and sixteen have given a buy recommendation to the company. The average 1 year price objective among brokerages that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $125.14.

A number of equities research analysts have issued reports on the company. UBS Group upgraded Merck & Co., Inc. from a neutral rating to a buy rating and raised their target price for the company from $117.00 to $122.00 in a research note on Friday, October 20th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft initiated coverage on Merck & Co., Inc. in a research note on Thursday, November 9th. They issued a buy rating and a $115.00 target price on the stock. Cantor Fitzgerald restated an overweight rating on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. in a research note on Monday, December 18th. StockNews.com initiated coverage on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. in a research note on Thursday, October 5th. They set a buy rating on the stock. Finally, BMO Capital Markets upgraded shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from a market perform rating to an outperform rating and set a $132.00 price objective on the stock in a research note on Friday, October 27th.

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Merck & Co., Inc. Stock Performance

Shares of MRK opened at $107.70 on Friday. The businesss fifty day moving average price is $103.43 and its 200 day moving average price is $106.54. Merck & Co., Inc. has a 12-month low of $96.36 and a 12-month high of $119.65. The stock has a market capitalization of $272.91 billion, a PE ratio of 59.83, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 8.91 and a beta of 0.34. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.82, a current ratio of 1.38 and a quick ratio of 1.12.

Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK  Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, October 26th. The company reported $2.13 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $1.94 by $0.19. The company had revenue of $16 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $15.30 billion. Merck & Co., Inc. had a return on equity of 18.26% and a net margin of 7.77%. The firms quarterly revenue was up 7.0% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the business posted $1.85 earnings per share. Equities research analysts forecast that Merck & Co., Inc. will post 1.37 EPS for the current year.

Merck & Co., Inc. Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, January 8th. Shareholders of record on Friday, December 15th will be issued a dividend of $0.77 per share. This represents a $3.08 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.86%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, December 14th. This is an increase from Merck & Co., Inc.s previous quarterly dividend of $0.73. Merck & Co., Inc.s payout ratio is presently 171.11%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Merck & Co., Inc. news, EVP Richard R. Deluca sold 43,823 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, November 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $105.03, for a total transaction of $4,602,729.69. Following the sale, the executive vice president now owns 111,764 shares in the company, valued at approximately $11,738,572.92. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. In other news, insider Johannes Jacobus Oosthuizen sold 2,081 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Thursday, November 9th. The stock was sold at an average price of $102.38, for a total value of $213,052.78. Following the transaction, the insider now owns 18,191 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,862,394.58. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Also, EVP Richard R. Deluca sold 43,823 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, November 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $105.03, for a total value of $4,602,729.69. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 111,764 shares in the company, valued at approximately $11,738,572.92. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Corporate insiders own 0.20% of the companys stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Merck & Co., Inc.

Large investors have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd Zurich grew 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 buying an additional 1,858,338,022 shares in the last quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC grew 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 buying an additional 39,289,404 shares in the last quarter. Norges Bank bought a new stake in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $2,736,293,000. FMR LLC grew its stake in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 30.2% in 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 in the last quarter. Finally, Wellington Management Group LLP grew its stake in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 10.6% in the 1st quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 68,563,817 shares of the companys stock valued at $7,294,504,000 after buying an additional 6,546,946 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 74.59% of the companys stock.

Merck & Co., Inc. Company Profile

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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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Shares of American Tower Co. (NYSE:AMT  Get Free Report) have earned an average recommendation of Moderate Buy from the fifteen research firms that are covering the company, MarketBeat.com reports. One research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and fourteen have assigned a buy rating to the company. The average 12-month price objective among brokerages that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $226.93.

AMT has been the topic of several recent analyst reports. Scotiabank initiated coverage on shares of American Tower in a research note on Friday, October 13th. They issued a sector outperform rating and a $208.00 price target on the stock. HSBC initiated coverage on shares of American Tower in a research note on Thursday, December 14th. They issued a buy rating and a $245.00 price target on the stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their price target on shares of American Tower from $218.00 to $236.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research note on Tuesday, November 7th. Wells Fargo & Company reduced their price target on shares of American Tower from $215.00 to $210.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, October 17th. Finally, StockNews.com initiated coverage on shares of American Tower in a research note on Thursday, October 5th. They issued a hold rating on the stock.

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Institutional Trading of American Tower

American Tower Trading Up 0.4 %

A number of institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of AMT. BCK Partners Inc. acquired a new stake in American Tower in the 1st quarter worth approximately $2,892,000. Fairfield Bush & CO. boosted its stake in American Tower by 138.9% in the 1st quarter. Fairfield Bush & CO. now owns 2,829 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $711,000 after purchasing an additional 1,645 shares in the last quarter. Cetera Investment Advisers boosted its stake in American Tower by 5.7% in the 1st quarter. Cetera Investment Advisers now owns 14,413 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $3,621,000 after purchasing an additional 771 shares in the last quarter. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC boosted its stake in American Tower by 33.5% in the 1st quarter. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC now owns 3,015 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $757,000 after purchasing an additional 756 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Loomis Sayles & Co. L P raised its position in American Tower by 1.4% during the 1st quarter. Loomis Sayles & Co. L P now owns 152,723 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $38,367,000 after buying an additional 2,071 shares during the last quarter. 89.29% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Shares of AMT opened at $215.19 on Friday. American Tower has a twelve month low of $154.58 and a twelve month high of $235.57. The company has a market cap of $100.32 billion, a P/E ratio of 140.65, a P/E/G ratio of 1.75 and a beta of 0.68. The company has a current ratio of 0.73, a quick ratio of 0.73 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.15. The companys fifty day simple moving average is $192.52 and its 200-day simple moving average is $185.68.

American Tower Increases Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, February 1st. Stockholders of record on Thursday, December 28th will be issued a $1.70 dividend. This is a boost from American Towers previous quarterly dividend of $1.62. This represents a $6.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.16%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, December 27th. American Towers dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 423.53%.

American Tower Company Profile

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American Tower, one of the largest global REITs, is a leading independent owner, operator and developer of multitenant communications real estate with a portfolio of nearly 225,000 communications sites and a highly interconnected footprint of U.S. data center facilities.

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CONSOL Energy Inc. (NYSE:CEIX  Get Free Report) CEO James A. Brock sold 6,669 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, December 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of $102.55, for a total value of $683,905.95. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 526,682 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $54,011,239.10. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink.

CONSOL Energy Trading Up 2.1 %

CEIX stock opened at $102.84 on Friday. The company has a market capitalization of $3.19 billion, a PE ratio of 5.14 and a beta of 1.80. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.14, a quick ratio of 1.06 and a current ratio of 1.28. CONSOL Energy Inc. has a one year low of $49.35 and a one year high of $114.30. The companys 50 day moving average price is $101.26 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $87.71.

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CONSOL Energy (NYSE:CEIX  Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, October 31st. The company reported $3.11 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $4.52 by ($1.41). CONSOL Energy had a return on equity of 50.26% and a net margin of 27.06%. The business had revenue of $569.86 million during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $578.50 million. As a group, analysts predict that CONSOL Energy Inc. will post 19.13 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

About CONSOL Energy

Large investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Quadrant Capital Group LLC grew its position in CONSOL Energy by 199.4% during the 2nd quarter. Quadrant Capital Group LLC now owns 539 shares of the companys stock worth $37,000 after acquiring an additional 359 shares during the last quarter. Parkside Financial Bank & Trust grew its holdings in shares of CONSOL Energy by 866.7% in the third quarter. Parkside Financial Bank & Trust now owns 464 shares of the companys stock worth $49,000 after purchasing an additional 416 shares during the last quarter. FSC Wealth Advisors LLC purchased a new position in shares of CONSOL Energy in the third quarter worth $50,000. 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 valued at $53,000 after buying an additional 471 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Ameritas Investment Partners Inc. boosted its position in CONSOL Energy by 10.8% during the 1st quarter. Ameritas Investment Partners Inc. now owns 2,677 shares of the companys stock valued at $101,000 after buying an additional 260 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 87.63% of the companys stock.

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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.

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Burke & Herbert Bank & Trust Co. lessened its position in shares of ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP  Free Report) by 20.4% during the third quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 6,595 shares of the energy producers stock after selling 1,692 shares during the period. Burke & Herbert Bank & Trust Co.s holdings in ConocoPhillips were worth $790,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in COP. Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd Zurich lifted its holdings in ConocoPhillips by 97,756.1% during the 2nd quarter. Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd Zurich now owns 1,354,810,556 shares of the energy producers stock worth $140,371,922,000 after purchasing an additional 1,353,426,064 shares in the last quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP lifted its holdings in ConocoPhillips by 2.6% during the 1st quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 44,731,153 shares of the energy producers stock worth $4,437,778,000 after purchasing an additional 1,138,607 shares in the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC lifted its holdings in ConocoPhillips by 1.5% during the 2nd quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 22,756,145 shares of the energy producers stock worth $2,354,009,000 after purchasing an additional 334,277 shares in the last quarter. Morgan Stanley lifted its holdings in ConocoPhillips by 26.6% during the 4th quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 16,647,723 shares of the energy producers stock worth $1,964,432,000 after purchasing an additional 3,497,750 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in ConocoPhillips by 98,832.5% during the 4th quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC now owns 8,584,373 shares of the energy producers stock worth $1,012,956,000 after purchasing an additional 8,575,696 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 80.36% of the companys stock.

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Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of analysts recently issued reports on COP shares. StockNews.com began coverage on ConocoPhillips in a report on Thursday, October 5th. They set a hold rating on the stock. Susquehanna lowered their price target on ConocoPhillips from $153.00 to $152.00 and set a positive rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, October 18th. Erste Group Bank raised ConocoPhillips from a hold rating to a buy rating in a report on Friday, September 8th. UBS Group lowered their price target on ConocoPhillips from $149.00 to $138.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, December 14th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group raised their price target on ConocoPhillips from $141.00 to $143.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Monday, October 2nd. Seven analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, fifteen have assigned a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, ConocoPhillips presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $135.35.

ConocoPhillips Price Performance

COP opened at $117.66 on Friday. The stocks 50 day simple moving average is $116.60 and its 200 day simple moving average is $114.67. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.38, a current ratio of 1.66 and a quick ratio of 1.53. ConocoPhillips has a 1 year low of $91.53 and a 1 year high of $127.35. The firm has a market cap of $139.71 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 12.86, a PEG ratio of 0.71 and a beta of 1.22.

ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, November 2nd. The energy producer reported $2.16 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.04 by $0.12. ConocoPhillips had a return on equity of 23.30% and a net margin of 17.91%. The business had revenue of $14.87 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $15.32 billion. As a group, analysts predict that ConocoPhillips will post 9.07 earnings per share for the current year.

ConocoPhillips Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, December 1st. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, November 14th were issued a $0.58 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, November 13th. This represents a $2.32 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.97%. This is a boost from ConocoPhillipss previous quarterly dividend of $0.51. ConocoPhillipss dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 25.36%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other ConocoPhillips news, Director Timothy A. Leach sold 44,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, November 9th. The stock was sold at an average price of $114.64, for a total value of $5,044,160.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director now owns 578,748 shares in the company, valued at approximately $66,347,670.72. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this link. In other news, SVP Andrew D. Lundquist sold 30,800 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, September 27th. The stock was sold at an average price of $123.83, for a total value of $3,813,964.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president now owns 5,937 shares in the company, valued at approximately $735,178.71. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Also, Director Timothy A. Leach sold 44,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, November 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $114.64, for a total value of $5,044,160.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now owns 578,748 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $66,347,670.72. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Company insiders own 0.37% of the companys stock.

About ConocoPhillips

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ConocoPhillips explores for, produces, transports, and markets crude oil, bitumen, natural gas, liquefied natural gas (LNG), and natural gas liquids in the United States and internationally. The company's portfolio includes unconventional plays in North America; conventional assets in North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia; various LNG developments; oil sands assets in Canada; and an inventory of global exploration prospects.

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Burke & Herbert Bank & Trust Co. reduced its stake in shares of The Southern Company (NYSE:SO  Free Report) by 13.0% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 7,758 shares of the utilities providers stock after selling 1,163 shares during the quarter. Burke & Herbert Bank & Trust Co.s holdings in Southern were worth $502,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the stock. Buttonwood Financial Advisors Inc. grew its position in shares of Southern by 27.1% during the 3rd quarter. Buttonwood Financial Advisors Inc. now owns 6,068 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $393,000 after buying an additional 1,293 shares during the period. City State Bank lifted its holdings in shares of Southern by 3.9% during the 3rd quarter. City State Bank now owns 7,121 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $461,000 after purchasing an additional 265 shares in the last quarter. Bridge Creek Capital Management LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Southern by 0.3% during the 3rd quarter. Bridge Creek Capital Management LLC now owns 59,871 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $3,875,000 after purchasing an additional 195 shares in the last quarter. Moseley Investment Management Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Southern by 2.5% during the 3rd quarter. Moseley Investment Management Inc. now owns 7,282 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $471,000 after purchasing an additional 178 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Leavell Investment Management Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Southern by 5.8% during the 3rd quarter. Leavell Investment Management Inc. now owns 169,367 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $10,961,000 after purchasing an additional 9,240 shares in the last quarter. 62.85% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several research firms have recently weighed in on SO. StockNews.com upgraded Southern from a sell rating to a hold rating in a report on Friday, November 3rd. Scotiabank cut Southern from a sector outperform rating to a sector perform rating and set a $78.00 target price on the stock. in a research note on Friday, November 3rd. Barclays cut their target price on Southern from $68.00 to $64.00 in a research note on Thursday, October 5th. Bank of America upgraded Southern from an underperform rating to a neutral rating and boosted their target price for the company from $67.00 to $68.00 in a research note on Wednesday, September 13th. Finally, Morgan Stanley boosted their target price on Southern from $66.00 to $67.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a research note on Tuesday, November 21st. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have given a hold rating, four have assigned a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Southern presently has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $73.00.

Southern Stock Up 0.1 %

SO stock opened at $69.44 on Friday. The company has a current ratio of 0.84, a quick ratio of 0.63 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.59. The firm has a market capitalization of $75.73 billion, a PE ratio of 25.07, a PEG ratio of 4.84 and a beta of 0.55. The Southern Company has a 1-year low of $58.85 and a 1-year high of $75.80. The businesss 50 day simple moving average is $69.22 and its 200 day simple moving average is $69.24.

Southern (NYSE:SO  Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, November 2nd. The utilities provider reported $1.42 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $1.32 by $0.10. Southern had a return on equity of 10.26% and a net margin of 11.60%. The business had revenue of $6.98 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $8.38 billion. As a group, research analysts anticipate that The Southern Company will post 3.6 EPS for the current year.

Southern Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, December 6th. Shareholders of record on Monday, November 20th were issued a $0.70 dividend. This represents a $2.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 4.03%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, November 17th. Southerns dividend payout ratio is 101.08%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Southern

In other Southern news, CEO Stephen E. Kuczynski sold 5,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Friday, November 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $68.39, for a total value of $341,950.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 111,284 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $7,610,712.76. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. In other news, insider David P. Poroch sold 10,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Thursday, November 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $69.39, for a total transaction of $693,900.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now directly owns 28,691 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,990,868.49. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, CEO Stephen E. Kuczynski sold 5,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Friday, November 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $68.39, for a total value of $341,950.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 111,284 shares of the companys stock, valued at $7,610,712.76. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold a total of 25,000 shares of company stock valued at $1,722,000 in the last ninety days. 0.28% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

About Southern

(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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Kraft Davis & Associates LLC lowered its holdings in shares of SPDR S&P Aerospace & Defense ETF (NYSEARCA:XAR  Free Report) by 0.6% in the third quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The fund owned 64,399 shares of the companys stock after selling 415 shares during the quarter. SPDR S&P Aerospace & Defense ETF comprises about 2.7% of Kraft Davis & Associates LLCs investment portfolio, making the stock its 15th biggest holding. Kraft Davis & Associates LLCs holdings in SPDR S&P Aerospace & Defense ETF were worth $7,069,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other large investors have also modified their holdings of the company. PFG Advisors lifted its position in shares of SPDR S&P Aerospace & Defense ETF by 5.1% in the second quarter. PFG Advisors now owns 1,871 shares of the companys stock valued at $227,000 after acquiring an additional 91 shares in the last quarter. Missouri Trust & Investment Co raised its holdings in SPDR S&P Aerospace & Defense ETF by 4.0% in the 2nd quarter. Missouri Trust & Investment Co now owns 2,570 shares of the companys stock valued at $312,000 after acquiring an additional 100 shares during the last quarter. Cibc World Market Inc. lifted its position in SPDR S&P Aerospace & Defense ETF by 4.4% during the second quarter. Cibc World Market Inc. now owns 2,358 shares of the companys stock worth $287,000 after buying an additional 100 shares during the period. Barclays PLC boosted its position in shares of SPDR S&P Aerospace & Defense ETF by 14.9% in the second quarter. Barclays PLC now owns 770 shares of the companys stock worth $94,000 after acquiring an additional 100 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Belpointe Asset Management LLC increased its holdings in shares of SPDR S&P Aerospace & Defense ETF by 4.4% during the 1st quarter. Belpointe Asset Management LLC now owns 2,417 shares of the companys stock worth $283,000 after buying an additional 102 shares during the last quarter.

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SPDR S&P Aerospace & Defense ETF Stock Performance

SPDR S&P Aerospace & Defense ETF stock traded up $1.59 during midday trading on Friday, reaching $135.53. The stock had a trading volume of 78,254 shares, compared to its average volume of 80,608. The stocks 50-day simple moving average is $124.19 and its 200 day simple moving average is $120.83. SPDR S&P Aerospace & Defense ETF has a twelve month low of $107.85 and a twelve month high of $135.94. The stock has a market capitalization of $1.73 billion, a PE ratio of 21.50 and a beta of 1.09.

About SPDR S&P Aerospace & Defense ETF

The SPDR S&P Aerospace & Defense ETF (XAR) is an exchange-traded fund that mostly invests in industrials equity. The fund tracks an equal-weighted index of US aerospace & defense companies. XAR was launched on Sep 28, 2011 and is managed by State Street.

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State of Alaska Department of Revenue cut its holdings in shares of Fair Isaac Co. (NYSE:FICO  Free Report) by 0.7% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 20,861 shares of the technology companys stock after selling 150 shares during the quarter. State of Alaska Department of Revenues holdings in Fair Isaac were worth $18,118,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of the business. SkyView Investment Advisors LLC acquired a new position in Fair Isaac during the 2nd quarter valued at $66,000. KB Financial Partners LLC acquired a new position in shares of Fair Isaac during the second quarter valued at about $34,000. Rise Advisors LLC lifted its stake in shares of Fair Isaac by 1,466.7% in the third quarter. Rise Advisors LLC now owns 47 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $41,000 after buying an additional 44 shares during the period. Clear Street Markets LLC acquired a new stake in Fair Isaac during the first quarter worth about $34,000. Finally, Fiduciary Alliance LLC bought a new position in Fair Isaac during the second quarter valued at about $40,000. 85.17% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

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Fair Isaac Price Performance

Shares of FICO opened at $1,168.88 on Friday. The company has a market capitalization of $28.87 billion, a P/E ratio of 69.04, a PEG ratio of 3.39 and a beta of 1.25. Fair Isaac Co. has a one year low of $575.39 and a one year high of $1,185.42. The businesss 50 day simple moving average is $1,020.83 and its 200-day simple moving average is $906.54.

Insiders Place Their Bets

Fair Isaac ( NYSE:FICO Get Free Report ) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, November 8th. The technology company reported $4.01 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $4.20 by ($0.19). The business had revenue of $389.73 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $386.25 million. Fair Isaac had a negative return on equity of 54.63% and a net margin of 28.37%. On average, sell-side analysts anticipate that Fair Isaac Co. will post 19.61 EPS for the current fiscal year.

In other Fair Isaac news, EVP James M. Wehmann sold 2,836 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, October 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $889.30, for a total value of $2,522,054.80. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 38,900 shares in the company, valued at approximately $34,593,770. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. In other Fair Isaac news, Director David A. Rey sold 7,197 shares of Fair Isaac stock in a transaction on Wednesday, December 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $1,167.74, for a total transaction of $8,404,224.78. Following the completion of the sale, the director now owns 1,303 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,521,565.22. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, EVP James M. Wehmann sold 2,836 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Friday, October 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $889.30, for a total value of $2,522,054.80. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 38,900 shares in the company, valued at $34,593,770. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last three months, insiders sold 19,869 shares of company stock valued at $21,076,961. Insiders own 3.37% of the companys stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of analysts have recently issued reports on FICO shares. StockNews.com began coverage on Fair Isaac in a research report on Thursday, October 5th. They set a hold rating on the stock. HSBC started coverage on shares of Fair Isaac in a research report on Friday, September 29th. They set a reduce rating and a $729.00 target price on the stock. Barclays increased their price target on shares of Fair Isaac from $950.00 to $1,234.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Tuesday, November 14th. Raymond James raised their price target on shares of Fair Isaac from $975.00 to $1,029.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research note on Thursday, November 9th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company started coverage on Fair Isaac in a research note on Wednesday, November 8th. They issued an overweight rating and a $1,120.00 price objective on the stock. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have issued a hold rating and seven have given a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $985.00.

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About Fair Isaac

(Free Report)

Fair Isaac Corporation develops analytic, software, and digital decisioning technologies and services that enable businesses to automate, enhance, and connect decisions in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the Asia Pacific. The company operates in two segments, Scores and Software. The Software segment provides pre-configured analytic and decision management solution designed for various business needs or processes, such as account origination, customer management, customer engagement, fraud detection, financial crimes compliance, and marketing, as well as associated professional services.

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The next generation of billionaires will not be entrepreneurs but those who inherit multigenerational family wealth.

Billionaires have accumulated more wealth through inheritance than entrepreneurship, indicating that the great wealth transfer is gaining momentum, according to a UBS study.

By the numbers: In just the last year, 53 heirs have inherited $150.8 billion. By contrast, 84 new self-made billionaires created a total of $140.7 billion.

Thats a lot of billions, and while that level of wealth far exceeds most peoples financial dreams, the money transfer has implications for businesses and brands whose founders dont want to see their lifes work evaporate.

As baby boomers are well into their golden years, there is an increased desire to help the next generation manage their inheritance, [but also] a fear they will squander their legacy, Tom OSaben, an enrolled agent and director of tax content and government relations at the National Association of Tax Professionals (NATP), previously told Yahoo Finance.

Yahoo Finance spoke with Peter Mondavi Jr., third-generation co-proprietor of the Charles Krug winery in Napa Valley, about how the business has evolved to incorporate the fourth generation to continue a 75-year family legacy. The conversation has been edited for length and clarity.

Mondavi Charles Krug 75 year legacy over four generations. Source: Charles Krug Winery (Charles Krug Winery)

Yahoo Finance (YF): Most readers are familiar with your uncle, Robert Mondavi, but probably unaware of the family legacy that is the Charles Krug Estate. Can you give us background on the family history?

Peter Mondavi Jr. (PMJ): My grandfather, Cesare Mondavi, didnt have previous wine experience. When he immigrated to New York City in 1908 with my grandmother, he was the broker to secure grapes for Italian immigrants who made their own house wines. Getting the right grapes led to the family going west to Napa Valley. In 1943, he acquired the Charles Krug Winery, the oldest in Napa Valley.

When my grandfather passed, my father Peter Sr., and uncle, Robert, inherited the family business. My uncle left to start his own company and my father acquired full ownership of Charles Krug Winery in 1976.

Story continues

YF: After your uncle left the family business, what did your father do to prepare you and your brother Marc to take over?

PMJ: We were exposed to the family business as young kids, working odd summer jobs as teens in hospitality and the vineyards, understanding the ground level aspects of the business.

Over time, we became more immersed and involved. I started working full-time after college. When my uncle Robert cashed out, my father gave us the option to cash out or continue with business. We decided to continue with the business.

YF: You are co-proprietor with your brother Marc and are the third generation. Did you change how the business operated?

PMJ: My father was president until 1998. Marc and I split operation of the company by brands with me handling the Charles Krug brand and Marc the CK Mondavi brand.

YF: Your children are the fourth generation. What did you do to prepare them to be part of the family business?

PMJ: When the fourth generation became more of a presence, we developed explicit family governance because they were very young and needed to be educated as owners and shareholders.

Around 2015, we formalized a structure using a family office, with the goal to sustainably grow and transfer the branded wine business across generations, with continuous family ownership. Members of the third and fourth generations hold various roles, from positions in the winery, brand ambassadors to board members. Four of the seven board members are family members.

We require family members to get experience outside and within different facets of Charles Krug and the CK Mondavi Family Portfolio if they desire to work here.

Charles Krug Redwood Cellar in Napa Valley (Charles Krug Winery)

Things to consider when passing down multigenerational wealth

Heirs inheriting billions may not want to be part of the family business, or they may have ideas about changing it to make their mark on the legacy. That puts succession planning at the forefront.

When managing a multigenerational business, employment in the family business and ownership in the family business are two different things, Marguerite Weese, chief operating officer of Wilmington Trusts Emerald Family Office & Advisory and National Director of Family Legacy Strategies, told Yahoo Finance.

Initially, the family business is what keeps the family together, but as generations go on and other members arent actively involved, thats where the family office steps in, Weese said.

Typically, ultra-high-net-worth individuals will use a family office structure to manage wealth with a dedicated in-house staff of lawyers, accountants, and wealth managers to maintain privacy and confidentiality.

A family office avoids future conflict and division to help keep things cohesive, like passing down assets and educating the next generation on business management and philanthropy to continue legacies, Petar Arizanov, CFP, who is an executive director and an OMEGA portfolio manager at Oppenheimer & Co. Inc., told Yahoo Finance.

Every family office does something slightly different because they have different objectives.

Continuing the family legacy is important for us, which is why the fourth generation is putting together a charter for future generations to keep the family culture with a flexible management structure, Mondavi Jr. said.

Ronda is a personal finance senior reporter for Yahoo Finance and attorney with experience in law, insurance, education, and government. Follow her on X @writesronda.

Read the latest personal finance trends and news from Yahoo Finance
Legacy Capital Wealth Partners LLC purchased a new position in shares of Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE:WFC) during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund purchased 13,002 shares of the financial services providers stock, valued at approximately $531,000.

Other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Kathmere Capital Management LLC increased its stake in Wells Fargo & Company by 19.5% in the third quarter. Kathmere Capital Management LLC now owns 7,248 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $296,000 after acquiring an additional 1,185 shares during the period. Caxton Associates LP bought a new stake in shares of Wells Fargo & Company in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $4,967,000. Pegasus Partners Ltd. acquired a new position in shares of Wells Fargo & Company in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $226,000. Kentucky Retirement Systems Insurance Trust Fund bought a new position in shares of Wells Fargo & Company during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $5,143,000. Finally, Westwood Holdings Group Inc. boosted its stake in Wells Fargo & Company by 8,260.6% in the 2nd quarter. Westwood Holdings Group Inc. now owns 1,781,638 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $76,040,000 after buying an additional 1,760,328 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 72.47% of the companys stock.

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Wells Fargo & Company Price Performance

Shares of WFC stock opened at $49.18 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.87, a current ratio of 0.87 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.17. Wells Fargo & Company has a 12-month low of $35.25 and a 12-month high of $50.77. The firm has a fifty day moving average of $43.35 and a 200-day moving average of $42.79. The firm has a market capitalization of $178.60 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 10.62, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.96 and a beta of 1.18.

Wells Fargo & Company Dividend Announcement

Wells Fargo & Company ( NYSE:WFC Get Free Report ) last posted its earnings results on Friday, October 13th. The financial services provider reported $1.39 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $1.24 by $0.15. The firm had revenue of $20.86 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $20.09 billion. Wells Fargo & Company had a return on equity of 11.18% and a net margin of 17.06%. The companys revenue was up 6.6% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $1.30 earnings per share. On average, equities research analysts forecast that Wells Fargo & Company will post 5.04 earnings per share for the current year.

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, December 1st. Shareholders of record on Friday, November 3rd were issued a dividend of $0.35 per share. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, November 2nd. This represents a $1.40 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.85%. Wells Fargo & Companys dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 30.24%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several research analysts have issued reports on the company. The Goldman Sachs Group increased their price objective on Wells Fargo & Company from $45.00 to $50.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Friday, December 1st. StockNews.com initiated coverage on shares of Wells Fargo & Company in a research note on Thursday, October 5th. They set a hold rating on the stock. Morgan Stanley lifted their target price on shares of Wells Fargo & Company from $52.00 to $54.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Monday, December 4th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reiterated a buy rating and issued a $44.00 price objective on shares of Wells Fargo & Company in a research report on Friday, September 22nd. Finally, UBS Group upped their target price on shares of Wells Fargo & Company from $51.00 to $53.00 in a research report on Thursday, October 12th. Eight analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, nine have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Wells Fargo & Company presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $49.56.

Check Out Our Latest Report on WFC

Insider Buying and Selling at Wells Fargo & Company

In related news, Director Richard K. Davis acquired 3,500 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Thursday, November 9th. The stock was bought at an average price of $41.22 per share, with a total value of $144,270.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now directly owns 4,244 shares of the companys stock, valued at $174,937.68. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Insiders own 0.07% of the companys stock.

Wells Fargo & 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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Rothschild Investment LLC IL grew its position in The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (NYSE:GS  Free Report) by 2.2% in the third quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The fund owned 4,608 shares of the investment management companys stock after buying an additional 98 shares during the quarter. Rothschild Investment LLC ILs holdings in The Goldman Sachs Group were worth $1,491,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. Pacific Center for Financial Services acquired a new stake in shares of The Goldman Sachs Group in the first quarter valued at approximately $33,000. Worth Asset Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of The Goldman Sachs Group in the first quarter valued at approximately $33,000. First Capital Advisors Group LLC. acquired a new stake in shares of The Goldman Sachs Group in the second quarter valued at approximately $34,000. PCA Investment Advisory Services Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of The Goldman Sachs Group in the second quarter valued at approximately $34,000. Finally, Blue Bell Private Wealth Management LLC increased its holdings in shares of The Goldman Sachs Group by 140.0% in the second quarter. Blue Bell Private Wealth Management LLC now owns 120 shares of the investment management companys stock valued at $39,000 after purchasing an additional 70 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 69.06% of the companys stock.

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The Goldman Sachs Group Trading Up 0.0 %

NYSE GS opened at $380.69 on Friday. The stocks 50-day moving average is $334.23 and its 200-day moving average is $331.78. The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. has a one year low of $289.36 and a one year high of $386.20. The firm has a market cap of $124.15 billion, a P/E ratio of 18.43, a P/E/G ratio of 2.24 and a beta of 1.44. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.11, a current ratio of 0.77 and a quick ratio of 0.77.

The Goldman Sachs Group Announces Dividend

The Goldman Sachs Group ( NYSE:GS Get Free Report ) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, October 17th. The investment management company reported $5.47 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $5.42 by $0.05. The Goldman Sachs Group had a return on equity of 7.37% and a net margin of 7.77%. The business had revenue of $11.82 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $11.15 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $8.25 EPS. The Goldman Sachs Groups revenue for the quarter was down 1.3% compared to the same quarter last year. Sell-side analysts anticipate that The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. will post 22.73 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, December 28th. Investors of record on Thursday, November 30th will be given a $2.75 dividend. This represents a $11.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.89%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, November 29th. The Goldman Sachs Groups dividend payout ratio is presently 53.24%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of analysts recently weighed in on the stock. Morgan Stanley raised their price target on shares of The Goldman Sachs Group from $329.00 to $333.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a report on Monday, December 4th. Oppenheimer lifted their target price on shares of The Goldman Sachs Group from $447.00 to $468.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Thursday, November 16th. StockNews.com began coverage on shares of The Goldman Sachs Group in a report on Thursday, October 5th. They set a hold rating for the company. HSBC began coverage on shares of The Goldman Sachs Group in a report on Thursday, September 7th. They set a buy rating and a $403.00 target price for the company. Finally, JMP Securities reaffirmed a market outperform rating and set a $440.00 target price on shares of The Goldman Sachs Group in a report on Wednesday, October 18th. Seven equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and twelve have given a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $393.99.

View Our Latest Stock Analysis on GS

Insider Activity at The Goldman Sachs Group

In related news, major shareholder Goldman Sachs Group Inc sold 72,874 shares of The Goldman Sachs Group stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, November 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $0.71, for a total value of $51,740.54. Following the sale, the insider now owns 397,954 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $282,547.34. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. In other The Goldman Sachs Group news, major shareholder Goldman Sachs Group Inc sold 72,874 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, November 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $0.71, for a total value of $51,740.54. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 397,954 shares in the company, valued at $282,547.34. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, insider Ericka T. Leslie sold 1,376 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, November 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $335.15, for a total value of $461,166.40. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 10,471 shares of the companys stock, valued at $3,509,355.65. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 0.54% of the stock is owned by insiders.

About The Goldman Sachs Group

(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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ONE Advisory Partners LLC decreased its holdings in shares of iShares MSCI USA Momentum Factor ETF (BATS:MTUM  Free Report) by 12.5% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 5,411 shares of the companys stock after selling 773 shares during the quarter. iShares MSCI USA Momentum Factor ETF comprises about 0.4% of ONE Advisory Partners LLCs investment portfolio, making the stock its 26th largest position. ONE Advisory Partners LLCs holdings in iShares MSCI USA Momentum Factor ETF were worth $756,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of the business. WFA of San Diego LLC purchased a new position in iShares MSCI USA Momentum Factor ETF in the 2nd quarter worth about $28,000. Coastal Investment Advisors Inc. bought a new position in iShares MSCI USA Momentum Factor ETF during the 2nd quarter worth about $29,000. Cary Street Partners Investment Advisory LLC grew its holdings in iShares MSCI USA Momentum Factor ETF by 1,428.6% during the 2nd quarter. Cary Street Partners Investment Advisory LLC now owns 214 shares of the companys stock worth $31,000 after acquiring an additional 200 shares in the last quarter. Strategic Investment Solutions Inc. IL bought a new stake in shares of iShares MSCI USA Momentum Factor ETF in the 1st quarter valued at about $31,000. Finally, Salem Investment Counselors Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of iShares MSCI USA Momentum Factor ETF by 150.5% in the 2nd quarter. Salem Investment Counselors Inc. now owns 263 shares of the companys stock valued at $38,000 after buying an additional 158 shares in the last quarter.

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iShares MSCI USA Momentum Factor ETF Trading Up 0.1 %

Shares of BATS:MTUM traded up $0.14 during trading on Friday, reaching $156.37. The stock had a trading volume of 191,313 shares. The firms 50-day simple moving average is $147.30 and its 200 day simple moving average is $144.66. The company has a market capitalization of $9.73 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.35 and a beta of 0.91. iShares MSCI USA Momentum Factor ETF has a one year low of $81.37 and a one year high of $113.60.

iShares MSCI USA Momentum Factor ETF Profile

The iShares MSCI USA Momentum Factor ETF (MTUM) is an exchange-traded fund that is based on the MSCI USA Momentum SR Variant index. The fund tracks an index of large- and mid-cap US equities, selected and weighted based on price appreciation over 6- and 12-month periods and low volatility over the past 3 years.

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Everence Capital Management Inc. increased its holdings in Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE:BMY  Free Report) by 9.3% in the third quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 68,926 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock after buying an additional 5,870 shares during the period. Everence Capital Management Inc.s holdings in Bristol-Myers Squibb were worth $4,000,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

A number of other large investors also recently bought and sold shares of BMY. Dakota Wealth Management acquired a new position in shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb during the first quarter worth $332,000. Covestor Ltd grew its holdings in shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb by 111.5% during the first quarter. Covestor Ltd now owns 2,052 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock valued at $150,000 after buying an additional 1,082 shares during the last quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC grew its holdings in shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb by 53.2% during the first quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC now owns 165,336 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock valued at $12,075,000 after buying an additional 57,444 shares during the last quarter. Ergoteles LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb during the first quarter valued at $1,997,000. Finally, Mackenzie Financial Corp grew its holdings in shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb by 25.1% during the first quarter. Mackenzie Financial Corp now owns 338,563 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock valued at $24,725,000 after buying an additional 68,018 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 74.98% of the companys stock.

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Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of equities research analysts have recently weighed in on BMY shares. Morgan Stanley dropped their price objective on shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb from $56.00 to $50.00 and set an underweight rating on the stock in a report on Friday, October 27th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft assumed coverage on shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb in a report on Thursday, November 9th. They set a hold rating and a $55.00 price objective on the stock. Truist Financial reaffirmed a buy rating and issued a $84.00 price target on shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb in a report on Friday, October 6th. William Blair lowered shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb from an outperform rating to a market perform rating in a report on Friday, October 27th. Finally, TheStreet lowered shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb from a b- rating to a c+ rating in a report on Thursday, November 9th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, thirteen have given a hold rating, four have assigned a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $63.59.

Bristol-Myers Squibb Price Performance

Shares of BMY stock traded up $1.03 during mid-day trading on Friday, hitting $52.29. 19,998,059 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 10,300,832. Bristol-Myers Squibb has a 52-week low of $48.25 and a 52-week high of $75.18. The company has a quick ratio of 1.07, a current ratio of 1.18 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.11. The firm has a fifty day moving average of $51.68 and a 200 day moving average of $58.14. The company has a market cap of $106.40 billion, a PE ratio of 13.27, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.21 and a beta of 0.34.

Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE:BMY  Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, October 26th. The biopharmaceutical company reported $2.00 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.76 by $0.24. Bristol-Myers Squibb had a net margin of 18.44% and a return on equity of 51.59%. The firm had revenue of $10.97 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $10.96 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $1.99 EPS. The companys revenue for the quarter was down 2.2% on a year-over-year basis. Research analysts anticipate that Bristol-Myers Squibb will post 7.53 earnings per share for the current year.

Bristol-Myers Squibb Increases Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, February 1st. Investors of record on Friday, January 5th will be given a dividend of $0.60 per share. This represents a $2.40 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 4.59%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, January 4th. This is an increase from Bristol-Myers Squibbs previous quarterly dividend of $0.57. Bristol-Myers Squibbs dividend payout ratio is 60.91%.

Bristol-Myers Squibb announced that its board has approved a share buyback plan on Thursday, December 7th that allows the company to repurchase $3.00 billion in shares. This repurchase authorization allows the biopharmaceutical company to buy up to 2.9% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock repurchase plans are often an indication that the companys management believes its shares are undervalued.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, CEO Christopher S. Boerner purchased 2,000 shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, December 5th. The stock was purchased at an average price of $49.78 per share, for a total transaction of $99,560.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 82,672 shares in the company, valued at $4,115,412.16. The acquisition was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this link. In other Bristol-Myers Squibb news, CEO Christopher S. Boerner acquired 2,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Tuesday, December 5th. The stock was bought at an average price of $49.78 per share, for a total transaction of $99,560.00. Following the acquisition, the chief executive officer now owns 82,672 shares in the company, valued at $4,115,412.16. The purchase was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Also, CEO Christopher S. Boerner acquired 3,071 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Tuesday, November 28th. The stock was acquired at an average price of $48.86 per share, with a total value of $150,049.06. Following the acquisition, the chief executive officer now owns 79,384 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,878,702.24. The disclosure for this purchase can be found here. Insiders purchased a total of 13,571 shares of company stock worth $672,994 in the last 90 days. Insiders own 0.09% of the companys stock.

Bristol-Myers Squibb 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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ONE Advisory Partners LLC decreased its position in iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF (BATS:EFG  Free Report) by 16.9% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The fund owned 123,037 shares of the companys stock after selling 25,100 shares during the period. iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF comprises approximately 6.2% of ONE Advisory Partners LLCs portfolio, making the stock its 5th biggest holding. ONE Advisory Partners LLCs holdings in iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF were worth $10,618,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other large investors also recently bought and sold shares of the company. U.S. Capital Wealth Advisors LLC boosted its stake in shares of iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF by 11.9% during the first quarter. U.S. Capital Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 2,254 shares of the companys stock valued at $217,000 after acquiring an additional 240 shares during the last quarter. Synovus Financial Corp boosted its stake in shares of iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF by 34.0% during the first quarter. Synovus Financial Corp now owns 10,468 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,007,000 after acquiring an additional 2,657 shares during the last quarter. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC boosted its stake in shares of iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF by 5.9% during the first quarter. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC now owns 4,076 shares of the companys stock valued at $392,000 after acquiring an additional 228 shares during the last quarter. Laurel Wealth Advisors Inc. boosted its stake in shares of iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF by 81.0% during the first quarter. Laurel Wealth Advisors Inc. now owns 5,319 shares of the companys stock valued at $512,000 after acquiring an additional 2,381 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Interchange Capital Partners LLC acquired a new stake in shares of iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF during the first quarter valued at $266,000.

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iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF Stock Down 0.1 %

Shares of EFG traded down $0.05 during trading hours on Friday, reaching $95.88. 604,127 shares of the company traded hands. The stock has a market capitalization of $12.85 billion, a PE ratio of 18.69 and a beta of 0.89. iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF has a fifty-two week low of $67.58 and a fifty-two week high of $85.81. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $89.82 and a 200 day simple moving average of $91.33.

iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF 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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Yarger Wealth Strategies LLC reduced its stake in Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF (NYSEARCA:VYM  Free Report) by 2.1% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 13,670 shares of the companys stock after selling 293 shares during the period. Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF accounts for about 1.2% of Yarger Wealth Strategies LLCs investment portfolio, making the stock its 22nd biggest holding. Yarger Wealth Strategies LLCs holdings in Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF were worth $1,412,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in the stock. PayPay Securities Corp increased its position in Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF by 455.6% in the second quarter. PayPay Securities Corp now owns 300 shares of the companys stock worth $32,000 after buying an additional 246 shares during the period. Sunbelt Securities Inc. bought a new position in shares of Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF during the first quarter worth about $32,000. Byrne Asset Management LLC lifted its position in Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF by 69.2% in the 2nd quarter. Byrne Asset Management LLC now owns 362 shares of the companys stock valued at $38,000 after purchasing an additional 148 shares during the last quarter. Bank of New Hampshire boosted its stake in Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF by 380.3% during the 3rd quarter. Bank of New Hampshire now owns 562 shares of the companys stock valued at $58,000 after purchasing an additional 445 shares during the period. Finally, Coppell Advisory Solutions Corp. bought a new position in Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF in the 4th quarter worth about $59,000.

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Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF Stock Performance

Shares of NYSEARCA:VYM traded up $0.50 during trading hours on Friday, hitting $110.95. The stock had a trading volume of 1,713,446 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,509,879. The stocks fifty day simple moving average is $105.01 and its 200 day simple moving average is $105.88. The firm has a market capitalization of $50.97 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 13.80 and a beta of 0.84. Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF has a 1-year low of $98.40 and a 1-year high of $112.36.

Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF Profile

The Vanguard High Dividend Yield Index Fund (VYM) is an exchange-traded fund that is based on the FTSE Custom High Dividend Yield index. The fund tracks the FTSE High Dividend Yield Index. The index selects high-dividend-paying US companies, excluding REITS, and weights them by market cap. VYM was launched on Nov 10, 2006 and is managed by Vanguard.

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Leavell Investment Management Inc. raised its holdings in Vanguard Total World Stock ETF (NYSEARCA:VT  Free Report) by 1.1% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 23,670 shares of the exchange traded funds stock after buying an additional 251 shares during the period. Leavell Investment Management Inc.s holdings in Vanguard Total World Stock ETF were worth $2,206,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of VT. Wellington Management Group LLP increased its stake in shares of Vanguard Total World Stock ETF by 87.6% during the first quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 1,096,821 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $101,006,000 after purchasing an additional 512,225 shares during the period. Bank Hapoalim BM increased its stake in shares of Vanguard Total World Stock ETF by 0.3% during the second quarter. Bank Hapoalim BM now owns 372,143 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $36,087,000 after purchasing an additional 1,120 shares during the period. Paragon Advisors LLC increased its stake in shares of Vanguard Total World Stock ETF by 101.4% during the second quarter. Paragon Advisors LLC now owns 30,507 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $2,958,000 after purchasing an additional 15,363 shares during the period. Greenspring Advisors LLC bought a new position in shares of Vanguard Total World Stock ETF during the first quarter worth approximately $379,000. Finally, Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd Zurich increased its stake in shares of Vanguard Total World Stock ETF by 94,998.0% during the second quarter. Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd Zurich now owns 153,374,063 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $14,874,217,000 after purchasing an additional 153,212,783 shares during the period.

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Vanguard Total World Stock ETF Price Performance

Vanguard Total World Stock ETF stock opened at $102.22 on Friday. The stocks fifty day moving average price is $96.38 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $96.43. Vanguard Total World Stock ETF has a one year low of $85.18 and a one year high of $102.57. The firm has a market cap of $30.09 billion, a PE ratio of 14.20 and a beta of 0.94.

Vanguard Total World Stock ETF Profile

Vanguard Total World Stock Index Fund ETF (the Fund) is an open-end investment company. The Fund seeks to track the performance of the FTSE Global All Cap Index, which covers both well-established and still-developing markets. The Fund invests in both foreign and the United States stocks. The fund offers three classes of shares: Investor Shares, Institutional Shares, and ETF Shares.

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FC Advisory LLC grew its holdings in iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF (NYSEARCA:AGG  Free Report) by 0.2% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The firm owned 123,837 shares of the companys stock after purchasing an additional 286 shares during the quarter. iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF accounts for about 4.9% of FC Advisory LLCs holdings, making the stock its 4th biggest holding. FC Advisory LLCs holdings in iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF were worth $11,646,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in AGG. Avalon Trust Co purchased a new position in iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF in the second quarter worth approximately $28,000. Parkside Financial Bank & Trust lifted its stake in iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF by 191.1% in the second quarter. Parkside Financial Bank & Trust now owns 294 shares of the companys stock worth $29,000 after acquiring an additional 193 shares during the last quarter. Steph & Co. lifted its stake in iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF by 80.4% in the second quarter. Steph & Co. now owns 359 shares of the companys stock worth $35,000 after acquiring an additional 160 shares during the last quarter. First Manhattan Co. lifted its position in shares of iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF by 697.9% during the 4th quarter. First Manhattan Co. now owns 375 shares of the companys stock worth $36,000 after buying an additional 328 shares during the last quarter. Finally, VitalStone Financial LLC purchased a new stake in shares of iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $38,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 83.21% of the companys stock.

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iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF Stock Performance

Shares of NYSEARCA:AGG opened at $98.83 on Friday. iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF has a twelve month low of $91.58 and a twelve month high of $101.15. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $95.22 and a 200-day simple moving average of $95.96.

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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Naples Global Advisors LLC boosted its stake in Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited (NYSE:TSM  Free Report) by 1.0% during the third quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The firm owned 110,356 shares of the semiconductor companys stock after acquiring an additional 1,085 shares during the quarter. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing accounts for about 1.2% of Naples Global Advisors LLCs portfolio, making the stock its 11th biggest holding. Naples Global Advisors LLCs holdings in Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing were worth $9,640,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

A number of other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. HB Wealth Management LLC raised its position in shares of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing by 0.9% during the 2nd quarter. HB Wealth Management LLC now owns 10,674 shares of the semiconductor companys stock worth $1,077,000 after purchasing an additional 98 shares during the last quarter. GPS Wealth Strategies Group LLC lifted its position in shares of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing by 4.7% in the second quarter. GPS Wealth Strategies Group LLC now owns 2,187 shares of the semiconductor companys stock valued at $221,000 after acquiring an additional 99 shares in the last quarter. Bill Few Associates Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing by 2.9% in the second quarter. Bill Few Associates Inc. now owns 3,590 shares of the semiconductor companys stock worth $362,000 after acquiring an additional 100 shares during the last quarter. Global Trust Asset Management LLC raised its stake in Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing by 10.2% in the 2nd quarter. Global Trust Asset Management LLC now owns 1,153 shares of the semiconductor companys stock valued at $106,000 after purchasing an additional 107 shares during the last quarter. Finally, First National Bank of Hutchinson lifted its holdings in Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing by 3.3% in the 2nd quarter. First National Bank of Hutchinson now owns 3,397 shares of the semiconductor companys stock valued at $343,000 after purchasing an additional 107 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 16.51% of the companys stock.

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Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Trading Up 0.6 %

Shares of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing stock traded up $0.60 during trading hours on Friday, hitting $103.15. The companys stock had a trading volume of 5,566,576 shares, compared to its average volume of 10,769,489. The firm has a fifty day moving average of $95.98 and a 200-day moving average of $95.81. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited has a twelve month low of $72.84 and a twelve month high of $110.69. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.29, a quick ratio of 1.88 and a current ratio of 2.15. The stock has a market cap of $534.98 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 18.55, a P/E/G ratio of 2.81 and a beta of 1.05.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Increases Dividend

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing ( NYSE:TSM Get Free Report ) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, October 19th. The semiconductor company reported $1.29 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.16 by $0.13. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing had a net margin of 41.42% and a return on equity of 28.28%. The firm had revenue of $17.28 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $16.90 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $1.79 EPS. The businesss revenue for the quarter was down 10.1% compared to the same quarter last year. Research analysts forecast that Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited will post 4.97 EPS for the current year.

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, April 11th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, March 19th will be paid a dividend of $0.5415 per share. This represents a $2.17 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.10%. This is a boost from Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturings previous quarterly dividend of $0.47. The ex-dividend date is Monday, March 18th. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturings dividend payout ratio is 30.76%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities analysts recently weighed in on the stock. Susquehanna lowered their price target on shares of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing from $135.00 to $130.00 in a research report on Monday, October 9th. Barclays began coverage on Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing in a report on Monday, October 23rd. They set an overweight rating and a $105.00 target price on the stock. Needham & Company LLC reissued a buy rating and set a $115.00 price objective on shares of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing in a research note on Friday, October 20th. Finally, StockNews.com raised Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note on Friday, December 8th. Five investment analysts have rated the stock with a buy rating, According to MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of Buy and a consensus target price of $116.67.

Check Out Our Latest Analysis on TSM

About Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing

(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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Everence Capital Management Inc. boosted its stake in Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT  Free Report) by 8.0% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the SEC. The fund owned 47,356 shares of the healthcare product makers stock after buying an additional 3,510 shares during the period. Everence Capital Management Inc.s holdings in Abbott Laboratories were worth $4,586,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Several other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of ABT. Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd Zurich lifted its position in shares of Abbott Laboratories by 97,996.2% during the 2nd quarter. Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd Zurich now owns 2,101,555,797 shares of the healthcare product makers stock valued at $229,111,613,000 after acquiring an additional 2,099,413,455 shares during the period. BlackRock Inc. grew its stake in Abbott Laboratories by 1.2% during the second quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 137,153,545 shares of the healthcare product makers stock worth $14,952,480,000 after buying an additional 1,584,552 shares in the last quarter. Capital Research Global Investors increased its holdings in Abbott Laboratories by 1.1% in the 2nd quarter. Capital Research Global Investors now owns 77,225,258 shares of the healthcare product makers stock valued at $8,419,032,000 after buying an additional 820,369 shares during the period. State Street Corp raised its position in shares of Abbott Laboratories by 1.9% in the 2nd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 74,817,109 shares of the healthcare product makers stock valued at $8,156,561,000 after buying an additional 1,362,889 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Capital International Investors boosted its position in shares of Abbott Laboratories by 4.9% during the 2nd quarter. Capital International Investors now owns 59,178,607 shares of the healthcare product makers stock worth $6,451,127,000 after acquiring an additional 2,747,652 shares in the last quarter. 73.70% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

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Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several research firms have weighed in on ABT. Wells Fargo & Company upped their target price on Abbott Laboratories from $116.00 to $121.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research note on Wednesday, December 13th. UBS Group reduced their price objective on Abbott Laboratories from $130.00 to $118.00 in a research note on Thursday, October 19th. StockNews.com started coverage on Abbott Laboratories in a research note on Thursday, October 5th. They set a buy rating for the company. Citigroup reduced their price target on shares of Abbott Laboratories from $130.00 to $122.00 in a research note on Monday, October 2nd. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group lowered their price objective on shares of Abbott Laboratories from $120.00 to $112.00 in a research report on Monday, October 2nd. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and ten have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Abbott Laboratories presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $117.80.

Insider Activity at Abbott Laboratories

In other Abbott Laboratories news, EVP Andrea F. Wainer sold 15,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Thursday, December 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $108.00, for a total transaction of $1,620,000.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 65,027 shares in the company, valued at approximately $7,022,916. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. In other news, Director Daniel J. Starks sold 50,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Thursday, October 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $94.05, for a total value of $4,702,500.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director now directly owns 6,725,316 shares in the company, valued at approximately $632,515,969.80. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Also, EVP Andrea F. Wainer sold 15,000 shares of Abbott Laboratories stock in a transaction on Thursday, December 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $108.00, for a total transaction of $1,620,000.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 65,027 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $7,022,916. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 1.10% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Abbott Laboratories Trading Up 0.5 %

NYSE:ABT traded up $0.55 during trading hours on Friday, hitting $109.03. 2,565,722 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 5,208,174. The company has a fifty day simple moving average of $100.19 and a 200 day simple moving average of $102.68. Abbott Laboratories has a one year low of $89.67 and a one year high of $115.83. The stock has a market capitalization of $189.28 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 37.09, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.71 and a beta of 0.70. The company has a current ratio of 1.74, a quick ratio of 1.23 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.38.

Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, October 18th. The healthcare product maker reported $1.14 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $1.10 by $0.04. The company had revenue of $10.14 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $9.82 billion. Abbott Laboratories had a return on equity of 20.15% and a net margin of 12.92%. The firms quarterly revenue was down 2.6% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $1.15 earnings per share. Sell-side analysts expect that Abbott Laboratories will post 4.44 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Abbott Laboratories Increases Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, February 15th. Investors of record on Friday, January 12th will be paid a dividend of $0.55 per share. This represents a $2.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.02%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, January 11th. This is an increase from Abbott Laboratoriess previous quarterly dividend of $0.51. Abbott Laboratoriess dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 74.83%.

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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There were some big successes, a few major rehab starts and several demolitions in 2023 in the realm of old and historic Detroit buildings.

One of the most striking redevelopment projects to get underway this year involves the 120-year-old Bonstelle Theatre at Woodward and Eliot Street in Midtown, several blocks north of Little Caesars Arena.

This summer, Detroit-based developer Roxbury Group launched an exterior and interior restoration for the domed theater building, which was last used by Wayne State University's performing arts programs.

The Bonstelle Theatre stands tall on 424 Woodward Ave. in Detroit on Wednesday, December 6, 2023. The theater is being restored, along with development of a new 10-story AC Hotel next door..

The restoration is part of a new development next door to the Bonstelle by Roxbury and Atlanta-based Peachtree Group of a 10-story, 154-room Marriott International AC Hotel. The hotel building construction is underway.

The Bonstelle Theatre on Woodward Avenue, as it looked in 2014.

The rehabbed Bonstelle will connect to the hotel and be used as special events space. Both the new hotel and rehabbed theater could be done by next September, said David Di Rita, principal of the Roxbury Group.

Work crews recently exposed the original entrance and front columns of the Bonstelle. The front of the theater had been covered up by cinder blocks decades ago.

A rendering of the future AC Hotel in Midtown Detroit that will incorporate the Bonstelle Theatre.

"Those columns are now coming back into view, with all of that beautiful detail work over the doorways," Di Rita said. "This is in historic preservation realms, kind of a dream project. To us, its like opening an early Christmas gift.

The Bonstelle dates to 1903 and was designed by the prolific Detroit architect Albert Kahn. It wasn't originally a theater, but rather was built as the Temple Beth El synagogue.

After the synagogue relocated to a different building further north on Woodward, the old building in 1925 was transformed into the Bonstelle Playhouse. The architect for that conversion was C. Howard Crane, who also did the Fox Theatre and Orchestra Hall, according to HistoricDetroit.org.

WSU bought the building in 1951 and used it for performing arts programs, most recently for its dance program. In 2018, the university announced that it would leave the Bonstelle for its new Hilberry Gateway performing arts center. WSU still owns the Bonstelle but gave Roxbury a very long-term lease, Di Rita said.

Story continues

More: What happened to all of Detroit's massive YMCA buildings? 1 is facing the wrecking ball.

Roxbury will be restoring the theater's balcony seats to their original design in the rehab. However, permanent seating on the main floor will be removed and the slope of the floor will be flattened to better host events.

Piquette Flats

Another major rehab that started this year is transformation of a former four-story Studebaker service center at 411 Piquette, in the city's Milwaukee Junction area, into 161 apartments.

The Albert Kahn-designed building dates to 1920 and originally supported operations of a nearby Studebaker factory. The building has been vacant since about 2018 and was last used as medical records storage by Henry Ford Health. It neighbors the Ford Piquette Avenue Plant Museum.

The project is called Piquette Flats and the developer is Detroit-based The Platform. All of the building's apartments will be offered at below-market rents to income-qualified occupants. The expected completion date is fall 2024.

Book Depository

The old Book Depository building, on left, in Detroit on Tuesday, April 24, 2023.

Yet another Albert Kahn-designed building, the Book Depository, located at 2050 15th St. in Corktown next to Michigan Central Station, reopened earlier this year after sitting empty for more than 30 years.

The three-story, 270,000-square-foot building underwent a dramatic top-to-bottom rehab. It is now collaborative workspace for close to 80 startup companies and known as Newlab at Michigan Central Building.

Newlab at Michigan Central, in the former Book Depository, will officially open on Tuesday, April 25.

The building was redeveloped by Ford, which purchased it from the Moroun family in 2018. It opened in 1936 as a U.S. Post Office, and later was a warehouse for Detroit Public Schools until a 1987 fire.

It's neighbor, Michigan Central Station, is expected to reopen sometime next year following its own extensive rehab by Ford.

Former Detroit library branch

The former library branch.

A stately brick building at 8726 Woodward near Boston Edison that opened around 1912 as a Detroit library branch underwent renovation this year, and is set to reopen in January as the new administrative headquarters for the mental health agency Detroit Wayne Integrated Health Network.

The Beaux-Arts-style building was once the library's Henry M. Utley branch, in honor of a Detroit librarian. The branch closed in the 1970s. The building previously housed The Family Place, which hosted social services offices and a daycare.

The agency bought the building in 2018, and this year nearly finished a $17 million gut renovation. They refurnished the exterior, installing replacement decorative cornices where needed, and uncovered  and restored  old terrazzo flooring near the front entrance, according to Facilities Director Mike Maskey.

The agency is keeping the original wood-burning fireplaces on the building's north and south sides, although converted them to gas. The building was last updated in the mid-1990s with a renovation that added an interior mezzanine level.

National Theatre Building facade

Workers have been carefully disassembling the facade of the National Theatre Building in downtown Detroit.

Dan Gilbert's real estate firm, Bedrock, announced plans early in the year to save the facade of the Albert Kahn-designed National Theatre building in downtown Detroit and later incorporate it into a future music venue.

The theater dates to 1911 and is on the National Register of Historic Places. It opened as a vaudeville theater and later showed films for a time, before switching to burlesque shows with live music, according to HistoricDetroit.org. It pivoted to pornography in the 1970s and soon closed for good. It is located next to downtown's popular Monroe Street Midway.

Bedrock has been planning for years to build a large development of housing and office space at the Midway site, but adjusted and downsized those plans in February.

Although the latest plan wouldn't save the entire National Theatre building, it preserves the theater's facade for a new 2,000-seat concert venue. This fall, workers began the careful process of dismantling the old theater's facade and storing it.

Construction of the venue is expected to begin sometime next year. Bedrock is collaborating on the project with venue operator tvg Hospitality.

Bedrock in September razed a pair of old empty buildings behind the theater that were in the footprint of the future overall development.

One of them was a six-story building from the 1920s at 815 Bates St., known as the Pochelon Building, and the other was a neighboring four-story building at 1000 Farmer St. that was slightly older.

Midtown church demo

St. Patrick Catholic Church, as seen in 2015.

The old St. Patrick Catholic Church, built in 1926 and situated at 58 Parsons St. in Midtown, tucked behind the Detroit Symphony Orchestra's Orchestra Hall, was razed in September.

The red brick Neo-Romanesque building was designed by noted church architects Donaldson & Meier and originally known as the Chapel of St. Theresa of the Little Flower. It was on the National Register of Historic Places.

The church had been vacant since holding a final mass in May 2015, when membership had dwindled to about 70 families.

The former site of the demolished St. Patrick Catholic Church

The Archdiocese of Detroit recently sold the property to the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. Demolition of the church reportedly was a requirement of the sale.

The DSO was interested in buying the site because of its proximity to Orchestra Hall, but wasn't prepared to rehab or operate an empty church. The DSO has yet to determine what it will do with the cleared land.

University of Detroit Mercy teardown

Demolition has begun at the University of Detroit Mercy's Fisher Administrative Center building Sept. 29, 2023. The building, located at the corner of Livernois Avenue and Florence Street, has been standing at the university's McNichols Campus since 1966.

A five-story office building from 1966 on the University of Detroit Mercy campus, known as the Fisher Administration Center, was demolished this fall.

The building was designed by the firm of Gunnar Birkets and Co. and built through a monetary donation from Detroit's famous Fisher family. When it opened, the building received some criticism for contrasting with the Spanish Mission motif of the UDM campus.

But the building didn't age well, and was considered by the university as functionally obsolete and too expensive to maintain.

Old Chinatown building demo

This long-empty building at 3143 Cass Ave. is slated for demolition.

A long-vacant brick building from 1883 that was once part of Detroit's second Chinatown was demolished during the summer. (The city's first Chinatown, located around what was Third Avenue and Porter Street, just west of downtown, was razed in the mid-1950s to make way for the Lodge Freeway.)

The building, at 3143 Cass north of the Masonic Temple, was owned by the Ilitch organization's Olympia Development of Michigan. The demolition was ordered by the city, and a last-minute effort by Detroit City Council to delay the demo was unsuccessful.

The two-story building was at one time home to the Chinese Merchants Association and other groups, including as a gathering space for cultural events such as weddings and movies.

Even though the building had been empty for years and suffered roof and interior collapse, the demolition was criticized by some for erasing a culturally significant structure.

Endangered boat club

The front entrance to Detroit's Belle Isle Boat House on Belle Isle in Detroit on Wednesday, October 18, 2023. The boat house that has been in disrepair for years needs restoration costing $54 million architects estimate.

One still-standing yet endangered historic building, whose precarious status made headlines this year, is the Detroit Boat Club on Belle Isle.

The Mediterranean-style building dates to 1902 and was the boat club's home for decades until 1996, when the city of Detroit evicted the club for nonpayment of rent and taxes, according to Free Press archives.

More recently, the boathouse was leased out to the Detroit rowing club. The building is still owned by the city, but managed and controlled by the state.

Citing building deterioration and high estimated rehab costs, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources announced this month that it is accepting suggestions from the public on what it should do with the boathouse  including potential demolition.

The comment period is open through Dec. 31 and state officials say they expect to make a decision early next year on the boathouse's future.

Some preservationists argue that the building is too beautiful to lose and could be saved and rehabbed.

YMCA headed for demo

A former YMCA location at 10401 E Jefferson ave. in Detroit, on Thursday, Sept. 21, 2023.

One building on the eve of demolition is the long-shuttered Hannan Memorial YMCA on East Jefferson.

This five-story Y opened in 1928 and became a federal Jobs Corps training center in the mid-1970s. The federal government transferred ownership in 2005 to the Women's Justice Center, and the city of Detroit ultimately took possession of the empty and decaying building in late 2022.

The old Y is in extremely poor condition and missing much of its roof. The city is presently abating asbestos inside the building and expects to start demolition early next year. The money for the demolition, estimated to cost $1.8 million, would come from the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan of early 2021.

Contact JC Reindl: 313-222-6631 or jcreindl@freepress.com. Follow him on X @jcreindl.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Rehabs, demolitions, reopenings: 10 Detroit building projects of 2023
Trust Co. of Oklahoma raised its position in Zoetis Inc. (NYSE:ZTS  Free Report) by 10.2% during the third quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The fund owned 4,611 shares of the companys stock after buying an additional 428 shares during the period. Trust Co. of Oklahomas holdings in Zoetis were worth $802,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Fairfield Bush & CO. acquired a new position in Zoetis in the first quarter valued at approximately $134,000. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC raised its stake in Zoetis by 5.3% during the 1st quarter. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC now owns 4,166 shares of the companys stock worth $786,000 after buying an additional 211 shares during the period. Candriam Luxembourg S.C.A. lifted its holdings in Zoetis by 3.9% during the first quarter. Candriam Luxembourg S.C.A. now owns 51,581 shares of the companys stock worth $9,727,000 after acquiring an additional 1,914 shares in the last quarter. Covestor Ltd grew its stake in Zoetis by 102.8% in the first quarter. Covestor Ltd now owns 724 shares of the companys stock valued at $137,000 after acquiring an additional 367 shares during the period. Finally, Merit Financial Group LLC grew its position in shares of Zoetis by 92.8% in the 1st quarter. Merit Financial Group LLC now owns 2,342 shares of the companys stock valued at $442,000 after purchasing an additional 1,127 shares during the period. 89.47% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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Zoetis Stock Performance

Shares of Zoetis stock traded up $0.32 during trading on Friday, hitting $194.98. 1,548,412 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,959,121. The company has a current ratio of 3.87, a quick ratio of 2.16 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.29. The company has a fifty day moving average price of $176.15 and a 200-day moving average price of $177.41. The stock has a market capitalization of $89.52 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 39.63, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.14 and a beta of 0.85. Zoetis Inc. has a 1-year low of $141.52 and a 1-year high of $201.92.

Zoetis Increases Dividend

Zoetis ( NYSE:ZTS Get Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, November 2nd. The company reported $1.36 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.35 by $0.01. Zoetis had a return on equity of 52.22% and a net margin of 27.24%. The firm had revenue of $2.15 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.17 billion. As a group, equities analysts predict that Zoetis Inc. will post 5.41 EPS for the current fiscal year.

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 1st. Shareholders of record on Friday, January 19th will be given a dividend of $0.432 per share. This represents a $1.73 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.89%. This is a boost from Zoetiss previous quarterly dividend of $0.38. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, January 18th. Zoetiss payout ratio is 30.49%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Zoetis

In other Zoetis news, EVP Roxanne Lagano sold 923 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Friday, November 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $177.46, for a total value of $163,795.58. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 22,665 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $4,022,130.90. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. In other Zoetis news, CEO Kristin C. Peck sold 13,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, November 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $176.84, for a total transaction of $2,298,920.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 56,843 shares in the company, valued at approximately $10,052,116.12. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, EVP Roxanne Lagano sold 923 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, November 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $177.46, for a total value of $163,795.58. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now owns 22,665 shares of the companys stock, valued at $4,022,130.90. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold a total of 17,346 shares of company stock worth $3,122,321 over the last ninety days. Insiders own 0.12% of the companys stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

ZTS has been the topic of a number of research reports. BNP Paribas began coverage on shares of Zoetis in a research note on Thursday, December 7th. They issued an outperform rating and a $237.00 price target on the stock. Piper Sandler boosted their price target on Zoetis from $210.00 to $215.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Monday, November 6th. Argus upped their price target on Zoetis from $190.00 to $201.00 in a research report on Tuesday, September 19th. StockNews.com upgraded shares of Zoetis from a buy rating to a strong-buy rating in a report on Wednesday. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group restated a buy rating and set a $230.00 target price on shares of Zoetis in a report on Tuesday. Eight investment analysts have rated the stock with a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Zoetis currently has a consensus rating of Buy and a consensus target price of $220.11.

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Zoetis Profile

(Free Report)

Zoetis Inc discovers, develops, manufactures, and commercializes animal health medicines, vaccines, and diagnostic products in the United States and internationally. It commercializes products primarily across species, including livestock, such as cattle, swine, poultry, fish, and sheep and others; and companion animals comprising dogs, cats, and horses.

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Kraft Davis & Associates LLC lowered its holdings in iShares Russell 1000 Growth ETF (NYSEARCA:IWF  Free Report) by 1.0% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 22,393 shares of the exchange traded funds stock after selling 225 shares during the period. iShares Russell 1000 Growth ETF accounts for 2.2% of Kraft Davis & Associates LLCs investment portfolio, making the stock its 18th biggest position. Kraft Davis & Associates LLCs holdings in iShares Russell 1000 Growth ETF were worth $5,892,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Loomis Sayles & Co. L P grew its holdings in iShares Russell 1000 Growth ETF by 34.1% in the first quarter. Loomis Sayles & Co. L P now owns 26,203 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $7,275,000 after purchasing an additional 6,665 shares during the period. Worth Asset Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of iShares Russell 1000 Growth ETF during the 1st quarter worth $42,000. International Assets Investment Management LLC increased its holdings in shares of iShares Russell 1000 Growth ETF by 11.6% during the 1st quarter. International Assets Investment Management LLC now owns 6,211 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $1,724,000 after buying an additional 644 shares during the last quarter. West Michigan Advisors LLC raised its position in shares of iShares Russell 1000 Growth ETF by 3.7% in the 1st quarter. West Michigan Advisors LLC now owns 7,595 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $2,109,000 after buying an additional 272 shares during the period. Finally, Flow Traders U.S. LLC acquired a new position in iShares Russell 1000 Growth ETF in the first quarter valued at $33,422,000.

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iShares Russell 1000 Growth ETF Trading Up 0.1 %

NYSEARCA:IWF traded up $0.25 on Friday, hitting $302.79. 1,669,665 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,398,209. The stock has a market cap of $77.24 billion, a PE ratio of 26.14 and a beta of 1.08. iShares Russell 1000 Growth ETF has a fifty-two week low of $209.27 and a fifty-two week high of $304.74. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $283.75 and a 200-day moving average of $277.55.

iShares Russell 1000 Growth ETF Profile

iShares Russell 1000 Growth ETF (the Fund), formerly iShares Russell 1000 Growth Index Fund, is an exchange-traded fund (ETF). The Fund seeks investment returns that correspond generally to the price and yield performance of the Russell 1000 Growth Index (the Index). The Index measures the performance of equity securities of Russell 1000 index issuers with relatively higher price-to-book ratios and higher forecasted growth.

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Buttonwood Financial Advisors Inc. grew its holdings in The Southern Company (NYSE:SO  Free Report) by 27.1% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 6,068 shares of the utilities providers stock after acquiring an additional 1,293 shares during the period. Buttonwood Financial Advisors Inc.s holdings in Southern were worth $393,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also modified their holdings of the company. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD increased its holdings in 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 worth $4,277,269,000 after acquiring an additional 1,283,943 shares in the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC increased its stake in shares of Southern by 2.3% in the second quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 19,816,104 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $1,387,945,000 after purchasing an additional 452,511 shares in the last quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. increased its stake in shares of Southern by 4.2% in the second quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 16,070,918 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $1,128,982,000 after purchasing an additional 642,737 shares in the last quarter. Capital Research Global Investors lifted its stake in shares of Southern by 8.0% during the 2nd quarter. Capital Research Global Investors now owns 11,910,166 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $836,689,000 after buying an additional 883,544 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Morgan Stanley boosted its holdings in Southern by 2.9% in the 4th quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 9,190,526 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $656,296,000 after buying an additional 255,838 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 62.85% of the companys stock.

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Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of research firms have commented on SO. Royal Bank of Canada raised their price target on Southern from $78.00 to $80.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a report on Wednesday, September 6th. Guggenheim dropped their price target on Southern from $80.00 to $72.00 in a research note on Monday, October 9th. Barclays reduced their price objective on shares of Southern from $68.00 to $64.00 in a research report on Thursday, October 5th. BMO Capital Markets dropped their target price on shares of Southern from $72.00 to $70.00 and set a market perform rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, August 31st. Finally, StockNews.com upgraded shares of Southern from a sell rating to a hold rating in a research note on Friday, November 3rd. Two analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have assigned a hold rating, four have issued a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, Southern presently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $73.00.

Insider Transactions at Southern

In related news, CEO Stephen E. Kuczynski sold 5,000 shares of Southern stock in a transaction dated Monday, December 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of $71.23, for a total transaction of $356,150.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 106,284 shares in the company, valued at approximately $7,570,609.32. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. In other Southern news, CEO Stephen E. Kuczynski sold 5,000 shares of Southern stock in a transaction on Monday, December 11th. The stock was sold at an average price of $71.23, for a total transaction of $356,150.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 106,284 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $7,570,609.32. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Also, insider David P. Poroch sold 10,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Thursday, November 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $69.39, for a total transaction of $693,900.00. Following the transaction, the insider now owns 28,691 shares in the company, valued at $1,990,868.49. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last ninety days, insiders sold 25,000 shares of company stock worth $1,722,000. 0.28% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Southern Trading Up 0.1 %

SO stock opened at $69.46 on Friday. The Southern Company has a twelve month low of $58.85 and a twelve month high of $75.80. The stock has a market capitalization of $75.75 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 25.07, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.84 and a beta of 0.55. The company has a quick ratio of 0.63, a current ratio of 0.84 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.59. The firms fifty day simple moving average is $69.22 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $69.24.

Southern (NYSE:SO  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, November 2nd. The utilities provider reported $1.42 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $1.32 by $0.10. Southern had a net margin of 11.60% and a return on equity of 10.26%. The company had revenue of $6.98 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $8.38 billion. As a group, analysts anticipate that The Southern Company will post 3.6 earnings per share for the current year.

Southern Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, December 6th. Shareholders of record on Monday, November 20th were paid a $0.70 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, November 17th. This represents a $2.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 4.03%. Southerns payout ratio is 101.08%.

About Southern

(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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Trust Co. of Oklahoma reduced its stake in shares of The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE:KO  Free Report) by 51.2% in the third quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 6,389 shares of the companys stock after selling 6,700 shares during the quarter. Trust Co. of Oklahomas holdings in Coca-Cola were worth $358,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Summitry LLC grew its holdings in Coca-Cola by 1.7% in the first quarter. Summitry LLC now owns 9,668 shares of the companys stock valued at $600,000 after purchasing an additional 159 shares during the period. Johnson Midwest Financial LLC increased its holdings in shares of Coca-Cola by 7.5% during the 2nd quarter. Johnson Midwest Financial LLC now owns 2,321 shares of the companys stock worth $140,000 after buying an additional 162 shares during the last quarter. Alpha Financial Partners LLC raised its position in shares of Coca-Cola by 3.4% in the 2nd quarter. Alpha Financial Partners LLC now owns 4,913 shares of the companys stock worth $296,000 after buying an additional 162 shares during the period. Traynor Capital Management Inc. boosted its holdings in Coca-Cola by 4.4% in the second quarter. Traynor Capital Management Inc. now owns 3,831 shares of the companys stock valued at $231,000 after acquiring an additional 162 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Plancorp LLC grew its position in Coca-Cola by 1.1% during the second quarter. Plancorp LLC now owns 14,897 shares of the companys stock valued at $897,000 after acquiring an additional 164 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 68.96% of the companys stock.

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Insider Activity at Coca-Cola

In other news, CEO James Quincey sold 92,029 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, October 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $53.86, for a total value of $4,956,681.94. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 442,546 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $23,835,527.56. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. In related news, SVP Henrique Braun sold 52,696 shares of Coca-Cola stock in a transaction dated Friday, November 17th. The stock was sold at an average price of $56.97, for a total transaction of $3,002,091.12. Following the transaction, the senior vice president now directly owns 26,272 shares of the companys stock, valued at $1,496,715.84. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, CEO James Quincey sold 92,029 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, October 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $53.86, for a total transaction of $4,956,681.94. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 442,546 shares of the companys stock, valued at $23,835,527.56. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold 349,315 shares of company stock worth $19,805,715 in the last 90 days. Corporate insiders own 1.00% of the companys stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several research firms have recently weighed in on KO. Citigroup reduced their price objective on Coca-Cola from $74.00 to $65.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, October 11th. Barclays decreased their price objective on shares of Coca-Cola from $70.00 to $59.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, October 12th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their target price on shares of Coca-Cola from $59.00 to $62.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Wednesday, October 25th. Jefferies Financial Group began coverage on shares of Coca-Cola in a research report on Monday, November 13th. They set a hold rating and a $64.00 price target for the company. Finally, Bank of America cut their price objective on Coca-Cola from $74.00 to $60.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, October 17th. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eight have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Coca-Cola has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $66.20.

Read Our Latest Report on KO

Coca-Cola Stock Performance

Shares of Coca-Cola stock traded up $0.33 on Friday, reaching $58.32. 9,029,440 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 13,844,706. The Coca-Cola Company has a 1-year low of $51.55 and a 1-year high of $64.99. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.23, a quick ratio of 0.97 and a current ratio of 1.14. The companys 50-day moving average is $57.29 and its two-hundred day moving average is $58.73. The firm has a market cap of $252.14 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 23.43, a P/E/G ratio of 3.46 and a beta of 0.58.

Coca-Cola (NYSE:KO  Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Tuesday, October 24th. The company reported $0.74 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.69 by $0.05. The firm had revenue of $11.95 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $11.45 billion. Coca-Cola had a net margin of 23.92% and a return on equity of 42.44%. As a group, research analysts expect that The Coca-Cola Company will post 2.68 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Coca-Cola Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, December 15th. Investors of record on Friday, December 1st were issued a $0.46 dividend. This represents a $1.84 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.16%. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, November 30th. Coca-Colas payout ratio is currently 73.90%.

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.

Further Reading

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Arcus Capital Partners LLC boosted its position in shares of SPDR Gold Shares (NYSEARCA:GLD  Free Report) by 0.4% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The firm owned 19,820 shares of the exchange traded funds stock after buying an additional 70 shares during the quarter. SPDR Gold Shares makes up 1.0% of Arcus Capital Partners LLCs holdings, making the stock its 16th biggest position. Arcus Capital Partners LLCs holdings in SPDR Gold Shares were worth $3,398,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Epic Trust Investment Advisors LLC raised its stake in SPDR Gold Shares by 14.6% during the third quarter. Epic Trust Investment Advisors LLC now owns 5,210 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $893,000 after purchasing an additional 663 shares during the period. Palumbo Wealth Management LLC increased its position in shares of SPDR Gold Shares by 11.2% during the third quarter. Palumbo Wealth Management LLC now owns 61,399 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $10,527,000 after acquiring an additional 6,198 shares during the last quarter. Legacy Capital Wealth Partners LLC acquired a new stake in shares of SPDR Gold Shares during the third quarter valued at about $578,000. Independence Bank of Kentucky increased its position in shares of SPDR Gold Shares by 13.9% during the third quarter. Independence Bank of Kentucky now owns 1,757 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $301,000 after acquiring an additional 215 shares during the last quarter. Finally, RFG Advisory LLC increased its position in shares of SPDR Gold Shares by 1.1% during the third quarter. RFG Advisory LLC now owns 20,760 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $3,559,000 after acquiring an additional 230 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 40.99% of the companys stock.

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SPDR Gold Shares Trading Up 0.4 %

Shares of GLD opened at $190.27 on Friday. SPDR Gold Shares has a 1-year low of $166.66 and a 1-year high of $192.40. The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $184.69 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $180.54.

SPDR Gold Shares Profile

SPDR Gold Trust (the Trust) is an investment trust. The investment objective of the Trust is for the Shares to reflect the performance of the price of gold bullion, less the Trusts expenses. The Trusts business activity is the investment of gold. The Trust creates and redeems Shares from time to time, but in one or more Baskets (a Basket equals a block of 100,000 Shares).

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Enterprise Bank & Trust Co trimmed its position in Mastercard Incorporated (NYSE:MA  Free Report) by 1.3% in the third quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 7,050 shares of the credit services providers stock after selling 96 shares during the period. Mastercard accounts for about 1.2% of Enterprise Bank & Trust Cos investment portfolio, making the stock its 21st biggest holding. Enterprise Bank & Trust Cos holdings in Mastercard were worth $2,791,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of the company. Naviter Wealth LLC increased its holdings in shares of Mastercard by 31.1% in the 2nd quarter. Naviter Wealth LLC now owns 4,582 shares of the credit services providers stock worth $1,802,000 after acquiring an additional 1,087 shares during the period. Mendel Money Management grew its holdings in Mastercard by 1.8% in the 2nd quarter. Mendel Money Management now owns 2,133 shares of the credit services providers stock worth $839,000 after buying an additional 37 shares in the last quarter. ARS Wealth Advisors Group LLC grew its holdings in Mastercard by 0.7% in the 2nd quarter. ARS Wealth Advisors Group LLC now owns 24,680 shares of the credit services providers stock worth $9,707,000 after buying an additional 173 shares in the last quarter. Klingman & Associates LLC grew its holdings in Mastercard by 5.9% in the 2nd quarter. Klingman & Associates LLC now owns 7,433 shares of the credit services providers stock worth $2,923,000 after buying an additional 411 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Fragasso Group Inc. grew its holdings in Mastercard by 12.9% in the 2nd quarter. Fragasso Group Inc. now owns 1,115 shares of the credit services providers stock worth $438,000 after buying an additional 127 shares in the last quarter. 74.94% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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Mastercard Trading Up 0.2 %

NYSE MA opened at $424.12 on Friday. Mastercard Incorporated has a 1-year low of $337.69 and a 1-year high of $427.61. The company has a current ratio of 1.17, a quick ratio of 1.17 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.24. The company has a market capitalization of $397.73 billion, a PE ratio of 36.94, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.91 and a beta of 1.08. The firms fifty day simple moving average is $401.07 and its 200-day simple moving average is $397.83.

Mastercard ( NYSE:MA Get Free Report ) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, October 26th. The credit services provider reported $3.39 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $3.21 by $0.18. The business had revenue of $6.53 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.53 billion. Mastercard had a net margin of 44.85% and a return on equity of 188.83%. Mastercards revenue for the quarter was up 13.5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $2.68 earnings per share. As a group, sell-side analysts anticipate that Mastercard Incorporated will post 12.16 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Mastercard announced that its board has initiated a share buyback plan on Tuesday, December 5th that permits the company to buyback $11.00 billion in shares. This buyback authorization permits the credit services provider to purchase up to 2.9% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock buyback plans are usually a sign that the companys board of directors believes its shares are undervalued.

Mastercard Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, February 9th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, January 9th will be given a dividend of $0.66 per share. This represents a $2.64 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.62%. This is an increase from Mastercards previous quarterly dividend of $0.57. The ex-dividend date is Monday, January 8th. Mastercards dividend payout ratio is presently 19.86%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Mastercard news, insider Ajay Bhalla sold 4,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Wednesday, December 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $425.00, for a total transaction of $1,700,000.00. Following the transaction, the insider now directly owns 6,235 shares of the companys stock, valued at $2,649,875. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. In other Mastercard news, insider Ajay Bhalla sold 4,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Wednesday, December 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $425.00, for a total transaction of $1,700,000.00. Following the transaction, the insider now directly owns 6,235 shares of the companys stock, valued at $2,649,875. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Also, major shareholder Foundation Mastercard sold 125,816 shares of the stock in a transaction on Wednesday, November 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $377.45, for a total transaction of $47,489,249.20. Following the transaction, the insider now directly owns 98,424,221 shares in the company, valued at $37,150,222,216.45. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold 514,683 shares of company stock valued at $198,366,316 over the last three months. 0.13% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

MA has been the subject of a number of recent analyst reports. HSBC initiated coverage on Mastercard in a report on Friday, October 13th. They issued a hold rating and a $424.00 price objective for the company. Barclays decreased their price objective on Mastercard from $479.00 to $470.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a report on Monday, October 30th. Jefferies Financial Group upped their target price on Mastercard from $425.00 to $480.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Tuesday, December 12th. Mizuho cut their target price on Mastercard from $435.00 to $420.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, October 31st. Finally, BMO Capital Markets restated an outperform rating and issued a $475.00 target price on shares of Mastercard in a research report on Tuesday, December 5th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eighteen have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, Mastercard presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $451.81.

Check Out Our Latest Stock Analysis on MA

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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HT Partners LLC grew its position in Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF (NYSEARCA:VWO  Free Report) by 12.7% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 157,305 shares of the exchange traded funds stock after purchasing an additional 17,682 shares during the quarter. Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF makes up about 1.8% of HT Partners LLCs investment portfolio, making the stock its 11th largest holding. HT Partners LLCs holdings in Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF were worth $6,168,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other hedge funds have also modified their holdings of the company. Axiom Financial Strategies LLC boosted its position in shares of Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF by 62.3% in the third quarter. Axiom Financial Strategies LLC now owns 180,291 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $7,069,000 after purchasing an additional 69,235 shares during the period. Moller Financial Services boosted its position in shares of Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF by 0.7% during the third quarter. Moller Financial Services now owns 223,514 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $8,764,000 after acquiring an additional 1,613 shares during the last quarter. Naples Global Advisors LLC boosted its position in shares of Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF by 6.7% during the third quarter. Naples Global Advisors LLC now owns 90,751 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $3,558,000 after acquiring an additional 5,665 shares during the last quarter. Arcus Capital Partners LLC boosted its position in shares of Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF by 0.8% during the third quarter. Arcus Capital Partners LLC now owns 41,785 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $1,638,000 after acquiring an additional 338 shares during the last quarter. Finally, City State Bank boosted its position in shares of Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF by 8.5% during the third quarter. City State Bank now owns 41,959 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $1,645,000 after acquiring an additional 3,273 shares during the last quarter.

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Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF Trading Down 0.3 %

Shares of NYSEARCA:VWO traded down $0.14 during midday trading on Friday, reaching $40.26. 13,387,275 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 10,033,127. The businesss fifty day moving average is $39.72 and its two-hundred day moving average is $40.33. Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF has a one year low of $37.46 and a one year high of $43.22. The stock has a market cap of $72.07 billion, a PE ratio of 10.00 and a beta of 0.69.

Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF Company Profile

The Fund seeks to track the performance of the FTSE Emerging Markets All Cap China A Inclusion Index, that measures the return of stocks issued by companies located in emerging market countries.

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KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla., Dec. 22, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Dozens of science and technology development payloads returned to Earth from the International Space Station (ISS) on December 22 as SpaceX's 29th Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) mission, contracted by NASA, successfully concluded. More than 30 payloads sponsored by the ISS National Laboratory returned on this mission, many of which were life science investigations aimed at benefiting humanity by improving care for patients on Earth.

International Space Station National Laboratory (PRNewsfoto/International Space Station National Lab)

Here is a quick look at some of the payloads that returned on SpaceX CRS-29:

Researchers from the Naval Research Laboratory sent microbes to the orbiting laboratory to better understand how microgravity and space radiation affect their ability to produce melanin. Results could enable the production of new melanin variants and ultimately new biomaterials with valuable applications in drug delivery and protective coatings for spacecraft and spacesuits.

An investigation from the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) that was funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) focused on aging and liver regeneration. Inspired by previous research, the UCSF team utilized 3D immune-liver tissue chips in space to better understand the relationship between immune system aging and the ability of liver cells to regenerate, which could lead to novel therapies on Earth.

An investigation from the University of California, San Diego (UCSD), which also builds on previous space station research, studied microgravity's effects on stem-cell derived brain organoids. The project leveraged accelerated aging in space to better understand how cognitive decline happens in the human brain. Results could lead to new ways to treat dementia, Alzheimer's, and other neurodegenerative conditions.

Earlier this summer, a team from Emory University continued research on station examining how microgravity affects the growth and function of heart muscle cells as they mature into tissue-like structures. Findings will help advance heart disease modeling and could contribute to the development of new therapies for patients on Earth.

A project from biotech startup Axonis, which also launched earlier this summer, examined how microgravity affects the maturation of human brain cells as they form three dimensional spheroids that mimic certain aspects of the human brain. Findings will help improve disease modeling and aid in the development of new treatments for neurological disorders.

Story continues

The ISS National Lab enables access and opportunity for researchers to leverage this unique orbiting outpost for the benefit of humanity and to enable commerce in space. To learn more about ISS National Lab-sponsored investigations that flew on SpaceX CRS-29, please visit our launch page.

To download a high-resolution photo for this release, click here.

About the International Space Station (ISS) National Laboratory:

The International Space Station (ISS) is a one-of-a-kind laboratory that enables research and technology development not possible on Earth. As a public service enterprise, the ISS National Laboratory allows researchers to leverage this multiuser facility to improve quality of life on Earth, mature space-based business models, advance science literacy in the future workforce, and expand a sustainable and scalable market in low Earth orbit. Through this orbiting national laboratory, research resources on the ISS are available to support non-NASA science, technology, and education initiatives from U.S. government agencies, academic institutions, and the private sector. The Center for the Advancement of Science in Space (CASIS) manages the ISS National Lab, under Cooperative Agreement with NASA, facilitating access to its permanent microgravity research environment, a powerful vantage point in low Earth orbit, and the extreme and varied conditions of space. To learn more about the ISS National Lab, visit our website.

As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, CASIS accepts corporate and individual donations to help advance science in space for the benefit of humanity. For more information, visit our donations page.

Media Contact Patrick O'Neill

904-806-0035

PONeill@ISSNationalLab.org

International Space Station (ISS) National Laboratory Managed by the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space, Inc. (CASIS) 6905 N. Wickham Rd., Suite 500, Melbourne, FL 32940  321.253.5101  www.ISSNationalLab.org

Cision

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/spacex-returns-vital-life-science-research-sponsored-by-the-iss-national-lab-302021983.html

SOURCE International Space Station National Lab
artificial intelligence investing algorithms

Three years ago, data analytics company Palantir (NYSE: PLTR) debuted on public markets through a direct listing. Since then, its shares have risen around 80%, with most of that growth coming from a recovery in 2023 as investors became more optimistic in its ability to incorporate new generative artificial intelligence (AI) tech into its business model. Let's explore what the next 10 years could have in store for the company.

Palantir's unique take on machine learning

Palantir is an American software company known for data fusion and mining, a process that involves analyzing a large volume of information and combining data from different sources into useful insights. The company is unique because of its significant exposure to sensitive government clients and missions.

According to CNBC, Palantir's software helped the U.S. find Osama Bin Laden in 2011. And it is currently used to help the Ukrainian armed forces with targeting in the war with Russia.

So far, Palantir's business is performing reasonably well. Third-quarter earnings grew 17% year over year to $558 million, with the fastest growth coming from its commercial clients, which increased 23% to $251 million -- a bit under half of the total. Public sector deals represented the rest.

While Palantir's government contracts give its business stability and a solid niche (not every company is trusted to deal with such classified and sensitive information), commercial clients could represent a significant potential growth opportunity in the future. Management is rapidly incorporating generative AI into its business model to make its software solutions more useful to potential enterprise clients.

AI will become a bigger part of the business

Generative AI is a unique subfield of artificial intelligence where algorithms are designed to create new content based on vast arrays of training data. While this is distinct from Palantir's legacy data management businesses, the two technologies synergize well. For example, generative AI could help automate Palantir's analytics process or give clients real-time conversational insights about their data in fast-paced scenarios like battlefields or law enforcement operations.

Story continues

Image source: Getty Images.

In April, Palantir launched its new Artificial Intelligence Platform (AIP), designed to add AI to its existing software offerings like Gotham, which is for government uses, and Foundry, geared toward the private sector.

Bloomberg Intelligence expects the total generative AI market to be worth a jaw-dropping $1.3 trillion by 2032, with a significant portion of the opportunity coming from software. Over the next 10 years, investors can expect Palantir's AI efforts to become a key growth driver as the technology improves and more organizations implement it into their operations. Palantir's public sector relationships and existing data mining business could give it an edge against potential rivals that may emerge.

Palantir can justify its valuation

Valuation will also be a big concern for long-term Palantir investors. With a forward price-to-earnings multiple of 61, the company trades at a substantial premium to the S&P 500's average of 26. But the price looks somewhat justified by the company's solid bottom-line momentum.

Third-quarter net income jumped from a loss of $123.9 million to a gain of $80 million, capping off Palantir's first four consecutive quarters of profitability under generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). The company's burgeoning profitability and cash flow could give it a stable foundation for its AI expansion over the coming years. And shares look capable of outperforming the market.

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Where Will Palantir Stock Be in 10 Years? was originally published by The Motley Fool
The College of Preschool Education at Capital Normal University hosts the 7th Capital Early Childhood Education Forum in Beijing, Dec. 21, 2023. [Photo courtesy of CNU]

The 7th Capital Early Childhood Education Forum, organized by the College of Preschool Education at Capital Normal University (CNU), was held in Beijing on Dec. 21. This year's forum centered around the theme "The Role of Universities in the High-Quality Development of Preschool Education in Beijing."

Hu Jie, secretary of the CPC Committee in the College of Preschool Education at CNU, underscored the pivotal role of quality preschool education in ensuring the comprehensive and healthy development of children, contributing significantly to social harmony and stability.

In a keynote address, Han Jihua, vice president of CNU, emphasized the commitment of universities to cultivate high-quality kindergarten teachers, conduct impactful scientific research, and actively engage in social service and collaboration. He called for collective efforts to fulfill the crucial responsibilities and missions of universities in driving high-quality development in preschool education.

Hong Xiumin, director of the Institute of Early Childhood Education at Beijing Normal University, shared her insights on key policies, including the report to the 20th CPC National Congress and "China Education Modernization 2035." She stressed an interactive relationship between scientific research and the development of preschool education, highlighting the imperative to bolster foundational research for achieving high-quality development in preschool education.

Higher education institutions such as Beijing Normal University, Beijing Academy of Educational Sciences and Beijing Institute of Education participated in the forum, along with representatives from education administrative departments, research departments, kindergarten principals, and teachers from various districts and counties of Beijing, as well as delegates from universities and research institutions in Tianjin and Hebei province. Approximately 400 participants joined the event in-person, while nearly 10,000 also took part online.

During the forum, districts and counties in Beijing showcased distinctive projects and achievements in the high-quality development of preschool education, covering such areas as high-quality curriculum construction, professional teacher development, quality preschool assessment, seamless transitions between early childhood and primary education, and the establishment of research systems.
FREDERICKSBURG

Christ Lutheran Church, 1300 Augustine Ave., will host services on Sunday at 3, 5 and 7 p.m. The 3 p.m. service will include Holy Communion and a childrens pageant. The 5 and 7 p.m. candlelight services will include Holy Communion; the 7 p.m. service will be livestreamed to Facebook and YouTube.

Fairview Baptist Church, 900 Charlotte St., hosts a food pantry on the second and fourth Saturday of each month, 9:3011 a.m., for residents of Fredericksburg, Locust Grove and Spotsylvania, Stafford, King George and Caroline counties. Bring ID. 540/373-8377; fairview-baptist.org.

Fredericksburg United Methodist Church, 308 Hanover St. Christmas Eve services will be held at 10 a.m., and 4, 6, 8 and 11 p.m. 540/973-9021; fumcva.org.

Hillcrest United Methodist Church, 2208 Lafayette Blvd., holds Sunday service at 10 a.m. The Salvation Army will sponsor a New Years Eve gospel sing on Dec. 31, 7 p.m.midnight, featuring Tommy Decatur, Ray Bennett, Reverent Quartet, Mike Milstead and Justified. 540/898-2180; hillcrestumc.com.

Mount Zion Baptist Church, 309 Wolfe St., has reopened its regular church services. Capacity is limited to 50%; face coverings and social distancing are mandatory. Weekly and Sunday service will be held on Facebook Live at the following times: Bible study at 6:45 p.m. Wednesday, Sunday school at 9:30 a.m. and Sunday worship services at 10:50 a.m. Call in by telephone conference number to 978/990-5000 and enter pin 569693#. 540/371-2878; mtzionfbg.org.

Shiloh Baptist Church (New Site), 525 Princess Anne St., worships each Sunday at 10 a.m.; masks optional. Services are also livestreamed at shilohnewsite.com and YouTube; or call 1-929-205-6099, meeting ID: 11085999, passcode 22401. 540/371-1153.

Shiloh Baptist Church (Old Site), 801 Sophia St., worships in person and online each Sunday at 10 a.m. Masks are now optional and available. Worship virtually via Facebook, Shiloh Old Site Live; on the churchs website; or by conference call 1-855/552-4463, ID 3487 96 5653. Breakfast is provided to the homeless/less fortunate every Wednesday, 7:308:30 a.m. The food pantry is open on the second and fourth Friday of each month, 9 a.m.noon, and can be accessed from the glass door in front of the church located on Sophia Street. Follow posted signs for directions and safety procedures. 540/373-8701; shiloholdsite.org.

The Presbyterian Church, 810 Princess Anne St. On Sundays, Living In Faith Together (LIFT) time is 8:459:45 a.m., and worship service is at 10 a.m. Christmas Eve services will be held at 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., and a candlelight service at 7 p.m. 540/373-7057; fredericksburgpc.org.

Trinity Episcopal Church, 825 College Ave. Worship services are held Sundays at 8 and 10:30 a.m. The food pantry is open 911 a.m. Monday through Thursday mornings. Limited financial assistance for utilities is sometimes available. Call the church at 540/373-2996 to request this help, and someone will return your call. trinity@trinity-fredericksburg.org.

Turning Point Christian Church, Dorothy Hart Community Center, 408 Canal St. Sunday worship is at 10 a.m. yourturningpointchurch.org.

United Church of Christ of Fredericksburg, 803 Princess Anne St. (Hanover Street entrance), meets Sunday at 10 a.m. 202/255-3320.

Unity of Fredericksburg. Worship Sundays at 10:45 a.m. through Zoom and YouTube livestreaming. Email info@uofva.org for the link. 540/661-7976; uofva.org.

SPOTSYLVANIA COUNTY

Christ Episcopal Church, 8951 Courthouse Road, has posted its Advent and Christmas schedule on its website. In-person worship is held Sundays at 8 a.m. (Rite I) and 10:30 a.m. (Rite II); 10:30 a.m. worship is streamed on YouTube. Childrens activity bags available. Nursery and Christian education are also at 10:30 a.m.; youth at noon. Celtic Eucharist is offered Wednesday at noon. The food pantry distributes on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month, 10 a.m. to noon. Families unable to come during these hours due to work conflicts may retrieve food from lockers on the church campus; for more information email secretary@christchurchspotsy.com. 540/582-5033; christchurchspotsy.com.

Church of the Messiah Episcopal Church, 12201 Spotswood Furnace Lane, holds Sunday worship services at 8:30 a.m. (Rite I) and 11 a.m. (Rite II); the 11 a.m. service is also livestreamed on the churchs Facebook page. Childrens Sunday school and adult education are offered Sunday at 9:45 a.m. Morning prayer services are livestreamed on Facebook at 9 a.m., Monday through Friday. 540/786-3100; churchofthemessiahva.org; facebook.com/cotmfredericksburg.

Cornerstone Chapel, 4743 Patriot Highway, holds services on Sunday at 11 a.m. 540/663-3398; cornerstonechapel.cc.

Eastland United Methodist Church, 10718 Courthouse Road, worships in person on Sunday at 11 a.m.; masks are optional. Services are also livestreamed on the churchs Facebook page. 540/898-6430; eastlandumc.org.

Goshen Baptist Church, 9800 Gordon Road, worships Sunday at 10:45 a.m.; Sunday school is 9:30 a.m. for ages 3 to adult. Awana Clubs for ages 2 through fifth grade is Wednesday at 6:15 p.m. Register on the churchs website. 540/786-7500; goshenbaptistchurch.net.

Mercy Hill Community Church, 9215 Courthouse Road, worships Sunday at 10:30 a.m. Mercyhillcc.org.

New Post Church, 1900 New Post Blvd., worships in person on Sunday at 11 a.m. Services are also streamed at facebook.com/newpostchurch. 540/287-4100; newpost.church.

Olivet Methodist Church, 7664 Stubbs Bridge Road, will hold Christmas Eve service on Sunday at 6 p.m. 540/840-9982.

Peace United Methodist Church, 801 Maple Grove Drive, worships in person on Sunday at 8:30 and 11 a.m. Services are also streamed on Facebook; search for Family Of Peace. 540/786-8585; passthepeacechurch.org.

Potomac Valley Church, 12500 Chewning Lane, worships in person on Sundays at 10 a.m. and provides a childrens ministry. povachurch.churchcenter.com; 703/878-6937.

Redeemer Bible Church, 7610 Heths Salient St., worships in person on Sunday at 9:30 and 11 a.m. Services are also streamed on the churchs Facebook page.

Resurrection Lutheran Church, 6170 Plank Road, worships in person and online on Sunday at 10 a.m. The service is livestreamed on facebook.com/ResurrectionPeople or resurrectionpeople.org. Bulletins are posted one hour before worship. Prayer requests may be left on the chat on the Facebook page. 540/786-7778; resurrectionpeople.org.

Spotswood Baptist Church, 4009 Lafayette Blvd., worships in person on Sundays at 9:30 a.m. (traditional) and 11 a.m. (contemporary). Services are also streamed at Spotswood.org/watch-live and the churchs Facebook page. Small groups meet Sunday mornings and throughout the week. spotswood.org.

St. Matthew Catholic Church, 8200 Robert E. Lee Drive, hosts a drive-up food pantry and baby closet 26 p.m. Wednesdays; 9 a.m. to noon Fridays; and 911 a.m. on the first Saturday of every month.

Tabernacle United Methodist Church, 7310A Old Plank Road. Worship Sunday in person at 8:15 and 10:30 a.m.; join the 10:30 a.m. service via livestream at tabumc.org/watch. A Christmas Eve Service of Candlelight and Communion will be held at 9 p.m. The Resource Closet provides nonperishable food and paper/personal care items to families in need on the last Saturday of the month, 911 a.m. 540/786-6162; tabumc.org.

Wallers Baptist Church, 4001 Partlow Road, Partlow. On Sunday, a traditional service will be held at 11 a.m. and posted on the churchs Facebook page by 4 p.m.; a Christmas Eve service will also be held at 6:30 p.m. Drive Thru Prayer continues to be held in the church parking lot Wednesdays, 56 p.m. Wednesday night Bible Study will resume on Jan. 3, 2024, at 6:30 p.m. 540/582-5703; wallersbaptist.com.

STAFFORD COUNTY

Andrew Chapel United Methodist Church, 1732 Brooke Road, offers Sunday contemporary worship at 9 a.m. Traditional services are Sundays at 11 a.m., in person and on YouTube. Sunday school for all ages is 10 a.m. Bible study is held Wednesdays at 11:30 a.m. 540/659-2461; andrewchapelumc@yahoo.com; andrewchapelumc-staffordva.com.

Antioch United Methodist Church, 138 Kellogg Mill Road, worships in person on Sundays at 9:30 a.m., following current guidelines. A food pantry for qualified families is open every other Thursday from 35 p.m. 540/752-3108; antiochumcstafford.org.

Aquia Episcopal Church, 2938 Richmond Highway, offers worship services at 7:30 a.m., 10:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. most Sundays. Sunday school for all ages is at 9:30 a.m. in the Christian Formation and Fellowship Building. Broadcasts for morning prayer continue at facebook.com/AquiaEpiscopalChurch on most Sundays at 7:30 a.m. and most weekdays at 8 a.m. Bible studies are offered on most Wednesdays at 7 p.m. and most Thursdays at 11 a.m. on Facebook Live. These events are viewable afterward and can be accessed without a Facebook account. Aquias Table provides curbside pickup of takeout meals and Aquias Pantry provides curbside pickup of groceries on most Wednesdays, 67 p.m., while supplies last. Christmas Eve services will be Sunday at 4:30, 7 and 10 p.m. Christmas Day service will be Monday at 10 a.m. 540/659-4007; aquiachurch.org.

Beth Sholom Temple, 805 Lyons Blvd. Friday evening Shabbat services are at 7:30 p.m. On first Fridays, a family Shabbat service is at 7 p.m. On Saturday, Shabbat services are at 10 a.m., and Torah study is at noon. 540/373-4834; bstva.org.

Bethlehem Baptist Church, 135 Chapel Green Road, will hold in-person services on first, second and third Sundays at 10 a.m.; phone conference call is also available. Devotion starts at 9:50 a.m. Services on fourth and fifth Sundays will be by conference call: 425/436-6350 code is 245538#. Communion is held on first Sundays. Bible Study is Wednesdays at 7 p.m. by conference call. On Thursdays, Noon Day Prayer and Sunday school at 7 p.m. are by conference call.

Ebenezer United Methodist Church, 161 Embrey Mill Road. On Sunday, traditional services will be held at 10 a.m. and 7 p.m., with music from the Ebenezer Choir. A modern service will be held at 4 p.m. with music from the Ebenezer Band. Nursery will be available for children ages 0-3. All services will end with singing Silent Night by candlelight. The 4 and 7 p.m. services will be livestreamed at live.ebenezerumc.org. 540/659-1349; ebenezerumc.org.

Ferry Farm Baptist Church, 1 Westmoreland Drive. On Christmas Eve, special candlelight services will be held at 10:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. On Dec. 31 a combined worship service will be held at 10:30 a.m. Services are also livestreamed at ferryfarmbc.org.

Hollywood Church of the Brethren, 225 Ferry Road. Worship services are Sundays at 11 a.m. in person and on Facebook and YouTube. Sunday school for all ages is 10 a.m. The church hosts a food pantry on Tuesdays, 10 a.m. until noon. Donations are appreciated.

Hulls Memorial Baptist Church, 420 Enon Road. Sunday school and adult Bible study are at 9:30 a.m., and Sunday worship is at 10:45 a.m. Childcare/nursery is provided. 540/371-4124; hullsbaptist.org.

Mount Olive Baptist Church, 395 Mt. Olive Road, worships in person on Sunday at 11 a.m.; or connect on Facebook or by conference call to 202/602-1295, access code 778-183-179#. 540/752-4296.

New Hope United Methodist Church, 164 New Hope Church Road, has resumed in-person worship. A drive-in option is also available. The service can be viewed on YouTube and Facebook. 540/370-4875; newhopeva.com.

Rock Hill Baptist Church, 12 Van Horn Lane. On Sunday, Bible study for all ages is at 9:30 a.m.; worship service is at 11 a.m. 540/752-0336; rockhillbaptistchurch.org.

St. Lukes Anglican Church, 65 Warrenton Road, Falmouth, celebrates the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass using the 1928 Book of Common Prayer on Sundays at 11 a.m. Sunday school for adults and children is at 10 a.m. On Thursdays, midday prayer and Holy Mass are at noon. The Sacrament of Confession is offered on Thursdays and by appointment. 540/371-8405; stlukeanglican.org.

St. Matthias United Methodist Church, 426 Deacon Road, worships in person Sundays at 10 a.m. 540/373-8759; stmtoday.com.

Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Fredericksburg, 25 Chalice Circle, worships Sunday at 10:30 a.m., in person and online. Zoom and YouTube links may be found at uuffxbg.org. 540/310-4001.

KING GEORGE COUNTY

Emmanuel Church, 17062 James Madison Parkway, hosts Rite II Holy Communion on the third and fifth Sundays at 10 a.m. 540/775-3635; hwbkgva.org.

Fletchers Chapel United Methodist Church, 8330 Fletchers Chapel Road, holds in-person worship on Sunday at 9 a.m., followed by adult Sunday school at 10 a.m. On the second Sunday of each month, Coffee Fellowship is at 10 a.m. with Sunday school at 10:30 a.m. 540/775-7247; fletcherschapel-kinggeorge-va.org.

Gods Holy Temple, 17192 Kings Highway, worships Sundays at 11 a.m.; Bible study is Wednesdays at 7 p.m.

Good Hope Baptist Church, 17223 Good Hope Road, worships in person on Sundays at 9 a.m. Masks are required.

Little Ark Baptist Church, 15681 Owens Drive, holds Bible school at 8:45 a.m. and worship service at 10 a.m. on Sunday; worship is streamed on Facebook Live. Bible study is Wednesday at 6 p.m. The churchs radio broadcast is Saturday at 4:40 p.m. and Sunday at 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. at dmvpoweredgospel.airtime.pro. 540/663-2831; little.arkbc@gmail.com; littlearkbaptistchurch.org.

Mountain View Baptist Church, 6713 Passapatanzy Drive. On Sunday, small group Bible study is at 10 a.m., followed by a worship service at 11 a.m. On Wednesday, youth group for grades 712, adult Bible study and CIA Adventures for preschoolgrade 6 are at 7 p.m. mtnviewbaptistchurch.org.

Peace Lutheran Church, 5590 Kings Highway. On Sunday, a worship service with Holy Communion will be held at 9:30 a.m.; candlelight service for families with young children is 5:30 p.m.; and candlelight service with Holy Communion is 7:30 p.m. On Monday, worship service with Holy Communion is 10:30 a.m. On Dec. 31, worship service with Holy Communion will be held at 9:30 a.m. and 7 p.m. 540/775-9131; peacekg.com.

Shiloh Baptist Church, 13457 Kings Highway. On Sunday, the childrens Christmas Nativity program is at 11 a.m., and candlelight Christmas Eve service is at 6 p.m. 540/7754646; kgshiloh.org; facebook.com/kgshiloh.

St. Johns Episcopal Church, 9415 Kings Highway, hosts Rite II Holy Communion on the first, second and fourth Sundays at 10 a.m.; coffee hour follows the service. 540/775-3635; hwbkgva.org.

St. Pauls Episcopal Church, 5486 St. Pauls Road, worships in person Sundays at 8 and 10 a.m., following current health guidelines. 540/663-3085; stpaulskgva.org.

St. Stephens Baptist Church, 9142 Comorn Road, worships in person Sundays at 10 a.m. Access the service by conference line at 1-712/832-8330, access code 8055544#, or on Facebook Live.

CAROLINE COUNTY

First Baptist Church, 9262 Guinea Station Road, Woodford, will hold a service in person on Sunday at 11 a.m.; the guest speaker will be the Rev. Lance Jeter, associate minister at St. Stephens Baptist Church, Central Point. Masks are optional; temperatures will be checked. Stream services at us02web.zoom.us/j/8046334233 (meeting ID: 8046334233). To dial in, call 301/715-8592 (meeting ID: 8046334233). 804/633-4233; firstbaptistwoodford.com.

Long Branch Baptist Church, 14297 Long Branch Road, Woodford. On Sunday, Sunday school is 10 a.m. and worship service is 11 a.m. The service is also streamed on the church website and YouTube. Bible study is Wednesdays, 78 p.m.; call in to 605/313-5416, access code 7856145#. 540/373-0690; lbbcwoodford.org.

River Rock Church Caroline, Lewis and Clark Elementary School, 18101 Clark and York Blvd., Ruther Glen, worships Sundays at 10:15 a.m. Service is also streamed at riverrockcc.com. Community groups meet in person Sunday mornings at 9 a.m. and throughout the week; they can be found at riverrockcc.com/next-steps/community-groups.

St. Mary of the Annunciation Catholic Church, 10306 Ladysmith Road. In-church Mass is held Saturday at 5 p.m. and Sunday at 8:30 and 11 a.m. The church sponsors a drive-up food pantry on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 67:30 p.m. Bring your ID. 804/448-9064; saintmarycc.org.

St. Paul United Methodist Church, 25187 Signboard Road, Ruther Glen, meets in person on Sundays at 11 a.m.

ORANGE COUNTY

Mount Olive Baptist Church, 11251 Tower Road, Unionville. Sundays service is at 10 a.m.

CULPEPER COUNTY

Beulah Baptist Church, 9297 Eggbornsville Road, Rixeyville, holds Sunday school at 9 a.m. and worship service at 10 a.m. 540/937-5563; bbc9297@gmail.com.

Christ Episcopal Church, 14586 Alanthus Road, Brandy Station, will hold a regular church service Sunday at 9 a.m. christchurchbs.com.

Jeffersonton Baptist Church, 18498 Springs Road, Jeffersonton, hosts Bible study Wednesday at 7 p.m. at the church and online. 540/937-5446; jeffersontonbaptistchurch.org.

Oakland Baptist Church, 28348 Eleys Ford Road, Richardsville. Worship in person on Sundays at 10:30 a.m. Sunday school is at 9:30 a.m. obcrichardsville@gmail.com; 540/399-1248.

St. Stephens Episcopal Church, 115 N. East St. The Food Closet is in need of canned chicken and tuna, ramen and canned soup, peanut butter and jelly, and juice boxes. Drop off donations 9 a.m. to noon Monday through Friday. Park at 120 N. Commerce St. For more information, visit ststephensculpeper.net/culpeper-food-closet or contact 540/825-1177 or culpeperfoodcloset@gmail.com. 540/825-8786; ssec@ststephensculpeper.net; ststephensculpeper.net.

WESTMORELAND COUNTY

Our Lady of Good Hope Anglican Catholic Church, at Stilfontein Priory, 11264 Kings Highway, Montross, celebrates the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass every Sunday at 5 p.m. Church open daily for private prayer. 804/465-1986; stilfonteinpriory.org.

REGIONAL

First Baptist Church, 5340 Tidewater Trail, Loretto, holds worship services in the gym on Sundays at 11 a.m. Temperature checks, social distancing and masks/face coverings are required. Sunday worship and Wednesday 7 p.m. Bible study is livestreamed at facebook.com/fbcloretto or the conference line, 313/209-8800, access code 2610624#. Moments of Inspiration for Seniors is Thursdays, 66:30 p.m.; call 425/436-6367, access code: 871111. 804/443-5007.

Grace United Methodist Church, 13056 Elk Ridge Road. On Sunday, worship service will be held at 11 a.m.; candlelight service will be held at 7 p.m. 540/684-3535; graceumchartwood.net.

Kirk OCliff Presbyterian Church, 16420 Monrovia Road, Mineral, holds services Sundays at 11 a.m. with Sunday school at 10 a.m. 540/854-5525; kirk@kirkocliff.org; kirkocliff.org.

Temple of Deliverance, HCG, 5756 Zachary Taylor Highway, Mineral, holds Sunday worship at 11 a.m. Arrive early for temperature check; masks are optional. Sermon is livestreamed at 11:30 a.m. on Facebook Live. Bible study sessions are Mondays and Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m. on Facebook Live. Ladies Evening Prayer is Tuesday at 8 p.m. by conference call; dial in: 978/990-5066, access code: 2133327. The church operates a food pantry every third Thursday, 57 p.m., in the basement. 540/894-4458; templeofdeliverancehcg.org.
There's one thing that Irish adults love more than a day off work: getting paid for a day off work.

There are 10 bank holidays a year, thanks to the latest St Brigids Day introduced in February 2023.

Contrary to popular belief, Good Friday is actually not a bank holiday. While some businesses and schools close, workers are not entitled to time off that day.

The following are bank holidays in 2024:

* New Years Day, Monday, January 1

* St Brigid's Day, Monday, February 5

* St Patricks Day bank holiday, Monday, March 18

* Easter is early this year, as it falls on Monday, April 1

* May bank holiday, Monday, May 6

* June bank holiday, Monday, June 3

* August bank holiday, Monday, August 5

* Halloween bank holiday, Monday, October 28

* Christmas and St Stephens Day, Wednesday, December 25 & Thursday, December 26

If you work for your employer for at least 40 hours in the five weeks before the public holiday, and it falls on a day you normally work, you get paid for the bank holiday day, even if you dont work.

If you have to work that day, you are entitled to an extra day's pay.

If you dont normally work on a certain day but its a public holiday, you should get paid one-fifth of your weekly pay.
Absorbing, tender portraits reclaim history from early nineteenth-century Yorkshire to Golden Age Boston to twentieth-century Paris.

The Postcard, by Anne Berest, translated by Tina Kover

In January 2003, an unsigned postcard addressed to Berests mother Lelia arrives at her Paris home with only Ephraim, Emma, Noemie, and Jacques scrawled on it, the names of relatives who died in 1942 at Auschwitz. This brilliant, riveting novel, at times harrowing in its telling, pursues the mystery ruthlessly. Poignant and unflinching.

The Porcelain Moon, by Janie Chang

During the second half of the Great War, 140,000 Chinese men were recruited by the French and British governments to provide manual labour on the front. This dual narrative intertwines the lives of two intrepid young women: Shanghai-born Pauline Deng, an antiques clerk in Paris and French native Camille Roussel, a postal worker in Noyelles-sur-Mer. An unsentimental, wonderfully researched page-turner about a little-known aspect of WWI history, its rife with lifes wisdom.

The New Life, by Tom Crewe

Dramatizing the lives of two married men in 1894 London who collaborate on a revolutionary book that posits that homosexuality is natural and harmless, this daring debut thrums with desire and compassion. A triumph of tenacity, tenderness and emotional truth.

Learned By Heart, by Emma Donoghue

A glorious, richly-imagined tale of the early nineteenth-century adolescent romance between local West Yorkshire polymath Anne Lister (1791-1840) and orphaned biracial heiress Eliza Raine (1791-1860) at Kings Manor school for girls in 1805 York. Driving to a pitch-perfect ending, Donoghue reclaims this time in Eliza Raines life with aplomb.

The Lioness of Boston, by Emily Franklin

In Golden Age Boston, early feminist Isabella Stewart Gardner (1841-1924) struggles to make her place in a mans world, a time when its challenging for an independent thinker to acclimatize to life as a young wife in elite circles. She builds an enviable art collection that she leaves to the city: a public treasure trove. An absorbing portrait of a fascinating woman ahead of her time.
The sanctuary of the historic St. Peters Episcopal Church in Westmoreland County was destroyed by fire Tuesday morning, days before Christmas and on the eve of the churchs 175th anniversary in Oak Grove.

In a Facebook post to the congregation, the Rev. Rodney Gordon, or Father Rod as hes called, noted the day after the blaze that he was in a state of denial and disbelief.

There is a feeling of deep loss, and tears, and sadness, because something that we have cherished has been destroyed and is gone, he wrote.

No one was in the building at the time, and the cause of the fire is unknown, according to a story on Episcopal News Service. No financial estimate was given for the loss, but damage was extensive, according to reports from the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia and St. Peters.

It was a landmark in the area, and the tragedy hit hard for many of us, even for those who didnt attend the church, said Colonial Beach resident Sherryl Woods. Losing a bit of local history is always sad, and seeing the damage to St. Peters seemed especially sad at this time of year.

The brick church sits at the intersection of State Route 3 and 205, and clouds of smoke covered the area and closed off traffic Tuesday morning. Fire, rescue and law enforcement personnel from as far away as Mechanicsville and southern Maryland joined in fighting the fire or backed up stations at Oak Grove and Colonial Beach as their firefighters battled the blaze.

Photos on the churchs website illustrated the devastation: blackened, downed timbers where the former sanctuary stood; the outline of a stained glass window, minus the glass; and several blue Worship & Rejoice hymnals, some less charred than others, in a pile of rubble.

Even in the midst of the ashes, the rector encouraged the congregation to remember, and celebrate, that St. Peters has touched the lives of countless numbers of people in our community. What remains are the stories and warm memories that we can share together: the baptisms, confirmations, weddings, celebrations of life, Christmas pageants, and other special events that have defined us over these years.

On Thursday evening, the congregation still gathered at St. Peters for its longest night liturgy, but the service was held in the garage. Parishioners were told to bundle up, bring a folding chair, candle and flashlight as the group planned to gather amid our sadness and loss for hope and healing, the rector wrote on the churchs Facebook page.

On Sunday, the St. Peters congregation will gather at St. Marys Episcopal Church in Colonial Beach, 203 Dennison St., for its Christmas Eve service. The Rt. Rev. E. Mark Stevenson, bishop of the Virginia diocese, will be there to celebrate the holy eucharist and to speak.

Several local churches and historic sites have offered space for the congregation to worship, according to St. Peters website. The offers are part of an overwhelming outpouring of compassion and support received from near and far.

The Virginia diocese has started a St. Peters Church Fire Restoration Fund online to help rebuild the damaged church.

The sanctuary at St. Peters was built in 184849 in a Gothic revival style brick, according to the church history. The church was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2004.

Its history dates back almost two centuries before the Oak Grove structure as its part of a parish established in 1653 by settlers to the Virginia colonies. Several children and grandchildren of early church members were among the nations first leaders, including several signers of the Declaration of Independence, Presidents George Washington and James Monroe; and John Marshall, chief justice of the Supreme Court.

The church still plans a 175th celebration on May 31 and encourages members to stay tuned for details.
On Friday the Caribbean Football Union will stage the 2024 Next Gen Referees Course for Regi
Many companies from the United States, Japan, South Korea, Germany, Italy, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Austria and Serbia continue to sell machine tools and components for the production of Proryv and Armata tanks in Russia, despite the sanctions.

That's according to an investigation carried out by The Insider, Ukrinform reports.

Uralvagonzavod, as the main manufacturer of the said tanks, uses various types of machines and components supplied by Russian enterprises in its production cycle. They import everything they need through their partners in other countries.

Russian defense suppliers import many components from Italy. The investigators cite the example of the Italian firm M.T.S.R.L., which supplies spare parts for machine tools to JSC IPK Finval. It resells them to the Vologda Optical and Mechanical Plant (VOMZ), which produces the Sosna-U sight system for Proryv tanks.

Pumori-North-West LLC of St Petersburg, another defense supplier of metalworking machine tools to both VOMZ and Tactical Missile Armament Corporation, buys milling machines for metalworking from Italy's Devco S.R.L., and steel needles, filter cartridges, shut-off valves, polymer rings and other components from Italy's C.C. S.P.A.

The German company WTO Werkzeug-Einrichtungen GmbH is a supplier to several Russian defense companies. It sends parts for lathes to OTC-Technologies in the Sverdlovsk Region, which then sells tools to Zavod No. 9 and Uralvagonzavod. Unimatic, also a Zavod No. 9 contractor, is another importer of WTO Werkzeug-Einrichtungen's products. WTO Werkzeug-Einrichtungen also supplies tool blocks to Penza-based LLC TD SMS, which is related to LLC Stankomashstroy, which supplies machine tools to Rostec.

Austria's EMCO GmbH is one of Unimatic's most important suppliers (and therefore to the tank gun manufacturer Zavod No. 9). The company supplies the Russian defense contractor with rotating pulleys and brackets, clamping rings, toothed belts and, indeed, machine tools.

Following the launch of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, democracies have reportedly imposed export controls to limit Russia's access to technology and other resources that can support its military and industrial complex.
The Ministry of Communities, Territories and Infrastructure Development of Ukraine and the Ministry of Infrastructure of Poland have agreed on an action plan to unblock the border.

This was announced by the press service of the Ministry for Restoration following a meeting between Deputy Ministers Serhiy Derkach and Yuriy Vaskov with newly appointed Deputy Minister of Infrastructure of Poland Pawel Gancarz, Ukrinform reports.

It is noted that today's meeting was a continuation of the negations between Deputy Prime Minister for Restoration - Minister of Communities, Territories and Infrastructure Development Oleksandr Kubrakov with Polish Minister of Infrastructure Dariusz Klimczak on December 20.

"The key result of the meeting is the agreement on common positions to unblock the border. The parties reached an understanding on compromise solutions and their implementation," the report says.

The next stage will be negotiations at the level of the Polish ministry and the protesters.

The Ministry for Reconstruction emphasizes that amendments to the current agreement liberalising the transport of freight have not been discussed.

As reported, on November 6, Polish carriers began to block the passage of trucks near the three largest checkpoints on the border between Poland and Ukraine: Korczowa-Krakovets, Hrebenne-Rava Ruska, and Dorohusk-Yahodyn.

Among the main demands to the Ukrainian government is the return of the practice of permits for Ukrainian carriers, which was abolished by the agreement with the EU until June 30, 2024

Photo: Ministry for Restoration, Facebook
Estonia is ready to help Ukraine in mobilizing its citizens if the two countries sign a corresponding agreement.

Thats according to the Minister of Internal Affairs, Lauri Laanemets, Ukrinform reports, referring to Postimees.

According to the official, about 7,500 Ukrainian citizens of conscription age currently stay in Estonia, but many of them are exempt from mobilization. For example, military draft does not apply to citizens who live abroad permanently, but it does to those who came to Estonia after February 24, 2022, and currently reside there under a temporary residence permit.

Laanemets noted that, according to international law, Ukraine cannot mobilize Ukrainians living in Estonia, as an agreement between states is required to this end.

The official says he intends to formally inform the Ukrainian authorities that, if they intend to conscript Ukrainian citizens living in Estonia, the latter is ready to conclude the relevant agreement with Ukraine.

"Estonia will not stand aside. We are happy to conclude such an agreement and help Ukraine. We have an idea of where these people live in Estonia. We are ready to help transfer these individuals from Estonia to Ukraine if required," the minister added.

As Ukrinform reported earlier, Oleksiy Danilov, Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council, believes Ukraine should recruit more soldiers but this does not mean that the additional mobilization of 450,000-500,000 citizens should take place within a month or two.
Local law enforcement authorities confirmed they are investigating threats against Colorado Supreme Court justices, who concluded on Tuesday that Donald Trump is ineligible to run for the state's presidential primary election.

The police also beefed up security measures surrounding the homes where the justices live, and the FBI is aware of the situation.

The Dec. 19, unsigned opinion was the first by any state supreme court to address head-on the substantive arguments of Trump's  or any presidential candidate's  eligibility. The court, which split, agreed that Trump engaged in an insurrection on Jan. 6, 2021.

The court put its ruling on hold, anticipating an appeal from Trump, the leading contender for the Republican nomination.

"The Denver Police Department is currently investigating incidents directed at Colorado Supreme Court justices and will continue working with our local, state and federal law enforcement partners to thoroughly investigate any reports of threats or harassment," the Denver Police Department said in a statement to The Denver Gazette.

"Due to the open investigations and safety and privacy considerations, we will not be providing details of these investigations. The Department is providing extra patrols around justices residences in Denver and will provide additional safety support if/as requested."

The FBI said it is aware of the situation and is working with local law enforcement.

"We will vigorously pursue investigations of any threat or use of violence committed by someone who uses extremist views to justify their actions regardless of motivation," said Vikki Migoya, a spokesperson for the FBI's Denver office.

The court's decision to disqualify Trump means the former president faces a tight deadline as he prepares to fight the ruling before the U.S. Supreme Court.

Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold must certify the candidates for next year's primary on Jan. 5, 2024.

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Colorado's justices said if a review is sought in the U.S. Supreme Court before their stay expires, then the hold would remain in place, and Griswold must "continue to be required to include President Trumps name on the 2024 presidential primary ballot until the receipt of any order or mandate from the Supreme Court."

Note that the requirement is "if review is sought"  which means a trigger for Griswold's office to keep Trump on the ballot  is an appeal by Trump.

Of course, the appeal could be filed within days and the Supreme Court could rule, giving clarity to Griswold's office, before Jan. 5.

In ruling against Trump, the majority said they did not reach their conclusions lightly.

"We are mindful of the magnitude and weight of the questions now before us. We are likewise mindful of our solemn duty to apply the law, without fear or favor, and without being swayed by public reaction to the decisions that the law mandates we reach," they said.

The majority noted it had "little difficulty" concluding there was sufficient evidence to deem the deadly mob attack of Jan. 6 an insurrection, and that Trump's own actions to stop the certification of President Joe Biden's victory were directly linked to the insurrection.

Three justices dissented, two of whom voiced concerns about the former president's right to due process.

"From my perspective, just because a hearing was held and (Trump) participated, it doesnt mean that due process was observed," wrote Chief Justice Brian D. Boatright.

"The decision to bar former President Donald J. Trump," added Justice Carlos A. Samour Jr., "flies in the face of the due process doctrine."

Reporter Michael Karlik of Colorado Politics contributed in this article.
An Adams County jury found two Aurora Fire Rescue medics guilty of criminally negligent homicide in the 2019 death of Aurora resident Elijah McClain.

The jury decided decided the two men bear responsibility for their decision to inject McClain with the sedative ketamine after a struggle with Aurora police officers.

Jurors also found then-Lt. Peter Cichuniec guilty of second-degree assault for unlawfully administering drugs. They decided it met the requirements of a crime-of-violence sentence enhancer for causing serious bodily injury or death. Cichuniec had decided on the dose of ketamine 500 milligrams  to administer to McClain.

But Cichuniec and Jeremy Cooper were found not guilty of manslaughter, the most serious charge, and of second-degree assault causing serious bodily injury.

Cooper and Cichuniec each faced charges of reckless manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide and three counts each of second-degree assault.

After about 16 hours of deliberation, the verdicts came down at 5:45 p.m. on Friday in District Court Judge Mark Warner's courtroom.

Sheneen McClain, Elijah McClain's mom, said on Instagram shortly after the jury began deliberating it has been a "difficult time for me. It has been a difficult time for my children and anyone that truly loved Elijah."

"Common sense tells you if you apply for a job where you're in service of a community then you're supposed to go into that job with some sense of humanity for the betterment of society to help people," she added.

The fallout from the verdict was swift.

An Aurora spokesperson said the paramedics' employment with the city has been terminated.

Edward Kelly, general president of the International Association of Fire Fighters decried the ruling, while Attorney General Phil Weiser maintained that prosecuting the case was the proper path.

Today's verdicts against Fire Fighter/Paramedic Jeremy Cooper and Captain Pete Cichuniec only compound this tragedy," Kelly said. "Colorado Attorney General Weiser's decision to criminalize split-second medical decisions sets a dangerous, chilling precedent for pre-hospital care in our country."

Kelly added: "There are far-reaching consequences we will address at a more appropriate time. But when politics drive prosecution  forcing fire fighters and paramedics to second-guess decisions  public safety is compromised.

Weiser said he knew these cases would "be difficult to prosecute."

"We are satisfied with todays verdict, and we are confident that bringing these cases to trial was the right thing to do for justice, for Elijah McClain, and for healing in the Aurora community," he said. "The prosecution teams in the three trials brought to light the events that occurred that dark night. The world  Elijah and especially his mother Sheneen McClain deserved to have the full story told. And justice demanded it."

In a statement, Aurora Fire Rescue Chief Alec Oughton said he is "deeply concerned and disappointed" with the verdict against Cichuniec and Cooper.

"While I appreciate the jurys diligence, integrity and public service to ensure a fair trial, I am discouraged that these paramedics have received felony punishment for following their training and protocols in place at the time and for making discretionary decisions while taking split-second action in a dynamic environment," Oughton said.

McClain died a few days after three Aurora police officers stopped him as he walked home from a convenience store the night of Aug. 24, 2019 after buying iced tea. A teenager had spotted him in a black mask covering most of his face and waving his arms and called 911 to report that he looked "sketchy."

McClain was not accused of any crime. He was listening to music and often wore a mask to keep warm, prosecutors said.

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During a struggle, the officers took McClain to the ground, handcuffed him and one used a neck hold that restricts oxygen flow to the brain. The paramedics who faced trial decided to give McClain a 500-milligram dose of ketamine, a sedative used in medical care as an anesthetic and for pain management.

The paramedics claimed they administered ketamine because they believed McClain was suffering from excited delirium," a controversial diagnosis typically described as an onset of symptoms, such as extreme aggression, strength, resistance to pain and paranoia.

He went into cardiac arrest and stopped breathing within a few minutes of receiving the injection, and he never regained consciousness. A doctor declared him brain dead in the hospital three days later.

On Friday, supporters of the paramedics filled the right side of the courtroom. Some looked down in dismay as their verdicts were read out, and a few burst into tears.

Supporters of McClain and members of the attorney general's office filled the other side.

The Adams County Sheriffs Office took Cichuniec into custody because of the jurys decision that his assault charge for unlawful drugging met the requirements of a sentence enhancer for causing serious bodily injury. Supporters cried as the click of handcuffs snapping shut around his wrists sounded through the courtroom.

Charlie Richardson, general counsel for the Aurora firefighters union, said the cases set a worrisome national precedent for the criminalization of administering chemical sedatives. He characterized it as outrageous that prosecutors brought in experienced doctors as experts to testify that the ketamine injection killed McClain, while the paramedics received just a few hours of training on the drug and were taught its safe to use.

The criminalization of chemical sedation by firefighters has to be completely reevaluated, he said. Based on this situation, I do not believe it's fair or reasonable to require any firefighter to give anybody any chemical sedation.

Each charge faced by the paramedics is eligible for probation. Second-degree assault carries the longest potential sentence out of all of them, with a possible prison term of up to 16 years.

Following the verdicts, Sheneen McClain stood outside the courthouse, alongside supporters with their fists raised. She chanted her sons name and said, We did it.

As Weiser spoke, Sheneen McClain sobbed and hugged Omar Montgomery, the Aurora NAACPs president. her supporters spoke, while she did not take questions herself. Her supporters said "true justice" would have been McClain going home that night August night.

MiDian Holmes, the CEO of Epitome of Black Excellence & Partnership, echoed Weisers statement that the criminal cases sought to tell the truth of how McClain died. But she said the story of his future was left unfinished.

There is a part of this story that we'll never know. We'll never know Elijah as the father. Well never know Elijah as the husband. We don't get that story. So, we are still seeking justice, Holmes said.

Prosecutors said on Wednesday the paramedics, particularly Cooper, would have understood McClains cries  such as ow, ow" and his final words, Please help me  had they listened. But Cooper had already made up his mind that McClain needed ketamine and didnt pay attention to any cues from his words and behavior, they said.

The defense attorneys argued its not fair to judge their actions with the benefit of hindsight, which has included body-worn camera footage and opinions from medical experts. Nitpicking details about what they could have done differently doesnt equate to criminal liability, their attorneys argued.

The paramedics were the last two of the five men indicted in McClains death to go to trial. In the first trial, a jury returned a split verdict for Aurora officers Randy Roedema and Jason Rosenblatt. Roedema was found guilty of criminally negligent homicide and third-degree assault and will be sentenced in January. That same jury acquitted Rosenblatt of all charges.

A separate jury acquitted Aurora officer Nathan Woodyard.

This story is developing and will be updated.
Studying abroad in the United States provides international students with a unique opportunity to immerse themselves in a melting pot of cultures and traditions.

Beyond academics, the social aspect of college plays a pivotal role in shaping a student's overall experience. Developing a vibrant social life not only aids in adaptation but also helps keep homesickness at bay. Here are some valuable insights on making the most of the American college experience from the very beginning.

Diverse Connections Lead to Lasting Friendships

While it's natural for international students to initially gravitate towards their own communities, branching out and building connections with a diverse range of people is crucial. Patricia DeBolt, Dean of Admission at the University of Tulsa, suggests attending on-campus activities, orientation events, and living on campus to facilitate these connections.

Joining campus organizations is another effective way to broaden one's social circle. From cultural to academic and professional groups, universities offer a plethora of options. Mateo Pardo, a student at New York University, emphasizes the importance of openness, especially in the freshman year. Being receptive to new people and experiences can pave the way for a rich and active social life.

READ ALSO: Australia's 10-Year Migration Plan Targets International Student Visas In Comprehensive Overhaul

Celebrate Your Differences

International students bring a plethora of cultural diversity to U.S. campuses. Rather than shying away from these differences, students are encouraged to embrace and share their unique backgrounds. Lisa D. Swaim, Director of Global Programming at the University of California-Santa Cruz, highlights the value of cross-cultural conversations. Events like "Story Circles" provide a platform for students to share their experiences and traditions, contributing to the vibrancy of the university community.

Jennie Kent, an educational consultant, stresses the importance of being true to oneself. Sharing one's culture not only enriches the campus environment but also fosters a deeper understanding among peers. In a nation comprised of various cultures, being different is not a hindrance but an asset.

Language Learning as a Social Experience

For many international students, the language barrier can be a challenge. Sushil Sukhwani, Director of the India-based education consulting firm Edwise International, advises students to acknowledge any weakness in communicating in English. This acknowledgment, he notes, allows students to comfortably ask others to speak slowly or repeat statements.



Patricia DeBolt encourages international students to practice their English skills with fellow students. Most people, she notes, are understanding and patient with those still mastering the language. Additionally, students can inquire about special study sessions for non-English speakers offered by their school's international student office.

Anita Videla Sola, a journalism major at Emerson College, emphasizes the importance of general language practice. Watching movies and listening to songs in English can be enjoyable ways to improve language skills and boost confidence in communication.

Balancing Home and College Life

While staying connected with loved ones back home is crucial, it's equally important for international students to fully engage in their new home. Jennie Kent advises students to resist getting caught up in what they might be missing at home. College is a time for building self-confidence and navigating the challenges of adult life.

Lisa D. Swaim suggests finding a balance between staying in touch with loved ones and actively participating in campus life. Too much contact with home can impede a student's adjustment to the new environment. Setting up scheduled times for communication allows students to maintain connections while ensuring they have ample time to explore and build new relationships.

The journey of international students in the U.S. extends beyond classrooms and textbooks. Actively participating in campus life, embracing diversity, overcoming language barriers, and finding the right balance between home and college are key elements in shaping a fulfilling and enriching college experience. By making the most of the social opportunities available, international students can not only adapt to their new environment but also create lasting memories and friendships that will endure long after graduation.

RELATED ARTICLE: 15 US Colleges That Offer Low Costs For International Students
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Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar on Saturday reiterated that citizens of all faiths including Hindus, Sikhs and Christians were enjoying equal rights in Pakistan with dignity and the government would ensure protection of their places of worship

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 23rd Dec, 2023) Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar on Saturday reiterated that citizens of all faiths including Hindus, Sikhs and Christians were enjoying equal rights in Pakistan with dignity and the government would ensure protection of their places of worship.

Speaking at an event organized to celebrate Christmas here, he felicitated the Christian community on behalf of the government and the people of Pakistan.

He said Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) signed the treaty of Najran that assured protection to the places of worship of Christians.

In view of that treaty, it was obligatory for the Muslims for all times to come to protect the religious places of Christians, he said adding, We need to promote harmony, peace and love.

He recounted that a Christian King was the first one to lend support to the Muslims in their early days.

He said it was obligatory for Muslims to have faith in all prophets from Prophet Adam to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

All Prophets were a guiding light for humanity, he said adding spirituality was a cure for the ills of humanity despite all the technological progress that humans had made.

He recalled the first speech of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah in the constituent assembly in which he outlined the basic principles of the state of Pakistan.

He quoted the Quaid as saying that "in course of time Hindus would cease to be Hindus and Muslims would cease to be Muslims, not in the religious sense because that is the personal faith of each individual, but in the political sense as citizens of the State."

In this way, Quaid-e-Azam made it clear that all Pakistani citizens had the same political rights, he stressed.

The prime minister said Quaid-e-Azam foresaw that Muslims, Christians and other communities would be denied their religious freedoms in India as Hindutva was raising its head at that time.

"We will resist all kinds of fascism. Pakistan is the flag carrier of inclusiveness and harmony.

"

"We are free to choose our faith. God, Prophets and their companions did not force anybody to choose their faith. The free will is awarded by the divine. God respects my dignity then how can it be flouted by any government or ideology," he continued.

He said Pakistan had its challenges and it was a victim of terrorism and thousands of its martyrs performed their national duty and defended every inch of the territory of the great nation of Pakistan.

"Our valiant armed forces which included members of all religious communities were defending and protecting our shores, land, sea, and air and we take great pride in their valour," he added.

He lauded the role of minorities especially the Christian community in the progress of Pakistan in the fields of business, education and health.

Christian teachers and missionary schools contributed immensely in shaping societies in Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, he noted.

PM Kakar said when blasphemy was committed in the West against Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) it was painful for Muslims.

Blasphemy should not be allowed in the name of freedom of expression, he added.

Talking about the plight of Palestinians, he called for immediate peace in Palestine and the opening of a humanitarian corridor so that vital relief could reach the oppressed Palestinians.

"Everyone deserved peace and Pakistan wanted peace for everyone in the land of prophets."

Minister for Human Rights Khalil George appreciated the prime minister for taking significant steps for the betterment of Pakistan.

He said people of different faiths were living in the country in harmony, adding the Christian community was very patriotic and contributed to the peace and prosperity of Pakistan.

Special Representative to Prime Minister for Inter-Religious Harmony Maulana Tahir Ashrafi and leaders from different faiths were present at the event.

The prime minister along with the guests cut a cake to celebrate the occasion of Christmas.
ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 23rd Dec, 2023) Special Assistant to Prime Minister for Human Rights and Women Empowerment, Mushaal Hussein Mullick, has asserted that the principles of human rights and women's empowerment are deeply embedded in the fabric of our religious, cultural, social, and political values.

She was delivering a keynote speech at the launching ceremony of Hundred Day Plan - Execution and Achievements by the Caretaker Government held in Governor House Lahore.

The launching ceremony was graced by the esteemed presence of Governor Punjab, Muhammad Baligh Ur Rehman, said in a press release issued here on Saturday. The focal Person to SAPM, Sabien Hussein Mullik, one of the architects of the 100-day plan, delivered a detailed presentation on the Execution and Achievements of the 100-day plan.

The launching event was organized in collaboration with Infocomm, an organization renowned for its work on Women Empowerment and Financial Inclusion. Other dignitaries from civil society and organizations dedicated to women's empowerment and human rights were among the attendees.

Mushaal emphasized that the principles of human rights and women's empowerment are not only deeply embedded in the constitution of Pakistan but also find a robust foundation in our national heritage. She underscored the transformative capacity of Pakistani women and advocated for increased female engagement in social and digital arenas. She emphasized that the 100-day plan encapsulates innovative solutions poised to uplift and empower women across Pakistan.

Mushaal underscored that despite its constrained mandate, the caretaker setup demonstrated a robust resolve to attain the objectives outlined in the 100-Day Plan.

She conveyed her hope that all stakeholders, driven by a shared commitment, would actively contribute to realizing the dream of advancing human rights and women's empowerment in Pakistan.

Speaking on the occasion, Sam Ali Dada, Advisor to SAPM on Gender Inclusion, stressed the need for focused efforts on empowering women through financial inclusion. She emphasized that achieving womens financial independence stands as a pivotal pillar for advancing gender equality and unlocking the true potential of the nation.

The 100-day plan, developed by the Ministry of Human Rights under the leadership of SAPM, stands as a comprehensive package of visionary ideas and initiatives. The plan is aimed at enhancing the overall human rights landscape and promoting women's empowerment in Pakistan.

The plan encompasses a wide array of initiatives spanning critical areas such as Gender Equality, education, Economic Empowerment, Healthcare, Violence against Women, Political Participation, Legal Rights, Reproductive Rights, Freedom from Discrimination, Child Marriage, Access to Justice, Media Representation, Access to Technology and Social and Economic Safety Nets.

In his address, the Governor of Punjab commended the dedicated efforts of those instrumental in shaping the 100-day plan. He acknowledged and extended appreciation to SAPM Mushaal Hussein Mullick for her personal endeavours in championing human rights in Pakistan and tirelessly working towards the empowerment of Pakistani women to deserving status. The Governor also declared Mushaal as a source of inspiration and an emblem of the Kashmir freedom movement.
Washington/Eagle Pass, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 23rd Dec, 2023) US border patrol and several states have found themselves overwhelmed lately, lacking resources to manage the thousands of migrants arriving from Mexico every day -- a crisis that has exposed President Joe Biden to intense attacks from his Republican opponents.

Border officials have in recent weeks counted some 10,000 daily crossings -- an uptick from preceding months, which had already seen migrants arrive at an accelerating clip.

There were more than 2.4 million migrant interceptions via land in the year from October 2022 to September 2023.

On Tuesday, authorities closed railroads at Eagle Pass and El Paso, Texas due to a "resurgence" of undocumented migrants entering the United States via freight trains.

Border crossings by car have been suspended at Eagle Pass since early December, as have entry points in California and Arizona, with border police saying they had to move personnel away from those checkpoints to focus on processing irregular entries.

Accusing Biden of "deliberate inaction" on the border issue, Texas Republican Governor Greg Abbott this week approved a controversial law criminalizing illegal entry into his state.

Abbott, a staunch supporter of Donald Trump, hosted a signing ceremony in front of a section of border wall in the city of Brownsville, a nod to the former president's flagship project and intense 2024 anti-immigration platform.

The law, set to go into effect in March, makes it a crime to illegally enter Texas from a foreign country, punishable by six months in prison -- or up to 20 years, in the case of repeat offenders.

It gives Texas state law enforcement the ability to arrest migrants and deport them to Mexico -- a power normally reserved for Federal authorities.

In response, several human rights organizations, including the influential ACLU, immediately filed lawsuits challenging the Texas law's constitutionality.

Even political allies in border states have taken Biden to task over migration, with Arizona's Democratic Governor Katie Hobbs saying "the federal government is refusing to do its job to secure our border and keep our communities safe.

"

Earlier this month, Hobbs announced she would send Arizona National Guard troops to the border to help pick up some of the slack.

- A 'broken' system -

The reasons for this recent uptick in migration are not totally clear. Customs and Border Protection have blamed "smugglers peddling disinformation to prey on vulnerable individuals."

Several migrants in Texas told AFP there has been gossip swirling that a total closure of the US border was imminent, which could have fueled some recent crossings.

"There were rumours that from the 20th (of December), they wouldn't let anyone else in," said 32-year-old Yurianlis Alexmar Camacho, who had come from Venezuela with her husband and four children.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas will travel to Mexico in the coming days to meet with President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador in an effort to stem this incessant flow, the White House announced Thursday.

"The president understands that we have to fix this immigration system. It has been broken for decades now," White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre said the same day.

Biden said earlier this month he was prepared to compromise with congressional Republicans on a border plan -- they have demanded a concrete tightening of immigration policy in exchange for agreeing on a new aid package for Ukraine.

The situation is fraught for Biden as he begins his 2024 White House reelection campaign in earnest: in addition to criticism from the right, which says he is too soft on immigration, the president's progressive supporters expect him to stay far away from his predecessor's policies on migrants, who are mostly fleeing poverty and violence in Latin America.

But he will have to face the issue head-on one way or another, and soon, as there is no sign the steady flow of arrivals will let up.

Panama said earlier this month that since the start of 2023, half a million people -- or double the number from last year -- had crossed into its territory through the jungle at the perilous Darien Gap the separates the country from Colombia. The vast majority were headed for the United States.
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Mexico City, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 23rd Dec, 2023) Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said Friday that his government would step up efforts to contain irregular migration flows, ahead of a high-level US visit next week.

The pledge came a day after Lopez Obrador spoke with US President Joe Biden by telephone about the hot-button issue.

Lopez Obrador said the "extraordinary" migration situation would be the focus of talks with Secretary of State Antony Blinken and other senior US officials in Mexico City on Wednesday.

He said that Mexico would boost containment measures in the south near the Guatemalan border.

"The agreement is that we continue working together and we already have a proposal to reinforce our plans," Lopez Obrador said.

Blinken will be accompanied on his visit by Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas and White House Homeland Security Advisor Liz Sherwood Randall, the Biden administration said Thursday.

Blinken will "discuss unprecedented irregular migration... and identify ways Mexico and the United States will address border security challenges, including actions to enable the reopening of key ports of entry across our shared border," State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said.

The US delegation will "underscore the urgent need for lawful pathways and additional enforcement actions by partners throughout the region," he added in a statement.

The talks come as the rival Republican Party pushes Biden's Democrats for major changes on immigration policy in exchange for approving a package of emergency assistance for Ukraine and Israel.

US border police have in recent weeks reported approximately 10,000 crossings every day.

The previous fiscal year, from October 2022 through September 2023, saw a record 2.4 million encounters by US border patrol with migrants, including at both official ports of entry and elsewhere along the southern border.

In a stark illustration of the dangers facing them, two migrants drowned on Thursday while trying to cross the Rio Grande near the Mexican city of Matamoros, south of Brownsville, Texas.

Images obtained by AFP showed three men struggling to keep their heads above water clogged with vegetation and garbage, before two of them disappeared beneath the surface.

The migrants were trying to cross despite the mud and detritus because there were no Mexican immigration agents at the location, witnesses told AFP.
A Pueblo West middle school teacher facing allegations of sexual assault has been terminated, according to a Friday announcement from District 70.

On Dec. 15, district officials announced that someone had reported an inappropriate relationship between a 47-year-old teacher and a student to the Pueblo County Sheriff's Office in November.

Gazette news partner KOAA independently confirmed that the teacher is Russell Davis.

Davis was placed on administrative leave during the investigation, and district officials said Friday that he has since been terminated.

The Sheriff's Office is actively investigating, and no arrests have been made in the case.

This article will be updated once more information is received.
After days of intense negotiations and many delays, the UN Security Council adopted a watered-down resolution Friday calling for boosting aid deliveries to traumatized civilians in war-torn Gaza but without the original call for an urgent suspension of hostilities between Israel and Hamas

UNITED NATIONS, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 23rd Dec, 2023) After days of intense negotiations and many delays, the UN Security Council adopted a watered-down resolution Friday calling for boosting aid deliveries to traumatized civilians in war-torn Gaza but without the original call for an urgent suspension of hostilities between Israel and Hamas.

The vote in the 15-member Council on the revised UAE-drafted resolution was 13 votes in favour to none against. The US and Russia abstained for entirely different reasons.

It followed a US veto of a Russian amendment that would have restored the call for a suspension of hostilities. That vote was 10 members in favour, the US against and four abstentions.

The resolution, among other elements, demanded immediate, safe and unhindered delivery of humanitarian assistance at scale directly to the Palestinian civilian population throughout the Gaza Strip.

The revised text was negotiated during a week of diplomacy by the United States, the United Arab Emirates on behalf of Arab nations and others.

The agreement came amid global outrage over a rising Gaza death toll in 11 weeks of Israeli bombardments and a worsening humanitarian crisis in the Palestinian enclave.

Council members met behind closed doors on Thursday to discuss a revised draft resolution, then delayed the vote so they could consult their capitals on the significant changes, aimed at avoiding a US veto. A new text with a few minor revisions was circulated Friday morning.

The vote, initially scheduled for Monday, has been delayed every day since then.

Rather than watered down, US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield described the resolution as strong and said it is fully supported by the Arab group that provides them what they feel is needed to get humanitarian assistance on the ground.

But it was devoid of its key provision with teeth  a call for the urgent suspension of hostilities to allow safe and unhindered humanitarian access, and for urgent steps towards a sustainable cessation of hostilities.



Instead, it calls for urgent steps to immediately allow safe and unhindered humanitarian access, and also for creating the conditions for a sustainable cessation of hostilities. The steps are not defined, but diplomats said if adopted this would mark the Councils first reference to stopping fighting.

In his remarks, Russian Ambassador Nebenzia recalled the amendment proposed by his delegation and said that the vote on it was a moment of truth.

He expressed regret that the Security Council did not find the courage to support at least the minimum call for an end to the violence in Gaza, and it instead signed up for a license to kill Palestinian civilians.

This is a tragic moment for the Council, not a moment of triumph for multilateral diplomacy, but rather one of gross unprincipled blackmail and open scorn on the part of Washington for the suffering of Palestinians and the hopes of the global community, he said.

He went on to note that if the draft resolution had not been supported by a number of Arab States, Russia would certainly have vetoed it.

Adding that Arab States are able to take decisions and bear responsibility, he underscored categorical disagreement with the content on the resolution.

Ambassador Nebenzia also emphasized that the Security Councils clear demand for a full ceasefire remains an imperative, and that without it, the implementation of Council decisions in Gaza is simply impossible.

No matter how the US resist, shielding their main ally, in the Middle East region, the Security Council will be back to clearly and unequivocally demand a cessation of hostilities, he said.

Addressing the UN General Assembly last week, Pakistan's Ambassador Munir Akram said that Israels war on Gaza was not to destroy Hamas, but to erase the idea of Palestine.

Israels goal is not only to erase Hamas, Ambassador Akram said. This is a war against the Palestinian people. Israels goal is to erase not only a people but the entire idea of Palestine.

APP/ift
U.S. President Joe Biden signed an executive order on Friday to bolster U.S. sanctions against financial institutions that aid Russia's defense industry in its war against Ukraine. The order allows the U.S. Treasury to target banks in countries like China, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and elsewhere that may be helping Russia evade sanctions.

The U.S. expects financial institutions to ensure that they "are not witting or unwitting facilitators" of the Russian military, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said in a statement Friday about the new executive order.

Most major financial institutions are adhering to U.S. sanctions aimed at preventing Russia from acquiring materials needed for its war effort, U.S. Deputy Treasury Secretary Wally Adeyemo said in a TV interview Friday on CNBC.

The executive order was signed days after the European Union adopted its 12th round of sanctions against Russia, which included dozens of companies and individuals linked to Russian aggression against Ukraine, a ban on Russian diamonds, and tighter controls on the $60-per-barrel oil price cap.

The order comes as the Kremlin is trying to restock the Russian military's depleted arsenal after nearly 22 months of fighting in Ukraine. Russia has lost more than 13,000 pieces of equipment, including tanks, drones and missile systems.

Russia hit back against Washington's sanctions, saying they could lead to a rupture of diplomatic ties between Russia and the U.S.

The United States "must not act under an illusion ... that Russia is clinging with both hands to diplomatic relations with that country," the Interfax news agency quoted Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov as saying Friday.

Some Western politicians are urging that frozen Russian assets worth about $300 billion be given to Ukraine to help rebuild its war-shattered economy.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters Friday that any such move would impair the global financial system.

He said Russia would "never leave in peace" any country that seized its assets, and in such a scenario it would take retaliatory measures confiscating any Western assets it could.

Jets to Ukraine

The Netherlands will deliver 18 F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine, the Dutch government said Friday.

The delivery of the fighter jets will take place after an export permit is issued by the Dutch Foreign Affairs Ministry and after Ukraine fulfills the criteria for its staff and infrastructure, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said, without offering a timeline for these decisions.

The announcement made it possible to reserve funds, though, and to prepare planes for delivery, the government said.

"I spoke with Mark Rutte to thank the Dutch government for its decision to start preparing the initial 18 F-16 jets for their delivery to Ukraine," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Friday on social media platform X.

The Netherlands sent its first U.S.-made F-16s to a new training facility in Romania last month for Ukrainian pilots and staff.

Denmark, Norway and Belgium also have announced they will give F-16 jets to Ukraine after the U.S. government approved sending them as soon as pilot training is completed.

Ukrainian-Polish talks

Ukraine and Poland said Friday they were ready to try to resolve "problematic" issues in their relations, especially after a Polish truckers' blockade at border crossings between the two countries.

During a meeting in Kyiv, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba and his Polish counterpart, Radoslaw Sikorski, pledged to resolve the differences between their countries.

An air raid siren sounded during a news conference by the two men in Kyiv, which was targeted by another large-scale Russian drone attack overnight.

"This alarm you hear is the reason why I am here. It is unacceptable ... in this titanic fight, Poland is on your side," Sikorski said.

The Ukrainian capital was attacked by a barrage of Russian drones early Friday, officials said, injuring at least two people in the sixth drone attack on the city this month.

Ukraine said it shot down 24 of the 28 Iranian-made drones Russia launched toward Kyiv.

Russia said its air defenses intercepted five Ukrainian drones south of Moscow in less than an hour Friday.

The defense ministry said four were intercepted over the Kaluga region and a fifth was destroyed inside the Moscow region. According to Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin, fragments of the drone had fallen in the city of Podolsk, but no casualties or damage had been reported.

Ukraine said Thursday that Russia had launched about 7,400 missiles and 3,700 Iranian-made Shahed drones at targets across Ukraine during the 22-month war.

Some information for this report came from The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters.
Cambodia is still struggling to fulfill its ambitious goal of becoming a Chinese tourist hub, building on its pre-pandemic reputation as an attractive destination.

Last month, it opened a new China-funded airport not far from the ancient Angkor Wat temple complex in Siem Reap, a UNESCO World Heritage site.

This came after the 2016 rollout of a "China Ready" tourism strategy, aimed at equipping tour guides with Chinese language skills, providing signs and travel documents in Chinese, and making sure food and facilities meet Chinese tastes.

But in a post-pandemic world, Chinese tourists have been slow to return, and so far this year, the number of Chinese visitors is just one-third of pre-pandemic arrivals.

Prime Minister Hun Manet projected optimism during a speech at the inauguration of the new Siem Reap Angkor International Airport, saying that he and Chinese President Xi Jinping had declared 2024 "a year of people-to-people exchanges" during a meeting in Beijing in October.

In the first 10 months of 2023, Cambodia received about 450,000 Chinese tourists, according to Cambodia's Tourism Ministry. The tally is expected to reach about 700,000 by year's end, boosted by a surge during the cooler months of November and December.

That's down from a record 2.3 million visitors from China in 2019, though it's a big improvement over the COVID-19 pandemic years. Just 90,000 Chinese tourists visited Cambodia in 2022, according to ministry figures.

Several factors seem to be working against Cambodia's aspirations.

China's post-pandemic economy remains sluggish. This has prompted people to opt out of more expensive international travel, according to FDIntelligence, which found international trips are down because of cost, visa backlogs, a lack of international flights and fears about personal safety.

Yet those in Cambodia reliant on Chinese tourists are encouraged by this year's slight but noticeable upward trend.

"Because this new airport is capable of handling large aircraft, we can get more flights to new destinations," said Chhay Sivlin, president of the Cambodian Tourism Association. "Thus, we have high expectations for the increase in arrivals as well as tourists from all over."

Tea Kileng, president of the Cambodian Chinese Tourist Association, said the new airport would allow the Cambodian government to promote flights from provinces across China.

"I believe that the number of Chinese tourists will increase," he said, adding that their return is important for travel agencies, hotels and restaurants, along with car and tuk-tuk drivers.

Tea Kileng, who is also a Chinese-language tour guide, said he earned about $50 a day or more before COVID-19 decimated the travel industry. These days, he often earns nothing.

The signs are rosier for tourism overall. Cambodia has received about 4.4 million international tourists so far this year, up from 1.9 million during the same stretch last year, and expects to receive up to 5.4 million by the end of 2023, according to a senior Tourism Ministry official. That would still be down from about 6.6 million in 2019.

Khieu Thy, president of the Angkor Tour Guide Association, said the nationality of tourists makes a difference for local operators. He said Chinese travelers tend to buy all-inclusive packages that include flights, accommodation and food  but they also spend generously on souvenirs and other local products.

"Chinese people like to buy a lot of souvenirs. They like to buy things that Cambodians have  such as trinkets, palm sugar, cashew nuts, dried fish, smoked fish, Cambodian sausages, soy sauce, chili sauces  and this is very helpful to our local economy," he said.

According to a September report from Nikkei Asia, regional tourism experts told the outlet that many travelers were canceling plans to visit Southeast Asia after warnings from police and other officials about kidnappings.

Fear of being becoming a victim of human trafficking even inspired a Chinese blockbuster called "No More Bets," in which characters wear T-shirts with Khmer writing in an unnamed Southeast Asian nation where human trafficking rings operate.

Cambodian government spokesperson Pen Bona dismissed the film's fear factor, noting that movies often depict terrible things happening in faraway places without triggering a precipitous drop in visitors. Cambodia remains a safe destination and tourists rarely encounter problems, he said.

Chhay Sivlin, of the tourism association, suggested the government should provide more digital outreach to the Chinese people and emphasize measures it is taking to ensure the safety of all tourists. "We have to get back to life as soon as possible."
Joyce Loaiza lives alone, but when she returns to her apartment at a Florida senior community, the retired office worker often has a chat with a friendly female voice that asks about her day.

A few miles away, the same voice comforted Deanna Dezern, 83, when her friend died. In central New York, it plays games and music for Marie Broadbent, 92, who is blind and in hospice, and in Washington state, it helps Jan Worrell, 83, make new friends.

The women are some of the first in the country to receive the robot ElliQ, whose creators, Intuition Robotics, and senior assistance officials say is the only device using artificial intelligence specifically designed to alleviate the loneliness and isolation experienced by many older Americans.

"It's entertaining. You can actually talk to her," said Loaiza, 81, whose ElliQ in suburban Fort Lauderdale nicknamed her "Jellybean" for no particular reason. "She'll make comments like, 'I would go outside if I had hands, but I can't hold an umbrella.'"

The device, which looks like a small table lamp, lights up and swivels. It remembers each user's interests and their conversations, helping tailor future chats, which can be as deep as the meaning of life or as light as a horoscope.

ElliQ tells jokes, plays music and provides inspirational quotes. On an accompanying video screen, it provides tours of cities and museums. The device leads exercises, asks about the owner's health and gives reminders to take medications and drink water. It can also host video calls and contact relatives, friends or doctors in an emergency.

Intuition Robotics says none of the conversations are heard by the company, with the information staying on each owner's device.

Inspired by grandfather's needs

Intuition Robotics CEO Dor Skuler said the idea for ElliQ came before he launched his Israeli company eight years ago. His widowed grandfather needed an aide, but the first one didn't work out. The replacement, though, understood his grandfather's love of classical music and his "quirky sense of humor."

The average user interacts with ElliQ more than 30 times daily, even six months after receiving it, and more than 90% report lower levels of loneliness, he said.

The robots are mostly distributed by assistance agencies in New York, Florida, Michigan, Nevada and Washington state, but can also be purchased individually for $600 a year and a $250 installation fee. Skuler wouldn't say how many ElliQs have been distributed so far, but the goal is to have more than 100,000 out within five years.

That worries Brigham Young University psychology professor Julianne Holt-Lunstad, who studies the detrimental effects loneliness has on health and mortality.

Although a device like ElliQ might have short-term benefits, it could make people less likely to seek human contact, she said.

"It is not clear whether AI is actually fulfilling any kind of need or just dampening the signal," Holt-Lunstad said.

Skuler and agency heads distributing ElliQ agreed it isn't a substitute for human contact, but not all seniors have social networks. Some are housebound, and even seniors with strong ties are often alone.

Skuler said ElliQ was purposely designed so it wouldn't fully imitate humans. He said his company wants "to make sure that ElliQ always genuinely presents herself as an AI and doesn't pretend to be human."

But some of the seniors using ElliQ say they sometimes need to remember the robot isn't a living being. They find the device easy to set up and use, but if they have one complaint it's that ElliQ is sometimes too chatty. There are settings that can tone that down.

'It was so what I needed'

Dezern said she felt alone and sad when she told her ElliQ about her friend's death. It replied it would give her a hug if it had arms. Dezern broke into tears.

"It was so what I needed," the retired collections consultant said. "I can say things to Elli that I won't say to my grandchildren or to my own daughters. I can just open the floodgates. I can cry. I can giggle. I can act silly. I've been asked: Doesn't it feel like you're talking to yourself? No, because it gives an answer."

Worrell lives in a small town on Washington's coast. Widowed, she said ElliQ's companionship made her change her mind about moving to an assisted living facility, and she uses it as an icebreaker when she meets someone new to town.

"I say, 'Would you like to come over and visit with my robot?' And they say, 'A vacuum?' No, a robot. She's my roommate," she said and laughed.

Broadbent, like the other women, says she gets plenty of human contact, even though she is blind and ill. She plays organ at two churches in the South New Berlin, New York, area and gets daily visitors. Still, the widow misses having a voice to talk with when they leave. ElliQ fills that void with her games, tours, books and music.
Students and faculty alike at universities in Florida are still unsure about the impact of a new state law restricting cooperation between the institutions and their counterparts in China and a handful of other countries six months after it went into effect.

"Some people only found out about this after seeing news reported in China, and no one knew how the law would actually be implemented," said Zhang, a graduate who told VOA the law has caused anxiety and uneasiness among Chinese students she knows.

Zhang, who earned a Ph.D. from the University of Florida two years ago, asked that VOA not reveal her full name for fear of retaliation from the Chinese government.

She said she knows two students who are still studying at the university but worry whether they can continue to work as teaching assistants for an annual income of $20,000 to $30,000.

The law, known as the Agreements of Educational Entities with Foreign Entities Act, or SB 864, bars state colleges and universities in Florida and their employees and representatives from accepting any gifts "in their official capacities from a college or university" based in any of seven "countries of concern": China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, Cuba, Venezuela and Syria.

Twelve state colleges and universities are also prohibited from accepting any grant from or participating in any agreement or partnership with any college or university based in any of the seven countries unless the partnership is authorized by the Florida Board of Governors or the State Board of Education, according to a May news release from the governor's office.

"Florida is taking action to stand against the United States' greatest geopolitical threat  the Chinese Communist Party [CCP]," Governor Ron DeSantis said in the statement, adding that the purpose of the bill is to stop CCP influence in the state's education system from grade school to grad school.

In a letter to its faculty on December 15, the Department of Physics at the University of Florida interpreted the law as saying "that for the 2024-25 academic year, we are not able to offer 'employment'  meaning any form of assistantship or fellowship support  to students in those countries."

"Although the law may potentially allow us to admit self-funded students, that question is not yet clearly answered. In any case, [the Department of] Physics always offers financial support to its admitted grad students. Therefore, for all practical purposes, we will not be able to offer admission to students applying from those countries."

The school may be able to offer admission and assistantship to students who originate from the seven countries but who are already living and studying in the U.S. But "these cases will have to be individually reviewed and approved by the [University of Florida] administration before any offer is made."

The letter also pointed out that the "already in the U.S." exception cannot be a back door for recruiting students from the seven countries by bringing them into the U.S. by some other means, and then offering them a graduate assistantship once they are here.

The letter noted that faculty hired under an H-1B visa are not affected.

VOA reached out to the governor's office and State Senator Bryan Avila's office seeking comments on how the state's competitiveness in education might be affected, the potential for discrimination against Chinese Americans, and any plans the state has to protect Chinese Americans from such discrimination. By the time of publication, VOA had received no response from either office.

"Not all Chinese students serve the Communist Party," Zhang told VOA. "Many of them left because they didn't like China."

When she was an undergraduate student in Beijing, Zhang said, she was disgusted by the political and ideological courses related to Mao Zedong, Deng Xiaoping and Marxism-Leninism. She hated the patriotic slogans and student activities that promoted the Communist Party.

She also followed politically sensitive topics including the Tiananmen Massacre, she said, adding that she wanted to leave China even when she was still a freshman.

Zhang believes many Chinese students come to the U.S. because they want a freer and more open academic environment than that in China, and they want to live and work in  as well as contribute to  the U.S. She said these students should not be seen as a threat to the security of the U.S. just because of their nationality.

Li Chenglong, a professor at the College of Pharmacy at the University of Florida, told VOA that Chinese students are an important part of the doctoral student body there. "Because of this bad policy right now damaging the UF reputation, I am speculating that maybe in future years, maybe there will be less [Chinese] applications to UF," he said.

Richard Woodard, professor of physics at the University of Florida, told VOA, "The law saddens me because the Chinese used to comprise a third of our graduate students, and they were the best."

According to 2020 data, the University of Florida had 344 undergraduates and 1,110 graduate and doctoral students from China, more than from any other foreign country. In 2023, the data show, the university's optical engineering and computer science departments alone had 508 Chinese graduate students and doctoral students.

Woodard thinks the concern about threats from China is valid, "but I do wish we could have found some other way of addressing security concerns."

He said, "It takes years of dedicated study to pursue a career in physics. I don't think it would be easy for a Chinese spy to fake that, so I believe we could probably separate the potential security risks from the much larger pool of people who love physics and have the talent and training to contribute to it.

"So many American universities are under the same pressure that we might be able to create a vetting service in cooperation with American intelligence agencies."

Jon Taylor, chair of the Department of Political Science and Geography at the University of Texas at San Antonio, also acknowledged that China has tried in the past to exploit America's open education system. But he too thinks the new law is overly broad.

"There are concerns about spying and intellectual property issues, those things happen, we know they happen," he said. "And everybody has to do their due diligence, but I think what Florida is doing goes beyond due diligence."

He called the Florida bill "shooting itself in the foot" as China's state media have used it as a tool to criticize the U.S.
The room was packed with Native American leaders from across the United States, all invited to Washington to hear from federal officials about President Joe Biden's accomplishments and new policy directives aimed at improving relationships and protecting sacred sites.

Arlan Melendez was not among them.

The longtime chairman of the Reno-Sparks Indian Colony convened his own meeting 4,023 kilometers away. He wanted to show his community would find another way to fight the U.S. government's approval of a massive lithium mine at the site where more than two dozen of their Paiute and Shoshone ancestors were massacred in 1865.

Opposed by government lawyers at every legal turn, Melendez said another arduous appeal would not save sacred sites from being desecrated.

"We're not giving up the fight, but we are changing our strategy," Melendez said.

That shift for the Nevada tribe comes as Biden and other top federal officials double down on their vows to do a better job of working with Native American leaders on everything from making federal funding more accessible to incorporating tribal voices into land preservation efforts and resource management planning.

The administration also has touted more spending on infrastructure and health care across Indian Country.

Many tribes have benefited, including those who led campaigns to establish new national monuments in Utah and Arizona. In New Mexico, pueblos have succeeded in getting the Interior Department to ban new oil and natural gas development on hundreds of square miles of federal land for 20 years to protect culturally significant areas.

But the colony in Reno and others like the Tohono O'odham Nation in Arizona say promises of more cooperation ring hollow when it comes to high-stakes battles over multibillion-dollar "green energy" projects. Some tribal leaders have said consultation resulted in little more than listening sessions, with federal officials not incorporating tribal comments into the decision making.

Rather than pursue its claims in court that the federal government failed to engage in meaningful consultation regarding the lithium mine at Thacker Pass, the Reno-Sparks Indian Colony will focus on organizing a broad coalition to build public support for sacred places.

Tribal members are concerned other culturally significant areas will end up in the path of a modern-day Gold Rush that has companies scouting for lithium and other materials needed to meet Biden's clean energy agenda.

Melendez was among those thrilled when Biden appointed Deb Haaland to lead the Interior Department. A member of Laguna Pueblo, Haaland is the first Native American to serve as a Cabinet secretary.

Melendez, a former member of the U.S. Human Rights Commission who has led his colony for 32 years, said he understands the difficulty of navigating the electoral landscape in a western swing state where the mining industry's political clout is second only to the power wielded by casinos.

Still, he was disappointed Haaland declined an invitation to visit the massacre site.

"The largest lithium project in the United States and they don't even have the time to come out here and meet with the tribal nations in the state of Nevada," he said.

The tribe's lawyer, Will Falk, urged other tribes to resist "tricking ourselves into believing that just because the first Native American secretary of Interior is in office that she actually cares about protecting sacred sites."

Interior Department spokeswoman Melissa Schwartz didn't respond directly to that criticism but said in an email to The Associated Press that there has been "significant communications and partnership with tribes in Nevada."

The federal government in early December published new guidance for dealing with sacred sites. While Falk and others are skeptical, they acknowledged the document speaks to concerns tribes have raised for decades.

Among other things, the guidance says federal agencies should involve tribes as early as possible when planning projects to identify potential impacts to sacred sites and to determine whether mitigation measures can allay concerns. Agencies also should consult with tribes that attach significance to the project area, regardless of where they are located.

It also suggests Indigenous knowledge should be on equal footing with other sciences and incorporated into the federal decision-making process. That knowledge can consist of practices, cultural beliefs and oral and written histories that tribes have developed over many generations.

Justin C. Ahasteen, executive director of the Navajo Nation Washington (D.C.) Office, said the new guidance appears to have incorporated some of the recommendations made by tribal leaders but that it could have gone further.

"If this guidebook increases transparency in the consultation process, we will take it as a win," Ahasteen said. "But ultimately the thing we all seek is for the federal government to acknowledge the necessity of tribal consent before changing rules that affect tribes."

The problem, Falk said, is none of it is legally binding.

"These kinds of documents function more as pacifying propaganda," he said.

Western Shoshone Defense Project Director Fermina Stevens said the changes were "more 'lip service' for the government to deal with the 'Indian problem' in this new day and age of mineral extraction."

Morgan Rodman, executive director of the White House Council on Native American Affairs, disagrees. He said the guidance is intended to serve as a springboard to improve engagement with tribes and that the administration will be aggressive with training to make sure employees have an understanding of what sacred sites are.

"While change certainly doesn't happen overnight, it's part of a continuum of important policy statements  part of the momentum we've been building the last three years," he said in an interview.

Rodman made clear he wasn't referencing Thacker Pass, but some directives he highlighted have been key points of contention in that case.

U.S. Judge Miranda Du in Reno twice ruled the tribe failed to prove the massacre occurred on the specific grounds of the mining project, or that far-flung tribes had a legal stake in the fight. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld her earlier ruling in July.

The tribe says the government has ignored evidence that the land they consider sacred isn't limited to a specific site where the U.S. Calvary first attacked men, women and children as they slept.

They cited newspaper accounts, diaries and a government surveyor's report documenting human skulls discovered along a miles-long escape route crossing the mine site where troops killed and scalped those who tried to flee.

Tribal historic preservation officer Michon Eben said the whole stretch is an unmarked burial ground.

Melendez said he's pleased Biden has promised to enhance consultation.

But if federal agencies don't follow through, he said, "Well, it's just words that really don't mean anything to us."
Congo on Friday released a few early results from general elections after an unscheduled daylong ballot extension that prompted some opposition candidates to cry foul and call for a rerun.

The provisional results from the few thousand voters in the Congolese diaspora showed President Felix Tshisekedi with a comfortable lead over challengers.

The CENI election commission said results cast within Congo by its 44 million registered voters would be released beginning Saturday.

At a news conference in Kinshasa, CENI President Denis Kadima again rejected criticism by the opposition and independent observers that the extended vote had been chaotic and lacked credibility.

Disputed elections have often sparked unrest in Africa's second-largest country. The presidential and legislative elections on Wednesday were derailed by delays in delivering election kits and malfunctioning equipment. People also struggled to find their names on registers, while violence disrupted the poll in other places.

Highlighting the scale of the delays, small-scale protests broke out in eastern Lubero territory on Friday where a failure to deploy voting materials to remote areas had left 17,000 people still unable to vote. A CENI representative for Lubero told Reuters voting would take place Saturday.

Commenting on the election for the first time on Friday, the Carter Center, a U.S. election monitoring group, noted "there was a lack of confidence in the process, stemming in part from previous elections, as well as from gaps in transparency, especially regarding the voter register."

Voting for some was extended into Thursday, prompting five opposition presidential candidates to call for a new election, saying the extension was unconstitutional.

Both opposition and Congolese independent observer groups have said voting unfolded in a way that could affect the credibility of results.

Results center

CENI set up a results center in Kinshasa called Basolo  Truth in the Lingala language  where it says results from each polling station will be shared publicly as they come in. This has been a key demand of the opposition and civil society, who say the lack of transparency at previous elections enabled fraud.

CENI has set a December 31 deadline for the release of full provisional results, but it is not clear if this will change because of the unexpected voting extension.

The Carter Center called on the commission to post results at a local level and upload polling station results to its website to ensure the credibility of the process.

Speaking on radio station Top Congo FM, the vice president of the commission, Didi Manara, said on Thursday the logistical setbacks on election day were out of CENI's control and had nothing to do with bad planning.

He noted that Congo had extended voting to a second day in parts of the country during the 2011 election.

The tumultuous election day capped a campaign that was also marred by violence that led to the deaths of at least 19 people, according to figures from the Carter Center.

Opposition presidential candidate Moise Katumbi, whose team has been monitoring the vote count, said on Thursday that results so far showed him in the lead.

The observer mission from the Congo's powerful Catholic Church has deployed more than 25,000 observers to do its own compilation of election results. They did the same during the 2018 election, when they contested the results of CENI's vote count.

The vote will determine whether Tshisekedi serves a second term after a first five years in office marked by economic hardship and spiraling insecurity in Congo's rebel-plagued east.
Czechs mourned the victims of the Czech Republic's worst mass shooting as police tightened security around schools and other public buildings across the country on Friday after authorities said a student gunman killed 14 people at a Prague university building on Thursday.

At the Charles University headquarters, crowds that included Prime Minister Petr Fiala and U.S. Ambassador Bijan Sabet paid tribute to the victims. Some knelt to light candles and lay flowers while others stood crying and hugging each other.

"We are here to show our support as fellow students," said Czech student Daniel Broz. "I was on the other side of the river and hearing gunshots, pops, and not knowing what is going on and then a flurry of police cars passing by was absolutely surreal, especially as a Czech who has never witnessed an event similar to this before."

Charles University canceled all lectures and events on Friday, a day after the shooting in the central European country of 10.9 million where more than 300,000 people own guns, but mass shootings are rare.

The Health Ministry said 27 people were admitted or treated at six Prague hospitals, many with gunshot wounds. Of those, 12 remained in serious condition and at least one in critical condition.

One of the victims died in a hospital.

Authorities began releasing more details about the attack and events that preceded the shooting. They said the 24-year-old student likely shot himself after police cornered him on a balcony and the suspect dropped his long-barrel gun with sights. He carried multiple weapons with him, police said.

"He was left with a shotgun, which does not have long range, and when we were nearing the balcony, he decided to commit suicide," Petr Matejcek, director of the Prague regional police, told a news conference, broadcast live on public television.

The police showed body-camera video footage of special police units storming the university building, searching corridors and rooms and administering first aid to victims. The video also showed police on the roof carrying what appeared to be a body, and later, people leaving the building with hands raised above their heads.

Tracking the suspect

Interior Minister Vit Rakusan called on the media to not give publicity to the gunman or share unverified information.

Police President Martin Vondrasek called the attack the "most shocking experience of my life."

He also said Czech police have been training for an active shooter scenario since the 2011 shootings and a car bomb attack in Norway in which 77 people died.

"That was the year when we realized it can happen anywhere in the world," Vondrasek said.

Leading to Thursday's attack, authorities said the suspect had killed his father at home outside Prague before traveling to the capital.

Police had information from a friend of the shooter that he intended to kill himself and were searching for him at another university building where he was due to attend a lecture.

But he instead went to the main Faculty of Arts building on a busy square across the river from the Prague Castle and just hundreds of meters from the Old Town Square, one of Europe's major tourist attractions.

Police ramp up security

Reporter Jiri Forman, who had learned police were gathering and rushed to the site, helped people flee by yelling at the gunman to distract him on the balcony, evading his fire while also filming the incident and feeding information on the shooter's location to officers.

"Where I stood it was absolutely safe, nobody was there and I knew I could duck behind an obstacle," Forman, who works for a small security-focused news outfit, AKTU.cz, told Reuters.

"The policeman, I believe, shot three times at the attacker. I think this threw him off balance."

Police said they were looking into the gunman's possible connection with a social media account that cited inspiration from a mass shooting in Russia but said on Friday it was not clear if the connection was genuine.

Police ramped up security measures at events and buildings across the country on Friday, saying they had no information on any new threat but "this is a signal we are here and prepared."

Police also said on Friday they found a ballistics match to the weapon used in the shooting death of a young father and his 2-month-old daughter in the woods near a village outside Prague last week in a random attack  a link to the gunman they had suspected.

Police said on Thursday the shooter had a gun license and no criminal record.

The government declared Saturday a national day of mourning.
Anger has spread in some remote parts of Indian-controlled Kashmir after three civilians died while in army custody, officials and residents said Saturday.

Locals said the Indian army detained at least eight civilians on Friday for questioning. A day earlier, rebels fighting against Indian rule ambushed two army vehicles in the southern Poonch district, killing four soldiers and wounding three others. Poonch is close to the highly militarized line of control that divides the disputed Himalayan region between India and Pakistan.

Locals accused army personnel of torturing to death three of those detained in a nearby military camp. The bodies were later handed to the local police who in turn contacted the families. Residents said the bodies bore marks of severe torture.

The five other detainees were taken to an army hospital after they were severely tortured, their families said.

Mohammed Younis, a resident, said soldiers came to his Topa Peer village in the Poonch district on Friday morning and detained nine villagers, including his two brothers and a cousin. An elderly man was let go, he said, but the others were ruthlessly beaten and electrocuted.

"My two brothers and a cousin are badly hurt due to torture. They are being treated in an army hospital," Younis said after seeing one of his brothers.

Videos reportedly showing the torture of detained civilians spread online hours after their incarceration, triggering widespread anger.

Authorities cut off internet services on smart devices in Poonch and nearby Rajouri on Saturday morning, a common tactic to dispel possible protests and discourage dissemination of the videos.

Lieutenant Colonel Suneel Bartwal, an Indian army spokesman, said a search operation for the militants responsible for the ambush has been ongoing since Thursday evening, adding he had no input about the circumstances surrounding the death of the three civilians.

Late Saturday, the Indian military said in a statement that "reports have been received regarding three civilian deaths" in Poonch.

"The matter is under investigation. Indian army stands committed to extending full support and cooperation in the conduct of investigations," it said.

The government's information department wrote on X, formerly Twitter, that after medical formalities, a legal action "has been initiated by the appropriate authority" into the killings, without further explanation. It said authorities also announced financial assistance to the victims' families.

Senior police and civil officials visited the village and supervised the burials. Local officials said police would investigate the incident, in an attempt to pacify the villagers.

Protests erupted in Srinagar, the region's main city, with at least three pro-India Kashmiri political parties staging demonstrations against the killings.

Mehbooba Mufti, the region's former top elected official who was once an ally of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ruling party, said the recent acquittal of an army officer in the killing of three civilians in a staged gunbattle three years ago had emboldened the army, "creating a false precedent among the forces that they can operate without restraint."

In 2020, the Indian army killed three young men from Rajouri in a fake gunfight and portrayed them as Pakistani terrorists. But after an outcry and a police investigation, the Indian military in a rare admission acknowledged wrongdoing and that its soldiers exceeded their legal powers granted to them under the Armed Forces Special Powers Act.

The Indian army's internal court had sentenced an officer to life imprisonment for the killings. However, a military tribunal in November this year suspended his sentence.

The Armed Forces Special Powers Act gives the Indian military in Kashmir sweeping powers to search, seize and even shoot suspects on sight without fear of prosecution. Under the act, local authorities need federal approval to prosecute army or paramilitary soldiers in civilian courts.

India has long relied on military force to retain control over the portion of Kashmir it administers and has fought two wars over the territory with Pakistan, which also claims the mountain region as its own.

Militants in the Indian-controlled portion of Kashmir have been fighting New Delhi's rule since 1989. Most Muslim Kashmiris support the rebels' goal of uniting the territory, either under Pakistani rule or as an independent country.

India insists the Kashmir militancy is Pakistan-sponsored terrorism. Pakistan denies the charge, and most Kashmiris consider it a legitimate freedom struggle. Tens of thousands of civilians, rebels and government forces have been killed in the conflict.

But the territory has simmered in anger since 2019, when New Delhi ended the region's semi-autonomy and drastically curbed dissent, civil liberties and media freedoms while intensifying counterinsurgency operations.

While Kashmir Valley, the heart of anti-India rebellion, has witnessed many militants killed in counter-rebel operations, remote Rajouri and Poonch have seen deadly attacks against Indian troops in the past two years. At least three dozen soldiers have been killed in such attacks.
A drone strike Saturday off the west coast of India hit an Israel-affiliated merchant ship, according to Ambrey, the British maritime security firm.

Ambrey said there was a fire on board the Liberia-flagged chemical products tanker that was traveling from Saudi Arabia to India. There were no casualties.

An Indian Navy official told Reuters it responded to a request for assistance on Saturday morning.

"The safety of crew and ship has been ascertained. The navy has also dispatched a warship to arrive in the area and provide assistance as required," the official said, declining to be named because he was not authorized to discuss the incident.

The incident follows a flurry of drone and missile attacks by Iran-backed Houthis on ships in the Red Sea since the October 7 Hamas terror attack on Israel. The Houthis say they are supporting Palestinians.

The attacks have resulted in some companies rerouting their vessels around the southern tip of Africa, a longer and more expensive route.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for Saturdays incident.

Some information from Reuters was used in this report.
As Myanmar's opposition forces and ethnic armed groups step up their fight against the ruling junta, the country's media outlets are working to cover the action.

Since October, a coalition of armed ethnic groups in northern Shan state have captured dozens of townships and hundreds of junta-held military posts.

Observers say the offensive is the biggest threat to the junta since the military seized power on Feb. 1, 2021, jailing democratically elected leaders along with dozens of journalists and opposition figures.

With authorities revoking the licenses of around a dozen news outlets and mass arrests of media workers, many journalists moved their teams into exile. But despite the safety risks, they continue to report.

Among the now banned media outlets is The Irrawaddy, which had its license revoked in October 2022.

Its managing editor, Kyaw Zwa Moe, told VOA that covering the offensive is difficult.

"We couldn't send our reporters out there, but we have a lot of local sources which are reliable, and we have also interviewed spokespersons of most of resistance organizations quite often," said Kyaw Zwa Moe via email. "But one of the main challenges is to verify all information we've gathered."

There are moments when The Irrawaddy can get its own people on the ground, like when the opposition forces launched attacks on military posts in Kayah state in November.

But, said Kyaw Zwa Moe, it is still challenging to get the full picture.

"To some extent, spokespersons of those resistance forces, the Brotherhood Alliance, are more willing to talk to media. But I don't think they would say all information to us as they say there are security concerns for them because of the ongoing war," Kyaw Zwa Moe said.

Aye Chan Naing, the founder and chief editor of the Democratic Voice of Burma, or DVB, says gaining access to the conflict is "pretty problematic."

The DVB is also banned by the junta and its team now operates in neighboring countries.

For security reasons, a lot of ethnic groups and the People's Defense Forces, or PDF, don't want the responsibility of having media nearby, said Aye Chan Naing.

"Secrecy is very important. It's understandable for them. The military operation, the target, they want to keep it quiet or secret," he told VOA. "We have to rely on press releases and announcements. To verify independently, it's really hard."

The media outlet has local people to act as freelancers in the area, but, said Aye Chan Naing, "We don't have like someone from DVB for example, right on the ground. No one's embedded. So that's a big part of the problem to get an independent story."

To report legally in Myanmar under junta rule, media outlets have to register with the military government.

But as part of the accreditation process, journalists must provide personal details  a step that deters many who fear they could be more easily targeted for arrest.

Journalists arrested, killed

Since the coup, 176 journalists have been arrested, with as many as 50 still in custody, according to the International Federation of Journalists. At least four journalists have been killed since the military takeover, the media organization reports.

Media outlets covering Myanmar had to train reporters on how to work safely undercover, evading military checkpoints and raids.

On the opposition side, the forces are also cautious of reporters.

"Journalists are not welcome in the conflict area from both sides. It's ongoing military operation. They don't want to [let] information out for security reasons," Toe Zaw Latt, a journalist at the Mizzima media outlet, told VOA.

Toe Zaw Latt, who like so many now works outside of Myanmar, said that even following a successful operation by the ethnic armed groups, little information is provided to media.

"It is confusing who is in charge. We tried to get information from the resistance after they seized a town. We like to know what kind of administration and most of them refused to comment due to security concern," he said. "We are heavily reliant on our [citizen journalists] and other partners we have."

Unstable connection makes communications difficult

Another challenge is an internet connection, which is often unstable in rural areas. The junta also have imposed internet blackouts since the coup.

Toe Zaw Latt said it's difficult to communicate with reporters on the ground.

"Their communication is very controlled. The connection is very crap. It's not that easy. Whenever there is a military operation [on] another channel, they cut all the communication channels," he said.

"I think it's really important for our own sake. We have to be constant and deep down on the stories," said Aye Chan Naing.

He remained optimistic that if the media can explain the importance of coverage to the opposition forces, "they will see the benefit of it."

"But once we go in," he said, "we have to be independent because sometimes they want to censor the content that journalists on the ground report back."

An additional concern is how to keep their reporters safe in a conflict zone. Embedding with opposition forces such as the PDF brings access  but also risks, said Aye Chan Naing.

The PDF "always face random airstrikes, the military ambushes. So, the journalists are not exceptional. That's a huge risk," he said.

Since the coup, Myanmar's press freedom ranking has declined dramatically. It now ranks among the 10 worst countries for media globally on the world press freedom index and is one of the biggest jailers of journalists.
Australias national weather agency on Saturday warned of extreme to severe heatwave conditions over northern parts of the country through Sunday.

A lower-intensity heatwave is expected for much of the east coast starting Tuesday.

The heatwaves continue the scorching start of summer in Australia. In early December, a heatwave warning affected areas in every state and territory, with the exception of Tasmania.

Weather is considered a heatwave when the maximum and minimum temperatures are unusually hot over three days.

Local councils in Sydney are setting up heat shelters to help residents escape the punishing conditions. Temperatures in Australias largest city already have exceeded 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit).

In Western Sydney ... the temperatures in the last 10, 20 years in particular have been increasing substantially, said Tony Bleasdale, mayor of Blacktown, which is in Sydneys western suburbs.

Blacktown has set up shelters in libraries and other council buildings.

It is about saving lives, Bleasdale said. It is about protecting the community. ... So many people lose their lives because of the increases in these temperatures.

Indeed, authorities say the scorching heat is a silent killer, and high energy prices are making it difficult to find relief.

The cost of electricity here in Sydney is exorbitant, and so we have people who are struggling ... sitting in cold baths because that is the only way they can get cool, Christine Bayliss Kelly, a Uniting Church minister in the Sydney suburb of Penrith, told VOA.

They cannot afford, even if they had it, air conditioning, she said.

The El Nino weather pattern is helping fuel the extreme heat, experts say, and climate change will make heatwaves more frequent and intense.

Politicians, environmental activists and scientists are concerned about the increasing number of natural disasters in the country. While northeastern Australia is cleaning up after this weeks record-breaking rainfall, other parts of the country have been battling bushfires.

Australias left-leaning government has legislated a target to cut carbon emissions by 43% from 2005 levels by 2030 and to achieve net zero emissions by 2050.
International students attending U.S. colleges and universities contribute nearly $38 billion to the U.S. economy, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce.

The U.S. Department of State, citing research from the Institute for International Education, also said 338,000 American jobs depend on students from other countries.

See the highlights and the data for yourself in this press release from the State Department. (November 2023)
Fighting in Gaza escalates with some of the most intense Israeli bombardment of the war, as world leaders vote to on a resolution to boost humanitarian aid into Gaza. The falls short of calling for a cease fire. John Lyndon Executive Director with the Alliance for Middle East Peace discusses growing concerns as the clock tick for an end to the war, Israel will ramp up bombardment. The UN warns of starvation in Gaza. Henry Ridgwell in London sums up how the year is ending for Ukraine's efforts to combat invading Russian forces. Pope Francis made news this week in a landmark decision that formally allows Roman Catholic priests to bless same-sex couples. Julie Byrne, Chair and Professor at Hofstra Universitys Department of Religion provides insight into the significance of this change of Vatican policy and what it means and does not mean.
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Independent National Electoral Commission published partial results Friday for the December 20 presidential election. This first session focused solely on the diaspora vote by Congolese in South Africa, the United States, Canada, Belgium and France.

Only 5,300 of the expected 11,000 voters turned out at the polls, with incumbent President Felix Tshisekedi taking 4,294 votes (80.99%), followed by opponent Moise Katumbi with 584 votes (11%).

In all five foreign countries where the Democratic Republic of Congo tallied presidential votes by diaspora, incumbent President Felix Tshisekedi came out ahead. According to the electoral commission, he won 80% of the vote.

The chairman of the Independent Electoral Commission, Denis Kadima, rejected criticism from the opposition and independent observers that the vote was chaotic and lacked credibility. He praised the work done by his institution, saying it had done its best to organize a timely election, which he described as credible, transparent and inclusive.

"Nobody could have imagined that this would be possible," said Kadima. "It's true that it's difficult to meet the expectations of all our compatriots, but we were delighted to see how patient and enthusiastic voters were in participating in this process."

Some opposition members called for new elections to be held. They argued for the current ballot to be annulled, claiming it was riddled with irregularities.

Kadima admitted there were errors, such as the extension of voting day, and he said that everything had been done to give all Congolese the chance to express themselves through the ballot.

"But I think the most important thing is our commitment to seeing everyone participate in the process," said Kadima. "That's why we extended to the second day to make sure that everyone was able to participate in the vote. It's important to know that what we did was proof of our commitment to upholding democracy."

The commission said the election results from voting within the Congo by its 44 million registered voters from Saturday would be published. The proclamation will be made province by province, and on December 31, the electoral commission will publish the provisional results in general.
Southeast Asias online scam hubs are drawing growing attention from governments and law enforcement agencies well beyond the region as the criminal syndicates behind them search further afield for victims of their cons and human trafficking.

On December 8, the United Kingdom announced sanctions against nine people and five companies accused of trafficking people into Southeast Asias "scam farms." The same day, Interpol unveiled the results of a major operation against trafficking "hot spots" in 27 countries, many used to funnel people into and across Southeast Asia to staff those farms with forced labor.

"There is certainly a trend for more increased engagement from countries and their law enforcement as this issue becomes more widely understood, and the depth and breadth of the scale of what is actually occurring in Southeast Asia," Rebecca Miller, human trafficking program coordinator for the U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime regional office for Southeast Asia and the Pacific, told VOA.

The U.N. estimates that over 120,000 people are being forced to work in scam centers in Myanmar alone at any time, and another 100,000 or more in Cambodia. Nodes of the multibillion-dollar industry have taken root in Laos and the Philippines as well.

Many are tricked into the work with false promises of other jobs. Once inside the centers, often resembling compounds, they can be barred from leaving by razor wire and armed guards and tortured for failing to meet work quotas or trying to escape, according to accounts of those who have gotten out.

At first, Miller said, the scam centers were recruiting almost exclusively from Southeast Asia and China. Over the past year, though, she noticed far more recruits arriving from outside the region.

"And this has been the issue for several months now and a good portion of 2023, and weve been now seeing victims from across Asia but also Africa, the Middle East, South America. All of these individuals have been identified in scam compounds," she said.

Recent UNODC investigation has identified recruits from over 40 countries, including Brazil, Russia, the Netherlands and Uganda.

Looking for new markets

Miller said growing awareness of the scam centers recruiting ploys among potential victims in China and Southeast Asia has forced the syndicates to search further afield, targeting countries and regions where most people may not yet know about them.

By casting a wider net for recruits, the syndicates can also increase their pool of potential scam victims, said Jason Tower, Myanmar country director for the United States Institute of Peace, a U.S. government-funded think tank.

"Theyre simply looking for new markets, and if they want to scam in the Brazilian market, or if they want to hit people from India or other places, they need individuals who ... have contacts there, who speak those languages," he told VOA.

Troy Gochenour, a U.S. resident who fell victim to a cryptocurrency scam of the sort run out of Southeast Asia, says the syndicates are looking for new markets and finding them. He now investigates such scams for the Global Anti-Scam Organization, a group founded in Singapore now based in the United States.

"I have talked to victims in South America, the Middle East, all over Europe, Australia," Gochenour told VOA.

"No victims in Antarctica yet, but give it time," he said, only half in jest.

"They are truly global," he added. "When youve got 100,000 or so people all over Southeast Asia [each] sending out 1,000 or so random messages a day, theyre going to hit a lot of people."

A global operation

More countries are taking note and taking action.

In the announcement of its sanctions targeting the people and companies allegedly behind some of the Southeast Asian scam centers, the British government said it has also rescued some of its own nationals trafficked to the region.

Interpol said the global crackdown it orchestrated in October, Operation Storm Makers II, was its first to specifically target fraud schemes fueled by human trafficking and that it provided fresh evidence of the trend "expanding beyond Southeast Asia."

Countries involved in the operation outside of Southeast Asia ranged from Australia to Brazil, India, South Africa and Turkey. Interpol said the raids led to 281 arrests and that over 360 new investigations were opened as a result.

Still, Tower said most countries have been slow to respond to the growing threat. Like Miller, though, he said he expects more of them to start taking steps like those announced and unveiled this month.

"I anticipate that youre going to see other countries come out with their own sanctions," he said.

"On the law enforcement side," he added, "I think youll continue seeing operations and crackdowns because were talking about modern slavery here, and police anywhere are going to have to respond to that, especially as awareness of it increases."

Gochenour said he is skeptical that targeted sanctions like the British actions will do much to stem the scamming tide.

Rather, he said, "its really going to boil down to ... more law enforcement being trained how to deal with it and how to trace cryptocurrencies and freeze them and to seize them. That is the best thing that can happen [for] a [scam] victim."

He also welcomed a recent announcement from Tether, a popular cryptocurrency, that it was "onboarding" the U.S. Secret Service and FBI  giving them access to its data to help them fight the systems abuse  and said he hopes others follow suit.

Tower, though, called the international response still ad hoc and said it needs to be more systematic and coordinated and tackle the "crisis of corruption" that has allowed the syndicates to forge protective alliances with business and political elites is some countries.

Miller said the response also must address the fact that many of these syndicates are not only trafficking people and running online scams but tied into sprawling criminal networks involved in everything from illegal casinos to money laundering and the drug trade.

"A lot of law enforcement at the beginning was really addressing this from just a human trafficking perspective, but it really needs to be addressed from a transnational organized crime perspective if were going to have any kind of impact on these syndicates," she said. "So, it really is going to take a collective effort of everyone working together."
Butter and milk shortages. Political party boycotts. Ongoing prosecutions of the presidents critics.

This is the environment in which Tunisians will head to the polls Sunday for the country's first local elections since President Kais Saied wrote a new constitution, which voters approved last year.

Voting will determine the composition of a new National Council of Regions and Districts  one component of Saieds vision to reshape politics in Tunisia, the country that sparked the regionwide uprisings that became known as the Arab Spring 12 years ago.

The new legislative chamber is designed to focus on economic development, and candidates have campaigned on the radio about building schools, roads and other infrastructure. It harkens back to Saied's campaign promise to distribute power and funds far from Tunisia's capital. Tunis is known for having a widely criticized government bureaucracy whose unpopularity helped fuel Saied's rise.

But despite the transformation promised, few signs of enthusiasm about elections and their ability to buoy Tunisia are apparent. In the 13th election since the 2011 revolution, there's little understanding about the stakes, what the new chamber has the power to do and whether voting even matters.

People used to be motivated in other elections, but nobody talks about this one or is up to date, said Najib, a cafe owner in La Goulette who said in past contests candidates regularly put up signs throughout his establishment. He declined to give his name out of fear of losing customers.

It is a familiar story for Tunisia, a country plagued by high unemployment, drought and shortages of necessities that credit ratings firms say is teetering on the verge of bankruptcy.

Amid a similar lack of enthusiasm, barely 11% of voters turned out for parliamentary elections last year even with growing concerns about the country's political and economic woes.

Tunisia recently passed a new budget without major reforms that could bolster the economy or lure foreign lenders. It retains price controls and subsidies for flour, electricity and fuel. That's even though reducing government spending on subsidies is one reform that the International Monetary Fund has demanded in exchange for a $1.9 billion loan.

The government is not living up to its responsibilities with regard to subsidies, which explains the scarcity of products, said Aram Belhadj, a professor at the School of Economy and Management of Tunis.

Although the subsidies are written into the budget, Tunisia's recent pattern of not compensating vendors has exacerbated shortages for goods like baguettes, he said. Despite political apathy, he noted that amid the shortages, people had begun paying closer attention to budgetary matters.

The ratings firm Fitch this month affirmed its assessment that Tunisia was at high risk for default with a CCC- rating, noting it did not expect reforms will progress in 2024, in the context of the presidential election.

Theres little recognition among the electorate that elections are taking place. They come more than two years after Saied suspended the countrys parliament and months after he dissolved municipal councils, further dismantling the systems put in place after the 2011 revolution.

That decision added to the outrage that Saied's opponents have voiced since July 25, 2021, when he consolidated power, froze the parliament and sacked the prime minister. He has since imprisoned dozens of critics from business and political spheres, including Rached Ghannouchi, the leader of the political party Ennahda that ascended to power after last decade's revolution.

Ennahda is among those that won't participate in the elections. The party is part of the National Salvation Front coalition that is boycotting. Others boycotting include the Workers' Party and the Free Destourian Party, whose leader, Abir Moussi, was imprisoned October 3 for allegedly undermining state security.

The political and social climate is not conducive to holding this local election, which does not meet international standards of democracy, Ahmed Chebbi, the head of a leading coalition of opposition parties said at a news conference in November.

Fadil Alireza, a nonresident scholar at the Middle East Institute, said Tunisians had gradually become disillusioned about elections leading to better standards of living.

"People run. They make promises of what theyll do, and that Tunisia will be better, he said. The fact that weve seen consistent decreasing purchasing power and deteriorating services  health, education, transportation ... makes disillusionment set in.

ISIE, Tunisia's Independent High Authority for Elections, is sending out frequent text messages to remind voters about the election. Mohamed Tlili Mnasri, the authority's spokesperson, said there had been few notable irregularities and that the authority was working to educate voters on the legislative chamber up for election.

He acknowledged expectations for low voter turnout and boycotts. But he said there were no thresholds for voting for the new chamber to be elected. And for democracies, what's important is making the opportunity to vote available, he said.

Were still in the process of stabilizing institutions, Mnasri said. Thats what democratic transition is.
For the first time since 1917, Ukraine is celebrating Christmas on December 25 instead of January 7, the date that Russia celebrates.

The move of the holiday reflects another Ukrainian cultural shift away from Russia.

While both Russia and the West use the Gregorian calendar, Russia still follows the Julian calendar for some religious practices. Kyiv's switch is a sign of its continuing effort to align itself with Europe.

In his daily address, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Saturday that as the week before Christmas ends, Ukraine remains strong. He cited the downing of three Russian Su-34 fighter-bomber aircraft Friday on the southern front, hailing it as a success in Ukraine's 22-month-old war against Russia's invasion.

"This week once again demonstrated the effectiveness of bolstering our air defense. It is not only for protecting cities and villages from Russian drones and missiles but also for front-line operations," he said, adding that "the capability to shoot down Russian fighter jets is one of the keys to ending this war justly."

The fate of the Russian pilots and crew members was not immediately clear.

The Russian military made no mention of the incident.

President thanks country's supporters

Zelenskyy thanked all the partners that support Ukraine's war effort. He expressed his gratitude to Germany for its military aid as well as to the Netherlands for an aid package of more than $110 million and Finland for an equivalent aid amount.

He said Kyiv is awaiting the approval of a U.S. support package for the next year and added, "I am grateful to representatives of both parties for understanding that decisions need to be made."

Zelenskyy also gave thanks to the U.S. for its new round of economic sanctions against Russia and its collaborators.

He expressed his gratitude to the Ukrainian soldiers in "combat brigades on all fronts, from Kharkiv to Kherson. At the border  those who defend against Russian sabotage and reconnaissance groups, those who eliminate Shahed drones, and those who hold our front-lines. I thank each and every one of you!" he said.

Border unblocked

Polish farmers have unblocked the key border crossing of Shehyni-Medyka between Poland and Ukraine, Kyiv's economy minister Yulia Svyrydenko said Saturday.

"An important improvement in the situation on the western border," Svyrydenko said.

Polish truckers said Saturday that they will continue blockades at three other crossings and allow even fewer trucks to pass. They say they are protesting Ukraine's trade advantages into the EU that run against the interests of local farmers.

The demonstrators have blocked border crossing with Ukraine since November 6, demanding the European Union reinstate a system whereby Ukrainian companies need permits to operate in the bloc and the same for European truckers entering Ukraine.

Rodents infest front line

Meanwhile, Ukrainian and Russian troops are facing an adversary of another kind on the ground, the British Defense Ministry said Friday in its daily intelligence update on Ukraine  exceptional levels of rat and mice infestation in some sectors of the front line.

The rodents will likely seek shelter in vehicles and defensive positions, the ministry said, which could also affect soldiers morale, according to the report.

The update said the jump in the rodent population is likely the result of this years mild autumn, along with ample food from fields left fallow due to the fighting.

The British ministry said the rodents could gnaw the cables of military equipment, just as they did in the same region during World War II.

Unverified reports indicate, the ministry said, that Russian troops are already beginning to experience a growing number of cases of illness, which the Russian troops blame on the rodents.
U.S. President Joe Biden spoke Saturday to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about Israel's military campaign in Gaza, the White House said.

"I did not ask for a cease-fire," Biden told reporters as he left Washington for Camp David. He called the conversation long and private.

According to a White House statement, the president emphasized to Netanyahu "the critical need to protect the civilian population including those supporting the humanitarian aid operation, and the importance of allowing civilians to move safely away from areas of ongoing fighting."

They also discussed the need to free the remaining hostages held by Hamas.

Netanyahu's office later said the prime minister "made clear that Israel would continue the war until achieving all its goals."

Israel vowed to destroy Hamas, which governs Gaza, after the militant group sent fighters rampaging into Israel on October 7, killing around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, according to Israel. Hamas, which has been designated a terrorist organization by the U.S. and others, also took about 240 people hostage.

More than 90 Palestinians were killed Saturday by Israeli airstrikes on two homes in Gaza, rescuers and hospital officials said. Residents of Jabalia, in the northern Gaza Strip, said the airstrikes coupled with shelling from tanks was unrelenting.

Military operations continue

Israeli military spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said late Friday that forces are broadening the ground offensive "to additional areas of the strip, with a focus on the south."

Operations, he said, also were continuing in the northern half of Gaza, the initial focus of Israel's ground offensive. The army said it carried out airstrikes against Hamas fighters in several locations of Gaza City.

Al Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, said Saturday that it had destroyed five Israeli tanks near Jabalia, killing and injuring their crews by using two undetonated missiles fired earlier by Israel.

Hamas also said it had lost contact with a group holding five Israeli hostages in the Gaza Strip. The militants said the hostages could have been killed during an Israeli raid, said Abu Ubaida, the spokesperson for al Qassam Brigades, in a statement on the group's Telegram channel.

Reuters was not able to independently verify either report.

More than 20,000 Palestinians have been killed and more than 53,000 have been wounded, according to health officials in Gaza, since Israel launched its war with Hamas.

Israel blames Hamas for the high civilian death toll, citing its use of crowded residential areas and tunnels. Israel has launched thousands of airstrikes since the October 7 terror attack and has largely refrained from commenting on specific incidents.

Israel said Saturday that 146 of its soldiers have been killed since it launched its ground incursion on October 20.

Humanitarian aid enters Gaza

Reports emerged Saturday that 70 humanitarian trucks had entered southern Gaza through Egypt's Rafah border crossing.

Gaza is in urgent need of humanitarian aid. Israel had told Palestinians in Gaza to evacuate to southern Gaza, but when they arrived, there were few accommodations for the massive influx of people. About 85% of the 2.3 million people who live in Gaza have been pushed into the south.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Friday it's a mistake to measure the effectiveness of the humanitarian operation by the number of trucks.

"The real problem is that the way Israel is conducting this offensive is creating massive obstacles to the distribution of humanitarian aid inside Gaza," he said. He noted that prerequisites for an effective aid operation don't exist because there is no guaranteed safety for staff to work in a logistical capacity and resume commercial activity.

On Friday, a veteran U.S. Development Program employee, his wife and their five children were killed in an airstrike on Gaza City.



Guterres maintained that Hamas' use of civilians as human shields and its continued firing of rockets at civilian targets "can never justify the collective punishment of the Palestinian people," and "do not free Israel from its own legal obligations."

After days of intense negotiations on a humanitarian pause and the delivery of aid to the Gaza Strip, the United States abstained Friday on a U.N. Security Council resolution, allowing its adoption by the 15-member body.

Rather than demanding a cease-fire, the final text of the U.N. Security Council Friday called for the warring parties to create "the conditions for a sustainable cessation of hostilities." Neither the United States nor Israel currently supports a cease-fire, saying it would allow Hamas to regroup.



The U.N. General Assembly voted overwhelmingly to adopt a resolution demanding an "immediate humanitarian cease-fire," with 153 member states in favor, 10 against, and 23 abstentions. Unlike UNSC resolutions, the UNGA's are nonbinding.

More than 2 million in crisis

The entire population of Gaza  more than 2 million people  is at crisis levels, or worse, of hunger the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, or IPC, a U.N.-backed body, warned.

"WFP has warned of this coming catastrophe for weeks," World Food Program Executive Director Cindy McCain said of the IPC's findings. "Tragically, without the safe, consistent access we have been calling for, the situation is desperate, and no one in Gaza is safe from starvation."



In a statement, UNICEF said in the coming weeks, at least 10,000 children under 5 years old will suffer the most life-threatening form of malnutrition, known as severe wasting, and will need therapeutic foods.



VOA's White House Bureau Chief Patsy Widakuswara and U.N. Correspondent Margaret Besheer contributed to this report.
The United States on Friday reopened two rail crossings between Texas and Mexico, five days after they were closed in response to increased migrant traffic.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection said operations resumed midafternoon Friday at the international railway crossing bridges in Eagle Pass and El Paso, Texas. The closures had prompted alarm from railroads, the agriculture industry and some lawmakers over the economic impact to export trade.

The White House said the United States will be operating the crossings for 24-hour-a-day operations for the next few days.

"We are grateful for Mexicos cooperation to reduce migration pressure in these sectors and combat the smugglers placing migrants in harms way," a White House spokesperson said.

Ian Jefferies, CEO of the Association of American Railroads, praised the reopening but said the closure should not be repeated.

Growers, representing U.S. corn, milk, rice and soybean producers, among others, estimated that every day the crossings were closed "almost 1 million bushels of grain exports are potentially lost along with export potential for many other agricultural products."

The Biden administration on Monday closed the trade routes because of increased migrant crossings. The U.S. Border Patrol apprehended about 10,800 migrants at the southwest border on Monday, according to an internal agency report reviewed by Reuters, which several current and former officials said was near or at a single-day record.

Mexico's foreign ministry said Friday the government "insisted on the need to reopen border crossings as soon as possible to guarantee dynamic trade flows and enhance the economic relationship" between the U.S. and Mexico.

Mexico's main farm lobby CNA expressed relief at the reopenings, saying "the lack of supplies in Mexico, caused by the closures, was affecting food production, raising costs and putting food security at risk in the country."

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said on Friday his government will reinforce measures to contain migration as he seeks to help the United States cope with record numbers of people trying to reach the U.S. border.

Lopez Obrador's comments come a day after he spoke with U.S. President Joe Biden, during which both agreed that more enforcement was needed, as record numbers of migrants disrupt border trade.

Migrants are heading to the U.S. to escape violence, economic distress and the impacts of climate change, according to the U.N. The number of people crossing the perilous Darien Gap straddling Colombia and Central America has topped half a million this year, double last year's record figures.

Top U.S. officials, including U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Homeland Security chief Alejandro Mayorkas, will visit Mexico on December 27 to follow up on the call.

Lopez Obrador said Mexico would step up containment efforts on its southern border with Guatemala as his government seeks agreements with other countries to manage the northbound migrant flows, making particular mention of Venezuela.

The measures under discussion did not just involve containment, Lopez Obrador said, noting that it was important to continue efforts to promote economic development in the region, and address the root causes of migration.

The CBP said on Friday that Eagle Pass vehicular processing remained suspended along with San Diego San Ysidros Pedestrian West operations. Port of entry operations at Lukeville, Arizona, and Morely Gate in Nogales, Arizona remain suspended.
Most U.S. state legislatures will reconvene in January for the first time since Hamas' October 7 attack on Israel sparked a war in Gaza and protests worldwide  and they're preparing to act in response, both symbolically and practically.

Legislatures in at least eight states that were in session late in 2023 have already condemned the attacks.

My worldview was shaped by the fact that my forbearers were not protected during the Holocaust, that no one came to their aid, said Florida state Senator Lori Berman, a Democrat who sponsored a resolution that passed unanimously last month in her state. Silence and indifference are the reason why bad  evil  is able to prevail."

Measures have been introduced already for the 2024 sessions in states from New Hampshire to Tennessee, and more are likely.

In the October 7 attack, Hamas killed about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and took about 240 others hostage. Israel responded with attacks on Gaza, leveling buildings, including hospitals, killing more than 19,000, according to the Hamas-controlled Health Ministry in Gaza, and causing 1.9 million Palestinian residents to flee their homes.

Strong emotions about the ongoing war are informed by a long history of conflict.

Since Hamas terror attack, at least 59 Hamas- or Israel-related pieces of legislation have been introduced in state legislatures. Most are resolutions condemning the attack and supporting Israel.

In states that include Florida, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Texas, resolutions in condemnation of the attack passed unanimously or nearly so.

Other purposes

Others have different aims: Resolutions in Pennsylvania and Texas would encourage U.S. President Joe Biden to facilitate an end to the conflict between Israel and Palestinians. A New Jersey bill would have the state reimburse travel bills for state residents who were evacuated from Israel during the attack or afterward.

The issue could become more complex as the war goes on, with Democrats in some states becoming divided on resolutions.

In Michigan, the Democratic-led state House adjourned their 2023 session without agreeing on a resolution, as Arab American lawmakers refused to support a resolution condemning Hamas and supporting Israels response.

Another resolution in Michigan would call on U.S. Representative Rashida Tlaib  a Democrat and the only Palestinian American in Congress  to resign over rhetoric thats widely seen as a calling for the eradication of Israel. Her statements have already brought her censure from Congress.

While condemning the attack is a largely popular position, expectations for how the bills will fare vary.

During a special session this month, the Georgia House of Representatives approved a resolution condemning the attacks. Two of the 180 representatives voted against the resolution, but 49 didn't vote. Among those not voting was Representative Ruwa Romman, a Democrat and the first Muslim woman elected to the chamber.

She said in an interview that she told the bills authors that she would have supported it if it had said the state stands with the Israeli people, instead of Israel.

You cant ask me to stand with a country that displaced my grandparents and is now killing people en masse, Romman said.

Lawmakers are also weighing in on how to handle protests and Palestinian-oriented events at universities, some of them accused of allowing antisemitism.

Republican lawmakers in Pennsylvania this month defeated legislation to send $33.5 million to the private University of Pennsylvania's veterinary school amid criticism and claims that the university was tolerating antisemitism.

Indianas Republican House Speaker Todd Huston told his caucus in November that he would prioritize addressing antisemitism on college campuses.

The Indiana House passed a bill during the 2023 legislative session that sought to define antisemitism as religious discrimination and provide educational opportunities free of religious discrimination. The bill died in the Senate.

Our Jewish students should know they will be safe on campuses throughout Indiana and not be subjected to antisemitic teaching or materials, Huston told colleagues in a speech.

Tuition cost at stake

A Florida measure introduced in 2023 would force public university students who support Hamas and other groups designated as terrorist organizations to pay out-of-state tuition.

I saw videos of protests on Floridas campuses and wondered to myself, How many of these pro-Hamas students chanting for the destruction of Israel are taxpayers subsidizing with reduced tuition rates? the bills sponsor, Republican state Senator Blaise Ingoglia, told The Associated Press in an email.

The bill did not advance in a special session in November, but he said he would bring it back.

A New Jersey measure would target funding for universities, rather than individual students, prohibiting them from authorizing, facilitating, providing funding for or otherwise supporting any event or organization promoting antisemitism or hate speech on campus. Its sponsor in the Assembly, Republican Alex Sauickie, said he believes the idea can pick up the bipartisan support needed to pass in a Democrat-controlled legislature.

Edward Ahmed Michell, the national deputy director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, said that measures restricting speech could be found unconstitutional and that he doesn't expect them to gain traction. He said that many of the others, which focus on support for Israel but not for the people of Gaza killed or displaced in the war, are also troubling.

I understand state legislators want to comment on international incidents that are relevant to their constituents, and thats fine, said Michell. But they need to be morally consistent.
Only 12 children around the world have been paralyzed by wild poliovirus so far this year, all of them in Pakistan and Afghanistan  with six reported in each.

They are the last two countries in which the highly infectious disease still exists.

Moreover, the World Health Organization has warned that the countries vaccination programs continue to miss a large number of children, posing a significant risk to gains made against the crippling wild Type 1 poliovirus.

In addition, Pakistans campaign to repatriate undocumented Afghans has increased the risk of cross-border poliovirus spread and spread within the two countries, the WHO said in a statement Friday.

Since mid-September, nearly half a million Afghans have returned to Afghanistan, escaping the crackdown on foreigners living illegally in Pakistan. The number of returning Afghans is expected to reach 1.7 million.

Pakistani officials have reported a sharp increase in environmental detections lately, documenting 60 positive samples since September and bringing the years total to 82.

Samples have been found in major cities, including Quetta, Karachi, Peshawar, Rawalpindi and the national capital, Islamabad, the WHO said.

It said political instability, insecurity in some areas and vaccination boycotts continue to hinder anti-polio efforts in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, whose capital is Peshawar. The province borders Afghanistan, and four of this years six reported polio infections were in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The rest were detected in Karachi, the countrys most populous southern port city, which had recorded zero cases in the last two years. Officials said both polio cases are children from Afghan refugee families.

Pakistan, with a population of about 241 million, came close to eradicating polio in 2021, when it reported only one case of paralysis from the virus. However, the country saw a spike in 2022, with 20 confirmed cases of infection.

Afghanistan has not reported new polio cases since August, and the virus has been cornered in its eastern Nangarhar border province, which reported all six infections this year.

The WHO cited an improvement in the quality of the vaccination campaign in the eastern regions of Afghanistan.

It noted in its Friday statement, though, that difficulties remain in various southern provinces, where almost 200,000 children are yet to be reached during the vaccination campaign.

Any setback in Afghanistan poses a risk to the program in Pakistan due to high population movement, the U.N. health agency said.
Timothy Obiezu

ABUJA, NIGERIA Nigerian activist Promise Ohiri, known as Empress Cookie, woke up to cheering news on Tuesday.

Pope Francis had given Catholic priests permission to give blessings to same-sex couples in a landmark declaration.

Ohiri, a Catholic transgender woman, has faced serious discrimination and threats to her life related to her sexuality. She said she couldn't have hoped for better news, but acknowledged there would be resistance.

"Its not going to be an easy thing," she said. "Im very sure that African people will definitely protest against it. They mostly use religion against us, the queer people. I feel like the pope making the decision is  I feel like its for good for queer people. Im having a good reaction [feeling] about it.

Other African activists also praised Francis' decision to let Catholic priests bless same-sex couples, with hopes that the popes gesture could ease anti-LGBTQ sentiment and oppression on the continent.

But African religious organizations are not expected to embrace the Vaticans announcement. In Nigeria, at least one bishop has voiced dismay about it.

Not a wedding

The Vatican said the blessing would not be similar to a wedding ceremony, which it maintained can happen only between a man and a woman.

The Vatican stated that homosexuality is "intrinsically disordered" but argued that same-sex couples must be treated with dignity and respect.

But the announcement has sparked debates in Africa, where homosexuality is widely viewed as a sin, an abomination or a Western import.

In Nigeria, same-sex relations are punishable by 14-year jail term.

Ohiri is hopeful the pope's declaration will change things.

The pope doing this is shocking the whole world and breaking foundations," she said. "I mean, laws that are so much against the queer people. If the religion is in support of queer people  trust me, its going to shake the Nigerian law and other countries that have not signed it into law. Its really normal for them to protest.

Bishop John Promise Daniel, vice president of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, said same-sex blessings and marriage are not acceptable.

I am more or less, like, shocked when I heard what the pope said," Daniel said. "Theres nobody who can change the position of the word of God, whether you are a pope, an archbishop or whatever. If [the Bible] does not support it, I dont care who supports it. Its invalid. Mans liberality is inconsequential.

The Catholic Church of Nigeria has yet to respond to the pope's statement. But experts predict that the church's officials may disagree and continue with a different doctrine on the matter.

Mike Umoh, spokesperson of the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria, told VOA by phone, "I can tell you that the Catholic bishops of Nigeria are presently working on their position that will very, very soon be made public.

This week, a Ugandan court commenced hearing a suit challenging the East African country's harsh anti-LGBTQ law, which punishes "aggravated homosexuality" with a life sentence.

Activists like Ohiri say they are skeptical that Nigerias laws against homosexuality will be overturned, but they the popes declaration is a step in the right direction.
JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA  As a new space race between the United States and China takes off, Africa is increasingly an arena for competition between the two superpowers. And so far, analysts say, China is ahead.

While Africa's space agencies are still in their infancy compared to those of the U.S. and China, analysts say space has become a new frontier for diplomacy with African countries.

"In recent years, China has emerged as the leading partner with Africa," said Nigerian space scientist Temidayo Oniosun, who is the founder of Space in Africa, an analytics and consulting company.

Oniosun says there have been a lot of collaborations across sectors including communications, observation, navigation and positioning. China is developing satellites for different partners, ground station infrastructure, and is pushing for countries to adopt its BeiDou satellite navigation system, seen as an alternative to America's GPS.

"Chinese companies have been capitalizing on this for years. It's now that the U.S. is waking up to this," he said during a recent forum on the topic at the U.S. Institute of Peace in Washington or USIP, a think tank founded by Congress.

"U.S. strategy towards Africa in space is actually more about reducing the hegemony of China over Africa than anything else.  I think one of the major reasons they're [the U.S.] paying attention is because China is doing so much," Oniosun told VOA.

Asked whether the U.S. was indeed playing catch-up, a National Security Council spokesperson did not comment on Chinese competition directly, but said in that "U.S. companies are at the forefront" of working with Africa.

The spokesperson detailed some of the agreements on space announced at last year's U.S.-Africa Leaders' Summit, including Nigeria's partnership with U.S. firm SpaceX, which also helped Kenya launch its first operational earth satellite in April.

China regards Space X as competition

China sees Elon Musk's company as a major rival to its ambition to become a dominant space power by 2045.

Asked whether China was ahead when it came to space cooperation with Africa, a NASA spokesperson told VOA: "The United States continues to work internationally for a safe, peaceful, and prosperous future in space. Working with both new and existing partners will add new energy and capabilities to help ensure the entire world can benefit from our journey of exploration and discovery."

As one example of cooperation with Africa, the NASA spokesperson pointed to the U.S. agency's current collaboration with the South African National Space Agency (SANSA) on plans to build a new tracking and communications antenna site near Matjiesfontein, in the country's semi-desert area of Karoo.

"NASA is currently finalizing negotiations for an agreement for NASA to build an 18-meter Lunar Exploration Ground Sites antenna to support the Artemis Program and the human lunar return to the moon," the spokesperson said.

U.S. led Artemis Accords is described as a "set of principles designed to guide civil space exploration and use in the 21st century." Other African countries have also been signing onto NASA's Artemis Accords, including Angola whose president signed the accords on November 30, during a visit to the White House.

View from Africa

According to a USIP report, co-authored by Oniosun, there are currently space programs in more than 20 African countries, and Africa accounted for 0.7 percent of global space expenditure in 2020.

Rather than seeking to participate in deep space exploration or human spaceflight, the report says many African countries see space development as a way of achieving national development goals and space-linked infrastructure as an important way to address problems such as climate change, national disaster preparedness and counter-terrorism.

A list sent to VOA by the South African National Space Agency, mentioned 11 partnerships with the U.S., including on deep space exploration, space education, space science research, hosting of Global Navigation Satellite System equipment, and six standing agreements relating to space operations.

"SANSA also has long-standing working relationships with USA and Canadian researchers in space weather," Asanda Sangoni, acting managing director of SANSA Earth Observation, told VOA in a written response.

The agency has three projects or agreements with China on space exploration, satellite navigation, and general space cooperation, according to Sangoni.

Asked whether Africa is becoming one of the areas of competition in a new Cold War space race, Sangoni wrote: "There is no single "Space Race" (if there is any) in the traditional sense."

"The global space landscape is evolving, with an increasing number of nations, including emerging nations, participating and often partnering in space activities. These nations pursue various goals and objectives based on their unique circumstances and interests, contributing to the overall development of space exploration and utilization," Sangoni wrote.

"SANSA strongly believes that space-related activities should be inclusive and beneficial for all mankind. SANSA promotes the peaceful use of space and respectful cooperation," she added.

National Security Concern?

During the U.S. Institute of Peace panel, Joseph Sany, the vice president of the Africa Center, explained some of the perceived risks that are fueling the new space race.

"As great powers vie for dominance in space, the risk of conflict between them looms large," he said. "In an environment where space assets are essential for intelligence gathering, communication and military operation, disparities in capabilities could heighten tensions and create an atmosphere conducive to conflict."

"As competition intensifies, the trust and willingness to cooperate may diminish" Sany said. "Misunderstandings, miscommunications or deliberate disruptions in communication systems could easily escalate into full-blown conflict."

The Pentagon's 2023 annual report to Congress on China's military developments makes numerous references to Beijing's ambitions in space.

The People's Liberation Army "views space superiority, the ability to control the space-enabled information sphere and to deny adversaries their own space-based information gathering and communication capabilities, as critical components to conduct modern 'informatized warfare'," the report states.

"The PLA continues to acquire and develop a range of counter-space capabilities and related technologies, including kinetic-kill missiles, ground-based lasers, and orbiting space robots, as well as expanding space surveillance capabilities, which can monitor objects in space within their field of view and enable counter space actions," according to the report.

It's not just Africa where China's space industry footprint is expanding. A recent article in The Washington Post said the Pentagon is concerned that some of China's space and satellite programs in Latin America having defense capabilities.

The Chinese Embassy in Washington referred VOA's questions on its space cooperation with Africa to the Chinese Mission to the African Union, which did not reply to requests for comment.
The U.N. says Malawi is home to tens of thousands of refugees fleeing conflict in Africa's Great Lakes region. However, human rights groups say some are being rounded up and moved against their will. Chimwemwe Padatha has more from Lilongwe, Malawi.
Reports were emerging Saturday that 70 humanitarian trucks had entered southern Gaza through Egypts Rafah border crossing.

Gaza is in dire need of humanitarian aid. Israel had told Gaza residents to evacuate to southern Gaza, but when they arrived there were few accommodations for the massive influx of people.

Meanwhile, after days of intense negotiations on a humanitarian pause and the delivery of aid to the war-torn Gaza Strip, the United States abstained Friday on a United Nations Security Council resolution, allowing its adoption by the 15-member body.



"Today this council called for urgent steps to immediately allow safe, unhindered and expanded humanitarian access and to create the conditions for sustainable cessation of hostilities," said U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Linda Thomas-Greenfield, underscoring the first time the council used such language.



Hostages must be immediately released, she said, and both Israel and Hamas must respect international humanitarian law. She added that the U.S. is "deeply disappointed" the resolution did not condemn Hamas' October 7 terror attacks that killed 1,200 people in Israel.



Russia, which wanted stronger criticism of Israel in the resolution, also abstained, calling the final draft that contained amendments pushed by Washington "extremely neutered" and "toothless."



"The text of the draft has lost a reference to condemnations of all indiscriminate attacks on civilians," said Russian Ambassador to the U.N. Vassily Nebenzya, speaking through an interpreter. "What signal does this send to the international community? That the Security Council is giving Israel a green light for war crimes?"



The Russian ambassador chided council members for the move to "rubber stamp a decision that is convenient for Washington."



Thomas-Greenfield dismissed Nebenzyas "rant." Russia "also created conditions that they are complaining about now in their unprovoked war in Ukraine," she noted.

Avoiding US veto



Diplomats had been working since Monday on the resolution drafted by the United Arab Emirates, seeking to avoid language that had brought repeated U.S. vetoes of U.N. votes since Israel launched its military operation in Gaza.



The more than 10-week-old campaign has killed more than 20,000 people in Gaza, according to the health ministry there.

The two sticking points for Israel and the U.S. were calls for a cessation of hostilities and disagreement over who will inspect goods going into Gaza to screen out weapons and other equipment that would help Hamas. Convoy inspection is currently done only by Israel.



Rather than demanding a cease-fire, the final text calls for the warring parties to create "the conditions for a sustainable cessation of hostilities." Neither the United States nor Israel currently supports a cease-fire, saying it would allow Hamas to regroup.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who under the original draft was to have "exclusive" control over all truck inspections, will now appoint a senior coordinator to establish a U.N. mechanism for accelerating the provision of humanitarian relief.



Following the vote, Israeli Ambassador to the U.N. Gilad Erdan thanked the U.S. for "standing on Israel's side" and "maintaining defined red lines" of Israel's authority to inspect aid entering Gaza.



"The failures of the U.N. in the last 17 years have allowed Hamas to dig terror tunnels and manufacture missiles and rockets," he said. "It is clear that the U.N. cannot be trusted to monitor the incoming aid to the Gaza Strip."

Softened language



A diplomatic source who asked not to be identified told VOA that U.S. moves to soften the language of the resolution, particularly on cease-fire calls, angered many U.N. member states.



However, earlier in the week, diplomats were resigned to another U.S. veto, so most UNSC members will be "profoundly relieved" that the U.S. is allowing the resolution to pass, said Richard Gowan, U.N. director of the International Crisis Group.



'There was a lot of gossip at the start of the week about [U.S.] President [Joe] Biden personally opposing the resolution after a call with [Israeli] Prime Minister [Benjamin] Netanyahu," Gowan told VOA. "This is a win for Linda Thomas-Greenfield, who went all-out to persuade the White House the U.S. should compromise rather than just block the text."



Thomas-Greenfield rejected allegations the final text is watered down, telling reporters late Thursday it was "a very strong resolution that is fully supported by the Arab group."

In a signal of increasing U.S. and Israeli isolation on the world stage, earlier this month the U.N. General Assembly voted overwhelmingly to adopt a resolution demanding an "immediate humanitarian cease-fire," with 153 member states in favor, 10 against, and 23 abstentions. Unlike UNSC resolutions, the UNGA's are non-binding.



During a White House press briefing Thursday, the National Security Council's John Kirby told VOA he took issue with "the premise of the question that we're somehow singularly isolated."



"All you have to do is look at what we've been able to do around the world and see that American leadership still matters, that America's views still matter," he said.



Harsh words for Israel



During a press conference after the UNSC vote, Guterres repeated calls for a cease-fire as the only means to meet the "desperate needs of people in Gaza and end their ongoing nightmare."



The U.N. chief had harsh words for Israel, underscoring that its military campaign is "creating massive obstacles" to Gazans getting much-needed help.

"An effective aid operation in Gaza requires security; staff who can work in safety; logistical capacity; and the resumption of commercial activity," he said. "These four elements do not exist."

When asked if Hamas had a role in blocking aid, Guterres said its "obviously not the major factor."



Guterres added that Hamas' use of civilians as human shields and its continued firing of rockets at civilian targets "can never justify the collective punishment of the Palestinian people," and "do not free Israel from its own legal obligations."



Catastrophic levels of food insecurity

A U.N.-backed body that issues famine warnings, known as the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, or IPC, warned that the entire population of Gaza  more than 2 million people  is at crisis levels or worse of hunger.



"WFP has warned of this coming catastrophe for weeks," World Food Program Executive Director Cindy McCain said of the IPCs findings. "Tragically, without the safe, consistent access we have been calling for, the situation is desperate, and no one in Gaza is safe from starvation."

The United Nations Childrens Fund, also known as UNICEF, said that in the coming weeks, at least 10,000 children under 5 years old will suffer the most life-threatening form of malnutrition, known as severe wasting, and will need therapeutic foods.



Israel says it is cooperating in allowing aid to enter Gaza. On Sunday, it opened the Kerem Shalom border crossing  near the borders of Israel, Gaza Strip and Egypt  for aid convoys to transit. The Israeli military says it is allowing brief tactical pauses in some areas of southern Gaza for civilians to get food and water.



VOA U.N. Correspondent Margaret Besheer contributed to this report.
In Nazareth, the town where Christians believe Jesus lived much of his life, Christmas celebrations have been scaled back in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza. Christian leaders told VOA it is impossible to feel celebratory at this time, while business owners say trade has plummeted
The director chose to end his new film with Frankie Goes to Hollywoods The Power of Love for personal and political reasons. Photo: Searchlight Pictures

This piece contains spoilers about All of Us Strangers, including its ending.

Early in All of Us Strangers, Adam, the solitary screenwriter played by Andrew Scott, finds himself watching Top of the Pops after returning from a nighttime fire drill in his oddly underpopulated London high-rise. Right as the band Frankie Goes to Hollywood begins a performance of their 1984 hit The Power of Love, Adam hears a knock. Harry (Paul Mescal), a handsome neighbor hed glimpsed through a window, has shown up with a half-empty bottle of expensive Japanese whiskey and a request for Adams company. Theres vampires at my door, Harry sighs, paraphrasing one of the songs opening lines. Adam turns him away.

These are the first of several references to The Power of Love in All of Us Strangers. On close examination, the ballad unlocks some of Andrew Haighs elliptical new drama. As Adam drifts further into the movies metaphysical dream logic, Frankie Goes to Hollywoods song becomes a touchstone uniting the past, present, and future. Its both earnest and ethereal, a grand reverie about romance that parallels Adams emotional hazards. Purge the soul / Make love your goal, front man Holly Johnson commands on the chorus.

When Haigh first started writing the film, he knew almost immediately that he wanted to use The Power of Love as its closing number. It was part of a playlist he made that comprised the Smiths, Pet Shop Boys, Fine Young Cannibals, Blur, and other acts that soundtracked Haighs youth in the 80s and 90s. He put a few of those hallmarks, including the Frankie song, directly into the script. Soon, he couldnt imagine Strangers ending any other way, which is also how he felt about the Platters Smoke Gets in Your Eyes at the close of 45 Years.

Wed been chased through Liverpool for being gay for years and years. Then we used it: Yeah, thats who we are. Its cool. And it worked.  Frankie Goes to Hollywood vocalist Paul Rutherford

It spoke so much to my longing as a young teen wanting some kind of love that was queer love but felt very, very much out of reach, Haigh says of listening to The Power of Love as a music-obsessed kid in the United Kingdom. Thats why I loved that song, and so when I was making this film, I thought, I want that to be the crescendo of the film, because that is the thing that Adam has found or has understood that he can find or will go on to find again  however you might want to read the ending.

As Adam curls up beside Harry in the final shot, he recites the first two lines of The Power of Love into Harrys ear: Ill protect you from the hooded claw / Keep the vampires from your door. By then, Adam has abandoned the figurative portal that allows him to commune with his parents (Claire Foy and Jamie Bell), who died in a car crash when he was 12. Hed like to keep visiting his childhood home, where he discovers them somehow frozen in time, but they eventually insist he not return, lest Adam spend the rest of his days languishing in the grief of their absence. Moving on from the fantasy of his parents resurrection allows him to embrace Harry, the swoony admirer he was still too bereft to think hed find. But its too late: Harry, the film reveals, drank himself to death after Adam declined to invite him in. I was so scared that night. I just needed to not be alone, a ghostly Harry says. The vampires he referenced at Adams door werent so abstract after all. When the camera pans up from Harry and Adam lying in bed one last time, Frankie Goes to Hollywoods soaring synths surge. The pair fade into a pool of light that evokes the beginning of the Power of Love music video.

Throughout All of Us Strangers, The Power of Love emerges as a sort of anchor point. During Adams second trip home, he leafs through a pile of vinyl records in his old bedroom, lingering on a copy of Welcome to the Pleasuredome, the Frankie Goes to Hollywood album that features the song. Later, once Adam and Harrys relationship has bloomed, theyre seen watching the same Top of the Pops clip that Adam was drawn to at the films kickoff. Haigh originally wanted to open with Adam watching Hellraiser, the erotic 1987 horror movie noted for its queer subtext. When he couldnt get the rights, Haigh subbed in the Power of Love performance, treating the track as a bookend to Harry and Adams bond.

When Frankie came out, it basically was at the same time that I was starting to understand that I was queer, Haigh says. They were insanely subversive for that moment in the early 80s. From an adult perspective, you can look back and go, I understand what that song was saying to me, emotionally, politically, whatever it might be.

Frankie Goes to Hollywood burned fast and bright, then disappeared. Johnson and vocalist Paul Rutherford, who got their starts playing in Liverpool pubs, were openly gay at a time when few pop stars dared to acknowledge any sexual expression that deviated from the mainstream. The band wore ornate costumes, including leather gear, and set the heady video for Frankies 1983 electro-rock smash Relax inside a gay fetish club. As the song climbed the British and American charts, the BBC banned it, citing unsuitable content. Here was an unabashedly queer quintet with progressive antiwar leanings lighting up the pop landscape in the days of Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan. (Check out Johnson arguing about the Relax prohibition with a BBC producer on an early-80s music show.)

We just were provocative, and we didnt think there was any harm in it, to be honest, Rutherford says. It was meant to be as honest as we could possibly be. Thats what we were doing as two little gay boys in front with straight musicians behind. It just made sense. We never cared. Wed been chased through Liverpool for being gay for years and years. You kind of got used to it. Then we used it: Yeah, thats who we are. Its cool. And it worked.

Frankie Goes to Hollywood rode the pre-Britpop wave through 1985, collecting Grammy and MTV Video Music Award nominations along the way. The Power of Love was their third consecutive No. 1 single in the U.K. But behind the scenes, things fell apart. Trevor Horn, the producer who signed Frankie to his ZTT Records, wielded a heavy hand, and relations among the band members fractured. It was too much too soon, Rutherford recalls. The groups second album, 1986s Liverpool, came and went without a hit single that matched the highs of Relax or The Pleasure of Love. The following year, Johnson sued ZTT over a contract dispute and won. The original Frankie lineup didnt perform again until 2023, when they reunited at Eurovision.

At first glance, The Pleasure of Love is fairly tame, at least by Frankie Goes to Hollywood standards. A heartfelt aria about romances redemptive force doesnt scream controversy. But Frankie found a way to make the project a bit cheeky. The music video depicted a Christmas nativity come to life, and Johnson wore what looked like a cross between a priests cassock and a boxers robe during that Top of the Pops appearance. Attaching religious iconography to the idea of gay devotion proved that Frankie could give even a middle-of-the-road ballad an inflammatory bent.

I always felt like The Power of Love was the record that would save me in this life, Johnson once said. There is a biblical aspect to its spirituality and passion  the fact that love is the only thing that matters in the end.

Love is certainly the only thing that matters at the end of All of Us Strangers. Adam may have missed his opportunity with Harry because he was too haunted by his past  perhaps the whole affair was a figment of his imagination  but that doesnt mean hell be alone forever. A cynical reading of the movie might dwell on Harrys death as a sign that queer life is alienating, especially when coupled with childhood wounds. Interpreted more generously, Adam finally understands that he has turned the people hes lost into phantoms and is forever stalked by their memory. The next time someone like Harry comes knocking, maybe hell let him in.

Music supervisor Connie Farr secured the rights to The Power of Love as soon as she read Haighs script, so no one had to worry that the song could be unavailable. He played it on the set while Scott and Mescal shot the final scene, restarting it with each take. It became integral to the storys DNA, much like the song was to Haighs adolescence.

The idea that I used to love that song as an 11-year-old queer kid living in suburban England and that I could put it in a film years and years later, now being very open about my sexuality, is something I never thought would actually be a possibility, Haigh says. And I can make a film with queer content  again, something I never thought would be a possibility. And Im in a relationship, which is, again, something I never thought would be a possibility. I was like, Fuck it, thats going at the end of the film. There was no way I was not doing that. I wouldnt even care if nobody liked it.
Three of the most notable anti-crowdwork comedians. Photo-Illustration: Vulture; Photos: Kyle Kinane via X, Marc Maron via TikTok, Joe Pera via Instagram

In an October episode of the podcast You Made It Weird, host Pete Holmes and guest Sam Jay spoke frankly about how the behavior of comedy audiences has worsened thanks to the torrent of promotional crowdwork clips on social media. I fucking hate it, they both agreed. The crowds are rowdier, Jay noted. They absolutely think theyre part of it now, and theyre like, Im giving you a leg up. Maybe this was inevitable: There is now a sizable audience whose primary exposure to stand-up comes from scrolling on TikTok or Instagram, and its expectations have been warped by the crowdwork clips that get traction on these platforms.

Nearly three years into this trend, Holmes and Jay are far from the only comedians who have complained about its ripple effects. Even Matt Rife, a comedian who parlayed the virality of his crowdwork clips into a Netflix stand-up special, has expressed irritation at audience members who yell out, hoping to be featured in one of his clips. A newer development, though, is comedians expressing their dislike for crowdwork from the stage. Over the past year and change, comedians have gone meta with the trend by needling crowdworks laziest tropes and satirizing crowdwork using crowdwork itself. With two examples of this popping up in the past week alone, we figured now is as good of a time as any for a roundup of these bits.

Gary Gulman (December 2023)

Near the outset of his newest special, Born on 3rd Base, Gulman opts to put the audience members in the front rows at ease by assuring them they are safe and that he will not forcibly cast them in a TikTok video. He recalls disliking crowdwork as far back as when hed attend comedy shows in high school, saying, I just remember thinking, If I am ever in the front row at a comedy show and a comedian asks me what I do for work, I will stand up and say, What do you do for work?

Marc Maron (December 2023)

Not one to bend his comedy scruples for anyone, Maron reluctantly waded into the social-media crowdwork trend recently, but not before offering the caveat that his crowdwork would be pure and honest and boiled down to what crowdwork really is. While being filmed by a member of the audience at a show at Dynasty Typewriter in Los Angeles, he starts asking audience members basic questions, then mocking their responses with intentionally juvenile insults. One, who tells him that his name is Joshua, is met with a reply of Thats fucking stupid. Another, who says hes originally from Los Angeles, is greeted with a reply of Thats where we are now, stupid. Content that he has generated enough content, Maron triumphantly collects his phone from the audience member and declares, Thats, like, three TikTok videos!

Joe Pera (September 2023)

In the days leading up to his 2023 special, Slow & Steady, Pera posted crowdwork clips online to promote its release. And in true Pera fashion, he was apologetic and transparent about his motives the entire time. In this clip, filmed by a member of his audience wearing a Dave Chappellebranded hat, Pera pretends to engineer a spontaneous moment by abruptly asking the audience, Anyone here fuck? Then he gives up the pretense and instructs the camera operator to turn the camera around on himself and proclaim, Chappelle would probably like that crowdwork! Sadly, Chappelle has yet to confirm or deny his appreciation.

Nathan Hare (March 2023)

Comedian does some amazing crowdwork  pic.twitter.com/LDznEsJrKZ  Nathan Hare (@nathanharenice) March 6, 2023

Maybe its because hes Canadian, but Hare initiates his crowdwork more politely than most comedians. In this clip shot at a comedy club in Vancouver, he asks a volunteer for consent to do crowdwork on him before asking a string of questions, pausing to take careful written notes of his responses: Whats your name? Are you from Vancouver? Was Vancouver the city that you were born in? What was the name of your first pet? What is your mothers maiden name? If these sound at all like standard password-security questions, Im sure thats just a coincidence.

Sam Campbell (December 2022)

I like your shirt, Australian comedian Campbell pauses to tell an audience member midway through his special Companion. What is that  is it a jumper? Or what is that? The interaction goes on like this for another 30 seconds or so with Campbell struggling to elevate it into anything that transcends strained small talk. Finally, a beat passes and Campbell declares, Weve got to destigmatize crowdwork! Im trying to talk to this lady. You think I like her stupid fucking hoodie? Its the worst hoodie Ive ever seen!

Kyle Kinane (December 2022)

crowd work reform pic.twitter.com/Yn2m9IQjNQ  Kyle Kinane (@kylekinane) December 15, 2022

In this clip filmed at Helium comedy club in Indianapolis, Kinane voices his displeasure for the algorithms demand for crowdwork clips before branding himself as a comedian for introverts and telling audience members in the front rows that hes glad theyre there and that hell leave [them] alone. He then proceeds to flip the crowdwork dynamic on its head by instructing an audience member to ask him what he does for a living. Im a comedian. Thanks for asking! he replies. You know, the other day  Without skipping a beat, he segues seamlessly back into material.

Orli Matlow (October 2022)

Im Orli. Im the one with the tripod, comedian and writer Matlow tells her audience in this clip recorded at a stand-up show in New York. Its a natural segue into her material about being at the mercy of the TikTok-industrial complex and her hatred of crowdwork on Instagram, which she jokes she cant abide because it takes the focus off her: Ive been waiting my whole day for these eight minutes. These eight minutes are about me. I dont care what you do or what your name is. Im not going to pretend otherwise because Mark Zuckerberg tells me to!
Glen Powell and Sydney Sweeney in Anyone But You. Photo: Brook Rushton/Sony Pictures

Anyone But You has been billed as yet another attempt to revive the studio romantic comedy. But in trying to do so, it achieves something potentially more impressive: It almost brings back the studio sex comedy. If the rom-com was killed off by a combination of audience apathy, the decline of the modern star system, and the rise of online algorithmic matchmaking, the sex comedy was killed off by all these things plus the double-headed social hydra (and paradox) of ubiquitous internet porn and growing cultural puritanism about any and all matters erotic. Also, sex comedies were usually kind of stupid.

It would be silly to call Anyone But You smart, but it has a knowing quality that allows it to confidently navigate some of the more familiar aspects of the rom-com: the meet-cute, the growing adversarial relationship, the constant and farce-friendly pretending, the pop-song sing-alongs, the breathless (and well-telegraphed) climactic declaration of love in a special setting. It helps also that Will Glucks film is yet another (very loose) riff on Shakespeares Much Ado About Nothing, the original romantic comedy featuring two adversaries set up by friends who pretend to whisper behind their backs about how much each loves the other.

In this case, the two lovers-to-be are charismatic finance guy Ben (Glen Powell) and klutzy Boston law student Bea (Sydney Sweeney), who meet when she desperately has to use a cafe bathroom but is unable to wait in line to purchase something first; he, being next in line, pretends to be her husband. As far as meet-cutes go, this is quite a dumb one, but here its rendered delightful through Powells confident smile and Sweeneys charmed bafflement. Each actor has an innate self-awareness  a polished overconfidence on his part, a monotone detachment on hers  that allows them to glide through the pro forma nature of both this scene and the rest of the movie. Its like they both know theyve found themselves in the middle of a rom-com.

After a seemingly life-changing hookup, the nascent couple is torn apart through a rather silly misunderstanding, only to then be reunited a while later when Bens best friends sister, Claudia (Alexandra Shipp), becomes engaged to Beas sister Halle (Hadley Robinson), and the two former flings find themselves invited to an intimate wedding in Australia. Id say wackiness ensues, but what really ensues is a lot of unclothing. Everybody at this wedding is hilariously, ridiculously hot, from the fathers-in-law, played by onetime hunks (and still genuine DILFs) Dermot Mulroney and Bryan Brown, to our heroes exes, played by Charlee Fraser and Darren Barnet, the latter of whom looks like the Chad ideal made real.

Of course, Ben and Bea are the most spectacularly gorgeous of them all; its hard to decide which one has the more ample chest. And if the classic rom-com found ways to put its protagonists in funny and cringeworthy situations (think Hugh Grant being forced to pose as a reporter for Horse & Hound in Notting Hill, or Sandra Bullock having explosive diarrhea in Two Weeks Notice), Anyone But You does so in ways designed to compound its characters hotness. A hiking trip in which Ben finds a giant spider in his shorts leads to him frantically shedding all his clothes and then making Bea check him out to make sure there arent any creepy-crawlies hiding in his body. Yes, it makes him look ridiculous, but when you look as ridiculously good as Glen Powell does, a scene like this is basically just another flex. And lets be clear  he absolutely is flexing.

This self-aware attitude serves the movie well as it hits its required genre plot points. Even the story is based on a kind of self-awareness. Bea and Bens friends are so transparent in their efforts to convince each that the other is secretly in love that the pair begin pretending to fall for each other just to get everyone to shut up. They have other motives, too: If it looks like Bea is attached, then her ex Jonathan (Barnet) might stop pursuing her. If it looks like Ben is attached, then his onetime fling Margaret (Fraser) might start pursuing him. No, Im not sure how any of that makes sense either  but its not supposed to. In a sex comedy, any dumb ruse that serves to get our heroes together is welcome.

So, even when these characters are supposed to seem the most vulnerable, the most embarrassed, they look almost comically amazing. That should be a flaw, but its not, because the cast is clearly in on it, and besides, this is a movie where everybody seems eager to jump each others bones. That is perhaps the most refreshing thing about Anyone But You: Everybody gets to be horny. It seems like a miracle that a movie like this is even allowed to exist in this day and age.
Day 21: Fun and Games Twenty-five moments, one per day in the walkup to Christmas, that brought definition to reality TVs ever-blurring lines in 2023. Photo-Illustration: Vulture; Photo: Mark Taylor/Peacock/ITV

Love Island didnt need a format overhaul: Part of the reason its so easy to spend a summer ingesting episodes like daily vitamins is the complete lack of action. Sure, a production assistant occasionally constructs a cardboard set or themed obstacle course for the contestants to navigate, but these challenges are mostly about setting up sexy shots for the editor to slo-mo and reverse. Ultimately, Love Island is all about gorgeous normies slowly dehydrating and rehydrating themselves until the British public decides who got tanned enough to represent them in fast-fashion advertisements for the rest of the year. Its a reliable formula that has since been reproduced in nations all over the world. But then someone at Peacock wondered, What if Love Island was sick and twisted?

Love Island Games, the All Stars-ification of the British dating show, revealed a novel twist on the original concept: Now, couples have to compete to stay together and win their $100,000 prize. Classic contests have gameplay consequences as opposed to interpersonal ones; bangers like the Heart Rate challenge and Snog, Marry, Pie get unisex twists that not only allow for gay shit  word to bisexual reality-TV groundbreaker Kyra Green  but spread petty drama in inventive ways, like Girls-girl Liberty Poole and Aussie Jess Losurdo trading pies over a fight they had already squashed. And there are newer, bigger challenges that stretch the possibilities for outdoor sets to include  several slides. (Its important to have room for improvement.) Whichever pair wins each challenge becomes the Power Couple, an actually appropriate use of that phrase in the year 2023, and gains an advantage that usually comes as a double-edged sword, e.g., they can choose who to put up for elimination in a Duel, or, in one case, rearrange the couplings however they wish.

Games draws on five iterations of the franchise, including Germany, France, and Australia. Dipping back into the cast pool means these people have history  personally, I wouldnt be as calm as Cely Vazquez when her ex Johnny Middlebrooks kissed her while she was blindfolded after he showed up as a bombshell (the first sign he wasnt there for the right reasons). Thats only the beginning of the drama for the Americans, who come in as a tight-knit family and end in civil war. Because Games requires couples not to just fight each other for spots but to eliminate each other, too  with plenty of hard feelings. While the original show yielded some decision-making power to the voting public, in Games, it all comes down to the contestants themselves. Yeah, its a game, but Im taking this very personal, bro, Ray said upon his elimination in episode 18. Friendly stuff like sharing clothes was seen as a marker of allegiance that ultimately booted him and his fellow U.S. partner Imani out of the competition. You fucked me in my own wardrobe, Courtney Boerner told her. When outfit repetition is a cardinal sin of the High Villa and youre only allowed one suitcase, the stakes are higher than ever before.

Luckily, Love Island Games ends right at the sweet spot, before acrylics go missing and the clip-ins clip-out, though that does mean no Casa Amor to make things even more complicated. Instead, whatever gossip spread among the eliminated contestants in the local Fiji hotel amped things up at the finale, where several ex-islanders accused the inevitable winners of faking their relationship for the money. (Not the time, but when will a reality TV exec hear my plea for a show-within-a-show filmed with the losers?) For the first time in the shows history, the semifinal firepit allowed former contestants to watch the show, then return to air out grievances as they voted on the finalists. Most of them took the opportunity to openly laugh at Jack Fowler, whom they left the villa calling a friend and came back to call a snake. Love Island Games managed more drama in a fraction of the episodes. Its got rewatch potential we havent seen since season four. The Do Bits Society knows what Im on about.
Recipes

What do you want to cook today?
 Flash

China has always been open to having space exchanges and cooperation with the United States, and it is the United States who should remove the stumbling blocks on the path towards cooperation, a Chinese spokesperson said on Friday.

Wang Wenbin, a spokesperson for the foreign ministry, said if the United States truly wants to advance space exchanges and cooperation with China, it also needs to revoke and abolish relevant legislation, and stop making irresponsible comments.

Wang said so at a daily press briefing when asked to comment on remarks by U.S. Ambassador to China Nicholas Burns, who reportedly said that in lunar exploration, he does not believe the Chinese have shown much of an interest in working with the United States and the space is a contested area.

Noting China is committed to the peaceful exploration and use of outer space, Wang said China is ready to have international space exchanges and cooperation with all countries on the basis of equality, mutual benefit, peaceful use and inclusive development, and actively promote the vision of a community with a shared future for mankind in the field of outer space.

"We have always been open to having space exchanges and cooperation with the United States," he said, adding the two sides established mechanisms such as the working group on Earth science and space science cooperation and the China-U.S. Civil Space Dialogue.

"The U.S., however, views space cooperation with China from a Cold War perspective," he said.

U.S. domestic legislation such as the Wolf Amendment, the U.S. Innovation and Competition Act of 2021 and the America COMPETES Act of 2022 were adopted to limit and thwart space exchanges and cooperation with China, Wang said, adding the United States even imposed unilateral sanctions on relevant Chinese companies.

"This is the real reason impeding cooperation between the two sides," the spokesperson said.

Noting that China has actively advanced international cooperation in the field of lunar and deep space exploration, Wang said the China National Space Administration recently issued the CE-5 Lunar Research Sample Distribution Guide and the Announcement of International Cooperation Opportunities for the Chang'e-8 Mission.

"We welcome scientists and researchers from the U.S. and all other countries to apply in line with the procedures," Wang said.
Is it possible to regift a Christmas movie that you dont much like? If so, would you be OK if I scratch out my name on the Elf gift tag and sub in yours?

This 2003 comedy, starring Will Ferrell and directed by Jon Favreau on his way from indie fare such as the excellent Swingers to big-budget Disney spectaculars like The Lion King and Iron Man and The Mandalorian, is considered a classic by some. Bah humbug, I say. The only Christmas spirit it stirred in me was the spirit of Ebenezer Scrooge.

Is it time to put Elf on the shelf? Credit: Janet Briggs

Incredibly, I had never seen Elf until I popped it on Netflix the other day, where it is tagged as both a family movie and a comedy (youll find it on a bunch of other streaming platforms too, including Stan, Binge, Foxtel, Paramount+ and as a pay-per-view option on heaps of others; if nothing I say here can dissuade you, you have few excuses not to waste 96 minutes of your life).

I had hoped for a chuckle or two, at the very least. But only when Will Ferrells oversized man-child Buddy was hit by a car did the cockles of my heart warm even a little.
The films producers, Iain Canning and his Australian business partner Emile Sherman, first approached Winton 15 years ago to ask if they could put his story on the screen, but they found a modest man uninterested in making himself famous to a new generation. It was only after his death they got the go-ahead from his daughter, who had written a book about his war work.

In the opening scenes of One Life, Nicholas Winton (Anthony Hopkins) is in his eighties, leading a seemingly tranquil life with his wife, Grete (Lena Olin), in suburban Surrey. But the clutter in his study is a revealing reflection of the tumult in his head. His mind is full of ghosts who are reviving memories of the refugees he helped to rescue in Prague during World War II.

The film flips back and forth in time, as Winton recalls his first visit to Prague in 1938. The city is already full of refugees on the run from the German takeover of the Sudetenland and the young Winton (Johnny Flynn)  Nicky to his friends  is appalled at the sight of so many children lacking food and shelter in the middle of a European winter. Busy getting the Nazis political targets out of the country, his fellow refugee workers, Doreen Warriner (Romola Garai) and Trevor Chadwick (Alex Sharpe), believe it will be too hard to evacuate children as well. But Nicky isnt listening. His optimism is remarkable, his stubbornness miraculous.

Helena Bonham Carter plays Wintons mother Babi, who helped the children find homes in Britain.

Inspired by the Kindertransport initiative already under way in Germany and Austria, he returns to London and calls on his like-minded and equally effective mother, Babi (Helena Bonham Carter), a small bulldozer powered by charm. Together, they recruit volunteers to help raise money, find foster families for the children and canvas support from the British government in simplifying visa rules.

The Prague sequences are heartbreaking. Garai is especially good as the heroic Doreen, who stays on in the city long after the Nazis arrival, but its Hopkins who anchors the films emotional centre with his slow burn of a performance. Hes always been able to use silence to express all that hes not saying, and Winton camouflages his passion and his anguish with the matter of factness of someone who is naturally averse to making a fuss.

Theres something very moving in watching him trying to hold back the tears when hes finally made aware of the difference he has made to the lives of so many people. Until then, he can do nothing but dwell on the failures  the children he didnt manage to save. He still has their photos. Their faces gaze at him from the old scrapbook he keeps amid the mess in his study.
Leanne Skaf sees the envious looks she gets at playgrounds when other parents spot her mother helping her care for her three kids.

If I didnt have support, I probably wouldnt be able to do a lot of things, says the Blakehurst-based businesswoman. I would be a lot more consumed with my children instead of actually building a career and enjoying married life, just him and me.

Grandparents have become a playground status symbol for parents. Credit: iStock

Far more valuable than expensive prams and designer carriers, the real status symbol that separates parents in the most difficult early years of raising kids is: how much support do you get from grandparents?

With the constant demands of caregiving, it has become clear that the currency new parents deal in is not measured in dollars, but in support.
The historian Robert Conquest once wrote that crises, whether real or perceived, bring to the forefront the most primal national urges. In his field of study, mid-20th century Europe, Conquest said that severe wartime trauma and economic crisis brought out the sadist in the German nature and the snitch in the Russian. Those countries then produced regimes that rewarded the sadist and made a hero of the snitch. Loading Whenever there is a sense of crisis in Australia, the xenophobe in our heart is ready to spring out into the open. We have deep and justified concerns about the cost of living and housing affordability. The origins are complex and the solutions are difficult, involving sacrifice from one part of the community to provide equity for another. They are worth serious debate. How much easier would it be to change the subject completely, and reduce these problems to a simple fear that many of us already hold? Australia is hardly the only country to harbour a xenophobe in its heart. Europe and North America have swung hard to the political right to feed their inner chauvinist. Just this week, the centrist French government enacted harsh anti-immigrant laws and was dismayed to find itself supported by the extreme right. It had done its job  addressing fears of the other  too successfully. Austria and the Netherlands have elected anti-immigrant parliamentary majorities this year, following Italy, Poland, Hungary and Slovakia. The British Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, bleats stop the boats, incanting a slogan that has become Australias most pervasive political export.

Peter Dutton would like us to talk about immigration from here until the next election. Inevitably, cost of living and affordable housing will become euphemisms for how the competition from new arrivals is making life harder. They are probably seen as such, in many parts of Australia, already. Immigration can easily become the subtext for unrelated issues. Every little flashpoint that can be blown up into an anti-immigration bin fire  the High Courts and Victorian Supreme Courts orders that immigration detention cannot be permanent, to take two recent examples  will be recycled into fuel for the ongoing debate, or the shouting match that passes for debate, about immigration levels. Loading After the drop in immigration during the COVID crisis, we have entered a phase where all insecurity can be  and will be, politically  targeted towards the intake of people from overseas. Evidence has a fluid, if not negligible, role in this shouting match. Much is made of the record 518,000 net migration to Australia in 2023, but as a percentage of the existing population, the number of immigrants, currently 5.1 per thousand people, has fallen steadily since its peak of 11.4 per thousand people at the end of its long climb under the Howard government. There is a perception that Labor governments are loose on immigration and Coalition governments are tight (just as there is a perception that Coalition governments are stronger on economic management and defence). Notwithstanding the evidence, much of which is to the contrary, perceptions are almost impossible to shake. We like very much to believe whatever we already thought.

An opposition would not usually set the agenda, but so potent are Australian emotions about immigration, the government will be keenly interested in not being outflanked. Accordingly, rather than promoting and defending immigration, which brings countless net benefits to Australia in every field of life, the government will try to show itself as being as hairy-chested as the Coalition. Loading This can be observed from its reaction to the court rulings against indefinite immigration detention. Instead of acknowledging the inhumanity and injustice in locking up stateless people forever, it has tried to neutralise the issue by closing loopholes and promising to reduce the immigration rate. Two major parties competing to be the bad cop. What an enjoyable year we have ahead of us. Peace on earth? Only, it seems, if we all agree that immigrants are the problem, and we need fewer of them. The Christmas message appears increasingly forlorn. Writing in The Australian Financial Review this week, Colleen OReilly, the Anglican archdeacon of Stonnington in Melbourne, said: All the worlds major religious traditions emphasise the importance of learning to live at peace with neighbours and strangers, and yet the followers of these religions continue to put hostility above peace. Strangers are dehumanised and despised, and neighbours divided into them and us. Whether at Christmas or any other time of the year, bomb the shit out of them remains the worlds great powers dominant idea of how to create peace on earth. Admiring these projections of strength, the Australian xenophobe looks to tough talk, guns, locks and keys as the solutions to our own challenges.
When Andrea Hogan went into hospital for a colonoscopy the week of her 40th birthday, she knew almost immediately that something was wrong.

As I was in recovery, my [gastroenterologist] walked in and said, I need to talk to you,  she said. My stomach just dropped.

Andrea Hogan is cancer-free after being diagnosed with bowel cancer the week of her 40th birthday. Credit: Steven Siewert

Hogan was diagnosed with bowel cancer virtually on the spot, and immediately booked in for an appointment with the surgeon to remove the mass on her bowel. Spotting it early helped Hogan avoid chemotherapy and make a full recovery  which is why she finds stagnating testing rates for the states second-most deadly cancer so disappointing and frustrating.

Screening rates have not improved significantly in the past six years, and fell from 42 to 39.5 per cent in 2021 in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Prague: Hey, you f-----, here I am, shoot here! screamed a Czech reporter trying to distract a gunman who killed 14 people at a university building in Prague on Thursday, helping people to flee the countrys worst mass shooting.

Jiri Forman, a reporter for a small security-focused news outfit who said he had experience in war zones, evaded fire from the gunman who was perched on a balcony on the top floor of Charles Universitys Faculty of Art.

While ducking behind a corner in a square below, he kept feeding information to police outside and urged them to fire back, while filming continuously on his phone.

Asked by an officer what was he doing, Forman is heard in the footage shouting: So that he doesnt shoot at the people! What do you think Im  doing, man? There are people there!
Mayo councillors are railing against plans to replace Joint Policing Committees with a new model.

The Department of Justice plans to replace the Joint Policing Committee (JPC) structure with Local Community Safety Partnerships. Pilots of the new model have already been rolled out in some local authorities.

The partnerships will replace Joint Policing Committees, which bring together the Gardai, local authorities and councillors as well as the community and voluntary sectors.

The Department contends that the Community Safety Partnerships will have a broader membership including residents and community representatives.

JPCs have been chaired by councillors, and there are concerns that under the new structure, the role of local politicians could be marginalised.

Mayo councillors are determined to see the old arrangement stay in place and plan to lobby Government TDs on the issue.

Cllr Damien Ryan told a meeting of Mayo County Council that the proposed changes are a "retrograde step for counties like Mayo". He said a series of amendments to the Local Community Partnership plans has been drafted by a group of Senator, adding that if those changes are implemented it will satisfy local councillors. Cllr Ryan asked the Government to "hold fire" on the plan until those alterations are included.

The JPC is one of the most efficient bodies to have served the county and has served it well, he added.

Cllr Michael Burke said the replacement of the JPC would be "a tragic loss for us", while Cllr Michael Kilcoyne expressed concern that the new partnerships will see Mayo combined with Roscommon and Longford. Cllr Christy Hyland condemned the changes as "another attack on democracy".

Its trying to silence councillors, he added.

Cllr Mark Duffy said the move will remove more power from communities and "dilute the democratic voice".

This must be reversed, the Ballina councillor stated.

The Cathaoirleach of the council, Cllr Michael Loftus, recently addressed the Seanad on the issue declaring that it will create "serious problems". He hit out at Government TDs who he said have failed to appraise the proposed changes properly.

Cllr Loftus said he was "very disappointed with our Oireachtas members who have passed the policing, security and community bill without even looking at it".
Allentown, PA (18103)

Today

Partly sunny and pleasant; still a bit of a breeze, from the southwest 10-15mph with gusts to 20mph..

Tonight

Partly to mostly clear and seasonably cold.
HAMBURG, Pa. - Santa Claus made a stop in Hamburg Friday, helping direct traffic and greeting students after school.

David Fisher has been playing Santa in some form or fashion for the last 18 years. "I do it for the kids. I love them," said Fisher.

He's a barber by trade but every year around this time, he transforms.

His wife Rita, or "Mrs. Claus," made him the outfit.

"My wife got the idea. In my shop we have an ornament on the top [of the tree] that actually has this same outfit and we just loved it," said Fisher. "Rita says 'You'll get me the material [and] I will make it for you'. So, a lot of tears, a lot of stuck fingers and it's beautiful and people just love the old-world style."

Fisher or Santa now wears it everywhere he goes at this time of year, spreading Christmas joy.

For Santa, making spirits bright is an essential part of his existence and that's just what he did spreading joy and some Christmas treats on the streets of Hamburg.

"It makes me feel good inside," said Fisher. "[In] today's day and age with all the gloom, if you can bring joy, just to one person, it's all worth it."
ALLENTOWN, Pa. - Allentown police were dispatched to the 1300 block of Hanover Ave. early Friday evening after a reported shooting.

Police say they responded to to the call at 6:56 p.m., and upon arrival located a male victim suffering from gunshot wounds.

The victim was transported to a local hospital for his injuries and is expected to survive.

A short time later, a male matching the description of the alleged shooter was stopped in his vehicle in the 1200 block of Catasauqua Ave.

The suspected shooter was identified as 27-year-old Andrew Robert Johnson and taken into custody without incident, according to police.

Johnson, of the 200 Block of James Street in Kutztown, has been charged with attempted homicide, aggravated assault, firearms not to be carried without a license, simple assault with a deadly weapon, harassment, and fleeing and eluding police.
RAFAH, Gaza Strip (AP)  More than 90 Palestinians, including dozens from an extended family, were killed in Israeli airstrikes on two homes in Gaza, rescuers and hospital officials said Saturday, a day after the U.N. chief warned that nowhere is safe in the territory and that Israels offensive creates massive obstacles to distribution of humanitarian aid.

U.S. President Joe Biden spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday, calling it a long and private conversation a day after the Biden administration again shielded Israel in the diplomatic arena. On Friday, the U.N. Security Council adopted a watered-down resolution that calls for immediately speeding up aid deliveries to desperate civilians in Gaza, but not for a cease-fire.

I did not ask for a cease-fire, Biden said of the call. Netanyahus office said the prime minister made clear that Israel would continue the war until achieving all its goals.

Also Saturday, the Israeli military said troops arrested hundreds of alleged militants in Gaza over the past week and transferred more than 200 to Israel for further interrogation, providing rare details on a controversial policy of mass roundups of Palestinian men. The army said more than 700 people with alleged ties to the militant groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad have so far been sent to Israeli lockups.

Israel declared war after Hamas gunmen stormed across the border on Oct. 7, killing some 1,200 people and taking some 240 hostages. More than 20,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israels war to destroy Hamas and more than 53,000 have been wounded, according to health officials in Gaza, a besieged territory ruled by the Islamic militant group for the past 16 years.

The Health Ministry in Gaza on Saturday evening said 201 people had been killed over the past 24 hours.

Airstrikes on Friday flattened two homes, including one in Gaza City, where 76 people from the al-Mughrabi family were killed, making the attack one of the deadliest of the war, said Mahmoud Bassal, a spokesman for Gazas Civil Defense department.

Among those killed were Issam al-Mughrabi, a veteran employee of the U.N. Development Program, his wife, and their five children.

The U.N. and civilians in Gaza are not a target, said Achim Steiner, the head of the agency. This war must end.

And a strike pulverized the home of Mohammed Khalifa, a local TV journalist, killing him and at least 14 others in the urban refugee camp of Nuseirat, according to officials at the Al Aqsa Martyrs Hospital where the bodies were taken.

Israel blames Hamas for the high civilian death toll, citing the militants' use of crowded residential areas and tunnels. Israel has launched thousands of airstrikes since Oct. 7, and has largely refrained from commenting on specific attacks.

Israels offensive has been one of the most devastating military campaigns in recent history, displacing nearly 85% of Gazas 2.3 million people and leveling wide swaths of the tiny coastal enclave. More than a half million people in Gaza  a quarter of the population  are starving, according to a report this week from the United Nations and other agencies.

In the southern city of Khan Younis, men walking through the rubble tried to shoo away cats feeding on unclaimed bodies. One man covered a body with a blanket. Another wished to call an ambulance but had no phone signal.

The Israeli military spokesman, Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, said forces were expanding their offensive in northern and southern Gaza and troops were fighting in complex areas in Khan Younis.

The army's statement on detentions followed earlier Palestinian reports of large-scale roundups of teenage boys and men from homes, shelters and hospitals in northern Gaza where troops have established firmer control. Some of the released detainees have said they were stripped to their underwear, beaten and held for days with minimal water.

Channel 13 in Israel showed new footage of Palestinian men stripped to their underwear and walking in single file, with soldiers nearby. It was not clear when the footage was taken. In response to widespread criticism, the army has said detainees are stripped to check them for weapons. It has denied abuse allegations and said those without links to militants are quickly released.

Hamas called on the International Committee of the Red Cross and other organizations to pressure Israeli authorities to reveal the whereabouts and conditions of people detained.

Israel says it has killed thousands of Hamas militants, including about 2,000 in the past three weeks, but has not presented evidence. It says 144 of its soldiers have been killed in the ground offensive.

Following the U.N. resolution, it was not immediately clear how and when aid deliveries would accelerate. Trucks enter through two crossings  Rafah on the border with Egypt and Kerem Shalom on the border with Israel. On Friday, fewer than 100 trucks entered, the U.N. said  far below the daily average of 500 before the war.

Both crossings were closed Saturday by mutual agreement among Israel, Egypt and the U.N., Israeli officials said.

Senior Hamas official Osama Hamdan criticized the Security Council resolution that called for aid into Gaza without suspending hostilities, calling it weak and insufficient."

Ahead of the council vote, the U.S. negotiated the removal of language that would have given the U.N. authority to inspect aid going into Gaza, something Israel says it must continue to do itself to ensure material does not reach Hamas.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Friday that its a mistake to measure the effectiveness of the humanitarian operation by the number of trucks.

The real problem is that the way Israel is conducting this offensive is creating massive obstacles to the distribution of humanitarian aid inside Gaza, he said.

Netanyahu and his government also faced pressure at home, with calls to get the remaining hostages freed. Bibi, Bibi retire. We dont want you anymore, a crowd of thousands chanted in Tel Aviv.

Magdy reported from Cairo. Associated Press writers Aamer Madhani in Washington and Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations contributed to this report.
StockNews.com upgraded shares of Agilent Technologies (NYSE:A  Free Report) from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note published on Tuesday.

Several other research firms also recently weighed in on A. The Goldman Sachs Group boosted their price target on shares of Agilent Technologies from $128.00 to $145.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Thursday, December 7th. Wolfe Research started coverage on shares of Agilent Technologies in a research report on Wednesday, December 13th. They set an outperform rating and a $140.00 price target on the stock. Wells Fargo & Company reduced their price target on shares of Agilent Technologies from $160.00 to $145.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, November 22nd. Bank of America cut shares of Agilent Technologies from a buy rating to a neutral rating and increased their price target for the company from $130.00 to $133.00 in a report on Tuesday, December 12th. Finally, Sanford C. Bernstein began coverage on shares of Agilent Technologies in a report on Thursday, September 28th. They set a market perform rating and a $123.00 price target on the stock. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have issued a hold rating and eleven have assigned a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Agilent Technologies presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $138.47.

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Agilent Technologies Stock Up 0.5 %

Agilent Technologies stock opened at $139.57 on Tuesday. Agilent Technologies has a 1-year low of $96.80 and a 1-year high of $159.59. The firm has a market capitalization of $40.84 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 33.15, a P/E/G ratio of 3.19 and a beta of 1.10. The company has a current ratio of 2.61, a quick ratio of 1.97 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.47. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $118.40 and a 200 day simple moving average of $118.60.

Agilent Technologies (NYSE:A  Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Monday, November 20th. The medical research company reported $1.38 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $1.34 by $0.04. Agilent Technologies had a net margin of 18.15% and a return on equity of 28.24%. The firm had revenue of $1.69 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.67 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $1.53 EPS. The businesss revenue for the quarter was down 8.7% on a year-over-year basis. On average, analysts predict that Agilent Technologies will post 5.47 earnings per share for the current year.

Agilent Technologies Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, January 24th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, January 2nd will be given a $0.236 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, December 29th. This is an increase from Agilent Technologiess previous quarterly dividend of $0.23. This represents a $0.94 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.68%. Agilent Technologiess dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 21.38%.

Insider Activity

In other news, VP Rodney Gonsalves sold 1,500 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Monday, December 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $137.69, for a total transaction of $206,535.00. Following the sale, the vice president now directly owns 26,133 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,598,252.77. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. In other Agilent Technologies news, CEO Michael R. Mcmullen sold 62,467 shares of Agilent Technologies stock in a transaction on Thursday, December 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $130.00, for a total value of $8,120,710.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 306,206 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $39,806,780. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Also, VP Rodney Gonsalves sold 1,500 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Monday, December 18th. The stock was sold at an average price of $137.69, for a total transaction of $206,535.00. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president now owns 26,133 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $3,598,252.77. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold 93,049 shares of company stock worth $12,328,032 in the last three months.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Agilent Technologies

Institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd Zurich lifted its holdings in Agilent Technologies by 13,422.2% during the 2nd quarter. Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd Zurich now owns 37,574,064 shares of the medical research companys stock valued at $4,518,281,000 after buying an additional 37,296,195 shares in the last quarter. Norges Bank bought a new stake in shares of Agilent Technologies in the 4th quarter valued at about $393,291,000. Victory Capital Management Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Agilent Technologies by 939.8% in the 3rd quarter. Victory Capital Management Inc. now owns 2,296,512 shares of the medical research companys stock valued at $256,796,000 after purchasing an additional 2,075,649 shares in the last quarter. Morgan Stanley grew its position in shares of Agilent Technologies by 79.4% in the 4th quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 4,145,767 shares of the medical research companys stock worth $620,414,000 after buying an additional 1,835,413 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Meritage Group LP purchased a new position in shares of Agilent Technologies in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $184,437,000.

Agilent Technologies Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Agilent Technologies, Inc provides application focused solutions to the life sciences, diagnostics, and applied chemical markets worldwide. The Life Sciences and Applied Markets segment offers liquid chromatography systems and components; liquid chromatography mass spectrometry systems; gas chromatography systems and components; gas chromatography mass spectrometry systems; inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry instruments; atomic absorption instruments; microwave plasma-atomic emission spectrometry instruments; inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry instruments; raman spectroscopy; cell analysis plate based assays; flow cytometer; real-time cell analyzer; cell imaging systems; microplate reader; laboratory software; information management and analytics; laboratory automation and robotic systems; dissolution testing; vacuum pumps, and measurement technologies.

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StockNews.com initiated coverage on shares of American Shared Hospital Services (NYSEAMERICAN:AMS  Free Report) in a report published on Wednesday. The brokerage issued a hold rating on the stock.

American Shared Hospital Services Stock Down 2.0 %

American Shared Hospital Services stock opened at $2.41 on Wednesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.40, a quick ratio of 2.03 and a current ratio of 2.03. American Shared Hospital Services has a twelve month low of $2.16 and a twelve month high of $3.75. The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $2.60. The company has a market cap of $15.18 million, a P/E ratio of 34.43 and a beta of 0.68.

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American Shared Hospital Services (NYSEAMERICAN:AMS  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Monday, November 13th. The company reported $0.02 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter. The business had revenue of $5.13 million during the quarter. American Shared Hospital Services had a return on equity of 3.95% and a net margin of 2.13%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On American Shared Hospital Services

American Shared Hospital Services Company Profile

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the stock. CI Private Wealth LLC bought a new stake in shares of American Shared Hospital Services during the 4th quarter worth approximately $470,000. Renaissance Technologies LLC raised its position in American Shared Hospital Services by 65.5% during the 2nd quarter. Renaissance Technologies LLC now owns 74,795 shares of the companys stock valued at $191,000 after purchasing an additional 29,595 shares in the last quarter. Citadel Advisors LLC raised its position in American Shared Hospital Services by 140.0% during the 2nd quarter. Citadel Advisors LLC now owns 33,223 shares of the companys stock valued at $85,000 after purchasing an additional 19,381 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Dimensional Fund Advisors LP raised its position in American Shared Hospital Services by 4.6% during the 1st quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 166,056 shares of the companys stock valued at $467,000 after purchasing an additional 7,375 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 17.54% of the companys stock.

(Get Free Report)

American Shared Hospital Services provides radiosurgery and radiation therapy equipment to health care providers. The company offers radiosurgery equipment for the Gamma Knife stereotactic radiosurgery, a non-invasive procedure to treat malignant and benign brain tumors, and arteriovenous malformations, as well as for trigeminal neuralgia.

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Shares of Kite Realty Group Trust (NYSE:KRG  Get Free Report) have been assigned an average rating of Hold from the six brokerages that are covering the stock, Marketbeat.com reports. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell recommendation, three have assigned a hold recommendation and two have issued a buy recommendation on the company. The average 12-month target price among brokerages that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $25.86.

Several equities analysts recently commented on KRG shares. StockNews.com started coverage on shares of Kite Realty Group Trust in a research note on Thursday, October 5th. They set a hold rating for the company. Piper Sandler boosted their price objective on shares of Kite Realty Group Trust from $28.00 to $30.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Wednesday. Wells Fargo & Company dropped their target price on shares of Kite Realty Group Trust from $23.00 to $21.00 and set an underweight rating for the company in a research report on Monday, November 13th. Finally, Raymond James lowered shares of Kite Realty Group Trust from a strong-buy rating to a market perform rating in a research report on Tuesday, September 5th.

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View Our Latest Stock Analysis on KRG

Insider Transactions at Kite Realty Group Trust

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Kite Realty Group Trust

In other news, CEO John A. Kite sold 60,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, December 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $21.91, for a total value of $1,314,600.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 104,121 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,281,291.11. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink . Company insiders own 1.70% of the companys stock.

A number of hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Quantinno Capital Management LP lifted its holdings in shares of Kite Realty Group Trust by 2.3% in the 2nd quarter. Quantinno Capital Management LP now owns 18,741 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $419,000 after acquiring an additional 425 shares during the last quarter. Mackenzie Financial Corp raised its holdings in Kite Realty Group Trust by 1.2% during the 2nd quarter. Mackenzie Financial Corp now owns 34,896 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $792,000 after buying an additional 429 shares during the last quarter. Daiwa Securities Group Inc. raised its holdings in Kite Realty Group Trust by 0.7% during the 2nd quarter. Daiwa Securities Group Inc. now owns 67,278 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $1,503,000 after buying an additional 438 shares during the last quarter. Creative Planning raised its holdings in Kite Realty Group Trust by 4.8% during the 3rd quarter. Creative Planning now owns 11,783 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $252,000 after buying an additional 535 shares during the last quarter. Finally, M&T Bank Corp raised its holdings in Kite Realty Group Trust by 1.6% during the 1st quarter. M&T Bank Corp now owns 34,348 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $718,000 after buying an additional 554 shares during the last quarter. 97.22% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Kite Realty Group Trust Price Performance

Shares of NYSE:KRG opened at $22.93 on Friday. The company has a 50 day moving average of $21.35 and a 200 day moving average of $21.87. The stock has a market cap of $5.03 billion, a P/E ratio of 134.88, a P/E/G ratio of 4.06 and a beta of 1.35. Kite Realty Group Trust has a 12 month low of $18.77 and a 12 month high of $24.26. The company has a current ratio of 0.83, a quick ratio of 0.83 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.79.

Kite Realty Group Trust Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, January 12th. Stockholders of record on Friday, January 5th will be issued a $0.25 dividend. This represents a $1.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 4.36%. This is a positive change from Kite Realty Group Trusts previous quarterly dividend of $0.24. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, January 4th. Kite Realty Group Trusts payout ratio is presently 564.71%.

Kite Realty Group Trust Company Profile

(Get Free Report

Kite Realty Group Trust (NYSE: KRG) is a real estate investment trust (REIT) headquartered in Indianapolis, IN that is one of the largest publicly traded owners and operators of open-air shopping centers and mixed-use assets. The Company's primarily grocery-anchored portfolio is located in high-growth Sun Belt and select strategic gateway markets.

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Arcus Capital Partners LLC grew its position in Becton, Dickinson and Company (NYSE:BDX  Free Report) by 2.7% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 3,232 shares of the medical instruments suppliers stock after purchasing an additional 85 shares during the quarter. Arcus Capital Partners LLCs holdings in Becton, Dickinson and Company were worth $836,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other large investors have also made changes to their positions in BDX. Householder Group Estate & Retirement Specialist LLC acquired a new position in Becton, Dickinson and Company during the 3rd quarter valued at about $25,000. McClarren Financial Advisors Inc. increased its holdings in shares of Becton, Dickinson and Company by 4,900.0% during the second quarter. McClarren Financial Advisors Inc. now owns 100 shares of the medical instruments suppliers stock valued at $26,000 after acquiring an additional 98 shares in the last quarter. Indiana Trust & Investment Management CO acquired a new position in shares of Becton, Dickinson and Company during the third quarter valued at about $27,000. OLD Point Trust & Financial Services N A purchased a new position in shares of Becton, Dickinson and Company in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $36,000. Finally, Tucker Asset Management LLC acquired a new stake in Becton, Dickinson and Company in the 1st quarter worth approximately $37,000. 86.72% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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Becton, Dickinson and Company Trading Down 0.1 %

Shares of NYSE:BDX opened at $243.00 on Friday. The company has a current ratio of 1.31, a quick ratio of 0.81 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.57. Becton, Dickinson and Company has a 12-month low of $228.62 and a 12-month high of $287.32. The business has a 50 day moving average of $243.64 and a two-hundred day moving average of $258.40. The company has a market capitalization of $70.57 billion, a PE ratio of 48.99, a PEG ratio of 1.93 and a beta of 0.49.

Becton, Dickinson and Company Increases Dividend

Becton, Dickinson and Company ( NYSE:BDX Get Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, November 9th. The medical instruments supplier reported $3.42 EPS for the quarter, meeting the consensus estimate of $3.42. Becton, Dickinson and Company had a net margin of 7.66% and a return on equity of 13.91%. The company had revenue of $5.09 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $5.02 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $2.75 earnings per share. The firms revenue was up 6.8% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, analysts forecast that Becton, Dickinson and Company will post 12.83 EPS for the current year.

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, December 29th. Shareholders of record on Friday, December 8th will be issued a $0.95 dividend. This is a positive change from Becton, Dickinson and Companys previous quarterly dividend of $0.91. This represents a $3.80 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.56%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, December 7th. Becton, Dickinson and Companys dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 76.61%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Becton, Dickinson and Company

In other news, EVP Richard Byrd sold 2,156 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, November 28th. The stock was sold at an average price of $238.47, for a total transaction of $514,141.32. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 4,120 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $982,496.40. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. 0.31% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of research analysts have issued reports on BDX shares. Citigroup decreased their price target on shares of Becton, Dickinson and Company from $282.00 to $260.00 in a report on Monday, October 2nd. Raymond James dropped their price target on Becton, Dickinson and Company from $304.00 to $269.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, November 10th. Morgan Stanley reduced their price objective on Becton, Dickinson and Company from $310.00 to $280.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research note on Monday, December 4th. StockNews.com initiated coverage on Becton, Dickinson and Company in a research report on Thursday, October 5th. They issued a hold rating on the stock. Finally, Piper Sandler reduced their price target on shares of Becton, Dickinson and Company from $305.00 to $280.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research report on Friday, November 10th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and six have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $279.57.

Get Our Latest Analysis on Becton, Dickinson and Company

Becton, Dickinson and Company Profile

(Free Report)

Becton, Dickinson and Company develops, manufactures, and sells medical supplies, devices, laboratory equipment, and diagnostic products for healthcare institutions, physicians, life science researchers, clinical laboratories, pharmaceutical industry, and the general public worldwide. The company operates in three segments: BD Medical, BD Life Sciences, and BD Interventional.

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Artemis Investment Management LLP lessened its stake in shares of Mettler-Toledo International Inc. (NYSE:MTD  Free Report) by 60.6% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The firm owned 5,699 shares of the medical instruments suppliers stock after selling 8,768 shares during the quarter. Artemis Investment Management LLPs holdings in Mettler-Toledo International were worth $6,312,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. OneAscent Financial Services LLC purchased a new stake in Mettler-Toledo International in the third quarter worth $367,000. OneAscent Wealth Management LLC bought a new stake in Mettler-Toledo International in the third quarter valued at $321,000. PineStone Asset Management Inc. boosted its holdings in Mettler-Toledo International by 280.4% in the third quarter. PineStone Asset Management Inc. now owns 152,335 shares of the medical instruments suppliers stock valued at $168,798,000 after acquiring an additional 112,291 shares in the last quarter. HB Wealth Management LLC bought a new stake in Mettler-Toledo International in the third quarter valued at $243,000. Finally, Kentucky Retirement Systems Insurance Trust Fund bought a new stake in Mettler-Toledo International in the third quarter valued at $901,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 93.11% of the companys stock.

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Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Mettler-Toledo International news, Director Roland D. Diggelmann bought 315 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Monday, November 13th. The stock was acquired at an average price of $1,026.54 per share, with a total value of $323,360.10. Following the transaction, the director now owns 405 shares in the company, valued at $415,748.70. The acquisition was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. 2.40% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Mettler-Toledo International Price Performance

MTD opened at $1,213.19 on Friday. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of $1,067.21 and a 200-day moving average price of $1,173.32. The firm has a market cap of $26.30 billion, a PE ratio of 30.93, a P/E/G ratio of 6.03 and a beta of 1.16. Mettler-Toledo International Inc. has a 1 year low of $928.49 and a 1 year high of $1,615.97.

Mettler-Toledo International (NYSE:MTD  Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, November 9th. The medical instruments supplier reported $9.80 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $9.63 by $0.17. Mettler-Toledo International had a negative return on equity of 1,852.05% and a net margin of 22.24%. The business had revenue of $942.46 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $947.10 million. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $10.18 EPS. Mettler-Toledo Internationals revenue was down 4.4% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, sell-side analysts anticipate that Mettler-Toledo International Inc. will post 39.22 EPS for the current year.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several analysts recently weighed in on MTD shares. The Goldman Sachs Group cut their price target on shares of Mettler-Toledo International from $1,185.00 to $1,030.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a report on Monday, November 13th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered their price objective on Mettler-Toledo International from $1,300.00 to $1,100.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, October 17th. StockNews.com lowered Mettler-Toledo International from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Sunday, November 19th. Stifel Nicolaus lowered their price objective on Mettler-Toledo International from $1,425.00 to $1,270.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research report on Monday, November 13th. Finally, Citigroup reissued a sell rating and set a $975.00 price objective (down previously from $1,050.00) on shares of Mettler-Toledo International in a research report on Monday, December 11th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, four have assigned a hold rating and two have assigned a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $1,223.71.

Check Out Our Latest Analysis on MTD

Mettler-Toledo International Company Profile

(Free Report)

Mettler-Toledo International Inc manufactures and supplies precision instruments and services in the United States and internationally. It operates through five segments: U.S. Operations, Swiss Operations, Western European Operations, Chinese Operations, and Other. The company's laboratory instruments include laboratory balances, liquid pipetting solutions, automated laboratory reactors, titrators, pH meters, process analytics sensors and analyzer technologies, physical value analyzers, density and refractometry, thermal analysis systems, and other analytical instruments; and LabX, a laboratory software platform to manage and analyze data generated from its instruments.

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Beacon Financial Group reduced its stake in shares of The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. (NYSE:PNC  Free Report) by 7.1% during the 3rd quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The institutional investor owned 2,498 shares of the financial services providers stock after selling 192 shares during the period. Beacon Financial Groups holdings in The PNC Financial Services Group were worth $302,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other hedge funds have also modified their holdings of the company. MUFG Securities EMEA plc purchased a new stake in shares of The PNC Financial Services Group during the 2nd quarter valued at about $25,000. Fiduciary Alliance LLC purchased a new stake in shares of The PNC Financial Services Group during the 2nd quarter valued at about $27,000. DHJJ Financial Advisors Ltd. purchased a new stake in shares of The PNC Financial Services Group during the 3rd quarter valued at about $29,000. Tyler Stone Wealth Management purchased a new stake in shares of The PNC Financial Services Group during the 2nd quarter valued at about $29,000. Finally, Roffman Miller Associates Inc. PA acquired a new stake in The PNC Financial Services Group during the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $30,000. 80.14% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of brokerages have weighed in on PNC. HSBC began coverage on The PNC Financial Services Group in a research note on Thursday, September 7th. They set a reduce rating and a $110.00 price objective for the company. The Goldman Sachs Group raised their price objective on The PNC Financial Services Group from $128.00 to $147.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research note on Tuesday. Royal Bank of Canada restated an outperform rating and set a $140.00 price objective on shares of The PNC Financial Services Group in a research note on Tuesday, October 24th. Bank of America upgraded The PNC Financial Services Group from an underperform rating to a neutral rating in a research note on Tuesday, October 10th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group raised their price objective on The PNC Financial Services Group from $112.00 to $127.00 in a research note on Tuesday, October 10th. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, six have given a hold rating and eight have given a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $149.10.

The PNC Financial Services Group Price Performance

Shares of NYSE PNC opened at $152.47 on Friday. The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. has a twelve month low of $109.40 and a twelve month high of $169.07. The company has a current ratio of 0.82, a quick ratio of 0.82 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.34. The company has a market capitalization of $60.73 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 10.58, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.33 and a beta of 1.17. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $129.20 and a 200-day simple moving average of $126.70.

The PNC Financial Services Group (NYSE:PNC  Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Friday, October 13th. The financial services provider reported $3.60 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $3.10 by $0.50. The firm had revenue of $5.23 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $5.32 billion. The PNC Financial Services Group had a return on equity of 12.91% and a net margin of 20.39%. The firms revenue was down 5.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $3.78 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts expect that The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. will post 13.87 earnings per share for the current year.

The PNC Financial Services Group Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Sunday, November 5th. Investors of record on Tuesday, October 17th were paid a dividend of $1.55 per share. The ex-dividend date was Monday, October 16th. This represents a $6.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 4.07%. The PNC Financial Services Groups payout ratio is currently 43.03%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, EVP Guild Deborah sold 1,533 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Thursday, November 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $132.51, for a total transaction of $203,137.83. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 17,092 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,264,860.92. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this link. 0.39% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

The PNC Financial Services Group Profile

(Free Report)

The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc operates as a diversified financial services company in the United States. It operates through three segments: Retail Banking, Corporate & Institutional Banking, and Asset Management Group segments. The company's Retail Banking segment offers checking, savings, and money market accounts, as well as certificates of deposit; residential mortgages, home equity loans and lines of credit, auto loans, credit cards, education loans, and personal and small business loans and lines of credit; and brokerage, insurance, and investment and cash management services.

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Everence Capital Management Inc. grew its stake in BlackRock, Inc. (NYSE:BLK  Free Report) by 10.1% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 5,445 shares of the asset managers stock after purchasing an additional 500 shares during the period. Everence Capital Management Inc.s holdings in BlackRock were worth $3,520,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of the company. Impact Partnership Wealth LLC acquired a new position in shares of BlackRock in the second quarter valued at approximately $25,000. OLD Point Trust & Financial Services N A acquired a new position in shares of BlackRock in the second quarter valued at approximately $26,000. West Tower Group LLC acquired a new position in shares of BlackRock in the second quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Archer Investment Corp acquired a new position in shares of BlackRock in the second quarter valued at approximately $29,000. Finally, WFA of San Diego LLC acquired a new position in shares of BlackRock in the second quarter valued at approximately $33,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 77.01% of the companys stock.

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Insider Activity

In other news, CEO Laurence Fink sold 15,385 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Monday, November 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $652.03, for a total value of $10,031,481.55. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 435,260 shares in the company, valued at $283,802,577.80. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Company insiders own 0.96% of the companys stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of brokerages recently weighed in on BLK. Bank of America dropped their price objective on BlackRock from $921.00 to $868.00 in a report on Wednesday, October 4th. BNP Paribas raised BlackRock from a neutral rating to an outperform rating and set a $885.00 price objective on the stock in a report on Tuesday, December 12th. Jefferies Financial Group dropped their price objective on BlackRock from $781.00 to $754.00 in a report on Tuesday, October 10th. StockNews.com began coverage on BlackRock in a report on Thursday, October 5th. They set a hold rating on the stock. Finally, Morgan Stanley upped their price objective on BlackRock from $836.00 to $897.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Monday, October 16th. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and nine have issued a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, BlackRock presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $771.54.

Read Our Latest Stock Report on BlackRock

BlackRock Price Performance

BLK traded up $3.32 during trading on Friday, reaching $802.42. 426,577 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 650,073. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.33, a current ratio of 3.72 and a quick ratio of 3.72. BlackRock, Inc. has a 1 year low of $596.18 and a 1 year high of $819.00. The businesss 50 day moving average price is $701.20 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $693.98. The company has a market capitalization of $119.37 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.51, a P/E/G ratio of 2.49 and a beta of 1.33.

BlackRock (NYSE:BLK  Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Friday, October 13th. The asset manager reported $10.91 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $8.34 by $2.57. BlackRock had a return on equity of 14.65% and a net margin of 30.66%. The business had revenue of $4.52 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $4.52 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $9.55 earnings per share. The businesss revenue was up 4.9% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities research analysts anticipate that BlackRock, Inc. will post 36.85 earnings per share for the current year.

BlackRock Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, December 22nd. Stockholders of record on Thursday, December 7th were given a $5.00 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, December 6th. This represents a $20.00 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.49%. BlackRocks dividend payout ratio is currently 56.10%.

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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Reitz Capital Advisors LLC boosted its stake in shares of BlackRock Taxable Municipal Bond Trust (NYSE:BBN  Free Report) by 12.8% in the 3rd quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The fund owned 170,238 shares of the investment management companys stock after buying an additional 19,384 shares during the quarter. BlackRock Taxable Municipal Bond Trust accounts for 4.9% of Reitz Capital Advisors LLCs portfolio, making the stock its 6th biggest position. Reitz Capital Advisors LLCs holdings in BlackRock Taxable Municipal Bond Trust were worth $2,579,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of BBN. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. grew its holdings in BlackRock Taxable Municipal Bond Trust by 5.8% in the 2nd quarter. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. now owns 68,055 shares of the investment management companys stock worth $1,129,000 after acquiring an additional 3,729 shares during the last quarter. U.S. Capital Wealth Advisors LLC increased its holdings in BlackRock Taxable Municipal Bond Trust by 61.5% during the 1st quarter. U.S. Capital Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 50,675 shares of the investment management companys stock valued at $908,000 after purchasing an additional 19,300 shares during the period. Snowden Capital Advisors LLC raised its position in BlackRock Taxable Municipal Bond Trust by 10.3% during the 2nd quarter. Snowden Capital Advisors LLC now owns 99,457 shares of the investment management companys stock valued at $1,650,000 after purchasing an additional 9,272 shares during the last quarter. Wolverine Asset Management LLC purchased a new stake in BlackRock Taxable Municipal Bond Trust in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $364,000. Finally, Private Advisor Group LLC lifted its holdings in BlackRock Taxable Municipal Bond Trust by 5.4% in the 2nd quarter. Private Advisor Group LLC now owns 38,246 shares of the investment management companys stock worth $634,000 after buying an additional 1,948 shares during the period.

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BlackRock Taxable Municipal Bond Trust Price Performance

Shares of BBN traded down $0.04 during mid-day trading on Friday, hitting $16.43. 176,583 shares of the companys stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 214,411. The businesss 50-day moving average price is $15.54 and its 200-day moving average price is $15.82. BlackRock Taxable Municipal Bond Trust has a 1 year low of $14.33 and a 1 year high of $18.50.

BlackRock Taxable Municipal Bond Trust Increases Dividend

About BlackRock Taxable Municipal Bond Trust

The business also recently disclosed a monthly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, December 20th. Shareholders of record on Friday, December 15th were given a dividend of $0.093 per share. This is an increase from BlackRock Taxable Municipal Bond Trusts previous monthly dividend of $0.09. This represents a $1.12 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 6.79%. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, December 14th.

(Free Report)

BlackRock Taxable Municipal Bond Trust is a closed-ended fixed income mutual fund launched by BlackRock, Inc It is managed by BlackRock Advisors, LLC. The fund invests in the fixed income markets of the United States. It primarily invests in taxable municipal securities, which include Build America Bonds.

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Rare Foods Australia Limited (ASX:RFA  Get Free Report) insider Bradley (Brad) Adams sold 1,000,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Tuesday, December 19th. The stock was sold at an average price of A$0.04 ($0.03), for a total transaction of A$40,000.00 ($26,845.64).

Rare Foods Australia Price Performance

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 13.35, a current ratio of 3.81 and a quick ratio of 2.18.

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About Rare Foods Australia

(Get Free Report)

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Rare Foods Australia Limited engages in the abalone ranching business in Australia, Asia, Europe, and North America. It is involved in the harvesting of abalone; deployment and maintenance of artificial reef; and processing and distribution of the Greenlip abalone from the ocean ranching operations in Flinders Bay, Australia.

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Bridge Creek Capital Management LLC boosted its stake in Ormat Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:ORA  Free Report) by 1.2% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 35,233 shares of the energy companys stock after buying an additional 403 shares during the quarter. Bridge Creek Capital Management LLCs holdings in Ormat Technologies were worth $2,463,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of the stock. SG Americas Securities LLC boosted its stake in Ormat Technologies by 622.8% in the 3rd quarter. SG Americas Securities LLC now owns 20,787 shares of the energy companys stock valued at $1,453,000 after buying an additional 17,911 shares in the last quarter. Green Alpha Advisors LLC boosted its stake in Ormat Technologies by 10.1% in the 3rd quarter. Green Alpha Advisors LLC now owns 8,037 shares of the energy companys stock valued at $562,000 after buying an additional 738 shares in the last quarter. California State Teachers Retirement System boosted its stake in Ormat Technologies by 10.6% in the 2nd quarter. California State Teachers Retirement System now owns 65,086 shares of the energy companys stock valued at $5,237,000 after buying an additional 6,237 shares in the last quarter. Teachers Retirement System of The State of Kentucky boosted its stake in Ormat Technologies by 10.3% in the 2nd quarter. Teachers Retirement System of The State of Kentucky now owns 7,891 shares of the energy companys stock valued at $635,000 after buying an additional 735 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Nuveen Asset Management LLC boosted its stake in Ormat Technologies by 2.1% in the 2nd quarter. Nuveen Asset Management LLC now owns 241,556 shares of the energy companys stock valued at $19,436,000 after buying an additional 4,992 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 88.24% of the companys stock.

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Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities analysts have commented on ORA shares. StockNews.com started coverage on Ormat Technologies in a research note on Thursday, October 5th. They issued a sell rating on the stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their price objective on Ormat Technologies from $89.00 to $79.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, October 19th. Finally, Oppenheimer reduced their price objective on Ormat Technologies from $96.00 to $84.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, October 12th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have issued a hold rating and four have issued a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Ormat Technologies presently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $89.14.

Ormat Technologies Trading Up 1.7 %

Shares of ORA opened at $75.89 on Friday. The stocks fifty day simple moving average is $67.22 and its 200-day simple moving average is $74.11. The firm has a market capitalization of $4.58 billion, a PE ratio of 41.70, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.53 and a beta of 0.50. The company has a quick ratio of 0.87, a current ratio of 0.95 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.64. Ormat Technologies, Inc. has a 12-month low of $58.73 and a 12-month high of $94.49.

Ormat Technologies (NYSE:ORA  Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, November 8th. The energy company reported $0.47 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.36 by $0.11. The business had revenue of $208.06 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $210.69 million. Ormat Technologies had a return on equity of 5.35% and a net margin of 13.45%. As a group, research analysts predict that Ormat Technologies, Inc. will post 2.08 earnings per share for the current year.

Ormat Technologies Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, December 6th. Investors of record on Wednesday, November 22nd were issued a $0.12 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, November 21st. This represents a $0.48 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.63%. Ormat Technologiess dividend payout ratio is presently 26.37%.

Ormat Technologies Company Profile

(Free Report)

Ormat Technologies, Inc engages in the geothermal and recovered energy power business in the United States, Indonesia, Kenya, Turkey, Chile, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Ethiopia, New Zealand, Honduras, and internationally. It operates through three segments: Electricity, Product, and Energy Storage. The Electricity segment develops, builds, owns, and operates geothermal, solar photovoltaic, and recovered energy-based power plants; and sells electricity.

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Citizens Financial Group, Inc. (NYSE:CFG  Get Free Report) has been given a consensus recommendation of Hold by the fifteen brokerages that are currently covering the stock, MarketBeat Ratings reports. Nine equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and six have assigned a buy rating to the company. The average 1-year price objective among brokerages that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $34.00.

Several equities research analysts recently commented on the company. Wolfe Research upgraded Citizens Financial Group from an underperform rating to a peer perform rating in a report on Monday, October 23rd. StockNews.com assumed coverage on Citizens Financial Group in a report on Thursday, October 5th. They issued a hold rating for the company. Piper Sandler downgraded Citizens Financial Group from an overweight rating to a neutral rating and reduced their price objective for the stock from $29.00 to $26.00 in a report on Wednesday, October 25th. Stephens reiterated an overweight rating and issued a $36.00 price objective on shares of Citizens Financial Group in a report on Friday, September 8th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group boosted their price target on Citizens Financial Group from $31.00 to $35.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Monday, December 18th.

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Get Our Latest Stock Analysis on CFG

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Citizens Financial Group Price Performance

A number of hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Kinneret Advisory LLC grew its stake in shares of Citizens Financial Group by 2.3% during the 1st quarter. Kinneret Advisory LLC now owns 13,296 shares of the banks stock valued at $603,000 after acquiring an additional 298 shares during the period. Massmutual Trust Co. FSB ADV lifted its holdings in Citizens Financial Group by 63.2% in the 2nd quarter. Massmutual Trust Co. FSB ADV now owns 984 shares of the banks stock worth $26,000 after purchasing an additional 381 shares in the last quarter. Legacy Capital Group California Inc. lifted its holdings in Citizens Financial Group by 3.8% in the 2nd quarter. Legacy Capital Group California Inc. now owns 10,638 shares of the banks stock worth $277,000 after purchasing an additional 392 shares in the last quarter. AM Squared Ltd lifted its holdings in Citizens Financial Group by 5.1% in the 1st quarter. AM Squared Ltd now owns 8,200 shares of the banks stock worth $249,000 after purchasing an additional 400 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Hall Capital Management Co. Inc. lifted its holdings in Citizens Financial Group by 3.6% in the 3rd quarter. Hall Capital Management Co. Inc. now owns 12,064 shares of the banks stock worth $323,000 after purchasing an additional 416 shares in the last quarter. 92.67% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

CFG opened at $33.06 on Friday. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of $27.17 and a 200-day moving average price of $27.73. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.83, a current ratio of 0.92 and a quick ratio of 0.92. The firm has a market cap of $15.41 billion, a PE ratio of 8.22 and a beta of 1.41. Citizens Financial Group has a 1 year low of $22.77 and a 1 year high of $44.82.

Citizens Financial Group (NYSE:CFG  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, October 18th. The bank reported $0.85 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.91 by ($0.06). Citizens Financial Group had a return on equity of 9.60% and a net margin of 17.61%. The company had revenue of $3.09 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $2.04 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $1.30 EPS. Sell-side analysts predict that Citizens Financial Group will post 3.31 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Citizens Financial Group Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, November 15th. Investors of record on Wednesday, November 1st were paid a dividend of $0.42 per share. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, October 31st. This represents a $1.68 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 5.08%. Citizens Financial Groups dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 41.79%.

About Citizens Financial Group

(Get Free Report

Citizens Financial Group, Inc operates as the bank holding company for Citizens Bank, National Association that provides retail and commercial banking products and services to individuals, small businesses, middle-market companies, corporations, and institutions in the United States. The company operates in two segments, Consumer Banking and Commercial Banking.

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Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK  Get Free Report) has received a consensus rating of Moderate Buy from the twenty-one research firms that are presently covering the stock, Marketbeat Ratings reports. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and sixteen have assigned a buy rating to the company. The average 12-month price objective among brokerages that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $125.14.

A number of equities research analysts have commented on MRK shares. Truist Financial reissued a buy rating and issued a $122.00 price objective on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. in a research report on Friday, October 6th. BMO Capital Markets raised shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from a market perform rating to an outperform rating and set a $132.00 price objective on the stock in a research report on Friday, October 27th. StockNews.com started coverage on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. in a research report on Thursday, October 5th. They issued a buy rating on the stock. UBS Group raised shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from a neutral rating to a buy rating and increased their price objective for the company from $117.00 to $122.00 in a research report on Friday, October 20th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft initiated coverage on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. in a research report on Thursday, November 9th. They issued a buy rating and a $115.00 target price on the stock.

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Merck & Co., Inc. Price Performance

Shares of MRK opened at $107.70 on Friday. Merck & Co., Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $96.36 and a fifty-two week high of $119.65. The firms 50 day moving average price is $103.43 and its 200 day moving average price is $106.54. The company has a market cap of $272.91 billion, a P/E ratio of 59.83, a PEG ratio of 8.91 and a beta of 0.34. The company has a quick ratio of 1.12, a current ratio of 1.38 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.82.

Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK  Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, October 26th. The company reported $2.13 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $1.94 by $0.19. Merck & Co., Inc. had a net margin of 7.77% and a return on equity of 18.26%. The company had revenue of $16 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $15.30 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $1.85 EPS. The companys quarterly revenue was up 7.0% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, research analysts forecast that Merck & Co., Inc. will post 1.37 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Merck & Co., Inc. Increases Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, January 8th. Stockholders of record on Friday, December 15th will be paid a $0.77 dividend. This represents a $3.08 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.86%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, December 14th. This is a boost from Merck & Co., Inc.s previous quarterly dividend of $0.73. Merck & Co., Inc.s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 171.11%.

Insider Activity at Merck & Co., Inc.

In other news, insider Johannes Jacobus Oosthuizen sold 2,081 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Thursday, November 9th. The stock was sold at an average price of $102.38, for a total value of $213,052.78. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 18,191 shares of the companys stock, valued at $1,862,394.58. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. In other Merck & Co., Inc. news, EVP Richard R. Deluca sold 43,823 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, November 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $105.03, for a total value of $4,602,729.69. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 111,764 shares in the company, valued at approximately $11,738,572.92. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, insider Johannes Jacobus Oosthuizen sold 2,081 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Thursday, November 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $102.38, for a total transaction of $213,052.78. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 18,191 shares in the company, valued at $1,862,394.58. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 0.20% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd Zurich lifted its holdings in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 102,675.5% during the 2nd quarter. Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd Zurich now owns 1,860,147,936 shares of the companys stock worth $214,642,470,000 after acquiring an additional 1,858,338,022 shares during the period. State Street Corp lifted its holdings in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 1.9% during the 2nd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 118,562,086 shares of the companys stock worth $13,766,428,000 after acquiring an additional 2,174,829 shares during the period. Wellington Management Group LLP lifted its holdings in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 6.7% during the 3rd quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 82,442,666 shares of the companys stock worth $8,487,472,000 after acquiring an additional 5,196,914 shares during the period. Geode Capital Management LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 2.9% during the 2nd quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 52,723,457 shares of the companys stock worth $6,068,750,000 after acquiring an additional 1,504,701 shares during the period. Finally, Morgan Stanley lifted its holdings in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 10.6% during the 4th quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 41,850,081 shares of the companys stock worth $4,643,267,000 after acquiring an additional 4,000,816 shares during the period. 74.59% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

About Merck & Co., Inc.

(Get 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.

Further Reading

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Burke & Herbert Bank & Trust Co. lowered its position in shares of The Southern Company (NYSE:SO  Free Report) by 13.0% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The fund owned 7,758 shares of the utilities providers stock after selling 1,163 shares during the quarter. Burke & Herbert Bank & Trust Co.s holdings in Southern were worth $502,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

A number of other large investors also recently bought and sold shares of SO. Buttonwood Financial Advisors Inc. increased its holdings in shares of Southern by 27.1% in the 3rd quarter. Buttonwood Financial Advisors Inc. now owns 6,068 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $393,000 after purchasing an additional 1,293 shares in the last quarter. City State Bank increased its holdings in shares of Southern by 3.9% in the 3rd quarter. City State Bank now owns 7,121 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $461,000 after purchasing an additional 265 shares in the last quarter. Bridge Creek Capital Management LLC increased its holdings in shares of Southern by 0.3% in the 3rd quarter. Bridge Creek Capital Management LLC now owns 59,871 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $3,875,000 after purchasing an additional 195 shares in the last quarter. Moseley Investment Management Inc. increased its holdings in shares of Southern by 2.5% in the 3rd quarter. Moseley Investment Management Inc. now owns 7,282 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $471,000 after purchasing an additional 178 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Leavell Investment Management Inc. increased its holdings in shares of Southern by 5.8% in the 3rd quarter. Leavell Investment Management Inc. now owns 169,367 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $10,961,000 after purchasing an additional 9,240 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 62.85% of the companys stock.

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Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

SO has been the subject of a number of research analyst reports. Citigroup started coverage on shares of Southern in a report on Friday, December 8th. They issued a buy rating and a $82.00 price target for the company. Royal Bank of Canada raised their target price on shares of Southern from $78.00 to $80.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a report on Wednesday, September 6th. BMO Capital Markets dropped their target price on shares of Southern from $72.00 to $70.00 and set a market perform rating for the company in a report on Thursday, August 31st. Scotiabank downgraded shares of Southern from a sector outperform rating to a sector perform rating and set a $78.00 target price for the company. in a report on Friday, November 3rd. Finally, Bank of America upgraded shares of Southern from an underperform rating to a neutral rating and raised their target price for the company from $67.00 to $68.00 in a report on Wednesday, September 13th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have issued a hold rating, four have given a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $73.00.

Insider Activity at Southern

In related news, CEO Stephen E. Kuczynski sold 5,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, December 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of $71.23, for a total value of $356,150.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 106,284 shares in the company, valued at $7,570,609.32. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. In other news, CEO Stephen E. Kuczynski sold 5,000 shares of Southern stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, December 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of $71.23, for a total transaction of $356,150.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 106,284 shares in the company, valued at $7,570,609.32. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Also, insider David P. Poroch sold 10,000 shares of Southern stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, November 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $69.39, for a total transaction of $693,900.00. Following the sale, the insider now owns 28,691 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,990,868.49. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last quarter, insiders have sold 25,000 shares of company stock worth $1,722,000. Company insiders own 0.28% of the companys stock.

Southern Price Performance

SO opened at $69.44 on Friday. The companys 50 day simple moving average is $69.22 and its 200 day simple moving average is $69.24. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.59, a quick ratio of 0.63 and a current ratio of 0.84. The Southern Company has a 1 year low of $58.85 and a 1 year high of $75.80. The stock has a market capitalization of $75.73 billion, a PE ratio of 25.07, a P/E/G ratio of 4.84 and a beta of 0.55.

Southern (NYSE:SO  Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Thursday, November 2nd. The utilities provider reported $1.42 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.32 by $0.10. Southern had a net margin of 11.60% and a return on equity of 10.26%. The business had revenue of $6.98 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $8.38 billion. As a group, sell-side analysts expect that The Southern Company will post 3.6 EPS for the current year.

Southern Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, December 6th. Investors of record on Monday, November 20th were issued a $0.70 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Friday, November 17th. This represents a $2.80 annualized dividend and a yield of 4.03%. Southerns payout ratio is 101.08%.

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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Burke & Herbert Bank & Trust Co. trimmed its stake in Hewlett Packard Enterprise (NYSE:HPE  Free Report) by 19.8% during the third quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The firm owned 21,477 shares of the technology companys stock after selling 5,289 shares during the period. Burke & Herbert Bank & Trust Co.s holdings in Hewlett Packard Enterprise were worth $373,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in the stock. Insight Wealth Strategies LLC raised its stake in shares of Hewlett Packard Enterprise by 3.7% in the 3rd quarter. Insight Wealth Strategies LLC now owns 116,586 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $2,025,000 after acquiring an additional 4,163 shares during the period. DnB Asset Management AS grew its holdings in shares of Hewlett Packard Enterprise by 8.0% in the third quarter. DnB Asset Management AS now owns 557,417 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $9,682,000 after purchasing an additional 41,419 shares in the last quarter. Kentucky Retirement Systems Insurance Trust Fund acquired a new position in shares of Hewlett Packard Enterprise in the third quarter valued at approximately $835,000. Kentucky Retirement Systems acquired a new position in shares of Hewlett Packard Enterprise in the third quarter valued at approximately $1,871,000. Finally, Ronald Blue Trust Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Hewlett Packard Enterprise by 26.5% in the third quarter. Ronald Blue Trust Inc. now owns 8,632 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $145,000 after purchasing an additional 1,810 shares in the last quarter. 81.15% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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Hewlett Packard Enterprise Stock Up 0.5 %

HPE stock opened at $17.09 on Friday. The company has a fifty day moving average price of $16.08 and a 200 day moving average price of $16.70. Hewlett Packard Enterprise has a 12 month low of $13.65 and a 12 month high of $18.14. The company has a market cap of $21.92 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 11.10, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.12 and a beta of 1.25. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.35, a current ratio of 0.87 and a quick ratio of 0.66.

Hewlett Packard Enterprise Increases Dividend

Hewlett Packard Enterprise ( NYSE:HPE Get Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, November 28th. The technology company reported $0.52 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.50 by $0.02. Hewlett Packard Enterprise had a net margin of 6.95% and a return on equity of 9.83%. The firm had revenue of $7.35 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $7.36 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned ($0.23) EPS. Hewlett Packard Enterprises revenue for the quarter was up 5.0% on a year-over-year basis. Sell-side analysts expect that Hewlett Packard Enterprise will post 1.65 earnings per share for the current year.

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, January 11th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, December 13th will be given a dividend of $0.13 per share. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, December 12th. This represents a $0.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.04%. This is an increase from Hewlett Packard Enterprises previous quarterly dividend of $0.12. Hewlett Packard Enterprises dividend payout ratio is presently 33.77%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

HPE has been the subject of a number of research reports. Raymond James lifted their price objective on shares of Hewlett Packard Enterprise from $19.00 to $20.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a report on Friday, October 20th. Barclays lowered their price target on shares of Hewlett Packard Enterprise from $16.00 to $15.00 and set an equal weight rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, November 29th. StockNews.com upgraded shares of Hewlett Packard Enterprise from a hold rating to a buy rating in a report on Tuesday, October 31st. Credit Suisse Group lowered their target price on shares of Hewlett Packard Enterprise from $21.00 to $20.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, August 30th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company upped their target price on shares of Hewlett Packard Enterprise from $20.00 to $21.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Wednesday, August 30th. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and four have given a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $17.67.

Read Our Latest Report on Hewlett Packard Enterprise

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Hewlett Packard Enterprise news, CFO Jeremy Cox sold 4,887 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Wednesday, December 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $16.37, for a total transaction of $80,000.19. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer now owns 29,934 shares in the company, valued at approximately $490,019.58. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. In other news, EVP Phil Mottram sold 50,428 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, December 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $16.77, for a total value of $845,677.56. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 26,466 shares in the company, valued at approximately $443,834.82. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, CFO Jeremy Cox sold 4,887 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, December 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $16.37, for a total transaction of $80,000.19. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer now owns 29,934 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $490,019.58. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last quarter, insiders sold 303,575 shares of company stock worth $4,989,141. 0.53% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Hewlett Packard Enterprise Company Profile

(Free Report)

Hewlett Packard Enterprise Company provides solutions that allow customers to capture, analyze, and act upon data seamlessly in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, the Asia Pacific, and Japan. It operates in six segments: Compute, HPC & AI, Storage, Intelligent Edge, Financial Services, and Corporate Investments and Other.

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Buttonwood Financial Advisors Inc. increased its position in shares of Yum! Brands, Inc. (NYSE:YUM  Free Report) by 21.4% during the third quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 2,185 shares of the restaurant operators stock after buying an additional 385 shares during the period. Buttonwood Financial Advisors Inc.s holdings in Yum! Brands were worth $273,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. HighMark Wealth Management LLC increased its stake in shares of Yum! Brands by 108.0% in the 2nd quarter. HighMark Wealth Management LLC now owns 233 shares of the restaurant operators stock valued at $32,000 after purchasing an additional 121 shares in the last quarter. Rise Advisors LLC increased its position in shares of Yum! Brands by 1,190.5% in the third quarter. Rise Advisors LLC now owns 271 shares of the restaurant operators stock valued at $34,000 after buying an additional 250 shares in the last quarter. Clear Street Markets LLC raised its stake in shares of Yum! Brands by 28,400.0% during the 4th quarter. Clear Street Markets LLC now owns 285 shares of the restaurant operators stock worth $37,000 after buying an additional 284 shares during the period. KB Financial Partners LLC purchased a new position in shares of Yum! Brands during the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $41,000. Finally, Fred Alger Management LLC acquired a new stake in Yum! Brands in the 4th quarter valued at $44,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 80.17% of the companys stock.

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Insider Activity

In related news, CEO David W. Gibbs sold 3,507 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Monday, October 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $117.55, for a total transaction of $412,247.85. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 57,325 shares in the company, valued at approximately $6,738,553.75. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. In related news, CEO Mark James King sold 9,600 shares of Yum! Brands stock in a transaction on Monday, November 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $126.60, for a total value of $1,215,360.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 8,210 shares in the company, valued at $1,039,386. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Also, CEO David W. Gibbs sold 3,507 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Monday, October 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $117.55, for a total value of $412,247.85. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 57,325 shares in the company, valued at approximately $6,738,553.75. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last ninety days, insiders sold 20,626 shares of company stock valued at $2,598,157. 0.31% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Yum! Brands Trading Up 0.0 %

Shares of NYSE:YUM opened at $130.00 on Friday. The company has a market capitalization of $36.44 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 24.71, a PEG ratio of 1.97 and a beta of 1.01. Yum! Brands, Inc. has a 12-month low of $115.53 and a 12-month high of $143.24. The business has a 50-day moving average price of $125.07 and a 200 day moving average price of $129.22.

Yum! Brands (NYSE:YUM  Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, November 1st. The restaurant operator reported $1.44 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $1.26 by $0.18. Yum! Brands had a net margin of 21.32% and a negative return on equity of 17.45%. The business had revenue of $1.71 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $1.77 billion. During the same period last year, the business earned $1.09 earnings per share. The businesss revenue for the quarter was up 4.1% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities research analysts predict that Yum! Brands, Inc. will post 5.31 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Yum! Brands Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, December 8th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, November 28th were given a dividend of $0.605 per share. The ex-dividend date was Monday, November 27th. This represents a $2.42 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.86%. Yum! Brandss dividend payout ratio is currently 46.01%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several analysts have recently issued reports on the stock. Citigroup dropped their target price on shares of Yum! Brands from $173.00 to $163.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, October 17th. Royal Bank of Canada boosted their price objective on Yum! Brands from $136.00 to $139.00 and gave the stock a sector perform rating in a research note on Thursday, November 2nd. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft assumed coverage on Yum! Brands in a research report on Thursday, October 19th. They issued a hold rating and a $131.00 target price on the stock. Redburn Atlantic reiterated a neutral rating and set a $115.00 price target on shares of Yum! Brands in a research report on Friday, October 20th. Finally, TD Cowen reaffirmed an outperform rating and set a $160.00 target price on shares of Yum! Brands in a report on Wednesday, September 20th. Ten investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and six have given a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Yum! Brands currently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $144.19.

Read Our Latest Research Report on YUM

About Yum! Brands

(Free Report)

Yum! Brands, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, develops, operates, and franchises quick service restaurants worldwide. The company operates through four segments: the KFC Division, the Taco Bell Division, the Pizza Hut Division, and the Habit Burger Grill Division. It operates restaurants under the KFC, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, and The Habit Burger Grill brands, which specialize in chicken, pizza, made-to-order chargrilled burgers, sandwiches, Mexican-style food categories, and other food products.

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Buttonwood Financial Advisors Inc. lifted its stake in shares of Dominion Energy, Inc. (NYSE:D  Free Report) by 6.8% in the third quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The fund owned 19,651 shares of the utilities providers stock after acquiring an additional 1,249 shares during the period. Buttonwood Financial Advisors Inc.s holdings in Dominion Energy were worth $878,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. BlackRock Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Dominion Energy by 3.1% during the 1st quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 60,976,169 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $3,409,178,000 after purchasing an additional 1,826,440 shares during the last quarter. State Street Corp increased its holdings in shares of Dominion Energy by 0.9% in the second quarter. State Street Corp now owns 48,339,919 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $2,503,524,000 after buying an additional 432,966 shares during the period. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted its stake in shares of Dominion Energy by 50.4% in the 1st quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 17,980,124 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $1,005,266,000 after acquiring an additional 6,028,220 shares during the last quarter. FMR LLC boosted its holdings in Dominion Energy by 18.9% during the 1st quarter. FMR LLC now owns 17,241,957 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $963,998,000 after acquiring an additional 2,738,973 shares during the period. Finally, Franklin Resources Inc. increased its stake in Dominion Energy by 0.6% in the 1st quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 15,231,191 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $851,576,000 after purchasing an additional 95,055 shares during the period. 70.66% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, COO Diane Leopold sold 6,250 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, December 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $45.51, for a total value of $284,437.50. Following the transaction, the chief operating officer now directly owns 88,126 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $4,010,614.26. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Corporate insiders own 0.14% of the companys stock.

Dominion Energy Stock Up 0.1 %

NYSE:D opened at $46.80 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.26, a current ratio of 1.14 and a quick ratio of 1.07. The firms 50-day moving average price is $45.01 and its 200-day moving average price is $47.91. The company has a market capitalization of $39.16 billion, a PE ratio of 23.88, a P/E/G ratio of 4.27 and a beta of 0.56. Dominion Energy, Inc. has a 1-year low of $39.18 and a 1-year high of $63.94.

Dominion Energy (NYSE:D  Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Friday, November 3rd. The utilities provider reported $0.77 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $0.78 by ($0.01). Dominion Energy had a net margin of 9.66% and a return on equity of 10.94%. The business had revenue of $3.81 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $4.38 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $1.11 EPS. Dominion Energys revenue for the quarter was down 3.9% on a year-over-year basis. On average, equities analysts predict that Dominion Energy, Inc. will post 2.76 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Dominion Energy Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, December 20th. Shareholders of record on Friday, December 1st were paid a dividend of $0.6675 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, November 30th. This represents a $2.67 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 5.71%. Dominion Energys dividend payout ratio is currently 136.23%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several brokerages have recently issued reports on D. StockNews.com upgraded shares of Dominion Energy from a sell rating to a hold rating in a report on Friday, November 10th. Royal Bank of Canada dropped their target price on shares of Dominion Energy from $71.00 to $53.00 and set a sector perform rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, September 13th. BMO Capital Markets reduced their price target on Dominion Energy from $50.00 to $49.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a report on Friday, October 13th. Barclays upgraded Dominion Energy from an equal weight rating to an overweight rating and increased their price objective for the stock from $45.00 to $47.00 in a report on Monday, November 6th. Finally, Scotiabank cut Dominion Energy from a sector outperform rating to a sector perform rating and reduced their target price for the company from $56.00 to $46.00 in a research note on Monday, October 16th. Ten investment 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, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $50.33.

Read Our Latest Research Report on D

About Dominion Energy

(Free Report)

Dominion Energy, Inc produces and distributes energy in the United States. It operates through four segments: Dominion Energy Virginia, Gas Distribution, Dominion Energy South Carolina, and Contracted Assets. The Dominion Energy Virginia segment generates, transmits, and distributes regulated electricity to approximately 2.7 million residential, commercial, industrial, and governmental customers in Virginia and North Carolina.

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National Bank Financial upgraded shares of Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (NYSE:CM  Free Report) (TSE:CM) from a sector perform rating to an outperform rating in a report published on Wednesday morning, MarketBeat Ratings reports. National Bank Financial also issued estimates for Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerces FY2025 earnings at $5.22 EPS.

Other analysts also recently issued research reports about the stock. Bank of America raised shares of Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce from an underperform rating to a neutral rating in a research report on Monday, December 18th. Barclays lowered their price objective on shares of Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce from $58.00 to $57.00 and set an equal weight rating for the company in a research report on Friday, September 1st. StockNews.com upgraded Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce from a sell rating to a hold rating in a research note on Friday, December 8th. Royal Bank of Canada reduced their target price on Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce from $72.00 to $67.00 and set a sector perform rating for the company in a research note on Friday, September 1st. Finally, BMO Capital Markets reduced their target price on Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce from $69.00 to $65.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a research note on Friday, September 1st. Four analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and four have issued a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $63.00.

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Check Out Our Latest Analysis on Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce

Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce Price Performance

Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce stock opened at $48.40 on Wednesday. The firm has a market capitalization of $45.06 billion, a PE ratio of 12.67, a P/E/G ratio of 2.05 and a beta of 1.05. The company has a quick ratio of 1.06, a current ratio of 1.06 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.13. The firms 50-day simple moving average is $39.58 and its 200 day simple moving average is $40.68. Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce has a 52 week low of $34.35 and a 52 week high of $48.58.

Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (NYSE:CM  Get Free Report) (TSE:CM) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, November 30th. The bank reported $1.16 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.13 by $0.03. The business had revenue of $5.84 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.34 billion. Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce had a net margin of 8.99% and a return on equity of 13.55%. The companys revenue was up 8.5% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $1.08 EPS. On average, equities research analysts predict that Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce will post 5.24 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce Increases Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, January 29th. Investors of record on Thursday, December 28th will be paid a dividend of $0.6623 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, December 27th. This is a boost from Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerces previous quarterly dividend of $0.66. This represents a $2.65 annualized dividend and a yield of 5.47%. Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerces dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 67.54%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce

A number of hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Vanguard Group Inc. lifted its stake in Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce by 1.6% in the third quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 33,841,855 shares of the banks stock valued at $1,306,634,000 after buying an additional 544,942 shares during the last quarter. Toronto Dominion Bank lifted its stake in Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce by 1.8% in the third quarter. Toronto Dominion Bank now owns 26,965,878 shares of the banks stock valued at $1,041,153,000 after buying an additional 476,342 shares during the last quarter. National Bank of Canada FI lifted its stake in Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce by 1.5% in the third quarter. National Bank of Canada FI now owns 15,926,778 shares of the banks stock valued at $599,363,000 after buying an additional 230,044 shares during the last quarter. Cibc World Market Inc. lifted its stake in Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce by 1.8% in the second quarter. Cibc World Market Inc. now owns 14,074,792 shares of the banks stock valued at $601,416,000 after buying an additional 252,515 shares during the last quarter. Finally, CIBC Asset Management Inc lifted its stake in Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce by 0.4% in the third quarter. CIBC Asset Management Inc now owns 10,287,048 shares of the banks stock valued at $398,310,000 after buying an additional 41,841 shares during the last quarter. 43.72% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, a diversified financial institution, provides various financial products and services to personal, business, public sector, and institutional clients in Canada, the United States, and internationally. The company operates through Canadian Personal and Business Banking; Canadian Commercial Banking and Wealth Management; U.S.

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Canadian Pacific Kansas City Limited (NYSE:CP  Get Free Report) (TSE:CP) has earned an average rating of Moderate Buy from the seventeen research firms that are presently covering the firm, MarketBeat reports. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation and twelve have assigned a buy recommendation to the company. The average twelve-month target price among brokerages that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $94.33.

A number of research firms recently weighed in on CP. Susquehanna lowered their price target on shares of Canadian Pacific Kansas City from $93.00 to $90.00 and set a positive rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, October 26th. StockNews.com lowered shares of Canadian Pacific Kansas City from a hold rating to a sell rating in a report on Thursday, December 7th. Raymond James upgraded shares of Canadian Pacific Kansas City from a market perform rating to an outperform rating in a report on Thursday, October 26th. 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 target price on the stock. Finally, Citigroup boosted their target price on shares of Canadian Pacific Kansas City from $89.00 to $90.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Wednesday, December 13th.

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View Our Latest Analysis on Canadian Pacific Kansas City

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Canadian Pacific Kansas City

Canadian Pacific Kansas City Stock Performance

Several large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in CP. Lavaca Capital LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Canadian Pacific Kansas City in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $8,077,000. Fund Management at Engine No. 1 LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Canadian Pacific Kansas City in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $7,688,000. Scopus Asset Management L.P. purchased a new stake in shares of Canadian Pacific Kansas City in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $10,096,000. The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company increased its position in shares of Canadian Pacific Kansas City by 4.9% in the 2nd quarter. The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company now owns 13,467,681 shares of the transportation companys stock valued at $1,087,411,000 after purchasing an additional 633,933 shares during the last quarter. Finally, William Blair Investment Management LLC increased its position in shares of Canadian Pacific Kansas City by 5.3% in the 2nd quarter. William Blair Investment Management LLC now owns 5,688,088 shares of the transportation companys stock valued at $459,427,000 after purchasing an additional 283,869 shares during the last quarter. 67.93% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

CP opened at $79.49 on Friday. The firm has a market capitalization of $74.07 billion, a PE ratio of 23.87, a PEG ratio of 3.04 and a beta of 1.00. Canadian Pacific Kansas City has a twelve month low of $68.92 and a twelve month high of $85.40. The firms 50-day moving average price is $72.58 and its 200 day moving average price is $76.50. The company has a current ratio of 0.70, a quick ratio of 0.61 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.52.

Canadian Pacific Kansas City (NYSE:CP  Get Free Report) (TSE:CP) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, October 25th. The transportation company reported $0.69 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.68 by $0.01. The firm had revenue of $2.49 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.49 billion. Canadian Pacific Kansas City had a net margin of 37.10% and a return on equity of 8.45%. As a group, sell-side analysts expect that Canadian Pacific Kansas City will post 2.81 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Canadian Pacific Kansas City Cuts Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, January 29th. Investors of record on Friday, December 29th will be paid a dividend of $0.1384 per share. This represents a $0.55 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.70%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, December 28th. Canadian Pacific Kansas Citys payout ratio is currently 16.82%.

Canadian Pacific Kansas City Company Profile

(Get 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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Cardinal Capital Management lifted its holdings in Webster Financial Co. (NYSE:WBS  Free Report) by 3.0% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 38,803 shares of the financial services providers stock after purchasing an additional 1,145 shares during the quarter. Cardinal Capital Managements holdings in Webster Financial were worth $1,564,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in WBS. US Bancorp DE lifted its position in shares of Webster Financial by 217.7% in the first quarter. US Bancorp DE now owns 6,646 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $372,000 after purchasing an additional 4,554 shares in the last quarter. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. bought a new stake in Webster Financial during the first quarter worth $480,000. Cetera Advisor Networks LLC bought a new stake in Webster Financial during the first quarter worth $410,000. Private Advisor Group LLC raised its position in Webster Financial by 78.6% during the first quarter. Private Advisor Group LLC now owns 11,359 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $637,000 after acquiring an additional 4,999 shares in the last quarter. Finally, PNC Financial Services Group Inc. raised its position in Webster Financial by 78.5% during the first quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 18,398 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $1,032,000 after acquiring an additional 8,091 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 86.37% of the companys stock.

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Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several analysts have issued reports on the stock. Piper Sandler upped their price target on shares of Webster Financial from $53.00 to $60.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Friday, December 15th. StockNews.com upgraded shares of Webster Financial from a sell rating to a hold rating in a report on Saturday. Seaport Res Ptn reiterated a buy rating on shares of Webster Financial in a report on Tuesday, September 12th. Raymond James decreased their price objective on shares of Webster Financial from $51.00 to $49.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a report on Monday, October 23rd. Finally, Morgan Stanley upped their price objective on shares of Webster Financial from $49.00 to $51.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Monday, December 4th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and nine have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $50.75.

Webster Financial Trading Down 0.3 %

WBS stock opened at $50.65 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.36, a quick ratio of 0.86 and a current ratio of 0.86. The companys 50-day simple moving average is $43.35 and its 200 day simple moving average is $42.03. Webster Financial Co. has a 52 week low of $31.03 and a 52 week high of $56.00. The company has a market capitalization of $8.71 billion, a PE ratio of 9.70 and a beta of 1.36.

Webster Financial (NYSE:WBS  Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, October 19th. The financial services provider reported $1.55 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.49 by $0.06. The business had revenue of $677.50 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $686.11 million. Webster Financial had a net margin of 24.45% and a return on equity of 13.65%. Webster Financials revenue was up 1.9% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $1.46 earnings per share. As a group, sell-side analysts anticipate that Webster Financial Co. will post 6.04 earnings per share for the current year.

Webster Financial Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, November 13th. Shareholders of record on Friday, November 3rd were paid a dividend of $0.40 per share. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, November 2nd. This represents a $1.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.16%. Webster Financials payout ratio is 30.65%.

Webster Financial Company Profile

(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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Cedar Fair, L.P. (NYSE:FUN  Get Free Report) has been given an average rating of Moderate Buy by the ten research firms that are presently covering the stock, Marketbeat.com reports. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation and eight have issued a buy recommendation on the company. The average 1-year target price among analysts that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $49.27.

A number of equities analysts have commented on the company. Morgan Stanley raised their price objective on Cedar Fair from $50.00 to $55.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research note on Thursday, December 14th. Truist Financial lowered their price objective on Cedar Fair from $46.00 to $42.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, October 24th. Citigroup upgraded Cedar Fair from a neutral rating to a buy rating and raised their price objective for the stock from $40.00 to $46.00 in a research note on Friday, November 3rd. Stifel Nicolaus lowered their price objective on Cedar Fair from $51.00 to $49.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, November 22nd. Finally, StockNews.com began coverage on Cedar Fair in a research note on Saturday. They issued a buy rating on the stock.

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View Our Latest Research Report on Cedar Fair

Cedar Fair Trading Down 0.5 %

NYSE:FUN opened at $38.21 on Friday. The stock has a market cap of $1.95 billion, a P/E ratio of 13.13 and a beta of 1.44. The stock has a 50 day simple moving average of $37.79 and a 200 day simple moving average of $38.74. Cedar Fair has a 1-year low of $34.04 and a 1-year high of $47.95.

Cedar Fair (NYSE:FUN  Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, November 2nd. The company reported $4.21 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $3.70 by $0.51. The business had revenue of $842.01 million during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $821.16 million. Cedar Fair had a negative return on equity of 22.33% and a net margin of 8.19%. As a group, sell-side analysts forecast that Cedar Fair will post 2.86 EPS for the current year.

Cedar Fair Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, December 20th. Investors of record on Wednesday, December 6th were given a dividend of $0.30 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, December 5th. This represents a $1.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.14%. Cedar Fairs dividend payout ratio is currently 41.24%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Cedar Fair

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Aurora Investment Counsel acquired a new position in Cedar Fair during the 3rd quarter worth about $2,142,000. Impala Asset Management LLC lifted its holdings in Cedar Fair by 21.9% during the 3rd quarter. Impala Asset Management LLC now owns 379,040 shares of the companys stock worth $14,024,000 after buying an additional 68,150 shares during the period. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted its holdings in Cedar Fair by 50.5% during the 3rd quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 3,370,752 shares of the companys stock worth $124,718,000 after buying an additional 1,130,439 shares during the period. Nomura Holdings Inc. acquired a new position in Cedar Fair during the 3rd quarter worth about $25,215,000. Finally, Stifel Financial Corp lifted its holdings in Cedar Fair by 7.6% during the 3rd quarter. Stifel Financial Corp now owns 18,117 shares of the companys stock worth $670,000 after buying an additional 1,275 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 61.81% of the companys stock.

About Cedar Fair

(Get Free Report

Cedar Fair, L.P. owns and operates amusement and water parks, and complementary resort facilities in the United States and Canada. Its amusement parks include Cedar Point located on Lake Erie between Cleveland and Toledo in Sandusky, Ohio; Knott's Berry Farm near Los Angeles, California; Canada's Wonderland near Toronto, Ontario; Kings Island near Cincinnati, Ohio; Carowinds in Charlotte, North Carolina; Kings Dominion situated near Richmond, Virginia; California's Great America located in Santa Clara, California; Dorney Park in Pennsylvania; Worlds of Fun located in Kansas City, Missouri; Valleyfair situated near Minneapolis/St.

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StockNews.com assumed coverage on shares of Chicago Rivet & Machine (NYSEAMERICAN:CVR  Free Report) in a report issued on Wednesday morning. The brokerage issued a sell rating on the stock.

Separately, TheStreet downgraded Chicago Rivet & Machine from a c rating to a d rating in a report on Thursday, November 9th.

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Chicago Rivet & Machine Stock Performance

Shares of NYSEAMERICAN CVR opened at $16.68 on Wednesday. The companys 50-day moving average is $24.91. Chicago Rivet & Machine has a 52-week low of $15.16 and a 52-week high of $32.94. The stock has a market cap of $16.18 million, a P/E ratio of -3.86 and a beta of 0.07.

Chicago Rivet & Machine (NYSEAMERICAN:CVR  Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, November 7th. The company reported ($1.00) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter. The firm had revenue of $7.95 million during the quarter. Chicago Rivet & Machine had a negative return on equity of 14.21% and a negative net margin of 13.21%.

Chicago Rivet & Machine Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, December 20th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, December 5th were paid a $0.10 dividend. This represents a $0.40 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.40%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, December 4th. Chicago Rivet & Machines dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently -9.26%.

Institutional Trading of Chicago Rivet & Machine

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP grew its holdings in Chicago Rivet & Machine by 0.8% during the 3rd quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 68,710 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,771,000 after buying an additional 576 shares in the last quarter. Renaissance Technologies LLC raised its position in Chicago Rivet & Machine by 1.0% during the 2nd quarter. Renaissance Technologies LLC now owns 49,210 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,402,000 after purchasing an additional 500 shares in the last quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. raised its position in shares of Chicago Rivet & Machine by 19.2% in the 3rd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 39,982 shares of the companys stock worth $705,000 after acquiring an additional 6,442 shares in the last quarter. Morgan Stanley raised its position in shares of Chicago Rivet & Machine by 8.6% in the 4th quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 12,696 shares of the companys stock worth $363,000 after acquiring an additional 1,005 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Cannell Capital LLC bought a new position in shares of Chicago Rivet & Machine in the 3rd quarter worth $202,000. Institutional investors own 20.88% of the companys stock.

About Chicago Rivet & Machine

(Get Free Report)

Chicago Rivet & Machine Co operates in the fastener industry in North America. The company operates in two segments, Fasteners and Assembly Equipment. The Fastener segment manufactures and sells rivets, cold-formed fasteners and parts, and screw machine products. The Assembly Equipment segment manufactures and sells automatic rivet setting machines and assembly equipment, as well as parts and tools for related machines.

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City Holding Co. lessened its holdings in Bank of America Co. (NYSE:BAC) by 8.7% during the third quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 41,563 shares of the financial services providers stock after selling 3,954 shares during the period. City Holding Co.s holdings in Bank of America were worth $1,138,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the business. FNY Investment Advisers LLC increased its stake in Bank of America by 75.9% in the 2nd quarter. FNY Investment Advisers LLC now owns 920 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $26,000 after buying an additional 397 shares during the last quarter. Marquette Asset Management LLC increased its stake in Bank of America by 333.2% in the 2nd quarter. Marquette Asset Management LLC now owns 953 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $27,000 after buying an additional 733 shares during the last quarter. Castleview Partners LLC purchased a new stake in Bank of America in the 1st quarter valued at about $28,000. Global Trust Asset Management LLC increased its stake in Bank of America by 45.7% in the 2nd quarter. Global Trust Asset Management LLC now owns 1,036 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $30,000 after buying an additional 325 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Strategic Investment Solutions Inc. IL purchased a new stake in Bank of America in the 1st quarter valued at about $34,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 68.06% of the companys stock.

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Bank of America Stock Performance

Bank of America stock opened at $33.43 on Friday. The firms fifty day moving average price is $29.28 and its 200-day moving average price is $29.15. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.12, a quick ratio of 0.82 and a current ratio of 0.83. The stock has a market cap of $264.56 billion, a P/E ratio of 9.36, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.37 and a beta of 1.40. Bank of America Co. has a fifty-two week low of $24.96 and a fifty-two week high of $37.00.

Bank of America Announces Dividend

Bank of America ( NYSE:BAC Get Free Report ) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, October 17th. The financial services provider reported $0.90 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.83 by $0.07. The firm had revenue of $25.20 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $25.13 billion. Bank of America had a net margin of 18.69% and a return on equity of 12.08%. The businesss quarterly revenue was up 2.8% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $0.81 EPS. On average, equities research analysts expect that Bank of America Co. will post 3.43 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, December 29th. Stockholders of record on Friday, December 1st will be given a dividend of $0.24 per share. This represents a $0.96 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.87%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, November 30th. Bank of Americas dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 26.89%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several equities research analysts have commented on the stock. Piper Sandler decreased their price objective on shares of Bank of America from $28.00 to $27.50 and set an underweight rating for the company in a research note on Friday, September 15th. Oppenheimer raised their price target on shares of Bank of America from $49.00 to $51.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research note on Thursday, November 16th. Morgan Stanley decreased their price target on shares of Bank of America from $34.00 to $32.00 and set an equal weight rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, October 3rd. BMO Capital Markets raised their price objective on shares of Bank of America from $39.00 to $40.00 and gave the stock a market perform rating in a report on Wednesday, October 18th. Finally, HSBC started coverage on shares of Bank of America in a report on Thursday, September 7th. They issued a buy rating and a $35.00 price objective for the company. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have assigned a hold rating and ten have issued a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $35.58.

Read Our Latest Report on BAC

Insider Activity

In other Bank of America news, major shareholder Of America Corp /De/ Bank sold 17,769 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Monday, November 20th. The shares were sold at an average price of $9.94, for a total value of $176,623.86. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. Corporate insiders own 0.27% of the companys stock.

Bank of America Profile

(Free Report)

Bank of America Corporation, through its subsidiaries, provides banking and financial products and services for individual consumers, small and middle-market businesses, institutional investors, large corporations, and governments worldwide. Its Consumer Banking segment offers traditional and money market savings accounts, certificates of deposit and IRAs, noninterest-and interest-bearing checking accounts, and investment accounts and products; and credit and debit cards, residential mortgages, and home equity loans, as well as direct and indirect loans, such as automotive, recreational vehicle, and consumer personal loans.

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City State Bank reduced its stake in The Bank of New York Mellon Co. (NYSE:BK  Free Report) by 12.9% during the 3rd quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The fund owned 2,702 shares of the banks stock after selling 400 shares during the period. City State Banks holdings in Bank of New York Mellon were worth $115,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Several other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Quilter Plc bought a new position in shares of Bank of New York Mellon during the first quarter worth approximately $446,850,000. Nemes Rush Group LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Bank of New York Mellon during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $27,000. Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. boosted its position in shares of Bank of New York Mellon by 97.1% during the 1st quarter. Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. now owns 609 shares of the banks stock worth $30,000 after acquiring an additional 300 shares in the last quarter. Duncker Streett & Co. Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Bank of New York Mellon during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $33,000. Finally, Glass Jacobson Investment Advisors llc acquired a new stake in shares of Bank of New York Mellon during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $35,000. 81.29% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

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Bank of New York Mellon Price Performance

Shares of NYSE BK opened at $51.49 on Friday. The Bank of New York Mellon Co. has a twelve month low of $39.65 and a twelve month high of $52.26. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $46.46 and a 200 day simple moving average of $44.95. The company has a market capitalization of $39.60 billion, a PE ratio of 12.09, a P/E/G ratio of 1.20 and a beta of 1.11. The company has a quick ratio of 0.71, a current ratio of 0.71 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.83.

Bank of New York Mellon Announces Dividend

Bank of New York Mellon ( NYSE:BK Get Free Report ) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, October 17th. The bank reported $1.27 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $1.15 by $0.12. Bank of New York Mellon had a net margin of 11.81% and a return on equity of 11.84%. The business had revenue of $4.37 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $4.32 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $1.21 earnings per share. Bank of New York Mellons quarterly revenue was up 2.2% on a year-over-year basis. On average, sell-side analysts forecast that The Bank of New York Mellon Co. will post 4.88 EPS for the current year.

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, November 9th. Investors of record on Friday, October 27th were paid a dividend of $0.42 per share. This represents a $1.68 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.26%. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, October 26th. Bank of New York Mellons dividend payout ratio is presently 39.44%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several analysts recently issued reports on the stock. Morgan Stanley increased their price target on shares of Bank of New York Mellon from $46.00 to $48.00 and gave the stock an underweight rating in a research report on Friday, December 1st. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upgraded shares of Bank of New York Mellon from a neutral rating to an overweight rating and set a $54.50 target price on the stock in a research report on Monday, December 18th. StockNews.com began coverage on shares of Bank of New York Mellon in a research report on Thursday, October 5th. They issued a hold rating on the stock. Bank of America cut their target price on shares of Bank of New York Mellon from $55.00 to $53.00 in a research report on Tuesday, October 10th. Finally, Evercore ISI cut their target price on shares of Bank of New York Mellon from $47.00 to $45.00 in a research report on Thursday, October 5th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, five have given a hold rating and five have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Bank of New York Mellon has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $52.77.

Check Out Our Latest Stock Analysis on Bank of New York Mellon

Bank of New York Mellon Profile

(Free Report)

The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation provides a range of financial products and services in the United States and internationally. The company operates through Securities Services, Market and Wealth Services, Investment and Wealth Management, and other segments. The Securities Services segment offers custody, trust and depositary, accounting, exchange-traded funds, middle-office solutions, transfer agency, services for private equity and real estate funds, foreign exchange, securities lending, liquidity/lending services, and data analytics.

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Burke & Herbert Bank & Trust Co. decreased its holdings in shares of ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP  Free Report) by 20.4% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 6,595 shares of the energy producers stock after selling 1,692 shares during the quarter. Burke & Herbert Bank & Trust Co.s holdings in ConocoPhillips were worth $790,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. West Tower Group LLC bought a new position in ConocoPhillips in the 2nd quarter worth about $27,000. RVW Wealth LLC bought a new position in ConocoPhillips in the 3rd quarter worth about $28,000. Northwest Bank & Trust Co bought a new position in ConocoPhillips in the 2nd quarter worth about $29,000. Fairfield Bush & CO. bought a new position in ConocoPhillips in the 1st quarter worth about $31,000. Finally, Halpern Financial Inc. bought a new position in ConocoPhillips in the 3rd quarter worth about $39,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 80.36% of the companys stock.

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ConocoPhillips Price Performance

Shares of ConocoPhillips stock opened at $117.66 on Friday. ConocoPhillips has a 1-year low of $91.53 and a 1-year high of $127.35. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $116.60 and a 200-day simple moving average of $114.67. The stock has a market capitalization of $139.71 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 12.86, a PEG ratio of 0.71 and a beta of 1.22. The company has a current ratio of 1.66, a quick ratio of 1.53 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.38.

ConocoPhillips Increases Dividend

ConocoPhillips ( NYSE:COP Get Free Report ) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, November 2nd. The energy producer reported $2.16 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $2.04 by $0.12. ConocoPhillips had a net margin of 17.91% and a return on equity of 23.30%. The business had revenue of $14.87 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $15.32 billion. On average, sell-side analysts expect that ConocoPhillips will post 9.07 earnings per share for the current year.

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, December 1st. Investors of record on Tuesday, November 14th were given a dividend of $0.58 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, November 13th. This represents a $2.32 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.97%. This is a positive change from ConocoPhillipss previous quarterly dividend of $0.51. ConocoPhillipss payout ratio is 25.36%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other ConocoPhillips news, Director Timothy A. Leach sold 44,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Thursday, November 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $114.64, for a total value of $5,044,160.00. Following the sale, the director now owns 578,748 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $66,347,670.72. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. In other ConocoPhillips news, SVP Andrew D. Lundquist sold 30,800 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Wednesday, September 27th. The shares were sold at an average price of $123.83, for a total value of $3,813,964.00. Following the sale, the senior vice president now owns 5,937 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $735,178.71. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Also, Director Timothy A. Leach sold 44,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Thursday, November 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $114.64, for a total transaction of $5,044,160.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director now directly owns 578,748 shares in the company, valued at approximately $66,347,670.72. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 0.37% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several brokerages recently commented on COP. Susquehanna dropped their target price on ConocoPhillips from $153.00 to $152.00 and set a positive rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, October 18th. Royal Bank of Canada boosted their price target on shares of ConocoPhillips from $130.00 to $135.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Tuesday, November 14th. Jefferies Financial Group upped their price target on shares of ConocoPhillips from $141.00 to $143.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Monday, October 2nd. StockNews.com began coverage on shares of ConocoPhillips in a research note on Thursday, October 5th. They issued a hold rating on the stock. Finally, Morgan Stanley lifted their price objective on shares of ConocoPhillips from $124.00 to $125.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research note on Monday, October 2nd. Seven equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, fifteen have assigned a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $135.35.

Read Our Latest Report on COP

About ConocoPhillips

(Free Report)

ConocoPhillips explores for, produces, transports, and markets crude oil, bitumen, natural gas, liquefied natural gas (LNG), and natural gas liquids in the United States and internationally. The company's portfolio includes unconventional plays in North America; conventional assets in North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia; various LNG developments; oil sands assets in Canada; and an inventory of global exploration prospects.

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Core Laboratories Inc. (NYSE:CLB  Get Free Report) dropped 1.7% during trading on Thursday . The stock traded as low as $18.09 and last traded at $18.11. Approximately 89,458 shares were traded during mid-day trading, a decline of 77% from the average daily volume of 397,035 shares. The stock had previously closed at $18.42.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research firms have issued reports on CLB. Citigroup lowered their target price on shares of Core Laboratories from $21.00 to $20.00 and set a sell rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, September 18th. StockNews.com upgraded shares of Core Laboratories from a sell rating to a hold rating in a report on Friday. Finally, TheStreet downgraded Core Laboratories from a b- rating to a c rating in a research note on Thursday, November 2nd. Two analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating and two have issued a hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $21.88.

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Core Laboratories Stock Up 0.3 %

The companys 50-day simple moving average is $19.65 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $22.60. The firm has a market capitalization of $849.44 million, a P/E ratio of 21.14, a P/E/G ratio of 0.66 and a beta of 2.44. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.78, a current ratio of 2.71 and a quick ratio of 1.82.

Core Laboratories (NYSE:CLB  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, November 1st. The oil and gas company reported $0.22 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.23 by ($0.01). The company had revenue of $125.30 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $129.81 million. Core Laboratories had a return on equity of 16.85% and a net margin of 8.10%. The firms quarterly revenue was down .5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the business earned $0.18 EPS. As a group, research analysts expect that Core Laboratories Inc. will post 0.57 earnings per share for the current year.

Core Laboratories Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, December 4th. Stockholders of record on Monday, November 13th were paid a $0.01 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, November 10th. This represents a $0.04 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.22%. Core Laboratoriess dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 4.65%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Large investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC purchased a new position in shares of Core Laboratories in the third quarter valued at about $31,000. State of Wyoming raised its stake in Core Laboratories by 43.1% during the 2nd quarter. State of Wyoming now owns 1,447 shares of the oil and gas companys stock valued at $34,000 after purchasing an additional 436 shares during the period. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC lifted its holdings in Core Laboratories by 9,913.3% in the 2nd quarter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC now owns 1,502 shares of the oil and gas companys stock worth $35,000 after purchasing an additional 1,487 shares in the last quarter. Signaturefd LLC boosted its stake in Core Laboratories by 33.1% in the 2nd quarter. Signaturefd LLC now owns 1,590 shares of the oil and gas companys stock worth $37,000 after purchasing an additional 395 shares during the period. Finally, UBS Group AG raised its position in shares of Core Laboratories by 171.6% during the third quarter. UBS Group AG now owns 3,200 shares of the oil and gas companys stock valued at $43,000 after buying an additional 2,022 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 97.81% of the companys stock.

Core Laboratories Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Core Laboratories Inc provides reservoir description and production enhancement services and products to the oil and gas industry in the United States, Canada, and internationally. It operates through Reservoir Description and Production Enhancement segments. The Reservoir Description segment includes the characterization of petroleum reservoir rock, reservoir fluid, and gas samples to enhance production and improve recovery of oil and gas from its clients' reservoirs.

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FC Advisory LLC grew its holdings in shares of iShares National Muni Bond ETF (NYSEARCA:MUB  Free Report) by 4.7% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 18,497 shares of the exchange traded funds stock after buying an additional 822 shares during the quarter. iShares National Muni Bond ETF accounts for about 0.8% of FC Advisory LLCs investment portfolio, making the stock its 27th largest holding. FC Advisory LLCs holdings in iShares National Muni Bond ETF were worth $1,897,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. boosted its stake in shares of iShares National Muni Bond ETF by 3.9% during the 2nd quarter. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. now owns 235,547 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $25,140,000 after buying an additional 8,769 shares during the last quarter. Old North State Trust LLC purchased a new position in shares of iShares National Muni Bond ETF during the 1st quarter valued at approximately $43,000. Clearbridge Investments LLC boosted its stake in shares of iShares National Muni Bond ETF by 2.8% during the 1st quarter. Clearbridge Investments LLC now owns 41,917 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $4,516,000 after buying an additional 1,123 shares during the last quarter. My Legacy Advisors LLC raised its position in shares of iShares National Muni Bond ETF by 4.1% during the 2nd quarter. My Legacy Advisors LLC now owns 33,138 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $3,546,000 after acquiring an additional 1,296 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Leavell Investment Management Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of iShares National Muni Bond ETF during the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $285,000.

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iShares National Muni Bond ETF Price Performance

MUB stock opened at $108.29 on Friday. iShares National Muni Bond ETF has a 12-month low of $100.78 and a 12-month high of $108.66. The stocks 50 day simple moving average is $104.67 and its 200 day simple moving average is $105.12.

About iShares National Muni Bond ETF

iShares National AMT-Free Muni Bond ETF (the Fund), formerly iShares S&P National AMT-Free Municipal Bond Fund, is an exchange-traded fund (ETF). The Fund seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance of the S&P National AMT-Free Municipal Bond Index (the Index).

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First Affirmative Financial Network lifted its position in shares of TELUS Co. (NYSE:TU  Free Report) (TSE:T) by 28.3% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 19,984 shares of the Wireless communications providers stock after acquiring an additional 4,402 shares during the period. First Affirmative Financial Networks holdings in TELUS were worth $327,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in TU. Bessemer Group Inc. lifted its stake in TELUS by 227.5% in the 1st quarter. Bessemer Group Inc. now owns 1,598 shares of the Wireless communications providers stock valued at $32,000 after purchasing an additional 1,110 shares during the last quarter. Glass Jacobson Investment Advisors llc bought a new position in TELUS in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $70,000. Pacer Advisors Inc. lifted its stake in TELUS by 29.1% in the 2nd quarter. Pacer Advisors Inc. now owns 4,681 shares of the Wireless communications providers stock valued at $91,000 after purchasing an additional 1,054 shares during the last quarter. Captrust Financial Advisors lifted its stake in TELUS by 18.1% in the 2nd quarter. Captrust Financial Advisors now owns 4,669 shares of the Wireless communications providers stock valued at $104,000 after purchasing an additional 717 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Icon Wealth Partners LLC bought a new position in TELUS in the 1st quarter valued at approximately $115,000. Institutional investors own 49.48% of the companys stock.

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TELUS Trading Down 0.6 %

TU opened at $17.56 on Friday. TELUS Co. has a twelve month low of $15.47 and a twelve month high of $21.82. The company has a quick ratio of 0.61, a current ratio of 0.66 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.34. The company has a fifty day moving average of $17.43 and a 200-day moving average of $17.71. The stock has a market cap of $25.55 billion, a PE ratio of 42.83, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.49 and a beta of 0.75.

TELUS Cuts Dividend

TELUS ( NYSE:TU Get Free Report ) (TSE:T) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Friday, November 3rd. The Wireless communications provider reported $0.19 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $0.20 by ($0.01). The company had revenue of $3.73 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $3.76 billion. TELUS had a return on equity of 7.65% and a net margin of 4.01%. On average, sell-side analysts predict that TELUS Co. will post 0.73 EPS for the current year.

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, January 2nd. Shareholders of record on Monday, December 11th will be issued a $0.271 dividend. This represents a $1.08 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 6.17%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, December 8th. TELUSs payout ratio is 270.74%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities analysts have issued reports on TU shares. StockNews.com cut shares of TELUS from a hold rating to a sell rating in a research report on Monday, December 11th. Bank of America decreased their price target on shares of TELUS from C$33.00 to C$30.00 in a research report on Friday, October 6th.

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TELUS Profile

(Free Report)

TELUS Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, provides a range of telecommunications and information technology products and services in Canada. It operates through Technology Solutions and Digitally-Led Customer Experiences segments. The Technology Solutions segment offers a range of telecommunications products and services; network services; mobile technologies equipment; data services, such as internet protocol; television; hosting, managed information technology, and cloud-based services; software, data management, and data analytics-driven smart food-chain and consumer goods technologies; home and business security; healthcare software and technology solutions; and voice and other telecommunications services.

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Courier Capital LLC increased its holdings in shares of Illinois Tool Works Inc. (NYSE:ITW  Free Report) by 9.7% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 1,039 shares of the industrial products companys stock after purchasing an additional 92 shares during the period. Courier Capital LLCs holdings in Illinois Tool Works were worth $239,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the business. Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd Zurich boosted its stake in Illinois Tool Works by 103,194.6% during the 2nd quarter. Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd Zurich now owns 72,134,735 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $18,045,225,000 after purchasing an additional 72,064,901 shares during the period. BlackRock Inc. raised its position in Illinois Tool Works by 4.7% during the 1st quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 22,309,285 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $5,431,195,000 after buying an additional 997,389 shares during the last quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC raised its position in Illinois Tool Works by 106,553.0% during the 4th quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC now owns 7,185,211 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $1,582,902,000 after buying an additional 7,178,474 shares during the last quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. raised its position in Illinois Tool Works by 3.0% during the 2nd quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 6,801,954 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $1,689,749,000 after buying an additional 200,180 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Geode Capital Management LLC raised its position in Illinois Tool Works by 3.0% during the 2nd quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 5,780,294 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $1,443,003,000 after buying an additional 168,563 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 79.56% of the companys stock.

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Illinois Tool Works Stock Performance

NYSE:ITW opened at $261.91 on Friday. The company has a current ratio of 1.58, a quick ratio of 1.13 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.27. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $239.10 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $241.55. Illinois Tool Works Inc. has a twelve month low of $217.06 and a twelve month high of $264.19. The company has a market capitalization of $78.81 billion, a P/E ratio of 25.40, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 5.04 and a beta of 1.13.

Illinois Tool Works Announces Dividend

Illinois Tool Works ( NYSE:ITW Get Free Report ) last posted its earnings results on Tuesday, October 24th. The industrial products company reported $2.55 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.46 by $0.09. Illinois Tool Works had a net margin of 19.55% and a return on equity of 95.68%. The firm had revenue of $4.03 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $4.10 billion. During the same period last year, the firm posted $2.35 EPS. The firms revenue for the quarter was up .5% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, research analysts expect that Illinois Tool Works Inc. will post 9.68 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, January 11th. Shareholders of record on Friday, December 29th will be paid a dividend of $1.40 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, December 28th. This represents a $5.60 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.14%. Illinois Tool Workss dividend payout ratio is currently 54.32%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of equities analysts have commented on ITW shares. StockNews.com started coverage on shares of Illinois Tool Works in a research report on Thursday, October 5th. They set a hold rating for the company. JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their price target on shares of Illinois Tool Works from $265.00 to $255.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a report on Monday, October 16th. Barclays cut their price target on shares of Illinois Tool Works from $213.00 to $198.00 in a report on Thursday, September 7th. Wells Fargo & Company increased their price target on shares of Illinois Tool Works from $220.00 to $277.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a report on Tuesday. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus increased their price target on shares of Illinois Tool Works from $236.00 to $238.00 and gave the company a hold rating in a report on Tuesday. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have given a hold rating and two have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Illinois Tool Works currently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $240.82.

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Illinois Tool Works Company Profile

(Free Report)

Illinois Tool Works Inc manufactures and sells industrial products and equipment worldwide. It operates through seven segments: Automotive OEM; Food Equipment; Test & Measurement and Electronics; Welding; Polymers & Fluids; Construction Products; and Specialty Products. The Automotive OEM segment offers plastic and metal components, fasteners, and assemblies for automobiles, light trucks, and other industrial uses.

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Illinois Tool Works (NYSE:ITW  Free Report) had its price target hoisted by Wells Fargo & Company from $220.00 to $277.00 in a research report report published on Tuesday, Benzinga reports. Wells Fargo & Company currently has an equal weight rating on the industrial products companys stock.

Other equities research analysts have also issued research reports about the company. Citigroup upped their target price on Illinois Tool Works from $244.00 to $256.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research note on Monday, December 11th. Barclays reduced their target price on Illinois Tool Works from $213.00 to $198.00 in a research note on Thursday, September 7th. StockNews.com started coverage on Illinois Tool Works in a research note on Thursday, October 5th. They issued a hold rating on the stock. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their target price on Illinois Tool Works from $265.00 to $255.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, October 16th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have given a hold rating and two have given a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Illinois Tool Works currently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $240.82.

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Illinois Tool Works Stock Performance

Shares of ITW opened at $261.91 on Tuesday. The company has a market capitalization of $78.81 billion, a PE ratio of 25.40, a P/E/G ratio of 5.04 and a beta of 1.13. Illinois Tool Works has a 52-week low of $217.06 and a 52-week high of $264.19. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $238.49 and a 200-day simple moving average of $241.30. The company has a quick ratio of 1.13, a current ratio of 1.58 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.27.

Illinois Tool Works (NYSE:ITW  Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, October 24th. The industrial products company reported $2.55 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $2.46 by $0.09. The business had revenue of $4.03 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $4.10 billion. Illinois Tool Works had a return on equity of 95.68% and a net margin of 19.55%. The companys revenue was up .5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $2.35 EPS. Equities research analysts predict that Illinois Tool Works will post 9.68 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Illinois Tool Works Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, January 11th. Investors of record on Friday, December 29th will be given a $1.40 dividend. This represents a $5.60 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.14%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, December 28th. Illinois Tool Workss dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 54.32%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several large investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Vanguard Group Inc. increased its holdings in Illinois Tool Works by 5.0% in the 3rd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 26,205,082 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $6,035,292,000 after purchasing an additional 1,238,239 shares in the last quarter. Wesbanco Bank Inc. increased its holdings in Illinois Tool Works by 23.4% in the 3rd quarter. Wesbanco Bank Inc. now owns 6,085 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $1,401,000 after purchasing an additional 1,152 shares in the last quarter. Sunbelt Securities Inc. increased its holdings in Illinois Tool Works by 5.0% in the 3rd quarter. Sunbelt Securities Inc. now owns 992 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $228,000 after purchasing an additional 47 shares in the last quarter. Raleigh Capital Management Inc. acquired a new stake in Illinois Tool Works in the 3rd quarter valued at $143,000. Finally, B. Riley Wealth Advisors Inc. increased its holdings in Illinois Tool Works by 0.6% in the 3rd quarter. B. Riley Wealth Advisors Inc. now owns 10,930 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $2,533,000 after purchasing an additional 68 shares in the last quarter. 79.56% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Illinois Tool Works Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Illinois Tool Works Inc manufactures and sells industrial products and equipment worldwide. It operates through seven segments: Automotive OEM; Food Equipment; Test & Measurement and Electronics; Welding; Polymers & Fluids; Construction Products; and Specialty Products. The Automotive OEM segment offers plastic and metal components, fasteners, and assemblies for automobiles, light trucks, and other industrial uses.

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Lennar (NYSE:LEN  Free Report) had its price objective hoisted by JMP Securities from $150.00 to $170.00 in a report released on Tuesday morning, Benzinga reports. The firm currently has a market outperform rating on the construction companys stock.

LEN has been the subject of several other reports. Evercore ISI increased their price target on Lennar from $161.00 to $164.00 in a report on Monday, September 18th. Citigroup restated a buy rating and set a $139.00 target price on shares of Lennar in a research note on Tuesday, September 19th. Raymond James raised their target price on Lennar from $150.00 to $165.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research note on Tuesday. UBS Group raised their target price on Lennar from $150.00 to $159.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Monday, September 18th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company raised their target price on Lennar from $123.00 to $130.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Wednesday, November 8th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, six have issued a hold rating and eleven have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $140.53.

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Lennar Stock Down 0.3 %

Shares of NYSE LEN opened at $147.42 on Tuesday. Lennar has a 12-month low of $88.42 and a 12-month high of $156.01. The company has a market cap of $41.92 billion, a P/E ratio of 10.71, a P/E/G ratio of 1.35 and a beta of 1.52. The company has a current ratio of 6.12, a quick ratio of 1.72 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.11. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $124.58 and a 200 day moving average price of $121.43.

Lennar (NYSE:LEN  Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Friday, December 15th. The construction company reported $4.82 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $4.59 by $0.23. Lennar had a return on equity of 15.84% and a net margin of 11.51%. The firm had revenue of $10.97 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $10.22 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $5.02 EPS. The firms quarterly revenue was up 7.8% compared to the same quarter last year. Research analysts anticipate that Lennar will post 14.47 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Lennar Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, October 26th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, October 12th were issued a $0.375 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, October 11th. This represents a $1.50 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.02%. Lennars dividend payout ratio is currently 10.90%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Lennar news, EVP Jeffrey Joseph Mccall sold 1,157 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Monday, October 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $105.01, for a total value of $121,496.57. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 131,386 shares of the companys stock, valued at $13,796,843.86. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. In other Lennar news, EVP Jeffrey Joseph Mccall sold 1,157 shares of Lennar stock in a transaction on Monday, October 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $105.01, for a total transaction of $121,496.57. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now owns 131,386 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $13,796,843.86. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Also, VP Mark Sustana sold 37,304 shares of Lennar stock in a transaction on Thursday, December 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $146.38, for a total transaction of $5,460,559.52. Following the sale, the vice president now directly owns 18,694 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $2,736,427.72. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold 57,304 shares of company stock valued at $7,811,455 over the last quarter. Insiders own 9.53% of the companys stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Lennar

A number of institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Raleigh Capital Management Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Lennar during the 3rd quarter valued at $28,000. B. Riley Wealth Advisors Inc. lifted its stake in shares of Lennar by 15.4% in the 3rd quarter. B. Riley Wealth Advisors Inc. now owns 9,802 shares of the construction companys stock valued at $1,100,000 after purchasing an additional 1,306 shares during the last quarter. Neo Ivy Capital Management acquired a new stake in shares of Lennar in the 3rd quarter valued at $1,599,000. Public Sector Pension Investment Board lifted its stake in shares of Lennar by 11.5% in the 3rd quarter. Public Sector Pension Investment Board now owns 27,050 shares of the construction companys stock valued at $3,036,000 after purchasing an additional 2,781 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Graham Capital Management L.P. lifted its stake in shares of Lennar by 36.4% in the 3rd quarter. Graham Capital Management L.P. now owns 95,728 shares of the construction companys stock valued at $10,744,000 after purchasing an additional 25,544 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 79.87% of the companys stock.

About Lennar

(Get Free Report)

Lennar Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, operates as a homebuilder primarily under the Lennar brand in the United States. It operates through Homebuilding East, Homebuilding Central, Homebuilding Texas, Homebuilding West, Financial Services, Multifamily, and Lennar Other segments. The company's homebuilding operations include the construction and sale of single-family attached and detached homes, as well as the purchase, development, and sale of residential land; and development, construction, and management of multifamily rental properties.

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Cardinal Capital Management increased its position in shares of Mohawk Industries, Inc. (NYSE:MHK  Free Report) by 4.9% in the 3rd quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The fund owned 5,929 shares of the companys stock after buying an additional 277 shares during the quarter. Cardinal Capital Managements holdings in Mohawk Industries were worth $509,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of MHK. Kinneret Advisory LLC increased its position in Mohawk Industries by 2.3% during the first quarter. Kinneret Advisory LLC now owns 3,451 shares of the companys stock worth $429,000 after buying an additional 77 shares during the last quarter. Captrust Financial Advisors increased its position in Mohawk Industries by 3.3% during the first quarter. Captrust Financial Advisors now owns 2,708 shares of the companys stock worth $336,000 after buying an additional 86 shares during the last quarter. Xponance Inc. increased its position in Mohawk Industries by 1.2% during the second quarter. Xponance Inc. now owns 8,484 shares of the companys stock worth $875,000 after buying an additional 98 shares during the last quarter. Treasurer of the State of North Carolina increased its position in Mohawk Industries by 0.5% during the second quarter. Treasurer of the State of North Carolina now owns 23,105 shares of the companys stock worth $2,384,000 after buying an additional 110 shares during the last quarter. Finally, UBS Group AG increased its position in Mohawk Industries by 1.5% during the first quarter. UBS Group AG now owns 9,436 shares of the companys stock worth $946,000 after buying an additional 140 shares during the last quarter. 77.04% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Mohawk Industries news, CEO Jeffrey S. Lorberbaum sold 25,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, November 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $86.34, for a total transaction of $2,158,500.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 14,200 shares in the company, valued at $1,226,028. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. In other news, CEO Jeffrey S. Lorberbaum sold 25,000 shares of Mohawk Industries stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, November 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $86.34, for a total value of $2,158,500.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 14,200 shares in the company, valued at $1,226,028. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, insider Suzanne L. Helen sold 5,500 shares of Mohawk Industries stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, December 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $94.09, for a total transaction of $517,495.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 8,953 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $842,387.77. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold a total of 30,779 shares of company stock worth $2,699,406 over the last quarter. Company insiders own 17.20% of the companys stock.

Mohawk Industries Stock Up 0.2 %

Shares of MHK opened at $103.11 on Friday. The stock has a market cap of $6.57 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -12.02 and a beta of 1.27. The company has a quick ratio of 0.94, a current ratio of 1.73 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.23. Mohawk Industries, Inc. has a 12 month low of $76.02 and a 12 month high of $130.63. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $87.29 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $94.69.

Mohawk Industries (NYSE:MHK  Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, October 26th. The company reported $2.72 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $2.65 by $0.07. The firm had revenue of $2.77 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $2.74 billion. Mohawk Industries had a negative net margin of 4.88% and a positive return on equity of 6.91%. The companys revenue for the quarter was down 5.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $3.34 earnings per share. Equities analysts predict that Mohawk Industries, Inc. will post 9.08 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

MHK has been the topic of several research analyst reports. StockNews.com downgraded Mohawk Industries from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Monday, December 18th. Barclays raised Mohawk Industries from an underweight rating to an equal weight rating and lifted their target price for the stock from $80.00 to $100.00 in a research report on Wednesday, December 13th. Jefferies Financial Group decreased their target price on Mohawk Industries from $118.00 to $93.00 in a research report on Thursday, October 12th. Wells Fargo & Company began coverage on Mohawk Industries in a research report on Tuesday, October 17th. They set an underweight rating and a $85.00 target price on the stock. Finally, TheStreet downgraded Mohawk Industries from a c- rating to a d+ rating in a research report on Thursday, October 26th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, four have given a hold rating and two have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $105.63.

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About Mohawk Industries

(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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First Affirmative Financial Network decreased its position in Novartis AG (NYSE:NVS  Free Report) by 4.3% in the 3rd quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The firm owned 5,036 shares of the companys stock after selling 228 shares during the period. First Affirmative Financial Networks holdings in Novartis were worth $513,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. McCarthy Grittinger Financial Group LLC acquired a new position in shares of Novartis during the 3rd quarter valued at about $25,000. Financial Management Professionals Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Novartis by 750.0% during the 2nd quarter. Financial Management Professionals Inc. now owns 289 shares of the companys stock worth $29,000 after purchasing an additional 255 shares during the period. Mine & Arao Wealth Creation & Management LLC. grew its holdings in shares of Novartis by 49.5% during the 2nd quarter. Mine & Arao Wealth Creation & Management LLC. now owns 299 shares of the companys stock worth $30,000 after purchasing an additional 99 shares during the period. Fortis Capital Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Novartis during the 4th quarter worth about $27,000. Finally, Stonebridge Capital Advisors LLC grew its holdings in shares of Novartis by 118.1% during the 2nd quarter. Stonebridge Capital Advisors LLC now owns 301 shares of the companys stock worth $30,000 after purchasing an additional 163 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 7.00% of the companys stock.

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Novartis Stock Performance

Novartis stock opened at $98.75 on Friday. The stock has a market cap of $209.31 billion, a P/E ratio of 26.55, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.70 and a beta of 0.55. The company has a current ratio of 0.94, a quick ratio of 0.83 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.47. The stock has a 50 day moving average of $95.93 and a 200-day moving average of $99.15. Novartis AG has a 52 week low of $79.98 and a 52 week high of $105.61.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Novartis ( NYSE:NVS Get Free Report ) last released its earnings results on Monday, October 23rd. The company reported $1.74 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.70 by $0.04. The company had revenue of $11.78 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $12.05 billion. Novartis had a return on equity of 28.27% and a net margin of 15.35%. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $1.58 EPS. On average, analysts expect that Novartis AG will post 6.56 EPS for the current fiscal year.

A number of analysts have recently issued reports on NVS shares. Morgan Stanley upgraded Novartis from an underweight rating to an equal weight rating in a report on Monday, September 25th. StockNews.com started coverage on Novartis in a report on Wednesday, December 6th. They set a strong-buy rating for the company. Finally, HSBC cut Novartis from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Monday, December 18th. Four analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, one has given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $85.00.

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Novartis Profile

(Free Report)

Novartis AG researches, develops, manufactures, and markets healthcare products in Switzerland and internationally. The company offers prescription medicines for patients and physicians. It focuses on therapeutic areas, such as cardiovascular, renal and metabolic, immunology, neuroscience, and oncology, as well as ophthalmology and hematology.

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Rothschild Investment LLC IL boosted its holdings in Mastercard Incorporated (NYSE:MA  Free Report) by 16.1% during the 3rd quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The institutional investor owned 1,978 shares of the credit services providers stock after purchasing an additional 275 shares during the quarter. Rothschild Investment LLC ILs holdings in Mastercard were worth $783,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of MA. Meredith Wealth Planning acquired a new stake in Mastercard in the third quarter valued at approximately $244,000. Cassia Capital Partners LLC grew its position in Mastercard by 2.1% in the third quarter. Cassia Capital Partners LLC now owns 1,240 shares of the credit services providers stock valued at $491,000 after acquiring an additional 26 shares in the last quarter. Bennett Selby Investments LP grew its position in Mastercard by 3.0% in the third quarter. Bennett Selby Investments LP now owns 18,927 shares of the credit services providers stock valued at $7,493,000 after acquiring an additional 553 shares in the last quarter. Artemis Investment Management LLP grew its position in Mastercard by 8.8% in the third quarter. Artemis Investment Management LLP now owns 83,962 shares of the credit services providers stock valued at $33,226,000 after acquiring an additional 6,806 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Kingdom Financial Group LLC. acquired a new stake in Mastercard in the third quarter valued at approximately $210,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 74.94% of the companys stock.

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Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

MA has been the subject of several recent research reports. Jefferies Financial Group increased their price objective on shares of Mastercard from $425.00 to $480.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Tuesday, December 12th. BMO Capital Markets reissued an outperform rating and set a $475.00 price target on shares of Mastercard in a research report on Tuesday, December 5th. KeyCorp decreased their price target on shares of Mastercard from $440.00 to $430.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research report on Friday, October 27th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their price target on shares of Mastercard from $510.00 to $496.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research report on Monday, October 9th. Finally, StockNews.com started coverage on shares of Mastercard in a research report on Thursday, October 5th. They set a buy rating for the company. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eighteen have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $451.81.

Mastercard Price Performance

NYSE MA opened at $424.12 on Friday. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $401.07 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $397.83. Mastercard Incorporated has a 52 week low of $337.69 and a 52 week high of $427.61. The stock has a market cap of $397.73 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 36.94, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.91 and a beta of 1.08. The company has a current ratio of 1.17, a quick ratio of 1.17 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.24.

Mastercard (NYSE:MA  Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, October 26th. The credit services provider reported $3.39 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $3.21 by $0.18. The business had revenue of $6.53 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.53 billion. Mastercard had a return on equity of 188.83% and a net margin of 44.85%. The businesss revenue was up 13.5% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $2.68 earnings per share. Analysts forecast that Mastercard Incorporated will post 12.16 EPS for the current year.

Mastercard Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, February 9th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, January 9th will be given a dividend of $0.66 per share. The ex-dividend date is Monday, January 8th. This is an increase from Mastercards previous quarterly dividend of $0.57. This represents a $2.64 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.62%. Mastercards payout ratio is currently 19.86%.

Mastercard announced that its board has authorized a share repurchase program on Tuesday, December 5th that permits the company to repurchase $11.00 billion in shares. This repurchase authorization permits the credit services provider to purchase up to 2.9% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock repurchase programs are typically a sign that the companys board of directors believes its stock is undervalued.

Insider Transactions at Mastercard

In other Mastercard news, Director Richard K. Davis acquired 1,000 shares of Mastercard stock in a transaction dated Thursday, November 9th. The stock was acquired at an average cost of $390.96 per share, for a total transaction of $390,960.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now owns 9,743 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,809,123.28. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. In other news, Director Richard K. Davis bought 1,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Thursday, November 9th. The stock was purchased at an average cost of $390.96 per share, for a total transaction of $390,960.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now directly owns 9,743 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $3,809,123.28. The acquisition was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, insider Ajay Bhalla sold 4,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, December 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $425.00, for a total value of $1,700,000.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now owns 6,235 shares of the companys stock, valued at $2,649,875. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last three months, insiders sold 514,683 shares of company stock worth $198,366,316. Company insiders own 0.13% of the companys stock.

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.

Further Reading

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Rothschild Investment LLC IL raised its stake in The Charles Schwab Co. (NYSE:SCHW  Free Report) by 7.2% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 18,901 shares of the financial services providers stock after acquiring an additional 1,271 shares during the quarter. Rothschild Investment LLC ILs holdings in Charles Schwab were worth $1,038,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Key Financial Inc increased its holdings in shares of Charles Schwab by 144.3% during the second quarter. Key Financial Inc now owns 447 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $25,000 after purchasing an additional 264 shares during the period. AlphaMark Advisors LLC bought a new position in shares of Charles Schwab during the second quarter worth approximately $28,000. Global Trust Asset Management LLC increased its holdings in shares of Charles Schwab by 633.8% during the second quarter. Global Trust Asset Management LLC now owns 521 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $30,000 after purchasing an additional 450 shares during the period. SJS Investment Consulting Inc. increased its holdings in shares of Charles Schwab by 1,236.6% during the second quarter. SJS Investment Consulting Inc. now owns 548 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $31,000 after purchasing an additional 507 shares during the period. Finally, Worth Asset Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Charles Schwab during the first quarter worth approximately $32,000. 81.61% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

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Insider Activity

In other news, Director Carolyn Schwab-Pomerantz sold 12,208 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Thursday, November 30th. The shares were sold at an average price of $61.28, for a total transaction of $748,106.24. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now owns 1,722,400 shares of the companys stock, valued at $105,548,672. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. In related news, Director Paula A. Sneed sold 6,918 shares of Charles Schwab stock in a transaction on Tuesday, October 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $49.98, for a total transaction of $345,761.64. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now owns 112,398 shares of the companys stock, valued at $5,617,652.04. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. Also, Director Carolyn Schwab-Pomerantz sold 12,208 shares of Charles Schwab stock in a transaction on Thursday, November 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $61.28, for a total transaction of $748,106.24. Following the transaction, the director now directly owns 1,722,400 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $105,548,672. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last 90 days, insiders sold 33,402 shares of company stock valued at $1,945,960. Insiders own 6.60% of the companys stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several research analysts have recently commented on the stock. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lowered their target price on shares of Charles Schwab from $70.00 to $69.00 in a report on Wednesday, October 11th. Jefferies Financial Group reduced their price target on shares of Charles Schwab from $66.00 to $62.00 in a research report on Tuesday, October 10th. Barclays increased their price target on shares of Charles Schwab from $55.00 to $57.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a research report on Tuesday, October 17th. Raymond James increased their price target on shares of Charles Schwab from $72.00 to $76.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Tuesday, October 17th. Finally, StockNews.com started coverage on shares of Charles Schwab in a research report on Thursday, October 5th. They set a sell rating on the stock. Four analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, two have assigned a hold rating and eleven have assigned a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $69.44.

Read Our Latest Stock Analysis on Charles Schwab

Charles Schwab Stock Performance

Shares of Charles Schwab stock opened at $68.58 on Friday. The Charles Schwab Co. has a fifty-two week low of $45.00 and a fifty-two week high of $86.63. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.87, a current ratio of 0.66 and a quick ratio of 0.66. The firm has a market capitalization of $121.50 billion, a P/E ratio of 22.86, a P/E/G ratio of 3.41 and a beta of 0.99. The companys 50 day moving average price is $58.01 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $58.22.

Charles Schwab (NYSE:SCHW  Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Monday, October 16th. The financial services provider reported $0.77 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.75 by $0.02. The firm had revenue of $4.61 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $4.62 billion. Charles Schwab had a net margin of 30.14% and a return on equity of 24.58%. The companys revenue for the quarter was down 16.3% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $1.10 earnings per share. On average, equities analysts forecast that The Charles Schwab Co. will post 3.14 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Charles Schwab Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, November 24th. Stockholders of record on Friday, November 10th were paid a dividend of $0.25 per share. This represents a $1.00 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.46%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, November 9th. Charles Schwabs payout ratio is currently 33.33%.

Charles Schwab Profile

(Free Report)

The Charles Schwab Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, operates as a savings and loan holding company that provides wealth management, securities brokerage, banking, asset management, custody, and financial advisory services. The company operates in two segments, Investor Services and Advisor Services.

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Rothschild Investment LLC IL reduced its position in Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO  Free Report) by 27.9% in the third quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 22,670 shares of the companys stock after selling 8,781 shares during the quarter. Rothschild Investment LLC ILs holdings in Altria Group were worth $953,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other large investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. Wealth Effects LLC lifted its position in Altria Group by 12.2% during the third quarter. Wealth Effects LLC now owns 11,075 shares of the companys stock valued at $466,000 after purchasing an additional 1,200 shares during the last quarter. Beacon Financial Group lifted its position in Altria Group by 0.4% during the third quarter. Beacon Financial Group now owns 106,582 shares of the companys stock valued at $4,713,000 after purchasing an additional 449 shares during the last quarter. RFG Advisory LLC lifted its position in Altria Group by 4.8% during the third quarter. RFG Advisory LLC now owns 11,846 shares of the companys stock valued at $498,000 after purchasing an additional 542 shares during the last quarter. Benchmark Financial Wealth Advisors LLC lifted its position in Altria Group by 10.9% during the third quarter. Benchmark Financial Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 6,967 shares of the companys stock valued at $293,000 after purchasing an additional 686 shares during the last quarter. Finally, SG Americas Securities LLC lifted its position in Altria Group by 315.6% during the third quarter. SG Americas Securities LLC now owns 197,615 shares of the companys stock valued at $8,310,000 after purchasing an additional 289,258 shares during the last quarter. 58.94% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

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Altria Group Stock Up 0.1 %

Shares of NYSE MO opened at $40.36 on Friday. Altria Group, Inc. has a 52 week low of $39.06 and a 52 week high of $51.57. The firms fifty day moving average is $41.29 and its 200 day moving average is $43.09. The company has a market cap of $71.38 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 8.22, a PEG ratio of 2.69 and a beta of 0.66.

Altria Group Announces Dividend

Altria Group ( NYSE:MO Get Free Report ) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, October 26th. The company reported $1.28 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.29 by ($0.01). Altria Group had a negative return on equity of 237.91% and a net margin of 35.58%. The firm had revenue of $5.28 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $5.43 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $1.28 earnings per share. The firms quarterly revenue was down 2.5% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities research analysts anticipate that Altria Group, Inc. will post 4.96 earnings per share for the current year.

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, January 10th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, December 21st will be issued a $0.98 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, December 20th. This represents a $3.92 annualized dividend and a yield of 9.71%. Altria Groups dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 79.84%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, Director Robert Matthews Davis acquired 1,200 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Monday, November 6th. The stock was acquired at an average cost of $40.50 per share, for a total transaction of $48,600.00. Following the acquisition, the director now owns 8,473 shares of the companys stock, valued at $343,156.50. The purchase was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Company insiders own 0.07% of the companys stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

MO has been the topic of several research reports. Bank of America decreased their price target on shares of Altria Group from $49.00 to $47.00 in a research note on Monday, October 9th. Jefferies Financial Group lifted their price target on shares of Altria Group from $55.00 to $56.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Friday, October 13th. StockNews.com downgraded shares of Altria Group from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Tuesday. Citigroup decreased their price target on shares of Altria Group from $46.50 to $45.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, October 18th. Finally, UBS Group decreased their price target on shares of Altria Group from $40.40 to $39.20 and set a sell rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, October 6th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have assigned a hold rating and two have given a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, Altria Group has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $47.53.

Get Our Latest Stock Analysis on MO

Altria Group Profile

(Free Report)

Altria Group, Inc, through its subsidiaries, manufactures and sells smokeable and oral tobacco products in the United States. The company provides cigarettes primarily under the Marlboro brand; cigars and pipe tobacco principally under the Black & Mild brand; moist smokeless tobacco products and snus products under the Copenhagen, Skoal, Red Seal, and Husky brands; and on! oral nicotine pouches.

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Rothschild Investment LLC IL cut its position in shares of Edwards Lifesciences Co. (NYSE:EW  Free Report) by 6.3% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 14,294 shares of the medical research companys stock after selling 968 shares during the period. Rothschild Investment LLC ILs holdings in Edwards Lifesciences were worth $990,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of EW. Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd Zurich increased its holdings 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 valued at $71,626,220,000 after acquiring an additional 758,547,908 shares during the period. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC increased its holdings in shares of Edwards Lifesciences by 104,971.3% in 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 acquiring an additional 15,384,593 shares during the period. Norges Bank purchased a new position in shares of Edwards Lifesciences in the 4th quarter valued at $658,390,000. DZ BANK AG Deutsche Zentral Genossenschafts Bank Frankfurt am Main increased its holdings in shares of Edwards Lifesciences by 655.9% in the 4th quarter. DZ BANK AG Deutsche Zentral Genossenschafts Bank Frankfurt am Main now owns 2,325,457 shares of the medical research companys stock valued at $173,502,000 after acquiring an additional 2,017,801 shares during the period. Finally, Bank of Montreal Can purchased a new position in shares of Edwards Lifesciences in the 2nd quarter valued at $121,091,000. 79.25% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

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Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of research analysts have recently issued reports on the company. Piper Sandler cut their price target on Edwards Lifesciences from $83.00 to $68.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, October 26th. StockNews.com downgraded Edwards Lifesciences from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Saturday, December 16th. Wells Fargo & Company dropped their target price on Edwards Lifesciences from $88.00 to $75.00 and set an equal weight rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, October 26th. Royal Bank of Canada dropped their target price on Edwards Lifesciences from $86.00 to $82.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, October 26th. Finally, Wolfe Research downgraded Edwards Lifesciences from a peer perform rating to an underperform rating and set a $57.00 target price on the stock. in a research note on Tuesday, November 28th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, ten have issued a hold rating and seven have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $81.94.

Insider Activity

In other news, CFO Scott B. Ullem sold 7,255 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Friday, September 29th. The stock was sold at an average price of $69.54, for a total value of $504,512.70. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer now owns 19,248 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,338,505.92. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. In related news, VP Catherine M. Szyman sold 5,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, October 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $72.68, for a total value of $363,400.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the vice president now owns 34,814 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $2,530,281.52. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, CFO Scott B. Ullem sold 7,255 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Friday, September 29th. The stock was sold at an average price of $69.54, for a total value of $504,512.70. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer now directly owns 19,248 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,338,505.92. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold a total of 171,538 shares of company stock valued at $12,002,987 in the last quarter. 1.29% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Edwards Lifesciences Stock Performance

Shares of EW stock opened at $75.83 on Friday. The stock has a market cap of $45.99 billion, a PE ratio of 32.41, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.54 and a beta of 1.01. The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $68.53 and a 200-day simple moving average of $76.96. The company has a quick ratio of 2.45, a current ratio of 3.28 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.09. Edwards Lifesciences Co. has a 52-week low of $60.57 and a 52-week high of $94.87.

Edwards Lifesciences (NYSE:EW  Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, October 25th. The medical research company reported $0.59 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, meeting the consensus estimate of $0.59. The business had revenue of $1.48 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $1.48 billion. Edwards Lifesciences had a return on equity of 24.54% and a net margin of 24.59%. The companys revenue for the quarter was up 12.3% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $0.61 EPS. On average, equities analysts expect that Edwards Lifesciences Co. will post 2.51 EPS for the current year.

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.

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The five Mexican wolves at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo are intentionally kept as wild as possible. That means they receive no training from keepers and their exhibit is the only one to have one-way glass, meaning the animals can't see visitors. Mexican wolves are a subspecies of the gray wolf and are endangered. Conservation efforts have been working, though, and there are now about 240 in the wild.
StockNews.com upgraded shares of Southern Copper (NYSE:SCCO  Free Report) from a hold rating to a buy rating in a report issued on Wednesday morning.

Several other equities research analysts also recently commented on the stock. Morgan Stanley downgraded shares of Southern Copper from an equal weight rating to an underweight rating and reduced their target price for the company from $83.00 to $68.00 in a research note on Monday, November 27th. Jefferies Financial Group started coverage on shares of Southern Copper in a research note on Monday, September 18th. They issued a hold rating and a $91.00 target price on the stock. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, three have given a hold rating and one has assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $63.94.

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Southern Copper Stock Up 1.9 %

SCCO opened at $87.60 on Wednesday. Southern Copper has a fifty-two week low of $60.20 and a fifty-two week high of $87.76. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.80, a current ratio of 3.70 and a quick ratio of 2.94. The firms fifty day moving average price is $74.07 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $75.93. The company has a market capitalization of $67.72 billion, a P/E ratio of 23.49, a P/E/G ratio of 20.67 and a beta of 1.24.

Southern Copper (NYSE:SCCO  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, October 24th. The basic materials company reported $0.80 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.72 by $0.08. Southern Copper had a net margin of 27.66% and a return on equity of 35.91%. The firm had revenue of $2.51 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.49 billion. On average, analysts anticipate that Southern Copper will post 3.36 EPS for the current year.

Southern Copper Dividend Announcement

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, November 22nd. Investors of record on Wednesday, November 8th were given a dividend of $1.00 per share. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, November 7th. This represents a $4.00 annualized dividend and a yield of 4.57%. Southern Coppers dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 107.24%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in SCCO. Hartford Financial Management Inc. acquired a new position in Southern Copper during the 3rd quarter worth about $25,000. Sanctuary Wealth Management L.L.C. bought a new stake in Southern Copper during the 4th quarter worth about $27,000. Loomis Sayles & Co. L P bought a new stake in Southern Copper during the 1st quarter worth about $29,000. Ronald Blue Trust Inc. raised its holdings in Southern Copper by 43.7% during the 3rd quarter. Ronald Blue Trust Inc. now owns 602 shares of the basic materials companys stock worth $44,000 after purchasing an additional 183 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Penserra Capital Management LLC bought a new stake in Southern Copper during the 1st quarter worth about $46,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 7.40% of the companys stock.

Southern Copper Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Southern Copper Corporation engages in mining, exploring, smelting, and refining copper and other minerals in Peru, Mexico, Argentina, Ecuador, and Chile. The company is involved in the mining, milling, and flotation of copper ore to produce copper and molybdenum concentrates; smelting of copper concentrates to produce blister and anode copper; refining of anode copper to produce copper cathodes; production of molybdenum concentrate and sulfuric acid; production of refined silver, gold, and other materials; and mining and processing of zinc, copper, molybdenum, silver, gold, and lead.

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State of Alaska Department of Revenue lessened its position in shares of The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (NYSE:GS  Free Report) by 4.5% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 42,871 shares of the investment management companys stock after selling 2,000 shares during the quarter. State of Alaska Department of Revenues holdings in The Goldman Sachs Group were worth $13,871,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other large investors have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Rothschild Investment LLC IL raised its stake in shares of The Goldman Sachs Group by 2.2% during the 3rd quarter. Rothschild Investment LLC IL now owns 4,608 shares of the investment management companys stock worth $1,491,000 after acquiring an additional 98 shares in the last quarter. Independence Bank of Kentucky increased its stake in The Goldman Sachs Group by 17.7% during the 3rd quarter. Independence Bank of Kentucky now owns 1,182 shares of the investment management companys stock valued at $382,000 after purchasing an additional 178 shares in the last quarter. WoodTrust Financial Corp increased its stake in The Goldman Sachs Group by 7.0% during the 3rd quarter. WoodTrust Financial Corp now owns 16,236 shares of the investment management companys stock valued at $5,253,000 after purchasing an additional 1,061 shares in the last quarter. Strategic Advisors LLC increased its stake in The Goldman Sachs Group by 4.0% during the 3rd quarter. Strategic Advisors LLC now owns 17,546 shares of the investment management companys stock valued at $5,678,000 after purchasing an additional 675 shares in the last quarter. Finally, First Citizens Financial Corp increased its stake in The Goldman Sachs Group by 6.9% during the 3rd quarter. First Citizens Financial Corp now owns 2,364 shares of the investment management companys stock valued at $765,000 after purchasing an additional 152 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 69.06% of the companys stock.

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Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research analysts have issued reports on the stock. StockNews.com assumed coverage on shares of The Goldman Sachs Group in a research note on Thursday, October 5th. They set a hold rating on the stock. Morgan Stanley upped their price target on shares of The Goldman Sachs Group from $329.00 to $333.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a research note on Monday, December 4th. Citigroup dropped their price objective on shares of The Goldman Sachs Group from $400.00 to $380.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, September 21st. HSBC started coverage on shares of The Goldman Sachs Group in a report on Thursday, September 7th. They issued a buy rating and a $403.00 price objective on the stock. Finally, Oppenheimer upped their price objective on shares of The Goldman Sachs Group from $447.00 to $468.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a report on Thursday, November 16th. Seven equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and twelve have given a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $393.99.

The Goldman Sachs Group Stock Performance

GS opened at $380.69 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.77, a current ratio of 0.77 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.11. The company has a market cap of $124.15 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 18.43, a PEG ratio of 2.24 and a beta of 1.44. The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. has a 52-week low of $289.36 and a 52-week high of $386.20. The firms fifty day simple moving average is $334.23 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $331.78.

The Goldman Sachs Group (NYSE:GS  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, October 17th. The investment management company reported $5.47 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $5.42 by $0.05. The business had revenue of $11.82 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $11.15 billion. The Goldman Sachs Group had a net margin of 7.77% and a return on equity of 7.37%. The companys revenue was down 1.3% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the firm posted $8.25 earnings per share. Equities analysts anticipate that The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. will post 22.73 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

The Goldman Sachs Group Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, December 28th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, November 30th will be issued a dividend of $2.75 per share. This represents a $11.00 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.89%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, November 29th. The Goldman Sachs Groups payout ratio is 53.24%.

Insider Buying and Selling at The Goldman Sachs Group

In other news, major shareholder Goldman Sachs Group Inc sold 72,874 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, November 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $0.71, for a total value of $51,740.54. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now directly owns 397,954 shares in the company, valued at $282,547.34. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. In other news, major shareholder Goldman Sachs Group Inc sold 72,874 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, November 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $0.71, for a total value of $51,740.54. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now directly owns 397,954 shares in the company, valued at $282,547.34. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. Also, insider Ericka T. Leslie sold 1,376 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, November 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $335.15, for a total transaction of $461,166.40. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now owns 10,471 shares of the companys stock, valued at $3,509,355.65. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders own 0.54% of the companys stock.

About The Goldman Sachs Group

(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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StockNews.com lowered shares of STMicroelectronics (NYSE:STM  Free Report) from a strong-buy rating to a buy rating in a research report released on Wednesday morning.

STM has been the subject of a number of other reports. UBS Group raised shares of STMicroelectronics from a neutral rating to a buy rating in a research note on Friday, December 15th. Morgan Stanley raised shares of STMicroelectronics from an equal weight rating to an overweight rating in a research note on Wednesday, November 1st. Robert W. Baird reaffirmed a neutral rating and issued a $35.00 price target (down from $50.00) on shares of STMicroelectronics in a research note on Tuesday, October 31st. Finally, Susquehanna reduced their price target on shares of STMicroelectronics from $65.00 to $55.00 and set a positive rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, October 24th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, two have given a hold rating and nine have given a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $53.50.

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Read Our Latest Report on STMicroelectronics

STMicroelectronics Stock Performance

NYSE STM opened at $50.12 on Wednesday. STMicroelectronics has a 52 week low of $34.59 and a 52 week high of $55.85. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.16, a quick ratio of 2.17 and a current ratio of 2.94. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $44.48 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $46.41.

STMicroelectronics (NYSE:STM  Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, October 26th. The semiconductor producer reported $1.16 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.08 by $0.08. STMicroelectronics had a net margin of 25.15% and a return on equity of 30.92%. The firm had revenue of $4.43 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $4.42 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $1.16 EPS. STMicroelectronicss quarterly revenue was up 2.5% on a year-over-year basis. Sell-side analysts expect that STMicroelectronics will post 4.29 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Trading of STMicroelectronics

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Thomas J. Herzfeld Advisors Inc. lifted its position in shares of STMicroelectronics by 548.4% in the 3rd quarter. Thomas J. Herzfeld Advisors Inc. now owns 590 shares of the semiconductor producers stock valued at $25,000 after acquiring an additional 499 shares in the last quarter. Glass Jacobson Investment Advisors llc purchased a new stake in shares of STMicroelectronics in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $31,000. Huntington National Bank lifted its position in shares of STMicroelectronics by 112.7% in the 3rd quarter. Huntington National Bank now owns 689 shares of the semiconductor producers stock valued at $30,000 after acquiring an additional 365 shares in the last quarter. Headlands Technologies LLC purchased a new stake in shares of STMicroelectronics in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $30,000. Finally, Spire Wealth Management lifted its position in shares of STMicroelectronics by 125.0% in the 3rd quarter. Spire Wealth Management now owns 720 shares of the semiconductor producers stock valued at $31,000 after acquiring an additional 400 shares in the last quarter. 5.62% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About STMicroelectronics

(Get Free Report)

STMicroelectronics N.V., together with its subsidiaries, designs, develops, manufactures, and sells semiconductor products in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, the Americas, and the Asia Pacific. The company operates through Automotive and Discrete Group; Analog, MEMS and Sensors Group; and Microcontrollers and Digital ICs Group segments.

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Clarus Group Inc. raised its stake in shares of Toyota Motor Co. (NYSE:TM  Free Report) by 3.4% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 71,779 shares of the companys stock after purchasing an additional 2,350 shares during the period. Toyota Motor accounts for 9.4% of Clarus Group Inc.s holdings, making the stock its biggest position. Clarus Group Inc.s holdings in Toyota Motor were worth $12,902,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Private Advisor Group LLC purchased a new position in shares of Toyota Motor in the first quarter worth about $527,000. Fort Sheridan Advisors LLC lifted its stake in shares of Toyota Motor by 5.8% in the first quarter. Fort Sheridan Advisors LLC now owns 2,160 shares of the companys stock worth $306,000 after buying an additional 118 shares in the last quarter. Beverly Hills Private Wealth LLC increased its position in Toyota Motor by 80.0% during the second quarter. Beverly Hills Private Wealth LLC now owns 4,461 shares of the companys stock worth $762,000 after purchasing an additional 1,983 shares during the last quarter. Level Four Advisory Services LLC increased its position in Toyota Motor by 44.1% during the first quarter. Level Four Advisory Services LLC now owns 6,932 shares of the companys stock worth $982,000 after purchasing an additional 2,122 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Cordatus Wealth Management LLC acquired a new stake in Toyota Motor during the second quarter worth about $513,000. 1.33% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Separately, StockNews.com assumed coverage on shares of Toyota Motor in a research report on Thursday, October 5th. They set a buy rating for the company.

Toyota Motor Trading Down 1.3 %

Toyota Motor stock traded down $2.33 during midday trading on Friday, hitting $178.53. 322,893 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 283,379. Toyota Motor Co. has a fifty-two week low of $132.35 and a fifty-two week high of $195.65. The stock has a market capitalization of $241.88 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 8.73, a PEG ratio of 0.38 and a beta of 0.65. The stocks 50-day simple moving average is $183.76 and its 200 day simple moving average is $173.69. The company has a current ratio of 1.15, a quick ratio of 0.98 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.59.

Toyota Motor (NYSE:TM  Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, November 1st. The company reported $6.54 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $3.34 by $3.20. Toyota Motor had a net margin of 9.29% and a return on equity of 12.70%. The business had revenue of $79.14 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $72.69 billion. On average, equities analysts anticipate that Toyota Motor Co. will post 19.31 EPS for the current year.

Toyota Motor Profile

(Free Report)

Toyota Motor Corporation designs, manufactures, assembles, and sells passenger vehicles, minivans and commercial vehicles, and related parts and accessories in Japan, North America, Europe, Asia, Central and South America, Oceania, Africa, and the Middle East. It operates in Automotive, Financial Services, and All Other segments.

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Trust Co. of Oklahoma lowered its position in shares of The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE:KO  Free Report) by 51.2% in the third quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The firm owned 6,389 shares of the companys stock after selling 6,700 shares during the period. Trust Co. of Oklahomas holdings in Coca-Cola were worth $358,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Fairfield Bush & CO. acquired a new stake in shares of Coca-Cola in the 1st quarter valued at $77,000. Merit Financial Group LLC boosted its stake in shares of Coca-Cola by 16.7% in the 1st quarter. Merit Financial Group LLC now owns 12,227 shares of the companys stock valued at $758,000 after purchasing an additional 1,754 shares during the last quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC grew its position in shares of Coca-Cola by 41.4% during the 1st quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC now owns 149,275 shares of the companys stock worth $9,255,000 after buying an additional 43,680 shares during the period. Ergoteles LLC raised its stake in shares of Coca-Cola by 385.3% during the first quarter. Ergoteles LLC now owns 19,032 shares of the companys stock worth $1,180,000 after buying an additional 15,110 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Mackenzie Financial Corp boosted its stake in Coca-Cola by 11.9% in the first quarter. Mackenzie Financial Corp now owns 2,840,557 shares of the companys stock valued at $176,115,000 after acquiring an additional 301,804 shares during the last quarter. 68.96% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

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Coca-Cola Stock Up 0.6 %

Shares of NYSE KO traded up $0.33 during midday trading on Friday, reaching $58.32. The companys stock had a trading volume of 9,029,440 shares, compared to its average volume of 13,844,706. The stock has a 50 day simple moving average of $57.29 and a 200-day simple moving average of $58.73. The company has a current ratio of 1.14, a quick ratio of 0.97 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.23. The stock has a market capitalization of $252.14 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 23.43, a PEG ratio of 3.46 and a beta of 0.58. The Coca-Cola Company has a fifty-two week low of $51.55 and a fifty-two week high of $64.99.

Coca-Cola Dividend Announcement

Coca-Cola ( NYSE:KO Get Free Report ) last released its earnings results on Tuesday, October 24th. The company reported $0.74 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.69 by $0.05. Coca-Cola had a net margin of 23.92% and a return on equity of 42.44%. The business had revenue of $11.95 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $11.45 billion. Equities research analysts predict that The Coca-Cola Company will post 2.68 earnings per share for the current year.

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, December 15th. Investors of record on Friday, December 1st were issued a dividend of $0.46 per share. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, November 30th. This represents a $1.84 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.16%. Coca-Colas payout ratio is presently 73.90%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities research analysts recently commented on the company. StockNews.com cut Coca-Cola from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Friday, October 13th. Citigroup lowered their price target on Coca-Cola from $74.00 to $65.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, October 11th. Jefferies Financial Group started coverage on shares of Coca-Cola in a research note on Monday, November 13th. They set a hold rating and a $64.00 price objective on the stock. Bank of America lowered their target price on shares of Coca-Cola from $74.00 to $60.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, October 17th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their price target on shares of Coca-Cola from $59.00 to $62.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 25th. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eight have issued a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $66.20.

Read Our Latest Research Report on KO

Insider Activity at Coca-Cola

In other news, CEO James Quincey sold 92,029 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, October 17th. The stock was sold at an average price of $53.86, for a total transaction of $4,956,681.94. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 442,546 shares in the company, valued at approximately $23,835,527.56. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. In related news, SVP Beatriz R. Perez sold 20,534 shares of Coca-Cola stock in a transaction dated Thursday, October 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $56.12, for a total transaction of $1,152,368.08. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president now owns 143,383 shares in the company, valued at $8,046,653.96. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Also, CEO James Quincey sold 92,029 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, October 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $53.86, for a total value of $4,956,681.94. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 442,546 shares in the company, valued at approximately $23,835,527.56. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last ninety days, insiders sold 349,315 shares of company stock valued at $19,805,715. Insiders own 1.00% of the companys stock.

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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Trust Co. of Oklahoma lowered its stake in shares of Philip Morris International Inc. (NYSE:PM  Free Report) by 40.2% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 6,833 shares of the companys stock after selling 4,600 shares during the quarter. Trust Co. of Oklahomas holdings in Philip Morris International were worth $633,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

A number of other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of the stock. PCA Investment Advisory Services Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Philip Morris International in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $27,000. Barrett & Company Inc. bought a new position in shares of Philip Morris International in the 1st quarter worth approximately $32,000. DHJJ Financial Advisors Ltd. purchased a new position in Philip Morris International during the third quarter valued at $36,000. Spotlight Asset Group Inc. bought a new position in shares of Philip Morris International during the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $37,000. Finally, VitalStone Financial LLC increased its stake in Philip Morris International by 950.0% in the 2nd quarter. VitalStone Financial LLC now owns 420 shares of the companys stock worth $41,000 after buying an additional 380 shares in the last quarter. 79.70% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

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Analyst Ratings Changes

PM has been the topic of several research analyst reports. Bank of America decreased their price target on shares of Philip Morris International from $118.00 to $111.00 in a research note on Friday, September 29th. StockNews.com began coverage on Philip Morris International in a research report on Thursday, October 5th. They set a hold rating on the stock. UBS Group lowered their price target on shares of Philip Morris International from $116.00 to $112.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, October 5th. Morgan Stanley decreased their target price on shares of Philip Morris International from $118.00 to $113.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research report on Monday, October 2nd. Finally, Redburn Atlantic started coverage on shares of Philip Morris International in a report on Thursday, November 16th. They issued a neutral rating and a $95.00 price target on the stock. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, two have issued a hold rating and eight have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, Philip Morris International presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $109.27.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Philip Morris International news, insider Wilde Frederic De sold 10,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, November 28th. The shares were sold at an average price of $94.25, for a total value of $942,500.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 198,447 shares in the company, valued at $18,703,629.75. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. 0.13% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Philip Morris International Stock Up 0.1 %

Shares of NYSE:PM traded up $0.11 during midday trading on Friday, reaching $92.94. The companys stock had a trading volume of 2,578,725 shares, compared to its average volume of 4,341,773. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $92.05 and a 200 day moving average of $94.31. Philip Morris International Inc. has a twelve month low of $87.23 and a twelve month high of $105.62. The firm has a market capitalization of $144.28 billion, a PE ratio of 18.05, a P/E/G ratio of 2.58 and a beta of 0.77.

Philip Morris International (NYSE:PM  Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, October 19th. The company reported $1.67 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.62 by $0.05. The company had revenue of $9.14 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $9.21 billion. Philip Morris International had a negative return on equity of 129.48% and a net margin of 9.62%. The firms revenue for the quarter was up 13.8% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the firm earned $1.53 EPS. Sell-side analysts anticipate that Philip Morris International Inc. will post 6.08 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Philip Morris International Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, January 10th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, December 21st will be issued a dividend of $1.30 per share. This represents a $5.20 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 5.60%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, December 20th. Philip Morris Internationals dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 100.97%.

Philip Morris International Company Profile

(Free Report)

Philip Morris International Inc operates as a tobacco company working to delivers a smoke-free future and evolving portfolio for the long-term to include products outside of the tobacco and nicotine sector. The company's product portfolio primarily consists of cigarettes and smoke-free products, including heat-not-burn, vapor, and oral nicotine products primarily under the IQOS and ZYN brands; and consumer accessories, such as lighters and matches.

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Relyea Zuckerberg Hanson LLC lifted its holdings in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP  Free Report) by 1.5% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 4,190 shares of the railroad operators stock after acquiring an additional 61 shares during the period. Relyea Zuckerberg Hanson LLCs holdings in Union Pacific were worth $853,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in the company. Capital Asset Advisory Services LLC grew its position in Union Pacific by 25.6% in the first quarter. Capital Asset Advisory Services LLC now owns 5,046 shares of the railroad operators stock valued at $1,016,000 after acquiring an additional 1,028 shares in the last quarter. Clearbridge Investments LLC lifted its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 1.1% in the first quarter. Clearbridge Investments LLC now owns 1,933,582 shares of the railroad operators stock worth $389,153,000 after acquiring an additional 21,361 shares in the last quarter. Dynamic Advisor Solutions LLC boosted its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 18.4% during the 2nd quarter. Dynamic Advisor Solutions LLC now owns 20,508 shares of the railroad operators stock valued at $4,196,000 after buying an additional 3,186 shares during the last quarter. First Hawaiian Bank increased its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 6.9% in the second quarter. First Hawaiian Bank now owns 12,535 shares of the railroad operators stock worth $2,565,000 after buying an additional 806 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Nwam LLC grew its stake in Union Pacific by 48.2% in the second quarter. Nwam LLC now owns 8,479 shares of the railroad operators stock worth $1,735,000 after purchasing an additional 2,757 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 77.36% of the companys stock.

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Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several brokerages have issued reports on UNP. Stifel Nicolaus cut their price objective on Union Pacific from $233.00 to $232.00 and set a hold rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, October 3rd. Benchmark restated a buy rating and set a $254.00 price objective on shares of Union Pacific in a research note on Friday, October 20th. Bank of America dropped their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $265.00 to $257.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a report on Monday, September 25th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $238.00 to $240.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a report on Thursday. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft raised shares of Union Pacific from a hold rating to a buy rating and raised their target price for the stock from $223.00 to $235.00 in a report on Friday, October 20th. Ten investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, thirteen have issued a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Union Pacific has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $239.42.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Union Pacific news, EVP Eric J. Gehringer sold 1,274 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Monday, October 30th. The shares were sold at an average price of $203.24, for a total transaction of $258,927.76. Following the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 31,991 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $6,501,850.84. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. In other Union Pacific news, EVP Eric J. Gehringer sold 1,274 shares of Union Pacific stock in a transaction dated Monday, October 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $203.24, for a total transaction of $258,927.76. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 31,991 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $6,501,850.84. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, CFO Jennifer L. Hamann sold 1,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Wednesday, December 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $235.00, for a total transaction of $235,000.00. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer now owns 98,297 shares in the company, valued at $23,099,795. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Company insiders own 0.28% of the companys stock.

Union Pacific Price Performance

Shares of UNP traded up $1.47 during trading hours on Friday, hitting $243.58. 1,824,809 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 2,814,837. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $220.87 and a 200-day simple moving average of $215.82. The company has a market capitalization of $148.49 billion, a PE ratio of 23.38, a PEG ratio of 2.76 and a beta of 1.10. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.22, a current ratio of 0.72 and a quick ratio of 0.57. Union Pacific Co. has a one year low of $183.69 and a one year high of $245.07.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP  Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, October 19th. The railroad operator reported $2.51 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $2.41 by $0.10. The business had revenue of $5.94 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $5.96 billion. Union Pacific had a return on equity of 49.14% and a net margin of 26.37%. Union Pacifics revenue for the quarter was down 9.5% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $3.19 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts predict that Union Pacific Co. will post 10.24 earnings per share for the current year.

Union Pacific Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, December 28th. Stockholders of record on Friday, December 8th will be issued a dividend of $1.30 per share. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, December 7th. This represents a $5.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.13%. Union Pacifics dividend payout ratio is currently 49.90%.

About Union Pacific

(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.

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StockNews.com upgraded shares of WEC Energy Group (NYSE:WEC  Free Report) from a sell rating to a hold rating in a research report sent to investors on Wednesday.

Other equities analysts have also issued research reports about the stock. Mizuho lowered their price target on shares of WEC Energy Group from $88.00 to $86.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research report on Monday, December 18th. Guggenheim lowered their price target on shares of WEC Energy Group from $94.00 to $84.00 in a research report on Monday, October 9th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price target on shares of WEC Energy Group from $91.00 to $93.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research report on Thursday, November 30th. UBS Group lowered their price target on shares of WEC Energy Group from $87.00 to $80.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, October 4th. Finally, Barclays upped their price target on shares of WEC Energy Group from $81.00 to $82.00 and gave the stock an underweight rating in a research report on Tuesday, December 5th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have given a hold rating and three have given a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $89.58.

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WEC Energy Group Stock Up 0.7 %

WEC stock opened at $82.94 on Wednesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.32, a current ratio of 0.60 and a quick ratio of 0.42. WEC Energy Group has a 1-year low of $75.47 and a 1-year high of $99.26. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $82.57 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $85.32. The firm has a market cap of $26.16 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 19.15, a PEG ratio of 3.00 and a beta of 0.43.

WEC Energy Group (NYSE:WEC  Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Tuesday, October 31st. The utilities provider reported $1.00 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.91 by $0.09. WEC Energy Group had a net margin of 14.80% and a return on equity of 11.48%. The firm had revenue of $1.96 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.03 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $0.96 earnings per share. The firms revenue for the quarter was down 2.3% compared to the same quarter last year. Research analysts predict that WEC Energy Group will post 4.62 EPS for the current year.

WEC Energy Group Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 1st. Investors of record on Wednesday, February 14th will be issued a $0.835 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, February 13th. This represents a $3.34 annualized dividend and a yield of 4.03%. This is an increase from WEC Energy Groups previous quarterly dividend of $0.78. WEC Energy Groups dividend payout ratio is presently 72.06%.

Insider Buying and Selling at WEC Energy Group

In other WEC Energy Group news, Director Ulice Payne, Jr. sold 600 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, November 28th. The shares were sold at an average price of $83.46, for a total value of $50,076.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director now directly owns 20,933 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,747,068.18. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. 0.34% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On WEC Energy Group

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of WEC. American Century Companies Inc. lifted its holdings in WEC Energy Group by 5,257.7% in the 3rd quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 1,465,114 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $118,015,000 after acquiring an additional 1,437,768 shares during the last quarter. Renaissance Technologies LLC lifted its holdings in WEC Energy Group by 563.3% in the 1st quarter. Renaissance Technologies LLC now owns 1,320,077 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $131,757,000 after acquiring an additional 1,121,075 shares during the last quarter. Magellan Asset Management Ltd lifted its stake in WEC Energy Group by 17.0% during the second quarter. Magellan Asset Management Ltd now owns 5,316,833 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $469,157,000 after buying an additional 772,372 shares in the last quarter. Bank of Montreal Can purchased a new stake in WEC Energy Group during the second quarter valued at about $51,851,000. Finally, Jupiter Asset Management Ltd. purchased a new stake in WEC Energy Group during the second quarter valued at about $47,400,000. 75.75% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

WEC Energy Group Company Profile

(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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Well Done LLC reduced its position in iShares MSCI EAFE Min Vol Factor ETF (BATS:EFAV  Free Report) by 1.1% during the third quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The firm owned 101,642 shares of the companys stock after selling 1,103 shares during the period. iShares MSCI EAFE Min Vol Factor ETF makes up 1.5% of Well Done LLCs portfolio, making the stock its 12th biggest position. Well Done LLCs holdings in iShares MSCI EAFE Min Vol Factor ETF were worth $6,629,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Householder Group Estate & Retirement Specialist LLC purchased a new stake in shares of iShares MSCI EAFE Min Vol Factor ETF in the third quarter worth approximately $40,000. Coastal Investment Advisors Inc. bought a new stake in shares of iShares MSCI EAFE Min Vol Factor ETF during the second quarter worth $41,000. Almanack Investment Partners LLC. bought a new stake in shares of iShares MSCI EAFE Min Vol Factor ETF during the third quarter worth $48,000. First Capital Advisors Group LLC. purchased a new stake in shares of iShares MSCI EAFE Min Vol Factor ETF during the second quarter valued at $50,000. Finally, O Shaughnessy Asset Management LLC grew its holdings in shares of iShares MSCI EAFE Min Vol Factor ETF by 817.5% in the second quarter. O Shaughnessy Asset Management LLC now owns 1,046 shares of the companys stock worth $71,000 after purchasing an additional 932 shares during the last quarter.

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iShares MSCI EAFE Min Vol Factor ETF Stock Up 0.5 %

EFAV traded up $0.34 on Friday, reaching $68.55. 325,898 shares of the company traded hands. The company has a market cap of $7.69 billion, a P/E ratio of 16.01 and a beta of 0.60. iShares MSCI EAFE Min Vol Factor ETF has a one year low of $64.68 and a one year high of $76.51. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $66.38 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $66.79.

iShares MSCI EAFE Min Vol Factor ETF Profile

The iShares MSCI EAFE Min Vol Factor ETF (EFAV) is an exchange-traded fund that is based on the MSCI EAFE Minimum Volatility (USD) index. The fund tracks an index of developed-market equities, ex-US and Canada, selected and weighted to create a low volatility portfolio subject to constraints including sector exposure.

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First Affirmative Financial Network lowered its holdings in West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc. (NYSE:WST  Free Report) by 5.8% in the third quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 801 shares of the medical instruments suppliers stock after selling 49 shares during the period. First Affirmative Financial Networks holdings in West Pharmaceutical Services were worth $301,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of the company. EA Series Trust purchased a new stake in shares of West Pharmaceutical Services in the second quarter valued at $218,000. Modera Wealth Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of West Pharmaceutical Services in the second quarter valued at $286,000. HighTower Advisors LLC raised its holdings in shares of West Pharmaceutical Services by 9.2% during the first quarter. HighTower Advisors LLC now owns 11,515 shares of the medical instruments suppliers stock worth $3,978,000 after acquiring an additional 972 shares in the last quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. raised its holdings in shares of West Pharmaceutical Services by 6.2% during the first quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. now owns 207,686 shares of the medical instruments suppliers stock worth $71,957,000 after acquiring an additional 12,159 shares in the last quarter. Finally, KLR Investment Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of West Pharmaceutical Services during the first quarter worth $594,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 91.23% of the companys stock.

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Insider Activity

In other news, CAO Chad Winters sold 1,013 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Friday, December 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $349.00, for a total value of $353,537.00. Following the sale, the chief accounting officer now directly owns 1,270 shares of the companys stock, valued at $443,230. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. In other news, CAO Chad Winters sold 1,013 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Friday, December 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $349.00, for a total value of $353,537.00. Following the sale, the chief accounting officer now directly owns 1,270 shares of the companys stock, valued at $443,230. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Also, VP Charles Witherspoon sold 1,190 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, October 31st. The shares were sold at an average price of $322.37, for a total value of $383,620.30. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president now directly owns 1,835 shares in the company, valued at $591,548.95. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 1.13% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

WST has been the subject of several recent research reports. StockNews.com upgraded West Pharmaceutical Services from a hold rating to a buy rating in a report on Thursday, December 7th. KeyCorp increased their price objective on West Pharmaceutical Services from $415.00 to $440.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Wednesday, August 30th. Finally, Stephens lowered their target price on shares of West Pharmaceutical Services from $420.00 to $390.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, October 27th.

Check Out Our Latest Stock Analysis on West Pharmaceutical Services

West Pharmaceutical Services Trading Up 0.3 %

West Pharmaceutical Services stock opened at $354.93 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.05, a current ratio of 3.70 and a quick ratio of 2.89. The company has a market capitalization of $26.26 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 47.90, a PEG ratio of 8.72 and a beta of 1.08. West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc. has a one year low of $225.66 and a one year high of $415.73. The companys fifty day moving average price is $348.62 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $369.81.

West Pharmaceutical Services (NYSE:WST  Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, October 26th. The medical instruments supplier reported $2.16 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.86 by $0.30. The firm had revenue of $747.40 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $750.31 million. West Pharmaceutical Services had a net margin of 19.11% and a return on equity of 21.86%. The businesss quarterly revenue was up 8.8% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $2.03 earnings per share. On average, analysts forecast that West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc. will post 8.02 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

West Pharmaceutical Services Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, February 7th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, January 31st will be given a $0.20 dividend. This represents a $0.80 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.23%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, January 30th. West Pharmaceutical Servicess dividend payout ratio is currently 10.80%.

West Pharmaceutical Services Profile

(Free Report)

West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc designs, manufactures, and sells containment and delivery systems for injectable drugs and healthcare products in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the Asia Pacific. It operates in two segments, Proprietary Products and Contract-Manufactured Products.

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BEIJING, Dec. 22 (Xinhua)  The Central Rural Work Conference was held in Beijing from Dec. 19 to 20. Guided by Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, the conference faithfully implemented the guiding principles of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Second Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee on all fronts, Xi's important statements on work related to agriculture, rural areas and farmers, and the guiding principles of the Central Economic Work Conference. At this conference, the current situation and challenges facing work related to agriculture, rural areas and farmers were analyzed, and arrangements for work in this regard were made for 2024.

The CPC Central Committee had attached great importance to this conference, before which the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee put forward requirements at its meeting for the success of the conference and for better carrying out work in this regard.

Xi, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, Chinese president, and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made important instructions on work over agriculture, rural areas and farmers. He pointed out that despite the multiple negative factors including comparatively severe natural disasters, China's grain output has reached a record high in 2023, farmers' income has increased at a higher rate, and rural areas have been harmonious and stable.

To advance Chinese modernization, persistent efforts must be made to solidify the agricultural foundation and promote rural revitalization across the board. Guided by the Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, it is essential to fully implement the guiding principles of the 20th CPC National Congress and the Second Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee. With building up strength in the country's agriculture as target, promoting rural revitalization across the board should be the focus for rural work concerning agriculture, rural areas and farmers on the new journey of the new era. Learning from the experience of the Green Rural Revival Program, efforts should be made to implement specific policies, take steady and incremental steps to sustain progress and achieve tangible results in the interest of the people, Xi said.

It is crucial to hold both Party committees and governments accountable for food security, and efforts must be made to secure the land acreage for grain production and increase yield per unit. It is imperative to maintain an all-encompassing approach to agriculture and food, attaching the same importance to the development of agriculture, forestry, animal husbandry and fishery, with a view to building diversified sources for food supply. Arable land as the lifeline of agriculture must be protected, and those who illegally occupy and damage farmland must be subjected to punishment according to the law. Input must be increased, and the development and management of high-standard farmland strengthened to secure the increase of the total area of arable land and improvement of its quality, he said.

Xi called for endeavors to strengthen the dual drivers of technology and reform, intensify efforts to make breakthroughs in core technologies in key fields, and reform and improve the institutional mechanisms for work related to agriculture, rural areas, and farmers, so as to provide impetus and vitality for advancing agricultural modernization. It is important to do a good job in post-disaster recovery and reconstruction, and comprehensively improve capabilities for agricultural disaster prevention, mitigation, and relief. To prevent a large number of rural residents from falling back to poverty, efforts must be made to monitor how work is done in this regard, implement assistance measures, strengthen endogenous motivating forces, and continuously consolidate and expand the achievements of poverty alleviation. It is imperative to raise the level of rural industrial development, rural development, and rural governance, strengthen measures to increase farmers' income, and continuously make substantial progress and achieve phased results in promoting rural revitalization across the board.

Xi emphasized that CPC committees and governments at all levels must firmly implement the CPC Central Committee's decisions and arrangements on work related to agriculture, rural areas, and farmers, uphold the principle that priority must be given to the development of agriculture and rural areas, and the integrated development of urban and rural areas must be continuously promoted. They must shoulder responsibilities and take effective and creative actions based on actual conditions, and vigorously promote rural revitalization across the board in order to better promote the country's development through a Chinese path to modernization by accelerating the modernization of agriculture and rural areas.

Xi's important instructions were delivered at the meeting, and the Opinions of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council on Studying and Applying the Experience of the Green Rural Revival Program to Effectively Promote Rural Revitalization across the Board (Draft) was discussed. Liu Guozhong, member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and vice premier of the State Council, attended the meeting and delivered a speech.

It was pointed out at the meeting that General Secretary Xi's important instructions, from the perspective of the overall situation of the Party and the country's cause, elucidated the strategic requirements and key directions for promoting rural revitalization across the board. The instructions are important in ideological guidance, strategic orientation, and practical relevance. They serve as the fundamental guidelines and action plans for carrying out the work related to agriculture, rural areas and rural residents on the new journey in the New Era. It is essential to thoroughly study and implement the gist of General Secretary Xi's important remarks and instructions in this regard. We must firmly support the establishment of Comrade Xi Jinping's core position both on the Party Central Committee and in the Party as a whole and the guiding role of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, resolutely uphold Comrade Xi Jinping's core position on the Party Central Committee and in the Party as a whole and uphold the Central Committee's authority and its centralized, unified leadership, so as to comprehensively and accurately grasp the connotations and practical requirements of the instructions, and ensure their thorough implementation.

It was stressed at the meeting that, with a focus on practical issues which farmers are very much concerned about, development philosophy, working methods and advancement mechanisms that are involved in the Green Rural Revival Program should be studied and applied to identify where breakthroughs can be made for rural revitalization and ensure work efficiency in this regard. It is imperative to do a good job in the production of grain and other important agricultural products, keep sown areas at a stable level, increase output per unit at a large scale, consolidate the results from the expansion of planting soybeans, explore ways to build mechanisms on interest compensation between major grain production provincial-level regions and those that need supply of grain from other provincial-level regions, and do a good job in disaster prevention, mitigation and relief in the agricultural sector, to ensure that the grain output for 2024 remains above 650 million metric tons. It is essential to strengthen farmland protection and development, refine the mechanism for coordinated protection of quantity, quality and ecosystem of farmland, give top priority to turning farmlands from the black soil areas of northeast China, the plain areas and regions with favorable water conservancy and irrigation conditions into high-standard ones, and appropriately increase investment in this regard. Efforts are also urged to support the building of platforms for sci-tech innovation in the agricultural sector, and speed up advancing the initiative for the revitalization of the seed industry. Monitoring and assistance mechanisms to prevent people from slipping back to poverty should be implemented better, support through developing industries and employment should be more effective, and a mechanism for the regular assistance to low-income rural residents and underdeveloped areas should be built.

By pursuing industrialization, high quality and green rural development, targeted and pragmatic efforts should be made to cultivate rural industries, improve the mechanism for greater synergy in farming, and implement the initiatives to boost farmers' income. To adapt to the trend in rural population changes, work should be done to optimize the configuration of rural communities, industrial structure, and public service allocation, with the aim of advancing rural development in a solid and orderly manner. Actions should be taken to improve rural living environment, and address the deficiencies in rural infrastructure. In coordinating new urbanization with rural revitalization across the board, efforts should be made to increase the carrying and governance capacity of county towns, and promote the county-level integrated development of urban and rural areas. It is essential to improve rural governance, promote rural revitalization through Party building, and apply and further develop the "Fengqiao model" for better community-level governance in the Peaceful Countryside initiative. We will vigorously promote the cultural-ethical progress in the rural area and continue to facilitate positive changes in rural customs. We will strengthen rural reform and innovation and encourage local endeavors in exploring and experimenting with new institutions with the awareness about where to toe the line.

The need was emphasized at the meeting to strengthen the overall leadership of the Party over the work related to agriculture, rural areas, and farmers, to ensure that secretaries of CPC committees at five levels take concrete responsibilities for rural revitalization. Requirements must be implemented for prioritizing the development of agriculture and rural areas, and policy support and supply of resources must be secured. It is imperative to improve approaches, work style, and conduct fact-finding missions, in order to adapt to the natural, economic, and social development laws, and to coordinate timing, intensity and effectiveness of the work. Efforts should be pooled from all walks of life to hammer away at the implementation of the CPC Central Committee's decisions and arrangements on work related to agriculture, rural areas and farmers.

The first plenary meeting was chaired by Wu Zhenglong, state councilor and secretary-general of the State Council.

Members of the Central Rural Work Leading Group, leading officials from provinces, autonomous regions, municipalities directly under the central government, cities specially designated in the state plan, and the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, as well as those from central Party and government departments attended the meeting. Also present at the meeting were leaders of relevant people's organizations, financial institutions, and enterprises, and those from relevant departments of the Central Military Commission.

(Source: Xinhua)
This photo taken on Nov. 6, 2023 shows a booth of Nicaragua at the 6th China International Import Expo (CIIE) in east China's Shanghai. [Xinhua/Gao Wei]

Under the guidance of the head-of-state diplomacy, China-Latin America relations have been developing rapidly and practical cooperation has continued to deepen.

BEIJING, Dec. 22 (Xinhua)  Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday held a phone conversation with Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega, announcing the decision to elevate China-Nicaragua ties to a strategic partnership.

Since the resumption of bilateral relations two years ago, the two sides, with a sense of urgency, have been promoting a leap-forward development of China-Nicaragua relations.

Embarking on a new starting point, China and Nicaragua are expected to further deepen bilateral cooperation and strengthen friendship between their peoples, which will inject impetus into the building of a China-Latin America community with a shared future and the common development of the world.

Leap-Forward Development

During Wednesday's talks, Xi said he is ready to work with Ortega to promote bilateral ties for fresh achievements, with the newly announced strategic partnership between the two countries as a new starting point, adding that he is willing to join the Nicaraguan leader in setting an example of solidarity, cooperation, mutual benefit and win-win results.

After the talks, the two sides issued a joint statement on the establishment of a strategic partnership between China and Nicaragua.

During the previous two years, the two countries have firmly supported each other on issues concerning each other's core interests and major concerns, and have comprehensively expanded and made positive progress in practical cooperation.

Nicaragua joined the Belt and Road Initiative and has been vocal about its support to China-proposed Global Development Initiative. China is now Nicaragua's second-largest trading partner and second-largest source of imports.

Chinese Ambassador to Nicaragua Chen Xi said that under the personal care, strategic planning and political guidance of the leaders of the two countries, China-Nicaragua relations have achieved a qualitative leap, which is in the common interests of the two countries and their people and is conducive to the common development and prosperity of the two countries.

According to Zhou Zhiwei, a researcher at the Institute of Latin America of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, over the past two years since the resumption of diplomatic relations between China and Nicaragua, the two countries have achieved a series of "more than expected results" in practical cooperation. Furthermore, the upgrading of bilateral relations signifies that the two countries' exchanges and cooperation in such fields as politics, economy and people-to-people exchanges have entered a more efficient and smooth stage of development.

Nicaraguan Minister of Development, Industry and Trade Jesus Bermudez is deeply impressed by China's innovations such as e-payment. He is looking forward to cooperating with China in the digital economy, saying that bilateral cooperation will be particularly beneficial to the development of small and medium-sized enterprises in Nicaragua.

Common Prosperity

The free trade agreement between China and Nicaragua, which will come into effect on Jan. 1 next year, is a landmark achievement of cooperation between the two countries, Xi said in his phone talks with Ortega, noting that both sides should take this opportunity to continuously boost the volume and raise the level of bilateral trade.

The Nicaraguan side sincerely appreciates China's valuable assistance in Nicaragua's economic development and improvement of people's livelihoods, Ortega said.

Nowadays, in Managua, the capital of Nicaragua, hundreds of comfortable and eco-friendly Chinese buses are running around to serve the local people. With the assistance of Chinese enterprises, hundreds of affordable housing units and their ancillary facilities are being built in the city to improve the living conditions of local people.

Reyna Rueda, mayor of Managua, told Xinhua that she has seen, from the changes in the city's appearance over the past two years, how the rapid development of Nicaragua-China practical cooperation has benefited the general public.

In a handicraft market in the center of Masaya, Nicaragua, dozens of merchants sell leather, feather paintings, wood products and other handicrafts. Two years ago, in an interview with Xinhua reporters, the mayor of Masaya, Janina Noguera, expressed two wishes  to develop a sister-city in China and to enhance the exchange of experience and technology with China.

Now, both wishes have come true. In September, Masaya signed a letter of intent to establish a sister-city relationship with Nanjing, the capital of Jiangsu Province in China. The two cities plan to cooperate in a variety of fields.

Earlier this year, Noguera visited Kunming, the capital of Yunnan Province and other Chinese cities to learn the experience of how China's cultural industry has boosted economic development.

For the future, Noguera has a new wish  to bring China's successful experience to Masaya as soon as possible for the benefit of the local people.

More and more Nicaraguan students are coming to China to study, among whom is Natalia Caldera. She told Xinhua that in the past year studying at Beijing Foreign Studies University, she and her Chinese classmates have deepened their understanding of each other's cultures, and seen relations between China and Nicaragua growing ever closer.

Caldera looks forward to contributing to expanding the bilateral cooperation in the fields of culture, education, youth, media and other areas. Besides, she would like to record more stories about China "to become a messenger of friendly exchanges between the two countries."

Shared Aspiration

In his phone talks with Ortega on Wednesday, Xi said that China stands ready to strengthen solidarity and coordination with Nicaragua in international affairs, and work with Nicaragua to oppose hegemonism and power politics, promote the development of a more just and rational international order, and safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of developing countries.

Ignacio Martinez, an expert on international affairs at the National Autonomous University of Mexico, said that the upgrading of China-Nicaragua relations is another vivid example of the positive development of Latin America's relations with China.

Looking back at the year 2023, the head-of-state diplomacy has guided China-Latin America relations for stable progress. Xi, by holding meetings and sending messages to leaders of Latin American countries, has engaged in close interactions with them on multilateral platforms such as BRICS and APEC.

A man takes photos at the media center of the 15th BRICS Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa, Aug. 21, 2023. [Xinhua/Li Yahui]

Multiple Latin American leaders, including Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and Colombian President Gustavo Petro, visited China this year, lifting their relations with China to new levels. During Honduran President Xiomara Castro's visit to China in June, the two countries signed a memorandum of understanding on the Belt and Road cooperation, only a few months after the establishment of their diplomatic ties in March.

Song Junying, director of the Department for Latin American and Caribbean Studies of China Institute of International Studies, said that under the guidance of the head-of-state diplomacy, China-Latin America relations have been developing rapidly and practical cooperation has continued to deepen.

China and Latin America, Song said, as partners of the Global South, have forged a consensus on multilateral agendas such as the reform of global governance and the tackling of climate change, which will help the Global South make an even stronger voice in the international arena.

(Source: Xinhua)
Weather Alert

...Very active weather and dangerous cold forecast for the next week... A very strong storm system will move through the region Friday. Very strong winds are expected and a wind advisory has been issued for the entire region for 40-50 mph wind gusts. Stronger winds are possible. Widespread rain may lead to localized flooding in areas where thunderstorms form with up to 2 inches of rain possible in those areas. Severe thunderstorms are not currently expected but there is a small potential over the southern Pennyrile region of Kentucky Friday morning. A change to sleet and snow is forecast at the end of the day but accumulations are still not anticipated. If temperatures do not rise above freezing Saturday it is expected to mark the first of 5 to 6 days where temperatures will not rise above freezing. Lows Saturday through Tuesday night are forecast to fall into or near the single digits. Below zero wind chills are likely most of Monday and Tuesday. This extended cold snap will be dangerous to those without adequate shelter and will likely challenge plumbing and other cold-sensitive infrastructure. Accumulating snow remains possible Monday but forecast amounts have trended a little lower, and will remain subject to change for the next few days as more data becomes available.

...WIND ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 6 AM CST /7 AM EST/ FRIDAY TO MIDNIGHT CST /1 AM EST/ FRIDAY NIGHT... * WHAT...Southwest winds 20 to 30 mph with gusts up to 50 mph expected. * WHERE...Portions of southern Illinois, southwest Indiana, western Kentucky and southeast Missouri. * WHEN...From 6 AM CST /7 AM EST/ Friday to midnight CST /1 AM EST/ Friday night. * IMPACTS...Gusty winds will blow around unsecured objects. Wet ground may result in some trees being uprooted, and tree limbs will be blown down. A few power outages are likely. High profile vehicles will have difficulty. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS...A corridor of stronger winds, with gusts up to 60 mph is possible over the Pennyrile region of west Kentucky ahead of the front, and across the entire quad-state behind the front. If that begins to appear likely a high wind warning will be issued. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Use extra caution when driving, especially if operating a high profile vehicle. Secure outdoor objects. &&
 Flash

The counternarcotics authorities of China and the United States are resuming regular communication. Progress in resuming counternarcotics cooperation has not come easy and needs to be doubly cherished by both sides, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said on Friday.

Spokesperson Wang Wenbin made the comment when asked what specific measures China has taken on counternarcotics cooperation with the United States so far. During the summit meeting in San Francisco, China and the United States agreed to establish a working group on counternarcotics cooperation and carry out counternarcotics cooperation.

Wang said carrying out counternarcotics cooperation is one of the important common understandings reached between the two presidents during their meeting in San Francisco. To deliver on that, the U.S. side has lifted sanctions on relevant Chinese law enforcement institute.

Recently, China has been engaged in campaigns against fentanyl and its precursor chemicals, and cracked down on illegal and criminal activities involving the smuggling, illicit manufacturing, trafficking and abuse of fentanyl-related substances, said wang.

He added that China has carried out a sweeping inspection of key businesses, personnel and equipment, and has been working to clean up information about online sales of fentanyl, and strictly prevent the smuggling and trafficking of relevant chemical substances to protect people's physical and mental health.

The counternarcotics authorities of China and the United States are resuming regular communication, said wang, adding that the Chinese side has notified the U.S. side of the progress made in U.S.-related law enforcement operations against narcotics and has responded to U.S. request for verifying clues on certain cases and taken action. The two sides are in close communication on setting up a working group on counternarcotics cooperation.

"I need to stress that progress in resuming China-U.S. counternarcotics cooperation has not come easy and needs to be doubly cherished by both sides. We hope that the U.S. side will show sincerity, work with China in the same direction and continue to carry out practical counternarcotics cooperation based on mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit," said the spokesperson.
Events

Saturday, Dec. 23

Annual Holiday Bazaar, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Brownsville Assembly of God, 313 Washburn St.

A Very Grouchy Christmas Santa Maria Steam Train, 10 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 3 p.m., Santiam Excursion Trains, 750 S. Third St., Lebanon. Tickets: https://santiamexcursions.com.

Santa at the Carousel, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 23, and 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 24, Albany Historic Carousel & Museum, 503 W. First Ave. Information: www.albanycarousel.com.

Sunday, Dec. 24

Bahai devotions and discussion, 10:30 a.m., Zoom. His Holiness Christ is the program for Christmas Eve, a time for celebration, prayer and wonder. Join the group in reading passages about His Holiness Christ and His divine station from the Baha'i Writings, the Holy Bible and the Quran. All are welcome to join in reading and discussion. For the Zoom link, visit https://tinyurl.com/2ejv7cth, where you will find the readings for Sunday.

Christmas Eve Santa Maria Steam Pajama Train, 2 p.m., 4:30 p.m., Santiam Excursion Trains, 750 S. Third St., Lebanon. Tickets: https://santiamexcursions.com.

Candlelight service, 7 p.m., Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church, 2650 NW Highland Drive, Corvallis. All are welcome to celebrate Christmas Eve.

Christmas Eve program, 7 to 8 p.m., Whitespires Berean Fellowship, 510 SW Fifth Ave., Albany. Traditional sing-along.

Christmas Eve service, 7 p.m., First United Methodist Church, 1165 NW Monroe Ave., Corvallis, and at facebook.com/CorvallisFUMC/live. Come hear the story of Christmas through scripture, carols and choral works.

Wednesday, Dec. 27

Open house hosted by the Brownsville Women's Study Club, noon to 3 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 27, through Saturday, Dec. 30, Moyer House, 204 N. Main St., Brownsville.

Sunday, Dec. 31

Santas on Vacation Ride, 11 a.m., 1 p.m., 3 p.m., Santiam Excursion Trains, 750 S. Third St., Lebanon. Tickets: adults, $27 and up; military, free to $13; seniors, $20 and up; children, $22 and up; toddlers, free to $3. Tickets: https://santiamexcursions.com.

Noon Year's Eve 2023, 11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m., Marys River Grange Hall, 24707 Grange Hall Road, Philomath. Free, family-friendly fun. Countdown item drop, art supply walk, STEAM activities, hot cocoa and coffee bar, cotton candy and popcorn. Food sales and raffle entries benefit Maxtivity.

New Years Eve Hoof N Holler, 7:30 p.m., Linn County Expo Center, 3700 Knox Butte Road E., Albany. The biggest New Years Eve Event of its kind, featuring rodeo, special effects, pyrotechnics, concert sound and lighting. Heated arena and free parking. Bull- and bronc-riding champions from around the country will put it all on the line to determine whos number No. 1. The Rough Stock Event features the top cowboys in the business and world-renowned bucking bulls and broncs. All-around champions and circuit finalists will compete. Riders compete for over $25,000 in cash and prizes, including a trophy saddle and a handmade trophy buckle. The rodeo is followed by a dance and New Years Eve Celebration with a balloon drop and prizes to ring in the new year. All ages are welcome. If you exit the event, you will not be allowed reentry. Tickets: $52 at https://bit.ly/41wx3A8; $56 at the door (limited seats); no childrens discount.

Maxtivity's Mardi Gras New Year's Eve Party, 8 p.m. to 12:15 a.m., Marys River Grange Hall, 24707 Grange Hall Road, Philomath. Live blues and zydeco by the Monkey See Monkey Duo, and the New Iberians. Midnight countdown. Hors d'oeuvres, desserts, mocktails, masks, photo booth. Wine served by Cardwell Hill Cellars. Live auction, costume contest. No stiletto heels or loose glitter. Carpool if possible. Tickets: $99 each or $150 for a pair; tables: $500 each; visit https://givebutter.com/c/MaxtivityNYE2023.

New Year's Eve Celebration on a Train, 8 p.m., Santiam Excursion Trains, 750 S. Third St., Lebanon. Age 21 or over only. Tickets: https://santiamexcursions.com.

Monday, Jan. 1

First Day Hike, 9 a.m., Thompson's Mills State Heritage Park; meet in parking lot, 32655 Boston Mill Drive, Shedd. The Oregon Parks and Recreation Department is partnering with Americas State Parks for free guided First Day Hikes in state parks on New Years Day. Come explore Thompson's Mills and get a sneak peek of the planned nature trail. The 1-mile walk-and-talk will focus on the mill property and new trail. As participants walk along the Calapooia River, they may see river otters, kingfishers, hawks, eagles and a variety of other creatures. Learn about the rich history of land use at the mill. A tour of the mill building will be offered after the hike. Visitors who choose not to hike can join staff at the wheelchair-accessible area to use the spotting scope and bird watch. The trail is a natural surface that may be uneven or muddy in areas. Friendly dogs are welcome on 6-foot leashes. Participants should dress in layers, wear sturdy shoes appropriate for ice and snow, and bring water and snacks, as well as a camera or binoculars for wildlife viewing. Those who have questions about access or want to request any reasonable accommodations needed for their participation can call Park Ranger Rye Guessford at 503-798-3674. Requests must be submitted at least three days prior to Jan. 1. The $5 day-use parking fee is waived that day for all state parks that require a parking permit and are open. Share photos of First Day Hikes via social media by using the hashtag #ORfirstdayhikes. First Day Hikes is a national initiative to welcome the coming year in the outdoors, promote exercise and encourage connecting with nature.

First Day Hikes, 10 a.m. and noon, Silver Falls State Park, 20024 Silver Falls Highway SE, Sublimity. Meet at 10 a.m. or noon at the North Canyon trailhead near Milepost 28 on Highway 214. The parking lot is three miles north of the South Falls day-use area. GPS directions may not be accurate for this location. When you arrive, look for "First Day Hike" signs leading you to the meeting point. Join in exploring the new North Rim Trail that opened last summer. The hike is one and a half miles round trip through the forest. Participants will stop at the spectacular North Falls Viewpoint before the return trip. The trail surface is compacted gravel; the trail is 6 feet wide and has a slope of 5% or less. Most mobility devices can navigate this trail. Leashed dogs are welcome. Participants should dress in layers with rain gear and gloves, wear shoes appropriate for the activity, and bring water and snacks, as well as a camera or binoculars for wildlife viewing. If you have questions about access or want to request any reasonable accommodations needed for your participation, call Park Ranger Matt Palmquist at 503-689-5122. Requests must be submitted at least three days prior to Jan. 1. The $5 day-use parking fee is waived that day for all state parks that require a parking permit and are open.

Polar Brrr Swim, 1 to 4 p.m., Osborn Aquatic Center, 1940 NW Highland Drive, Corvallis. Start the New Year by riding down the great white waterslide and taking the plunge into the cold outdoor pool. Warm up in the indoor pools and enjoy a treat on the OAC on the way out. All ages welcome. Regular admission rates apply.

Ongoing

Teal Cooperative Art Gallery, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays, noon to 5 p.m. Sundays (11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Christmas Eve), through Dec. 28; closed Christmas Day, 328 SW Second St., Corvallis. The gallery is a place to shop for handcrafted, unique, made-in-Oregon gifts. Each November, a team of artists transforms an empty storefront into a world of color, light and beauty, open for business. A portion of the gallery's sales will be donated to the Bessie Coleman Elementary School. Information: www.tealartistcoop.com.

Pastega Christmas Light Display, 5 to 9 p.m. daily through Sunday, Dec. 31, Benton County Fairgrounds, 110 SW 53rd St., Corvallis. Admission is free; donations of nonperishable foods are encouraged.

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Permits for cutting a Christmas tree in the Siuslaw National Forest are now available for purchase, and will be offered through Dec. 31. Visit recreation.gov to purchase a permit online. Visit or call the Corvallis office, 3200 SW Jefferson Way, phone 541-750-7000, to purchase a permit. Christmas tree permits are $5, with an additional $2.50 fee per transaction when purchased online. Cutting trees in some areas of the Siuslaw is prohibited; tree hunters should check maps provided with permits prior to selecting their tree. Visit https://bit.ly/46wSHVN for more details. Fourth-graders with Every Kid Outdoors passes are eligible for one free Christmas tree permit. Students and their guardians can visit an office in person or apply for the permit online. Enter a voucher or pass number when prompted on recreation.gov; a $2.50 registration fee will also be applied for this transaction. For more information about the Every Kid Outdoor pass  which also provides students and their families free admittance into selected national forest recreation sites, national parks, and other federal public lands  visit everykidoutdoors.gov. Here are some Christmas tree cutting guidance and safety tips: Determine which national forest you want to visit, and check maps for potential locations. Purchase a permit at www.recreation.gov, a national forest office or an official vendor. Check the weather forecast and road conditions before traveling. Start tree hunting early in the day to have plenty of daylight hours. Remember to tell someone where you are going and when you will return. Bring emergency supplies; include a rope and tarp to move your tree to your vehicle. Bring a map and compass, as cell service may be limited. The tree you choose must be at least 200 feet from main roads, recreation sites and campgrounds. Stay away from areas alongside streams, rivers and lakes.

Its the time of year to visit the Willamette National Forest and find the perfect Christmas tree and ornament for your celebrations. Christmas tree permits are available online at Recreation.gov, in person from local vendors or from one of the Willamette offices (in the mid-Willamette Valley, visit the Sweet Home Ranger District, 4431 Highway 20, phone 541-367-5168). Permits allow the holder to cut one tree in designated areas; each household can purchase up to five permits. Permits are $5 each; online purchases have an additional $2.50 service fee. For downloadable maps of tree-cutting areas and a list of local vendors selling tree permits, visit https://bit.ly/WNFtree. Fourth-grade students can receive a free tree permit by getting their Every Kid Outdoors pass and entering the voucher or pass number when prompted on Recreation.gov or by visiting a Forest office. While hunting for a Christmas tree, be sure to search for ornaments. The Willamette Valley Visitors Association's sixth annual ornament hunt has begun and will run through Dec. 31. In partnership with Cascade Volunteers, 200 locally crafted wooden ornaments have been hidden along non-wilderness trails on the Willamettes Detroit, Sweet Home, McKenzie River and Middle Fork ranger districts. The hunt encourages local communities and travelers to connect with public lands and increase outdoor recreation activities. The tradition was born when the Willamette National Forest provided the Capitol Christmas Tree that went to Washington, D.C. For more information on the ornament hunt contest and a list of participating trails, visit https://willamettevalley.org/ornament. Be mindful of safety and your surroundings when searching for trees or ornaments. Cutting trees in some areas of the forest is prohibited. Tree hunters should remain outside closed areas and check maps prior to heading out. Forest roads are not maintained for winter driving. Be sure to bring traction devices, a shovel, extra food, drinking water, winter clothing, blankets, a flashlight and a first aid kit. Let someone know where you are going, get an early start and leave the woods before dark.

Give the gift of the outdoors and save this season with the Oregon State Parks 12-month parking permit sale during the month of December. The permit hangtag once again features whimsical designs by Portland artist El Tran. Holiday shoppers can buy the annual parking permits for only $25, a $5 savings, running through Dec. 31. The permit is good for 12 months, starting in the month of purchase. You can purchase permits at https://bit.ly/3T7lJIv. Permits are also sold at some state park friends' group stores and select local businesses throughout the state. For a complete list of vendors, visit stateparks.oregon.gov. Parking costs $5 a day at 25 Oregon state parks unless you have a 12- or 24-month parking permit or a same-day camping receipt. The 24-month pass is $50 and is also available at store.oregonstateparks.org. The permits are transferable from vehicle to vehicle.

Giving Opportunities

Holiday pet supply drive, Linn County Animal Rescue, 39389 Plagman Drive, Lebanon. This is a sanctuary/rescue for neglected, abandoned and abused horses, and hospice dogs. In existence for 15 years, the rescue is 100% run by volunteers. The rescue provides Healing Hearts with Horses events for the developmentally disabled/handicapped and individuals with post-traumatic stress disorder. For more information, to consider volunteering at the rescue and to participate in fundraisers (Bottle Drop and Points for Profit), visit www.lcarhorse.org or call 541-258-3422. If horses and dogs speak to your heart, consider donating gift certificates; cash; cleaning supplies; senior horse grain; or small blankets, beds or pee pads for dogs. Donations can be sent to PO Box 2669, Lebanon, OR 97355.
French president Emmanuel Macron has allied himself with Marine Le Pen's far-right National Rally (RN) and the conservative Republicans (LR) to pass a fascistic immigration control bill.

While a minority of 69 MPs from the presidential party Renaissance (RE) voted against or abstained, the far-right and the conservatives voted unanimously in favour of the law, which was passed by the National Assembly on Tuesday evening with 349 votes in favour and 186 against.

French President and presidential candidate for reelection Emmanuel Macron Sunday, April 10, 2022 in Paris and French far-right presidential candidate Marine Le Pen speaks during the show 'France in the Face of War', in Paris, Monday, March 14, 2022

The law is destroying basic democratic rights and reviving the repressive policies used by the collaborationist wartime Vichy regime against Jews that facilitated their deportation to concentration and extermination camps.

The bill passed despite widespread popular opposition to Macron's illegitimate policy. Several thousand people demonstrated in French cities, capping a year marked by national and international working-class struggles. In June, during the struggle against the pension reform, two-thirds of French people wanted to bring down Macron by blocking the economy. In July, following the police murder of 17-year-old teenager Nahel in Nanterre, mass protests broke out over several days. The genocide of Palestinians by the Zionist regime and its support by Macron has aroused widespread opposition from radicalized youth and workers all over France and worldwide.

Faced with an explosive political and social situation, Macron is seeking an alliance with the right and extreme right as a basis for his policies, resorting to authoritarian rule. The bill was initially rejected by a motion of the ecologists, supported by the Nupes Alliance of Jean-Luc Melenchon and a fraction of the Macronists, rendering the original version null and void. Those rejecting it understood that this law would provoke widespread indignation. However, Macron allied himself with the LR and the RN, and the joint parity commission hardened the original bill to make sure the LR and RN would approve it.

The law prevents migrants from accessing social benefit for five years, instead of six months previously, and thus affirms the principle of national preference, a central demand of the far-right. It is intended to deter migrants from coming to France, facilitates their deportation and makes family reunification and naturalization more difficult.

A young person who was born in France and grew up there will no longer automatically receive French citizenship at the age of 18. Parliament is to set annual quotas for immigration. Foreign nationals residing in France can only apply for family reunification for their relatives if they can prove that they have been living in France for 24 months and that their financial situation is stable and sufficient and regular.

Dual nationals convicted of assaulting the police will lose their French citizenship and thus become deportable. Illegal residence in France will become a criminal offense. Foreign students who are not from the European Union will have to pay a deposit before enrolling, which they will only get back once they have left the country. And these are just some of the measures provided for by the law.

Macron went on television to legitimize this fascistic bill, asserting that the law would pass through the Constitutional Council, which is made up of officials from the same parties that voted for the text. Macron said that the bill is the fruit of a compromise and added cynically, Fighting against the RN does not mean refusing to tackle the problems that feed it. There is an immigration problem in the country. The bill, he said, is the shield we were lacking.

Marine Le Pen celebrated the passing of the law as an ideological victory: I don't see how tomorrow the elected representatives of the majority and above all the President of the Republic, will be able to reproach us for defending the national preference, since they adopt the idea that it can be applied. They apply it in a minimal way, but in principle the concept is validated.

The alliance between Macron and the far-right unmasks the political fraud advanced by the pseudo-left in 2017 and 2022. In the second round of both presidential elections, they insisted that it was necessary to vote for Macron against Le Pen to stop the far-right and defend democratic rights and the rights of immigrants.

Only the Socialist Equality Party (PES), the French section of the ICFI, called for an active boycott of the second round to prepare for the fight against the future president. The PES warned that Macrons policies would be indistinguishable from Le Pens and that he would pave her way to power. The passing of the anti-immigration bill demonstrates that it is now Le Pen who is determining the government's policy.

Macron's alliance with the far-right is no surprise. He cultivates neo-fascist forces in his government. It's no secret that the writings of Charles Maurras, the monarchist leader of Action Francaise who was at the root of Vichy politics, are studied. Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin was a member of Action Francaise in 2008. Former Macron government spokesman Benjamin Griveaux paraphrased Maurras in 2018. Macron himself saluted the soldier Petain.

Macrons anti-immigrant law revives the repressive policies of Philippe Petains collaborationist Vichy regime. In 1940, Petain promulgated a law cancelling the naturalizations granted by his predecessor under the liberal Third Republic. Between 1940 and 1944, some 15,000 people, including many Jews, lost their nationality. This facilitated their deportation to concentration and extermination camps. Of the 75,721 Jews deported between 1942 and 1944, only 2,566 survived, around 3 percent.

Workers will oppose the implications of this fascistic law, but they can have no illusions in the bureaucratic apparatuses. In the framework of social dialogue, the trade unions are cogs in the wheel of corporate and state policy. General Confederation of Labour (CGT) Secretary Sophie Binet called for civil disobedience. But during this year's fight against Macrons pension reform, the CGT and other unions channelled the enormous social discontent into a dead-end. Fearful of being overwhelmed by popular opposition, the unions turned to Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne to negotiate the imposition of the reform, leaving it to the police to put down the demonstrations.

During the Second World War the struggle against Nazism took on the character of a revolutionary insurrection by the international working class. Workers went on strike in factories in Italy, the Netherlands and France, and joined the resistance. The fight against the immigration law and Macron's authoritarian policies requires that workers revive their revolutionary traditions, based on a Trotskyist perspective, in an international struggle to seize power.

The only prospect for workers is revolutionary mobilization to topple Macron. To do this, workers must build the PES, the French section of the International Committee of the Fourth International.
The Israeli regimes genocide against the Palestinians in Gaza has claimed the lives of well over 20,000 people and driven at least 85 percent of the enclaves population from their homes. Throughout the more than two-month-long onslaught, US imperialism has backed the far-right Netanyahu government to the hilt, above all through its supply of the weaponry used by Israel to indiscriminately slaughter Palestinian men, women and children.

The daily commission of horrific war crimes by the Zionist state with the full-throated backing of its imperialist sponsors has provoked outrage throughout the world. Millions of people on every inhabited continent have joined protests condemning the genocide in Gaza. These protests have also taken place in India, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Hindu-supremacist BJP government have extended full support to Israel.

Indias main Stalinist parliamentary party, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) or CPM and its Left Front, have been forced to call protests against the Gaza war. Starting from the first week of November, the Stalinist-led Left Front held protest demonstrations and rallies in several cities, including Kozhikode in Kerala in the south and Kolkata in West Bengal in the east.

The Stalinists, in keeping with their decades-long role as the left flank of the Indian establishment, are seeking to confine the opposition of workers and youth to the slaughter of the impoverished and dispossessed Palestinians of Gaza within the reactionary framework of capitalist politics and great-power diplomacy. While they chant slogans against US imperialism, they are implacably opposed to the building of a global working class led anti-war movement in opposition to the imperialist world order.

They seek to pressure the Indian government into withdrawing its support for Israel, and call on the UNan organization dominated by the same imperialist powers that back the genocide in Gaza and whose predecessor, the League of Nations, Lenin labeled a thieves kitchento enforce a two-state solution to secure peace in the Middle East.

The Indo-US alliance and the CPMs calls for an independent foreign policy and a multi-polar world

In the Left Front protest rally held in Kolkata on November 8, the Stalinists called for the Modi government to stop being the cronies of imperialism and pursue an independent foreign policy as before. This is a reference to Indias Cold War-era nonaligned policy, in which New Delhi maneuvered between the USSR and the US and the other imperialist powers. This policy was junked by the Indian bourgeoisie in 1991 along with its failed state-led capitalist development project, as the Soviet Stalinist bureaucracy was restoring capitalism and dissolving the USSR.

CPM and Left Front initiated demonstration opposing the Israeli onslaught on Gaza held in Kolkata on Nov. 8 [Photo: Newsclick]

Over the past three decades, the Indian bourgeoisie has transformed India into a close military-strategic ally of American imperialism, and sought to enrich itself by integrating India into the imperialist dominated world economy and placing its workers, rural toilers and resources at the disposition of global capital.

A Left Front statement calling for protests against the Gaza genocide called on the Modi government to stop endorsing the US-Israeli genocide of Palestinians and to join the global call for an immediate cease-fire.

This appeal is made under conditions in which Modi was one of the first world leaders to express their full support for Israels war on the Palestinians. As the World Socialist Web Site has previously explained, the Modi governments staunch support for Israel arises from the Indian bourgeoisies alliance with US imperialism, which is codified in New Delhis Global Strategic Partnership with Washington. Forged between the Congress Party led-UPA government and the administration of George W. Bush as it was waging war in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Indo-US alliance has been repeatedly enhanced and expanded during Modis decade in power. As a result, India has been transformed into a frontline state in Washingtons all-sided strategic offensive against Beijing and plans for war with China.

Washington views its alliance with India as crucial to American imperialisms waging of what is increasingly emerging as a third world war, against Russia in Eastern Europe, Iran in the Middle East and China in the Asia-Pacific.

The Indian ruling elites support for the Israeli genocide must be seen in this context. It views US imperialist support as critical to advancing its own predatory great-power ambitions and making India the go-to alternative cheap-labour production chain hub to China.

Updating their call for the Indian bourgeoisie to pursue an independent foreign policy, the Stalinists promote the chimera that a multi-polar world would constitute a progressive alternative to a unipolar system dominated by the US and enable Indias capitalist government to wield greater influence in world affairs. To this end, the Stalinists urge the Indian bourgeoisie to strengthen its ties with the European imperialists, the capitalist-restorationist regimes in Russia and China, and other BRICS states.

While they use Marxist sounding rhetoric, the CPM leaders are hostile to social revolution and determined to keep the working class in the thrall of capitalism, which they claim can offer prospects for further social progress if only there were greater balance in international relations.

For the Stalinists, Israels onslaught on Gaza and the US-NATO instigated war on Russia are not part of a rapidly developing world war that, like the two world wars of the last century, is rooted in the fundamental contradictions of capitalisma systemic crisis for which the only progressive solution is the international mobilization of the working class to put an end to the profit system and the outmoded system of rival capitalist nation-states in which it is historically rooted.

Rather, according to party general secretary Sitaram Yechury and his predecessor Prakash Karat, these wars are the product of an overly rapacious US imperialism, which needs to be better constrained within a restructured global capitalist inter-state system.

The Indian Stalinists perspective of pressuring New Delhi to adopt an independent foreign policy so it can pursue a progressive role in world affairs is bound up with their fraudulent claim that the Indian state is a product of and incarnates, even if imperfectly, the mass anti-imperialist struggle that convulsed South Asia in the first half of the twentieth century. In reality, independent India was the product of the suppression of the democratic and social strivings of the working class and rural masses. Fearing a growing revolutionary storm, the Gandhi-Nehru-led Indian National Congress made a deal with British imperialism, whereby South Asia was partitioned along communal lines, into a predominantly Hindu India and an expressly Muslim Pakistan, and the Indian bourgeoisie took over the colonial state apparatus and direct responsibility for defending the holding of foreign and domestic capital.

The Indian Stalinists promotion of the reactionary, imperialist-promoted two-state solution

The CPMs attempt to divert the global movement against the imperialist-back slaughter and continuing dispossession of the Palestinians into futile and reactionary efforts to pressure the UN, the Modi government and western powers is of a piece with its efforts to subordinate the working class to the Indian bourgeoisie and its state. For decades, the CPM has tied the working class to and supported governments led by the Congress Party, till a decade ago the bourgeoisies preferred party of national government, and various regional bourgeois parties on the grounds they constitute a secular alternative to the far-right, Hindu-supremacist BJP. In reality, by implementing right-wing policies when in power and conniving with the Stalinists and Stalinist-controlled unions to suppress the class struggle, the Congress and its regional allies have played a pivotal role in paving the way for the BJP to emerge as the dominant force in Indian bourgeois politics.

Through their promotion of the INDIA electoral alliance, the Stalinists are seeking to bring an alternative Congress-led bourgeois government to power in the next general elections slated for the spring of 2024. The political record of Congress and its regional allies prove that such a government would not be fundamentally different from Modis regime. It would continue implementing pro-investor economic policies, assist US imperialism in preparing for war with China and attack democratic rights.

The CPMs reactionary politics are the outcome of Stalinism. That is the nationalist politics and ideology of the privileged bureaucracy that usurped power from the Soviet working class and repudiated the program of world socialist revolution on which the Russian Revolution had been carried out under the leadership of Lenin and Trotsky. In the name of socialism in one country, the Stalinist bureaucracy maintained its ill-gotten privileges by sabotaging the struggles of the global working class in pursuit of alliances with the imperialist powers and, in the countries historically dominated by imperialism, the national bourgeoisie.

The imperialist-backed partition of Palestine and the formation of the Israeli Zionist state took place in 1948, just one year after South Asias communal partition, and the creation of the rival independent capitalist states of India and Pakistan.

In the case of Palestine, the Kremlin bureaucracy in Moscowsupported by the various Communist Parties, including the Communist Party of India (CPI), from which the CPM emerged in 1964backed the creation of Israel. It did so as part of its broader effort to reach a modus vivendi with the imperialists through its suppression of the global revolutionary upsurge of the working class in the aftermath of World War II.

In India, the Stalinist CPI, having helped sabotage the Quit India movement during the war, systematically subordinated the working class to the Congress Party and the Muslim League on the grounds that they, as the political representatives of the national bourgeoisie, were the rightful leaders of the anti-imperialist democratic revolution. The CPI supported, and, where it had representatives in Indias legislatures, voted for the transfer of power agreement reached between Britain, the Congress and Muslim League, and for the communal partition of the continent into an expressly Muslim Pakistan and a predominantly Hindu India, which they proclaimed was the realization of self-determination.

In opposition to the Indian Stalinists pathetic and reactionary appeals to the imperialists and the Indian bourgeoisie to stop the genocide in Gaza in which they are all implicated, the World Socialist Web Site insists that this task can only be achieved through the mobilization of the international working class.

We call on the workers and youth who have joined protests throughout the world to turn to the working class for support. Workers should organize strikes and other actions to stop the supply and production of all conceivable military equipment destined for Israel. This must be linked to the fight for an international political general strike, and the struggle to fuse the fight against imperialist war with the growing mass upsurge of working people around the world against capitalist austerity and the assault on their social and democratic rights.

The only progressive answer to the barbarity of imperialism and the developing global conflagration into which crisis-ridden capitalism wants to throw humanity is the arming of the global anti-Gaza protests and working class upsurge with a socialist perspective.

In opposition to the reactionary two-state solution, the unity of Arab and Jewish workers across the Middle East must be forged in the struggle against imperialism and all forms of nationalism, both of the Zionist and Arab varieties, and for workers power and the establishment of the United Socialist States of the Middle East.
To contact or discuss joining the Rank-and-File Committee of Allison Transmission Workers, email rfcallisonworkers@gmail.com or fill out the form below this article.

A WSWS campaigner in front of the Allison Transmission plant in Indianapolis, Indiana (WSWS Media)

Allison Transmission workers in Indianapolis, Indiana, continue to be strung out by the United Auto Workers bureaucracy after rejecting a UAW-backed sellout tentative agreement by 96.2 percent nearly one month ago, on December 1. The UAW has stonewalled the 99 percent strike authorization vote by Allison workers, who produce transmissions for both the Big Three automakers and the US military.

Anger has been growing among workers in recent weeks over the provocative move by management to withhold a previously agreed to $1,000 bonus heading into the Christmas holiday. An Allison worker, who asked to remain anonymous, told the WSWS, As of today, 12/15, the president of Allison Transmission has refused 1,600 hard-working employees of their Income Protection (Christmas Bonus) this year. While a lot of people are only making $14.72 an hour, now they refuse to pay the bonus, which could help a lot of families. I have never seen so much greed in a company.

Far from mounting strike action and a serious counteroffensive against these attacks, however, the UAW bureaucracy has done nothing but offer hot air. In a memo to workers on December 15, the local wrote, Many people are asking if that is illegal [withholding the bonus]. Our International Counsel explained that the International will advance all possible legal action to secure that payment if we cannot recover it in bargaining. However, be assured that we, your Bargaining Committee, will not let go of this issue and [Allison Transmission President David] Graziosi will be signing that $1,000 check. It may be a few weeks late, but youll get that money.

In reality, the UAW officialdom at the International and local level welcome the aggressive moves by the company aimed at softening workers up for forcing through its demands.

At one company after another this year, UAW President Shawn Fain and his administration have worked to enforce the demands of management. At Mack Trucks this fall, the UAW International also promised workers legal assistance after workers overwhelmingly voted down a pro-corporate deal, which had been endorsed by local leaders and Fain himself. The union apparatus proceeded to isolate the strike by Mack workers and work with the company to ram through its last, best and final offer using threats against workers jobs.

Facing growing anger among Allison workers over being kept in the dark, the UAW local has posted daily bargaining updates while providing virtually no concrete details of what union officials have agreed to with management.

On Friday, the UAW Local 933 bargaining committee posted a summary of what it had agreed to. Stating they were sharing broad strokes of where they are at, local officials claimed that wage tiers would be ended at least by the end of the contract term.

The UAW touted other supposed gains, including fixing exiting the workplace benefits, increasing the 401K match for employees after February 1, 2008 and a discount on workers health insurance premiums for participating in a Wellness Plan. These supposed gains amount to cosmetic changes to the UAWs earlier sellout agreement voted down by the membership.

Significantly, the update refers to the companys plans to implement an Alternative Work Schedule, claiming that it will only be enacted in a department if it is supported in a two-thirds vote by workers. At most auto plants, the Alternative Work Schedule has been used to increase shifts beyond eight or even 10 hours, without overtime pay after eight hours, effectively abolishing the hard-won eight-hour day.

Another Allison Transmission worker voiced outrage over the UAWs continuing refusal to call strike. Its bull crap with the lawyers saying we cant strike. The union is faking it with scare tactics. They say that since this is a right-to-work state, Allison could sue the union. Agreeing with the Rank-and-File Committee of Allison Transmission Workers demands, they continued, There should be livestreamed [negotiations] every day; I dont even read the UAW updates anymore. We barely make it; hourly pay is ridiculous with cost of living. With the tanks, thats another reason supposedly theres a clause saying the federal government said we cant strike. Its all BS.

The reality is that the UAW is blocking a strike because Allison workers are essential to the production of tanks and other military vehicles. Fain and the UAW bureaucracy are intimately collaborating with the Biden administration both to impose the demands of the corporations onto workers and to suppress strikes and other workers struggles to ensure there is no disruption to Washingtons war against Russia, the US-backed Israeli genocide against Gaza and preparations for war against China.

Workers are thus not simply in a struggle against management at Allison but in a political fight against the UAW apparatus, Biden administration and both political parties.

The UAW has conveniently remained silent on Bidens Thanksgiving holiday with David Rubenstein, co-founder of the Carlyle Group which bought Allison Transmission from GM in 2007. As the World Socialist Web Site has noted, Carlyle is not only a vicious corporate predator, it has long had the most intimate ties with the military-intelligence apparatus, particularly in connection with the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

The previous sellout contract and the latest updates further expose the UAWs role in enforcing Allisons demands for the greater exploitation of workers and maintaining the supply of tanks for the military. Based on the previous betrayals by Fain and his closed-door discussions with Biden, workers should be under no illusions that the UAW will correct its trajectory.

A seniority worker stated that the UAW intentionally did not file the paperwork to strike. He continued, A lot of people on the floor are suspecting that our negotiating team doesnt want to ruffle any feathers because they are getting special treatment, which probably includes various payouts, for favors traded back and forth. Just like our government, we pretty much suspect that our negotiating team is also compromised. This company has received nothing but concessions for the last 15 to 20 years, and now its our time!

Workers at Allison must take up the demands of their coworkers in the Rank-and-File Committee of Allison Transmission Workers. They state, We need to take control of the situation ourselves. We saw what happened to our brothers and sisters at the Big Three and at Mack Trucks. After Fain said he squeezed everything out of the company, GM brags about their $10 billion stock buybacks and saw their stock price go up 10 percent. The rank-and-file committee is calling for:

Kick out the bargaining committee and Region 2B Director David Green, and replace them with a committee of trusted militants, elected by the rank and file. All negotiations should be livestreamed every day, and members from every shift must have oversight over negotiations and report back to the whole membership. Instead of our usual hush-hush, we need to know when the UAW and Allison are messing with workers pay and conditions.

Hold emergency meetings of Allison workers to begin preparation for a strike. Workers must uphold the principle, No Contract, No Work! They voted down the contract by a majority vote, and UAW International, regional and Local 933 officials are ordering them to work. The UAW bureaucrats only want to buy themselves some time before they bring back the same agreement. Workers must have strike pay of $750 a week.
President Biden at the GM Factory Zero in Detroit-Hamtramck in 2021 [Photo by General Motors / CC BY-NC 3.0

A raging fire at the General Motors Factory Zero electric vehicle plant on the Detroit-Hamtramck border in Michigan shut down production for two shifts Tuesday. The fire was caused by a hi-lo [forklift] accidentally puncturing a container with battery materials.

The fire filled much of the factory with heavy smoke and forced its evacuation. Two work shifts had to be canceled. Fortunately, no injuries were reported, although firefighters were hosed down after leaving the factory as a precaution due to potential exposure to dangerous chemicals.

According to press reports, the fire broke out in a shipping area that contained lithium-ion batteries. The three-alarm fire brought out 18 firetrucks and 60 Detroit firefighters.

Lithium-ion batteries produce toxic chemicals when burned, including carbon monoxide, methane, hydrogen cyanide, hydrogen fluoride and hydrogen chloride.

GM resumed production the next day. In the aftermath of the fire, General Motors issued a boilerplate statement declaring Safety remains our overriding priority. The United Auto Workers, which covers the 1,800 workers at the factory, had not said anything at the time of this writing.

This was the eighth fire in the plant since August related to EV batteries. At a press briefing following the fire, Detroit Fire Chief James Harris admitted, There is still a lot we dont know about this type of fire because it is new. But it is coming and it is not going to stop. We are doing a lot of research, going to other cities.

Harris said that as a result of the fire Tuesday much of the factory was filled with dense, potentially toxic smoke. It is not known if any health evaluation was done of workers who might have been exposed to dangerous chemical residues.

According to a report in the Detroit Free Press, based on documents it obtained under the state Freedom of Information Act, the Detroit Fire Department said in an Oct. 25 report there was an autonomous electric car fire inside the factory that water sprinklers helped extinguish. The report stated the ventilation system was not operating correctly and did not allow smoke to exit the building in a timely manner. The car fire consisted of a battery fire, toxins and smoke was in the air.

General Motors said in relation to the October 25 fire, Our investigation into the incident on October 25th indicates all safety systems operated correctly. We learned that the cause was a non-battery related component that has since been corrected.

Factory Zero opened in 2021 to much fanfare as the centerpiece of GMs move to electric vehicle production. Among those attending the opening ceremony were President Biden, GM CEO Mary Barra, then UAW President Ray Curry and Labor Secretary Marty Walsh. The plant builds the electric Hummer pickup truck and the electric Silverado pickup truck.

Production of the autonomous electric Cruise Origin was suspended earlier this year following the investigation of a crash involving a Cruise in San Francisco. California officials say Cruise tried to cover up the severity of the crash that involved a pedestrian being hit and dragged.

All of the auto companies are desperate not to be left behind in the shift to EV production, which will save them billions by slashing jobs. At the same time, companies are vying to cuts costs to fund the transition, putting the safety of workers at risk.

The dangers involving lithium-ion batteries are receiving exposure due to their increasing use, particularly in electric vehicles. According to government officials, there have been 400 incidents related to lithium-ion batteries this year.

A recent report on CBS noted that lithium-ion batteries were responsible for 220 fires in New York City in 2022 and were responsible for at least 10 deaths and 226 injuries in 2021 and 2022.

A lithium-ion battery in an electric motor scooter sparked a three-alarm fire in the Bronx that injured three people. A house fire ignited by a lithium battery killed three people in Brooklyn in November.

In April, a fire at a Jacksonville, Florida battery plant operated by Saft took firefighters hours to extinguish. A 20,000 pound battery caught fire and could not be put out with dry chemicals and special fire extinguishers, so firefighters had to let it burn while they evacuated the area. According to fire officials, the blaze emitted highly dangerous gasses, including hydrogen fluoride.

Explaining the difficulties firefighters encountered extinguishing the blaze, a Jacksonville fire official stated, These batteries, whether its the lithium-iron phosphate or lithium-ion batteries, theyre small cells, theyre packed together real tight, he said. So what happens is once you get thermal runaway with one battery, then it impacts all the other batteries and compromises them. So it is not anything that you can put out with just putting a lot of water on them. ... Once one battery gets going, it just heats up the battery next to it and around it.

In 2016 President Barack Obama toured the Saft battery plant in Jacksonville, promoting it as the new face of high-tech manufacturing. The company claimed the facility was the most advanced, automated lithium-ion battery factory. Construction of the plant was largely funded by subsidies received from the state of Florida.

In June 2023, a massive fire broke out at a lithium processing plant operated by Livent in Bessemer City, North Carolina. The fire was apparently limited to a warehouse facility where the solid lithium ingots are produced. It is not clear what caused the fire.

Since lithium fires cannot be extinguished with water due to the reactive nature of the material, firefighters had to let the fire burn. At great hazard, firefighters and Livent workers had to enter the building to remove over 200 drums of lithium to keep them from igniting.

Before a thorough environmental evaluation was even conducted, local officials and plant managers assured residents that there was no danger and no evacuation was ordered, including not even the 250 workers at the plant.

While the potential hazards involved in battery production, use and storage are well known, the danger comes not so much from electric vehicle production in itself, but the subordination of all concerns regarding the safety of this new technology to the irrationality of the profit-driven capitalist system.
On Friday, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated its SARS-CoV-2 genomic surveillance variant proportions, with data obtained over the past two weeks, showing that the Omicron JN.1 subvariant accounted for 44.2 percent of all sequenced cases and is now dominant across the US.

Variant proportions across the US, December 23, 2023 [Photo: CDC]

Variant trackers and data scientists agree that the rise of JN.1 to dominance in the US will only fuel the countrys eighth wave of mass infection in the weeks ahead. This could soon cause the second-highest number of COVID-19 cases of any wave so far, excluding only the initial Omicron wave exactly two years ago. It is not yet clear how high JN.1 will push hospitalization and death rates, but data from the bellwether state of New York are very concerning, with hospitalizations rising 36 percent over the past week after JN.1 became dominant.

JN.1 is now the dominant variant globally, causing spikes in infections, hospitalizations and now deaths in a growing number of countries. Some European countries, including Germany, the Netherlands and Denmark, have recorded all-time highs in COVID-19 wastewater levels, surpassing even the peaks reached during the first Omicron wave two years ago.

The case of Singapore is important to highlight as it provides a window into what the US and other regions can expect in the course of just a few weeks. The strain quickly rose in prominence and dominated other strains of SARS-CoV-2 by early December.

Singapores Ministry of Health has reported a steady rise in COVID-19 hospitalizations due to JN.1, despite having a population that has been highly vaccinated and boosted. The number of COVID-19 cases has more than quadrupled in the past month, while hospitalizations have jumped from 136 in late November to 560 in their latest update. Public health authorities have issued pleas for citizens to don masks again and are reviewing health system utilization to assure bed capacity remains available for the infected.

In Malaysia, the government has reactivated the Heightened Alert System to better respond to developments. Cases have nearly doubled since early December. Thailand and Indonesia are also issuing similar advisories to their respective population.

On Tuesday, the World Health Organization (WHO) had to acknowledge the threat of JN.1 by designating it as its own variant of interest independent of its parent BA.2.86 (nicknamed Pirola). In its press release, the organization recommended that all people Wear a mask when in crowded, enclosed, or poorly ventilated areas, and keep a safe distance from others, as feasible and improve ventilation.

Significantly, for healthcare workers and facilities, the WHO advises universal masking in health facilities, as well as appropriate masking, respirators and other PPE for health workers caring for suspected and confirmed COVID-19 patients. They also suggest improve ventilation in health facilities.

Needless to say, these basic public health measures are not being implemented in the overwhelming majority of healthcare facilities. As with the United Nations toothless resolution calling for a ceasefire in Israels genocide of the Palestinian people, the WHOs advice falls on deaf ears, as the worlds ruling elites are inured to the mass death and suffering of their populations.

Nevertheless, in some health systems in Pennsylvania, Washington, Massachusetts, New Jersey and other states, administrators are doing the bare minimum of bringing back mask mandates in an attempt to slow the spread, especially among staff and patients.

Dr. David Christopher, an emergency room physician in Northeast Ohio, who has seen his ER being overrun with patients with respiratory illnesses, wrote on X/Twitter, My hospital is finally reinstating COVID PCR testing on every patient being admitted which should give you a clue as to how bad things are getting again yet most people are totally oblivious while plague coughing is everywhere.

Recent studies have shown that the particular mutation distinguishing JN.1 from its parent BA.2.86, L455S, has given it significant immune-evading capacity. A research group headed by Yunlong Richard Cao of Peking University is one of the few groups conducting real-time studies on the emergence of these new strains of Omicron. Summarizing its latest finding on JN.1 in a Lancet report, they noted:

JN.1, by inheriting BA.2.86s antigenic diversity and acquisition of L455S, rapidly achieved extensive resistance across receptor binding domain class 1, 2, and 3 antibodies, and showed higher immune evasion compared with BA.2.86 and other resistant strains like HV.1 and JD.11, at the expense of reduced human ACE2 binding. This evolutionary pattern, similar to the previous transition from BA.2.75 to CH.1.1 and XBB, highlights the importance of closely monitoring strains with high human ACE2 binding affinity and distinct antigenicity, like BA.2.86 and BA.2.75, despite their unremarkable immune evasion capabilities. Such strains could survive and transmit at low levels since their antigenic difference would allow them to target distinct populations compared with dominant strains and have the potential to quickly accumulate highly immune-evasive mutations at the cost of human ACE2 binding capabilities.

In another report awaiting peer review by the same group, they underscored the dangers posed by SARS-CoV-2s continuous evolution and the fatal flaws of a vaccine-only strategy. They found that a L455F+F456L mutation known as Flip on the receptor binding domain (RBD) of the virus inherently improves its receptor binding properties while maintaining its immune-evasive characteristics.

They wrote, The enhancement of receptor binding increases the potential for the virus to further accumulate immune evasive mutations. In their conclusion, they warned, the evolutionary potential of SARS-CoV-2 RBD is still high and should not be underestimated.

Ushering in the holiday seasons and entering the fifth year of the pandemic, such shifts in the genetic make-up of SARS-CoV-2 were not unexpected. They are part and parcel of the viruss ability to consistently find new mechanisms to advance its own evolution using billions of human hosts, as detailed in a recent Substack piece by Drs. Arijit Chakravarty and T Ryan Gregory.

The corporate media continuously minimizes the risks of COVID-19 by noting that health system usage and deaths are no longer at levels seen in the first two years of the pandemic. However, this does not take into account the immense societal impacts of Long COVID, often termed the pandemic within the pandemic.

Not a single mainstream outlet has reported a highly significant interview with three of the worlds leading experts on Long COVIDDrs. Ziyad Al-Aly, Akiko Iwasaki and Michael Pelusoin which each stated that they continue to remain disciplined with masking in indoor public spaces in order to avoid Long COVID.

More so than any previously studied pathogen, SARS-CoV-2 has been shown to persist in myriad body tissues for unknown duration. Thus, in a recent discussion with the WSWS, Arijit Chakravarty conceptualized the ruling elites policy of forever COVID in a two-fold manner: through unending waves of mass infection, which will entail repeated annual reinfections for the great bulk of the population, untold masses are being seeded with SARS-CoV-2, potentially persisting in them forever. The implications of this policy are deeply disturbing, with ever-broader sections of society becoming debilitated and dying with each new wave of mass infection.

In an opinion piece published this week in the British Medical Journal, the scale of this mass disabling event was given further measure. According to the UK Office for National Statistics (ONS) Infection Survey, by the end of March 2023 (at which point the ONS discontinued this vital service), some 1.7 million people were experiencing Long COVID, 40 percent of whom had caught COVID-19 in the last two years (Omicron phase).

Extrapolated for the global population, this would mean that roughly 200 million people were then suffering from Long COVID. According to the ONS data, only 31 percent of those who still had symptoms after 12 weeks recovered within a year of their infection, the report noted. Tens of thousands of UK residents, and millions globally, have had persistent symptoms lasting for more than three years.

Despite the accumulated knowledge of post-viral syndromes and their impact, there is no impetus from within the capitalist political establishment to fund large, well-designed trials to evaluate potential treatments for Long COVID and related illnesses. As the authors noted:

Post-viral syndromes are nothing new. We already knew of the significant ongoing burden of disease in many infected with SARS-CoV-1 almost 20 years and MERS over 10 years ago. The chances that another new coronavirus like SARS-CoV-2 which causes significant long-term morbidity should have been a consideration from the very beginning of the pandemic. It should have been explicitly factored into the debates on policies.

The evolution and rapid global spread of JN.1 epitomize the complete failure of capitalism to address the pandemic. The international working class must study and take heed of the ongoing dangers posed by the virus and fight for a preventative strategy against COVID-19 and other public health threats. Fundamentally, what is required is the eradication of capitalism to ensure that a socialist society is built by workers themselves to tackle these and all other urgent problems facing humanity.
More than 1,000 doctors, dentists, psychiatrists and veterinarians serving Los Angeles County-run hospitals, clinics and medical centers are preparing to strike on December 27. A strike authorization vote was held last month through the Union of American Physicians and Dentists (UAPD) after more than two years of failed negotiations. The UAPD is affiliated with the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), part of the AFL-CIO.

The strike affects Los Angeles Countys departments of Health Services, Mental Health, Medical Examiner, Fire and Animal and Care and Control. The health care system has been plagued for years by an unprecedented exodus of medical staff as well as grossly inadequate and still deteriorating staffing levels.

The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated what was an already dire situation. After four years of the COVID-19 pandemic and millions of dead worldwide, obscenely unsafe conditions prevail in the countys clinics. Nothing significant has been done to implement basic safety measures such as the installation of HEPA filters and ventilation systems that would greatly reduce the risk of virus transmission.

According to a recent survey from Tebra, a third of healthcare workers plan to leave their current jobs by 2024. Burnout, anxiety, depression, and exhaustion are pushing these workers to the brink. It is estimated that 800,000 nurses in the US will leave their profession altogether by 2027.

Doctors and physicians picket in Los Angeles, California, December 15, 2023. [Photo: Union of American Physicians and Dentists]

UAPDs president, Dr. Stuart Bussey, conveyed the depth of the crisis in a speech last month, stating, Weve lost many of the positions. Theyre not coming here, theyre not staying here. We need better healthcare benefits so they will stay in Los Angeles County. Theyre dedicated people but they need to be taken care of.

In many departments in Los Angeles County, more than 50 percent of job openings remain vacant. It is even worse in the Los Angeles County Jails, where up to 70 percent of job offers cannot be filled. The burden also weighs particularly heavily on female doctors, who lack even the most basic family planning protections. They have been forced to work beyond the limits of safety during pregnancy, doing intensive overtime in order to extend their maternity leave.

Doctors and dentists have a long list of grievances: pension protection is inadequate, cost of living increases are taking a toll, health benefits are, ironically, extremely limited, workload is excessive and burnouts are common. Poor safety for both patients and medical staff poses dangers while the work environment is increasingly corporate and hostile, and contracting out threatens the viability of these jobs.

Despite this, the UAPD is pursuing the AFL-CIOs treacherous script of Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) strike action. The calling of an ULP strike prevents workers from raising economic demands. It has thus become a favored tactic used by unions to facilitate the betrayal of workers struggles.

The UAPD stated this openly in a recent statement rejecting claim(s) that the impending strike is an economic strike aimed at getting leverage at the bargaining table before the two sides had reached an official impasse or exhausted the steps that follow impasse, making it presumptively unlawful. However, the impending strike is an Unfair Labor Practice strike, not an economic strike.

To make matters worse, the union is bending over backwards to meet the countys demands that the strike be as toothless as possible. For example, responding to the Countys allegation that the strike poses an imminent threat to public health and safety, the UAPD responded that it has assured the County that by following line pass procedures, no essential employees will be on strike.

The UAPD itself has no interest in actually pursuing an all-out strike, which will only expose it in front of its membership. In a recent tweet, it comments: were hopeful that Los Angeles County will meet with us in mediation to prevent the strike from happening. Nothing good can come out of this spineless attitude.

The policies being pursued by the UAPD are in line with those of the AFL-CIO, which for the past 40 years and more has suppressed the class struggle and overseen a huge reduction in workers living standards based on its nationalist, pro-capitalist program and its alliance with the big business Democratic Party.

Hand-in-hand with its betrayals of workers economic struggles, the unions have lined up behind the wars launched by every US administration aimed at securing the economic interests of big business.

In line with this, the AFL-CIO has issued not a single word about the Israeli genocide against the people of Gazaabsolutely nothing about the hundreds of doctors, nurses, and healthcare workers who have been slaughtered. On the contrary, the AFL-CIO has issued a pro-Israel statement, fully in line with the Biden administrations genocidal policy.

Meanwhile, healthcare workers have been in the forefront of opposition to the genocide being carried out by the Netanyahu government against the people of Gaza with the full backing and military support of the Biden Administration.

Since October 7, Israel has killed thousands of civilians in Gaza, targeting hospitals and healthcare facilities, arresting or murdering those few medical professionals who courageously serve Palestinians.

While a substantial number of Los Angeles County doctors have taken a principled stance against the ongoing genocide in Gaza, the UAPD has made no public statement, nor has it come to the defense of Family Medicine residents who were recently targeted by Harbor-UCLA Medical Center (one of Los Angeles Countys main hospitals) and accused of misconduct for issuing a pro-Palestinian statement using the centers logo.

The UADPs complicit silence over this massacre is just another expression of its fundamentally hostile attitude to its own overstretched, exhausted workforce.

Los Angeles is an exceptionally wealthy city, in the wealthiest US state, plagued by extreme social inequality and run by a cabal of Democratic politicians who preside over staggering levels of poverty, homelessness, mental illness, substance abuse and the transmission of preventable diseases, to name a few.

Thus doctors face a struggle not only against the Democrats who control the city, but likewise who control the unions that claim to represent them.

The resolution of the grievances doctors raise is incompatible with the profit system the county officials defend. The doctors conditions mirror those of workers across the US and around the world, whose highest expression is the destruction of Gaza.

But to struggle against these conditions, to actually end the inhumane dilapidation of healthcare, an entirely new strategy is required.

First of all, it is necessary to forge strong alliances with other sections of the working class, from autoworkers to logistics workers to educators and postal workers. Workers across the country and the world are facing similar challenges, but are blocked by trade unions tied to the Democratic Party and hostile to any genuine united struggle.

Second, it is vital for health workers and professionals to build rank-and-file committees that actually reflect workers interests. Workers must control their own struggle democratically and break through the deceit and division imposed by the trade union apparatus.

Third and finally, health workers must understand that they face a political struggle, not just against the hospitals, but the Democratic and Republican parties, including the billionaires they represent. The only solution to the worsening conditions in healthcare is through abolishing the irrational and destructive system of for-profit healthcare and replacing with a high quality, free, socialist health care system democratically administered by the working class.
The following tribute to Helen Halyard from Reza Omar, a long-time political supporter of the International Committee of the Fourth International from South Africa, was one of several read out to an international memorial meeting for Helen held on December 3. Comrade Helen, a leading member of the Socialist Equality Party (US) and the ICFI for more than half a century, died suddenly at the age of 73 on November 28.

In 2011, my wife and I were fortunate to meet Helen at a seminar on The Fight for Socialism Today held in the US. Her principled stance and dedication to international socialism and the International Committee of the Fourth International immediately left an indelible impression. We were honoured to have her spend time with us.

In 2019, she embarked on a journey to Cape Town, South Africa, where we had the privilege of hosting her. Together, we traversed the city, experiencing the stark contrasts between affluence and poverty. Throughout our interactions, Helens insights helped illuminate complex political questions, offering invaluable guidance.

Helen was an exceptional teacher. Her ability to connect with others and impart knowledge was truly remarkable. Her patience and kindness have nurtured an entire generation of socialists.

Helens sudden departure leaves a profound void in the broader working class movement, and in my life, in particular. She will be deeply missed.

Helens legacy lives on in the ICFI and in our fight for socialist internationalism.

Fraternally,

Reza

***

Helen had a huge impact on people and women like me. I learned a lot from her

The following tribute to Helen Halyard from Mary Coleman, a retired Detroit school bus driver, was one of several read out to an international memorial meeting for Helen held on December 3.

In 1997, Coleman, a 17-year veteran school bus driver, was victimized and fired. Eleven months later, she was reinstated to her job and granted back pay as a result of her determined struggle and the fight taken up by the Socialist Equality Party against her politically motivated dismissal. Helen played a critical role in the campaign.

I was four months older than Helen. She stopped by for my 70th birthday party. I was so glad to see her because it brought back memories that we would laugh about each time we saw each other.

We went on a book tour to New York [in 1996 for the Nadedza Joffe book Back in Time] and she took me to meet her family. I told her I wanted to go see the Apollo Theater. She got me in the building and on stage because we told the cleaning crew that I was performing later that night!

It was so much fun! Helen had a huge impact on people and women like me. She would explain to me about racism, and I learned a lot from her. She will be missed throughout the entire universe.

R. I. P. HELEN HALYARD

***

Dearest Helen, thank you for sparking the passion for solidarity and revolution in humanity

The following tribute to Helen Halyard from Simone White, the daughter of a member of the SEP (US) and a student at Wayne State University in Detroit, was one of several tributes read out to an international memorial meeting for Helen held on December 3.

Dearest Helen,

Thank you for being a force of nature in my life.

Thank you for being a breath of fresh air and perspective I deserved and so desperately needed when my world felt suffocating.

Thank you for watering my creativity and passion for history and music when I felt I had nothing to offer the world.

Thank you for being the ground that I could rely on when I felt like I couldnt stand tall.

Thank you for sparking the fiery passion for solidarity and revolution in humanity, so that I could feel confident in my future without you.

Love,

Simone
The Socialist Equality Party (SEP) held an important and well-attended meeting on Wednesday in Sydney, to discuss the way forward for the working class in the fight to stop Israels genocide in Gaza.

Despite the approach of the holiday season, and the meeting being held on a weeknight, more than 150 people attended, either online or in person.

There is widespread anger over the genocide in the southwest suburb of Lakemba, where the meeting was held. A diverse working-class area, it has a large migrant community, including many people from the Middle East and of an Islamic background.

In-person attendees included Palestinians, who had emigrated during earlier Israeli assaults, as well as youth who had been born in the diaspora. Other attendees, workers, students and retirees, were of various backgrounds, some who have long held socialist convictions, others who have been politicised by the unfolding events.

Livestream participants tuned in from across Australia. There were also international listeners, including from New Zealand, Germany, India and one participant in a Middle Eastern country.

Comments from some of those who attended are published here.

The meeting was chaired by SEP National Secretary Cheryl Crisp, and speeches were given by Max Boddy, assistant national secretary of the SEP, and Evrim Yazgin, national convenor of the International Youth and Students for Social Equality (IYSSE), the partys youth movement.

The expansive reports provoked lively discussion and questions, which were addressed by the panelists and in contributions from other leading SEP members, Peter Symonds and Nick Beams. A recording of the meeting is included above.

Crisp opened by paying tribute to Helen Halyard, a 52-year veteran of the SEP and its predecessor, the Workers League, in the United States, who died suddenly on November 28, after dedicating her entire adult life to the fight to build the revolutionary party for the overthrow of capitalism.

Helen was part of a generation, Crisp continued, politicised through war and the mass struggles of the working class, in a period when, through the development of technology, the Vietnam War was reported and televised in a way no other war was.

Similarly, Crisp explained, the unrelenting war and slaughter unleashed against Gaza is rapidly transforming the world view of millions of people in Australia and globally.

Citing Vladimir Lenins statement, There are decades where it appears nothing happens; and there are weeks where decades happen, Crisp noted, We have passed from the first part of the comment to the second.

Yazgin declared, Bidens full-throated support for the atrocities carried out by Israel in Gaza is intended to send a message to the world: There are no limits. Colonialism is back. Genocide is now the policy of all the imperialist powers.

He explained that Israels bombardment of Gaza is rooted in decades of US-led imperialist aggression aimed at controlling the resource-rich Middle East. But this is just one arena of a global war for world domination, targeting Russia in Europe and China in the Pacific.

This is, Yazgin said, the working out of a perspective that US and global imperialism have been developing since the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. The final betrayal of the October Revolution by the Stalinist bureaucracy paved the way for US imperialism to openly and ruthlessly try to reestablish its global hegemony and overcome the crisis of world capitalism.

The International Committee of the Fourth International (ICFI) was the sole political tendency to anticipate this. Basing itself upon the scientific method of Marxism, the ICFI warned in 1991 that a new period of war and social misery was on the cards unless the working class was mobilised against capitalism.

The daily horrors being inflicted upon the people of Gaza are the starkest demonstration of the correctness of this analysis, and that Trotskyism has become a living necessity for the working class youth.

For an end to war, poverty, authoritarianism, climate catastrophe and mass illness, the working class must end capitalism. For the working class to carry out its historic task, it must be led by a Marxist revolutionary party, based on the lessons of history and oriented to the seizure of power by the world working class.

Max Boddy addresses the meeting in Sydney, December 20, 2023

Boddy explained that workers and young people confront a choice between two opposed perspectives:

That advanced by the SEP for the independent action and mobilisation of the working class, drawing on the colossal experiences of the 20th and 21st centuries; or, That of the trap laid by all other political tendencies to appeal to the very governments responsible for the genocide.

He explained that the Australian governments posture of support for a ceasefire is entirely phoney. Labors position is that, far from a permanent ceasefire, Israels genocidal campaign should continue indefinitely, with a series of pauses to give a humanitarian veneer to the mass murder.

Confronted with mass popular opposition to this pro-Zionist, pro-war line, Labor has lurched further to the right, seeking to vilify all expressions of support for the Palestinians, including the rallies and protests, the strikes by high school students, and in the fields of theatre, visual arts and sport.

The Greens present no alternative, as is demonstrated by their history of close collaboration with Labor, including backing US-led regime change operations in Syria and the US-NATO war against Russia in Ukraine.

The trade union bureaucracy, Boddy explained, has defended the Labor Partys pro-Zionist position by ensuring not a single political strike has occurred since the onslaught began.

This is most sharply expressed by the Maritime Union of Australia (MUA), which has forced port workers to remain on the job, loading and unloading Israeli ships, while its leaders falsely profess their support for the hundreds of protesters taking part in Block the Boat rallies at ports around the country.

The pseudo-left is providing political cover for the perfidy of all of these organisations, hailing token gestures as a substitute for industrial and political action, promoting illusions that Labor can be pressured to the left and engaging in outright falsification of the role being played by the unions.

That, Boddy explained, is because these organisations represent the interests of the upper middle class, and seek to keep workers shackled to the political setup, including the Labor Party and the trade unions, as capitalism is driving toward world war and dictatorship.

Boddy cited a recent article, How can we build the movement for the liberation of Palestine? published by Socialist Alliance, explicitly calling for a deeper turn to Labor.

Its author declared: While we are angry with Labor for its stance on Palestine, and many other things, we need to work with pro-Palestine activists within Labor: They are an important source of pressure on the hierarchy, as are the unions. We must partner with Labor activists to deepen that pressure until the Labor hierarchy caves in.

Boddy responded, This perspective is not a way forward but a dead end. You cannot pressure the pro-capitalist and pro-Zionist parties responsible for the slaughter. The last two-and-a-half months have proven that.

He continued, We insist that there is an alternative to the capitalist system, which is socialism. Critical to realising this perspective is the fight to build a revolutionary party based on the example of the Bolshevik Party, which led the Russian working class to victory in 1917.

Boddy concluded: What faces everybody here today is the question of joining our movement, building the party of socialist revolution, assimilating the essential historical lessons, and bringing this necessary socialist consciousness into the movement of workers and youth. Only through this perspective will there be an end to the bloodshed and imperialist war.

The reports provoked a broad range of questions. Attendees asked about the global corporate media coverup of pro-Palestinian protests, the impact of the propaganda campaign on workers, and how workers can organise to fight genocide in the face of opposition from the union leadership.

They also wanted to know more about the economic development and geo-strategic interests of Israel and how these intersected with the broader interests of imperialism, as well as what impact the immense technical progress since 1917 had on the relevance of the Marxist program advanced by Lenin and Trotsky to the situation today.

These questions and more were addressed by the speakers in the course of the discussion, which can be viewed in full in the video above. We urge readers to watch the meeting video, share it widely on social media, and contact the SEP to join the fight for a socialist alternative to imperialist war and genocide.
Nearly 400 people attended a Unionists for Palestine protest outside the Patricks terminal at Swanson Dock in Melbourne on Tuesday evening.

A section of the protest at Swanson Dock, Melbourne, on December 19, 2023

The cargo ship, Zim Sparrow, operated by the Israeli Zim shipping corporation that has committed itself to supplying the genocide of Palestinians in Gaza, was earlier in the day diverted to Port Kembla but the protest went ahead anyway. Zim operates over 70 cargo ships globally.

On Thursday morning protesters in kayaks attempted to block another cargo ship, the Vela, which is currently chartered by Zim, as it arrived in Melbourne. The Vela sailed through the kayakers. Rima Ansarallah who was at the protest said, Today were here to halt business for Zim, an Israeli shipping company that sends weapons and materials to kill Palestinians. Being Palestinian myself, this is something that I want to stop by any means necessary.

The events reflect a striving by working people to take more direct actions against the genocide than the mass rallies that have occurred since the Israeli bombardment began in October.

The corporatised trade union leadership, however, is doing nothing. This is most stark on the ports, where the Maritime Union of Australia (MUA) has rejected any strike action, instead enforcing industrial peace and ensuring the orderly loading of Zim cargo week in, week out.

The MUA leaders cite draconian Fair Work industrial laws as reason for their refusal to take industrial action. Those laws, however, were drawn up by previous Labor governments, with the active involvement of the unions.

The MUA and most other unions remain affiliated to Labor, whose explicit position is the maintenance of the whole Fair Work framework. The unions use the legislation, not only to block strikes defending the Palestinians, but also to prevent any struggle against the continuous cuts to jobs, wages and conditions, enforced by the bureaucracy itself.

During Tuesdays protest, dock workers could be seen through the security fence climbing up and down the ladders to the straddle carrier crane cabins that they drive to move shipping containers. The biggest cheers from the crowd erupted when some of the crane operators sounded their horns. Protesters took this as support for the protest.

The event underscored the cynical and duplicitous role of the Unionist for Palestine organisation, dominated by the fake-left Solidarity group. The organisation is billed as a rank-and-file initiative, but in fact its whole purpose is to cover-up and excuse the refusal of the unions to oppose the genocide.

Matt Abbott, the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) president at Federation University, co-chaired the rally. He stated, Weve faced attacks from Liberal governments, and from Labor governments. We face some of the harshest laws against industrial action in the developed world.

The NTEU is, again, a Labor-affiliated union and collaborates closely with the very federal Labor government that has aggressively backed the Israeli war crimes.

Kevin Bracken, former Victorian secretary of the MUA, gave a potted history of actions taken by the waterfront union decades ago, including against apartheid in South Africa.

The MUA officials have developed an entire mythology, which they trot out at every Palestinian-related event they attend. Much of the supposed record of militancy is exaggerated and distorted, with tensions between the rank-and-file and the bureaucracy always absent.

But above all, this history has nothing to do with what the MUA is today. It is a shell of a union, having presided over the gutting of jobs across the ports over the past three decades. And it is among the most corporatised, intimately collaborating with the government, the shipping companies, the port corporations and other segments of big business, such as the fossil fuel conglomerates.

To the extent that the unions took action decades ago against war and oppression, that only underscores their transformation since into adjuncts of governments and company management, now complicit in the genocide of the Palestinians.

Bracken deflected from the MUAs failure to lead any industrial action by referring to MUA national secretary Christy Cains call for leadership of the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU), to do something. Cain, however, is on the ACTUs executive, and so was essentially appealing to himself.

Bracken said, Working people cant stand by and let this happen and do nothing about it. That remark defies parody, given the union is doing everything it can to ensure that workers are unable to take action against the genocide.

Senator Lydia Thorpe, who resigned from the Greens over their support for the Voice referendum, said, This government, Uncle Albo, is complicit in genocide in Palestine and in this country. To even allow a company on our land that is aiding and abetting genocide is a criminal act in itself. But despite calling the prime minister a criminal, Thorpe concluded that people should pressure the government to do the right thing.

Greens senator Janet Rice said the government had blood on its hands and was complicit in Israeli war crimes, exporting weapons to Israel and supplying intelligence via Pine Gap for the targeting of Palestinians. She said she receives an email every minute of every day opposing the genocide but concluded by saying, What I would like is everyone here to contact all the other Labor MPs and the Liberal MPs and the National MPs and ask them to sign on to it [a petition] as well because this is a just cause.

This is an attempt to trap opposition within the dead-end framework of parliament. The Greens, for all their moral handwringing, are committed to the defence of imperialism and collaboration with the pro-genocide Labor government.

Several other speakers were from sub-groups of Unionists for Palestine, including in health and education. Summing up the tenor of the speeches as a whole, one said the protest had disrupted the Israeli war machine, when it had plainly not.

The rally passed a resolution that promoted the unions, rather than indicting them for their assistance to the Israeli war machine and alignment with the Labor government. It outlined no concrete actions, and no way forward.

On Thursday, Will Lehman, a US auto worker and leading figure of the International Workers Alliance of Rank-and-File Committees (IWA-RFC), wrote: In every factory, workers should expand the network of rank-and-file committees to break the stranglehold of the UAW [United Auto Workers] bureaucracy. The fight against layoffs, austerity and inequality must be united with the fight against war. Stopping the genocide requires strikes and boycotts of arms companies, work stoppages at the docks and airports to prevent the shipment of any items to Israel with a military use and the systematic preparation for a political general strike against the war.

Only by forming rank-and-file committees of dock workers can the stifling stranglehold of the MUA bureaucracy be broken, and a genuine campaign begun. International co-ordination by such organisations of struggle is the only way that a global company like Zim can be blocked as part of the broader struggle to mobilise the working class against the genocide and all the governments facilitating it.

Gill

Gill, a nurse who attended the protest, told the WSWS, Im just an ordinary person like the people in Gaza. As a human being I feel that I need to stand with Palestinians Someones got to take action, someones got to show the public that what theyre seeing on the mainstream media is all propaganda, its all rubbish. Its not about race, its not about religion, its just about being a human.

I feel very strongly, very emotional about it. Ive got to just be there, supporting the Palestinians. Thats all I can do as an ordinary person. Im not rich, Im not a politician, all I can do as a human being is just walk and support them. I used to be a mental health nurse, so Ive worked with mums and babies, women and children very closely. Just to see the effect on some of the children in the videos from Gaza, you can see that theyre just shellshocked, traumatised.

Asked about the role of the Labor government, Gill said, Its just disgusting. Theyve sold their souls to the Israeli government. Sadly, once youre in power you can have your head turned by money and I think thats what has happened to them. Theyre an American vassal state as I call them, or the US lackeys.

In discussing the failure of the unions to take any industrial action Gill noted, Theres been support for Ukraine, but theres been no support for the Palestinians. Yes, and theyre using the Ukrainians as the cannon fodder.

Amy

Amy also attended the protest: For me its about humanity and treating each other with respect and treating everyone as human. And the people in Palestine are not being treated as human, so thats the biggest thing for me. I go to the Melbourne rally every Sunday and I have been to a few things in Geelong with the Free Palestine Geelong group as well. I work in an office with maybe 1,500 people, and nobody is talking about it people are scared to speak out, theres so much propaganda.
The confrontation between the working class and Premier Francois Legault and his avowedly pro-big business, Quebec First Coalition Avenir Quebec (CAQ) government is intensifying.

Since November, Canadas second-largest and only majority French-speaking province has been convulsed by the largest wave of public sector strikes in a half century.

The more than 600,000 Quebec teachers, healthcare workers, school support staff, CEGEP (pre-university and technical college) personnel and other state employees are determined to improve their working conditions and defend public services, which have been ravaged by four decades of austerity measures imposed by successive Parti Quebecois, Liberal and CAQ governments.

Striking teachers blocked the main entrance to the Port of Montreal for two hours last Dec. 21 [Photo: FAE Montreal/Facebook]

Among rank-and-file workers there is growing anger at the intransigence of the government, which is pressing for real-wage cuts and sweeping changes in work rules to strengthen managerial rights, increase workloads, and slash overtime pay.

But even as workers press for a broadening of the struggle, the unions are conspiring with the government to reach sellout agreements and scuttle the strike movement. In this the union top brass in Quebec are receiving crucial support from the corporatist union apparatuses across Canada, who are maintaining a deafening silence on the class struggle raging in Quebec.

Earlier this week, the leaders of the education component of the CSQ, the FSE-CSQ, which is part of the Common Front, and of the Federation autonome de lenseignement (FAE, Autonmous Teachers Federation), whose 65,000 members have been on strike since November 23, were forced to reject new concession-filled government sectoral offers. Sectoral negotiations deal with working conditions in public school systems, healthcare, the CEGEPs etc., as opposed to wages and pensions which are negotiated at a central bargaining table. The FSE called the government offer a setback while the FAE described it as a discount offer.

Yet on Thursday evening, the FSE-CSQ announced it had agreed to a bargaining blitz and would be negotiating with the government throughout the night. On Friday morning, it announced a tentative sectoral agreement, which it is now trying to have quickly approved by union delegates.

Workers must beware. The unions, which for decades have suppressed the class struggle and enforced the governments ruinous profits-before-lives pandemic policy, are clearly hoping to use the approaching holidays to wear down workers resolve and scuttle the strike movement.

Earlier this week, Common Front leaders threatened to implement the its mandate for an indefinite general strike, which was supported by 95 percent of workers in a vote last October. However, they refused to give any precise date, contenting themselves with saying that it will be launched at the time deemed appropriate in January.

In reality, the leaders of the Common Front have no intention of launching an indefinite strike. They see the threat of an indefinite strike as a means of keeping control over the rank-and-file and pressing Legault for a few more crumbs so they can cast their acceptance of concession contracts in a slightly better light.

At a press conference Wednesday, the Common Front leaders said that after a year of negotiations, 60 percent of the progress for satisfactory settlements had been realized, only in the next breath to claim that everything could be settled in 48 hours.

Subsequently, Francois Enault, the vice-president of the Confederation of National Trade Unions (CNTU), another major Common Front component, conceded that workers are ready to walk off the job tomorrow morning but that this is not what we [the union leaders] want.

Meanwhile, pressure is mounting among the FAEs 65,000 teacher members, who have been on strike for four weeks without any strike pay. In recent days, an increasing number of teachers have called on social media for action to extend the strike movement to the broader population, among whom there is widespread support for the teachers struggle, and for action that would hit sensitive economic sectors.

In response, the FAE organized the blocking of the Port of Montreals principal entrance between 5:45 am and 8:20 am on Thursday morning, preventing more than 500 trucks from entering and leaving Canadas second largest port. In Quebec City, teachers also blocked one of the entrances to the citys port, while in Gatineau teachers blocked access to the government-owned Casino du Lac-Leamy.

These actions demonstrate the combativeness of the workers and their desire to broaden the struggle. On the part of the union leaders, however, these brief disruptive protests have nothing to do with a real turn towards mobilizing the social power of the working class and developing a working-class counter offensive against the Legault government and the entire ruling class program of austerity and war. It is rather a way of defusing workers anger while sowing illusions in their policy of trying to pressure Legault.

In a Radio-Canada interview, the vice president for political affairs of the FAE, Patrick Bydal, explained that the only language that the government of Francois Legault understands is that of money. The boat in which Francois Legault and the government are taking us, Bydal continued, is rocking. It is time for Francois Legault to take his responsibilities as a concerned head of state and bring this boat to port.

Since the negotiations began last March, the unions have insisted that workers must orient to pressuring the Premier, a former CEO and ruthless servant of big business, to listen to workers demands. In reality, Legault and his CAQ have never intended to negotiate.

Following on from and intensifying the work of previous PQ and Liberal governments, Legault is determined to slash jobs, wages and working conditions as part of a program of vicious austerity and privatization for public services. These cuts will then be used to fund generous tax cuts for big businesses and the rich. This anti-worker agenda is enforced by all capitalist governments in Canada and internationally, regardless of whether the ruling party claims to be left or right.

The attack on public services and the workers who provide them is of vital concern to all working people. This is why the ongoing strike by FAE teachers and the limited strikes mounted by other public sector workers have enjoyed strong popular support, even while they cause considerable inconvenience. However, the unions are doing nothing to mobilize that support.

Their fear is that the Quebec public sector workers struggle could trigger a broader movement of the working class in Quebec and across Canada and an explicit challenge to the capitalist elites class war agenda of austerity and war. This is why they have confined the public sector workers struggle within the government-regulated, anti-worker collective bargaining system and the nationalist politics of the Quebec establishment.

Any agreement between the union bureaucrats and the government will be at the workers expense and filled with rollbacks. The unions have already abandoned key worker demands, including by signaling their readiness to accept a five-year agreement and to negotiate with the government over its demands for greater flexibility in scheduling and staffing.

Should the unions prove unable to impose the dictates of the ruling elite, Legault will not hesitate for a moment to impose a back-to-work law to criminalize strike action. Indeed, he probably already has the law at the ready in draft form.

To counter the efforts of the pro-capitalist trade union apparatuses to scuttle the strike movement, mobilize support throughout the working class in Quebec and Canada, and prepare defiance of any anti-strike laws, workers have formed the Quebec Public Sector Workers Rank-and-File Coordinating Committee. The Committee is spearheading the building of rank-and-file committees in every workplace to seize control of the contract struggle from the union bureaucrats. It has advanced a series of demands, including an immediate 20 percent increase in wages for all workers, a cost-of-living (COLA) clause, an end to all privatization, the training and hiring of tens of thousands of new workers, and an end to forced overtime.

The Coordinating Committees founding statement declares: Launching an indefinite general strike will mean a direct clash with the Legault government. It will undoubtedly respond, as its PQ and Liberal predecessors have done so many times in the past, by criminalizing our job action. We must therefore begin now to make preparations to answer a back-to-work law with a political general strike. This can only be done through the active mobilization of the widespread support we enjoy throughout the population, including by fighting to establish rank-and-file solidarity strike committees throughout the private sector so the full power of the working class can be brought to bear in the struggle.

It also imperatively raises the need for us to break out of the provincial, Quebec nationalist straitjacket imposed upon us by the union apparatuses. We must appeal for and secure the support of public and private sector workers across Canada, who face similar attacks from governments at all levels and profit-hungry employers.
A Palestinian man carries the body of his grandson who was killed in the Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip, at the hospital Rafah, southern Gaza, Friday, December 22, 2023. [AP Photo/Fatima Shbair]

The death toll of Israels genocide in Gaza reached 20,057, according to a statement Friday by Gazas Ministry of Health. Taking into account the 7,000 missing, most buried under rubble, the true death toll has likely already exceeded 25,000.

A death toll of 20,00025,000 out of a population of just over 2 million means that more than one out of 100 people in Gaza has been killed in the past two-and-a-half months. This is the equivalent of 3.3 million people in the United States.

The Health Ministry said over 50,000 people are wounded, of whom 5,000 are in critical condition and risk death unless they are transferred abroad for treatment.

Ashraf Al-Qudra, a spokesman for the Health Ministry, said that 50,000 pregnant women and about 900,000 children are suffering from malnutrition. He said that just one-fiftieth of the required aid is traveling into Gaza.

On Thursday, the United Nations reported that a quarter of Gazas population, or over 500,000 people, is starving. Hunger is ravaging Gaza, and this is expected to increase illness across the Strip, most acutely among children, pregnant and breastfeeding women, and older people, the UN wrote in its report.

The UN reported that 93 percent of the population is facing crisis levels of hunger, while one in four households is facing catastrophic conditions of starvation. It concluded, Starvation, destitution and death are evident.

According to the UN, WHO staff say that every single person they spoke to in Gaza is hungry. They added, We move around Gaza delivering medical supplies and people rush to our trucks hoping its food.

There have been over 100,000 cases of diarrhea reported, with half among children under five years old, a rate 25 times greater than what existed prior to Israels onslaught.

The UN noted that while a healthy body can more easily fight off these diseases, a wasted and weakened body will struggle. Hunger weakens the bodys defences and opens the door to disease. The report noted that in Gaza today, on average, there is only one shower for every 4,500 people and one toilet for every 220, and these conditions make the spread of infectious diseases inevitable.

In a staggering statement to the AP, Arif Husain, Chief Economist and Director of Research, Assessment and Monitoring at the United Nations World Food Programme, implied that the mass starvation in Gaza is the worst he has seen in his lifetime. It doesnt get any worse, he said. I have never seen something at the scale that is happening in Gaza. And at this speed.

Some 1.9 million residents of Gaza, or approximately 80 percent of the population, are displaced. There are no functioning hospitals in northern Gaza, and only nine health facilities in the whole country remained partially functional.

On Friday, the United Nations Security Council adopted a resolution calling for humanitarian aid to be allowed into Gaza. Over the past two months, the United States has vetoed two UN Security Council resolutions calling for a ceasefire. This time, the United States abstained, after all language calling for a ceasefire was removed from the draft, and instead called for for creating the conditions for a sustainable cessation of hostilities. Negotiations over finding language that the US would not veto dragged the vote back from Monday to Friday.

Earlier language calling for the urgent suspension of hostilities to allow safe and unhindered humanitarian access, and for urgent steps towards a sustainable cessation of hostilities was removed to prevent the US from vetoing it. A proposal by Russia calling for an urgent and sustainable cessation of hostilities was vetoed by the United States, despite receiving 10 out of 14 votes in favor.

Russias UN Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia accused the United States of forcing into the text an essential license for Israel to kill Palestinian civilians in Gaza under the pretext of creating conditions for a cessation of hostilities.

On Friday, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said the way Israel is conducting its operation is creating massive obstacles to the distribution of humanitarian assistance in Gaza. Guterres said that four out of five of the hungriest people anywhere in the world are in Gaza.

The failure to call for a ceasefire after five days of deliberate delays and dilutions of the resolution is incomprehensible and utterly callous, said Sally Abi-Khalil, a spokesman for the Oxfam charity. It is a profound dereliction of duty from an organization established to uphold the UN Charter to maintain peace and protect lives.

It actively denies over two million Palestiniansmany of whom are now starving as a risk of famine loomsrespite from the relentless bombardment and siege they have endured for nearly two and a half months.

Christopher Gunness, the former chief spokesperson for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), accused the UNSC resolution of greenlighting genocide in a statement to Al Jazeera. Gunness said the massacre in Gaza is an American-Israeli genocideits not just an Israeli genocide.

Just as America provides Israel with $4 billion of military support per annum, its alsoas weve seen tonightproviding Israel with diplomatic and political cover to continue with a genocide which is marked by the wholesale and industrial ignoring of international humanitarian law, Gunness told Al Jazeera.

Gunness is correct. In a press briefing on Wednesday, US Secretary of State Blinken was asked to comment on the world seeing Israels onslaught on Gaza as Americas war. Blinken did not object to this characterization, instead declaring that the US government is intent on seeing this through to completion.
Protesters against the genocide in Gaza hold up a banner in Oakland, California

Last Saturday, over 2,000 demonstrators of all ages attended the Labor for Palestine demonstration in Oakland, under the slogan of Labor demands a permanent cease fire. Many demonstrators brought homemade signs with slogans such as Never again is NOW, We stand with humanity, Ceasefire NOW and Free Palestine.

For two months, hundreds of thousands in the United States have taken part in mass demonstrations against Israels genodical attacks on the people of Gaza, not simply to express their opposition, but to fight for action that will force a halt to war crimes. In the Bay Area, protesters have shut down the Bay Bridge, occupied the federal building in Oakland and most significantly attempted to block a ship with war materiel heading for Israel. Despite the mass opposition to Israels genocide, there has been bipartisan support at the state and federal level to continue arming the fascist Netanyahu regime with no red lines.

It is no surprise that workers across the region support the call for industrial action by the Palestinian General Federation of Trade Unions (PGFTU) to halt the supply of weapons to Israel. The mobilization of the immense social power of the working class is the only viable and realistic strategy to halt the genocide. There is increasing disgust and anger with the unanimous support of the entire political and media establishment for Israel, even as the death toll has passed 20,000 and hundreds continue to die every day.

But the mobilization of the working class to stop the war requires a rebellion against the trade union apparatus, which totally supports US imperialism and is terrified that a mass movement would undermine the social privileges which they have derived through their integration with corporate management, with whom they collaborate to impose continuous pro-company sellouts.

Protest in Oakland, California against the genocide in Gaza

The militant mood of workers attending Saturdays demonstration stood in contrast to the official speakers from local unions and the East Bay Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), who sought to channel opposition to Israels genocide into pressuring politicians, including praise for Genocide Joe Biden himself. The DSA, whose congresspeople have continuously voted to fund the Israeli and US war machines, and the union bureaucrats are desperately trying to prop up the Democratic Party and prevent a break by workers with the capitalist two-party system.

The real aim and function of the speeches were the same as a press conference last week in Washington involving several DSA members of Congress, United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain and other union officials. That conference took place mere minutes before Democrats voted overwhelmingly with Republicans for a record military spending bill which fast-tracks supplies for Israel.

The posturing in the Bay Area speeches, however, was somewhat more radical-sounding than the event in Washington. Multiple speakers referenced the PGFTs statement, but not one speaker called for workers to actually prepare industrial action, much less was prepared to organize it themselves.

Instead, the predominant call was for the passage of ceasefire resolutions in local unions, school boards and other local bodies with the aim of pressuring the Biden administration, which has openly and repeatedly stated that it will place no red lines on US support for Israeli military activity in Gaza.

Remarks from a speaker from Local 10 of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union were particularly revealing. Members of this local passed a November 17 resolution in solidarity with Gaza, expressing our solidarity and determination to take action in their [Gazas] defense consistent with our actions in the past. That resolution was passed after some individual members of Local 10 participated in a November 3 action delaying a ship carrying military cargo to Israel.

But the ILWU, with more than 20,000 members across the US West Coast, has not delayed, let alone halted, a single arms shipment. But when it suits official government policy, the ILWU bureaucracy does not hesitate to act. Following the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine last year following relentless provocations by Washington and NATO, the ILWU immediately announced it would refuse to handle any cargo from Russian freighters.

The chair of the ILWU Local 10 Young Workers Committee, who introduced the above resolution to the membership, made clear that he and the union were making a conscious decision not to take meaningful action. We understand the pressure we could apply from this position [emphasis added], he said, but did not explain why they are not applying that pressure.

For all its posturing, the ILWU apparatus is committed to the smooth functioning of the US war machine. It kept workers on the job for over a year without a contract after the last West Coast contract expired in the summer of 2022. Behind the scenes, the ILWU was working hand in glove with the Biden administration to prepare a concessions contract. Faced with a growing rebellion from below, as workers across California began organizing job actions to slow or halt port traffic, it finally rammed through the contract earlier this year which was worked out with the key involvement of Bidens acting Labor Secretary Julie Su.

The Biden administration, which has made a central focus on securing supply chains which are being rendered vulnerable by the wars which the US is fomenting, has made no secret of the fact that it sees labor peace on the docks primarily as a national security issue. To drive the point home, Biden addressed the media last year from the deck of the USS Iowa, a World War II battleship moored in the Port of Los Angeles, when contract talks with the ILWU first began.

A Vice President of the Oakland Education Association (OEA) presented the OEA as a militant union, falsely claiming that the OEA won victories in the 2018 and 2023 Oakland Unified (OUSD) contract struggles. In reality, the union shut those strikes down, claiming the district did not have the money to meet teacher demands. Like educator unions in many districts, OUSD is carrying out devastating budget cuts and school closures that are rapidly eviscerating public education in the city with the unions cooperation.

Perhaps most revealing were the remarks of a head steward of UAW Local 2865, representing graduate students and other academic student employees at the University of California. She favorably portrayed the recent intervention of the Biden Administration to force Big 3 autoworkers to accept an austerity contract, under which the auto companies just announced nearly 5,000 layoffs. Just a few months ago, Joe Biden, who could at any time make the call to end the war and end the occupation, was on our picket lines speaking to our members. He spoke directly with our president, Shawn Fain, taking our lead in resolving contract negotiations with the Big 3 automakers.

The supposed takeaway from this is that, If organized labor is unified in our demand for peace, then we can win peace. If we are unified in a fight against the genocide, then we can end the genocide. In reality, it proves that the union bureaucracy is in bed with the Biden administration, and that a real fight to mobilize UAW members to stop the genocide requires a struggle against this corporatist alliance. In November, Fain and Biden held a back to work rally where the UAW bureaucrats heaped praise on Biden and booed a protester calling for a ceasefire.

The UAW speaker made no mention of the fact that UAW is keeping its members on the job manufacturing weaponry for the Israeli government. In fact, 1,100 General Dynamics workers were set to strike on October 22, after the beginning of the genocide, until the UAW announced a last-minute deal to prevent a strike.

The timidity of these speakers remarks stands in sharp contrast with the dire conditions facing the besieged Palestinians. The official death toll stands above 20,000, already nearly 1 percent of Gazas population of 2.2 million. The bulk of the civilian infrastructure, particularly the healthcare system, have been reduced to rubble, and Israel is allowing only a trickle of aid to meet residents basic needs. As a result, 9 in 10 Gazans now report not eating every day as internally displaced refugees crowd into the shrinking number of habitable structures in the enclave.

Workers across the world have an obligation to come to the immediate aid of the people of Gaza, as a vital step toward the construction of a mass working class anti-war movement.

What is needed is not appeals to the Democrats and their lieutenants in the trade union bureaucracy. Instead, workers must form rank-and-file committees, independent of and in opposition to all capitalist parties and trade union bureaucrats, to directly take up the call of the PGFTU, to take strike action to directly halt the manufacture and transportation of military equipment to Israel and to build toward a political general strike to end US aid for Israels genocide.
Honor guards carry the coffin of a Ukrainian serviceman during his funeral service in Independence Square in Kiev, Ukraine on Friday, December 15, 2023. [AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka]

The Ukrainian government is considering conscripting an additional 500,000 men in response to a request from the Ukrainian Armed Forces, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on Tuesday at his end-of-year news conference.

The proposed mobilization plan would cost $13.3 billion, according to Zelensky. He admitted that it is unclear how exactly Ukraine, already Europes poorest country, would pay for the mobilization. During his trip to Washington last week, he failed to secure the immediate approval of $60 billion in US funding from Congress.

With a total pre-war population of approximately 36 million, of whom millions have left the country, the proposed numbers would represent a huge share of the working age population. They would be brought to slaughter bench in a NATO-provoked war that was described as a stalemate by Ukrainian General Valery Zaluzhnyi in November of this year in The Economist.

The total number of Ukrainian soldiers already killed or injured in the war is a closely guarded secret by Kiev, but Zelenskys former presidential advisor Alexey Arestovich confirmed Russian claims of 400,000 Ukrainian casualties during an interview earlier in December.

According to the UN, over 10,000 Ukrainian civilians have been killed, 560 of them children. Ukraine is now also the most heavily mined country in the world.

While Zaluzhnyi was strongly criticized by Zelensky and his advisers in November for describing the war as a stalemate, in reality, this appears to have been a charitable characterization, as Ukraine has lost 20 percent of its territory since the start of the war in February 2022, including its major shipping ports on the Black Sea. Many military analysts consider it highly unlikely that Kiev can retake Crimea or the Donbass region.

The much publicized spring counteroffensive was an abject failure, with no territorial gains and a reported loss of some 125,000 Ukrainian troops in just a few months time. A large portion of the expensive Western military equipment that NATO had delivered to Kiev was useless or went up in flames. Throughout the country, Ukrainian forces are now largely on the defensive and at risk of losing the strategically important city of Avdiivka northeast of Donetsk, which has turned into another meat grinder like Bakhmut in which both sides sacrifice untold numbers of troops in suicidal attacks for inches of land.

As the war drags on, Russias numerical and material advantage is increasingly becoming clearer as Lieutenant General Ihor Romanenko, former deputy chief of the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, recently told Al Jazeera.

These days, we are focusing on switching to defense, and, to boost its effectiveness, to equipping and mining the most threatening [front-line] areas and use this time to amass resources, Romanenko said.

In regards to military production, Russias rapid buildup of artillery and other armaments production over the past year is clearly having an effect on the battlefield. This year, [Russians] managed to catch up with us and go ahead of us, and to produce large quantities of unmanned aerial vehicles, Romanenko said.

Under these conditions, the call for the mobilization of 500,000 Ukrainian citizens is a tacit admission that the Zelensky government is prepared to sacrifice hundreds of thousands more in its bid to retake territory in Eastern and Southern Ukraine which in addition to its industrial and agricultural significance, is home to highly valued mineral deposits.

The Zelensky government is rightfully worried about a backlash from working class Ukrainians who will be forced to give up life and limb in the war. It has called the mobilization push a very sensitive issue that has yet to be decided on before sending it to parliament for ratification.

Polls from the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology show that some 65 percent of the Ukrainian population supports further mobilization. However, these figures should not be trusted as any opposition to the pro-war nationalist propaganda in Ukraine is highly censored, and participants would be unlikely to give honest answers for fear of a visit from the countrys Security Services (SBU). As Anton Hrushetskyi, the executive director of the Kyiv-based polling agency, himself told Reuters, Ukrainians often give socially desirable answers or give false names to protect their identity.

A rapid increase in conscripted soldiers also risks alienating the Ukrainian upper and middle classes who have largely been shielded from the war by either fleeing the country, exploiting student or medical deferments, or paying up to a reported $10,000 in bribes to avoid conscription, a huge sum that would be simply out of reach for working class Ukrainians.

In August, Zelensky fired the heads of Ukraines regional recruitment centers after a large-scale bribery operation was uncovered. By doing so, he inadvertently caused a rapid decrease in conscription numbers, angering the military and furthering a growing rift between the government and the military led by Zaluzhnyi.

On Monday, prior to Zelenskys press conference, Zaluzhnyi openly criticized Zelenskys firing of the recruitment leadership and blamed the conscription failures squarely on the Zelensky government. These were professionals, they knew how to do this, and they are gone, Interfax Ukraine quoted Zaluzhnyi as saying.

With a military crisis staring them squarely in the face, recruiters have increasingly resorted to dictatorial methods of grabbing young people from gyms, restaurants, malls and off the street and forcing them into the army as the WSWS reported last spring and the New York Times belatedly admitted last week.

As its domestic population of suitable recruits continues to dwindle, this week newly appointed Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov announced plans to force Ukrainian men living abroad back to Ukraine to serve in the armed forces. As BBC Ukraine reported in November, 650,000 Ukrainian men aged 18-60 have left Ukraine for Europe since the start of the war, while Zelenskys former adviser Alexey Arestovich recently claimed that 4.5 million Ukrainian men, nearly half of the Ukrainian male population, had fled abroad to avoid military service, and that 30 to 70 percent of military units consist of refuseniks, who have gone absent without official leave (AWOL).

To force unwilling soldiers back home, invitations will be sent out to the potential recruits who may then face sanctions should they not return. We are still discussing what should happen if they do not come voluntarily, said Umerov.
The International Youth and Students for Social Equality (IYSSE) at Wayne State University held a rally on Thursday at the Stellantis Warren Truck Assembly factory in suburban Detroit to mobilize autoworkers against the genocide in Gaza. After 10 weeks of global protests involving millions of people against the genocidal onslaught by the Israeli military in Gaza, the central challenge of directing this mass movement toward the working class has become apparent and urgent.

The students and a group of Socialist Equality Party members held Stop the Genocide in Gaza! placards, called on autoworkers to organize against the war and distributed about 500 copies of the statement The working class must stop the US-Israeli genocide in Gaza by Mack Trucks worker Will Lehman, a socialist candidate for UAW president.

Appeals to the US and European governments to stop arming and giving political support to the administration of fascist Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have only been met by hostility from the ruling class, including the persecution of students and faculty at campuses, censorship online and police repression. This has emboldened the Israeli regime to intensify its bombing and starvation campaign against the more than 2 million Palestinians in Gaza.

In contrast to those forces orienting toward pressuring the capitalist politicians, the SEP and IYSSE stress that it is only the intervention of the working class that can halt the Gaza genocide.

IYSSE campaigners received an enthusiastic response to their appeal, with many workers willing to donate, sign up for updates and stop during the afternoon shift change to engage in discussions.

A worker, who readily agreed to give a video statement, said: Israel should stop the genocide, I really do [think that]. I think they should try to figure out how both parties can come to a peaceful resolution If we [autoworkers] can do anything to help, I think that everybody should. Because I think that this is a fight for everybody, not just for one group of people. Everybody should be doing their part to stop the violence over there.

In making the latter points, she was referring to the call highlighted in Will Lehmans statement, Stop the production and shipment of arms and equipment for the Israeli military! All workers affected, the appeal adds, must be paid their salaries in full by the corporations profiting from the war crimes.

The widespread support among the rank-and-file UAW members at Warren Truck for this appeal exposes the complicity in these war crimes of the UAW apparatus and its president, Shawn Fain, who has confined his response to cynical appeals urging Congress and the Biden administration to call for a ceasefire.

As explained by Lehmans statement, Fain has blocked strikes at General Dynamics and Allison Transmission, which supply military equipment being shipped to Israel and Ukraine. Moreover, only a few weeks after it rammed through sellout contracts to autoworkers at the Big Three that supposedly guaranteed job security, the UAW bureaucracy is now sitting on its hands as the corporations carry out thousands of layoffs.

The fight against layoffs and other attacks by corporations must be combined with the struggle against war, but this can only be done in opposition to the pro-imperialist UAW apparatus through the building and expansion of the International Workers Alliance of Rank-and-File Committees.

Many workers have seen the images of the carnage in Gaza and have been following the news. As one worker was hurrying into the plant, for instance, he yelled: 20k dead. It is disgusting. They are war criminals!

Another said, it is horrible, and those bombs could be used against us next.

Several other workers shouted, Free Palestine!

At the same time, a significant number said they knew very little but were eager to learn more, highlighting the importance of the efforts by the IYSSE and WSWS to break through the blackout in the corporate media and censorship on social media. After taking Lehmans statement, one worker said she was surprised by the scale of deaths. That is terrible! We shouldnt be supporting the killing of so many innocent people. I will definitely read this carefully.

IYSSE members distribute statements opposing Gaza genocide to Stellantis workers at Warren Truck Assembly Plant in Warren, Michigan on December 21, 2023

Aaron, another autoworker, called for redirecting resources to meeting the social needs of workers. Funding genocide is a very bad thingI would 100 percent be against that, he said. We find money for war so there is money somewhere. They are figuring it out when its time to kick people off of their ancestral land, we find money for that, so we can find money to fund schools.

Asked about the production of weapons used by Israel in American factories and the call for workers to stop their production and delivery, he responded, Yes, I think there are many ways we can address that problem. Im not well versed on it right now but I definitely believe that we can figure out something. There is a better way than what is happening over there in Palestine right now.

The IYSSE rally demonstrated the sharp difference in political and internationalist orientation to the working class by the Trotskyist movement with that of numerous pseudo-left tendencies at university campuses who insist on appealing to the Democratic Party and the trade union bureaucracy.

Such leftism on campuses, which employs identity politics and nostrums denouncing workers as politically reactionary, has become exposed as an effort to cordon off students radicalized by the imperialist barbarism in the war from the working class.

This was also a critical political experience for the student youth who participated. Marlene, a student at Wayne State, explained:

I came to the rally first and foremost to attempt to stop the ineffably violent war crimes against the Palestinian people. Their humanity is not up for debate; their lives matter equally as much as any American. Under a capitalist system, more and more people will continue to meet with violent ends for the sole purpose of stuffing the pockets of people who are already wealthy beyond our wildest dreams.

Theres more I could say, like how the American people are suffering too because the genocide is being funded by our money while our basic needs such as education and healthcare are getting cut, but caring about people other than you should be motivation enough. Even when people do care, they think the solution is to vote for the lesser of two evils, but we can do better than that. The only way to achieve peace and equality is for the working class to take control by striking.

A fellow IYSSE member stressed the need for sustaining and expanding an orientation to build the movement against war in the working class. I think if this type of work continues, lots of change can be made within a much shorter time than most expect, he said, and added:

The working class has more power than it thinks, they just need to be become aware of it. Speaking to that, during the rally we ended up handing out hundreds of leaflets along with speaking with those with more time. I hope that this type of work continues along with more joining in, not only from workers but students as well as we are always stronger together.

Todd, another student at Wayne State, said:

Participating in the IYSSE intervention at the autoworkers plant was an enlightening experience, allowing me to directly engage with workers and discuss the shared struggles between college students and factory workers within the capitalist and imperialist system.

As a college student deeply committed to learning and passionate about creating a better future, observing the dire situation in Gaza has evoked a profound sense of despair and outrage within me. Being on the ground and conversing with factory workers helped me see the shared challenges we face under an unjust system and highlighted the interconnectedness between war and our daily economic and social realities.



The discussions about halting the ongoing atrocities in Gaza, ceasing arms production and understanding the wider implications of these issues gave me hope that together we can truly effect positive change and make the world a better place for everyone. I am committed to carrying forward this message and continuing to build bridges between students and the working class, striving for a fundamental revolution in our society.
For the first time in the state of Hesse, a grand coalition headed by the Christian Democrats (CDU/CSU) is to lead the government. On Monday, the Social Democrat (SPD) and CDU leaders presented their coalition agreement for the 2024 to 2029 legislative period.

At their respective Hesse party conferences, the CDU and the SPD approved the agreement, for which the Federal Minister of the Interior and SPD state leader Nancy Faeser is jointly responsible with Hesses Minister President Boris Rhein (CDU). It is nothing less than an open declaration of war on immigrants, refugees and all those who defend democratic rights.

Protest at Frankfurt Airport against deportations to Afghanistan

The general motto of the new Hesse coalition is: ONEFOR ALL. However, this in no way applies to people from countries in crisis, war and civil war who are seeking protection and refuge in Hesse. Chapter 4, which deals with issues of immigration and integration, is full of right-wing fighting words such as repatriation offensive, irregular migration, expansion of detention pending deportation, protection of external borders and asylum procedures outside the EU. The reader gets the strong impression that they are holding a programme from the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) in their hands.

The CDU-SPD coalition that will govern in the state capital Wiesbaden starting January 18 apparently has so little to offer in terms of a social perspectives and future projects that it appeals to the worst xenophobia.

They write: We are launching a genuine repatriation offensive and will enforce departure obligations consistently and with all constitutional possibilities. Detention pending deportation is to be expanded, new repatriation centres are to be established and the right to the inviolability of the home is also being undermined, with the following statement: By expanding the right to enter homes ... we will ensure that state decisions are consistently implemented.

They want to promote the willingness to leave voluntarily. To this end, new arrivals are to be forced into detention centres, where they can be held for up to two years. The state wants to have access to them at all times: In these facilities, ... accessibility for the authorities and courts as well as the execution of the departure should be ensured. In particular, people who prevent their deportation ... at the airport are referred directly to the return centres. And: It is precisely in this procedure that we are strengthening the powers of the police.

And then again, openly and threateningly: We are committed to the consistent return of rejected asylum seekers at all levels.

The extent to which the governing parties are trampling on basic democratic rights can be seen wherever they disregard existing law with the stroke of a pen or express their intention to change the legal situation. For example, the treaty explicitly questions the fundamental ban on pushbacks: The principle of non-refoulement [which prohibits states from returning individuals to a country where there is a real risk of being subjected to persecution, torture, inhuman or degrading treatment or any other human rights violation] must ... be critically scrutinised.

So far, so-called pushbacks, the indiscriminate refoulement of people seeking asylum, are simply illegal. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees, current EU law, the Geneva Refugee Convention and the European Convention on Human Rights are in complete agreement on this. According to all of them, it is strictly forbidden to forcibly deport people and ignore their asylum applications, even if they do not have valid papers. The coalition agreement now explicitly calls this into question.

Another example is the intention expressed in the agreement to override the existing right to petition, which states that people may not be deported as long as a petition they have submitted to a political body is still pending.

The existing legal situation is also called into question where people come into conflict with the justice system in any form, and particularly protected persons (e.g., unaccompanied minors) are no exception: It must be easier to deport offenders who are entitled to protection, the coalition demands.

The charity organisation Paritatische Wohlfahrtsverband has already expressed its alarm at this, as the coalition agreement in Hesse would undermine the protection of minors and the welfare of children in the case of underage refugees.

As far as the legal residence situation of offenders is concerned, the coalition agreement states that federal law must be reformed and any obstacles under EU law in this area must be removed. An indictment, or at the latest the admission of the main hearing in criminal proceedings, should be sufficientnamely to affirm the interest in deportation, i.e., to deport a person. (Until now, this double punishment, which provides for deportation in addition to the criminal judgement, has been linked to a final conviction).

The coalition agreement calls on immigrants to take special responsibility to integrate. According to the Hesse SPD and CDU, this includes not only committing to the general values of the German constitution, but also unconditionally recognising Israels right to exist.

There is even a special section entitled: We reaffirm the guarantee of Israels right to exist as a German reason of state. It explicitly states: Anyone who has been found to have committed antisemitic or extremist offences or corresponding confirmed activities must not be granted German citizenshipwhereby any criticism of Israel is considered antisemitic.

The consequences of thisand how far the new Hesse state government is prepared to gocan be seen in the next sentence, which is aimed at people who have already been naturalised. It states: The same applies to people with dual citizenship. German citizenship will be revoked in this case.

To put it bluntly: the Hesse SPD and CDU are threatening anyone who criticises the genocidal oppression of the Palestinians with the loss of their German citizenship!

The government politicians also want to restrict the right of assembly. They write that against the background of Hamas terrorist attack on the state of Israel, they would examine whether the right to freedom of assembly could be legally adapted or tightened.

At the same time, the police are being massively strengthened, their allowances are being improved and they are to receive body cameras, tasers and drones in addition to new protective equipment. The chapter on security and a strong state is by far the longest in the coalition agreement, alongside the chapter on the Hesse homeland.

In other chapters, the agreement is almost enthusiastically in favour of the Bundeswehr (Armed Forces), Hesse being an armaments production location. The debt ceiling limiting public spending is to be maintained.

The Hesse state government is also expressly in favour of the new EU resolutions on the Common European Asylum System (CEAS). Among other things, this provides for people seeking protection to no longer be allowed into Europe at all, but to be intercepted outside the external borders and sent back. Accordingly, the coalition is in favour of limiting immigration by protecting our external borders, including with stationary border controls.

The new Hesse coalition agreement is part of a whole wave of far-right attacks on refugees and immigrants. In France, President Macron pushed one of the EUs toughest immigration laws through parliament with the votes of Marine Le Pens far-right National Rally. Even young people who were born and raised in France no longer automatically receive French citizenship at the age of 18. The European Union is sealing off its external borders with the new CEAS asylum system and is effectively suspending the right to asylum. Governments everywhere are adopting the immigration policies of the extreme right.

In this way, they are trying to suppress the growing radicalisation of the international working class through divisions and police-state measures. The attacks on refugees, i.e., on the weakest and most defenceless section of workers, are in fact the spearhead of the attacks on the entire working class. That is why German workers must understand them as an attack on themselves. To beat them back, workers need their own party.

The Sozialistische Gleichheitspartei (Socialist Equality Party, SGP) is the only party that defends basic democratic rights in principle. The SGP, together with its sister parties in the UK, France, and Turkey and with fraternal groups in Ukraine and Russia, is running in next years European elections. The aim is to build a European movement to end the war, defend social and democratic rights and oppose capitalist barbarism through the establishment of the United Socialist States of Europe.
New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon visited Sydney on Wednesday for talks with his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese. It was Luxons first overseas trip since his conservative National Party formed a coalition government with the far-right parties NZ First and ACT.

New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon with his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese [Photo: Twitter @AlboMP]

The leaders discussion focused on stronger strategic ties and military cooperation in the Pacific region. Australia and New Zealand, which are both regional imperialist allies of the United States, are ramping up their support for the US-led militarisation of the region in preparation for war against China.

The Biden administration is inflaming tensions by pouring weapons into Taiwan, boosting military ties with Australia, the Philippines, Korea and Japan, as well as staging repeated military exercises designed to provoke Beijing. Washington views China as the chief obstacle to its global economic and strategic hegemony.

Australia and New Zealand are also contributing to funding and training Ukraines military for the US-NATO proxy war against Russia in Ukraine, and continue to support Israels genocidal war against the people of Gaza, despite ongoing mass protests in both countries against the slaughter. This week, Albanese announced that Australia will deploy troops to Bahrain to join US forces in the Middle East, as Biden threatens a wider war against Yemen and Iran.

At a joint press conference, Luxon told reporters that Wellington and Canberra were determined to work together as bedrock partners in the [Pacific] region, which he described as an increasingly contested strategic environment.

Referring to China without naming it, Luxon said there were countries within the region that are increasingly investing in military capability And so I just want to make sure that we are very aligned, that we are driving more interoperability, and in particular, we can be a force multiplier for Australia and vice versa.

Speaking about New Zealand and Australias shared interests and our common values, Luxon said the bond between the two countries was forged with that Anzac spirit on the beaches of Gallipoli, a reference to the Australian and New Zealand (ANZAC) forces that led the disastrous invasion of Gallipoli in the Ottoman Empire during World War I.

Albanese also stated that we have an extraordinary history when it comes to defence and security, going back to [the] Anzacs, something that we dont just commemorate but we celebrate as well.

Tens of thousands of Australian and NZ soldiers were killed in the barbaric slaughter of WWI so that their ruling classes could take part in the imperialist redivision of the world. Both countries used the war to seize colonies in the Pacific, with Australia annexing New Guinea and New Zealand invading Samoa.

Luxon confirmed that his government is interested in exploring whether New Zealand can participate in the AUKUS military cooperation agreement between the US, Australia and the UK. Albanese agreed that there are opportunities for greater cooperation between our militaries, including through the AUKUS arrangements, which he said was very important for promoting security and stability in the Pacific.

The so-called first pillar of AUKUS involves supplying Australia with nuclear-powered attack submarines and expanding US military access to Australian bases. New Zealand will discuss joining the second pillar of the agreement, which involves increased sharing of military technology.

In a provocative statement to the media on December 12, New Zealands new Defence Minister Judith Collins attacked the previous Labour Party-led government for its slow progress towards joining AUKUS and accused Labour of taking an anti-American stance.

Labour leader Chris Hipkins told reporters there was no evidence of this, saying that the 2017-2023 government had a very strong relationship with the American government. He added that Labour had made clear that New Zealand was happy to talk to the AUKUS partners about playing a role in the agreement.

In fact, as Hipkins had made clear during a meeting with Albanese in April, there is bipartisan agreement on strengthening the alliance with both the US and Australia. The last parliament unanimously supported sending New Zealand troops to Britain to train Ukrainian forces for the war against Russia. Before the October election, both Labour and National committed to a major increase in military spending, from just over 1 percent of GDP to 2 percent of GDP.

Labours Defence Minister Andrew Little stated that the military build-up was necessary in case New Zealand was called on to play a role should conflict break out in the South China Sea.

A key role in the 2017-2020 Labour-led government was played by NZ First leader Winston Peters, who as foreign minister boosted New Zealands diplomatic and military activity in the Pacific, and vocally supported a greater US military presence in the region.

Peters has now resumed the positions of Foreign Affairs Minister and Deputy Prime Minister in the National-led coalition government, even though his right-wing nationalist party only got 6 percent of the votes.

Last week, Peters visited Fiji for talks with the countrys government and to visit the headquarters of the Pacific Island Forum (PIF), which includes 18 small island nations. He told Radio NZ (RNZ) that it was very, very critical [to ensure that] right across the blue continent, the Pacific IslandsMicronesia, Melanesiaare all on the same wavelength as to the issues of security and future prosperity of the region.

He said New Zealand wanted to speed up decision-making processes in the PIF, which Washington, Canberra and Wellington are using as a mechanism for pressuring Pacific countries to align against China. These are not comfortable days, these are days of crisis and weve got to step up and ensure that we understand that, Peters told RNZ.

As was the case in the lead-up to World War I and II, the Pacific region is being militarised by the imperialist powers and transformed into a cauldron of explosive tensions. The statements by Luxon and Peters must be taken as a warning that, despite New Zealands continued dependence on trade with China, the ruling class is committed to playing its part, in lockstep with Australia, in what would be a catastrophic war involving nuclear-armed powers.

None of the capitalist governments or parties offers any alternative. The only way to stop a Third World War, which has already begun with the conflict over Ukraine and Israels genocide in Gaza, is through the mobilisation of the international working class to overthrow the capitalist system, which is the source of war, and reorganise the world along socialist lines.
The opening page of X is displayed on a computer and phone in Sydney, Monday, October 16, 2023. [AP Photo/Rick Rycroft]

Academy Award-winning actress Susan Sarandon, who has steadfastly spoken out against the Israeli genocide against Palestinians in Gaza, was censored by X (formerly Twitter) on Thursday.

A post by the actress in the morning contained a graphic promoting a protest in New York City later that day that stated, Stop the Bombs! Workers Demand Peace and Justice for Palestine! Ceasefire Now! The rally at Bryant Park in Manhattan was also endorsed by more than two dozen labor and left-wing organizations.

Subsequently X flagged the post with limited visibility and a warning that stated, This post may violate Xs rules against Violent Speech. To view the post, X users must click on the warning label. The restrictions on the post also prevent commenting or sharing it, and attempts to do so include a message that states, We try to keep X a place for healthy conversation, so weve disabled most of the ways to engage with this Post.

Susan Sarandon's censored X/Twitter post. [Photo: Susan Sarandon]

The platforms attempt to stifle the circulation of the post began after 24,000 users liked it, 7,600 users shared it and 1,100 users commented on it. As of this writing, more than 510,000 people have viewed the post.

According to Xs rules page, the prohibition against violent speech means, You may not threaten, incite, glorify, or express desire for violence or harm. Furthermore, among the items X lists as violent speech are violent threats, wish of harm, incitement of violence and glorification of violence.

The post by Sarandon does not contain a violation of any of the X platform rules. What it does do, however, is puncture a hole in the pro-Zionist propaganda barrage by the US government, the corporate news media and the Hollywood elite. By tagging Sarandon as a supporter of violence, X is justifying the slaughter of Palestinians in Gaza that has now officially killed more than 20,000 people, the majority of whom are women and children.

Meanwhile, there has been an outpouring of public support for the stance taken by Sarandon on X, with many users thanking her for standing up for humanity against genocide. Others denounced the platforms moderators for flagging the post, demanding an explanation of how the demand for a ceasefire and an end to the murder of innocent Palestinians constitutes violent speech.

On the same day that her post supporting the rally in New York City was censored, Sarandon shared the post by Censored Men on Thursday which shows a father and son injured by an Israeli airstrike on Rafah, Gaza seeking medical attention. The post says, Yes, Rafah. You know that area Israel told all residents to evacuate to, because theyll be safe there? Yes, Israel is indiscriminately bombing that area too.

Acting on behalf of the ruling political parties and the military in the US and Israel, Elon Musks Twitter/X is attempting to contain the spread of mass opposition to the crime of ethnic cleansing being carried out in Gaza and using social media tools of censorship to do so. The attempt to silence outspoken celebrities such as Susan Sarandon is being mounted out of fear and desperation.

It is particularly significant that the graphic which is being suppressed on Sarandons newsfeed refers to workers demanding an end to the bombing of Palestinians. It is above all a movement of the working class against the barbarism being unleashed on Gaza that the ruling class fears more than anything else.

The continued support for Palestinians expressed by the actress is particularly significant given the McCarthy-style witch-hunt that has been unleashed upon her. As explained previously here on the WSWS, spurious and slanderous claims of antisemitism have been made against Susan Sarandon and Mexican-born actress Melissa Barrera.

On November 21, celebrity news headlines enthusiastically reported that Sarandon had been dropped by her talent agency UTA for recent antisemitic remarks. This slander was based on carefully edited clips of comments that she made at a pro-Palestinian rally in New York City, where she said that some American Jews were now afraid of public criticism and were getting a taste of what it feels like to be a Muslim in this country. She followed this up with the warning that it is important for people to think about their actions and, Its important to listen, its important to have facts.

In the case of Barrera, she was fired from the Scream horror movie franchise for speaking out against the Zionist atrocities in Gaza and calling them genocide and ethnic cleansing. Spyglass Media Group equates these statements with antisemitism and made the sanctimonious claim that references to genocide and ethnic cleansing in Gaza were synonymous with Holocaust denial.
The Socialist Equality Party (SEP) in Australia held a meeting in Sydney and online last Wednesday, to discuss the way forward in the fight against Israels genocide in Gaza.

Speakers explained that the massive war crimes, and the support for them from all the imperialist governments, including in Australia, cannot be understood outside of the breakdown of global capitalism and an eruption of US-led militarism.

In opposition to various fake-left tendencies, seeking to channel opposition behind impotent appeals to pro-genocide governments, the SEP speakers emphasised the burning need to build a socialist and internationalist movement of the working class directed against the source of conflict, the capitalist system itself.

A report on the meeting, including a full video of the event, is available here. Below are interviews with some of the attendees.

Natalie

Natalie, a single mother who attended online from Melbourne, said: I really liked the meeting and I enjoy history. I have read a number of articles on the World Socialist Web Site and I think Im getting the gist of the Socialist Equality Party and its roots. Im also getting the picture of the end game of the USits moving on China. The US needs Israel as a base, it needs an outpost in the Middle East. The US controls the money and the military weaponry.

The United Nations is so irritating. It is evident that the United Nations is a complete waste of time. Europe is turning to the right and there is a standalone bully, the US government, that has the power to say yes or no to almost anything.

Natalie added: It is very important to build an anti-war movement. Protests are not working, the cost of living is increasing and the US is not going to stop. There is no other way other than socialism. It was said that public pressure was causing Australia to vote for a ceasefire. But the pauses being spoken about by Australias representative are nothing. They stop the war for a week and then Israel starts bombing again.

Lynn

Lynn, a retiree, said that he had appreciated the SEPs public meeting: I think all the speakers did a good job of explaining that the times we are in are dangerous and the consequences are going to spread to everybody. Thats why it is necessary to resist this system that produces war.

The WSWS confirms and develops what I already knew about Zionism. Information on AUKUS is also important. Ive done a bit of research about the AUKUS deal, against China, and the more I found out, the more frightening it was. The level of planning that is going on for war against China, and the inflammatory language, is alarming. The similarity to the Weimar years in Germany that has been raised is correct.

Igor, an actor, said: Overall it was a great meeting, it summarised the situation that is occurring in Gaza but placed this in the context of bigger implications of the capitalist crisis and the American war drive globally.

I asked a question, about the geopolitical interests of Israel in the region, and what was raised is that yes, Israel has definite interests in the Gaza region, including valuable offshore gas reserves, but its more than that. There is a broader contextthis is American imperialisms interest in the Middle East itself, to secure resources, to have military bases there, to accelerate the drive for war against Iran. All of this in line with the drive for war with China, which seems like the ultimate goal of American imperialism, to hold onto its global hegemony through militarist violence. I really appreciated that discussion, and that answer.

Igor added: The meeting also linked back to the need for a party, just like there was with the Bolsheviks and the Russian Revolution, to go beyond just protest and to advance a revolutionary perspective.

Whats happening now, weve seen some of the largest anti-war protests globally that have occurred, and we have seen some of the worst atrocities that have occurred, at least in this century. We are witnessing these now in high definition. People, workers everywhere, globally, are outraged.

But at the Free Palestine demonstrations, were told to put pressure on government officials, to chant louder, to have more numbers, to send letters to governments. Weve seen from history that this will not halt wareven with the protests against the Iraq war, even though they were some of the biggest anti-war protests ever, governments still didnt stop. This didnt stop the invasion, or the violent disintegration of Iraqi society and the killing of a million civilians.

He concluded: So for me, the best part of the meeting was its stress on the need for a revolutionary perspective for the working class, thats advanced by the Fourth International and advanced by the Socialist Equality Party here in Australia, understanding that the only way forward is for the workers to raise their consciousness, educate themselves, and join the movement.
Larry Rudolph, a Pennsylvania dentist and big game hunter, was found guilty of killing his wife Bianca on a hunting trip in Africa

Facebook Bianca and Larry Rudolph

In late 2021, Larry Rudolph, a Pennsylvania dentist and big game hunter, was arrested for the 2016 shooting death of Bianca Rudolph, his wife of 34 years, while they were on a hunting trip in Zambia.

When Rudolph requested that a judge release him from custody pending trial, the couples son Julian, now 33, and his sister, AnaBianca, in sworn affidavits, wrote: "[We] know him better than anyone else, and we know that he is innocent," according to ABC News.

Now, in an exclusive interview with ABC News, Julian has revealed he no longer feels this way.

I can't stand by that original statement, because that was before we saw the evidence in the trial," he said.

Asked by ABC News' Eva Pilgrim if he believed his father murdered his mother, he responded: It's incomprehensible to me.

Rudolph and Bianca traveled to Zambia in late September 2016 so that Bianca, also a big-game hunter, could hunt a leopard. They were getting ready to leave their hunting camp in Kafue National Park on the morning of Oct. 11, 2016, when Bianca was shot in the chest with a Browning shotgun.

Facebook Larry Rudolph

Rudolph told the local police that he heard the gunshot while he was taking a shower and that he found his wife on the bedroom floor bleeding from the chest. He said he suspected that the shotgun had been left loaded from the hunt the previous day, and that the gun went off while Bianca was trying to pack it into its case, according to a federal complaint obtained by PEOPLE.



Related: Dentist Confessed to Murdering Wife on African Vacation, Prosecutor Says at Trial: 'I Killed My F---ing Wife'

Although Zambia law enforcement ruled her death as an accidental discharge, federal authorities in the U.S. were not convinced, ultimately accusing Rudolph of killing his wife so he could collect millions of dollars in life insurance benefits. Rudolph was charged with foreign murder and mail fraud.



Related: Wealthy Dentist and Big Game Hunter Lawrence Rudolph Found Guilty of Killing Wife on Hunting Trip

AP Photo/David Zalubowski Julian and and his sister, AnaBianca

He denied the allegation, telling his children that "the evidence is going to prove [it], Julian said, per ABC. "Of course you want to believe that what you're hearing is the truth.



Related: Girlfriend of Dentist Who Killed Wife on Safari, Then Claimed It Was Accident, Gets 17 Years in Prison

Assistant U.S. Attorney Bishop Grewell told a jury during the trial's opening statements that Rudolph confessed to the crime to his longtime girlfriend, Lori Milliron, telling her, "I killed my f-----g wife for you," the Associated Press reported.

The trial, which was held in U.S. District Court in Denver, included testimony by Rudolph himself, who claimed his wifes death was an accident. "I did not kill my wife. I could not murder my wife. I would not murder my wife," he told the jury.

Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLE's free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.

However, the jury didnt buy his claims.

He was found guilty and later sentenced to life in prison. Milliron was sentenced in June to 17 years for being an accessory to murder.

"She was an amazing mother," Julian told ABC through tears. "I loved her. She was my best friend."



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Read the original article on People.
British tabloids are comparing Carole Middleton to Kris Jenner. Royal experts say that's not a bad thing.

The final episodes of "The Crown" introduce viewers to Kate Middleton's mother, Carole Middleton.

It also fuels speculation Carole played a role in Kate and Prince William's early relationship.

It's led to tabloids comparing Carole to Kris Jenner, which isn't a bad thing, according to experts.

Fans of "The Crown" got introduced to the powerhouse that is Carole Middleton in the final episodes of the series.

For some, the depiction isn't particularly positive. Carole (Eve Best) is made out to be the mastermind behind Kate and Prince William's relationship. As Kate (Meg Bellamy) tells her mother in episode 7, she was the one who had her "sights" on William (Ed McVey) for her daughter.

"You've always loved the idea of me and William together," Kate says in the episode, before revealing the extent of Carole's plan. It includes suggesting that Kate give up on the idea of Edinburgh University for a gap year before attending St Andrews (the same as William) and signing up for courses in Italy and Chile (again, identical to William.)

"Not for any sinister reason," Carole responds. "Do you know what I think? I think you're special."

The momager-type depiction of Carole has resulted in British tabloids like The Daily Mail and The Mirror comparing her to another mother with successful children: Kris Jenner.

But royal experts say that's not a bad thing.

If she were in the US, Carole's success would be celebrated like Jenner's, a royal watcher says

Like Jenner, Carole began her career as a flight attendant before later building a multimillion-dollar business, Vanity Fair reported.

Carole made her fortune with a party-planning business called Party Pieces, which she launched from her kitchen table in 1987, according to the Daily Mail.

The outlet reported that it was the success of this business that helped Carole and her husband, Michael Middleton, send their three children to Marlborough College  where tuition fees were 42,930, or about $54,525  and buy a 4.7 million, or about $5.9 million, Berkshire manor house.

Carole's story is one of a woman who worked for her success, Kristen Meinzer, a royal watcher, told Business Insider.

"She didn't build that company on the backs of her children  she built that company," she said. "In America, we celebrate those stories."

"If somebody started off working a retail job and then became the founder and president of a company worth millions of dollars, we love that in the US," Meinzer added.

Meanwhile, she said, that story has been "seen as gauche" in the UK.

Kate Middleton, Carole Middleton, and Pippa Middleton ahead of Kate and Prince William's wedding on April 28, 2011, in London. George Pimentel/WireImage

According to Meinzer, the British tabloids have painted Carole as a meddlesome matchmaker since the start of Kate and William's relationship.

She added that the new comparisons to Jenner just serve as proof that nothing has changed.

"It was very easy for a lot of the press, particularly the tabloid press, to say, 'Well, just look at Kate's mother. She's such a social climber. She refused to stay in her place, and now she's pushing her daughter to do the same thing.'"

"She had the audacity to try and make more money, to make better of herself, to follow her dreams, to tell her daughters to aim higher," Meinzer said.

Depending on what side of the Atlantic you are on, that can make you a villain or a hero.

If Carole was instrumental in Kate's relationship, that shouldn't make her a villain, a royal historian says

According to Clare McHugh, a royal historian and author of the upcoming novel "The Romanov Brides," it is well-documented that Carole encouraged Kate to pursue a relationship with William.

But she doesn't see that as a bad thing.

"I think it's a tribute to modern Britain," McHugh told BI, referring to the fact that Kate was one the first people from a nonaristocratic background to join the royal family.

Unlike the generations before him, William chose a partner who was outside the usual social strata, which helped the royal family come across as more modern and open.

Carole Middleton and Kate Middleton were photographed in Ascot, England on June 20, 2017. Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images

That's thanks to Carole, McHugh said.

"It took a very confident, very ambitious woman to see that there would be an opportunity for her daughter," she said, referring to Carole.

"It's a story of a dream that actually came true," she added. "And who doesn't dream for the best for one's children?"

Ultimately, McHugh said Carole can be credited for influencing Kate and William into a successful, long-lasting marriage.

"It was beautifully managed by someone who is ambitious, a really devoted mother, and has a pretty keen sense of how human beings operate, especially young people," she said.

And that doesn't sound too different from how others might describe Jenner.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Today is Friday, which means there are a ton of new releases to hear from some of your favorite Hip-Hop artists. To help you unwind and enjoy the weekend, check out VIBEs picks of songs and albums you should hear and add to your soundtrack of weekend festivities.

Conway The Machine & Wun Two  Palermo

Conway The Machine & Wun Two 'Palermo' Album Cover

Few rap artists have been consistent as Conway The Machine, as the Buffalo rhymer has become an omnipresence of sorts with his seemingly endless stream of releases. That rapid succession of firepower continues with Palermo, his fifth studio album of the year and one that finds him collaborating with German boardsman Wu Two. Consisting of ten songs, including a pair of interludes, Palermo gets straight to the point with Carduni, a thumping composition that conjures cocksure couplets on the part of its author.

Always confident in my sh*t, I was certain Id pop/ Even after I got my deal, ni**a, the work didnt stop, Conway brags, before being joined by KNDRX on the spellbinding salvo Mind Tricks. Griselda affiliate goosebytheways presence is felt throughout Palerma. He contributes to Cold Dish, Montagna, and Gaspare and asserts himself as a capable counterpart to The Machine, whose musical benevolence remains the gift that keeps on giving.  Preezy Brown

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Bun B & Statik Selektah

Bun B And Statik Selektah 'Trillstatik 3' Album Cover

Bun Bs status as a cultural elder statesman hasnt kept him from breaking new ground and expanding his creative process. The Texan regroups with Statik Selektah for Trillstatik 3, the latest installment in their collaborative series. However, the rap legend and producer switched things up this time around, as the duo created their new album live for the world to see. Recorded in Statiks base of New York City, Trillstatik 3 has yet to make it to digital streaming platforms, but can be heard over on Bandcamp. Coloured vinyl versions of the album were made available in conjunction with Trillstatik 3s release, which can be purchased here.  PB

Central Cee  Entrapreneur

Central Cee Entrapreneur cover art

Central Cee crowns himself a unique type of businessman on Entrapreneur. He acknowledges the reputation he has built for himself as a UK rapper who has penetrated the American music scene. Sonically, the song doesnt veer too far from what hes delivered throughout his career: mid-tempo drill beat, thumping drums, and aggressive synths. He raps with a fervor, spitting lines like Soho pitchin coke to the gay men, Ill serve anyone, I got an open mind/ No complaints when it comes to the customer service, I pick up the phone polite. Cench is coming into his own and Entrapreneur is an enjoyable offer to close out whats been a big year for him.  Armon Sadler

YTB Fatt  Foxes Only

YTB Fatt 'Foxes Only' Album Cover

YTB Fatt has been enjoying a breakout year and isnt using the holiday season as reason to rest on his laurels. This week, the 22-year-old presents Foxes Only, an album that sonically runs the gamut from soulful to raucous. Sample-driven tunes like Grandma and I Luv U give Fatt space to present blunt observations into his way of life. Cut Different finds him declaring I know Im the hottest out, thats why Im finna ice myself atop menacing synths and jittery 808s.

The Arkansas native paired up with a handful of the hottest artists in his region. Lil Yachty, BabyDrill, and GloRilla make appearances on Foxes Only, an offering that should maintain his growing buzz well into the next calendar.  PB

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Playboi Carti  Hood By Air

Playboi Carti performing at Wireless Festival, wearing a Black and white flannel shirt, white, green and red t-shirt, and blue jeans.

Playboi Cartis Hood By Air carries a sinister tone. The drum-heavy production is brooding and he takes on the role of a villain when he spits My whole career, they bitin/ Some ni**as, they thinkin they faster than me/ Somebody should tell em they dyin/ Im done with these ni**as and dissin. His words are a bit more audible on this track and its appreciated. Still, in true Carti fashion, the record is all about the sonics and how he delivers his vocals rather than what he says. With that in mind, he sticks the landing once again. 2024 cant come any sooner.  AS

Hunxho  FOR Her (Deluxe)

Hunxho 'For Her (Deluxe)' Album Cover

After unleashing his acclaimed album For Her and trekking the country alongside Lil Baby on the IOU Tour earlier this year, Hunxho gifts his fans with the deluxe version in time for the holidays. In addition to popular standouts from the OG version, the deluxe boasts seven new tracks, with Brainstorming finding him balancing his professional and romantic responsibilities. Selections on For Her (Deluxe) that are likely to command your attention include Come Home, Worthless, and U The 1, the last being a closing effort that finds Hunxho separating his prized lover from the runner-ups.  PB

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Russ  Said It Freestyle

Russ Said It Freestyle cover art

Russ displays the power of manifestation and execution in his new Said It Freestyle. The New Jersey-born, Atlanta-bred lyricist tackles his road to having a successful career as a self-sufficient artist, the current state of Hip-Hop, and more over the somber, soulful vocal-laced beat. Used to only have a couple hundred up at SunTrust/ Told my mom and dad Trust your son, Im the one, Russ, he spits. He revels in the alternate route he took and how people are products and victims of the current music infrastructure. The record may be a tough listen for specific people who fall within that category, but this has been Russ message his entire career. He soaks in the spoils of committing to his path and enjoying the fruits of his labor.  AS

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03 Greedo  Recess

03 Greedo Recess cover art

03 Greedo takes listeners to church on Recess. The production fuses a soothing organ, room-rattling drums, and steady hi-hats as his euphonic vocals soar. He flips the concept of school recess on its head, asserting that his young ni**as will slide and swing. The chorus is catchy, with the simple repetition of recess while the words slide and swing fill each 2nd and 4th beat. Elsewhere in the record, he shows love to his favorite bi**h but maintains that he can still have several of them throughout the week. A man of duality.  AS

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Robb Bank$  My Bleed

Robb Bank$ My Bleed cover art

Robb Bank$ separates himself from the pack on My Bleed. The deep-voiced, monotone spitter asserts that he doesnt bleed, talk, or weave like anyone else over a car-friendly, vocal sample-looped, midtempo beat. In the chorus, he mocks a man who fell for a woman who didnt love him back and messed around with Bank$ just to get him mad. He takes on a second-person perspective in the records sole verse, reflecting on his come-up, having foes, the loyalty he showed to his neighborhood, and the legal difficulties he overcame. His cadences and flows stay consistent throughout the record, but it all comes together for a solid song.  AS

Lil Mabu Feat. Fivio Foreign  Teach Me How To Drill

Rising rapper Lil Mabu is adding further fuel to his skyrocketing streak of success with his new single Teach Me How To Drill featuring Brooklyns Fivio Foreign. Accompanied by a music video in which Mabu gets schooled on the popular genre and fast-paced lifestyle, Teach Me How To Drill finds Fivio playing Alonzo to Mabus Jake, as the New Yorkers give their own take on the classic 2001 film Training Day.  PB

More from VIBE.com
Zachary Fisher and Haley Crowley quit their jobs in February 2022 to travel the world.

The couple have visited Myanmar and Mongolia among other countries.

They told Business Insider the best part about traveling has been the people they met.

Zachary Fisher and Haley Crowley quit their corporate jobs in tech sales and market research to travel the world in February 2022.

The couple told Business Insider they loved to travel but could only go so far with their vacation leave, which was usually two weeks at a time.

After weighing their options, they decided there was no time like the present. "We're young, we have no responsibilities, we don't have a mortgage, we don't have kids," Fisher told BI.

Fisher and Crowley have been traveling the globe for the last 22 months, documenting their journey on TikTok and YouTube. They've ventured to popular destinations like Japan and the lesser traveled roads in Mongolia and Myanmar on their quest to visit every UNESCO World Heritage site.

Planning such trips seems like a minefield, but the couple has found a formula for traveling like a pro.

Start with a travel goal.

The couple said visiting the UNESCO sites wasn't the only goal. Zach & Haley

Fisher told BI when they embarked on the journey, they realized they needed a rough goal.

"When you're traveling long term, going from city to city or country to country, you get novelty fatigue," he said.

The couple intends to visit every UNESCO World Heritage site  all 1,199 of them  though Fisher said their plan isn't just about visiting the sites.

"Some of these are in places most tourists don't go, and it was more the journey to get to each one, and the places we'd see, the people we'd meet along the way  that's what we were looking for," he said.

The same theory can be applied to those working with limited vacation time  like working from the north to the south of a country, as the couple has done in the past.

Talk to other travelers.

The couple said speaking to other travelers can provide better information than what's available online. Zach & Haley

The journey has already taken the couple around the world, including popular backpacking destinations like Thailand, and less popular ones like Myanmar, which the US Department of State website currently advises tourists not to visit.

Fisher added that being able to go with the flow is key. "You kind of just make it up as you go," he said.

Crowley told BI that when the couple took a 12-hour boat from Laos to Thailand, Fisher spoke to a fellow traveler who had been to Myanmar earlier in the year.

"If you just start talking to people, chances are these people have done the same thing that you want to do, and you can exchange information," she added.

Fisher said other travelers have been instrumental in helping with their travel plans, while Crowley said the information they exchanged was usually more up-to-date and accurate than what was online.

Be respectful toward local communities.

The couple said trying out local cuisines is important. Zach & Haley

Crowley said a daily iced coffee is a home comfort that she can't live without, though she's still on the hunt to find one up to her standards.

Other food and beverage options the couple has tried on their travels have been less familiar, they said.

When Fisher and Crowley were traveling on the Pamir Highway, they said they stayed at a guesthouse where food was prepared by a family. "There's obviously not a grocery store nearby, so you just eat whatever they have," Crowley said.

She said one of the most interesting things they sampled was while spending the night in a yurt with a family in Mongolia, where they were given a drink called mountain water. A local guide had warned them that it would be rude according to local culture not to eat what was prepared by the family.

"I believe it's water mixed with vodka, mixed with sheep fat. It looked like water in a glass with a few drops of oil floating on the surface," Crowley said.

Fisher said though he is an adventurous eater, this was a difficult delicacy to savor.

"I was like, 'If I just finish it, then I'm good.' So I just got it down. And they're like, 'Oh, you liked it?' And they poured me another glass," he told BI.

Though the couple might not be likely to crave every local delicacy, they said it's important to try things, and that it can be much cheaper to eat locally than scouting for a home comfort.

"It makes for really cool and interesting experiences," Crowley said.

Travel like a local.

Though traveling can be uncomfortable, it makes for good memories. Zach & Haley

Fisher said walking is an underrated mode of transportation that's vital in understanding what locals get up to when traveling.

"When you walk by places, you see people sitting inside cafes and restaurants. If you're in a car or a cab just going from site to site, you really miss out on a lot of stuff," he said.

The couple focuses on budget travel, so they've forced themselves into numerous "traveling like a local" situations, which aren't always comfortable, Fisher told BI.

He said they once went on a seven-hour bus journey in Laos. It was hot, and there were crates of fish on the top of the bus which were dripping into the interior.

"But then, now looking back, it's like, remember that?" Fisher said.

Get out of your comfort zone.

The couple said the most memorable part of their trip has been the people they met. Zach & Haley

"Be willing to try new things," Crowley told BI.

By getting out of their comfort zones and speaking to locals  or on many occasions just smiling, as Crowley said that often people don't speak English  they've enriched their experiences.

"We've had so many instances where people just pick us up because they can tell that we're travelers that are stranded or just need a ride," Crowley said.

Fisher said people have been helpful everywhere, which has been the most memorable part of their journey so far.

He added: "It's those things that really give more color to a country."

Read the original article on Business Insider
Filmmaker Sam Pollard, one of the most prolific and important forces in contemporary documentary, will be honored by Black Public Media at its upcoming PitchBlack Awards in New York.

Pollard  who directed or co-directed four films and docuseries this year alone, including The League and Bill Russell: Legend  will receive the BPM Trailblazer Award in a ceremony on April 25. The event is set to take place at the Stanley H. Kantor Penthouse of Manhattans Lincoln Center, capping the latest edition of BPMs PitchBLACK Forum, described as the largest pitch competition of its kind in the United States for independent filmmakers and creative technologists who create Black content.

More from Deadline

A multiple Emmy- and Peabody Award-winning producer-director-editor, Pollard is known for his work on a plethora of important works including: Eyes On The Prize, Maynard, MLK/FBI, Lowndes County and the Road to Black Power, and Mr. SOUL!, a release noted. He also has served as an editor on Spike Lees Clockers; Mo Better Blues, Jungle Fever, Girl 6, Bamboozled, and Four Little Girls.

The release also cited some of Pollards most recent work: Max Roach: The Drum Also Waltzes (PBS), about the legendary jazz drummer and composer, which just won a 2023 International Documentary Association (IDA) Best Music Documentary Award; and South to Black Power (HBO), about journalist and author Charles M. Blows call for Black people to reverse-migrate to the South as a strategy for Black Liberation.

Pollard won an Emmy for his work on Spike Lees When the Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Acts (2006) and earned an Oscar nomination for producing and editing Lees above-mentioned 4 Little Girls (1997). He is at work directing several upcoming films including The Sound of Philadelphia, about the songwriting and producing trio of Kenny Gamble, Leon Huff, and Thom Bell, who founded Philadelphia International Records (Deadline wrote about that project last year).

Black Public Media logo

Among previous winners of the BPM Trailblazer Award are Orlando Bagwell, Joe Brewster, Michele Stephenson, Yoruba Richen, and Marco Williams, all feted for their long-standing work, primarily in public media, as a producer, director, writer or editor, the release said, and for having a strong track record of mentoring the next generation of media makers.

Filmmaker Sam Pollard

Leslie Fields-Cruz, executive director of BPM, said in a statement, Sam has continuously brought to life urgent Black stories that need to be seen and studied, crafting films that preserve the history and beauty of so many aspects of American culture. He has also helped to prepare a new wave of truly talented storytellers. Its time for all of us to give him the flowers he deserves.

As part of BPMs PitchBLACK Trailblazer celebration, the release noted, a select group of Pollards films will be screened in a special film retrospective. The program features a combination of in-person and virtual screenings as well as a conversation with the filmmaker.

BPM is a Harlem-based national nonprofit which funds and distributes original content, and produces compelling work, including its signature series AfroPoP: The Ultimate Cultural Exchange.

Best of Deadline

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Former Bad Boy Records rapper G-Dep may be freed from prison after New York Gov. Kathy Hochul granted him and 15 others clemency.

Gov. Hochul announced the move on Friday and was busy getting things in order for the inmates. According to the New York State website, Hochul commuted the sentences of four people and pardoned 12 others who were no longer locked up. The Gothamist reports that the rapper is one of those who were granted clemancy which means he can request parole earlier than he would have been eligible under normal circumstances.

However, despite many people seeing their freedom, G-Dep may have to wait as Gov. Hochul couldn't guarantee that sentences would be shortened, and the decision for their early release will now be in the hands of the parole board.

"Through the clemency process, it is my solemn responsibility as Governor to recognize the efforts individuals have made to improve their lives and show that redemption is possible," Hochul said. "When I took office, I committed to improving this process and dedicated the resources needed to grant clemency on a rolling basis. My administration will continue working to ensure this process serves New Yorkers in the best way possible."

Since taking office in August 2021, Gov. Hochul pardoned or commuted 59 people, including seven in April and 13 back in September.

G-Depreal name Trevell Colemanturned himself in nearly two decades after he shot and killed someone during a botched robbery when he was a teenager. While police couldn't solve the case, the Harlem native became a rap star after signing to Bad Boy Records and grabbing a $350,000 record deal.

Things went awry in 2010 when Dep couldn't live with the guilt anymore and told police what happened. G-Dep was convicted of second-degree murder in 2012 and was sentenced to 15 years to life in prison.

More on this
Country music superstar Garth Brooks performs at Rice-Eccles Stadium at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City on Saturday, July 17, 2021. Brooks recently released a new album, Time Traveler. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News

Garth Brooks has never been one to follow convention. In the late 1990s, there was the creation of Chris Gaines, Brooks Australian rock star alter ego. And then several years later, after shuttering his own streaming service, GhostTunes, the country superstar signed an exclusive deal with Amazon Music  and youll be hard-pressed to find his music anywhere else online. Tickets for his recent stadium tour all cost the same  no matter if you were in the front row or nosebleeds.

Now, the artist has released Time Traveler, his 14th studio album. And in true Brooks fashion, the release comes with a little quirk: Only one retailer is selling it.

Related

Where you can find Garth Brooks new album

Brooks has made Time Traveler available at roughly 170 stores in an exclusive deal with Bass Pro Shops (including Cabelas). But theres another catch: To buy the album, you have to buy six other albums with it. Time Traveler is part of a seven-disc boxed set titled The Limited Series, which includes a few of his more recent albums, according to Brooks website.

The new album hit shelves Nov. 7, but even more than a month later, you wont find much about it online, other than the track list and a review or two.

But in a piece for UPROXX chronicling his journey to get the album(s), Steven Hayden did say this much: Time Traveler is a lot better than a Garth Brooks album released exclusively to Bass Pro Shops in 2023 has any right to be.

Country music superstar Garth Brooks performs at Rice-Eccles Stadium at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City on Saturday, July 17, 2021. Brooks recently released a new album. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News

What we know about Garth Brooks new album, Time Traveler

Time Traveler pays tribute to the different eras of country music, Billboard reported. Brooks has a songwriting credit on half of the albums 10 tracks. He covers the David Allan Coe song The Ride, which tells the story of a hitchhikers run-in with the ghost of Hank Williams Sr., and sings Brett Youngs 2018 number The Ship and the Bottle with Kelly Clarkson. He sings a duet with Ronnie Dunn of Brooks and Dunn.

There are a lot of different eras on this album, thus the name, Brooks said in a statement shared on his website. Country musics core is sincerity; after that, you can dress it up a thousand different ways. I am so lucky to live under the flag of country music.

Related

What else is Garth Brooks up to?

Brooks is also in the middle of a recently extended Las Vegas residency. Compared to his recent stadium tour, its a substantially more intimate show  The Colosseum in Vegas seats a little over 4,000, the Deseret News previously reported. And according to Brooks, no two shows are the same.

Entertainer Garth Brooks speaks to reporters before his concert at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Friday, June 17, 2022. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News

Any given song, all 10 band members will be playing and singing, then none of them will be, Brooks previously told Billboard. Then maybe percussion and background vocals for The River. Or (Im) talking about George Strait and Amarillo by Morning and all of a sudden (Jimmy) Mattingly shows up with the fiddle and its just (me) and him. Any given night can have any given variation of any given song.

Brooks recently concluded the 2023 leg of his residency and resumes his Las Vegas shows in April.
Laura Lynch, a founding member of the Dixie Chicks country music band, has been killed in a head-on highway crash near El Paso, Texas. She was 65.

According to TMZ, which confirmed details of the crash through the Texas Dept. of Public Safety, Lynch was traveling east on the two-lane Highway 62 when her vehicle was struck Friday by another car that was heading in the opposite direction as it attempted to pass another vehicle.

Lynch was among the four original members of the band  started in 1989 and now known as The Chicks  along with Robin Lynn Macy and Martie Erwin. She played upright bass and later served as lead vocalist.

TMZ reported that Lynch died at the scene of the crash. An investigation by Texas authorities has been launched.

The driver of the car that struck Lynchs vehicle sustained non-life threatening injuries and was transported to a hospital.

Lynch left the Dixie Chicks in 1995, three years before their breakout hit Wide Open Spaces was released. She was replaced by Natalie Maines.

Lynch is survived by husband Mac Tull and their daughter.

Watch video of an early Dixie Chicks performance featuring Lynch below.

The post Laura Lynch, Founding Dixie Chicks Member, Killed in Car Crash appeared first on TheWrap.
Law & Order: Criminal Intent Season 2 plunges deeper into the twisted psyches of New York Citys most cunning criminals, as Detectives Robert Goren (Vincent DOnofrio) and Alexandra Eames (Kathryn Erbe) confront disturbing motives and complex moral dilemmas.

Heres how you can watch and stream Law & Order: Criminal Intent Season 2 via streaming services such as Peacock.

Is Law & Order: Criminal Intent Season 2 available to watch via streaming?

Yes, Law & Order: Criminal Intent Season 2 is available to watch via streaming on Peacock.

The detectives navigate a labyrinth of twisted motives, from a social worker murdered for protecting a prodigy to a crooked cop implicated in a deadly web of deceit.

Law & Order: Criminal Intent features recurring cast Vincent DOnonfrio, Jamey Sheridan, Leslie Hendrix, Robert C. Kirk, and Michael Rispoli, among other.

Watch Law & Order: Criminal Intent Season 2 streaming via Peacock

Law & Order: Criminal Intent Season 2 is available to watch on Peacock. The service is compatible with a wide range of devices, ensuring accessibility for users across various platforms. Whether on smart TVs, streaming devices, web browsers, or mobile devices, Peacock provides flexibility in how subscribers choose to consume their favorite content.

Law & Order: Criminal Intent Season 2 synopsis is as follows:

The third installment of the Law & Order franchise takes viewers deep into the minds of its criminals while following the intense psychological approaches the Major Case Squad uses to solve its crimes.

NOTE: The streaming services listed above are subject to change. The information provided was correct at the time of writing.

The post Law & Order: Criminal Intent Season 2 Streaming: Watch & Stream Online via Peacock appeared first on ComingSoon.net - Movie Trailers, TV & Streaming News, and More.
Quincy Music Theatre and Newstage Theatreworks are teaming for a production of "The Prom" on Jan. 18-21, 2024, in Quincy.

Conner Fabrega guides the cast of "The Prom" in delivering a show where everyone can join in its anthem and declare, Let the music blare that no one cares who your unruly heart loves!

Quincy Music Theatre and Newstage Theatreworks are teaming for a production of "The Prom" on Jan. 18-21 in Quincy.

The cast of "The Prom" celebrating Emma and Alyssa during rehearsal of the Quincy Music Theatre and Newstage Theatreworks production, which runs Jan 18-21, 2024.

'The Prom' provides perspective

To play on a quote from "The Prom" by the titular character Emma, Note to self: dont be gay in Florida.

In May of 2023, Equality Florida and The Human Rights Campaign released a memorandum warning of the risks associated with relocating or traveling to Florida as a member of the LGBTQ+ community.

According to the Human Rights Campaigns research regarding the state of LGBTQ+ rights, last updated in August of 2023, queer individuals in the United States face an unprecedented and dangerous spike in anti-LGBTQ+ legislative assaults sweeping state houses this year. In Florida, recent laws have gone into effect that limit access to healthcare and reduce the safety and quality of life.

Gay communities who call Florida home fight for the right to love and live freely in their beloved state. Some fight by marching in protest, others fight through letters and legislature, and some use art as their weapon of choice.

Benefit concert: Broadway star Shoshana Bean will perform benefit concert at Young Actors Theatre in 2024

A YAT alum

Fabrega wields his conductors baton in the face of this danger. A great power against hate lies in the much-needed escape found in theater. It is a place where answers to existential problems are simply found in songs, and people dance to celebrate the possibilities.

The 2019 Drama Desk Award-winning musical comedy "The Prom" follows four Broadway actors whose glory days are far behind as they travel to a small conservative town in Indiana to help a lesbian student take her girlfriend to the prom.

Conner Fabrega is musical director for "The Prom," presented by Quincy Music Theatre and Newstage Theatreworks Jan. 18-21, 2024.

Fabrega, a Young Actors Theatre alum and veteran of shows like "Forever Plaid" and "Tuck Everlasting," is delighted to work with Quincy Music Theatre and Newstage Theatreworks as the Musical Director of "The Prom."

He elaborates on the need for this show in the current political state where LGBTQ+ individuals find themselves. I wouldnt be shocked to read a headline that said, Florida school bans a gay couple from attending prom. Lawmakers continue to stifle the freedom of youth to express themselves in schools, Fabrega said.

As a gay man, I find this story essential. Its flashy; its confrontational; its thought-provoking; its funny, and, most importantly, its heart. From his position on the podium, Fabrega takes this musical to heart, conducting with an energy and electricity felt by audiences and actors alike.

Chelsea Ealum as Dee Dee Allen and Dakota Miller as Principle Hawkins in a dip in "The Prom," being presented by Quincy Music Theatre and Newstage Theatreworks Jan. 18-21, 2024.

The guiding sound

Like in "The Prom," where the high school principal fights adamantly to support his students and encourage their authentic selves, Fabrega considers his role as an educator supportive.

A proud product of Leon County schools, the district provided Fabrega a space to explore his craft. It was through his time at Killearn Lakes Elementary School that Fabrega found a fondness for music.

Be it at the schools annual Patriotic Program, singing songs like "You're a Grand Ol' Flag" and "Michael Row the Boat Ashore," or on the karaoke mic during a family vacation, singing has always been a part of Fabregas life. He also credits music for his academic success.

"There is tons of research on how music affects developing minds. I knew that I was always excited to go to any music class  elementary through high school, and my involvement in music made me work harder in my academic classes, Fabrega said.

Fabrega continued vocal training in the districts choir programs through middle and high school. He carried this entanglement with music and academia through his studies at Florida State University, where he received his Bachelor of Music in Voice Performance. He is grateful to professors like Dr. Carla Connors and Dr. Evan Jones, whose dedication led Fabrega through every phase of his vocal journey.

I owe them everything, Fabrega said. Equipped with a practical approach to voice and theater informed by collegiate vigor, Fabrega is a new kind of triple threat  a performer, educator, and conductor. Each role informs the other in a way that enhances any show.

I guess you could say that my passion for performing and teaching evolved conjunctly, says Fabrega. From a performer's perspective, I know what I need from a music director. As a music director, the way I approach a score has changed the way I perform. Everything I do on and off stage bolsters the other.

The role of the conductor is to guide an ensemble both musically and emotionally through the parallel journeys taken by the artists and the characters. Just as the lead character Emma searches for her authentic voice in a heteronormative world, only to find it in an unexpected queer tribe, so too does Fabrega find a hidden power within his direction.

My main focus is to always keep a students voice true to themself while singing with proper technique and expression, Fabrega said. He begins first by instilling the nature of the pieces into the actors.

With a show that includes big tambourine showstoppers, a beautiful ballad at an Applebees, and powerful belting voices in a PTO meeting, Fabrega manipulates melody to highlight the tender moments in the show while juxtaposing the stringent sounds of an oppressive crowd. He strives for consistency in his cast to deliver the same quality show to audiences night after night.

The Pride of Tallahassee

It is challenging to live in the shadows. To fear for your life and the love that fills it. Queer Floridians live this fear daily in hopes that the idea of acceptance becomes a palpable action. In "The Prom," the communitys deliberate choice to accept Emma leads to inclusive action that drapes a young queer teenager with love.

Luckily, music has a way of clarifying and healing. "The Prom" is no different. Nearly every big ensemble number has to do with pride and accepting others, says Fabrega. Once the cast thought about that, everything clicked, and we made magic.

He assures that audiences can expect to laugh, connect, and feel as they celebrate love and community. He hopes that the production will highlight the need to create safer spaces for LGBTQ+ teens while sharing the joy brought on by young love and a sense of pride.

Tickets went on sale Dec. 18 and, with only three performances, are expected to sell out fast. Show your pride in Tallahassee by supporting the amazingly talented actors, directors, and musicians of Quincy Music Theatre and Newstage Theatreworks production of "The Prom."

If you go

What: Quincy Music Theatre and Newstage Theatreworks production of "The Prom"

When: Jan. 18-21, 2024 | Evening shows start at 7:30 pm. Matinee performances begin at 2:30 p.m.

Where: Quincy Music Theatre, 118 E Washington Street, Quincy

Tickets: $22.75 for adults; $20.75 for seniors and students; nstw.org

Contact: 850-445-1957 | boxoffice@nstw.org

Support: You can find resources supporting the mental health of LGBTQ+ people of all ages, including self-care guides for the holidays, and phone/text support for any mental health issue at tallahasseearts.org

Dr. Christy Rodriguez de Conte is the feature writer for the Council on Culture & Arts. COCA is the capital areas umbrella agency for arts and culture (tallahasseearts.org).

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Quincy Music Theatre teams up on thought-provoking 'The Prom'
There's a reason steaks taste different at high-end steakhouses. Dry aging is a common method of maintaining larger cuts of meat in a controlled environment to concentrate the flavors and tenderize the meat. I used to serve a particular heritage breed of cattle in a restaurant I owned that taught me about dry aging. As my restaurant was one of the only commercial outlets, there weren't mechanisms in place to purchase the meat from a wholesaler; I had to buy the heads of cattle directly from the rancher and take them to a processor, where I'd let them hang for 28 days before going back to collect them. The carcasses would come through my back door looking beat up, dried out, and sometimes growing mold. They were perfect. By hanging them for four weeks in a controlled environment, they'd lost moisture, the beef flavor concentrated, the meat tenderized, and in the instance of mold, they'd gained a prosciutto-like note to their overall taste.

To learn more about dry aging and what meats work well in the process, we spoke to chef Ian Boden, owner of The Shack and the soon-to-open Maude & the Bear in Staunton, Virginia, and culinary partner of Washington, D.C.'s Tabard Inn. We discussed the best meats, best aging practices, and the common mistakes people make when dry aging at home.

One of the biggest mistakes people make is drying their meat too quickly. An exterior crust, called a pellicle, forms on the meat during aging. When drying too quickly, that pellicle hardens and doesn't allow the free flow of water to the meat's exterior, causing the meat to rot from the inside. There are also many vectors for foodborne illness, so cleaning, sanitation, and proper handling and storage practices are crucial to success.

Read more: Your Guide To The Different Cuts Of Steak

What Is Dry Aging?

Beef dry aging - Yalcinsonat1/Getty Images

On the outside, dry aging looks like setting meat on a shelf to spoil. What's really happening is the meat (or vegetable) undergoes a controlled evaporative process.

In most cases, when you leave a piece of meat in the refrigerator for a couple of weeks, you expect it to go bad. One of the biggest reasons for that is when allowed to sit in a container, any water that escapes the meat pools at the bottom, and that, combined with the moisture in the meat, is a channel for bacterial growth inside the meat. By not allowing the water to pool and controlling the humidity and temperature during the process, chefs manipulate the evaporation rate, which concentrates the meat's flavor while tenderizing it. Boden likes to age meat at the highest temperature allowable by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), 40 F, at 80% humidity.

Typically, meat dry ages two to four weeks but can age as long as 120 days. As the meat ages, it commonly develops a white mold on the exterior that contributes tenderness and flavor, similar to that found on dried sausages or cured hams like prosciutto. At about 14 days, the meat shows signs of tenderizing, and it starts developing "funky" flavors from the mold development between 21 and 28 days. After aging for the desired amount of time, the dried and moldy exterior gets removed, and the tender, flavorful interior meat heads for the stove, grill, or oven.

How To Dry Age

Dry aging meat case - t_sopholpoj/Shutterstock

In addition to a refrigerator, you need a means to keep the meat out of water, control humidity, and ensure airflow. You can meet these requirements with a wire cooling rack on a baking sheet, a salt block, and a fan. The cooling rack keeps the meat out of water. Humidity below 85% is key, so if your fridge measures anywhere above 80%, a salt block will suck some of the ambient moisture and lower the humidity. A small clip-on fan provides airflow throughout the process. This is fine if you're just trying it out, but Boden has thoughts.

"In your home fridge, you have so much bacteria and ambient molds floating around that you know you run the risk of spoilage," he says. "Honestly, you can buy a small home dry aging chamber for a couple hundred bucks these days. So if it's something that a home cook is super-interested in, I think it's worth a small investment [for] a more controlled environment, especially for a longer age. It's so not worth wasting the product."

Once you have your environment handled, you simply put your meat inside and wait. Some people add starters like koji or blue cheese, to which Boden says, "All it does is make things taste like koji, and people have gone a little over the top with it. I want my beef to taste like beef. That's why I'm aging it, right?"

Ribeye/veal Rack

Veal chop from a rack - Food Impressions/Shutterstock

Size matters when dry aging because your meat will lose water via evaporation. It's safe to assume you'll lose 15-25% of the original weight from moisture loss. "I think that if you're putting anything less than four pounds in your chamber, you're wasting your money," Boden says. Considering that you could end up with three pounds of finished meat at four pounds of original weight, he's got a point.

Bone-in ribeye is an excellent cut for dry aging. A quick Google image search for "dry-aged beef" returns an astonishing percentage of ribeye photos that back his assertion. Boden looks for two things for dry-aging beef: Bones that add umami as the meat ages and a healthy fat cap that protects the meat from losing moisture too quickly. A whole, bone-in rib sub-primal ticks those boxes quite well. His location in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley gives him access to hyper-farm fresh meats, including beef ribeyes that smell "super grassy, like cream," after aging.

That access includes other ingredients for aging. "Right now, I've got two racks of veal [in the aging chamber], which we've never done before, but I'm excited to try," he says. It's a natural progression, considering a veal rack and a rib sub-primal are the same cuts from cattle of different ages. Veal is younger and, therefore, has less fat and marbling and hasn't developed the deep red coloring that beef typically has yet, although it has a well-developed fat cap, as suggested above.

Pork Shoulder

A bone-in pork shoulder - Littleny/Getty Images

A bone-in pork shoulder fits the bill of bone and fat cap requirements Boden looks for. While dry aging a pork shoulder increases the density and flavor for cooking, Boden likes to age shoulders for a different purpose. "We do a lot of sausages and stuff like that at the restaurant, so we'll get a whole shoulder, and I'll throw it in the dry ager for a month [before processing it into sausage]," he says.

You're certainly not limited to using an aged pork shoulder for sausage. Slow roasting or smoking are great options for the intensified flavor and texture dry aging instills, but quick-cooking techniques shouldn't be off the table. The denser meat is also an excellent candidate for cutting into steaks. Applying your favorite pork-centric dry rub and quickly searing a pork shoulder steak straight from the butcher in its natural state is a perfect way to prepare a pork steak. But the funkiness and tenderness added by dry aging take the experience up several levels. The reduced moisture content helps give the pork steaks a beautiful sear, and the rub adds to the crispness of the exterior.

Pork Loin

A bone-in pork loin - Food Impressions/Shutterstock

If veal and beef rib sections are prime candidates for dry aging, why not pork loin? The physical structure is essentially the same  rib bones attached to an "eye" as in ribeye, and they all have a nice cap of fat covering them. "The loins, they dry just beautifully," Boden says. Restating his reasoning for his drying technique, he continues, "I like bone-in. In my opinion, it's pretty necessary as it helps with loss, right? Because it's drying, you're getting the same surface area and permeation, but you're cutting off the bones anyway, so I feel like you have a little bit more stability, and you can age it for a little bit longer with a little less loss."

Because a pork loin has less marbling and higher water content than a shoulder and significantly less than a beef rib sub-primal, limiting the aging to 10-14 days is a safe bet for aging to minimize chances of spoilage or meat loss. After trimming, you can roast the loin whole on the bone or cut it into individual chops and pan-sear, sous vide, or grill them. The reduced water content from aging helps develop an incredible sear or Maillard crust when cooked whole or as chops.

Whole Fish Or Fillets

Hanging salmon fillets - SaskiaAcht/Shutterstock

Dry aging fish is a relatively new trend in the U.S. based on a centuries-old Japanese sushi technique. Boden has adopted the method and put it to use in his restaurant. "There are people that are much more versed in that that are publishing books currently about dry aging fish," he quickly adds as a disclaimer before describing some of the challenges. "Fish is harder only because the fats are a lot more volatile and can go off a lot easier. Water is your enemy, so make sure the cavity is super dry and there's no blood left in the cavity. Make sure you know the gallbladder's out, and the heart's out all those bits and pieces. Those go rancid and will aromatize the rest of the meat, turning it all into trash."

With that kind of risk, why age fish at all? Like meat, aging fish increases the umami flavors by removing the water content. The benefits of drying-aging fish also reverse the effects of rigor mortis, relaxing tendons and rendering fats, glycogens, and proteins into more tender flesh. Many restaurants specializing in this will hang whole fish to age, but this may provide space limitations for home users. In that case, aging fillets on an elevated wire rack works almost as well.

Coulotte

Whole coulotte - Milanchikov Sergey/Shutterstock

You may be getting the idea that Boden doesn't work in typical lanes, ingredient or technique-wise. When asked what his favorite meats to dry age are, beef isn't high on the list. "I'd say beef only because the beef is just kind of expected. I think kind of everybody knows what dry-aged beef tastes like now." While he'll work in the ribeye color palate, he's slightly more excited about the coulottes he has in the aging chamber.

The coulotte comes from the sirloin cap, which sits behind the short loin, above the flank, and in front of the round when looking at beef anatomy. This triangular cut is extremely well-marbled, with a respectable fat cap. Although a coulotte isn't a bone-in cut, the fat cap and marbling make it a good candidate for aging. After aging and trimming, it comes time to cook the coulotte. If cooking the coulotte as a whole roast, slow cooking on a grill or in the oven is the best means of bringing out the best flavor and juiciness, rendering the fat cap and activating the intra-muscular marbling. You can also cut the coulotte into steaks, which benefit from a quick sear followed by indirect heat to finish it. Because of the density of its muscle fibers, we don't recommend cooking a coulotte roast beyond medium rare.

Chicken

Fresh raw chicken - Coprid/Getty Images

If you could see someone getting excited about a topic over the phone, that would be the experience with Boden when discussing dry-aging chicken. With his easy access to fresh ingredients, he wants to bring out the best of his locally-raised chickens. "A farmer we work with does two runs a year for us. We get them all in, and they go right into the dry ager for four to six days, depending on their size, and that's kind of been the sweet spot for us," he says.

Dry-aging chicken accomplishes many of the same goals as aging beef or pork, with a bonus. "You get you get a more poultry flavor," Boden says, "But the skin just crisps beautifully, so as soon as you baste, it almost crisps like a crackling, you know what I mean?" (For those unfamiliar with the Southern term, think pork rind or chicharrone.)

While Boden has a dedicated dry-aging cabinet, he explains that the best way to dry-age chicken at home is to spatchcock it to increase the surface area, then place it on a wire rack over a baking sheet in your refrigerator. The ideal time varies from three days to Boden's recommended four to six days.

Duck

Ducks hanging to dry - Burke/triolo Productions/Getty Images

Duck is a lean, dark meat with a fantastic fat cap from the skin. That fits the profile of good meat for dry aging. "One of our waiters raises ducks for us, and one of the things about that is the tenderness, so you have that breakdown [in aging]," Boden says. Farm fresh is the best choice for ducks, according to Boden, but not everyone has that opportunity, and aging can help improve the flavor and texture of commodity ducks. "You know, when you buy duck industrially, it ends up being flabby. The flesh isn't firm, and the texture is not quite as nice," he says. "With the local ducks, obviously, all the things are better, but with aging, you get a little bit more breakdown, and with aging industrial ducks, you don't have tougher bits now. They tend to be much more tender."

Dry aging duck isn't a new technique. It's a centuries-old common first step in preparing Peking Duck. For home aging, bone-in is always best, and one could spatchcock the duck for better surface area and more uniform drying. But if space is an issue, aging the boneless breasts and bone-in legs is an option. You can then pan-roast the breasts and level up your duck confit with the dry-aged legs.

Goose

A roasted goose - Gmvozd/Getty Images

While U.S. consumers regard geese as special-occasion meat more than ducks or chickens, they're still great candidates for dry aging, thanks to their fatty skin and pockets of fat near the surface. The idea behind dry aging poultry isn't to extract water from the meat but to remove it from the skin and the layer between the skin and the flesh. However, flavor concentration and tenderization of the meat are part of the benefit. Geese are subject to the same aging process and cycle as chickens, three to six days.

The big issue with roasting poultry or fowl is trying to cook a piece of meat of varying thicknesses whose parts finish cooking at different temperatures while trying to perfect a crispy skin. After the aging process, thanks to the decreased moisture content, the skin will crisp much faster, so you won't need to cook it as long as a fresh goose to render the fat and crisp it. To tackle a roast goose for even browning, you may find that removing the breasts halfway through cooking and pan-searing them while the legs cook is still a good idea, but there's a high probability additional browning isn't a top requirement.

Small Poultry

Roasted quail on a plate - Elena_danileiko/Getty Images

Boden's preference for dry-aging poultry doesn't stop at large birds. He's also got a penchant for small fowl and game birds. Poussin, also called a spring chicken, is a young chicken with all white meat, even the legs. Smaller surface area and density call for a shorter age time, but the poussin still benefits from a few days of aging.

Boden's farm partners also raise Guinea fowl, which see a trip through the dry-ager for a few days. Guinea hens have red meat and are a little smaller and leaner than chickens, so they see a shorter aging period than chickens. After aging, you can butcher the fowl for pan roasting, or it's excellent roasted whole, such as in this rosemary-brined guinea hen recipe.

Quail, although tiny by comparison with the other poultry and game birds, are quick-aging and delicious after a brief time drying. By concentrating the flavor via evaporation, one would expect a more quail-y flavor. But instead, the aging brings about a delicacy in the meat one wouldn't normally expect or encounter.

What About Vegetarians?

A bunch of fresh beets - Love_life/Getty Images

A question arose after covering a gamut of meat, fish, and especially poultry as the best picks for dry aging. If the concept of aging beef can expand into these other areas, does it have to stop at animal protein-based foods? Could the same principles apply to vegetables and fruits?

Vegetables have a significantly different structure and composition than animal proteins, but some research showed that with some additional manipulation, dry-aged beets became a reality. According to their creators, the concentration of umami flavors makes the dried beets a starting point for a vegetarian steak tartare or carpaccio. Chef Dominique Crenn developed a carrot jerky several years ago that the team hoped to expand to similar vegetables, like beets and parsnips. If a carrot recipe could move forward to beets due to a similar composition and structure, it might be both possible and plausible to reverse dry-aged beet techniques to carrots.

Read the original article on Tasting Table.
Betel nut prices fluctuate frequently. In this stall in Port Moresby they sell for one kina per nut (20 pence) - Torbjorn Wester/The Telegraph

David Taim, a civil servant in Port Moresby, the capital of Papua New Guinea, always starts the day in the same way.

He takes a bite of a green, unripe nut, along with the inflorescence of a pepper plant and some white powder mainly made up of slaked lime. Then he chews the mixture.

It opens your eyes. It makes you awake. It brings your senses to life, he says.

Without betel nuts during my office hours, Im done for the day.

Betel nut is not very well known in the western world. But this addictive nut, which grows on the areca palm, is regarded as the worlds fourth most widely-used psychoactive substance after caffeine, nicotine and alcohol.

Civil servant David Taim consumes up to 40 betel nuts every day - Torbjorn Wester/The Telegraph

According to oft-quoted but uncertain estimates, 600 million people  including Taim  regularly chew it. That global production of the nut has more than doubled in the last 20 years, suggests this chewing habit is undoubtedly widespread and becoming even more popular.

Consumers are found on the Indian subcontinent, in South Asia and Melanesia, areas where the tradition of chewing the nut has a history dating back thousands of years.

Chewing styles vary widely. In India, the worlds leading producer, it is sold in ready-made, mass manufactured packages containing mixtures of the nut, slaked lime, various flavors and often tobacco. Among the chamorro people of the Mariana Islands, on the other hand, it is chewed and ingested without additives, mature and hard.

But no matter how the nut is consumed, it gives the same mild, warming feeling of euphoria and alertness. And thats what has made it so popular.

There is no mistaking that David Taim likes betel nuts. He carries around the days ration in a plastic bag, and on his light-colored shirt there are stains of the red saliva that he constantly has to spit out when he chews the betel nut mixture. Like many in Papua New Guinea, he started chewing betel nuts when he was three or four years old.

Betel nut vendors in the region of Bougainville, Papua New Guinea - Torbjorn Wester/The Telegraph

Were growing up with the betel nut culture. When we start eating hard food, we also start chewing. It has always been a part of me, he says.

The addiction means that some days he can buy up to 40 nuts, a big expense. The frequent work trips to non-chewing countries can sometimes be problematic. The first thing he does when he arrives in a new country is to locate those who sell betel nuts.

When I was in Dubai, I found Indians that I could buy from at inflated prices. When I went to Berlin, I smuggled nuts, but the stock only lasted a week, he says.

But the delights of chewing come with a price. In another part of the betel nut consuming world, in the Western Pacific, lies Northern Mariana Islands. In 2018, American otolaryngology-head and neck surgeon William Moss arrived here for a job at the local hospital. He could hardly believe what he saw.

I noticed right away that the patterns of oral cancer werent like they are in the western world. The patients come in with later stage disease, theyre younger overall, the outcomes are terrible and the incidence of it was just through the roof. Its totally disproportionate, he says.

Judi David enjoys a betel nut at a market in Port Moresby - Torbjorn Wester/The Telegraph

Already in the beginning of the last century, medical professionals in India began to suspect a connection between betel nuts and cancer. Well into the 1980s, it was still debated in the scientific community whether the nuts were carcinogenic or not, largely because users often mix them with tobacco and it was difficult to distinguish the effects.

But during the 90s and early 00s, more and more studies showed a clear connection, including studies from Taiwan, where the nut is often chewed without tobacco.

This eventually led to the International Agency for Research on Cancer, a body tied to the World Health Organisation, to formally classify betel nut as a group 1 carcinogen in 2004. Over the past 20 years, there have been a number of new studies, most of which show a very clear connection.

Globally, lip and oral cancer are not among the ten most common forms of cancer. However, in the countries of tropical Asia and the Pacific, where betel nuts are consumed, it is much more widespread.

Many in Papua New Guinea begin chewing betel nuts in childhood - Torbjorn Wester/The Telegraph

In Papua New Guinea, where a majority of the adult population chews betel nuts, the rate of oral cancer per capita is the highest in the world. It is also the most common form of cancer among men and the second most common among women.

In a country with a weak healthcare system and only a few specialized doctors, most people are likely to die without being diagnosed. In the Northern Mariana Islands, which have a more robust healthcare system, the odds for those affected are better. But betel nuts still cause a lot of damage to public health. And its not just about cancer.

Theres a growing list of systemic problems associated with betel nuts. Cardiac issues, renal, liver, adverse outcomes in pregnancy. The story thats unfolding is that betel nut should really be thought of similarly to alcohol and tobacco independently, William Moss says.

In the Northern Mariana Islands, most betel nut chewers are still unaware of the risks, as evidenced by a survey study Moss was involved in. Of 300 chewers a staggering 87 percent did not know that the betel nut is a carcinogen, he says.

Two decades after betel nut was classified as carcinogenic, sales are still sparsely regulated in most parts of the world, and warnings about the health risks are scarce. Moss argues that this is reminiscent of the situation with tobacco in the middle of the last century, when sales were unregulated even though the health risks were known.

It took a collective international effort to bring big tobacco to the table and hold them accountable. Here, we have another powerful billion-dollar industry, but the target consumers are marginalized, impoverished populations with minimal education, he says.

Margret Tarube Teka sells both cigarettes and betel nuts on her stall in Port Moresby. While the cigarettes carry the usual warning labels, the betel nuts do not - Torbjorn Wester/The Telegraph

In Port Moresby, as the sun sets, Taim heads off to a betel nut market in search of tomorrows ration.

Margret Tarube Teka works in one of the many stalls. Like many others, she is financially dependent on the nut, which is the countrys most important domestic cash crop. I have no other way to make a living, but betel nuts provide a good income. Its our gold, she says.

In her stall, she sells two types of carcinogens, cigarettes and betel nuts. The former carries the usual labels  Smoking kills, Smoking causes lung cancer. The latter are sold without any warnings.

But in 2013, the local authorities in Port Moresby did something unusual. An attempt was made to stop the betel nut trade completely. Partly because of the cancer risks, but mostly because of the littering and the red saliva splattered in the streets.

In addition to giving an unpleasant impression of the city, the spitting is believed to contribute to the spread of tuberculosis, a disease with a strong presence in Papua New Guinea.

The Boroko neighborhood of Port Moresby is declared a betel nut-free zone. Buai is the local word for betel nut - Torbjorn Wester/The Telegraph

The National Capital District Betel nut Control Law of 2013 prohibited the sale, consumption and spitting of betel nut in public places and the transport of more than 2 kilograms per person into the capital. It was a devastating blow for many people depending on the trade for their livelihood.

I started to smuggle, by the sea, Margret Tarube Teka admits. I had no choice.

In 2017, the ban was lifted after a storm of criticism and reports of police officers harassing and attacking betel nut vendors.

However, in 2023, some minor restrictions were again placed on the practice, with the Boroko neighborhood of Port Moresby declared a betel nut-free zone. Margret Tarube Teka is critical. If they stop it, how will we live? This is our only source of income.

But there may be another way than drastic legislation to reduce and control millions of peoples cravings for betel nuts.

Over 4,000 miles from Port Moresby, Thaddeus Herzog is trying to find that route. He is an associate professor at the University of Hawaii Cancer Center and devotes a significant part of his time to betel nut research.

Compared to alcohol and tobacco, theres relatively little research. I think its partially because betel nut is not commonly chewed in the West, he says.

Jonathan Haro and Sebastian Steven are betel nut wholesalers. They buy nuts from farmers in neighboring provinces and then resell it by the sack to retailers in Port Moresby - Torbjorn Wester/The Telegraph

Herzogs research focuses on cessation programmes. For a smoker, there are a wide range of aids to get rid of the addiction. But not for betel nut chewers. Herzog and his colleagues have designed a psychological behavioral program to help chewers quit.

We are following the lead of cigarette cessation research, but the technologies that have been developed to help smokers to quit need to be adapted. Its a different substance and different cultures.

But often, it is more difficult to motivate people to give up betel nuts than cigarettes. Many people are not aware of the established link with oral cancer. In a lot of betel nut chewing areas, the health risks are not fully appreciated, he says.

A pharmacological aid like smokers nicotine replacement therapy would probably make cessation programs more effective. But no approved pharmacological treatments are available today. That research is several decades behind where cigarette smoking research is currently, says Herzog.

Taim, the civil servant, would certainly benefit from such help. A year ago, he managed to quit smoking. But he has found it harder to give up the nuts, even though his own father is a warning example, having contracted oral cancer while Taim was a young boy. He was lucky to survive.

After that, he quit, Taim says. But I cant quit the nuts. Ive tried many times, but the longest break I had was one week.

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Fondue has long been regarded a thing of the past. The famed Swiss comfort dish enjoyed its heyday in the United States amid the 1960s and 70s, when it would be enjoyed at home and in restaurants nationwide. With time, however, the dish dwindled in popularity, so much so that at one point, it seemed like people had entirely forgotten about the great pleasures of dipping fresh bread into melted, hot cheese (sincere apologies if you're lactose intolerant).

Was there even a possibility for fondue to make a grand comeback?

Well actually, yes! In fact, fondue is currently enjoying its time under the spotlight.

Fondue first made its return in the United Kingdom in 2018. According to The Telegraph, research from Oxford University claimed there was a resurgence of a 1970s dinner-party fondue set piece at the time. Much of that fascination was tied to the fact that fondue is a dish meant to be shared and enjoyed for comfort. Fondue became a symbol of Swiss unity after it was popularized as a Swiss national dish by the Swiss Cheese Union in the 1930s. Widely revered as a cold weather meal, fondue was later promoted alongside slogans like fondue creates a good mood and fondue is good and creates a good mood in an effort to heighten Switzerlands cheese consumption.

Its origin is traced to isolated communities who had limited access to fresh food in the colder months so used old bits of cheese and bread, turning them into a rich, warming meal with the help of some local high-acidity white wine, wrote food writer Rosie Sykes in The Guardian.

A similar resurgence reached the United States only recently, thanks to a ruling made by a U.S. District Court in Virginia. Early last year, Judge T.S. Ellis ruled that gruyere cheese  which typically comes from certain regions of Switzerland and France, per the European Union (EU)  no longer has to come from those regions for it to be labeled as such. He argued that the term gruyere has become generic, meaning cheesemakers anywhere can make the cheese:

It is clear from the record that the term gruyere may have in the past referred exclusively to cheese from Switzerland and France. However, decades of importation, production, and sale of cheese labeled gruyere produced outside the Gruyere region of Switzerland and France have eroded the meaning of that term and rendered it generic."

Understandably, the decision caused quite an uproar amongst Swiss and French cheese makers. Gruyere, which is a key ingredient in fondue, is widely revered in Switzerland and has long been produced with special care. Legend has it that cow herders in Gruyeres would feed their livestock grass from the tops of mountains because its sweet taste would yield better tasting milk for better tasting cheese. Cheese making has since been hailed as a sort-of art form amongst the Swiss.

As explained by Le Gruyere, the cows which produce milk for gruyere are solely fed on natural forage  fresh grass in summer and hay in winter, with no additives or ensilage. That milk is then delivered to cheese makers twice a day, both in the morning and evening. The morning milk is mixed with the evening milk and left to sit overnight before its curdled. After being pressed for 16 hours or more, the resulting cheese is left to sit in maturing cellars for anywhere between five to 18 months.

Making gruyere is no easy feat, which is why a group of French and Swiss cheese makers filed a lawsuit in an attempt to appeal the recent decision and protect their cheese making history, The Washington Post reported. Their efforts were ultimately unsuccessful after a Virginia-based U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the prior ruling in March.

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Both the European Commission and the EU have remained committed to protecting their specialty foods, including produce, wines, spirits and, yes, cheeses. The EU even touts an elaborate classification system that stamps certain foods with seals that explain a specific products origin (like where it was grown or how it was made). Granted, Switzerland is not part of the EU. But its signature gruyere is still protected by the AOP or Appellation d'Origine Protegee (Protected Designation of Origin), explained the Tasting Table.

Despite its downsides, the ruling was celebrated as a major win for the U.S. Dairy Export Council. The councils representative, Shawna Morris, told the Post that the group was thrilled that the judge made a great call here, in our view.

Outside of the courts, fondue has also made major strides in retail spaces and restaurants. This month, The Melting Pot launched two new fondue products to make eating fondue at home simpler: Melting Pot saw the opportunity to meet consumers when and where they want, whether its dining in a restaurant or eating fondue at home, said Bob Johnston, Chief Executive Officer of Front Burner Brands.

The Melting Pot also presented its all-new Ultimate 5-Course Experience, which promises a Chef-Crafted Cheese Fondue offering. The elaborate fondue spread includes a selection of six savory toppings, making it the perfect treat for those looking to enjoy more fondue in anticipation of the new year.

That's all to say that the future of fondue looks really promising. As for whether America is ready for a cheese fondue comeback, the answer is undoubtedly yes.
Kevin Mazur/ Getty Images

Beyonce surprised fans in Brazil this week by making a rare public appearance to a crowd of excited Bey Hive members.

The musician and director of her concert documentary, Renaissance: A Film by Beyonce, landed in Salvador, Bahia on Thursday to show face at a special after-party event following the movie. The film premiered in Brazil on the same day and was reportedly the first time Beyonce has been in the country in nearly a decade.

Keeping in full Renaissance theme, Beyonce stuck with silver and sequins to match the ongoing aesthetic of the Grammy-award-winning album and world tour. The queen was bedazzled head-to-toe in a sleek sequined gown that wrapped over her head like a scarf. The look was reminiscent of old Hollywood glamour with a touch of Renaissance flare. Beyonce's white-blond hair, which she debuted at her film's premiere, peaked out through the hood and was long down her back.

Beyonce posted several photos from the Club Renaissance event in Brazil, where fans screamed and cheered when the musician took the stage.

I came because I love you so much. It was very important for me to be here, right here, in Bahia, Beyonce said to the crowd. The Renaissance is about freedom. Its about beauty, joy, resilience, everything that you are about. And Im so honored to be here and so happy to see your beautiful faces. I love you so much. I love yall. Thank you for all of your support for so many years. Theres nobody like yall. You are one of one. Number one and the only one, Bahia!

At one point Beyonce attempted to get the cheering crowd to do the Mute challenge  which flooded social media and became a fun part of the tour in which the crowd had to go completely silent during one part of her song, Energy.

Look around everybody on mute, Beyonce said to the crowd, to no avail.

Renaissance: A Film by Beyonce premiered in the U.S. and other countries earlier this month. The concert film shows the electric performances from Beyonce's world tour while also showcasing exclusive behind-the-scenes footage of creating the Renaissance. Queen Bey announced this week that the film would expand to theaters in 15 additional countries, including Brazil.

Originally Appeared on Teen Vogue

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In light of current global conflict, the highly charged political climate and all the other challenges of everyday life, clergy across North Iowa are preparing to deliver Christmas sermons in hopes of connecting with parishioners and guests using messages of hope, peace and inclusion.

The Globe Gazette reached out to several local Christian faith leaders in search of the messages they wish to convey this Christmas season. Here are some of the highlights they shared:

Point eyes to Jesus

Steven Shafer, pastor of Mason City's Seventh-Day Adventist Church since 2020, said the church's mission is to point eyes to Jesus. "If we can get people to focus on Christ, then we've done our job. That's our only goal," he said.

One particularly "Christ-like" tenet of the church's ministry is its annual Christmastime outreach at the Cerro Gordo County Jail.

Traditionally on the weekend before Christmas, the church presents its annual free live nativity scene to the public, and the next day, members meet with inmates at the jail. Inmates receive bags of candy, socks, fruit and Bibles from the visiting faithful. Members talk with inmates, offering words of encouragement and sometimes praying with them. This sometimes leads to lasting relationships, such as becoming pen pals or conducting Bible study over the phone, project organizer Joyce Pinke said.

The gifts and the sentiment of the visit can do wonders for the morale of those incarcerated, and according to one inmate. "(Some inmates) dont have any families out there, they dont have nobody, and when (the church) comes and shows up and does that, it just gives them more hope, the inmate said.

We want to see everyone saved, and sometimes when youre in jail or prison, it gives you some time to think and maybe turn your life over to God, Pinke said. I guess thats our main thing  to lead someone closer to God and to show them that God still loves them no matter what you do."

Faith that grows

Aaron Moore, pastor of St. Ansgar Baptist Church, said while we all have questions, God has the answers.

"This Christmas season," Moore said in an email, "were looking at questions that pop up in the Christmas story. Zechariah was promised a son and asked, 'How will I know this is going to happen?' Often as people get older, they question their value to the world and the church. The 'good ol' days' seem to be behind them, and the feeling of being unnecessary creeps in like bad memories from the past."

Moore's ministry this year shares that Zechariahs story teaches three important lessons about getting older: First, you are never too old for God to use you for something significant. Second, you are never too old for God to test you. Third, you are never too old to try something new.

"The future often scares people," Moore's sermon says. "Politicians paint the future in dark colors and sell themselves as the light. Insurance companies paint the future as a disease and sell the cure, and when Mary was told she would conceive and carry the Lord Jesus Christ she asked, 'How will this be?' Her story gives us three assurances about the future. First, the future will be according to Gods plan. Second, the future will be taken care of by Gods power. Third, sadly, the future will be full of pain."

"As a mother, Mary watched her son die, but as a follower of Christ she rejoiced when he rose again, and she looked forward to eternity when He rules and reigns and there is no more pain. What will this child become? Most parents want a better future for their kids then they had. When John the Baptist was born, many wondered what he would become. His life teaches us four characteristics that every parent should desire for their children. First, that our children would not be afraid of what people think. Second, that our children will be humble. John knew that he was the voice, but that Jesus was the word of God. Third, that our children will share their struggles. When life got hard, John struggled with his faith in Jesus. Im thankful the heroes in the Bible were people like us. They struggled with trusting God and even believing in him. Most of our children will have a crisis of faith at sometime in their life. Lets pray they realize they are not unique in that. Finally, that our children would be praised by Jesus. John didnt have much for earthly possessions, but Jesus called him, 'the greatest of those born from women.' We often want a rich and materialistic future for our children, but when is the last time weve been satisfied by earthly possessions? Christmas Eve well answer the question, 'Where is He who is born king of the Jews?' People often look in all the wrong places for meaning in their lives. Jesus wasnt found in the palace with riches, he was found in a simple home."

In word and deed

"Christmas is a time when we want to reach out to everyone that comes through our doors," Kestel said. "We want those who have been coming faithfully throughout the year, as well as those who might be just a little more inclined to come at Christmas or Easter time, to feel just as welcome as regular churchgoers. The Christmas message is about the incarnation of Jesus, the son of God, coming to be with us, joining God and man, and journeying to be with us through all we experience throughout our lives."

Epiphany's baby pantry helps supply young families of any or no denomination with clothing, formula, diapers and other child care needs. Epiphany has a number of members who participate in volunteerism at the community kitchen and Hawkeye Harvest Food Bank, and internationally through their stewardship and support of the St. Lawrence Home of Hope, a center in Zambia for neglected, traumatized and abused children.

"Christmas," Kestel adds, "is certainly the perfect time to encourage people to share God's presence in their lives, especially through Jesus."

Faith and works

For the Rev. Le Anne Clausen de Montes of Mason City, the message of Christ also resonates best through his example of good works.

"I've seen so many folks struggling to meet basic needs this year, especially those which aren't covered by local assistance organizations or channels. While people who have investments seem to be doing fairly well, people whose incomes are based on hourly wages are struggling to keep up with the rising cost of rent, groceries, and utilities. I've also seen so many people quite ill in recent weeks," Clausen de Montes said.

She and others, including Rev. Burton Everist and parishioner Tracy Smith of First Congressional United Church of Christ in Mason City, and Alan Steckman and Michael Libbie, president and lay leader, respectively, at Adas Israel Synagogue in Mason City, helped lead an interfaith prayer after the Oct. 7 terrorist attack by Hamas that launched a full-scale war in Israel.

"I see people here forming harmful stereotypes about one side or the other, especially due to the violence," said Clausen de Montes. "It's so important to remember that the atrocities that we are seeing against civilians are happening not because the perpetrators are Muslim or because they are Jewish, but because these are young people, and mostly men, who have been taught to dehumanize the other side enough that they can do these things to another human being -- even children, women, the elderly, or people with disabilities. This is one of the most horrific realities of war, and it happens in nearly every war, no matter what religion the combatants are."

Clausen de Montes says this Christmas, what brings her hope is her "little interfaith friendship group, that I hope will continue to grow with a commitment to nonviolence, equality, and mutual respect for each others' humanity and dismantling harmful stereotypes; rather than potentially being thrown off-course as some of these efforts have been elsewhere by pro-war rhetoric."

Where it all begins

Christmas in the town of Bethlehem will be a subdued affair this year, as the lights and festivities are dimmed in shadow while the war rages in Gaza just 45 miles away.

Pope Francis, in his homily "Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord," said, "The manger of Bethlehem speaks to us not only of closeness, but also of poverty. Around the manger there is very little: hay and straw, a few animals, little else. People were warm in the inn, but not here in the coldness of a stable. Yet that is where Jesus was born. The manger reminds us that he was surrounded by nothing but love: Mary, Joseph and the shepherds; all poor people, united by affection and amazement, not by wealth and great expectations. The poverty of the manger thus shows us where the true riches in life are to be found: not in money and power, but in relationships and persons. And the first person, the greatest wealth, is Jesus himself."

The Rev. Lance Kittleson, who recently retired after a long career ministering Lutheran congregations at Deer Creek Lutheran Church in Carpenter and St. Peter Lutheran Church in Toeterville, said that if he were to preach a sermon this Christmas, the messages he would convey come from two Bible verses: Isaiah 9:2 and John 1:5, which respectively read: The Light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it, and, "There is always hope and light shining in our lives despite the dark times."
Migration can be a hazardous time for the billions of birds that make the journey each spring and fall, with thousands, if not millions, dying along the way after colliding with windows.

As Catrin Einhorn documented for The New York Times, however, skyscrapers arent the leading culprit in these collision deaths.

Homes and low-rise buildings account for the vast majority of collisions, in part because there are more of them, and because birds rest and forage close to the ground, Einhorn reported.

Thankfully, you can help birds reach their destinations safely with one simple home hack.

What causes the birds to fly into windows?

A guiding factor for birds is the Earths magnetic field, but they also use the sun, stars, and moon to gather their bearings.

Unfortunately, light pollution from homes and businesses can confuse birds internal compasses or trick them into thinking window reflections are the real thing, causing them to drift off course. Light pollution has also negatively impacted other winged creatures.

Simply turning off your lights at night  which is when most birds travel  will help prevent these deaths. As the Times noted, the bulk of collisions happen with low-rise buildings because birds search for food and rest closer to the ground.

Blackout curtains, patterned decals on windows, and motion sensors for outdoor lighting are other options to minimize the negative impact of light pollution.

According to the National Library of Medicine, bird collisions with buildings are the second-largest cause of death in the avian population due to human activity.

Why should you care about birds?

Without birds, our ecosystem would fall woefully out of balance. Our winged friends worldwide eat an estimated 440-550 million tons of insects each year, including pests that can affect our food supply or spread diseases like mosquitoes do. Bird migration also has positive impacts on plant life.

Searching for a food supply is the key motivator for migration, according to National Geographic, which noted that nesting needs and weather are also considered factors. The changing temperatures of our planet may also be affecting avian travel patterns.

Turning off nonessential lights is like a no-brainer, Andrew Farnsworth, an ornithologist at Cornell University, told CNN after a deadly mass collision of birds in Chicago. It saves energy, its good for human health, and it stops birds from being attracted and disoriented.

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Yes, Chris Evans is a married man!

On October 14, the 42-year-old Marvel actor confirmed his updated relationship status with 26-year-old Alba Baptista at New York Comic Con. I got married, Evans told the crowd while wearing his gold wedding band, according to Page Six. It was really, really great.

If it feels like only yesterday that the actors were linked romantically, its because their relationship was first reported in November 2022after the pair had already been quietly dating for over a year. Apparently people in Hollywood actually can keep a secret.

What do we know about the elusive couple and their two wedding ceremonies? Heres a complete timeline of Chris Evans and Alba Baptistas relationship in reverse chronological order.

December 22, 2023: Evans and Baptista hold hands in their first photo together since their secret wedding ceremonies. In photos shared by People, the newlyweds can be seen arriving at a New York City holiday party hosted by Colin Jost and Scarlett Johansson.

In the pics, which you can see here, Baptista smiles in a slinky red midi dress, black wool coat, and an oversized white scarf, while Evans looks festive in burgundy pants, a green sweater, and a camel-toned coat of his own.

October 14, 2023: Evans reveals the pair actually had two wedding ceremonies during an appearance at New York Comic Con. We kind of had two ceremonies. We had one on the East Coast, we did one in Portugalmy wifes Portuguese, he said, per Page Six. But they were justwonderful and beautiful. Its a lot planning a weddingfor those of you who are married, you know, it takes a lot out of you.

He continued, But now that were through that, weve just kind of been enjoying life, gearing up for autumnmy favorite season. Its, like, the best time of year right now. Now were just relaxing and enjoying life and reflecting.

New York Comic Con 2023 - Day 3 Craig Barritt/Getty Images

September 19, 2023: Evans reveals he and Baptista lived together after just a few months of dating. Though GQ published the cover story on September 19, the interview was actually conducted months before the couples Cape Cod wedding, which is why he referred to Baptista as his girlfriend.

Speaking of his packed film schedule in 2022, he says, My girlfriend that Ive had for a while, when we began dating, I was like: Yeah, I do one movie a year. I try to never work now. And then, after like a few months of dating, boom, guess what? Were living in Atlanta for a year. Get ready. And even when that year was happening, I was like, Man, never again.

As for 2023: I havent worked all year and I dont plan to, which has been lovely.

September 9, 2023: Alba and Evans tie the knot in Cape Cod. According to a Page Six report, attendees were asked to sign NDAs, and phones were forfeited prior to the ceremony. The guest list allegedly featured several of Evans's costars from the Marvel universe, including Robert Downey Jr. and wife Susan Downey, Chris Hemsworth and wife Elsa Pataky, and Jeremy Renner.

Wedding Bells

Chris Evans and Alba Baptista: Everything We Know About Their Cape Cod Wedding

The couple wed after two years of dating.

February 14, 2023: Evans celebrates Valentines Day by posting a bunch of romantic photos of Baptista on his Instagram Story.

January 6, 2023: Evans and Baptista go Instagram official with a hilarious series of prank videos taken over the course of their relationship in 2022.

November 10, 2022: People reports that Chris Evans and Alba Baptista have been dating for over a year. That same day theyre seen holding hands during a walk in Central Park.

Its serious, a source says. They are in love and Chris has never been happier. His family and friends all adore her.

November 9, 2022: Evans leaves a melting face emoji in the comments of one of Baptistas Instagram posts.

November 8, 2022: Chris Evans opens up about settling down in Peoples Sexiest Man Alive feature. Thats absolutely something I want. Wife, kids, building a family, he said. I love the idea of tradition and ceremony. I had a lot of that in my life so the idea of creating that, I cant think of anything better.

Originally Appeared on Glamour
Generally assumed to be swampy wastelands, mangroves are the cornerstone of coastal living, providing essential food, habitats, and protection for thousands of species  including humans.

Ana Maria Peralta and David Borbon have devoted years of their lives to restoring Mexicos Pacific coast desert mangroves, reframing the meaning of a dedicated marriage.

El Delgadito is a small fishing community in Baja California Sur, Mexico that sits on the San Ignacio Lagoon  only one-half of a degree south of the Northern limit of all mangroves in the eastern Pacific. With fewer than 100 residents, the coastline is fortunate that Peralta and Borbon are among them.

In the effort to regenerate the mangrove population, which was stripped in the 1980s for fishing, the two have planted an estimated 1.2 million mangroves over the last 12 years, bringing the coast back to life.

Over 200 bird species have been identified in the San Ignacio Lagoon, which accounts for almost half of all the species found in the state of Baja California Sur, Mexico. The mangroves are where these birds find food, rest, and shelter.

Fully grown mangroves in this region typically reach around 6.5 feet in height which is significantly shorter than those in more optimal conditions, which can grow to over 80 feet. While short in terms of mangroves, their ecological contributions are monumental.

Although mangroves make up less than one percent of the terrestrial area of the Baja California peninsula, they store about 28% of the total below-ground carbon.

It is important to value mangroves as the remarkably diverse ecosystems they are. They stabilize shorelines, protecting the land  and the people and animals that live there  from erosion, waves, and storms.

Preservation of these trees needs to be important to all of us as our planets changing climate has created higher tides and stronger currents which often result in the collapse of entire root systems.

Mangroves generate life  Thats why it is so important that we continue with our efforts, Borbon told Hakai Magazine.

Mangroves are magical forests where we discover natures secrets. They straddle the connection between land and sea and nature and humans, said Anne Birch, marine conservation manager at TNC Florida.

Borbon has been asked to begin a training program for others trying to restore mangroves in their own communities. 

Do you know what the most important thing is? he asked. Not science, not technology. Heart.

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After a rainy cruise to the Bahamas, some Carnival Sunshine passengers returned to port in Charleston, South Carolina, on Monday to a very unpleasant surprise: flooded cars.

It was left up to us to find out that our cars wouldnt start and were totally destroyed, said passenger Stephanie Royal, who was on the four-night cruise with her husband, Wesley. She said passengers did not receive any notice of what they would face upon their return, which was delayed by about six hours.

Downtown Charleston saw record rainfall over the weekend, with close to 4 inches on Sunday. The record rain combined with strong winds pushing water onshore to cause widespread flooding issues in Charleston on Sunday.

At first, everything looked fine when the cruise passengers got back on Monday. The sun was shining and the parking lots were clear. The cruise line and port staff the Royals encountered said nothing about the cars as they disembarked, she said.

It wasnt until we actually got to our cars that people realized that hey, they arent starting, Royal said. They saw evidence of flooding as they opened their vehicles.

The couples Chevy Equinox was totaled, Royal said, and was headed to the salvage yard on Friday.

We regret that some of our guests vehicles parked in the ports lot were impacted by the recent storm, Carnival said in a statement, pointing inquiries to parking officials. We assisted in some ways where we could, for instance with helping guests connect with their insurance providers, but ultimately this was not our facility.

CNN has contacted the South Carolina Port Authority for more information. The Port Authority did not immediately reply, but it provided a statement to CNN affiliate WCIV.

The South Carolina Ports team worked closely with passengers to provide assistance from the moment they arrived until the last passenger departed the terminal, the statement provided to WCIV said, adding that police reports were provided for passengers to give to their insurance companies and staff assisted in calling towing companies and in finding transportation to nearby hotels.

While SC Ports does not assume liability for vehicles or personal property left in the passenger parking areas, we are committed to continuing to support our valued cruise customers, the statement said.

The interior of the Royals' Chevy Equinox. The car was totaled, Stephanie Royal said. - Stephanie Royal

In an advisory that Royal shared with CNN, which was sent by Carnival Cruise Line on behalf of the South Carolina Port Authority, SC Ports said: The storms path was not certain until after Carnival Sunshine left on its voyage and proved to be greater than predicted; even The National Weather Service underestimated the height of the tide by more than 2 feet.

The Port Authority said it was crediting parking charges back to passengers, acknowledging that many had also incurred additional costs.

Royal said she and her husband were told Monday that the Port Authority couldnt help them with transportation and towing. They used a rideshare app to get to the airport to rent a car for their four-and-a-half hour drive home to Brevard, North Carolina  expenses that added about $700 to their trip. They are working on getting reimbursed by their insurance company.

Royals biggest frustration is the lack of communication  and she would like authorities to make it clear to passengers parking in those lots that this kind of flooding is possible.

If the captain had communicated with the Port Authority and had let all of us know on the boat as to what happened before we got to the parking lot, Royal said, it would have been really beneficial.

The cruise itself wasnt amazing, Royal said. From beginning to end, the weather was terrible.

This isnt the first Bahamas cruise this week affected by bad weather. Another cruise on MSC Meraviglia that was slated to sail to the Bahamas was rerouted to freezing New England and Canada, much to some passengers dismay.

CNNs Sara Smart, Caroll Alvarado, Mary Gilbert, Elizabeth Wolfe and Robert Shackelford contributed to this report.

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The holidays mark the return of many food-related traditions around the world, whether it's the creamy, boozy coquito cocktail in Puerto Rico or the dense, fruit-filled stollen bread in Germany. Many of these recipes only appear during the holidays and require extensive time in the kitchen and ingredients that might only be available at certain times of the year or in certain parts of the world. For example, black cake is a holiday fixture throughout the Caribbean that is practically synonymous with Christmas, community, and celebration.

Originating from the harsh colonial era of the 1700s, black cake has an extensive history that is deeply intertwined with the region where it was created. Recipes for the dessert vary from island to island and family to family, but in essence, black cake is a decadent creation made with alcohol-steeped fruits, spices, and burnt sugar, which gives it its deep color. With its high alcohol content, dense texture, and intense flavor, it's a dessert meant to be shared with friends and family throughout the holiday season.

It's no small feat to make either, and many home cooks begin the process weeks or months in advance. As such, this cake is a labor of love that conjures nostalgia for many Caribbeans across the world when the festive season rolls around. Here is everything you need to know about this unique dessert, from its fraught origins and painstaking preparation to its enduring influence in literature and beyond.

Read more: 12 Little-Known Facts About Salt

Its Origins Go Back To Colonialism

image of sugar mill - Hulton Archive/Getty Images

In the 17th century, the Caribbean was at the center of the transatlantic slave trade. Capitalizing on Europe's hunger for sugar, British colonizers trafficked enslaved Africans to the islands and forced them to work on newly established sugarcane plantations. At home, the British poured this sugar into their food, including the ubiquitous Christmas dessert known as figgy pudding (or plum pudding). The country viewed this booze-soaked, fig and plum-free steamed cake as a shining example of its supposed supremacy in the world. With sugar from the West Indies, spices from India, and fruit from Australia, it was a demonstration of its colonial tyranny in one sickly sweet, liquor-drenched package.

As late as 1927, the British royals were using figgy pudding as an advertisement for colonialism, though by that time the Crown had rebranded its ongoing international exploits as imperialism. That year, King George V and his family enjoyed figgy pudding as part of an effort to bolster the case for the Empire, making sure to highlight all the ingredients that had been plundered from its former colonies (per Old Royal Navy College). Although figgy pudding recipes in the U.K. haven't changed much since the 1700s, the dessert's composition was forever transformed outside of Europe when the British and their Irish servants brought the recipe to the West Indies in the 18th century.

The Dessert Is Unmistakably Caribbean

black cake with dried fruit - Jogy Abraham/Getty Images

It's no secret that British food has a reputation for being, shall we say, uninspiring. From baked beans on toast to boiled eels, the country has historically demonstrated a knack for dishes that lack flavor and sound unappetizing. But the inhabitants of the Caribbean islands saw potential in the colonizers' Christmas pudding, and with some ingredient swapping and baking finesse, they alighted on a recipe that is, without a doubt, a different dish altogether from the dessert that inspired it.

To begin with, the islanders added rum instead of whisky or brandy and decided to dice the dried fruit thinly. They also added tonka beans, which have a flavor reminiscent of vanilla, but with a rich, spicy edge and a hint of almonds. Regular sugar was swapped for burnt sugar, giving the cake its distinctive color. The sweet, lightly bitter ingredient is made by heating sugar until it becomes a dark syrup and then adding boiling water to keep it pourable. It is used in both savory and sweet dishes and provides a deeper flavor than regular sugar. Molasses is now a frequent substitute, though its flavor is not a perfect match.

These alterations gave black cake its own flavor and appearance, and though it may often be compared to plum pudding, everything from its texture to its taste sets it far apart from its British counterpart.

It's Boozy

pouring wine over black cake - Clark and Company/Getty Images

Black cake starts with alcohol, but rather than simply dumping rum straight into the batter, the liquor is used to steep the dried fruit to soften and infuse each piece with flavor, ensuring that every bite of the cake is of uniform intensity. Rum is the traditional liquor used, but many recipes call for a mixture of different types of alcohol, including cherry brandy and red wine. Some recipes also require the steeping liquid to be blended into a paste with the fruit rather than being drained off. As a result, one cake might contain multiple cups of alcohol, turning the already dense texture of the dessert into something resembling a creamy pudding.

The high liquor content also plays a key role in the cake's impressive shelf life. For one thing, it stops you from eating more than one or two small pieces at a time, and for another, it acts as a natural preservative. If you douse the cake in alcohol once a week, it can last up to several months without going bad, giving you an excuse to continue celebrating the holidays, a wedding, or whichever festive occasion you're honoring. When following a recipe that calls for draining the fruit after the steeping process rather than blending it into the batter, make sure to save the liquid. Boozy and fruit-filled, it may as well be liquid gold. You can pour it over the cake after it's baked or add it to cocktails.

The Preparation Can Take Months

dried fruit jar with rum - Dariia Belkina/Shutterstock

Time is one of the most fundamental ingredients in black cake. Many cooks start soaking the fruit in alcohol six months before the holidays. There are no rules about which dried fruits should be used, but common mixtures include raisins, currants, cherries, and prunes. Some recipes call for candied ginger and papaya as well. The soaking process, known as maceration, rehydrates the fruit so it softens and expands while drawing its flavors into the alcohol. The result is a unique, complex taste that is the secret to the cake's appeal.

The timing of the maceration process varies from person to person, but for many cooks, the end of hurricane season in the Caribbean (around September or October) marks the beginning of the preparation. For others, the process is much longer, up to a year in some cases. The longer the fruit macerates, the more alcohol it absorbs, especially if the fruit is purchased fully dehydrated. If you are opting to start early, you might need to top up the liquid every so often as the fruit absorbs it. Although some recipes offer seemingly efficient workarounds by directing you to heat the liquor and fruit in a saucepan before letting it sit for a few hours, this will not achieve the same depth of flavor as months of steeping will. Nothing can substitute the planning and time that go into the process.

There Are Variations Throughout The Caribbean

Caribbean island beach view - Paulo Miguel Costa/Shutterstock

Wherever you are in the Caribbean, black cake is likely to be a favorite holiday dessert. After hours of patient, hands-on work in the kitchen, friends and family enjoy it together as a gesture of love and closeness. But depending on which island you're on or even the household, the recipe varies.

In Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana, for example, it's common to use cherry brandy as the alcohol of choice, while in Jamaica, red wine or white rum are often used instead (usually together). In St. Lucia, you'll see a mixture of Caribbean rum, including white, dark, and spiced varieties. In Jamaica, the alcohol used to steep the fruit is often enhanced with rosewater.

Most recipes call for the fruit to be chopped finely in a food processor before soaking in alcohol, but while some cooks transfer the fruit directly to the batter after steeping, others blend it into a paste. With more moisture than drained fruit, this paste gives the cake a gooey, dense, and almost creamy texture.

It Has Become A Fixture Of Christmas And Wedding Celebrations

Champagne toast - Romolo Tavani/Shutterstock

Like mooncakes and panettone, black cake is more than just a sweet treat; it is an integral part of significant celebrations. In China, mooncakes symbolize family and prosperity during the Mid-Autumn Festival, while panettone is inextricably linked to Christmas time in Italy. In the Caribbean, black cake is the go-to dessert for the biggest celebrations of the year and in life, especially Christmas and weddings.

It isn't clear how black cake became a Christmas staple in the Caribbean. Its predecessor, figgy pudding, became associated with the holidays in England in the early 18th century when King George I put it on his Christmas menu, which likely played a role. But there is a simpler reason why it is reserved for special occasions: It is a labor of love. The time, money, and work that go into each cake is well known, and anyone lucky enough to be gifted with a slice of it recognizes the sacrifice that went into its creation. When black cake is presented at Christmas, weddings, and christenings, it's a testament to the importance of these occasions and the respect, care, and communion they call for.

The Cake Sometimes Has Icing

black cake with icing - Anna Pustynnikova/Shutterstock

Black cake is known for its distinctive color, a deep brown that is so dark it could be mistaken for a chocolate or espresso-flavored dessert. In many households it remains unadorned, with its striking color and shiny appearance from the alcohol on full display. The lack of icing is also a practical decision because it makes it easier to soak in liquor from time to time to preserve it. However, some bakers, especially in Guyana, add white icing to the recipe, giving the cake a snowy coating and bold color contrast.

The recipe is usually a variation of royal icing, a mixture of powdered sugar and egg whites, or meringue powder and water. Adding vanilla extract, almond extract, or lemon juice will infuse flavor, but black cake is already so delicious that these are unnecessary. Because the cake contains a good amount of moisture, it's important to put a barrier between the icing and the cake to prevent the icing from absorbing the dark liquid and turning brown. Almond paste is traditional, providing yet another layer of flavor.

It Used To Be Made Without Ovens

iron coal pot over fire - Currie Killick/Shutterstock

These days, black cake is prepared in much the same way as other cakes, aside from soaking the fruit for months. However, one common thread in these recipes stands out. Rather than heating the oven to 325 or 350 F, as is typical for everything from brownies to banana bread, black cake is baked at a much lower temperature, usually around 250 F. The reason likely lies in the earliest days of the dessert, when households were not equipped with modern kitchen amenities.

Clay or iron coal pots were commonly used in the West Indies in the 18th century. Often heated over open fires, they provided a slow and even baking process that must have contributed to the dense, moist texture of black cake that is now one of its hallmarks. Box and brick ovens were also widely used, but eventually, cast iron stoves were introduced, more closely mimicking a modern gas or electric oven. Still, the merits of baking black cake at a low temperature were not overshadowed by the efficiency of these new appliances. Coal pots and box ovens are no longer widely used, but baking black cake at a low temperature remains the preferred method.

The Recipe Calls For Pricey Ingredients

cake ingredients from above - Svetlana Monyakova/Shutterstock

Aside from the time and planning that go into making black cake, the price tag ensures that the dessert is reserved for special occasions. On the face of it, you wouldn't think that a homemade cake would break the bank, but black is full of ingredients, and many of them have a much higher price point than flour and sugar.

For starters, alcohol is not cheap. A cheap bottle of rum costs about $10, while cherry brandy will likely set you back much more. Since alcohol is, in many ways, the featured ingredient in black cake, you may well choose to buy higher-quality options, which could easily soar to $30 per bottle or more. Dried fruit can also be expensive. Many recipes contain four or more varieties, and when you account for at least a few dollars per bag, it quickly adds up. In the Caribbean, dried raisins, cherries, prunes, and currants are more expensive than they are in the U.S., making them more of a luxury ingredient than an everyday snack.

Most significant of all, however, is the volume. Black cake is densely packed with ingredients, and because it's often shared with family and friends throughout the holidays or during big celebrations, most recipes make two cakes. With the number and quantity of ingredients, black cake would be expensive to make even if it only involved affordable pantry staples.

Don't Mistake It For American-Style Fruitcake

fruitcake loaf with slice cut - Wideonet/Getty Images

Just because black cake contains dried fruit does not mean it should be compared to American or British-style fruitcakes. For one thing, it isn't particularly polarizing. In the U.S., fruitcake is a notorious Christmas stalwart that most people would be thrilled to never see again. Black cake, on the other hand, is a beloved emblem of Christmas that conjures nostalgia and cravings from just about anyone who's tried it.

There are several reasons why this Caribbean staple does not draw the reaction that its American and British counterparts do. For one thing, the fruit in American fruitcakes is often hard enough to make your jaw sore and your dentist shudder, but the fruit in black cake is lightly pureed before being soaked for months in alcohol, making it buttery soft. Some recipes take it a step further by blending the fruit and alcohol into a paste, eliminating the danger of loose teeth.

Other ways that black cake differs from fruitcake include the color and flavor of burnt sugar, the copious amount of alcohol (some fruitcakes do not contain any), and its dense, moist texture (fruitcake somehow manages to be both dry and gummy). Black cake often contains vanilla and almond extract or the mysteriously named "essence," all of which act as stand-ins for the traditional tonka bean paste. They may both be cakes made with dried fruit, but fruitcake and black cake are miles apart in almost every other way.

It Was A Staple In Emily Dickinson's Household

photo of Emily Dickinson - Three Lions/Getty Images

One of the strangest twists in the history of black cake is its association with the 19th-century American poet Emily Dickinson. Over time, Dickinson has attained an almost mythical status for her reclusive nature, but in reality, she was a highly sociable figure in her New England town and was known to her friends and family as an avid baker more than a poet. One of her most treasured recipes was for black cake, which she included in a letter to her close friend, Nellie Sweetser. Dickinson's recipe calls for 19 eggs and five pounds of raisins, and weighs about 20 pounds when soaked in brandy, suggesting that she distributed it as a gift to her friends and acquaintances.

Where Dickinson acquired the recipe is something of a mystery, though it reflects the unsavory realities of 19th-century life in America when slavery was still very present. Dickinson is known to have hired Black servants in addition to Native American and Irish ones, but there is no record of whether any of them provided her with the recipe. However, the cake has become associated with her over the years and even played a prominent role in an episode of the lighthearted Apple TV+ series "Dickinson," in which she presents it at a baking competition.

A Novel Was Named After It

screengrab Black Cake television series - Hulu / YouTube

Black cake has had more moments in the literary spotlight since Emily Dickinson's recipe came to light, most notably in a novel by Caribbean-American writer Charmaine Wilkerson. Published in 2022, "Black Cake" tells the story of two estranged siblings who receive an unusual inheritance when their mother dies -- a black cake in the freezer and a voice message that reveals a family secret. For Wilkerson, whose Jamaican mother was renowned for her black cake, the dessert represents more than just a festive recipe; it symbolizes everything from family bonds to the evolution of cultures and memories (via Eater).

The novel was a bestseller and led to an on-screen adaptation in 2023 on Hulu. Reviewers praised the show's nuanced depictions of identity, memory, secrecy, and the power of food to build a bridge between the past and present. Both the novel and the series demonstrate that black cake is not just a delicious recipe that features heavily in celebrations throughout the year, but a powerful emblem of resilience, history, and family.

Read the original article on Mashed.
Though perhaps unconventional where SI Swimsuit photoshoots are concerned, Solveig Hansens 2015 debut in the mountains of Tennessee must have struck her as somewhat familiar. She was new to the set of an SI Swimsuit photoshoot, but the settinga farm in the countrysidewas more than familiar to her.

The model grew up on a horse farm in Denmark, where she learned how to ride when she was just 3. So, her trip to Walland, Tenn., alongside photographer Ben Watts and the rest of the SI Swimsuit team, which included photos in the fields and atop beautiful horses, was likely a trip down memory lane for her.

And she made the most of it, too. Hansen posed in a series of country-inspired swimsuitsthink bright florals and muted plaidson a farm in the quiet, verdant countryside of the state. She even took the chance to flaunt her skill on horseback and posed for some stunning snaps while she was at it.

These days, almost 10 years since her debut, the 28-year-old continues to work in the swimwear modeling industry, as well as for other brand campaigns in her home country of Denmark and beyond.

Though its been some years, it seems that after all this time, we still cant quite get over her SI Swimsuit feature. It was just that unique, and she was just that fabulous. With that in mind, were taking a look back at that idyllic trip. Here are some of Hansens best photos from the day.

Ben Watts/Sports Illustrated

Ben Watts/Sports Illustrated

Ben Watts/Sports Illustrated

Ben Watts/Sports Illustrated

Ben Watts/Sports Illustrated

Make sure to follow SI Swimsuit on YouTube!
Starbucks chief executive Laxman Narasimhan wants people to stop protesting the company over so-called false, online claims regarding the coffee corporations pro-Israel stance amid the Israel-Palestine conflict. We see protestors influenced by misrepresentation on social media of what we stand for, Narasimhan said in a letter to Starbucks employees and customers earlier this week.

Cities around the world  including here in North America  have seen escalating protests. Many of our stores have experienced incidents of vandalism, he said on Tuesday. We have worked with local authorities to ensure our partners and customers are safe.

The recent plea comes in the wake of Starbucks tensions with Starbucks Workers United, the union representing Starbucks baristas. In October, Starbucks sued Starbucks Workers United over a post the union made on X that said Solidarity with Palestine following the Oct. 7 attack. Starbucks claimed the post angered several of its loyal customers and tainted its reputation. Workers United countersued, saying Starbucks defamed the union by suggesting that it supports terrorism and violence.

Theres little evidence to prove that the boycotts along with employee strikes have impacted Starbucks financially. Regardless, the corporation has been hit hard these past few months. Starbucks lost over $11 billion in value this last quarter and unsuccessfully attempted to bounce back during Red Cup Day. The company has since seen its market share crash by 8.96 percent, which equates to a nearly $11 billion loss, the lowest Starbucks has experienced since 1992, according to Newsweek.
Why it matters that kids learn the right terms for their body parts  including the difference between the vulva and the vagina. (Getty Images)

Experts agree that it's important to teach kids the anatomical terms for their genitalia for a number of reasons, including reducing shame around bodies and giving them the tools to communicate to a trusted adult if and when someone has touched them inappropriately. But there's some disagreement about whether to use the word "vulva" or "vagina" when describing female body parts.

But aren't they the same thing?, you may be wondering. The answer is no. As Dr. Lauren Streicher, a clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine, told Yahoo Life last year, "The vagina is completely internal. Anything you see is the vulva." But, she added, people still often say "vagina" when they mean "vulva," because "little girls aren't taught the proper terminology, and no one uses it."

Parents are right to be confused about the right terminology here, says Dr. Rachel Rubin, a urologist and sexual medicine specialist. But when we dont have language for something, problems can happen." If a child has pain in a specific area  or has been touched inappropriately  they should feel safe and empowered to express that clearly.

So which term is most appropriate? Here's what parents should know  and why it's important to be clear with kids.

Which part are you talking about?

Lets get specific. There are situations when using the word vagina would make sense; for example, if you are referring to the vagina itself  the vaginal canal, the internal part of the genitalia  then it makes sense to say vagina, says Suzannah Weiss, a sexologist at BedBible. Along those lines, she urges not using the term "vagina" when discussing the vulva, or external genitalia, more generally.

But Rubin points out that using "vulva" to describe all external female genitalia may not be "specific enough," as she recently noted in an Instagram reel expressing her disapproval of using "vulva" as a catch-all term. "It would be like calling the penis 'the scrotum' or 'testicles,'" she says. "Theres a labia majora, a labia minora, a clitoris and a vulvar vestibule that can all have different issues surrounding them.

After all, this is how other areas of the body are treated. When you have face pain, you dont just say, my face hurts  you get more detailed, Rubin adds. There are doctors for each individual part of the face. You go to the dentist for your teeth and the ophthalmologist for your eyes.

Why it's important to use clear, accurate terminology

Differentiating each part can also be meaningful and helpful in a developmental sense. Using correct names for body parts prevents confusion and helps kids feel empowered about their bodies, says Traci Williams, a psychologist who specializes in child development and family relationships.

She acknowledges that the conversation can be uncomfortable, but still emphasizes the importance of having it. Using nicknames like pecker and pocketbook suggests there is something shameful about their body and can be confusing to children," Williams says.

Those cutesy nicknames for genitalia can be especially harmful when it comes to childhood sexual abuse prevention and response. I have also worked with kids who struggled with describing the abuse they experienced because they didnt know the correct names of body part, Williams shares.

Additionally, correct education around terminology can prevent innocent adults from potentially getting into trouble. Williams saw this scenario play out when she worked at a child advocacy clinic. She heard about a child who told his teacher that his dad put his pee-pee on my pee-pee. The teacher reported it.

It was soon made clear that no abuse had occurred, however. Through forensic interviewing and anatomically correct dolls, and discussions with the father, it was discovered that dad used the bathroom after the child and had not flushed between their uses, Williams recounts. If proper terminology had been used, she says, the investigation could have been prevented.

Dont forget about the clitoris

As kids get older, they may be in situations where they're of age and want to engage in sexual activity. With that in mind, Weiss believes in the importance of teaching them about the clitoris rather than pretending it doesnt exist. This is important from two standpoints: Calling each part what it is (rather than just saying its all the vagina or all the vulva) and encouraging sex positivity.

Otherwise, Weiss says not discussing it sets women up for sexual encounters where they will not be receiving clitoral stimulation and wont know how to ask for it, and where they think their vagina is the main part thats involved in sexual encounters when really most women dont reliably orgasm through penetration alone. These conversations shouldn't be limited to female children, either.

Now what? How to have the conversation.

The thought of saying words like vagina, vulva and clitoris (and especially talking about their purposes) with a child may feel overwhelming or nerve-wracking, and parents may worry they dont know where to start. Thats valid  but rest assured, the conversation doesnt have to be complicated.

Williams believes it can be as simple as saying, This is your vulva and it is a private part of your body. Or, Your vagina is inside your body where we cant see, just like other body parts, like your heart and stomach. Generally speaking, Rubin says her best advice is to use real words and real body parts, the same way you would for the different parts of the face.

Dont forget to talk about consent and body autonomy (in an age-appropriate way) too. Williams recommends reminding children that those body parts are private and shouldnt be touched by others. Conversations like these boost kids vocabulary, self-esteem, confidence and body image, she adds.

Further, as a parent, its important to remember that genitalia discussions arent a one-and-done thing. This is partially because of how kids develop. Williams says kids begin pointing to and naming body parts between 1 and 2 years of age, but dont ask questions about bodily functions until they're around 3 years old.

Additionally, they need repetition to truly learn. Parents should remind their young children of body part names and body rules regularly, Williams says. Use bath time to name body parts and describe what they do.

Picture books can also help explain things on a kid-friendly level. Williams suggests Who Has What?: All About Girls Bodies and Boys Bodies by Robie H. Harris and Amazing You!: Getting Smart About Your Private Parts by Gail Saltz.

The takeaway

Vulva and vagina are both important terms to use  depending on which one youre referring to. Clarity and accuracy are crucial in keeping kids healthy and safe, as well as helping them feel empowered in their bodies and their understanding of them.

Teach your children about body parts so that way, if they have questions, they know they can come to you without shame and guilt and be taken seriously, and they can be properly educated, Rubin says. If you yourself dont know all the answers, its OK to read about it, learn together and ask questions.
Kelsey Hatcher - pictured with daughters Roxi (L) and Rebel (R) - learned as a teenager she had a double uterus

A US woman with a rare double uterus has given birth twice in two days - after a "one in a million" pregnancy and a total of 20 hours in labour.

Kelsey Hatcher, 32, delivered one daughter on Tuesday, and a second on Wednesday, at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Hospital.

Announcing the arrival of her "miracle babies" on social media, Ms Hatcher hailed the medics as "incredible".

The girls are described as fraternal twins - with rare separate birthdays.

Ms Hatcher said the family was now back at home to "enjoy the holidays". She had previously expected a Christmas due date.

A UAB obstetrician confirmed that the trio were doing well, and told the BBC it was the sort of case that most people in her profession "go through their entire careers and never see".

Ms Hatcher was told at age 17 she had a double uterus (uterus didelphys) - which the UAB described as a rare congenital anomaly affecting 0.3% of women.

And the odds of becoming pregnant in both uteri - a dicavitary pregnancy - were even slimmer, at "one in a million", according to the UAB.

Reported cases worldwide are extremely rare. In 2019, a doctor in Bangladesh told the BBC a woman had given birth to twins almost a month after delivering a premature baby in her other uterus.

Ms Hatcher had three previous, healthy pregnancies. This time, she believed herself to be pregnant in only one uterus - until a routine ultrasound revealed there was also a baby in her second.

"I gasped... We just could not believe it," she recalled.

She went on to document her unusual journey on Instagram. One update at 38 weeks asked: "What the heck?! HOW have we made it this far?!"

Kelsey, pictured here with her newborns and husband Caleb, first thought she was pregnant in only one womb

The UAB described her pregnancy as routine. Prof Richard Davis, who co-managed the delivery, pointed out that each baby had enjoyed "extra space to grow and develop".

This was because each baby had a womb to itself, he said - unlike in a typical twin pregnancy.

Ms Hatcher's labour was induced at 39 weeks, and required double the monitoring and charting at the hospital - as well as double the staffing.

This proved to be "the most atypical" part of Ms Hatcher's case, said Dr Shweta Patel from the hospital's obstetrics and gynaecology team.

UAB staff did not have "a lot of evidence or data" to hand, Dr Patel told the BBC, and were required to apply their knowledge of typical pregnancies.

Sure enough, the babies had a "mind of their own", she said - and were delivered by different methods.

The first, Roxi, was born vaginally at about 19:45 local time on 19 December. The second, named Rebel, came by C-section more than 10 hours later.

Prof Davis said the girls could be called fraternal twins - a term used when each baby develops from a separate egg, each fertilised by a separate sperm.

"At the end of the day, it was two babies in one belly at the same time," he said. "They just had different apartments."
(BCN)  The California Faculty Association will hold a week-long strike Jan 22-26 across all 23 California State University campuses.

The association, which represents about 29,000 professors and lecturers, has been fighting for a 12% general salary increase for this year. However, labor negotiations with the chancellors office have been stalled for months. The university system is proposing a total increase of 15% over three years, including this year.

Sees Candies Embarcadero location closing on Christmas Eve

Earlier this month, the faculty held a series of one-day rolling strikes across four campuses.

As CSU management refuses to listen, we have no alternative but to disrupt the business of the CSU to get their attention, said Meghan ODonnell, a professor at CSU Monterey Bay and vice president of lecturers for the faculty association. We will not tolerate disrespect for the people who make the CSU work. The CSU runs on union labor and they need the dedicated employees and students for the system to function.

Copyright  2023 Bay City News, Inc.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRON4.
Iowas unemployment rate ticked up to 3.3% in November, the states workforce development department reported this week.

The jobless rate was 3.2% in October, and 3.1% last November, according to the department.

The U.S. unemployment rate dropped to 3.7% in November, down from Octobers 3.9%.

The number of unemployed workers in Iowa increased to 57,200 in November, up from 56,000 in October.

The number of working Iowans decreased to 1,672,000 in November from Octobers 1,679,900. This Novembers total of working Iowans was 3,800 more than last November.

Despite some Iowans leaving their jobs in November, we saw employers add over 4,500 jobs, and we have gained over 10,000 jobs in the past year, said Beth Townsend, executive director of Iowa Workforce Development.

A bright spot in todays report includes an increase of over 1,000 jobs in health care, an industry that has struggled to find workers, she said in a news release. That industry is up 8,500 jobs in 2023, which will help ease some of the gaps in the industry created by the pandemic.

Also, she said, more than 62,000 jobs are posted on IowaWORKS, a number which continues to exceed the total number of unemployed in Iowa.

Iowans to receive funds from Google settlement

Some Iowans will be eligible to receive funds from a $700 million settlement with Google, the Iowa Attorney Generals Office announced.

Iowas Brenna Bird was part of a bipartisan coalition of 53 attorneys general involved in the case, which was filed in 2021 and alleged the Google Play Store conducted anticompetitive practices.

No company should be able to monopolize their market and force their competitors out, Bird said in a news release. This settlement will protect choice in the marketplace, unlock opportunity for app developers and reduce costs for hardworking Iowans.

Iowans eligible for settlement payments will be notified and will receive automatic payments through PayPal or Venmo, the attorney generals office said. Eligible Iowans also can elect to receive a check or electronic transfer.

Record number of new Iowa businesses

A record number of more than 35,000 new businesses registered with the Iowa Secretary of States Office in 2023, the office announced.

Iowa has set records for new businesses registered with the office in seven of the past eight years. Nearly 280,000 active businesses are currently filed with the office.

It is clear that the Iowa business community is thriving, Secretary of State Paul Pate said in a news release.

If small businesses are doing well, why are owners so pessimistic? If small businesses are doing well, why are owners so pessimistic? Pessimists outweigh optimists for nearly 3 years
Joseph Smith Jr. was born Dec. 23, 1805  218 years ago. And he was killed by an armed mob 39 years later, on June 27, 1844.

The anniversary of his birth today may be lost in preparing for Christmas  something that Daniel Peterson, professor emeritus of Arabic and Islamic studies at BYU, suggested was by no means inappropriate, since Latter-day Saints worship Jesus Christ, not Joseph, and dont want to suggest otherwise.

Yet it was precisely this mans lifelong focus on Jesus Christ which motivates members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints around the world to commemorate Joseph Smiths abbreviated life.

Joseph Smith by age 24 had published the Book of Mormon, and organized what Latter-day Saints consider to be a restoration of Christs ancient church. At age 26 Smith established frontier newspapers, and at 28 he began one of Americas first adult education programs  with a university started in Nauvoo, Illinois by age 35. During this span of time, Joseph Smith also published a book of revelations, sent out missionaries as far as Jerusalem, built two temples, founded one of the largest cities in Illinois aside from Chicago, and ran for President of the United States on an abolitionist platform  the same year his life was cut short, with four young children still at home, alongside his wife Emma who was pregnant.

In the years since Smiths death, people have both applauded and denounced his legacy  in line with what Latter-day Saints believe to be prophetic words spoken to Joseph Smith at an early age: that his name would be both good and evil spoken of among all people.

Thats why this years completion of the 27-volume, 22-year Joseph Smith Papers project is so significant, according to a number of historians who spoke to the Deseret News.

Historical details accessible to all

Members of the church and anyone else with interest now have the opportunity to see firsthand without the filtering primary sources in great detail, former Assistant Church Historian Richard E. Turley Jr. told the Deseret News.

Every document that we know of that was produced by or under the direction of Joseph Smith, or written to him directly, has been published with annotations, summarized Church Historian Elder Kyle S. McKay, at an event this last summer announcing the projects completion.

The exhaustive documentation effort began in 2001, at the pace of around two volumes per year. The resulting 27 volumes feature what one scholar calls anything of substance in the prophets words and communications. Yet those printed volumes represent only a subset of the 7.4 million words and 18,822 pages of documents available online.

For a man who only lived 38 years and didnt like to write, Turley said, Smith left a substantial corpus of written information available today  more so than one might expect from a typical farm boy in early 19th century America.

Related

This includes 1,306 journal entries, 643 letters and 155 recorded revelations  all freely available and searchable by keyword at josephsmithpapers.org, thanks to full transcriptions of each manuscript, along with introductory explanations, reference material and 49,687 footnotes providing additional context.

The church has done everything they can to make it accessible, said Kathleen Flake, the Richard Lyman Bushman Professor of Mormon Studies at the University of Virginia. People should not be afraid because of its size.

Theres no Latter-day Saint interested in history whos not going to be super excited when they first sit down for a weekend going through the website, suggested BYU professor Christopher Blythe, who helped edit several volumes of the project.

A new era of Joseph Smith scholarship

The project started with the principle were going to look at everything and not steer away from any issue, professor Richard Bushman, the Gouverneur Morris Professor Emeritus of History at Columbia University, told the Deseret News in an interview.

They stated the facts exactly as they are, he remarked  adding that they were clear and measured. They handled it all.

Similar papers projects have been done for all the American founding fathers, starting with the Papers of Thomas Jefferson in the 1940s. While the Jefferson project is still unfinished after more than 80 years, the Smith papers were completed by a large research team in just over two decades, thanks to the generous support of business leaders and philanthropists Gail Miller and her late husband, Larry.

This support allowed for a more in-depth and intensive process now widely regarded among scholars of documentary editing as a new gold standard.

Related

I have been astounded by the thoroughness of the editing process and the painstaking ways in which the scholars have annotated the text and added clarification here and there where it was needed, remarked Laurie Maffly-Kipp, the Archer Alexander Distinguished Professor at the John C. Danforth Center on Religion and Politics at Washington University in St. Louis. She added, I would say it ranks with the best kinds of scholarly sources Ive seen.

Spencer McBride, Associate Managing Historian on the Joseph Smith Papers, called the research accompanying each published document perhaps the best feature of the project for how it helps the reader make sense of each text in a historical context  arguing that the annotation itself is often groundbreaking scholarship in and of itself.

Bushman acknowledged that some academics had wondered previously about how much information was being made available by the Church of Jesus Christ about Joseph Smith. Greater historical transparency among Latter-day Saints, Kathleen Flake explained, is part of the larger change in how everyone handles history since the 1970s  noting that the church is part of a larger history in that regard.

This has resulted in newly improved friendly relations with all the best scholars throughout the world, Bushman added, as they see the church investigating comprehensively the totality of the prophets life and prolific work. That also means were in a position to really state our case and be taken seriously by scholars everywhere.

The church didnt want to hide anything about Joseph Smith, underscored Laurel Thatcher Ulrich earlier this year, a Pulitzer Prize winner in history and the 300th Anniversary University Professor, Emerita, at Harvard University. They felt confident that if the actual records, the primary sources, were available, responsible scholars would consult them.

The establishment of this documentary database now, Flake said, requires anyone who refers to Joseph Smiths words or work to see the entire document, not just the same one or two sentences that get used and have been used for the last 200 years.

Less study as the danger, not more

The great factor we are missing is context, Turley said, reflecting on a digital age where people tend to get most of their information in soundbites or social media feeds.

If someone reads a snatch of the prophets writing somewhere and gets an interpretation that doesnt sound right, he continued, my encouragement is to go to the papers and see what he said directly, and then to understand the context of what he said.

Thats not to say there arent challenging parts of this history, Flake acknowledged, but the more you know about it, the less challenged you are about it.

Most people stop halfway into the question, she added, but if you keep reading, a lot that is misunderstood becomes explained. Thats true of all history.

One former mission president recalled the repeated heartbreak of his missionaries in witnessing people dissuaded from learning more after being initially excited to hear about the restored gospel. The turning point was coming across a dismissive allegation online so often based on incomplete information that is not fully contextualized.

In a court of law, the former attorney pointed out, when you see only a partial picture you cannot fairly judge what really happened in a given situation.

After hearing people say for decades that its dangerous to study church history, Turley has been trying to help people see that the problem in his mind is not studying church history. The problem is studying it too little.

An act of confidence

Weve had people who have known a lot about Joseph Smith for a long time, Bushman said, the scholars arent surprised by anything that critics of the church might bring forward.

Even so, the thoroughness of the Joseph Smith Papers project can feel daunting or intimidating to some, he added. There was a risk in saying we were going to look at everything, Bushman reflected, but we went ahead and did it in the confidence that even if we looked at every fact that is troublesome, the prophet Joseph would still stand up. He wouldnt get knocked down.

Bushman called this an act of confidence on the churchs part and the part of everyone involved  and one that should instill fresh confidence in members of the church seeking to learn more about the prophets life. Latter-day Saints can be confident everything has been looked at  we dont have to be frightened for something coming out of the bushes one day.

I cant tell you how many times students and others tell me they are nervous about the churchs history, Blythe said, I really dont think they need to be.

Blythe agreed there is something bold about the Joseph Smith Papers initiative. If you were going to publish every aspect of anybodys life, youre going to find some aspect of oh, you shouldnt have done that.

Its also another world, 150 years ago he acknowledged, involving ideas and actions that challenge some people. Yet even after reading every page of the 27 volumes, Blythe added, I dont think theres much that should trouble people about the history of Joseph Smith.

If theres any claim our church isnt transparent, just invite people to go to the website for the Joseph Smith Papers Project, Blythe said.

Separating fact from allegation. The danger with limited context, Bushman explained, is how much of the perception of a single act in history can be influenced by feelings of suspicion or anger. Every statement of fact is entangled in an attitude  there arent just simple facts, theyre always presented in some way or another.

So, its possible that if youre feeling angry with Joseph Smith or disillusioned with Joseph Smith, to tell a story that makes him look bad, Bushman said  expressing concern with those who are taking all the material they can and making it as bitter and poisonous as possible.

But when these stories are put in another framework, he continued, the prophet doesnt look so bad. We see him how he fits in.

By looking at the larger picture, Bushman said, all those troublesome facts are drained of their poison. This allows people to differentiate between actual facts versus what the scholar called embittered neighbors trying to dump on the Smith family.

Lots of people can distort information no matter what information is available, said Susan Easton Black, retired professor of church history from BYU.

So, its how you interpret it. Compared with those who view historical details through an eye of faith, Black pointed out, others have now been given more information to sift through and paint whatever picture they want.

In a religious context, she added, even good source material can never supplant faith and your personal knowledge.

A monument to a life

The arduous work to prepare these documents, according to Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, will make Latter-day Saints more effective in telling the story of the ongoing restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ in all the world as we move into the future.

Thanks to this project, Gail Miller said, Joseph Smith will be known by billions.

The more I learn about the prophet, the closer I feel to him. Christopher Blythe added.

Bushman suggested that resilience was the character quality that most set Joseph Smith apart  he suffered so many setbacks, persecution, impoverishment, loss of childrens lives, apostasy, attacks from all over the place  and he just would not give up. He just held on through it all.

Every year on December 23, the children of Susan Easton Black get together for a happy birthday party for Joseph.

And everyone who comes  no matter where they are on their lifes journey  knows where their mother stands.

Correction: Joseph Smith was killed on June 27, 1844, not July 27 as the article originally reported.
Millions of people around the world rejoice as Christmas approaches. It is a time of family, friendship, gifts, and songs. In 2022, Americans spent $178 billion on Christmas. This year, more than 115 million Americans are expected to travel to celebrate the holiday.

In the United States, Christmas traditions have changed steadily over the years; and millions still hold faithful to the original purpose of veneration of the birth of Christ and celebrating the message of peace and harmony.

Early Christians celebrated Easter more with the death and resurrection of Jesus as the embodiment of Christian ideals. However, by the fourth century AD, the birth of Jesus also began to be noted with special church observances also, quite literally, the "Christ Mass."

However, it was a matter of some debate when it should be observed. Some marked the birth of Christ on March 28, while others noted Nov. 18. Neither the Roman Empire nor Hebrew officials in Judea kept birth records, so there was no certainty as to the particular day. In the early centuries after the crucifixion of Christ, Christians faced brutal persecutions, torture, and executions for their faith, so the message of Christ's birth and the promise of God became more important than the particular calendar day.

After the legalization of Christianity within the Roman Empire in the fourth century, Pope Julius I declared around AD 350 that Dec. 25 would be the official observance, but it was only a special church service and not seen as a gift-giving occasion. The Christmas Eve mass or communion service is still an important Christmas tradition for many American families and Christians worldwide.

By the sixteenth century, Christmas slowly became more than a church service. The tradition of the Christmas tree originated in Germany in the 1500s when candles were attached to evergreen trees. In Germany especially, the day became a celebration noted for singing, parties, feasts, and drinking. The Puritans who arrived in New England in the early 1600s were appalled by such displays, which they considered sinful. As a result, Puritan leaders banned observances of Christmas well into the eighteenth century. In Massachusetts, Christmas was against the law for more than 20 years in the late 1600s.

In fact, it was knowledge of the differences by which New Englanders and Germans typically observed the day that inspired George Washington to cross the Delaware River on Christmas Night 1776 to stage a surprise attack on the Hessian outpost at Trenton, New Jersey. After a brutal series of losses that summer and fall, Washington knew he had to turn the war around. He knew the German mercenaries the British had hired to pursue them would be too distracted by their own Christmas parties to suspect an attack during winter. At dawn on Dec. 26, he surprised and overwhelmed the exhausted and hungover Hessian revelers to change the course of history.

German settlers brought many Christmas traditions to the United States, particularly Christmas trees by the late 1700s. A number of notable Christmas carols, such as Silent Night and "O Christmas Tree," were originally German.

But Christmas as a holiday emerged slowly. Louisiana was the first to declare Christmas a state holiday in 1837, and only a handful of states followed suit within the next few years. It did not become a federal holiday until 1870.

Even the tradition of exchanging gifts did not emerge immediately. However, the gift-giving tradition expanded rapidly in the 1820s and 1830s, with merchants quickly looking to capitalize on the holiday. Writers such as English novelist Charles Dickens with A Christmas Carol (1843) and American writer Clement Clarke Moore with "A Visit from St. Nicholas" (1823) helped popularize Christmas as a gift-giving time. Christmas trees began to be sold widely across the North in the 1850s, with the first electric Christmas lights sold in 1882, but many families did not have Christmas trees until the early 1900s and most ornaments were handmade.

The day's message of peace was not lost. On Christmas Eve 1814, American and British diplomats signed a peace treaty ending the War of 1812. A century later, on Christmas Day 1914, Allied and German troops staged an impromptu cease-fire during World War I to mark the spirit of Christmas.

Christmas is celebrated today even in non-Christian households as the spirit of giving and peace has transcended its original religious meaning for some. Far from the shopping crowds, Christmas still has a magical place in the hearts of young and old alike. In a quiet moment, many remember that Christmas is still a time of generosity for others. And Christmas is still a time of peace in our hearts and in the world, as we are reminded of the gift of one precious life, of brotherhood, and of the harmony for which the holiday was born.

Ken Bridges is a writer, historian and native Texan. He holds a doctorate from the University of North Texas. Bridges can be reached by email at drkenbridges@gmail.com.

This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Ken Bridges: A quick history of Christmas
Vladimir Putin is preparing for the possibility of large-scale conventional war with Nato, according to a major think tank, after moving troops towards Russias northwestern border and issuing a veiled threat to new alliance member Finland.

Russia has confirmed it is strenthening its military units in the northwest, where it shares borders with Finland, Estonia and Latvia, and has formed a new military zone  the Leningrad Military District (LMD)  in the wake of Finlands decision to join Nato in April.

Speaking in an extended interview with Russian state television channel Rossiya 1 on Sunday, Mr Putin said that now there will be problems with Finland and accused other Nato members of dragging Helsinki into the alliance. Finland said it had no choice but to end decades of neutrality as a result of Russias decision to invade Ukraine.

The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) in an update on Sunday said the way the Russian military was restructuring and expanding in the northwest suggested it was gearing up for a potential future large-scale conventional war against Nato.

It said Mr Putins interview on state TV was indicative of the Kremlins hostile intent towards the alliance, and poses a credible and costly threat to Western security.

Earlier this month Joe Biden urged the US Congress to approve more emergency funding for Ukraine, warning Washington that if Putin takes Ukraine, he wont stop there and would go on to attack Nato countries, resulting in American troops fighting Russian troops.

Mr Putin has directly responded to Mr Bidens warning, claiming Russia has no interest in fighting Nato. It is complete nonsense  and I think president Biden understands that, Mr Putin said.

Last year Mr Putin and his closest aides in the Kremlin denied Russia had any intention to invade Ukraine  right up until the 24 February when the president ordered tens of thousands of troops to attack the neighbouring country.

Russias war with Ukraine is about to enter its 23rd month, and has driven the deepest rift between Moscow and the West since 1962. Mr Putin has consistently downplayed the war as a special military operation, while the US warns it has dramatically increased the dangers of a direct confrontation between Nato and Russia and the start of a third world war.

While progress on the battlefield has been fairly static in recent months, Russia continues to launch concerted attacks and Ukraine is pleading with Western allies, especially the US, not to cut it off from supplies of arms, ammunition and other military aid.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has been privately signaling that he is open to a cease-fire in Ukraine, the New York Times reported Saturday, despite publicly saying he won't back down from the conflict that has been ongoing since early last year.

More than 10,000 civilians have been killed and more than 18,500 injured since the war began, according to the United Nations, in addition to tens of thousands of troops.

Putin has been indicating since at least September that he is open to stopping the fighting at the current boundary lines, the Times reported, citing two former senior Russian officials close to the Kremlin and other American and international officials.

That's far from Putin's apparent goal of overtaking Ukraine. Russia invaded neighboring Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022 and quickly overtook large swaths of the country. But Ukrainian forces pushed back hard and successfully forced Russia to retreat from its northern regions. Since Oct. 2022, the battle lines have remained largely the same, with Russia holding parts of the southern and eastern regions of Ukraine.

FILE - Soldiers of Ukraine's state border guard have a break for tea at a military position in the Sumy region of Ukraine, Friday, Nov. 24, 2023. After blunting Ukraine's counteroffensive from the summer, Russia is building up its resources for a new stage of the war over the winter, which could involve trying to extend its gains in the east and deal significant blows to the country's vital infrastructure. Russia has ramped up its pressure on Ukrainian forces on several parts of the more than 1,000-kilometer (620-mile) front line. (AP Photo/Hanna Arhirova, File) ORG XMIT: XEST907

Putin also "sent out feelers" for a cease-fire last fall, according to the Times, and communicated that he was satisfied with the territory they had taken. But sources cited by the Times also warned that it could be an attempt at "misdirection" or that Putin could change his mind if his troops regain momentum. It's also not clear Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy would accept the deal, as Russia still holds parts of the country.

The Russian military had been worn down by early 2023, as professional soldiers were replaced with draftees and prisoners who did not stand up well to Ukraine's forces. Only a small portion of Russians support the war effort, and Putin faced an embarrassing mutiny from mercenary leader Yevgeny Prigozhin.

However, Ukraine has been unable to retake its lost territories. It's facing wavering support in the West and is competing for international attention with the war in Gaza.

Zelenskyy has been lobbying United States leaders to finalize additional aid for his country, including visiting Washington last week to meet with Congressional leaders and President Joe Biden.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, center, with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), right, and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), left, walking to meet with senators on Dec. 12, 2023 in Washington, D.C.

Biden has requested $60 billion for Ukraine, as well as $14 billion for Israel, $10 billion for humanitarian assistance and $14 billion for the U.S. border. The package has stalled in Congress as the Republican caucus remains fractured over whether to continue to support Ukraine's fight against Russia.

The Biden administration has warned that it will soon run out of funding for Ukraine's war effort without additional funds approved by Congress. Republicans refused to vote on the supplemental funding request without significant changes to asylum and border policies.

Bipartisan negotiations in the Senate, including White House officials and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, have been ongoing for weeks. The Senate hopes to reach a deal and vote on it when Congress returns early next year.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Report: Putin privately signals interest in ceasefire in Ukraine
The Scoop

JOHANNESBURG  The announcement by former South African president Jacob Zuma that he will not vote for the ruling African National Congress in next years elections has sparked disagreements within the partys leadership over how to limit the impact of his move.

The ex-president, who on Saturday held a press conference in Soweto to announce the withdrawal of his backing for the ANC, also declared his support for the newly-formed Umkhonto we Sizwe party, which is named after the ANCs now-defunct military wing. However, he remains a member of the ANC.

Semafor Africa spoke to four senior ANC officials who sought differing approaches. Some said they may call for his expulsion whereas others called for caution.

Zuma has flouted party rules and the constitution by working against the ANC and announcing he would campaign for another party, a party leader told Semafor Africa, speaking on condition of anonymity. He has defined himself outside the party and should therefore be taken through a disciplinary action and be expelled.

But another senior ANC figure, pointing to a different view, said Zuma had overestimated his popularity. Ignoring him is a better strategy than expelling from the party, as action against him would make him a victim and he would exploit that, the person said.

Know More

Zuma, South Africas president between 2009 and 2018, resigned amid allegations of endemic corruption across government and state-run companies. He was succeeded by his deputy, Cyril Ramaphosa.

The former president was sentenced to 15 months in prison in 2021 after refusing to testify during a financial corruption investigation but was freed on medical parole after two months.

In his statement on Saturday, Zuma said the ANC, which was born out of the fight to end minority white rule of the apartheid era, was one of the great liberations movements of our time, but is not the once great movement that we loved and were prepared to lay down our lives for.

Zuma said the party had changed into an organization we no longer recognise that was expected to lose next years presidential and municipal elections after being the victim of a deliberate plot to kill the ANC.

Sams view

Jacob Zuma has lobbed a grenade into the ANC. Even before his vitriolic announcement, there was widespread agreement among analysts that the ANC risks losing its parliamentary majority for the first time since coming to power in 1994.

The governments handling of Africas most industrialized economy is at the heart of grievances against the ANC. State companies have fallen apart in recent years. Problems at state energy utility Eskom have led to rolling blackouts becoming part of daily life. The impact of those power shortages on households and businesses has been compounded by a raft of issues at state-owned ports and rail company Transnet, which have drastically reduced the countrys income from exports  particularly mining.

South Africans, most of whom feel worse off than in previous years due to the travails of Eskom and Transnet, are also contending with high levels of violent crime and a water crisis that we, at Semafor, covered in a recent documentary. The reality is that, for all Zumas well documented flaws, many South Africans will agree with his assessment that the ANC isnt the party it once was and has failed to transform the country in the way it promised at the end of the apartheid era.

Zuma is an effective political performer who remains influential, despite having been widely discredited over alleged state capture during his time in power. His credentials as an apartheid era freedom fighter, combined with an easy charm  for example, he has a great singing voice that he used to great effect when campaigning  can make Ramaphosa seem wooden in comparison. And Ramaphosas strongest feature, his record as a successful businessman, hasnt been reflected in his handling of the economy.

The ex-presidents continued influence was clear in the riots of July 2021 that gripped several cities, killing at least 70 people, which followed him being jailed. The unrest was widely considered to have been orchestrated by the former president. While his influence has waned since then, his impact may be felt more in one of South Africas nine provinces, KwaZuku Natal, where the ANC could fall below 50% in next years election. This is where Zuma has the most appeal and one of the provinces in which the ANC may be most vulnerable.

The ANC has a tough choice: criticize him and risk amplifying his voice, or ignore him and face the possibility that social media platforms and the media will carry his message anyway.

The good news for the ANC is that the ex-presidents support for Umkhonto we Sizwe could help to split the opposition vote by taking supporters from the Economic Freedom Fighters, a Marxist party led by a firebrand Julius Malema, and the centrist Democratic Alliance (DA), which is the largest opposition party.

Notable

John Steenhuisen was re-elected leader of the DA earlier this year but Al Jazeera asks whether a white politician could secure an election win for the party.
Watch Falcon 9 launch 23 @Starlink satellites to orbit https://t.co/opgzJFTrXj  SpaceX (@SpaceX) December 23, 2023

Updates: Scroll down for live coverage of the 12:33 a.m. EST liftoff of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on Saturday, Dec. 23.

Welcome to FLORIDA TODAY's Space Team live coverage of tonights SpaceX Starlink 6-32 mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

SpaceX is now targeting 12:33 a.m. EST Saturday to launch a Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 40.

What's more, tonight's liftoff will mark the record-extending 70th orbital launch this year from the Cape Canaveral military facility and NASA's Kennedy Space Center next door.

The SpaceX Falcon 9 will deploy a batch of broadband internet satellites, which are packed inside the fairing atop the 230-foot rocket.

After soaring skyward along a southeastern trajectory, the rocket's first-stage booster will target landing aboard a drone ship out on the Atlantic Ocean 8 minutes after liftoff. No local sonic booms are expected.

The Space Force's 45th Weather Squadron forecasts a 70% chance of "go for launch" weather early during tonight's launch window, decreasing to 60% by the end of the window.

Countdown Timer

SpaceX Falcon 9 booster lands

Update 12:41 a.m. EST: The Falcon 9 first-stage booster just landed aboard SpaceX's drone ship Just Read the Instructions out on the Atlantic Ocean, wrapping up its fleet-leading 19th mission.

The booster previously launched Crew Demo-2, ANASIS-11, CRS-21, Transporter-1, Transporter-3, and 13 Starlink missions, SpaceX reported.

Falcon 9s first stage has landed on the Just Read the Instructions droneship, completing the first 19th launch and landing of a booster pic.twitter.com/WoVx0R0Esj  SpaceX (@SpaceX) December 23, 2023

Liftoff!

Update 12:33 a.m. EST: SpaceX has just launched a Falcon 9 rocket carrying 23 Starlink satellites from Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

SpaceX live launch webcast begins

Update 12:28 a.m. EST: SpaceX's live launch webcast hosted on X (formerly Twitter) is now posted at the top of this page.

Liftoff is scheduled in five minutes from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

SpaceX Falcon 9 launch approaching

Update 12:17 a.m. EST: Following is a list of upcoming SpaceX launch countdown milestones. T-minus:

16 minutes: Second-stage liquid oxygen loading begins.

7 minutes: Falcon 9 begins engine chill prior to launch.

1 minute: Command flight computer begins final prelaunch checks; propellant tank pressurization to flight pressure begins.

45 seconds: SpaceX launch director verifies go for launch.

3 seconds: Engine controller commands engine ignition sequence to start.

0 seconds: Falcon 9 liftoff.

Starlink is now available in Paraguay, making it the 70th country on Earth where people can get connected by high-speed, low-latency internet from space  https://t.co/dgF4Amsh4T pic.twitter.com/mkw3SvJMCI  Starlink (@Starlink) December 21, 2023

SpaceX marks 8-year anniversary of booster landing

Update 12:08 a.m. EST: SpaceX successfully landed a Falcon 9 rocket booster for the first time on Dec. 21, 2015, making history at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.

"Eight years ago today, SpaceX successfully landed an orbital class rocket for the first time. Since that time, SpaceX has landed Falcon rockets more than 250 times and counting," SpaceX officials said in a Thursday afternoon tweet.

Eight years ago today, SpaceX successfully landed an orbital class rocket for the first time. Since that time, SpaceX has landed Falcon rockets more than 250 times and counting pic.twitter.com/r8pAfMQxiU  SpaceX (@SpaceX) December 21, 2023

SpaceX Falcon 9 fueling is now underway

Update 11:58 p.m. EST: SpaceX just announced Falcon 9 fueling procedures are now underway at Launch Complex 40, and "all systems and weather are currently go for launch."

That means the Starlink 6-32 mission is now committed to lift off tonight, or else the launch will likely be postponed to Saturday night.

SpaceX launch apparently delayed to 12:33 a.m.

Update 11:40 a.m. EST: Though SpaceX has yet to make a public announcement, published reports indicate tonight's launch has been delayed again to 12:33 a.m.

SpaceX launch risk: upper-level wind shear

Update 11:20 p.m. EST: The Space Force's 45th Weather Squadron warned of a moderate risk of upper-level wind shear during tonight's SpaceX launch window.

"On Friday evening a weak inverted trough will move near the Spaceport, enhancing the cloud coverage," the squadron's forecast said.

"The primary weather concerns for Friday evening are the Thick Cloud Layers Rule and Cumulus Cloud Rule associated with the trough and onshore flow," the forecast said.

SpaceX launch prep underway in Brevard

Update 11 p.m. EST: Brevard County Emergency Management officials have activated the agency's launch operations support team ahead of the Falcon 9 launch.

12/22/2023 10:00 PM | We have activated our launch operations support team in preparation for the SpaceX Falcon9 launch. Window: 11:00 PM - 3:00 AM pic.twitter.com/RCwqGzkM2x  Brevard EOC (@BrevardEOC) December 23, 2023

Launch evening features 'quick-hitting showers'

Update 10:43 p.m. EST: Isolated rains have fallen across the Space Coast this evening, sweeping onshore from above the Atlantic Ocean.

"Another batch of quick-hitting showers for our coastline this evening," the National Weather Service station in Melbourne tweeted at 5:05 p.m.

SpaceX has pushed back its initial 11 p.m. liftoff target to 12:02 a.m. Saturday.

5:05PM | Another batch of quick-hitting showers for our coastline this evening. #FLwx pic.twitter.com/zTeimbnMxb  NWS Melbourne (@NWSMelbourne) December 22, 2023

More: Florida's Space Coast reaches a milestone 69 rocket launches this year. See how SpaceX's Starlink is driving the record up

For the latest launch schedule updates at the Cape, visit floridatoday.com/launchschedule.

Rick Neale is a Space Reporter at FLORIDA TODAY (for more of his stories, click here.) Contact Neale at 321-242-3638 or rneale@floridatoday.com. Twitter/X: @RickNeale1

Space is important to us and that's why we're working to bring you top coverage of the industry and Florida launches. Journalism like this takes time and resources. Please support it with a subscription here.

This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Updates: SpaceX Starlink launch Saturday from Cape Canaveral, Florida
Sir Keir said the UK would 'need to deter' Moscow during a visit to Nato's operating base in Tapa, Estonia - Stefan Rousseau/PA Wire

Russia is a real and constant threat to Europe, Sir Keir Starmer said as he sought to distance himself further from Jeremy Corbyns Labour leadership.

Wearing army fatigues, the Labour leader visited soldiers stationed in Estonia to stress his partys commitment to Nato, the defence organisation Mr Corbyn wanted to leave.

As well as the military threat from Vladimir Putins actions, underlined by the war in Ukraine, there was also the risk of other forms of interference by the Russian state, Sir Keir said.

Sir Keir Starmer and John Healey met British troops during their visit - Stefan Rousseau/PA

He said the UK and its allies need to be prepared, we need to deter in response to Moscows actions, adding: I think we have to be mindful of that threat from Russia to Europe, to ourselves in the UK, and the interference that goes on.

The Labour leader said there was a real and constant threat from Russia, measured in years, and measured back home in the UK as well.

Sir Keir, accompanied by John Healey, the shadow defence secretary, visited troops in the Estonian snow.

The Labour leader has been at pains to highlight the policy shift from his hard-Left predecessor Mr Corbyn, who has suggested that defence alliances such as Nato should ultimately be disbanded.

The visit to the Nato base signified a firm commitment from Labour to the alliance - Stefan Rousseau/PA

Labour has put pressure on the Government to maintain support for Ukraine - Stefan Rousseau/PA

Sir Keir and Mr Healey used the visit to praise British military personnel for helping to protect Natos eastern flank. The pair were expected to observe military exercises before joining troops in the canteen over lunch.

Ahead of the visit, Mr Healey said: We will stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes to win. We stand ready to back further assistance to Ukraine and our Nato allies like Estonia.

Amid signs of war fatigue among Ukraines Western allies, Labour has heaped pressure on the Government to reveal the UKs plans for future military aid for Kyiv.

Britain gave 4.6 billion of military aid to Ukraine across 2022 and this year.

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.
Austin James Butler is escorted out of Yakima County Superior Court Thursday, Dec. 22, 2023. Butler was sentenced to 34 years in prison after a jury earlier convicted him of attempted first-degree murder in a 2022 shooting.
Konstantin1983 wrote:

evdo wrote: "Because it was written by Roman historian Tacitus, the book gives us a better idea of the Germanic culture of the time that the texts written by members of the tribes"



Should "that" be "than"?

Yes i agree. Moreover Germania should be "Germania". Actually i don't understand B. What does it say? How biases impact perception? Looks like this is a self-made question Yes i agree. Moreover Germania should be "Germania". Actually i don't understand B. What does it say? How biases impact perception? Looks like this is a self-made question

objectivity

The Germania is a description of the Germanic tribes of the 1st century A.D. Because it was written by Roman historian Tacitus, the book gives us a better idea of the Germanic culture of the time that the texts written by members of the tribes. Its quality derives from the objectivity attained by the foreign observer.IMO the answer is B.Here according to my understanding of the passage logics.The conclusion is " Its quality derives from theattained by the foreign observer". It is a causality conclusion- A causes B. Therefore, we have to prove:Because of A, B happensB does not cause A.There is no other causes to make B happen.The argument above depends on the assumption that _____________.A) the Germanic tribes were in regular contact with the people of Rome.--> OFSB) a foreign observer has few pre-existing biased that would impact his perception.--> pre-existing biases are <50%. Negate this statement we have pre-existing biases >50%, which makes the account is no longer objective.C) the Germanic tribe wrote in a language that can be understood by the modern Germans.--> IrrelevantD)Tacitus was explicit in describing his writings as a historical account.--->OFSE) Roman historians have written the best historical accounts available today.--> OFS
GREENSBORO  At only 9 days old, baby Lailas tiny right hand gripped Santas finger as he leaned down to say hello to her during a visit to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Moses Cone Hospital.

Thats the most special thing in the world, when a baby holds your finger, said Derek Davis, an 85-year-old volunteer dressed as Santa. I just love this job. Its the best job in the world.

Davis, originally from Scotland, said he stays young by being around new life in the NICU, which is part of the Womens and Childrens Center at the hospital. For the past six years, his holiday visits have brought joy to him and to the NICU staff and families spending long hours there.

As Santa, he has celebrity status and happily grants requests to pose for pictures when he walks down the hospitals hallways. Some patients families know hes nearby when they hear the familiar Ho! Ho! Ho!

Its a blessing, said Aliza Greeson, who is the mother of Laila and Chloe Walters, and to two young daughters at home.

Ryan Walters said he was glad he had Thursday off to enjoy Santas visit with his twin girls in the NICU.

I think its really cool for the babies and for the parents, he said.

Daniqua Gaddy was holding her week-old son, Jayce, when Santa paid a visit to them. Jayce was dressed in red and white holiday attire provided by the NICU family support team.

I wanted to do something festive for him, Gaddy said. I was very excited to hear that Santa was coming. ... It helps you feel special in here.

Jayce, who arrived early at 32 weeks, is Gaddys third child and the first to stay in the NICU. Her daughters, ages 6 and 8, are at home and have asked when Santa plans to visit them as well. Gaddy said she and her husband have been splitting time between the NICU and their home this holiday season.

Being able to get Jayces photo with Santa, Gaddy said, was something she said she wasnt sure she would be able to do this year.

But Santa delivered.

After his recent round of visits to the babies and their parents, Davis patted his heart and smiled when asked about Santas busy schedule.

I may be the only Jewish Santa Claus, he said, noting that he plans to be busy on Christmas with plans to visit more young patients.

And he plans to continue the annual tradition as long as he can.

Ive been peed on and spat on and I cant wait to come back again next year.
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Baietelul din imagine este acum cel mai apreciat prezentator TV din Romania. Il recunosti?

Cuminte, cu o privire usor pierduta, baietelul din imagine a crescut si a ajuns sa fie unul dintre cei mai cunoscuti si apreciati prezentatori TV din Romania. Cu toate ca, astazi, putini sunt cei care nu ii cunosc [citeste mai departe]
New Delhi: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has said it has imposed a penalty of Rs 2 lakh on the Thane District Central Co-operative (TDCC) Bank, for an alleged violation of banking regulations by sanctioning a loan to one of the directors of the bank.

The RBI gave this information in a release issued by its Chief General Manager Yogesh Dayal on Friday. In an order issued on November 28, the RBI imposed a penalty of Rs 2 lakh on the TDCC Bank for the violation of sections 20 and 56 of the Banking Regulation (BR) Act, 1949, it said. The penalty was imposed under the powers conferred on the RBI under sections of the BR Act. (Also Read: Oppo A59 5G Launched In India: Check Price, Specs, Bank Offers, And More)

The statutory inspection of the bank was conducted by the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) about its financial position as of March 31, 2022.

Examination of the inspection report and all the related correspondence revealed that the TDCC Bank had sanctioned a loan to one of its directors, the release said.

A show-cause notice was then issued to the bank. After considering the bank's reply to the notice and oral submissions made by it during the personal hearing, the RBI concluded that the charge of contravention of the statutory provisions was substantiated, a release issued by said.
External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar said that incidents of terrorism must be countered. He said that India's erstwhile policy of turning the other cheek did not make any sense. Jaishankar sent a veiled message to Pakistan that it would get a befitting reply for carrying out a terror attack in India. Jaishankar said that terrorism started at the moment of India's independence with Pakistan sending raiders.

"Terrorism started at the moment of our independence when so-called raiders came from across Pakistan...What has changed in this country today, I think the Mumbai 26/11, to me, was the tipping point. A lot of people were very confused till they saw the true graphic impactful phase of terrorism of 26/11. Now, what we need to do first is we need to counter," said Jaishankar.

He further said, "I know that people who said we had a very smart strategy of turning the other cheek. I don't think that's just the mood of the nation. I don't think it makes sense. I don't think it makes strategic sense. If somebody is practising cross-border terrorism you must respond, you must extract, impose a cost out there."

Jaishankar's statement came at a time when four Indian Army jawans lost their lives in a terror attack in Kashmir on December 20 and the counter-terror operation is still underway in the state. The army has also foiled an infiltration bid in the Akhnoor sector where some terrorists were trying to enter India through the Pakistani side of the border.
New Delhi: Delhi Lieutenant Governor (LG) VK Saxena on Saturday recommended an inquiry by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the alleged procurement and supply of non-standard drugs in government hospitals in the national capital. In a note to Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar, the LG said that the matter is concerning as such medicines have been given to lakhs of patients.

"It is with a sense of deep concern that I have perused the file. I am, to say the least, anguished at the fact that lakhs of hapless people and patients are being supplied fake drugs that have failed quality standard tests," the note to Kumar read.

Lt Governor Saxena added that these drugs were procured by the Central Procurement Agency (CPA) which comes under the ambit of Delhi Health Services (DHS) and was possibly also supplied to Mohalla Clinics.

"Tested by government as well as private analysts/laboratories as per rules and statutory provisions under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, these have failed and are categorised as 'Not of Standard Quality'," he said.

"Prima facie, apart from CPA-DHS, GNCTD, there are suppliers, manufacturers situated in other states and drug controllers in those states associated in this whole exercise," he added.

Previously, the Directorate of Vigilance had submitted a report on the matter concerning the procurement of such medicines. Complaints have been raised about the supply of substandard medicines in Delhi government hospitals. Based on such reports, medicine samples were collected from Delhi government hospitals.

Meanwhile, Delhis Environment Minister Gopal Rai told PTI that the Aam Aadmi Party-led government will soon come out with a report on the matter. He also alleged that the claims made by Lt Governor Saxena are just a way to obstruct the work of Delhi government.
Jan 11, 2024 (29 Jumada Al-Akhirah 1445) - Today Islamic Date in Swaziland is 29 Jumada Al-Akhirah 1445. Islamic Date is also called Hijri Date or Today Arabic Date in the Muslim world that follows Moon phases as a lunar calendar. Check the exact Islamic date today in Swaziland with an accurate Hijri date updated daily.

Today Islamic date in Swaziland is calculated as per the lunar based calendar which consists of 12 Lunar months in a year of 354 or 355 days. A Muslim must know about the exact Islamic date today or chand ki date.

What is Islamic Date in Swaziland today?

Todays Islamic Date in Swaziland in Islamic Hijri calendar is 29 Jumada Al-Akhirah 1445. The current Islamic year is 1445 AH.

Today Islamic date in Swaziland

Islamic Date Today  Islam is the second biggest religion in the world with around 1.8 billion followers. Muslim population is not present in the Muslim countries but they are also in significant numbers in other countries. Muslims follow Hijri calendar to celebrate Islamic events according to the Islamic month date. However, the Islamic date today in Swaziland is as per the Islamic calendar. Thats why the Muslim calendar usually gives just the overview of today Islamic date in Swaziland 2024 and other upcoming dates. On this page, you can easily confirm the Islamic date today in Swaziland or Hijri date in Swaziland.

You can utilize this page to plan your vacations according to the Islamic holidays 2024 such as Eid al Fitr, Eid Al Adha, Hajj, etc. You can find the Urdu date today along with the respective Georgian date. You can see the Islamic date today in Swaziland and also the dates of upcoming events.

This page is a perfect place for people who are interested in today Islamic date in Swaziland 2024. It is recommended that you should bookmark this page to keep updated about the Islamic date today in Swaziland 2024. Islamic months are as follow Muharram, Safar, Rabi ul Awal, Rabi Al-Akhir (Rabi' al-Thani), Jumada Al-Awwal (Jumada al-Ula), Jumada Al-Akhirah (Jumada l-Ukhra or Jumada al-Thani), Rajab, Shaban (Sha'ban), Ramadan (also spell as Ramazan, Ramzan, Ramadhan), Shawwal, Dhul-Qadah (Dhu al-Qi'dah or Zu al-Qa'dah) and Dhul-Hijjah (Dhu al-Hijjah or Zu al-Hijjah).

Today Arabic date for Mbabane, Piggs Peak, Big Bend, Mhlume, Siteki, Kwaluseni, Lobamba, Malkerns, Manzini, Hluti and others cities are also available on this page.
New Delhi: The Hijab controversy in Karnataka gained momentum in January 2022 when six girls were reportedly denied entry at the Government PU College in Udupi for wearing the hijab. In response, the girls staged a protest outside the college.

Recently, the Karnataka Examination Authority (KEA) imposed restrictions on all types of head coverings during recruitment exams for various boards and corporations. The move aims to prevent malpractice, particularly the use of Bluetooth devices, although the dress code doesn't explicitly prohibit the hijab. The guidelines have sparked discussions about implications for religious attire.

Meanwhile, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddhramaiah, who announced on Friday that his government would lift the ban on the Hijab in the state, stated today that the decision will undergo further discussion.

"We are thinking of withdrawing the decision (of hijab ban). We will discuss it. I have said this in response to a question. We have not done it yet," said Siddaramaiah.

Siddaramaiah on Friday announced that his government will withdraw the ban order on the Hijab imposed by BJP and said that no politics should be done on what people prefer to wear and eat.

Congress' "discussion" on the Hijab ban in Karnataka's educational institutions, especially when the matter is before the Supreme Court and the High Court has already affirmed the ban, raises questions about potential political motives ahead of the Lok Sabha Elections 2024.
New Delhi: The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) organizes the UPSC examination annually, yet only a select few manage to successfully navigate the challenging tests. Among these aspirants is Ram Bhajan, formerly a daily wage labourer from the modest village of Bapi in Rajasthan, who is now on the path to becoming an IAS officer.

Ram Bhajan Kumhara, hailing from the economically challenged village of Bapi in Rajasthan, once shared a humble abode with his mother, facing the hardship of inadequate living conditions. However, his perseverance led him to secure the 667th rank in the UPSC examination.

The journey of Ram Bhajan is nothing short of inspirational. Despite emerging as a government officer, the topper of the UPSC exam had humble beginnings in a poverty-stricken village, where he eked out a living as a daily wage labourer.

In a conversation with Dainik Bhaskar, Ram Bhajan recounted his days as a daily laborer, toiling alongside his mother. His responsibilities included breaking stones for hours, while his mother carried heavy loads of stones every day. Bhajan, who achieved success in the UPSC Civil Services 2022 examination, used to deliver around 25 cartons of stones daily, earning a meager Rs 5 to Rs 10 by day's end, insufficient even for a single meal.

Coming from a family that owned goats and sustained itself by selling their milk, Ram Bhajan faced adversity when his father, responsible for the business, succumbed to asthma during the Covid-19 pandemic. Following his father's demise, the family plunged into poverty, relying on manual labor for survival. Despite the challenges, Ram Bhajan diligently studied and secured a position as a constable in the Delhi Police.

After serving as a constable for several years, Ram Bhajan embarked on the UPSC journey. On his eighth attempt, he successfully cracked the IAS examination in 2022, lifting his family out of poverty and realizing his long-cherished dream.
The encounter between terrorists and armed forces is still underway in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri. The operation has been going on in the Thanamandi area of Rajouri since the late evening of 20th December and continues for the fourth day today. According to the sources, security forces had received inputs that 2 to 3 terrorists were hiding in this area, after which a search operation was launched. The army is said to have cordoned-off two-three terrorists.

During this operation, two army vehicles were attacked by the terrorists in which four army soldiers were martyred. Three army personnel are said to be injured in this operation. The search operation has been intensified with the help of drones, helicopters and sniffer dogs.

Meanwhile, internet services have been shut down in the Rajouri and Poonch areas. On the other hand, Defence Sources have confirmed that around 25-30 Pakistani terrorists are suspected to be hiding in the forest areas of the Rajouri-Poonch sector.

The Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) affiliate People's Anti-Fascist Front (PAFF) has taken responsibility for the attack. The group emerged following the abolition of the special status accorded to Jammu and Kashmir in August 2019.

Meanwhile, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has detained some people in connection with the attack and has started an investigation into the case. Pakistan is rattled by the Indian Army's 'zero terror' plan in Kashmir and thus is trying to destabilize the region once again by making terrorists infiltrate through the forest areas.

The army also foiled an infiltration bid. "Infiltration bid foiled in IB sector of Khour, Akhnoor. A suspected move of four terrorists was seen through own surveillance devices on the night of December 22-23. Effective fire brought down. Terrorists were seen dragging one body back across the IB," said White Knight Corps of the Indian Army.

Reporter: Rajat Vohra
New Delhi: As the whole nation awaits the inauguration of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, the auspicious moment for the consecration has been officially scheduled for 22nd January 2024, at noon. The auspicious timing, known as Abhijeet Muhurat, has been carefully chosen to mark this historic event.

Speaking to ANI, Ram Temple priest Ganeshwar Shastri Gramin said, the consecration ceremony is set to commence at approximately 12.30 pm, precisely during the auspicious Abhijeet Muhurat, and is expected to last for a symbolic 84 seconds. The meticulous selection of this timing reflects the adherence to ancient traditions and astrological considerations.

#WATCH | On the auspicious time for the consecration of the Ram Temple, priest Ganeshwar Shastri Gramin says "Monday, 22nd January 2024 at noon, during Abhijeet Muhurat, has been decided as the auspicious time for the consecration of the Ram Temple. The exact time is around 12:30 pic.twitter.com/316MzBWwqv  ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) December 23, 2023

The decision to perform the consecration during the Abhijeet Muhurat holds immense cultural and religious significance, emphasizing the auspicious alignment of celestial energies.

Ayodhya, the birthplace of Lord Rama, holds great spiritual, historical and cultural significance for the people of India. The trust has also invited 4,000 saints of all sects for the ceremony.

Vedic rituals for the Pran-Pratishtha (consecration) ceremony of Ram Lalla (infant Lord Ram) in Ayodhya will begin on January 16, next year, a week before the main ceremony.

A priest from Varanasi, Lakshmi Kant Dixit, will perform the main rituals of the consecration ceremony of Ram Lalla on January 22. From January 14 to January 22, Ayodhya will mark the Amrit Mahautsav.

A 1008 Hundi Mahayagya will also be organised, in which thousands of devotees will be fed. Several tent cities are being erected in Ayodhya to accommodate thousands of devotees, who are expected to arrive in the temple town of Uttar Pradesh for the grand consecration of the Ram Temple.

According to the Sri Ram Janambhoomi Trust, arrangements will be made for 10,000-15,000 people. Local authorities are gearing up for the anticipated surge in visitors around the 'Pran Pratishtha' ceremony and are in the process of implementing enhanced security measures and making logistical arrangements to ensure a smooth and spiritually enriching experience for all attendees.
New Delhi: In India, the Civil Services examination stands out as one of the most challenging tests to conquer. Each year, numerous hopefuls vie for the opportunity to participate in this competitive exam, but only a select few manage to secure a spot on the final list of successful candidates. Among these achievers are individuals who succeeded in passing the UPSC CSE exam on their initial, subsequent, or even fifth attempt. Today, we delve into the compelling journey of Uma Harathi N, who persisted through five attempts before triumphing in the UPSC exam.

Uma Harathi, a resident of Nalgonda district in Telangana, is an engineering graduate from IIT Hyderabad. Despite facing the formidable UPSC challenge five times, she emerged victorious in the 2022 exam, securing an impressive All India Rank (AIR) of 3. Reflecting on her arduous path, Uma shares a valuable mantra for aspirants: "It's okay to fail. I failed numerous times. Just be proud of yourself."

Hailing from a family with a background in law enforcementher father is the Superintendent of Police of NarayanpetUma was inspired by her father's encouragement towards civil services. She acknowledges the significance of the platform, both as a career and a means to contribute meaningfully to society. Uma, holding a BTech degree in civil engineering, emphasizes the importance of persistence and learning from mistakes throughout her challenging yet rewarding journey.

In an interview with NDTV, the 28-year-old expressed gratitude to her family and friends for their support. Uma emphasized the transformative nature of the process, stating, "This has been a long process, and it was not easy. But it was a great journey. I learnt from my mistakes and discovered myself."

Offering advice to fellow UPSC aspirants, Uma stressed the need to read extensively, practice rigorously, and formulate personalized strategies. She highlighted the indispensable qualities of sincerity and discipline, asserting that intelligence alone cannot guarantee success in cracking the UPSC exam.

In a surprising revelation, Uma disclosed that she did not anticipate securing the third rank, stating, "I was hoping to get some rank but did not expect the third rank." Her unexpected success serves as a testament to the unpredictable nature of the challenging Civil Services examination.
New Delhi: In a heartwarming gesture, former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan fulfilled the goal of BJP District President Ramdas Puri by making him wear shoes for the first time in six years. In 2017, Ramdas Puri had taken off his shoes, pledging not to wear them until the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) became victorious in Madhya Pradesh in 2023. Puri decided to hold on to his resolve even when the party lost the state to Congress in 2019 but came back to power in 2020.

In December 2023, his pledge was met when BJP won a landslide victory in the state. Chouhan, who is currently in Amarkantak for a plantation drive, made sure that Ramdas Puri fulfils his resolve by making him wear shoes. Notably, Puri was barefoot for the past six years.

#WATCH | Anuppur: Former Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chauhan made Anuppur BJP District President Ramdas Puri fulfil his resolve by making him wear shoes.



Ramdas Puri had not worn shoes and slippers for the last 6 years. He had pledged in 2017-18 that he would not wear shoes pic.twitter.com/zC7tbBuzi1  ANI MP/CG/Rajasthan (@ANI_MP_CG_RJ) December 23, 2023

Puri ji is a hardworking and dedicated party worker, who had given up wearing shoes and slippers since 2017. For six years, he remained barefoot in every season  summer, winter or rain. His resolution has been fulfilled. We all requested that now the resolution has been fulfilled and you should start wearing shoes, Chouhan said in a post on X.

In Madhya Pradesh, the BJP bagged 163 of the 230 assembly seats, coming back to power in the Hindi heartland. However, the post of Chief Minister was given to Mohan Yadav instead of Chouhan. After resigning from the post, Chouhan has been conducting BJP meeting and visiting cities across the state.
With the opposition parties working to finalize seat-sharing arrangements for the Lok Sabha polls 2024, the BJP is keeping a close eye on all these developments and has started its preparations for the elections as well. Prime Minister Narendra Modi met BJP office bearers yesterday in Delhi and shared the party's strategy for the 2024 polls. PM Modi told the BJP leaders that work should be done keeping in mind youth, poor, women and farmers.

Bharatiya Janata Party president JP Nadda presided over the meeting held yesterday in New Delhi. According to party sources, there was brainstorming in the meeting regarding the Lok Sabha elections to be held in 2024. Addressing the meeting, PM Modi said that work should be done keeping in mind four castes that for him are youth, poor, women and farmers.

According to reports, PM Modi asked all the leaders to work in mission mode. BJP General Secretary Vinod Tawde put forward the first topic in the meeting: that work has to be done at the booth level to increase 10% votes in the Lok Sabha elections. Speaking on this, the Prime Minister said that if our schemes reach the poor, youth, farmers and women in the right way, it will help us.

The BJP which won 303 seats in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls has set a target of winning more than 350 seats in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. If BJP alone achieves the target of 350 plus seats then together with NDA allies, its seat tally in the upcoming general elections will reach around 400.

The BJP is also making special preparations for 160 seats where the saffron party failed to make an impact. These 160 Lok Sabha seats include Sonia Gandhi's Rae Bareli, Akhilesh Yadav's family stronghold Mainpuri, and Sharad Pawar's family stronghold Baramati, besides those seats of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Maharashtra and South India.
New Delhi: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday strongly condemned the case of vandalism in Californias Newark where a Hindu temple was defaced with anti-India and pro-Khalistan graffiti. I have seen it. Extremists, separatists and such forces should not be given space. Our consulate there complained to the government and the police and an inquiry is underway," Jaishankar said.

The Swaminarayan Mandir in Newark was defaced with anti-India graffiti made on the exterior wall and came to light on Friday. The Newark police are closely looking into the matter.

#WATCH | On Swami Narayan temple in Newark, US defaced with pro-Khalistani slogans, EAM Dr S Jaishankar says, "I have seen it. Extremists, separatists and such forces should not be given space. Our Consulate there complained to the government and the police and an inquiry is pic.twitter.com/dfEzsfeeT8 December 23, 2023

One of the devotees, who lives close to the shrine, discovered anti-Hindu and anti-India graffiti in black ink on an exterior wall of the building, and the local administration was immediately informed," Bhargav Raval, the spokesperson of the temple administration told ANI.

Jonathan Arguello, a police captain in the Newark Police Department, said, Based on the graffiti, we believe it was a targeted act, and it's going to be investigated with full thoroughness. I can also tell you that as a member of the Newark Police Department and the Newark community, we're deeply saddened when these types of acts occur, and we think they're senseless and they have no room.

Arguello added that such cases would henceforth be taken seriously and acts of vandalism would not be tolerated in the city. Police officials are currently collecting evidence to investigate the matter.

Notably, this is not the first case of vandalism of a Hindu temple abroad. In August, a similar incident was reported in Canadas British Columbia where the front door of a Hindu temple was defaced with posters of the Khalistan referendum.
New Delhi: 'RRR' actor Ram Charan and philanthropist wife Upasana paid a visit to the esteemed office of Maharashtra's Honorable Chief Minister, Eknath Shinde, in Mumbai. The meeting of the two states Telengana and Maharashtra was a beautiful blend of tradition and companionship.

The couple who were first spotted at the Mahalaxmi temple, celebrating their daughter Klin Kaara's 6th-month birthday, now graced the Chief Minister's office for a momentous occasion as they continue their stay in Mumbai.

The meeting was marked by sincere greetings and the exchange of thoughtful gifts. Shinde's son, Shrikant, was also present to welcome the guests, further strengthening the bond between the two families.

The highlight of the occasion was a traditional Tilak ceremony and a small Aarti performed by Vrushali, Shinde's daughter-in-law, in a gesture of traditional hospitality extended to the visiting family.

Ram Charan, dressed in a stylish denim shirt and black trousers, and Upasana, adorned in a graceful satin floral kurti, brought a touch of elegance to the gathering. The visit, marked by a sense of joy and fulfillment, showcased the couple's continued commitment to fostering positive connections and contributing to the welfare of the community.

Meanwhile, on the work front, Charan will be next seen in director Shankar's upcoming action thriller film 'Game Changer' opposite Kiara Advani. Helmed by Shankar, the film is billed as an action drama with current-day politics and will be released in three languages - Telugu, Tamil and Hindi.

The film is jointly produced by Dil Raju and Shirish Garu under the banner of Sri Venkateswara Creations for a Pan-India release.

The official release date of the film is still awaited.
New Delhi: Chinese smartphone maker Poco has expanded its budget mobile phone lineup in India by introducing M6 5G. This is the company's new smartphone of M-series. The newly launched device supports a 5G network. Continue reading to find out what are the specifications that Xiaomi's sub-brand has taken to this smartphone.

Poco M6 5G: Price In India

Coming to the price of the phone, it will cost Rs 9,499 for 4GB and 128GB variants. If you want to buy a 6GB plus 128GB model, you have to pay Rs 10,499 and the top model that comes with 8GB and 256 GB storage will cost Rs 12,499. (Also Read: 'Aaj Realize Hua That Starbucks Is...:' Anupam Mittal Criticises Starbucks For THIS Reason)

Poco M6 5G: Colour Options

As yet, Poco M6 5G will be available in Orion Blue and Galactic Black colours. (Also Read: OnePlus 12 Series Launch Event In India: Check Ticket Price, Availability, Where To Buy, And More)

Poco M6 5G: Availability Date

If you want to take this phone in your hand, you have to wait for December 26. It means you can buy this phone on Flipkart from December 26 onwards.

Poco M6 5G: Bank Offers

You can lower the price of Poco M6 5G by availing the bank discount offer. You can get a Rs 1,000 discount by using ICICI cards.

Poco M6 5G: Data Benefits

You will get additional data of 50GB if you are buying the Poco M6 5G. This offer is valid for Airtel Prepaid users.

Poco M6 5G: Storage Options

The smartphone comes in 4GB plus 128GB, 6GB+128GB, and 8GB+256GB storage options.

Poco M6 5G: Display

The smartphone features a 6.47-inch display that supports 90Hz refresh rate.

Poco M6 5G: Processor

Poco M6 5G is powered by a MediaTek Dimensity processor. It will work on Android 13.

Poco M6 5G: Camera Options

The smartphone comes with a 50MP primary camera.

Poco M6 5G: Battery Power

The smartphone is packed with a 5,000mAh battery power that supports 18W fast charging.
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This photo taken on Nov. 6, 2023 shows a booth of Nicaragua at the 6th China International Import Expo (CIIE) in east China's Shanghai. (Xinhua/Gao Wei)

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday held a phone conversation with Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega, announcing the decision to elevate China-Nicaragua ties to a strategic partnership.

Since the resumption of bilateral relations two years ago, the two sides, with a sense of urgency, have been promoting a leap-forward development of China-Nicaragua relations.

Embarking on a new starting point, China and Nicaragua are expected to further deepen bilateral cooperation and strengthen friendship between their peoples, which will inject impetus into the building of a China-Latin America community with a shared future and the common development of the world.

LEAP-FORWARD DEVELOPMENT

During Wednesday's talks, Xi said he is ready to work with Ortega to promote bilateral ties for fresh achievements, with the newly announced strategic partnership between the two countries as a new starting point, adding that he is willing to join the Nicaraguan leader in setting an example of solidarity, cooperation, mutual benefit and win-win results.

After the talks, the two sides issued a joint statement on the establishment of a strategic partnership between China and Nicaragua.

During the previous two years, the two countries have firmly supported each other on issues concerning each other's core interests and major concerns, and have comprehensively expanded and made positive progress in practical cooperation.

Nicaragua joined the Belt and Road Initiative and has been vocal about its support to China-proposed Global Development Initiative. China is now Nicaragua's second-largest trading partner and second-largest source of imports.

Chinese Ambassador to Nicaragua Chen Xi said that under the personal care, strategic planning and political guidance of the leaders of the two countries, China-Nicaragua relations have achieved a qualitative leap, which is in the common interests of the two countries and their people and is conducive to the common development and prosperity of the two countries.

According to Zhou Zhiwei, a researcher at the Institute of Latin America of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, over the past two years since the resumption of diplomatic relations between China and Nicaragua, the two countries have achieved a series of "more than expected results" in practical cooperation. Furthermore, the upgrading of bilateral relations signifies that the two countries' exchanges and cooperation in such fields as politics, economy and people-to-people exchanges have entered a more efficient and smooth stage of development.

Nicaraguan Minister of Development, Industry and Trade Jesus Bermudez is deeply impressed by China's innovations such as e-payment. He is looking forward to cooperating with China in the digital economy, saying that bilateral cooperation will be particularly beneficial to the development of small and medium-sized enterprises in Nicaragua.

COMMON PROSPERITY

The free trade agreement between China and Nicaragua, which will come into effect on Jan. 1 next year, is a landmark achievement of cooperation between the two countries, Xi said in his phone talks with Ortega, noting that both sides should take this opportunity to continuously boost the volume and raise the level of bilateral trade.

The Nicaraguan side sincerely appreciates China's valuable assistance in Nicaragua's economic development and improvement of people's livelihoods, Ortega said.

Nowadays, in Managua, the capital of Nicaragua, hundreds of comfortable and eco-friendly Chinese buses are running around to serve the local people. With the assistance of Chinese enterprises, hundreds of affordable housing units and their ancillary facilities are being built in the city to improve the living conditions of local people.

Reyna Rueda, mayor of Managua, told Xinhua that she has seen, from the changes in the city's appearance over the past two years, how the rapid development of Nicaragua-China practical cooperation has benefited the general public.

In a handicraft market in the center of Masaya, Nicaragua, dozens of merchants sell leather, feather paintings, wood products and other handicrafts. Two years ago, in an interview with Xinhua reporters, the mayor of Masaya, Janina Noguera, expressed two wishes -- to develop a sister-city in China and to enhance the exchange of experience and technology with China.

Now, both wishes have come true. In September, Masaya signed a letter of intent to establish a sister-city relationship with Nanjing, the capital of Jiangsu Province in China. The two cities plan to cooperate in a variety of fields.

Earlier this year, Noguera visited Kunming, the capital of Yunnan Province and other Chinese cities to learn the experience of how China's cultural industry has boosted economic development.

For the future, Noguera has a new wish -- to bring China's successful experience to Masaya as soon as possible for the benefit of the local people.

More and more Nicaraguan students are coming to China to study, among whom is Natalia Caldera. She told Xinhua that in the past year studying at Beijing Foreign Studies University, she and her Chinese classmates have deepened their understanding of each other's cultures, and seen relations between China and Nicaragua growing ever closer.

Caldera looks forward to contributing to expanding the bilateral cooperation in the fields of culture, education, youth, media and other areas. Besides, she would like to record more stories about China "to become a messenger of friendly exchanges between the two countries."

SHARED ASPIRATION

In his phone talks with Ortega on Wednesday, Xi said that China stands ready to strengthen solidarity and coordination with Nicaragua in international affairs, and work with Nicaragua to oppose hegemonism and power politics, promote the development of a more just and rational international order, and safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of developing countries.

Ignacio Martinez, an expert on international affairs at the National Autonomous University of Mexico, said that the upgrading of China-Nicaragua relations is another vivid example of the positive development of Latin America's relations with China.

Looking back at the year 2023, the head-of-state diplomacy has guided China-Latin America relations for stable progress. Xi, by holding meetings and sending messages to leaders of Latin American countries, has engaged in close interactions with them on multilateral platforms such as BRICS and APEC.

A man takes photos at the media center of the 15th BRICS Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa, Aug. 21, 2023. (Xinhua/Li Yahui)

Multiple Latin American leaders, including Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and Colombian President Gustavo Petro, visited China this year, lifting their relations with China to new levels. During Honduran President Xiomara Castro's visit to China in June, the two countries signed a memorandum of understanding on the Belt and Road cooperation, only a few months after the establishment of their diplomatic ties in March.

Song Junying, director of the Department for Latin American and Caribbean Studies of China Institute of International Studies, said that under the guidance of the head-of-state diplomacy, China-Latin America relations have been developing rapidly and practical cooperation has continued to deepen.

China and Latin America, Song said, as partners of the Global South, have forged a consensus on multilateral agendas such as the reform of global governance and the tackling of climate change, which will help the Global South make an even stronger voice in the international arena.
As a father, I can safely say that no other season brings with it the degree of social and familial pressure I experience during the lead up to Christmas.

One of the big ones in my family is when are we putting up the Christmas tree?

While its true that part of the reason we wait longer than most to put up our tree is to highlight Advent as a time of preparation and hopeful anticipation, I also have another practical reason. We have a real Christmas tree and, as a Catholic family, we try to embrace liturgical living celebrating an entire Christmas season concluding with the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord (Jan. 8 this year).

Trying to keep a tree from becoming a brittle, needle-shedding fire hazard is no small task and an impossible one if we were to put up a tree the first week of December. So, though my kids are not thrilled about it, our waiting is done for a reason and with purpose.

Ours is a culture that doesnt care for waiting. But waiting and watching can be holy and its good for us. If nothing else, it reminds us that we are not God and we live in community dependent on others. Waiting and faith go hand in hand. Consider the generations upon generations who waited, or continue to wait, for the arrival of a Messiah, an anointed one.

Since at least the eighth century, the Roman Catholic Church has prayed during the latter days of Advent a beautiful series of prayers that incorporate ancient biblical imagery to express the messianic hopes found throughout the Old Testament. These O Antiphons are sung as part of the churchs Evening Prayer, accompanying the Magnificat canticle. (Luke 1:46-55)

Based on Isaiah 7:14, Matthew 1:23 and Isaiah 33:22, todays antiphon is, O Emmanuel, king and lawgiver, desire of the nations, Savior of all people, come and set us free, Lord our God.

Emmanuel means with us is God and for the Christian the name is most befitting Jesus Christ who, in the incarnation, is the fulfillment and perfect manifestation of with us is God. Into a darkness that, left to our own, we could never pierce, God himself enters in offering a peace, hope, joy and love that would otherwise remain beyond our grasp.

And how is it that Jesus comes to us? The one Christians refer to as Wisdom, Lord and Ruler, King of the Nations, and Savior chose to enter into time and space as a poor vulnerable baby lacking in the things deemed by the world to be of greatest value. What a gift to us that is, reminding us of the things that truly matter and providing us an unobstructed view of what and who incarnated love is to be  no wealth, no pretense, no human esteem, just love.

But the Incarnation is not something we simply remember or celebrate, its someone with whom we are called to participate in a life of love. God with us challenges us to become an us with God accepting the invitation of Christmas to enter into an intimate, eternal but also immediate communion with him.

Jesus Christ came to destroy the chasm between God and us that entered the world, and continues to do so, by sin. Christmas reminds of the path back to the one who creates, loves and saves us. Into the darkness a light has shone calling us to himself, not for his sake but ours.

Christmas provides a beautiful opportunity for us to turn toward God and incarnate our faith first by cultivating our relationship with God. One cannot have a relationship of depth and meaning without investing effort to grow that relationship. It requires real work and a sharing of oneself.

This is true of our relationship with other people and its true of our relationship with God. And he provides us a perfect example of how he wants us to encounter him  with the same vulnerability he freely takes on himself as a baby born over 2,000 years ago in the humblest of circumstances.

He wants you and me in our brokenness, fear, grieving and discontent. He doesnt avoid our messiness; he enters into it and asks us to be authentic with him so that he might draw us ever closer.

But faith doesnt call us to rest with just Jesus and me satisfied simply with cultivating our own private space for God within our lives. An interior spiritual life is essential, but if Christmas teaches us anything it must include the fact that within this human family, we are bound to each other and have been gifted with a mission that extends to a limitless horizon as far outward to the world as inward toward our own heart.

Christmas impels us to incarnate in our lives the love born of human flesh in Bethlehem centuries ago. The same Jesus who chose to be born into our chaos and filth said, Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me. (Matthew 25:35-37)

This is what it means to not just celebrate but live Christmas.

St. Teresa of Calcutta once said, It is Christmas every time you let God love others through you. Emmanuel, God with us, has chosen you and me to be another Bethlehem, showing forth Love incarnate, born anew in our hearts and offered to the entire world.

So, live this Christmas well. Enjoy the company of family and friends, feast on some Christmas treats and set aside time for prayer encountering the Christ child in your heart and at church.

Then, in the days ahead, bring him from the manger into the life of someone in need, making every day Christmas once again.
French police detained two men the day after stopping a plane heading to Nicaragua carrying more than 300 Indian passengers due to suspected 'human trafficking'. Indian authorities also arrived at the scene to investigate and have been given consular access to meet the Indians.

The plane, owned by Romanian charter company Legend Airlines, was on its way to Nicaragua with 303 Indian passengers. It made a stopover at Vatry airport in eastern France. Officials suspect that some passengers planned to reach the United States or Canada via Central America illegally, reported AFP.

The plane was grounded following an anonymous tip-off about potential human trafficking victims among the passengers, according to the Paris prosecutor.

Indian Embassy in France said on X (Twitter), "French authorities informed us of a plane with 303 people, mostly of Indian origin, from Dubai to Nicaragua detained on a technical halt at a French airport. The embassy team has reached and obtained consular access. We are investigating the situation, also ensuring the well-being of the passengers."

After landing in France, the passengers were initially kept on the plane but were later accommodated in the airport terminal, provided with individual beds for their comfort. They spent the night at the airport, and officials have yet to confirm when they will be allowed to continue their journey. Indian officials are ensuring the well-being of the passengers and conducting investigations.
In another case of anti-India acts, a Hindu temple in Californias Newark has been vandalised with pro-Khalistan graffiti on the exterior walls. The incident of vandalism occurred in Newarks Swaminarayan Mandir and came to light on Friday. The Newark police are closely looking into the matter.

One of the devotees, who lives close to the shrine, discovered anti-Hindu and anti-India graffiti in black ink on an exterior wall of the building, and the local administration was immediately informed," Bhargav Raval, the spokesperson of the temple administration told ANI.

Jonathan Arguello, a police captain in the Newark Police Department, said, Based on the graffiti, we believe it was a targeted act, and it's going to be investigated with full thoroughness. I can also tell you that as a member of the Newark Police Department and the Newark community, we're deeply saddened when these types of acts occur, and we think they're senseless and they have no room.

Arguello added that such cases would henceforth be taken seriously and acts of vandalism would not be tolerated in the city. Police officials are currently collecting evidence to investigate the matter.

The Indian Consulate in San Francisco on Saturday strongly condemned the act of vandalism that has come to light in Newark. In a post on X, the Consulate General of India in San Francisco said, We strongly condemn the defacing of SMVS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir at Newark, California with anti-India graffiti.

This incident has hurt the sentiments of the Indian community. We have pressed for quick investigation and prompt action against the vandals by the US authorities in this matter, it added.

Notably, this is not the first case of vandalism of an Hindu temple abroad. In August, a similar incident was reported in Canadas British Columbia where the front door of a Hindu temple was defaced with posters of the Khalistan referendum.
Pakistan, a country where a few Hindus co-exist with the majority-Muslim population, has appointed its first Hindu woman, Manisha Ropeta, as the Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) in Sindh.

Ropeta has not only broken the patriarchal barrier of Pakistan but has also turned heads for becoming the first Hindu woman to be appointed in an authoritative position at the age of 26.

She was appointed to the top-position in 2022 in the province of Sindh. After she was designated as the DSP, Ropeta said, From childhood, my sisters and I have seen the same old system of patriarchy where girls are told if they want to get educated and work it can only be as teachers or doctors.

Manisha Ropeta hails from a middle-class family settled in Sindhs Jacobabad. Her motto is to end the belief that girls and women should not dream of getting employed in the police force or district courts.

She said, Women are the most oppressed and the target of many crimes in our society and I joined the police because I feel we need protector women in our society.

Ropetas father was a trader in Jacobabad. Following his death, her mother brought the children to Karachi.

She has four siblings  three sisters and one brother  all of whom are in medicine. For Manisha Ropeta, the door to become a doctor closed when she failed the MBBS entrance examinations by just a mark.

I then told my family I was taking a degree in physical therapy but at the same time I prepared for the Sindh Public Services Commission examinations and I passed that getting 16th position among 468 candidates, she said.

On her journey to become Pakistans first female Hindu DSP, Ropeta admits that while it was not easy to bag the job, her seniors and colleagues treated her with respect and supported her throughout.
State employees donate to food bank

State employees have donated 4,500 pounds of food to the Montana Food Bank Network.

Thanks to the generosity of our state employees, were helping feed and nourish our neighbors facing food insecurity this holiday season, Gov. Greg Gianforte said. Congratulations to our new champion, the Department of Administration, for winning this years agency food drive competition.

Launched by the governor on the second day of his 12 Days of Giving campaign, the third annual interagency food drive ran Nov. 29-Dec. 13 to benefit MFBN.

Helping feed Montanans since 1983, MFBN is the only statewide hunger-fighting organization. The network works with over 340 partners across Montanas 56 counties to provide nutritious, high-quality food to Montanans. MFBN distributed over 16.7 million pounds of food to its network in 2022.

The governor announced the results of the interagency food drive competition:

1st place: Montana Department of Administration (1,049 food items donated)

2nd place: Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services (863 food items donated)

3rd place: Montana Department of Revenue (595 food items donated)

According to MFBN, a $1 donation will help provide at least five meals for Montanans in need.

The networks most needed food items include canned tuna or meat, peanut butter, canned soup, canned or dry beans, canned vegetables, dry cereal, baby food and formula, tomato sauce, cooking oil, low-fat salad dressings, canned chili, oatmeal, pasta, flour, sugar, whole-grain items, gluten-free items and low sodium/low sugar items.

For more information, visit mfbn.org.

Oro Fino welcomes new member

Oro Fino Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution installed and welcomed Mari Flanagan Jaynes of Helena at the December meeting and Christmas Party.

DAR is a lineage organization of women descendants of American Revolutionary patriots. Members promote historic preservation, education and patriotism through community service, including commemorative events, educational and citizenship initiatives, service to both veterans and active-duty military, and scholarships.

For more information see www.dar.org and www.helenadar.weebly.com.

City Hall closed for Christmas, New Year's

City of Helena administrative offices will be closed on Dec. 25 (Monday) and Jan. 1 (Monday) for the holidays. City services will also be impacted. The closures include the Transfer Station, Capital Transit and Municipal Court.

Residents that have their garbage collection on Mondays should put their bin out by 7 a.m. on Tuesday.

Please call 406-447-8086 with questions about garbage collection or the Transfer Station.

Artists sought to paint dumpsters

The city of Helena wants to commission original designs to paint up to five dumpsters, with a different design and artist for each.

Proposals will be accepted until 4 p.m. Jan. 19. The full request for proposals can be found at www.helenamt.gov/proposals/.

Designs are open to each artist's vision, but the color and design should be visually effective from a distance. Selected artists and/or teams will be paid $800 per dumpster. The artist must supply their own paint and supplies; however, the city of Helena will provide the supplies and volunteers to prime and seal each dumpster.

Dumpsters will be selected from city properties that have prominent locations for public view.

The city and the Helena Public Art Committee will host a painting event in the parking lot of the City-County Administration Building on either May 4 or May 11, where all dumpsters will be set up and artists will paint their murals.

Red Cross sees home fires increase

Since Nov. 1, Red Cross of Montana has responded to nearly three dozen home fires calls, which is an 11% increase since 2022.

National Fire Protection Association figures show Christmas Day and Christmas Eve are among the leading days for home fires. And, nearly half of all decoration fires in December are started by candles, with incidents peaking on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Years Day.

Red Cross of Montana urges everyone to have a safe rest of the holiday season by reviewing these tips:

 Keep flammable items, including curtains and holiday decorations, at least 3 feet away from candles. Never leave lit candles unattended.

 Keep children and flammable items such as grocery bags and kitchen towels away from the stove and oven. Clean up greasy spills as you go to remove another fire hazard.

 When decorating your tree, dont plug more than three strings of lights into each other (opt for a power strip instead). Discard light strings that are worn or broken. Always unplug the lights before leaving the house or going to sleep.

 Use a fire screen in fireplaces to keep embers and logs from escaping. Make sure all embers are fully extinguished before you turn in for the night.

Each year, Red Cross of Montana responds to hundreds of disasters, more than 90% of them home fires. So far this year, Red Cross volunteers and disaster staff have helped more than 550 people by meeting their most immediate needs like food, clothing and shelter. From offering a caring ear to mapping a course for long-term recovery, Red Cross responders help ensure that families dont have to face tough times alone.

In some cases, these families have lost everything, said Scott OConnell, regional disaster officer for Red Cross of Montana. We cant replace all that was lost, but were there to help get them started.

Almost all this work is done by Red Cross volunteers in communities large and small, and more help is needed. To learn more and join the Red Cross disaster action team, visit redcross.org/volunteer.

AARP has driver safety classes

AARP Driver Safety has scheduled single classes January and February in Helena. Participants receive updates on the rules of the road and learn driving strategies to adapt to the effects of aging and to reduce chances of having a crash. The course was developed for participants age 50-plus; but is open to all ages. The course fee is $25.00 ($20.00 with AARP Membership Card). Auto Insurance Companies in Montana provide a multi-year discount to participants 55 years of age and older.

Jan. 8 (Monday), at First Interstate Bank; 2728 Colonial Drive; 11 a.m. to about 3:30 p.m.

Feb. 15 (Thursday), at First Interstate Bank; 2728 Colonial Drive; 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

To register for a class call: 406- 457-4712. Find more classes at aarp.org/driversafety
Bozeman business continues to mushroom

Director Christy Clark and Montana Department of Agriculture representatives met Thursday with SporeAttic, a gourmet mushroom farm in Bozeman, as part of a tour on the states agricultural diversity.

SporeAttic came to market in October of 2020. In the past three years, founder and owner Ben Deuling has become known for gourmet specialty mushrooms.

Just a year after running the farm, SporeAttic was producing and selling up to 500 pounds of mushrooms a week to local chefs, grocery stores and at farmers markets.

With focuses on efficiency, staff and expansion, they have been able to produce nearly 1,000 pounds of mushrooms a week that are delivered to customers around the Bozeman and Big Sky area, according to a news release from the Montana Department of Agriculture.

Mushroom farming is a very DIY (do it yourself) venture, said Deuling. We have been able to build an amazing community here in Bozeman that is so supportive which has encouraged our expansion.

SporeAttic partnered with Three Hearts Farm to build their mushroom cultivation facility that has been crucial to their success.

Clark spoke with Deuling about future expansion plans, current bottlenecks and the local appetite for these specialty gourmet mushrooms.

Clark said she is consistently impressed with the ag innovation across Montana.

"From mushroom farmers to large conventional operations, Montana has a diverse agricultural ecosystem, and our producers of all kinds continue to push the envelope, she said.

Labor force grows, higher jobless rate

Gov. Greg Gianforte and Sarah Swanson, commissioner of the Montana Department of Labor and Industry, said Friday the states total employment and labor force grew in the month of November, setting new state records for both, according to data compiled by state and by the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Montanas total employment grew by nearly 580 jobs, with more than 563,000 Montanans working. Since Gianforte took office in January 2021, more than 41,000 jobs have been created in Montana, his staff said.

Montanas labor force grew by more than 1,400 workers in November, adding more than 11,000 workers since the start of the year.

Labor force growth slightly outpaced growth in total employment in November, leading to an increase in the states unemployment rate to 3.0%, up from 2.8% in October, state officials said. It marks the first month in two years that Montanas unemployment rate reached 3.0%.

The states unemployment rate remained below 3.0% for the 24 months between November 2021 and October 2023.

The national unemployment rate in November was 3.7%, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Lewis and Clark County's unemployment rate for November was 2.6%, with current employment of 38,938, up 938 from 2022, according to information provided by the state. Broadwater County's rate was 3.3%, with current employment of 2,835, an increase of 112 from 2022. Cascade County had 2.9% unemployment, with current employment of 39,073 and 619 more jobs than 2022. Jefferson County had a rate of 3%, with current employment of 6,155, an increase of 140 from the year before.

Meagher County had a 3% unemployment rate, with current employment of 998, an increase of 16 from the year before. And Powell County had an unemployment rate of 2.9% for November, with current employment of 3,309, an increase of 158 from 2022.

More Montanans are working now than ever before, and the size of our labor force continues to set new records," Gianforte said in a news release. "These positive trends continue for hardworking Montanans and employers alike.

SOS says 4,400 new business registrations in November

Montana Secretary of State Christi Jacobsen said Friday there were 4,400 new business registrations filed with the state in November, up from about 4,000 in 2022, according to the Montana Business Economic Report.

Montana has had record new business registrations in each of the past two years, with more than 53,000 new businesses registering with the Secretary of State's Office last year, Jacobsen said in an email.

Through the first 11 months in 2023, some 54,000 new business registrations had been filed in Montana, meaning the state is on pace to again set a record in new business registrations.

"Montana businesses begin their journey by registering with our office and we're honored to serve them along the way," said Secretary Jacobsen.

She said that in recent years, Montana has been ranked the No. 1 state to start a new small business, and her office has eliminated some fees, looking for ways to reduce red tape and eliminate government deterrents.
President Joe Biden on Friday announced he would commute the 20-year prison sentence of a man convicted for his role in trafficking methamphetamine to the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation.

Felipe Arriaga, 44, was sentenced in 2009 to 20 years in federal prison following a jury conviction on the charge of conspiracy to distribute meth.

On Friday, Biden announced he would commute the sentences of 11 people serving "disproportionately long sentences" for non-violent drug offenses.

Biden said in a statement that each clemency recipient would have been eligible for shorter sentencing under current laws. The commutations on Friday was part of his broader efforts for equal justice.

"And while todays announcement marks important progress, my Administration will continue to review clemency petitions and deliver reforms that advance equal justice, address racial disparities, strengthen public safety, and enhance the wellbeing of all Americans," Biden said in a statement.

According to the federal Bureau of Prison records, Arriaga's release date had been set for Oct. 25, 2025. Per Biden's commutation, his prison sentence will expire April 20, 2024. The 10-year term of supervised release will remain intact, the White House said Friday.

Federal prosecutors describe Arriaga in court records as the source of methamphetamine and "some" marijuana from Washington that another man trafficked to Montana for a third man who would distribute it in Fort Belknap communities.

Law enforcement uncovered the operation in 2005 when a probation search at a Fort Belknap home found more than 200 grams of meth. Arriaga was indicted in 2009, and convicted that year following a one-day jury trial in Great Falls. That December, U.S. District Court Judge Charles C. Lovell sentenced Arriaga to 20 years in federal prison.

He is currently housed at the Big Spring Federal Correctional Institution in Texas.

Other sentences commuted Friday ranged from 15 years to life imprisonment. The defendants were convicted of drug-related charges involving meth or cocaine.

The clemency list from the White House also accompanied a proclamation from the president pardoning those convicted for marijuana use and possession on federal lands.
DECATUR  Two people were being treated for gunshot wounds, one considered life-threatening, after what police described as "yet another incident of senseless gun violence" early Saturday.

Decatur police officers responded shortly after 12:30 a.m. to Decatur Memorial Hospital, where a 20-year-old man with a non-life-threatening gunshot wound had arrived by private vehicle, said Lt. Scott Rosenbery with the Criminal Investigations Division.

Less than 10 minutes later, officers were called to the 1000 block of East Main Street regarding the report of another gunshot victim, Rosenbery said. There, they found a 17-year-old male who had been shot in the head; he was taken by ambulance to DMH with injuries that were considered life-threatening.

Information developed so far indicates the 20-year-old and 17-year-old are associates who were together in the area before being shot, Rosenbery said.

Officers closed a portion of the East Main Street to preserve evidence. While detectives with the Criminal Investigations Division processed the crime scene, police canvassed the neighborhood seeking witnesses and evidence. Multiple shell casings were found on East Main Street.

"The Decatur Police Department is saddened by yet another incident of senseless gun violence that has occurred within our community," Rosenbery wrote in a statement. "The Decatur Police Department is asking for the publics assistance."

The shootings come after a 45-year-old man was found shot to death early Friday in the 1600 block of North Edward Street. That investigation also remains ongoing.

Police are asking for help from anyone who witnessed either of the shootings or who may have surveillance footage. Contact the Decatur Police Departments Criminal Investigations Division at 217-424-2734 or Crimestoppers at 217-423-8477.

2023 mugshots from the Herald & Review Lourash Hirstein Phillip Gehrken Joseph A. Williams Jetrevius O. Jarrett Edwards King-Woods Wilson Derrickson Colby J. Park
A proposed megasite property in western Burke County is getting attention from residents in the area but its not all positive.

Multiple people spoke out during the public comments portion of the Burke County Board of Commissioners meeting on

Tuesday, Dec. 19, with some saying they werent aware of the proposal until recently and others saying it will ruin water quality and the environment.

Burke County leaders have promised to hold public meetings about the proposed megasite.

In early October, N.C. House Speaker Tim Moore, R-111, joined officials from Burke and McDowell counties as he announced the state budget includes $35.5 million for Burke Development Inc. to purchase and develop 1,343.44 acres for the Great Meadows Megasite, The News Herald reported at the time. Around 200 acres of the property is in McDowell County.

Alan Wood, president and CEO of Burke Development Inc., told commissioners Tuesday that when he was at two events recently there was a lot of interest in the development of the megasite. He called them very significant projects and ones that officials would be proud to have in the county.

Commissioner Scott Mulwee said there has been a lot of public interest and comments in the megasite. He said they need to do a better job of communicating about what the site will look when it comes to things such as buffers, water quality, how much of the site will be developed and traffic counts.

Wood said they are going to be very intentional with the process of developing the site, saying BDI has already met with Burke County planning department, Foothills Conservancy of NC, and Lake James Environmental. He said they have already had a phase 1 study done to know that its environmentally clean and there are buffers they have to observe, as well as wetlands on the property that they know cant be developed.

We know there are certain portions of this that are not going to be developed, Wood said.

He said there are 410 acres of the site that is zoned Industrial and another 110 acres that is zoned Business.

We are being very, very intentional as we go through this, Wood said.

Mulwee confirmed with Wood that the county would ultimately decide what business or industry does go on the site. Wood said any proposed industry would first go to the BDI board of directors for a decision, then to the county planning board and finally to the board of commissioners for final approval.

This not something that happens overnight and its not something that happens in the dark, Wood told Mulwee.

Burke County Manager Brian Epley said they are open to community meetings and there are a couple of meetings lined up with homeowner associations and one at a church.

Around five people spoke to commissioners about the proposed megasite during the public comments portion of the meeting.

Luke Harrell said the megasite property backs up against his grandparents farm and said growth isnt bad but questioned why the county would move on to develop another business or industrial site when it still hasnt filled up the business park on Kathy Road. Unix Packaging broke ground on a 500,000-square-foot facility in the business park in January 2023.

Cindy Proctor said shes also a concerned land owner in the area and questioned who the businesses are that have expressed interest in the property. She said industry also could affect water quality in the area.

Betty Ballew also owns property in the area and is concerned her and neighbors could lose their way of life. She urged commissioners to not only consider the positive implications of a megasite but also the negative impacts that could happen on the landowners in the area.

Joanna Kench said an industrial site could negatively affect groundwater and questioned why they would put an eyesore in the area and ruin the area. She said she thinks the development is all about money.

Several of the speakers accused officials of trying to keep the project under the radar.

Danny Kench said his family researched the entire country 13 years ago before moving from California to the area. He said it was the environment and outdoor activity opportunities that made them decide to move here. He told commissioners that jobs can be created without destroying the environment.

Kench said it sounds like the train has already left the tracks with the project.

In early December, the county planning board had the rezoning of 1,062 acres of the megasite property on its agenda. However, the board decided to delay considering the item to its March 28 meeting, The News Herald reported.

BDI asked the planning board for a continuation on the item to allow an appropriate amount of time to hear peoples concerns, consider them and make sure they are addressed, Epley told The News Herald at the time.

The Tuesday commissioners meeting also saw the board reorganize, with Jeff Brittain getting a unanimous vote as chairman and Scott Mulwee unanimously becoming vice chairman. Commissioner Johnnie Carswell nominated both men for their positions.

J.R. Simpson was voted to be county attorney for 2024 and Kania Law Firm in Asheville was retained as the county tax attorneys. The board also voted to retain Clerk Kay Draughn.

Commissioners also made appointments to several boards, including the board of equalization, library board, veterans services board and the tourism authority board.
Herzberger was born in Cluj, Romania, in 1926, the only child of Herman Mozes and his wife, Serena. Herzberger was brought up in orthodox Judaism, regularly attending synagogue. Every week, her family welcomed poor neighbors into their home to share the Sabbath.

In the 1940s, as was true in much of Europe, Romania was trapped in a rapidly expanding war. When the Germans took over Hungary in 1944 (Cluj had been part of the territory that earlier had been awarded to Hungary), the Nazis forced thousands of Jews from their homes. Herzberger remembers it well.

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"When we were taken out from our home, we were taken out by special Hungarian police. They were 100 percent collaborating with the Nazis. They were very brutal. Very cruel," she says. "I had a little book of mine. I had been writing short stories. I didn't have anything to take of my own except for that. My spiritual self was meaningful; part of my spiritual self was that book I had been writing in for eight years. That was all I wanted from the house.

"And this miserable brute Hungarian gendarme looked at me and said, 'What are you holding there?' And I said, 'This is my little book.' And he smiled  I hadn't experienced evil in my life  and said, 'Can I have a look at this?' and he took the book and he tore it into pieces in front of me. I was terrified. I felt like something was cut out from myself."

Her terror was just beginning. The Nazis herded her family onto trains to Auschwitz, the Nazi extermination camp in Poland where almost 1 million Jews were murdered. There, Herzberger saw her father for the final time. She was 18 years old.

" " Magda (in the center of the box) during roll call at Auschwitz, when prisoners had to stand still in thin clothing for hours to be counted by the block kapo. Courtesy Magda Herzberger

Over the next year or so, Herzberger made her way through three camps, including a nine-month forced-labor stay at Bremen-Farge, where German submarines were built, and a shorter stop at Bergen-Belsen, used to house, among others, prisoners of war. It was at Bergen-Belsen that Herzberger and 60,000 other sick and emaciated prisoners, barely living among thousands of dead and unburied, finally were liberated by British troops April 15, 1945.

The stories from these places  stories that Herzberger has told now hundreds of times, in talks to small groups and in front of filled auditoriums, in recorded survivor tales, in books of poetry and in her autobiography "Survival"  are harrowing.

One of her duties was carrying dead bodies to mass burial spots and to the ovens for cremation. She was marched from one camp to the next and watched as others died and were killed on the journey. She saw the hopelessness of prisoners flinging themselves to their deaths onto fences around the camps. She considered suicide. She witnessed disease and starvation and unimaginable cruelty.

She remembers it all.

"At [the time before the war], we Jewish people had a good life. My grandfather was a businessman. A successful businessman. I had many aunts and uncles, cousins," she says. "My family was wiped out, almost all of us. All our little kids, and all our pregnant women, and all our old people, were gassed and cremated in the ovens.

"I have seen the flames bursting from the high chimneys of the crematories, and I have breathed the air, the odor of sweet burning flesh. I have seen the big flames belching from those chimneys.

"The Holocaust is burned into the depths of my soul," she adds. "All these horrific memories, they burn."

On her day of liberation, plucked from among the dead at Bergen-Belsen by a weeping soldier, she vowed never to forget. She wasn't able to stand for three months after her rescue, and wasn't able to speak deeply of her ordeal for years. She didn't publish her autobiography until 2005, when she was 81. "I had to be very, very far away from the Holocaust to be able to do what I did in my book," she says.

But she speaks now freely and with a sense of urgency. From Memorial, in her book of verse, "The Waltz of the Shadows":

I mourn you, innocent victims, Members of my family, My fellow prisoners, Who were silenced forever By the Nazis. Your wailing cries And your terrible contortions Met deaf ears And blind eyes. I was destined to live, To bear my misery. God chose me to return, To remind the world Of your agony, Erecting tombstones In your memory

" " Prisoners of Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp are led through the camp gate when it was liberated Jan. 27, 1945. Wojtek Laski/Getty Images
The Netherlands will deliver 18 F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine to help fight Russias invasion, the Dutch government said Friday. I informed President Volodymyr Zelensky about our governments decision to provide Ukraine with 18 F-16 fighter jets.

The delivery of the planes is one of the most important elements of the agreement on military support for Ukraine

Acting Prime Minister Mark Rutte wrote on the X social media platform.

The delivery of the fighter jets still depends on the export license of the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the fulfillment of the criteria for personnel and infrastructure in Ukraine, Rutte added. Dutch Defense Minister Kajsa Ollongren explained that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has yet to make sure that the transfer of the aircraft to Ukraine meets the European Unions requirements for arms exports.

The Hague already confirmed in August that it would deliver aircraft to Ukraine,

after receiving permission from the United States, where the war machines are manufactured. The Netherlands previously supported the creation of a training center for Ukrainian fighter pilots in Romania and provided five fighter jets to the facility.

(MTI)

***
Cabarrus College of Health Sciences recently wrapped up its 81st year since opening on Feb. 2, 1942. There were milestones set as the college welcomed a record fall class of 344 new students at the start of the 202324 academic year. This incoming class was part of the largest fall enrollment ever for the college.

Sixty-seven graduates were part of the December 2023 graduating class, which includes the Master of Science in Nursing, Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences Leadership and Development, Bachelor of Science in Medical Imaging, Bachelor of Science in Nursing programs, and Associate of Science in Nursing. All December graduates are invited to participate in the commencement ceremony at Atrium Health Ballpark in Kannapolis in May 2024.

Cabarrus College held its capping and pinning ceremony on Dec. 18 at the Kannapolis Performing Arts Center at A.L. Brown High School. During the ceremony, the college honored 52 nurse graduates from the Louise Harkey School of Nursings Associate of Science in Nursing program.

Graduates were presented with nursing pins by a person significant to them. Students were then capped by registered nurses selected by each graduate. The ceremony symbolized the start of the graduates nursing career.

You have prepared for and committed yourself to a career in health care, said Patricia Mullen, program chair of the Associate of Science in Nursing program. You have a lifetime of opportunity ahead of you to make a positive difference in peoples lives, both big and small.

Were excited to see what the future holds for these bright students as they transition into their nursing careers, said Dr. Cam Cruickshank, Cabarrus College president. I feel very fortunate to have seen this group grow as healthcare professionals who display behaviors of compassion, advocacy and service to their community.

During the ceremony, three graduates received the Spirit of Nursing award, an award based on various areas of achievement such as, academic performance, college engagement, service and leadership. The recipients included Tim Desch, Taylor Skellie and Anastasia Woolwine.

I truly did not expect to win an award, said Desch. Although I am excited to win, it does not discount all the great things my classmates accomplished during their time at Cabarrus College. Tim has secured a job as a registered nurse at Atrium Health Cabarrus in the Medical Intensive Care Unit upon successful completion of the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX).

After graduation, each nursing student must pass the NCLEX to receive a nursing license to practice in North Carolina. Since 2020, Cabarrus College has seen a 99.6% three-year average pass rate of the NCLEX within the Associate of Science in Nursing program.

About Cabarrus College of Health Sciences

Cabarrus College has evolved from a small nursing school into a robust educational institution offering 18 degrees in 11 health science disciplines. The hospital-based campus is situated on the grounds of Atrium Health Cabarrus in Concord.

For more information on Cabarrus College, go to www.cabarruscollege.edu. Applications are being accepted for fall 2024 admission.
Google searches for how to live on a boat have increased 71% in the past year, and the hashtag #boatlife snagged 7 billion views on TikTok. The prospect of affordable housing just minutes from major metropolitan areas such as New York City and San Francisco has renewed interest in the houseboat versus apartment discussion.

According to a study conducted by Thrillist, the average yearly cost of boat slip rental and houseboat ownership is significantly lower than the average cost of apartment rental, especially in major cities. Research by online boat and yacht marketplace Rightboat proves houseboat dwellers can expect up to $659 in monthly savings. The potential savings are even higher in cities known for their high rental rates and limited available housing.
Clint Walker Community Content Coordinator Follow Clint Walker 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

Santa Claus has many super-powers at his disposal: Faster-than-light travel, invisibility, telepathy, matter-creation, and total-mass-dispersal so he can fit down all those chimneys. But does Kris Kringle have the power to defeat El Diablo himself?

For that question I bring to you the 1959 film Santa Claus vs. The Devil, or just plain old Santa Claus, as it was called when a dubbed-in-English version was imported to the States from Mexico.

And for those of you out there fearful that Im bringing you yet another scary and violent Christmas movie like I did with Black Christmas, and Silent Night, Deadly Night, fear not! Because this is actually a childrens movie, albeit one for children with real bad head colds under the influence of too much Nyquil.

Its a movie that falls squarely in the weird, wild world of Z-grade 50s schlock; the genera known for its paper-plate flying saucers and Styrofoam rockets propelled through a painted starscape by firecrackers and a half-hidden fishing pole.

Its a film I discovered while researching what was going to be the topic for this weeks column, the 1964 movie Santa Claus Conquers the Martians, long a punchline for bad-movie geeks everywhere, although my files say I gave it two-and-a half stars at some point in my life; a sure, why not spot on my rating scale reserved for dignitaries like The Incredible Melting Man and the Robert Urich classic Invitation To Hell.

When I found a mention of S.C.C.T.M in a 1996 Bloomington Pantagraph article about the Worst Christmas Movies Ever Made with the headline Tinsel Terrors (ho ho), where it was placed under the subheadline of Worst Christmas Movie Starring Pia Zadora Before Puberty Kicked In, I also discovered, under the category of Worst Christmas Movie Distributed by a Twin Cities Citizen, you guessed it, Santa Claus.

And from there, I was off and running, because its a movie that was indeed brought to the States by Bloomington-Normal native K. Gordon Murray, described in the article as the venerable exploitation czar who amassed a fortune securing the U.S. passports for such drive-in flotsam as The Wrestling Women vs. The Aztec Mummy.

Well, I havent seen that movie, believe it or not, but after looking through a list of some of Murrays other notable drive-in imports from below the Rio Grande, I have seen 1962s The Brainiac, about a rubber-suited monster who can suck up brains via a hollow forked tongue. My records also show I gave it one star and called it slop, which goes to show that I do, indeed, have standards.

So down the K. Gordon Murray wormhole I fell, ending up at the Nov. 6, 1965, Pantagraph where I found a small article announcing that, indeed, Santa Claus was booked for two matinee showings only at the Castle Theatre, and that describes the movie thusly:

In the film there are no elves and peppermint sticks. Instead there are representative children from all nations of the world and their job is to help make toys that will thrill children everywhere. Santa has his reindeer of course, but the Russian children want him to replace the reindeer with Sputniks.

Speaking as someone who just sat through all 95 minutes of Santa Claus vs. The Devil, I find it odd that the article chose to highlight that very small part of the movie, made as a joking suggestion as Santa was loading up his robot-reindeer powered sled at his lavish space castle from beyond the moon, but chose to skip warning readers that the Devil was going to be involved. Guess they wanted to keep it a surprise.

I also must inform you that its not actually Old Scratch himself that Santa faces off with, but with a sub-demon by the name of Pitch. Looking like he jumped directly off a sardine tin, hes got a plan to destroy Christmas that seems to only involve hypnotizing some punks to throw rocks and on convincing little Lupita to steal a dolly because her poor family cant afford one.

Does Santa survive Pitchs sabotaging of the mystical totems that let him enter homes and childrens dreams of Christmas unseen? Does Lupita ever get that dolly?

I cant, in any good conscience, recommend you watch this movie to find out. And yet, I sort of hope you do. I cant quite call it good, at least not in the way we normally use that word. But with its lavish Willy Wonka-meets-Barbarella insanity, its strangely compelling in a way that makes traditional grading-scales irrelevant; like some strange piece of folk art found in one of Henry Dargers storage sheds, it simplyexists. And in this kind of movie, thats enough.

But what I can ask is that this year, as your holiday plans reach the finish line and those cookies are in the oven and the table is being set, you quietly put Santa Claus vs. The Devil on the TV and let it play in the background before your kids make it down the stairs for the day. Trust me, its in the public domain so youll be able to find it.

My guess is that it will have the same kind of human-flypaper effect it had on me. At the very least, love or hate it, youll start a new tradition perhaps, one that might involve your kids growing up to tell their own family and friends, I remember my crazy parents used to make me watch this weird movie every Christmas that had Santa living in space and teaming up with Merlin the Magician to fight a guy in red tights with a pitchforkI havent thought of that in years. What in the world was that movie called?

And that, folks, is how Christmas dreams are made and remembered. Happy holidays everyone!
Services

Ardmore Baptist Church, 501 Miller St., Winston-Salem, will celebrate the fourth Sunday of Advent with one service at 10:45 a.m. Pastor Tyler Tankersley will conclude the Advent sermon series, O Little Town of Bethlehem, with a sermon titled Love from Bethlehem, focusing on scripture from Micah 5:2-5. The service will be live streamed on YouTube and Facebook. There will be a Christmas Eve Candlelight Communion Service at 5 p.m. It will focus on the Christmas story from the Gospel of Luke. For more information, go to www.ardmorebaptist.org.

Mount Carmel Methodist Church, 4265 Ebert Road, Winston-Salem, will have Sunday school at 8:45 a.m. and a worship service 10 a.m.

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. 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 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. David teague 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 each Sunday. The Rev. Kelly Carpenter is the pastor. Services are streamed on YouTube. For more information, go to www.facebook.com/ArdmoreUnitedMethodistChurch/ or call the office at 336-723-3695.

Lewisville Baptist Church, 125 Lewisville-Clemmons Road, Lewisville, 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. 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, there will be no Sunday school. There will be an in-person worship service at 10:30 a.m. Sunday. The Rev. David Pace will bring the message. The service will be live streamed on Facebook and YouTube. For more information, call 336-766-6486 or go to cfbctoday.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 Expecant Mothers Faith (Scriptural Reference  Luke 1:36-56; Key verse Luke 1:41-42a). The worship service begins at 9:45 with devotion and announcements. Senior Pastor Dennis W. Bishop will deliver the sermon and lead the congregation in Holy Communion. 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.

Unity Church of Winston-Salem, 108 Hewes St., Winston-Salem, will have a Christmas service at 11 a.m. Sunday. The Rev. Elizabeth Forrests message will be, Joy to the World. The scripture is Psalm 118:24, and Luke 2:6-20. Oneness (Deeksha) Meditation will be at 7 p.m. Wednesday.

Pilgrim Rest Missionary Baptist Church, there will be Sunday school Bible study at 10 a.m. and morning worship at 11 a.m. Sunday. COVID guidelines are followed and masks are worn. 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, Sunday there will be Christmas Eve worship at 10:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. 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 worship at 11 a.m. Youth ministries will continue at 6 p.m. Sundays, un-less otherwise announced. For more information, go to RuralHall-church.org and the churchs social media pages.

Shallowford Presbyterian Church, 1200 Lewisville-Clemmons Road, Lewisville, will have a worship service at 10:30 a.m. Sunday. The service is in-person and live streamed. For more information, call 336-766-3178 or go to www.shallowfordpresbyterian.org.

New Hope Church, 5125 Shattalon Drive, has joined the Global Methodist Church. The Rev. J.F. Howard Sr. will begin his appointment on Jan. 7. The Rev. Richard Buffkin will be the guest minister Sunday, and the Rev. G. L. Brown will be the guest minister on Dec. 31. Worship services are at 11 a.m. Sundays. New Hope recently joined the Global Methodist Church and will be receiving an appointed minister in the New Year.

Forsyth Park Baptist Church, 1600 S. Hawthorne Road, Winston-Salem, has Sunday school at 9:45 a.m. and a traditional worship service at 11 a.m. Sunday. Bible study is at 11 a.m. Thursday. The se-vice can also be seen on the churchs Facebook page and a video of the service is available at https://forsythparkbaptistchurch.com. Bill Horton is the pastor.

Central Tabernacle Church, 715 Waughtown St., Winston-Salem, invites you to worship Sunday. Morning worship will begin at 11 a.m. There will be a Christmas candlelight service. Wednesday Bible study will be at 6 p.m. The topic is Keys to Unlocking Bible Mysteries presented by Bob Bennett.

The Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, 4055 Robinhood Road, Winston-Salem, the 10:30 a.m. service Sunday will move to 5 p.m. for a Christmas Eve service of story and song. Cookies and cocoa will be served after the service. It will be held in-person, and also livestreamed at uufws.org/virtualworshipservice. The Forum will not be held. 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 Rd, Kernersville, will have a worship service at 10 a.m. on Sunday. The sermon, One of Those Nights, will be led by the Rev. Adam Woods. There will be no Sunday school.

Bible Fellowship Baptist Church, 4950 Warner Road, Pfafftown, will have services at 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. Sunday. The topic at 11 a.m. during December will be Who experienced Joy on that First Christmas? The topic at 4 p.m. will focus on Christmas Memories. There will be Bible study at 4 p.m. Wednesday. The topic will be Bible Prophecies and their Fulfillment concerning Christs Birth. 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.

Fundraisers

Unity Church of Winston-Salem, 108 Hewes St., Winston-Salem, is raising money for its HVAC system. Continual Love Offerings can be made at unityofws.org.

Special activities

Unity Church of Winston-Salem, 108 Hewes St., Winston-Salem, will have Burning Bowl, releasing 2023 and receiving 2024 at 7 p.m. Dec. 31.

Christmas activities

Burkhead United Methodist Church, 5250 Silas Creek Parkway, Winston-Salem, will have a Christmas Eve Worship Service at 10:30 a.m. Sunday.

Ardmore Baptist Church, 501 Miller St., Winston-Salem, will have a Christmas Eve Candlelight Communion Service at 5 p.m. Sunday.

Shallowford Presbyterian Church, 1200 Lewisville-Clemmons Road, Lewisville, will have a Christmas Eve Family Service of Candlelight and Communion at 5 p.m. Sunday. For more information, call 336-766-3178 or go to www.shallowfordpresbyterian.org.

Mount Carmel Methodist Church, 4265 Ebert Road, Winston-Salem, will have Christmas Eve Candlelight and Communion Service at 7 p.m. Sunday.

Lovefeasts

Unity Moravian Church, 8300 Concord Church Road, Lewisville, will have a Childrens Christmas Lovefest at 4:30 p.m. Sunday. Lovefeast buns and apple juice will be served.

Ardmore United Methodist Church, 630 S. Hawthorne Road, Winston-Salem, will have its 43rd annual Christmas Lovefeast at 5:30 p.m. Sunday.

St. Philips Moravian Church, 911 S. Church St., Winston-Salem, will have a Christmas Eve Lovefeast during the 11 a.m. service Sunday.

Mizpah Moravian Church, 3165 Mizpah Church Road, Rural Hall, will have a Childrens Lovefeast at 11 a.m. Sunday. There will be a Christmas Lovefeast and Candlelight Service at 4 p.m. Sunday. The service will be live streamed on Facebook Live at www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064228523777&mibextid=LQQJ4d

Ardmore Moravian Church, 2013 W. Academy St., Winston-Salem, will have its Christmas Eve Candlelight Lovefeast Services at 2 and 5 p.m. Sunday. Regular morning worship service will be held at 10:30 a.m. It will be led by the Rev. Daniel Dockery. For more information call 336-723-3444.

Unity Moravian Church, 8300 Concord Church Road, Lewisville, will have its Christmas Eve Lovefests at 4 and 7 p.m. Sunday. A Holy Communion service will be held at 11 a.m. Sunday.

Konnoak Hills Moravian Church, 3401 Konnoak Drive, Winston-Salem, will share its Christmas Eve Lovefeast and Candle Service at 5 p.m. Sunday. A band prelude will begin at 4:30. The nursery will be tended. An offering will be received for the Sunnyside Ministry of the Moravian Church.

Pine Chapel Moravian Church, 324 Goldfloss St., Winston-Salem, will have a Christmas Eve Lovefeast and Candlelight Service at 7 p.m. Sunday.

Community Fellowship Moravian Church, 181 Welcome-Arcadia Road, Welcome, will have a Christmas Eve Lovefeast and Candlelight Service at 7:30 p.m. Sunday.

Mount Carmel Methodist Church, 4265 Ebert Road, Winston-Salem, will have a lovefeast at 10 a.m. Dec. 31.

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.
Once again, Lincoln's Goodhue Boulevard will be aglow with luminarias Sunday on Christmas Eve.

Since 2011, this Near South Neighborhood Association project, now a joint effort with Grace Chapel, has been a favorite neighborhood family activity.

Neighbors, family and friends are invited to join in for pre-assembly at Grace Chapel at 10 a.m. today, Dec. 23, or for placement of the luminarias at 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 24.

Luminarias will be placed and lit along Goodhue Boulevard, the seven-block area stretching north from A Street to the Nebraska State Capitol. Afterward, everyone is invited to attend the Grace Chapel Candlelight Christmas Eve Service at 5 p.m.

For more information, contact Marcie Young at marcie.young@nearsouth.org.
Twas the week before Christmas, and all through the hotel could be heard the clinking of wine glasses, laughter and musical verse Thus was the year-ending Executive Club luncheon meeting with an apt celebration at the Graduate Hotel in downtown Lincoln this past Monday.

The jazz duet of Darryl White and Jeff Jenkins provided the music while Ray Huppert, along with Joe and Deb Kerr, provided some wines for tasting and sipping to send club members home for the holidays. The wine-tasting efforts were sponsored by the Boisset Collection brands created by Jean-Charles Boisset.

White, an associate professor of trumpet at the University of Nebraska-Lincolns Glenn Korff School of Music, and Jenkins, a native Nebraskan and local musician, have been playing gigs across Nebraska and the entire country since they met in Boulder, Colorado back in 1995, according to White.

The jazz performance began with a beautiful five-minute rendition of America the Beautiful arranged by Jenkins, which featured some jazzy notes sprinkled in with some improvisational movements passing between Whites trumpet and Jenkins keyboard, with the melodic familiarity of the patriotic song in the background. The audience appreciation was apparent between the hypnotic embrace of their captured attention and the toe-tapping cadence to the syncopated beat.

White poked fun at his attentive audience by asking them, Did you recognize that song? Then he turned things back around by being self-deprecating toward himself by delving into what musicians experience when the Yuletide nears.

I was thinking the other day about the Christmas songs we play each year around the holidays  you would think the musicians would have those songs memorized, said White, who came to Lincoln and UNL in 1997. But we only play them for about two weeks, and then we never see them for another year. I laugh at myself, because I only have a few of those songs memorized for as long as Ive been playing them.

Then he compelled his audience to name the next tune before he and Jenkins launched into O Tannenbaum, also known as Oh Christmas Tree, with an abundant amount of improvisation as the pair traded riffs back and forth, exchanging the lead throughout the firry holiday number. After the song, White expressed his fondness for the song and the instilled memory it evokes.

Yeah, I havent played that song since this time last year, White mused, drawing laughter from the crowd. Every time I hear that song, it reminds me of Charlie Brown. I cant seem to get that out of my head. It was around before that, right?

The next Christmas tune was Let it Snow, which featured Whites trumpet hitting the highest of notes and Jenkins melodious tickling of the ivories to highlight the holiday favorite requesting some inclement weather.

White then made his own request, letting the audience know that the Darryl White Quartet will be playing more Christmas music Friday and Saturday nights at the Boiler Brewing Company taproom, located downtown in the historic Grand Manse building. Jenkins is part of the quartet on the keyboard along with bassist Hans Sturm, also from the UNL music program, and Greg Ahl on drums. Saturday nights show will also feature Jackie Allen as guest vocalist.

Moving back to the Monday afternoon show, before wrapping things up, White implored Jenkins to play solo on a featured tune from Jenkins album Serpent and the Dove. The song is called Healing Hymn, and Jenkins wrote it as a dedication to one of his dear friends who was battling cancer back in 2010. The manner in which Jenkins brushed over the piano keys made them evoke the natural sound of water running in a stream.

Finally, the last song of the afternoon was Home for the Holidays, and White made it a point to wish everyone a happy and safe holiday with family.

The author, Tim Brusnahan, is program chair for Lincoln Executive Club and employed by Lincoln Data Centers.
A Lincoln man was arrested Wednesday on drug charges, leading officers to discover more than 400 pieces of stolen mail from residents throughout Lancaster County inside his vehicle.

James Mologianes, 32, had 461 pieces of stolen mail originating from the communities of Bennet, Cheney, Denton, Martell, Raymond, Roca, Walton and Waverly in his possession, according to Lancaster County Sheriff's Office Chief Deputy Ben Houchin.

There were 249 victims and $3,000 worth of checks in the stolen mail.

The case is being turned over to the postal inspector, and Mologianes has not yet been charged for the mail theft. He is currently lodged in the Lancaster County Jail and charged with possession of a controlled substance.

Houchin said the Sheriff's Office is also working to find additional suspects in similar cases of mail and package theft.

People who fear they may be a victim of mail theft are encouraged to contact the postal inspector at (877) 876-2455.

The Sheriff's Office strongly recommends people sign up for informed delivery with the post office to receive alerts when mail is delivered or use a secure mailbox.

Top Journal Star photos for December 2023
A Lincoln man pleaded guilty to a manslaughter charge this week in connection to the death of a 57-year-old last year.

Derrick Pearson, 34, could get up to 20 years in prison at his sentencing in February for causing Henry Jones' death during a sudden quarrel or unintentionally during an assault.

"Did you commit this crime?" Lancaster County District Judge Susan Strong asked Pearson at a hearing Thursday afternoon.

"Yes, your honor," he answered.

Deputy Lancaster County Attorney Jason Cooper said that early on May 19, 2022, Lincoln police were called to 28th and F streets about a fight in the street and found Jones, unconscious, outside his home.

Despite attempts to save him, he died at a Lincoln hospital shortly after.

An autopsy determined Jones had died from a sudden cardiac dysrhythmia complicated by a physical assault as well as acute methamphetamine toxicity and coronary artery disease. Cooper said an expert for the state would have testified at trial that the assault likely caused Jones' death.

Cooper said that when police talked to Pearson later, he admitted to being in a fight with Jones after going with Briana Jelinek and Micah Berggren to Jones' home to retrieve property that Jelinek had left there.

Cooper said Jelinek was armed with a stick when Jones answered his door and a fight began immediately on the front landing. Pearson threw Jones out of the home and struck him several times while on the front lawn. Jones armed himself with a stick and struck Pearson, who dragged Jones, tackled him and punched him several more times.

Video from homes showed the three approaching Jones' back door, Jelinek and Berggren armed with sticks and rods and the scuffle that followed.

Jones ultimately yelled for someone to call the police.

Cooper said Jelinek hit him over the head with a yard stake, yelling "I hope you die (racial slur)."

The three took off, and Jones got home and told his wife to call 911 before he fell unconscious.

He died at a Lincoln hospital a short time later.

Lancaster County District Judge Susan Strong previously sentenced Jelinek to 10 to 15 years in prison for manslaughter and Berggren to four years in prison, plus a year and a half of post-release supervision for attempted second-degree assault and terroristic threats. Both pleaded no contest.

Remembering Lincoln's homicide victims of 2023 1. Julian A. Martinez 2. Rudy Requejo Jr. 3. Ronald Gonzalez Rivas 4. Christopher Karmazin 5. Damien Brave 6. Mark Kruger 7. James Baylor
Nebraska's unemployment rate continued to creep up on a month-to-month basis in November, but was lower than it was last year.

According to the Nebraska Department of Labor, the state's jobless rate was 2.3% last month, which was up from 2.2% in October. It was the fourth straight month the rate has increased since hitting a low of 1.9% in June.

On a year-over-year basis, however, the unemployment rate was down from 2.7% in November 2022.

The rate tied Nebraska for fifth lowest in the country. The national unemployment rate in November was 3.7%

The Labor Department reported that the number of filled jobs in November was up nearly 1,600 from October and more than 11,000 from a year ago. The number of people working fell by nearly 1,200 compared with October but was up more than 3,400 from a year ago.

In addition, Labor Commissioner John Albin said in a news release that the average number of employees at Nebraska employers covered by unemployment insurance reached 1,013,004 in November, the first time it's ever topped 1 million.

The Lincoln Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes Lancaster and Seward counties, saw its unemployment rate drop to 1.9%, which was down from 2.2% in October and 2.2% a year ago.

In terms of employment, the Lincoln area had 762 more people working and 610 more filled jobs in November, compared with October, while the number of people working was up 1,845 and the number of filled jobs rose 4,145 compared with a year ago.

The Journal Star's most memorable photos of 2023
Facing criticism from Republican lawmakers, railroad companies and ag producers, the federal government on Friday reopened the railroad crossings with Mexico that it had temporarily shut down this week to focus on processing migrants.

The U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency had shut down international railroad crossing bridges in El Paso and Eagle Pass, Texas, on Dec. 18, saying it was necessary to redirect employees to help border patrol agents take migrants into custody.

Customs and Border Protection announced Friday that normal operations would resume at the crossings.

In a statement, the agency said it would continue to use all available resources to ensure the safety and security of our agents and officers and the migrants who are often misled and victimized by transnational criminal organizations.

The agency said it would continue to assess security situations, adjust its operational plans and deploy resources to maximize enforcement efforts against those noncitizens who do not use lawful pathways or processes such as CBP One and those without a legal basis to remain in the United States.

Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen said he was informed of the changes Friday in a personal phone call with Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas.

I am grateful Secretary Mayorkas took the time to hear Nebraskas concerns and issued a quick response, before we suffered the consequences of suspending rail operations, Pillen said in a statement.

Union Pacific Railroad on Friday issued a statement expressing relief at the decision. The railroad had called upon the agency to reopen the entry points.

These crossings are critical gateways for international commerce, and the closures had real-world impacts for families, businesses and our customers on both sides of the border, the railroad said.

Every day the rail crossings were closed, Union Pacific was forced to embargo customers goods on more than 60 trains, or nearly 4,500 rail cars, with an equivalent amount of goods being held in Mexico, UP spokesperson Robynn Tysver said.

The crossings were closed Monday through midday Friday.

U.S. Sens. Deb Fischer and Pete Ricketts had pushed the agency earlier in the week to reopen the crossings, noting the economic impact.

This is happening because President Biden wont do what it takes to get the border crisis under control, Ricketts said. The presidents own team shut down the shipment of American-made goods to process thousands of migrants illegally crossing the border.

Ricketts joined seven other Republican senators in a letter to Mayorkas, saying the United States faces the worst border crisis on record.

Ricketts on Friday called the reopening of the two rail crossings good news, but he also said they never would have been closed if President Joe Biden had taken the issue of illegal border crossing more seriously.

Joe Biden must change his policies to prevent the flood of illegal immigrants coming into our country, Ricketts said in a statement. Mexico also needs to do its part by enforcing its immigration laws and preventing thousands of illegal immigrants from riding Ferromex trains to our border.

The U.S. has been facing a flood of migrants attempting to cross the border. Millions have been caught by border agents or turned themselves in to seek asylum. After processing, some of those migrants are deported; others are allowed to enter the country after being given a future court date.

The senators, in their letter, said there have been 6.6 million encounters at the southern border since President Biden took office, not including the approximately 1.8 million gotaways who were detected but never apprehended. The agency reported 12,000 migrant encounters on Dec. 5, the highest total ever recorded for a single day, they wrote.

The senators said the migrant crisis is now causing significant disruptions to our supply chain.

Mark McHargue, Nebraska Farm Bureau president, sent a letter to the department calling the closures asinine and economically harmful.

The issues that exist at our southern border didnt appear overnight, and it absolutely will not be fixed by adding a few employees who should remain at their posts at the Eagle Pass and El Paso, Texas, rail crossings, McHargue said.

According to the group, Nebraskas agricultural trade relationship with Mexico is crucial. Mexico is the states largest export partner, it said.

In 2021, Nebraska farmers exported 89% of the states corn exports  $590.4 million worth of corn  into Mexico, the bureau said. Mexico also is Nebraskas largest soybean customer, buying more than $280 million worth of soybeans and soybean products.

The timing could not be worse, McHargue said of the closures, in that many farmers sell and deliver grain from storage during the January-March time frame when prices and local basis tend to strengthen post-harvest and into the earlier part of the marketing year.

Photos: Migrants rush across US border in final hours before pandemic rule expires
Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen on Friday defended his administrations controversial decision this week to not apply for federal summer grocery aid for low-income families.

The states Department of Health and Human Services notified the Legislature this week that the state does not intend to participate in Summer EBT, a new federal program that would give $120 in EBT benefits to students who receive free or reduced-price lunch at school.

The program would provide about $18 million in benefits to be distributed to about 150,000 low-income children in Nebraska who experience food insecurity in the summer months. The state, which has until Jan. 1 to apply for the aid, would have to foot about $300,000 annually in administrative costs.

However, HHS is continuing its participation in the federal Summer Food Service Program, which reimburses operators who serve free, healthy meals and snacks to children and teens at summer sites in low-income communities and also offers programming, a spokesman said.

The departments decision not to seek the federal aid has drawn pushback from state lawmakers, 15 of whom sent a letter to HHS on Tuesday urging officials to reconsider their decision.

But Pillen, the first-year Republican governor who leads the executive branch, indicated he is not reconsidering the choice to eschew the federal aid and said the Summer Food Service Program  not the Summer EBT program  is the best route to ensure that Nebraskas low-income children dont go hungry this summer.

In the end, I fundamentally believe that we solve the problem, and I dont believe in welfare, he told the Journal Star on Friday. And so were solving the problem. Were taking care of the kids. And were doing it in a way that the best value is created and we take care of the kids.

And we have the kids out. We have the kids out and engaged within the community  thats really important. Thats important for all kids. Especially kids in difficult circumstances.

Pillens deference to the longstanding Summer Food Service Program is largely due to the programming that comes with the U.S. Department of Agriculture program, which includes reading, physical activity and nutrition education.

Were gonna take care of every one of these kids through the summer, feeding them, he said. We just want to make sure that theyre out. Theyre at church camps. Theyre at schools. Theyre at 4-H. And well take care of them at all of the places that theyre at, so that theyre out amongst (other people) and not feeding a welfare system with food at home.

The governors defense of his administrations decision comes two days after a bipartisan group of lawmakers  including Sen. Carolyn Bosn of Lincoln, who Pillen appointed to the Legislature in April  urged HHS to consider participating in the program, which they said would both ensure that Nebraska addresses the needs of its vulnerable children and benefit the state economically.

Ive said this before, if kids go hungry in our state, that is a massive failure on our part as legislators, Sen. Jen Day of Omaha, who led the effort, said in a statement Wednesday. Deciding not to participate in this program is a message to Nebraskans that their representatives are out of touch with their very real, very immediate needs.

Day was joined in the letter by Bosn, Eliot Bostar, George Dungan, Jane Raybould and Danielle Conrad, all of Lincoln, Jana Hughes of Seward, Machaela Cavanaugh, John Cavanaugh, Megan Hunt, Tony Vargas, Terrell McKinney and John Fredrickson, all of Omaha, Lynn Walz of Fremont and Carol Blood of Bellevue.

The decision not to apply for the grocery aid also prompted Nebraska Appleseed, a justice nonprofit that focuses in part on child welfare, to launch a petition urging Pillen to reconsider. The online petition, launched Thursday, had gathered nearly 1,200 signatures as of Friday afternoon.

Paul Feilmann, an activist from Omaha who has previously advocated for prison reform by protesting in front of the Governors Mansion, announced Thursday that he would participate in an eight-day vigil outside the mansion starting Friday.

Feilmann plans to protest outside from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Dec. 29 to urge Pillen to apply for the federal aid by the Jan. 1 deadline, he said.

Pillen, though, said Friday that he thinks 100% of people would agree with his stance if they really understood the whole process, casting the Summer EBT program as a holdover from pandemic-era aid offered by the federal government.

He said he hadnt talked with any of the 15 state senators who had signed the letter urging HHS officials to reverse their decision, though he said he respects their decision to speak out.

But most people dont understand the other side of the story, Pillen said. Theyre just saying, We should be getting that money. When everybody understands what goes on and how important it is that we have the kids within (the) community and being a part of places during the summer.

And that were feeding them better than the pandemic program. No, we dont have to do both (programs).

Photos: The business of governing in Nebraska in 2023
UNSC resolution "fails to match" abject condition in Gaza: Hamas

Xinhua) 13:33, December 23, 2023

GAZA, Dec. 22 (Xinhua) -- Hamas expressed disappointment at the UN Security Council Resolution adopted on Friday demanding immediate and unhindered humanitarian access throughout the Gaza Strip.

In a press statement to Xinhua, the Gaza-ruling Palestinian faction at war with the Israeli army said the resolution "failed to match" the catastrophic condition in Gaza resulting from Israeli military actions in the region.

Hamas accused the U.S. administration of watering down the resolution, allowing Israel to continue what it described as a campaign of destruction, violence, and terrorism in Gaza, according to the statement.

Earlier in the day, the 15-member Security Council passed the resolution with 13 votes in favor, no votes against, and two abstentions from Russia and the United States. The vote followed a U.S. veto of a Russian amendment that would have restored the call for a "suspension of hostilities."

The resolution demands parties to the conflict "allow, facilitate and enable the immediate, safe and unhindered delivery of humanitarian assistance at scale directly to the Palestinian civilian population throughout the Gaza Strip, and in this regard calls for urgent steps to immediately allow safe, unhindered, and expanded humanitarian access and to create the conditions for a sustainable cessation of hostilities."

Speaking after the vote, Riyad Mansour, permanent observer of the Observer State of Palestine to the United Nations, said that the Security Council first met to address the crisis when hundreds of Palestinians had been killed by Israel, and is now meeting "after over 20,000 Palestinians have been killed, almost half of them children and 60,000 wounded, and two million Palestinians have been forcefully displaced."

"This resolution is a step in the right direction. It must be implemented and must be accompanied by massive pressure for an immediate ceasefire," he urged.

(Web editor: Chang Sha, Zhong Wenxing)
MONDAY

Al-Anon: 8 p.m., Holy Cross Lutheran Church, 3350 Lathrop Ave.

Retired Involved Nurses Group: 11:30 a.m., Crystal Bay, 3900 N. Main St. Lunch is at noon. The cost of membership is $15 and lunch is $15. A business meeting will follow. For more information or reservations, call Marge Orth, secretary, 262-884-0742.

WEDNESDAY

Caledonia Senior Card Club: Sheepshead, for ages 55 and older, noon to 3 p.m., Franksville Memorial Park, 9614 Northwestern Ave., Franksville. For more information, call 414-856-9550.

Kiwanis Club of West of Racine: 7:30 a.m., in-person at Living Faith Lutheran Church, 2915 Wright Ave. Kiwanis is an international organization dedicated to serving the children of the world. To attend a meeting, contact Shirley Meyer, membership chair, at 262-260-8101 or email aquashirl4@yahoo.com.

FRIDAY

Racine Founders Rotary Club: 7 a.m., Racine Country Club, 2401 Northwestern Ave.

DAILY/OTHERS

Caledonia Historical Society Meeting: 6:30 p.m. on the third Thursday of each month at Franksville Park, 9614 Northwestern Ave. The meeting is open to the public. There will be no meetings December through March. https://caledoniahistoricalsociety.org.

Overeaters Anonymous: 7 p.m. Monday and Thursday, Living Faith Lutheran Church, 2915 Wright Ave., a free fellowship group for all eating disorders using the 12 steps and 12 traditions. For more information call 262-652-5635.

Racine Duplicate Bridge Club: Each week two ACBL-sanctioned duplicate bridge games are played in Racine  at 12:15 p.m. Monday and Friday at The Lanes, 6501 Washington Ave., Mount Pleasant. People must have proof of COVID-19 vaccination to play. Call Henry Kensler, club manager, at 262-652-6173 for reservations. Recent winners are:

Dec. 15 (299 N/S): Marge Brown and Joann Zupfer, first place; Patti Gross and Kathryn Schneider, second place; Pete Christensen and Rose Christensen, third place.

Dec. 15 (299 E/W): Katie Patzke and Wayne Hejny,first place, David Easley and Paula Meisner, second place; Sue Helland and Judy Leslie, third place.

Dec. 15 (Open): Richard Arneson and George Urquhart, first place; Lee Petzold and Marilyn Wescott, second place; Mary Matthews and Maryjoy Madrigrano, third place.

Lighthouse Quilters Guild: Open to quilters of all skill levels, 7 p.m., on the last Monday of each month at Lutheran Church of the Resurrection, 322 Ohio St. For more information, lighthousequiltersguild.com.

Racine Welcome Club: Drop in coffee 9-11 a.m. Friday, Dec. 29, at Milaeger's, 4838 Douglas Ave. The group is open to women interested in making new friends, learning about community resources, and being involved in philanthropic and social activities. Call 262-994-0957 for more information.
RACINE  After almost 80 years in business, Georges Tavern, a staple in Racines music community, is closing its doors Sunday, Dec. 24.

Built in 1861, the tavern at 1201 N. Main St. has always been a family run business.

Brothers Chris and George Popoff opened Georges Tavern in 1946. Later, Chris Popoff passed the business on to his son, David Popoff.

The Gibson family took over the bar in July 2014, after 68 years of being run by the Popoff family.

Gary Gibson runs Georges Tavern with his wife, Sherry Gibson, and his son, Michael Gibson.

Because of a combination of health problems and wanting to retire, the Gibsons are saying goodbye to the bar business.

A staple for the music community

More than anything, Georges Tavern is valued in the Racine community for its commitment to giving local musicians a space and audience.

Besides McAuliffes Pub at 3700 Meachem Road, Gary Gibson considers Georges Tavern to be one of the only fully appointed small, live music venues in Racine.

Between these two places, nobody has the resources to put on live music like we do, Gary Gibson said.

J.J. McAuliffe, owner of McAuliffes Pub, has been going to Georges Tavern since he was a kid.

Were the only two bars in Racine that specialize in giving bands a space to play their own music, McAuliffe said.

The owners of two music venues have always been very supportive of one another.

Ive had nights where I didnt have anything going on, and Georges would have a cool touring band  I would go on my Facebook and say, Hey, we dont have any music tonight, but if you want to hear some good music, go down to Georges, said McAuliffe. I cant even remember how many times Ive left my bar to go to Georges and catch the last couple of songs.

He also coordinates with Michael Gibson to make sure that they arent booking similar bands on the same night.

If one night theyre going to have a blues band, Ill make sure to have a rock band or something so that were not competing against each other, said McAuliffe. We both really support live music, and when one live venue thrives, the other one does, too. Its not competition because its good for both of us when people enjoy live music.

The Gibsons

Gary Gibson started tending bar in 1980 as a part-time weekend job. While living in Omaha, Nebraska, he tended bar at Warren Buffetts favorite steakhouse.

Bartending, for me, its really the social aspect of it that I like  I just like to talk with people, said Gary Gibson.

And yes, he did talk to Warren Buffett.

Gary Gibson started working at Georges Tavern in 1990 as a part-time employee after he and Sherry Gibson first moved to Racine.

They stumbled across the tavern when looking for a place to celebrate and have a drink.

We were charmed with the place when we first walked in. We started making friends right away. We have an incredible group of friends here, Gary Gibson said.

At Georges Tavern, Gary Gibson is usually behind the scenes, either cleaning or making chili or a batch of roasted red pepper or cream of mushroom soup.

Besides being a go-to spot for live music, the tavern is also known for its home-cooked meals. Everything from pizzas to soups to burgers are made in-house.

With a background in banking, Sherry Gibson takes care of the accounting and the shopping.

She said the biggest compliment shes received about the tavern is that its a place where women feel safe.

For me, I can feel good telling other women, You can come in here. Its safe in here. People watch out for each other, Sherry Gibson said.

Their son, Michael Gibson, wears a lot of hats. During a typical week, he tends the bar in the afternoon and helps with line cook duties a couple of nights a week.

He also handles scheduling and booking for bands, events and fundraisers at the venue.

Having grown up in Racine and at Georges Tavern, Michael Gibson was excited about the idea of bringing Georges back when he started working at the tavern about 10 years ago.

He is now ready to close that chapter of his life.

Im 32 years old, and as much as I love it here, Im coming to the realization that running a small business is definitely a lifestyle choice. Its not just a job, said Michael Gibson. Its hard to maintain a personal life and work balance while doing this.

Besides the Gibsons, Georges Tavern has a staff of five.

Above the front door is a photo of Russel Epps, a long-time bartender at Georges Tavern and member of The Penguin Players.

He was the anchor bartender here, kind of the backbone of the whole operation, for about 31 years. Hes retired now, but I put his photo up there because he was so well known here and well-regarded around the whole area, said Gary Gibson. Hed just get everyone together for everything  hed take us out Christmas caroling every year.

Even though the Gibsons are retiring, they hope a new proprietor will come in who appreciates and honors the traditions at Georges Tavern.

Im hoping that whoever it is, will give people a chance to still enjoy this. Our patrons are all very sad about it, Gary Gibson said.

So many people that we know met here, got engaged here or had their first date here, Sherry Gibson said. They continue to come back, and now their children come back, and their grandchildren  Georges is just that kind of place.

George the Penguin

Before entering the bar, people are greeted by George the Penguin, a 6-foot-tall, 30-pound metal sculpture perched at the corner of the buildings front entrance. Made by Wind Point artist Bill Reid, the penguin is an homage to The Penguin Players, a cabaret group that got their start at Georges Tavern and grew large enough to fill the hall of the Eagles Club, 319 Hamilton St.George the Penguin wears a kilt, in honor of Racines Kilties Drum & Bugle Corps, an all-age co-ed drum and bugle corps. The Kilties sponsored a 2019 restoration project to fix the sculptures faded paint and rust after 25 years of welcoming patrons.A laurel wreath on top of the penguins head is symbolic of the Popoff familys Macedonian heritage.Holding a trumpetfish, the fish is a reference to the venues commitment to live music and Friday Fish Fry, a Wisconsin tradition. The Gibsons said George the Penguin will be staying at the building, even as the tavern closes its doors.

Long-standing traditions

Georges Tavern is known for several long-standing traditions.

The bars Open Jam Nights offers local musicians  experienced and up-and-coming  an opportunity to perform in front of people. For some, it is their first time playing for an audience.

In addition to sharing music, patrons are encouraged to share stories during Evening of Storytelling events. Participants tell, read or simply improvise a story.

The Over Our Head Players, who founded Sixth Street Studios, 318 Sixth St., got their start telling stories at Georges Tavern. In early 1992, the Over Our Head Players performed Bathroom Humor in what turned out to be their first of many seasons.

David Popoff helped start the Thoughts for Food fundraiser in 1992 to benefit Racine County Project Emergency, now the Racine County Food Bank.

The first Thoughts for Food on Feb. 27, 1993, featured 12 acts at Georges Tavern and raised $1,200 and 435 pounds of food, according to previous Journal Times reporting.

At one point  I think we had 17 venues and about 100 bands  it was the single largest one-night music event in Wisconsin, said Gary Gibson.

On Thanksgiving morning each year, people line up outside Georges to gather for the traditional Christmastime cocktail, a Tom & Jerry. The Gibsons use batter from O&H Bakery, brandy, dark rum and nutmeg for the warm cocktail.

Notable musicians

Plenty of notable musicians got their start at Georges Tavern, including Big Joe Kennedy, the Violent Femmes and Stephen Hull.

Big Joe Kennedy studied music in Las Vegas and is now a full-time blues and jazz musician in New Orleans. From Racine, he got his start during a Sunday Night Blues Jams session.

The Violent Femmes, a folk punk band from Milwaukee, played their very first concert at Georges Tavern.

Born and raised in Racine, Stephen Hull started playing music at 14 years old. The blues musicians mother, Sheila Mcclain-Hull, would accompany him to his performances at Georges since he wasnt old enough to perform  let alone even be  at a bar yet.

Georges has always been a staple, Mcclain-Hull said. Whatever band he was in, he made a point to get here.

Whichever band he was in, the Gibsons would reach out to Stephen to have him play, Mcclain-Hull said.

Hull celebrated his 21st birthday at Georges Tavern.

I think he loves to celebrate here at Georges because I think he finds this establishment is home, said Hulls mother. This is just one of those venues where they allow him to come in, no matter who hes playing with, and grow.

Since then, Hull has taken the stage at Georges Tavern more than 200 times.

Its like another home to me, said Hull.

At 24 years old, the Racine-born musician has toured all over the United States, as well as in Europe and South America.

Ive been all over the world, where people are screaming my name in languages I dont understand, but theres no feeling like coming back home, said Hull.

Hull was sad to hear about Georges Tavern closing, but is hopeful there will be another spot in Racine that focuses on live music.

When Henry and Wandas closed  the first place I ever played  it was really sad to see it go, but I figured that wed all meet up somewhere else, and Georges was that somewhere else, said Hull. So after this, I dont know what else were going to get going, but somebody will figure something out, and Ill be there.

I think many artists are going to miss this place. It turned into what it is based on the love that Sherry and her husband have for Georges; theyve poured their hearts into this place and it really shows, Mcclain-Hull said.

Longtime patrons

With 77 years in business, some musicians and customers have been supporting Georges for decades.

Junior Brown, or Lil Junior Brown, has been going to Open Jam Nights at the tavern for 15 to 20 years, back to when David Popoff was running the bar.

Despite the small dance floor, Brown and his girlfriend, Jorene Fogg, had no trouble showing off their dance moves during The Stephen Hull Experience on Dec. 16.

He brought me out tonight, because he knows I really like to listen to Stephen, said Fogg. Georges is a good place. Its really safe here. Its full of loving people who care about you; its like family.

Tim and Karen Thery have been going to Georges Tavern for the last 20 years.

While they understand why the Gibsons are closing the venue, they are sad to say goodbye.

We need something like this in the city, said Karen Thery.

They deserve their retirement, but I hope somebody picks it up and keeps it going, said Tim Thery.

With its long history and its Main Street location, the taverns closure is a loss for residents and Downtown Racine.

This is a bittersweet end of an era as we bid farewell to Georges, an establishment not just known for their vibrant ambiance and community spirit but also for its dedication to making our downtown a livelier, more connected place, said Kelly Kruse, executive director at the Downtown Racine Corporation. Their closure is a testament to the changing tides in local business, and while well miss them dearly, we are inspired by their lasting legacy and the paths theyve paved for future entrepreneurs.
RACINE  A motion to move an attempted homicide case from adult to juvenile court was denied Monday.

Eliyas Zaied, 15, is charged with attempted first-degree intentional homicide and possession of a dangerous weapon of a person under 18.

Zaied previously was known as Elia Olson, but he legally changed his name in March, according to Racine County Circuit Court records. The Journal Times is choosing to name Zaied because he is being charged as an adult.

Prosecutors allege that Zaied, who was 14 at the time, shot his girlfriend, who also was 14, multiple times in the head during an argument.

Children as young as 10 are required under Wisconsin law to be charged as an adult if they are charged with first-degree intentional homicide, first-degree reckless homicide or attempted first-degree intentional homicide. The only way for a case to be moved to juvenile court is through a reverse waiver.

To be granted a reverse waiver, charged juveniles must prove three things: They will not get adequate treatment in the adult system, transferring the case to the juvenile court will not depreciate the seriousness of the offense and staying in adult court is not necessary to deter any other children from committing the crime.

Zaieds attorney, Carl Johnson, filed a reverse waiver in February; it was addressed during a motion hearing Monday.

If convicted in the adult system, Zaied would first go to Lincoln Hills School, a Department of Corrections juvenile correctional facility. The day he turns 18, Zaied would be transferred to an adult institutional facility to serve the rest of his sentence.

If convicted in the juvenile system, Zaied would stay at Lincoln Hills as long as the juvenile court order required.

A reverse waiver study was conducted before Mondays hearing by Tomeika Johnson, who is a youth justice case manager for the Racine County Department of Human Services.

She testified that Zaied does not have any mental health conditions that the adult system could not properly address.

The report recommended that Zaied stay in the adult court system because of the egregious nature of the offense and that the adult system is better suited to accommodate Zaieds needs, according to Racine County Circuit Court records.

Judge Timothy Boyle ruled that the case will stay in the adult system.

Accusations against Zaied

At 11:45 a.m. Jan. 8, officers from the Racine Police Department responded to a report of a shooting near 21st Street and South Memorial Drive.

Officers reportedly found a 14-year-old girl who had been shot multiple times in the head, according to the complaint.

The girl was taken to Ascension Hospital, then flow to Childrens Hospital.

She was coherent and able to talk to police about what happened, despite her injuries, the complaint said.

The girl reportedly told officers that she and Zaied had walked to the abandoned railroad tracks and were arguing because she wanted to break up with him. According to the complaint, she said Zaied made her turn off her phone, then pulled out a gun and shot her.

The complaint said the girl ran away and flagged down a driver near 21st Street and South Memorial Drive.

Zaied allegedly admitted to investigators that he shot the victim in a fit of rage.

He is scheduled to appear in court Jan. 26 for a status conference.

Ten photos of the Raymond School Board Dec. 18 meeting Raymond School has named its new leader for the rest of the school year. Heiden and Kostuch James Heiden, left, talks with Audrey Kostuch on Monday before a Raymond School Board meeting. Kostuch, board president, and board members app Heiden meet and greet James Heiden, left, talks with an attendee Monday before a Raymond School Board meeting, 2659 76th St. Heiden was appointed Raymond School int Peter Kempen Peter Kempen, Raymond School interim principal, talks Monday during a Raymond School Board meeting, 2659 76th St. Kempen's first day was Dec.  Garvey and Kostuch Monday during a Raymond School Board meeting, 2659 76th St. Signed recall petitions Dorae Moonen presents signed recall petitions Monday during a Raymond School Board meeting, 2659 76th St. The petitions are to recall board me Dorae Moonen Dorae Moonen presents signed recall petitions Monday during a Raymond School Board meeting, 2659 76th St. The petitions are to recall board me Heiden and Lewis Monday during a Raymond School Board meeting, 2659 76th St. Board meeting School Board President Audrey Kostuch, left, listens to Superintendent Michael Garvey on Monday during a Raymond School Board meeting, 2659 76 Audrey Kostuch Monday during a Raymond School Board meeting, 2659 76th St. Janell Wise Board member Janell Wise walks Monday during a Raymond School Board meeting, 2659 76th St. Signed recall petitions for Wise and board member G Raymond School Board Dec. 18, 2023
RAYMOND  The Raymond School District has filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit brought against it by residents.

The civil action was filed in November in Racine County Circuit Court. A motion hearing in the case is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Jan. 12.

The suit was filed on behalf of five Raymond electors: Shelly Kurhajec, Jennifer Hribar, Jennifer Hansen, Julie Mausing and Dawn Peterson. It lists all five Raymond School Board members  Audrey Kostuch, Janell Wise, Gwen Keller, Amanda Falaschi and Amy Helvick  and the school district as respondents.

The lawsuit alleges the Raymond School Board acted illegally by not following two motions approved during the annual community meeting Aug. 23.

One motion directed the Raymond School Board to pursue legal proceedings to end Michael Garveys contract as superintendent.

The second motion prohibited the school district from defending against illegal action or utilizing any district funds to obtain legal services or counsel for the defense of any discrimination claim brought forth by any district employee involving allegations of discrimination conducted by either Michael Garvey or by the Board of Education.

The lawsuit, which was filed by attorney William Sulton, seeks to end Garveys superintendent contract, end contracts with attorneys hired by the school district in relation to Principal Jeff Petersons discrimination complaint and receive damages from School Board members for the legal fees paid to those attorneys.

It doesnt matter whether people believe that the voters made the right decision, the wrong decision or somewhere in between (at the Aug. 23 community meeting), Sulton said in November. What matters is that thats the decision they made, and its legally binding.

In a memorandum in support of the motion to dismiss, Lori Lubinsky and Christopher Nelson, attorneys representing the Raymond School District, argue the electors are not authorized to terminate the employment of a district employee at an annual meeting.

School boards, not district electors, are statutorily authorized to employ and terminate district superintendents, the memo states.

The attorneys argued that Garveys resignation as of Dec. 31 makes part of the lawsuit a moot point. Even if Garvey was still employed in January, the attorneys argue the court may not issue an order that denies procedural due process to him.

The attorneys also argued the electors are not authorized to prohibit the district from defending itself, the School Board and superintendent from litigation.

Ten photos of the Raymond School Board Dec. 18 meeting Raymond School has named its new leader for the rest of the school year. Heiden and Kostuch James Heiden, left, talks with Audrey Kostuch on Monday before a Raymond School Board meeting. Kostuch, board president, and board members app Heiden meet and greet James Heiden, left, talks with an attendee Monday before a Raymond School Board meeting, 2659 76th St. Heiden was appointed Raymond School int Peter Kempen Peter Kempen, Raymond School interim principal, talks Monday during a Raymond School Board meeting, 2659 76th St. Kempen's first day was Dec.  Garvey and Kostuch Monday during a Raymond School Board meeting, 2659 76th St. Signed recall petitions Dorae Moonen presents signed recall petitions Monday during a Raymond School Board meeting, 2659 76th St. The petitions are to recall board me Dorae Moonen Dorae Moonen presents signed recall petitions Monday during a Raymond School Board meeting, 2659 76th St. The petitions are to recall board me Heiden and Lewis Monday during a Raymond School Board meeting, 2659 76th St. Board meeting School Board President Audrey Kostuch, left, listens to Superintendent Michael Garvey on Monday during a Raymond School Board meeting, 2659 76 Audrey Kostuch Monday during a Raymond School Board meeting, 2659 76th St. Janell Wise Board member Janell Wise walks Monday during a Raymond School Board meeting, 2659 76th St. Signed recall petitions for Wise and board member G Raymond School Board Dec. 18, 2023
Gun Prohibitionists call for more 'gun-control' every time a criminal uses a firearm. Like a bunch of short attention span headline surfers, we pass more 'gun-control' laws every year without asking if they actually work. When you stand back and look, you can't help but notice that the places with the strictest 'gun-control' laws include some of our most violent cities. Are 'gun-control' laws making us safer, or are they putting us in greater danger?

We know a lot about the honest people who own guns. There are between 80 and 100 million gun owners in the US today. 40 to 50 percent of us live in a household with a gun, though one report said that number might be as high as 60 percent. We know that gun owners defend themselves about 1.6 million times a year, and people who have access to a legally owned firearm defend themselves as much as 2.8 million times a year. That is over 7,600 times a day. We use a firearm to make our families safer.

We know a lot about individual gun owners too. We know the identity of the particular individuals who applied for a license to carry a firearm in public. They obviously own a gun. About one in a dozen adults legally carry a firearm in public. Because we know who they are and can track their history, we know that these concealed carriers are safer with their guns, less violent, and more law abiding than the police. For the vast majority of us, firearms are used to prevent violent crime rather than to cause it. What does that say about making guns harder to get? .....
1. Yes. More than 70% of the downtown buildings are occupied; the area is thriving now.

2. Yes. With the new E-Center , a brewery and the county annex moving in, its on the rise.

3. No. There may be a lot of new businesses, but foot traffic is still slow on most days.

4. No. Its improving, but the issues of crime and homelessness are still major obstacles.

5. Unsure. The area seems to be rebounding, but its hard to say if the trend will continue.

Vote

View Results
Downtown Kenosha was abuzz with activity over the weekend as shoppers grabbed their final gifts for the holidays.

At To & From Gift Shop, 5535 Sixth Ave., a visiting German artist was selling cartography prints of Kenosha landmarks.

Store manager Jeremy Haug said theyd seen the usual uptick in customers since Black Friday.

On Saturday, Hamburg, Germany, native Jula Osten was running her pop-up shop at the gift store, selling t-shirts and screen prints of her work, among them a hand drawn map of Kenosha featuring many local businesses and landmarks.

Osten said she and her boyfriend, who is from the area, travel around the world and she has made a collection of cartography pieces of places they visit. The art series began in Morocco in 2020, when she found herself stuck in the city due to COVID travel restrictions.

Luckily I was surrounded by a small community of inspiring people with whom I went on countless adventures while sharing daily life, Osten explains on her website.

She created a map to give our collective memories a place, and when she saw how people reacted she realized she had created something meaningful.

Osten said the Kenosha piece was nearly two years in the making. In that time, some of the businesses featured on the map have closed, which she said plays into her goal when making art.

To keep our memories alive, I draw maps, Osten said Saturday. A map is a wonderful way to connect with your memories.

The Kenosha piece features an assortment of local business signs, from the Brat Stop to Franks Diner. Osten said, when she first came to Kenosha, she was struck by how the signs conveyed the history of the city.

It shows a lot of immigrants came here, Osten said. I always try to get a feel of a place for the piece.

Her works can be found online on Instagram @julaosten, or the website julaosten.de.
A little girl perches on the shoulder of her mom, whose eyes fill with trepidation as she wades through waist-deep water in the jungle of the Darien Gap.

Another woman sits beside railroad tracks as she and her husband head north through central Mexico. Covering her eyes with her fingers, the woman could be weeping. But the photograph shows her holding bright yellow flowers that her husband just picked.

Shes laughing.

Associated Press photographers documented violence and vibrance throughout Latin America in 2023, creating vivid portraits of ability to keep moving forward despite suffering.

Gangs expanded their control of Haiti, terrorizing civilians. One image shows a police officer on the back of a motorcycle holding a man slumped after being shot in the head.

Brazils newly sworn-in President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva stands atop the ramp of the presidential palace alongside an Amazonian leader wearing a feather headdress. Days later, the shattered windows of that palace frame a cluster of riot police on that same ramp; they had arrived too late to prevent an unprecedented uprising that sought to oust Lula from power.

In Peru, protests continued demanding the resignation of Dina Boluarte after President Pedro Castillos ousting and arrest, and police killed dozens of demonstrators. A photograph shows their coffins lined up, displayed on the street for hundreds of mourners.

Seen from the sky with an AP drone, a whirlpool of fish swirls in a net in clear blue waters. Increasingly, fisherwomen have taken up the profession to carve out a living in Venezuelas hobbling economy. On the coast a few dozen miles west, conservationists watch as a hatchling of the worlds largest species of sea turtle scrapes its way to the water.

Tiny hummingbirds, too, have found their chance to survive and thrive in  of all places  a Mexico City apartment. About 60 of the sick, injured or infant birds feed from eyedroppers and flit around the makeshift clinic until they are fit for release into the wild.

Across town in the National Arts Museum, a hulking lucha libre wrestler observes a painting of Claude Monets water lilies. He is the embodiment of forceful aggression yielding to delicate grace, and the blurred blue and yellow-green of his mask perfectly reflect the paintings water and reeds.

Such serenity contrasted with the climate chaos elsewhere in the region.

Hurricane Otis thrashed the resort city of Acapulco on Mexicos Pacific coast, killing at least 51 people and launching yachts onto the beach in piles. Defying usually reliable computer models that forecast a tropical storm, it rapidly transformed into a Category 5 monster that, with 165 mph (266 kph) winds, had the strongest landfall of any East Pacific hurricane. Over a month later, residents are still clearing debris and picking up the pieces.

In Bolivia, indigenous women in multilayered skirts guiding a climb up Bolivias 6,000-meter Huayna Potosi mountain had to traverse fresh whitewater from a peak once covered in snow, now melted. The Aymara women fear climate change could sweep away their jobs.

With so many struggles at home, many set off in search of a better life, even when thats a gamble.

A baby swaddled snugly inside a small suitcase is held aloft by a man negotiating a steep descent to the Rio Grandes southern bank. He hasnt yet entered the water.

A fragile tranquility  for now  endures.

2023 in photos: Latin America marked by vibrance, violence
VENTURA, CASara Nichole Nesbitt, 50, of Ventura, CA, formerly of Fort Collins, CO and La Crosse, WI, passed away from cancer on December 12 in Ventura. Sara was born in La Crosse, WI to Bonnie and Jim Nesbitt on April 2, 1973. She graduated from Central High School in 1991. She completed a bachelors degree in journalism from the University of St. Thomas, St. Paul, MN in 1995 and more recently a masters degree in library and information science from the University of WI-Milwaukee online. She worked as a reporter in various locations in Colorado for several years, and then as a librarian at Poudre Valley Library District in Fort Collins and most recently at Clearview Library in Windsor, CO, until her illness forced her to leave her dream job. She loved travel, music, hiking in CO, beach sits in CA, craft beers, the Packers, the Cubs, special pens, and anything about books and information access for all. She volunteered at a womens shelter and for a time had an extra fun job at Sephora. Highlights of her life included a medical mission trip to Nepal, with her mum and going to special music concerts with her brother, dude. She shared a strong sense of humor with her dad, padre.
NEW YORK  To look is to be charmed. Amused. Saddened. Horrified. Amazed. Inspired.

Photographers chronicling life in North America in 2023 captured images that evoked all the emotions, from the giddy silliness of people racing in inflatable dinosaur costumes to the wrenching sorrow of a vigil for victims of a mass shooting.

This gallery from The Associated Press showcases a year that included unprecedented events  such as the first ever criminal indictment of a former president, Donald Trump, in connection to a hush money scheme from his 2016 campaign. Trump was photographed surrounded by security as he was escorted to a Manhattan courtroom in April.

Some of the images focused on issues that the country continues to wrestle with, like immigration at the southern border where people come from around the world in hope of seeking asylum in the United States: A grim-faced man waits while cradling a sleeping child, reminiscent of Dorothea Lange's iconic 1936 Migrant Mother; a small child is passed under concertina wire by the Rio Grande.

A weeping child on a bus, leaving the site of a school shooting in Tennessee, shows the toll of another year of gun violence.

The impacts of climate change are present in a number of images. Canada's worst wildfire season on record sent haze wafting down into the United States, turning skies as far away as New York City a post-apocalyptic orange. And a furious wildfire on the Hawaiian island of Maui destroyed much of the historic town of Lahaina.

But nature's beauty is there, too, in a sea lion swimming in San Diego's La Jolla Cove and a puffin carrying food to its chick off the coast of Maine.

Moments of fun and celebration had their place, such as dancers rehearsing for the 2023 Christmas Spectacular Starring the Radio City Rockettes, and the NHL's Vegas Golden Knights crowding together after winning their first Stanley Cup.

There were also those who inspired us: Simone Biles, soaring as she returned to competitive gymnastics and won the U.S. Classic, two years after withdrawing from the Tokyo Olympics to focus on her mental health.

And no gallery would be complete without the woman who may have had the most interesting 2023 of all. There she is, in all her sparkly, record-breaking, history-making glory  Taylor Swift.

2023 in photos: Captivating images of life in North America
Political cartoonists from across the country weigh in on whether the United States should continue supplying aid to Ukraine in its war against Russia.
From VOA Learning English, I'm Caty Weaver.

Today, Steve Ember and Shirley Griffith present a special program on Christmas traditions in the United States during the first half of the 19th century.

During this period, there was no set way of celebrating the day, which was not yet an official holiday. Communities around the country honored the day in different ways. Some observed Christmas as an important Christian religious day honoring the birth of Jesus. Others celebrated the day with parties, music, drinking and eating. And, some communities did not celebrate the day at all.

But, it was during this period that Americans began to reinvent the holiday. They combined ancient Christmas traditions from different cultures with modern American influences.

Here are Steve Ember and Shirley Griffith.

In 1819, the popular American writer Washington Irving wrote a series of five essays published in a book called The Sketchbook of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent.

The essays describe a wealthy British landowner who invites his farm workers into his home to celebrate Christmas. The landowner recreates a traditional Christmas as it would have been celebrated in the distant past. Irving praised this looking back to ancient traditions. He liked the idea of different levels of society coming together to enjoy a festive and peaceful holiday. Washington Irving seemed to express concern about the lack of such unifying Christmas traditions in modern America.

Immigrants shape Christmas traditions

Penne Restad wrote a book Christmas in America: A History. It shows how Americans began to slowly shape Christmas into a unifying national holiday during the first half of the 19th century. She describes how Christmas had different meanings for Americans who came from different cultural and religious backgrounds. Many immigrants brought Christmas traditions from their own countries.

Religion played a big role in how an American might celebrate the holiday. Calvinist Christians banned the celebration of Christmas. But groups such as Episcopalians and Moravians honored the day with religious services and seasonal decorations.

By mid-century, Christian groups began to ignore their religious differences over the meaning of Christmas and honored the day in special ways.

Christmas became an important time for families to celebrate at home. More and more Christian Americans also began to follow the European traditions of Christmas trees and giving gifts. Christians believed that the tree represented Jesus and was also a sign of new beginnings. German immigrants brought their tradition of putting lights, sweets and toys on the branches of evergreen trees placed in their homes.

This tradition of setting up a Christmas tree soon spread to many American homes. So did the practice of giving people presents. As these traditions increased in popularity, the modern trade and business linked to Christmas also grew.

Christmas as a holiday

As Christmas became more popular, some states declared the day a state holiday. Louisiana was the first state to make the move in 1837. By 1860, 14 other states had followed. It was not until 1870 that President Ulysses Grant made Christmas a federal holiday.

Americans already knew old Christmas songs that came from England and other areas of Europe. But many new American Christmas songs started to become popular. For example, in eighteen forty-nine, a religious leader from Massachusetts wrote the words to It Came Upon a Midnight Clear.The song Jingle Bells appeared seven years later. And, a year later, a religious leader in Williamsport, Pennsylvania wrote the song We Three Kings of Orient Are.

And of course, no discussion of Christmas would be complete without talking about of one of the holidays most famous representations, Santa Claus.

This character is based on the story of Saint Nicholas, a Christian holy person believed to have lived in the third century. Saint Nicholas became known as a protector of children. Different cultures have given him different names. These include Sinterklaas, Kris Kringle and Father Christmas. But for most Americans his most popular name would become Santa Claus.

In the 19th century, many Dutch immigrants living in the United States celebrated the feast of Saint Nicholas on December 6. Saint Nicholas was especially important to New Yorkers because of their history as a Dutch colony. In 1809, Washington Irving published his History of New York. It lists Saint Nicholas as the patron saint of New Yorkers. He describes the saint wearing a low hat, large pants, and smoking a pipe. Does this description sound familiar?

Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page.

_________________________________________________

Words in This Story

society - n. people in general thought of as living together in organized communities with shared laws, traditions, and values

festive - adj. cheerful and exciting: suited to a celebration or holiday

unifying - v. to cause (people or things) to be joined or brought together

decoration - n. something that is added to something else to make it more attractive

practice - n. something that is done often or regularly


In 1822, an American professor named Clement Clarke Moore wrote a poem that redefined the image of Saint Nicholas. It was called Account of a Visit from Saint Nicholas. He did not expect it to be published. He wrote it as a Christmas present for his young children. In recent years, experts have questioned whether Moore actually wrote the poem.

Some believe it was written by Henry Livingston, a map maker in New York who wrote and published funny poems in his spare time.

But whoever wrote this classic poem, it has since become a favorite around the world. This poem combines the traditions of Santa Claus, seasonal decorations and gift-giving that have come to define Christmas in America.

We give you the staff of Learning English reading Clement Clarke Moores poem, popularly known as Twas the Night Before Christmas.



Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house

Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,

In hopes that Saint Nicholas soon would be there.

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,

While visions of sugar plums danced in their heads.

And mamma in her kerchief, and I in my cap,

Had just settled our brains for a long winters nap.

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,

I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.

Away to the window I flew like a flash,

Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow

Gave lustre of mid-day to objects below.

When, what to my wondering eyes did appear,

But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer.

With a little old driver, so lively and quick,

I knew in a moment it must be Saint Nick.

More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,

And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name!

"Now Dasher! Now, Dancer! Now, Prancer and Vixen!

On, Comet! On, Cupid! On Donder and Blitzen!

To the top of the porch! To the top of the wall!

Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!"

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,

When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky.

So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,

With the sleigh full of toys, and Saint Nicholas, too.

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof

The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.

As I drew in my head, and was turning around,

Down the chimney Saint Nicholas came with a bound.

He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,

And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot.

A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,

And he looked like a peddler, just opening his pack.

His eyes -- how they twinkled! His dimples how merry!

His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!

His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,

And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow.

The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,

And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath.

He had a broad face and a little round belly,

That shook when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly!

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,

And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself!

A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,

Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.

He spoke not a word, and went straight to his work,

Filled all the stockings, then turned with a jerk.

And laying his finger aside of his nose,

And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose!

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,

And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.

But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight,

"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night!"

Dorothy Gundy produced the video.

Do you have a favorite holiday poem? Tell us about it in the comments section.
VOA Learning English presents Americas Presidents.

Today we are talking about George Walker Bush. He took office in 2001 as the 43rd president.

He has a similar name to another president -- his father, George Herbert Walker Bush.

To simplify things, Americans sometimes call the younger Bush 43, or simply W. Here we will just call him Bush.

Because Bush is a recent president, historians have not reached a broad agreement on his time as a leader.

But he will surely be remembered for facing one of the biggest challenges to any president: the attacks against the U.S. on September 11, 2001.

Early life

George Bush was born in the northeast state of Connecticut. But his parents soon moved to the southwest state of Texas. George grew up there and considered Texas home.

The Bush family had a long background in politics. Bushs grandfather was a senator. His father held many public offices. In some ways, George was prepared for a career in politics, too.

He went to the same private boarding school as his father. Then, like his father and grandfather, George went to Yale for college. He also worked on several political campaigns. But he said he did not consider pursuing politics.

Instead, he earned a degree in business at Harvard and took a job in an oil company in Texas. In time, he founded his own oil business.

And he married Laura Welch, who was a teacher and librarian in their hometown. They had twin daughters named Barbara and Jenna.

In these years as a young adult, Bush began to make some changes. He began attending a Christian church regularly. He decided to stop drinking alcohol because it was creating problems in his personal life. And he turned his attention to politics.

Bush lost the first election in which he competed, a race to become a member of Congress. So, for a while, he focused on business investments and helping his fathers political career.

But in 1992, his father lost re-election to the presidency. And the younger Bush saw a chance to enter politics himself again. In 1994, Bush ran for governor of Texas. To many peoples surprise, he won.

Four years later, he was overwhelmingly re-elected. Many voters liked his image as, what he called, a compassionate conservative. In other words, he wanted to use traditional Republican ideas about government to help society.

Following two successful terms as governor, Bush turned his attention to the presidency. In 2000, he competed against the vice president at the time, Al Gore. The winner was not announced until more than a month following the election  usually, the winner is announced within hours.

Both sides disputed the process of counting votes in the state of Florida. Finally, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled on the process. The Court ordered state officials to stop re-counting votes. Bushs lead stood.

Presidency

Bush entered office expecting to bring many of the ideas he pursued in Texas to the entire nation. For example, as president he permitted religious groups to receive government funding, and set national standards for public schools.

These moves were popular with many voters. But they also challenged some American traditions: the separation of church and state, and the ability of public schools to govern themselves.

For many presidents, these policies might have created a legacy. But early in Bushs term, he faced a crisis that defined much of his time in office.

Hijackers linked to the al-Qaeda group seized four airplanes on September 11, 2001. They purposely crashed two planes into the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, eventually killing more than 2,700 people.

Another plane was flown into the Pentagon, the countrys military headquarters outside of Washington, DC. About 200 people died there.

The fourth plane was aimed at another important target. But passengers fought the hijackers. The plane lost control and crashed in a field in Pennsylvania. All 44 people on board died there.

President Bush was visiting an elementary school in Florida that morning. He learned about the attacks while he was reading with the children.

At the end of the day, Bush spoke to the nation. He said the U.S. would answer both the terrorist groups and the countries that permitted terrorist groups to thrive.

Over the next years, Bush took a number of actions to create a new national security strategy. They included creating a Department of Homeland Security, making changes to the countrys intelligence operations, and reforming the U.S. military.

He also sent U.S. forces into Afghanistan to destroy terrorist networks there. Bush was especially targeting the person who had designed the September 11 terrorist attacks, Osama bin Laden.

The struggle in Afghanistan was successful at first, but continued throughout Bushs time in office. And bin Laden was not captured while Bush was president.

In 2003, Bush opened another front on what some called the war on terror. He and other government officials said the leader of Iraq, Saddam Hussein, was developing weapons that could kill many people. They said Hussein  and his connections to terrorist groups  threatened Americans and people in other countries.

Hussein did not agree to leave Iraq. So U.S. and British forces launched bombs at targets in the countrys capital. Additional troops destroyed what was left of the targets. Hussein was quickly overthrown.

But the weapons of mass destruction were not found.

For the rest of Bushs presidency, U.S. forces remained in Iraq. Bush promised that Americans would stabilize the country and help Iraqis create a democratic government.

Legacy

The presidency of George W. Bush is too recent to understand its impact. But there is some evidence of the publics reaction at the time.

Bush received some of the highest ratings of any president. In the weeks following the September 11 attacks, 90 percent approved of his leadership.

He was re-elected in 2004. But his popularity steadily decreased .

At the end of his second term, he had one of the lowest public approval ratings of any president: 33 percent.

The U.S. economy had entered a recession. More Americans disagreed especially with his decision to invade Iraq. And some criticized his government for responding too slowly after Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans and the countrys Gulf Coast.

Since Bush left the White House in 2009, his approval ratings have  like those of many presidents  risen again. He has mostly avoided public appearances. Instead, he has enjoyed playing sports, helping charities, and reading U.S. history.

He also began a new hobby: painting. He has created portraits of dozens of veterans to honor their service in the military.



Im Kelly Jean Kelly.

Kelly Jean Kelly wrote this report for Learning English. Hai Do was the editor.

____________________________________________

Listening Quiz

See how well you understand the story by taking this listening quiz. Play each short video, then choose the best answer.

Quiz - America's Presidents: George W. Bush Start the Quiz to find out Start Quiz

____________________________________________

Words in This Story

boarding school - n. a school where students can live during the school term

twin - adj. used to describe two children who are born to the same mother at the same time

compassionate - adj. feeling or showing concern for someone who is sick, hurt or poor

legacy - n. something that happened in the past or that comes from someone in the past

thrive - v. to grow or develop successfully
In a ceremony Tuesday at Kirks Nebraskaland Restaurant, the Lexington Rotary Club honored several dedicated members with Paul Harris awards, with a special focus on those achieving Lifetime Achievement Awards.

The event was organized under the leadership of outgoing President Scott McKelvey, who has played a pivotal role in shaping the clubs vision and fostering a sense of community.

McKelvey, a Rotary member since 2011, began his Rotary journey in Holdrege before becoming an integral part of the Lexington chapter. Having served as president in both clubs, McKelvey has been a driving force behind the clubs initiatives and events.

Seven members received the esteemed Paul Harris Award. Named after Rotarys founder, Paul Harris, the award memorializes his legacy and is bestowed upon those who contribute significantly to the Rotary Foundation.

To earn a Paul Harris Award, you can do it a couple of ways. If you donate $1,000 to the Rotary Foundation, you get a Paul Harris award. The other way is to make a significant contribution in a fundraising event, McKelvey said.

In an interview, McKelvey shared that he will be accepting a job offer in Grand Island, concluding his term as the Lexington Rotary Club president. However, before his departure, he expressed the importance of acknowledging and honoring all the members who contributed to the organization during his tenure.

When asked about his vision for the Lexington Rotary Club after his departure, McKelvey emphasized the continuation of signature events, particularly those raising awareness about human trafficking. He highlighted the success of an event supported by the Lexington Public Schools and expressed his desire for the club to mirror the diversity of the Lexington community.

I want our Rotary Club to start reflecting what the Lexington community looks like as far as diversity goes, McKelvey said. Over the years, McKelvey said, he also hopes the organization will break a stereotype and make community members understand that the Lexington Rotary Club isnt just a place for old gray-haired businessmen.

To encourage a more diverse and youthful membership, McKelvey suggested community involvement and volunteerism. Instead of the annual $140 membership fee, individuals can contribute through earned points by actively participating in Rotary events. McKelvey said he wants individuals who will work their backs off for their community to join the Lexington Rotary Club.

In his final remarks, McKelvey extended an invitation to people who are looking to make an important contribution to their community.

I would love the readers to consider joining any service organization, he said. Rotary in Lexington is a growing club on the cusp of becoming greater, but were going to need help from the community.

During the award ceremony, Rotary members and former district governors gathered to witness the recognition of outstanding contributions. As awards were presented, McKelvey received a well-deserved recognition, a heartfelt acknowledgment of his impactful leadership as president of the Lexington Rotary Club.

The event at Kirks ended with many members at the event having lengthy discussions on the future of the Lexington chapter and how they can improve. The discussion also featured some advice on how to bring McKelveys vision to life by becoming a more diverse organization.

The event not only celebrated achievements but also set the stage for the continued growth and positive impact of the Lexington Rotary Club under new leadership, inspired by McKelveys legacy.
In January, the Wilson Public Library launches its 10th One Book One Cozad program with the selection of The Floor of the Sky by Pamela Carter Joern.

Decidedly written in a Willa Cather-esque style, its a great choice after 2023s selection of Cathers own A Lost Lady. However, instead of the prairies near Red Cloud, The Floor of the Sky is a contemporary view of the Nebraska Sandhills.

A description of the book from the publishers marketing is thus:

In the Nebraska Sandhills, nothing is more sacred than the bond of family and land  and nothing is more capable of causing deep wounds. In Pamela Carter Joerns riveting novel The Floor of the Sky, Toby Jenkins, an aging widow, is on the verge of losing her familys ranch when her granddaughter Lila  a city girl, sixteen and pregnant  shows up for the summer. While facing painful decisions about her future, Lila uncovers festering secrets about her grandmothers past  discoveries that spur Toby to reconsider the ambiguous ties she holds to her embittered sister Gertie, her loyal ranch hand George, her not-so-sympathetic daughter Nola Jean, and ultimately, herself. Propelled by stark realism in breakneck prose, The Floor of the Sky reveals the inner worlds of characters isolated by geography and habit. Set against the sweeping changes in rural America  from the onslaught of corporate agribusiness to the pressures exerted by superstores on small towns  Joerns compelling story bears witness to the fortitude and hard-won wisdom of people whose lives have been forged by devotion to the land.

The book was published in 2006 and won the author the Nebraska Book Award for Fiction and the Alex Award from the Young Adult Library Service Association. In early 2023, a sequel, Tobys Last Resort, was published.

Events such as book discussions are scheduled throughout the year at the library beginning in February. A special set of books is set aside near the librarys circulation desk for all of 2024 for those wishing to read the book. Additionally, a special tab at www.wilsonpubliclibrary.org has information regarding upcoming events. Wilson Public Library encourages all area book clubs to thoughtfully consider adding The Floor of the Sky to their selection lists for 2024.

The notion of a one book/one city (state, county, church, etc.) started with an idea by Seattle librarian Nancy Pearl and was initiated in 1998 by the Washington Center for the Book. The Library of Congress reports that such programs are abundant around the world. In fact, in 2023, One Book, One Nebraska will celebrate its 19th year of a statewide program.

Wilson Public Library agrees with the Nebraska Center for the Books philosophy that reading great literature provokes us to think about ourselves, our environment and our relationships, and that talking about great literature with friends, families and neighbors often adds richness and depth to the experience of reading.
In a packed third-floor courtroom Thursday, a crowd of victims and advocates watched as the judge sentenced a 23-year-old Lincoln man to 65 to 93 years in prison for sexually assaulting a string of high schoolers within months of his supervised release after serving time for a prior sexual assault.

Chance Johnson will be subject to lifetime community supervision when he gets out and will have to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.

"In short, this is one of the most, if not the most, egregious cases on my docket," Deputy Lancaster County Attorney Jason Cooper said. "I could not come up with a factual set of facts more depraved. Mr. Johnson is nothing short of a serial rapist with a penchant and affliction toward high-schoolers."

Cooper asked the judge to consider the serious nature of Johnson's offenses, the effect his crimes have had on the victims and the danger he presents to the community.

He said Johnson was sentenced to a year in jail for forcibly raping a 15-year-old girl in 2020.

Within two months of his release, he was back in jail after new allegations started to surface.

"While on post-release supervision for that offense, he raped or sexually assaulted almost half a dozen more high-schoolers between the ages of 13 and 16," Cooper said.

He punched a 13-year-old girl and forced his hands on her, then threatened to kill her if she told anyone; he forced himself on a 14-year-old girl who said "no" in a park bathroom; he beat and sexually assaulted a 16-year-old girl and he forced his hand down a 15-year-old girl's pants in a movie theater, ignoring her pleas for him to stop.

Cooper said there also was a statutory rape of a 15-year-old in Cass County. And, when Johnson got arrested, he'd been working on his seventh documented victim, sending a 15-year-old inappropriate texts and photos.

"Other than lip service, Mr. Johnson takes no responsibility. Instead, he tells a story of happy relationships but mistaken ages," he said.

He called Johnson's depictions utterly false.

"First and foremost, every girl he sexually assaulted, with the exception of one, reported some form or another of forcible sexual penetration," the prosecutor said.

Cooper said he had serious concerns that if Johnson were released into the community he would commit more acts of sexual violence and asked for a substantial period of incarceration.

Deputy Lancaster County Public Defender Tim Eppler asked for a "fair sentence" that takes into consideration that Johnson already had served 16 months and will be supervised for the rest of his life.

He said Johnson acknowledged and admitted to his behavior when confronted by law enforcement and accepted responsibility for his actions, saying "he alone was responsible for these actions."

In a letter to the judge, Johnson expressed regret and remorse saying: "I hate the fact that I manipulated and hurt these girls."

"He has consistently accepted responsibility in this case," Eppler said.

In the end, Lancaster County District Judge Ryan Post said his sentence took into consideration that Johnson was on post-release supervision for a registerable sex offense at the time of his new offenses.

"It's clear to me that the only thing that stopped you from sexually assaulting children was being placed in custody," he said.

Post said there was evidence Johnson knew the girls' ages and carried on anyway.

"Sir, you are a serial rapist and you are a danger to society, and the sentence is going to reflect that," he said.
OGALLALA  State natural resources leaders Tuesday brought their latest Perkins County Canal update to the town where the foiled 1894 projects revival arguably began a century ago.

The former Keith County Commercial Club first called in 1921 for finishing the South Platte River canal that their neighboring countys pioneers had to abandon after 16 Colorado miles.

And it was in Ogallala on April 24, 1923, that Nebraska and Colorado negotiators concluded the South Platte River Compact. It gave Nebraska the right to resume and finish the canal, with a water right dated 102 years ago this past Sunday.

Nebraska officials should have a precise Keith County route to discuss by spring, Nebraska Department of Natural Resources Assistant Director Jesse Bradley said during a canal open house at Ogallalas Keith County Fairgrounds.

That would allow us to coordinate with landowners and talk about a more specific location on a map, said Bradley, one of several DNR staffers who answered questions Tuesday.

He said itll be at least 2026, the centennial of Congress ratification of the compact, before 21st-century machines turn the projects first dirt  or, across the Colorado line in Sedgwick County, turn it again after 132 years.

Several years away

Canal water probably wont start flowing from the South Platte near Ovid until 2032, he said. That doesnt account for studies and approvals federal water and environmental agencies require.

The Nebraska Legislature set aside $629 million for Perkins canal planning and construction in 2021 and 2022, responding to concerns that Colorados thirsty Front Range will siphon off Nebraskas historic share of South Platte water if the compact isnt invoked.

The surveyed 1894 canal route would have clipped Keith Countys southwest corner before running into and through Perkins County. The 1921 concept and one explored by the Twin Platte Natural Resources District in the 1980s envisioned an eastward course through southern Keith County instead.

The compact gives Nebraska the right to invoke eminent domain across the state line in Sedgwick County, though the canal there must run on or near the original 1894 survey route.

Bradley said Nebraska prefers to reach fair land deals in both states. Its too early to seek Keith County land without a final route there, he said, but Nebraska hopes to soon close its first purchase from a Sedgwick County landowner.

DNR officials held a similar Sedgwick County open house in fall 2022, he said. In Keith County, weve had some people reach out about land needs, but we dont have the alignment yet.

Local thoughts

Roughly two dozen people wandered through DNRs displays, watched an 8-minute video or visited with department staff members in the first part of Tuesdays 2-hour open house.

Michael Jeffres, who grows corn and other crops north and south of Brule, had a long conversation with Bradley. He figures his land south of Interstate 80 most likely will lie in the canals path.

Theres almost no way it could get across there and not affect me in some way, Jeffres told The Telegraph.

The 1921 and 1980s canal projections stayed close to the line of bluffs marking the south end of the South Platte valley.

Natural breaks in those bluffs have long been eyed as possible sites for storage reservoirs. At least two such reservoirs are likely in Keith County, Bradley said.

The 1921 canal vision, as well as the Twin Platte NRDs abortive 1980s exploration, looked at taking the canal into Lincoln County.

But Bradley said it more likely will link with the Nebraska Public Power Districts Korty Canal in eastern Keith County or return to the river just above the Kortys west end between Roscoe and Paxton.

Though Jeffres expects to be asked to sell land for the canal, he sees little alternative to the project if Nebraska wants to keep its share of river water.

The question is: Is there a cheaper way to accomplish this? he said. I dont think there is, given Colorados comments.  (But) theres so many unknowns here.

Calls by Colorado leaders to more aggressively divert South Platte water for Front Range growth helped prompt then-Gov. Pete Ricketts in early 2022 to call for invoking Nebraskas compact right to finish the Perkins canal.

One prominent Colorado water proposal would tap the South Platte between Brush and Sterling and pipe water back west 125 miles to the fast-growing Parker suburb south of Denver.

Ron Schmidt, who has owned Schmidt Motors in Ogallala for some 40 years, said he knows about the Front Ranges endless thirst for water. He was born in Denver, grew up in Fort Collins and graduated from high school in Sterling.

Those waters, we have a right to them and so we should take them, Schmidt said. If we dont say or do something about it, were guilty of inaction and we lose any opportunity for it.

Claudia Stevenson of Ogallala, a retired U.S. Natural Resources Conservation Service employee, took a more cautious view.

I worry that we have a $600 million budget (for the canal) but theyre just now coming up with a design. And thats worrisome to me, she said.

I worry about the water storage potential. We have drought years, we have flood years. Ive seen a lot of things destroyed by water.

Jeffres said he well knows the South Plattes fickle character. One of his farm parcels draws water from the mid-1890s Western Canal in Deuel and Keith counties. He also uses Ogallala Aquifer groundwater.

The South Platte Compact requires Nebraska to use water from a revived Perkins canal for irrigation. Jeffres said he might be able to tap that, but Im not sure from my experience with the river that its a steady enough source to use with any reliability.

But I think the (project) benefits will be from the groundwater recharge as some canal water works its way down into the aquifer, he said.

Telegraph analyses in May and November, using water-flow data starting in 1926 from the compacts official South Platte gage at Julesburg, found the river has supplied enough water to meet compact minimums about 40% of the time. That included much of the 2023 irrigation season.

The compact requires Colorado to supply at least 120 cubic feet of water to Nebraska  when available  from April 1 to Oct. 15, in part to serve the Western Canal. It would have to provide at least 500 cfs the rest of the year if and when the Perkins canal is completed.

Nebraska also is entitled to excess flows, including periodic floodwaters, that reach the state line year-round. Nebraska leaders are planning to build the canal to hold twice the compacts 500 cfs offseason minimum, both to collect more water and reduce South Platte flood impacts.

Response to Colorado

Bradley addressed comments by Colorado water officials that the canal wont stop major upstream South Platte diversion projects for Front Range needs, like the one aimed at Parker.

The 1923 compact gives Colorado unlimited rights to tap the river in its Upper Division, west of the Logan-Washington county line east of Brush.

It grants Nebraska a Lower Division water right for the canal dated Dec. 17, 1921, roughly when that eras Keith County leaders sought their water right. Lower Division river users with later rights would have their needs filled after Nebraskas if the Perkins canal is built.

Inferences that large diversions closer to Denver still could leave Nebraska with less water dont fully consider the South Plattes hydrology, Bradley said.

Some water that stays in the river or is used in the Upper Division, especially by agricultural producers, percolates down into the aquifer and flows underground toward northeast Colorado. Such return flows feed streams that re-enter the river in the Lower Division.

Once the Perkins canal is in place, Bradley said, we believe Colorado has the requirement to continue to maintain those return flows. And they cant erode that.

The closer to Nebraska a new Front Range-bound river diversion starts, he said, the more Nebraska stands to lose from its historic share of river water.

With the Perkins canal, a Parker-type diversion starting in the Lower Division would have a water right later than Nebraskas 1921 compact right.

But if the compact isnt invoked, Bradley said, Front Range users would continue to buy out water users, including in the Lower Division, and reduce Nebraskas supplies that way.

Building the Perkins canal also could protect Sedgwick County and other Lower Division farmers against losing water to their Front Range neighbors, Bradley said.

We want those junior water users in Colorado to get their water, he said. We just think they should receive it after we get ours.

Top Journal Star photos for December 2023
RAFAH, Gaza Strip  Israel's war to destroy Hamas has killed more than 20,000 Palestinians, health officials in Gaza said Friday, as Israel expanded its offensive and ordered tens of thousands more people to leave their homes.

The deaths in Gaza amount to almost 1% of the territory's prewar population  the latest indication of the 11-week-old conflict's staggering human toll.

Israel's aerial and ground offensive has been one of the most devastating military campaigns in modern history, displacing almost 85% of Gaza's 2.3 million people and leveling wide swaths of the tiny coastal enclave.

More than half a million people in Gaza  a quarter of the population  are starving, according to a report Thursday from the United Nations and other agencies.

Israel declared war after Hamas militants stormed across the border on Oct. 7, killing hundreds of people and taking some 240 hostages. Israel vows to keep up the fight until Hamas is destroyed and removed from power in Gaza and all hostages are freed.

After many delays, the U.N. Security Council adopted a watered-down resolution Friday calling for immediately speeding up aid deliveries to desperate civilians in Gaza.

The United States won the removal of a tougher call for an "urgent suspension of hostilities" between Israel and Hamas. It abstained in the vote, as did Russia, which wanted the stronger language.

The resolution was the first on the war to make it through the council after the U.S. vetoed two earlier attempts calling for humanitarian pauses and a full cease-fire.

Martin Griffiths, the U.N. humanitarian affairs chief, lamented the world's inaction.

"That such a brutal conflict has been allowed to continue and for this long  despite the widespread condemnation, the physical and mental toll and the massive destruction  is an indelible stain on our collective conscience," he wrote on social media.

The U.S. also negotiated the removal of language that would have given the U.N. authority to inspect aid going into Gaza, something Israel says it must do to ensure supplies don't reach Hamas.

Israel's ambassador to the U.N., Gilad Erdan, thanked the U.S. for its support and sharply criticized the U.N. for its failure to condemn Hamas' Oct. 7 attacks. The U.S. vetoed a resolution in October that would have included a condemnation because it didn't also mention Israel's right to self-defense.

Hamas said in a statement that the U.N. resolution should have demanded an immediate halt to Israels offensive, and it blamed the United States for pushing to empty the resolution of its essence before Fridays Security Council vote.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, meanwhile, reiterated his longstanding call for a humanitarian cease-fire.

Guterres said nothing can justify Hamas' Oct. 7 attacks, its taking of hostages, its rocket launches against Israel and what he called its use of civilians as human shields.

But at the same time, these violations of international humanitarian law can never justify the collective punishment of the Palestinian people, and they do not free Israel from its own legal obligations under international law, the secretary-general said.

Israel, shielded by the United States, has resisted international pressure to scale back its offensive. The military says months of fighting lie ahead in southern Gaza, an area packed with the vast majority of the enclave's 2.3 million people, many of whom were ordered to flee combat in the north earlier in the war.

Evacuation orders have pushed displaced civilians into ever-smaller areas of the south as troops focus on Khan Younis, Gaza's second-largest city.

The military said late Thursday that it is sending more ground forces, including combat engineers, to Khan Younis to target Hamas militants.

On Friday, it ordered tens of thousands of residents to leave their homes in Burej, an urban refugee camp, and surrounding communities in central Gaza, suggesting a ground assault there could be next.

In the city of Rafah, on the border with Egypt, an airstrike on a house killed six people, according to Associated Press journalists who saw the bodies at a hospital. Among the dead were a blind man, his wife and their 4-month-old child, said the infant's grandfather, Anwar Dhair.

Rafah is one of the few places in Gaza not under evacuation orders but Israel has targeted it with strikes almost daily.

The air and ground campaign continued in the north, where Israel says it is in the final stages of clearing out Hamas militants.

Gaza's Health Ministry said Friday that it documented 20,057 deaths in the fighting and more than 50,000 wounded. It does not differentiate between combatant and civilian deaths. It previously said that about two-thirds of the dead were women or minors.

For most of the war, Israel stopped entry of food, water, fuel and other supplies except for truck convoys of aid from Egypt, which cover only a fraction of the needs in Gaza.

Because of insufficient aid entering Gaza, the extent of starvation has eclipsed the near-famines of recent years in Afghanistan and Yemen, and the risk of famine is "increasing each day," Thursday's report said.

An Israeli military liaison officer with Gaza said there is no food shortage in Gaza, saying sufficient aid is getting through.

"The reserves in Gaza Strip are sufficient for the near term," Col. Moshe Tetro said from the Kerem Shalom cargo crossing, without elaborating.

Israel opened the Kerem Shalom crossing several days ago amid international demands to increase the flow of aid. But the military on Thursday struck the Palestinian side of the crossing, killing four staffers, and the U.N. said it was unable to pick up aid there for delivery.

It was not immediately known if the U.N. resumed work there Friday.

The war has also pushed Gaza's health sector into collapse.

Only nine of its 36 health facilities are still partially functioning, all located in the south, according to the World Health Organization.

The agency reported soaring rates of diseases in Gaza, including a five-fold rise in diarrhea and increases in cases of meningitis, skin rashes and scabies.

Today in history: Dec. 22 1894: Alfred Dreyfus 1941: Winston Churchill 1984: Bernhard Goetz 1989: Nicolae Ceausescu 1990: Lech Walesa 2008: Fort Dix 2010: "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" 2011: Iraq 2016: Aleppo 2016: Donald Trump 2017: iPhone 2020: Alex Padilla 2020: Donald Trump 2021: Matthew Greene 2021: NHL
A pair of Twin Falls-based University of Idaho Extension educators involved with 4-H youth development were instrumental in securing the grant to teach children about agricultural science and technology and introduce them to career opportunities in the field.

The U.S. Department of Agricultures National Institute of Food and Agriculture awarded $750,000 toward the three-year project, which aims to reach 2,000 to 4,000 youth per year during out-of-school time through 4-H clubs, camps, after-school activities and special programs.

4-H'ers show dedication in animal raising CLOVER  McKinley Fillmore had a special walking companion this spring and summer.

Although it is a statewide program, Mike Knutz, area 4-H youth development educator, said there will be plenty of opportunities for south-central Idaho children to benefit from the grant, including a potential partnership with the College of Southern Idaho, which hosts day camps that focus on ag science.

Or, they might be assisted when traveling to field trips to an aquaculture research center in Hagerman or to food processors such as Chobani.

Knutz and Matt Fisher, a UI Extension area educator specializing in agriculture and STEM, are co-principal investigators of the project, which theyve titled Agriscience Technology Pathways (ATP).

ATP will will encompass several facets. Fisher is developing learning kits to teach youth facts and science lessons about Idahos major commodities  such as potatoes, dairy and sugar beets  working closely with grower-funded commodity groups. The kits will be loaned to 4-H clubs, groups and camps in every region of the state and will include lessons and hands-on activities, such as making a potato-powered clock or churning milk into butter.

Funding will also help overcome barriers to youth participation in 4-H programs where agricultural STEM curriculum is offered. For example, 4-H clubs or groups may receive funds to help cover busing, as well as youth scholarships to help cover day camp or convention registration costs.

Fisher and Knutz hope the funds will serve as a carrot, enticing 4-H event organizers to add agricultural STEM curriculum to their itineraries to be eligible for the assistance. In addition to the learning kits, an agricultural robotics program Fisher helped develop are available to program organizers interested in incorporating agricultural STEM curriculum.

Weve attended 4-H coordinator meetings and talked about opportunities for transportation and scholarships and curriculum kits, Knutz said. Were hoping to reach youth who may not currently be served by 4-H.

They plan to facilitate field trips to U of I Research and Extension Centers providing 4-H youth the opportunity to interact with Extension researchers and witness some of the many career options in agricultural science.

For example, their budget includes a biotechnology day camp for teenagers to be hosted at the Aquaculture Research Institute at the U of Is Hagerman Fish Culture Experiment Station. Jacob Bledsoe, an Extension specialist and assistant professor of aquaculture research, will lead hands-on experiments involving biotechnology and molecular biology.

He sees in his own field its hard to find graduate students, Knutz said. He was very happy to be part of this program to help spark an interest for students to enter agricultural science careers.

Theyve also arranged for tours of the Buhl commercial trout farm Riverence in conjunction with the biotechnology day camp.

Theyve been in discussions with many other Magic Valley food processors and large agricultural businesses about hosting tours as part of the grant, aimed at raising awareness about jobs in the agricultural sciences.

We have lots of different companies that are agriculturally based, Fisher said. In talking with some of these companies they have a vested interest in keeping employees, and they would prefer to have employees from the area who are familiar with their companies.

U of Is College of Agricultural and Life Sciences (CALS) secured two of USDAs 11 NIFA Food and Agricultural Nonformal Education grants.

The other CALS grant will fund a program submitted by Jae Ryu, an associate professor in the Department of Soil and Water Systems, empowering youth to design, build and fly drones during a workshop hosted in conjunction with the Idaho 4-H State Teen Association Convention. Ryu also received about $750,000 covering three years for his program.
The woman charged with aiding and abetting in a double-murder in Twin Falls told police that she accompanied two other suspects to Mexico, parted ways with them and doesnt know their identities, records say.

Angelica Maria Martinez, 40, appeared Friday before Judge Thomas Kershaw in a video arraignment, and is being held without bond. She didnt say much during the brief hearing, besides telling Kershaw that she didnt have questions about her rights and that she wanted public defenders to be assigned to her.

Court records made available to the public on Friday give more details into the murders of Tint Shop V owner Jesse Ortiz and Jaime Bravo Rodriguez, who were killed on the night of Dec. 1 at the shop in the 2400 block of Kimberly Road.

Martinez, after being taken into custody in Phoenix Dec. 6 after returning from Mexico, first denied any involvement in the crimes but then told police she was drinking with the two men, known as El Guero and El Diablo, earlier that night at her home on Ramage Street, when arguments erupted between the two and the murder victims while talking on the telephone, records say.

Surveillance video from the shop shows that Ortiz also apparently speaks to Martinez over the phone during the arguments, calling her Angie.

Ortiz challenged the two men to come to the tint shop, records say, although not disclosing what the argument was about.

In the last phone conversation between the subjects, Rodriguez calls a phone number, asking, Is he going to come, or not?

Martinez said that the men loaded guns, according to police, and she drove the men to a street corner near the tint shop.

Surveillance video, records say, show Ortiz and Rodriguez exit the shop and stand in front of the entrance moments before the suspects arrive and speak to Ortiz. Then video shows one of the men pulling out a gun and firing two shots at Ortizs chest and multiple shots at Rodriguez, while the other suspect initially retrieves a gun from a pocket but then puts it back and flees with the other man.

Two other men, a relative of Rodriguez and a friend of Ortiz, were in the shop at the time of the shootings, and ran to the back of the store when they heard gunfire.

Martinez told police that when the men got back into her car, they said they had been involved with a shooting, records say.

Police tracked down Martinezs identity through phone records, and obtained a search warrant for the Ramage Street house, where they said they found two 9 mm firearms and ammunition, the same type of bullets that the murder victims were shot with.

After the shooting, Martinez said she and the men drove to Boise in a pickup truck and stopped at a house, then returned to Twin Falls, after which they traveled to Mexico using U.S. Highway 93. Once they reached Mazatlan, they told her that she was no longer needed, Martinez told police.

She said she doesnt know the identities of the two men, and never saw their IDs, records say.

Martinez will be assigned two public defenders due to her facing charges that carry a maximum penalty of a death sentence, Kershaw said, and her preliminary hearing is set for Jan. 5.

Martinez also faces drug charges after police said they found methamphetamine and cocaine when they searched her home.
When Idaho had a rare measles outbreak a few months ago, health officials scrambled to keep it from spreading. In the end, 10 people, all in one family, were infected, all unvaccinated.

This time, the state was lucky, said the regions medical director Dr. Perry Jansen. The family quickly quarantined and the children were already taught at home. The outbreak could have been worse if the kids were in public school, given the states low vaccination rates, he said.

In Idaho last year, parents opted out of state-required vaccines for 12% of kids entering kindergarten, the highest rate in the nation.

We tend to forget that diseases like measles and polio used to kill people, said Jansen, medical director of the Southwest District Health Department, which handled the outbreak in September.

All states require children to have certain routine vaccines to go to public school, and often private school and day care, to prevent outbreaks of once-common childhood diseases like measles, mumps, whooping cough, chickenpox and polio. All provide exemptions for children who have a medical reason for avoiding the shots. Most also offer waivers for religious beliefs. Fifteen allow a waiver for any personal belief.

Last school year, vaccination waivers among kindergartners hit an all-time high: 3% in total, according to a recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report. Waivers for religious or personal beliefs have been on the rise, driven by some states loosening laws, in others by vaccine misinformation and political rhetoric amplified during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In Idaho, a parent only has to provide a signed statement, to get a waiver, the states health department said. A change in state law before the 2018-19 school year made it easier to get waivers. The states exemption rate that year was 7.7%.

Septembers measles outbreak started when a resident of Nampa, the states third largest city, returned home from a trip abroad. Measles is usually brought into the U.S. through travel since widespread vaccination has all but eliminated local spread of the disease.

It takes a very high level of vaccination  around 95%  to protect against the spread of measles and other diseases, experts say. During the pandemic, the national rate for vaccinations among kindergartners dropped to 93%.

Health experts say interventions on every level are needed to get more kids immunized: doctors talking to parents, social media campaigns, easier access to vaccines in some areas, enforcement by schools in others.

Last year, most states had an increase in waivers. Hawaii, which allows medical and religious waivers, saw rates double from the previous school year. Nearly 6.5% of kindergartners have an exemption for at least one required vaccine.

Its impossible to know the reasons behind a waiver, said Ronald Balajadia, immunization program manager for Hawaii State Department of Health. But misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines has bled through to routine vaccines that people wouldnt normally question, Balajadia said.

While some states have made it easier to opt out, others have clamped down. Connecticut eliminated its longstanding religious waiver for vaccinations in 2021, joining California, West Virginia, New York and Maine in allowing only medical exemptions. The change drew protests and lawsuits. With only a medical waiver now, the kindergartner vaccination rate reached 97% or above last year; waiver rates dropped to less than 1%.

The state is still working to get more parents on board by answering their questions and not just dismiss them. Its our best shot at trying to bring people along, said Dr. Manisha Juthani, commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Public Health.

Georgia had the second largest drop in vaccine waivers last year  from 4.7% to 3.8%. State health officials cited a steady post-pandemic return to partnerships between schools, public health and pediatricians as possible reasons for the improvement.

Dr. Angela Highbaugh-Battle has cared for kids in rural Georgia for 17 years, now in the small coastal community of St. Marys. She said she spends more time now talking to parents wary about routine childhood vaccines.

Every connection, every conversation, is a chance to educate, she said.

Its not about winning or losing, she said.

6 hidden (and not-so-hidden) factors driving America's student absenteeism crisis 6 hidden (and not-so-hidden) factors driving America's student absenteeism crisis
Have you considered that many people are not content to reside in one place their entire lives? I have lived in our present home longer than any other place during eight decades of life. In fact, I have been here one-fourth of my lifetime. Still, I yearn for changes of scenery. I travel, I redecorate and landscape, and I remodel.

For those of you who can relate similar stories, it is perhaps easier to consider how and why a person, or an entire family would decide to uproot and seek new opportunities. I can only try to imagine the feelings as Americans trekked from the Dust Bowl to greener pastures.

Our entire nation was populated by those who were seeking better circumstances for themselves. It started, the researchers say, when tribes crossed a land mass from Asia. Polynesians who navigated by boat populated the Hawaiian Islands. Later. Europeans settled on our Eastern coast and moved west. The Spanish moved into South America and the Southern part of what became the United States.

We currently have waves of migration throughout the world because of state-condoned crime, war, and changing agricultural opportunities. People are being pushed away, or they decide to find more advantageous locations. It is only humanity being themselves. Why is there an unrelenting outcry about it?

Consider this. Every human on earth has the means to communicate with every other human on earth. While there are still less accessible places, our news media has a superabundance of stories to report daily. We are hardwired to pay more attention to anything that is fearful or dangerous. Bad news sells, and we unwittingly pick out the worst example of migrationillegal immigration.

Migration becomes illegal when there are laws prohibiting it. Governments make those laws. Some rules seem benign, like those establishing age minimums (over 50) for residential areas. Others are discriminatory, like any countrys immigration laws. Countries have long-established quotas and rules for the number and types of people they will allow to cross the border. Public Health regulations are one type of discrimination. Economic self-sufficiency is another.

Trevor Noahs autobiography, Born a Crime, illustrates how a person can be labeled a criminal without being one. Noahs parents were interracial, and that type of marriage was illegal in South Africa, where he was born. A migrant who crosses the border without permission commits a crime. However, will they commit further unacceptable criminal acts if they settle in a new place? Probably not if they are simply looking for a place to live where they are safe and their hard work will support them.

Within our civil life, it appears that there are those who would like to make it illegal to disagree with them, act in ways they consider disgusting, or speak any language except English. If states were allowed to establish residency requirements, they would be glad to vote for them. They no longer want to rely on unwritten group norms, manners, or ethics to control others. They want the law to establish that others are illegal.

History is full of examples of forced, voluntary, and forbidden migration. As flawed as it sometimes is, North Americas settlement history is a story of peoples desire to change places. The entire culture of what we call the Middle East has been rooted in a wandering population. The rules of hospitality there and in the world at large require us to welcome the stranger.

Of course, that noble gesture breaks down as time goes by. Humankind has always been self-centered and protective of what is theirs. What if we let go of extreme possessiveness? What if we work to accept the stranger? It might be that we help them to return and improve their place of origin. They might teach us something new.

I have one final thought as we approach Christmas Eve and the Christmas season. What if Egypt had not accepted Joseph and Mary, who were escaping their ruler Harrod and his mandate to murder baby boys? Can the world afford to dismiss migrants? What potential benefits are we ignoring?
Access to healthcare saves lives, prevents financial ruin, and simply makes life better. I am proud that advocating for affordable coverage was a focus of my earlier career. Alongside many tireless advocates, I worked for years to expand Medicaid  closing the coverage gap for Idahoans whose wages were too low to qualify for health insurance tax credits and too high for Medicaid. Republican obstructionism in the Idaho Legislature made it a lot harder than it should have been to champion a policy thats extremely popular among Idaho voters. The scariest setback, however, came from Congress.

In 2017, Republicans took control of both chambers in Congress and the White House. As they seized power, repealing the Affordable Care Act was their top priority. Frighteningly, they had no replacement plan to prevent millions of Americans from losing coverage. As advocates in Idaho, we had to pause our work to expand healthcare access and try to block this serious attempt to take healthcare away. Months of nerve wracking negotiations culminated in Senator John McCains iconic and dramatic thumbs-down vote on the Senate floor. Fortunately, McCain joined two Republican U.S. Senators and every single Democrat to kill the repeal effort.

Recalling this barely averted disaster makes it all the more startling to hear every Republican presidential candidate vow to repeal the ACA. Again, they have no coherent replacement.

The renewed threat to working families and small business owners is staggering. ACA repeal would mean protections for up to 259,000 Idahoans with preexisting conditions would vanish, allowing insurance companies to deny coverage or hike costs for people with previous cancer diagnoses, high blood pressure, asthma, and other conditions. Medicaid expansion, which finally passed by a decisive majority of Idaho voters through an initiative, would end. Tax credits to purchase coverage, which assist 80% of individuals on the market, would disappear. Young adults would no longer be able to stay on their parents insurance. Insurance companies could again impose lifetime caps on coverage.

Idahoans are already losing healthcare access, thanks to Republican politicians. From passing one of the most extreme abortion bans in the country to criminalizing doctors and nurses, Republican politicians continue attacking our freedoms and making Idaho a hostile place for providers. Idaho ranks last in the nation for physicians and hospital beds per capita and more than 70% of Idahoans live in mental health shortage areas. This year, rural hospitals in Sandpoint and Emmett announced they can no longer provide labor and delivery services. More than 9,000 healthcare jobs in Idaho remain unfilled, according to Idaho Business for Education.

The ACA is a lifeline for Idahoans. Democrats will continue protecting the healthcare that is essential to the wellbeing of our families.
From fresh salads, flavorful dips, and sauces, to made-from-scratch stews and soups, olive oil is a staple ingredient that makes the Mediterranean cuisine one of the healthiest in the world.

As a market leader of olive oil and other Mediterranean products in the Philippines, the Dona Elena brand has become a symbol of passion and innovation of Fly Ace Corporation.

Over the years, weve cultivated and grown the brand into what it is today  the number one Mediterranean brand in the country. As a consistent no.1 brand in the country for over 12 years, I would like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank our great partners and stakeholders. We couldnt have done this without you, Fly Ace Corporation president Jun Cochanco said during a gathering the company hosted for its trade partners and members of the media.

The gastronomic journey begins with an appetizer trio: bite-sized tuna tartare in pani puri, eggplant caviar, and grilled pulpo all generously infused with Dona Elena Olive Oil

We are proud to say that Dona Elena is a brand that stands for authentic Mediterranean quality and I can promise that we will continue to invest in the brand and create value in your categories, Cochanco added.

Dona Elena Olive Oil was first introduced in the Philippines with its three variants  extra virgin, pure, and pomace.

During the gathering dubbed as Gusto! guests were treated to an exclusive Flamenco show from an ensemble flown directly from Spain as well as a sit-down buffet featuring famous tapas specialties.

Basque Cheesecake with apricot and pistachio

The gastronomic journey began with an appetizer trio of bite-sized tuna tartare in pani puri, eggplant caviar, and grilled pulpo. Laden in chimichurri and bonito aioli sauces, the dishes were generously infused with Dona Elena olive oil.

A comforting tomato soup with simple and quality ingredients followed, bringing to life its heartwarming flavor with a puree made with Dona Elena diced tomatoes and Dona Elena olive oil.

Terraza Martinez Executive Chef Luis Martinez prepared the main dishes: Presa Iberica de Cerdom, a buttery soft premium pork tenderloin; and duck confit and foie gras served on a bed of Spanish Bomba rice.

Duck confit with foie gras on a bed of Spanish Bomba rice  a recipe of Terraza Martinezs Executive Chef Luis Martinez

And what better way to end the feast than with a classic favorite  the Basque cheesecake with apricots and pistachios.

The main course elegantly combines the flavorful tradition of passionate Spanish cuisine and Dona Elenas commitment to quality ingredients, Chef Luis said.
Former political prisoner Ed dela Torre said the public should recognize the role that citizens play in attempting to achieve an equitable and durable peace.

He imparted the speech at the Ecumenical Prayers for Peace event on Saturday at the University Hotel in the University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City.

It was hosted by the Political Officers League of the Philippines (POLPhil) and attended by church leaders, academicians, government officials, businessmen and single parents.

A former priest, dela Torre is among the leaders of the recently formed Atin Ito Coalition, an advocacy group that seeks to increase Filipinos understanding of the controversial matters surrounding the West Philippine Sea.

Led by Atin Ito volunteers, a civilian convoy carrying supplies to frontliners in the West Philippine Sea recently said it will not back down from Chinese aggression in the countrys waters.

In a statement, Rudy Kid Caneda, POLPhil National President, said that innovative peace talks demand a departure from the narrow confines of partisan politics and the embrace of a holistic approach that addresses the interconnected socio-economic, political, and cultural dimensions of the conflict.

It is essential that any peace agreement includes provisions for comprehensive socio-economic reforms, land rights, rural development, and the equitable distribution of resources, it added.

By addressing the underlying causes of poverty, inequality, and marginalization, we can create the conditions for sustainable peace and development, POLPhil said.
The New Peoples Army will observe a two-day ceasefire to mark the 55th anniversary of the Communist Party of the Philippines on Dec. 26th.

The ceasefire will start past midnight on Dec. 25 and end at 11:59 p.m. on Dec. 26, the CPP and NPA said in a statement.

The two-day ceasefire aims to allow the peasant masses and NPA units in their area to conduct assemblies, meetings, or gatherings to celebrate the Partys anniversary, look back at past achievements, and pay tribute to all heroes and martyrs of the Philippine revolution, they said.

This ceasefire declaration is also in solidarity with peoples traditional holiday celebrations, the statement added.

Although the communist army will not carry out offensives during the ceasefire, it said it will act in self-defense to counter and frustrate any hostile movement or actions of enemy units within the scope of the NPAs guerrilla fronts and areas of operations.

The government and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines in November announced they are preparing to return to talks towards a principled and peaceful resolution of the armed conflict.

Despite the agreement to prepare for peace talks, both sides of the decades-old conflict have said their operations will continue.

While there is no final peace framework, the Philippine Army would continue its efforts to sustain the gains in Internal Security

Operations by dismantling the weakened guerrilla fronts and neutralizing the remaining armed groups, it said in November.

The CPP-NPA announcement of a ceasefire comes days after a clash in Balayan, Batangas, where the military said six rebels and an Army soldier were killed.

In the aftermath, Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Z. Duterte urged Filipinos not to be deceived by the CPP-NPA-NDF, as she sent her condolences to the family of Sgt. Jernell Ramillano who recently died in an encounter with the insurgents.
A former Colombian soldier pleaded guilty Friday in a US federal court to conspiracy to assassinate Haitian President Jovenel Moise, who was shot dead in 2021 in Port-au-Prince.

Mario Antonio Palacios, 45, pleaded guilty in a Miami federal court after entering into a cooperation agreement with prosecutors.

Until agreeing to a plea deal, he had for months denied having had any role in the assassination of the former president.

On July 7, 2021, Moise was shot and killed in his private residence at the age of 53 by a commando of more than 20 people, most of them Colombian mercenaries, as his guards failed to intervene.

According to the indictment, Palacios entered the presidents house with the mercenaries and stole money and jewelry.

The prosecution, however, said he only played a minor role in the conspiracy and that he had no decision-making power within the group.

His lawyer, Alfredo Izaguirre, presented Palacios as a simple bodyguard and said he was sure that his client could avoid the maximum sentence of life behind bars.

The sentence will be handed down on March 1.

The US justice department has ruled that the case  in which 11 people were arrested and charged  falls within its jurisdiction because part of the assassination plot was hatched in south Florida.

So far, three people have been sentenced to life imprisonment in the case: former Haitian senator Joseph Joel John; a businessman of Haitian and Chilean nationality, Rodolphe Jaar; and another retired Colombian soldier.

The operation initially aimed to kidnap the president but evolved into a full-fledged assassination, according to court documents.

Moises death plunged Haiti deeper into chaos. The Caribbean state was already prey to gang violence, but these days gangs control 80 percent of the capital Port-au-Prince, and the number of serious crimes has reached record levels, according to the UN representative in the country.
The Philippines Yllana Marie Aduana was named Miss Earth Air 2023 on Friday night, just missing the top prize in the pageant won by model and television host Drita Ziri of Albania in the grand coronation night in Van Phuc City, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

Aside from claiming the second-highest honor, Aduana also bagged the Miss Bikini special award, while local bet o Thi Lan Anh and Thailands Cora Bliaut were named Miss Earth Water 2023 and Miss Earth Fire 2023, respectively.

Ziri edged out 84 other candidates from around the globe to clinch the coveted Miss Earth 2023 crown, making her the first Albanian to win a major beauty pageant.

The 18-year-old was crowned by last years winner Mina Sue Choi of South Korea.

In the final Q&A, the Top 4 delegates were asked: An official at the recent climate conference was quoted as saying there is no science behind the phaseout of fossil fuels. Do you agree with this? Why or why not? Nickie Wang and Eton Concepcion Ziri said that much of whats happening to our planet  climate change included  stems from peoples lack of awareness.

I believe if we can plant the seed of love, we are going to carry all the other values we need to havepersistency, consistency, determination, and actually passion for caring for our Earth. I have a passion for our advocacy. Thats why Im right here in front of you today, she said.

The teen beauty queen is no stranger to the pageant world. Last year, she won the Miss Shqiperia 2022 title. She also participated in Miss Globe 2022 where she finished as second runner-up.

Rounding out the Top 8 were Miss Brazil Morgana Carlos, Miss Kazakhstan Dilnaz Tilaeva, Miss Netherlands Noa Claus, and Miss Russia Daria Lukonkina.

Miss Earth, now in its 22nd edition, is an annual international competition held to celebrate the many beautiful and varied forms of fauna, and to further promote the preservation and conservation of our planet.
NEW YORK  It could be a cold, grim New Year for thousands of migrant families living in New York Citys emergency shelter system. With winter setting in, they are being told they need to clear out, with no guarantee theyll be given a bed elsewhere.

Homeless migrants and their children were limited to 60 days in city housing under an order issued in October by Mayor Eric Adams, a move the Democrat says is necessary to relieve a shelter system overwhelmed by asylum-seekers crossing the southern U.S. border.

That clock is now ticking down for people like Karina Obando, a 38-year-old mother from Ecuador who has been given until Jan. 5 to get out of the former hotel where she has been staying with her two young children.

Where she will end up next is unclear. After that date, she can reapply for admission to the shelter system. A placement might not happen right away. Her family could wind up getting sent to one of the city's huge tent shelters far from where her 11-year-old son goes to school.

I told my son, Take advantage. Enjoy the hotel because we have a roof right now, Obando said in Spanish outside Row NYC, a towering, 1,300-room hotel the city converted into a shelter for migrants in the heart of the theater district. Because theyre going to send us away and were going to be sleeping on the train, or on the street.

A handful of cities across the U.S. dealing with an influx of homeless migrants have imposed their own limits on shelter stays, citing a variety of reasons, including spiraling costs, a lack of space and a desire to put pressure on people to either find housing on their own, or leave town entirely.

Chicago imposed a 60-day shelter limit last month and is poised to start evicting people in early January. In Massachusetts, Gov. Maura Healey, a Democrat, has capped the number of migrant families in emergency shelters at 7,500.

Denver had limited migrant families to 37 days but paused the policy this month in recognition of winters onset. Single adults are limited to 14 days.

In New York, the first families were expected to reach their 60-day limits just days after Christmas, but the mayors office said those migrants will receive extensions through early January. Roughly 3,500 families have been issued notices so far.

Unlike most other big cities, New York has a decades-old right to shelter obligating the city to provide emergency housing to anyone who asks.

But officials have warned migrants there is no guarantee they will get to stay in the same hotel, or the same city borough, for that matter.

Adult migrants without children are already subject to a shorter limit on shelter stays: 30 days.

Those who get kicked out and still want help are told to head for the city's so-called  reticketing center  that opened in late October in a former Catholic school in Manhattan's East Village.

Dozens of men and women, many with their luggage and other belongings in tow, line up every morning in freezing weather where they must petition for a renewed stay.

They are offered a free, one-way ticket to anywhere in the world. Most people decline.

Some are able to secure another shelter for 30 days, but many others say they leave empty-handed and must line up again the next day to try their luck.

Im scared of dying, sleeping on the street, Barbara Coromoto Monzon Pena, a 22-year-old from Venezuela, said as she spent a second day waiting in line on a recent weekday.

Obando said her eldest son, who is 19, hasnt been able to find a place to rent since he and his wife exhausted their 30 allowed days at the Row NYC hotel.

As a mother, it hurts, she said, breaking down in tears. Hes sleeping on the train, on the street, in the cold. Hes in a lot of pain, and now its our turn. They told me that this country was different, but for me its been hell.

Adams has insisted the city is doing a lot more for migrant families than almost anywhere else. New York is on track to spend billions of dollars opening shelters, paying for hotel rooms, buying meals and offering assistance overcoming bureaucratic hurdles for asylum-seekers.

The mayor also has warned repeatedly that the city's resources are stretched thin, with more than 67,200 migrants still in its care and many more arriving every week.

Were doing everything in our power to treat families as humanely as possible, said Kayla Mamelak, a spokesperson for Adams. We have used every possible corner of New York City and are quite simply out of good options.

She stressed that the administration intends to avoid having families sleeping on the streets and said there will be an orderly process for them to request another 60-day stay.

Advocates for immigrants say the end result will still uproot vulnerable families during the coldest months of the year and disrupt schooling for new students just settling into classes.

Its maybe the most Grinch move, ever, said Liza Schwartzwald, a director at the New York Immigrant Coalition. Sending families with children out like in the middle of winter right after the holiday season is just cruel.

Adams has stressed that migrant children would not be required to change schools when they move. But some kids could potentially face epic commutes if they are placed in new shelters far from their current schools.

Migrant parents say two months simply isnt enough time to find a job, get kids settled into child care or school and save up enough for rent.

Obando, who arrived in the U.S. three months ago, said that outside of the odd cleaning job, she has struggled to find consistent work because there is no one to care for her 3-year-old daughter with her husband still detained at the border in Arizona.

Its not that we Ecuadorians come to take their jobs or that were lazy, she said. Were good workers. More time, thats all we ask.

20 facts about homelessness in the US According to HUD, there were 582,462 people experiencing homelessness in the U.S. in January 2022 The U.S. has seen a 0.3% increase in homelessness since 2020 Conversely, the U.S. has seen an 8.6% decrease in homelessness since 2010 Experts from HUD believe that resources from the American Rescue Plan directed toward homelessness assistance lessened the impact of COVID-19 on homelessness The end of the federal eviction moratorium in August 2021 made millions of Americans' housing situations more precarious during the long tail of the COVID-19 pandemic As of August 2022, one year after the federal eviction moratorium was lifted, nearly 12% of Americans experienced a rent increase of $250 or more per month The marked increase in rental prices during COVID-19 likely contributed to the recent rise in homelessness A greater proportion of people experiencing homelessness were unsheltered in 2022 compared to 2020 40% of all people experiencing homelessness in the U.S. during 2022 were unsheltered Family and youth homelessness have both decreased since 2020 50,767 families with children experienced homelessness in 2022 Since 2020, unaccompanied youth homelessness has decreased by 12% The number of people who identify as Hispanic and experienced unsheltered homelessness in 2022 rose 16% since 2020 Natural disasters often have a significant impact on the number of people using shelters
HELENA  Commissioner Troy Downing signed a $50,000 restitution check for a fraud victim Friday, according to a news release from the office of the Montana State Auditor.

Susan Bivins, of Anaconda, was the victim of an elaborate fraud scheme that cost her not only her checking and savings accounts, but also her entire retirement savings. Bivins reported the scheme to various law enforcement agencies after being defrauded over a year ago, the release said.

Also per the release, while the Montana Securities Division was not contacted then, Downing heard Bivens' story and engaged CSI Deputy Securities Commissioner Brett Olin to investigate. The securities division investigated, filed charges and obtained a judgment against the fictitious entity.

Once the order was obtained and the perpetrator failed to pay over $100,000 in restitution, Bivens filed an application to the Lynne Egan Memorial Securities Restitution Fund. Earlier this week, the restitution board met and approved a restitution award of $50,000 to Bivins.

The Lynne Egan Memorial Securities Restitution Fund was posthumously named in honor of the late Deputy Securities Commissioner Lynne Egan, who championed this program after working with the North American Securities Administrator Association (NASAA) on drafting a model law that was widely supported by industry.

The restitution fund is not taxpayer funded, but instead is funded by funds levied by CSI against bad actors and by a percentage of investment adviser registration fees. Last year, at CSIs request, Gov. Greg Gianforte proclaimed the Securities Assistance Restitution Fund be renamed in honor of the late Lynne Egan.

Although this restitution was only a fraction of what Ms. Bivins lost in this fraud, I am happy that CSI came through to help a Montana fraud victim just in time for Christmas. Downing said in the release. I am proud of the good work that our securities and legal departments did to come to a good result here.

For questions or to report investment fraud, contact the CSI securities team by calling 406-444-2040 or visiting CSIMT.gov.
Editors note: Calendar items must be submitted at least five days before an event. Email all items to news@morganton.com.

THURSDAY, JAN. 4

Good Grief Meal

AMOREM will hold its next monthly Good Grief Meal at 3 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 4, at Frankies Pizza, 1018 Harper Ave., Lenoir. The informal time of food and fellowship is open to anyone who is experiencing grief and loss. The meal is a Dutch treat. The Good Grief Meal is sponsored through Ashewood Grief and Counseling Services, grief support services of AMOREM, and is one of many opportunities offered to help individuals of all ages and families cope with the loss of their loved ones. Because of the generous support of our community and the belief that grief support services improve quality of life, AMOREM offers community grief support services to anyone who needs help in coping with grief. For more information about the upcoming Good Grief Meal or other grief support services, call 828-754-0101 or visit www.amoremsupport.org.

NAACP annual meeting

The Burke County NAACP #5367 will be holding their annual meeting on Thursday, Jan. 4, at 6 p.m. at the Mountain View Community Recreation Center located at 645 1st St., Morganton. All members are encouraged to attend the meeting, in addition to any citizens that are interested in joining the branch. Please keep in mind that because it is the flu season and the uptick in COVID reporting, COVID-19 protocols will be followed.

SATURDAY, JAN. 27

Docent training

The Exploring Joara Foundation invites people interested in telling the story of the Berry archaeological site and Living History Village at Catawba Meadows Park to the first session in a docent training, which will take place from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Wall Center for Archaeological Research at 220 New St. in Morganton. Additional sessions will take place Feb. 10 and 24 and will involve working with school groups at the Living History Village and the Berry site. Those sessions also will take place from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. For more information or to register, visit https://exploringjoara.org/ejf-docent-volunteers/.

SATURDAY, APRIL 27

Cruise Unifour Christian Ministries will be embarking on a cruise to Grand Turk and Dominican Republic. Members of the public are invited to join. A down payment of $75 is required to reserve your spot and the remaining balance must be paid by Jan. 1. Call Annette Guffey at 828-493-1723 or 828-396-1906 for more information.
On Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2023, the Grinch revealed itself in Great Falls. I saw the mean-spirited character manifested in residents of Cascade County.

The Cascade County Commission held its bimonthly meeting at the Expo Park in anticipation of large public attendance. Commissioner Joe Brigg brought forth a resolution to remove election duties from the clerk and recorder. This resolution has been talked about for several years.

Public comments were heard from over 100 people, with many more in attendance to witness the spectacle of vile and spiteful testimony. This went on for seven long and excruciating hours.

As I sat in the audience listening to the public comments, I was so ashamed of the behavior of those speaking in opposition to the resolution. These are my neighbors who used threats, yelled and told outright lies. The Bible quotes were thrown out over and over to attack commissioners Joe Briggs and Jim Larson. Two pastors in our community spewed hateful words. Not once did I hear these so-called church-attending people speak to the call to love thy neighbor as thyself. It was like watching school yard bullies and toddler temper tantrums. Never in the 62 years that I have lived in Great Falls have I ever experienced anything like the hateful actions and words that I saw that day. I fought back tears of sadness that day for my community.

The restraint shown by Commissioners Joe Briggs, Jim Larson and those who spoke in support of the resolution is to be commended. Supporters spoke with decorum and integrity while expressing their concerns for the election process that has been flawed since Clerk and Recorder Sandra Merchant has taken office. They stuck to the facts and kept religion and emotion out of their testimony.

We are in need of change in Great Falls and around Montana as this type of extremist behavior spreads and basic community norms around public discussion and debate dissolve. Perhaps, the most disturbing aspect is the appeal to theocratic ideals, which could not be more un-American. This country was founded on a fundamental separation between church and state, and we have upheld that value, embodied in the First Amendment to the Constitution, for almost 250 years. The opponents' dogmatic appeal to a narrow-minded, intolerant brand of Christianity would be ridiculous if it were not so fundamentally dangerous and unconstitutional.

There is hard work ahead for all reasonable people of goodwill in this community and across Montana to try to bring us back to a semblance of decency and behavioral norms of civility and respect necessary for the community to not only survive but thrive. Love thy Neighbor  No Exception.
On Wednesday, after two days of deliberation, a Louisa County jury convicted Roy Patterson III of possession of a dangerous weapon while under the influence, while acquitting him of charges of attempted murder, first-degree burglary, and going armed with intent.

The seven-man, five-woman jury began deliberation on Dec. 5. The trial started Nov. 28.

If Patterson, 40, of Oakville, had been convicted of all four charges he would have faced up to 56 years in prison. The attempted murder charge is punishable by a term of incarceration of up to 25 years in prison.

Sentencing for the serious misdemeanor of possession of a dangerous weapon while under the influence is set for Dec. 22. A serious misdemeanor is punishable by up to one year in prison.

I dont know that it was a complex case, but it certainly came down to credibility and the jurys openness to reviewing some more objective evidence, defense attorney Scott Schroeder said.

He said Patterson is pleased with the outcome.

Court records show Patterson has a limited criminal record in Louisa County, with most of the other charges being traffic violations.

Patterson was charged on March 25 after an incident in which Jack Leffel, 49, also of Oakville, was seriously injured when a shotgun discharged. According to police reports, at about 1:15 a.m. Louisa County Sheriffs deputies, Columbus Junction Police, Oakville First Responders and Wapello Ambulance responded to a 911 call from Leffels residence stating he had been shot.

On arrival, the responders found Leffel had been shot once in the abdomen. Officers determined an altercation had occurred where Patterson entered Leffels residence with a semi-automatic shotgun and a dispute took place. Law enforcement alleged Patterson had shot Leffel.

During the trial, Patterson maintained the shotgun had remained on a sling over his shoulder. He said it had discharged when Leffel had tried to wrestle it away from Patterson. During the trial, forensic evidence showed that the wound Leffel suffered happened at very close range and the angle showed the barrel of the gun at a steep downward angle, not consistent with most intentional shootings.

The arrest report said Patterson and his wife had gone to Leffels residence earlier for a few drinks. His wife had left while he stayed. Upon arriving home, Pattersons wife told him she saw Leffel pour something into her drink. There was no confirmation of this at the trial. Patterson testified that Leffel had a history of violence and Patterson took the shotgun because he was afraid Leffel may get violent when questioned.

The report said Patterson had a blood-alcohol level of .106, which shows he was intoxicated at the time of the shooting. Deputies responded to Pattersons residence in Oakville, where Patterson gave himself up.

Patterson, who is a trained paramedic and has previously worked for Muscatine Fire and Rescue, said on the stand that he had tried to find Leffels phone to call for an ambulance, but was not able to find it so he went back to his house  about 300 yards up the street  to call. He also said there was no emergency aid he could have rendered. When first responders arrived, they transferred Leffel to a hospital without performing any first aid.

During the trial, deputies testified that they had handled the shotgun without gloves. Testimony from the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation crime lab also showed Leffels DNA was on the gun after he had claimed since the beginning of the case he had not touched the shotgun.

What was unusual about this  and I dont remember in 28 years of prosecuting and defending ever seeing law enforcement ever having to interview a victim three separate occasions over the period of about six hours, Schroeder said. In our opinion it was to try to get his story straight.

He said it had been 16 days before deputies got a statement from Leffel, but had still charged Patterson. He believes some of Leffels statement had contradicted some of the charges.

Schroeder commented that Patterson has already spent 120 days in jail and he hopes that this can just be time served for the possession of a dangerous weapon while under the influence charge. He plans to ask for a continuance until January because he believes the sentence request will be contested.

Photos: Burn pit homicide trial, November 2023 110223jr-jordan-trial-1 110223jr-jordan-trial-3 110223jr-jordan-trial-2 110223jr-jordan-trial-4 102323jr-jordan-hearing-1 102323jr-jordan-hearing-2 Sayvonne Eugene Jordan 110323jr-jordan-trial-4 110323jr-jordan-trial-7 110323jr-jordan-trial-6 110323jr-jordan-trial-5 110323jr-jordan-trial-9 110323jr-jordan-trial-8 110323jr-jordan-trial-10 110323jr-jordan-trial-11 110323jr-jordan-trial-14 110323jr-jordan-trial-15 110323jr-jordan-trial-12 VIDEO: Murder arrest in missing persons case, January 2023 110623jr-jordan-trial-1 110623jr-jordan-trial-2
On this version of Hot off the Wire:

WASHINGTON (AP)  As children around the world eagerly await Santas arrival on Christmas, the military is ready to track him and see if hes using any new technology. The North American Aerospace Defense Command keeps a close watch on Santa and his sleigh from the moment he leaves the North Pole. And it once again will share all those details so everyone can follow along as Santa travels the globe beginning Christmas Eve. NORAD is the military command that's responsible for protecting North American airspace. It has launched its noradsanta.org website, social media sites and mobile app, loaded with games, movies, books and music.

NEW YORK (AP)  Christmas Eve is almost here. But before running out the door for some last-minute gifts or final tree trimmings ahead of Santas visit, you might want to double-check the hours of the stores youre headed to. Business closings on Christmas Eve are less common than those on Christmas Day, but many large chains still cut back hours or close up shop early for the coming holiday  including Walmart, Costco, Target, Kroger and more. Operations can also vary by location. When in doubt, call ahead or look up more specific schedules for your neighborhood spots online.

NEW YORK (AP)  Havent ordered any of your holiday gifts yet? Well, you might find solace in discovering some of Americas biggest retailers are working to increase their shipping speeds to please shoppers expecting faster and faster deliveries. Walmart, Target and Amazon are all-in on the shipping wars, a move retail experts say will help them maintain a competitive edge against low-cost China-founded retailers Shein and Temu. For Walmart and Target, their investments are also aimed at narrowing the gap in delivery speed with Amazon, which has set the standard for fast shipping and remains the king of speed.

NEW YORK (AP)  As the year comes to an end with holiday parties and crowds, mask-wearing is much more off than on around the country even as COVIDs long tail lingers. Theres the odd one here and there, but nothing like it was three years ago at the dawn of the COVID pandemics first winter holidays. Look at it a different way, though: These days, mask-wearing has become just another thing that simply happens in America. In a country where the mention of a mask prior to the pandemic usually meant Halloween or a costume party, its a new way of being that hasnt gone away.

On this week's Religion Roundup segment, original tunes to familiar Christmas carols weren't always so familiar, or necessarily for Christmas.

NEW YORK (AP)  The promise of self-checkout has meant that customers can avoid long lines by scanning and bagging their own items, workers can be freed of doing those monotonous tasks themselves and retailers can save on labor costs. But it has also meant customers griping about clunky technology, workers having to stand around and monitor both humans and machines, and retailers contending with theft. Now, self-checkout faces a reckoning of sorts just as retailers are in the midst of their busiest time of the year. This past fall, Walmart removed self-checkout kiosks in three stores in Albuquerque, New Mexico. To reduce wait times, Target is now limiting the number of items to 10 that shoppers can scan in a handful of stores nationwide.

MENANDS, N.Y. (AP)  Animal shelters around the nation are overcrowded and bursting at the seams, often with larger dogs. Adoptions havent kept pace with the number of animals coming in, creating bottlenecks. Operators believe the influx of more animals is due largely to higher pet care costs and housing issues. And theyre in crisis mode as they try to reduce the kennel crush. Shelter Animals Count, a national database of shelter statistics, estimates that the shelter population grew by nearly a quarter-million animals in 2023. Shelters and advocacy groups are trying to attack the problem at both ends  by reducing intakes and encouraging more adoptions.

The Associated Press

About this program

Host Terry Lipshetz is managing editor of the national newsroom for Lee Enterprises. Besides producing the daily Hot off the Wire news podcast, Terry conducts periodic interviews for this Behind the Headlines program, co-hosts the Streamed & Screened movies and television program and is the producer of Across the Sky, a podcast dedicated to weather and climate.

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Napa County has devised action steps to bring apartments to state-owned land in lower Skyline Wilderness Park and to private land near the southern city of Napa along Foster Road.

Thats part of the countys effort to have an updated housing plan approved by the state. The state Department of Housing and Community Development wanted additions to a plan the county submitted early this year.

California is requiring Napa County to make room for 106 new housing units in unincorporated areas outside of cities by 2031, many for low-income residents. In a county that funnels growth into cities to preserve agriculture, that has proven to be a challenge.

The Napa County Board of Supervisors in January approved three potential sites:

Five acres of state-owned land in Skyline Park along Imola Avenue, for up to 100 units.

Five acres south of the city of Napa along Foster Road, for 100 to 125 units. The county is to work with the city of Napa for eventual annexation of the site into the city.

Ten acres at Spanish Flat at Lake Berryessa for 100 to 125 units.

Napa County gave itself a cushion help to ensure meeting that 106-unit mandate. The state Department of Housing and Community Development wants more, such as timelines.

On Tuesday, the Board of Supervisors approved the latest version of the housing plan for resubmittal to the state.

I know this has been a long process, Supervisor Anne Cottrell said.

Skyline Park is 850 acres owned by the state and leased by the county for a park. The state has said it will remove 5 acres for affordable housing, despite objections from the county.

Given the state's intentions, the county included the 5 acres in its housing plan. The revised plan says the county will approach the state Department of General Services by July to coordinate the development effort. It will encourage the state to begin searching for a developer by June 2026.

The county will work with the city of Napa to provide water and the Napa Sanitation District to provide sewer service to the site. If the city and NapaSan havent agreed by December 2027, the county will find and rezone another rural site for housing.

The Foster Road site has been owned by the Ghisletta family since 1913. Attorney Kevin Teague on behalf of the family wrote to the county supporting the housing plan.

Napa County is to start negotiating with the city of Napa by July on how the city will eventually annex the land. By July 2025, the city is to begin annexation proceedings with the Local Agency Formation Commission of Napa County. If LAFCO doesnt approve annexation by December 2027, the county must find and rezone a replacement site, the revised plan said.

Spanish Flat appeared in past county housing plans, but affordable housing has yet to be built there. State Housing and Community Development wanted to know about possible environmental constraints.

Napa County replied that the Spanish Flat site has some slopes. As a result, the county assumes about 10 housing units will be built per acre, instead of 20.

Bottom line  the state wants homes built, not merely planned for on paper.

Napa Countys updated housing element goes beyond identifying potential, high-density rural home sites. For example, it explains how the county will try to bring more economic and racial diversity to rural areas described as relatively white and high-income.

The county for its 2015-2023 housing cycle passed a 51-page housing update. For the latest, 2023-2031 cycle, it passed a 361-page plan that is 1,025 pages with appendices.

Napa County for 2015-2023 was mandated by the state to plan for 180 new housing units in the unincorporated areas outside of cities. The mandate for the latest eight-year cycle was initially 1,014 homes.

Finding room for 1,014 rural homes proved daunting. The county whittled the number down to 106 homes through agreements with local cities to take most of the mandate, even though they face their own mandates.

Even so, the county struggled to find rural sites for apartments that werent in agricultural or high fire danger areas. Some of the proposed sites met with stiff opposition from neighbors. Even the three sites chosen arent free from controversy.

As a footnote, county Supervisor Ryan Gregory said putting together a plan for the next eight-year cycle will be even more challenging.

Photos: The Tug McGraw Foundation's work in Yountville Tug McGraw Foundation 7 Tug McGraw Foundation 2 Tug McGraw Foundation 3 Tug McGraw Foundation 4 Tug McGraw Foundation 5 Tug McGraw Foundation 6 Tug McGraw Foundation 8 Tug McGraw Foundation 9 Tug McGraw Foundation 1
Welcome to this world famous wine growing region, read the well-known signs posted at either end of the Napa Valley.

Except not every visitor or local has been made to feel so accepted. The Napa Valley Register reported on a number of stories of racism, bigotry and hate speech in 2023. Heres a roundup.

Lizzo speaks out at BottleRock

By many accounts, Lizzo put on one of the most compelling performances of this year's BottleRock Napa Valley festival.

It wasnt all good vibes and music, though, as Lizzo also told fans that she had seen a number of signs posted outside a Silverado Trail home, a short walk from the festival grounds at the Expo, that made her feel unwelcome and upset.

I saw some signs that were very unfriendly towards people like me, the rapper-songwriter told thousands of fans during a song break at her May 27 concert, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. I saw signs talking about how they want to cancel people like me. Silence people like me. Choke people like me  right across the street.

The owner of the Silverado Trail home in question has displayed numerous signs over the years, ranging from CANCEL CANCEL CULTURE, AMERICA LOVE IT OR LEAVE IT, and CHOKE THE WOKE.

This is not the only instance that such signs have garnered attention throughout Napa, with a now-notorious house on Browns Valley Road sporting constant far-right messaging, conspiracy theories and antisemitic rhetoric.

The Register has previously reported that such provocative signs present a challenge to Napa Police and code enforcement officers, as they may be threatening or upsetting to some but cannot be taken down (as long as they comply with city sign size regulations) due to First Amendment protections of free speech.

In a brief phone interview more than two years ago, a man listed by Caller ID as John Paul Raymond  whom public records listed as owner and resident of the home where the signs have been posted  profanely and defiantly stood by his right to post the anti-progressive signs, including the one denigrating woke progressives.

Tough (expletive); if they dont like the wording, grow thicker skin, he said at the time.

As of early December, the CHOKE THE WOKE sign remained on display outside the home.

Discordant notes about Jazz Festival

Trumpeting solos, saxophone breakdowns and hip-hop hymns harmonized with the clink of wine glasses and the hubbub of fans over the last weekend of July, as the Blue Note Jazz Festival took its act to the Napa city area for the first time.

Thousands of spectators flocked to the Silverado Resort and Spa outside the city as the resort played host to Dave Chappelle, Nas, Mary J. Blige, Chance the Rapper and other stars for three days and nights.

At a July 13 meeting of the Napa County Zoning Administration to approve the festivals permits, several speakers criticized the noise and traffic congestion they said would result from the estimated 7,000 to 9,000 spectators arriving at Silverado each day.

One resident, however, asked: Who is going to be escorting those people?  a remark others called racially insensitive in light of the Black artists and fans expected to visit the Jazz Festival.

The event went forward as planned and no signs of protest were evident.

Anti-hate protest goes on wheels

In September, Napan Tracy Mayne decided he was fed up with the messages Donald Snyder posts outside his Browns Valley Road home.

The signs have promoted a variety of antisemitic messages, anti-LGBTQ and other slurs and conspiracy theories about politics, former President Barack Obama, COVID-19 and more.

So Mayne decided to make his own sign  on wheels. He rented a 10-foot U-Haul truck and taped a large poster to the side of it. Hate is not a Napa value," it read.

He then parked the truck in front of Snyders house at 3020 Browns Valley Road.

Mayne said that he rented the truck and made the sign as "one small piece in a larger movement for inclusion and against hate speech in Napa.

Mayne is not the first to object. Many residents and locals have complained over the years about Snyders incendiary messages. This April, locals called the police about an anti-Jewish message posted at Snyders house.

Mayne originally said he planned to rent the truck through the end of October.

Supporters are helping him finance the truck rental. He moves the U-Haul nightly to avoid parking violations. In early December, Mayne said the truck was on hiatus for a few weeks in November, but will return.

Its a small price with many wallets open for support, he said.

In an interview in September, on his doorstep, Snyder himself seemed mostly unbothered by the U-Haul and its painted message.

I dont mind," he said. "He has a right to park there. Its a legal parking spot."

This is America. You have the right to free speech, plain and simple.

Man sentenced in Florida linked to Napa antisemitism

In November, the leader of an online antisemitic group, who has been connected to the spreading of antisemitic flyers in Napa and the Bay Area in 2022, was sentenced to 30 days in jail in south Florida.

The punishment comes after he tossed flyers with anti-Jewish content onto Palm Beach County residents properties, livestreamed it on social media and told police he would continue to toss them, even after he was cited.

Jon Minadeo II, a 40-year-old former Sonoma County resident, is linked to an organization that was named on antisemitic leaflets deposited near Napa Countys main synagogue and elsewhere in Northern California.

On the morning of Feb. 24, 2022, Napa Police received reports of local residents finding more than 100 anti-Jewish screeds, in plastic bags weighted with dry rice. The bags were largely clustered on streets surrounding Congregation Beth Shalom on Elm Street.
Armenia ruling force MP: Without guarantors, peace treaty with Azerbaijan is meaningless document

Saudi Arabia issues $12 billion in bonds

Maersk: Red Sea shipping disruption will hit global economy

Ex-Deputy FM Vahe Gevorgyan replaces Sergey Manassarian as Armenia Ambassador to China

Dollar falls, euro rises in Armenia

Everything said by Azerbaijan president should be taken seriously, Armenia ruling force legislator states

Armenia ruling power MP on signing peace treaty with Azerbaijan without mediators: Very tempting proposal

Armenia will no longer be at war in any period of time, ruling force lawmaker says

Nikol Pashinyan to new PM of France: I will be happy to host you in Armenia on official visit

Iran envoy: What would be violation of Armenias territorial integrity is not acceptable to us

Czech Rep. supplies first batch of mobile diesel generator sets to Armenia nuclear plant

Turkey, Romania, Bulgaria sign memorandum on clearing floating mines in Black Sea

Deputy defense minister on Armenia soldiers non-combat deaths: Such incidents have occurred, still exist today

Ombudsperson on non-combat deaths in Armenia army: State should have proper prevention structures

Armenia Security Council head to attend 4th meeting on Ukraine peace formula

Ecuador security forces arrest 329 people, kill 5 criminals, says head of army Joint Command

Armenia government to help those forcibly displaced from Karabakh to get training, jobs

Moving Yeraskh village steel plant project to Ararat city costs Armenia government 3.5 billion drams

Davit Khudatyan is appointed governor of Armenias Armavir Province

Cigarette smuggling prevented at Georgia borders with Turkey, Armenia, Russia

Newspaper: Ruling force MP speaks on EU's termination of European Peace Facility for Armenia

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Central Bank official: Banking services very accessible for Armenia citizens, businesses

Dollar down, euro up in Armenia

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Greece official on South Caucasus situation: We rule out use of force, aggression

Sargis Khandanyan: Not aware of any arrangements for Armenia-Azerbaijan meeting in January

Armenia lawmaker: Peace treaty can be signed when Azerbaijan accepts our principles

About $70M allocated to programs for persons forcibly displaced from Karabakh to Armenia, minister says

Armenia FM on relations with EU: There is long way to go

Armenia ruling force MP: Azerbaijan statements about bilateral negotiations are just statements

TASS: Germany offers Armenia financial assistance for anti-Russian steps, source says

Gunmen take TV journalists hostage live on air in Ecuador, police manage to free them

ARARATBANK attracts USD 5 million from EFSE to support MSMEs in Armenia

Researchers discover ancient temple ruins thanks to Emperor Constantine's letter to group of Romans

Armenia ex-ruling party: Court once again proved it is submissive tool of current authorities

Armenia, Greece FMs' private conversation kicks off

Volkswagen to equip Golf, Tiguan with artificial intelligence

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Newspaper: Attacks on judges gaining new momentum in Armenia

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin treated for prostate cancer

China recreational area breaks world record as largest temporary ice, snow theme park

Copernicus: World dangerously close to global warming limit

Greece FM arrives in Armenia on official visit

Armenia army officer found dead with gunshot wound

Crime gang leader escapes from Ecuador prison, state of emergency declared in country

Indonesia police rescue 226 dogs sent to slaughter

Lemkin Institute condemns recent attack on Armenian Quarter in East Jerusalem

Armenia economy minister, businessmen discuss major investment programs planned for 2024

Dollar, euro gain value in Armenia

Greece FM to arrive in Armenia Wednesday on official visit

MFA: In 2023 Armenia was elected to all international organizations where it nominated its candidacy

Azerbaijan ambassador to France confirms arrest of Frenchman Martin Ryan, suspected of espionage

Armenia records 2% inflation in 2023

US Senior Advisor for Caucasus Negotiations visiting Yerevan, discusses efforts to bring peace, stability to region

World of Buzz: Son didn't know for 20 years that his father was actually a millionaire

Yerevan to host European Bank for Reconstruction and Development Annual Meeting, Business Forum in May

Russia media report details about Armenian mans murder in Noginsk city

ARARAT Museum Celebrates 100th Anniversary of Sergei Parajanov with "Uninterrupted Flight" Exhibition

Ruben Rubinyan, Louis Bono discuss Armenia-Azerbaijan peace process

Criminal investigation launched, Armenia serviceman detained in case into killing of fellow soldier at combat position

Sergei Parajanov statue unveiled in Yerevan

Protest being stage outside Armenia education ministry

Bloomberg: Researchers find out waters nanoplastics content dangerous for humans

MFA: Matter of Armenia driver's licenses recognition in Russia is on bilateral discussions agenda

Armenia soldier found dead, with gunshot wound, in combat position

Bitcoin exceeds $47,000 for first time since March 2022

China researchers develop electronic skin

PM: Armenia foreign policys highest goal is to ensure country's sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity

Newspaper: Yerevan mayor unaware that Karabakh has been de-Armenianized?

US embassy in Baku: Louis Bono holds regular talks to support Armenia-Azerbaijan peace process

Armenia economy minister to go on business trip to India

Armenia Security Council chief: We have no expectations from CSTO any longer

Armenia Security Council head: Contractual obligations with Russia regarding weapons not fulfilled

Armen Grigoryan. There is agreement that Armenia-Azerbaijan border delimitation commissions will meet in late January

Ararat Mirzoyan and Louis Bono discussed regional security issues

Tourism Committee chair: 50% of tourists arriving in Armenia are from Russia

Quake hits Turkey

One of French spies arrested in Azerbaijan identified

Armenia unemployment rate dropped sharply over last 3 years, economy minister says

Economy minister: US is for first time on list of Armenia's largest trade partners

Pope Francis expresses concern about Armenia-Azerbaijan disagreements

Kanaani: Iran has clear positions regarding situation in South Caucasus

Armenian National Committee member: Heavy equipment removed from Jerusalem Armenian Quarter Cows Garden

Zangezur is crucial route for north-south and east-west directions, Thomas de Waal says

Stratfor: Armenia will probably accept Azerbaijan's demands

de Waal strongly doubts EU, NATO will invest in Armenia army

Armenia Security Council chief meets with OSCE Minsk Group US co-chair

Thomas de Waal: Karabakh de-Armenianization is price of Armenian politicians maximalism, wrong actions as well

de Waal: Armenia-Azerbaijan peace agreement not only about its signing, also about its implementation
Armenia ruling power lawmaker: Today there is no basis for war with Azerbaijan

Armenia ruling force MP: Without guarantors, peace treaty with Azerbaijan is meaningless document

Saudi Arabia issues $12 billion in bonds

Maersk: Red Sea shipping disruption will hit global economy

Ex-Deputy FM Vahe Gevorgyan replaces Sergey Manassarian as Armenia Ambassador to China

Dollar falls, euro rises in Armenia

Everything said by Azerbaijan president should be taken seriously, Armenia ruling force legislator states

Armenia ruling power MP on signing peace treaty with Azerbaijan without mediators: Very tempting proposal

Armenia will no longer be at war in any period of time, ruling force lawmaker says

Nikol Pashinyan to new PM of France: I will be happy to host you in Armenia on official visit

Iran envoy: What would be violation of Armenias territorial integrity is not acceptable to us

Czech Rep. supplies first batch of mobile diesel generator sets to Armenia nuclear plant

Turkey, Romania, Bulgaria sign memorandum on clearing floating mines in Black Sea

Deputy defense minister on Armenia soldiers non-combat deaths: Such incidents have occurred, still exist today

Ombudsperson on non-combat deaths in Armenia army: State should have proper prevention structures

Armenia Security Council head to attend 4th meeting on Ukraine peace formula

Ecuador security forces arrest 329 people, kill 5 criminals, says head of army Joint Command

Armenia government to help those forcibly displaced from Karabakh to get training, jobs

Moving Yeraskh village steel plant project to Ararat city costs Armenia government 3.5 billion drams

Davit Khudatyan is appointed governor of Armenias Armavir Province

Cigarette smuggling prevented at Georgia borders with Turkey, Armenia, Russia

Newspaper: Ruling force MP speaks on EU's termination of European Peace Facility for Armenia

Open-air exhibition on Karabakh being held in Paris (PHOTOS)

Why most people cradle babies in left arm?

Deputy PM Grigoryan chairs meeting of commission coordinating measures to ensure Armenia-EU CEPA implementation

Greece FM statement after Armenia visit: Important to help our ally country on all international platforms

Armenia ruling force legislator: Army is the sector where the more closed and secret, the better

Central Bank governor: I can't say banks in Armenia make super profits

Armenia Security Council chief, Greece FM discuss regional, extra-regional security

Central Bank official: Banking services very accessible for Armenia citizens, businesses

Dollar down, euro up in Armenia

Suren Papikyan, Rory Domm discuss Armenia-EU cooperation prospects (PHOTOS)

Gerapetritis to Pashinyan: Greece government ready to support Armenia in all possible directions

FM: Greece clearly supports preservation of Christian sites in Karabakh

George Gerapetritis: Armenia's prosperity is possible only with Europe

Ararat Mirzoyan: Armenia should be able to make use of Azerbaijan railway

Greece official on South Caucasus situation: We rule out use of force, aggression

Sargis Khandanyan: Not aware of any arrangements for Armenia-Azerbaijan meeting in January

Armenia lawmaker: Peace treaty can be signed when Azerbaijan accepts our principles

About $70M allocated to programs for persons forcibly displaced from Karabakh to Armenia, minister says

Armenia FM on relations with EU: There is long way to go

Armenia ruling force MP: Azerbaijan statements about bilateral negotiations are just statements

TASS: Germany offers Armenia financial assistance for anti-Russian steps, source says

Gunmen take TV journalists hostage live on air in Ecuador, police manage to free them

ARARATBANK attracts USD 5 million from EFSE to support MSMEs in Armenia

Researchers discover ancient temple ruins thanks to Emperor Constantine's letter to group of Romans

Armenia ex-ruling party: Court once again proved it is submissive tool of current authorities

Armenia, Greece FMs' private conversation kicks off

Volkswagen to equip Golf, Tiguan with artificial intelligence

MFA: Armenia established diplomatic relations with 3 more countries in 2023 (VIDEO)

Newspaper: Attacks on judges gaining new momentum in Armenia

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin treated for prostate cancer

China recreational area breaks world record as largest temporary ice, snow theme park

Copernicus: World dangerously close to global warming limit

Greece FM arrives in Armenia on official visit

Armenia army officer found dead with gunshot wound

Crime gang leader escapes from Ecuador prison, state of emergency declared in country

Indonesia police rescue 226 dogs sent to slaughter

Lemkin Institute condemns recent attack on Armenian Quarter in East Jerusalem

Armenia economy minister, businessmen discuss major investment programs planned for 2024

Dollar, euro gain value in Armenia

Greece FM to arrive in Armenia Wednesday on official visit

MFA: In 2023 Armenia was elected to all international organizations where it nominated its candidacy

Azerbaijan ambassador to France confirms arrest of Frenchman Martin Ryan, suspected of espionage

Armenia records 2% inflation in 2023

US Senior Advisor for Caucasus Negotiations visiting Yerevan, discusses efforts to bring peace, stability to region

World of Buzz: Son didn't know for 20 years that his father was actually a millionaire

Yerevan to host European Bank for Reconstruction and Development Annual Meeting, Business Forum in May

Russia media report details about Armenian mans murder in Noginsk city

ARARAT Museum Celebrates 100th Anniversary of Sergei Parajanov with "Uninterrupted Flight" Exhibition

Ruben Rubinyan, Louis Bono discuss Armenia-Azerbaijan peace process

Criminal investigation launched, Armenia serviceman detained in case into killing of fellow soldier at combat position

Sergei Parajanov statue unveiled in Yerevan

Protest being stage outside Armenia education ministry

Bloomberg: Researchers find out waters nanoplastics content dangerous for humans

MFA: Matter of Armenia driver's licenses recognition in Russia is on bilateral discussions agenda

Armenia soldier found dead, with gunshot wound, in combat position

Bitcoin exceeds $47,000 for first time since March 2022

China researchers develop electronic skin

PM: Armenia foreign policys highest goal is to ensure country's sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity
New Delhi [India], December 23: In a cinematic journey veering away from the well-trodden pandemic narratives, director Pratik Moitro takes audiences on a riveting exploration of the underground music scene during the COVID-19 lockdown with his film, "Minus 31: The Nagpur Files."

Released nationwide on July 21, 2023, "Minus 31" made its mark in theaters, earning accolades for its unique narrative. Now, following its theatrical success, the film has made its way onto Amazon Prime Video, captivating audiences with its enthralling tale.

Starring a talented ensemble cast including Rucha Inamdar, Raghubir Yadav, Rajesh Sharma, Kaam Bhaari, Jaya Bhattacharya, Santosh Juvekar, Nisha Dhar, Shivankit Parihar, Ruturaj Wankhede, and Debashish Naha, "Minus 31" delves into a gripping murder mystery set against the backdrop of the underground music world during the pandemic.

Critics have lauded the film for its slow-burn thriller approach, coupled with an unconventional use of hip-hop music throughout. Directed by Pratik Moitro and written by Charulata Maitra, the film is produced by OrangePixel Studios, co-produced by Nisheeta Keni and Karan Konde with Anubhav KR and Kartik Pangare serving as associate producers. Distribution is handled by Dragon Water Films.

Shot by Sulabh Bangale, the film's music is crafted by Udayan Dharmadhikari, while editing is helmed by Abhishek Sharma.

"Minus 31" made its Prime Video debut on December 16, 2023, captivating audiences with its unique storyline and standout performances. The film's exploration of the underground music scene amidst the pandemic promises an engaging and suspenseful viewing experience for audiences worldwide.

(ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by ATK. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same)
BusinessWire India New Delhi [India], December 23: TECNO, a leading global smartphone brand renowned for its commitment to accessible yet stylish innovation, is shining in the design world. The brand has been recognized at the German Design Awards 2024 for two of its standout devices CAMON 20 Premier 5G and TECNO PHANTOM V Flip 5G. It's not just tech; it's a style revolution that's making waves in the design game. The German Design Awards (GDA) is the premium prize of the German Design Council. With its worldwide spectrum and international appeal, it is one of the most prestigious awards in the design landscape across all industries. It's THE prize that makes waves globally and rocks the design scene in every industry. Since 2012, the German Design Awards has been the trendsetter, spotting the coolest design vibes and showing them off to the world. The PHANTOM V Flip 5G just scored big in the design game, winning a Special Mention for Excellent Product Design in the Computer and Communication category. The judges appreciated its out-of-this-world circular outer screen and cosmic vibes. It's basically like having a piece of the universe in your hands--a major win for design awesomeness! "With its elegant and progressive design, TECNO's latest foldable device PHANTOM V Flip 5G from TECNO stands out from the crowd. What is particularly noticeable is the circular display with the camera elements arranged in a ring on the housing lid, which becomes an unmistakable design feature," stated the German Design Award jury. The German Design Award jury commended the CAMON 20 Premier 5G for its exceptional design, "The device design of the model impresses with a fine leather look on the back, complemented by a striking diamond pattern that gives the phones a special aesthetic. A stylish device that stands out." Meanwhile, the CAMON 20 Premier 5G is stealing the spotlight as the Winner of Excellent Product Design in the Computer and Communication category. It's breaking all the rules with its CAMON PUZZLE Deconstructionist Design. Forget the typical minimalist look--this device is a visual puzzle, challenging the boring norms of the tech world. Talk about making waves in style. TECNO's CAMON 20 Premier 5G and the PHANTOM V Flip 5G both embody TECNO's belief in the transformative power of design while keeping innovation intact. This recognition signifies yet another milestone in TECNO's journey to push boundaries in crafting novel form factors. The PHANTOM V Flip 5G takes the foldable user experience to premium heights, while the CAMON 20 Premier 5G caters to style-savvy trendsetters. Being honoured with the prestigious German Design Award 2024 isn't just a win; it's an acknowledgment to TECNO's exceptional fusion of innovation and style, while keeping smartphones accessible for consumers, setting an unparalleled benchmark in the ever-evolving realm of smartphones. (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)
VMPL New Delhi [India], December 23: Zafar Equbal, the visionary founder of Plug N Ride Motors Pvt Ltd, a pioneering force in the electric vehicle sector, proudly introduced its latest innovation, the LoadRunner, at the recent EV EXPO in New Delhi. This 100 per cent indigenous electric two-wheeler is poised to revolutionize last-mile delivery solutions across India. Loaded with features tailored to meet the specific needs of delivery professionals and personal commuters alike, the LoadRunner is envisioned by Plug N Ride Motors as a game-changer in the electric vehicle industry. The company aims to contribute to a cleaner, greener, and more efficient urban mobility ecosystem. Founded in 2018, Plug N Ride Motors Pvt. Ltd. is composed of a highly specialized team with a shared mission of providing professional services across various automotive and technological sectors, all dedicated to ensuring long-term sustainability. The company, after 12 years of extensive research in the electric vehicle domain, has transitioned into the electric two/three-wheeler sector, offering customers a comprehensive package that includes quality, comfort, style, and environmental consciousness. As a pioneer in the Indian electric vehicle market, Plug N Ride Motors has established itself with a diverse product range covering Electric 3W, Electric Cycle, and Electric 2W. The launch of the LoadRunner signifies a significant achievement in the company's commitment to sustainable and efficient urban mobility. The LoadRunner, available in both low-speed and high-speed variants, boasts an impressive 100 km range per charge, addressing the crucial need for reliable last-mile delivery solutions. Zafar Equbal, the Founder and CEO, personally unveiled the product at the EV EXPO and expressed confidence in its ability to meet the actual requirements of end-users, particularly in solving first-mile and last-mile delivery challenges on bikes. Plug N Ride Motors' dedication to sustainability is evident in their emphasis on green energy and environmental preservation. The company is committed to making electric vehicles a widely accepted mode of transportation, promoting a cleaner and eco-friendly lifestyle. The team collaborates closely with clients to deliver top-notch services focusing on sustainability, innovation, and quality. Equbal further explained, "The LoadRunner is designed to meet the evolving needs of delivery aggregators and individuals engaged in both delivery services and personal commuting. This robust vehicle provides a compelling solution for the dynamic requirements of the urban transportation landscape." In summary, Plug N Ride Motors Pvt. Ltd. stands as a versatile consultancy offering cutting-edge business solutions to individuals and organizations in the automotive industry and technological advancement, all with a commitment to ensuring sustainability. Their differentiator lies in an unwavering commitment to sustainability and eco-friendliness. With expertise in electric vehicle design, development, plant setup, homologation, and component sourcing, they are well-prepared to assist clients in realizing their business objectives while contributing to a cleaner and greener future. For more information about the LoadRunner and Plug N Ride Motors, please visit [www.plugnridemotors.com] or contact [info@plugnridemotors.com]. (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by VMPL. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same)
Travis Barker and Kourtney Kardashian on Saturday shared the first picture of their son Rocky Thirteen. The couple welcomed their first child together on November 1 at a Los Angeles hospital. People confirmed the news of the baby boy's birth from sources. Taking to Instagram, Kourtney treated fans with the first glimpse of her son. https://www.instagram.com/p/C1K91u4vGw9/?img_index=1 The couple twinned in black and held their son close in a group photo. Kourtney also shared a picture of her breastfeeding the baby. Sharing the pictures, she wrote, "ROCKY ." With her ex-partner Scott Disick, Kardashian Barker has a daughter, Penelope Scotland, 11, as well as two sons, Reign Aston, 8, and Mason Dash, 13. Barker shares daughter Alabama Luella and son Landon, plus stepdaughter Atiana De La Hoya, with his ex-wife Shanna Moakler. Kardashian and Barker, who married in 2022, announced their pregnancy in June during a sex reveal party. During 'One Life One Chance' with Toby Morse podcast Barker discussed his wife's pregnancy, then seemingly revealing his son's name. When asked if there will be another Transplants album someday, a band that Barker joined in 2002, the famous drummer shared that they were almost going to do a benefit concert but there was an important event that got in the way of the timing, as quoted by People report. "There's a benefit for Hawaii that we were going to do, but it's the week that Rocky's due," Barker said. "Rocky Thirteen Barker," host Toby Morse said as the drummer repeated, "Rocky Thirteen Barker." In a GOAT Talk interview with Complex in July, Barker joked that his upcoming son would be named "Rocky 13" while conversing with his daughter Alabama, as per People report. Barker chose a card for the final question, which asked for the "GOAT baby name?" Alabama responded quickly and explained her preference for high-end watch brands. "Audemars, Milan, f---ing Patek," she giggled to her father. "I like Rocky 13," said Barker. "That's so bad!" Alabama exclaimed. "That's the name that's been running through my head lately," Barker explained. Rocky is the thirteenth grandchild to join the larger Kardashian family, so the number thirteen is significant in his life as well. Khloe Kardashian mentioned it in a TikTok video during the baby shower. (ANI)
Actor Sanya Malhotra, who made her Bollywood debut with 'Dangal, completed seven years in the film industry on Saturday. To mark the occasion, she recollected moments from her journey. Taking to Instagram, Sanya shared clips from her different films in the past seven years. https://www.instagram.com/p/C1L2YHwIUWa/?img_index=9 She first shared a video of her shooting for the song 'Morni' from the film 'Badhaai Do' with Ayushmann Khurrana. Next, she shared a still from 'Dangal', which was used as a poster for the film. The actor shared videos of her shooting for films like 'Meenakshi Sundareshwar', 'Love Hostel', 'Jawan', and 'Patakhaa' among others. Not only that, she also shared BTS of 'Meenakshi Sundareshwar' and 'Pagglait'. Along with the post, she wrote, "Happy 7 years of living my dream Happy Dangal day #7yearsofDangal." As soon as the post was uploaded, fans and industry members chimed in the comment section. Filmmaker Tahira Kashyap dropped heart emojis. One of the users wrote, "An inspiring journey for so many who dream.. Proud of you @sanyamalhotra_ always always rooting for you home girl [?]" In 'Dangal', Sanya essayed the role of wrestler Babita Phogat. Helmed by Nitesh Tiwari 'Dangal' was released in the year 2016. Starring actor Aamir Khan in the lead role, the film was declared a blockbuster hit and is one of the highest-grossing Indian films. The film was based on India's first female wrestlers Geeta Phogat and Babita Kumari and their father Mahaveer Singh Phogat. Meanwhile, Sanya was recently seen in 'Sam Bahadur'. The film is based on the life of India's First Field marshall Sam Manekshaw. Helmed by Meghna Gulzar the film also stars Vicky Kaushal and Fatima Sana Shaikh in the lead roles. 'Sam Bahadur' was released worldwide on December 1. Sanya is all set to come up with her next film 'Mrs'. Recently, the makers unveiled the teaser. Taking to Instagram, Jio Studios handle shared the teaser video. "All set to inspire, move and spark conversations about the challenges & triumphs faced by women globally at the world stage! We are happy to announce our film #Mrs, a captivating story of strength & resilience, will have its World Premiere at #TalinnBlackNightsFilmFestival on 17th November. The powerful narrative has also been selected under the Critics' Pick Competition category at the film festival," said the caption. In the teaser, Sanya is seen juggling between her household chores and patriarchy rules. It is helmed by 'Cargo' fame Arati Kadav and is produced by Harman Baweja. Sanya plays the lead in the film, which also stars Nishant Dahiya and Kanwaljit Singh. The film is the Hindi adaption of the Malayalam drama, 'The Great Indian Kitchen'.The original film tells the story of a newlywed woman, who struggles to be the submissive wife that her husband and his family expect her to be. It stars Suraj Venjaramoodu and Nimisha Sajayan in the lead roles. 'Mrs' had its World Premiere at Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival on November 17. (ANI)
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Friday presided over the ground-breaking ceremony for Aditya Alumina Refinery (HINDALCO) and Apparel Unit to be setup by Utkal Alumina Social Welfare Foundation. While the Alumina Refinery is coming up at Kansariguda, the Apparel complex will be set in Phulujuba village, both in Rayagada district, read a press statement from the Odisha Chief Minister's Office (CMO). Joining the bhumi pujan of both the projects on virtual platform, the Chief Minister said that this is not just an industrial milestone; it's a testament to the untapped potential that lies within our state's natural resources. He said that the project signifies the beginning of a new chapter in our State's industrial landscape. With this, he said, Odisha has once again proved its mettle as a preferable destination for investment in manufacturing. The CM thanked the Aditya Birla Group for choosing Rayagada District for their industrial ventures. He further said that the alumina refinery, with an investment of Rs 8000 Crore, will significantly contribute to our state's economy by adding a substantial 2 million tons per annum of refined alumina from bauxite ore. He expressed happiness for the group is also setting up an apparel manufacturing unit in addition to the alumina refinery in Rayagada. He assured that Team Odisha will ensure the smooth implementation of this project through its 5T initiative. The Chief Minister thanked the people of Rayagada for their support for the industrial projects. He said that both the projects will bring prosperity to Rayagada district and the district will be a bright spot in the industrial map of India. It may be mentioned here that on October 5, an agreement in the form of a Memorandum of Understanding was formalized with Hindalco Industries Limited to establish a long-term linkage for raw materials for the HINDALCO Alumina Refinery at Kanshariguda, Rayagada. Odisha, the pioneering state in the mineral-based industries has further bolstered its economic profile with the establishment of an Alumina Refinery by Hindalco Industries. In addition, Aditya Birla Group has committed to set up an apparel manufacturing unit at Phulujuba village in Rayagada with a capacity to manufacture 36 lakh shirts annually. This facility will create employment opportunities for 3000 local youth. Importantly, this initiative focuses on maximizing the participation of women in the workforce, contributing to the empowerment of Rayagada's local communities. Industries Minister Pratap Dev, ST SC Development Minister Jagannath Saraka and 5T Chairman VK Pandian were present. Koraput MP, and MLAs of Rayagada district were also present. Hindalco MD Satish Pai and many others joined the programme. Industries Principal Secretary Hemant Sharma delivered the welcome address. (ANI)
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma attended the birth centenary celebrations of freedom fighter Kanaklata Barua on Friday at a function organised by the Cultural Affairs Department in association with the Biswanath district administration at Gohpur. Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister Dr. Sarma said that influenced by Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi's slogan 'do or die', Kanaklata Barua plunged into the Quit India Movement in the year 1942 and testified her patriotism. "As a part of undivided Darrang district, the people of Gohpur fought valiantly to weed out the British from India," the Assam Chief Minister said. Referring to the letter written by the brother of Kanaklata Barua to him for celebrating the birth centenary of Kanaklata Barua, the Cultural Affairs Department is given the responsibility to celebrate the occasion in a befitting manner. He said, "As we begin the birth centenary celebrations, may her valour and unquestionable love for Maa Bharti illuminate our path". As a part of the centenary celebrations, besides starting the construction works of the proposed Kanaklata University, preservation of the residence of Kanaklata and a memorial involving a financial outlay of Rs. 30 crore at Borongabari area will be undertaken. The Chief Minister said that the spirited involvement of Kanaklata Barua in the Quit India movement is a testimony that the women of Assam are in no way inferior to others. He said that in the history of Assam, the courage and sacrifice of the women of Assam are deeply embedded. Acknowledging the role of the non-cooperation movement in generating a sense of unity and nationalism among the women, the Chief Minister said that immediately after Mahatma Gandhi had left Assam, women like Himanta Kumari Devi, Nalinibala Devi, Bijuti Phukan, Smrita Bhattacharjee, Krishnamaya Agarwala, Snehalata Devi Barua, and Chandraprabha Saikiani plunged in the movement. Dr. Sarma said that the nation has completed 75 years of its independence. Responding to the call of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the women of Assam largely participated in the Amrit Kalash Yatra, which proves their love and involvement for the country. He said that the country has political security and the need of the hour is economic security which both the central and state governments are actively working for. Earlier, Chief Minister Dr. Sarma paid rich tributes to the statues of Mahatma Gandhi, freedom fighters Mukunda Kakati and Veer Rampati Rajkhowa on the occasion. He also visited the historic Gohpur police station. On the occasion, the Chief Minister also presented an appointment letter to the nephew of Kanaklata Barua Abhijit Barua for a government job in Health and Family Welfare department. He also felicitated the family members of the Kalicharan Barua, Putuli Barua and Rohini Kakati. Moreover, he announced that the government would preserve the house of freedom fighter Kanaklata Barua. Cultural Affairs Minister Bimal Bora, Minister Housing and Urban Affairs Ashok Singhal, MP Pallab Lochan Das, MLAs Utpal Bora, Ranjit Dutta, Promode Borthakur, and host of other dignitaries were present on the occasion. (ANI)
According to sources, CM Sharma moved out of his temporary accommodation -- the guest house of the Electricity Regulatory Commission -- as local residents faced inconveniences due to the frequent movement of his convoy on the Sahakar Marg.

The frequent coming and going of the chief minister's convoy disrupted the flow of traffic in the area, resulting in traffic jams, sources said.

The chief minister temporarily shifted to the Krishnapuri Bhavan OTS campus, sources informed, adding that his official bungalow is ready and he will move into his new residence at 8, Civil Lines, soon.

A first-time BJP MLA from Sanganer, Sharma took the oath as the chief minister of Rajasthan after the BJP swept the desert state, winning 115 seats.

The Congress came a distant second with 69 seats. (ANI)
The first meeting of the newly formed National Alliance Committee of the Congress will be held in the national capital on Saturday. The meeting is scheduled to be held at 11.30 am, party sources informed. Earlier, on Tuesday, the grand old party announced the formation of the new panel to engage like-minded political outfits in discussions for possible alliances going into next year's Lok Sabha elections. The committee has also been mandated to hold discussions with the Congress's partners in the Opposition bloc -- INDIA --as well as other like-minded partners for the allocation of seats for the crucial electoral battle. While the partners in the INDIA bloc came together for their fourth meeting recently, in light of the saffron sweep in the heartland states of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, the potentially prickly issue of seat sharing was left unaddressed. However, two top alliance leaders -- West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her Delhi counterpart Arvind Kejriwal -- proposed Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge as the Bloc's national face opposite Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the next general elections. "In the run-up to the general election 2024, the Congress president has constituted a National Alliance Committee with immediate effect," the Congress said in a statement. The members of the National Alliance Committee include senior party leader Mukul Wasnik, former Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot and former Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel. Former Union Minister Salman Khurshid and senior leader Mohan Prakash are also part of the National Alliance Committee. The fourth meeting of the INDIA bloc concluded in Delhi on December 19 with the passing of the resolution on Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and the suspension of MPs from Parliament. The 28 parties participated in our fourth meeting and kept their thoughts before the committee of the alliance. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge said that a resolution has been passed that the suspension of MPs is undemocratic. Kharge also stated that any decision on the prime ministerial candidate would be made after the elections. INDIA (Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance) parties are seeking to put up a united challenge against the BJP-led NDA in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. The first meeting of the joint opposition convened in Patna on June 23 and the second meeting was held in Bengaluru on July 17-18. The third meeting happened in Mumbai on August 31-September 1. In the Mumbai meeting, the opposition parties adopted resolutions to collectively contest the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections while announcing that seat-sharing arrangements would be finalized as soon as possible in a spirit of give-and-take. (ANI)
Defending his government's decision to withdraw the hijab ban imposed by the previous BJP government, Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge on Saturday said that Siddaramaiah-led Congress government is working as per the law and framework of the Constitution. "Whatever the Karnataka government is doing is as per the law and framework of the Constitution. Any policy that is detrimental to the development of Karnataka will be reviewed and removed if necessary," Karnataka Minister said. On Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah's statement to lift the hijab ban, former Karnataka chief minister BS Yediyurappa termed the step as a "hasty decision to appease the Muslim community". "Nobody demanded Siddaramaiah to withdraw this hijab decision. All the communities are together. To attend the classes, the same uniform is required, this has been decided by the court also... Just to please the Muslim community, Siddaramaiah has taken this hasty decision... I condemn that and he must withdraw the decision immediately... This will not affect the Lok Sabha elections... In the coming Lok Sabha elections, people will teach them a lesson," Yediyurappa said. Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday announced that the state government will withdraw the order banning hijab in schools and colleges in the state. He stated, "the choice of clothes is one's own prerogative". The Chief Minister said he has directed officials to withdraw the order banning hijab, a headscarf wrapped around the head by some Muslim women, brought in by the previous BJP government in 2022. Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge further advised the BJP to look after the issues of his party and said, "The BJP has no work to do; they should set their house in order first." "PM Narendra Modi's sab ka saath-sab ka vikas is bogus. BJP is doing the work of dividing people and dividing society on the basis of clothes, dress, and caste. I have told to withdraw the hijab ban," CM Siddaramaiah posted on X. The previous BJP government in the State had imposed a hijab ban on students in educational institutions. The matter reached the Karnataka High Court which also upheld the ban imposed by the then BJP government. In this regard, Supreme Court had delivered a split verdict leading to the Karnataka High Court being upheld. Further responding on reports of Prime Minister Narendra Modi setting a bigger target than 2019 for 2024 Lok Sabha polls at BJP office bearers' meet, Priyank Kharge said, "BJP-mukt Dakshin Bharat has already happened. Congress has close to 40 pc in the Hindi heartland. It's just a matter of time before we come together to come back to power." (ANI)
According to officials, at least three to four Naxalites are believed to have been shot dead in the ongoing exchange of fire.

The firefight broke out between the outlaws and a joint team of the District Reserve Group (DRG) of Sukma and Dantewada districts and the 2nd and 111th Battalion of the CRPF.

The forces were conducting a routine patrol and search operation in the Gogunda area when they came upon the Naxalites and engaged them in a fierce exchange of fire.

Sukma SP Kiran Chavan and CRPF DIG Arvind Rai said they were keeping close tabs on the still-going encounter and efforts were made to surround injured Naxalites at the scene.

Meanwhile, on Saturday, CM Sai met PM Modi at his Delhi residence and apprised him of the steps being taken by his government to fulfil the promises the latter made to the people ahead of the Assembly elections last month.

The Chhattisgarh CM, during his visit, also met Vice President Dhankhar at the Vice President Dhankhar's at the latter's residence.

He was accompanied by deputy CMs Arun Sao and Vijay Sharma. (ANI)
Keen to shift focus to next year's general elections, BJP president JP Nadda on Saturday arrived at the party headquarters for the national office-bearers' meeting in Delhi. The BJP national chief presided over the deliberations on the opening day of the meeting on Friday. Delivering a keynote address at the meeting on Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called on the party's rank-and-file to focus on the youth, poor, women and farmers. According to party sources, the deliberations at the meeting on the opening day majorly centered around the crucial general elections next year. Addressing the meeting, PM Modi said the party's efforts should be directed towards the welfare of the 'four castes' -- youth, poor, women and farmers. Addressing BJP supporters at the party's national headquarters in Delhi on December 3, after a saffron sweep in the key heartland states of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan, PM Modi said, "In this election, there were efforts to divide the country based on castes. I kept saying that for me, four castes are important -- Nari Shakti, Yuva Shakti, Kisaan aur Gareeb Parivaar." Also, at the meeting on Friday, PM Modi told all the office-bearers to work in mission mode. They were asked to express their views on social media and to share more data related to the Centre's welfare schemes for the poor. They were also asked to counter the Opposition's negative propaganda with facts. BJP general secretary Vinod Tawde put forward the first topic in the meeting -- more work needs to be done at the booth level to increase 10 per cent votes in the Lok Sabha elections. "If our schemes reach the poor, youth, farmers and women in the right way, it will help us find electoral favour. The focus should be on states where the Viksit Bharat Sankalp yatras are being organised. A special campaign should be run to make people understand the difference between the UPA and NDA governments," PM Modi said in his inaugural address at the meeting. (ANI)
CR Patil, G Kishan Reddy, Arun Singh, Tarun Chugh, BD Sharma, Dinesh Sharma, Vasundhara Raje and Tejasvi Surya are among the leaders attending the meeting.

A top party source, privy to the minutes of the meeting, told ANI, "The BJP presidents of 5 states, which polled for their assemblies last month, will give presentations on the party's performances."

Further, according to sources, the consecration of the Ram Mandir, which is scheduled for January 22 next year, will also figure prominently in the discussions.

The BJP's preparations for the grand Ram Temple opening and how the leaders plan to carry forward a public outreach on the same will figure in the discussions.

Later on Saturday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah will deliver a valedictory address at the meeting.

Earlier, on Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the BJP's office-bearer meeting and said that work should be done keeping in mind youth, poor, women and farmers. (ANI)
Special judge Vishal Gogne of Rouse Avenue court on Friday allowed Yadav's plea to travel to Australia and New Zealand on an official visit.

The court has directed him to furnish a deposit of Rs 25 lakh. The purpose of the visit is related to the construction of roads and bridges as part of the Six-lane Ganga Bridge Project, funded by the Asian Development Bank and the State Government of Bihar.

He is to travel to Australia and New Zealand for an official visit from January 6 to 18, 2024.

It was submitted by the counsel for Yadav that he shall be leading a team of four senior government officials and 16 engineers of the Road Construction Department of the State of Bihar.

The court has allowed him to renew his passport for one year.

However, the counsel prayed that the passport be permitted to be renewed for the full tenure of 10 years, as Yadav is required to undertake frequent visits to various countries and inconvenience is caused by the short-term renewal of the passport. (ANI)
In 2023, the Ministry of Ayush (MoA) marked a significant milestone by reaffirming its vision and objectives on national and international levels. This year also saw the global dissemination and acceptance of Indian traditional medicine culture. Ayush has advanced to a new degree of international recognition and left several permanent footprints of success. "Ministry of Ayush's first "Chintan Shivir" (February 27-28) was organised by Minister of Ayush at Kaziranga National Park, Assam and well attended by Ayush fraternity, Ministry officials, experts and other stakeholders of Ayush sector, saw deliberation on digital health and technology in Ayush, future initiatives, strategy, challenges and the way forward, Ayush education, capacity building, employment generation and NEP," Ministry of Ayush said in a press release. During India's Presidency 2023 of G20, the Ministry of Ayush actively participated in various activities throughout the year in different G20 group platforms, taking a whole government approach. It paved the way for the recognition and potential of scientific, evidence-based Traditional Medicine Systems in holistic health care as envisioned in SDG 3 for Universal Health Coverage across G20 Nations. The first Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Conference & Expo (March 2-5) on Traditional Medicine, organized in Guwahati, Assam saw an incremental trade interest generation of over Rs 590 crores. "Under the aegis of the Ministry of Ayush, Invest India conducted B2B meetings at the event with the support of Ayushexcil (Ayush Export Promotion Council). More than 56 exhibitors and buyers from 19 countries discussed and expressed their interest in trade in traditional medicine. More than 50 one-to-one meetings between buyers and sellers were conducted during the conference," the Ministry further said. On June 21, the 9th edition of International Day of Yoga 2023 was successfully celebrated on a much larger scale and witnessed new initiatives. The main National event at Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh saw the enthusiastic participation of more than 15,000 people, who participated in the Common Yoga Protocol (CYP) demonstration in the presence of Vice President of India, Jagdeep Dhankhar. Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the nation through a video message and said that "India's culture and social structure, its spirituality and ideals, and its philosophy and vision have always nurtured traditions that unite, adopt and embrace." The first ever Global Summit on Traditional Medicine (August 17-18) was organised by the World Health Organisation, and co-hosted by the Ministry of Ayush, in Gandhinagar, Gujarat. The main outcomes of the global summit were released by the World Health Organisation in the form of the Gujarat Declaration. "In the summit, WHO also shared the initial findings of the global survey on Traditional Medicine that indicates that the reach of Traditional Medicine is on the rise across the globe.'Gujarat Declaration' emphasised that the importance of Traditional Medicine is recognised for the attainment of universal health coverage and WHO's commitment to work toward it through evidence generation and policy support to member states," the Ministry stated. The Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS) which works under the Ministry of Ayush, issued its 7th volume of research journal in April 2023. The research study clearly outlined the impact of "Mann Ki Baat" on various Ayush sectors and demonstrated that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's mention of Ayush impacted Ayush sectors significantly. Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, secretary, Ministry of Ayush in his research paper published in the journal on the impact study of the Prime Minister's Mann Ki Baat programme stated that out of 100 episodes of 'Mann Ki Baat' the Prime Minister has mentioned 'Ayush' in 37 episodes. Ayurveda Day celebration on November 10 is a testament to the ever-spreading and effective reach of Ayurveda across the globe as more than 100 countries celebrated Ayurveda Day in one form or another. The events organised pan India, along with the main event organised in Panchkula, Haryana saw massive participation and generated a lot of enthusiasm among the masses. The Ministry of Ayush signed the Project Collaboration Agreement with WHO in the realm of traditional & complimentary medicine in the presence of Indra Mani Pandey (Permanent Representative of India to the UN), Dr Bruce Aylward (Assistant Director-General of the Universal Health Coverage and Life Course Division of WHO), Dr Rudi Eggers, Dr Kim Sungchol. As announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in GAIIS 2022, the Ministry of Home Affairs notified Ayush Visa (category AY) for foreign nationals for treatment under Ayush System/Indian System of Medicines. The introduction of Ayush Visa introduces a special visa scheme for foreigners visiting India seeking treatment under the Indian system of Medicines like therapeutic care, wellness, yoga etc. Ayush Visa will boost medical value travel and is intended to promote India as a medical value travel destination. The flagship programme of the National Ayush Mission witnessed far-reaching impact in terms of Ayush health care services and the first 10 months of the year 2023 saw 6.91 crore people getting benefits through Ayush Health and Wellness centres. To further strengthen the services, the Ministry of Ayush organised regional review meetings across the six zones pan India. Ministry of Ayush contributed significantly to accelerating the pace of socio-economic development of the North-east region through its various schemes, infrastructure development, & various summits and conferences, Ayush Parv and Expo etc. "On 11 February 2023, Unani Day was celebrated at Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi. In the presence of Union Minister Ayush Sarbananda Sonowal a Mobile App developed by CCRUM on 'Common Remedies in Unani Medicine' was launched. The Minister also inaugurated an international conference on Unani medicine to commemorate Unani Day. An international conference souvenir on various publications of the Central Council for Research in Unani Medicine (CCRUM) online journal was released," the Ministry added. On April 10, 2023, a one-day Scientific Convention was organized by the Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy under the Ministry of Ayush to celebrate the occasion of World Homoeopathy Day in New Delhi. The theme of the convention was "Homoeo Parivar - Sarvajan Swasthya, One Health, One Family". (ANI)
Led by the party's district president V V Rajesh, the workers released black balloons in the air and chanted slogans against the Kerala government.

Meanwhile, the police used water cannon to disperse the crowd.

'Saraswati Mandapam', which is commonly used for cultural programmes, has been picked by the Kerala government as the organising committee office for 'Nava Kerala Sadasu', which is the outreach programme of the government, where the chief minister and ministers will be travelling through all assembly constituencies of the state.

The programme is scheduled to be held today at the Saraswati Mandapam. (ANI)
Jammu and Kashmir administration announced compensation and jobs to the families of three civilians who were found dead near the site of an anti-terrorist operation in Poonch district. As per the JK government, "After the deaths of three civilians were reported yesterday in Baffliaz, Poonch district, the medico-legal formalities were conducted and legal action in this matter has been initiated by the appropriate authority." The government also announced compensation and jobs to the next of kin of each deceased. Meanwhile, security personnel have been deployed in the Bafliaz area of Poonch district as a search operation is underway to nab terrorists in the forest area of Dera ki Gali in the Rajouri sector following the killing of four army soldiers by terrorists on Thursday. Pakistan is trying to revive terrorism in the Rajouri-Poonch sector of Jammu and Kashmir as around 25-30 Pakistani terrorists are suspected to be hiding in the forest areas of the region, defence sources said on Friday. The sources said the plan to revive terrorist activities in the area is part of a greater game plan by Pakistan and China to pressurise the Indian Army to remove troops from the Ladakh sector and redeploy forces in this area. "There is a larger game plan by the Pakistan-China nexus to not allow India to ease out of the Jammu and Kashmir sector and deploy troops on the China border, especially in the Ladakh sector, where the PLA and Indian forces have been in a standoff for the last three years now," they said. India moved the Uniform Force of Rashtriya Rifles from the Poonch sector to Ladakh to counter Chinese aggression in 2020 as part of rebalancing and putting pressure on the PLA to match Indian strength. Over the last few years since the Uniform Force left for Ladakh operations, Pakistan has started sending its terrorists from Pakistan to the area to carry out attacks against Indian troops in an attempt to force India to redeploy its own troops in the area. The Indian Army had recently moved in one more brigade to counter terrorist activities and has achieved success in the area. Earlier on Thursday evening, four Army personnel were killed while three others were injured in the forest area of Dera ki Gali in the Rajouri district after two Army vehicles were ambushed by heavily armed terrorists. The terrorists ambushed two Army vehicles carrying troops in Thanamandi, Rajouri. (ANI)
Karnataka Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has hit out at the Congress government of the state over its decision to withdraw the hijab ban imposed by the previous BJP government, accusing Chief Minister Siddaramaiah of indulging in 'appeasement politics'. Speaking to ANI, Karnataka BJP president BY Vijayendra said that the chief minister could have at least spared education institutions from the dirty politics. "Yesterday's statement of Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah regarding the hijab issue is really unfortunate. It is very unfortunate that Siddaramaiah has said that he will allow hijab in educational institutions. The chief minister could have at least spared education institutions from the dirty politics," he said. The Karnataka BJP Chief further claimed that no children from the minority or Muslim community have demanded hijab. "No children from the minority or Muslim community have demanded hijab, but the CM claims that he will allow hijab in the schools and education institutions, it clearly shows the intent of the CM. It is just appeasement politics, and it is purely divide and rule practice followed by the congress party. We strongly condemn the move..." BY Vijayendra added. Siddaramaiah on Friday announced that his government will withdraw the ban order on the Hijab imposed by BJP and said that no politics should be done on what people prefer to wear and eat. He further said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's idea of Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas is 'bogus'. "PM Narendra Modi's sab ka saath-sab ka vikas is bogus. BJP is doing the work of dividing people and dividing society on the basis of clothes, dress, and caste. I have told you to withdraw the hijab ban," CM Siddaramaiah posted on X. The Hijab row in the state erupted in January 2022 when the Government PU College in Udupi allegedly barred six girls wearing the hijab from entering. Following this, the girls protested outside the college over being denied entry. Earlier last month, the Karnataka Examination Authority (KEA) restricted all forms of head cover in the exam hall during recruitment exams for various boards and corporations to avoid malpractice. Though the dress code does not explicitly ban hijab, it is implied by the new guidelines. The order said that this is part of the effort to stop exam malpractices using Bluetooth devices. (ANI)
After the Swaminarayan temple in Newark, California was defaced by suspected pro-Khalistan activists, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad National Spokesperson, Vinod Bansal, said on Saturday that it is important to put an end to the anti-India agenda wherever it is going on in any corner of the world and American government should ensure strict action against culprits in the temple incident. "The way the anti-nationals and anti-Indians have tried to attack the Swami Narayan temple of America by defacing the wall of the temple is condemnable and worrying. The American government should seriously investigate this matter and ensure strict action against all such criminals who are involved in anti-India agenda and who are engaged in nurturing terrorists," said VHP spokesperson Vinod Bansal. "No person in the world will accept calling the terrorists right and then talking about humanity. We have to come out of this mentality and it is very important to put a complete end to the anti-India agenda wherever it is going on in any corner of the world," he added. Sadhu Nirlep Swaroopdas from Swaminarayan Mandir Vasna Sanstha (SMVS), speaking on the incident called it a sad activity. "Our temple, situated at Newark, California was targeted by some Khalistani supporters and they wrote some sentences against India and against Prime Minister Narendra Modi which is a sad activity. They have targeted our nation, our country and our culture by targeting this temple so we have raised this issue with the local authority, local mayor, and local city manager," said Swami Nirlep. "The city manager and head of the police department of that area visited the temple site yesterday and saw the situation. They have taken this issue very seriously, and they have assured us that they will look into this matter and try that this kind of incident does not happen in the future," he added. He further said that people from the Indian communities -- some Hindu American associations, some Hindu organizations, some temples and Gurudwaras -- also stood with us yesterday giving us the message that they are with us and our organization in this incident. "This kind of incident is really sad but it cannot divide us, rather this will unite us and yesterday we saw that both Americans and Indians stood together," he said. The Kothari saint of Vadtal Swaminarayan Temple in the Kheda district of Gujarat, Dr Ballabhadas Swami while reacting to the incident said, "The attack on the temple is not just on the temple but an attack on the culture of India as a whole as India is gaining all the recognition as a nation." "I would sincerely request the Indian Government and the American Government that this type of religious freedom should not be allowed to anyone and such incidents should not happen. Everyone should live life with respect," he added. Suspected pro-Khalistan activists allegedly defaced the Swaminarayan temple in Newark, California, police said, adding that the incident came to light on Friday (local time). The exterior wall of the Hindu temple was defaced with anti-India graffiti. The Newark Police Service has started an investigation into the vandalism. The police official said to piece together the chain of events leading to the act of defacement, the footage from surveillance cameras in the neighbouring residences was being looked into. (ANI)
The Assam Health Department has directed all hospitals in the state to make arrangements to fight against COVID after the detection of many cases of the new COVID subvariant JN.1. Assam Health Minister Keshab Mahanta told ANI that "we are fully prepared to fight against COVID. We have directed all hospitals to make preparedness and arrangements to fight against COVID." "After the meeting with the Union Health Minister, we alerted all hospitals. We have completed the preparations for the treatment of the COVID patient. Now we are 100 per cent prepared to fight COVID. One patient who came from abroad was detected as COVID-positive. Our government has given all support to the patient free of charge, and we have put the patient under observation," Keshab Mahanta said. The Assam Health Minister further said that a sufficient number of ICUs, doctors, and testing kits are available in the hospitals of the state. "We are fully prepared to fight with COVID," Keshab Mahanta said. A multifold spurt in fresh COVID cases was noted in India over the past 24 hours, with Kerala contributing the majority of those. A total of 423 cases were reported, of which 266 were from Kerala and 70 from neighbouring Karnataka, Union health ministry data showed. Two deaths were reported in Kerala. The total number of active cases of COVID-19 in the country was recorded at 3,420. Meanwhile, amid rising concerns over the emergence of the new variant of the coronavirus, former World Health Organisation (WHO) chief scientist Dr Soumya Swaminathan asserted that there is no need to panic currently as it is a variant of interest and not of concern. However, she urged people to be cautious by taking proper precautionary measures. Speaking exclusively to ANI, Dr Soumya Swaminathan, former DG of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), said, "We need to be cautious, but we don't need to worry because we don't have any data to suggest that this variant JN.1 is more severe or it's going to cause more pneumonia, more death." The World Health Organisation (WHO) recently classified JN.1 as a variant of interest, distinct from its parent lineage, BA.2.86. However, the global health body emphasised that the overall risk posed by JN.1 remains low based on current evidence. The number of new COVID cases increased by 52 per cent during the past four-odd weeks, the WHO said, with over 850 000 new cases reported during the period. The number of new deaths decreased by 8 per cent as compared to the previous 28-day period, with over 3,000 new fatalities reported, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said in its latest press release. As of December 17, over 772 million confirmed cases and nearly seven million deaths have been reported globally since the onset of COVID-19, the WHO noted. Further, the WHO said over 118,000 new COVID-19 hospitalisations and over 1600 new intensive care unit (ICU) admissions have been recorded, with an overall increase of 23 per cent and 51 per cent, respectively, globally. Due to its rapidly increasing spread, WHO is classifying the variant JN.1 as a separate variant of interest (VOI) from the parent lineage BA.2.86. It was previously classified as VOI as part of BA.2.86 sublineages. Based on the available evidence, the additional global public health risk posed by JN.1 is currently evaluated as low. Despite this, with the onset of winter in the Northern Hemisphere, JN.1 could increase the burden of respiratory infections in many countries. The WHO had earlier said it was continuously monitoring the evidence and would update the JN.1 risk evaluation as needed. Current vaccines continue to protect against severe disease and death from JN.1 and other circulating variants of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, it noted. COVID-19 is not the only respiratory disease circulating. Influenza, RSV, and common childhood pneumonia are also on the rise. The WHO advises people to take measures to prevent infections and severe disease using all available tools. These include wearing a mask when in crowded, enclosed, or poorly ventilated areas, keeping a safe distance from others, practicing respiratory etiquette (covering coughs and sneezes), cleaning hands regularly, and getting tested if one has any symptoms or if you might have been exposed to someone with COVID-19 or influenza. (ANI)
On the reports that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's instructed the national leaders of the BJP to target securing more than 50 percent of votes in the 2024 general elections, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut expressed the view that achieving this objective is possible, provided Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) are in use. "If EVM is there then everything is possible. They have a lot of confidence in EVM but we do not. We have said in the INDIA meeting in Delhi that even if the voting is being conducted through EVMs, the VVPAT (Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail), the slip that comes out of EVM should come in our hands and we will put that in the box," said Sanjay Raut reacting to PM Modi's statement. He emphasized the demand for a complete counting of VVPATs, asserting that the BJP would not agree to ballot papers due to the potential for their defeat. "Our demand is a hundred per cent counting of VVPATs as BJP will not agree to the ballot paper because they will lose. There are no EVMs in the whole world. You (BJP) consider yourself a great power, the countries that consider themselves a great power like China, America and Russia do not have electronic voting machines there. I want to tell PM Modi that if you believe in that level, then like those countries, hold the elections on the ballot here too and we challenge that not just 300 seats but we will go beyond 500," he added. During the press conference, Raut also responded to Union Minister Pralhad Joshi's remarks regarding the suspension of opposition MPs. He argued that the opposition's role is to question the government, and if answers are not provided, disturbance is a democratic right. "Prahlad Joshi has been in the opposition when BJP was not in power and he should have knowledge about how the work of the House is done, especially about the opposition. I think he would have this knowledge and that is why he has been made the Parliament Affairs Minister. The job of the opposition is to ask questions to the government, this is what parliamentary democracy is. If you do not want to answer our questions, we will stand by, we will disturb you and this right is given to us by democracy," said Sanjay Raut. "I have worked with Sushma Swaraj when she was leader of the opposition, I have worked with Arun Jaitley and with multiple leaders in the Rajya Sabha and their way of working was also the same so I don't know which definition of Parliamentary democracy Prahlad Joshi carrying with him," he added. Raut highlighted that asking Union Home Minister Amit Shah about the security breach in Parliament is a valid inquiry related to national security. "There is nothing wrong if our MPs and Congress leaders had asked Amit Shah to answer in the Parliament how people entered the parliament building in such a way, this is a matter of national security," said Sanjay Raut. In the meeting on Friday, PM Modi told all the officials to work in mission mode. The officials were asked to express their views on social media and to share more data related to the Central Government's welfare schemes for poor through social media. Give positive answers according to the facts of negative propaganda by opposition parties.BJP General Secretary Vinod Tawde put forward the first topic in the meeting: that work has to be done at the booth level to increase 10% votes in the Lok Sabha elections.Speaking on this, the Prime Minister said that if our schemes reach the poor, youth, farmers and women in the right way, it will help us. The focus should be on the states where the Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra is being organised. A special campaign should be run to make people understand the difference between the UPA government and the NDA government.To increase votes in favour of the BJP, focus should be on booth management, added Prime Minister Modi. He further claimed that the Home Minister gives statements about the security breach outside but he is unwilling to talk about it in Parliament. Earlier on Friday, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi launched a scathing attack on the opposition leaders over the suspension of MPs from both Houses of Parliament and said that they themselves said to suspend them. "They themselves came and said to suspend them. Congress Party has such a low-level strategy," said Pralhad Joshi. 100 MPs were suspended from Lok Sabha, and another 46 from Rajya Sabha for unruly behaviour, disrupting proceedings by showing placards and raising slogans over the breach issue. The security breach happened on the anniversary of the 2001 Parliament terror attack. Two people--Sagar Sharma and Manoranjan D--jumped into the Lok Sabha chamber from the public gallery during Zero Hour, released yellow gas from canisters and shouted anti-establishment slogans before being overpowered by the MPs. Outside it, in another incident, two protestors -- Neelam (42) and Amol (25) -- protested outside the Parliament with similar gas canisters. (ANI)
The Indian Army said on Saturday that it is conducting an inquiry into the deaths of three civilians in the Poonch-Rajouri sector, where militants launched an attack on army personnel on December 21, killing four soldiers. The matter is under investigation, said the Indian Army in a post on social media. Taking to X, the Indian Army posted, "Search operations by the security forces are continuing in the area of operations after the incident of December 21. Reports have been received regarding three civilian deaths in the area. The matter is under investigation." "The Indian Army stands committed to extending full support and cooperation in the conduct of investigations," the army posted on X. Earlier in the day, the Jammu and Kashmir administration announced compensation and jobs to the families of three civilians who were found dead near the site of an anti-terrorist operation in Poonch district. As per the JK government, "After the deaths of three civilians were reported yesterday in Baffliaz, Poonch district, the medico-legal formalities were conducted and legal action in this matter has been initiated by the appropriate authority." The government also announced compensation and jobs for the next of kin of each deceased. Earlier on Thursday evening, four Army personnel were killed while three others were injured in the forest area of Dera ki Gali in the Rajouri district after two Army vehicles were ambushed by heavily armed terrorists. The terrorists ambushed two Army vehicles carrying troops in Thanamandi, Rajouri. (ANI)
BJP MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal on Saturday slammed Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah for his decision to withdraw the hijab ban imposed by the previous BJP government, accusing him of indulging in appeasement politics. "Siddaramaiah is appeasing the Muslim community. He is behaving as if only Muslims vote for them, finally, they will only get the vote of Muslims; no other Hindu in the country will vote for them," Basanagouda Patil Yatnal said, reacting to the statement of Siddaramaiah on hijab He called Siddaramaiah the "second version of Tipu Sultan," the 18th-century ruler of the Kingdom of Mysore. Siddaramaiah announced on Friday that his government will withdraw the ban order on the hijab imposed by the BJP and said that no politics should be done about what people prefer to wear and eat. He further said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's idea of Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas is 'bogus'."PM Narendra Modi's sab ka saath-sab ka vikas is bogus. The BJP is doing the work of dividing people and dividing society on the basis of clothes, dress, and caste. I have told you to withdraw the hijab ban," CM Siddaramaiah posted on X. Karnataka Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has hit out at the Congress government of the state over its decision to withdraw the hijab ban imposed by the previous BJP government, accusing Chief Minister Siddaramaiah of indulging in 'appeasement politics'. Speaking to ANI, Karnataka BJP president BY Vijayendra said that the chief minister could have at least spared education institutions from the dirty politics. "Yesterday's statement of Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah regarding the hijab issue is really unfortunate. It is very unfortunate that Siddaramaiah has said that he will allow hijab in educational institutions. The chief minister could have at least spared education institutions from the dirty politics," he said. The Karnataka BJP Chief further claimed that no children from the minority or Muslim community have demanded hijab. "No children from the minority or Muslim community have demanded hijab, but the CM claims that he will allow hijab in the schools and education institutions; it clearly shows the intent of the CM. It is just appeasement politics, and it is purely a divide-and-rule practice followed by the Congress party. We strongly condemn the move." BY Vijayendra added. (ANI)
TEHRAN, Dec. 23 (Xinhua) -- Iran and Azerbaijan have agreed to open a new transit passage at their shared border in the near future, Iran's official news agency IRNA reported Friday.

In a phone call with Azerbaijani Deputy Prime Minister Shahin Mustafayev, Iranian Minister of Roads and Urban Development Mehrdad Bazrpash discussed the latest developments in bilateral relations, especially in the economic, transportation and energy sectors, the report said.

The two sides said they would attend the transit passage's inauguration ceremony at the Astara border crossing in northern Iran, IRNA added, without specifying the date.

The Azerbaijani deputy prime minister said rail transportation of commodities between the two countries grew by 47 percent year-on-year in 2023, surpassing more than 700,000 tons for the time.

Mustafayev added that transportation between the two countries rose by 40 percent from last year.

According to IRNA, the two sides also stressed the need to accelerate finalizing joint projects, including building dams. 
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai and Deputy Chief Ministers of the state Vijay Sharma and Arun Sao paid a courtesy call to President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan on Saturday. They also met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other Union ministers holding key portfolios. The Union Ministers that the Chhattisgarh CM and his deputies met included Home Minister Amit Shah, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, and Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw. After meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Vishnu Deo Sai said that for the last 5 years, development has stalled in Chhattisgarh. "We have come here for the first time after taking the oath...We have met Prime Minister Modi, Vice President, Home Minister...Everyone has guided us. Development work has stalled in Chhattisgarh for the last 5 years but now a double-engine government has been formed. The public has made the BJP victorious and now all the stalled development works will be completed rapidly," the Chief Minister said. Vishnu Deo also wrote on X, "Today in New Delhi, after paying a courtesy visit to the illustrious Prime Minister of the country, respected Narendra Modi ji, there was a detailed discussion regarding various public welfare schemes related to the development, progress and public interest of Chhattisgarh and received his guidance.""Under the guidance of the Prime Minister, the double-engine government of BJP will establish new dimensions of service, good governance, public welfare and development in the state," he added. Meanwhile, CM Sai, along with the Deputy Chief Ministers, also met Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar. "Today, a courtesy meeting was held with Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar at the Vice President's residence in New Delhi. His excellent ideas and knowledge of the constitutional process are certainly impressive," the Chief Minister posted on X. Vishnu Sai took the oath of office at Science College Ground in Chhattisgarh's Raipur on December 13. Vishnu Deo won four consecutive Lok Sabha elections from the Raigarh constituency from 1999 to 2014. (ANI)
A massive fire broke out at a nine-storey building, which also housed a hospital, in the Gudimalkapur area of Telangana's Hyderabad, said an official. However, no casualties were reported, added the official. "We received a fire call at around 5:50 p.m. Five fire tenders were rushed to the spot and the fire has been brought under control. Meanwhile, patients who were admitted to the hospital were shifted to another hospital. There are no reports of casualties," said GV Narayana Rao, Additional Director of Telangana State Disaster Response and Fire Services. "The LED hoarding installed on top of the building caught fire," he added. (ANI)
President Droupadi Murmu, Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, visited Pokhran on Saturday and interacted with the troops of the Desert Corps serving in the Jaisalmer Sector of Rajasthan. "The President was received by Lieutenant General AK Singh, General Officer Commanding in Chief, Southern Command. Kalraj Mishra and the Governor of Rajasthan were also present during the occasion, besides other civil and military dignitaries," as per a press release from President Murmu's office. The president witnessed a Firepower Exercise, which involved intricate drills of fire and manoeuvre by various weapon platforms, including new-generation weapon systems. She received a first-hand experience of the prowess and battle-worthiness of the mighty Arjun tank while negotiating the desert terrain riding the tank. "While interacting with the Indian Army personnel, she acknowledged their courage and sacrifices and also conveyed her appreciation for their contribution towards the service of the Nation. She commended all ranks of the Indian Army for their commitment and maintaining the highest standards of preparedness at all times," the release stated. Later, the President, along with Rajasthan CM Bhajan Lal Sharma, attended the Lakhpati Didi Sammelan in Jaisalmer. "Speaking on the occasion, the President said that she was happy to address this conference as the self-help groups are contributing significantly to making deprived and backward sections of society, especially women, self-reliant. She stated that we have taken a pledge to make India a developed nation when our country celebrates the centenary of independence. To achieve this goal, it is very important to be self-reliant. But it will be possible only when every woman of the country is self-reliant and empowered," as per a press release from the Rashtrapati Bhavan. "The President said that women empowerment and equal participation of women in the workforce contribute significantly to social and economic progress. No country can move forward by ignoring 50 per cent of its population. Important international studies and estimates highlighted that India's GDP could increase significantly if participation of women were equal to that of men in the workforce," the release stated. (ANI)
In a fresh letter written to Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, Rajya Sabha Chairperson Jagdeep Dhankhar on Saturday said that the disruptions during the winter session of Parliament which led to the suspension of 146 MPs were "deliberate and strategized". In his letter to Kharge, Dhankhar said that the latter "painfully" had to suffer in the House the Congress leader's stance 'rejecting' his offer for interaction in the Chamber. "I wish your assertion in your December 22, 2023 communication 'we firmly believe in fostering dialogue and discussion- was reflected in actions. During the entire session, despite my repeated requests in the House and by way of written communications to secure your indulgence for interaction, the same did not fructify," Dhankhar said. Dhankhar also said that the Congress leader's refusal to meet him during the Winter session of Parliament was not in sync with parliamentary practices. "Painfully I had to suffer in the House your stance 'rejecting' my offer for interaction in Chamber. On reflection you will agree that avoidance of interaction with the Chairman and rebuff to such request on the floor of the House by the Leader of the Opposition is unwholesomely unprecedented and certainly is not in sync with the well-established parliamentary practice of which you are a veteran," Dhankhar said. In his letter to Kharge, who is the leader of the opposition in the House, Dhankhar wrote, "We need to move ahead" and invited him for an interaction on December 25 "or a time of your convenience" at his official residence. The letter by the Rajya Sabha Chairman came a day after the Congress President wrote to him, saying that the Opposition parties were prepared to engage in a meaningful discussion on the issue of security breach which neither was admitted nor was he, as the Leader of the Opposition, or any other Member of the Opposition parties permitted to speak on the floor of the House, even for a minute or two. "At the outset, I would like to state that as a committed opposition, we firmly believe in fostering dialogue and discussion, which are fundamental pillars of any parliamentary democracy. I would like to bring to your attention that multiple notices were submitted under the relevant rules of the Rules and Procedure of the Council of States (Rajya Sabha) to address the pressing issue of the breach of Parliament security," Kharge said in his letter written to Dhankhar on Friday. However, Dhankhar today said that the premise of suspensions, contrary to Kharge's stance was deliberate disorder in the House by way of sloganeering, raising placards, entering the well of the House and gesticulating towards the Chair," he added. He also said that before taking the unpleasant step, all efforts and initiatives were exhausted at his end to secure order in the House, including by way of brief adjournments and seeking interactions in the Chairman's Chamber. "The disorder was deliberate and strategised. I do not seek to embarrass you by indicating the predetermined role of the main opposition party in this communication, but will share with you when I have the benefit of interaction with you. You would recollect, I took similar recourse even when one of your members video-graphed proceedings of the House by sharing sensitive aspects of that episode with you in my Chamber," he added. Dhankhar also said that weaponising disruption and disturbance as a political strategy is no less than sacrileging the temple of democracy. Kharge, in his letter written a day before, said he hoped that Dhankhar would accommodate the Opposition's concerns and uphold the basic principle of parliamentary democracy, according to sources. "The Government will have its way, but the Opposition must have its say in letter and spirit," Kharge wrote. On the suspension of MPs, Kharge on Friday wrote to Dhankhar that "this... on such a large scale was detrimental to the core principles of India's parliamentary democracy". "Witnessing the suspension of members was painful, agonising, frustrating and disheartening," Kharge said, adding that he was "firmly in favour of dialogue and discussion". He, however, pointed out that the Opposition's demand for a discussion on the Parliament security breach would not be entertained, and neither he nor any other member of the Opposition was allowed to speak on the matter in the House. "I would like to state that, as a committed Opposition, we firmly believe in fostering dialogue and discussion which are fundamental pillars of any parliamentary democracy," wrote Kharge. Notably, a total of 146 MPs--100 from Lok Sabha and 46 from Rajya Sabha--were suspended in the Winter session for creating a ruckus and disrupting proceedings in both Houses, for demanding a statement from Union Minister Amit Shah about the Parliament security breach incident. (ANI)
The staff participated in the celebration with excitement. The hospital's entire corner was decked out with a Christmas tree, Santa Claus, and other decorative items.

Visuals show the hospital staff singing Christmas carols and a staff member dressed up as Santa distributing chocolates to them.

Considering the injured or hospitalised patients who may not be able to participate in the festivities, the staff of the hospital decided to bring some joy by celebrating the festival with the patients.

Meanwhile, the nursing team at AMRI hospital in Kolkata's Dhakuria also celebrated Christmas and sang carols to join in the festive fervour.

The festival celebration is just around the corner. Images and videos from around the country reveal that people are thrilled about the celebration.

Christmas is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, commemorated on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration by billions of people worldwide.

Recently, for this festivity, Tricity Churches' association has organised an advance Christmas celebration in Chandigarh.

A massive procession was taken out, accompanied by the sound of drums and other musical instruments. The Christian community enjoyed being a part of it and exhibiting their enthusiasm and devotion.

Many, but not all, countries observe Christmas as a holiday. During the weeks leading up to Christmas, many homes have Christmas trees and other decorations.

Some workplaces host Christmas parties before December 25. Exchanging gifts, singing Christmas carols, and attending parties are all festive activities.

Christmas cards are also presented or mailed out before the festival. (ANI)
Sparking a series of discussions, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announced in a public meeting that his government will lift the ban on hijab imposed by the previous BJP government in the state, while the latter called it "appeasement" for the vote bank. CM Siddaramaiah said in his speech that no politics should be done on what people prefer to wear and eat. He added that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's idea of Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas is 'bogus'. Reiterating his statement today, the Chief Minister said that the decision will be discussed and the matter is under consideration of the government. "We are thinking of withdrawing the decision (of hijab ban). We will discuss it. I have said this in response to a question. We have not done it yet," the Chief Minister added. His ministers in the Cabinet, including Priyank Kharge, HK Patil and Madhu Bangarappa, came in support of his announcement and highlighted the party's inclusive political stance. Defending the CM, Minister Priyank Kharge said that the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government is working as per the law and framework of the Constitution. "Whatever the Karnataka government is doing is as per the law and framework of the Constitution. Any policy that is detrimental to the development of Karnataka will be reviewed and removed if necessary," Priyank Kharge said. Law Minister HK Patil said that the statement made by the CM is in tune with the law and also the party's earlier stance. "The decision will be announced soon but the line of thinking of the CM is in line with the government and the party. The last government's decision about hijab was biased and it was not in tune with the secular thinking of the country. This has nothing to do with elections," Patil said. State Primary and Secondary Education Minister Madhu Bangarappa urged not to politicise the matter. "This issue should not be politicised. The state education policy is inclusive of culture, studies and other things," he said. However, the announcement invited criticism from BJP leaders, including the former chief minister Basavaraj Bommai, who came out against it. Former CM Bommai said, "If you look at the pattern that Siddaramaiah is doing... For the last 6 months, there has been no development at all. There is a discontent among the people. There is a drought in the state and there is also the Cauvery issue. He has better business to do than raking up this old issue which has been in the Supreme Court." "Everybody has a choice, but that doesn't mean that anybody is above the law. There is a certain decorum. Supreme Court will take cognizance. It is a political statement. He is trying to drive a wedge in society," he added. Targeting the Congress government, former CM and senior BJP leader BS Yediyurappa termed the step a "hasty decision to appease the Muslim community." "The previous BJP government in the state had imposed a hijab ban on students in educational institutions. The matter reached the Karnataka High Court, which also upheld the ban imposed by the then-BJP government. In this regard, the Supreme Court had delivered a split verdict, leading to the Karnataka High Court decision being upheld," Yediyurappa said. The state BJP unit in a social media post said that Siddaramaiah is sowing the poison of religion in the state. "A uniform policy has been implemented in schools and colleges to ensure that children are equal. This has also been upheld by the Supreme Court. However, the Chief Minister is creating a difference in the minds of the school students regarding the issue of uniforms. Siddaramaiah is going to amend the constitution itself for a vote bank to appease PFI goons and minorities. In the coming days, the people themselves will teach a lesson," Karnataka BJP posted on X. BJP MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal slammed CM Siddaramaiah accusing him of indulging in appeasement politics. "Siddaramaiah is appeasing the Muslim community. He is behaving as if only Muslims vote for them, finally, they will only get the vote of Muslims; no other Hindu in the country will vote for them," Yatnal said. He called Siddaramaiah the "second version of Tipu Sultan," the 18th-century ruler of the Kingdom of Mysore. Udupi MLA Yashpal Suvarna accused the state government of trying to distract the public in order to cover up their 'failure' to fulfil the poll promises. "Congress government is not able to fulfil their poll promises so they are trying to distract the people. I request the Siddaramaiah government to withdraw this order. Otherwise, there might be more violence in schools and colleges. So far, the situation is peaceful but after three months, the exams will come again," he said. Union Minister Giriraj Singh alleged it was the establishment of Sharia law in the state. "This is not merely the lifting of the ban on hijab but the establishment of Sharia law in the state. If Rahul Gandhi, Congress and the INDI alliance form government in the country, then Islamic law will be implemented," he said. However, RJD came in support of the state government's announcement and called it the "correct decision from a constitutional point of view.". RLD national president Jayant Chaudhary said, "This is a correct decision from the constitutional point of view. People have been given freedom. If there are such restrictions on food and dress, then it will create an emergency-like situation." Responding to the Karnataka Chief Minister's announcement, NCP MP Supriya Sule said, "This is an internal issue of Karnataka. There is a CM he can take a decision." The Hijab row in the state erupted in January 2022 when the Government PU College in Udupi allegedly barred six girls wearing the hijab from entering. Following this, the girls protested outside the college over being denied entry. Earlier last month, the Karnataka Examination Authority (KEA) restricted all forms of head cover in the exam hall during recruitment exams for various boards and corporations to avoid malpractice. Though the dress code does not explicitly ban hijab, it is implied by the new guidelines. The order said that this is part of the effort to stop exam malpractices using Bluetooth devices. (ANI)
Security forces have been deployed in the Bafliaz area of Poonch district as search operations are underway to nab terrorists in the forest area of Dera ki Gali in the Rajouri sector. The Indian Army said on Saturday that it is conducting an inquiry into the deaths of three civilians in the Poonch-Rajouri sector, where militants launched an attack on army personnel on December 21, killing four soldiers. The matter is under investigation, said the Indian Army in a post on social media. Taking to X, the Indian Army posted, "Search operations by the security forces are continuing in the area of operations after the incident of December 21. Reports have been received regarding three civilian deaths in the area. The matter is under investigation." "The Indian Army stands committed to extending full support and cooperation in the conduct of investigations," the army posted on X. Earlier in the day, the Jammu and Kashmir administration announced compensation and jobs to the families of three civilians who were found dead near the site of an anti-terrorist operation in Poonch district. As per the JK government, "After the deaths of three civilians were reported yesterday in Baffliaz, Poonch district, the medico-legal formalities were conducted and legal action in this matter has been initiated by the appropriate authority." "The government also announced compensation and jobs for the next of kin of each deceased," it added. This comes after four Army personnel were killed and three others were injured in the forest area of Dera ki Gali in the Rajouri district after two Army vehicles were ambushed by heavily armed terrorists on Thursday evening. Pakistan is trying to revive terrorism in the Rajouri-Poonch sector of Jammu and Kashmir as around 25-30 Pakistani terrorists are suspected to be hiding in the forest areas of the region, defence sources said on Friday. The sources said the plan to revive terrorist activities in the area is part of a greater game plan by Pakistan and China to pressurise the Indian Army to remove troops from the Ladakh sector and redeploy forces in this area. "There is a larger game plan by the Pakistan-China nexus to not allow India to ease out of the Jammu and Kashmir sector and deploy troops on the China border, especially in the Ladakh sector, where the PLA and Indian forces have been in a standoff for the last three years now," they said. India moved the Uniform Force of Rashtriya Rifles from the Poonch sector to Ladakh to counter Chinese aggression in 2020 as part of rebalancing and putting pressure on the PLA to match Indian strength. Over the last few years since the Uniform Force left for Ladakh operations, Pakistan has started sending its terrorists from Pakistan to the area to carry out attacks against Indian troops in an attempt to force India to redeploy its troops in the area. The Indian Army had recently moved in one more brigade to counter terrorist activities and has achieved success in the area. Reacting to the situation, JK National Conference MP Farooq Abdullah said, "Terrorists attacked Surankote and our soldiers lost their lives. Our police personnel detained some locals. Are we fighting terrorists or our people?." "If we are fighting with our people, then we can never win this. I want to request that Home Minister Amit Shah come to Surankote to address people's sentiments. It is important that he tells people that they will investigate the issue and put it in front of them. It is a serious situation and a violation of human rights," he added. (ANI)
How do memories form when sleeping? Recently, a study found a link between the formation of certain sleep-related brain activity patterns and the reactivation of memory contents during sleep in 2021. The research led by Dr Thomas Schreiner, head of the Emmy Noether junior research group at LMU's Department of Psychology. However, it was still unclear whether these rhythms were orchestrated by a central pacemaker. So the researchers joined up with scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Human Development in Berlin and the University of Oxford to reanalyze the data. Their results have identified respiration as a potential pacemaker. "That is to say, our breathing influences how memories are consolidated during sleep," said Schreiner. For their original study, the researchers showed 20 study participants 120 images over the course of two sessions. All the pictures were associated with certain words. Then the participants slept for around two hours in the sleep laboratory. When they awoke, they were questioned about the associations they had learned. During the entire learning and sleep period, their brain activity was recorded by means of EEG, along with their breathing. The researchers discovered that previously learned contents were spontaneously reactivated by the sleeping brain during the presence of so-called slow oscillations and sleep spindles (short phases of increased brain activity). "The precision of the coupling of these sleep-related brain rhythms increases from childhood to adolescence and then declines again during ageing," said Schreiner. Respiration frequency also changes with age, the researchers then analyzed the data in relation to the recorded breathing and were able to establish a connection between them: "Our results show that our breathing and the emergence of characteristic slow oscillation and spindle patterns are linked," says Schreiner. "Although other studies had already established a connection between breathing and cognition during wake, our work makes clear that respiration is also important for memory processing during sleep." Older people often suffer from sleep disorders, respiratory disorders, and declining memory function. Schreiner plans to further investigate whether there are connections between these phenomena and whether interventions - such as the use of CPAP masks, which are already used to treat sleep apnea - make sense from a cognitive perspective. (ANI)
ARY News is a Pakistani news channel.

The bombs were later diffused by the authorities.

According to details, the two bombs that looked like time devices were found at platform 2 of Karachi Cantt station.

As per a police spokesperson, the time devices weighing ten to 12 kilograms were found in a bag along with battery wire, switches and other items.

Police officials said that the train reached Karachi Cantt station from Peshawar at 08:20 pm and the Bomb Disposal Squad was called at 09:15 when the suspicious bag was spotted, according to ARY News.

The police spokesperson said that rangers had cordoned off the surrounding area until the bombs were diffused.

Earlier on February 16, at least two passengers were killed and six others injured as a result of a blast inside the Quetta-bound Jaffer Express train, as per ARY News.

The blast occurred when the Quetta-bound Jaffer Express was passing from Chichawatni railway station. The train was coming from Peshawar.

As per sources, the blast occurred in bogie No. 6 of the economy class of Jaffar Express, resulting in the killing of two people and injuring at least six persons who were moved to a nearby hospital.

The nature of the blast was unknown, according to the railway sources. Soon after the incident, police, rescue teams and a bomb disposal squad arrived at the site and launched a rescue operation. (ANI)
Tel Aviv [Israel], December 23 (ANI/TPS): The IDF (Israel Defense Forces) reported that an Air Force fighter jet attacked what it described as a terrorist infrastructure of the Hezbollah terrorist organisation in Lebanese territory. The attack came after yet another rocket attack launched from Lebanon at Israeli territory. IDF forces also hit Hezbollah targets with artillery fire. (ANI/TPS)
PHNOM PENH, Dec. 23 (Xinhua) -- Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet will participate in the fourth Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (LMC) Leaders' Meeting via video conference on Monday, the country's foreign ministry said in a press statement on Saturday.

Myanmar and China will co-chair the virtual meeting, the statement said.

The LMC consists of six countries, namely China, Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Under the theme "Join Hands on the Building of a Community of Shared Future and Modernization among Lancang-Mekong Countries," the leaders will review overall progress and chart future directions for widening cooperation, promote mutual trust and strengthen partnerships under the LMC framework, contributing to socio-economic development and enhancing the wellbeing of the peoples of the sub-region, the statement said.

"The fourth LMC Leaders' Meeting will be a milestone for the Lancang-Mekong countries to realize their common goals of promoting peace, stability and prosperity in the sub-region and advance LMC to a higher level, through the launching of the implementation of the Five-Year Plan of Action," the statement said.

Lancang is the Chinese name for the upper reaches of the Mekong River, and the trunk stream stretches over 4,000 km through the six countries. 
Expressing concern over the police crackdown on Baloch protesters in Islamabad, Pakistan President Arif Alvi and caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar announced measures to improve the law and order situation in Balochistan, Dawn reported. Islamabad Police cracked down on and broke up Baloch protesters, who had gathered in the capital on Wednesday night to voice their opposition to enforced disappearances and alleged extrajudicial killings in their region. More than 200 demonstrators from various parts of Islamabad were arrested. Police batons, water cannons and tear gas were also used against the protesters, according to Dawn. Politicians, analysts, and human rights organisations denounced the events. Later, on Thursday night, the administration announced that 90 per cent of the Baloch men and women detained had been freed, with the exception of individuals who police were unable to identify, according to Dawn. Chief Justice Aamer Farooq of the Islamabad High Court chastised the capital city police earlier over the same matter. According to a presidential news release, the President and the PM discussed the matter over the phone and agreed that the police should not have treated the protestors harshly. Meanwhile, Governor Malik Abdul Wali Khan Kakar of Balochistan called on President Alvi and discussed the situation of the region, the general state of affairs in the province and the abuses committed by the police against the demonstrators, Dawn reported. "Police should deal with protesters with patience and compassion," the statement quoted the governor as saying, according to Dawn. The two agreed that the police should not have acted beyond their limits and powers. President Alvi and Governor Kakar also informed him of the measures to improve the law and order situation in Balochistan. The Balochistan Yakjehti committee, meanwhile, noted that the Baloch Long March against alleged Baloch genocide, illegal forced disappearance of the people, the killing of missing persons by the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) in fake encounters and the activity of death squads across Balochistan has drawn widespread support. (ANI)
Amid the outrage over the defacement of the Swami Narayan temple in Newark, US, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday said he is aware of the incident, adding that such 'extremists' should not be given space. He underlined that the Indian Consulate in San Francisco has already taken up the matter with the US authorities and an investigation is underway. "I have seen it. Extremists, separatists and such forces should not be given space. Our consulate there complained to the government and the police and an inquiry is underway," the EAM told reporters. Suspected pro-Khalistan activists allegedly defaced the Swaminarayan temple in Newark, California, according to the police. The incident came to light on Friday (local time). The exterior wall of the Hindu temple was defaced with anti-India graffiti. The Newark Police Service has started an investigation into the vandalism. According to the temple administration, the incident took place on Thursday night."One of the devotees, who lives close to the shrine, discovered anti-Hindu and anti-India graffiti in black ink on an exterior wall of the building, and the local administration was immediately informed," Bhargav Raval, the spokesperson for the temple administration, told ANI. The spokesperson added the temple authorities were 'shocked' to find the anti-Indian graffiti on its wall. Shedding more light into the incident, Jonathan Arguello, a police captain for the city of Newark, said the 'targeted act' was being investigated. "Based on the graffiti, we believe it was a targeted act, and it's going to be investigated with full thoroughness. I can also tell you that as a member of the Newark Police Department and the Newark community, we're deeply saddened when these types of acts occur, and we think they're senseless and they have no room. We won't tolerate them here in Newark. So today, I wanted to make sure that you understand how seriously we take these situations and know that we will investigate as thoroughly as possible with utmost care and sensitivity. I can also tell you that officers are currently investigating this via evidence collection," the captain told reporters during a press conference. Meanwhile, on Indian national in the custody of Czech authorities, the External Affairs Minister said that he (Nikhil Gupta), needed consular access and the embassy provided him with that. "He (Nikhil Gupta) needed consular access, our embassy provided that. He has been provided consular access thrice..." Jaishankar said. The US Justice Department has claimed that an Indian government employee (named CC-1), who was not identified in the indictment filed in a federal court in Manhattan, recruited an Indian national named Nikhil Gupta to hire a hitman to carry out the assassination, which was foiled by US authorities, according to prosecutors. Notably, India has obtained consular access to meet Indian national Nikhil Gupta, the accused of conspiracy and attempted murder involving India-designated terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, in the custody of Czech authorities and is providing all necessary consular assistance, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Thursday. In a weekly press briefing, MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said, "It is a legal issue...an Indian national is under the custody of the Czech Republic. The request for extradition by the US is pending there. We have had consular access three times. We are providing whatever possible consular help in the matter." MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi further said that the matter is sub-judice after a family member of accused Nikhil Gupta filed a petition in the Supreme Court. "The family of this Indian national (Nikhil Gupta), had given a petition in the Supreme Court. The matter is sub judice, so it won't be appropriate to comment on the matter now...it will not be able to comment on jurisdictions on this issue," he added. Meanwhile, Jaishankar, on being asked about 'Vibrant Gujarat', he said, "...Many countries and people are calling us and saying that they want to participate in Vibrant Gujarat," adding that it will be supported for maximum participation. "We ask them to contact the Gujarat government. We will support it because we would like to see maximum participation," he added. As many as 11 Memoranda of Understandings (MoUs) amounting to a total of Rs 67,000 investment potential were signed at a pre-Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit event held in Bharuch today. The event in Bharuch centred around sustainability, decarbonisation and growth in upcoming segments. Moreover, startups and business leaders will be showcasing industry-relevant solutions and services during the event. Nationwide, this crucial sector employs around 2 million individuals. Of the USD 94.6 billion chemical industry in India in 2017-18, USD 31.5 billion was contributed by Gujarat. The Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit was initiated by Narendra Modi in 2003, then chief minister, to put Gujarat on the world map of trade and industry. The tenth edition of the Summit will be held from January 10 to 12, 2024. The Summit event will be inaugurated by PM Modi on January 10. (ANI)
Gold and jewellery worth more than Pakistan Rupees (PKR) 1 crore were stolen from the shrine of well-known Sufi Saint Hazrat Lal Shahbaz Qalandar in the Sehwan area of Jamshoro district in Pakistan's Sindh, Pakistan-based vernacular media Express reported. According to the details, gold given as an offering worth PKR 1,23,72,863 was stolen from Dargah Lal Shahbaz Qalandar during one month. Sindh's Caretaker Minister for Endowments Umar Soomer took notice of the theft in the Dargah. He suspended the manager of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar's shrine and directed to form a committee to conduct probe, according to Express report. Furthermore, the caretaker provincial minister directed to register a case against the manager of the Dargah and send the case to anti-corruption. He ordered to recover the stolen gold and jewellery from the accused, Express reported. Umar Soomer said that orders have been issued to immediately stop the salary and pension of the Dargah manager. Meanwhile, an Awqaf Department spokesperson said that the Dargah manager Zubair Baloch accepted his crime during the investigation. According to the spokesperson, Baloch also confessed to the theft. Following the theft incident, Sindh's caretaker government has decided to conduct a probe about the managers of all the Dargahs established in Sindh. According to sources, Zubair Baloch was appointed as the manager of the Dargah for many years and he had the offering box's key, Express reported. (ANI)
Imroz, the artist whose life intertwined with legendary poetess Amrita Pritam, peacefully departed at the age of 97 in his Mumbai residence due to inevitable grasp of age-related issues, The Khalsa Vox reported on Saturday. Imroz, originally named Inderjeet, was born on January 26, 1926, in Chak number 36 in Lyallpur, undivided Punjab. Imroz's journey as an artist unfolded against the backdrop of a changing world. The 1950s brought a fateful encounter with Amrita Pritam who was an established poetess in Punjabi literature. The union of their creative spirits marked the genesis of a partnership that endured for over four decades. In 1966, Imroz took a pivotal step, joining Amrita in the publication of 'Naagmani,' a magazine that became a canvas for their shared artistic endeavours. Adopting the name Imroz, he not only contributed as an artist-illustrator but became an integral part of the literary landscape they were crafting together. Khalsa Vox reported that their love story, a testament to companionship and artistic collaboration, spanned over 40 years until Amrita's passing on October 31, 2005. Amrita's last poetic creation, 'Main tainu pher milangi' (I will meet you again) in 2004, echoed her steadfast belief in a reunion with Imroz beyond the realms of mortality. Imroz, despite the loss of his beloved, found solace in expressing his emotions through poetry. His poetic journey unfolded into the creation of four books, including 'Jashan Jaari Hai,' 'Manchaaha Hi Rishta,' and 'Rang Tere Mere.' Each verse a poignant tribute to a love that transcended the boundaries of time and mortality. Remaining steadfast to his commitment to love, Imroz, who never married, found a familial haven with Alka, Amrita's daughter-in-law and the widow of the late Navraj. Their shared grief and love became the foundation for a unique bond that brought warmth to the later years of Imroz's life. In 2022, the remarkable love story of Amrita and Imroz found its place on the silver screen in the film 'Imroz: A Walk Down Memory Lane,' immortalising their journey for generations to come. As we bid farewell to Imroz, we reflect not only on the passing of a remarkable individual but on the indomitable spirit of a love that defied time and circumstance. Imroz may have departed, but the echoes of his love story with Amrita will resonate in the corridors of art and literature, inspiring generations to come, Khalsa Vox reported. (ANI)
Amid the ongoing Baloch protest in Pakistan, Pakistani author and journalist Hanif Mohammad returned his "Sitara e Imtiaz" award on Saturday in protest against Pakistan's action on the Balochistan march. In a social media post, Hanif accused the state government of abducting and torturing Baloch citizens. https://x.com/mohammedhanif/status/1738514456756326454?s=20 In a post shared on X, he said, "In protest, returning my Sitara e Imtiaz, given to me by a state that continues to abduct and torture Baloch citizens. Journalists of my generation have seen @SammiBaluch and @MahrangBaloch_ grow up in protest camps. Ashamed to witness a new generation being denied basic dignity." On Wednesday night, Islamabad Police cracked down on and broke up Baloch protesters, who had gathered in the capital to voice their opposition to enforced disappearances and alleged extrajudicial killings in their region. More than 200 demonstrators from various parts of Islamabad were arrested. Police batons, water cannons and tear gas were also used against the protesters, according to Dawn. Politicians, analysts, and human rights organisations denounced the events. Later, on Thursday night, the administration announced that 90 per cent of the Baloch men and women detained had been freed, with the exception of individuals who police were unable to identify, according to Dawn. Notably, the movement against the Baloch Genocide; the detained females were released at last after 26 hours of humiliation, harassment and torture from Islamabad Police. Still, 162 male protestors have been shifted to Adiala Jail and more than 50 males have been detained in different police stations in Islamabad. "We request and appeal to the Baloch nation to continue their protests against the inhumane treatment of protesters in Islamabad and stand up against this treatment of Baloch nation and raise their voice in each and every possible way for those detained friends, who had the courage to speak and stand against the mass genocide of Baloch nation," the committee posted earlier. The committee further stated, "We shall continue our movement against Baloch Genocide and the extra-judicial abductions." (ANI)
Dubai [UAE], December 23 (ANI/WAM): Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, issued Decree No (61) of 2023 regulating farms in Dubai. The decree is aligned with Dubai's food security strategy and its commitment to ensuring the highest public health and safety standards. The decree focuses on several key areas including maintaining the integrity and aesthetic appeal of the environment, preventing the proliferation of unplanned farms and fostering the development and welfare of the emirate's livestock. The provisions of the decree apply to farms allocated to citizens in Dubai, excluding those dedicated to camel horse racing overseen by the Dubai Camel Racing Club, winter camps organised by the Dubai Municipality, or any other category designated by a decision from the Dubai Ruler, based on the recommendation of the CEO of the Office of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum for Procurement and Finance, a division of The Ruler's Court. The decree prohibits individuals from setting up farms or installing fences on land that is not owned by them in Dubai. As per the decree, the Office of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum for Procurement and Finance is responsible for overseeing and controlling farm affairs in Dubai, in coordination with Dubai Municipality. Dubai Municipality, in coordination with the Office of UAE Vice President, is responsible for approving the areas and land allocated to farms in Dubai. Additionally, it will oversee farm livestock, monitor their health status, and deliver veterinary, preventive, and therapeutic services. It is also responsible for animal registration, and managing issues related to livestock-related diseases and epidemics. Pursuant to the decree, a permanent committee in charge of farms named the 'Farms Affairs Regulatory Committee' will be formed. Chaired by the head of the Rural Areas Department at the Office of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum for Procurement and Finance, members of the Committee will include representatives of The Ruler's Court, Dubai Municipality, Dubai Police and the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA). The Committee is tasked with issuing decisions related to allocating farms to citizens. The decree outlines the responsibilities of beneficiaries of farm allocations and regulations governing farm construction. It also stipulates fines and penalties for violations, ranging from AED1,000 to AED100,000. Penalties can be doubled for repeat offences in the same year. All existing beneficiaries must align their status with the provisions of this decree within three months of its effective date. The CEO of the Office of UAE Vice President has the authority to extend this period. This decree annuls any other legislation that may contradict it. The decree is effective from the date of its publication in the Official Gazette. (ANI/WAM)
Dubai [UAE], December 23 (ANI/WAM): Dubai Police held a meeting with strategic partners, including shopping malls and management of major residential communities, to discuss preparations for New Year's Eve celebrations. The meeting was chaired by Major General Expert Khalil Ibrahim Al Mansouri, Assistant Commander-in-Chief for Criminal Investigation Affairs at Dubai Police. Among those who attended the meeting included Brigadier Turki bin Fares, Deputy Director of the General Department of Operations; Brigadier Harib Al Shamsi, Assistant Director-General for Administrative Affairs in the General Department of Criminal Investigations; Brigadier Khalfan Obaid Al Jallaf, Director of Dubai Tourist Police; Maitha Buhumaid, Director of Strategic Media Affairs at the Government of Dubai Media Office (GDMO); and Manal Ibrahim Haji, Director of the Security Media Department; besides several representatives of strategic partners. The meeting reviewed feedback and enquiries from strategic partners and discussed challenges anticipated during various upcoming events besides preparations to secure venues and locations for events and fireworks displays. Deliberations also focused on Dubai Tourist Police procedures. Furthermore, the meeting delved into the security arrangements, operational protocols, and communication centres established at various residential communities. The meeting also reviewed presentations on collaborative security plans involving various participating entities to ensure the safety of people attending celebrations all around Dubai. Major General Al Mansouri said that New Year's celebrations make for one of the most significant festivities in Dubai, attracting large numbers of people from across the UAE and all over the world, and assured that all arrangements were in place to ensure seamless celebrations at multiple locations. He also highlighted the importance of collaboration between various entities especially in ensuring the smooth flow of traffic as traffic congestion is expected to be one of the major challenges given the large numbers of people expected to attend celebrations at various locations. Maitha Buhumaid expressed her appreciation to the General Command of Dubai Police for their security and law enforcement endeavours, adding that the unflagging vigilance on their part ensured that all activities and events held in Dubai enjoyed the highest levels of safety and security in keeping with international standards. She also highlighted the importance of such meetings in helping draw up plans for major events hosted and organised by Dubai throughout the year especially New Year's celebrations since they had been attracting an ever-growing number of tourists and audiences worldwide. Dubai Police's Events Security Committee (ESC), in collaboration with the Dubai Police Resilience Centre, organised a scenario-based exercise in preparation for the New Year's Eve events. The exercise, held at Dubai Police's Department of Protective Security and Emergency in the presence of Major General Rashid Khalifa Al Falasi, Director of the department, involved various government, semi-governmental, and corporate entities in Dubai. Major General Al Falasi welcomed attendees and explained the various stages of the drill, highlighting the strategic objectives of the exercise in assessing the readiness of various entities to address any potential issues that could arise during the celebrations. Before the meeting concluded, Major General Al Mansouri urged all pertinent entities to intensify their efforts and collaborate as one big team to ensure that the public could enjoy the festive atmosphere safely. Such a unified effort would further enhance the distinguished reputation of Dubai and the UAE globally, he added. (ANI/WAM)
The US Air Force plans to bring the Pacific island airfield that launched the atomic bombings of Japan back into commission, CNN reported citing the service's top officer in the Pacific. The US decision comes as Washington attempts to broaden its basing options in case of any hostilities with China. Speaking to Nikkei Asia, General Kenneth Wilsbach, commander of Pacific Air Forces, said, "If you pay attention in the next few months, you will see significant progress, especially at Tinian North." He said the airfield "has extensive pavement underneath the overgrown jungle. We'll be clearing that jungle out between now and summertime," adding that it will be "an extensive" facility once construction is complete, Nikkei Asia reported. Tinian is part of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, a US territory in the Pacific, CNN reported. Only about 3,000 people reside on the 39-square-mile island. Wilsbach did not reveal the timeline on when the airfield will be operational, Nikkei Asia reported. Tinian and the nearby islands of Saipan and Guam have a rich history of US air operations. During World War II, all three islands after they were captured from Japan, were home to fleets of B-29 Superfortress bombers, which caused destruction on the Japanese homeland. As many as 100,000 people and a million others were injured after the firebombing of Tokyo was carried out by B-29s launched from the three islands on March 10, 1945, CNN reported. During the bombing of Japan in 1945, North Field on Tinian became the busiest and largest airport in the world. The B-29 bomber named Enola Gay carrying the atomic bomb rolled down on North Field's runway on August 6, 1945, which would be dropped on Hiroshima later that morning, killing 70,000 people and bringing the world into the nuclear age. Three days later, another B-29, named Bockscar, dropped an atomic bomb on Nagasaki, killing 46,000 people with its initial blast. The US Air Force's Fiscal Year 2024 budget request shows USD 78 million has been sought for developing projects on Tinian Island, according to CNN report. The reclamation project is part of the US military's Agile Combat Employment (ACE) strategy, which as per the Air Force doctrine document "shifts operations from centralized physical infrastructures to a network of smaller, dispersed locations that can complicate adversary planning and provide more options for joint force commanders." The US Air Force has already been practising the Agile Combat Employment (ACE) concept on Tinian, including operating F-22 stealth fighters out of its international airport during exercise Agile Reaper in March, CNN reported. The airport provided an environment where the US fighter jets could rely on supplies that carried themselves or that could be carried in C-17 transports while showing they were "ready and capable of operating in a contested, degraded, and operationally limited environment," CNN reported citing Air Force statement. During Agile Reaper, the F-22s also operated from Guam to the south of Tinian. (ANI)
Baloch protesters demanding an end to enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings in their province issued a three-day ultimatum to the state on Saturday, as per Dawn newspaper. Dawn is a Pakistani English-language newspaper. The protestors called for the immediate release of all demonstrators detained so far and the quashing of charges against them, failing which the demonstrators would be "compelled to take harsh steps and the state and its administration shall be responsible for this". The Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) issued the demands as they claimed that over 100 previously detained members were not presented in courts and were "missing" while they continued their rally outside Islamabad's National Press Club (NPC) amid the presence of the police. The long march led by Baloch women -- which started in Turbat on December 6 after the alleged "extrajudicial killing" of a Baloch youth by the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) officials -- had reached the federal capital on Wednesday. However, the police had blocked entry points of the city along with major arteries to prevent the protesters from reaching the NPC, as per Dawn. The Islamabad police had subsequently used brutal force to disperse and detain the demonstrators with over 200 taken into custody from different areas of the federal capital. The demonstrators were also met with tear gas, water cannons and police batons. Human rights organisations, politicians and analysts strongly condemned the events. On Thursday evening, the government said 90 per cent of the Baloch men and women taken into custody were released, except for the men who "could not be identified" by police. The police actions were censured by Islamabad High Court Chief Justice Aamer Farooq, President Dr Arif Alvi and caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar as well. The BYC had earlier announced a rally and sit-in at the NPC for Saturday, saying that it would also hold a press conference on the next step of the movement. The press release issued from the group said nearly 350 demonstrators were arrested of which 33 were granted bail, over 250 were still in jail and over 100 were still not presented in court whose status was missing. "We are issuing a three-day ultimatum to state for the withdrawal of FIRs (first information report) registered against peaceful protesters and releasing the 100+ Baloch students whose status is still missing," the press release said, as per Dawn. (ANI)
Some Kabul residents are worried about the increasing crime in the Afghan capital, TOLO News reported. TOLO News is an Afghan news channel broadcasting from Kabul. A Kabul resident, Milad, whose car was stolen by armed robbers from the Taymani area of Kabul four months ago, said that even though he has contacted the security agencies many times during the period, there is no news about his car. Milad said: "I was working inside the house, it was around 6 to 6:30 in the evening, the car started, and the sound came inside the house. I went out and saw that someone was inside the car and the car moved, and robbers stole my car." Some other residents of Kabul said that the level of criminal crimes, armed robberies, and car thefts has increased in recent months, as per TOLO News. "Recently, there is rise in crime, especially car theft, mobile phone theft..., they even killed a person for a mobile phone," said another Kabul resident, Ahmad Naweed Nikzad. "Car theft must be stopped," said a local Sheren Bik. Meanwhile, the spokesperson for the Taliban appointed Ministry of Interior Abdul Matin Qani, spoke of the security situation in the country and said that in the last six months, around 800 people have been arrested for various crimes across the country. "In the last six months, around 800 criminals have been caught in various crimes, and our police have communication connections in all provinces, and we do not let criminals escape and they get caught," said Abdul Matin Qani, as per TOLO News. Qani said that they are trying to identify and arrest people who commit crimes, armed robberies, murders, and car thefts in the country. (ANI)
Members of Early Rain Covenant Church have reported harassment and the detention of leaders on the fifth anniversary of a crackdown on the Chinese church.

Five years ago, at the church located in Chengdu, Sichuan province, over 100 members were arrested during a period of half a year.



The arrests resulted in a nine-year prison sentence for the church's pastor, Wang Yi, and a four-year sentence for elder Qin Defu. Qin was released last year but Wang remains in prison.

Church members report that in the run-up to the 9 December meeting, they experienced intimidation in the form of power cuts, warnings over the phone, stalking, police being stationed outside their homes, threats at their door, and being forcibly taken to the police station.

A day after the meeting, the church reported that one of its members, Jia Xuewei, had been placed under administrative detention for 15 days, while preacher Dai Zhichao was criminally detained on suspicion of "picking quarrels and provoking trouble".

They were detained on International Human Rights Day, which this year coincided with the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR).

The EU's delegation to China issued a statement on Human Rights Day calling for the release of Pastor Wang as well as other Christians and religious freedom defenders.

Mervyn Thomas, the founder president of Christian Solidarity Worldwide, welcomed the statement and called for the release of the Early Rain members and "all others who have been detained or imprisoned on account of their religion or belief".

"These mass police operations against house churches show the Chinese authorities' utter contempt for universal and inalienable human rights, and they are particularly jarring as the world celebrates the establishment of the fundamental rights enshrined within the UDHR," he said.

"We also welcome the EU's statement and urge the international community to continue to highlight human rights violations in China and to hold the Chinese Communist Party to account for these at every possible opportunity."



Originally published by Christian Today
BALTIMORE  Baltimore County Police are searching for at least one suspect after an early Saturday morning shooting that left one person dead and four others injured in Woodlawn, the department says.

Police responded to the 1800 block of Woodlawn Drive around 4:05 a.m. and found five victims with gunshot wounds.

One victim was pronounced dead and four others were transported to hospitals, police said.

The shooting took place in the parking lot of a strip mall known as the Security Business Center, located at 1808 Woodlawn Drive. Police were seen Saturday morning investigating a white Hyundai with New Jersey license plates parked in front of the BBQ Tonite restaurant.

Trae Corbin, a spokesperson for the police department, said the white vehicle was involved in the shooting in some capacity and that the victims may have been sitting inside of it. Additionally, he said investigators are planning to look at security footage from businesses near the crime scene.

Sonny Awan, who owns BBQ Tonite  an Indian and Pakistani restaurant hes operated for more than four years, said there had been other shootings outside the strip mall.

This is nothing new, he said. Customers worry.  Obviously it hurts the business.

On Friday, BBQ Tonite closed at 10 p.m. and Awan left around 11 p.m., he said. He learned of the shooting on Saturday morning when police were at the scene. BBQ Tonite opened about 90 minutes late on Saturday because of the police investigation.

Awan pointed to at least one seemingly empty unit across the parking lot that he said attracts people late at night, adding that in the mornings, trash is strewn across the strip mall parking lot.

He called the empty units a party hall, and said people arrived dressed up.

I didnt know how bad or good this neighborhood was, he said.

By late Saturday afternoon, the parking lot was bustling with cars coming in and out and business at the strip mall was starting to pick back up.

Those with information about this shooting are encouraged to call Baltimore County Police at 410-307-2020.
PORTLAND, Ore. (PORTLAND TRIBUNE)  Ten lucky Northwest families will be gifted with beagles this holiday season, thanks to the combined efforts of several automakers, over a dozen automotive journalists, and many more volunteers. The project is called Operation Frodo 1650, and it was organized and headed up by local Portland radio personality Nik Miles, who hosts the Our Auto Expert show on KXL on Saturday afternoons from 1 to 3.

Its been an unforgettable holiday journey, filled with truth, goodwill, and selflessness, Were beyond proud of everyone involved. This endeavor truly exemplifies the beauty of putting others first, said Miles, who is also president of the Northwest Automotive Writers Press Association.

Officers who put Elijah McClain in neck hold ignored pleas of I cant breathe, prosecutors say

The idea grew out of a much smaller project that happened last year. Miles donated a pickup truck to Bassett and Beagle Rescue of the Heartland in Omaha, Nebraska. The rescue needed the four-wheel-drive truck to collect up abandoned dogs in their area. Then Miles adopted two beagles from the rescue, one of them named Frodo, and brought two more back for other Portland-area families. The distance from Omaha to Portland is 1,650 miles, which became part of the name of the project this year.

For this years effort, Miles wanted to bring more dogs to the Pacific Northwest. The reason is simple: there are too many beagles in shelters and rescues in the center of the nation, and not enough beagles to meet adoption demand in the Northwest. To balance the supply and demand, Miles created a caravan to bring a dozen dogs westward to new homes.

Ongoing phone scam tricks victims into paying Multnomah County deputies fines

The vehicles in the caravan included a Subaru Crosstrek, Nissan Pathfinder, Ford Explorer, and a Hyundai Santa Fe. All the vehicles were loaned to the project by the automakers, who also donated some money for gas and lodging on the way. Along the four-day journey the dogs were driven and cared for by automotive journalists, including Pamplin Media group automotive writer Jeff Zurschmeide.

Read more at PortlandTribune.com.

The Portland Tribune and its parent company Pamplin Media Group are KOIN 6 News media partners

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com.
A 10-year-old boy who was reported missing on Friday Dec. 22, has been found.

On Friday, Kansas City police asked for help locating Isaiah Ladd, who they said was last seen on foot near the Cloverleaf Apartments at 14548 U.S. 71 Highway.

Saturday morning, police said, Isaiah has been found and is safe.
We've seen the 12 days of Christmas taken in many different directions and versions, but for those with a passion for space, let's sing along to the "12 Space Patches of Christmas" designed by an artist to the "stars," Tim Gagnon.

Before we begin, if you haven't heard of the "KSC artist," allow us to introduce you to an important contributor to both the space community and history. Tim is an East Hartford, Connecticut native, and like so many of us, his love for space began at an early age and during one of the most exciting periods of exploration. "I remember watching the missions of my childhood heroes on a small black and white television with "rabbit ears" that could receive few broadcast stations," Gagnon recalls on his website.

"For my 16th birthday gift in 1972 my parents arranged for Dad and me to attend the launch of Apollo 17 as invited guests of NASA." Within the next decade, he picked up a paintbrush to bring to life a painting of Apollo 13 astronaut Jack Swigert and began scrapbooking for his daughter and niece a collection of female astronauts. "The first response for contributions arrived on Saturday, Jan. 25, 1986. The package contained a handwritten note, an autographed photo as well as other photos," Gagnon also shared on his website. "The note read in part, "... you can do anything you want if you get a good education." It was signed by NASA astronaut Judy Resnik. Three days later Judy Resnik was dead. Stunned by the Challenger tragedy, I decided that the message in that letter should not die with her."

Related: Chickasaw astronaut 'signs' patches for Native American girls' Space Camp fund

Since then, Tim began volunteering with the Young Astronaut Program , and created memorable paintings that have been on display in the Center for Space Education , City Hall of Elmira, New York, and the IMAX Theater at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex to name a few. But while this talented painter wove together colors on a canvas, in his mind was also stitched another big dream  to create a patch for a flight crew.

"Ever since reading about the design of the Skylab 1 patch in an article written by the artist Frank Kelly Freas in 1973, I dreamed about creating a patch for a flight crew, to use my artistic talent to contribute to the space program," Gagnon recalled on his website. "I came close in 1985 when Bob Crippen invited me to submit designs for the first space shuttle mission scheduled to launch from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, STS62A. That mission was canceled after the Challenger accident."

But in an inspiring story to those who believe the best is yet to come and those moments are worth waiting for, in 2004 Tim fulfilled his destiny being selected by astronaut John Phillips to dream up the patch design for the Expedition 11 mission to the International Space Station.

a patch showing the international space station above earth beside the number 11

His work was so well received it led to more design assignments teaming up with another passionate space enthusiast and pen pal Dr. Jorge Cartes of Madrid, Spain, for both Space Shuttle Program and International Space Station crews since 2007. "Perseverance is what made my dream possible," Tim told Space.com when asked what advice he has for others with dreams as big as the galaxy. "If I can do it having quit college, having never gone to art school, and all the other obstacles I've put in my own way, if I can do this then they can do anything."

Now as we wind down 2023 with the holidays well in full swing, it's time to present the "12 Space Patches of Christmas," which to collectors near and far, I'm sure are worth much more than a plain old golden ring! Tim shares his favorite 12 of the year, so let's get in the spirit with a little rhyme. Enjoy the history and symbolism included in each one, commemorating many moments in time.

12. Virginia Space Flight Academy 25th Anniversary

a mission patch showing a spacecraft above earth

For a non-profit in Virginia, it's a silver anniversary and this year. Offering Summer Adventure Camps and an online STEM Academy, it's sure to bring so many kids cheer. The history of Virginia is captured within this patch, highlighting launches from Wallops Island to when the US space program and ISS element launch got its start, to ships landing at Jamestownthis is a patch that's dear to a Virginian's heart!

11. SPACECOM /49TH Space Congress

a mission patch showing a spacecraft above earth

If you've wanted to see the view of Earth from space, than this patch is for you! North America and the "Space Coast" seem to sparkle below, with the ISS almost playing peek-a-boo! You can see how Tim gives us a front window seat, bringing in sunlight to add to the view, the client didn't want to use it for a patch so it lives now still for print and online, woohoo!

10. Tulsa Air and Space Museum Runway Run "Launching Ladies Since 1983"

a mission patch showing a spacecraft above earth

For the leading ladies of space, this patch celebrates you! A space shuttle in the middle, plus you see the Canadarm holds on to a dreamcatcher as another shuttle flies through! The theme behind this patch was for Sally Ride's anniversary, but the best part for all the run participants  you could also get this design on a commemorative tee!

9. Shades of Blue Airline Symposium

a mission patch showing a spacecraft above earth

This symposium helps recruit for airlines, starting as early as kids in school. So they needed a patch to go with it, to give those interested some swag that's pretty cool! The design highlights aviation, both for commercial and military alike. And then also adds in the trifecta  including it in spaceflight.

8. National Astronaut Day 2023

a mission patch showing a spacecraft above earth

Each year on May 5, we celebrate "National Astronaut Day," remembering the first American in Space, Alan Shepard, whose flight truly paved the way. This year also honors the 40th anniversary of when the Sally Ride, the first American Woman, soared through space, and to honor the inaugural Mercury crew and STS-7, the gold "7" has also a special place.

7. America's First Women Astronauts

a mission patch showing a spacecraft above earth

Upon this patch you see the last names of the original six ladies of spaceflight. The first U.S. female astronauts who all were shuttle program mission specialists, with three of them consulting on this design so positive and bright! The left side of the woman honors Judy Resnik, as she wrote to Tim's daughter before on Challenger in 1986, you can also see the female symbol included, with below the Shuttle Orbiter, the artist's monogram in ghost stitch.

6. Moon Pioneers: Mission One

a mission patch showing a spacecraft above earth

As we are in the Artemis generation, a patch to highlight the moon is featured here! It was created for a Moon Pioneers mission, commemorating teamwork and exploring the surface way up there!

5. Outpost Mission One

a mission patch showing a spacecraft above earth

Welcome to the "space frontier," the theme for the company that wanted this patch! A nod to the founder with a West Coast beach, and a street sign where their offices are at. It features Outpost's satellite in flight, the slogan and mission motto highlighted too. All to commemorate the inaugural mission, and celebrate everything they are trying to do!

4. LSI Educators

a mission patch showing a spacecraft above earth

Limitless Space Institute, this was a special design for you! It's all about studies in STEAM fields, and as a meteorologist, I'd proudly wear this patch on a mission too! If you look closely, you can see all the icons of many various areas as careers we can explore. And in the center its starship "Enterprise" staying on course toward being a star!

3. Kellie Gerardi: "Not Even the Sky is a Limit"

a mission patch showing a spacecraft above earth

The personal patch for Kellie Gerardi, worn accomplishing her dream of being a science researcher in space! You can see her silhouette gliding above Earth through the galaxy, "reaching for her star" in just the perfect place! If you take a look behind her, a group of tiny stars in honor of the women who soared before. The patch contains her motto to inspire others, in hopes after her in space there will be so many more!

2. Fred Haise 90th Birthday Celebration

a mission patch showing a spacecraft above earth

Every year we celebrate another trip around the sun. So how about with your own personally designed patch? I'm sure for Tim this one was fun! Happy 90th Birthday to former U.S. astronaut, Fred Haise from Apollo 13. There's a lot of symbols in here to be seen! There are nods to his home of Biloxi, a replica of his shuttle and F-86D jet. Stars to represent his Group 5 astronaut classmates, and for the Society of Experimental Test Pilots emblem front and center, the "X".

1. SwissApollo 15th Anniversary

a mission patch showing a spacecraft above earth

And last, but certainly not least, another celebration to design and bring to light! Highlighting spaceflight goals and dreams from Switzerland, with a spacecraft en route to the moon in flight. There are 15 rays of sun, marking the 15th anniversary for the company next year. 12 stars for each of their men who walked on the moon as Apollo looks forward to the success to come in the future from there!
FAYETTE COUNTY, Texas - Two men were arrested in Fayette County after police conducting a traffic stop discovered almost $200,000 in cash hidden in a spare tire.

On Tuesday afternoon at around 1:25 p.m. on westbound I-10, a drug interdiction investigator conducted a traffic stop on a 2023 White Chevy Silverado pickup truck for traffic violations.

The investigator, David Smith, observed several criminal indicators upon contact with the driver. Smith was given consent to search the truck, which was occupied by the driver, 34-year-old Everado Luna Guerrero, and a passenger, 19-year-old Salvador Gamez, both of Edinburg, Texas.

While conducting the search, Smith observed the spare tire had been tampered with. He asked Guerrero if they had done something to the spare tire; Guerrero replied they had not.

Smith scanned the tire with his handheld scanner and observed several bundles of cash in the tire.

Smith arrested both Guerrero and Gamez. Both subjects were transported to the Dan R. Beck Justice Center and charged with Felony Money Laundering.

DPS K-9 Trooper Zack Kind assisted at the scene. The cash seized totaled $199,910.
WASHINGTON  The U.S. Air Force plans to take its most significant step yet in creating a futuristic fighter aircraft when it awards a contract in 2024 for the Next Generation Air Dominance platform.

The service sent a classified solicitation to industry for NGADs engineering and manufacturing development contract in May, officially kicking off the process to select the company that will build its next advanced fighter system.

NGAD will be a sixth-generation aircraft that would replace the F-22 Raptor, and the service wants to have it in production by the end of the decade.

The Air Force wants NGAD to be a so-called family of systems that has a crewed aircraft component and other elements, including drone wingmen  also known as collaborative combat aircraft  increased sensor capabilities, and advanced abilities to connect with satellites, other aircraft and more.

The Air Force said in May that NGAD will use open-architecture standards to take advantage of competition throughout its life cycle while cutting down on maintenance and sustainment costs. But the Air Force has been mum on many of the highly classified programs other technical details, citing security reasons.

With Northrop Grummans decision in 2023 to bow out of the competition for the NGAD contract, the future will likely hold a head-to-head match between Lockheed Martin and Boeing.

Northrop announced in July it does not plan to bid on the Air Forces version of NGAD as a prime contractor. However, Northrop CEO Kathy Warden said in that months earnings call that the company may still bid on the Navys separate version of NGAD, dubbed F/A-XX.

The Air Force also plans in 2024 to dramatically increase spending on the propulsion system that will one day power NGAD. This system, dubbed Next Generation Adaptive Propulsion, or NGAP, will incorporate multiple design elements from Pentagon-funded research into an adaptive engine that at one point was considered for the F-35 jet.

Those elements could include the use of composite materials that can withstand high temperatures for turbines and other components, as well as an adaptive element that would allow the engine to rapidly shift to the configuration providing the best thrust and efficiency for any given situation.

The Air Force requested $595 million for NGAP in its fiscal 2024 budget, a $375 million increase over the previous years funding.
Idaho authorities used DNA analysis to identify a suspect in the cold-case murder of Wilma Mobley in 1995. digicomphoto/Getty Images

Idaho authorities said they've solved the 28-year-old cold-case murder of Wilma Mobley.

Mobley, 84, was strangled and attacked with an "axe type instrument" in 1995.

Police found DNA on the clasp of Mobley's underwear that matched her neighbor, Danny Lee Kennison.

When 84-year-old Wilma Mobley was found dead in her Idaho home in August of 1995, investigators looked into three possible suspects, including her neighbor, Danny Lee Kennison. But no conclusive evidence emerged, and the case grew cold.

Mobley had been strangled and attacked with an "axe type instrument," and her death remained a mystery until December 18, 2023, the Jerome Police Department said in a press release this week.

Idaho State Police Lab technicians who analyzed the nearly three-decade-old evidence found "a significant amount of a DNA profile" on a clasp of Mobley's undergarments that matched Kennison, the press release said.

Police said the DNA profile excluded all other possible suspects that had previously been identified, and no other DNA profiles were found in the available evidence.

Authorities said Kennison and Mobley had no personal relationship beyond being neighbors. Kennison died by suicide in 2001.

Sgt. Clinton Wagner of the Jerome Police Department first picked up Mobley's cold case in June 2022 and inquired about submitting the evidence for DNA analysis, police said.

Wagner worked with lab technicians to review the available evidence and select items for testing and submitted them to the Idaho State Police Forensic Lab in March of 2023.

"Advancements in DNA science have the power to unveil the truth even after years of uncertainty. Science, when combined with relentless investigative dedication, can unravel mysteries and bring closure to victims and their families," the Idaho State Police said in a statement.

Wagner met with Mobley's family members on December 19 to give them the news and inform them that the case was closed.

Read the original article on Business Insider
People rally in support of Sudans army in Wad Madani amid ongoing war against the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces - AFP

When a notorious militia turned up at the gates of the Sudanese city where Mohamed Ibrahim was sheltering, his first thoughts were of what they might do to his daughters.

The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) group has been accused of many atrocities in the capital Khartoum and the Darfur region since the country was engulfed by war earlier this year.

Its fighters this week captured Wad Medani which had been a haven for half a million as nationwide conflict raged between the paramilitary group and the Sudanese army.

People displaced by the conflict in Sudan sit near a van loaded with belongings after they fled Wad Madani - AFP

The fall of Wad Medani has now prompted another panicked exodus in a war which has already seen an estimated seven million people flee their homes.

Mr Ibrahim, a lawyer, and his family were earlier this week among an estimated 300,000 who fled the city, many on foot, in the face of the advancing paramilitaries.

He told the Telegraph: When the fighting started I decided to move out from Wad Medani, because the RSF has a bad reputation about raping girls, which has happened in Khartoum and Darfur.

The capture of Wad Medani, the capital of Jazeera province, has not only seen the fall of one of the countrys main aid hubs, but also the armys loss of Sudans second city.

Civilians fleeing conflict in Sudan wait for asylum registration procedures at the United Nations High Commissioner in Renk - AMMAR YASSER/AFP

Aid groups including the Red Cross have been forced to temporarily pull out of the city, and the World Food Programme said it had shut feeding operations for 800,000 refugees.

We fear that Wad Madani, once considered a safe haven for people fleeing extreme violence in Khartoum, is turning into another death trap, said Pierre Dorbes, the head of the International Red Cross in Sudan.

He said: We saw desperate people running away in panic to the sound of explosions amid traffic jams and chaos.

The war erupted when rivalry between the de-facto president, Gen Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and his deputy, Gen Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as Hemedti, boiled over. Hemedti controls the RSF, which was formerly a state paramilitary group.

Conservative estimates put the death toll at more than 10,000. With the health system collapsed, accurate figures are impossible to get and the true number is thought to be many times higher.

Supporters of Sudans army in the formerly safe city of Wad Madani - AFP

The capture of Wad Medani over only a few days has shocked the country, after months of fighting in which neither side appeared able to make a breakthrough.

Residents told the Telegraph the city had fallen with little fighting, leading to suspicion the garrison had made a deal to pull out. The army issued a statement saying it had withdrawn and was investigating what had happened.

Dr Mohamed Jala Hashim, a lecturer and political analyst at Khartoum University, said: When the RSF came inside the city of Wad Madani, no bullets were fired. Even the bridge had been closed to them, but they opened it and entered the city without resistance.

Widespread looting broke out in the city after it fell.

The surprise fall of Wad Madani has raised questions about the armys ability to hold back the RSF, and whether the collapse will lead to assaults on cities including Gedaref in the east and Kosti in the south.

The RSF, which grew out of the state-backed Arab Janjaweed militias accused of atrocities in the Darfur conflict earlier this century, already hold much of the capital and Darfur.

Dire geopolitical consequences

As well as the humanitarian crisis, the war threatens dire geopolitical consequences as neighbouring states are destabilised or sucked in, trying to back their own factions.

Michelle Gavin, of the Council on Foreign Relations think tank, said neither the army nor RSF had real political legitimacy. Both were at risk of fragmenting.

She said: While the RSF clearly has the upper hand militarily, it is an undisciplined and predatory force incapable of governing a stable state.

If it manages to take the entire country, that will not equate to an end to the fighting and violence. The other scenario, a fractious and lawless de facto partition of the country, also fails to promise real relief.

Egypt and Iran both hold close ties to the Sudanese armed forces and the United Arab Emirates is widely accused of backing the RSF. The UAE denies supplying the RSF with weapons, saying it does not take sides in the current conflict.

Members of the United States Congress are increasing pressure on the White House to take a tougher line on UAE support.

Sara Jacobs, a House Democrat, this week accused the RSF of committing horrific war crimes in Sudan  with military support from the UAE.

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.
UN chief welcomes Security Council resolution on financing of AU-led peacekeeping

Xinhua) 13:34, December 23, 2023

UNITED NATIONS, Dec. 22 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres welcomes the Security Council's adoption of a resolution on the financing of African Union (AU)-led peace support operations, said his spokesman on Friday.

Since the start of his mandate as UN secretary-general, Guterres has repeatedly called for a new generation of peace support operations led by African partners, with guaranteed funding to respond to the peace and security challenges on the continent. This is also one of the key recommendations of his recent policy brief on A New Agenda for Peace, said Stephane Dujarric, the spokesman, in a statement.

The resolution will help address a longstanding and critical gap in the international peace and security architecture and bolster the international community's efforts to tackle peace and security challenges on the African continent, said the statement.

The secretary-general is committed to further strengthening the strategic partnership with the AU, including through the implementation of this resolution. The United Nations will continue its collaborative efforts with the AU toward political solutions to address conflicts on the continent and enhance AU-UN consultative decision-making process as outlined in the resolution, it said.

Resolution 2719, which decides that AU-led peace support operations that are authorized by the Security Council will have access to funding from the UN assessed contributions, was adopted unanimously by the Security Council on Thursday.

(Web editor: Chang Sha, Zhong Wenxing)
As the time to celebrate the birth of Jesus approaches, friends and I have been thinking about Jesus words recorded in Mark 10:13-16:

People were bringing little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it. And he took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them.

For years, I thought that receiving the Kingdom of God like a little child referred to innocence  or to being trusting. Maybe it does include that. I, for one, feel I have a lot to learn about genuinely trusting God, in our deeply disturbed world.

But someone recently pointed out to me that the main defining characteristic of children in first century Palestine was their lack of status in society. They were powerless.

Maybe letting go of status and power is the main lesson that Jesus wants us to learn.

As I thought about that, I realised that Jesuss own earthly mother would have known what that meant. As a young woman without any status, she bore a child in deeply unusual circumstances. And then, she fled and her family fled to another nation (Matthew 2:13-18), in fear for their lives.

I further reflected on the ways that the Living God gave a voice to this powerless young woman. Her voice echoes down through the millennia to us today in Holy Scripture through Marys song (Luke 1:46-55) and in her other words recorded for our edification.

Our aspiration, as Christian Daily International, is to elevate the unheard voices of those without status  the powerless. We pray that we might succeed in doing that  in the spirit of Mark 10:13-16.

May we all know Him who welcomes the powerless in this Christmas season.

As a team, we wish you and all those you care for (locally and around the world) a very Happy Christmas.

Gordon Showell-Rogers, International Director of CDI
Gen Patrick Sanders on a visit to troops in Estonia - EDDIE MULHOLLAND FOR THE TELEGRAPH

The head of the British Army has instructed soldiers to cooperate with an inquiry into allegations that members of the SAS murdered dozens of Afghan civilians.

Gen Sir Patrick Sanders, the Chief of the General Staff, also told troops to hand over any evidence that might assist the investigation.

His letter was sent out amid growing concern within the Ministry of Defence that members of the special forces had been less than cooperative when giving evidence to the inquiry.

The inquiry was launched earlier this year amid allegations that up to 80 civilians were killed in suspicious circumstances by members of the SAS during operations in Afghanistan.

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) and the Royal Military Police (RMP), have also been accused of failing to properly investigate the claims.

In a letter believed to have been sent to all serving and former soldiers who were in Afghanistan between 2010 and 2013, Gen Sanders said: I want you to be crystal clear that this inquiry has my full cooperation and support and I expect all levels of the chain of command to take the same approach.

Gen Sanders, 57, who is due to retire in 2024, also told troops that the inquiry team was entitled to see all evidence, even if documents were marked top secret.

And he urged soldiers to come forward with any information, including confidential reports and war photos, which might help investigators.

Allegations of unlawful activity

He added: The inquiry is entitled to see all the evidence of any classification, and I encourage anyone who thinks they might have information or material that would help the inquiry to contact them. I offer that you do not have to speak to anyone in the Army before approaching the inquiry.

The letter continued: The inquiry is looking into allegations of unlawful activity by Special Forces during Deliberate Operations in Afghanistan from mid 2010, including the broader response to these allegations.

Where serious allegations of this nature are made, it is important that they are looked into thoroughly and independently. This is not only the hallmark of a democratic society but also the Rule of Law we strive to uphold.

Gen Sanders also revealed that the Armys top lawyer Major General Alex Taylor was being put in charge of dealing with the militarys response to the inquiry because of the importance of the investigation.

Gen Sanderss letter was criticised by Afghan war veterans, who claimed that British troops were once again being blamed for carrying out orders.

One said: Feels like our efforts in Afghanistan were an utter waste of time. The way it ended was not the best and the way we have been made out as the bad guys does not help.

Another soldier wrote on Facebook that the letter should have read: Dear all, Were looking for grasses, apply within.

An Iraq-type witch hunt

Other soldiers called the investigation an  Iraq-type witch hunt.

The allegations of extra-judicial killings were part of a BBC investigation which claimed rogue SAS units executed innocent civilians during a campaign of night raids set up to capture Taliban fighters.

Earlier this month it was alleged by Panorama that one of the UKs most senior generals was warned in writing in 2011 that SAS soldiers were claiming to have executed handcuffed detainees in Afghanistan.

The programme claimed that Gen Gwyn Jenkins, who is now the second most senior officer in the British Armed Forces, received accounts of conversations in which members of the SAS described extra-judicial killings.

But instead of referring the evidence to military police, Gen Jenkins placed it in a classified dossier and locked it in a safe.

Under British law, commanding officers are legally obliged to inform the military police if they are made aware of any evidence that a war crime may have been committed.

But the dossier containing the testimony remained locked in the safe for four years, known only to a handful of officers, until a separate Special Forces whistleblower informed the RMP of its existence.

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.
NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY)  A federal jury convicted a Norfolk man on charges of conspiracy to commit robbery, robbery, using a firearm in relation to a crime of violence, and being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Jamique Mays, 30, is scheduled for sentencing on April 19, 2024. He faces a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years and a maximum life sentence.

According to court records and trial evidence, Mays conspired with 44-year-old Jaclyn Inge, his former girlfriend and 37-year-old Desmond Littlejohn to rob Inges employer.

On Oct. 9, 2017, Mays and his co-conspirators drove to the business where Inge worked in Virginia Beach. Once Inges employer and another co-worker arrived, Mays and Littlejohn ran up on the victims waving guns. They forced the victims to hand over a black bag filled with money the business made at a gun show.

After taking the money, the two men took off running to the vehicle where Inge was waiting. As the car sped away from the scene, Mays threw a black ski mask and other items out of the car window. During the investigation, Littlejohns DNA was found on the mask.

Mays later confessed to committing a robbery to a friend while on Facebook Messenger.

Thanks to the dedicated efforts of my Ceasefire prosecution team and our partners, we successfully foiled a major criminal conspiracy, seized illegal firearms, and secured this major conviction, said Attorney General Miyares. All bad actors should take serious note that such crimes will not be tolerated in the Commonwealth.

Littlejohn was convicted of the same charges in February of 2019 and was sentenced to 189 months in prison.

Inge was sentenced to 78 months in October 2020 after she plead guilty to illegally purchasing and possessing the gun used by Mays in the robbery.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WAVY.com.
The Salem City Council meets to discuss agenda items on Sept. 11 at City Hall in Salem.

Salem City Council meetings are on break for the holidays and will resume in 2024.

The next regular Salem City Council and Housing Authority meetings are scheduled for Monday, Jan. 8.

The City Council will tackle several key issues in the coming year, including the budget shortfall, the decision on how to fund at-risk homelessness programs, austerity measures, finding more revenue and funding infrastructure projects.

Check with the Statesman Journal every week before the council meetings to see what issues will be on the agenda.

Previous council coverage: Salem to cut hours at main, West Salem libraries

How to participate in the meetings

Meetings are held at 6 p.m. and mostly run every other Monday.

The meetings are held in person in the City Council Chambers at the Salem Civic Center, 555 Liberty St. SE, and also can be watched on Comcast Cable CCTV Channel 21 or on the Salem YouTube channel in English/American Sign Language and Spanish.

Those wishing to comment in person can sign up on the rosters at the chamber entrance before the start of the meeting.

Written public comments on agenda items can be emailed by 5 p.m. Monday to cityrecorder@cityofsalem.net. Or preregister between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. Monday at cityofsalem.net/Pages/Public-Comment-at-Salem-City-Council-Meeting.aspx to speak during the meeting via Zoom.

For questions, comments and news tips, email reporter Whitney Woodworth at wmwoodworth@statesmanjournal.com, call 503-910-6616 or follow on Twitter at @wmwoodworth

This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Salem City Council meetings on holiday break, resume in 2024
Mohamed Tageldin has worked at the intersection of artificial intelligence and pathology, the study and diagnosis of diseases, for six years.

Tageldin, a resident physician at Northwestern Universitys McGaw Medical Center, is part of a team of researchers that has developed an artificial intelligence model to more precisely predict long-term outcomes for breast cancer patients.

At a time when some industries are shying away from and questioning the use of AI in daily work, those in the medical field are leaning into the support the technology can provide to doctors.

Theres almost too much excitement, Tageldin said of attitudes toward AI in the medical field.

The team hopes the new model, designed specifically for breast cancer, will aid patients with more personalized recommendations and agency in their choice of treatment plans. It may also spare patients unnecessary chemotherapy treatments, according to a report published in late November.

Researchers found that with current prognosis methods used by pathologists, some patients are placed into higher-risk categories when, in reality, the patients could undergo shorter and less intense treatment plans.

For those people we recategorize, we could reduce the duration or intensity of their chemotherapy, and hopefully, achieve the same clinical outcome with less side effects, said study co-author Lee Cooper.

Cooper, an associate professor of pathology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, said the algorithm assesses patients differently from human pathologists and previous models by studying both cancerous and noncancerous cells  such as immune cells  in a prognosis.

Noncancerous cells can attack and inhibit cancer growth and provide shape around a tumor, which can lead to better long-term outcomes for a patient. But noncancerous cells are hard to analyze with the human eye, making it difficult for doctors to predict if a patient needs an aggressive form of treatment like chemotherapy.

The AI model is not meant to replace the role of pathologists in providing the best care to patients, Cooper stressed. Rather, it is to help pathologists  who are tasked with grading how cancer cells appear and predicting how theyll grow  feel more confident about the grade they send to the oncologist, who then determines a treatment plan with the patient.

Lauren Teras, senior scientific director of epidemiology research at the American Cancer Society, said the algorithm is promising for breast cancer patients because the current treatment options are brutal, with often strenuous side effects that affect day-to-day life. She said doctors should avoid using harsh treatments when possible.

We need to have tools to help doctors identify which women are at the highest risk of dying from their cancers and need more aggressive treatments, Teras said. But also, we need to identify women who do not need these treatments.

There are more cancer survivors in the United States than ever, Teras said, partly due to advancements in treatment plans.

As of Jan. 1, 2022, there were more than 18 million cancer survivors nationally, according to the most recent ACS Cancer Treatment & Survivorship report. Women with a history of invasive breast cancer made up the largest subgroup, with more than 4 million survivors recorded.

The Cancer Society says 1 in 8 women in the United States will receive a breast cancer diagnosis in their lifetime.

When Cooper began the research, the original AI model would study an image given to it and produce a prediction. That output did not provide any reasoning behind the prediction, which was a simple number, or grade. The updated model gives more information to doctors, including the steps the AI took to determine its prognosis, which addresses a main concern of AI for pathologists.

With the new model, doctors would acquire tissue from the patient during a surgery or biopsy. They would then use the tissue to produce a digital image slide for the AI model to view, identify the different cells and, ultimately, examine the cells relationship to one another.

Researchers used sample tissue from 3,177 breast cancer patients through a partnership with the ACS Cancer Prevention Studies program, where people sign up to donate their cancer tissue before they are diagnosed with the disease. When they donate, a high-resolution digital image is taken of their removed tissue and saved in the data set.

Markups and images of breast cancer tissue were studied by a team of around 40 doctors, residents and researchers around the world to train the algorithm on how to analyze the cells, Tageldin said.

Tageldin said he was grateful for the thousands of volunteers, as the model would not have been possible without the people who donated their body tissue and time to train the algorithm.

Using the ACS data means the algorithm is exposed to a more diverse set of patient tissues in its training stages since the ACS collects data from a variety of medical clinics, including community centers in low-income and rural areas. Most other public data originates in academic medical institutions and can have a select set of patient profiles, Cooper said.

By building a model on this (ACS) data, were better able to capture the true spectrum of disease in the United States, Cooper said.

With comprehensive and diverse training, the AI could also largely benefit patients in lower-income areas where the model could aid doctors who are not specialized pathologists in providing grades and treatment care options.

If you can make a slide and you have a microscope with a camera and an internet connection, we could probably find a way to deliver these assessments anywhere in the world, really, he said.

The use of digital images in medical practice has increased in recent years, with Northwestern Medicine transitioning to digital imaging over the next three years.

Next, researchers will need to evaluate the model using data from clinical trials, tackle operational challenges and ensure predictions are generated on time for pathologists. Cooper said if the model is approved for clinical use, he could see the same template applied to other cancers as well.

Teras said the ACS is cautiously optimistic about AI in the cancer research field, adding that the organization is taking steps forward with models but not moving too quickly. However, she emphasized that doctors will not be replaced by AI innovation.

Patients will always need doctors, but this tool can help doctors help patients, she said.

aguffey@chicagotribune.com
Tuscumbia City Schools recently touted the addition of the first electric bus in the state. But should it, especially when there is a near-zero emissions option that is more cost-effective, and gets more dirty diesel buses off state roads faster?

Every child deserves to have a safe, clean, healthy ride to and from school. Its obvious that the best way to provide that ride is not with the diesel buses most of us adults rode to school and transport most children today. But while many think electric buses are the way to go, were confident in saying that propane buses are a better choice.

Tucker Perkins, President and CEO of the Propane Education and Research Council

Why propane? There are three key reasons  they are better for our children, better for our communities and better for the environment. Ultimately, that all leads back to environmental justice  cleaning up the air we breathe in every community. Everyone, no matter where they call home, deserves access to clean, affordable and reliable energy, as well as clean air to breathe. Propane provides all of that right now and is easily implemented.

Think of the diesel school bus you likely rode to school years ago. What comes to mind? Thats right  primarily the fumes and the noise. Those conditions havent changed. Propane buses eliminate that black smoke that comes out of a diesel tailpipe, and dramatically reduce nitrogen oxides and carbon dioxide, which are known triggers for issues like asthma, bronchitis and other respiratory problems.

Thats not all. Georgia State University researchers linked lower-emission bus exhaust to improved academic performance. The research found that students riding ultra-low-emission buses  like propane  were missing school less and scoring better on tests compared with students riding aging diesel buses with dirtier emissions.

All Alabama communities  urban, suburban and rural  stand to benefit substantially from propane bus implementation. First off, the operating cost of propane buses are half the cost of diesel buses, but more significantly, a school district can purchase three propane buses for every one electric bus. With many, if not all, districts managing tight budgets, the savings provides the best of both worlds  cleaner air and cost savings.

Those savings can go directly back into the classroom, undoubtedly enhancing the quality of education children receive. In fact, according to the World LP Gas Association, if all the nations diesel school buses were converted to clean-operating propane, U.S. school districts could hire more than 23,000 teachers with the savings.

Another aspect of the benefits of propane buses is practical: Refueling. The footprint for an onsite propane refueling station is much less compared to a bank of dozens of electric chargers. Plus, it takes minutes to refuel a propane bus, compared to hours for recharging an electric bus.

But once again, theres more. Sixty percent of the U.S. electric grid is powered by coal and natural gas, so if one considers the whole emissions equation, propane buses are simply cleaner. As demand on the grid increases, in part due to the proliferation of electric passenger vehicles, so will reliance on coal and natural gas, leading to greater environmental impact. Propane erases that problem. And be advised, the electric bus panacea mindset is problematic at best.

Propane buses are already here, with more than 22,000 buses operating nationwide, transporting 1.3 million kids to school in 49 states, including Alabama. They are reliable in every type of weather condition, from the heat in the fall and spring, to the coldest winter days. They also have a range of up to 400 miles on a single tank, compared to just 130 for a fully charged electric bus.

Bottom line, if Alabama is serious about clearing the air concerning student transportation, propane has to be part of the equation.

Tucker Perkins is the president and CEO of the Propane Education & Research Council, based in Washington, D.C.

This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Alabama should embrace the benefits of propane school buses
Alex Battys grandmother has revealed details of the final call she had with her grandson before he vanished for six years.

Susan Caruana, who was her grandsons legal guardian at the time, feared she would never again see then 11-year-old Alex after speaking with him on the phone in September 2017.

The British teenager, now aged 17, was in Spain with his mother Melanie Batty, 43, and grandfather David Batty, 64, on what the pair had said would be a week-long vacation.

British teenager Alex Batty is now 17 years old (The Sun)

However, Ms Caruana told The Sun that moments after she had finished speaking with the boy, she heard his mother Melanie tell her son, Were getting rid of the phones.

Ms Caruana did not hear from Alex for another six years.

He was finally found last week by a delivery driver who spotted Alex walking along a rural road near Chalabre in southern France at 3am on 13 December.

Now, Greater Manchester Police have launched a criminal investigation into the alleged abduction of the teenager.

Alex Batty as a child (PA Media)

Ms Caruana said she felt utterly betrayed by her daughter and her ex-husband after she allowed the duo to take her grandson away on the supposed holiday to Malaga.

The retired mental health support worker said she had been Alexs legal guardian for 18 months to the anger of Melanie, who regarded her son as her property and demanded a 500,000 payment.

Ms Caruana remembered: Melanie asked to take Alex on holiday and David said he would be going too. Alex wanted to go, like any child would. I was nervous about saying Yes but I felt I had no choice but to give them a chance and trust them. How wrong could I have been?

The trio are said to have flown to stay in a villa in Marbella, which belonged to a friend of Melanie  but never returned home to Oldham as promised. Instead, Alex was allowed to call his grandmother from a beach to tell her he would not be coming back, and this was when Ms Caruana overheard Melanie saying they would be ditching their phones. Later, their phones and passports were found thrown away in a McDonalds bin.

Susan Caruana was her grandsons legal guardian when he vanished (Supplied)

The 68-year-old said: They completely and utterly betrayed me and left me heartbroken. I knew as soon as I heard her say, Were getting rid of the phones now. I thought, Ill never see him again.

She said she immediately contacted Greater Manchester Police, who later launched an alleged abduction investigation  however, Alex would not be found for another six years.

Alex told police upon recently coming home that he had been living a nomadic lifestyle in Spain, Morocco and France with his mother and grandfather as part of a spiritual community and had decided to leave when his mother talked about going to Finland.

He told The Sun that his years on the run were spent mostly friendless, and working in exchange for food and lodging rather than going to school  and so Harry Potter books were his salvation.

The French driver who found British teenager Alex and took him to a police station (Sky News)

He said: I had a Harry Potter box set. Im obsessed with it and must have read each of the books at least 20 times. I carried it everywhere even though it was massive and took up so much space. Theyre amazing books. My main pastime was reading, because most of the places we were, we couldnt get wifi. I tried to get as many as I could, but it was bloody difficult.

Alex, who also tried to teach himself maths and computer science, said his desire to get an education was one of the main reasons he left his mother and grandfathers rented house a couple of weeks ago.

He said: During all my time away I never attended school for a single day. The only qualifications I have are my Sats test results from primary school when I lived back in Oldham. Thats one of the worst things thats happened to me throughout all this  not having a proper education.

Now that he is back in the UK, Alex is planning to get as many qualifications as possible and then go on to study computer science at university.

French prosecutor Antoine Leroy said Alex had told police he had left his mother after she decided to move to Finland (Reuters)

Authorities in France said last week that they thought Melanie could be in Finland and that David appeared to have died, but neither of those details seemed clear after the teenager gave his first interview.

Alex said he had feared the pair could be arrested on suspicion of child abduction, so he had lied about his escape.

Ms Caruana said she was overjoyed to be reunited with her grandson at her Oldham home last Saturday night after enduring years of not knowing whether Alex was even alive. She said she had learnt that he had been found when she received a phone call from her family liaison officer for the first time in a long, long time.

She said: I didnt hear anything from them again until Alex was found in France. During the whole six years, I never knew if they were alive or dead. Every time there was some sort of disaster, I feared that he could be a victim. And during Covid, I had no idea where he was, so I didnt know if he was in a built-up area or not.

The 68-year-old said she would never be able to forgive her daughter and her ex-husband for tricking her into allowing Alex to go on the trip, adding that it is not her fault if the pair end up in prison.

She said: I dont want to be the one to help them go to prison, but if they do, then its not my fault. Alex has come back home of his own free will. He told his mother, You chose this life, but I dont want it.
An area community came together in just over a week to gather donations so over two dozen families could have a holiday dinner.

The independently owned and operated Ambridge SHOP n SAVE planned a Shop with Cops fundraiser in nine days after store manager Brittany Safran learned that 25 families in the Ambridge School District are experiencing food insecurity. Shop with Cops is a fundraiser where Harmony Township police officers shop alongside underserved kids and their families for food for holiday meals.

With the help of police, other area businesses and community members, the store gathered $17,000 in donations for the event that took place Friday. In addition to the monetary donations, Ambridge SHOP n SAVE gave the families hams and matched donations received in-store.

Two other area SHOP n SAVE stores, Tusca and East Rochester, also helped by donating to the school directly.

I am overwhelmed with gratitude and pride, Safran said. Witnessing our community come together in support of this meaningful initiative has been truly inspiring.

During the event, the store was overflowing with community members, Ambridge school staff, police officers, firefighters and employees of local businesses.

The positive impact of this collaborative effort will undoubtedly resonate throughout the community for months to come and we are already planning to activate this again next year, Safran said.

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CRESTVIEW  While the season of giving has consumed most communities across Northwest Florida, one organization made it their mission to serve the residents of Crestview in a meaningful way this holiday season.

Started in 1986, American Veterans Post #35 in Crestview has 700 members, including veterans, active-duty personnel and their families, that host community activities throughout the year.

Ahead of Christmas Day, the organization brought charitable donations to Crestview Manor residents, and it plans to provide meals for 450 people in the Crestview area through its "Meals on Wheels" program on Christmas.

"This is what the AmVet Organization is about," 2nd Vice Commander Liz Westby said. "Doing community service for veterans and our local community."

The Crestview Manor

According to Facility Director Lavina Brock, many residents of Crestview Manor come to the facility with nothing more than a few clothes at their disposal. The Sons of the American Veterans, an auxiliary of the group, donated 41 shower caddies full of supplies to residents at the facility.

The giving didn't end there.

Post Commander Virgil Talbott also handed Brock a check for $500. Talbott said the donation was just a drop in the bucket, but Brock said the $500 would be used to refurbish one room in the facility.

Crestview Manor Facility Director Lavina Brock accepts a $500 check from Crestview AmVets Post #35 Commander Virgil Talbott on Monday. The donation will be used to renovate one room at the Manor.

"This is perfect," Brock said. "This is flooring. This is paint. This is a ceiling fan. Everything that goes in a new room. It's really appreciated."

As Brock took the Northwest Florida Daily News on a tour of the facility, she told us that the renovations to the aging facility have been underway since she took the position in January 2021. One of the first major additions she was proud of was the "Ruth Lovejoy Day Center," which was opened in August 2022.

Ruth Lovejoy, who died in May 2019, was a longtime advocate for the elderly of Okaloosa County.

The project includes refurbishing and upgrading existing rooms and replacing the elevator, which would allow residents who will live on the second floor to have more security and freedom.

Brock estimates the project will cost $150,000.

During their Tuesday meeting, the AmVets organization pledged additional help to the retirement community. They pledged that they would upgrade the TV that is used in the recreational center. The group also voted to pledge an additional $3,500 to renovate the last seven rooms on a monthly basis beginning in January.

Meals on Wheels

Another part of AmVets' season of giving involves the 22nd annual Meals on Wheels initiative on Christmas Day.

This year will be a new record for the group, providing 450 meals to individuals in the Crestview area.

The husband-and-wife team of Tim and Amy Lindenberger will do the cooking, roasting ham in the early morning hours of Christmas Day. The meals will include mashed potatoes and gravy, stuffing, green beans, corn, pies and rolls.

For those who have signed up to have a meal delivered, the deliveries are expected to take place between 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. For those who are picking up your meals, the post asks you to arrive no earlier than 11 a.m.

This article originally appeared on Northwest Florida Daily News: AmVets donates to Crestview elder facility, plans Christmas meals
'Shooting the Messenger' in Baby Parts Case: Final Motion to Halt Collection of $16 Million Denied Planned Parenthood Admitted it Sells Baby Body Parts, Slithered Out of Prosecution, Newman and Other Pro-Life Investigators Punished Instead



NEWS PROVIDED BY

Operation Rescue

Dec. 22, 2023



SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., Dec. 22, 2023 /Christian Newswire/ -- Operation Rescue President Troy Newman, along with several other pro-life activists, lost a motion to prevent Planned Parenthood from collecting on a punitive $16 million judgment in a case involving the trafficking of aborted baby body parts. The ruling was issued on December 6, 2023.



Planned Parenthood sued the activists for the 2015 release of a series of undercover videos detailing the Abortion Cartel's secret participation in what appeared to be illegal profit-taking from the trafficking of tissue and organs harvested from the bodies of babies aborted at Planned Parenthood facilities. Newman and the other activists were wrongly convicted in a San Francisco Federal Court under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) resulting in a monetary judgment in excess of $16 million.



"I have always maintained my innocence and will continue to do so," said Newman. "There can be little doubt that Planned Parenthood's substantial political clout contributed to what I consider to be an injustice against those of us who exposed proof of Planned Parenthood's grisly baby-parts trafficking practices."



Evidence and testimony presented during the trial seemed to exonerate the pro-life activists yet was ignored.



It was determined during the trial that the undercover videos showing Planned Parenthood abortionists and executives negotiating the sale of tissue and organs harvested from aborted babies was accurate and not "doctored," as media organizations falsely proclaimed.



The so-called "forensic audit" of the videos conducted by the now-disgraced, political, dirty- tricks organization, Fusion GPS, which alleged that the videos were "deceptively edited," was unveiled to be a complete lie.



Planned Parenthood was even forced to admit the veracity of the videos in court.



Despite state and federal laws against the sale of aborted babies' remains for profit, Planned Parenthood still engages in the practice today.



Planned Parenthood's attorneys may now attempt to collect on the multi-million-dollar judgment. Newman vows to use every legal means available to resist collection efforts and fight to clear his name of this wrongful conviction.



"The public deserves the truth about the horrific nature of the business of abortion, and I will continue to expose the barbaric practices of Planned Parenthood, despite this setback," said Newman.



"I will not be intimidated into silence."



Operation Rescue is one of the leading pro-life Christian activist organizations in the U.S. Our goal is to expose abortion abuses, demand enforcement, save innocent lives, and build an Abortion-Free America. Click here to support Operation Rescue.



SOURCE Operation Rescue



CONTACT: Troy Newman, President, 316-683-6790 ext. 111;

Anne Reed, Senior Policy Advisor, 316-683-6790



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Ann Rachlin, who has died aged 90, gave up being a secretary to become a musical storyteller, inspiring children of all backgrounds with a love of classical music.

It began after she moved to London from Leeds following her divorce from her first husband. She loved music and wanted to go to concerts but, with no childminder, had to take her three children too. To interest them, she told them stories about the composers and the music, and noticed that they seemed to get much more out of the concerts as a result.

In 1965 she took her small son to an interview at a prep school. When she mentioned telling her children stories when she took them to concerts, she was invited to teach music at the school. She soon decided to branch out on her own and founded Fun with Music classes, after-school sessions that she held three times a week, initially at her home and later in a church hall in St Johns Wood.

There, to the accompaniment of music, she would serve her youthful students home-prepared food, give them colouring books to colour in and tell them stories about the music and composers from her magic story-telling chair. I think the children regard me as a very good friend, slightly nutty, slightly crazy. Its a party atmosphere, she told an interviewer.

Her stories contained such homely or amusing details as Beethovens love of noodles and Haydns expulsion from the choir for snipping off the ponytail of the boy in front. I teach them that grown-ups sometimes are inhibited about listening to music  that if a composer has written funny music its good to laugh, and if its sad, then cry. If any of the children cry when Mimi dies at the end of La boheme, I tell them Im really proud of them. Theyre doing just what Puccini wants them to do.

She began with three children, but news spread by word of mouth and by the early 1990s she had 300 three-to nine-year-olds enrolled and a waiting list several years long. Actors such as Peter OToole and Bob Hoskins, whose children attended, were roped in as guest speakers, and she took the children on trips on the Thames to listen to Handels Water Music and country picnics to listen to Beethovens Pastoral symphony.

Among her pupils were the young Princes William and Harry, who studied with Ann Rachlin for four years in the 1980s. She included a segment on ceremonial music, because I was teaching the future king the music to which he would be crowned.

One of her books on the childhoods of famous composers

She went on to tell her stories at youth concerts around the world. She also made a series of recordings, narrating stories to the music of different composers, and published picture books on the childhoods of famous composers which were translated into 17 languages.

In 1976 Ann Rachlin founded the Beethoven Fund for Deaf Children, dedicated to providing specially designed musical equipment to schools for the deaf in the UK. Dame Evelyn Glennie, the virtuoso percussionist, who was deaf from the age of eight, has credited Ann Rachlin as being instrumental in her big break when she travelled from Scotland with her school percussion group to perform at the Albert Hall.

Ann Rachlin in 1983 - Popperfoto via Getty Images

Sybille Ann Lyttleton was born in Leeds on July 23 1933 to a Welsh businessman father and a mother of Polish-Lithuanian descent. As a pupil at Allerton High School she learnt piano with Fanny Waterman, and while boarding at Overstone College, Northampton, was taught piano by Valley Lasker, a protegee of Gustav Holst.

After finishing school in Paris, she took a course at Yorkshire Ladies Secretarial College. After her children were born, she took A-levels in French, Italian and Spanish by correspondence course.

In 1952 she married Neville Ziff, a shoe company director. The marriage was dissolved in 1964 and in 1967 she married the American pianist and conductor Ezra Rachlin, 18 years her senior.

After a few years in America, they settled in London, where in 1986 she was engaged by the London Symphony Orchestra to perform a series of childrens concerts entitled Funtasia at the Barbican, with the LSO conducted by her husband. The same year she was appointed MBE for her services to music and deaf children.

Ezra Rachlin died in 1995, and a year later, at a concert in his memory, Ann was asked by Michael Aspel to appear on This Is Your Life. Those paying tribute to her work included Robert Runcie, Rabbi Hugo Gryn, Yehudi Menuhin and Sir Georg Solti. In 2000 pupils past and present honoured her with a party at the Royal Opera House.

One of Ann Rachlin's recordings

In 2010 she was invited to take up a fellowship at Grey College, Durham University, and in 2013 she donated her husbands archive to the college.

In 1978, by chance, Ann Rachlin acquired the colourful memoirs of Edith Craig, a costume-designer, costume-maker and fencing expert and the daughter of the Victorian actress Dame Ellen Terry. She became an authority on both women and in 2011 she published the edited memoirs as Edy Was a Lady.

In October 2022, to raise money for a childrens hospital in Lviv, she organised Ukraine Reborn, a concert of words and music at St Thomass Church, Winchelsea, with the cellist Raphael Wallfisch and with her former pupils, the actor siblings Freddie and Emilia Fox, as narrators.

Ann Rachlin is survived by a son and daughter from her first marriage. Another daughter died last year.

Ann Rachlin born July 23 1933, died November 20 2023

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Sarasota police obtained a second sex video from embattled Republican Party of Florida Chair Christian Ziegler. This one shows an encounter between his wife Bridget Ziegler with another woman.

The Florida Center for Government Accountability, which initially broke that Christian Ziegler was under investigation for rape, sourced local law enforcement who claimed a second sex tape exists. It's not known if the other woman is the same woman who has accused Christian Ziegler of rape or if this is a different person.

Police obtained video Christian Ziegler took of a sexual encounter with the woman accusing him of rape. Law enforcement sources described the tape to the Florida Center for Government Accountability as potentially complicating the case against Ziegler. Thats because of some key details that appear to dispute events as described by the Sarasota woman leveling accusations.

In the process of investigating Christian Ziegler, the police found this other video, according to the Center. Its unclear if the same woman is part of the latest video obtained by law enforcement.

It is not known if the woman in the video is the same woman who has alleged she was sexually assaulted by Christian Ziegler. Neither Christian nor Bridget Ziegler have responded to requests for comment from the Trident, according to the Center.

Bridget Ziegler is a co-founder of the conservative, anti-LGBTQ+ organization Moms for Liberty. Most recently she's been a member of the Sarasota County School Board.

In the course of securing a search warrant, Bridget Ziegler admitted to police she had been in a threesome with her husband and the woman more than a year prior. Meanwhile, rumors in Southwest Florida persist that the couple has engaged in a non-traditional marriage for years. Thats quite the revelation considering the political power couple long ran on promoting social conservative values. Bridget Ziegler stood by Gov. Ron DeSantis when he signed Floridas infamous dont say gay law.

The revelations of threesomes promoted serious political trouble. The Sarasota County School Board voted 4-1 earlier this month to call for her to resign, though only DeSantis can remove her.

Now, let me be clear, participation in same-sex activities is not shameful, said Nicholas Machuca, the deputy director of development of LGBTQ+ rights group Equality Florida, said at the board's recent vote. However, Bridget Ziegler has done this while simultaneously denigrating our community and working overtime to instill policies that directly marginalize us. That hypocrisy is unacceptable.



Every statewide official, starting with DeSantis, has called for Christian Ziegler to resign, and the Republican Party of Floridas executive board last week reduced his salary, censured him and set in motion a process to remove him in January. Christian Ziegler is reportedly seeking a $2 million payout to step down.
People walk around a Christmas tree decorated for the Christmas and New Year festivities at the Noblessner port in the Tallinn Bay, Estonia, Saturday, Dec. 16, 2023. In Estonia, as in many parts of the world, trees covered with lights brighten up homes and town squares during the Winter Solstice and Christmas festivities afterwards. (AP Photo/Pavel Golovkin)

TALLINN, Estonia (AP)  Christmas trees started appearing in Central Europe and the Baltic States, including Estonia, as early as the Middle Ages and have now become traditional across much of the world.

Dec. 22 is the shortest day of the year and in Estonia, as in many parts of the world, trees covered with lights brighten up homes and town squares during the Winter Solstice and Christmas festivities afterward.

In order to grow a 2.5-meter (8-foot) Christmas tree, Arvo Palumae, co-owner of a Christmas tree farm he started 14 years ago, waits 8 years before carefully selecting it, shaping it during the summer months and cutting it for delivery. But while some Estonians buy trees directly from him, they are also able to cut their own.

The State Forest Management Centre provides Estonians with a map of forests showing locations of trees they can cut down themselves. They advise people to avoid trees near power lines and encourage Estonians to plant spruces in the forests to make sure there are Christmas trees for generations to come.

Estonia largely exports trees to the European Union. It also exported Christmas trees to Russia before the countrys invasion of Ukraine stopped trade.

After the holidays, Christmas trees in Estonia are turned into wood shavings or even used to flavor beverages.
WEST PALM BEACH  An appeals court this month upheld the conviction of a Palm Beach County man in the 2017 murder-for-hire shooting death of his pregnant wife.

Euri Jenkins, 37, is serving a life sentence in state prison for hiring a hitman to kill his wife, Makeva, while she slept in their Lantana-area home. Prosecutors convicted him in 2022 with the help of two witnesses who said they conspired with Jenkins to murder her in order to collect on an insurance policy.

Jenkins resisted the conviction, first in a motion for acquittal and again in a bid to the Fourth District Court of Appeal. He argued that prosecutors failed to build a robust case against him and instead presented a flimsy one, based exclusively on "inconsistent statements" from two witnesses who, he noted, admitted to lying about their involvement early in the investigation.

Students killed: Impaired driver who hit, killed Royal Palm Beach teens at bus stop sentenced, license revoked

Euri Jenkins, who is charged with first-degree murder in connection to the June 29, 2017, fatal shooting of his wife, Makeva Jenkins attends jury selection for his trial at the Palm Beach County Courthouse in West Palm Beach, Jan. 22, 2020.

The appellate court disagreed. In a five-page opinion issued Wednesday, Dec. 20, a panel of judges said the testimony in question was "substantial evidence" of Jenkins' guilt.

Dametri Dale, a friend of Jenkins, testified that the husband asked him to find a hitman to kill his wife. Joevan Joseph, the confessed gunman, told jurors Jenkins offered him $20,000 to be the one that pulled the trigger.

Prior to testifying, Joseph pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in exchange for a 15-year prison sentence, and Dale pleaded guilty to manslaughter with a weapon for 15 years of probation. Both men's plea deals were contingent on their cooperation with assistant state attorneys prosecuting Jenkins.

Gregg Lerman, the defense attorney who represented Jenkins during the trial, called it "unquestionable that one or both of them lied any number of times about material issues."

Infant's death: Teen mom who gave birth alone charged with manslaughter near Boca Raton

"Individuals shouldnt be convicted in this country based on knowingly perjured testimony that the government puts up, he said in the wake of Jenkins' conviction.

The appellate judges found that prosecutors did not rely on prior inconsistent statements by the men, but on the material facts they both testified to at trial: Jenkins sought someone to kill his wife and promised to pay to get it done.

Had Jenkins' appeal succeeded, the appellate court would have either set the verdict aside and freed Jenkins from the charge, or ordered a new trial. For now, neither will happen. An attempt to reach Tim Rodriguez, Jenkins' appellate attorney, was not immediately successful.

Hannah Phillips covers criminal justice at The Palm Beach Post. You can reach her at hphillips@pbpost.com. Help support our journalism and subscribe today.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: South Florida husband who hired hitman to kill pregnant wife loses appeal
Apple has been noticeably missing in the list of companies with their own generative AI product, but based on a new report by The New York Times, it's looking to change that real soon. In recent weeks, Apple has reportedly started negotiating with major publishers and news organizations to ask for permission to use their content to train the generative AI system it's developing. The company doesn't expect to get its hands on their content for free, though, and The Times says it's offering them multi-year deals worth at least $50 million for access to their news archives.

Apparently, some of the publishers it approached are concerned about the repercussions of letting Apple use their news articles throughout the years. They think a broad licensing deal for their archives could lead to legal issues along the way. The publishers are also concerned about the potential competition that may arise from Apples efforts.

That said, the iPhone-maker also reportedly built goodwill simply by asking them for permission and showing willingness to pay. The Times says the companys higher-ups have been in discussion over where to get data for generative AI development for years now. Due to its commitment to privacy, theyve been hesitating to use information collected from the internet.

Other companies with generative AIs of their own had been accused of stealing content and using it to train their products without express consent from creators and rights holders. OpenAI, for instance, is contending with several lawsuits that accuse it of using other peoples intellectual properties. One of those lawsuits was filed by novelists that include George R.R. Martin and John Grisham, while another was filed by nonfiction authors who said OpenAI and Microsoft have built a business valued into the tens of billions of dollars by taking the combined works of humanity without permission.
Water users in southeastern Arizona will soon have a long-term plan for groundwater management with stricter water use regulations, a framework approved by voters last year.

The Arizona Department of Water Resources held a series of public meetings this year in Cochise County to explain more about the process for establishing an Active Management Area and to receive residents input for the management plan.

The AMA, the sixth and newest in the state, was designated last year by an initiative vote. It is unlike any of the five existing AMAs, which were established over three decades ago by the Arizona Legislature.

Approval of the AMA in the Douglas water basin won by a margin of about 500 votes. A second citizen-ballot initiative to repeal it was thrown out in June. Its provisions will take effect in January 2027.

Voters in the same November 2022 election rejected a proposal to establish a separate AMA in the neighboring Willcox basin.

Some farmers and residents who wanted to address groundwater depletion fear the new regulations disregard the well-being and future of locally owned farms and leave decisions that will affect rural livelihoods in the hands of a council appointed by the governor.

In their comments to the state, some residents requested the management plan establish conservation goals that allow existing operations to thrive, establish protection for small and mid-size farming operations, and determine substantial capital investments based on the financial situation of water users not on fixed criteria.

Other residents have argued ADWR should establish more aggressive goals for the Douglas AMA. Groundwater is the only source of water for the basin and even management plans in AMAs that have additional water sources have been insufficient to stabilize dropping groundwater levels.

Agriculture is the main water user and economic driver of the Douglas basin, but municipal and industrial water users will also face water conservation measures.

The agency will hold two more public meetings and put regulatory language up for public comment. Around August 2024, they will issue a first informal draft of the management plan and review comments. By statute, the plan must be approved by the end of 2024. Water users wont have to implement conservation requirements until 2027.

What groundwater regulations existed before?

The AMA is not the first form of groundwater regulation in the Douglas basin, which stretches north from Douglas to the corner of Sunizona and east from Tombstone to the ridge of the Swisshelm Mountains.

Concerns about fast-dropping groundwater levels date back to 1965.

Agriculture was booming in the basin by the mid-19th century. It grew from 3,000 acres to 14,000 in just a decade, 75% of it dedicated to cotton, a U.S. Geological Service report said. From 1947 to 1951, wells dropped six feet on average.

Due to the fast expansion of farming operations and declining water levels, the State Land Commission declared the valley a critical groundwater area and prohibited drilling new irrigation wells, unless it was to replace old existing ones.

They also established a freeze on new agricultural land that remains to this day, so the amount of farmland is roughly the same as it was back in the 1960s.

Today farmers in the Sulphur Springs Valley raise livestock and grow hay and forage crops, pecans, vegetables and wine grapes on some 19,700 acres.

When the Arizona Legislature enacted the 1980 Groundwater Management Act, which created the first AMAs, the critical groundwater area became an Irrigation Non-expansion Area.

Proponents of the AMA argued that an INA did not sufficiently protect water supplies into the future. The INA prohibited new acres of land from coming into cultivation, but groundwater levels kept dropping because existing farmland had no restrictions on water use.

The water department estimates that, from 1990 to 2022, for every 1 acre-foot of recharged water, 3 acre-feet were extracted, leading to a decrease of over 1 million acre-feet of water stored in the aquifer. An acre-foot, a unit used to measure water, is about 326,000 gallons.

What will change?

For agricultural water use, one of the biggest changes with the AMA is that farmers using wells that irrigate more than two acres or pump more than 35 gallons per minute will have to measure how much water they are extracting.

A sign in favor of Proposition 420 in Cochise County.

Anyone who wants to drill a well that pumps more than 35 gallons per minute, known as a non-exempt well, or to deepen an existing well, will have to perform a well impact analysis, which will be subject to approval.

Wells that pump 35 gallons per minute or less, called exempt wells, are not subject to any regulation under the AMA.

Owners of non-exempt wells will only be allowed to keep using them for irrigation if they apply for "irrigation grandfathered rights" for the well before March 1, 2024. If the well is non-exempt but not used for irrigation, a non-irrigation grandfathered right will be needed to keep using the well for industrial or other purposes.

Most Douglas basin farmers held these irrigation rights since the INA was designated, but the AMA requires renewal.

At first, the water department established application fees as high as $10,000 per farm, but after public outcry, the Governors Regulatory Review Council settled on a $75 flat fee in October.

The AMA will also apply groundwater withdrawal fees, which in other AMAs are lower than $4 per acre-foot of water.

The biggest question remains unanswered: What will be the expected reduction in groundwater withdrawal with the new regulations?

The amount will be established in the first and subsequent management plans, said AMA director Natalie Mast. Public meetings and residents' input will feed what goes into that management plan.

While there will be conservation requirements from the start, the agency is looking at the first management plan as a transitional stage for water users in the basin, she added.

There's a lot of differences between an active management area and an irrigation non-expansion area. There's additional reporting requirements, there's additional conservation requirements, there's additional requirements for drilling new wells, she said. "There's a lot of education that's going to go into this first stage."

ADWR hired four staff members to directly work on the Douglas AMA: a GIS coordinator, an AMA outreach coordinator, an AMA establishment coordinator, and a data specialist.

Special report: Megafarms and deeper wells are draining the water beneath rural Arizona  quietly, irreversibly

How will the AMA affect large vs. small operations?

Many farmers and residents who fear big farms and corporate agribusiness will suck wells dry support some form of groundwater management.

But at this point, there is little assurance on how the new rules protect smaller farmers.

Riverview LLC, a Minnesota-owned dairy, is one of the largest growers in Cochise County. The company made its first land purchase in Kansas Settlement, within the Willcox basin, in 2014 and grew at a fast pace.

By 2019 it owned 37,000 acres of land in Cochise County, The Republic found. By 2021, that grew to at least 51,000 acres, according to an investigation co-reported by Arizona Daily Star environmental reporter Tony Davis and Debbie Weingarten.

Around Elfrida, Riverview owns over 4,700 acres.

Large farms like Riverview currently are not required to report how much water they are taking from the ground. Under the AMA, theyd have to.

But water reductions in the AMA are not based on how much groundwater a user has extracted in the past. Regulations are based on irrigated acreage, historic cropping and efficiency.

The size of the irrigated acreage alone is unlikely to stand as a rationale for different water allocations, said Kathy Jacobs, director of the University of Arizona's Center for Climate Adaptation Science and Solutions and director of the Tucson AMA from 1988 to 2001.

Dramatic reductions could be imposed if a user has not been irrigating efficiently or has been over-irrigating.

But if they prove they are water efficient, based on their historic cropping, they might face minimal water reductions, said Jacobs.

It is very likely that wealthy landowners would push back on the requirements if they view them as inequitable or inconsistent with the law, she added: "If you establish regulations that are inequitable, they won't withstand a court challenge.

Mast said some programs in the initial AMAs were set up with conservation requirements based on the size of irrigated acreage or water use, but "any application of this concept to the Douglas AMA Management Plan, particularly if it were applied in a new way as compared to the other AMAs, would have to be closely reviewed to consider the legality, practicality, and efficacy of that type of structure."

The AMA groundwater users advisory council, or GUAC, made up of five volunteer members who represent water users in the basin, will be required to provide input to the ADWR prior to adoption of the management plans.

There could be special programs for smaller landowners, which provide financial and technical assistance to invest in conservation equipment through partnerships with other agencies. The AMA could also provide more time for small landowners to achieve higher conservation levels, Jacobs said.

The members of the GUAC will be appointed by the governor, but anyone can submit their candidacy.

A formal timeline for appointing the members of the groundwater users advisory council will likely be published close to the end of next year when the first management plan is due, Mast said.

Groundwater losses: In southeastern Arizona, farms drill a half-mile deep while families pay the price

Does groundwater pumping elsewhere affect the Douglas basin?

The water department has no groundwater model for the Douglas basin yet to provide detailed estimates of the flows and aquifer characteristics.

Such big regional models can take up to five years to produce. The agency began working on it last year and will try to get the project done around 2025, said Ryan Mitchell, chief hydrologist with the water department.

The agency has a supply and demand estimate, but this information serves more as an AMA report and general assessment, he added. The model will go down to a granular level to introduce information about the hydrological processes, type of sediments and bedrock depth across the basin, the type of crops and irrigation methods.

The Willcox basin, which neighbors the Douglas basin to the north, has no groundwater regulations and has an agricultural water use about three times higher, according to ADWR estimates.

The basins are next to each other but barely connected. Technically they are isolated basins although there is some minimal groundwater flow between both, Mitchell said.

Ridgelines, geological faults, and volcanic rock north of the Douglas basin valley inhibit water flow.

"In other words, it is a natural break between the two basins, but it's not a complete isolating break like you would see in some other parts of the state," he said. "So there is some water that moves between these two, but the groundwater flow direction is to the south."

Groundwater pumping in the Douglas basin couldn't affect the Willcox basin, but declining water levels in Willcox could feed less water to the upper Douglas basin. The caveat is that the water movement is slow, a couple of feet per day.

Change would probably take on the order of decades, Mitchell added.

On the other hand, there is no doubt that water use in Agua Prieta, Sonora and neighboring ranches across the border affects Arizona, which is why the hydrological team at ADWR will extend their modeling into Mexico "to capture how the water is behaving regardless of political boundaries," Mitchell said.

The team is working with Mexican counterparts to get the supply and demand data for the model. USGS is also collecting information about the depth of the water and the bedrock in the basin.

How does this AMA goal differ from others?

Arizona has had five AMAs since the 1980s: Prescott, Phoenix, Pinal, Tucson, and Santa Cruz.

All have the shared goal of reducing groundwater withdrawal. How aggressive that goal is and how it is reached varies.

Achieving a "safe-yield" by 2025, balancing the water pumped out with what seeps back into the ground, is the goal of Phoenix, Tucson and Prescott AMAs. Pinal County's AMA is working toward planned depletion, preserving the agricultural economy "for as long as feasible."

The Douglas AMA management goal is "to support the general economy and welfare of water users in the basin by reducing the rate of aquifer depletion."

For some basin residents, the goal is not aggressive enough to avoid groundwater depletion, while others say it is not specific enough to support the economic stability of the region, which depends on agriculture.

That goal was challenged by a resident who requested a rehearing. The department denied it and the resident filed a motion for judicial review. That case is still ongoing.

Clara Migoya covers agriculture and water issues for The Arizona Republic and azcentral. Send tips or questions to clara.migoya@arizonarepublic.com.

You can support local journalism in Arizona by subscribing to azcentral.com

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: What will change for farms in the Douglas basin with an AMA?
A recent audit requested by Seattle City Councilmember Lisa Herbold shows that Seattle police failed to follow a 2020 law that requires them to provide children with an attorney before they are interviewed or interrogated.

The independent Office of Inspector General for Public Safety (OIG) published the audit on Friday and shows that police only followed the law 4% of the time.

This is one of the most straightforward civil rights protections weve enacted  police should not be able to question children until they have talked to a lawyer, said Councilmember Lisa Herbold. Its such commonsense legislation that King County and then all of Washington State adopted it soon after we did.

That Seattle police officers were only following this law four percent of the time is very disappointing, she continued.

The audit shows that from the start of 2021 through October 2022:

Officers only followed the legal requirement twice out of the 50 cases they reviewed.

Officers asked children potentially incriminating questions before even giving them Miranda warnings ten times.

In multiple instances, officers verbally acknowledged restrictions on questioning a juvenile but still did not comply with the law.

This widespread noncompliance has led OIG to make a series of recommendations to the department. The Seattle Police Department has since agreed to all of them.

The OIG says they told SPD about the troubling pattern during the audit. They also say that leadership immediately began giving officers more training while being engaged and collaborative in addressing its concerns.
Fire Works

This week's spectacular display of volcanic activity in Iceland has drawn loads of tourists and locals who are eager to see dramatic lava flows and spewing magma, The New York Times reports, but the terrain is pretty dangerous  and local authorities are telling people to stop visiting the volcanic eruption.

"We recommend nobody should go," police officer Jona Jonasdottir told the NYT.

The warnings come after emergency responders had to rescue a hiker with a helicopter on Tuesday, according to the NYT. The traveler had become "exhausted, cold and shocked" while navigating the challenging volcanic landscape  filled with craggy and cracked ground and "unstable lava"  midway towards the eruption site.

"As we have seen in the past, people overestimate their ability," Icelandic government spokeswoman Hjordis Gudmundsdottir told the NYT.

Icy Hot

Police have been waving people away from the eruption site, citing dangers toward adventurers and also to emergency responders, who'd rather spend the holiday with family instead of rescuing some dumb tourist stuck behind a superhot lava flow.

Iceland's recent bout of volcanic activity is happening in the Reykjanes region, a small peninsula quite close to civilization. It's a short drive to the Icelandic capital of Reykjavik. The Keflavik International Airport and tourist hot spot Blue Lagoon are located within the peninsula.

The volcanic activity is happening because it lies in an area called the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, where two tectonic plates  the North American and the Eurasian  are slowly spreading the land apart. In the spine of the ridge there's flowing magma and volcanic activity breaking the surface.

Until recently, the area hasn't seen much volcanic activity for centuries, but with this eruption and earlier ones this year, scientists say the region will likely be quite active for years to come.

So expect more displays of nature's power in this locale  but please experience it from a safe distance.

More on volcanoes: NASA Images Show Huge Fissure Opening Up in Iceland
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 23)  The Bureau of Immigration (BI) has ordered the deportation of William Lee O'Brian, the American ex-partner of comedian Pokwang, for violation of the terms and conditions of his stay in the Philippines, the celebrity's lawyer said on Saturday.

Atty. Rafael Vicente Calinisan said the BI, in its Dec. 12 resolution, also ordered that Lee O'Brian be included in its blacklist upon his deportation. It also ordered the cancellation of his pre-arranged employment visa.

This was after Pokwang, whose real name is Marietta Subong, filed a deportation case in June against her former partner, with whom she has a daughter named Malia.

Pokwang said Lee O'Brian just kept on renewing his tourist visa when his "real purpose" in staying in the country was to find work.

Her lawyer said this violates the Philippine Immigration Act of 1940, which states that any immigration or passport visa "obtained by fraud or willful misrepresentation of fact" shall be canceled.

Calinisan added that the BI took note of Lee O'Brian's "active involvement in the film, television programs and theatrical industry."

"We thank the Bureau of Immigration for siding with the truth in our case against Lee O'Brian," the lawyer said.

"We have been consistent that Lee O'Brian must be made accountable, as his repeated renewal of his tourist visa constitutes fraud and willful misrepresentation of facts, while his work engagements are violations of limitations under which he was admitted as a non-immigrant," he added.

Pokwang confirmed in a July 2022 interview that she and Lee O'Brian ended their six-year relationship in December 2021.

Even before that, however, she said she had long been trying to fix their relationship for the sake of their child, but that she no longer felt that Lee O'Brian respected her.

"Feeling ko hindi niya ako minahal talaga," she said in an interview with television host Boy Abunda. "Nagka-anak lang kami pero feeling ko kasi nandyan na."

[Translation: I feel that he never really loved me. We just have a child together.]
The work was installed on a stop sign near Commercial Way in south London

A man has been arrested on suspicion of theft and criminal damage after a road sign featuring work by the elusive street artist Banksy was removed, the Metropolitan Police has said.

The artwork - a red stop sign with three military drones on - was unveiled on the corner of Commercial Way, Peckham, south-east London, on Friday.

It was taken by a man with bolt cutters within an hour as witnesses took photos.

Police said investigations are ongoing.

The Met, which launched an investigation after receiving a report of a theft from Southwark Council, said the arrested man remains in custody.

Officers said a new traffic sign had been put up by the local authority to avoid endangering road users.

"We are aware of footage being shared which shows the sign being removed," the force said, adding that anyone with information about the incident or the whereabouts of the sign should call police.

The sign was removed after Banksy confirmed it was genuine by posting a photo on his Instagram account.

In a video that later appeared on social media, a man could be seen holding a Lime hire bike steady as a second man stood on its saddle and reached up to cut the artwork free using bolt cutters.

Wrenching it off the post, he then ran down the street and out of sight.

On Saturday afternoon, a local street artist placed her own reproduction of the missing Banksy artwork at the location, telling the BBC that art is for everyone.

On Saturday afternoon a local street artist placed her own replica of the missing Banksy artwork at the location

Banksy's Instagram followers have widely interpreted his latest work as calling for a ceasefire in Gaza.

Similar drone art appeared at Banksy's Walled Off hotel in Bethlehem in 2017 which he said had "the worst view of any hotel in the world" - referencing Israel's controversial wall in the West Bank.

After the sign was removed, Southwark Council's deputy leader Jasmine Ali confirmed the incident had been reported to the police.

She said they had every confidence it would be returned.

"We are not just talking about a street sign here, it is a work of art which was put there for the community. It is street art and it is for the people," she said.
Former White House aide Steve Bannon criticized Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mont.) Friday, calling the chair of the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) chair a gutless coward.

Bannon suggested that Daines is just being used by Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and would purposely avoid backing candidates endorsed by former President Trump.

I hate to be brutally frank about this, but he is just McConnells b-, Bannon said in a clip from his podcast, which was was highlighted by Mediaite.

Okay, let me be blunt, hes a gutless coward, the staunch Trump ally continued. He hides behind The NRSC this, this, this, and hes up kissing Trumps ass all the time.

Bannon added, Trump knows that all hes pushing is Mitch McConnell guys, the guy out there in Montana is going to be another Mitch McConnell clone.

His argument comes after the former president and McConnell blamed each other for election losses in 2022, when an expected red wave failed to materialize.

The Kentucky Republican claimed his party was hampered by weak candidates, many endorsed by Trump, in several battleground states. Trump, in return, claimed McConnell was responsible because the GOP campaign arm didnt spend enough money on the right candidates.

As the head of the NRSC, Daines said he plans to be more active in the recruiting of candidates and more picky about who and what his committee supports. Concerns about the quality of candidates that arose after the 2022 midterms  in which some controversial Trump-backed candidates lost their races  are top of mind for establishment Republicans when it comes to taking back the Senate next year.

In his home state, Daines has supported businessman Tim Sheehy in his bid to take on Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.), noting the district isnt favorable to a contentious primary. Rep. Matt Rosendale (R-Mont.), however, is also considering a bid for the race.

Republican operatives said they believe Daines and McConnell are prepared to fight for Sheehys nomination and spend whatever amount is necessary.

If Daines and Mitch want Sheehy to be the nominee, he will be, one GOP source told The Hill in August. Theyre just going to have to exert themselves to make sure.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
FILE PHOTO: Republican presidential candidate and former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley speaks in Sioux Center

FILE PHOTO: Republican presidential candidate and former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley speaks in Sioux Center

By Gram Slattery

CLEAR LAKE, Iowa (Reuters) - Republican presidential contender Nikki Haley has risen in opinion polls in recent months largely on the back of college-educated, affluent, suburban professionals, many of whom have tired of Donald Trump's caustic rhetoric and legal troubles.

If the former South Carolina governor is to ascend any further and have a real shot at beating Trump in the 2024 Republican nominating contest, supporters and opponents say, she must expand that coalition - and quickly.

That means pulling in more voters who live in rural areas, are middle- or working-class, or lack college degrees, according to eight pollsters and strategists interviewed by Reuters. Some are affiliated with the Haley nomination effort and some are independent.

Ahead of the Republican nominating kick-off in Iowa on Jan. 15, Haley has been traveling to Trump-friendly territory in the state, including a December campaign swing that took her through a deeply conservative area along its northern border.

She also launched a "Farmers for Nikki" coalition in November, while her campaign and its allies have blanketed the airwaves with ads in rural areas in an effort to build her name recognition and broaden her appeal.

In a barn with hand-hewn wooden beams in Spirit Lake and at a Clear Lake restaurant where a mounted bison head loomed large, Haley spoke this month about the small South Carolina town where she grew up that had only two traffic lights.

"The area I grew up in was much like Iowa," Haley told an audience in the town of Sioux Center. "I grew up playing in a cotton field and in a dairy farm."

She talked at length about shortcomings in the public healthcare system for America's veterans, which caters disproportionately to rural Americans. While she has stepped up her criticisms of Trump in recent months, saying that his management style is too chaotic and divisive to be effective, she did not bring up the former president much on the trail.

Trump leads his Republican rivals in Iowa with about 50% support, polls show. Haley, who was U.N. ambassador under Trump, is in a close third place behind Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. Her numbers have moved up in recent weeks while DeSantis, once seen as a serious threat to Trump, has faltered.

Les Hardy, a truck driver at a local chick hatchery, braved bone-cold conditions to attend Haley's town hall in Clear Lake. He arrived undecided about which candidate to back, but said he was considering Trump.

After the event, Hardy said he was leaning toward Haley thanks to her straightforward answers to audience questions and what he described as her "down home" manner.

Most of his co-workers, however, stood behind the former president. "Trump is definitely number 1 in the majority of their eyes," Hardy said. "But number 2, it's anybody's race."

ROOM TO RISE

In a Reuters/Ipsos poll released in December, Trump led the Republican field nationally with 61% support, while Haley and DeSantis both stood at 11%. The winner of the Republican primary will take on Democratic President Joe Biden in November 2024.

Haley scooped up around a fifth of college-educated Republicans, while also outperforming among suburbanites. About seven-in-10 Republicans without a college degree backed Trump.

Internal polling from SFA, one of the outside PACs supporting Haley, also indicates she is outperforming in high-income, college-educated and suburban areas, according to an official there, who requested anonymity to discuss private polling and campaign strategy.

That official said Haley has room to grow with rural and non-college voters as they start paying more attention to the presidential race and become more familiar with her candidacy.

SFA has spent more than $25 million on ads and mailings backing her White House run since late September, when Haley began gaining serious traction among some major donors, and mid-December, according to disclosures made to the Federal Election Commission.

One recent spot by SFA focused on the struggles of the middle class, lamenting that "the rich are getting richer, and the poor are getting poorer."

"Nikki isn't taking any voter for granted," said Olivia Perez-Cubas, a campaign spokesperson. "She's traveling across Iowa holding town halls, answering every question and shaking every hand."

In New Hampshire, which will hold its primary a week after the Iowa caucuses and is a significantly more affluent state, Haley is in a clear second, behind Trump. In an internal poll conducted in mid-December and shared with Reuters by AFP Action, a political advocacy organization supporting Haley, she is statistically tied with Trump in a theoretical head-to-head match up there.

DeSantis campaign officials say Haley would fail to beat Trump in a one-on-one race because she does not appeal to voters who still admire the former president.

Interviews with 20 people at Haley's events in northwestern Iowa showed she was drawing some voters who were ready to move on from Trump, along with some still willing to consider him.

Of the 10 who wanted to move on, all were leaning toward Haley. Of the 10 who were still open to the former president, some preferred Haley, some preferred DeSantis and others said they would likely stick with Trump.

Toni Featherston, a 64-year-old nurse from Rockford, Iowa (pop. 758), said Haley impressed her.

While Featherston still likes Trump, she said his legal issues and propensity for making controversial statements that distract from policies make it unlikely he would accomplish everything he set out to achieve in a second term.

"Haley seems down to earth," Featherston said. "I like Trump, but I agree with Haley. That'd be too much chaos."

(Reporting by Gram Slattery; Additional reporting by Alexandra Ulmer in San Francisco and Jason Lange in Washington; Editing by Colleen Jenkins and Alistair Bell)
PRAGUE (Reuters) - Bells rang across the Czech Republic on Saturday and flags flew at half mast as the country mourned victims of the country's worst mass shooting that killed 14 at a Prague university on Thursday.

Archbishop Jan Graubner served a mass at the main St. Vitus cathedral at the Prague Castle and the country observed a minute of silence at noon, with people stopping in streets amid heavy rain and snow, and in malls during Christmas shopping.

A 24-year old student went on a shooting rampage at the Charles University's Faculty of Arts in downtown Prague on Thursday, killing students and lecturers before shooting himself as a police squad closed in on him at the top of the school's building.

Relatives, friends and colleagues shared condolences on social networks. More than 25 people were taken to hospitals and 13 suffered serious wounds.

Mourners kept bringing candles and flowers to makeshift memorials outside the Faculty of Arts as well as the Charles University's headquarters nearby in the historic city centre.

"We are from a very small city, near from Prague, from Louny and one of our, not friends, but neighbours in our city died here," said Vlasta Roflik outside the Faculty of Arts. "She was a professor, music professor. It's very sad. Sorry."

Vera Eliaskova said her friend was at the school during the shooting.

"She was directly on the fourth floor. Her colleague ran to her door and told her to lock herself and cover ... She covered under the table," she said. "I saw her yesterday and felt sorry for her. She was still shaking."

Police said the shooter killed his father at home outside Prague before travelling to the city on Thursday, and ballistic analysis also linked a gun found at his house to murders of a man and two-month old baby last week.

Police said on Friday they had been closing in on the culprit in connection with the first murders but did not get to him in time.

The Czech Republic, a country of 10.9 million, has relatively relaxed gun laws and over 300,000 people are legal holders of around 1 million firearms mainly for sell-defence, sport and hunting. Mass shootings are still rare, with two smaller attacks in the past decade.

Speaker of the upper house of parliament Milos Vystrcil said that the country would of course debate how to prevent such attacks, but that free societies had to strike the right balance between freedom and regulation.

He said the matter for now was to show compassion to the victims' families, and later to think of ways of avoiding such tragedies in the future.

"This is up to every one of us, not only up to politicians or how universities are secured, it is also about the media, about how we raise our children and grandchildren. I think everyone realises that today, when the Czech Republic is covered by black cloth at Christmas, lets take inspiration from that and strength for the future."

(Reporting by Radan Sprongl, Max Schwarz and Jan Lopatka, writing by Jan Lopatka; Editing by Tomasz Janowski)
Kai Wegner, Governing Mayor of Berlin, sits in his office in the Rotes Rathaus during an interview with the German press agency (dpa). Bernd von Jutrczenka/dpa

Berlin Mayor Kai Wegner has pledged to maintain law and order in the German capital and to act forcefully against any disturbances during the traditional celebrations on New Year's Eve.

"We have taken all the necessary precautions to ensure that the rule of law is implemented," the Christian Democrat (CDU) politician told dpa on Saturday.

Referring to parts of the city that have seen disturbances in recent weeks, Wegner noted that maintaining order in some areas presented a challenge. "I can only appeal to all: Let us celebrate New Year's Eve peacefully with each other in a relaxed way," he said.

But he warned that anyone attacking the police or the emergency services would have to face the consequences.

The police would be out in force in certain parts of the capital, he said. He made reference to disturbances that followed the October 7 attacks mounted by the Plaestinian Islamist Hamas movement and the Israeli response.

"We are aware that since October 7 the security situation in our city has become more tense than it was before," Wegner said. The city had learnt from last year that sufficient police had to be deployed.

Police and emergency services came under attack during the celebrations in parts of Berlin last year. Wegner said he would be visiting and talking to both before the event, along with the Berlin senator responsible for the interior.

Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser expressed concern about renewed disturbances this year, after violence last year in Berlin, Essen and Hanover.

"I fear that New Year's Eve could again be a day on which we will have to suffer blind rage and senseless violence directed for example at police or emergency services in certain cities," she told the RND media group on Thursday.

She expressed particular concern that radicalized Palestinians could become involved in any disturbances.
U.S. President Joe Biden signed a record $886 billion defense spending bill into law on Dec. 22, according to a White House press release.

The National Defense Authorization Act is an annual bill that both parties have supported for over 60 years. The 2024 budget won widespread bipartisan approval in both the Senate and the House of Representatives before heading to Biden's desk.

The bill allocates only $300 million in its record-breaking budget for Ukraine aid. The money will fund the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative through the year 2026.

The bill authorizes $300 million for the program through the end of the 2024 fiscal year, and for the year following.

These funds fall far short of the $61 billion in aid that Biden has urged Congress to approve. Lawmakers failed to reach an agreement on funding before the end of the year, as Republicans continue to obstruct Ukraine aid in an effort to pressure Democrats to impose aggressive restrictions on immigrants and asylum seekers at the U.S.-Mexico border.

Biden praised the 2024 budget for advancing "critical objectives" but highlighted concerns over the bill's foreign policy sections, saying that some provisions might undermine the president's "authority to articulate the positions of the United States in international negotiations."

"Nevertheless, I will not treat them as limiting the Presidents constitutional discretion to articulate the views of the United States before international organizations and with foreign governments," Biden said.

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
President Biden and first lady Jill Biden on Friday mourned the presumed death of an American-Israeli man believed to have been killed during militant group Hamass initial attack on Israel, which sparked the ongoing war in the region.

Jill and I are heartbroken by the news that American Gad Haggai is now believed to have been killed by Hamas on October 7, Biden wrote in a statement shared by the White House. We continue to pray for the well-being and safe return of his wife, Judy.

The fate of Judith Weinstein and Haggai has been unknown since the pair was on their morning walk when gunfire erupted on Oct. 7, according to the Associated Press. Weinstein is believed to be a hostage of Hamas.

Biden shared that the couples daughter, Iris Weinstein Haggai, was part of a meeting he had with the families of the hostages held by Hamas last week.

Those families bravely shared with me the harrowing ordeal that they have endured over the past months as they await news of their loved ones, he wrote. Its intolerable.

Today, we are praying for their four children, seven grandchildren, and other loved ones and are grieving this tragic news with them, the president added.

He also renewed his vow to keep working to free the hostages.

We will not stop working to bring them home, Biden said.

Eight Americans were believed to be among the more than 240 hostages taken by Hamas on Oct. 7, a day on which roughly 1,200 Israelis were killed by the militant group.

More than 20,000 Palestinians in Gaza have been killed in retaliatory attacks carried out by Israeli forces, according to the Hamas-backed Gaza Health Ministry.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Six months ago big wave surfer Tom Lowe was in hospital after the heaviest fall of his life.

The surfer, from St Ives in Cornwall, had hit the reef at Teahupo'o in Tahiti and spent three weeks in hospital where he said he felt like he was dying.

Now he is back facing some of the biggest waves in the world in Hawaii.

When Tom Lowe fell onto the reef "hard" after getting pitched on a wave thought to be at least 25ft (7.6m) high he suffered internal bleeding, a fractured scapula and five broken ribs.

Then he had to make it back to shore on his own, which took more than half an hour of kicking.

After another half hour of staggering through the jungle he made it to an ambulance before being airlifted to hospital where he had surgery and a blood transfusion.

When I spoke to him in Hawaii he was waiting for a 40ft (12m) swell to hit the islands.

That will be the trigger for the prestigious Eddie Aikau invitational contest and he is the first British surfer to be invited.

In the meantime, he has been chasing waves at the famed Pipeline break on the north shore of the island of Oahu where he is based with his wife Tess and daughters Tigerlily and Chilli.

So how did he come back from that horrendous fall?

There were broken bones, for sure, but he said the key was not tearing any ligaments, the bands of tissue that hold bones in place.

"Ligaments sometimes don't ever grow back but in this situation the positive was knowing that it was five fractured ribs and a fractured shoulder," he said.

"I gave it six weeks' rest just to fully heal that bone.

"That being said, it was the most painful process I've ever been through.

"I literally thought I was dying.

"It was just like a hanging-in-there kind of situation, it was scary, really scary.

"I spent the first two days in hospital just every sort of seven to 10 minutes pushing the morphine button."

After deciding that the morphine was "horrendous" he stopped pushing the button.

He said: "My body just went into kind of peace mode, in a sense.

"I let the body do its thing to heal."

The other key to his recovery was seeing his family, he said.

"To see them walk through the door with flowers in their hair, it was just like these little rays of light.

"Tess was carrying a backpack, pushing Tigerlily in this little pram full to the brim with food.

"Everything was heightened to a whole other place."

A "lovely, lovely" chiropractor from New Zealand also pitched in to help Tom through the healing.

After three weeks Tom and his family were on a plane to New Zealand and within three months he was back on the water.

"It was a bit strange and sore but I'd never dreamed of that when I was lying there in the hospital," he said.

"But the fracture had healed, and I had no ligament damage, so I could."

Raglan, where they were living in New Zealand, has a left-hand point break and Tom said it was the "perfect" training ground.

"Just to get paddle fitness back and some long leg-burning rides, it was great," he said.

And, at about the same time, along came second daughter Chilli.

"And that was just great," he said. "Experiencing the birth, it's the best thing ever.

"Tess gave birth with the same midwife as with Tigerlily, it was a natural birth.

"I caught her when she emerged and she was just mind blowing.

"She's just another perfect little bubba, you know, we're blessed with that."

Being invited to the Eddie Aikau was a "nice surprise", he said.

"It's the biggest honour of my career," he said.

Arriving in Hawaii was "quite a shock" as the swell was in "giant mode", he said.

And his first taste of surfing big waves on the outer reefs of Oahu was "very scary".

"I haven't had a big wave in ages so there was all this stuff I was asking myself, 'Am I ready?'.

"So yeah, it's not easy, mentally, but this is want I want to be doing."

The fall in Tahiti was a "positive," he said.

"It's the balance of life, it's the yin-yang thing.

"We need the balance of the dark, the light, it's just how it works and it's when I've felt like I've become a better version of myself - more appreciative, more grateful, just more aware and more tuned in to my instincts too."

Tom will also be celebrating his 40th birthday in December but plans to keep chasing the biggest waves at favourite places like Mullaghmore in Ireland.

"There's less pressure on me, I don't have to prove anything to anyone," he said.

"But I feel like there's been an actual progression.

"You can't just keep going on the nastiest looking waves. You've got to take your time, be patient.

"Look at all the best guys out here - they're not getting 100 waves a session are they?

"They're just getting one standout ride in a couple of days of swell and that's the way to go about it."

He added: "There might come a moment where I don't feel like it, and I am going to be real, and I'm not going to force it.

"But for the time being I'm gonna give it all I've got, everything."

Follow BBC Cornwall on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to spotlight@bbc.co.uk.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 22)  Philippines bet Yllana Marie Aduana was crowned Miss Air of Miss Earth 2023 pageant held in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam on Friday.

For the final question, she was asked: An official at a recent climate conference was quoted as saying there is no science behind calls for the phaseout of fossil fuels. Do you agree? Why, or why not?

Aduana answered: As someone who is from the medical field, I do believe that everything roots from science and I think that the greatest gift we have in this generation is the sophisticated technical installations that we have and so there is science in the phaseout of fossil fuels.

One thing we can also agree on is that we can live the zero-waste and sustainable lifestyle. Ive always been practicing it because sustainability will always ensure the stability in our future, the Filipino queen added.

Albanias Drita Ziri bagged the coveted crown, succeeding Mina Sue Choi of South Korea.

Meanwhile, this years other elemental queens were Vietnams o Thi Lan Anh as Miss Water; and Thailands Cora Bliault as Miss Fire.

Aduana is a licensed medical laboratory scientist and model by profession.

The Siniloan, Laguna-born beauty advocates using education as a platform to help fight climate change.

The last Miss Earth winner from the Philippines was Karen Ibasco, who won in 2017.

Other Filipina Miss Earth winners were Karla Henry (2008), Jamie Herrell (2014), and Angelia Ong (2015).
An aerial view of Bakhmut, Ukraine, on April 26, 2023. Libkos/AP

This week, Business Insider publishes its most extensive work yet on the fighting in Ukraine  an exploration of the horrific struggle for the city of Bakhmut.

It is not an exaggeration to say that the city was, for much of 2023, among the deadliest places on earth.

Our aim is to give our readers a visceral account of what happened there, and its significance to a war that has been raging for almost two years.

We've broken our reporting down into different parts  the most significant a 6,000-word narrative depicting standout moments.

A clutch of other stories, publishing through late December, zoom in on particular moment and characters:

We reported how Ukrainian fighters faced Wagner mercenaries, buffeted by thousands of convicts released from Russian prisons, in trench warfare reminiscent of WWI and fierce street-to-street combat.

We also detailed desperate, high-speed evacuations, and the increasingly perilous situation for civilians as the entire city, including hospitals, was leveled. The reporting underscores the enormous toll of this conflict, now about to enter its third year.

Business Insider's reporters spoke to some 50 soldiers, civilians, medics, aid workers, analysts, writers, and fixers. They reviewed vast amounts of open-source material, too.

While Russia claimed victory in Bakhmut in May of this year, the battle did not pave the way, as Russia had hoped, to major territorial gains in the east.

In a strange twist, the Battle of Bakhmut also played a role in the fate of Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin: After excoriating Russia's top military brass for months over failing to properly equip his Wagner forces in Bakhmut, in June Prigozhin crossed into Russia in an apparent push to confront the Kremlin directly. He died a few weeks later.

BI's goal was to make events in Bakhmut vivid, to place them in the broader story of the war  and also to humanize what happened.

Bakhmut was once a thriving city that tens of thousands called home, known for its wine and roses.

Now its name evokes literal butchery  the "meat grinder" metaphor employed time and again.

We do describe parts of the harrowing combat that earned it that dark reputation. But our hope is that we convey something deeper, too.

Not just blood and meat, but the friendships, fears, struggles, and hopes of the people who lived and fought there, many of whom never came back.

Credits

Lead reporters: Sinead Baker and Mia Jankowicz

Reporting: Erin Snodgrass, Sophia Ankel, Alia Shoaib, Jason Corcoran

Editing: Kieran Corcoran, Edith Honan, Kit Gillet, Jennifer H. Cunningham, Julian Kossoff, Lauren Steussy, Ryan Pickrell, Kevin Kaplan

Illustration: Mark Harris

Design & Graphics: Rebecca Zisser, Jenny Chang-Rodriguez, Annie Fu, Isabel Fernandez-Pujol

Translation and interpretation: Katrina Ellis, Dmytro Yakubovskyy, Lada Buskie



Read the original article on Business Insider
About two dozen people marched down Main and Idaho streets Friday to support abortion rights and bring awareness to rising rates of maternal and infant deaths.

The march was led by members of the Southwest Idaho chapter of the National Organization for Women.

Cindy Thorngren, 62 of Boise, is the president of the group. Shes also a fifth-generation Idahoan. Shes concerned that mothers and children will die at an increasing rate because of the states near total ban on abortion.

This is not the Idaho I grew up in, Thorngren told the Idaho Statesman at the rally. We want people to be able to make choices over their own bodies. So many of us are mothers ourselves. Were not anti-child.

Julia Christensen marches with the Southwest Idaho chapter of the National Organization for Women Friday in downtown Boise to call attention to womens health care issues. Sarah A. Miller/smiller@idahostatesman.com

Idahos maternal mortality rate doubles

From 2019 to 2021, the states mortality rate for mothers rose 121.5%, while the rate for children rose 18%, according to a Nov. 28 report from Idaho Kids Covered. That was before the overturning of Roe v. Wade triggered Idahos abortion ban in 2022.

Earlier this year, the GOP-led Idaho Legislature disbanded a state committee that investigated the root causes of maternal deaths, making it the only state in the country with no such mortality review.

Thorngren said the committee, called the Maternal Mortality Review Committee, needs to be reinstated.

This is data driven, she said. It would allow us to look at deaths from pregnancies and see how we compare with, say, Montana. But we cant do that if we dont have the same data. We know that doctors in Idaho want this.

The Statesman reported in November on a handful of Idaho women who faced unviable pregnancies or potentially life-threatening complications and were forced to seek care in neighboring states  care thats often not covered by insurance because the visits are considered out of network.

Almost all abortions are banned in Idaho. The only exceptions are when the pregnancy risks the death of the patient, or was due to reported incest or rape.

Earlier this year, the Idaho Legislature passed an exception to the abortion ban that clarified it doesnt apply to ectopic or molar pregnancies, but lawmakers blocked an effort to include exceptions when a pregnant patients health is at risk.

Several Idaho women are suing the state over its restrictions, seeking to clarify what circumstances qualify as emergency exceptions.

Abortion rights are fundamental, rally-goer says

Sarah Judd, 27 of Boise, attended the downtown rally to support the right to an abortion, which she said is fundamental. She said the decision to have an abortion should be made between a patient and their doctor, not left up to the state.

We talk so much in Idaho about the freedom of citizens from the government, but suddenly theres a state representative in my doctors office? Judd told the Statesman.

The protesters, mostly women, carried signs that said a safer future for Idaho moms and expand postpartum Medicaid coverage.

Idaho lawmakers this year considered but did not pass legislation that would have expanded postpartum Medicaid coverage from 60 days to 12 months. Thorngren said outcomes for mothers and infants are better when mothers have health care during that critical period after giving birth.

Mark Bennett, 52 of Boise, was walking down the sidewalk near the Egyptian Theatre at the time of the rally and stopped to offer his support when he saw their signs.

He told the Statesman women should be able to get an abortion if they want or need one. He said he has two daughters, a 20-year-old and a 21-year-old, and would want them to have that option if the situation arose.

Everybody should be allowed to be in control of their own health and their own bodies, Bennett said.

Idaho law forced women out of state for abortions. They detail grim experiences

Nothing more pro-life: These Idaho Republican women want to protect contraceptives
Bourges, a medium-sized town in the heart of France, is looking forward to an economic boost after being chosen as the European Capital of Culture for 2028 alongside Ceske Budejovice, in the Czech Republic, and Skopje, in North Macedonia.

Yann Galut, the mayor of Bourges, said that being selected was an immense honour", while Culture Minister Rima Abdul Malak said the title would "shine a light on a medium-sized city with big ambitions.

Three other French cities  Rouen, Montpellier and Clermont-Ferrand  missed out on the status, which ensures both international recognition and substantial tourist numbers.

We tried to put forward a different vision and a different way of experiencing our European Capital of Culture , said Galut.

Launched in 1985 by France and Greece, the European Capital of Culture initiative aims to stimulate cultural tourism by organising exhibitions and festivals and opening new museums.

With a population of 64,000, Bourges campaigned as the standard-bearer for medium-sized towns because towns with fewer than 100,000 inhabitants account for half of all citizens in France and the European Union.

The town, which intends to become a European city of artists and authors, plans to hold a Printemps Europeen de Bourges in 2028.

Bourges joins other French cities that have held the title, including Paris in 1989, Avignon in 2000, and Lille in 2004.

Since 2021, the European Capital of Culture can also be awarded to a city in an EU candidate country.

Climate change challenges

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BOYNE CITY  Boyne City Middle School students recently visited the State Capitol for a technology showcase.

A total of 30 different schools were represented at the 2023 Student Technology Showcase on Dec. 6, hosted by AT&T and the Michigan Association for Computer Users in Learning (MACUL).

(Left to right) David Lewis, president of AT&T Michigan, Blake Irwin, Joseph JD Dzwik, Case Reinhardt, Amy Dirlam, MACUL board president, and Knox Krieter pose for a photo at the Student Technology Showcase at the Michigan State Capitol on Dec. 6.

The 22nd annual Student Technology Showcase highlighted some of the most talented students in Michigan, said MACUL executive director Mark Smith in a release. Everyone at the Capitol was impressed at how the students are incorporating technology in their learning.

During the showcase, students displayed a variety of projects that blended science, mathematics, social studies and language arts.

Subscribe: Get unlimited access to local news that's important to you

Their work featured artificial intelligence demonstrations, coding, robotics, web design and more.

For more information on MACUL, visit macul.org.

 Contact reporter Karly Graham at kgraham@petoskeynews.com. Follow her on Twitter at @KarlyGrahamJRN.

This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Boyne City Middle School students attend technology showcase
UK Secretary of State Michael Gove Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities has asked London Mayor Sadiq Khan to transfer written-off cars to Ukraine that are to be scrapped anyway, in an open letter published on Dec. 21.

The mayor of London had earlier refused to provide Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko with the written-off cars.

Read also: UK runs out of spare weapons for Ukraine  report

"As the war in Ukraine is now well into its second year, I am keen to use every lever at our disposal to offer steadfast, meaningful support to its courageous people," Gove said in the letter.

I was therefore extremely disappointed and surprised to learn that the Greater London Authority was not proposing to support Ukraine through the provision of vehicles that would otherwise be scrapped under the ULEZ scrappage scheme.

Read also: Over 32,000 Ukrainian soldiers have received training in the UK

According to UK newspaper The Telegraph, the ULEZ program covers mainly four-wheel drive cars and pickup trucks, which are "desperately needed on the front line" in Ukraine. Under this scheme, cars that do not meet environmental requirements are taken off the streets of London to improve the air quality.

"I am sure that you would agree that taking these same vehicles off Londons roads  and thus achieving the same environmental benefits  whilst supporting the efforts in Ukraine, is preferable simply to scrapping them," the letter reads.

Gove surmises that the problem may lie in the fact that the Mayor of London does not have the legal grounds and authority to transfer the cars to Ukraine. He asks the mayor to explain what obstacles - legal or otherwise - prevent him from making such a decision.

The secretary expressed his readiness to help Khan expand his powers if this would allow him to support Ukraine.

Read also: UK weighing contingency to deploy forces to Ukraine if Russia greatly escalates war

"More generally, we are willing to look at all options within our powers to ensure we can support the people of Ukraine with Londons scrapped cars," Gove concluded in his letter.

I am sure that you, as I, want to do everything in your power to assist our friends in Ukraine.

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
Lord Cameron has said things have changed since he heralded a golden era of relations between Britain and China during his time as prime minister.

In an interview with The Telegraph, the former prime minister identified Chinas increasing aggression as one of the key security challenges facing the UK.

Lord Cameron, who replaced James Cleverly as Foreign Secretary last month, has broken from the Governments past reluctance to publicly condemn the detention of Jimmy Lai.

In 2015, during his time as prime minister, Lord Cameron hosted a visit to the UK by Xi Jinping and declared: This visit marks the start of a new era. Some have called it a golden era in relations between Britain and China.

Asked last week whether he believed that era had now ended, Lord Cameron said: I think things have changed. Theres still a need to engage with China, particularly over issues like climate change  we cant solve problems of climate change while ignoring a fifth of humanity.

But quite clearly we face a more aggressive, assertive China, and so the other elements are of policy  how we protect ourselves with more hardened security against things like cyber attacks and the rest of it, and how we align ourselves with our allies so that we are strong together. These are very important parts.

Mr Lai, a pro-democracy newspaper publisher in Hong Kong, is facing a possible life sentence if convicted under a national security law imposed by China.

Speaking earlier this month, Lord Cameron said: I am gravely concerned that anyone is facing prosecution under the national security law, and particularly concerned at the politically-motivated prosecution of British national Jimmy Lai.

Mr Lai, a 76-year-old British citizen, is charged in Hong Kong with colluding with foreign forces to endanger national security, as well as conspiring with others to publish seditious publications.

His son Sebastien, who met Lord Cameron shortly after he became Foreign Secretary, said he had left the meeting feeling hopeful that the UK will shortly add its voice to calls for my Dads immediate and unconditional release.

On the case of Mr Lai, Lord Cameron said: Ive come in as Foreign Secretary, Ive looked at this issue, and it seems to me right that we both call out the fact that the national security law is against the joint arrangements that were put in place, and that Jimmy Lai should be freed. So thats what Ive said.

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.
Shernita Hosey, 38, knows what its like to endure postpartum depression. The single mom of two daughters, ages 10 and 14, remembers the support she sought from family and friends after her children were born.

Thats why the Humboldt Park resident can often be seen canvassing door to door in South Side neighborhoods as an outreach worker with EverThrive Illinois, a health equity advocacy group.

The latest campaign centers on the Black maternal morbidity crisis, which encapsulates any health problems that result from being pregnant or giving birth. According to an October report on Illinois Maternal Morbidity and Mortality from the Illinois Department of Public Health, discrimination was 50% more likely to be a contributing factor in pregnancy-related deaths among Black women as compared with white women; Black women were three times as likely to die from pregnancy-related medical conditions as white women; and statewide maternal mortality review committees determined 91% of pregnancy-related deaths were potentially preventable due to clinical, systemic, social, community or patient factors. Such statistics have spurred numerous agencies and organizations to try to make inroads in their own ways, including with technology.

The Gathering campaign by EverThrive Illinois offers online tools and information to aid Black women before, during and after their pregnancies. The site also provides a glossary of terms to help health care providers better communicate with patients  explaining medical terminology. EverThrive created the guide based on focus groups conducted on the South and West sides of Chicago. The goal: for health care providers to use it to better connect with patients.

A lot of people, when Im out there ... they know what theyre going through, but they cant really explain it, Hosey said. I was at a school out south and a lady was going through all this stuff with postpartum depression. When I got to talking to her, the lady broke down and started crying. She said shes been going through it. Theres a lot of stuff on it to help them.

Chi Chi Okwu, EverThrives executive director, is hoping the campaign will improve maternal outcomes by working on the issue through a community lens. By conducting focus groups and hundreds of surveys on the South and West sides, Okwu said EverThrive found a disconnect between childbearing women and medical professionals. So the glossary was created to improve communication and incorporate culturally relevant language in clinical settings. Every bit helps when working to reduce disparity gaps, she said.

We felt that it was imperative to get the perspective of Black pregnant people postpartum and the communities that surround them to get their voice at the table, Okwu said. Were proud of this tool because its one that was co-created together. We see it as one tool that were using to educate the community and go deeper.

Tamela Milan-Alexander, EverThrives community engagement director, said the campaign has reached over 30,000 people since its launch this summer. Milan-Alexander said the same things that happened to her during her pregnancies occurred with her five daughters pregnancies years later.

As long as we remain having bias and disrespectful care, Ill stay in this game, Milan-Alexander said. The campaign is ongoing. In the focus groups, what we learned quickly was nobody knows what maternal morbidity is. They just know their auntie didnt come home after she had her baby. No one knows why because theres not a term.

As the campaign progresses, Okwu envisions deeper conversations about what it means to build cultural competence for providers and their health teams within Black communities. Milan-Alexander said EverThrives social service providers have even done grand rounds with health care providers to make them aware of the work being done. Grand rounds are formal conversations that physicians have with one another to discuss patients cases.

Okwu also hopes to expand The Gatherings resources to cover mental health and how fathers factor into the conversation about Black moms. Okwu said EverThrive has been partnering with Illinois Perinatal Quality Collaborative and working with regional birthing hospitals to share the tool.

Okwu said the campaign has hit a nerve within the community.

The provider is integral to the type of care people are getting, but we are working on the community engagement side to say, How do you start to advocate for yourself in this process? she said.

By letting community feedback inform the direction and growth of The Gathering, it allows people to share their stories. Hosey can attest to that.

Sometimes people dont want to talk to you and you get to tell them about your experiences and then they open up, she said. I like making communities better for families. I want them to know there are resources out there for them; you can get through it and there are others going through the same thing as you.

Systemic inequities and policies have created distrust between providers and the Black community. Okwu understands there is no silver bullet to fix it all, but she knows The Gathering is a first step toward systems-level change. Milan-Alexander sees the campaigns expansion having a three-pronged impact: on the people being served, the people providing the service and the system in which both sides work.

When you start to hear stories on the impact of not receiving the type of care that you would hope for or need, then it becomes real to people, Okwu said. Were trying to serve as that bridge between community members and bring that to decision-making tables within hospitals and other institutions where they can begin to say, Ive heard multiple stories. What does that mean in how I start to think about the care that I provide?

____
(KSWB)  California has implemented its first lottery system for campsite reservations at a state park in San Francisco after a bill that enacted changes to make it easier for campers to book a spot was signed into law earlier this year.

The State Parks Department announced on Tuesday that the highly sought after Steep Ravine Cabins at Mount Tamalpais State Park, about 20 miles north of the Golden Gate Bridge, has implemented the pilot program, allowing people to apply for a free reservation drawing.

The drawing was one of the components of Assembly Bill 618, introduced by Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan (D-Orinda) to make amendments to the states campsite reservation system that would free up spots for campers that would otherwise go unused and ensure equitable access to coveted sites.

Reservations for Yosemite National Park are coming back for 2024

Under the bill, which was signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom in October, State Parks would also be directed to implement a lottery system for five of the most popular campsites in the state, determined by booking interest six months in advance to a reservation date.

According to state parks, the Steep Ravine Cabins have long been a popular destination for outdoor enthusiasts looking to experience a unique camping experience.

The storied structures, which are perched on the western edge of Mount Tamalpais, overlook the parks coastal bluffs. Each cabin has a small wood stove, picnic table, sleeping platforms and an outdoor barbeque. However, none have running water.

Under the new reservation lottery system, State Parks says guests interested in reserving one of the cabins will have the chance to do so by entering a free drawing through the reservation portal, ReserveCalifornia.

Visitors who would like to enter will apply for the dates that they would like to stay in one of the cabins. According to State Parks, the dates for stays through the pilot begin in the summer of next year.

If selected, applicants will then be notified that they will need to claim and pay for the reservation within 30 days to keep it. Any unclaimed cabins will be released for reservation six months in advance.

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This approach eliminates the rush and competition that often accompanies traditional booking processes, allowing more individuals and families to access the cabins at the park, State Parks officials said in a release. The lottery system provides an equal opportunity for anyone interested to secure a reservation, regardless of their location or previous booking history.

Since the pilot program launched in October, nearly 3,400 people have signed up for the drawings, according to state officials. Under AB 618, the State Parks department is required to expand the lottery system for all five of the most popular sites by 2025.

Other amendments to the policies regarding campsite booking made by the new law, such as new measures to deter no-shows and cancellations, will go into effect on Jan. 1, 2024.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 5 San Diego.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said in an interview that if former President Trump were reelected, it could cause harm for climate goals.

Trudeau expressed to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) that Trumps term in office caused very difficult problems when he expressed a desire to move backwards on climate change.

Yes, theres concern  particularly around the environment, at a time where its so important to move forward on protecting and building an economy of the future where energy workers, miners, forestry workers across the country  and manufacturing across this country  continues to be successful as we move toward lower emissions, Trudeau said.

A Trump presidency that goes back on the fight against climate change would slow down the worlds progress in ways that are concerning to me, he continued.

Trump has expressed skepticism about climate change, including a 2012 post suggesting it was created by China intended to hurt U.S. manufacturing. Other times, he has said he was into climate and considers himself to be an environmentalist, The Hill previously reported.

Trudeau said any administration he has worked with, which has now been three, and the United States interests has always been a challenge, but the Canadian government has always been able to work around and work through it.

The Prime Minister treaded lightly during Trumps term in office, the CBC noted, carefully choosing what to say to avoid conflict with the countrys largest trading partner and ally.

When Trump announced he would be running for president again last year, Canadian officials said they intended to withhold comment, the CBC said.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Two people from Maryland are dead after a car drove off an embankment and fell 30 feet into a ravine during a police chase in Pennsylvania, officials told news outlets.

Farmer Dennis Hissong, a witness, told WGAL he had only had only ever seen such a thing in movies. It was the wee hours of Dec. 20, but through the darkness, he could see the Jeep SUV in the ravine.

I came to the edge of the hole and saw a car submerged in the water almost completely upside down, he told WGAL. Im assuming they had no idea the ground was going to drop off that quickly in front of them.

Pennsylvania State Police said the incident began just before 1 a.m. in Antrim Township when troopers responded to a report of two males unlawfully entering vehicles and possibly stealing, WHTM reported.

When troopers tried to stop a Jeep SUV believed to be driven by the pair, the two fled, state police told WCAU. A chase began.

With troopers on their tail, the duo turned off-road, speeding through Franklin County farmland, WHTM reported.

According to WCAU, troopers said they drove across several farms. Then suddenly,the car was in the air. They had driven off a cliff and into a ravine.

The Jeep hit the water and sank, the outlet reported, taking the people inside down with it.

According to WHTM, state troopers called the local fire department, EMS and water rescue units.

In the vehicle, first responders found a 16-year-old driver and a passenger, Robert Norwood, 21, dead, WGAL reported. They were from Hagerstown, Maryland.

The incident is under investigation, news outlets reported.

Antrim Township is about 30 miles southwest of Gettysburg.

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Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 23)  The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) announced that all its units will observe a two-day ceasefire beginning Christmas day, as it marks its 55th anniversary on Dec. 26.

The two-day ceasefire aims to allow the peasant masses and NPA [New People's Army] units in their area to conduct assemblies, meetings or gatherings to celebrate the Party's anniversary, the CPP said Saturday in a statement.

This ceasefire declaration is also in solidarity with people's traditional holiday celebrations, it added.

However, the NPA is placed on high alert and ordered to be vigilant and ready to act in self-defense against hostile actions.

Guerrilla offensives of the NPA can resume immediately at 0001 hours of December 27, the CPP said.

The CPP-NPA earlier said it supported the resumption of peace talks with the government but demanded the abolition of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict and the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020.

In response, Presidential Peace Adviser Carlito Galvez said there should be no demands that can derail the peace talks.
Traditions up for the vote will include Welsh valley male voice choirs and bagpipe playing - Bav Media

British traditions such as Christmas pantomimes, carol singing, cheese rolling and sea shanties could receive protected status under plans to safeguard the countrys cultural heritage.

The public will be asked to nominate which values and traditions should be nominated for protection under the 2023 Unesco Convention for Safeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritage.

The Government confirmed on Saturday that it will ratify the convention, which protects crafts, practices and traditions which give people a sense of identity across the world.

Following ratification people will be asked from spring 2024 to nominate traditions they feel encapsulate British culture and should be preserved.

Traditions up for consideration could also include Highland dancing, bagpipe playing and Welsh valley male voice choirs.

People can also nominate crafts such as basket-weaving, thatching and the art of creating tartan and tweed for protection as part of Britains cultural heritage.

Pantomimes may receive protected status - Dave Benett/Getty

Arts and skills such as calligraphy and kilt making could also receive protected status, along with traditions brought to the UK by immigrant communities, including the Notting Hill Carnival and steel-drumming.

The move was welcomed by practitioners of folk traditions, such as the sea shanty.

Tony Prior, of the Hoy Shanty Crew in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, said: Raising awareness of folk traditions such as ours is always a good thing and its something that should be recognised as valuable.

But he added that shanty singing, like most folk traditions, evolves over time.

The shanties we sing today arent necessarily the ones that were sung 150 years ago. The PC element has crept in, even with shanties.

Members of the public will be consulted from Saturday on what values and traditions should be celebrated and how the adjudication process should work for deciding which of those nominated values is chosen.

Those wishing to take part will also be able to nominate celebratory days such as Hogmanay, Burns Night, Shrove Tuesday and the Welsh tradition of Eisteddfodau, where all cultural activities including singing and spoken word are conducted in the Welsh language.

Hoy Shanty crew have welcomed the initiative, saying that traditional music 'should be recognised as valuable' - The Hoy Shanty Crew

The Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport said practices such as these, also referred to as intangible cultural heritage, are being considered because of the way that they have been inherited from our ancestors and passed on through generations.

Lord Parkinson, the arts and heritage minister, said: The UK is rich in traditions which are passed down from generation to generation.

These crafts, customs, and celebrations have helped to shape our communities and bring people together, who continue to shape them in turn.

By ratifying this Convention, we will be able to celebrate treasured traditions from every corner of the UK, support the people who practice them, and ensure they are passed down for future generations to enjoy.

John Lamont, the UK Government minister for Scotland, added: Hogmanay, Burns Night and ceilidh dancing are Scottish traditions celebrated across the world and now we will be able to give them recognition alongside those from around the UK as part of this international convention.

I encourage communities across the country to nominate their local traditions that will be ratified and help to preserve them for generations to come.

Unesco said its Intangible Cultural Heritage list is designed to allow the more ephemeral aspects of culture to be safeguarded, including oral traditions, performing arts, social practices, rituals, festive events, knowledge and practices concerning nature and the universe.

The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport will present the nominations to parliament before officially ratifying the convention with Unesco in the spring of 2024.

Traditions already included on the Unesco protected status list include Argentinian tango and Chinese shadow puppetry, along with Italian dry stone walling and Croatian gingerbread crafting.

More than 30 landmarks across the UK such as the Tower of London, Fountains Abbey and Giants Causeway already have Unesco world heritage protection.

York city centre, Birkenhead Park and an iron age settlement in Shetland were put forward by the Government to join the list.

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.
This Christmas, a Morton Grove church is celebrating the arrival of two Catholic holy relics, including one from St. Luke, a key figure in Christianity and author of a gospel that tells the story of Jesus birth.

It also recently added a relic, a holy object which is frequently a bone or garment of a saint, of St. Juan Diego just before the Dec. 12 feast day of Our Lady of Guadalupe, who appeared to the saint in Mexico in 1531, Catholics believe.

The two new relics join a collection of 3,100 others at St. Marthas Church/Shrine of All Saints, and Rev. Dennis B. ONeill of the parish believes it is the third largest collection in the world after those of the Vatican and St. Anthonys Chapel in Pittsburgh.

The St. Juan Diego relic is a bone fragment of the saint, housed in an elaborately decorated container, or reliquary. The reliquaries can be plaques or frames or vessels, often allow the relic to be viewed under glass, and sometimes display symbols of the saint.

The St. Luke reliquary, for example, is a wooden plaque with a carving of a bull, St. Lukes symbol. It contains the tip of St. Lukes right thumb.

Assuming St. Luke was right-handed, this is the hand that wrote the gospels, said ONeill. The evangelist is credited with penning the Acts of the Apostles in addition to the Gospel of St. Luke, both in the New Testament.

ONeill, the pastor emeritus of St. Marthas, became interested in relics when an older priest gave him a relic of St. Dominic Savio as a teenager.

It was like a tangible connection it gave me to the saints, ONeill recalled. It was just the energy of connection. I liked the feeling. I decided to try to reproduce it again and again and make as many saints available as possible so people dont have to travel all over the world to various shrines.

As curator, ONeill obtains relics for the Shrine of All Saints and searches regularly for new relics to add to the collection.

I love history, ONeill said. St. Martha is clearly my last parish because Im getting old, and the building was ideal for it. The bulk of relics were rescued from churches, monasteries, convents, palace chapels and chapels.

Robin Jensen, a University of Notre Dame theology professor, explained that relic veneration is a widespread practice in Roman Catholicism as well as other Christian traditions such as Greek and Russian Orthodox, but not common in Protestant churches.

Relics are, however, a way that devotees feel a connection to the saint to which they pray, she said. Its a link, but its also not necessary to have a relic to pray to a saint. Some relics are believed to be miracle-working. One does not pray to a saint for a miracle, however, but asks the saint to intercede with God/Christ for aid of some kind (e.g., healing).

Carole Brueckner, chairperson of St. Anthonys Chapel in Pittsburgh, said about 5,200 relics are housed there, but the number of saints represented can be hard to determine because some of the reliquaries contain relics from many saints. For example, one contains 700 relics.

We do have 5,000 certificates, documenting the relics, she indicated.

In Morton Grove on Dec. 9, some 400 Catholics filled St. Martha Church to welcome the relic of St. Juan Diego on the day commemorating his seeing the Virgin Mary.

It was wonderful, said ONeill. We had a mariachi band. They played all the parts of the mass. I said the mass in Latin and they said the responses in Spanish. It was a lot of fun and there was plenty of food afterwards.

After Mass, chinelos, or Mexican dancers, incited memories of Spanish conquistadors who brought violent death and disease to the region at the time St. Juan Diego saw the Virgin Mary as Our Lady of Guadalupe, said ONeill.

They wear big, beautiful gaudy-colored costumes with headdresses, he said of the chinelos. They do beautiful dancing.

ONeill blessed each attendee with the relic of St. Juan Diego before bringing it to the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Des Plaines, where it was featured as part of a massive annual celebration honoring Our Lady of Guadalupe on Dec. 11 and 12.

St. Juan Diego is the first indigenous Catholic saint to the Americas and said to have been visited by Our Lady of Guadalupe in what is now Mexico City, said Alejandro Castillo, a spokesman for the Archdiocese of Chicago.

ONeill first spotted the St. Juan Diego relic on the Internet.

I keep an eye out every day to see whats out there, ONeill explained. It appeared, and its extremely rare. It had the proper documents.

Cardinal Camillo Ruini, former vicar general of the Diocese of Rome from 1991 to 2008, signed, sealed and certified the relic on Oct. 10, 2005, ONeill said.

St. Juan Diego reported seeing Our Lady of Guadalupe 10 years after the conquistadors destroyed and flattened the city that was later rebuilt as Mexico City, he said.

They did it in the name of the king and Christ, ONeill said. They terribly misrepresented Christianity.

Our Lady of Guadalupe appeared to Juan Diego outside a temple to an Aztec goddess to tell him to ask the bishop of Mexico City to build a chapel there in her honor, ONeill related. The bishop dismissed Juan Diegos request, and Our Lady visited Diego again and told him to gather all the flowers at the top of a hill, even though it was cold, ONeill said. Diego wrapped his tilma, or cloak, around the flowers, brought them to the bishop and Our Lady of Guadalupe appeared, he said. It blew away the bishop. He believed him and built the chapel where she asked and kept his tilma in the chapel. The tilma has lasted 500 years and is still in perfect condition.

As for the St. Luke relic, ONeill noted the saint is important to all Christians and was a disciple of St. Paul, who was one of the 12 apostles.

(St. Luke) probably never met Jesus, but he probably met Mary, ONeill said, indicating she was probably the source of Lukes gospels stories of Jesus childhood, the Annunciation and the birth of John the Baptist.

The new St. Luke relic comes from the collection of Domenico Napoleone II Orsini, born 1948, the current Duke of Gravina, Italy, ONeill said. It descends from a previous Orsini duke who in 1724 became a pope, then ordained a Bishop Cervioni who certified and sealed the relic, and it was recertified by a Cardinal Morichini in 1870, according to ONeill.

Asked whether All Saints Parish parishioners realize the importance of the shrines collection of relics, ONeill reflected that many just consider them part of the surroundings. Until somebody else tells them they heard how cool the relics areor when theyre in the news, he said. Then they start talking about how this is something unique we have here.

Five docents are available to give tours of the shrine and relics to groups or individuals, and ONeill said many of them make donations, which enables the shrine to purchase more relics. One donor also has given $2,500 a year for the past two years through her foundation, he said.

The relics fall into a category the Catholic church calls sacramentals, ONeill explained, and that means anything, such as statues, that the faithful can use to open channels of communication between us and Jesus, or us and Mary, or us and the saints.

Many people believe theres some life, some presence left in the saints remains. People felt they were more personally visiting them, he said.

God gave us each other so we could learn how to love, he said. That doesnt end with death...We believe theres a lot of people on the other side that love us. Why should we cut it off at death? God doesnt.
CHARLEVOIX COUNTY  The Charlevoix County Community Foundation (C3F) recently announced the Youth Needs grant awards for 2023.

At the end of each year, area nonprofits serving Charlevoix County youth are encouraged to apply for funding from C3Fs Youth Fund. All applications are reviewed by the C3F Youth Advisory Committee (YAC), who serve as the decision-making body for these grants. The YAC is comprised of 16 youth from across Charlevoix County.

"This year, the committee had to make some very difficult decisions regarding the cycle, and through great discussion, we came to a consensus that left everyone satisfied," said Camden Carey, a senior at Charlevoix Middle/High School and president of the YAC. "All ideas were considered, which is hard for a group of 16. Personally, this is the biggest cycle I have been a part of and I'm excited to see the immense impact our local nonprofits will make using these dollars."

In all, the Youth Needs cycle awarded $89,760 in grants to 15 organizations serving the youth of Charlevoix County.

The full list includes:

Child Abuse Prevention & Education Council: $3,500

Northern Michigan Equine Therapy: $8,500

Women's Resource Center of Northern Michigan: $20,000

Child and Family Services of Northwest Michigan: $5,000

Boyne District Library: $2,230

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwest Michigan: $10,500

Char-Em ISD - Behavioral Health Department: $6,250

The Depot Jordan Valley Teen Center: $4,900

Camp Daggett: $1,380

Rotary Club of Charlevoix Charities: $2,500

Beaver Island Historical Society: $4,000

Char-Em ISD STEM: $5,000

Power Book Bags: $2,000

Planned Parenthood of Michigan: $8,000

East Jordan Public Schools: $6,000

For more information, visit c3f.org.

This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Charlevoix County Community Foundation announces Youth Needs grant awards
Charlie Sheen has been assaulted in his home with a deadly weapon, police have revealed.

On Friday (22 December), the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department announced that a woman, who is a neighbour of the 58-year-old actor, has been arrested after being accused of assaulting him in his Malibu, California residence earlier this week.

Authorities said: Upon contacting the parties involved, deputies identified Charlie Sheen as a victim of assault.

Sheens neighbour has been arrested for assault with a deadly weapon, force likely to create great bodily injury and burglary. She will appear in court this Friday (29 December),

The Independent has contacted Sheen for comment.

In September, Sheen, who starred in US sitcom Two and a Half Men, opened up about what made him decide to stop drinking alcohol in 2017.

The actor told People magazine that, in the past, he loved drinking in the morning, but realised he needed to give it up one morning six years ago.

Sheen said he made the change after realising he could not take one of his daughters to an appointment after drinking that morning, breaking a promise to her.

I got home and sat with that for the rest of the day. And the next morning I just stopped, the actor added.

Sheen, whose film credits include Platoon, Wall Street and Young Guns, has five children.
Law-enforcement officers alleged that Charlie Sheen was attacked at his home in Malibu, California.

Sources told TMZ that Sheen's neighbor entered his home and attempted to strangle him.

An LA County Sheriff's Department spokesperson named the suspect as Electra Schrock.

The Los Angeles County Sherriff's Department responded to an alleged attack on Charlie Sheen by a neighbor at Sheen's home in Malibu, California. The neighbor has since been arrested.

Officers from the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, or LASD, responded to "a battery/disturbance call" at Sheen's residence on Wednesday at around 1 p.m. after they said a 47-year-old woman entered the actor's home and assaulted him.

After answering a knock at the door, the former "Two and a Half Men" star, 58, had his shirt ripped by the suspect, who also tried to strangle him, TMZ reported, citing law-enforcement sources.

Reports say the suspect then returned home and that paramedics attended the scene, but Sheen did not require hospital treatment.

An LASD spokesperson told Business Insider: "Upon contacting the parties involved, deputies identified Charlie Sheen as a victim of assault."

"The suspect, Electra Schrock, was arrested for assault with a deadly weapon, force likely to create great bodily injury," and "residential burglary," they added.

Sheen has had previous issues with this neighbor, TMZ reported, and she had reportedly left trash in front of his door the day before the assault.

Sheen is among the highest-paid actors of all time, once raking in about $1.8 million per episode for his role in the hit comedy "Two and a Half Men."

But CBS fired him in 2011 after a series of public tirades in which he denounced the show's creator, Chuck Lorre, and offered a range of bizarre quotes, including saying he had "tiger blood" and "Adonis DNA."

In an exclusive interview with People earlier this month, Sheen said he had been sober for almost six years after his well-documented battles with drugs and alcohol.

"I have a very consistent lifestyle now. It's all about single-dad stuff and raising my 14-year-old twin boys, Max and Bob," he said.

Read the original article on Business Insider
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS)  Plaintiffs have filed a class-action lawsuit against the largest credit union in America alleging discriminatory practices.

Navy Federal Credit Union is accused of discriminating against Black borrowers. An analysis by CNN found Black borrowers were twice as likely to be denied home loans.

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Homeownership is part of the American dream, but for U.S. Army veteran Jerome Singletary and his family, its a dream deferred. They moved to Charlotte in 2021 and have struggled to find and keep affordable housing since.

The extended-stay got a little pricey for us. So, then we fill out an application with Navy Federal for a VA home loan, Singletary said. We were denied because of our credit, and it was just a little hard for us. Things got really too complicated. So, we were forced to move into the shelter.

An analysis of federal consumer protection data by CNN revealed Navy Federal Credit Union denied Black applicants home loans twice as often as white applicants with the same credit history and income.

Do you feel that if you were white, you would have been approved? reporter Kaci Jones asked Singletary. Unfortunately, yes, I do. Its sad to say, but yes, he answered.

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Singletary says he found ways to work as a disabled vet and reapplied for the same loan but was still denied.

Research compiled by CNN revealed Navy Federal approved a higher percentage of applications from white borrowers making less than $62,000 a year than it did Black borrowers making $140,000 or more.

Curtis Drafton, founder of the U.S. Veterans Hall of Fame says his organization ran a survey to ask who had been denied for the loans.

Within 48 hours, 21 veterans said, Yes, I was denied by them, Drafton said. Then when they looked for the response on why they were there, no there was no applicable response according to protocol on why they should have been denied.

Drafton says the disparity of denials leads to more veteran homelessness.

They get frustrated with the system. They dont trust the credit unions, Drafton said. And they say, you know what? Its easier for me to go out here and stand on a corner and ask for money. I can live off 20 bucks a day sleeping in a tent.

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Veteran homelessness right now, in Charlotte over the last three years has doubled the national average. Its gone up 35 p on veteran homelessness to the sort of where it went from 60,000 up to 95,000. So when we look at that, we literally have to look at this thing as though its an epidemic. Right. But we know the root cause.

He says Navy Federal should be a bridge not a barrier to homeownership.

Create fast tracked programs so they dont deny the veteran, they say, well, this could be fixed, or your credit score could come up and they have programing to guide the veteran into the home loan, Drafton said.

Navy Federal Credit Union issued a statement saying in part We treat the recent allegations very seriously, and we have retained a leading civil rights lawyer, Debo P. Adegbile, former commissioner on the United States Commission on Civil Rights, to assess our mortgage lending policies and practices and make recommendations to drive further access to home ownership.

Singletary hopes this dream temporarily deferred, wont be a permanent dream denied.

We can turn our key. We dont have to worry about anything else. Our mind is clear and focused on our families, Singletary said. If Navy Federal can do that for us, I feel like we will be in a much better place physically, mentally and emotionally, as well as spiritually.

Singletary and his wife are now in first-time home buyer classes and working on repairing their credit. He plans to try again for another Navy Federal loan.

Two women are now suing the credit union for violating the Equal Credit Opportunity Act. According to the suit, one woman from Washington state and her husband together earn $200,000 a year, have no debt, and credit scores above 800, but were denied a home loan.

The suit claims another woman from Florida earns $100,000 a year and has very little debt and was also denied.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News.
Chinese warplanes and warships traveled near Taiwan on Saturday, including aircraft crossing the sensitive median line of the Taiwan Strait, its officials said.

Taiwan's defense ministry said Saturday afternoon it had detected J-10, J-11 and J-16 fighters as well as early warning aircraft operating in the airspace to the north, middle and southwest of the island.

The ministry said 10 aircraft crossed the Taiwan Strait median line or areas nearby and that the aircraft were working with Chinese warships to carry out "joint combat readiness patrols."

The continued Chinese military activities come as Taiwan prepares for its presidential and parliamentary elections on Jan. 13, in which Chinese relations are a major point of contention between the leading candidates.

US, CHINA MILITARY LEADERS HOLD HIGHEST-LEVEL CALL SINCE BEFORE PELOSI'S TAIWAN VISIT

Taiwanese forces were sent to monitor the activity, the ministry said.

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

The Taiwan Strait median line had previously been an unofficial barrier between Taiwan and mainland China, but now Chinese aircraft fly over it regularly.

China has not addressed its recent military activities near Taiwan, but it previously said they were intended to prevent "collusion" between Taiwan separatists and the U.S. and protect China's territorial integrity.

China claims Taiwan as its own territory and the U.S. formally recognizes Taiwan as belonging to China.

Taiwan, which has its own government, is holding crucial elections next month that could ultimately determine its relationship with mainland China.

CHINESE COMMUNIST PARTY TURNING US COMMUNICATIONS 'ON AND OFF LIKE A LIGHT SWITCH,' DOD SAYS

Taiwan has criticized China for its regular military patrols and drills near the island.

According to opinion polls, the current frontrunner to become Taiwan's next president is the ruling Democratic Progressive Party's nominee, Lai Ching-te.

Taiwan's main opposition party, the Kuomintang, traditionally supports close ties with China and has vowed to reopen talks with China if it wins the election. But the Kuomintang also says Taiwan's people will decide their future.

For four years, Taiwan has criticized China for its regular military patrols and drills near the island.

Reuters contributed to this report.





Original article source: Chinese warplanes, warships spotted near Taiwan ahead of crucial presidential election
God has spoken. Amid the cacophony and misery of war, in a world riven by political extremes and widespread corruption, God speaks. The message isnt new, but is addressed afresh to every generation. A biblical writer puts it like this:

Long ago God spoke to our ancestors in many and various ways by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son...

Anyone hoping for a message combining instant justice with the extermination of tyranny and divine retribution is likely to be disappointed. Only imaginary gods, made in our image, could work that kind of wizardry, by wreaking revenge on oppressors, and conferring health, wealth and happiness on everyone we nominate. But that is not how the real God speaks.

The Christmas story offers us clues. It tells of a baby born in a manger, shepherds granted a privileged audience, and foreigners arriving unexpectedly with meaningful gifts. What might otherwise sound like an idyllic event is overshadowed by ominous signs: the homeland is enemy-occupied, leaders are unscrupulous, families are uprooted on a whim, and the first of several assassination attempts on Christs life is recorded.

There is even more to it than that. Gods final message to humanity is also discerned in the later life of Jesus: in his deeds as much as his words, in his death and resurrection, his continuing presence, and the assurance that the world as we know it is time-limited and subject to his judgment.

The biblical writer, who recognised the Son as Gods lasting word, amplified the description like this:

 whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom he also created the worlds. He is the reflection of Gods glory and the exact imprint of Gods very being, and he sustains all things by his powerful word.

The paradox of a helpless baby as creator and sustainer of the universe is captured by the 17th century parson Giles Fletcher:

A child he was, and had not learned to speak,

That with his word the world before did make;

His mothers arms him bore, he was so weak,

That with one hand the vaults of heaven could shake.

See how small room my infant Lord doth take,

Whom all the world is not enough to hold.

Who of his years or of his age hath told?

Never such age so young, never a child so old.

This juxtaposition of weakness and strength is taken up by St Paul, who came to the shocking conclusion that Gods ultimate statement of both power and wisdom is found in Christs crucifixion.

He knew it would be interpreted as foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God  for Gods foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and Gods weakness is stronger than human strength.

The human race has tried plenty of alternatives, in the belief that sooner or later might has to be right and retributive punishment will solve the problem of evil. Confucius is credited with a proverb warning against that philosophy:

When you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves; one for your enemy and one for yourself.

Reflecting on the endless cycle of reprisals, the late Martin Luther King Jr concluded:

Violence begets violence; hate begets hate; and toughness begets a greater toughness. It is all a descending spiral, and the end is destruction  for everybody. Along the way of life, someone must have enough sense and morality to cut off the chain of hate.

No good advice will overcome our lower nature, however. Divine inspiration and motivation are needed for that. Christianity isnt inherited; each generation needs to be won over afresh. The 17th century German priest Angelus Silesius, wrote:

Though Christ a thousand times

in Bethlehem be born

And not within thyself,

Thy soul will be forlorn.

Faith comes naturally to a very few. For some it just flickers and needs to be rekindled. But for most people these days, faith-talk sounds completely alien and they wont have a clue where to start.

If its any encouragement, I was one myself. So I know its possible to reach out into the unknown and ask for illumination. Dont be impatient if God keeps you waiting a while to be sure you are genuine. Keep at it. Be encouraged by these words from the French philosopher Blaise Pascal:

Jesus says, Console yourself, you would not seek me, if you had not found me.

The Bible is the unfolding saga of God searching for a reluctant human race, not the other way round. Christ is Gods final word, new for every age, and heralded at Christmas.

Stephen Cottrell is the Archbishop of York

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.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 22)  Former Sen. Leila de Lima on Friday questioned the Department of Justices (DOJ) decision to hold the transfer of 11 inmate-witnesses in the last drug case of the opposition figure, claiming the agency is standing by the previous administrations bogus charges against her.

Are they afraid of the truth? Why are they blocking it? De Lima wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

The Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court Branch 206 has ordered the transfer of the inmates from the Sablayan Prison and Penal Farm in Occidental Mindoro to the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) Minimum Security Compound in Muntinlupa City.

However, on Thursday, the DOJ said it will hold the transfer pending any legal remedies, and insisted that it is the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) that has jurisdiction over the custody and management of the convicts.

De Lima argued that the Muntinlupa court clearly has jurisdiction over the inmates since they are witnesses in a case pending before the court and it wants to be assured they are safe and free in their testimony.

Now that they are recanting, DOJ is saying that they are convicted felons, and that their recantations are not credible, De Lima pointed out. These are the same convict-witnesses DOJ said were credible when they followed what their handlers and the prosecutors wanted them to say.

In a statement sent to the media on Friday, DOJ spokesperson Mico Clavano said: We are only doing what we think is the right thing to do. Nothing more, nothing less.

De Lima said the refusal of the DOJ only showed the agencys continuing attempt to stand by former Justice Secretaries Vitaliano Aguirre II and Menardo Guevarra's bogus charges against her.

The two served as DOJ chiefs during the administration of former President Rodrigo Duterte, whose bloody war on drugs killed thousands.

Until the very last moment, this agency which I also led for five years opposed my application for bail, despite its willful and deliberate use of manufactured evidence and perjured witnesses just to sustain Dutertes persecution cases against me, De Lima said.

She claimed the department wants the truth-telling by the inmate-witnesses to be made more difficult, in a bid to prevent them from disclosing identities of DOJ officials who might have conspired to fabricate testimonies and manufacture evidence against her.

The Duterte administration filed three drug cases against De Lima, alleging she extorted money from illegal drug traders in the NBP to fund her 2016 senatorial campaign.

She was acquitted in the two cases and over 10 witnesses have recanted their testimonies against the former senator.

RELATED: Ex-police official to recant in De Lima's drug case

On Nov. 13, De Lima was granted provisional liberty after posting bail for her remaining drug case. Her release came after six years and nine months of detention.
A U.N peacekeeper vehicle passes next of a Christmas tree that set in Marjayoun square, a town near the Lebanese Israeli border, south Lebanon, on Thursday, Dec. 21, 2023. Christians in the border villages of south Lebanon prepared for a subdued Christmas under the shadow of the ongoing war in Gaza and its spillover in Lebanon.(AP Photo/Mohammed Zaatari)

AIN EBEL, Lebanon (AP)  Christians in the border villages of south Lebanon prepared for a subdued Christmas under the shadow of the ongoing war in Gaza and its spillover in Lebanon.

While in Beirut restaurants were packed and hundreds flocked to Christmas markets in the days leading up to the holiday, in the border towns houses were empty and businesses shuttered. The residents have fled to stay with relatives or in rented apartments in Beirut or other areas farther from the conflict.

Since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war on Oct. 7, the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah and Israeli forces have engaged in near-daily clashes on the border that have killed around 150 people on the Lebanese side - most of them fighters with Hezbollah and allied groups, but also at least 17 civilians, according to a tally by The Associated Press.

Some 72,437 people in Lebanon are displaced, according to the International Organization for Migration.

In the majority-Christian village of Ain Ebel, U.N. peacekeepers handed out toys at a private school on Saturday to some 250 children whose families have remained there and in the nearby villages of Rmeish and Debel.

Saint-Joseph des Saints-Curs School, like most in the area, has been closed amid the fighting, which has killed three of their students.

The three sisters - Rimas Shor, 14; Talin Shor, 12; and Layan Shor, 10 - were killed along with their grandmother, Samira Abdul-Hussein Ayoub, by a Israeli strike that hit the car they were riding in on Nov. 5.

Weve been living war in every sense of the word," said Sister Maya Beaino, the head of the school. "Three quarters of the village has fled. The people who stayed are in a state of sadness and no one has put up decorations or even a tree in their house.

Still, Beaino said she hoped the small celebration of the holy day would help to keep people's spirits strong.

As soon as there is a ceasefire, we will reopen the school," she said.

Charbel Louka, 12, came to the toy distribution with his family, who have remained in the nearby village of Debel. At first, Louka said he was afraid of the sounds of shelling, but after a while, we got used to it.

Adding a further grim note in the runup to the holiday, heavy storms flooded roads throughout the country on Saturday, setting cars adrift and killing four Syrian refugee children in northern Lebanon when the ceiling of their home collapsed and the building flooded.

In the southern village of Rmeish, about 2 kilometers from the border, where smoke rises daily from the surrounding hills from shelling and airstrikes, Mayor Milad Alam said there is no holiday atmosphere at all.

The local church has canceled its usual Christmas Eve nighttime Mass due to security concerns but will hold it on the morning of Christmas Day. Santa Claus will hand out gifts on Sunday afternoon to the few children remaining in the village.

It's not a celebration, it's just to let the children enjoy themselves a bit, Alam said.

In the town of Rashaya al-Fukhar, the munipality set up a Christmas tree decorated with red balls and lights in the largely deserted town square.

The people who have children took them out of here, first of all because of their safety and secondly so they dont miss out on school," said municipal council member Wassim Al-Khalil. "The ones who remained are older, like me.

Marwan Abdullah, a resident of the village, said his family is separated and scattered in different places.

Its possible if the situation is stable that well get together for the holidays, he said. I hope there will be peace and quiet, especially on this day of celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ, who gave peace and goodwill to the earth.

-

Associated Press journalist Ramiz Dallah in Rashaya al-Fukhar contributed to this report. Sewell reported from Beirut.
AI computer generated Native Christmas art by Chrissy Rhoads (Lumbee). To view more photos of bead art and Native craft supplies visit www.chrissyscreation.com (Photo/Courtesy of Chrissy Rhoads)

All throughout Indian Country, Native people have gathered in churches, missions, and temples to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ by singing carols and hymns in their Native languages. In some churches, the story of Jesus birth is recited in Native languages. Various Native churches also host Nativity plays using Native settings and actors to re-enact the birth of Jesus Christ. Among Catholics, Christmas Eve Mass traditionally begins in Indian communities at midnight and extends into the early hours of Christmas Day. In tipis, hogans, and houses, Native American Church members also hold Christmas services, ceremonies that begin on Christmas Eve and go on all night until Christmas morning.

Native Christmas Music

Music played an important part in converting Native people, establishing their practice of worship, and teaching them how to celebrate the Christmas season. Perhaps the earliest North American Christmas carol was written in the Wyandot language of the Huron-Wendat people. Jesous Ahatonhia (Jesus, He is born)popularly known as Noel huron or the Huron Carolis said by oral tradition to have been written in 1643 by the Jesuit priest Jean de Brebeuf.

In contemporary times, traditional powwow singing groups have rearranged Christmas songs to appeal to Native audiences. A humorous example is Warscouts NDN 12 Days of Christmas, from their album Red Christmas. Native solo artists also perform Christmas classics in Native languages. Rhonda Head (Cree), for example, has recorded Oh Holy Night, and Jana Mashpee (Lumbee and Tuscarora) has recorded Winter Wonderland in Ojibwe.

The National Museum of the American Indian hosts their annual Native Art Market in Washington D.C. and New York City each December. At the museum on the National Mall, approximately 30 Native artisans from throughout the Western Hemisphere participated in this years event. (Photo/National Museum of the American Indian)

Artistic Traditions

For Native artisans, this is traditionally the busy season as they prepare special Christmas gift items. Artists and craftspeople across the country create beadwork, woodwork, jewelry, clothing, basketry, pottery, sculpture, paintings, leatherwork, and feather work for special Christmas sales and art markets that are open to the public. For 18 years, the National Museum of the American Indian has held its Native Art Market in New York and Washington a few weeks before Christmas. In addition, Native Christmas items can now be purchased directly from Native artisans online.

Native communities host traditional tribal dances, round dances, and powwows on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Among the Pueblo Indians of the Southwest special dances take place, such as buffalo, eagle, antelope, turtle, and harvest dances. The Eight Northern Pueblos of New Mexico perform Los Matachinesa special dance-drama mixing North African Moorish, Spanish, and Pueblo cultureswhich takes place on Christmas Eve, along with a pine-torch procession.

United Methodist Bishop David Wilson (Choctaw) Left, and members of the Oklahoma Indian Methodist Church prepare to deliver donated toys to the Standing Rock Indian Reservation in Little Eagle, SD. ( Photo/Courtesy of David Wilson)

What's on the Christmas dinner menu?

In the same way, traditional Native foods are prepared for this special occasion. Salmon, walleye, shellfish, moose, venison, elk, mutton, geese, duck, rabbit, wild rice, collards, squash, pine nuts, corn soup, red and green chile stews, bread pudding, pueblo bread, piki bread, bannock (fry bread), tortillas, berries, roots, and Native teas are just a few of the things that come to mind. Individual tribes and Indian organizations sponsor Christmas dinners for their elders and communities prior to Christmas. Tribal service groups, churches and warrior societies visit retirement homes, childrens homes, and shelters to provide meals and gifts for their tribal members.



Many tribes begin their Christmas meal by putting out a feast plate or spirit dish for loved ones who have passed. As a special Christmas day of feasting, a prayer is rendered, and food offerings are placed outside of the home on a plate or in the sacred fire for relatives who are no longer with us. It is a sign of respect to allow your remembrancesthose who have passedto eat first. Many are experiencing their first Christmas without a loved one.

What's on the Christmas dinner menu?

In the same way, traditional Native foods are prepared for this special occasion. Salmon, walleye, shellfish, moose, venison, elk, mutton, geese, duck, rabbit, wild rice, collards, squash, pine nuts, corn soup, red and green chile stews, bread pudding, pueblo bread, piki bread, bannock (fry bread), tortillas, berries, roots, and Native teas are just a few of the things that come to mind. Individual tribes and Indian organizations sponsor Christmas dinners for their elders and communities prior to Christmas. Tribal service groups, churches and warrior societies visit retirement homes, childrens homes, and shelters to provide meals and gifts for their tribal members.



Many tribes begin their Christmas meal by putting out a feast plate or spirit dish for loved ones who have passed. As a special Christmas day of feasting, a prayer is rendered, and food offerings are placed outside of the home on a plate or in the sacred fire for relatives who are no longer with us. It is a sign of respect to allow your remembrancesthose who have passedto eat first. Many are experiencing their first Christmas without a loved one.

William Lowe, Speaker Muscogee (Creek) National Council, in his Christmas attire, as he prepares to visit students at Eufaula Dormitory, a U.S. Department of Interior-Bureau of Indian Education funded peripheral dormitory operated by the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, located in Eufaula, OK. ( Photo/Courtesy of William Lowe)

How Natives are celebrating Christmas across Indian Country

According to the Urban Indian Health Institute, nearly seven out of every ten American Indians and Alaska Nativesapproximately 71%live in or near cities, and that number is growing. During the Christmas holidays, many urban Natives travel back to their families, reservations, and communities to reconnect and reaffirm tribal bonds. They open presents and have big family meals like other American Christians. Alternatively, some Natives do not celebrate Christmas but use this seasonal opportunity to celebrate the Winter Solstice through ceremonies and prayer.

This year we asked our Native friends How are you going to spend Christmas? Here are some of their answers preceded by the locations they were submitted from:

Chicago, Illinois I'm Catholic and Native. I'm a pre-k teacher for the Chicago Arch Diocese. Not a whole lot of us, but here I am. I'm spending the holidays with my husband and two daughters. My best friend will be flying in from the Fort Berthold Reservation in New Town, ND to spend the holidays with us."

Taos Pueblo, New Mexico Look up - Xmas procession and bonfires at Taos Pueblo. Literally thousands attend the event every year.
For the month of December, some residents of a South Torrance neighborhood cant order a pizza or Thai food from DoorDash or UberEats and its not because of budget constraints.

Its because of their neighborhood tradition of elaborate residential holiday light displays on more than 300 houses and lawns that thousands of families across the city travel to each year to enjoy.

Every year for the last 39 years, hundreds of houses in the Seaside Ranchos community of Torrance participate in the Seaside Holiday Lights event by putting up string lights, and inflatable and homemade decorations to celebrate the winter season.

The upscale neighborhood, home to multimillion-dollar single-family houses, looks like something out of a Christmas movie. Lines of visiting cars playing Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and Baby, Its Cold Outside can be heard from several blocks away. The crowds start to grow after sunset, when the lights can be seen from a few neighborhoods over. Traffic police set up cones and direct the minivans filled with families through the neighborhood. One resident described living in the neighborhood as being similar to  Cinderellas castle at Disney, where everyone is outside looking in.

Visitors from across Los Angeles walk along Reese Way to see the neighborhood's holiday lights. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

In front of their home with a U-shaped driveway, the Franco family strung lights all over their trees and decorated their lawn with several reindeer, a giant inflatable Frosty the Snowman and Santa Claus. Peeking out of a tree in their frontyard is a Grinch with presents and a wreath.

The Francos have lived on Doris Way, one of at least six streets that make up the hilly figure-eight neighborhood, for the last nine years. Decorating their house usually takes four people three days.

We think ours is the most beautiful house, said Rosie Franco, noting how blessed her family is to have the resources to be able to put the decorations out each year.

Each December, the Francos electric bill can be roughly $2,500, double their typical $1,200 monthly bill. Other homeowners in the neighborhood noted they spend hundreds of dollars on their electric bills in December, ranging from $500 to $1,200. Many residents said seeing the kids and families enjoy the decorations is priceless.

Several homeowners switched to LED lights to lower their electricity usage. Some hire outside help to get the lights strung up on the tall trees in their yards and in the community. One homeowner turned to EBay to score a deal on a $700 15-foot snowman after the holiday season.

The neighborhood doesnt require anyone to put lights or decorations up, but most houses in the community put up some string lights or some small decorations from after Thanksgiving until New Years Day. Some homeowners in the community put out little benches so families can pose for photos and many residents sit outside to watch the joy being spread.

People walk by houses decked with string lights, and inflatable and homemade holiday decorations. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

Several generations of families walking with their SoCal winter gear and hot chocolate stop to take photos in front of their favorite displays. For some, it has been a holiday tradition to walk the lights. Nicole and Ryan Villasin came with their 3-year-old daughter, Serena, on a rainy Monday in December along with hundreds of other L.A. residents to take in the Christmas spirit in the Torrance Seaside community. The two grew up in Carson and have come to Torrance each December since they were in high school.

Other homeowners grew up with the tradition. Suzie Montoya grew up in the house that she now lives in with her husband, Andrew. She was a freshman in high school when they started the tradition in the neighborhood. Since then, the number of streets that decorate has grown from just one or two to six. She said she and her husband have to be organized when they leave the house and sort of plan around the lights since the traffic can wrap around for several streets. Some residents have a secret route to avoid the traffic, and others just use December evenings to stay home.

I would be sad if it went away, Montoya said. Its fun to see all of the little kids enjoying the decorations and seeing people we know.

Several blocks of the Torrance neighborhood are covered in festive string lights. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

The Montoyas and many of their neighbors use long sticks with a hook to quickly wrap string lights around their trees. Some residents, when moving away from the neighborhood, pass down their decorating stick to the new homeowners.

That was the case with the Leach family, who found a pool stick in their house when they moved in. Kristen and Daniel Leach put up homemade Christmas trees made from wood pallets in their frontyard and, for each year they have lived in the house, they hide a Mickey Mouse amid their lawn decorations. This year there are six Mickeys.

Its a good tradition that brings the community together, said Kristen Leach.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
So much for the season of goodwill.

A week that started with a messy political break up at Hillsborough, ended with ugly mud-slinging between London and Dublin.

Both sides are digging in for what could be a dirty court battle over the government's controversial legacy act.

At the same time, relations between the DUP and Secretary of State Chris Heaton-Harris were left battered and bruised after he apparently blindsided the party at Hillsborough.

Christmas can be a testing time for relationships but we didn't expect this.

Where do the Northern Ireland political talks stand?

Tempers will no doubt cool over the festive break and we can expect another post-Christmas push to restore power sharing.

The Windsor Framework negotiations may be over but the government's door remains open to the DUP for "clarifications".

That is code for allowing the engagement to continue whatever way it is presented.

It was mission accomplished for Chris Heaton-Harris, who took a public stand against the DUP to please the other parties while keeping the door ajar for Sir Jeffrey Donaldson.

It provides limited political cover for the DUP leader though and he will be under pressure to move quickly in the new year.

He has already admitted decision time is approaching for his party.

Will the DUP do a deal?

By all accounts the deal is almost done, it just needs to be signed off, presented fully and sold to the DUP members.

That task has been made easier now the negotiations on a financial package have been parked.

There's no more confusion around two processes running side-by-side - one on the Windsor Framework, the other on finances - which made it easier for opponents to accuse the DUP of a sell out.

Sir Jeffrey will now have a clear run to sell any deal, away from the media spotlight over Christmas and into the new year.

He already has the support of the majority of DUP officers, but the others are beyond his reach.

The DUP's Sammy Wilson dismissed the government offer of a 3.3bn financial package as a "bribe".

Quoted in the News Letter, DUP MP Sammy Wilson has said "what is offered will not resolve the issues" and added "the border in the Irish Sea has to go".

While he acknowledged others in the DUP will have a different "emphasis", he said the party has agreed the government has to do more.

Mr Wilson also dismissed the government's offer of a 3.3bn financial package as a "bribe".

With the government insisting publicly and privately the negotiations are over, there is little room for Sir Jeffrey Donaldson to manoeuvre.

He may soon have to calculate how much of a split in his officer team he is prepared to live with.

Then hope those who don't support the deal, keep their counsel in the public debate to follow.

But there are some in the party who are keen to stretch the process further in the hope of an early election and a change in government.

They believe Labour will strike new agreements with the EU, which will effectively remove the Irish Sea border.

That view is not shared by the DUP leadership, who don't see any quick solutions under Sir Keir Starmer.

There is instead a confidence that the deal, when agreed, will meet all of the DUP's seven tests.

This will be achieved through a mix of amended legislation, easements on checks and paperwork and utilising some of what was already set out in the Windsor Framework, like the Stormont Brake.

There is flexibility in how the seven tests can be interpreted, which makes it easier to mould any deal around them.

That said, the party is braced for a battle on the continued application of EU laws in Northern Ireland.

That has been a red line for many unionists.

But the DUP leadership know that is the price to be paid for access to the EU single market, which is key for many local businesses.

That might explain why nowhere in the seven tests does the party demand the removal of EU laws in Northern Ireland.

Instead it talks about giving the "people of Northern Ireland a say in making the laws which govern them".

This can be achieved through the joint committee, which oversees the implementation of the Windsor Framework, and the various consultative bodies which feed into it.

Also the Stormont brake could be applied on some new EU laws unionists don't like, though London ultimately applies the stop button.

The arguments are being prepared but, as yet, there is no sign the ground is being prepared within the DUP for a move.

When that moment comes, it will be a real relationship tester.
EL PASO, Texas (KTSM)  The City of El Paso announced that it preparing what it is calling the Community Readiness Center, formerly Morehead Middle School, to possibly house migrants during the holiday season.

The City of El Paso and Office of Emergency Management (OEM) are preparing the Community Readiness Center to assist local non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and humanitarian organizations during holiday period, a news release stated.

The center, located at 5265 Confetti Drive in West El Paso, has a flexible capacity and varies depending on the needs of the community. The City has not had any street releases to date and has been utilizing hotels over the last few weeks to support area NGOs, according to the news release.

While the migrant crisis continues to unfold, let us remember that our humanity is tested in how we care for the vulnerable, said El Paso Mayor Oscar Leeser. During this holiday season, and throughout the year, it is important to show empathy, understanding, and support for each other. In the spirit of compassion and unity, let our festivities be a beacon of hope, inspiring us to extend a helping hand to the vulnerable, fostering a world where every heart finds warmth and every soul feels embraced.

The City and OEM continue to work closely with the local NGOs and humanitarian agencies to identify additional shelters for all individuals in crisis and coordinate essential support such as food, clothing, and transportation, the City said in its news release.

Additionally, the roving teams will continue traveling to areas where migrants are congregating to provide transportation services and/or identify temporary shelter services, City officials said.

On Dec. 5, the City Council voted unanimously to approve an emergency ordinance that extends the disaster declaration issued by Leeser on Dec. 17, 2022.

The ordinance will remain in effect until Jan. 5, 2024. The City Council will need to vote to extend the emergency ordinance again in early January 2024.

The local disaster declaration allows the community to:

formally implement provisions of emergency plans

provide added liability protection to government agencies and special or volunteer emergency workers

formally request general assistance from the state and federal governments

activate local emergency management plans

if necessary, implement economic stabilization measures such as price, wage, and rent controls

For information about the City of El Pasos response to the humanitarian crisis including the Citys Migrant Situational Awareness Dashboard, visit www.ElPasoTexas.gov/Migrant-Crisis.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTSM 9 News.
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN)  In this season of giving, family, and celebration, Radical Mission and Warm Souls are bringing just that to Clarksville for the 16th year.

It truly is a time of family, of being with family, of just feeling that connection and the smiles and the laughs and the stories, said Alecia Vaughn, ministry leader for Warm Souls.

They provide the community with resources and food for the holiday every year, but this year, they told News 2 they expect to see an increase in need.

Photographer restores tornado survivors damaged pictures for free

The organizations are hosting a Christmas celebration Saturday, Dec. 23 at the Morgan University Center on the Austin Peay State University (APSU) campus. You can access a map of the campus and parking areas here.

They usually serve college students and homeless or low-income locals, but this year, they also welcome any Montgomery County residents displaced by the deadly Dec. 9 tornado.

With enough for 1,000 people, the organizations offer a family-friendly Christmas like the one you would have at your grandmothers house.

Everybody gets pictures at their grannys house, so we have somebody thats going to do family portraits, said Jon Vaughn, executive director of Radical Mission. Itswhat can we offer thats going to get as close to celebrating Christmas with your family?

Warm Souls said this celebration is centered around neighbors loving neighbors.

IRS announces tax relief for Tennesseans impacted by tornadoes

The day of just seeing the kids faces light up when they walk away with something, just the happiness, its what it is all about, said Susan Gibler, toy organizer for Warm Souls.

To best show that love, 400 volunteers have ensured community members have everything they need this Christmas.

One of the things that really touches me is that we made a difference in peoples lives, and this is just one day, one time to make a difference, said Andy Kean, senior director of Morgan University Center at APSU.

Event-goers can take a family portrait, eat a hot turkey dinner, get a haircut, pick out a new winter coat, and shop for their child(ren). Even the kids will get to pick out a present for their parents.

| READ MORE | Latest headlines from Clarksville and Montgomery County

The City of Clarksville is also getting people to the event by providing free rides through the public transportation system.

If you get to a bus stop, you tell them youre going to Warm Souls, and theyll make sure you get here, Vaughn said.

If you or someone you know in the Clarksville area needs a warm meal or resources this Christmas, the event will happen on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRN News 2.
A still of Kris Kringle with children from the film 'Santa Claus is Comin' to Town', 1970 Credit - ABC Photo Archives

Marching through somber streets, men in uniform confiscate items, entering houses for further looting, all legalized by a leader waving his fist and spewing anger. Germany in the 1930s? No, the classic Christmas movie Santa Claus is Comin to Town, which aired originally in 1970.

Written and directed by the men who brought Americans Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer, Frosty the Snowman, and the Little Drummer Boy, Santa Claus is Comin to Town was a classic story of good versus evil. It used Nazi imagery and symbolism to craft an origin story for Santa Clausthe storys hero and the pinnacle figure of capitalist, secular Christmas. Needing an antihero for Santa to thwart, the film capitalized on a decade in which news stories, early Holocaust scholarship, and representations in popular culture made Americans far more aware of the Nazis and their heinous crimes. Many Americans have watched it almost every year since.

Yet, while the story is beloved, it points to a cultural problem that has helped perpetuate antisemitism. The movie reminds Christian Americans of the Nazi crimes and uses them to convey villainy, without engaging antisemitism or Jewish people at all. Christmas presents, not Jewish people, are the victims of the vaguely German antihero. This is a common practice in movies, television, and novels, and it has left Americans understanding the evil of the Nazis without fully grasping who they targeted, why, and how the antisemitism at the root of the Holocaust continues to reverberate for Jewish communities around the world.

Despite early efforts after World War II to punish the Nazis, such as the Nuremberg Trials, as well as the creation of the state of Israel, collective memory of the era failed to grasp fully the horrors of the genocide perpetrated against Jewish people. One problem was that some audiences Christianized the victims to be able to empathize and identify with the tragedy.

In the 1950s, the reaction to the best-selling The Diary of a Young Girl epitomized how popular memory of the Holocaust was incomplete, with the public not reckoning with the full scope of the Nazi atrocities  especially who the victims were and why they were targeted. Readers tended to ignore Anne Franks Jewishness, viewing her as Anglicized and as forgiving them: In spite of everything, I still believe that people are really good at heart, Frank wrote before having seen a death camp.

Read More: Inside the Biden Administration's Response to the Spike in Antisemitic Attacks

A turning point arrived in 1960, when Israel captured Nazi leader Adolf Eichmann in Argentina, and flew him to Jerusalem to stand trial. Survivors provided eyewitness testimony, including photographs, and the world rediscovered the tragedy. Planes air-shipped video-tapes of the proceedings to New York every day to ensure that the American media covered the trial.

That year also marked the translation of Night by Eli Wiesel from Yiddish into English. The book offered a depiction of a ghetto, a deportation, a death camp, and a death march, from the perspective of a Jewish survivor with an instinct for literary framing. Night became a mainstay of literature and history curricula. Historical memory of Nazi Germany and the Holocaust were on the rise.

Even so, Wiesels book revealed how Holocaust memory was often tailored to the interests of Christian audiences. He emphasized his struggles with faith, which helped to connect with Christian audiences for whom belief in God is a central theological question.

In 1965, the award-winning film The Sound of Music also reflected how, even as the Nazis' crimes had become more visible, Holocaust memory often excluded the tie between antisemitism and the Nazi regime. Sometimes, Jewish victims themselves were missing entirely, as was the case in The Sound of Music, which featured Nazi villains without ever depicting or even mentioning Jewish people.

The rise in consciousness meant that when the filmmakers behind Santa Claus is Comin to Town needed an antagonist and a backdrop to convey evil, the Nazi trope was well known among Americans. They knew it would work to feature an evil bad guy with a German-sounding name  Burgermeister Meisterburger  and a German-accented voice.

The inciting incident in the movie occurs when Meisterburger, the Mayor of Sombertown, trips on a toy and breaks his funny bone. I hate toys, he declares, and toys hate me. Either they are going, or I am going, and I am certainly not going. He growls to his right-hand man, Grimsley, Take this down.

He breaks into song, proclaiming, Let it be known throughout the land from sea to sea / there will be no more toymakers. He delivers the melody with an air of authority, with Meisterburger's grimacing voice carrying a catchy tune while proclaiming violence against all toys: Outlaw the dolls and sink the boats / they bring me only woes. Grimsley transcribes Meisterburger's whims and issues a formal decree: Toys are hereby declared illegal, immoral, unlawful, and anyone found with a toy in his possession will be placed under arrest and thrown in the dungeon.

To make Meisterburger and his regime sufficiently sinister, the filmmakers had them resort to tactics that mimic some of what the Nazis did. The anti-toy decree functions in Sombertown like the 1935 Nuremberg Laws did in Germany. Empowered by the law, men in uniform patrol the streets, confiscating possessions and instilling fear among townspeople. At one point they even publicly burn toys.

Crucially, the film replaced Jews with toys. Rather than depriving Jewish people of the rights, privileges, and physical safety of citizenship as happened in Germany, Burgermeister banned the people of Sombertown from having toys. If you find so much as a marble or half a jack, the whole house is under arrest, he ordered, searching each home before dawn with armed men in tow.

Read More: Ken Burns on His New Documentary 'The U.S. and the Holocaust'

Thats the backdrop against which Santa Claus a.k.a. Kris Kringle sneaks into houses by night to hide toys and circumvent the authoritarian, oppressive regime. Kringles team  a penguin, a winter warlock, and the future Mrs. Claus  and the townspeople brave and spirited enough to challenge authority join him in hiding toys. Just as people in Nazi Germany hid Jews, to protect lives, Kringle and his allies hide toys, to protect, presumably, Christmas.

A still from Santa Claus is Comin' to Town, 1970 Everett Collection

Yet, once again, as with the Sound of Music, Santa Claus is Comin to Town uses the Nazis as villains while decoupling them from their primary victims: Jewish people. In this case, the goal was to elevate Christmas and advance the secular, cultural aspects of the holiday. After all, Santa Claus is Comin to Town was not a Holocaust movie and never claimed to be.

But the choice reflected the way in which Nazis had come to play a key role as a villain in American collective consciousness without widespread understanding of the antisemitism at the root of their crimes. Fighting Nazi-reminiscent monsters has become a common plot element in all sorts of movies, books, and more.

Nothings wrong with using a historically horrific regime and their evil as inspiration for fictional bad guys. In fact, it makes sense, because it conveys to the audience how uniquely evil the antagonist is. But the tradition of doing so with the Nazis has left viewers unaware of the history of antisemitism, how the Holocaust looks from a Jewish perspective, and how that understanding shapes Jewish fears in 2023. When Jewish people sound the alarm about the rise of antisemitism, many downplay it. They dont grasp the historical memory shaping Jewish perceptions.

Santa Claus is Comin to Town is a classic: the plot is catchy, the music is memorable, and the characters are iconic. It also premiered at a formative moment for Holocaust memory in the U.S. When retreating to the nostalgia of a mid-20th century classic, viewers should enjoy it while also considering whos included, whos erased, and how those choices shape the present.

Rebecca Brenner Graham is a history teacher at the Madeira School, an adjunct professorial lecturer at American University, and a Cokie Roberts fellow at the National Archives. Her forthcoming book, Dear Miss Perkins: A Story of Frances Perkins's Efforts to Aid Refugees from Nazi Germany, will be published by Kensington in 2025. Made by History takes readers beyond the headlines with articles written and edited by professional historians. Learn more about Made by History at TIME here.

Write to Made by History at madebyhistory@time.com.
By choosing not to fly, Shaun and Aliza will miss out on seeing their families this Christmas

Whether it's driving, hopping on the train or catching a bus, there's a chance you'll be packing a bag and heading home for Christmas.

For most of us, there isn't much that would keep us away from family over the festive period.

But some people, like activists Aliza Ayaz and Sean Currie, have made the choice to put the environment above everything else.

They won't be seeing their relatives this year after they decided to drastically limit or stop flying altogether.

Aliza tells BBC Newsbeat thinking about flights brings "the anxiety of 'Oh my God, I can't do it because of the carbon footprint'.

"But also, my parents could really use seeing me because I'm their eldest daughter."

Aliza was born in Dubai to Pakistani parents who now live in Saudi Arabia.

She studies at University College London, where she set up its Climate Action Society, and is now a UN youth ambassador for sustainable development.

The 25-year-old says her anxiety never goes away "because the carbon footprint of one flight is so enormous, especially a long-haul flight".

According to the International Civil Aviation Organization's emissions calculator, a return flight from London to Riyadh generates almost 90,500kg of CO2 per passenger.

Aliza is currently studying in London but her parents live in Saudi Arabia

It's a similar story for Sean Currie. The 26-year-old left his family home in the Scottish Highlands and moved to Belgium for work in 2019.

He's since decided to stop flying, and admits the journey over land and sea takes so long that he no longer visits very often.

"For three years I didn't see my half-sister or niece," he says.

Sean says his other sister lives in the Philippines - an 18-hour flight away - and he's "just come to terms with the fact that I will never visit her".

"I don't think that I can justify to myself the impact that it has on the world," he says.

Sean works with Stay Grounded, a group which campaigns for the aviation industry to be made smaller.

He says his main activities are "non-disruptive", including lobbying and writing to politicians, but he has also been involved in direct protests.

Sean recently joined a group of hundreds who blocked access to two airports in Europe.

While these types of tactics are sometimes criticised when used by groups such as Just Stop Oil, Sean tells Newsbeat his more direct activities target private jets and not everyday travellers.

But he says he doesn't condemn protests that might affect the lives of ordinary people.

"The disruption that will be caused by drought, floods and food shortages will be a whole lot more disruptive that somebody sitting in traffic," he says.

Sean rarely travels home to Scotland, which can take about a day on public transport

Sean counts himself as lucky that, even if the journeys are long, trains and buses are an option for him.

"Train travel can be a wonderful thing," he says. "But, to be honest, I don't enjoy buses."

Neither of those are realistic options for Aliza though.

She can't totally rule out getting on a plane so made the decision to limit herself to one flight a year, taking an extended trip to make it as worthwhile as possible.

While her parents have been supportive, she says "you can see that they're upset in their eyes, and they would like to see more of me and I would like to see more of them".

She'll instead spend Christmas with her partner's family in Leeds, while Sean heads to his wife's family home in Italy on the train.

'Things have changed'

Instead the pair will rely on technology to feel connected to their families.

"We'll get on a call together, we'll cook meals together or mum will watch us and then we'll talk about everything from our days," Aliza says.

Sean and his family play online games together and he has a special routine with his sister in the Philippines, which is seven hours ahead of Belgium.

"My sister adapts her schedule so that when she calls us she's still in some type of Christmas mood," he says.

"She makes sure that she opens some presents when she's on the call, even if it means leaving them unopened most of the day."

But there are some things he misses back home, particularly a big Hogmanay party.

"There's a real kind of tradition around it in my village that I love to be part of," he says.

Aliza says she can tell her decision not to fly is "heartbreaking" for her parents who want to see her more

Although they stand by their decisions not to fly this Christmas, sometimes Sean and Aliza grapple with the sacrifice.

"I do wonder how meaningful it is for me to cut down my flying, especially when there's so many factors that make you feel that it's unfair," Aliza says.

"There's people often doing short-haul trips, multiple holidays in a year, and I don't even get to see my family."

But Anna Hughes - the director of Flight Free UK, a charity which encourages people to pledge to not fly for a year - says it's important to know that individuals can make a difference.

"The majority of flights come from people flying from on holiday," she says.

Anna believes if enough people choose alternative travel like trains or destinations closer to home, the industry will respond to that.

She uses veganism as an example, saying: "I've been vegan for about 10 years and when I started, people would just look at me funny and offer me a salad.

"Now they give me a menu. Things have changed, and they change quickly.

"We all have to remember that our individual action does say something."

Newsbeat logo

Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 weekdays - or listen back here.
The claim: Grindavik Iceland volcano eruption released more CO2 than humans ever have

A Dec. 19 Facebook post (direct link, archive link) makes a sweeping claim about the environmental impact of a volcanic eruption in Iceland.

"And more co2 released by Mother Nature in one event than mankind has ever done since our existence," reads the post in a caption that accompanies legitimate media coverage of the event.

More from the USA TODAY Fact-Check Team:

Our rating: False

When this claim was made, CO2 data for the eruption was not available. However, human CO2 emissions dwarf even the combined volcanic emissions from all of Earth's volcanos. The eruption in Iceland was too small and brief to have released a large amount of CO2, according to researchers and Icelandic government officials.

CO2 emissions from human activity much larger than Grindavik volcano emissions

The volcanic eruption occurred on Dec. 18 on Icelands Reykjanes Peninsula near the town of Grindavik. Thousands of area residents had evacuated after seismic activity began in November.

orsteinn Johannsson, an air quality researcher at the Environment Agency of Iceland, told USA TODAY in an email that, while some CO2 measurements from the eruption were collected, they have not yet been published. However, he said the eruption only lasted for two and a half days, was fairly small and could not have dwarfed human CO2 emissions.

This is because humans produce roughly 100 times as much CO2 as all volcanos combined in a normal year, according to NASA. The agency also reports that even the largest volcanic events  "super volcano" eruptions that happen every 100,000 to 200,000 years  produce around the same amount of CO2 that humans produce in a year.

The Deep Carbon Observatory program reports that humans produce 40-100 times more CO2 annually than volcanos, according to a press release.

"There are 40-50 eruptions happening across the planet all the time," Ed Venzke, the senior data researcher at the Global Volcanism Program, told USA TODAY in an email. "Any claim that one small fissure eruption (like the Reykjanes Peninsula eruption) is in any way comparable to overall anthropogenic (human-emitted) CO2 production is without scientific support."

Fact check: Can we count on renewable energy? Four ways wind, solar and water can power the US

Jake Lowenstern, Chief of the Volcano Disaster Assistance Program at the US Geological Survey, agreed with this sentiment.

Given the initial estimate of sulfur release during the opening phase of the (Reykjanes Peninsula) eruption, its very hard to imagine that the eruption could have released more than the equivalent of one hour of global anthropogenic CO2 emissions," he said in an email to USA TODAY.

USA TODAY has previously debunked similar false volcano emissions claims. For instance, some social media users wrongly claimed that a recent volcanic eruption in Greece had "put more CO2 in the atmosphere in 24 hours than humans have In (sic) our entire existence." In reality, there had been no recent eruption in Greece. Other users wrongly claimed that Italy's Mt. Etna had produced 10,000 times as much CO2 as humans.

USA TODAY reached out to the Facebook user who shared the post for comment but did not immediately receive a response.

Our fact-check sources:

Thank you for supporting our journalism. You can subscribe to our print edition, ad-free app or e-newspaper here.

USA TODAY is a verified signatory of the International Fact-Checking Network, which requires a demonstrated commitment to nonpartisanship, fairness and transparency. Our fact-check work is supported in part by a grant from Meta.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Volcano in Iceland update, CO2 emitted less than humans | Fact check
Teenagers dressed as godparents to Black baby Jesus are an important part of Quinamayo's Christmas celebrations. Joaquin Sarmiento/AFP via Getty Images

Residents of Quinamayo, a small town in Colombia, celebrate Christmas every February.

Their ancestors, enslaved Africans, were barred from celebrating Christmas in December.

The celebrations include a costumed parade with Black baby Jesus and lots of music and dancing.

Every February, residents of Quinamayo, a town in southwest Colombia, celebrate Christmas.

The tradition began more than 150 years ago, when Quinamayo's ancestors, enslaved Africans, were prohibited from celebrating Christmas in December. Instead, they had to work through the holiday, serving at the slaveholders' festivities.

In an act of resistance and resilience, the enslaved Afro-Colombians started their own traditions and made Christmas their own. They picked mid-February because it was 45 days after the Virgin Mary gave birth to Jesus.

Thousands of people travel to Quinamayo in February to celebrate Christmas. Even whole amusement parks are trucked in.

Revelers walk past an amusement park ride. Joaquin Sarmiento/AFP via Getty Images

Afro-Colombians have protected their tradition for decades as a symbol of their freedom and identity.

"It is an identity that has not been lost," Daniela Viafara, an organizer of the event, told the Spanish news outlet EFE. "We are the ones who make this festival happen. We want to preserve this tradition."

Christmas festivities begin with Quinamayo's residents searching for a Black baby Jesus figurine, which is hidden somewhere in town.

A Black baby Jesus figurine in Quinamayo. Luis Robayo/AFP via Getty Images

Two children dressed up as Mary and Joseph lead a procession called 'The Road to Bethlehem.' Behind them, three teenagers play the role of godparents to Black baby Jesus.

The Road to Bethlehem procession is one of the most important hallmarks of Quinamayo's Christmas celebrations. Joaquin Sarmiento/AFP via Getty Images

Boys also dress in soldier uniforms to join the procession and help protect baby Jesus...

Boys are dressed as soldiers with fake wooden rifles to take part in the Christmas procession. Joaquin Sarmiento/AFP via Getty Images

... while girls dress up as angels to watch over the figurine.

A girl in an angel costume in Quinamayo. Luis Robayo/AFP via Getty Images

The whole town joins the Road to Bethlehem procession.

Joaquin Sarmiento/AFP via Getty Images

Women dress in traditional costumes and dance the juga, which is performed with shuffling feet to mimic how their enslaved ancestors had to walk with chained ankles.

Women dance the juga in Quinamayo to honor their ancestors' histories. Luis Robayo/AFP via Getty Images

The dance is also sometimes called fuga, or "flee."

"One identifies with those customs," Arbey Mina, a former director of the festival's official jugueritos band, told the New York Times. "In fact, that identity is not directly with slavery, but with what was done to show that one was free, that maybe the body was chained, but the soul had freedom."

Musicians called jugueritos play drums and trombones to accompany the dance.

Musicians in Quinamayo. Joaquin Sarmiento/AFP via Getty Images

"Through the rhythm of the drum we give an important message," Norman Viafara, one of the festival's organizers, told the Times. "We tell the world, society in general, that we are ready and willing to also be able to reach the decision-making spaces."

Fireworks cap off the Quinamayo Christmas festivities, which often continue until the early morning.

Revelers in Quinamayo dance in front of fireworks. Joaquin Sarmiento/AFP via Getty Images

Read the original article on Business Insider
Jerusalem (CNN)  Israeli soldiers raiding a hospital in northern Gaza desecrated the bodies of dead patients with bulldozers, let a military dog maul a man in a wheelchair, and shot multiple doctors even after vetting them for terror links, according to allegations by staff and patients.

The claims relate to an eight-day operation by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) at the Kamal Adwan Hospital last week, which the military alleges was being used as a command and control center by Hamas.

CNN spoke to two senior medical staff, another doctor and a patient at the hospital, who provided corroborating testimonies of what happened. CNN also reviewed video evidence for some of the claims.

They paint a disturbing picture of how the IDF carried out the operation, as doctors were interrogated for their connections to Hamas and staff struggled to treat patients trapped inside.

The IDF says that Hamas hides terrorist infrastructure in and around civilian institutions in Gaza, such as hospitals, and that targeting them is essential as it works to eliminate Hamas from the Gaza Strip. But its operations are contentious, with humanitarian organizations saying that medical facilities in Gaza are rendered unable to provide basic services.

Among the most serious allegations relating to the IDFs operations at Kamal Adwan is that, as troops were leaving the hospital complex, they used bulldozers to dig up bodies that had recently been buried in makeshift graveyards in the hospitals courtyard.

The soldiers dug up the graves this morning and dragged the bodies with bulldozers, then crushed the bodies with the bulldozers, said the hospitals head of pediatric services, Hossam Abu Safiya, in a phone interview on Saturday. I have never seen such a thing before.

Videos and images he shared with CNN show decomposing human remains scattered across the hospital grounds.

The allegation was supported by the hospitals head of nursing, Eid Sabbah, and another nurse, Asmaa Tanteesh.

The bodies outside in the courtyard were plowed in front of our eyes, Tanteesh told CNN. All the while, we were shouting and screaming at them, but our screams fell on deaf ears.

Satellite imagery taken on December 15  right before the IDF withdrew from the hospital area  shows razed grounds outside the hospital complex.

The IDF did not address the allegations directly when approached for comment by CNN but acknowledged that it had carried out an operation at the hospital. The troops apprehended 80 terrorists, some of whom took part in the atrocious October 7th massacre, it said in a statement to CNN.

Earlier this week, the IDF released a video of the interrogation of the hospitals director and published an accompanying statement saying he admitted it was being used for military purposes. It was unclear whether the statement was elicited under duress.

Abu Safiya, the pediatrics director, and Sabbah, the chief nurse, countered that the hospital only provided medical services and that the arrestees were civilians and medical workers.

What we know about the operation at Kamal Adwan

The Israeli militarys focus on Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza appears to have begun over a week ago, with strikes and shelling in the area of the hospital, whose Facebook page says it falls under the administration of the Ministry of Interior, which in Gaza is run by Hamas.

Since the Israel-Hamas war began, the hospital has also sheltered and treated wounded and displaced Gaza civilians, according to its social media pages and eyewitnesses

The operation escalated on Monday, December 11, the same day that hospital director Dr. Ahmed Al Kahlot told CNN the hospital had been encircled by Israeli forces.

The next day, Israeli forces demolished the hospital complexs western wall, according to Abu Safiya, who said soldiers addressed the hospital with loudspeakers, instructing any men sheltering inside to come out.

What happened after that was beyond nightmares for those who remained in the hospital, he said.

According to Abu Safiya, he and four other doctors were allowed to remain and care for 62 people at the hospital, including several infants. As he described the week, he rushed to speak, fearing that the cell phone signal might drop as it often does in Gaza these days.

Surrounded by Israeli troops, and with parts of the complex badly damaged by shelling, there was no care he could offer, he said. The hospital was out of food, water, electricity, and milk for children and had hardly any medicine left to give.

Tanteesh, the nurse, recalls begging for water to no avail, she said. Israeli troops were half a meter away from us and surrounding us in the courtyard. We had no water, our throats were dry and we were thirsty and begging them just for a glass of water from the morning till evening, she said.

Some children died during the Israeli operation at the hospital, she said, adding that nurses tried diluting milk with a salt solution to try to feed more of the hospitals youngest patients.

The Hamas-controlled Ministry of Health in Gaza demanded that human rights organizations urgently open an investigation into what it called the massacre of Kamal Adwan Hospital, where children were besieged without water, food, electricity, and water for extended periods.

World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Sunday alleged that Israeli forces effective destruction of Kamal Adwan over the last several days had caused the deaths of at least eight patients, including a 9-year-old child.

Why Israel carries out operations at hospitals

Israel has focused enormous attention on Gazas hospitals since it began its ground offensive at the end of October. In justification, it has sought to present what it says is proof of Hamass use of medical facilities as military centers and has invited news media to film tunnels with underground rooms located beneath Gazas largest hospital, Shifa. It has also shown journalists weapons it says were found at other hospitals.

Evidence of militant activity found at Kamal Adwan, according to the IDF, included numerous weapons including AK-47s, RPGs, explosive devices, Nukhba (Hamas commando) military equipment, technological equipment, and Hamas intelligence documents.

On Tuesday, the IDF and Israels security service released an edited interrogation video of Kamal Adwans director Al Kahlot in Israeli custody. A statement accompanying the video said Al Kahlot admitted that Hamas uses hospitals for military purposes and to being a part of the organization. However, it is unclear how Israeli officials elicited Al Kahlots statement, and whether it was truthful or made under duress.

The International Committee of the Red Cross generally considers the release of interrogation footage of prisoners of war to be a violation of the Geneva Conventions statue on protecting POWs from public curiosity.

The IDF last week also released photos and video showing young men holding guns in the air  militants handing in weapons after their surrender from Kamal Adwan hospital, it alleged. But the staffers interviewed by CNN said the men were actually civilians sheltering in the hospital after being displaced from other parts of Gaza.

We told them there werent any resistance fighters in the hospital, and no one listened to us, Tanteesh said.

The guns that they were pictured with had belonged to hospital security guards, according to Abu Safiya and Sabbah. I saw with my own eyes that the army asked the displaced civilian youth and the medical team to carry the weapons of the security guards that were left in the hospital guard room, and they took pictures of them in front of me, Abu Safiya said.

They shot at me and laughed

Abu Safiya also described multiple incidents where he alleges Israeli troops deliberately tormented people they knew were not suspects.

A fellow doctor, Dr. Ayman Rajab, was released by the soldiers after questioning and then shot in the chest as he tried to make his way back to the hospital, Abu Safiya told CNN. He survived the shooting and returned to his displaced family. Another doctor was shot in the leg, and Abu Safiyas own son was shot in the abdomen, he said. Gazas Health Ministry has echoed the allegation, saying at least five detainees were shot by IDF troops after being told to return to the hospital.

Trapped inside Kamal Adwan, Abu Safiya says he watched both wounded colleagues and his son crawl along the road until an ambulance made its way to them and carried them to a different hospital, he said.

In another instance, Abu Safiya alleges that he himself became a target after soldiers called him in the early morning hours on Friday to check on some movement outside the hospital for them.

Following their orders, he found a wounded elderly man lying on the ground in front of the building. But as Abu Safiya tried to approach the man, he says, the watching soldiers started firing. They shot at me and laughed and jeered, he said.

I escaped their gunfire, but they called me again and asked me to take him inside again, he said. He finally brought the man inside, but it was too late. The man could not be treated in the hospital due to lack of medical resources, and later died from his injuries, Abu Safiya said.

And in another incident, Israeli military dogs wearing cameras were sent into the hospital for reconnaissance, according to Abu Safiya. One of the dogs attacked and mauled a wheelchair-bound elderly man before being called off, he said.

The man screamed in pain. Children and women cried from the horror of the scene. I couldnt help anyone. This scene was beyond nightmares, he said. One of their soldiers came to take the dog and was laughing at the old man and what the dog did to him.

A child at the hospital, who was receiving treatment for a broken leg, also recalled dogs entering the hospital and attacking an elderly man. The Israelis let dogs come and attack us. They tortured us. They were shooting towards us. Nights were horrific, we never had sleep since we came here, he told CNN. They let dogs attack an old man; it kept biting him.

The IDF did not address those claims in its statement but said that its operation around the hospital was targeted on Hamas.

Another hospital under siege

While hospitals as a category are protected by international law, they may be viewed as legitimate military targets if found to be housing able-bodied combatants and weapons.

But even when thats the case, soldiers have ethical and legal constraints in their handling of civilians. The presence of weaponry or wounded combatants at a hospital do not necessarily make it a legal military target.

Article 19 of the Geneva Convention states that the fact that sick or wounded members of the armed forces are nursed in these hospitals, or the presence of small arms and ammunition taken from such combatants which have not yet been handed to the proper service, shall not be considered to be acts harmful to the enemy.

In its statement, the IDF said it had questioned workers at the hospital. The workers confessed that weapons were hidden in incubators in the NICU, incubators that were supposed to be used to treat premature babies. Following the questioning, IDF troops located weapons, classified documents, and tactical communications equipment.

As Israels repeated military action in and around hospitals in Gaza continues, it faces increasingly fierce criticism, with medical workers and NGOs warning that the raids endanger patients and leave hospitals nonfunctional.

Gazas health system was already on its knees, and the loss of another even minimally functioning hospital is a severe blow. Attacks on hospitals, health personnel and patients must end, Ghebreyesus, the WHO chief, said Sunday of Kamal Adwan.

Despite growing international criticism from some of Israels staunchest allies over the growing civilian toll in the hospitals and anywhere else in Gaza, Israel has not changed course in its military pursuit of Hamas. On Tuesday, medical charity Doctors Without Borders said that another hospital in northern Gaza, Al-Awda, was under siege by Israeli troops with patients still inside.
Warning: This post contains spoilers for "The Color Purple."

Danielle Brooks is unpacking one of the most powerful scenes in The Color Purple, set at a Thanksgiving dinner table  and what helped her to get to that moment of rebirth and renewal.

In the Blitz Bazawule-directed film, adapted from the Tony-winning Broadway musical and Alice Walker's book of the same name, the dinner table scene acts as a turning point for multiple characters, including Brooks' Sofia.

It's the moment where Celie (Fantasia Barrino) finds her voice and the courage to stand up to her abusive husband, Mister (Colman Domingo), whom she was forced to marry as a teenager. It also marks the first time a broken and withdrawn Sofia regains her confidence after being unjustly imprisoned for her refusal to work as a maid for the mayors wife.

Set at Mister's house on Thanksgiving, the pivotal scene opens with light dinner conversation by those in attendance, including Misters mistress Shug (Taraji P. Henson), his son Harpo (Corey Hawkins), Harpos girlfriend Squeak (H.E.R.), and Misters father (Louis Gossett Jr.).

When the niceties dissolve, the conversation turns into a heated argument between Mister and Celie, during which a newly self-assured Celie finally stands up for herself and condemns Mister for his years of mistreatment.

Louis Gossett Jr. as Ol Mister. (Warner Bros.)

Watching their exchange, Sofia suddenly bursts into laughter, and soon transitions into heavy sobs. Through tears, Sofia thanks Celie for checking in on me all those years she was away in jail. She also credits her as the reason she was able to make it through prison and not give up.

Brooks tells TODAY.com what it took for her to get into Sofia's headspace in that moment.

I think about the relationship that (Sofia) and Celie have had during this time and how they both have helped each other. A lot of people notice what Sofia has given Celie, which is that strength, she says. I also feel like Celie has subconsciously poured into Sofia how to be more submissive, how to have a quiet demeanor to survive. And I think thats why she was able to survive prison.

Danielle Brooks as Sophia and Fantasia Barrino as Celie. (Warner Bros.)

Brooks range of emotions during the dinner table scene was hardly an easy sequence to act out. Oprah Winfrey, who starred in the original 1985 version of The Color Purple, and was nominated for an Oscar for her portrayal of Sofia, called the Thanksgiving dinner table scene the hardest scene in the movie for all the actors to do.

When I did it years ago, it took us three days to do that scene, she continued, speaking to a young girl who reenacted the scene on Instagram and nailed it, receiving a special invitation from Winfrey, who executive produced the 2023 film, to attend the Dec. 6 premiere in Los Angeles.

Brooks speaks to the importance of Sofia and Celies relationship at this moment and how their individual journeys have come full circle.

When we get to that dinner scene, its a beautiful exchange of both of them coming into their power and renewal and rebirth, which I think is so beautifully displayed because of the juxtaposition and how different their personalities have been, she explains, adding that they were both able to fly and emerge into their power.

The films theme of self-actualizing after traumatic experiences isn't new to Brooks, who first portrayed Sofia on Broadway in the musical revival. While speaking to TODAY.com, the Golden Globe nominee shared what she's learned from each role.

When I played (Sofia) in 2015, it was about learning my power and now playing it  many years later, this time its been about owning the power, she says. And thats where Im living in now, thats what I take from Sofia  owning my power.

This article was originally published on TODAY.com
A Colorado jury on Friday convicted two paramedics in the death of Elijah McClain, a Black pedestrian who was given a lethal dose of ketamine in 2019 after a confrontation with police.

Peter Cichuniec and Jeremy Cooper were found guilty of criminally negligent homicide. Cichuniec was also found guilty of assault in the second degree through the unlawful administration of drugs.

Cooper was acquitted of two assault charges against him. Cichuniec was acquitted of one of the two assault charges. The judge ordered Cichuniec to be remanded into custody after the verdict, and the bond for Cooper was continued.

Cichuniec and Cooper, who were suspended after being charged, were among five first responders who were criminally charged in connection with McClains death.

Elijah McClain. (Courtesy Mari Newman)

Outside of court after the verdict, McClains mother, Sheneen McClain, joined by community organizer MiDian Holmes, held a fist in the air, repeated her sons name, and said she loved him.

We did it, we did it, yall, Sheneen McClain said as she walked away from court.

Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser said his office knew that prosecuting the cases would be difficult but that justice demanded it.

Elijah did nothing wrong. His life mattered. He should be here with us today, Weiser said after the verdicts.

Aurora police officer Nathan Woodyard was acquitted Nov. 6 on charges of reckless manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide.

Woodyard had been suspended after being indicted but was eligible to return to work after being cleared.

A jury on Oct. 12 convicted officer Randy Roedema of criminally negligent homicide and third-degree assault. Roedemas sentencing was set for Jan. 5.

That same panel found officer Jason Rosenblatt not guilty of reckless manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide and assault.

Rosenblatt was fired after it emerged that he texted ha ha to fellow officers who had texted him a picture of a memorial honoring McClain.

The trials stem from actions taken Aug. 24, 2019, after McClain purchased iced tea from a corner store and was walking home when police confronted him.

Officers were responding to a report of a suspicious person wearing a ski mask and waving his arms. McClain regularly wore masks because of a blood condition that made him feel cold, family members have said.

McClain told officers he was an introvert and asked them to please respect the boundaries that I am speaking, according to bodycam video of the confrontation.

Woodyard appeared to be the first person to talk to McClain and touch him after saying: Stop, stop stop, stop, I have a right to stop you because youre being suspicious.

McClain said he was going home and asked to be left alone, footage showed.

He was eventually tackled by officers, who said they believed he was reaching for one of their guns. Theres been no evidence that showed McClain trying to take a police officers firearm.

Woodyard put McClain in a chokehold that forced him into unconsciousness, prosecutors have said.

Responding paramedics Cichuniec and Cooper injected McClain with the powerful sedative ketamine after police video showed him writhing on the ground, saying, I cant breathe, please, and throwing up. He apologized for vomiting.

Image: Paramedic Jeremy Cooper (Philip B. Poston / Sentinel Colorado via AP file)

Image: Paramedic Peter Cichuniec (Philip B. Poston / Sentinel Colorado via AP file)

After being injected, McClain had no pulse in the ambulance, went into cardiac arrest and died Aug. 30, 2019.

The Adams County coroner found that McClain died from complications of ketamine administration following forcible restraint.

An independent probe commissioned by the city of Aurora found that police had no justification to stop or use force to detain McClain, and responding paramedics sedated him with ketamine without conducting anything more than a brief visual observation.

McClain, who was 5 feet, 7 inches and 140 pounds, was given an amount of ketamine appropriate for a 190-pound man, the probe found.

That report also stated that policies should better spell out the duties of paramedics responding to a police scene and that those medics not act as an arm of law enforcement.

Aurora Fire Rescue Chief Alec Oughton in a statement Friday expressed condolences to McClains family and said he was deeply concerned and disappointed that Cichuniec and Cooper were convicted.

While I appreciate the jurys diligence, integrity and public service to ensure a fair trial, I am discouraged that these paramedics have received felony punishment for following their training and protocols in place at the time and for making discretionary decisions while taking split-second action in a dynamic environment, he said.

Oughton said the department has made changes in the wake of McClains death, including reestablishing a medical branch to increase oversight of emergency procedures and incidents, and a required review of the use of sedatives.

McClains death prompted months of protests demanding justice and police reform. The case garnered more national attention in 2020 after George Floyd was murdered by then-Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
By Brad Brooks

LONGMONT, Colorado (Reuters) -Two Colorado paramedics were found guilty of criminally negligent homicide by a jury on Friday for their role in the 2019 death of Elijah McClain, a young Black man who died after police roughly detained him, put him in a choke hold, and the medics injected him with a powerful sedative.

The trial of paramedics Jeremy Cooper, 49, and Peter Cichuniec, 51, was the last of three involving the death of McClain, 23, who was stopped by police after a bystander reported he looked suspicious. The first ended with one police officer found guilty of criminally negligent homicide and another acquitted. The second ended with a third officer being acquitted in the death of McClain, who was not alleged to have committed any crime when officers stopped him.

In a statement Saturday, McClain's mother Sheneen McClain said "three out of five convictions are not justice. The only thing the convictions serve is a very small acknowledgement of accountability in the justice system."

In addition to finding both paramedics guilty of criminally negligent homicide, punishable by up to three years in prison, the jury also found Cichuniec guilty of assault in the second degree for the administration of the sedative. It was a rare trial of paramedics in such a case.

Judge Mark Warner ordered Cichuniec be taken into custody immediately, while Cooper remained free on bond pending a March 1 sentencing.

Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser, speaking outside the courtroom Friday, said accountability would not end with the convictions, saying that much more work needs to be done to prevent the deaths of innocents at the hands of police and other first responders.

"Elijah did nothing wrong. His life mattered. He should be with us here today," Weiser said.

Cooper and Cichuniec both took the stand during their trial in Adams County District Court near Denver. They told the jury they believed the sedative ketamine was required to calm McClain, and that police officers who were roughly detaining him interfered with their ability to quickly treat him.

But prosecutors argued throughout the trial that the paramedics violated their training protocols by failing to examine McClain before injecting him with the maximum allowed dose of ketamine.

Prosecutors said the paramedics incorrectly decided that McClain was in a state of "excited delirium," a condition said to consist of agitation, aggression, acute distress and sudden death. Many medical experts, including the American Medical Association, argue the condition does not exist and have opposed using the diagnosis for law enforcement purposes.

The paramedics injected him with 500 mg of the sedative, wrongly estimating his weight to be 200 pounds (91 kg), prosecutors said. McClain weighed 143 pounds (65 kg).

"These defendants didn't even try. When Elijah McClain pleaded 'please help me,' they left him there, they overdosed him on ketamine ... they killed him," prosecutor Jason Slothouber said during closing arguments on Wednesday.

The defense rejected that, arguing, based on the training available in 2019, the paramedics acted appropriately.

"The relevant question is whether it was reasonable for these two gentlemen to believe that he was suffering from excited delirium, that he was acting consistent with what their training and their protocol told them was excited delirium," defense attorney David Goddard said in his closing.

Colorado's Peace Officers Standards and Training board ruled on Dec. 1 that "excited delirium" could no longer be taught as a diagnosis to new officers in training. A bill is pending before Colorado lawmakers that would ban excited delirium from all police and emergency medical services (EMS) training, and would not allow coroners to list it as a cause of death.

Police confronted McClain on the night of Aug. 24, 2019, after a bystander called 911 to report the man was dressed in a winter coat and ski mask on a warm night, and was acting suspiciously as he walked home from a convenience store.

Police laid hands on McClain within seconds of stopping him and put him in a carotid chokehold at least twice. He vomited into his ski mask and repeatedly told officers he could not breathe.

The original autopsy conducted on McClain in 2019 found the cause of death to be "undetermined." But a revised autopsy report in 2021 concluded McClain died from "complications of ketamine administration following forcible restraint."

Local prosecutors initially declined to file charges. That changed following the May 2020 killing of George Floyd, a Black man who died at the hands of Minneapolis police.

After Floyd's death ignited global protests, Colorado Governor Jared Polis in June 2020 asked the state attorney general's office to investigate McClain's case. A state grand jury indicted the officers and paramedics in 2021.

In her statement Saturday, Sheneen McClain said her "son's murder case is part of a continuum of hatred that is spread throughout this world. Hate, racism, oppression and greed are only some of the tools that evil forces use to divide in order to conquer."

(Reporting by Brad Brooks in Longmont, Colorado; additional reporting by Kevin Mohatt; editing by Donna Bryson, Jonathan Oatis and Miral Fahmy)
Colorado wildlife officials released a second wave of five gray wolves in the state on Friday, continuing a controversial reintroduction program that has faced opposition from local ranchers.

The ten wolves were captured in Oregon and released into Colorado wilderness in an effort to reintroduce the wolf species to the Rocky Mountains region. The first wave was released last week.

Ranchers have opposed the program, claiming that a revitalized wolf population could threaten their livestock.

But a federal judge shut down their legal claims last week, just before the first release of wolves.

The petitioners who have lived and worked on the land for many years are understandably concerned about possible impacts of this reintroduction, Judge Regina Rodriguez stated.

She ruled, however, that these impacts are not sufficient to grant the extraordinary relief sought by the ranchers.

The ten wolves, six females and four males chosen for their health, are intended to re-grow a Colorado gray wolf population that environmentalists argue is critical to ensure a balanced wildlife habitat.

Colorado officials said they plan to release a third tranche of five additional wolves by March, and aim to reintroduce 30 to 50 wolves over the next five years.

Centennial State voters narrowly approved the wolf program in 2020 in a public ballot measure that garnered just 50.9 percent of the vote.

The return of wolves fulfills the will of voters, Gov. Jared Polis (D-Colo.) said at the first reintroduction last week. What followed were three years of comprehensive listening and work by Colorado Parks and Wildlife to draft a plan to restore and manage wolves.

The shared efforts to reintroduce wolves are just getting started and wolves will rejoin a diverse ecosystem of Colorado wildlife, he added.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Colorado's highways are the backbone connecting the state's rural towns. Now, more will provide the backbone for broad expansion of high-speed internet in the state.

The state will begin offering leases for Colorado Department of Transportation property along the highways it manages under a new fee structure so broadband providers can use the land to expand their networks.

The recently announced resolution is in response to Senate Bill 22-083, concerning a broadband provider's use of the public right-of-way. The bill directed CDOT to develop an electronic application, permitting, contract, and fee structure to facilitate the deployment of broadband made available to the public. In 2022, the bill received a 65-0 vote by the Senate and was signed by Gov. Jared Polis on April 7, 2022.

In response to the bill, CDOT published a revised fee schedule to reduce costs for providers to install fiber in the public right of way.

Transportation Commission Vice Chair Terry Hart stated that the access fee plan will help undeserved communities receive improved broadband access.

"The fee structure works to strike a careful balance that reduces private sector costs and preserves assets owned by taxpayers, and we are committed to supporting these objectives so that more Coloradans can access broadband, Hart said.

Currently, the initial, one-time installment fee for permitting costs is 5 cents per foot. An annual Property Use Surcharge is 10 cents per foot for urban counties and 3 cents per foot for the state's rural counties.

The proposal offers greater opportunities for broadband development, competes favorably with our neighboring states on costs, and meets the states existing legal obligations to care for the public land under our responsibility, Transportation Commission Chair Karen Stuart said.

For any given broadband agreement, CDOT says Coloradans can anticipate an 1824-month timeline for a project to be completed.

This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: Colorado's highways will help with statewide broadband expansion. Here's how
As Granite Staters, we are no strangers to politics.

We each have witnessed the recent and narrow losses that devastated the Republican Partys hope for a cathartic red wave in 2022. In 2020, Donald Trump was the first president to lose a reelection bid in 28 years. Republicans have lost the last seven out of eight popular votes for president.

The pain of Trumps defeat is being felt by every citizen in this country, as we suffer through Joe Bidens incompetent economic policies that have ushered in the worst inflation in 40 years. Heat or Eat is all too real in New Hampshire with its chilling winter temperatures.

Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley speaks with prospective voters after the Seacoast Media Group and USA TODAY Network 2024 Republican Presidential Candidate Town Hall Forum held in the historic Exeter Town Hall in October 2023.

The American people need every resident of voting age to lead the way by casting our votes on Jan. 23, in the New Hampshire presidential primary. We can restore America to its foundational principles: freedom and democracy. There is too much at stake to sit this one out.

The good news is that it isnt that hard to win. This year, the GOP doesnt need a "Hail Mary." We have Nikki Haley.

Haley said on the campaign trail, Dont complain about what you get in the general election if you dont play in this primary; it matters. We can win back the popular vote and change the narrative from dissent to democracy with Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley.

In a head-to-head matchup against Biden, Nikki beats him at every turn. While Trumps campaign brags about polls that show he can beat Biden, those same polls show Haley walking away with the election. Clearly, Americans do not want a rematch in 2024 between Biden and Trump. No one wants to return to the chaos of the past eight years.

Haley wins because she recognizes what it takes to recover from the past eight years of Republican election losses. She is clear about the challenges facing America and she has pledged to move our country forward from the turmoil and drama of the past. She is proud of her conservative principles and understands that we can accomplish more as Republicans by bringing people in, rather than pushing them away. She brings an authentic approach to working across the aisle, reaching consensus when needed and taking a strong stand when required.

Nikki also touts an impressive record. Her presidential run is backed by practical experience  as an accountant, as a successful two-term governor, and as a UN ambassador who went toe-to-toe with the worlds most threatening dictators. Haleys foreign policy prowess, business acumen, and executive experience singularly qualify her above all other candidates. Her confidence and platform draw voters to her. She is the calm after the chaos.

Nikki has a quality no other candidate can defend against  charisma. Her leadership is the key to restoring America to a prosperous nation. Nikki cherishes unification, and she will repair the damage and division that has torn our country apart.

In January, we have the opportunity to choose a conservative candidate who is the most electable candidate that we, the Republican Party, have had in a generation. We need the right person on the general election ballot for the Republican ticket and that person is Nikki Haley.

This year, make a plan. Take off work early, secure a ride, and wear warm clothing for those New Hampshire voting lines. Our nation needs your voice now more than ever.

The power is in your hands; use it to vote next month in the presidential primary on Jan. 23, in New Hampshire.

The writers are New Hampshire co-chairs of Nikki Haley's presidential campaign.

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Commentary: GOP doesnt need a 'Hail Mary'  we have Nikki Haley
TechCrunch

Logistics has become the cornerstone of how so much works on earth -- we may order things online, but ultimately we need to get products and ourselves from A to B -- and some believe that logistics models will be even more important in the remote realms of space. D-Orbit, an Italian startup that provides an array of logistics services for companies operating satellites and other services in space, has raised 100 million ($110 million) in a Series C round of equity funding. The current investment is led by a strategic backer, Marubeni Corporation out of Japan's industrial sector, with Avantgarde (a regular investor in the space industry), CDP Venture Capital, Seraphim Space Investment Trust, United Ventures, Indaco Venture Partners, Neva SGR and Primo Ventures also participating.
(CNN)  Maalim Ayman, a senior leader of the Al-Shabaab militant group operating in Somalia and Kenya, was killed on December 17 by a joint military operation between the Somali and US forces, Somali Minister for Information Daud Aweis announced Friday.

Ayman was accountable for planning multiple lethal terrorist attacks in Somalia and nearby countries, Aweis said in a statement on social media.

Most notably, Ayman is responsible for a terrorist attack on US and Kenyan personnel at Kenyas Manda Bay Airfield on January 5, 2020, US officials say.

Three Americans were killed, including one soldier and two civilian contractors. Two more US service members and one civilian contractor were wounded, according to a statement from the US Department of State.

The US government put out a bounty of up to $10 million for information leading to the arrest or conviction in any country of Maalim Ayman in January of this year.

Al-Shabaab was designated by the US as a terrorist group in 2008 and by a UN Security Council committee in 2010.

CNN has reached out to the US State Department for comment.

This story was first published on CNN.com, "US, Somali forces kill Al-Shabaab commander responsible for multiple attacks, official says"
Precious few areas were safe in the Welsh governments draft budget for 2024/25, unveiled earlier this week, but council funding was one of them.

Despite this, local leaders have been warning of difficult decisions to be made in the months ahead, with council tax increases of up to 10pc touted.

The 22 unitary authorities of Wales are responsible for a wide range of services, from education and libraries to bin collections, social care and local road maintenance. Council tax receipts provide between 20pc to 25pc of their funding, and shortfalls mean painful, and deeply unpopular, cuts.

Over the past decade in Wales, the average band D council tax  the benchmark rate set by authorities each financial year  has gone up by 47pc. The comparable figure for England comes in at 40.7pc, and for Scotland 23.3pc.

Over half of this increase came under Welsh Labour leader Mark Drakefords watch as First Minister. The figure is up some 25.9pc since 2018 in Wales, relative to 23.6pc across the border.

In monetary terms, the average band D rate in Wales (1,910) remains lower than in England (2,065) as of the current financial year, but it is catching up fast.

In large part, this can be attributed to the greater freedom Welsh local authorities have to raise such rates. In England, since 2012, councils are required to hold a referendum among the local electorate for excessive increases above 4.99pc. No such rule exists in Wales.

Between the 2022/23 and 2023/24 financial years, 15 of the 22 unitary authorities of Wales made use of this more permissive framework, with rises ranging up to 8.9pc in Conwy. By comparison just 20 of the 154 upper-tier local authorities in England did the same.

Although Croydon sits at the top of the chart with its record-breaking 15 per cent hike this year, Welsh councils are disproportionately represented among the leaders, making up nine of the top 15.

The amount of council tax paid on a house in England and Wales depends on its value. The council sets the band D rate for mid-range property, and the charge for the other bands is worked out proportionately.

The priciest homes in the highest of Englands eight bands pay double the band D rate. Since 2005, in Wales there has been a ninth band above this where the rate is 2.33 times band D.

The Conservative Party has long since struggled to gain ground in Wales. Between the 2017 and 2022 local elections, just one unitary authority, Monmouthshire, was under Conservative control.

Welsh Labour, meanwhile, holds the leadership of eight councils, largely thanks to a strong foothold in the south around the large population centres of Cardiff and Swansea. All four First Ministers of Wales since devolution have belonged to the party.

In his former role as cabinet secretary for finance and local government, Mr Drakeford came down against imposing a formal cap on council tax hikes. Asked in the Senedd in 2016 whether he was considering such a move, he answered that the setting of council tax was a matter for each individual authority.

Notably, in his response he added: In setting council tax levels, I expect authorities to ensure they are able to sustain local services and balance this with considering the pressures on the finances of hardpressed households. At the end of his term as First Finister, this balance appears lost.

Recommended

Are you living under Englands worst-value council?

Read more

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.
A 59-year-old Antioch man will serve up to 10 years in state prison after being sentenced in connection with a 2019 incident near Chico, where he fell asleep behind the wheel of a 26,000-pound dump truck and collided with a vehicle stopped at a red light, killing two.

Thomas Fairhurst previously had pleaded guilty in Butte County Superior Court to two counts of vehicular manslaughter and later was found guilty of one count of failure to appear.

Fairhurst was driving his dump truck 55 mph north on Highway 99 when he approached a red light at the intersection of Neal Road, south of Chico.

Instead of braking, Fairhursts vehicle hit a subcompact Chevrolet Aveo that was stopped at the light, pushing the Chevy into a Toyota Sienna sport utility vehicle that in turn was pushed into a parked semi truck.

Donald and Apryl Shippen, a husband and wife who were passengers in the Chevrolet, were killed, while their adult son suffered serious injuries and had to be taken to the hospital for treatment. Three people in the Toyota also suffered major injuries requiring medical care.

Neither Fairhurst nor the semi truck driver were injured.

According to Butte County District Attorney Mike Ramsey, Fairhurst was found to have spent the night before partying after working long days in the Paradise area in the aftermath of the Camp Fire.

Investigators concluded Fairhurst did not obtain the amount of sleep needed to operate his commercial vehicle safely and attentively, and that he fell asleep as he approached the busy Neal Road intersection, according to the district attorneys office.

Though the incident occurred in 2019, Ramsey said that Fairhursts case was one of many that were delayed repeatedly due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

While Fairhurst pleaded guilty in February, he failed to appear at his April 20 sentencing, and thus was charged and convicted of failing to appear.
Operation Prosperity Guardian, the American-led coalition to defend shipping through the Red Sea, the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, and the Gulf of Aden from Houthi attacks is showing major cracks just as it is forming. At the same time, the latest rash of drone strikes on commercial vessels appears to have spread far from Yemen's shores, to waters off India.

A total of twenty countries have agreed to take part in the multi-national naval security coalition, according to the Pentagon earlier this week, and some of those participants don't want to be named. One of the biggest issues is that of those 20, only a fraction will supply actual ships or other major assets to help the cause. In fact, many are just sending a handful of personnel. This is especially problematic now that Spain, Italy, and France have rejected the U.S. demand that their vessels fall under U.S. Navy command while deployed as part of the security operation.

According to Reuters , Spain is now stating they will only agree to a NATO or EU-led operation. Italy's frigate Virginio Fasan would still deploy to the region, but it would not do so as part of Operation Prosperity Guardian. Meanwhile, France is still going to participate, but it will not allow its vessels to come under U.S. command. This is a big problem as these countries, all NATO members, have highly capable ships with robust air defense capabilities to send. Regardless of how many countries agree to take part, this highly resource-intensive enterprise will need warships, and capable ones at that.

Virginio Fasan (Dohness via Wikicommons)

While wrangling any multi-national coalition for a tumultuous operation like this is never easy, these developments among America's closest allies are certainly setbacks. They also come as it appears that the threat to shipping is expanding far beyond the Bab el-Mandeb and its more immediate surroundings.

Just hours ago, a Liberian-flagged chemical tanker M/V Chem Pluto that has ties to Israel was struck by a drone while sailing in the Indian Ocean, roughly 120 miles to the southwest of the Indian port city of Veraval.

Veraval shown by the red pin. (Google Maps)

According to ABC News , Ambrey, a prolific security contractor that provides armed guards and other services to commercial vessels, said the drone stuck the stern of the ship and a fire was ignited, but was eventually put out without injuries to the ship's crew. The ship has structural damage and has taken on some water as a result of the attack. It was heading from Saudi Arabia to India when it was struck. The Indian Navy responded to the ship's distress call with a maritime patrol aircraft and a warship.

https://twitter.com/IndiaCoastGuard/status/1738611205361856665?s=20

(UKMTO)

You can read all about Ambrey's operations, and how private contractors operate aboard commercial vessels passing through the Bab el-Mandeb in our recent feature here.

Veraval is 1,200 miles from Yemen's shore. This is much farther than any previous attack on shipping by the Houthis. It's possible a new capability was put into play, but that would require satellite man-in-the-loop connectivity, which is more complex than anything we have seen them use in the past. Staging an attack from a nearby ship would be much easier, but that is also a more complex overall undertaking than what we have seen from them in the past, which have been extremely localized operations. While there is nothing definitive in terms of a 'smoking gun' at this point, this attack points more toward Iran. Iran and Israel have been fighting a low-key anti-shipping battle. It's something we have reported on for years , and Iran uses one-way attack drones for these targeted operations.

These tit-for-tat strikes have occurred throughout the Middle East, including around the Gulf of Oman . Iran has an increasingly large flotilla of ships capable of, or specifically designed/adapted , to launch drones of increasingly complexity, especially long-range one-way attack types. Shahed-136 derivatives that have man-in-the-loop capabilities that allow them to hit moving targets have been used in these strikes, among other types. Still, those attacks require a controller within line-of-sight of the drone, which would be on the coast if the target isn't too far out to see, or, in cases like this, a ship in the same general area as the target. Other potential concepts of operations exist to pull something like this off, but these are some key issues to consider based on established and widely-employed capabilities.

One of Iran's 'drone carriers.' (Iranian State Media)

Drawing a clear line between the Houthis and their benefactors, Iran, is impossible. If this was indeed an Iranian launched operation, the context of these sporadic strikes on Israeli-related shipping cannot be viewed in the context as in the past, prior to the Houthis launching their anti-shipping campaign to avenge the Palestinians.

White House national security spokeswoman Adrienne Watson stated the following yesterday, according to CBS News : We know that Iran was deeply involved in planning the operations against commercial vessels in the Red Sea. This is consistent with Irans long-term materiel support and encouragement of the Houthis destabilizing actions in the region."

If Iran plans on jumping more directly into these types of operations and using their flotilla built seemingly for this exact application, it would be seen like a major escalation. It would also make providing security for naval traffic all that much harder. The northern end of the Indian Ocean is a vast place. This is especially true considering that the U.S. military and its rickety coalition cannot do this yet even in the relatively tight confines of the Bab el-Mandeb and its approaches.

This is all conjecture at this point and there are other, although far less likely, potential explanations. Still, it could very well be that Operation Prosperity Guardian may have even more on its hands than it already is struggling to deal with.

Contact the author: Tyler@thedrive.com
Law enforcement agencies across the Miami Valley and Ohio gathered in Richmond, Indiana Saturday to say goodbye to Preble County Sheriffs Deputy Joshua Hamilton.

>>PHOTOS: Cruiser after cruiser; Eaton woman touched by procession for fallen deputy

>>PHOTOS: Funeral services held for Preble County Sheriffs Deputy

News Center 7s Kayla McDermott watched as the procession for Hamilton left the church in Richmond and made its way to a Preble County cemetery.

Hamilton died in a head-on collision that also took the life of Michael Gayhart II Monday, Dec. 18.

Funeral services for Hamilton were held Saturday morning at Pentecostal Tabernacle at 480 W. Eaton Pike in Richmond, and around 11 a.m., the procession began to take him to his final resting place.

News Center 7s Mike Campbell spoke with Preble County Sheriff Michael Simpson about how his department is working to heal from this loss.

>>RELATED: We will heal; Preble County Sheriff speaks at funeral of fallen deputy

It was a very somber morning; the only sounds heard were tires rolling across the pavement and rainfall.

Hamiltons family, a long line of cruisers from varying agencies, fire trucks, and motorcycles followed his hearse.

One local woman noticed the procession while walking across the street in downtown Eaton.

Thats awesome that they do that for them, Eaton resident Heather Ricketts said.

After seeing all the lights and its sheer magnitude, I was shocked, Ricketts said.

>>PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Deputy, second driver killed in head-on crash in Preble County; 911 call released

Ricketts was aware of the deadly crash, but when she saw the photos from the scene, she couldnt believe it.

It was awful. It was just it was like carnage, Ricketts said.

News Center 7s Kayla McDermott showed Ricketts more photos and videos of the procession, and she was touched that so many different law enforcement agencies gathered to honor Hamilton.

>>PREVIOUS COVERAGE: It hits home; Local police chief who trained fallen Deputy Hamilton remembers time together

There is just cruiser after cruiser, she said. Its just sad that we have to get together for something like that but he needs to be honored.

The procession ended at Fairview Cemetery in Preble County, where Hamilton was laid to rest.

Law enforcement agencies across the Miami Valley and Ohio gathered in Richmond, Indiana Saturday to say goodbye to Preble County Sheriffs Deputy Joshua Hamilton.

Procession for fallen Preble County Deputy Josh Hamilton.

Law enforcement agencies across the Miami Valley and Ohio gathered in Richmond, Indiana Saturday to say goodbye to Preble County Sheriffs Deputy Joshua Hamilton.

Law enforcement agencies across the Miami Valley and Ohio gathered in Richmond, Indiana Saturday to say goodbye to Preble County Sheriffs Deputy Joshua Hamilton.

Law enforcement agencies across the Miami Valley and Ohio gathered in Richmond, Indiana Saturday to say goodbye to Preble County Sheriffs Deputy Joshua Hamilton.

Law enforcement agencies across the Miami Valley and Ohio gathered in Richmond, Indiana Saturday to say goodbye to Preble County Sheriffs Deputy Joshua Hamilton.

Law enforcement agencies across the Miami Valley and Ohio gathered in Richmond, Indiana Saturday to say goodbye to Preble County Sheriffs Deputy Joshua Hamilton.

Law enforcement agencies across the Miami Valley and Ohio gathered in Richmond, Indiana Saturday to say goodbye to Preble County Sheriffs Deputy Joshua Hamilton.

Law enforcement agencies across the Miami Valley and Ohio gathered in Richmond, Indiana Saturday to say goodbye to Preble County Sheriffs Deputy Joshua Hamilton.

Law enforcement agencies across the Miami Valley and Ohio gathered in Richmond, Indiana Saturday to say goodbye to Preble County Sheriffs Deputy Joshua Hamilton.

Law enforcement agencies across the Miami Valley and Ohio gathered in Richmond, Indiana Saturday to say goodbye to Preble County Sheriffs Deputy Joshua Hamilton.

Law enforcement agencies across the Miami Valley and Ohio gathered in Richmond, Indiana Saturday to say goodbye to Preble County Sheriffs Deputy Joshua Hamilton.

Law enforcement agencies across the Miami Valley and Ohio gathered in Richmond, Indiana Saturday to say goodbye to Preble County Sheriffs Deputy Joshua Hamilton.

Law enforcement agencies across the Miami Valley and Ohio gathered in Richmond, Indiana Saturday to say goodbye to Preble County Sheriffs Deputy Joshua Hamilton.
House lawmakers of Cuban-American descent are pushing back against progressives efforts to eliminate the Monroe Doctrine, a 200-year-old U.S. policy that categorizes political intervention in the Western Hemisphere by countries outside of it as an act of hostility.

A group of leftists led by Rep. Nydia Velazquez, D-N.Y., introduced a new resolution this week calling for the Monroe Doctrine to be formally annulled.

She called the policy "outdated and ineffective."

"For more than 200 years, the United States has used the Monroe Doctrine to justify a paternalistic, damaging approach to relations with Latin America and the Caribbean," Rep. Delia Ramirez, D-Ill., one of the bills sponsors, said in a press release.

META OFFICIALS WARN CHINA, RUSSIA, IRAN PLAN 'FOREIGN COVERT INFLUENCE OPERATIONS' AHEAD OF 2024 ELECTION

Representatives Maria Elvira Salazar and Carlos Gimenez are defending the Monroe Doctrine amid a progressive effort to scuttle it.

"As a result, the legacy of our nations foreign policy in those regions is political instability, deep poverty, extreme migration and colonialism. It is well past time we change our approach."

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But Reps. Maria Elvira Salazar, R-Fla., and Carlos Gimenez, R-Fla., told Fox News Digital the centuries-old policy was critical to stability in the region.

"The Monroe Doctrine is one of the most important foreign policy strategies the United States has ever developed. Today, threats to our security and liberty no longer come from London, Paris or Madrid, but from Beijing, Moscow and Tehran," Salazar told Fox News Digital.

CHINA TRAINS CHILDREN FOR 'IRON ARMY' IN LATEST EFFORT TO CREATE NATIONAL 'COMBAT READINESS': REPORT

"Communist and authoritarian powers abroad are colluding with our enemies in the Americas by selling them weapons and propping them up economically."

Rep. Nydia Velazquez is leading a push from the left to eliminate the Monroe Doctrine.

Rather than scuttling it, she called on the U.S. to "renew our commitment to the Monroe Doctrine and keep our hemisphere free of intervention from overseas."

Earlier this month, Salazar led a bill aimed at affirming U.S. support for the Monroe Doctrine.

Gimenez, one of the bills co-sponsors, said he knew firsthand why U.S. dominance was needed across North, Central and South America.

FORMER US AMBASSADOR ARRESTED, ACCUSED OF SECRETLY SERVING AS AGENT TO CUBA: REPORT

"I lost my native homeland of Cuba to a brutal communist dictatorship that continues to oppress the Cuban people and exports socialist terrorism across the region," he said.

"In my community, we understand firsthand that the Western Hemisphere is safer, more prosperous and freer when the United States takes a proactive role and actively engages with our regional partners."

Trump administration figures like former National Security Adviser John Bolton are supportive of the policy.

The Monroe Doctrine dictates that the U.S. government will oppose any military or political intervention in any country in the Western Hemisphere by a nation outside of it.

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Its taken on new significance in recent years. Although it was implemented as a blockade against European colonialism, its been referenced  particularly during the Trump administration  as China seeks to expand its influence in South America.

But critics, primarily on the left, have said it perpetuates an imbalanced power dynamic between the U.S. and its neighbors.





Original article source: Cuban-American lawmakers defend Monroe Doctrine amid progressive push to end 200-year-old policy
Czech Republic's Senate President Milo Vystreil and other members of the Senate light candles and place flowers at a makeshift memorial in front of the building of the Faculty of Philosophy of Charles University for the victims of the deadly shooting. On Thursday afternoon, a shooter opened fire at a university in central Prague, killing at least 14 people and injuring 25, 10 of whom were critically. Kamaryt Michal/CTK/dpa

The Czech Republic held an official day of mourning on Saturday for the victims of the Charles University shooting in Prague earlier in the week.

Flags flew at half-mast on public buildings and black ribbons were attached. Prime Minister Petr Fiala called for a minute of silence at noon (1100 GMT). Retailers said they would observe the minute of silence.

Many pre-Christmas events were cancelled, and state television ran a special programme.

A student opened fire on Thursday afternoon from the main building of the Faculty of Philosophy of Charles University on Jan Palach Square, killing 14 people and injuring 25.

According to Prague police, the gunman, who legally owned a large arsenal, then shot himself. He is believed to have killed his father before the mass shooting in central Prague and a man and his daughter a week ago.

Mourning services were also being held in Prague's St Vitus Cathedral and in other churches. Mourners laid flowers and lit candles in front of the university buildings.

Names of some of those killed have been released, including that of Lenka Hlavkova, head of the university Institute for Musical Studies. Condolence messages came in from all over the world.

People light candles and place flowers at a makeshift memorial in front of the building of the Faculty of Philosophy of Charles University for the victims of the deadly shooting. On Thursday afternoon, a shooter opened fire at a university in central Prague, killing at least 14 people and injuring 25, 10 of whom were critically. Kamaryt Michal/CTK/dpa
Czech President Petr Pavel (L) and Senate Speaker Milos Vystrcil (R) attend a mass commemorating the victims of a shooting at one of Charles University's buildings, as people observe a national mourning day, at St. Vitus Cathedral. Krumphanzl Michal/CTK/dpa

The Czech Republic held an official day of mourning on Saturday for the victims of the Charles University shooting in Prague earlier in the week.

The country observed a minute of silence at noon (1100 GMT). Flags flew at half-mast on public buildings and black ribbons were attached.

Many pre-Christmas events were cancelled, and state television ran a special programme.

A student opened fire on Thursday afternoon from the main building of the Faculty of Philosophy of Charles University on Jan Palach Square, killing 14 people and injuring 25.

According to Prague police, the gunman, who legally owned a large arsenal, then shot himself. He is believed to have killed his father before the mass shooting in central Prague and a man and his daughter a week ago.

Mourning services were also being held in Prague's St Vitus Cathedral and in other churches. Mourners laid flowers and lit candles in front of the university buildings.

Names of some of those killed have been released, including that of Lenka Hlavkova, head of the university Institute for Musical Studies.

Condolence messages came in from all over the world. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen posted on X: "I express my deepest condolences to the families of the victims and to the Czech people as a whole. We stand and mourn with you."

A person pays respects outside the Philosophical Faculty of Charles University following a mass shooting, during the day of national mourning. Kamaryt Michal/CTK/dpa

Czech Republic's Senate President Milo Vystreil and other members of the Senate light candles and place flowers at a makeshift memorial in front of the building of the Faculty of Philosophy of Charles University for the victims of the deadly shooting. On Thursday afternoon, a shooter opened fire at a university in central Prague, killing at least 14 people and injuring 25, 10 of whom were critically. Kamaryt Michal/CTK/dpa
Paul Allman cannot attend any recognised hunt-related activity in Cheshire and North Wales - Facebook

A saboteur who was branded a danger to the public has been given an Asbo-style ban to prevent him attending hunts in what is believed to be the first case of its kind.

Paul Allman, the face of UK hunt saboteurs who has a history of violent offences, has been barred from carrying out activities to disrupt trail hunts.

This includes attending any hunt in Cheshire or North Wales, wearing a face covering, or having in his possession items to disrupt or distress persons or animals at a hunt such as chains, zip ties, hunting horn, spray or a device containing recordings of hounds.

A breach of a Criminal Behaviour Order is punishable by up to five years in prison. The orders were introduced in 2014 as part of a range of anti-social behaviour measures that replaced Asbos.

It is believed to be the first time such an order has been used against a saboteur. The move was welcomed by campaigners who urged other forces to take seriously the threats posed by animal rights activists.

Allman, 49, from Stockport, was jailed for 20 weeks in August after attacking two supporters of the Wynnstay Hunt in Cuddington, Cheshire, knocking one to the floor.

Assaulting the master

During the hearing, district judge John McGarva said that Allman was a danger to the public and had a history of violent offending.

His previous convictions include one in March 2019 for assaulting the master of the Cheshire Hunt, for which he was fined 200.

In September 2022 he was handed an 18-week sentence, suspended for a year, after he was one of five hunt saboteurs convicted at Leicester Magistrates Court for public order offences at the Cottesmore Hunt in January 2022.

He has now been made subject to a five-year Criminal Behaviour Order aimed at restricting his sabbing activities.

Cheshire Police said the order was obtained following a number of incidents of anti-social behaviour when attending trail hunts in Cheshire and north Wales.

It states that Allman cannot attend any recognised hunt-related activity in Cheshire and North Wales or go within a mile of a number of named kennels.

It also bars him from entering any private land or property without having the written permission of the land owner and this must be in his possession or wearing face coverings within a vehicle that he is driving or in which he is a passenger excluding medical graded masks.

The court had previously heard that Allman had attended hunts clad in black and wearing a balaclava as part of a militia.

Robust action taken

He is also banned from using or encouraging others to use, foul, abusive, insulting, offensive, disorderly or intimidating language or behaviour towards any members associated with trail hunts or associating with others at hunt gatherings or transporting people there.

Polly Portwin, head of hunting at the Countryside Alliance, said: We are pleased to see robust action taken against Paul Allman, considered by many as the face of UK hunt saboteurs.

Anti-hunting thugs get gratification from bullying law-abiding country people and this action shows that such behaviour, when pursued effectively in the courts, will not be tolerated.

The alliance has been and will continue to be vocal about the very serious danger hunt saboteurs pose to the public and we will continue to urge police forces across the country to take any reports about saboteur activity incredibly seriously.

A Cheshire Police spokesman said: Paul Allman must comply with the conditions to prevent further anti-social behaviour and criminal offences. If the conditions are not complied with, Allman risks being imprisoned.

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Elijah McClain, an unarmed Black man who died days after he was stopped by three policemen and injected with a powerful sedative in August 2019 (via REUTERS)

On 24 August 2019, Elijah McClain was walking home from a convenience store in Aurora, Colorado, listening to music and wearing a ski mask, when a 911 caller reported him as looking sketchy.

It was a call that would lead to the 23-year-olds death and trigger a social uprising over the role race plays in policing.

Police spotted McClain  who was not armed and had not committed any crime  and put him in a neck hold. Paramedics then arrived at the scene and injected the young man with ketamine.

He died three days later.

Now, years after the fatal incident, the verdicts are in after the trials of the five men  two paramedics and three Aurora police officers  have come to a close.

Who was Elijah McClain?

McClain was a 23-year-old massage therapist. He had reportedly earned his GED from Emily Griffith Technical College in Denver and became a massage therapist at 19.

Friends and family described him as a gentle person  to humans and animals. He taught himself to play guitar and violin, and would play his violin for cats in a rescue shelter during his lunch breaks, The Cut reported.

I dont even think he would set a mouse trap if there was a rodent problem, his friend Eric Behrens told the Sentinel. Another friend  and former client  Marna Arnett called McClain the sweetest, purest person I have ever met, she added, He was definitely a light in a whole lot of darkness.

He wanted to change the world, his mother, Sheneen McClain, told the outlet. And its crazy, because he ended up doing it anyway.

What happened to Elijah McClain?

Bodycam footage which was released months after the encounter captured the officers interacting with the 23-year-old.

An officer approached McClain, who was listening to music, and demanded he stop walking. Eventually, he complied, as an officer apparently said he was stopping McClain for looking suspicious.

When the officers tried to grab McClain, he resisted, saying, I am an introvert. Please respect the boundaries that I am speaking.

The officers repeatedly told McClain to stop tensing up.

Paramedics Jeremy Cooper and Peter Cichuniec in court (2023 The Denver Post, Medianews Group)

Moments later, McClain was brought to the ground and held in a carotid hold. He can be heard moaning, sobbing, repeating that it hurts and pleading with the officers to stop.

McClain then tried to turn to his side to vomit, prompting an officer to say: If you keep messing around, Im going to bring my dog out here and hes going to bite you.

The 23-year-old vomited, and apologised. I wasnt trying to do that, he says. I just cant breathe correctly.

According to a report from an independent panel, the paramedics waited almost seven minutes after arriving to interact with Mr. McClain, and their first contact was to administer the sedative ketamine.

He suffered from cardiac arrest on his way to the hospital and died a few days later.

The autopsy revealed that he was 5ft 6in tall and weighed just 140 pounds. The coroners amended report said, Simply put, this dosage of ketamine was too much for this individual and it resulted in an overdose  I believe that Mr. McClain would most likely be alive but for the administration of ketamine.

Who were the officers and paramedics involved?

A grand jury indicted five involved in the incident.

Two Aurora Police officers, Randy Roedema and Nathan Woodyard, and one former officer, Jason Rosenblatt, as well as former paramedics Jeremy Cooper and Peter Cichuniec were each indicted on charges of manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide.

According to the 32-count indictment, Mr Woodyard placed the 23-year-old in a carotid hold, while Mr Roedema, the senior patrol officer on the scene, placed him in a bar hammer lock; he said he heard McClains shoulder pop three times as a result of the movement.

Mr Roedema and Mr Rosenblatt were each indicted on one count of assault and one count of crime of violence. Mr Rosenblatt was fired not for his interaction with McClain directly, but for laughing at a photo sent to him from a fellow officer reenacting a neckhold that resembled the one used on McClain.

A demonstrator carries an image of Elijah McClain during a rally and march in Aurora in 2020 (Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

Mr Woodyard was also allegedly sent the photo, but didnt react to it and deleted it. He stopped McClain for supposedly looking suspicious.

The paramedics were each indicted on three counts of assault and six counts of crime of violence. Neither Mr Cooper nor Mr Cichuniec took McClains vitals, try talking to the 23-year-old, or touch him before diagnosing him with a widely disputed medical condition called excited delirium, prompting them to administer ketamine, according to the indictment.

They all pleaded not guilty to the charges.

In May, a national organisation of coroners became the latest to denounce excited delirium, which is often cited as a cause of death by police in instances of violence from officers against community members. The National Association of Medical Examiners (NAME) announced they would cease recognising the condition.

Why did the trials happen in 2023?

The first coroners report in November 2019 said that the manner of death was undetermined, contributing to a local district attorneys decision against pursuing charges against the officers involved in the incident.

In response, Mari Newman, the lawyer representing McClains family told Denver7 ABC, Whatever the report says, its clear that if the police had not attacked Elijah McClain, he would be alive today.

But the incident generated significant public backlash. In June 2020, an online petition demanding that the three officers involved be held accountable circulated, garnering nearly 6 million signatures. A GoFundMe page for McClain raised over $2m.

Then, in June 2020, Colorado Gov Jared Polis signed an executive order designating a special prosecutor to determine whether the facts support prosecution, criminally prosecute any individuals whose actions caused the death of Elijah McClain.

The coroner provided an amended version in July 2021, writing that she believed the tragic fatality is most likely the result of ketamine toxicity.

Shortly thereafter, in September 21, a grand jury indicted three officers and two paramedics involved.

A Colorado district judge ordered three separate trials for the five defendants, all of which took place from September through December 2023.

What happened in the officers trials?

The trial of Roedema and Mr Rosenblatt began in September. Following almost three weeks of testimony, jurors began deliberations at around 4.30pm on Tuesday afternoon, following closing statements from prosecutors and the defence. The state arguing that the officers used excessive force and failed to follow their law enforcement training.

They were trained. They were told what to do. They were given instructions. They had opportunities, and they failed to choose to de-esclate violence when they needed to, they failed to listen to Mr McClain when they needed to, and they failed Mr McClain, prosecutor Duane Lyons told jurors.

The defence meanwhile argued that the fault lay with the paramedics for injecting McClain with a fatal dose of ketamine.

On 12 October, jurors found Roedema guilty of criminally negligent homicide and third-degree assault by the 12-person jury. Mr Rosenblatt was found not guilty.

Days later, starting on 16 October, officer Nathan Woodyard  who was accused of putting McClain in a carotid hold which ultimately rendered him unconscious  stood trial.

At every single turn he chose to escalate, the prosecutor said during closing arguments. The carotid hold that the defendant did contributed to and helped cause Elijah McClains death.

The defence attorney, however, argued that the officer took off McClains mask after hearing the massage therapist say that he couldnt breathe. Mr Woodyards lawyer instead placed the blame on the paramedics: If he does not know that [the paramedics are] going to OD McClain without doing a proper assessment, then he is not guilty.

Mr Woodyard was suspended from the department pending the outcome of the trial. On 6 November, he was found not guilty; the department reinstated him.

What happened in the paramedics trial?

Mr Cooper and Mr Cichuniec, the Aurora Fire and Rescue paramedics who injected McClain with 500 milligrams of ketamine during the incident, went on trial in December. They faced charges of manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide, second-degree assault and crimes of violence.

Both pleaded not guilty to all counts.

The solicitor general argued that the paramedics intentionally injected Elijah McClain, who was laying on the ground, barely moving, struggling to breathe, with an overdose of ketamine without adhering to protocols.

The prosecutor emphasised: They conducted no assessment. They didnt speak a word to Elijah. They didnt put a finger on him. And then they overdosed him with 150 per cent of the dose someone his size should have gotten. And then they failed to even check on him until his pulse was gone. They knew better.

Mr Coopers attorney argued that the paramedic had checked McClains vitals and confirmed he was breathing before administering the drug.

Both paramedics testified that they followed standards laid out in training and protocols.

We were there to help, follow our protocols and get him to the hospital. Thats what we do, thats why were in this career. Were servants, Mr Cooper testified.

Paramedics Jeremy Cooper, far left, and Peter Cichuniec, far right, enter the Adams County, Colo., Justice Center, Friday 22 December (Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

In his testimony, Mr Cichuniec said: If we dont work fast, he could die Time is of the essence. I went off training and went up to 500 (milligrams).

The paramedics were also questioned on why they injected McClain with 500mg of ketamine, given his small stature. The departments protocol calls for paramedics to calculate a ketamine dose of 5 milligrams per kilogram of the patients weight. Under your estimate of Mr McClains weight, the appropriate dose would have only been 425? the prosecutor asked.

Mr Cichuniec testified that they upped the dosage due to his state of excited delirium.

Mr Cooper also noted in his testimony that after hearing officers saying McClain was being combative and seemed to be on something, he thought ketamine was the right drug to administer.

A Memphis-based EMT specialist reviewed footage of the incident and testified that both men acted appropriately and that McClain received great care in their hands.

However, Dr Roger Mitchell, a forensic pathologist who also watched the bodycam footage, testified that McClain exhibited no evidence of excited delirium, but rather the need for more oxygen.

On 22 December, both paramedics were found guilty of criminally negligent homicide but neither were found guilty of manslaughter. Cichuniec was also found guilty of assault in the second degree through the unlawful administration of drugs.

Cooper was acquitted of two assault charges and Cichuniec was acquitted of one of the two assault charges.

Following the verdicts, the The Denver Post reported that McClains mother Sheneen McClain raised her fist and chanted: We did it! We did it! We did it!

Beyond the courtroom

Outside of criminal charges, McClains parents have also reached a $15m settlement with the city of Aurora.

I hope Elijahs legacy is that police will think twice before killing another innocent person, his father, LaWayne Mosley, said after the settlement was announced.

Former officer Jason Rosenblatt, left, and Aurora Police Officer Randy Roedema, right, at an arraignment at the Adams County Justice Center in Brighton, Colorado in January 2023 (2023 The Denver Post, Medianews Group)

There is nothing that can rectify the loss of Elijah McClain and the suffering his loved ones have endured, Aurora Police Chief Vanessa Wilson said at the time. I am committed to learning from this tragedy.

The 23-year-olds death occurred around the same time as the deaths of Breanna Taylor and George Floyd, who were also Black Americans killed at the hands of police.

Together and separately, the deaths propelled protests and sparked demands for police reform.

And at least in Colorado, some policies were reformed.

In 2020, the state banned police from using neck holds. The Colorado health department prohibited paramedics from implementing ketamine for those supposedly experiencing excited delirium, like in the case of McClain.
Ukraines Ministry of Defence is working to recover funds that were transferred to an ammunition manufacturer as a result of a corrupt scheme. Lawyers are examining how to terminate the contract.

Source: Interfax-Ukraine, citing Ilarion Pavliuk, head of the Defence Ministry's Press and Information Department, on the national joint 24/7 newscast

Quote from Pavliuk: "We will recover them [the funds  ed.]: we are already working on it. This was a contract under which payment was made, but no deliveries were carried out. Lawyers are studying these mechanisms, [working out] how to properly terminate the contract and recover the funds."

Details: Pavliuk also emphasised the "particular cynicism" of the deal. "These people were buying contracted ammunition during a war. They were trying to buy it with a 30% margin. And importantly, this could have impeded the contracted supplies that were in place, because they were offering the manufacturer a more expensive contract for the same ammunition with a different production rate, a lower one," he said.

According to Pavliuk, this is an extremely important case in which the anti-corruption mechanisms worked and those who did the deal very quickly found themselves in handcuffs.

Background: On 22 December, the head of one of the Ukrainian Defence Ministrys main directorates was detained in Kyiv for embezzling UAH 1.5 billion (about US$40 million) while purchasing artillery shells for the Armed Forces.

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Ukraine is considering implementing an e-notification system to replace draft notices for men who are conscripted, Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said in an interview with public broadcaster Suspilne on Dec. 23.

This is a rather complex process that needs to be discussed step by step, Umerov said, explaining that the first step will involve inventorying databases of individuals liable for military service and categorizing them accordingly.

Read also: Defense Ministry finishes audit of digital conscription registry

"We will decide how to account for this data because it could be a conscript, a serviceman, or already a veteran, he said.

"After registration, will this category of men be offered military service at all or not?"

Read also: Ongoing recruitment efforts do not negate further conscription campaigns for Armed Forces, says Defense Ministry

The Defense Minister added that if the decision is made, e-notifications will be sent to Ukrainian men eligible for conscription abroad. The Defense Ministry is working on technical solutions to ensure this remains a "civilized" and organized process, Umerov insisted.

On Dec. 21, German newspapers Die Welt and Bild published an interview with Umerov, who stated that Ukraine wants men aged 25 to 60 living abroad to be mobilized into the Armed Forces starting from 2024.

We are still discussing what should happen if they do not come voluntarily...

Ukrainian MPs are drafting a bill to regulate conscription of Ukrainian citizens residing abroad, expected to be ready in January 2024, sitting member of the parliamentary Defense Committee Vadym Ivchenko told RFE/RL on Dec. 22.

Under the draft law, military-eligible men abroad will undergo identification, after which they could receive draft notices. The representative noted that Ukrainians would decide for themselves whether to return to Ukraine, but not returning would violate the law.

Read also: Why is Ukraine mulling the mobilization of 450-500k troops amidst Russian advance?

Defense Ministry approved a new doctrine for the military, called the Concept of Military Personnel Policy of the Ministry of Defense, in November. This doctrine is intended to stay in place until 2028. It encompasses changes related to recruiting, conscription, contract service, and the military registration system.

Umerov, has previously expressed his commitment to establishing an electronic military registry in Ukraine and rolling out electronic military IDs. The digitization process began in the spring of 2023 and is currently in use in some regions, particularly in frontline areas.

On Dec. 19, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that the military had proposed mobilizing an additional 450,000 to 500,000 people, but he said that he needed convincing arguments to take this step, and UAH 500 billion ($13.3 billion) to finance the endeavor.

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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
While Americans pack for a busy weekend of holiday plans, thousands of military service members continue to protect the United States at duty stations around the world.

On Thursday and Friday, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks made personal phone calls to thank those who are serving abroad during the Christmas season, according to a press release from the Department of Defense.

The military's top brass thanked the men and women for their service and sacrifice at home and abroad, especially during the season.

Austin and Hicks also acknowledge the "immense sacrifice" that members of the military and their families make throughout the holidays.

WOUNDED WARRIOR PROJECT HELPS INJURED SERVICE MEMBERS, VETERANS

Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin delivers remarks during the U.S. Naval Academy Graduation and Commissioning Ceremony at the Naval Academy May 26, 2023 in Annapolis, Maryland.

According to the press release, Secretary Austin spoke with service members from the following units:

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U.S. Air Force's 494th Expeditionary Fighter Generation Squadron . Airmen from this unit are maintenance professionals responsible for all flight level launches, recoveries, and sustained operations wherever the Strike Eagle is tasked to deploy.

U.S. Navy's USS BOXER. The USS BOXER is the flagship of Amphibious Squadron 5 and is currently underway for amphibious and marine integrated exercises in the Pacific.

According to the press release, Deputy Secretary Hicks also spoke with service members from the following units:

U.S. Marine Corps 'V22', 2d Battalion, 2d Marine Division . Marines from this infantry battalion are forward-deployed to serve as the Ground Combat Element in support of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command Global Force Management requirements.

U.S. Space Force's 5th Space Warning Squadron, Detachment 5 . Guardians from this unit provide strategic and theater missile warning to the U.S. and our international partners.

U.S. Army's Task Force Marne, 3rd Infantry Division. Soldiers from the 3rd Infantry Division are deployed in Poland to work alongside NATO allies and regional security partners to provide combat-credible forces to V Corps.

U.S. Air Force pilot Brad Lynch stands in front of an Air Force A10 fighter aircraft during a media day for International Air Force Maneuver Air Defender 2023.

Throughout his term, President Biden along with First Lady Jill Biden, have marked major holidays by taking time to call members of all six branches of the military.

CHRISTMAS CAPITAL OF TEXAS CELEBRATES THE HOLIDAYS WITH 1,400-PLUS EVENTS ACROSS 40 DAYS

At Thanksgiving, President Biden shared on X that they spoke to members of the military, calling them "the best of us."

GI CHRISTMAS CARD TO 8-MONTH-OLD DAUGHTER IN 1944 CAPTURED FEAR, HEARTBREAK AND HOPE AMID WWII HOLIDAYS

"This Thanksgiving, Jill and I spoke with members of our Armed Forces to offer our sincere gratitude for the sacrifices they make every day to protect our freedom," the president wrote in an X post. "They're the best of us. "

US President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden read Twas the Night Before Christmas while visiting Children's National Hospital in Washington, DC, US, on Friday, Dec. 22, 2023.

The president and first lady on Friday also carried on another tradition with their third annual visit to Children's National Hospital.

The first lady read Clement Clarke Moore's "The Night Before Christmas" before the Bidens chatted with children and their parents.

"Jill and I spent time here -- the same as you parents did -- with our children, because of their circumstances," Biden said. "You know that old expression, 'where there's life there's hope.' Hopefully you kids come back when you're out of the hospital and hang out with other kids, so you know what it's like."





Original article source: Defense Secretary Austin makes personal holidays calls to deployed US military service members
Abortion, recreational marijuana, and his looming decision on a bill that would ban gender-affirming care for trans youth.

Gov. Mike DeWine talked with News Center 7s Xavier Hershovitz about controversial issues Ohioans want answers on.

Some of the biggest changes this year came through voters at the ballot box.

Such as approving Issue 2 and adding the right to an abortion to the state constitution.

News Center 7 asked DeWine if he feels the issue of abortion is settled in Ohio.

I dont know that things are ever settled in anything really. But you know, this is what the voters did. I didnt like it. I was opposed to it. But thats thats what they did, DeWine said.

>> PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Bill banning Ohio trans youth from gender-affirming care, female sports sent to governor

Another big change came with the passage of Issue 2, the legalization of recreational marijuana.

Its legal to grow its legal to possess but you cant buy it legally in Ohio, DeWine said. its kind of a ridiculous situation.

The governor wants the legislature to close that loophole as soon as possible.

His concerns are the continued growth of the black market and places popping up selling unregulated variants.

The store cannot be selling legal marijuana for selling marijuana is illegal. You dont know whats in it, he said.

He says hes spoken to the house speaker and this is something they will address in the new year.

>>RELATED: A huge chasm; Ohio governor reviewing content on youth transgender health care, sports involvement

But before the end of the year, the governor has to decide on House Bill 68.

It would ban transgender youth from accessing gender-affirming care.

DeWine said hes spent time this talking to experts and leaders on *both sides of the issue.

I think I have a real obligation to try to get this right  It is very, very, very important, DeWine said.

He has until Dec. 29 to sign it.

I dont think it would be fair for me just to say, Im gonna let it become law, I need to either veto the bill or I need to sign it, DeWine said.

He said when he makes his decision he will hold a press conference to explain his decision.
Israeli soldiers raiding a hospital in northern Gaza desecrated the bodies of dead patients with bulldozers, let a military dog maul a man in a wheelchair, and shot multiple doctors even after vetting them for terror links, according to allegations by staff and patients.

The claims relate to an eight-day operation by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) at the Kamal Adwan Hospital last week, which the military alleges was being used as a command and control center by Hamas.

CNN spoke to two senior medical staff, another doctor and a patient at the hospital, who provided corroborating testimonies of what happened. CNN also reviewed video evidence for some of the claims.

They paint a disturbing picture of how the IDF carried out the operation, as doctors were interrogated for their connections to Hamas and staff struggled to treat patients trapped inside.

The IDF says that Hamas hides terrorist infrastructure in and around civilian institutions in Gaza, such as hospitals, and that targeting them is essential as it works to eliminate Hamas from the Gaza Strip. But its operations are contentious, with humanitarian organizations saying that medical facilities in Gaza are rendered unable to provide basic services.

Among the most serious allegations relating to the IDFs operations at Kamal Adwan is that, as troops were leaving the hospital complex, they used bulldozers to dig up bodies that had recently been buried in makeshift graveyards in the hospitals courtyard.

The soldiers dug up the graves this morning and dragged the bodies with bulldozers, then crushed the bodies with the bulldozers, said the hospitals head of pediatric services, Hossam Abu Safiya, in a phone interview on Saturday. I have never seen such a thing before.

Videos and images he shared with CNN show decomposing human remains scattered across the hospital grounds.

The allegation was supported by the hospitals head of nursing, Eid Sabbah, and another nurse, Asmaa Tanteesh.

Satellite imagery from December 15 shows the razed hospital grounds. - Satellite image 2023 Maxar Technologies

The bodies outside in the courtyard were plowed in front of our eyes, Tanteesh told CNN. All the while, we were shouting and screaming at them, but our screams fell on deaf ears.

Satellite imagery taken on December 15  right before the IDF withdrew from the hospital area  shows razed grounds outside the hospital complex.

The IDF did not address the allegations directly when approached for comment by CNN but acknowledged that it had carried out an operation at the hospital. The troops apprehended 80 terrorists, some of whom took part in the atrocious October 7th massacre, it said in a statement to CNN.

Earlier this week, the IDF released a video of the interrogation of the hospitals director and published an accompanying statement saying he admitted it was being used for military purposes. It was unclear whether the statement was elicited under duress.

Abu Safiya, the pediatrics director, and Sabbah, the chief nurse, countered that the hospital only provided medical services and that the arrestees were civilians and medical workers.

Palestinians inspect damage following an Israeli raid at Kamal Adwan hospital. - Fadi Alwhidifa/Reuters

What we know about the operation at Kamal Adwan

The Israeli militarys focus on Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza appears to have begun over a week ago, with strikes and shelling in the area of the hospital, whose Facebook page says it falls under the administration of the Ministry of Interior, which in Gaza is run by Hamas.

Since the Israel-Hamas war began, the hospital has also sheltered and treated wounded and displaced Gaza civilians, according to its social media pages and eyewitnesses

The operation escalated on Monday, December 11, the same day that hospital director Dr. Ahmed Al Kahlot told CNN the hospital had been encircled by Israeli forces.

The next day, Israeli forces demolished the hospital complexs western wall, according to Abu Safiya, who said soldiers addressed the hospital with loudspeakers, instructing any men sheltering inside to come out.

What happened after that was beyond nightmares for those who remained in the hospital, he said.

According to Abu Safiya, he and four other doctors were allowed to remain and care for 62 people at the hospital, including several infants. As he described the week, he rushed to speak, fearing that the cell phone signal might drop as it often does in Gaza these days.

Surrounded by Israeli troops, and with parts of the complex badly damaged by shelling, there was no care he could offer, he said. The hospital was out of food, water, electricity, and milk for children and had hardly any medicine left to give.

Tanteesh, the nurse, recalls begging for water to no avail, she said. Israeli troops were half a meter away from us and surrounding us in the courtyard. We had no water, our throats were dry and we were thirsty and begging them just for a glass of water from the morning till evening, she said.

Some children died during the Israeli operation at the hospital, she said, adding that nurses tried diluting milk with a salt solution to try to feed more of the hospitals youngest patients.

The Hamas-controlled Ministry of Health in Gaza demanded that human rights organizations urgently open an investigation into what it called the massacre of Kamal Adwan Hospital, where children were besieged without water, food, electricity, and water for extended periods.

World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Sunday alleged that Israeli forces effective destruction of Kamal Adwan over the last several days had caused the deaths of at least eight patients, including a 9-year-old child.

Why Israel carries out operations at hospitals

Israel has focused enormous attention on Gazas hospitals since it began its ground offensive at the end of October. In justification, it has sought to present what it says is proof of Hamass use of medical facilities as military centers and has invited news media to film tunnels with underground rooms located beneath Gazas largest hospital, Shifa. It has also shown journalists weapons it says were found at other hospitals.

Evidence of militant activity found at Kamal Adwan, according to the IDF, included numerous weapons including AK-47s, RPGs, explosive devices, Nukhba (Hamas commando) military equipment, technological equipment, and Hamas intelligence documents.

On Tuesday, the IDF and Israels security service released an edited interrogation video of Kamal Adwans director Al Kahlot in Israeli custody. A statement accompanying the video said Al Kahlot admitted that Hamas uses hospitals for military purposes and to being a part of the organization. However, it is unclear how Israeli officials elicited Al Kahlots statement, and whether it was truthful or made under duress.

The International Committee of the Red Cross generally considers the release of interrogation footage of prisoners of war to be a violation of the Geneva Conventions statue on protecting POWs from public curiosity.

The IDF last week also released photos and video showing young men holding guns in the air  militants handing in weapons after their surrender from Kamal Adwan hospital, it alleged. But the staffers interviewed by CNN said the men were actually civilians sheltering in the hospital after being displaced from other parts of Gaza.

We told them there werent any resistance fighters in the hospital, and no one listened to us, Tanteesh said.

The guns that they were pictured with had belonged to hospital security guards, according to Abu Safiya and Sabbah. I saw with my own eyes that the army asked the displaced civilian youth and the medical team to carry the weapons of the security guards that were left in the hospital guard room, and they took pictures of them in front of me, Abu Safiya said.

A crushed car on top of rubble outside Kamal Adwan Hospital. - Fadi Alwhidifa/Reuters

They shot at me and laughed



Abu Safiya also described multiple incidents where he alleges Israeli troops deliberately tormented people they knew were not suspects.

A fellow doctor, Dr. Ayman Rajab, was released by the soldiers after questioning and then shot in the chest as he tried to make his way back to the hospital, Abu Safiya told CNN. He survived the shooting and returned to his displaced family. Another doctor was shot in the leg, and Abu Safiyas own son was shot in the abdomen, he said. Gazas Health Ministry has echoed the allegation, saying at least five detainees were shot by IDF troops after being told to return to the hospital.

Trapped inside Kamal Adwan, Abu Safiya says he watched both wounded colleagues and his son crawl along the road until an ambulance made its way to them and carried them to a different hospital, he said.

In another instance, Abu Safiya alleges that he himself became a target after soldiers called him in the early morning hours on Friday to check on some movement outside the hospital for them.

Following their orders, he found a wounded elderly man lying on the ground in front of the building. But as Abu Safiya tried to approach the man, he says, the watching soldiers started firing. They shot at me and laughed and jeered, he said.

I escaped their gunfire, but they called me again and asked me to take him inside again, he said. He finally brought the man inside, but it was too late. The man could not be treated in the hospital due to lack of medical resources, and later died from his injuries, Abu Safiya said.

And in another incident, Israeli military dogs wearing cameras were sent into the hospital for reconnaissance, according to Abu Safiya. One of the dogs attacked and mauled a wheelchair-bound elderly man before being called off, he said.

The man screamed in pain. Children and women cried from the horror of the scene. I couldnt help anyone. This scene was beyond nightmares, he said. One of their soldiers came to take the dog and was laughing at the old man and what the dog did to him.

A child at the hospital, who was receiving treatment for a broken leg, also recalled dogs entering the hospital and attacking an elderly man. The Israelis let dogs come and attack us. They tortured us. They were shooting towards us. Nights were horrific, we never had sleep since we came here, he told CNN. They let dogs attack an old man; it kept biting him.

The IDF did not address those claims in its statement but said that its operation around the hospital was targeted on Hamas.

Another hospital under siege

While hospitals as a category are protected by international law, they may be viewed as legitimate military targets if found to be housing able-bodied combatants and weapons.

But even when thats the case, soldiers have ethical and legal constraints in their handling of civilians. The presence of weaponry or wounded combatants at a hospital do not necessarily make it a legal military target.

Article 19 of the Geneva Convention states that the fact that sick or wounded members of the armed forces are nursed in these hospitals, or the presence of small arms and ammunition taken from such combatants which have not yet been handed to the proper service, shall not be considered to be acts harmful to the enemy.

In its statement, the IDF said it had questioned workers at the hospital. The workers confessed that weapons were hidden in incubators in the NICU, incubators that were supposed to be used to treat premature babies. Following the questioning, IDF troops located weapons, classified documents, and tactical communications equipment.

As Israels repeated military action in and around hospitals in Gaza continues, it faces increasingly fierce criticism, with medical workers and NGOs warning that the raids endanger patients and leave hospitals nonfunctional.

Gazas health system was already on its knees, and the loss of another even minimally functioning hospital is a severe blow. Attacks on hospitals, health personnel and patients must end, Ghebreyesus, the WHO chief, said Sunday of Kamal Adwan.

Despite growing international criticism from some of Israels staunchest allies over the growing civilian toll in the hospitals and anywhere else in Gaza, Israel has not changed course in its military pursuit of Hamas. On Tuesday, medical charity Doctors Without Borders said that another hospital in northern Gaza, Al-Awda, was under siege by Israeli troops with patients still inside.

CNNs Gianluca Mezzofiore and Ibahim Dahmin contributed to this reporting

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The rolling blackouts Duke Energy enacted last Christmas Eve were the first in North Carolinas history and have left a lasting impact on the states energy policy.

The blackouts raised many tough questions. Regulators wanted to know why the company left customers without power for hours when temperatures were below freezing. Renewable energy advocates quickly noted that it was frozen instrumentation at fossil fuel plants that left some power offline when it was most needed.

Friday, the N.C. Utilities Commission filed an order requiring Duke Energy to provide more details about what happened during Winter Storm Elliott and calling for annual updates describing how the utility plans to keep the power on during future winter storms.

Heres whats changed in the year since the power failure and how it could impact where your power comes from in the future.

Nearly half a million Duke Energy customers experienced rolling blackouts on Dec. 24, 2022, during a very cold winter storm. This screenshot from Poweroutage.us shows that North Carolinas northeastern corner did not have the same outages experienced by much of the state.

What happened with Winter Storm Elliott?

On Dec. 24, 2023, Duke Energy officials decided to implement rolling blackouts for the first time in North Carolina history, a step they believed was necessary to protect the grid as demand soared due to Winter Storm Elliotts freezing temperatures.

Thats not a small thing. Thats something that we understand  we have a responsibility to deliver reliable power to our customers and that responsibility extends into periods of extreme temperatures, Jeff Brooks, a Duke spokesman, told The News & Observer.

Other Southeasetern utilities  Louisville Gas & Electric, South Carolinas Santee Cooper and the Tennessee Valley Authority among them  also implemented rolling blackouts.

Increased demand from the freezing winter storm pushed demand up, stressing the grid as early as the evening of Dec. 23. Then, Brooks said, frozen instrumentation at a pair of Person County coal plants and a natural gas plant in Rockingham County caused those facilities to operate at reduced capacity.

And when Duke sought to purchase power from neighboring utilities and independent power producers, it quickly learned there was none available because of the widespread nature of the storm.

The rolling blackouts affected about 500,000 customers, with some staying in the dark for hours.

What has Duke done?

Brooks outlined a number of steps Duke has taken in response to the winter storm, including:

Updating the companys models for winter forecasts : Brooks said forecasting electricity demand in the winter is more difficult than in the summer because theres a separate period of increased demand in the morning hours, as people wake up and their heating systems turn on. Dukes model, Brooks said, improved as soon as Christmas day in 2023 by inputting demand information from Christmas Eve.

Improving the software the company uses to implement rolling blackouts: Winter Storm Elliott marked the first time that Duke Energy ever had to implement rolling blackouts to protect North Carolinas larger grid, and it didnt go well. The software that is supposed to limit blackouts to 15 to 30 minutes before rolling to another customer became overloaded, leaving some customers without power for hours. Brooks said, While we hope we never have to use it again, we have to be prepared to use it again and we think that if we did, we could deliver a better experience for our customers today than a year ago.

Previously, Duke had done some power plant maintenance year-round, resulting in power generation being offline during Winter Storm Elliott. This year, Brooks said, the company finished all of its routine maintenance by the first week of December. He said, All of the plants that we can bring online are available to serve customers in the event that we have very high demand for electricity.

Working on the companys communication: A key way to prevent rolling blackouts is to reduce how much power is being used. But, Brooks said, an appeal that goes out at 4 a.m. when grid operators foresee a problem at 6 a.m. is unlikely to be very effective. Duke intends to make the request the evening before an early morning demand spike, a time when turning down thermostats can still have a meaningful difference. In fact, Brooks said, the company did that on Christmas Eve last year and saw people cut down on energy usage on Christmas day.

Half a million people in North and South Carolina were without power on Christmas Eve 2022 after Duke Energy implemented rolling outages during one of the regions coldest holiday weekends in years. Duke later apologized for the issues that led to the outages.

Will those steps keep the power on?

Severe winter weather this year could again leave Duke and other Southeastern utilities in a perilous spot, according to a winter reliability assessment from the North American Energy Reliability Corp.

NERC is a regulatory agency that seeks to reduce risks to the power grid across the continent.

The regulators noted that while power demand in the Carolinas is usually highest in the summer, winter demand is starting to rise, too.

Forecasted peak demand has risen while resources have changed little in these areas since Winter Storm Elliot caused energy emergencies across the area in 2022, the report said. It said utilities in the region have adequate resources for normal winter conditions but are vulnerable to extreme conditions.

The report concluded that load shedding, or rolling blackouts, are unlikely but could become necessary if there is another cold-weather event that covers a broad portion of the continent.

Brooks, the Duke spokesman, said the company is better prepared should a similar winter storm happen this year. He also noted that, fortunately, the forecast for the holidays this year is much warmer than last years.

We have to be ready throughout the whole season, and that takes planing, that takes investment, that takes improvement, Brooks said. We heard loud and clear from our regulators, from our customers, that they expect us to improve.

What is the Utilities Commission asking for?

The N.C. Utilities Commission concluded a yearlong review of Winter Storm Elliott on Friday. The review identified deficiencies and vulnerabilities made apparent by Dukes performance during Winter Storm Elliott, the commissioners wrote, and notes the continuing risk ... that has been identified by NERC.

Commissioners filed an order calling for Duke to submit detailed reports within 60 days describing its planned outage protocols, upgrades the company has made at power plants since Winter Storm Elliot, how the company is planning for potential failures of energy purchases during future storms, and how it has changed customer communication protocols.

Duke will also need to file a report each November describing how its prepared for the upcoming winter.

Should Elliott change NCs perception of natural gas?

Duke Energy officials have typically argued that natural gas represents a reliable power source that can be called upon at times when other resources arent available.

Chris Carmody, executive director of the Carolinas Clean Energy Business Association, argued that Winter Storm Elliott should have shifted that view. The cold temperatures were forecast more than a week ahead of time, Carmody said, and gas infrastructure still froze.

If knowing ahead of time doesnt allow you to prevent gas lines and plants from freezing, thats not the most reliable source, especially for extreme winter periods, Carmody said.

Brooks said natural gas needs to be a part of the future, particularly as renewables take on an increasing role. Over the next 15 years, Duke anticipates that the states energy demand will increase by about 58,000 gigawatt hours, or as much as Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, New Hampshire and Wyoming use in a single year.

Natural gas is an excellent resource to be able to deploy in a timely fashion to meet those needs, Brooks said. Its a reliable and efficient resource, but it is not the only resource were thinking about.

These are the three pathways Duke is proposing to add power generation in North Carolina while slashing carbon dioxide emissions. House Bill 951 requires Duke Energy to cut emissions 70% by 2030, with some exceptions, and reach net zero by 2050.

Could renewable energy help?

Renewable energy advocates argue that Duke should be turning to renewable sources like solar paired with storage and offshore wind to generate power instead of building additional gas-fired plants.

Moving to more modular resources like solar and storage and accelerating the development of wind resources will help better balance and mitigate against future outages due to extreme weather, in part because youre diversifying your resources, David Neal, a Southern Environmental Law Center senior attorney, told The N&O.

Many of the plants that lost capacity in the Southeast during Winter Storm Elliott saw equipment freeze above their minimum operating temperatures, showing the vulnerability of existing sources, Neal added.

Another way to help on cold winter days would be to invest further in energy efficiency, Neal said.

When we invest in energy efficiency and make customers homes more insulated, less drafty, theyre able to hold their heat for longer so if there is an outage, it takes longer for the house to get cold, he said.

When the scale of last Decembers problem became clear, Brooks said, Duke turned on all of the resources it had available. Those included coal, natural gas and nuclear plants, as well as the companys pumped hydro storage facility.

Solar wasnt immediately available, Brooks said, because problems started to rise in the overnight hours.

As the sun came up, we began to use it more and that helped us exit from those outages, Brooks said. Without battery storage, that solar will not be able to help on those cold mornings when the peaks happen before the sun comes up.

Brooks also noted that Duke plans to use energy efficiency measures to curb its retail sales by about 1%. He said Duke has proposed demand response measures that could limit the amount of power needed by 1.05 gigawatts by 2030, a level thats about 25% higher than the peak capacity of the Mayo coal-fired powerplant in Roxboro.

How should NC regulators be considering Elliott?

Duke Energys Carolinas Resource Plan has mapped out three pathways to achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions in North Carolina. But the N.C. Utilities Commission is also directed to consider affordability and reliability, and rolling blackouts represent a significant mark against the latter.

The companys preferred route to net zero would add 11.9 gigawatts of solar energy and 4.3 gigawatts of battery storage by 2035. Thats the second-lowest amount of solar of the three portfolios Duke proposed to the N.C. Utilities Commission and the lowest amount of storage.

That portfolio adds 6.2 gigawatts of new natural gas plants, a step Duke has said is necessary to provide quickly dispatchable power that doesnt rely on the sun shining or the wind blowing.

Critics have argued that Dukes preferred route represents a too-gradual transition to renewable energy that seeks to build financially risky advanced nuclear and hydrogen-capable natural gas plants at a time when battery storage, solar and wind energy are already proven technologies.

Neal, of the SELC, said Dukes not using the outage to shift toward more renewables in its future plans is frustrating.

It continues to say that it needs to build even more gas-fired power plants in the name of system reliability and is not doing enough to embrace the energy transition at the speed or the scale thats really necessary both to comply with the carbon emissions reductions requirements in state law but also from a reliability standpoint, Neal said.

In the medium term, Carmody suggested that it would be better to build additional energy storage like batteries than more natural gas plants. A key benefit of storage, he said, is that any kind of energy generation can be used to put power into it, electricity that can be called upon when it is needed.

Certainly it would allow renewables to be delivered, even solar energy to be delivered in the middle of the night, but it could be applied to other energy sources, as well, Carmody said.

This story was produced with financial support from the Hartfield Foundation and 1Earth Fund, in partnership with Journalism Funding Partners, as part of an independent journalism fellowship program. The N&O maintains full editorial control of the work.
The last of 13 patients admitted to Central Maine Medical Center (CMMC) following the Lewiston mass shootings in October has been released.

On Friday, December 22, members of the CMMC team lined the halls of the main entrance to send off the last patient admitted during the Lewiston mass shootings. Team members clapped and sent him off as he prepared to continue his recovery at home, just three days before Christmas.

This is an early Christmas present, not just for the patient and his family, but for all of us at Central Maine Healthcare, said Steve Littleson, president and CEO.

Eighteen people were killed on October 25 when a gunman began shooting at the Just In Time Recreation Center and ended at Shemengees Bar & Grill a few miles away.

The gunman, Robert Card was found dead days after the shooting.

The doctors, nurses, and team members at CMMC extend our deepest condolences to everyone affected by this tragic event and wish all a measure of peace this holiday season in every stage of grief and healing, the hospital said in a post on social media.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts.

Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW
Central Avenue in east Charlotte was closed for several hours Friday night after a pedestrian was struck and killed by a car, police said.

LINK: TRAFFIC MAPS

The crash happened shortly before 6 p.m. near Eastway Drive. The road reopened hours later.

The person died at the scene.

No further information was released.

CMPD says a driver struck and killed a pedestrian on Central Avenue near Eastway. Central Ave is shut down in this area in both directions while police investigate @wsoctv  Joe Bruno (@JoeBrunoWSOC9) December 22, 2023

This is a developing story. Check back with wsoctv.com for updates.
State schools Superintendent Ryan Walters formally proposed new state education rules Friday that he said would ban the use of state money on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs in Oklahomas K-12 schools and eliminate what he called sexually provocative behaviors, including drag queen performances, by teachers and administrators.

Walters would allow 'voluntary prayer'

A third proposal would require the states 500-plus school districts to adopt a policy that permits those students and teachers who wish to do so to participate in voluntary prayer, although such legal protections already are in place, and would threaten a districts accreditation if its not found to be in compliance.

All three proposals, which Walters said were coming during a state Board of Education meeting Thursday, were presented after recent news events spotlighted those topics. Walters DEI proposal follows Gov. Kevin Stitts executive order, issued earlier this month, requiring state agencies and institutions of higher education in Oklahoma to initiate a review of DEI positions, departments, activities, procedures and programs to eliminate and dismiss what the order called non-critical personnel.

Walters DEI proposal mirrors Stitts order. The proposal would forbid public school districts from using funds, property or resources to grant or support DEI positions or departments, and would prohibit requiring any DEI education or training. It also would ban:

Requiring any person to swear, certify, or agree to any loyalty oath that favors or prefers one particular race, color, sex, ethnicity, or national origin over another.

Requiring any person to certify or declare agreement with, recognition of, or adherence to, any particular political, philosophical, religious, or other ideological viewpoint.

Requiring any applicant for employment to provide a DEI statement.

Requiring any person to disclose their pronouns.

Critics say employers want grads who understand DEI principles

It is abundantly clear that Ryan Walters doesnt believe a word he says, because if he did, he wouldnt be trying to remove DEI from public-school curriculum, said Bailee Tyler, the chair of the Oklahoma chapter of the grassroots group Defense of Democracy. DEI is not only important for a well-functioning society, but is mandatory for most employers.

He spoke previously of wanting to bring in free-market principles. Well, the free market will not want to hire recent grads that dont know or adhere to DEI principles and policies in the workplace. Most corporations are asking these questions in initial interviews.

The second proposal says an Oklahoma teacher may be dismissed, refused employment, or not reemployed after a finding that such person has, either in the presence of a minor or in a manner available to a minor online, engaged in sexual acts, acts that appeal to the prurient interest in sex as found by the average person applying contemporary community standards, or acts that excessively promote sexuality in light of the educational value of the material and in light of the youngest age of any student with access to said material.

Walters had a public dispute with Western Heights Public Schools earlier this year after it was revealed that a principal in the district performs as a drag queen. A spokesman for the Western Heights district didnt immediately return a message left Friday by The Oklahoman.

State schools Superintendent Ryan Walters is pictured Thursday at the monthly meeting of the Oklahoma State Board of Education.

However, Western Heights School Board President Briana Flatley had known about the drag performances before choosing to hire the principal. She said she was confident he would do a capable job and not pose a threat.

Last month, Prague Public Schools in Lincoln County received a letter from the Madison, Wisconsin-based Freedom From Religion Foundation after receiving a report from an anonymous community member in Prague that the school had hosted daily prayers during its morning Rise and Shine segment. The foundation also said the districts Facebook page regularly posted photos and names of young students who asked if they could pray. Both actions, the foundation said, were unconstitutional.

Walters says atheists 'bully' small school districts

An attorney for the Prague district responded and said the district agreed and would ensure neither the posts nor prayer would occur in the future. Walters was furious and said the district was backing down to a radical atheist group, after which the foundation called for Walters resignation.

We have seen out-of-state, atheist activists bully small Oklahoma school districts into abandoning their own students and teachers right to the free expression of their religion, Walters said. We are protecting those rights, ensuring each school district has a policy to permit voluntary prayer and a moment of silence for students to reflect or pray on their own. I will make all resources available to protect teachers' and students' constitutional and moral rights.

Ryan Dudley, a state policy manager for the foundation, said Friday the rules proposals are an absolute waste of time. Our take is that this is Ryan Walters grandstanding  nothing more than that. What he is proposing here has always been legal. Students and teachers are always free to pray on their own time. What remains unconstitutional is you cannot indoctrinate or coerce prayer. Thats what hes doing. Hes writing this into policy, forcing these schools to adopt policies for things they are already able to do.

Under Walters proposal, every Oklahoma district will have to report annually that it has adopted policies that comply with the rule and if the district fails to comply, the State Department of Education  shall recommend an accreditation deficiency to the State Board of Education. The same applies for what would be a mandated minute of silence that should begin with an announcement over the public address system at a school.

Any permanent rules changes could take months to actually take effect, as the proposals first would have to be posted on the Education Department website and go through a public-comment period before the state Board of Education could vote on them. Rules changes require approval from the board, the Legislature and the governor.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: See Ryan Walters' proposed rules on prayer, DEI for Oklahoma schools
Two Colorado paramedics have been convicted of criminally negligent homicide in the death of Elijah McClain after he was stopped by police in 2019.

The jurys guilty verdicts on Friday for Aurora EMTs Peter Cichuniec and Jeremy Cooper mark an extraordinarily rare case of paramedics being found criminally liable for a civilians death in police custody and follow years of protests. Cichuniec was also found guilty of second-degree assault. Cooper was acquitted on the assault charges.

Related: Paramedics did nothing to help Elijah McClain and killed him with overdose, prosecutor says

Cichuniec and Cooper, along with three police officers, had all faced criminal prosecution for their roles in the killing of McClain. The 23-year-old was stopped on a walk home on 24 August 2019, and became unconscious as he was held down by multiple officers before the paramedics arrived and injected him with a dangerously high dose of ketamine. The death of McClain, a massage therapist who was seen on body-camera footage pleading for his life in his final moments, sparked national outrage.

In court, attorneys for the paramedics sought to blame the police for McClains death, while lawyers for the officers had argued in two earlier trials that the paramedics administration of ketamine, a powerful sedative, was the cause.

The incident began when a driver passing McClain called 911 to report a sketchy person who might be a good person or a bad person. The caller said he was not in danger and saw no weapons, but noted McClain was wearing a ski mask, which his mother later said he used to keep warm due to being anemic.

Footage showed the officers aggressively approaching McClain, telling him he was being suspicious and quickly forcing him to the ground and placing him in a neck hold. He repeatedly said I cant breathe and vomited and lost consciousness before awakening.

Cichuniec and Cooper arrived after McClain was restrained and saw the officers use force and push him to the ground, but did not check on him, prosecutors said. Well just leave him there until the ambulance gets here and well just put him down on the gurney, Cooper initially said to police.

But after roughly two minutes on the scene, and without checking McClains vitals or talking to him, the paramedics concluded he was suffering from excited delirium, a pseudoscientific diagnosis that has faced widespread scrutiny in recent years. The term, which is not recognized by major medical associations, suggests that people can develop superhuman strength after using certain drugs, and it has been repeatedly cited to justify deaths at the hands of police, especially Black men. California recently outlawed the term.

Officers on the scene had said that McClain had incredible strength and falsely accused him of being on something.

Cichuniec ordered ketamine from the ambulance, and Cooper injected McClain as officers restrained him. Cooper said he estimated McClains weight to be roughly 200lbs and administered 500mg of ketamine, about 50mg over the recommended dose for that weight. But Coopers estimation of McClains size was also dramatically wrong  he weighed around 143lbs, at which 325mg would have been the appropriate dose. Soon after the injection, McClain was unconscious again and showing signs of overdose. He never regained consciousness.

The coroners office initially said the cause of death could not be determined, but later revised the autopsy to say McClain died from complications of ketamine administration following forcible restraint.

One of the Aurora officers, Randy Roedema, was convicted of criminally negligent homicide and third-degree assault in the first trial in October. Two other officers were acquitted, including Nathan Woodyard, who had first stopped McClain and placed him in a neck hold. Woodyard was recently reinstated and will get $200,000 in back pay from his unpaid suspension during the trial.
Paramedics Jeremy Cooper, left, and Peter Cichuniec attend an arraignment at the Adams County Justice Center in Brighton, Colorado in January 2023 (2023 The Denver Post, Medianews Group)

Two Colorado paramedics who injected massage therapist Elijah McClain with a powerful dose of ketamine have been found guilty of criminally negligent homicide.

Jeremy Cooper and Peter Cichuniec, Aurora Fire and Rescue paramedics, injected 23-year-old McClain with 500 milligrams of ketamine during the 2019 incident.

They pleaded not guilty to all counts: manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide, second-degree assault and crimes of violence.

But both Cichuniec and Cooper were found guilty of criminally negligent homicide by a Colorado jury on Friday.

Cichuniec was also found guilty of assault in the second degree through the unlawful administration of drugs. Cooper was acquitted of two assault charges. Cichuniec was acquitted of one of the two assault charges.

The judge in the case ordered Cichuniec to be remanded in custody, while the bond for Cooper was continued.

According to an independent panels report, the paramedics waited almost seven minutes after arriving to interact with Mr. McClain, and their first contact was to administer the sedative ketamine. McClain suffered from cardiac arrest on his way to the hospital and died days later.

The amount of ketamine administered had been a repeated point of contention throughout the trial, seeing as the departments protocol calls for paramedics to calculate a ketamine dose of 5 milligrams per kilogram of the patients weight.

Both paramedics testified, defending their decision to use ketamine and arguing their actions were consistent with protocols and training.

Paramedics Jeremy Cooper, far left, and Peter Cichuniec, far right, enter the Adams County Justice Center, Friday, 22 December in Brighton, Colorado (Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

Under your estimate of Mr McClains weight, the appropriate dose would have only been 425? the prosecutor asked.

Mr Cichuniec testified that they increased the dosage due to his state of excited delirium.

Mr Cooper also testified that he thought ketamine was the right drug to use on McClain after hearing officers saying he was being combative and seemed to be on something.

Medical experts offered different perspectives on the paramedics behaviour after watching the bodycam footage.

A forensic pathologist testified that McClain showed no evidence of excited delirium; but he instead demonstrated that he was deficient in oxygen. But a Memphis-based EMT specialist testified that both paramedics acted appropriately and that McClain received great care.

Prosecutors also emphasised that the paramedics made the judgement call to give McClain the powerful sedative, despite making no assessment of McClain and without exchanging a word with him.

Three Aurora police officers were also separately tried this year.

Police officer Randy Roedema was convicted of criminally negligent homicide and third-degree assault. The city terminated his employment.

Officer Jason Rosenblatt was acquitted of both counts he faced. He was fired from the force in 2020 for laughing over text in response to a picture of other officers giving each other chokeholds at the site of McClains death.

Officer Nathan Woodyard  who was accused of putting McClain in a carotid hold  was also acquitted. Unlike the other two officers, he was reinstated to the force.
Roslyn Brock wants every generation of her family to see the musical remake of The Color Purple.

So, she is renting out a theater in Dothan, Alabama, on Christmas Day for 165 of her relatives to watch the film together. Everyone, she said, has been asked to wear purple.

Its just a great opportunity for us to introduce this cultural classic to a new generation and then to reintroduce it in a different way to those who have seen it before, Brock said.

As moviegoers across the country flock to theaters this holiday weekend, many Black Americans are hoping to reconnect with a story that has become a cultural touchstone in the Black community.



In the four decades since author Alice Walker published The Color Purple, the novel has been adapted into a film, a Broadway show and now a movie musical. But fans and academics tell CNN its the storys themes of sisterhood, womens empowerment and overcoming abuse and hardship that continue to resonate across the decades.

Brock, who serves as chairman emeritus for the NAACP, said she wants her loved ones  both young and old  to engage with the films themes and talk about it. She said she feels the story also continues to draw new audiences because it speaks to the strength of Black women.

Black women have really been the ones who have stood up on behalf of our communities, who kept us together, who prayed us through and who have been the bridge that has allowed Black families to continue to survive, Brock said.

We celebrate our men. We should always be supportive of them, but its Black women who have been at the bottom of the totem pole and still we rise.

Danielle Brooks (left) as Sophia and Fantasia Barrino as Celie in Warner Bros. Pictures' bold new take on a classic, "The Color Purple." - Eli Ade/Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.

The richness of Black womanhood

Alice Walker published The Color Purple in 1982. The novel tells the story of Celie, a young Black woman growing up in rural Georgia in the early 1900s, through her poignant letters to God. Celie and many of the women in the novel suffer decades of abuse from men in their lives, but they ultimately find strength and empowerment in the bonds of sisterhood, friendship and family.

The Color Purple has been equally praised and criticized for its raw portrayal of domestic abuse, sexual violence and queer Black relationships.

Salamishah Tillet, author of the book In Search of The Color Purple: The Story of an American Masterpiece, told CNN the novel presents Black women as complex and nuanced and celebrates relationships that are deep and intense.

A lot of Black women can find some parts of themselves to cheer for, to identify with, to fall in love with, to hope for. We see parts of ourselves or see our mothers, our grandmothers, our sisters, our daughters in these characters, she said.

Because (Walker) was able to see the richness of Black womanhood in the lives of these characters, we can see our breadth, our potential, our pain, our hope, as well.

In 1983, Walker became the first Black woman to win the Pulitzer Prize in Fiction for the novel. The Color Purple also won the National Book Award in the same category that year.

Director Steven Spielberg adapted the novel into a film of the same name in 1985, starring Whoopi Goldberg, Oprah Winfrey and Danny Glover. The film received 11 Academy Award nominations but did not take home any awards.

Oprah Winfrey as Sophia on the set of "The Color Purple." Winfrey went from co-starring in the original film to producing the Color Purple musical remake in 2023. - Sunset Boulevard/Corbis Historical/Getty Images

The film was also widely criticized at the time by some Black Americans for perpetuating harmful stereotypes such as Black men are violent towards women.

There was also thinly veiled anti-LGBTQ criticism of the portrayal of Shug Avery and Celies relationship, which was seen by some as undermining the unity of the Black family, Tillet added.

Alice Randall, author and writer in residence for African American and Diaspora Studies at Vanderbilt University, told CNN despite the criticism of the film and novel, the storys message is one of resilience as a form of resistance.

Celie endures so many hard things from so many directions. Sometimes our enemies are in our own houses, Randall said. And still, we have to rise. And still, we deserve joy  still at our best we connect with love and beauty. Not pretending it is where it isnt, but finding it where it is.

The story, she said, is ultimately about finding yourself and balancing community with others.

That dual address is central to the heart of the lives of so many Black women. That balance, serving community, engaging with community, but maintaining individual identity  but not at the price of broken connection, she said.

The story of 'The Color Purple' is ultimately one of resilience as a form of resistance, fans say. - Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

A source of healing

For some, Walkers novel wrote the experience of women and girls who have survived sexual and physical abuse into vivid distinction.

Tillet said she first read the novel when she was 15 and later turned to the book as a source of healing after she was sexually assaulted while in college.

We have a character who kind of goes through the whole arc of experiencing trauma, finding her voice, redefining her sexuality and then becoming part of this community. And in that process, she also helps other people heal, she said.

Celies story inspired Tillet to publicly write about the assault for her college newspaper. She later started a nonprofit with her sister called A Long Walk Home in 2003, which strives to use art to facilitate healing and to bring awareness to violence against girls and women.

The story of going from being a victim to a survivor really inspired the work we do as an organization, she said.

Oprah Winfrey went from co-starring in the original film to producing the Color Purple musical remake in 2023. The film is a production of Warner Bros. Pictures, which, like CNN, is part of Warner Bros. Discovery.

Winfrey spoke of the lasting impact filming The Color Purple has had on her life at a recent town hall discussion with the films director, Blitz Bazawule, ahead of its release.

It became a foundation for how I operated everything in my life  do everything that you can then surrender it to God, Winfrey said. The Color Purple became the foundation for that life lesson and that healing for me.

Winfrey also thanked Black Americans and community leaders for supporting the film, which stars Halle Bailey, Fantasia Barrino, Taraji P. Henson and others.

She became emotional while discussing the amount of support the film has received so far.

To have us to come together as a community like this and to see the support and to see all these theaters that have already been bought out  we showed up in force and that we showed up with such grace and such power, she said. Everybody together is just a beautiful thing.

Brock said she is looking forward to bringing four generations of her family  the youngest nine years old and oldest 95  together for the screening of the film.

Her family members are traveling from all over the country to spend the holidays together and see the movie, she said. And she encourages others to see the film on opening day.

I want each of my family members to watch the movie and get from it what resonates with them, she said. What they can pull from it, what they can glean from it as words of wisdom, gems that they can use.

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Jefferson Williams is not shy about telling people when he became a Christian. He knows exactly when he accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior.

Williams, who currently pastors at the First Baptist Church in Chenoa, is strongly convicted in his love of Jesus and in his telling of the many messages in the Bible. He has provided his congregation with an array of interesting and informative messages from the scriptures. He just knows.

Not every Christian can quickly note when he or she accepted Jesus Christ and became born again. I do not have such an a-ha moment. However, I still have accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior and am proud to know that I am a Christian.

My journey began as a child. Like many people, I grew up going to Sunday school and church. I was baptized at the First United Methodist Church in Monmouth. My family changed churches around the time I was in kindergarten, and I grew up attending Faith United Presbyterian Church, which is affiliated with Monmouth College. It was there I received confirmation and became a member of that congregation.

Then came my college years. If there was a time when one's Christian actions were tested, it was during this time. At first, I was still attending church rather regularly.

Later, however, I started drifting away from attending church. I was pretty much a Christmas and Easter person. I spent more time working and partying than going to church and learning more about Jesus.

However, there was always something popping up to remind me of the greater good that is Jesus Christ. The first time I recall being made aware of the presence of the Lord in my life as a college student came when a young lady on my sister's floor would talk about Jesus on visits I made across the building.

This was at Western Illinois University in Macomb. I lived in Tanner Hall, which was a dorm for students ages 21 and older and was co-ed.

This young lady and I spoke often, kibitzing about most anything. But she was a Christian who read the Bible often and was not shy about talking about it. She seemed more than happy to talk with me about it, and I was a willing listener.

There were other encounters with Christians that left impressions, as well.

When I went to the University of South Carolina, I got an apartment a few miles away from campus. Other than relatives in a town about 30 miles northeast of Columbia, and my sister and her husband and kids who lived in Charlotte, I knew nobody.

So, there I was in downtown Columbia all alone. What is there to do? In looking for something that I could find comfort in, I found a church just two blocks from my apartment. I checked it out and then started attending somewhat regularly.

These are just two examples of when the Lord made His presence known to me when I wasn't expecting it. Coincidence? Could be, if you believe in such things.

For me, these were signs from God stating that He is keeping an eye on me. He knows what I am doing and that maybe I should start working my way back to Him.

When I got into the working world, I found it difficult to get to church. I was working three jobs  a full-time and two part-time  for a few years before I made my latest move. That would be in 1994 when I took a job at the Daily Leader.

Lo and behold, I was finding myself in familiar territory of straying away from Jesus Christ. Once again, He made his presence felt, and this time it stuck.

It was in 1996 when my wife and I married. Her family has a strong Christian background, and being with her has helped me become more than just a believer. I absolutely believe, even with all my faults and the continued sins I (like everyone else) commit, I am a Christian. I even experienced a reaffirmation of my faith through a second baptism.

As we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, take the time to reflect on where you stand with Him. If you feel blessed, tell Him. If you need help, ask Him. It's only that one step back to change direction and begin a journey to God.

May you and your family be blessed this Christmas and all year.

This article originally appeared on Pontiac Daily Leader: Erich Murphy: It's never too late to find your faith
MEMPHIS, Tenn.  An escapee from a Mississippi jail was captured by Memphis Police on I-40 Friday afternoon, police say.

According to reports, officers responded to a call at 2:20 p.m. regarding a male suspect who was an escapee in the area of Summer Avenue and White Station Road.

Man charged after Cordova crash kills 2, injures 2

Police say the man fled the area on foot, but was later captured on I-40 at Sam Cooper Boulevard after a pursuit.

He was transported to Baptist East in non-critical condition.

There is no additional information available at this time.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WREG.com.
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Poland Radosaw Sikorski at a press conference in Kyiv, December 22, 2023

Kyiv will be able to defeat Russia if its European allies provide military support and switch the entire economy into war mode, newly appointed Polish Foreign Minister Radosaw Sikorski said during a press conference following a meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba in Kyiv on Dec. 22, the Polish Foreign Ministry reported.

This is Russias last colonial war, Sikorski said.

Read also: Tusk to advocate clear stance on Russia-Ukraine war in Brussels

"Ukraine should win, and Russia should lose. This is what we think, regardless of who is in power in Poland. If Ukraine wins, it will boost the morale of the entire free world. That is why Ukraine must prevail.

Sikorski stated that "a war cannot be won by tactical clashes, but through production. If Europe mobilizes its efforts, Russia will lose.

The situation was easier when Ukraine was winning notable battlefield victories, such as Hostomel, Kherson.

Read also: Ukraine and Poland agree on plan to unblock borders

"The current stalemate on the front is a real test of readiness to help, he noted.

During his first foreign visit in his new capacity, Sikorski met with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, Defense Minister Rustem Umierov, and Head of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine Oleksiy Danilov.

The meetings in Kyiv were focused on further financial and military support for the fighting Ukraine, prospects for the countrys membership of the European Union and NATO, and possibilities for enhanced PolishUkrainian cooperation as regards the reconstruction of Ukraine. Sikorski also discussed current issues in bilateral relations.

Kyiv and Warsaw have agreed upon a plan to resolve the months-long blockage at the Polish-Ukrainian border, Polands Deputy Infrastructure Minister Pawel Gancarz said at a press conference with his Ukrainian counterpart Serhiy Derkach on Dec. 22.

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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
(Bloomberg) -- Former Credit Suisse chief Tidjane Thiam has won his bid to lead Ivory Coasts opposition in presidential elections scheduled for 2025.

Most Read from Bloomberg

Results of a vote announced late Friday showed the 61-year old former banker convincingly defeating his sole opponent to be the head of the Democratic Party of Ivory Coast, which ruled the West African nation for decades after independence in 1960 but has been out of power since 1999.

The victory puts him in a strong position to be the PDCIs candidate in the 2025 elections.

We have been in opposition for 25 years, Kouame Yao, a civil servant, said by phone from the commercial capital, Abidjan, before the vote. PDCI needs a shakeup. Thiam has the qualities to revive and reinforce the party.

Ivory Coast, the worlds top producer of cocoa, has endured two civil wars since the PDCI left power. But more recently its emerged as an African economic success story, averaging almost 6% growth in gross domestic product following the restoration of peace in 2011.

Even so, while living standards have improved, almost 40% of the population of 28 million live in poverty, according to the World Bank.

We face crucial challenges that need leadership, Thiam told supporters in Yamoussoukro as he launched his campaign on Dec. 9. We will have to work for a peaceful, prosperous Ivory Coast.

Thiam, who left Ivory Coast following a 1999 coup, faced party veteran Jean-Marc Yace, the current mayor of Abidjans Cocody neighborhood, a PDCI stronghold. Thiam beat him soundly, collecting almost 97% of the votes cast.

Three other candidates dropped out of the race ahead of the vote. One of them, businessman Noel Akossi Bendjo, threw his support behind Thiam.

Yace knew the field, having remained in Ivory Coast as Thiam pursued a career abroad. But the former banker has deep central Ivory Coast roots in the ethnic Baoule community where PDCI has traditionally built its base, said Ousmane Zina, a professor of political science at the Alassane Ouattara University.

Never underestimate the geopolitics of ethnics within the PDCI, Zina said by phone from the northern city of Bouake. Thiam can trace his lineage back to Ivory Coasts first president, the partys founding father.

Thiams mother was a niece of Felix Houphouet-Boigny, the countrys first president after independence.

For his own part, Thiam has highlighted his leadership skills in posts at Aviva Plc, Prudential Plc and at Credit Suisse, where he became the first Black executive to lead a European bank.

In all the structures Ive managed, Ive always believed in decentralization, Thiam said in Yamoussoukro on Dec. 9. Giving autonomy and power to the grassroots is the condition for success.

Thiam left the Swiss lender following an espionage scandal in 2020.

Critics have accused Thiam of being estranged from his native Ivory Coast. He holds both French and Ivorian citizenship and would have to give up the former if he runs for president, something he says hes prepared to do.

Hes also decisively younger than other political leaders. Incumbent President Alassane Ouattara will turn 83 in 2025, should he decide to seek a fourth term.

The two men have similar trajectories. Ouattara moved from a career in international banking at the International Monetary Fund to politics while Thiam has floated between the private sector and public service.

He held posts in President Henri Konan Bedies administration between 1994 and 1999, leading the National Bureau for Technical Studies and Development and also becoming Minister of Planning and Development.

(Updates with more details from the ninth paragraph.)

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

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Wade has been living in exile in Qatar (SEYLLOU)

Exiled Senegalese opposition figure Karim Wade, an ex-minister and the son of former head of state Abdoulaye Wade, Saturday said he had filed papers to contest presidential elections in February.

Wade's Democratic Party had designated him as its candidate but doubts had remained due to his sentencing to a jail term for corruption in 2015, three years after current President Macky Sall took office.

Sall pardoned him in 2016 and Wade has been living in exile in Qatar.

"I am happy to announce that my candidacy for the presidential election on February 25 was submitted" overnight, Wade said on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Wade's criminal record had prevented him from standing in the 2019 election which saw Sall re-elected.

But in August parliament voted to restore the eligibility of Wade and another opposition figure, former Dakar mayor Khalifa Sall, following President Sall's initiation of a political dialogue that was boycotted by various opposition groups.

Khalifa Sall, unrelated to the president, was imprisoned in 2017 and given a five-year jail term for fraud but released in 2019 after receiving a pardon like Wade.

More than 200 candidates have filed papers to contest the presidential election.

amt/ach/imm
Explosions were heard in Kryvyi Rih, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, and Kropyvnytskyi, public broadcasters Suspilne Dnipro and Suspilne Kropyvnytskyi reported on Dec. 23.

After the blast in Kryvyi Rih, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, an air raid alert was declared.

After that, several more explosions were heard in the city.

Read also:

In the city of Kropyvnytskyi, explosions were heard during the air raid alert.

The head of the Kirovohrad Oblast Military Administration, Andriy Raykovych, urged residents not to film or post the consequences of the attack online.

An air raid alert was declared in Mykolaiv, Odesa, Kirovohrad, Dnipropetrovsk, Luhansk oblasts, and Crimea.

alerts.in.ua

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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
Multiple fires are burning in Kherson after a mass strike by Russian forces in the early evening on Dec. 23, the head of the city's military administration, Roman Mrochko, announced on Telegram.

Mrochko did not specify the nature of the strike, only that powerful explosions went off in several different residential neighborhoods.



Mrochko posted a video of a very large-looking blaze burning away behind a set of residential buildings.

He made no mention of potential casualties.



Kherson was liberated in November 2022, when the Russian forces that had held it retreated east across the Dnipro and blew the primary bridge connecting the city with the eastern bank.

Since then, Russian forces have regularly attacked Kherson with artillery, rockets, and other weapons.

Read also: Ukrainian soldiers storming eastern bank of Dnipro fear their mission is hopeless

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
China's BYD to build new NEV factory in Hungary

Xinhua) 13:41, December 23, 2023

BUDAPEST, Dec. 22 (Xinhua) -- Chinese electric vehicle (EV) maker BYD will build its first European new energy passenger vehicle factory in Hungary, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto said on Friday.

This project is one of the most significant investments in Hungary's economic history, meaning "thousands of new jobs and the latest technology in the industry of the future," Szijjarto told the press.

BYD, the world's leading manufacturer of new energy vehicles (NEVs), is expanding its market with new factories. After 224 rounds of negotiations with the Hungarian Investment Promotion Agency, BYD chose the southern Hungarian city of Szeged, making it the sixth car factory in Hungary.

Szijjarto said this investment strengthens Hungary's economic position and the country's role in the global shift towards EVs.

"This investment underscores Hungary's leading role in the technological revolution. It's been a long time since Hungary led in such a fundamental global technological renewal, but now we are at the forefront," Szijjarto said.

The state-of-the-art facility will be the first of its kind built by a Chinese automotive company in Europe and will have an advanced car production line, BYD said in a statement sent to Xinhua.

The factory will be built in phases and is expected to boost the local economy and support local supply chains, the Chinese company said.

The production center, equipped with cutting-edge technology and automated systems, aims to be a top-tier facility for new energy passenger vehicles, fostering technological collaboration and innovation between China and Hungary, it added.

(Web editor: Chang Sha, Zhong Wenxing)
A Sephora employee in North Star Mall tends to a customer on Black Friday on Nov. 24. Strong hiring at stores that staffed up ahead of the holiday shopping season contributed to a slight decline in the unemployment rate in the San Antonio-New Braunfels metro area  to 3.2% in November from 3.6% a month earlier. Josie Norris/San Antonio Express-News Shoppers are reflected in storefront windows as they make their way through North Star Mall during Black Friday on Nov. 24. Strong hiring at stores that staffed up ahead of the holiday shopping season contributed to a slight decline in the unemployment rate in the San Antonio-New Braunfels metro area  to 3.2% in November from 3.6% a month earlier. Josie Norris/San Antonio Express-News A young shopper rides in a car cart as shoppers make their way through North Star Mall during Black Friday on Nov. 24. Strong hiring at stores that staffed up ahead of the holiday shopping season contributed to a slight decline in the unemployment rate in the San Antonio-New Braunfels metro area  to 3.2% in November from 3.6% a month earlier. Josie Norris/San Antonio Express-News Shoppers look over jewelry at Lovisa at North Star Mall during Black Friday on Nov. 24. Strong hiring at stores that staffed up ahead of the holiday shopping season contributed to a slight decline in the unemployment rate in the San Antonio-New Braunfels metro area  to 3.2% in November from 3.6% a month earlier. Josie Norris/San Antonio Express-News Morning sun shines on shoppers at North Star Mall during Black Friday on Nov. 24. Strong hiring at stores that staffed up ahead of the holiday shopping season contributed to a slight decline in the unemployment rate in the San Antonio-New Braunfels metro area  to 3.2% in November from 3.6% a month earlier. Josie Norris/San Antonio Express-News Shoppers make their way through North Star Mall during Black Friday on Nov. 24. Strong hiring at stores that staffed up ahead of the holiday shopping season contributed to a slight decline in the unemployment rate in the San Antonio-New Braunfels metro area  to 3.2% in November from 3.6% a month earlier. Josie Norris/San Antonio Express-News Shoppers make their way through North Star Mall during Black Friday on Nov. 24. Strong hiring at stores that staffed up ahead of the holiday shopping season contributed to a slight decline in the unemployment rate in the San Antonio-New Braunfels metro area  to 3.2% in November from 3.6% a month earlier. Josie Norris/San Antonio Express-News Shoppers are seen reflected in the Sephora storefront window at North Star Mall during Black Friday on Nov. 24. Strong hiring at stores that staffed up ahead of the holiday shopping season contributed to a slight decline in the unemployment rate in the San Antonio-New Braunfels metro area  to 3.2% in November from 3.6% a month earlier. Josie Norris/San Antonio Express-News Patrons ride the escalator in North Star Mall during Black Friday shopping on Nov. 24. Strong hiring at stores that staffed up ahead of the holiday shopping season contributed to a slight decline in the unemployment rate in the San Antonio-New Braunfels metro area  to 3.2% in November from 3.6% a month earlier. Josie Norris/San Antonio Express-News Shoppers make their way through North Star Mall during Black Friday on Nov. 24. Strong hiring at stores that staffed up ahead of the holiday shopping season contributed to a slight decline in the unemployment rate in the San Antonio-New Braunfels metro area  to 3.2% in November from 3.6% a month earlier. Josie Norris/San Antonio Express-News

The spike in holiday retail hiring reduced San Antonios jobless rate in November, with the strong numbers continuing the growth trend in the sector over the past year.

As hiring picked up, the unemployment rate in the San Antonio-New Braunfels metro area dropped to 3.2%, the state said Friday, thanks in part to strong hiring at stores staffing up ahead of Black Friday and the Christmas shopping season. The rate was 3.6% a month earlier.

Across Texas, unemployment ticked down to 3.5% as 26,800 jobs were added statewide, the Texas Workforce Commission said. The November job gains marked a rebound from a rare decline in November, when the state lost 1,300 jobs.

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Texas continues to lead the nation and break records for economic growth, commission Chairman Bryan Daniel said in a statement.

The eight-county San Antonio metro area contributed with gains in five sectors.

Overall employment in the transportation and trade sector that includes retail-related jobs  including delivery positions  increased by 1.4%. The retail trade sector added 2,700 jobs, a continuation of the steady year-over-year growth its experienced in most months since the 2022 holiday season.

The number of retail jobs overall now is up about 3,000 from a year ago, to 126,400 jobs.

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The hiring spurt has come as giants including Amazon add more area fulfillment centers. The warehouse that opened on San Antonios East Side in March, for example, already has 1,700 workers and is still hiring.

Department stores, which dont make up the same majority stake in the sector they once did, added about 900 San Antonio-area jobs during November.

The total number of people working across the metro area increased by 12,000 last month. The civilian labor force, which counts the number of people working or actively looking for work, hit 1.3 million people. That was up by about 42,000 people from a year ago.

Statewide, the labor force now includes nearly 14.1 million people, making the annual growth rate 3%.

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The Texas labor market has continued to thrive month after month, and continues to lead the nation in many categories, said Workforce Commissioner Joe Esparza. As we head into 2024, the future looks bright for Texas employers across the state seeking to expand their business and tap into the states growing workforce.

Statewide, eight of 11 major industries in Texas expanded over the month. The professional and business services sector led the way, adding 9,900 jobs. It was followed by the construction industry, which added 9,200 jobs, and private education and health services, which added 5,200.

In the San Antonio-New-Braunfels area, about 1,200 construction jobs were added. The number of people working in leisure and hospitality jobs took a dip of less than one-half of a percentage point. Still, the regions hospitality sector, with about 145,900 people on the job, is up 2.5% from a year ago.

The national rate of unemployment in November was 3.7%.
A video appears to show an eye doctor in China punching a patient several times during a procedure.

The incident occurred in 2019 but came to light after a prominent doctor posted the video online.

The hospital's parent company said the patient was moving her head and not following instructions.

A doctor in China appeared to punch an 82-year-old patient multiple times in the head during a procedure in a recently released video.

The BBC reported that authorities in China are investigating the incident, which occurred in 2019 but recently came to light after the prominent Chinese doctor Ai Fen shared the video.

In the video, taken at an ophthalmology hospital in the southwestern city of Guigang, the surgeon suddenly begins to hit the patient several times in the head with increasing force. The patient appears to jerk in response, and a medical assistant rushes forward.

The report said Aier China, the hospital's parent company, suspended the surgeon and dismissed the hospital's CEO.

The patient was bruised on the forehead after the incident. The hospital management apologized and paid 500 yuan, or $70, the BBC said.

Aier China said in a statement that the patient had moved her head and eyes multiple times during the procedure and had not responded to the doctor's warnings in Mandarin because she could only speak a local dialect.

The BBC reported that because of this, the surgeon "treated the patient roughly in an emergency situation," Aier China said.

The BBC said the patient's son told local media outlets that his mother is now blind in her left eye, but it was not clear whether this was related to the incident.

Ai, who shared the video with two million followers on her Weibo account, is known for her role as a whistleblower in alerting the public about the initial COVID-19 outbreak in Wuhan.

She has been involved in a legal dispute with Aier China, which operates a chain of eye hospitals, over her claim that she nearly lost sight in one of her eyes due to treatment she received there.

Read the original article on Business Insider
The family of Judi Weinstein Haggai and Gad Haggai spent the past 11 weeks praying and pleading for the return of their loved ones, two American citizens believed to be held hostage by Hamas.

On Friday, the news broke that Gad Haggai, a 73-year-old Israeli American, died while in Hamas captivity. His wife Judi is still believed to be among the hostages, and her family is clinging to the idea she will one day be freed.

My hope is that that Judi will be released and that she has received some sort of medical attention, that shell be able to come home, Andrea Weinstein, Judis sister, told CNN in an interview this week before news of Gads death emerged. That we can embrace her and be there for however she needs to heal from this horrific situation that shes had to endure.

Judi  a 70-year-old with Israeli, American and Canadian citizenship  is the last remaining American woman believed to be among the hostages held in Gaza. Six other Americans, all men, also remain in captivity.

It was initially believed Judi could be part of the hostage deal for Hamas to free at least 50 women and children that was struck last month. While two Americans were released under the agreement, Judi was not. Israel proposed a one-week pause in the war for the return of 35 hostage, but Hamas is refusing any discussions about prisoner swaps until Israel ends its military operation, CNN reported Friday.

While US officials believe there is a pathway to get more hostages released, it appears Judis family can only wait.

Our hearts are breaking. To think of anyone harming my sister and her husband who are such peaceful, loving, giving people is just unconscionable, said Weinstein, who lives in New Haven, Connecticut. Its really very difficult to imagine whats been going on and how theyve been harmed.

Judis 95-year-old mother told CNN in a statement, I am very worried and concerned. I want to know if Judi is alive and if shes being held hostage. Its been unbearable not knowing.

The family has pressed for more details about Judis whereabouts and condition but so far little is known. Her daughter, Iris Haggai Liniado, has been in touch with Israeli and US officials in the weeks since the October 7 attack, including a meeting with President Joe Biden over Zoom earlier this month.

We continue to urge our leaders to do everything they can to bring our parents home to us, the Haggai family said Friday. This latest news of Gads death only reaffirms the urgency with which we need to bring all of the hostages home.

Biden mourned the death of Gad Haggai in a statement Friday.

Jill and I are heartbroken by the news that American Gad Haggai is now believed to have been killed by Hamas on October 7. We continue to pray for the well-being and safe return of his wife, Judy, Biden said. We are praying for their four children, seven grandchildren, and other loved ones and are grieving this tragic news with them. And I reaffirm the pledge we have made to all the families of those still held hostage: we will not stop working to bring them home.

11 weeks of anxiety

Judi and Gad, who lived in Kibbutz Nir Oz near the Gaza border for decades, were on their daily walk on the morning of October 7. The couple sent messages in a family WhatsApp group saying they were laying in a field and saw rockets flying overhead as Hamas attack against Israel was in its early stages.

The family later learned Judi called their kibbutz paramedic saying the couple was shot by militants on a motorcycle, Gad more seriously, and needed help. But the ambulance was destroyed. Judi made another call to Israels emergency services, which was recorded, detailing what had happened.

To our knowledge, no one ever was able to rescue them at that point, Weinstein said. No one in the family has had any contact with them since October 7.

The Haggai family said Gad, a father of four and grandfather of seven, would be remembered as as a gifted man, with sharp intellect and a love for wind instruments - which he played since he was a young child.

The family recently released two songs Gad recorded in the 1980s. Haggai Liniado, who drew the artwork for the digital release, shared the songs with CNN, noting how the lyrics in his song Big Man are strikingly similar to what he endured the morning of October 7: Here in the fields, we are full of fear. People are dying, and birds arent flying.

Judis family describes her as a peaceful person. Shes vegan, writes daily haikus and has a creative spirit, they say, using poetry and puppetry in her work with children. She taught English for several years and eventually incorporated mindfulness into her lessons.

She wanted to help them about their anxiety, about their stress  and she used to teach Palestinians and Jews, and she taught everybody, Haggai Liniado recounted to CNN earlier this month. My mother was all about peace but taken hostage and shot.  All she does is good things to people.

Weinstein, the youngest of three siblings, said she still admires and looks up to her big sister Judi.

I still have so much to learn from her. Really, truly every interaction is a gift, Weinstein said. She has a lot of wisdom to share, and it can be something very subtle or something philosophical and how she lives her life. And its really beautiful to have discussions with her and be with her and hug her and write haiku with her. And just learn, learn from her.

Weinstein said shes doing a lot of work to try to not go down that rabbit hole of wondering what has happened to her sister while in captivity. Shes turned to Judis practice of writing haikus to stay grounded amid the pain and uncertainty.

Weinstein said Judi shared haikus she had written each day online. The most recent haiku she shared spoke of new connections and life. It was posted online on October 7.

pulse accelerates

mind makes new connections

as Fall shows her face

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com
It's December, when the Kansas Statehouse is filled with holiday cheer as Gov. Laura Kelly hosts a Christmas tree lighting, Hanukkah menorah lighting and Kwanzaa celebration.

It's also when the governor puts together her budget proposal.

That, Kelly said, is "my favorite time of the year."

Before Kansans elected her governor, Kelly was a state senator from Topeka. She spent 14 years on the Senate Ways and Means Committee, with 12 of those years as the top Democrat.

"So the budget is something that I know inside and out," Kelly said. "I was a math major when I went to college. I love numbers, and I love problem solving. You can do a lot of both of those things in the budget."

Budget week is Laura Kelly's favorite time of the year

December's budget week is Gov. Laura Kelly's "favorite time of the year" as she and her division of the budget go over hundreds of decision points in the $23 billion enterprise that is Kansas state government.

Budget week, as it's called, is more like two weeks of half-day sessions with the division of the budget, "going line by line, decision by decision," said Adam Proffitt, the governor's budget director and secretary of the Department of Administration.

After sending the governor briefing memos ahead of time, those two weeks involved "sitting in our conference room with my budget team, with my analyst, presenting to her."

Kelly has previously described it as being "locked in a government office poring over spreadsheets."

"When we sit down with her, first of all, she's very happy," Proffitt said. "On day one, she comes walking in the door with a big old smile on her face and she says, 'All right, let's build a budget.' She truly loves budget building, so it's always fun when you start with a smile on her face walking in the door and she's ready to go and it's genuine."

She may even crack a joke  if you catch it.

"The personality that you see publicly is very much the personality you see behind closed doors, with the exception of she's very quick witted," Proffitt said. "She is very quick witted. She will make jokes and you have to be paying attention because she's also soft spoken. So she injects a little humor into the process as well just to kind of keep things light."

A 'policy wonk' governor

During the summer and fall, state agencies and the division of the budget work through the base budget and any enhancement requests.

Work during budget week includes going through enhancement requests from state agencies that the division of the budget said no to, but were appealed to the governor.

"That's when we put everything together and put all the decision points together for the governor when she comes in December, we work our magic for the next couple of weeks," Proffitt said.

"It's not just here is a request, here is a dollar amount, do you want to say yes or no," he said. "It's here is a request, here is their dollar amount, here is a policy paper on that and the details around it, and here's the long-term implications of that. ... What would you like to do?"

Sometimes, the governor  who is a self-described "policy wonk"  may ask for more information, such as reading up on what other states are doing or if state dollars will someday have to replace federal funds.

"Without fail, every time, she will ask a question that we simply don't know the answer to and hadn't thought of, because she's just going that next level deeper into the policy and into the weeds of what this really means," Proffitt said.

Proffitt described Kelly as the CEO of a $23 billion organization operating on various revenue streams.

"It's a puzzle in putting it together," he said. "So there's a challenge in making sure it works."

Budgeting during times of surplus has its challenges

There are typically hundreds of enhancement requests, Proffitt said. This year, state agencies collectively requested roughly $750 million in new spending, though a substantial portion was for one time capital projects, meaning not all of it would be ongoing expenditures.

"That'd be very difficult to say yes to every single one of those," Proffitt said. "It's almost more difficult when you're in times like this where you have a lot of cash in the bank. Because every request comes with a very justifiable reason for why we should say yes and why we should fund the program, but we have to say no to a lot."

The discussion with the governor starts with a five-year outlook of the state general fund profile. That shows projected revenues, expenditures and ending balances before making decisions on spending changes.

"She wants to make sure that every decision she makes, we can afford this and we're not going to go bankrupt in five years," Proffitt said.

For the current fiscal year 2024, which ends June 30, the state has a projected ending balance of $2.8 billion with an additional $1.7 billion in a rainy day fund. The current approved budget for fiscal year 2025 has a projected $3.5 billion ending balance and $1.7 billion in the rainy day fund.

As everything currently stands, before any potential spending increases or tax cuts next session, projections by the Kansas Legislative Research Department have the surplus growing to $4.5 billion in ending balance with $1.9 billion in the rainy day fund by the end of fiscal year 2028.

"Folks look at the ending balance and feel like that's everything that we could spend," Proffitt said. "Again, with her personality, she knows that's not the case. Your ending balances, it's like looking at your bank account on a payday and seeing what your balance is but not recognizing that you have a rent or mortgage or car payment due next week."

The focus for Kelly is instead on structural balance and making sure long-term revenues exceed long-term expenditures.

"We have obligations that we need to meet the needs of Kansans, and she's hyper-focused on doing that for years to come and not just while she's in office," Proffitt said.

Some of the motivation may come from Kelly's years as a legislator and seeing the state's fiscal progress since then, Proffitt said.

"She went through some times where there was some very, very bad budget woes," he said. "And I think that kind of fortifies her feeling on making sure that we're being fiscally responsible."

He called it "weighty stuff."

"Literally every single decision that we make and every action that we take, big or small, is going to have an impact on Kansans' lives for years to come," Proffitt said. "So we have a choice to make, are we going to make good decisions and have it be a good impact for Kansans, or are we going to make a tough impact?"

What have been Laura Kelly's budget priorities?

The governor's budget proposal is typically unveiled in January during the first week of the legislative session, after which House and Senate committees do their own reviews of the numbers. She spoke last week to some of her top priorities.

"When I'm putting a budget together, I'm trying to figure out what is it we need to do to make Kansas better," Kelly said.

She said funding schools has always been a top priority.

"I've been able to get that done the last six years," she said.

Another priority was to stop transfers out of the highway fund.

"I wanted to shut the Bank of KDOT, when we were just robbing transportation funds to fill in budget holes elsewhere," she said. "Our economy came to a near standstill. Roads, bridges, broadband are extraordinarily important to be able to provide the foundation for economic growth. We've been able to do that."

Funding institutions of higher education is also a priority.

"Those are probably the biggest economic driver in the state," Kelly said. "That's where our workforce gets done. That's where research and development gets done, all the kinds of things that are absolutely essential to grow an economy."

She also wants to eliminating debt while the state has a budget surplus.

"We do have a rather large surplus," she said. "I recognize that a lot of that is one-time money that came in during the pandemic, and so we have been targeting those funds to eliminate debt in the state, to avoid debt. For instance, the Docking Building, we're paying cash on the barrelhead for that rather than bonding it and incurring more debt."

Proffitt said Medicaid expansion is also a top priority in the budget. The governor has already unveiled plans for her sixth attempt to enact it.

"As it turns out, this one won't cost the state any (state general fund) for quite some time based on how it's structured, making sure it's fiscally responsible," he said.

Jason Alatidd is a statehouse reporter for the Topeka Capital-Journal. He can be reached by email at jalatidd@gannett.com. Follow him on X @Jason_Alatidd.

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Laura Kelly loves Kansas budget season, her favorite time of the year
Akary Cruz, 14, and Esvin Cruz Cante, 20, are being sought by the FBI Atlanta.

ATLANTA - Georgia's law enforcement has now joined the multi-state search for a missing 14-year-old girl believed to be in the company of a 20-year-old man.

Akary Cruz disappeared from her home in Indianapolis on the night of December 18, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Atlanta division.

She is believed to be traveling with her older boyfriend, identified as Esvin Cruz Cante, 20. The pair is thought to be traveling through the state of Georgia and may be en route to Guatemala, Cante's country of origin.

Cruz left behind a note expressing her romantic involvement with Esvin and their desire to be together. The note revealed their intention to embark on a journey to Guatemala.

Cruz is described as being 5-feet-6-inches tall, weighing about 120 pounds, with black hair, and brown eyes.

The FBI Atlanta is searching for a blue 2010 Honda Civic with license plate 783CNO believe to part of a multi-state search for a 14-year-old Indianapolis girl. (Federal Bureau of Investigation)

Cruz and Cante are believed to be in a blue 2010 Honda Civic with license plate 783CNO.

Authorities are urging anyone with information about their whereabouts to contact the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department's Missing Persons Unit at 317-327-6160 or 317-327-3811.

In the event that Cruz or Cante is spotted, the public is advised to immediately call 911 or the FBI Atlanta at 770-216-3000.
The FBI revealed Friday that it will investigate threats to the Colorado Supreme Court justices who ruled this week that former President Trump should be removed from the states primary ballot.

The justices claimed in their decision that Trump is ineligible for the ballot under 14th Amendment concerns due to his alleged role in facilitating the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol. Their ruling is expected to rise to the Supreme Court, after the Trump campaign vowed to appeal.

The FBI is aware of the situation and working with local law enforcement, Vikki Migoya, spokesperson for the FBI Denver Field Office, said in a statement. We will vigorously pursue investigations of any threat or use of violence committed by someone who uses extremist views to justify their actions regardless of motivation.

The justices have reported dozens of threats since the decision came down, according to a report from non-partisan research group Advance Democracy, first acquired by NBC News.

The organization tracked significant violent rhetoric against the justices from Trump supporters online, including multiple posts pledging to kill or otherwise attack them.

The normalization of this type of violent rhetoric  and lack of remedial action by social media entities  is cause for significant concern, he said. Trumps statements, which have sought to delegitimize and politicize the actions of the courts, is serving as a key driver of the violent rhetoric, Advance Democracy President David Jones told NBC News.

The courts ruling earlier this week on Trumps case received widespread scorn from Republicans and praise from Democrats, and threatens to completely change the 2024 election. The former president remains the clear front-runner in the GOP race, and if the Supreme Court upholds the Colorado ruling, he could be barred from seeking office.

Specifically, the justices ruled in favor of a lower court decision that Trump is responsible for inciting the violence of the Jan. 6 riots by inflaming his supporters with false claims of election fraud and directing them to the Capitol. But, contrary to the lower court, they also ruled that the insurrection clause does apply to the office of the president.

The 14th Amendment clause prohibits anyone from taking an oath of office and then engaging in rebellion or insurrection against the U.S. government.

The former president has received similar legal challenges in other states, including two failed cases in Minnesota and Michigan. California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Friday panned the idea in California, warning his administration that it would only create political distraction.

Trump has dismissed the legal challenges as nonsense and a form of election interference.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
A federal judge in southern Illinois ruled Friday that the registration process for guns grandfathered in under the states sweeping ban on many high-powered weapons and high-capacity magazines should remain in place while litigation over the law continues to be hashed out in court.

The ruling had been expected after U.S. District Judge Stephen McGlynn, during a hearing earlier this month, indicated that he was not inclined to issue an injunction that would put off the Jan. 1 deadline for Illinois residents to register guns covered by the ban.

His decision means Illinoisans have a little more than a week to file endorsement affidavits on the state police website if they own guns or accessories subject to the ban. Violators are subject to a misdemeanor for a first offense and a felony for subsequent offenses.

McGlynn noted in his ruling that the gun rights advocacy groups who asked for the injunction will still have a chance to argue why the ban and its registry should not be enforced.

But temporarily blocking the enforcement of the registry, he said, would create further delays in this litigation when the constitutional rights of the citizens demand an expeditious resolution on the merits.

Dan Eldridge, president of Federal Firearms Licensees of Illinois, one of the advocacy groups that pushed for the injunction, said Fridays ruling represents only another small step in what promises to be a longer fight over the constitutionality of the gun ban that ultimately could end up in the U.S. Supreme Court.

Theres a lot of stuff in motion in here, he said.

The gun bans supporters welcomed McGlynns decision.

The gun lobby had been hoping the courts would salvage their access to weapons of war, but the Illinois assault weapon ban is here to stay and will reduce the gun violence to which weve become numb, Democratic state Rep. Bob Morgan of Deerfield, one of the main sponsors of the gun ban, said in a statement.

In his 34-page ruling, McGlynn wrote that arguments that state officials didnt give Illinoisans sufficient notice about the registration process, and that the process itself was too vague, didnt meet the legal threshold for him to issue the injunction.

McGlynn wrote that the state polices emergency rules set forth on the registry and the language of the weapons ban as a whole are clear in what they prohibit, serious issues with the Second Amendment aside.

The Illinois attorney generals office had argued that the state fulfilled its legal obligation to properly notify the public about the registration process, noting that three public hearings were held and that the law, which went into effect nearly a year ago, spelled out the Jan. 1 deadline to register previously owned guns and accessories.

The registration requirement for residents who owned guns banned as of last Jan. 10 has met stiff resistance, although the degree of compliance is not possible to nail down.

The registration began on Oct. 1, and since then 8,143 gun owners have registered nearly 15,900 guns and about 8,350 firearm accessories or other firearm components covered by the ban, according to state records from Dec. 21.

The number of registrants represents about 0.34% of the 2.4 million people in the state holding firearm owners identification cards, the state-mandated permits that authorize residents to own guns.

The gun ban, passed by the legislature and signed by Gov. J.B. Pritzker following a shooting at the 2022 Fourth of July parade in Highland Park that left seven people dead and dozens more injured, has been subject to legal challenges on the state and federal level.

Most court decisions have been in the states favor, although in April, McGlynn ruled the gun ban was likely unconstitutional. His decision was overturned last month by a three-judge panel from the U.S. 7th Circuit Court of Appeals.

A bipartisan legislative panel, the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules, has yet to codify permanent rules on the registry, meaning the state polices emergency rules will remain in place until at least Jan. 16, which is when the panel will meet again.

Pritzker earlier this month stressed that permanent rules are coming and said he expects that theres a widespread understanding of what people need to do and to the exceptions, I would just argue, youll know the answers over the next month or so.

jgorner@chicagotribune.com
U.S. Attorney Mark Totten said his office will renew a gun violence initiative he announced in the summer.

LANSING  When the calendar flips over in a few days, federal prosecutors in the western half of the state will renew their focus on a particular kind of gun violence.

Mark Totten, the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan, whose jurisdiction covers Lansing, said his office is going to "repeat and strengthen" an initiative he announced in May.

The "Safe Summer 2023" initiative ran through the end of September as a cooperative effort by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. The idea was for law enforcement in Michigan to work more closely on cases in which a firearm was used in multiple shootings.

Totten's office agreed to help local law enforcement analyze firearms seized during criminal cases and as well as to prosecute cases in which firearms were connected to a previous shooting.

Focusing on such cases is the best way to stop the shootings that drive the gun violence in communities throughout the state and country, Totten told the State Journal.

"In any particular place, and Lansing is no exception, there is always a very short list of people who are driving up violent crime," he said. "Everybody reads about it. Everybody sees it. Everybody feels it. But the people who are actually driving that, it is a short list."

When Totten announced the initiative in 2023, he said he was prepared to add "additional resources" to aid in prosecuting gun crimes, but it was unclear whether the initiative would cause more firearms to be submitted for ballistics testing or how many cases might be shifted to federal court because of it.

Results from the summer initiative have taken longer than he had hoped, in part because of how long it takes for firearm and ballistic testing to be completed. Another reason Totten said he couldn't point to a specific number of cases from the initiative is that many are still making their way through the court system, and a firearm's history in other crimes sometimes can't be detailed until sentencing.

But he said approaches like the one in the summer help keep his office focused on the right cases to reduce gun violence.

"If somebody's carrying a gun where there is evidence that shells from that gun were left at the scene of a crime, then there's a good chance that this person is one of those people who is helping drive the crime," he said.

And while his office has limited resources, what Totten can bring to the table with local law enforcement is the threat of increased sentences. The same conduct  illegally possessing a firearm or kidnapping, for example  prosecuted in federal court can lead to longer prison sentences than might be the case in state court.

Totten's "Safe Summer" initiative was far from the only effort to combat gun violence in Lansing or the state.

When Ingham County Prosecuting Attorney John Dewane took office at the start of the year, he changed how the office addresses gun cases, which led to an significant increase in one particular charge: felony firearm.

Prosecutors can bring the charge if someone was in possession of a firearm while committing another crime. It carries a mandatory two-year prison sentence that must be served before any other sentence in the case, essentially increasing someone's time in prison by two years.

Dewane recently said his office used the felony firearm charge 447 times in 2023, up from 95 the year prior, before Carol Siemon stepped down as prosecutor.

In 2021, Siemon said her office would limit the use of the charge, saying it was meant as a deterrent to people carrying guns, but in practice its use had disproportionately impacted Black people. Local law enforcement criticized Siemon for her decision.

Dewane has pointed to efforts by community violence intervention groups like Advance Peace that work separately from law enforcement. Groups like Advance Peace identity people most likely to take part in retaliatory gun violence and then work with them to leave violence behind.

Ballistics testing isn't the only tool federal law enforcement has to track firearms used during crimes. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives can also track the sale and possession of specific firearms. Those trace reports can shed more light on Michigan's crime guns, even if the data publicly available is far more limited than what law enforcement gets.

In 2022, the ATF ran 10,145 trace reports for firearms recovered in the state. More than half of those weapons  6,836  came from within Michigan, with about 200 firearms each entering the state from Ohio and Illinois.

Lansing had the eighth-most recoveries in the state with 163, following Kalamazoo with 179, but significantly behind Detroit's 5,776 and Flint's 641.

Reporter Ken Palmer contributed to this story. Contact reporter Matt Mencarini at 517-377-1026 or mjmencarini@lsj.com.

This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: Feds will renew effort aimed at reducing gun violence in Lansing
The Elf on the Shelf visits families' homes starting Nov. 23 and reports on naughty or nice children to Santa Claus. Gary Hershorn/Corbis via Getty Images

Its almost time for Elves on the Shelf to head back to the North Pole, so Rosita Valley Elementarys own life-sized elf took one last opportunity to spread holiday cheer.

Rosita Valley Elementary principal Cynthia Guedes waved at students Friday from atop her schools roof in an Elf on the Shelf outfit.

She isnt the only principal to suit up in the traditional red jumpsuit and hat  Karnes City Primary principal Kevin Hans was spotted atop his school earlier in the month in a similar outfit.

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For those who havent experienced the mischief of the Elf on the Shelf tradition, elves visit homes every day starting Nov. 23 to keep an eye on naughty or nice children.

ALSO READ: Karnes City principal dresses as Elf on the Shelf

The elves fly back to the North Pole every night to report back to Santa Claus, often causing trouble around the house when they return in the morning.

This years work is almost done, as elves will head home with the big man in red on Christmas Eve.

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Even though the Rosita Valley Elementary elf hands out report cards instead of reports to Santa, past and present district members loved the holiday magic.
ANTIOCH, Calif. (KRON)  A former Antioch police officer pleaded no contest in court on Thursday after he was accused of interfering with a bombshell criminal investigation into dozens of East Bay police officers.

Ex-Antioch Police Department officer Timothy Manly-Williams pleaded no contest to one felony count of conspiracy to commit an act injurious to the public, and one misdemeanor count of altering evidence, District Attorneys Office spokesperson Ted Asregadoo told KRON4.

The judge said the maximum sentence Manly-Williams will face is three years, four months in prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for March 19 in Contra Costa County Superior Court.

Manly-Williams was employed as a police officer in Pittsburg before he was hired by Antioch in 2019, according to APDs Facebook page.

This week, he became the first officer convicted in a massive East Bay law enforcement scandal.

The District Attorneys Office charged five police officers who were employed by the Antioch and Pittsburg police departments: Manly-Williams, Calvin Prieto, Andrea Rodriguez, Ben Padilla, and Juan Ernesto Mejia-Orozco.

FBI agents arrest 10 Antioch and Pittsburg police officers

The DAs investigation into the five officers was conducted alongside an even larger FBI investigation into 10 officers. The probes began in early 2022 and focused on officers who cheated on college tests to obtain salary raises, investigators said. After FBI agents dug into the college cheating scandal, they opened a Pandoras Box of unethical and criminal behavior by several officers, a source told KRON4.

The scandal exploded when investigators revealed some officers collected trophies from shooting scenes, exchanged racist text messages, bragged about deploying K-9 units to attack suspects, and intentionally left their body-worn cameras off.

Manly-Williams also faces a federal criminal indictment. This summer, a federal grand jury charged Manly-Williams with destruction of evidence, obstruction, falsification of records, and deprivation of rights under color of law.

According to the indictment, Manly-Williams was at a crime scene on May 6, 2021 when a K-9 unit officer deployed a police dog to make an arrest. Manly-Williams spotted a witness who used a cellphone to record video. Manly-Williams seized the witness phone and destroyed it, the indictment states.

In a separate incident, he is accused of tipping off the target of a wiretap during a murder investigation.

Antioch police officers covered up their dirty tracks for years, federal investigators said. FBI agents later found evidence against them inside the officers private cellphones, according to the FBI.

More racist Antioch police text messages released by District Attorney

Manly-IndictmentDownload

According to court documents released by the District Attorneys Office, a total of 17 Antioch and Pittsburg police officers were investigated for potentially criminal conduct:

Sergeant Josh Evans

Sergeant Rick Hoffman

Officer Eric Rombough

Detective Robert Gerber

Officer Jonathan Adams

Officer Morteza Amiri

Officer Scott Duggar

Officer Tom Smith

Officer Brock Marcotte

Officer Timothy Manly-Williams

Officer Aaron Hughes

Officer Brayton Milner

Officer Calvin Prieto

Officer John Ramirez

Officer Andrea Rodriguez

Officer Kyle Smith

Officer Devon Wenger

Federal charges were filed against 10 of the officers, and state charges were filed against five of the officers. Asregadoo said the state charges center on felony offenses of conspiracy to commit an act injurious to the public and bribery.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRON4.
Watch FOX 35 News Live

PALM BAY, Fla. - An 18-year-old was arrested for the murder of two teens who were found dead at the Compound in Palm Bay last Christmas, officials said.

Jamarcus Simpson was arrested for the shooting deaths of Jeremiah Brown and Travon Anthony that happened on Christmas Day last year.

On Dec. 25, 2022, Palm Bay officers responded to Camillo Circle SW around 8:30 p.m. after 911 was called in reference to a deceased body being found on the side of the road.

When officers arrived at the scene, they said they found a second body  both of which died from apparent gunshot wounds.

To the others involved in these murders, we know who you are, and rest assured, we will not stop until you are behind bars. You may have forgotten, but we havent. Palm Bay Police Department

Simpson was arrested at the St. Johns County Jail facility while he was being held for unrelated charges and is being charged with two counts of First Degree Premeditated Murder.

The case is still an active investigation.
Government entities in Florida might be barred from flying or displaying a Pride flag on its premises under a "dont display gay" bill introduced by a conservative Republican for the upcoming 2024 legislative session.

Earlier this week Florida State Rep. David Borrero filed HB 901, which would prevent certain government buildings, including public schools, from displaying any form of the Pride flag.

A governmental entity may not erect or display a flag that represent[s] a political viewpoint, including, but not limited to, a politically partisan, racial, sexual orientation and gender, or political ideology viewpoint, HB 901 reads. The governmental entity must remain neutral when representing political viewpoints in displaying or erecting a flag.

The bill defines a governmental entity as a governmental agency, a local government, or another unit of local government and includes public schools, public colleges, and public universities.

Reaction to the bill from local advocates was swift and defiant.

If conservative lawmakers wont stop trying to erase us, we wont stop showing up to oppose them, Equality Florida posted to social media in response.

 (@)

This administration keeps boasting about how free and welcoming the state of Florida is, Robert Boo, Pride Center of Florida, told local ABC affiliate WSVN. Yet, they keep focusing on things like this.

Last year, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the controversial dont say gay bill into law, limiting discussion of sexual and gender identity subjects throughout the K-12 public school systems.

The law states classroom instruction by school personnel or third parties on sexual orientation or gender identity may not occur in kindergarten through grade 3 or in a manner that is not age appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students in accordance with state standards, and further mandates parents be informed of all issues that may impact a childs mental, emotional, or physical well-being.

The bills fate remains uncertain, however. A similar bill failed to gain support in an earlier legislative session. SB 668 would have limited government agencies to a list of approved flags to be displayed, such as the POW-MIA and Firefighter Memorial flags, according to the bills accompanying documents. Flags not on the list, like the Pride flag, would be prevented from being displayed.

The next legislative session begins January 9, 2024.
Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody joined 20 other states Thursday in challenging a Biden administration rule aimed at reducing transportation-related greenhouse gas emissions.

The lawsuit, filed in U.S. district court in Paducah, Ky., alleges that federal transportation officials overstepped their authority in the rule, which was published Dec. 7.

In part, the rule requires states to track emissions and set emissions-reduction targets.

Defendants in the case are President Joe Biden, the Federal Highway Administration, the U.S. Department of Transportation and the agencies leaders.

Read: Florida State launches fight against ACC

With the final rule, the agencies are forcing states to implement the presidents controversial climate change policy by requiring them to establish declining targets for reducing CO2 emissions generated by on-road mobile sources . . . (and) report on their progress, the lawsuit said.

In effect, the agencies are attempting to compel the states to be foot soldiers in service to President Bidens climate change agenda, notwithstanding their own sovereign interests and policies, and Congresss express enactment.

But in a new release last month, federal officials said states would have flexibility to set targets for reducing emissions.

Read: Artificial intelligence sites like ChatGPT causing headaches for Central Florida universities

Every state has its own unique climate challenges, and every state ought to have the data, funding and flexibility it needs to meet those challenges head on, U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in a prepared statement.

This new performance measure will provide states with a clear and consistent framework to track carbon pollution and the flexibility to set their own climate targets  which we will also help them meet with more than $27 billion in federal funding through President Bidens Investing in America agenda.

The other states that signed onto the lawsuit were Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Utah, Virginia, South Carolina, South Dakota, West Virginia, and Wyoming.

Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
It would be more accurate to describe Jeff Brandes as a Republican from Florida than a Florida Republican. The former legislatorwho left the state Senate in 2022 after term limits precluded another runis a heterodox conservative who breaks with standard positions on such issues as criminal justice reform. Since returning to the private sector, Brandes has led the Florida Policy Project, an organization he founded to be a "policy bank" of research.

In October, Reason's Billy Binion spoke with Brandes by phone.

Q: One of your primary issue areas is criminal justice reform, which isn't typically a hill Republicans die on. How'd you get there?

A: I sat on the criminal justice committee back in 2014 and recognized pretty quickly that there was no real leadership on that issue statewide and that the prison system in Florida was circling the drain. I began to tour prisons, and the more I toured, the less I liked. I was often going to prisons that had 1,500 inmates and zero education opportunities, realizing that a vast majority of our prisons were understaffed. We had really created a Department of Warehousing and not a Department of Corrections. We weren't correcting behavior. We weren't getting better outcomes. So I started to work to fix that.

Q: How would you address those problems?

A: What if we were a state that implemented best practices? I think that's generally something Republicans and Democrats universally can agree on. It shouldn't be up for debate that we're going to follow the best practice. That's what led to me creating the Florida Policy Project.

The focus of our three early reports was the lowest-hanging fruit in criminal justice: First, what do we do with the returning citizens? They're getting out of prison anyway. We're not having a conversation about their sentencing. We're just talking about how to make them more successful when they leave. There's also a huge, growing elderly population. It's incredibly expensiveabout two or three times as expensive as a young inmatebecause of their health needs. So let's focus on a conversation about how we could be more successful with our elderly population. And finally veterans. We can argue about helping veterans solve their problems.

Q: Do you think there are any common misconceptions about the criminal justice system that hinder this work? What are the main roadblocks?

A: I think the main roadblock is most of your legislators, judges, and prosecutors have never visited a prison, period. They have no concept of what they're actually sentencing people to or where they're putting people. Most people believe that there are services inside of prisons to help people, and that simply isn't true. Most people don't understand what the day-to-day life is for inmates. Most people don't understand why having sufficient numbers of corrections officers is important and that if you staff it with a skeleton crew, the inmates end up running the place. And the way the inmates will run the place is by coercion and violence.

Q: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has made a name for himself in part by being tough on crime, characterizing the FIRST STEP Actthe 2018 federal bipartisan reform legislationas a jailbreak law. How would you respond to that?

A: I think it's political. It's not data-informed. I don't think anyone can look at the data of the FIRST STEP Act and say that that has created any type of rise in crime or was a prison break. The data actually points in the absolute opposite direction.

Q: Florida is sometimes touted as the new model for Republicans. What do you think of the state of the party, and how did you navigate it while in office?

A: Let's not talk about the state of the Republican Party. Let's talk about the state of the Legislature, which is overwhelmingly Republican. What issue is the Legislature in Florida leading on? Anything? Clearly, we aren't leading on property insurance. Clearly, we're not leading on transportation. Clearly, we're not leading on affordable housing. Clearly, we're not leading on criminal justice policy. And because DeSantis has become such a polarizing and strong figure, the Legislature has largely leaned on him to provide all the solutions. It has largely ceded its role. There aren't intense policy debates on how to solve these tough problems. I have no problem with us touting how Republicans can win elections. The question is: and then what?

This interview has been condensed and edited for style and clarity.

The post This Florida Republican Is All in on Criminal Justice Reform appeared first on Reason.com.
KELLER, Texas - A former Keller ISD band director was sentenced to 15 years in prison after pleading guilty to multiple counts of indecency with a child.

Jedidiah Maus at one point faced 17 counts of indecency with a child, improper relationship between educator and student, and sexual contact with a child.

Among the allegations against him, Maus was accused of exposing himself to a student in a boys bathroom of Bear Creek Intermediate School in 2021, according to an arrest warrant affidavit.

The student told his parents, who notified the district. During an investigation into the incident, three more alleged victims were found.

After his initial arrest, police received a flood of tips from potential victims.

The cases go back to at least 2015 and all happened on school grounds.
A former deputy with the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department and condemned incarcerated person died in prison on Thursday, according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.

Stephen M. Redd, 78, was discovered unresponsive at 12:38 p.m. in his cell at San Quentin Rehabilitation Center and later pronounced dead by medical staff.

His cause of death was not immediately released and is being investigated by the Marin County Coroners Office.

DUI charges filed in crash involving Ventura County Sheriffs deputy and K9 partner

Redd was originally sentenced to death in 1996 for his role in the 1994 murder of a supermarket manager in Yorba Linda. He was convicted of first-degree murder, second-degree burglary as a third striker, attempted murder as a third striker and second-degree robbery as a third striker, according to CDCR.

The Los Angeles Times identified the deceased manager as Timothy Eugene McVeigh and said that Redd had been a fugitive for eight months before being captured by authorities in San Francisco.

Fire engulfs office building in downtown Los Angeles

Redd had previously been sentenced to 11 years in prison for robbing a bank in La Habra and leading authorities on a chase through three counties while shooting out the window, the Times reported. He was given additional prison time for attempting to escape from a prison in San Luis Obispo before being paroled in 1993.

His death sentence was put on hold following Gov. Gavin Newsoms 2019 moratorium on the death penalty in California, which granted reprieves to all of the states then-737 condemned inmates.

There are 651 condemned incarcerated persons in California, according to CDCR, with the states last execution taking place in 2006.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA.
Four candidates are vying to replace outgoing Franklin County Prosecutor G. Gary Tyack, including three Democrats who will battle it out in the March primary and one Republican.

The race for Franklin County prosecutor will be the most contested election among county officials next year, with four candidates vying for the four-year term  more competition than in any other county office.

Three Democrats have filed with the Franklin County Board of Election to face off in a March primary: Shayla Favor, Natalia Harris and Anthony Pierson. The winner of that match will face off in November against John Rutan, the lone Republican to file in the race.

Favor is currently a member of the Columbus City Council, but was previously a zone attorney for the Columbus City Attorney's Office and filled an unexpired term of Franklin County Court of Common Pleas Judge Jaiza Page in 2019. Harris is the Delaware city attorney, but resides in Franklin County. And Pierson was hired by Tyack earlier this year as a deputy chief counsel to oversee the offices juvenile court and grand jury units.

The Dispatch reported two weeks ago that Pierson owns a house in Delaware County in addition to a Columbus condo that he lists as his official residence, enabling him to run for the Franklin County office.

Rutan has worked as a defense attorney since 2010.

The Ohio filing deadline for candidates who wished to be on the ballots in the Democratic and Republican primaries on March 19 was Wednesday. Those who filed must still have their petitions certified by county boards of elections next month to appear on the ballots. Independents have until summer to file for a spot on the general election ballot.

No one filed to take on the two Democratic incumbents on the Franklin County Board of Commissioners, Kevin Boyce and John O'Grady, whose terms expire at the end of 2024. Both have filed candidate petitions to seek reelection. The third commissioner, Erica Crawley, was elected last year to a four-year term ending in 2027.

Only one race for common pleas judge is contested, where Richard Brown has filed to take on Stephanie Hanna, a staff attorney for Franklin County Common Pleas Court Judge Jeffrey Brown. Eight other races for common pleas judge will by filled in uncontested races, according to the Elections Board.

The race for Franklin County engineer, in charge of maintaining county roads and bridges, plowing snow from 850 lane miles of roads, and providing other transportation services, is also contested: incumbent Cornell Robertson, who was the lone Republican to win a Franklin County office in 2020 when he ran unopposed, will face Democrat Adam William Fowler.

Five other countywide offices will be filled by incumbent Democrats unopposed by other candidates: Sheriff Dallas Baldwin; Recorder Danny O'Connor; Treasurer Cheryl Brooks Sullivan; Clerk of Courts Maryellen O'Shaughnessy and Coroner Nate Overmire.

Two Republicans, Charles S. Chope and Michael J. Young, will face off in the March 19, 2024, primary for the party's nomination to challenge incumbent Democratic U.S. Rep Joyce Beatty in Ohio's 3rd Congressional District in the November 2024 general election.

Chope, of Upper Arlington, lost the Republican primary nomination to Ohio's 15th Congressional District to incumbent Steve Stivers in 2014.

Young declared his candidacy for for the Ohio 3rd Congressional District in the May 2022 Republican primary, but the Franklin County Board of Elections rejected his petition for "insufficient valid signatures." Young went to court seeking a writ of mandamus to force the board to put him on the ballot, but a judge in April 2022 denied his request.

Editor's Note: An earlier version of this story incorrectly identified the current position of Stephanie Hanna, a candidate for Franklin County Common Pleas judge, and omitted the clerk of courts race.

wbush@gannett.com

@ReporterBush

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Prosecutor's race draws most interest among Franklin County elections
Over 100 protestors hold a vigil for Palestine outside Mayor Ron Nirenbergs gated community on on Saturday, Dec. 9, 2023 in San Antonio. Pro-Palestinian protestors rallied near Alon Market at the corner of Wurzbach Parkway and Northwest Military Highway before marching to Mayor Ron Nirenbergs gated community. The vigil was organized by the Party for Socialism and Liberation and community members with family members in Gaza to call for the Mayor to end the friendship city agreement with Tel Aviv, Israel. Salgu Wissmath/San Antonio Express-News Murrad Hassan, right, who is Palestinian, chants with his family, Berenice Hassan, center, and Samira Sanchez, left, at a pro-Palestinian rally near Alon Market at the corner of Wurzbach Parkway and Northwest Military Highway before protestors marched to Mayor Ron Nirenbergs gated community to hold a vigil for Palestine on Saturday, Dec. 9, 2023 in San Antonio. The vigil was organized by the Party for Socialism and Liberation and community members with family members in Gaza to call for the Mayor to end the friendship city agreement with Tel Aviv, Israel. Hassan said, Ive been coming to the protests every Saturday and on Saturday I finally see a glimpse of humanity. It gives me a piece of hope. It tells me that Im not alone. Salgu Wissmath/San Antonio Express-News Jennifer K Falcon, right and David Cisneros, left, hold a sign calling out Mayor Ron Niremberg in front of bundles of cloth meant to represent dead bodies at a vigil for Palestine outside Mayor Ron Nirenbergs gated community on on Saturday, Dec. 9, 2023 in San Antonio. Pro-Palestinian protestors rallied near Alon Market at the corner of Wurzbach Parkway and Northwest Military Highway before marching to Mayor Ron Nirenbergs gated community. The vigil was organized by the Party for Socialism and Liberation and community members with family members in Gaza to call for the Mayor to end the friendship city agreement with Tel Aviv, Israel. Salgu Wissmath/San Antonio Express-News People place down items such as flowers, stuffed animals, candles, and photos of Palestinians who have been killed, at a vigil for Palestine outside Mayor Ron Nirenbergs gated community on Saturday, Dec. 9, 2023 in San Antonio. Over 100 pro-Palestinian protestors rallied near Alon Market at the corner of Wurzbach Parkway and Northwest Military Highway before marching to Mayor Ron Nirenbergs gated community. The vigil was organized by the Party for Socialism and Liberation and community members with family members in Gaza to call for the Mayor to end the friendship city agreement with Tel Aviv, Israel. Salgu Wissmath/San Antonio Express-News Items such as flowers, stuffed animals, candles, and photos of Palestinians who have been killed, atop bundles of cloth meant to represent deadbodies form an altar at a vigil for Palestine outside Mayor Ron Nirenbergs gated community on Saturday, Dec. 9, 2023 in San Antonio. Over 100 pro-Palestinian protestors rallied near Alon Market at the corner of Wurzbach Parkway and Northwest Military Highway before marching to Mayor Ron Nirenbergs gated community. The vigil was organized by the Party for Socialism and Liberation and community members with family members in Gaza to call for the Mayor to end the friendship city agreement with Tel Aviv, Israel. Salgu Wissmath/San Antonio Express-News

City Council could debate a resolution calling for a cease-fire in Gaza at its first meeting in 2024.

The move would be at least a partial victory for activists who have packed council chambers in the past two months demanding that council take a stand as the death toll in Gaza has climbed.

Council members Teri Castillo, Jalen McKee-Rodriguez and Manny Pelaez on Wednesday requested a special meeting on Jan. 11 to vote on a resolution that would call for an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Israel and Palestine and the return of all hostages immediately, according to a memo they sent to Mayor Ron Nirenberg.

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Nirenberg declined to comment. His spokesperson shared a memo that the mayor sent council confirming that hed ask City Manager Erik Walsh to schedule the meeting once Castillo, McKee-Rodriguez and Pelaez submit a proposed resolution for their colleagues to consider.

Pelaez said the resolution language will mirror the memo and wont be longer than a sentence.

The District 8 councilman, a likely 2025 mayoral contender, said he believes most of his colleagues will support it.

I believe that San Antonians will agree that no parent should every bury their children, that every life is sacred, that nobody should be killing anybody and that those hostages should all go home to their loved ones, Pelaez said. Period. No context. Its the context that has people talking past each other as opposed to talking to each other.

Pelaez said his motivation for taking action now is to ease the anxieties and fear the war has caused the diverse religious communities in his North Side district  and not because of pressure from activists who have spoken up at councils public comment sessions.

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San Antonio for Justice in Palestine, whose members have been among these speakers, welcomed the resolution.

This is a big moment for our city and we ask each one of you who stands with Palestine in the 210 to come out and deliver your message of solidarity, the group said in a statement. We must mobilize big and win this vote.

Nirenberg told the Express-News in early November that he had no plans to push for a resolution calling for a cease-fire because San Antonio does not have a role militarily in the conflict. He also rejected speakers calls to end San Antonios friendship agreement with Tel Aviv, which has been in effect for more than a decade.

After the Hamas militant groups surprise Oct. 7 attack on southern Israel, which killed about 1,200 people, Nirenberg introduced a proclamation at a City Council meeting on Oct. 12 in support of Israel. The proclamation condemned Hamas terrorists act of war.

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City Halls facade was lit blue in support of Israel from Oct. 12-30, at Nirenbergs request.

In response to the attacks, Israel has heavily bombed the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip, killing more than 20,000 Palestinians, according to Gazas Ministry of Health. During a brief halt in hostilities, Hamas freed more than 100 hostages it abducted from Israel. About 120 hostages remain in Gaza.

Hamas has ruled out further hostage releases until the fighting stops, the BBC reported.

In recent weeks, city councils across the U.S. have passed resolutions calling for a cease-fire in Gaza, including in Detroit, Seattle and Atlanta.

Three San Antonio City Council members have publicly called for a cease-fire since October: McKee-Rodriguez of District 2, Castillo of District 5, and Councilwoman Sukh Kaur of District 1.

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Nammie Ichilov, president and CEO of the Jewish Federation of San Antonio, urged the City Council to reconsider passing a cease-fire resolution.
LibertyBus said free buses on Christmas Eve would boost local retail and hospitality sectors

Bus journeys in Jersey will be free on Christmas Eve, LibertyBus has said.

The company said this would provide people with the opportunity to engage in "festive pursuits" which would support the local retail and hospitality sector.

Kevin Hart, director for LibertyBus, said: "By offering free bus journeys on Christmas Eve, we hope to make it easier for everyone to connect on the day."

LibertyBus added the initiative supports their efforts to promote eco-friendly practices in the community.

The bus company said the aim would be to reduce the reliance on individual vehicles to contribute to a more environmentally conscious Christmas.

"We encourage the community to use sustainable transport options and reduce the environmental impact while enjoying the festivities," said Kevin Hart.

LibertyBus said it would be running a Sunday service on Sunday 24 December.

Follow BBC Jersey on X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook. Send your story ideas to channel.islands@bbc.co.uk.
Mourners at a funeral for a family killed in an Israeli airstrike on Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip, on Thursday, Oct. 19, 2023. (Yousef Masoud/The New York Times)

The number of Gaza Strip residents reported killed during Israels 10-week-old war in the territory has already surpassed the toll for any other Arab conflict with Israel in more than 40 years and perhaps any since Israels founding in 1948.

The Gaza Health Ministry said Thursday that the death toll had exceeded 20,000 for the first time, putting it just above one of the most authoritative estimates of those killed in Lebanon by Israels 1982 invasion.

And though Gaza officials have said counting the dead has become increasingly challenging, most experts say the figure is likely an undercount and express shock at the enormity of the loss. Some military experts said more people had been killed more quickly in this war than during the deadliest stages of the U.S.-led wars in Afghanistan or Iraq.

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Azmi Keshawi, the Gaza analyst for the International Crisis Group think tank, said this war was more horrifying than any he had experienced before. He said he and his family had fled his home in northern Gaza and moved six times so far. They now live in a tent near a U.N. shelter in the southern city of Rafah.

The Israeli military has engaged in an intense air and ground campaign to eliminate Hamas, the armed Palestinian group that rules Gaza and led the Oct. 7 attack that officials say killed about 1,200 people in Israel  the majority of them civilians but also including hundreds of soldiers. The assailants still hold scores of hostages.

The high death toll reflects how Israel has chosen to wage the war, using thousands of airstrikes, heavy bombs and artillery in a small territory densely packed with civilians who cannot escape. Israel has said Hamas built an extensive tunnel network underground to shield its fighters and weapons, putting civilian infrastructure and people on the ground in the line of fire.

The latest war between Israel and Hamas was already thought to be the deadliest conflict for Palestinians in the 75 years since Israel was established. According to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, an estimated 15,000 Palestinians were killed during the war surrounding Israels creation in 1948.

The deaths in the current conflict, if the figures from Gaza are accurate, have also exceeded the most widely cited estimate of the toll for the initial three months of the 1982 invasion of Lebanon. But as in Gaza today, researchers say the number killed in Lebanon may never be known with confidence because of the fog of war, even four decades later.

That estimate comes from an analysis of police and hospital records compiled in 1982 by the newspaper An Nahar, which at the time was among the Arab worlds most respected. It put the death toll at 17,825. But the paper said that tally was most likely an undercount, and in 1982, The New York Times reported that numbering the dead correctly is virtually impossible in Lebanon.

In the 1967 Middle East war, nearly 19,000 Egyptians, Syrians and others were estimated to have been killed fighting Israel, while a similar number  mostly Syrians and Egyptians  died in the 1973 war, according to The Associated Press. As in the Gaza and Lebanon wars, the exact tolls for these wars are also not known, but most of the dead were believed to be combatants.

In contrast, the Gaza Health Ministry, which is part of the Hamas-run government there, has said that about 70% of those killed are women and children. On Thursday, the ministry said the death toll had reached 20,057, but Gaza authorities never give breakdowns for how many of those killed are combatants.

Israel claims it has killed some 7,000 Hamas fighters but has not explained how it arrived at that number.

The toll in Gaza is expected to rise significantly when Palestinians are able to dig out of the vast destruction that the war has wrought. A Gaza government spokesperson said Wednesday that in addition to the dead, 6,700 people are missing. Many are believed to still be buried in the rubble.

The likelihood is that many people who are missing under the rubble will be determined to have been killed, said Omar Shakir, the Israel and Palestine director for Human Rights Watch. For that reason, the death toll is likely to increase even if the bombing were to stop today, he added.

No independent organizations have been able to verify the Gaza death toll because of the difficulties of operating in the territory. And as the conflict has ground on, the casualty numbers have become more difficult to collect.

The Gaza Health Ministry compiles death toll data from the records of local hospitals and morgues, officials in the territory have said. But in recent weeks, the government media office said it had stepped in to help gather the figures after the Health Ministrys facilities were bombed and 27 of the 36 hospitals in Gaza were rendered unusable by airstrikes amid an Israeli siege that has tightly restricted food, water, fuel and medicine from entering.

Frequent disruptions in communications caused by Israeli attacks on telecommunication towers, Israeli control of the enclaves communication lines and fuel shortages have also made gathering information very difficult.

Mahmoud al-Farra, a spokesperson for the government media office, said the people collecting the data had to make the most of the available possibilities amid the fighting. Its hard to count them because the number of martyrs is large, he added.

Throughout the war, the Gaza Health Ministry has released updated death tolls that have been called broadly reliable by the U.N., humanitarian groups and a study published this month in The Lancet, a British medical journal.

This month, when the ministry said the death toll had passed 15,000, some Israeli officials said they believed that figure to be roughly accurate. However, the Israeli military has also said the death toll reported in Gaza could not be trusted because the territory is run by Hamas.

On Oct. 26, the ministry released a list of the names and ID numbers of 6,747 people it said had been killed up to that point by Israeli bombing  an accounting that enhanced the credibility of its numbers.

The ministrys staff includes many civil servants who predate the Hamas takeover of Gaza in 2007, and humanitarian groups have defended its record. They say it has a history of good-faith reporting and has provided reliable information.

But the ministry came under criticism after an Oct. 17 explosion at al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza City, when the government almost instantaneously released casualty figures that ranged from 500 to 833 dead. Days later, it announced a final count of 471.

After the explosion, John Kirby, a White House spokesperson, called the ministry a front for Hamas, and President Joe Biden told reporters he had no notion that the Palestinians are telling the truth about how many people are killed.

Biden then added: Im sure innocents have been killed, and its the price of waging a war.

The war has posed myriad other complications for compiling accurate casualty counts.

An estimated 85% of Gazas population of more than 2 million have fled their homes, after Israel ordered the evacuation of much of the territory, to try to escape Israels airstrikes and ground invasion. Its largest population center, Gaza City, has been reduced to rubble. Thousands sleep on the street, and others live in overcrowded shelters that teem with disease.

There has been virtually no electricity for more than two months. Food and clean water are scarce. The U.N. says half the population is at risk of starvation, and 90% regularly go without food for a whole day.

Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib, a vocal critic of Hamas who grew up in Gaza but now lives in California, said Israeli airstrikes have so far killed more than 30 members of his family, including people in their 70s and cousins between the ages of 3 months and 9 years old.

Early in the war, he said, his childhood home was bombed, killing one young cousin. And last week, his aunt and uncles home was bombed, killing at least 31 people. Sitting in California, he watched video of their destroyed home on his phone. None of the people there were affiliated with Hamas, he said.

It was a family home, he said.

c.2023 The New York Times Company
Gary Reinero has never outgrown playing in the dirt.

There arent many other places the 83-year old Merced native would rather be than atop a tractor, working a field or orchard. Reinero has spent countless hours working heavy machinery moving earth around, all over Merced county.

As soon as he was able his parents put him to work on the family turkey farm. He started driving trucks and tractors on the farm at a young age. He then spent 30 years leveling land at the family ranch.

He later worked on crews that did dirt work to help prepare many of the roads in north Merced, including parts of M and R streets. Hes also one of the go-to guys many local farmers turn to when they need help preparing their land or orchards.

Reinero has made a huge impact on his hometown and surrounding area during his lifetime: Hes used his vast collection of equipment to help with construction of Merced Colleges Stadium 76, cleaning up train derailments, working on forest fire crews and clearing some of the heavy material after Barrett Bridge was demolished at Lake McClure.

Hes real quiet, he doesnt say a lot, but hell do anything for anybody, said longtime friend Gary Bandoni.

The Sun-Star is putting Reinero in the Local Spotlight because of his decades of contributions to Merced. Local Spotlight is our new feature that celebrates your unsung neighbors for their commitment to community.

He has an honesty thats hard to find these days, said orchard owner Scott Huepel. When we deep rip for our orchards, we go five feet down to pull out the guts of the trees. A lot of people will tell you they do that, but theyll try to lift up to go easier on their equipment. Gary says hell get everything he can give you. Hes a hard-working guy.

Reinero has also run his heavy haul business for 50 years, transporting heavy machinery all over the West Coast.

Reinero loves working outdoors. Hes never been someone who wants to be confined in an office. Hes not a suit-and-tie type of guy. His uniform of jeans, work boots and a ball cap fit his style better. It goes with the long gray beard and bushy eyebrows.

Theres something peaceful, almost zen-like for Reinero when hes working a field on a tractor. He enjoys the solitude.

Thats why hes still working at 83 years old.

Mechanically gifted

I like it, Reinero said. I like not being bothered. You got a job to do it and you do it. Ive always loved tractors. Its the constant noise, the tracks they make, the power. If you want to play, you have to work.

Playing for Reinero means drag racing. He may spend hours driving a tractor going 1 or 2 miles per hour, but hes always had passion for drag racing, climbing to speeds of 215 mph.

I like speed, Reinero said.

He started racing when he was about 15 years old. He spent a lot of time racing on roads in front of his familys house. He took it more seriously as time went on, racing his roadster up and down California and the West Coast.

He would still be racing now, but he refuses to pay the price it cost for parts that he needs to fix his car.

Whether its working on his race cars or tractors, Reinero has always been mechanically inclined. Many of his friends would bring their trucks or vehicles to his shop for help.

Hes old school, Bandoni said. Basically all the equipment he has was stuff his family used to work the land. Its all 50 or 60 years old and all his stuff runs. He keeps it up.

Reinero learned a lot about machines and engines at a young age.

We had seven tractors, four scrapers, dozers, when one broke down and went to the shop, Id go with it, Reinero said. They would teach me stuff. Thats how I learned.

Bill Amis was a close friend who would often turn to Reinero for help. Reinero leveled their back pasture when Amis and his wife Cynthia bought a new ranch. Cynthia said she was a little worried when Reinero showed up with this giant scraper to level the field.

If my husband asked him to do anything he would do it, Cynthia Amis said. If he needed something fixed with a car or tractor Gary would help him. He knew all about tractors. My husband thought the world of him. He was a very good friend.

Parents taught him

Reinero says the willingness to help others probably came from watching his parents. He saw the way they treated the different families who were working and staying on the family ranch.

He saw the way his father was always willing to help friends. That rubbed off on him.

When there were train derailments in Merced County, Reinero offered to help with the clean-up of the freight cars with his heavy machinery. Railroad companies started calling him when they needed help. Reinero says hes helped out with six train derailments in Merced County.

Reinero was helping with a housing track across from Merced College when he was asked if he could help with the construction of Stadium 76. Reinero sloped the banks of the stadium.

When Barrett Bridge was demolished at Lake McClure, Reinero was asked if he wanted some of the iron. When the water receded, Reinero went in there with his equipment and hauled away a section of the bridge. Those heavy beams still sit at his daughter Paulas home.

That fact that her father has always been someone people can count on and trust doesnt surprise Paula Reinero-Eirich.

Theres nothing deceitful in his approach at anything, she said. Hes genuine, honest and humble. That breeds likability in somebody.

Huepel says he almost panicked when he thought Reinero had retired. Reinero had been helping Huepel work his orchards for over 20 years.

Thats the guy were going to call, Huepel said. I know hes in his eighties but you would think hes in his fifties the way he can swing a sledge or the way hes out there working when its 100 degrees.

Its tough work and hes always on time and a pleasure to work with, Huepel added. Hell take out the orchards with his dozer. Hes always been there for us. If he says hes going to be there hes going to be there. In todays world his word means everything. All it takes is a handshake.
Conservative lawyer George Conway criticized a reported call made by former President Trump and Republican National Committee chair (RNC) Ronna McDaniel to two Michigan canvassers after the 2020 election Friday, calling it corrupt.

Its crazy and corrupt, Conway said on MSNBC Friday. And I gotta say this about my former political party, you know, I mean, Ronna Romney McDaniel, the woman who changed her name, so that wouldnt displease Donald Trump, I mean.

I mean, this is just the sleaziest thing ever, whether or not its criminal, well set that aside. Its just the sleaziest thing ever, and if my former political party had any decency or shame, shed be out on her ass, Conway continued.

In the aforementioned call, the former president reportedly pressured Wayne County canvassers Monica Palmer and William Hartmann to not sign the certification of the 2020 election, according to recordings obtained by The Detroit News. McDaniel was also reportedly involved in the call.

Weve got to fight for our country, Trump said on the recordings, per the Detroit newspaper. We cant let these people take our country away from us.

The canvassers were in a vehicle when they accepted the call from the then-president. Other people came into the vehicle and could have heard the conversation, Palmer acknowledged to the News.

If you can go home tonight, do not sign it.  We will get you attorneys, McDaniel was recorded saying, according to the local outlet.

McDaniel also said she stood by a letter she and Michigan Republican Party Chair Laura Cox wrote that urged the Michigan Board of State Canvassers to conduct an audit prior to the election results being certified, the News reported.

What I said publicly and repeatedly at the time, as referenced in my letter on Nov. 21, 2020, is that there was ample evidence that warranted an audit, McDaniel said to the News in a statement.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
A Georgia mayor has been arrested after officials say he is accused of assaulting two city councilmembers.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation said on Wednesday that 79-year-old Cecil Giddens, the mayor of Enigma, was charged with simple battery, two counts of simple assault, two counts of battery and two counts of disorderly conduct.

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According to the investigation, on June 15, the Alapaha Judicial Circuit District Attorneys Office requested the GBI to investigate an alleged assault that occurred at a city council meeting two days before. Investigators indicated that the assault involved Giddens and a city council member.

On Oct. 27, officials said Giddens allegedly assaulted another city council member.

Neither council members identity has been released.

TRENDING STORIES:

Details of what occurred during both meetings have not been released.

Giddens turned himself into Berrien County Jail on Thursday.

Anyone with information regarding the investigation is asked to contact the Alapaha Judicial Circuit District Attorneys Office at 229-686-7015.

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IN OTHER NEWS:
A police vehicle is parked in front of the cathedral. According to dpa, security authorities have received information about a possible plan by an Islamist group to attack Cologne Cathedral. Sascha Thelen/dpa

German security authorities received indications that an Islamist group may have been planning to attack Cologne Cathedral, dpa has learned.

A church in Vienna was also a possible target, according to a report on Saturday.

The police in Cologne and Vienna said earlier on Saturday evening that they were increasing their security measures due to a possible threat.

The group may be connected to the Islamic State Khorasan Province terrorist group, dpa has learned.

Germany's Bild newspaper reported that special units made initial arrests in Vienna and that someone was also arrested in Germany on Saturday.

Police emergency vehicles in front of the cathedral. According to dpa, security authorities have received information about a possible plan by an Islamist group to attack Cologne Cathedral. Sascha Thelen/dpa

Police officers and police vehicles stand in front of the main train station not far from the cathedral. According to dpa, security authorities have received information about a possible plan by an Islamist group to attack Cologne Cathedral. Vincent Kempf/dpa
Siegfried Russwurm, President of the Federation of German Industries (BDI), at a meeting in the Haus der Wirtschaft. Carsten Koall/dpa

The Federation of German Industries (BDI) expressed scepticism on Saturday of government plans to bring forward the phasing-out of coal-fired electricity generation to 2030 from the 2038 target laid down by law.

There was no strategy thus far from Energy and Climate Minister Robert Habeck to promote investment in new gas-fired power stations, BDI President Siegfried Russwurm said.

"It's extremely disturbing that we could get into a situation in which coal-fired power stations have to be operated for longer because there are insufficient other reserve capacities," he said.

The government aims to have 80% of electricity generated by renewable sources - wind and solar power in particular - by 2030. The current figure is a little over 50%.

Business has been waiting for Habeck to publish a strategy, which should have been presented in the summer. Gas-fired power plants are intended as backup when renewables are inadequate  fired initially by natural gas and later by green hydrogen.

But the energy sector is holding back on investment as the new power plants would not be profitable.

Habeck has announced state aid to the amount of billions of euros. One possibility is an incentive system that would pay plant operators to keep capacity in reserve.

But the government is facing budgetary problems following a recent Federal Constitutional Court ruling that blocked the reallocation of unused funds from a reserve set up to cope with the coronavirus pandemic.
Minister of the Interior of Brandenburg Michael Stuebgen speaks at a press meeting after the meeting with the mayors and district directors of Uckermark on migration policy. Jens Kalaene/dpa

The interior minister of a German state that shares a border with Poland said he believes that the external borders of the European Union should be more strongly secured following a compromise reached on asylum by the EU during the week.

"If the EU's external borders remain so porous and we have to take in additional people from the border procedures, we will have a deterioration," Michael Stubgen of the state of Brandenburg that surrounds Berlin told dpa.

"This must go hand in hand with increased security at the external borders against the smuggling mafia."

Stubgen is due to take over the chairmanship of the meetings between the interior ministers of the 16 German states from January.

The EU states and the European Parliament agreed on standardized procedures at the EU's external borders. The plan foresees a much stricter handling of people from countries that are considered relatively safe.

Until a legal decision is made on their asylum application, asylum seekers are to be housed in reception centres under strict rules.

The European Parliament and the EU member states still have to give their final approval.

"I consider the procedure at Europe's external borders for obviously unfounded asylum applications to be necessary," said Stubgen. "However, the external border camps must first be set up and be appropriate in humanitarian terms."

He considers the planned solidarity mechanism for the distribution of refugees to be a "first correct step."

No agreement could be reached otherwise. "It would make much more sense to take in refugees directly from crisis regions via reception programmes," he said.
Minister of the Interior of Brandenburg Michael Stuebgen speaks at a press meeting after the meeting with the mayors and district directors of Uckermark on migration policy. Jens Kalaene/dpa

The interior minister of a German state that shares a border with Poland said he believes that the external borders of the European Union should be more strongly secured following a compromise reached on asylum by the EU during the week.

"If the EU's external borders remain so porous and we have to take in additional people from the border procedures, we will have a deterioration," Michael Stubgen of the state of Brandenburg that surrounds Berlin told dpa.

"This must go hand in hand with increased security at the external borders against the smuggling mafia."

Stubgen is due to take over the chairmanship of the meetings between the interior ministers of the 16 German states from January.

The EU states and the European Parliament agreed on standardized procedures at the EU's external borders. The plan foresees a much stricter handling of people from countries that are considered relatively safe.

Until a legal decision is made on their asylum application, asylum seekers are to be housed in reception centres under strict rules.

The European Parliament and the EU member states still have to give their final approval.

"I consider the procedure at Europe's external borders for obviously unfounded asylum applications to be necessary," said Stubgen. "However, the external border camps must first be set up and be appropriate in humanitarian terms."

He considers the planned solidarity mechanism for the distribution of refugees to be a "first correct step."

No agreement could be reached otherwise. "It would make much more sense to take in refugees directly from crisis regions via reception programmes," he said.

Stubgen has campaigned for months in favour of fixed checks at the border with Poland.

German federal-level Interior Minister Nancy Faeser ordered them at the borders with Poland, the Czech Republic and Switzerland in mid-October and extended the measure in order to combat smuggling more effectively and limit irregular migration.

The number of unauthorized refugees entering the country then fell significantly.

The countries are all part of the Schengen visa-free travel area where border checks do not usually take place.

Stubgen said his state of Brandenburg has taken in around 60,000 refugees in the past 24 months, while there are currently only around 4,500 foreigners in the state who are required to leave the country.

"Repatriations are important, but not really the solution to the major challenges," said Stubgen. "Voluntary return is our absolute priority, and we have twice the rate of deportations. However, the solution must primarily lie in limiting access."
Martin Sanchez works with members of the Youth Orchestras of San Antonio at Alamo Heights Junior High School on Sunday, December 17, 2023. Daniel Rosa/Contributor Ken Freudigman tunes a cello for a member of the Youth Orchestras of San Antonio at Alamo Heights Junior High School on Sunday December 17th, 2023. Daniel Rosa/Contributor Martin Sanchez conducts members of the Youth Orchestras of San Antonio at Alamo Heights Junior High School on Sunday, December 17, 2023. Daniel Rosa/Contributor Martin Sanchez conducts members of the Youth Orchestras of San Antonio at Alamo Heights Junior High School on Sunday, December 17, 2023. Daniel Rosa/Contributor Ken Freudigman tunes a cello for a member of the Youth Orchestras of San Antonio at Alamo Heights Junior High School on Sunday, December 17th, 2023. Daniel Rosa/Contributor Martin Sanchez tunes a bass for a member of the Youth Orchestras of San Antonio at Alamo Heights Junior High School on Sunday, December 17, 2023. Daniel Rosa/Contributor Martin Sanchez works with members of the Youth Orchestras of San Antonio at Alamo Heights Junior High School on Sunday, December 17, 2023. Daniel Rosa/Contributor Martin Sanchez converses with members of the Youth Orchestras of San Antonio at Alamo Heights Junior High School on Sunday, December 17, 2023. Daniel Rosa/Contributor Martin Sanchez conducts members of the Youth Orchestras of San Antonio at Alamo Heights Junior High School on Sunday, December 17, 2023. Daniel Rosa/Contributor Martin Sanchez, background left, conducts members of the Youth Orchestras of San Antonio at Alamo Heights Junior High School on Sunday, December 17, 2023. Daniel Rosa/Contributor Martin Sanchez, background center, conducts members of the Youth Orchestras of San Antonio at Alamo Heights Junior High School on Sunday, December 17, 2023. Daniel Rosa/Contributor Martin Sanchez tunes an instrument for a member of the Youth Orchestras of San Antonio at Alamo Heights Junior High School on Sunday, December 17, 2023. Daniel Rosa/Contributor Martin Sanchez instructs members of the Youth Orchestras of San Antonio at Alamo Heights Junior High School on Sunday, December 17, 2023. Daniel Rosa/Contributor Martin Sanchez demonstrates for members of the Youth Orchestras of San Antonio at Alamo Heights Junior High School on Sunday, December 17, 2023. Daniel Rosa/Contributor Martin Sanchez tunes an instrument for a member of the Youth Orchestras of San Antonio at Alamo Heights Junior High School on Sunday, December 17, 2023. Daniel Rosa/Contributor Ken Freudigman tunes a cello for a member of the Youth Orchestras of San Antonio at Alamo Heights Junior High School on Sunday December 17th, 2023. Daniel Rosa/Contributor Ken Freudigman, left, and Martin Sanchez of the Youth Orchestra of San Antonio. Daniel Rosa/Contributor

More than 30 budding musicians with Youth Orchestras of San Antonio Capriccio Strings held bows at the ready as they awaited instruction from conductor Martin Sanchez.

Standing on a podium, he directed the students through selections like Heart of Gold. He pointed out the golden area on the bow where students could bring out the eighth notes.

He encouraged them to play with fortissimo and give the audience something to enjoy.

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The sound he sought in the Alamo Heights Junior School music room was an experience like his first time hearing live strings 17 years ago.

It was an epiphany for the then-sophomore at Edgewood High School to hear Camerata San Antonio, an ensemble that presents chamber music to diverse audiences. He marveled at cellist Kenneth Freudigmans high-level performance at the Edgewood Fine Arts Academy, something Sanchez had never imagined.

Thats when he decided to learn to play an instrument.

Being exposed to symphony music changed my life, said Sanchez, who plays the string bass. It was eye-opening to see that was a possibility.

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Sanchez sought advice from Freudigman during one of his visits to the recital hall. The cellist encouraged the teen to seek lessons from a private teacher to prepare for college auditions.

Freudigmans counsel spurred Sanchez to achieve high musical standards. In 2013, he graduated from the University of Texas at San Antonio with a bachelors degree in music education. Sanchez was the first in his family to go to college.

Life came full circle for Sanchez  his first job was running the YOSA Mas program at his old school. Now, Sanchez is the orchestra director at Ed White Middle School with the North East Independent School District.

Freudigman and Sanchez have been colleagues with Youth Orchestras of San Antonio since 2013. Freudigman is conductor of YOSA Symphony and YOSA Concertino Strings, and Sanchez is conductor of YOSA Capriccio Strings.

But it wasnt until this year that Freudigman realized Sanchez was one of the inquisitive students nearly two decades ago at Edgewood High School.

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We know his interaction with me or any other musician was an influence, the cellist said. We never know what seed is planted. It is so important to have high-level musicians interfacing with kids.

From 2004 to 2022, Freudigman was the principal cello of the San Antonio Symphony, a role he continues with the San Antonio Philharmonic.

ALSO READ: San Antonio teen wins national award for helping others

In 2003, Freudigman co-founded Camerata San Antonio, which shares their program at public schools with students who rarely hear classical music.

Freudigman said he worked with the late District 6 Councilman Enrique Barrera to invest in bringing a high level of music to the Edgewood campus.

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Hes proud that students lobbied their music teacher to start a string program after a year of Camerata San Antonio performances at the school.

I was so overjoyed to have that happen, Freudigman said.

On a recent Sunday, before a Capriccio Strings practice, the cellist and Sanchez were together again.

Students lined up and handed an instrument to the duo one by one. Freudigman tilted and leaned his head close to the instrument, listening as he plucked strings. Sanchez ran a bow over the strings. Each tweak was an investment in the young musicians drive to play the right notes.

Later, Sanchez led the students through a practice for an upcoming performance in February. During the session, the conductor worked with the students as they played their violins, violas, cellos and basses. Before a break, the young musicians followed Sanchezs directions, and he said the music was about perfect.

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I know youll get it next time, the conductor said.

The youngsters replayed the piece, and Sanchez was pleased. Theyd achieved the performance level hed expected. It was a dynamic echo from a time when he learned that, with dedication, he could achieve sounds of excellence.

YOSA changes lives through the music, Sanchez said.
A European intelligence service reportedly believes that Russia might make an attempt to attack Europe in the winter of 2024-25.

Source: Bild, a German tabloid, citing a source in a European intelligence service

Details: The intelligence service quoted in Bild believes that Russia might attack Europe when the US is "without a leader", causing a delay in the assistance it might be able to give to European countries.

By this, they mean the time after the November 2024 US presidential elections and before the newly elected president is inaugurated in January 2025.

The intelligence source told Bild that the Russian government is hoping that former president Donald Trump will get elected again; if that is the case, "anything can happen", the source said.

Background: Earlier, Boris Pistorius, German Defence Minister, said that the European defence industry needs time to build up its capabilities. "Now we have about five to eight years to catch up - in the armed forces, in industry and in society," Boris Pistorius said.

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The Brandenburg Gate in Berlin is illuminated in the colours of the Israeli flag as a show of solidarity on Oct 7 after the infamous Hamas attack - FABIAN SOMMER/DPA VIA AP/DPA

Germany is now Israels closest ally in Europe, Israels ambassador to Berlin said as he hinted that a new defence pact between the countries could soon be announced.

In an interview with The Telegraph, Ron Prosor said Germany had become Israels second strategic partner after the US, in part because of its amazing response to the Oct 7 Hamas attacks.

He also stressed that the relationship had grown much deeper because of an awakening in Germany about the threat posed to European security by Iran, which funds Hamas operatives on the continent and supports Russias war against Ukraine.

For years, Israel has been saying watch out for the Mullahs and Ayatollahs in Iran. Its not Israels problem, its a world problem, said Mr Prosor.

And I think theres an awakening  not just in Germany, but lets focus on Germany  on the fact that suddenly drones made in Iran with cooperation with Russia are being seen over Ukraine.

The cooperation between Russia and Iran is strengthening, and there is a real change in the national security policy of Germany in understanding that, yes, we have to stand up to challenges that we did not have answers for in the past. They are acutely aware there is a change.

Iran is a financial backer not only of Hamas but also the Houthi rebel faction in Yemen which has wrought havoc on global shipping routes this month with a string of attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea.

Britain would typically be considered Israels closest European ally, but Germany and Israel have recently embarked on a major new security partnership which includes the sale of the Israeli Arrow 3 air defence system, which will be used to defend Europes skies from Russia.

The Arrow 3, which will cost Germany about 4 billion (3 billion), is a long-range air defence system capable of shooting down ballistic missiles, warheads and hypersonic missiles.

It is understood that Germany hopes the system, part of Israels biggest ever defence sale, could be used to defend EU airspace in the event of a war with Russia.

Tehrans decision to sell supplies of missiles and drones to Russia for its war on Ukraine has deeply alarmed European and US officials.

Germany has also stepped up action against Hamas in Europe, with a series of raids last week on Hamas members in Berlin who were allegedly plotting to attack Jewish institutions in Europe with a stash of buried weapons.

German police carried out raids on Hamas members in Berlin last week - Odd Andersen/AFP

Mr Prosor went on to hint that there is stuff going on in terms of what Germany needs in defending itself, without giving further details, and endorsed new rules being introduced in a German state that will make support of Israel a condition to acquire citizenship.

Saxony-Anhalt announced this month that anyone seeking German citizenship will be required to state in writing that they recognise Israels right to exist and condemn any efforts directed against the existence of the State of Israel.

The policy could eventually be adopted across the German federal system, part of a wider shift in Germany that is partly driven by a desire to atone for the Nazi regime and the Holocaust.

Mr Prosor said Germany had scrutinised its past in an amazing way and looked themselves in the mirror on all dimensions but expressed concern about a worrisome surge in support across Germany for the hard-Right AfD party.

The party includes members who have deployed extreme rhetoric including drawing comparisons between the German Covid vaccine drive and Nazi pogroms.

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FILE PHOTO: The logo of Stada Arzneimittel AG is pictured at their headquarters in Bad Vilbel near Frankfurt

BERLIN (Reuters) - Generic drugmaker Stada has spun off its Russian business into a separate company called Nizhpharm, the Welt am Sonntag newspaper reported on Saturday, citing a spokesperson from the German company.

Nizhpharm will operate independently and autonomously, the newspaper cited a spokesperson as saying.

Stada declined to comment on the report.

The private equity owners of Stada, which sells consumer healthcare products such as painkillers and sunscreen lotions, as well as biosimilar and generic drugs, are considering selling the company or listing it on the stock exchange, according to sources familiar with the matter.

(Reporting by Rachel More and Emma-Victoria Farr, Editing by Linda Pasquini)
Gilbert police are asking the public to help identify individuals involved in the Aug. 18 beating of a student at In-N-Out Burger near San Tan Village Parkway and East Williams Field Road. This image of the attack posted by police appears to show several people kicking the 16-year-old victim.

Gilbert police are seeking assistance from the public to identify individuals involved in the beating of a student that occurred on Aug. 18 at In-N-Out Burger near San Tan Village Parkway and East Williams Field Road.

Officials took to Facebook on Friday to ask anyone with information about the attack to come forward. The public can submit tips by calling 480-503-6500 or contacting the department through its online tip site, police said.

"Assistance from the public has always been something we value to help us with our investigations," said Gilbert Police Department spokesperson Brenda Carrasco. "All of our investigative resources are being used to help us identify the individuals shared in the post today."

The call for help from officials comes in the wake of a report by The Arizona Republic that identified similarities among several attacks across the southeast Valley. The report linked these incidents to a group known as the "Gilbert Goons," made up of more than 20 mostly white, affluent teenagers.

The beatings were strikingly similar. They often occurred at the same location and involved similar victims and the same perpetrators, who posted photos and videos of attacks on social media.

Brass knuckles, beatings, fear: Random attacks on teens loom over Preston Lord murder case

Gilbert is ground zero for the Goons, who have left high school students hospitalized and traumatized. The Republic documented seven attacks involving members of the Goons, although several more attacks are alleged by parents and students. At least four attacks occurred at the Gilbert In-N-Out Burger.

Gilbert police Chief Michael Soelberg speaks to Gilbert Town Council and community members on Dec. 12, 2023.

For over a year, Gilbert police did not link the attacks on teenagers to the Goons gang. Chief Michael Soelberg said that victims of the beatings did not specifically mention the gang's name when they contacted the police. Furthermore, the department lacked police reports associating the Goons with any alleged criminal activity.

Police had shelved their investigation into the August beating but reopened it following The Republic's investigation.

In a post on Friday, officials stated that they are actively conducting a comprehensive review of cases from the past two years involving teenagers. The goal is to determine if there is any additional information or correlation between these incidents that can aid in past investigations. They are also collaborating with neighboring jurisdictions to ensure the sharing of information.

Police are continuing increased patrols of areas often visited by teenagers, including the San Tan Village shopping center and Gilbert's downtown.

New developments: New 'Gilbert Goons' beating video, chilling account of Preston Lord's attack emerge

"Thank you to the brave individuals who've recently stepped forward to provide the Gilbert Police Department with information about violent crimes that may have occurred in our community," Gilbert Mayor Brigette Peterson said in a statement provided to The Republic through a spokesperson. "Violence in our community will not be tolerated and I would encourage all individuals with information of a crime to come forward and report it to the Police Department, so that there is a thorough investigation and justice can be served."

After Aug. 18 beating, teen sent overseas to escape local gang

In their post on Friday, the police labeled the August attack as an "aggravated robbery." An image accompanying its public call appears to show several individuals kicking the 16-year-old victim.

"This investigation is thoroughly being reviewed and, depending on the outcome, multiple charges could be applicable," Carrasco said.

Tips sought: Chandler real estate agent offers $20,000 reward in Preston Lord beating death case

Richard Kuehner, the victim's father, previously told The Republic that his son's shoes were stolen during the beating and described perpetrators "kicking and stomping" his son.

Kuehner stated that his son faced threats from several kids a few weeks after enrolling at Perry High School in Gilbert. On a previous occasion, a group of boys arrived at Kuehner's front door, apparently intending to assault his son. Kuehner, who happened to be out walking his dog, intervened and scared off the group when he returned after being informed by his son about the situation.

After the beating, Kuehner said his son arrived home bleeding and visibly shaken. Kuehner took the teenager to the emergency room, where he racked up a $14,000 bill.

Kuehner said he filed a report with Gilbert police. But the threats against his son kept coming, Kuehner said. It got so bad, he said, that his son did not feel safe leaving the house.

Action urged: People turn out to Gilbert Town Council meeting to talk about teen violence

Kuehner ultimately decided to withdraw his son from school and send him overseas to live with his mom. He said his son suffers from post-traumatic stress as a result of the incident.

Thats what frustrates me," Kuehner said. "My son has suffered and had to change his whole life as a young man because of these kids. And they just go on like nothing happened, and theyll probably do it again.

Southeast Valley parents and students, as well as community organizers, say members of the group were also involved in the Oct. 28 fatal beating of 16-year-old Preston Lord in Queen Creek. None of the Goons has been arrested or named as suspects in Lord's case, which remains unsolved.

Timeline: Preston Lord investigation, 'Gilbert Goons' attacks stun Phoenix area

Republic reporters Robert Anglen and Elena Santa Cruz contributed reporting to this article.

Sasha Hupka covers county government and regional issues for The Arizona Republic. Do you have a tip? Reach her at sasha.hupka@arizonarepublic.com. Follow her on X, formerly Twitter: @SashaHupka. Follow her on Instagram or Threads: @sashahupkasnaps.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Police ask public to help identify attackers in Gilbert beating
A Republican lawmaker has conceded that he messed up after he hurled homophobic and racist abuse at police officers during an arrest for driving under the influence.

North Dakota state Representative Nico Rios was pulled over in his vehicle on 15 December after veering in and out of his lane, according to the Associated Press.

He was subsequently charged with two misdemeanours of driving while drunk and refusing to provide a chemical test.

In the police report, an officer penned that Mr Rios was verbally abusive, homophobic, racially abusive and discriminatory toward him for the entire duration of the incident following roadside testing.

Following the incident, the North Dakota Republican posted an apology on X admitting that he had messed up.

Nobody is more of a straight shooter than I am, and to put it bluntly I have to say that I messed up, he wrote.

Nobody is more of a straight shooter than I am, and to put it bluntly I have to say that I messed up. Below is my official statement. pic.twitter.com/GwQA1zm0gX  Rep. Nico Rios (@nico4nd23) December 18, 2023

Mr Rios explained that the arrest transpired after he had had a few too many drinks at a Christmas party, made the mistake of driving home, and received a DUI.

The state lawmaker added:  Im deeply embarrassed as this is not how I want to represent the people. My terrible decisions that night will not hinder my ability to represent and fight for the people of District 23.

I am not a saint, but may God give me the strength to someday become one, he added.

The Bismarck Tribune obtained and published the bodycam footage from the incident, confirming the officers report about the abusive language.

Bodycam captures him using offensive language

Not only were the homophobic slurs clearly audible, but Mr Rios was also heard telling officers that they would regret picking on me because you dont know who ... I am.

The lawmaker is also heard making anti-immigration remarks: How many of your ... friends and family members have been ... brutalized and terrorised by ... migrants?

Forum News Service first reported on Mr Rios remarks.

While being driven in the backseat of the police car, Mr Rios noted the officers accent and asked where he was from.

When the officer said he was from England, Mr Rios responded saying: Your country is being taken over by f***ing migrants and refugees.

North Dakota state Rep Nico Rios, a Republican, was arrested for a DUI (Williston State Police Dept)

Youre arresting me for driving home and people are coming to your country and rape your women. And Im the f***ing bad guy?

He is then heard calling the officer a little b***h and motherf***er.

Following the incident, North Dakota Republican Party Chairwoman Sandi Sanford told The AP: We are deeply troubled by Rep Rios dangerous decision to drive while intoxicated and his remarks to law enforcement officers. His behaviour does not represent the values of the NDGOP.

The states Democratic Party chair labelled Mr Rios remarks as reprehensible.

The state lawmaker is slated for a 5 February pretrial conference in municipal court.

The Independent has reached out to the Williston Police Department.
For House Republicans, the first year of their new majority was a lesson in humility, plagued by infighting, historic expulsions and dashed exceptions.

Dont just count the nearly four weeks without an elected Speaker and the public bickering. The internal dysfunction is also reflected in the key metrics. Just 31 pieces of legislation became law in 2023, the lowest number in the modern era, going back more than 50 years.

Even some Republicans acknowledge that the internal discord and low productivity are intrinsically linked.

Part of that has to do just with the condition that the House is in, Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) said of the low number of bills signed into law. The House is, really, on the edge all the time  thats made it difficult to actually pass laws and get them out.

Thats not always a bad thing, Rounds added. But, you know, youve had two Speakers. Theyve been embroiled in their investigations. And its one of the reasons why things such as the passage of the NDAA [annual defense bill] can get bogged down, just because members who have a real desire to pass legislation recognize it is one of the few vehicles thats actually moving.

Divided government and a slim House GOP majority had always meant that finding bipartisan consensus in lawmaking would be difficult. But the number of bills passed is significantly lower than other periods of divided government, with those structural issues further exacerbated by GOP infighting.

Conservative House Republicans started the year insisting on passing all 12 regular appropriations bills individually, rather than resorting to a massive omnibus spending bill as had become the norm.

But disputes about spending levels and policy riders led to Democrats refusing to support those bills  and Republicans repeatedly blocking several of them from passage.

After that, major pieces of legislation signed into law this year include a debt limit increase bill that infuriated the right wing and two clean short-term extensions of government funding, which also aggravated conservatives. President Biden also signed the annual defense authorization bill, which came with major disputes about socially conservative policies and short-term extension of Section 702 spy authorities in the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA).

Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas), one of those hardline conservatives at the center of pushing for lower spending levels and socially conservative policies, vented his frustrations about Republicans not delivering enough in a fiery floor speech in November  arguing that lack of results had to do with a lack of will among Republicans.

One thing! I want my Republican colleagues to give me one thing  one!  that I can go campaign on and say we did, he said. One! Anybody sitting in the complex, if you want to come down to the floor and come explain to me, one material, meaningful, significant thing the Republican majority has done besides, Well, I guess its not as bad as the Democrats.

Another metric further reflects how bitterness and the politics of revenge has overtaken the chamber. The House formally censured three Democratic members of Congress this year, marking the highest number of censures in a year since 1870 when three members were censured for selling military academy appointments, according to the House historians office.

And those punitive measures were overshadowed by two others: the historic ouster of Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) by rebellious conservatives, and the expulsion of Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.) after just 11 months in office.

Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-N.C.), a close ally of the former Speaker, said that the ouster of McCarthy led to bad policy outcomes for Republicans.

What happened by a small group of Republicans this year put us behind for what I want to effectuate is in public policy  for conservative policy outcomes, McHenry said. Were worse off for eight Republicans voting with all the Democrats to oust the most effective Republican Speaker weve had in a long time.

The low number of enacted laws has become an attack line for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC), the campaign arm for the House Democrats.

Censure. Expulsion. Impeachment. Resignation. These are the only things MAGA Republicans seem to care about, anything but delivering on the issues that matter most. Thats why this Republican-led House has the unfortunate distinction of being the most inefficient and least productive since the Great Depression, said a DCCC memo distributed publicly earlier this month.

Some House Republicans have rejected the idea that the small number of legislative victories is a reflection of a dysfunctional GOP majority, noting that the lower chamber has passed a host of Republican bills that Democratic leaders in the Senate have simply declined to consider, including an immigration overhaul and a massive energy policy bill.

While the House GOP is struggling to pass its last five appropriations bills, many House Republicans often flaunt how they have outpaced the Senate.

I dont serve in the House, but I dont think the Senate has been nearly as productive as it could have been, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said in a press conference when asked about the small number of bills signed into law. For example, we had a lot of floor time here the last couple months we could have been processing appropriation bills to get us in a better position to finish funding the government sooner.

Rep. Tom Cole (R-Okla.), a senior appropriator and chairman of the House Rules Committee, argued that Republicans notched a win simply by preventing Biden from moving his legislative wish-list through Congress, as he had in his first two years when Democrats controlled both chambers.

There were a lot of victories. There were a lot of things that didnt happen that would have happened absent this majority, he said. So weve been able to stop a lot of the spending.  But again, when you control one House by margins like this, your victories are usually what you keep from happening, not what you can make happen.

Cole also pointed out that Republicans, frequently critical of the government, dont always gauge the success of a Congress merely on the number of bills signed into law. Sometimes, he said, less is better.

If youre a Republican, you believe in less government, and not doing something is sometimes a good thing, he said. So, just because we passed a law doesnt mean it was a good law, it doesnt mean it has a positive effect.

The number of bills also does not necessarily correspond to the significance of legislation passed, as some bills are packed with policy changes while others are limited to renaming buildings. One of the bills Biden signed this year directs the Treasury Secretary to mint coins commemorating the 250th anniversary of the Marine Corps.

There are no signs that agreement  within or between the parties  and lawmaking will tick up to higher historical levels in 2024.

Republicans left Washington this month sniping over government funding, foreign aid, leadership tactics and who bears the blame for their lean legislative record.

And those scuffles are set to resume when Congress returns to Washington in January facing urgent deadlines on government spending and a tough fight over emergency funding for Ukraine  two issues that have severed the GOP conference and created enormous headaches for Republican leaders hoping to unite their party against President Bidens agenda heading into tough elections in November.

Its divided government in a presidential year  its gonna be close. I dont see us moving a lot of big legislation, Cole said. I think the appropriations bills, and whatever the two sides agree should be attached to them, is probably the best youre going to get.

Al Weaver contributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom is against the move to jettison Trump from California ballot. (Associated Press)

Many leading California Democrats have been clamoring to jettison Donald Trump from the states election ballot, but Gov. Gavin Newsom has made it clear he is against the move.

There is no doubt that Donald Trump is a threat to our liberties and even to our democracy, Newsom said, but in California, we defeat candidates at the polls. Everything else is a political distraction.

Newsoms terse statement on Friday runs counter to the position taken by Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis and nine state lawmakers, who have pushed to remove the former president from the California ballot. The campaign gained momentum this week when the Colorado Supreme Court ruled Trump ineligible for spurring on the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.

Political opinions on Trumps eligibility ultimately are expected to be of little consequence on a novel question of the law that will almost certainly have to be settled by the U.S. Supreme Court. If the high court agrees to take the case, election law experts said its decision would probably affect primary and general election ballots across the country.

I think Newsom is showing that  in a state dominated by Democrats, who might easily succumb to their partisan interests  he is being the grown-up in the room, said Sara Sadhwani, a political science professor at Pomona College and sharp critic of Trump's attempts to overturn the 2020 election. We have institutions, the courts, to answer these questions. And political meddling in elections does not lead to stability for our democratic institutions.

Jessica Levinson, a constitutional law professor at Loyola Law School, predicted that the U.S. Supreme Court will overturn the Colorado court, with the justices probably loath to give the appearance that they are throwing the 2024 presidential election or putting their thumb on the scale in the 2024 presidential election.

Levinson said that that does not mean the Colorado high courts decision was unreasonable, given the 14th Amendments provision that individuals could be deemed ineligible for office if, as an officer of the United States, they engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the United States or aided its enemies.

As a strict legal question, Levinson said, if you give aid or comfort to those who engage in insurrection, then you are not eligible for the ballot in my view.

Trumps disqualification from the Colorado ballot would not necessarily block him from returning to the presidency. He lost the state by 13 percentage points in 2020 and could find a path to 270 electoral votes without the states 10 electoral votes. He also won the presidency in 2016 without Californias huge electoral trove, which now stands at 54.

But the campaign to remove Trump from the ballot is continuing in many other states, provoking charges from the candidate and other Republicans that Democrats are trying to rig the 2024 election.

In the swing state of Michigan, which Trump carried in 2016 and lost in 2020, some voters have sued to keep Trump off the ballot.

Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows, a Democrat, is considering arguments from both sides as to Trumps eligibility for the 2024 ballot.

California has picked Democrats for president in eight consecutive elections since it went for Republican George H.W. Bush in 1988. Trump trails badly in early California polling for the 2024 presidential contest.

But several of the states top Democrats have said that Trump should be disqualified from the March primary ballot.

Kounalakis, a Democrat who is running for governor in 2026, wrote to California Secretary of State Shirley Weber, who oversees elections, asking her to explore every legal option to keep the former president off the March 5 ballot.

This decision is about honoring the rule of law in our country and protecting the fundamental pillars of democracy, Kounalakis wrote, citing the Colorado Supreme Courts 4-3 decision.

Assemblyman Evan Low, who represents the Silicon Valley, heads a group of nine Democratic legislators who asked state Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta to drop Trump from the ballot. They say the action would force the courts to determine the former presidents eligibility.

No one is above the law, Low said in an interview this week, and the courts should enforce the Constitution. Period. Full stop.

Jaime Regalado, professor emeritus of political science at Cal State Los Angeles, viewed Newsoms stand for keeping Trump on the ballot as the governors latest gambit to differentiate himself from Californias liberal orthodoxy.

I think that, at least in part, this is a way to distance himself from the left a little bit and to move a little bit toward the political middle, said Regalado. We dont expect him to be challenging Biden. But at the same time, we expect him to be a candidate soon for national office.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Gov. Kristi Noem introduces Donald Trump during his event at The Monument in Rapid City, South Dakota on Friday, Sept. 8, 2023.

Gov. Kristi Noem will speak at a presidential campaign rally for Donald Trump shortly after the new year.

Noem will speak at a Team Trump Iowa MAGA event at 7 p.m. Jan. 3 in Sioux City, Iowa, according to a press release on Trump's campaign website. The rally will be at County Celebrations Center, 5606 Hamilton Boulevard. Doors open at 6 p.m.

The release does not provide more information, and the Argus Leader is waiting to hear back from Noems office about the event.

More: SD Supreme Court sets date for oral argument from Gov. Noem on conflict of interest clause

Noem, a potential 2024 VP pick for Trump, has been a longtime supporter. She visited with him in Washington D.C., and he turned the tide for Noems first gubernatorial campaign, appearing at a fundraiser for her in Sioux Falls weeks before the 2018 election. He also endorsed her second gubernatorial campaign in January 2022, months ahead of the general election.

The latest moment was September in Rapid City, when Noem endorsed Trump's re-election bid seven months after his announcement.

The former president and GOP frontrunner was there as the guest of honor for the South Dakota Republican Partys fundraiser, where top-tier seats went for $25,000. The moment was also Trump's first rally he had held since he was indicted by a Georgia prosecutor for allegedly trying to overturn the outcome of the 2020 Presidential Election. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

More: 1 in 4 South Dakotans support Kristi Noem as Donald Trump's VP pick, new poll finds

Trump has also been indicted in:

A federal case involving election interference. A grand jury charged him in August with two felony counts of obstructing an official proceeding, one felony count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and one felony count of conspiracy against rights for trying to stop the transfer of power after President Joe Biden won the 2020 election. A trial has been scheduled for March, and he has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

A federal case out of Florida, where he's accused of taking classified national security documents to his Mar-a-Lago resort when he left the White House. That case involves 32 felony counts of willful retention of national defense information in violation of the Espionage Act, six counts of obstruction-related crimes, and two felony counts of false statements The trial is scheduled for May, and he has pleaded not guilty in this case.

And a hush-money case out of New York tied to allegations Trump falsified records before and after he became president in relation to his role in paying off Stormy Daniels, a porn star who said she had sexual relations with him. Trump, who has pleaded not guilty in this case as well, faces 32 felony charges. A trial has been set for March.

Caucus Day for Iowa is Jan. 15.

This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: Noem to speak at MAGA event in Sioux City after new year
Lizbeth Medina was found dead Dec. 5 in the apartment she shared with her mother. Courtesy Jacqueline Medina

The man who police said confessed to killing Edna cheerleader Lizbeth Medina had exhibited "stalking-like behavior," according to the Victoria Advocate's reporting on a police affidavit.

Investigators believe capital murder suspect Rafael Govea Romero, 23, had been to the 16-year-old's apartment complex before, according to a sworn affidavit from Edna police reported by the Advocate.

The same surveillance footage from a neighbor at Cottonwood Apartments that originally led police to release photos of a person of interest in a silver Ford Taurus is what revealed the same car driving around the apartments the night before Lizbeth's death, according to the Advocate. The car was seen on the footage driving in the apartment complex's parking lot around 10 p.m. Dec. 4, less than 24 hours before the girl was found dead.

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Jacqueline Medina became concerned about her daughter's whereabouts Dec. 5 when she didn't see her that evening at a Christmas parade in which the girl had planned to participate with her cheer squad. She also discovered that her daughter hadn't attended school that day, the Advocate reported.

When she went back to their shared apartment to look for her, she found Lizbeth's body in the bathtub with multiple stab wounds. Her body was wet, which indicated to investigators that the killer had tried to wash away evidence, the Advocate reported, citing the affidavit.

An autopsy report showed her cause of death to be "sharp force injuries," according to the Advocate.

Police identified Romero as a suspect after Lizbeth's friends began receiving text messages from her phone days after her death, according to the Advocate's reporting on the affidavit. After tracing the location of the girl's phone to Romero's home, investigators found her belongings inside.

He was booked into the Jackson County Jail on Dec. 9, and the Edna Police Department told the Advocate that Romero confessed to the murder.

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The apartment where Lizbeth lived with her mother was the target of a burglary Nov. 13, which investigators believe is connected to Romero.
Oleksii Makeiev, Ukraine's Ambassador to Germany, has expressed his gratitude to the German government for assisting Ukraine to defend itself against Russia.

Source: Deutsche Welle, citing Makeiev in an interview with rbb24 Inforadio radio station, as reported by European Pravda

Details: Makeiev praised the German government for supporting Ukraine. "This government has its head on right," the diplomat said metaphorically, expressing his wish that Germany would take on the role of a leader in providing assistance.

The official is of the opinion that the Germans should realise that helping Ukraine in times of war is in their own interest, as Russia poses a threat to peace in the whole of Europe. Assisting Ukraine is crucial both for defence against Russian aggressive war and recovering from the post-war devastation, Makeiev said.

The official added that Ukraine, first and foremost, needs more weapons to turn the tide in the war.

The ambassador also praised the role of German Chancellor Olaf Scholz at the recent EU summit in Brussels. Makeiev noted that Scholz's "diplomatic masterstroke" prevented Hungary's veto and allowed the start of official negotiations on Ukraine's accession to the EU.

The official further said it was essential to start considering Ukraine's recovery now, without waiting for the war to be over. The rebuilding must begin today, and Germany's leadership is crucial in this issue, Makeiev said.

Background:

On Friday, 22 December, the German government updated the list of military aid to Ukraine, announcing the transfer of 3 Gepard self-propelled anti-aircraft systems together with spare parts in addition to the 49 already delivered.

Last week, the list of military aid transferred by Germany to Ukraine was supplemented by a Patriot air defence system and its missiles.

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An East Palestine, Ohio, resident accused Norfolk Southern and federal officials of abandoning her home after a toxic train derailment devastated the town earlier this year, leading her to lose faith in the government and her love of the country.

"If you would have ever told me as a United States citizen that I'd be seeing the suffering that I see and that I would be completely ignored, not only by our own town, but the state government and our federal government, I would have never believed it," said Jami Wallace, who was forced to move 25 minutes away. "But that's what we're living. Biden still hasn't been here."

A 150-car Norfolk Southern freight train derailed in East Palestine on Feb. 3, causing hazardous chemicals it was carrying to spill out, creating health risks for nearby residents. President Biden was criticized for failing to visit the crash site and angered some residents after he said in September that he didn't have time.

BIDEN CITES BUSY SCHEDULE WHEN ASKED ABOUT VISITING EAST PALESTINE, OHIO: ITS GOING TO BE AWHILE'

President Biden has still not visited East Palestine, Ohio, nearly 11 months after the Norfolk Southern train derailment and chemical spill.

"When you talk about the things that [the derailment's] taken from us  one of them is the love for my country, the trust in my government," Wallace said. "We've been going through trauma for almost a year now."

"I would argue that we are worse off today than we were on February 3rd," she continued. "This is far from over."

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

After the crash, the EPA detected hazardous substances, including vinyl chloride, which can cause cancer, severe lung or kidney damage and reproductive issues at high exposure levels, according to the agency. Some residents, fearing serious health concerns, relocated as a result. In June, Purdue University researcher said his team was still finding "acute chemical exposures" in some buildings.

Wallace said she and her daughter went to the hospital a week after the crash with burning eyes, runny noses and severe coughs, all symptoms that lasted for months. And seven of 15 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention investigators fell ill in March after looking into the health impacts of the chemical exposure, CNN reported .

"Soon as I pulled in my driveway, I was overtaken by chemicals," Wallace said of the initial days after the derailment. "I felt like I couldn't breathe. I look over and see chemicals free flowing down my street."

EAST PALESTINE RESIDENTS BLAST TRAIN DERAILMENT LIES AFTER TESTING POSITIVE FOR CANCER-LINKED TOXIN

Norfolk Southern provided relocation aid for some residents, but announced Dec. 5 it would end payments for residents who haven't returned by Feb. 9. The move frustrated Wallace, who said she's still financially devastated from the experience. She said she'd prefer to stay elsewhere until she knows it is safe, but may need to return when the aid ends.

"They're doing all this stuff for economic recovery. What about the residents that were financially devastated?" Wallace told Fox News. "What about human health?"

She also criticized Norfolk Southern for making the announcement just a few weeks before Christmas. She said the holiday is more stressful this year for East Palestine families dealing with financial fallout from the derailment.

"You know what we did get? All of us poor folk got Norfolk Southern teddy bears" when forced to go to organizations to get gifts we couldn't buy ourselves, she said while suppressing soft sobs.

A Norfolk Southern spokesperson told Fox News in a statement that the railway had kept its promises, spending more than $100 million investing in the community.

"From the beginning, Norfolk Southern has committed to making it right in East Palestine and covering all costs associated with the clean-up," the spokesperson said. "In the months since, we have made significant progress, keeping our promises to safely and thoroughly clean the derailment site, support the needs of the community, and invest in its future. We remain committed to East Palestine today, and into the future, and will continue to work closely with federal, state, and local leaders."

EAST PALESTINE, OHIO RESIDENTS UNEASY ABOUT TOXIC CHEMICALS AFTER RETURNING HOME: ITS SCARY STUFF HERE'

Wallace, who's lived in East Palestine for almost her entire life, is president of the Unity Council for the East Palestine Train Derailment, an organization looking to address residential concerns following the derailment. But she fled after the derailment, living in various AirBnBs and hotels until she started renting a house 25 minutes outside of town.

SCIENTIST SAYS NATURE'S SKELETON KEY COULD BE SOLUTION TO TOXIC CHEMICAL SPILLS AND SAVE EAST PALESTINE

The Biden administration began a risk assessment on Dec. 14, though the EPA said it could take three years to determine the long-term health and environmental threats, the Associated Press reported.

In an emailed statement, EPA Region 5 Administrator Debra Shore told Fox News sampling data has shown drinking water hasn't been affected and listed a number of actions the agency has taken since the derailment, such as establishing air monitoring and opening an information center in East Palestine.

"EPAs number one priority remains ensuring the health and safety of East Palestine residents and surrounding communities in the aftermath of the Norfolk Southern train derailment," she said. "Work will continue as long as necessary to provide the reassurances that the residents of East Palestine and the surrounding communities deserve."

But Wallace remains worried.

"Now, I get to choose," she said. "Do I take my daughter back into town not knowing if she's going to be exposed to even more chemicals, so that she can be with her whole family on the holidays? Or do I sit at home, just me, her and my husband?"

The Environmental Protection Agency is starting the formal evaluation of risks posed by vinyl chloride, the cancer-causing chemical that burned in a towering plume of toxic black smoke following a fiery train derailment earlier this year in eastern Ohio.

"I think the only thing that's going to save us now is awareness and prayer," Wallace said, predicting that people would eventually die from the chemical exposure.

Wallace said her family has owned land in East Palestine for six generations. Despite health concerns, they would be heartbroken to leave.

"With the number of family members I have, how far is far enough?" Wallace said. "Does the whole family go? Are we all going to find jobs if we decide to relocate?"

"We don't want to leave," Wallace said. "We want to know that it's safe to be in our homes."

A spokesperson for Gov. Mike DeWine's office called on Norfolk Southern to fairly compensate residents in a statement.

"Governor DeWine has previously advocated for Norfolk Southern to set up a fund right away to compensate for the trauma and unreimbursed costs born by the victims of the East Palestine disaster," the statement read. "Our office understands there is litigation that may result in a settlement, but that could take years, which is why setting up a fund is the right thing to do."

Neither the White House did not respond to a request for comment.





Original article source: The Grinch who stole East Palestine: Resident accuses company, government of abandoning town before Christmas
Many children are among those queueing, desparate for food (Mahmud HAMS)

When Bakr al-Naji realises the meals he prepares each day for a charity in the Gaza Strip won't be sufficient to fill the stomachs of the children, his heart sinks.

In Rafah, a city at the southern end of Gaza, thousands of people queue up for a little food at the Tkiyeh centre, said Naji.

The 28-year-old was displaced from Gaza City, but volunteers to cook for those facing the same circumstances.

"The most difficult moment, for me, is when I hand out the meals," he told AFP.

"I feel a pang in my heart when there is no more food and the children complain and say they haven't eaten enough," he said.

Faced with those pleas, most volunteers sacrifice their own meals.

According to UN's hunger monitoring system (IPC) by the start of December more than two million Gazans were already facing acute food insecurity, with more than 378,000 experiencing "catastrophic hunger".

The IPC report on Thursday said that there was a risk of famine which was "increasing each day" and warned that within weeks the entire population will face "acute food insecurity" or worse.

Humanitarian aid is only trickling into the besieged coastal territory, which Israel's army has been pounding since October 7.

The relentless ground and air campaign, aimed at destroying Hamas, was triggered by the Islamist groups' unprecedented attack on Israel in which it killed around 1,140 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of Israeli figures.

Israel's retaliation has killed more than 20,200 people, mostly women and children, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory.

In Rafah, people crowded against a barrier separating the crowd from large, steaming pots of food.

Adults and a large number of children were waiting with plastic bowls and small pots.

"Lentils and bulgur wheat have disappeared from the markets, as well as peas and white beans," said Khaled Sheikh al-Eid, an official at the charity which serves around 10,000 people a day.

His centre survives thanks to donations and volunteers and must constantly juggle what few supplies are available.

- 'Die of hunger' -

"A can of beans has gone from one shekel ($ 0.28) to six)," said Naji.

"People were poor before the war, even those who worked had barely enough to feed their children. How can they cope now?" he asked. "I fear that people will die of hunger."

In the morning, Salam Haidar, 36, was queueing outside the food centre.

"They told me that it's too early but I want to be sure that I get something," said the mother of three small children.

"My son cries when he sees another child holding a piece of bread. He tried to steal sweets from another child, I had to tell him it was very bad."

Nur Barbakh, five months pregnant and displaced from Khan Yunis, was also waiting hours before the opening of the centre in Rafah.

"Sometimes I send my 12-year-old eldest son but he gets beaten up. He comes back crying and empty handed," said Barbakh.

"If it wasn't for this centre, we would have nothing at all," she said, holding three tomatoes and two shekels in her hand. "I couldn't find any bread".

"My children have lost a lot of weight, the hunger wakes them up at night," she said, adding that she was considering returning to her home in Khan Yunis, despite it being the centre of fighting between Israel and Hamas.

"It's better to die at home as a martyr than to die of hunger," she said.

bur-sy/cgo/ezz/we/dcp/hkb
SAN DIEGO (Border Report)  Groups that search for missing people south of the border are criticizing Mexicos federal government for undercounting the number of people who have disappeared in Mexico.

Official statistics show 12,377 people are currently missing in Mexico, a figure that is way too low, according to Angelica Ramirez, who heads a Baja California search group called Colectivo Una Nacion Buscando.

We demand President Lopez Obrador be more transparent with this census and the way its done, said Ramirez. We are not against this census, we dont agree with the process they used to come up with the figure.

According to Ramirez, there are almost 18,000 missing people in Baja California alone.

Thats a number provided by the states attorney generals office, 4,000 more than two years ago when they said there were more than 14,000 missing people in Baja, she said. According to the national registry, its only a little more than 2,000.

Ramirez told reporters Thursday afternoon, that the attorney generals office refuses to send real figures to the federal government.

We need the real numbers to be sent to Mexico City, they keep hiding the real figures in Baja California, said Ramirez. The consequences of not sending the true numbers result in searches not being launched or not hiring enough personnel to help us look for the missing.

Ramirez stated budgets are set based on figures provided by the federal government.

They are hiring three people when we really need 20 to help us. On the national level, there are 50,000 bodies that have yet to be identified, although these are not included in the final count of people listed as disappeared.

Ramirez told reporters she and others are waiting for a public apology from Lopez Obradors cabinet while hoping he meets with them soon.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 5 San Diego.
A Grove City council member is charged with sex crimes against a 9-year-old girl.

According to NBC affiliate WFMJ, Shawn Myers, 49, was arraigned on Wednesday.

Police began their investigation based on a Pennsylvania Child Line System tip.

A relative of Myers babysat the victim multiple times, WFMJ reports. The victim told police that sometimes she would go into Myers office to see the aquarium.

Myers allegedly showed the victim a pornographic video before asking her to perform a sex act on him.

The alleged crimes happened between 2019 and February of this year.

Myers is scheduled to start his fourth Grove City Borough Council term in February 2024.

Borough manager Vance Oakes told WFMJ that Myers didnt attend Mondays council meeting. Oakes said if he fails to attend the meeting on Jan. 3 to be sworn in, he wont be able to take office for his next term.

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Gypsy Rose Blanchard, who is set to be released from prison, is seen here during the trial of her ex-boyfriend, Nicholas Godejohn, in Springfield, Mo., on Nov. 15, 2018. Credit - Nathan PapesThe Springfield News/AP

Gypsy Rose Blanchard pleaded guilty to the second-degree murder of her mother, Clauddine 'Dee Dee' Blanchard, in July 2016. She was sentenced to 10 years in prison, while her ex-boyfriend, Nicholas Godejohn, was convicted of first degree murder for carrying out the slaying, and received a life sentence. Now, after serving 85% of her sentence according to Missouri state law, Gypsy Rose is set to be released from prison on Dec. 28.

Gypsy Rose was the victim of Munchausen syndrome by proxy. Her mother Dee Dee had a mental health condition called Factitious disorder imposed on another, also known as Munchausen syndrome by proxy, which is when a caregiver repeatedly seeks medical attention for the false, exaggerated, or inflicted illness of another person.

The murder of Dee Dee, and her treatment of her daughter, captured interest around the world. The story inspired multiple documentaries, films, and a Hulu miniseries titled The Act, which saw Joey King portray Gypsy Rose and Patricia Arquette play Dee Dee. Gypsy Rose has done multiple interviews from prison. In one, she expressed dissatisfaction over the Hulu series about her life. Elsewhere, in an interview filmed for Dr. Phil in 2017, she said: I firmly believe that no matter what, murder is not OK, but at the same time I dont believe I deserve as many years as I got.

Gypsy Rose married Ryan Scott Anderson in June 2022. She is yet to reveal how they met. However, she has had multiple pen pals throughout her time in prison. Gypsy Rose already has plans for after she leaves prison. Penguin Random House is set to release an ebook on Jan. 9, 2024, titled Released: Conversations on the Eve of Freedom. The publishing house has said that Gypsy Rose can "finally" share her truth "with this exclusive collection of interview transcripts and journal entries, plus her own illustrations and photos."

Lets revisit the high-profile case.

What happened to Gypsy Rose Blanchard?

Dee Dee convinced both Gypsy Rose and the public that Gypsy Rose was extremely ill. She told doctors that her daughter was suffering from cancer, epilepsy, vision impairment, hearing impairment, muscular dystrophy, quadriplegia, and more. As a result, Gypsy Rose was forced to exclusively use a wheelchair, receive meals from a feeding tube, and had her head shaved so that she looked bald.

When Gypsy Rose tried to go against her mothers will by walking or insisting that she was not ill, her mother would punish her. In the meantime, donations the duo received out of sympathy for Gypsy Roses illnesses became a source of income for the family. When Gypsy Rose was believed to be seven years old, the duo received a house gifted to them by Habitat for Humanity.

Gypsy Roses age is widely discussed. It was a storyline in The Act because Dee Dee lied about Gypsy Roses age to multiple people, including Gypsy Rose herself, in order to further infantilize her. In truth, Gypsy Rose was born in 1991, but her mother falsified her birth certificate so that it said she was born in 1995.

Fast forward to 2012, when Gypsy Rose was around 21 years old, she first made contact with Nicholas Godejohn, then 23, on a Christian dating website. Over the next three years, the two would maintain contact. In June 2015, Godejohn visited Springfield, Missouri, with the intention of killing Dee Dee and running away with Gypsy Rose. Godejohn then went on to check into a motel until Gypsy Rose confirmed that Dee Dee was asleep. Then, Godejohn sneaked into her room and stabbed Dee Dee 17 times, killing her. Afterwards, Godejohn and Gypsy Rose had sex in Gypsys room.

On June 14, Godejohn and Gypsy Rose left Springfield and took a bus to Big Bend, Wisconsin, to hide from law enforcement. Godejohn also posted disturbing content from Dee Dees Facebook page, which alerted her friends and neighbors and led authorities to discover the body that same day. Investigators determined that Dee Dee had been murdered a few days before her body was found.

Contact us at letters@time.com.
Monday, Dec. 25

Screening of Fiddler on the Roof: Temple Beth Hatfiloh and Olympia Film Society present this showing of Norman Jewisons acclaimed film adaptation of the stage musical that tells the story of Tevye, a poor milkman whose love, pride and faith help him face the oppression of turn-of-the-century czarist Russia. Attendees are invited to come in costume. Temple Beth Hatfiloh will collect donated warm coats and blankets at the theater. The screening begins at 4 p.m. and tickets are available starting 30 minutes before. Ticket prices are $12 general admission and $9 for Olympia Film Society members.

Wednesday, Dec. 27

Swearing-in ceremony for Thurston County elected officials: Officials elected on Nov. 7 who have not been sworn in yet, including Olympia Mayor Dontae Payne, will take the oath at 2 p.m. Wednesday at the Minnaert Center for the Arts at South Puget Sound Community College in Olympia. Admission is free.

Welcome to Medicare Zoom presentation: This presentation starting at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday is an introduction to options for new Medicare beneficiaries. It covers Parts A and B, Medicare Advantage Plans, Part D Prescription Plans, Medicare Supplements and programs available to limited-income beneficiaries. To get a link to register, email jrich@southsoundseniors.org or call and leave a message at Senior Services SHIBA program at 360-586-6181 ext 134. A registration link will be sent to you.

Sunday, Dec. 31

Olympia Symphony Orchestra presents More John Williams Movie Music: Celebrate New Years Eve with the Olympia Symphony, which will perform MORE John Williams Movie Music! including from the Star Wars, Harry Potter, Jurassic Park and Indiana Jones movies. There will be two performances, at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m., in the Washington Center for the Performing Arts, 512 Washington St. SE., Olympia. Audience members are invited to dress as their favorite movie characters. Tickets range from $85 to $16. Following the 7 p.m. concert, the symphony will host a post-concert party  complete with door prizes, appetizers, noisemakers, dancing, and an Its Midnight Somewhere toast  in the Washington Centers Black Box. Tickets to the party are $45 and are sold separately from the concert; capacity is limited to 125 guests.

Hells Belles NYE Show: Hells Belles, the AC/DC tribute band, will perform a New Years Eve show at the Skookum Creek Event Center at Little Creek Casino Resort. Doors open at 7 p.m. for the 8 p.m. show. Must by 21 or older to attend. Tickets are $26.

Would you like to have your event included in our weekly Whats Happening listing? Email the details to news@theolympian.com at least 10 days before the event. Please put Whats Happening in the subject line.
Despite murmurings of a possible reconciliation at Sandringham, it appears that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will not be joining the royal family for their annual Christmas celebrations in Norfolk after all.

The late Queen Elizabeth II hosted every Christmas at the royal estate since 1998, with her son King Charles III expected to continue the same tradition in his first official year as monarch since the coronation in May.

Last month, it was reported the couple would not turn down an invite to spend Christmas at Sandringham if they were asked, amid rumours that a reunion between Harry and Charles could be on the horizon.

The speculation was prompted by details of a warm phone conversation between the father and son, after they spoke for the first time in six months on the occasion of Charless 75th birthday.

Both Harry and Meghan wished Charles a happy birthday during the phone call on 14 November, during which they also played the king a video of his two grandchildren. However, as of 19 November, the couple had reportedly not received any invites to Sandringham.

Instead, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will reportedly spend the holidays with their children  Prince Archie, four, and Princess Lilibet, two  at their mansion in Montecito, California, where the family currently resides.

The Sussexes will be joined by Meghans mother Doria Ragland and their friends, according to a report by Us Weekly. Theyll be cooking, playing games and swapping gifts, one source told the publication. They have a tough time trying not to spoil the kids too much.

Harry and Meghan pictured with son Archie who Harry says is the focus of his life alongside daughter Lilibet. Toby Melville/PA (PA Archive)

The last time Harry and Meghan joined the royal family for their celebrations was in 2018, when they were famously photographed alongside the Prince and Princess of Wales. This led to the two royal couples being dubbed the Fab Four.

Over the years, however, Harry and Meghans relationship with the royal family has become increasingly strained.

Since resigning as senior members of the Firm, the couple has publicly spoken about the difficulties they faced within the palace, including during a bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey.

This was followed by the release of their two-part Netflix docuseries Harry & Meghan, and the release of Harrys revealing memoir Spare in January this year.

Now, royal reporter Omid Scobies book Endgame, which reignited the palace race row that first erupted during Harry and Meghans conversation with Winfrey, appears to have widened the rift between the two sides of the family.

During the interview, Meghan sensationally claimed that there had been concerns within the palace about how dark Prince Archies skin might be before she gave birth to him.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex during their interview with Oprah Winfrey (Joe Pugliese/Harpo Productions/PA) (PA Media)

A rogue Dutch translation of Endgame identified King Charles and Princess Kate as the senior members who allegedly speculated about the young princes appearance. The error led to thousands of copies of the book being pulped in the Netherlands, before it was reprinted without the names.

In response, the palace is believed to be considering all available options, including taking legal action.

While they will not fly back to the UK this festive season, the Sussexes will likely keep to the Windsor family tradition of opening their presents on Christmas Eve.

Members of the royal family exchange gifts with each other at tea time on 24 December, instead of waiting until Christmas morning. This continues a German tradition introduced in the mid-19th century by Queen Victorias Bavarian-born husband King Albert.

In his memoir Spare, Harry described how his family spent their first Christmas Eve since relocating to the US in 2020.

He wrote: We took Archie to find a Christmas tree. A pop-up lot in Santa Barbara. We bought one of the biggest spruces they had. We brought it home, set it up in the living room. Magnificent. We stood back, admiring, counting our blessings. New home. Healthy boy.

It was Christmas Eve. We FaceTimed with several friends, including a few in Britain. We watched Archie running around the tree. And we opened presents. Keeping to the Windsor family tradition.

The Sussexes are also creating some of their own, new festive traditions, since stepping down as senior members of the royal family and relocating to the US.

Were creating new [traditions] now that our little ones are growing up, Meghan told E! News recently. And were enjoying every moment of it.

One of Meghans own favourite Christmas rituals is trimming and decorating the tree with Archie and Lilibet, she added.
Nestle is one of four brands with hot chocolate mixes that Consumer Reports says have high levels of metals. (Justin Sullivan / Getty Images)

Before you cozy up on the couch with a mug of your favorite hot chocolate, you might want to consider Consumer Report's latest list of powder mixes that contain high levels of metal.

Last year, Consumer Reports found that many chocolate bars, including Hershey's, Theo, Trader Joe's, Hu and Godiva, had dangerous amounts of lead and cadmium.

The magazine this year expanded its research to test six brands of hot chocolate mixes. The powder mixes that were found to have excessive amounts of lead and cadmium included Great Value Walmart milk chocolate flavor hot cocoa, Starbucks hot cocoa classic, Trader Joe's organic hot cocoa and Nestle rich milk chocolate flavor.

The review found that Swiss Miss milk chocolate flavor hot cocoa mix and Ghirardelli premium hot cocoa mix were safer to drink than the others.

Frequent exposure to lead and cadmium has been linked to immune system suppression, reproductive issues, kidney damage and hypertension, according to Brian Ronholm, director of food policy for Consumer Reports.

"If you consume [hot chocolate], you're not automatically going to experience these health impacts, but it certainly increases your risk of these types of maladies," he said.

It's particularly risky for pregnant women and young children, because the metals can cause developmental problems and negative neurological effects, Ronholm said.

Read more: This SoCal suburb hailed for its five keys to a long, healthy life. We explore the Blue Zone

What are metals doing in chocolate?

The soil from which cacao is harvested could contain cadmium, said Ronholm.

"So if the [cadmium] is in the soil already, it gets absorbed into the beans as they grow, and then it ends up in the product," he said.

Lead could get into the beans after harvest, potentially from dust and soil that lands on the beans as they dry outdoors, the report states.

Both metals were found in the cocoa solids, the component of the bean that, along with cocoa butter, makes up chocolate. Products containing a lot of cocoa solids, such as dark chocolate and cocoa powder, tend to be higher in heavy metals.

Last year's findings showed that dark chocolate tends to have higher levels of cacao  and thus metals  but other products contain it too, including cocoa powder and milk chocolate. Researchers conducted the test again this year and reached a similar conclusion.

"When we did those tests, we found those worrisome levels of lead and cadmium in the dark chocolate, and that acted as a springboard to do additional testing on chocolate products and expanding the scope of it to include milk chocolate, chocolate chip products and cocoa," Ronholm said.

If this is dangerous, why is it being sold?

Ronholm said there isn't a Food and Drug Administration maximum standard for lead or cadmium, or other types of heavy metals, in foods, but it's something the agency is working on.

The FDA recently identified actions in its Closer to Zero initiative intended to reduce exposure to contaminants such as arsenic, lead, calcium and mercury that can be consumed by children.

California's standard for maximum allowable dose levels are .5 micrograms per day for lead and 4.1 micrograms per day for cadmium.

Read more: You're not gross and sad for getting older. Here's how to think about aging instead

It should be noted that such metals are present in the environment and can get into food. For example, lead may be present where food is grown, raised or processed. The Consumer Reports study stated that metals can be found in sweet potatoes, spinach and carrots, so consumers should try to assess and control their intake.

In the meantime, when you're deciding which hot chocolate mix to buy, be warned that there isn't a label or ingredient indication that lead is in the product.

"Consumers shouldn't panic; they should still enjoy these products," Ronholm said "We all do, even those of us who work at Consumer Reports certainly enjoy those products."

He reminded hot chocolate lovers to enjoy the drink in moderation.

"So it's critically important for that population to make sure that they're limiting their intake and being very selective as to which products they choose to consume," Roholm said.





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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Heavy rain and snowfall are expected in some regions of Germany on Saturday after Storm Zoltan ravaged large parts of northern Europe just before Christmas.

The authorities are warning of major flooding in parts of the states of Lower Saxony, Hamburg, Saxony-Anhalt and Bavaria. Fresh snow is expected from the forests in the state of Thuringia to those in Bavaria at altitudes over 600-800 metres above sea level, according to the German Weather Service (DWD).

The DWD said heavy amounts of snow are expected in the central Ore Mountains in Saxony on Saturday, meaning there is a threat of trees falling and branches breaking off.

Slippery conditions due to slush are also possible from eastern Schleswig-Holstein and eastern Lower Saxony to western Poland.

As a result of the continuous rain, precipitation of 60 to 90 millimetres in 48-72 hours is expected in many places, according to the DWD. Storms with 90 to 120 millimetres are also forecast for some regions.

In the eastern low mountain ranges, the precipitation is expected to increasingly change to rain and thaw from Saturday evening.

On Friday, the low-pressure system Zoltan passed over Germany and caused considerable disruption to road and train travel. There were icy road accidents in Lower Saxony and the DWD is investigating a suspected tornado in Cologne.

There were fatalities caused by the storm in the Netherlands and Belgium. The severe storm surge peaked in Hamburg late on Friday morning.

German state-owned railway operator Deutsche Bahn is expecting trains to be very packed over the weekend due to the already heavy Christmas traffic, as well as travellers who had to postpone their journey to the weekend due to the storm.

High waves break at the North Sea ferry docks in Dagebuell. Axel Heimken/dpa
FILE PHOTO: Officers Jeremias Duque Jr. and Joe Castaneda were indefinitely suspended from SAPD in November. SAPD Facebook

A San Antonio police officer has been removed from the department after he allegedly grabbed a womans breast while intoxicated. A second officer also was let go in November, two years after being accused of theft.

Officer Jeremias Duque Jr. was indefinitely suspended  essentially fired  Nov. 30.

The suspension paperwork states Duque was drinking at a house in New Braunfels early on July 23 when witnesses said he placed his hand on the breast of the homeowners mother and asked if they were real. She later told a New Braunfels police officer he was a jerk and she was offended by the action.

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When someone else at the house confronted Duque, saying You cant just touch his mom like that, the suspension paperwork states Duque asked, What are you going to do about it?

Then, things got physical.

The man told police Duque swung at him and missed about five times. He said he hit Duque three or four times before the homeowner separated them.

Afterward, witnesses told police Duque punched and broke a window at the house and forced his way back inside. The homeowners wife said her husband tried to stop him, but Duque shoved him out of the way, ripping a curtain off the back door in the process.

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The responding New Braunfels police officer said Duque was too intoxicated to talk to, honestly. Her report states he had bloodshot eyes, trouble maintaining his balance and slurred speech.

Witnesses guessed Duque drank more than six beers, four to five Jell-O shots and two pickle shots.

It was just very disrespectful, the responding officer told a San Antonio police supervisor. I just want you to know that is absolutely, in no shape, way or form, how an officer should be acting outside of uniform.

Duque was taken to a hospital, where a security officer said he used profanity toward the staff and refused to follow hospital procedures. He described Duque as rude, irritated and agitated, according to the suspension documents.

Another on-duty NBPD officer assigned to the call stated that he wouldve arrested Officer Duque for public intoxication if he hadnt been transported to the hospital, documents state.

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Duque was listed as a suspect for indecent assault and criminal mischief by New Braunfels police.

Also in November, officer Joe Castaneda was officially let go two years after being accused of theft between $2,500 to $30,000. The alleged theft happened July 7, 2021, but he wasnt indicted by a grand jury until August.

Documents state Castaneda responded to a shooting in progress at a hotel in July 2021. He and another officer detained a man, and Castanedas body camera shows him handling more than $200 taken from the man.
Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Bakersfield), the former speaker of the House, will exit Congress in a matter of days, leaving behind a lack of clarity about who will represent his Central Valley district. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)

For the record:

5:22 p.m. Dec. 23, 2023: A previous version of this article said that aside from Assemblyman Vince Fong, only one candidate in the House race has held elected office. Two candidates have: Tulare County Sheriff Mike Boudreaux, and California City Mayor Kelly Kulikoff.



Months after a humiliating vote by his own party to oust him as speaker of the House, longtime GOP Rep. Kevin McCarthy is days away from exiting Congress on Dec. 31, leaving confusion over who is eligible to run for his seat in a conservative Central Valley district.

A dozen people have jumped into the race, but McCarthy's chosen Republican successor was barred from the ballot and on Friday sued the California secretary of state in an attempt to reverse the decision. Giddy Democrats are sending out fundraising emails saying McCarthy's protege will "be mired in legal challenges for weeks." Bakersfield locals are grumbling about the chaos. Political professionals are aghast at the mess.

It's hardly the succession plan expected for McCarthy, who built his power over two decades as a masterful tactician of electoral politics who helped Republicans win control of the House in the pivotal 2010 election and again in 2022.

McCarthy climbed the ranks by recruiting candidates, studying political maps and raising money. When conservative commentator Fred Barnes predicted in 2010 that McCarthy would become speaker some day, he wrote, "He'll be fixated on how to win more elections, more often."

But after McCarthy announced his retirement in early December, his allies in Bakersfield popped a series of surprises.

First, McCarthy's former staff member, Republican Assemblyman Vince Fong, said he would not run for Congress and instead would seek reelection to his Bakersfield seat in the state Assembly. Fong's announcement cleared the way for another McCarthy ally, GOP state Sen. Shannon Grove, to enter the race  but then she too said she wouldn't run. Fong then changed his mind and filed to run, only to be barred from the ballot by California Secretary of State Shirley Weber, a Democrat, who said state law prohibits candidates from running for two offices in one election.

"It would be important to Kevin that succession for that seat remain in the political family," said Rob Stutzman, a Republican strategist who knows Fong but is not working for his campaign.

The chaos was eye-opening for constituents in the 20th Congressional District, who have become accustomed to having powerful, longtime members of Congress protecting the interests of the heavily agricultural San Joaquin Valley. The March 5 primary will be the district's first election without an incumbent candidate since 2006, and only the second since 1978.

"This is a conservative district, so voters are going to look for somebody who is focused on representing the area the way Kevin has," said Jim Brulte, the former chair of the California Republican Party. "The people in this district have had consistent leadership, and they're going to look for more of the same."

Read more: McCarthys constituents dont blame him, but worry about losing their voice in Congress

McCarthy's exit from the race has thrown open the floodgates to nearly a dozen candidates. The district, the most conservative in California, is almost certain to elect a Republican.

Republicans in the race include Tulare County Sheriff Mike Boudreaux; David Giglio, a far-right, self-described "America First" candidate who has been critical of McCarthy; Matt Stoll, a former fighter pilot who operates a landscaping business and has run for Congress twice before; and Kyle Kirkland, the owner of Fresno's only card room.



The most prominent Democrat in the race is Bakersfield teacher Marisa Wood, who raised more than $1 million in her unsuccessful run against McCarthy in 2022.

The biggest question is whether Fong, who was endorsed by McCarthy the day after he entered the race, will even appear on the ballot.

Fong, born and raised in Bakersfield, began his career working for McCarthys predecessor, then-Rep. Bill Thomas, before spending nearly a decade as McCarthys district director. Fong was elected to the state Assembly in 2016.

Its a path that mirrors that of McCarthy, who began his political career in Thomas office, then served four years in the state Assembly before running for Congress.

After McCarthy announced that he would retire, election officials extended the filing period for the 20th Congressional District seat by five days. Fong entered the congressional race during the extension period and was sworn in as a candidate by the Kern County elections division, prompting complaints from other candidates who said Fong had already qualified to run for reelection to the state Assembly.

Days later, Weber's office said that Fong's congressional paperwork was "improperly submitted," and he would "not appear on the list of certified candidates for Congressional District 20."

Said one political consultant who asked for anonymity in order to speak frankly: "How the hell does that even happen?"

Read more: California elections officials say Assemblymember Vince Fong can't run for Congress in Bakersfield

In a 13-page petition filed Friday in Sacramento County Superior Court, Fong said that Weber's decision was based on an outdated law, which reads: "No person may file nomination papers for a party nomination and an independent nomination for the same office, or for more than one office at the same election."

Fong argued that the law has not been applicable since 2010, when California voters revamped the states primary system, scrapping party nominations in favor of a system in which the top two vote-getters advance to the general election, regardless of party affiliation.

Fong also said that Weber's decision to bar him from the congressional ballot is an "attempted unilateral expansion of her powers," which should be limited to receiving and filing the list of candidates collected by California's county election officials. Adding an extra qualification for candidates  that only those who have not filed for another office may run  is a violation of the Constitution, his lawyers argue.

Newspaper columnist Robert Price put the blame for the kerfuffle squarely at McCarthy's feet, writing for the Bakersfield Californian that the congressman's retirement announcement will not only leave the district temporarily without representation in Washington but has created "chaos in the succession process  chaos likely to give an advantage to a Democrat or a far-right Republican not based in Bakersfield."

"It would have been nice if McCarthy had first huddled with other Republican elected officials," Price wrote, so that Fong and Grove would have "enough time to figure out what was best for themselves and their districts. That seems not to have happened, or happened sufficiently well."

McCarthy, left, then the California Assembly minority leader, and Jim Brulte, then the state Senate minority leader, in 2004. (Steve Yeater / Associated Press )

Brulte said he and McCarthy spoke in mid-December about what McCarthy planned to do after leaving Washington. McCarthy helped deliver the House majority to the Republican Party in 2010 and again in 2022 by raising millions of dollars and helping to pick diverse candidates who were good fits for their districts. That, Brulte said, will continue to be McCarthy's priority.

"He knows a Republican is going to carry his district," Brulte said. "He's more interested in recruiting good candidates. He's much more focused on helping Republicans keep the congressional majority than he is focused on his own district."

After McCarthy leaves office, Gov. Gavin Newsom will have 14 days to set the date of a primary for a special election to temporarily fill the 20th District seat until January 2025.

Scheduling special elections concurrently with regularly scheduled elections can save hundreds of thousands of dollars in administration costs. California's primary election is March 5, and ballots will be mailed to voters in the first week of February.

Still unclear is whether the elections officials in the four counties that comprise the 20th Congressional District  Fresno, Kern, Kings and Tulare  would have enough time to certify candidates for a special election, update the ballots to reflect the new race and print them in time to meet that deadline.

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.
"Pages of history" features excerpts from The News Journal archives including the Wilmington Morning News and the Evening Journal.

Dec. 26, 1914, The Evening Journal

Needy of city are made happy on Christmas Day

Wilmington was happy yesterday. Christmas Day found all with light hearts, and holiday joy reigned supreme.

The big public celebration came at 9 oclock when the hearts of 1,400 poor children were gladdened with gifts from the City Hall tree. Each child received a bag of candy, nuts and a pair of stockings. To cap the climax, the kiddies, many of whom had no Christmas trees at their own homes, had a peep at the handsomest and largest Christmas tree in the city.

Big, strong policemen, who are accustomed to scenes of misery and suffering, demonstrated they had soft hearts when they played the roles of Santa Claus in the practical sense of the word, and not one child was allowed to leave the courtroom without a present.

Front page of The Evening Journal from Dec. 26, 1914.

More than 300 Christmas baskets, each containing a five-pound chicken, half pound of coffee, celery, sugar, bread, potatoes, cabbage, onions, canned goods, fruit and the like were distributed to poor families yesterday morning by Captain and Mrs. Louis Boss, local officers in charge of the Volunteers of America.

More than 200 children were made happy when they received gifts and enjoyed a Christmas tree at the Salvation Army barracks, No. 102 East Fourth Street.

Wilmington Lodge of Elks played Santa to 268 needy families yesterday morning. The gifts consisted of hams, meats, vegetables and groceries and were distributed house to house by the Elks themselves. Many suffering families were benefitted by the charity.

Also from Dec. 26, 1914, The Evening Journal

Christmas Day coldest in years

Snow, which blanketed Wilmington and surrounding territory, added much to the spirit of Christmas. Kris Kringle brought along a little friend in the person of Mr. J. Frost, and judging from the slipping of the mercury in thermometers, young Mr. Frost frolicked the entire day.

Snow covered the streets in such depths as to permit sleighing in several parts of the city, and the jingle of bells was heard late in the afternoon and early in the evening.

Last night the mercury dropped to 8 degrees. It was the coldest night of the year.

At 8 oclock this morning the temperature was 9. At noon the reading was 20 degrees. While slightly warmer than yesterday, the day is cold enough to call for real winter clothing.

Dec. 28, 1968, Evening Journal

Spacemen return safely after orbiting moon

The Apollo 8 astronauts continue physical debriefings aboard the USS Yorktown today before flying to the United States and a belated Christmas with their families.

Theyre in great shape, reported Dr. Clarence A. Jernigan, a space agency physician aboard the carrier.

Front page of the Evening Journal from Dec. 28, 1968.

He said Air Force Col. Frank Borman, Navy Capt. James A. Lovell Jr. and Air Force Maj. William A. Anders seemed to be in better condition than many astronauts who returned from Earth orbital missionsfollowing their pinpoint splashdown in the Pacific Ocean yesterday.

After a late Christmas celebration, the astronauts will begin nine days of intensive debriefings in which experts will question them about all aspects of the flight, from the performance of the Saturn 5 rocket that fired them away from Earth, to their views of the lunar surface and the performance of their spaceship.

But preliminary analysis of what they saw and learned has strengthened Americas desire to land men on the moon next year.

Catch up on history: Hawaii new state, Paris liberated in WWII: News Journal archives, week of Aug. 20

Dec. 29, 1973, The Morning News

GM to halve Boxwood workforce

More than 2,000 workers at General Motors Boxwood Road assembly plant at Prices Corner will be laid off indefinitely beginning Jan. 7, the company said yesterday.

Front page of The Morning News from Dec. 29, 1973.

Union leaders said employees with as much as seven years seniority could be affected.

The cutback, which will put half the plants production workers out of a job, is part of a series of actions GM said it is taking because of the shift in demand from large cars to smaller models.

Recent automobile news: Your questions, answered: What you need to know about state's new electric vehicle mandate

Dec. 30, 1982, The Morning News

Limestone Hills restriction may be lifted to allow 704 homes

New Castle County Council is on the verge of tripling the number of housing units that could be built in Limestone Hills, in the heart of a residential area notorious for traffic congestion.

If the additional units are built, traffic problems would worsen along Limestone, Stoney Batter and Curtis Mill roads, according to a study done for the developer.

Front page of The Morning News, Dec. 30, 1982

Vincent J. DiSabatino Development Co. has asked the county to lift deed restrictions now limiting construction in the Limestone Hills subdivision to 250 residential units. The change would permit the developer to build 704 units immediately.

The restriction was imposed at the request of the state Division of Highways, but the division asked the county to remove the limit after the study was done.

John S. Riley, the newly elected councilman who will represent the area starting next month, said, It was a little strange to have the state and the developer enter into this particular deal and not involve the county.

The county imposed the restrictions in September 1981 at the request of the state Division of Highways. Highway planners regard the area as one of the worst traffic problems in the state.

Reach reporter Ben Mace at rmace@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Astronauts orbit moon, GM cuts jobs: News Journal archives, Dec. 24
OKLAHOMA (KFOR)  We are now in whats said to be the most wonderful and joyous time of the year! But the truth is, for many, its the exact opposite.

In Oklahoma, there is help available for those experiencing a blue Christmas.

Hollywood actors film 988 Super Bowl ad in OKC

Oklahoma Mental Health and Substance Abuse services say they see a notable increase in people experiencing depression and anxiety around the holiday season. They say its not uncommon and theres always help available.

Id say this time of year we do see a lot more seasonal depression. You know, in the summertime when people are outside of their routine, we do see some more suicide. But across the State as a whole, you have to check in repeatedly, said Bonnie Campo, Sr. Director of Public Relations of Oklahoma Mental Health Substance and Abuse Services.

Bonnie Campo with Oklahoma Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services said many people may feel more anxiety or depression because they feel lonely, so celebrating the holiday could be tough. Or maybe it is the first Christmas without a loved one who has passed this year.

Whenever we ask ourselves, how of my life from year ago, you know, if you did lose a loved one and youre going through grief and maybe theyre not around, thats a new feeling. You know, youre going through something for the first time without them, said Campo.

COVID hospitalizations, RSV and flu cases on the rise in Oklahoma, expected to get worse

Also, as respiratory illnesses spread, families may decide to isolate this year with RSV, COVID and flu cases on the rise across the State. That also could make many feel lonely.

Were still not that far removed from the pandemic as well. And so, people change their holiday traditions coming out of some of that. And with flu and other things, we monitor that sickness, and we all start wondering, should we get together and whats going on, said Campo.

Even the financial stress of holiday gifts can play a part in having more anxiety and depression this time of year.

The Oklahoma Mental Health Hotline, 988, is still seeing over 5,000 calls per month. Campo said that number only continues throughout the month of December.

One in five Oklahomans is struggling with mental health, you know, throughout the year, those numbers dont change just because its at Christmas. It just might come out more, said Campo.

Church preparing to deliver dozens of hot Christmas dinners to elderly Oklahomans

Oklahoma mental health experts are stressing to check in on your neighbors this season who may be experiencing the holiday blues.

One way you can do that is by picking up a holiday postcard at Curbside Flowers in Oklahoma City. They include hope and support filled messages you can share with family, friends or even strangers who may not feel so merry and bright this year.

They can get some of those postcards, you know, the holiday cards to send to their loved ones. As just a reminder, check in. If you dont want to make that phone call. But I encourage you to, even if its hard Were trying to create those constant reminders of youre not alone. Other people feel this way. And even if were not talking about it, those are the conversations we actually need to have, said Campo.

If you are unable to pick up a postcard in person, there is also a digital version available online.

Oklahoma Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services stress you to reach out to someone if you need help. You can also call 988 for help or resources. You are not alone.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KFOR.com Oklahoma City.
Bria Smith, owner of the Black woman-owned brand Her Candle Bar, provides an outlet for creativity and self-care for those looking to improve their everyday lives.

We could pour back into the community where we live every single day, Smith told WCNC Charlotte.

Smith, a New York native, referred to the Carolinas as her home after living there for years. However, she returned to her hometown during the pandemic after her uncles death. That stressful moment in her life was when she created the Her Candle Bar brand.

I needed to start something that kind of just tickled me differently and helped me to relax, and so we started making candles, Smith said. This really kind of helped me not think about everything that was going on and really just pour into something that relaxed me and create my own self-care.

Smith opened her shop in downtown Concord, North Carolina, at the end of November. WCNC reported that the area is considered one of the best cities in the state to start a business.

Smith also cited Retail Lab as a tool she used to help launch her business. The program provides small-business owners with the tools they need to succeed.

The program serves early-stage and pre-launch retail business owners in Cabarrus and Rowan Counties by providing an application-based, six-week immersive Boot Camp that focuses on these main topics: Business Basics, Strategy, Branding and Marketing, E-commerce, Point-of-Sale and Inventory, and Real Estate/Licensing, according to the website.

Smith said economic investment throughout the city is something she has witnessed since becoming a business owner. Now, Smith offers various candles and other self-care items for everyone to enjoy. She also provides classes for those looking to make their own products.

This was transitioning from an in-home business, Smith said. It went from something fun you just did for yourself and your self-care to like, OK, we want to wrap a model around this. And we want to offer this to other folks.
How to make the holidays about giving, not getting

It all had the makings of a classic Christmas crisis: Neal Gorenflo was in his mid-40s living in Northern California, building his start-up nonprofit organization, and he was overworked, stressed out and fed up with the materialism  and massive expense of the holiday season.

He wanted to explode in frustration, he said.

At the same time, he was getting more "civically involved in his community" and he started thinking about how this time of the year could be more of an opportunity for families to think about how to give back.

After speaking with his then-girlfriend, now wife, an admittedly self-righteous Gorenflo blasted out an email to his family who live spread across the country "bashing Christmas and the gift giving," and asking to stop giving presents and instead give to charity.

The response wasn't positive, he said. His family felt he had attacked a "cherished institution," and "it was hard to stop presents coming to children."

But after further conversation with his father, a retired Navy captain, the Gorenflo family decided to email each other about causes they are passionate about and then each family member could decide to donate. One condition was granted  they could still give presents to the children.

The family called these requests a "donation exchange" and every year during the holiday season they send requests to their immediate and extended family.

"You don't have to be a millionaire"

The Gorenflos join the rising group  two out of three Americans  who plan to give back this holiday season. Spending has shot up in recent years with the regular shopper spending an average of $975  a $100 jump from last year  on gifts this season, according to a 2023 survey by Gallup. The largest increase in holiday shopping was among middle-income families and young people.

A recent survey by Fidelity Charitable found that 54% of parents said that starting a family increased the priority of giving in their lives, with 82% of those parents saying that children had an influential impact on the types or numbers of organizations they support.

"You don't have to be a millionaire to support the causes you care about," Amy Pirozzolo, head of donor engagement at Fidelity Charitable, told CBS News.

She recommends that families use the holiday season to take some simple steps towards giving, including volunteering as a family, talk about interesting service projects or ideas, or give together.

It's important that families discuss charitable giving together, and see it as important within their lives, she said. One offshoot of this conversation, Pirozzolo said, is that her office has seen the next generation of philanthropists moving from "charitable giving to charitable living."

"Leading with compassion"

This idea appeals to Dr. James Doty, a professor of neurosurgery at Stanford University and founder and director of the Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education.

As spending increases, people are feeling more isolated and stressed than ever before. A 2021 survey found that 3 in 5, or 61%, of adult U.S. workers reported being lonely, up more than five-fold from 2018. An earlier survey found that shopping and more "material wealth" often leads to loneliness and isolation.

Doty, who grew up in extreme poverty, told CBS News thinking with compassion and giving to others often brings people the most happiness  more so than material items. "Not everyone will live in a big mansion or drive a Ferrari or Porsche," he said.

And striving towards success as a measure of success can create more unhappiness. Doty said he learned through his life experiences and research that "true satisfaction" comes through service and purpose.

He recommends that families "model their actions," as often children follow their parents' worldview. Doty said if children are exposed early to the idea of giving, they're more likely to give as well.

Doty said that what's given doesn't have to be money and there are plenty of things people can do for free that show charitable intentions, including the "act of being kind."

"Simply being kind to others is a very powerful thing," said Doty.

Keeping the tradition going

Gorenflo said he "learned more about my family" in the close to 20 years since they started the donation chain than he previously had known. He said he found out about passions that drive his two brothers, his parents, cousins and other extended family. The giving, Gorenflo, now 60, said, brought them closer together.

One year, Gorenflo donated money to his youngest brother's neighbor, who had two kids with muscular dystrophy. Through his oldest brother, a retired Navy commander, he learned more about the Navy by donating to the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society.

The family also donated to an old neighbor who was struggling after Hurricane Katrina.

Gorenflo also said his family has learned more about him and his work in the not-for-profit sector as the former CEO of Shareable, which encourages citizens to share resources.

Together, he estimated his family has raised more than $10,000 for charities.

He said in 2023, his goal is to encourage his 13-year-old son to pick a charity. Gorenflo asked his son what kind of causes he's interested in. And he answered immediately with one word  food. An aspiring chef, his son said he wants to feed hungry people.

Together, the father and son picked a charity. His request will go out in the 2023 donation exchange.

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Like many Americans, Santia Nance plans to celebrate Christmas with her loved ones.

Doing so will be more challenging for Nance: Her fiance is incarcerated in a Virginia prison and she said it's been more difficult to visit since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Nance, a co-founder of Sistas in Prison Reform, which advocates for free prison communication and criminal justice reform, said she and her son weren't able to see her fiance on Thanksgiving this year. She's worried she could be turned away on Christmas, too.

"For the past four Christmases while he's been incarcerated, it's definitely [been] a difficult time and can get expensive, and to try to travel there to see him can be expensive and time consuming," said Nance. "But obviously during the holiday season, you want to be there as much as possible and try to get in as many phone calls or video visits as possible, but obviously that can definitely add up."

Nance is one of the many family members and friends of the more than 1.2 million people who are incarcerated in the United States who spend hundreds of dollars each month and navigate a confusing system of increasing restrictions to visit, communicate with and support their loved ones.

Though many organizations work to help people in prisons connect with the outside world during the holiday season, people who were incarcerated  or have loved ones who are  told USA TODAY this time of year can be particularly difficult for their mental health.

"The holidays are a horrible time for all of us, for those who are incarcerated and also for the family members, because it's like you grieve," said Sharon McKinney, executive director of the Texas Inmate Families Association.

An inmate talks on the phone in the men's mental health unit at the Oklahoma County Jail on Friday, Aug. 7, 2015, in Oklahoma City, Okla.

Visiting can be even more difficult during the holidays

Research has shown regular contact with family members improves the mental health of incarcerated people and their family members, makes facilities safer and reduces the likelihood people will reoffend when they leave prison, according to Kirstin Cornnell, family and community support director at the Pennsylvania Prison Society. A 2011 study from the Minnesota Department of Corrections, for example, found a reduction in inmates reoffending when staff allowed increased visits and contact with family members.

Despite the reported benefits, Cornnell said when visiting resumed in Pennsylvania prisons after a pause during the onset of the pandemic, new barriers were in place, including fewer and shorter in-person visiting slots, registration required in advance and reduced transportation services to prisons, which can be several hours away from major cities. Cornnell said her organization still fields dozens of calls each week from families struggling to navigate the system, calling it a "lottery that's really hard to win, essentially."

"People are really struggling to be able to see their loved ones, but it's even harder on the holidays because that's when everybody is trying to see their loved one and time is limited," she said.

In-person visits fell from more than 200,000 in 2018 and 2019 to around 86,000 in 2021 and about 90,000 in 2022, according to Maria A. Bivens, press secretary for the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections. Bivens disputed Cornnell's characterization of the changes to visitation, saying the pre-scheduling system allows for better planning and ensures loved ones get their visit. She added that free "video visits" have become "unquestionably popular" and allowed the department to "facilitate significantly more visits than prior to the pandemic."

In Texas, the state's Department of Criminal Justice had to suspend visitation on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays due to persistent staffing issues, according to Amanda Hernandez, the department's director of communications.

McKinney, of the Texas Inmate Families Association, said visitation spots fill up quickly and may be even more challenging to schedule during the holiday season.

"I have seen people on our Facebook page go for months without being able to get a visitation spot," she said.

She added video visits are not comparable to seeing loved ones in person.

"You don't have that human interaction," she said. "You don't have that touch."

Cells are shown in a wing at the State Correctional Institution at Camp Hill, Pennsylvania on Friday, Jan. 13, 2017.

Despite progress, cost of phone calls is still 'egregious'

About a decade ago, phone calls to prisons and jails frequently cost more than $1 a minute, according to Wanda Bertram, communications strategist for nonprofit criminal justice research organization Prison Policy Initiative. The costs rose because private telecommunications companies monopolized the industry, and prison officials would often contract with them based on the commission payments companies offered them, Bertram said.

After years of advocacy work, Bertram said the Federal Communications Commission, state legislatures and utilities boards have stepped in to better regulate costs.

In 2020, the Federal Bureau of Prisons began offering inmates about 500 minutes of phone calls for free. States including Connecticut, California, Colorado, Minnesota and Massachusetts have also since made phone calls free, according to Bianca Tylek, executive director of the criminal justice advocacy group Worth Rises.

A Federal Bureau of Prisons truck drives past the Federal Medical Center prison in Fort Worth, Texas.

Tylek said about a dozen more states are considering legislation that would make phone calls free, and legislation signed by President Joe Biden in January gave the FCC more authority to limit fees on audio and video calls inside corrections facilities.

Still, Tylek said families are "spending egregious amounts of money to simply communicate with their loved ones." A 2015 survey by the Ella Baker Center found 34% of family members of incarcerated people reported going into debt to pay for phone calls and visitations.

Just how much a phone call costs can vary widely depending on the location. A 15-minute phone call from an Oklahoma state prison would cost about $2.10, while the same call would cost 15 cents in Illinois, according to a 2022 report from the Prison Policy Initiative.

The cost of other forms of communication can quickly add up. Denise Rock, executive director of prisoner advocacy group Florida Cares said sending an electronic message or photo costs 39 cents. Videos cost $1.60 in Florida. A 15-minute video visits costs $2.95, according to the Florida Department of Corrections.

"It really does take advantage of people who have a loved one incarcerated and we don't say too often, but really the people that have a loved one incarcerated, they're silent victims," Rock said.

'Rampant problems' with restrictions on mail

Meanwhile, Bertram said prisons are also increasing a number of restrictions on physical mail in what officials say is an attempt to reduce contraband. Last December, the Prison Policy Initiative found at least 14 state prison systems have begun scanning mail in recent years, a number the group says is likely an undercount.

Bertram estimated thousands of incarcerated people will not be able to get original copies of their holiday cards this year. Instead, she said they will receive a photocopy or have to view a scan on a tablet.

There have been "rampant problems" with the quality of scanned mail around the country, including letters being cut off and messages becoming illegible, according to Jesse Lerner-Kinglake, communications director for Just Detention International.

"During the holidays, it really comes to the fore just the pointlessness and the cruelty of these sorts of policies," he said.

How you can help inmates and their families this holiday season

Despite the increasing challenges, advocacy groups like Just Detention International have been working to help people in prison stay connected to the outside world during the holiday season. Each year, Lerner-Kinglake's organization sends holiday messages to incarcerated people who have experienced sexual abuse. Lerner-Kinglake said those wishing to participate this year can send a message online or have blank cards sent to them. Last year, the group sent more 28,000 cards to facilities nationwide, he said.

Johanna Mills, who became a program associate at Just Detention International after being released from prison in 2019, said the cards were a crucial lifeline for her when she was incarcerated.

"Receiving cards from people who support us and from JDI was such a gift. It's like receiving things from family," said Mills. "It got me through the holidays and definitely gave me the strength for yet another day of fighting for my freedom and for safety."

Incarcerated parents around the country can also select gifts for their children through Prison Fellowship's Angel Tree Christmas program. The group partners with local churches, which purchase and deliver the gifts, according to Michelle Payette, the program's leader. Payette said more than 250,000 children will receive a gift through the program this year.

Payette said when she was incarcerated more than a decade ago in a New York prison, participating in the Angel Tree Christmas program "completely transformed" her life. She said her son still has a Yankees fleece blanket she picked out for him one year.

"He actually received a better gift than my present that year because he was able to see that people can make mistakes and they can recover from them and that good can come out of every bad situation if we allow it," she said. "We broke some cycles of family dysfunction in my life thanks to Prison Fellowship Program and other volunteers coming in other organizations."

Contributing: The Associated Press

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Holidays can be 'horrible' for families with incarcerated loved ones
SAN FRANCISCO (KRON)  A man facing felony assault and battery charges against a former San Francisco fire commissioner has been found not guilty on all counts, the San Francisco District Attorneys Office confirmed Friday.

The altercation happened on April 5 in San Franciscos Marina District.

Pacifica domestic stabbing victim identified

Garret Doty, 25, was seen on video swinging a metal rod at the former commissioner, Don Carmignani. Additional surveillance footage later allegedly showed Carmignani attack Doty with bear spray before Doty fought back with the pipe.

From the beginning, it was clear to me that Mr. Doty was acting in self defense against Mr. Carmignani, who not only had the audacity to attack Mr. Doty with bear spray and then threatened to stab and kill Mr. Doty, but also presented himself as unwilling to back down from a fight that he had started, said Deputy Public Defender Kleigh Hathaway. Self-defense can be fierce because the brain goes into survival mode, and that fear response is sadly heightened for unhoused people, like Mr. Doty, who live in constant exposure.

Hathaway argued that Doty was afraid for his life and had no phone to call police. Eleven witnesses testified, and jurors watched surveillance footage of the altercation.

Per the public defenders office, Carmignani threatened to kill Doty if he didnt move his belongings from where they sat. He allegedly retrieved the rod and used it on Carmignani after he was sprayed again.

KRON ON is streaming news live now

A police investigators report of the case included information about eight other pepper spray attacks on homeless people in the Marina District. Carmignani did not testify in Dotys trial and pled the Fifth Amendment when questioned about his use of pepper spray in the preliminary hearing.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRON4.
PANAMA CITY  Bay County Sheriff Tommy Ford says it's an honor to be recognized by Gov. Ron DeSantis.

In a press release on Wednesday, DeSantis' office announced the governor had reappointed Ford to the State Council for Interstate Adult Offender Supervision, an organization that oversees the transfer of people on probation between states.

Ford has served on the council for about three years.

In a press release on Wednesday, Gov. Ron DeSantis' office announced the governor had reappointed Bay County Sheriff Tommy Ford to the State Council for Interstate Adult Offender Supervision.

"The governor is the chief executive officer of the state, (so him) selecting me for anything is an honor," he said. "There's 67 sheriffs (in Florida), and many of them serve on many important commissions. I appreciate the opportunity to do it, but also appreciate the fact that the legislature, when creating these bodies to make decisions that affect us here locally, include the input of sheriffs and other elected officials."

This is one of a few state positions held by Ford, who has been sheriff of Bay County since 2016.

He also is chairman of the Criminal Justice Standards and Training Commission, which sets training standards for law enforcement and correctional officers across the state; and co-chairman of the Northwest Florida Regional Domestic Security Task Force, which coordinates help to sheriff's offices during emergencies.

In addition to these roles, Ford is a member of the Gulf Coast Children's Advocacy Center board of directors.

More on Sheriff Ford: 'An honor': Bay Sheriff Tommy Ford wins LeRoy Collins Lifetime Achievement Award

About a month ago, Ford was announced as the winner of the 2023 LeRoy Collins Lifetime Achievement Award. He was nominated by Gulf Coast State College. The award, presented by the Association of Florida Colleges, is given to those who have attended a state college and make exceptional impacts at the local, state and national levels.

"I think one of my jobs is to represent Bay County at a state level on public safety issues," Ford said. "It's important to be involved and use my experience (and the) issues that we face in Bay County to help influence statewide policies, statewide legislation (and) statewide preparedness.

"I think I've been able to lend my experience to that, (and) I think it's also been very beneficial to operations at the sheriff's office."

This article originally appeared on The News Herald: Bay County Sheriff Tommy Ford reappointed to state council
A bellman at the Roosevelt Hotel checks on Liam, 10, from Ecuador, on Nov. 28, as the boy shielded himself from the cold. Nancy M. Preyor-Johnson/STAFF Venezuelan immigrants Jhonathan Daniel Nieves Camejo, 23, his wife Marluy del Carmen Blanco de Nieves, 33, and their 2-year-old son, Jonathan Daniel Nieves Blanco, wait for processing at the Roosevelt Hotel immigrant intake center on Nov. 28 in midtown Manhattan. Nancy M. Preyor-Johnson/San Antonio Express-News staff The Roosevelt Hotel immigrant intake center on Nov. 28 in midtown Manhattan has processed more than 45,000 immigrants since May 2023. Nancy M. Preyor-Johnson/San Antonio Express-News staff

NEW YORK  It's 36 degrees outside in November, and a boy is alone in a too-small stroller, using a Marvin the Martian backpack to shield his face from the cold. Hes just beyond the revolving door of midtown Manhattans former Roosevelt Hotel, an immigrant intake center since May known as New Yorks new Ellis Island.

Several minutes pass. Too many in this cold. A hotel bellman asks the 10-year-old from Ecuador if hes OK. The boys name is Liam. Hes waiting for his mothers friend, who went inside to gather food. Sitting alone in bustling, frigid, midtown Manhattan, Liam is safer than he was in Ecuador.

Ricas hallacas! Ricas hallacas! hawks another immigrant selling Venezuelan tamales.

We traveled to New York City in November for multiple reasons. Its one of the cities Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has targeted with his busing program. Its also a city where attitudes toward asylum-seekers have been shifting, in part due to Abbotts busing of immigrants. Having spent significant time in Eagle Pass on the Texas-Mexico border over the last two years, we wanted to see this part of an asylum-seekers journey.

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The border is the crossing. New York City is a chance for a new home, a new life. We hoped to answer the question: Are asylum-seekers welcome in America? In Texas, theyre greeted with razor wire and orange buoys. Are they still welcome in New York City and other American cities?

A worried bellman at the Roosevelt Hotel checks on Liam, 10, from Ecuador, on Nov. 28. Sitting alone in bustling, frigid, midtown Manhattan, Liam is safer than he was in Ecuador. Ricas hallacas! Ricas hallacas! hawks another immigrant selling Venezuelan tamales. New York is one of the cities Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has targeted with his busing program. Nancy M Preyor Johnson

The simple answer is, Americans are feeling less hospitable. The more complicated answer is, immigrants are caught in our nations vexing, political discord over immigration. In a world of political posturing, razor wire and immigration surges, comprehensive immigration reform has never felt further away, yet more necessary. Especially as the 2024 presidential election looms.

The asylum-seeker crisis, the No. 1 issue for New York City, according to New York City Mayor Eric Adams, is just not sustainable.

Reshaping the debate

For years now, Abbott has used immigrants as political pawns, but he ratcheted up his policies and rhetoric in 2023.

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Politically, its a winner. Abbotts actions are wildly popular with Texas Republicans who blame the federal government for failing to address the flow of immigrants at the Texas-Mexico border. His busing program targets Democratic-led big cities. Supporters would say he has exposed Democrats as hypocrites. He has certainly helped reshape the immigration discussion into one that focuses heavily on deterrence and security, presenting asylum-seekers as burdens and draining municipal resources. There is no doubt sentiments have shifted.

Department of Public Safety troopers stand guard over immigrants in a detention area on Dec. 19 in Eagle Pass. The border community has been overwhelmed, but is a response solely focused on deterrence the answer? William Luther

During a news conference at New York City Hall on Nov. 28, Anne Williams-Isom, a deputy mayor, said federal funding for the city as it grapples with a surge in immigrants is inadequate. But the biggest problem? Abbott.

When we have Gov. Abbott sending out a tweet saying that hes going to send thousands of migrants to cities, she said, that cant be appropriate. That cant be OK.

Border politics is often reduced to sound bites  think of the dehumanizing word invasion  the complicated realities of immigration, security, root causes and economic forces.

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On the surface, Abbotts busing program has a number of merits. It moves asylum-seekers to chosen destinations with resources. It shows that immigration is not simply a border issue limited to Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California but one of national consequence. It has prompted big city mayors in major media markets to give voice to the very concerns mayors in smaller border communities have long expressed.

When Abbott argues its not OK for Texas to be forced to deal with ranches (being) ripped apart and homes vulnerable to intrusion, simply because they are along the southern border, hes right. When he faults President Joe Biden for a border that is too open or for failing to quell the influx of asylum-seekers, hes not necessarily wrong.

Biden has not given the border the attention it deserves. His only visit to the border as president didnt come until a January trip to El Paso. His policies have been inconsistent and confusing. His administration has failed to address root causes, even as encounters at the southern border have exploded.

But Abbotts criticism is incomplete. Hes not acknowledging the border and immigration reality that Biden inherited, passed down from previous administrations, nor is he working with the federal government or neighboring border states. He doesnt advocate for comprehensive immigration reform, which could address so many of his concerns. Despite Texas spending billions of dollars on deterrence and stringing up menacing wire, immigrants continue to arrive. His policies and rhetoric are often dehumanizing.

Think of Christmas Eve a year ago when immigrants bused from Texas were dumped on the sidewalk at Vice President Kamala Harris' residence in Washington, D.C., during a once-in-a-generation freeze.

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Left unacknowledged is how Abbotts refusal to collaborate with the federal government has often made a challenging situation worse.

When state officials work unilaterally and do not coordinate and collaborate with us, it can actually wreak havoc, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas told our Editorial Board in August 2022.

Dividing Democrats

When Abbott announced the first bus arrival in New York City, he said he hoped Adams would follow through on his promise of welcoming all migrants with open arms so that our overrun and overwhelmed border towns can find relief.

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Since then, Abbott has managed to strain municipal resources and divide Democrats. In September, Adams, a Democrat, said during a town hall, This issue will destroy New York City.  All of us are going to be impacted by this. I said it last year when we had 15,000, and Im telling you now at 110,000. The city we knew, were about to lose.

Thats the squeeze Abbott wants Adams and others to feel. But does a boy like Liam, who knew enough English to navigate an interview, destroy New York City and America? Or does he help build it?

Adams' jarring comment, at least for a Democrat, followed an August poll from the Siena College Research Institute that found 46% of New York voters viewed immigrants from the last 20 years as a burden  not a benefit. Another 58% said New Yorkers should slow the flow of immigrants.

Adams, who made deep cuts to his city budget last month, blaming it on the cost of sheltering immigrants, expects the cost over the next three years to increase to $12 billion. Hes not alone. Mayors across the country have declared states of emergency and called for federal relief.

Immigrants look for a way through the concertina wire on the banks of the Rio Grande south of Eagle Pass in July. Jerry Lara/San Antonio Express-News

Treated better in N.Y.

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Despite all of this, we witnessed staff at the Roosevelt treating immigrants with dignity. The Roosevelt, once a four-star hotel, has a storied history. Now, the chandeliers, grand paintings and ornate wallpaper clash with National Guardsmen standing watch over immigrants. They receive guidance from caseworkers, as well as mental health and communicable disease screenings, treatment and medications, replacing some that were taken away when they crossed the border.

City staff told us about a boy who had an epileptic seizure at one of the city shelters because his medications had been seized at the Texas border. In New York, offering health care as a human right is the goal. Here, hundreds of pregnant immigrants, some in their third trimester, receive prenatal care for the first time.

Officials said more than 400 babies have been born to immigrants in New Yorks care. By the end of November, the Roosevelt had given away 500,000 disposable diapers, 2.1 million packages of baby wipes and nearly 200,000 cans of baby formula.

New York officials are striving to never have an immigrant family with children spend the night on the street, but that achievement may fade; shelters are at capacity.

All of this requires funding. The financial strain is real. Mayors like Adams are right to call on the Biden administration for relief. But it also definitely fits the narrative of portraying immigrants as burdens. Again, though, when it comes to immigration, reality is often more complicated than general public sentiment. Numerous studies have shown immigrants have a long-term positive economic impact as they pay taxes, fill labor needs and buy things.

An American Immigration Council special report published in June found, political debates regarding recent refugees fail to capture the most enduring legacy of refugees: the positive social and economic impact.  Almost 2.4 million refugees earned a collective $93.6 billion in household income in 2019, contributing $25 billion in taxes and $68.6 billion in disposable income, or spending power.

During the Nov. 28 press conference at New York City Hall, we told Adams that sometimes it sounded like he and Abbott were on the same page. After all, he had said immigrants could destroy New York City. They both have called on the Biden administration to do more.

Adams said theyre in a different book, adding: My book is collaboration and not to displace the problem I have in the city to other municipalities  thats wrong.

In a statement, Abbotts press secretary Andrew Mahaleris called Adams a hypocrite.

New York is only dealing with a fraction of what our small border communities deal with on a day-to-day basis, Mahaleris said. Until President Biden steps up and does his job to secure the border, Texas will continue busing migrants to sanctuary cities to help our local partners respond to this Biden-made crisis.

There is some truth in this. Look at Eagle Pass. But, again, it's more complicated.

In New York, we met Jhonathan Daniel Nieves Camejo, 23, his wife and 2-year-old son. They abandoned their home in Venezuela to escape threats from a politician who said hed make the family disappear. In Texas, they arrived at the overflowing migrant resource center in San Antonio so packed, immigrants slept outside. They wept as they shared the story of their harrowing journey.

Their plight speaks to addressing root causes and comprehensive reforms that update asylum laws.

A raging, American crisis

Remember when politicians debated the use of the word crisis to describe a surge in immigration? Now, theres no question. The 2.5 million encounters of immigrants at the Southwest border in fiscal year 2023, which ended in September, marked a new historic high, breaking the prior years record.

This past week, Eagle Pass was overwhelmed with thousands of immigrants. Many journeyed to Eagle Pass due to misinformation the border would shut down. Some told reporters they hoped to catch state-sponsored buses to their preferred destinations.

The situation at the border is not sustainable, U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales, a San Antonio Republican, said. We are beyond a breaking point. We are already there.

Since this crisis is clearly not inspiring federal comprehensive immigration reform, what could be an alternative federal response? Abbott provides a troubling template through Texas' Operation Lone Star, which began in 2021. Abbott has strung razor wire along the banks of the Rio Grande, deployed buoys, spent billions of dollars on a law enforcement response and arrested asylum-seekers for trespassing, compromising their civil liberties.

In July, a Department of Public Safety officer alleged troopers were told to push small children, babies and nursing mothers back into the Rio Grande and to deny water to migrants.

I believe we have stepped over a line into the inhumane, Texas state trooper Nicholas Wingate, a medic, wrote in an email to supervisors.

And yet the Del Rio Sector, home to Eagle Pass, and Rio Grande Valley Sector remain the second- and third-busiest in the Southwest.

While Abbott has followed former President Donald Trumps immigration playbook, he is also foreshadowing potential immigration policies should Trump return to office.

Trump recently vowed to round up undocumented immigrants and place them in detention camps to await deportation, if hes elected to a second term in 2024.

Earlier this month, striking an authoritarian tone, Trump said immigrants coming to the U.S. are poisoning the blood of our country.

In 2023, Abbott manipulated Bidens failure to address immigration and the U.S.-Mexico border. It will reverberate in 2024.
HOUSTON - The family of Tiffany Rodriguez, a beloved bartender in North Houston, spoke with FOX 26 a year after her tragic death outside a Montrose bar.

Tiffany was shot in December 2022, and her ex-boyfriend, Brandon Rashad McKinney, remains in jail facing a murder charge. Despite the heartache, the family is determined to remember the joyous moments shared with their daughter, who, even in death, became an organ donor, saving the lives of six individuals.

Witnesses inside Lola's Depot reported an argument between Tiffany and McKinney. The family later learned that the two were previously in an abusive relationship, and Tiffany's friend mentioned she was not eager to meet McKinney that night.

ORIGINAL STORY: Beloved Houston bartender killed in Dec. 18 shooting remembered at Northside bar

"She met him because she wanted to talk," said Renee Meadows, Tiffany's mother. "That was the last thing she did was talk to him."

Following the argument, witnesses heard gunshots outside the bar, and Tiffany was found on the ground with a gunshot wound to the head. She died from her injuries on Dec. 20, 2022. McKinney turned himself into the Houston Police Department a day later.

Tiffany's family has attended several court proceedings over the past year, as attorneys for McKinney have requested bond reductions. In a recent December hearing, Judge Lori Chambers Grey denied McKinney's request, keeping his bond at half a million dollars. Tiffany's family expressed frustration with the court delays. Harris County DA officials say murder trials can often take some time to start. Meadows was told to expect up to two years.

"The system is broken. I don't understand the half of it," she said.

GET HELP: Seeking help for domestic violence: What you need to know

Tiffany's sister, Danielle Rodriguez, expressed how much she's learned about domestic violence and the toll it can take on victims who find it difficult to share what they're going through with others.

She stated, "I've had people come up to me, learning about this story, they've taken it into their own lives. They've recognized they might have been in these types of situations in the past, and they take it a lot more seriously."

Brandon Rashad McKinney (Source: Houston Police Department)

Houston Police report that 18 percent of the department's homicide cases this year were domestic - some of the highest numbers in the state of Texas. Local advocates also report violence in those relationships tends to get more dangerous during a separation or divorce.

Despite the difficulty, family and friends have gathered to honor Tiffany's memory. A karaoke party was held in November in celebration of what would have been her 30th birthday.

A mural of Rodriguez also remains at Rabbit's Got the Gun, the bar in North Houston where she worked.

"We love you sis. No words can express what you gave us. Spending every day with you is something we will always cherish," the caption reads in the bar's recent Instagram post.

As they cope with the loss, the family is waiting for answers regarding why Tiffany's life was taken so soon.

"Two lives just ruined. Gone. You could've just lived your life... and she could've gone on and lived her life. It's senseless," said Meadows.

DOWNLOAD THE FOX 26 HOUSTON APP BY CLICKING HERE

Judge Grey has requested the start of a criminal trial, while the defense has requested more time. McKinney's next court appearance is set for February.

If you or a loved one is experiencing domestic violence, support and resources are available. Organizations and advocates are listed below:

National Domestic Violence Hotline: The National Domestic Violence Hotline is a vital resource available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. They offer essential tools and support to help survivors of domestic violence live free from abuse. You can contact them at (800) 799-SAFE (7233) or TTY: 800-787-3224, or via online chat on their website at www.thehotline.org

StrongHearts Native Helpline: For Native American and Alaska Native individuals impacted by domestic and sexual violence, the StrongHearts Native Helpline is available 24/7, providing confidential and anonymous support and advocacy. You can contact them at 844-762-8483 or via online chat on their website at www.strongheartshelpline.org

National Center for Victims of Crime: The National Center for Victims of Crime provides assistance and support for all types of crime victims, including domestic violence survivors. They offer resources and referrals to help you understand your rights and options. Contact them at 855-4-VICTIM (855-484-2846).

Victim Connect Resource Center: The VictimConnect Resource Center offers confidential referrals and compassionate assistance for crime victims. Whether you're a survivor of domestic violence or another crime, they can help you learn about your rights and available options. Contact them by phone at 855-484-2846 or via online chat at victimconnect.org
A passerby found human remains early Saturday between Wichita Falls and Iowa Park.

Law enforcement converged on an area between Wichita Falls and Iowa Park Saturday where human remains were found.

Wichita County Sheriffs spokesman Melvin Joyner said the remains were discovered about 8 a.m. on the southside of U.S. 287 just west of Peterson Road.

He said the remains were skeletal and appear to have been in the field for a long time. The landscape is a mix of open field and brushy areas.

Joyner said there was no way to immediately determine an identity, age or sex of the person. Likewise, the presence of trauma could not be determined.

Normally, bodies are sent to Southwest Institute of Forensic Sciences in Dallas for autopsy, but because nothing had been found but bones, the remains will go to an anthropology laboratory at the University of North Texas in Denton to help in identification.

Joyner said no clothing or other possessions had been found by early Saturday afternoon, but a drone and tracking dogs were scouring the area.

He said once more is known, the Sheriffs Office will look into missing persons in the region, but because of the condition of the remains, he was not hopeful of quick answers.

Its going to take some time, he said.

The Texas Department of Safety and game wardens were assisting at the scene.

This article originally appeared on Wichita Falls Times Record News: Human remains found between Wichita Falls and Iowa Park
Story at a glance

Hundreds of post-secondary institutions close every year, leaving thousands of students from both for-profit and non-profit schools without a clear track to finishing their degrees.

Sometimes when a college abruptly closes the U.S. Department of Education will automatically forgive student loans.

But at other times borrowers will have to be more proactive to get their loans forgiven or reduced.

Hundreds of post-secondary institutions close every year, leaving many of their students with questions over what to do about their student loans.

Many of these students go on to continue their degrees by taking part in teach-out plans that enable them to finish their studies elsewhere or by transferring to other schools. But for others, a school closure can completely disrupt their education, leaving them without a degree and with thousands of dollars in loans to pay off.

Americans who complete their degrees uninterrupted already struggle to pay off their student loans. And student loan borrowers who did not earn a degree are three times more likely to default on their loans than those who do, according to the Council on Foreign Relations.

Following school closures, some students can get their loans entirely cancelled  but others may have to work to get partial reductions, or be left holding a bill for an education that came to an abrupt end.

Full forgiveness of some federal loans

In some cases, the Department of Education offers students full loan forgiveness through whats known as a closed school discharge.

Students with federal loans qualify for a full discharge of this kind if they were enrolled in their school or on an approved leave of absence when it closed, or if it shuttered between 120 and 180 days after they withdrew, according to the Department of Education website.

Students who completed their degree before their college closed are not eligible, according to the department, and neither are those who withdrew more than 180 days before the closure, unless they can demonstrate an exceptional circumstance.

Participation in a teach-out agreement, a type of contract between schools that allows students to finish their program of study at another college, also impacts students eligibility for loan forgiveness.

Students retain the right to refuse any teach-out agreement or transfer option suggested by their closing school, the Department of Education notes.

But those who are finishing their studies or have completed them through such an agreement cant receive a closed school discharge.

Other students who are ineligible for such a discharge are those who have completed or graduated from a program of study at a different branch or location of their closing school.

Beyond the closed school discharge, the department offers another potential route to loan forgiveness for students who feel like their school misled them about its education program before it closed: A Borrower Defense Loan Discharge.

The Biden administration issued a rule this year that would have made it easier for students to have their federal loans forgiven if their college abruptly closed or if they were misled about the quality of their education.

But on Aug. 7, a federal appeals court blocked the rule, meaning that applications for the loan relief are still being considered under the previous parameters.

The U.S. Department of Education will not process any closed school discharge applications under the 2023 rules unless and until the effective date is reinstated, the agency said on its website.

The Biden administration has also released other new regulations that would better help protect student-loan borrowers. The new rules, which would go into effect on July 1, 2024, require a college or universities showing warning signs to have clearer, more comparable information on financial aid, including better information on which scholarships and loans have to be repaid, according to a press release.

The new rules also require schools that show warning signs of closing to come up with teach-out plans or agreements and limit the addition of new programs and locations, the release states.

Limited pathways to private loan relief

Private loans are not eligible for such forgiveness through the Department of Education, since it does not oversee them, according to a department spokesperson.

But some private loan providers say they will work with borrowers attending schools that abruptly close.

Sallie Mae, one of the largest student loan providers in the country, works with borrowers attending for-profit schools who find themselves in such a situation.

In the event a for-profit school closes abruptly and does not give an enrolled student the opportunity for a teach-out program or the opportunity to transfer to another institution, we work directly with the student to seek relief which could include discharge of their loan obligation, Richard Castellano, a spokesperson for Sallie Mae, said in an email to The Hill.

But in general, there are far fewer protections in place for students with student loans.

Private student loans unfortunately usually dont have the same level of safety nets that federal loans have, said Betsy Mayotte, president of The Institute of Student Loan Advisors, a nonprofit that offers free student loan advice.

Students should see if their state has a tuition recovery fund, Mayotte recommended. She noted there are about 20 states with tuition recovery funds including Wisconsin, Florida and Virginia.

Most students with private loans are left on the hook for those debts if their school closes, however, according to Joshua Cohen, a Vermont-based attorney who specializes in student loan cases.

Some lawyers representing students with private loans have tried to use the holder in due course clause to make the lender liable for the schools issues, he noted.

But that strategy is still developing, said Cohen. It is usually used as a defense if someone is sued. It isnt a proactive tool.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
The Bucks County Coroner has identified a Philadelphia man as the latest defendant to die in the countys correctional center, the second inmate death in a month where the cause remains unknown.

Edward Hatch, 46, was found unresponsive in his cell the morning of Dec. 18, less than a week after he was incarcerated and unable to post the required $2,000 bail.

Bensalem police arrested Hatch on Dec. 12 on a felony retail theft and misdemeanor possession of suspected methamphetamine for an incident at Home Depot that occurred in November, according to a copy of the probable cause affidavit in the case.

Bucks County Correctional Center

Fourth death this year reported at jail Fourth inmate death in Bucks County jail. What we know about the one from last month.

His preliminary hearing on the charges was scheduled for Dec. 19.

Hatch was a father of six, according to his obituary,

The autopsy performed on Dec. 19 showed "no overt evidence of external trauma" and the cause and manner of his death remains under investigation by the Bucks County Coroners Office, Coroner Meredith Buck said in a press release Friday.

The Coroners Office takes any in-custody death very seriously and does an independent investigation to determine the cause and manner of death, she added.

Hatch is the second inmate at the Doylestown Township jail to die in a little over a month, and the fourth death this year.

The Philadelphia Medical Examiners Office also has not released a cause and manner of death for Eric Jamal McGhee, 33, of Philadelphia. A spokesman for the office said it is awaiting results from toxicology tests.

McGhee died at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia following an unspecified medical incident" at the corrections center on Nov. 13. County corrections officials have not released additional information about the death.

McGhee was awaiting trial on an escape charge from 2022 after he failed to return to the jail after leaving his work release program, according to court records. He was serving time for a drug-related conviction, records show.

Earlier this year, Melissa Mager, 48, of Philadelphia, died as a result of a perforated peptic ulcer on March 1. She was incarcerated in less than a week earlier on Feb. 25 on a retail theft charge, records show

Octavius Davis, 35, of Bristol Township, died as a result of an illegal drug overdose on Jan. 16. Davis was incarcerated in early January on a parole violation, records show.

Last year six inmates died at the jail, the highest number since 2012, and among the highest number of deaths in Pennsylvania county jails reported, according to state Department of Corrections extraordinary occurrence records.

Details on arrest of Bucks jail guard What police say led to the murder arrest of a Bucks County corrections officer

More on charges in 2022 jail death Is Bucks County jail unit 'rampant' with drugs? Inmate death blamed on pattern of neglect

This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: Why Bucks County officials don't know the reason for latest death at jail.
Mazi Melesa Pilip, an Israeli Defense Forces veteran and Republican candidate vying to keep the embattled Rep. George Santos' vacated district red, spoke at length with Fox News Digital about her message to New York voters, pitching herself as the best candidate to combat the far-left "Squad" of the Democratic Party in Congress.

Pilip, an Ethiopian Jew, immigrant to Israel and the United States, married mother of seven children and a recent political newcomer, detailed her background and platform while campaigning for New York's 3rd Congressional District ahead of a February 13 special election against former Democratic Rep. Tom Suozzi.

Winning her first political campaign in 2021, flipping a county legislative seat from blue to red while pregnant with identical twins, Pilip is up against Suozzi, whose lengthy Long Island political career affords him name recognition and fundraising advantages after previously representing the same district for six years.

"You know what, Suozzi? Suozzi, a great politician. He's absolutely a talker," Pilip told Fox News Digital. "He is playing a game of I am a moderate. He's not."

NY REPUBLICANS TAP IDF VETERAN TO REPLACE SANTOS IN SPECIAL ELECTION

Mazi Melesa Pilip holds a weapon during her service in the Israeli Defense Forces.

Rejecting Suozzi's claim to be a moderate Democrat who vows to take on the far left of his party, Pilip argued Suozzi's voting record proves he almost always aligns with President Biden and the "Squad."

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

By contrast, Pilip said she is best suited to take on antisemitic rhetoric from the likes of Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y.; Cori Bush, D-Mo.; Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich.; and Ilhan Omar, D-Minn, because she and her Ukrainian-born husband know firsthand what it was like living in Israel during the second intifada of the early 2000s.

"I know the fear. My family is living this life," she said, noting how her relatives were in bomb shelters in Israel for several days after Hamas' October 7 attack. "I know how bad and what the Israeli civilians right now are going through. And the only one who can speak really against the Squad, who are causing so much problems for us as a nation here, and especially about Israel.

"The lie, the lie they are spreading left and right. It's wrong, and the only one who can present things the way it is, is me, is me. And in all my community here, the Jewish community wants somebody who also can fight antisemitism. Since the war started, the Jewish community are living with fear."

Pilip condemned the testimony of the presidents of Harvard, MIT and UPenn, who failed to clearly state before a congressional hearing earlier this month whether calls for intifada or the genocide of Jews on campus violated their institutions' codes of conduct.

"They couldn't even condemn the intifada in calling for genocide of the Jewish people. And it was nothing for them. They didn't see the red flag on that. Now, I want to ask you if that was happening against African Americans, against any minority class or against LGBTQ?" Pilip said.

"But here we go when this is happening to the Jewish students, all of the sudden, that's OK. And I'm here to say that's not OK. And I'm here to say it as a Black person, OK, as an immigrant, as a woman, as a Jew. I'm here to draw the line. That's unacceptable.

"We don't have to hate each other. We have to respect each other," she added. "We have to work together. We may not . . . agree with policies, which is normal. But let's not forget, we are one nation here. We have America here. We are Americans. And we have to continue with that respect to each other, which this country, unfortunately, lost it. And I hope we're going to be able to build a better future for our kids."

Mazi Melesa Pilip with fellow IDF service members

Citing the atrocities of Hamas burning and beheading babies, raping young women and taking hostages, Pilip advocated for continued U.S. support for Israel and Ukraine.

"Tell me who else will do something like this? Evil," she said. "The war that Israel right now is doing is not just for the future of Israel, the future of the Middle East, the future of the entire world. OK? And therefore, we need to make sure United States continues to support Israel and also Ukraine, because this is our interest, is American, is our national interest. We have to say no for injustice and Israel  And every day there is a price for that for both sides. Unfortunately, civilians are dying. But the only one we can blame is Hamas."

Pilip detailed how, at age 12, she was among the more than 14,000 Jews airlifted to Israel from famine-ravaged Ethiopia in 1991 as rebel forces were advancing toward the capital.

DISGRACED CONGRESSMAN GEORGE SANTOS IN DISCUSSIONS WITH PROSECUTORS FOR POSSIBLE PLEA DEAL

"It was a very emotional day for us to come to Israel, to a beautiful country, a country full of lights, a country, you know, that has so many opportunities," Pilip said, recalling having to learn a new language and become acclimated to a new culture. "Right after I finished the school, I really wanted to join the Israeli Defense Force because I wanted to give back to the country that really gave me the opportunity.

"I remember when I came to my dad and I said, I want to serve. And he said, 'No, you're too skinny, too little. What are you going to do in the Israeli army?'" she recalled, "But very quickly he realized that was the things I would like to do, and he was very supportive. Later on, he was very proud. I learned a lot during the service. It was beautiful to see people from different countries who came to Israel to live joining the IDF and for one mission really to defend the country."

Mazi Melesa Pilip announces her congressional run.

Describing herself as someone who hates promises, Pilip says shes used the past two years as Nassau Countys legislator for the 10th District, encompassing Great Neck, Lehigh Park and Manhasset, to freeze property taxes, fully fund law enforcement and increase the police presence to combat crime and concerns from the Jewish community amid the Israel-Hamas war.

"When this opportunity also came to run for Congress, I decided to take it because it's really about the future of our country. We have a beautiful country, a country full of opportunities. A country really, that's  I'm living the American dream, my husband is dreaming American dreams. But I'm not sure if my kids' are going to live the American dream because there is a lot of extreme policies out there," Pilip told Fox News Digital. "The only one really who benefits from it? The politician. The one that's pretending they care about the people."

Vowing to support the eventual Republican nominee for president, Pilip argued that it was too soon to say whether she would support Donald Trump, noting that other GOP candidates still were in the running. As for Santos, who's under federal indictment for allegedly defrauding campaign donors and lying to Congress, Pilip said voters care more now about the issues the district is facing.

One such issue is the migrant crisis. Pilip alleges Suozzi fully supports the Biden administration's immigration policies, which she blames for bringing millions of people into the country without a plan, raising national security concerns over potential terrorists entering the country unchecked and ultimately disenfranchising American voters.

"The politician is doing such a great job dividing us," said Pilip, who immigrated to the United States with her cardiologist husband, with whom she shares seven children.

'SQUAD' DEMS DOUBLE DOWN ON 'GENOCIDE' ACCUSATIONS AGAINST ISRAEL, SAY IDF IS 'TARGETING CIVILIANS'

"They're bringing them in because they are the future voters," she said. "That's the right thing to do, really? For your American citizen, the one who voted for you? The one who trusted you? OK. And this is what you're doing for migrants? Who are coming here without any plan, putting them on the street? That's irresponsible. Again, this is all about power. How are we going to secure the future right now? How are we going to re-elect another two- and another four- and another six-year? That's a game. That's a politician's game. That's the real story.

"And I want people to wake up to see the reality. Yes, we support immigration. Absolutely. Yes," she said. "And I want people to have the American dream opportunity the way I and my husband, so many immigrants here in the 3rd Congressional District. But it has to be correct. That's what I'm standing for. Really."

Mazi Melesa Pilip is running to represent New York's 3rd Congressional District.

Pilip said when she immigrated to the U.S., she registered as a Democrat, but she later ran for elected office as a Republican.

"They knew I was registered as a Democrat. It wasn't a secret," Pilip said of the Nassau County GOP, adding she soon realized Republicans were committed to supporting law enforcement, reducing crime and lowering taxes.

On abortion, projected to be another major issue for 2024, Pilip said she is "pro-life" but would not force her views on other women.

"Abortion is a very personal decision, and I am a religious person. Therefore, I am pro-life. Me. Mazi Melesa Pilip," Pilip said. "But I will not going to push my own beliefs on any woman. I'm not going to risk women's rights. That's all. Therefore, I'm not going to support a national abortion ban. I'm a woman. I understand what a woman needs. I understand. So it's OK for me to have seven children. That's not going to play well maybe for other women. So, why I'm going to push her to have the same beliefs, the same way of life?"

She concluded the interview with a message to fellow women and mothers to stand against "extremist policies" pushed by the government that will impact children.

"From the day we are pregnant until we give birth  the emotion, the physical that we have to go through, how hard it is. I know, because every woman goes through the same things. And then we have to raise our children to be good children, to have great education, to find a good job. Yeah. So, where is President Biden and Tom Suozzi to protect that right for us as a mother?" she said. "We the mothers we went [through] a lot, so we don't have a right to protect our children?

"We don't have the right to say no to policies that are extremist policies that's putting our children at risk? And I'm talking to mothers. Really, I want you to open your eyes, mothers," she said. "I know you are fighters. I know you care about the future of your children. Nobody will tell you what's best for your children. Wake up. See what's happening around us. See all these extreme policies that are putting out there. They're risking our children. We have to wake up. We have to say no to this."





Original article source: IDF veteran turned NY GOP pick to replace George Santos vows to take on 'Squad,' slams Suozzi as fake moderate
The International House of Prayer of Kansas City is immediately, formally and permanently separating from founder Mike Bickle, saying it has confirmed a level of inappropriate behavior involving the well-known charismatic leader.

The surprise announcement Friday night by new IHOPKC spokesman Eric Volz came eight weeks after allegations of clergy sexual abuse against Bickle were made public.

Since taking over management of the crisis, the Executive Committee has received new information to now confirm a level of inappropriate behavior on the part of Mike Bickle that requires IHOPKC to immediately, formally and permanently separate from him, Volz said in a statement posted on multiple social media sites.

Volz also announced that IHOPKC Executive Director Stuart Greaves had resigned and stepped down from the organizations board of directors. He gave no explanation for the resignation.

Volz described the announcements, addressed to all the IHOPKC community here in Kansas City and to the extended spiritual family across the world, as sobering.

People will surely wonder about the details, but IHOPKC does not have permission from those individuals to share details where they are being vetted further by an independent investigator, Volz said. The privacy of any person impacted by misconduct is tantamount, and this only amplifies IHOPKCs conviction that a complete investigation should be conducted into the allegations of clergy abuse by Mike Bickle.

Volz said that for some, these words will surely come as a shock and might cause deep pain, confusion, grief or even sadness.

Obviously, this is more than a routine church announcement, he said. Peoples lives and families are being directly affected. And we understand that. We ask that everyone please be considerate and respectful to all the parties involved, especially on social media. There is a way out of these difficulties, but it starts with calming things down rather than ratcheting them up.

Volz said Greaves had been part of the IHOPKC community for 23 years.

Thousands of peoples lives have been impacted by his teaching, leadership and love for Jesus, he said. His time at IHOPKC included two decades serving as the head of the programs Nightwatch from midnight to 6 a.m., and for the past three years he served as the executive director.

Volz said IHOPKCs executive committee, led by Kurt Fuller, a retired major general who took over management of the crisis on Dec. 10, would be temporarily assuming the executive director responsibilities.

Our current focus remains a thorough and complete investigation of the reported allegations, Volz said. And we pledge to then implement any and all changes necessary to church policies, procedures and culture to ensure that IHOPKC does not travel down this difficult road again. We have met and plan to continue to meet with the advocate group and in an effort to establish trust and common ground we ask the community to pray for this process.

The so-called advocate group is made up of former IHOPKC leaders and others who are supporting those who have come forward with abuse allegations and are pushing for an independent investigation.

Fridays announcement was issued just two days after Stephen Magnuson  who resigned Dec. 8 from Bickles personal ministry, Friends of the Bridegroom  posted a message to Volz on X, formerly Twitter, saying, We are about to embark on a journey through witness accounts of specific abuse and illicit sexual activity known to have taken place at @ihopkc, by the leaders of @ihopkc, including @mikebickle.

On Thursday, Magnuson posted that he had spent 54 minutes on the phone with Bickle that morning.

I very strongly confronted him with many of the stories we will begin to discuss later today, he wrote. I didnt back down on the need for these to be heard. And not by some independent investigator who will take a year to decide what things the rest of us can know. No, the whole story needs to be laid out before the whole world with great detail and a repentant heart. Then I told @mikebickle either he and the entire ELT of @ihopkc can voluntarily tell the story, or we will.

That apparently prompted IHOPKCs Forerunner Church to put out an email to supporters late Thursday afternoon.

We have been informed that an individual plans to release details of extremely sensitive, private information about members of our community, the message said. We dont know the exact timing, but we understand it will be soon. We felt it was important to make you, as a community, aware of this. This individual has stated online that the ELT (executive leadership team) must come forward and reveal these details, or he will. However, we do not know which incidents he is referring to. We are actively trying to establish communication to defuse this situation.

The news about Bickle on Friday night drew swift reaction from former IHOPKC leaders.

I am just hearing the latest update from IHOPKC, and my heart continues to break for and with my many friends at IHOPKC, said Allen Hood, the organizations former associate director from 2000 to 2020.

There is only one way forward  a renewed commitment to holiness in the fear of the Lord that demands honesty and accountability at every level. Todays announcement makes it more clear than ever that the ELT at IHOPKC and the Advocate Group should join in pursuing an agreed-upon, independent, third-party investigation that honors what the larger body of Christ has learned in the last 30 years of navigating these unfortunate matters of clergy abuse.

Bickle, 68, founded IHOPKC in 1999 as a 24/7 charismatic prayer ministry with its world headquarters in south Kansas City. The allegations against him were presented to IHOPKC leaders on Oct. 24 by former leaders Dwayne Roberts, Wes Martin and Brian Kim. The current leadership team then called a meeting to inform staff on Oct. 27.

They originally described Bickles alleged actions as misconduct, then later said the allegations were unsettling and involved sexual immorality. The leaders said Bickle had been asked to step away from public ministry to allow for a proper inquiry to be conducted.

The day after IHOPKC leaders told the staff about the allegations, Roberts, Martin and Kim issued a statement describing the incidents as clergy sexual abuse and said they found the allegations to be credible and long-standing.

But on Nov. 15, IHOPKC leaders released a report of their initial findings involving the case. The report discounted some of the allegations brought forth by the former IHOPKC leaders.

After three weeks of examination, IHOPKC has identified five of eight alleged victims, the report said. Three of those five have publicly called the allegations lies, a fourth has not wanted to communicate with IHOPKCs attorney, and the fifths allegations relate to incidents that preceded IHOPKCs founding.

The former leaders said in a response that IHOPKCs initial findings and other public statements have been replete with mistruths and obfuscation.

The truth is that multiple witnesses over the last 2+ years have brought concerns regarding wrongful contact with Mr. Bickle and women who are not his wife to the ELT (executive leadership team) and to the concerned leaders, which many eyewitnesses have corroborated, the response said.

On Nov. 30, The Roys Report, a Christian media outlet, published an online story featuring an interview with Bickles main accuser. The woman, whom the report referred to as Jane Doe, said that Bickle sexually abused her from 1996 to 1999, starting when she was 19 and he was 42. She said Bickle told her repeatedly that God had spoken to him, saying his wife was going to die and that they would then be married. She told The Roys Report that during that time, Bickle gave her a key to his office, put her up in an apartment and had sexual interactions with her.

Bickle issued his first public statement on the issue on Dec. 12, admitting that he had sinned and my moral failures were real.

But he was vague on details. In a lengthy statement, he said his inappropriate behavior occurred more than 20 years ago, but he did not admit to engaging in any sexual misconduct.

With a very heavy heart I want to express how deeply grieved I am that my past sins have led to so much pain, confusion and division in the body of Christ in this hour, Bickle wrote in a letter addressed to Family and Friends.

I sadly admit that 20+ years ago, I sinned by engaging in inappropriate behavior  my moral failures were real. (I am not admitting to the more intense sexual activities that some are suggesting).

Bickle went on to say, Some may wonder why I am just now making a public statement 20+ years later? It is because I was recently confronted about things that I said or did 20+ years ago  things I believed were dealt with and under the blood of Jesus. Since this has now become public, I want to repent publicly.

Bickle issued his statement two days after IHOPKC leaders announced the hiring of a third-party firm to conduct an independent and impartial investigation. But that action has been bogged down in controversy.

Volz and IHOPKC attorney Audrey Manito told The Star on Wednesday that the alleged victims and their advocates are hampering the investigation, refusing to speak with the investigator, attorney Rosalee McNamara of the Lathrop GPM law firm.

Theyre fighting us tooth and nail, Manito said. But at this point, our path to finding the truth cant be directed or mandated by any one individual or an outside group. Weve stated it over and over again. Weve been willing to pay the very high costs associated with finding the truth. And we cant please everyone, but our commitment to find the truth remains. We havent wavered from that since day one.

Manito said McNamara has no connection to IHOPKC.

This independent investigator and Lathrop have no ties to IHOPKC and they have no ties to anyone on the advocate group, she said. By that very definition, they are independent. Weve asked them to run this investigation to the ground. And were not going to ask them to stop until they get to the bottom of everything.

McNamara did not immediately respond to an email from The Star requesting comment.

IHOPKC leaders had originally hired the Stinson LLP firm to conduct the independent investigation. But they backed off after coming under sharp criticism by those who said the investigation should not be done by a law firm.

After that, they brought in Manito. But that outraged many critics, who noted that she was part of the IHOPKC community and was friends with those in leadership. Then, during the Forerunner Church service on Dec. 10, Greaves announced that the leadership team had hired a different firm. He didnt name the firm or the investigator at the time, but several days later, after McNamaras name had been circulated on social media, IHOPKC posted her name and contact information.

Manito told The Star that she turned over all of her files to McNamara.

I was only helping to conduct interviews, not the actual investigation, she said.

She said that while IHOPKC is responsible for paying the firm, it will not control the investigation and has no ability to dictate the process or outcome. The results of the investigation will be made public, she and Volz said.

Everyone has some opinion  social media has allowed that to happen, Manito said. But our focus is on these allegations, getting to the truth of them. Weve hired highly competent investigators to do so. Theyve conducted hundreds of investigations and have found misconduct more often than not.

But Boz Tchividjian, the attorney representing Jane Doe, and those involved with the advocate group dont believe the investigation will be impartial.

They point to a list of accomplishments listed on the law firms website that include obtaining a complete dismissal of a Texas lawsuit against a California diocese and its bishop in a case alleging that a seminary student sexually assaulted the plaintiff when the accuser was a minor.

Another example the firm cited was that it represented a Roman Catholic diocese in a group settlement of 52 claims and a subsequent group settlement of 32 claims, resulting in per-claimant awards of less than one-third the national average.

Tchividjian noted those examples as a key reason the accusers and their advocates had concerns about IHOPKCs choice of the third-party firm.

...I have had the privilege to work with several individuals who have reported being abused and traumatized while being a part of the IHOPKC community, he said in a Dec. 16 post on X. I can assure you that this group wants the full truth to surface with the hope that those who have perpetrated abuse will be exposed and held accountable and that the system which fostered such a harmful environment will be genuinely transformed.

Tchividjian noted that he was quite surprised to get an email on Dec. 8 from yet another attorney from yet another law firm requesting to interview my client.

It was disheartening to many that we were right back at square one with IHOPKC engaging another law firm to conduct what it defined as an independent investigation, he said. Only this time, the law firm is one that proudly touts its representation of defendant organizations (including but not limited to the Catholic Church) in sexual abuse related litigation.

Why, he asked, would reported sexual abuse and misconduct victims meet with an attorney from a firm that represents churches in sexual abuse matters and then boasts about its successes?

 It cannot represent and defend institutional clients in such cases and then turn around and invite reported sexual abuse victims to meet with its attorneys and to trust them, he said. It simply doesnt work that way.

On Monday, IHOPKC released two paragraphs of its engagement agreement with the Lathrop firm. According to the document, the scope of engagement is to conduct an independent investigation into allegations of sexual abuse/misconduct by Bickle.

The document also said that we understand that we have been retained to investigate and only make an objective assessment of the facts, including making credibility determinations, free from any influence by anyone with IHOPKC or any of its agents.

IHOPKC specifically acknowledges and agrees that our fee is not in any way contingent on the outcome of our investigation.

Tchividjian said IHOPKCs actions simply confirmed my concerns that IHOPKC is in the drivers seat in a process that they alone have dictated.

The approach IHOPKC is taking is clearly focused on maintaining control and protecting the institution, he said. It is not too late for IHOPKC to change course and begin working with representatives of the reported victims to come up with a process that is genuinely independent and one that ensures that those stepping forward to share their trauma are made to feel comfortable and safe.

Until then, it is highly unlikely that reported victims and witnesses will participate in such a fundamentally flawed process.
FILE PHOTO: People stand outside the Maiden Pharmaceuticals plant in Sonipat in the northern state of Haryana, India,

FILE PHOTO: People stand outside the Maiden Pharmaceuticals plant in Sonipat in the northern state of Haryana, India,

By Krishna N. Das

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India's Maiden Pharmaceuticals, whose cough syrups have been linked to the deaths of children in Gambia, on Saturday denied it had tampered with test samples or bribed officials to do so, as alleged in a complaint under investigation by local health officials.

An investigator with the state of Haryana's Food and Drug Administration told Reuters on Friday he was close to finishing a probe into whether a state drug regulator was bribed to switch samples, tested by the Indian government, that contradicted the World Health Organization's findings of toxic substances in the cough syrups.

"I have never changed the sample," Maiden founder Naresh Kumar Goyal told Reuters. "There is no evidence and no proof against us. I have not given a bribe."

He said that neither he nor any representative of his company had been called to appear in front of the investigator, Gagandeep Singh, joint director of the state agency.

Goyal said a competitor was behind the complaint but did not name them.

Singh declined to comment on Goyal's statement.

The WHO has linked syrups made by Maiden to the deaths of 70 children in Gambia last year, but India's government says subsequent tests at an Indian government laboratory showed the syrups were not toxic.

Singh told Reuters on Friday that his agency had received a comprehensive and exhaustive complaint that the state's drug regulator, in return for a bribe of 50 million Indian rupees ($600,000), helped to switch test samples before they were delivered to the Indian laboratory.

The regulator, Manmohan Taneja, did not respond to phone calls and electronic messages seeking comment. He told Reuters in October that the complaint behind the bribery probe was a "fake complaint from a fake person" and that "anyone can send any fake complaint against anyone".

Reuters was unable to independently establish that any bribes were paid.

Goyal said his factory, which was closed by the government in October 2022 after the Gambia deaths came to light, was now under renovation and he had asked the authorities to inspect the facility so that it could be reopened.

"There was no fault in the factory, but since they pointed out some things, we have rectified them," he said. "We are trying our best, we are pursuing the matter with the concerned officers. That's all we can do."

India's health ministry did not respond to a request for comment.

Two sources with direct knowledge of the matter said the Indian government was in no hurry to reopen any of the three Indian pharmaceutical factories, including Maiden's factory in Haryana state, linked to at least 141 deaths since last year in Gambia, Uzbekistan and Cameroon. One of the sources added that no decision was likely before next May's general election, given the risk of a negative public reaction.

($1 = 83.1660 Indian rupees)

(Reporting by Krishna N. Das in New Delhi; Editing by Edmund Klamann)
US border patrol and several states have found themselves overwhelmed lately, lacking resources to manage the thousands of migrants arriving from Mexico every day -- a crisis that has exposed President Joe Biden to intense attacks from his Republican opponents.

Border officials have in recent weeks counted some 10,000 daily crossings -- an uptick from preceding months, which had already seen migrants arrive at an accelerating clip.

There were more than 2.4 million migrant interceptions via land in the year from October 2022 to September 2023.

On Tuesday, authorities closed railroads at Eagle Pass and El Paso, Texas due to a "resurgence" of undocumented migrants entering the United States via freight trains.

Border crossings by car have been suspended at Eagle Pass since early December, as have entry points in California and Arizona, with border police saying they had to move personnel away from those checkpoints to focus on processing irregular entries.

Accusing Biden of "deliberate inaction" on the border issue, Texas Republican Governor Greg Abbott this week approved a controversial law criminalizing illegal entry into his state.

Abbott, a staunch supporter of Donald Trump, hosted a signing ceremony in front of a section of border wall in the city of Brownsville, a nod to the former president's flagship project and intense 2024 anti-immigration platform.

The law, set to go into effect in March, makes it a crime to illegally enter Texas from a foreign country, punishable by six months in prison -- or up to 20 years, in the case of repeat offenders.

It gives Texas state law enforcement the ability to arrest migrants and deport them to Mexico -- a power normally reserved for federal authorities.

In response, several human rights organizations, including the influential ACLU, immediately filed lawsuits challenging the Texas law's constitutionality.

Even political allies in border states have taken Biden to task over migration, with Arizona's Democratic Governor Katie Hobbs saying "the federal government is refusing to do its job to secure our border and keep our communities safe."

Earlier this month, Hobbs announced she would send Arizona National Guard troops to the border to help pick up some of the slack.

- A 'broken' system -

The reasons for this recent uptick in migration are not totally clear. Customs and Border Protection have blamed "smugglers peddling disinformation to prey on vulnerable individuals."

Several migrants in Texas told AFP there has been gossip swirling that a total closure of the US border was imminent, which could have fueled some recent crossings.

"There were rumors that from the 20th (of December), they wouldn't let anyone else in," said 32-year-old Yurianlis Alexmar Camacho, who had come from Venezuela with her husband and four children.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas will travel to Mexico in the coming days to meet with President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador in an effort to stem this incessant flow, the White House announced Thursday.

"The president understands that we have to fix this immigration system. It has been broken for decades now," White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre said the same day.

Biden said earlier this month he was prepared to compromise with congressional Republicans on a border plan -- they have demanded a concrete tightening of immigration policy in exchange for agreeing on a new aid package for Ukraine.

The situation is fraught for Biden as he begins his 2024 White House reelection campaign in earnest: in addition to criticism from the right, which says he is too soft on immigration, the president's progressive supporters expect him to stay far away from his predecessor's policies on migrants, who are mostly fleeing poverty and violence in Latin America.

But he will have to face the issue head-on one way or another, and soon, as there is no sign the steady flow of arrivals will let up.

Panama said earlier this month that since the start of 2023, half a million people -- or double the number from last year -- had crossed into its territory through the jungle at the perilous Darien Gap the separates the country from Colombia. The vast majority were headed for the United States.

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Some insects  such as ants and bees  navigate visually based on the intensity and polarisation of sunlight (MENAHEM KAHANA)

Even as human-caused climate change threatens the environment, nature continues to inspire our technological advancement.

"The solutions that are provided by nature have evolved for billions of years and tested repeatedly every day since the beginning of time," said Evripidis Gkanias, a University of Edinburgh researcher.

Gkanias has a special interest in how nature can educate artificial intelligence.

"Human creativity might be fascinating, but it cannot reach nature's robustness -- and engineers know that," he told AFP.

From compasses mimicking insect eyes to forest fire-fighting robots that behave like vines, here's a selection of this year's nature-based technology.

- Insect compass -

Some insects - such as ants and bees - navigate visually based on the intensity and polarisation of sunlight, thus using the sun's position as a reference point.

Researchers replicated their eye structure to construct a compass capable of estimating the sun's location in the sky, even on cloudy days.

Common compasses rely on Earth's weak magnetic field to navigate, which is easily disturbed by noise from electronics.

A prototype of the light-detecting compass is "already working great", said Gkanias, who led the study published in Communications Engineering.

"With the appropriate funding, this could easily be transformed into a more compact and lightweight product" freely available, he added.

And with a little further tweaking, the insect compass could work on any planet where a big celestial light source is visible.

- Water-collecting webs -

Fabric inspired by the silky threads of a spider web and capable of collecting drinking water from morning mist could soon play an important role in regions suffering water scarcity.

The artificial threads draw from the feather-legged spider, whose intricate "spindle-knots" allow large water droplets to move and collect on its web.

Once the material can be mass produced, the water harvested could reach a "considerable scale for real application", Yongmei Zheng, a co-author of the study published in Advanced Functional Materials, told AFP.

- Fire-fighting vines -

Animals aren't the only source of inspiration from nature.

Scientists have created an inflatable robot that "grows" in the direction of light or heat, in the same way vines creep up a wall or across a forest floor.

The roughly two-metre-long tubular robot can steer itself using fluid-filled pouches rather than costly electronics.

In time, these robots could find hot spots and deliver fire suppression agents, say researchers at the University of California, Santa Barbara.

"These robots are slow, but that is OK for fighting smouldering fires, such as peat fires, which can be a major source of carbon emissions," co-author Charles Xiao told AFP.

But before the robots can climb the terrain, they need to be more heat-resistant and agile.

- Kombucha circuits -

Scientists at the Unconventional Computing Laboratory at the University of the West of England in Bristol have found a way to use slimy kombucha mats - produced by yeast and bacteria during the fermenting of the popular tea-based drink -- to create "kombucha electronics".

The scientists printed electrical circuits onto dried mats that were capable of illuminating small LED lights.

Dry kombucha mats share properties of textiles or even leather. But they are sustainable and biodegradable, and can even be immersed in water for days without being destroyed, said the authors.

"Kombucha wearables could potentially incorporate sensors and electronics within the material itself, providing a seamless and unobtrusive integration of technology with the human body," such as for heart monitors or step-trackers, lead author Andrew Adamatzky and the laboratory's director, told AFP.

The mats are lighter, cheaper and more flexible than plastic, but the authors caution that durability and mass production remain significant obstacles.

- Scaly robots -

Pangolins resemble a cross between a pine cone and an anteater. The soft-bodied mammals, covered in reptilian scales, are known to curl up in a ball to protect themselves against predators.

Now, a tiny robot might adapt that same design for potentially life-saving work, according to a study published in Nature Communications.

It is intended to roll through our digestive tracts before unfurling and delivering medicine or stopping internal bleeding in hard-to-reach parts of the human body.

Lead author Ren Hao Soon of the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems was watching a YouTube video when he "stumbled across the animal and saw it was a good fit".

Soon needed a soft material that wouldn't cause harm inside the human body, with the advantages of a hard material that could, for example, conduct electricity. The Pangolin's unique structure was perfect.

The tiny robots are still in their initial stages, but they could be made for as little as 10 euros each.

"Looking to nature to solve these kinds of problems is natural," said Soon.

"Every single design part of an animal serves a particular function. Its very elegant."

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New information has been released in connection to the ABC News helicopter that crashed in southern New Jersey on Tuesday night, as investigators said Friday there was no evidence of an in-flight fire or explosion.

The Philadelphia-based chopper had been returning from an assignment filming Christmas lights on the Jersey Shore when it crashed into a wooded area in Washington Township at a low angle and at very high speed. The aircraft broke apart after hitting the trees and later caught on fire, National Transportation Safety Board investigator Todd Gunther told reporters.

Both men onboard  pilot Monroe Smith, 67, of Glenside, Pa., and photographer Christopher Dougherty, 45, of Oreland, Pa.  died in the crash.

Theres still no indication, however, of what may have caused Smith to lose control of the helicopter, and theres no evidence of him having broadcast any sort of emergency warning. Gunther noted that the crash occurred on a clear, cold night, implying weather conditions were an unlikely cause for what transpired.

NTSB investigators have been at the site of the crash in Burlington County for over two days as they meticulously sift through debris in an attempt to find more evidence. The debris field  originally estimated at 100 yards  is now believed to be approximately 200 yards long.

So far, theyve recovered of all four main rotor blades with breaks in the exterior, indicating the helicopters main rotor was turning when it impacted the trees.

Investigators have also recovered the nose, tail and both sides of the helicopters body. The wreckage will now be moved to a secure site, where theyll create a 2-D reconstruction of the aircraft.

A preliminary report of the investigations findings is expected to be released within 10 to 15 days, though a final report may take up to 18 months.

With News Wire Services
Texas state Attorney General Ken Paxton makes a statement at his office, May 26, 2023, in Austin, Texas. Eric Gay/AP

Attorney General Ken Paxton is trying to force a Seattle hospital to hand over records about Texas children who may have received gender-affirming care out of state.

The revelation, detailed in a lawsuit Seattle Childrens Hospital has filed against the attorney generals office, is the latest escalation in Texas Republicans efforts to prevent young transgender people from receiving hormone therapies, puberty blockers and similar treatments for gender dysphoria.

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The hospital is asking a judge in Travis County to throw out Paxtons subpoena, arguing he does not have jurisdiction over the hospital and that releasing the information would violate state and federal privacy laws. If the court allows the subpoena to stand, the hospital is asking the judge to limit the information Paxton requested.

The lawsuit was filed nearly two months after the state enacted a ban on all gender-affirming care for Texas minors. The attorney generals office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Paxton issued the subpoena Nov. 17, suspecting the hospital of providing gender-affirming treatment to Texas children, court records show. He said it was a potential violation of the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act and gave the hospital a deadline of Dec. 7 to produce the information.

The attorney general sought records of the number of Texas children the hospital treated, what they were diagnosed with and what medications they were prescribed. He also asked the hospital to describe its treatment protocol for children diagnosed with gender dysphoria.

The hospital instead filed the lawsuit, calling Paxtons demands sham requests dubiously presented as an issue of consumer protection. Its unclear how many similar subpoenas the attorney general may have issued to other hospitals and health care facilities around the country.

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Puberty blockers and hormone therapy are common treatments for transgender youths, whereas surgeries are extremely rare. Their use is supported by every major medical association in the United States.

Republicans have questioned the research behind the interventions and warned that the risks are too high for parents to make what can amount to life-altering medical decisions for their children.

We are now passing a law to ensure that going forward, no child will be victimized by gender mutilation, Gov. Greg Abbott said over the summer. We should not allow sex organs of children to be cut off. Thats something that cannot be tolerated in this state.

At the same time, LGBTQ rights advocates have denounced the proposal as discriminatory and say it will endanger the mental and physical well-being of already-at-risk transgender youths. Such health care decisions should be left to physicians and their patients and patients' families, they said.

Seattle Children's pushes back

Seattle Childrens said it was served with the subpoena Nov. 20, retained counsel a week later and soon after requested an extension to respond to Paxtons request.

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The attorney generals office offered a 10-day extension only if the hospital first committed to a full response and production of documents  essentially offering a conditional extension only if Seattle Childrens waived any jurisdictional arguments and agreed in whole to the scope of the demands.

Seattle Childrens is registered to conduct business in Texas, but its work here is limited, according to court records. The hospital does not own property in Texas, does not employ any physicians here and does not provide telemedicine services to Texas residents for gender-affirming care, the lawsuit claims.

The hospital employs a limited number of remote administrative employees in Texas, but none of them work with the hospitals gender clinic. Further, the hospital does not advertise gender-affirming care or market it to minors in Texas, and it has not used any public money from Texas to support those treatments, according to the lawsuit.

The attorney general in its demands has not alleged any facts or made any claims that Seattle Childrens committed a purported tort in Texas, or that Seattle Childrens performed any acts in Texas at all  whether legal or otherwise, the lawsuit reads. Rather, the demands seek information about care provided in Washington State to patients who may have exercised their constitutional right to travel from Texas.

Aside from its jurisdictional argument, the hospital said it also is barred from releasing patient records because of Washington states new Shield Law. The measure, written after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned federal abortion protections last year, protects people in Washington from civil and criminal actions in other states that restrict or criminalize reproductive and gender-affirming care, according to the Washington attorney generals office.

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Under the law, Washington-based companies are barred from complying with subpoenas or providing information to the ban state.
Iowa has decided not to participate in a federal program that would provide children with $40 a month in food assistance during the summer, the state announced late Friday.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's 2024 Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer for Children, or Summer EBT, would give low-income families a prepaid debit card to purchase groceries during the months when kids don't have access to daily meals while school is out.

Families would get $40 per month per child eligible for free or reduced-price lunch during the school year in the extension of a program that started during the COVID-19 pandemic.

But Iowa is taking a pass.

In a news release, the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services said the Summer EBT program does not have "a strong nutrition focus," pointing to the state being in the top 10 in the nation for high school age obesity.

"Federal COVID-era cash benefit programs are not sustainable and dont provide long-term solutions for the issues impacting children and families. An EBT card does nothing to promote nutrition at a time when childhood obesity has become an epidemic," Gov. Kim Reynolds said in the news release.

Iowa would be asked to pay $2.2 million to cover half of the administrative costs, the news release said. The state had a $1.83 billion budget surplus from last fiscal year.

Instead, Iowa officials say they will enhance and expand "already existing childhood nutrition programs."

"HHS and the Department of Education have well-established programs in place that leverage partnerships with community-based providers and schools who understand the needs of the families they serve," Reynolds said. "If the Biden administration and Congress want to make a real commitment to family well-being, they should invest in already existing programs and infrastructure at the state level and give us the flexibility to tailor them to our states needs.

Iowa pointed to several programs it administers, including the Iowa Department of Education's summer food service program and seamless summer option program, which provided 1.6 million meals to children under 18 during the summer last year. That program is funded by the USDA.

Iowa HHS also administers the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and officials said food banks and other nonprofits provide childhood nutritional programs across the state.

The USDA says on its website the Summer EBT program is designed to work "with other available FNS nutrition assistance programs, such as summer meal sites, SNAP and WIC, to help ensure kids have consistent access to critical nutrition when school is out."

More than 203,000 students were eligible for free or reduced-price lunch during the 2022-23 school year, according to data from the Iowa Department of Education.

Food providers have been reporting record use, including the Food Bank of Iowa.

The food bank, which serves a total of 55 counties, distributed 21 million pounds of food in its fiscal year ending June 30. That's a 4 million pound increase from the last fiscal year and more than 800,000 pounds over the organization's previous record in 2021, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a news release.

The food bank, which has 700 partners, including the Des Moines Area Religious Council's food pantries, served a total of 661,506 households this year, an increase of 171,285 households from the previous year, the release said.

Iowa Democratic state Sens. Sarah Trone Garriott and Izaah Knox condemned the state's decision.

Its extremely disappointing that the Reynolds administration is planning to reject federal money that could put food on the table for hungry Iowa kids, Knox, D-Des Moines, said in a statement. This cruel and short-sighted decision will have real impacts on children and families in my district and communities all across Iowa.

Trone Garriott, D-West Des Moines, said record numbers of Iowans are seeking help from food pantries.

"It is shocking that in a time of great need our governor would refuse millions of federal dollars that would go directly to feed hundreds of thousands of Iowa children, she said in a statement. Gov. Reynolds knows this is a shameful decision that will hurt struggling Iowa families  thats why she announced it with a cowardly press release full of excuses on the Friday before Christmas.

Theres still time for the state to reverse course, and I encourage Iowans to tell the governor to do the right thing.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowa opts out of EBT food program for low-income children in summer
Iran threatened Saturday that the Mediterranean Sea could be closed if the U.S. and Israel continued crimes in Gaza, state media reported, according to Reuters.

The Iranian government has showed support for the militant group Hamas in its war against Israel, while the U.S. has strongly backed Israel  despite growing criticism of the Israeli militarys war effort.

They shall soon await the closure of the Mediterranean Sea, [the Strait of] Gibraltar and other waterways, state media Tasnim quoted Iranian Brig. Gen. Mohammad Reza Naqdi as saying.

Iran has accused the Israeli military, and the U.S. as its close ally, of committing war crimes in Gaza. More than 20,000 Palestinians have died in the conflict since early October, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.

The Biden administration has pressed the Israeli military to step back from major military operations amid the rising civilian death toll and international pressure.

It is unclear how Iran would follow through on such a threat, as the country has no direct access to the Mediterranean Sea and no major naval presence outside the Persian Gulf.

Naqdi suggested attacks on Gibraltar would be an escalation of Red Sea attacks on shipping from Houthi rebels in Yemen. The Iran-backed rebel group launched attacks on cargo ships and U.S. warships near the Horn of Africa last week, stepping up operations in the years-long Yemeni civil war.

Yesterday, the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz became a nightmare for them, and today they are trapped  in the Red Sea, Naqdi said, referencing the Houthi attacks, according to state media.

The Biden administration has faced pressure to strike back at the Yemeni group over the attacks. A Navy task force will be deployed to the region to protect shipping, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced Monday.

Irans proxy groups in the eastern Mediterranean, Hezbollah in Lebanon and an allied group in Syria are not believed to have the capability of long-distance strikes.

Tansim reported that an Iran-backed group in Iraq attacked an Israeli natural gas facility off the coast of Israel earlier this week.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Armed men stand on the beach as the Galaxy Leader commercial ship, seized by Houthi rebels last month, is anchored off Yemen - KHALED ABDULLAH/REUTERS

Iran has threatened to close the Strait of Gibraltar and the Mediterranean Sea unless Israel stops bombing Gaza, as the US warned Tehran was deeply involved in attacks on shipping.

They shall soon await the closure of the Mediterranean Sea, [the Strait of] Gibraltar and other waterways, Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Naqdi, a senior member of the countrys Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said today.

The general did not explain how Iran, which does not border the Mediterranean, intended to make good on its threat.

Irans proxy militias in southern Lebanon and Syria do have access to the sea, through which about a fifth of global maritime trade passes.

The Houthis in Yemen, which are backed by Iran, have already forced several major shipping companies to reroute their vessels to avoid the Red Sea by targeting merchant craft with drones and missiles.

On Saturday, a Liberian-flagged tanker was struck by a drone while it was sailing in the Arabian Sea off the coast of India, setting it on fire.

Yemen's Houthis have warned they are ready to attack ships in the region - MOHAMMED HAMOUD/GETTY

Some structural damage was also reported and some water was taken onboard. The vessel was Israel-affiliated. She had last called at Saudi Arabia and was destined for India at the time, British maritime security firm Ambrey said.

The fire was extinguished without any casualties being suffered by the crew.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility, but the attack came amid a wave of drone and missile attacks carried out by the Houthis.

Yesterday, the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz became a nightmare for them, and today they are trapped ... in the Red Sea, Brig Gen Naqdi said, describing the birth of new powers of resistance.

The Houthis have been fighting Yemens government since 2014 - MOHAMMED HAMOUD/GETTY

The Houthi leadership have described the attacks as retribution for Israels invasion of Gaza, which was run by another Tehran ally, Hamas.

They claim that the attacks are targeted against shipping headed for Israel; however, several ships which have been struck have no connection with Israel or the war.

On Friday, US intelligence accused Tehran of being deeply involved in the operational planning of the Red Sea attacks.

US intelligence suggests that Iran has been providing a monitoring system which is essential for the attacks, the National Security Council spokesman Adrienne Watson told US broadcaster CNN.

Iran has the choice to provide or withhold this support, without which the Houthis would struggle to effectively track and strike commercial vessels navigating shipping lanes through the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, Ms Watson said.

Houthi attacks

Iranian-provided tactical intelligence has been critical in enabling Houthi targeting of maritime vessels since the group commenced attacks in November, she added.

Irans deputy foreign minister rejected the accusations that the country was involved in the Houthi attacks, saying the group was acting on its own.

The resistance (Huthis) has its own tools... and acts in accordance with its own decisions and capabilities, Irans deputy foreign minister Ali Bagheri told the countrys Mehr news agency.

The fact that certain powers, such as the Americans and the Israelis, suffer strikes from the resistance movement... should in no way call into question the reality of the strength of the resistance in the region, he added.

War on Israel

The Houthis, who have been fighting against Yemens government in a civil war since 2014, are part of an Iran-led axis of resistance against Israel, the US and the West.

The groups leaders declared war on Israel last month, launching a salvo of drones and ballistic missiles at the southern Israeli city of Eilat more than 1,000 miles away.

Iran has repeatedly warned of a widening conflict, and last month, its foreign minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said the intensity of the war has rendered its expansion inevitable.

Irans president Ebrahim Raisi has said Iran sees it as its duty to support the resistance groups but insisted that they are independent in their opinion, decision and action.

Last month, Tehran dismissed as invalid Israels accusations that Houthi rebels were acting on Tehrans guidance when they seized a Red Sea ship owned by an Israeli businessman.

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Families have fled the Bureij refugee camp for Deir al-Balah - despite fresh accusations this area is unsafe

Israel says it has arrested 200 members of the Hamas and Islamic Jihad groups in the past week and taken them into its territory for questioning.

A statement said some of the suspects had been hiding among the civilian population and surrendered voluntarily.

Israel says 700 Palestinian militants have been arrested since it launched its military operation and invasion of Gaza with the aim of eliminating Hamas.

Hamas says mostly women and children are being killed by the Israelis.

The BBC is unable to verify the claims. Israel has previously stressed that it takes steps to avoid civilian casualties, and blames Hamas for embedding itself in densely-populated areas.

Israel launched its retaliatory operation after Hamas fighters crossed from Gaza into southern Israel on 7 October, killing 1,200 people and taking about 240 hostages.

More than 20,000 people have been killed and 53,000 injured in Gaza since then, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.

Its update on Saturday said another 201 people had been killed and 368 others injured in the previous day alone.

The UN earlier announced that its aid worker Issam al-Mughrabi, 56, had been killed in a strike - along with his wife, children and more than 70 members of his extended family.

Israel announced that five more of its soldiers had been killed in fighting in Gaza, bringing the total to 144 to since it launched its ground operation.

The military has kept up its bombing campaign in Gaza - ordering civilians to flee.

On Saturday, it said one of its fighter jets had killed Hassah Atrash, a man it accused of smuggling weapons into Gaza to arm Hamas. There was no confirmation from Hamas.

In a separate development on Saturday, US President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu discussed in a phone call Israel's ongoing military operation in Gaza.

Mr Biden "emphasised the critical need to protect the civilian population including those supporting the humanitarian aid operation, and the importance of allowing civilians to move safely away from areas of ongoing fighting", the White House said.

Meanwhile, Mr Netanyahu "made it clear that Israel would continue the war until all of its goals have been achieved", the Israeli PM's office said.

The Israeli military has said it has almost full operational control of the north of the Gaza Strip, and is stepping up operations in the south.

The UN said the latest evacuation order affected 150,000 people in the middle of the territory.

"People in Gaza are people," commented Thomas White from UNWRA, the agency for Palestinian refugees. "They are not pieces on a checkerboard - many have already been displaced several times."

The latest evacuation order impacted people in the Bureij refugee camp, who were told to head towards Deir al-Balah city further south.

Palestinian news agency Wafa reported on Saturday that Bureij had been shelled - as had the Jabalia and Nuseirat camps, among other locations.

A medic named Ziad told Reuters news agency he was left asking where to go, as there was "no safe place".

An adviser to the Israeli prime minister has acknowledged "terrible suffering" in Gaza - but told the BBC this was because the territory's Hamas leadership "don't give a hoot" for the people there.

The suffering "shouldn't have happened" but came about after a "declaration of war" by Hamas on 7 October, said Mark Regev.

The questioning of 200 new suspects was announced in a joint statement on Saturday by the Israeli military and internal security service Shin Bet.

The statement said this followed the arrests in Gaza of "hundreds of suspects involved in terrorist activities".

The BBC is not able to independently verify all battlefield claims. However, it did verify video earlier this month showing the detention of dozens of Palestinian men in the north Gaza Strip.
Palestinians displaced by the Israeli bombardment wait for their turn to bake bread at the makeshift tent camp in the Muwasi area in Rafah, Gaza Strip, Saturday, Dec. 23, 2023. (AP Photo/Fatima Shbair)

RAFAH, Gaza Strip (AP)  More than 90 Palestinians, including dozens from an extended family, were killed in Israeli airstrikes on two homes in Gaza, rescuers and hospital officials said Saturday, a day after the U.N. chief warned that nowhere is safe in the territory and that Israels offensive creates massive obstacles to distribution of humanitarian aid.

U.S. President Joe Biden spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday, calling it a long and private conversation a day after the Biden administration again shielded Israel in the diplomatic arena. On Friday, the U.N. Security Council adopted a watered-down resolution that calls for immediately speeding up aid deliveries to desperate civilians in Gaza, but not for a cease-fire.

I did not ask for a cease-fire, Biden said of the call. Netanyahus office said the prime minister made clear that Israel would continue the war until achieving all its goals.

Also Saturday, the Israeli military said troops arrested hundreds of alleged militants in Gaza over the past week and transferred more than 200 to Israel for further interrogation, providing rare details on a controversial policy of mass roundups of Palestinian men. The army said more than 700 people with alleged ties to the militant groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad have so far been sent to Israeli lockups.

Israel declared war after Hamas gunmen stormed across the border on Oct. 7, killing some 1,200 people and taking some 240 hostages. More than 20,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israels war to destroy Hamas and more than 53,000 have been wounded, according to health officials in Gaza, a besieged territory ruled by the Islamic militant group for the past 16 years.

The Health Ministry in Gaza on Saturday evening said 201 people had been killed over the past 24 hours.

Airstrikes on Friday flattened two homes, including one in Gaza City, where 76 people from the al-Mughrabi family were killed, making the attack one of the deadliest of the war, said Mahmoud Bassal, a spokesman for Gazas Civil Defense department.

Among those killed were Issam al-Mughrabi, a veteran employee of the U.N. Development Program, his wife, and their five children.

The U.N. and civilians in Gaza are not a target, said Achim Steiner, the head of the agency. This war must end.

And a strike pulverized the home of Mohammed Khalifa, a local TV journalist, killing him and at least 14 others in the urban refugee camp of Nuseirat, according to officials at the Al Aqsa Martyrs Hospital where the bodies were taken.

Israel blames Hamas for the high civilian death toll, citing the militants' use of crowded residential areas and tunnels. Israel has launched thousands of airstrikes since Oct. 7, and has largely refrained from commenting on specific attacks.

Israels offensive has been one of the most devastating military campaigns in recent history, displacing nearly 85% of Gazas 2.3 million people and leveling wide swaths of the tiny coastal enclave. More than a half million people in Gaza  a quarter of the population  are starving, according to a report this week from the United Nations and other agencies.

In the southern city of Khan Younis, men walking through the rubble tried to shoo away cats feeding on unclaimed bodies. One man covered a body with a blanket. Another wished to call an ambulance but had no phone signal.

The Israeli military spokesman, Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, said forces were expanding their offensive in northern and southern Gaza and troops were fighting in complex areas in Khan Younis.

The army's statement on detentions followed earlier Palestinian reports of large-scale roundups of teenage boys and men from homes, shelters and hospitals in northern Gaza where troops have established firmer control. Some of the released detainees have said they were stripped to their underwear, beaten and held for days with minimal water.

Channel 13 in Israel showed new footage of Palestinian men stripped to their underwear and walking in single file, with soldiers nearby. It was not clear when the footage was taken. In response to widespread criticism, the army has said detainees are stripped to check them for weapons. It has denied abuse allegations and said those without links to militants are quickly released.

Hamas called on the International Committee of the Red Cross and other organizations to pressure Israeli authorities to reveal the whereabouts and conditions of people detained.

Israel says it has killed thousands of Hamas militants, including about 2,000 in the past three weeks, but has not presented evidence. It says 144 of its soldiers have been killed in the ground offensive.

Following the U.N. resolution, it was not immediately clear how and when aid deliveries would accelerate. Trucks enter through two crossings  Rafah on the border with Egypt and Kerem Shalom on the border with Israel. On Friday, fewer than 100 trucks entered, the U.N. said  far below the daily average of 500 before the war.

Both crossings were closed Saturday by mutual agreement among Israel, Egypt and the U.N., Israeli officials said.

Senior Hamas official Osama Hamdan criticized the Security Council resolution that called for aid into Gaza without suspending hostilities, calling it weak and insufficient."

Ahead of the council vote, the U.S. negotiated the removal of language that would have given the U.N. authority to inspect aid going into Gaza, something Israel says it must continue to do itself to ensure material does not reach Hamas.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Friday that its a mistake to measure the effectiveness of the humanitarian operation by the number of trucks.

The real problem is that the way Israel is conducting this offensive is creating massive obstacles to the distribution of humanitarian aid inside Gaza, he said.

Netanyahu and his government also faced pressure at home, with calls to get the remaining hostages freed. Bibi, Bibi retire. We dont want you anymore, a crowd of thousands chanted in Tel Aviv.

___

Magdy reported from Cairo. Associated Press writers Aamer Madhani in Washington and Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations contributed to this report.
Western officials should be wary of public comments that suggest Russia has already been defeated in Ukraine, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) wrote in its Dec. 22 report.

In recent days, high-ranking Western officials have made public comments emphasizing Russia's strategic failures in Ukraine. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Dec. 22 that Russian dictator Vladimir Putin "has lost Ukraine altogether." U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken made similar comments on Dec. 20, saying Russia has already failed to meet its key aim of conquering Ukraine.

As military aid to Ukraine stalls and the country girds itself for a difficult winter at war, these comments may suggest that Western support for Ukraine is not urgently needed, the ISW warns.

"Russian information space actors will likely continue to exploit Western statements regarding the failure of Russian operations in 2023 and falsely frame such statements as indicators that Western leaders intend to stop supporting Ukraine," analysts said.

The report pointed out that Vadym Skibitskyi, a representative of Ukraine's Military Intelligence (HUR), rejected the idea that Russia has already lost the war.

"Putin's goals ... have not been achieved either in 2022 or 2023. He is simply postponing them to the next year," Skibitskyi said.

The ISW agreed with Skibitskyi's assessment that Russian dictator Vladimir Putin will continue to pursue his military objectives despite enormous losses.

"[T]he current failure of Russian operations in Ukraine thus far is not a permanent condition," the ISW said.

The ISW wrote on Dec. 17 that Putin believes a full Ukrainian surrender is still possible and that Western support is wavering. Putin himself reaffirmed his maximalist ambitions in a news conference on Dec. 14.

"There will be peace when we achieve our goals," he said.

Read also: Editorial: Why we dont avoid unpleasant stories about Ukraine

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
An Italian consortium has warned British drinkers to stop abusing the term prosecco by using it for any sparkling wine.

In a poster being displayed on the London Underground, a picture of a barrel is featured, alongside the words: This is not prosecco. Do not call it prosecco if it is a common effervescent wine.

The message is being displayed at more than 80 sites across the capital.

Its projected that 15 million people will see it during the two-week campaign, which began on December 18.

The Prosecco DOC Consortium protects the term prosecco, which has been protected under EU law since 2009.

The drink has a geographical designation label (DOC), meaning the wine must be produced in one of two Italian regions, Veneto or Friuli-Venezia Giulia.

Previously, any sparkling wine made with prosecco grapes could claim the moniker.

Its projected that 15 million people will see this poster during its two-week campaign - Madeleine Ross

In the consortiums annual statement, it drew attention to its legal victory over Australian producers in the Singapore Court of Appeal to only allow the name prosecco to be used for wines of Italian origin.

Australian producers have been making sparkling wine from the prosecco grape since 2001, and disagreements about the term have proved a sticking point in free trade agreements with the EU.

In 2020, the Australian government funded a AU$100,000 (54,000) research project to examine the validity of the protected geographical indication.

In other examples of its committed defence of prosecco, the consortium also said it had acted with great determination to fight the use of the term for other products including soaps, candles, electronic cigarettes, chocolates, and candy.

It said it had monitored more than 50,000 websites for inappropriate exploitation of the term.

Stefano Zanette the president of the Consorzio Tutela Prosecco DOC, said: It is a tradition for us to carry out an important international communication campaign at the end of the year, aimed to underline the consolidated role for Prosecco DOC in celebrating the most anticipated festivities.

He continued: With this in mind, the Consorzio focusses on its major markets including Italy, the English and German speaking countries with a cross-media project that will convey our message through traditional and new media, as well as with artistic and innovative installations.

Diego Tomasi, the director of the Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco DOCG consortium, also stressed the need to protect the name prosecco from abuse.

The great value of Italian viticulture lies in the close and intimate link between the vine and genius loci, Mr Tomasi told The Telegraph.

It is clear that this cannot be replicated and any attempt at imitation or evocation of the name must be strongly opposed. No other wine experience can boast our name.

It comes as British drinkers begin to turn away from prosecco to other sparkling wines, with the annual growth rate between 2017 and 2022 staying at 0 per cent, according to drinks analysts IWSR.

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.
California, including Oxnard and Port Hueneme in Ventura County, witnessed evacuation orders on Thursday for cities and beach towns along its southern coast due to a sluggish Pacific storm, prompting authorities to urge residents to find shelter as floodwaters submerged streets.

Collaborating with the police department, the Oxnard Fire Department conducted water rescues, emphasizing the hazards of navigating flooded roads. Thankfully, there have been no reports of injuries or fatalities. Ventura County witnessed a brief tornado warning overnight, as per USA Today.

California Faces Rare 500-Year Storm

A storm system is anticipated to impact the California coast, bringing with it heavy rainfall, thunderstorms, and the possibility of waterspouts or tornadoes until Friday. According to the National Weather Service in Los Angeles, Southern California is expected to experience the most severe weather conditions from Wednesday afternoon through Thursday.

Meteorologists highlight the storm's "optimal route" for maximum rainfall, with an atmospheric river delivering over 4 inches of rain from late Tuesday to early Thursday. Anticipated rainfall rates exceeding 2 inches per hour raised concerns of flash flooding, leading to evacuation warnings in Ventura County until noon Friday.

Oxnard, the largest city in the county, was hit with an astonishing amount of rainfall on Thursday morning. Within just a few hours, the city received over 2.5 inches of rain, a truly extraordinary occurrence. This level of precipitation is so rare that it is estimated to happen only once every 500 years.

In Ventura County, floodwaters have wreaked havoc on a minimum of 60 homes, causing significant damage and distress for the affected residents. The dire situation has prompted an overwhelming surge of emergency calls, with a staggering 275 distress calls flooding in within a mere five-hour period. The number of calls far surpasses the average volume typically handled by the local emergency department.

Swift water rescues were initiated to assist trapped vehicles as roadways became inundated. The situation extended to Santa Barbara, where intense rainfall forced the closure of multiple ramps leading to Highway 101 due to flooding, according to New York Times.

Read Also: Russian President Vladimir Putin Says Moscow is Prepared To Hold Talks for Future of Ukraine

Heavy Rainfall Warning For Southern California

Southern California is expected to receive rainfall totals of 2 to 5 inches, with an additional 5 to 10 inches possible in south-facing foothills and coastal slopes. Flood watches are in effect for parts of Los Angeles, San Diego, Santa Barbara, and Palm Springs, with warnings of significant and potentially life-threatening flooding.

The weather service underscores the risk of extensive roadway flooding, rock and mudslides, debris flows near recent burn scars, and significant creek flooding. A Level 3 of 4 moderate risk for excessive rainfall is in effect, particularly for Santa Barbara and the Los Angeles metro area.

While thunderstorms are possible on Thursday, the likelihood of them turning severe is low. Earlier this week, Northern California experienced a rare event-an EF-1 tornado in Oroville, causing minimal damage.

On the opposite coast, the Northeast is contending with extreme weather, including torrential rain and flooding. In Maine, over 130,000 power customers have endured days without power amid freezing temperatures. Restoration efforts are challenged by ongoing strong wind gusts, impeding the recovery from the early-week storm that closed numerous roads due to downed trees and power lines, CNN News reported.

Related Article: 2023 Winter Solstice Scheduled for December 22

@ 2024 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Italys Defence Minister Guido Crosetto has said that in addition to providing military assistance for Ukraine, its partners should start looking for a political solution to put an end to the war the Russian invasion has unleashed.

Source: ANSA, an Italian media outlet, citing Crosetto during his visit to the Italian troops stationed in Malbork, Poland

Quote: "The war has been going on for almost two years now and I think that, alongside and in parallel with military engagement and support for Ukraine, it is important to take paths that lead to a political solution.

What cannot be achieved militarily  and up to now we have achieved the preservation of Ukraine, which could have been wiped out, and the consolidation of a border that blocked the Russian attack  can be achieved by opening a diplomatic and political front to try to achieve the same result through peace talks."

Details: Crosetto said that what existed before the war has to be restored, and "what could not be done with weapons must be done in another way".

Previously: On 23 December, The New York Times reported that Russian President Vladimir Putin has been sending signals through intermediaries since at least September that he is ready to agree to a ceasefire in the war of aggression against Ukraine, which would include freezing hostilities on the current contact line.

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The Japanese government approved a significant bump in military spending and an end to the country's ban on exporting lethal weapons.

The Cabinet of Japan made the decision Friday to increase defense spending by 16% and overturn the export ban which has been in place since World War II.

"In taking the action, we hope to contribute to defend a free and open international order based on the rule of law and to achieve the peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region," Prime Minister Fumio Kishida told the press following the announcement.

WIFE OF NAVY OFFICER JAILED IN JAPAN CALLS ON BIDEN TO COMMUTE SENTENCE AS US SENDS HIM TO PRISON UPON RETURN

Japanese soldiers from the Japan Ground Self-Defence Force (JGSDF) is seen taking part in an urban assault in Townsville, Australia.

Kishida added, "There is no change to our principle as a pacifist nation."

Japan's first export of lethal weapons was made immediately following the change, sending Patriot-guided missiles to the United States.

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

The missiles were previously manufactured in Japan under a US license.

SOUTH KOREA, JAPAN SCRAMBLE JETS AFTER CHINA, RUSSIA WARPLANES SPOTTED ENTERING SEOUL'S DEFENSE ZONE

Prime Minister Kishida delivers a speech during a ceremony ahead an Air Self-Defense Force Review at Air Self Defense Force (ASDF) Camp Iruma in Saitama prefecture, Japan, Tokyo.

The approval marks yet another step towards the full remilitarization of Japan, which was provided with a constitution renouncing its right to wage war by US occupying administrators following WWII.

"The scope, scale, and speed of Japans security reforms have been unprecedented," U.S. Ambassador Rahm Emanuel said on social media.

Emanuel called the change in policy "a significant example of Japans shared commitment to deterrence."

Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) mobile combat vehicles fire ammunition during a live fire exercise at East Fuji Maneuver Area at night in Gotemba, Shizuoka, Japan.

Japan's government, headed by the powerful Liberal Democratic Party, is aiming to increase the country's relevance on the geopolitical stage through a series of reforms to its demilitarized status.

Territorial disputes with the People's Republic of China and demonstrations of aggression from neighboring North Korea have pushed Japan towards securing more formidable military capabilities.





Original article source: Japan approves massive military spending growth, lifts ban on lethal weapons exports
Josef Schuster, President of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, during an interview at the Intercontinental Hotel. Jorg Carstensen/dpa

The president of Germany's Central Council of Jews, Josef Schuster, has not observed any emigration of Jews from Germany despite the rising number of anti-Semitic incidents in the country.

When asked whether members of the Jewish community were turning their backs on Germany, Schuster told the Rheinische Post newspaper in an interview published on Saturday: "No, I definitely don't see any emigration of Jewish people from Germany."

There are always people who move to Israel for religious reasons, Schuster said, but added he couldn't see that for political reasons "in contrast to France, where there is a clear exodus of Jews."

Since the terrorist attack on Israel by the Palestinian Islamist organization Hamas and others on October 7, a sharp rise in anti-Semitic incidents has also been reported in Germany, including hostility, verbal abuse, the marking of residential buildings with Stars of David and an attempted arson attack on a Berlin synagogue.

Anti-Israeli slogans have been shouted and posters displayed at demonstrations.

German Commissioner for Anti-Semitism Felix Klein described October 7 as a "turning point, also for the safety of Jews in Germany."

"I find it alarming when Jews consider leaving Germany. And I understand if some do. There is great unrest in the community," Klein told the Saturday editions of the newspapers in the Funke Media Group.

He said that Jews in Germany had not been in as much danger since the Holocaust as they are today.

"In 1972 we had the attack on the Olympic Games in Munich, in 2019 the attack in [the German city of] Halle. Today we are dealing with an active terrorist organization that wants to kill as many Jews as possible - and which is openly supported by parts of the population. We have to fear that Hamas' arm will reach as far as Germany."

Klein was referring to an attack at the Summer Olympics in the southern German city when eight Palestinian terrorists broke into the Olympic village and killed two members of the Israeli team, and another more recently when a shooter killed two people nearby after failing to force his way into the synagogue in the central German city of Halle on the feast of Yom Kippur.
Joe Rogan has been left red-faced after he incorrectly blamed one of Donald Trumps gaffes on President Joe Biden.

The controversial podcast host went on a rant on his show this week, mocking the Democratic president for making no sense at all and questioning his mental competence  a favourite pasttime of conservative figures.

In the segment, during an interview with MMA fighter Bo Nickal, Rogan claimed that Mr Biden had recently incorrectly claimed that the US lost the Revolutionary War because they didnt have enough airports.

As the two men cracked up laughing, Rogan even went as far as to say that Mr Biden should be done in his role as leader of the country for making the comments.

Pull him. If you had any other job, and you were talking like that, they would go: Hey, youre done, he said.

But, it turned out that the comments werent made by Mr Biden at all  but were actually said by former Republican president Mr Trump.

Joe Rogan made the gaffe while accusing Biden of making a gaffe (Spotify)

And Rogans own team was only too willing to fact check about this live on air.

A producer informed the podcast host that, when Mr Biden spoke on the subject, he was actually mocking Mr Trump for his comments.

Its not fake but he was referencing Trump saying that, the producer said.

An awkward moment ensued where Rogan and his guest were forced to sit and listen to the clip.

The same stable genius said the biggest problem we had during the Revolutionary War is we didnt have enough airports! Mr Biden is heard saying of Mr Trump.

Oh my God. Joe Rogan tried to say Biden is unqualified by claiming he said something that TRUMP said.



He got fact checked in real time. This is amazing.



(h/t @Mediaite) pic.twitter.com/qlY9xvPhOS  No Lie with Brian Tyler Cohen (@NoLieWithBTC) December 22, 2023

Rogan was also treated to a video of Mr Trumps remarks during his Fourth of July speech in 2019  where he made the gaffe saying that the Army took over the airports from the British in the Revolutionary War.

Our army manned the air, it rammed the ramparts, it took over the airports, it did everything it had to do, and at Fort McHenry, under the rockets red glare, it had nothing but victory, he said.

Back in the late 18th century, there was of course no planes  let alone airports  used in the war.

After a humiliating few seconds, Rogan conceded about Mr Trump: Oh OK, so he f***ed up.

Nickal also chimed in: You can tell, too, he sounds a little different. You can tell he messed up his words... Thats the thing about media these days, youve got to look into it.
Contrary to claims circulating in the media, Roman Ihnatov, the head of Ukraine's Higher Qualification Commission of Judges (HQCJ), does not possess a Russian passport, investigative journalism project Schemes reported on Dec. 22.

Given the substantial influence wielded by the HQCJ in shaping the career trajectories of judges across Ukraine, investigative efforts a year ago by Schemes journalist Heorhiy Shabayev scrutinized Ihnatov's background during his candidacy. The inquiry revealed that Ihnatov only held an old Soviet passport, dispelling rumors of his Russian citizenship.

Read also: Russias aggression demands long-term EU resistance plan, Estonian Prime Minister says

Journalists emphasized that Ihnatov has never sought or obtained Russian citizenship, and the official Russian passport registry, Rospasport, does not list him as a citizen.

The controversy surrounding the alleged Russian passport number attributed to Ihnatov stems from a combination of digits found in his old Soviet passport (first six digits  614064) and its issuance date (09.12). Journalists explained that the third and fourth digits typically correspond to the year of issuance, and the series "40" is projected to be assigned to Russia starting in 2040.

Read also: Occupiers deport Ukrainian prisoners to Russia for rejecting Russian citizenship  Kyiv

Despite the media frenzy, Ukrainian news outlet ZN.UA reported that the Higher Qualification Commission of Judges received a letter from Ukraine's Security Service asserting that Ihnatov holds Russian citizenship. Ihnatov vehemently denied these allegations, challenging the authorities to produce evidence.

"When I went through the HQCJ, I was checked twice  the first openly and the second time secretly, he said.

Information was obtained that I never had Russian citizenship. If I have it, please show me the passport, show me something. But there is nothing.

Ihnatov expressed concerns about potential provocations against HQCJ officials and requested increased security measures. His tenure as the head of the Higher Qualification Commission of Judges began in June 2023.

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
A federal judge ruled Friday that Twitter, now known as X, breached its contract with employees when it failed to pay millions in promised bonuses last year.

The company promised employees half of their potential bonuses both before and after tech billionaire Elon Musk purchased the company in 2022, but never paid, according to the suit.

Mark Schobinger, then the companys senior director of compensation, brought the lawsuit against the social media platform in June.

Once Schobinger did what Twitter asked, Twitters offer to pay him a bonus in return became a binding contract under California law, District Judge Vince Chhabria wrote in the opinion.

And by allegedly refusing to pay Schobinger his promised bonus, Twitter violated that contract, he added.

The company argued that the bonus agreement was merely an oral promise and should not have to be paid per Texas law.

Chhabria, instead, held the company to California law, which establishes that the agreement was legally binding.

Twitters contrary arguments all fail, Chhabria wrote.

X has faced multiple legal battles since Musk took over the company last year, including other fights on compensation, wrongful termination and discrimination claims.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
A judge sentenced an 18-year-old hacker who leaked GTA 6 footage to indefinite hospital seclusion.

The court ruled that Arion Kurtaj was a danger to society.

Kurtaj was deemed unfit to stand trial due to severe autism.

A UK judge on Friday sentenced the teenager who hacked Rockstar Games and leaked footage from Grand Theft Auto 6 to an indefinite stay in a secure hospital after he was deemed unfit to stand trial.

A court found Arion Kurtaj, 18, guilty in August of multiple accounts related to hacking several tech companies, including Uber and Nvidia, and releasing sensitive information.

Police first arrested Kurtaj in January 2022, along with an unidentified 17-year-old. They released the pair on bail as the investigation continued. Kurtaj was re-arrested in March 2022 and placed under house arrest in a Travelodge motel for his protection. From the hotel room, he managed to hack into Rockstar Games using an Amazon Fire TV Stick connected to the television.

Kurtaj accessed the company's Slack channels and posted a message that said, "If Rockstar does not contact me on Telegram within 24 hours I will start releasing the source code," according to The Guardian.

During his sentencing on Thursday, the judge declared Kurtaj unfit to stand trial due to severe autism, according to the BBC, remanding him to an indefinite stay at a secure hospital unless doctors deem him no longer a danger. The judge said Kurtaj's "skills and desire to commit cyber-crime" show that he is still a high risk to the public.

Prosecutors presented evidence that Kurtaj had been violent while in custody and accumulated dozens of reports of injury or property damage, according to the report.

A mental health assessment presented during the hearing said Kurtaj "continued to express the intent to return to cyber-crime as soon as possible" and added that he "is highly motivated," according to The Guardian.

Kurtaj was part of an international hacking group known as Lapsus$, whose attacks on Uber, Nvidia, and Rockstar Games have cost the companies nearly $10 million in combined losses, the BBC reported.

City of London Police Detective Chief Superintendent Amanda Horsburgh said the case "serves as an example of the dangers that young people can be drawn towards whilst online and the serious consequences it can have for someone's broader future," The Guardian reported.

"Many young people wish to explore how technology works and what vulnerabilities exist," she said, according to the outlet. "This can include learning to code, interacting with like-minded individuals online, and experimenting with tools. Unfortunately, the digital world can also be tempting to young people for the wrong reasons."

Read the original article on Business Insider
Montreal Canadiens defenseman Justin Barron handles the puck during the third period of the team's NHL hockey game against the Chicago Blackhawks Friday, Dec. 22, 2023, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)

CHICAGO (AP)  Juraj Slafkovsky, Nick Suzuki and David Savard each had a goal and an assist, and the Montreal Canadiens beat the Chicago Blackhawks 5-2 on Friday night.

Mitchell Stephens and Josh Anderson also scored for Montreal, which trailed 2-0 early in the second period. Cayden Primeau made 19 saves.

With their second win over the Blackhawks this season, the Canadiens roll into the NHLs Christmas break with points in five straight games (3-0-2).

We weren't happy with our start for sure, said Suzuki, who scored his team-leading 10th goal. We know that style that we play and that we can come back in games just with our relentlessness and hunting on the forecheck.

Turn a lot of pucks over, got a lot of chances and (Stephens) got us started with a big tip.

Montreal coach Martin St. Louis credited his players' direct, physical style with allowing them to take charge.

We just got back to playing our game so to speak, St. Louis said. I thought we had some big plays, some big goals at key times that gave us some life, and I thought we played an excellent third period.

Stephens started Montreal's comeback with his first goal since March 3, 2020, for Tampa Bay against Boston. Anderson and Slafkovsky scored 2:31 apart late in the middle frame to put the Canadiens ahead.

I don't know if they let us back in or if it was just good play from us," Suzuki said.

Savard added an empty-netter with 1:56 left.

Ryan Donato scored for a second straight game and Jason Dickinson fired in a career-high 10th goal, but the last-place Blackhawks once again failed to protect a lead.

NHL rookie scoring leader Connor Bedard set up Donato's goal and has five assists in his last three games. Petr Mrazek made 23 saves in his third straight start.

They pushed and we didnt, Dickinson said. "I felt like they got a couple goals and then we sat back and maybe got on our heels, and then the third period we just didnt really do anything."

Sam Montembeault, who made 20 saves in a 4-3 overtime loss at Minnesota on Thursday, backed up Primeau. Jake Allen, reportedly on the trading block, was the healthy scratch in Montreals goalie trio.

Blackhawks forward Colin Blackwell, playing in just his second game since hernia surgery in March, set up Dickinsons goal with a spinning play in the slot and hit the post on a short-handed breakaway in the first period.

The Blackhawks were buoyed by the return of defensemen Kevin Korchinski and Jarred Tinordi.

It was the first game for the 19-year-old Korchinski since Dec. 7. His father, Larry, died, and the rookie was away from the team to spend time with his family.

The rugged 31-year-old Tinordi was activated from injured reserve after missing six games with a concussion. In a corresponding move, Chicago assigned defensemen Wyatt Kaiser and Filip Roos to Rockford of the AHL.

Chicago remained without defensemen Seth Jones and rookie Alex Vlasic. Both have shoulder injuries.

Donato opened the scoring with 3:04 left in the first. Bedard twisted away from coverage on the left boards and passed in the slot to Donato, who wristed a shot under Primeaus glove.

Set up by Blackwell, a trailing Dickinson rifled in a shot 3:43 into the second give Chicago a 2-0 lead.

But Chicago coach Luke Richardson said his team didn't play a smart game" and seemed unaware at times starting in the middle frame.

Just the battle level for them in that second period, they just ramped it up and we played on the outside, Richardson said.

Stephens got Montreal on the board at 4:20, tipping in Mike Mathesons shot from the right point.

Anderson tied it with 4:58 left in the second. He cruised down the crease unscathed and took a feed from Sean Monahan as the Blackhawks' coverage got crossed up.

Slafkovsky put the Canadiens ahead 3-2 with his second goal in two games. He twisted away from defenseman Isaak Phillips at the edge of the crease and tucked in a loose rebound.

UP NEXT

Canadiens: At Carolina on Thursday.

Blackhawks: At St. Louis on Saturday.

___

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/NHL
Andre Thorne of Bradley Beach was murdered in February 2016.

FREEHOLD  Two suspects have been charged in the 2016 murder of a 20-year-old Bradley Beach man, Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago said Friday night.

Almost eight years have passed since Andre Thorne was gunned down, found shot in the chest while sitting in a car in Neptune.

Quashon J. McDuffie, 30, of Long Branch and Knaliek Joshua, 31, of Asbury Park, are each charged with first-degree felony murder, first-degree armed robbery, second-degree conspiracy to commit robbery, second-degree unlawful possession of a weapon and second-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose. Joshua has also been charged with being a certain person not allowed to possess a weapon, according to the Prosecutors Office.

Previously: Seven years later, Neptune Police still searching for answers in shooting of Andre Thorne

Neptune Police responded to the scene about 8:18 p.m. on Feb. 8, 2016, to the 1300 block of 7th Avenue in Neptune for a report of a shooting.

Officers found Thorne in the drivers seat of a 2002 red Dodge Neon, where he had suffered a single gunshot wound to the chest. Thorne was rushed to Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune where he died from his injuries.

Investigators determined that at the time of the shooting, Thorne had been sitting in the car with two other people.

How we got here: Neptune shooting victim dies

A joint investigation by the Prosecutors Office and the Neptune Township Police Department has since concluded the involvement of McDuffie and Joshua in the homicide, the Prosecutors Office said.

The investigation is ongoing and anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Sgt. Keith Finkelstein of the Prosecutors Office at (732) 431-7160, ext. 3019; or Neptune Police Detective Carrie Bartlett at (732) 988-8000.

Anyone who has information but wishes to remain anonymous can submit a tip to Monmouth County Crime Stoppers by calling the confidential telephone tip-line at 1-800-671-4400 or by going to the website at www.monmouthcountycrimestoppers.com.

Contact Asbury Park Press reporter Erik Larsen at elarsen@gannettnj.com.

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: 2 men charged in murder of 20-year-old Bradley Beach NJ resident
The United States Supreme Court has sided with former United States President Donald Trump after issuing a ruling rejecting Special Counsel Jack Smith's request for an expedited ruling over the Republican businessman's immunity claim.

The ruling was issued on Friday and relates to the former president's immunity claims regarding his 2020 election interference case. While appellate courts are hearing the immunity case, the Supreme Court said it would be proceeding as normal.

Supreme Court on Trump's Immunity Claim

The US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit has already indicated its plans to expedite its consideration of Trump's immunity case. Earlier this week, the former president's legal team filed a written response to Smith's request, urging the Supreme Court not to rush the situation.

The Supreme Court's brief said that the appeal presents "momentous, historic questions" and that an erroneous denial of a claim of presidential immunity warrants its review.

Trump is currently charged with conspiracy to defraud the United States, conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, obstruction of and attempt to obstruct an official proceeding, and conspiracy against rights, as per Fox News.

The Supreme Court's decision will likely be considered a major blow to Smith, who has made the extraordinary gamble of asking the justices for an expedited ruling. Both sides of the legal battle still have the option of appealing an eventual DC Circuit Court of Appeals ruling up to the highest court.

The former president's strategy has been to delay the criminal case and to mount a protracted fight over the questioning of his immunity claim. On the other hand, at the DC Circuit, an expedited review is underway over the issue.

A CNN Supreme Court analyst and professor at the University of Texas School of Law, Steve Vladeck, said the real question now is what happens next. He noted that assuming the Court of Appeals rejects Trump's claim, will it keep the trial on hold until the Supreme Court's review is completed or allow the case to continue to trial?

Read Also: Appeals Court Rejects Mark Meadows' Request To Move Georgia Election Subversion Case to Federal Court

Rejecting a Request for an Expedited Ruling

When it came to urging the court not to take the case, Trump's attorneys argued that the special counsel was trying to "rush to decide the issues with reckless abandon." In court papers, they wrote that the fact that the case arises in the middle of a political dispute warrants caution, according to CNN.

Following the Supreme Court's rejection of the request, Trump continued to insist that he has immunity from federal prosecution. On Friday, he wrote on social media that he was president and that it was his right and duty to investigate and speak about the rigged and stolen 2020 election.

The former president was first indicted in June by Smith and it contended that all of Trump's attempts to reverse his 2020 election loss. These include pressuring his then Vice-President Mike Pence to stop the congressional certification. He also sought to organize fake slates of electors.

Earlier this month, US District Judge Tanya Chutkan rejected Trump's immunity claim, which set the stage for the former president. The Guardian said that the latter had always expected the motion to fail, and he immediately filed an appeal to stay the case while the DC Circuit considered the matter.

Related Article: Colorado Supreme Court Disqualifies Donald Trump From 2024 Presidential Ballot

@ 2024 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Police were asking for help on Friday night to locate a 10-year-old boy who was reported missing in south Kansas City.

The missing boy, Isaiah Ladd, was last seen on foot in the area of the Cloverleaf Apartments at 14548 U.S. 71 Highway, police said in a statement. Isaiahs family is concerned for his safety, police said.

Police said Isaiah was wearing pink and yellow pajamas featuring the Pokemon character Pikachu. He was not wearing shoes.

Police were asking anyone with information concerning Isaiahs whereabouts to call the Missing Persons Unit at 816-234-5043 or dial 911.
Republican strategist Karl Rove claimed Republican National Committee (RNC) Chair Ronna McDaniel is in trouble over reported recordings of a phone call with former President Trump in November 2020.

In the alleged call, Trump reportedly pressured two Republican Wayne County canvassers to not sign the certification of the 2020 election, according to a report from the Detroit News on Thursday.

I think the [chair] is in trouble here, because shes saying to them, If you agree to change your decision on certification in Wayne County, well get your lawyers to stand by you,' Rove said in an interview on Fox News highlighted by Mediaite on Friday. And again, I think that was highly inappropriate.

In the aforementioned recording, Trump argued weve got to fight for our country, according to the local outlet.

We cant let these people take our country away from us, the former president said.

McDaniel added on the alleged call to the canvassers, If you can go home tonight, do not sign it.  We will get you attorneys.

The RNC chair also doubled down on a letter she and Michigan Republican Party Chair Laura Cox wrote that urged the Michigan Board of State Canvassers to conduct an audit prior to the election results being certified, the Detroit outlet reported.

What I said publicly and repeatedly at the time, as referenced in my letter on Nov. 21, 2020, is that there was ample evidence that warranted an audit, McDaniel said in a statement to the Detroit News following the report.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Many people couldnt point out Katmai National Park and Preserve on a map, but theyve probably heard of it burly residents.

Each fall, Katmai hosts Fat Bear Week, a beloved celebration of the parks brown bears and larger ecosystem in the northern Alaska Peninsula.

What's striking about Katmai, aside from our famous fat bears and the fish, is the fact that this is an incredibly remote place and because of that, that ecosystem has been preserved, said Peter Christian, chief spokesperson for Public Affairs for the National Park Services Alaska region. You have free-running rivers that are not polluted, and looking at the park in the whole, it's really quite amazing because it's just the way it was before we started seeing modern influence.

Heres what travelers should know about Katmai, the latest national park in USA TODAYs yearlong series.

A cub reaches up toward a sow at Katmai National Park and Preserve.

What makes Katmai special?

Back in (1912), there was an enormous volcanic eruption called Novarupta, and it buried what later became Katmai National Park in half a mile of ash, and that became the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes, Christian explained. The park was originally formed around the idea of preserving this volcanic destruction, but of course, now the park has become about more than just that.

In addition to protecting the land and its unique ecosystem and wildlife, he added, It also protects 9,000 years of human history.

Do people live in Katmai?

Not anymore. Christian said, The volcano changed all that.

But the parks website notes, If you look back a little further, you'll see the Euro-American trappers, Native Alaskan Alutiiq people, Russian explorers, and American entrepreneurs who made the park their home in bygone times.

Alutiiq people still live nearby.

Katmai is known for its bears and salmon, but all sorts of creatures call the park home, like this fox.

Can you drive from Anchorage to Katmai National Park?

No. There are no roads connecting the park to the rest of Alaska.

Its headquarters are on the edge of the park in King Salmon, about 290 miles away from Anchorage by air, according to the park.

It's remote and hard to get to and expensive, but that shouldn't discourage you if you want to see it because it really is spectacular, Christian said. The landscape is spectacular and the fact that you can see these large brown bears interacting with their environment up close and personal is just unique in the world.

Seals rest along Katmai Bay.

How much does it cost to get to Katmai?

There are no entrance fees for the park, but getting to the park is expensive.

First of all, travelers have to get to Alaska, which is not cheap.

Once you get to Anchorage  there's daily jet service on Alaska Airlines and you can get a round trip to King Salmon, which is the jumping off point to Katmai. You can get there for about $700 and round trip (from Anchorage), Christian said. Once you're in King Salmon, you can take an air taxi or water taxi  your choice and again that's probably another $500 or $600 round trip to get you to Brooks Camp and back to King Salmon.

Air taxis land in the water during the summer and on skis in the winter at Katmai National Park and Preserve.

Can I stay in Katmai National Park?

There are two lodges, Brooks Lodge and Grosvenor Lodge, within the park operated by an authorized concessionaire, Katmailand. There are also several other third party lodges on private property around or in the park.

For people on a budget who don't mind camping, there's a good campground at Brooks Camp, Christian said. There's also daily bus during the summer out to the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes and you can go backpacking and spend as long as you want camping in the park.

One other option is a nearly 100-year-old one-room cabin, Fures Cabin, on the Bay of Islands that can rented through Recreation.gov. But its hard to get to, only be accessible by float plane or boat, and books up.

The abundance of salmon at Brooks Falls allows brown bears to feed in much closer proximity than they would in other places.

What should I do at Katmai?

Bear watching from wildlife viewing platforms at Brooks Camp and sport fishing are among the most popular activities in the park, but Christian said one thing many visitors miss out on is Katmais coast.

It's a rough and rugged coastline that's exposed to the full brunt of the Pacific Ocean and the weather, he said. You feel like you're at the end of the world.

The parks website notes most authorized air taxis also offer flightseeing tours.

These rock formations along the Katmai coast are the result of lava cooling and slowly fracturing, according to the national park.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Katmai National Park has much more to see than its fat bears
Kentuckys version of a dont say gay law is creating many problems for LGBTQ+ students  and the parents and teachers who want to support them.

In March, the states Republican-majority legislature overrode Democratic Gov. Andy Beshears veto to pass one of the nations farthest-reaching anti-LGBTQ+ laws. Senate Bill 150 includes a ban on all gender-affirming care for minors plus a prohibition on public school instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity at all grade levels. It also requires school districts to at a minimum bar trans students from using the restrooms comporting with their gender identity and mandates that school personnel tell parents about confidential discussions with students about sexual orientation or gender identity, essentially forcing the outing of these students. It further lets teachers ignore students chosen pronouns.

What started out as really a bill focused on pronouns and bathroom use morphed into this very broad anti-LGBTQIA+ piece of legislation that outlawed discussions of gender and sexuality, through all grades and all subject matters, Jason Glass, the former Kentucky commissioner of education, recently told the Kentucky Lantern. Glass left his post in September for a job at Western Michigan University amid Republicans criticism of his support for LGBTQ+ students, with some even calling for him to be fired.

Other supportive teachers and administrators are finding theres no place for them in the state anymore. Willie Carver, a gay man who was Kentuckys Teacher of the Year in 2022, has now left teaching because of the hostility he faced  something students still have to deal with, he said. Weve ripped all of the school support away from the students, so theyre consistently miserable and hopeless, he told the Lantern.

The new law means its harder for gay-straight alliances, sometimes called gender and sexuality alliances, to operate in schools, even though theyre sorely needed now. In the small rural community of Owenton, the GSA, known as PRISM (People Respecting Individuality and Sexuality Meeting), has shut down because of students fears. Owen County High School Principal Renee Boots told the Lantern the club has simply broadened its focus, but parent Rachelle Ketron said students were afraid to continue meeting.

Ketron helped the club get started after her transgender daughter, Meryl, died by suicide in 2020. It first met at the local public library, then got approval as a school club in 2022. Ketron has been trying to revive the group outside of the school, but students are reluctant because many of them arent out to their parents, she said.

This year, Ketron lost another trans child, a foster daughter, to suicide. She and her wife, Marsha Newell, have made a major effort to foster LGBTQ+ kids. Just because Im uncomfortable or this is a foreign place for a queer kid to be doesnt mean there arent queer kids born here every day, she said. Ketron, who was married to a man when she moved to Owenton from Cincinnati in 2014, said her children have been bullied for their LGBTQ+ identity and for having two mothers.

Queer kids and GSAs are having trouble even in larger, more progressive communities, the Lantern reports. In Lexington, home to the University of Kentucky, a high school GSA has lowered its profile  for instance, no longer announcing its meetings over the schools public address system, for fear that administrators would shut it down, a trans and nonbinary student told the publication.

The school felt so much safer knowing that [a GSA] existed because there were students like you elsewhere, said the student, identified only as Anna. You could go in and say, Hey, Im trying out this set of pronouns. Im trying to learn more about myself. Can you all, like, call me this for a couple of weeks? It just allowed for a place where students like me could go.

Nationwide, the number of GSAs is the lowest its been in 20 years, according to GLSEN. That could be partly because students have found other resources and schools have become more accepting  or, conversely, because an anti-LGBTQ+ climate has made it harder for them to operate.

Ketron told the Lantern she intends to keep on fighting for GSAs and is also organizing a summit for queer young people. At its core, a GSA is a protective factor and so very needed, especially in a rural community, she said.

If you are having thoughts of suicide or are concerned that someone you know may be, resources are available to help. The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 is for people of all ages and identities. Trans Lifeline, designed for transgender or gender-nonconforming people, can be reached at (877) 565-8860. The lifeline also provides resources to help with other crises, such as domestic violence situations. The Trevor Project Lifeline, for LGBTQ+ youth (ages 24 and younger), can be reached at (866) 488-7386. Users can also access chat services at TheTrevorProject.org/Help or text START to 678678.
The King County Sheriffs Department got a 911 call about an accidental shooting at the Black Diamond Gun Club at 34862 Enumclaw Black Diamond Road at 10:30 a.m. Friday.

The caller said someone had been shot in the upper thigh. The fire department was sent first and KCS Deputies followed soon after.

The injury was not life-threatening, said a spokesperson. The Person {was} taken to a local hospital for treatment

The incident is being deemed accidental, they continued.
Kings of Leon said they "soaked up every second and smell" of their first UK gig, "the latter being an instant regret"

Rock band Kings of Leon said there "will always be a special place in our hearts" for a pub set to close.

The White Horse in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, will call last orders for the final time on 30 December.

In the early 2000s, it was a venue for bands including Coldplay, Snow Patrol and The Damned.

It hosted Kings of Leon's first UK gig in 2003 when, they said, they "soaked up every second and smell, the latter being an instant regret".

The Nashville band, best known for hits Sex on Fire and Use Somebody, played five songs.

Kings of Leon - brothers Caleb, Nathan and Jared Followill and their cousin Matthew Followill - told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: "The White Horse was our first taste of rock 'n' roll and hardcore fans.

"We never knew if we'd play another tour, so we soaked up every second and smell, the latter being an instant regret.

"There will always be a special place in our hearts for the White Horse. Thank you for the memories."

The century-old pub, which is closing after financial struggles, has hosted one last Christmas party, before a final blowout on December 30.

A planning application to bulldoze the venue and build flats on the site was recently refused and the pub decided to close.

Alistair Watt, 78, who has worked there since 2001, said: "Running a pub is desperately hard work these days.

"The industry is on its knees. I don't miss paying the energy bills."

He said the remaining stock would not go to waste.

"The idea is to drink everything in the pub," he said.

Follow East of England news on Facebook, Instagram and X. Got a story? Email eastofenglandnews@bbc.co.uk or WhatsApp 0800 169 1830
From left, freed Americans Eyvin Hernandez, Edgar Jose Marval Moreno, Jason Saad, in red, and Savoi Wright, who were released in a prisoner swap deal between U.S. and Venezuela, pose for a photo at Kelly Airfield Annex, Wednesday, Dec. 20, 2023, in San Antonio, Texas. | Stephen Spillman, Associated Press

The Biden administration swapped an ally of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro for 10 Americans imprisoned in the country Wednesday.

In addition to the 10 Americans, the deal also included a fugitive known as Fat Leonard. A Malaysian defense contractor, Leonard Francis was involved in one of the largest corruption scandals in U.S. Navy history, according to Fox News.

The exchange follows prior high-profile attempts from President Biden to bring home Americans jailed across the world, such as last Decembers swap of Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout for WNBA star Brittney Griner, per The Associated Press.

Who are the exchanged Americans?

Of the 10 Americans freed from Venezuela, the six classified as wrongfully detained were released, Reuters reported.

Three of the men released were accused of trying to enter Venezuela illegally.

Among those detained were Eyvin Hernandez, Jerrel Kenemore, Joseph Ryan Cristella and Savoi Wright, per Reuters.

Jason Saad and Edgar Jose Marval Moreno were later identified, according to CBS News.

The U.S. declined to name others citing privacy concerns.

Twenty-one Venezuelan prisoners were also released, according to Reuters, .

Freed American Eyvin Hernandez exits a State Department plane and is greeted by members of a Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs and Col. Mark Davis after he and nine fellow detainees were released in a prisoner swap deal between U.S. and Venezuela at Kelly Airfield Annex, Wednesday, Dec. 20, 2023, in San Antonio, Texas. Six of the Americans released arrived at Kelly Airfield Annex. | Stephen Spillman, Associated Press

What critics say

Republicans said the release of Maduro ally Alex Saab in the deal emboldens Maduro to continue down an authoritarian path, according to AP.

The swaps have raised concerns that the U.S. is incentivizing hostage-taking abroad and producing a false equivalence between Americans who are wrongfully detained abroad and foreigners who have been properly prosecuted and convicted in U.S courts, according to AP.

The hostage swap is part of the Barbados Agreement, a pact to encourage fair elections in Venezuela by offering certain incentives, per NPR. Critics of the swap argue that Maduro has already broke some promises in the agreement so its unlikely to yield the wanted results.

Roger Carstens, special presidential envoy for hostage affairs, said the release means no more Americans are imprisoned in Venezuela, according to CBS News.

Venezuelan President Maduro and Alex Saab, left, walk out the Miraflores presidential palace after a meeting in Caracas, Venezuela, Wednesday, Dec. 20, 2023. The United States freed Saab, who was arrested on a U.S. warrant for money laundering in 2020, in exchange for the release of 10 Americans imprisoned in Venezuela, the Biden administration announced Wednesday. | Matias Delacroix, Associated Press

The freed Americans react

The Americans were released to Kelly Field, part of Joint Base San Antonio. Afterward, Hernandez spoke to reporters, CBS News reported.

Hernandez said he was incredibly grateful to my family, to my friends, to President Biden to getting me home, to getting all of us home.

Wright also summed up his feelings about being released from Venezuela.

Very emotional, exciting, grateful, so much gratitude for the moment, for the United States of America, for all of you, and for the opportunity to come home, Wright said, per CBS News.
A father has paid tribute to his "dearly missed" four-year-old son after the boy's mother was charged with murder.

A picture of Kobi Dooly, who died after being found with knife injuries in Hackney, on Wednesday night, has been released by the Met Police.

Ben Dooly said: "With heavy hearts we bid farewell to Kobi, you will be so dearly missed".

Keziah Macharia, 41, appeared at Thames Magistrates' Court on Friday.

"The joy and laughter you brought to the world has been taken far too soon, we will be thinking of you day and night for eternity until we meet you again," Mr Dooly said.

"The family would like to acknowledge and appreciate all messages of support, please respect our family privacy at this very difficult time."

Emergency services were called to a home on Montague Road on Wednesday night

Irish broadcaster RTE reports that Mr Dooly is from County Waterford.

The Irish Department for Foreign Affairs said it was providing consular assistance in the case.

Police were called to an address in Montague Road on Wednesday night following concerns about the welfare of a child.

Inside, officers found Kobi, who had suffered knife injuries, and arrested his mother.

The child was taken to hospital but despite the efforts of the emergency services, he died from his injuries.

Ms Macharia is scheduled to appear at London's Old Bailey on 28 December.

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
China, U.S. counternarcotics authorities are resuming regular communication, says spokesperson

Xinhua) 13:53, December 23, 2023

BEIJING, Dec. 22 (Xinhua) -- The counternarcotics authorities of China and the United States are resuming regular communication. Progress in resuming counternarcotics cooperation has not come easy and needs to be doubly cherished by both sides, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said on Friday.

Spokesperson Wang Wenbin made the comment when asked what specific measures China has taken on counternarcotics cooperation with the United States so far. During the summit meeting in San Francisco, China and the United States agreed to establish a working group on counternarcotics cooperation and carry out counternarcotics cooperation.

Wang said carrying out counternarcotics cooperation is one of the important common understandings reached between the two presidents during their meeting in San Francisco. To deliver on that, the U.S. side has lifted sanctions on relevant Chinese law enforcement institute.

Recently, China has been engaged in campaigns against fentanyl and its precursor chemicals, and cracked down on illegal and criminal activities involving the smuggling, illicit manufacturing, trafficking and abuse of fentanyl-related substances, said wang.

He added that China has carried out a sweeping inspection of key businesses, personnel and equipment, and has been working to clean up information about online sales of fentanyl, and strictly prevent the smuggling and trafficking of relevant chemical substances to protect people's physical and mental health.

The counternarcotics authorities of China and the United States are resuming regular communication, said wang, adding that the Chinese side has notified the U.S. side of the progress made in U.S.-related law enforcement operations against narcotics and has responded to U.S. request for verifying clues on certain cases and taken action. The two sides are in close communication on setting up a working group on counternarcotics cooperation.

"I need to stress that progress in resuming China-U.S. counternarcotics cooperation has not come easy and needs to be doubly cherished by both sides. We hope that the U.S. side will show sincerity, work with China in the same direction and continue to carry out practical counternarcotics cooperation based on mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit," said the spokesperson.

(Web editor: Chang Sha, Zhong Wenxing)
This week, Texas Governor Greg Abbott chartered a plane to transport approximately 120 migrants from El Paso to Chicago.

This move follows the previous transportation of 80,000 migrants by bus to various US cities where Democrats hold positions of power, as per USA Today.

Governor's Chicago Flight Spurs O'Hare Shelter Efforts

Video footage released by the governor's office showed several children accompanied by adults aboard the flight, which departed on Tuesday for O'Hare International Airport. This action came just one day after Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson announced that a bus originating from the border city of Eagle Pass had been impounded in Chicago for dropping off passengers without a permit.

Efforts are currently underway to provide stable shelter for the migrants flown into O'Hare on Tuesday night. The number of migrants at the airport has decreased from 296 to 216 as of Thursday morning. Air mattresses have been provided for many remaining at the airport, while others were transported via school buses to access showers.

Vianney Alarcon, a volunteer with the police station response team assisting migrants at O'Hare Airport, expressed concerns about the possibility of a large influx of migrants requiring the use of police stations once again. Alarcon emphasized the importance of ensuring that migrants with life-term treatment plans receive necessary care and medication.

The Latino Caucus, including Alderman Byron Sigcho-Lopez and US Representative Jesus "Chuy" Garcia, alongside other city and community leaders, gathered in front of the US Immigration and Customs Building to demand more funding from the federal government. They requested assistance from President Joe Biden in dealing with the ongoing border crisis.

Chicago's impounding and citing of buses that violate designated drop-off zones for migrants have resulted in tension between the city and Texas. Governor Abbott defended the charter flight to Chicago, criticizing the "obstruction and targeting" of migrant buses from Texas by sanctuary city Chicago.

He vowed to continue providing relief to overwhelmed Texas border towns until President Biden takes action to secure the border, according to ABC 7 Chicago.

Read Also: Iran Executes Child Bride After Killing 'Abusive Husband, Rights Group Claims

Chicago Implements Bus Safety Ordinance

In response to Governor Abbott's actions, White House spokesman Angelo Fernandez Hernandez accused Abbott of using migrants as political pawns and criticized his approach to the border crisis.

The city of Chicago has recently implemented a bus safety ordinance to manage the intake process for asylum-seekers arriving in the city. The first permitted bus arrived on Thursday morning, following the passage of the ordinance in November.

Ana Maria Giordano, a 35-year-old asylum-seeker, recounted her experience upon arrival at O'Hare Airport, expressing confusion and frustration when the transporting staff left without explanation. Giordano, who has brain tumors, had to be rushed to the hospital shortly after landing.

In the midst of these developments, the President has dispatched top administration officials, including Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, to Mexico City. They will meet with Mexican President Lopez Obrador to discuss joint efforts in addressing the border challenges and migratory flows.

As House Speaker Mike Johnson urges President Biden to take action to stem the flow of migrants at the southern border, dozens of major US agricultural groups are calling for the reopening of two rail crossings on the Texas-Mexico border. These crossings were closed due to rising migrant crossings, causing disruptions to trade routes.

The continued influx of migrants at the US-Mexico border remains a pressing issue. President Biden and his administration are under mounting pressure to find effective solutions to this complex problem, Daily Mail reported.

Related Article: Keeping Bodies Warm: Survey Finds Most Single People Seek Casual Sex During Christmas Holidays

@ 2024 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
DUPAGE COUNTY, Ill. - Twelve people were arrested after allegedly stealing merchandise from DuPage County retail establishments in eight unrelated incidents this week.

The arrests include:

Kelly Terry, 41, of Plainfield, is accused of stealing about $551.87 worth of merchandise from the Oak Brook Nordstrom Rack and TJ Maxx on Dec. 19. She was released from custody pending her trial. Her next court appearance is scheduled for Dec. 19.

Gustavo Nava, 18, Jajlah Cotto, 19, and a 17-year-old juvenile, all of Chicago, are accused of stealing $527.71 from an Oak Brook Walgreens on Dec. 20. The juvenile is also accused of leading police on a 99-mph high-speed chase before all three suspects were taken into custody. The juvenile has been detained until his next court appearance, which is scheduled for Feb. 1. A judge denied the state's motion to detain Nava and Cotto. Their next court appearance is scheduled for Jan. 8.

Luis Enrique Cisneros, 29, and Leticia Hernandez, 31, both of Chicago, are accused of stealing more than $300 worth of merchandise from an Elmhurst Kohls store on Dec. 17. The next court date for both Cisneros and Hernandez, who were released from custody pending trial, is scheduled for Jan. 8, prosecutors said.

Jaqarie Williams, 25, of Hanover Park is accused of stealing more than $300 from a Glendale Heights Target store on Dec. 11. An arrest warrant was issued for Williams on Dec. 21 following an investigation into the theft.

Two juveniles and an unknown adult are accused of stealing approximately $1,260 worth of merchandise from the JC Penny Yorktown Mall on Dec. 20. The juveniles have been charged and were not detained, prosecutors said.

Ryan Oscarson, 46, of Warrenville is accused of stealing more than $300 worth of merchandise from a Glen Ellyn Walmart on Dec. 21. Oscarson was not detained pre-trial. His next court appearance is scheduled for Jan. 8.

Aaron Alejandro Araujo-Gallardo, 22, a Venezuelan migrant staying in Chicago is accused of stealing approximately $871 worth of merchandise from the Oak Brook Macys on Dec. 21. He will not be detained pending trial. His next court appearance is scheduled for Jan. 8.

Aniya Lightford, 27, of Crest Hill, is accused of stealing more than $300 worth of merchandise from Kohls at Fox Valley Center on Dec. 21. Her next court date is to be determined.

"The arrest of a dozen more defendants accused of stealing from DuPage County businesses sends the unmistakable message that if you steal in DuPage County, law enforcement is waiting for you," said DuPage County State's Attorney Robert Berlin. "With the holiday shopping season nearing the end, I can assure any would-be thieves that our efforts to arrest, charge and prosecute will not diminish and we will continue protecting our businesses and patrons with the same vigilance and results that have been so successful this holiday season."
Jang Jun-ha (second from right) and his family on a visit to his brother's grave

"When I found my little brother's cold body it was May, but my heart turned to winter."

Jang Jun-ha's brother, Jun-an, was only 35 when he took his life in 2018. Jang had called the police in South Korea's capital Seoul after not being able to reach Jun-an on his mobile phone for days.

When they forced open his brother's door, Jang found Jun-an lying lifeless on the bed. "I never thought my brother would take his own life," he says.

This was despite Jun-an having tried to kill himself five years earlier, in 2013 - Jang thought he'd been happier since then after receiving treatment in a psychiatric clinic.

"It couldn't have been perfect," says Jang, "but we thought he was finding his way back into the world. He didn't show any signs of suffering. I think he didn't want to be a burden to the family."

It is still really hard for Jang to talk openly about what his family has gone through because suicide is such a sensitive issue in South Korea. Earlier this year it announced new plans to try to bring down its suicide rates - some of the highest in the world.

South Korea is famous for K-pop and global companies like Samsung. But in this outwardly successful society, on average more than 35 people take their own lives every day and suicide is the leading cause of death among those aged 10 to 39.

Jang, 46, is doing his best to raise awareness by sharing his personal journey. At the time he found Jun-an's body he'd actually been taking a course to become a suicide prevention instructor.

"I visited schools to educate children about the common signs of a person thinking about suicide and what can be done to help them. I tried to save other people's lives."

Family's 'only hope'

Jang had long thought of getting this training because his family had a high risk of suicide. He hoped they'd made it through their struggles and wanted to give something back to society.

Jang and Jun-an's family went through a particularly difficult time in 2010, when South Korea severed all economic ties with the North. This was after the sinking of the warship Cheonan, which killed 46 sailors.

His father ran one of the few companies that did business with the North - and the sudden termination of relations led to the business going bankrupt.

Jang says he and his brother Jun-an shared many traits

The family had to separate and live in different places. The business his father ran failed and Jun-an became "our only hope", says Jang, recalling the pressure put on his brother.

Jun-an had done well at school and planned to study abroad, but the family could no longer support him.

At the time of Jun-an's suicide attempt in 2013, Jang was still busy paying off his family's debts and was trying to become a qualified counsellor while doing his day job.

It was only after Jun-an's death five years later that Jang asked to see his brother's medical records - and found out he had been going to therapy every week for nearly a decade.

"Like many other Korean families, he was under great pressure to succeed. But finances were limited and life was hard for him," says Jang.

"My brother was fiercely fighting depression. It breaks my heart that I didn't notice this for so long."

At 25.2 deaths per 100,000 people, South Korea's suicide rate is the highest among the wealthy 38-member Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). It is more than double the OECD average of 10.6 deaths.

South Korea launched its first national suicide initiative in 2004, a year after topping the OECD ranking - it has had the highest rate ever since, except in 2016 and 2017.

Security fences are installed along Mapo Bridge over the Han River in Seoul to stop people taking their lives

The country's statistics agency says 12,906 people took their lives in 2022.

More than two in five of all deaths among teenagers (42.3%) are due to suicide. This rises to 50.6% for people in their 20s, and then dips to 47.9% for people in their 30s.

Jang's brother was part of this generation struggling to get by.

The South Korean government announced a five-year plan to prevent suicides in April, with the goal of reducing the country's rate by 30%, which would move it off top spot in the OECD table.

Plans include a state-funded medical check-up for mental health every two years, greater support for local communities to look after vulnerable people, better moderation of explicit and harmful content online and a rapid system for reporting this content directly to the police.

Will the new plan work?

The health minister, who set the new target, has said it will not be an easy task.

While there is no magic formula to solve the suicide problem in South Korea, many point to the lack of budget. Its neighbour Japan also had one of the highest suicide rates in the world, peaking in 2003. But the rate has been gradually declining since then.

A recent joint study by Korean and Japanese researchers found that one of the main differences in suicide prevention policies between the two countries is money.

In 2018, South Korea's budget for suicide prevention was about $16.8m (13m) - just 2.1% of Japan's budget of $793.7m.

High-pressure society

But it is not just about money. South Korea's suicide rate is a mix of economic, social and cultural factors.

The country rose to become a global economic power after being torn apart by the Korean War, which ended in 1953. But this rapid economic growth did not lead to an expansion of state services, and instead contributed to rising inequality.

This birthed a society built on high levels of competition and success, which eventually led to many citizens suffering from psychological problems.

Experts have long highlighted the danger of a society that focuses too much on a person's success, usually in terms of money or social status.

"Beyond the high suicide rate in South Korea, there is a sad story of a society with a weak welfare system, but one that is very success-oriented, usually reflected in how much wealth one acquires," says Soong-nang Jang, dean at Chung-Ang University's College of Nursing.

"And as traditional ties between family members and neighbours weaken, everyone seems to be fighting this battle for success on their own."

'Let's talk'

The culture is slowly changing, but much remains to be done.

"South Koreans are so used to getting ahead in this hyper-competitive society, and Korea is not exactly a place where it's easy to express your feelings," says Yeon-soo Kim, director of LifeLine Seoseoul, a charity that provides a 24-hour helpline to suicide prevention services.

"People need more space to express their struggles and feelings freely and safely. We need to keep reminding people that there are different ways to succeed and really acknowledge that."

Jang now works as a clinical psychologist at a mental health centre in Seoul, helping families who have been affected by suicide or people who have suicidal thoughts.

He also leads support groups for families like his who have lost loved ones to suicide.

"It's a tough job. The family members are often the first to discover the body. They remember the scene very vividly and also describe what happened very graphically."

Jang is aware of the emotional toll these conversations take on him.

"But this job is worth it when you see them getting better."

And there has been a sense of acceptance and understanding in his own family too. As a qualified counsellor, he knew it was important to talk and he made the effort.

After his brother died, he visited his parents every weekend for a year. He shared what he had heard in the local support groups and comforted them.

Jang says his brother left a note behind saying sorry to his parents and him for leaving them.

But when the family visited his grave, Jang told his little brother: "It's okay."

"You don't have to be sorry. We're doing good, caring for each other," says Jang. "So no need to be sorry, we'll be back."

If you, or someone you know, have been affected by issues in this article, the following resources may help:

In the UK: BBC Action Line

Elsewhere in the world: Befrienders Worldwide
By Fatos Bytyci

PRISTINA (Reuters) - Kosovo's Prime Minister Albin Kurti said on Saturday that armed men supported by Serbian security agencies were being trained to launch new attacks in his country after a September assault which left four dead. Serbia denied any such plan.

On September 24, a group of 80 armed men attacked Kosovo police in the quiet village of Banjska near the border with Serbia, leaving one police officer and three gunmen dead.

Speaking at a news conference, Kurti said Milan Radoicic, a top Kosovo Serb politician who admitted taking part in the September gun battle, was planning further attacks.

"He is now continuing preparations for other attacks in our country...he is holding regular meetings with senior officials of the Serbian secret service, BIA."

Petar Petkovic, head of Serbia's government office for Kosovo, said Kurti's allegation was false.

"It is an absolute lie that Belgrade is preparing an attack," he said in a statement.

Kosovo's prosecution has issued arrest warrants for Radoicic and 30 others believed to be hiding in Serbia, which denied earlier allegations from Kosovo that it provided financial and practical support to Radoicic and his group.

Kosovo, which has an ethnic Albanian majority, declared independence from Serbia in 2008 after a guerrilla uprising and a 1999 NATO intervention.

Around five percent of the population are ethnic Serbs, of which half live in the north and refuse to recognize Kosovo independence and see Belgrade as their capital. They have often clashed with Kosovo police and international peacekeepers.

NATO has sent 1,000 extra troops to the region, bringing its presence there to 4,500 peacekeepers from 27 countries.

(Reporting by Fatos Bytyci in Pristina, additional reporting by Ivana Sekularac in Belgrade; editing by Philippa Fletcher)
MANITOWOC  Happy holidays!

This weeks weekly dose starts with news that Lakeshore Technical Colleges Polly Abts, who serves as the colleges vice president of student success, is retiring after 31 years.

As an LTC news release said, with countless job opportunities available to someone over the course of a working lifetime, why would someone choose to stay with the same employer for 31 years?

Polly Abts

Choice is truly the most powerful tool given to each of us, it all boils down to that. Each of us determines our direction based on the choices we make whether it is in our hearts, our minds or our hands, Abts said in the release. I made a solid choice to work at Lakeshore because I wanted to help others discover and realize their potential. I lived out that choice with no regrets.

With her associate degree in hand from a community college in Michigan, Abts chose to move to Wisconsin in 1990. She joined LTC as the colleges business and marketing receptionist the same year.

Over the years, Abts obtained roles in recruitment, admissions and workforce development, all of which, Abts said, provided her unique opportunities to help students and other employees discover and realize their potential. She also chose to leave LTC for a short time to gain experience outside the college.

Over time and while also juggling family and work, Abts completed her bachelors degree in business management and her masters in education with a focus on training and performance improvement. Her advanced education created additional opportunities, which she embraced. In 2018, LTC President Dr. Paul Carlsen selected her for her current role.

Abts choice to leave her career in higher education behind leaves her more time for taking care of her family, traveling, enjoying the simple things and growing a business. She and her husband Dan live in Newton and have three children, two grandsons and four granddogs.

Now, on to more news from throughout the community.

Outdoors report: Manitowoc hunters score rare blue geese, and more in the latest outdoors report

Welcome to your weekly dose. Here is more news from throughout Manitowoc County.

Leaf pickup is complete in Manitowoc

City of Manitowoc said its leaf pickup is complete after a final sweep through the city Dec. 11-15.

Residents may take any remaining leaves to the Manitowoc County Compost Site, 3000 Basswood Road, or contact a private hauler. For more about the Compost Site, call 920-683-4333.

The citys next cleanup will be in the spring. More details will be available at manitowoc.org in March.

Wisconsin Maritime Museum offers free documentary screening

The Wisconsin Maritime Museum, 75 Maritime Drive, Manitowoc, will hold a special free screening of the 40-minute film Windshipped by filmmaker John Bowermaster at 2 p.m. Dec. 30.

The film follows the Schooner Apollonia on the Hudson River and in New York Harbor, where it carries cargo sustainably by using renewable energy sources such as wind and tide. Malted barley for breweries, lumber, flour, cider, solar panel, pumpkins and more all continue to move between nearly 30 ports of call in New York and New Jersey with almost no fossil fuel use.

Manitowoc County native Brad Vogel will host a Q&A following the screening and share what might be possible on Lake Michigan. Vogel has served as supercargo for Apollonia, directing cargo operations, since the vessel began sail freight service in 2020.

More details: wisconsinmaritime.org or call 920-684-0218.

Red Cross plans blood drives in Manitowoc County

American Red Cross is planning blood drives in Manitowoc County:

Jan. 3, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Manitowoc-Two Rivers YMCA, 205 Maritime Drive, Manitowoc;

Jan. 4, 1-6 p.m. at St. Peters Lutheran Church, 325 Randolph St., Mishicot;

Jan. 8, noon to 4 p.m. at Shoreline Credit Union, 4400 Calumet Ave., Manitowoc; and

Jan. 17, 2-6:30 p.m. at St. Johns Lutheran Church and School, 14323 S. Maribel Road, Maribel.

Schedule an appointment by using the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

Those who give through Jan. 5 will receive an exclusive Red Cross long-sleeved T-shirt, while supplies last.

Those who give during National Blood Donor Month in January will be entered for a chance to win a trip for two to Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas. Details: RedCrossBlood.org/SuperBowl.

Bank First CFO named CFO of the Year for Community Service

Bank First recently announced Kevin LeMahieu was honored with Insight Publications 2023 CFO of the Year Award in the Community Service category.

Insight honored the contributions of financial leaders in northeast Wisconsin at its inaugural CFO of the Year Awards at Lambeau Field in Green Bay in early December. LeMahieu was one of 30 finalists from around the region recognized for their career achievements, commitment to growth and innovative contributions.

LeMahieu joined Manitowoc-based Bank First in August 2014 as CFO. He is involved in numerous community organizations, most notably Dementia Innovations. He is assisting the group as a financial adviser as it prepares to build a village for people with dementia in Sheboygan County. The village is intended to maximize the abilities of those living with dementia and will be the first of its kind in the U.S.

Roncallis Food Fair had another successful year

Roncalli Catholic Schools again hosted another successful year of the International Food Fair. This year, the event raised more than $85,000. The funds from the Nov. 4 event will support Roncalli Elementary School, Roncalli Middle School and Roncalli High School.

We are so thankful for everyone who came to support this years International Food Fair, said Candice Giesen, director of advancement for Roncalli Catholic Schools, in a news release. The event is a wonderful opportunity to gather and socialize while trying delicious food, desserts and beverages. Each year, the event welcomes not only the Roncalli Catholic Schools community, but also the lakeshore community. Everyone was so gracious to not only attend the Food Fair, but also give of their time and talents to make the event possible. We are grateful for the contributions from local businesses and families, along with the financial support of our sponsors.

This year saw new cuisine added to the International Food Fair, including Jamaican fare from Jamaica Mi Krazy food truck and the return of Polish options. More than 700 attendees had the chance to enjoy cuisine from booths and food trucks that also featured Americana, Asian, Mexican, German, Italian, French and Southern dishes prepared by local businesses and Roncalli families, which also contributed to preparing decadent desserts.

The next International Food Fair is slated for Nov. 2, 2024.

Manitowoc County's 2024 budget: Find out how Manitowoc County plans to spend its $91 million budget in 2024

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The Herald Times Reporter earned the top award, Best in Division B, for all newspapers in the state with daily circulation of less than 9,999 in the 2022 Wisconsin Newspaper Association Foundation Better Newspaper Contest. The Best in Division award came after the Manitowoc paper won 14 individual awards in the contest, including five first place, three second place, five third place and an honorable mention. Read more about the awards and follow links to the award-winning content by clicking here.

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Contact Brandon Reid at 920-686-2984 or breid@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @breidHTRNews.

This article originally appeared on Manitowoc Herald Times Reporter: Polly Abts retires from Lakeshore Technical College in Manitowoc
ROSS TOWNSHIP, MONROE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU)  The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation announced there will be lane restrictions in Monroe County.

According to PennDOT, there will be lane restrictions on Kunkletown Road, in Ross Township, between Weird Lake Road and Main Street.

Pike County Launches Fentanyl Awareness Campaign

PennDOT says this is due to emergency crack sealing and crews will work from Tuesday, December 26 until Friday, December 29 from 7:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m., weather permitting.

Drivers can check up-to-date conditions on major roadways by visiting 511PA online or calling 511.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PAhomepage.com.
Brockton police investigated two late-night shootings in Brockton Friday night.

A litany of police cars responded to Warren Avenue near Harvard Street shortly after 10:00 p.m. for reports of gunfire. Around half an hour later, police were also called to Christopher Road for reports of shots fired.

A vehicle was struck by the shots on Warren Avenue and a home was hit on Christopher Road, Brockton police say.

Boston 25 News photographer James Cullity noticed evidence markers on the ground and a truck with a shattered window on Warren Avenue.

Investigations are ongoing.

If anyone has information about either of these cases, please contact Brockton Police at 508-941-0200, Brockton police say.

#Breaking A BIG Police presence on Harvard street in Brockton. I witnessed Evidence markers on the ground and it looks like Police have been investigating outside of a truck with a shattered window. @boston25 pic.twitter.com/AT39MxLICv  James Cullity (@JCullityNews) December 23, 2023





This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts.

Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW
Christmas is on Monday and while most stores will be closed, you may still be able to get what you need Saturday or if you're a real procrastinator on Sunday, the night before Christmas.

In case you have any last minute gift shopping or need to grab something from the grocery store before your holiday celebration, here is a list of malls, stores and pharmacies open in Indiana on Christmas Eve.

Malls

Castleton Square Mall

Castleton Square Mall is open until 9 p.m. on Saturday and will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Christmas Eve.

Circle Centre Mall

Circle Centre Mall downtown is open until 9 p.m. on Saturday and will be open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Christmas Eve.

Clay Terrace

Clay Terrace in Carmel is open until 9 p.m. on Saturday and will be open from 12 to 6 p.m. on Christmas Eve.

College Mall

College Mall in Bloomington is open until 9 p.m. on Saturday and will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Christmas Eve.

Greenwood Park Mall

Greenwood Park Mall is open until 9 p.m. on Saturday and will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Christmas Eve.

Hamilton Town Center

Hamilton Town Center in Noblesville is open until 9 p.m. on Saturday and will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Christmas Eve.

Indiana Premium Outlets

Indiana Premium Outlets in Edinburgh is open until 9 p.m. on Saturday and will be open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Christmas Eve.

Lighthouse Place Premium Outlets

Lighthouse Place Premium Outlets in Michigan City is open until 9 p.m. on Saturday and will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Christmas Eve.

The Fashion Mall at Keystone

The Fashion Mall at Keystone is open until 9 p.m. on Saturday and will be open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Christmas Eve.

Tippecanoe Mall

Tippecanoe Mall in Lafayette is open until 9 p.m. on Saturday and will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Christmas Eve.

University Park Mall

University Park Mall in Mishawaka is open until 9 p.m. on Saturday and will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Christmas Eve.

Grocery Stores

Aldi

Aldi stores in Indianapolis are open until 8 p.m. Saturday and from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Christmas Eve.

Costco

All Costco warehouses will be open until 7 p.m. Saturday and from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Christmas Eve, according to the company's website.

Kroger

Stores in the Kroger family's Central Division, which covers most of Indiana and Illinois, will close at 6 p.m. on Christmas Eve, according to the company. Pharmacies will close at 5 p.m.

Meijer

Meijer stores will be open until midnight on Saturday and open 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Christmas Eve.

Sam's Club

Sam's Club will be open until 8 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Christmas Eve.

Target

Target stores in Indy close at different times today, ranging from 10 p.m. to midnight so you will want to check your local stores hours. All Targets will close at 8 p.m. on Christmas Eve.

Trader Joe's

Trader Joe's stores are open until 9 p.m. Saturday and will be open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Christmas Eve.

Walmart

All Walmart stores will be open until 11 p.m. Saturday and from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Christmas Eve, the company told USA TODAY.

Whole Foods

Whole Foods stores close at different times on Saturday so be sure to check your local store. All stores in Indy will be open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Christmas Eve.

Pharmacies

CVS

Many CVS stores will be open regular hours over the holidays, however some stores may be closed or have reduced hours. Check with your local pharmacy for their specific holiday hours.

Walgreens

All Walgreens locations will be open until XX today and will keep regular hours on Christmas Eve, the company told USA TODAY.

USA TODAY contributed to this article.

Katie Wiseman is a trending and breaking news intern at IndyStar. Contact her at klwiseman@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter @itskatiewiseman.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Stores, malls open Christmas Eve in Indy for last minute shopping
MEMPHIS, Tenn.  We are just days away from Christmas. For those of you who still need to get some last-minute gifts, law enforcement has some advice.

So you will see a much larger presence out near Wolfchase and up and down the Poplar corridor, Sgt. Edjuan Burriss said.

Hes part of a special unit within the Shelby County Sheriffs Office working to curb car break-ins and vehicle thefts.

From January through September, property crime has jumped 26 percent according to the Memphis Shelby Crime Commission. They say the increase was driven by a 75 percent uptick in reported vehicle thefts.

Burriss said law enforcement will continue to be out in full force this weekend. They will heavily patrol the main shopping areas and make contact with employees and management.

He said customers should lock your doors and keep your belongings stowed out of sight.

Other advice authorities suggest is to shop with a friend, be cautious when using an ATM, if possible use a card instead of cash, and keep your phone charged and wallet in a hard-to-reach place.



When parking, find a well-lit area and be aware of your surroundings.

Burriss said do not leave your gun in your car unless you lock it up. He said thats what thieves are mostly after.

He tells us crooks arent taking time off during the holidays, and no part of the county is immune.

It is all over. I mean I hate to say that, but theres no one particular area better than the other one. We see it everywhere, he said.

Authorities state if you see something say something. They say never approach a thief, but instead try to get a good description for detectives.

The National Retail Federation predicts this weekend will be packed. They report nearly 142 million consumers will shop on the last Saturday before Christmas.

Burriss said his warning isnt to scare off shoppers, but to make them aware, have a strategy and shop with confidence.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WREG.com.
Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed his discontent and disagreement over plans from the United States and Europe to use Moscow's frozen assets to aid Ukraine as funding for the latter has slowly dried up.

Moscow officials have warned that they would act robustly to Western moves to seize its assets or deploy missiles. On Friday, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabjkov said they would sever diplomatic relations with the US if the latter decides to confiscate his country's frozen assets under sanctions.

Russia's Frozen Assets

Russian officials also warned that they could respond to the deployment of missiles in Europe or Asia despite reports of another offensive in Ukraine. Ryabkov recently threatened that Moscow has the right to cut diplomatic ties with Washington if frozen Russian assets are handed to Kyiv.

The situation comes as Western countries are discussing confiscating more than $1 billion in Russian assets. These were frozen due to sanctions over Moscow's war in Ukraine that started in February 2022, as per Aljazeera.

The Russian official noted that the US "must not act under an illusion that Russia is clinging with both hands to diplomatic relations with that country." Later, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov spoke at a media briefing.

He said that the countries that decide to seize Russian assets would never be left in peace and that Moscow would look at what Western assets it could seize in retaliation. Some American officials have suggested that $300 billion of funds from Russian Central Bank reserves frozen in February 2022 should be handed to Kyiv.

Peskov warned that any such move would seriously blow the international financial system and that Russia would work on defending its rights in the courts and through other means.

Reports noted that United States President Joe Biden's administration has already started urgent discussions with G7 nations on how to use the frozen Russian assets. These are believed to be held in Europe. According to The Guardian, authorities would decide if they could be used directly on the Ukrainian military effort or just for construction and budgetary use.

Read Also: Ukraine Legalizes Medical Marijuana To Help Treating Trauma of War Survivors

Aiding Ukraine's War Efforts

The Democratic US president was said not to have signed off on the strategy yet. Still, the discussions have accelerated as Republicans have blocked a deal in Congress for further military aid for Ukraine.

That decision comes amid a desperate moment when Kyiv's counteroffensive failed to provide a decisive breakthrough in its war against Russia. Peskov said, "The illegitimate seizure of our assets invariably remains on the agenda both in Europe and in America." He added that this is unacceptable.

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has, until recently, argued that without Congressional action, seizing the funds was "not something that is legally permissible" in the US She added that there has been concern among some top American officials that countries worldwide would hesitate to keep their funds at the New York Federal Reserve.

American officials said that talks among finance ministers, central bankers, diplomats, and lawyers have intensified recently. The Biden administration reportedly pressed Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Canada, and Japan to devise a strategy by Feb. 24, said the New York Times.

Related Article: UN Security Council Votes to Increase Aid to Gaza; US, Russia Abstain Resolution

@ 2024 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
LAS VEGAS (KLAS)  A parent is suing the Clark County School District after her young daughter was allegedly sexually assaulted at school.

According to the lawsuit, the incident happened in February 2022 at Bertha Ronzone Elementary School.

The lawsuit alleges on two separate occasions a kindergartener was assaulted in a bathroom by a fellow student.

The child reportedly told two teachers, but no one reported it to administrators or police, according to the lawsuit.

H&P Law and Richard Harris Law Firm are representing the parent.

In a statement to 8 News Now, Marjorie Hauf of Richard Harris said, We filed a lawsuit because we want information on how this happened.

CCSD has a policy of not commenting on pending litigation.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLAS.
This article was originally published in Michigan Advance.

Several Michigan parents, a former principal and even a young student all expressed their frustration earlier this month to the Okemos Public Schools Board of Education over the districts handling of lead-contaminated water in one of their buildings, although it appears that complaints from staff members had been building for months.

The grievance is in reference to the many documented and discussed building condition concerns faced by the staff (and students) at OPM in the areas of safety, security, communication, and essential maintenance, stated an Oct. 6 formal grievance filed by the Okemos Education Association, the union representing the districts teachers.

Initial water testing at the Okemos Public Montessori (OPM) building, located at 4406 Okemos Road in Meridian Township, discovered lead levels of 5 parts per billion (ppb) in one location and another of 9 ppb in another. However, follow up testing on Dec. 5 confirmed that one room in the building tested at 49 ppb.

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While Michigans action level for lead is 15 ppb, MDHHS says that no level of lead is considered safe for drinking water. Exposure to lead can cause brain and kidney damage, behavioral problems and even death, among a litany of other health problems.

The district said it has followed the recommendations of both the MDHHS and the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE), including closing down the affected fixtures and posting not for drinking signs there, replacing faucet aerators, continually flushing the system and providing filtered water at bottle filling stations.

Okemos Public Schools is in an affluent suburb of Lansing. According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), the median household income in Okemos is $86,354, which is more than $20,000 above the state median of $63,202. The district, meanwhile, receives $13,465 in per-pupil funding, more than $500 above the state average of $12,816, according to the latest data from the Michigan Department of Education.

At the Dec. 11 school board meeting, the first since the Michigan Advance reported on the discovery last week, board members heard directly from parents about their concerns, who complained about a lack of transparency in how the contamination was communicated as well as the steps they need to take to know if that contamination affected their child.

I feel really unheard and angry at the district and their answer to the issue about the water in the building, telling kids not to drink the water. Come on, give me  said Kelly McCarty, the mother of two students at OPM, her voice breaking with emotion. Im not making sense because Im really upset. Transparency. The emails that weve been getting are saying that theyre transparent, but theyre not. I dont think people in the community realize that there are classrooms that tested in the 40 parts per billion with lead in the water. Were talking about higher than Flint levels and, Oh, dont drink that water. Youre fine. They were telling us that getting our kids tested was on us If we wanted to. Not, You should get your kid tested. No, thats not good enough for me.

That issue, whether or not OPM students should get their blood tested to determine what level, if any, of lead contamination they might have received, remains in dispute between what the district has communicated to parents and what the Ingham County Health Department (ICHD) said it recommended.

Dr. Nike Shoyinka, ICHDs chief medical health officer, told the Advance this month that the department did pass along a list of recommendations to the district that included testing.

Students within the classrooms where elevated lead levels were detected in their faucets should get tested, and we have provided them with resources, she said. Every family who had a child in those classrooms was contacted directly by the school as far as we know and told that there were elevated levels. They should be in contact with their pediatrician and /or come to the health department. Here are resources for lead testing. That is how it was put to them.

However, that was a change from earlier in the week when ICHD Health Communications Specialist Victoria Coykendall said the department had said students could get tested.

When asked about the discrepancy, both Coykendall and Shoyinka said the confusion was whether or not the recommendation applied to all students in the building, or only those students in rooms where elevated lead levels were discovered.

Theres no school-wide recommendation that everyone should get tested, said Coykendall. It was on a classroom-by-classroom basis. What we said was that theres no indication for every child in the whole school. But within those classes where there were elevated levels, and at the time that we got involved with this, the school had already taken those measures.

So by the time we were talking to them, they had already started contacting them. So there was never, Your students should do this, this is what you should do, because they had already done it, Coykendall said. So we are in full agreement of what their response was with regards to the students within those classes.

Okemos Public Schools Communications Specialist Shannon Beczkiewicz told the Advance that the district nurse did make calls to the families in the one room that tests showed the highest level of lead, known as the Paw Paw Room.

Students in classrooms that tested above the 5 ppb level for action received a letter from Superintendent John Hood with more information specific to that room, she said.

But a communication from Hood to the Paw Paw room parents dated Nov. 28 makes no mention about students getting tested. At that time, the room tested at 38 ppb. A follow-up communication on Dec. 7 stated that the room had tested at 49 ppb. It also made no mention of students getting tested for lead contamination.

To that point, Beczkiewicz provided a copy of a Dec. 6 letter from the ICHD that she said does not include blood lead testing. In the letter, the health department says the district had been swift in implementing layered mitigation measures to ensure no further exposure to lead will occur. ICHD applauds OPSs proactive efforts to engage families through open communication and fully supports the continuation of this transparent and open dialogue.

It then went on to list recommendations to maintain a safe and healthy environment for students and staff, that included continued water testing and flushing of the system, and only allowing students to drink from filtered bottle-filling stations. It also said that ICHD had shared information with OPS about its lead testing program and other ways to receive a lead test. We encourage those with concerns to contact their primary care provider to address any questions.

Beczkiewicz said when the districts nurses called the families with students in the Paw Paw room, they shared resources and information about testing either through the Ingham County Health Department or their family physician, but left the decision to the families.

We thank the Health Department for waiving the fee for our students above the age of 5. We defer to the experts at the Health Department for medical recommendations, which were to offer information and resources to the families, she said.

But parents said at the Dec. 11 meeting the lack of clear and consistent communication was what they were most disappointed about.

The ball has been dropped and it is disappointing, McCarty told the board. I have a kid that is in kindergarten, so she will be at OPM for four or more years and has already been there for three years because of preschool. I am scared to think what is going to happen to her in that building with her health and safety. Im scared for the teachers, the staff, the former students in that building and nobody has an answer except, Dont drink the water. Were going to post some signs. Were going to add some filters. That is a joke.

Parent Stephanie Winslow said the districts response was slow to get started and remains lackluster, expressing frustration that testing didnt occur until November, several months after problems were first noticed.

At the beginning of the school year, concerns were raised about discolored water, she said. Meanwhile, each morning I double and triple triple check backpacks to make sure that we have water bottles from home  extra ones on gym days, which are tomorrow. So I need to make sure that those are washed, ready to go, and cross my fingers that my 5-year-old can navigate the drinking fountains not for drinking signs posted on problem fixtures and hope that he can reach the refillable stations and hopefully the green lights are on throughout the day. Today, I was informed by my third-grader that the light was red at his refilling water station. This is unacceptable. The administration needs to take action.

ICHD Recommendations for Okemos Public Schools1262023



However, it appears that the administration only took action after a formal grievance was filed by the Okemos Education Association, the union which represents the districts teachers. When asked about the grievance, Beczkiewicz confirmed its existence, but said it was about water in some classrooms that was rust or brown colored, even though it listed many other issues of concern.

The grievance obtained by the Advance, which was verified by an official with the Michigan Education Association, states that well documented issues had remained unaddressed since the start of the school year in August and had prompted a walk-through of the building on Sept. 21 which found the working conditions to be appalling. It said that a summary of the unacceptable and unresolved issues was then given to Hood and other administrators the following day, but remained unresolved.

Among the concerns in the grievance were air and noise pollution being caused by ongoing construction, asking that it only be held on nights and weekends when children were not in the building. It also requested that rooms be cleaned daily of any residual construction debris and dust, noting that requests to have areas cleaned were not being met. It further said carpets in both [teachers] Mary Weir & Christine Batoras rooms need to be replaced immediately due to mold, and that water testing needs to occur wherever dishes are being washed and drinking fountains, particularly in the preschool rooms, with results shared with the staff.

The first water testing at OPM wasnt conducted until Nov. 8, nearly a month later.

The grievance also noted that requests to the districts work order system, known as FMX, were not being completed regularly.

At times, requests are marked as completed when they have not, in fact, been completed, said the memo. This system needs to be addressed and a plan in place so that confidence can be restored. The students and staff of Okemos schools deserve a safe, secure, clean, and healthy building in which to teach and learn, and clearly this standard has not been met at Okemos Public Montessori.

The person responsible for running the FMX system is the districts operations manager, which up until Dec. 1 was Mark Fargo. However, he has since left the district, which is now advertising for his replacement. When asked if there was a correlation between Fargos departure and the issues coming to light at OPM, Beczkiewicz would only say she cannot comment further on personnel issues.

Meanwhile, the cause of the contamination remains undetermined.

The district has indicated it was likely connected to construction work that took place in the building, which resulted in lead solder that was used to join the copper pipes to be released into the water supply. ICHD Director of Environmental Health Rod McNeill told the Advance that while that is the most likely scenario, it will take time and patience to fully answer that question.

We dont know for sure what the source is at this time, and quite frankly, we may never know for sure what the source was, but it takes a long time to rebuild that scale on piping, he said, referring to the phosphate coating on the inside of a pipe that help prevent lead from older solder being leached into the water itself.

And the only way to do that is to have water moving through the system, thus our recommendations to have them flush all the faucets for 10 minutes every day that theyre there in the morning, when they first get there. Thats to keep that phosphate chemical continually being refreshed in that distribution system, and in those faucets and supply lines throughout that building. And over time, that will replace that scale and thus protect the water from the piping and the fixtures and such. But that could take weeks, months. Its not a quick chemical process. It takes a while.

Being the oldest building in the district, OPM is likely to have more of the outdated piping and fixtures that contain lead. That was precisely why former OPM Principal Sue Hollman told the board she was angered that the $275 million bond approved by voters in 2022 didnt contain any substantive upgrades for the building.

I was the principal here at Okemos Montessori for 14 years, and Im currently the chair of the Okemos Education Foundation, she said. So, as you can tell, Im extremely invested in this community and school district. I came to you last year as you were finalizing the proposal for the bond, I was disappointed and angry. Central, the oldest building in the district, was not included in the proposal in any meaningful way. Apparently, the plan is that in eight to 10 years when we have the next bond, Central will be included in that. And I guess that was supposed to be a good thing and Im supposed to be happy about that. I wasnt. I was angry then and Im angrier now.

Hallman said while the Okemos district likes to tout the phrase 21st century learning and 21st century buildings, that falls short when it comes to the students and staff at Central.

This part of the building youre in is a hundred years old and the school is 80, she said. When I was principal, we all knew about the asbestos in the building, which prohibited many updates. The poor air quality, the leaky roof, it seemed we always had a bucket somewhere collecting raindrops. Youd think these concerns alone wouldve qualified us under one of the bond bullet points, which is listed on the website. And I quote, Replacing and expanding aging facilities while addressing critical needs. Apparently, thats for all schools except for Central, the oldest building in the district.

Hallman also didnt accept that the lead contamination was necessarily due to something recent.

The community has been told its due to the construction in the vestibule office area, she said. And its a nice clean explanation that may sound good to the general public, but the truth is its an old building. And it appears with no meaningful long-term plan for Central, things like this are going to continue to happen.

Hallman compared the current bond plan for Central to painting over a 15-year-old car to avoid fixing the problems.

So, Im here tonight to let you know that Im going to continue to be here until a meaningful plan to keep our kids and staff safe is put in place, as well as a plan to create an equitable facility and learning environment for students and staff. That means in [the] short-term, putting filters in every faucet in this building. There needs to be a filter for our kids. And we need a plan, a real plan, on what to do for an 80-year-old building that needs to be developed now, not 10 years from now.

Hallman, speaking to the Advance this month, said she understands that the school board and administration arent to blame for the state of the building, but they do have control of what happens from this point moving forward.

If they come up with a plan now, and it takes eight years to fulfill the plan because of whatever, OK, fine. Im not gonna argue with that, she said. I dont know the ins and outs of the building and engineering and financing. But to wait eight or 10 years and then start to make a plan, which then will take a few more years to put into place, is not in my opinion okay. I just think its a shame that the whole 21st Century learning in 21st Century buildings just kind of irritated me, because were almost a 19th century building, quite honestly, at least the older part is pretty close to it.

After Hallman, came the youngest speaker of the evening: 9-year-old Aster Soria, an OPM student.

Im here to talk about the lead in the water at my school, she said. I feel really scared because I drink the water and I might have gotten lead in my body. Lead is very harmful to my brain and the brains of my friends. I care a lot about my friends and the teachers at my school, I feel like this situation shouldnt have happened and it gets everybody very worried about if they have lead in their bodies. Also, I had to get a blood test, which hurt, and I have been very worried for a while because of whats going on.

Soria, who could barely reach the microphone, said the contamination and the resulting actions have given her bad dreams.

Kids should feel safe at school and be OK with drinking water at school, she said. It makes me more worried about drinking water at school, so I dont drink water at school anymore. I feel less safe at school and that I cannot trust a lot of things at school anymore.

As she sat down, the audience gave her a round of applause.

However, county health officials downplay concerns over contamination continuing at OPM.

The exposure pathway to kids being exposed to lead has been stopped, said Shoyinka. Were very confident of that. Now, the source of the lead and getting that straightened out, thats going to take time because thats a complicated thing. And you try a solution and you give it some time, see if that works. If that doesnt work, then we start exploring other [options]. Youre ruling things out. Its a process of elimination and it takes weeks, months to do that.

Shoyinka also notes that rules surrounding lead content and exposure have been changing, meaning issues like those in Okemos, one of the more affluent districts in the state, are likely to start showing up elsewhere.

The rules for schools [are] also changing in the sense that every school is now mandated to have filters at every faucet, she said. And that goes into place in April, I believe.

Michigans Clean Water Drinking Act, known as the Filter First Legislation, is a bipartisan package of bills signed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in October requiring Michigan schools and childcare centers to install filtered-faucets, develop a drinking water management plan and conduct routine sampling and testing to ensure children have access to safe drinking water.

Concerns about lead in drinking water have taken on greater scrutiny in the aftermath of the water crisis in Flint, which began in 2014 when state-appointed emergency managers tried to save money by switching the citys water supply to the Flint River without implementing anti-corrosion treatments. The old pipes then leached lead into the citys drinking water, with some homes eventually testing at well over 1,000 ppb, causing widespread health issues, including elevated lead levels in the blood of children.

While the situation in Okemos isnt at all at that level of seriousness, because children are involved, the concern is much more amplified, most especially because the source of the contamination has yet to be identified.

The MDHHS says that children exposed to lead may have lower IQ scores, decreased academic achievement, increased problems with behavior and attention related disorders as well as decreases in hearing and kidney function. Those potential problems become more likely with increased exposure, with a blood test seen as the most reliable method to determine the extent of that exposure.

That was one of the motivations behind bipartisan legislation also signed in October by Whitmer that guaranteed the screening of minors for lead poisoning in Michigan. The legislation requires all children be tested for lead poisoning between 12 and 24 months of age, while also allowing for parents to opt out if they choose to do so.

In addition to Flint, Benton Harbor also suffered from extensive lead poisoning, while other Michigan communities have faced high rates as well, including Hamtramck and Grand Rapids. In 2021, a study published in JAMA Pediatrics found that Michigan ranked the third highest in the nation for children with elevated levels of lead in their blood.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), lead exposure is especially dangerous for children under age 6 because their bodies are rapidly developing.

Back in Okemos, the administration had scheduled a Zoom meeting for Dec. 14, with the plan of being joined by Phillip Peterson from the districts water testing company Environmental Resource Group. The district also is coordinating with the Ingham County Health Department to have a representative there.

We realize that our community has questions and concerns, and we want to offer a forum to address those, stated the district in an email. The focus of this meeting is to discuss the water at OPM, but we understand that other families may also have questions.

Following the frustration and anger expressed at the Dec. 11 meeting, Assistant Superintendent for Instruction Stacy Bailey, who was running the meeting in the absence of Superintendent John Hood, felt that something needed to be said that night. While the school board format does not allow for members to directly respond to comments made during the meetings public comment, Bailey did speak to the concerns toward the end of the evening, saying the districts commitment was to come together and find solutions.

Thats our goal, to connect with those that are impacted, to make sure that everyone comes together at the table and to make sure that its a transparent and open process, she said. So thats what I wanted to share with all of you. I dont have the answers, but I know that with everyone in this room, and in this space, and in this community, we will find a solution so that our community members, our students, and our families feel safe and healthy coming to school.

Michigan Advance is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Michigan Advance maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Susan Demas for questions: info@michiganadvance.com. Follow Michigan Advance on Facebook and Twitter.
To the editor:

The UN's claim that its employees are afraid to go to Gaza reflects a realistic assessment of what Hamas terrorists may do to them to seize the aid going into the Strip. For Hamas, the first priority is taking possession of food, fuel and other commodities  first to put to its own use and then to sell at exorbitant prices to its loyal followers in Gaza, to fatten the bank accounts of its leaders sitting by the swimming pool in a hotel off in Doha.

If UN officials were serious about getting aid to innocent civilians, it would begin by demanding that Hamas withdraw its personnel from among the civilian population, but that would require it to admit the Israeli position on Hamas is correct  something the UN has never managed.

Yale Zussman

Framingham

This article originally appeared on MetroWest Daily News: letter to editor UN demand hamas to withdraw from civilian population
SIR  How exactly have striking junior doctors been helping to save the NHS (Letters, December 22)?



They claim to have trained as doctors in order to help their fellow citizens, but have a strange way of doing that.



Charles Penfold

Ulverston, Cumbria

SIR  Much of the coverage on the impact of strikes has referred, understandably, to cancer patients, and the ever-growing waiting list for procedures.



However, the effects are far wider-reaching. As a patient with myopic macular degeneration (MMD), for which I need regular eye injections to minimise sight loss, I have experienced a number of appointment cancellations and delays to treatment this year.



I have heard from other patients who have experienced the same problem; one lady reported that she had received six instead of 12 eye injections this year. The reason cited by those who cancelled the appointments was the strikes, which led to the cancellation of outpatient clinics.



For those with MMD or age-related macular degeneration, the consequences could include vision loss and blindness, which in the longer term must bring a greater cost to the NHS and social care  not to mention the emotional and social impact on patients.



Sadly, however, the medical profession appears to be becoming less concerned about that impact. As a healthcare professional of 40 years, I find this particularly concerning.



Angela Thompson

Cambridge



The right to die

SIR  Perhaps Dame Esther Rantzens deeply moving plea over assisted dying (report, December 22) can achieve what the opinion of between 70 and 80 per cent of the British population has so far failed to do.



What level of support for a change in the law does the Government require before it responds to the democratic wishes of the people?



Doug Clark

Currie, Midlothian

SIR  While I fully respect Dame Esther Rantzens views on assisted dying, we need to take the utmost care that any debate on this subject is informed not just by personal anecdote and emotional argument, but also by drawing on factual evidence and clinician-based experience.



Any suggestion that the Church of Englands view on the matter has wavered, meanwhile, is misconceived. The subject was extensively debated at the Church of Englands General Synod in July 2022, following a private members motion that I introduced. The debate was a full and comprehensive one within the time allowed, and the final vote a strong statement of continuing support for the current legislation on assisted suicide.



The key to avoiding the kind of death Dame Esther fears is increased funding for palliative care, which successive governments have failed to provide. This would help to ensure access to the very best that palliative care can provide at the time when it is needed. Focusing efforts on changing the law can only detract from this fundamental goal.



Dr Simon Eyre FRCGP

Eastbourne, East Sussex

SIR  Mike Cobb (Letters, December 22) states that he does not want assisted dying to be an option for those facing terminal illness because his treatment has allowed him to outlive his original prognosis.



He misses the point that those hoping for the possibility of an assisted death when facing terminal illness are not suicidal. They dont want to die, but they are dying. The few people who have an assisted death wait until their suffering is unbearable. If they outlive their prognosis they can remain reassured by the fact that an assisted death is an option if they require it.



Mr Cobb responded to his treatment. But many do not, and they and their loved ones would take great comfort from the availability of a compassionate choice.

Dr Jacky Davis

Chair, Healthcare Professionals for Assisted Dying

London NW5



SIR  A year or two ago I watched on television a fascinating debate on the subject of assisted dying in a packed House of Lords.



The debate did two things for me. First, it demonstrated the need for the Lords, with amazingly extensive expertise on every aspect of the subject on display. Secondly, the debate illustrated to me (as a lawyer) the substantial difficulty in drafting a safe and effective law to provide for assisted dying.



Christopher W Robson

Bedale, North Yorkshire

Prison and deterrence

SIR  Analysis from the College of Policing purports to show that prison does not stop criminals from reoffending (report, December 22).



It found that 54 per cent of jailed criminals reoffended, compared with 46 per cent of those handed suspended prison terms, community service, fines or probation.



Could this be because the imprisoned cohort are more likely, on average, to be hardened criminals, and so less likely to be deterred from reoffending?



Michael Hughes

Birmingham

SIR  I was pleased to see that the College of Policing research acknowledged the importance of education, training, family and other relationships as supportive factors in reducing reoffending.



As well as acting as a deterrent, a fundamental purpose of custodial sentencing is to support the rehabilitation of offenders. This can only be achieved by demonstrating to prisoners that there is a viable alternative to their lifestyles.



Targeted learning plus the support of family and other significant relationships can enable offenders to see that a crime-free lifestyle is an achievable option.



Stuart Harrington

Burnham-on-Sea, Somerset



How not to behave on a trip to the theatre

Quiet at the back: Private Box, Drury Lane (1837) by John Watkins Chapman - Bridgeman

SIR  Standing ovations (Letters, December 22) are one thing  but worse is the whooping that one so often hears.

I have even heard it following the performance of masterpieces by great composers.



Derek Wellman

Lincoln

SIR  After I had spent 400 on four seats in the stalls to watch a matinee performance of the Matilda musical, we found ourselves sitting behind people who had no consideration for anybody else.



I ended up watching them  instead of the show  as they passed a bottle of wine between themselves, whispering and glancing at their phones.



My grandchildren  who are seven and nine years old, and have been taught to sit still  had to crane their necks around these constantly moving individuals.



Surely the wine should have been confiscated; and perhaps, before the show, there should have been a reminder to everyone in attendance on how to behave in this environment.



Catherine Howie

Shoreham, Kent

SIR  Yesterdays letter on standing ovations reminded me of when, in 1963, I was the pianist at the Little Theatre in Bristol and Beyond the Fringe was staged by the Bristol Old Vic. The show began with the three main characters clad in business suits and bowler hats, sitting facing the audience with newspapers opened in front of them.



I started playing the national anthem. The actors did not move, but half the audience stood up, while the other half took their lead from the actors and remained seated. The standing half then looked at the sitting half and sat down; the sitting half had looked at the standing half and were preparing to stand. This confusion continued for some time, and the noise created by the hundreds of tip-up seats nearly drowned out the music.



Richard Hodgson

Axminster, Devon



Troubles veterans

SIR  In your report (December 21) on Irelands attempt to prevent the UK from ending vexatious prosecution of service veterans, you correctly note that ECHR rules for the right to life and prohibition of torture require member states to investigate death and serious harm. The key term here is investigate  something the Defence Committee closely examined with expert legal witnesses during its 2017 inquiry hearings.



We found that a statute of limitation is permissible under international law, if two conditions are met. First, it must cover all former parties to the Northern Ireland conflict: applying it only to service personnel would be deemed unacceptable state impunity. Indeed, that principle has been conceded already in the Northern Ireland (Sentences) Act 1998, limiting time served in prison for Troubles-related offences  including murder  to only two years, whether carried out by terrorist paramilitaries or by soldiers.



Secondly, we learnt that the ECHR requirement for an adequate investigation does not necessitate a subsequent prosecution. Instead, it can be met absolutely by a truth recovery process coupled with a guarantee of immunity, as was successfully operated in post-apartheid South Africa. We argued  and the Government agreed  that what had been good enough for Nelson Mandela should be good enough for the rest of us.



Leo Varadkar, the Taoiseach, wants the human rights court to endorse a double-standard and overrule our overdue legislation. We should certainly not comply, in the unlikely event of it finding in his favour.



Sir Julian Lewis MP (Con)

Chairman, Defence Committee, 2015-19

London SW1



Second-class best

SIR  Am I the only one whose Christmas cards have all been delivered by hand or second-class post this year? Does anybody use first-class stamps these days?



Judy Parsley

London W4



Costly heat pumps

SIR  I share the concerns about the proposed boiler tax, designed to encourage people to switch to heat pumps, which has already raised the price of boilers by up to 120 (report, December 22).



My partner tried to get a quote for a heat pump for her 15th-century cottage, but the firm said it was not feasible and, in any case, would have cost three times more to run than her current oil-fired boiler.



The Prime Minister should insist that Downing Street has heat pumps installed, then publish the total cost of the conversion per square metre of floor area. This should be combined with an evaluation of running costs and comfort.



John Knox

North Ferriby, East Yorkshire



Holy hounds

SIR  A blind couple used to attend our church with their guide dogs. One week, just as the Eucharistic prayer started, the black Labrador (Letters, December 22) did a deep play-bow, as if she were praying, and settled down again.



I whispered to my friend that she was a very holy Labrador. She looked at me and said: All Labradors are holy.



Sandra Hancock

Exeter, Devon



A hatless home

SIR  During the early years of the last century my father had an eccentric uncle who never wore a hat (Letters, December 21).



He told me that many wrote to him with the address: Charle Bar tAt, Leeds. So rare were those who went bare-headed in the 1900s that the letters were delivered.



Nick Kester

Wattisfield, Suffolk



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COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH)  An iconic Christmas nativity display that has served as a Columbus attraction for years has been preserved by a local museum dedicated to Catholic history.

State Autos Christmas Corner, a life-size nativity scene that has been a Columbus staple for over 60 years, has found a new home. The Museum of Catholic Art and History has taken ownership of the display and placed it on the lawn of St. Joseph Cathedral at 212 E. Broad St. for the holiday season.

The angel speaking to Mary as depicted in a nativity scene in Columbus. (NBC4 Photo/Aaron Burd)

The journey to Bethlehem as depicted in a nativity scene in Columbus. (NBC4 Photo/Aaron Burd)

Shepherds as depicted in a nativity scene in Columbus. (NBC4 Photo/Aaron Burd)

The birth of Jesus as depicted in a nativity scene in Columbus. (NBC4 Photo/Aaron Burd)

The Wise Men as depicted in a nativity scene in Columbus. (NBC4 Photo/Aaron Burd)

Shawn Kenney, Executive Director of The Museum of Catholic Art and History, explained the history of the nativity scene, which was started by a famous Columbus resident decades ago.

The nativity scene was made over 60 years ago, Kenney said. It started with Gordon Keith, who was a very famous person in Columbus, especially around the holidays. He was involved with the parade floats for the big Christmas parade in Columbus, the windows at Lazarus, which everybody remembers going down to see. Then of course, the State Auto nativity scene, which started its life actually for the first few years on the State House lawn.

Keith, whom Kenney credited with starting the over 60 year nativity tradition, was a Columbus artist and designer. The artist was also responsible for the creation of another famous Columbus attraction, the original Mr. Tree.

Kenney said that due to the separation of church and state, the nativity was moved from its original home outside of the Statehouse to the location it called home for years, the State Auto building at 518 E. Broad St. However, with Liberty Mutual acquiring State Auto, the nativity scene was no longer in the business plans. Thats where Kenney and the Museum of Catholic Art and History stepped in.

Kenney said. I reached out to them about two years ago, and they said, Sean, we know about your museum and your nativity collection, but thats not the case right now, Kenney said. Well, they set it up last Christmas, then this past January I get the e-mail.

Kenney said that the sides reached an agreement that allowed for the nativity to live on with its new owners. Kenney then received permission from St. Joseph Cathedral to use its front yard to display the nativity scene.

Kenney said it was interesting timing to acquire the iconic nativity scene, as this Christmas Eve marks the 800th anniversary of what is believed to be the first nativity scene.

Saint Francis of Assisi is attributed with creating the first nativity scene, a little different than what were used to today with figures and stuff, Kenney said. But, in Graco, Italy, in 1223, he wanted people who needed visuals at the time, he wanted people on Christmas Eve when they came into church to be able to see how our Lord came into this world.

One reason that Kenney said the nativity created by Keith is so special is that it has been passed down over the years in the same way that nativity scenes are passed down by families.

This nativity set is one of a kind, Kenny said. Gordon Keith, when he made this nativity set, he literally built them out of old store mannequins, with materials, wood, plastic, fiber glass, leather, hair, and twine.

Kenney said that people who miss out on the nativity scene before Christmas will still get a chance to visit, as the attraction will remain open after the holiday.

We celebrate the full 12 days of Christmas, Kenney said.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NBC4 WCMH-TV.
First Lady Melania Trump walks through Christmas decorations in the East Wing as she tours holiday decorations at the White House in Washington, DC, on November 27, 2017. SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images

Former President Donald Trump has been out of office for three years.

That means the nation's gone three years without Melania Trump's audacious Christmas decorations.

She's received flack for years for her decorations, but let's be real: they were pretty great.

For four years, between 2017 and 2020, former President Donald Trump and his administration made headlines on a near-daily basis with outlandish tweets, legally questionable executive decisions, and committing social faux pas.

And though she mostly kept to herself during his tenure in office, Trump's wife Melania made news of her own each year for her White House Christmas decorations  mostly negative in nature.

"Melania's Christmases, Ranked from Most to Least Haunted," one headline from 2020 read. "There's no comfort & joy in Melania Trump's bleak and impersonal Christmas decor," says another.

While her decorations were a bit atypical than those of past years, I think it's reasonable to say years later that they weren't all that bad.

Much of the criticism appears to stem from her leaked comments in 2020, where she belabored being compared to her husband's child separation policies at the border and the expectations of being First Lady. She said she had "worked her ass off on the Christmas stuff," despite not caring about the responsibility.

"Who gives a fuck about the Christmas stuff and decorations?" Melania asked in the recording, "But I need to do it, right?"

Though it seems she may have detested the task, Melania ultimately put creative spins on the White House's typical, traditional holiday decorations that were, well unique.

And not necessarily in a bad way.

As my Pulitzer Prize-winning editor  a former culture writer  told me, "If the White House doesn't look like 'Sleep No More' at Christmas, I think the First Lady fucked up."

Even my nerdy, usually Trump-detesting roommate had positive words for Melania's decorations. "It seriously looked like Doctor Doom was into Christmas," she said.

With that in mind, below are the highlights from Melania's Christmas decorations from the East Colonnade:

2017: Breaking the mold

Christmas decorations in a hallway of the East Wing of the White House during a press preview of the 2017 holiday decorations November 27, 2017, in Washington, DC. Alex Wong/Getty Images

In 2017, Melania's decorative theme was "Time-Honored Traditions," though it's not entirely clear how that ultimately tied into the decorations themselves.

Nevertheless, Melania's first Christmas in the White House began by placing a bunch of  barren sticks protruding from pots in the East Colonnade, the location where much of the First Lady's most notable Christmas decorations occurred during her husband's tenure.

2018: Red (Melania's Version)

Trees line the East Colonnade during the White House Christmas preview in the East Wing of the White House on Monday, Nov. 26, 2018, in Washington, DC. Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images

A year after her twig-filled decorative debut, each of Melania's East Colonnade trees were blood-red colored and lined the walls without any additional lighting or decorations as part of an "American Treasures"-themed Christmas.

Honestly, 2018's decorations weren't her best. The trees themselves were neat because they were atypical in color, but there wasn't any special lighting added or anything else to make it any more memorable.

2019: Trees? Never heard of em'

The East Colonnade is decorated for Christmas at the White House December 2, 2019, in Washington, DC. Mark Wilson/Getty Images

In 2019, Melania took out nearly every tree that normally dots the walls of the East Colonnade over the holidays, replacing them with acrylic paneling detailed with national landmarks in an attempt to present "a timeline of American design, innovation, and architecture."

Clean in appearance, a unique idea, and highlighting the nation's history in a cool way: What's not to like about this look?

2020. The "Who cares" era

The East Colonnade is decorated during the 2020 Christmas preview at the White House, on Monday, Nov. 30, 2020, in Washington. Patrick Semansky/Associated Press

Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, months after leaked audio showed her asking "Who gives a fuck about the Christmas stuff," and weeks before exiting the White House Melania used her final time decorating the building to position elaborate potted plants throughout the East Colonnade as part of her "America the Beautiful" theme.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Santa isnt the only one getting dozens of cookies this holiday.

A local elementary school showed its appreciation for its police department by baking hundreds of cookies.

>> Photos: Favorite Christmas cookies by state

Students at Beavertown Elementary School baked and decorated 160 cookies to give to the Kettering Police Department for the holiday, according to KPDs social media.

Thank you for keeping us safe! Here is a sweet treat from us to you! We hope you have a Happy Holiday! a note from the children reads.




The first call a Shelby County firefighter went on was his own home.

Spencer Yinger, 19, just became certified to fight fires this month.

Little did he know he would have to respond to his own home.

Im on the fire department that came and put the house out ... as Im putting my gear on my assistant chief asked, whose house is that? and I look up over at the TV and I read the address and Im like hey, yeah, thats my house, he said.

The house is a total loss.

Yinger lived there with his mom, dad, and younger sister.

The familys two golden retrievers Lizzie and Linus were in the home when the fire broke out.

>> Young child dead, multiple injured after crash involving horse-driven buggy

Yinger helped get Lizzie out, but Linus did not make it.

Its weird coming home and were driving past and just seeing nothing there at the place we called home for eight years now, Yinger said.

The family is now staying with relatives in town.

Breezy is Spencers mom.

She said people in the area have helped them out.

Both the Jackson Center and the Botkins community have rallied around us. We have clothes, we have coats, snow hats, winter coats, Breezy said.

She said the family loves the Bengals and Spencer lost a signed Chad Ochocinco Johnson jersey in the fire.

Itd be our little Christmas miracle if I could get him that signed jersey, Breezy said.

At a time when theyre trying to pick up the pieces, theyre grateful to have each other and are proud of Spencer.

Watching your son what he was trained to do, Breezy said. Knowing that he had just lost everything right along with the rest of his family. There was a proud moment here within all those emotions.

The family is trying to get in touch with the Bengals to get a new jersey.

They are planning to rebuild their home on their property.
In a reversal of his earlier decision, London Mayor Sadiq Khan has agreed to support a plan to send the city's scrap vehicles to Ukraine, U.K. media reported on Dec. 23.

Khan had previously rejected the proposal, which was put forth by Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko in September. Klitschko asked Khan to send cars that do not meet London's Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) standards to Ukraine instead of the scrapyard.

Khan said he could not approve the proposal because it does not benefit Londoners under the "legal threshold" mandated by the ULEZ program.

The London mayor has now reversed this decision, calling on U.K. Transport Secretary Mark Harper to allow the city's residents to donate their high-emission cars to Ukraine. A letter penned by Khan and former U.K. Defense Secretary Ben Wallace asked Harper to give drivers money for taking polluting vehicles off our cities streets while providing vital support towards the people of Ukraine."

The ULEZ aims to clear London's air by requiring those driving high-emission vehicles in the city to pay a fee of 12.50 pounds ($15.80). London residents can receive up to 2,000 pounds ($2,500) in exchange for scrapping their car if it does not meet ULEZ emissions standards.

Klitschko asked Khan to send these vehicles instead to Ukraine's front lines, since many non-compliant cars are heavy 4x4 vehicles and trucks that are urgently needed in combat zones.

After Khan originally denied Klitschko's request, British MP Michael Gove wrote an open letter asking Khan to reconsider.

"I am sure that you would agree that taking these same vehicles off Londons roads  and thus achieving the same environmental benefits  whilst supporting the efforts in Ukraine, is preferable simply to scrapping them," Gove said.

Khan and Wallace said they came to their new decision following talks with the mayor's office in Kyiv and other partners.

Read also: Ukraine war latest: Netherlands to prepare 18 F-16s for delivery to Ukraine

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has changed his mind and declared that he does back sending four-wheel drive cars that would otherwise be scrapped under the ULEZ (Ultra-Low Emission Zone) scheme to Ukraine.

Source: The Telegraph; European Pravda

Details: The London mayor had previously not supported the sending of non-ULEZ-compliant vehicles to Ukraine, saying it would not benefit Londoners from an environmental, economic and social perspective.

However, following a media campaign and numerous appeals, Khan changed his mind and asked Transport Secretary Mark Harper to make it "possible for Londoners, and others across the country, to donate suitable vehicles to Ukraine through scrappage schemes".

The letter to Harper, which the mayor of London wrote with former defence minister Ben Wallace, said it would be possible to send cars to Ukraine if the relevant national rules were changed.

The ULEZ aims to clean up London's air by requiring drivers of high-emission vehicles in the city to pay a 12.50 levy. Londoners can get up to 2,000 for scrapping their car if it doesn't meet ULEZ emissions standards. These are generally all-wheel drive cars and pick-up trucks.

"We are optimistic you will work with us to enable Londoners and others around the country to receive money for taking polluting vehicles off our cities streets while providing vital support towards the people of Ukraine," Khan and Wallace wrote.

Earlier, former prime minister Boris Johnson, who was Khan's predecessor as mayor of London, called the London mayor's refusal to send cars to Ukraine "petty and ridiculous".

"The Ukrainians are more than capable of solving the quality of air problems themselves, what they need is help now to defeat a threat that is infinitely more dangerous, and that is president Putin. Khans actions seem to be extraordinary," Johnson said.

Background: On 16 December, Sadiq Khan refused to send cars handed over by Londoners under the ULEZ scheme to Ukraine further to a request from Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko.

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(Photo : Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows is considering whether or not to keep former United States President Donald Trump's name on the state's Republican primary ballot for the 2024 race.

Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows is considering whether or not to keep former United States President Donald Trump's name on the state's primary ballot after Colorado decides to disqualify the candidate.

During last week's hearing, Bellows weighed three complaints that challenged Trump's eligibility to appear on Maine's Republican primary ballot. Two of the complaints are based on the same section of the Constitution that the Colorado Supreme Court cited in its 4 to 3 decision on Tuesday.

Trump on Maine's Republican Primary Ballot

That particular ruling disqualified Trump, noting that he cannot hold office again because his actions leading up to the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol Hill riot amounted to engaging in an insurrection. In more than 30 states, some form of challenge to the former president's eligibility has been lodged.

While many of these are still unfolding in court, the one in Maine will be decided by the secretary of state first, with voters filing petitions, not lawsuits. Bellows' decision can then be appealed to the state's Superior Court, as per the New York Times.

Colorado's ruling was the first in history to disqualify a presidential candidate from a ballot under the 14th Amendment. A section of the amendment bars individuals who have taken an oath to "support" the Constitution from holding office if they "engaged in insurrection," "rebellion against the same," or had "given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof."

The former president's campaign has argued that it plans to appeal the decision to the United States Supreme Court. If the high court decides to take up the case, the other challenges nationwide will likely be put on hold until a ruling.

Following the ruling in Colorado, Bellows invited lawyers on both sides in Maine to file supplemental briefs. She said her decision on the matter would likely come next week. The Republican primaries in Colorado and Maine are both scheduled for Mar. 5.

Read Also: Donald Trump's GOP Presidential Primary Increases

Involvement in an Insurrection

The situation comes as former Mueller prosecutor Andrew Weissman said that Americans sacrificed their lives in the Civil War to keep candidates "who engaged in insurrection" from running for office in the United States, according to Fox News.

On Thursday, he said that the Constitution is seen as relatively new because there has not been a situation where someone running for office is found to have engaged in insurrection or rebellion.

He added that it was "remarkable" to him that the ruling from the Democrat-appointed court justices "isn't really the unanimous finding in the Colorado case because you had no one dissenting on the issue of did he do it."

Maryland Rep. Jamie Raskin also said that he believes the U.S. The Constitution could not be clearer that Trump is ineligible to hold office under the 14th Amendment. He noted that this is a chance for the Supreme Court's justices to show that they mean it when discussing textualism and originalism.

The Democrat's remarks come as the former president expressed his plans to appeal the Colorado ruling that disqualified him from the state's Republican primary ballot for the 2024 race, said The Hill.

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A ewe dubbed "Britain's loneliest sheep" before she was rescued from a remote cave has featured in a festive mental health awareness campaign.

Now named Fiona, she has been pictured with "Are ewe OK?" and "#KeepTalking" placards by a charity which offers support to Scottish farmers.

She attracted worldwide media attention after she was pictured stranded alone on a rugged shoreline in the Highlands.

After her rescue last month she was rehomed at a farm park near Dumfries.

Fiona's overgrown fleece was shorn and auctioned for charity, helping to raise, along with donations, about 11,000 for the Royal Scottish Agricultural Benevolent Institution (RSABI) and the Scottish SPCA.

The three-year-old ewe has now been enlisted for RSABI's Christmas #KeepTalking campaign to combat loneliness and the Scottish Association of Young Farmers Clubs' mental health message Are Ewe OK?.

Carol McLaren, chief executive of RSABI, said: "We know there can be a lot of loneliness in the farming community, particularly at this time of year.

"The #KeepTalking campaign highlights how important it is for people to keep in touch and keep an eye out for anyone who could be feeling low or lonely. We know that just a little kindness can make a massive difference for someone who is struggling."

The sheep caught the imagination of the world's media after kayaker Jill Turner photographed her at the foot of cliffs on the Moray Firth - and realised it was the same sheep she had spotted on an earlier trip.

The rocky shoreline and dangerous terrain made a rescue difficult but she was eventually hauled to the top of the cliffs by team of farmers led by Cammy Day, who is a regular on BBC's Scotland Landward programme.

She is now living at Dalscone Farm, a farm park and visitor attraction near Dumfries.

Her rehoming was not without controversy - a group of animal rights activists who had been planning their own rescue claimed she could become distressed and exploited as a "spectacle" at a "petting zoo".

However, Dalscone Farm said she would have five months to settle in while the farm park was closed for winter, and she would be given her own pen while she was slowly introduced to other animals.

Fiona's rescuers said she had a very calm temperament and was in good health, albeit somewhat overweight after years of unfettered access to grazing.

They named her Fiona after the partner of Shrek, the animated comedy character, because another renegade sheep with an overgrown fleece that was eventually rescued in New Zealand some years ago was named Shrek.

He went on to achieve similar celebrity status, becoming the subject of children's books, meeting the country's prime minister and being immortalised with a bronze statue after his death in 2011 at the ripe old age of 16.
The Long Beach Police Department is actively investigating several crimes that occurred in a 12-hour period throughout the city.

Several shootings, a stabbing and a fatal hit-and-run all took place in various parts of Long Beach on Thursday night and into Friday morning, police said.

According to LBPD officials, the first incident was a no-hit shooting in the 1000 block of Gaviota Avenue at 7:38 p.m. Thursday evening.

Officers were dispatched to the area on a shots fired call, and when they arrived on scene, a male victim told them that another man approached him, shot at him and then fled the area. He was not struck by gunfire, according to law enforcement officials.

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Two hours later, at 9:40 p.m., officers again responded to the 1000 block of Gaviota Avenue on calls of a man being shot.

Preliminary investigation indicates a male adult victim was shot by an unknown suspect [or suspects] in a light-colored sedan, LBPD said. While the investigation is ongoing, it is believed this incident is related to the shots [fired] call in the same area earlier in the evening.

In between those two shootings, two other men were targeted by a gunman near the intersection of Polynesian Drive and Lei Drive just before 8:30 p.m., police said.

Two male adult victims were walking in the area when a possible dispute led to them being shot at by a male suspect in a dark-colored truck, law enforcement officials confirmed to KTLA. One of the victims was struck in the lower body and was driven by the uninjured victim to the hospital in stable condition.

Preliminary investigation found that the suspect and the victim were known to each other, but what led up to the shooting remains unknown.

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Later on that evening at 10:21 p.m., a man was fatally shot in the 200 block of Eagle Street, police said.

Long Beach Fire Department personnel arrived on the scene and pronounced him deceased. He was identified by authorities in a press release as Ismael Cuevas, 28, of Long Beach.

A second man was transported to a nearby hospital with a non-life-threatening injury to an extremity and is said to be in stable condition, police said.

What led up to the fatal shooting remains unknown.

Another shooting occurred just 18 minutes after the one on Eagle Street, LBPD said, but the location is not known.

Officers responded to a local hospital regarding a male adult victim who walked into the hospital with a gunshot wound to the upper body, a spokesperson for the Long Beach Police Department said. At this time, it is unknown where the shooting occurredthe investigation is ongoing.

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According to the LBPD, another victim died just after 11 p.m. Thursday at the intersection of Willow Street and Easy Avenue after being fatally struck in a hit-and-run crash.

An official release indicates that the female victim was hit by a car traveling westbound on Willow near Fashion Avenue when the collision occurred.

Long Beach Fire Department paramedics responded and transported the woman to a nearby hospital, where she succumbed to her injuries.

Her identity has not been released. No details about a suspect or vehicle description were made public.

The violence continued into Friday morning when officers received calls of a stabbing in the 900 block of Washington Place at 2:45 a.m., Long Beach police said.

Upon arrival, officers located a male adult victim with non-life-threatening stab wounds to the upper body, authorities said. The preliminary investigation indicates that the victim and male adult suspect engaged in a physical altercation which resulted in the suspect stabbing the victim.

While the victim was transported to a local hospital, authorities apprehended the suspect, later identified as 45-year-old Long Beach resident Juan Carlos Nagrete.

He was booked on charges of attempted murder, parole violation and failure to register as a sex offender, police said. The investigation remains ongoing.

L.A. County beaches reopen after lightning-related closure

A final incident occurred approximately four hours later in the 2100 block of Elm Avenue, officials confirmed.

Officers responded to the area at 6:46 a.m. regarding a no-hit shooting and arrived to find that a man was shot at while sitting in his car.

The preliminary investigation indicates that the victim was in his vehicle when he was approached by a male adult suspect, who attempted to enter the victims vehicle, LBPD said. The suspect revealed a firearm and after a brief verbal altercation, subsequently discharged [the] firearm towards the victims direction, striking the vehicle. The suspect then fled the scene before officers arrived.

No injuries were reported. The motive for the shooting is under investigation and a suspect description has not been released.

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The Long Beach Police Department issued a statement regarding the overnight crimes that took place throughout the city that reads in part:

Last night, there were several shootings, including one homicide, in our community. Gun violence is not tolerated [and] we are currently working to identify and arrest the suspects responsible for these incidents. Today and through the weekend, our detectives, officers and professional staff will continue to follow all leads and actively investigate each of these shootings. We are adjusting our operations so that we may further engage with our community, pursue new leads and prevent any further crime from occurring. Long Beach Police Department

Investigators will release updates regarding each incident as they become available, the department said.

Long Beach residents are instructed to call the LBPDs Police Dispatch at 562-435-6711 to report criminal activity and to always call 911 in case of an emergency.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA.
Ex-Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin was killed in a bomb plot orchestrated by Vladimir Putins oldest ally, a Russian intelligence officer has claimed.

Mr Prigozhin, who was killed when his plane crashed over Russia on 23 August this year, launched a mutiny against the Russian ministry of defence in June following a long-running feud with officials over the direction of the war in Ukraine.

At the time, the Kremlin denied any involvement with his death and characterised western intelligence assessments of Putins culpability as an absolute lie.

Follow live Ukraine updates here

A Russian intelligence officer has now said former KGB officer and long-time Putin ally Nikolai Patrushev personally oversaw the planning of the operation which involved planting a bomb under the wing of Prigozhins aircraft.

Mr Patrushev first warned the warlord had become dangerous with no respect for the Kremlin after he heard a phone call lambasting Putin for lack of supplies on the battlefield in Ukraine, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Nikolai Patrushev (left) was accused of personally overseeing the assassination of Yevgeny Prigozhin (POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

From this point, Mr Patrushev began to give orders to his assistant to proceed in planning an operation to get rid of Mr Prigozhin. Putin was shown the plans and didnt object, according to the Wall Street Journal.

A small bomb was planted under the wing of the Embraer Legacy 600 plane, while Prigozhin and nine others waited on the tarmac of a Moscow airport for a pre-flight check to be carried out.

No one inside the cabin appeared to notice the device being attached as they waited to take off for St Petersburg, Russia.

The jet climbed for about 30 minutes to 28,000 feet before the bomb was detonated and the aircraft crashed to the ground.

All 10 people on board were killed, including Prigozhin, his four bodyguards, three crew members and two other people who were important to the Wagner group.

Prigozhin was killed when his plane crashed over Russia on 23 August this year just months after he launched a mutiny against Russias ministry of defence

He had to be removed, a Kremlin official told a European intelligence officer with backchannels of communication to the Russian regime after the incident.

The Kremlin has dismissed the reports of Mr Patrushevs involvement as pulp fiction. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: Lately, unfortunately, the Wall Street Journal has been very fond of producing pulp fiction.
On most days, the people living in tents along Northwest 17th Street in Miami go unnoticed. Cars coming from Jackson Memorial Hospital zoom by as dozens of people living along the freeway become another fixture of Miami.

But on Friday evening, just a few nights before Christmas, 17th Street was bustling with holiday music, volunteers passing out home-cooked meals and delivering wagons of pastelitos and bottled water. People experiencing homelessness, for at least one night, were shown respect, asked their names and listened to.

It was all a part of an effort organized by non-profit Hermanos de la Calle to bring food and camaraderie to the homeless. The faith-based group helps connect Miamis unhoused population  including freshly-arrived migrants who may be seeking asylum  with affordable housing, employment and spiritual guidance.

The goal of tonight is to bring the joy of Christmas to the streets, said Narciso Munoz, founder and president of Hermanos.

These people that are living in the streets, sometimes they feel rejected by society, he said. For us Christians, its super important; this is where we find Jesus.

Unhoused man Jeffrey Redding, 53, and Hermanos de la Calle volunteer Carolina Montoya, 46, during a Christmas food distribution event on NW 17th Street in Miami, Florida, on Friday, December 22, 2023. The faith based organization Hermanos de la Calle and members of various local congregations helped feed the unsheltered and assisted people with finding shelter. D.A. Varela/dvarela@miamiherald.com

The organization recruits volunteers from local churches  including St. Augustine Catholic Church, Iglesia Apostolica Fuente De Vida and Lagoinha Miami Church  to donate food and supplies and conduct outreach efforts every other Friday.

After a quick huddle and prayer at St. Agnes Catholic Church in Key Biscayne, the volunteers, young and old, headed to 17th Street, right outside of the Missionaries of Charity of Mother Teresa homeless shelter, and got to work. They set up buffet-style tables where people grabbed what they wanted  pasta salad, chicken and rice, coffee, Christmas treats. Some operated from the trunks of their cars, unveiling boxes of clothes, shoes and sleeping bags.

Volunteer Vanessa Joyce of Lagoinha Miami Church, a Christian church with Brazilian roots in Little Haiti, said that providing homeless Miamians with food and clothing is important, but that they are also in need of another vital resource: love.

People think that Christmas is just for giving gifts. And this is not part of what Christmas means. This is the birth of Jesus, said Joyce, who is the team leader for her churchs ministry called WeCare. The most important gift we have, its love. Its not about a new bike, a new perfume .. its about love.

Hermanos de la Calle executive director Malena Legarre speaks with Venezuelan immigrants Enderson Reano, 27, and his son Jefferson, 4, to assist with shelter during a Christmas food distribution event on NW 17th Street in Miami, Florida, on Friday, December 22, 2023. D.A. Varela/dvarela@miamiherald.com

The volunteers go beyond distributing food and goods, taking their time to get to know people and learning about their struggles. Hermanos Executive Director Malena Legarre explains that the food is just an ice breaker.

The most important thing is spending time with people and talking to them, connecting, asking their names and looking into their eyes, she said. We try to find more permanent solutions for them.

By the end of the dinner, Hermanos found temporary shelter in a nearby hotel for 11 people, including a father and son who had recently arrived from Chile.

A Hermanos de la Calle volunteer takes down the information of a unhoused man in hopes of getting him into a shelter during a food distribution event on NW 17th Street in Miami, Florida, on Friday, December 22, 2023. D.A. Varela/dvarela@miamiherald.com

Enderson Reano, originally from Venezuela, said he and his 4-year-old son Jefferson have been sent all over the United States since arriving. Reano said they are applying for asylum and have been relocated from shelter to shelter  from Texas to Chicago, then New York and, finally, Florida.

The journey hasnt been easy. Its weighing on him and his son, who was recently hospitalized with a fever.

I feel depressed, Reano said in Spanish. It took three months just to get here. Its been a struggle.

Reano sat on the sidewalk outside the shelter as his son ran around their suitcases in circles, cupcake in hand. When the little boy saw a man dressed as Santa Claus riding a scooter nearby, he shouted gleefully, Santa! Santa!

Hermanos relocated Reano and his son to a hotel for the short term. The organization plans on buying them a plane ticket to California, so they can stay with friends. Before they leave, two teenage volunteers give Jefferson a toy to play with.

We dont forget them

Hermanos is a partner of Miami-Dade Countys Homeless Trust network, the county-backed agency responsible for leading the charge on ending homelessness in Miami.

They are what I consider to be my emergency valve for sensitivity and compassion, Ron Book, longtime chairman of the Homeless Trust, said about Hermanos. Their physical hearts are the size of a large watermelon.

Book said around Christmas time, when many people arrive from the colder states, the Trust and its partners double down on their efforts to find shelter for the unhoused. He reminds people that the problem isnt just with people living on the streets.

I got a little under 2,500 sheltered individuals. They want to have a holiday too, but always are considered least, last, lost and forgotten. We dont forget them, he said.

For individuals who want to help the cause, Book suggests volunteering at a shelter or donating to a Homeless Trust partner instead of feeding homeless people directly.

If you feed people on the streets, your message is, its okay to live on the streets, he said.

An unsheltered person sleeps on the sidewalk off NW 18th Street in Miami, Florida, on Friday, December 22, 2023. D.A. Varela/dvarela@miamiherald.com

While the overall number of unsheltered people has decreased over the past year, the charitable holiday dinner comes at a time when some cities are cracking down on homeless encampments.

Miami Beach police, for instance, arrested 20 people for camping in the city the week before Art Basel, per a new law that makes it a crime to sleep outdoors. The city ordinance requires police to give people the opportunity to relocate before an arrest takes place, but homeless advocates say there are many reasons why someone might be hesitant to go to a shelter.

We do not ever support criminalizing homelessness, period, Book said. Doing it this time of the year is a bit insensitive to say the least.

READ NEXT: Miami Beach police begin arresting homeless people under stricter camping ban

Humanizing homelessness

At the end of the night, a young woman who migrated from Venezuela, Erika Avila, was so moved by the groups generosity and love, she was brought to tears, hugging the volunteers. As others gathered, volunteer Andres Papa from St. Thomas the Apostle, lead the group in prayer.

At 26-years-old, Papa is a little over two years into his journey to becoming an ordained priest in the Catholic Church. He said its his calling from God to help those in need.

Hermanos de la Calle volunteer Andres Papa hands an unsheltered man a meal during a food distribution event on NW 17th Street in Miami, Florida, on Friday, December 22, 2023. D.A. Varela/dvarela@miamiherald.com

One thing that drew Papa to this work, he said, was the joy he feels from understanding someones struggles  especially those who are looked down upon in a culture centered on wealth.

Its such a beautiful experience, because people that are just ignored by society, treated like trash, now you sit next to them, you ask their names, and then their eyes change and shine, he said. Its like you return the dignity to them, just by giving a little bit of our time.

Joyce, of Lagoinha Miami Church, said doing this work has opened her eyes to the myriad struggles homeless people face.

People, they judge too much people in the streets, she said. They always think its drugs, they always think its alcohol, but sometimes its just that they lost the opportunity.

This seemed to be the case for a woman named Cliche, (yes, like the word she said), who currently lives in a tent with her husband and dog under the overpass. As Papa offered her some baked goods, she explained that she fell into homelessness after her last landlord tried to evict her.

I chose to go this route to keep from getting an eviction on my record, she said. Its easier for me to save money because hotel rates are so high. It wasnt because I wasnt paying my bills or had a drug problem.

Its complex situations like these that Munoz, founder and president of Hermanos, says are important for people to understand.

We are also helping our community, our people, that live in a bubble, he said, referring to the teenagers and children who volunteer as well. Listen, this is reality, this is real life.

Many of the volunteers with Hermanos also had a rough start. Guillermo Gamez with Iglesia Apostolica Fuente De Vida, for instance, came to Miami from Nicaragua as an immigrant 30 years ago. He now shows up frequently with his church to help others.

Im thankful I now know Jesus Christ, he said in Spanish. He said hes grateful that hes able to give back and help people who are in situations hes familiar with. After reading scripture to the group, he wished everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Hermanos de la Calle volunteer Susana Alvarez prays with Amaranta Gomez on NW 17th Street in Miami, Florida, on Friday, December 22, 2023. Hermanos de la Calle and members of various local congregations helped feed the unsheltered and assisted people with finding shelter. D.A. Varela/dvarela@miamiherald.com

To reach Hermanos de la Calle, call (786) 565 - 7827 or email info@hermanosdelacalle.org

This story was produced with financial support from Trish and Dan Bell and from donors comprising the South Florida Jewish and Muslim Communities, in partnership with Journalism Funding Partners. The Miami Herald maintains full editorial control of this work.
President Joe Biden delivers remarks at the Cummins Power Generation Facility, the site of an electrolyzer manufacturing operation, in Fridley, Minn., April 3, 2023. (Pete Marovich/The New York Times)

WASHINGTON  The Biden administration on Friday issued its long-awaited plan to provide lucrative tax breaks to companies that make hydrogen, a clean-burning fuel, proposing new rules meant to ensure that the policy doesnt inadvertently lead to a spike in planet-warming emissions.

Hydrogen is widely seen as a promising tool to tackle climate change, as long as it can be produced without creating any greenhouse gases. When burned, hydrogen mainly emits water vapor, and it could be used instead of fossil fuels to make steel or fertilizer, or to power large trucks or ships.

But making hydrogen requires energy, and little so-called clean hydrogen exists today. Currently, most hydrogen is made from natural gas in a process that emits planet-warming carbon dioxide.

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Congress approved a tax credit last year to encourage companies to make more hydrogen from renewable energy and other carbon-free sources, setting off fierce lobbying by businesses focused on who should be able to claim the credit.

Experts have warned that some companies could claim to use wind or solar power to make hydrogen while indirectly causing emissions to go up, and they urged safeguards to prevent that. Some industry groups wanted more lenient rules around the credit, so that a broader range of projects could qualify.

In the guidance issued Friday, the Treasury Department largely sided with those urging tighter restrictions.

To qualify for the full tax credit, companies would typically need to use clean electricity from newly built sources, such as wind and solar farms, to run electrolyzers that split water into oxygen and hydrogen. Starting in 2028, those electrolyzers would have to run during the same hours that the wind or solar farms were operating.

Many hydrogen developers and environmental groups praised the proposal. Without those restrictions, they said, hydrogen producers could draw vast amounts of power from the existing grid and trigger a spike in greenhouse gas emissions if coal- or gas-fired power plants had to run more often.

The U.S. has the highest tax subsidy for hydrogen in the world, so we think it should have the highest stringency for what counts as clean, said Eric Guter, vice president of hydrogen for Air Products & Chemicals Inc., the worlds largest producer of hydrogen. The company is developing a $4 billion project with AES in North Texas that will use wind and solar energy to generate hydrogen.

But other industry groups criticized the rules, saying they could prevent many early hydrogen projects from being developed.

The American Clean Power Association, which represents major wind, solar and transmission companies, said the requirement to match hydrogen production with clean electricity on an hourly basis by 2028 was too stringent.

That provision will discourage a significant majority of clean power companies from investing in green hydrogen manufacturing and facilities, Jason Grumet, CEO of the group, said in a statement.

The Treasury Department will accept comments from the public for 60 days and could make changes before finalizing the plan.

Some nuclear power producers, for instance, had asked that the tax credits be available for hydrogen made from existing nuclear plants. But the administration postponed a decision on that question, instead asking the industry for more information. Very few nuclear plants are expected to be built in the near future.

Cost is currently the biggest hurdle to making hydrogen cleanly. While some companies around the world have used wind, solar or nuclear power plants to run electrolyzers and make hydrogen without any emissions, that process costs around $4 to $6 per kilogram of hydrogen. Thats about two to three times as expensive as making it with natural gas.

The hydrogen tax credit was meant to bridge that gap and jump-start a new industry, by providing up to $3 for every kilogram of clean hydrogen that companies produce over the course of a decade.

But defining what counts as clean turned out to be contentious.

Most of Americas electricity still comes from coal and natural gas plants, so if a company were simply to plug a bunch of electrolyzers into the existing grid to make hydrogen, emissions would very likely rise. Similarly, if a hydrogen company tried to use electricity from an existing wind or solar farm, other coal or gas plants might have to run more often to compensate for the lost power. Without safeguards, several studies suggested, the tax credits could inadvertently lead to hundreds of millions of tons of extra carbon dioxide being emitted.

To avoid that outcome, the Treasury Department proposed several restrictions. To earn the full tax credit, hydrogen producers would have to draw on new sources of clean electricity built within the past three years. That could include a new wind farm or investments that expanded the capacity of an existing nuclear plant. Those plants would have to be located in the same grid region as the hydrogen factory. And, starting in 2028, the electrolyzers could only run in the same hours that the clean power was available.

Some hydrogen companies said the proposed rules could be difficult to follow. Wind and solar power dont run all the time, and trying to match hydrogen output to renewable fluctuations on an hourly basis would increase costs, they said.

This policy will make it harder for everyone, said Jacob Susman, CEO of Ambient Fuels, a clean hydrogen developer that had been planning roughly $700 million in new projects. Still, he said his company would try to work with the new rules.

Other companies and experts said the new rules around hourly matching could spur innovation. One U.S. startup, Electric Hydrogen, is making an electrolyzer designed to ramp up and down with solar and wind output. The new rules could give that sort of technology a leg up over the less-flexible electrolyzers made in China, the company said.

There will be a lobbying blitz around the final rule, said Rachel Fakhry, policy director for emerging technologies at the Natural Resources Defense Council, an environmental group. Were watching closely to make sure there arent any new loopholes that will be harmful for emissions or consumers.

It is still unclear how much clean hydrogen the United States will actually produce in the coming years. Although the Biden administration has laid out a strategy to produce 50 million tons of clean hydrogen by 2050, more than 50 times what is produced today, there are steep obstacles, including setting up systems to transport hydrogen and finding buyers for the fuel.

To that end, the Energy Department is also spending $7 billion to create hydrogen hubs around the country to connect producers and buyers, while setting up programs to stimulate demand for hydrogen and reduce the cost of electrolyzers.

There are an awful lot of tools in our clean hydrogen tool belt that we didnt have before, said David Turk, the deputy secretary of energy. Theres a huge opportunity here.

c.2023 The New York Times Company
Police are investigating a deadly shooting on the 1900 block of SW 1st St in Ocala.

Officers responded to the scene of SW 1st Street and NW 19th Avenue around 8:20 p.m.

When officers arrived they found an adult male in a vacant lot with gunshot wounds.

The victim was pronounced dead at the scene.

Read: Arrest made after man shot to death at Orlando 7-Eleven

If you have information about this incident, contact Crime Stoppers of Marion County by calling 352-368-STOP(7867) or **TIPS.

Tips can also be submitted online at OcalaCrimeStoppers.com

Read: 1 year later: Teen suspect arrested in murder of 2 teens at The Compound

This is an ongoing investigation, no suspect information has been released at this time.

Read: Only on 9: Family speaks after DUI crash sentencing where driver laughed off killing Sanford man

Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
FILE - An unidentified representative of the junta waves from a military vehicle as Malians supporting the overthrow of President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita gathers to celebrate in the capital Bamako, Mali., on Aug. 21, 2020. Mali recalled its ambassador in Algeria after accusing it of interference in its internal affairs by meeting rebel leaders, officials said Friday, Dec. 22, 2023, deepening diplomatic tensions between the two neighbors over efforts to end the armed rebellion in northern Mali. (AP Photo, File)

BAMAKO, Mali (AP)  Mali recalled its ambassador in Algeria after accusing it of interference in its internal affairs by meeting rebel leaders, officials said Friday, deepening diplomatic tensions between the two neighbors over efforts to end the armed rebellion in northern Mali.

Malis junta said it was withdrawing Ambassador Mahamane Amadou Maiga from Algeria for consultation with immediate effect, according to a letter from the Malian embassy to the Algerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Algeria has been the main mediator in peace efforts between Mali and the local Tuareg rebels, whose separatist campaign in the north has thrown the country into a violent conflict for over a decade. In 2012, they dislodged the Malian military from the town, setting into motion a series of events that destabilized the country.

Algeria was key to the signing of a 2015 peace deal between Mali and the rebels  a deal that collapsed after both parties accused each other of failing to comply with it.

Earlier in the week, Mali summoned Algeria's top diplomat to express strong protest following recent unfriendly acts of the Algerian authorities under the guise of the peace process in Mali, the government said in reference to the meetings.

These acts are an interference in Malis internal affairs, the Malian Information and Press Bureau said, urging Algeria to prioritize dialogue with the Malian Authorities.

Algeria in response summoned Mali's top diplomat Thursday and urged the country to join the efforts currently undertaken by Algeria to give (the agreement) new impetus, according to a statement by its foreign affairs ministry.

It defended the meetings with the rebel leaders, adding that it fit perfectly into Algeria's efforts to uphold the deal and help achieve peace in Mali.

The dispute between the two countries could further threaten peace efforts in Mali, where new clashes erupted between the military government and the Tuareg rebels in recent months.

Analysts have warned the developments could mean more violence in a region already under threat from fighters linked to al-Qaida and where both French forces and United Nations peacekeepers have withdrawn in recent months.
David Cameron labelled Hamas, the Houthis and Hezbollah proxies for Iran - Geoff Pugh for The Telegraph

Britain will not tolerate the escalation of Irans malign activities in the Middle East or on UK soil, Lord Cameron has warned.

In his first newspaper interview since returning to government, the Foreign Secretary described Hamas, the Houthis and Hezbollah as proxies for Iran who were contributing to an extremely high level of danger and insecurity around the world.

In a significant toughening of the UKs approach, the former prime minister told The Telegraph that Iran must be sent an incredibly clear message that this escalation will not be tolerated.

He pledged that Britain would work with allies to develop a really strong set of deterrent measures against Tehran.

On Friday night, the US pointed to intelligence showing that Iran was deeply involved in planning Houthi attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea. The attacks are already causing major disruption to supply chains across Europe.

Lord Cameron also cited more evidence of the unacceptable threat the Iranian regime poses to the lives of UK-based journalists after it emerged that Iranian spies had offered a people smuggler 150,000 to assassinate two news presenters at a London-based Persian language news channel.

The Telegraph can reveal that the Foreign Secretary summoned Irans most senior diplomat in the UK to the Foreign Office on Friday over the revelation to make clear that these threats will not be tolerated.

Since the start of last year, there have been more than 15 credible threats or plots by the Iranian regime to kill British or UK-based individuals, according to government officials.

Lord Camerons warning to Tehran signals rising alarm in the Government about the increasing aggression being shown by Iran and groups seen as acting on its behalf, both in the Middle East and around the world, including in Britain.

Lord Cameron has pledged to play no role in the government review of the Telegraph sale after questions were raised over his past links to the UAE - Geoff Pugh/Geoff Pugh

He was speaking following a trip to France, Italy, Jordan and Egypt last week, during which he held discussions about Iran, including in an hour-long meeting with Emmanuel Macron, the French president.

Setting out the approach he intends to take to a host of policy areas for the first time, Lord Cameron also:

Said things have changed since, as prime minister, he declared a golden era of relations with Beijing. He added: We face a more aggressive, assertive China.

Pledged to play no role in a government review of the sale of The Telegraph after questions over his past links to the United Arab Emirates.

Acknowledged that past economic and other support sent to Gaza had been used by Hamas to construct tunnels or for worse things, but insisted the current supplies awaiting delivery were food, water, medicine, shelter.

Warned that the prospect of any role for Hamas in a two-state solution must be beyond the pale.

Said he expected the UK to spend at least another 2 billion next year on military support for Ukraine, adding: I think we could potentially do better than that.

Lord Cameron identified the threat of Iran as one of five significant crises creating an extraordinarily difficult time for the world, along with the Russia-Ukraine war, the conflict in the Middle East, terrorism and climate change.

He said: Iran is a thoroughly malign influence in the region and in the world  theres no doubt about that. Youve got the Houthis, youve got Hezbollah, youve got the Iranian-backed militias in Iraq that have actually been attacking British and American bases, troops.

And, of course, Hamas. So youve got all of these proxies, and I think its incredibly important that, first of all, Iran receives an incredibly clear message that this escalation will not be tolerated.

Lord Cameron visited the Egypt-Gaza border last week - Geoff Pugh/Geoff Pugh

Second of all, we need to work with our allies to develop a really strong set of deterrent measures against Iran, and its important that we do that. The level of danger and insecurity in the world is at an extremely high level compared with previous years and decades, and the Iran threat is a part of that picture.

Lord Cameron said he was extremely concerned about the Houthi attacks because the freedom of shipping and maritime security are incredibly important not just Britain, but actually the whole world.

Houthi rebels pledged to disrupt maritime traffic over Israels bombing campaign in Gaza, attacking at least 15 merchant ships since mid-November.

Earlier this month, the former prime minister announced a new sanctions regime for Iran, which included targeting Tehrans support for Hamas as part of an initial wave of measures.

The UK will also send warships to join Operation Prosperity Guardian, an international naval coalition being assembled by the US to help safeguard commercial traffic from attacks by Yemens Houthi movement.

But Lord Camerons warning suggests Britain is prepared to take further action, including new sanctions, if the escalation of attacks by Iran and its proxies continues. Asked whether there were other measures, in addition to sanctions, that could be deployed now, he said: Not for public consumption.

Lord Cameron this month announced new sanctions on Iran, which included targeting Tehrans support for Hamas - Geoff Pugh/Geoff Pugh

He added: I think the first thing to do is to get Operation Prosperity Guardian under way, which were taking part in, and the second thing to do is a very clear warning to the Houthis and to their Iranian backers that were not going to tolerate these continued attacks on shipping.

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.
(Photo : David Mareuil / POOL / AFP) (DAVID MAREUIL/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Japan approves a record $56 billion military spending bill that marks a 16.5% increase in its defense budget from the previous fiscal year.

On Friday, Japan approved a record $56 billion military spending bill for its 2024 defense budget, marking a 16.5% increase from its previous financial commitments.

The country's officials plan to increase the budget annually until it reaches $62.5 billion in 2027, making the subsequent years the highest defense budget ever recorded. The Japanese government had set a goal of spending $302 billion on defense from 2023 to 2027.

Japan's New Military Spending Bill

The Asian nation's Cabinet also approved a loosening of export restrictions that allowed Japan to supply complete lethal weapons and munitions to other nations under specific conditions. The country's 2024 budget allocates roughly $8.78 billion to integrated air and missile defense capabilities.

Missile defense has become an increasingly prioritized sector for Japan in the past few years because of North Korea's advancement in ballistic missile capabilities. It was also due to the North's pronouncement that it would not hesitate to use such weapons against its enemies, as per USNI News.

Among the items allocated under this part of the budget are the two Aegis System Equipped Vessels (ASEV) destroyers with a total funding of $2.6 billion. The money would cover the construction of the first vessel in FY2024 and preliminary costs for the second ship, which will begin construction in FY2025.

Previously, Japanese Defense Minister Minoru Kihara announced the securing of FY2024 funding for the ASEV. The first ship is expected to be commissioned in 2027, with the second vessel entering service the following year.

In its FY2024 budget document, Japan's Ministry of Defense said that it expects the acquisition cost for the destroyers to be about $2.75 billion per ship. The country also allocated $523.4 million for joint development with the United States of a Glide Phase Interceptor (GPI).

The Cabinet's newly approved budget would fortify the Asian nation's military with F-35 stealth combat jets and other American weapons. It comes as Japanese troops are increasingly working with allies and are starting to take on more offensive roles, according to DW News.

Read Also: UN Security Council Votes to Increase Aid to Gaza; US, Russia Abstain Resolution

Loosening of Arms Restrictions

The funding also marks a major break from Japan's postwar principle of limiting the nation's use of force to self-defense. The development would boost the country's arms spending for the 12th year.

Japan's defense budget also comes after it relaxed export controls on Friday for the first time in nearly a decade. A Japanese prime minister's Cabinet national security official said the new rule would allow Japan to export arms "domestically produced under license of a foreign company to the licensing country."

While the move would not allow Japan to ship weapons to countries that are at war, it does allow it to help the US supply Ukraine with additional military aid in its war against Russia. In a statement, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said that the decision significantly strengthened US-Japan relations.

Yoshimasa added that it would contribute to Japan's security and the peace and stability of the wider Indo-Pacific region amid rising tensions, said Aljazeera.

Related Article: Russia Expresses Disagreement Over US, Europe Plan To Use Frozen Assets To Aid Ukraine

@ 2024 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4)  A man was arrested overnight after robbing a fast-food restaurant in Salt Lake City, according to Salt Lake City Police.

On Dec. 22, shortly before 9:30 p.m., police received a report of an armed robbery that had just occurred. Officers responded to the scene and learned that suspect had allegedly entered the restaurant, ordered food, flashed a gun, and then stole money.

Several axes, swords, drugs seized in Salt Lake City bust

The suspect reportedly left without physically hurting anyone.

Police then got a description of the individual and the SUV he got away in. Several hours later, an officer recognized the suspects description while investigating an unrelated case, and called in other officers to start a search.

At around 4 a.m. Saturday morning, officers found a person matching the suspects description in the area of 1150 West North Temple.

Police then took the suspect, identified as Landan Hogan, 36, into custody without incident. Officers reportedly found Hogan in possession of drugs and drug paraphernalia.

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Hogan was booked into Salt Lake County Jail.

No further information is available at this time.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah.
A man runs off with an object from the junction in Peckham where the Banksy artwork had been installed - PA/Aaron Chown

A man has been arrested in connection with the alleged theft of a Banksy art installation in south-east London.

The piece of street art  a traffic stop sign covered with three aircraft resembling military drones  was revealed at the intersection of Southampton Way and Commercial Way in Peckham at midday on Friday.

Less than an hour after Banksy confirmed it was genuine by posting a photo of it on social media, witnesses saw the artwork being removed by a man with bolt cutters.

On Saturday, a spokesman for the Metropolitan Police said a man has been arrested on suspicion of theft and criminal damage. The stop sign has been replaced to avoid endangering road users, police confirmed.

Jasmine Ali, the deputy leader of Southwark council, has called for the piece to be returned so everyone in the community can enjoy Banksys brilliant work.

Onlookers watched in awe

Ms Ali said: Of course Banksy picked Peckham, its already on the map when it comes to art and is a hotbed for creativity.

It should not have been removed and wed like it back so everyone in the community can enjoy Banksys brilliant work. We have reported the removal of our sign to the police to help get it back.

A man who witnessed the removal of the artwork said onlookers watched in awe as a man bashed it with his hands.

The witness, who wanted to be referred to only as Alex, said the man tried to hit the artwork with his hands before leaving and returning with bolt cutters.

Alex, 26, added: We said, What are you doing? but no-one really knew what to do, we sort of just watched it happen. We were all a bit bemused, there was some honking of car horns. He ripped it off and ran across the road and ran away.

He said nothing. He didnt seem to care that much about the art itself.

Photos from the scene show a man wearing a red and black jacket using a Lime bike to prop himself up, with one foot placed on the saddle and the other on the handle bars, while the bike is held steady by another man.

Margate mural was dismantled

A further image shows the man in red and black running in front of a white van with the stop sign after successfully managing to remove it.

It is understood that Banksy is not behind the removal, and this is not the first time the artists work has been removed shortly after its installation.

A mural weighing 3.8 tons called Valentines Day Mascara appeared on the side of a house in Margate, Kent, on Valentines Day this year and was dismantled some hours later after Banksy had shared a series of photos of it online.

The mural depicted a 1950s housewife with a swollen eye and missing tooth, wearing an apron and yellow washing-up gloves, and throwing a man into a chest freezer.

In September, the mural was placed in the foyer of The Art Of Banksy exhibition in Regent Street.

The free exhibition features pieces including Girl With Balloon, Flower Thrower and Rude Copper, and also focuses on Banksys Dismaland, The Walled Off Hotel in Bethlehem and recent works acknowledging the ongoing war in Ukraine.

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.
Cells inside the Suffolk County Correctional Jail Facility in Riverhead, New York on Jan. 16, 2019. (Photo by J. Conrad Williams Jr./Newsday RM via Getty Images)

SAN FRANCISCO - A man who posted across the street from a San Francisco school, displaying a sign advertising free fentanyl, has been convicted of committing a public nuisance.

Joseph Moore, 46, was found guilty of piling his belongings near Ninth Avenue and Geary Boulevard, occupying half of the sidewalk and obstructing access to e-bikes, according to prosecutors.

The district attorney's office said that Moore knowingly displayed signs advertising "Meth for Stolen Items" and "Free Fentanyl for New Users" across the street from Stella Maris Academy, a preschool to 8th-grade school. The signs were large enough to be visible from the classrooms.

Moore is currently in custody and could face up to six months in county jail.

District Attorney Brooke Jenkins said, "This verdict sends a clear message that Mr. Moores conduct will not be condoned in San Francisco. While San Francisco remains a compassionate city we understand that we must prioritize and protect our children and their surroundings."
WHEATFIELD, N.Y. (WIVB)  A 52-year-old man is facing multiple charges after, allegedly, crashing into a sheriffs deputys patrol vehicle and setting it on fire before fleeing the scene and overturning his vehicle in a second accident Saturday morning.

At approximately 5 a.m., according to the Niagara County Sheriffs Office, a deputy was conducting a routine patrol when he observed a vehicle, described as a pick-up truck, coming in the opposite direction of him on Mapleton Road. The truck, authorities said, veered into the lane and struck the deputys patrol vehicle in a head-on collision.

Bills fan allegedly assaulted by Cowboys fans, family looking for answers

The driver, Schuyler P. Johnson of Cambria, authorities said, exited his vehicle and, allegedly, went to the back of the truck and retrieved a gas can.

Authorities said the deputy went to the back of his patrol vehicle for cover and attempted to verbally engage Johnson, who, allegedly, ignored the deputys commands.

Johnson then proceeded to pour gasoline on the patrol vehicle and ignited it, authorities said. He then returned to his truck and fled the scene on north on Shawnee Road.

Courtesy: Niagara County Sheriffs Office

Courtesy: Niagara County Sheriffs Office

The deputy was able to extinguish the fire using a fire extinguisher and is said to have not been injured.

Additional patrols were called to the scene to assist in locating Johnsons truck. The truck was found overturned on Shawnee Road after, allegedly, being involved in a second accident.

A responding captain located Johnson and attempted to engage in verbal commands for Johnsons surrender. Johnson, allegedly, ignored commands and approached the captain with a knife and was unsuccessfully tased by the captain.

Johnson then, allegedly, dropped the knife and rearmed himself with a screwdriver. Authorities said Johnson surrendered after being pepper sprayed by the captain.

He was transported to ECMC for injuries sustained in the accidents and was charged with the following after begin discharged:

Arson in the third degree

Menacing a police officer

Criminal mischief in the second degree

Menacing- weapon in the second degree

Reckless driving

Multiple VTL violations

He was discharged from ECMC and remanded to the Niagara County Correctional Facility.

Latest Local News

Emily Miller is a digital producer who has been part of the News 4 team since 2022. See more of her work here.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to News 4 Buffalo.
EYEWITNESS NEWS (WBRE/WYOU)  A West Hazleton man has been sentenced to prison for trafficking large amounts of crystal meth.

The United States Attorneys Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced Friday that Yerigardy Tejeda-Zoquier, 23, of West Hazleton, Luzerne County, was sentenced on Thursday, December 21, to almost 6 years in prison on the charge of possession with intent to distribute more than 50 grams of crystal methamphetamine.

Offset Paperback Manufacturing closing Back Mountain office

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Tejeda-Zoquier previously pleaded guilty and admitted to possessing between 500 grams and 1.5 kilograms of highly pure crystal methamphetamine for further distribution in the Luzerne County and Carbon County areas in 2021.

Investigators say they purchased crystal methamphetamine from Tejeda-Zoquier on multiple occasions between January and March 2021, in both Luzerne and Carbon Counties, and then seized additional crystal methamphetamine from two vehicles utilized by Tejeda-Zoquier.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PAhomepage.com.
KANSAS CITY, Mo.  A 24-year-old Independence man was sentenced this week for the killing of a 3-year-old child on Christmas Eve in 2021.

Jackson County Judge Jennifer Phillips sentenced Ashton Cleveland to 10 years on the charge of involuntary manslaughter, four years for leaving the scene of an accident and one year for second-degree endangering the welfare of a child. All sentences are set to run concurrently with each other.

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Cleveland entered a guilty plea on all counts back in October.

On Dec. 24, 2021, in Independence, police said a 3-year-old died after picking up Clevelands gun and it went off. Officials said he then fled and got into a hit-and-run crash that left another family injured.

The Radford family was headed home to make cookies on Christmas Eve when police said Cleveland hit them as he drove near the intersection of Truman and Nolan roads. The wreck sent the Radford family spinning into an electrical box.

Body found in Clay County park was victim of a homicide

Police said shortly before the hit-and-run, Cleveland had a gun in his lap that Benjamin Cope Jr. grabbed before it went off and a bullet struck the child.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports.
A man died after he was shot outside a city-run shelter for migrants in Gage Park Saturday afternoon, authorities said.

The 28-year-old man, who other migrants said they knew, was on the sidewalk in the 2400 block of West 55th Street at around 12:44 p.m. when an unknown car pulled up, according to police.

Someone inside the car pulled out a firearm and fired at the man, striking him in the head. The man was taken in critical condition to Mount Sinai Medical Center, police said. He was pronounced dead at 3:32 p.m., according to a spokesperson for the Cook County medical examiners office.

Police did not immediately give his name.

Migrants gathered outside the shelter looked across 55th Street at the mans belongings  a red wide-brimmed hat and a string backpack  on the street corner.

Several told the Tribune they had received a message from shelter staff that morning not to go outside as police arrived where he was shot.

Maikol Hidalgo, 23, from Caracas, Venezuela, said he had been at a different shelter with the man when they first arrived in Chicago. They had both been moved to the shelter in Gage Park and were living in apartments nearby, he said, but they would often come back to the park field house to talk and spend time with their friends.

Hidalgo came back to the shelter when he heard his friend had been shot. He described him as a peaceful person.

As Venezuelans, were all family, he said.

A firetruck pulled up and an officer put the mans belongings in the trash. The officer hosed down the pavement where the shooting happened.

Hidalgo said he was used to shootings in his neighborhood in Venezuela.

This is normal for me, he told the Tribune. Life there isnt easy.

Falling crude oil prices and crippling sanctions have left many Venezuelans without basic supplies, food and health care. Crime in the South American country is widespread.

Considered the largest displacement crisis in the world, approximately 7.7 million Venezuelans have migrated and are currently living outside their country. This amounts to over 25% of the total population of Venezuela.

Over 26,300 migrants  the majority from Venezuela have come to Chicago over the past year, mostly sent by Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott. As of Friday, there were 358 single males and females staying at the shelter in Gage Park.

Alberto Castillo, 27, from Maracaibo, Venezuela, watched as police walked around across the street from the shelter where he is temporarily living. He said he missed his family.

The 24th, we used to buy food. We would celebrate and cook, and walk around and share it, he said.

Castillo said he didnt know the man personally, but was feeling the loss regardless.

Detectives are investigating.

nsalzman@chicagotribune.com
WASHINGTON (DC News Now)  The Metropolitan Police Department said a man was shot and killed in Southeast D.C. on Friday night.

MPD said that on Friday, Dec. 22 at about 11:16 p.m., it responded to the 3000 block of Stanton Road for the sounds of gunshots.

When police arrived at the scene, they found evidence of a shooting.

Sometime later, officers were told that a rideshare driver had brought a man who had been shot to the First District station. The man died at the scene.

Takoma Park man shot, killed

The victim was identified as 31-year-old Tejuan Coleman, of Southeast, DC.

The Metropolitan Police Department currently offers a reward of up to $25,000 to anyone who provides information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for each homicide committed in the District of Columbia.

Anyone with information about this case is asked to call the police at 202-727-9099. Additionally, anonymous information may be submitted to the departments TEXT TIP LINE by sending a text message to 50411.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | Washington, DC.
A man who traveled from Houston to Arlington in an attempt to kill the mother of his child's new boyfriend, only to shoot the wrong man, was sentenced to nearly three decades behind bars.

26-year-old Kendell Morris was found guilty of murdering Robert Cooley III and sentenced to 27 years in prison,

Kendell Morris

Morris shot Cooley on May 4, 2020, after driving from Houston to confront his ex's new boyfriend.

Investigators say Morris thought he saw the boyfriend in the parking lot of an Arlington apartment complex on Bardin Greene Drive. He began to shoot, killing the 24-year-old Cooley.

Cooley was not the boyfriend that Morris was targeting.

Morris was taken into custody in Madisonville, near Houston, later that day.

FOX 4 is now on the FOX LOCAL app available through Apple TV, Amazon FireTV, Roku, Google Android TV and Vizio!

Court records show a second person's murder charge in connection to the shooting was dismissed.
Kevin McKenzie and Corina Martinez have been indicted by a federal grand jury on 40 counts and are facing charges of embezzling millions of dollars from a tribal health care provider in Tucson, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney's Office.

McKenzie, 47, and Martinez, 41, face various charges, including conspiracy to embezzle from an Indian tribal organization, embezzlement, theft concerning programs receiving federal funds, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and engaging in monetary transactions in property derived from specified unlawful activity, the news release says. Additionally, McKenzie has been charged with attempted tampering with a witness, according to the news release.

The U.S. Attorney's Office said the indictment alleges that from 2015 to July 2023, McKenzie, who served as the chief operating officer and then the chief executive officer of Apache Behavioral Health Services, engaged in a scheme to defraud millions of dollars from the health care provider, which is an organization run by and under the laws of the White Mountain Apache Tribe to provide behavioral health services to its tribal members.

The U.S. Attorney's Office said McKenzie employed two contracts as a disguise to divert funds from the health care provider to himself. Initially, Apache Behavioral Health Services paid more than $32 million to Helping Everyday Youth. Following an agreement between McKenzie and Helping Everyday Youth, more than $14 million in fraudulent proceeds was funneled to a shell company owned by McKenzie, the U.S. Attorney's Office said. To conceal this scheme, McKenzie attempted money laundering and persuaded a witness to lie to investigators, as disclosed by the U.S. Attorney's Office in the news release.

According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, the indictment said McKenzie, in his role as the CEO of Apache Behavioral Health Services, and Martinez, through her company, Evolved LLC, engaged in a fraudulent referral contract to embezzle more funds from the health care provider. As a result of this arrangement, McKenzie directed Apache Behavioral Health Services to pay $15 million to a second company owned by Martinez, Evolved Healthcare Inc., the U.S. Attorney's Office said.

During the fraudulent activities, McKenzie and Martinez divided the illicit proceeds between themselves, the U.S. Attorney's Office said.

Martinez provided substantial sums of money to McKenzie, contributing to the payment of at least $800,000 in personal credit card bills, the purchase of a $128,000 Rolls Royce Ghost, and the acquisition of a $952,000 home for McKenzie's family, the U.S. Attorney's Office said. It was highlighted in the news release from the U.S. Attorney's Office that neither Evolved Healthcare Inc. nor Evolved LLC rendered any services for Apache Behavioral Health Services.

The FBI conducted the investigation for this case, and the U.S. Attorney's Office was handling the prosecution.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Man, woman accused of embezzling money from tribal provider in Tucson
League City is adding more flock cameras along roads and in parks. League City Police Department

More security cameras will be added along League City roads and in public places after an upsurge of vehicle break-ins at parks, according to city officials.

The city council recently approved an updated agreement with private security camera company Flock Safety to install an additional 28 cameras from a first installment of 42, which was completed in August.

The cameras will cost the city $70,000 over the next five years, a cut in costs from a previous agreement that had the city paying $3,000 for each camera as part of a project to deter crime.

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The new agreement includes the use and installation of the 28 cameras: eight to be placed at city parks, and 20 to be installed at various roadways in response to an increase of break-ins at these locations, according to city agenda documents.

The automated license plate reader cameras are designed to read and photograph the license plates of vehicles leaving an area where a crime has been reported or suspected.

There have been kind of a rash of break-ins at all of our city parks, Mayor Nick Long said during the Dec. 12 meeting. Long cited a significant increase at Chester L. Davis Sportsplex because of its proximity to the highway. We kind of have an obligation to make sure that when people use our facilities that their cars dont get broken into.

The objective is to deter crime in those locations, Long said.

According to League City Police Department Captain Harold Lee, Flock Safety announced that the price of automated license plate reader cameras would increase in 2024 from $2,500 to $3,000.

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Because of the success of the program, the city moved to install 20 more cameras before the price increase, Lee said. Long included an additional eight for the parks as part of the agreement.

Since first installing (license plate reader) cameras in League City, many residents have asked the city to install cameras closer to their side of town or nearer to their neighborhoods, he said.

By expanding the Flock camera program, the city and police will be able to provide better coverage for more League City residents, Lee said.

The installation of the cameras will begin in early 2024, according to Lee.

When the city wrapped up the installation of 42 cameras earlier this year, Lee said most of the public feedback was positive but that some people raised concerns about the potential misuse of the technology, the Chronicle reported.

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Savannah Kumar, an attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas, previously told the Chronicle that law enforcements use of surveillance technologies such as Flock cameras could potentially infringe on peoples right to privacy.
Estonian Interior Minister Lauri Laanemets said Estonia is prepared to aid in mobilizing Ukrainian citizens if requested by Ukraine, according to the Estonian paper Postimees.

"We know where these people live in Estonia. We are ready to assist in bringing these people from Estonia to Ukraine, if they need it," said Laanemets, according to the paper.

He said 7,500 Ukrainian citizens of fighting age live in Estonia, but some of them are exempt from mobilization for various reasons.

The Estonian Interior Minister said he plans to officially notify Ukrainian authorities of the country's readiness to sign the necessary agreement to enable the process if needed.

The Estonian paper cited Janek Maggi, Head of the Border and Migration Policy Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, saying that Ukraine did not request help on mobilization from Estonia.

The statement comes as Ukraine's Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said he wants to recruit Ukrainians living abroad in an interview with German media outlet Die Welt on Dec 21.

Defense Ministry press officer Illarion Pavliuk clarified that Umerov spoke generally about the importance of joining the army for Ukrainians, including those living abroad, in a comment to the Ukrainian media outlet Babel.

There is currently no active discussion on the recruitment of Ukrainians from abroad, Pavliuk added.

Read also: Update: Umerov says he wants to mobilize Ukrainian men living abroad

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Nikki Haley is on the rise, looking for an upset that could derail former President Trumps path to the Republican presidential nomination.

Its becoming increasingly clear that the New Hampshire primary is her best and perhaps only  chance.

Haleys advance in the Granite State has been striking.

A new American Research Group (ARG) poll released Thursday put Haley within 4 points of Trump in New Hampshire  a jaw-dropping result given that Trump has a lead of about 50 points in national polls.

The ARG poll showed Trump with 33 percent support in New Hampshire and Haley at 29 percent, with the rest of the field well behind.

Regardless of whether the Granite State primary is really that close, Haleys move up is real.

Another poll in recent days, from Saint Anselm College, showed Haley at 30 percent support, double the backing she drew in a survey from the same organization in September. The Saint Anselm poll showed Haley behind Trump by 14 points.

Political observers in New Hampshire are impressed by Haleys rise even as they are circumspect about just how far it will take her.

Haley has got real momentum, and she has been building it over a period of months, said Jim Merrill, a GOP strategist in New Hampshire who is not working for any of the presidential campaigns.

Merrill acknowledged Trump was definitely still the favorite to win the primary, which takes place Jan. 23. But Trumps position as the dominant front-runner in the national race means he must meet high expectations everywhere.

Haley is the underdog, and the expectations are appropriately lower, Merrill said. There is no question that she is surging forward and she has time left on the clock.

Team Trump, meanwhile, seems irked by Haleys rise and the media attention it is attracting.

A Trump campaign spokesperson, asked by email for comment on this story, replied only with a link to a social media posting that featured another poll, in which Trump leads Haley by 30 points.

Trump himself responded to the ARG poll with a post on Truth Social that took aim at Haley, using his nickname for her.

Fake New Hampshire poll was released on Birdbrain. Just another scam! Trump wrote.

He also took a shot at New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu (R), who endorsed Haley on Dec. 12.

Sununu now one of the least popular governors in U.S., Trump contended.

Meanwhile, the main super PAC supporting Trump begin airing an attack ad against Haley this week in New Hampshire.

Haleys allies cast the decision as evidence that Trumps backers are getting worried about the inroads she is making.

Speaking of the overall battle for the nomination, Haley campaign spokesperson Olivia Perez-Cubas told this column, Its clear this is a two-person race between Nikki Haley and Donald Trump. We look forward to seeing him on the debate stage.

That looks likely to be a futile hope.

Trump has declined to participate in any of the four televised debates so far.

There is no particular reason to think he will change his mind for the other three clashes that are scheduled  on Jan. 10 in Iowa and Jan. 21 in New Hampshire, both hosted by CNN; or on Jan. 18 in New Hampshire, hosted by ABC News.

To be sure, Trump is exceptionally well placed in the broader battle for the GOP nomination.

Aside from his 50-point national lead, he is more than 30 points clear in Iowa, according to the polling average maintained by data site FiveThirtyEight.

Trump is also ahead of Haley in her native South Carolina by almost 30 points in the FiveThirtyEight average. South Carolina holds its primary on Feb. 24.

In addition, there is little reliable polling so far that incorporates reaction to Tuesdays Colorado Supreme Court ruling, which found that Trumps name should be removed from the Republican primary ballot in the state. The court said that the 14th Amendment, which bars people who have engaged in insurrection or rebellion from holding office, disqualifies Trump from the presidency.

Republican voters may rally around Trump in the aftermath of the ruling, as they appeared to do around each of his four indictments earlier this year.

Some Trump critics also fret about New Jersey Gov. Chris Christies continued presence in the contest.

Christie is drawing about 12 percent support in New Hampshire. The New Jersey governor, the most fiercely anti-Trump voice in the race by far, is putting essentially all his effort into the state.

But there is little sign that even a strong finish in New Hampshire would catapult Christie into real contention overall. Instead, he appears to be splitting part of the non-Trump vote with Haley.

I dont quite understand why Chris Christie is still in the race, said one New Hampshire GOP strategist, who is not aligned with any candidate but requested anonymity to speak candidly.

As someone who is not a Trump person, I appreciate the points Chris Christie is making but he has demonstrated that there is no real path for him to get the nomination.

There is one final complication, however  one that could help Haley.

Registered voters in New Hampshire can categorize themselves as Republican, Democratic or undeclared. Undeclared voters can simply show up on primary day and request a ballot for whichever race they want to vote in.

At the last count, according to the New Hampshire Bulletin, there were about 344,000 undeclared voters, compared to about 270,000 Republicans and approximately 265,000 Democrats.

This fact alone gives the primary inherent unpredictability  and, in effect, advantages candidates with crossover appeal like Haley over more polarizing figures such as Trump.

When all is said and done, Trump remains the leader in New Hampshire  and everywhere else.

But now its game on in the Granite State.

The Memo is a reported column by Niall Stanage.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
MENOMONEE FALLS, Wis. - The Menomonee Falls Police Department is seeking the public's help to identify a person wanted to shoplifting from Target on two separate days.

Officials say the crimes took place on Tuesday, Dec. 19 and Wednesday, Dec. 20.

The suspect vehicle used in both incidents is an orange Honda Element with Wisconsin license AUZ-8366.

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If you have information that could help identify the person pictured in this post, you are urged to call Menomonee Falls police at 262-532-8700.

To make an anonymous tip, contact Waukesha County Crime Stoppers online or through the new P3 phone app that can be downloaded through either the App Store or Google Play.
While parishioners prepared the basement space of Ss. Genevieve and Stanislaus Bishop & Martyr Parish for families and their loved ones, people were lining up outside the parish hall commiserating with one another.

While one child played with his remote controlled car, others sat on the floor patiently waiting to be let into the Belmont-Cragin church decorated with red, white, and green tables, photo area complete with winterland backdrop, and pinata. Close to 300 people were expected to partake in the provided holiday festivities, including a holiday meal, carnival games, presents and sweets and for the children  all free due to donations by church donors.

This is our first Christmas event, said Barbara Maldonado, a parishioner leading the outreach event. We have a migrant ministry in the church, so we help them. But weve seen the moms crying, and we want to make them smile, so we wanted to do something different  something more than donated clothes and home goods. So today were going to do a little party.

Maldonado expected to see people coming from the neighborhood and further afield since she routinely invites migrants she sees in communities to the parish for assistance. The parish has a ministry that caters specifically to migrants and has been aiding them for months, according to the Archdiocese of Chicago.

Nancy Chiluisa is one of those who has been helped. Having been in the United States since the summer and receiving aid from church staff and Maldonado a mere 30 days in the country, she was in attendance Saturday to help out, do her part, she said.

The mother of five lives a block away from the church. Chiluisas 10-year-old son is currently taking catechism classes at the parish.

Im blessed and happy to be in this country to be able to help my children to move forward, said the Ecuador native through a translator. I have gotten clothes and shoes and things, but my main goal is to help people. Any time I get things, I bring them to the church to give to other people in need.

Nancy Hernandez, Maldonados mother, was on site to help with the event. The 71-year-old was among the dozens of volunteers who gave a standing ovation to the families entering the doors. Excited to play games with the youth on hand, she recalled getting socks instead of Barbies when she was coming up. She moved to the Chicago area with family from Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria.

Im happy to be here, Hernandez said. She said her family celebrated Thanksgiving at her home with Chiluisas family.

We dont care where she came from, were all brothers and sisters, Hernandez said. She was crying, it was the first Thanksgiving she had and it was the most beautiful Thanksgiving we had.

Chiluisa considers Maldonado and her family, her family as well. Leaving behind the death threats her and her family endured in their home country, Chiluisa is looking forward to education for her children, expressing themselves freely without retribution. She said her son has shown interest in the U.S. military. Chiluisa said the U.S. allowing her children to serve is a goal of hers.

Rosemary Onesto, a parishioner since she was 5-years-old, said youth could expect not just necessities like clothes at the event, but toys that were donated too.

Its a way to welcome people, she said about the holiday celebration. You can feel the spirit. You never know the effect of doing something like this. Thats the beauty of it. You do something to make their day, but it effects them probably the rest of their life and the volunteers are effected too.

Maldonado said as parishioners, the church is going to keep working for migrants. She said shes already planning a day strictly for children.

Dubisay Gonzalez came to the event with her niece and cousin. A native of Venezuela, shes expecting a baby girl on Jan. 10. A cousin of hers assists at the parish and routinely tells her about church events like this one.

After she delivers, shes looking forward to becoming a regular parishioner.

My Christmas is shaping up very good, she said. There are some differences in the traditions, but were all enjoying it together.

drockett@chicagotribune.com
NEW YORK  Tired and cold, with two toddlers in tow and a big bag of groceries in hand, Barbara Guarenas boarded the Q35 bus in Brooklyn and headed for a couple of empty seats, telling her children to sit.

But before they could take a seat, another woman on the bus stepped forward. She plopped her purse on one of the seats and used her body to block the family from sitting down. Then she lifted her leg, kicking Guarenas 3-year-old son out of the way and sending him stumbling.

The ugly display of hostility is hardly uncommon in this part of New York. Migrant families living at Floyd Bennett Field, located in a conservative stronghold in southern Brooklyn, told the Daily News theyve been cursed out, spat on and harassed daily by disapproving neighbors.

As political tensions continue to rise ahead of the 2024 presidential election, the migrant tent site, located on a remote peninsula on the edge of the city, has emerged as a new front in the national battle over immigration policy.

Frustration and vitriol are bubbling up at bus stops, on streets, at Kings Plaza Mall and online as desperate, newly arrived migrants, most with no family or friends in New York try to make a life for themselves after being sent by the city to live on the isolated former airfield located in a largely Republican area.

A Facebook group called STOP FLOYD BENNETT ILLEGAL MIGRANTS has around 3,600 members. On it, residents post about interactions with migrants in the area, directing people to call 311 to report panhandling and stories of migrants knocking on residents doors looking for help.

Earlier this week, when the Kings Plaza Mall in Mill Basin was evacuated due to a bomb threat which was later found unsubstantiated, posts drew quick connections to the migrants.

Another post, a picture of a migrant family sitting on the sidewalk outside a store, got 140 comments, including Disgraceful the neighborhood is being destroyed, Get your concealed carry!! Were gonna need it ! and MASS DEPORTATIONS.

Guarenas, who arrived in New York City three weeks ago from Venezuela with her husband and her kids aged 3, 4, and 18, said that shes been shaken by the aggression and rude remarks, especially towards her children, while living at Floyd Bennett Field.

Things like this happen in the streets, but you have to ignore them because you can get in trouble, Guarenas, 34, said. Nobodys going to defend us. We just have to avoid it. If [the woman on the bus] wants to sit down like that, act like that, you just have to walk away.

Carolina Contreras, 36, has lived at Floyd Bennett Field for a month. She made the trip from Venezuela to New York City with her husband, Andy Martinez, 42, and her two children, Sofia, 9, and Andy, 11.

She said its tough to watch her kids get harassed  they may not fully understand whats going on, but its obvious that many of the tent sites neighbors dont want them there.

My daughter once unintentionally stepped on a man and the man spat at us, shouted at us and told us things, Contreras said. We had to get off the bus. People also tell us we smell bad, they cover their nose.

Its ugly, but, I mean Contreras trailed off. You leave your land, your house, your country. In the course of all that, you see a lot. People reject you because you come from somewhere else. There is a lot of xenophobia, they look at us rudely, and they treat us badly.  I dont pay much attention to it now because its like, Ive already been through a lot of it.

National politics ripple locally

The historic influx of migrants coming from the southern border is already one of the cornerstone issues of next years elections  and New York City is at the heart of both the migrant crisis and the political debate on how to handle it.

Donald Trump, the Republican presidential front-runner, has pledged that if elected, he will implement a hard-line immigration policy that would include mass deportations, the completion of the border wall, new travel bans and an end to automatic citizenship for children born in the U.S. to immigrants living in the country illegally.

Theyre poisoning the blood of our country, the Republican presidential front-runner said at a rally in New Hampshire last weekend.

Theyve poisoned mental institutions and prisons all over the world, Trump continued. Not just in South America, not just the three or four countries that we think about, but all over the world theyre coming into our country from Africa, from Asia. All over the world. Theyre pouring into our country.

His remarks quickly drew outrage and comparisons to Adolf Hitler. On Tuesday, New York City Mayor Eric Adams condemned Trumps comments as volatile terminology, rhetoric.

Im not spewing rhetoric, Adams said. Im advocating for the city that I love. And Im watching firsthand what is happening to the city that I loved and I protected as a police officer.

Yet Adams has come under fire for his own controversial remarks on how the issue will destroy New York City. The mayor has also pinned recent budget cuts, with plans to slash city departments including the Education Department and cut library service, on the influx of asylum seekers.

New York has received more than 150,000 migrants over the past year and a half. Around 65,000 of them remain in the citys shelter system.

Despite Adams poor approval rating, a recent poll showed that more than 80% of voters are concerned that the city will not be able to accommodate the surge of migrants, and 62% agreed with his comments that the tide of migrants could destroy the city.

Locally, residents of southern Brooklyn unhappy with what they see as an invasion of their home and waste of their tax dollars rallied and protested when the site was announced. While calls for 24/7 protests of Floyd Bennett Field have faded, the opposition to the migrants there has remained.

So much of this community out here is just drinking the Trump Kool-Aid, said Ariana Hellerman, a Rockaway local whos been collecting and doling out donations for the residents of Floyd Bennett Field. A lot of it is spouting what they have heard, which is falsehoods.

Hellerman called out what she sees as a lack of empathy  many speaking out locally against the migrants are immigrants or children of immigrants themselves  and false conceptions that providing for migrants means that longtime residents lose out.

Migrants say some help, some hurt

The shelter currently houses around 1,700 migrant families. The setup is not ideal: Its about a 15-minute wind-whipped walk from the tents across an old airplane runway and huge empty parking lot just to get to a bus, and bathrooms are located outside, so families have to bundle up to shower or use the restroom.

A loose network of volunteers have been stopping by the 2,000-bed, four-tent shelter on a near-everyday basis, bringing the migrants essentials like winter clothing and diapers. Migrants said the volunteers somewhat balance out the cruelty they see elsewhere.

There are two kinds of people around here, said a 28-year-old migrant mom who asked to only go by her first name, Maria. There are some people who are kind, who bring out food and clothes and try to help. And there are some that, if you ride the bus, they curse at you, they cover up and start speaking English, which I dont understand but I know what theyre saying.

Father Dwayne Davis, pastor of the nearby St. Thomas Aquinas Church, said that his parish, along with others in the area, has been collecting coats and clothing donations for the migrants. They started after dozens of families showed up on their doorstep looking for help.

Our response is the Christian response, Davis said. We stay away from politics  Regardless of whether we believe they should be there or not, the reality is that theyre here now.

Davis emphasized that the churchs actions were simply an emergency response to the problem.

I want to be clear that this is not political at all, he said.

Desiree Frias, a mutual aid organizer, is outspoken about the need to move migrants families from the tents, which she called not compatible with human life. The Facebook groups are very upsetting, she said, but acknowledged an irony in the whole situation.

Theyre saying that theyre going to stop the migrants, but the migrants dont want to be there either, Frias said. Surprisingly, we have a common struggle in that they dont want them there and they dont want to be there.
ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - A Brooklyn Park man pleaded guilty on Wednesday to his role in a national romance fraud scheme targeting mostly elderly people.

According to court records, 37-year-old Dodzi Kwame Kordorwu was accused of being involved in an online romance fraud scheme, which mainly targeted the elderly. Kordorwu lured victims into sending money under false pretenses from May 2018 to June 2022.

The scheme entailed impersonating either real or fictitious people, like a U.S. diplomat or military official, who would contact victims on social media, according to the Department of Justice.

The scammers would seek out a romance with victims and then ask for large sums of money to help with some sort of problem. In some cases, a third-party person would be introduced to victims to help corroborate the scammers story.

According to the DOJ, Kordorwu received over 90 packages of money from victims, receiving $2.3 million throughout the scam. Kordorwu allegedly kept some of the money for himself, and sent the rest to other scheme participants.

Kordorwu pleaded guilty to one count of mail fraud, and a sentencing hearing will be scheduled for a later date.
Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon argued Saturday that the Supreme Court will have to take up the expected appeal of the Colorado high courts decision to disqualify former President Trump from the states primary ballot this week.

Colorado is the first state to rule that Trump should not be on its primary ballot, arguing he is responsible for the Jan. 6 Capitol riots, and therefore in violation of the 14th Amendment.

Were never going to have a situation in this country where one or some cluster of states decides that Donald Trump is not on the ballot and everyone else decides he is, Simon said in an MSNBC interview. He will either be on the ballot everywhere or nowhere, and the U.S. Supreme Court is going to make sure of that.

Simon noted, however, that it is possible that the Supreme Court would not ultimately decide on the issue when it sees the case. There is a chance that the court could return the case to Colorado for further argumentation or make a narrow ruling, which does not determine the Jan. 6 claims.

Theres so many different ways that the Supreme Court could go, there are multiple off ramps for them, for example, to decide the case without deciding the ultimate issue, which is, did Donald Trump engage in or help an insurrection? Simon said. They dont have to decide that. There are a number of ways they can dispose of the case and get an outcome without deciding that question.

The Colorado case throws the 2024 election into question, as a Supreme Court ruling upholding the determination could see Trump off the ballot nationally. The former president has downplayed those concerns, calling the moves against him purely political.

Other GOP primary candidates have also come to his defense, while Democrats overwhelmingly welcomed the decision.

In the short term, Simon called the implications administratively crazy. With the Colorado ruling on pause pending a Supreme Court intervention, Simon said that it is still unclear what the states primary ballot will look like, plus concerns over how the decision could impact a general election.

Theres that extra angst and anxiety trying to figure out just logistically, just administratively how this is going to work if and when this spills over into a general election, he said. Administratively, its a headache, to put it mildly.

Over a dozen states have considered or are considering similar challenges to Trumps ballot qualifications. Minnesota dismissed a similar claim on procedural grounds, saying the case should be brought only if Trump is made the GOP nominee.

He called the Colorado case a canary in the coal mine, adding that courts and potential litigants around the country are in wait and see mode over how the Supreme Court will respond.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
A liberal arts professor at the University of Minnesota called for people to "dismantle" and "decolonize" America during a pro-Palestinian event.

Earlier this month, University of Minnesota liberal arts professor Melanie Yazzie took the stage with several other speakers as part of the anti-capitalist Native American advocacy group the Red Nation's "teach-in" on the Israel-Hamas war.

During the pro-Palestinian event, Yazzie made several controversial comments, including early on when she said she wanted a takeaway from the event to be that "we're all indigenous people who come from nations who are under occupation by the United States government."

CONGRESS EXPANDS SCOPE OF HARVARD INVESTIGATION TO INCLUDE ALLEGATIONS OF PRESIDENT'S PLAGIARISM

University of Minnesota liberal arts professor Melanie Yazzie speaks at the Red Nation "teach-in" on the Israel-Hamas war.

"And, of course, the U.S. bankrolls the Israeli occupation of Palestinian land," Yazzie continued. "They're one and the same, really."

"So it's our responsibility as people who are within the United States to go as hard as possible to decolonize this place, because that will reverberate all across the world," Yazzie said. "Because the U.S. is the greatest predator empire that has ever existed."

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

Yazzie said that she and her comrades "want [the] U.S. out of everywhere," including "Palestine" and "Turtle Island"  a name used by some Native American tribes to describe North America.

"And that the goal is to dismantle the settler project that is the United States for the freedom and the future of all life on this planet," Yazzie said. "It very much depends on that."

Yazzie also appeared to imply she saw the "entire world" change after the Oct. 7 attacks by the Palestinian terrorist organization Hamas on innocent Israeli civilians and claimed that "Palestine is the alternative path for native nations."

Supporters of Palestinians gather at a rally at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, on Oct. 14.

"It is a righteous struggle and it is so powerful that it has literally, in 60 days, changed the entire world," Yazzie said. "The entire world has changed. I knew it the moment that it happened that nothing, and I mean nothing for colonizers or for any of the good, humble people of the Earth, would ever be the same ever again."

"And we need to lean into that. Lean into the fact that colonizers are scared," she said, laughing. "Lean into scaring them and making them feel uncomfortable!"

HOUSE LEFTISTS INCLUDE ANTISEMITISM IN RESOLUTION CONDEMNING ISLAMOPHOBIA, ANTI-PALESTINIAN DISCRIMINATION

Yazzie, who said she was the co-host of the Red Nation podcast "Red Power Hour," decried "liberalism" as "bulls---" and "trash" that "was founded upon imperialism and colonialism."

"All it knows is the language of violence, and when it doesn't use the language of violence, it uses the niceties like Minnesota Nice' to cover that s--- up," Yazzie said.

"Enough! Enough with investing our time with liberalism!" she cried. "That is not resistance.

"Resistance is the only thing the only kind of death blows to colonialism, imperialism that have happened historically because indigenous people have resisted in the various places where this violence has touched down."

Yazzie also delivered a message to their "Palestinian relatives," where she called the U.S. a "violent settler project" and she and her comrades have the "moral authority" to do so "as the original people" of America.

"Lean into the fact that colonizers are scared," Yazzie said, laughing.

"In addition to solidarity and the things that we might do, having the moral authority as the original people of these lands, to push back against the violent settler project that is the United States," Yazzie said.

"And to help to lead that, to be the tip of the spear here of all liberation struggles and the movements that seek a world of justice, equality, and peace, that seek to dismantle the United States," she continued.

"I hope you seek to dismantle the United States," Yazzie added to applause from the audience.

Yazzie also claimed that "decolonization" is "the only thing that's going to save us as a species" and "the planet," and said that people should "just be on board with it, no questions asked."

Yazzie, the University of Minnesota and the Red Nation did not respond to Fox News Digital's requests for comment.





Original article source: Minnesota professor calls to 'decolonize' and 'dismantle' the US: 'Go as hard as possible'
Kiana dribbles icing on a batch of freshly baked cinnamon rolls Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2023, at Belong Kitchen in Houston. Kirk Sides/Staff photographer

Houston residents soon will be able to order chef-quality shrimp gumbo from Brennans of Houston while helping a local business that employs adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

In January 2024, Belong Kitchen will serve shrimp gumbo every Wednesday based on a recipe the staff learned from Brennans of Houston. Belong Kitchen is a nonprofit restaurant providing daily to-go meals.

Employees are paid while volunteers from the local community help them in the kitchen. Belong Kitchen employs 30 people ages 21 to 48.

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Kendall Tate smiles as she hands over the latte she just made for the first time, Thursday, Aug. 26, 2021, at Belong Kitchen in Houston. Belong Kitchen, a grab-and-go outfit that employs young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, is getting ready to open up. Mark Mulligan, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer

ALSO SEE: 7 Houston food trends to expect in 2024 from industry experts

The collaboration with the Houston Creole fine-dining restaurant is a part of Belongs guest chef series, in which Belongs staff prepares local cuisine after learning and receiving the recipe from experienced chefs from the Houston area. Last year, Belong partnered with Brennans to make jambalaya.

It's just a real special treat for our employees to go visit an iconic Houston restaurant and see that kitchen in action and see real chefs and learn from them, said Kim Brown, founder of Belong Kitchen. That's a really big deal, and it's a big honor for us that they trust us to reproduce their recipe for our customers.

Halle Gibson and John Pitner laugh as the practice serving drinks to a group, Thursday, Aug. 26, 2021, at Belong Kitchen in Houston. Belong Kitchen, a grab-and-go outfit that employs young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, is getting ready to open up. Mark Mulligan, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer

Brown started Belong Kitchen in 2019 in her backyard as a way to help her daughter find a job as an adult. After brainstorming, Brown realized she would have to find a solution herself to create a safe, fun environment for her daughter and other adults with disabilities. In the past, Belong Kitchen has served chicken pot pie, sausage and sweet pepper pasta, lasagna soup and more to their customers.

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In January, Belong will sell half gallon to-go portions of Brennan's of Houstons shrimp gumbo with pecan pie every Wednesday to kick off the new year.

Viviana, Kim Brown and Kim assist Dana Fielding with an order Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2023, at Belong Kitchen in Houston. Kirk Sides/Staff photographer

We're just excited to keep producing really good delicious food for our customers, and our customers are excited because they get to go to Brennans without going to Brennans, while supporting us, Brown said. Our employees take pride in producing good food that they can be proud of.

Belong Kitchen offered cookie dough, homemade cinnamon rolls and breakfast casseroles for Christmas. On weekends, Belong offers breakfast tacos and cinnamon rolls, and the kitchen also caters for up to 100 guests.

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Pepe and Sam prepare a batch of breakfast casseroles Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2023, at Belong Kitchen in Houston. Kirk Sides/Staff photographer

Brown said she and the employees of Belong Kitchen look forward to 2024 and the chance to cook new recipes and provide more tasty meals for local residents. Volunteers or employees looking to work with Belong Kitchen, or those looking for a meal, can access the info on the Belong Kitchen website.

We've just been overwhelmed with the community response and how positive everyone's been, and we're just so grateful that people have received our food and welcomed our employees.
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Minnesota's new state flag. Jax Cafe in northeast Minneapolis celebrates 90 years. Thirty-five anglers stranded on ice rescued in Beltrami County. Here are the top stories from Dec. 16-22.

The State Emblems Redesign Commission, which was tasked with adopting a new state flag and state seal by Jan. 1, met on Friday, with the goal of selecting the new flag after narrowing down the choices to three earlier this week.

The commission settled on a flag design, choosing the submission with the white, green and blue stripes and an eight point star on the left. The commission will be making some changes to the flag to try to make it more "Minnesota" looking.

For nine decades, customers have been coming to Jax Cafe for birthdays, anniversaries and job promotions.

Jax opened as a working man's bar in 1933, shortly after the repeal of prohibition, and eventually grew into a staple of the Twin Cities restaurant scene. It will celebrate 90 years of its own story in the spring when more of its snowbird customers are back in town. In the meantime, it will continue to serve up memories that stand the test of time.

To read more about Jax Cafe's history, click here.

Thirty-five people had to be rescued Sunday evening after ice broke away from the shore of Upper Red Lake, north of Bemidji.

Beltrami County officials say strong winds caused the ice to shift, sparking the rescue efforts at around 4:47 p.m. on Dec. 17. Authorities used an airboat to evacuate the stranded people from the ice.

County officials say, unfortunately, situations like this are common events for responders in Beltrami County.

The new Minnesota seal design, as of Dec. 15, 2023. The design could undergo additional changes before the State Emblems Redesign Commission finalizes the new state seal. (Supplied)

Minnesota has a new state flag and seal.

The State Emblems Redesign Commission, which was tasked with adopting a new state flag and state seal by Jan. 1, 2024, finalized the new state flag and state seal on Tuesday. Unless the Minnesota Legislature rejects the designs, the new emblems will automatically become official on May 11, 2024, which Minnesota observes as Statehood Day.

The new state seal features a loon, while the flag includes the conceptual shape of Minnesota in dark blue with a white, eight-pointed star pointing to the top of the flag.

St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter (FOX 9)

For 18 months, the City of St. Paul offered a monthly payment of $500 in pre-paid debit cards to 150 of its residents, and a new study is offering a glimpse of the guaranteed income program's effectiveness.

During the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter and the St. Paul City Council launched the Peoples Prosperity Guaranteed Income Pilot (PPP) to help "address structural inequities through progressive public policy and programming that promotes belonging, mobility, and agency for all residents."

To learn the results of the program, click here.

The logo of the first CosMc's drive-thru only restaurant is seen on December 9, 2023 in Bolingbrook, Illinois. CosMc's, a spin-off restaurant of McDonald's, officially opened its first location on December 9, 2023, with ten more locations planned to open by the end of 2024. (Photo by KAMIL KRZACZYNSKI / AFP) (Photo by KAMIL KRZACZYNSKI/AFP via Getty Images) (Getty Images)

McDonald's spinoff CosMc's officially opened its first store as customers endured long wait times to try a custom beverage and snack.

The drive-thru-only, "small-format, beverage-led" concept proved to be so popular during its opening week that local police were enlisted to direct traffic around the pilot store in Bolingbrook, Illinois, about 30 miles from Chicago.

One woman wrote about her experience as she waited in line for hours. Was the wait worth it? Click here to read more.

A third person in Minnesota has died, and at least 26 others have gotten sick from a salmonella outbreak linked to contaminated cantaloupe.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shared an update on Friday about the outbreak, stating 302 people in 42 states have become ill since mid-November. Among those, 129 have been hospitalized, and four people have died, three in Minnesota and one in Oregon.

The CDC advises not to eat pre-cut cantaloupes if you dont know the brand and throw away any recalled pre-cut or whole cantaloupes. To see a full list of recalled fruits, click here.

Generic Police Lights (FOX 9)

The Stearns County Sheriffs Office was requesting help finding a missing young woman who may be in the Twin Cities.

The 21-year-old was reported missing from the City of Eden Valley, approximately 90 miles west of the Twin Cities, after she last contacted her family around July 27.

In an update Wednesday, authorities say the woman was found safe.

Three women were treated at a Minneapolis hospital with similar symptoms, with one woman reporting she was given a drink at a bar in Dinkytown.

Police say between 12 a.m. and 4 a.m. Sunday, three women arrived at Hennepin Healthcare with "similar symptoms of illness and alcohol-related issues."

Officers were only able to speak with one woman, who said she began feeling sick after drinking alcohol at a bar in Dinkytown, and that she had an alcoholic beverage that was given to her by another person, police said.

More than two years after a mom and physician's assistant was caught in the crossfire of a drive-by shooting on Minneapolis popular Eat Street, authorities were able to charge the suspected triggerman thanks to some remarkable forensics and dogged investigative work.

"I had no idea going to dinner that I would end up shot and almost dying, and my life was going to be changed forever," the woman, Amber, recently told FOX 9s Paul Blume during an interview at her home. She asked to only use her first name for privacy and safety concerns.

To read more of the story, click here.
Explosions occurred in the city of Dnipro on the afternoon of 23 December while an air-raid warning had been in effect.

Source: Suspilne, Ukraines public broadcaster; Ukrainian Air Force

Details: Before the blasts occurred, the Air Force stressed that residents of Dnipro should take shelter.

Meanwhile, the air-raid warning has been issued in Dnipropetrovsk, Mykolaiv, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia oblasts, as well as in Kirovohrad Oblast, which suffered a large-scale Russian missile attack today.

Russian tactical aircraft activity was recorded there.

Updated: Serhii Lysak, Head of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast Military Administration, later reported that Ukrainian air defence forces had destroyed a missile over the Dnipro district.

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The Board of Aldermen of a Mississippi town voted nearly unanimously Thursday to reinstate a police officer who shot an 11-year-old boy inside his own home earlier this year, the officers attorney told CNN.

On May 20, Sgt. Greg Capers mistakenly shot in the chest and seriously injured Aderrien Murry while he was responding to a domestic disturbance call at the childs home, according to his mother, Nakala Murry, and the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation.

Capers was initially put on paid administrative leave while the shooting was investigated, CNN reported at the time. Capers was then suspended without pay in June after a 4-1 vote by the Indianola Board of Aldermen.

On Thursday evening, the Board of Aldermen voted 4-1 to reinstate Capers during a special session. His reinstatement is effective immediately, according to Michael Carr, an attorney with the Police Benevolent Association representing Capers.

Capers is glad for the reinstatement and ready to get back to work, Carr told CNN in a statement. Since the determination was made yesterday evening, we are yet to know when he will be put back on schedule or what shift. He remains a Sgt.

Exclusive video from the Thursday meeting, shared with CNN by Murry family attorney Carlos Moore, shows 11-year-old Aderrien and his family attending the Board of Aldermen meeting. In the brief video, Aderrien appears overwhelmed with emotion and can be seen sobbing as he is led from the room after the vote to reinstate Capers.

The boy suffered an anxiety attack and had to be transported to the hospital by ambulance, Moore said in a statement to CNN. Aderrien Murry suffered an anxiety attack during the meeting which resulted in him bleeding from his mouth and nose, the attorney said. This unfortunate incident only underscores the deep, ongoing trauma that Aderrien and his family are experiencing.

In May, the Murry family filed a lawsuit against the City of Indianola, its police chief and several officers, including Greg Capers. The lawsuit seeks at least $5 million in damages, claiming excessive force, negligence, reckless endangerment, and civil assault and battery, among other counts.

A defense motion for summary judgment filed December 5 calls for the Murrys lawsuit to be dismissed, saying Capers and the police chief are entitled to qualified immunity because the allegations amount to no more than an unintentional shooting where an officer reasonably reacted to a potentially dangerous situation and threat of serious harm.

The motion says the plaintiff also failed to establish a violation of the Fourth Amendment of the US Constitution because Capers actions were unintentional, and he and his fellow officer were never informed there were children in the home when they responded to a 911 call about a violent domestic disturbance.

In addition, the address was known to the officers and had been the scene for dozens of violent and sometimes armed disputes between Nakala Murry and the father of one of her children, the court document states.

During Thursdays meeting, the board also voted against releasing the video footage of the shooting incident, according to Indianola Alderman Marvin Elder.

In response to that move, Moore claimed the decision speaks to the lack of transparency and accountability over the incident.

Our commitment remains steadfast in seeking accountability and justice on behalf of the Murry family, Moore added.

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com
A Missouri school board that previously voted to rescind an anti-discrimination resolution has voted in favor of removing elective Black history and literature classes.

The seven-member Francis Howell School Board voted 5-2 Thursday night to stop offering Black History and Black Literature courses, which had been offered at the districts three high schools since 2021, KSDK reported. All seven members of the board are white.

Our students really wanted these electives, Harry Harris, whose son is a student in the district, said during the board meeting. Our families really wanted them and our teachers really wanted them. Its important. Its been great.

In July, the conservative-led board revoked an anti-racism resolution that had been passed in 2020 following the police killing of George Floyd.

The resolution, which made a pledge to speak firmly against any racism, discrimination, and senseless violence against people regardless of race, ethnicity, nationality, immigration status, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, or ability, was removed from school buildings.

Both the resolution and the classes were targeted by five new members of the board who have all received the backing of the conservative political action committee Francis Howell Families, according to The Associated Press.

On its website, the Francis Howell Families PAC lists issues its concerned about, including critical race theory and obscene books in your childs library.

During the board vote, members of the community, including resident Tom Ferri, spoke up to express their disagreement with the boards decision.

Tapping into a diverse talent pipeline would be a great way to slow attrition, but what diverse staff wants to work in a district waging culture wars? Ferri asked.
Nursing students at Missouri State University gain experience in the skills lab.

Five colleges and universities in the southwest part of Missouri received grants to enhance nursing programs. The recipients were announced by Gov. Mike Parson.

The $5 million in competitive grants were earmarked for a total of 20 programs.

The largest grant was awarded to Missouri State University's West Plains campus, which will receive $532,944. Four other area programs received grants including:

$394,772 to Missouri State University;

$211,855 to Crowder College;

$172,760 to Bolivar Technical College;

$165,590 to College of the Ozarks.

The grant funds will provide scholarships and tuition assistance for nursing faculty, clinical simulation equipment and staffing, technology enhancements, faculty pay increases, nursing faculty professional development, and graduate nursing program development to educate more nursing faculty.

It is vitally important that we continue to invest in Missouris health care workforce to stay competitive nationally, especially for our high demand fields such as nursing, Parson said in a news release. These grant funds will allow nursing programs to increase faculty support, develop future faculty through scholarships and nursing educator programs, and invest in clinical simulation technology and equipment.

The governor has now awarded $8 million to nursing programs, including $3 million in September 2022. In addition, the Missouri State Board of Nursing awarded more than $10 million through the annual Nursing Education Incentive Program.

More: Here's how 4 southwest Missouri institutions plan to revolutionize health care training

We applaud nursing programs for leveraging their research, creativity, and commitment to patient safety by proposing solutions to address the nursing program capacity issues, said Lori Scheidt, executive director of the Missouri State Board of Nursing. in the release. New technology will also allow nursing students to practice, refine and replicate complex clinical procedures, ultimately increasing patient safety.

The other grant awards in this round include:

$450,000 to St. Lukes College  Rockhurst University;

$441,405 to Missouri Baptist University;

$386,780 to Missouri Western State University;

$293,400 to St. Charles Community College;

$285,996 to University of Missouri  Columbia;

$256,875 to University of Central Missouri;

$227,000 to Maryville University;

$198,000 to North Central Missouri College;

$159,856 to Lincoln University;

$150,000 to Truman State University;

$150,000 to University of Missouri  Kansas City;

$147,500 to Northwest Missouri State University;

$140,000 to William Jewell University;

$135,563 to Research College of Nursing;

$99,704 to St. Louis University.

This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Governor awards $5M in grants for nursing. Five area programs benefit
Police in Prague arrested a man who said he was inspired by the Prague shooting on Thursday 21 December.

Czech Police said they received a call after the university shooting, with the caller telling police he was inspired by the shooter, and that he wanted to buy a gun and also kill.

Police managed to identify the man a few hours after his initial call and arrested him, which they posted to X, formerly Twitter. Footage shows armed officers forcibly entering the mans residence.

Czech police have said that since the shooting, they received several cases of people who are allegedly inspired by the university shooting, and are responding instantly to such cases.
Moms for Liberty is facing mounting concerns amid a sex scandal tied to one of the conservative education groups founders.

Co-founder Bridget Zieglers husband, Florida GOP Chair Christian Ziegler, has been accused of rape by another woman; he has not been charged.

The woman alleges she had a sexual relationship with both Bridget and Christian Ziegler and has said Christian showed up once without Bridget and assaulted her.

The allegations have prompted opponents to accuse the couple, and Moms for Liberty, of hypocrisy.

The Zieglers have made a habit out of attacking anything they perceive as going against family values, be it reproductive rights or the existence of LGBTQ+ Floridians, state Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried said in a statement. The level of hypocrisy in this situation is stunning.

As the police investigate, Christian Ziegler has faced calls from top Florida Republicans to resign and has been censured by his party. The Sarasota County School Board in Florida voted 4-1 to call on Bridget Ziegler to resign from her seat.

Moms for Liberty has emphasized Bridget Ziegler removed herself from her role at the organization only a month after the group officially launched.

We have been truly shaken to read of the serious, criminal allegations against Christian Ziegler. We believe any allegation of sexual assault should be taken seriously and fully investigated, co-founders Tina Descovich and Justice said in a statement.

Bridget Ziegler resigned from her role as co-founder with Moms for Liberty within a month of our launch in January of 2021, nearly three years ago. She has remained an avid warrior for parental rights across the country, they added.

It has been a damaging story for a group that has cast itself as standing up for regular parents against school boards and officials it argues have taken a too liberal or woke attitude to issues on sexual orientation and race, and how children should be taught about such issues.

I think they had a period of growth. And weve seen over the last nine months to a year, a period of decline, and I think theres lots of indicators of that, said Heath Brown, an associate professor of public policy at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice at the City University of New York, and the CUNY Graduate Center. And they all point in the same direction of a movement that had once been prominent and has now lost some of that prominence.

The group burst onto the scene in 2021, gaining nationwide attention as it propelled the parents rights movement and fought against COVID-19 measures in schools. The organization quickly became involved in school boards, attending meetings and getting conservatives elected.

The rise of Moms for Liberty dovetailed the increased involvement more broadly of conservatives in education issues, with House Republicans passing a Parental Bill of Rights in March.

But the end of 2023 proved difficult.

In November school board elections, Moms for Liberty said 43 percent of its backed candidates won seats.

By comparison, the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) proclaimed 80 percent of the candidates it tracked in 250 races won.

Co-founder Tiffany Justice said the group is proud of the work Moms for Liberty has done and will continue to do. She noted Moms for Liberty hosted more than 700 people at a national conference in 2023.

We will not end here and are gearing up to ensure that all candidates in 2024 understand the importance of parental rights, she said.

Brown suggested candidates quality and the issues candidates embraced contributed to the election efforts. I think, ultimately, other factors have determined the outcomes of these elections, he said.

The groups opponents said this years results signaled the message Moms for Liberty has promoted cant be a long-term strategy.

I think what weve learned here is that voters really want school boards to be boring, said Amanda Litman, co-founder and co-executive director of Run for Something, a group that aims to get young progressives elected into office.

Litman said people want school board meetings to be focused on issues like teacher pay and curriculum and not on topics such as book bans and restricting LGBTQ students.

Brown suggested the groups pretty narrow focus grabbed the spotlight early on but wasnt a benefit when it came to voting this fall, saying school board elections are generally more broad.

And the candidates that win are typically able to speak to a wide range of issues. And Moms for Liberty has been much more single-minded in their approach, and I think that ultimately hasnt worked when the elections have been held, he said.

Moms for Liberty fired two chapter chairs this year when controversy arose because the two leaders took pictures with those who were part of the far-right Proud Boys organizations.

While these situations have caused distractions from the groups work, Brown said the broader mission may be the groups longer-term problem.

I think Moms for Liberty is a good example of a movement bubble, which took advantage of an issue, timing and the ease of online and digital organizing to grow quite rapidly, Brown said. But just as easily as it is to grow, movement bubbles pop and those organizations can fade away quite quickly. And I think thats somewhat a contemporary phenomenon that we see. Well see more and more of it. And I think thats something that impacted Moms for Libertys trajectory.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
The view in October from a hill in northern Ulaanbaatar overlooking one of the city's many ger (yurt) districts.

The view in October from a hill in northern Ulaanbaatar overlooking one of the city's many ger (yurt) districts.

This is the second installment of a two-part series examining the hardship nomadic herders face in a fast-changing Mongolia.

ULAANBAATAR, Mongolia  One afternoon in the mountain pasture where her family had grazed their livestock for as many generations as anyone could trace  about 800 miles west of this polluted capital to which she was forced to flee  Ishtsooj Davagdorj accidentally ran her sheep and goats into those of another herder, one shed never seen before. He was from another remote village. As their animals blended and bleated, she blushed. Her heart fluttered.

He was handsome, Ishtsooj recalled one afternoon in mid October, a coy smile flashing across her face.

This was roughly two decades ago. Back then, her parents had hundreds of head of livestock but few children to help with herding. They liked the man. Before long, Ishtsooj was married. Children would soon follow. These were happy times in Mongolia. Tall green grass grew on the ocean-like steppe, allowing the herders who still made up the majority of a population smaller than that of Los Angeles to roam a country nearly the size of Mexico. The fall of the Soviet Union, with which Mongolia aligned but never officially joined, brought democracy to a rural nation landlocked between Russia and China.

The family lived simply in a traditional ger, the stout cylindrical tents, framed with wood and usually covered in white cloth, sometimes called yurts in English. Their animals  the ultimate sign of a nomads prosperity  numbered more than 400, with sheep, goats, yaks and horses, and as many as four two-humped Bactrian camels used for milk and for transporting their belongings across the northern reaches of the Gobi Desert.

By the late 2000s, however, the weather patterns that had allowed her ancestors to sustain herding practices for millenniums began to change. Each year, the desert crept farther into what were once reliably verdant grasslands. Dust storms, previously rare, became frequent, turning the clear air solid with brown filth that clogged the nostrils and sandblasted the eyes. The summer rains stopped coming. Springs ran dry.

But nothing was like the winter. Mongolians have a word for winters so cold and severe that herds die off: dzud. In white dzuds, snow coats the ground and makes grazing impossible. In black dzuds, the earth freezes, turning vegetation into inedible ice. In the past, a long life on the steppe might see a dzud (pronounced zood) once a decade at most. Suddenly dzuds came year after year. Ishtsoojs livestock began dying faster than new animals could be born in the spring.

Mining companies, lured by Mongolias rich deposits of copper, coal and gold, seized broad swaths of land Ishtsoojs herds once grazed and left behind craters into which animals fell to their deaths. Wolves came in the night and killed yet more of the herd. As edible grass disappeared, some hungry livestock died gnawing at poisonous vegetation.

In 2009, Ishtsooj took out a loan worth nearly $3,000 to replenish her herd, putting up her existing animals as collateral. But as more died, she missed payments, destroying her credit and placing her on a financial blacklist. By the time she paid off the debt in 2018, she had shelled out almost double the principal in interest.

Ishtsooj Davagdorj, 44, moved last year with her husband and children to Mongolia's capital, Ulaanbaatar, after losing too many animals herding in the western province of Khovd. Ishtsooj, here in October inside her home in a ger district in the capital, said she struggles to commute to work, afford basic necessities and find relief from polluted air.

Ishtsooj Davagdorj, 44, moved last year with her husband and children to Mongolia's capital, Ulaanbaatar, after losing too many animals herding in the western province of Khovd. Ishtsooj, here in October inside her home in a ger district in the capital, said she struggles to commute to work, afford basic necessities and find relief from polluted air.

Ruined, the family saw no choice but to trek across the country to Mongolias one big city, Ulaanbaatar, joining the more than 850,000 nomads who have resettled in what are known as the ger districts. The ramshackle neighborhoods ring the city center, with its glimmering new towers and old Soviet-style buildings, covering the treeless hills with what are essentially favelas of ger tents, most of which lack plumbing or access to the electrical grid. More than half of Ulaanbaatars population of 1.4 million live in a ger district, and they grow by the month as more nomads give up on pastoral life, migrate to the citys outskirts and pitch their tent wherever theres space.

When it rains, at what are increasingly unpredictable intervals, floodwaters sweep away entire homes and spread sewage from makeshift pit latrines throughout entire neighborhoods, triggering flare-ups of diarrhea. When its cold, residents burn coal inside, adding to the acrid smog that, combined with the giant coal-fired plants that belch black smoke throughout the skyline, gives Ulaanbaatar the worst air quality of any world capital.

The once-sleepy city wasnt built for the population explosion of the past decade. Theres no subway or light rail. Traffic clogs the main thoroughfares at most waking hours, contributing even more pollution and making it impossible to get anywhere on time taking the bus. Few of the ger districts have paved roads, much less sidewalks.

For Ishtsooj, who arrived with her family last year, every day is a logistical nightmare. Half of her salary of roughly $200 a month goes to bus fare and gas for the familys car. After hours in traffic, she makes it home from the restaurant where she works on the other side of the city with just enough time to pick up her sixth-grader son from school and make sure her 10th-grader daughter gets to her evening classes. The schools are overcrowded, with more than four times as many students per classroom as the nomadic schools in the countryside. The kids are bullied by classmates who make nomadic newcomers feel like hillbilly outsiders. High school is free, but a teacher tried shaking Ishtsooj down for $300 to get her daughter into class, roughly equal to a months pay for her husband, a delivery driver. Ishtsooj said she must have seemed like easy prey to an educator who knew calling the police about a small bribe would bring Ishtsooj more trouble than help.

And the toxic air is taking its toll.

My throat is always feeling sick, Ishtsooj said, clutching her chest to indicate her lungs hurt, too. Last month, a lump on the left side of her husbands neck got so big they could no longer ignore it. A trip to the hospital confirmed its cancer. He hasnt been able to work over the past few weeks and was in the hospital on the evening when we met in her rented home in one of the citys western ger districts. As bills pile up, Ishtsooj said, the next move would be to sell the familys car.

We used to live in the countryside, where the air was fresh and it didnt cost anything to go anywhere, she said. But now this is normal life in Mongolia.

Traumatized

In at least one sense, Ishtsooj feels lucky, she said as she rolled dough to fry into cookies called boortsog. She has her children under one roof.

Bor Ankhiluntsetsegs lonely first year in Ulaanbaatar nearly broke her spirit.

This was more than a decade ago. Bors older brother, who had lost his livestock in a dzud, was already living in Ulaanbaatar when, after two years of high school at a provincial school in her native Khureemaral, her parents mustered enough money for tuition to a military school in the capital. She was overwhelmed by its traffic-clogged streets and tall buildings. Navigating the bus routes proved challenging, and she was frequently late to class. The military school had little tolerance for tardiness. The final straw came less than one year into the program, when she became pregnant.

Expelled, she returned home, about 400 miles southwest of the capital, and gave birth. Her parents were furious and said they could not and would not pay for tuition again. A year later, her father dropped dead from a heart attack in the pasture one afternoon, his body discovered among the bleating herd.

Bor had little time to grieve. In shock, her mother soon suffered a stroke. Her daughter was hungry, and there was no money to be made in Khureemaral. So Bor did what many in her generation were doing: She left everyone behind for months at a time to work in the city.

Bor Ankhiluntsetseg, 36, forged a life for herself and her young daughter in the city. But in October, months after the family's home washed away in a flood, she and her daughter pined to move abroad.

Bor Ankhiluntsetseg, 36, forged a life for herself and her young daughter in the city. But in October, months after the family's home washed away in a flood, she and her daughter pined to move abroad.

I was already kind of traumatized. I was used to being loved and cared for by my parents, and then I came to a military school that was so strict, she told me from her ger on the northern slopes above Ulaanbaatar one morning, a roughly 20 minute drive from Ishtsoojs neighborhood. Then Im very traumatized by the sudden death of my dad.

One night after a late shift at a dairy factory, she went to a bar with co-workers. Unbeknownst to her, she caught the eye of a young man. He got her number from a mutual friend and began sending her texts every day with poems he wrote and messages of love. She found it corny. But he was so persistent she eventually relented and met him for a date. They both wore white to identify themselves. What was supposed to be a short coffee ended up as a 12-mile walk around the city, stopping for snacks and talking nonstop. She wasnt interested in a boyfriend, necessarily. She was scarred from the estranged relationship with her daughters father, she missed her dad and she longed to be reunited with her little girl so far away.

I had lost all confidence in men, she said.

But this man was relentless. He was also gentle and kind. He expressed an interest in her daughter. He had a decent job as a forklift operator at the MCS Coca-Cola Factory, a major food-processing plant in Ulaanbaatar. He worked hard, frequently taking night shifts to earn extra cash.

Bor couldnt bear living between two worlds anymore. Working all summer in the capital, feeling beautiful in her city clothes, then returning to the country, feeling ugly and covered in muck from herding. It was discombobulating. Her mother had died, six years after her father, leaving her daughter to be cared for by an older cousin. And that was the real heartbreak. Every time Bor left to come back to the city, her daughter would cling to her neck and sob, begging her to stay. Bor would wait until the little girl fell asleep, then head out for the hours-long drive to Ulaanbaatar.

Not far from the hazy skyline of downtown Ulaanbaatar, ramshackle districts of ger tents are guarded by dogs.

Not far from the hazy skyline of downtown Ulaanbaatar, ramshackle districts of ger tents are guarded by dogs.

Thats the earliest memory I have, said Bors daughter, Ankhiluntsetseg Altantsetseg, 17, who uses her mothers given name as a surname. My mom was leaving for Ulaanbaatar, and I was holding on to her neck saying, Please dont go, Mom.

A National Identity Crisis

The thought must have crossed Bors mind as she hit traffic at the end of her hours-long journey back to the city: Ulaanbaatar wasnt built for this many people. Driving in from the countryside, the smattering of ger camps, gas stations and industrial lots slowly thickens into a skyline of low-slung Soviet buildings and gleaming new apartment towers, many still under construction. The city center is bisected by the four-lane thoroughfare Peace Avenue, off which the parliament building, the central square, top museums and the main luxury shopping district are located. But a short drive north, west or east veers off paved roads and into ger districts guarded by dogs and haunted by tragic stories of pedestrians who dared walk streets without sidewalks or street lamps.

Is Mongolia a nomadic country or an urban country? That question is coming to us.Tserendulam Shagdarsuren, Mongolia's national climate czar

For generations, young Mongols have come to the capital to seek jobs or start new lives.

Its the same as in the States. You go to New York. You live in the city. You do the hustle-bustle, said Bolor Lkhaajav, a U.S.-based researcher and analyst who writes about Mongolia for the magazine The Diplomat. But here, if you dont have an apartment, you build a ger. And over time you have unregulated districts. You dont have the basic infrastructure, you dont have clean water, you dont have sewers.

Its a symptom of not planning for this kind of population growth, said Tserendulam Shagdarsuren, the director general of climate change and policy planning at the countrys Ministry of Environment.

It is a very difficult situation. U.B. is limited, she said in a hotel conference room near the government building, using the shorthand most Mongols use for the citys name in English.

Is Mongolia a nomadic country or an urban country? That question is coming to us.

In Emeelt, on the outskirts of the city, a newly built livestock market complex allows herders to cut out the middlemen and sell directly to city consumers. For a little under $6 per day, herders can rent a stall in a roofed market and hawk their animals directly to buyers. A small sheep can sell for about $37, while a big one can go for as much as $100, and all the money goes to the family who raised the creature.

New apartment towers in central Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, in October 2023.

New apartment towers in central Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, in October 2023.

Those who dont want to pay the daily fee set up shop in the parking lot, selling their animals for slightly less from the backs of their flatbed trucks. Next door, theres a slaughterhouse that will butcher the animals for buyers looking to bring meat ready to cook back to one of Ulaanbaatars growing number of apartments. On the sunny Saturday afternoon when I visited, there were about a dozen cars in the parking lot, most of which appeared to belong to herders or butchers there to work.

Its not that popular yet, Jigden Bayarsaikhan, 32, told me as he showed me around. He runs a pair of tourism and cargo businesses from Ulaanbaatar but grew up in the countryside near the Gobi.

Jigden dreams of making it even easier for herders. Cellphone service and internet connections are widely available throughout the nation, and may even improve now that the government has signed a deal with SpaceX billionaire Elon Musks satellite internet service, Starlink. Jigden wants to design some kind of app that would allow herders to sell and ship livestock, meat or dairy products directly to consumers in the city. Such a service would open markets for other players, such as cargo companies that could transport the goods across Mongolias vast distances, saving herders the trouble of paying for gas, tolls or the wear the countrys roads take on vehicles.

Tools like that, he said, would help bridge the gap between the city and the steppe, and make it easier for herders to essentially commute remotely into the work opportunities for they might otherwise travel to Ulaanbaatar.

An advertisement outside the factory store for Gobi, Mongolia's best-known luxury fashion brand, which sells cashmere goods, in an industrial part of southern Ulaanbaatar, the nation's capital.

An advertisement outside the factory store for Gobi, Mongolia's best-known luxury fashion brand, which sells cashmere goods, in an industrial part of southern Ulaanbaatar, the nation's capital.

At a modern-looking new community center in the Bayankhoshuu ger district in northwest Ulaanbaatar one afternoon, I met Bilguun Ankhbayar, 19. Boyish but tall, Ankhbayar was a city kid. His grandparents came here 30 years ago, after his grandfather got cancer, and he was born close to this neighborhood in a ger. At 16, he moved into an apartment. But he spends most of his time laser-focused on school. Egged on by his sister, he began studying ecology. He learned English. Now hes taking French lessons. When he has free time, he said, he studies.

Other people my age are studying abroad, he said. But studying abroad would be too much for me because my parents are still struggling.

When the whole family is one place, its harder to want to leave.

Settling Into The City As A Stepping Stone Overseas

After a few years going back and forth between Ulaanbaatar and her daughter in the countryside, Bor decided it was time to reunite the family, to bring her little girl to the city. She got married and moved into her husbands ger.

Ankhiluntsetseg, the daughter, was 7 years old when she first saw the city. It was freezing, but her mom and her new stepdad dragged her to Sukhbaatar Square, the central plaza of the capital and home to the national parliament building with its giant nomadic warrior statues. She was overwhelmed. But she was mostly focused on how the refrigerator was stocked with all kinds of treats shed never had before.

The fridge was very rich, but we didnt even have to cook for ourselves, Ankhiluntsetseg said. Wed always eat out.

By then, Bor was pregnant with the first of her next four kids. She stopped working for a while, and money became tight. When Bor went back to work as a civil servant, in a role akin to a city councilor for her subsection of the ger district, Ankhiluntsetseg stepped in to help raise her siblings, especially when the father was working night shifts.

Last August, however, brought fresh upheaval to their lives. Days of rain  once an unusual occurrence  swelled a reservoir in the hills above the ger district. The dam burst. Cold water gushed through the unpaved roads, filling the pit latrines and spreading raw sewage everywhere. The familys ger washed away in the wave of filth.

An unpaved road in one of Ulaanbaatar's western ger districts, unplanned neighborhoods where nomads fleeing hardship in the countryside come and set up camp.

An unpaved road in one of Ulaanbaatar's western ger districts, unplanned neighborhoods where nomads fleeing hardship in the countryside come and set up camp.

Luckily, Bors mother-in-law lived less than a mile away, and the family was able to move in there for a while. But because Bor worked for the government, she was ineligible for the very public benefits she was making sure her constituents received, part of an anti-graft rule meant to avoid perceptions of low-ranking bureaucrats cashing in on their positions.

The family is slowly rebuilding. But Bors job depends on the ruling Peoples Party winning the June 30 election, since shes a political appointee and would almost certainly be forced out if another party won power. Ankhiluntsetseg turns 18 on June 2, so she will be eligible to vote. She doesnt know yet if she will vote for her moms party, but either way she isnt very invested in the future of her country.

I want to go to Korea and study psychology, said Ankhiluntsetseg, who is about to graduate from hairdressing school in Ulaanbaatar. I love talking to people. When people suffer, I think its important to listen and talk to them. And I want to live in Korea and work in Korea, and I want all my family to come.

Her mother said she understands. She herself has thought about moving to Japan, where the salaries are more than twice as high as in Mongolia.

Deep in my heart, I want to contribute to the development of my country. I really want my country to develop. But the authorities that rule dont have appropriate policies. And in Korea, its just better, Ankhiluntsetseg said. Everyone wants to go abroad. So I want to go abroad.

Mongolias problems have no easy fixes, and it could be decades before Ulaanbaatars infrastructure comes close to matching the needs of its people.

You have to have urban planning, limit people from moving into the city, ask people to start clearing out certain areas that are more prone to flooding and natural disaster, said Lkhaajav, the analyst. You combine all these issues with how the government is trying to solve it. If you look at the past 10, 20 years, it looks like they havent really done anything at all.

Ishtsooj Davagdorj rolls out dough to fry for a cookie-like biscuit called boortsog, a Mongolian staple, one evening in October.

Ishtsooj Davagdorj rolls out dough to fry for a cookie-like biscuit called boortsog, a Mongolian staple, one evening in October.

For Ishtsooj, whose family arrived in Ulaanbaatar a year ago, the dream is to get a U.S. visa. Short of that, she wants to go to whatever developed country will take her.

But how can I go? How can I raise the money? Hopefully my children can someday go to a foreign country, she said. But even the education required to make her kids competitive to work abroad appears out of reach.

My daughter wants to be a teacher. My son wants to be a pilot, she said, then she burst out with an exhausted-sounding laugh.

She leaned in, raised her eyebrows, widened her eyes and raised her voice, as if a louder volume might transcend the language barrier to communicate the absurdity of the situation.

Two tuitions? she said through the translator. How can I pay two tuitions?

Related...
In the past two weeks, hospital admissions due to COVID-19 have gone up 20% in the U.S. and 27% in New Jersey, according to federal Centers for Disease Control data.

And across the state, a pocket shared by Monmouth and Ocean counties is seeing the biggest hike in hospital admissions due to COVID-19.

More: JN.1 variant of COVID-19 growing in Northeast, U.S. What it means?

The area includes Point Pleasant, Brick, Howell, Neptune, Ocean Township and their immediate surroundings. There, the rate of COVID-related hospitalizations per 100,000 residents ranges between 18 and 29. In comparison, that number is 1.5 for the U.S. and 1.6 for New Jersey, or about 14 times less.

The hospital service area around Brick is seeing almost twice the number of COVID-related hospitalizations than the hospital service area closer to Neptune.

With so many at-home COVID tests and with the federal government no longer requiring reports of COVID results, the positivity rate has become a less reliable option to measure the impact of COVID. Hospitalization rates, on the other hand, are now seen as the most reliable benchmark to observe the course of COVID.

While the numbers are going up at the Jersey Shore, COVID-related hospitalizations today are down 85% in Ocean and Monmouth counties in comparison to the hospital admission rate from January 2022, the highest peak of COVID-related hospitalizations in New Jersey.

The Vineland, Perth Amboy and Livingston hospital service areas are also seeing a significant increase in hospital admissions due to COVID-19.

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: COVID-19 hospitalizations on the rise at the Jersey Shore
The Georgia Ports Authority is moving dirt from Hutchinson Island and using it across the Savannah River at Ocean Terminal. Plans are underway for the ports to expand over to Hutchinson Island.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers expects to deny pleas from environmental groups to further extend public comment on a permit request tied to the Georgia Ports Authoritys planned 395-acre island terminal on the Savannah River, a spokeswoman for the agency said this week.

The organizations had asked that the cutoff date  now set for Christmas Day  be pushed back a second time.

Since weve already extended the comment period an additional 30 days, we believe 60 days should be adequate, and extending it further isnt warranted, said Corps of Engineers spokeswoman Cheri Pritchard.

The agencys review of public input will commence after Christmas, she added.

Environmental groups have argued that more time is needed to digest plans for the mega-complex on 500-acre Hutchinson Island.

The public cannot be expected to understand, consider and submit necessary research and data to address the 56-page (corps) application for such an enormous project in just 60 days, specifically addressing the need for a massive new terminal so the port has a 20% excess space, said Jenifer Hilburn, north coast advocate for the 100 Miles organization.

According to the permit application, GPA expects the new terminal, which will house cargo containers, to add 2.7 million 20-foot equivalent units in overall capacity.

Expansion projects already underway are expected to absorb projected growth at the booming ports for another decade. But GPA argues that without added capacity with the proposed terminal, increased activity from 2023 to 2035 will eat away at overflow space.

Maintaining a 20% cushion provides operational flexibility and allows the ports to run efficiently through the peaks and valleys of the shipping season, GPA says in its application.

The permit applies to regulations in the U.S. Clean Water Act regarding the discharge of dredged or fill material into public waters. The ports plan calls for dredging more than 2.5 million cubic yards of material from nearly 30 acres of open water and 8.6 acres of tidal area. Annual maintenance dredging of an estimated 250,000 cubic yards would continue after completion of the project.

On Hutchinson Island, the application calls for filling in nearly 27 acres of freshwater wetlands and 5.6 acres of salt marsh.

The island now includes 127 acres of salt marsh, nearly 41 acres of intertidal or subtidal water bottoms and 36 acres of freshwater wetlands.

Construction continues on Hutchinson Island.

More: What the new Georgia Ports Authority partnership facility means for Port Wentworth

'Serious implications for ... important natural resources,

On Thursday, a coalition of environmental groups called on the Corps of Engineers to thoroughly assess how the terminal would impact the island.

The project site contains various aquatic habitats, including estuarine waters, freshwater marsh, freshwater forested wetlands and mixed hardwood uplands, the organizations said in a 26-page document delivered to the Corps of Engineers Savannah office. This major development project will have serious implications for these important natural resources, and the Corps must fully assess these impacts before approving the project.

The Southern Environmental Law Center drafted the document on behalf of the Savannah Riverkeeper, Georgia Conservancy, Ogeechee Riverkeeper, One Hundred Miles, South Carolina Coastal Conservation League and South Carolina Wildlife Federation.

Among the specific recommendations:

Documentation by the Corps of Engineers of any potential environmental impacts of the project. The groups argue that the review is required by the federal National Environmental Policy Act.

Submission of a thorough statement of purpose and need that justifies GPAs growth projections, and evidence that it has explored all viable alternatives to the new island terminal.

An analysis of the projects potential impact beyond the site.

Without that information, Chatham County residents would be unaware of the many ways in which the proposed project could directly impact their lives, through increased truck traffic, air and noise pollution, water quality impacts, and more, the groups contend.

Consideration of development fueled by the ports growth.

The heightened investment in the Savannah port has already triggered a parallel surge in the development of warehouses and distribution centers near the port related to the project and ongoing expansion efforts, the groups say.

Roughly 200 million square feet of warehouse space is either operating or under construction in coastal Georgia and just across the Savannah River in Jasper County, according to a report released in October from some of the same groups.

An accounting of the projects potential impact on storm-water runoff and flooding.

More: Warehouse boom threatens coastal Georgia communities, environmental groups say

Consideration of communities nearest the project site.

About 96 percent of residents within one mile of the proposed terminal are people of color, and 60% are considered low-income, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. The same people face more exposure to particulate matter and other pollutants than 90% of the population, the EPA says.

John Deem covers climate change and the environment on the Georgia coast. He can be reached at jdeem@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Corps of Engineers likely to deny more comment on Port permit application
Exterior of the Walls Unit before Robert Frattas scheduled execution at the Texas State Penitentiary Walls Unit on Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2023 in Huntsville. Fratta a former police officer, was convicted in the 1994 death of his estranged wife, 33, in a murder-for-hire plot he orchestrated. Karen Warren/Staff photographer Arthur Brown Jr. is on death row for capital murder following the deaths of four people during a 1992 drug rip at a southwest Houston home. Harris County District Attorney Graciela Quinones, the mother of Jessica Quinones, wipes away tears after Judge Natalia Cornelio didnt decide an execution date for death row inmate Arthur Brown, who in 1992 killed several people during a home invasion, Monday, July 25, 2022, at Harris County Criminal Courts at Law in Houston. A jury convicted Brown the following year in the deaths of Jose Tovar, 32; Jessica Quinones, 19, who was seven months pregnant; Frank Farias, 17; and their 21-year-old neighbor, Audrey Brown. Yi-Chin Lee / Staff photographer Graciela Quinones, left, and Tito Quinones, the mother and brother, of Jessica Quinones, leaves 351st Distrct Court after Judge Natalia Nata Cornelio didnt decide an execution date for death row inmate Arthur Brown, who in 1992 killed several people during a drug rip, Monday, July 25, 2022, at Harris County Criminal Courts at Law in Houston. Yi-Chin Lee/Staff photographer Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg speaks after Robert Frattas execution at the Texas State Penitentiary Walls Unit on Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2023 in Huntsville. Frattas execution was moved forward after a Travis County judge issued an injunction over using expired lethal injection drugs. Fratta, a former police officer, was convicted in the 1994 death of his estranged wife, 33, in a murder-for-hire plot he orchestrated. Karen Warren/Staff photographer Daryl Wheatfall, center, sits between his defense team as he listens to opening statements in District Court 178 for a retrial of the punishment phase for his conviction of the 1990 deaths of a married couple, held at the Harris County Criminal Courthouse Monday, Oct. 23, 2023 in Houston. Michael Wyke/Contributor Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo holds a photo of Jose Gilberto Rodriguez, 46, during a press conference Monday, July 16, 2018. Jay R. Jordan Jeffery Prevost pleaded guilty for capital murders of Sherry White and her son, Kyle Lavergne. Karen Warren/Staff

Texas death row population is at its lowest level in decades and fewer defendants condemned to die by Harris County juries are being executed or sent to death row.

The Texas Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty said in its annual report that 2023 marked the smallest death row population in more than 38 years, with a third of those coming from Harris County convictions. As of December, 67 inmates from Harris County remain on death row, according to Texas Department of Criminal Justice records.

The state put to death eight people this year  two of whom were from the Houston area. The number of executions was higher than during the pandemic, but lower than the years prior, according to state records.

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During District Attorney Kim Oggs two-term tenure, seven inmates with cases in her jurisdiction have been executed, while four people have been added to death row, county records show.

Here are key moments from Harris County death penalty cases in 2023:

Two executions in 2023

Death row inmate Arthur Brown, who in 1992 killed several people during a drug rip, appears virtually in 351st Distrct Court for his unsigned execution order Monday, July 25, 2022, at Harris County Criminal Courts at Law in Houston. Yi-Chin Lee / Staff photographer

Fierce legal battles were waged in the final hours of death row inmates Robert Fratta and Arthur Brown, whose convictions in Harris County decades earlier had garnered the most serious punishment in Texas. Brown was executed in March and Fratta in January.

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Lawyers tried to halt Browns death by arguing to higher courts that he was intellectually disabled and that prosecutors wrongfully withheld evidence that could have earned him a new trial. He spent more than 30 years on death row for execution-style killings during a 1992 home invasion.

Brown professed his innocence before dying by lethal injection.

The Office of Capital and Forensic Writs took over Browns case in 2022 after his previous lawyer said he was unable to properly pursue the intellectual disability claim despite having found evidence to support it. As a child, Brown had a low IQ score and took special education classes, the lawyer learned. His mother frequently drank alcohol while pregnant with Brown, according to court records.

The case prompted debate over judicial discretion in whether a state district court judge can decide not to sign a warrant ordering a death row inmates execution date.

Robert Fratta is a death row inmate who was convicted in the murder-for-hire slaying of his wife. Death row is on the Polunsky Unit in Livingston, Texas. Nov. 15, 2017. Keri Blakinger/Houston Chronicle

Fratta, meanwhile, said nothing before his death as his son watched. He was condemned to die in the murder-for-hire slaying of his estranged wife.

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The former police officers execution was delayed by hours as a legal contest unfolded over expired drugs slated to be used in his death.

Frattas accomplices remain on death row but without an execution date.

Some leave death row

At least two men with Harris County cases were taken off death row this year after serving a combined 46 years.

The Court of Criminal Appeals ruled to remove Joseph Jean from death row in April after the 230th District Court judge determined he had an intellectual disability that would preclude him from execution.

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He is now serving a life sentence without parole at the Estelle Unit.

Jean, 51, was convicted in 2011 of killing two teen girls having a sleepover while breaking into his ex-girlfriends Baytown home. The residence was then set on fire.

Syed Rabbani, death row inmate of Bangladesh. Houston Staff Photo/Houston Post

Syed Rabbani, 58, was sentenced in November to life in prison with parole after serving 35 years waiting to die. During that time, his appeal languished as defense attorneys, prosecutors and judges ignored his case. An expert had deemed Rabbani incompetent to be executed but no action was taken, records show.

Public defenders recalled finding Rabbani surrounded by his own filth and unable to move while visiting him at his Estelle Unit medical cell.

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Rabbani remains at the Estelle Unit with a newly-imposed life sentence. He is eligible for parole because a life sentence without parole did not exist at the time of his 1988 conviction. His lawyers have asked that Rabbani be placed in hospice care or paroled but that decision is up to the state Board of Pardons and Parole.

Death penalty cases end

A jurys verdict in November returned Daryl Wheatfall to death row after a higher court ruled years earlier that he should have a new punishment trial over faulty jury instruction. Jurors in 1991 were prohibited from considering mitigating evidence for their decision, such as Wheatfalls level of education, mental health or family dynamic as a child and how that shaped him.

His defense attorneys argued in the new trial that Wheatfall, 57, was no longer a threat to those around him, citing his declining health and injuries that require a cane to walk.

Wheatfall professed his innocence after the verdict and pointed blame at his convicted accomplice for carrying out the deaths of a Sunnyside couple. He also blamed prosecutors for using decades-old prison disciplinary history to depict him as a danger to society.

Wheatfall was convicted in 1991 for killing a married couple over a $50 debt.

In another case, lawyers avoided a death penalty trial by agreeing to a last minute plea deal that would instead keep Jose Gilberto Rodriguez, 51, imprisoned for life without parole. The case was set to pick a jury within days and prosecutors had intended to seek death as a punishment.

Rodriguez was arrested after a weeklong 2018 crime spree that left three people dead.

His attorney, Anthony Osso, said Rodriguez had had no issues during his five years in jail, adding that prosecutors also determined he was no longer a danger to anyone. The multiple life sentences saved Harris County taxpayers about $1.5 million that would have gone to waging a death penalty trial and any post-conviction legal proceedings.

Cases to watch in 2024

Judge Brian E. Warren listens to lawyers as they gather in the 209th District Courtroom as they wait for Xavier Davis, who is accused in a murder-for-hire plot that killed three people, including a child on Tuesday, July 26, 2022 in Houston. Prosecutors are expected to announce to the judge in the 209th District Court that they will seek the death penalty. Elizabeth Conley, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer

Xavier Davis, accused in a 2021 triple killing of two adults and a child, is slated for trial next September and prosecutors are expected to ask jurors to convict and sentence him to death. The trial setting was scheduled in November after authorities accused Davis, 30, of assaulting a detention officer at the jail.

The countys Capital Committee consisting of a dozen or so senior prosecutors recommended in 2022 that death be sought as a punishment in Davis case.

For those already on death row, concerns that at least two inmates have an intellectual disability that could prevent their execution are expected to come front-and-center in the coming months.

A district court judge has already concluded that Tomas Gallo, 48, on death row since 2004, is intellectually disabled and ineligible to be executed.

The Court of Criminal Appeals is expected in the coming months to issue a ruling in Gallos case that could either uphold that conclusion or counter it entirely.

Harlem Lewis walks into the courtroom to learn the verdict in his death penalty case at the Harris County Criminal Courthouse on Tuesday, July 29, 2014, in Houston. Jurors deliberate for 12 hours over a 2 days, and sentenced his to death. ( Mayra Beltran / Houston Chronicle ) Mayra Beltran/Staff

Prosecutors have not disputed Gallos disability claim but opposed similar attempts for relief by lawyers for death row inmates Harlem Lewis and Jeffery Prevost, both of whom have been on death row since 2014.
One man has been killed and multiple others injured in a shooting at a mall in Ocala, Florida  with the suspect still at large.

The shooting broke out just before 3.40pm on Saturday afternoon at Paddock Mall, police said at a press conference on Saturday evening.

Authorities said they believe the shooting was a targeted act of violence and that the person killed  a man who has not been named  was the target.

The suspect was described as a Black male wearing all-black attire with a mask partially covering his face, with police adding that he fled the mall being undetected.

As well as the victim killed, a woman suffered a gunshot wound to her leg and is being treated at the hospital.

Police added that multiple others were injured though the exact number and their conditions are not currently clear. None of the victims names were released.

A firearm was recovered from the scene. The mall will be shut down for at least the next 12 hours, and police urged all shoppers who may have witnessed the shooting to come forward to provide information.

The worst thing we can imagine this time of the year, the officer said.

Earlier, Ocala Police said in a post on X that officers were responding to an active shooting situation that occurred at the Paddock Mall.

There is a heavy police presence on scene and we will provide more information as it becomes available. Please avoid the area at this time, the statement read.

A SWAT Team, ambulances, fire services and police cars were seen arriving at the scene, according to Ocala Star-Banner.

Ten minutes later, police said that the shooting was no longer active and that the suspect is believed to have fled.

UPDATE: There is no longer an active shooting situation. There are multiple people injured. The suspect is believed to have fled. The mall is being evacuated at this time. Please avoid the area as police investigate. https://t.co/j8Uk5iYjob  Ocala Police (@ocalapd) December 23, 2023

There is no longer an active shooting situation. There are multiple people injured. The suspect is believed to have fled. The mall is being evacuated at this time. Please avoid the area as police investigate, the post read.

The mall is located at 3100 SW College Road.

The Independent has reached out to Ocala Police.
A neighbor forced her way into the Southern California home of Two and a Half Men actor Charlie Sheen and attacked him, authorities said Friday.

Los Angeles County Sheriffs deputies responded to Sheens home at about 1 p.m. Wednesday in the 6000 block of Cavalleri Road in Malibu regarding a battery/disturbance call, according to a department statement.

Upon contacting the parties involved, deputies identified Charlie Sheen as a victim of assault, the sheriff added.

Electra Schrock was arrested and booked on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon and residential burglary, officials said.

Shes due to appear in court on Friday.

It wasnt immediately clear if she had hired or been assigned an attorney. Messages left for family members of the suspect were not immediately returned.

The 58-year-old actor and son of Emmy winner Martin Sheen has enjoyed a long and successful career with credits on big-screen blockbusters like Platoon, Eight Men Out, Wall Street and Major League.

And for eight seasons, he was the star of CBS hit sitcom Two and a Half Men.

But Sheen might be best known to younger fans for his spectacular fallout with Two and a Half Men creator Chuck Lorre, leading to the actors termination.

In a series of ranting interviews and other public appearances, Sheen continued ripping into Lorre, punctuating his remarks with the coined phrases winning and tiger blood.

Sheen has said hes come to regret those tirades, which hes blamed on drugs and immaturity.

The actor now leads a very calm, decidedly down-to-earth life in Malibu, neighbor Mandana Brenden said.

Hes really mellow and really, really nice. I see him at the mailbox all the time, said Brenden, who manufactures and designs handheld fans and parasols. Hes always with his son.

This story first appeared on NBCNews.com.

This article was originally published on TODAY.com
Clark County School District in Nevada sued on behalf of an autistic student who was attacked in an alleged hate crime earlier this year (KSNV)

The family of a Jewish student with autism in Las Vegas is suing the citys school district after the then-17-year-old returned home with a swastika etched into his back.

The lawsuit was announced on Thursday by The Lawfare Project, a non-profit working to defend the civil and human rights of Jewish people. The attorneys argue that the student, now 18, suffered federal and state civil rights violations.

According to the complaint, the student, who has remained anonymous, is non-verbal and came home with the antisemitic symbol carved into his skin on 9 March while he was a 17-year-old student at Clark High School.

Attorneys for his family claim that he did not receive the special education support he was entitled to under federal and state regulations. Court records state that an aid was supposed to be by his side the entire day, including when the attack occurred.

Most of the students day was spent inside a self-contained classroom. He took general education classes for 37 per cent of the day. The complaint states that the Clark County School District (CCSD) denied any knowledge of the incident occurring.

In a statement, a representative for the school district said, The district does not comment on pending litigation.

The student is currently receiving at-home instruction due to the districts failure to ensure his safety and teach him skills to communicate his needs, self advocate, as well as many others, the suit states.

The family would like the student to remain on home instruction until an appropriate programme can be identified. According to the complaint, the student has been attending the autism program in the CCSD since preschool but has made minimal, if any, educational progress.

This horrific act against a defenseless Jewish student is a stark reminder of the deeply rooted issue of antisemitism that persists in our society, Ziporah Reich, the firms director of litigation, said.

Furthermore, the failure of the Clark County School District to conduct a proper investigation into this incident is evidence of the systemic apathy that exists towards Jews who are targeted by hate-crimes.

A news release states that the perpetrators of the attack remain at large. The family is also seeking that the school district reimburse them for attorneys fees, expert fees and expenses relating to the students at-home education.
The Village of Newcomerstown Fire Department has responded to 99 runs in its eight months as a volunteer team. They recently worked with Med Flight for training in assisting with the landing of helicopters, identifying hazards in the flight path of the approaching aircraft and training with rescue tools.

The Attorney Generals office is still occupying the Newcomerstown Fire Station and oversees and controls the assets of the former Newcomerstown Emergency Rescue Squad, but has given Fire Chief Jeff Parks permission to begin starting the vehicles each month. With this check, one ambulance, the ladder truck and brush truck were unable to be started due to expired batteries.

In other business, council approved: A lot split at 218 Main St, the former location of the Watts True Value. The building is now owned by Mariah Watson.

Village Solicitor Mark Perlaky swears in councilman Jay Lambes and Mayor Patrick Cadles for their new terms in office.

 A grant assistance program in the amount of $3,000 for ARTSNCT to create a downtown historic mural in the summer.

 An ordinance setting the pay for village employees in 2024.

 The purchase of body cameras for the Village Police Department from LensLock at a cost of $23,970.

 Newcomerstown resident Dave Hickman as a member of the Zoning Board for a term of five years.

Cadle closed the meeting by recapping the many grants the village has applied for and what they will mean for Newcomerstown and projects planned for the next five years.

The first meeting in January will be held at 7 p.m. Tuesday, as Monday is a holiday. The meetings are held at the village administration offices located at 308 S. College Street.

Open council seat Mayor Cadle announced via the Newcomerstown Mayors Facebook Page Dec. 14, there is an open council seat for the term beginning Jan. 1. Those interested should send a resume and letter of interest to the mayors office at 308 S. College Steet, Newcomerstown, Ohio 43832. The deadline to apply is Friday. Council and mayor will make a decision prior to the next meeting.

To submit items to Newcomerstown News, email kkwilkin61@gmail.com.

This article originally appeared on The Times-Reporter: Highlights from the Newcomerstown Village Council meeting
Ukrainian low-cost airline SkyUp has not stopped flying despite the war with Russia.

The airline is surviving off of cargo flights and so-called "ACMI" contracts with foreign operators.

SkyUp says it plans to fly passengers again soon thanks to its new subsidiary based in Malta.

Ukraine's aviation sector came to a screeching halt when Russia invaded in February 2022, with Ukraine forced to indefinitely close its airspace and cancel all passenger service.

Even before the attack, aircraft lessors started repositioning their planes out of Ukraine and into places like Estonia, Spain, and France.

The empty skies and depleting fleets left the country's home airlines with few options, and many soon collapsed  including flag carrier Ukrainian International Airlines, which is currently crumbling under more than $500 million in debt, per Forbes.

But young budget airline SkyUp, which was launched in 2018 and already successfully weathered one tidal wave that was the coronovirus pandemic, managed to survive.

Famous for allowing its female flight attendants to ditch heels and skirts for pants and sneakers, SkyUp  and Ukraine's aviation market as a whole  was on the rise before the war started.

After launching in 2018 as a charter carrier, Skyup, as a scheduled passenger airline, carried more than 2.5 million people across some 16,000 flights in 2021.

It was right on the heels of veteran UIA's 2.8 million passengers the same year, making it one of the fastest-growing airlines in Europe. But when the war halted everything, SkyUp had to pivot its strategy.

CEO Dmytro Seroukhov told Business Insider that without the cash flow from selling passenger seats, SkyUp has turned its focus to cargo, charter, and so-called"ACMI" contracts, where the airline contracts its aircraft and crew to a customer.

SkyUp is banking on the lucrative ACMI market

While global airlines commonly own a large chunk of their fleet, many also contract from airlines like SkyUp. In this case, that involves the Ukrainian carrier supplying aircraft, crews, maintenance, and insurance, or ACMI for short, to foreign operators.

Seroukhov told BI that the ACMI market was new to SkyUp and that it had to adjust quickly as wartime set in. The carrier has since established agreements with close to 20 different airlines, like Air Albania, Air Moldova, and Hungary's Wizz Air.

The ACMI business was able to quickly kick off because nearly all of SkyUp's planes had been evacuated from Ukraine ahead of time, giving it room to shift its operations.

"We had alarms from insurance companies and other partners that something should happen. We didn't know when or exactly what, but we needed to be prepared where possible," Seroukhov told BI. "So, we re-built our schedule and re-based our aircraft outside of Ukraine."

Meanwhile, one of its planes got left behind and was eventually rescued from the war-torn country in April 2023, which Seroukhov said took approximately 1,000 people to accomplish.

SkyUp is famous for letting its female cabin crew wear sneakers and pants instead of heels and pencil skirts. Reuters

With its once-stranded plane back in operation, SkyUp now has a 10-strong fleet of Boeing 737 aircraft to power its ACMI business, Seroukhov said.

In the seven months between April 1 and November 1 of this year, SkyUp's ACMI business carried more than 1 million passengers across 43 countries and 440 different routes. And it was among the 20 largest ACMI providers in Europe for June 2023, according to SkyUp.

The CEO stressed the importance of continued partnerships to ensure SkyUp's employees  who Seroukhov said stretch from Canada to Australia, but are primarily located in Ukraine  continue to have jobs.

"If our team continues to work they may have a salary, and if they have a salary, they can support themselves and their families," he said. "It is key not just the operations, but support for our people, and, in parallel, the support of Ukraine."

SkyUp is looking for a future in Malta and North America

With its survival hinging on continued ACMI and charter contracts, SkyUp has since secured operating certificates in the US and Canada as it looks to expand into the lucrative North American market. "We are in negotiations with several possible partners," Seroukhov said.

The airline does not plan to stop there. Earlier this year, SkyUp received permission to operate as an official EU carrier based in Malta.

The airline has since set up a subsidiary called SkyUp Malta and offers ACMI contracts, but plans to also launch charter services and passenger flights to leisure destinations starting in 2024.

One of the aircraft registered to SkyUp Malta, which entered service in May 2023. GordZam/iStock

With the war with Russia still raging, SkyUp will have further challenges to face, including getting more aircraft and expanding its operating licenses to more nations.

But Seroukhov said the company's strong culture and the resiliency of its people will get it not only through the conflict but also allow it to one day return to Ukraine.

"When the war is finished, and Ukraine wins, SkyUp will restart with absolutely new intentions," he told BI. "Before, the intention was to open Ukraine to the world and open the world for Ukrainians. Tomorrow, the idea will be to connect, and to bring home a lot of Ukrainians."

Read the original article on Business Insider
Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-Calif.) warned efforts to prevent former President Trump from getting on the ballot in his state could be a political distraction Thursday.

There is no doubt that Donald Trump is a threat to our liberties and even to our democracy, Newsom said Friday in a statement, which was first reported by Politico. But, in California, we defeat candidates at the polls.

Everything else is a political distraction, he added.

His comments come after California Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis said the state should look into every legal option to remove Trump over 14th Amendment concerns.

While some efforts to keep the former president off primary ballots have failed  including challenges in Michigan and Minnesota  one state was successful in its effort to bar Trump over his alleged role in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol.

The Colorado Supreme Court on Tuesday removed Trump the states Republican primary ballot under the 14th amendments insurrection clause in a 4-3 ruling. The high court concluded that the former president had engaged in an insurrection by inflaming his supporters with false claims of election fraud and directing them to the Capitol.

Kounalakis suggested the ruling was inspiration to try to launch her own challenge in the Golden State, appealing to California Secretary of State Shirley Weber (D).

Based on the Colorado Supreme Courts ruling  I urge you to explore every legal option to remove former President Donald Trump from Californias 2024 presidential primary ballot, Kounalakis wrote to Weber (D).

This decision is about honoring the rule of law in our country and protecting the fundamental pillars of democracy, she added.

Under the insurrection clause, anyone who has taken an oath of office is prohibited from engaging in an insurrection or rebellion against the U.S. government. The Colorado Supreme Court determined Tuesday that the clause does cover the office of the president.

We do not reach these conclusions lightly, the state Supreme Court wrote in its decision. We are mindful of the magnitude and weight of the questions now before us. We are likewise mindful of our solemn duty to apply the law, without fear or favor, and without being swayed by public reaction to the decisions that the law mandates we reach.

Like Newsom, activists and other Democrats have shown caution around the recent Colorado ruling.

Rep. Dean Phillips (D-Minn.), who is challenging Biden for the Democratic presidential nomination, said that it is wrong to keep Trump from the ballot.

Do I believe Trump is guilty of inspiring an insurrection and doing nothing to stop it? I was there. Absolutely, Phillips wrote on X, formerly Twitter. Do I believe its wrong to ban him from the ballot in Colorado without a conviction? Absolutely. Do I believe the SCOTUS must opine immediately? Absolutely.

The Hill has reached out to Newsoms office for comment.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Winnipeg Jets' Neal Pionk, Vladislav Namestnikov (7), Nino Niederreiter (62) and Cole Perfetti (91) celebrate Niederreiter's goal against the Boston Bruins during the second period of an NHL hockey game Friday, Dec. 22, 2023, in Winnipeg, Manitoba. (John Woods/The Canadian Press via AP)

WINNIPEG, Manitoba (AP)  Nino Niederreiter scored a pair of power-play goals and had an assist to help the Winnipeg Jets defeat the Boston Bruins 5-1 on Friday night.

Winnipegs Gabriel Vilardi extended his goal-scoring streak to five games with a goal and one assist, while Josh Morrissey and Adam Lowry also scored goals. Mark Scheifele contributed a pair of assists for the Jets, who have points in five consecutive games and are 8-1-1 their past 10 outings.

We came out wanting to win the game and go into the Christmas break with a good feeling, Niederreiter said. I think we left it all on the line. I think we gave ourselves the feeling that we can compete against anyone.

They also stretched a franchise record by holding opponents to three or fewer goals in 22 consecutive games.

Connor Hellebuyck made 24 saves to help Winnipeg finish a four-game homestand 3-0-1.

Boston defenseman Brandon Carlo spoiled Hellebuycks shutout bid with 5:38 remaining in the third period. The Jets failed to clear the puck and Carlos shot on net went in off a Winnipeg player.

Jeremy Swayman stopped 28 shots  including a penalty shot  for the Bruins, who fell to 1-1-3 in their past five games. Boston had won six straight meetings with Winnipeg before Fridays loss.

We know how good they are, so thats a big standard that we want to be in the league, Morrissey said. I think we did a great job and everybody feels great.

Bruins coach Jim Montgomery said he had a bad feeling at his teams morning skate.

I was worried this morning, I dont really know why, he said. It wasnt really because of anything I had noticed, I just had that feeling. Its all excuses, anything I give you. We werent good.

Morrissey put the Jets on top 1-0 with 7.8 seconds remaining in the first period, putting home the rebound of Vilardi's shot.

Dominant. Dominant, Jets coach Rick Bowness said of Morrisseys first period. He can take over the game. Both sides of the puck. He loves the challenges. He just loves to be challenged. And he rises to it.

Vilardi made it 2-0 when he banged the puck in from the side of the net at 11:17 of the second period. Niederreiter made it 3-0 with a power-play goal from the side of the net with 2:29 remaining in the period.

I think our start wasnt very good, Carlo said. We didnt come to play tonight and thats on us. They did and it showed, especially in the first period and then throughout the game. We didnt really get much momentum at any point.

Niederreiter scored his second power-play goal with 19 seconds remaining in the third period.

UP NEXT

Jets: Travel to Chicago to face the Blackhawks on Wednesday.

Bruins: Play the second of a back-to-back set Saturday in Minnesota.

___

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl
Security cameras outside The Beacon on the corner of Prairie and Caroline streets on Monday, Feb. 7, 2022, in Houston. Godofredo A. Vasquez/Staff photographer

Facing a stagnating police force, Houston Police Chief Troy Finner is asking everyone in the city, both business owners and individual residents, to install security cameras and license plate readers in a bid to tamp down on crime.

The initiative, dubbed Project Safe View, has not yet received any city funding to help purchase cameras, Finner said. But he said the measure, if widely adopted, would help detectives with their investigations and serve as a possible deterrent to would-be criminals.

If criminals knew, coming into this city, that on every block was some type of camera or license plate reader, that might help deter crime, he said.

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Some local groups, such as the Houston Association of Realtors, have praised the initiative, arguing it can only help safeguard Houstonians. But an expert who has closely studied the use of cameras and law enforcement says research shows more cameras might help the departments clearance rates. But cameras use as a deterrent to crime is far less clear.

They can be good for investigations, but not for deterring crime in the first place, said Penny Geyer, a doctoral lecturer at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York.

Some research has shown temporary declines in crime in the immediate aftermath of a cameras installation, Geyer said. But any improvements are short-lived.

There have been several instances in recent months where Houston investigators have used cameras and license plate readers to make arrests in high-profile crimes, including one homicide.

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Police in April arrested a man in the March fatal shooting of San Antonio-based rapper BTB Savage after an investigation in which detectives used cameras to track down a suspect.

Kiley Rapier, 2024 co-chair for the Houston Association of Realtors governmental affairs advisory group, said her group has been working with police for months on the new initiative, calling it a positive step that could help make the city safer.

As a resident of Houston and a full-time Realtor, safety is always one of the top concerns of people moving to the city and those already living here, she said. This technology is already in use in smaller ways, but this has been described as a game changer and a deterrent to future criminal activity.

While the initiative is new, Rapier said shes seen a growing number of clients opt to install some sort of security measure in their homes in recent years, including Google or Ring cameras.

More than 90% of the Houston Police Departments budget goes to staffing, covering around 5,200 officers and additional staff, records show. But as of April, the department had 342 fewer full-time equivalent officers than it had 25 years ago, not counting the increase in the citys population since then.

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Finner has referenced that shortage when talking about the new initiative.

Weve talked about staffing in the Houston Police Department, he said. Were short, just like any other city in the nation at this moment. We need a force multiplier. And cameras and license plate readers, on every block, if we can, is a good thing.

Incoming Mayor John Whitmire talked at length ahead of the election about different measures that might help reduce crime in the city, following a University of Houston poll showing the majority of voters considered the matter their top priority.

Whitmire in talks ahead of the election said he planned to keep Finner in place should he win the job.

Representatives for Whitmire declined to comment on whether hed support providing city funds for the initiative.
Spencer Elden at the Pasadena Aquatic Center in California, the location of the album cover photoshoot - Splash News

An appeals court in the United States has revived a claim against Nirvana for allegedly distributing child abuse images on the cover of the bands 1991 album Nevermind.

Spencer Elden, who was the four-month-old baby depicted naked on the album cover, claims that the band and their label have caused him physical, psychological, financial, and reputational damages by selling more than 30 million copies of a photograph that features his penis.

He is seeking damages of $130,000 (102,000).

The claim was first heard last year at a court in California, which ruled that Mr Elden had waited too long to bring his case and that it fell outside of a 10-year statute of limitations.

It did not rule on the substance of the claim, noting: The question whether the Nevermind album cover meets the definition of child pornography is not at issue in this appeal.

A defence lawyer for the band said at the time that the case was meritless.

However, the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit has now revived the claim and says that the republication of the album in the last decade may constitute a new personal injury, including a re-released version in 2021.

Its kind of creepy

Mr Elden was photographed by Kirk Weddle at the Pasadena Aquatic Center in California, swimming towards a dollar bill on a fish hook in a photoshoot for which his parents were paid $200.

The cover has since been rated as the third-best sleeve of all-time in a poll of readers of Rolling Stone magazine.

Mr Elden is suing the bands surviving members, Dave Grohl and Krist Novoselic, plus Kurt Cobains widow, Courtney Love, and Mr Weddle, in a civil suit.

His attorney said that he was very pleased with the [appeal courts] decision and looks forward to having his day in court.

In a 2007 interview with MTV, Mr Elden said he felt uncomfortable with the album cover.

Its kind of creepy that many people have seen me naked, he said. I feel like the worlds biggest porn star.

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Munich's Harry Kane reacts after the third goal for Munich was disallowed during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Bayern Munich and VfB Stuttgart at the Allianz Arena. Kane has found a home in Munich after four months in Germany where he has become an instant hit as Bundesliga top scorer. Lukas Barth-Tuttas/dpa

England striker Harry Kane has found a home in Munich after four months in Germany where he has become an instant hit as Bundesliga top scorer.

Kane joined Bayern from Tottenham Hotspur in late August and lived in a hotel, with his family staying in England.

But according to a post on social media platform X, formerly Twitter, the England captain has now found a home, as he thanked the hotel staff for his time there.

"A massive thank you to the hotel staff who have made me feel at home since moving to Munich. Its been a huge part of being able to settle in so well," Kane said.

"Thomas Muller was worried my room was getting too small so time to check out and into a place of my own with my family."

Kane was referring to a light-hearted claim from team-mate Muller that his hotel room was getting too small because he was taking home the balls after scoring three hat-tricks for Bayern since his arrival. Kane has scored a league-leading 21 goals for Bayern.
For many, Christmas Day marks the main event of the holiday season but for others the real fun starts the night before.

Many Latinx, Hispanic and Filipino communities celebrate Nochebuena on Dec. 24 also known as Christmas Eve. Nochebuena translates to "the good night" and is celebrated in distinct ways by different cultures and religions.

The holiday has long ties to Catholicism and celebrates the night before the birth of Christ.

However, the essence of Nochebuena is the feeling of togetherness, according to Azul Barrientos, a musician from Mexico City now based in San Antonio.

"Beyond the religion, the way that I understand it, it's about love, it's about togetherness, it's about the opportunity for rebirth or reconnection," Barrientos told USA TODAY. "It's almost like that's the end of the cycle for me. Not really New Year's. For me it's Nochebuena."

93-year-old vet missed Christmas cards. Now he's got more than 600, from strangers nationwide.

Producers prepare potted poinsettias for sale in the San Luis Tlaxialtemalco district of Mexico City, Thursday, Dec. 14, 2023. The universal Christmas icon is native to Mexico where the poinsettia is commonly known as "la flor de Nochebuena" or Christmas Eve Flower and by some as "cuetlaxochitl", as it is called in Nahuatl. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte) ORG XMIT: OTKMXMU109

How is Nochebuena celebrated?

Ahead of Christmas, families often attend Misa de Gallo, a series of nine masses that completes on Nochebuena. Barrientos said the ceremony isn't the typical Sunday Mass session mentioning the distinctive music played. Following church, families and friends gather for a grand feast.

Unlike Christmas, gift giving is not a focal point of Nochebuena. While exchanging gifts are present in some celebrations in the modern day, they're not everywhere.

Barrientos said in central Mexico, she associated gifts with Three Kings Day or Reyes Magos in Spanish instead of Christmas. Instead with Nochebuena, she said games were played where the winner would get to hold baby Jesus. She said without gifts the holiday allowed their family to appreciate the "very simple moments."

"In a lot of families that I know it was about the human connection. Telling stories, telling jokes, even crying together, whatever needed to happen, we're there for it. I certainly appreciated that. As I'm getting older, I appreciate it even more," Barrientos said.

Barrientos also added that music is a common way to celebrate the holiday. On Dec. 16 and 17, she performed at the Esperanza Peace and Justice Center in San Antonio for their annual Nochebuena event.

Azul Barrientos performs at the Esperanza Peace and Justice Center's "Noche Azul: Nochebuena" show in San Antonio on Dec. 16, 2023.

How long does las posadas last?

In some towns and villages across Mexico, people carry out traditional Christmas parties called Posadas Navidenas for nine days from Dec. 16th to Dec. 24.

Dr. Timothy Matovina, a theology professor at the University of Notre Dame, said the tradition honors the Virgin Mary and Joseph's journey to Bethlehem where Jesus Christ was born.

"When when they're there, Jesus is born in a stable. So Posada is Mary and Joseph wandering around Bethlehem trying to find a place that will let them in so Christ can be born there," Matovina said.

He added some groups go around neighborhoods house to house singing the "Litany Para Pedir Posada" song until someone lets them into their home where a fiesta is held.

'Cold moon' coming soon: December 2023 full moon will rise soon after Christmas

Recreating the scene of Jesus's birth at home or church

Matovina said families or churches often set up ornate and beautiful decorations to represent the scene of Jesus's birth which is referred to as the "acostada de nino" or "laying of the child" in English.

He said on Nochebuena, typically the youngest family member will place the image of baby Jesus into an empty crib and begin prayer.

"That officially begins the Christmas celebration in the household. They might have more prayers and usually there's going to be some fiesta. They might have exchange of gifts," Matovina said. "When you say Nochebuena in someone's home, that's probably the most common thing you're going to find: A solemn laying of the Christ child in the manger."

What foods are associated with Nochebuena?

Tamales, adobo, lechon and pancit are common dishes at many Nochebuena celebrations.

Barrientos said some of her favorite meals that she associates with the holiday are Romeritos, a Mexican seepweed boiled and dipped in a mole sauce, and bacalao, a salted cod dish with banana peppers.

"I grew up in a very humble home. So we just kind of had the basics and to me that was a feast. To this day that is a feast," she added.

Nochebuena isn't just a Latinx holiday

Nochebuena transcends Latinx culture as it's also been celebrated in the Philippines for centuries. Roughly 86% of the Philippines' estimated 109 million population identifies as Roman Catholic, according to Asia Society.

"That's why (Nochebuena) is still seen as part of Filipino tradition; it's because it is deeply rooted in that past," James Zarsadiaz, associate professor and director of the Yuchengco Philippine Studies Program at the University of San Francisco told USA TODAY in 2021. "Even if you're not necessarily Catholic, Filipinos understand what it means and know what the festivities are all about."

Contributing: Jordan Mendoza

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: How and why Hispanic cultures celebrate Nochebuena on December 24th
NORMAN, Okla. (KFOR)  A man and a five-year-old were shot at a Norman apartment complex Friday night after a verbal argument between a man and a woman according to Norman Police.

| MORE LOCAL NEWS > Have you seen her? 18-year-old woman with autism missing out of OKC >

Officials said that it all began when 27-year-old Demarcus Green was arguing with the mother of his four children on the ground level of the apartment building near 1100 Oak Tree Avenue around 9 p.m.

A 21-year-old man attempted to intervene in the argument and thats when Green went to his vehicle to grab a firearm and fired several shots. Police said that the 21-year-old was shot twice and a five-year-old child was shot in the leg.

The child was shot by accident according to the police report.

The five-year-old was rushed to the hospital before police arrived on the scene, the 21-year-old victim remained, but the suspect Green was not, according to police.

Officials reported that the 21-year-old man was eventually taken to the hospital for treatment and police learned that Green, the 5-year-old, and the mother went to a local hospital earlier.

Police said that Green was arrested at the hospital and later booked into the Cleveland County Detention Center.

| MORE LOCAL NEWS > Gov. Stitt signs executive order to create One Oklahoma Task Force >

Green has been charged with one complaint of Assault with a Deadly Weapon and one complaint of Reckless Conduct with a Firearm, per Norman Police.

According to records his bail is set at over $15,000.

The incident is under investigation by the NPD Criminal Investigations Division.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KFOR.com Oklahoma City.
FAIRFAX COUNTY, Va. (DC News Now)  Gov. Glenn Youngkins proposed two year budget includes the elimination of personal property taxes on vehicles.

According to a study by WalletHub, Virginia levies the highest tax on peoples vehicles of any state in the U.S.

Youngkin proposes eliminating car tax in Virginia, Democrat says the money goes to fund schools

The taxes are calculated as a percentage of a vehicles assessed value, and are collected by counties. On average, Virginians owe about $1,100 each year on a vehicle valued at $26,000.

Youngkin, whos also proposing lower income taxes for all income levels, is proposing to replace the revenue by raising sales taxes in the state.

One driver told DC News Now that he pays about $3,500 a year to own his Audi SUV. Another man said he pays more than $1,000 in taxes for his Ford pickup truck. Both men were enthusiastic about the possible elimination of the tax.

Youngkin proposal to suspend gas tax moves forward after Republicans reject alternative plan from Democrats

I pay enough taxes. They take it out of my paycheck and they take it for a car I already own, the Ford owner said.

Jeff Greenblatt said that he pays about $2,000 a year for his SUV.

I dont know why were paying for it. Basically you end up paying for your car twice that way, he said.

Youngkins proposal faces opposition in the General Assembly already. Incoming State Senate Majority Leader, Scott Surovell, (D-36), said its a crucial tax.

Gov. Youngkin signs law empowering localities to lower tax rates on vehicles

I havent met a single constituent of mine that likes the car tax. I also havent met a single constituent of mine that likes going to the dentist. But we dont abolish dentists, he said. Taxes are things we use to pay for things, and in this case it pays for our schools.

The General Assembly session begins on Jan. 10, 2024.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | Washington, DC.
I want Lush to be the nicest place on the high street, so people will pay the parking fees to visit us, says Mark Constantine - Rachel Adams

The boss of Lush has said the ethical cosmetics chain would definitely return to Russia once the war ends and said he was unwilling to cut ties with the country.

Mark Constantine, the chief executive and co-founder of Lush, said he would not have chosen to stop trading in Russia in the wake of its invasion of Ukraine if not for public pressure on companies to pull out.

Mr Constantine said: It was horrible. I hated it because we have a very diverse workforce and lots of people who probably wouldnt be welcome in Russia.

We had a partner of 20 years in Russia who never cheated, never lied, and we had to tell him we werent going to supply him anymore.

That was asked of us by society. It was difficult, harsh, horrible and not something I would have chosen to do. But we did it.

In March 2022, Lush suspended supplies to its Russian licensee amid a wider exodus by Western companies. It resulted in the closure of all Lush stores in the country.

Lush suspended its supplies to stores in Russia in March 2022 - HEORSHE/ALAMY

Mr Constantine told The Telegraph: Would I go back and do business with that partner in Russia again? Yes, I definitely would. And I would go back to that same business that we had there, but not now.

The stance may surprise many, given Lushs reputation as an ethical cosmetics company.

Since its founding in Dorset in 1995, Left-leaning political campaigning has been as central to the business as its best-selling bath bombs.

Lush has campaigned against everything from animal testing to the death penalty in the US. The companys mission statement was updated in 2018 to include the phrase: We believe that all people should enjoy freedom of movement across the world.

Lush products on display in a Moscow store - HEORSHE/ALAMY

If Im honest, I dont like the term ethical much, Mr Constantine said. Because it just begs someone to say, well he needs knocking off his perch. Most of the time what we do is just what you hope someone might do. Its the bare minimum, I think.

Not everyone agrees. In 2018, Lush put up posters in its shops highlighting misconduct by undercover police officers, featuring the slogan paid to lie.

The campaign was in response to an official inquiry ordered by Theresa May while she was prime minister that uncovered police officers had assumed false identities to infiltrate more than a thousand political groups, in some cases forming long-term relationships with women.

Sajid Javid, the then home secretary, criticised the Lush advertisements, saying they were not a responsible way to make a point. Calum Macleod, the chairman of the Police Federation of England and Wales at the time, called for Lush to cancel the campaign.

Would I do it again? Absolutely, said Mr Constantine. We mainly serve women. Did everyone need to know about it? Yes.

Mr Constantine is quick to say that Lush is not anti-police, were just anti-police doing that.

In fact, he claimed, relations with the police have not been soured by the campaign. Theyve been great with us, they support us.

Good relations come at a time when shoplifting is at epidemic levels. Many rival retail chiefs have complained that police are failing to do enough to tackle the problem.

But Mr Constantine claims to be unconcerned. Look, every retailer knows the way you decrease crime is to have more staff and everyone has cut their staff. Increase staff numbers and crime will go down, its as simple as that, he said.

We dont get too caught up about it anyway. If we were selling televisions, perhaps wed worry, but if people nick a couple of bath bombs? We dont really mind.

Mr Constantine says he doesnt 'really mind' if people 'nick a couple of bath bombs' - NEIL HALL/REUTERS

Lushs campaigning bent extends online. In late 2021, it deleted its Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and Snapchat accounts, saying it would not be returning to social media until companies provide a safer environment for users.

The company cited the Facebook Files as a motive for its actions, a trove of internal documents leaked to The Wall Street Journal showing internal research suggesting Metas social media platforms were damaging to teenage mental health.

Mr Constantine said: Everyone thinks it takes such bravery to not be on social media. But, knowing everything we do about social media, it begs the question why are other brands on it? When youre attracting young women to use social media and youre busy stoking the fire?

Mr Constantines current focus is not on campaigning but on expansion. Earlier in December, Lush said it would spend almost 11m on its UK shops before the end of its financial year, including improving existing sites and opening new locations. It recently opened its first eco-friendly hair salon and has started to offer spa experiences.

Lush is betting on the high street even while others are struggling to make it work. Mr Constantine said: All we can do is try to be the nicest place on the high street, so you will come in and you will pay the parking fees to visit our stores.

As you would expect from Lushs campaigning record, Mr Constantine is not a card-carrying Conservative Party member.

However, despite his personal views, he takes his hat off to the Government for stepping in during Covid and supporting business. Lush was among the retailers who furloughed staff and benefited from a reduction in business rates during the lockdowns.

Weve never had benefit like that from anyone, weve never taken any grants. Im very grateful for that, I understand its not the fashion.

The anti-police 'paid to lie' campaign, which Lush ran in its shop windows - JULIAN SIMMONDS

While Mr Constantine was impressed by Rishi Sunaks generosity as chancellor, his view of him as Prime Minister is very different.

What a disappointment, hes got no real policy, he said. At least I felt Boris did have some beliefs. Theyre out there and people may not like them, but at least he had them.

The decision to accept government support during Covid has led to some hard questions for Lush more recently. The company paid millions of pounds in bonuses in 2022, despite receiving 5.1m in government support and suffering a 90pc profit slump.

Mr Constantine defended the payouts, which he said were related to the purchase of its North American business.

It was bought for 117m, you have to pay bonuses to people if theyre going to pull off a 117m deal for you. We see it in every other business and all through the City and everywhere else. You cant not entice people.

He adds: Its a private company, we do what we like.

Would Lush go public?

It would be very interesting if there was a more socially minded option. What is weird is everyone wants to put their money into social enterprises, but where is it going then? Because there arent many of those companies out there on the market.

Mr Constantine is 71; questions about what happens next for the company he helped set up almost 30 years ago are bound to come up.

He says he plans to keep Lush in the family by handing his and his wifes shares in the company to their three children.

If we werent going to be family-owned, wed be planning to be owned by the staff.

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Elections for many county and town offices in New York will shift to even-numbered years from odd ones under a bill signed Friday by Gov. Kathy Hochul that aims to raise voter participation in those races.

The new law requires elections for county executive, county legislature and town board seats to be held at the same time as voting for state and federal offices, when turnout is much higher. The transition to consolidated elections begins in 2025 with shortened terms for those offices that are on the ballot that year.

Democratic lawmakers, with support from good-government groups, had passed the bill in June over Republican opposition, calling it a boon for democracy. They sought to boost citizen involvement in local races  now decided by typically fewer than a third of registered voters  by putting them on the same ballots as higher-interest contests such as those for governor or president.

Weak turnout: Should Hochul sign bill moving local elections in order to boost voting turnout?

"It will more than double turnout in local races, save taxpayer dollars, and begin to streamline the extremely unconsolidated patchwork of elections in the state," Sen. James Skoufis, an Orange County Democrat who sponsored the bill, said in a press release from Hochul's office touting the legislation.

Hochul, a Democrat, praised the bill as a "meaningful first step," and said she would support a constitutional amendment to move all other races to even-numbered years as well  a measure that Skoufis plans to propose in the coming legislative session. An amendment is needed to move elections for mayor, city council, district attorney, judge and other offices that were omitted from the new law because of obstacles in the state constitution.

Voters fill in their ballots at the Khalil Gibran School in Yonkers on Election Day, Nov. 7, 2023.

Republicans fiercely opposed the election-year shift, calling it a Democratic grab for local offices. They and other opponents also warned that moving county and municipal races to even years would drown purely local issues in the partisan cacaphony of state and federal elections.

"At a time when we should be keeping the divisiveness at the federal and state levels out of our local communities, this bill does the opposite, burying the local issues that impact New Yorkers daily lives at the back of exceedingly long ballots," Stephen Acquario, executive director of the New York State Association of Counties, said in a statement after Hochul's announcement.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul speaks at a media briefing in the Bronx in October 2023.

State Sen. Rob Ortt, the Republican minority leader, claimed the law's "touted benefits" disguised the true goal of "expanding one-party control to every level of government."

Under the law, the final odd-year votes for county executive and legislature in some counties, including Westchester, Rockland and Orange, will take place in 2025, with county executive terms shortened to three years for those elections only. Counties such as Monroe that just had elections last month for four-year county executive terms will have their last odd-year votes for those offices in 2027.

Election shift: NY may move local elections to even years. What does that mean for voter turnout?

Some counties won't have to make those adjustments. At least four of the 18 New York counties that have county executives  Broome, Chautauqua, Chemung and Putnam  already hold elections for those offices in even years.

Chris McKenna covers government and politics for The Journal News and USA Today Network. Reach him at cmckenna@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: NY elections: Some local races moving to even years under new law
Now the jokes on Richard Sharp, the internet prankster who posts videos showing himself trying to steal guns from cops on patrol.

Sharp, 24, found himself in handcuffs after he was busted on a robbery charge after he allegedly displayed a gun as he stole Bob Marley rolling papers from a Midtown smoke shop, police said Saturday.

Wannabe comic Sharp is accused of carrying out the heist on Thursday at Times Square Exotic, a shop on Broadway near Sixth Ave., police said.

If Sharp did knowingly commit the crime, he lacked the smarts to lie low afterward.

On Friday, he allegedly tried to harass a Port Authority police officer at the Port Authority Bus Terminal  who recognized him from an NYPD be on the lookout notice about the smoke shop robbery, and saw to it that Sharp was put in handcuffs.

The smoke shop robbery went down about 4:10 p.m. Thursday. Sharp is accused of grabbing some rolling papers, and headed toward the stores front door without paying.

A store employee blocked Sharps exit. Another person present during the incident, MD Mursalian Fahad, told the Daily News: He was giving my friend a hard time, and was trying to leave.

Sharp stated that he had paid for the rolling papers and had given the money to someone else, but we were the only ones there, said Fahad, a college student who is friendly with a store manager.

Things got weirder. As Sharp pressed his effort to leave the store, he raised his hand in the shape of a gun and began making shooting sounds, Fahad said.

The prankster also identified himself as King David, a name he often references in his internet posts.

When we resisted [Sharp] opened the bag and showed us his firearm, Fahad said. I was terrified for the moment but these things happen. At least no one got hurt.

Sharp also had money in the bag, Fahad said. It wasnt clear why he didnt just dole out some of the cash to pay for the rolling papers.

Instead of taking himself offline for a while, Sharp showed up Friday at the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown, where he approached police officer Bradley DeSalvo near an Eighth Avenue entrance.

An Instagram post from the Port Authority police union  which described Sharp as a YouTuber who films his antagonistic interactions with police officers  described what happened next.

As the YouTuber was about to begin his act with a cohort filming, P.O. DeSalvo had a different trick up his sleeve. DeSalvo recognized him from an NYPD BOLO [Be On the Lookout for] for being wanted for a robbery with a handgun in the confines of the Midtown South Precinct and placed him under arrest.

Its not clear if his cameraman captured the arrest on film, but he can be rest assured that the PAPD did, the union said. Isnt it ironic?

Sharp was recorded being taken to a Port Authority police station for processing on Friday.

Theyre just making me more lit! Thats all theyre doing! Sharp yelled as four cops escorted him to a police station with his hands cuffed behind his back.

Sharp screamed in Officer DeSalvos face as he was escorted through the bus terminal.

Wheres your pipe at? You got your pipe? Sharp asked, looking for DeSalvos firearm. How you comin shorty?

Sharp didnt have a weapon on him when he was taken into custody, cops said.

At arraignment late Friday in Manhattan Criminal Court, Sharp pleaded not guilty to a charge of first-degree robbery. A judge released him without requiring bail.

Internet pranking might not pay much  Sharp was represented at the hearing by a public defender.

Sharp is well-known among Midtown beat cops who he frequently approaches to ask for their service weapons.

Hes originally from Chicago and is a member of the Black Disciple gang, according to an intelligence alert acquired by The News that was shared with rank-and-file officers in March.

[He] is an aspiring comedian/drill rapper that is antagonizing [cops] by attempting to touch their firearms, threatening [cops] and provoking [cops] into physical confrontations, the alert noted. All [cops] should utilize proper tactics and caution when interacting with the above subject.

While some cops have engaged Sharp in playful banter, others have been annoyed by his antics and have warned him to back off.

In one incident earlier this year, he yelled anti-Asian statements at a cop trying to bat his hand away, according to sources.

Get back, Bruce Lee-lookin man, he screamed, according to a video posted on the Asian Dawn Twitter feed. Stop pushing me before I smack your g a!
NYPD detectives have identified a man wanted in connection with the murder of 18-year-old college freshman Denzel Bimpey in Manhattans Flatiron District, police said Saturday.

Thierno Bah, 18, is sought for questioning in the Dec. 15 slaying of Bimpey, who was mistaken as a rival gang member before he was chased down and knifed to death as he returned home from SUNY Morrisville for Christmas break, cops said.

Police released a photo of Bah on Saturday, asking anyone who sees him to call NYPD Crime Stoppers.

Bah has no criminal history in New York City, but was identified as being linked to an argument on a bus from Syracuse to New York City that Bimpey was involved in before the stabbing.

Bimpey and his friends had just ended the five-hour ride when they clashed with another group of college students.

While theyre in Syracuse, the two groups are involved in a verbal dispute where the perpetrator group starts talking some gang language asking our victims group, What block are you from? and they respond, Were not in a gang, NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said at a press briefing last week.

Cops said the victim and his friends had no prior arrests and did not appear to be in a gang. Bimpey and his friends were from the Bronx. The other group was from Harlem.

There is a gang up there called Six Block that is feuding with Nine Block, Kenny said of the Harlem feud. We believe that our victim group may have been mistaken as Nine Block members.

The argument did not turn violent until the group got off the bus in the Flatiron District shortly after 10:30 p.m., officials said.

Bimpey and his friends ran down the block with the other college kids in pursuit, according to Kenny. When the 18-year-old collapsed on Park Ave. South, the other group stopped chasing him, ran to a black SUV and took off.

The college freshman had a pulse on the scene, where cops found a knife and box cutter type of weapon, Kenny said. He had puncture wounds to his chest that were 7 to 8 inches deep, a puncture wound in his right shoulder and a slash to his forearm.

He died of his wounds at Bellevue Hospital.

Kenny said cops did a deep dive on social media and determined that the group that attacked Bimpey and his friends went to Onondaga Community College, about 10 minutes from SUNY Morrisville, where Bimpey was a student. They got on the bus in Syracuse at the same time the guys from the community college got on, he said

This is a common transportation hub where students catch buses, the buses stop along the way coming down south, he noted.

Officials at an upstate school identified Bah as a suspect in Bimpeys death, but the NYPD wouldnt say which school alerted them to his involvement.

No arrests have been made.

Bimpeys family insisted that he was a clean-cut college kid.

He wasnt in any gang, a woman who identified herself at Bimpeys sister said Tuesday. We dont live in Harlem.

Anyone with information regarding Bahs whereabouts is urged to call NYPD Crime Stoppers at (800) 577-TIPS. All calls will be kept confidential.
Shoppers flock to The Woodlands Mall for Black Friday deals on Friday, Nov. 24, 2023, in The Woodlands. Raquel Natalicchio/Staff photographer

To hear Houston police Detective Tim Butler tell it, organized retail theft in Houston has never been worse. Echoing the claims of many business associations and law enforcement agencies across the country this holiday season, Butler told anecdotes about what local people are dealing with.

Its out of control now, he said. Every day, we get more and more calls about how bad it is. Just today, I got two calls from retailers telling me about the influx of people coming in, loading up on things and walking out. No one cares at all.

But a new report from the Council on Criminal Justice raises new doubts about the severity of the problem.

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MORE FROM HOUSTON CHRONICLE: Houston man pleads guilty to Jan. 6 assault, was turned in by Bumble match

Excluding New York City, retail theft is 7% lower than it was before the pandemic, as there were 2,550 fewer incidents, according to the report. But including the city, theft increased by 16%. Shoplifting rates also remained below pre-pandemic levels throughout 2022.

Experts recently cautioned against drawing firm conclusions, given the different things people mean when discussing retail theft, and a lack of reporting from some agencies.

We have seen in many ways reporting down, which is why some data points may paint a different picture than what we are hearing directly from practitioners on the field, said Nelson Bunn, executive director of the National District Attorneys Association.

When experts and retail officials discuss theft, theyre usually talking about two related, but separate issues  shoplifting and organized retail theft.

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Shoplifting is usually a case of theft for personal need, authorities say. Organized retail theft is usually carried out by assailants who sell the goods in online marketplaces for a profit.

The distinction can muddy crime stats and make it harder to for researchers to settle on the scope of the problem.

Retailers merely report an incident and investigators determine whether it was organized, coordinated retail theft, according to the authors of the report. So what counts as organized theft cannot be reliably extracted from crime data.

Sometimes politicians, retailers and law enforcement have been vexed by the numbers, too.

Officials with the National Retail Federation recently retracted claims that organized retail theft was responsible for half of the $94.5 billion that retailers lost nationwide in 2021.

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We stand behind the widely understood fact that organized retail crime is a serious problem impacting retailers of all sizes and communities across our nation, the association said. We recognize the challenges the retail industry and law enforcement have with gathering and analyzing an accurate and agreed-upon set of data to measure the number of incidents in communities across the country.

The one thing all sides agree on is that shoplifting in whatever fashion costs retailers billions of dollars that are passed on to consumers.

The reality is retailers and law enforcement agencies continue to experience daily incidents of theft, partner in large-scale investigations and report recoveries of stolen retail goods into the millions of dollars, the National Retail Federation said.

Butler heads the Houston Police Departments organized retail theft investigations for the major offender division. He didnt have data for how many cases the division handles each year, but acknowledged he only sees the worst cases, typically involving organized teams stealing thousands of dollars in merchandise.

Those cases have been on the rise, Butler said. And he said his view is not swayed by the muddy data.

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Heading into the holidays, these coordinated shoplifting groups focused on stealing perfume, cologne and makeup from Houston area retail stores, Butler said.

The Texas Retailers Association could not be reached for comment.

Another challenge in getting an accurate tally of retail theft is that some shops dont report it to police consistently.

The National Retail Federation produces estimates each year based on survey results from participating retail companies, and calculates something called total shrink loss, the group said. That number includes all financial losses in a given year from internal and external theft, return fraud, administrative errors and operational losses.

Retailers lost about $112.1 billion in 2022, up from $93.9 billion the year before, according to the federation. Thats an 18% increase.

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All the data spotlight another truth about crime statistics. Regardless what the numbers show, consumers, retailers and people like detective Butler know what they feel.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has been reportedly signaling behind closed doors that Russia would be open to a ceasefire along the current frontline, the New York Times reported based on its sources.

Putin's sought ceasefire would mean Russia would keep the territories it illegally occupies in Ukraine, where the population is subject to abductions and summary executions.

He really is willing to stop at the current positions, a former senior Russian official told The New York Times. Hes not willing to retreat one meter, the former official added.

The New York Times wrote that some American officials say that Putin's alleged willingness to end the war, that cost the lives of tens of thousands, could be an attempt to influence opinions and "does not reflect genuine willingness" to end the war.

Ukraine laid out its 10-point "peace formula" in November 2022. One of the key points as a precondition for starting peace talks is the full withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukrainian territory, including the regions illegally annexed by Russia in 2022.

Russian officials have previously reiterated that this would be considered a nonstarter for any negotiations.

According to the New York Times article, Putin also reportedly sent out feelers for a ceasefire deal in the fall of 2022 after Ukrainian forces liberated Kharkiv Oblast, according to American officials, indicating that he was satisfied with Russias captured territory and ready for an armistice.

The signals came through multiple channels, including via foreign governments with ties to both the U.S. and Russia. Unofficial Russian emissaries have reportedly spoken to interlocutors about the contours of a potential deal.

Putin and the Russian army, they dont want to stretch their capacity further, an undisclosed international official told the New York Times.

Dmitri Peskov, the Kremlins spokesman, said Russia was ready for talks, but only for the achievement of its own goals.

There is no reason to start peace negotiations with Ukraine at this moment, Peskov earlier said to reporters on Dec. 20.

The prospect of peace negotiations, including exchanging territory for peace or other significant concessions, is widely unpopular among the Ukrainian population.

A poll released in December 2023 found that 74% of Ukrainians were against such territorial concessions with Russia in exchange for peace.

Ukrainian and Western leaders have also repeatedly said that they do not believe Russia is interested in good-faith peace negotiations.

Read also: Alexander Khrebet: Dont write off Ukrainians living under Russian occupation

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Over 4,000 trucks remain waiting in line to enter Ukraine from Poland ahead of the holiday season, Border Guard Service spokesman Andrii Demchenko said on national television on Dec. 23.

"Work constantly continues to unblock the movement across the entire Polish border but as of this morning four directions remain blocked," said Demchenko.

"The movement across the border continues from Ukrainian and Polish directions but it has dropped significantly compared to the period before Nov. 6 when the protests began on these four directions," he added.

Polish truckers have been blocking four crossings with Ukraine in protest of the EU's liberalization of transit rules for Ukrainian truckers. The blockade has left thousands of Ukrainian truckers stranded in long lines in freezing temperatures.

Ukrainian and Polish officials sought possible solutions to the protests during the visit by Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski to Kyiv on Dec. 22.

Polish Deputy Infrastructure Minister Pawel Gancarz, who accompanied Sikorski on the trip, said he was hopeful about solving the issue before Christmas.

Read also: Anger and disappointment in endless lines of Ukrainian trucks at Polish border

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Flags representing Oklahoma's tribal nations fly outside the Oklahoma Capitol. Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt is forming a new task force to study the impacts of the McGirt v. Oklahoma ruling, which has led to the recognition of several tribal reservations in eastern Oklahoma.

Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt says he is creating a task force to address the negative effects of the McGirt v. Oklahoma decision, the three-year-old U.S. Supreme Court ruling that has led to the recognition of several tribal reservations in eastern Oklahoma.

Stitt issued an executive order Friday to create the task force, saying a recent conflict between county and tribal law enforcement agencies in Okmulgee County served as a stark reminder of the broken system created by the McGirt decision. Questions about what agencies have jurisdiction on tribal reservations can leave law enforcement officers and crime victims at risk, he said.

Stitt ordered the 13-person task force to deliver a report by June 1 with recommended legal and policy changes. As one example, he called for standard cross-deputization agreements between state and tribal law enforcement agencies.

Stakeholders must come together to discuss practical solutions and propose recommendations to usher in uniform, lasting change, Stitt said in his executive order.

Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt signs an executive order in the Blue Room at the state Capitol on Dec. 13. He issued a new executive order on Dec. 22, calling on a task force to study the effects of the McGirt v. Oklahoma ruling.

Gov. Kevin Stitt has long criticized Supreme Court's McGirt ruling

The governor has been the chief critic of the McGirt ruling since it came down in July 2020, saying it peeled back the states ability to keep communities safe on land now recognized as tribal reservations. Federal law limits state jurisdiction over crimes involving tribal citizens on those lands.

McGirt v. Oklahoma, 3 years later: How police work on the Muscogee Nation reservation

Tribal officials have repeatedly pushed back against the governors assertions. They have pointed out their law enforcement agencies have the same goals as any other police force. They also have repeatedly called for Stitt to meet to work through concerns.

The new task force will include two members representing tribal nations, including one person representing one of the Five Tribes and one person from one of the other tribes based in Oklahoma.

David Hill, the principal chief of the Muscogee Nation in Okmulgee, said in a statement that he and other Muscogee officials welcomed the opportunity to work collaboratively with the governors office.

McGirt continues to cripple public safety operations across Oklahoma and today I formed a Task Force to confront those issues.



Well gather stakeholders from across the state to address jurisdictional challenges and usher in lasting change.



Learn more: https://t.co/gwLSf1Go1h  Governor Kevin Stitt (@GovStitt) December 22, 2023

He said the task force should focus on promoting cooperation, not enflaming division.

He also called for a seat for every tribe on the task force, noting 11 seats had been assigned to state officials, including the House speaker, Senate president and attorney general.

There are 39 unique tribes in Oklahoma, not just two, the Muscogee Nation said. Eleven state agencies will be represented to speak for themselves. Tribes should be afforded the same opportunity.

Muscogee Nation Principal Chief David Hill speaks to a crowd in this October 2022 file photo.

What to know about the new task force

This is at least the second task force created by Stitt as a result of the McGirt ruling. The first met in 2020, soon after the decision was handed down. Its report called for the need for consistent laws and regulations but made no specific recommendations.

Stitt has named the new task force the One Oklahoma Task Force  a reference to an online campaign he launched in July to criticize the fallout of McGirt.

One of the governor's most vocal concerns is losing the states ability to tax tribal citizens who live on the reaffirmed reservation lands. The Oklahoma Supreme Court will hear arguments in a related case in January.

Abegail Cave, a spokesperson for the governor, said the governors office, law enforcement agencies and tribal nations had already been discussing some of the topics the task force will address. But she confirmed the task force was created in direct response to the recent law enforcement dispute in Okmulgee County.

The incident occurred Monday when Muscogee Nation Lighthorse Police officers were attempting to drop off an arrested man at the county jail. A jail worker refused to take the man into custody, and a physical altercation between the jailer and a Lighthorse police officer ensued.

A Muscogee Nation District Court judge signed off on a warrant for the jailers arrest on Wednesday. Officials said he voluntarily turned himself in Thursday and was then released on his own recognizance. The first hearing in his case is set for Jan. 17.

Molly Young covers Indigenous affairs. Reach her at mollyyoung@gannett.com or 405-347-3534.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Why Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt is creating new tribal safety task force
In 2024, more low-balance, forgotten 401(k)s and similar retirement plans could be forced into rollover accounts, which dont benefit their owners. (Michael Waraksa/The New York Times)

As a Comerica Bank executive with more than 35 years of experience in wealth management, Lisa Featherngill knows how to handle retirement money. But when she left her previous position at Wells Fargo two years ago, she had to figure out what to do with her old 401(k)  and was as flummoxed as any other person changing jobs.

A lot of times, people dont know where theyre going to work or if theyre eligible for the 401(k) plan at the new job, Featherngill said. I just didnt want to think about it, so I left my plan behind.

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As of June, job changers had left behind nearly 30 million 401(k)s or similar retirement accounts worth an estimated $1.65 trillion, according to Capitalize, a technology company that offers an online platform to help transfer 401(k) accounts. But in the aftermath of the pandemic great resignation, people who have left small 401(k)s with their former employer can find those accounts seriously diminished  or even completely drained  when plan sponsors roll that money over to individual retirement accounts with high fees and low-yielding investments.

Since 2001, this kind of transfer could happen to any 401(k) or similar workplace account with a balance between $1,001 and $5,000. But starting Jan. 1, provisions in the Secure 2.0 retirement act will raise the balance for an automatic rollover to $7,000  an adjustment that will expose an estimated 800,000 additional workers with low-balance accounts to involuntary rollovers. About 8.1 million of these forced IRAs already exist.

When the rollover limit goes to $7,000, its going to be somewhere north of $1.5 trillion that are being frittered away by this inefficient system, said Spencer Williams, CEO of Retirement Clearinghouse, a firm that helps transfer old 401(k)s to workers new plans.

The law governing retirement accounts allows the sponsoring employers to have the plan administrators move inactive, small-balance 401(k)s and similar defined contribution accounts out of their plans to escape the cost of record keeping and sending notifications to ex-employees, who may not have left a forwarding address.

However, the fiduciary responsibility to prudently handle the money remains with the employer. To play it safe, the money is rolled into IRAs and invested in low-yielding money-market vehicles, certificates of deposit or other cash equivalents. While thats done with good intentions, there is a hitch: The low returns of those new ultrasafe IRAs dont generate enough cash to offset fees of as much as $115 per year, which could deplete a workers $1,000 account balance within 30 years in some cases but in as little as nine years in one plan, a 2014 report from the Government Accountability Office found.

For accounts with less than $1,000, the employer can simply cash out the account and send the former employee a check, which triggers income taxes and a 10% early-withdrawal penalty for anyone younger than 59 1/2. The same taxes and penalties also hit more than half of all job changers who choose to cash out low-balance 401(k)s on their own.

Losses caused by involuntary rollovers are more likely to hurt younger employees. Of 3 million accounts held by state, county and other government workers, 66% of those workers whose accounts fall under the new $1,001 to $7,000 limit are between the ages of 20 and 40, according to an analysis by the Employee Benefits Research Institute, or EBRI, a public policy research organization.

Younger workers also change jobs more frequently, with 4.4% of workers between 16 and 24 years old changing jobs in a typical month during 2022, compared with just 1.9% of workers between 55 and 64 making a move, according to the Pew Research Center. With more employees being automatically enrolled in 401(k) plans when they start a new job, these workers can easily find themselves with more than one small-balance retirement account from a former job.

We dont have the situation where you stay with the same company for 35 years, said Kelly LaVigne, vice president of consumer insights for Allianz Life, an insurance company. Youre more like a self-employed person working with a bunch of different companies. And the last thing you want, if youre changing jobs on a regular basis, is to end up with 20 different retirement accounts.

Despite the low balances, these forgotten retirement accounts can generate significant returns during a younger persons working years, said Craig Copeland, director of wealth benefits research at the EBRI.

Depending on the size of the balance of a small 401(k) and how it was invested, the account could be worth anywhere from $1,000 to $20,000 or more after 30 years, Copeland said.

If there are a number of accounts, there is a real possibility to make a significant difference for the participant, he said.

There are two efforts to fix the problem of abandoned 401(k)s and similar accounts. The Retirement Savings Lost and Found Act, proposed by Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., was wrapped into the Secure 2.0 Act. It charges the Department of Labor with creating a database that workers can use to track down a forgotten account. The department was allotted funds to create the system by next December.

And in November, the financial services industry established a system that automatically moves old retirement accounts into the plan of the workers new employer. The Portability Services Network automatically matches Social Security numbers on workplace accounts, obtains the workers consent to move the money, and automatically deposits money from the old account into the new employers plan. Employees can check for missing accounts on the networks website by using their last name and last four digits of their Social Security number.

The voluntary network includes Alight Solutions, Empower, Fidelity Investments, Principal, TIAA and Vanguard and uses technology from Retirement Clearinghouse. These financial services firms administer and hold the records for employer plans and are expected to encourage the employers sponsoring their plans to participate. Besides helping savers avoid forced IRAs, the network would eliminate cashing out accounts with balances of $1,000 or less, Williams of Retirement Clearinghouse said.

Theres no size limit on the accounts that can be automatically moved, he said. Well take balances down to a penny. Most of these plans are cashing out balances of less than $1,000, and the sponsor is left with a huge uncashed-check problem. The industry is littered with these uncashed checks.

Handling Your Old 401(k)

Workers are free to move their old accounts without a network or federal database, and have several options. The goal, financial planners say, is to keep most or all of the money together, where the investments can be coordinated and the performance easily monitored. Here are points to know.

 If a new employer has a 401(k) or similar plan, that plans administrator can typically handle combining your accounts. This would allow you to take a loan against the account balance, if that option is offered. Loans can be taken only from your current employer plan.

 If a new employer doesnt offer its own plan or you have stopped working, your old plan can be rolled into an IRA, a transfer most financial services providers can handle.

 If your plan balance totals more than $7,000, the money can be left in the former employers plan. Account holders should register online to get statements and to manage their investments.

 Workers with a balance of less than $1,000 will most likely find themselves cashed out of their old plan. To avoid paying taxes and potential early-withdrawal penalties, deposit that money into an IRA within 60 days. The deposit must cover the entire 401(k) balance withdrawn, including any money withheld for taxes. (That money can be reclaimed on the account holders next tax return.)

If the balance is less than $1,000, my advice is dont let it cash out; you can roll it over, said Jeanne Fisher Sutton, a certified financial planner in Nashville, Tennessee, known as 401(k) Lady on YouTube. Many, many people are losing track of their 401(k)s, and its so hard to find. If youre leaving an employer, roll it over and be proactive about your account management.

Featherngill, the Comerica Bank executive, transferred her old 401(k) from Wells Fargo two years after she left.

I just rolled it over last month, she said. It took me that long to figure out what I wanted to do. Its easy to leave it there. Its the default for most people.

c.2023 The New York Times Company
A 40-year-old armoured vehicle in which a soldier died in a freak accident on a training exercise should not have been in use, an official investigation has found.

Private Jethro Watson-Pickering died after the gun turret of the Scimitar armoured vehicle he was driving struck his head after hitting a tree in October 2021.

An inquiry ordered by the Defence Safety Authority found that the soldier, 23, was not qualified to drive the vehicle, which was over 40-years old and was in such a poor state of repair it should never have been in use.

Two other soldiers also travelling in the vehicle, one of whom was the commander, also lacked the necessary training for their roles, the report said.

The investigation also found that neither Pte Watson-Pickering or his two crew members had either driven or been in a moving Scimitar prior to the accident.

The 200-page report, which took over two years to complete, identified 56 different factors that contributed to Pte Watson-Pickerings death.

Battalion under considerable strain

It found that soldiers in the battalion were under considerable strain, with witnesses suggesting that the unit often operated in a state of confusion.

The inquiry found that the primary cause of death was owing to Pte Watson-Pickering driving in a head up position rather than head down, inside the armoured vehicle and driving using a periscope.

The soldier was killed almost instantly when his head was crushed by two large equipment bins attached to the vehicles turret, which rotated quickly after hitting a tree.

The inquiry team also discovered that a commanding officer had signed a formal document stating that his soldiers were current, competent and qualified to take part in the exercise when they were not.

The report also uncovered that some of the officers within his battalion were also not properly qualified to take part in the exercise.

Commanding officer signed document saying crew were qualified to drive the vehicle - Cpl Pete Brown

Despite those findings, the Ministry of Defence said that Pte Watson-Pickerings commanding officer was not facing disciplinary action.

The report said 24 contributory factors, 32 other factors contributed to his death. The report also noted 34 observations and made 52 recommendations to prevent similar accidents reoccurring.

The inquiry team found that those within 1Yorks felt the battalion had been working at near full capacity since approximately 2019 and the strain on the unit was significant.

One witness told the inquiry team that people didnt know what they were doing from one day to the next.

During the investigation, officers discovered that similar non-fatal accidents had occurred before but were not properly recorded so no lessons could be learned or structures put in place to prevent similar accidents happening again.

The incident on Salisbury Plain - SWNS

Pte Watson-Pickering, who came from Boosbeck in Redcar and Cleveland, was described by friends as one of the nicest lads you could ever meet.

He joined the Army Reserves in 2016 before transferring to the regulars in 2019.

He was a member of the 1st Battalion The Royal Yorkshire Regiment (1 Yorks) and taking part in Exercise Iron Storm on Salisbury Plain when the incident happened.

Born to be a soldier

Following his death a former soldier wrote on Facebook: I completed training with Jethro in the reserves. He was the best bloke, the nicest guy, he just knew everything about the Army.

He helped me and other lads with our kit. He just knew how to fix everything. He was always there helping everyone. He was born to be a soldier.

An Army spokesman said: Our thoughts and sympathies remain with Private Jethro Watson-Pickerings family and friends at this sad and difficult time.

The Army has accepted all 52 of the recommendations in this report.

CVR(T) Scimitar is no longer in service, but where the recommendations are applicable to other armoured platforms, they will be implemented as soon as possible.

All deaths in service are thoroughly investigated by professional bodies independent of the Army chain of command.

Any lessons identified are used to make the chances of similar tragedies occurring as low as possible.

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.
The Olympia City Council has adopted a rental housing registry and inspection program aimed at supporting landlords and keeping tenants safe. But some local property owners fear the price of registering their units will force them to sell.

Nearly a dozen property owners and managers spoke last month during a City Council meeting, almost all opposed to the program and asking the council to delay their vote. However, the ordinance was approved unanimously on both first and second reading.

Registration is scheduled to go into effect March 1, and the inspection program will begin Jan. 1, 2025.

However, council member Jim Cooper also referred the matter to the Land Use and Environment Committee to continue looking at the proposed program and how it compares to programs in a handful of other Washington cities.

Housing Program Specialist Christa Lenssen said the program went through a few phases and passed through a number of city committees before coming to the council. She said staff reviewed similar programs implemented in other Washington cities and incorporated some of their findings into their approach. She said some cities around the country have had similar programs for several decades.

Staff came up with the Rental Housing Registry and Inspection Program, which, according to the citys website, is intended to support housing preservation, ensuring basic health and safety for tenants, supporting landlords by sharing information and resources, and gathering data about housing trends to target needs.

The ordinance requires rental housing owners in Olympia to register their properties annually to obtain a business license and to undergo periodic inspections that monitor health, safety and energy efficiency standards.

The ordinance also adds protections to the current rental housing code regarding retaliation against tenants asserting their rights. Lenssen said it prohibits passing on charges to a tenant to comply with the program and prohibits rent increases if the unit is uninhabitable or fails inspection.

There are some fees associated with registration and obtaining a business license.

Property owners will be required to pay an annual $35 per unit registration fee, which will be waived for affordable housing providers.

They will also need to pay an initial $50 business license application fee to the state Department of Revenue if they dont already have a business license. It will then cost $5 annually to renew the license.

Businesses operating in Olympia must also obtain an Olympia endorsement on their business license, which costs $30 annually. The endorsement is waived for nonprofits.

Inspections will be required once every five years, and theyll be conducted by a private third-party inspector certified by the city.

New construction wont be subject to inspection requirements for the first 10 years of occupancy.

Owner-occupied properties where owners rent a room in their home are entirely exempt from the program. Owner-occupied properties with one rental unit on site, such as an accessory dwelling unit or a duplex, are required to register, but not required to obtain a business license or complete inspections.

Opposition to the program

Carter Nelson spoke on behalf of the Washington Multi-Family Housing Association, which represents more than 328,000 units in the state, including 4,300 in Olympia alone. She said while well-intentioned, the organization doesnt believe the program will do anything but increase costs for housing providers and, in turn, for residents in Olympia.

She said their organization felt left out of the process of creating the program, which has made their property managers in Olympia feel their ability to operate will be hindered.

These operators are dedicated to keeping their residents housed and keeping their rent as low as feasible for the propertys overall costs, Nelson said.

She said the $35 a unit is the highest fee she has heard of in the state.

The program is supposedly mirrored after neighboring cities with existing programs such as Lakewood, but yours would charge housing providers almost three times as much per door, she said. We understand that there are bad actors who violate restrictions. However, imposing a system that places the burden of cost on good actors providing housing in Olympia is not conducive to reaching our common goal of providing more housing to people in our region.

She said although theres an exemption for new housing, the cost of the proposal will push housing providers from Olympia when the council should be providing incentives for growth.

Cindy Blyle, owner of Team Northwest Property Management, said the ordinance is encouraging homeowners to sell, which will lessen inventory, create displaced tenants, and reduce affordable housing owners and investors.

Blyle shared feedback from some of her companys property owners. One said theyve been responsible with their two rentals and their rent is below market value, and the homes are well maintained. But if the ordinance is passed, theyll be forced to sell the homes.

Another said they are legal immigrants but arent eligible to own a business license. They said the ordinance will force them to sell their rental home and future retirement home, crushing their American Dream.

In conclusion, if passed, this bill will create a wedge between landlord and tenants, a loss of inventory with owners letting us know they will be selling their homes, and higher rents for tenants for those owners that choose not to sell, Blyle said.

The financial impact

Lenssen, the citys housing program specialist, said nearly 95% of Olympia rental properties have four or fewer units. About 80% of all rental properties would pay about $150 or less per year, which includes fees and inspection costs that are averaged out over the five-year time period.

Less than 2% of rental properties have 50 or more units, but those units represent 51% of all rental units in the city of Olympia, Lenssen said. Several of the largest apartment complexes receive low-income housing tax credits to provide affordable housing and could seek an exemption from those annual registration fees.

Lenssen said that on top of building more housing in Thurston County, the city needs to ensure current housing is maintained.

We know that the majority of low-income individuals who are at risk of housing instability and homelessness are renters, Lenssen said. Its imperative that were able to connect low-income renters with resources to help stabilize their housing situation.

Of the citys current housing stock, 48% of housing units were built before 1980, and 3,000 units were built before 1940.

Lenssen said nearly 60% of the countys Fair Housing Survey respondents said high heating costs or insufficient heat is a concern in their current housing. She said 48% were concerned about mold in their housing, and 45% were concerned about air quality and pollution. And 20% of the respondents said they had experienced health effects from the conditions they live in.

Housing is a social determinant of health, she said. Unsafe structural conditions can lead to falls and injuries, asthma and other respiratory conditions are exacerbated by leaks, mold growth and pests. Low-income families experience higher rates of asthma, with children having the highest rates of asthma.

Lenssen said having proactive inspections can help reduce disparities by ensuring that tenants with the greatest needs and the least resources are not disproportionately disadvantaged by poor housing quality, and that safe, healthy and affordable housing is more equitably distributed.

Proactively addressing unit conditions before major repairs are needed will support housing preservation, which supports both stability and health outcomes for tenants, Lenssen said. Proactive property maintenance can improve tenant health and also save landlords money in the long run.

Lenssen said a study of Seattles complaint-driven code enforcement system found that inspections in more than half of the properties identified code violations that tenants or neighbors had never reported. And in Asheville, North Carolina, she said residential fires decreased by 50% when they implemented a proactive inspection program. The number of fires rose again when the program was discontinued.

She said the citys goal in implementing its own program isnt to penalize property owners, but to bring all rental properties to a baseline standard through an agreement and relationship with property owners. She said property owners will be connected with funding information or other resources as needed.

Lenssen said landlords rending to low-income tenants in the city are currently eligible for funding from the citys Community Development Block Grant to rehabilitate, weatherize and provide other energy-efficient upgrades. And the housing department is seeking more funding to help property owners.

She said the council also discussed the need to provide tenant relocation assistance to help households move if their current housing needs repairs. Implementing such a program requires a public hearing, she said, and that proposal will come to the council in early 2024.
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR)  Oklahoma City Police responded to an injury accident involving a car and a bicycle near SW 27th Street and S. Portland Avenue on Friday night.

According to OKCPD, the male cyclist was transported to the hospital with serious to critical injuries. The driver remained on scene and is said to be cooperating with police.

No other information is available at this time.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KFOR.com Oklahoma City.
Sacramento County Sheriffs Office deputies arrested one man and are searching for another believed to be involved in a shooting that took place this month near an apartment complex in La Riviera.

According to the Sheriffs Office, deputies responded to reports of a shooting at 8:20 p.m. Dec. 1 on the 9200 block of Tuolumne Drive. There, they discovered a man and woman with gunshot wounds. The womans injuries were not considered life-threatening but the man was hospitalized with critical injuries.

A detective investigation determined both victims allegedly were shot by two subjects: Anthony Gibbs, 53, and another suspect whom law enforcement has not yet identified.

Gibbs was arrested and booked at Sacramento County Main Jail on charges of murder, attempted murder, unlawful possession of a controlled substance and a loaded firearm, possession of a firearm by a felon, battery against a person causing bodily injury, discharge of a firearm in an inhabited dwelling and assault with a deadly weapon.

He was also being held on unrelated warrants; he is being held without bail. His next scheduled court appearance is Jan. 4.

The investigation remains ongoing, but anyone with information related to the incident is encouraged to call the Sheriffs Office at 916-874-5115, the Sacramento Valley Crime Stoppers hotline at 916-443-4357, or anonymously at 916-874-8477.

Tips may also be left online at www.sacvalleycrimestoppers.com or at www.sacsheriff.com.
Houston Community College main administrative building at 3100 Main St. Friday, Sept. 11, 2020, in Houston. Marie D. De Jesus, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer

Three Houston Community College police officers and a sergeant on Thursday filed a lawsuit against the school, claiming they weren't protected by the college after making ethics complaints and other reports about the police department's leadership, including its now-suspended police chief.

Officers Marcus McNeil, Jamie Oliviea, Shuleta Harris and Sgt. David Moore allege they were demoted, prevented from taking extra jobs and felt pressure to quit after making complaints about college police Capt. Artina Walker, according to the lawsuit.

MORE ON HOUSTONCHRONICLE.COM: TSU ex-president, campus officer accused of inappropriate relationship

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The lawsuit claims Walker was found to have problems with her applications when hired for her position and that the findings were ignored by college Police Chief Michael Benford. The retaliation came after the officers reported Walker to the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement, which licenses police officers, and resulted in her getting an official reprimand, according to the lawsuit.

Houston Community College Police Chief Michael Benford Courtesy/Houston Community College

The college didn't provide the TV station with a reason for the suspension and didn't respond to the Chronicle's questions late Friday.

According to the lawsuit, the four employees say they should be considered whistleblowers. The lawsuit seeks damages and relief to help restore the plaintiffs' "professional and personal standing in the community."

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The college hadn't responded to the lawsuit as of Friday afternoon, according to court records.

The lawsuit lays out more than a year's worth of conflicts inside the police department, starting with an August 2022 report from Moore to Benford about issues with Walker's pre-hiring background investigation.

"Chief Benford ignored those issues and ordered the plaintiffs to make changes to the investigation," the lawsuit says. "Chief Benford hired Captain Walker."

Oliviea and Moore would go on to make complaints about Walker's hiring to the college administration three times between February 2023 and June 2023, according to the lawsuit.

Over the course of a week in May, the four plaintiffs also made reports to the law enforcement commission, according to the lawsuit. In July, the commission sent investigators to the college and then sent a letter of reprimand to Walker in August.

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The letter said investigators "found inconsistent statements related to your TCOLE personal history statement."

Personal history statements are part of the applications officers submit to departments they hope to work for. The statement requires applicants to reveal their training and education, past jobs, family members and history of being disciplined at work, among other things. The lawsuit doesn't specify which part of Walker's statement was inconsistent.

The lawsuit also claims Benford and Walker are "friends and business partners" but doesn't provide further information about their relationship.

The plaintiffs all said they were retaliated against by Benford and Walker following the complaints they made to TCOLE. The officers said they were variously demoted, prevented from working extra jobs, moved to less desirable shifts or made the subject of unwarranted internal investigations, according to the lawsuit.

The lawsuit was assigned to Harris County's 334th District Court. No hearing dates have been set.
Editors Note: Ezzeldeen Masri is the United States outreach director of the OneVoice Movement, a grassroots movement to amplify the voices of moderate Israelis and Palestinians working toward peaceful resolution to the conflict. In 2015, Masri founded OneVoice on Campus to counteract student body polarization related to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The views expressed in this commentary are his own. View more opinion on CNN.

Universities should be places where young people advocate for the causes they believe in, and yes, demonstrate. But they should not condone or foster the kind of extremism condemning Palestinians to eternal hell-on-earth  the type that extremist ministers in the Israeli governments, Itamar Ben Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, openly promote.

Ezzeldeen Masri - OneVoice Movement

To all those protesting in support of the Palestinian people, thank you. But to those who think you are supporting my people by defending Hamas, please be aware: Your radical positions arent helping us. They are hurting us more.

In the tiny Gaza Strip, where 2.3 million Palestinians live, half of those are refugees from the newly founded state of Israel and their descendants from the 1948 Arab-Israeli war. For 75 years the refugees have been living in crowded refugee camps depending on United Nations Relief and Works Agency for food rations, education and health care.

Four months ago, I had the chance to visit the city of Safed, now in Israel, where my mothers house once stood. As the son of a native Gazan father and a mother who was forced to flee Safed in the upper Galilee, I am a product of both lineages. Recalling how my mom gave up her home, moving from one refugee camp to another, I was overwhelmed by sadness.

My peoples history has been marked by pain, but until October 7, I didnt know the full extent of the horrors we would endure. More than two months into the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, more than 20,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks and more than 50,000 have been injured, according to the Hamas-run health ministry, and thousands of homes have been destroyed. Hamas October 7 attack on Israel killed at least 1,200 people. The terrorist group also took around 240 hostages and has brought back the Israeli army in the Gaza Strip and marked a new catastrophe in the history of my people.

The impact of this conflict has reverberated around the world, including on US college campuses where I have spent much of my life trying to build bridges. Since 2015, when I started OneVoice on Campus, I have worked to counteract student body polarization related to the conflict. These efforts build on my work dating back to 1990 when I first came to the United States to finish my degree in political science with a specialization in conflict resolution and peace building.

In 2006, I opened the office of OneVoice Gaza in Gaza City to galvanize Palestinians behind the goal of a two-state solution reached through negotiation with Israel and our neighbors.

As a proud Palestinian from Gaza who has dedicated my adult life to trying to put an end to this never-ending cycle of war and suffering for my people, I have learned this: No matter how much you and your people are hurting, more hateful absolutism  from either side  is never the answer. While glorifying radical positions may feel like advancing social justice, it only contributes to the very extremism that makes peace impossible.

On the Israeli side, the Knesset must move from an approach of conflict management to one focused on engaging in continuous negotiations with the Palestine Liberation Organization, aimed at reaching an end to the military occupation and the emergence of a negotiated two-state reality. On the Palestinian side, those supporting Hamas terrorism must stop.

In Gazas legislative council elections of 2005 and 2006, I, along with more than 50% of voting age Palestinians, voted for Fatah, which controlled the Palestinian Authority at the time. I did not vote for Hamas because they rejected peace, coexistence and a two-state solution and adopted armed resistance against Israel. Unfortunately, Fatah candidates split the vote, giving power to Hamas, who received only 44.45% of the peoples vote with only one majority win in one out of 16 districts.

Hamas should have been disqualified from running in the first place for its unwillingness to recognize the Oslo Accords of 1993 that made the election possible. However, two factors led to Hamas participation in the 2005 elections. First, then-President of Palestine Mahmoud Abbas thought Hamas would change and that his party, Fatah, would win. Second, US President George W. Bushs administration clearly misunderstood the situation in the region and, in his effort to spread democracy, supported the inclusion of all Palestinian factions in the election and didnt push to stop Hamas from running even though Hamas had been identified as a terrorist organization by the US Department of State in 1993.

Since 2007, when Hamas administered its bloody coup against the Palestinian Authority, Gazans have been subject to collective punishment policies from Israel, the Palestinian Authority and Egypt, which closed its border to Gaza (only briefly opening it on occasion to allow the movement of people and some goods).

Israel has imposed restrictive regulations, including on food and mobility in Gaza. And Hamas October 7 massacre has thrown us deeper into violence and conflict. Make no mistake: Hamas does not represent me and my people.

By using violence (which it does not hesitate to inflict upon civilians) to achieve its goals, Hamas is a terrorist organization by definition. The overwhelming majority of Palestinians do not condone violence and acts of terror. Those who lump us together with a terrorist group contribute to misconceptions and stereotypes about our people that sow anti-Muslim hate.

Associating our people with hatred and destruction has put us in harms way. The Council on American-Islamic Relations reportedly saw a 182% jump in requests for help and reports of bias incidents against Muslims in the US from October 7 to October 22 from an average 16-day period in 2022. And the US Justice Department is now investigating whether last months shooting of three Palestinian college students in Burlington, Vermont, was a hate crime.

To those who were exhilarated at witnessing Hamas acts, I ask whether you have experienced the centuries of pain my people have suffered. For us, it is not a video on TikTok; its real life. I ask whether you can bring us closer to the ultimate goal of peace.

To those calling for absolutist solutions that rule out common ground between Israelis and Palestinians, you undermine the long-term dream of having an independent Palestinian state next to Israel: a two-state solution won through negotiations and diplomacy. If you really want to free us from the cycle of war and suffering, help free our world from the plague of radicalism altogether.

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com
OTTAWA COUNTY  A local pastor said he finally was invited to give the invocation for a meeting of the Ottawa County Board of Commissioners  but only after he sued for religious discrimination.

Rev. Jared Cramer filed his lawsuit in early October in U.S. Western District Court, claiming Board Chair Joe Moss used his position to "endorse a particular set of religious beliefs and exclude a particular set of religious beliefs" and therefore "is discriminating against certain religious beliefs," which is a violation of the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment.

More: Pastor files lawsuit against Ottawa County claiming religious discrimination

Cramer, of St. Johns Episcopal Church in Grand Haven, claims he first asked Commissioner Roger Bergman, who represents the city of Grand Haven, if he could join the historically practiced rotation of area faith leaders who provide the invocation at the twice-monthly board meetings. He was directed to Moss.

In an amended complaint filed Friday, Dec. 22, Cramer's attorney, Sarah Riley-Howard, said despite sending Moss an email in May and a letter via certified mail in August, her client only received an invitation to give an invocation after litigation was filed.

"It's not clear what else Rev. Cramer could have done to get on that list," Howard wrote. "He had given the prayer in the past, he had made a request to the commissioners of the districts where he lived and worked, and he had made a request to the chairman of the commission. Nonetheless, Rev. Cramer did not receive an invitation to lead the prayer."

Jared Cramer

An invitation finally came in November. Cramer is scheduled to lead the prayer in February. But, his attorney said, the problem isn't rectified.

Moss "intentionally withholds from the public information" about how to be invited to give the invocation, Howard wrote.

"Even the commissioners who are not affiliated with (Ottawa Impact) do not have that information. By limiting access to the information necessary to make a request, defendants can control who leads the invocation without explicitly denying an individuals request."

Moss founded the far-right fundamentalist group Ottawa Impact in 2021 after he took issue with pre-K-6 school mask mandates during the COVID-19 pandemic. He launched the political action committee under the premise of "defending parental rights" and to "thwart tyranny" within the state and federal government.

Moss and OI co-founder Sylvia Rhodea captured what's now a seven-seat majority on the 11-member board, after a non-OI commissioner resigned in November.

Joe Moss sits during an Ottawa County Board of Commissioners meeting Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2023, in West Olive.

Howard said Moss has concentrated power to reward or punish local faith leaders based on whether they align with his personal religious beliefs.

"Moss can choose which individuals get invited to give the prayer by limiting information only to those who espouse religious beliefs that align with his own," Howard wrote.

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Cramer said, since his election, Moss has "dedicated some of his efforts on undoing the countys efforts at inclusion" and "championed an anti-LGBTQ+ agenda."

Cramer, meanwhile, has been a visible advocate for the inclusion of members of the LGBTQ+ community, particularly within his church, which "holds itself out as a place of worship that is welcoming to all," according to the filing.

Cramer also helps lead the Ottawa Coalition of Unifying Congregations, a group of 12 area congregations and 22 pastors pushing back against Ottawa Impact's policies of de-emphasizing diversity, equity and inclusion.

"I was just watching as things got worse, you know ... I was naive," Cramer said. "I thought when these Ottawa Impact people came in ... I thought the standards and decorum would still be followed. So, as it's just gotten worse over there, I finally decided this was no longer a side issue. This goes right to the core of what it means to be a Christian living in America."

Sarah Riley-Howard gives comment to the press after a hearing before the Michigan Court of Appeals on Wednesday, Oct. 11, 2023, in Grand Rapids.

The lawsuit is one of four active filings against Ottawa County in 2023.

In a separate lawsuit, four residents sued the board, claiming commissioners violated Michigan's Open Meetings Act when they made several controversial decisions at the board's first meeting in January  including the vote to "demote" Hambley. That case is scheduled for oral arguments at 10 a.m. Jan. 3 before the Michigan Court of Appeals, after the residents appealed a lower court's ruling granting the board's request to dismiss the lawsuit.

Another lawsuit was filed Oct. 24 by a finalist for an executive aide position. Ryan Kimball sued in Ottawa County's 20th Circuit Court alleging age discrimination by County Administrator John Gibbs when he hired a younger candidate with fewer qualifications than the job posting required. That case has been assigned to 17th Circuit Court Judge George J. Quist and is awaiting further action after the county filed a response Dec. 13.

The fourth lawsuit was filed in February by Ottawa County Health Officer Adeline Hambley, who claimed the attempt to demote her was unlawful and alleged the OI majority has repeatedly interfered with her state-authorized health duties.

Attempts to remove Hambley culminated in a multi-day termination hearing in October, which was halted before its conclusion as the board and Hambley entered settlement negotiations. After a lengthy closed session in early November, the board voted to "accept counsel's recommendation regarding litigation and settlement activities in the case of Hambley v. Ottawa County."

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Howard, who also represents Hambley in that litigation, says the recommendation was a $4 million settlement. But shortly after The Sentinel reported the details of the deal, Kallman argued an agreement wasn't reached, after all. Hambley and Howard took the matter back to court.

On Dec. 4, Muskegon 14th Circuit Court Judge Jenny McNeill announced she would review minutes taken during the closed session in question. The case is being heard in Muskegon  and the Kimball litigation in Grand Rapids  because all Ottawa County judges recused themselves.

McNeill also ordered an evidentiary hearing for Jan. 19 to allow testimony from witnesses Howard subpoenaed, mainly Moss, County Clerk Justin Roebuck and Commissioners Jacob Bonnema, Doug Zylstra and Roger Bergman.

Kallman Legal Group is hoping that doesn't happen. In a filing last week, corporate counsel David Kallman requested McNeill issue a "protection order" preventing the hearing from taking place. He argues McNeill should be able to use the minutes alone to rule that "corporate counsel (Kallman) never made any recommendation to either offer, or accept, a $4 million settlement" in exchange for Hambley and her deputy, Marcia Mansaray, resigning.

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"This confirmation can be done without revealing anything that was actually discussed in closed session," Kallman wrote.

McNeill hadn't issued a response to Kallman's filing as of Saturday.

 Sarah Leach is executive editor of The Holland Sentinel. Contact her at sarah.leach@hollandsentinel.com. Follow her on Twitter@SentinelLeach.

This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: Moss offers to let pastor give invocation, but it's too little, too late
Ukrainian military personnel from the first presidential brigade of Burevy NSU during exercises in Kyiv Oblast, November 8, 2023

Ukrainian and Russian forces clashed in 75 combat engagements over the past day, Ukraines General Staff reported on Facebook on Dec. 23.

Read also: Ukrainian forces repel 46 Russian attacks as fighting rages in Donbas

Kupyansk sector - The enemy carried out 16 unsuccessful attacks near Synkivka in Kharkiv Oblast, where the enemy tried to break through Ukrainian defensive lines

Lyman sector  No offensive actions were reported

Bakhmut sector  Eight Russian attacks were repulsed near Bohdanivka, Ivanivske, Klishchiivka and Andriivka in Donetsk Oblast

Avdiivka sector  The Ukrainian Armed Forces continue to maintain a strong defense, inflicting significant losses on the enemy attempting to surround Avdiivka. Some 23 attacks were repulsed east of Novobakhmutivka, Stepove Avdiivka, as well as 17 attacks in the areas of Pervomaiske and Nevelske in Donetsk Oblast

Mariupol sector  The enemy carried out 4 unsuccessful attacks in the areas of Maryinka and Pobeda in Donetsk Oblast

Shakhtarsk and Zaporizhzhya sectors  One Russian attack near Staromayorsk in Donetsk Oblast, and all attacks west of Verbove and Robotyne in Zaporizhzhya Oblast were repulsed

Melitopol sector  Ukrainian forces continue to inflict losses on the enemy along the entire frontline

Kherson sector  Ukrainian forces continue to expand positions on the left bank of the Dnipro River, where the enemy conducted 17 unsuccessful attacks. Counter-battery warfare and artillery strikes on the enemy's rear positions were reported in this front sector.

Russian troops continue to shell civilian targets with artillery, MLRS and aircraft. Forty airstrikes and 57 MLRS strikes were launched on the Ukrainian military positions and civilian areas. Nineteen out of 23 Shahed kamikaze drones were intercepted by Ukrainian air defense.

The Ukrainian Air Force carried out 12 strikes on groupings of enemy personnel, weapons and military equipment. Three Russian Su-34 fighter-bombers were downed.

Read also: Seventeen Russian drones downed in southern Ukraine overnight, infrastructure and warehouse damaged

Ukraines Rocket and Artillery Forces targeted groupings of enemy personnel and material, as well as two oil depots and a command center.

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
Make It Rain

In an attempt to bring the air quality index down from extremely hazardous levels, officials have begun seeding clouds to make it rain in Pakistan's capital of Lahore.

As The Guardian reports, the city of 13 million people has been choked by an unrelenting blanket of smog. Earlier this month, air quality levels were so low that the city was forced to shut down schools, markets, and parks.

In a last ditch effort to address the increasingly dire situation, the Punjab government sent a small Cessna plane to fly over the city, spraying a table salt solution over existing cloud patches to produce rain.

As a result, caretaker minister for the environment Bilal Afzal told The Guardian, the local air quality index fell from over 300 to just 189.

But it's far from a permanent solution: the effect only lasted a couple of days before the index skyrocketed again to previous levels.

Cloud Trigger

Pakistan isn't the only country to experiment with changing the weather. During the Chinese Communist Party's centennial celebration in the summer of 2021, authorities said they successfully cleared the skies over Beijing to reduce pollution with the use of a silver iodide solution.

The United Arab Emirates has also attempted to trigger rainfall by flying drones into clouds and zapping them with electricity.

Despite the short-lasting relief in Lahore, Afzal is optimistic.

"If we can clean our air at the cost of fuel for one small plane, the exercise would be well worth it," he told the British newspaper, adding that the plane would produce the same emissions as two to three cars running for roughly four hours.

Environmental groups, however, have repeatedly warned that seeding clouds could have unintended consequences that are still not fully understood.

In fact, Ghulam Rasul, head of the climate change program at the International Union for Conservation of Nature, told The Guardian that it may actually worsen the situation, leading to even dryer conditions and more persistent smog.

More on artificial rain: Scientists Propose Electrocuting Clouds to Make it Rain
Organisers of the march kept one lane of the street open, but the weight of numbers meant traffic had to be diverted - PA/Lucy North

Hundreds of pro-Palestinian protesters brought traffic on Oxford Street to a standstill on one of the busiest shopping days of the Christmas period.

The marchers walked slowly along the central London street in a bid to cause disruption. Holding placards declaring no shopping while bombs are dropping and ceasefire now, they made their way from Soho Square towards Oxford Circus, holding up buses and taxis.

There were chants of from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free  interpreted by some as a call for the destruction of the state of Israel  and stop bombing children as the crowd of around 500 made its way past Christmas shoppers.

Police maintained a low-key presence, with only a handful of officers visible as the march repeatedly came to a halt before resuming slow progress along Oxford Street.

The organisers of the march, called by the feminist group Sisters Uncut, kept one lane of the street open, but the weight of numbers meant traffic had to be diverted.

Cabs and buses were able to move slowly along the eastbound lane past the marchers, but all westbound traffic was stopped as the protest headed towards Oxford Circus.

'Stop bombing Gaza!'

1000+ now marching down Oxford Street in the heart of London's West End  pic.twitter.com/QmmPgiF2uf  Brighton PSC (@BrightonPSC) December 23, 2023

A branch of the clothes retailer Zara brought down its security shutters as activists placed stickers on the windows reading: This brand supports genocide and shouted Shut Zara down.

At Oxford Circus Tube station, a mobile sound system boomed out a hip-hop tune with a chorus of from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.

As the marchers turned down Regent Street, preventing traffic reaching Piccadilly Circus, shoppers were handed leaflets stating: No Xmas as usual in a genocide.

The leaflet called for a boycott of Israeli goods and produce until Israels 75-year-old regime of settler colonialism and apartheid is dismantled.

It was a theme taken up by many on the march. One activist held a hand-drawn placard with the slogan: Death to settler colonialism everywhere. Viva Palestina.

Branches of Omega and Furla also shut their doors as the marchers passed and chanted: While youre shopping, bombs are dropping.

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.
Palestinians gather with pots to receive food at a donation point provided by a charitable organization in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip. Mohammed Talatene/dpa

Residents of the Gaza Strip have reported deprivation in the face of the UN's warning that hundreds of thousands of Palestinians are facing starvation.

A desperate father told dpa on Saturday that the contents of the food parcels from The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) were getting smaller by the day.

Zaher Ramlawi, who says he comes from Shejaiya, a neighbourhood of the city of Gaza in the north of the coastal region, fled to Rafah in the south with his wife and their five children because of the war. They are living there in a makeshift tent.

The family only eats one meal a day, said Ramlawi. "This includes a few pieces of bread and tinned food such as beans and some beef." He has lost 12 kilograms since the outbreak of the war, said the father of the family. He and his family have no access to clean drinking water, which is very expensive. He therefore either drinks donated water or sometimes the salty and unhealthy groundwater.

A woman living in a tent in Deir al-Balah told dpa that her children had already fallen ill due to the lack of food and water.

"To get something to eat, I wait in a long queue at the UNRWA school," said Hayam Abu Samra. There she receives tinned food, biscuits and some water. "But they don't give you flour to bake bread." Food prices have risen dramatically since the war. "I have no money to buy food or water," she said. Even the children only eat once a day as a result. "Most of the time they sleep hungry."

In the wake of the Israeli military offensive in the Gaza Strip, the humanitarian situation in the sealed-off coastal strip is becoming increasingly catastrophic.

Palestinians gather with pots to receive food at a donation point provided by a charitable organization in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip. Mohammed Talatene/dpa

Palestinians gather with pots to receive food at a donation point provided by a charitable organization in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip. Mohammed Talatene/dpa
BRIGHTON, Colorado  Two Denver-area paramedics were convicted Friday in the 2019 killing of Elijah McClain, who they injected with an overdose of the sedative ketamine after police put him in a neck hold.

It was the last trial against police and paramedics charged in the death of McClain, a 23-year-old Black man whose case received little attention until protests over the 2020 killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota. An Aurora police officer was convicted of homicide and third degree assault earlier this year while two officers were acquitted. The trial against the paramedics explored largely uncharted legal territory because it is the first case against medical first responders facing criminal charges to reach trial, potentially setting the bar for prosecutors in future cases.

The jury found Aurora Fire Rescue paramedics Jeremy Cooper and Peter Cichuniec guilty of criminally negligent homicide following a weekslong trial in state district court. The jury also found Cichuniec guilty on one of two second-degree assault charges. Cooper was found not guilty on the assault charges. They could face years in prison at sentencing.

McClain's mother, Sheneen, raised her fist in the air as she left the courtroom. Sitting in the front row, Coopers wife sobbed as deputies prepared to handcuff him.

The verdict was announced after two days of deliberations. When jurors told the judge Friday afternoon they were stuck on one of the charges, the judge told them to keep trying to reach a verdict.

Police stopped McClain while he was walking home from a convenience store on Aug. 24, 2019, following a suspicious person complaint. After an officer said McClain reached for an officers gun  a claim disputed by prosecutors  another officer put him in a neck hold that rendered him temporarily unconscious. Officers also pinned down McClain before Cooper injected him with an overdose of ketamine. Cichuniec was the senior officer and said it was his decision to use ketamine.

Prosecutors said the paramedics did not conduct basic medical checks of McClain, such as taking his pulse, before giving him the ketamine. The dose was too much for someone of his size  140 pounds (64 kilograms), experts testified. Prosecutors say they also did not monitor McClain immediately after giving him the sedative but instead left him lying on the ground, making it harder to breathe.

McClains pleading words captured on police body camera video, Im an introvert and Im different, struck a chord with protesters and people around the country.

In a statement released prior to the verdict, McClain's mother said that everyone present during the police stop of her son displayed a lack of humanity.

They can not blame their job training for their indifference to evil or their participation in an evil action, McClain wrote. That is completely on them. May all of their souls rot in hell when their time comes.

Defense attorneys argued that the paramedics followed their training in giving ketamine to McClain after diagnosing him with  excited delirium, a disputed condition some say is unscientific and has been used to justify excessive force.

The verdicts came after a jury in Washington state cleared three police officers of all criminal charges on Thursday in the 2020 death of Manuel Ellis, a Black man who was shocked, beaten and restrained face-down on a Tacoma sidewalk as he pleaded for breath.

In the Colorado case, the prosecution said Cooper lied to investigators to try to cover up his actions, telling detectives that McClain was actively resisting when he decided to inject McClain with ketamine, even though the body camera showed McClain lying on the ground unconscious. It also disputed Coopers claim that McClain tried to get away from police holding him down  and that he took McClains pulse as he bent down to give him the shot of ketamine, which others testified they did not see.

Hes trying to cover up the recklessness of his conduct, Senior Assistant Attorney General Jason Slothouber told jurors in closing statements.

Cichuniec, who testified along with Cooper this week, said paramedics were trained that they had to work quickly to treat excited delirium with ketamine and said they were told numerous times that it was a safe, effective drug and were not warned about the possibility of it killing anyone.

Colorado now tells paramedics not to give ketamine to people suspected of having the controversial condition known as excited delirium, which has symptoms including increased strength and has been associated with racial bias against Black men.

We were taught that is a safe drug and it will not kill them, Cichuniec testified.

Local authorities in 2019 decided against criminal charges because the coroners office could not determine exactly how McClain, a massage therapist, died. Colorado Gov. Jared Polis ordered state Attorney General Phil Weisers office to take another look at the case in 2020 and a grand jury indicted the officers and paramedics in 2021.

The killings of McClain, Floyd and others triggered a wave of legislation that put limits on the use of neck holds in more than two dozen states.

When the police stopped McClain he was listening to music and wearing a mask that covered most of his face because he had a blood circulation disorder. The police stop quickly became physical after McClain, seemingly caught off guard, asked to be left alone. He had not been accused of committing any crime.

The officers told investigators that they took McClain down after hearing Officer Randy Roedema say, He grabbed your gun dude. Roedema later said Officer Jason Rosenblatts gun was the target.

Prosecutors refuted that McClain ever tried to grab an officers gun and it cant be seen in body camera footage.

Paramedics injected McClain with ketamine as Roedema  and another officer, who was not charged  held him on the ground. McClain went into cardiac arrest en route to the hospital and died three days later.

Roedema was convicted earlier this month of the least serious charge in a series of charges he couldve faced, which could lead to a sentence of anywhere from probation to prison time.

Rosenblatt and officer Nathan Woodyard were acquitted of all charges.

In the first trials against the police officers, the defense sought to pin the blame for McClains death on the paramedics.

The city of Aurora in 2021 agreed to pay $15 million to settle a lawsuit brought by McClains parents.
An airplane takes off from Southwest Florida International Airport after sunrise on Wednesday, July 26, 2023

Parking is scarce at Southwest Florida International Airport, due to holiday travel.

As of 11 a.m. Saturday, the airport shared the long- and short-term parking lots were 90% full.

Travelers are encouraged to consider hitching a ride to the airport.

Those who are still planning to park should allow extra time to find a spot, so they still have plenty of time to get through security and check in for their flights.

Airport officials recommend you arrive no later than two hours before your departure time if you're flying domestic, but no later than three hours before departure if you're going overseas.

Security lines can grow long during the holidays. Getting there early can ensure you don't miss your flight.

More: RSW staff shares 6 best tips on having a smooth experience with holiday travel

More: Check out these 5 tips to stay safe when using a rideshare app this holiday season

Naples Daily News Reporter Kendall Little contributed to this story.

This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: Parking about 90% full at Southwest Florida airport due to holiday travel
France decides to close embassy in Niger

Xinhua) 13:56, December 23, 2023

NIAMEY, Dec. 22 (Xinhua) -- France announced the indefinite closure of its embassy in Niger and the termination of the employment contracts of embassy staff, according to a letter sent to embassy staff and seen by Xinhua on Friday.

French Ambassador to Niger Sylvain Itte said in the letter that since the coup and the violent attack in July, the French embassy has not been able to carry out the full range of functions devolved to a diplomatic representation due to the restrictions imposed on it by the Nigerien authorities.

Despite repeated requests, the competent Nigerien authorities have not responded favorably to the maintenance of the activities of the French Embassy in Niger under normal conditions, he added.

The decision to close the embassy came just hours before the departure of the last of the 1,500 French soldiers previously based in Niger, as part of the process of French disengagement at the request of Niger's new authorities, and also followed the expulsion of the current French ambassador as well as the denunciation of defense agreements by Niamey.

(Web editor: Chang Sha, Zhong Wenxing)
Goya Foods is donating 250,000 pounds of food this holiday season. Goya Foods Cans of Goya chick peas are shown in 2013 at the Goya plant in Brookshire. Brett Coomer/Houston Chronicle Volunteers Celia Martinez (left) and Lupe Rodriguez sort through food at Target Hunger during a food donation event from Goya Foods as they worked with United Way to distribute 75,000 pounds of food across Houston in 2011. Cody Duty/Houston Chronicle

Goya Foods of Texas has donated 250,000 pounds of food this holiday season throughout the state of Texas, the food manufacturer said in a Friday announcement.

Multiple nonprofit organizations throughout the Lone Star State, including Catholic Charities of Houston and Houston Food Bank, helped distribute the donations to families and individuals in need, the statement said.

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"This donation is a gift from our Goya family to families in Texas," Goya Foods president and CEO Bob Unanue said in a statement. "With the spirit of giving ingrained within our company values, we are committed to serving communities and advancing the wellbeing for all throughout the world."

Goya also worked with the Catholic Charities of San Antonio and the North Texas Food Bank.
The Paskenta Nomlaki Foundation has given away over $9 million to help its local community. (Photo/Paskenta Nomlaki Foundation)

The Paskenta Band of Nomlaki Indians, through the Paskenta Nomlaki Foundation this holiday season donated $25,000 to four local organizations. The foundation made generous donations to organizations that provide toys for local children and holiday gifts for local seniors, including the Tehama County CHP, Red Bluff Chamber of Commerce, Corning Fire Department and Toys for Tots.

We are excited to continue supporting our local partner organizations who truly understand our mission  to improve our communities and develop the quality of life in the region, said Tribal Chairman Andrew Dru Alejandre. The holiday season is tough, especially during our current economic landscape. We hope everyone in our community will get to experience the joy of the holiday spirit through our Tribes generous donations that will benefit underserved children and the elderly in our community.

On Thursday, December 7, the Paskenta Nomlaki Foundation, donated $5,000 worth of toys to the CHIPS 4 Kids toy drive hosted by the Tehama County CHP in partnership with the Red Bluff  Tehama County Chamber of Commerce. The Foundation Coordinator, Vanessa Alvarez, delivered the unwrapped toys during the Chambers 9th annual Christmas Breakfast held at Red Bluff Dodge. The toys donated were gifted to children ages 0-17 at the Childrens Christmas Festival on Saturday, December 16 with the goal of bringing them Christmas cheer during the holidays.

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The Paskenta Nomlaki Foundation also gifted $5,000 worth of toys to the Corning Fire Department for their annual Toy Haul. While the toys were provided for all age groups, the foundation focused on gifting toys for older children who are the most challenged aged group to receive gifts. The Tribal Chairman, along with the Tribal Treasurer Natasha Magana and Foundation Coordinator Vanessa Alvarez delivered the toys to the Corning Volunteer Department on Tuesday, December 12.

This year, the Foundation also supported the 4th Annual Christmas Joy Arrangements by providing a $10,000 donation. In partnership with the Red Bluff  Tehama County Chamber of Commerce and the Tehama Floral Co., the Tribal Chairman, Treasurer, and Foundation Coordinator helped deliver some of the over 600 special floral arrangements to elderly residents at the Lassen House Senior Living in Red Bluff, CA and the Tehama Village in Corning, CA on Thursday, December 14.

Additionally, today, the Foundation presented a $5,000 check donation to the Toys for Tots Foundation Coordinator Robin Barley at the Paskenta Tribal Office. The proceeds will go toward buying new toys that will be distributed as Christmas gifts to less fortunate children in the community. The Paskenta Nomlaki Foundations support went beyond the monetary donation as they also collaborated with Deer Creek Broadcasting to be a donation drop-off site for those that wanted to donate toys for the Toys for Tots program.

The Paskenta Bank of Nomlaki Indians are proud to continue supporting the community through events and donations held throughout the year. Through the Paskenta Nomlaki Foundation, the Tribe has turned revenues from the Rolling Hills Casino and Resort into grants and donation, contributing over $9 million dollars locally over the years to benefit local health, safety and education programs. For more information about the Paskenta Nomlaki Foundation, please visit: www.paskentanomlakifoundation.com.

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
The three Russian Su-34 warplanes downed on Dec. 22 were planning to attack Ukraine with guided bombs, aviation expert Valeriy Romanenko said in an interview with Radio NV.

"Most likely, it was really a Patriot, because we did receive another system from Germany, and our guys were already prepared for it," Romanenko said.

Read also: President Zelenskyy holds major press conference summarizing second year of war: key statements

When the Russians were going to attack Ukraine with guided bombs, they did not take into account the possibility that their aircraft could be shot down by a Patriot system.

On some days, they were dropping up to 100 KABs  guided aerial bombs  on the southern axis, said Romanenko.

Now three aircraft were flying and got hit all at once because they did not take into account that the Patriot has a range of 160 kilometers. Even if it is placed 70-80 kilometers away from the combat line, they can still perfectly spot Russian planes at the height where they drop bombs. And they can hit them pretty well, too.

Read also: Ukraine to receive additional Patriot air defense systems

Ukrainian Air Force Commander Mykola Oleshchuk announced the destruction of three enemy aircraft around noon on Dec. 22. He called it a response to a nighttime "message" from the Russian military on an intercepted kamikaze drone, which carried the messages: "Die, b**ches".

Air Force spokesperson Yuriy Ihnat called the downing of the warplanes "a brilliantly planned operation to destroy the enemy on the periphery of our country."

Russia has dozens of Su-34s  one of its newest models.

Read also: Ukraine Air Force comments of destruction of 3 Russian Su-34 fighters, gives their approximate cost

The aircraft has a crew of two pilots, and are used by the Russian military to strike Ukraine with guided bombs, guided missiles, and other weapons.

"But such a machine cannot cost less than $50 million, Ihnat said.

This is the lowest price.

This is due to the fact that they are "extremely technologically advanced," Ihnat explained.

According to NV sources in Ukrainian intelligence, some Russian servicemen were killed as a result of the destruction of these planes, though the source did not specify whether they meant the pilots.

The NV source also said that the warplanes were shot down over Russian-controlled 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
Paul Logan's body was found in the early hours of Christmas Eve, 1993

Detectives investigating the murder of a man 30 years ago say they will continue to act on any new lines of inquiry as his killer remains free.

Takeaway driver Paul Logan, 25, was found with fatal head wounds on farmland near Shotley Bridge, Consett, County Durham, on 24 December, 1993.

It is believed he had been lured there on the pretext of delivering a meal.

Det Supt Jane Fairlamb said unsolved murders were never closed and were "subject to periodic reviews."

The dad-of-two's body was found 50 yards (46m) to his Peugeot car in County Durham

Mr Logan, from Blackhill, who worked for a Chinese restaurant, had been called to Blue House Farm on the evening of 23 December, 1993.

He arrived just before 22:00 GMT but was told no meal had been ordered.

The householders' suspicions were aroused when they noticed his cream Peugeot car was still at the end of the lane.

The father-of-two's body was found 50 yards (46m) from his car in the early hours of Christmas Eve. The weapon, a blunt instrument, has also never been found.

It was later established that a hoax call placing the food order was made from a telephone kiosk at the junction of Snows Green Road and Benfieldside Road, Shotley Bridge.

Mr Logan was asked to deliver food to Blue House Farm late on 23 December

In 2018, on the 25th anniversary of his death, Mr Logan's daughter Natalie, who was a baby at the time, appealed for help in tracing those responsible for murdering the "father she never knew".

His family also offered a 50,000 reward for information leading to a conviction.

Det Supt Fairlamb, of Northumbria Police, added: "This tragic incident took place 30 years ago and our thoughts remain with Paul's family and friends.

"If any new information comes to light, we will ensure it is fully investigated."

Anyone with information is asked to contact police.

Follow BBC North East on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), and Instagram. Send your story ideas to northeastandcumbria@bbc.co.uk.
An 88-year-old pedestrian has died in hospital four days after he was struck by a car in Midlothian.

The man was walking his dog, which also died, in the collision on the A768 Nivensknowe Road, Loanhead, on Tuesday morning.

The driver of a Honda Civic car involved in the collision was uninjured.

Police are trying to trace two people who were at a nearby bus stop as potential witnesses.

The pedestrian died after being taken to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary.

Sgt Grant Hastie of Police Scotland's Road Policing Unit said: "Our investigation into the circumstances of this collision is ongoing and our thoughts are with the man's family and friends at this difficult time.

"We would urge anyone who may have information which has not yet been passed to police to come forward."
Pennsylvania State Police K9s received new protective vests.

The vests are bullet and stab-protective.

According to state police, 11 vests were funded by a donation from Vested Interest in K9s, Inc., a non-profit.

Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. aims to provide life-saving equipment to K9s nationwide.

If youd like to donate to their cause, click here.

PSP K9s Ivan, Rom, Suny, Natascha, Evan, Dexter, Nemo, Rocco, Jack, Gnash, and Molly have received bullet and stab protective vests thanks to a charitable donation from non-profit organization Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. pic.twitter.com/g6m7kIURqZ  PA State Police (@PAStatePolice) December 22, 2023

Each vest is U.S.-made and custom-fitted to the dog wearing it.

Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts.

Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW

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A huge heart: Owner of Lower Burrell pub remembered as charitable man with big personality Man arrested after sex sting in Downtown Pittsburgh Pittsburgh firefighters reach five-year contract with city VIDEO: Family of 6 displaced after Monroeville house fire days before Christmas DOWNLOAD the Channel 11 News app for breaking news alerts
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN)  A Pennsylvanian man is in custody after a jury indicted him in the assault of a 47-year-old man in Washington County on Feb. 6.

According to the Washington County Sheriffs Office, 43-year-old George Ditzler of Marietta, Pa., ambushed the man outside his business office and shot him in the legs multiple times with a shotgun.

Paramedics were convicted in Elijah McClains death. That could make other first responders pause

The victim  whose name hasnt been released to the public  was transported to the hospital for non-life-threatening injuries. Meanwhile, officers recorded interviews and evidence that implicated Ditzler.

Deputies found Ditzler previously had a romantic relationship with an individual who later became involved with the victim. An acquaintance also told them Ditzler had previously talked about killing the man.

Oregon, other states reach $700 million agreement with Google over Android lawsuit

Ditzler was arrested Friday and faces charges of attempted second-degree murder, first-degree assault, and two counts of unlawfully using a weapon. He will soon be extricated to Oregon for a future court date.

Stay with KOIN 6 as this story develops.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com.
Peruvian police, like the ones seen here in 2020, disguised themselves as Santa Claus in order to infiltrate an unsafe neighborhood and arrest drug dealers, officials said on December 23, 2023 (-)

A Peruvian police squad used an agent dressed as Father Christmas to infiltrate an unsafe neighborhood outside Lima and bust a small drug ring, authorities said Saturday.

The undercover operation led to the arrest of two men selling forms of cocaine and marijuana in a house in Huaral, some 70 kilometers (43 miles) north of the Peruvian capital.

Agents "disguised themselves as Santa Claus to go unnoticed in this dangerous neighborhood," Colonel Walter Palomino, head of the National Police Green Squadron, told reporters.

"The strategy was successful. Christmas came to the Evil Reindeer," he said, using a seasonal nickname for the illicit gang.

An officer disguised as the white-bearded figure from the North Pole broke down a house door with a large sledgehammer and arrested one of the suspects.

Instead of offering jolly cheer, Santa and his helpers arrested two men and seized hundreds of packets of cocaine paste and marijuana, according to police, who have yet to announce a specific amount or value of the drugs.

One of those captured was presented to the press under an alias: "The Grinch," after a fictional character created by US children's author Dr. Seuss.

For years, police in the South American nation -- one of the world's biggest cocaine producers -- have been using disguises during anti-drug operations launched on special dates.

On October 31, police used the occasion of Halloween to dress up as horror characters and arrested two alleged members of the Balboa clan, a drug gang.

Last year before Christmas, police in Lima dressed as Santa and his elves conducted a similar operation, arresting four suspects and seizing 6,000 packets of cocaine paste.

cm-vel/mlm/bbk
Democratic presidential candidate Rep. Dean Phillips (Minn.) called the impeachment inquiry into President Biden sickening and said Republicans are weaponizing the impeachment process.

Its sickening and its repulsive, Phillips told NewsNations Dan Abrams Friday. Once we start weaponizing impeachment as a political tactic in Congress, which is whats happening right now, were really in trouble, and Im not seeing even an iota of evidence that would make an inquiry even reasonable.

NewsNation is a cable news channel owned by Nexstar Media Group, which also owns The Hill.

Phillips, who announced a 2024 White House bid in October, said the inquiry into Biden is different from the two impeachments of former President Trump. Phillips said on air Friday that he believes Trump is going to beat Biden, as polls reflect, which is why he is running against the current president.

The Minnesota lawmaker said he understood if people saw a little bit of nuance in Trumps first impeachment, which found he solicited foreign intervention in the 2020 election. The second impeachment claimed Trump incited an insurrection against the U.S. government for the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol.

Phillips, who voted to impeach Trump for both offenses, said if inciting violence to stop Congress from certifying the 2020 election results was not an impeachable offense, I do not know what is.

As for the inquiry into President Biden, Phillips said there is not a shred of evidence, and Republicans are trying to find something. He admitted that the Presidents brother and son, who are wrapped up in the inquiry, appear not to be very ethical people, but said they are not the President.

The House formally approved an inquiry into Biden with a vote last week, a step Republicans hope will add legal weight to their demands. Phillips thinks the inquiry into Biden will hurt the president because most Americans dont pay a whole lot of attention to the news.

He said they will see that an inquiry was opened into Biden and thats all theyll know, adding that people will know Trump was a little corrupt, and so is the current president, which is not fair.

In a separate interview with Semafor, Phillips said while he hasnt seen evidence that Biden did anything wrong, even just having the inquiry opened makes him unelectable.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Democratic presidential candidate Rep. Dean Phillips (Minn.) straddled the line on the war between Israel and Hamas in a recent interview with NewsNations Dan Abrams.

Phillips, who is Jewish, said he is friends with Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.), the first Palestinian-American member of Congress who was censured over her statements criticizing Israel, and said the war is painful for the Jewish community as well as the Muslim and Palestinian community.

We have different life experiences, but we recognize that at the end of the day, this is about humanity, Phillips said of the lawmakers upbringings and family ties to the conflict. And I take a lot of heat from the Jewish community for even saying Im a friend of Rashida Tlaibs, but Ill tell you, this iswhat future leaders need to do with each other.

Phillips said he disagrees with Tlaib on the issue but said members of Congress have to work together. Phillips announced in a 2024 White House bid in October.

He continued, saying the disagreement among members on how to handle and respond to the war points to why Congress is dysfunctional. Members are not following what the founding fathers wanted, which was for people to debate and deliberate, Phillips said.

We might not see things the same way, were not supposed to see things the same way, he continued. But if the approach is to simply refuse to engage, to turn your backs, to believe that you can beat the other side into oblivion, thats why we find ourselves in such a dangerous place in our history.

The Minnesota lawmaker continued, saying that if Americans cant overcome differences on the issue first and then in the Middle East, we are in deep, deep trouble.

Abrams pressed Phillips on if he called for a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas, to which he avoided answering at first and said Hamas must release all the hostages.

There needs to be a cease-fire, Dan, and Hamas has to be eliminated, two things can be true, he later said.

NewsNation is a cable news channel owned by Nexstar Media Group, which also owns The Hill.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Phoenix police said they were searching for a person who fatally shot a 28-year-old man on Friday night near 19th and Northern avenues.

Officials said on Friday at about 9 p.m., Phoenix officers responded to a call about a fight at an apartment complex near 19th and Northern avenues. Police said while officers were at the complex, they heard gunshots.

When officers went to investigate, they found Quincy McMillon suffering from "an apparent gunshot wound," police said. Police said he was taken to a hospital where he died.

Officers were still investigating what led up to the shooting and were looking for the shooter, according to police.

People with information were encouraged to call Silent Witness at 480-WITNESS or 480-TESTIGO for Spanish. Callers will remain anonymous.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Quincy McMillon killed in shooting at Phoenix apartment complex
TPC Group Houston Operations sent out a notice around 11:05 a.m. Saturday about the outage and flaring, adding that employees were working to fix the issue. The group said they do not expect the outage to have any impact on those in the community or those in the building.
A Lufthansa pilot wears a button with the words "Strike" on his uniform at a rally organized by the German Airline Pilots' Association Vereinigung Cockpit (VC). Uwe Anspach/dpa

A five-hour strike called by the Cockpit pilots' trade union at Discover Airlines on Saturday had little impact on passengers, the Lufthansa subsidiary said.

Discover Airlines, which focuses on tourist travel, had arranged an alternative flight schedule to limit the effects of the strike on its passengers.

"As a result of adjustments to the flight schedule and bringing forward or delaying individual flights, no Discover Airlines flights had to be cancelled on account of the strike," the airline said after the strike was over shortly after midday.

Rescheduling at Frankfurt and the transfer of passengers to Lufthansa flights at Munich had been successful, it said.

Cockpit is aiming for the first collective bargaining agreement at the airline.

It called the strike after accusing Discover Airlines of "stalling tactics, by withdrawing concessions previously made and simultaneously setting new conditions for a collective bargaining arrangement."

Cockpit members needed secure conditions, it said.
Plans to restore a historic building in Charlottes Lockwood neighborhood appear to be dead in the water after its owner filed for bankruptcy protection earlier this month.

ALSO READ: Historic west Charlotte neighborhood celebrates community in second annual parade

Tara Ellerbe, under limited liability company The Optimus Building, on Dec. 7 filed a voluntary Chapter 11 bankruptcy petition for 1024 N. Tryon St., according to records from the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of North Carolina.

Ellerbe did not return a request for comment. The Optimus Building LLCs attorney, James C. Lanik of Waldrep Wall Babcock & Bailey, was unavailable for comment.

Ellerbe had purchased The Optimus Building under the LLC in July 2019 for $875,000, according to Mecklenburg County real estate records. She filed a petition with the city of Charlotte that year to rezone the 0.33-acre parcel from industrial to mixed-use development.

Read more here.

(WATCH BELOW: SC school that served Black students during segregation gets historical marker)
The Oklahoma County jail has had a series of what officials have described as "unintended releases" of detainees at the Oklahoma County jail in recent weeks.

Oklahoma City police revealed the recent rearrest of a detainee who had been mistakenly released from the Oklahoma County jail in mid-December.

On Dec. 13, a man called police alleging he had been assaulted by his employer, Pedro Rodriguez Hernandez, 28, in the 2100 block of SW 65 Street. The man said Hernandez struck him with a firearm and choked him until he fell unconscious, according to responding officers with the Oklahoma City Police Department. Officers also said the alleged victim claimed Hernandez had threatened to kill him and then leave the United States.

Police arrested Hernandez on Dec. 13 and booked him into the Oklahoma County jail on complaints of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and threatening to perform an act of violence, jail records showed. Police also said they found numerous weapons and gun suppressors inside his home.

According to the Oklahoma City Police Department, investigators contacted the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, also known as the ATF, and a federal hold was placed on Hernandez, which would have required clearance from federal authorities before Hernandez could be released from jail.

Police also said that on Dec. 14, despite the federal hold, Hernandez had been released by Oklahoma County jail staff. Officers found Hernandez later that day with "a large moving trailer hooked up to his vehicle," according to a social media post from the department, and arrested him again.

Hernandez was then booked into the Cleveland County jail in Norman, and Oklahoma City police said Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, placed him under an immigration detainer. Christina DeWalt, a spokeswoman for the Cleveland County Sheriff's Office, told The Oklahoman Saturday that Hernandez was released from the Norman jail on Dec. 19, but would not comment further on his release.

Attempts by The Oklahoman to reach ICE and the ATF for further information Saturday were unsuccessful, and staff at the Oklahoma County jail could neither confirm nor deny details of Hernandez's release.

Related: Latest Oklahoma County jail release miscues come as CEO moves to speed releases

The Hernandez incident is the latest in a series of what officials have described as "unintended releases" of detainees at the Oklahoma County jail in recent weeks.

On Dec. 4, jail employees mistakenly released Devonne Sias, 28, who had been impersonating another prisoner who was actually supposed to be released. The clerk processing that release failed to confirm the detainee's identity. Sias was rearrested Dec. 11 and booked into the jail again on complaints of larceny, burglary and eluding a police officer.

On Dec. 1, Joshua Hardeman, 41, also was mistakenly released due to what jail officials characterized as a "clerical error" after a prosecutor declined to file charges involving prostitution against him. But Hardeman still had an outstanding warrant for a second arrest which would have kept him in custody, and police rearrested him Dec. 5 and booked him back into the jail on a complaint of possession of a firearm as a convicted felon.

"These incidents were not due to the newly implemented release procedures but to a series of staff errors," Mark Opgrande, a spokesman for the jail, said in a statement Dec. 5. "The Oklahoma County Detention Center is conducting a comprehensive internal investigation to understand the root cause of the incidents and to implement additional safeguards to prevent similar errors in the future. We are committed to transparency and accountability and will be working closely with our staff to address any shortcomings in our procedures."

"Immediate actions were taken to rectify the situations" involving Hardeman and Sias, Opgrande also said at the time, and jail staff were supposed to begin additional training and oversight measures to prevent unintended releases. It was uncertain Saturday what consequences might follow the mistaken release of Hernandez.

New release procedures at the Oklahoma County jail began in late 2023 following the facility's controversial handling of Nikita Webb's release. A judge had ordered Webb's release for time served related to two misdemeanor drug charges, but it took the jail another week to free her.

"We deeply regret the distress and inconvenience caused by these incidents," Brandi Garner, CEO of the Oklahoma County jail, said in early December. "Our top priority is to rectify the mistakes, ensure the safe return of the mistakenly released individuals to our custody, and take concrete steps to prevent such errors in the future."

More: The cost to house inmates at the Oklahoma County jail is steadily climbing. Here are the numbers

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma City police rearrested detainee mistakenly released from jail
The investigation continues into a shooting that occurred near a Walmart in South Fulton.

South Fulton police officials told Channel 2 Action News officials received reports of a shooting near a Walmart and a restaurant on Old National Highway Friday night.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

When officers arrived, they located one person who had been shot multiple times. They were taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

The victims identity has not been released.

TRENDING STORIES:

We were just looking outside the window like whats going on?, a witness told WSB Tonights Michael Doudna. I mean I know a lot of stuff happens on Old National, but I dont think Ive seen something this bad,

It is unclear if anyone was taken into custody.

Channel 2 Action News reached out to South Fulton police for more information but has not received a response.

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IN OTHER NEWS:
A dead body was found inside of a vehicle at the CherryVale Mall Saturday morning, according to the Cherry Valley Police Department.

In a news release sent out Saturday morning, police said an "older man" was found dead inside a vehicle in the mall parking lot.

The man's age and identity has not been released at this time.

There is no threat to the public, according to the police department.

No other information has been released at this time.

This article originally appeared on Rockford Register Star: Police: Dead body found inside of a vehicle at CherryVale Mall
Fiona Holm was last seen on June 20 - Facebook

A reward of 20,000 has been offered by Scotland Yard for information that helps find the body of a woman believed to have been murdered.

The Metropolitan Police launched a murder investigation after 48-year-old Fiona Holm was reported missing by her family on June 29.

Officers believe she was killed up to nine days earlier having last been seen on CCTV on the evening of June 20 after she met friends.

The force has linked the case to that of Naomi Hunte, 41, who was found fatally stabbed at her home in Woolwich, south-east London, on February 14 last year.

Construction worker Carl Cooper, 65, of Hither Green, south-east London, has been charged with their murders and faces a trial at the Old Bailey next year.

In the footage, Ms Holm is wearing a green top and dark leggings and is walking alone in Verdant Lane, Catford, south-east London.

Her family have pleaded for people to come forward.

Detective Chief Inspector Kate Blackburn said: I am keen to hear from anyone who saw Fiona since she was last seen in Verdant Lane, SE6, in June this year.

We are living in mental torture

We are piecing together a timeline of what may have been her last movements, and your information, no matter how small, could help us establish what happened to her and where she is.

Have you heard or do you know anything concerning where her remains could be found? Even if it is just rumour, please share that information with us  you may even be eligible for a cash reward.

Scotland Yard has previously released footage of Ms Holm in an off-licence earlier on June 20.

Ms Holm was a mother and came from a big family who issued appeals on Facebook in the days before she was formally reported missing.

A spokesman for the relatives said: As a family we are facing our first Christmas since Fiona was murdered, and we are tormented by the fact that her body has not been found.

Somebody out there has the information police need to bring Fiona home, so we can say our final goodbyes and try and find some peace. We are living in mental torture.

It is difficult enough for us to come to terms with Fionas murder this Christmas, but not knowing where her remains are is an even greater ordeal. We need to be able to lay her to rest. We need to have a funeral.

We just hope that someone has the decency to put us out of our misery and provide police with the information they need to recover Fionas body, and allow her and us to rest.

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.
An Oklahoma City police officer is on paid leave after a shooting involving two suspects in southwest Oklahoma City early Saturday.

Two people were in custody and a police officer was on administrative leave after a shooting early Saturday morning in southwest Oklahoma City.

Around 2:30 a.m. Saturday, an Oklahoma City police officer encountered two people with long guns near S Douglas Avenue and SW 26 Street. According to Oklahoma City police Sgt. Robbie Robertson, the officer felt threatened during the encounter and shot his own firearm at the two, who both took off running.

Police set up a perimeter in the area and captured one suspect without injuries soon afterward. The second suspect was found around 9:30 a.m. after a local homeowner called police to report an individual with apparent gunshot wounds in his backyard.

He was hit in one of the arms, but it was not life-threatening, Robertson said. The suspect was taken into custody and then treated at a local hospital.

An investigation has been opened into the shooting, and the officer has been placed on paid administrative leave. Oklahoma City police Capt. Valerie Littlejohn told news stations early Saturday about reports of at least one of the suspects shooting into a neighborhood home around the same time as the officers encounter. Robertson also said at least one of the long guns had been recovered by police.

More: OKC's network of surveillance cameras help police identify suspected killers

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Officer on leave after shooting in southwest OKC early Saturday
The death penalty trial opens in July, 2013, for Obel Cruz-Garcia, accused of abducting and killing 6-year-old Angelo Garcia in Houston. Eric Kayne Roosevelt Smith Jr. (left) and Jimmy Hoang Le, along with fellow defendant Stephanie Jacobo, appear in Harris County's 263rd Criminal District Court in 2005. Steve Ueckert/Houston Chronicle

The Houston-area lawyers who represent people facing the death penalty often have such unmanageable workloads that they never form a relationship with their clients. Some waited until the last minute to hire crucial expert witnesses in the case. Others never called any witnesses at trial.

Those are some of the revelations in Death By Design, a report released this week that calls for a sweeping overhaul of Harris Countys system of providing legal representation to capital murder defendants.The report was authored by a criminal justice reform advocacy group called the Wren Collective, which is staffed by former public defenders from around the country.

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The report comes at the end of a year of increased scrutiny for indigent defense in the Houston region. The local public defenders office handles less than one-fifth of cases in Harris County involving those who cannot afford to hire their own lawyers, which means that judges must assign private, court-appointed attorneys for the rest.

Critics say the judges do a poor job monitoring court-appointed attorneys workloads, leading taxpayers to fund a system that robs many low-income defendants of their fair shake in court.

The Wren Collective report says the problem is especially bad for attorneys handling capital murder cases, which are the most complex because defendants who are convicted face either life in prison without parole or a death sentence.

A single case can involve thousands of hours of work, experts say. Attorneys on such cases should hire specialized investigators and experts months in advance to look into the defendant's past, since many may have experienced trauma or abuse earlier in life that could help convince a jury not to sentence them to death.

That rarely happens in Harris County, according to the Death by Design report, which faults lawyers and judges for an utterly broken system.

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For too long, unprepared lawyers have done little to stop their vulnerable, mentally ill clients from being sentenced to death, and judges have turned a blind eye to it, says the report, which calls for the creation of a government-funded office that only handles legal defense for capital murder defendants in Harris County.

Through a spokesperson, most of Harris County's 23 state district judges who preside over felony cases, including capital murders, declined to comment on the findings.

One judge, Melissa Morris, said she makes sure lawyers representing capital murder defendants can put on a good case.

I dont believe that theres been, in my court, anything that would keep a defense attorney from being able to put forth the best possible defense for a client, she said, adding that she could only speak for her own court and not for other judges.

Looking to improve legal representation for low-income defendants, the felony judges recently increased the hourly rate for private attorneys working on capital cases from $150 to $225 an hour and have prohibited them from earning flat fees for individual court appearances that could last as little as 10 minutes.

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Several of the attorneys whose cases are featured in the Wren Collective report said it left out important nuances. They said they dedicated their lifes work to representing clients facing death row and pointed out that people accused of capital murder can be among the most difficult and uncooperative clients. The alleged facts in the case can also be particularly brutal for a jury to hear, making defense work all the more difficult.

A lot of these cases, you look at the facts, you look at the evidence, and a lot of these facts are just irrefutable, said Shirley Cornelius, a former Harris County prosecutor whose brother Skip worked on dozens of capital murder cases as a trial attorney before his death last month.

Still, Cornelius said her brother and many of his fellow attorneys who handled capital cases worked tirelessly on behalf of all their clients. Theyre not flying by the seat of their pants, Cornelius said. Theyre really not.

Pat McCann, who also represented defendants mentioned in the report and has specialized in capital murder and appellate work, pointed out that none of the reports authors had worked on a death penalty trial.

Academicians should shut up about something they know nothing about, which is running a small business, he said.

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Jessica Brand, founder of The Wren Collective, said the organization is itself a small business which is run entirely by former public defenders who have extensive trial experience.

I just dont think you have a right to make a profit on the backs of poor people, she said. The system needs to change.

Very, very bad cases

On Oct. 28, 2005, Pasadena police found 77-year-old Betty Blair lying face-down in a bedroom with a cell phone cord wrapped around her neck and her hands tied behind her back. Blair was known for her volunteer work with survivors of Hurricane Katrina whod been relocated to the Houston area, and one of those survivors, Roosevelt Smith, quickly became a suspect.

Gerald Bourque and Robert R. Scott, two seasoned lawyers who handled many death penalty cases, were appointed to represent Smith. Citing court records, the Wren Collective report alleges they did a poor job.

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Bourque and Scott did not call any witnesses or present any evidence during the guilt phase of Smiths 2007 capital murder trial. And when the time came for the penalty phase, when the jury was to decide if he would receive life without parole ora death sentence, the defense presented less than one hour  only 44 minutes, to be exact  of evidence to try and save his life, the report says.

Bourque and Scott also never presented evidence that Smith was intellectually disabled, which would have made him ineligible for the death penalty. Five years later, his death sentence was overturned after prosecutors conceded that he had such a disability.

In an interview, Bourque said the allegations in the report were missing important context. He said he and the rest of his trial team traveled to Smiths hometown of Napoleonville, La., multiple times to learn about his past and coax friends and family to testify on his behalf.

We had people who had said they were coming. We had them interviewed, Bourque said. But when the time came for trial, we sent our van down there and nobody gets on the bus but one lady. And at that point, what do you have left?

Bourque added that many records which could have proven Smiths intellectual disability were destroyed during Hurricane Katrina. The judge refused to allow any remaining records to be presented at trial because Bourque had missed the deadline for notifying prosecutors that he might present them. But even if they had been allowed, Bourque said he doubted they would have made a difference.

These are very, very bad cases, all right? said Bourque, adding that Smith didnt meet the hard-fast criteria at that time for being ineligible for a death sentence.

In the five years since Smiths trial, the courts stance on intellectual disability had changed, Bourque said. He also said prosecutors deserve some blame, pointing to other cases in which one of their prized experts on intellectual disability was later sanctioned for arbitrarily raising some defendants estimated IQ scores.

We dont start on a level playing field. And to act like we do is just intellectually dishonest. How do you fix that problem? Its not fixable, Bourque said.

Its not clear what kind of caseload Bourque or Scott held when they represented Smith, because such data did not become easily publicly available until 2016. State data show that in recent years, Bourque was paid for his work on as many as a dozen capital murder cases in a single year  a high number of cases for such intensive work.

Bourque said those numbers are misleading and he was able to juggle the caseload because some cases would lay dormant for years while others went to trial. Not all of them involved prosecutors seeking the death penalty, either, he pointed out.

In 2019, Bourque secured a not guilty verdict in a capital murder case in neighboring Montgomery County, the first-ever such verdict in the county, he said.

Today, data show Bourque has considerably slowed down his practice at the age of 73.

This work will kill you, Bourque said. Im walking around with a pacemaker because of this work.

Caseload concerns

Other attorneys have regularly taken on hundreds of unrelated felony cases on top of a handful of cases, which is a more acceptable workload for two or even three full-time attorneys, according to state data.

The Wren Collective report found that caseloads for almost all attorneys representing people facing death sentences were far too high. The report points out that when Ralph Skip Cornelius was representing Obel Cruz-Garcia, accused of killing a six-year-old boy, judges appointed him to more than 20 additional capital murder cases. He also carried a caseload of hundreds of other felonies at the time.

The report alleges that Cornelius representation of Cruz-Garcia suffered as a result. He only visited Cruz-Garcia in jail twice, jail records show. He also told the judge presiding over the case that he expected to hire a multitude of expert witnesses but wound up hiring just one psychologist who spent seven hours working on the case, court records show.

Before he died last month, Cornelius told the Huffington Post that he ultimately decided the psychologist would not be favorable to Cruz-Garcias case. She would have been forced to answer questions that would have labeled [Cruz-Garcia] as a sociopath, psychopath or antisocial personality, or all three, he said. And thats a recipe for the death penalty.

Cornelius also said the guidelines for acceptable caseloads are probably very useful for someone whos a new lawyer but that he could handle far more cases given his experience and help from his wife, who was also an attorney.

Mario Madrid, Cornelius co-counsel on the case, said Cornelius was a loving father and husband and brother and a great lawyer. Madrid added that the entire defense team visited Cruz-Garcia a total of 13 times in jail, and that the team spent additional time with Cruz-Garcia in the courthouse before various hearings.

He also said caseloads can be misleading. He pointed to a capital murder case of his that went to trial earlier this year where the client was also facing nearly a dozen other felony charges, all of which would have been included in his caseload.

When the case is done, its not like we try 13 cases, Madrid said.

Still, data show that some caseloads are extraordinarily high. According to The Wren Collective report, at least five people sentenced to death in Harris County were represented by attorneys who were juggling more than 250 other felony cases at the time.

They include Jerome Godinich, who, as the Houston Chronicle has previously reported, continues to be assigned hundreds of new cases a year despite missing crucial deadlines on death penalty cases and facing numerous client complaints.
A Los Angeles County deputy allegedly shot and killed a 27-year-old Black woman in front of her daughter after the woman called 911 to report domestic violence.

Niani Finlayson, a mother of two, called 911 on 4 December to report that her "boyfriend would not leave her alone and then screaming and sounds of a struggle could be heard", the sheriff's department said in a report.

When deputies arrived at the apartment in Lancaster, they heard people arguing and yelling.

Finlayson was inside the apartment with her nine-year-old daughter and had been injured allegedly by her former boyfriend, according to Bradley Gage, the family's attorney.

The Los Angeles Sheriff's Department (LASD) said Finlayson opened the door holding a "large kitchen knife". She was allegedly threatening her boyfriend when the deputy opened fire.

Finlayson fell to the floor and dropped the knife after being fatally struck by the gunfire, the authorities said.

She was rendered first aid until she was transported to a local hospital, where the woman was pronounced dead.

The family, however, disputed the LASD's account, arguing that Finlayson was a victim of domestic violence and was not threatening anyone when deputies shot her in the back.

Niani was sitting on the ground when she was shot in the back, Mr Gage told reporters on Thursday. She was not engaging in any type of physically threatening behavior at all. In fact, she was the victim.

The circumstances leading up to the shooting were unclear as the sheriff's department was yet to make the body camera footage public.

Finlayson's daughter at a press conference said, she handed her mother a knife before the deputies arrived because the man was "hurting my mother and me". "I didn't have [any] choice but to get something sharp," the girl was quoted by Los Angeles Times as saying.

The daughter said she wanted to see the deputy prosecuted. "She knows mom is definitely gone, she knows something is wrong, she said about the need to inform her two-year-old sister.

Niani Finlayson was shot dead by a responding officer (Family/Fox 11)

Its unfair to my little sister, its unfair to me.

According to a claim filed by the lawyer, Finlayson was sitting on the ground inside her home when deputies upon arrival opened fire from outside. She was shot four times through a sliding glass door, the claim stated.

She called for help and cried out in pain ... Her nine-year-old witnessed the entire murder and her mothers suffering.

The family is seeking $30m (23.6m) in damages and legal fees.

LASD said it had not officially received the familys claim, but would be releasing body-camera footage by next week.

The inspector generals office would conduct a robust review process  where every aspect of the shooting is thoroughly examined and evaluated to see if department policies and procedures were followed, it said.

The LASD said it would evaluate the actions of the personnel within the application of policy, procedures and tactics.
A resident was shot in the leg during an armed home invasion in Taunton Friday morning, according to police.

Taunton police responded to an apartment on Newcomb Place around 10 a.m. after receiving a call from someone nearby screaming on the line, the department said in a statement.

Responding officers were let into the multi-family building and entered a second-floor apartment to find two men grappling on the ground near a gun. Officers ordered the two men to stop fighting and noticed that one of the two men had been shot in the leg.

The other man, Joshua Manuel Deleon, 22, of New Bedford, was wearing body armor and suffering from head trauma and other injuries, police say.

Two other guns and three bullet casings were also found in the apartment.

Police noticed that there were three bullet holes from shots fired into the ceiling. Police went into the third-floor apartment above and spoke with a woman and four children who were frightened but uninjured.

The man shot in the leg was taken to a local hospital to be treated overnight and is expected to recover.

Deleon was transported to a different Boston hospital in police custody to be treated for serious injuries he received in the altercation.

Deleon is facing charges of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, assault and battery, assault with a dangerous weapon, armed assault with intent to murder, possession of a firearm in the commission of a felony, home invasion, possession of ammunition without a FID card, use of body armor in the commission of a felony, possession of a firearm with a defaced serial number and discharging a firearm within 500 feet of a dwelling.

Police say the incident stemmed from a conflict in a different community. The two men know each other, police say.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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Polish farmers have agreed to suspend their blockade of one of the currently blocked Ukraine-Poland border checkpoints through Christmas and New Years, Roman Kondrow, head of the Polish farmer association Podkarpackie Deceived Village, said on Dec. 23, according to Polish news outlet RMF FM.

The protests will be suspended from 8:00 a.m. on Dec. 24, until Jan. 2 or 3, 2024. If Kondrow receives a written statement from the Polish prime minister that the farmers demands have been met, the protest will not resume, he said.

Read also: Polish minibus plows into three Ukrainian drivers at Rava-Ruska  Grebenne border crossing

Farmers from the Podkarpackie Deceived Village started blocking the Medyka-Shehyni checkpoint on Nov. 23. They demanded, among other things, corn subsidies, additional money for liquidity loans, and keeping the agricultural tax at the current level next year.

Polish Agriculture Minister Czesaw Siekierski stated that the protesters' demands would be met, but "it will take time."

Read also: Polish blockade at Ukrainian border sparks queues at checkpoints in Slovakia, Hungary

Funds to fulfill some of the demands have allegedly been provided for in the state budget, which is currently under consideration.

At a press conference, protesters also reported that an agreement had been signed in Medyka with farmers from the United Village organization who are protesting at the Dorohusk-Yagodin crossing. The document contains such demands as the cessation of sugar imports and the immediate payment of direct subsidies.

Blockade of the Ukrainian-Polish border

Polish truck drives began a blockade of checkpoints on the Poland-Ukraine on Nov. 6. They blocked three checkpoints for the passage of freight transport: Korczowa-Krakivets, Hrebenne-Rava-Ruska, and Yagodin-Dorohusk. On Nov. 22, the blockade of the Yagodin-Dorohusk checkpoint on the Ukrainian-Polish border was extended until Feb. 1, 2024. On Nov. 23, the Shehyni-Medyka checkpoint was also blocked.

The protesters' demands include: making Ukrainian freight carriers require permits again, tightening the ECMT transportation rules for foreign carriers, banning the possibility of registering companies in Poland if the company's accounts are not in the EU, a separate line in the eQueue system for vehicles with EU license plates, a separate line at all borders for empty trucks, and access to the Shlyakh system.

The European Commission announced on Nov. 16 that it may initiate punitive proceedings against Poland if it does not resolve the blockade of the checkpoints on the border with Ukraine.

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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
Polish farmers will suspend protests at the Shehyni-Medyka border checkpoint starting Dec. 24, Michal Kolodziejczak, Polish deputy minister of agriculture, said on Dec. 23.

However, truckers will continue blockades at three other crossings and will allow fewer trucks to pass than earlier, Reuters reported.

Over 4,000 trucks remain waiting in line to enter Ukraine from Poland ahead of the holiday season, Border Guard Service spokesman Andrii Demchenko said on national television on Dec. 23.

"Work constantly continues to unblock the movement across the entire Polish border but as of this morning, four directions remain blocked," said Demchenko.

"The movement across the border continues from Ukrainian and Polish directions but it has dropped significantly compared to the period before Nov. 6 when the protests began on these four directions," he added.

Polish truckers have been blocking four crossings with Ukraine in protest of the EU's liberalization of transit rules for their Ukrainian counterparts. The blockade has left thousands of Ukrainian truckers stranded in long lines in freezing temperatures.

Ukrainian and Polish officials sought possible solutions to the protests during the visit by Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski to Kyiv on Dec. 22.

Polish Deputy Infrastructure Minister Pawel Gancarz, who accompanied Sikorski on the trip, previously said he was hopeful about solving the issue before Christmas.

Read also: Anger and disappointment in endless lines of Ukrainian trucks at Polish border

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Farmers blocking the border crossing in Poland's Medyka (on the Ukrainian side  the Shehyni checkpoint) will suspend their protest on 24 December.

Source: RMF FM, citing Roman Kondrow from the Deceived Village organisation, as reported by European Pravda.

Kondrow said the protest will be suspended from 08:00 on 24 December until 2 or 3 January 2024.

He noted that if he receives a written statement from Prime Minister Donald Tusk that their demands will be met, the protest will probably not be resumed.

Czesaw Siekierski, the new Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development of Poland, assured at a press conference that the requirements will be met, but it will take time. He added that funds for fulfilling some requirements are provided, in particular, in the state budget, which is currently under review.

It was also reported at the press conference that an agreement was signed in Medyka with farmers from Deceived Village, who are protesting near the border crossing in Dorohusk in the Lublin Voivodeship. The document contains such demands as the cessation of sugar imports from Ukraine and the immediate payment of direct subsidies.

Background:

Farmers from the Deceived Village began to block the crossing in Medyka on 23 November. They are demanding, among other things, corn subsidies, additional money for liquidity loans and keeping the farm tax at its current level next year.

Representatives of the Ministry of Infrastructure of Poland and the Ukrainian Ministry of Development of Communities, Territories and Infrastructure agreed on an action plan to unblock the border during a meeting in Kyiv on 22 December.

The Polish government supposed that the border could be unblocked before Christmas.

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WARSAW (Reuters) - Polish farmers will suspend a protest at the border crossing with Ukraine at Medyka from Sunday, but truckers will continue blockades at three other crossings over Christmas and will allow even fewer trucks to pass than earlier, they said on Saturday.

Polish drivers have been blocking several crossings with Ukraine since Nov. 6, demanding the European Union reinstate a system whereby Ukrainian companies need permits to operate in the bloc, and the same for European truckers seeking to enter Ukraine.

They were later joined by farmers who demanded government subsidies for corn and no hikes in taxes.

Roman Kondrow, one of the leaders of the protesting farmers, said after talks with Agriculture Minister Czeslaw Siekierski that the protest in Medyka will be suspended from Sunday morning until Jan. 2 or 3, 2024, PAP news agency reported.

However, truckers said they would stay on the border over Christmas and will let through only one commercial truck every three hours, instead of three every hour.

"We are intensifying the protest, (allowing only) one truck every three hours," said Edyta Ozygaa, one of the leaders of the trucker's protest in Dorohusk, told Reuters, adding that the transport of humanitarian help and military equipment were not being blocked.

Poland's deputy infrastructure minister said on Friday after a meeting in Kyiv that he hoped truckers' protests on the border with Ukraine could be resolved before the end of the year.

Polish truckers resumed their blockade of one of the main crossings at the Ukrainian border this week after a short break. According to data from Poland's Customs office, the wait at the Dorohusk crossing was 77 hours on Saturday.

(Reporting by Anna Wlodarczak-Semczuk; Editing by David Holmes)
Polish hauliers at the Dorohusk checkpoint have said they will block the border with Ukraine on Christmas Day as well and will allow only one commercial lorry to cross the border every three hours instead of three per hour.

Source: Reuters, citing Edyta Ozygaa, one of the leaders of the carriers protest in Dorohusk, as reported by European Pravda

Quote: "We are intensifying the protest, (allowing only) one truck every three hours," she said, adding that the transportation of humanitarian aid and military equipment is not blocked.

Her statement was made against the background of the agreement of Polish farmers blocking the Medyka-Shehyni border crossing to suspend their protest starting from the morning of 24 December.

This week, after a short break, Polish hauliers resumed the checkpoint blockade in Dorohusk. The data from the Polish Customs Service indicates that the waiting time at the crossing was 77 hours on 23 December.

The border crossings in Hrebenne and Korczowa also remain blocked, where the protesters let several vehicles through per hour.

Background:

Pawe Gancarz, Deputy Minister of Infrastructure of Poland, who was on a visit to Kyiv on 22 December, announced a breakthrough in solving the issue of the Polish hauliers blockade of the Polish-Ukrainian border.

Representatives of the Ministry of Infrastructure of Poland and the Ukrainian Ministry of Development of Communities, Territories and Infrastructure agreed on an action plan to unblock the border during a meeting in Kyiv on 22 December.

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Poland's nationalist-conservative President Andrzej Duda intends to veto the new government's 2024 budget law over the restructuring of the public media initiated by the coalition led by Prime Minister Donald Tusk.

Announcing his intentions in a post on X on Saturday, Duda demanded that "the public media must first be thoroughly repaired in accordance with the law."

The conflict over the media is the most serious to date between the new pro-European government, which was sworn in last week following elections in October, and the nationalist-conservative Law and Justice (PiS) party, which governed Poland for eight years. Duda is their last remaining high-ranking representative.

A veto by the head of state can be overruled by a majority of three-fifths of lawmakers present in parliament. However, the governing alliance led by Prime Minister Tusk only holds 248 of the 460 seats in the Polish lower house.

New Culture Minister Bartomiej Sienkiewicz fired the entire management of the public broadcasters in one fell swoop on Wednesday, removing chief executives and board members at TVP, Polish Radio and the PAP news agency.

In recent years, opposition critics and watchdogs have accused the PiS of turning Polish public media into partisan propaganda outlets.
FILE - Poland President Andrzej Duda speaks at an event in support of tripling global nuclear capacity by 2050 during at the COP28 U.N. Climate Summit, Saturday, Dec. 2, 2023, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Polands president says he intends to veto a spending bill which includes money for public media and raises for teachers, dealing a blow to the new pro-European Union government of Prime Minister Donald Tusk. President Andrzej Duda said Saturday, Dec. 23 he would veto the bill that includes 3 billion zlotys ($762 million) for public media and would propose a bill of his own. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong, file)

WARSAW, Poland (AP)  Poland's president said Saturday that he intends to veto a spending bill which includes money for public media and raises for teachers, dealing a blow to the new pro-European Union government of Prime Minister Donald Tusk.

President Andrzej Duda said he would veto the bill that includes 3 billion zlotys ($762 million) for public media and would propose a bill of his own instead.

It comes after Tusk's government this week week fired the directors of state television, radio and the government-run news agency, a step it said was necessary to reestablish independent media in Poland.

Public media in Poland is funded by taxpayers and is legally required to be free of political bias. However, Law and Justice, the populist right-wing ruling party that held power for eight years until this month, used media as a propaganda mouthpiece that spread disinformation and xenophobic and homophobic content.

Tusk won power on promises to restore democratic norms, including through the reform of public media. But Poles have been debating whether his government was setting new negative examples in the way it took control over public media. The culture minister replaced the heads of state media and TVP Info, a 24-hour news network, which went off air on Wednesday and is not yet broadcasting again.

The Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights in Warsaw said Friday that it had doubts about whether a member of the government should be making decisions about changes in leadership positions in public media.

We realize that political and legal conditions make such reforms very difficult, the human rights group wrote. However, we cannot help but notice that the manner of initiating changes in public media raises serious legal doubts.

Some others defended the Tusk government's move, saying it had to act to stop media that were producing propaganda, and that the government should ultimately be judged on whether it manages to establish objective media outlets free from political bias.

Duda, who is politically aligned with Law and Justice, harshly condemned the government's takeover of public media, warning that he wont accept moves that he believes to be against the law.

The president has the right to veto legislation and can propose legislation of his own. Duda remains in office for another year and a half, and his veto is an early sign of difficulties Tusk is likely to face in putting forward his agenda.

There cannot be consent to this in view of the flagrant violation of the Constitution and the principles of a democratic state of law. Public media must first be repaired reliably and legally, Duda tweeted in announcing his planned veto.

In response, Tusk tweeted that Duda's move would block raises for preschool and other teachers.

"Shame on you. Merry Christmas, President. I reassure those affected: we will deal with it, Tusk said.

It was not clear how Tusk would manage to overcome the obstacle. His coalition holds a majority of 248 seats in the 460-seat Sejm, or parliament, but is short of the three-fifths majority needed to override presidential vetoes
Following the Vatican's publication of Fiducia Supplicans  a document outlining when individuals in same-sex or otherwise "irregular" couples can be blessed  the worldwide Catholic Church has seen battle lines forming around its application.

While early disputations came from African prelates in countries such as Nigeria, Zambia, Cameroon, and Malawi, now Eastern European leaders have joined in dissent.

"Since practicing sexual acts outside marriage, that is, outside the indissoluble union of a man and a woman open to the transmission of life, is always an offense against the will and wisdom of God expressed in the sixth commandment of the Decalogue, people who are in such a relationship cannot receive a blessing," the Polish Episcopal Conference wrote in response to the declaration.

CATHOLIC BISHOPS AROUND THE WORLD PUSH BACK ON BLESSINGS FOR PEOPLE IN SAME-SEX RELATIONSHIPS

Archbishop Stanislaw Gadecki, Archbishop of Poznan and Chairman of the Polish Episcopal Conference, seen during a procession after the Holy Mass led by Waclaw Depo, Archbishop of Czestochowa, on the occasion of the feast of Saint Stanislaus, bishop and martyr, the main patron of Poland, with the participation of the Polish Episcopate in Wawel Cathedral, Krakow, Poland.

"This applies in particular to people in same-sex relationships," the Polish statement added, according to translations from Catholic News Agency.

Fiducia Supplicans affirmed the Catholic Church's inability to change the sacrament of marriage, which it defines as an "exclusive, stable, and indissoluble union between a man and a woman, naturally open to the generation of children."

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It did, however, carve out allowances for "spontaneous" blessings given to individuals in same-sex relationships who are seeking to lead more moral lives. It also clarifies that the "union" between two members of the same sex cannot be blessed  only the individuals themselves.

CATHOLIC CHURCH'S TEACHING ON MARRIAGE 'HAS NOT CHANGED' AFTER VATICAN DOCUMENT, US BISHOPS SAY

Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk, head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, declared Friday that Catholics in the Eastern Rite of the church are not to follow the document's guidance, according to translations from the Catholic blog Rorate Caeli.

Shevchuk said that the Vatican's document "interprets the pastoral meaning of blessings in the Latin Church, not in the Eastern Catholic Churches. It does not address questions of Catholic faith or morality, does not refer to any prescriptions of the Code of Canons for the Eastern Churches, and does not mention Eastern Christians."

He continued, saying that because it is not a universal teaching on faith and morals, it "applies exclusively to the Latin Church and has no legal force for the faithful of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church."

POPE FRANCIS ALLOWS PRIESTS TO BLESS SAME-SEX COUPLES

Sviatoslav Shevchuk, Major Archbishop of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church during the Holy Mass presides by Pope Francis for the conclusion of the Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops. Vatican City.

The Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church is the second-largest particular church in the Catholic Communion  smaller only than the main Latin or "Roman Catholic" church.

"According to the traditions of the Byzantine rite, the concept of 'blessing' means approval, permission, or even an order for a certain type of action, prayer and ascetic practices, including certain types of fasting and prayer," Shevchuk said, noting the differences in pastoral customs between the Ukrainian Greek and Latin churches.

IDF CONFIRMS 'INCIDENT' AT GAZA CHURCH AFTER PATRIARCH SAYS 2 CHRISTIAN WOMEN KILLED, CONVENT BOMBED

He concluded, "Pastoral discernment urges us to avoid ambiguous gestures, expressions, and concepts that would distort or misrepresent God's word and the teaching of the Church."

The publication of Fiducia Supplicans has been a nightmare for worldwide Church unity, inspiring fierce debate among bishops, priests, and laity as the document's author, Cardinal Victor Manuel Fernandez, fields questions on the ambiguous text.

In an interview with Catholic news outlet The Pillar, Fernandez said, "These kinds of blessings are simply simple pastoral channels that help to express people's faith, even if those people are great sinners."

Prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, Victor Manuel Fernandez poses during the courtesy visits to the New Cardinals at the Apostolic Palace in Vatican City.

He added, "Therefore, by giving this blessing to two people who spontaneously come forward to request it, one can legitimately ask God to grant them health, peace, prosperitythe things that we all ask for and that a sinner can also ask for."

The cardinal affirmed to The Pillar that the blessings in the context of a same-sex or otherwise irregular couple are meant to invoke God to help them live more in line with the Gospel.

"The declaration also mentions a request for help from the Holy Spirit so that this relationship, which is often unknown to the priest, may be purified of everything that does not respond to the Gospel and the will of God, and may mature along the lines of God's plan," Fernandez explained.





Original article source: Polish, Ukrainian bishops join growing coalition against Vaticans same-sex blessings document
Sarasota County School Board member Bridget Ziegler listens to public comments, Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2023, after her fellow school board members approved a resolution calling on her to resign. (Mike Lang/Sarasota Herald-Tribune via AP) Mike Lang/AP

Thumbs down: Youre a mean one, Mr. Miles. Not only has Houston ISDs state-appointed superintendent demanded that teachers teach and students student, this week he apparently put the kibosh on mind-numbing movie time in which students lose precious hours of instruction in the waning days before Christmas break watching The Polar Express and other holiday classics that have questionable educational value. The gall! But that wasnt all: he also required that school parties held during class time be tied to instruction in some way. That quickly got construed as a Grinchy ban on holiday festivities, leading at least one principal, Kizzy Luke of Bell Elementary, to send a letter ordering staff to cancel the pizza and cupcakes because classroom parties are strictly prohibited and will not take place. Would Miles really stoop to taking cupcakes from a second grader? No, apparently. The district said that Lukes interpretation of Miles' guidance was inaccurate and the Chronicle learned that parties at Bell Elementary were reinstated at the 11th hour. Were not sure if Miles was on hand to carve the roast beast.

Thumbs down: Incidentally, anyone who traumatizes children with a visit from a convincingly costumed Grinch isnt just a mean one, theyre a nasty wasty sadist. Enough with the #prankmybaby videos of Grinch horror shows at preschools and family gatherings, especially if theyre primarily orchestrated for the viewing pleasure of gawkers on social media. This particular plea to stop this madness is not born of a news story but of a highly disturbing collection of photos that a certain Central Texas pre-K chose to post on its Facebook page depicting toddlers in various stages of panic and frozen terror while perched on the knee of a sinister-smirking, snot-green Grinch. Sure, some of the tikes seem to be enjoying themselves  probably just counting their blessings they werent subjected to the real Jim Carey. Still others are depicted with pudgy arms outstretched, reaching futilely for rescue that wont come. Parents whose children are subjected to such treatment need to channel their inner Cindy Lou Who and ask the people who run this preschool: Why, Ms. pre-K director, why? Why are you giving our children PTSD? Maybe it will finally dawn on the perpetrators that the stunt is cruel and unusual and youll get to watch not only their hearts grow three sizes that day  but their brains, too.

Thumbs up: In its zeal to purge school libraries of books it finds inappropriate, Moms for Liberty should preemptively ban a sure-to-be-forthcoming bestseller before it ever has a chance to defile the innocent minds of American schoolchildren: Bridget Zieglers Diary. OK, OK, the title doesnt exist yet but we surmise its just a matter of time before Ziegler, the Moms for Liberty co-founder, cashes in her lurid sex scandal story for a fast buck. Ziegler, the morality-policing Mama Bear and scrappy arbiter of literary appropriateness, is defying colleagues calls to resign from the Sarasota County School Board after revelations that she and her husband, Florida state Republican Party chairman Christian Ziegler, planned a threesome with a woman who later accused him of sexual assault. He maintains his innocence and has rejected calls to step down as well. But lest Bridget Ziegler, known for championing Florida Gov. Rick DeSantis Dont Say Gay law in public schools, assumes those calling for her ouster are employing the same kind of judgmental homophobia she dished out, one Harvard student activist set the record straight. Kudos to Zander Moricz, who addressed Ziegler at a school board meeting in remarks that quickly went viral, clarifying it was her actions in the board room, not the bedroom, that disgust people: You deserve to be fired from your job because you are terrible at your job, not because you had sex with a woman, he said. Will Bridget Ziegler acknowledge her hypocrisy and resign  or will she, ahem, just keep swinging?

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Several local races will be contested in the March primary election.

The filing deadline to get on the ballot was 4 p.m. Wednesday.

Incumbent Richland County Sheriff Steve Sheldon is part of a crowded Republican field that also could include two former sheriff's supervisors. Matt Mayer will be one challenger. Donald Zehner's candidacy is pending review, according to Matt Finfgeld, director of the county board of elections.

He said candidates for sheriff have to provide extra paperwork, and the BOE hasn't received a document yet.

Candidates have to be certified 78 days prior to election, so the board will meet at 3 p.m. Jan. 2 about Zehner's situation.

Richland County Sheriff J. Steve Sheldon

Sheldon is serving his fifth term following a lengthy stint at the Mansfield Police Department.

Matt Mayer

Mayer was a sergeant in the detective bureau when he retired. He ran unsuccessfully against Sheldon in 2016, when he was a Democrat.

Donald Zehner

Zehner was a captain with the department, serving several decades until he was let go earlier this fall.

Incumbent county commissioners facing challengers

Both open seats for Richland County commissioner have two candidates filing as Republicans. Incumbent Darrell Banks will face local attorney Jodie Dees in one race. Democrat Aaron Williams was certified during Thursday's board of elections meeting.

The race for the other open seat is between incumbent Tony Vero and David Morgenstern, who has run for commissioner a number of times.

In the 4th Congressional District race, three Democrats were pending review on Thursday afternoon. Jeffrey Sites, Stephen Thomas and Tamara Wilson are vying for the right to challenge Republican incumbent Jim Jordan. Sites and Wilson both previously ran unsuccessfully against Jordan.

Finfgeld explained that the most populous county in the district, in this case Delaware, will make the certification.

A message was left for the Delaware County Board of Elections on Friday morning.

There are a number of other local races featuring candidates who will face off in November's general election.

Jodie Schumacher, who became county prosecutor earlier this year, faces no competition. She is a Republican and replaced Gary Bishop.

In the race for county clerk of courts, Republican Denise Ruhl, who was appointed earlier this year to replace Lin Frary, will face Democrat Chris Adams, who was certified Thursday. Frary retired in the spring because of her battle with ALS.

Republican Denise Jackson is the lone candidate for county recorder. She replaced longtime recorder Sarah Davis, who retired in September.

Engineer, coroner, treasurer run unopposed

Three incumbents face no competition. They are county Engineer Adam Gove, county Coroner Daniel Burwell and county Treasurer Bart Hamilton.

Gove and Burwell are Republicans, while Hamilton is a Democrat.

Republican incumbent Marilyn John will face a challenge from Democrat Alomar Davenport, who was certified Thursday, in the race for state representative for the 76th District. Davenport is finishing up a term as a Mansfield City Council member. John is former Shelby mayor and a former county commissioner.

The petitions for Republican incumbent Mark Romanchuk and Democrat Kathy Salem were pending review as of Friday morning. They are vying for the Ohio Senate's 22nd District. Medina County will determine certification. There was no answer at the office on Friday morning.

The primary election is relatively light issues-wise. Leading the way are a 0.25%, four-year income tax for Mansfield residents to go for water main repair, the same issue voters turned down in November, and a 6.4-mill, 10-year renewal levy for Lexington Local Schools.

mcaudill@gannett.com

419-521-7219

X (formerly Twitter): @MarkCau32059251

This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: Richland County sheriff and two county commissioners being challenged
People take part in a demonstration in solidarity with the Palestinian people amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas. Christoph Soeder/dpa

A pro-Palestinian demonstration in Berlin calling for an end to the war in the Gaza Strip drew around 2,000 people on Saturday, police in the German capital reported.

Demonstrators marched from the Kreuzberg district to the Brandenburg Gate in the city centre under the slogan "Solidarity with Palestine."

Organizers registered a protest for 5,000 people, but police put the number at 2,000, updating earlier estimates which put the number of participants at some 1,500. The gathering proceeded peacefully, a spokesman said.

However placards with illegal slogans were seen, and charges filed against the people carrying them, he said.

Marchers wore Palestinian scarves and carried placards condemning the bombing of the Gaza Strip as a war crime. They called for freedom for Palestine, waving Palestinian flags.

They chanted: "Stop the murder, stop the war, stop the Gaza genocide."

A Berlin branch of the opposition hard-left Die Linke had called the protest. It urged the German government to work towards an immediate and durable ceasefire and for the blockade on the Gaza Strip to be lifted.

Humanitarian aid should be allowed in to provide for the civilian population, Die Linke said.

Previous pro-Palestinian protests in Berlin have turned violent.

People take part in a demonstration in solidarity with the Palestinian people amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas. Christoph Soeder/dpa

"Jews against genocide" is written on posters at a demonstration under the motto "Germany-wide solidarity with Palestine". Several hundred people demonstrated in Berlin for an end to the war in the Middle East. Christoph Soeder/dpa
People take part in a demonstration in solidarity with the Palestinian people amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas. Christoph Soeder/dpa

A pro-Palestinian demonstration in Berlin calling for an end to the war in the Gaza Strip drew several hundred people on Saturday.

Demonstrators marched from the Kreuzberg district of the German capital to the Brandenburg Gate in the city centre under the slogan "Solidarity with Palestine."

Organizers registered a protest for 5,000 people, but police put the number at several hundred. The gathering was proceeding peacefully, a spokesman said.

Marchers wore Palestinian scarves and carried placards condemning the bombing of the Gaza Strip as a war crime. They called for freedom for Palestine, waving Palestinian flags.

They chanted: "Stop the murder, stop the war, stop the Gaza genocide."

A Berlin branch of the opposition hard-left Die Linke had called the protest. It urged the German government to work towards an immediate and durable ceasefire and for the blockade on the Gaza Strip to be lifted.

Humanitarian aid should be allowed in to provide for the civilian population, Die Linke said.

People take part in a demonstration in solidarity with the Palestinian people amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas. Christoph Soeder/dpa

People take part in a demonstration in solidarity with the Palestinian people amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas. Christoph Soeder/dpa
Yekaterina Duntsova looks on after submitting her documents as a presidential candidate for the upcoming presidential election to Russia's Central Election Committee, in Moscow, Russia, Wednesday, Dec. 20, 2023. Duntsova is a journalist-turned-grassroots campaigner and local legislator. She secured a nomination from a group of more than 500 supporters as required by Russian electoral law from those not running on a party ticket. Delegates from Russias ruling party unanimously backed President Vladimir Putins bid for reelection at a party conference in Moscow on Sunday. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko)

MOSCOW (AP)  A Russian politician calling for peace in Ukraine hit a roadblock in her campaign Saturday, when Russias Central Election Commission refused to accept her initial nomination by a group of supporters, citing errors in the documents submitted.

Former legislator Yekaterina Duntsova is calling for peace in Ukraine and hopes to challenge President Vladimir Putin, promoting her vision of a humane Russia thats peaceful, friendly and ready to cooperate with everyone on the principle of respect.

On Dec. 23, the Central Election Commission refused to register my initiative group, Duntsova wrote on the Telegram messaging app.

According to a Telegram channel close to Duntsovas campaign, the commission found 100 errors in her nomination papers, including mistakes in the spelling of names.

You are a young woman, you still have everything ahead of you. Any minus can always be turned into a plus, the head of Russias Central Election Commission, Ella Pamfilova, said at the commission meeting, addressing Duntsova.

Duntsova said that she would appeal the decision in Russias Supreme Court, and appealed to the leaders of the Yabloko (Apple) political party to nominate her as a candidate, as she said she would be unable to convene a second meeting of supporters.

Also on Saturday, Russian state media said that Yabloko party founder and leader Grigory Yavlinsky would not run for the presidency, citing the partys press service. Speaking in a live interview on YouTube, once Duntsovas appeal to Yabloko became known, Yavlinsky said that he didnt know whether the party would consider her application.

Duntsova took her first steps toward candidate status Sunday, when her run was endorsed by 500 supporters as required by Russian election law, and presented documents Wednesday to Russias Central Election Commission to register her nomination.

A number of Russian parties also announced which candidates they would be backing in the presidential election next March  which incumbent President Vladimir Putin is all but certain to win.

The Russian Communist Party, the second largest party in the lower house of Parliament, the State Duma, announced after a secret ballot that it would support the nomination of Duma deputy Nikolai Kharitonov. As party leader Sergei Mironov previously said it would do, the Just Russia  For Truth party formally announced that it was supporting Putins nomination for the presidency.

Parties represented in the Duma do put forward candidates to run against Putin, but they represent only token opposition and are generally sympathetic to his agenda.

The Civic Initiative party  which is not represented in the Duma  backed the nomination of independent candidate Boris Nadezhdin, who is known for campaigning against Russias actions in Ukraine. He has the support of a contingent of soldiers' wives, unhappy with their husbands long deployments.

Meanwhile, Russian state media reported that volunteers from Putins campaign headquarters, together with branches of the United Russia party and a political coalition called the Peoples Front, began collecting signatures in support of his candidacy as an independent.

Putin submitted his nomination papers to the Central Election Commission on Monday. Under Russian law, independent candidates must be nominated by at least 500 supporters, and must also gather at least 300,000 signatures of support from 40 regions or more.

Pamfilova said Saturday that there were 29 applicants for candidacy in the election.

Though it is normal for an opposition candidate to run against Putin  broadcaster Ksenia Sobchak, for example, was a liberal challenger in the 2018 presidential election  the tight control that he has established during 24 years in power makes his reelection in March all but assured. Prominent critics who could challenge him are either in prison or living abroad, and most independent media have been banned.

Earlier this month, the Duma set March 15-17 as the dates for the 2024 presidential election, moving Putin a step closer to a fifth term in office.
MADERA, Calif. (KGPE/KSEE)  The Madera Police Department thanks the Madera community for their generosity in the A Star of Hope program.

This program was produced by the Madera Police Department, Central Valley Community Bank and Community Action Partnership of Madera County partnered to bring Christmas to local Madera children in need.

City of Madera Police Department

City of Madera Police Department

The Madera Police Department says they are dedicated to family and the community. With the partnerships they have, they strive to improve the livability of the residents in the Madera community.

Madera Police say they plan to continue and expand A Star of Hope for years to come, as the program is a great example of how they can all come together to do great things.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to YourCentralValley.com.
The founder of a nonprofit that planned to open a Veterans resource center in Loris is facing federal fraud charges after allegedly using donated funds for his personal use.

A federal grand jury indicted James Billy Arehart, 45, in November on charges including mail fraud, wire fraud, money laundering and making false statements to federal agents, according to a news release from the U.S. Department of Justice.

Arehart, who initially established Providing Hope VA in 2018 while living in Virginia, was able to raise more than $9 million for the charity through 2021, primarily by selling tickets to raffles for high-end vehicles that were advertised on the nonprofits Facebook page, the indictment states.

An attorney representing Arehart did not immediately respond to a request for comment, and attempts to reach Arehart through the charity  including a voicemail, email and knock at the door of its Loris office building  were unsuccessful.

Arehart told participants that money spent on the raffle tickets was tax deductible even though the Internal Revenue Code specifically restricts deductions for purchases of games-of-chance tickets, according to the indictment. He attempted to evade this prohibition by providing receipts to raffle ticket purchasers that referred to the money spent as a donation.

Arehart, who had sole control of the nonprofits finances, awarded himself an increasing amount of salary and bonuses from its funds, including $162,000 in 2019, $292,000 in 2020 and $525,000 in 2021, the Department of Justice alleged. Meanwhile, he represented to potential donors that he was only taking a salary commensurate to his previous job as a government contractor, though the indictment states he never earned more than $97,000 from that employer.

Arehart solicited funds for Providing Hope VA by advertising its mission as aiding homeless and other at-risk Veterans with a specific goal of building a center that could provide housing, clinical care, counseling and employment workshops for veterans in need.

The nonprofit held a groundbreaking ceremony in January at the proposed site, next to its office in Loris off Highway 701 South, but a visit to that property Friday showed minimal progress.

Loris Mayor Todd Harrelson told The Sun News that property had been annexed into the city as part of their support for the project, and he was hopeful Providing Hope VA or another charity would fulfill the promise of this center to provide needed support for local Veterans.

But the building fund meant to fund the project that Arehart had assured donors was separate and growing never existed, the indictment states, and Providing Hope VA actually had just one bank account, which Arehart used as he saw fit.

Those purchases included veterinary services for his own pet, which he listed in IRS filings as direct relief to veterans and improvements to his personal residence, according to the indictment.

Arehart purchased a Myrtle Beach house in his name in September 2019 and then began leasing the home that December to Providing Hope VA, paying himself $4,000 a month from the nonprofits funds, purportedly for their Vacations for Heroes program, offering one week stays for active service members, the indictment states.

He then spent more than $360,000 from the nonprofits bank account to improve the property, including adding a pool, patio and garage, the DOJ alleged, then used the home for the Veterans vacation program for just six months before terminating the lease and taking it back as his full-time residence without reimbursing the charity.

The Providing Hope VA Facebook page remained active this week, advertising its latest raffle for a 2023 Chevy Corvette plus $25,000 in additional cash prizes.

Areharts bond conditions state hes not allowed to personally participate in fundraising activities, and he must relinquish decision-making authority over the nonprofits finances.

He faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted, according to the news release.
LAS VEGAS (KLAS)  A property owner faces numerous charges related to an animal hoarding situation in Mohave County, sheriffs department officials said.

The property, located in Dolan Springs in the 1300 block of Juline Drive, about 83 miles southeast of Las Vegas in Arizona, was known to animal control due to previous hoarding situations, Mohave County Sheriffs Office investigators said. Officials identified Pablo Cruz-Sanchez as the individual utilizing the property.

The current investigation started when authorities were told that some of the dogs from the hoarding situation were attacking livestock in the area.

Authorities executed a search warrant Wednesday and took 69 dogs from the property. Sheriffs Office officials say the owner and family members assisted in capturing the animals.

The owner was cited for five counts of dog at large, five counts of wounding or killing livestock, five counts of chasing or injuring livestock, and more charges for criminal damage are expected.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLAS.
Brent Brewer is scheduled to be executed in Huntsville, Texas, on Nov. 9. Joe Raedle/Getty Images

When I served on Brent Brewers jury in 2009, I believed in doing my civic duty to decide the case impartially. After I heard all the evidence, I was convinced that Brent did not act with premeditation and did not intend to kill the victim. It seemed to me that he was trying to steal a truck and things simply got out of hand, with a tragic outcome. I also did not believe that Brent would be dangerous in prison. For these reasons, I felt a life sentence was warranted. At least one of my fellow jurors agreed.

But because of a deeply misleading aspect of Texas law, we were not told that if any one juror voted for life, that would be Brents sentence. The way the jury instructions read, it seemed like at least 10 people had to agree on a life sentence.

Believing  incorrectly  that my vote was meaningless, I acquiesced in the majoritys death penalty verdict. I cried when it was read in court. I was haunted afterwards.

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Brent is scheduled to be executed in Texas on Nov. 9. His death sentence did not result from a fair and valid jury decision, and his execution would be a travesty.

When appellate courts review jury decisions, they often say that jurors are presumed to follow the instructions given by the trial court. I know about that principle because I now have degrees in criminal justice. I only have those degrees because when I was a juror in Brents death penalty trial, I did not understand the instructions I was given.

While Brent was still in the county jail after trial, I wrote him a letter. He wrote back, and we began a correspondence that blossomed into a friendship. With Brents encouragement, I decided to channel my confusion and anger over his death sentence into action. I earned my paralegal certificate, my associates degree, and my bachelors degree in criminal justice. That is how I came to understand that so-called legal presumptions shield reviewing courts from looking at what really happened to produce a jury verdict, and from fixing serious flaws.

Brent Brewer. I did not believe he was a 'future danger at the time of trial, writes juror Michele Douglas, and the years have more than proven this to be true. Courtesy Squire Patton Boggs

Texas legislators have been trying for years to change the misleading law that led to my confusion. My understanding is that in the most recent regular legislative session, House Bill 188, which would have removed the problematic 10-2 language and clarified the unanimous jury requirement, passed the Texas House with overwhelming bipartisan support, 140 to 4. Sadly, the bill died in the Texas State Senate. The same thing happened in 2021, when a bill authored by two Republican legislators passed a unanimous Texas House; and in 2019. It seems like a simple and obvious fix, and I cannot understand why our state senators will not adopt it.

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Brent and I have continued our correspondence over the years while he has been on death row, and I have even visited him. I did not believe he was a future danger at the time of trial, and the years have more than proven this to be true. Brent is a caring and compassionate person. He participates in a faith-based program in the prison and is committed to his walk with God. He tells me each time he completes a course and describes what he has learned. Brent does not pose a threat to anyone. There is no justification for killing him. He has truly redeemed himself.

MORE FROM OPINION: Editorials and op-eds
The Public Health Department for Seattle & King County is recommending that you stay away from King County lakes if you see algae in the water.

Toxic algae have recently been detected in Lake Washington, Green Lake, and Lake Wilderness. It could be impacting other bodies of water as well.

Weve found dangerous toxic algae in some King County lakes, said a spokesperson. At this time, the levels detected could harm pets, and some algae blooms may pose a threat to human health.

Officials also say to not let your pets drink the water or get it on their fur.

Weve found dangerous toxic algae in some King County lakes. Public Health  Seattle & King County recommends that you keep your pets away from water in King County lakes if you see algae in the water. Dont allow pets to drink the water or get it on their fur.  Public Health - Seattle & King County (@KCPubHealth) December 22, 2023

For more information visit the King County website.
Yekaterina Duntsova has been barred from standing against Vladimir Putin - Alexander Zemlianichenko/AP

A former Russian television journalist who planned to take on Vladimir Putin in next springs presidential election has been barred from running over mistakes in her application.

The election commission unanimously disqualified Yekaterina Duntsova from running in March, Russian media reported on Saturday.

Ms Duntsova, 40, had presented her registration documentation to the commission on Wednesday when she said she hoped to inspire people who support us.

She had planned to fight the election on ending the war in Ukraine and releasing political prisoners from Russian jails.

She had said that she would campaign for a humane Russia thats peaceful, friendly and ready to cooperate with everyone on the principle of respect.

Her campaign team confirmed the exclusion on its Telegram channel, where it posted screenshots of documents the election committee had highlighted as lacking the proper signatures.

In previous interviews, Ms Duntsova said she was ready to present an alternative to Mr Putin and his policies.

She said that if elected, her first presidential decree would mandate the release of Russias political prisoners, without giving names.

In earlier statements, she spoke of her readiness to free Putins arch-enemy, the anti-corruption activist Alexei Navalny.

Russias state parliament set March 17 as the date for the countrys 2024 presidential election earlier this month, moving Putin a step closer to a fifth term in office that is all but assured in a system in which his regime has shut down critical media while opponents have either been jailed or fled abroad.

The commission has said that the vote will be given to the people of four Ukrainian regions partially occupied by Russian forces and in the Crimean peninsula, illegally annexed from Kyiv in 2014.

At the last election in 2018, international observers said that the vote was generally well administered but there was a lack of genuine competition.

Mr Putin easily won the last vote with a vote share of 77 per cent.

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.
FILE PHOTO: Yekaterina Duntsova, former journalist who plans to run for Russian president in 2024, visits election commission office in Moscow

FILE PHOTO: Yekaterina Duntsova, former journalist who plans to run for Russian president in 2024, visits election commission office in Moscow

By Mark Trevelyan

LONDON (Reuters) -Former TV journalist Yekaterina Duntsova was disqualified on Saturday as a candidate for Russia's next presidential election, preventing her from running against Vladimir Putin on a platform of opposition to the war in Ukraine.

Members of the central electoral commission voted unanimously to reject her candidacy, citing "numerous violations" in the papers she had submitted in support of her bid.

Putin's critics said the decision showed that no one with genuine opposition views would be allowed to stand against him next March in the first presidential election since the start of the 22-month war. They see it as a fake process with only one possible outcome.

The Kremlin says Putin will win because he enjoys genuine support across society, with opinion poll ratings of around 80%.

Duntsova, 40, said on Telegram she would challenge the decision in the Supreme Court, calling it unjustified and undemocratic.

"With this political decision, we are deprived of the opportunity to have our own representative and express views that differ from the official aggressive discourse," she said.

In a separate development, Russian news outlets said Boris Nadezhdin, an opposition politician who has been critical of Putin and the war, was put forward as a candidate on Saturday by the centre-right Civic Initiative party. They said he planned to register with the electoral commission on Dec. 25.

'EVERYTHING AHEAD OF YOU'

The head of the electoral commission, Ella Pamfilova, offered words of consolation to Duntsova after her rejection.

"You are a young woman, you have everything ahead of you. Any minus can always be turned into a plus. Any experience is still an experience," Pamfilova said.

Screenshots posted by a telegram channel representing Duntsova showed documents with signatures that it said the commission had highlighted as inadmissible.

Duntsova appealed to veteran liberal politician Grigory Yavlinsky to let her run as a representative of his Yabloko party rather than as an independent candidate, which would allow her to submit a new application.

But Yavlinsky said in an interview on a YouTube channel that Yabloko was not planning to field a candidate and would not back Duntsova "because we don't know her".

When Duntsova said last month that she wanted to stand, commentators had variously described her as crazy, brave, or part of a Kremlin-scripted plan to create the appearance of competition.

"Any sane person taking this step would be afraid - but fear must not win," she told Reuters in an interview in November in which she called for the release of political prisoners and said Russians were "very tired" of the conflict in Ukraine.

BELARUS SCENARIO

Abbas Gallyamov, a former Kremlin speechwriter now labelled by the authorities as a "foreign agent", said Putin had not wanted to risk the same scenario as Alexander Lukashenko.

The Belarusian leader clung to power in 2020 only with the help of what the opposition and Western governments said was large-scale ballot rigging to enable him to claim victory over opposition candidate Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya.

"The Tsikhanouskaya effect is absolutely possible, and in the Kremlin they understand that," Gallyamov wrote on Telegram.

Anastasia Burakova, a lawyer and rights activist also newly designated as a foreign agent, said the disqualification showed the authorities were determined that "not a single competitor who could cast a shadow on support for Putin and the war should be in the public field."

With Putin, 71, in full control of the levers of power, supporters and opponents alike say he will cruise to a new six-year term which, if he completes it, would make him Russia's longest serving ruler since the 18th century - outlasting all Soviet rulers including Josef Stalin.

His best-known opponent, Alexei Navalny, is serving prison sentences totalling more than 30 years and his supporters say they do not even know where he is, after they were told he had been moved from his previous penal colony earlier this month. Lawyers last had access to him on Dec. 6.

One of the nominal opposition parties in parliament, the A Just Russia - For Truth party, said on Saturday it would support Putin at the election, state news agency RIA reported.

Meanwhile the Communist Party, which has finished a distant second to Putin at every election since 2000, named 75-year-old Nikolai Kharitonov as its candidate.

Kharitonov stood previously in 2004 and won 14% of the vote to Putin's 71%. TASS news agency quoted him as saying he would not find fault with the Kremlin leader.

"He is responsible for his own cycle of work, why would I criticise him?" Kharitonov said.

(Reporting by Mark TrevelyanEditing by Tomasz Janowski and Philippa Fletcher)
A top confidant of Russian President Vladimir Putin approved the plan to kill Wagner Group head Yevgeny Prigozhin earlier this year, The Wall Street Journal reported Friday.

Nikolai Patrushev, secretary of the security council for Russia, set in motion the operation to take out Prigozhin, according to a former Russian intelligence officer, per the Journal. The plans were later seen by Putin, who didnt push back against them, Western intelligence agencies told the outlet.

Prigozhin died in a plane crash in August only a few months after he and his mercenary group launched a short-lived rebellion with a goal of ousting Russias defense minister.

The Kremlin has called claims that Putin was behind the crash absolute lies, but the Journal report provided new details linking one of the Russian leaders top allies with the attack.

While Prigozhin was waiting for a security check on his plane before takeoff from Moscow in August, a small bomb was put under the wing, intelligence officials told the Journal. After the plane climbed some 28,000 feet, the wing blew apart, sending the plane plummeting and killing all 10 people on board, including Prigozhin.

Patrushev is a longtime ally of Putin who rose alongside him in the ranks of Russias security services since the 1970s. Though his position atop the countrys Security Council holds little formal power, he often represents Putin in sensitive talks with foreign countries. He is also believed to have orchestrated high-profile assassinations of dissidents and former spies.

Prigozhin was also a close Putin ally, beginning his business empire as a caterer to the Kremlin, before becoming a warlord whose private army was involved in mining and mercenary work across Africa. But his outspoken criticism of Russias military leaders amid the war in Ukraine began to sour that relationship even before Prigozhins mutiny.

President Biden suggested Putin was behind the crash on the day that it happened.

Theres not much that happens in Russia that Putins not behind, Biden told reporters.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Russian President Vladimir Putin may be open to a cease-fire in his war with Ukraine, so long as the country could still declare victory, a new report by the New York Times found.

Putin, still confident in his forces, said that Russias goals have not changed. In his annual year-end press conference last week, Putin warned that there would be no peace solution in Ukraine until Russia achieves its overarching goals, the denazification and demilitarization of Ukraine.

Putins message might be different now, as he has reportedly signaled he is ready to make a deal. Since September, Putin has signaled that he is open to a pause in fighting along the current lines, which is much shorter than his intention to dominate Ukraine, according to the Times who cited two former senior Russian officials.

According to the United Nations, more than 10,000 civilians have been killed and 18,500 have been injured since the start of the war nearly two years ago.

According to American officials, Putin also put out feelers for a ceasefire in the fall of 2022 after he was not happy with how much territory Russia had captured.

Mr. Putins repeated interest in a cease-fire is an example of how opportunism and improvisation have defined his approach to the war behind closed doors, the Times wrote.

The Times said they conducted dozens of interviews with Russians who have known Putin for years that shine a light on his maneuvering to avoid risks and keep his options open in the war thats lasted longer than he thought it would.

The officials that spoke with the Times said Putin sees several reasons that make now a good moment to make a deal, particularly since the war seems stuck in a stalemate, Ukraines offensive has been disappointing and the onset of the Israel-Hamas war.

According to the Kremlins analysis, public support for the war is broad but not deep, which means most people would accept whatever Putin would deem as a victory.

Some Western officials are skeptical that Putin would only rearm and rebuild during a cease-fire.

There is no guarantee that Ukraines leaders would accept a deal, though the country has been struggling to finance its military amid delays in funding from both Europe and the United States.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has been sending signals through intermediaries since at least September that he is ready to agree to a ceasefire in the war of aggression against Ukraine, which would include freezing hostilities on the current contact line.

Source: The New York Times, as reported by European Pravda

Details: The newspaper claims to have learnt this information from two former senior Russian officials close to the Kremlin, as well as US and international officials.

US officials believe Putin had already made attempts to negotiate a ceasefire a year earlier, in the autumn of 2022. His previously unknown intentions emerged after Ukraine defeated the Russian forces in the northeast. At the time, Putin indicated his satisfaction with the territories that Russia had captured and was ready for a truce, the newspaper's sources noted.

However, Putin is now deploying fiery public rhetoric that Russia's goals in the war have not changed while privately indicating his desire to "declare victory and move on."

Western officials have been receiving new signals since at least September that Putin appears to be interested in a ceasefire. The messages come through several channels, including foreign governments with ties to both the United States and Russia.

"They [the Russians] say, We are ready to have negotiations on a cease-fire They want to stay where they are on the battlefield," said one senior international official who met with Russian officials this autumn.

However, some US officials suggest that this may be a typical misleading attempt by the Kremlin and that it does not reflect Putin's genuine willingness to compromise. Former Russian officials add that Putin may well change his mind again if Russian troops gain momentum.

"He really is willing to stop at the current positions Hes not willing to retreat one meter," said one former senior Russian official, echoing a message he believes the Kremlin is tacitly sending.

Current and former officials say Putin is considering a confluence of factors that create a favourable moment for a deal: a stalemated battlefield, the aftermath of Ukraine's failed offensive, weak support for Kyiv in the West, and the distraction from the Russo-Ukrainian war due to the situation in the Gaza Strip.

Publicly, Putin has maintained his aggressive stance, claiming that he is confronting the West, which is seeking to destroy the "millennia-old Russian civilisation".

However, US officials see a shift in Putin's stance, noting that he is no longer demanding the resignation of the Zelenskyy government. They claimed that the ceasefire Putin is proposing would preserve a sovereign Ukraine with Kyiv as its capital but leave Russia in control of nearly 20% of the Ukrainian territory it has managed to occupy.

The US sources added that while Putin has signalled that he is open to such a deal, he is waiting for a more concrete proposal.

One of many likely stumbling blocks is Putin's determination to prevent Ukraine from joining NATO. Nevertheless, one former Russian official noted that disagreements over this issue would not be a reason for Putin not to negotiate, as the Alliance is not expected to accept Ukraine into its ranks in the foreseeable future.

However, senior US officials expressed their doubts that any prominent Ukrainian politician could agree to a deal that would cede that much Ukrainian territory to Russia.

The ceasefire is viewed with scepticism by many in the West, who believe Putin is rearming for a future attack.

Background:

At a press conference on 14 December, Putin declared that the war against Ukraine will end when he achieves all his goals - "denazification, demilitarisation and neutral status for Ukraine".

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg believes that Russia will not be able to achieve its goals in Ukraine despite its enormous efforts.

Earlier, the French and UK foreign ministers vowed to support Ukraine in its fight against the Russian invasion "as long as it takes", with the important thing being that President Vladimir Putin must lose.

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The 3M sign came down in late summer at its Wonewok corporate getaway north of Park Rapids.

"That really tied it up for the rest of us that this is happening," Rich Halvorsen, a neighbor of the resort on Big Mantrap Lake, told me earlier this month.

Halvorsen and I met at a little roadside cafe a few miles from the lake in May. It was just a couple of weeks after 3M announced that it was selling Wonewok, which it had owned since the 1950s as a conference center and employee retreat in northern Minnesota.

In my first year writing business columns, Halvorsen is one of several hundred people who kindly told me things I believed you would want to know. As the year ends, I caught up with some of them again.

That afternoon in May, Halvorsen and I drove around Wonewok and as close as we could to it, then we went to Park Rapids to look up old documents and photos of it at a museum. He later went out on the lake and took a photo of its empty boat house. The resulting column was one of the most popular that I wrote in 2023.

In those first weeks after 3M announced the property was for sale, anxiety washed through the town and the neighbors on the lake. After some lake association gatherings over the ensuing months, Halvorsen said, "People were starting to come back off the ledge."

The shape of the property is unusual, with narrow peninsulas into the lake. That makes it unlikely the neighbors' worst fears  that Wonewok will be cut up into small parcels  will happen. "If you set back a few hundred feet from the lake, you're on the lake on the other side," he said.

A 3M spokesman said this month that Wonewok is still for sale.

In downtown Minneapolis, the Dayton's Project and IDS Center attracted some small retailers to sell goods to holiday shoppers this month. A block away from all of that action, the owners of gift boutique Kobi Co., Kobi Gregory and her mother Tasha Harris, are on track for their holiday sales goals.

I first met them in the summer, when it seemed to me that their relatively new store was the happiest place in downtown Minneapolis.

While Gregory minded the store through the fall, Harris participated in two business accelerator programs. One was hosted by Minneapolis-based Metropolitan Economic Development Association, or MEDA. The other, by Goldman Sachs, involved several hundred Black women entrepreneurs, including four others from Minnesota, and two trips to New York.

Harris said she learned so much that she, Gregory and their co-worker Evealina Vang will take a few days in early January to strategize. In 2024, they hope to develop a new client base with businesses that seek out products for employee rewards and incentives.

Initially, Gregory and Harris aimed their goods at the "yoga moms" they met at farmers' markets and pop-up retail events. With the opening of their retail store at 48 S. 9th St., they started offering candle-making classes for birthdays and other celebrations, still chiefly involving women, Harris said.

"For the last three years, we were throwing spaghetti on the wall to see what stuck," Harris said. "This fall was an opportunity to slow down and reflect."

The topic I explored most in this column is the new trait of the Minnesota economy that I believe will be influential for years to come: labor scarcity. It's a topic I encounter even when I'm not seeking it out.

Last month, after riding around with Metro Transit executives for a column on electric buses, one of them asked if I would write about their recruitment efforts for drivers and maintenance workers. There are about 100 openings, and this year, for the first time, the agency created an apprentice program to teach anyone who is interested about bus and rail maintenance.

In October, I stopped by the St. Paul Public Works Department's Snow Summit to discuss its snow-clearing work, a challenge I experienced on April 1 when I was out  despite the snow  reporting a column on the city's financing debate. At the Snow Summit, I met the city's HR staff who were recruiting drivers, snow ticketers and other workers.

That effort has gone well, Lisa Hiebert, the department's spokeswoman, said last week. The later-than-usual arrival of significant snow has allowed the department to get drivers trained. Some promotions this month created a few more entry-level openings, however, and the fleet might not be fully staffed if a snow emergency hits before the end of January.

Along with Metro Transit and the state transportation department, the cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul are jointly training people to get commercial driver's licenses to qualify for such work.

"We've had to come together as agencies to remind people there are good jobs in the public sector, and to bring them in and train them on the job," Hiebert said.

Finally, because at Christmas I'm reminded of toy tractors I received as gifts from my farming grandparents, I want to share something I learned last summer while reporting a column about John Deere's exit from the plow business.

As we talked about the company's history, Deere archivist Neil Dahlstrom mentioned that the firm will create a special exhibit of farm toys in 2024. A company spokesman last week confirmed the exhibit will open in May at the John Deere Pavilion in Moline, Ill.

It will include a wooden goat wagon from 1912 and, no surprise after the success of the Barbie movie this year, a Barbie doll from 2007 wearing a pink John Deere T-shirt.
Rep. Carl Sherman gives closing remarks during a press conference held by members of the Texas Legislative Black Caucus Tuesday morning, Feb. 14, 2023. They spoke out against Gov. Greg Abbott's order asking state agencies to eliminate diversity policies from their hiring practices Sam Owens/Staff photographer Rep. Jolanda Jones talks during the press conference Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2023, held by members of the Texas Legislative Black Caucus to speak out against Gov. Greg Abbott's order asking state agencies to eliminate diversity policies from their hiring practices Sam Owens/Staff photographer Gary Bledsoe, president of the Texas NAACP, talks during a press conference held by the Texas Legislative Black Caucus Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2023 at the Capitol in Austin. The press conference was held to give leaders a chance to speak out against Gov. Greg Abbott's order asking state agencies to eliminate diversity policies from their hiring practices. Sam Owens/Staff photographer In this Aug. 28, 2019, file photo, a man exhales while smoking an e-cigarette in Portland, Maine. Robert F. Bukaty/Associated Press

New year, new laws.

About three dozen policies take effect in Texas in 2024, including controversial measures banning diversity initiatives at public universities and allowing state judges to deport migrants.

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Thirty-one laws, including the diversity office ban, will take effect Jan. 1. Most of those measures focus on property taxes and local issues, but there are a few outliers  one law, for example, prohibits the sale of e-cigarettes that have cartoon-like characters or pictures of celebrities on their packaging.

Two other laws will go into effect Feb. 6. One will ban private employers from mandating that their workers get the COVID vaccine, and the other will increase the penalties for people accused of human smuggling.

And on March 5, the same day as the states presidential primary election, two immigration measures will take effect. The first allocates about $1.5 billion to continue building a wall at the Mexican border. The second one  likely to face an ugly legal battle  empowers state officials to remove migrants from Texas who are suspected of entering the country illegally.

You can read more about the laws taking effect on Jan. 1 here. In the meantime, heres a sampling of the laws to look out for in 2024:

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Taking effect Jan. 1:

The most notable law taking effect Jan. 1 is the states ban on diversity, equity and inclusion offices at public colleges and universities. Many higher education institutions, including the University of Texas at Austin and Texas A&M University, have already dismantled their DEI offices.

The proposals supporters have criticized DEI offices as polarizing practices that work against the goal of inclusion. Critics say the measure will hurt efforts to ensure that college campuses reflect the diversity of the state, and they fear the changes will adversely impact people of color and deter talented academics from accepting jobs in Texas.

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This law will require local governments to create and maintain a searchable online database to help taxpayers look up more information about property tax protest hearings conducted by their appraisal review board, including the outcome.

The official state song, Texas, Our Texas, was written in 1924. To celebrate the songs 100th anniversary, this measure will require the Department of Motor Vehicles to issue special edition license plates featuring the songs title and the years 1924-2024.

This law intends to bolster early intervention efforts for at-risk youth. The measure requires justice and municipal courts to establish a youth diversion plan and lays out the next steps for a child who does not complete the program.

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This law requires some health benefit plan issuers to create an online system that will help physicians quickly look up whether a patient is covered by an insurance plan.

This policy will make it a misdemeanor to market or advertise e-cigarettes to young people by featuring cartoon characters, celebrities or images of food on the packaging.

Taking effect Feb. 6:

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This sweeping measure increases penalties for human smuggling and operating a stash house where criminals hide migrants, drugs or illegal items. Human smuggling, for example, will now have a mandatory minimum punishment of 10 years of imprisonment.

Nearly four years after COVID-19 first swept the country, this law will officially prohibit private businesses  including health care providers  from requiring their employees to get the COVID vaccine. Violators will face a $50,000 penalty.

Taking effect March 5:

This law will allocate about $1.5 billion to support Texas ongoing efforts to build a wall at the Mexican border.

This law  arguably the most controversial to take effect in 2024  will permit any law enforcement officer to arrest people suspected of crossing the border illegally and empower judges to order their removal.
Colorado ranchers claim that Colorado Parks and Wildlife has reneged on its promise to avoid bringing wolves into the state that have been confirmed to have killed livestock in Oregon.

CPW this week released 10 wolves captured in Oregon into Grand and Summit counties, completing this year's reintroduction releases. Oregon was the only state willing to give wolves to Colorado.

Half of the wolves released into Colorado belonged to Oregon packs that have confirmed livestock depredations since July, according to Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife wolf depredation reports.

Those inlcude:

Two wolves that belonged to the Five Points pack, which were blamed for two depredations in July and one in December of 2022.

Two wolves that belonged to the Wenaha pack had depredations in October and September of 2023.

One wolf that belonged to the Desolation pack that had a depredation in September of 2023.

Studies have shown once wolves learn to kill livestock, they have a propensity to continue the behavior.

Jackson County rancher Brian Anderson, who had three lambs confirmed killed by the North Park pack in late November, said he's trying to be understanding of the situation but does feel a growing frustration alongside other livestock producers.

"Finding a certain number of wolves to relocate out of a pack that has not depredated is a difficult task for CPW,'' he said. "The biggest mess-up came with bringing wolves to the state in the first place.''

A gray wolf bolts from its cage after being released in Grand County, Colo., on Dec. 18, 2023. The wolf was among the first to be captured in Oregon and released into Colorado as part of the state's reintroduction program.

CPW staff has repeatedly made public statements that it would not release reintroduced wolves that have depredated livestock, including at a Colorado House Agriculture Committee meeting in September.

The agency in announcing it would capture up to 10 wolves in northeast Oregon to bring to Colorado said it "Will make efforts to transplant wolves that have not been involved in repeated depredations.''

"They said that wouldnt happen, but it's one lie after another,'' said Greg Sykes, a Jackson County rancher whose pet dog Cisco was killed by wolves in March. "Shouldnt someone have to answer to that?''

CPW responded late Friday afternoon to the Coloradoan's questions regarding releasing depredating wolves into Colorado

The email response said the agency followed its wolf recovery plan.

It added "Any wolves that have been near livestock will have some history of depredation, and this includes all packs in Oregon. This does not mean they have a history of chronic depredation. If a pack has had infrequent depredation events, they should not be excluded as a source population per the plan.''

Records show 13 of northeast Oregon's 29 packs have confirmed depredations, resulting in the injury or death of 39 livestock since July 1. Other depredations couldn't be linked to a specific pack. The northeast corner of the state is where the vast majority of the state's approximately 178 wolves live.

Colorado chose not to define chronic depredation in its wolf recovery plan, instead it reads: "CPW program managers will make the determination as to whether a situation is characterized as chronic depredation on a case-by-case basis.''

The CPW email pointed out the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife provided at the request of a livestock producer a lethal removal permit that the producers agent used to lethally remove four wolves from the Five Points pack in early August.

"CPW took multiple factors into account when deciding to bring in animals from the Five Points Pack, as that particular pack has some history of depredations on livestock,'' the email read. "Factors such as size of pack, previous removals from the pack, pack behavior after removals and age of captured wolves were all considered. After removing the four animals this summer, the Five Points pack has not been involved in any depredations since. The change in pack behavior and the lack of current depredations met CPW criteria for accepting the animals.''

Those four were among 13 wolves killed between August and mid-December due to chronic depredation in northeast Oregon, according to Oregon wolf reports. Permits to kill another eight wolves during that time have gone unfulfilled.

In 2022, seven wolves were lethally removed due to livestock interactions.

In announcing its agreement with Oregon, CPW said its Oregon counterpart would share wolf location information. That included history of the packs.

CPW said its capture team in Oregon passed on several larger and easier-to-access packs because they had a recent depredation or had a chronic or ongoing depredation history.

CPW said there have been no depredations by the Wenaha pack since October but did not respond to the Desolation pack depredation.

Map of known wolf activity in northeast Oregon. This is the area from where Colorado will capture wolves and transport them to the state for its initial reintroduction effort.

Colorado rancher's request for removal of North Park pack denied

Jackson County rancher Don Gittleson learned Friday his request for the state to remove the two North Park pack members due to chronic depredation under the 10(j) rule was denied.

That rule went into effect Dec. 8 and allows the state the option to lethally remove endangered wolves caught in the act of depredating livestock or if deemed chronic depredators, which is undefined in the state's wolf recovery plan. On Dec. 13, CPS confirmed that one of Gittleson's heifers had been badly injured by a wolf. It was the first depredation since the 10(j) went into effect.

"I can't say I was surprised at all,'' said Gittleson, who has had seven cows confirmed killed in the last two years on his leased ranch north of Walden. "They dont intend to use the 10(j) rule.''

Jeff Davis, CPW director, wrote in the letter his agency will continue to monitor the situation and collaborate with Gittleson and other livestock producers in Jackson County and across the state to evaluate future actions.

"After consulting with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Colorado Parks and Wildlife has made the determination not to lethally remove these two wolves at this time. The Division considered the entire history of depredation events in your area, including the most recent history of depredation events in November and December of 2023.

"Our assessment considered the change in pack dynamics that took place over the preceding year when most of the pack left the area and did not return. With only two of the original wolves remaining, the number and frequency of events has dropped in 2023.''

Members of the North Park pack have been confirmed by the state wildlife agency to be responsible for killing or injuring 20 livestock, including 14 cattle, three sheep and three working cattle dogs over the last two years.

Those depredations have occurred at six different ranches spread throughout Jackson County.

Colorado has compensated livestock producers about $40,000 for their losses.

Also Friday, the Gunnison County Stockgrowers' Association and Colorado Cattlemen's Association withdrew their lawsuit against the state and federal governments regarding wolf reintroduction.

This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: Colorado ranchers claim agency released wolves known to kill livestock
U.S. House Rep. Eric Burlison introduced legislation, the Achieving Choice in Education Act, aimed at opening up options for states to implement school choice policies.

Across the country, and especially in Southwest Missouri, school choice is already benefiting many of our nations young children, Burlison said.

U.S. Rep. Eric Burlison speaks at Glass Hall on the campus of Missouri State on Thursday, April 13, 2023. Burlison was hosted by the Missouri State chapter of Turning Point USA.

Burlison hopes to accomplish this by changing the definition of qualified higher education expenses as it pertains to 529 education savings accounts. By doing so, funds in these accounts could be used for tuition, books, curriculum materials, online education resources, tutoring fees, standardized tests, dual enrollment in higher education, and private and homeschool expenses.

Through 529 education saving accounts, families are freed from the arbitrary link between where they live and which school their child can attend, Burlison said.

His legislation would double the contribution limit on K-12 expenses with 529 accounts. Currently, that limit is $10,000 a year, but Burlisons bill would increase that to $20,000 annually. Additionally, contributions up to $20,000 would be excluded from gift tax calculations in order to meet the new withdrawal limit.

School choice makes institutions of education more accountable and responsive to families, Burlison said. This leads to higher graduation rates and increases parental satisfaction and involvement while saving taxpayer dollars.

Burlison hopes that his bill will offer incentives to states looking to pass school choice policies. His bill, if passed, would enact a 2-tier system impacting the tax-exemption status of municipal bonds.

More: Education advocates cite Missouri as a top battleground in fight over public schools

The Missouri General Assembly has been discussing the implementation of school choice options in the state for the past few years, with more legislation filed for 2024 seeking to do the same.

The Missouri State Capitol building in Jefferson City on Dec. 12, 2023.

Under 2023s proposed legislation, which passed the Missouri House but failed to make it through the state Senate, public school districts could have opted in for school choice, allowing transfer students from other school districts. It would have capped this kind of enrollment at 3% of the student population.

Supporters of this legislation said that it would breed healthy competition among school districts to attract talented students. Those in opposition said that it would overburden some school districts, while leaving others with fewer resources and students.

In rural school districts, this could force consolidation to pool resources and students. Other critics raised concerns about students with disabilities, who either transfer to districts without established programs to meet their needs, or are left in districts without enough resources to continue providing the education they require.

It is an issue that is sure to be revived in the 2024 legislature, as Sedalia Republican Rep. Brad Pollitt, who sponsored similar legislation in 2023, has again filed a bill aiming to allow open enrollment in Missouri public schools.

This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Bill from Rep. Eric Burlison aims to bolster school choice policies
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has said that restoring the full functioning of the former Black Sea Grain Initiative is unlikely to make sense.

Source: Ukrinform with reference to Guterres at a press conference in New York

Quote: "We have been in contact with both sides, trying to explore new forms. I don't think the repetition of the Grain Deal would make sense."

Details: At the same time, Guterres said, "it would be very interesting if we would be able to have conditions for freedom of navigation in the Black Sea".

Background: In early December, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that the International Maritime Organisation had adopted a resolution on supporting Ukraine in the Black Sea.

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Republican North Dakota representative Nico Rios, a lawmaker based in the city of Williston, was filmed going off on a homophobic and racist rant while being arrested last week for driving under the influence, The Bismark Tribune reported. According to police body cam footage, Rios, who was charged with a DUI and for refusing to provide a chemical test, directed much of his ire towards English-born American officer Alexander Welch. Your country is being overtaken by fucking migrants and refugees, right, Rios said to Welch, referring to England. Youre arresting me for driving home. But people come into your country and rape your women, Rios raved. And Im the fucking bad guy? Im going to fight for the people of England more than you ever would, you little bitch. According to the footage, Rios called another officer a homophobic slur and said the following when he found out he was found out he was going to jail: You guys are going to regret picking on me because you dont know who fuck I am. This past weekend, I had a few too many drinks at a Christmas party, made the mistake of driving home, and received a DUI, Rios wrote in a post on X on December 18th. Im deeply embarrassed as this is not how I want to represent the people. Adam Goldwyn, North Dakotas Democrat-NPL Party chair, implied in a statement that Rios should step down: It used to be that when public servants disgraced themselves, they resigned rather than bring shame upon those they represent... It seems the Republican Party no longer has a sense of shame.

Read it at The Bismark Tribune

Read more at The Daily Beast.
Residents, business owners and their employees in the small fishing town of Grindavik, Iceland, were given the green light by local police to return home after a volcano erupted earlier this week.

The villagers were evacuated last month due to fears of an eruption after the region experienced a series of earthquakes for weeks. The volcano finally erupted on Monday, according to officials.

The town, with just under 4,000 residents, is located near Icelands main airport. They were told they could return to the area on Saturday and stay overnight.

The Icelandic Meteorological Office said Friday evening that while the activity in the area has ceased, it still remains in considerable condition. The office also explained that weather could affect monitoring.

We emphasize that conditions can change rapidly, and that weather conditions can significantly affect the sensitivity of our monitoring networks, officials wrote in an updated release. Under such conditions, the warning time could shorten considerably.

In the last 24 hours, according to the meteorological office, nearly 90 earthquakes were recorded in the Grindavik, Sundhnuksgigar and Svartsengi regions  but they were at a lower scale.

Known broadly as the Svartsengi volcano, according to the Associated Press, the mountain had been dormant for around 780 years. The latest event marked the most powerful eruption in recent years, including when another volcano  Fagradalsfjall  erupted in March 2021 after 6,000 years of dormancy.

Scientists said the lava flow spread across an area of about 1.4 square miles on the Reykjanes Peninsula  about 31 miles southwest of Reykjavik.

The stress that has built up over centuries now has been released by ripping the crust apart, Tumi Gudmunsson, a geophysicist at the University of Iceland, said Thursday, per the AP. That opens a pathway for the magma thats coming from below to the surface.

We had this event where magma reached the surface and we had this very quick and powerful eruption, short lived and the lava formed, Gudmunsson added.

Video footage captured by local outlets showed heavy plumes of smoke over lava spewing from the fissures.

The Associated Press contributed reporting.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
The number of spouse visas issued by the Home Office has more than doubled in a year as MPs warned the lax rules are being exploited to bring in young women from India and Pakistan for arranged marriages.

Sarah Dines, a former home office minister, revealed that the number of spouse visas granted from the two countries in just the past year had almost trebled.

Ms Dines, who left government in Rishi Sunaks reshuffle last month, warned that her own investigations while a minister had uncovered inadequate safeguards which meant increasing numbers of young women arriving from the Indian subcontinent were falling victim to domestic abuse in arranged marriages.

She urged the Government to take action to tackle the misuse of the visa system which she said was leading to abusive and exploitative relationships.

Her revelations come amid a growing row over the Prime Ministers decision to backtrack on a crackdown on spouse visas which would have seen the minimum salary threshold to bring a partner to the UK raised to 38,700 in Spring 2024 from its current 18,600.

It will not now be fully implemented until the spring of 2025, after the election expected next autumn or winter, and will instead be pegged back to 29,000 next spring. The proposal was part of a five-point plan to reduce net migration which hit a record 745,000 last year.

Home Office figures, uncovered by Ms Dines, show that the number of family-related visas more than doubled in the year to September 2023 to 82,395, compared to 37,911 in the previous year, a jump of 133 per cent. Of these, 65,278 were directly to partners.

Pakistan and India accounted for more than a third of these visas, followed by the US, Bangladesh and Nepal. The number of spouse visas from Pakistan nearly tripled from 6,415 in the year to September 2022 to 15,038 in the year to September 2023. Indias doubled from 2,563 to 5,870 in the same period.

As the Home Offices safeguarding minister, Ms Dines said she had become aware of increasing numbers of victims of domestic abuse amongst women and girls from the Asian subcontinent who had entered the UK through our spouse visa programme.

Many were very vulnerable due to their young age, the shortness of their marriage, lack of English language and community support, she said.

It became obvious to me that there are inadequate safeguards in differentiating genuine marriages from marriages of convenience which all too often resulted in abusive and exploitative relationships.

Spouse and partner visas are now being expedited, in my view, without proper regard for safeguarding vulnerable women and girls. Applications for these visas have more than doubled in the last year. The Government needs to address this abuse of the system immediately.

Miriam Cates, co-chair of the New Conservatives group of MPs, made up mostly of Red Wall MPs which has pushed for tougher controls on net migration, said: Such a significant increase in the numbers of spousal visas being granted last year needs urgent investigation.

Indians have been among the biggest beneficiaries of the more liberal immigration regime introduced by Boris Johnson, receiving the biggest share of work, study and visiting visas. They have also brought over more dependents than any other country.

As a Home Office minister I was working hard with Robert Jenrick to ensure the process of applications for spouse and partner visas was robust. In my safeguarding role, which involved visiting womens support groups across the country, I had become aware of increasing numbers of victims of domestic abuse amongst women and girls from the Asian sub-continent who had entered the United Kingdom through our spouse visa programme.

Many were very vulnerable due to their young age, the shortness of their marriage, lack of English language and community support.

She concluded: It became obvious there are inadequate safeguards in differentiating genuine marriages from marriages of convenience, which all too often resulted in abusive and exploitative relationships.

The Government needs to address this abuse of the system immediately.

The Prime Minister is under pressure to bring forward the proposed ruled changes on net migration from spring in order to avoid a surge in applications seeking to beat the deadline in coming months.

In his resignation letter, former immigration minister Robert Jenrick urged Mr Sunak to use emergency legislation to introduce them in January to avoid a fire sale of visas.

A Home Office spokesman said: We are committed to safeguarding all victims of domestic abuse and are not aware of applications being fast-tracked.

There are robust measures in place to prevent abuse of the visa application process, including training for our decision makers on safeguarding and the ability to interview applicants to help question their credibility and intentions.

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BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB)  The start of the new year means a new Buffalo Common Council will be sworn in and a new common council president will be chosen.

The short list for council president includes current Majority Leader and Niagara District Councilman David Rivera and current President Pro Tempore and South District Councilman Chris Scanlon.

Erie County Legislature Chair April Baskin to run for State Senate

The race began when current Common Council President Darius Pridgen did not seek re-election this year.

There will be new faces on the council, replacing Pridgen and Masten District Councilman Ulysees Wingo. Leah Halton-Pope will take over Pridgens Ellicott District and Zeneta Everhart will represent Masten. They will have a say, along with the other incumbent members, in who the next president will be.

To be elected council president, the candidate will need at least five votes, which is a simple majority.

Councilman David Rivera spoke with News 4 on Friday via phone. He said this is different from any other election because it is chosen by his peers in the council.

I think he has to work closely with all nine council members. You have to understand their districts, their needs and you have to represent them when you go downstairs to negotiate with the administration. You have to work. You have to have integrity. They have to trust you. I think I have those qualities, Rivera said.

Rivera said one of his top priorities is settling the citys finances. He said the city was operating in a deficit before the COVID-19 pandemic, but COVID relief money was able to help with expense. Now that money is running dry, so the city will have to find new revenue streams.

We cant operate in a deficit and I think thats the key right now. Working with the administration, I think weve had a good relationship working with the administration and the Mayors office to try to do that. Were trying to seek new revenues which is critical to the citys finances, Rivera added.

As for getting support from his colleagues, Rivera said he feels confident in his campaign and ready to work with the new council.

Well as of last week, I felt pretty confident. I dont want to get ahead of any of my colleagues, so Ill leave it up to them. But I felt pretty confident we were there, Rivera explained. If its Chris [Scanlon], then Ill support whoever the leader is.

Common council president serves an important role in the line of succession in city hall. If the mayor steps down or is unable to fulfill his term, the common council president would become acting mayor.

Notably missing from the short list is Fillmore District Councilman Mitch Nowakowski, who withdrew his bid for the position after announcing he will run for state senate if current State Senator Tim Kennedy runs for Congress.

Kennedy has expressed his interest in running for Congressman Brian Higgins seat, who will take over as President and CEO of Sheas Performing Arts Center in February.

Erie County Legislature Chairwoman April Baskin has also expressed interest in the 63rd District Senate Seat.

News 4 reached out to Councilman Scanlon for comment for this story, but has not heard back.

The council will also elect a new majority leader and president pro tempore. That vote will be held Jan. 2 after the new councilmembers are sworn in on Jan. 1.

Tara Lynch is a Buffalo native and Emmy-nominated reporter who joined the News 4 team in 2022. She previously worked at WETM in Elmira, N.Y., a sister station of News 4. You can follow Tara on Facebook and Twitter and find more of her work here.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to News 4 Buffalo.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, center, sits between defense attorneys Tony Buzbee, left, and Mitch Little, right, before starting the ninth day of his impeachment trial in the Senate Chamber at the Texas Capitol on Friday, Sept. 15, 2023, in Austin, Texas. Sam Owens/Sam Owens/Pool via San Antonio E Defense attorney Tony Buzbee addresses the media after the Texas Senate acquitted his client Attorney General Ken Paxton of impeachment on day 10 of his trial in the Senate Chamber at the Texas Capitol on Saturday, Sept. 16, 2023, in Austin, Texas. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News

Republican infighting dominated Texas politics from Austin to Washington, D.C., in 2023.

When a party is as dominant as the Texas GOP has been, there are always internal feuds because the other party is less of a threat. But in the last year, those fights became vastly more public in Texas with a historic impeachment fight in Austin, outright name-calling between state House and Senate leaders, and Gov. Greg Abbott calling a record-tying four special sessions in one calendar year as he tried unsuccessfully to browbeat fellow Republicans into passing a school voucher plan.

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The civil war which has raged along many fronts within the Texas GOP since 2010 reached a crescendo in 2023, said Mark P. Jones, a Rice University political science professor.

And it has shown itself in Washington where U.S. Rep. Chip Roy, R-Austin, and other Texas Republicans very publicly blocked fellow Republican Kevin McCarthy from becoming the speaker of the house. While McCarthy eventually got in after 15 rounds of voting, it set the tone for a tumultuous year in which Republicans eventually voted to remove him from his post, making him the shortest-lived speaker in more than 140 years.

In the presidential race, former President Donald Trump hammered his one-time political ally Ron DeSantis at a campaign rally in Waco and DeSantis returned the favor in Eagle Pass as the focus of his no excuses tour, highlighting Trumps failure to build border walls in Texas.

With the animosity likely to spill over into 2024, heres a look back at some of 2023s biggest flashpoints:

Impeachment

For only the second time in history, the Texas House voted to impeach a statewide elected official.

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In May, the GOP-led House voted 121-23 to impeach embattled Attorney General Ken Paxton and suspend him from office for alleged abuse of office. Paxton was already under indictment for felony securities fraud but had been seeking more than $3.3 million from the Legislature to pay off a settlement with former staffers who accused him of committing bribery, abuse of office and other crimes to help an Austin real estate developer.

The Texas Senate ultimately voted to acquit him on all the charges, with Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick publicly excoriating House Speaker Dade Phelan and House Republicans for the way they handled the impeachment of a fellow Republican.

It should have never happened this year, and hopefully it doesnt again, he said of the impeachment. House Republicans blasted the comments, saying they showed Patrick had not been the impartial judge he was supposed to be in presiding over it all.

As for Paxton, it didnt take long for the Collin County Republican to vow retribution, telling talk radio personalities that those Republicans who tried to impeach him needed to get ready for him to come after them politically in future elections. Hes aiming to help unseat dozens of House Republicans in the March primary elections.

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Voucher battle

Paxton will have company in seeking retribution in March.

Abbott is on his own revenge tour after the Texas House killed his top legislative priority  private school vouchers. The governor has endorsed a slate of GOP challengers against Republicans who voted against the program, which would subsidize private education costs through education savings accounts.

Twenty-one Republicans joined with Democrats in voting down the bill in the last special session in November. Many of those Republicans are from rural communities that have opposed the plan on the grounds it will eventually drain money from public schools.

Abbott vetoed unrelated bills in June by members who had opposed him and threatened holdouts with primary opposition during their reelections. But so far, the pressure campaign hasnt worked.

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Dysfunctional leadership

A battle to lower property taxes in Texas added to the strained relationship between Phelan and Patrick, even though they eventually agreed to a record $18 billion tax cut plan.

While both Republican leaders championed handing out record tax cuts, how to do it became a monumental struggle with Patrick calling Phelan names like California Dade and nicknaming him Dade Failing. Phelan responded by largely ignoring Patrick and refusing to meet with him for most of the last two years.

Jones said issues like cutting taxes and securing the border are typically unifiers for the GOP, but even picking the lowest hanging fruit caused conflict and consternation among Texas Republicans in 2023.

While they eventually came to a deal, the damage was already done between Phelan and Patrick. Patrick has since said he cant work with Phelan and wants Texans to vote against any House member who refuses to back a new speaker.

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The border

If there was one thing that mostly unified the GOP, it was border security.

Border encounters with migrants increased during President Joe Bidens first two years and this year they reached a record 2.4 million.

Abbott responded by deploying miles of razor wire and busing migrants to other cities to pressure Democrats like New York City Mayor Eric Adams. He also deployed a floating buoy barrier in the Rio Grande, which drew a pending lawsuit from the Justice Department.

Republicans still had areas of disagreement. While McCarthy was ousted for many reasons, his struggle to placate fellow Republicans like Roy, who wanted a tougher stance on the border in the federal budget, only added to the opposition against him.

That fight spilled over into the winter, leading GOP leaders to block additional military aid to Ukraine despite once broadly supporting it. Biden conceded this month that he is willing to make significant compromises on the border, which triggered its own backlash from Democrats.

The border is likely to remain front and center heading into the new year as Biden seeks reelection.

Presidential backdrop

For the first time in more than 40 years, Texas doesnt have a contender in the presidential race after San Antonian Will Hurd ended his nascent campaign.

But that doesnt mean Texas isnt playing a substantial role in the race. Trump used Waco to kick off his reelection bid and has made several additional stops since focusing on the border and the states oil industry in the wake of moves by the Biden administration to reduce U.S. reliance on fossil fuels.

Hes not alone. Both former U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley and DeSantis  Trumps top rivals  have spent a lot of time in the state wooing big donors and making their pitches. Shortly after DeSantis announced his campaign, he was in Texas at the border along stretches where Trumps promise to build a wall never came to fruition. DeSantis used it as an example of broken promises that demand a new leader.

While the GOP sees Texas donors as a key to dislodging Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris made clear in a recent trip to Houston that the states harsh abortion laws and others like it have become a clarion call for Democrats to fight for the rights of women.

The White House was quick to seize on the plight of a Dallas woman who initially won a judges approval to get an abortion but still had to leave the state to get the procedure. The Texas Supreme Court ultimately overturned the lower courts approval, saying the decision was up to the womans doctor and that the state medical board should issue better guidance.
This story has been updated to reflect the bridge that Marion County completed in 2022 on Silverton Road was over the Little Pudding River.

Dozens of road construction projects coming to the Mid-Willamette Valley in 2024.

And a lot more will come in Salem as the bond that voters passes in 2022 moves out of the planning stages.

The following road construction projects will have the biggest impact on traffic in 2024.

Donald-Aurora Interchange

Construction on the next phase of the project involving Exit 278 is expected to begin in 2024.

The first phase included redoing the northbound offramp, realigning Bents Road and adding a signal to the intersection of Ehlen Road and Bents Road and was completed in 2022.

Rendering for the Donald-Aurora Interchange.

According to ODOT, the next phase includes widening Interstate 5, removing the existing bridges over Ehlen Road, building a new bridge over Interstate 5, rebuilding the interchange ramps and creating the diverging diamond lanes for Ehlen Road.

Construction is scheduled to be completed in 2027.

The project cost is estimated at $62.5 million.

McGilchrist Street in Salem

Construction has begun on the four-year project to completely revamp McGilchrist Street, one of the citys most important arterial streets. It had as many as 12,900 trips per day, according to city of Salem estimate.

Salem received $13.2 million in funding to improve McGilchrist Street SE in Salem.

The project in the industrial area just west of Salems airport is designed to widen the current narrow two-lane road into a three-lane road with sidewalks, a cycle track, a center turn lane and improve railroad and creek crossings.

ODOT estimates that the project will cost $32.9 million. The city of Salem says that $50.8 million has been saved for the project, including $13.2 million from a federal RAISE grant.

Salem says the first phase, which involves a realignment of McGilchrist with the intersection of 22nd Street and improvements to storm water facilities began in October and is expected to be completed in late 2024.

The next two phases, which include improvements from 12th Street to 25th Street, are expected to begin in 2025 and be finished in 2027.

Pudding River bridge at Hazelgreen Road

Marion County has received federal funding to replace the bridge on Hazelgreen Road NE between Salem and Silverton. The project is expected to begin in the summer of 2024 and be completed in 2025.

The current two-lane bridge was constructed in 1969. Its expected to be replaced with a wider concrete bridge.

Traffic will be detoured around the area during construction.

The project is budgeted to cost $6.8 million.

In 2022, the county completed reconstruction of the Little Pudding River Bridge on Silverton Road.

The map of the Clow Corner Road and Highway 99W construction project.

Highway 99W and Clow Corner Road roundabout

Construction on the large roundabout between Rickreall and Monmouth has been paused for the winter.

The first phase of the project, including widening Highway 99W at Orrs Corner Road and improving the intersection, including a left turn land, was completed earlier in 2023.

Part of construction of the roundabout was completed in the summer and fall of 2023. It is expected to resume in the spring 2024.

Clow Corner Road will be closed to the east of 99W for five months and closed to the west  toward Dallas  for about two months after the roundabout is built. Clow Corner traffic will be diverted to Riddell Road, while the old part of Highway 99W is removed.

The project also will include reconnecting the multiuse path, including ADA ramps, on the west side of the highway.

The speed limit in the area has been reduced to 45 miles per hour in the work area during construction.

The project is projected to cost $11.3 million.

Central Street in Gates

Marion County has allocated $1 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds toward improvements to the main road in Gates, which was hit hard by the 2020 wildfires.

The project is expected to add curbs, gutters, sidewalks, street lighting and storm water facilities on the south side of Central Street.

It also will have pedestrian curb ramps, decorative paving stones, trash receptacles, a bike rack, parking spaces and new driveways.

Construction is expected to begin in the spring and completed by the end of June.

Hayesville Drive in east Salem

The major road project in East Salem between Portland Road and Cordon Road has been underway since 2022 and is expected to be completed by Nov. 1, 2024.

It is designed to widen the road, add bike lanes and sidewalks, upgrade storm water collection and improve traffic signals.

The project was originally budgeted for slightly more than $7 million.

Center Street from Lancaster Drive to 45th Place in Salem

This project east of Lancaster Drive NE is designed to widen Center Street in east Salem including a center turn lane, bike lanes and a sidewalk in an area that has seen increased traffic as the Willamette Town Center has built out.

It is projected to begin in 2024 and estimated to cost $3.4 million.

Highway 219 and Butteville Road in Woodburn

The intersection will receive improvements to handle the capacity that is expected to increase with the opening of the new Amazon fulfillment center about a half a mile away in Woodburn in 2024.

Construction is expected to start in 2024. It is estimated to cost $7.9 million.

Bill Poehler covers Marion and Polk County for the Statesman Journal. Contact him at bpoehler@StatesmanJournal.com

This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Salem-area road construction projects coming in 2024
A female Amur tiger named Viktoria has found her new home at Rolling Hills Zoo.

The zoo announced its newest resident came from Roosevelt Park Zoo in Minot, North Dakota, where she was born in March 2022. Viktoria was relocated to Salina on a breeding recommendation as part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums Species Survival Plan.

Viktoria, a female Amur tiger, is the newest resident at Rolling Hills Zoo.

Described as spirited and spunky, the zoo said, "Viktoria's zest for life is evident in her playful interactions and she has already captured the hearts of her keepers."

According to the announcement, one of the young tiger's distinctive features is speckling on her lower legs, "adding to her charm and individuality."

"Viktoria is an eager participant in target training with a fondness for bones and diverse enrichments, including scents, spices, boxes, paper and pumpkins," the zoo said.

Before Viktorias arrival, Dhenuka, the zoos male Amur tiger, moved to another facility on a similar breeding recommendation. Once Viktoria reaches sexual maturity the zoo will receive a male Amur tiger as part of the SSPs breeding plan.

"Sadly, tigers are on the brink of extinction. Just over a century ago, 100,000 wild tigers roamed across Asia," the zoo said. "Today, fewer than 3,900 live in a mere 4% of their historic range and there are estimated to be between only 265  486 Amur tigers remaining in the wild."

Viktoria, a female Amur tiger, is the newest resident at Rolling Hills Zoo.

Along with the other four tiger subspecies, Amur tigers are one of the most endangered carnivores on Earth. Their dwindling population is due to poaching and deforestation resulting in habitat loss, it said.

Currently in the off-season, the zoo is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. seven days a week at 625 N. Hedville Road in Salina, The park will be closed Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

This article originally appeared on Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise: Viktoria the Amur tiger is Rolling Hills Zoo's newest resident
A former TV journalist who announced she would challenge President Putin in Russia's spring election has been barred from standing.

Independent politician Yekaterina Duntsova wanted to run on a platform to end the war with Ukraine.

But the electoral commission voted unanimously to reject her candidacy three days after her application, citing 100 "mistakes" on her form.

Ms Duntsova said she would appeal the decision at the Supreme Court.

The presidential election, which will be held in March 2024, is Russia's first since President Putin launched his full-scale invasion of Ukraine nearly two years ago.

The immediate slap-down of a Putin critic will be seen as evidence by some that no dissent will be tolerated in the campaign.

The head of Russia's electoral commission, Ella Pamfilova, said Ms Duntsova would not be allowed to progress to the next stage of gathering thousands of supporters' signatures.

"You are a young woman, you have everything ahead of you. Any minus can always be turned into a plus. Any experience is still an experience," she told Ms Duntsova, 40, after the decision.

The former TV journalist had declared she would run for the presidency in November. At the time, she told the Reuters news agency: "Any sane person taking this step would be afraid - but fear must not win."

Russia's constitution was amended in 2020, increasing the presidential term from four to six years and giving Mr Putin a clean slate to run again by cancelling out his previous terms.

Moscow has sidelined opposition figures for years, and President Putin is expected to win in March; the Kremlin claims he enjoys genuine support among Russians.

Ms Duntsova had been vocal on her plans to run a campaign on ending the war in Ukraine and freeing political prisoners.

She was quick to respond after the commission's decision. "We will appeal to the Supreme Court, since this decision is not based on the law," a message on her Telegram channel said.

The commission said 29 people have so far filed to run for the presidency. But after today's decision, Mr Putin remains the only candidate to be able to register as a candidate.

In November, a nationalist pro-war blogger who had fiercely criticised Russia's military strategy in Ukraine, said he wanted to challenge Putin and disrupt the "sham" poll.

Igor Girkin, 52, was detained in July following a series of social media posts critical of the president. He is now in jail awaiting trial for extremism, which he denies.

Mr Putin recently showed a rare example of caving in to popular pressure - by cutting the cost of buying chicken and eggs. On a public phone-in, a caller berated the Russian president for the high price she was having to pay.

With just three months to go until the election, President Putin has now decided that eggs and chicken should be exempt from all import taxes.
Yekaterina Duntsova, a former journalist and anti-war advocate, has been barred from running against Russian President Vladimir Putin in the March election, after the Russian Central Election Commission rejected her nomination documents.

Duntsova, who has pushed for the end of the Russia-Ukraine war, filed an application on Dec. 20 to be an independent candidate, marketing herself as pro-peace and pro-democracy. She secured the endorsement of more than 500 supporters, as is required for candidates, The Moscow Times reported.

The commission said it rejected her documents, saying it found over 100 typos and other errors including quality of signatures and incorrect passport information, according to the Times.

If her application had been accepted, Duntsova would have had to collect 300,000 unique voter signatures from at least 40 of Russias regions to be able to appear on the ballot.

We have carefully studied the documents, and we have the impression that they were filled out in haste without complying with legal standards, the BBCs Russian service reported, quoting a commission member.

After the meeting, Duntsova tried to stay optimistic, claiming there would be another chance.

I want us all to believe that we will be able to take another chance, she said. Dont lose faith, dont lose hope.

Putin, who has served four terms in office and orchestrated constitutional reforms to allow for him to stay in office longer, confirmed that he will seek another term in the race he is likely going to win.

The election is set on March 17. If Putin were to win again, he would stay in power for another six years and have eligibility for one more term after that.

He has remained a popular leader and commands wide support despite starting a costly war in Ukraine nearly two years ago.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Duntsova, 40, had filed documents to stand in the March race as an independent candidate (Arden Arkman)

Russia's Central Electoral Commission on Saturday rejected an application by a candidate calling for peace to stand in next year's presidential elections.

The commission cited "mistakes in documents" submitted by Yekaterina Duntsova, a former journalist and city councillor campaigning "for peace and democratic processes", Russian television reported.

The commission's chief, Ella Pamfilova, said the members unanimously rejected Duntsova's bid to stand in polls that President Vladimir Putin is expected to win comfortably.

Putin confirmed this month that he would participate in the election, scheduled to be held over three days beginning March 15.

The commission said Duntsova could not go on to the next stage of gathering thousands of supporters' signatures.

Pamfilova told her: "You are a young woman, you have everything ahead of you."

Duntsova, 40, had filed documents to stand in the March race as an independent candidate. She was required to provide documents proving that a group of at least 500 people had held a meeting backing her.

"A people's initiative is not needed, is not welcomed," Duntsova told journalists afterwards, saying she would not have time to file another application as an independent candidate.

She wrote on social media that she would file an appeal against the ruling with the Supreme Court.

- 'Should have a choice' -

She also urged the leadership of liberal party Yabloko to nominate her as its candidate.

Yabloko, Russia's oldest democratic party, "should not stand on the sidelines. Russians should have a choice", she wrote on Telegram.

Duntsova told journalists on Saturday "we are now waiting for some official, public answer on whether (Yabloko) are prepared to support me so we meet the deadline" of January 1.

Yabloko's co-founder Grigory Yavlinsky said in a YouTube video broadcast on Saturday that the party is not nominating any candidate.

The 71-year-old was unable to comment on Duntsova's request for nomination, saying he "had no idea" about her.

Candidates from political parties lacking MPs in the national parliament, like Yabloko, have a less arduous procedure to participate than independents.

They have to gather signatures of 100,000 supporters by the end of January, while independent candidates have to find 300,000.

Duntsova said she was sure her supporters had no illusions about the outcome of the presidential "elections" in inverted commas.

But "you must not do nothing", she wrote on Telegram, since standing as a candidate is the "last legal opportunity for citizens to express their disagreement with the policies of the current authorities".

Pamfilova said Saturday that 29 people have filed to run for the presidency.

Moscow has for years sidelined opposition figures from elections and political life, a clampdown that accelerated after the Kremlin ordered Russian troops into Ukraine in 2022.

bur/imm
A former TV journalist and Ukraine War critic has been disqualified from running against Russian President Vladimir Putin in next years presidential election.

Yekaterina Duntsova, 40, an independent politician who wanted to run on a platform to end the war with Ukraine, had her candidacy application unanimously rejected by the countrys electoral commission on Saturday, which cited "numerous violations" in the papers she had submitted.

Duntsova had submitted her application on Wednesday having secured the endorsement of 500 supporters as required by Russian election law.

PUTIN ANNOUNCES PRESIDENTIAL RE-ELECTION BID, FIFTH TERM EXPECTED TO BE CERTAIN

Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and former journalist Yekaterina Duntsova, right, who had sought to run against him on a platform to end the war.

The commission found 100 errors in her nomination papers, including mistakes in the spelling of names, according to a Telegram channel close to Duntsovas campaign.

The Central Election Commission (CEC) also had reason to believe that the minutes of the meeting with her supporters were prepared after the meeting itself, according to the Russian news outlet Kommersant. That meant that the election commission could not establish the size of the group itself, or its composition.

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

The decision is almost certain to reinforce critics' views that the Kremlin will not tolerate any serious contender to go up against Putin in what will be the first presidential election since the start of the 22-month-long war with Ukraine. They have long viewed it as a fake process with only one possible outcome.

Duntsova, who is also a lawyer and was a member of a local legislature, wrote on Telegram that she would challenge the decision in the Supreme Court, calling it unjustified and undemocratic.

"With this political decision, we are deprived of the opportunity to have our own representative and express views that differ from the official aggressive discourse," Duntsova wrote.

Russia's President Vladimir Putin attending a meeting with the President of the United Arab Emirates in Abu Dhabi on December 6, 2023. Putin is widely expected to win a second term.

She also appealed to the leaders of the Yabloko (Apple) political party to nominate her as a candidate, as she said she would be unable to convene a second meeting of supporters. However, the partys leader, Grigory Yavlinsky, said in an interview that Yabloko was not planning to field a candidate and would not back Duntsova, because the party didnt know her.

The head of the electoral commission, Ella Pamfilova, offered words of consolation to Duntsova after her rejection.

PUTIN OFFERS RARE DETAILS ABOUT WAR IN UKRAINE, SAYS THERE WILL BE NO PEACE UNTIL GOALS ARE ACHIEVED

"You are a young woman, you have everything ahead of you. Any minus can always be turned into a plus. Any experience is still an experience," Pamfilova said.

Last month Duntsova called for the release of political prisoners and said Russians were "very tired" of the conflict in Ukraine.

Putin submitted his nomination papers to the Central Election Commission on Monday for the March 17 election, which he is widely expected to win. The former intelligence officer remains hugely popular in Russia. His support spiked with the onset of the war against Ukraine, and he currently has an approval rating of 82%, according to Statista, a global data platform.

Putin has held continuous positions as president or prime minister since 1999. He has been president since 2012, with his previous stint as president running from 2000 to 2008.

Igor Girkin, who led pro-Russia fighters in eastern Ukraine in 2014, said that he wants to challenge Putin. Girkin is an outspoken pro-war blogger who has fiercely criticized Russia's military strategy in Ukraine and is currently in jail awaiting trial for extremism, which he denies.

Others who have announced plans to run include former lawmaker Boris Nadezhdin, who holds a seat on a municipal council in the Moscow region.

Voting will take place over three days. The three-day window was first used during the COVID-19 pandemic, with officials saying it is more convenient for voters.

Extensions to the national voting window have been criticized as a risk to election integrity, necessitating ballots being kept safe overnight and complicating the jobs of poll watchers.

Voting will also be open to four regions of Ukraine partially and illegally annexed by Russia.

The CEC reported that 29 candidates had applied for nomination.

The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.





Original article source: Russian anti-war candidate blocked from facing Putin in presidential election
A Russian proxy forward observer directed missiles towards the Ria Lounge Cafe in the city of Kramatorsk on 27 June "for ideological reasons", the Security Service of Ukraine (SSU) has revealed.

Source: Ukrinform news agency, citing Halyna Pryshchepa, Chief of the press service of the SSU Main Directorate in Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts, at a briefing

Details: The official noted that there was only one suspect in the case  a forward observer residing in Kramatorsk, an employee of a gas transport company.

The defendant was ordered by his former acquaintance, who now represents the "intelligence department of the internal forces command of the 'DPR' [Russian-backed Donetsk People's Republic terrorist organisation  ed.]", to check the information on the location of the Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel in the premises of the Ria Lounge Cafe.

Quote from Pryshchepa: "We have gathered all the necessary expertise and evidence. The man is suspected under Article 111.2 (High Treason) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, and now we are anticipating a just court verdict...

He acted out of ideological reasons, not for money. Later, his colleagues explained that he never denied his pro-Russian views...

Staying near the cafe, this informer used one of the messengers on his phone to record two video files depicting the cafe and vehicles with insignia belonging to servicemen of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. He sent all the video files to his acquaintance."

More details: The official added that the Russian occupying forces launched a missile attack on the cafe 3.5 hours later that day.

The offender, the SSU said, came home and went to bed after making the videos. He was detained on the morning of 28 June.

Background:

On 27 June 2023, Russia struck the frontline city of Kramatorsk. A missile hit the civilian cafe, Ria Lounge. The attack claimed 13 lives and injured over 50 civilians.

Ukrainian Security Service Counterintelligence detained the Russian secret services proxy, who had directed the Russian missile strike, in hot pursuit.

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Russian forces attacked Dnipropetrovsk Oblast's Nikopol district with artillery and kamikaze drones on Dec. 23, Governor Serhii Lysak reported.

A 49-year-old man reportedly sustained injuries and was hospitalized.

Two local businesses, an administrative building, nine homes, an apartment building, two garages, and several storage buildings were damaged.

According to Lysak, the attack also hit critical infrastructure, including power and gas lines.

Earlier in the day, Ukrainian air defense reported shooting down an enemy Kh-59 missile over Dnipro district and two drones in Kryvyi Rih district.

Read also: Ukraine war latest: Netherlands to prepare 18 F-16s for delivery to Ukraine

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Russian forces attacked Kurakhove in Donetsk Oblast on Dec. 23, injuring five people, the Prosecutor General's Office reported.

Russian troops reportedly attacked Donetsk Oblast's Pokrovskyi District, targeting a facility in Kurakhove.

Five men, aged 35, 49, 50, and 56, who were working at the time of the attack, suffered injuries of varying degrees. One of the injured men is reportedly in serious condition.

The facility's infrastructure was also damaged by the attack.

The Donetsk Oblast Prosecutor General's Office has reportedly launched an investigation into the incident for potentially violating the rules of war.

Read also: How Russian troops killed 3 unarmed teenagers in Ukrainian village

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Nikolai Kharitonov worked as a collective farm manager in Siberia in the Soviet era (Olesya Kurpyayeva)

The Communist Party of Russia, the second largest party in parliament, on Saturday selected a 75-year-old to stand next March in presidential polls against Vladimir Putin.

At a party congress in the Moscow region, the members held a single-candidate vote backing Nikolai Kharitonov.

He won just under 14 percent of the national vote when he stood against Putin in 2004.

"Kharitonov's candidacy was supported by an overwhelming majority of congress participants in a secret ballot," said fellow Communist Alexander Yushchenko, quoted by Interfax news agency.

The ballot paper had a single name on it: Kharitonov's.

The Communist Party of Russia, led since 1993 by Gennady Zyuganov, fielded an alternative candidate in 2018 presidential polls.

On paper the Communist Party is in opposition, but in practice it backs up Putin's party, United Russia.

If victorious in next March's polls, Putin could stay in power until 2030.

A fan of martial arts, Kharitonov worked as a collective farm manager in Siberia in the Soviet era.

He later became a member of the Agrarian party, an offshoot of the Communists.

This week at a party conference, Kharitonov praised the Soviet forced collectivisation of agriculture as a "correct reform that allowed us to resolve the food problem on the eve of a great war".

He said Saturday that "our task is to consolidate the people during the election campaign so that there is victory, victory on all fronts".

bur/imm
A human rights group is accusing Meta, owner of Facebook and Instagram, of "stifling" pro-Palestinian content on its social media platforms.

Human Rights Watch raised concerns of Meta conducting a "systemic and global" removal of "peaceful" pro-Palestine posts even without clear violation to any of the content policies.

The group documented over 1,050 takedowns of content by Palestinians and their supporters, including issues of human rights abuses. The posts came from over 60 countries.

According to HRW, over 1,000 of the removed posts were restricted under the guise of "violent and graphic content, violence and incitement, hate speech, and nudity and sexual activity".

Meta acknowledged that it has made errors that are "frustrating" people but insisted that it is the only platform releasing human rights issues about the Gaza conflict with due diligence.

Accusations of Systemic Censorship by Meta

This was not the first time Meta has been accused of censoring "newsworthy" content on its platforms.

Just this week, US Senator Elizabeth Warren sent a letter to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg demanding an explanation to the alleged suppression of pro-Palestine content.

Warren cited a statement co-signed by over 90 human rights and civil rights groups alleging the removal and mistranslation of Palestine-related posts since the conflict started in October.

Meta has been involved in the same issue in 2021 when many Palestinians were displaced from their homes in Jerusalem by Israeli forces.

Also Read: WhatsApp's AI Sticker Feature is Generating Images of Palestinian Children with Firearms

Meta's Policies on Israel-Palestine Conflict

The social media giant has released a detailed list of its responsibilities in disseminating information regarding human rights about the conflict in Palestine last September.

Disinformation campaigns have ramped up on the platform following the Hamas attack on Gaza on Oct. 7.

As of writing, Israel continues to conduct air raids on the war-torn Gaza as it vowed to eradicate all members of the rebel group.

Related Article: Attorneys General Accuse Meta of Collecting Data from Underaged Users
Oleg Frolov, deputy CEO of Russian space agency Roscosmos, has been arrested in Russia on charges of embezzlement during the purchase of equipment, independent Russian news outlet The Moscow Times reported on Dec. 22.

According to the Investigative Committee of Russia, two other businessmen were arrested along with Frolov.

Read also: Two Russian missile strikes recorded in Kharkiv

The defendants were charged with fraud on a particularly large scale.

The ICR believes that Frolov, using his official position, entered into a criminal conspiracy with two accomplices and stole budget funds in the course of the contract for the purchase of equipment worth at least 435 million rubles ($4.7 million).

Read also: Expert warns of unpredictable fallout if Russia were to use space rocket against Ukraine

Frolov, who previously served in the space forces, was responsible for the state arms program of Roscosmos, which produced the most modern Russian weapons: missiles, cruise missiles, and drones, which in 2018 Russian President Vladimir Putin announced as a "response to U.S. actions."

One example of these weapons is the Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile, which is supposed to replace the Voevoda missiles.

Putin claimed In 2018 that Russia already had hypersonic weapons, such as the Avangard and Kinzhal systems, as well as the Zircon anti-ship missile, which were also developed by Roscosmos.

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
Shots were heard in Transnistria, a non-recognised state that is officially considered a part of Moldova, on 22 December; it turned out that soldiers from the Russian forces stationed there were the ones shooting.

Source: Newsmaker, a Moldovan news outlet

Details: The shots were heard near the villages of Gisca and Corjova on the left bank of the Dnister as part of unauthorised exercises. Sergiu Golovaci, Head of the Moldovan delegation to the Joint Control Commission (JCC), confirmed to Zona de Securitate that the shooting had lasted about 40 minutes.

The JCC is a joint military command structure of Moldova, Transnistria and Russia that operates in the demilitarised zone on the border between Moldova and Ukraine.

The Reintegration Bureau told Newsmaker that they would raise the issue of what happened at the next JCC meeting.

"We will raise this issue at a meeting of the JCC, during which the Moldovan delegation will reaffirm its unwavering position on the inadmissibility of unilateral military actions along the perimeter of the Security Zone, which could destabilise the situation in the region and cause panic among the population," they said.

Background:

Moldova has recently organised military exercises near the border of Russian-occupied Transnistria, only 22 kilometres from the Ukrainian border.

Moldova recently received its first new-generation radar to protect its skies.

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Russian occupiers stated there was a missile threat in Crimea and closed the Crimean Bridge to traffic on the morning of 23 December.

Source: ChP Crimea

Details: An air-raid warning has been issued in Crimea. The Crimean Bridge is closed to traffic.

The Russians also drew a smokescreen around it, as local Telegram channels reported.

No details are available at this time.

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Five power engineers have been injured as a result of a Russian attack on one of the thermal power plants in the front-line area.

Source: DTEK, Ukraine's main energy producer, on Telegram.

Details: DTEK said that all the injured were taken to hospital.

As reported, Russians attacked a near-frontline thermal power plant 10 times during the past month. The latest attack occurred on 20 December.

The company's equipment has also been damaged as a result of the attack. As of 17:00 on 23 December, the attack continues.

Background:

On 20 December, the Russians once again attacked one of the DTEK thermal power plants in the front-line area, and there were no casualties.

On 7 December, due to systematic and prolonged attacks, one of the DTEK thermal power plants in the front-line area was again damaged. This was the seventh attack on a front-line thermal power plant in the last 1.5 months.

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When The English Hymnal first came out in 1906, the Archbishop of Canterbury (Randall Davidson) wanted every parish in his diocese to reject it. On its centenary, the Archbishop of Canterbury (Rowan Williams) wrote a foreword to a book in its celebration. Now he has written a foreword to the new Revised English Hymnal.

Its 1,904 pages, two short of the year of its birth, preserve the sacramental Anglo-Catholic flavour that enraged Davidson. This derived principally from its editor Percy Dearmer, who had promoted, in his Parsons Handbook (1899), a guide to church services as he liked to think they had been ordered in the Salisbury of the High Middle Ages. For him, dossals and riddel-posts held off the decadence of the Baroque.

But, as Lord Williams pointed out in 2006, It is given to few hymn books to be overseen by a composer of the stature of Vaughan Williams, the music editor Dearmer had recruited. They were both under 40 when The English Hymnal was published.

Randall Davidson did not lack grounds for complaint. One of the hymns (by Vincent Stuckey Stratton Coles, Principal of Pusey House, Oxford, when the book was published) asked Mary the Mother of Jesus to pray for the dead: For the faithful gone before us, / May the holy Virgin pray.

The Bishop of Bristol responded: I cannot reconcile it to my conscience, or to my historical sense, to do less than prohibit a book which would impress upon the Church of England tendencies so dangerous. Dearmers riposte was: Does the Bishop think we should sing, May the holy Virgin not pray?

As a compromise, Oxford University Press published an edition ingeniously omitting five controversial hymns without visible blanks or disturbing the numbering. Few bought the abridged edition. In the new edition, the offending hymn, Ye who own the faith of Jesus, remains, marked Suitable for use in procession, as it has been used at Dearmers old parish of St Mary, Primrose Hill, for more than a century.

Another hymn, by William Blake, made one of the founding committee resign. To Mercy, Pity, Peace, and Love said that God dwells in everyone, Christian or not. It was published in 1906, but not now. Perhaps modern readers trip over Blakes language: And all must love the human form, / In heathen, Turk, or Jew; / Where Mercy, Love, and Pity dwell, / There God is dwelling too.

From the first, The English Hymnal embraced an aesthetic far from the roast Victorian beef of Hymns Ancient & Modern. In a poem by Betjeman about leafy Boars Hill, the pale green cover of The English Hymnal went with William de Morgans Arts & Crafts tiles around the grate.

The Revised English Hymnal, with a third more hymns than the 1986 New English Hymnal, aims to be classically Anglican, doctrinally orthodox, liturgically focused, musically and poetically intelligent, and ecumenically and chronologically diverse. It follows the Churchs year and sacramental life, with Mass settings and hymns for Eucharistic adoration and in thanksgiving after sacramental confession.

Rowan Williams picks up the words dignum et justum (from the ancient dialogue in the Eucharist expressed in the Book of Common Prayer as: Let us give thanks unto our Lord God.  It is meet and right so to do). Good hymns, he says, are part of our calling to speak truthfully, justly, about God.

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.
COSHOCTON  The Coshocton Salvation Army Christmas Castle program received a boost this season from the Coshocton County Sheriff's Office.

Each child in the Christmas Castle received $85 to buy hats, boots, coats, gloves, sweaters, pants and more at the Coshocton Walmart. The program is open to children from kindergarten to those who graduated high school this year. The Angel Tree is for children from birth to age 5, and those children received $35, plus other items listed on their Angel Tree tags.

Deputy Josh Walsh of the Coshocton County Sheriff's Office picks out socks with Micah Van Alstyne, 10, for the Coshocton Salvation Army Christmas Castle program at the Coshocton Walmart. This year, the sheriff's office tied a formal Shop with a Cop program into it, even though officers have shopped with youth in the past.

More than the goal of $31,405 was raised through a campaign on WTNS Radio, which started on Black Friday. Leftover funding will be used for emergency situations and possible extra clothing throughout the winter. There were 393 children in 173 households. Those families, plus more than 100 others without kids, also received a food box.

It was the first year for Majors Kevin and Lori Schoch to spearhead the program as they took over the local Salvation Army in the spring. They were amazed at the outpouring of community support.

"People came through quickly for us. It's a good thing and a great opportunity for us," Kevin said.

This was also the first year the Coshocton County Sheriff's Office tied a Shop with a Cop program, popular elsewhere, into the Christmas Castle.

"We're encouraged by that. I know deputies have shopped with families in the past. So, for them to come along and incorporate the Shop With a Cop into that is a good thing," Kevin added.

Virginia Almack and her children Kari, 11, Annaliese 18 months and Becky, 9, shop with Lt. J.D. Hardway for the Coshocton Salvation Army's annual Christmas Castle program at the Coshocton Walmart.

Sheriff James Crawford said while his officers have helped youth shop in the past, he wanted to do something more formal and focused this year. This included them raising extra money through the sheriff's office. Crawford said they were sponsoring 30 to 35 children on their own.

"I wanted to do something more formal and setup times with the Christmas Castle for the Shop with a Cop program, so we have better interaction with the youth. This way they see us in a better light and more apt to come find us if they need help," Crawford said. "Helping them shop for clothes and necessities puts a smile on their faces and we want to see that."

Lt. J.D. Hardway had done Christmas Castle shopping in the past. He thought it was a great program for the entire community as those in need are assisted in various ways by many residents.

"Just to see the kids' faces. Most of them are usually happy to see us and are very interactive with us, so it's a good night," Hardway said. "They get to see us in a more fun light than they do a lot of times."

Sophia Walsh and her dad, Deputy Josh Walsh of the Coshocton County Sheriff's Office, shop with Micah Van Alstyne, 10, for the Coshocton Salvation Army Christmas Castle program at the Coshocton Walmart.

Hardway shopped with Virginia Almack and her three children, Kari, 11, Becky, 9, and Annaliese, 18 months. Virginia said the program has been of a great help to her family in the past.

"Kids' clothes are expensive and they grow out of them in a month," she said.

Deputy Josh Walsh has shopped with youth in the past too. This time his 11-year-old daughter, Sophia, came along to help.

"Five years ago when I was here, there was an 8-year-old boy. After we were done checking out, he gave me the biggest hug ever and said it was the greatest day of his entire life. After that, I realized I had to keep coming back to make a difference," Deputy Walsh said.

Leonard Hayhurst is a community content coordinator and general news reporter for the Coshocton Tribune with more than 15 years of local journalism experience and multiple awards from the Ohio Associated Press. He can be reached at 740-295-3417 or llhayhur@coshoctontribune.com. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter) at @llhayhurst.

This article originally appeared on Coshocton Tribune: Sheriff's office gives Salvation Army's Christmas programs a boost
Police are looking for the person who left an antisemitic note on a womans car while she was at a doctors appointment.

Virginia Pierce-Kelly still cant believe what happened outside her chiropractors office just a few days ago. She told WSB Tonights Larry Spruill that she was getting ready to leave when a staff member told her a woman had left a note on her window.

I read it, and I was just shocked, appalled, and surprised that someone would say such mean and hateful things, Pierce-Kelly said.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

According to Pierce-Kelly, the letter was on the front windshield when she walked to her car.

The following is the message that was left on her car:

A dream catcher on your mirror and an Israeli flag on the back of your car during a genocide, youre a [expletive] word idiot and the reason humans suck. Reevaluate your entire existence.

I was emotionally distraught at first. It affected my mental capacity, she explained. Am I safe coming to this place or coming to this area?

TRENDING STORIES:

Pierce-Kelly said she believes that the items on her car should not be a reason for anyone to respond with hate.

If someone is that angry, upset, or frustrated about whats going on in their life or in the world. I think they should not be putting hateful and unfriendly, unloving words on peoples private property. This is the first time in my 61 years of living on this Planet Earth that someone put a hateful sign on my car, Pierce-Kelly said.

Sandy Springs Police are investigating this incident.

[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]

IN OTHER NEWS:
Apple is reportedly negotiating with major news publishers as part of its effort to obtain a license to use the news archives as training materials for the company's generative AI models.

Read Also: Apple Won't Repair Out-of-Warranty Watches Anymore During Sales Ban

Apple to Strike Multiyear Deals Worth $50 Million

According to The New York Times report, Apple is currently in discussion to enter "multiyear deals worth at least $50 million." The partnership will allow the company to license the news archives from various publishers to develop its generative AI.

So far, the company has reached out to Conde Nast, The New Yorker, IAC, and NBC News. News reports showed that Apple's proposal has been met with mixed reactions as some publishers are careful not to get hooked on any legal liabilities that could stem from the external use of their content.

Meanwhile, there are still other news executives who reacted more positively to the possibility of partnering with Apple.

All of the companies are yet to issue a statement on the report, however, if the plan is pushed through this could finally boost Apple's AI efforts as the company tries to catch up with big rivals like OpenAI, Google, and Microsoft.

AI Companies Would be Required Soon to Disclose Copyrighted Training Data

On the other hand, two Senators filed a new bill that will require creators of foundation AI models to reveal their sources of training data. The AI Foundation Model Transparency Act will alert copyright holders if their information was taken as part of training the AI models.

According to the filing, the bill will guide the Federal Trade Commission and the National Institute of Standards and Technology to regulate and promote transparency in AI models.

For this year alone, several AI companies faced copyright infringement lawsuits, emphasizing the importance of data transparency. "Public use of foundation models has led to countless instances of the public being presented with inaccurate, imprecise, or biased information," the bill stated.

Related Article: Apple Introduces Subscription Bundle Strategy for App Developers
The gunshots came rapid fire last Monday evening when someone drove past a Spartanburg County home with four people inside.

No one was injured but deputies recovered 23 shell casings.

It was the 53rd drive-by shooting in the Upstate South Carolina county this year.

Spartanburg County Sheriff Chuck Wright said at a press conference this week that since 2017, 485 reports have been made to the Spartanburg County Sheriffs Office.

And many more go unreported.

Also, they are tough cases to investigate.

From the sheer nature of this crime since it is often retaliatory, we get little to no cooperation from the victims, witnesses, and suspects involved, the Sheriffs Office said in a news release.

In 2022, there were 62 reports of someone firing into a dwelling and eight people were arrested, six of them between 14 and 17 years old.

The adults were 31 and 28 years old.

In the 53 shootings this year, two people suffered non-life threatening wounds.

Guns used were handguns and assault rifles, based on the rounds left behind, 715 in all.

Wright said it has happened that the people targeted no longer live in the house.

The department has launched a campaign to make the public aware that the guns used in drive-by shootings often come from unlocked vehicles. They asked the public to report anything they know. They can do so anonymously.

They also want parents to talk to their children about gun violence.

If they suspect their child is involved in this type of activity, please report it before its too late, the news release said.

Wright had a message for young people.

This is not video games, he said.

Video from the Monday shooting was released at the news conference as were two other shootings.

This agency rarely releases video on active investigations, but to further illustrate how serious this problem is, we are going to show videos from three separate and unrelated drive-by shootings that occurred this year, the sheriff said.

One was in April and two people were inside the residence. Seven shell casings were recovered.

The second incident shown occurred in November. Six people were inside. Sixteen shell casings were recovered.

Lt. Kevin Bobo, spokesman for the agency, declined to release more information such as the addresses and what time the shootings happened, saying the investigations were ongoing.
Former Trump communications director Anthony Scaramucci claimed former President Trumps remarks that drew comparisons to Adolf Hitler, Mein Kampf and Nazi Germany are a total dog whistle.

Scaramucci, who served on the former presidents campaign team and just 11 days in the administration, said Trump knows exactly what hes doing with his comments. He also argued his former boss would promote lies or random pieces of information because he thought it sounded good at the time.

Listen, its a total dog whistle for him, Scaramucci told CNNs Abby Phillip.

So, he knows exactly what hes doing, he added. He puts things out there, sort of with a forked tongue. Hell say one thing and say, Oh geez, I didnt realize that that was from that, but he does know that its from that.

Trump has come under fire in recent days after he repeatedly claimed immigrants coming to the U.S. are destroying the blood of our country and critics argue he is parroting Nazis. The Anti-Defamation League has said the phrase echoes Hitlers rhetoric in his book Mein Kampf that asserted German blood was poisoned by Jews.

The former president later said he is not a student of Hitler, despite repeating the claim  denying that he intended any racist sentiment with the phrase.

Trump said he knows nothing about Hitler and had never read his works. Scaramucci suggested that someone likely wrote the speech knowing that Hitler said it.

I do believe him that he has not read Mein Kampf, okay, because I dont think this guys ever read a book, the former Trump aide said in the clip highlighted by Mediaite. The joke on the campaign is that hes written more books than he read.

He knows he has a base some of them of which are white supremacist, he added.

Scaramucci said the elites in the country must understand that there are many people suffering across the country that feel rejected by the establishment.

So they use President Trump as an avatar for their anger, he said, adding that the former president will blow that whistle very hard because he knows theyre gonna come out and vote for him.

Theyll vote in the rain, theyll vote in the sleet and the snow, Scaramucci argued. They dont care, he knows that. Thats why hes blowing very hard on that whistle.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Scientists have warned a zombie deer disease could spread to humans after hundreds of animals were infected with the illness in the US over the last year.

Chronic wasting disease (CWD), which leaves animals drooling, lethargic, stumbling and with a blank stare, has been found in 800 samples of deer, elk and moose across Wyoming.

But experts warned the disease was a slow-moving disaster and urged governments to prepare for the possibility of it spreading to humans.

The mad cow disease outbreak in Britain provided an example of how, overnight, things can get crazy when a spillover event happens from, say, livestock to people, CWD researcher Dr Cory Anderson told The Guardian.

Were talking about the potential of something similar occurring. No one is saying that its definitely going to happen, but its important for people to be prepared.

File photo of a Mule deer in Colorado, USA. Up to 800 samples of chronic wasting disease were found in deer, elk and moose (Getty Images)

In the UK, 4.4m cattle were slaughtered after mad cow disease spread in the 1980s and 1990s due to bovine being fed infected meat and bonemeal.

The disease, which is usually fatal for cattle, infects the central nervous system and leaves the animals with aggressive symptoms and a lack of coordination. Since 1995, 178 human deaths have been attributed to the human variant.

In 2017, 7,000 to 15,000 CWD-infected animals a year were being consumed by humans, according to the Alliance for Public Wildlife.

The figure was expected to rise by 20 per cent annually. In Wisconsin, thousands of people have probably eaten meat from infected deer, Dr Anderson said.

CWD is extremely hard to eradicate once an environment is infected. It can persist for years in dirt or on surfaces, and scientists report it is resistant to disinfectants, formaldehyde, radiation and incineration at 600C (1,100F).

It comes after US biotech company Ginkgo Bioworks warned illnesses transmitted from animals to humans could kill 12 times as many people in 2050 than they did in 2020.

The company said epidemics caused by zoonotic diseases - known as spillovers - could be more frequent in future due to climate change and deforestation.

Between 1963 and 2019, epidemics increased by almost 5 per cent every year, with deaths up by 9 per cent, according to the groups research.

If these annual rates of increase continue, we would expect the analysed pathogens to cause four times the number of spillover events and 12 times the number of deaths in 2050 than in 2020, it warned.
Core Strength

In 2019, scientists detected a strange wobble deep below the Earth's surface that oscillates roughly every 8.5 years.

Now, by mapping minute changes in the Earth's rotation, the team has come up with an explanation: our planet's inner core may actually be at an angle in relation to the mantle.

This mysterious "Inner Core Wobble" has led them to suggest that the inner core is denser and heavier in the northwestern hemisphere, tilting it 0.17 degrees away from the planet's mantle.

The research, as detailed in a recent study published in the journal Nature Communications, could change the way we understand the Earth's inner structure and how seismic activity and the magnetic field influence the core's behavior.

Layer Cake

Conventional models suggest that the Earth's core is rotating along the same axis as the mantle, thanks to a uniform density distribution in both layers.

"However, results of the Earth's free oscillation (natural oscillations of Earth as a whole) indicate that the density structures of the Earth's interior are highly heterogeneous, so this assumption should not be realistic," coauthor Hao Ding, dean of the geophysics department at Wuhan University in China, told Phys.org.

"This implies a potential eastward differential rotation angle of the inner core of less than 1 degree and misalignment in the symmetry axes of the lower mantle/core-mantle boundary layer with the upper mantle," Ding said.

The findings challenge the way we understand the motion of the Earth's distinct layers. Especially where the inner core meets its surrounding layers, there's a noticeable change in density, causing the Earth's core to wobble periodically.

The research may also have some wider-reaching implications. The tilt between the inner core and mantle "may also lead to a certain change in the shape of the liquid core, resulting in a change in the fluid motion and a corresponding change in the geomagnetic field," Ding told Phys.org.

But the team is only scratching the surface, and plenty more research still has to be done before we get a more complete picture of what's going on deep beneath the Earth's surface.

More on the Earth's core: There Appears to Be a Slow Leak in Earth's Core, Scientists Say
AUSTIN (KXAN)  The 2022 Strategic Housing Blueprint Scorecard  which tracks progress of Austins 10-year housing plan  is out. This scorecard marks the halfway point in the citys comprehensive plan.

In 2017, Austin City Council set forward lofty housing goals, called the Strategic Housing Blueprint. Every year, HousingWorks Austin collects data to show how close the city is to meeting those goals, called the Strategic Housing Blueprint Scorecard.

Awais Azhar, the deputy director of HousingWorks Austin, explained the latest report as having a mixed bag of results.

Previous reporting:

The good

The City of Austin is exceeding its goal of creating new housing within a half mile of Imagine Austin centers or corridors. That means housing in areas with water quality, parkland and transit investments, among others.

The city is also on track to hit its goal of preserving 10,000 affordable units over 10 years. According to Azhar, nearly 6,000 have been preserved in the first five years. That could mean the City of Austin purchased a property to keep units affordable or financial help was given to homeowners for repairs that allow them to remain in place.

Austinites voted for more affordable housing. Where did your money go?

Azhar also said there have been efforts to ramp up production of affordable units recently, which will show in future scorecards.

Were also looking at the pipeline of how many units do we have coming in the future. And that is something thats really exciting, that we are seeing that in all of our districts across the board, we have units that are in the pipeline that are affordable to households at different income levels, he said.

The bad

The blueprint lays out a goal of 60,000 new affordable units in 10 years. While more units were built in 2022 than any of the previous years documented, the city is still short. Thats particularly stark in the citys goal to build 20,000 of those units for households earning 30% median family income (MFI) or below over 10 years.

As you go further down that income scale, it just gets worse and worse in terms of the discrepancy of the number of units available there versus the number of people who need it, Council Member Ryan Alter said.

Alters District Five, which spans across south and southeast Austin, made year-over-year progress in affordable units built, but only two council districts  three and four  fully met their one-year goals for affordable housing production.

Texas spends less on housing than most states. 5 solutions that could help

Im really excited to report for District Five, which I represent, we saw this last year that 92% of our one-year goal for affordable housing was met, which is a huge step up from the year before when it was only 1%, Alter said.

Another area where the city falls short, housing near high-opportunity areas. Thats something Azhar said is happening, but at a slower rate than expected.

We understand theres a lot of structural challenges in meeting this goal, because higher opportunity areas often have higher land costs and weve had various issues with construction costs in the previous years because of the pandemic, Azhar said.

Changes to the blueprint could be coming

In a memo to city leadership, Austin Housing Department Director Rosie Truelove said her department strongly suggests a substantial review and rewrite of the Strategic Housing Blueprint moving forward.

The policy work could be the establishment of a goal for City-funded units to ensure there is a clear understanding of how City funds and efforts should be prioritized for maximum benefit to the community, Truelove wrote.

Right now, the blueprint looks at all units city-wide, including those built by private developers and non-profits, regardless of City of Austin contribution.

Truelove said the City of Austin recently submitted a $10 million application for the HUD Pathways to Removing Obstacles to Housing grant to work on the rewrite.

Austin voted for a record housing bond. Heres where the first $20 million are going

If the city gets that grant, it will use it to update the blueprint starting in early 2024, but housing department staff are working on contingency plans to update the plan without the infusion of grant assistance, Truelove said.

The Housing Department is proud of the achievements that have been made in securing income-restricted housing units across Austin and looks forward to continuing to contribute to that aspect of the affordability puzzle, Truelove said in a memo. Truelove will be stepping out of the housing director role for another opportunity, she recently announced.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin.
Scottsdales short-term rentals are on track to produce 60% more nuisance party calls to police and 46% more code violations this year than in 2022, according to new city data.

Despite those figures, they may indicate significant progress for the city.

Short-term rentals are typically houses where visitors book stays for less than 30 days using online services, such as Airbnb or Vrbo. The most recent figures from October show there are about 4,100 of them in Scottsdale.

City officials have pushed back against the proliferation of the industry for years. They contend short-term rentals have become a hotbed for loud parties that disrupt quiet neighborhoods and have played a role in making Scottsdale's housing market the least affordable in the Valley.

But local governments were prohibited from restricting the industry until last year, when state lawmakers gave cities limited regulatory control, mainly by allowing cities to mandate short-term rental operating permits that can be temporarily suspended if violations occur.

A Scottsdale police vehicle sits parked in front of the short-term rental property where a shooting took place on Sept. 9, 2022.

Scottsdale was flying blind when it started trying to track and regulate the rentals in July 2022, Councilmember Solange Whitehead said. Staffers werent sure how many existed in Scottsdale, let alone where they were or how the city could crack down on violations.

But thats changed dramatically over the past year. Scottsdale rolled out a robust system for residents to submit complaints about the rentals. It collected a massive amount of information on everything from how many people book Scottsdale short-term rentals each year to how the businesses are distributed within the community.

The effort allowed city staffers to cite nearly 2,500 properties for permit violations in the first few months of 2023, a 90% uptick in code enforcement cases related to short-term rentals when compared to the first three months of 2022.

That number of violations dropped back down below 300 for the next six months of 2023 because many permit dodgers were captured in the initial proactive enforcement effort, said Assistant City Manager Brent Stockwell, whose team has gotten more than 80% of Scottsdales short-term rentals licensed.

That information is why short-term rental nuisance party calls spiked, from 552 in 2022 to an estimated 883 by the end of this year, according to Scottsdale Police Commander Jeromie OMeara. He contends the trend began because officers now know where the short-term rentals are and who owns them, not because the properties have gotten more rowdy.

City call-for-service data bears that out. While short-term rental nuisance calls are slated to surge by 60% this year, citywide those calls only increased by 5%, suggesting many of those calls just would not have been flagged as being related to short-term rentals in the past.

"What I again attribute this to is the licensing program ... It has made it significantly easier on the enforcement side to identify the properties that are operating as short-term rentals, and to have that information available to us in terms of who was the owner, OMeara said. That has been a huge asset for the police department to be able to use in our investigations.

The Arizona Republic broke down five of the findings in Scottsdales data that help give shape to the citys current short-term rental environment.

Scottsdales short-term rental industry grew 10% in 2023

Its tricky to pinpoint the exact number of active short-term rentals that exist in the city. Some may go on the rental market one day and be pulled off the next, which is why Stockwell called it a moving target.

Scottsdale partnered with a company called Rentalscape, a group that tracks active short-term rentals for local governments across the country, to get monthly totals that are as accurate as possible. The most recent data ends October 2023.

That data shows the number of short-term rentals in Scottsdale was rising steadily this year until it hit its peak of about 4,400 in March. Its been on the decline each month since then and now sits at around 4,100, which is roughly 340 more properties than were active last October.

But its not yet clear what trend will have staying power because of how often the total fluctuates, Stockwell said.

We dont have a crystal ball to tell whether this trend will continue, whether (short-term rentals) have peaked and are in a decline or whether this is an anomaly and the (number of rentals) will rise again, he explained.

More than a million short-term renters book in Scottsdale annually

The trend in how many visitors are booking Scottsdales short-term rentals is similarly up-and-down this year, but the sheer number of people staying at the properties is staggering.

Scottsdale Bachelorette owner and founder, Casey Hohman, sets up a photo backdrop in an Airbnb for a client's bachelorette party on July 7, 2022, in Scottsdale.

Overall, bookings skyrocketed to about a quarter million by October of 2023, which is a rise of nearly 44,000 stays, or 18% from 2022, without even including the last two months of this calendar year, according to Stockwell.

But stays in September and October were slightly lower this year than they were for the same months in 2022, so the surge could be dying down.

Stockwell also estimates that the roughly 250,000 stays by October 2023 mean that Scottsdale has been host to as many as 1.5 million short-term rental bookers, given that the average number of guests per booking is six.

Vast majority of short-term rentals in southern Scottsdale

About 70% of short-term rentals in Scottsdale are disproportionately concentrated in 16 southernmost square miles of the city, near the Old Town area south of Indian Bend.

The area between Indian Bend and Bell Road is home to another 20% of the rental properties, while the neighborhoods north of Bell Road have only a tenth of the citys total short-term rentals.

Stockwell said that means less than half of the population is disproportionately affected by short-term rentals because of how the city's residents are distributed north and south of Shea Boulevard.

More than 90% of Scottsdale short-term rental owners only rent out one property in the city

Despite the view that short-term rentals are being bought up and rented out by major companies, about 2,600 licensed short-term rental owners live in Scottsdale. Thats roughly 92% of the total permitted owners.

Only 220 of those owners have multiple short-term rentals.

And nearly all of Scottsdales vacation rental properties are for full homes that range from two to four bedrooms, rather than the single rooms that are also options on booking apps like Airbnb.

Stockwell contends that fact contradicts the arguments of state lawmakers who adopted a law prohibiting cities from banning short-term rentals in 2016.

The need for state preemption was made based on the argument that individual homeowners needed extra income to be able to rent out a room in their house. This is not what were seeing in advertisements for Scottsdale, he said. Almost all short-term rental advertisements in Scottsdale are the main structure and are full-unit rentals.

Scottsdale police issue more warnings than citations, but that could change

The Scottsdale Police Departments role in short-term rental enforcement centers around incidents like rowdy parties being hosted at rental properties or dangerous behaviors on site, rather than more technical things like permitting.

For the past two years, its issued between 50 and 70 warnings to short-term rental guests and owners, according to Commander OMeara, who contends that the warnings are effective because police rarely get recalled to those properties on the same night.

Meanwhile, police issued just 24 actual citations for short-term rental nuisance parties in 2022, and this year theyre on track to hit 35.

But OMeara said that is expected to change in 2024 as the full short-term rental squad gets up and going. The unit is made up of a sergeant, a police aid, and four officer positions. Some will finish training, while two of the formerly unfilled officer positions are being filled.

We do need to see an increased (enforcement) effort from our officers. Citations do matter. We recognize that within the community that it is a good deterrent to use and its an important tool for us to use  with some addresses with repeated calls for service, OMeara said.

Reporter Sam Kmack covers Tempe, Scottsdale and Chandler. Follow him on Twitter @KmackSam or reach him at sam.kmack@arizonarepublic.com.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Scottsdale claims progress in regulating short-term rentals
The South Dakota Supreme Court has picked a day to hear oral argument regarding the interpretation of a provision of the state Constitution's contract clause.

Justices will hear argument Jan. 8, according to a release from the court. Gov. Kristi Noem, AG Marty Jackley and Ron Parsons, the attorney appointed for the Legislature, are each allotted 20 minutes to speak.

The argument will be open to the public and livestreamed on the state's Unified Judicial System website.

Noem, with the support of AG Marty Jackley and top lawmakers, requested an advisory opinion on the contract clause in late October after former Sen. Jessica Castleberry, R-Rapid City, resigned following an investigation that found she had improperly received COVID-19 federal stimulus loans for her daycare business, violating the state constitution.

The contract clause, also known as Article III, section 12, in the state constitution, reads Any member of the Legislature during the term for which he shall have been elected, or within one year thereafter, be interested, directly or indirectly, in any contract with the state or any county thereof, authorized by any law passed during the term for which he shall have been elected.

The justices are expected to rule on a series of nine questions issued by Noem, such as whether sitting lawmakers could receive foster care benefits, if their spouses were subject to the contract clause and if the lawmaker can be employed by a county or school district. The justices have also been asked to provide a definition for what is considered an "indirect" contract benefit.

More: Noem, AG, lawmakers seek clarity on what an 'indirect' contract benefit is

The Governor's Office, Jackley and Parsons, on behalf of the state legislature, each filed briefs discussing the governor's questions and their interpretations of the conflict of interest clause ahead of the scheduled argument.

More: New briefs details South Dakota officials' questions about conflict of interest clause

The Legislative brief argued lawmakers werent in violation of the contract clause if the funds came through the General Appropriations bill, but if a lawmaker received either a direct or indirect benefit from a special appropriation that would violate the constitution.

Some legislators, however, have taken an opposing position. Rep. Jon Hansen, R-Dell Rapids, with support from 16 other lawmakers, penned a letter to the Supreme Court that disagreed with the legislature's brief and argued a majority of state spending would fall outside the conflict of interest protections as laid out by the constitution if the court adopted the legislative position.

More: Lawmaker pens letter to SD Supreme Court opposing Legislature's conflict of interest brief

Parsons asked the Supreme Court to issue an opinion soon since at least a quarter of the state legislature could be impacted by the ruling.

Noem has said she will not appoint two people to fill legislative vacancies after the resignation of Castleberry and Rapid City Republican Rep. Jess Olson until the Supreme Court reaches a decision.

This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: SD Supreme Court to hear argument from Gov. Noem on contract clause in January
A Seattle hospital filed suit against the Texas attorney general's office in an escalating battle over gender-affirming care for children that now crosses state lines, according to court records.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's office is seeking to force Seattle Children's Hospital to hand over medical records of Texas residents who might have received gender-affirming care at the facility, prompting the action by the hospital this month.

The attorney general's consumer protections division is investigating the hospital and its physicians for possible violations of a Texas provision that include "misrepresentations regarding Gender Transitioning Treatments and Procedures and Texas law," the office said in subpoenas issued to the hospital.

Texas State Rep. Christian Manuel, D-Beaumont, speaks in support of LGBTQ+ activists as they protest Senate Bill 14 at the Capitol in May. SB14 bans gender-affirming medical care for transgender children.

The subpoenas, issued Nov. 17, demand that the hospital provide records about minor Texas residents treated anytime beginning Jan. 1, 2022, including details about gender-related issues and care.

The demands are part of a yearslong effort by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, Paxton and the state GOP to eliminate gender-affirming care for minors in the state, which in some cases has driven families with transgender children to move to states such as Washington.

Gender-affirming care measures that are legal for minors in Washington  including puberty blockers, hormone therapy and certain surgeries  became illegal in Texas in September after the Legislature passed Senate Bill 14. Long before that law went into effect, Abbott ordered Child Protective Services to investigate families of transgender children reported to be receiving puberty blockers or hormone therapy.

More: Austin parents move to Seattle to give transgender daughter a better life

Activists protest Senate Bill 14 at the Capitol in May. It passed and was signed into law by Gov. Greg Abbott.

The hospital is arguing that Texas courts and officials don't have jurisdiction to subpoena the Washington-based health care system, according to a Dec. 7 complaint filed in Travis County, Texas.

Seattle Children's does not provide gender-affirming care in Texas or administer such care via telemedicine to patients in the state, the hospital's filing states, and it does not advertise its gender-affirming treatments in Texas. Its only employees in Texas are remote administrative workers, not clinicians.

The lawsuit also argues that the attorney general's subpoena would require the hospital and its associates to break federal privacy laws restricting the release of medical records as well as Washington's "Shield Law," which prevents reproductive and gender care providers from cooperating with out-of-state efforts to pursue criminal and civil penalties.

In the filing, the hospital said the demands for records "represent an unconstitutional attempt to investigate and chill potential interstate commerce and travel for Texas residents seeking care in another state."

The hospital asked the court to block Paxton's request or, barring that, to limit the scope of the information requested in the subpoena.

Seattle Children's said through a spokesperson that it is protecting private patient information and complying with the law for all the health care services it provides.

The attorney general's office issued the subpoenas less than two months after SB 14 went into effect in Texas, prohibiting doctors from providing certain gender-affirming medical treatments to minors experiencing gender dysphoria, a condition in which a persons gender identity doesnt match their sex assigned at birth.

Paxton began investigating an Austin-based children's medical center in May over possible violations of state law or misrepresentations related to gender transition-related care. His subpoenas of Seattle Children's suggest he might be expanding the investigation to other hospitals.

The attorney general's office did not respond to repeated requests for comment Friday.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Texas seeks residents' gender-care records from Seattle Children's
State Rep. Christian Manuel, D-Beaumont, speaks in support of LGBTQ+ activists as they protest Senate Bill 14 at the Capitol in May. SB14 bans gender-affirming medical care for transgender children.

The Texas attorney general's office is seeking to force Seattle Children's Hospital to hand over medical records of Texas residents who might have received gender-affirming care at the facility, prompting the hospital to file suit against the attorney general this month.

The attorney general's consumer protections division is investigating Seattle Children's and physicians associated with the hospital for possible violations of Texas' Deceptive Trade Practices-Consumer Protection Act, including "misrepresentations regarding Gender Transitioning Treatments and Procedures and Texas law," the office stated in subpoenas issued to the hospital.

The subpoenas, issued Nov. 17, demand that the hospital provide records about minor Texas residents treated anytime beginning Jan. 1, 2022, including details about gender-related issues and care.

The demands are part of a yearslong effort by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, Attorney General Ken Paxton and the state GOP to eliminate gender-affirming care for minors in the state, which in some cases has driven families with transgender children to move to states such as Washington.

Gender-affirming care measures that are legal for minors in Washington  including puberty blockers, hormone therapy and certain surgeries  became illegal in Texas in September after the Legislature passed Senate Bill 14. Long before that law went into effect, Abbott ordered Child Protective Services to investigate families of transgender children reported to be receiving puberty blockers or hormone therapy.

Susan, the mother of a transgender girl who moved her family from Austin to Seattle in May, said the news of the Texas attorney general's office investigation of the Seattle hospital "triggers a lot of terrible memories."

"I'm cautiously hopeful that they won't be able to come after providers for helping people who moved to a new state," said the mom, who preferred to use only her first name out of fear of retaliation. "That just seems like a particularly huge stretch. But it's still scary and doesn't help with my existing fear that the state of Texas is never going to let us be free."

More: Austin parents move to Seattle to give transgender daughter a better life

Activists protest Senate Bill 14 at the Capitol in May. It passed and was signed into law by Gov. Greg Abbott.

In a complaint filed Dec. 7 in a Travis County District Court, the hospital's attorneys argue that Texas courts and officials do not have jurisdiction to subpoena the Washington-based health care system. The petition states that while Seattle Children's is registered to do business in Texas, its employees in Texas are administrative staffers who work remotely, not clinical staffers.

Seattle Children's does not provide gender-affirming care in Texas or administer such care via telemedicine to patients in the state, the hospital's filing states, and it does not advertise its gender-affirming treatments in Texas.

The lawsuit also argues that the attorney general's subpoena would require the hospital and its associates to break federal privacy laws restricting the release of medical records as well as Washington's "Shield Law," which prevents reproductive and gender care providers from cooperating with out-of-state efforts to pursue criminal and civil penalties.

In the filing, the hospital says the demands for records "represent an unconstitutional attempt to investigate and chill potential interstate commerce and travel for Texas residents seeking care in another state."

The hospital asked the court to block Paxton's request or, barring that, to limit the scope of the information requested in the subpoena.

Seattle Childrens took legal action to protect private patient information related to gender-affirming care services at our organization sought by the Texas Attorney General," a spokesperson for the hospital told the American-Statesman in an email. "Seattle Childrens complies with the law for all health care services provided."

Paxton issued the subpoenas as civil investigative demands, which allow the state's Consumer Protection Agency to request information from a business or individual believed to have violated state trade or consumer practice regulations.

The attorney general's office issued the subpoenas less than two months after SB 14 went into effect in Texas, prohibiting doctors from providing certain gender-affirming medical treatments  including puberty blockers, hormone therapy and certain surgeries  to minors experiencing gender dysphoria, a condition in which a persons gender identity doesnt match their sex at birth.

In May, before the Legislature passed SB 14, Paxton began investigating Dell Children's Medical Center in Austin over possible violations of state law or misrepresentations related to gender transition-related care. His subpoenas of Seattle Children's suggest he might be expanding the investigation to other hospitals.

The attorney general's office did not respond to repeated American-Statesman requests for comment Friday.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Texas seeks residents' gender-affirming care records from out of state
Funko released a new set of Pop! figures featuring the characters from Zack Snyder's sci-fi epic "Rebel Moon - Part One: A Child of Fire."

Read Also: Netflix Offers Immersive CES Booth to Promote '3 Body Problem'

Funko Celebrates 'Rebel Moon' Release

The "Rebel Moon- Part One: A Child of Fire" had its limited theatrical release last December 15 and now the film is also available on Netflix starting December 22. As part of its debut, Funko released its Pop! figures featuring popular characters like Nemesis, Atticus Noble, and Kora.

In addition, Jimmy, Kai, and Titus are also available for purchase. All figures are currently on sale at Funko's official website for only $12 per piece. All characters are also shown in their notable costumes like Kora in her cloak and gun.

Kai and Titus are also equipped with weapons, showing their battle stance. Meanwhile, Nemesis has two swords to boast her skills as a swordmaster and Atticus Noble in his full regalia as an admiral. Lastly, the ancient robot Jimmy has become somewhat of an official mascot for the film.

'Rebel Moon' on Netflix

The part one of the film received a fair satisfaction rate from Rotten Tomatoes with a 72% audience score. The two-hour and 15-minute film only covers the first part of the journey as writers Shay Hatten and Kurt Johnstad confirmed that there is still plenty to uncover for part two.

The "Rebel Moon - Part Two: The Scargiver" is slated to be released on Netflix on April 19, 2024. Moreover, Snyder also announced that there will be an extended R-rated cut of the first film.

On the other hand, Snyder has already planned what's ahead of the "Rebel Moon" franchise as it is bound to expand outside film. A video game by Super Evil Megacorp and a prequel comic are slated for next year as well.

Related Article: Netflix's Upcoming 'Rebel Moon' Makes Surprise Screening at CCXP
WASHINGTON  On a Friday evening last January, Gen. Glen VanHerck, the Air Force commander in charge of defending American airspace from foreign intrusion, called President Joe Bidens top military adviser, Gen. Mark Milley.

U.S. intelligence officials had just notified the general that for roughly 10 days they had been tracking a mysterious  and enormous  object flying over the Asia-Pacific, VanHerck told Milley. The object had crossed into U.S. airspace over Alaska and VanHerck said he planned to dispatch military jets to fly alongside it and assess what it was.

The previously unreported Jan. 27 phone call between Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and VanHerck, the head of the North American Aerospace Defense Command, or NORAD, set off an eight-day scramble inside the Biden administration. American officials faced an unprecedented challenge: a Chinese spy balloon the size of three school buses flying across the continental U.S.

The spy balloon exposed an increasingly brazen Chinas competitive advances miles above the Earth and brought the most critical relationship in the world to one of its lowest points in recent history.

Nearly a year later, U.S. relations with China have not fully recovered and officials from the two nations have apparently not discussed the incident in detail. And an American effort to create global norms in unregulated spaces above the Earth has largely stalled.

VanHerck, meanwhile, warns that the Chinese balloon program remains active and that the U.S. has failed to develop the systems it needs to detect high-altitude spy balloons before they pose a threat.

It exposed significant gaps, long range gaps, for us to be able to see potential threats to the homeland. VanHerck said in an exclusive interview with NBC News. I think that opened the eyes of a lot of people.

VanHerck added that the U.S. military, U.S. intelligence agencies and American allies still need to develop faster ways to share information.

Time is the opportunity to create deterrence options or, if required, defeat options," he said, adding that the U.S. is still not where we need to be.

Privately, Biden administration officials complain that the political outcry over the balloon was wildly disproportionate to any threat it posed to U.S. national security.

In their view, because China was so angered and humiliated, the damage done to the relationship between Washington and Beijing was a far graver threat to the U.S. than the balloon itself.

It caused so many problems, one senior administration official lamented.

Scrambling to respond

Administration officials at first hoped to conceal the balloons existence from the public, and from Congress, according to multiple former and current administration and congressional officials.

Before it was spotted publicly, there was the intention to study it and let it pass over and not ever tell anyone about it, said a former senior U.S. official briefed on the balloon incident.

A senior Biden administration denied that there was an attempt to keep the balloon secret. To the extent any of this was kept quiet at all, that was in large part to protect intel equities related to finding and tracking the official said, referring to intelligence gathering on the balloon. There was no intention to keep this from Congress at any point.

Soon after VanHercks phone call with Milley, U.S. military jets dispatched from Alaska used their targeting pods to determine what was on board the object. They confirmed that it was a Chinese spy balloon that was not carrying offensive weapons but was outfitted with a large payload of surveillance equipment.

VanHerck began sending emails every 12 hours to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Milley and other Pentagon leaders to update them on the balloons location, threat, projected flight path and likely intent.

In one email, VanHerck wrote that he determined the balloon was not an imminent threat and did not have hostile intent, so he did not have the authority to shoot it down. That order would have to come from the Pentagon and the White House.

Biden first learned of the balloon on Jan. 31, three days after VanHercks phone call to Milley. Top aides told the president it was over Canada and appeared headed for the continental U.S. Biden asked the military to develop options for how to deal with it.

Early photos from the U.S. military of the balloons payload showed antennas that were likely used to listen to cellphones and other signals. The payload weighed about 2,000 pounds and was about 200 feet tall.

The balloons ability to fly and gather intelligence was primarily powered by 16 solar panels, U.S. officials later determined. It was remotely steered for a time from inside of China, while also using the wind and the jet stream to push it across the U.S.

Bidens military advisers warned him that it could not be safely shot down because of the massive potential debris field it would create. NASA initially assessed that field to be 70 miles wide and 70 miles long, with thousands of pounds of debris falling 65,000 feet, potentially onto structures and people below.

The president asked basic questions about the balloon and its capabilities. At times, he grew frustrated with how little U.S. intelligence officials knew about Chinas spy balloon program.

Image: President Biden (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

American skies

When it crossed into Montana later on Jan. 31, the Pentagon was tracking it with radar, F-22 jets and other aircraft. They watched the balloon closely and collected intelligence on its capabilities.

On Feb. 1, NBC News told White House officials that it was planning to report that a suspected Chinese spy balloon was flying over the U.S. and asked for comment. As NBC prepared its report, Administration officials organized briefings for lawmakers.

State Department officials also asked Chinese diplomats for answers. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and then-Deputy Secretary Wendy Sherman met with officials from the Chinese Embassy, but the Chinese diplomats denied the balloon even belonged to China. U.S. officials believe they genuinely did not know about it.

U.S. officials later assessed that Chinese President Xi Jinping knew about the balloon program but didnt know about this specific one, including that it had crossed into U.S. airspace. American intelligence officials concluded that Xi was embarrassed by it. Some believe that the balloon incident at least partly led to the ouster of Chinas defense minister in October.

Feb. 1 was also the first time Austin, the defense secretary, spoke to VanHerck about the balloon. Austin, who was in Manila, took the phone call at 3 a.m. local time, underscoring how urgent the issue had become. Until then, his top aide had received emails from VanHerck, as the secretary traveled across Asia and focused on that trip.

They werent paying attention, a senior U.S. official later said.

VanHerck said he wasnt asked to present options until Austin made the request on behalf of the president. After Biden was briefed on Feb. 1 on ways to shoot down the balloon, he directed the military to do so as soon as safely possible.

But the enormous debris field remained a danger. The military, along with NASA, began to work on ways to decrease its size by using the weather, trajectory and size of the balloon, and its estimated payload.

As the balloon continued taking photos and attempting to gather sensory data to store on board for later, the U.S. gathered information on how it operated. U.S. officials say they believe they prevented the balloon from transmitting information back to China.

VanHerck later told lawmakers that American intelligence officials had to get special authorization to collect intelligence on the balloon while it was over the U.S. and that they were granted that authority.

After NBC News broke the story on Feb. 2, officials also arranged to brief other media outlets later that evening. Once the balloons existence became public, U.S. officials said it stopped transmitting data. Officials also assessed that Chinas plan was to self-destruct the balloon, not return it back home.

A firestorm in Washington

The balloon sparked a political frenzy in Washington. Several Republican lawmakers expressed anger that they were not briefed on the balloon earlier, before it was over Montana. They also said it should have been shot down immediately after it entered U.S. airspace.

As the controversy played out, Blinken was preparing for a critical visit to Beijing. Blinkens trip was a follow-on visit after Biden and Xi had met in November in Bali to try to stop relations between the two countries from worsening.

On Feb. 3, China issued what for Beijing was an unusual public apology. The airship is from China. It is a civilian airship used for research, mainly meteorological, purposes, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said in a statement. The Chinese side regrets the unintended entry of the airship into U.S. airspace due to force majeure.

In the U.S., Chinas claim it was a weather balloon that veered off course was dismissed as insufficient and dishonest. That day, Blinken announced he was postponing his trip to China.

By then, U.S. military and NASA officials had developed a plan to minimize the debris field to a square area roughly 6 nautical miles wide and long. Biden signed off on the military shooting down the balloon over U.S. territorial waters, with U.S. Navy assets nearby to collect the wreckage.

On Saturday, Feb. 4, a U.S. Air Force F-22 under VanHerck's command shot down the balloon exactly 6 miles off the coast of South Carolina. The U.S. warned boats and aircraft to stay away from the area and the balloon was downed over shallow waters so that debris could be recovered and later analyzed by the FBI. Exactly what the balloon carried remains a closely-guarded secret.

China only learned the U.S. military downed the balloon after it was in pieces in the Atlantic Ocean. Chinese officials sent word that Xi was angry that the Biden administration didnt give him a heads up, particularly in light of his governments apology.

Nearly two weeks later, Biden delivered prepared remarks on the balloon. He announced four steps his administration would take to address high altitude surveillance balloons going forward. One was for Blinken to work with U.S. allies to establish what Biden called global norms in this largely unregulated space.

Sailors prepare material recovered off the coast of Myrtle Beach, S.C., after the shooting down of a Chinese high-altitude balloon for transport to the FBI. (Ryan Seelbach / U.S. Navy via AP)

Nearly one year later

As the one-year anniversary of the balloon entering U.S. airspace approaches, that effort remains unfinished.

On Dec. 18, State Department spokesperson Matt Miller issued a statement calling on the United Nations International Civil Aviation Organization accelerate efforts to identify solutions for manned and unmanned aviation traffic in that airspace, and use the coming year to advance important technical work in this area.

This is just the beginning, Miller added.

VanHerck, the NORAD commander, said that he had learned valuable lessons from the balloon incident, but he would not change how the U.S. responded.

The process worked exactly as it should, he said. While we can be critical of the decision of where and the timeline to shoot it down, I think in the end the best decision and outcome happened.

He added, We kept the American and Canadian people safe.

VanHerck warned, though, that the U.S. still lacks the over-the-horizon radar capability it needs to spot such a balloon far sooner.

Im confident in our ability to see that over our homeland, he said. I would like to see it over the horizon before it approaches our homeland.

VanHerck believes no other Chinese spy balloons have flown over the U.S. since the incident, but he said the Chinese spy balloon program remains active. He believes it is focused on the western Pacific to collect signals, video, and infrared and electro-optical intelligence for a potential crisis or conflict there.

I think they have a stratospheric balloon program that is primarily focused on the western Pacific," VanHerck said. To give them what I would call a command and control, to share information, to collect.

Biden and his national security aides, meanwhile, have tried to play down the China balloon incident. For much of 2023, they tried to put it behind them and get U.S. relations with China to a better place.

After months of efforts, the presidents team finally secured a meeting between Xi and Biden last month in San Francisco. During the summit, the balloon did not came up in the two leaders discussions. Officials said Biden never raised it.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
BERLIN (Reuters) -German police said on Saturday they were heightening security at Cologne Cathedral following indications of an attack planned for New Year's Eve and in the wake of government warnings in recent weeks about the rising threat of Islamist violence.

The police said in a statement they would use tracker dogs to check the cathedral after evening mass and then close it off. On Sunday, Christmas Eve, they would carry out a security check on all visitors, and recommended they get to services early.

Police said they could not elaborate, citing the ongoing investigation.

German newspaper Bild earlier reported that security authorities in Austria, Germany and Spain had received indications an Islamist group wants to carry out attacks during the Christmas and New Year festivities.

In recent weeks Interior Minister Nancy Faeser has warned of the rising threat of Islamist violence in Germany and elsewhere in Europe as the Israel-Hamas war increases the risk of radicalization.

Austrian police said in a statement they were increasing security on churches and Christmas markets given a heightened state of alert.

"Given that terrorist actors throughout Europe are calling for attacks on Christian events, especially around Dec. 24, the security authorities have taken the corresponding protection measures in public spaces," the police said.

The Spanish Interior Ministry announced at the beginning of December a reinforcement of security measures from Dec. 18 for the Christmas holidays, with the anti-terrorism alert at level 4 or "high risk," as it has been since June 2015.

(Reporting by Ralf Bode in Berlin; Additional Reporting by Corina Rodriguez in Madrid; Writing by Sarah Marsh; Editing by Richard Chang and Chris Reese)
In 2017, Ricky Wirths walked into the offices leased by the Kansas Department of Revenue at a local strip mall, asked for the tax agent whod recently seized his property, and open fired on the entire office, shooting the tax agent five times.

He then told an acquaintance that hed just killed a guy, although he would prove to be incorrect  the victim miraculously survived.

Once apprehended, Wirths faced a $250,000 bail bond, which was later increased to $500,000.

This meant that after attempting to kill a state official, on state property, Wirths could post bail, go home, hire a lawyer, and begin building a defense for the attempted murder charges he was facing.

But recently, Sedgwick County prosecutors charged 16-year-old Makyh Townes with second-degree murder in what a friend termed an accidental shooting.

The 16-year-old had his bond set at $2 million and hes sitting in an adult jail.

Wirths is white. Townes is Black.

The challenge here hinges not on the crimes (in this case, both are violent crimes), but on the capriciousness of the bond system as a whole.

The ACLU of Kansas believes the state could address these socially destabilizing and anti-democratic disparities by eliminating cash bail for non-violent offenses. Pretrial incarceration caused by unaffordable bail remains one of the greatest drivers of convictions and it exacerbates already ballooning jail and prison populations. In 2020, roughly 630,000 people were locked up in local jails. Most of them had not been convicted of a crime.

After an arrest  wrongful or not  a persons ability to leave jail and return home to fight the charges typically depends on their access to money. On any given day, 5,000 people sit in Kansas jails not because they are guilty, but only because they cant afford bail.

Thats because, in virtually all jurisdictions, courts require people pay cash bail to secure their freedom. Originally, bail was designed to compel people to return to court to face charges, but now we know that simple solutions like court reminders can achieve that purpose.

Townes mother said in a Wichita Beacon article that she worries about her 16-year-old son. Hes sitting in an adult jail, missing lots of school, and mourning his friends death. Even if acquitted, hell deal with this trauma perhaps for the rest of his life.

All because they didnt have money for bail.

Poorer Americans and people of color often cant afford to come up with money for bail, leaving them sitting in jail awaiting trial, sometimes for months or even years.

For those that do try to pay, bail amounts can be a significant hardship. They wont ever get the money back regardless of the outcome of the case  even if the arrest was a case of mistaken identity and no charges were ever filed.

Across the country, bail reform has taken root and even gained support from within law enforcement and among judges and prosecutors. Judicial decision-makers who influence bond amounts have the ability and the power to correct our two-tier system of justice.

And according to survey research this year, 69% of Kansas voters support reforming cash bail to create a path for most people to go home the same day theyre arrested if they dont pose a flight risk or a threat to others.

Kansans clearly believe release decision should be based on individual circumstances  not how much money someone has.

Mark McCormick is deputy director of strategic initiatives for the American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas, and a former columnist for The Wichita Eagle.
A Shiprock man has been sentenced to more than three years in federal prison after pleading guilty earlier this year to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.

Kendale Johnson, 34, a member of the Navajo Nation, drew a sentence of three years and eight months on the federal charge, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of New Mexico.

In his March 2 plea agreement, according to the release, Johnson admitted to possessing a stock rifle, a night vision scope and a 9-millimeter ammunition magazine. Johnson had been convicted of assault with a dangerous weapon in 2018 in Arizona, and it was illegal for him to possess a firearm or ammo.

The case stems from an Oct. 22, 2020, incident in which Johnson and another individual got into a confrontation at a residence in Shiprock, leading to a shootout, the release states. Afterward, the other individual fled the residence in a car while Johnson pursued.

More: Three local men sentenced in federal courts this week

Johnson later located the other persons vehicle in front of a residence in Ojo Amarillo and fired on the structure with a rifle, according to the release. He fled the scene, and the other individual began pursuing him, but his vehicle malfunctioned, coming to a stop. At that point, Johnson pulled his vehicle alongside the stopped vehicle, exited and fired into the other vehicle, the release states.

The occupant of the stopped vehicle fled the scene on foot and was arrested shortly thereafter by officers from the Farmington Police Department, according to the release. Johnson was apprehended by officers from the Navajo Police Department after leading them on a high-speed chase through traffic that ended when they rammed it and immobilized it. The release states police found two rifles and a night vision scope near the vehicle.

Johnson will face three years of supervised release once he finishes his prison sentence.

This article originally appeared on Farmington Daily Times: Shiprock's Kendale Johnson pleads guilty to 2020 incident
The Russians continue shelling the Kherson Oblast

Six civilians were wounded as a result of Russian shelling in Kherson Oblast on Dec. 23, regional governor Oleksandr Prokudin reported.

In total, the Russians fired 83 times at Kherson Oblast over the day, launching 439 shells from mortars, artillery, Grad multiple rocket launchers, tanks, aircraft, and UAVs.

Russian troops targeted residential areas of the region's settlements, including firing 31 shells at Kherson city.

Read also:

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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4)  Hey there, Utah! A more active pattern is shaping up for the rest of Friday and the first half of the holiday weekend.

Moisture is rotating through southern Utah this evening as a low-pressure system is inching into the Four-Corners region.









Valley rain is expected with the higher elevations seeing snow. A Winter Weather Advisory is in effect for the La Sal and Abajo Mountains through 5 a.m. Sunday. The forecast calls for 4-8 of snowfall for areas above 7,500 feet. Calm and mild weather will continue this evening in northern Utah with increasing moisture early Saturday morning.

While moisture is moving through the southern half of the state early Saturday, a second system will sweep into northern Utah from the northwest. The trough will bring limited moisture to the region early Saturday morning with a burst of mountain snow and valley rain, initially.

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Temperatures falling behind the front will allow for snow levels to quickly drop to the valley floors, and we can expect to see some snow showers, however, no accumulations are expected.

The limited moisture isnt going to do much for the mountain areas either. Generally, the northern mountains will see anywhere from 1-4 of snow with the highest totals possible in the Upper Cottonwoods.

The mountain valleys could pick up a Trace to 2 while most Bench areas will only see a trace to an inch. If snowfall does accumulate at all in the lower valleys, less than a half inch is expected. The southern mountains will likely see the most snowfall this weekend with 3-6 expected.

Dry and cold air will fill in behind the storm and more typical December temperatures will settle in for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Dry weather will likely continue throughout next week as high pressure is expected to return.

Precipitation chances begin Friday in Southern Utah

Temperatures will gradually increase through mid-week with the return of valley inversions and haze.

With Utahs 4Warn Forecast, both on-air and online, you can stay on top of all the weather changes the Beehive State has to offer. We are Good4Utah!

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah.
We will remember 2023 as a year of viral events.

As social media algorithms become more precise, the road to internet stardom has become anything but linear.

This year, social media consumers were subjected to an array of viral trends, ranging from perfectly scripted to absolutely unhinged.

Take a look back at some of the virtually unforgettable moments from 2023 that had everyone talking.

US MILITARY SHOOTS DOWN CHINESE SPY BALLOON OVER ATLANTIC OCEAN

When a Chinese spy balloon was spotted over the United States in the beginning of 2023, the internet blew up.

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

Videos of users superimposing their faces onto the balloon and dramatizing the moment the U.S. Air Force shot down the object went viral across all platforms, making light of a situation that shook the country.

A trend of social media users taking to the web to poke fun at serious news stories continues to become more prevalent as more Americans turn to online platforms for their news.

Happy Birthday, Grimace  sort of.

In June, McDonalds debuted a berry-flavored birthday shake to celebrate the purple mascots special day. But the sweetness quickly turned sour after TikTokers started playfully alleging that the mystery-flavored treat was killing them.

Videos began flooding the hashtag #grimaceshake with a whopping 3.9 billion views showing TikTokers consuming the dessert, only to end up on the floor in a puddle of purple.

Even the birthday boy himself weighed in on the trend, posting on McDonalds official X account , "meee pretending I dont see the Grimace shake trend."

Ronald McDonald and Grimace appear in the 94th Annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City Nov. 24, 2020.

The hope for internet fame has seeped its way into even the most unsuspecting viral stars, with videos encouraging creators to quiz their family and friends and recording their genuine reaction.

Dubbed the "Roman Empire trend," girlfriends turned to TikTok to ask their partners how often they think of ancient civilization.

The results were shocking, with videos suggesting some men actually think of the Roman Empire quite often.

TikTok's Roman Empire trend had men answering how often they think of the era.

The current "Name a Woman" trend has ladies across the internet ambushing the men in their lives, asking them to name a woman  any woman.

Creators swear that the answers given speak volumes about the mans personality, with viewers rushing to the comment sections to dissect each response.

With the hashtags #romanempire and #nameawoman earning 3.2 billion and 215.3 million views, respectively, the trends show that there is a hunger for unfiltered, genuine reactionary content online.

Social media has provided celebrities with the ability to directly address fans, giving them the opportunity to personally celebrate achievements, announce life updates and, in some cases, apologize.

Hollywood and internet celebrities who found themselves in hot water in 2023 often took to their social media platforms to speak to their fans themselves.

Actors Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis posted a lengthy apology video to Kutchers Instagram account in September, addressing backlash from their support of disgraced "That '70s Show" co-star Danny Masterson.

APP USERS CLICK HERE

ASHTON KUTCHER AND MILA KUNIS APOLOGIZE FOR PAIN CAUSED BY THEIR LETTERS IN SUPPORT OF DANNY MASTERSON

Is it a snack? Is it a meal? No, its a Girl Dinner .

The bite-sized smorgasbord captured our hearts  and stomachs  with its impressive versatility and low-maintenance approach.

Women across the internet were showing off their colorful charcuterie boards, dotted with a bit of bread, a pinch of cheese and anything else they had in their cabinets. The more outrageous, the better.

Girl Dinner rose to fame on TikTok in 2023 after women started sharing their bite-sized concoctions online.

GIRL DINNERS SOCIAL MEDIA TREND SPARKS CONCERN AMONG EXPERTS: UNHEALTHY OBSESSION

Millions of fans went to battle over the hottest concert tickets of 2023.

Those who came up empty were given a second chance to watch on livestreams shared throughout social media platforms.

Fans enjoyed Taylor Swifts Eras Tour or Beyonces Renaissance Tour from the comfort of their homes by watching live videos streamed from those at the shows, encouraging real-time reactions and allowing for a global watch party.

Taylor Swift performs onstage during the Eras Tour at Lumen Field in Seattle July 22, 2023.





Original article source: Social media's most viral trends of 2023
Japanese gov't relaxes ban on arms exports amid criticism

Xinhua) 13:58, December 23, 2023

TOKYO, Dec. 22 (Xinhua) -- The Japanese government on Friday lifted its ban on exports of arms and ammunition manufactured under license from foreign companies to their countries, and conditionally to third countries.

The controversial change was brought up under the revised Three Principles on Transfer of Defense Equipment and Technology and the Implementation Guidelines.

Under the amended document, the government allows weapons made in Japan under foreign license, including completed products and components, to be shipped to the country that the licenser is based.

Japan, under previous rules, could only export components of arms and was prohibited from delivering completed products.

In the wake of the revision, the nation is now preparing to ship Patriot air defense missiles to the United States for the first such shipments, according to local media outlets.

The transfer of finished products was not included this time, due to opposition from Komeito, the junior member of Japan's ruling coalition, Jiji Press reported on Friday.

The Japanese government at the end of last year decided to update three security and defense-related documents including the National Security Strategy, marking a significant change to its post-war security policies despite wide opposition.

Japanese newspaper Asahi Shimbun, in an editorial earlier, criticized that "the core philosophy underlying Japan's basic policy principles concerning arms exports is that as a nation whose constitution upholds pacifism, it should not export arms that fuel international conflict."

"The government must not allow these principles to be eroded gradually to open the door to exports of deadly weapons," it added.

(Web editor: Chang Sha, Zhong Wenxing)
France has created a new tax on music streaming platforms which was announced back on Wednesday. Even though its purpose was to help the music industry, Spotify has been vocal about how it can negatively affect innovation in the sector.

Spotify Disagrees with France

Spotify openly disagrees with the new tax that France imposes on music streaming platforms, and responded by pulling the support for two upcoming music festivals in the country. The company even threatened to take more action if the new tax was upheld.

The company's Managing Director in the France and Benelux regions, Antoine Monin said that 2024's Francofolies de la Rochelle and the Printemps de Bourges festivals will be affected first, and will announce more in the coming year, as reported by Tech Crunch.

Other platforms such as YouTube, Apple, and local player Deezer agree with Spotify, with the latter expressing that the new fee would be a "real blow to innovation," as it will be taking 1.5% to 1.75% on all music streaming platforms.

French President Emmanuel Macron announced the new country tax back on December 13th, and said that the move was "based on a very low rate of levy on the turnover of the streaming platforms." The proceeds will go to the Centre National de la Musique (CNM).

A Spotify spokesperson also said that they take note of the government's decision, which "does not take into account the efforts made by many platforms including Spotify." They added that it would also affect the growth aspects of recorded music in the country.

In the meantime, the music streaming company is already evaluating the follow-up actions in response to what it calls an "inequitable, unjust, and disproportionate measure," as reported by Yahoo News.

Read Also: Spotify Takes Down Thousands of AI-Generated Songs

Spotify Changes Its Monetization Metrics

The music streaming giant has been trying to fix its monetization system to make sure that artists get the pay they deserve for their music, which is likely why it is strongly against the new tax in France that would take more from the pot for artists.

In late November, Spotify announced that it will no longer pay contributors to the app if their content has less than 1,000 streams. While this can be a blow to new artists who are trying to grow through the platform, it could ultimately help all artists involved.

With the new policy, accounts that merely post "noise" content for the sake of earning will no longer paid, and the money will go to real artists that people want and do listen to, as reported by Engadget. The mentioned "noise" audio is usually those of background noises.

Even though noise recordings do reach the 1,000 plays that are required to earn from the content, the payout has also become smaller. With the change, the company says that it can save about $1 billion, which will be redistributed to artists who deserve them.

As good as the policy's intentions are, Spotify still looks like the bad guy in the scenario, especially since not all artists can get 1,000 streams right away when they're new. The company also has a reputation for underpaying content contributors.

Related: Spotify Says Artists Need Over 1,000 Plays to Get Paid
Cast your mind back not so long ago to the summer of 2022. Baz Luhrmann was making a dazzling return to the big screen with his eye-popping Elvis biopic, a riot of colour and glitz with a budget of around $85m (67m).

Eighteen months later, Sofia Coppola is telling a similar story from a different perspective in her film Priscilla. It's a quieter but no less stylish interpretation of life under the lens from the viewpoint of the wife of the king of rock'n'roll.

Coppola's starting point was Priscilla Presley's 1985 bestselling memoir Elvis and Me, which gave an intimate insight into the pair's turbulent relationship and the pressures of stardom.

The filmmaker first read the book 10 years ago before returning to it more recently, having previously felt the tale might be too similar to her 2006 film Marie Antoinette, about the controversial wife of Louis XVI. The young Austrian princess was 14 - the same age Priscilla met Elvis - when she married the French king.

But on a more recent re-reading of Priscilla's book, Coppola had a change of heart. "I was really surprised with how much I related to it and how vivid her story was," she explains.

"So then I called Priscilla up and she was open to it. I loved that it [the book] was so focused on her and their relationship and how intimate the story was."

Coppola is known for putting women front and centre in her movies, which also include The Virgin Suicides and Lost in Translation. In 2022, a study found that 33% of films featured sole female protagonists and another concluded that women accounted for just 18% of directors working on the top 250 films during the same year.

The famous wedding picture is recreated in the film

"It's really important to me to be able to show a female perspective. I'm happy there are more and more women directors, but it's still such a small percentage," she tells me.

As for any Luhrmann comparisons, Coppola says she wasn't making her film in reaction to his Elvis extravaganza.

"When I started working on this, they were talking about how Baz was making his: 'Are you sure you want to do this as there's already an Elvis movie?' And I was like: 'Even better, that's so interesting that the culture is going to be focused on him and then a year later to see the same kind of story, but from her point of view... to have this counter balance.'"

But Coppola had to be creative to produce her lavish-looking period piece on a relatively low budget by Hollywood standards (less than $20m / 16m).

"I just see all these men getting hundreds of millions of dollars and then I'm fighting for a tiny fraction of that," she says.

"I think it's just left over from the way the culture of that business is. It's frustrating but I'm always fighting to get it and I'm just happy to get to make my movies independently and find people that believe in them."

Despite that frustration, she says there's also an upside to having less in funds.

Priscilla, played by Cailee Spaeny in the film, met Elvis when she was just 14

"There's a challenge and a freedom in making things small because if you have a big budget, you have a lot of input from studio executives, and I would never be able to make a movie like that.

"So I have that freedom. And then you have to be really crafty and it was really hard but I had the best team... we were able to re-use sets and I don't know how we made so many costumes! It was all hands on deck and just having really creative department heads."

Financial constraints also affected how the movie, which was made in just 30 days, was filmed.

"I would have liked to shoot on film, but we shot digitally because we had to move so fast," she says.

And there was one other problem - due to rights issues, none of Elvis's music could be used.

"I originally wanted to have three Elvis songs, but I always knew that we might not be able to get them. I wanted it to really be focused on her [Priscilla's] story... and to me it is really important to have Dolly Parton at the end, to have a woman's voice at the end," Coppola says.

The film plays out to Parton's track I Will Always Love You (the country star famously refused to let Elvis record her song after his manager Colonel Tom Parker insisted on half the publishing rights as well). Parton also said Priscilla told her that Elvis sang the song to her as they were on the way out of court following their divorce proceedings in 1973.

Elvis is seen telling Priscilla what to wear and how to do her hair and make-up

The lack of Elvis songs isn't hugely noticeable. The film is so focused on Priscilla's journey and the couple's rocky relationship, it almost seems fitting that his music doesn't feature. The soundtrack includes other well-known tracks from that era including The Ramones' Baby I Love You and Frank Avalon's Venus.

The stars of the film are relative newcomers, Mare of Easttown actress Cailee Spaeny - who has been nominated for a best actress Golden Globe for her performance - and Euphoria's Jacob Elordie.

Spaeny seems to effortlessly morph from an awkward young teen into an increasingly confident young woman on screen.

"I was so impressed by her especially as we shot out of order. So in the same day, she played 15 and then in the afternoon she'd be pregnant!" Coppola laughs.

The director says the fact her leading pair were a similar age - both in their mid-20s - helped her deal with the problematic topic of the age gap when Priscilla and Elvis began dating (she was 14 and he was 24). The pair met when Priscilla's family was living in Germany at the time Elvis was stationed there while serving in the US army.

"When I was filming the scene where he first kisses her it really helped that Cailee is the same age as Jacob.

"It was tricky to get the tone right because I didn't want it to feel creepy. I wanted it to be from her point of view, being romantic, but I had to turn off the side of my brain that's a mother and an adult. She's a young girl with Elvis, this rock star and what would that feel like?

"So you have to shift perspectives. I just always tried to go back to Priscilla's experience and I thought if I could just show it through her perspective and suspend judgement, then hopefully after the movie it invites conversation."

Critics have questioned how modern viewers will feel about watching Priscilla and Elvis's early relationship.

"Some audiences no doubt will bristle at a 14-year-old girl in a sexually adjacent situation," wrote The Hollywood Reporter's David Rooney. "But Coppola handles that aspect nonjudgmentally."

In the New York Times, Ben Kenigsberg wrote that the power dynamic is "appalling from a contemporary standpoint".

He added: "Die-hard Elvis fans will no doubt call some of the characterisation in Priscilla slander, but part of the achievement here is that Elvis is not simply a monster."

Tensions flared when Elvis spent time away filming

Priscilla herself has said they didn't have sex until they were married when she was 21. She is credited as an executive producer and was in close contact with Coppola as the film was being made.

"She was really open to answering my questions as I worked on the script, and she went through all the drafts, but then she didn't want to come to set. She didn't want to make any of us nervous. When I showed her the film for the first time, I was so nervous. I was dreading it.

"And then she was really emotional and told me: 'That was my life.' And so she was touched by it. And I felt relieved because it was the first time I had that responsibility of someone who's alive, telling their story."

Elvis's daughter was more cautious about the film, writing a letter to Coppola before her death in January last year, concerned that the script made her father appear as "a predator and manipulative".

Coppola told Lisa Marie that Elvis is depicted with "sensitivity and complexity".

Sadly, Lisa Marie didn't live to see the film's completion but Coppola now says: "I really tried to be sensitive to all the characters and make them feel human and understand where his (Elvis's) temper came from, from his frustration.

"But then I was really focused on Priscilla's perspective and I always go back to that because I can only tell her view."

Priscilla is in cinemas from 1 January.
After getting about a month's worth of rain this week, the skies are clearing and Southern Californians can look forward to a bright Christmas. (Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times)

After getting about a month's worth of rain this week, the skies are clearing and Southern Californians can look forward to a bright Christmas.

Sunday and Monday are expected to be sunny with light wind and highs in the mid-60s in Los Angeles and most of the surrounding area.

"It'll be a pretty classic Southern California Christmas," said Mike Wofford, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Oxnard.

So feel free to break out the selfie sticks and troll friends and relatives in other parts of the globe.

The sun is a welcome relief, of course, after a soggy week during which more than 2 inches of rain fell in downtown Los Angeles and 5.5 inches fell on Mt. Wilson.

Swaths of Ventura County got up to 6 inches, Wofford said.

The great weather is expected to stick around for most of the week ahead, but there are a couple of systems swirling and a possibility of rain for new year celebrations, Wofford said.

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.
BETHLEHEM, Occupied West Bank (Reuters) - Palestinian Christians held a sombre Christmas vigil in Bethlehem on Saturday, with candle-lit hymns and prayers for peace in Gaza instead of the usual festive celebrations at the spot where they believe Jesus Christ was born.

Most years Bethlehem basks in the central place it holds in the Christian story of Jesus' life, born there in a stable because there was no room for his parents at the inn, and placed in an animal's manger, the humblest of all possible beds.

Some 2,000 years later, pilgrims usually flock to the reputed location of that stable in Bethlehem's Byzantine-era Church of the Nativity, where most Christmases there are joyful displays of lights and trees in Manger Square.

But with Israel's campaign in Gaza having killed more than 20,000 people according to health authorities in the Hamas-run enclave, the mostly Palestinian population of Bethlehem in the Occupied West Bank are in mourning too.

This year they decided to have no large tree, the usual centrepiece of Bethlehem's Christmas celebrations because of the carnage taking place only 50km (30 miles) away.

And in place of the usual nativity scene, as Christians call the traditional display of figurines representing the holy family, Bethlehem churches this year placed the models amid rubble and barbed wire in solidarity with the people of Gaza.

"Bethlehem is a message. It is not a city, it is a message of peace to the whole world. From this sacred place we convey a message of peace ... stop the war, stop the blood, the killing and the revenge," said Father Ibrahim Faltas, a friar at the vigil.

Christians make up around 2% of the population across Israel and the Occupied Palestinian territories, according to Protecting Holy Land Christians, a campaign organised by the Heads of Churches in Jerusalem, with a smaller proportion in Gaza.

Meanwhile, the war, triggered by a Hamas attack on Israeli towns on Oct. 7 that Israel says killed 1,200 people, mostly civilians, has kept away the majority of expected foreign tourists hoping to celebrate Christmas in Bethlehem.

When church leaders convened at Bethlehem in early December to mark the start of Advent, as Christians call the weeks before Christmas, there were few people in the usually crowded streets and squares to watch the pared-down display.

"This Christmas comes to Bethlehem in a different shape. Nowadays Bethlehem, as any other Palestinian city, is in mourning. We feel sad," said the town mayor Hanna Hanania, lighting a candle in Manger Square.

(Reporting by Sinan Abu Mayzer; Writing by Angus McDowall; Editing by David Holmes)
The group meets for two hours a week, offering carers and men with dementia a chance to socialise and relax

Partners who care for men with dementia fear their "isolation" will worsen if a proposed cut to a support group goes ahead.

About a dozen women and their partners meet every Tuesday at The Windermere Club in Southend-on-Sea, describing it as "a lifeline".

However, Southend-on-Sea City Council is considering cutting its dementia community support service.

The authority said no final decision had yet been made.

The cutback to support groups, as part of a review of non-statutory services, could save the council 280,000 per year.

Andrea Levy says the group has been a lifeline for her and her husband

Men at the club are looked after by two "dementia navigators".

Andrea Levy, who has attended with her husband for two years, said the club had helped her with the emotional toll of caring for someone with dementia.

"It's been our lifeline," she told BBC Essex.

"[The partners] talk to each other, we laugh and we cry together, we help each other and no-one prejudges what anyone says; particularly if you feel angry, depressed or like you can't cope any longer.

"We're there to help each other."

Bill Barker says the proposed closure is "a great shame"

Bill Barker, who owns the club where the group has met since 2018, said the proposed closure was "a great shame".

He said having talked to the carers, it was obvious "how important it is to them to get a bit of a break".

James Moyies, Conservative cabinet member for public health, adult social care and constitutional affairs, said due to "financial challenges" the council was carrying out a review to ensure it paid for "statutory and essential" services.

The dementia support service was "identified as a non-statutory service that we are proposing to stop so savings can be made," he said.

Options to mitigate the impact were being considered, he said, and people affected were invited to take part in a consultation.

The council's budget for 2024-25 is due to be discussed at a full council meeting on 23 February.

Last month, the local authority said it had a current budget deficit of 10.7m and was short of about 15m going into next year's budget.

Follow East of England news on Facebook, Instagram and X. Got a story? Email eastofenglandnews@bbc.co.uk or WhatsApp 0800 169 1830
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying 23 Starlink satellites launches from Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on Saturday, Dec. 23, 2023.

SpaceX has broken its rocket-reuse record yet again.

A Falcon 9 rocket launched 23 of SpaceX's Starlink internet satellites to orbit from Florida's Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on Saturday (Dec. 23) at 12:33 a.m. EST (0533 GMT).

It was the 19th liftoff for this particular Falcon 9 first stage, according to a SpaceX mission description, setting a new reusability mark for the company.

Related: Starlink satellite train: How to see and track it in the night sky

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket's first stage makes a record 19th landing on Saturday, Dec. 23, 2023, touching down on the

As planned, the Falcon 9's first stage came back to Earth for the 19th time, landing about 8.5 minutes after it launched on the drone ship Just Read the Instructions, which was stationed in the Atlantic Ocean off the Florida coast.

The Falcon 9's upper stage, meanwhile, continued hauling the 23 Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit (LEO). The spacecraft were set to be deployed there about 65.5 minutes after liftoff.

RELATED STORIES:

 SpaceX rocket launches Starlink satellites on record-breaking 17th flight (video)

 8 ways that SpaceX has transformed spaceflight

 SpaceX Starlink satellites had to make 25,000 collision-avoidance maneuvers in just 6 months  and it will only get worse

SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk wants to help humanity colonize Mars and achieve a variety of other ambitious exploration feats. Rocket reusability is a key part of this vision, helping to cut the cost of spaceflight and increase its cadence.

So SpaceX's reuse records don't tend to last long. The previous mark  18 flights for a Falcon 9 booster  was set just last month.

SpaceX has launched more than 90 orbital missions so far in 2023. Most of them have been dedicated to building out its Starlink broadband megaconstellation, which currently consists of nearly 5,200 operational satellites.
The ISS National Lab gives researchers access to unique research and technology that can't be done on Earth. This was SpaceX's 29th contracted commercial resupply mission with NASA. Photo by NASA

Dec. 22 (UPI) -- SpaceX returned more than 30 research payloads, many of which were vital life science investigations, from the ISS National Laboratory to Earth Friday.

The Elon Musk-owned astronautics company completed its 29th NASA-contracted commercial resupply services mission, which sent test samples to the ISS National Laboratory and enabled researchers to leverage unique research and technology not possible on Earth.

Some of the payloads that returned on SpaceX CRS-29:

The Naval Research Laboratory sent microbes to the ISS National Lab to better understand how microgravity and space radiation affect their ability to produce melanin. The results could have valuable applications in drug delivery and protective coatings for spacecraft and spacesuits.

A team from University of California, San Francisco sent 3D immune-liver tissue chips into space to better understand the relationship between immune system aging and the ability of liver cells to regenerate, which researchers believed could lead to novel therapies on Earth.

Researchers from University of California, San Diego studied microgravity's effects on stem-cell derived brain organoids. The project utilized accelerated aging in space to better understand how cognitive decline happens in the human brain. The team expects the results could lead to new ways to treat dementia, Alzheimer's and other neurodegenerative diseases.

A team from Emory University continued research on-station examining how microgravity the growth and function of heart muscle cells as they mature into tissue-like structures. The research has implications for heart disease modeling and could contribute to the development of new therapies for patients on Earth.

A project from Biotech startup Axonis examined how microgravity affects the maturation of human brain cells. The findings might help improve disease modeling and aid in the development of treatments for neurological disorders.
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD)  A caravan of police cruisers snaked through a southeast side neighborhood Friday morning, but it wasnt headed to a crime scene.

On Dec. 22, 2023, Grand Rapids police dropped off donations to a family of nine that arrived in West Michigan in June. (Courtesy Catherine Williams)

Instead, Grand Rapids police were making a special delivery. Every Christmas, the department sponsors several families in need.

This year, the list included a family of nine that arrived in West Michigan in June after a lengthy stay in a refugee camp in East Africa. They had been forced to flee their home in war-torn Congo years earlier.

This is a special family, Cathy Williams, captain of the departments South Service Area, said. They are grateful for this opportunity theyve been given, and so that made our decision very easy to sponsor you guys for Christmas and really wrap our arms around you and let you know how special you are and how welcome you are here, especially in Grand Rapids.

Williams spoke to the family through a translator in the living room of their Prince Street home, which had been largely empty before police arrived Friday morning with donated furniture, household items, food and wrapped presents.

The Grand Rapids Police Department also secured the donation of a washer and dryer.

GRPD Capt. Williams' office full of donations. (Courtesy Catherine Williams)

GRPD Capt. Williams' office without donations. (Courtesy Catherine Williams)

The whole department just pitched in, explained Williams, who said officers first learned of the family during a neighborhood cleanup in October, part of the National Faith & Blue Weekend. Two of the familys teenage sons showed up at the event because they wanted to help pick up trash.

Williams said when the nine family members arrived in Grand Rapids, they immediately sought work or enrolled in school.

This really is a special family, Williams said. Its, Yes, maam. Its a hug. Theyre so good, so respectful of their father and their mother.

Weeks later, when Williams knocked on the familys door to ask if GRPD could sponsor them for Christmas, she met another refugee: Billy Mangu. He had arrived in Grand Rapids from Rwanda five years ago and happened to be visiting the familys neighbor when Williams showed up.

Mangu overheard the police captain struggling to talk to the father about the departments Christmas sponsorship. Knowing the language barrier could be insurmountable, Mangu walked over to act as translator.

Ever since, Mangu, who is an engineer at Lacks Enterprises, has been facilitating communication between GRPD and the Congolese family.

On Dec. 22, 2023, Grand Rapids police dropped off donations to a family of nine that arrived in West Michigan in June. (Courtesy Catherine Williams)

On Dec. 22, 2023, Grand Rapids police dropped off donations to a family of nine that arrived in West Michigan in June. (Courtesy Catherine Williams)

On Dec. 22, 2023, Grand Rapids police dropped off donations to a family of nine that arrived in West Michigan in June. (Courtesy Catherine Williams)

On Dec. 22, 2023, Grand Rapids police dropped off donations to a family of nine that arrived in West Michigan in June. (Courtesy Catherine Williams)

On Dec. 22, 2023, Grand Rapids police dropped off donations to a family of nine that arrived in West Michigan in June. (Courtesy Catherine Williams)

After the Friday morning delivery, which included a visit from Santa Claus, Mangu sat with Williams and the family, which includes six children, ages 4 to 23.

Theyre grateful for what you did, Mangu told Williams, translating the familys words. Very grateful. Its a blessing. Its a huge meaningful thing.  They want to thank the whole department. To see you guys came to the house to see them and help, its a big honor for them.

Williams explained that its just as meaningful to the department.

She recalled the familys reaction early on, when she tried to get a list of what they needed and what they wanted.

They told me what they needed, but when it came to what they wanted, they didnt understand that, Williams recalled. They didnt understand. Whats something extra that you dont need but you just want? That concept was foreign to them.

Williams said, ultimately, they said they just want to learn.

Theres nine family members here, and I want to say seven of the nine, they said they want to learn. We want to learn. We want to learn English. We want to go to school,' she said.

The familys appreciation and gratitude are inspiring, Williams said.

It reminds us how blessed we are and how grateful we need to be for the things that we have. Because I think a lot of us take that for granted, but you clearly do not, she told the family. I hope that you keep that forever and know how blessed you are to be here and know how blessed we are to have you.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOODTV.com.
The US has a new diplomatic objective in the Gaza War - to convince Israel to scale back its military operations in coming weeks. This is a crucial test of the Biden administration, and whether it succeeds could help determine the next phase of the war - as well as the president's own political fortunes back home.

In public, the American effort to shape and restrain Israel's war has taken the form of advice rather than pressure.

US officials - from Mr Biden to Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin - have continually affirmed what they present as Israel's right to self-defence, and declared that a military operation which stops short of removing Hamas from power would only guarantee more attacks.

As the conflict wore on, they've also become more outspoken about the need to protect civilians, warning that not doing so would land Israel with a "strategic defeat."

Much of the world sees this approach as failing to temper a relentless bombing campaign that ranks among the most deadly and destructive this century.

US officials insist their strategy has been the most effective way for the administration to influence an Israel traumatised by the unprecedented Hamas attack and disinclined to hold back.

Yet American policy since that day has fractured Joe Biden's Democratic Party, lost him crucial support among young and Arab Americans and left the US looking isolated on the world stage.

Food distribution in Gaza

So far, President Biden's approach has achieved tangible, if limited, results.

Persistent and painstaking diplomacy cleared a path to allowing some humanitarian aid into Gaza early on in the war, and helped broker a seven-day ceasefire to encourage hostage releases and the delivery of more assistance to desperate civilians.

The Americans have certainly been very hands on. A steady stream of senior officials to the region has meant there's been someone in the room much of the time, having the difficult conversations face to face.

"These trips are important because we have constant issues that we're dealing with together with the Israelis," said a US official.

Each of Mr Blinken's three visits to the region has been a whirlwind of activity and he's been keen to highlight continued American efforts to free the hostages, increase humanitarian aid and ensure the conflict does not expand to consume the entire Middle East.

Progress on protecting civilians has been hard to see. This week the death toll in Gaza reached 20,000, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry. The Hamas raid on southern Israel on 7 October killed some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and saw about 240 taken hostage.

Netanyahu and Biden embrace on the tarmac in Tel Aviv

Despite winning assurances that Israel would take steps to do so, Mr Blinken has spoken about the "gap" between the intent and the results.

So January will be a crucial test of whether the administration can convince Israel to alter the dynamic of the war. It's pushing the Israelis to "de-intensify" military operations in Gaza and transition to more targeted tactics that produce fewer civilian casualties than the bombing-and artillery-driven campaign.

It is a request that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has not publicly endorsed, although his defence minister has talked about the war moving into different phases.

Critics of the American strategy say the US has been so cautious that it is effectively complicit in Israel's war. They say it should have more forcefully called for Israel to curtail a disproportionate military campaign and used the threat to withhold or set conditions on massive amounts of American military aid to rein in Israeli excess.

But Aaron David Miller, who worked as a Middle East adviser in the State Department for some 25 years, calls the notion that the US could pressure Israel to change its policy in this case "magical thinking."

"The battlefield dynamic is beyond our capacity to control, let alone micromanage," he says, noting that Israel and Hamas are pursuing irreconcilable goals.

Israeli soldiers standing, Israel: Israeli soldiers prepare on the Israeli side of the border with Gaza in southern Israel, December 18, 2023

Mr Miller, who is now a senior fellow at the Carnegie Institute for International Peace, says history shows that Israel has responded to rare occasions of US pressure only when American demands are tethered to a result they can accept.

"Pressing the Israelis on a matter of critical importance to them without offering a compelling alternative or an outcome that they can rationalise and justify, never works," he says.

It's unclear if the "bear hug" strategy of publicly supporting Israel while preaching restraint behind closed doors will be enough to pull the Israelis across the line when it comes to scaling back the military campaign.

In the meantime the Americans are contending with growing international isolation.

Nowhere is this more evident than at the United Nations, where the US has opposed overwhelming demands for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire.

This week, with the UN warning of famine in Gaza, the US allowed the passage of a second Security Council resolution calling for more humanitarian access to Gaza. It did so after negotiating intensely to change language on the suspension of hostilities and mechanisms to monitor and speed up aid delivery.

The administration wants no suggestion of a ceasefire that would constrain Israel's ability to destroy Hamas's leadership and military capability.

But even some allies have been outspoken about this approach.

"The United States is losing respect, it's losing credibility as a powerful nation," former Irish President Mary Robinson, speaking on behalf of a group of global leaders known as The Elders, said in a recent interview on RTE News. "The United States has called for restraint, but [the Israeli government] isn't listening."

Lloyd Austin (R) and his Israeli counterpart Yoav Gallant (L) in Tel Aviv

And Arab partners of the US are alarmed by the radicalising effect of Israel's destruction in Gaza.

"Israel is jeopardising the standing of the United States and other Western friends of ours in our region," said Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi on a recent trip to Washington.

"It is not just killing Palestinians... it is also creating an environment in the region where the amount of hatred that's growing by the day, as a result of what we see unfolding in Gaza, is undoing 30 years of work that we all have invested in to normalise the idea of peace."

Mr Blinken has stressed that the regional and international community should also be pressing Hamas to lay down its arms and stop "hiding behind civilians".

But in comments at a fundraising event last week, President Biden appeared to acknowledge some of the administration's internal frustrations.

"(Israel) has most of the world supporting it," the president said. "But they're starting to lose that support by the indiscriminate bombing that takes place."

Mr Biden is also facing growing domestic pressure to take a stronger line against Israel. In a New York Times public opinion survey this week, only 33% of registered American voters approved of the president's handling of the Israel-Palestinian conflict. A plurality, 44% to 39%, said Israel should end its military campaign.

Pro-Palestinian protest in New York City

Heading into the 2024 presidential election year, the poll suggests the Biden administration is haemorrhaging support from key members of its electoral coalition. Among voters under 30, 46% said they sympathise more with the Palestinian side. Only 27% sided with the Israelis.

Some prominent liberal members of the Democratic Party have pushed a resolution calling for a human rights report on Israel's use of American weapons that could potentially suspend US security assistance.

Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, a left-wing independent who's an important ally of Joe Biden's, is sponsoring the resolution and has called Israeli conduct during the war "reckless and immoral".

Separately, a group of House Democrats with national security backgrounds has written to the White House arguing that Mr Netanyahu's military strategy is not in the interests of either Israel or the US.

And there've been various expressions of dissent from within Mr Biden's own administration. More than 800 staff members have supported a letter calling for an immediate ceasefire, although most have done so anonymously, and only one has resigned.

"I felt a lot of dissonance between coming into work every single day and serving this administration that I had previously so proudly done, and then feeling this sort of vacuum where the influence of a call to a ceasefire (would be) massive coming from the US president and our boss," one staffer told the BBC.

Such sentiment underscores the difficult bind the US president finds himself in. Many world leaders, a significant number of administration insiders and about half the American public are increasingly unhappy with the current US strategy.

But if the president starts to get tougher with the Israelis, the other half of Americans that back Israel would almost certainly object - and there's still no guarantee that his current critics would be satisfied.

Scaling down the Israeli offensive is key. If it doesn't happen fast enough Mr Biden will have to seriously consider his next step.

Especially as the calendar will soon flip to 2024 - the last year of his first presidential term. Domestic politics, always a factor in US foreign policy, will increasingly become a pressing concern for the president.

For a man who promised a steady hand at the tiller after four years of Donald Trump's sometimes tumultuous foreign policy, the Gaza War has proven to be a formidable - and potentially grave - challenge to his political fortunes.

More from the Israel Gaza briefings
MEMPHIS, Tenn.  WREG Investigators continue to dig deeper into multiple abuse allegations at the same daycare.

Joe Craig remains behind bars. His bond was raised to $500,000 after he was recently slapped with another aggravated child abuse charge.

The Shelby County DAs office said they found out Craig had harmed another child in April while working at the Academy of Future Leaders daycare in the Medical District.

Authorities have yet to disclose details as to what exactly happened.

The childs mother is now suing Craig and the daycares owner. According to the complaint, she says Craig physically abused her son, striking him on the head, leaving knots and fracturing the right, fifth, sixth and seventh rib, and causing abrasions on the childs legs, arms, face and other locations on his body.

Daycare worker jailed on additional child abuse charge

WREG Investigators found out the Tennessee Department of Childrens Services was notified after the April incident, and then three days later, they alerted the Department of Human Services, which regulates daycares.

DHS stated, information received from DCS showed that they did not initially substantiate that complaint. Our understanding from DCS is that the investigation was later re-opened, and the allegation was substantiated.

Its unclear why DCS didnt substantiate the claim at the time.

New details in the second case of alleged child abuse involving daycare worker

A spokesperson said they have been involved in an investigation, but pursuant to state and federal law, we cannot disclose specific information about the investigation.

Craig continued to work at the daycare, which at the time, had partnered with the UT Health Science Center to offer childcare services to UTs faculty, staff, and students.

On May 18, less than a month later, authorities were called back to the daycare when a toddler was rushed to the hospital. The childs father told us his son had suffered a traumatic brain injury, among other serious injuries.

Everything is compromised for him. Hes challenged now. Its very difficult to see him like that, he said.

Again, authorities havent said what exactly happened. They arrested Craig in June for aggravated child abuse and aggravated child neglect.

Thats also when UT suddenly terminated the contract and when DHS forbid Craig to be on the daycares premises when children are present.

WREG reached out to Craig and the daycares owner multiple times for their side of the story.

DHS said they are aware the owner operates another daycare in Midtown, and state records show Craig possibly worked there since there were entries excluding him from driving duties.

The DAs office says over the course of the criminal investigation launched in May, it learned about the April incident. A grand jury indicted him in November. Hes due back in court next month.

2023_12_14_09_29_05Download

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WREG.com.
Fox News' brand of journalism is widely regarded as, well, not quite that. Though the network features  and has curtailed at critical hours  some news programming, it more frequently champions the staunchly right-wing commentary of its most popular shows, which traffic in misogyny, racism, transphobia and xenophobia, if not all-out conspiracy theorizing.

The network has come a long way since its founding in 1996, today acting as a trusted source for much of the nation's most conservative audience by providing its millions of viewers with the news they want to hear  at times at the cost of true fact-based reporting and factually honest political analysis. In some ways, Fox News has appeared to embrace that. It changed its longtime motto "Fair and Balanced" to "Most Watched, Most Trusted" in 2017 after all. That said, Fox Corp. remains bright on the radar of media watchdog groups (and prominent in the headlines of liberal and progressive publications) that endeavor to track its news department's failings and expose the dangers of its opinion offerings' bigoted rhetoric.

Salon has rounded up some of the network's biggest fails of 2023:

Putting the company's stock above telling viewers the truth about the 2020 election

The depth of Fox News' apparent scheme to simultaneously deceive and appease its audience by peddling 2020 election lies was revealed early this year after Dominion Voting Systems filed a damning, nearly 200-page brief in its $1.6 billion lawsuit against Fox Corp.

The February court filing detailed texts and emails between some of Fox News top anchors and executives exposing how they did not believe the lies they pushed and, in some cases, were more concerned with how neglecting to further circulate the claims could hurt their finances.

In one instance outlined in the filing, Tucker Carlson, the network's top star until his firing in April, and host Sean Hannity urged executives to fire a Fox reporter who tweeted that election infrastructure officials debunked voter fraud claims, with Carlson texting Hannity that reporter Jacqui Heinrich's fact-check was "measurably hurting the company. The stock price is down. Not a joke." Hannity escalated the complaint to CEO Suzanne Scott, who, per the filing, told company executives Heinrich had "serious nerve doing this" and worried about viewers' potential disgust with it. Heinrich deleted her tweet soon after.

A Fox News spokesperson rebuked the filing, telling NPR that the voting technology company had "mischaracterized the record, cherry-picked quotes stripped of key context, and spilled considerable ink on facts that are irrelevant under black-letter principles of defamation law."

But come mid-April, right as the civil trial began, Fox News agreed to settle the lawsuit for $787.5 million, accepting with "no contest" the judge's previous rulings that "the evidence does not support that FNN conducted good-faith, disinterested reporting" and makes it "CRYSTAL clear that none of the statements relating to Dominion about the 2020 election are true."

Fox News acknowledged the judge's rulings, adding, "We are hopeful that our decision to resolve this dispute with Dominion amicably, instead of the acrimony of a divisive trial, allows the country to move forward from these issues."

The settlement, according to Time, meant the rulings stood as legal fact and could not be appealed all while opening the company up to greater legal battles.

The company was hit with a shareholder lawsuit  filed under seal  two days later that, per Bloomberg Law, could blame Fox's leadership for putting the corporation in legal peril. A lawyer for international voting tech company Smartmatic, which sued Fox in 2021 for $2.7 billion for defamation, also signaled shortly after that Dominion's award set a baseline his company plans to exceed.

Espousing white nationalist, anti-immigration rhetoric

White nationalist rhetoric has become a prominent fixture of Fox News' opinion programming, especially after Carlson made it a key feature of his show.

In 2023, the rhetoric, alongside fearmongering and xenophobia, bled into the network's news coverage in response to the May 12 expiration of Title 42, a Trump-era policy that forced migrants out of the country and effectively halted the asylum system in a supposed effort to contain the spread of COVID-19. Public health experts had previously rejected the notion that migrants played a major role in the spread of the virus in the U.S.

Media Matters compiled more than 25 instances of Fox News anchors and hosts alluding to, if not outright pushing, the white, Christian nationalist "great replacement" theory in the two weeks leading up to Title 42's expiration.

The ideology alleges a plot perpetrated by those in power  often claimed to be Jews and Democrats  to replace white citizens in the West with nonwhite, non-Christian immigrants who will effectively threaten white people's lives and power. It has motivated a number of mass shootings in recent years, including a 2018 attack at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, a 2019 massacre at an El Paso, Texas, Walmart and a 2021 grocery store shooting in Buffalo, New York.

In one instance from Fox's "America Reports," anchor Sandra Smith asked Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. a leading question about the expiration's impact: The president acknowledged chaos, but is it chaos? Is anybody shocked by this? Or is it a well-executed strategy, Senator?

Graham's response alleged the Biden administration is "making a conscious effort to allow as many people in this country as they can get in, I think."

The network's push of white nationalist rhetoric is particularly alarming given a February Brookings/Public Religion Research Institute survey found that a majority of respondents who said they most trust Fox News leaned toward Christian nationalism, breaking down to 20 percent of adherents and 34 percent of sympathizers. Adherents and sympathizers amount to 10 percent and 19 percent of Americans, respectively, according to the report.

Running an incorrect story about a fallen Marine, failing to properly correct the report, and pulling it from the site with no explanation.

In July, Fox News published an erroneous report that claimed a fallen Marine's family had to pay for the transport of her remains, citing a false account from Rep. Cory Mills, R-Fla. Mills alleged that family members of Sgt, Nicole Gee, one of 13 U.S. service members killed in a bombing in Kabul, Afghanistan, in 2021, endured a "heavy financial burden," paying $60,000 to retrieve her body from the country.

The story, however, was false. Marine Corps officials said the family did not incur any financial burdens in transporting Gee's body to Arlington National Cemetery. They disputed the story  written by Fox reporter Michael Lee  in repeated emails to company executives shortly after its publishing. Mills eventually walked back his claims.

The allegations originally published turned out to be false, which I suspect Mr. Lee knew in the first place, and was the reason he did not seek comment from the Marine Corps, wrote Marine Corps spokesman Maj. James Stenger in an email to Fox executives.

Fox first quietly amended the story's headline and revised its opening paragraph, but Stenger followed up to inform the outlet the story was still wrong.

Fox News eventually removed the article from its site completely after receiving additional complaints. However, as The Washington Post noted, it did not correct the false report or clarify its reasons for pulling it in the month after publishing, an intentional alert to readers that news organizations typically make after major changes to published articles.

For its part, the outlet did apologize for the false story in August.

Continuing to push anti-vaccine rhetoric and misinformation while COVID was on the upswing.

Fox's repeated peddling of vaccine misinformation in response to this year's booster rollout while COVID cases were on an upswing constitutes a major fail given a March report of its direct influence on the nation's COVID vaccine hesitancy.

An early March study in the journal Political Communication found a link between negative reports on COVID-19 shots that aired on Fox and apprehensions toward the vaccines, Bloomberg reported. Concerns about the safety of the vaccines increased following boosted periods of negativity in Fox News' vaccine coverage, the study found, noting that public opinion surveys also showed Fox viewers reported higher levels of vaccine hesitancy throughout the pandemic compared to consistent viewers of other programs.

When Fox News negativity about vaccines goes up, so too does vaccine hesitancy. When it goes down, so too does vaccine hesitancy, Matthew Motta, a professor of health policy at the Boston University School of Public Health, told Bloomberg.

Earlier research saw that, starting in May 2021, counties with higher Fox News viewership had lower vaccination rates, while a June 2023 study found that "excess mortality" from COVID was higher for Republican voters than Democratic voters after the initial vaccine rollout, but not before. COVID-19 has killed more than 1.1 million people in the U.S. since the 2020 outbreak.

Fox News did not respond to Bloomberg's request for comment.

In August, after President Biden called for new funding to support the updated vaccine booster, Fox News hosts returned to their roots, warning that the shots are dangerous and ineffective, Media Matters reported.

Several suggested that because the first vaccines provided limited protection from newer variants (despite still providing strong protection from death and serious illness), people should doubt the efficacy of an updated shot specifically intended to target current strains. They also urged their viewers  largely comprised of seniors, who are more vulnerable to the virus  against taking the booster.

"Thats a recipe for Foxs viewers to once again put their health in danger by declining the shots," Media Matters wrote.

Falsely reporting a terror attack

When reporting on a deadly car accident at the Rainbow Bridge border crossing at the end of last month, network personalities and guests alleged or speculated at least 97 times that the crash was an act of terrorism. The hours of false claims Fox News aired drew mostly on an X/Twitter post from correspondent Alexis McAdams, who attributed her information to anonymous "high level police sources" before walking them back and blaming her allegations on "conflicting reports."

Want a daily wrap-up of all the news and commentary Salon has to offer? Subscribe to our morning newsletter, Crash Course.

Just over an hour after her tweet, The New York Times reported that an investigation found the car "did not contain explosives," as McAdams had claimed, and that investigators did not suspect any terrorist activity. Ultimately, McAdams had to retract her initial report, again citing "conflicting reports" she had encountered.

McAdams' retraction came far too late, however. By then, other Fox News personalities had already picked up the story and woven a bigoted narrative implicating Muslims, Arabs and Palestinians. Anchor John Roberts piled on, baselessly suggesting Hamas may have executed the supposed terror attack.

The report also caught fire on social media where a number of right-wing and anti-Muslim influencers stoked the fearmongering with more misinformation about alleged evidence found at the scene and speculated potential target locations for another attack.

Worse still was that after McAdam's retraction, Fox News hosts and anchors exploited the deadly incident to further its nativist, anti-immigration messaging. Host Kayleigh McEnany even suggested that inferring the car's explosion was linked to Hamas or pro-Palestinian protests was reasonable.

Israel's war on Hamas, which has since killed nearly 20,000 Palestinians, in the besieged Gaza Strip had already sparked an uptick in anti-Arab and Islamophobic incidents in the U.S. Fox News' manufactured terror attack likely only added fuel to that vitriol, an extremism expert told Salon.

Despite its failures, Fox remains the top cable news network in the nation, averaging more total day viewers than other basic cable networks like MSNBC and CNN, Nielsen ratings data shows, according to Adweek.

For what it's worth, however, Fox's ratings haven't fully recovered from the slump that followed Carlson's April firing. Last month, the network averaged 1.725 million viewers during primetime while last November, albeit a midterm election year, the channel's primetime offerings netted 2.4 million viewers.
(Photo : Unsplash/freestocks )

Shein is a fast-fashion brand making waves with its budget-friendly "Shein hauls" that influencers showcase on Social Media platforms. With a staggering 2020 revenue of nearly $10 billion and an estimated valuation of around $100 billion, Shein is on track to become the world's third most valuable startup. Despite its popularity for offering items under $15 and record profits, questions arise about the sustainability of a company thriving in fast fashion.

Items priced below $15 have made Shein the most talked-about brand on TikTok and YouTube and a globally visited apparel site. The ultra-low prices make it a consumer's dream, allowing them to build a wardrobe for less than the cost of takeout. It's also a dream for the company to record profits in the first half of 2023, according to WWD.

Shein Unmasked

While Shein is a convenient fashion destination, it has faced scrutiny for ethical and environmental concerns and questionable employee policies. A documentary, "Untold: Inside The Shein Machine," released in October, specifically delves into the latter. Journalist Iman Amrani hosts the documentary, revealing the human toll of Shein's business model by sending an undercover worker into two supply factories in Guangzhou, U.K., finding shocking discoveries.

Extended Working Hours

Under Chinese labor laws, employees are restricted to a 40-hour workweek. However, Shein workers in both factories endured 18-hour workdays, starting at 8 a.m. and ending in the early morning hours, only granted one day off per month, stating, "There's no such thing as Sundays here." The undercover reporter emphasized, "The factory has a very inhumane system."

READ ALSO: 5 Negative Impact of Extended Work Hours on People and Companies According to Research

Unjust Wages

Workers receive low wages, as seen in one factory where they earn a base salary of 4,000 yuan (about 492) monthly for producing 500 clothing pieces daily. This translates to a compensation of two cents for each clothing item manufactured, and will have a penalty of two-thirds of their daily wage if mistakes occur. Channel 4 noted that women washed their hair during lunch breaks in specific factories because they had no time to do so after their 18-hour workdays.

Environmental Concern

Shein has also faced criticism for having harmful chemicals like lead, PFAS, and phthalates in their clothing, as revealed in a Marketplace investigation last year.

Plagiarism from Designers

The brand has been condemned for plagiarizing designs from independent designers without proper credit or permission and for their questionable customer data handling.

"Need Help" Controversy

In June 2022, viral videos on social media alleged that Shein employees were hiding messages in clothes, with one tag supposedly containing a plea for help. Shein responded on TikTok, explaining it as a misunderstanding and highlighting a strict code of conduct against forced labor for suppliers. The company clarified that the "need your help" message aimed to remind customers to use fabric softener. However, some commenters remain skeptical, requesting videos showing working conditions rather than just a response video.

Shein's Response

According to Shein's 2021 Sustainability and Social Impact Report, 66% of its supplier factories and warehouses have a "mediocre" performance, indicating 1-3 significant risks needing corrective action. Another 12% fall into the ZTV category, signifying significant violations requiring immediate attention, with top issues including fire safety, working hours, and recruitment compliance.

While Shein expresses a commitment to ensuring compliance throughout its supply chain in the 2021 report, it lacks detailed information on wages and rights for factory employees. Instead, Shein provides general statements about maintaining a "safe, fair, and happy work environment" without offering specific details.

Sustainability

According to the sustainability report, Shein plans to release baseline greenhouse gas emission calculations publicly and is setting goals for increased use of renewable energy in its supply chain. While expressing a commitment to lower emissions and waste, the report lacks specifics on Shein's strategies. However, the brand is gradually transitioning to more sustainable materials, including recycled polyester and packaging.

Shein plans to announce a zero-waste goal by the end of 2022 and is gradually participating in a more circular economy by donating clothes and shoes to organizations. However, the fast fashion industry, ranked as the second most polluting industry globally, including Shein, contributes significantly to environmental pollution, responsible for 20% of wastewater and 10% of carbon emissions. The massive water and energy consumption producing millions of pieces annually poses sustainability challenges for Shein.

RELATED ARTICLE: Industrial Companies Take Bold Steps on Labor Issues, Extending Onsite Childcare to Ease "Tough Choices" for Workers

 2017 Jobs & Hire All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Trade unions were born in an era in which workers were massively, brutally exploited, doing dangerous, dirty and exhausting jobs for a pittance. Unlike today, many didnt have the option to skill up or get on their bike to look for better wages. But over time, health and safety measures, as well as other economic and political developments, such as a rising minimum wage, have all but annihilated such brutal work. And so the role of trade unions has become more ambiguous.

The rise of self-interested, doctrinaire union superstars, from Arthur Scargill, president of the National Union of Miners from 1982 to 2002, to Mick Lynch, General Secretary of the RMT rail union since 2021, has only helped weaken the moral justification for much industrial action.

And yet in 2023 we find ourselves in a Britain still crippled with it; a Britain that feels permanently dragged down by the antics of a hypocritical, entitled, and seemingly greedy band of activist-workers. More than a year of strikes across numerous sectors has provided a spectacle ranging from the concerning to the downright ludicrous.

Not all of it has been uncalled for: many people sympathised with striking nurses, for instance, as well as paramedics, ambulance drivers and midwives. By contrast the rail strikes presided over by Lynch have been patently obnoxious and unreasonable.

But perhaps the most unsympathetic bunch of strikers in Britain are the junior doctors who, in choosing to strike again over Christmas and January  among the worst times of year for the space-strapped NHS  seem completely morally unhinged. Indeed, when other sections of the NHS have agreed to deals with the Government, and this lot of young disrupters wont stop wreaking havoc, its hard not to see anything but a campaign of the purest, most ruthless greed.

Hospitals were already fearing another winter crisis when the junior doctors announced their festive action. But unlike the women whose mastectomies may have to be cancelled, will this bunch be eating turkey at home, healthy and smug?

Their fury seems to be at the fact that they are not paid like bankers. I have spoken to numerous consultants about the attitude of their juniors, and they are chilled by what they see. When they were junior doctors, they were also overworked and underpaid relative to other respected professions, but they just got on with it because they were in it for the honour, the calling, the training and the long game, where they would end up being handsomely richly rewarded  especially if they worked hard. But todays junior doctors appear keener on ring-leading a dangerous politics than practicing medicine.

It is grotesquely ironic that those working hardest to bring Britains most socialist institution to its knees appear to be a band of avowed Left-wingers. Then again, like many noisy Left-wing activists, such as those in the environmental movement, they might just be spoiled brats.

Take Robert Laurenson, a co-chairman of the BMAs junior doctors committee who attended Sevenoaks, an independent school in Kent. Earlier this year, he couldnt join his fellow trade unionists on the picket line because hed decided to go on holiday for a week. Vivek Trivedi, a fellow co-chair, seems no more serious a figure, rapping his Left-wing credo to the beats of Dr Dre and encouraging weird crab memes to inspire other junior doctors in their uprising.

Still, I wanted to make sure that the mixture of disgust and concern many of us feel watching the antics of the junior doctors is fair. So I spoke to a highly experienced NHS source, who has in the past defended the strikes of nurses and even some of the previous junior doctor actions.

This time, she takes a different view. Its the most dangerous move yet, she said. Truly compromising safety in a way we havent seen before. They chose this time to strike knowing full well that those that usually cover may well be on much-needed leave.

Not only is this deliberately causing harm, its impacting on the well-being of their senior colleagues who will miss out on Christmas with their families in some cases, and much needed rest following the previous industrial action.

The junior doctors strike represents so much that has gone wrong. It shows the shift in values in Gen-Z away from hard work, eagerness to learn, and willingness to experience momentary discomfort for a long-term benefit or because its the right thing to do. It displays a rising entitlement  a work-shy attitude mixed with an appetite for trouble-making, all glued together with a third-rate Leftist ideology.

The strike also highlights the depth of the rot in our public services more generally. Its not just that you cant go to hospital and expect consistent service: even train service wasnt guaranteed for those travelling home for Christmas this year.

We are long past the teetering stage: weve fallen off the cliff, and only a massive, very robust parachute of better ideas and a moral backbone can stop us plummeting to the bottom of the ravine, and smashing into a million pieces.

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.
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD)  A warming climate is expected to bring more than just milder winters to West Michigan. A new study shows two invasive mosquito species are making their way farther north into the Great Lakes region and the potential for more mosquito-borne viruses, including Zika, dengue and yellow fever.

The tiger mosquito and yellow fever mosquito are not new to the United States but have never had established populations in Michigan. The tiger mosquito (aedes albopictus) was accidentally imported from Asia in the late 19th century and is considered the most invasive mosquito in the world. The yellow fever mosquito (aedes aegypti) came over from Africa in the 17th century.

Invasive locust intercepted by border agents in Detroit

Both bugs have established populations in the southeastern United States and in pockets across the southwest U.S. Previously, the Midwests cold winters had kept them at bay. Now, warmer conditions are allowing them to creep farther north. And as climate change promotes more severe storms, additional flooding is expected to generate more microhabitats  leaving standing water where mosquitos can breed.

Marie Russell, a postdoctoral fellow with the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education in Tennessee, led the study alongside Environmental Protection Agency biologists. It was published in Junes edition of EcoHealth. Russell says we could see the two mosquitos as soon as next summer, and current trends have populations established within 20 to 30 years.

(The tiger mosquito) is already established in Windsor, Ontario, and (the yellow fever mosquito) has already been introduced. We dont think they are successfully overwintering in the area yet, Russell told News 8.

DNR: Now is the time to prune your oak trees, avoid oak wilt

While they appear to be migrating in tandem, there are a lot of differences between the two species. The tiger mosquito is more adaptable to the cold than the yellow fever mosquito, while the yellow fever mosquito prefers urban areas and strongly prefers to feed on humans.

A laboratory assistant uses their hand to provide perspective for the size of aedes aegypti, the yellow fever mosquito. (Getty Images file)

From a public health standpoint, (the yellow fever mosquito) is more concerning because it has a higher likelihood to be a disease vector to humans, Russell explained.

The two species have been known to pass along several dangerous viruses. However, Russell urged people to understand that even an established population of these insects does not mean outbreaks are inevitable, only that they could be possible.

The (insect) has to be there for these diseases to be transmitted to humans, but having the vector there doesnt necessarily mean that youll immediately have a disease outbreak. But it definitely increases the risk, she said.

Beyond Brandon Road: Monitoring 18 other points invasive carp could enter Great Lakes

Zika virus made headlines in 2015 and 2016 after outbreaks in the Central and South America bled across the border. In 2016, nearly 5,000 Americans contracted Zika while traveling and 224 cases were confirmed to be spread locally in Florida and Texas. There has not been a locally spread case of Zika since 2017, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

This 2007 file photo shows employees with Uruguays Ministry of Health spraying an insecticide to try and eliminate local populations of yellow fever mosquitos that led to an outbreak of dengue. (Getty Images file)

Tiger mosquitoes are being studied all across the world for the type of viruses they can transmit. (Getty Images/AFP/Remko De Waal)

A 2019 file photo shows German researchers at the Friedrich Loeffler Institute studying tiger mosquitoes. (Getty Images file)

Researchers at Croatias Institute of Public Health study a group of dead tiger mosquitos. (Getty Images/AFP/Denis Lovrovic)

A tiger mosquito, aedes albopictus, is native to Southeast Asia but has since spread across parts of the world and is now slowly moving toward the Great Lakes region. (Getty Images file)

Dengue infections are much more common. The World Health Organization estimates between 100 million and 400 million people are infected by the virus each year. There is a vaccine available to protect people, but outbreaks still pop up regularly, including in the United States. Locally spread dengue outbreaks have been confirmed in Florida, Hawaii, Texas and Arizona, although the CDC says they have been relatively small and limited.

Yellow fever has had little impact in the United States in recent decades, although there were several epidemics in the 18th and 19th centuries. According to the CDC, wide ranges of South America and Africa are at risk, and travelers are urged to get vaccinated before spending time there. While vaccines have proven safe and effective, there is no current treatment for yellow fever, and between 20% to 50% of people who develop a serious infection will die from the virus.

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Emily Dinh, a medical entomologist with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, said its department knows of the current trends and is confident the states current methods of monitoring and testing mosquitos will keep health officials ahead of any potential outbreaks.

We work with local health departments who are looking for these mosquitos and basically acting as sentinels, Dinh told News 8.

With no established population, Dinh and their team can afford to focus on specific breeding grounds to prevent the insects from multiplying.

It really is a systematic problem, Dinh said. Some states have very detailed policies (for certain businesses or facilities that tend to serve as key breeding grounds). This is the sort of mosquito control that this sort of facility is expected to provide. And its not just because of my concerns as a public health expert, but also for the safety of the workers who work in these environments every day.

Even as these new mosquito species make their way into Michigan, the guidelines for best practices to avoid bites should stay the same. Wear long sleeves and light colors, especially near dawn and dusk, use EPA-registered insect repellents and avoid allowing any standing water near your home.

Editors Note: The tiger mosquito is also commonly referred to as the Asian tiger mosquito. Several researchers and organizations have removed the word Asian from the name to avoid tying negative connotations to people of Asian descent.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOODTV.com.
As public officials statewide sort out how to proceed after Ohio voters' approved a referendum in November allowing recreational marijuana use, several Summit County municipalities are putting temporary brakes on businesses wishing to sell marijuana-related products.

The state, under rules approved Dec. 7, allows municipalities to prohibit or limit the number of marijuana businesses. In addition, the state legislature is considering changes and updates to the law set forth by Issue 2.

In Akron, the idea of seeking a moratorium has not arisen so far in City Council meetings, and a city spokeswoman said she was not aware of any efforts to establish one.

Hudson officials, however, have approved a 12-month moratorium on accepting applications for marijuana-related businesses within the city's borders. Tallmadge City Council is currently considering a similar resolution that will last six months.

In Norton, City Council passed a moratorium on establishments that would sell marijuana, and Barberton City Council followed with its own on Dec. 18.

In both cities, the temporary bans would give councils time to consider more permanent action tailored to city needs.

Barberton law director Lisa Miller said the moratoriums are a way for cities to gain some breathing space as they await the Legislature's full response to Issue 2.

"The rules are not here, yet," Miller said in a phone interview. "We dont know what the rules are."

A moratorium gives a municipality time to consider zoning issues and  in this case  weigh the benefits and drawbacks of marijuana sales establishments.

Macedonia Mayor Nick Molnar said City Council will consider a moratorium proposal at its Jan. 11 meeting.

"I have not heard anything from the business community," he said, adding that a resident spoke against the use of marijuana in general at a recent meeting.

Jeremy McIntire, the president of Stow City Council, said no legislation had surfaced there.

"Issue 2 was passed as a statute and not a constitutional amendment  and therefore could be changed by the state senate, state house, or the governor," McIntire said. "Before we act, we as representatives should see what  if any  changes the state government may make."

In New Franklin, Mayor Paul Adamson said a moratorium hasn't been on the city's radar. Not yet, at least.

"We haven't had much of a discussion about it at this point," he said Monday. "We're monitoring what other cities are doing (but) I'm not certain that we need to do something preemptively."

Like other cities, New Franklin is waiting to see what the state legislature does.

"I'm sure we'll be talking about it the first quarter of next year," he said.

In Green, medical marijuana dispensaries were outlawed throughout the city in 2017.

Northfield, too, bars marijuana-related businesses, said Bradric Bryan, the village's law director. However, Council is considering changing this to allow dispensaries.

Carrie Snyder, a spokesperson for Cuyahoga Falls, said nothing has been planned for this time in terms of a moratorium.

In October, many residents came to Council meeting to out to speak out against a medical marijuana dispensary on State Road owned by FRX Health. Some residents have even pushed for a complete ban of future dispensaries coming to the city.

The nine Summit County townships have some authority to address land-use issues, said Al Schrader, an attorney with the law firm of Roderick Linton Belfance. Schrader was also a Springfield Township trustee for 28 years.

"(Townships) ought to respect what the voters decided to do," Schrader said Thursday. "My suggestion to my clients is: Don't do anything. Let's see what the legislature comes up with."

Issue 2 raises concerns in other areas of law beyond who can sell marijuana, Schrader said. Drug testing, in some cases, can detect usage up to 90 days prior to the test.

Recreational use will require employers, and municipalities as employers, to confront whether occasional usage is acceptable. A job in heavy machinery, for instance, may have different requirements than an office position.

"I think all the elected officials are trying in good faith to wrestle with this," Schrader said.

Ohioans can't purchase recreational marijuana just yet

On Nov. 7, a majority of Ohio voters approved Issue 2 to legalize the possession and use of marijuana by individuals aged 21 and over This includes the sale of marijuana by state-licensed dispensaries. A Division of Cannabis Control was created within the Ohio Department of Commerce to handle issues related to this change.

This doesn't mean that eligible adults can swing by a marijuana dispensary and purchase marijuana-related products for recreational use just yet. According to the Ohio Department of Commerce, the state legislature is considering updates to the law, which can impact the timeline for the rulemaking and licensing processes, and dispensary sales.

As of now, non-medical cannabis is not available to purchase in licensed dispensaries, and the general public can't visit dispensaries unless the individual is a registered patient or caregiver in the Ohio Medical Marijuana Control Program, according to the Ohio Department of Commerce. Sales of marijuana prior to adult-use licenses being issued may be subject to criminal penalties.

Also, the ballot language stated that people can't use non-medical cannabis in public areas: this would be considered a minor misdemeanor, according to the Ohio Department of Commerce. Ohios law prohibiting smoking or vaping in public indoor spaces will also apply to marijuana, and individuals can't operate a vehicle, motor vehicle, streetcar, trackless trolley, bike, watercraft, or aircraft while under the influence of cannabis.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Some Summit County cities declare moratorium on recreational marijuana
A suspect faces a murder charge after turning himself in to authorities in the fatal assault of a man that happened earlier this month, the Dallas Police Department announced in a news release on Friday.

At around 11:30 a.m. on Dec. 14, 2023, Dallas police responded to a call for service in the 17600 block of Addison Road.

The preliminary investigation determined that the victim, 34-year-old Gregory Nunn, had been assaulted at the location. Nunn was transported to a local hospital where he died from his injuries, according to police.

Police identified the suspect as 25-year-old Daymon Lamar Payton.

Payton turned himself in the day after the assault, according to police. He is charged with murder and was taken to the Dallas County Jail.
Video captured suspects ransacking a store at an Orange County mall and escaping with thousands of dollars worth of designer sunglasses.

Footage of the theft released by Irvine police shows three men entering a Sunglass Hut at the Irvine Spectrum on Oct. 6. They entered the shop shortly before closing time.

The trio are seen quickly grabbing handfuls of pricey sunglasses off the stores display shelves and placing them into plastic bags. After grabbing the merchandise without paying, they calmly walk out of the stores entrance.

Suspects wanted for ransacking an Irvine Spectrum store and escaping with thousands of dollars worth of designer sunglasses on Oct. 6, 2023. (Irvine Police Department)

Suspects wanted for ransacking an Irvine Spectrum store and escaping with thousands of dollars worth of designer sunglasses on Oct. 6, 2023. (Irvine Police Department)

Suspects wanted for ransacking an Irvine Spectrum store and escaping with thousands of dollars worth of designer sunglasses on Oct. 6, 2023. (Irvine Police Department)

Suspects wanted for ransacking an Irvine Spectrum store and escaping with thousands of dollars worth of designer sunglasses on Oct. 6, 2023. (Irvine Police Department)

Suspects wanted for ransacking an Irvine Spectrum store and escaping with thousands of dollars worth of designer sunglasses on Oct. 6, 2023. (Irvine Police Department)

Suspects wanted for ransacking an Irvine Spectrum store and escaping with thousands of dollars worth of designer sunglasses on Oct. 6, 2023. (Irvine Police Department)

Suspects wanted for ransacking an Irvine Spectrum store and escaping with thousands of dollars worth of designer sunglasses on Oct. 6, 2023. (Irvine Police Department)

Suspects wanted for ransacking an Irvine Spectrum store and escaping with thousands of dollars worth of designer sunglasses on Oct. 6, 2023. (Irvine Police Department)

Authorities estimate the thieves escaped with around $16,000 worth of designer sunglasses.

Were finding that a lot of the organized retail theft is just bold, said Sgt. Karie Davies with Irvine police. Its almost as if theres no chance theyre going to get caught. So they just come in, they dont try to disguise themselves, they dont try to hide their faces. They dont even really care if anybodys watching or recording. They just take what they want and they leave.

The suspects drove away from the area in a gray-colored BMW sedan. Police have released video of the theft in hopes the public may recognize the thieves.

4 accused of stealing over $200,000 worth of merchandise in Southern California

It doesnt appear that there was anybody who tried to stop them, Davies said. A lot of retailers now, they just take a hands-off approach which I understand why they do that but its also unfortunate because theres no interference with these suspects. And you can see the look on their faces, they dont have a care in the world.

Anyone who may recognize the suspects can call Irvine police at 949-724-7011 or email mricci@cityofirvine.org.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA.
View of the grave of Helmut and Hannelore Schmidt at the cemetery in Hamburg-Ohlsdorf. Markus Scholz/dpa

The grave of former German chancellor Helmut Schmidt and his wife Loki Schmidt has had swastikas daubed on it in the Hamburg cemetery where the couple lies buried, police in the northern city said on Saturday.

The grave was vandalized on Friday evening, a day before Schmidt, who died in 2015, would have celebrated his 105th birthday. The perpetrators remain unknown, and the swastikas have been cleaned off, according to the police report.

Germany's state security service has launched an investigation into the matter.

Schmidt served as chancellor between 1974 and 1982. He made a name for himself as police senator in Hamburg at the time of the 1962 flooding that devastated the city.

He served as an anti-aircraft officer in the German army during World War II, being awarded the Iron Cross for his service during the Wehrmacht's siege of then Leningrad, now St Petersburg, during the war.

Several foundations honouring the legacy of Schmidt and his wife condemned the desecration of the grave in strong terms: "This mindless vandalism is a massive attempt to damage the memory of both of them," they said in a statement.

"Both Loki and Helmut Schmidt always stood up for freedom, democracy and international understanding," it said, adding that the couple would have firmly countered inhuman tyranny and anti-Semitism.

German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser expressed similar sentiments, calling it a "despicable act" that did not take the past into account, she wrote on X.

"Helmut and Loki Schmidt always stood up against contempt for humanity, racism and anti-Semitism - in the awareness of our history."
TAIPEI (Reuters) - Taiwan reported Chinese warplanes and warships around the island on Saturday, including aircraft crossing the sensitive median line of the Taiwan Strait, as Beijing continues military activities with three weeks to go before Taiwan votes.

Democratically governed Taiwan, which China claims as its own territory, has complained for four years of regular Chinese military patrols and drills near the island.

Campaigning is under way for Taiwan's Jan. 13 presidential and parliamentary polls. Relations with China are a major point of contention.

Taiwan's defence ministry said that since 1:30 p.m. (0530 GMT) on Saturday it had detected J-10, J-11 and J-16 fighters as well as early warning aircraft operating in the airspace to north, middle and southwest of Taiwan.

Ten aircraft crossed the Taiwan Strait median line, or areas close by, working with Chinese warships to carry out "joint combat readiness patrols", the ministry said.

The median line once served as an unofficial barrier between the two sides, but Chinese planes now regularly fly over it.

Taiwan sent its own forces to monitor, the ministry said.

China has not commented on its recent spate of military activities near Taiwan. It has previously described them as being aimed at preventing "collusion" between Taiwan separatists and the United States, and protecting China's territorial integrity.

Taiwan's government, which has repeatedly offered talks with China, rejects Beijing's sovereignty claims and says only the island's people can decide their future.

The ruling Democratic Progressive Party's Lai Ching-te, whom Beijing has denounced as a separatist, is the frontrunner to be Taiwan's next president, according to opinion polls.

Taiwan's main opposition party, the Kuomintang, traditionally supports close ties with Beijing, and has pledged to reopen dialogue with China if it wins the election. But it too also says Taiwan's people are the only ones who can decide their future.

(Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Editing by William Mallard)
The Aster, a three-building development that includes low-income housing, commercial and public spaces, is pictured in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, May 2, 2023. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News

Utah, as former Gov. Mike Leavitt insightfully noted, is small enough to see our problems, and big enough to solve them. This maxim, as our state continues to grow, is at the core of who we are.

Our housing strategy in Utah transcends mere construction. Its about empowerment and understanding the broader economic and community health impacts of our policies and laying the groundwork for a more prosperous, affordable future.

Empowering communities through innovative housing strategies

Recently, a pivotal event epitomized this philosophy. Leaders from Zions Bank, Intermountain Health and the Utah Impact Partnership convened a cross-sector assembly  bringing together figures like Gov. Spencer Cox, Congressman Blake Moore, Scott Anderson, Clark Ivory, Lisa Eccles, Jim Sorenson, Harris Simmons and Rob Allen  to discuss our states affordable housing crisis. This was not just a meeting, but a unified effort to support both existing and future housing solutions to showcase Utahs commitment to meaningful action.

Building and creating deeply affordable housing

Dejan Eskic, senior research fellow and scholar at the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute, highlighted a stark reality: For every household earning 30% or less of the states median income, there are only three housing units available per 100 households.

In response, Utahs government has allocated $100 million over two legislative sessions to create 1,500 deeply affordable housing units. This initiative is a crucial lifeline. It offers stability and hope, especially vital for individuals with disabilities, by enhancing community support and well-being. The Utah Impact Partnership has been instrumental in mobilizing $30 million in public and private resources, focusing on supporting our most vulnerable populations and reinforcing the crucial nexus between housing and essential services.

Related

Protecting existing housing and future investments

The Utah Housing Preservation Fund, with over $50 million in state funds and $100 million in private equity, plays a crucial role in preserving affordable housing. Since 2020, it has preserved 768 units, saving tenants $3 million compared to market rents. Its approach, expanding to various counties, focuses on stabilizing rents and preventing displacement, demonstrating a 10X impact on the states investment.

Bridging the gap from renting to owning

Utah faces significant homeownership challenges, with the eighth highest median sales price in the nation. The Rocky Mountain Home Loan Fund and the Utah First-time Homebuyer Program are instrumental in increasing homeownership accessibility, turning the dream of owning a home into a reality for many families.

The urgency of building more starter homes

In addressing Utahs acute housing shortage, Coxs FY2025 budget proposal outlines a strategic plan to construct 35,000 starter homes over the next five years, aimed at bridging the states growing 30,000-unit housing gap. This initiative, pivotal for tackling Utahs position as the eighth most expensive state for housing, includes a $30 million investment in deeply affordable housing, $10 million for the Utah Housing Preservation Fund and $150 million to support the starter home project. This comprehensive approach underscores the importance of affordable housing as a foundation for individual well-being and a thriving economy, and it demands swift legislative action to turn this vision into reality.

Comprehensive solutions and housing

The Utah Legislatures focus on housing, mental health, land use, tax policies and reducing regulation aims to make inputs from labor to everything else more accessible and affordable, driving affordability, wellness, happiness and prosperity. Their understanding of housings role in the overall well-being of Utahns is crucial and increasingly necessary.

Utahs housing initiatives showcase our states capacity for innovation and collaboration, uniting public funds, private investment and community resources to address housing shortages and enhance the quality of life for Utahns. This collaborative model, a testament to what can be achieved when diverse sectors unite for a common goal, reminds us that it takes a village to build a thriving community, especially as it grows.

On behalf of the Utah Impact Partnership, we take pride in our communitys dedication to making impactful, targeted efforts. Our commitment is to create and implement solutions that address urgent needs, paving the way for a brighter, more prosperous future for all in our state.

Michael Parker is the executive director of Utah Impact Partnership.
(Photo : Unsplash/National Cancer Institute )

Teachers, with a median annual salary of $61,000, are widely known for being underpaid in America. As stated by the Economic Policy Institute, low wages and high stress have caused the nationwide shortage in the Great Recession.

While there has been some progress in the last two years in addressing the educator shortage and teacher pay, the gap in weekly wages between college graduates in other fields and teachers reached a record 26.4% in 2022, up from 23.5% in 2021. This pay disparity was only 6.1% in 1996. Compared to other professionals, teachers made an average of 73.6 cents for every dollar, a significant decrease from the 93.9 cents per dollar they made in 1996, hampered the recruitment and retention of teachers by this gap.

American Teachers' Act

Senator Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and some congress members are trying to solve the issue by introducing the Pay Teachers Act in March, establishing a national minimum salary of $60,000 for public school teachers using federal funds. The American Teacher Act, another bill introduced last year by Representative Frederica Wilson, D-Fla., and Representative Jamaal Bowman, D-N.Y., encourages states to raise teacher salaries to $60,000 using Department of Education grant money. Currently, teachers in 37 states and the District of Columbia earn an average wage below $60,000, according to WalletHub research.

Variations in Metropolitan Area's Salaries

A recent analysis by personal finance firm MoneyGeek shows that teachers' salaries vary widely based on the metropolitan area where they work. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Council for Community and Economic Research, the study emphasizes the differences in purchasing power for educators in various regions.

Teachers in McAllen, Texas, experience the best purchasing power among cities. Despite an average annual salary of $73,153, considering taxes and the cost of living, their take-home pay is $68,271. This exceeds the national average, providing teachers with a higher standard of living.

READ ALSO: California Faculty Protests, Pushing Fair Work Conditions And a Pay Raise

For K-12 teachers looking to maximize their salaries, the Kennewick-Richland metro area in Washington is an excellent choice. K-12 teachers have the highest take-home pay, averaging $60,822. Meanwhile, postsecondary teachers in Las Cruces, New Mexico, enjoy the highest purchasing power, with an average take-home pay of $84,429.

Illinois presents a less favorable scenario for teachers. MoneyGeek examined seven metro areas in the state, with only two ranking in the top half of their list. The St. Louis area, which extends into Illinois, secured the highest position in the state, boasting an average annual salary exceeding $74,300 and a take-home pay of about $59,800. This ranked it as the eighth-best metro area for educators nationwide. Champaign-Urbana, housing the University of Illinois, also found itself in a decent position, ranking 44th overall. Regrettably, the other metro areas in Illinois have some of the lowest teacher salaries. Springfield, in particular, ranked the lowest, with teachers earning less than $43,000. These results underscore the difficulties that educators in Illinois face, aligning with recent U.S. Census Bureau data that indicates residents with education degrees in Illinois earn less compared to those with other bachelor's degrees.

The differences in teacher salaries among cities raise worries about the financial well-being of educators and how it may affect recruiting and keeping qualified teachers. NEA President Becky Pringle stressed that educators shouldn't face financial struggles while dedicating themselves to students. Policymakers must tackle these disparities and guarantee that a career in education provides fair and lasting economic opportunities for teachers nationwide.

RELATED ARTICLE: Minimum Wage Update: Half of U.S. States Plan Adjustments by 2024

 2017 Jobs & Hire All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
A woman was pronounced dead at a house in Meare Green, near West Hatch, in the early hours of Sunday

A man has been arrested following the death of a woman.

The ambulance service attended a house in Meare Green, near West Hatch, Taunton, in the early hours of Sunday after a woman, who was in her 60s, was found unresponsive.

She was pronounced dead at the scene, with her death treated as unexpected.

Avon and Somerset Police said a man in his 60s, known to the woman, was arrested on Friday and remains in police custody.

Police said the arrest came after officers were given new information and the investigation was now being led by the Major Crime Investigation Team pending the outcome of a forensic post-mortem examination.

The initial post-mortem results were inconclusive.

The force said residents will see an increased police presence in the area while forensic teams and specialist officers search the property and carry out door-to-door enquiries.

Anyone with information, CCTV or other footage which could help the investigation are urged to get in touch with police.

Follow BBC West on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to: bristol@bbc.co.uk
Texas man who traveled hundreds of miles to kill ex's new boyfriend sentenced to 27 years in prison

A Texas man who traveled hundreds of miles to kill his ex-girlfriend's new boyfriend, but ended up murdering the wrong man, was sentenced to 27 years in prison.

Kendell Morris, 26, was sentenced after he was found guilty of murder in the death of Robert Cooley III, Fox 4 reported.

According to the Madison County Sheriff's Office, Morris drove from Houston to Arlington on May 4, 2020, to shoot his ex-girlfriend's new boyfriend but instead mistakenly shot Cooley, 24. Houston and Arlington are approximately 250 miles apart.

AUSTIN OFFICER INDICTED IN DEADLY SHOOTING OF ARMED MAN ON OWN PORCH

Investigators said Morris believed he spotted the boyfriend in the parking lot of an apartment complex on Bardin Greene Drive in Arlington. He then shot and killed Cooley, who was not the man Morris was looking for.

Morris was taken into custody later that day in the city of Madisonville, which is located near Houston.

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

DALLAS COUNTY MAN GETS 3 YEARS FOR $1.2M ONLINE ROMANCE SCAM

Kendell Morris traveled from Houston to Arlington to kill his ex-girlfriend's new boyfriend, but ended up killing the wrong man.

A murder charge against a second suspect in connection with the shooting was dismissed, court records show.





Original article source: Texas man who traveled hundreds of miles to kill ex's new boyfriend sentenced to 27 years in prison
AUSTIN (KXAN)  The U.S. Department of Transportations Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is giving $1.8 million to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service in Texas to build underpasses in the Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge around 70 miles east of McAllen, to reduce vehicle collisions with the endangered ocelot, a medium-sized spotted wildcat.

The cats habitat is intersected by a roadway and has been closed since 2013 due to a high number of collisions. There are fewer than 100 ocelots left in Texas. This project will allow the road to open again, according to an FHWA press release.

MORE: Texas Parks and Wildlife exploring protection options for ocelots

The funding comes from a new program in President Bidens Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) that helps fund projects building wildlife crossing, fencing and acquiring tracking and mapping tools around the U.S. There is a total of $350 million available over the next five years. Laguna Atascosa is one of the first 19 projects to receive funding in the first round of grants, the press release said.

We are pleased to announce the first round of grants under the Wildlife Crossings Pilot Program to projects that will significantly reduce the number of collisions between motorists and wildlife, said Federal Highway Administrator Shailen Bhatt in the press release. These roadway safety investments will ensure that motorists and wildlife in Texas get to their destinations safely and are a win-win for safety and the environment.

The FHWA estimated that there are more than one million wildlife-vehicle collisions annually, resulting in 200 deaths and 26,000 injuries every year, the press release said.

Every year, too many Americans are injured or killed in crashes involving cars and wildlife, especially in rural areas  but President Biden is tackling this challenge through these first-ever roadway safety grants, said Pete Buttigieg, U.S. Transportation Secretary.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin.
Texas Tech gets new $35K scholarship to honor siblings memory

EL PASO, Texas (KTSM)  A pair of El Paso siblings have established a scholarship at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso as a way of honoring their parents lessons and their late sisters memory.

The Dianne and Arturo Cervantes Scholarship was established in memory of Amanda Dawn Cervantes and totals $35,000.

The gift will be matched ty TTUHSC El Paso, bringing its total impact to $70,000.

The scholarship will be awarded to eligible El Paso area students with preference given to high-school graduates from Ysleta Independent School District.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTSM 9 News.
Michelle Togliatti, cofounder of Hope Meadows, pets Elucktra as she talks about the horses that are part of the equine therapy program.

When Michelle and Anne were teens, the best friends both had mental health problems.

Michelles family couldnt afford for her to get therapy. Annes family paid for her to go to a ranch where she had equine or horse therapy.

It helped save my life, Anne recalled.

The friends lost touch but reconnected as adults through their own children and decided to team up to provide the therapy that was so pivotal to Anne.

We need to bring equine therapy to Northeast Ohio, Michelle Togliatti recalled telling Anne Kichurchak.

In 2019, they started Hope Meadows, a horse therapy program that helps people with mental health issues.

Hope Meadows is one of 36 organizations receiving a total of $61,000 in grants this year through the Millennium Fund for Children, a partnership of the Akron Beacon Journal and the Akron Community Foundation.

More: 'We work to eliminate bias, bigotry and racism': Diversity Center seeks civil society

Since the Millennium Fund launched in 1999, it has distributed more than $1 million in grants to local groups that benefit children in the region.

Hope Meadows received a $2,000 grant through the Millennium Fund that will assist with its Mind Times with Horses program, a six-week series for at-risk youth. This is the programs first Millennium fund grant.

Hope Meadows partners with local schools

Hope Meadows has partnered with several local schools and districts, including I Promise School in Akron and the Revere and Green Local school districts.

The programs main location is at a stable in Granger Township in Medina County, though Kichurchak has a farm in Richfield that is also used.

Bonnie Simonelli, the at-risk student coordinator for Revere, said the district has been working with Hope Meadows for four years. She said they have a program in the fall and spring with eight to 10 kids in two age groups  kindergarten through second grade and third to fifth grade.

Bonnie Simonelli, the at-risk student coordinator for the Revere school district, says Hope Meadows has been beneficial for the students who have gone through the program.

We get kids who want to come back, said Simonelli, who noted that some students do the program more than once.

For older students, Simonelli said they will build a waitlist until they have enough interest to put on a program.

Simonelli said the program helps with students anxiety and depression. She said many are in therapy but the horse component is huge for them.

The horses understand when a kid is overwhelmed and will go to them, she said.

Simonelli describes the program as therapy dogs on steroids. She pointed to a student who didnt know where she fit in before going through the program. She said the program helped the girl to bond with other students.

She was not afraid of people anymore, Simonelli said. She found her peace.

When she sees this student, who is now in high school, Simonelli asks how shes doing and she answers, Im fine.

It was effective, Simonelli said.

Donate to the Millennium Fund for Children.

Participants don't ride but work with horses in other ways

The sessions consist of a mental health specialist, an equine therapist and the horses.

The participants dont ride the horses but work with them in other ways in an arena.

Michaela Jackson-Smith, a mental health specialist, said one activity involves asking participants to use props to show their goals for the future and the obstacles impeding them from achieving them. She said the participants then must lead a horse through this obstacle course.

The horse might be focused on one element and we can ask them what that represents, Jackson-Smith said. We might ask them to move the horse through without touching them  through just communication and body language.

Hope Meadows also serves police officers and first responders, people recovering from addiction, human-trafficking victims, and others who have survived some type of trauma or loss. The program has partnered with local specialty court programs.

We can tailor to whatever the need is, Kichurchak said.

Some participants are afraid of horses but not for long

Donna Zalar, an equine specialist, said participants are sometimes initially leery of the horses because they havent been around them before.

When that happens, Togliatti said, they will start by introducing them to one of the programs two miniature horses and then move on to one of the nine full-size horses. She said participants might initially watch activities from behind the gate before moving into the arena.

Behind the gate does not usually last long, she said.

Michelle Togliatti, cofounder of Hope Meadows, talks about Jags and the other horses that are part of the equine therapy program during a recent tour of the stable in Granger Township. All 11 horses in the program were donated.

Asked what it is about horses that makes them ideal for therapy, Donna Zalar, an equine specialist, said horses are prey animals, so they are always looking for safety. She said horses are in the moment all the time because they have to be to survive.

Zalar said horses can detect a human heartbeat from four feet away and will sync their breathing with humans when they are around them. She said a woman might say, Im happy, when she is actually anxious and a horse can sense that.

They are uniquely by nature adapted and designed to reflect that  to reflect and express internal emotions, Zalar said.

Togliatti said the program in the short term can help increase attendance, promote positive relationships, boost confidence and increase communication skills. She said they do pre- and post-tests to measure anxiety and depression, with some participants showing an improvement from moderate to mild.

In the long term, Togliatti said the program can help participants understand what a healthy relationship feels like. For some, she said, this might be the first place theyve felt safe and they might decide, I want that for myself.

Thats life-changing, she said.

The program is now assisting about 500 people a year. Kichurchak and Togliatti have a goal of doubling that number in 2024.

Anne Kichurchak and Michelle Togliatti, the cofounders of Hope Meadows, talk about the history of the program during a recent tour of the stable in Granger Township.

Togliatti got teary as she told the story of how and why she and Kichurchak started the program.

She said they use grants like the one they received from the Millennium Fund to help provide scholarships for those who  like her during her teen years  can't afford equine therapy.

We want to make sure we arent turning anyone away, she said.

Stephanie Warsmith can be reached at swarsmith@thebeaconjournal.com, 330-996-3705 and on Twitter: @swarsmithabj.

About Hope Meadows

What it is: An equine or horse therapy program that helps with mental health and life skills.

Main location: 4820 Ridge Road in Granger Township.

How to reach: 216-232-3656 or hopemeadowsoh.org.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Hope Meadows' horse therapy helps youth overcome mental health issues
MILFORD, PIKE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) Carbon, Monroe, and Pike Counties have banded together to combat the fentanyl crisis.

At their meeting on Wednesday, December 20, the Pike County Commissioners announced their participation in a tri-county public awareness campaign aimed at teens, young adults, and the senior population.

The tagline of the campaign is Fentanyl Stops Here.

FDA approves Buprenorphine treatment option for opioid addiction

Using billboards, social media, and presentations, the goal of the campaign is to educate the community about the dangers of fentanyl and increase awareness about the resources and services available within the county, such as access to NARCAN, training, drug disposal programs, and drug and alcohol treatment programs.

According to Shannon Wisniewski, Milford Outpatient Supervisor, Carbon, Monroe, Pike Drug and Alcohol Commission Inc., there have been 51 overdose-related deaths in Pike County. Of those deaths, fentanyl was attributed to approximately 92%.

Man gets nearly 6 years in prison for selling crystal meth

Information on the campaign can be found on, the campaign website. Users can sign up for the monthly newsletter to stay up to date on training, events, where to get NARCAN, and more.

Pike County was among the first counties in Pennsylvania to file a lawsuit against opioid manufacturers for their role in the nationwide epidemic.

As a result of the litigation, Pike County was part of a settlement in the Commonwealth resulting in an anticipated annual allocation of funds over 18 years. Money from this litigation will be used to pay for the public awareness campaign.

Visit www.wefightfentanyl.org to join the fight against fentanyl.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PAhomepage.com.
SAN DIEGO  Mocktails, or non-alcoholic mixed drinks, have gained popularity over the years, according to Yelp.

The company that publishes crowd-sourced reviews about businesses recently compiled a list of the top 25 places to get a mocktail in the U.S.

Three San Diego spots found themselves on the list, including Raised by Wolves in University City (No. 5), Kindred in South Park (No. 9) and Mothership in South Park (No. 14).

In-N-Out adds new drink options to its menus

Raised by Wolves zero proof drink menu:

Hibiscus Phosphate: hibiscus gomme, acid phosphate, club soda

Pirates Anthem: lime, pineapple, orange, black walnut, allspice

Kindreds zero proof drink menu:

Miracle Cure: pineapple, lime, coconut, passionfruit, thai basil, lemongrass, spirulina

Zombie Prescription: pineapple turmeric shrub, grapefruit, lemon, cinnamon, ginger, agave

Kiss of Steel: cold brew coffee, oat milk, cinnamon, coconut, orange twist

Verdita: pineapple, lime, serrano chili, mint, cilantro

Book of Days: matcha, coconut water, lime, aquafaba fizz, orange blossom

Motherships zero proof drink menu:

Tracking Device: coconut water, coconut cream, lime, hibiscus

Mr. Replicator: cold brew concentrate, coconut cream, sage, oat milk, aquafaba

X-Ray: white cane non-alcoholic spirit, lime, Szechuan peppercorn, spearmint, peppermint oil

As we approach Dry January, theres a noticeable buzz on Yelp. While were seeing consumers increasingly search for the best spots to grab zero-proof cocktails all year round, the beginning of the year remains the most popular time, said Tara Lewis, Yelps Trend Expert and VP of Community Expansion.

Yelp conducted this study by identifying trends within searches related to mocktails, comparing the searches from November 2023 to December 2022 vs. November 2022 to December 2021.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 5 San Diego.
Young V&A reflects broader trend in museum sector toward inclusivity, accessibility

By Park Han-sol

On a bright morning on July 1, crowds of families gathered in front of a two-story vermilion Victorian building in East Londons Bethnal Green.

With only 10 seconds left until the clock struck 10, an excited chorus of childrens voices erupted and soon, a collective countdown began.

No, the kids werent jumping up and down in anticipation of a space shuttle liftoff. Instead, their shrieks of excitement signaled the opening of Young V&A  the new satellite of the Victoria and Albert Museum designed with and for children up to 14-year-olds.

Young V&A is a rebranded version of what was formerly the Museum of Childhood. But its not just the name that has changed, of course.

The old museum was known for preserving the material history and culture of childhood, presenting an extensive collection of toys, dollhouses and games securely enclosed in vitrines, out of reach from curious hands. This offered parents and antiques enthusiasts plenty of chances to indulge in nostalgia for their cherished playthings, but was it really a place for the kids?

In fact, when the V&A team consulted with children and asked what they thought about museums, the majority replied with the word boring.

Museums werent really designed in ways that were inspiring and relevant for them, said Young V&A Director Helen Charman in a recent interview with The Korea Times.

The directors visit to Korea coincided with the workshop hosted at the Asia Culture Center in Gwangju from Dec. 5 to 7, which invited members of the V&As learning team to discuss the various facets and social contexts of todays museum education with industry professionals across Korea.

At the heart of Young V&As three-year, 13 million-pound ($16 million) makeover was its close collaboration with the local children themselves.

It was important to take a co-design approach for us, because that was the way that we could make a very strong commitment to and statement about the importance of childrens voices and creative agency, Charman noted.

Over 22,000 schoolchildren, teachers, parents and special education specialists helped shape the buildings new design.

So, what did the young audience want the most? Spaces where they were free to be big, loud and exuberant! In other words, they wanted the most joyful museum in the world.

This was a wonderful design brief for us  to create a museum for joy, where learning would still happen but in a playful way, the director added.

Their spirited ideas, along with their penchant for light, color and pattern, are evident throughout the museum  a skylighted central atrium that allows for running freely on foot and even on mini-scooters, a spiral staircase encircling a gigantic kaleidoscopic mirror, a crimson velvet stage open for all and an electric bubble car suspended from the roof as if its flying into the building, to name but a few.

Nestled within these imaginative architectural features are three new galleries  Play, Imagine and Design  each targeting different age groups from toddlers to young teens.

The interactive displays, designed for sensory and experiential engagement, highlight the museums exhibited collection in an uplifting manner.

The Play gallery, for example, allows prewalkers to experience the texture of articles in the collection  without actually touching the objects  by creating a tactile environment that mirrors the items materials, such as smooth marble for a 19th-century bust and fuzzy synthetic grass for Pradas mohair top.

And what about a cupboard filled with instruments and objects that produce sounds related to paintings, posters and sculptures gracing the gallery?

The list goes on with a build-your-own-board game table, self-portrait-making stations, a den-building zone, a Minecraft interactive that transports visitors to the virtual Young V&A and the iconic dollhouse collection reinstalled as a streetscape.

Young V&A is a doing museum, so in addition to looking, its also about engaging the whole body, Charman said.

But it would be wrong to assume that the museum is simply an over-stimulating playground plastered with sensory glitz.

In fact, what makes this child-centered institution stand out is the breadth of the collection on display, which includes both the colorful childhood relics and acclaimed historic works from the V&As trove.

This means that items like vintage teddy bears and Harry Potters Nimbus 2000 broomstick share space with a 3,100-year-old Egyptian ceramic dish, a 19th-century Japanese woodblock print of Hokusais The Great Wave off Kanagawa, as well as the works of contemporary masters like Keith Haring and David Hockney.

I think its amazing for children to come to a museum where they can engage with established artists in environments designed for them, she noted.

In just three months since its reopening, Young V&A attracted over 200,000 visitors  including those who would hide in the museum's bathroom because they didn't want to go home, as Charman fondly recalled.

Museum sectors shift toward inclusivity, accessibility

The launch of Young V&A reflects the broader trend in the museum sector toward greater inclusivity and accessibility.

More and more museums worldwide are rethinking their social roles in the 21st century, prompted, in part, by the COVID-10 pandemic. While the pandemic exacerbated preexisting social inequalities, it also compelled cultural institutions to reach broader audiences through previously underexplored virtual means.

The International Council of Museums (ICOM) now defines museums as open to the public, accessible and inclusive, emphasizing equality and inclusion as core values.

For Young V&A, this was absolutely essential because of the way that children learn, Charman said. From birth to 14, there are so many changes that happen in the child. We had to be able to design programs and spaces to meet all those different needs  physical, emotional and intellectual.

Inclusivity also addresses socioeconomic factors.

Young V&A is situated in Londons borough of Tower Hamlets, which has the highest rate of child poverty in the U.K. at over 51 percent in 2020-21. Its geographical location and demographic context made it critical for the museum to ponder how it can be meaningful as a free community resource for local families who might not have the means to travel to other larger national counterparts in the country.

We made the commitment that we would work with every school in the borough and reach out to the children to help them understand that this was their museum, she added.

The drive to foster an inclusive culture for children in public institutions can hold particular significance in Korea  the country that, despite suffering from the worlds lowest fertility rate, is seeing an exponential increase in the number of private and public facilities designated as no-kids zones to maintain disturbance-free environments.

If we want children to have a sense of agency in both their own lives and civic lives, then access to spaces that actively welcome them and are designed to meet the way that they engage with the world are absolutely essential, the director said.

Young V&A's transformation into a child-centric haven demonstrates the importance of such spaces in shaping the next generation's cultural identity.

Investing in cultural spaces for Gen Alpha (those born between early 2010s and mid-2020s) and building their cultural confidence is really important, because creativity comes from being exposed to other creative people and art forms. It's a way of developing our humanity, she added. According to the Reggio-Emilia approach, the environment is the third teacher (after parents and teachers)... These spaces have a critical role to play in the development of the next generation.
Three juvenile swimmers who were struggling in rough surf were rescued from the ocean and transported to the hospital Friday afternoon in downtown Cocoa Beach, city police said in a press release.

Brevard County Ocean Rescue lifeguards and Cocoa Beach police and firefighters responded to the shoreline about 1:20 p.m. just north of Minutemen Causeway.

"One of the juveniles was unresponsive and immediate lifesaving measures were conducted," the press release said.

"All of the victims involved were transported to a local area hospital for medical treatment. The victims involved in this group were visiting the area from out of the state," the press release said.

Additional information on the swimmers' ages and medical conditions was unavailable Saturday afternoon, Cocoa Police Sgt. Thomas Cooper said. Police will release more details later, he said.

12/22/23| Isolated showers/sprinkles throughout today. Otherwise, mostly dry. Seasonable today with cloudy skies & a light NE breeze.



High risk of dangerous rip currents continues at all Atlantic beaches. Poor/hazardous seas remain. Entering the surf is not advised. pic.twitter.com/hZN9x1fPEU  NWS Melbourne (@NWSMelbourne) December 22, 2023

The National Weather Service station in Melbourne warned beachgoers to stay out of the surf Friday and Saturday, citing numerous life-threatening rip currents. A high rip current risk remains in effect through late Sunday night.

"Rip currents are powerful channels of water flowing quickly away from shore, which occur most often at low spots or breaks in the sandbar and in the vicinity of structures such as jetties and piers. Heed the advice of lifeguards, beach patrol flags and signs," said a NWS coastal hazard message that was issued Saturday morning.

"If caught in a rip current, relax and float. Don`t swim against the current. If able, swim in a direction following the shoreline. If unable to escape, face the shore and call or wave for help," the statement said.

Brevard County Fire Rescue officials urged beachgoers to "exercise extreme caution and stay out of the water" in a Friday afternoon Facebook post.

Rick Neale is a Space Reporter at FLORIDA TODAY (for more of his stories, click here.) Contact Neale at 321-242-3638 or rneale@floridatoday.com. Twitter/X: @RickNeale1

Support local journalism. Unlock unlimited digital access to floridatoday.com. Click here and subscribe today.

This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Cocoa Beach first responders rescue three swimmers from dangerous surf
Despite recent controversy over the proposed project to send ageing Chelsea tractors from Kensington to Kyiv, this enlightened idea must come to fruition. It can be done quickly  now, in fact  since the hold-up is over a simple bureaucratic issue that is easily overcome. It would require changes to regulations for the certificate of destruction, required for car scrappage, but this is not beyond the whim of the relevant secretaries of state. With immediate action from the Transport Secretary and logistical support from the Ministry of Defence, we can get this process moving and hand Ukraine a much-deserved Christmas present. Do it now.

It would be mystifying, to say the least, if ministers hold this up for days or weeks  or seek instead to play bizarre political games  given our historic support for Ukraine against Putins aggression. This is no time for silly Westminster politics: if the Ukrainians do not prevail, Nato could be brought into direct conflict with Moscow and we could once again have war across Europe.

In the deep snow of winter and the mud of the spring, a 4x4 is about the only civilian vehicle that can make any headway. Many of the soldiers on the front line have been driving themselves to combat points  a not insignificant task in mid-winter, and much of the logistical support of getting rations and fuel to the front is done by civilian means. There is no shortage of fuel, and these ageing Land Rovers and Toyotas are easily maintained by the plethora of garages and mechanics spread across the land. With many smaller vehicles carrying stores to the front, they will be much more difficult to target from Russian drones than large lorries and military vehicles.

From an environmental perspective, what better way to extend the useful lives of these vehicles, rather than add them to landfill or supply new ones to the Ukrainian forces? And if climate activists object, they should be reminded that Ukraine is fighting for the security of Europe. If that declines, they face a much more immediate threat than climate change.

Russia is now on a total war footing and will spend a large proportion of GDP on defence next year. It is turning tractor factories to tank production and shows no signs of stopping the fight in Ukraine and beyond if successful. The UK has emptied its tank sheds and ammunition stores to support the Ukrainian armed forces, but there is much more we are capable of doing as a nation to show Kyiv we are full square behind them. Those 4x4s due to be scrapped, and similar types of vehicles across the UK, could be as useful as a few extra tanks or artillery pieces. Indeed, soldiers in Ukraine have a great liking for British vehicles.

So lets do it and stop the squabbling. Much is being made of the Mayor of London blocking this project. But while he may have made a number of errors during his rule of the capital, this is not one of them. It is now in the able hands of government ministers to make this happen.

At Christmas, when British soldiers are serving around the globe and Ukrainian soldiers are in the trenches of the Donbass, let us ensure that those Chelsea tractors that might well have been taking the great and good shopping in Knightsbridge last year are taking much needed supplies to the brave fighters on the front lines in the battle with Russia in the very near future.

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.
Toforest Johnson should not be on death row.

Im not the first person to think that. I doubt Ill be the last.

A jury convicted Johnson in 1998 of the murder of William Hardy, an off-duty Jefferson County sheriffs deputy shot and killed in a parking lot on the morning of July 19, 1995. Police arrested Johnson a few hours later.

Toforest Onesha Johnson, sentenced for murder on Oct. 30, 1998

There is no physical evidence linking Johnson to the crime. A jury deadlocked on his conviction at a first trial. At a second, prosecutors put a witness on the stand who had repeatedly changed her story about the shooting, a person prosecutors called a liar at the first trial. The testimony helped lead to a conviction.

Another witness, Violet Ellison, claimed that she heard a man named Toforest confess to the crime on a three-way prison phone call. Ellison, who had never heard Johnsons voice before this alleged conversation, approached the police to collect a $5,000 reward, which she was later paid. That fact could have been used to question her account. Prosecutors did not share that information with Johnsons attorneys.

None of these facts are new. I first wrote about the case over six years ago. Journalist Beth Shelburne recently broadcast an extensive look at Johnsons case.

Nor is Johnson fighting alone. Former Alabama Chief Justice Drayton Nabers and former Alabama Attorney General Bill Baxley have called for a new trial. Three jurors in Johnsons case have also expressed doubt about his conviction.

In 2020, Jefferson County District Attorney Danny Carr added his voice to the calls, citing concerns about the witnesses.

But Johnson remains on death row.

The Alabama Supreme Court, without comment, denied his petition for a new trial in December. The U.S. Supreme Court did the same in October.

The Alabama Attorney Generals Office argued in a brief filed last year that Johnson already had a chance to make his arguments about the flaws in his conviction, or as they wrote three times, previously raised, considered, and rejected in Johnson first Rule 32 proceeding.

The process, it seems, is more sacred than the outcome.

If you care about justice, this should outrage you.

But the death penalty isnt about justice.

Its about politics.

Alabamas use of the death penalty is a disaster. The state botched three executions in 2022. In 2020, Alabama executed Nathaniel Woods for being present during the murder of three police officers, despite the fact he never fired a weapon. Next month, it will attempt to execute a inmate by nitrogen suffocation, a new and untried method of execution. Its haphazard attempt to inform inmates of this new method of death in 2018 has led to years of litigation.

Faced with the myriad problems of capital punishment in Alabama, Alabama lawmakers have done nothing beyond a tepid moratorium imposed by Gov. Kay Ivey after the botched executions. Ivey lifted it after the Alabama Department of Corrections announced that it had conducted a self-evaluation of its execution methods, which (as far I know) has never been made public.

If you really cared about the proper application of this terrifying power, you would want to ensure every step in the process is perfect, down to the molecular level.

If you use it to win votes, the calculations change.

Supporting capital punishment not only allows you to make an utterly uncontroversial statement that you oppose crime (who doesnt?), it carries the implication that anyone who doesnt is weak  or maybe a mobster  and cuts off more difficult discussions about public safety and rehabilitation.

When an execution takes place, your state leaders can make public statements about justice being done, whatever miscarriages preceded the execution.

And if this system forces families to relive their trauma through numerous rounds of appeals (generally a far longer process than life without parole), the politician can share his or her outrage and shift the blame away from the people who could actually fix it  themselves  to incarcerated people exercising what few rights they have.

Theres really no other reason to keep the death penalty.

Capital punishment does not deter crime. Certainly not in Alabama, which has executed 72 people over 40 years but had the United States third-highest homicide rate in 2021.

As for trying to serve crime victims and families, feelings will obviously vary depending on the person. But we know that crime victims who dont want the death penalty will be ignored. The family of Faith Hall opposed the execution of Joe Nathan James Jr., convicted of her murder in 1994.

State officials barely acknowledged their concerns, and let James execution go forward. It was, by several witnesses accounts, a torturous death.

And the expressed concerns for victims of crime seem hollow after years of neglect of the Alabama Crime Victims Compensation Commission, leading to backlogs and delays in helping crime victims and their families with expenses after their tragedies.

So far, none of this has affected the states attitude toward death. No one got punished for the appalling miscarriage of justice with Woods. And voters seem indifferent to the stories of torture that came out of the Atmore death chamber last year.

Which means we can expect more miscarriages of justice and more appalling execution stories in the future.

If Johnson manages to secure a new trial  and he should  there will be talk that the system can work.

It cannot. Not from a justice standpoint.

A criminal justice system that cared about getting things right would have released Johnson long ago.

In the criminal justice system as it is, Johnson is another casualty of the political pushes that keep Alabamas machinery of death turning, and brutalizing all of us.

Toforest Johnson should not be on death row. He remains there because injustice is very useful to Alabamas leaders.

Brian Lyman, of the Alabama Reflector, prepares for a day of covering the Alabama Legislature in Montgomery, Ala, on Tuesday May 23, 2023.

Brian Lyman is the editor of Alabama Reflector. He has covered Alabama politics since 2006, and worked at the Montgomery Advertiser, the Press-Register and The Anniston Star. His work has won awards from the Associated Press Managing Editors, the Alabama Press Association and Robert F. Kennedy Center for Human Rights. He lives in Auburn with his wife, Julie, and their three children.

Alabama Reflector is part of States Newsroom, an independent nonprofit website covering politics and policy in state capitals around the nation.

This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Toforest Johnson shows who Alabamas death penalty serves
Egyptian diplomat and Secretary General of the Arab League Ahmed Aboul-Gheit attends the last day of the 55th Munich Security Conference. Tobias Hase/dpa

The head of the Cairo-based Arab League, Ahmed Abul Gheit, on Saturday criticized as overdue and inadequate a United Nations resolution for more humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip, according to Egyptian media.

After days of wrangling, the UN Security Council on Friday adopted the resolution calling for more humanitarian aid for civilians in the Gaza Strip, agreeing on a significantly watered-down text that allowed the United States, Israel's biggest backer, to abstain.

Abul Gheit considered the resolution as having come late and falling short of the objective of fulfilling a full ceasefire in the densely populated enclave, Egyptian TV reported.

The resolution is an attempt to prevent famine in the strip and save humans, mainly women and children, from a catastrophic situation, but it is not enough to stop the Israeli aggression machine, especially as it does not include a ceasefire, the broadcaster quoted Abul Gheit as saying.

What is required is not just the entry of humanitarian aid into the strip, but basically to protect civilians from constant bombardment and fulfilling a sustainable ceasefire, he added.

The top Arab diplomat said blocking an immediate ceasefire is a licence to kill.

The resolution, which is binding under international law, calls on Israel to enable "the immediate, safe and unhindered delivery of humanitarian assistance at scale directly to the Palestinian civilian population throughout the Gaza Strip.

The humanitarian situation is dire for the more than 2 million people in the impoverished coastal enclave in the wake of 10 weeks of armed hostilities between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist Hamas movement, designated as a terrorist group by the European Union, United States and Israel.

Israel started a relentless military campaign in Gaza after an October 7 terrorist attack by Hamas.
Californians could have more options to travel up and down the state by rail in the coming years, including multiple new routes between the Central Coast and Silicon Valley that could one day see trains running every few hours.

Next year, the Federal Railroad Administrations Corridor Identification and Development Program will give Caltrans $1 million to develop a plan to expand rail service, according to a news release from Central Coast Congressman Salud Carbajal, D-Santa Barbara.

This could include adding a new train that travels between San Luis Obispo and San Jose, along with improving the Pacific Surfliner in Southern California, according to Caltrans assistant deputy director of rail transportation Kyle Gradinger.

Expanding passenger rail options for traveling the Central Coast will not only give our communities better ways to travel our region, but it will continue to bring new visitors to our local economies without additional traffic and with a lower carbon footprint, Carbajal said in the news release. Thats a win-win for us all.

Heres a look at how train service could change for San Luis Obispo County travelers during the next decade and beyond.

Expanding train service from SLO to San Jose

The biggest goal of the effort calls for improving regional train service between San Luis Obispo and San Jose, so that people can quickly and easily travel shorter distances without relying on Amtraks long-haul Coast Starlight line.

To begin the process, Caltrans will use $500,000 of the grant to develop a plan to expand train service in that corridor, according to Gradinger.

Right now, Amtraks Coast Starlight train runs once a day from Seattle to Los Angeles in both directions, and passengers must use this route to travel between San Luis Obispo and San Jose.

But the Coast Starlight is often inconvenient for passengers, according to Gradinger.

It can often be delayed along that incredibly long route, Gradinger said. Some of the trains travel at pretty difficult times that dont work with peoples schedules  late night, early morning.

Caltrans goal is to create a faster, more convenient train service for passengers traveling in the area, Gradinger said.

The point is to give people more options to travel at times that are more convenient and more helpful for their trips, he said.

The $500,000 will fund the creation of a service development plan, which will outline route options, potential ridership, revenue, environmental impacts and service options, including how many trips a day the train will make between the two cities, according to Gradinger.

Once Caltrans completes the plan, it will apply for federal funding to make the project a reality.

Gradinger said he expects that the first additional train on this route to be available by 2030.

By 2050, Caltrans aims to have multiple trains running between San Luis Obispo and San Jose every few hours, he said.

Southern California travelers have more options as Amtrak Pacific Surfliner expands service between San Luis Obispo and San Diego

Improving Amtraks Pacific Surfliner

Caltrans will use the other $500,000 to develop a plan to improve the Pacific Surfliner, which travels between San Luis Obispo and San Diego.

The service is the second busiest passenger rail corridor in the United States with 12 trains per day, Gradinger said.

Were starting from a completely different point here, but what we want to look at is continual improvement of the corridor, he said.

Caltrans goal is to have a train running every hour between Los Angeles and San Diego, along with expanding service options between San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara, according to Grandinger.

The agency is also considering adding an extension to San Ysidro, a city in San Diego County near the Mexico border.

Additionally, Caltrans is exploring ways to make the Pacific Surfliner more resilient to extreme weather patterns, he said.

Were going to pay special attention to climate change mitigation and adaptation, Gradinger said.

Finally, Caltrans is working to design an even more energy efficient train service.

Trains are already the cleanest mode of transportation, Gradinger said. But were working to improve the performance of our state-owned rail equipment so we can meet the states really ambitious zero emission goals.
Sandonne Goad, chairwoman of the Gabrielino/Tongva Nation, right, and U.S. Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-Los Angeles). (Christina House / Los Angeles Times)

A local tribe's bid for federal recognition is getting a boost from organized labor and a member of Congress who recently introduced legislation that would extend acknowledgement status to the Gabrielino/Tongva Nation and create a 300-acre reservation within Los Angeles County.

The tribe is one of a number of Indigenous groups whose ancestors first populated the Los Angeles Basin and who are seeking the ability to govern themselves on sovereign land. A bill submitted Tuesday by U.S. Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-Los Angeles) would allow the Gabrielino/Tongva Nation to bypass a costly federal petition process that can take a decade or more to complete. It would also allow the tribe to entertain economic opportunities, including building a casino.

If passed in both the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate and approved by the president, up to 300 acres of land acquired and taken into trust by the Department of Interior on behalf of the tribe will be regulated under the federal Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, according to the bill.

Although the excitement is about a casino, for me this is a story about Gabrielino identity and land equity, and an opportunity to right a federal wrong, said Kamlager-Dove, who serves on the House Committee on Natural Resources.

Read more: Tribal leaders and researchers have mapped the ancient 'lost suburbs' of Los Angeles

This community has almost been denied its ability to exist because it doesnt have federal recognition, which brings many kinds of protection and support. It has been waiting a long time for this," she said.

For tribal members, federal recognition represents self-reliance.

I want to thank Congresswoman Kamlager-Dove for this gift, said Sandonne Goad, chairwoman of the 700-member tribe. Its overwhelming, exciting and full of joy.

The bill touts support from leaders of the politically influential Unite Here Local 11, a union representing 32,000 hospitality workers in Los Angeles and Orange counties and greater Phoenix.

Unite Here Local 11 officials were unavailable for comment. But Kamlager-Dove said, Im really happy about the support from the union.

The effort is also supported by Sean Harren, president of Teamsters Local 986; Darrel Sauceda, chairman of the board at the Los Angeles Latino Chamber of Commerce; Dolores Huerta, president of the nonprofit Dolores Huerta Foundation; and Pastor William D. Smart Jr., president and chief executive officer of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference of Southern California.

What I like about this tribe having a right to build a casino is that it could provide a stable economic future with health benefits, student scholarships and decent homes  and its about time, Smart said.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass was unavailable for comment, but a spokesman offered a statement that did not address the bill directly.

Los Angeles is home to more Native Americans/Alaska Natives than any other county in the United States and the mayor will continue to lock arms with the tribes, as we all work together to fight to make Los Angeles better for all," said Zach Seidl, deputy mayor of communications.

Read more: Southern California's wildlife rehabilitators say they are in a fight for survival

Making the tribes reservation dreams become reality wont be easy. The bill will need bipartisan support in a divided Congress, and any proposal for significant development such as a full-scale casino complex would face the concerns of local governments and surrounding communities.

I hope theres no pushback, but I know there will be, Goad said. We will prevail no matter what comes our way.

The stakes are high. A federally recognized tribe has sovereignty, does not pay taxes and is exempt from following state or county legal ordinances. It is entitled to full service from local law enforcement authorities and fire departments, hospitals, and road and flood control systems.

It is also eligible for federal assistance from legal programs created to help reclaim lands lost over the decades through tax sales, fraud and violence, and with healthcare, education and protection of sacred sites.

For the states federally recognized tribes that do own large casinos, particularly those within easy driving distance of major cities, gambling has yielded an enormous payout, allowing them to use their growing clout and the legal authority of the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act to take back remains and artifacts held by museums and universities for proper care and burial.

Today, the industry that began just three decades ago as a handful of bingo parlors has mushroomed to include 85 Indian casinos across California  businesses that provide 124,000 jobs and add about $19 billion to the state economy annually, according to the American Gaming Assn.

Indian casino sites said to have been under consideration in Los Angeles County over the last two decades have included a downtown parcel, a former dump in Monterey Park, property in Compton, and Hollywood Park in Inglewood.

Before any of that could take place, however, a tribe would have to take the land in question into trust as sovereign Indian territory. No Native American group in the county has done this.

Read more: Why did California officials drop two mountain lions in the desert and leave them to die?

In 2001, then-Rep. Hilda Solis sponsored legislation asking Congress to extend recognition to a different Gabrielino group in Los Angeles County. But the bill was shelved during the 9/11 crisis, said Wallace Cleaves, a member of the Gabrielino/Tongva San Gabriel Band of Mission Indians.

Some say it never resurfaced because of intertribal conflicts among more than five Gabrielino factions, including some wanting to build casinos.

Kamlager-Doves bill has already generated a backlash from several Gabrielino groups who feel more deserving of recognition.

In an interview, Goad suggested a solution almost certain to trigger more controversy.

Those others can join our tribe, Goad said. Were already processing 250 applications" for membership.





This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
WASHINGTON  Though the Republican presidential primaries and caucuses haven't started yet, former President Donald Trumps commanding lead in the polls has already spurred debate over potential running mates.

Some names being floated are lawmakers whove said in interviews they would be interested in the job. Other names are generated when Trump meets with a high-profile supporter, which happened this week when he was spotted at Mar-a-Lago with Rep, Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., according to aides.

But his aides add that stories about an array of possible appointments  from running mate to White House chief of staff  are premature at best.

"Second term policy priorities and staffing decisions will not - in no uncertain terms - be led by anonymous or thinly sourced speculation in mainstream media news stories, the Trump campaign said in a statement. "President Trump is solely focused on winning the Republican nomination for president."

Donald Trump is working to win the Republican nomination for president. Before the first primary ballot has been cast, there's already speculation about who the frontrunner's pick for vice president might be.

Trump himself said in an interview with NBC in September that he hasnt thought too much about the role but added he likes the concept of a woman as vice president.

"We're going to choose the best person," he said.

Either way, numerous political experts said loyalty would be a prime consideration for Trump as he chooses his running mate. And some of his supporters being floated as a running mate could very well end up on Trumps ticket.

Heres a look at some potential contenders.

Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina during the Republican National Committee presidential primary debate hosted by NBC News at Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County.

South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, who dropped out of the presidential race last month, was floated as a potential running mate early on in the primary race. Unlike some of his rivals, the lawmaker did not criticize Trump directly when he was on the campaign trail.

Scott worked on opportunity zones  a bipartisan initiative  in Trump's 2017 tax cut legislation. He is also 58 and Black, which would be key for Trump as he seeks to expand his coalition of supporters.

Trump was asked on Fox News' "Sunday Morning Futures" whether he would choose Scott as a running mate in July, and said he thinks Scott is a very good guy and talented.

We did opportunity zones together. It's never been talked about. It's one of the most successful economic development things ever done in this country. And Tim is very good, Trump said. I mean, I could see Tim doing something with the administration.

Though Scott said he wouldnt endorse anyone for the primary, he did defend Trumps economic record and acknowledged his poll numbers in an interview with CNBC earlier this month.

Nikki Haley

Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley during the fourth Republican Presidential Primary Debate.

Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., has argued that former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley would be a good pick for Trumps vice president as she would pull independent voters to his circle of supporters.

Haley, 51, worked in the Trump administration as an ambassador to the United Nations from 2017 to 2018, where she supported U.S. relations with Israel and led the initiative to pull the U.S. out of the Paris Agreement on climate change. As a woman of color, she would diversify Trumps ticket.

"A large gender gap exists in his current polling and attempting to reach out to more moderate suburban female voters in swing states will be crucially important in the general election, said Aaron Kall, an elections expert at the University of Michigan. Given the advanced ages of Trump and Biden, selecting a younger candidate could help alleviate any concerns over health.

Having Haley on Trumps ticket might also increase his chances of beating Biden. Numerous polls have found that Haley has a higher chance of winning against Biden in a hypothetical matchup than other Republican candidates.

But when asked by a voter in Iowa this month whether she would consider being Trumps number two, she made clear she wouldnt accept the position.

I don't play for second," she said. "I've never played for second my entire life."

The two have also battled on the campaign trail. Haley said that Trump is not the right president for the country in 2024. The Trump campaign has called Haley "birdbrain," and sent a birdcage and bird food to her hotel room in October to mock her.

Kristi Noem

South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem speaks at the Calvin Coolidge Foundation conference at the Library of Congress on February 17, 2023 in Washington, DC.

South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, one of Trumps fiercest allies, is also being floated after she endorsed the former president at an event in September. Trump said in an interview with NBC that same month he has his eye on Noem as a potential running mate.

I think shes fantastic. Shes been a great governor. She gave me a very full-throated endorsement - a beautiful endorsement actually, Trump said. And, you know, its been a very good state for me and certainly shed be one of the people Id consider.

Noem, 52, has also made clear she is interested in the position, saying in an interview with Newmax in September she would consider the role in a heartbeat.

Shes criticized Trumps criminal indictments and the Colorado Supreme Courts ruling to disqualify Trump from the states presidential primary ballot this week. Shes also passed anti-abortion and pro-Second Amendment policies. Before she was governor, Noem served in Congress where she helped pass the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017  key legislation under the Trump administration.

Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, 41, is another lawmaker Trump could potentially choose. Sanders endorsed Trump at a rally in Miami, Florida, last month, calling him my former boss, my friend, and everybodys favorite president.

Sanders served as the White House press secretary in the Trump administration from 2017 to 2019, advising him on personnel, policy and communications strategy, according to her website. When Sanders stepped down from her position, Trump acknowledged in a news conference that the pair have been through a lot together and that she did an incredible job.

Shes tough and shes good, Trump said.

If 2024 does end up being a match between President Joe Biden and Trump, Sanders would serve as a key player for Trump. She delivered a combative response against Biden when he delivered his State of the Union address in February, saying Bidens weakness puts the nation and world at risk.

However, allegations that her office illegally altered public records could make a comeback if she ends up on the ticket.

Ben Carson

SIOUX CITY, IOWA - OCTOBER 29: Former HUD Secretary Ben Carson endorses Republican presidential candidate former U.S. President Donald Trump during a campaign event with the former president on October 29, 2023 in Sioux City, Iowa. On Saturday, Trump joined other Republican presidential candidates when he addressed Republican Jewish Coalitions annual conference where his one-time vice president, Mike Pence, announced he was suspending his campaign.

Ben Carson, who served as the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development in the Trump administration, said he would be willing to serve as Trumps running mate when the former president ran in 2016.

Ultimately, Trump chose former Vice President Mike Pence for the spot. But Carsons name is now being floated again after the retired neurosurgeon endorsed him for the 2024 race.

If Carson were chosen however, it is unclear whether he would take the spot.

When Carson announced he would leave after Trumps first term, he was pressed in a 2019 Newsmax interview on whether he would be interested in serving in a second Trump administration. Carson said, I would be interested in returning to the private sector, because I think you have just as much influence  maybe more  there.

Marjorie Taylor Greene

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga. is seen at the House Oversight committee holds a hearing on the basis for an impeachment inquiry of President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. on Sep 28, 2023.

Staunch Trump supporter Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., told the Atlanta-Journal Constitution in August that it would be an honor if she was chosen for the vice president spot and would consider it very, very heavily.

Shes spoken at numerous Trump campaign events and was one of the 147 Republicans who voted to decertify the 2020 election results.

Greene also supports an impeachment inquiry against Biden - joining other Republican lawmakers in alleging Biden was involved in his family's business dealings as vice president - and accused him of treason, while defending Trump against his indictments.

However, Greenes far-right stances and rhetoric might not bode well for Trump if he is seeking to attract moderate Republicans to his base.

Elise Stefanik

Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., speaks at the Conservative Political Action Conference, CPAC 2023, Saturday, March 4, 2023, at National Harbor in Oxon Hill, Md.

Rumors about Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., being a possible running mate for Trump have also been floated, as she is one of the former presidents fiercest allies.

She endorsed Trump last year before he announced he was running. The endorsement came after the midterm elections, when some Republicans were blaming him for failing to generate a red wave, according to The Associated Press.

Stefanik has also criticized his indictments and filed ethics complaints with judges who have overseen cases related to the former president.

She is 39 and could appeal to younger women looking to back the former president. However, she is from New York, which has voted blue in recent presidential elections.

"Electoral considerations are often at play in Vice-Presidential selections, so someone who could help Republicans flip a state like Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, Nevada, Georgia, or Arizona could be especially helpful," Kall previously told USA TODAY.

Kari Lake

Though former Arizona gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake launched a Senate bid in October, there's some speculation that she could land higher office as Trumps potential running mate.

Lake, 54, has defended Trump against his criminal indictments and spread allegations that the 2020 election was stolen - despite evidence to the contrary.

She came out first in a poll conducted by the Conservative Political Action Conference in March that asked voters who they would like to see as the Republican candidate for vice president. Lake won 20% of the vote, topping the other candidates on the list.

However, she did lose the governors race in the midterms last year which could affect whether she has enough political standing to pull in more supporters to Trumps circle.

Vivek Ramaswamy

Businessperson Vivek Ramaswamy during the fourth Republican Presidential Primary Debate presented by NewsNation at the Frank Moody Music Building University of Alabama on Dec. 6, 2023 in Tuscaloosa, Ala.

Though businessman and self-proclaimed outsider Vivek Ramaswamy is competing for the Republican nomination, he has defended Trump numerous times on the campaign trail and acknowledged Trump was the best president of the 21st century.

Trump has also taken notice of Ramaswamys efforts, crowning him the winner of the first Republican debate in August.

"He's a very, very, very intelligent person. He's got good energy, and he could be some form of something. I tell you, I think he'd be very good, Trump said in August when asked by conservative host Glenn Beck what he thought of Ramaswamy as vice president.

However, Ramaswamy has no political experience, and he said he wasn't interested in playing for second place in an interview.

Donald Trump and I share something in common and that is that neither of us would do well in a number 2 position, he said on Fox News in August.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Who would Trump choose as vice president? See the potential candidates
Donald Trump has slammed a recent 2024 primary poll as a scam after it showed that Nikki Haley is now trailing him by a mere four points in New Hampshire.

The 21 December poll conducted by the American Research Group indicated that 33 per cent of likely New Hampshire GOP primary voters support the former president while 29 per cent support Ms Haley.

Fake New Hampshire poll was released on Birdbrain, Mr Trump said on Truth Social, referring to his former UN ambassador by his less-than-endearing nickname for her.

Just another scam! Ratings challenged FoxNews will play it to the hilt. Sununu now one of the least popular governors in the U.S. Real poll to follow, he continued.

The news comes after Ms Haley has recently received notable endorsements from New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu and the Koch brothers-backed Americans for Prosperity Action.

LinkedIn cofounder Reid Hoffman, a Democrat, has also donated a quarter of a million dollars to a pro-Haley super PAC.

Mr Hoffmans donation followed JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimons plea to Democratic donors to back Ms Haleys campaign.

Nikki Haley addresses guests during a campaign stop in Nevada, Iowa, on 18 December 2023 (Getty Images)

National polling has long shown Mr Trump has a substantial lead over his Republican rivals but there has been a recent growing shift among megadonors to support Ms Haley instead.

The former South Carolina governor has been on an upward swing in recent months. Her poll numbers have consistently risen in response to stellar debate performances.

Yet, despite her rising star, she has been reluctant to criticise the prominent frontrunner  a strategy that the former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie has repeatedly implemented.

That tactic seems to have paid off somewhat for Mr Christie. According to the new poll, Mr Christie also earned 13 per cent support from likely Republican voters in New Hampshire.

The 21 December poll also showed a widened gap between Ms Haley and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who have been neck-and-neck in other polls for months. This survey showed Mr DeSantis garnering just 6 per cent support.
In 2020, President Donald Trump gave a campaign speech in Minnesota railing against refugees and criticizing protests for racial justice. Toward the end, he wrapped up with standard lines from his stump speech and praise for the states pioneer lineage.

Then, Trump stopped to address his crowd of Minnesota supporters with an aside seeming to invoke a theory of genetic superiority.

You have good genes, you know that, right? You have good genes. A lot of it is about the genes, isnt it, dont you believe?, Trump told the audience. The racehorse theory, you think were so different? You have good genes in Minnesota.

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Trumps mention of the racehorse theory  the idea adapted from horse breeding that good bloodlines produce superior offspring  reflected a focus on bloodlines and genetics that Trump has had for decades, and one that has received renewed attention and scrutiny in his third bid for president.

In recent months, Trump has drawn widespread criticism for asserting that immigrants living in the United States illegally are poisoning the blood of our country, a phrase that he said first in a right-wing media interview and has in the past week repeated on the campaign trail.

As with the speech in 2020, Trumps remarks have been criticized by historians, Jewish groups and liberals, who said his language recalled the ideology of eugenics promulgated by Nazis in Germany and white supremacists in America.

In a radio interview Friday, Trump again defended his use of the phrase poisoning the blood. He dismissed criticism that his language echoed Nazi ideology by saying he was not a student of Hitler and that his statement used blood in crucially different ways, although he did not elaborate.

But much as news articles, biographers and books about his presidency have documented Trumps long interest in Adolf Hitler, they have also shown that Trump has frequently turned to the language of genetics as he discusses the superiority of himself and others.

Trump was talking publicly about his belief that genetics determined a persons success in life as early as 1988, when he told Oprah Winfrey that a person had to have the right genes in order to achieve great fortune.

He would connect those views to the racehorse theory in a CNN interview with Larry King in 2007.

You can absolutely be taught things. Absolutely. You can get a lot better, Trump told King. But there is something. You know, the racehorse theory, there is something to the genes. And I mean, when I say something, I mean a lot.

Three years later, he would tell CNN that he was a gene believer, explaining that when you connect two racehorses, you usually end up with a fast horse and likening his gene pool to that of successful thoroughbreds.

Michael DAntonio, who wrote a biography of Trump in 2015, has credited this view to Trumps father. DAntonio told PBS Frontline in a 2017 documentary that members of the Trump family believed that there are superior people, and that if you put together the genes of a superior woman and a superior man, you get a superior offspring.

In 2019, DAntonio told The New York Times that Trump had said that a persons genes at birth were a determining factor in their future, more so than anything they learned later.

Trump has not just promoted his own good genes, but has repeatedly lauded those of British business leaders, Christian evangelical leaders, a top campaign adviser and American industrialist Henry Ford.

A Trump campaign spokesperson, Steven Cheung, said in a statement that Trump in his radio interview had reiterated he is talking about criminals and terrorists who cross the border illegally.

Cheung added: Only the media is obsessed with racial genetics and bloodlines, and given safe haven for disgusting and vile antisemitic rhetoric to be spewed through their outlets.

Trumps political career and rise to the presidency are inextricably linked to anti-immigrant rhetoric, and his tone has only grown more severe in his third run for office.

In Fridays radio interview, conservative commentator Hugh Hewitt asked Trump to explain his use of the phrase, pressing him multiple times to respond to those who were outraged that the phrase resembled statements made by Hitler in his hate-filled manifesto, Mein Kampf.

Trump said he had no racist intentions behind the statement. Then, he added, I know nothing about Hitler. Im not a student of Hitler. I never read his works.

Trump has long had a documented interest in Hitler. A table by his bed once had a copy of Hitler speeches called My New Order, a gift from a friend that Ivana Trump, his first wife, said she had seen him occasionally leafing through.

He once asked his White House chief of staff why he lacked generals like those who reported to Hitler, calling those military leaders totally loyal to the Nazi dictator, according to a book on the Trump presidency by Peter Baker, a Times reporter, and Susan Glasser.

On another occasion, he told the same aide that well, Hitler did a lot of good things, according to Michael C. Bender, a journalist who is now a Times reporter, in a 2021 book about Trump.

Trump has denied making both comments. On Friday, he continued his defense by pointing out that his phrase  poisoning the blood  differed from passages in Mein Kampf in which Hitler uses poison and blood to lay out his views on how outsiders were ruining Aryan racial purity.

They say that he said something about blood, Trump said. He didnt say it the way I said it, either. By the way, its a very different kind of a statement. He did not explain the distinction.

In Mein Kampf, Hitler wrote that great civilizations declined because the originally creative race died out, as a result of contamination of the blood. At one point, Hitler links the poison which has invaded the national body to an influx of foreign blood.

Trump told Hewitt that he used poisoning the blood to refer to the immigrants coming from Asia, Africa and South America  although he did not mention Europeans  who he broadly claimed were coming from prisons and mental institutions. He added that he was not talking about a specific group, but rather immigrants from all over the world who dont speak our language.

Trump first directly addressed the comparisons between his remark and Hitlers comments Tuesday at a campaign event in Iowa, where he told hundreds of supporters that he had never read Mein Kampf.

The next day, the Biden campaign posted a graphic to social media that directly compared Trump to Hitler, using images of them both and listing three quotes from each of them.

Trump has also been accused by historians of echoing the language of fascist dictators, including Hitler. Last month, he described his political opponents as vermin that needed to be rooted out.

c.2023 The New York Times Company
Former President Trump said he would allow for a peaceful transfer of power at the end of his second term if he is reelected.

In a Friday interview with Trump, conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt asked the former president if he would peacefully surrender power at the end of another term if he is reelected.

I did that this time, Trump said about the 2020 election. And Ill tell you what, the election was rigged and we have plenty of evidence of it, but I did it anyway.

Trump continued, The other question you should ask is you should ask the other side will you cheat on the elections, because the only way were going to lose is if they cheat on the elections.

Trump and his supporters have falsely maintained that the 2020 election was rigged, leading some of his base to storm the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, in an attempt to stop the certification of the election results.

In the same interview, the former president tried to distance himself from recent comparisons to Nazi leader Adolf Hitler, saying he wasnt a student of him. Trump has been facing the aforementioned comparisons in connection with recent comments in which he has said immigrants are poisoning the blood of our country.

When you look at it, if you look at whats coming in, we have from all over the world  not one group  theyre coming in from Asia, from Africa, from South America; theyre coming from all over the world, Trump said in the interview. Theyre coming from mental institutions and insane asylums. Theyre terrorists, absolutely, thats poisoning our country, thats poisoning the blood of our country.

They have people coming in  we dont even know what the language is that they speak. We have nobody that speaks the language, and theyre loading up our classes, were loading up our classes, our school classes with children that dont speak the language, that dont speak our language, he continued. And nobody knows whats going on. No, we are poisoning our country; were poisoning the blood of our country.

Hewitts interview wasnt the only time this week that Trump has tried to distance himself from Hitler, who wrote in Mein Kampf that German blood was being poisoned by Jews.

Theyre destroying the blood of our country. Thats what theyre doing. Theyre destroying our country. They dont like it when I said that  and I never read Mein Kampf, Trump said at a rally in Iowa on Tuesday.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Actor Lee Sun-kyun of the Oscar-winning "Parasite" appeared before the police for the third time for questioning over his alleged drug use Saturday.

Lee arrived at an office of the Incheon Metropolitan Police Agency in Incheon, about 30 kilometers west of Seoul, with his lawyer.

Emerging from his car, the 48-year-old actor in a black suit faced reporters and said, "I once again offer my sincerest apologies for the troubles I've caused to many people."

Asked if he admits to the drug charges against him, he briefly answered, "I'll honestly answer this question during the questioning."

Lee is suspected of using marijuana and other illegal drugs at the home of a hostess working at a high-end bar in Seoul's Gangnam district on multiple occasions since early this year.

He was previously questioned twice, on Oct. 28 and Nov. 4, on the same case.

The upcoming questioning is likely to be the final one, as the police currently have no plans to summon him again.

However, they said it could last over 10 hours and extend into the night because they will question him over both the drug case and a related blackmail case.

In October, Lee filed a complaint against the hostess for consistently blackmailing him after news reports surfaced about his alleged drug use.

"With his consent, we can continue questioning him even after dark," a police official, well-versed in the ongoing probe, said on the condition of anonymity. "It's possible the questioning will finish late at night."

In the last questioning, Lee claimed he was tricked by the hostess into taking the drugs, and that he did not know what he was taking.

Lee tested negative in both the brief reagent test conducted during police investigations and the elaborate drug test by the National Forensic Service last month. (Yonhap)
After spending months lashing out at his closest Republican rival in the 2024 race, Donald Trump is now said to be considering her as his second in command if he retakes the White House.

Multiple insiders told Politico and CBS News that the former president has been asking allies what they think about him picking Nikki Haley as vice president if he secures the GOP nomination.

What do you think of Nikki? Mr Trump has reportedly asked.

The suggestion, however, has been widely panned by his inner circle, with the sources saying that Mr Trumps allies and advisors are trying to warn him off the idea  arguing that Ms Haley does not fit with his Maga base.

Many have also publicly slammed Ms Haley in an apparent bid to further dissuade the former president from seriously considering her.

Mr Trumps eldest son Don Jr recently said in a Newsmax interview that he will go to great lengths to make sure a Trump-Haley ticket doesnt emerge.

Meanwhile, former Fox News host Tucker Carlson said this week on his podcast that he plans to advocate against the union as strongly as I could.

Mr Trump has also thrown other names into the ring including South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem, Arizona Republican and staunch Maga loyalist Kari Lake, former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson, Senator Tim Scott, Senator J.D. Vance, Representative Byron Donalds and Representative Elise Stefanik, according to Politico.

Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley speaks during a town hall in Iowa on 18 December (AP)

But Mr Trumps consideration of Ms Haley as his vice president is surprising given he has repeatedly attacked her of late  and taken to calling her the offensive, childish nickname bird brain.

His fury at Ms Haley  the former South Carolina governor and former US ambassador to the United Nations  comes as she has emerged as his biggest Republican rival in the 2024 race.

While Florida Governor Ron DeSantis was initially seen as his main contender, it is Ms Haley who is closing in on Mr Trump in the polls  something that could actually make her the natural choice as his second in command.

A new poll, released by the American Research Group on Thursday, revealed that the former governor is now within four percentage points of Mr Trump in the New Hampshire Republican presidential primary.

In total, 29 per cent of respondents said that Ms Haley was their preferred candidate to 33 per cent for Mr Trump.

Another poll this week  the Emerson Colleges statewide poll of Iowa  also revealed that she had surged into second place.

Mr Trump was less than pleased about the New Hampshire poll, lashing out and calling it a scam on Truth Social on Friday.

FAKE NEW HAMPSHIRE POLL WAS RELEASED ON BIRDBRAIN. JUST ANOTHER SCAM! he ranted.

As Ms Haley narrows the gap with the frontrunner, she has begun pushing back on Mr Trumps ongoing attacks.

Speaking to supporters at a rally in Iowa this week, Ms Haley claimed that Mr Trump was merely getting nervous about her rising support.

Donald Trump is now attacking me. Thats the sound of us surging, she said.
Blood drive Friday

BOLIVAR  The American Red Cross will hold a blood drive from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday at Faith Baptist Church, 9481 Route 212. The event will honor the lives lost and those injured in November's bus crash, as well as thank first responders and hospital personnel for their work to care for the community that day, according to a news release.

All who come to donate will receive an exclusive Red Cross long-sleeved T-shirt. To make an appointment for the blood drive, visit RedCrossBlood.org and enter sponsor code FaithBaptist or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

Patrol Trooper and Dispatcher of the Year named

NEW PHILADELPHIA  Ohio State Highway Patrol Trooper Alex Carroll and dispatcher William Courtright have been selected as the 2023 Trooper of the Year and Dispatcher of the Year at the New Philadelphia Post.

Carroll, a 2012 graduate of New Philadelphia High School, joined the Ohio State Highway Patrol in 2017 and has served at the Lisbon and New Philadelphia posts.

Courtright, originally from West Lafayette, joined the Ohio State Highway Patrol in 2012.

Carroll is now in contention for the District and State Trooper of the Year Award. Courtright is now in contention for the District and State Dispatcher of the Year Award. Both awards will be announced at a later date.

A first quarter, 54.3 percent, Moon is seen Tuesday, Dec. 19, from downtown New Philadelphia. The first quarter moon occurs halfway between the new moon and full moon, appearing like a half-illuminated circle.

Meeting rescheduled; councilperson needed

BOLIVAR  The Village of Bolivar Planning Commission meeting normally scheduled for the first Monday of the month has been rescheduled for 5:30 p.m. Jan. 2 in the Council Chambers at 117 Canal St NE because of the holiday.

The village is looking for a councilperson to fill a vacancy. Anyone interested should submit a letter of intent to Village Administrator Levi Kaser at villageadministrator@villageofbolivar.com or drop off a copy in the outside dropbox located at the village offices at 109 Canal St. NE. Applications will be accepted until Friday. Interviews will be scheduled for Jan. 2 and 3.

Claymont Foundation accepting scholarship applications

DENNISON  The Claymont Foundation 2024-25 scholarship applications are available for current Claymont High School seniors, current college students who graduated from Claymont, and sophomores who will attend Buckeye Career Center. The deadline to apply is 3 p.m. Feb. 14 for the Current High School Senior Scholarships and the Current College Student Scholarships. The deadline to apply is 3 p.m. March 8 for the Buckeye Career Center Scholarships. Applications are at https://www.claymontschools.org/Scholarships.aspx.

The 2024-25 Buckeye Career Center Scholarships are awarded to first-year students who will attend Buckeye Career Center enrolled in Construction Technology, Electrical Systems Technology, Welding, Energy Operations, HVAC, Masonry and Precision Machining programs. The $500 scholarships will cover tuition, lab fees, materials and supplies, such as uniforms, boots or tools.

The 2024-25 Current High School Senior Scholarships are awarded to Claymont Seniors who are planning to attend trade school, community college, or universities. These scholarships cover tuition, computers, supplies, books and university/college/school owned housing. Scholarship awards will be based on essays, grade-point averages and activities, honors and awards.

The 2024-25 Current College Student Scholarships are awarded to current college students who are Claymont graduates and who attend trade schools, community colleges, or universities. These scholarships cover tuition, computers, supplies, books and university/college/school owned housing. Scholarship awards will be based on essays, grade-point averages and length of time remaining to receive a degree.

Two types of scholarships  academic-merit based and financial-need based  are available for Current High School Seniors and Current College Student. If the student chooses to apply for the need-based application, the parents or the head of household must submit the most recently filed federal income tax return.

For more information, contact Martha Campbell at foundation@claymontschools.org.

Fairfield Township trustees to meet

DOVER  The Fairfield Township Board of Trustees will have its year-end meeting at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at 4738 Johnstown Road to reorganize for 2024. There will be no meeting Jan. 3.

Reeves Foundation grants being accepted

DOVER  The next meeting of the Reeves Foundation Board of Trustees is in February. Grant applications should be submitted by Jan. 24.

Local nonprofits that address the needs of the community are encouraged to contact the Foundation at its Dover office for grant application information by email at office@reevesfound.org or by calling 330-364-4660.

Requests of all sizes are considered but organizations must be 501(c)(3) certified. Emphasis is placed on capital-type expenditures rather than on operating funds.

Conservation board sets meetings

DOVER  The Tuscarawas Soil and Water Conservation District Board will meet at 8 a.m. at 85 E. Iron Ave. on Jan. 9, Feb. 13, March 12, April 9, May 14, June 11, July 9, Aug. 13, Sept. 10, Oct. 8, Nov. 12 and Dec. 10.

Meeting rescheduled

MINERAL CITY  Because of the New Year holiday, the Mineral-Sandy Ambulance Districts regularly scheduled meeting for January will be postponed one week to 7 p.m. Jan 8 at the Mineral City Volunteer Fire Station.

Sen. Landis appointed chairman of committee

Senate President Matt Huffman (R-Lima) has appointed state Sen. Al Landis (R-Dover) as chairman of the Senate's Community Revitalization Committee.

"It is an honor and privilege to serve as chair for this committee," said Landis. "I look forward to working alongside my colleagues to hear legislation that improves our economy, health, and other priorities in our communities, as we continue to make Ohio the best place to live, work, and raise a family."

Ohioans can follow Senate committees live on OhioSenate.gov and OhioChannel.org.

This article originally appeared on The Repository: Tuscarawas County roundup: News from the Dover-New Philadelphia area
By Kanishka Singh

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Twitter violated contracts by failing to pay millions of dollars in bonuses that the social media company, now called X Corp, had promised its employees, a federal judge ruled on Friday.

Mark Schobinger, who was Twitter's senior director of compensation before leaving Elon Musk's company in May, sued Twitter in June, claiming breach of contract.

Schobinger's suit alleged that before and after billionaire Musk bought Twitter last year, it promised employees 50% of their 2022 target bonuses but never made those payments.

In denying Twitter's motion to dismiss the case, U.S. District Judge Vince Chhabria ruled that Schobinger plausibly stated a breach of contract claim under California law and he was covered by a bonus plan.

"Once Schobinger did what Twitter asked, Twitter's offer to pay him a bonus in return became a binding contract under California law. And by allegedly refusing to pay Schobinger his promised bonus, Twitter violated that contract," the judge wrote.

X no longer has a media relations office. The company did not immediately respond to a request for comment to its X account outside business hours.

Twitter's lawyers argued that the company made only an oral promise that was not a contract, and that Texas law should govern the case, according to Courthouse News, which first reported the ruling. The judge ruled that California law governed the case and that "Twitter's contrary arguments all fail."

X has been hit with numerous lawsuits by former employees and executives since Musk bought the company and culled more than half of its workforce.

The lawsuits make a range of claims, including that X discriminated against older employees, women and workers with disabilities, and failed to give advance notice of mass layoffs. The company denies wrongdoing.

(Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Washington; Editing by William Mallard)
UPDATE 12/26  State Police have released new details about a head-on crash in Dauphin County that sent two people to the hospital.

State Police report that a 2004 Toyota Tacoma being driven by a 18-year-old male from Halifax over-compensated when he took a right-hand curve. He crashed head-on into a 2021 Honda CRV being driven by a 49-year-old female from Millersburg.

Both sustained suspected serious injuries, the crash report reads. The teen was transported to the hospital by ambulance while the woman was flown for treatment.

The crash caused a closure of Peters Mountain Road for two hours.

Original story is below

DAUPHIN COUNTY, Pa. (WHTM) Two people were sent to the hospital after a head-on crash in Dauphin County Thursday, Dec. 21.

According to a Facebook post from Halifax Fire Department, first responders were called just after 6:30 a.m. to the 2900 block of Peters Mountain Road for a reported crash with entrapment.

Once arriving on scene, crews saw that two people were stuck in the wreckage and went to work freeing them. The post reads that it took 12 minutes for one person to be rescued and then 25 minutes for the other person.

PSP: CA teen charged for making swatting calls since June in Cumberland, Franklin counties

The two people were then rushed to the hospital after they were freed. A medical helicopter was called to the scene.

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The crash caused a closure for Peters Mountain Road as crews worked at the scene.

The fire company thanked everyone who helped out in the post; We would like to thank all of our mutual aid partners and the bystanders who assisted prior to our arrival.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC27.
Who still has the luxury of believing in the two-state solution? Not the people whose families were slaughtered on October 7, nor parents with sons on the frontlines. To many of them, a Palestinian state must feel like a bizarre response to the worst atrocity in Israels history. But in London and Washington, the concept is back in fashion.

It may have been dead in the water for more than twenty years, but politicians are out of ideas. For everyone else, supporting the notion is a way of winning themselves a halo. It is designed to advertise that they are profoundly even-handed. It is, in other words, a luxury belief.

People say you should never lose hope. Dont get me wrong: in an ideal world, a democratic Palestine living in peace alongside its Jewish neighbour would be wonderful. The alternative is managing the mess, and look how thats working out. But in this most intractable of problems, wishful thinking wont get you very far. Believing in fairies doesnt make Tinkerbell real. In fact, according to the reverse Tinkerbell effect, blind belief sometimes makes things worse. You keep repeating the same mistakes.

The Biden administration, for instance, reportedly hopes to find new West Bank talent to replace the corrupt and authoritarian Palestinian leadership. But the closest approximation, the charismatic campaigner Nizar Banat, died in Palestinian police custody in 2021. His family filed a case with the International Criminal Court, having lost confidence in the Palestinian Authoritys judiciary. Will the Americans succeed in bringing someone else forward now?

The challenges run much deeper. Because the Palestinian cause is totemic across the Muslim world, the West Bank and Gaza mirror the divisions of the wider region. Some factions align with the Saudi alliance, while others cleave to Irans Shia axis or Islamist states such as Qatar and Turkey. After Israel withdrew from Gaza, Hamas seized power in a coup and October 7 was the result. Palestinian unity has always been a chimera.

Last week, beleaguered Benjamin Netanyahu took credit for putting the brakes on a Palestinian state, arguing that the West Bank would otherwise be part of Hamastan. This was a clear appeal to his Right-wing voters. But even if he is voted out, uncomfortable realities are not so easily removed.

In truth, Israelis have been pursuing two-states for decades, with blood and tears the only result. It began with the Oslo Accords in the 1990s. Israel commenced its withdrawal and Palestinian autonomy started to emerge under a five-year roadmap.

But while Yasser Arafat was talking peace in English, his Arabic speeches were a stream of extremism and rejectionism. Western diplomats chose to put their fingers in their ears and in 2000, the Palestinians unleashed the Second Intifada.

The peace efforts were rewarded with suicide bombings. Progressives were stunned. How could their grand project have collapsed into hell? Was it really due to the trifling insult of Ariel Sharon visiting Temple Mount? Amid the agony and betrayal, the Israeli Left lost credibility. It has never recovered.

Despite the complexity and bad thinking, the core of the problem has always been that Palestinians are taught to be allergic to a Jewish state. You cant make peace on a diplomatic level when from cradle to grave, Israelophobia is widespread in Palestinian society. Schools teach children to glorify terrorists. But the West has been unable to look this in the eye.

The Palestinians have always been used as a canvas for western neuroses and politics. This costs lives. The Israeli-Arab conflict isnt about our own self image. And fresh thinking is impossible if the starting point is a patronising fantasy indulged by boys who never grow up.

Jake Wallis Simons is editor of the Jewish Chronicle and author of Israelophobia

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Hawaii Gov. Josh Green has appointed Democrat Tyson Miyake to represent Wailuku-Waikapu, Maui, in the Hawaii House of Representatives.

Miyake takes over the seat previously held by Democratic Rep. Troy Hashimoto, who was appointed by the governor to represent Wailuku-Waikapu in the Hawaii Senate. The Senate seat became open when Democratic Sen. Gil Keith-Agaran left at the end of October to represent victims of the Aug. 8 Maui wildfires as an attorney.

Prior to his appointment, Miyake, 41, worked as a government and corporate affairs consultant. He also served as chief of staff to former Maui Mayor Mike Victorino from February 2020 to January 2023, after his previous role as deputy county managing director from 2019 to 2020.

He also serves as a director on the American Cancer Society Hawaii Pacific board and mentors students at the Maui High School Academy of Hospitality and Tourism. He previously served on the executive board of the Boy Scouts of America.

Green, a Democrat, celebrated Miyake's appointment and touted his experience as a public servant in a written statement.

"Tyson has a great history of passion and work in service to the people of Maui, Green said. His experience working in the private sector for his family business, for one, coupled with his public service at the top levels of the Maui County government, makes him a clear choice to represent the people of his home district, especially at this crucial time in Maui history.

The Miyake appointment ensures Maui has a seated representative in the 51-member House as state lawmakers gear up for the next legislative session that begins Jan. 18. Miyake took his oath of office on Dec. 15.

Miyake signaled that he will focus on initiatives aimed at assisting Maui residents.

I promise to work hard on the important issues for our state, like affordable housing, quality education, and economic development, Miyake said in a written statement. Equally as important, I want to use my experience to be a strong advocate for Maui and our communitys needs, especially as we start our road to recovery. I look forward to working with the Governor and my colleagues at the legislature to truly help make life better for our local families.

Jeremy Yurow is a politics reporting fellow based in Hawaii for the USA Today Network. Reach him at jeremy.yurow@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Tyson Miyake joins Hawaii state house
Michael Gove, UK Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, has called on Mayor of London Sadiq Khan in an open letter to send cars that do not meet environmental requirements and which are due to be scrapped to Ukraine.

Source: Ukrinform with reference to the relevant letter on the UK governments website

Quote: "As the war in Ukraine is now well into its second year, I am keen to use every lever at our disposal to offer steadfast, meaningful support to its courageous people. I was therefore extremely disappointed and surprised to learn that the Greater London Authority was not proposing to support Ukraine through the provision of vehicles that would otherwise be scrapped under the ULEZ scrappage scheme."

Details: Gove pointed out that the ULEZ scrappage scheme was developed on the basis of environmental improvements in air quality by removing unsuitable vehicles from the streets. "I am sure that you would agree that taking these same vehicles off Londons roads  and thus achieving the same environmental benefits  whilst supporting the efforts in Ukraine, is preferable simply to scrapping them," he added.

Gove urged the mayor to be understanding of this request and assured him that he would do everything possible to help Ukrainians with the cars from London that are to be scrapped.

Background: Sadiq Khan previously refused a request by Kyiv Mayor Vitalii Klitschko to send cars that had been handed over by London residents as part of a programme to combat harmful emissions to Ukraine.

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Flights to and from Korea's southern island of Jeju were normalized Saturday, airport authorities said, after cancellations and delays caused by a strong snowstorm left tens of thousands of travelers stranded.

A total of 254 departure flights and 256 arrival flights are scheduled at Jeju International Airport on Saturday, according to the Korea Airports.

More than 280 flights were canceled the previous day as the airport closed its runways for nearly eight hours, from around 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., to clear the snow. Another 26 flights were delayed, while three planes were forced to turn back.

The disruption occurred on Thursday and Friday as a snowstorm hit the island amid a nationwide cold wave, causing passengers at the airport to wait in lines over 100 meters long to try to change their flights.

Jeju received snowfall of up to about 20 centimeters between Wednesday and late Thursday afternoon, with the peak of Mount Halla, the highest mountain on Jeju, recording a cumulative snowfall of 59.6 cm in the same period. (Yonhap)
Ben Wallace has called on the Government to send 4x4s that have been scrapped under Sadiq Khans Ulez scheme to Ukraine for Christmas.

The former defence secretary claimed it appears likely ministers will sign off on sending scrapped cars to the front line following a Telegraph campaign, and urged them to give the green light on Christmas Eve.

His intervention comes amid a political row after The Daily Telegraph revealed that the London Mayor rejected a request from Kyiv to donate scrapped cars to the war effort, finally backtracking on Friday.

Mr Wallace, the former defence secretary, said: Despite recent controversy over the proposed project to send ageing Chelsea tractors from Kensington to Kyiv, this enlightened idea must come to fruition.

It can be done quickly  now, in fact  since the hold-up is over a simple bureaucratic issue that is easily overcome.

With immediate action from the Transport Secretary and logistical support from the Ministry of Defence, we can get this process moving and hand Ukraine a much-deserved Christmas present.

So lets do it and stop the squabbling, he added.

The Telegraph understands there is cross departmental desire and willingness to make it possible to send the 4x4s to Ukraine.

A Government source added that it was standing ready to help identify options to resolve the issue.

Mr Khan expanded his controversial Ultra-low emissions zone to cover the entirety of Greater London in August and announced that motorists could claim a one-off 2,000 payment to scrap non-compliant vehicles, which tend to be 4x4s and pick-up trucks.

Most diesel cars registered before September 2015 and petrol cars registered before January 2006 do not comply with his pollution rules.

There are an estimated 700,000 such vehicles in the Greater London area which would cost 12.50 to drive through the zone.

In September Vitali Klitschko, the mayor of Kyiv, wrote to Mr Khan asking for access to the scrapped vehicles, saying they had enormous potential to provide life-saving aid to the war-effort against Russia.

Once in Ukraine, vehicles are painted with camouflage and fitted with machine guns or rocket launchers.

Mr Khan responded in December, claiming that they could not be donated because the move would not benefit Londoners environmentally, economically, or socially  a stipulation under the Greater London Authority Act 1999 which outlines his mayoral powers.

His refusal triggered a backlash from Tory ministers and prompted Michael Gove, the Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Secretary, to look at ways the vehicles could be donated and whether the section of the Act could be overruled.

Grant Shapps, the Defence Secretary, also said he was working with ministers to get vehicles to Ukraine.

On Friday Mr Khan backed down on his refusal in a letter to Transport Secretary Mark Harper, written with Mr Wallace, urging him to make it possible for Londoners, and others across the country, to donate suitable vehicles to Ukraine through scrappage schemes.

The letter suggested the way to enable Londoners to donate suitable vehicles to Ukraine through scrappage schemes was to alter the national regulations for the certificate of destruction, so that instead of requiring proof that a vehicle has been permanently scrapped, it enables the export of suitable vehicles to Ukraine.

But Mr Harper retaliated on Saturday, asking why the Labour Mayor took three months to ask for Government help to send 4x4s to Ukraine.

Mr Harper said: Given your Ulez expansion scrappage scheme has been in effect since August 2023, I am surprised that you have not made contact until now given the clear opportunity that your scrappage scheme could provide in allowing roadworthy vehicles to be sent to Ukraine.

With deliveries of weapons and vehicles from its allies drying up, Ukraines forces are fighting to hold back waves of Russian attacks targeting eastern towns and cities.

Kyrylo Budanov, Ukraines head of military intelligence, said he saw no alternative to a massive mobilisation to bolster Ukraines forces for the year ahead, with Volodymyr Zelensky saying his generals had asked him to call up 500,000 men.

A defence source told The Telegraph: The ball is definitely in the Mayors court on this. The Government is keen to make this scheme work.

The Defence Secretary wants Ukraine and its people to get all the support we can give.. and for it not to be blocked by a Labour mayor grandstanding over technicalities.

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A senior Ukrainian Defence Ministry official has been detained over allegations he embezzled 1.5 billion Ukrainian hryvnia ($40 million) relating to an artillery shells contract, according to the Ukrainian Security Service (SBU).

The SBU says the official signed an agreement with a special export company to purchase a wholesale batch of artillery shells in December last year.

However, a more favourable contract for the supply was later signed with the same manufacturer  one that did not involve intermediaries. The SBU said this significantly shortened the delivery time and reduced the cost of the products.

According to the SBU, the defense official extended the original  more expensive - contract and funds totalling 1.5 billion Ukrainian hryvnia ($40 million) were transferred to the accounts of an affiliated foreign intermediary firm.

The SBU says it has found documents confirming the illegal activity. The official faces up to 15 years in prison if found guilty.

The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense said it was taking measures to try to recover the funds.

According to the Head of the Press and Information Department of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense, Illarion Pavliuk, the contract was one in which payment was made, but no deliveries had taken place. As a result, he said lawyers were looking at options to terminate the contract and recover the funds.

In September, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky fired his Defence Minister, Oleksii Reznikov, citing the need for new approaches amid a number of corruption scandals involving Ukraines Ministry of Defense.

Rustem Umerov, the former peoples deputy of Ukraine, was appointed as his replacement.

The following month, CNN reported that the US was increasingly urging Ukraine to do more to combat governmental corruption. Officials said Washington had issued several notices to Kyiv indicating that certain kinds of US economic aid will be linked to Ukraines progress in reforming its institutions.

Zelensky sought to address concerns about corruption when he travelled to Washington DC and met US Senators this month. The issue has also become more pressing after the EU agreed to open membership talks with Ukraine.

CNNs Natasha Bertrand, Alex Marquardt, Josh Pennington, Jonny Hallam and Tim Lister contributed reporting.

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According to the contract, the rate of delivery of the AQ-400 Scythe long-range kamikaze drones will be 50 units per month, and by the second quarter of 2024, their production should increase tenfold

Oleh Katkov, editor-in-chief of the Defense Express military portal, told NV about the capabilities of Ukraines new AQ-400 Scythe long-range kamikaze drone and which enemy targets it will likely be used against.

The military has recently received the first batch of domestically produced long-range kamikaze drones AQ-400 Scythe.

AQ-400 Scythe has a range of 750 km and a cruising speed of 144 km/h, according to the declared characteristics. At the same time, the drone can stay in the air for six and a half hours and carry 32 kg of explosive payload. However, according to the developer, the payload mass can be increased to 70 kg at the cost of a reduced flight range. The drone can be launched from a short runway or a catapult.

The UAVs body is made of milled sheets of plywood from several furniture factories, which the makers say is more scalable for mass production  compared to 3D printing or using materials such as fiberglass, Forbes reported on Dec. 17.

The basic Scythe airframe costs around $15,000, and this rises to around $30,000 with guidance systems and other extras, Forbes added.

The Scythe is a modular, flexible system with payload bays that can be easily modified for different missions. As an optional extra, Scythe can also have a video link to the operator, turning it into a giant FPV kamikaze UAV, able to pick out and attack moving targets with high precision.

Under a new contract, the company is now delivering Scythe drones  currently starting at 50 a month but scaling up rapidly to around 500 a month by Q2 2024.

Our goal is to produce 1,000 units monthly, cofounder Francisco Serra-Martins told Forbes.

Read also: What are Ukraines war goals for 2024

But it is not realistic to achieve that in just one quarter.

NV asked Katkov to talk about the new long-range drone and assess its characteristics.

NV: Whats the main feature of the Ukrainian kamikaze drone AQ-400 Scythe?

Katkov: Its cheap. In addition to the technical parameters declared by the developer, such as range and payload mass, when it comes to long-range aircraft-projectiles, its crucial to evaluate their cost. Because such means of destruction can fulfill their conceptual tasks only if they are mass produced and widely used.

Look, when Russia launches an average of over 300 Shahed drones at Ukraine every month, Ukraines air defense generally neutralizes 85-90% of them. But despite this, a certain number of Shahed drones still break through and cause damage, while diverting significant resources to counter them.

Therefore, on the part of Ukraine, we should be talking about both similar volumes and similar concentrated use of kamikaze drones for strikes deep into enemy territory. Moreover, such means of destruction are apparently the only way for Ukraine to launch long-range strikes on enemy territory, given the ban on using Western weapons to strike Russias sovereign territory.

As for the stated conditions for launching the AQ-400 Scythe from a catapult or runway, I may be downplaying that feature, but such drones can be launched even from the roof of a car that accelerates on a straight section of a track, or even make a UAV on a landing gear that detaches after the drone is airborne. That is, the cheaper the launch, the better.

NV: How justified is the use of a box-shaped body made of plywood in this UAV?

Katkov: This drone may seem somewhat ridiculous or non-futuristic to someone, but if its body is really made of plywood, its really great. Of course, plywood is cheaper than carbon fiber or any other polymer material. And this is absolutely the right decision. After all, were talking about a one-time drone design, whose main purpose is to fly once and hit the target.

Read also: Ukraine launches serial production of $2,000 cobra strike drone, outpacing global competitors

Therefore, such a device should not be subject to the same requirements as aerial vehicles designed for long-term operation. Because I repeat, the aircraft-projectiles mission is to take a single flight, which can objectively last up to six hours. Therefore, its entire construction should be designed exclusively for a single use. And its low cost plays directly into this.

As for the box-shaped body, its easier to produce it. After all, if you have to bend, for example, high-density plywood, it will lead to higher product costs.

NV: The manufacturer claims it can increase the payload weight from 32 kg to 70 kg by reducing the range. In your opinion, how low could the range be in this case?

Katkov: I wont speculate on it since only a developer can make such calculations. But whether it makes sense to double the drone destructive payload at the expense of the range will depend on the defined targets.

NV: And what kind of targets would be suitable for AQ-400?

Katkov: First of all, these are objects that can be destroyed using a relatively small payload. For example, enemy warehouses with fuel and lubricants, power substations, etc.

It should be noted that, judging by the design, completely different payloads can be used in such a kamikaze drone.

If were talking about hitting, lets say, enemy oil storage, its objectively better to use incendiary ammunition.

If we replace the payload with a more fragmentary than high-explosive one, then we have other targets, such as enemy airbases. After all, in this way its possible to ensure a larger area of destruction and, when using a specialized fragmentary payload and its proper detonation, a larger number of pieces of enemy equipment will be damaged.

Thermobaric ammunition can also be used with the drone, but its expensive.

NV: Is such a plywood drone capable of overcoming Russian air defense and radio electronic warfare systems?

Katkov: Its necessary to understand that in any case we should prepare for the fact that up to 90% of kamikaze drones will be shot down.

Read also: Ukraine to produce a million drones in 2024  Zelenskyy

Of course, the Russians wont immediately reach this figure and will have to withdraw their anti-aircraft missile systems from the front and form their own mobile groups to counter Ukrainian drones. In other words, redirect their resources to dealing with this threat.

And even if they do that, and they shoot down 90% of launched drones, 10% will still break through. And to prevent this 90% from breaking through, the enemy will be forced to redistribute its resources from the front to the rear.

Thats why we should be talking about mass production of kamikaze drones.

NV: In this case, how dangerous is it that the new Ukrainian drone could fall into the enemys hands as a trophy? After all, the Russians can also launch large-scale production of similar cheap drones.

Katkov: First of all, we should understand that there is nothing in these drones that could be a secret. Well, yes, its known that its made of plywood and civilian components. But it doesnt have anything innovative. And thats great. Because otherwise the Scythe would be much more expensive.

However, now the Russians have bet on the Shahed drones, which they received in exchange for Su-35 fighter jets and the transfer of missile and nuclear technologies to Iran. And the Russians are even starting to localize the production of drones in their own country, but on the basis of the same Shahed as the already developed and existing design. Thus, they reduced the time to get their own kamikaze drones.

Although, of course, there is a possibility that someone in Russia will produce something similar, receive appropriate state funding, and produce plywood kamikaze drones. And this is also a threat.

NV: The developer of the AQ-400 Scythe says it can ramp up production of these drones from the current 50 pieces a month to 500, and eventually to 1,000. Is that realistic, and if so, who should finance the production?

Katkov: Regarding contracting, of course, only the state can provide it in necessary volumes.

Lets see, the cost of the drone announced by the developer is $15,000, and he said he can produce 500 pieces a month. This is a total of $7.5 million a month. I dont know how much volunteer foundations raise funds for all needs, but if they manage to raise that amount every month, thats cool.

Read also: Russian drones outnumber Ukraines seven to one, says army commander

However, if were talking about such volumes of production, there is a practice when a developer or manufacturer can transfer a conditional license and enable production at other enterprises.

We should realize that when it comes to mass production, everything shouldnt rest on the capabilities of just one developer or manufacturer, but it should be about scaling production at the expense of all available industrial capacities.

Such an approach is quite possible and would be correct. After all, the more such UAVs fly over Russian territory, the better it will be for Ukraine.

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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
Analysts at the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) have stated that Ukraine is likely to receive its first batch of F-16 fighter jets by the end of 2023.

Source: Institute for the Study of War (ISW)

Details: The analysts reiterated that Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte confirmed during a telephone conversation with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on 22 December that the Dutch government would prepare the first 18 F-16 fighter jets for delivery to Ukraine.

Quote: "While Rutte did not confirm the timeline for F-16 delivery, a recent Estonian Ministry of Defense strategy document stated that the Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, and Belgium have already committed to donating F-16s to Ukraine before the end of the year [2023]."

Background:

On 22 December, the Netherlands decided to start preparations for the delivery of the first 18 F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine. Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said that "the provision of F-16s is one of the most important elements of the agreements on military support for Ukraine".

Earlier, it was reported that France would join the training of Ukrainian pilots on Western fighters starting in 2024.

A F-16 training centre was opened in Romania in November with the assistance of the Netherlands. It will also accept Ukrainians.

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Key developments on Dec. 22:

Zelensky meets Polish foreign minister, hopes for new page in bilateral relations

Netherlands to prepare 18 F-16s for delivery to Ukraine

Russian attacks Kyiv, hits high-rise

Air Force: Ukraine downs 3 Russian Su-34 supersonic aircraft

Biden administration strengthens sanctions on Russia, targets financial backers of war effort

The Netherlands will start preparing the initial 18 F-16 jets for their delivery to Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on Dec. 22, following a call with Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte.

The Netherlands and Denmark led the way in the summer of 2023 in forming an international coalition that would train Ukrainian pilots to fly F-16 jets. In November, the Dutch Defense Ministry said it would send up to 18 F-16s to Romania for training purposes only.

Rutte confirmed the decision on preparation in a post on X, adding that a number of criteria must be met before the delivery, including obtaining an export permit and satisfying requirements for personnel and infrastructure.

"This decision confirms the Netherlands undiminished commitment to providing Ukraine with the support it needs to respond to the ongoing Russian aggression," Rutte said.

Read also: Netherlands to deliver 18 F-16s to Ukraine

Zelensky meets Polish foreign minister, hopes to relaunch bilateral relations

President Volodymyr Zelensky told Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski that there was hope for "a new page in our relations" during their meeting in Kyiv on Dec. 22.

Tensions between Poland and Ukraine have risen in recent months, as Polish truckers and farmers continue a blockade of some of the busiest border checkpoints with Ukraine. Some 3,900 trucks were waiting in line to enter Ukraine from Poland on Dec.22, according to Ukraine's Border Guard Service.

"We both agree that our bilateral relations need a boost, and that all concerns ought to be resolved in a mutually respectful manner," Zelensky said. "We are very strong neighbors with a common history."

Polish Deputy Infrastructure Minister Pawel Gancarz joined Sikorski in Kyiv for talks on the border protests, according to reports in Polish media. He said Poland and Ukraine are finalizing the details of an agreement that could unblock the border, hoping "the problem will be solved before Christmas," Polish media outlet Wiadomosci reported.

Read also: Zelensky meets Polish foreign minister, hopes for new page in bilateral relations

Russian drone strike attacks across Ukraine kill 1, injure at least 4

Russian attacks across Ukraine, including a drone attack on Kyiv, killed one person and injured at least four overnight on Dec. 21, regional authorities reported.

Russia launched a drone attack on Kyiv overnight, wounding two people, one of whom was hospitalized, Kyiv City Military Administration Head Serhii Popko reported.

A drone damaged a high-rise apartment in the capital's Solomianskyi district, causing a fire on the building's upper floors. Debris from intercepted drones reportedly fell on a home in Kyiv's Darnytskyi district, causing another fire but no casualties.

According to the Air Force, Russia launched its attack with 28 Shahed drones. Ukraine reportedly shot down 24 of them over Kyiv, Odesa, Mykolaiv, Kherson, Zhytomyr, Rivne, and Khmelnytskyi oblasts.

Russian attacks in Kherson Oblast killed one person and injured two, said Governor Oleksandr Prokudin.

Biden administration strengthens sanctions on Russia, targets financial backers of war

U.S. President Joe Biden signed a new executive order on Dec. 22 that will strengthen the U.S.' sanctions against Russia while also targeting financial institutions that help support Russia's war effort, the White House said in a press release.

The executive order expands sanctions authority over any financial institutions "determined to have conducted or facilitated any significant transactions...or provided any services" for already sanctioned individuals or companies involved in Russia's military-industrial complex.

"Today we are taking steps to level new and powerful tools against Russias war machine," said Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen on Dec. 22. "And we will not hesitate to use the new tools provided by this authority to take decisive and surgical action against financial institutions that facilitate the supply of Russias war machine.

The order will also ban the export of any diamonds originating in or manufactured in Russia. The move follows EU's 12th round of sanctions against Russia, which also included a ban on Russian diamonds, a crackdown on Russia's acquisition of military-use goods, tighter controls over the $60-per-barrel oil price cap, and further steps targeting Moscow's revenue.

The news on expanded sanctions comes amid media reports of booming trade between Russia and China. Chinese-Russian bilateral trade hit $218 billion in 11 months of 2023, surpassing the $200 billion goal the two countries set in 2019, according to the reports.

Read also: Biden administration strengthens sanctions on Russia, target financial backers of war effort

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Oleksii Makeiev, Ukraines Ambassador to Germany, has denied that the German government is putting pressure on Ukraine to start peace talks with Russia after a German magazine reported a secret "Russia dinner" took place in the German embassy in Washington, DC.

Source: European Pravda, with reference to Politico

Details: Der Spiegel published a story on Friday, 22 December, alleging that a secret "Russia dinner" took place in the German embassy in Washington, DC in late October. This has given rise to speculations about Germany putting pressure on Ukraine.

Der Spiegel reported that during the dinner Wolfgang Schmidt, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz's closest aide and the head of the chancellery, reportedly praised a proposal by US think tanker Samuel Charap to end the war in Ukraine through a negotiated settlement with Russia, because neither side is capable of winning the war. One of the people present during the dinner said that Schmidt "euphorically" praised Charaps proposal.

In a podcast interview with the German public broadcaster RRB, Oleksii Makeiev, the Ukrainian Ambassador in Berlin, denied the German government was pushing Kyiv to accept peace talks with Russia that could lead to a permanent loss of Ukrainian territory.

The pressure was "also not" happening behind closed doors, Makeiev added.

An official from the German chancellery told Politico that Schmidt rejects the "unfounded assertions" in Der Spiegel.

"Scholz and other Western leaders have repeatedly stressed that Kyiv alone should decide when and under which conditions it reaches a peace deal with Moscow," Politico wrote.

Earlier this month, Jens Plotner, German Chancellors Foreign and Security Policy Advisor, and Andrii Yermak, Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, wrote in a joint op-ed that "a simple cease-fire today would be tantamount to legitimising Russias land grab and pave the way for yet another frozen conflict."

Background:

On 23 December, The New York Times reported that Russian President Vladimir Putin has been sending signals through intermediaries since at least September that he is ready to agree to a ceasefire in the war of aggression against Ukraine, which would include freezing hostilities on the current contact line.

During a press conference on 14 December, Putin declared that the war against Ukraine will end when he achieves all his goals: "denazification, demilitarisation and neutral status for Ukraine".

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Photo: Ukrainska Pravda

Ukraine's Defence Ministry is considering the possibility of notifying men to report to the military enlistment offices via electronic draft notices.

Source: Ukraine's Defence Minister Rustem Umierov in an interview with Suspilne, Ukraine's public broadcaster

Details: The broadcaster stressed that, as Umierov said, the defence ministry is considering the possibility of notifying men of the need to report to the military enlistment offices via electronic notification.

At the same time, the minister added that Ukrainian citizens abroad will also receive similar notices: "If we decide on the categories, we will send notifications to everyone."

Umierov further noted that the defence ministry is working on technical solutions to make the process civilised.

Quote from Umierov: "We have analysed various databases. We'll decide how to record this data. After all, is this a person liable for military service, a serving soldier, or a veteran?

Once registered, we will decide whether this category of men will be called up for military service or not. Therefore, this is a rather colossal mechanism that needs to be discussed step by step."

Background:

Lauri Laanemets, Estonian Interior Minister, indicated that Estonia is ready to assist Ukraine in drafting Ukrainian citizens if necessary.

The Verkhovna Rada (Ukrainian parliament) is discussing the possibility of serving draft notices via email and registered mail.

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(Reuters) - The head of Ukraine's eastern-rite Catholic church on Saturday said a document endorsed by Pope Francis this week permitting blessings for same-sex couples did not apply to his church and its teachings.

Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk said the Vatican document "interprets the pastoral meaning of blessings in the Latin Church" but made no reference to issues governing the eastern, or Greek Catholic, church.

"Thus ... this Declaration applies solely to the Latin Church and has no legal force for the faithful of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church," Shevchuk said in a statement.

He said a blessing could not be separated from the church's teachings and "can in no way contradict the teaching of the Catholic Church about the family as a faithful, indissoluble, and fertile union of love between a man and a woman."

The eastern-rite church worships according to rites similar to the Orthodox faith, but is in communion with Rome by virtue of a 16th century agreement. Repression forced the church underground in Soviet times and it now has about 4.5 million parishioners, or roughly 10% of the population of Ukraine.

The document from the Vatican's doctrinal office said Roman Catholic priests can administer blessings to same-sex couples as long as they are not part of regular church rituals or liturgies.

It said such blessings would be a sign that God welcomes all but should not be confused with the sacrament of heterosexual marriage.

Gay rights are making some progress in Ukraine and other ex-Soviet states outside Russia. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has expressed sympathy for upholding gay rights, though ruling out constitutional changes to allow single-sex marriages while the country is at war.

(This story has been corrected to say 'same-sex couples,' not 'same-sex marriage,' in the headline)

(Reporting by Ron Popeski; Editing by Chris Reese)
Ukraines Patriot air defense systems have shot down 10 Russian aircraft, including three Su-34 fighter-bombers in a recent operation. Military expert and Ukrainian Armed Forces reserve officer Andriy Kramarov commented on the "seasonal migration" of the systems in an interview with Radio NV on Dec. 23.

Although there is no official confirmation from the Ukrainian military, "Ukraine has Patriot systems, and they can appear anywhere out of nowhere, Kramarov said.

Read also: Drone attacks reported in Russias Bryansk and Rostov oblasts

"Western experts say that this is the tenth Russian plane shot down by the Patriot system. I would like to note that this is the first time that an aircraft, not a missile, has been shot down by the Patriot system in a real combat zone, and it is in our war, and it is proving itself. This is a MIM-104 missile with a range of up to 155 kilometers. As we can see, if it is a Patriot, it works well against targets such as aircraft.

Ukrainian Air Force Commander Mykola Oleshchuk announced the destruction of three enemy aircraft around noon on Dec. 22. He called it a response to a nighttime "message" from the Russian military on an intercepted kamikaze drone, which carried the message: "Die, b**ches".

Read also: Patriot system may have downed Russian Su-34s preparing bomb run from occupied Ukraine

Air Force spokesperson Yuriy Ihnat called the downing of the warplanes "a brilliantly planned operation to destroy the enemy on the periphery of our country."

The three Russian Su-34 warplanes downed on Dec. 22 were planning to attack Ukraine with guided bombs, aviation expert Valeriy Romanenko said in an interview with Radio NV.

"Most likely, it was really a Patriot, because we did receive another system from Germany, and our guys were already prepared for it," Romanenko said.

Russia is thought to have had 155 Su-34s before it launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The aircraft has a crew of two pilots, and these are the warplanes used by the Russian military to strike Ukraine with guided bombs, guided missiles, and other weapons.

The Patriot air defense system proved to be a killer for the Kinzhal missiles and the Russian Air Force.

Russian Su-34 and Su-35 jets, two rare Mi-8MTPR-1 anti-aircraft helicopters and a Mi-8 helicopter were instantly destroyed over Bryansk Oblast on May 13. The Ukrainian Air Force later confirmed that they were all shot down by the Patriot air defense system.

Germany confirmed on Dec. 14 that it had sent Ukraine a new military aid package, including a second Patriot anti-air system, making it the third system in the country, each consisting of a command post, radar, and up to eight launchers.

Ukraine is set to strengthen its air defenses with the addition of "several" Patriot systems this winter, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated at a press conference on Dec. 19.

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The Defense Ministry is considering sending military summons online for Ukrainians both at home and abroad, Defense Minister Rustem Umerov told Suspilne.

"If we have already made a decision on the categories, we will send invitations to everyone," he said.

Estonian Interior Minister Lauri Laanemets earlier said Estonia is prepared to aid in mobilizing Ukrainian citizens if requested by Ukraine, according to the Estonian paper Postimees.

"We know where these people live in Estonia. We are ready to assist in bringing these people from Estonia to Ukraine, if they need it," said Laanemets, according to the paper.

He said 7,500 Ukrainian citizens of fighting age live in Estonia, but some of them are exempt from mobilization for various reasons.

The Estonian Interior Minister said he plans to officially notify Ukrainian authorities of the country's readiness to sign the necessary agreement to enable the process if needed.

The Estonian paper cited Janek Maggi, head of the Border and Migration Policy Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, saying that Ukraine did not request help on mobilization from Estonia.

The statement comes as Defense Minister Umerov said he wants to recruit Ukrainians living abroad in an interview with German media outlet Die Welt on Dec 21.

Defense Ministry press officer Illarion Pavliuk clarified that Umerov spoke generally about the importance of joining the army for Ukrainians, including those living abroad, in a comment to the Ukrainian media outlet Babel.

There is currently no active discussion on the recruitment of Ukrainians from abroad, Pavliuk added.

Read also: Update: Umerov says he wants to mobilize Ukrainian men living abroad

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiyy and military officials said the country's forces shot down three Russian Su-34 fighter-bomber aircraft on Friday on the southern front, hailing it as a success in the 22-month-old war.

The Russian military made no mention of the incident. But Russian bloggers acknowledged the loss, and analysts suggested U.S.-supplied Patriot missiles had probably been used.

Reuters could not independently confirm the reports.

"Today at noon in the southern sector  minus three Russian Su-34 fighter-bombers!" Ukrainian Air Force Commander Mykola Oleshchuk wrote on the Telegram messaging app.

Air Force spokesperson Yuri Ihnat described it on national television as a "brilliantly planned operation."

"There haven't been Su-34s for some time in our positive statistics," he said, citing the model as one of Russia's most modern aircraft for bombing and other assaults.

Zelenskiyy in his nightly video address praised the Odesa region anti-aircraft unit for downing the planes in Kherson region.

The region was occupied in the first days of Moscow's February 2022 invasion. Ukrainian forces have sought to regain territory and in November established positions on the eastern bank of the Dnipro River in Kherson.

Eurasia Daily, a Russia-based journal, said the Ukrainian account was plausible. Kyiv could have launched Patriot missiles, which have a range of up to 160 km (100 miles) against high-altitude targets, from the western side of the Dnipro River, it said.

Ukrainian aviation expert Valeriy Romanenko told Ukrainian NV Radio he believed Patriot missiles most likely downed the Russian jets.

"This was a situation there the Russians were...dropping up to 100 bombs in the south. Three were flying together and got caught. They didn't quite take into account that the Patriot has a range of 160 km for aerodynamic targets," Romanenko said.

Ukrainian successes have become less frequent since its forces made lightning gains a year ago in retaking Russian-held territory in the northeast and in the south.

A counteroffensive launched in the east and south in June has had limited progress. Zelenskiyy acknowledges that gains have been slower than hoped but has dismissed assertions by the military commander in chief, General Valeriy Zaluzhnyi, that the war has entered a phase of "attrition" requiring a change in tactics. (Reuters)
Secretary-General of the United Nations Antonio Guterres speaks to the press after Security Council adopted resolution on Gaza humanitarian aid at UN Headquarters. Bianca Otero/ZUMA Press Wire/dpa

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has paid tribute to the United Nations staff killed in the Gaza war.

"136 of our colleagues in Gaza have been killed in 75 days  something we have never seen in UN history," Guterres wrote on the online platform X, formerly Twitter, on Saturday. "Most of our staff have been forced from their homes."

"I pay tribute to them & the thousands of aid workers risking their lives as they support civilians in Gaza," Guterres wrote.

In another post, Guterres once again criticized Israel's actions in the conflict. "The way Israel is conducting this offensive is creating massive obstacles to the distribution of humanitarian aid inside Gaza," he wrote.

In order to effectively bring humanitarian aid to Gaza security and staff who can work in safety are needed, he wrote.

After days of wrangling, the UN Security Council passed a resolution on Friday calling for an increase in humanitarian aid for around 2 million people in need in the Gaza Strip. However, the most powerful UN body adopted a compromise text in New York without the demand for an immediate truce that Guterres had hoped for.

The Gaza war was triggered by the worst massacre in Israel's history, carried out by terrorists from Palestinian militant Hamas movement and other extremist groups in Israel on October 7. Israel responded with massive airstrikes on the Gaza Strip and began a ground offensive at the end of October.

In view of the catastrophic humanitarian situation in the sealed-off coastal area, Israel has recently come under increasing international pressure.
A man who appears to be obsessed with the Unabomber has been arrested for threatening to blow up an FBI office in Los Angeles.

Mark William Anten, a 52-year-old man from Sun Valley, California, is accused of sending multiple threatening emails to the bureau dating back to July  including warning that he would bomb the FBIs Los Angeles Field Office.

Some of the messages were allegedly signed off referring to himself as the notorious Unabomber.

In a press release, the US Attorneys Office for the Central District of California, said that Mr Anten emailed FBI agents on 2 November and claimed that he had been voted most likely in his graduating class to become the next Unabomber.

He allegedly went on to list similarities between himself and Ted Kaczynski  the man who terrorised America for 17 years, by carrying out a bombing campaign that killed three people and injured 23 others.

Mr Anten also told the agents that he was working on a manifesto  much like Kaczynski  signing off the email Unabomber.

After receiving the email, FBI agents visited Mr Antens home later that month where he allegedly confessed to sending the messages.

He was told the stop but the communications continued  and escalated, according to the criminal affidavit.

On 5 December, the suspect allegedly sent a string of threatening emails to FBI agents, threatening to Unabomb the LA field office.

Ted Kaczynski flanked by federal agents in 1996 (AP1996)

The next day, prosecutors say he sent another email threatening a mass murder spree.

I can go on a mass murder spree. In fact, it would be very explainable by your actions, the email read.

It was signed off SuperMax or Death  an apparent reference to the federal prison where Kaczynski spent the final two decades of his life.

Another email featured an image of a Google search for how to make a dirty bomb, according to prosecutors.

That same day, Mr Anten then allegedly visited the LA field office  a visit that was captured on surveillance footage  and sent an email taunting agents that he had been there.

Mr Anten was arrested at his home on Thursday morning and charged with a federal felony count of making threats by interstate communication.

He appeared in court in downtown Los Angeles that morning where he was ordered to be held without bond.

He faces up to five years in federal prison if convicted and is scheduled to appear in court for his arraignment on 11 January.

His apparent campaign is said to have begun soon after Kaczynski died by suicide in federal prison back in June.

The 81-year-old had been held in Colorados federal Supermax prison since 1998, when he was sentenced to life in prison for carrying out at least 16 bombings between 1978 and 1995.

He was transferred to the Federal Medical Center in Butner, North Carolina, in 2021 due to ill health  and was found dead in his cell there in June.
Police have held two passengers in custody since Friday (FRANCOIS NASCIMBENI)

Ten Indian passengers among more than 300, including unaccompanied minors, on a Nicaragua-bound plane held in France over suspected human trafficking have applied for asylum, a source close to the case told AFP Saturday.

The plane has been held at Vatry airport, 150 kilometres (95 miles) east of Paris, since arriving from Dubai on Thursday following an anonymous tip-off that it was carrying potential victims of human trafficking.

The Paris prosecutor's office said there was 11 unaccompanied minors on board the Airbus jet, although regional authorities earlier pinned the number at 13.

Six of the minors also expressed an interest in applying for asylum, Aurore Opyrchal, a lawyer appointed by the region to represent some of the passengers, told AFP.

French authorities have not yet confirmed the passenger details.

The 303 passengers of the flight operated by Romanian company Legend Airlines were still in the airport's entrance hall on Saturday morning, an AFP reporter saw.

Hearings are due to be held Sunday before a judge who has the authority to extend the detention order being use by border police by another eight days.

Tarpaulin covered the entrance hall's glass exterior and nearby administrative buildings, while police and gendarmes prevented access.

- Detention for two extended -

Two passengers in custody since Friday had their detention extended Saturday evening for up to 48 hours, according to the Paris prosecutor's office.

They were being held "in order to verify" whether their role "may have been different than the others in this transport, and under what conditions and with what objectives", they said.

Investigators have checked the identity of passengers and flight crew, and are verifying the "conditions and purposes" of their travel, the prosecutor added.

The Indian Embassy in Paris said Saturday that it was working for "a rapid resolution of the situation", posting on X that "consular officials are on site".

Liliana Bakayoko, a lawyer for the airline, said all crew members had been questioned and allowed to leave.

A source close to the inquiry told AFP that some of the Indian passengers were likely workers in the United Arab Emirates who may have sought to go to Nicaragua on their way to the United States or Canada.

Authorities said they have installed camp beds and portable toilets at the airport and are providing meals for the passengers as the inquiry continues.

According to the Flightradar tracking site, Legend Airlines has a fleet of just four aircraft, and its unmarked Airbus jet remained immobilised on the Vatry tarmac on Saturday.

Legend "has operated only a few flights on this route, always for the same client" that is not based in Europe, the airline said in a statement.

It added that it would join any suit as a plaintiff if prosecutors open a case on trafficking charges.

cor-kau/giv/jj
A new space telescope set to launch in Jan. 2024 will look at the cosmos with a revolutionary "lobster eye," hunting for X-ray bursts that stem from some of the universe's most powerful phenomena, including feeding black holes, colliding neutron stars and exploding stars .

Named for none other than Albert Einstein , the Einstein Probe is a joint effort between the European Space Agency (ESA), the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics (MPE) and the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS).

This spacecraft will possess highly sensitive, next-generation X-ray instruments and exhibit an exceptionally wide field of view, allowing scientists to both pinpoint new events and study them in detail.

"The cosmos is our only laboratory to investigate the most energetic processes," Erik Kuulkers, ESA's Einstein Probe project scientist, said in a statement . "Missions like Einstein Probe are essential to advance our understanding of these processes and to learn more about fundamental aspects of high-energy physics."

Related: X-rays reveal how 450-year-old Tycho supernova became a giant cosmic particle accelerator

Spotting the most violent events in the cosmos

X-rays are emitted by powerful and violent events like supernovas, from which they're launched as the cores of dying stars collapse. They're directly connected to stellar material that is shredded before it gets consumed by black holes too, as well as to the collisions of ultra-dense, already-dead stars called neutron stars.

Because these violent cosmic events are often short-lived, however, the X-ray light they emit can be highly variable and unpredictable. This light can appear and disappear and brighten and dim incredibly rapidly, often appearing in the sky for only a brief moment before vanishing for long periods  if they reappear at all, that is.

three humans dressed in full-body white coveralls work around a spacecraft in the shape of two large black cylinders held up by a metal frame.

Spotting these X-rays is highly desirable for scientists because encoded within this high-energy light is information about the source that produced it. That means by observing X-rays, the Einstein Probe could help scientists decode such events while simultaneously enabling astronomers to pinpoint new X-ray sources.

Because neutron star collisions emits both X-rays and gravitational waves  first predicted by Einstein in his 1915 theory of gravity general relativity  the Einstein Probe could help gravitational wave detectors locate the source of these tiny ripples in space - time that have traveled across millions, or even billions, of light years.

This could ultimately help scientists observe these collisions before they fade, revealing more about the dynamics of these collision events and the unique physics that occur around them. For instance, heavy elements such as gold are known to be created in the aftermath of neutron star collisions.

Why a 'lobster eye'?

To achieve its pioneering view of the universe , the Einstein Probe is equipped with two revolutionary instruments  the Wide-field X-ray Telescope (WXT) and the highly sensitive Follow-up X-ray Telescope (FXT).

The WXT gets its expanded view of the cosmos from its unique modular design, which resembles the eye of a lobster. Lobster eyes, unlike other animal eyes, have evolved to perceive light via reflection rather than refraction, meaning these crustaceans have a remarkable 180-degree field of view.

The so-called "Micro Pore Optics technology" of WXT allows the Einstein Probe to see 3,600 square degrees, which encapsulates 10% of the entire celestial sphere over Earth, in just one image. This enables it to see nearly the entire night sky over Earth in just 3 orbits around the planet, each of which would take the Einstein Probe just around 96 minutes to complete.

Once an interesting or new X-ray emitting event is spotted by WXT, the Einstein Probe's FXT instrument will take over, targeting the X-ray source and studying it in much greater detail.

A diagram explains the instruments and mission of the Einstein probe.

 Was Einstein wrong? The case against space-time theory

 Why Einstein must be wrong: In search of the theory of gravity

 Distortions in space-time could put Einstein's theory of relativity to the ultimate test

In addition to this, when WXT makes a notable X-ray detection, the Einstein probe will fire a signal to ground-based observatories, allowing them to train other telescopes on the source and study it in a range of other light frequencies ranging from low-energy long-wave radio waves to high-energy short-wave gamma-rays .

This multi-wavelength data could be absolutely vital in conducting detailed investigations of supernovas , neutron star collisions and feeding black holes.

"Thanks to its innovative design, Einstein Probe can monitor large swaths of the sky at a glance," Kuulkers added. "In this way, we can discover many new sources while at the same time studying the behavior of X-ray light coming from known celestial objects over long periods."
A senior official of the Defence Ministry's Main Directorate, suspected of embezzling UAH 1.5 billion (roughly US$40 million) in artillery ammunition procurement, has been remanded in custody without the right to be released on bail by the Shevchenkivskyi District Court of Kyiv.

Source: Ukraines public broadcaster Suspilne, citing a statement by the Kyiv City Prosecutors Office

Details: The court remanded the suspect in custody with no right to be released on bail until 19 February 2024.

Background: On 22 December, reports emerged that a senior official of one of the Defence Ministry's main directorates, suspected of embezzling UAH 1.5 billion during the procurement of artillery projectiles for the Ukrainian Armed Forces, was detained in Kyiv.

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American Christian congregations have renewed urgent calls for a ceasefire as the death toll in Gaza during Israels ongoing siege climbs to more than 20,000 within the days before Christmas.

Statements from Christian leaders pleading for an end to the violence followed Israels attacks at a Catholic church and convent in Gaza, where a majority of the small community of Palestinian Christian families have taken refuge during the war.

On 16 December, a sniper from the Israel Defense Forces shot two women without warning and in cold blood at Holy Family Church, according to the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, an ecclesiastical office for the Latin Catholics in the region.

In his appeal for a swift end to the conflict, Pope Francis condemned the killings as terrorism.

Some are saying, This is terrorism and war. Yes, it is war. It is terrorism, he said in remarks at St Peters Square on Sunday.

Rev Timothy P Broglio of the Archdiocese for the Military Services and president of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops wrote that such violence must not continue, demanding the immediate cessation of all hostilities, the release of hostages, and for earnest negotiations towards a peaceful resolution of this conflict.

We resolutely join our voices with the Holy Father, Pope Francis, reminding all parties in this conflict, that war is never the answer but always a defeat, he added. We plead, peace, please peace!

Their statements follow appeals from a growing number of American churches and Christian groups. The National Council of Churches  the nations largest ecumenical body, encompassing 38 Christian faith groups  joined a letter with 60 other advocacy groups urging President Joe Biden to publicly support a ceasefire, prioritise the protection of all civilians, including the secure admission of humanitarian aid into Gaza and the release of all hostages.

A letter to the president from Churches from Middle East Peace  a coalition of more than 30 national Church communions and organisations  demands his support for immediate ceasefire, de-escalation, and restraint by all involved.

The Episcopal Churchs presiding bishop Michael Curry wrote that the violence is horrific, and the geopolitics are complex, but my call to love is simple: Stop the killing. Stop all of it. Stop it today. His letter, written on 7 November as more than 10,000 Palestinians were reported dead, urged world leaders to stop the next 10,000 from being killed. Less than two months later, the death toll eclipsed 20,000.

Last month, with the support of more than 900 Black Christian leaders, clergy purchased a full-page ad in The New York Times to call for an immediate bilateral ceasefire in the Middle East for the sake of our shared humanity and our collective security.

A group of Black Christian faith leaders have also recently met with White House officials and members of the Congressional Black Caucus to address Gazas growing humanitarian crisis.

Pax Christi USA, a national Catholic peace organisation, is holding call-in days asking members to call the president to support an immediate ceasefire in Gaza to end the mass slaughter. A Ceasefire Carols campaign is staging Christmas carolling across the US to sing songs of peace. Faith leaders and church groups are holding Christian prayer vigils.

They are among the many voices joining a chorus of interfaith groups holding demonstrations across the US urging the Biden administration to join global leaders in pressing Israel to support a ceasefire in a conflict that has now killed roughly one in every 100 people in Gaza, including thousands of women and children.

Palestinians walk among rubble of buildings in Al-Nuseirat refugee camp in Gaza on 22 December after it was bombed by Israeli airstrikes. (EPA)

That scale of destruction in a narrow strip that is home to 2.2 million Palestinians is compounded by warnings of hunger and famine, depleting supplies of clean water and fear of disease, and the mass displacement of 85 per cent of Gazas population.

An estimated 1,000 Christians lived in Gaza before the war began on October 7, as Israel launched retaliatory bombardments and a ground offensive after Hamas attacks that left 1,200 people dead and took roughly 240 hostages.

A vast majority of that Christian population is Greek Orthodox, while others are Roman Catholic, Baptist and other Protestant denominations. They are among some of the oldest Christian communities in the world.

On 21 October, Gazas oldest Greek Orthodox was struck by explosions that killed at least 18 people, according to the Order of St George, an associated order of the church. The dead included family members of former US Rep Justin Amash, the first Palestinian-American member of Congress.

The Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem, among the oldest jurisdictions in Christendom, condemned the attack.

The Patriarchate stresses that it will not abandon its religious and humanitarian duty, rooted in its Christian values, to provide all that is necessary in times of war and peace alike, the organisation wrote.

American Christian groups, reeling from 11 weeks of attacks, are renewing their appeals to end the violence as Palestinian Christian leaders fear the violent erasure of their centuries-old communities.

I believe the Christian community will not survive this atrocity, Rev Mitri Raheb, a Palestinian Lutheran leader in the Israeli-occupied West Bank town of Bethlehem, where Christians believe Jesus was born, told NBC News. Even those who will survive, who might survive, Im not sure that they can live in Gaza in a place where life is unlivable.

Last month, Palestinian leaders of Christian denominations in Bethlehem  citing the devastation in Gaza  unanimously decided against public Christmas celebrations.

A nun prays in the grotto believed to be the spot where Jesus was born at the Church of the Nativity on 17 December in Bethlehem in the occupied West Bank. (Getty Images)

More than 300 people were trapped at the Holy Family Church where an Israeli sniper fatally shot two women. Seven others were shot and wounded at the compound, according to a statement from the Patriarchate.

The office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed reports of the attack are not true.

UK lawmaker Layla Moran, whose family sought refuge inside the church, told members of Parliament that a tank was positioned outside the complex, soldiers fired into the church, and a convent was bombed.

The situation has been desperate for weeks, but now its descending, she said. The people in the church  are civilians. They have nothing to do with Hamas. They are nuns, orphans, disabled people. They are a small Christian community and they know everyone.

The suffering is not confined to this church, she said.
Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny appeared in court by video link from prison last year (Alexander NEMENOV)

The United States on Saturday voiced deepening concern over the fate of imprisoned Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who has not been heard from since early December.

"We are deeply concerned about the whereabouts of Alexei Navalny, who has now been missing in Russia's prison system for nearly three weeks," Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on X, the former Twitter.

"We once more call for his immediate release and an end to the continued repression of independent voices in Russia."

On Monday, UN rights expert Mariana Katzarova joined a chorus of voices expressing concern at Navalny's "enforced disappearance."

The dissident's lawyers say they have been unable to see or contact him since December 6.

On December 15, Navalny spokeswoman Kira Yarmysh said a court representative told her that he had been removed from a prison near Moscow to an undisclosed location.

The lack of updates could mean Navalny is being transferred to a harsher prison, following a court ruling earlier this year.

The process can take weeks in Russia, where prisoners are slowly moved by rail between far-flung facilities.

Navalny's team has said his possible transfer to another prison has been purposefully timed as the Kremlin gears up for President Vladimir Putin's expected re-election in March.

Navalny, 47, Putin's main political opponent, was barred from running in elections in 2018 due to an old fraud charge that his allies said was politically motivated.

He received a 19-year prison sentence in 2021 on charges of "extremism" after surviving a poisoning attempt on his life, for which he blamed Putin.

bbk/acb
The Turkish parliament will on Tuesday resume debate on approving Sweden's request to join NATO, which has been on hold since May last year.

Sweden and Finland dropped decades of military non-alignment and sought the nuclear protection afforded by the U.S.-led defense organization in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine last year.

Their bids won fast-track approval from all NATO members except Turkey and Hungary. The two ultimately relented and accepted Finland into the bloc this year.

The Turkish parliament's Foreign Affairs Commission last month failed to reach agreement on a text for a full floor vote and will meet again on Tuesday afternoon, a member of the opposition told AFP.

After blocking Sweden's accession for 17 months, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan finally relented in late October, saying the matter was up to parliament.

Erdogan has linked Sweden's membership to the U.S. Congress simultaneously agreeing to sell F-16 fighter jets to Turkey.

The U.S. government does not oppose the sale, but lawmakers have blocked it over concerns about Turkey's alleged violations of human rights and its tensions with Greece.

Turkey and Hungary are the last of the 31 members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization to block Stockholm's entry.

Erdogan lifted his veto in July following months of pressure on Swedish authorities, whom he accused of hosting Turkish and Kurdish exiles he considers to be "terrorists." (AFP)
If I was back in my old Washington newsroom, I would obviously be pitching to the bureau chief that I should be deployed immediately to Aspen or Vale  or maybe Beaver Creek  to test the mood of locals on the fabulous ski slopes of the Rocky Mountains. After all, the Colorado ruling to strike Donald Trumps name off the ballot is momentous. But I suspect my former boss would have seen straight through my ruse and said forget it pal. The story is here in Washington.

And it is.

What the ruling this week has done is put the Supreme Court of the United States on the ballot in 2024  and slap, bang in the middle of the most high-stakes political controversy imaginable. This will make their 2000 adjudication on Gore versus Bush in Florida look like the settlement of a minor playground squabble. It is exactly what the justices were hoping to avoid.

The doctrine of the court is  wherever possible  to stay out of electoral politics. In simple terms, it is the job of voters and not the courts to decide who and who is not a fit person to be president. But the Colorado ruling has blown a massive crater through that.

Because you can be sure that if the Colorado judgement is allowed to stand then other Democrat controlled states will be licking their lips and thinking this is the sure-fire way to defeat Trump. A friend who is an active Democrat was excitedly telling me about all the other states that could follow suit.

Really? Trump is already using this as another fundraising opportunity. Every time it looks like the deep state is moving against him his sense of victimhood increases, support for him solidifies  and, given January 6  the incredible charge is made that it is Joe Biden and his Justice Department who are threatening the US constitution and undermining democracy. His supporters whoop and holler in affirmation.

For some time now there has been a scholarly argument going on about whether section three of the 14th Amendment could be used to prevent Trump from running. The amendment was one of the so-called reconstruction amendments passed after the Civil War in the 1860s, and this clause was designed to stop the leaders of the Confederacy in the Southern states from simply returning to the government jobs they held prior to their violent attempts at secession from the rest of the United States. Dont allow insurrectionists back into government.

Section three is  on the face of it  very clear. If youve taken an oath to support the constitution you cant hold any office in the United States if youve engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof. Which is precisely what Donald Trump did on 6 January, 2021. He told the mob to come to Washington because it was going to be wild. On the day when he addressed the crowd that had gathered at the Ellipse, just beyond the South Lawn of the White House, he told them to fight like hell to save the country. He then praised the attackers later that day, and afterwards.

Needless to say, we are sailing into uncharted waters. Trump is like a latter-day Vasco de Gama and Captain Cook in his ability to take us into unnavigated political landscapes. This provision has never been used to disqualify a presidential candidate. In fact, its only been used a couple of times since the civil war. One question: are the nine men and women on the Supreme Court really going to disenfranchise tens of millions of Americans from voting for their chosen candidate?

The court has a 6-3 conservative majority; and three of the justices were appointed by Donald Trump himself. But forget the balance of the court between conservatives and liberals. If I were to stick my neck out, my guess is the court will rule 9-0 to strike down the Colorado judgement. It will decide it is at best ambiguous whether the wording of the amendment can apply to the president, and they will argue that it is not yet proven in a court that Donald Trump was an insurrectionist. As his lawyers will no doubt argue, he was just someone using his First Amendment rights to free speech and was merely expressing sincerely held views that the election was stolen. That will be the likely wiggle room that the justices will use to swerve this searingly hot potato.

But dont think that will be the end of it. Throughout 2024, the US constitution is going to be stress-tested like never before. There are court cases galore, and legal challenges too. Whether they like it or not, every word uttered by justices will be scrutinised for any signs of bias. And anything that falls short of full-throated support for Donald Trump will be seized on by him to further undermine confidence in the justice system.

All this while the language of the former president becomes more, well, fascistic; no other word does it justice. His willingness to entertain the idea of being a dictator on day one of a second term, his attacks on judges who are due to try him  and most disturbingly his language about immigrants: calling them vermin and saying theyre poisoning the blood of our country. In 2016, Mexicans were merely thieves and rapists. It is disturbing stuff, and so it is not surprising that many in the US want to see him stopped by any means possible.

But to be defeated by a Supreme Court ruling would be dangerous, and totally destabilising for American democracy.
Tourists at the Acropolis in Greece in July 2023. picture alliance/Getty Images

Tourists can take exclusive guided tours of Greece's Acropolis starting in April 2024.

An official from Greece's Ministry of Culture told AP that one tour will cost 5,000 ($5,500 USD).

This August, Greece limited the number of tourists visiting the Acropolis per day to 20,000.

Greece will offer exclusive guided tours of the famed Acropolis, but it'll cost thousands of dollars.

The Associated Press reported on Saturday that Greece will start offering the tours on April 1, 2024. Per the outlet, the perk will allow a maximum of four tour groups with up to five people each. Each group will cost 5,000, or approximately $5,500 USD.

The guided tours will be scheduled outside regular business hours  from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. or 8 p.m. to 10 p.m.  to help accommodate the demand from history-loving visitors, according to AP.

Tourists on the propylaea of the Acropolis in Athens in June 2023. LOUISA GOULIAMAKI/AFP via Getty Images

"We decided to implement (the measure) ... because there is demand, people have been asking for it," Nikoletta Divari-Valako, head of the ministry's cultural resources development, told AP. "It won't harm the archaeological site, indeed it will contribute to its better promotion, and the revenues will be reinvested in cultural projects and monuments."

Representatives from Greece's Ministry of Culture did not immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comment.

The Acropolis is a popular tourist spot in Athens that draws tens of thousands of visitors a day. Its citadel houses several historic artifacts and sites, including the Parthenon. In August, Greek officials announced that they would limit the number of tourists to 20,000 after overtourism hit Europe this summer.

People at the Acropolis in Greece. Milos Bicanski/Getty Images

At the time, Greece's culture minister, Lina Mendoni, told a local radio station that they implemented the cap to prevent damage.

There have been a number of incidents this year of badly behaved tourists in Europe, including Greece. In September, a tourist was arrested at the Acropolis after police said he tried to steal pieces of ancient marble.

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Much of the vilage has fled amid the threat of a war between Hezbollah and Israel (-)

In the Lebanese Christian border village of Qlayaa, the priest urged his parish to keep the Christmas spirit alive despite clashes between Hezbollah and Israel forcing many to flee.

Nestled among lush, green fields and flowing olive groves, Qlayaa has echoed to the sound of bombing on an almost daily basis since October 7.

"Of course we are upset and bothered by the war... but we want to feel the joy of Christmas," father Pierre Rai told a dwindling number of parishioners in Qlayaa's Maronite Saint George Church.

"So long as we have decided to remain in this village, and in other southern Lebanon border villages, we must live and enjoy each thing in its right time."

For nearly three months, Israeli rockets have been falling close to Qlayaa, which lies less than five kilometres (three miles) from the border.

So far, however, the Christian villages in the area have been spared destruction.

Since hostilities began, more than 140 people have been killed on the Lebanese side, most of them Hezbollah fighters but also including more than a dozen civilians, three of them journalists, according to an AFP tally.

On the Israeli side, at least four civilians and eight soldiers have been killed, according to officials.

Despite the violence, the church has put up lights, a life-sized manger and is planning recitals and activities for the community's children.

A massive Christmas tree decorated with red ornaments sits in the village's empty square, with reindeer statues nearby.

- 'Rather die here' -

Lebanon's south is home to a plethora of religious communities, but it is mainly dominated by the powerful, Iran-backed Shiite Hezbollah movement.

The region was battered by a years-long Israeli occupation that ended in 2000 and again in the 2006 war between Hezbollah and Israel.

Residents along the border are used to "difficult times", said father Antonios Farah, "but we have decided that this year we will celebrate Christmas as usual".

"This is our way to pray for peace," he said, dressed in a black robe and sitting in the church.

The streets of the small village are usually bustling with visitors around Christmas, when many of those living abroad return.

But this year, "only about 60 percent of the village population is still here" with none of the expatriates coming home, he said, adding that the streets were deserted after nightfall.

According to updated figures from the International Organization for Migration, the hostilities have displaced more than 72,000 people in Lebanon, most of them in the country's south.

Qlayaa resident Suzy Salameh, 47, has put up a voluminous tree in her home and said she was praying for peace.

"We are trying to celebrate Christmas despite... the war, the bombings," she said, standing beside a conifer decorated with silver ornaments, garlands and purple lights.

"God willing, the birth of Jesus will bring about peace in our country and in all the countries around us."

But not everyone in the village was so optimistic.

In a house close to the church, Layla Wana sat alone with her husband under a big Christmas tree.

"We're not feeling the Christmas spirit at all," said Wana, 67, dressed in a black tracksuit.

"Some of our children are abroad, others are in Beirut," she said.

"But we will remain in our house and we will not leave, even if it means we will die here."

str-aya/dcp/amj/dv
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) has declared war over a New York bill that poses a conflict with Chick-fil-As closed on Sundays policy.

The South Carolina senator took to social media on Friday to criticize New York State officials over the bill, which would require restaurants that are part of the states highway system rest areas to be open seven days a week.

The bill wouldnt immediately apply to restaurants currently operating at the state rest areas, but would impact future contracts for food service there, The Associated Press noted.

This is war, wrote Graham in defense of the fast-food chain, which has maintained founder S. Truett Cathys policy for employees to use Sundays to spend time with family or worship.

Graham later shared a picture of him in front of a Chick-fil-A restaurant in midtown Manhattan, a location that wouldnt be impacted if the bill were to become law, to send a clear message.

Hands off OUR Chick-Fil-A! Graham wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

He noted if the bill goes forward, hed introduce legislation withholding federal funds from any city or state that requires Chick-fil-A to open on Sunday.

New York is off base and their actions will not go unanswered, he wrote.

As if the insanity by the left couldnt get any worse, Democrats in New York are trying to force @ChickfilA to open on Sundays



I showed up to their Manhattan location today while visiting NYC to send a clear message:



Hands off OUR Chick-Fil-A!



Join me in this fight  pic.twitter.com/Qe1oqhGF1y  Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) December 22, 2023

A number of critics on X mocked Graham for his clear message about the chicken sandwich spot.

Dear Moron:



The law is: if you get one of the monopolies on the NY State Thruway you have to be open seven days a week for the sake of the drivers who have nowhere else to eat.



Also fuck you, you Trumpist whore. Oh and your Chick-Fil-A crapshack food too.  Keith Olbermann (@KeithOlbermann) December 22, 2023

Thanks for the Chick fil a selfie Lindsey. Thatll show them!  Ashley St. Clair (@stclairashley) December 22, 2023

yes, this is real https://t.co/xHrM2zOQZi  bryan metzger (@metzgov) December 22, 2023

I did not have conservative chicken nugget weekend war on my 2023 bingo card and thats on me. https://t.co/x0Hvpfqpt6  Hend Amry (@LibyaLiberty) December 23, 2023

New Yorkers behind him who have no idea who he is or why hes posing for a picture in front of a chick-fil-a: please get out of the way sir https://t.co/D7GbdfON57  Aaron Fritschner (@Fritschner) December 22, 2023

Its so cool how you can be elected to represent a state with millions of people in it to only end up doing shit like this. https://t.co/qNXg07rqE1  Nolan  (@VoidOfRoses) December 23, 2023

Related...
With the help of Israels specialized canine unit, Oketz , soldiers discovered and raided a tunnel built by Hamas terrorists in the southern part of Gaza City, an IDF spokesperson said on Friday.

Video released by the IDF in an X post Friday showed the military's four-legged unit hard at work.

The video captured the dog, who was attached with a camera, trotting along the terror tunnel, which included an elaborate system of tunnels.

The tunnels included command and communication rooms, storage, hideouts, as well as water and electricity infrastructure.

HERO DOGS: ISRAEL'S CANINE UNIT SAVED LIVES BY SPOTTING HAMAS TERROR TRAPS, SAVING CIVILIANS NEAR GAZA STRIP

The IDF discovered and raided a tunnel built by Hamas in the southern part of Gaza City.

Israel's military said that the route was a "multi-level structure" within the Palestinian city.

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

HOW TENSIONS IN THE MIDDLE EAST COULD IMPACT GLOBAL SHIPPING

The IDF boasts one of the most cutting-edge fighting forces, having integrated artificial intelligence into many of its operations, but some tasks still require an old-school approach. This is where the Oketz unit makes its mark.

In this picture taken on Jan. 16, 2023, an Israeli army soldier part of a K-9 unit takes part in a drill at an army urban warfare training facility simulating Gaza City, at the Tze'elim training centre, also known as "Baladia" (Arabic for town), in the southern Negev desert.

"There are a few types of dogs used by the unit, some are confidential, most of them are types of [shepherds]," an officer known as "Major A," an operative canine warfare school commander for the Oketz unit, told Fox News Digital.

CLICK TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

"They are used for three main reasons: tactical dogs that are used to identify enemies; explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) dogs for finding explosives and others; and search and rescue dogs that took a vital part in this war in Israel and Gaza," Major A said.

Fox News Digital's Peter Aitken contributed to this report.





Original article source: WATCH: Israel's four-legged soldiers uncover Hamas tunnel in Gaza City
WAUWATOSA, Wis. - Wauwatosa police arrested four suspects after a pursuit early Thursday morning, Dec. 21.

Police were first called to the area of 97th and Fiebrantz shortly after midnight for a report of people trying to break into cars. Officers spotted a suspect vehicle and tried to stop it, but the driver took off.

The chase ended less than a mile from where it began in the area of Mayfair and Capitol. Police said the vehicle rolled into a neighborhood as five suspects got out and ran.

SIGN UP TODAY: Get daily headlines, breaking news emails from FOX6 News

Four of the five were found and arrested near Pinelawn Memorial Park. The fifth suspect was not immediately located.

An investigation found the suspects' vehicle had been stolen.
The sign asks Sion Corn to call here - but do they want Santa or a friendly house elf?

There's a little Christmas helper who comes to stay for the festive period and lives in your house, where he surveys everything going on.

Sound a bit familiar? The Elf on the Shelf may have been a US import which has taken off rapidly in the UK over the past decade, but, according to certain traditions, Wales may have got there first.

In a social media post, a Welsh language teacher also known in his online persona as Dr Cymraeg (Welsh Doctor) has suggested an Elf on the Shelf type origin for the character now known as Wales' Santa Claus, or Sion Corn in Welsh.

But Sion Corn may not be the present-delivering figure the Western world calls Santa Claus at all.

Sion is the Welsh version of John, and Corn can be translated as horn. In one version of history, according to Doctor Cymraeg, it was common practice for homes to have a decorative horn hanging in the home.

In the run-up to Christmas, a festive little elf-type figure would come and live in the horn, peeking out from the top to watch out for what was going on.

It became known as Sion Corn, but as time went by, because it was so associated with the Christmas period, Sion Corn simply became how most people referred to Santa Claus in Wales and this origin story faded.

A more commonly accepted version of Sion Corn's name however is Jack of the Chimney, with theories that the word corn refers to "corn simdde" or chimney stack, and was the place where Sion Corn came into the house, in the same way as Santa Claus.

Like a lot of "tradition", especially those surrounding Christmas - where modern Santa is largely a construct of the Victorians - Sion Corn is not actually that old, and nor is it always the case that Welsh-speaking people use the term to describe Santa, or certainly not in the past.

But there is a suggestion that the original Sion Corn did have more in common with an elf figure than a jolly man in a red suit.

Dr Juliette Wood, a tutor at Cardiff University's School of Welsh and a folklore specialist, says the first recorded mention of Sion Corn is as recent as 1923.

A Welsh scholar J Glyn Davies, composed a collection of poems and songs, Cerddi Huw Puw and wrote one about a character called Sion Corn which brought it to the attention of the wider Welsh-speaking world.

He wrote at the time he had heard his family speak of the character but it is not clear if Sion Corn was simply a tale within Davies's own family or whether it had any previous wider exposure.

Dr Wood says of the popularisation of Sion Corn: "It shows something you get in folklore which is it will become part of culture, and culture kind of morphs it, and particularly one of the things popular culture does to make it sound authentic is to make it old.

"Davies said in his note that this is a family tradition and that it probably goes back to his mother's family in Edern (on the Llyn peninsula).

"He said it was a sort of family elf who got the children to bed early and brought presents at Christmas."

Although clearly stating Sion Corn is "not the original Elf on the Shelf", Dr Wood suggests it is part of a folklore collection of household spirits whose function is "very domestic, usually involved with the young people and the servants, and keeping them in order".

She explains: "So if the house is kept clean and the kids go to bed on time, the house spirit is very happy, and will leave them shillings or bits of money, little gifts, whatever, [but] not particularly associated with Christmas.

"That said, there are all kinds of Christmas elves - Scandinavia particularly is very keen on them, and they are involved with if the child has been good they will leave them presents, and they come down the chimney.

"So it seems to have been a funny mix of a number of traditions."

The good news is the elf will return to its home with Santa once the kids go to bed on Christmas Eve

Dr Wood said she could be "speculating wildly" but Davies' family was very involved with the sea and in the 1920s there would have been a lot of contact between Scandinavian sailors and those on the Welsh coasts.

"I wouldn't be surprised if you don't have a fusion of those things through that connection."

But whether Sion Corn was a forerunner of the Elf on the Shelf or not, parents across the land can be happy with this thought.

For those worn out by the antics of their own household elf, rejoice in the knowledge the creepy little watcher - sorry, friendly little helper - will be disappearing back the North Pole sharpish overnight and you can relax and tuck into the sherry unobserved.

Until next December of course... Merry Christmas!
Tribal officials and employees gather to send off the truck full of donated items to Walpole Island First Nation. (Photo/Gun Lake Tribe)

Spearheaded by the Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band of Pottawatomi Indians (Gun Lake Tribe) and the Gun Lake Casino, the Nottawaseppi Huron Band and the Pokagon Band of the Potawatomi Indians, as well as Gun Lake Investments, came together this past Monday to send a semi-truck of donated goods to the Walpole Island First Nation in Wallaceburg, Ontario, Canada.

The annualStuff the Trailer donation drive sends donated clothing, food, household, and personal items to an underprivileged tribal community. This year the tribal community was Walpole Island First Nation, which is located across the U.S. and Canadian border near Detroit, Michigan.

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.

We sincerely thank all our guests and the tribal community here in West Michigan for the overwhelming response to this years stuff the trailer donation drive, Sal Semola, Chief Executive Officer of Gun Lake Casino said. This yearly occasion holds significance as it provides the Gun Lake Tribe with an opportunity to support fellow tribal nations facing economic challenges in assisting their citizens.

This year, over $95,000 worth of donated goods were received throughout the month of November. The list of donations this year includes coats, boots, hats, gloves, clothing, toys, non-perishable food, and household items.

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
Lawsuits challenging Donald Trumps eligibility to appear on the 2024 presidential primary ballots have sprung up in several states.

Individuals and left-wing organisations have claimed that Mr Trump violated Section Three of the 14th Amendment  known as the insurrection clause  citing his involvement in the January 6 attack on the US Capitol.

Section Three of the amendment prohibits those who take part in insurrections or aid enemies of the US government from taking office.

To date, such challenges have been brought in both federal district and state courts across at least 16 states.

So far, only Colorado and Maine have removed Mr Trump from the ballot under the 14th Amendment. Colorados Supreme Court ruled on 19 December that the former president is ineligible to appear on the state ballot and cannot be considered an option for the White House.

While Mr Trump says he plans to appeal the Colorado decision, likely taking the case up to the US Supreme Court, he is also preparing for challenges, appeals and decisions in other states.

Heres a look at the other challenges to Mr Trumps eligibility for the 2024 race:

Michigan

After a lawsuit was filed to remove Mr Trump from the race in Michigan, a state court judge ruled in November that Mr Trump could appear on the ballot.

The judge said that neither courts nor the Michigan Secretary of State have the authority to determine when someone is eligible to run for office.

The judge claimed Section Three of the 14th Amendment was a political question which is non-justiciable.

Free Speech For the People, a liberal group, appealed the decision but the states appeals court upheld the lower courts decision.

Minnesota

The Minnesota Supreme Court dismissed a lawsuit in the state seeking to remove Mr Trump from the ballot in November.

After hearing oral arguments in the case, the justices said that neither election officials nor the court had the authority to stop the Republican Party from making Mr Trump the partys official nominee.

However, plaintiffs could re-challenge Mr Trumps ability to appear on the general election ballot.

Oregon

Oregon Secretary of State LaVonne Griffin-Valade has said she would keep Mr Trumps name on the primary ballot, citing her lack of authority to determine the qualifications of candidates.

But at the beginning of December, Oregon voters and the organisation Free Speech for People filed a petition to the states Supreme Court challenging Mr Trumps eligibility under the 14th Amendment.

Arizona

A federal judge dismissed a lawsuit brought by John Anthony Castro, an individual running as a 2024 Republican presidential candidate, claiming that Mr Castro did not have the standing to challenge Mr Trumps eligibility.

Mr Castro, who has little campaign presence or financial contributions, claimed he was suffering competitive injury against Mr Trump who should be disqualified under the 14th Amendment.

But a federal judge said Mr Castro was not legitimately competing with Mr Trump.

Other lawsuits brought forth by Mr Castro in New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Florida, California, Montana, Idaho, Kansas, Alaska, Oklahoma, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Utah and North Carolina were also dismissed.

Former President Donald Trump attends a campaign rally, in Durham, N.H., Saturday, Dec. 16, 2023 (Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

Colorado

The Colorado Supreme Court declared the former president ineligible to appear on its presidential primary ballot on December 19 due to his involvement in the January 6 attack on the Capitol.

The state became the first to issue the historic ruling.

We do not reach these conclusions lightly, the order from the courts majority said.

We are mindful of the magnitude and weight of the questions now before us, the justices wrote. We are likewise mindful of our solemn duty to apply the law, without fear or favor, and without being swayed by public reaction to the decisions that the law mandates we reach.

Mr Trump appealed the decision and it is currently pending the US Supreme Court.

Maine

Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows declared Mr Trump ineligible to appear on the states presidential primary ballot in a ruling issued on Thursday, December 28.

Ms Bellows said that the former president contributed to riots at the Capitol by spreading false claims of election fraud and then directing supporters there when Congress was set to certify the 2020 election results.

She said Mr Trump was aware of the likelihood for violence and at least initially supported its use given he both encouraged it with incendiary rhetoric and took no timely action to stop it.

The weight of the evidence makes clear that Mr Trump was aware of the tinder laid by his multi-month effort to delegitimise a democratic election, and then chose to light a match, she wrote.

The ruling arrives after Ms Bellows held a hearing to evaluate three separate complaints, brought by former Maine politicians and residents, regarding Mr Trumps eligibility as well as invited the parties to file briefs regarding the matter.

Secretary of State Shenna Bellows speaks at an event, Jan. 4, 2023, in Augusta, Maine. (AP)

New Jersey

A resident of New Jersey filed a complaint to a state superior court claiming Mr Trump is ineligible under the 14th Amendment.

The attorney general of the state asked the court to dismiss the case citing its lack of ripeness and jurisdiction.

Wyoming

A Wyoming resident filed a lawsuit in a state district court in November seeking to remove Mr Trump as well as Senator Cynthia Lummis from appearing on the 2024 primary ballot.

Virginia

Two residents of Virginia have filed federal lawsuits requesting Mr Trump be removed from the states primary ballot.

Mr Trump and the Republican Party of Virginia have made a motion to dismiss the case.

New York

A New York Republican and attorney have filed a lawsuit in district court asking that neither Mr Trump, or any of his 18 co-defendants in the Georgia election interference case, be permitted to participate or hold office in New York.
The U.S. on Friday accused Iran of close involvement in attacks on commercial ships by Yemen's Houthi rebels, stepping up the tone as Washington considers tougher measures including possible force.



The White House publicly released U.S. intelligence as the Iranian-linked Yemeni insurgents persist with ship strikes they say are in solidarity with Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, where Israel is battling Hamas militants.



The White House said that Tehran's clerical state has provided drones and missiles to the Houthis as well as tactical intelligence.



"We know that Iran was deeply involved in planning the operations against commercial vessels in the Red Sea," National Security Council spokeswoman Adrienne Watson said.



"We have no reason to believe that Iran is trying to dissuade the Houthis from this reckless behavior," she said.

The YM Navigator bulk carrier vessel moves along the Suez Canal towards Ismailia in Suez, Egypt, on Dec. 21, 2023. / Credit: Stringer/Bloomberg via Getty Images

The Houthis, who control vast parts of the Arabian Peninsula's poorest country, including the capital Sanaa, have launched more than 100 drone and missile attacks, targeting 10 merchant vessels, according to the Pentagon.

On Tuesday, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin held an emergency meeting with defense officials from dozens of countries, along with the European Union and NATO, to address what he called "reckless, dangerous" attacks which "violate international law."

Last week, U.S. Central Command reported that the USS Carney, a guided missile destroyer, shot down 14 attack drones suspected to have been fired from Houthi-controlled regions of Yemen.

In a Nov. 15 interview with CBS News, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian denied that Iran was responsible for a drone fired from Yemen that was shot down by the guided-missile destroyer USS Thomas Hudner. The drone appeared to be targeting the Hudner, U.S. officials said at the time.

"We really didn't want this crisis to expand," Amir-Abdollahian told CBS News, referencing the Israel-Hamas war. "But the U.S. has been intensifying the war in Gaza by throwing its support behind Israel. Yemen makes its own decisions and acts independently."

Earlier this week, energy giant BP announced it was temporarily suspending all gas and oil shipments in the Red Sea because of the attacks.

And with commercial traffic disrupted, the U.S. recently announced a multinational naval task force of more than 20 countries to protect vessels transiting the Red Sea.



In a show of force, the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower has entered the Gulf of Aden.



Rebel leader Abdel-Malek al-Houthi warned Wednesday that if they were attacked, the rebels would strike back against "American battleships, American interests and American navigation."



The White House said that U.S. visual analysis found nearly identical features between Iran's KAS-04 drones and the unmanned vehicles fired by the Houthis, as well as consistent features between Iranian and Houthi missiles.



The Houthis are also reliant on Iranian-provided monitoring systems at sea, the White House said.



"Moreover, Iranian-provided tactical intelligence has been critical in enabling Houthi targeting of maritime vessels since the group commenced attacks in November," Watson said.



The Biden administration had initially kept a low-key tone on the Houthi attacks, in part out of an interest in preserving a fragile peace in Yemen.



The Houthis and the Saudi-backed government have effectively maintained a United Nations-brokered truce since April 2022, halting a devastating war that triggered a humanitarian crisis in which most of the population relies on aid.



Iran's religious leadership openly supports Hamas, whose gunmen broke through Gaza's militarized border on Oct. 7 and killed more than 1,200 people in Israel, mostly civilians, and abducted several hundred more.



U.S. officials have said they have no evidence that Tehran had previous knowledge or directly planned the attack.



Israel has vowed to destroy Hamas. Its relentless bombardment and ground invasion of Gaza has killed more than 20,000 people, most of them women and children, according to Hamas authorities.

Boeing CEO acknowledges mistake on Alaska Airlines 737

Hunter Biden leaves wild House committee meeting after surprise appearance

Trump speaks out after appeals court hearing on immunity claim
The president is always concerned [about] any type of human rights violation, any type of legislation or actions thats going to certainly go after [underrepresented] communities, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre says

With Ugandas controversial Anti-Homosexuality Act being challenged in court, Biden-Harris administration officials are vowing to continue holding the African nation accountable, even as the United States simultaneously works to reestablish ties on the continent after years of dormant engagement.

Ugandas law, which penalizes homosexual acts, including the death penalty for so-called aggravated homosexuality, has received considerable condemnation from the U.S. and Europe since being signed into law by President Yoweri Museveni in May.

The law requires the public, including health professionals, to report individuals suspected of engaging in same-sex relations. The law even requires that landlords evict those who identify or are suspected to be LGBTQ or face years in prison.

Human rights and LGBT+ rights activist Peter Tatchell (r) accompanies campaigners calling for Uganda to be sanctioned for its anti-LGBT+ laws during the Pride in London parade on 1 July 2023 in London, United Kingdom. (photo by Mark Kerrison/In Pictures via Getty Images)

The president is always concerned [about] any type of human rights violation, any type of legislation or actions thats going to certainly go after [underrepresented] communities, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told theGrio during a press briefing last week.

Since being signed into law, the Biden-Harris administration has moved to hold Uganda accountable. Those actions include enacting visa restrictions for current or former Ugandan officials, reducing government-to-government funding programs through the Department of Defense and the Presidents Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), and ending Ugandas eligibility for the African Growth and Opportunity Act beginning on Jan. 1, 2024, among other actions.

While advocates believe Ugandas Anti-Homosexuality Act is a violation of human and civil rights, some have expressed concern that restricting AGOA funding will hurt its citizens and the countrys entrepreneurs.

I view AGOA as being targeted to the people of the country, helping women, men, entrepreneurs, get their products here, Dorothy M. Davis, an Africa diplomacy expert who has consulted U.S. and international agencies, previously told theGrio.

AGOA is really for these entrepreneurs, and how are they going to feel about the U.S. basically taking this program away from them at this moment?

During a recent interview with theGrio, John Kirby, the strategic coordinator for the White House National Security Council, said the Biden-Harris administration does not want to hurt average citizens.

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre looks on as Coordinator for Strategic Communications at the National Security Council John Kirby speaks during the daily press briefing at the White House on December 19, 2023 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

However, he said its important that the U.S. ensures its international investments are aligned with President Joe Bidens principles of upholding human and civil rights.

We have an obligation to make sure that investments we make, the spending that we pursue, is in keeping with our basic foreign policy [and] other principles and values that were trying to demonstrate all around the world, including in Africa, Kirby said.

There has to be a measure of accountability . so that they can see that it isnt just a bumper sticker were slapping on a problem, said the retired Navy admiral, adding, That we really mean it when we say that more can be done to protect the rights of your citizens.

Kirby said there is a real commercial, research, scientific need for AGOA, a decades-long program intended to increase commercial trade in sub-Saharan Africa. Restricting that access, he argued, is no different than U.S. policy on providing military training or security assistance to foreign governments.

He explained, Theres an expectation that if youre going to benefit from military [assistance]that youre going to sign up to understand that it has to be used in accordance with the law of armed conflict and with a fundamental adherence to civil rights and human rights.

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The Biden-Harris administration is navigating a delicate dance in the region as it works to up its diplomatic engagement in Africa following years of inactivity during the administration of former President Donald Trump, who infamously called African nations shithole countries.

During those years, the U.S.s world competitors China and Russia expanded their military and economic footprints on the continent.

Biden hosted 49 African leaders during last years U.S.-African Leaders Summit and announced billion-dollar investments in partnerships with African nations to advance food security, climate resilience, infrastructure, and expand digital access. The president also established the Advisory Council on African Diaspora Engagement to make good on his commitments and enhance dialogue between U.S. officials and the African Diaspora.

Kirby told theGrio that its hardened stance on Ugandas anti-LGBTQ law does not mitigate the administrations commitment to being a partner to African nations. In fact, he argued its par for the course.

Julius Malema and Members of the Economic Freedom Fighters picket against Ugandas anti-homosexuality bill at the Uganda High Commission on April 04, 2023 in Pretoria, South Africa. (Photo by Frennie Shivambu/Gallo Images via Getty Images)

The way you better advance relationships with countries that you want to improve is to be candid and forthright about civil and human rights  thats what friends do, he argued. Sometimes that means having some difficult conversations, but it doesnt mean you shy away from it.

Kirby said Biden has never backed away from raising his concerns about human or civil rights violations when meeting with foreign leaders.



As theGrio exclusively reported after last years Africa summit, Biden-Harris officials Museveni, Ugandas president, on his anti-LGBTQ record during a bilateral meeting in Washington. This was months before Museveni, who has remained defiant against international condemnation, ultimately signed the Anti-Homosexuality Act into law.

Kirby acknowledged theres an issue of accountability in Uganda but emphasized U.S. sanctions and actions come from a place of wanting to improve the relationship because we want to move things forward, particularly on the continent.

It matters to us  [and] to the American people, he added.

Jean-Pierre, the nations first Black woman and first LGBTQ person to serve as White House press secretary, said Biden and administration officials will continue to speak out forcefully against Uganda and any other nation seeking to violate the human rights of their LGBTQ populations.

The president has always been very clear, has had those conversations with leaders  and he doesnt hold back, she said.

Gerren Keith Gaynor

Gerren Keith Gaynor is a White House Correspondent and the Managing Editor of Politics at theGrio. He is based in Washington, D.C.

Never miss a beat: Get our daily stories straight to your inbox with theGrios newsletter.

The post White House defends its hard stance against Ugandas Anti-Homosexuality Act appeared first on TheGrio.
(FOX40.COM)  A Sacramento member of a white supremacist gang pled guilty to murder in aid of racketeering after a long-running investigation into the California Aryan Brotherhood, according to the United States Department of Justice.

The Aryan Brotherhood (AB) is known as the oldest and most notorious racist prison gang in America. It was formed in California in the 1960s and spread through federal prison systems throughout the United States.

Man arrested in Mexico in connection with 2019 homicide in San Joaquin County

On Wednesday, Brant Daniel, 49, of Sacramento, pled guilty to the murder of an inmate at Salinas Valley Prison on Oct. 29, 2016, as a part of an AB-related killing. Specifically, Daniel admitted that he murdered the victim because they failed to carry out a hit assigned by an AB member.

The failed hit led to the loss of valuable drugs that belonged to Daniel and his gang. In his plea, Daniel said that he willfully, deliberately, and with premeditation, murdered the victim to maintain his AB gang status. Daniel received the mandatory life sentence in federal prison.

This guilty plea and sentence represents a significant setback for one of Californias most notorious white supremacist prison gangs, said U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert. We will continue to use every law enforcement tool to protect the communities plagued by the violence and criminal activities of the Aryan Brotherhood.

Caltrans employee arrested by the FBI in Northern California

Between 2011 and 2016, AB members and associates committed multiple crimes of murder, conspiracy to murder, drug trafficking, and racketeering, according to court documents. California AB members allegedly oversaw a large heroin and methamphetamine trafficking operation from their prison cells by using smuggled cellphones to direct drug activities, order murders, and oversee other criminal activities inside and outside of the prisons.

According to the U.S. attorney, there are five remaining defendantsRonald Yandell, Billy Sylvester, Danny Troxell, Pat Brady, and Jason Corbettwho are scheduled for trial in February 2024.

The Aryan Brotherhood hides behind prison walls while they direct criminal activities and brutal crimes of violence, said DEA Special Agent in Charge Brian Clark. In this case, Brant Daniel murdered an individual in cold blood to maintain his status and prove allegiance to the prison gang. We will relentlessly pursue and prosecute those who commit such heinous acts from behind bars and beyond.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX40.
This story discusses suicide. If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You can also text HOME to 741741 or visit SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for additional resources.

Tragedy is at the forefront of the Von Erich familys history, so much so that when creating a movie about the wrestling dynasty some parts  and people  had to be omitted.

The Iron Claw tells the story of professional wrestler Fritz Von Erich (Holt McCallany) and his four sons Kevin (Zac Efron), Kerry (Jeremy Allen White), David (Harris Dickinson) and Mike (Stanley Simons) as they attempt to become heavyweight champions and household names in the wrestling world. Along the way, the family faces hardships and multiple deaths that are blamed on the Von Erich curse.

A younger brother, Chris Von Erich, was left entirely out of the film. Director and writer Sean Durkin explains to TODAY.com why that choice was made, and the reaction the real-life Kevin Von Erich, the last surviving family member, had when finding out that one of his brothers was not in the film.

Why Chris Von Erich isn't in 'The Iron Claw'

The Iron Claw, Durkin says, had been in development since 2015. Over the years, there were several versions of the story and cuts were made in order to preserve the quality and length of the film.

One of the hardest decisions possible was cutting Chris, the director explains. And the reason why (is), Chris was in the script for a lot of years and I loved him and loved his character. But ultimately as a writer and filmmaker, I had to separate the real humans from the characters on the page at some point.

Durkin says there was a repetition in the brothers deaths that made the film seem unrealistic. I just didnt believe (the movie) could sort of withstand one more tragedy.

There were originally six Von Erich brothers. Fritz Von Erich and wife Doris oldest son, Jack Barton Jr., died at the age of 7 after he was accidentally electrocuted by a live wire.

Between 1984 and 1993, four brothers died. David Von Erich died suddenly from enteritis in 1984, while Kerry, Mike and Chris Von Erich died by suicide.

All the deaths are either mentioned or depicted in The Iron Claw, except Chris Von Erich's.

Durkin says that in removing Chris Von Erich's story, Mike Von Erich became a combination of the two brothers.

According to a 1997 story by the Dallas Observer, Chris Von Erich had a smaller frame than his brothers and was weaker from his asthma and medication that stunted his growth and made his bones fragile.

"He had pressure from himself and maybe from the fans, too. Sometimes fans can be cruel. They dont know what theyre doing, but they can say things like, Hey, are you gonna be a wrestler when you grow up? and things like that. They would just crush Chris, because he never got tall and healthy," Kevin Von Erich told the publication.

Chris Von Erich died by suicide in 1991 at the age of 21.

What did Kevin Von Erich think about Chris Von Erich being removed from the film?

Durkin says he was very nervous about showing Kevin Von Erich the film. They had developed a long-standing open dialogue about the project, but Durkin hadn't shown the former wrestler the script or the final version of the movie.

He says that the day before he was going to finally screen "The Iron Claw" for Kevin Von Erich and his family, he did a Zoom with them.

I was going to, sort of, prepare them on some of the big headline things and one of them, the major one, being Chris, he recalls, adding that he built up the moment of telling the family in his head.

I was so nervous and Kevin was like, Well, I totally understand. Hes like, You dont want the film to be about grief, and you dont want to be stuck in that grief too long. And so I understand. And that was it, he says. And he was really loving and supportive of it.

Holt McCallany, Sean Durkin, Zac Efron, Kevin Von Erich, Jeremy Allen White and Stanley Simons at the Los Angeles

What did Kevin Von Erich think about 'The Iron Claw'?

Despite the tragedies depicted in the film, The Iron Claw focuses on the love and familial support the brothers had. While their father was domineering and pushed them into the ring (and past their limits), there are lighthearted moments that Kevin Von Erich enjoyed.

I think he was really happy that some focuses on the good times and the brotherly love, and as well as Kevins survival and sort of resurrection, if you will, Durkin says of Kevin Von Erichs reaction to the film. I think he felt really good about that, as opposed to if it just entirely focused on the tragedy, which obviously it doesnt shy away from, but its certainly not the core of what the movie is.

He adds that he believes Kevin Von Erich was really relieved about that.

The 66-year-old Kevin Von Erich shared his own feelings on the movie in an interview with "Extra" at the Iron Claw premiere in Dallas in November.

Theres some touching scenes and Im glad that they got the love between Kevin and Fritz because that was definitely there, he said. And people could watch the movie and think that Fritz was a tyrant when he really wasnt.

He said that his father was strict and hard on them, but they were boys in Texas. He instilled strength in us, but discipline, he continued. And I can only be grateful to my dad for the great job he did being a father. But there were times when we got cross.

This article was originally published on TODAY.com
Ukrainian soldiers from the 28th Mechanised Brigade in their trenches after incoming fire at the frontline in the region of Bakhmut, Ukraine, in April 2023. REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY

The battle for Bakhmut, Ukraine, has been compared to World War I.

The comparison is because both had horrific death tolls, and heavy use of trenches.

A US veteran who fought in Bakhmut said the battlefield was shaped by ubiquitous drones.

Ukraine's most horrific battle  for the city of Bakhmut  looks like something from another era; specifically that of World War I.

Dirt, severed limbs, soldiers huddled in trenches under constant artillery fire  a far cry from most modern conflicts.

Ironically, it is the modern technology that explains why the fighting was like this, a US Army veteran fighting in Ukraine said.

Business Insider agreed to refer to him by his call sign, Jackie. He is one of about 45 people who spoke to BI for a sweeping feature on that horrific battle.

Fighting in Bakhmut included gruesome urban combat in streets and buildings, as well as close-quarter fighting in trenches, fields, and forests. It was described by some as a "meat grinder."

British soldiers in a trench near Verdun, France, during World War I. Reuters

In World War I, areas of little strategic importance nonetheless became killing fields simply because two armies met there and would not give way. And so it was in Bakhmut.

An ambulance driver in Ukraine, speaking to France24, said Bakhmut was a parallel to the 1916 Battle of Verdun, the longest of WWI.

Jackie told BI how strange it was to fight in a battle that resembled those in a war that ended 107 years ago  and said it was partly down to drones.

Dug trenches in a residential district in April 2023 in Bakhmut, Ukraine Viktor Fridshon/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images

"The reason it looks like World War I  this is a hard admission for a reconnaissance soldier but [it's] drones," he said.

Both sides could see exactly what the other was doing  forcing them into defensive tactics that also typified WWI.

"The destruction that we're seeing and the trench warfare and things like that," Jackie added, is "partly created by the fact that this is so dominated by drones."

A Ukrainian soldier watches a drone feed from an underground command center in Bakhmut in December 2022. AP Photo/Libkos

Jackie said staying alive in Bakhmut meant sprinting between buildings and trying not to get spotted.

The drones meant that "there's no place that's safe in the entire city," he said. Spending any time in the open would invite a swift death from artillery, tank fire, or snipers.

It left Bakhmut looking like a "ghost town," despite being full of soldiers, because everyone was hiding out in buildings, basements, or whatever shelter they could find.

James Patton Rogers, a drone warfare expert at Cornell University, told Business Insider that drones can have a huge impact on how a battle is shaped.

A soldier with Ukraine's 58th Independent Motorized Infantry Brigade catches a drone while testing it near Bakhmut, Ukraine, in November 2022. REUTERS/Leah Millis

Drones force people into protections like trenches, and make them take extra precautions with how their trenches are set up, he said.

"The character of the battle certainly changes when you have this ubiquitous ever-present threats in the skies above the battlefield," he added.

And drones also help drive up the death toll and mean that soldiers "are constantly on edge. You never know if the drones above you are ones that have seen you," he said.

An aerial view of Bakhmut, Ukraine, on April 26, 2023. Libkos/AP

Advanced equipment like tanks, artillery, and armored vehicles are also vulnerable to drones, Patton Rogers said.

"It effectively degrades your military effectiveness in many ways. It means it's harder for you to be mobile and to move in warfare."

While Ukrainian soldiers were forced out of Bakhmut in May, fighting around the city is still ongoing, with Ukraine's forces pushing forward in the fields and forest on its outskirts.

Fighting amid drones and trenches continues there, just as it likely will if Ukraine's forces get back into the city itself.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Wisconsin's Supreme Court ruled that state legislative district maps drawn up by Republican legislators are unconstitutional because some districts, such as Senate District 22 in the Racine area, are not contiguous. Image provided by Wisconsin Supreme Court

Dec. 23 (UPI) -- Wisconsin's Supreme Court has struck down legislative district maps drawn up the state's GOP majority, ruling they violate the constitutional requirement for "contiguous territory."

In a 4-3 ruling along party lines handed down Friday, the high court said the state Legislature will have another chance to draw up new district lines before the 2024 election, but warned that if further attempts are not satisfactory, the court will draw its own districts.

The ruling striking down what critics have called Wisconsin's "heavily gerrymandered" maps means half of the state Senate and all of the Assembly will be forced to run in new legislative districts, the Milwaukee Journal reported.

Under the current maps, Republicans have a solid hold in the Legislature, including 64 of 99 seats in the Assembly and a 22-11 supermajority in the Senate.

Crucial to the argument over redistricting is Article IV of Wisconsin's Constitution, which has sections requiring legislative districts to be "contiguous territory."

A group of voters and state senators sued, arguing that districts are non-contiguous.

The court said it agreed that the state legislative districts "must be composed of physically adjoining territory.

"The constitutional text and our precedent support this common-sense interpretation of contiguity. Because the current state legislative districts contain separate, detached territory, [they] therefore violate the constitution's continuity requirements," the court said.

The Legislature will have until Jan. 12 to submit new map proposals but Wisconsin Republicans say they will appeal the decision.

"The case was pre-decided before it was even brought," Assembly Speaker Robin Vos said in a social media post. "Sad day for Wisconsin when the state supreme court just said last year that the existing lines are constitutional. Fortunately, the U.S. Supreme Court will have the last word."

Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers said the ruling shows the state's Republican majority is unable to draw up fair legislative districts.

"It's clear to me that a Republican-controlled Legislature that has consistently gerrymandered itself into comfortable partisan majorities for more than a decade is incapable of preparing fair, nonpartisan maps deserving of the people of this state," Evers said in a statement.

"I agree with the court's determination that these maps are unconstitutional because the districts lack contiguity," he added, declaring that Wisconsin is in reality is a "purple state."

"I look forward to submitting maps to the court to consider and review that reflect and represent the makeup of our state," the governor said.
In early December, a rightwing Wisconsin organization called HOT Government sent out a breathless email: Mike Lindell, the pillow salesman turned election conspiracy theorist and staunch Donald Trump ally, had nominated an important Wisconsin politician for a dubious award.

Related: Democrats won Virginia on abortion. Can it also win them the White House?

The prize would go to the person who exemplifies leadership in BEING AN OBSTACLE TO STOPPING ELECTION CRIME, the email declared.

Lindells target wasnt a Democrat, nonpartisan election official or even a moderate Republican  it was Robin Vos, the powerful Wisconsin Republican assembly speaker.

The nomination reflects a stark turn of fortunes for Vos, who has spent more than a decade using every tool at his disposal to cement Republican power in Wisconsin, touting a deeply conservative record including on voting.

Vos helped re-draw the states legislative maps in 2011, ensuring Republican control of the legislature ever since. The same year, he followed former Republican governor Scott Walkers lead in creating the most restrictive voter identification law in the country and passing legislation to kneecap union power in a state where organized labor was once the core of the Democratic coalition.

Vos was elected speaker of the assembly in 2013 and has used his years in office since to shore up his partys minoritarian lock on power in the swing state. When Republicans lost the governorship in 2018, the assembly quickly passed legislation that curbed the power of the incoming Democratic governor. And after Trump lost the state in 2020, Vos initiated an investigation into Wisconsins election, hiring a promoter of the Stop the Steal movement to lead it.

He was in all respects a loyal rightwinger. But Vos has drawn a line at embracing Trumps false claim that he actually won Wisconsin in 2020 and refused to join colleagues who suggested overturning the 2020 election. His unwillingness to cross that line has turned him into a pariah on the far right, a target of Lindell, an enemy of Trump and a symbol of the current state of the Republican party where loyalty to Trump is the key litmus test.

Now, Vos is fighting elements of his party that rejected the results of the 2020 election and have come to view him not as a hardline conservative who has done more than almost anyone else to strengthen Republicans power in the state, but as a corrupt establishment hack complicit in Trumps undoing.

With the Trump flank of the grassroots Wisconsin Republican party as strong as ever ahead of the 2024 election, Vos is scrambling to appease his hardline party detractors so he doesnt become a casualty of the movement he helped create.

Theres a segment of the Maga crowd who despises him, because they adamantly believe President Trump was cheated, said a veteran Wisconsin GOP operative, who spoke anonymously given his role within pro-Trump circles. Where he is right now is kind of emblematic of the fight going on within the Republican party  here in Wisconsin and across the nation.

From the young Republican 

Since he was a child, Vos led a political life. In sixth grade, he tagged along with a teacher to political events, then joined the Young Republicans and worked for former Republican governor Tommy Thompson before starting college. During his first semester at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, Vos ran for and won a seat on the student senate and then went about lobbying every member of the Wisconsin state legislature for reduced tuition hikes.

His eagerness was rewarded two years later, when Governor Thompson appointed Vos to be a student member of the University of Wisconsin systems governing body. Vos surrounded himself with other young Republicans: his roommate and friend at UW-Whitewater, Reince Priebus, would go on to chair the Republican National Committee for six years before working as Donald Trumps chief of staff in 2017.

After graduating in 1991, Vos snagged a job as a legislative aide to Bonnie Ladwig, a leader in the Wisconsin state assembly, then returned home to Burlington, in south-east Wisconsin, and won a seat on the Racine county board. When Ladwig retired a decade later in 2004, Vos won her seat.

Everybody seems to think that Robin tells everybody in the caucus, You will vote this way, you will do this, you will do that, and its not that way at all Kathy Bernier

Jim and Bonnie Ladwig were super close to me, Vos told the Guardian, sitting at the end of a long and formidable wooden table in his Capitol office. Vos had been taking back-to-back interviews all day but he was focused and energized. They were like a second set of parents  and then Tommy Thompson, I talk to him almost every week  Governor Evers, annually.

Vos advanced quickly in the assembly, learning how to manage the personalities in the Republican caucus and when to make bipartisan alliances. Perhaps emulating his slogan as a college politician  We want your views  Vos earned the reputation of listening carefully to his colleagues and learning their vulnerabilities and strengths.

I really want to be a consensus builder, said Vos, who said he believed eking out a policy win, even a small one, was worthwhile  and faulted the contemporary Republican party for adopting what he viewed as an all-or-nothing politics.

Mark Pocan, a progressive Democratic congressman in the state, who sat on the joint committee on finance with Vos, formed an unlikely friendship with the legislator. I always found him someone that I can have [a] conversation with, said Pocan. Hes very effective in knowing how to work his members to get things done.

Everybody seems to think that Robin tells everybody in the caucus, You will vote this way, you will do this, you will do that, and its not that way at all, said Kathy Bernier, a Republican who served in the assembly for five years under Voss leadership. He will be always cognizant of the vulnerable members of his caucus.

But Vos has also gained a reputation for cracking down on uncooperative members of his caucus and withholding committee seats from disloyal members. In 2016, he withheld committee appointments from three conservative lawmakers who had previously clashed with him. Most recently, his caucus removed Janel Brandtjen, an election denier and Republican staterepresentative, from her leading role on the elections committee after she endorsed his primary opponent.

None of the seven leaders of the Republican caucus in the assembly agreed to an interview.

 To the prince of darkness

Under Voss leadership, the Republican-controlled legislature has flexed outsized power in Wisconsin. While statewide races are often determined by vanishingly narrow margins, Republicans can comfortably count on strong majorities in the legislature  a product of the 2011 redistricting law Vos helped craft. He currently presides over a 64-35 seat majority in the assembly, which he has leveraged to strengthen Republican power in the state.

Democrats cant accept that because they think the only reason theyre losing is the maps  maybe its your strategy Robin Vos

But Vos is quick to contest the view, held by many Democrats, that his legislative style is anti-democratic  or really anything but good, effective politics. Democrats cant accept that because they think the only reason theyre losing is the maps  maybe its your strategy. Maybe its your campaign, maybe its the issues you run on.

Also in 2011, Vos helped push through one of the most restrictive voter identification laws in the nation; independent studies have found it disproportionately impacts low-income and Black voters, but the law has nonetheless survived numerous court challenges by voting rights advocates. When Wisconsins government accountability board found in 2015 that the legislature had failed to provide sufficient education around the new voter ID rules, a requirement of their own law, the assembly voted to dissolve the board.

After Democrats won races for governor and attorney general in the 2018 election, Vos rushed through laws limiting the powers of both offices in the weeks before they took office. The lame duck legislation, among other provisions, limited the governors authority to appoint leaders to certain state agencies and gave the legislature the right to hire outside lawyers to intervene in lawsuits. The power grab outraged Democrats and good-government groups and illustrated the lengths to which Republicans in office would go to wrest power from their opponents. A 2022 Politico article referred to Vos as the states shadow governor.

In 2015, Vos even tried to bring about a law that would shield state lawmakers entirely from public records requests. The effort failed, but he and other members of his caucus are known to habitually delete their work emails  a practice that, while legal, makes it harder for journalists and the public to access documents.

When it comes to sunshine in government, Robin Vos is the prince of darkness, said Bill Lueders, a political journalist and the president of the Wisconsin Freedom of Information Council.

He has developed a reputation for obstinance towards working with Democrats in office. In early 2020, while Republican- and Democratic- led states across the country delayed primary elections amid the rapidly-spreading coronavirus, the state legislature shut down attempts by Tony Evers, the Democratic governor, to move the date of the Wisconsin primary. In a viral image, Vos, donned in head-to-toe protective gear and volunteering as a poll worker, told voters it was incredibly safe to go out.

A rigged and stolen election

After years of fighting Democrats, the 2020 election brought Vos into a separate and unexpectedly fierce conflict  with his own party.

A day before the scheduled certification of the presidential election in Congress, as Trump supporters piled into buses headed for Washington, DC for a rally that would devolve into the January 6 Capitol riot, 14 Wisconsin lawmakers  including 13 members of the assembly  signed a letter addressed to Mike Pence, the vice-president, urging him not to certify the election. The missive, signed by lawmakers in five swing states, accused governors and state officials of obfuscation and intentional deception and claimed state legislatures have the final say in certifying the election results. The chair and vice-chair of the Wisconsin assembly committee on campaigns and elections were among the signatories.

One of my biggest regrets was hiring Gableman. He was way wackier than I thought Robin Vos

Vos did not sign. But in a press conference that day, he told reporters he took the partys rightwing base seriously and said the widespread doubt about the election results called for a re-evaluation of the electoral process. Since then, hes sought to walk a tightrope of appeasing his base while refusing to bow to their wildest demands. But that has proven challenging.

Trump and his allies spent months filing lawsuits to try to overturn his loss in Wisconsin and other states. When his lawsuit asking the Wisconsin supreme court to toss out thousands of votes cast in Democratic strongholds failed, he tried to pressure Vos and other Republicans in the legislature to decertify the election themselves.

I think it is unlikely we would find enough cases of fraud to overturn the election, Vos told reporters at the time, suggesting that the state first investigate the 2020 election.

The Republicans refusal to actually attempt to decertify the election angered Trump. In June 2021, as Wisconsin Republicans gathered for their annual convention, Trump issued a statement accusing Vos and other legislative party leaders of working hard to cover up election corruption.

Vos has responded to Trumps attacks by alternatively rejecting his wild claims while at the same time granting political concessions to groups peddling conspiracy theories.

Under pressure from Trump, Vos in 2021 announced an investigation into the election, appointing Michael Gableman, a former Wisconsin supreme court justice who had bolstered Trumps disproven claims of election fraud and spoken at a Wisconsin Stop the Steal rally shortly after the 2020 election, as special counsel. During his investigation, Gableman traveled across the US, speaking at an elections conference hosted by Lindell and viewing the discredited Cyber Ninjas election audit in Maricopa county, Arizona.

A year later, when the Wisconsin supreme court ruled that the use of ballot dropboxes during the 2020 election was unlawful, the former president approached Vos with another call to decertify the election. I explained that its not allowed under the constitution, Vos told WISN-TV 12 News in Milwaukee.

Trump was furious. Days later, the former president endorsed Adam Steen, Voss election-denying primary opponent, calling Steen a rising patriotic candidate and denouncing Vos.

Vos barely survived the primary, winning by less than 300 votes.

One of my biggest regrets was hiring Gableman, said Vos, who fired the judge days after his primary. He was way wackier than I thought. He was disappointing. He was inept. He was way worse for the system.

Donald Trumps unhealthy obsession with 2020 is not what Americans want to hear about in 2024 Robin Vos

As Trump turned on Vos, cracks within the Wisconsin GOP deepened.

Vos was roundly booed at the state convention in 2022 for telling the delegates that lawmakers have no ability to decertify the [2020] election and go back and nullify it .That day, more than a third of the delegates voted to oust him from party leadership.

Vos will not break the law to try to win them over, but hes still looking to win back some of their support  all while trying to keep himself and the Republican party in power amid a shakeup in the Wisconsin supreme court.

After voters elected liberal justice Janet Protasiewicz to the states highest court, Vos entertained the idea of impeaching her before she could rule on the constitutionality of the states gerrymandered maps, only dropping the cause when a panel of former justices recommended against it.

Vos has also come under pressure from election denying groups to oust Meagan Wolfe, Wisconsins nonpartisan election commissioner who became a target of false claims that she broke the law to hurt Trump in 2020.

As the leader, [Vos] takes the brunt of it, said the state senator Duey Stroebel, a Republican who served in the assembly for four years and has, like Vos, worked on restrictive voting laws during his tenure. Hes kind of the poster boy for these things.

Related: Scranton stands by native son Biden but even here enthusiasm is elusive

Vos has echoed calls for Wolfe to step down. But he has slow-walked impeachment efforts, referring impeachment articles to an assembly committee in November, where they have languished since. A group that goes by the name Wisconsin Elections Commission, Inc has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on TV and newspaper ads running regularly since November pressuring Vos to impeach Wolfe.

Its not gonna happen, Vos said brusquely, voicing his irritation at Trump and his allies unyielding focus on the 2020 election. Donald Trumps unhealthy obsession with 2020 is not what Americans want to hear about in 2024.

But at this point, it seems unlikely Vos can do much more to satisfy the far right base of his party. Even if he pivots and sees Wolfes impeachment through, a move that could destabilize elections ahead of 2024, the right wing will likely continue to ramp up their anti-democratic demands.

As long as Donald Trump is politically active, they will be politically active, said Bernier, who has been vocal in pushing back against Trumps election lies  and counts Vos as a friend. Wisconsin activists who challenge election outcomes, she said, will continue this until Donald Trump is no more.
RACINE, Wis. - A man authorities call a sexual predator was sentenced in Racine County on Friday, Dec. 22 to more than 40 years in prison plus extended supervision.

This is a case that goes back several years. Shane Stanger was charged in 2021, but some of the crimes of which he was accused date back nearly a decade.

"I am extremely sorry for the crimes I have committed," Stanger told the Racine County judge prior to sentencing.

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Stanger, 48, appeared on Friday for sentencing in a Racine County courtroom.

"There is no one to blame here, but Shane Stanger," said Jessica Lynott, Racine County Assistant District Attorney.

"There is a plethora of sexual, abusive, violation of trust behavior here," said Racine County Circuit Court Judge Timothy Boyle.

The case against the Iowa man originally began after a person found videos of them being sexually assaulted on Stanger's laptop. Investigators later found more videos of multiple victims  showering, using the restroom, recorded without their permission.

FREE DOWNLOAD: Get breaking news alerts in the FOX6 News app for iOS or Android

"These werent spontaneous acts, these werent crimes of desperation, these were calculated plans to record intimate images," Lynott said.

They included images from a restaurant where Stanger worked.

Racine County Assistant District Attorney Jessica Lynott

"What teenagers at a restaurant could have done to deserve being videotaped while using the bathroom," Lynott said.

"If I could turn back the hands of time, and change my actions, I would do it in a heartbeat," Stanger said.

Shane Stanger

Stanger was also convicted of child pornography possession.

"Completely and utter disgusting, abusive, horrific torture to children," Judge Boyle said.

Judge Timothy Boyle

Judge Boyle said child pornography often involves victims the perpetrator does not know, but not here.

"Need I say more," the judge said.

Stanger originally faced more than 200 charges related to this case. He has a pending sexual assault case in Forest County.
The Wisconsin Supreme Court on Friday struck down Republican-drawn legislative maps and ordered new district boundary lines in the battleground state be drawn before the 2024 election.

The 4-3 decision in favor of Democrats could have resounding implications for the rapidly nearing presidential race, given four of the states six past presidential elections have been decided by fewer than 23,000 votes.

Justice Jill Karofsky, writing for the majority, said Wisconsins current maps violate the state constitutions contiguity requirements, writing that some 50 of 99 assembly districts and 20 of 33 senate districts include separate, detached territory.

We hold that the contiguity requirements  mean what they say: Wisconsins state legislative districts must be composed of physically adjoining territory, Karofsky wrote. The constitutional text and our precedent support this common-sense interpretation of contiguity.

The parties in the lawsuit will be allowed to submit maps to the court, in addition to supporting arguments and expert evidence. Before the 2024 election, remedial maps will be adopted by the court unless the GOP-controlled Legislature passes maps the states Democratic governor will approve.

Karosfky was joined by liberal Justices Janet Protasiewicz, Ann Walsh Bradley and Rebecca Dallet in the majority. Conservative justices Annette Ziegler, Rebecca Bradley and Brian Hagedorn dissented.

The lawsuit was filed a day after Protasiewicz joined the court in August, marking its flip to a 4-3 liberal majority. Protasiewicz called the GOP-drawn maps unfair and rigged during her campaign, inciting calls for her impeachment before the case had even been heard.

Democrats had argued that the maps were extreme partisan gerrymanders and that they violate the state constitution, while Republicans said no new maps should be enacted until at least 2026 and that past rulings on the matter backed up their view that districts could be noncontiguous under some circumstances.

In her dissent, Ziegler accused the majority of judicial activism on steroids and argued the constitutional responsibility for redistricting belongs with the states other two branches of government.

The court of four takes a wrecking ball to the law, making no room, nor having any need, for longstanding practices, procedures, traditions, the law, or even their co-equal fellow branches of government, Ziegler wrote.

Sam Hirsch, a lawyer who argued before the Wisconsin Supreme Court on behalf of intervenor-petitioners, said they look forward to working through the remedial process to ensure Wisconsinites have fair representation in the State Legislature for the first time in more than a decade.

Republicans hold a 64-35 majority in Wisconsins Assembly and a 22-11 supermajority in the Senate, majorities that were cemented by the legislative electoral maps down by the GOP-led legislature in 2011.

More than a dozen states have ongoing litigation involving legislative maps drawn after the 2020 census.

The Associated Press contributed.

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